Is Azealia Banks baking new mainstream material?

That’s the question on the lips of fans after the eclectic femcee was photoed posing it up with hit vendor Dr. Luke (centre) last night.

It’s not known what the ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ rapper was recording, but producers Rock City (also pictured) shared the shot with the caption:

@_cirkut @anythingill @thedoctorluke @AzealiaBanksAnd Me Theron Theron If Yall Only Knew#RightAboutNow #WeComing #WeWorking#WhatDreamsAreMadeOf

Given Banks’ vocal stance on the Pop-ier lean of some of her contemporaries, her pairing with Luke and co does make for an interesting development.

That said, we’re all for it. Because while we appreciate the uniqueness of her talent, we’re realists about the fact that hits facilitate longevity and hits require structure – something Azealia’s music often lacks.

Your thoughts?

“I really wanna be your slave tonight”

Lifted from Tahj Mowry‘s new single ‘Bossy’, it goes without saying that the lyrics prove that former child actor is all grown up.

Now 28, it appears the ‘Smart Guy’ star (who is the younger brother of Tia & Tamera) is keen to shed his wholesome image and introduce the masses to an edgier, racier side of himself.

Speaking on the track, Mowry mused:

“Bossy was one of the first songs I wrote from the new album and it’s probably one of my more racy/sexual songs.

I wanted to write a song that flips the script on the norm. Men are expected to always be in control but sometimes as men we want to let sometime else take over for once”

On the song’s suggestive overtones, he added:

“I like using innuendos in my writing because it keeps people guessing, it’s a song about how giving up control can lead to some very Bossy commands”

Take a listen below…

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It’s no secret that the Houston family is not on board with Angela Bassett‘s cinematic ode to the romance of pop icon Whitney Houston and her R&B bad boy ex-husband Bobby Brown.

Coming in the form of the biopic ‘Whitney,‘ airing Saturday, January 17th at 8/7c on Lifetime, anticipation for the film is reaching feverish pitch as barely a day separates viewers from it. But, if you were looking to see if the sentiment was shared in the Houston household, you got your answer today when Whitney’s former manager/sister-in-law Pat Houston took to Facebook to slam the movie and the channel (despite it once being their own reality show’s network).

After pointing out its shambolic, Wendy Williams’-produced ‘Aaliyah: Princess of R&B’ film as evidence, the businesswoman went on to urge fans of Houston to boycott the film.

Read her fiery statement below:

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Welcome back to TGJ Replay!

Designed much like our ‘Retro Rewind’ and ‘From the Vault’ features, ‘Replay’ is That Grape Juice‘s newest reflective segment to act as a written quest, if you will, to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday. Unlike its retrospective predecessors, ‘Replay’ looks to dust off and showcase entire albums (and eras) from a library of pop and Urban pop music hits.

Now, as fans ready themselves for the highly anticipated Whitney Houston made-for-TV biopic ‘Whitney’ (January 17th at 8/7c on Lifetime), there is no better time to ode the songstress than with today’s replay of her multiplatinum third album ‘I’m Your Baby Tonight.’

“The third album is probably always the hardest because people expect so much. [They say] the first one is ok, the second one was pretty good, but now what is she going to do for the third one? It’s always that expectation level that makes it hard to deal with. You want it to be accepted in the same way that the first and second one were.” – Whitney Houston, 1991

Join us as we travel back to 1990… (more…)

Mariah Carey is back and in a big way.

As reported, the legendary diva is Las Vegas bound after she signed a lucrative deal to perform at The Colosseum At Caesars Palace.

Building on the buzz generated by her announcement on The Ellen Degeneres Show, the iconic songbird has not only revealed the dates for the show (which kicks off in May), but also announced a new-ish album in the process.

Details below…

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It was billed as the comeback of a Pop Titan. However, under performing singles, so-so videos, and invisible radio support, confirm that Gwen Stefani‘s return to the Pop sphere is officially in the danger zone.

Let’s peruse the numbers…

Comeback single ‘Baby Don’t Lie’ peaked at a paltry #46 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its follow-up ‘Spark The Fire’ was released to such a frosty reception in December that it’s yet to chart a month on. Neither track is fairing much better on VEVO. The visual for ‘Baby’ has been lodged at the 13 million views mark months after debuting and ‘Fire’ isn’t generating any heat with just 3 million plays worldwide.

Stefani’s current predicament marks the second time in as many years that the singer has found herself on unstable terrain. No Doubt‘s 2012 comeback effort resulted in shocking sales and an axed tour. Hope for another reunion was quelled upon the announcement of Gwen’s new solo venture – which at the time felt like a fair payoff. Yet, with that now a mucky mess of sorts too, it brings the questions of what went wrong and can it be fixed to the surface.

We weigh in below…

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R&B songbird Jazmine Sullivan nested on The Breakfast Club this morning.

The Grammy nominee was grilled in the infamous hot seat about her new album ‘Reality Show’, her hiatus from the industry, and more.

Perhaps the most notable segment of the interview came when the songstress opened up about the abusive relationship which almost derailed her dreams.

Check it out after the jump…

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We bet the C-squad collectively got all their lives when stageblazer Ciara took to Instagram tonight to unveil the cover art to her new single ‘I Bet.’  Due later this month, the single will kick off the singer’s 6th LP and follow her critically acclaimed 2013 self-titled set.

As we get excited for the next “Ci”-era, see your way down below to peep the cover art for her forthcoming single:

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It’s no secret that viewers of Lifetime’s shambolic ‘Aaliyah:  The Princess of R&B’ shuddered when greeted with news that the women’s network would tackle an unauthorized biographical account of pop icon Whitney Houston.  While comforted by thoughts that the film’s director, Houston’s ‘Waiting To Exhale’ co-star Angela Bassett, at least knew her personally, the absence of familial support or involvement (just like the Wendy Williams produced affair) discouraged some fans from lending support.

At That Grape Juice, we initially shared that same skepticism.  After one view of the emotional rollercoaster that is Lifetime’s ‘Whitney,’ however, we can say with certainty that this could very well be the TV event of the season.

Read why below:

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After heading to Splitsville last year, 2015 has seen Nicki Minaj and A&R coordinator Safaree Samuels move onto pastures new with brand new relationships, confirmed and publicised via social media.

Unfortunately, said breakup has seen the rapper garner more press about her personal life than her latest studio album recently, set to remain this way for a while thanks a new interview given by Samuels to the ‘The Breakfast Club‘ radio show.

Reality TV worthy mess below…

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Booted from Def Jam to make way for a teenage Rihanna, the last decade has seen Christina Milian look on from the sidelines as acts she once considered competition touch career highs a number of ill-advised moves kept her from reaching.

Now, the ‘Dip It Low’ singer seeks to right that wrong with a comeback this year, inking a deal with E! that’ll see her star in her very own Reality TV series!

This week, the entertainer has kicked off her comeback campaign by paying compliments to former rival Beyonce and current label Nicki Minaj, both of whom she says she is eager to work with.

Kind words from the Cuban beauty below…

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Ever keen to broaden our musical scope, recent months have seen That Grape Juice venture into a number of new musical landscapes including, most recently, gospel.

Spearheaded by well-received interviews with gospel singers Yolanda Adams, Hezekiah Walker, Twinkie Clark, Fred Hammond, Kierra Sheard, Dorinda Clark Cole, Israel Houghton, Marvin Sapp, Micah Stampley, Joshua Rogers, J. Moss, and Jonathan McReynolds, TGJ is now offering readers ‘The Overflow’ – a collection of the top gospel-themed news stories from the week.

Tuck in below for the latest news on Andrae Crouch, Dewayne Woods, Jonathan Nelson,  and more:

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