Michael Jackson’s and AEG Live’s PR have sent over the following press release about the preparations for the King of Pop’s comeback shows at London’s 02 this summer. Peep the exclusive new pic of MJ in rehearsal above and the press release below:

MICHAEL JACKSON
KING OF POP

Kenny Ortega Announced As Show Director

(May 12th, 2009) – The streets of Hollywood are buzzing; Michael Jackson mania is in full swing 5,500 miles away from The O2 arena – the home of his historic 50 concerts this summer.

Kenny Ortega, the renowned Director, Producer, Choreographer and creative talent is hard at work collaborating with Michael Jackson in the overall design and direction for the upcoming ‘This Is It’ concert shows. Ortega previously worked on Michael Jackson’s Dangerous and HIStory tours, some of the most spectacular shows ever staged. Last week, thousands of dancers flew in from every corner of the globe including Japan, Australia, South America and Europe to audition for Jackson and Ortega – all of them were chasing their dream of winning a spot to perform on stage with their idol Michael Jackson.

Even after the selection process narrowed the competition from thousands of submissions to over five hundred top international dancers, there was still no dance space large enough in Los Angeles or New York to house the auditions. The producers ended up booking LA’s Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, part of the site where the Grammy Awards are held each year, to handle the unprecedented numbers of performers who flocked to these auditions.

Ortega, having once been in partnership with Gene Kelly, is most recently known for his work as the Director and Choreographer of Disney’s, High School Musical 1, 2 & 3. Ortega also Produced and Directed the Barbra Streisand’s Millennium concert tour and is a two time Emmy award winner for his work as Director and Choreographer of the 2002 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In receiving the phone call from Michael to lead the team, Ortega said, “My answer without a beat was nothing could keep me away. Collaborating with Michael on the Dangerous and HIStory tours were two of the greatest creative experiences of my life, to be invited to partner with him again is a dream come true. Working with Michael is always a true and full partnership, he is a creative mastermind, he assembles top professionals to lead his team and then inspires each and every one of us to climb to new places, break out of the box and conquer new challenges. He is the most significant artist and entertainer of our generation.”

“This Is It” is a spectacular concert experience incorporating iconic Jackson songs and choreography mixed with original new works. Ortega says, “Our show goals are to create more than a concert but a complete theatrical musical experience with a dynamic balance that features Jackson in both spectacular production and intimate settings. The stage set, choreography, costumes, lighting, effects and overall production will be of the highest standard and pushing the state of the art.” Michael is dedicated to every detail and aspect of the show working closely with his creative and talented production team. He is “tremendously excited” about sharing his stage show with hundreds of thousands of fans this summer in London.

Ortega goes on to say, “It has been over a decade since Michael and I worked on the HIStory tour together. We had been in discussion in the last couple of years about finding a new project to work on. When I got the call to join him for these concerts I was in-between gigs, catching my breath. I had just finished a World Press tour for High School Musical and was about to start a new film. In accepting the invitation I had to move a few mountains to clear my schedule, but I’m thrilled to say I’m fully on board.”

Casting is in final stages for dancers and the band. The dedication, passion and determination of these performers, who are all personally inspired by Michael Jackson brings an unprecedented intensity to the stage. Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, has influenced a generation of performers through his music, dance and stage shows impacting an art form.

This week with rehearsals in full swing the impossible has become possible as details to this complex and dramatic show are being put together. And when moments get intense and exciting in rehearsals an age-old British tradition has been adopted – a tea break!

Ortega adds, “I go to work each day with a huge sense of joy just knowing what is in-store. Michael, the team and I will hash out a creative idea, we’re ready to implement it and Michael will say let’s sleep on it. The next day he is back in studio raising the bar to the next level and pushing us further for greater dynamic results.”

Randy Phillips, President & CEO of AEG Live, commented, “The unprecedented demand for these shows turned a normal public on sale into a cultural phenomenon and pushed the boundaries by which we measure success. Michael and Kenny are creating an escapist adventure that will take the audience on an entertainment experience only imagined in dreams or big budget motion pictures. This is the perfect pairing on unique creative talents with the greatest repertoire in contemporary music.”

Ortega concludes, “I am looking forward to the creative days ahead as we build a Michael Jackson experience like no other, and to ultimately arriving at The O2 – a magnificent venue and a worldly place. I am thrilled to be a part of the team that once again is bringing Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer of our generation, back to the stage and into the light and love of his devoted fans.”

By the end of the 50 concerts, 1 million fans will have witnessed one of the greatest musical events in history. This will be the last chance to see the King of Pop in London in what will be a historic stage show, and once in a lifetime concert experience – this really is it!

Note To Editors – One of the world’s most popular entertainers, Michael Jackson has sold over 750 million units worldwide and is one of the very few artists to be inducted twice into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognised Michael Jackson as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time and Thriller as The Biggest Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award.

Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” 50 concerts sold out in a matter of hours on March 13th smashing box office records.

I seriously can not wait for the first show to kick off. More over, I can’t wait until August when the show I’ll be attending takes place (where I’ll sitting in the first, center block – A2!). As a fan of MJ since childhood, and having never seen him perform before (although I was in the house at the World Music Awards 2006, but we won’t count that!), to say I’m hyped to see the show is an understatement.

This is one collaboration I’d definitely be checking for and one I’m sure many would want to see. I’m actually salivating at the prospect of what I’m pretty sure would be an uptempo duet (imagine the choreography!). Either way, it’s good to see Ciara giving props where props are due.

The ninth week of X Factor 2008 live shows aired last night here in the UK. Check out my 2 Pence on the semi-final episode below:

Yahoo Music published a real interesting list recently of the Worst Selling #1 Albums. Though kinda long, it was a very insightful read; after all, labels and publicists are oh-so-quick to tout an artists #1 selling status, yet we often hear very little thereafter. Check out the full list below (which is complied from the 365 albums that topped the Nielsen/SoundScan chart from May 25, 1991 through December 31, 2006), I’m sure some of the entries will surprise some:

1. Omarion, 21, 390,000. This was the R&B artist’s second album in a row to open at #1. Omarion’s solo debut album, O, had achieved the feat in March 2005. But 21, which charted in December 2006, has sold only about half as many copies as that earlier album (see #17). The key song from 21, “Ice Box,” reached #12 on the Hot 100. This was the lowest-selling #1 album of 2006.

2. Jaheim, Ghetto Classics, 446,000. This was the R&B artist’s third album, but his first to reach #1. It charted in February 2006. A key reason Ghetto Classics is on this list: No songs from the album made the Hot 100, whereas two songs from each of Jaheim’s previous albums made the top 30.

3. Johnny Cash, American V: A Hundred Highways, 491,000. This charted in July 2006, nearly three years after Cash’s death. It was the country legend’s first studio album to reach #1. His only other #1 album on The Billboard 200 was the live Johnny Cash At San Quentin in 1969. So this wasn’t really a dud. This is the only album on this list that had first-week sales of fewer than 100,000 copies. (It bowed with lukewarm sales of 88,000.)

4. Juvenile, Reality Check, 505,000. This was the rapper’s eighth album, but his first to reach #1. It charted in March 2006. The key single from the album, “Rodeo,” peaked at #41, a drop-off from such previous Juvenile releases as “Slow Motion” (featuring Soulja Slim), which hit #1 in 2004.

5. R. Kelly & Jay-Z, Unfinished Business, 524,000. This was the second collaboration by the superstar pairing. The first, The Best Of Both Worlds, peaked at #2 in 2002. But that first album has sold a healthier 933,000 copies. This was the lowest-selling #1 album of 2004-as well as the lowest-selling chart-topper of the Nielsen/SoundScan era to that point. (It may have been undercut by Jay-Z’s collaboration with Linkin Park, Collision Course, which was released just five weeks later.) Unfinished Business charted in October 2004 with first-week sales of 215,000. That’s 41% of its total.

6. Marilyn Manson, The Golden Age Of Grotesque, 526,000. This album, which charted in May 2003, was Manson’s second #1, following Mechanical Animals in 1998. Both of these releases were the lowest-selling #1 albums of their respective years. The Gothic shock rocker is the only artist to have the lowest-selling #1 album of the year twice in the Nielsen/SoundScan era.

7. LeToya, LeToya, 529,000. This was the solo debut by LeToya Luckett, a former member of Destiny’s Child. LeToya left the group in early 2000, after the release of its top 10 blockbuster, The Writing’s On The Wall. LeToya has sold about one-twelfth as many copies as that album has. The album charted in July 2006. The single, “Torn,” reached #31 on the Hot 100.

8. Prince, 3121, 530,000. What’s a legend like Prince doing on a list like this? Anybody can have an album that under-performs, to use a favored industry euphemism. 3121 charted in March 2006. It was Prince’s fourth album to reach #1; his first to do since Batman in 1989. “Black Sweat” was the only song from the album to make the Hot 100. It spent one week on the chart at #60.

9. Private Parts soundtrack, 562,000. The rock soundtrack to the Howard Stern comedy/biopic charted in March 1997. It was that year’s lowest-selling #1 album. In fact, it was the lowest-selling #1 album between May 1991 and May 2003, when a Marilyn Manson album did even worse (see #6). It’s also the lowest-selling #1 soundtrack from 1991-2008 (except for the two-week old Twilight, which will quickly surpass it). Apart from the four oldies on the album, no songs from the album made the Hot 100.

10. Gridlock’d soundtrack, 585,000. This soundtrack charted in February 1997, five months after the movie’s star, 2 Pac, was shot to death. The album features two 2Pac tracks, one a collaboration with Snoop Doggy Dogg. No songs from the album made the Hot 100.

11. Busta Rhymes, The Big Bang, 613,000. This was the rapper’s seventh album, but his first to reach #1. It charted in June 2006 with first week sales of 209,000. A single, “Touch It,” had run its course by the time the album was released. The follow-up, “I Love My B***,” stalled at #41 on the Hot 100. By contrast, five Busta Rhymes songs from previous albums made the top 10.

12. Bruce Springsteen, Devils & Dust, 650,000. This was The Boss’ seventh #1 album; his first since The Rising in 2002. But it has sold less than a third as many copies as that album has. Devils & Dust charted in May 2005 with first-week sales of 222,000. It was that year’s lowest-selling #1 album. The title song stalled at #72 on the Hot 100. It spent just one week on the chart, compared to 11 weeks for the title song from The Rising.

13. Madonna, American Life, 674,000. This was Madonna’s fifth chart-topper; her first since Music in 2000. But this has sold less than a quarter as many copies as that album has. American Life charted in April 2003 with first-week sales of 241,000. That’s 36% of its total. The album included Madonna’s 2002 hit “Die Another Day” from the James Bond movie of the same name. The problem: No other songs from the album cracked the top 30.

14. India.Arie, Testimony: Vol. 1: Life & Relationship, 688,000. This was the R&B artist’s third album, but her first to reach #1. It charted in July 2006. The single, “I Am Not My Hair,” had one fleeting week on the Hot 100 (at #97). India.Arie’s 2001 breakthrough hit, “Video,” logged seven months on the chart.

15. Diddy, Press Play, 700,000. This was the rap icon’s first #1 album since 1997, when, as Puff Daddy, he topped the chart with No Way Out. But Press Play has sold less than one-seventh as many copies as that album has. Press Play charted in October 2006. The album’s key track, “Come To Me” (featuring Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls) went top 10 on the Hot 100. (By contrast, No Way Out contained four top five hits.)

16. Rod Stewart, Still The Same…Great Rock Classics Of Our Time, 719,000. This was the English star’s first pop/rock album following four million-selling Great American Songbook collections. It charted in October 2006. The Songbook albums were trending downward in sales, from a high of 3,221,000 for the first to a low of 1,112,000 for the fourth. A fifth Songbook outing would probably have sold about what this did. So this wasn’t a bad showing, just not as good as many figured. It was Stewart’s fourth #1 album.

17. Omarion, O, 758,000. This was the R&B artist’s solo debut album, following a pair of top 10 albums with the teen group B2K. O charted in February 2005. The title song reached #27 on the Hot 100. Omarion is the only artist with two albums on this list. (There’s another dubious distinction.)

18. Nas, Hip Hop Is Dead, 764,000. This was the rapper’s third #1 album, following It Was Written in 1996 and I Am… in 1999. But it has sold only about a third of what those albums have sold. Hip Hop Is Dead charted in December 2006, with first-week sales of 355,000. That’s a whopping 46% of its total. The title track, featuring will.i.am, peaked at #41 on the Hot 100, lower than such earlier Nas hits as “Street Dreams” and “I Can.”

19. Incubus, Light Grenades, 773,000. This was the hard rock group’s sixth album, but its first to reach #1. It charted in December 2006. The key track, “Anna-Molly,” peaked at #66 on the Hot 100, a far cry from the top 10 showing of the band’s “Drive” in 2001.

20. Godsmack, IV, 815,000. This was the hard rock group’s second consecutive full-length album to reach #1, following Faceless. But this has sold about half of what that 2003 album has sold. IV charted in May 2006 with first-week sales of 211,000. The key track, “Speak,” reached #85 on the Hot 100.

21. The Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley, Body Kiss, 815,000. This was the veteran R&B group’s second #1 album; its first since The Heat Is On in 1975. Body Kiss charted in May 2003. R. Kelly wrote and produced the key track, “What Would You Do?,” which stalled at #49 on the Hot 100.

22. Led Zeppelin, How The West Was Won, 818,000. This live, three-disk compilation charted in June 2003. (It’s the only album on this list that comprises more than a single disk.) This was the legendary hard-rock band’s seventh #1 album; its first since 1979’s In Through The Out Door.

23. LL Cool J, G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith The Greatest Of All Time, 822,000. This was the rap superstar’s ninth album, but his first to hit #1. G.O.A.T. charted in July 2000 with first-week sales of 209,000. It was that boom year’s lowest-selling #1 album. “Imagine That” was the only song from the album to make the Hot 100. It peaked at #98.

24. Various Artists, The Neptunes Present…Clones, 827,000. Pharrell Williams was featured on six tracks on this hip-hop collection. One of them, “Frontin'” (featuring Jay-Z), went top five on the Hot 100. The album charted in August 2003 with first-week sales of 249,000.

25. A Tribe Called Quest, Beats, Rhymes And Life, 828,000. This charted in August 1996, making it the oldest album on this list. It was the lowest-selling #1 album of 1996-and the lowest-selling chart-topper of the Nielsen/SoundScan era to that point. (It took the unwelcome title from Depeche Mode’s 1993 album, Songs Of Faith And Devotion.) Beats, Rhymes And Life was the New York-based rap trio’s fourth album, but its first to hit #1. No songs from the album made the Hot 100.

Granted some of the names/releases on the list have stories behind the poor sales, it’s still pretty compelling stuff all the same.

Your thoughts

Peep Jamie Foxx on the cover of the latest issue of Mens Health magazine. It seems Foxx must have something out soon, as he’s doing the promo rounds – also recently speaking to Maxim about his altering his body for roles:

Oscar winner Jamie Foxx bit into the role of a schizophrenic musician for his latest movie The Soloist – by chiseling his perfect teeth. Foxx was determined to create a realistic portrayal of Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless American musician who suffered from schizophrenia, so he took the tool to his mouth to mess up his good looks.

The actor explains to Maxim magazine, “I spent hours getting the nuances of the person, making him real. Something angelic happens and you actually become that person. For Nathaniel, I pushed things a bit. I lost about 20 pounds and I put a gap in my teeth. I had one (of my teeth) chipped out with a chisel. My teeth are just so big and white – a homeless person would never have them. I wanted to break up my big, shining piano keys to five them a little character. Some might think I f—ed up my grill for nothing, but I just wanted to come up with some s— to make the part unique.”

Earlier this summer, That Grape Juice was fortunate enough to sit down with Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Ne-Yo in a swanky London hotel. With his third studio album ‘Year of The Gentleman’ nearing release at the time, he spoke openly with That Grape Juice about the record – which since went on to debut at #1, ‘beef’ with Chris Brown, his love life and much more. Though limited time made for the interview to come to a halt, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a great read all the same. Enjoy

Sam: Having burst onto the scene little over 2 years ago, this singer/songwriter has quickly gone on to establish himself as one of the premier talents on today’s music scene. Of course I’m talking about Grammy winner Ne-Yo.

How are you, man? It’s great to finally be able to meet with you.

Ne-Yo: Thank you

Sam: You just landed in the UK a few days back, how has your stay been thus far?

Pretty good, pretty good – I like it out here. I haven’t really been able to do any of the ‘touristy’ stuff yet. It’s crazy as this is like my 10th time coming out here and I still don’t know anywhere outside of the area right here (referring to hotel locality). This is the hotel we always stay at; so it goes airport, hotel, (show) venue and hotel, venue, home.

Sam: This August sees the release your third studio album, ‘Year of The Gentleman’….

Ne-Yo: Uh uh…September.

Sam: Has it been pushed back?

Ne-Yo: September 15th.

Sam: Any particular reason for the pushback?

Ne-Yo: I was not going to put out an album that was not 100% right; and I wanted the record to be 100% right – so that’s pretty much it.

Sam: What exactly is the meaning of the album’s title?

Ne-Yo: ‘Year of The Gentleman’. That basically comes from me personally feeling that what it means to be a gentleman is a little lacking nowadays. From the way we view and treat our women, to outward appearance. All that stuff. It’s a little lacking these days. The guys that takes the time to make sure he looks at least half-way decent before he walks out of the house are few and far between nowadays. The guy that will pull out a woman’s chair for her, open the car door for her. That’s a little lacking nowadays. That effortless ‘cool’ that you used to see back in the day with the likes of Nat King Cole and the Rat Pack, stuff like that. Not this, what we have today, where it’s like ‘Hey, everybody look here, I got diamonds and money and girls…look at me’. It wasn’t like that back in the day. Back in the day it was about being charming, about being charismatic, about suave, about swagger back then. You didn’t have to try so hard to get someone’s attention; they’d just give it to you anyway because you were ‘that guy’. This album is basically me trying to lead by example and showcase what it is to be a gentleman.

With that being said, I am not a perfect gentleman – yet! I am a gentleman in training. So there are still some aspects of being a gentleman that I have to learn; but I’m willing to learn, which I guess puts me a little ahead of the curve.

Sam: Good stuff. Congratulations on hitting #1 with the record’s lead single ‘Closer’

Ne-Yo: Thank you very much…

Sam: The song has performed significantly better here than back home in the States. Why you think this has been?

Ne-Yo: Well, the song is inspired by the UK and going out here in London. I remember that night, we went to a couple of different clubs. Two clubs were very American R&B/Hip-Hop based and I remember saying to my people “I can get this back at home. I want to know what goes on here”. So they took me to another spot – I guess it was like a Techno/House club – real small venue, yet filled to the capacity. It had the whole green lasers; people had their hands in the air, eyes closed and in a trance from this music. I mean, I’ve never really been a fan of dance music, it’s just never really been my thing, but the common ground I found with that music, is that I like to make music that makes you feel something. That’s the whole M-O of the music I create – I try to evoke some kind of emotion – happy, sad, whatever. That music (Techno/House) is strictly about how the music makes you feel, to the point where the lyrics don’t even matter (laughs). There was one I heard that had but 3 words in the damn song (laughs). It’s all about the feel and what the music does to you. So I tried to capture that vibe, put the little ‘Ne-Yo’ spin on it and do my own interpretation of what I heard and felt that night.

Sam: Having served up R&B/Pop smashes with your previous releases, ‘Closer’ is somewhat left-field for you musically, with its Euro-Dance sound. Is this something we can expect to hear more of on the album?

Ne-Yo: To a degree. I did a lot of things on this new album that I haven’t done before. I think that one of the reasons ‘Closer’ has performed much better over here is that over here you guys are a little more susceptible to change, a little more open. Whereas back home in the States, people kinda get programmed into one thing and one thing only. If it ain’t 50 Cent or doesn’t sound like this, then we don’t want to know about it. That’s one of the reasons I like it out here – outside America in general because people are open to more things out here.

Sam: Ok, in general, what can we expect from the album in terms of producers, features etc.

Ne-Yo: No features. This is my first studio album with no features whatsoever. I kinda wanted to leave it like that, as I’m doing a lot of experimenting with different sounds and genres of music. So if something –touch wood (laughs) – went bad, I didn’t want to have anyone else to blame but me.

Producers, I used everyone that I normally use. My production company, Compound, Stargate and more.

As far as the sound of this album, I’ve been basically been calling the album a buffet, as there is literally a little something there for everybody. There’s something there for the cats that are strictly Urban, for the cats that are strictly Pop, for the cats that are into Alternative that don’t even know my damn name yet! A little bit of everything for everybody on this record.

Sam: Awesome. What do you hope to accomplish with this album?

Ne-Yo: I hope to help blur some of these lines, knock down some of these walls and barricades that have been put up in music. (I want it to be) Not Pop, Rock, Urban, but simply to come down to two categories of music – good music and bad music. I pray that my music is always in the good music category.

Sam: Amen.

Ne-Yo: Thank you, sir.

Sam: Next single?

Ne-Yo: A track called ‘Miss Independent’. (Coyly) You heard that one?

Sam: Uh huh (Sidenote: I’m not sure I’m supposed to have nodded as the track wasn’t supposed to have ‘surfaced’ at the time LOL).

Ne-Yo: …the track sees me pay homage to a woman that’s got her own. There’s something very sexy about that to me. Nothing worse than a chick you’ve got to (completely) take care of.

Sam: Ok. Like many, you recently put your own spin on Lil’ Wayne’s ‘A Milli’ track. However, your version in particular has garnered more attention than others, with many questioning who exactly you’re taking aim at…

Ne-Yo: (Laughs!)

Sam: For the record then, Mr Ne-Yo, what was the deal with that?

Ne-Yo: There was no deal (laughs)! Everybody swears I was talking about Chris (Brown). It wasn’t about Chris; Chris is my homeboy – why would I shoot at him? I actually said in the line “To anyone in general, this is not //But if you claim A Milli you ain’t got, this red dot is on your forehead”. That’s basically me saying, don’t think I’m talking about anyone in particular, I’m just talking shit. It’s one of those records you get on and basically talk shit. Everyone was talking about how much money they got, I was like ‘Hold on!!! Lemme talk about how much money I got!’ (laughs)…

Sam: As I’m sure that ‘Irreplaceable’ cheque guarantees (laughs)…

Ne-Yo: There you go (laughs)…

Sam: Your performance at this year’s BET Awards had many people talking, as you were largely considered to have stolen the show, so to speak, in comparison to more established acts. That said, do you feel you are in competition with the Usher’s, the Chris Brown’s and whatnot?

Ne-Yo: Yes, but it is a friendly competition – it’s not competition that’s based on animosity. We don’t do what the Hip-Hop cats do, where it filters into the music, then goes beyond the music. There is no such thing as “R&B Beef”. I mean, come on, we sing for girls, take our shirts off and shit. We don’t fight, no, that’s stupid.

I consider Chris Brown to be one of my close and dear friends. He’s like my little brother. Usher, I’ve met him and have the utmost respect for him – he’s done it better than anyone else. He set the bar for everyone else. It is competition, but it’s not angry competition. We can be compared to boxers; we can be friends outside of the ring, but everyone knows there is only one (#1) spot, which means there may come a point where you may have to get in the ring with your homeboy and knock his ass out! Don’t mean you ain’t friends no more, just that there is only room for one #1.

Sam: As we’re pressed for time, quickly, are you currently dating anyone?

Ne-Yo: Nope, unfortunately no.

Sam: Ok, I mean, you’ve been snapped with a few ladies, but I won’t probe…

Ne-Yo: (laughs) I mean I have ‘friends’, but I don’t have a steady girlfriend. The ‘special’ ones know who they are.

Sam: Mhmm…Ok. Moving on; with the success of So Sick, you were catapulted into the limelight and haven’t looked back since.

How have you adjusted to fame, particularly in your personal life? How you deal with the inevitable fair-weather friends and family?

Ne-Yo: Wow. Good question. (I try and deal with them) One at a time. It’s something that is a part of this game, it’s gonna happen. There’s no real way to avoid it; you make a little money and everyone finds out about it. All of a sudden you have 90 new cousins! “I’m your favourite aunty. Don’t you remember I changed your diapers?” “No I don’t and no you cannot have a Mercedez Benz” (laughs). I mean you just deal with it; the rumours, accusations, the invasions of privacy and all that stuff, it’s really just part of the game. You can’t stop it. What are you going to do? Go beat up everyone that has ever said anything negative about you? That will be a lot of beating up you have to do (laughs). So you just kind of roll with the punches. It is what it is.

Sam: Craziest fan encounter, briefly?

Ne-Yo: Craziest fan encounter? This young lady broke into my hotel room and was there waiting for me, when I showed up. It was in New York, during the promotion for my first album.

I must have walked into my room and she was like “Oh my God” and I was like “Oh MY God, what the hell you doing in here?” She replied “I’m your biggest fan, I love ‘So Sick, yada yada yada, can you sign this? Can I have a picture with you?” I was like “Ok, we can do all of that, slow down. How did you get in here” (laughs). She didn’t want to tell me at first, I guess she had a friend that worked at the hotel that told her I was there and gave her the key to my room and she didn’t want to get this person in trouble. I was like ‘Ok, I won’t say anything, but, for future reference, you may not want to be breaking into people’s hotel rooms. Had I called the cops, it could have been a really bad situation for you.” It was all good though; she apologised, (I) took a picture with her, signed her thing and she left. The girl was 15 years old…

Sam: Wow…

Ne-Yo:…that could have been really, really, really bad for me, you know what I mean?

Sam: Yeah!

Ne-Yo: That’s the craziest thing – thus far! Well, that and a chick that got my name tattooed on a (long pause)…region that you just wouldn’t show (laughs). She came to one of my shows and took it upon herself to show it to me while I’m on stage singing (laughs). I was singing ‘Sexy Love’ and I looked at her and she gave me one of these (gestures to his chest) and said to look at the tattoo.

Sam: I’ve just been notified that we’ve run out of time. Thank you very much for your time.

Ne-Yo: No, thank you.

Ne-Yo’s awesome new album ‘Year of the Gentleman’ is in stores & iTunes now. Do be sure to pick up a copy.
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Your thoughts on the Ne-Yo interview?

We reported back in January that Christina Milian was set to sign with MySpace’s new label (in partnership with Interscope). The deal did indeed go through and the singer has confirmed to Billboard that her new album will be hitting stores at the top of 2009:

Her label debut is due next spring. The first single, “Us Against The World,” is a “cinematic power ballad” and will be available via the social networking site (MySpace) on October 6.

“I’ve been out of the game for one and a half years, and I think I’m long overdue for a comeback, so I’m treating this album like it’s my last chance to make an impression. I’m competing with myself and being very detailed,” the 26-year-old Cuban-American told Billboard. “Before, I had a label telling me what direction to go in. Now, it’s my choice, so I’m being very particular about it and I’m really excited.”

Kanye West is the sole guest artist so far, but Milian, who wrote most of the album, hints at potential collaborative surprises down the line.

Milian’s stint with Def Jam did not end well. She was dropped just a month after the release of her third studio album, 2006’s “So Amazin’,” allegedly because of poor sales. The set has shifted more than 163,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

But she views the MySpace deal as a chance for a fresh start. “I have a lot of support from my peers. I have lots of people that love me and want the best for me,” she said. “Sometimes things don’t work out the right way, but I know I work my butt off on my end. As long as you know you worked hard, you feel accomplished. Thankfully, I took the time off to check out what’s going on and now I’m back, and MySpace is allowing me to do tons of different things creatively.” {Source}

With Beyonce’s highly anticipated 3rd solo album tentatively set for a November release, new information about the LP’s lead single has begun to surface. According to the legitimate ad below (which was forwarded on to numerous acting agencies), the single title is ‘I’m Just A Boy‘ and the Jake Nava directed video is to be shot next week!

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