Alicia Keys was spotted in Tokyo today making the rounds during her international promotional tour for her ‘The Element of Freedom’ album. The singer kicks off her ‘Element’ tour in support of the LP in Montreal, Canada on February 28th. Peep more pics below:

What do you think of the pics?

Mariah Carey’s ‘Angels Advocate‘ remix album has been unsurprisingly pushed back. The news comes via MariahDaily.com, who have confirmed that the LP will hit stores on March 9th, 2 weeks later than the originally scheduled February 23rd release date. Carey’s ‘Angels Cry (Remix)’ which features Ne-Yo is also going for adds at Top 40/Mainstream on February 16 (was January 19) and Top 40/Rhythmic (just added) on January 26 instead of January 4th.

Having delayed the premiere of her remixed singles on radio, it is not sshocking that this album is being pushed back. The buzz surrounding this project is decreasing everyday, especially after people realised that most of the songs are almost exactly the same as the originals with cut and paste vocals from new guest stars. Only the Jermaine Dupri remix of ‘H.A.T.E.U.’ bears any dramatic change from the previous version. Carey’s team is going to have to ‘pull a rabbit out of the hat’ for this one because this album is already shaping up for a very slow start.

Sidebar: Maybe Dupri was right when he retweeted fan statements about him being the only one capable of creating hits with Carey…

Thoughts?

For years there have been rumours circulating about a several high-profile names in the music industry belonging to a “satanic cult” called ‘the Illumnati‘ – and rapper Jay-Z cited most as being a prominent member.

After a lengthy spell of silence on the matter, the 40 year old mogul has addressed the rumours for the first time. Speaking to Ed Lover on Power 105 radio today, he said:

“I think I need to remind people I’m from Marcy Projects. You can’t get into those prestigious clubs. I can’t even get into the golf club in Palm Springs.”

“This rap music and the competitive by nature, nothing really surprises me anymore but I’ll honestly say, that was one that was like a shocker. When you from a certain place, cut from a certain cloth, there’s certain things that’s just off limits. When you cross that line, it puts you in a different box.” I think people are running out of ideas and it’s all marketing at this point. {Source}

I’m glad he finally addressed the nonsense, as his silence seemed, for some, to imply some kind of guilt.

For as much as it’s importance to exercise caution in terms of what one listens to; such assertions have never actually being substantiated, and intensified mainly due to an increase in particular religious DVD’s and websites slamming it ($Ka-Ching$). Come to think of it, surely if these things existed (which, who knows, they could), wouldn’t it be more hidden, as opposed to ‘out there’ for these ‘experts’ to nitpick and dissect? Just a thought…

Your thoughts?

Your favourite Bajan model and mine, Rihanna, is interviewed in the latest issue of W Magazine. The 21 year old’s feature is accompanied by this seriously sizzling photo-shoot.

There’s no doubt she looks amazing, with this perhaps being her best shoot yet. I mean, without question, she is working it out! However, I urge folks to ask themselves this; if all or (most) of your praise for Ms. Fenty centres on how she looks – particularly as she’s supposedly a ‘singer’, what does that mean?

It’s a shame really, because had her voice and stage-presence given me a fraction of the character her poses in the shoot do, she’d be a lot more engaging than she is. Anyway, enough of my rambling, check out the rest of the shoot below:

Your thoughts?

Episode 11 of Monica‘s BET reality show ‘Still Standing’ aired on BET last night. Check it out above. As usual, I’m watching it now…what are you waiting for?! LOL. Enjoy.

(more…)

While his former B2K bandmate Omarion is struggling to have an impact on the charts, Raz B has reportedly been signed to Tila Tequila Records. The singer will supposedly be managed by the Tequila herself and is said to be working on a reunion album with the rest of the B2K members, including Omarion. Raz B’s first solo album on the label will be released by the end of 2010. {Source}

*Takes a breath* This has to be a joke. Who in their right mind would sign a record deal and agree to be managed by someone who clearly does not have a grip on their own career? Clearly, if this is true, Raz B has to be so desperate to get a cheque that he is willing to sign anything attached to a few zeros. Seriously, if artists signed to major labels are struggling to sell albums, then what has possessed him to think that he can get a hit with Tila Tequila?

I really sense that this is indeed untrue and Tequila has finally gone clinically insane. As you may remember, Omarion himself denounced any idea of him reuniting with B2K during his interview with Kendra G. News like this really makes me wonder about what is wrong with the world today. Hot doodoo mess.

Thoughts?

Que, formerly of Day26, appears to be keeping things moving and his name out there via Youtube. The 22 year old, who is now managed by Soul World Entertainment, posted a video of himself singing Michael Jackson‘s classic ‘Human Nature’, as well as a brief flirtation with Billy Preston’s ‘You Are So Beautiful’. Check it out above.

Though, as with most things MJ-inspired, it wasn’t a patch on the original, Que still turned in a pretty decent rendition. Goof stuff. {Spotted over at my girl Miss Jia}

Randomness: It’ll be real interesting to see how things pan out with Day26 in the long run. I say this, because – as at now – it’s looking like a Holy Ghost intervention is the only thing that will make folks care for them again.

Your thoughts?

Grammy Award-nominated singer Melanie Fiona made guested on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ last evening. The R&B vocalist performed her hit song ‘It Kills Me’ from her debut album ‘The Bridge’. To date, the track has peaked at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hip-Hop/R&B charts.

Fiona did her thing. She sang beautifully and seemed to be really ‘feeling’ the lyrics. Although I am not a fan of the song and consider it to be quite boring, it is great to see a singer with such raw talent on the stage again who does not have to step out on the stage half naked or rely on intricate hairstyles to get attention. Good stuff.

Thoughts?

Solange Knowles has started working on her next studio album. The singer has headed to Australia to team up with the alternative rock band Midnight Juggernauts and is reportedly planning to release the LP independently. No indication of when the album will hit stores has been confirmed. {Source}

Solange has been a mainstay on BET Centric for the since 2008 without showing any signs of slowing down. Her music has really gathered a strong following in the Neo-Soul and traditional R&B circles so I expect that this news will excite many of her fans. However, she will have to work twice as hard to get public attention without label support. Even with her father’s assistance, an artist without a label always has to fight an uphill battle if they hope to be commercially viable. Let’s see if she could pull it off.

Thoughts?

Pop phenomenon Lady GaGa will further cement her place as music royalty with an appearance on the legendary Oprah Winfrey Show. Executive Producer for the  renown show, Sheri Salata, confirmed the news on Twitter a few hours. While it’s currently unknown when exactly the show will air, it has been revealed that GaGa’s appearance will be taped this Friday in Chicago. {Source}

As OTT as it may sound, I really feel we’re witness someone legendary in-the-making with GaGa. Not for a long while has there been an artist who has managed to captivate the industry to the level which GaGa has in such a short space of time – a feat I’m sure attracted Oprah producers to wanting her on the show in the first place. In any case, it’ll be interesting to see whether she’ll be in ‘character’ or if we’ll get a rare glimpse into the person behind the GaGa persona.

Your thoughts?

The hotly anticipated video for soulful singer Sade‘s new single ‘Soldier of Love’ premiered today. Simple, classy and elegant, the clip is really befitting to both the song and Sade as an artist. I like.

Sade’s first album in over a decade, also titled ‘Soldier of Love’, hits stores February 8th in the UK and February 9th in the US.

What do you think of the video?

While it’s pretty much been common knowledge that all has not been well in the Pussycat Dolls camp for sometime now, the fine details of the apparent reality of the situation are starting to emerge.

We reported a few weeks back that member Melody has seemingly been ousted from the group. Well, today member Kimberly confirms the report as well as revealing that she too has been booted from the 5-piece – citing her and Melody’s frustrations at the preferential treatment lead Nicole Scherzinger was receiving over the other ladies. Check out the excerpts from her interview with in today’s News of the World’s Dan Wotten:

Long-time members KIMBERLY WYATT and MELODY THORNTON are about to be sacked – and more could follow.

The pair have paid the price for clashing with top doll NICOLE SCHERZINGER and are set to be replaced by much tamer kitties.

But today in an eXSclusive interview, feisty Kimberly reveals she wants set up a rival band with all the Dolls – apart from Nicole.

She told me she’d got sick of the special diva treatment given to Nicole, girlfriend of F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

She said: “I’ve been a Pussycat Doll for longer. She was one of the last to join.

“But we’d have to share a dressing room while Nicole would have her own.

“We’d be on the tour bus together but she wouldn’t come on and would get her own transport. I’m closer with the other girls because of the system that was in place.”

But it wasn’t just the buses which riled Kimberly – she was also fed up with never getting to show off her vocal talent.

She said: “It’s not true at all that only one of us can sing. Everyone in the group has a beautiful voice. We just weren’t showcased as much.”

Kimberly is now a judge on the brilliant new reality show Got To Dance, which airs tonight at 6pm on Sky1 and Sky1 HD.

I can reveal the shock changes to the Dolls will be announced once Nicole has done some solo work. Kimberly is already discussing a rival project with Melody and the other members JESSICA SUTTA and ASHLEY ROBERTS.

She explained: “When it was made aware to me there would be changes in the group I didn’t agree with it. I love the girls so much. That was my family.

“So I hope to continue the movement. I’m taking my future into my own hands.

“We are looking at ways to keep working together. We all want to. But when we do that we’re not allowed to call ourselves the Pussycat Dolls.”

Although Kimberly has not told her nemesis about her rival band plans, she said: “Right now there is a lot of controversy. I haven’t spoken to Nicole about it. She’s full speed ahead with her career.

“I always knew this sort of change was to come so there’s nothing to be bitter about.

As much as some may seem this as Kimberly being ‘messy’, I’m glad she’s not holding her tongue – yet remaining classy with what she says and how she says it. All their personal drama aside, it’s quite clear to see that Dolls’ creator Robin Antin‘s desire to emulate the ever-changing line-up formula the Pussycat Doll stage show has with a real-life Pop group just won’t work.

It really comes across as changes are also being made to the group’s line-up because their last LP (‘Doll Domination’) tanked. Yet surely, changing actual members isn’t the way forward. If anyone in their team actually hit up the blogs etc (IMO the best focus groups a label could wish for), then they’d see the public’s boredom with the group is less to do with the members in it, rather the explicit focus on one particular member. Though PCD are a more Pop collective, most girl groups (and most certainly the more successful ones) may start off with a sole singer, yet the parts become more spread out over time (see: Destiny’s Child). It’s called progression; perhaps Robin and co should look it up.

Your thoughts?