After a two-year hiatus, singer/songwriter Amerie has announced the release of her Def Jam debut, “In Love & War,” which will be available in August. The lead single, “Why R U,” will be serviced June 15th, with an accompanying video directed by Ray Kay (The-Dream, Lady Gaga) premiering June 8th on BET.

Producers on the album include Teddy Riley, Sean Garrett, Eric Hudson, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love and The Buchanans, who helmed the first single — the track that allegedly made Def Jam labelhead Antonio “L.A.” Reid reconsider dropping Amerie from the label just last month. So far, no collaborations have been announced.

“In Love & War” is the Washington DC-natives fourth album, and follows her Columbia records debut, “All I Have” and her Sony releases “Touch” and “Because I Love It,” which was released in Europe. “All I Have” sold 661,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, while “Touch” sold 406,000.

While I’m really salivating for new the new Amerie LP (despite feeling the single is a stinker), it’s a little worrying to know that her place at Def Jam isn’t as set as it was once thought. Sources initially indicated she was the label’s priority and the budget for her release was major, however now there are whispers that Reid nearly dropped Ms. Rogers due to creative differences; put simply he wanted a certain sound for the album and Amerie was doing something otherwise. As I’m sure Janet and co will be glad to tell you, doing what Mr Reid doesn’t approve of usually ends in disaster – and of course a flop album LOL. Here’s hoping all works out for Amerie.

Though the case against Chris Brown for the alleged assault on Rihanna earlier this year continues to play out in Los Angeles courtrooms, a friend of Brown’s says the singer is doing his best to move forward and concentrate on work.

“Chris is focused,” says songwriter Robert Allen, who is working with Brown on his upcoming album, tentatively titled Graffiti. “He knows how to deal with whatever is going on and is willing to do what he has to do to please his fans.”

To do that, Brown plans to bring a different vibe to his music. “It’s not particularly just R&B,” says Allen, who has worked on songs with Brown in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami. “Chris is trying different things and experimenting. We’ve been making things really eclectic. The direction of this album is really fun and free spirited. It’s like a collage.”

Brown, who had been keeping a low profile for about three months, recently broke his silence in a YouTube.com video, in which he declared, “I ain’t a monster.”

“You want to go away so your audience can miss you some,” Allen says of why Brown has laid low. “But he’s so happy and ready for this next album to break through and make a big impact. He wants this to be his masterpiece. He’s predicting this will be his biggest album.” {Source}

I must say, I’m real surprised he’s pressing ahead with a new release so soon. Yes, the industry is fickle but not that fickle. The magnitude of what Chris is actually embroiled in doesn’t quite seem like it’s settled in the minds of Chris or whichever label honcho is actually gonna allow a release during or very near to legal proceedings against him.

A weekend baby shower in downtown Chicago confirmed what has long been rumored: Jennifer Hudson is pregnant.

“It was a baby shower, a quiet gathering of friends and mostly family,” singer/actress Felicia Fields, a longtime Hudson friend, said of Saturday’s get-together in a relative’s home. “They’re really trying to keep it kind of quiet.”

South Side native Hudson, the 27-year-old singing star who won the 2006 best supporting actress Oscar for “Dreamgirls,” is engaged to former reality TV star David Otunga, who’s currently pursuing a pro wrestling career. Hudson has said she no longer would live in Chicago after her mother, Darnell Donerson, brother Jason and nephew Julian King were found murdered in October, with William Balfour, the estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister Julia, charged with the crimes.

Hudson recently finished a co-headlining concert tour with singer Robin Thicke, with an April 25 show at the Arie Crown Theatre. Her manager and publicist previously denied that she is pregnant.

“It was a nice time that we had,” Fields said of the shower. She didn’t want to get into when the baby is due, but speculation is that Hudson is many months along—an impression bolstered by her appearance of late.

As for whether Hudson received blue or pink gifts, Fields said, “They don’t know [the gender]. More yellow.” {Source}

It kinda goes without saying, but many congratulations to Jennifer and David – most especially after the difficult year she’s had.