January 25, 2006

Celebrity News 

Law & Disorder

Be advised that a Chicago Promoter named Phife Duce at 5X2 had stiffed Tyson Beckford out of $2,500 and Tyson wants all to be aware. If you need any more details, we will direct you accordingly.


Diplomat Records CEO Cam’ron recently released a dis track aimed at Def Jam President/rapper/mogul, Jay-Z. Cam’ron pulls no punches on “You Got It,” a new dis track that not only goes hard at the Def Jam president, but also his girlfriend, singer Beyonce. On the song, the Harlem, New York bred Cam’ron accuses Jay-Z of stealing the Roc-a-Fella/Rocawear companies and artist Kanye West away from former partner Damon Dash. Cam further goes on to say Jay should give his publishing to Voletta Wallace, mother of the late Notorious B.I.G. and criticizes the rapper’s style of dress. In the seven minute plus dis, Cam’ron cites his collaboration Jay-Z’s girlfriend Beyonce on “Do It Again,” a song off the rapper’s second album S.D.E. Cam’ron addresses his issues with Jay-Z in the forthcoming March issue of XXL magazine which features Cam'ron on the cover. He says problems arose after Jay-Z discovered plans to appoint Harlem emcee as president of Roc-A-Fella. Cam joined Roc-A-Fella in 2002 but left the label in 2004. He is preparing his latest album Killa Season, this year.


After founding The Source over 18 years ago, David Mays and longtime president/artist Raymond "Benzino" Scott have been sent packing by the magazine's new board of directors. The two went to court last week to obtain a temporary restraining order to prevent being ousted by the board. According to the New York Post, that order has now been lifted and a majority of board members have voted to fire Mays and Scott. They have been replaced by former Source chief operating officer Jeremy Miller, who will now serve as the new chief executive. Miller, who resigned from his position as chief operating officer at The Source in 2004, worked at the magazine for 14 years before leaving to start his own publication Down, which was dedicated to Southern hip-hop and culture. Four out of six members of the board agreed that it was in the magazine's best interest to replace Mays and Scott with Miller. In the last year and a half, The Source has been plagued with problems, ranging from defaulting on an $18 million loan to a prominent sexual harassment lawsuit filed by fomer employees Kim Osorio and Michelle Joyce.



"American Idol" has found itself in the middle of another scandal. Derrell and Terrell Brittenum belted their way through the auditions Tuesday night, earning them a one-way ticket to Hollywood. But now it seems the only thing the brothers will see is the inside of a Georgia jail. According to police reports, the twins are being arrested for forgery, theft and identity fraud after they used another man's identity to buy a car. Terrell is in jail today, as police hunt for his twin brother Derrell. "I don't know what to say," Simon told us. "Nothing surprises me on the show...come clean, guys! " "Idol" producers haven't revealed whether or not the twins will return to the competition, but it's probable that when the contestants gather in Hollywood on February 8, they will be singing the blues from behind bars. Regardless the outcome of the Brittenum brothers, the show will go on!


AllHipHop.com caught up with Juvenile after the rapper filmed his new video 'Get Ya Hustle On' in New Orleans' Ninth Ward in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Asked about the efforts to rebuild New Orleans, the rapper said, "It's more like out with the old, in with the new. Now you got [wealthy real estate barons] down there, buying up all the property - now it's a big business venture. If you didn't pay your taxes on your property - and half of the people weren't able to pay taxes, you know - a lot of people lost their money for real."

50 has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit over his hit single “In Da Club,” claiming the lyrics to the song were lifted from an earlier recording by Luther Campbell. Attorney Joseph Weinberger, owner of Lil’ Joe Records, filed the lawsuit in Miami federal court, claiming 50's famous "Go shorty, it's your birthday" lines were actually lifted from Campbell’s song “It’s Your Birthday,” which was originally released on Campbell's 1994 album Still a Freak for Life. Weinberger once represented Campbell and obtained the copyrights to albums by the 2 Live Crew and Luke as a solo artist after Campbell was forced into bankruptcy. “In Da Club” was one of the biggest hits on 50 Cent’s blockbuster major label debt, 'Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Weinberger is represented by Miami based attorney Richard Wolfe.



Upcoming Projects/Shows/Movies Etc. Shows: 

Word has it that Bobby Brown is readying his national comeback tour. Brown has been performing lots of spot dates since his appearance with New Edition on '25 Strong: The BET Silver Anniversary Special.' A week ago, Brown was spotted at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut checking out the sold-out show by SWV, Guy and Blackstreet. Apparently SWV is in talks to go out with Brown on the road this spring.


Beyonce spoke with 'Entertainment Tonight' about her decision to either star in 'The Pink Panther,' in theaters February 10th, or take a much needed vacation. "I only had a month and Destiny's Child was going back in the studio, so I had to decide, 'Am I going to do a movie or am I going to go on vacation?'" Beyonce revealed. "I thought I was going to go on vacation until they told me the offer was from 'The Pink Panther.' I was, 'The Pink Panther'! That's amazing. Steve Martin, that's even more amazing.'


Nelly & the St. Lunatics are planning to open a new eatery, Mack's Bar and Grill, in Hazelwood, a suburb of St. Louis, this April. The grill will be named after its owners, since Mack's contains the first letters of the names of each member- Murphy Lee, Ali, Cornell, Kyjuan and Slodown. "Nelly has always looked for business opportunities, and Ali ran across this [property]," Nelly's business manager Mike Chaffin told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "And we found that it could be a profitable opportunity." The 3,500-square foot bar and grill at 6827 Howdershell Road was formerly known as Pilla's Restaurant and Lounge. The St. Lunatics purchased the eatery from Theresa Ahern and John Pilla, who died last month. The City Council approved a special land-use permit for Mack's on January 4 but the group is still awaiting their liquor license. Mack's will offer a conventional grill menu, including offerings like burgers, fries and veggie burgers. Other plans include adding flat-screen televisions showing music videos and sports programs as well as a jukebox. Chaffin said the group considered offering live music but city officials weren't as fond of the idea. Hazelwood Mayor T.R. Carr acknowledged to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that at least one Hazelwood planning official considered requiring Mack's to display a "no marijuana smoking" sign before city officials decided against it. "We don't post signs on activities that individuals know are already illegal," Carr said. "This will be a family-style restaurant, and the location should be good. We wish them the best. Everything they presented to the council looks pretty positive."

SpotBit:
Department stores in the Midwest are refusing to run a sexually suggestive ad for Diddy's new "Unforgivable" fragrance. Diddy must now remix the ad to meet the scheduled February launch date. The original ad shows Diddy lying in bed with two women (one white & one Asian), hinting at a ménage a trois. Though fragrance ads are typically edgy, some feel the sexually charged promo pushes the envelope a bit too far. "It was unfortunate that some people were so uncomfortable with something with so much sexual presence, but we stand by it," John Dempsey, global president of Estee Lauder said in a statement. "Unforgivable" is a collaboration between the Bad Boy mogul and legendary cosmetic brand Estee Lauder. Controversy doesn't appear to be slowing sales down. Reports say department stores are continuing to order the fragrance in large numbers.



Albums/Music Etc: 
The fact that hip-hop is probably the toughest genre for Kevin Federline to crack doesn't concern him much. "I believe that no matter what, if it's real and people feel it, that's what it is, it doesn't matter," Britney Spears' other half tells MTV News. "They'll look past what I look like if they know I'm pouring my soul out on this and I'm serious about it. It's not like I think this is a joke. It's not a joke to me. This is my emotion, this is everything, the past two years where I haven't said anything or came out and talked to anybody, I held it all in here so I can do this."


CoupleNews: 

Actor Darius McCrary got married on Dec. 29, 2005. The 'Family Matters' star surprised his family by eloping with his girlfriend, a Las Vegas showgirl named Juliette. McCrary has had several high-profile relationships in the past, having dated Nona Gaye, Tracee Ellis Ross, Coko of SWV and Ty James (daughter of late Rick James)