Tuesday Tales

Rapper 50 Cent has become the latest artist to design his own brand of signature headphones. In partnership with Sleek Audio, the Queens MC-turned mogul has placed the  headphones on the market that range from $300 to $400 in price. In other 50 news, he took to twitter to advise followers to invest in TV Goods. Since his tweet, the company's stock as risen 355% The rumor mill is buzzing about singer Brandy expecting. There has been no confirmation as yet. Fans will recall it's also been rumored that she's been dating "106 & Park" co-host Terrence J for some time. A coroner's official says Michael Jackson was, for the most part, healthy, but that the singer's physician, Dr Conrad Murray provided substandard care. Dr Christopher Rogers testified during a preliminary hearing after which a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence for Dr Murray to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. Dr Rogers says Murray was improperly using the powerful anesthetic propofol to treat the singer for insomnia. He also says Murray was wrong to leave Jackson's side while he was under the anesthesia. Murray could face up to four years in prison if convicted. Apparently, Kanye West had several choices when it came to photos for his latest album.  After much debate, what fans see on the CD cover is what was decided upon. The CBS hit "The Good Wife" returns tonight. The episode will find Alicia wondering whether she should turn her client's son against his girlfriend and which way to turn should her law firm break up. "Survivor" returns with a new cast of 16 contestants who will compete for the $1 million dollar prize. No word on when the new season premieres. The soon to be released film "Green Lantern" has been generating a lot of buzz and it's sure to be a huge hit with comic book film fans. The film hits theaters this spring. Kanye West an Jay Z have a new single in stores this week. On DVD: "Raging Bull" and "The Social Network". On the tube: "Glee" on Fox, "NCIS" on CBS, "No Ordinary Family" on ABC and "Biggest Loser: Couples" on NBC. Happy Tuesday!

Monday Memo

"True Grit" topped the weekend box office earning over $15 million dollars. "Little Fockers", "Season Of The Witch", "TRON: Legacy" and "Black Swan" round out the top five films of the week. New information in the 1997 murder of Notorious B.I.G. has emerged. Although no details have been revealed, authorities have reopened their investigation into the case. Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in Los Angeles after attending a party at the Peterson Automotive Museum. With the help of LAPD detective Russell Pool, Voletta Wallace, the mother of the slain rapper, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the LAPD in 2005. A special task force including the Los Angeles Police Department, the LA District Attorney's Office and the FBI are looking into new leads. Stay tuned as this story develops. The Game has been ordered to  pay roughly $50,000 for allegedly beating his cousin during a funeral in 2008. Two years ago, Robert Kirkwood, Games's cousin, filed a suit accusing the rapper of assaulting him during his sister's funeral after he confronted him about not contributing to the funeral's cost.  Reportedly, the ruling was made in LA Superior Court a few months ago. Game must now pay $50,580 for Kirkwood's medical bills and other damages. Kirkwood's lawyer says Game has yet to make a payment. Singer Jermaine Jackson is stuck in Africa. The singer took a recent trip to the continent, the only problem is he is $90,000 behind in child support payments. According to California law, payments are flagged and if the payments are not made passports can be expire. Jackson can plead his case with the U. S embassy. Stay tuned as this story develops. Fox will air back to back episodes of "Lie To Me" tonight. For cable viewers, the show "Love That Girl" will debut on TV One. The show stars Tatiana Ali and is executive produced by Martin Lawrence. It airs at 9pm. On the tube: "Lie To Me" on  Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC and "Chuck" on NBC. Happy Monday!

Friday Facts

It looks like Tameka "Tiny" Cottle won't be joining her husband, rapper T.I., in prison after all. Drug possession charges against her were dropped due to her completing a 24 class drug intervention program. Skillz says he's set to work on a follow up to Willow Smith's smash hit "Whip My Hair". No word on when the single will be released.  A Kanye West/ Jay Z collaboration single will be released on Tuesday. As mentioned previously, a full CD will be released in March. In other Kanye West news, photographer Michael Vasquez is suing the rapper for unspecified damages. He claims the rapper' s bodyguards beat him after a party at Gavastinos in New York City in 2008. Vasquez says he was "assaulted, beaten, battered and threatened" by at least 10 security guards. No word on  a court date as yet. A little over a month after it's release, Nicki Minaj's "Pink Friday" has gone platinum. The album has been in the top 10 since it's November 22 release. Minaj also has the distinction of being the first New York rapper to have a debut go platinum since Lloyd Bank's "Hunger For More" in 2004. If you're assuming that Aretha Franklin will soon reveal what her recent health scare was, you'd be wrong. The Queen Of Soul says she will discuss  her health with her doctor only. Last night's "Grey Anatomy" episode was yet another exciting one for fans of the hit show. Surprisingly, it was about a shooting at a local college. Fox's "American Idol" will kick off it's tenth season later this month. In the meantime, you can catch new judge Steven Tyler on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. He discusses the new season, whether the new panel of judges get along and what's in store for fans.Ten years and seven films later, the series based on JK Rawling's tale about a boy wizard will end with the eighth film "Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows Part 2". The seventh book, which finds Harry and his friends in an all-out war against the evil Lord Voldemort for the salvation of the non-magical wizarding worlds, was split into two films. The first was released on November 19 and has earned over $285 million in the US and $900 million worldwide. The second film will hit theaters on July 15. In theaters this weekend: "Country Strong" and "Season Of The Witch". On the tube: "Cotton Bowl" on Fox, "Medium" on CBS, "Supernanny" on ABC and "Minute To Win It" on NBC. Make it a weekend!

Thursday Dish

Preliminary hearings are being held to determine if Michael Jackson's former physician, Dr Conrad Murray, should stand trial for manslaughter. The prosecution stated that Murray waited 22 minutes before calling 911 the day Jackson died. Yesterday, it was revealed that Jackson's children saw the entertainer die. Murray reportedly asked that the children be removed from the room while he tried in vain to revive the singer. More on the story when it's available. Rapper Waka Flaka Flame has been released from prison after posting $40,000 bail. He was booked on numerous charges including possession of a fire arm by a convicted felon, driving with a suspended license and probation violation. Playboy has reportedly contacted singer Toni Braxton regarding posing for the men's magazine. No word on whether Braxton will accept the offer.The Kanye West and Jay Z collaboration will be released in March and will be a full CD. It should be a hot one. Queen Latifah hosted last night's People's Choice Awards for the fifth year in a row. Eminem, Taylor Swift and Adam Sandler were among the big winners at last nights ceremony. The hit show "The Game" will make it's return to BET. It will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m. Tonight's episode of the hit "Wipeout" will contain a few surprises. Among them a winter wonderland. It will also include the signature Big Balls along with a ski lift, a polar-bear run and contestants dodging snowballs. The show has been a hit since it's debut. The Tuesday version ranked fifth and the Thursday version ranked fifteenth. Tatiana Ali, former star of "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air" will star in a new sitcom on TV One called "Love That Girl". It will air on Monday at 10 p.m. Actress Paula Patton will appear in the next film in the "Mission Impossible" franchise. She will play a spy in the film, which will be released this spring. She stated in a interview that such roles aren't often offered to Black actresses. Way to go Paula! On the tube: "Million Dollar Money Drop" on Fox, "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS, "Wipeout" on ABC and "Community" on NBC. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Roundup

A judge has ordered Gucci Mane to a medical facility for the next 30 days. The rapper was committed to a mental health facility following a probation hearing where the MC claimed he wasn't fit to plead his case against the prosecution. Gucci filed "Special Plea Of Mental Incompetence" papers in  court and wrote that he wasn't able to "intelligently participate in the probation revocation hearing". The judge then ordered Gucci into custody and had him committed to a mental health facility. He will undergo a evaluation of his mental condition. Stay tuned as this story develops. Foxy Brown's long time manager has reportedly called it quits. After managing the Brooklyn rapper through various court cases, Foxy's Twitter rant against Bernadette Brennan was the last straw. Ms Brennan told the New York Daily News, "It's always sad when an artist has everything they need at their fingertips but still displays such self-destructive behavior". "I hope she gets the help she needs. "I was one of the few people in her corner". Foxy kicked off the new year by tweeting that Brennan was a thief and that she planned to sue her. Just hours ago she wrote that she was not affiliated with Bernadette Brennan or anyone else mentioned in an article, referring to a Allhiphop.com piece that she claims is inaccurate. In the meantime, Brennan is suing Brown for over $100,000 for various expenses, including studio fees. Former talk show host Montel Williams, who has MS, was sited after being caught with a marijuana pipe at an airport. The pipe had no residue, so he was fined and sent on his way. Congratulations to Vivica A. Fox and Sherri Shepard are in order. The two ladies got engaged during the holidays. No word on a wedding date for either, however. Toni Braxton and her sisters have inked a deal to star in their own reality show. "Braxton Family Values" will air in April. Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian have inked a reality show deal as well. No word on a air date. One of television's success stories "The Middle" airs tonight. The bright, funny and terrifically cast family comedy has come into it's own. On the tube: "Human Target" on Fox, "Live To Dance" on CBS, "The Middle" on ABC and "Minute To Win It" on NBC. Happy hump day!

Tuesday Tales

A judge has recommended prison for rapper Gucci Mane for probation violation in connection with an incident back November.  The Atlanta rapper could get as much as 17 months. Stay tuned as this story develops. In the meantime, Waka Flaka Flame will appear in court today after surrendering to authorities. He surrendered on gun, drug and gang related charges. According to Henry County Sheriff's Department, Waka is in custody for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of hydrocodone, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, probation violation for driving with a suspended license and violating Georgia's "Criminal Street Gang and Terror Act". As mentioned previously, the Atlanta police raided the rapper's home for suspension of drug and gang activity. His mother and manager, Debra Antney, said her son turned himself in because he didn't want to run. It appears that Lil Kim is trying to drag Mary J. Blige and Keyshia Cole into her feud with Nicki Minaj. During a recent concert the Queen Bee stated "that chick got a song with Keyshia Cole, me and my girl Mary J. Blige will eat these chicks alive". Rumors began to circulate that the Queen Bee and Mary J. Blige will collaborate on a diss track, which the rapper's camp denied. The rapper collaborated with Cole on her 2007 single, "Let It Go". The song reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Skillz revealed during an interview with bet.com that he's currently working on Willow Smith's debut album. The daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith is still on the charts with her single "Whip My Hair". No word on when the album will be released, however. After a hiatus from television, Paula Abdul returns with "Live To Dance" tonight. It will be a short run contest opened to all ages, to groups and individuals as well. It should be quite entertaining. ABC's "V" returns to the lineup as well. The science fiction adventure should be a hit with fans. Both shows air tonight. Lloyd has new music in stores this week. On DVD: "Machete", "Dinner For Schmucks" and "Case 39". On the tube: "Glee" on Fox, "Live To Dance" on CBS, "No Ordinary Family" on ABC and "Biggest Loser: Couples" on NBC. Happy Tuesday!

Monday Memo

"Little Fockers" topped the weekend box office for the second week in a row, earning over $103 million dollars. "True Grit", "TRON: Legacy", "Yogi Bear" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" round out the top five films of the week. Chris Brown has reportedly broken his New Years Resolution to avoid using gay slurs on his Twitter page. For those not in the know, Brown has been feuding with Raz B, formerly of the boy band B2K. Brown has now posted a picture of himself mocking Raz B's brother Ricky. Let's hope all parties involved grow up soon. T Pain has begun the new year with a new recording contract. He's reportedly signed with Young Money Entertainment. No word on when an album will be released. Kanye West made a surprise appearance at the Jay Z/Coldplay New Year's Eve concert. Rihanna, and others appeared as well. In other Kanye West news, the rapper has revealed that a collaboration between he and Jay Z will be released soon. He'll also appear in the video for Kim Kardashian's new single, "Turn It Up". 80's British pop band Duran Duran has returned to form with it's new CD, "All You Need Is Now", which hit number 2 this week on iTunes album download chart. The group went back to the sound that made it a favorite on the charts in the mid 1980's. The band hit the American charts with singles such as "Hungry Like The Wolf" and "Girls On Film". The band says it feels confident about it's return with the new album. No word on if a tour is in their future. The drama continued with the return of "Basketball Wives" last night. Be sure to tune in . Tatiana Ali, formerly of "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air", will appear in a new sitcom for TV One called "Love That Girl". The show will air January 10. On the tube: "House" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC and "Chuck" on NBC. Happy New Year!