Tuesday Tales

If appears that everyone knew about new Bad Boy Records signee Machine Gun Kelly's recent arrest, everyone except his boss Sean "Diddy" Combs. Diddy took to Twitter and posted a series of rants about the arrest, although it's unclear what happened. Hopefully, the matter has been settled and the MC can get back to making music. Actress Halle Berry and ex-boyfriend and father of her daughter appeared in court for their custody battle. The judge in the case has recommended counseling for both. Here's wishing the best for both. It's been announced that the hit cable show "The Real Housewives Of Atlanta" is looking for two replacements since Kim Zolack and Kandi Burruss will both have their own shows soon. There's no word on the replacements or when Zolack and Burruss's shows will air. While promoting her new movie, Madonna took time to take a few shots at Lady Gaga and Elton John. Now, she's taken things a step further by taking a shot at Janet Jackson. When asked what she has planned for her upcoming Super Bowl performance, she stated she's not planning to do anything naughty. She then added that you don't have to show nipples. How soon some forget how outrageous they used to be. At any rate, Nicki Minaj and Cee Lo Green have confirmed they will appear at the Super Bowl also. Host Steve Jones, and judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul are all done with the American version of "The X Factor". Although there's no word on who will replace the three, the shows good but not great ratings may be the reason the three either chose to leave or got the boot. Scherzinger reportedly left to focus on her music career. We'll have to wait and see what happens at this point. Be sure to catch Fox's "American Idol" as the auditions continue. Only time will tell who will make it on to the show and there have been some hits and misses since the season began a few weeks ago. ABC's "The Bachelor" has gotten off to a drama filled start as well. Be sure to tune in. On DVD: "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon", "Drive" and "Thunder Soul". On the tube: "Glee" on Fox, "NCIS" on CBS, "Last Man Standing" on ABC and "The Biggest Loser" on NBC. Happy Tuesday!

Monday Memo

The film "The Grey" topped the weekend box office earning over $20 million dollars. "Underworld: Awakening", "One For The Money", "Red Tails" and "Man On A Ledge" round out the top five films of the week. Although it was snubbed at this years Academy Awards, the documentary about the live and music of legendary rap group A Tribe Called Quest "Beats, Rhyme and Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest" snagged the Best Documentary award at the Producers Guild Awards. Michael Rapaport produced the film about the New York MCs. Although the PGAs is a producer-focused awards show which predicts which films will be nominated and win Oscars, the film wasn't nominated in the documentary categories at the renowned awards show. The Academy Awards will air later this month.  Young Money rapper Corey Gunz was arrested over the weekend for possession of a firearm. According to MTV News, the rapper was taken into custody by NYPD on Saturday afternoon. The state of New York has strict gun laws, so it's certain the rhyme slinger may have to serve some time. There's no word on a court date as of yet. Legendary soul singer Etta James was laid to rest on Saturday. In a moving ceremony, Rev Al Sharpton gave the eulogy. The ceremony was attended by family and celebrity friends. Singers Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguliera performed at the ceremony. Etta James will long be remembered as a trailblazer who opened doors for many. Be sure to tune in this week to Fox's "American Idol" as the auditions continue. So far, there's been a few hits and misses and things are sure to heat up as the season wears on. On the tube: "House" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC and "Who's Still Standing?" on NBC. Happy Monday!

Friday Facts

Rapper DMX became ill on a flight from Miami to Charlotte recently. He threw up throughout the flight and was rushed to a hospital where he was treated for food poisoning. He's recovered from the illness and has made his way home. Singer Rihanna and rapper/producer Dr Dre confirmed that the two have become good friends. The two said they hung out at a club and flirted a little. They are doing business together as Rihanna would like to start a line of headphones by Beats By Dr for girls. In other Rihanna news, she's also slated to begin a reality show where designers will create items for contestants. The winner will get the opportunity to outfit the star for a show she'll do in London. Just when you thought the Nicki Minaj/Lil Kim beef was over, Nicki's now released a video dissing Kim. Kim of course, has vowed revenge. She says she has something that will end Minaj's career. Let's hope the beef ends soon. There's enough room in the industry for both ladies.  Since her passing a week ago, sales of legendary singer Etta James's albums have increased 378 percent. James, who died on January 20, made a profound impact on the Billboard charts. Despite the short week, the singer's "The Best Of Etta James-20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection" series jumped from No. 162 to No. 46 on the Billboard 200. It became her highest charting album ever. Her other albums, including "Her Best" and "At Last" ranked among the top 100. Her most popular single, "At Last", racked up a number of digital sales. With 63,000 downloads, it landed at No. 29 on the Digital Songs chart. A public memorial is planned today to be followed by a private funeral tomorrow. The Rev. Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy. British singer Adele appears headed toward breaking another record. Her successful sophomore album, "21" has taken the No 1 spot on the Billboard 200 charts for the 17th week, coming second only to The Bodyguard soundtrack, which holds the record at 20 weeks. It has held the record for the most weeks at No 1 since 1993. The singer is slated to take the stage at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards where she's nominated for six awards, including "Album of the Year", "Song of the Year" and "Best Pop Vocal Performance". The fact that she'll be performing at the ceremony is noteworthy due to the throat issues she had in 2011. She was forced to cancel several tour dates due to hemorrhaging in the throat, which doctors operated on in November. Fans are sure to be excited to see the singer again. Fans who can't get enough of Lil Wayne will be happy to know that he's planning to release a sequel to his 2010 release "I Am Not A Human Being" this summer. Cash Money Records CEO Bryan "Birdman" Williams confirmed the album's projected release during a recent interview. "I Am Not A Human Being 2" is slated to hit store shelves before the summer. Williams also revealed that he and Wayne are also working on a follow up to their collaboration album "Like Father, Like Son" as well. Birdman also indicated that he intends to release another solo album, although no date has been confirmed. In theaters this weekend: "The Grey", "Man On A Ledge" and "One For The Money". On the tube: "Kitchen Nightmares" on Fox, "A Gifted Man" on CBS, "Shark Tank" on ABC and "Chuck" on NBC. Make it a weekend!

Thursday Dish

Rumor has it that actress Demi Moore is currently in rehab. Reportedly, the actress is in rehab for performing a ritual that some high school and college students do to get high. Another rumor has it that she's suffering from anorexia. For those fans unaware, she dropped out of what was to be her next movie, and now it remains to be seen where things will go from here. At any rate, let's hope she gets well soon. Representatives for singer Whitney Houston deny rumors that she's broke by saying she's just filmed a movie. She's been slated to star in the remake of the blaxploitation film "Sparkle", although there's no word on when the film will hit theaters. It looks like the rumors spreading now may not be true. Rihanna has caused a stir by getting a Thug Life tattoo on her knuckles. Although she's not commented, the internet is bound to begin buzzing about the new body art. She's already received one response via Twitter regarding the matter that turned into an accusation that she's not a thug.   Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are set to begin working with Simon Cowell on an "American Idol" type competition where they'll search for the world's best DJ. Although there's no word on when the series will air, I'm certain plenty of DJ across the country will want to try out. Although it hasn't been confirmed, Jay Z and Beyonce seem to have finally decided on a godmother for new born daughter Blue Ivy. The name just hasn't been revealed as yet. Legendary West Coast rapper Ice T. took modern hip hop artists to task for not having much to say recently. He stated that today's artists are just talking about money and other material things while many across the country struggle. He feels it's artists aren't talking much about what's really going on in the community and around the country. Stay tuned as there's no indication at this point where things will go from here. Rapper 50 Cent recently made a strange Super Bowl bet on Twitter recently. During a discussion with a follower, he said he'd allow himself to be seen nude if the New York Giants win. No word on where or when the event will take place. After conquering music, fashion and the restaurant industry, Sean "Diddy" Combs is planning to add cable network owner to his list of ventures. According to Broadcasting & Cable, he's set to launch a cable music network tentatively titled "Revolt". He's slated to introduce the urban arts station by year's end. Some sources say the station comes as an open call from Comcast, which has made a commitment to the FCC to help launch more minority owned networks. Although representatives at Comcast haven't confirmed whether Diddy's proposal has been approved, a Time Warner Cable representative has confirmed that subscription operator has had discussions regarding Revolt and Diddy. However, nothing as been confirmed as yet. We'll have to wait and see what happens. Be sure to catch Fox's "American Idol" as the auditions continue. Just about anything is bound to happen as contestants via for an appearance on the show and the grand prize. On the tube: "American Idol" on Fox, "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS, "Wipeout" on ABC and "30 Rock" on NBC. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Roundup

Rumor has it that singer Whitney Houston is broke. The situation has progressed to where her record label has had to step in and help, although there's no official word on an album in the works and when it will be released. Here's hoping that she's able to work things out and get back to doing what she does best, sing. Rapper Kid Cudi recently blogged about trashing a stage at  a recent concert. He even went on to say that he'd commit the act again. Let's hope he just sticks to making records. Singer Beyonce and new born daughter Blue Ivy were seen in Atlanta recently. The singer gave CNN an interview discussing new motherhood. Still no pictures of the newborn have been seen as of yet, however. Fans of rapper DMX who may be waiting on new music from the New York MC won't have to wait long. He's announced that he'll release new music soon. He's slated to release two albums of previously unreleased material under an agreement with Seven Arts Entertainment. The first album, "Undisputed", will be released the second quarter of 2012 through Fontana Distribution, a division of Universal Music Group. That album will be followed by another album of unreleased material. Although it  may not be the comeback fans have hoped for, they still have the Ruff Ryders reunion to look forward to. The Dark Man X announced previously that the crew will reunite for a tour. Swizz Beatz, Drag On and Murda Mook are all reportedly on board for a tour. Eve also indicated that she's willing to tour with the group. X says he stills needs to talks with members of The Lox. At any rate, if it happens, it should be an exciting tour.  Fans of singer Etta James will have an opportunity to say goodbye to the music icon at a public viewing on Friday. According to the Associated Press, the viewing will be held in Inglewood, California. James, a Los Angeles native, died last Friday at the age of 73 after losing her battle with leukemia. She also suffered with other aliments, including dementia. After the public viewing, a private service will be held in the Gardena area of Los Angeles. Rev. Al Sharpton will eulogize the late singer. According to his representatives, several celebrities are slated to perform, but no names have been announced. The James family is asking that any donations be made on behalf of the Philadelphia based Rhythm & Blues Foundation. Singer Ne-Yo has started his 2012 with a serious power move. He's inked a recording deal with Motown Records as well as accepted a position as Sr Vice President of A&R at the label. He says he's honored to be offered the position. He will act as a producer and mentor to his labelmates, as well as be granted the opportunity to bring his Compound Entertainment to the label. Ne-Yo, who's currently promoting his role in the film "Red Tails" is expected to release his next studio album (and first for Motown) this summer. Chicago rapper Common, whose has been in a beef of sorts with rapper Drake now says he's not sure how it will end. As mentioned previously, the beef began when Common released his single "Soft" where he angrily dismissed rappers who also sing. Drake responded first at a concert in Las Vegas, then on Rick Ross's single "Stay Schemin'". Common says since he was dissed on record he had to respond. He added that the beef isn't personal. It's about feeling confident enough to go toe to toe with any rapper. Let's hope the beef ends soon. There's enough room in the industry for everyone. Be sure to tune in to Fox's "American Idol" as the auditions continue. It's anyone's guest who will make the cut tonight. On the tube: "American Idol" on Fox, "Criminal Minds" on CBS, "The Middle" on ABC and "Whitney" on NBC. Happy hump day!

Tuesday Tales

A fight broke out at a Alabama nightclub where rapper Lil Webbie was performing recently. The fight spilled out into the street, and one person was shot and killed. Rumor has it that Lil Webbie was charged with murder, although that hasn't been confirmed. He was questioned by police since he was present at the time of the shooting. No charges have been filed at  press time. Singers Chris Brown and Rihanna were reportedly seen partying at a Hollywood nightclub when things nearly turned ugly. Brown was on one side of the VIP with his current girlfriend, while Rihanna was on the other. Brown's girlfriend reportedly approached Rihanna and security had to step between the two ladies before a fight ensued. Thankfully, things didn't get ugly. In the meantime, Rihanna has won the honor of being the most viewed female artist on You Tube. She surpassed Lady Gaga with over 2,044,728,691 views. Since the release of her latest album "Talk That Talk", she's averaged more than three million views a day. The first single from the album, "We Found Love" garnered an impressive 115.3 million views on it's own. Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber still holds the title of most viewed artist on the site with 2,275,845,406 views.  The former publicist of model Amber Rose is now attacking the star claiming she once planned to steal money from former beau Kanye West. No other details are available at the moment, although the publicist plans to write a tell all book. So far, no comment from Rose or her representatives. Comedian Chelesa Handler is now going at former beau 50 Cent. She claims he abruptly dumped her after revealing that his ex Ciara called to say she still loved him. Another issue at hand is the fact that the bombshell was dropped when Ciara was scheduled to appear on Handler's show. There's been on confirmation or denial regarding the matter, so stay tuned as only time will tell where things will go from here. Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has called off her engagement to William Wilkerson. She says things are moving too fast for her taste. At any rate, here's wishing the Queen and her friend the best. After being shut down by the NYC Health Department due to several health violations, Jay Z's 40/40 has been permitted to reopen. According to TMZ, a representative for 40/40, Ron Berkowitz, stated that one of the refrigerator engines blew before health inspectors arrived causing temperatures in the fridge to rise. Kitchen staff detected the problem immediately and had no intention of using the food from the broken Frigidaire. Still, inspectors hit the club with several violations forcing them to close their doors. Repairs were made by noon the next day and Berkowitz says the club has lost no business due to the violations and a new health grade is pending. Would be 40/40 club goers can be assured that the upcoming Super Bowl party they were hoping to attend is still on as scheduled. Any fans who've ever wondered about how rapper Game's new album "R.E.D." came to be won't have to wonder much longer. He's planning to release a tell all book in which he'll give fans all the behind-the-scenes details of the recording of the project. Some already know the story of the album is an interesting one. Originally slated to hit store shelves in 2009, it was pushed back nearly a dozen times. On DVD: "Real Steel", "Paranormal Activity 3", "50/50" and "Punished". On the tube: "Glee" on Fox, "NCIS" on CBS, "Last Man Standing" on ABC and "The Biggest Loser" on NBC. Happy Tuesday!

Monday Memo

The film "Underworld Awakening" topped the weekend box office earning over $25 million dollars. "Red Tails", "Contraband", "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" and "Haywire" round out the top five films of the week. Rapper Jay Z recently celebrated the reopening of his 40/40 Club, but it closed a day later. The club closed due to several health department violations, and it remains to be seen when it will be able to reopen. It appears that a misunderstanding occurred involving producer Swizz Beatz. It was rumored that he got some associates in hot water regarding a music downloading site megadownload. Now it's been reported that negotiations took place for Swizz' purchase of the site but fell through. Hopefully, he'll have better luck with his next venture. The Khloe Kardashian paternity drama continues. As most fans know, rumors began circulating about the late Robert Kardashian not being her natural father. Mother Kris Kardashian has admitted to cheating, but not confirmed Khloe being father by anyone else. Older sister Kim took to Twitter to make her feelings about the subject known, sarcastically, of course. Stay tuned. There's bound to be more drama to come. Fans waiting for rapper Nicki Minaj's sophomore album will have to wait a little longer. The album has been pushed back and it remains to be seen when it will it store shelves. At any rate, fans can catch the rapper on the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. The show airs on February 12 on CBS at 8pm. Actor/comedian Tracy Morgan was rushed to the hospital after passing out at the recent Sundance Film Festival. Although it hasn't been confirmed, sources say the reason for the incident could be exhaustion as well as trouble with altitude. Hope he gets well soon. Although it hasn't been confirmed whether he's signed with the label, Jaden Smith was seen sporting a Young Money/Cash Money emblem recently. The young actor and rapper has certainly made waves in the industry and has a bright future ahead of him no matter what direction he goes in career wise. Sad news out of the word of R&B. Legendary singer Etta James, known for such hits as "At Last" and "Tell Mama" died Friday. She was 73. She began her career as a child gospel prodigy and later went on the form a group with some friends called The Peaches. She later signed with Chicago based label Chess Records where she recorded several hits. She was plagued with several health problems in later years and was recently hospitalized. She was later released. Her legacy will live on. On the tube: "House" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC and "Who's Still Standing" on NBC. Happy Monday!