Friday Facts

Rick Ross can keep his name thanks to a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. The Maybach Music CEO was sued by former drug kingpin Freeway Rick Ross for illegal use of the name. Freeway Rick Ross says he plans to regroup then appeal to the Supreme Court. He indicated that a suit should have been filed while he was still serving prison time. Stay tuned. In other Rick Ross news, protege Stalley is set to release his mixtape "Savage Journey To The American Dream" today, and intends to keep building momentum.  The late Whitney Houston reportedly stated before her death that she was assisting daughter Bobbi Kristina with entering the entertainment industry. The wish has been granted as the teenager has joined the cast of Tyler Perry's "For Better Or Worst". Legendary West Coast rapper E-40 is one of many hip hop artists who's been moved by the Trayvon Martin case. In a recent interview, he stated he learned of the incident after coming across a New York rally where thousands protested to demand justice. The father of boys also shard the advice he gives his sons saying to now allow those making negative statements to pull one in to responding negatively. R&B crooner Jason Derulo hasn't let his neck injury slow him down. In a recent interview, the singer shared that he's recording material and once back to full health, will plan a tour as well. The choreography accident which injured the star caused him to cancel a tour. This should be good news to fans looking forward to new music from the star. For those unaware, Monday marked the 17th anniversary of the death of West Coast rap icon Eazy E. The later rapper son, rapper.actor Lil Eazy E visits his father's grave each year to reflect. This year, he got more than he bargained for when he arrived at the site only to find it had been trashed by fans. Empty beer cans and burnt blunts had been left by overzealous fans. The star removed the items before sitting down to reminisce. Eazy E died of complications of AIDS on March 26, 1995. He formed Ruthless Records and founded the seminal rap group N.W.A. before the group disbanded. Heejun was booted off Fox's "American Idol" last night. Be sure to tune in next week as the competition continues. In theaters this weekend: "Mirror, Mirror" and "Wrath Of  The Titans". On the tube: "Kitchen Nightmares" on Fox, "Undercover Boss" on CBS, "Shark Tank" on ABC and "Who Do You Think You Are?" on NBC. Make it a weekend!

Thursday Dish

Charges against singer Bobby Brown have been upgraded to driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. Fans will recall Brown was stopped in Los Angeles for talking on a cell phone, then failed a breathalyzer test. He says he wasn't drunk at the time of the incident. Both charges could receive a sentence of up to six months in jail. Director Spike Lee has apologized for mistaking an address he tweeted for George Zimmerman's. The address turned out to be that of an elderly couple, who have been harassed. Lee released a statement apologizing to the couple and asked that they be left alone. Singer Rihanna is dodging questions regarding her relationship with actor Ashton Kutcher. While promoting her latest film, "Battlestar", the singer answered a question from a reporter by saying she's single. Waka Floka Flame fans will be happy to know that they not only have a new album from the Atlanta rapper to look forward to, he's also slated to head out on the "Club Paradise" tour with Drake. His new album will hit stores on June 12. The new season of gospel duo Mary Mary's reality series premieres. Congratulations to Tina Campbell are in order. She's expecting her third child. VH1's "Behind The Music" airs with an episode on the life and career of T-Pain. T.I fans will be happy to know that his reality series "Family Hustle" has been picked up for another season. Rapper Wiz Khalifa seems to be putting down roots. He recently purchased a home 25 miles from his old high school for he and girlfriend Amber Rose. Be sure to tune in to the "American Idol" results show. Rapper Nicki Minaj will perform, along with former winner Scotty McCreerey. On the tube: "American Idol" on Fox, "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS, "Missing" on ABC and "Community" on NBC. Happy Thursday!

Wednesday Roundup

"Basketball Wives" star Tami Roman was rushed to Cedar Sinai Medical Center after complaining of not feeling well. It turns out she suffered a mild heart attack. She's now home and even tweeted about the incident. Writer/director/producer Spike Lee took to Twitter to spread the word about the Travon Martin case, and took things further than they should have been. He tweeted what was presumably the address of shooter George Zimmerman, the only problem was, it wasn't Zimmerman's address. It was the address of an elderly couple, who have been harassed so that they've had to move to a hotel. Music giant EMI has settled its lawsuit with Cash Money Records. Fans will recall that the label sued the Cash Money for non payment of royalties. Cash Money Records has agreed to pay up, with the two sides saying they look forward to working together on other projects. Meanwhile, producer Bangladesh has settled his suit with Lil Wayne for non payment of royalties. In other Cash Money Records news, the production duo responsible for quite a few Lil Wayne hits has inked a new deal with the rapper. Lauryn Hill fans will be happy to know that after fifteen years of waiting, the rapper/singer is finally working on the follow up to her debut "The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill" to hit stores later this year. The legal  troubles of Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Dame Dash continue. Former artist Curren$y has filed a lawsuit against the mogul claiming he continues to profit off his music. He's seeking $1.5 million in damages. It appeared that the two were hammering out the details of a musical partnership, until news of the lawsuit. Curren$y claims his debut album "Muscle Car Chronicles" was released by Dash without a deal being worked out. Dash released a statement through his attorney saying that Dash's initial reaction to the lawsuit was surprise and that he hopes Curren$y isn't being led or pressured to make unwise decisions. No word on a court date yet. In light of the Travon Martin case, singer Chaka Khan has gathered together several singers and celebrities to record the tribute single "Super Life". It will be a remake of her 2007 hit. Appearing along with Khan on the record will be Eric Benet, "X Factor" contestant Stacy Francis, Kelly Price and Kenny Lattimore. A PSA will also be taped that will include Angela Bassett, Boris Kojoe and Terry Crews, in which they will wear white t-shirts that will read:"Fear Kills, Love Heals". The phrase was also posted online. Tennis champ Martina Navratilova was booted off ABC's "Dancing With The Stars". Be sure to tune in next week as the competition continues. The top nine finalist compete on "American Idol" tonight. Tune in. On the Tube: "American Idol" on Fox, "Survivor: One World" on CBS, "The Middle" on ABC and "Whitney" on NBC. Happy hump day!

Tuesday Tales

Singer Bobby Brown has been arrested again. The singer was pulled over in Los Angeles for talking on a cell phone while driving, where he failed a sobriety test. He was taken into custody and released after posting $5,000 bail. Investigators are looking into the case. The 43-year-old singer was convicted of driving under the influence in Georgia in 1996. He spent eight days in jail after he plead guilty of the crime. Some fans will recall that Madonna kissed Nicki Minaj on the set of the "Give Me All Your Love" video. Minaj even tweeted about the incident. Now, pictures of the incident have gone viral with Madonna saying the kiss was no big deal. She says it was the end of the shoot, and Minaj's birthday. After posing nude for animal rights organization PETA, Khole Kardashian is lashing out at the group and coming to the defense of big sister Kim. Fans will recall Kim was flower bombed at a red carpet event recently. PETA has come out in support of the culprit, leaving Khole fuming. She says PETA's support of the behavior is wrong. As mentioned previously, iconic singer Bobby Womack was admitted to a hospital and diagnosed with pneumonia. Now, fellow music legend Bootsy Collins has taken to his Facebook page to let fans know that the singer has been diagnosed with stage one colon cancer. Collins, who also broke the news about Womacks hospitalization, says he's spoken to the singer, and that he's upbeat about the future. He also added that Womack thanks fans for their well wishes. Womack has received interest from a new generation of fans thanks to his collaboration with UK group Gorillaz. He's been recording an album with the bands frontman Damon Albarn. The album, "The Bravest Man In The Universe" will hit stores in June. Singer Aretha Franklin is heading back to the studio as well. She will be recording with another music icon. The singer announced at her 70th birthday bash that she has re-signed with music mogul Clive Davis. Davis is now chief creative officer at Sony Music Entertainment. Franklin recorded several for Davis' Arista Records during the eighties, including "Freeway Of Love", Who's Zoomin Who" and "I Knew You Were Waiting". The three-year-old domestic violence incident involving Chris Brown and Rihanna won't go away. A restaurant in Georgia has landed in hot water after naming a new speciality sandwich the "Black and Bleu". The organization took to its Twitter account to tweet about the sandwich, after which it received several negative Twitter responses. The organization went into damage control by stating that it is not a supporter of domestic violence. The ingredients were to include Caribbean spiced marinated sliced rib-eye blackened, bleu cheese, sliced tomato, silver Lamborhini onions and shredded Romaine. Last night's "Dancing With The Stars" competition went through a change of pace as the contestants did an extra dance, with an opportunity to obtain an even higher score. Be sure to tune in to the results show. On DVD: "Casablanca". On the tube: "Raising Hope" on Fox, "NCIS" on CBS, "Dancing With The Stars" on ABC and "The Biggest Loser" on NBC. Happy Tuesday!

Monday Memo

The film "The Hunger Games" topped the weekend box office, earning over $155 million dollars. "21 Jump Street", "Dr Seuss' The Lorex", "John Carter" and "Act Of Valor" round out the top five films of the week. The financial troubles of rapper Nas continue. The IRS has filed papers in the state of Georgia to garnish the rapper wages. The Queensbridge MC's tax lien ballooned up to 2.5 million in 2006, and has now increased to a whopping $6 million. Any material the rapper produces under BMI and ASCAP will see a portion of the cash go to the government agency until the tax bill is settled. The collecting will likely begin when the the MC releases his tenth studio album "Life Is Good" later this year. The recent musical comeback of R&B legend Bobby Womack has recently hit a bump in the road. The 68-year-old singer has been hospitalized with pneumonia. Fellow R&B icon Boosty Collins took to Twitter asking fans to send their prayers and well wishes to the singer. Suffering from shortness of breath, the singer was forced to cancel a show in Houston earlier this month. He is known for such hits as "A Woman's Got To Have It", "I Can Understand It" and "If You Think You're Lonely Now". He recently released his first album in over a decade "The Bravest Man In The Universe".  It includes the single "Please Forgive My Heart" where his voice still sounds as earnest as ever. A nightclub owner is suing rapper Drake. The club owner claims he landed in hot water after a half smoked marijuana cigarette was found in the area of club where the Young Money MC and his entourage partied. So far, no word from the rapper or his representatives. If you think Waka Floka Flame is the kind to run from trouble, you'd be wrong. During a recent interview on Power 105 FM, the Atlanta rapper discussed his current beef with Young Jeezy associate Slick Pulla. He stated he doesn't like the fellow rapper, and even went as far as to diss him on stage during a recent concert. Although it's unclear whether the two have had a confrontation, Waka did clarify that while he doesn't go looking for trouble, he doesnt' run from it either. He also discussed the death of protege Slim Dunkin last December in an Atlanta recording studio. He says he doesn't accept what happened as yet. Switching to a more positive subject, his music, he says he's done with his next album and it's good to go. There's no word on when "The Triple F Life: Friends, Fans And Family" will hit store shelves. Lets hope he continues to go hard in the studio and keeps a cool head otherwise. Fans of rapper Big K.I.R.T. be happy to know that the rapper has finished his highly anticipated debut album, and it is slated to hit stores on June 5. The album includes a collaboration with blues legend B.B. King. The Mississippi rapper indicated that the two relaxed in the studio as King related his tour experiences. The competition continues of ABC's "Dancing With The Stars". Be sure to tune in to see who goes home next. On the tube: "Alactraz" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "Dancing With The Stars" on ABC and "The Voice" on NBC. Happy Monday!

Friday Facts

According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's report, the death of singer Whitney Houston has been ruled accidental. It's been ruled that heart decease and cocaine were factors in the singers death. A toxicology test also found marijuana, an anti-anxiety medication, a muscle relaxant and an anti-histamine in the singers system. She was found submerged in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room on February 12, the eve of the Grammy Awards. She was 48. A statement released said that while the family is sad to here the report, they now have some closure. Singer El DeBarge is off the hook. As mentioned previously, the singer was arrested just outside Los Angeles for possession with intent to sell. Now, it appears the officer who searched DeBarge and a gentlemen he was conversing with on the 101 Freeway found no drugs on either suspect. As a result, the LA County DA's office as thrown the case out due to lack of sufficient evidence. DeBarge, however, has had struggles with drug abuse, entering rehab as early as February 2011. He was interviewed for cable network BET's "30 Special", where he spoke about his struggle with heroin and crack. He performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards with Wale and Rick Ross, filling in for Jeremih on the Maybach Music hit "That Way". Rapper Drake is ready to take his "Club Paradise" tour back out on the road. Several more dates have been added to the tour, and it's sure to be a hit with fans. Rapper DMX's legal problems continue. The Ruff Ryders rapper is being sued by concert promoter Heavy Rotation for failing to make good on contractual obligations, according to TMZ. According to the suit filed by Heavy Rotation booking, X's mounting legal problems in 2011 killed a massive comeback tour the two parties had planned, costing the agency $749,285. Heavy Rotation says it had an exclusive contract with the rapper to book shows all over the world, but when he was sited for a traffic violation last year and sued twice for child support disputes, the rapper was saddled with a passport lien that prevented him from traveling. Compounding the legal problems is X's efforts to hire separate management to book shows in the U.S., even though those rights belonged to Heavy Rotation under their contract. In response to the lawsuit, X' manager says Heavy Rotation has it all wrong, the rapper did reach out to other companies, but only after severing ties with Heavy Rotation over poor business practices. The company is asking for $630,000 in lost revenue. Singer R Kelly has inked a deal to air his "Trapped In The Closet" series on television. Net IFS will air the episodes beginning later this year. Part musical drama, part video, the series follows Kelly's character Sylvester as he wakes from a night of careless infidelity only to find himself thrust into a never-ending spiral of dramatic confessions and intrigue. The series is sure to enthrall fans.Rumors are now spreading about singer Rihanna possibly getting acquainted with actor Ashton Kutcher. The singer was reportedly spotted leaving Kutchers home, although there's been no confirmation of any romance between the two. Stay tuned.  In theaters this weekend: "The Hunger Games". On the tube: "Kitchen Nightmares" on Fox, "2012 NCAA Basketball Tournament" on CBS, "Shark Tank" on ABC and "Who Do You Think You Are?" on NBC. Make it a weekend!

Thursday Dish

Singer Ray J. has denied rumors that he has a sex tape of he and the late Whitney Houston stashed away. The two singers have been linked romantically in the pass, with Ray J only saying the two were good friends. He attended the singer's funeral weeks ago, but hasn't spoken publicly about her death as yet. Mediatakeout.com is reporting on its web site that 17-year-old Diggy Simmons has gotten engaged to his girlfriend, and that the two plan to marry on Diggy's 18th birthday. So far, no comment from the rapper on the matter. Kiss member Gene Simmons, who is slated to tour with the rest of the band and Motley Crue, has gone in on singer Rihanna calling her a karaoke singer. So far, no comment from the singer. Rapper DMX and his estranged wife are slated to participate in a new VH1 reality series titled "Couples Therapy". The show follows the two as they attempt to salvage their marriage. The ex-wives of Prince, Eddie Murphy, R Kelly and Will Smith are slated to participate in another VH1 reality series called "Hollywood Exs". The show follows the ladies during life after their marriages. In a recent interview, Roots member Questlove discussed talking with the late Amy Winehouse about music, and jazz in particular. The two also discussed a collaboration with The Roots, Winehouse, Mos Def, and Raphael Saadiq. Although nothing ever came to futation, Questlove went on to say how Winehouse taught him about jazz. Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning last July. A posthumous collection of unreleased material, "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" was released in December. R&B singer Melanie Fiona graces the cover of Vibe Vixen. The 28-year-old singer discusses the highs and lows of her career, including a bout with depression after a tour opening for Alicia Keys. She says after the tour things got low for her. She's just released her second album "The MF Life". Fans can read the article in Vibe Vixen. Music moguls Jimmy Ivonne and Sean "Diddy" Combs mentored the contestants on last night's "American Idol". It was Billy Joel week, and all in all, the contestants did the songs of the Piano Man justice. Be sure to watch tonight's results show. On the tube: "American Idol" on Fox, "NCAA Basketball Tournament" on CBS, "Missing" on ABC and "Community" on NBC. Happy Thursday!