AL B. SURE, BOBBY BROWN & MC HAMMER'S SEEDS MAKE THEIR SHODY DEBUT ON MTV'S 'ROCK THE CRADLE.'

(CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE)

A couple of weeks ago, I made a post telling you all about MTV's new reality live musical competition show, Rock the Cradle. The show features the offspring from yesteryear's top music artists in rock & roll, R&B and hip-hop (read more about the show by clicking HERE) as they strive to reach an imaginary status that their parents once held at the height of their careers. Well, needless to say, I was only interested in watching the performances of MC Hammer's daughter, Akeiba, Al B. Sure's son, Lil B. Sure! and Lil B. Sure's B.F.F. and son of Bobby Brown, Landon (from a previous relationship). Now if any of you watched last night's debut then you know that not only is this season going to be laugh out loud-able. Compared to their parents, damn near every kid who hit that stage was whack. And I know I wasn't the only person who thought so after watching the camera pan over to their parents sitting in the VIP section. Their expressionless faces said it all: 'Someone please remind me to sue Mother Nature for malpractice of my child's vocal chords.' I didn't see a proud face in the bunch. Although it was hard trying to gauge the look on Bobby's face because of...well, yall know. Imagine the difficult task of having to sit and listen to your off-key offspring attempt to sing as they could really could sing?! Those poor parents gave the phrase 'just grin and bear it' a new meaning.

First up. Lil B. Sure!. The other son of Al blew me away as he sung his own soulful rendition of Leon Russell's A Song for You. Although his voice sounds better than his father's (at least to me) and his B.F.F. and he scored really high with the judges, I still had a hard time looking at him. I'm sorry. But I did. Dude just looks difficult in the face. Bless his heart. I've always wondered what his mother looked like (click and peep the picture on the right). When you think of someone named Lil B. Sure, you're thinking this person is going to at least favor his father a little bit, right? At least enough to take you back to the days of watching Video Soul where you could see Al's tall, beige and handsome self in one of his videos as he sang in his tight-ass stonewashed denim jeans and matching jacket while doing the Alf. But as I watched Lil B. last night, I sat and waited and waited for that nostalgia to hit me, but it never did. Maybe his nickname and his slot on the show should've been offered to Al and Kim's son, Quincy. And (sarcastically speaking) I still have a hard time believing Quincy is Kim's biological son because he looks so much like his daddy. But I'll digress. All that aside, I can definitely see Lil B. going far in this competition, maybe even winning it. Maybe.

AFTER THE JUMP, CONTINUE READING MY REVIEW ON LANDON'S PISS POOR PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS AKEIBA'S HIGH-SCORING PERFORMANCE ON 'ROCK THE CRADLE.'

Mark my words: sooner or later if Bobby's boy Landon don't get his singing chops up to par, chances are he's going to either get his feelings hurt (and believe me after watching that hour and a half episode, he will not be the only one) or he won't last in this competition. This dude had the nerve to come out singing and wasn't 2 bars into his song before he tried to coerce the audience into helping him sing the song along with him! Waving his hands in the air talking 'bout, 'Yall, come on!' I'm looking at him like, 'Niggah, we ain't the ones competing to become a star-ruh. That's you! The first episode and you already trying to cheat!' I'm convinced Landon snagged his place on the show because of his looks and of course, his father. A father who he shares no physical resemblance to whatsoever. We viewers should all be thankful.

Last but definitely not least, along came MC Hammer's baby girl Akeiba. In the pre-recorded footage of her performance we saw a quick snippet of her father's rise and fall to fame (that too took me back, yall) which happened around the time when she was barely knee high. But as the cameras showed her rehearsing her song of the night, Love You I Do (from the Dreamgirls movie soundtrack), an homage to Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson, it was blatantly apparent that she's grown into a full-size, beautiful grown woman. And even though we saw her struggle to hit that high note in the song, once she hit the stage everything flowed nicely including her high note. Now, I won't say perfectly because then I'd be lying. But out of all the nine performances of the night, I enjoyed hers the most. And my sentiments were mirrored by the judge's scores. Akeiba scored one of the highest shows of the night including a perfect 10.

But this is just the first airing. There's going to be plenty more. The question is, what star's offspring will have what it takes to make it to the end. I'm putting my money on Akeiba. To all of you teenage girls, grown women, groupies (male and female) and cougars, feast your eyes on Landon while you can because if his Thursday night performance is any indication of what's to come....

And for all of you who missed the show, you can watch the full episodes and/or clips from the show by clicking HERE.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

AL B. SURE!, BOBBY BROWN & MC HAMMER'S SEEDS TO 'ROCK THE CRADLE' ON MTV'S NEW TALENT REALITY SHOW.

Offspring of celebrity musicians including Bobby Brown, M.C. Hammer and Al B. Sure! are set to compete in a new reality talent show to discover the next American singing sensation. MTV has gathered 20-year-old A'keiba Burrell-Hammer, Landon Brown and his B.F.F., Lil Al B. Sure to battle it on a new TV show entitled Rock The Cradle, which is an eight-episode series slated to premiere on the network on April 3, 2008 at 10 p.m. The show, which will feature the pop wannabes competing in a live broadcast every week in front of their parents, a panel of celebrity judges and a live studio audience as they seek to become stars in their own right. A’Keiba, whose dad plans to be with her every step of the way during this process, said she joined the show after he presented the idea to her. “It sounded like a lot of fun,” she told People magazine. “I love performing.” M.C. Hammer, who attended a cast photo shoot with his daughter says, “She’s a hard working girl. I’m a proud papa. My advice is to have fun.”

Despite not wanting to be a part of his father’s reality show, Being Bobby Brown, Landon Brown says "Rock the Cradle will be great exposure for him. “I love to compete,” he told People. “I’ve learned from [my father’s] mistakes. I do me, but I tone myself down a little more, except on stage. I’ll try not to take my shirt off up there. They told me not to.”

Other celebrity kids set to rock the stage include Jesse Blaze Snider, son of Twister Sister star Dee Snider, Kenny Loggin's son, Crosby, Chloe Rose Lattanzi, daughter of Olivia Newton John, and Lucy Walsh, daughter of the Eagles' Joe Walsh.
....

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

UNCLE LUKE, MIAMI'S GODFATHER OF BOOTY BASS MUSIC, LAUNCHES NEW MUSIC VIDEO, SPORTS TV WEBSITES.

'Don’t stop/pop that p*ssy/let me see you doo doo brown...'

Remember those infamous Miami booty bass lyrics from 2 Live Crew founder Uncle Luke's I Wanna Rock single? Well, expect the raunchy video for that song and many others to air on Uncle Luke's (real name Luther Campbell) new 24-hour music video website, tentatively called UncleLuke.tv. The website is distributed through Luke Entertainment Group (LEG), Campbell's multi-platform entertainment company. According to a press release, the newly launched portal (UncleLuke.tv) offers its visitors an extensive library of unique video content to watch, post, and download; and will carry musical content from Video Mix TV, an independent 24 hour music television network -- which streams hip-hop, reggae, R&B and indie music.

UncleLuke.tv was launched to rival other social networking platforms, but with a slant toward the hip-hop community, and will offer aspiring artists and entertainers a platform to gain visibility for their music. "Unlike most of the other social networking platforms, UncleLuke.tv will offer new artists, sports, never seen before videos and a myriad of unique content, including live streaming broadcasting," said Victor Nappe, Luke Entertainment Group's CEO. "We are looking to communicate, entertain and embrace the new media consumer through UncleLuke.tv. Video Mix TV and other outside entertainment media brands help us achieve that initiative and strengthen our goal of becoming leaders in the online programming space."

In addition to UncleLuke.tv, they have also launched LukeSports.tv, geared towards youth sports.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Uncle Luke's new social networking portal follows on the heels of MC Hammer's attempt at breaking into the online area as well. Hammer recently launched his own portal called DanceJam.com, which is his online destination for sharing and watching dance videos.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

PICS: ASHANTI'S 80s THEMED B-DAY PARTY @ CAFE DUPRI'S IN ATLANTA

I've never seen Ashanti and her boyfriend, Nelly show so much affection towards each other in public before. That's a good look. They look adorable together...as well as very much in love DESPITE Deelishis flapping her recently-installed porcelain veneered chops claiming Ashanti and Nelly's relationship is fake. Heffa, your ass kissed Flavor Flav in the mouth and said you liked it..so now we're supposed to believe you when you start yapping off at that contaminated hole you call a mouth about someone else's relationship? Sorry, we don't believe you! You need more people!

After Saturday night's taping of the B.E.T. Hip Hop Awards show in Atlanta, the R&B singer celebrated her 27th birthday at Jermaine Dupri's 'Cafe Dupri' in Atlanta with an 80s hip-hop-type theme. I think she pulled it off really well. Also in attendance were Jermaine Dupri, of course, Ne-Yo and Katt Williams. Looks like a good time was had by all. Can you imagine the music that was played at that party? I'm getting nostalgic just thinking about it! LOl! Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Whodini, JJ Fad, MC Hammer, Oaktown 3-5-7, LL Cool J., Roxanne Shante, The Real Roxanne, Run-DMC, The Fat Boys, Heavy D. & the Boyz, Kurtis Blow, Salt 'N Pepa...just to name a few!

MORE PICS OF ASHANTI, NELLY, JERMAINE & NE-YO AFTER THE JUMP!

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

MC HAMMER DISPELS DEATH RUMORS: 'FAR FROM DEAD, I'M POPPING MY COLLAR, MAN!' --PROMOTES HIS NEWEST GIG.

When I came home a couple of hours ago to check today's top celeb news stories, I almost had a coronary episode after reading an article claiming MC Hammer (real name, Stanley Burrell) had been struck and killed in a hit-and-run accident earlier today. I said to myself, 'This is so sad. Hammer was a true pioneer as well as an iconic innovator in the world of rap music.' Coincidentally, yesterday a couple of members on The Crusade, myself included, were discussing the issue of Hammer being honored and inducted into VH1's Hip Hop Honors; and how he deserved to be acknowledged before recently inducted artists such as Missy and Snoop Dog. That's real talk.

Anyway, I should've known something was amiss when one article stated the rapper had 'passed away today in a Baltimore hospital room outside a Tribe Called Quest show in New Jersey last night, the singer was struck by a car passing by the front of the Ventura Theatre. Hammer was rushed to St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, where he was pronounced dead this morning at 6am.'

I don't think I need to elaborate any further.

Long story short, Stanley Burrell, the rapper, isn't dead. As a matter of fact, another man who shares the same birth name as Hammer, recently passed away. Hammer posted a statement on his official blog to address the rumors. He said: "Far from dead. I'm popin' my collar man!! smile have fun....enjoy life and Dance baby!!!...I heard the rumor..paused, gathered my thoughts and thanked my Lord and Savior that his word and promises are true. I have not completed my mission and I have yet to take my place in a light and place that you can clearly see (know) and understand me.... I take this moment to declare that the God that gave me life, has not required that breath to return unto him... That same breath has his eternal Holy spirit in it. There is none that walks the earth or has fallen from heaven that has the authority to require my life. I am his. The CHRIST...GLORY TO HIS NAME!!!!! I also claim healing and deliverance in his name (Jesus)."

Hammer's reps told tmz.com that he is in the process of resurrecting his career and promoting his newest gig by creating a new website called Dance/Jam where folks can upload videos of themselves dancing. Hammer will critique the submitted dance routines and then rate them. WHAT THE HELL FOR?! I love Hammer like an alcoholic loves gin and juice without the juice, but the purpose of his new gig has completely flown over my head.

Hammer is famous for late 80s and early 90s hits such as Let's Get It Started, Turn This Mutha Out, U Can't Touch This and Too Legit. Hammer's 2nd album, Please, Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, was the first hip-hop album to reach diamond status, selling more than 10 million units. But with the highs came the lows. The extreme lows. Because of dwindling album sales and a lavish lifestyle, Hammer, who was $13 million in debt, filed for bankruptcy on April 3, 1996. During a guest appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1997, he openly admitted to squandering away nearly $20 million of the $33 million he amassed throughout his career.

Where's Hammer now? The hell if I know.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP!