CELEB PERFORMANCE PICS: SOLANGE & HER SON IN PARIS; MARY J. BLIGE IN CALI; ALICIA KEYS IN

Mary J. Blige performs part of The Love Soul Tour at the Sleep Train Pavilion on October 18, 2008 in Concord, California.

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Alicia Keys performs live during a concert at the O2 World on October 18, 2008 in Berlin, Germany.

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Keyshia Cole performs during the 2008 Spirit Of Life Award Dinner on October 15, 2008 in Santa Monica, California.

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Solange Knowles performs live on stage during a private concert at the 'Showcase' club in Paris, France on October 24, 2008.

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MO'NIQUE TO RELEASE HER 1st NOVEL IN A SERIES, 'BEACON HILLS HIGH.'

Mo'Nique has always been one to put it all out there -- from discussing her "open" marriage in a magazine article, to the recent revelation that she was molested by her own brother growing up. Considering that, readers should expect nothing less than truth and real-life stories in her latest venture, a series of novels that kicked off last month with Beacon Hills High. Beacon Hills is the story of a thirteen-year-old F.A.T. (fabulous and thick) high school girl named Eboni who struggles not only with her weight, but also with fitting in when her family moves from the suburbs of Baltimore to Los Angeles, where everyone appears to be perfect. It is a book targeting the teen demographic because as Mo'Nique points out "they need some real stories that speak to them."

"I travel all over the country and going into the school system and hearing our babies have conversations, there wasn't anything that dealt with them and their issues," said Mo'Nique, who is committed producing three more teen novels with Sherri McGee McCovey, who was a writer on The Parkers. "My book is entertaining and real. A lot of (books geared toward teens) things were fantasy out there. Eboni, that's me growing up. And all of her friends are real people that I grew up with." There's Juan, who is gay and makes no apologies for it. Deb comes from a bi-racial family; she is both black and Jewish. Robin is white and has no desires at all to be or "act black."

"We had to hit every ethnic group, because that's the world we live in," said Mo'Nique. "More and more you see young people from different backgrounds interacting and being friends. And this book deals with their issues."

Does the book deal with more gritty issues, like the molestation that Mo'Nique recently revealed in her own life? "You have to read it to find out," she chuckled. "But talking about my molestation was something I had to do. It happens, unfortunately, to so many little girls and little boys every single day. People keep asking me how could I come out and talk about what my brother did. Well my question is, 'How could I not?' I was basically walking around in prison for years keeping that secret. And I decided that I wasn't going to my grave in prison. It's because we don't talk about those things is why so many of us so damaged."

Mo'Nique plans to use her novels as a platform to get young people and all people thinking about their lives and making a difference. "Not only is this book for young adults, it's for us too," she said. "We're nothing but kids with grown up faces. My book questions your character and your judgment. Even though Eboni is thirteen, somebody who is forty-three can pick up and learn from it, because I did."

Source: Karu Daniels, BlackVoices.com

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JANET & HER KEEBLER ELF SHOOT DOWN BREAK-UP RUMORS.

Janet Jackson put rumors of a breakup with longtime boyfriend Jermaine Dupri to rest this week. "Baby, they say you broke up with me because I threw up on you," Dupri says on a recent video released to fans to which Janet responds laughing off the rumors about the producer throwing up on her at his birthday bash. "How lame is that. Because you threw up on me... well, there's no real love there, is it?" says Janet. Feeling better after several postponed Rock Witchu tour stops, Jackson thanks fans for their love and support via a Youtube video. "I want to thank you for all your messages and all your love and support when I wasn't feeling very well. I'm a lot better now."

Jackson continues the North American leg of her Rock Witchu tour through the end of the year with a second leg to be announced at a later date.

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VENUS & SERENA WILLIAMS IN HARPER'S BAZAAR MAGAZINE.

World renown tennis players/sisters Venus and Serena Williams glammed-up and slammed-down in their new photoshoot for Harper's Bazaar magazine.

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TONI BRAXTON ON HER OUST FROM 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' & COPING WITH HER SON'S AUTISM.

I know I'm not the only one who was sad to see Toni Braxton eliminated from this season's Dancing with the Stars...especially when we have to be subjected to the geriatric-foolery that is Cloris Leachman! Anywho, Toni recently said that her departure from DWTS was bittersweet and that she truly considers her run a complete success because she overcame her heart condition to master the demanding ballroom routines each week. "My goal was reached," Braxton, who has coronary microvascular angina, told The Associated Press after being voted off Tuesday night. "I wanted to do better. I wanted to breathe better. And I was definitely breathing better. I've come a long way from Week One to Week Now." Braxton and her professional partner, Alec Mazo, received a score of 22 out of 30 from the show's judges during Monday's performance after a respectable West Coast swing routine. The Unbreak My Heart crooner was booted after that score was combined with viewer votes.

In related news, the singer says she has finally 'come to terms' with her youngest son, 5-year-old Diezel's autism after years of feeling nothing but confusion and guilt following his diagnosis. "You tend to blame yourself," the singer admits in the Oct. 27 issue of People, adding that she tortured herself with the question: "Is there something I did wrong?" Braxton says it took some time and a lot of patience to accept her son's condition. "A lot of times, parents are in denial because they want to think their child is perfect." With the help of an applied behavioral analysis (ABA) specialist who works with Diezel both at home and at school, Toni's family appears to have brighter days ahead. "A friend of mine told me, 'Toni, all these autistic kids in the world now, they are God's new angels, and they are here to show us life differently.' I've been embracing that. He's a wonderful kid."

Toni attends the 2008 Spirit of Life Award dinner honoring Doug Morris in Santa Monica, California.

Toni and Kim Kan't-Dance-shian at the Grand Opening of XIV Restaurant in West Hollywood, California.

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LISA BONET PREGNANT WITH 3rd CHILD.

Actress Lisa Bonet is pregnant with her third child. The former 'Cosby Kid' and her actor boyfriend Jason Momoa have announced they are set to become parents for the second time. The couple already have a 14-month-old daughter, Lola. Bonet also has a 19-year-old daughter, Zoe, with her former partner, rocker Lenny Kravitz. She tells People.com, "I'm seven months and I feel great. I've had a tremendous amount of energy, which is lucky, because I have a 14-month-old." Recently voted one of the top 25 sexiest movie stars in history, Lisa says she doesn't want to know if she will add a boy to her brood. She adds, "When my friends ask me, I say, 'I really don't know. I love the mystery and I trust the mystery about it. It adds a whole other component at the end."

Below are pics of Lisa on the set of the American re-make of the BBC drama Life on Mars in the Lower East Side, New York City back in August.

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ANGELA & VANESSA SIMMONS RUN AWAY FROM 'RUN'S HOUSE.'

Rev. Run's darling daughter's Angela and Vanessa Simmons have moved out of their daddy's home, Run's House and on to their own reality series. Revealed on AOL's Blackvoices, the Simmons sisters are slated to appear on Daddy's Girls, a spin-off reality series that will follow the sisters as they adjust to life in Los Angeles. Slated to air on MTV, Daddy's Girls will also showcase Angela and Vanessa Simmons' 'Pastry' shoe and clothing line as the girls transform the line into a more grown-up brand. "I appreciate my process because that's going to make me stronger in the end and the best talent that I can possibly give the world" says Vanessa Simmons.

Listen to them sounding all independent and whatnot. Moving out on their own isn't the only thing the two sisters intend on doing. They're also joining in with other celebrities in a campaign to urge young adults (and even the old ones) to vote on November 4th.

In the meantime, check out Angela and Vanessa attending the Lauren Conrad fashion show during Fashion Week.

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RAVEN RANTS ON RUMORS + PHOTOS OF THE ACTRESS ATTENDING MEDIA EVENTS.

Last week Raven reached the peak of her pisstivity levels and straight went off on the haters and naysayers (via her Myspace page) who have continued to diss the former child star with insult after insult. The actress spoke her piece on everything from her eyebrows, her weight, her sexuality, rumors of an engagement as well as a bitter feud between her and the current members of Disney's Cheetah Girls. Below you'll find an excerpt of Raven ranting about her weight and cheating ex-boyfriend:

MY BODY SIZE; OOOHHH MY GOD!!!! HOW MANY YEARS HAS IT BEEN… IV BEEN ON TV FOR 21 YEARS, AND IV ALWAYS BEEN THICK…..OK!!!! NOW IF ANYONE KNOWS MY FAMILY, ALL OF THE WOMEN EXCEPT FOR A FEW, STRUGGLE WITH KEEPING WHAT IS A SOCIALLY EXCEPT-ABLE WEIGHT. WHEN I STRESS I GAIN, WHEN IM HAPPY WHO KNOWS… I HAD A LOT OF PERSON THINGS HAPPEN TO ME AT THE END OF THE SHOW, DEALING WITH FAMILY, AND MY EX-BOYFRIEND CHEATED ON ME AND I HAD TO BREAK UP WITH HIM (LISTEN TO LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME, AND SECRETS) AND LIKE ANY FEMALE WITH A PROBLEM, DELT WITH IT A CERTAIN WAY! ID LOVE IF THE INDUSTRY COULD ONE DAY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OBESITY AND FAT AND THICK AND THIN AND SICK. I AM A THICK GIRL, I HAVE NEVER BEEN OVER A SIZE 12, I CAN RUN, AND I TRY MY BEST TO EAT RIGHT ALL THE TIME. I AM NOT THE TEXT BOOK WEIGHT THAT THEY SAY I SHOULD BE, BUT EVERYDAY I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL STRUGGLES, AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED TO RESPECT THAT.

To read Raven's full rant, click HERE. In the meantime, check out photos of Raven from a couple of media events she attended last week, plus a recent photoshoot.

Raven Simone arriving and performing at the 18th Annual Divas Simply Singing Charity Event on October 11, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California.

Raven attending the Tinker Bell DVD and Blu-ray premiere in Los Angeles, CA on October 19, 2008.

Recent Raven photoshoot.

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MICHELLE WILLIAMS EXPLAINS HER FASHION SENSE; DEBUTS 3rd SINGLE FROM NEW ALBUM 'UNEXPECTED.'

‘I like to mix expensive and cheaper clothes, but shoes are what really makes an outfit. You can slip on a Topshop skirt with a Gap top, and with the right footwear you can look like you’re dressed from head to toe in Roberto Cavalli. It breaks my heart to see young girls bankrupting themselves and their parents because they believe they have to emulate celebrities. They don’t realize the couture dress that a singer is wearing on the red carpet at the Grammys is borrowed, or that there’s a team of security guards waiting off stage to take away the Harry Winston diamonds as soon as the star leaves the spotlight.’

--Singer Michelle Williams on how she chooses her wardrobe and why young girls shouldn't get so caught up on mirroring a celebrity's designer-labeled clothing style.

In other Michelle news, the singer just dropped the video for her third single The Greatest from her R&B solo debut album Unexpected, in stores now. “I’m making a statement with this album - Michelle is feisty. She’s not the quiet one. She’s not at church 24/7. She’s not on the altar sprinkling blessed oil everywhere. She has fun.'

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FANTASIA SHOWS OFF HER SPANDEX-TACULAR ENSEMBLE.

Ms. Fantasia in all of her spandex-tacular, tattooed, grape Kool-Aid colored hair glory complete with sweat stains! NO MA'AM!! The singer was looking not-the-business when she was spotted partying it up hard and then some last week at a pre-BET Hip Hop awards party with folks like Lyfe Jennings (before his arrest), Real Housewives of Atlanta cast mates Lisa Hartwell and Nene Leakes, comedian Lil Duval and Jazzy Pha.

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