NEW MUSIC NEWS: TAMIA TO RELEASE CHRISTMAS RECORDING, 'A GIFT BETWEEN FRIENDS.'

Tamia, arguably one of R&B's most loved and underrated artists is releasing her first Christmas recording with a limited edition 3 song CD, titled A Gift Between Friends. The singer, whose career has been highlighted by two certified gold albums, will showcase her melodically-tuned vocals on 3 tracks, Christmas Medley (which consists of traditional classics O' Holy Night, Winter Wonderland and Let It Snow), This Christmas and the classic original The Christmas Song. All tracks were produced and arranged by Tamia's longtime producer and collaborator, Shep Crawford. Crawford is also responsible for the singer's Top 5 smash single, Stranger In My House from her 2001 Nu Day album.

And before you all ask, 'Why are there only 3 songs?' There's only 3 songs because this recording is basically a prequel to the full Christmas album which Tamia will release next year. Hence the title, A Gift Between Friends. FYI, the Christmas recording is a bonus cd included in Tamia's Between Friends double cd set. It's scheduled to hit record stores on October 23, 2007.

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VIDEO: JANET JACKSON & TYLER PERRY IN 'WHEN LIVE INTERVIEWS GO WRONG.'

Can anyone explain to me what does Janet's Superbowl debacle from 3 years ago have to do with her promoting a movie? I mean, really, because it seems like some people (especially in the media) are hell bent on making sure Janet never lives down what had to be the most embarrassing moment of her life.

It all started Thursday morning (October 11) when Jackson and Tyler Perry conducted a live interview on the CW 13's Good Day morning show in Sacramento, California to promote Tyler's latest movie, Why Did I Get Married?. However, the interview took a disrespectful turn for the worse when the smart-ass reporter suddenly asked Janet about that infamous 'wardrobe malfunction' during her half-time performance at the 2004 Superbowl. Janet, being her usual coy and demure self, just sat there with a contrived 'smile' on her face until Perry came to her rescue.

Therefore and thus and such, let me take this time to dole out a bucket full of kudos and props to Perry for being the professional, quick-witted, gentleman that he is.

..And another thing...let me find out those village idiots continued to talk about Janet's 'mishap' after the interview was over. In the words of Madea, 'Sat down somwhere!'
Click here to watch the interview.

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SNOOP SENTENCED TO TRASH DUTY AS PUNISHMENT FOR CARRYING AN ILLEGAL WEAPON.

Don't be surprised if for some reason you find yourself driving along California's highways and you spot a 6'4" tall, lanky, older-than-35-years-old-looking black man wearing barrettes and whatnot in his 'I got Indian in my family' hair. It's just rapper Snoop Dog fulfilling his court-ordered community service. Snoop was sentenced to 160 hours of trash duty in an Orange County, CA park as part of his punishment for carrying an illegal weapon in an airport last year.

The rapper, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., will do "everything from raking leaves to painting benches" authorities said Thursday. The park will remain unnamed, so that media and fans will not interfere. No date was given for him to start or complete the service, but he wants to perform it as quickly as possible, his attorney said. "He feels 'whatever it takes' to get this behind him. His goal is to make music, not court appearances," his attorney, Donald Etra, said. His sentence included community service, three years of probation, $1,000 in fines and court costs, and a $10,000 donation to a county charity for troubled children.

Snoop, who runs a youth football league, requested that his community service involve working with children, Etra said. However, the court and prosecutors did not want him involved with children, gangs or football. "We don't want to make a role model out of him," said Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the county district attorney's office. "The purpose of a sentence is punishment and we don't consider it to be punishment for a person to participate in activities that are already part of their daily routine."

Snoop, 35, pleaded guilty last month to one count of felony possession of a dangerous weapon. Police arrested him Sept. 27, 2006, after he tried to carry a collapsible baton in his computer bag through security at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. Authorities considered the baton a dangerous weapon, but the artist claimed it was a prop for a video he was filming in New York. The felony conviction on his record will be reduced to a misdemeanor if the rapper does not break the law for a year.

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MAGAZINE SCANS: JERMAINE DUPRI W/ HIS DAUGHTER ON THE COVER OF JET MAGAZINE

Jermaine Dupri continues to pound the pavement for promotion of his new memoir, Young, Rich and Dangerous: The Making of a Music Mogul, which hits bookstores next Tuesday, October, 16, 2007. Dupri and his daughter, Shaniah, cover next week's (October 22) edition of Jet magazine. I'm not sure if some of you know this or not, but Usher's song Confessions, which was written by Dupri, is based on true events that took place in his life...not Usher's. And coincidentally, Shaniah is the result of those events. I don't think I need to explain exactly what happened, because if you've listened to Confessions, then everything is pretty self-explanatory.

Below you'll find another excerpt from Dupri's memoir. In this poignant chapter, the mogul talks about how he had to come to grips with accepting and acknowledging his baby girl--a baby he conceived with a woman (Pam Sweat, no relation to Keith Sweat) he barely knew.

He says: "I got in touch with Pam. As soon as the reality of the situation sunk in, I was desperate to see my new baby girl. I wasn't sure what to do at first. I always had plenty of pets but I never had any contact with little babies before. I was nervous I might drop her. Then, after less than a minute of holding her, this feeling, almost like a chemical reaction, kicked in. All those feelings of love and protectiveness just welled up inside me and I became a daddy. My throat went all tight and my eyes welled up. Even now, nine years later, I just can't believe that I had something to do with creating this little girl. It's almost surreal."

Bless his heart.

Jermaine also reveals the much deserved scrutiny placed on men, especially the wealthy men in the entertainment industry, who have the funds to take care of their child as well as their baby mama, but choose not to.

You can read that excerpt and peek a pic of Pam & Shaniah after the jump!

"Someone in my position has to take care of his child and his baby mama. It's a point of honor that you set them up in a house, pay the bills, and give the mother of your child a monthly check so she can stay home and look after your baby. You've got the money so there's no excuse. In this industry, if you don't look after your baby AND your baby mama, you're an asshole. It's a code that makes guys like me a target."

PREACH!!!

Photo and book excerpt spotted at: SandraRosenews.blogspot.com

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PICS: BOBBY BROWN IN HOSPITAL; ALLEGED VIDEO SHOWS HE ADMITTED TO HAVING A HEART ATTACK.

What in the hell is going on with Bobby Brown?! First, he denies having a 'mild heart attack' on Tuesday--claiming he didn't know where that 'story' came from. Now, not only is there reportedly video footage of his bi-polar ass admitting he had a heart attack, there's also photos of him laid up in a hospital bed with IV's running through his arms. As if that wasn't enough, Brown also reportedly relayed a 'goodbye' message to friends and family before giving 'the bird' to Whitney. Oh, yeah, now that says a lot about a man who thinks he's in grave danger. Is this his way of putting a little bit of attention on himself? Or is this a sick case of publicity at its worst?

As Bobby Brown was wrapping up his telephone press tour Wednesday to deny reports that he had suffered a mild heart attack, a photo of the singer was making its way around the Internet that appeared to show him in a hospital bed hooked up to IVs and a heart monitor. Brown spoke with EUR's Lee Bailey, AP Radio and other outlets Wednesday afternoon to deny reports from his lawyer that he was taken to the hospital with chest pains that were later diagnosed to be a mild heart attack. The singer said he had gone to the hospital, but only to get a check-up in advance of an upcoming tour. However, a photograph first published on Web site X17 showing him in a hospital bed and hooked to various tubes suggests that Brown's visit was of a more serious nature.

Here's the alleged transcript taken from the alleged video footage of Brown in the hospital:

“This is…uh, Bobby Brown…ah, I’m about to go under the knife. So, uh, whatever happens - I know, uh, nothing’s guaranteed, so - um, I want to tell my kids I love you. Sisters, my mother, my father, I love y’all dearly. Um…to whomever it may concern, um, this ain’t about nothing else, y’know, um, uh, had a heart attack, y’know and um,..Y’know this is, this is really messed up, I don’t know what’s gonna happen, so, um…Just know I love you all, y’know, and um…Take care yourselves, I love you. All my boys, New Edition, uh, peace, man.”

READ MORE OF THE TRANSCRIPT EXCERPT AFTER THE JUMP!

“Um…My little girls, y’all know what to do with life, y’know, if daddy ain’t coming home tomorrow, y’know. But hopefully I’ll be there soon. Um…y’all just take care of each other, ai’ght? Peace.”

Interviewer: “Any secrets you wanna tell?”
Bobby: “Yeah, man…Um…I’m in love with you, Alicia. Uh…Whitney (holds up middle finger). (Laughs.)

Bobby: No, uhh. Nah, no secrets. Um…mmm. Shit. And drugs had nothing to do with it, I’ve been clean for two and a half years, so don’t worry about it. I still drink a little alcohol every now and then, though. That’s basically it. And, man, make sure my babies get this, man. (Unintelligible).”

Bobby lies back, groaning, rubbing his head, then startles when he sees the camera.

Bobby: ”Yo! What the fuck’s that?”

Man: “What’s up, man?”

Bobby: “Yo, man…Nurse!”

This niggah, here!

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NEW MAG. SCANS: MONICA IN SISTER 2 SISTER MAGAZINE (NOVEMBER 2007)

R&B singer Monica graces the November '07 issue of Sister 2 Sister magazine. From the comfort of her Georgia home, the singer opens up to S2S about relationships--both with friends and family--which are clearly important to her. The mother-to-be also talks about expecting her second son, due in January, and how motherhood has changed her life. She also reveals why she hasn't married the father of her children and describes the unbreakable bond between the two. Although, Monica may gain some enemies when they read about how easy pregnancy is for her, but they'll love her again when they read about the sisterhood she shares with other singers such as Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole and even Brandy.

You can read Monica's interview after the jump.

CLICK PICS TO VIEW FULL SIZE

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BEYONCE & MAMA TINA LAUNCH H.O.D. HIGH-END CONTEMPORARY DRESS LINE A.K.A. PROM DRESS LINE.

Just when you thought the Knowles' women had launched their last House of Dereon brand, POW!! they're introducing a new one. I have a feeling H.O.D. is about to become more oversaturated than Beyonce's career.

NEW YORK — Now teens can adopt Beyoncé's style for their prom dress. House Of Dereon has finally settled on releasing a high-end contemporary dress line; and many of the styles are based on what Beyoncé has worn on stage--from her performances as a solo artist and with Destiny's Child, making them perfect for the prom.

This, Tina said, was especially important to her as she works as a mentor at her church in Houston. "I've lent designer dresses that the girls used to wear in Destiny's Child to some of the girls in my youth center at my church," she said. "And I've also made dresses for some of them, so I'm so happy to have this line now, where many girls can buy my dresses." Tina continued, "I've always seen House of Deréon as a dress collection. But what happened was that we couldn't find the right partner for dresses. Every time someone would come up with a line for us to look at, I would send it back. It just was never right."

Beyonce is as equally excited about the new collection. "I am so proud of these dresses and I enjoyed every moment I spent with my mother creating them," she said. "This collection, being incredibly elegant, sexy and wearable, embodies the spirit and style we've always embraced."

The dresses will be in stores in January. The line consists only of cocktail and evening gowns. Eventually, Tina said she would like to add day dresses. The dresses wholesale between $120 and $300 and are being targeted to high-end specialty and better department stores like Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's. The collection is being shown out of Beyond Productions' showroom located at 1384 Broadway in New York.

Tina Knowles uses the Home Shopping Network to sell her new clothing and accessories line, Miss Tina. The line is targeted at women between the ages of 30 and 50.

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BOOK EXCERPTS: JERMAINE DUPRI TALKS ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH JANET & HER FAMILY IN HIS NEW MEMOIR.

In Jermaine's Dupri new memoir, Young, Rich and Dangerous: The Making of a Music Mogul, the Atlanta native discusses his relationship with multi-platinum, superstar, Janet Jackson. Jermaine says despite what many people may think, he and 'Jan' (as he affectionately calls her), who have been dating for over five years, have a really normal relationship. Can you all imagine the thousands of men out there who are hating on Jermaine all day, every day because Janet chose him? A dude whom Janet (whose about 5'4")towers over anytime she wears heels! LOL! Who knew they'd last this long? One thing that you can't deny is the fact that Janet is absolutely, positively in love with this man. She literally glows when she's with him. And that's a good look.

Dupri's memoir hits bookstores on October 16, 2007.

Check out the excerpts from Dupri's book below. There's more after the jump.

CHAPTER 12: WE BELONG TOGETHER gives readers a glimpse into the author's personal life, and his relationship with longtime love Janet Jackson.

"Things have always been so easy between us. There was none of the usual pressure I felt with my girlfriends in the past. Like me, my girl was deep in the business from day one. Like me, her family was always involved. Like me, she was constantly traveling and working. She understands how your work can take you away. She does get jealous, but with her I'm not always on the defensive, trying to explain how it is. Getting together with Jan was the first time in my life I felt like I was with a woman who's also a friend and a partner. I feel like I can breathe around her. Now I have someone who is more than my equal and who I can bounce things off of. Jan will give me an intelligent answer. She's educated and she knows stuff.

It wasn't long after we got together on that dream vacation when I met her whole family. It was Thanksgiving weekend when they invited me down to L.A. for a gathering. They don't do Thanksgiving, but they get together for a big family dinner. I was real nervous. When it's a girl with six brothers of course you're gonna be intimidated. I was thinking the worst and worried they would ask me all the hard questions of life. I knew they'd be real protective of the baby in the family. But they didn't grill me at all. They were just real gracious and nice, joking around with each other and saying, "Pass the biscuits please." I couldn't get over how normal the whole family was. The Jacksons were just a regular black family with black people [stuff] going on! They play board games together. Jan's mom is even more competitive than I am. She can't stand to lose and she won't give it up to anyone.

The kids all argue and tease each other like siblings do and throw down when it's time to eat. They tease me too. La Toya's always making fun of me and mimicking me on the phone. Jan finds it hilarious.

The Jacksons let me in with open arms. When they were all going through it over Michael's trial, I spoke up for them. I wanted to defend the family's honor. They're just nice, loving people who deserved better than getting raked over the coals in the media. I also did it because it was important for Janet. The trial was rough on her. She and Michael were always so close.

Life with Jan is just real normal. When we hang out, we hang out at home. She's a homebody. We don't want to be out on the road all the time."

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PICS: JANET, JD, SHAGGY, KANYE & OTHERS AT IN TOUCH'S 5th ANNIVERSARY PARTY.

Several celebs came out to celebrate In Touch magazine's 5th Anniversary at Tenjune in New York City on October 10, 2007. Celebs in attendance: Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri, Angela and Vanessa Simmons, Ray J., (3LW's) Adrienne Bailon and Shaggy. Rappers Kanye West and Swizz Beatz performed.

There's more pics after the jump.

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PICS: KIM KARDASHIAN W/HER FAMILY @ THE SCREENING OF 'KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS.'

Socialite Kim Kardashian and her family are all set to take reality television by storm when their new reality show airs beginning October 14. Keeping up with the Kardashians will follow the life and adventures of the 26-year old model, actress and entrepreneur along with sisters Kourtney and Khloe, half sisters Kendall and Kylie, mom Kris and stepfather Bruce. The show is produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions with six episodes constituting the initial season.

Meanwhile, Keeping Up with the Kardashians main star, Kim, continues to add to her growing list of credits by recently agreeing to appear on the adult magazine, Playboy. According to E! Online, Kim Kardashian will grace the December cover of the skin publication. Us Weekly mentions that during her photoshoot, Kardashian wound up showing much more than she may have intended. Apparently, she ended up displaying “one boob and her bare butt” despite the fact that she was draped in sheets and jewelry.

Keeping Up with the Kardashians debuts October 14, 10:30pm on E!

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