Fantasia Was Set for Drama from the Jump

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, Scholarship in Action 

One of the most magnificent voices in all of music is owned by Fantasia Barrino, the singer out of North Carolina. Most of us know that Fantasia attempted suicide recently. Of course the suicide attempt led to instant national media attention, and she was all over the news telling her story. Her management team, understanding the value the incident could have for her brand, pushed out the Vh-1 special before you could say the words "publicity stunt."
Now, I'm not here to say that I know what happened to Fantasia or whether the suicide attempt was genuine. But one thing that remains fundamentally true is that she'd been highly upset over the decline of her career. Also, we know that the television specials and additional PR from the incident have put Fantasia in the limelight in a way that far exceeds what she had access to last month. The final thing we know is that Fantasia is working furiously in the studio to get an album out in order to profit from the re-establishment of her celebrity status. Unfortunately, her team may be looking to replicate the experience of Jennifer Hudson after her difficult experience last year.

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Hip Hop Artist Fat Joe Detained in Alleged Rape

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

The rapper Fat Joe was detained by police Sunday night after he and his entourage were accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Madison, Wisconsin. According to TMZ, the woman is 33-years old and claims the assault occurred in a Cadillac Limousine after a concert at the Orpheum Theater.

Fat Joe (a.k.a.Joseph Antonio Cartagena) and his entourage were held for questioning, but he was released and not arrested. The details of the case are still being sorted out in the investigation. Relative to most artists, Fat Joe doesn't get into very much trouble. The 39-year old married father of two has not, to my knowledge been accused of any sexual assault, so I'd be surprised if he waited this long to get started. He has been arrested in some of the typical rapper non-sense in the past: In 1998, he and the deceased rapper Big Pun were arrested for assaulting a man with a baseball bat and stealing his gold chain. I'm not even going to try to explain that one.

 

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Your Black News – 3/4/10

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Khia Says Trina Got That "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle"

Sources: Jackson Kids Tried Stunning Blanket

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Jamie Foxx: "I Like ‘Em Thick In The Waist & Cute In The Face"

Rihanna Is Being Sued By Her Personal Trainer

Mo'Nique's Secret To A Happy Marriage? An Open One

Naomi Campbell Wanted For Allegedly Beating Up Her Driver

NAACP Image Award Trends: Blacks, Nudes + Plum Shadow

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Huh? Kanye West Compares Himself to Maya Angelou?

Kanye West is stepping back into the limelight — and bringing his ego, too.

The "Heartless" rapper took to his blog Monday and announced his return to the studio, reports People.com. West, who has laid low since hijacking Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Music Video Awards in September, promised to "bring you the best I have to offer with the same dedication that Kobe [Bryant] has on the court."

The star continues, "It's funny how so many rappers get worse as their careers stretch out, but true poets get better." West writes that he wants to follow in the footsteps of giants like Maya Angelou, Nina Simone and Gill Scott-Heron (whose name West misspells "Herron").

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50 Cent Lays Out on Tiger Woods

During an appearance on The George Lopez Show on TBS last night (December 14), 50 Cent revealed he is reconsidering a line of condoms and may even add a “tiger” stripe to the packaging, in honor of Woods’ numerous trysts outside of his marriage.

“Thirteen women and no condoms – you’re a gambling man ain’t you Tiger? Rappers use condoms often. Golfers apparently don’t use condoms,” 50 Cent joked. “It’s interesting when you pick your women at Perkins. That’s why you get told on. When she tells it’s not really her fault, especially when you didn’t give her nothing and she’s at Perkins.”

The rapper went on to say that the women in Tiger’s life didn’t respect or fear him.

“The woman needs to feel like maybe he’s gonna snap, so I aint gonna say that,” 50 Cent told Lopez. “Tiger there ain’t no fear.”

 

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Hip Hop Wired – 11/7/09

LL Cool J's “NCIS: Los Angeles” Heading To Syndication After Only 7 Weeks On The Air

NEWS

» By MICHAEL ICEBLUE HARRIS   Nov 7 2009, 9:07 Am

LL Cool J is showing no signs of slowing down after more than 20 years in the game. The Queens MC is about to receive some major paper from his moonlighting gig away from the mic. His new television series “NCIS: Los Angeles” has just been sold into syndication after only seven weeks on the air.

CBS TV Distribution has licensed the show to USA for roughly $1.9 million per episode. It will start airing weekly in the fall of 2011.

“NCIS: Los Angeles” is a spin-off from the popular

Comments 0 Tags def jam, ll cool j, rock & roll hall of fame,“NCIS: Los Angeles”

Dr. Boyce Watkins Editorial: Black Men Continue To Get Pimped By The NCAA

FEATURES, NEWS

» By Dr. Boyce Watkins   Nov 7 2009, 8:06 Am

The revolution has been televised.

I always knew it would be, since African American athletes have always been center stage in the NCAA's multi-billion dollar money machine. Millions of Americans go mad during the month of March to see "Tyrone G. Anyhood," the latest corporate product being lined up on the Great American assembly line of mass exploitation and academic fraud.

The NCAA has profited handsomely from the Black community's commitment to producing and delivering hoop dreams that put young Black men on the court during the hours they should be spending in a book. We perform death-defying athletic circus acts for the amusement of America, while

Comments 1 Tags boyce watkins, Ed O'Bannon, NCAA

Ludacris On Hand To Pay Tribute To Soul Legend Otis Redding

NEWS

» By JORDAN C. ALSTON   Nov 7 2009, 6:35 Am

Feelings and memories of a better time were aplenty at the Wooddruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday as some of this era's most bright and promising talent paid tribute to a man that left an indelible mark on the world with his music.

Artists such as Anthony Hamilton, Estelle, and Grammy-winning rapper, Atlanta's Ludacris, were on hand to give respect to soul music titan Otis Redding.

Estelle sang Redding's classic,

Comments 1 Tags Anthony Hamilton, atlanta, ludacris,music, Otis, otis redding, Redding, Soul, the rolling stones

Mos Def To Join Jay Electronica & Curren$y To Form Trio

NEWS

» By Jason Weintraub   Nov 7 2009, 6:11 Am

If you are a Hip-Hop fan who tends to care more about lyrics and meanings to tracks than the catchy hooks and repetitive beats, then do we have news for you!

Mos Def, Jay Electronica, and Curren$y are all teaming together to make a much needed “Hip-Hop” album that will give the game something it has been missing for awhile.

According to Curren$y, the three, all by complete coincidence, met up at Dame Dash's new music facility

Comments 0 Tags damon dash, jay electronica, lil wayne,mos def, rapper currensy

Wyclef To Receive RFK Center For Justice & Human Rights' Ripple Of Hope Award

NEWS

» By Moguldom   Nov 6 2009, 16:09 Pm

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights today announced that Wyclef Jean and Bono will receive the organization's 2009 Ripple of Hope Award. The award, which will be presented at the Center's annual dinner on November 18th, recognizes the bold leadership demonstrated by the two honorees on humanitarian issues.

"As champions of justice, Bono and Wyclef have brought the national spotlight to human rights violations, empowered local activists, and transformed the lives of millions of people living in poverty from

Comments 0 Tags bono, The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, U2, Wyclef Jean

Bone Thugs Speak On Flesh's Incarceration & Eazy-E's Death

NEWS

» By MICHAEL ICEBLUE HARRIS   Nov 6 2009, 14:53 Pm

"It's both, it's a place where you can rehabilitate but it's also a warehouse. Because mind you, that place is there for a reason. You got real live monsters that deserve to be there that committed crimes that are absolutely heinous. They are never gonna see the light of day and they are there forever and for a reason."

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is gearing to release their long awaited unified front, Uni5:  The World's Enemy, which will be dropping on December 22^nd.  Speaking with Hip-Hop Wired, Krayzie spoke on the conception of their latest album saying,

“Flesh was locked up for ten years, he just came home.  As everybody knows Bizzy Bone was away from us for a while. Flesh came home and we just felt the need…it was going to happen regardless. We felt the need to come back together and give the world that Bone magic that we brought to the world years earlier. It was like a must. The whole concept of the album, Uni5:  The World's Enemy… the unifying came from us being back unified and the world enemy concept came from we always felt like we was

Comments 0 Tags Bone Thugs N Harmony, eazy-e, flesh n bone, ruthless records

50 Cent Still Considering Signing Beanie Sigel, Promotes New Fragrance

NEWS

» By DANIELLE CANADA   Nov 6 2009, 12:44 Pm

“You can't sign a deal in a conversation — it's a process. We'll see what happens."

50 Cent, the man whose name has become synonymous with controversy in the weeks leading up to his official release of Before I Self Destruct, is speaking out on his alleged contractual agreement with Jay-Z's latest enemy, Beanie Sigel.

As previously reported , Fif and Beanie caused mass speculation of a possible new G-Unit alliance after appearing on a Philadelphia radio show.

Now 50's

Comments 1 Tags "before i self destruct, 50 cent, beanie sigel, g-unit, jay-z, Power By 50, thisis50

DMX To Pull Out Of MMA Fight?

NEWS

» By DANIELLE CANADA   Nov 6 2009, 11:59 Am

DMX made headlines in September after announcing that he was willing to allow bodily harm to be inflicted on him by the hands of a mixed martial arts fighter. Now reports are circulating that he came to his senses and pulled out of the scheduled beat down.

As previously reported, he was scheduled to take on Eric Martinez on December 12 in Jefferson, Alabama. He even caused promotional melee about the upcoming production by stating that he wouldn't train for the event. Instead, he had the bright idea to

Comments 0 Tags dmx, DMX Cancels MMA Fight, Eric Martinez, mixed martial arts, MMA Fight

Ludacris Donates Coats For Charity

NEWS

» By DANIELLE CANADA   Nov 6 2009, 11:17 Am

The always philanthropic and always present in the Atlanta community, Ludacris, strikes again with his charitable ways.

September brought an onslaught of tumultuous flood waters that left parts of metro Atlanta devastated. Offering to aid his ailing city, Luda stepped up through his Ludacris Foundation to donate

Comments 2 Tags Atlanta Floods, Clarkdale Elementary,LudaCares, ludacris, Ludacris Founation

Ying Yang Twins Release Greatest Hits Album

NEWS

» By DANIELLE CANADA   Nov 6 2009, 10:17 Am

The Ying Yang Twins, Atlanta's hyper hood brotherly duo, helped usher crunk to the musical forefront and gave the world music to dance to. Now just shy of four years out of the limelight, the dynamic duo of Kaine and D-Rock is bringing their trademark shake anthems back to listener's ears through a collection of their greatest hits. Titled

Comments 0 Tags Champs Is Here, deep entertainment,mannie fresh, ying yang twins, Ying Yang Twins Greatest Hits

Young Jeezy Added To Blueprint III Tour

NEWS

» By DANIELLE CANADA   Nov 6 2009, 10:01 Am

As Jay-Z begins to wrap up his ‘North American College Tour' with Roc Nation affiliate Wale and his signee, J.Cole, he's still prepping for his highly anticipated Blue Print III tour. The man, who apparently never sleeps, will trek across the country again to bring fans cuts from his #1 album. Jigga won't be alone however and has announced plans to bring his “Real As It Gets”, collaborator Young Jeezy

Comments 0 Tags Blueprint 3 Tour, J. Cole, jay-z, North American College Tour, roc nation, wale, young jeezy

Charlamagne Tha God Gets a Pink Slip

Radio personality, Charlamagne Tha God, was fired from his post at Philadelphia radio station 100.3 The Beat this week, following an interview with Beanie Sigel where he explained his recent Jay-Z diss track.

Charlamagne revealed the termination via Twitter (@CThaGod) on Monday (November 2) morning.

While he says the station said they wanted to "move in a different direction," many speculate whether Jay-Z may have had a hand in the matter.

"I just got fired from 100.3 The Beat in Philly. Salute to Philly I hope you all enjoyed me the past six months," Charlamagne wrote.

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