Q&A With BET's CEO Debra Lee

BET Networks chief on new program, the importance of Michael Jackson and branding BET in the age of Obama

By Claire Atkinson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/29/2009

Inside Viacom, BET Networks is something of a rising star. Fresh off a stellar second quarter, thanks to stratospheric ratings for its BET Awards show, the cable network is busy developing new original programming on its flagship while teeing up a second service and rolling out internationally. Debra L. Lee (pictured above), chairman and CEO of BET Networks, talks with B&C's Claire Atkinson about new original programming, the cultural importance of Michael Jackson, and branding BET in the age of Obama.

Ms. Lee, 54, is Chairman and CEO of BET Holdings, Inc. , a media and entertainment company and a division of Viacom, Inc. She joined BET in 1986 as Vice President and General Counsel. In 1992, she was elected Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs and named publisher of BET's magazine division, in addition to serving as General Counsel. She was placed in charge of strategic business development in 1995. Ms. Lee is a director of WGL Holdings, Inc., Marriott International, Inc. and Revlon, Inc.-Forbes.com

BET's ratings were up 34% in the second quarter of '09. To what do you attribute that rise?

We've made a lot of strategic moves that have contributed to our ratings growth. Loretha Jones joined us last year as the president of original programming, and Barbara Zaneri joined us as our head of programming, scheduling, strategy and acquisitions. Together they have made our programming and scheduling even smarter in a number of ways - from strengthening Tuesday nights, to moving our hit gospel competition series Sunday Best to Sundays, to using our returning franchises to help launch new shows, to programming our dayparts in better ways.

There is more flow to the schedule, and we have made great acquisitions, including The Game. We have also acquired movies including Training Day and The Matrix; we're doing movies three times a week now.

Our ratings growth is a result of our original programming, and we have even more series in the pipeline. We have a nightly talk show with Mo'Nique, starting in October, called The Mo'Nique Show. We also recently added The Wendy Williams Show to our nightly line-up--it airs earlier in the day on Fox. We also have another new show about singer Monica that follows her comeback in the music world. Her show will be called Monica.

We are also partnering with NASCAR on Changing Lanes, which chronicles the search for the sport's next generation of drivers. We're looking at the changing face of NASCAR. It is something we are excited about.

The BET Awards obviously did a lot better this year coming right after the death of Michael Jackson. Tell us about how that came together?

We had 10.65 million viewers tune in (live + same day), which makes the BET Awards the number one show on cable so far this year. The number of viewers who tuned in to see the awards is a testament to Michael Jackson's far-reaching and long-lasting influence and legacy. It was really the first time people could express themselves about Michael, so the emotion really came through.

It also gave us the chance to promote other shows like [reality series] Tiny and Toya. We premiered it after the BET Awards ended at 12:45 a.m., and it became the number one original series in our network history. Coca-Cola sponsored a red room, where we had actor Idris Elba deejaying. [Our advertisers] see the value in having great talent on site.

Generally our BET Awards rate highly. The sponsors and partners for this year's show included Pepsi, Procter & Gamble's Cover Girl and My Black Is Beautiful, Twitter, Kmart, Lincoln, Ford, KFC Pride 360, Yahoo! Music and Grey Goose Vodka. It was the No. 1 telecast in cable television history among African-Americans. Stephen Hill, [president of music programming and specials] oversees the show every year.

How did this year's show come together?

Michael Jackson's death really changed it. Stephen and the team had to change just about everything only two days before, because we, of course, wanted to have the performers do Michael Jackson tributes as best we could in a limited time frame. Michael really created the song book for a generation. There hasn't been another entertainer like him, and I don't think there ever will be another person who comes close to making the impact he had on pop music.

Concert promoter AEG Live is negotiating to sell footage of the last Michael Jackson performance. Is BET interested?

We'd be interested; it's a little expensive, though. You know, one of my favorite memories of Michael was when I had a reception for him at my home. About 250 people came and he was perfectly charming and chatted about the business. He stood on a receiving line and he took pictures with everyone there.

I'm glad I had the chance to meet him. His only request was for bowls of Skittles. I've never seen grown people push each other out of the way to meet someone like they did with Michael.

How has BET's mission evolved? How does President Obama being in the White House help you?

It just so happened that our new brand strategy started the year President Obama was elected to the White House. Our mission is to respect, reflect, elevate and inspire our audience.

President Obama has had such a great effect. Having a black family in the White House increases awareness of black culture, and the number of non-black viewers coming to our network has increased.

A few months ago, President Obama invited me to come in and meet with a group of 12 CEOs to talk about the stimulus package. He said BET should be there talking with the likes of Mattel and Xerox.

BET worked with Procter & Gamble on a short series called My Black is Beautiful. Are you doing any other sponsored programming?

We just premiered a new series called Rising Icons, in partnership with Grey Goose Entertainment, about up-and-coming artists in music like Keri Hilson and Chrisette Michelle. The series takes viewers on an up-close-and-personal journey behind the scenes with the artists, giving viewers a glimpse into their road to stardom and revealing what it takes to be successful in music and entertainment today. We are doing more on the integrated marketing side.

How are you working with Nielsen to make sure that the African American audience is adequately represented?

They have increased the size of the African-American sample to 1,200, which is up from 600. We continue to find ways to make it more realistic and more representative.

How are ad sales proceeding?

They're holding steady and improving. Earlier this year, it was a tough time for everyone, but the third- and fourth-quarter ratings were really positive. National TV sales have held up and ratings are moving in the right direction.

Tell us about what BET is doing in addition to the core channel, and what's happening internationally?

In the fourth quarter of this year, we'll be launching Centric, which is targeted at 25- to 54-year-olds - essentially today's trend-setting, sophisticated African-American and multicultural adults. We're busy with the look and feel right now.

We'll be bringing back the Soul Train Music Awards in November on Centric. The music is going to be more R&B, and we've got two new shows, one about young Black male models called Model City, and one called Keeping Up With the Joneses, which follows Houston high society.

Internationally, we're on Sky and Freesat in the UK in nearly 11 million homes. We launched in the UK in February 2008, and we launched in Africa at the end of last year.

What are BET's achievements beyond the screen?

Just last week, we hosted our annual Summer Camp for Girls, which helps young African-American girls from low- and middle-income families make healthy lifestyle choices. We host it in partnership with General Mills, and more than 100 young girls attended this year.

After Hurricane Katrina we did a talkathon and raised $14 million. In 2008, we also held of a number of grassroots events through our "Be Heard" campaign to encourage people to get involved in the presidential election and vote.

We're always very proud of our pro-social efforts, which include our Emmy Award-winning program about HIV/AIDS and sexual health awareness called Rap-It-Up.

Related post: BET Awards a Ratings Juggernaut Amidst Criticism

Michael Jackson Autopsy Results Tighten Net

Michael Jackson Autopsy Results Tighten Net Around Dr. Conrad Murray
Authorities Believe Jackson's Personal Doctor Bungled Treatment, Which Resulted in Death

By RICHARD ESPOSITO, VIC WALTER, SARAH NETTER and SHEILA MARIKAR
ABC News

July 28, 2009

It was reportedly a chaotic scene inside the bedroom of Michael Jackson on June 25 -- clothes strewn around the stifling hot room, handwritten notes papering the walls.

The King of Pop, for all intents and purposes, was dead -- killed, ABC News has learned, by a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs that included OxyContin and Demerol.

But according to The Associated Press, investigators believe it was Dr. Conrad Murray (pictured left top) who injected the pop icon around midnight with propofol, the powerful anesthetic authorities believe ultimately killed him.

"This doctor is in serious trouble," criminal defense attorney Roy Black told "Good Morning America" today.

Murray, whose Houston office was raided by local and federal authorities last week, has already been named in court papers as the subject of a manslaughter investigation.

Toxicology reports are due to be released this week, and it seems the net is tightening on Murray, who remains secluded in his Las Vegas home.

"Everyone needs to take a breath and wait for these long-delayed toxicology results," Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, said in a statement released Monday night. "Things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."

But Chernoff has already admitted that Murray didn't call 911 for 30 minutes after he found Jackson unresponsive. And the doctor, who had been hired to monitor Jackson for his planned "This Is It" tour, initially performed CPR while Jackson was lying on a bed, not on a hard surface as is proper protocol.

Black told "Good Morning America" that if Murray is charged it will be up to his defense to prove there was a sound medical reason why he prescribed and administered the off-label use of a drug that is meant for use in the operating room.

"They're going to say there's not legitimate reason to prescribe this drug for use in the home," he said. "It certainly should not be used for insomnia."

An official close to the investigation told The Associated Press that Jackson relied on propofol like an alarm clock, instructing doctors to stop the IV when he wanted to wake up. It's a drug authorities believe he may have been using for two years.

Was Anyone Monitoring Jackson's Vital Signs?

Murray's lawyers have maintained for weeks that the doctor was simply a witness in Jackson's death and had nothing to do with it.

Chernoff has repeatedly said the doctor did not administer any drug that should have killed Jackson. While he has specifically denied prescribing OxyContin and Demerol, he has not made the same assurances about propofol.

Black said that, as Jackson's physician, Murray should have know what other drugs the entertainer was taking and how they could have interacted.

As for the propofol itself, Black said, Murray is "going to have a very tough time proving you can do this at home."

It's unclear if Murray or anyone else was monitoring Jackson's vital signs while he was hooked up to the IV.

On June 29, five days after Jackson's death, Chernoff told ABC News that it was "sometime before noon" when Murray went to check on his patient.

"He noticed that he wasn't breathing, and he went over to him, felt his body, his body was warm, he checked for a pulse, he found one, a very weak pulse and he immediately started applying CPR," Chernoff said then.

TMZ has reported that paramedics found Jackson dead upon arrival with an IV in his arm and three oxygen tanks nearby, yet Murray insisted Jackson be transported to the hospital where he continued to try to revive him even after other doctors had given up.

Michael Jackson's Nurse Refused Him Propofol

Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse and nutritionist who worked for Jackson, said the singer begged her to give him propofol in the days before his death. She refused to help him obtain it.

Lee told ABC News the pop star had often complained of not being able to sleep more than a few hours at a time.

"The problem with you telling me you want to be knocked out," Lee said she told him, is "you might not wake up the next morning. You don't want that."

When investigators searched Murray's Texas office earlier this month, among the items seized were a vial containing 27 tablets of the weight loss drug phentermine, a vial containing a tablet of the muscle relaxant clonazepam, a photocopy picture of Murray, Rolodex cards, public storage receipts, and a receipt for a "Cricket" phone, according to the search warrant.

Other items seized from his storage unit, according to the court records, included two computer hard drives and a "Texas Department of Public Safety controlled substance registration." Authorities also obtained a suspension notice from a Houston hospital.

The search warrants specifically directed officers to "seize and examine all items, including but not limited to, billing records, medication orders, transport receipts, billing receipts, medical records and computerized medical records, for implements and instruments used in the commission of a crime."

The warrants told police they were "commanded to search ... for property or items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense" and ship any evidence found to officials in California.

Jackson Had Addictions to Propofol, OxyContin, Demerol

In the aftermath of his death, Jackson's addiction to a variety of drugs was revealed, including propofol (trade name Diprivan), the analgesic Demerol and the painkiller OxyContin. Track marks found on his arms support the theory that he was addicted to propofol.

Prescription medications found inside Jackson 's $100,000 per month rental home included ones in his name and ones in other names, including ones that appeared to investigators to be aliases. The medications had been prescribed by multiple doctors.

Methadone, Fentanyl, Percocet, Dilaudid and Vicodin were among the 20 drugs also found in Jackson's rental home.

Medical experts contacted by the ABC News medical unit said that the amount of medications reportedly found in Jackson's rented home was "jaw-dropping" and "amazing."

"That list is enough to put down a swarm of zombies," said Richard Bradley, chief of the Division of EMS and Disaster Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

"The list ... would be typical for an anesthesia cart in an operating room or what you might find in a recovery room, ICU, ED, etc. Definitely not what you'd expect to find in a home," said Joseph Ornato, chair of the department of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Murray is not the only doctor who has been eyed by law enforcement in the wake of the pop star's death. Law enforcement sources confirmed to ABC News earlier this month that a small group of doctors who treated Jackson before his death are being questioned as to their involvement with Jackson's alleged drug use.

On July 15, California Attorney General Jerry Brown said his office was running several doctors' names and several potential aliases through its prescription drug database to aid police investigating Jackson's death.


Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

Michael Jackson's Hair To be Turned Into Diamonds?

Ok so check this out, the word is that Pop legend Michael Jackson’s hair, which he burnt while shooting for a Pepsi commercial in 1984 (Featured in the video above), could be transformed into diamonds?!?!

Jewellery company LifeGem claims that it can convert the strands of hair into pieces of gem.

“Absolutely this is for real,” Dean of the company Vanden Biesen says.

Biesen’s establishment has a patent on a process that extracts carbon from hair, turns it into crystals and then into high-quality laboratory diamonds in fact he estimates that they can make close to 10 diamonds out of the late singers burnt hair. (Damn can they turn my hair into diamonds please LOL)

Meanwhile, a report in Rolling Stone magazine says that the prosthetic nose Jackson wore apparently went missing when he was taken to a LA morgue.

Here is one of MJ's Pepsi Commercials, I had to add it, it's soooo cute!

50 Cent's New Book, "The 50th Law"

50 Cent's new book, 50th Law book's details have been revealed and will reportedly showcase the business-minded rap mogul as opposed to highlighting his rap lyrics. (Sounds a little like Jay'z new book, Decoded)


The book's publisher, Andrew Franklin, recently spoke on the forthcoming release.
"Those who dismiss 50 Cent as a gangster should rethink, his continued presence in the Forbes Rich List and entrepreneurial nous show there is a lot more to the man than his music, Franklin said in an interview. He added it was "not just an informed strategy" but also "an incredible story of survival, rehabilitation and upward mobility" from life in the ghetto to the boardroom. "The essential tenet of the book, inspired by 50's experiences, is that your fears are a prison which hold you back-you should be yourself, fear nothing, focus on what you want and have no 'Plan B.'" (Billboard)

50 recently announced dates for his upcoming 50th Law book tour with author Robert Greene.


50th Law tour dates include:

September 8: Town Hall (New York, NY)
September 9: Howard University (Washington, DC)
September 10: The Tabernacle (Atlanta, GA)
September 11: Royal Oak Music Theatre (Royal Oak, MI)
September 12: The Wiltern (Los Angeles, CA)


Green previously highlighted his initial problems with the book and confirmed a second version of their project was penned.

"He's actually very sweet," Greene described of 50 in an interview. "He's one of those guys that has no mother and is missing a mother...Whenever there's a woman in the room, he just comes alive and becomes extremely charming. So he's actually got a little soft spot there that a lot of people don't realize...He's not like a party person at all, he likes to work, work-out, so he's not what people think at all...Bob saw the original version of the book and that version ended up weaker than this one. It's hard to do the business thing with 50 because he's so exceptional. Like, what are you gonna learn about a guy from South Side Queens who then becomes a hip-hop artist...That version also had other weaknesses."
The book will highlight 50's background and his ability to reconcile his street appeal with corporate savvy. "The 50th Law will capture and create a visible parallel between street life and corporate America standard and structure," 50 said in a statement. The hardcover book, to be published through MTV/ Pocket Books.

The 50th Law is due in book stores Wednesday, September 9th.


Check out some of 50's previous books. I didn't even know he had all of these, damn....

Diddy and Dawn Introduce Their New Group, "Dirty Money"

Diddy took to his YouTube channel recently to introduce us all to his new group Dirty Money. The group consists of himself (by the name of Sean, not Diddy), Dawn Richard (formerly of Danity Kane), and newcomer Kalenna. I’m actually interested in hearing what his new sound is for this upcoming Last Train to Paris album (which recently got pushed back to November). In the video he explains where he got the name “Dirty Money” and also addresses a few rumors floating around about the project. It all makes a little more sense now, but I think it’s definitely something I’m going to have to hear to understand.

Also, check out the trailer for Diddy’s new reality show, Making His Band, which premieres next Monday at 10pm ET/PT on MTV. CLICK HERE TO GET A SNEEK PEEK VIDEO!

DOA Producer NO I.D. Speaks on Drake's Career

No I.D. Speaks On Drake from zachwolfe.com/live on Vimeo.

No I.D. Speaks On Drake....

Is Drake risking longevity in the industry by strictly targeting the ladies?

"The perception right now is that Drake is the ladies man. He’s the heart-throb. He’s the heart-breaker. That’s a dangerous position to play. That’s a spot that, man, if you get hit with a haymaker by someone who’s saying that’s not it, can you fight back without people saying, ‘whoa, ladies man, you can’t fight.’ "


In one of my earlier reports, Drake did state he is trying to target both genders. Click here.

A Nightmare on Elm Street-remake

Source: Silas Lesnick, SuperheroHype.com

July 24, 2009

Warner Bros. just debuted the trailer for the upcoming re-imagining of A Nightmare on Elm Street, including a full look at Jackie Earle Haley in the Freddy Krueger makeup.

The trailer starts with Freddy (still alive) being chased down a dark street by the mob that winds up killing him. He's shouting that he's innocent, but the mob corners him and burns him alive. As the flames come around him, he tears off his jacket, revealing the iconic sweater.

We hear the "One, two, Freddy's coming for you" song being sung by children and flashes of kids all around a graveyard. One little girl has the claws slashed across her dress.

There's a girl in her room, reaching for something on a shelf and suddenly's Freddy's head is there, staring at her from behind. A number of kids are shown, obviously under the effect of Freddy's dream powers. One seems to be having a seizure on a rooftop and another is trying to burn herself with a car cigarette lighter.

There's a basement, filled with pipes and Freddy moving through the darkness, getting closer and closer to the camera between flashes of victims before the logo comes up.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is set to hit theaters April 30, 2010.

Cool Black's Mad Commentary: I'm a big fan of the previous 'Nightmare' and 'Friday' series. Jason was cool, but Freddy was the man. Mostly because of his smartass mouth. I know people who know me are SHOCKED I'm a fan of a smartass :p.

While the Friday the 13th remake SUCKED, and these same filmmakers are remaking this as well, I'm still looking forward to what they do with it.

Britney Spear Candies Commercial-FIRST LOOK

If you want to shop Britney's looks, pieces from the collection will hit Kohl's stores this Fall. With affordable prices from $28-$58 for clothes and $10-$70 for shoes and other accessories.

Mariah Carey "Obsessed" Remix Feat. Gucci Mane, OFFICIAL VIDEO

Oprah And Diddy Paid To Twitter?

Minutes from Twitter strategy meetings have leaked onto the 'net, revealing that the tech company pays celebrities to use its service.

Twitter's "pay for play" service, as outlined in their minutes, bestows "adviser shares" upon certain Twitter users, to get them to tweet and discuss Twitter more frequently.

Oprah Winfrey, Google honcho Marissa Mayer and Diddy were among the "advisers" listed, with Al Gore and Shaquille O'Neal mentioned as potential candidates.
The minutes spent a lot of time on Diddy's inclusion, and to be fair, Did's Twitter account has certainly brought the company his fair share of users; his Tweets are amazing.

The notes say of Diddy that he "values his contribution higher than we do." They also describe him as being "not so strategic," and suggests that they might try getting them (Diddy is a "them" now?) "to invest which will give us more pull with them when they do things we don't like." They also describe him as a "distractionary element" for the tech company.

Beyonce Doesn't Write Her Songs??

Chrisette Michele has revealed that Beyonce's hit single "Ego" was originally meant for her own album "Epiphany" but she decided to turn it down.

“It was really scary for me to release my pen because I had written my first album myself,” she reveals. “You don’t know if they’re going to be able to capture your voice the same way that you captured it yourself.”

The interesting thing about this is that the song is credited as being written by the producer Elvis "BlacElvis" Williams, Harold Lilly, and of course B herself and NOT Chrisette! If she "ghost" wrote it- either she spilled or Beyonce always likes to take credit over another singer...Hmmm remember when she said she wrote "Irreplaceable" when Ne-Yo did....

Solange Knowles Shaves Off Her Hair!

WHOA! Solange Knowles has done the unexpected!

She says this on here Twitter:

@solangeknowles
i. just. wanted. to. be. free. from. the. bondage. that. black. women sometimes. put. on. themselves. with. hair.


Knowles joins Ciara, Cassie and Rihanna as the latest celeb to cut her locks in favor of a short look. But do we like it?

Hmmm if you ask me.....NO! yikes, LADIESSS if you were even thinking about doing this style PLS DON'T! WOW =/

But then again I do respect her decision. It's HER hair!

Eminem and 50 Cent to Release Album TOGETHER?

Word is.....Eminem's new album “King Mathers” and 50 Cent’s “Before I Self Destruct” will be released together as a Double CD….with Disc one being 50′s album and Disc 2 being Eminems album…



Though each will be promoted with singles and videos, etc….the physical cd release in stores will be “packaged together” to ensure a successful first few weeks at retail.



However, interscope has said that the digital releases will infact be separate purchases.

50 Cent recently told MTV:

MTV.com, July 22: "We haven't [seriously] discussed making an album together, 'cause we would have to sit collectively and create each song," [50] said. "Unless we was doing something where half of it was his and half of it was mine. And conceptually, maybe if he came up with the first six songs and I built the last six songs and we just featured on each other's records, you know what I mean? We'd do that in a heartbeat."

Jay-Z talks Chris brown Beef and The Game, “Tell groupie to get over it.”

Jay-Z, appeared on the Tim Westwood show, giving the UK radio personality a bunch of items for the Hip Hop blogs to talk about. He spit some lyrics from one his new joints, spoke about the whole rumorabout him getting Chris Brown thrown off the bill at BET awards, and threw a pithy comment towards rapper The Game. Here’s what he said about the alleged banning of the Rihanna-beating singer from the fake Michael Jackson tribute.

Basically, he says it’s all b/s and we having fun just “watching” it all unfold.



Check what he said about the Chris Brown B.E.T Awards "incident":

"It’s just so silly. Like, first of all, so, first let me categorically deny that. I wouldn’t, that’s not even my style. If I got a problem with Chris Brown I got a problem with Chris Brown. I haven’t said anything. I haven’t said anything on, live or behind the scenes, whatever! You know? I don’t agree with what he did. That’s it, that’s it, that’s the end of it. But, as far as not allowing him to perform on BET, that’s just ridiculous, that’s stupid, that’s a sucker move, I wouldn’t do it. And people commenting on rumors is a sucker move."

And as far as the “beef” he had with rapper The Game, he kept it simple: “Tell groupie to get over it.”

Drake Joins Beyonce with his Booking Deal and Tells You To "Stay Strapped" with Condoms!

Drake has signed a deal to International Creative Management which represents a variety of artists including Beyonce, Sean Kingston, Katt Williams and more.


Drizzy's new signing was made public today (July 22).

Chart-topping rapper/singer Drake has signed to International Creative Management (ICM) to handle his tour booking and branding moving forward. The ICM deal follows Drake's recent signing to Young Money Entertainment, with distribution through Universal Republic, for the release of his highly-anticipated debut album, Thank Me Later. (Billboard)

The company is known to represent various artists both in the film and music industry.

The agency represents film and television actors and directors, as well as artists in theater, music, publishing, and new media. A major "tenpercentery" (along with CAA and William Morris Endeavor), ICM represents such A-list clients as Halle Berry, Rosario Dawson, Robert Duvall, Beyonce Knowles, and Chris Rock, as well as emerging performers. It has offices in Los Angeles, New York, and London.
Drake's deal follows his recent deal with Lil Wayne's Young Money label.
"I actually signed directly to my managers Cortez Bryant and Gee Roberson," Drake explained in an interview last month. "And we signed a joint venture with Young Money which is Lil Wayne's company. The courting was nice, I had some great dinners in hotels, I got some nice things [during the bidding war.] I think the best part about it is that we've done this thing in the industry where it's been so organic to do it with the people that I'm doing it with. It's kinda like we're doing it by ourselves. It's distributed through Universal."

He was also featured in a recent Stay Strapped Condoms commercial as the company's latest pubic service announcement spokesperson.




"Yo what's going on man," he said in the advertisement. "This is your boy Drake and I'm out in the H-Town. You already know. Get informed, not infected. Use strapped condoms and save lives. I approve this message. Yeah."

Rihanna is "Pissed Off" at Chris Brown's Video Statement!

Ok so we know Rihanna has been having her fair share of fun but according to the Chicago Sun-Times, the singer is none too happy about Chris Brown’s recent statement of apology in the aftermath of his alleged assault on her.

In case you missed it, click here to watch Chris' Video Statement.

And while Rihanna’s camp has declined to officially comment on Brown’s statement, a close friend of the entertainer’s in her native Barbados (where she is currently recovering) tells the Chicago paper that: “All of us, including Rihanna, don’t understand how he can say he’s sorry on the one hand, but still … not admit any guilt…he should have expressed more contrition.”

Another friend and associate of hers in LA takes it further, saying that Rihanna is “royally pissed off” by Brown’s “cavalier and arrogant statement.”

Obviously, this is a very sensitive matter and, because neither we nor anyone else (besides Rihanna and Brown, it seems) knows the full story of what happened that fateful Sunday night, we can only end by saying that, half-assed apologies aside, I hope justice will be served and that Rihanna will recover fully.

Jay-Z and Rihanna run up $12,000 Tab at Bar!

Word is, Rihanna and Jay-Z ran-up a $12,000 bar bill in London Tuesday night.

The famous pair hit club Vendome and splashed-out on countless bottles of Dom Perignon champagne along with vodka for two tables of friends.

The duo sat in a special VIP area and RiRi was having a blast partying with her friends while sporting her new Mohawk inspired hair-do.

“Everyone was trying to get into their area to get a glimpse of them but the security was so tight, many were left standing-by a roped area trying to sneak a peek,” one insider told the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper.

The onlooker added: “As she left the VIP area she looked in high spirits – but she kept her head down as she made her way out of the club at 3am, avoiding questions from fans as to how she was doing.”

Jay Z’s wife Beyonce
did not attend the party at Vendome.

Nas Announces The Birth of his Son, Knight!

Lil Wayne Calls Michael Jackson a "Fag"

Watch at 2:45...


and this comes from the man who gave us this...*SMH*

Henry Louis Gates Jr. Arrested

By ABBY GOODNOUGH-New York Times

July 21, 2009

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Colleagues of Henry Louis Gates Jr. (pictured left), Harvard’s most prominent scholar of African-American history, are accusing the police here of racism after he was arrested at his home last week by an officer investigating a report of a robbery in progress.

Professor Gates, who has taught at Harvard for nearly two decades, arrived home on Thursday from a trip to China to find his front door jammed, said Charles J. Ogletree, a law professor at Harvard who is representing him.

He forced the door open with the help of his cab driver, Professor Ogletree said, and had been inside for a few minutes when Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge Police Department appeared at his door and asked him to step outside.

Professor Gates, 58, refused to do so, Professor Ogletree said. From that point, the account of the professor and the police began to differ.

According to his lawyer, Professor Gates told the sergeant that he lived there and showed his Massachusetts driver’s license and his Harvard identification card, but Sergeant Crowley still did not seem to believe that Professor Gates lived in the home, a few blocks from Harvard Square. At that point, his lawyer said, Professor Gates grew frustrated and asked for the officer’s name and badge number.

According to the police report, Professor Gates initially refused to show identification.

In the report, Sergeant Crowley said a white female caller had notified the police around 12:45 p.m. of seeing two black men on the porch of the home, at 17 Ware Street. The caller, who met the police at the house, was suspicious after seeing one of the men “wedging his shoulder into the door as if he was trying to force entry,” according to the report.

A spokesman for the Police Department did not return a call seeking comment. But in the report, Sergeant Crowley said that as he told Professor Gates he was investigating a possible break-in, Professor Gates exclaimed, “Why, because I’m a black man in America?” and accused the sergeant of racism.

“While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence,” Sergeant Crowley wrote in the report, “I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me.”

Professor Gates followed him outside, the report said, and yelled at him despite the sergeant’s warning “that he was becoming disorderly.” Sergeant Crowley then arrested and handcuffed him. Professor Gates was held at police headquarters for hours before being released on his recognizance.

“He is cooperating now with the city to resolve this matter as soon as possible,” Professor Ogletree said, adding that Professor Gates wanted the charges against him dismissed.

Professor Ogletree said that Professor Gates had “never touched” Sergeant Crowley, but did “express his frustration at being subjected to the threat of arrest in his own home.”

He would not say whether Professor Gates believed he had been the victim of racial profiling. But Dr. S. Allen Counter, a black professor at Harvard Medical School, said he and a number of his university colleagues were “deeply disturbed about the actions of the Cambridge police.”

“My colleagues and I have asked the question of whether this kind of egregious act would have happened had Professor Gates been a white professor,” said Dr. Counter, who said he had talked to Professor Gates since the arrest. “We think that it has to be investigated, and we are deeply saddened by what happened.”

Cool Black's Four word Commentary: Some things don't change.

Eminem Speaking on His Drug Problem + More! 2009

Will Jay-Z RETIRE? "At my age, I can't relate to a 15-year-old"

Jay-Z has dismissed claims that he should stand down from the music industry to make way for other artists.

The 39-year-old star confirmed that he has no intention of giving on hip-hop and is excited about the forthcoming release of his 11th studio album The Blueprint 3.

In an interview with Billboard, Jay-Z commented: "I hear it all the time: 'Yo, he should let the young guys, the new generation of guys come in'. But you don't become the frontrunner in music because someone lets you. You have to claim your shoes."

Speaking of his continuing success, he added: "If you grow up listening to hip-hop, you love hip-hop and that's the end of it. But if you're a 30-year-old rapper still trying to make music like you're 15, then you're making it narrow.

"At my age, I can't relate to a 15-year-old. I deal with mature and relevant topics for my age group - it has to all be based on true emotions. The more diversity and the more mature we make hip-hop, the bigger the net you cast."

Jay-Z is expected to personally deliver The Blueprint 3 to his record label in London this week in an attempt to avoid song leaks.

Lil Wayne and T.I to be on Kid Rock's New Album

Grammy-winning rappers Lil Wayne and T.I. have reportedly been chosen to add their raps to Kid Rock's upcoming album.




In addition to Tip and Weezy, the rocker has also chosen Rick Rubin to produce for his forthcoming release.

Rock was planning to follow-up 2007's triple-platinum Rock N Roll Jesus this fall but, as previously reported, has decided to take the project to producer Rick Rubin, which will likely mean a 2010 release. The two are currently reviewing what Rock has in hand, including collaborations with rapper Lil Wayne and T.I., and plan to start recording after Rock and his Twisted Brown Trucker band wrap up their summer tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd. (Billboard)

Wayne has recently been making a move towards more rock-based music including the release of his upcoming Rebirth album.



"The fans should expect from the new album, more electricity, more more more power, more everything, more me," Wayne explained in an interview. "But different edge of course, it's really different from what they've been used to but, it's still me at the end of the day. The influence of the new album is mainly rock, but again, it's me. So I guess, I guess I'll call it my rock. Yeah."

Chris Brown Apologizes For Rihanna Assault In New Video

'I'm truly, truly sorry that I wasn't able to handle the situation both differently and better,' he says in clip.

By Jayson Rodriguez-MTV News

Jul 20 2009 4:58 PM EDT

In a video that appeared online late Monday afternoon (July 20), Chris Brown has apologized publicly for the first time about the domestic altercation that took place between him and Rihanna earlier this year.

In the clip, obtained by MTV News, Brown, dressed in a red long-sleeve shirt with buttons on the front (pictured above left), spoke directly to the camera and apologized to his former girlfriend and his fans.

"I've told Rihanna countless times and I'm telling you today, I'm truly, truly sorry that I wasn't able to handle the situation both differently and better," Brown said.

At the beginning of the two-minute clip, Brown explains that his attorneys advised him to not speak about the situation until the legal ramifications were settled. But Brown said that ever since the February incident, he's wanted to speak about the matter. The singer expressed his "deepest regret" over the fight and said he "accepts full responsibility" for the incident.

According to the police report, on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards, Brown and Rihanna engaged in an altercation that left the "Umbrella" star with facial contusions. Just last month, Brown pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault. The singer will attend anger-management courses, seek therapy and perform community labor as a result of his plea deal.

Toward the end of the apology, Brown continues to express remorse. The singer said up until the incident, he was living his life in a way that would make those around him proud. Through soul searching, he said, and help from his minister and mother, Brown intends to work on himself and gain forgiveness for his actions.
"I only can pray that you forgive me, please," he said to his fans.

You can see the video below. (You may have to sit through a 30 second commercial first)



Cool Black's Mad Commentary: I still find it hard to listen to Chris Brown's music. I bought BOTH of his previous albums and probably would have bought the third, but what he did was "straight crazy" and unexcusable. I don't know if I could ever really buy his music again. I hope he never do this to anyone again.

You can read other comments at the bottom of the MTV article here

**Previous related blog entries:

Chris Brown/Rihanna Re-enactment

LAPD Details Rihanna Beating

Chris Brown drama 2009

Chris Brown Sends a Video Public Apology “I felt it was time you heard directly from me...”

In a new video statement, Chris Brown publicly apologizes for the alleged Rihanna beating.

He says his Lawyers did not want him to apologize previously so he is now...but it still seems kind of rehearsed. (looks like he's reading from a damn teleprompter *smh* and I can't stop starring at his marching band shirt lmao)

“I felt it was time you heard directly from me that I’m sorry,” he added and called his actions “inexcusable” and “unacceptable.”

He says.."I've told Rihanna countless times and I'm telling you today, I'm truly, truly sorry that I wasn't able to handle the situation both differently and better,"
“I will live my life so I am truly worthy of the word role model, thank you.”

Beyonce's New "House of Dereon" Fall Commercial

For fall, Beyonce has released a new commercial for her clothing line "House Of Dereon."

Gucci Mane Back in Jail?

Word is that Gucci Mane violated probation from possibly "dirty urine." More details to come because according to my sources, within his camp, it is being kept under wraps now by the label. The exact quote I got was "shits crazy"

Check out some tweets about it..

@souljaboytellem: Just woke up to some bullshit... my nigga Gucci back in jail.. Free Gucci...

@nickiminaj Yes, unfortunately it is true. Let's just all prey for Gucci and hold him down while he's gone. @gucci1017


and then we have others..

@WakaFlocka1017 false info bout gucci bra aint locked up
(Wake is Gucci's artist)

Beyoncé 'desperate for Sister Act role'

By Rebecca Davies

Tuesday, July 7 2009

(LONDON) Beyoncé (pictured left) is rumoured to be desperate for the lead role in a remake of '90s hit musical Sister Act.

A stage version of the film, which starred Whoopi Goldberg as sexy lounge singer-turned-nun Deloris Van Cartier, is currently showing in London's West End and is soon to hit Broadway.

According to The Daily Mail, the 'Single Ladies' singer has been begging Disney bosses to give her the part. She allegedly became interested in the role after watching the show in London during her recent UK tour.

There are also rumours that the part of the Mother Superior, previously played by Maggie Smith, will be offered to Mamma Mia! actress Meryl Streep.

Cool Black's Mad Commentary: This will probably NOT be a remake so much as it is a film version of the musical. The original was a "movie with music" and this would be more like Grease, Hairspray and of course Dreamgirls.

Ne-Yo Crying like Crazy on Stage! SHOW CANCELLED!

Poor Ne-Yo was so sick he cried on stage at a gig in the UK. Ne-Yo told the audience at the beginning of his show that he felt sick. According to the BBC report "He was doing a Michael Jackson tribute and you could see that he was actually struggling to finish every musical phrase. He kept asking the audience to bear with him.". Ne-Yo did one more song and then went backstage. After he returned on stage he was crying. He told the crowd "I've never not completed a show, I've never done this before,"

Some Ne-Yo fans applauded him while many others booed him off stage. People that were close to him said it appeared he had a very high fever and he was sweating profusely.


Watch the video below of Ne-Yo crying. You can't help but feel bad for him.

Pharrell and Rihanna Dating Now?

London Sources say, Pop singer Rihanna was spotted recently walking past her London hotel with rapper and producer Pharrell Williams.


Mirror.co.uk reports that witnesses said there seems to be 'obvious chemistry' between the two. Rihanna recently split from singer Chris Brown after he allegedly assaulted her.

A source said: 'It's no secret that Rihanna and Pharrell have chemistry. And not just in the studio -- they seem mesmerised by each other. But Chris will be gutted to learn he could have lost Rihanna to one of the sexiest men in music. Rihanna and Pharrell talk on the phone all the time and whenever she can get a break in her schedule she'll go and support him at a gig.'


Williams and Brown have been friends for a while and even collaborated professionally.

Lady Gaga wear Kermit The Frog! ARE YOU SERIOUS?

I just had to show you this!....is she serious with this outfit LOL

wow she is really trying to STAND OUT huh....

This is the WORST by far lol

50 Cent reps Five-O in new Film..."Streets of Blood" WATCH TRAILER

Rapper-turned-actor 50 Cent recently spoke on his portrayal as a police officer in his forthcoming Streets of Blood film and the difference between making hit records and full-length movies.

Pointing out the irony behind being an ex-drug dealer to taking on the role of a law enforcement worker, Fif broke down his motivation behind the upcoming film.

"[Both] are from a more rebellious place, dealing with the harsh realities in a city," Fif compared. "I could see where you'd say there's a huge difference between what I do in music and the actual character I'm playing in the film...but that's what I was looking forward to in film projects -- telling stories that have way more depth than music...I felt good about the actual project...it's crazy down [in Shreveport, Louisiana]...The news shows things, but when you're looking at it, you see what's really going on out there...You see, a song only has two minutes and 50 seconds, maximum of three minutes, before you start reaching an overkill point. There's not time for you to create like there is in these scripts, because [movies can] create cause and effect, reasoning for those actual behaviors. So, going into these projects, it allows me to pick things that I have a personal investment in." (MTV)




The film, originally slated for the big screen, will be released on DVD later this month.

Directed by Charles Winkler, the R-rated movie will be available on DVD on July 28, 2009. With a running time of 95 minutes, the production features Val Kilmer, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Sharon Stone, Dylan McDermott and Brian Presley. Retail price currently stands at $26.99. (Amazon)


Various sites previously reported on the unexpected retail store move which was revealed in May.

......Just confirmed with movie studio Anchor Bay that they have bought the outright film distribution rights to 50 Cent's new movie Streets of Blood. Those in the industry know though that Anchor Bay buys and distributes movies straight to video. For those 50 fans, you might remember that this is the movie where 50 and co-star Val Kilmer formed a strong friendship.

50 Cent Removes Tattoos

It is said that 50 Cent has undergone laser surgery to remove some of his tattoos for Hollywood. 50 says in certain movie roles, the directors ask him to hide the tats, which involves him arriving to the set four hours before call time just to sit in the makeup chair and get covered, so he got them permanently removed off his right arm.

Riahnna's New Shaved Cut!

She went from this...

To This...

Something similiar to what Cassie and LaLa have done...

Who else is next?

Janet Jackson, Jermaine Dupri Split

July 17, 2009

by Kali Holloway-Prefix

It would seem that it's been a month of turmoil and upheaval for Janet Jackson. On the heels of the loss of her brother, Michael, in June, come reports of Jackson's breakup with longtime boyfriend, producer Jermaine Dupri. According to US Weekly, rumors of a split surfaced following Dupri's conspicuous absence from Michael Jackson's funeral on July 7. Now the magazine reports that an insider says "it's over."

Since none of us are genuinely privy to what goes on in the lives of celebrities, it's hard to cite an exact reason for the pair's breakup after seven years. But Us's sources say that things started to unravel after Dupri produced two tracks for Jackson's last album. The magazine quotes a source as saying the singer felt overwhelmed and claustrophobic because of how closely entagled the two were in each other's lives.

Us also quotes another source who chalks the breakup up to a simple, classic reason: The fact that opposites attract -- and, then, repel: "Jermaine likes to be out there, mingling with everybody, and ­Janet's more shy."

Cool Black's Mad Commentary: J&J have been one of the most photographed couples in recent years. While black folk knew who Jermaine Dupri was the world then knew who he was since he was dating a world reknown superstar. Maybe he can retain some of the notabilty.

Check out some of the photographs of "one of the most photographed couples in recent years" below

Summer At The Movies And The Livin' Ain't Easy

All Things Considered-NPR

July 17, 2009

Harry Potter's magic is working again. The sixth movie in the series opened this Wednesday with $58 million in ticket sales — the best first-day ticket numbers of the entire series. But the boy wizard is an exception to the rule this summer. While the season started with a bang, thanks to movies like Star Trek, Up and the latest Transformers, box office sales now seem to be cooling off — and it's only July.

Journalist John Horn, who covers the movie industry for the Los Angeles Times, says it's not that movies are doing badly; they're just not doing as well as they were at the beginning of the year.

"At a certain point, according to some estimates, the box office was running about 17 percent ahead of what it was a year ago," Horn tells Madeleine Brand. "Now it's about 11 percent, so it's cooled off dramatically."

In hard times, people often turn to movies for escape, but numbers this summer say otherwise, and some movies are barely doing business, even on opening night.

"I think the audience is becoming a little bit more picky," says Horn. "They're much more interested in what their friends are recommending than what critics are recommending."

Horn says recent movies like Eddie Murphy's Imagine That or Will Ferrell's Land of the Lost would have done well three or four years ago, when movie watching was more of a habit for audiences.

"Even if they had a turkey, [studios] would know that they could maybe get two weeks of business before the stink really caught up to the film," he says. "Now they have 12 hours."

Sacha Baron Cohen's newest film Bruno is one such example. The film was marketed well, and audiences who were familiar with Cohen's previous film, Borat, gave Bruno big opening-night ticket sales. By Saturday, however, Bruno's box office numbers had fallen by 40 percent — an unheard of number, according to Horn.

"So what that says is that people came out of that movie and told their friends not to go see it," says Horn. "When movies are not recommended by their friends, they fall faster then they've ever fallen."

Horn says this phenomenon puts pressure on studios to make better movies, especially when ticket sales can go south within a matter of hours:

"People will come out of the theater so quickly, and share their opinion so fast, and that word will spread so virally, that if a movie is bad, the audience will know it by Friday night and the movie will be dead by Saturday."

Cool Black's Mad Commentary: I think the reason this summer's box office is so weak is the films this summer...what's the industry term? SUCKS. I've seen most of the "blockbuster movies" this summer and most of them attracted by using an inexorable force...sucked.

A good movie will draw good business, plain and simple...most of the time.