J. Hud turns down $3 million dollar role

Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson has turned down a $3 million role in a Warner Bros. movie because of a nude scene.

Ready for the twist? It wasn’t Jennifer’s character that gets naked.

The Dreamgirls star says that she will never appear in a film that features nudity because she is a role model to aspiring young black women. As stupid as that may be, you must applaud her for sticking to her convictions especially when a big paycheck is being flaunted under her nose. But she wasn’t the one getting naked..

Bow Wow invests in NBA team

Music may be Bow Wow’s present occupation, but the rapper is laying the groundwork for life beyond the mic with various business ventures.

Among those is Prestigious, a shoe store he co-owns with Atlanta radio personality Greg Street.
The store is the first taste of business success away from the music industry for Bow Wow, who plans on opening another sneaker store, franchising his first McDonald’s and sharing ownership of an NBA basketball team.

"I can’t say what team yet, but it’s definitely gonna go down with a certain NBA team," Bow Wow said and hinted that news about the investment will be made public at the end of next month.

New R Kelly "I'm a flirt"...feat.T.I. and T Pain

Carmello becomes a father

Carmelo Anthony and MTV Veejay Alani “La La” Vazquez welcomed the arrival of their son, Kiyan, at 1:35 p.m. yesterday (Mar. 7) at Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Colorado.

Kiyan weighed 5 lbs., 9 oz and was 18 inches long. La La is resting comfortably with Carmello and her immediate family by her side

Beans birthday bash

Jay-Z threw an all-out birthday bash for Beanie Sigel, who is tight-lipped about being a member of Roc-A-Fella Records once again. Roc fam Freeway, Memphis Bleek and the Young Gunz were all in the house to help celebrate Beans' birthday at Jay's 40/40 Club in Manhattan, New York on Tuesday. Others in attendance included Tyrese, model Melyssa Ford, and Beyoncé. Diddy was also throwing a party at the club the same night for Bad Boy executive Harve Pierre, who was also celebrating a birthday. Bad Boy family members Cassie, Mario Winans, and producer Stevie J. came threw for the bash, as well we Tony Touch and Joe Budden. ...

Woman uses 4 week old child like a bat

Now usually I only bring you news that's jumping off in the entertainment world but this piece here, you gotta read. A Pennsylvania woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to swinging her 4-week-old son like a bat to hit her boyfriend during a fight, fracturing the infant's skull in the process.
Chytoria Graham, 27, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child under a plea agreement with prosecutors.
By pleading guilty, Graham acknowledged that on October 8 she grabbed her son Jarron by his feet and swung him, hitting her boyfriend and seriously injuring the child.
At Graham's preliminary hearing in December, paramedic Betty Schau, who treated the baby, recalled that Graham was crying and disheveled when medical crews arrived. She testified that Graham told her, "I swung him. I swung him like a bat."
The judge ordered a psychological examination for Graham before her sentencing, set for May 8. The charges carry a minimum of five years in prison because the child was under age 12. Two lesser charges were dropped.
Graham's previous attorney had said Graham did not use her child as a weapon, that the boy was hurt during a fight between the two adults and that Graham lied to authorities about how the injury occurred to protect her boyfriend.
Her current attorney, public defender Julia Dudics, however, said Tuesday that the choice to plead guilty was Graham's. Dudics declined further comment except to say that Graham had told her she was depressed.
Jarron, who made a full recovery, and Graham's four other children are currently in the custody of her parents.

Rich Boy..."Boy Looka Here" (sneak peek)

Roc A Wear...sold for $204 million

Iconix Brand Group Inc., owner of fashion brands including Joe Boxer and Candie's, said it agreed to buy the Rocawear brand for $204 million in cash, to boost its holdings of fashionable attire and accessory brands.
The licensing and brand management company, in a statement, said it expects Rocawear to generate about $43 million in royalty revenue in the first 12 months under its fold.

Rocawear, which was co-founded by Shawn Carter, the hip hop artist known as Jay-Z, has annual sales of over $700 million.

The Rocawear acquisition, the largest deal Iconix has done, will be funded from proceeds of a loan made to the company by one or more affiliates of Lehman Brothers Inc., and is expected to close in March.

As part of the deal, Iconix will also enter into a separate joint venture with Jay Z, to establish a new brand management and licensing company to identify brands to be acquired or developed.

Jay Z will continue to be chief creative officer of the Rocawear brand, Iconix said.
He will retain his stake in the operating company and his two partners, Alex Bize and Norton Cher, will continue to run the company and enter into a long-term license agreement with Iconix for the core young men's apparel category.
Revenue is expected to be $150 million to $160 million in 2007, the company said while announcing quarterly results.

Jeezy unleashes USDA

As Young Jeezy enjoys success on the charts with his latest single, "Go Getta," featuring R. Kelly, the rapper prepares to unleash the first release from his Corporate Thugz Entertainment imprint -- the first act being his group USDA (United Streets D-Boys of America). The group -- comprised of ATL spitter Slick Pulla, Panama City’s Blood Raw and the Snowman himself -- has released their first single, "Check," which will act as the first sample of what's to come from their as-yet-untitled major label debut early this spring. In addition to the preparation of the release of the USDA album, and in support of his platinum-certified sophomore release The Inspiration, Jeezy is now set to headline his first major national tour. He hits the road on the 2007 Street Dream Tour, with Jim Jones, Baby, Lil Wayne and Fat Joe (on various dates). The tour opened up on Saturday night (March 3) at the Cricket Arena in Charlotte, and wraps up seven weeks later on April 29th in Los Angeles.

Below are dates for the Street Dream tour, according to Def Jam:

March 11 - Orlando, FL @ Convention Center

March 15 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Colliseum

March 16 - Greenville, SC @ Bi Lo

March 17 - Hampton, VA @ Hampton Colliseum

March 18 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jacksonville Arena

March 23 - Cincinnati, OH @ US Bank Arena

March 24 - Macon, GA @ Centroplex

March 25 - Nashville, TN @ Municipal Auditorium

March 28 - Toledo, OH @ Sports Arean Colliseum

March 29 - Providence, RI @ Dunkin Donuts Center

March 31 - Louisville, KY @ Louisville Gardens

April 1 - Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner

April 5 - Little Rock, AR @ Altell Arena

April 6 - Kansas City, MO @ Kemper Arena

April 8 - New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena

April 12 - Milwaukee, WS @ US Cellular Areana

April 13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse

April 14 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade

April 15 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center

April 19 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center

April 20 - Dallas, TX @ Convention Center

April 21 - El Paso, TX @ Cohen Stadium

April 22 - San Antonio, TX @ TBA

April 29 - Los Angeles, CA @ USC

Lil Jon creating cartoon

Lil Jon is currently in the process of creating an animated cartoon with Comedy Central, which will feature both him and his family. The cartoon, titled "A-Town," will be a comedy focusing on the rapper, his family and their life in his hometown of Atlanta. "It's a hilarious cartoon, I think everybody's gonna love it," Lil Jon said.

The rapper/producer says it is ficitonal and is not really about his actual family, but in the cartoon, expect his fictional family to be crazier than he is. "Everybody thinks I'm gonna be the craziest character, but my family is crazier than I am," Jon explained.

"It's just about living in Atlanta; me and my family living in Atlanta and all the crazy stuff we get into." According to Jon, the script for "A-Town" have been completed and Comedy Central should begin animating the episodes soon.
But, as of press time, there is no release date as to when they will begin airing. Lil Jon also revealed that he is currently working on three films, but did not disclose any further information. And has been in and out of the studio finishing up his next album, Crunk Rock, which is due later this year.

Foxy banned from Junior's

Just days after she avoided a possible jail sentence for violating the terms of her six month probation sentence for assault, Foxy Brown has been banned from a popular Brooklyn eatery. According to a report, the owners of Junior’s on Flatbush Avenue have barred Foxy from returning to their establishment citing several instances where she was rude to staff and left without paying for her meal. Owner Alan Rosen told the Post that Brown walked out on a $53 bill on Friday and a $200 bill the previous Tuesday. When a member of Foxys' entourage came back to square away the charges from Friday night, he says he told the person, “Look, don’t pay for it, just don’t come back.” Manager Hasting Stainrod also claims that the rapper was rude and cursed at employees after she spilled an ice cream soda on herself, demanding that the restaurant pay to clean her $2000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket. “She said, ‘Get this guy to clean it up, clean it up immediately!’” said Stainrod. “I don’t know, I think she needs therapy. She’s been coming in for years, and it’s always a little drama.”

Benzino found "not guilty"

Ray “Benzino” Scott, rapper and former owner of The Source magazine, was found not guilty yesterday by a panel of jurors on two counts of failure to file tax returns. “I am very happy to be exonerated and that the judicial system worked,” said Scott, who faced up to one year in prison if convicted “This is a case that broke through race barriers, considering there were 12 white jurors, and also broke through hip-hop barriers, because I was sitting there as a representative of hip-hop, with my braids and my songs all coming into play.” “It makes me think of a lot of other guys that have been trapped by the judicial system. I encourage anyone out there who has legal issues to get involved with your lawyer.” “I was very much involved from day one in my case. I was offered to do time before I brought it to trial, but I fought and I won. I’m a fighter, I’m always gonna be a fighter.” Despite losing ownership of The Source last year, Scott and Dave Mays have since co-founded a new hip-hop publication, Hip-Hop Weekly.

Ron Artest arrested...

The National Basketball Association's Sacramento Kings indefinitely excused forward Ron Artest from the team after his arrest on domestic violence charges.
Artest, who was banned for almost all of the 2004-05 season for his involvement in a brawl with fans, hasn't been suspended and will continue to be paid as team officials investigate the incident. He is the Kings' second-leading scorer, averaging 18.7 points a game.

Police arrested Artest, 27, at his home in Loomis, California, after authorities received a 911 call from a woman who said she was assaulted. He was charged with domestic violence and the use of force to prevent a victim from reporting a crime, the Placer County Sheriff's Department said in a press release. The woman wasn't identified.

Authorities released Artest from the Placer County jail after he posted bail, police spokeswoman Dena Erwin said. He's scheduled to be arraigned on March 22.
"The Kings have excused Ron Artest indefinitely from any further participation with the team due to his arrest,'' Geoff Petrie, Kings president of basketball operations, said in a statement. "The Kings will continue to accumulate reliable and official facts and information over the next several days before taking any further action.''
Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said in a telephone interview that he wouldn't comment on the situation.

Artest was suspended for the final 73 games of the 2004-05 NBA season after he ignited a brawl with fans in Detroit. He lost almost million in salary due to the suspension.

Ol' Dirty estate problems...

Two women whose sons were fathered by late Wu-Tang rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard took their gripes over his estate to court last week.

According to the New York Post Suzy Wong and Cheryl McCall are attempting to secure future monies for their now 11 year old sons; the women also allege that the widow of ODB (whose real name was Russell Tyrone Jones) has already mismanaged $225,000 of the rapper's estate since his death in 2004.

While ODB's estate brought in only $122,000 between June 2005 and August 2006, a posthumous album featuring Missy Elliott and Macy Gray entitled A Son Unique could significantly increase the rapper's fortune. The album was slated for release on the 3rd anniversary of his death, November 13th 2007, however Def Jam has been unable to release the disc due to a dispute with Damon Dash.

Wong and McCall's sons are just two among four out-of-wedlock kids staking claim on their fathesrs' estate. Both agree that ODB's widow, Icelene Jones (who had three children with ODB) should not be in charge of the estate and the two had planned to file formal objections in Brooklyn's Surrogate Court last Tuesday.
"We wanted to make objections to Icelene being the administrator, and her accounting," Wong told the Post. "She's playing the sorry and sad widow, but the truth is they hadn't had a marital relationship for 12 years."

Wong traveled from Toronto to New York to join Brooklyn resident McCall and submit their objections together but Judge Margarita Lopez Torres asked the women to get legal representation before filing anything. She also said their sons, God-Ason Jones and Allah McCall Jones would need their own representatives.
Two other women have already stepped up on behalf of their children with ODB. Krishana Rucker, of Carson, Calif., says she is owed $266,000 for back child support for daughter, A'Shana. Belinda Bush, of Jersey City, is also seeking a fair share for her son Prince Osiris. A seperate Pennsylvania woman, who mothered a daughter, has not stepped up.

ODB's mother, Cherry Jones & former manager Jarred Weisfeld are also challenging Icelene Jones for control of the estate. Icelene has said the blame for estate mismanagement belongs to her former lawyer, Steven Mandel, with whom she's currently embroiled in a legal battle.
"I stand falsely accused of having diverted money from the estate," she said in court papers.

New Kanye Video..."Throw some D's" (remix)

Kanye pays $3,900. for a $17.50 meal

If Kanye West were to walk into the British Raj's dining room and order dinner, it would cost the rapper about $17.50. But since the restaurant is delivering - from Wales to New York - it's going to cost a bit more.

For a feast of onion bhajees, chapati breads, biryanis, pappadums, a specially prepared fish dish and vegetables on the side, the bill will top $3,900, plus travel and accommodation for the restaurant's head chef.

The meal was requested for West and seven guests by a music promotion company, the restaurant said Sunday. The company had previously ordered food from the restaurant near Cardiff, Wales, for an after-show party for a Snoop Dogg concert in London.

But this is different. Normally, they don't deliver outside a 3-mile radius of the restaurant, which is about 150 miles west of London.

"I was horrified when I heard about this request because of the distance involved," said the restaurant's head waiter, Tarik Mohammed. "It's a long way, and our reputation is on the line. We are doing every thing to make sure the food gets there safely and every thing is aboveboard."

The meal will be prepared, cooled, shrink-wrapped and packed in dry ice in the British Raj's kitchens and - along with head chef Kaysor Ahmed - will be helicoptered from Wales to London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday.

From there, the chef is to hop a flight to New York - monitoring the food's temperature all the way - clear customs, and head for Manhattan, where the meal is to be served during a meeting Wednesday.

The fee was arrived at by estimating the restaurant's takings for two evenings, the time Ahmed will be away, Mohammed said.