[jitterbug13]

I will put news on Kelly Price on the Hurricane thread and Freddie Jackson on the new music thread...
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Clean Slate

BV Buzz learned some good news recently from John Salley. The former NBA star pointed out that the sexual assault and battery charges filed against him had been dropped more than a month ago.

In the suit, a woman, Laura Azevedo, claimed Salley subjected her to a "possessive, jealous, controlling and abusive" extra-marital relationship and eventually assaulted her violently, leading to serious injuries. In addition she claimed the abusive treatment caused her to have an MRI, which revealed a torn knee ligament that required surgery, all allegedly paid for by Salley.

"People were quick to report about the bad news, but news of the case being dropped went out on the wire a month ago, and I haven't heard anyone talk about that," griped Salley.

Well, we just did!


G Code

Hollywood vet Blair Underwood stars opposite Richard T. Jones ('The Wood'), Andre Royo ('The Wire') and Chenoa Maxwell ('Hav Plenty') in the movie 'G.' While the film is inspired by the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald story 'The Great Gatsby,' Underwood confessed to BV Buzz that Jay-Z, Russell Simmons and Sean (now known as Diddy) Combs were his inspirations for the film.

"They all vacation in The Hamptons and have homes in The Hamptons," he explained.

The independent feature, produced by Andrew Lauren, son of fashion designer Ralph Lauren, opened in limited release on Sept. 16, and Underwood hopes it offers a varied look at African-American life. "It's very different! This film allowed us to show some kind of balance in what is provided to the audience," he said.

Can't Say Names
Can't Say Names ...

... Which occasionally not-so-nice neo-soul siren held up a concert performance an hour and half after feuding with organizers about who'd headline the show? The sometimes-caftan-covered candle burner was upset that a veteran R&B quintet was slated to close the show and demanded a switch-a-roo. When organizers balked at the request and punished everyone by making the opening act go last, the thirtysomething songstress hid out in her dressing room until she was good and ready, causing the show to go overtime by more than 90 minutes.
(Jill, Ericka, India.Arie, Tracey Chapman, or Jody Whatley)

Buzzworthy

... For whatever reason, there's some beef with sound-alike rappers Mase and Loon. Both are former Bad Boy Entertainment acts who bolted from the label. Mase ditched Diddy to first find God and to most recently join G-Unit. Loon left for alleged creative differences. Apparently the two rappers have a long rocky history, though things had been pleasant in recent months. But after Mase supposedly recorded a track for G-Unit taking shots at Loon, he retaliated with a series of his own dis tracks. On one, an almost-three minute track titled 'You Heard,' Loon lyrically assaults Mase with rhymes like: "Yo pastor, I thought you seen light?/ It just don't seem right/ The world thought you had an epiphany/ All you doing is spending church money in Tiffany's." This is bound to get messier!

... Brian McKnight will star in a new stage play called 'Cheaters.' The production, based on the Eric Jerome Dickey book of the same name, will also star Lou Gossett Jr., Michael Jai White and Tammy Townsend. The play premieres Oct. 8 in Raleigh, N.C., and has scheduled dates in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia and Houston.

... The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's annual fashion show is highly anticipated this year thanks to Diddy's baby's mother, Kim Porter. The part-time model and Three Brown Girls (Porter's partners Eboni Elektra and Nicole Johnson) are overseeing the show. Vivica A. Fox, Outkast's Big Boi, Tichina Arnold, Malik Yoba, BET News' Jacque Reid and the ubiquitous Fonzworth Bentley are among the celebrity models for the show. Diddy himself will be honored with the 2005 Fashion Ambassador Award. The show will also feature performances by R&B veterans Guy, jazz artist Eric Lewis and Carl Thomas. Proceeds from the fashion show will go toward the CBC Spouses College Scholarship Fund.