[Afrochic]

Patty Jackson's The 411

Record Execs at Arista Records were not too pleased with Toni Braxton's baby news because now her lp in going to be delayed until next year.

Guess who's taking a break? Singer Alicia Keys is taking a much needed break. The five time Grammy Award Winner is taking a 22 month break after going non stop for the past two years. Look for a followup to her smash songs in A Minor in late 2003.

Usher says it's love! After months of denying his feelings for Chili of TLC, Usher and Chili now admit they are lovers and in love. Usher would always say he and Chili were just friends. Chili is nine years older than Usher.

Def Jam Records is set to launch their Classic Artists division with new releases scheduled for Anita Baker, Jefferey Osborne, Stephanie Mills and Barry White. The new division should launch next year. Def Jam is known for their Ole School Rap/R&B Artists like Public Enemy, Alyson Williams and Oran Juice Jones. Now speaking of Stephanie Mills, her project is due out next year she is working on it now, she's also a mom. Stephanie has a 19 month old son.

Guess who got married? Actor Dondre T. Whitfield and actress Sallie Richardson. Dondre is currently starring on the new NBC comedy Hidden Hills, which airs on Tuesday nights at 9:30pm. Dondre used to guest star on the UPN show Girlfriends and he has also had roles on the TV Show The Brothers and years ago he starred on All My Children. Sallie is best known for her work in Posse, Low Down Dirty Shame and the CBS show Family Law. Sallie will be co-starring with Denzel Washington in his new movie, The Antoine Fisher Project. This movie marks Denzel's directorial debut and it opens in theatres in December.

Singer Billy Preston is being sued by a woman who helped saved his life last spring. Earlier this year Billy was dying and needed a kidney Transplant well he found a donor and the woman gave up her kidney because Billy promised to pay her medical bills. Well Billy didn't keep his word and now she is suing him. The woman who gave up her kidney says she is having medical problems and she can't work or pay her bills.

What's up with comedienne Wayne Brady? Wayne's daytime variety show airs weekdays at 10am on 6 ABC. This weekend Wayne made history as the first African-American Male to host the Miss America Pageant. I hear Wayne has a huge ego. He recently demanded a 36 inch TV for his dressing and he pulled out some measuring tape to make sure it was 36 inches. I wanted to ask Wayne about this but he won't return my calls for an interview.

Whitney Houston is being sued by her Dad. 81 year old John Houston says his daughter stiffed his entertainment company. John says he was the one who got her a 100 million dollar recording contract with Arista. John also says he was the one who got her out of her Hawaiian drug mess. John can't believe his daughter and her behavior so now he's suing her. Whitney's new CD Just Whitney arrives in stores on Nov 5th.

People are whispering about Singer Rick James. I hear the singer is sick and has cancer.

There is a new tell all book coming out about Halle Berry. The tell all biography will detail the Oscar Winner's life including her troubled love life and her battle with diabetes. The book is due out in November the same time she hits the big screen as the next Bond Girl in the James Bond Movie, Die Another Day. In December, Halle will be gracing the cover of Vogue Magazine.

TLC's new CD, Quickie, arrives in stores on Nov. 12th.

After her role as Foxy Cleopatra in the latest Austin Powers Movie, Beyonce has started work on another film. Beyonce will be starring in the movie Fighting Temptations with Cuba Gooding Jr, Faith Evans, Angie Stone and Steve Harvey. Filming is going on in Atlanta.

Queen Latifah is gracing the cover of the October Essence Magazine. Latifah looks great. The popular Rapper/Actress has also lost some weight. Sources say she had liposuction.