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Hip hop icon Russell Simmons wants hip hop fans to boycott Pepsi. Simmons says the soft drink giant used a double standard when it featured foul-mouthed rocker Ozzy Osborne in a Super Bowl commercial but canceled Ludacris’ commercial because the rapper uses vulgar language in his songs. Hmmmm, Russell DOES have a point here... Russell is calling the boycott "The Campaign for Respect.” The proteste will be officially announced at a news conference next week. Simmons said the action follows six months of unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a settlement of the dispute. He said the boycott will continue until Pepsi agrees to three demands: (1) issuing a public apology to Ludacris and the hip-hop community, (2) making a $5 million charitable contribution to the Ludacris Foundation and (3) reinstating the Ludacris Pepsi television commercial. Yesterday, a Pepsi spokesman said, quote: "We learned from it (the Ludacris situation) and we moved on. We completely understand and respect Russell Simmons' passion for promoting hip-hop music and we are working with him and others to do just that.”
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs is spending a grip on his big fashion show Saturday at Cipriani in New York. Last year’s event cost $1.2 million, and insiders say that Puffy will spend even more this year! The invitations alone will cost $75,000 (up from $60,000 last year). A thousand invites are being sent out and each one costs 75 bucks! The invitation is a fancy box (stamped with the Sean John logo) with a drawer that you pull out; inside the drawer is a black-on-black T-shirt imprinted with the words HARD SEXY & BEAUTIFUL. A tag attached to the shirt serves as your ticket to the fashion show.
Beyoncé Knowles almost panicked when she realized she’d lost her bracelet during a party after the Golden Globe Awards. It was a one-of-a-kind Bulgari platinum bracelet encrusted with 390 diamonds, so you know Beyonce was buggin’ when it came up missing! After searching the restaurant with her friends, Beyonce told the manager who asked his staff to help look. After about an hour, the bracelet was found by one of the busboys. I hope Beyonce tipped that busboy very well!
Vanity Fair magazine has chosen Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford and Jack Nicholson for the cover of its annual Hollywood issue (which goes on sale March 7). This issue supposedly highlights the hottest stars in Tinsel Town, but guess who wasn’t asked to be on the cover? He’s definitely one of the biggest men in Hollywood. He’s got two Academy Awards (including the Best Actor honor last year) and he’s been getting rave reviews for directing his first movie. His name: Denzel Washington! According to one published report, Denzel might have been invited to participate if Vanity Fair had done an extra-wide cove! r that folded over inside. VF reportedly wanted Mel Gibson to be on this inside flap but he declined and the magazine decided to do a regular cover. Vanity Fair is known for not putting African-Americans on the cover. The last black person on a VF cover was Barry White who was on the cover of last November’s Music Issue. Where was brotha Barry? On the inside flap! Will Smith was also on the inside flap the year after “Independence Day” came out!
Jennifer Lopez is ready to produce her first movie. It’s called "Double of Nothing" and it’s about two women police officers who team up to solve the murder of a male cop who they both used to date. L.Lo will produce the movie through her Nuyorican Productions in partnership with New Line Cinema.
Father-and-son hip hop stars Master P and Lil' Romeo will step in front of the movie cameras later this month to shoot a family comedy called "Uncle P." This flick is about a superstar rapper and tycoon named P. Miller (an obvious nod to Master P’s real name, Percy Miller) who puts his businesses on hold to look after his ailing sister’s three kids. Romeo will play the middle child, a trouble-making 12-year-old in desperate need of a father figure. Looking after the kids helps Master P’s character to see that there’s more to life than business; he gradually realizes the importance and the joys of family. Master P said, quote: "With the success of films like 'Barbershop' and 'Drumline,' I felt it was time for Romeo and I to step into the family comedy genre and take it to the next level with one of the funniest scripts I ever read." Master P is co-financing this movie with a lot of his own money.
The Universal Music Group has canceled its Grammy after-party bash which was supposed to jump off immediately after the February 23rd awards show. Sources cited by the Los Angeles Times claim the plug was pulled on the bash because of potential friction between feuding rappers 50 Cent and Ja Rule (who are signed to separate labels which are both distributed by Universal Music Group). Other sources claim the party was canceled because the cost had climbed to half a million dollars! That’s a hefty price, especially since record sales are down across the music industry.
Michael Jackson swears in that new documentary that there’s nothing weird or inappropriate about him sleeping in the bed with kids. But lawyer / activist Gloria Allred doesn’t trust the King of Pop. Yesterday , Allred sent a letter to chilld welfare services in Santa Barbara County ( where Jackson lives with his three young children) urging them to interview any children who may have been in Jackson’s home or bedroom without the presence of their parents. The documentary airs on ABC’s “20/20” tonight at 8:00.
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