Celebrity News for the SU2K3

[kiml122]

Originally posted by RedefinedDiva
Did she ever wear a ring?

She sure did, I remember seeing it on that MTV thing on her.

[CrimsonTide4]

[Steeltrap]

Whitney still looks a bit haggard in those photos.

[toocute]

Originally posted by Steeltrap
Whitney still looks a bit haggard in those photos.

Thank you...she still looks crackish especially in the last photo.

[kiml122]

Originally posted by Steeltrap
Whitney still looks a bit haggard in those photos.

She sure as the hell does!!!!

[Gina1201]

The MTV Video Music Awards are looking to familiar surroundings —and a familiar face — for the 20th
edition of its annual showcase.

Comedian Chris Rock will once again take on host duties when the 2003 VMAs get underway on August 28 in New York. The show returns to Radio City Music Hall where the VMAs were launched in 1984.

Performers, presenters and nominees for the show have yet to be announced.

Rock earned high marks for his VMA host gig in 1999 when he took aim at P. Diddy, 'NSYNC and perhaps most memorably, J. Lo's chief asset.

"Can't wait to do it," Rock said of his return to VMA stage. The show sees the VMAs return to New York City for the fifth straight time.

Jimmy Fallon hosted last year's edition, staged at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Eminem and White Stripes dominated the night's awards, while surprise performers Guns N' Roses dominated the
night's performances.

—Robert Mancini

[AKA2D '91]

I thought that he pissed off too many of the stars (Britney, BackScreetBoys etc.) that's why he wasn't asked back.

Sometimes, the truth hurts. (I guess)

[lovelyivy84]

A reason to watch MTV again!

Chris Rock was the only good host!

[RedefinedDiva]

Chris Rock was funny and so was Jimmy Fallon. His Enrique Iglesias spoof was hilarious! Most of his spoofs were funny. I'm happy to have Chris Rock back, though.

[AKA2D '91]

I'm sure Chris will "read" MTV for not having him back this past year.

Did you all mention that Vanessa Williams from "Soul Food" is preggers? She is due in November. I saw her on 106 and Park this week. Who knew?

According to this week's People, Luther is speaking. He has a lot of rehabilitation to go through.

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally posted by AKA2D '91

Did you all mention that Vanessa Williams from "Soul Food" is preggers? She is due in November. I saw her on 106 and Park this week. Who knew?

We were talking about that over on DST Blvd. in the Soul Food thread. She was trying hard to hide it for the last season, but it didn't work too well. It was only a little pouch, but it was still there. She is too slim not to notice.

[kiml122]

Originally posted by RedefinedDiva
We were talking about that over on DST Blvd. in the Soul Food thread. She was trying hard to hide it for the last season, but it didn't work too well. It was only a little pouch, but it was still there. She is too slim not to notice.

I saw her on 106 and Park and thought she was pregnant before she announced it, but I did not pick up on it when the show was on.

[Gina1201]

NEW YORK — With his Roc the Mic Tour starting Wednesday night (June 25), Jay-Z won't have much time for the studio, but Jigga said his next and allegedly final LP, The Black Album, is already under way.

"I just started, and it's going all the way back to the roots," Jay said at the opening of his 40/40 Club in Manhattan last week. "I'm bringing y'all back before '96, [the year of] my first album. I just did something with Rick Rubin, and Mike D was in the house. [Mike] ain't doing nothing on the album, but just his spirit and his presence was in there. I'm bringing it back, not all the way old-school, but I'm bringing it back."

Jay is also bringing back some of the producers he's made classic material with. A source working on the project told MTV News that Ski, who produced on Jay's early albums, would probably be banging out beats for the new disc, and Pharrell Williams and DJ Premier have confirmed their participation.

"He wants me to do two joints," Primo said recently. "He wants me to do the intro to the album and another song. Jay reminds me of Guru in that Guru always gives me the title to all the songs and I make the tracks what he gives the title to. Jay is the same way: 'I'mma do a song, and when it gets to this part I want it to do this.' He's well thought out about what he wants to do. He says he wants to explain it to me, but he wants to do it face-to-face."

Another person that may pop up on The Black Album is Pain in Da Ass, known for his impressions of movie gangsters on some of Jay's album intros.

"We were just in the studio the other day," Pain said at the 40/40 opening. "I had to come back, you know, get the street essence. Jay is at the beginning; it's time to do 360 degrees, full circle, ya heard. Ain't nothing gonna be Reasonable Doubt — that's your first album, that's the baby. But I think it'll come pretty close. He's hungry now."

—Shaheem Reid, with reporting by Minya Oh and Terrell Battle

[Gina1201]

NEW YORK — Her album came out Tuesday, she has one of the hottest songs on radio, and her first video just hit the airwaves.

This is what Lumidee Cedeño has dreamed about doing for many of her 19 years, but even she will admit that sometimes it seems like things are moving too fast.

Three months ago, the Spanish Harlem native didn't have a record deal with a major label; six months ago, performing in front of more than 50,000 people at Summer Jam was just a dream. And when it happened, the reality was Lumi had to overcome stage fright for what was only her third concert ever.

"I've been recording like two and a half, three years, but [my producers] didn't really try to shop [for a record deal] because I wasn't ready mentally," said the lifelong around-the-way girl. "I could record, but I was too scared to perform in front of people. So they was like, 'You gotta break out of that because things could change from one day to the next. What if people want to sign you?' "

The prophecy of her producers Trendsetta and DJ TedSmooth panned out just as her hit club banger "Never Leave You (Uh-Oooh)" started taking off in February. Incorporating Lumi's now signature "Uh oh, uh oh" croons and the same irresistible Diwali riddim that fueled Sean Paul's "Get Busy" and Wayne Wonder's "No Letting Go," the record has become one the most played in the clubs this year and is climbing the charts.

" 'Uh oh,' I can't take credit for that," she admitted, sitting in New York's Right Track studios. "The song was too short and Ted said, 'Write a bridge.' He was like, 'Just say "Uh oh." ' I recorded it and I hated it. But it's just so catchy. I think it just blew up like that because it's different. It's like, 'What is she singing?' Either you not gonna like it or you gonna love it. Some people be like, 'I hate this sh--.' And the people who like it really like it. I don't know, I don't have such a strong voice, but it's different. I don't sing like I came straight from church, but it's different. Whoever likes it wants to hear something new."

While fans of the song may be falling in love with how it mixes R&B, reggae and smidgens of freestyle to create a fresh sound, they're actually hearing an old song. Lumi recorded it almost a year ago just to give TedSmooth something to spin in the clubs. As it picked up during Smooth's gigs, he passed it along to his fellow turntablist friends, and eventually it popped on radio.

Smooth, who signed Lumi to his Straight Face label, was soon fielding offers from heavyweights like Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella, Epic and Arista. They eventually decided to go with Kedar Massenburg and Universal in late April, leaving Lumi to quickly master multitasking. People were clamoring to book her for shows, but she also had to abruptly turn around and record most of her debut, Almost Famous, in a matter of weeks to make the June 24 release date. She said doing both put a strain on her voice, but she worked through it.

"We have to rush," Lumi said in early May, two weeks after signing with Universal. "I was always recording, so that's good or I would have been real stuck. A lot of stuff was reference tracks, so we went back and re-recorded everything."

Lumi did have a little help on the mic. She already had a song with Nore, the probable second single "Crashin' a Party," and Busta Rhymes and Fabolous reached out to her to be on the remix of "Never Leave You."

"I was loving her song," Fab said. "I had the chance to call up and speak to her one day and she said she'd love to have me on the song. We made it happen from there."

"All these people, of course I would look to them to be on my songs, but we ain't got Busta and Fab money," she said. "We don't have Nore money. They just hollered at us like, 'Yo, that is hot; I want to get on that.' All this is just amazing."

—Shaheem Reid

[Bamboozled]

Lighter Latifah

If it looks like Queen Latifiah is walking with a lighter bounce in her step, it's because she is. These days the singer-turned-actress is carrying a much lighter load -- and it's mostly due to breast reduction surgery. According to World Entertainment News Network, the voluptuous star who wowed audiences last year with her sultry voice and ample cleavage in "Chicago" has decided to cut her bust size down from a cumbersome DD cup to a highly manageable C.

And get this, in a refreshing twist on public relations, the Queen's spokesperson admits to it. "It was mainly for her health," says Amanda Silverman. "Queen works with a trainer and does a lot of kickboxing, and working out was difficult for her. She was suffering from back pain and felt this was the best solution. She's absolutely thrilled with the results."

In addition to losing the bothersome boobs, she's also stayed true to exercise and has dropped close to 40 pounds. In case you preferred Latifah's previous bosom bounty, I'm afraid you're out of luck. You won't be able to view those bodacious breasts again unless you taped the March 23 Academy Awards, where she graced the red carpet in a form-fitting blue Escada gown in all her DD glory.