News, Facts, Tidbits, etc. etc.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by Kimmie1913
Okay...see if you can follow...my best friend's friend is the sister of Mary J's new husband's ex wife..(whew!)....the ex wife's sister says that he started messing around with Mary while married and the ex wife's family hates Mary and say for all that turned my life around mess she talks, she is nothing but a homewrecker who was seeing a married man. Basically they feel like he is a dog and she is in for it because we all know karma is a bia bia!

On another note- "Also, I HEARD at a recent awards show, Kelly was told not to attend because it was "B's" night. " Way to treat your "sister!"

LMAO @ our "I heards". LMAO!
Any merit (Mary J)

[abaici]

Originally posted by 1savvydiva
MAMMAAA NOOOO!

WHY?

LOL...my thoughts exactly!!! WHY WHY WHY????? Hot steaming pile of mess!

[CrimsonTide4]

I cannot believe they still arguing over this. . .

Supreme Court Allows Rosa Parks to Sue Rap Duo
1 hour, 57 minutes ago Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!


By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) cleared the way on Monday for civil rights icon Rosa Parks to proceed with her lawsuit against OutKast and others over the rap music duo's hit song with her name as its title.


Reuters Photo


Related Links
• Parks v. LaFace Records, et al. (FindLaw)



The justices let stand a U.S. appeals court ruling that reinstated Parks' false advertising and publicity claims against OutKast and three Bertelsmann AG (news - web sites) units -- LaFace Records, the record producer, and Arista Records and BMG Entertainment, the distributors.


Parks made history in 1955 when she refused to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama.


Her arrest, which became a defining moment in the civil rights movement, led to a 381-day boycott of the bus system by blacks. It resulted in the end of segregation on public transportation and became a catalyst for organized boycotts, sit-ins and demonstrations across the South.


The song, "Rosa Parks," released as part of the 1998 album "Aquemini," was nominated for a Grammy award. The lyrics do not mention her by name, but the chorus says, "Ah, ha, hush that fuss. Everybody move to the back of the bus."


The album by rap recording artists Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton has sold more than two million copies and the song enjoyed long-lasting success on the Billboard charts.


Parks, a Detroit resident, sued in 1999, claiming use of her name without permission constituted false advertising and infringed on her right to publicity. She also claimed it defamed her character and interfered with a business relationship.


She had approved a collection of gospel recordings by various artists, released in 1995 and entitled "A Tribute to Mrs. Rosa Parks."


A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 1999, ruling constitutional free-speech rights under the First Amendment covered the use of Parks' name.


The appeals court upheld the dismissal of the claims of defamation and interference with a business relationship, but reinstated the rest of the lawsuit.


It said the defendants needed to show some artistic reason for calling the song "Rosa Parks." The appeals court sent the case back for more hearings to determine whether use of her name was symbolic, as the defendants argued, or disguised commercial advertisement.


Attorneys for OutKast and the other defendants appealed to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to hear the case. They said the appeals court unconstitutionally allowed public figures to use trademark and right-of-publicity laws to censor speech.


But the high court rejected the appeal without comment

[CountryGurl]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
I cannot believe they still arguing over this. . .

Supreme Court Allows Rosa Parks to Sue Rap Duo
1 hour, 57 minutes ago Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!


By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) cleared the way on Monday for civil rights icon Rosa Parks to proceed with her lawsuit against OutKast and others over the rap music duo's hit song with her name as its title.


Reuters Photo


Related Links
• Parks v. LaFace Records, et al. (FindLaw)



The justices let stand a U.S. appeals court ruling that reinstated Parks' false advertising and publicity claims against OutKast and three Bertelsmann AG (news - web sites) units -- LaFace Records, the record producer, and Arista Records and BMG Entertainment, the distributors.


Parks made history in 1955 when she refused to give up her seat to a white man and move to the back of a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama.


Her arrest, which became a defining moment in the civil rights movement, led to a 381-day boycott of the bus system by blacks. It resulted in the end of segregation on public transportation and became a catalyst for organized boycotts, sit-ins and demonstrations across the South.


The song, "Rosa Parks," released as part of the 1998 album "Aquemini," was nominated for a Grammy award. The lyrics do not mention her by name, but the chorus says, "Ah, ha, hush that fuss. Everybody move to the back of the bus."


The album by rap recording artists Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton has sold more than two million copies and the song enjoyed long-lasting success on the Billboard charts.


Parks, a Detroit resident, sued in 1999, claiming use of her name without permission constituted false advertising and infringed on her right to publicity. She also claimed it defamed her character and interfered with a business relationship.


She had approved a collection of gospel recordings by various artists, released in 1995 and entitled "A Tribute to Mrs. Rosa Parks."


A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit in 1999, ruling constitutional free-speech rights under the First Amendment covered the use of Parks' name.


The appeals court upheld the dismissal of the claims of defamation and interference with a business relationship, but reinstated the rest of the lawsuit.


It said the defendants needed to show some artistic reason for calling the song "Rosa Parks." The appeals court sent the case back for more hearings to determine whether use of her name was symbolic, as the defendants argued, or disguised commercial advertisement.


Attorneys for OutKast and the other defendants appealed to the Supreme Court, asking the justices to hear the case. They said the appeals court unconstitutionally allowed public figures to use trademark and right-of-publicity laws to censor speech.


But the high court rejected the appeal without comment

I wonder if she will take legal action against Ice Cube or Cedric for the comments made in Barber Shop?

[TonyB06]

I'd defer to the lawyers in the GC fam but remembering back to my J-school education days, I would think that Rosa Parks was a public figure, or at least a limited public figure, and as such was probably fair game for use for such purposes.

...haven't heard the song so don't know what they did, but I think Cedric, et. al., would be ok.

[nikki1920]

I think she's upset b/c there was some profanity in the song. And the reference to "back of the bus" automatically refers to her. (and the song is called 'Rosa Parks').
I think the whole thing is silly, but I"m not Ms. Parks. I'd be more concerned if the group was being violent or mysoginistic with my name in the title. I"m still trying to understand how it defamed her character..

[oneinamillion]

no not Mary and her sister......they were so close and to let a nizger get in the middle. If this is true then he should have some ounce of sense and have the sisters to reconcile. NO $$$ or etc can make me break from my sister. No let me take that back because I left my dumb a$! cousin along because she fell super super hard for a "Nig" she only knew for 1 month. He screwed her brains out and dumped her like last month's chitlins.

[AKA2D '91]

Originally posted by oneinamillion
He screwed her brains out and dumped her like last month's chitlins.

OH my word!

[CrimsonTide4]

Mary J. Blige tidbits -- THAT IS DEEP!!!

Kelly tidbits -- BOUT FRIGGIN TIME!!!

[nikki1920]

Entertainment - AP Music

Funk Pioneer George Clinton Arrested
2 hours, 20 minutes ago


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Funk music pioneer George Clinton was arrested and charged with drug possession after allegedly telling an officer he had cocaine in his pocket.


AP Photo


AP Photo
Slideshow: George Clinton




Clinton, of Tallahassee, was arrested Saturday and bonded out of jail over the weekend, according to jail officials, who wouldn't release any other information. Clinton's lawyer, Shoshana Zisk of San Francisco, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.


Clinton, 63, who headed the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic — and the collaboration later known as P-Funk — in the 1970s and 1980s is considered a father of the genre. In 1983, Clinton's solo record "Atomic Dog," hit number one on the R&B charts.


Tallahassee Police said an officer noticed a man sitting by himself in the passenger seat of a car in a gas station parking lot about 2 a.m. Saturday and approached to talk to him.


When the officer got to the car, the man, later determined to be Clinton, tried to hide an item he was holding, dropping it between the seats, said Tallahassee Police spokesman Stewart Clendinen.


Clinton started to reach into his pocket and the officer asked him if he had anything in his pocket that might be dangerous, Clendinen said.


Clinton allegedly responded "I've got a little cocaine."


The item he is accused of dropping between the seats turned out be a crack pipe, police said.


Clinton was charged with one felony count of cocaine possession and a misdemeanor count of possession of the pipe, the Tallahassee Democrat first reported for Tuesday papers.


A call to George Clinton Enterprises for comment Monday went unanswered and Clinton's home number is unlisted.

[CountryGurl]

Eminem could find himself the subject of a Secret Service investigation if a lyric from one of his songs is construed to be a threat against President George W. Bush.

In his song "We As Americans," Eminem rhymes, "F--- money/ I don't rap for dead presidents/ I'd rather see the president dead/ It's never been said, but I set precedents."

"We As Americans" is one of the songs leaked online last week that Eminem's spokespeople said were unfinished tracks not intended for public release (see "Eminem's Benzino Dis Turns Up In The Lab" ). His reps could not confirm when the track in question was recorded. However, elsewhere in the song, Eminem references the release of 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin', which occurred in the last year.

A person in the Secret Service Office of Public Affairs confirmed that they were aware of the song and were looking into the matter. John Gill, the official spokesperson for the Secret Service, was not immediately available for further comment.

Even though Eminem doesn't mention Bush or the president of the United States specifically, it is standard procedure for the Secret Service to investigate anything that might be considered a threat against the president.



—Joseph Patel

[MeezDiscreet]

Originally posted by nikki1920
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Funk music pioneer George Clinton was arrested and charged with drug possession after allegedly telling an officer he had cocaine in his pocket.

When the officer got to the car, the man, later determined to be Clinton, tried to hide an item he was holding, dropping it between the seats, said Tallahassee Police spokesman Stewart Clendinen.


Clinton started to reach into his pocket and the officer asked him if he had anything in his pocket that might be dangerous, Clendinen said.


Clinton allegedly responded "I've got a little cocaine."


The item he is accused of dropping between the seats turned out be a crack pipe, police said.

is anyone surprised that the man is on drugs?? i'm not

[CrimsonTide4]

Now when I first posted this pic, I thought to myself. . .

SELF: Methinks, Whitney looks a little bruised up in that pic. . .


WHITNEY'S CLAIMS OF ABUSE
December 9, 2003


The ET insider breaks news that North Fulton County Police were called to the suburban Atlanta, GA, home of infamous couple WHITNEY HOUSTON and BOBBY BROWN at 8:30 Sunday night on complaints of a domestic altercation. Houston reportedly told police that Brown struck her with an open hand, causing a bruise on her left cheek. Whitney also told authorities that Bobby returned to California and neither she nor Bobby has been available for comment since. Charges against Brown are pending while police investigate the incident.

[CrimsonTide4]

(Dec. 9, 2003) Miracles Still Do Happen: I recently interviewed singing sensation Tamia for an upcoming cover story for Smooth magazine. During the interview, the lovely singer revealed to me why her junior album “Still” was pushed back from its original release date in August 2003. “I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis,” admitted Tamia. I knew Tamia’s album had been pushed back due to an undisclosed illness, but I didn’t know it was multiple sclerosis.
The Canadian beauty, who is married to Orlando Magic player Grant Hill, went on to share, “I had been going through some things like two months prior. I remember one time I had been telling people my leg went numb. They looked at me and started laughing. A lot of times, I joke around so you never know when to take me serious or not. I’d put my jeans on and couldn’t even feel it. I’m like the type of person that if anything happens, I am right at the doctor’s office. He was like ‘I don’t know what’s wrong.’ I’d been exercising a lot, and he thought that maybe I’d pinched a nerve or something. So I did all kinds of tests, and then I went away for our anniversary. It got really, really bad to the point that I couldn’t even get out of bed. I came back for a visit at the doctor’s office and they literally were like, ‘Go down the street to the hospital.’ So I stayed there for about a week running tests. They told me I had to shut everything down because we don’t know what’s going on with you. They didn’t even give me a specific time. Unfortunately, it was during the time when they were about to release my album. However, I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and I had to prioritize and shut everything down and take care of myself. Later on they diagnosed me, and I’m taking it from there and getting better and better each day. When they first told me, I had my mother, my mother-in-law, [and] my husband in the room, and we all for a good 15 to 20 minutes were like ‘oh my goodness.’ Even now thinking about it, I still get a little choked up. The first two people that I thought about were Nancy Davis and Montel Williams. They are two people that I know had multiple sclerosis and are doing very well. That was very big for me to have that type of vision of someone who is still healthy and is having a healthy, productive life. It wasn’t the end of the world.”

Well it certainly wasn’t the end for Tamia. Last Thursday, the night before she was scheduled to fly to New York City for her Smooth cover shoot, Tamia called me with great news. “I just wanted to let you know that the spot on my spine where they found the M.S. is gone,” she exclaimed.

“Wait,” I said. “You mean the multiple sclerosis is completely gone? It like went away?”

“Yep! They said they’ve never really seen anything like it. It’s gone,” she answered. “I know I had some people praying for me!”

Look at that. God is still working miracles, both big and small!

Tamia’s forthcoming album has been re-titled “More” and will now be released in March. The set will also feature a rendition of The Winans’ hit “Tomorrow,” the song that Tamia performed two years ago on BET’s “Celebration of Gospel.” The Smooth issue featuring Tamia will be on newsstands in mid-January.

~~~

This Just In…: I’m told that recently divorced singer Brandy is dating Los Angeles Clipper guard Quentin Richardson. Brandy has been spotted at several Clippers games and was even spotted with tennis star Serena Williams at a game on Dec. 3. (Rumor has it Brandy is trying to hook Serena up with Clipper Corey Maggette.) Quentin, 23, and Brandy, 24, have apparently been spotted all over Hollywood together and even attended the Brand Jordan MP3 player launch together at the Hollywood hotspot Cinespace.

~~~

Coming To The Stage: It’s a done deal. E. Lynn Harris’s novel “Not A Day Goes By” is being turned into a stage play. The production began rehearsals this week in Dallas and will star actress Jackee (“227”), “American Idol” contestant Trenyce and comedian Gary Owens. The show is slated to open on Jan. 5, 2004 in Little Rock, Ark. with other dates to follow in Birmingham, Ala. Memphis, Tenn., Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. For more information on the production, go to http://www.randomhouse.com/features/...arris/notaday.

…Bishop T.D. Jakes’ newest venture is the theatrical production of his best-selling novel “Cover Girls.” The great Bishop has teamed up with Clear Channel Entertainment and music mogul Matthew Knowles for the production, which will begin rehearsals in the coming weeks. “Cover Girls” will star veteran actress Kim Fields (“Living Single”) and the Queen of Inspirational Soul, Ann Nesby. The show kicks off on Jan. 6, 2004 in Grand Prairie, Texas, with dates also scheduled for Jackson, Miss., New Orleans and New York City.

…2004 Grammy-nominated gospel star Vickie Winans has a new play called "Torn Between Two Loves" scheduled to launch next spring. Details about the production are sketchy right now, but the play is slated to begin on March 2, 2004 in Lafayette, La. For more information on the play, visit www.VickieWinans.com. Also on Vickie… The singer was recently married to Joe McLemore in Las Vegas. This is the gospel diva’s third marriage.

…Also hitting the stage next spring is “Friends and Lovers,” the play based on the best-selling novel by Eric Jerome Dickey. For more information, visit www.imreadyproductions.com. WISH IT WOULD BE A FREAKING MOVIE but OKAY I WILL STILL SEE IT!!!!

~~~

Soap Talk: Real life lovebirds Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore will be making an appearance on the CBS soap “The Young and The Restless” on Dec. 23. The happily married couple will be performing at Neil (Kristoff St. John) and Drucilla’s (Victoria Rowell) wedding.

Also on Victoria… The actress will be among the stars presenting inspirational stories about adoption on the fifth annual “A Home For The Holidays.” The show will also air on Dec. 23 on CBS. Victoria was actually raised in foster care. The special will also feature appearances by Mya, No Doubt, Mary J. Blige, Enrique Iglesias, Amy Grant and Jamie Foxx.

~~~

Found Love: In case you hadn’t heard, Alicia Keys has a boyfriend. According to the New York Daily News, the New York-bred Clive Davis protégé is apparently dating her longtime producer Kerry Brothers. At the recent launch party for her second album, "The Diary of Alicia Keys," the couple’s canoodling apparently left little doubt of their affection for one another. Alicia stayed at her beau’s side the entire evening, as singers including Patti LaBelle and Jill Scott stopped through to show some love. Look for Alicia’s sophomore album to debut at number one this week, with early estimates looking as though she’ll sell more than 600,000 units.

~~~ Things That Make You Say Hmmm!?!: "I've always been a big dinosaur fan. You read about them in school, but you never really see any of them like that," said singer Marques Houston in Vibe’s December issue. Though Marques may not sound like the brightest guy after reading this quote, don’t sleep on his debut solo set “MH.” The album, which was released on Oct. 21, is surprisingly great!

~~~

Can’t Say Names: What R&B singer has a new album slated to come out early next year, but his handlers are shielding him from doing interviews because of the recent drama he faced in his personal life? HMMMMMMM. . .Jaheim?!?!?!!?

* What “American Idol” finalist is the least favorite among her reality show cohorts? Said singer apparently has a make it by-any-means-necessary method of achieving success and, because of that, has abandoned one side of her ethnicity in hopes of attaining crossover success. My guess is K-Lo

] ~~~

Quickies:

~ Singer Lil’ Mo was victim of a robbery on Thanksgiving Day. The pint-sized vocal powerhouse’s Maryland home was robbed on Turkey Day, and nearly $100,000 in cash and $100,000 in jewelry was stolen from the singer’s safe. Nothing else in the house was touched, which makes it seem as though someone close to the singer may have been the culprit. Police are investigating.

[Honeykiss1974]

Originally posted by CrimsonTide4
~ Singer Lil’ Mo was victim of a robbery on Thanksgiving Day. The pint-sized vocal powerhouse’s Maryland home was robbed on Turkey Day, and nearly $100,000 in cash and $100,000 in jewelry was stolen from the singer’s safe. Nothing else in the house was touched, which makes it seem as though someone close to the singer may have been the culprit. Police are investigating.

Why do you have a $100,000 of CASH sitting around in your house? Dag, I could even MAYBE see you walking around few a few hundreds in your wallet, but $100,000?