After years of being confused about it, I’ve found that clearly, not everyone is supposed to be or going to be as big as an Usher, a Beyoncé, and most probably won’t get anywhere near MJ status on a global scale. But when highly talented individuals, especially good looking male singers with great pipes, don’t get or don’t get to sustain the popularity they once had, I always wonder why. Such is the case with the following 10 fellas, who throughout my pre-teens and adulthood, I’ve been a fan of. So what are they doing now and what went wrong on the road to stardom? Shall we find out?

And be ready to click (you’ve been warned, so save the complaints).

Glenn Lewis

“And don’t you forget iiiiiit!” That was my jam! For those who don’t remember Glenn Lewis, the neo-soul singer with his funky curls and smooth voice garnered many a female fan after dropping songs like “Don’t You Forget It” off of his debut disk, World Outside My Window in 2002. The Canadian crooner was doing fairly well sales wise as his debut album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200, but as he prepared to release his second album with the single, “Back For More,” his release date got pushed back, and his album just wound up being shelved. Things haven’t been the same since…

After leaving and joining different labels, you’ll be happy to know that Lewis signed with EMI Music in 2011 and is said to be working on a new project. However, we’ll believe it when we see it. He still looks good though!

Getty Images

Prosecutors started the Michael Jackson trial with some disturbing evidence: a picture of the King of Pop’s emaciated body lying on a gurney. They used the photo to show that Dr. Conrad Murray, knowingly administered life threatening drugs to the entertainer.

Murray’s attorneys are arguing that Jackson’s death was a result of his own actions.

Ed Chernoff said this in his opening arguments:

“We believe that evidence will show… that when Dr. Murray left the room, Michael Jackson self administered a dose of Propofol that, with the Lorazepam, created a perfect storm within his body that killed him instantly. He died so rapidly, so instantly, he didn’t even have time to close his eyes.”

If convicted of manslaughter Murray could face four years in prison. Source: AM New York

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In elementary school it was making sure you tagged the boy you like, and not in the Facebook way.  In middle school, you may have sent a note with, “Do you like me? Check yes or no.  By the time high school rolled around you found yourself fighting the fear that you wouldn’t receive a candy-gram from a secret admirer.  You may not know it, but you’ve been flirting since you were playing Duck Duck Goose.

Though, as an adult you may find that flirtation grazes a fine line between bold and aggressive and passive and timid.  With the confidence that comes from your experiences as a woman, you probably know by now what you want, but may be still unsure of exactly how to get it.  For example, you’re at the bar with your girls at Happy Hour when you spot a tall glass of Hot. You may not want to straddle the bar while lip-synching Rihanna’s “S&M”, but you also don’t want to shy away into the shadows by the bathroom and hope he’ll notice you at some point during the night.  (He’ll have to go to the bathroom eventually, right?)

What can you do so that you appear interested but not thirsty?  The list below can help you get his attention without getting on his nerves.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Charlotte Young

Jay-Z may be celebrating his Cash King status, but his former protégé Beanie Sigel is having some big federal issues dealing with his income.

After admitting in federal court that he did not file or pay taxes between 2003 and 2005, MTV News reports that now Sigel is looking at serving up to three years in prison. He will be sentenced on November 18.

Prosecutors believe that the MC owes about $350,000 on an unreported income of $1 million. While he does admit to three counts of failure to file his federal income tax returns, his attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., asserts that the amount of money the government claims he owes is incorrect.

Perri Jr. told MTV News that they hope to successfully challenge the numbers at the sentencing hearing. If they are able to do so, the lowered amount owed to the government in taxes may alter the judge’s decision on Sigel’s punishment. It could even reduce the three year maximum looming over Sigel.

Sigel has seen better days. He released his album the Truth in 1999, and signed with Jay Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records. Under the record company he achieved some success but saw it decline when he he went to prison in October 2004 on weapon charges. Later he released four solo albums and started his own rap group and label record, State Property. State Property also saw mediocre success through its clothing line and two movies.

Despite his career and ventures, the Philadelphia-based rapper maintains he wasn’t really making that much money. He told MTV’s Sway last month on RapFix Live, that while it may have looked like he was getting money, “he didn’t get everything he felt he was owed.”

In addition although the clothing line and movie scripts were his ideas, he only owned 20 percent of State Property and only got “SAG wages” from the movies.

Talk about someone needing something better to do with their time…

After years of hearing about rapper Foxy Brown, aka Inga Marchand, being sued and arrested, jailed, arrested again and then sued, homegirl wants some payback for the fact that prosecuters recently pressed charges against her for allegedly mooning her neighbor. The same neighbor she hit in the face with a BlackBerry that wound up putting her in Rikers Island for violating her prior probation. The charges for this little supposed behind-revealing encounter however, were dropped. So not only is she hoping to sue, but Brown would be suing for a whopping $100 million dollars (COUNT IT!) for her supposed suffering. I don’t see girlfriend getting a red cent from the city. If you ask me, she should be glad and feel blessed that the case was dismissed, and use it as a sign that she either needs to get her life together or just please, please sit down somewhere!

To hear why her mooning case was dismissed and to learn more about why she is suing, check out AOL’s Black Voices for the full story.