While Wale was somewhere talking to MTV about why he didn’t appreciate Kelly Clarkson’s comments about Miguel and his performance at the Grammys on February 10 (“Miguel, I don’t know who the hell you are, but we need to sing together. I mean, good God. That was the sexiest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”), Miguel was somewhere NOT tripping, and in fact, hobnobbing with his idols and soaking in the success of his Grammy night. Billboard magazine crowned him the Breakout Star of the whole star-studded evening after he captured everyone’s attention and admiration with his stripped down performance of “Adorn” with Wiz Khalifa. It was so well-received that sales for the single were at their highest thanks to a 229 percent increase. Plus, he won best R&B song for the track.

Billboard caught up with the singer a few days later to speak on how his performance in the aisle came to life (which some thought was a downgrade *cough* Wale *cough*), breaking down whether he did or didn’t work with Beyoncé recently, touring with Alicia Keys soon, and why his popular song “P**y is Mine” from Kaleidoscope Dream had his girlfriend giving the side eye. Here are a few highlights:

When asked about how his last-minute performance came to life and how he ended up in the aisles and not on the stage, and he says that in the end, his performance placement was genius:

“A week-and-a-half out we knew that we could perform. I wanted to make an intimate thing but I had a bigger vision about the crowd. I got to tip my hat to [telecast producer] Ken Ehrlich-he really had the vision. I did want it to be a stripped-down performance, and it really was genius of him to put us in the aisle.”

He also discussed how “Adorn” almost became a deep cut on his EP last year, until his A&R said he should release it as a single:

“In late 2011 I was like, “I’m going to put out a series of micro EPs.” I just knew I wanted to put out free music and make it very quality vs. quantity, very personal. Make the whole thing a personal creative process from the artwork to the painting to the design to the production and writing-just for the people who discover music like I do online or my favorite blogs. We put out the first one at the top of February of 2012, and “Adorn” was on that and it got quite a buzz. It got a great response and Mark Pitts, my A&R, was convinced that it should be a single and I was excited, but I was like, “Are you sure this could work?” He was like, “Man, that s**t is going to kill.” And he was right.”

Out of all the love songs and jams on Kaleidoscope Dream, Miguel was asked what influence his girlfriend had on them, and what she thought of ‘em. One song in particular didn’t necessarily light her fire off the top, but the meaning behind it is pretty beautiful:

“P**y Is Mine” was not her favorite song. That whole song was freestyle. What makes it interesting is the juxtaposition of ego and vulnerability. It’s kind of rolled in this vulnerability, wanting to claim it — “Tell me that it’s mine” — but it’s also out of this vulnerable need: “I want to feel I’m the only one in this moment.” I’ve really been there. It felt like such an honest moment.”

Lastly, Miguel opened up about the rumor that he was working with Beyoncéon her next album after he snapped a pic with the singer and put it on his Instagram. While that time in the studio together never really happened, he would love it:

Have I worked with Beyonce? [laughs] I was really nervous to ask her, that was all, I just asked her to take a photo with me and she was really sweet about it. That’s all I can say. I’ve honestly never worked with Beyonce. It would be awesome, though, I would love that.

Check out the full interview at Billboard.com and pick up the newest issue to run your fingers through it.

Source: WENN, Johnny Louis

During Sunday night’s airing of the Grammy Awards, eyebrows raised as Kelly Clarkson mounted the stage to accept her award for Best Pop Vocal Album and delivered a rather awkward acceptance speech that many considered to be slighting to R&B vocalist, Miguel.

“Miguel, I don’t know who the hell you are, but we need to sing together. I mean, good God. That was the se*iest damn thing I’ve ever seen,” Clarkson said, refferring to Miguel’s sultry performance of hit single “Adorn”.

Although many didn’t think much of the singer’s comments, others found them highly offensive and slighting to Miguel. While Miguel has yet to come out to express whether or not he felt shafted by Kelly’s comments, friend and peer Wale had a few words to say about the comments.

“I didn’t like the Kelly Clarkson back-handed comments to Miguel. I didn’t like that at all. I just feel like our urban music is belittled, a little bit. Not trying to offend nobody on the committee, but for a record as big as ‘Adorn,’ and it to not be presented as a real performance onstage; it was almost like a segue to an award. Again, I don’t want to offend anybody on the committee, but that wasn’t a very good representation of our music because ‘Adorn’ is gonna be around for the next 30 years,” Wale expressed to MTV following the awards.

What makes Kelly’s comment even more interesting is that she and Miguel are actually label mates over at RCA Records.

Check out Clarkson’s full acceptance speech on the next page. Is Wale being sensitive or does he have a point?

Source: WENN

A few things are just a given in the rap game: money, cars, chains, groupies, baby mamas, and, of course, a kid or two,or three, or four— except for these rappers it’s not. Breaking the overly fertile, be fruitful and multiply like Abraham and ‘dem stereotype that characterizes most rappers these days, these rhyme spitters have managed to not let the groupie love go to their head — or to at least remember to wrap it up every time they decide to get it in with the chick who makes her way from the concert to the hotel lobby to the hotel room.

We can’t help but appreciate these guys who know sprinkling their seed, and their hard-earned money in the form of child support payments, all across the globe is not a good look. Here are nine rappers who are most definitely not the father!

Ever watch a music video and think to yourself “Whoa, what was that about?” or how about “Hmm, a crap video to go with an even crappier song.” Don’t worry, so have we. We’re sure some of these video’s directors and artists in front of the camera meant well, but some things just weren’t adding up–or they were just plain ‘ol terrible. Check out our list of video visions gone completely wrong.

So I was watching “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in the hopes of hearing some hilarious commentary about the election, because the late-night comics usually keep the laughs coming with their skits and parody videos. But I was howling in my apartment when I saw this video of a reporter for WSVN 7 News in Florida at Obama headquarters painfully confusing one black man with two men who look absolutely nothing like him. When the anchors caught up with the reporter to get his take on the night’s events, you could tell that said reporter, Blake Burman, was too excited to show the audience that there was a big celebrity in his midst. Now who that celebrity was, unfortunately, the homie Blake clearly wasn’t too sure of that part. As the camera panned slowly to Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am and back to Burman, he paused and with an assured look on his face, said “That’s Wyclef Jean giving an interview there.” As he continued with his statements about election night, someone working with him let him know that the fella was definitely not Wyclef, but they told him wrong and he then went on to claim that will.i.am was rapper Wale of all people (you know, the MMG member with the locs). A few minutes later, as his commentary went on, Burman cleared up that this mystery celebrity was indeed will.i.am, and he pulled the “I must be tired” card that Diane Sawyer used to explain her own interesting behavior and confusion on ABC during election night. I’m not mad at him, in fact, I thought it was very hilarious. But will.i.am? He might not have found it so comical…

And if you’ve got a minute, you also need to check out this hilarious video (made like a PSA) Jimmy Kimmel did on obnoxious social media behavior that needs to stop now that the election is over. That includes claiming you’re moving to Canada, calling folks “scumbags” and “socialists,” and even pooping on people’s lawns. Hey, I’m sure somebody’s doing the latter in saltiness. Classic.

Source: newsreview.com

Last year, I was asked to speak on a panel about misogyny at the Hip-hop symposium at Princeton University. I was the only female on the panel, which provided me with much pressure. Twiddling my fingers and taking swigs of water I nestled into the conversation, trying to make my way in whenever a brief pause allowed.

The panelists threw banter of Greek goddesses and connections to the hyper sexuality of women through time—landing upon the perspective of sixteen bars. We traded words without interruption—even from the moderator—and agreed to disagree. During our question session, something not so deep and often ignored blitzed at me through inquiry.

A college aged girl asked, “Aren’t you tired of rappers giving us handouts? One song about love and then one about whores, it’s like they write the one respectful track for us to buy the album. Wale is a prime example.”

I remember answering her quickly, the timekeeper symbolizing that our tenure had almost expired, “You’re absolutely right. Wale’s ‘Manipulation’ record shows the difference between a good and a bad guy, but the end of the track’s banter shows that he’s probably the latter:

“I’ll treat you like a queen, you rather be a slave

I’ll show you I’m a gentleman, but you prefer a cave man

Shoebox money, and crumbled up 20′s

I’ll teach you ’bout equity and real estate honey”

Banter at the end: ”I might have said some words or some terms that might be offensive. Basically I just want to give you a formal apology, I didn’t really mean it…I wanted to creatively express myself.  I just want to let them know that there are two different types of guys you can date. There’s the good guys that’s going to call you a lady or a woman, even your real first name, and then there’s the guy that’s gonna try to pull your hair and call you Beyotches, hoes and all that. So you basically have the opportunity to choose one or the other. So Beyotch, pick the right mother—.”

Almost every emcee has had their day with misogyny: Tupac made “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and “I Get Around.” Jay-Z scribed “That’s My Beyotch” during the first years of his union with Beyonce. Even Common’s “Ghetto Dreams” touches on it: “I want a beyotch that look good and cook good// Cinderella fancy, but she still look hood//Butt naked in the kitchen flipping pancakes//Plus she tricking from the dough that her man makes.” Common will tell you that this is his personifying of a ghetto brother’s voice, but I’m quite sure he wouldn’t mind the visual.

However, the reason why Wale’s misogyny is so highlighted is because of his blatant and bold dichotomy. How can someone who pushed an entire campaign for ambitious girls—the female bloggers/hip-hop writers swooning at their keyboards—also be so incredibly disrespectful when it comes to women? How can you call yourself an advocate for the educated and independent and then down them in your next verse? It doesn’t stop at the new music—if you check Wale’s mix tapes before he became mainstream, you’ll notice his split was apparent far before his hit singles. Wale’s issues seem to stem outside of the music arena. Examples: His spar with Amanda Diva, the Pretty Girls fiasco, his infamous emotional tweets and numerous other rumored experiences.

But I feel as if it goes far deeper than that. Has anyone ever REALLY listened to Wale? I’m not talking about the go-go band induced beats and clever puns, I’m talking about what’s in between the lines and sifting amongst his most hurtful utterances.

“Sometimes I just wanna speak you up// Yeah, hit you up, or call you up, or send a text// Your new man got my respect// So if I do call it’s just to check//”

“Perfection doesn’t exist if it doesn’t consume her// And the truth hurts that this world’s mine, but the womb is hers//
“I’m in love with your business// and your productivity is the reason I interest, ambitious girl// See, I like the person that you are, but I’m in love with the person that you have the potential to be//”

Source: eurweb.com

From eurweb.com

This week, NFL’er Victor Cruz celebrated his new memoir, “Out Of the Blue” with close family, celebrity friends and fans of the New York Giants star.

We spotted Wale, singer/actor - Josh Groban, Eric Benet, Julissa Bermudez, Adrienne Bailon, DJ Kiss, DJ Clark Kent, Peter Rosenberg, K.Foxx, Joell Ortiz, Jeannette Jenkins and DJ M.O.S.

The private party took place at New York’s No.8 in NYC.

See more pics at eurweb.com

More on Madame Noire!

• Did You Know They Dated? 10 Secret Lovers, Temporary Boos and Flings We Were Surprised By
• Let Me Get You Straight, Girl! Advice To The Real ‘Housewives’ Of Atlanta!
• When It Comes To Failed Marriages, Perhaps Expecting A Fairy Tale Is The Problem
• First Date, First Impression: Is It Really You?
• MN Exclusive: Jenifer Lewis On Her Favorite Role, Longevity & Playing The Momma
• Listen Up Fellas! 7 Signs SHE’s Just Not That Into You
• The Business Of Our Periods: Why Are Feminine Products So Darn Expensive?

“I don’t see it.” That’s exactly what I say each time the following names are brought up in a conversation about hot men in Hollywood. While many women, even followers of this site, swear up and down that these brothas are delicious and could “get it,” I’m always reading their comical comments, scratching my head and thinking, “Wow…really?” I’m a fan of most of these individuals, but you won’t see me throwing my panties at the computer screen for ‘em. But hey, whatever floats your boat, right?

Source: Esquire

Jay-Z

Ever since Beyoncé upgraded this brotha, people have been saying for years that he’s got it going on. Got what going on and in what way you ask? I can’t say 100 percent, but you can probably blame it on June Ambrose who made him re-evaluate his fashion choices, and the business sense he cultivated on his own, which helped him reach an audience outside regular hip-hop fans, invest in NBA teams, push a fashion label, be the head at Def Jam for a while and more. That in turn helped him rake in more and more money, and a lot of women find a man good with money to be attractive. For the most part, he seems to be a pleasant and sweet character, especially when he’s with his lady and baby girl. But all that talk of “Jay is looking good as hell right now!” just because he put a fitted cap on evades me…

jusflippin.com

Ever take a moment to check up on the latest and greatest with your favorite stars and always see the same people with issues? The media, of course, is always to blame for how they act and are portrayed and not them.  *blank stare* For some stars all may be good but there’s one thing you wonder: “Does he ever smile?”

Well these men, for many different reasons have not always been in the high favor of the media or public opinion….let’s see why they are always mad…

Read the rest of this entry »

The Hip Hop game is male-dominated, so it comes as no surprise that there are more songs about women than there those made “for the ladies.” But it’s always surprising when women love music that’s blatantly chauvinistic and disrespectful. In this day and age, women demand respect and men that don’t deliver are shunned in civil environments.

That is, unless it’s a song at play. Apparently, a good beat and a catchy hook goes a long way, because the moment the bass drops women everywhere are crowding dance floors, singing and claiming, “that’s my song!”

After the jump: A list of songs women love at the demise of decency.