What the Hashtag in Mariah Carey's "#Beautiful" Song Title Really Means

Posted yesterday at 8:00pm

Facebook.com/MariahCareyWhen Mariah Carey released her new hit "#Beautiful," many people wondered why she included the hashtag in the song title. After all, she and duet partner Miguel don't sing "hashtag beautiful" in the song, so what purpose does it serve? Well, turns out it's standing in for a naughty word.

The explicit version of "#Beautiful" is now on iTunes, and while linking to it on Twitter, Mariah wrote, "Find out what the hashtag means :)." Fans who download the song will hear very clearly that Miguel is singing "f" word -- the adjective form, to be precise -- before he sings "beautiful." So now you know.

Speaking of hashtags, Mariah is asking fans to use them to help name the puppies that her dog, Squeak E. Beans, just gave birth to, much to the singer's surprise.

As Mariah wrote on Facebook, "I promise I was told she was spayed! Ugh!" But she added that the pups are "irresistible," and invites fans to suggest names via Twitter using the hashtag #namedempuppies. There are two males and a female pup just waiting for their names, dahhhling.

Did Bronx Rapper Tim Dog Fake His Death?

Posted yesterday at 5:00pm

TimDogMusic.comCould Bronx rapper Tim Dog have faked his death? That's what authorities are investigating more than three months after media outlets, including The Source magazine, announced that Tim had died at age 46 after supposedly suffering a seizure that was related to diabetes.

Now, Memphis television station WREG reports that a Mississippi judge has issued an arrest a warrant for Tim Dog, born Timothy Blair, and a prosecutor is demanding to see the rapper's death certificate.

A woman tells WREG that she believes Tim is a con man who is trying to get out of making court-ordered repayments to her for money that she allegedly lost in an online dating scam involving him. The payments stopped, she says, after the death was reported.

The woman, Esther Pilgrim, says that at first she, too, believed that Tim Dog had died. But then, she says, she and an friend began investigating, including searching for a death certificate. "There was nothing of what you would normally find," she says. "What city? Who found him? There was nothing with any type of concrete details."

Tim Dog was best known for dissing West Coast artists with his 1991 song "F**k Compton." Interestingly, his former producer and collaborator Cedric "Ced Gee" Miller told WREG that he refused to speak at Tim Dog's funeral because he had suspicions about the supposed February 14 death. Ced says he's not even sure that a funeral ever took place.

Beyonce, Jay-Z Named One of the World's Most Powerful Couples

Posted yesterday at 2:00pm

Mychal Watts/WireImageOn her own, Beyonce is a stunning force. But together with Jay-Z, she and her hubby are almost unstoppable, and that's why Forbes has named them among the World's Most Powerful Couples. The magazine looked at twosomes across politics, media, technology and music to find high-profile pairs who are doing big things individually and even bigger things together.

Not surprisingly, the list includes the likes of Melinda Gates and Bill Gates, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and, of course, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, who also get a special mention in the blurb on Jay and Bey. "The first couple of music is tight with the first couple of the United States," writes Forbes, explaining why they've included the Carters in their power list.

The line between entertainment and politics actually blurred back in April when Beyonce and Jay celebrated their wedding anniversary with a trip to Cuba. Some politicians demanded to know who gave clearance for the visit to that country where travel by U.S. citizens is generally prohibited, and the topic even came up during a White House press conference. It turned out that Beyonce and Jay's journey had been pre-approved by the State Department, and President Obama even went on to joke about the controversy, saying, "I've got 99 problems and now Jay-Z's one."

Beside the fact that Beyonce and Jay-Z attract national attention, the pair also make an impact on the entertainment scene worldwide. Jay will reportedly rake in around $100,000 for each show he does on tour with Justin Timberlake this summer, and Bey is busy selling out arenas on her the Mrs. Carter Show world tour.

Miguel Releasing Second "Art Dealer Chic" EP Series This July

Posted yesterday at 11:00am

Facebook.com/MiguelMusicWhile the Web continues to giggle over Miguel's unintentional dropkick-stage jump at the Billboard Music Awards, the singer is focusing on a new music project that he'll be delivering to fans this summer.

"I did a small project called Art Dealer Chic last year, at the top of the year," Miguel tells Billboard. He's referring to the three-part set, that introduced fans to his song "Adorn," which has gone on to win a Grammy. The Art Dealer Chic, free EP series was released over the course of three months, and Miguel says, "We'll being doing that this summer, releasing new music for the fans online."

The official date isn't set yet, but Miguel tells Billboard that he expects to unleash his first new Art Dealer Chic EP in July, with the second and third installments coming in August and September.

In addition to new music, Miguel is also getting his feet wet in the world of fashion. He tells Billboard that he's designing some special items, "Things you can wear in the summer and fall."

Beyonce Makes "Forbes" List of World's Most Powerful Women; Releases New Videos

Posted yesterday at 8:00am

Photo by James Devaney/WireImageBeyonce is a "Groooooown Woman," and according to Forbes magazine, she's also one of the globe's most influential.

The magazine has unveiled its annual list of the World's Most Powerful Women, and once again, the roster includes the singer and entrepreneur. Back in 2012, she came in at #32, but this go-round, King Bey's made the leap to #17, putting her above prime ministers, business leaders and a real-life monarch: Queen Elizabeth II, who comes in at #40.

Beyonce, who is just a handful of spots below Oprah Winfrey, also out-ranks the only other singers on the Forbes list, Lady Gaga and Shakira.

So what's the big deal about Beyonce? Forbes writes that, "If there was a single year when Queen B truly ruled the world, this is it." The highlights include signing a contract with Pepsi reportedly worth $50 million, rocking the Super Bowl halftime show in February, premiering her HBO autobiographical documentary and kicking off a massive world tour.

Speaking of that trek, Beyonce has released a slew of YouTube videos from behind the scenes of her The Mrs. Carter Show world tour. In one clip from April, Bey reveals that she's under the weather, but the show must go on. "I'm actually quite nervous because yesterday I was diagnosed with tonsillitis," she says to the camera, just before a performance. "Hopefully I'll give Croatia a great concert. I'm gonna fight as hard as I can and I know that God has my back and God will protect me."

Other clips introduce fans to identical twin brothers Les Twins, who dance alongside Bey during her shows. There's also video from that night in Paris back in April when Beyonce premiered her "Grown Woman" song on stage.

Women's Empowerment Concert Featuring Beyonce & More Airing as TV Special

Posted yesterday at 5:01am

ChimeforChange.orgHighlights from next month's Sound of Change Live concert in London, promoting improved education, health and justice for women and girls around the world, will be televised by NBC as a two-hour special.

The special, titled The Women’s Concert for Change: Live from London, will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, June 2, one day after the concert will be held at Twickenham Stadium.

The lineup includes Beyonce, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Ellie Goulding and Florence the Machine. Madonna, James Franco and Salma Hayek Pinault will be among the presenters at the event, which will be presented by Gucci’s Chime for Change.

In addition, Ben Affleck, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts and other celebrities will make appearances in PSAs that will air during the NBC special.

Kelly Rowland, The-Dream Announce Details of Their New Tour Schedule

Posted yesterday at 5:01am

RepublicThere's been some confusion about Kelly Rowland and The-Dream's co-headlining Lights Out tour. There were rumors that the whole trek would be canceled now that Kelly's been tapped to appear as a judge on The X Factor, but the Lights Out tour will go on.

"First, I want to wish my friend Kelly congratulations on her new gig at X Factor," The-Dream says in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have to change some tour dates which has been extremely hard for me and for Kelly." Because of scheduling conflicts, the co-headliners have had to scrap shows, including concerts previously scheduled this week in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Kansas City, Missouri.

"It’s an amazing experience to be able to perform live for your fans and The Dream and I are so grateful to have the opportunity to tour together,” Kelly says. "Even though we’ve adjusted our original plans a bit, we’re very excited,” she adds.

The tour will make previously announced stops in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, then Baltimore on Tuesday, and followed by New York City, on May 30. The trek will then take Kelly and The-Dream to Philadelphia on May 31, and Mashantucket, CT, on June 2.

The-Dream, whose new album IV Play arrives in stores Tuesday, adds that, "We are looking forward to seeing everyone at a later date. But in support of IV Play, I will find the time to come to some of the cities left out to the best of my ability, if only to be in front of the fans that support us."

Kelly will still make previously scheduled appearances at the Riverfest in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Saturday, and at Caribbean Fashion Week in Kingston, Jamaica on June 8th.

LeToya Luckett Added to VH1's "Single Ladies" Cast

Posted Wednesday night

LeToyaOnline.comLeToya Luckett has joined the cast of VH1's scripted series, Single Ladies.

That's according to Deadline, which reports that LeToya will play "the icy and aloof" character Felicia Price, the founder and senior partner of a super influential music management company that she's built for herself. Among the company's employees is David Berenger, a character played by new cast member Damien Wayans.

Deadline reports that Lesley-Ann Brandt is the third new addition to the Single Ladies cast. Brandt will play a calculating gold-digger who causes friction with LisaRaye McCoy's Keisha character, according to Deadline.

Rihanna Gets Cheeky on "Pour It Up" Video Set

Posted Wednesday evening

Photo courtesy of Rihanna via InstagramJust when you think Rihanna's pushed the limits of photo sharing to the max, she takes to Instagram with a new skin-baring snapshot. This time, the singer shared a close-up of her butt cheeks, which were framed by a pair of barely there jean shorts that actually covered less of her booty than the red thong she was wearing underneath.

According to the caption, the racy picture was captured as Rihanna wrapped shooting of her "Pour It Up" music video. The post has since been deleted, but there are other "Pour It Up" pics to see, including one that shows a floor covered in what appear to be dollar bills. Upon closer inspection though, it's clear that Rihanna's face is printed on the special edition dollar bills bearing her signature "R" and "DIAMONDS WORLD TOUR."

"ALL I SEE IZ $IGN$ #pouritupvideoshoot #stripclubsanddollabillz," Rihanna wrote in the caption. Her pal Melissa Forde held up a bucket full of the Rih currency in one of her Instagram photos, revealing in another post that she's headed to Morocco.

Rihanna will be in that country this Friday for her Diamonds world tour stop at the Mawazine festival in Rabat.

Report: Lil Scrappy Going to Rehab for Marijuana Addiction

Posted Wednesday evening

Photo courtesy of Lil Scrappy via InstagramLil Scrappy is headed to rehab to deal with what he says is an addiction to weed. He appeared in a Georgia courtroom Wednesday after failing a court-ordered drug test, which officials say came up positive for marijuana, according to TMZ.

Scrappy's lawyer tells the website that his client will check into a rehab facility before he has to return to court in June. In a message to fans Wednesday, Scrappy tweeted, "I'm ok for now y'all we will b letting u knw wut the outcome is n the future."

Back in April, Scrappy turned himself in to Atlanta authorities after officials suspected that a urine test he'd taken as part of his ongoing probation on marijuana and gun possession charges had been tampered with. Because Scrappy refused to submit another urine sample, a warrant was issued.

Beyonce, Rihanna, Miguel & More Among First Wave of Teen Choice Awards Music Nominees

Posted Wednesday afternoon

Facebook.com/TeenChoiceAwardsThe first wave of the Teen Choice Awards nominations have been announced, with Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Trey Songz and Miguel among this year's nominees.

Rihanna's up for Choice Female Artist, while Justin Timberlake is nominated for Choice Male Artist. As for Choice R&B Artist, Beyonce, Alicia, Miguel and Trey are nominated in that category. YMCMB stars Nicki Minaj and Drake are up for Choice Hip-Hop/Rap Artist, as is Kanye West. The music categories include nominees in almost every type of genre including pop, country, R&B, hip-hop, rock, and electronic dance music.

LL Cool J also appears among the nominees. He's in the running for Choice TV Actor on an "Action" show, thanks to his role on NCIS: Los Angeles.

The Teen Choice Awards will air August 11, live on Fox from 8-10 p.m. ET. Starting now, fans ages 13-19 can vote once a day in each category for their favorite Teen Choice 2013 nominees at TeenChoiceAwards.com.

Here are nominees from some of the music categories:

Choice Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Bruno Mars
Phillip Phillips
Pitbull
Justin Timberlake

Choice Female Artist
Selena Gomez
Demi Lovato
Pink
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Choice R&B Artist
Beyoncé
Alicia Keys
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Trey Songz

Choice Hip-Hop/Rap Artist
Drake
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Nicki Minaj
Pitbull
Kanye West

K. Michelle Takes Fans Behind the Scenes of Rebel Against Campaign

Posted Wednesday morning

AtlanticK. Michelle wants to give women a voice, and she's doing that through a special campaign called Rebel Against. The singer, whose upcoming album is titled Rebellious Soul, is the latest celebrity to team up with Saving Our Daughters, an organization that works to stop bullying and domestic violence.

In a video behind the scenes of her Rebel Against photo shoot, K. Michelle talks about her new partnership, explaining, "I teamed up with Saving Our Daughters to just empower women on different things that might make them feel inferior, whether it might be violence, racism, or anything that they may be struggling or facing from day to day."

K. Michelle's Rebel Against campaign with Saving Our Daughters will include speaking events and more. More information will be shared on K. Michelle's website.

Rihanna Working on a New Album Already?

Posted Wednesday morning

PR NewswireRihanna may already be working on the follow-up to her latest studio album, 2012's Unapologetic. In an interview with The Source, producer and songwriter Rodney Jerkins reveals that he's been cooking up material for some major stars, including Rih.

"There’s a lot of good stuff happening," Rodney tells The Source, explaining that he has plans to work with Britney Spears, and he's got some stuff going with Mariah Careyand Jennifer Lopez. "I also wrote a couple of songs that are being considered for Rihanna’s new album," he says.

Unapologetic arrived in stores only six months ago, but Rihanna tends to work fast. She's released seven albums in less than eight years. For now though, Rihanna is busy on her Diamonds world tour, which wraps up in November.

Kelly Rowland's "Talk a Good Game" Track List Revealed

Posted Wednesday morning

RepublicThe track listing for Kelly Rowland's Talk a Good Game album has made its way online. The 15-track set is available for pre-order from iTunes, which means there's finally a little more information about Kelly's much-anticipated track with her Destiny's Child pals Beyonce and Michelle Williams.

The trio collaborate on a song titled "You Changed," but since no preview is available yet, fans will have to wait and see whether the ladies are singing about a shaky romantic relationship or a rocky patch in their friendship. Earlier this month, Kelly surprised Destiny's Child fans when she revealed her frustrations after the group's split on her latest Talk a Good Game single, "Dirty Laundry."

Other guests on the album include Wiz Khalifa on "Gone" and Pusha T on "Street Life." The-Dream -- who features Kelly on his upcoming IV Play album -- drops in on her "Sky Walker" track. Talk a Good Game's title track features another collaborator, Kevin Cossom. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter has worked with Keri Hilson, Rihanna, Chris Brown and more.

Check out the full Talk a Good Game track list here:

"Freak"
"Kisses Down Low"
"Gone" Feat. Wiz Khalifa
"Talk a Good Game" Feat. Kevin Cossom
"Down On Love"
"Dirty Laundry"
"You Changed" feat. Beyonce & Michelle
"I Remember"
"Red Wine"
"This Is Love"
"Street Life" Feat. Pusha T
"Stand In Front of Me"
"Sky Walker" feat. The-Dream
"Put Your Name On It"
"#1"

India.Arie Shares Her "SongVersation" Album Cover

Posted Tuesday night

Photo Courtesy of India.Arie via InstagramIndia.Arie's SongVersation album arrives in stores next month, and on Tuesday, she revealed the cover art for the new set. The artwork, which India shared via Instagram, shows the singer in her signature headwrap, facing the camera with her arms open.

"My open hands represent the energy of giving and receiving, and that's what a SongVersation is," she tells Essence of her fifth studio album. On the SongVersation cover, India is wearing pink from head to toe. The shade has always been one of her favorites, she tells Essence, adding, "It's soft and feminine and represents the heart."

India tells Essence that she hopes to "spark conversation" with her new album. Back in March, when she released the artwork for her first single, "Cocoa Butter," Twitter was abuzz with allegations that India had lightened her skin color. She denied the accusations, explaining that changes in her appearance were the result of lighting. She also tweeted, "I wouldn't endanger my health that way... i'm so in love with myself I have no DESIRE to BLEACH myself."

India's SongVersation album hits stores June 25.

The-Dream Streams His "IV Play" Album; Tour Plans Change

Posted Tuesday evening

Island Def JamThe-Dream is streaming his IV Play album online, one week before the project arrives in stores. All 14 songs from the standard edition are available on Vevo, so that means fans can check out full versions of tracks featuring Beyonce, Gary Clark Jr., Jay-Z and more.

On Monday night, The-Dream and his "Where Have You Been?" collaborator Kelly Rowland performed their song together on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In a tweet Monday, Dream messaged his duet partner, writing, "K.Row..... Thank You from Me and the Lovecult for being here for me Today! Jay Leno...I appreciate it soooo much. I LOVE you!"

The-Dream and Kelly were supposed to kick off their co-headlining Lights Out tour this Thursday at Myth in St. Paul, Minnesota, but plans have changed now that Kelly will be on the judges’ panel when The X Factor returns this fall.

A note on Myth's website announces, "Due to X Factor-related scheduling conflicts, Kelly Rowland & The Dream’s Lights Out Tour has been canceled for the time being. Refunds available at the point of purchase. We are very sorry for any inconvenience." A similar message went out in a tweet from The Midland venue in Kansas City, Missouri, where the tour was scheduled to stop on Friday.

There's no word yet on whether additional dates will be scrapped. Many venues were still advertising tickets. Right now, The-Dream is preparing for the May 28 release of his IV Play album. A deluxe version of the set includes four additional bonus tracks, for a total of 18 songs.

Chief Keef Arrested for Allegedly Smoking Weed in Atlanta-Area Hotel

Posted Tuesday evening

Facebook.com/ChiefKeefChief Keef has been released from police custody in the Atlanta area after being arrested Monday for allegedly smoking weed at a swanky hotel. That's according to TMZ, which shared audio from a Le Meridien hotel security guard's call to 911.

The unidentified guard reports that he was tracking down the source of a leak at the hotel when he knocked on the door of Keef's room. That's when he says he caught a glimpse of a "bunch of gentlemen rolling marijuana." The guard says he didn't get a good look at the group, but recalls there were at least "three black males" -- two with long dreadlocks and one female.

"I announced myself as 'security,' and they let me in the room, as if it didn't even matter," the security guard reports to the dispatcher. Police were sent to the hotel, and Keef was reportedly arrested. In a tweet early Tuesday morning, Keef wrote, "Jus Got Out Of Dekalb County jail In Atlanta Mad As f**k."

Just earlier this year, Keef was sentenced to 60 days in juvenile detention after violating his probation by holding a rifle during an on-camera interview last year with the music website Pitchfork.

Beyonce's "Grown Woman" Track Leaks to the Web

Posted Tuesday afternoon

IAmBeyonce.comThe Beyonce headlines have been nonstop for weeks now, but with all the chatter about concert dates, pregnancy rumors and H&M ads, the BeyHive has been calling for new music. On Monday, fans got their wish -- at least, sort of.

A full version of Beyonce's "Grown Woman" track is now on the Web, and though it's not clear whether the song is in its final state, it's the closest fans have gotten to a new single from the singer. Reportedly produced by Timbaland and co-written by The-Dream, "Grown Woman" features Bey declaring, "I can look fast if I want/I can go slow all night long" over a lush, tribal beat.

A snippet of the song debuted last month as part of Bey's "Mirrors" commercial for Pepsi, and later somebody at a concert in Paris posted footage of Mrs. Carter performing the new material. The audio from the show was a little rough, but now fans can finally hear Beyonce loud and clear. "It ain't no fun if a girl can't have none/You really wanna know how I got it like that 'cause I got a cute face and my booty so fat..." she sings.

There's no official word on whether "Grown Woman" will appear on Beyonce's upcoming album. The same goes for "Standing on the Sun," which she debuted in March as part of her H&M summer collection advertisement.

In other Beyonce news, she's been posting new photos to her Tumblr page. Along with pictures from her trip to Cuba and photos from the road, Bey also shared a snapshot of her daughter, Blue Ivy. With her back to the camera, 1-year-old Blue sits in her miniature director's chair, which displays her initials: "BIC." She sports a pink tutu, matching top and a head full of tiny pigtails.

Artists React to the Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy

Posted Tuesday afternoon

Oklahoma County SheriffSince a devastating tornado ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, on Monday, killing at least 24 people, the world has taken to Twitter to express their support, prayers for love, and to talk about how people can help. Among those reacting were many of music's stars. Here's a roundup of some of their thoughts:

Rihanna Instagrammed a graphic that reads, "Praying for Oklahoma," while Beyonce posted one that says, "Prayers for #Moore Oklahoma." Diddy did the same, sharing an Instagram graphic that reads, "Prayers Out for Oklahoma."

A post on Michelle William's tumblr says, "#PrayersForOklahoma." The graphic also shares information about donating to RedCross.org to help.

Janelle Monae: "Thinking of you Oklahoma. Thinking hard and praying. Man."

Nicki Minaj: "Love to Oklahoma"

Alicia Keys: "So much going on in the world...I'm saddened by the devastating news… My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected #PrayForOklahoma"

Chris Brown: "Sending my love and prayers to the people of Oklahoma. #PrayForOklahoma."

Solange Knowles: "Oklahoma, you are in my thoughts..."

Q-Tip: "#PrayForOklahoma thoughts are with all who were in harms way...."

Estelle: Crazy. "Oklahoma. ...Hope #mydarlings w family members there are all straight."

Snoop Dogg: "#PrayForOklahoma"

Kirk Franklin: "Lift up a prayer with me now for the people in Oklahoma..."

Coachella Announces Festival Dates for 2014; Advance Ticket Sale Begins on Friday

Posted Tuesday morning

Photo Credit: Marc BaptisteWhile the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival just wrapped up a little more than a month ago, producers for the event have already revealed their plans for 2014.

According to the festival's website, next year's event will span two weekends, April 11-13 and April 18-20, in Indio, California. While the lineup isn't expected to be announced until next year, advance passes for the 2014 installment of Coachella will go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m. PT.

Acts who took the stage during last month's festival included Janelle Monae, 2 Chainz, Wu-Tang Clan, Pusha T and Allen Stone.