HRS News

Days after the Queen Of Soul criticized Beyonce for referring to Tina Turner as “The Queen” at the Grammys (and endured a subsequent tongue-lashing from Beyonce’s meddlin’ daddy), Franklin got seriously dissed by the animal rights group PETA.

Peta had serious problems with the music legend showing up at the Grammys in a full lengths fur, and even called her a “walrus in a cat costume” on their blog.

PETA VP Dan Mathews jumped into the Franklin-dissing fray with the following open letter in which he called her a court jester:

Dear Aretha-

Music lovers may think of you as a “queen,” but to animal lovers, you are a court jester. I’m sorry, Aretha, but your furs make you look like a clown. Why not shed the old-fashioned look that adds pounds to your frame and detracts from your beautiful voice? Won’t you donate your furs to the poor as “queen of compassion,” Mariah Carey, did? You’ll get a tax credit for the donation, and we at PETA will all sing your praises.

Dan Mathews
VP, PETA

So far there’s been no comment from The Queen.

One of Def Jam’s newest artists, Rocko, is prepping for the release of his March 18 album Self Made. The set sees him take on the mantle of performer for the first time.

He recently conducted an interview where he speaks about the set as well as the video to the lead single “Umma Do Me.”

The Atlanta producer/writer is the owner of Rocky Road, which according to his bio, is “a development company that allowed him to play a role in every aspect of budding artists’ growth.”

“I was infatuated with the way people produced music form scratch, how you go in and make something out of nothing,” says Rocko. “I kinda like fell in love with that whole idea. I wanted to learn how to write and format songs and make beats.”

Rocko, whose birth name is Rodney Hill, soon went on to produce for the likes of Young Dro, Dem Franchize Boyz, Lil’ Flip and Pastor Troy.

Interview

http://www.myspace.com/rockodadon