♫ Keri Hilson feat. Timbaland – Return the Favor (snippet) – REMOVED
Check out this snippet of Keri Hilson’s “Return the Favor,” which was originally supposed to be the first single from her debut album, In A Perfect World…, which is set to hit stores on September 23rd. I think that they didn’t go with this song because it’s similarities to “The Way I Are,” but I love the song all the same. I’m really excited about Keri’s album. She just shot the video for her first single, “Energy” in LA. It was directed by Melina.

♫ Joe – Beautiful (full) – listen
Here’s some new music from one of my favorite R&B crooners in the game, Joe. “Beautiful” is apparently some new material from his upcoming project. I actually was a huge fan of his last album, Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me, which didn’t really perform well from what I remember. “Beautiful” is a cool track though. I think Joe just needs more of a push from his label in order to get his project out there.

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R&B star, Usher along with his son, Usher Raymond V cover the August 2008 issue of Essence magazine. This is the first official look at the Usher V.

In the interview (conducted by actor/author Hill Harper) Usher speaks yet again on fatherhood, his marriage and rumors. Here is a snippet:

HILL HARPER: In the last year, you got married and you’ve had a baby. Which has changed you more?

USHER: They’re both linked—I can’t have one without the other. But the one thing that changed me the most is having a wife. Our child is an extension of that union.

HARPER: Why?

USHER: Because now I represent what he is to become. He’s gonna admire me, he’s gonna look up to me. He’s gonna say, “I wanna be”—or he should say— “I wanna be like my father. I wanna be a man of valor. I wanna possess what my father has as a man.” To get married was a choice. To have a child is a responsibility.

read more at essence.com

Guess who was spotted out and about in London on Tuesday afternoon? Hint: This person recently inked a lucrative deal with a popular drink company.

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Let me reintroduce you to Hollyweerd. Back in January, we featured them in our artist spotlight section, and they got a swelling response from readers, other blogs and even some label executives.

So, they felt is was time to give the public another taste of what they’ve been grinding on. “Monkey” is that just that – a wild, loose animal, all over the place, a lot different than their previous track, “Have You Ever Made Love To A Weerdo?” But the group is still going strong and working on their debut, banging out cuts with a few different producers.

If you’re digging the sounds of Hollyweerd, make sure you show them some CL love on their MySpace!

Here is the newest video from Nas. It was produced by Polow Da Don and features Keri Hilson. Nas’s new album, Untitled is set to drop next week on July 15th. Peep some video from behind the scenes when you keep reading..

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A criminal lawsuit and a civil lawsuit against Hip-Hop mogul James “J” Prince will be thrown out of court, after the mogul was cleared of assault charges yesterday (July 9).
 
The Harris County District Attorney dropped the charges against Prince due to inconsistent statements from witnesses.
 
Prince was charged with a felony count of assault, after being accused of orchestrating an attack on Houston producer Ronnie Bookman, who owns the 7303 Recording studio.
 
“I always…(read more)

Hip-Hop mogul Steve Rifkind and his SRC Corporation has entered into a partnership with Chief Executive Air to provide exclusive jet services to some a variety of celebrity clientele.
 
Rifkind, 44, will leverage his 25-plus-years of experience in the entertainment industry to help attract a variety of multi-platinum artists and actors to use Chief Executive Air’s “elite charter services.”
 
As founder of SRC and Loud Records, Rifkind has worked with a number acts, from Fat Joe, Big…(read more)

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, is a fan of some rap music but he recently voiced a concern many hip-hop lovers have been discussing for years.

“I am troubled sometimes by the misogyny and materialism of a lot of rap lyrics,” the Democratic presidential contender said in an interview with Rolling Stone, “but I think the genius of the art form has shifted the culture and helped to desegregate music.”

He also gave a shout out to Russell Simmons and Jay-Z as “great talents and great businessmen.”

“It would be nice if I could have my daughters listen to their music without me worrying that they were getting bad images of themselves,” he added.

The interview, in this week’s magazine, also sees him discuss the artists found on his iPod which include Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and more.

In related news, Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am recently said in a separate Rolling Stone interview he created “Yes We Can,” the award-winning, star-studded video ode to Obama, for the sake of the kiddies.

“Children say, ‘I wanna be like 50 Cent, I wanna be like Kanye West,’” he opined. “Shouldn’t they say, ‘I wanna be like Barack Obama?’”

More with will.i.am on the story behind the creation of the “Yes We Can” video

Will Smith thinks he’d make a good Obama since they both have big ears. Shocker.

CNN

“The Insider” has obtained papers related to the custody of Kimora and Russell’s two young daughters.
Kimora Lee has obtained sole legal and physical custody of Ming, 8, and Aoki, 5. Russell gets visitation with the girls for one week every eighth week with additional summer vacation and holiday time. Kimora won the legal authority to make all decisions regarding the kids’ health, education and welfare.

Read entire article on the Insider