Sunday October 31rst, 2004
New CD's this past week:
- New Edition – One love
- Dionne Warwick – My favorite time of the year
- Jabari Grover – When I’m with you (UK release)
Music news stories this week:
Fans Not Concerned About Alleged Usher Sex Romp Tape
The New York Daily News is reporting on a
videotape that allegedly shows
Usher, who was reportedly just 19-years-old at the time, in a sex romp
with two women. The newspaper claims that a source let them view a portion
of the tape, which showed a naked woman moaning his nickname "Ush," while
TLC's song "Waterfalls" was playing in the background. Usher, who is now
26, used to date Rozonda (Chilli) Thomas from TLC.
A source told the Daily News that the owner of a club where Usher once
performed introduced the young singer to the two women in the video as a
way of showing his gratitude. The source says, "There's no doubt it's
Usher. You can see him hamming for the camera." A spokeswoman for Usher
had no immediate comment.
R. Kelly, Missy Elliott Contribute To “American
Idol” Fantasia’s Debut CD
American Idol season three finalist
Fantasia has lined up an all-star
group of producers for her debut album Free Yourself which hits stores on
November 23rd. MTV News reports that Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri, and R.
Kelly, among others, are all writing and producing songs for the record.
In a statement released to the press, Fantasia said "I can't believe
they're writing songs just for me. I want the record to show different
aspects of what I can do musically."
Noted producer Rodney Jerkins, who contributed a track as well, says that
Fantasia is a soulful, talented singer. He says, "She's a young Aretha
Franklin /Mary J. Blige all rolled up into one. This girl's got some pipes
on her, serious pipes."
R. Kelly's Booted From "Best Of Both Worlds Tour"
Lawyers for singer R. Kelly were filing a
criminal complaint against a
member of rapper Jay-Z's entourage and considering other legal action
after the platinum-selling stars' joint tour came to an abrupt end.
The "I Believe I Can Fly" singer was booted from remaining shows at
Madison Square Garden by the promoter Saturday, a day after a member of
Jay-Z's entourage allegedly blasted Kelly with pepper spray, said his
publicist, Allan Mayer. The promoter announced that Jay-Z, with special
guests, would do the shows alone.
Kelly's lawyers were filing a complaint against the entourage member and
considering action over the decision to remove Kelly from the tour, Mayer
said.
"The fans deserve better than this," Kelly said in a statement. "I'd like
the show to go on. It's really disappointing that Jay-Z and the promoter
don't."
Jay-Z and R. Kelly were in the midst of a 40-city "Best of Both Worlds"
tour, which has been beset by canceled shows and reports that the feuding
performers weren't even on speaking terms.
The tour, which had been scheduled to run through Nov. 28, has been
canceled, said promoter Jeff Sharp of Atlanta Worldwide Touring. Jay-Z's
publicist was unsure if the rapper would try and fill the remaining dates
as a solo act.
The pepper-spray incident happened about an hour into Friday night's show,
when Kelly walked on stage and said he saw two people in the audience
waving guns, Mayer said. Kelly abruptly stopped his set around 9:30 p.m.
while arena security employees searched for weapons.
Finding none, guards told Kelly it was safe to continue performing, Mayer
said. But as the singer was making his way back to the stage, a man in
Jay-Z's entourage — apparently miffed that Kelly interrupted the show —
sprayed him and two of his bodyguards in the face, Mayer said.
"I'm pretty sure Jay didn't realize what was going on," Mayer said.
All three men were treated at St. Vincent's Hospital and released, he
said. Jay-Z performed for another 45 minutes after Kelly was sprayed.
Jana Fleishman, publicist for Jay-Z, said Saturday that the rapper's
entourage knew nothing about the incident because it occurred while Jay-Z
was performing. Jay-Z "did not attack R. Kelly in any way, shape or form,"
Fleishman said.
In a radio interview on Hot 97 FM radio Friday, Jay-Z said he couldn't
understand why Kelly left the stage.
"You can't get a gun inside Madison Square Garden," the rapper said. "If
people give me love he can't take it."
The Chicago Sun-Times reported discord between the two performers after
Kelly showed up more than two hours late for a show in Chicago and walked
off the stage mid-performance in St. Louis this month.
Three shows on the tour were canceled because of "technical difficulties"
suffered by Kelly, Fleishman said.
On Tuesday, Kelly and Jay-Z released their collaborative CD "Unfinished
Business."