Sunday October 3rd, 2004
New CD's this past week:
- O’Jays – Imagination
- Lalah Hathaway – Outrun the sky
- Cooly’s Hot Box – Don’t be afraid – get on (UK release)
Music news stories this week:
R. Kelly Wins Latest Round In Court
R&B singer R. Kelly was in a Chicago
courtroom on Monday, September 27th,
for another pre-trial hearing in his ongoing child pornography case. The
Chicago Sun-Times reports that Kelly, who is facing 14 counts of child
pornography for allegedly videotaping a sexual encounter with an underaged
girl, won his latest round in court when Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan
ordered prosecutors to narrow the time frame in which they believe he
allegedly made the videotape.
Gaughan said, "It just seems like an extraordinary amount of time."
The initial indictment against the singer provided a window of more than
four years (November 1, 1997 to February 2, 2002) when the tape could have
been made, but Kelly's lawyers successful argued that the time frame was
too broad, which made it difficult for Kelly to provide an alibi.
Additionally, the singer's attorneys filed motions suggesting that the
woman may have been of age (17) towards the end of the four-year window,
as opposed to being a minor (14) as prosecutors have argued.
Kelly is due back in court on November 4th.
In related news, R. Kelly and Jay-Z's Best of Both Worlds tour hits the
Allstate Arena in Rosemont , Illinois , tonight, September 30th. The tour
is slated wrap on November 28th in Phoenix .
Mary J. Blige On Remaking Cheryl Lynn’s “Got To Be
Real”
Grammy Award-winning singer Mary J. Blige recorded a remake of Cheryl
Lynn's 1978 hit, "Got To Be Real," for the soundtrack of the new animated
movie, Shark Tale. The singer recently explained that she was excited
about recording the song because it was a huge hit from her childhood: "I
was really happy when they approached me about the 'To Be Real' song
because that song was a huge record when we were like teenagers and coming
up. It was a big record and Cheryl Lynn was like the biggest voice ever
you know around that time."
Blige also explained what it was like when she recently saw Lynn : "You
know the song came out really, really nice. I saw Cheryl Lynn and she
walked up to me and she said, 'Mary, thank you. You did a great job.' And
I was just really happy about that."
Beyonce Tears Leg Muscle While Rehearsing With
Destiny’s Child
Beyonce tore a leg muscle while rehearsing
dance moves with Destiny's
Child, a record company spokeswoman said Wednesday. The singer tore her
right hamstring in Los Angeles on Tuesday (September 28) while rehearsing
for an upcoming TV special. "She overdid it," Columbia Records spokeswoman
Yvette Noel-Schure tells the Associated Press. "We're all keeping our
fingers crossed that, because she's young and healthy, it heals fast."
Beyonce, who was treated by a private sports-injury specialist, is able to
walk, but was advised to steer clear of dancing and other strenuous
physical activity for about a week.
Destiny's Child is planning to release a new album titled Destiny
Fulfilled on November 16.
Toni Braxton To Develop WB Sitcom
Toni Braxton has signed a deal with the WB
Network to develop a situation
comedy loosely based on her life. The Grammy Award-winning singer will
play a version of herself in the project, which will focus on how a singer
balances career and family.
"She is a superstar in the musical world; she is a really elegant,
sophisticated and beautiful person who I think will light up the screen
with her charm and her personality," WB Entertainment president David
Janollari tells the Hollywood Reporter.
Usher Dating Naomi Campbell?
Gossip columnists have been reporting for
the past month that Usher and
singer Alicia Keys were romantically involved, but now it appears that
Usher and supermodel Naomi Campbell may be an item. The New York Post's
Page Six reports that Usher and Campbell were caught canoodling in Miami
over the weekend. A source said, "She's performing with him this week in
Miami ... she is absolutely besotted. He is so nice and lovely to her. She
is heads over heels in love with him."
Campbell 's rep, who wouldn't go so far as to say that the two are dating,
said, "Naomi and Usher are enjoying hanging out together."
Usher dated singer Chilli from TLC until earlier this year. Since the
breakup, he has been linked to Keys, though he was recently spotted in Las
Vegas with Chilli.
In related news, usher and Kanye West are currently on the Truth tour. The
next stop on the tour is Charlotte , North Carolina , tomorrow night,
September 30th.
Chaka Khan’s Son Not Charged In Murder
Investigation
The 25-year-old son of legendary R&B
singer Chaka Khan escaped murder
charges Tuesday, when the Los Angeles County district attorney's office
declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence.
Los Angeles Police arrested Damien Holland on Friday in the shooting death
of a 17-year-old at his apartment complex. The boy was shot about 11:50
p.m. Friday as he fought with Holland and struggled for control of a gun,
police said.
"During an argument, a gun was discharged and we had sufficient reason for
an arrest," LAPD Officer Jason Lee said.
The wounded youth was transported to a hospital, where he died. Holland
was booked at the LAPD's jail, then transferred to the county jail.
The Los Angeles County prosecutors reviewed the case Tuesday, but took no
action.
"We didn't have sufficient evidence to file charges at this time,"
spokeswoman Jane Robison told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We asked the police
to conduct further investigation into the incident."
Damien Holland is Chaka Khan's son by her second husband, Richard Holland,
whom she married in 1974 and divorced a few years later.
Khan, a Grammy Award-winning artist, was born in the Chicago area. She
fronted funk band Rufus before going solo in the late 1970s. Her hits,
covered by the likes of Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston, include "Tell
Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," "I'm Every Woman" and "I Feel for You."
Last month she performed with Chicago rapper/producer Kanye West at the
MTV Video Music Awards, West having sampled her "Through the Fire" on his
hit debut album.
Aretha Franklin Claims Today’s Singers Don’t Want
to Follow In Her Footsteps
Aretha Franklin doesn't feel that today's
singers want to follow in her
footsteps. Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal this weekend prior to
her show at the House Of Blues she said, "I really think most people
uniquely want to be themselves. They want to have originality. They don't
want to follow in my footsteps. Some singers are influenced, yes, by
myself. But many want to be uniquely themselves."
When asked whether she felt that her legendary voice was a blessing or the
result of hard work Aretha said, "I think both. There were a few things
that I needed to work at, but basically, the instrument and the quality...
was there to begin with." Aretha went on to claim that her voice has
vastly improved since she quit smoking 13 years ago claiming that,
"There's a world of difference. A lot more clarity, range, everything."
She also revealed that plans are underway for a new live album hopefully
by the end of the year.