Right along the announcement of his "One Night Stand" (ladies only) tour, news of Usher separating from his wife Tameka Foster made its way onto the urban blogosphere. This tidbit has got to be 100% foul (re: publicity stunt!) Usher recorded "Here I Stand" just for Tameka and he proclaimed his love for her and their son "Cinco" in EVERY interview. This rumor needs more people! On top of all of that, Usher and Tameka are expecting their second child together.

JUST IN: R&B singer Usher reportedly has separated from his much older wife, Tameka Foster, who reportedly is expecting their second child in December.” [CHICAGO SUNTIMES]

Solange's "Sol-Angel & Hadley Street Dreams" album sales are in! Solange sold 46,000 units which landed her sophomore effort at the #9 spot on the Billboard charts. Not bad at all...that's if you compared it to the estimated 10k that was rumored to be her first week sales. Solange already has another single waiting to be released and it's "T.O.N.Y." Something tells me the numbers wouldn't mean a thing to Solange...


Speaking of Solange, I do know I'm late on posting this tidbit up but FOX News fought back Solange's remarks. The FOX reporters called Solange "a little brat" among other things.



You already know Solange fought back via this recent MySpace Blog:

I Do Have an Apology to Make

It is not my job to make u like me.
You see, my occupation is an ART-ist.
It is not my job to rub your back, kiss your backside or keep my mouth shut.
It is not my job to make u like how I look – that's called a model.
It is not my job to sell you on my "personality" or "like-ability"
It is my job to share with you my music and my music alone.

If you're looking to listen to a musician's music based on interviews and photos,
then spending two years of pouring my existence into a record
will give YOU no fulfillment. (I recommend Disney.com ..... its a
fave of my 3 year old son) [CONTINUE READING...]

Oh the drama!

Photo credits: ESSENCE.COM/Guiliano Bekor

Labels: Breakup, Music Hoopla, Solange, Tameka Foster, things that make me go hmm, Usher

Cassie finally confirmed what you and I most likely suspected - she's not dating Diddy anymore. -Long pause!- So when did Cassie confirmed she WAS dating Diddy??!? Apparently Cassie didn't have a problem with Diddy 'dating' Tracey Edmonds, Cameron Diaz, Kim Porter, and Sienna Miller either. (Things that make me go hmm....) Here's the Cassie-Diddy break up hoopla...

Diddy and singer Cassie are no longer dating, she tells Usmagazine.com -- but that didn't stop them from leaving a NYC party together Wednesday night.

"I will confirm that rumor," the 21-year-old told reporters who asked her to confirm split rumors at DJ Cassidy's birthday at Cipriani 23rd Street.

Though Cassie tells Us she's not seeing anyone special "right now," a party source spotted Diddy and Cassie "slipping out" together after the soiree ended.[OMG & US WEEKLY]

The quote Cassie gave to the press apparently forced Us Weekly to delete their report from their site. Oh the drama! In honor of that quick line Cassie gave to a partygoer, I made a photo collage of Cassie & Diddy during their good times together. I guess the photos doesn't lie about their then platonic relationship.

UPDATE: Diddy commented on the whole situation by elevating the b!tcha**ness level to orange. Sit back and 'press play.'



Photos: WIREIMAGE. GSTYLE

Labels: Breakup, Cassie, Diddy, things that make me go hmm

The divorce settlement between Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee has been narrowed down to their children. Apparently Kimora asked for a large amount of money to raise daughters Aoki Lee and Ming Lee - and she got what she requested in court.

Each of the hip-hop mogul’s two girls with estranged wife Kimora Lee is set to receive $20,000 a month in child support. That’s a total of $480,000 each year for kids who already live in a palatial $24 million estate in Saddle River, N.J. Their mom, a former model, is CEO of the Baby Phat fashion house. The agreement shows that until 2019, Russell Simmons will continue payments for Ming Lee, now 8, and, until 2022, for Aoki, now 5. [NYDAILYNEWS]

Aubrey O'Day and India.Arie are heading to Broadway, according to this PEOPLE.COM report. The real question behind this latest update is who would you rather see on the Broadway stage? While you ponder your answer, read to find out when and where India and Aubrey will start their acting gig.

O'Day will take on the role of Amber Von Tussle, the stuck-up arch-nemesis of Tracy Turnblad, in Hairspray starting July 18 at N.Y.C.'s Neil Simon Theatre. She also joins former boybander, O-Town's Ashley Parker Angel, who is already performing in the play.

India.Arie is set to perform in Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf, beginning September 8 at N.Y.C.'s Circle in the Square Theater. The R&B soul singer will open the Whoopi Goldberg-produced play, which is an updated reprisal of the 1976 off-Broadway hit. [PEOPLE.COM]

Labels: Breakup, Danity Kane, Kimora Lee Simmons, Music Hoopla, Russell Simmons

The Game, in the following video, wants his fans to design a new tattoo for him. The winner will be chosen around the time his upcoming disc, "LAX" drops on July 12th. (By the way, the tattoo has to feature the name of his album.)



Swizz Beatz finally address rumors of Alicia Keys being the key reason why he and his wife Mashonda split up:

Everybody can have their fun right now talking that dumb sh– about my divorce and all that,” he said. “I’mma give them something to talk about. People get divorced every f—in’ day. They need to worry about more serious things.”

The big rumor in the tabloids is that Swizz and his wife broke up over the proverbial “other woman.” What made the story so sensational was that the alleged mistress in this case was Grammy winner Alicia Keys. Swizz dismissed it.

“It ain’t even bad,” he said, more agitated. “My divorce, it ain’t nothing bad. It’s just us moving on. Me and Shonda are super good. It is what it is. [The press] are nine months late on the situation. It’s a headache to me. We been separated nine or 10 months already.”


Swizz’s ire was raised in particular by recent headlines on the front pages of Hip Hop Weekly and MediaTakeout.com.

“That sh– just looks like drama,” he said. “They got another big name involved. No, I’m not doing [any] f—ing interviews. Only thing I’m commenting on is music-related. I don’t comment on my personal life. Why start now? You start commenting on that sh–, then they start twisting it out. I’m not gonna speak about nothing. They [gave Mashonda] two pages in Hip Hop Weekly. She didn’t even say nothing about Alicia. They blew it up on MediaTakeout.com. They flipped that into some other sh–. [QUOTE SPOTTED AT MTV NEWS via CRUNK & DISORDERLY]

After Swizz said what he had to say about his divorce, he went to talk briefly about the remix to Alicia's "Teenage Love Affair" featuring LL Cool J that he worked on.


Solange Knowles sat down with the New York Daily News to discuss how her fashion style is different from her big sis, Beyonce.

"Our styles are so different," Solange said when asked if she ever gets tips from her better-known family member. "I think all sisters share secrets and advice, but we try to keep that stuff in the house."

I couldn't agree more because Solange's style is far from the high-end one Beyonce is known for.

Labels: Breakup, Music Hoopla, Solange, Swizz Beatz, The Game

A ponytail-wearing Alicia Keys was later seen at the "We Are Together" premiere in New York City. The event was hosted by Keep A Child (a charity foundation Alicia supports.) Don't you love Alicia's strapless black and gold Nicole Miller dress? EDRESSME.COM has the dress listed for $495. (Thanks Madame Dior!)



Alicia took a brief from filming her upcoming music video for her single, "Superwoman" to talk about the song's significance. "Superwoman" also happens to be the final single taken off her "As I Am" record.

“The video is representing all kinds of superwomen, and the exciting part is, not only am I able to be myself in the video, but I’m able to play all of these other women as well."

According to MTV News, Alicia will

"...portray a Somali woman, who crosses miles of scorched earth just to supply her family with fresh drinking water, as well as a cutthroat businesswoman and a female pharaoh."

Find more about the Chris Robinson-directed video for "Superwoman" straight from Alicia Keys herself in the following video...




Mashonda did a interview with "Hip-Hop Weekly" on the whole Swizz Beatz-Alicia Keys rumor. Check out what Mashonda had to say about Alicia:

“[Alicia Keys] is her own woman and she has made her own choices. I don't have a problem with her. I will say this though, I am not a scorned woman. I have a responsibility to raise [my son], he's my number one priority and everyday I strive more for him and of course my music.” [quote spotted at ALL HIP-HOP]

Alicia will be damn if she confirms or denies this rumor but that's just a thought...

Labels: Alicia Keys, Box Office Hoopla, Breakup, Mashonda, Music Hoopla, Out and About, Swizz Beatz

One of hip-hop's admired couples Swizz Beatz and Mashonda went their separate ways after four years of marriage according to ALLHIPHOP.COM.

Check out Mashonda's "Back Of Tha Club" video which has a cameo from Swizz below. In related news, Star Jones filed for divorce from her husband Al Reynolds.

First Kanye & Alexis split up now the aforementioned couples. Something has got to give, huh?

Labels: Breakup, Swizz Beatz, Throwback Video

Alexis Phifer ignited rumors of a split from Kanye West when she showed up to the Cassie's NYC bash last night without her engagement ring.

Jawn Murray of Black Voices has the rundown:

...rapper Kanye West and his fiancé Alexis Phifer have called it quits. Sources close to the hip-hop star tell me that it was West who ended the engagement after revealing to Phifer: "I just don't think it is going to work out anymore." The 30-year-old entertainer even asked for his ring back! [READ MORE]

Just last month, Kanye and Alexis shot down wedding rumors that supposedly happened during their European vacation.

Labels: Alexis Phifer, Breakup, Kanye West