Usher joined Jermanie Dupri in this latest video blog taken during their joint studio session. Keep your eyes lock on that not really new tattoo Usher showed off. From what I tell it's a tribute to his brother JLack and his two sons Cinco and Naviyd Ely. (Fast forward to the 7:29 mark.)




You can tell these two (JD and Usher) go way back. So this video blog update without a doubt confirms that Usher's busy in the studio working on a follow-up to 2008's Here I Stand. Head over to Toya's World to check out Usher's new unreleased song called "Used to Her."

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Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon are going to be working together yet again but this time for the video treatment of "My Love" - The Dream's new single. (Dream also signed on to work on Mariah's upcoming album, MC3.)



According to RAP-UP, The Dream recently wrapped up his "Rockin' That Thing" video with his new girl group Electrik Red. Nick balanced being a video director and a husband while working on Mariah's I Stay In Love video shoot...so one can argue that the second time around of a Cannon/Carey video session would be just as good as the first.

Labels: Celebrity Blog, JD, Mariah Carey, Music Hoopla, Nick Cannon, Usher

Usher and his wife Tameka welcomed their second son together on Wednesday morning according to reports. (The child will be Usher's second and Tameka's fifth son.) No name of their newborn son was given as of yet. UPDATE via Us Weekly: Naviyd Ely Raymond was born at 2:33 a.m. Wednesday and weighed 5 lbs, 13 oz. Usher has said in the past that the arrival of his new baby was the "best Christmas gift ever." Congrats to the Raymonds!



After denying the claim earlier this week, Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri are expecting their first child...but that's if you believe "Life & Style" magazine. If this new claim is true and regardless of Janet's age factor, best wishes to them! No doubt that baby will pick up a thing or two from the parents.

After a series of canceled concert dates, Janet Jackson finally pulled the plug on her Rock Witchu tour in early November, setting off a flurry of rumors about what could have gone wrong.Now, an insider close to Janet tells Life & Style the real reason she needed to back out: She and longtime partner Jermaine Dupri, 36, are getting ready for a baby!

Comedian Bill Bellamy and his family (wife Kristen Baker, daughter Bailey and son Baron) are featured on the cover of Baby Couture magazine. (I think it's cute that Bill and his wife decided to name their children with a B.)

Labels: Celeb Offspring, Janet Jackson, JD, Newsstand Snapshots, Tameka Foster, Usher

JD finally uploaded a new installment for his YouTube video blogs, "Living The Life." Janet Jackson appeared in the video to thank her fans for their support while she was sick mid-way through her "Rock Witchu" Tour and she also shut down those rumors of a split. She also denied rumors of JD throwing up on her at his birthday party at Tenjune.The video was filmed backstage at Janet's tour stop in Houston.

Labels: Celebrity Blog, Janet Jackson, JD, Music Hoopla, Video Hoopla

Leona Lewis was not the only star/singer at Justin Timberlake's Friends Benefit concert. In a lime green bustier and high-waist black leggings, Rihanna belt out her hits "Disturbia" and "Umbrella" at the event. (Her single, "Umbrella" was named the catchiest song ever.) JT even joined her on stage. Prior to her performance set, Rihanna breezed throught the Miracle Mile Mall in Vegas on a Segway.



Estelle and John Legend attended and performed at the 2008 MOBO awards, which Melanie Brown hosted. John signed Estelle onto his record label, Homeschool Records and the two have since collaborated on one another's albums. Their hard efforts paid off because Estelle picked up two wins (Best U.K female & Best Song For "American Boy") at the music event. Next up for Estelle is a duet with Atomic Kitten's Liz McLarnon as reported by The Mirror.



Fantasia stepped out for Jermaine Dupri's pre-BET Hip-Hop Awards party in Atlanta, Georgia. The R&B singer has been busy in the studio recording new material for her next album. You can also check out her duet with her fellow "American Idol" vet Jennifer Hudson in this earlier post.



Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman looked fab at the "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" premiere. (I actually like the last one thanks to my 2-year-old nephew.) The third installment of the popular Disney franchise has its U.S premiere on October 24th. Also at the premiere was actress Kimberly Elise with her 10-year-old daughter Butterly.

Labels: Box Office Hoopla, Celeb Offspring, Estelle, Fantasia, JD, John Legend, Out and About, Rihanna

Chilli's son Tron proved that talent indeed runs in the family when he joined his mother to film a cameo spot for Dj UNk's "ShowOut" music video in Atlanta. Tron's father is Dallas Austin who produced and wrote many of TLC's hits. Too cute...



Jermanie Dupri had his 36th birthday party at Tenjune in New York City last night. Of course, his girlfriend Janet Jackson was right by his side. Janet's tour, "Rock Witchu" is doing extremely well via the reviews and ticket sales. LL Cool J and Donnie Klang are Janet's tour opening act. Speaking of which, check out the latest JD vlog about "Rock Witchu" underneath the photos...



MTV News caught with Ciara on the music video set of "Go Girl" and she talked about the drama surrounding her recent nude "Vibe" magazine cover. Ciara still insisted that she did NOT pose nude despites what Danyel Smith had to say...

“I think, at this point, I’d rather just be quiet about things such as that but I definitely want to make it clear that I was going in to do something artistic, and I was upset that when I saw the photos, everything was gone,” the singer told MTV News last weekend, from the set of her forthcoming music video for “Go Girl,” which features a cameo from T-Pain. “It’s very, very upsetting and somewhat misleading.

Ciara also addressed this situation as well as what to expect from her "Fantasy Ride" record over at her myspace page...


On the Vibe nude cover: I know that there has been a lot of talk about the vibe magazine and this will be my last time talking about it. When vibe presented the idea to me, I was excited about trying something different and doing something Artistic. The body is beautiful, and I wanted to celebrate it. I’m at a point to whereas I’m shedding old layers of my life and the new layers are surfacing. So much has changed for me especially as a young woman and I wanted to express that. There was talk about me being upset about the shoot. When I look at the photos, I do think they are beautiful photos and I am proud of my body, I was bothered because I did indeed have on items that were removed.
I know that it was vibes mission to do something beautiful and to present me in a nice light I just think it would have been appropriate for them to get my approval to do such a thing before doing it.. I don’t want this to keep going; I just wanted to talk to u guys before I went totally silent on this topic.

Ciara wrapped up her brief myspace blog by adding that Melina directed "Go Girl" and Jamaica did the choreography. The budding R&B singer also added that Tricky Stewart, Danja, T Pain, and Rodney Jerkins did production on her upcoming third solo album, "Fantasy Ride." Ludacris, Missy, and Young Jeezy are also featured on the album.

Labels: Celeb Offspring, Chilli, Ciara, Janet Jackson, JD, LL Cool J, Music Hoopla

Baby Phat fashion shows are always the spot to be so it comes as no surprise to see Serena Williams, Kat DeLuna, Letoya Luckett, Dania Ramirez, Coco, Ice T, Carmelo Anthony, LaLa, and Djimon Hounsou all squeezed into the front row to see what Kimora Lee had to offer for her Spring 2009 collection. (This year marked the 10th anniversary of Baby Phat.) Letoya was also spotted at Dsquared 2 show with Cassie.



A new song from Jennifer Hudson's self-titled album leaked onto the music blogs. The song in question is called, "Pocketbook" featuring Ludacris. Jennifer's album has its release date set on September 30th - the same day as Robin Thicke's "Something Else" album. Accoring to Brian, the song was produced by Timbaland hence the heavy yet catchy boomastic beat. Hopefully buzz from Jennifer's "Bees" film will keep the momentum going for her debut album.



Solange knocked out another performance set at Luxe Lounge before she cut it short to head back to her Houston home to evacuate her son Juelz from the threat Hurricane Ike has on that region. Solange got the crowd dancing along along with her when she performed "I Decided" and "Sandcastle Disco" on "Tyra." She was also seen at the 2008 Giorgio Armani Runway presentations.



Jermaine Dupri kept Janet Jackson fans thorougly entertained and informed about her "Rock WitchU" tour via several vblogs. In one of the clips, you can see Janet all shook up by the crowd's feedback. Janet even made a cameo to thank her fans for their support.




When I saw this AD in the "VIBE" magazine, I said "What a lucky girl, Ashanti is." Nelly followed the same saggy jeans look he had going on in this new Sean John Underwear AD. Speaking of Nelly, he will join Ashanti to perform "Body on Me" on the "Tyra." (Thanks Toya!)



Photo credits: WIREIMAGE/GETTY/YBF/SEAN JOHN/WENN/SOLANGE-K.NET

Labels: Cassie, Janet Jackson, JD, Jennifer Hudson, LeToya Luckett, Ludacris, Music Hoopla, Nelly, Out and About, Solange, TV Hoopla