Ice Cube takes his Act to TBS

Outside of rap music, Ice Cube proved that he was able to make it. In a matter of years, Cube was able to transform himself from an offensive rap figure into the most marketable hip hopper in history. Early in the 1990s, Cube proved that he was a great actor with his acclaimed role in Boyz n da Hood.

Following his performance in that film, Ice Cube began writing and other behind-the-scenes roles in major films. Finally, Cube was able to become PG with his Are We There, Yet? films. It has been since that time that Ice Cube has become "safe." He was considered one of the top black filmmakers.

However, Tyler Perry emerged the same year that Are We There, Yet came out. At a rapid pace, Perry adapted his popular plays into films. These films have become major hits within the black community. By himself, Perry had become what the black community wanted BET to be.

Tyler Perry's takeover was complete before the end of 2007, when he landed a multimillion dollar deal with cable network, TBS to begin broadcasting original sitcoms for the network. The sitcoms ended up bringing a full return to the investment that TBS made. More important than all of the rest, Tyler Perry has become one of the richest men in America because of the deal. While Ice Cube remains very happy for Perry, in the back of his mind, he knows that should be him in that position.

Instead of going on a smear campaign against Tyler Perry, Ice Cube has worked out a deal with TBS that is identical to the one that Perry struck four years ago. The first project in this new partnership will be the sitcom version of the hit films Are We There, Yet? and Are We Done, Yet? Stepping back, Cube will only guest star in the series with Terry Crews becoming the father. Essence Atkins will play the role of the mother and Cube will serve as the executive producer.

"Are We There, Yet?" will premiere on June 2, 2010 at 9:00 pm on TBS.

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Keri Hilson scraps Mixtape, prepares New Album

After years of being on the backburner, Keri Hilson finally got her chance to shine last year. Interscope Records finally took a risk with her and it paid off. She provided two hits with "Turnin' Me On" with Lil Wayne and "Knock You Down" with Ne-Yo and Kanye West. Her album was easily one of the most-popular releases of 2009.

Because it took so long for her to officially release an album, Keri Hilson wasted no time getting back to work. Just as her singles fell from radio play, Hilson revealed that she was working on new music. Following the success of Lil Wayne, most artists release a mixtape before their actual album. This way, they reintroudce their fans to their music.

Keri Hilson had planned to play by the rules, but her recording for the mixtape became very heavy. She felt that her mixtape was going to be too good to be a mixtape. Hilson loved her songs too much for them not to be official, so she decided that she would bypass the mixtape. Instead, this new music from Keri Hilson will go towards her second studio album. With no title for this upcoming album, she revealed that it will be released sometime this summer.

The second album from Keri Hilson will be released under Interscope Records.

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Willie Norwood comes under fire for Illegitimate Son

Willie Norwood is perhaps best-known as the father of Brandy and Ray J. As long as their children have been breathing, they have been in show business. First, Brandy was put out as an actress. Her acting career did not take off right away, but she became a force in the music industry. This popularity led to her own sitcom, “Moesha.” Following her sitcom, she returned to music.

After Brandy’s run was over, Ray J was handed the reigns. His music became extremely popular and he proved to be a good businessman, too. Outside of his music, Ray J brokered a deal with VH1 for his own show, “For The Love of Ray J.” The show dealt with his life after splitting from Kim Kardashian. Even after that show had its run, he landed a deal with VH1 for another show. However, his only condition was to bring the family along, too.

Never before has Willie Norwood had the exposure that he now has with this new VH1 reality show. There have been rumors of his son outside of his marriage with Sonja, but now the son is speaking. Born and raised in Atlanta, C-Dove wants to be featured on “A Family Business.” He has taken a picture with Ray J and he claims that Ray refers to him as his brother. Publicly, Ray said that he does not know him very well.

However, certain hip hop websites have multiple pictures of the two shaking hands with each other. People in Atlanta who know C-Dove are not after Ray J, they want Willie Norwood to step up and take accountability. C-Dove, himself wants Norwood to take a paternity test. Ever since the premiere of “Family Business,” he has been airing a show called “Unfinished Family Business” on the internet. He features his children on one episode and calls Willie their grandpa.

Brandy and Ray J have yet to directly speak on their older half brother. However, when the question comes up, they find some way to avoid answering it. Ray J often says that his only sibling is Brandy. Likewise, Brandy says that she only has one brother and that is Ray J.

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The Emergence of Rajon Rondo

Only a few seasons ago, the Phoenix Suns drafted Rajon Rondo with the twenty-first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Already having a strong point guard, he was immediately traded to the lowly Boston Celtics. The Celtics were back in the lottery one season after winning their division and the third seed in the playoffs. However, the 2006-2007 season was one of the more forgettable ones in the history of the franchise.

Following the horrible 2006-2007 season, there were multiple rumors of the Boston Celtics being dismantled. Rondo had a front-row view of all of this from the bench as the Celtics were one of the worst teams in the league. But, with the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to the core which was anchored by Paul Pierce, the Celtics went from worst to first. Being overlooked during his rookie season and most of his second season, Rondo was key in the playoffs.

The next season, the Boston Celtics dealt with injuries to each of their big three with Rondo being the only healthy player on the team. In the playoffs, with Kevin Garnett out and the rest of the team limited, Rondo emerged as a leader. But, for this season, fans hoped that it would be a return to business as usual. However, the 2009 playoffs were only a preview of what has become the team of Rajon Rondo.

Throughout the regular season, Rajon Rondo came through in big games against contenders in the East. Now, in the playoffs, he has been the main reason that the Celtics are still competing against a much better Cleveland Cavaliers team. Early in the run of the “Big Three,” there was talk of the pressure Rajon Rondo was feeling. Being on the court with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett would be rough for anyone.

Instead of shying away from the challenge, Rajon Rondo rose to become just as good, if not better than the “Big Three.” Last year, in the playoffs, Rondo was included in the “Big Three” while Garnett was out. For most of this season, the Celtics have been referred to as the “Big Four.” One thing is clear and that is the fact that Rajon Rondo is the future of the Boston Celtics.

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Rick Fox will return to “The Game”

When “The Game” first began airing, it was popular because of its soap opera-like storyline in a sitcom format. One of the other reasons that the show was so popular was because of the high-profile guest appearances. Rick Fox first appeared on “The Game” in 2007, but his popularity led to a pairing opposite Wendy Raquel Robinson’s Tasha Mack. Playing as himself, Fox became a key character on the show.

However, last season, Fox left the show midseason due to storyline issues. At the time, Tasha was upset with both Rick Fox and Brittany Daniels’ Kelly Pitts because she had been fired from her job. Because she was upset, she called things off with Rick Fox. Heartbroken, he accepted a job in Miami, leaving Tasha alone. Even as he was leaving, he and Tasha reconciled, but it was too late for him to undo what he had done.

After “The Game” was cancelled by The CW and it was taking ages for BET to come through with another season, it appeared as if Rick Fox was done for good. But, last month, BET revealed that they had worked out a deal to bring “The Game” back. The only problem was trying to retain the cast. Coby Bell had already accepted a starring role on another show, but he agreed to become a recurring character.

But, no one expected Rick Fox to agree to rejoin the cast. With Coby Bell being pretty much left out of the major plot for season four, “The Game” needed for someone else to step in. Rick Fox will be given a major role for the upcoming fourth season. During his first run on “The Game,” Fox only played a minor role in the plot. Now, he will have a major role in the storyline that will continue with the broken relationship of Tia Mowry and Pooch Hall.

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Monica addresses Chad Ochocinco rumors

Fresh off of her breakup from Rocko, Monica has been brought into rumors for the first time since they ended things. Because of her relatively young age, Monica is still one of the more desirable single ladies on the market. Then, add to the fact that she is a superstar; it makes a great story to tie her name to the name of other celebrities.

Of all of the eligible bachelors of the NFL, Chad Ochocinco recently eclipsed Terrell Owens as the most popular one out there. In spite of his strong personality, Ochocinco has become a favorite on the hit ABC series, “Dancing with the Stars.” Ever since he has been on the show, the star wide receiver has been tied to multiple rumors, including one about Niecy Nash.

Last week, Nash publicly denied that anything besides a friendship was going on between herself and the NFL star. With the time Monica has been spending with Ochocinco, plenty of time was left for the media to begin pairing Chad with Monica. Because she and Rocko have only been apart for two months, Monica is not quite ready for another relationship.

With all of the rumors going on between herself and Chad Ochocinco, Monica has denied anything more than a friendship with the wide receiver. She admitted to enjoying his company, but that is where their relationship ends. Ochocinco has been rumored to be a candidate for either a VH1 reality show or “The Bachelor.”

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R.I.P. Lena Horne, 1917-2010

From TBT: The Magazine.

Last night, the world was shocked, but it did not really sink in until this morning. The legendary Lena Horne died yesterday at the age of 92 years old. Without Lena Horne paving the way during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, there would be no Halle Berry or Mary J. Blige.

When speaking of the Civil Rights Movement, Lena Horne is often looked over. She did not march and protest with many other leaders. However, she was a trail blazer in the entertainment field. During the 1940s, it was assumed that black people could only play in certain roles.

Aside from the music sang during slavery, white people thought that black people were incapable of making music. Lena Horne proved all of those ideas wrong. It took a lot of nerve to do what she did. There were people hateful enough to kill when they saw a black person doing what she was doing.

With death being a possibility and at such a young age, Lena Horne kept on going until black entertainment was accepted. Before the day that she died, she was able to see just how popular black entertainment has become since she first began singing and acting. Horne, herself, credited her success to the idea that both black and white people liked her. It was known that she was a black woman, but because of her being light-skinned, she was relatively popular with some white people, as well as most black people.

During her 92 years on Earth, Lena Horne provided a lot of firsts for the black community. She was one of the first black people, male or female, to sing with a white band. Aside from that, Horne was the first black person to ever perform at the Copacabana nightclub. Horne was also one of only a few black people to have a contract in Hollywood. In 1943, she landed a role in the Stormy Weather film. She also sang the title song and that song became the fixture of her music career.

Even with all of the accomplishments made by Lena Horne, she said that her true pride came in 2002, when Halle Berry won her first Academy Award. In her acceptance speech, she credited Lena Horne for paving the way for her. Halle Berry winning her award was a testament to all of the work put in by Horne. That, and her acknowledging the fact, proved that all of her work was not done in vain. With many other black women who act or record music, or both, the legacy of Lena Horne will live on forever. Sadly, Lena Horne will not.

Lena Horne, may you rest in peace. June 30, 1917-May 9, 2010.

Read the original article at TBT: The Magazine.

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Tameka Foster discusses the Future

Even before her relationship with Usher went downhill, the internet media has not been very kind to Tameka Foster. Despite everything that has gone on, Foster says that she has no ill will towards online media. However, in the past she has had some choice words for certain online magazines. Now, Tameka Foster is focused on the future.

There have been rumors of Foster trying to land a deal with either Bravo or VH1 for her own reality show. For the past month, there have been multiple questions about this show. In the past, Foster has been asked about the show. She was directly asked about a reality show and Tameka Foster denied working on a new series.

Outside of television, Foster's name has been involved in new relationships all over the internet. While there have been rumors of a new relationship, no name has been mentioned. Tameka Foster denied being in a new relationship. But, she has not written off marriage. She said that if God places the right man in her life, something may happen.

Focusing on the internet media, Tameka Foster said that the websites did not end her marriage, but they had a strong hand in ending things. She admitted that her marriage with Usher was having problems. However, she also pointed to the fact that every marriage has problems. The only problem with her marriage was the fact that her husband happened to be one of the biggest stars in the world. Every move that Usher makes is being watched by somebody that is ready to write about it.

Despite Usher leaving their marriage, Tameka Foster said that he is a great father. She said that both of the fathers of her children are great men. Foster said that Usher has a great relationship with all of her children, as does the other father. She also went on to say that they have become a great, nonfunctional, family.

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Nas cannot pay Kelis child and spousal Support

With his album with Damian Marley gaining steam, Nas has been all over the news. However, his news has not been anything that he wants out there. For years, he and Kelis appeared to be a very happy couple. Last year, this happy marriage came crashing down and Kelis wanted a divorce.

Because of his line of work, Nas makes around $800,000 a month, but his lifestyle and taxes only allow him around $100,000 of this money. Kelis has been trying to sue Nas for $200,000 in both child and spousal support. But, Kelis also has a hefty income of her own.

Nas, having other children to pay child support for, living the type of life he lives, and then taxes, cannot afford the numbers that Kelis is asking for. Aside from his own financial woes, Nas knows that Kelis has a good income of her own. These two facts have him fighting paying Kelis $200,000.

However, the main reason that Nas is trying to get out of paying this money is because of the possibility of him not being able to pay for it.

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Oprah Winfrey finally embraces Hip Hop

Over the years, Oprah Winfrey has not had many positive things to say about the hip hop community. Long before the hip hop backlash of 2007, Winfrey was among the biggest critics. For the longest time, she made it seem as if rappers were unwelcome on her show. In 2004, Ludacris appeared on the program for his role in a film and she grilled him about his lyrics.

Because of the way that she treated Ludacris, many rappers began dissing Oprah. While Oprah claims to be "black and proud," she never hesitates to shun the black community. Despite being a black television personality, her audience consists of middle aged white women. Even with the rapidly-changing demographics, middle aged white women do not care for hip hop.

Last fall, Oprah Winfrey landed an interview with Jay-Z and he changed her life. Jay-Z invited Oprah to where he grew up and introduced her to the only life he knew for a long time. Oprah gained a bit of understanding of why rappers say the things that they say and she toned down her criticisms of rap music. Recently, Oprah attended a function that included Memphis Bleek, Pharrell, and many other rappers and hip hop artists.

On her show, Oprah Winfrey no longer speaks out about rappers and their music. Aisde from Gayle King, she identifies Jay-Z as her best friend. Not even a week ago, Jay-Z introduced Oprah to a few of his closest friends and she fit right in. There are a lot of people who criticize Oprah for the things that she says and does, but she has proven that she can work and play. The pictures have flooded the internet of Oprah dancing with rappers, so there should be no need for members of the hip hop community to refer to her as uppity.

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