Kelly Rowland Collapses Onstage
The BV Newswire has learned that Kelly Rowland collapsed onstage yesterday (July 15) during a performance in Lagos, Nigeria.
The former Destiny's Child singer, who just released her sophomore opus, Ms. Kelly, on July 3, was in the West African nation as part of the ThisDay Music Festival.
Rowland's spokesperson Yvette Noel-Schure confirmed that Rowland did suffer a fainting spell as a result of dehydration.
"She was taken to an undisclosed local hospital for a check-up and is in good condition at present," she said.
Schure said the 26-year-old singer is on a plane flying back to the US today and plans to continue the promotions for her new project.
JANET SIGNS ON DOTTED LINE WITH ISLAND URBAN
Following reports several weeks ago that Janet Jackson and Antonio “L.A.” Reid had taken over Circle House Studios in South Beach, Fla. to work on a new album, Billboard has learned that the singer has officially inked a deal with Reid’s Island Urban.
The label currently employs Janet’s boyfriend Jermaine Dupri as president, but the mogul says he will take a back seat during the recording process.
"She's on Island, but it's more or less [Reid's] project," Dupri tells Billboard.com. "I let him deal with that on a day-to-day basis. He's going to A&R that project, too. Janet's record is one that he's wanted to do for a long time. He's very passionate about it.”
Rumors of Jackson leaving Virgin began circulating once Dupri left the label late last year to become president of Island Urban. She leaves behind two consecutive commercial disappointments: 2004's "Damita Jo" and last year's "20 Y.O."
As for the flavor of Jackson's upcoming project, which has yet to set a release date, Dupri says: "I don't really know what he's got in mind at this point. His past record isn't shabby so I'm going to let him do what he's going to do. I'm going to do [the new] Mariah [Carey album], and we're going to make it seem like we're in competition to see who's going to have the biggest album of the year."
Dupri says to look for Janet’s as-yet-untitled album sometime before the end of 2007. In the meantime, Dupri will release his autobiography, "Young, Rich and Dangerous: My Life in Music," Oct. 16 via Simon & Schuster. The book was co-authored by Samantha Marshall.
SNOOP’S REALTIY SHOW FINDS HOME AT E!
Cameras have been following Snoop Dogg around for months, capturing life at home with his wife and three kids, as well as his professional career as an international rap star and as the dedicated coach of his son’s football team.
The footage has finally landed a network home. E! Entertainment Television President Ted Harbert announced Friday that the channel will carry the rapper’s as-yet-untitled reality show sometime in late 2007.
"Snoop Dogg is, without a doubt, one of the most charismatic and intriguing personalities in pop culture today," Harbert said Friday at E!'s portion of the Television Critics Association's summer press tour in Beverly Hills.
"While he has captured a legion of fans as the king of hip-hop, what makes Snoop most interesting is the side of him that people have never seen," he said.
Police Officer Who Taped The Game In Jail May Face Legal Action
An LAPD officer may face disciplinary action after internal affairs investigators determined he shot a video that appeared on the entertainment website TMZ.com showing the rapper The Game bragging with a wad of money inside his jail cell.
The probe is part of a larger effort by local law enforcement to break the pipeline between officers and other law enforcement officials and increasingly aggressive tabloids and celebrity news websites.
TMZ.com posted the video "The Game — Still Pimpin in Custody" on May 12, the day after the LAPD arrested him at his Glendale home on suspicion of making criminal threats during a pickup basketball game in South Los Angeles.
LAPD Internal Affairs Cmdr. Jim Voge said an officer is the subject of an investigation for shooting the video, and the matter has been referred to his commanding officer for a disciplinary decision. Voge declined to identify the officer or provide further details, citing personnel rules.
In a statement to The Times, Harvey Levin, managing editor of TMZ.com, said the firm does not comment on where it gets its material.
Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the officer told investigators he gave the video, which was shot with a cellphone camera, to TMZ because he thought it would be fun. Investigators so far have no evidence that the officer was paid for the video clip, the two sources said, but they are still investigating.
LAPD Chief William J. Bratton and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca have said they want to clamp down on any officers cooperating with the celebrity journalism industry.
In The Game video probe, LAPD sources said images in the video made it easy to track down the officer involved.
In the video clip, the platinum-selling rapper — whose real name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, 27 — throws hand signals in a holding cell. Shortly after the video appeared on the TMZ website, LAPD officials initiated an investigation into those in and around the 77th Street station on the day the rapper was arrested.
Jermaine Dupri Set to Release Book, Young, Rich and Dangerous in October
Famed producer and Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri is set to release his book Young, Rich and Dangerous: My Life in Music this October.
According to Billboard.com, the autobiography is co-authored by journalist Samantha Marshall, who also assisted Warner Music VP Kevin Liles with his book Make It Happen: The Hip-Hop Generation Guide to Success.
In 2006, MTV News reported that Dupri plans to break the book down into eight chapters, or “tracks.” The diminutive mogul is expected to share his experiences working with superstars such as Usher, Mariah Carey, Lil Jon and Bow Wow.
Young, Rich and Dangerous: My Life in Music is scheduled to hit stores on October 16 through Simon & Schuster.
Polow Da Don Launches Record Label
Polow Da Don will be launching his new record label - Zone 4 - tonight in Atlanta, Georgia. The launch of the producer's new record label will be co-hosted with R&B singer Ciara.
Polow has recently been responsible for some of hip hop's biggest hits including Rich Boy's Throw Some D's, Ludacris' Runaway Love, and Ciara's Promise. He also produced Fergie's London Bridge and Glamorous, as well as Ludacris' Pimpin' All Over the World and Jamie Foxx's DJ Play a Love Song.
Zone 4, which will be distributed by Interscope, has its label head in high hopes. "I am he and I am here," said Polow, according to AHH. "Music, I am your sacrifice, I'll die before I let them kill you. Now, all biters and followers do what you do and follow me."
The event will be held at the Opera, and in attendance will be T.I., Ludacris, Usher, Nelly, and others. Performances will include Rich Boy, Keri Hilson and i15.
New Details About Hip-Hop Honors
New details, including an official air date, have surfaced about VH1's Hip-Hop Honors 2007. This year's edition airs on October 8 at 10:00 p.m. and will be hosted by actor/stand-up comedian Tracy Morgan. Among those honored will be Whodini, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Teddy Riley, Andre Harrell and the movie Wild Style.
VH1 previously announced the Hip-Hop Honors Tour featuring The Roots, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte and others, which would lead up to the actual televised show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.
While the entire roster of performers has yet to be announced, co-executive producer Nelson George gave fans some details of what has been going on behind the scenes via his Myspace blog. "One old school icon turned [us]down after accepting," said George. "Another current giant in the game turned us down for the fourth year straight. But we have enough major stars, and a couple of surprise 'conceptual' honorees to deliver another great show come October."
The network has also launched another promotional tie-in called "The Score." On July 23 VH1 will begin taking online submissions from "undiscovered hip-hop producers." Participants can upload a 60 second audio clip to showcase their work, which will be judged by an online audience and VH1's own private panel. The winning entry will be used as the theme music for Hip-Hop Honors 2007
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