Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson made an appearance on the Ellen Degeneres Show recently to talk about her tour with Robin Thicke which starts today, her engagement to former I Love New York 2 contestant David Otunga, her new album and more. Jennifer also performed current single 'If This Isn't Love', which you can watch below:

Kelly Rowland has parted ways with Columbia Records as a solo artist, it was officially announced today by the label.


Rowland, a founding member of Destiny’s Child, will continue her relationship with Columbia Records in her ongoing role in the Grammy-winning group.

“Because Columbia Records has been my home base as an artist for more than a decade, the decision to move out on my own required a lot of soul-searching,” said Kelly Rowland. “As a solo artist, I felt the need to explore new directions, new challenges, and new freedoms outside my comfort zone and my friends and family at Columbia have been incredibly understanding about my evolution. I want to thank everyone at Columbia for the love and support they’ve shown and I will never forget how many good times we’ve had over the years.”

“Kelly Rowland is one of our finest contemporary artists and a musical force to be reckoned with,” said Rob Stringer, CEO, Columbia/Epic Label Music Group. “It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with Kelly and we will continue our working relationship with her under the Destiny’s Child moniker. The decision for Kelly to seek other opportunities for her solo career was agreed upon mutually, and any reports to the contrary are false.”

The “Dilemma” singer released two solo albums on Columbia. Her debut, 2002’s Simply Deep, was certified Gold in the U.S., while her sophomore album, Ms. Kelly, was released in 2007.

The 28-year-old songstress ended her professional solo relationship with Mathew Knowles’ Music World Entertainment earlier this year. She will continue to be managed by Knowles as a member of Destiny’s Child.

Rumors flew this weekend linking a “flirtatious” Rihanna to a few different industry boys. Allegedly Kim Kardashian’s step brother and reality tv “star” Brody Jenner had been trying to get at Rih. And so has his BFF Frankie Delgado. They’ve all been partying in the same spots the last few weeks and been “flirtatious” with each other. But both deny they’re anything more than “just friends”. Brody also has a long time girlfriend. But according to Page Six, these dudes are purposely dropping the bogus stories to the media to get themselves some press time:

FRIENDS of Rihanna are furious with Z-list scenester Frankie Delgado. After sightings popped up of the singer at Nobu and Le Deux in Los Angeles chatting with Delgado and Brody Jenner, spies said, “Frankie is total bull[bleep] and is now using her to try and get press on himself. He got her to come to Le Deux and then sold her out so he could see his name in print. He even told people she was dancing on tables — which is wrong.”

Wackalicious. Here’s video of Rihanna and other celebs getting hemmed up by the paps outside of Bar Deluxe last week:

Queen Latifah arrives at her 39th birthday party at SIR in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 28th.

Guests included Lil Kim, Nas, Tyrese, LisaRaye, Vivica A. Fox, among others. Check out more pics below.

It's been four years since Mike Jones broke onto the scene giving out his cell phone number. While it may have seemed like he disappeared, Mike has been hard at work behind the scenes, not only on music, but also his physical physique.

We recently ran into the Houston rapper, and we were surprised to see that he'd dropped a considerable amount of weight. According to Mike, his motivation was Subway spokesman Jared ... no we're kidding. Either way, he said a diet of Subway and routine exercise helped him shed nearly 100 pounds.

"I was almost 300 pounds man. I lost almost 100. I'm 190 right now," Mike told BallerStatus.com. "That goes from eating Subway, running on the treadmill, and watching what I eat. I'm trying to make sure I'm the urban Jared right here, baby."

Mike says that with his long absence from the music scene, he felt compelled to come back with a new look, image and sound. While he insists his new singles, "Next To You" and "Cuddy Buddy", aren't nothing new when it comes to his musical range, he admits that to the fans and the general public, it's something fresh new.

"I've been away from the market so long, I just wanted to come back with a new look, a new image, and a new sound. Really, the sound been here, but since people say it's new, it's new," Mike says with a smile.


Aside from showing off a new slimmed down version of his previous self, Mike let us preview some brand new tracks from his forthcoming album The Voice, which shows several different sides of the rapper.

"I called the album The Voice because I wanted to let people know what the long wait was about, and what happened," the rapper explained.

"I explain the four-year hiatus, and I let people know all the gossip you wanna hear about. That's why I call it The Voice. It's best to hear it out my mouth. ... I really just wanted to just let my true fans know where I been, and why I was took away from the game, and why this happened and why this happened."

The first single from Mike's second LP is "Next To You," which is currently in heavy rotation at radio and the accompanying video is getting burn on both MTV and BET. Before the album drops, he plans to follow up with the second single, "Swag Through The Roof."

It features guest appearances from the likes of Bobby Bobby, T.I., Lil Wayne, Plies, and Trey Songz, while production credits include Mannie Fresh, Mr. Collipark, and J.R. Rotem, among others.

He also let us know he's got a new cell number for the fans. Just like he did when he first stormed onto the scene, he's allowing fans to call him direct. His new number is 281-206-4336.

After being serially delayed due to internal label re-structuring, LeToya Luckett's sophomore LP 'Lady Love' had been finally set for a May 19th release date. However, it has been confirmed that the album has been pushed back once again and will now arrive in stores on June 16th, avoiding a chart battle with Eminem (who is releasing 'Relapse' on May 19th) and giving way for the release of another single.

Luckett, 28, has gone on record to confirm that the Tank produced 'Regret' will be the follow-up to 'Not Anymore' (which isn't exactly setting the charts alight). Word has it the song is the business. I guess we'll know in time...

Former Destiny'S Child star Kelly Rowland has reportedly been dropped by her record label, just two months after firing her manager, former bandmate Beyonce Knowles' dad.
Despite the fact her first two solo albums sold more than four million copies, British tabloid News of The World reports the Dilemma singer has been dumped by bosses at Columbia, because they fear she is "no longer commercially viable".

Rowland shot to fame in Destiny's Child in 1997 and released her first solo album, Simply Deep, in 2002. The album sold over three million copies worldwide.

The 28 year old started 2009 by splitting from longtime manager Mathew Knowles, who said, "After a very positive meeting between Kelly Rowland and myself, we have amicably agreed to end our professional relationship.

"My company, Music World, will continue to manage Destiny's Child as a group. As an artist Kelly has incredible talent and I only wish her the best. We will always be family first and foremost, and, as a dad, I only have love for Kelly."

Rowland was equally as complimentary in her post-split statement, saying: "Mathew Knowles has been a positive influence in my career. I have had great success under his guidance - both as a member of Destiny's Child and with my solo projects.

Michael Jackson has reportedly asked Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake to join him on stage for some of the dates at his sell-out O2 concerts.

The star is said to be concerned that the performances could lose their "wow factor" due to the length of his 50-date residency, thelondonpaper reports.

An insider said: "Michael knows that stretching out all those shows and keeping it fresh is going to be hard, and one way to do this is to collaborate with some other big stars that he admires.

"The idea would be for them to do five dates each with him. As well as Britney and Justin, he's in talks with producer Timbaland about doing some of the dates too."

Michael J. Fox won't be slowed down by his Parkinson's disease, which he compares to an unruly child within.

"It's like having a 4-year-old climbing on you all the time," the star, 47, tells Oprah Winfrey on her show that airs Today, "and so whatever you're trying to do, you've got this 4-year-old and you're … just trying to be patient and focus on what you need to do."

To show how he won't be held back, Fox dons a pair of skates and takes to the ice for a little hockey. Above all, the actor – who's promoting his new book, Always Looking Up – says that he refuses to let the disease pigeonhole him.

"I'm a dad, I'm a husband, I'm an activist, I'm a writer and I'm just a student of the world," he says. "This is one fact of my life, but it's not the totality of my life. It doesn't define me."

Fox continues to advocate stem cell research, which he hopes can help led to a cure for the disease. Traveling in Bhutan when the ban on stem cell research was lifted, he scrambled to get back to the States.

When asked by Winfrey if it was the day he had been waiting for, Fox responded, "It was absolutely crucial that this research be unfettered and allow us to go forward in a responsible way. It's an exciting day."

A fella’s misdirected anger and frustration ended with one of his sisters (L) stabbed to death and the other decapitated. A brave litte girl (R) had the courage to call the police to end the mayhem:

In a shocking killing spree, a 23-year-old man stabbed his 17-year-old sister to death and then decapitated his 5-year-old sister — during the younger girl’s birthday party Saturday in Milton, Mass. Cops shot and killed the man, identified as Kerby Revelus, as he moved toward a third sister, who was wounded. Here, police comfort a distraught woman outside the home on Saturday.

Responding officers broke down the door and shot him dead. The first one inside had witnessed Bianca’s beheading.
Sarafina was hospitalized Sunday with defensive wounds to her hands and stab wounds in her abdomen and one of her legs.
“In policing, we see the raw human emotion every day, but to think that a human being could afflict such an atrocious, violent act on his own family is unbelievable,” Milton police Chief Richard G. Wells Jr. said Sunday. “When I walked up to the first officer (on the scene), I could see the whole story right in his face. This just told me that this was something very bad.”

Investigators believe Revelus had been agitated since Friday night, when he got in a fistfight with a neighbor in this tony suburb that is also home to Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. Revelus, investigators believe, may have targeted Samantha in the fallout from the episode.

“Blows were exchanged,” Wells said. “I don’t know the cause of it, but we’re confident that did happen. He had been agitated in the hours that followed that, going into the day and last night.”

Investigators believe Revelus attacked his siblings with a household knife while their grandmother, who neighbors say lives on the first floor, was doing laundry in the basement. The children’s parents were away; their mother is a nurse at a Boston hospital, Wells said.

Sarafina, a student at the Tucker Elementary School, just behind the house, called 911 just before 5 p.m. An officer on patrol in the neighborhood arrived within a minute, Wells said, and could hear an altercation inside as he reached the second floor. The 911 operator tried to persuade Sarafina to open the door, but when she didn’t the officer broke through

“As the officer entered the door, (Revelus) decapitated (Bianca) in front of him,” Wells said. “He actually walked into a killing field. He walked into such carnage, as far as the atrocity of it, I’ve never seen it.”

Within moments, four officers were inside and two of them shot Revelus as he tried to get to Sarafina, Wells said. Revelus fell, still clutching the knife.

Halle Berry is open to having more kids – but don't expect her to be like octuplets' mom Nadya Suleman.

Berry confirms to Ellen DeGeneres on her show that she wants another child, but says she's not up for double digits. "I hope I don't have like 14 more," quips Berry, who is mom to 1-year-old Nahla Ariela.

Still, Berry isn't ruling out that a brother or sister could be in the future for her daughter with model Gabriel Aubry. "My mind says yes," she tells DeGeneres, "but the rest isn't up to me so we'll see."

André 3000 was arrested for driving his 2007 Porsche Carrera more than 40 miles over the speed limit near Atlanta on Saturday.


The OutKast member, born André Benjamin, was reportedly driving 109 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 75 in his home state of Georgia.

“Traveling that fast along 75, you’re passing people as if they’re standing still,” Henry County Police Captain Jason Bolton told Atlanta’s WSB-TV. “It’s an accident waiting to happen.”

According to TMZ, André was taken to the Henry County Jail where he took a mugshot, posted $1,200 bail, and was eventually released. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 29.

New York is really working it.

Tiffany Pollard — who got her first taste of fame on two seasons of Flavor of Love and then went on to star in her own spin-offs, I Love New York and New York Goes to Hollywood — is coming back to VH1 on a new show called New York Goes to Work.
The New York Post reports that cameras will follow New York as she goes to a new job each week, listing possible positions at a sewer plant, a fast-food restaurant and a mortuary.
Viewers will vote by sending a text message to determine which job she’ll take. And if she sticks with it for a week without quitting or getting fired, she’ll earn $5,000.

Lil Wayne brought out his Young Money rapper-singer Drake (aka Jimmy Brooks from “Degrassi”) to fill in for Bobby Valentino on “Mrs. Officer” at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., on Sunday.



Lil Wayne brought out Keri Hilson during his I Am Music tour set at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif., on Sunday.

Miss Keri and Weezy F. Baby got flirty, taking turns spanking each other while performing “Turnin’ Me On.”

“Let me tell ya’ll something you might not know,” she said while lifting his shirt. “Ain’t a damn thing lil’ about this Wayne.”

T-Pain has been hurt after a golf-cart accident in Texas.


Sources tell Rap-Up.com that the 23-year-old singer, born Faheem Najm, was in an accident involving his golf cart earlier this week in San Antonio. T-Pain reportedly lost four teeth and received abrasions and bruises to his face. He will have to undergo surgery.

As a result, he was a no-show on the I Am Music tour with Lil Wayne in San Jose, Calif., on Friday night. He will also miss his Los Angeles show on Sunday.

The “Can’t Believe It” hitmaker was subsequently forced to cancel his appearance in Lil’ Kim’s “Download” video, which was filmed Saturday in West Hollywood. He will be added to the video once he recovers.

Check out a few clips from Beyonce's Tour that kicked off @ Rexall Place in Edmonton Canada.
Baby Boy


Halo & If I Were A Boy


Bootylicious - Buga booo


Diva

Thierry Mugler designed Beyonce’s bedazzled and waist cinching costumes for her “I Am…” Tour kicking off today in Edmonton. And this is a sneak peek at a few of them. Thierry says he wanted to celebrated the duality of being a woman and being a warrior. Similar to Beyonce being herself and Sasha Fierce.

R&B star ASHANTI has hinted she will marry her rapper lover NELLY in 2009.

Just four months after the couple went public with its four year romance, the singer has confessed she is planning to walk down the aisle with Nelly.

When asked if wedding bells were on the horizon for her, the Happy hitmaker tells Us Weekly, "Absolutely. It's in the cards for me. I believe that I have a couple more things I need to do before that happens."

But Ashanti urges fans not to believe all the gossip that's written about her and Nelly - despite the media correctly predicting their relationship, years before they admitted it to the world.

She adds, "I should have had six or seven kids, been married three times and secretly engaged now. But none of it's true."

Sky News has posted a video of Janet being searched by security on Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport.





Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri touch down at La Guardia Airport on Tuesday (March 23) in New York City.






Janet Jackson was spotted on a dinner date with her man Jermaine Dupri at Waverly Inn last night.

Electrik Red took a trip to Wayne’s World to shoot a black-and-white video for the remix to their single “So Good” featuring Weezy F. Baby. The ladies will release their debut album How to Be a Lady: Volume 1 on April 21.

Our friend Nigel D over at Real Talk NY caught up with Keri Hilson yesterday in New York. In this really interesting interview, the singer sounds off at the haters who turned up to her album release party, the shadiness of the music industry as well as 'that' remix to 'Turnin' Me On (Off)'.

Obsessed exclusive featurette

So great to see them back, their vibe is just crazy. "Boom Boom Pow" has already begun to do well on the charts && radio so I'm very excited about this upcoming project. The Peas also sound very enthusiastic about it in their interviews. "The E.N.D." is set for a June 9th release.

Lil'Kim is really showing herself to be a lil' ball of fierceness on Dancing With The Stars. The rapper continued to impress this week, with her performance of the Samba with partner Derek Hough. Great performance.

Beyonce fans say Ciara is jacking B’s swag left and right with her new album and new “Love Sex Magic” video: B rocked the shades with vertical metallic strips, while Ciara did the same thing except her glasses are in steel. B flaunted her stuff in a leopard print bodysuit, Ciara does the same in tiger. Then Beyonce’s “Ego” demo video hit the net a few weeks ago featuring 3 dancers with different afro wigs. Now Ciara has done the same thing in her video, down to the color and style of the wigs. And of course other similarities seen in the pics above. Ciara stans say you can’t jack an original swagger jacker. So you be the judge. Swagger Jacker or Coincidence?

Very interesting interview. Kim speaks very honestly about the Biggie movie and her feelings toward how the movie was portrayed. Make sure you catch her on Dancing With The Stars!

Leaving 9-month-old daughter Honor Marie at home, Jessica Alba steps out Tuesday to Beverly Hills eatery Le Pain Quotidien, where she reportedly met a friend for lunch.


Michelle Williams performs at the 23rd Annual Night of a Thousand Gowns in New York City’s Times Square.


Jim Jones attends Ball Up’s 1st Annual Street Ball Tour at the Dub Auto Show in Los Angeles.


Hose it down! Hilary Duff makes a clean sweep while shooting her dramatic guest-starring role on NBC's Law & Order: SVU in New York City on Tuesday. The episode is scheduled to air April 28.


Reese Witherspoon, who recently celebrated her 33rd birthday, makes the New York City streets her runway with a fierce walk – and equally fierce ruffled coat! – on Tuesday.


Ditching his casual travel clothes for a slim gray suit, Zac Efron takes to the red carpet Tuesday for the Paris premiere of his film 17 Again (17 Ans Encore in French).


Tatyani Ali and Ice Cube attend Ball Up’s 1st Annual Street Ball Tour at the Dub Auto Show in Los Angeles.


Ice-T and Coco celebrate Coco’s 30th birthday at New York City’s Imperial Club.


Monica attended a luncheon for the Frank Ski Kids Foundation in Atlanta on Sunday. The R&B singer is working with Missy Elliott, Stargate, and Bryan-Michael Cox on her sixth studio album, as well as a reality show for BET called “Still Standing,” which premieres in September.


It’s Mya, who partied with the “For the Love of Ray J” star at DJ Kiss’ birthday party at Bungalow 8 in New York City.


Ciara spotted on the streets of Manhattan.


Keri Hilson signs copies of her debut album at Wet Seal in New York.