Gwen Stefani gives birth to second child August 22, 2008

It’s Love, Angel, Music, and Baby No. 2 for Gwen Stefani, who on Thursday gave birth to a boy.

Zuma Nesta Rock weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces when he was born Thursday afternoon, according to publicist Dave Tomberlin.

Photos: Gwen Stefani’s many looks 

“Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy,” he said in a statement.

The pop star and fashionista already has one son, Kingston, with her husband, rocker Gavin Rossdale. Rossdale also has a teenage daughter with fashion designer Pearl Lowe.

Stefani has racked up numerous hits and best-selling albums over the years, not only as a solo artist, but as the front woman for the band No Doubt. But the 38-year-old has also become a successful designer with her L.A.M.B. and other clothing lines.

Her last album, “The Sweet Escape,” was released in 2006, a follow-up to 2004’s multiplatinum “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.”

J.Lo back with UTA; Smiley’s America I AM in Philly; Summer Bling Pool Party in Hollywood August 22, 2008

Jennifer Lopez has returned to the agency that jump-started her film career more than a decade ago. The entertainer has re-signed with UTA under the guidance of Tracey Jacobs, who was recently promoted to the company’s board of directors and will lead the team of agents that will now handle Lopez as well as her film and TV production company, Nuyorican. After taking a break to give birth to twins, J.Lo hasn’t appeared in a wide-release film since 2005’s “Monster-in-Law” and is looking to return to showbiz — particularly acting — full-time.

 

       *The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will host the national debut of Tavis Smiley’s “America I AM: The African American Imprint,” a four-year touring museum exhibition that will celebrate 400 years of African American contributions to this country. The exhibition will run Jan. 15 to May 3, 2009, presenting a historical continuum of pivotal moments in courage, conviction and creativity that solidifies the undeniable imprint of African Americans across the nation and around the world. Tickets will be available in the fall and are available for pre-registration as of today at http://www.AmericaIAM.org. More details about the exhibition, including a gallery walkthrough moderated by Tavis Smiley, are available at http://www.AmericaIAM.org.

 

       *Conglomerate Enterprises and Flawless Vodka presents the “Summer Bling Pool Party,” to be held Sunday (Aug. 24) from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Designer Ashley Paige will showcase her creations to an exclusive group of celebrities such as Paris and Nikki Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Fergie, Kim Kardahian, Pamela Anderson, Ashanti, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, Nicole Riche, Bret Michaels and more. The event will include a diamond showcase from gotblingonline.com and the release of Flawless Vodka, the official Vodka of the VMAs. There will be a silent auction, with part of the proceeds going to Ruffhouszen, an animal rescue center.

OBAMA BITS: Anti-abortion group to distribute racist pamphlets at DNC; man accused of assassination threat enters plea; fashionistas to design Obama clothing August 22, 2008

The Denver Post is reporting that a small anti-abortion group – Operation Rescue – will pass out pamphlets during the Democratic National Convention in Denver next week that will be intentionally racist to support their notion that abortions are more evil than racism. The pamphlet asks the question: “Which is a worse crime: slavery or murder? The correct answer: murder. A slave can get free, but a murder victim cannot get ‘undead.’” Group founder Randall Terry said he and supporters will hand out hundreds of thousands of pamphlets at the churches of evangelists and Catholics, who are targeted because they are more likely to overlook Obama’s pro-choice views and vote for him in November. Unlike other DNC protesters who vowed to abide Denver and Colorado laws, Terry said his group will intentionally — though peacefully — violate law in order to get arrested either Monday or Tuesday.       

       *The Florida man who authorities said kept an arsenal of weaponry and military gear pleaded not guilty Wednesday to threatening to assassinate both President Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. The court-appointed attorney for 22-year-old Raymond Hunter Geisel entered the plea at a brief hearing before a federal magistrate judge. Geisel, who has been in custody without bail since his Aug. 2 arrest, spoke only his name and age. Each charge carries a maximum of five years in federal prison. According to the Secret Service, Geisel made the threats while attending a training class in Miami to become a bail bondsman. Others attending the 48-member class overheard the comments and contacted local police, who turned the information over to the Secret Service.

 

      *Washington Post style writer Robin Givhan says some 20 fashion industry heavyweights will design official Obama apparel to be sold via his campaign Web site. “It is the first time, as far as Seventh Avenue long-timers can recall, that a quorum of the fashion industry has organized its financial resources and creative energy around a single presidential candidate,” wrote Givhan. The mix, available online next month, ranges from T-shirts to tote bags (from high-end to inexpensive) designed by the likes of Derek Lam, Isaac Mizrahi, Tracy Reese, Charles Nolan and Diane von Furstenberg. Other names have been bandied about but not confirmed: Beyonce, Russell Simmons, Michael Bastian, Vera Wang.

KYM WHITLEY ‘CRUISIN’ ON TV ONE: Special follows actress looking for love aboard Tom Joyner’s annual Fantastic Voyage August 22, 2008

Actress and comedian Kym Whitley set sail on a singles-only escapade aboard Tom Joyner’s 2008 Fantastic Voyage cruise this spring, and TV One chronicled the adventure in “Cruisin’ for Love with Kym Whitley.”      

       The special – premiering Saturday, Aug. 30 from 10-11 p.m. ET – follows Whitley as she searches for a love connection during the cruise. After agreeing to host the Speed Dating and Singles Party events aboard the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas, she decided to make the trip her personal quest for love as well.

 

       Kym enjoys seven days of activities on the ship, while her brother and friends try to help Kym find Mr. Right. From St. Thomas to Puerto Rico to Miami, Kym searches for love; from her Speed Dating event to the Mardi Gras Party to the Singles Party and at various romantic points on shore, cameras track her every move.      

       Along the way, she finds other single celebrities on board who participate in some of the single-oriented events, including Omarosa, Lamman Rucker, John Henton, A.J. Jamal, Ajai Sanders and Rolonda Watts. In St. Thomas, Kym joins up with Tom Joyner and his wife Donna Richardson at a beach party and gets some courtship advice from Donna. And at the Singles Party she co-hosts, her brother turns the tables on her with a surprise contest that has hilarious results.  

TIMBALAND TO FINALLY RECORD WITH BRITNEY?: Collabo was supposed to take place last year August 22, 2008

Timbaland is reportedly producing a song for Britney Spears’ upcoming album that will be a duet with her ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake.

 

      The collaboration was originally eyed for her last album, “Blackout,” but the pop star was going through personal issues at the time and missed her scheduled recording session at Timbaland’s Virginia Beach studio last August, according to the New York Post.

 

      “She just didn’t show up,” spies told Page Six at the time.

 

      Spears’ forthcoming album is due for release by year’s end.

MEDIATION ORDERED IN GAME ASSAULT CASE: Rapper accused of pulling gun on basketball coach during game in park August 22, 2008

A judge has ordered rapper The Game to consider mediation in a case where he is being sued for assault by a basketball coach.

 

        The lawsuit was filed in March by pro-amateur coach Shannon Roderick, who accused Game of assault, battery, negligence and civil rights violations stemming from an altercation at a celebrity basketball game.       

       Roderick’s lawyer Portasha Moore said she will follow the judge’s order to seek mediation.  If Game does not respond, Roderick’s lawyer will be allowed to pursue a default judgment in the case.       

       According to the lawsuit, the rapper was playing for the City Hoops team Liteem-Up in a South Los Angeles location. Their opponent, the Blazers – coached by Roderick – had a substantial lead.  Roderick alleges that after calling a time-out, The Game accosted him near the bench area.

 

       “Your team is garbage,” Game is alleged to have said. “You guys are nothing but a bunch of bustas.”       

       Roderick says he turned toward the Game just before the rapper punched him in the face. Game then allegedly said: “I’m going to blast this fool,” and walked to his car to get a gun from his car. Roderick said he retreated to the gym and hid until the rapper left.      

       The Game, born Jayceon Taylor, pleaded no contest to possession of a firearm in a school zone. He was ordered to perform 150 hours of community service and sentenced to three years probation.

ACTOR JULIUS “SHO’NUFF” CARRY III DIES: The Last Dragon’s Shogun of Harlem passed away Tuesday at age 56 August 22, 2008

Actor Julius Carry III, best known as the villain Sho’Nuff from the 1985 film “The Last Dragon,” died on Aug. 19 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56.      

       The Chicago native started his film career in 1979 with the role of Malik Jamal Truth in “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.” He went on to appear in other small films, such as “Disco Godfather” and “The Man with One Red Shoe.”‘     

       But his most memorable big screen role was Sho’Nuff, a.k.a. the Shogun of Harlem, in “The Last Dragon,” a character who dressed up in shogun attire, traveled with a crew of thugs and tormented protagonist Leroy Green, played by Taimak.       

       Carry also made guest appearances on dozens of television shows, including “The Jeffersons,” “Fame,” “Family Matters,” “Moesha,” “Spin City,” “Diagnosis Murder” and “Boy Meets World.”

 

      A tribute to Carry appears below is his famous scene from “The Last Dragon.”

DRAMA SURROUNDS CLOSING OF CAFÉ DUPRI: Jermaine’s health conscious eatery shutters; workers complained of non-payment August 22, 2008

Jermaine Dupri closed the doors of his health conscious eatery Café Dupri indefinitely, according to a sign on the door.

 

       The move comes three years after its grand opening in the Buckhead section of Atlanta, and within weeks of complaints from workers that paychecks were bouncing left and right. The music mogul blames the country’s ailing economy for a downturn in revenue over the years.

 

      “The economy has changed dramatically and people just aren’t eating out as much anymore,” Dupri told AllHipHop.com. “People are cutting back everywhere and a lot of companies, including Café Dupri, are feeling the affect. For the past two months business at the Café has been down and if the business isn’t making money, I feel its a smart move to shut it down. Bottom line: if it doesn’t make money, it doesn’t make sense.”

 

      Meanwhile, café workers are claiming that their paychecks have been rubbery for weeks, and rejected at local check cashing businesses.  According to WSB-TV, employees arriving to work last week found a sign on the door that read “thanks for patronizing Café Dupri. We have closed indefinitely.”

 

       According to the workers, Dupri’s mother, Cecelia Mauldin, served as CEO of Café Dupri. She issued notices several times to employees stating that payroll funds were not available.       

       According to Allhiphop.com, a notice dated Aug. 11 instructed the workers to go to “a Sun Trust bank and cash your check. The cash flow will not be in the bank until Tuesday after 12. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

       Mauldin denies that the workers were stiffed out of their paychecks, and said it was a business decision to shut down Café Dupri, the Web site reports.

MARY J. BLIGE TO SPREAD ‘LOVE’ THIS FALL: Singer plans U.S. tour in support of ‘Growing Pains’ August 22, 2008

Mary J. Blige is coming to a city near you this fall to promote her eighth studio album, “Growing Pains.”

 

      The Love Soul Tour, which features Robin Thicke and newcomer Dave Young as supporting acts, will kick off Sept. 13 in North Charleston, SC, and visit cities from coast to coast through mid-October.

 

      The outing follows up Blige’s spring excursion with Jay-Z on the “Heart of the City Tour,” which also supported the December release of “Growing Pains.”

 

       As previously reported, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul has joined a dozen-plus female music stars to record “Just Stand Up,” a charity single for the Stand Up to Cancer initiative to raise funds for cancer research. The song, produced by Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Antonio “L.A.” Reid, will be released to radio and will be available for purchase at Apple’s iTunes store beginning Sept. 2.       

       An all-star television premiere of the tune will take place Sept. 5 when the ABC, CBS and NBC networks simultaneously devote an hour of commercial-free programming to the cause.

 

      Below is the itinerary for The Love Soul Tour:

September 2008
13 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Coliseum
19 – Virginia Beach , VA – Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
20 – Bristow, VA – Nissan Pavilion
21 – Raleigh, NC – Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
26 – Camden, NJ – Susquehanna Bank Center
27 – Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
28 – Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre

October 2008
2 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
8 – Baltimore, MD – 1st Mariner Arena
10 – Sunrise, FL – BankAtlantic Center
11 – Tampa, FL – Ford Amphitheatre
12 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
14 – Chicago, IL – Arie Crown Theater
17 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort
18 – Concord, CA – Sleep Train Pavilion

T.I., RIHANNA ADDED AS VMA PERFORMERS: Pink also joins roster for Sept 7 broadcast from Los Angeles August 22, 2008

T.I. has been booked to perform at next month’s MTV Video Music Awards, which will be his first appearance at a major award show since his October arrest hours before the BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta.

      Also just added to the performance lineup are Rihanna, Pink and Paramore, reports MTV.

 

      The VMAs are set for Sept. 7 in Los Angeles with British comedian Russell Brand as the host. Performers already announced include the Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne and Kid Rock.

 

      T.I.’s was scheduled to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards last October, but hours before the show started, he was arrested in a nearby parking lot and accused of trying to buy machine guns and silencers. He was sentenced earlier this year to serve about a year in prison after completing at least 1,000 hours of community service.

 

       The rapper’s appearance at the VMAs will promote his upcoming album “Paper Trail,” due Sept. 30.