‘SOUNDS’ LIKE MARY MARY IS BACK: Gospel duo to release new album on Oct. 14 September 4, 2008

R&B/gospel duo Mary Mary will release their new album, “The Sound,” on Oct. 14 via Columbia Records.       

       It’s their first project since October 2006’s “A Mary Mary Christmas” and is the group’s first new full-length non-seasonal album since the release of their self-titled CD in July 2005.      

       “The Sound” premieres 11 new Mary Mary cuts, including the album’s first single, “Get Up,” a pop-infused anthem of praise and empowerment.       

       “That song embodies what the whole album is about,” says Mary Mary’s Erica Campbell. “It asks people, ‘Why are you waiting? Why do you care what other people think?’ It reminds us that your beginning can be whenever you want it to be.”       

       Other tracks on “The Sound” include the R&B-flavored title track, as well as “Superfriend,” “God In Me,” “Boom,” “I’m Running,” “Forgiven Me,” “Dirt,” “Seattle,” “I Worship You,” and “It Will All Be Worth It.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR’S HOME BURGLARIZED: Seven million in jewels stolen; boxer offers cash reward for any info September 4, 2008

Floyd Mayweather Jr is offering $100,000 to anyone who can tell him who burglarized his crib.

 

       According to boxingscene.com, the retired fighter had $7 million worth of jewelry stolen from one of his Las Vegas homes on Aug. 17, between the hours of 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.       

       The thieves apparently broke his bedroom window and entered while he was out of the house, the Web site reported. No one was injured and security is working to ensure that cameras and professional guards are posted. Only the jewelry was observed to be missing.      

       Anyone with information on this crime can call Sherbrooke, Jelan and Associates at (678) 457-5858 or (404) 786-1321. Callers could be eligible for an immediate cash reward of $100,000 and may remain anonymous.

WHO IS THAT KISSING STAR JONES? Former ‘View’ co-host snapped with new chef boyfriend at the U.S. Open September 4, 2008

Photographs of Star Jones and her new man kissing in the stands of the U.S. Open last weekend hit the Internet yesterday morning. By the afternoon, People.com had exposed the mystery man as Herb Wilson, the executive chef at Manhattan’s Soho and Tribeca Grand hotels.

 

      “This was one of the first times they were out in public together,” a friend of Jones’ tells People. “It’s a new relationship, and he makes her very happy.”

 

       Jones personal rep would not confirm the relationship after refusing to talk about his client’s personal life. However, another source close to the former “View” host said the two are dating.      

       “He’s a very nice guy,” the source says of Wilson. “She’s never been happier.”      

       Jones, 46, and her husband of 3 1/2 years, Al Reynolds, 38, filed for divorce in March.

OPRAH TAPES OLYMPIC SHOW: More than 150 gold medalists from Beijing filmed in Chicago for Sept. 8 season premiere September 4, 2008

Oprah Winfrey welcomed home more than 150 U.S. Olympic medal winners on Wednesday as part of her talk show’s 23rd season premiere.      

       The salute on Chicago’s Lake Michigan waterfront doubled as a pep rally for efforts to bring the 2016 summer games to America, reports Reuters. More than 4,000 audience members cheered wildly amidst red, white and blue confetti as the medalists walked through the aisles and took the stage.       

       “Team USA, you want to make us all stand taller,” she told the athletes at the end of the program, adding that she hoped they would have a chance to return to Chicago for the 2016 games, should the city beat competing locations Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.      

       Swimmer Michael Phelps, who came back from last month’s games in Beijing with a record eight gold medals, told Winfrey the feat had yet to sink in but “I need to get back home” to Maryland to see friends and his pet bulldog.      

       “One of the biggest things I want to do is grow the sport of swimming,” he added, noting that he has established a charitable foundation to promote the sport using the $1 million bonus he earned from the makers of Speedo swimwear.      

       Fellow swimmer, Dara Torres, told Winfrey she was not done with competitive swimming at age 41.

 

       “I kind of want to keep going for a bit,” she said, unlike past Olympic competitions after which, she said, she didn’t want to go near the water again. “When you’re in the water the water doesn’t know your age,” she added.

 

       Wednesday’s show will air in syndication on Sept. 8. The venue for the 2016 games will be announced in October 2009.

YOUNG JEEZY REGISTERS TO VOTE: Move tied to promotion of his new album The Recession September 4, 2008

According to new statistics released this week, eight million U.S. blacks aged 18 and over are still not registered to vote. Young Jeezy plans to reduce that number today by at least one.

 

      In conjunction with this week’s release of his third solo album, “The Recession,” the rapper is hosting a voter registration drive as part of a full day of events in his Atlanta hometown, including an in-store appearance, concert and star-studded release party.

 

       Jeezy, who turns 31 in October, said he will register to vote during the event held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Justin’s Restaurant (2200 Peachtree Rd.).       

       “The Recession” includes Jay-Z’s remix to Jeezy’s “Put On” as one of two bonus tracks added to its 18 cuts.

SANDY ‘PEPA’ DENTON WRITES TELL-ALL: Book details past relationships, fights and domestic violence September 4, 2008

A new book by Sandy (Pepa) Denton of the rap duo Salt-n-Pepa reveals details about her personal life highlighted by a number violent episodes where she was both the victim and perpetrator.

 

       “Let’s Talk About Pep,” co-written with Karen Hunter, features Denton speaking candidly about her rise from poverty, her hot temper and her string of bad relationships.      

       The rapper was once married to Naughty by Nature front man Treach (Anthony Criss). She also had a child with Tyran (Tah-Tah) Moore, a rapper accused by 50 Cent of having a role in his 2002 shooting. (Tah-Tah was never charged.)       

       Her most turbulent experience came from a decade-long romance with a man she calls “Brad.”        

       During one of their apocalyptic fights, she writes, “I had the hot iron in my hand and he had a handful of my hair. He grabbed the hand with the iron in it and was pushing [it] toward my face. … He ended up pressing that hot iron against my other arm. I heard my flesh sizzling, and the smell was sickening. I started screaming from the pain. He dropped the iron and I turned to run, and his nail swiped across my eyeball and shredded my cornea.” The incident left her with deep scars and an eye patch.       

       The couple had another brawl at actor Omar Epps’ house, where, she says, “Brad” threw her through a glass coffee table and tried to push her down the stairs.       

       Pepa, meanwhile, had a violent streak of her own. She tells of one night when she had to check Christopher “Play” Martin of the rap duo Kid ‘n Play.

 

       “Play tried to clown me at the table. … Everyone started laughing. I got up and grabbed him by his collar and dragged him down the whole length of the table, knocking everybody’s food and drink onto the floor. Play never made fun of me again,” writes Pepa.       

       One rapper who did impress her was Tupac Shakur, whom she met on the set of the “Whatta Man” video. “He was a good guy. I remember him telling me that he had never been in trouble with the law until he got into the music business. [He said,] ‘I ain’t never had a record until I made a record!’”

AKON TO STAND TRIAL FOR FAN-TOSSING: Artist charged with harassment and endangering welfare of a child September 4, 2008

Akon has been ordered to stand trial in Fishkill, NY on charges stemming from a June 2007 concert in which he was shown throwing a teenage fan offstage, resulting in another fan suffering a concussion.

 

      Fishkill Town Justice Harold Epstein ordered the singer back in court on December 1 for the start of his jury trial, reports E! Online.  If convicted of both his charges – endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree harassment – he faces a maximum of one year and 15 days behind bars.

 

       Dutchess County Assistant District Attorney Anthony Parisi has requested that Akon’s attorney, Andrea Zellan, try to work out a deal within the next two weeks to avoid a trial, reports E! Akon’s lawyers released a statement expressing a willingness to settle the case.       

       “We are pleased that Judge Epstein adjourned the case to a date certain for either a trial or a negotiated resolution,” the statement read. “Akon looks forward to putting this incident behind him, and in the meantime, he will continue to meet every requirement set forth by the court.”

LEBRON JAMES SUBJECT OF NEW DOCUMENTARY: NBA star in Toronto this weekend for premiere of More Than a Game September 4, 2008

Fresh from his gold medal run as part of the U.S. basketball team in the Beijing Olympics, NBA star LeBron James will visit the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend for the debut of “More Than A Game,” a documentary chronicling his rise to stardom.

 

       The film also shows how he and four childhood friends overcame long odds to win a national championship in high school.

 

      “We set out with a goal as kids and we wanted to accomplish that someway, somehow by using basketball as a tool, not knowing that it was going to create other opportunities for us,” James said, according to the Associated Press. “We didn’t know it was going to create a brotherhood and trust. We grew from kids into young men.”

 

       “More Than A Game” mixes footage from James’ stint at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in nearby Akron, along with one-on-one interviews by writer/director Kris Belman, home videos, and personal family photographs.      

       James is expected to be joined by friends and former teammates Dru Joyce III, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee and Romeo Travis for the Toronto premiere. Their journey began together as 8-year-old boys, winds through years crisscrossing the country playing in AAU tournaments and finishes in their senior season at St. Vincent-St. Mary, a year when James came under scrutiny for accepting a $50,000 sports-utility vehicle as a gift from his mother and his eligibility was briefly stripped by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.      

       At the time, Belman was a film student at Loyola Marymount looking to follow James and his friends’ season as his final school project, a 10-minute documentary. But after gaining the trust of the players and coach Dru Joyce, Belman spent two months filming and eventually teamed with producer Harvey Mason Jr. to make the full-length feature. James hopes the film will inspire youngsters.

 

       “We set out with a goal when we were 8 and we accomplished it when we were 18,” he said. “It’s a great story and I wanted to get it out to kids that have a dream, that they should continue to go after it, believe in it and live it if they want to accomplish something.”

USHER PLANS SPECIAL LADIES ONLY TOUR: ‘One Night Stand’ to hit about 16 ‘intimate’ venues September 4, 2008

Usher wants to be the only man in the room for his next tour. 

 

       The singer says he will soon announce details for a ladies only outing titled “One Night Stand,” which will include stops at about 15 “intimate” venues in support of his latest album, “Here I Stand.”       

       “There’s only a few artists that can pull that off,” said the 29-year-old singer about his no-men-allowed theme. “I feel like I’ve had such a connection with my audience. This album, I felt like, was definitely the type of one that was more intimate. So what better way to get up close and personal than to make it all women?”      

       Despite being a married man and father to infant son, Usher Raymond V, the artist says he still has what it takes to pull off the sex symbol image.      

       “The ladies like to see that masculine build,” he said. “They question if I still got it.”      

       In addition to the upcoming tour, Ursh is also planning his own line of lingerie and men’s undergarments. He’s working on a video for his new single “Trading Places,” and will perform at the NFL’s annual kickoff concert tonight along with Keith Urban and Natasha Bedingfield.

Weekly Lovescopes September 4, 2008

ARIES (March 20 – April 19)
Your friends should encourage you to be more sociable. Thanks to them, you will discover new centers of activity, and meet new people. This could lead to a romantic interest later in the month.

Key word for the week: balance
Your luckiest aspect this week: working relationships
Who to spend time with: Aquarius

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
Your charm and seductive powers are on the rise, meaning that you attract others to you like a magnet. You are truly irresistible. Promises made to you recently turn out to be true, despite your doubts.

Key word for the week: liberty
Your luckiest aspect this week: family
Who to spend time with: Aries

GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
If you do a favor for friends, it should be out of the kindness of your own heart, as if you are expecting something in return, you could be disappointed. Sit down and count your blessings. You’ll see that things are really not as bad as you think.

Key word for the week: investment
Your luckiest aspect this week: money
Who to spend time with: Gemini

CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
This is an excellent week for family matters and for spending time with those you care about or would like to get to know better. A family reunion turns out to be a memorable evening. Be sure to stick to your word.

Key word for the week: honesty
Your luckiest aspect this week: love
Who to spend time with: Sagittarius

LEO (July 23 – August 22)
Family members may suggest that you make a joint effort and work together on a new project. Don’t feel bad about turning them down if you really don’t feel that this project is good for you.

Key word for the week: balance
Your luckiest aspect this week: home life
Who to spend time with: Libra

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
If you sit back and wait for things to change, a family problem is unlikely to be resolved. It is up to you to take the initiative and get to the bottom of this matter. Make an effort to be at your best and get closer to those you love.

Key word for the week: ambition
Your luckiest aspect this week: career
Who to spend time with: Capricorn

LIBRA(September 23 – October 22)
Make the most of this calmer week to take stock of your life in general and think harder about where you really want to go. Don’t be afraid to change direction, but avoid making any definite commitments until next week.

Key word for the week: initiative
Your luckiest aspect this week: ambitions
Who to spend time with: Sagittarius

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 22)
If you were relying on the help and support of a friend in a delicate matter, then you could be disappointed. Don’t let it get you down. You may have to go it alone on this one. Avoid getting caught in the trap of blaming the other person.

Key word for the week: discovery
Your luckiest aspect this week: romance
Who to spend time with: Leo

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
You are being a little too demanding with the other person when it comes to love matters, and if you give them a little more leeway things will improve dramatically. Stay away from people with negative opinions.

Key word for the week: negotiation
Your luckiest aspect this week: friendship
Who to spend time with: Libra

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
You need your own space, so those who stick too close to you are likely to get on your nerves. Be sure to let them know, diplomatically, that you are not available. You have some important dreams for the future and you mustn’t let them go.

Key word for the week: precision
Your luckiest aspect this week: finances
Who to spend time with: Taurus

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Live your life, stick to your own ideas and believe in your own concept of love and relationships, without worrying about what others or what society thinks. Even if you have laid out your requirements clearly, don’t expect a clear answer.

Key word for the week: vitality
Your luckiest aspect this week: health
Who to spend time with: Gemini

PISCES (February 19 – March 19)
You may be rather nervous early in the week, and will feel unmotivated or discouraged. Some anxieties are disturbing you at the moment, and it is with your family that you can find peace, reassurance and serenity.

Key word for the week: authority
Your luckiest aspect this week: career
Who to spend time with: Virgo