Usher & Tameka separated?; Ciara naked on Vibe; Fela! Off Broadway; Slash’s ‘Movie September 5, 2008

Jamie Foster Brown’s sister, Stella Foster, a columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote in her Thursday column: “Usher has reportedly separated from much older wife, Tameka Foster, who reportedly is expecting their second child in December.” No further details were given.      

 

       *Fela!, a new musical based on the life of groundbreaking African composer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, officially opens Sept. 4 at Off-Broadway’s 37 Arts (450 West 37th Street at Tenth Ave.). Previews began July 29. Bill T. Jones directs and choreographs the production, which will play a limited engagement through Sept. 21.  In Fela!, press notes state, “Audiences are welcomed into the extravagant, decadent and rebellious world of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Using his pioneering music (a blend of jazz, funk and African rhythm and harmonies), [the musical] explores Kuti’s controversial life as artist, political activist and revolutionary musician.” Tickets are available by visiting www.Ticketmaster.com or by calling (212) 560-8912. For more information go to www.FelaOffBroadway.com.   

 

       *R&B star Ciara, 22, appears nude (with parts of her body strategically covered) on the October cover of Vibe magazine. The issue, which hits newsstands on Sept. 16, also features the singer sans clothing in a photo spread. The article is in promotion of her upcoming third solo album “Fantasy Ride.” In the interview, she talks about fame and her love life.      

 

       *Slash, the former guitarist for Guns n’ Roses and the current guitarist for Velvet Revolver, will compose the score for the Mexican film, “This is Not a Movie,” the second production written and directed by Olallo Rubio. An English-language film, it was 100% independently financed with Mexican funds. “It’s very cutting-edge, very artistic, and a little bit trippy,” said Slash when discussing the film with the English-language magazine Mojo. “It’s dark, and jagged and a bit surreal, in and out of reality, you know?” Rubio, said of the film: “The idea was to create a very eclectic psychedelic score with sounds generated by acoustic and electric guitars. I was looking for a guitarist with the ability to create very emotional music, but at the same time, the freedom to use any type of effects to explore different sounds. Slash was interested in the project, and so far he has composed the music for six segments, we’re very excited with his work.”

BOW WOW DISCUSES FIRST SEX SCENE: Rapper’s moment comes in new season of HBO’s ‘Entourage September 5, 2008

Bow Wow, now 21 and preferring his birth name Shad Moss, will be seen in a brand new light when the new season of HBO’s “Entourage” returns on Sunday (Sept. 7).

 

      The rapper-turned-actor, who joins the cast as a struggling comedian, engages in the first sex scene of his career during an upcoming episode.

 

      “It’s with a porn star,” he told People.com Wednesday night during the NYC premiere of the show’s fifth season. “It was unreal because I didn’t know that I had a sex scene until that day. When I saw a robe in my trailer, I thought, am I taking a bath?”

 

       When asked if he will be completely nude in the scene, Moss said coyly: “You have to watch it.” 

ARRESTS, INJURIES FOLLOW THREE 6 MAFIA GIG: Brawl involving as many as 30 people erupts outside of Hollywood’s House of Blues September 5, 2008

A brawl erupted outside of a Three 6 Mafia concert at Hollywood’s House of Blues Wednesday night that spilled out onto Sunset Blvd. and ended with three men arrested and one woman hospitalized.

 

       According to KABC, police were forced to shut down Sunset Blvd. in both directions shortly after the fight started inside the venue at about 11:30 p.m. Most in the crowd of about 600 ran for the exit as the melee spilled onto the streets.       

       Some of the club’s security guards got involved and dozens of police officers from several departments rushed to the scene to break it up. Sunset Blvd. was briefly shut down for an investigation.       

       One woman was trampled as the crowd rushed out of the venue. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries to her leg. Three men were arrested, one of them for public drunkenness. Another man suffered some minor injuries in the brawl, but no officers were injured.      

       A witness says several factors led to the fight.      

       “Three 6 Mafia had some scantily clad dressed women on stage, so I’m sure that was probably helping fuel the situation,” said the witness. “And then just one fight broke out and another fight broke out, and the next thing you know it was just nuts.”

KEYS, J-HUD, LATIFAH HOST GOLF TOURNEY: ‘Bees’ stars behind charity event during Toronto Film Festival September 5, 2008

Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, and Queen Latifah – stars of Fox’s upcoming film “The Secret Life of Bees” – are scheduled to host a charity golf tournament Sunday at the Toronto Film Festival, where their movie is being screened.

 

       The all-day event at Magna Golf Club is being held to raise money for Malaria No More, a grassroots movement to control the preventable disease that kills more than one million people each year.       

       The golf tournament will also include a concert by veteran music producer David Foster. Other guests expected to attend include Debbie Harry and Chris Stein of Blondie, Kevin Costner, Bill Maher, Gene Simmons, co-founder of KISS, actor Colin Farrell and actress Sophia Bush of One Tree Hill.

2PAC TOPS BLENDER’S ‘OVERRATED’ LIST: Late rapper leads poll in magazine’s Oct. issue September 5, 2008

Tupac Shakur tops a tongue-in-cheek poll in the October issue of Blender magazine that asks voters to rank the most overrated artists, places, trends and other staples in music.      

       The late rapper, who was murdered in Las Vegas in 1996, beats the likes of the Grammys at No. 7, encores at No. 12, Pink Floyd at No. 14 and “the music you loved as a teenager” at No. 23.      

       Blender notes Tupac was a good rapper with “insane rock-star charisma,” but he also “larded records with self-mythologizing, mediocre filler.”      

     These aren’t the first hate darts the magazine has thrown at Tupac. In its June issue, rapper Lil Wayne listed him among his top five rappers, but then admitted: “I can’t front: I was never into Pac.”

KANYE CHANGES TUNE REGARDING VMA: Artist to close ceremony on Sunday after vowing a year ago never to perform there again September 5, 2008

Kanye West has agreed to close out the 25th annual MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday in Hollywood, despite vowing last year that he would never perform there again because of the way he was treated.

 

      In 2007, West’s performance was relegated to a small stage in the Las Vegas venue.

 

      West joins a 2008 lineup that includes Christina Aguilera and the Jonas Brothers. Britney Spears, who made headlines for her lackluster performance to open last year’s VMAs, will open the show this year, but will not perform.

 

       “She will be … doing something so mindbending, it’ll probably make you want to start families with each other in a random, possibly Mormon, way,” the show’s host, English comedian Russell Brand, joked during a press preview at the Paramount Pictures lot where the ceremony will be held.

 

       Katy Perry, the singer of the summer’s biggest hit “I Kissed A Girl,” will cover Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” during the ceremony.  Other previously announced performers include R&B singer Rihanna and Detroit rocker Kid Rock.

JESSE JACKSON HOSPITALIZED FOR STOMACH PAINS: Rainbow Coalition head diagnosed with viral gastroenteritis September 5, 2008

Rev. Jesse Jackson says he is on the mend after being hospitalized Thursday for complaints of severe stomach pains.

 

      The civil rights leader entered Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Wednesday after falling ill earlier in the week. Doctors diagnosed the ailment as viral gastroenteritis but were conducting more tests as of press time, according to the Associated Press.

 

       The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the stomach and small and large intestines. The condition is not considered serious for most people.      

       Jackson said he was feeling much better Thursday morning but wasn’t sure when he would be released.      

       The reverend was in Georgia campaigning and conducting voter registration for Sen. Barack Obama when he began to feel ill after apparently becoming dehydrated.

OPRAH’S MAMA SUED OVER BOUTIQUE TAB: Vernita Lee accused of owing Wisconsin store $156,000 September 5, 2008

Oprah Winfrey’s mother is being sued by a high-end Wisconsin boutique for allegedly running up a $156,000 tab and refusing to make her monthly payments.

 

       The clothing store Valentina claims Vernita Lee owes the money in purchases and interest as of July 1st and has failed to make the minimum monthly payment of $2,000.      

      Store attorney Joseph Niebler Sr. says the store attempted to resolve the matter with Lee before filing the lawsuit in Waukesha County Circuit Court, reports the Associated Press.

Undated photo of Vernita Lee

      The lawsuit says Lee told store officials she doesn’t think she owes the money.

 

       A nonbinding mediation session is set for Sept. 16.

T.I. STILL TOPS SINGLES CHART: The Game debuts at No. 2 on Billboard’s album tally September 5, 2008

T.I.’s new single Whatever You Like” remains No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 due in large part to download sales of more than 176,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.      

       A week after setting a new record with 71-1 jump, the track also climbs 8-2 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.      

       Elsewhere on the Hot 100, Rihanna’s “Disturbia” holds at No. 2, while Pink’s “So What” jumps 9-3 in just its second week after selling 136,000 downloads. Chris Brown’s “Forever” slips 3-4, while M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” rises 6-5 and Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” remains No. 7.      

       Ne-Yo’s “Closer” stays put at No. 8, while Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” rockets 24-9. Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” falls 4-10 to round out the top tier.       

       The chart’s top debut is Ludacris’ “What Them Girls Like” featuring Chris Brown and Sean Garrett at No. 59. Another T.I. song, “Swing Ya Rag,” is new at No. 62. The cancer charity fund-raiser “Just Stand Up!,” featuring Beyonce and Mary J. Blige among a dozen-plus top female vocalists, debuts at No. 78. The artists will perform the song tonight during the multi-network “Stand Up to Cancer” telethon.      

       Jazmine Sullivan’s “Need U Bad” begins a second week at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, where the top debut is T.I.’s “Swagger” featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne at No. 55.

 

      Meanwhile, The Game’s new album “L.A.X.” tasted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart before a SoundScan error dropped him down to No. 2 behind metal band Slipknot.  Their album “All Hope is Gone” moved 239,516 copies in the United States, only 1,134 more than the rapper’s Geffen album at 238,382.