Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2010-11/05/content_11507605_3.htm Read more...
Showing posts with label Entertainment and Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment and Music. Show all posts
Friday, November 5, 2010
Singer Rihanna arrives on stage to turn on the Christmas lights at Westfield
Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/entertainment/2010-11/05/content_11507605_3.htm Read more...
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tu Face, others unite on one 8
The wait is over and a music revolution has begun. After weeks of speculation One 8 is here.
Through the power of the universal language of music One 8 is the ultimate music force that is single-handedly changing the face of the African music industry.
Planet music is the playground for One 8 as the hottest African talents that includes Nigerian born super star Tu Face Idibia, joins others musicians from some major African countries to create an African supergroup unlike anything seen before.
The power and excitement around this collective of African stars is so big that One 8 will not only be joined by one of the biggest global megastars and icons in music for its first single and video, about to be recorded in America but this superstar, who’s played a crucial role in defining R&B and Hip-Hop as we know it, will produce the song and video together with some of the biggest names in music and music video production in the world today.
This all star group One is produced and managed by the first major pan-African record label and 360 music company, Rockstar 2000 within the family of Sony Music. One 8 is destined for greatness, shattering perceptions about African music as it builds networks and excitement across the pan-African music landscape and across the world.
One 8 is not only just another all-star lineup, but is a progressive, digital media driven project.
t’s driven by the passion of the artists to not only allow their fans access around the clock, but to give them the freedom to escape from their every day challenges and empowering their fans to be whatever they want to be through the power of music and the digital world-connecting them across cities, borders and continents.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/tu-face-others-unite-on-one-8/ Read more...
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Asa releases sophomore
On Monday the 25th of October, Nigeria’s international songbird, Bukola Elemide a.k.a Asa released her second album for sale in France, Nigeria, South Africa and Switzerland. It’s titled ‘Beautiful Imperfection’.
A teaser to the full album release was streamed on line few weeks back in a rock-tinged single with hints of 1960s soul.
The song, ‘Be my man’ presented a more confident Asa who dared to dance and let her hair down before a man – her lover.
The full body of work consists 12 tracks with titles like: Why Can’t We, Preacher Man, Bimpé, The Way I Feel, Dreamer Girl, Oré, Broda Olé and Questions.
The album premiered on iTunes on the 15th of this moth before the CD release. Asa describes her new album which is more pop than soul as “uplifting” than the first one – even if it also happens to sound dreamy.
Beautiful Imperfection will be released in other European countries at the beginning of November and next year in the USA, Australia and Canada.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/asa-releases-sophomore Read more...
P-Square drops new video, tidies VCD
n related news, Nigeria’s pop award-winning twins, Peter and Paul Okoye have released a new video titled ‘Gimme that’. It was shot in South Africa and directed, as usual, by their brother and manager, Jude Engees Okoye.
This becomes the fourth video to be released off their fourth LP titled Danger.
Sources close to the twins have confirmed the production of a Video CD compilation of all four videos: Danger, I love You, E no easy and Gimme that and possibly footage from their recently concluded European tour.
With business discussions as regards marketing and retailing currently on-going, the VCD, we gather, will be released in a couple of weeks.
The twins recently completed and moved into their twin-duplex mansion with a swimming pool and underground studio. They also acquired four brand new luxury cars which set them back by a whooping N65million.
The famous singers, choreographers and Glo ambassadors who’s toured Africa repeatedly, are currently on break, getting ready for their next set of engagements as the year draws to an end.
Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/p-square-drops-new-video-tidies-vcd/ Read more...
NET Exclusive: The List of Nominees for The 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards
MTV Networks Africa and Zain have announced the list of nominees for the 2010 MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain (MAMA). The nominees were announced tonight (30th October, 2010) at a star-studded celebration at De Marquee, Lagos, Nigeria. The event was attended by artists, the nominees and celebrities including 2Face Idibia, Sasha and Mo Cheddah.
The nominations were revealed by Alex Okosi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Africa, Andre Beyers, Chief Marketing Officer, Airtel Group and Rajan Swaroop, CEO, Zain Nigeria.
Nigerian artists led the rest of the continent, scoring an impressive 13 nominations in total. Pop duo P-Square had 3 nominations (Artist of the Year, Best Group and Best Video), and there two nominations apiece for MAMA 2009 winner 2Face Idibia (Best Male, Artist of the Year), and R&B starlets Wande Coal (Best Anglophone, Best Male) and Banky W (Song of the Year, Best Video). The Kokomaster - D’banj, a four-time MAMA winner, received yet another MAMA nomination for Song of the Year for his smash Fall in Love. Nigerian female artists also rated well with Best Female nods for Nneka and Sasha, while Mo Cheddah bagged a nomination for Brand:New artiste of the year.
Read more: http://www.thenetng.com/2010/10/30/net-exclusive-the-list-of-nominees-for-the-2010-mtv-africa-music-awards/ Read more...
Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Ke$ha to perform at American Music Awards
The star power at the upcoming American Music Awards just got kicked up a notch. In addition to the previously announced performance from Christina Aguilera, the November 21 show at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles will feature the debut AMA appearances from three of music‘s hottest young stars.
Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Ke$ha will all perform at the show alongside a roster of veteran acts including Bon Jovi, Pink and Usher. Fittingly, all three newbies are also nominated for Artist of the Year, a category that features heavy-hitters Eminem and Lady Gaga as well. Em and Lady Antebellum lead all nominees with five apiece.
”As a small-town kid from Canada, I never imagined that I would be nominated for AMAs, let alone be performing on the show,” Bieber said, according to The Associated Press, which added that the 16-year-old professed to feel ”extremely humbled and honored” by the invitation to play the show.
More presenters and performers will be announced in coming weeks.
”Justin, Katy and Ke$ha have been on the top of the charts all year long. We are happy to see each of them make their own AMA history,” AMA producer Larry Klein said in a statement announcing the additions. Bieber is nominated in four categories overall, while Ke$ha and Perry are up for three awards.
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010312122298 Read more...
The Darey brand isn‘t a saturated thing seen everywhere – Darey Art Alade
Award-winning musician and songwriter, Oluwadare Art Alade, whose road to stardom started early in life, bares his mind to NKARENYI UKONU about a wide range of issues, including his life, music and marriage Some of the songs in your second album Un-Darey-ted were quintessential you. But you also experimented with fuji, high life, pop, etc., which people couldn‘t relate with you. Why didn‘t you just remain in your comfort zone?
In Nigeria, we like to box people, put them in a corner and say, ‘this is the kind of music you should be doing;‘ but as a musician, you should be able to express yourself. It depends on when the inspiration comes, it could have any flavour or format. With my second album, I would say I grew musically, compared to the first. You can‘t tell until you make the music and get the feedback and as a musician, you need people‘s feedback to enable you to segment your market, so that in subsequent releases, you now find a way to mix what each segment likes without losing your identity.
Read more:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010312204690 Read more...
T.I. escapes charges
Rapper T.I‘s fans have something to cheer about as the Los Angeles County District Attorney‘s office has declined to file charges against T.I. following his arrest September 1 on alleged drug possession.
According to DA office spokeswoman Jane Robinson, her office rejected the filing of misdemeanour charges in part because the rapper (born Clifford Harris) has already been sentenced to serve prison time for a probation violation in connection with the arrest.
According to the Charge Evaluation Worksheet filed last Monday in Los Angeles, ”D [defendant] is the driver of a car stopped for traffic violation. Deputy smells marijuana and searches car and occupants for source of odor. Deputy finds 4 pills of ecstasy in D‘s pants. Deputies also find marijuana in car and other narcotics in possession of one of the passengers. D is on federal probation in Georgia and has already been sentenced to 10 months [ed. 11 months] in prison for violation stemming from this arrest. Given amount of facts above, case rejected.”
A spokesperson for T.I. said he is scheduled to turn himself in to begin his prison sentence next Monday. It was unknown at press time how the latest stint behind bars will affect the upcoming release of T.I.‘s long-awaited King Uncaged, which the MC recorded during his supervised release from his previous prison bid.
Robinson would not comment on a TMZ report attributed to unidentified ”law enforcement sources” that there were ”significant legal issues” over the probable cause claimed by police that led to the arrest of the rapper and his wife, Tameka ”Tiny” Cottle. ”Cops claimed they smelled marijuana but no pot was ever booked into evidence,” TMZ reported. ”And, we‘re told ... T.I. was pulled out of his $250,000 Maybach immediately after he made the illegal U-turn and prior to any registration check.”
T.I. was sentenced to 11 months in prison October 15 by a federal judge at a probation hearing, during which the Atlanta MC was found to have violated the terms of his supervised release. The prosecution sought to send T.I. back to prison for two years, but the rapper pleaded with the judge to lessen his punishment and instead help him with his drug dependency, which was not specified.
According to police documents obtained by several media outlets leading up to the hearing, at the time of his arrest, the rapper tested positive for opiates, was in possession of Ecstasy and was also associating with a felon, who was present in his vehicle during the bust, also in violation of the terms of T.I.‘s probation of federal felony gun charges.
T.I. was released from a halfway house earlier this year after serving seven months in a low-security facility in Arkansas. The prison time stemmed from an October 2007 arrest when T.I., a convicted felon, attempted to purchase illegal firearms. He was able to reach a unique plea deal at the time - upon the condition that he would speak to youth, complete community service and be placed under house arrest — and he was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. After his release, he was placed on strict probation.
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101031282735 Read more...
‘Celine Dion’s twin boys are doing great’– Rep
Powerhouse singer Celine Dion‘s rep has announced that the singer and her babies are doing just fine. She and her husband René Angélil, welcomed twin boys on last weekend.
The Grammy-winning songstress delivered fraternal twins just after 11 a.m. on October 23 at a Florida hospital . The newborns arrived prematurely and will spend their upcoming days in an incubator. However, Dion‘s rep maintained the babies are doing well.
The songbird and her husband, René Angélil, who also have a 9-year-old son named René-Charles, have not decided on names for the new tots.
”Celine is resting now and they plan to discuss what to name the boys when she wakes up,” her rep said. ”René-Charles has been to the hospital to visit his brothers and is just so excited they are here.”
The twins‘ birth comes days after the ”My Heart Will Go On” belter entered a West Palm Beach hospital for observation.
Dion‘s new arrivals come after the songstress struggled through several rounds of in vitro fertilization and even suffered the loss of a pregnancy in 2009. The songstress has been candid about her attempts to conceive, telling People in February that she was determined to try to get pregnant.
”I‘m going to try until it works,” Dion said after experiencing four failed rounds of IVF. ”Five‘s my lucky number ... so this is the time it‘s got to [work].”
Dion has sold over 100 million albums throughout her decades in the music industry.
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010312153910 Read more...
Mariah Carey announces she’s pregnant
Mariah Carey is going to have to add lullabies to her repertoire. The superstar singer confirmed on NBC‘s ”Today” show that she and husband Nick Cannon are expecting their first child. Carey says the baby is due in the spring.
Carey had declined to discuss her pregnancy, the subject of rampant speculation for months, until now.
”Yes, we are pregnant, it‘s true,” she said in an interview with ”Access Hollywood‘s” Billy Bush that was shown on ”Today.”
”It‘s been a long journey, but it‘s been tough because I‘ve been trying to ... hold on to a shred of privacy, and that was not easy.”
Carey, 40, and Cannon, 30, have been the subject of a baby watch since they got married after a whirlwind romance two years ago.
They laughed off the rumors when they occurred soon after their wedding.
”We thought it was fun, because they kept saying, ‘Oh she‘s pregnant.‘ Yeah, whatever. So we took the test and it was positive,” she said.
But Carey had a miscarriage soon afterward.
”It was really sad, so we really had to absorb this and take it in,” she said.
Cannon hailed his wife‘s strength for being able to laugh in front of the cameras, but later, ”crying herself to sleep.”
Bush said that Carey told him the baby was conceived naturally, and added that the couple does not know the sex of the baby.
Besides a baby on the way, Carey also has a new album: her second holiday CD, ”Merry Christmas II You.”
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101031251848 Read more...
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Back from Spain with triple numbers
Da Happy Guy likes to describe himself as a political rapper. But if one takes time to study his music, one may find out that a ‘cultural rapper‘ suits him better.
The Spain-based artiste, whose real name is Ogbuadike Samson, recently returned home to promote his new album titled Ecclassiates 4: 14. Despite the fact that he has stayed among the ‘oyinbo‘ people for some time, most songs in the 15-track album is a mixture of high life and hip hop. And that is how his being a cultural rapper comes in: his highlife comes mostly in Igbo.
The ideology appears to be a function of how he got inspired into music. According to him, while he was growing up, he had the opportunity to listen to a lot of the works of highlife stars such as Oliver de Coque and Osita Osadebe. Perhaps, the fact that he was also exposed to James Brown and Michael Jackson propelled the English aspect of Ecclassiates 4: 14.
While in Switzerland, DHG recalls, he performed alongside Ja Rule, Joe, 50 Cent, Red Man, Fat Man Scoop, Unbreakable D, Madd Family, Wild Doogg and Plastic Man.
The Anambra-born rapper got into professional music in 2004. That was in Zurich, Switzerland, when he released his debut album titled Hard to Live In, which, he notes, sold very well. It was in Spain he, however, consolidated and established his record label. His rap is very educative; hence, his baptising himself as a political rapper.
Samson‘s previously released album with the hit track, Adjibor, featured Solar De Coque (son of late Oliver De Coque). He is also currently producing a film titled The Models and Desperate Models with Uche Nancy.Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010271113757 Read more...
Monday, October 25, 2010
Westlife unimpressed by JLS condoms
Westlife have blasted JLS for releasing their own condom range.
The Irish group have ridiculed the 'Beat Again' hitmakers Just Love Safe contraceptives, accusing them of going too far with their merchandising.
Mark Feehily exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It does make you think what the f**k are they doing? Seriously, used condoms is a lovely thing to think about when you think of JLS.
"So will girls be going to their boyfriends, 'Sorry tonight babe do you mind using the one with Aston's face on it?' "
Shane Filan added: "They obviously got paid loads of money to do it and just went, 'OK.' "
While the 'What About Now' singers - who have their own perfume range - admit they have cashed in on their fame at times, they always took a slightly different approach.
Nicky Byrne said: "We had chocolate bars back in our day."
However, Westlife - which also includes fourth member Kian Egan - did admit they have been approached about their own brand of condoms and joked they are planning a tie-in with their new single, the aptly named 'Safe'.
Shane said: "People have actually recommended that we release our own brand of condoms. We could call them 'Safe' after our new single."
Mark claims the band might even go one step further, saying "We might release our own contraceptive pill!"
Westlife will release their new single 'Safe' on November 8.
2-Shotz – the Veteran, the Visionary
Rap veteran 2-Shotz recently put out his fifth studio LP - I A.M W.I.L.L.I.A.M, granting the ex-Trybesman a pass into the league of senior rap citizens who’ve successfully released five or more albums into the Nigerian market, others include Eedris and Zaaki Adzee.
Two man-group Foremen was 2-Shotz formal introduction to Nigerian hip-hop but it wasn’t until the emcee teamed up with eLDee and his posse – da Trybe that the public began to take notice of the rapper from Abia state. Sadly though, the first house eLDee built in the late 90’s would crumble at the turn of the new millennium and 2-Shotz would have to wait another four years before his solo album Pirated Copy would see the light of day.
Fast forward to today, and rapper/entrepreneur – 2-Shotz has spent more than ten years in (or around) the spotlight, steadily grinding out a full-length album for his fans every 18 months or so. That way, even though the Ummunnamu Record’s CEO isn’t exactly the headliner hip-hop observers once though he’d become, his name can still be found somewhere in the story, if you look closely.
Read more: http://www.thenetng.com/2010/10/25/2-shotz-the-veteran-the-visionary/ Read more...
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Matayas breaks in with “Unbreakable”
When a person is capable of doing extraordinary things, it makes it difficult to introduce him in the extraordinary way that suits. Matayas, real names – Matthias Akintosin Aragbada Jnr is not your average “up and coming” artiste.
As matter of fact, it sounds weird to say he is up and coming because the quality of music he is bringing to the table surpasses the regular.
Like most talented artistes,(local and abroad), Matayas started singing in church and later continued in the University (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology) where he formed a group called GQ.
Read more:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/10/matayas-breaks-in-with-%E2%80%9Cunbreakable%E2%80%9D/ Read more...
RIHANNA AND COLE PLANNING DUET
RIHANNA is planning to hit the studio with British singer CHERYL COLE to record a new duet.
The Umbrella hitmaker recently lavished praise on the Girls Aloud star, calling her "the most beautiful woman I have ever seen".
The Bajan singer has reached out to Cole and put forward plans for a collaboration, and Cole admits she was stunned when she heard Rihanna's suggestion.
She tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "I couldn't believe it when I heard Rihanna wanted to work with me. When I found out she wanted to collaborate, I got goosebumps all over." And Cole reveals they are planning to release a duet next year (11), adding: "We're definitely doing something together next year. I'm totally up for it."
Source: http://www.pr-inside.com/rihanna-and-cole-planning-duet-r2199845.htm Read more...
Jay-Z fuming over book mistake
Jay-Z fuming over book mistake
Rap superstar Jay-Z was left fuming after spotting a mistake in his upcoming autobiography when one of the pages was unveiled on a giant poster in Florida.
Rap superstar Jay-Z was left fuming after spotting a mistake in his upcoming autobiography when one of the pages was unveiled on a giant poster in Florida.
The hip-hop mogul was in South Beach on Wednesday night (20Oct10) to publicise his new book Decoded and he was reading out loud to guests at the launch event from a large printed page, which had been plastered at the bottom of a swimming pool.
But the star stopped when he found a typing error in the lyrics to his song Big Pimpin'.
An onlooker tells New York Post gossip column Page Six, "Jay then saw a mistake in the song Big Pimpin' and pointed it out to his team to get it fixed."
A representative for the rapper has confirmed the mistake will be rectified before the book goes to print, adding, "The lyrics will be fixed. The book hasn't been printed yet and comes out in November."
Source:http://www.pr-inside.com/jay-z-fuming-over-book-mistake-r2199844.htm
Read more...
Goldie releases debut album
Susan Harvey, popularly known as Goldie, has been in the music industry for three years now, but many may not have known that the light-skinned singer is yet to come out with an album.
Finally, the pretty gal is ready with her debut album titled, Gold.
“I have been working on this album for a long time. I’m so happy that finally, it is out,” the excited singer told Life and Beat.
Signed under Kennis Music, Goldie said she collaborated with some artistes, including Keke, Jaywon, and Eldee in the new work.
Her Mo le Gboko Lowo e with Eldee is getting so much attention, especially with the video that has been described as one of the best in recent times.
Goldie said she wrote most of the tracks in the album, while some of them were written for her by other “great song writers.”
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010233185981 Read more...
Vector Ready To Infect Music Industry With ‘State Of Surprise’
Lagos-based emcee Vector tha Viper is finally ready to infect the country with his much-talked about debut album State Of Surprise. The album is scheduled for release in stores and online on October 29th via Vector’s label home, YSG Entertainment.
The UNILAG-graduate has remained largely underground for years now, earning his stripes as something of a feared battle rapper, shutting down competitors at the Channel O Lagos Party at the Vaults and UNILAG Rap King battles. For all his rhyme appeal, Vector has found it nearly impossible to fend off the Jay-Z comparisons, to which the rapper simply replies, ‘I sound exactly how I’m supposed to sound‘.The album will contain 15 songs and a bonus cut, production will be provided by Vector himself, H-Code, Samklef, Vybe Productions, Da Piano, J-Smith and frequent collaborator Shogon. The album will feature collaborations with Emmsong, Pype, fellow debutant Chuddy K and 2Face Idibia, among others.
Source: http://www.thenetng.com/2010/10/19/vector-ready-to-infect-music-industry-with-state-of-surprise/ Read more...
Why we left Kiss Management – Skuki
They won the Next Rated Act award with their song Banger in the last edition of the Hip Hop World awards and since then, the group, Skuki, has become a celebrity.
Though signed under Daphella Records, Skuki has been managed by Howie Tee-owned Kiss Entertainment.
However, Life and Beat gathers that the ‘romance’ is over between the two.
It was alleged the group was not serious with their works and as a result, the entertainment company had to wash their hands of the group.
But Atewo, a member of the group, told Life and Beat that they didn’t have any problem with Kiss Mangement.
“It was just that our contract expired and both parties decided not to renew it. All this stuff I am hearing about how we are not serious with our work and all that are strange to me.
“Of course we are very serious with our work. I’m going to give my manager your number, he will call you to explain more things to you,” he said.
But Skuki’s manager, as at press time, did not get back to Life and Beat.
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010233153240 Read more...
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