ALICIA MAKES HERSELF CLEAR

ALICIA KEYS covers Blender Magazine and in her interview made statements saying:

‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. ‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist.”

Keys, 27, said she’s read several Black Panther autobiographies and wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck “to symbolize strength, power and killing ‘em dead,” according to an interview in the magazine’s May issue, on newsstands Tuesday.

Another of her theories: The bicoastal feud between slain rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. was fueled “by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing.”

She clears up her statements when interviewed on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and gives the real reason why she wears the AK-47 jewelery. Listen to the interview below.

NEWLY LEAKED: NE-YO 'LET'S JUST BE'

As the release date for Ne-yo's third studio album 'Year of the Gentlemen' approaches(June 24), here is another single from the singer/songwriter 'Let's just Be'. First off, let me just say that I am more impressed from the things he pens than from the things he sings. That being said, I am feeling this track. The mid includes the trademark smoothness we can expect from Ne-yo but embracing a more R&B sound than the leaks we've heard thus far which sport more of a pop feel. Nothing by Ne-yo ever leaves my mouth watering and making me beg for more, but this is still one of the better tracks I've heard from this new project. I'm not expecting this new album to be a smash but I'm hopeful that there will be more tracks of this flavor on the playlist.

Listen to the track here: Ne-yo: Let's Just Be

And tell me... are we tastin' it or tossin' it??......

TASTY VIDEO: RAY J 'SEXY CAN I'

RAY J performed his single 'Sexy Can I' on Jay Leno last night. The song is ok and performance mediocre but I mean, what can you really expect from Ray in the performance arena anyway?

Check the video....

Sexy Can I Live

DANITY KANE PERFORMS ON SOUNDCHECK

DANITY KANE performed a set on Walmart's online concert series in New York.

They performed:

• Poetry
• One Shot
• Showstopper
• Damaged

Overall, this was a good performance. I appreciate the on point vocals and tight harmonies. All in all, you can definitely see the growth and the coming of age of a Platinum selling girl group. I love Dawn's passion when she gets her 5 seconds of fame. Although, I always wonder why Shannon has the least solo moments but, hey that's neither here nor there. I love the all white outfits and prefer them over the mixed and matched thing. A more cohesive look gives them that group feeling and not just like 5 girls someone put together off a reality show series... oh wait, that applies too now doesn't it.

Click here to see the performance

What do you guys think of the performance?

SAUSAGE LADY OF THE JUNGLE

KIMORA is back for another season of Life in the Fab Lane which premieres on the Style Network on Apr 20th @ 8pm. Here is a clip of her doing what she does best -- telling the help how much they suck and why she cuts the paychecks and they don't. This right here will teach you never to get smart with the boss lady!

I love me some Kimora but she does get the stank-a-dank award of the day for the 'tude in this clip.

Check it....

SUGAR CRYSTALS & MINI MOGULS

RUSSELL SIMMONS was recently out and about with his daughters Ming Lee and Aoki Lee enjoying a little daddy/daughter day out. Those two little girls have got it made in the shade-- you hear me! Their mom, dearest Kiki, spoils them head to toe and not to mention that Aoki looks and seemingly acts just like her mother, a little modeliva in training & their dad is a mega mogul and answers their every beck and call.

Watch out for these tiny princess divas in the making ya'll. I'm just saying.....

TASTY VIDEO: 'BIG' BOI BALLET

BIG BOI of the group Outkast wanted to put his music to ballet so he teamed up with the Atlanta Ballet to produce, 'Big'.

As if ballet dancing wasn't hard enough, you want to add live music that could change every time you rehearse it. Hmm... I dunno. It was probably a sight to see live I, however speaking from a dancer's point of view, am not feeling the video of this too much. Big Boi didn't need to be on stage, he could have performed on a side stage or something but he took away from the choreography by standing right in front walking back and forth. There were some beautiful moments there that couldn't really be given justice.

Check the video and judge for yourself.

ALL EYES ON MIMI..... CLEARLY

MIMI is MTV's Artist of the Week as part of their 52 Bands/52 Weeks campaign. You can check the spots below with the featured video of Jack Jr. her dog voiced by Snoop.

In related news, The Empire State Building will be lit in Mariah's album colors (purple, pink and white) from April 25th - April 27th.


Check the other spots by clicking on the links below...

Touch My Body
Touch my Body Pt2
I'm that chick
I'm that chick Pt2
Thanx 4 nothin
Migrate
Migrate 2
Love Story
J.J and the Paparazzi
J.J's reality show
Mariah hits high notes
Mariah works out with J.J
Jeans skit with J.J

KELLY ROWLAND PERFORMANCE

KELLY ROWLAND performs her UK smash 'Work' at the Hilfiger Sessions in Germany. This is a great performance and the band was hot! Good work Kel!

Check the video.

MIMI COVERS THIS MONTH'S JET MAG

Hot on the promo trail is Miss Mimi who covers Jet Mag ( on newsstands now) this week. Of course she's giving us that same diva, new album, yadda yadda in the interview but still looking fab on the cover I must say. The busy bee will be on The Oprah Winfrey Show today, American Idol on Tuesday and Wednesday and Mimi's BET special with be airing this Thursday also so check your local listings for that spot but of course you can catch the review right here on the TLT.

WHAT'S HOOD WITH MONICA

Monica has recently left a voice mail on her fan site MonicaSoul.com on the progress of her new album 'Lessons Learned'. She dishes that the album will have a late year (August) release with no first single chosen as of yet. Producers she will be working with: Babyface, Polow da Don, R Kelly and Ne-yo. The LP will have 12-14 tracks and she will be looking forward to taking her boys Laroco (2) Romello (3months) with her on tour to promote the album. She's got more than enough material for at least a mediocre tour although she's not the greatest mover on stage but she can blow it live. Not to mention, she is definitely determined to get back in there I mean she just practically gave birth.

Something that perks my eye, she is launching her little boys' clothing line "Regions of Rock". OMG, I love that. It's so hard to find little boys clothing that is cute. I know I will be on the look out for that as you should be in your 'region'. I'm sure there is a little boy in your life that you could hook up ATL style.


[Source]

NEW MUSIC: RAVEN-SYMONE / CHERISH

RAVEN-SYMONE has a new acoustic inspired track out produced by Stargate. As an entrepreneur, actress, and even a role model.... I can respect what she's got going on. As an artist, I just can't take her seriously. For instance, when I hear this track I think they'll probably be a video soon for it playing during the wait time between shows on Nickelodeon. Like I see her and immediately think 'That's so raven". Maybe because I have children and nine times out of ten my television is glued on Nickelodeon like a spider on a glue trap. Anyways, I don't hate this, I don't love it, but she's defintely playing to the market that adores her with this one and I guess you can't really go wrong with an acoustic track these days.

Check the track below.

Raven-Symone : In The Pictures

Of course there is a So So Def remix for about every song in creation and Cherish lends us there's from the song Killa found on the Step Up 2 movie soundtrack as well as on their second LP The Truth. I have to chime in on a comment from a previous remix that was posted on this one. So in order to have a remix, we have to throw a worthless rap verse in there and a couple of co-signs from Tiny Tim and were in business. Umm, I think not. In this case and in most, the original is way more appealing that the remix but I just write the reviews. Again, I'm not totally in love with this song but I appreciate that the girlies can actually sing and despite that synthesized beat that is actually incredibly annoying -- at least the vocals are on point.

Check the track below.

Cherish : Killa (So So Def Remix)

View the music video for the original version HERE

TATSY VIDEO: MYA ON 'SECRET TALENTS OF THE STARS'

MYA flexed her undercover tap dancing skills on Tuesdays preview episode of 'Secret Talents of the Stars', CBS' new reality series.

Mya explains that her first love had always been tap dancing and those of us who knew her from around the way know that she has always been a dancer, before a singer. But, despite her years on hiatus, she does her thing in this spot which pays homage to legendary tappers like the Nicholas Brothers.

Being a dancer myself, I know how difficult tap dance is so even though I'm not really into primetime reality programming... I may watch this just for her.

Check the video...

VENUS WILLIAMS OFF THE COURT FOR GOOD??

Venus Williams says she will be sidelined indefinitely from tennis but has not said why.

Williams withdrew from the Bausch and Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, and reportedly made a trip to downtown Jacksonville to see a doctor.

"I've just been having some issues that I need to resolve, so I'm working on that at the moment and I'm hoping to be back playing as soon as possible," Williams said. "I'm not going to get any further into it, but of course I love the sport."

Last week Williams lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

Williams says she still wants to attempt to play the French Open in late May.

"Of course I want to be there (for the French)," Williams said. "I don't want to be at home watching on TV. Watching this week will be enough on TV, so hopefully not too many more weeks."

SPOTTED: JANET IN JAPAN

JANET was spotted cruising through Japan's Narita International Airport. This is the first time we've seen Ms. Janet since her bout with the flu which postponed American touring/promotions for her album Discipline. Here she's seen at the start of her 3-day Japan promo for the album after which her US promotions will resume.

Good to see Janet out and about and looking well. Too bad Tiny Tim (aka JD) wasn't with her....he was probably hiding behind those flowers she's carrying, but I digress...

[PHOTOS: JUST JARED]

SPOTTED: DAWN AND QWANELL

(click the pics for larger image)

DAWN (of Danity Kane) & QWANELL ( of Day 26) were spotted looking all cutesy and lovey dovey at a party on Tuesday night.

Looks like the hook up we saw occuring on the reality series MTB4 wasnt just for show. Like I've said previously, Que is my underaged casanova so I'm not hating.

You have to admit though... they're so CUTE!!!


[PHOTOS:SPLASH NEWS/WIREIMAGE]

INBOXED: LEVERT MEMORIAL SERVICES

In my inbox today I received the memorial program for the homegoing services for Sean Levert who was recently serving jail time for failure to pay child support and died unexpectantly soon thereafter.

He was a third of the 1980s R&B trio LeVert and son of lead O'Jays singer Eddie Levert. His brother Gerald died unexpectantly in 2006 at age 40 of an accidental drug overdose.

Check the pages of the program below, click the pics for a view of the larger images

R.I.P Sean Levert!!!! May heavens gates await you......

URSHMEKA'S BABY SPOTTED

USHER and his stank wife UGMEKA (okay, I probably shouldn't call her stank but something about her just doesn't sit right with me) were spotted buying baby clothes and in the TMZ video, you can catch a glimpse of Usher Raymond V.

I guess black babies can't get pimped for millions apparently because still no takers of the 2 million that Tameka wants for first official pics of the baby.

Maybe next time.

GUESS WHO CHICKEROO -- REVEALED

Yesterday, I asked you all to guess who you think the celeb was that was spotted in LAX with am extra fabulous Prada bag in tow....

Well here she is,

If you guessed JADA PINKETT-SMITH well then, you would be correct. Now, why she has got those Set it off poetic justice style braids in her hair again... chile I don't know. But, she's still looking casually chic in her everyday gear. I think I love me some Jada just because she's tiny... and if you know me, you know that adjective is appropriate.

At least we know why her daughter Willow was sporting the exact same braids at the Kids Choice Awards with Dad....

Like mother like daughter apparently....

B'S NO BOOTY RULE

So it seems the details of the newlyweds Beyonce and Jay-Z's (whose wedding has still not "officially" been announced by either party's reps) wedding included......

Frisking the guests for guns and blades! I guess whoever said that love doesnt hurt.... doesnt know any of Jay-Z's friends. The UK Mirror reports that, "guests were instructed to leave mobile phones and cameras at home....but 3 guns were left in an amnesty box outside Jay-Z's Tribeca apartment."

The source also reports that, Jay "made and emotional speech....Bey serenaded her new husband....when the newylweds' hit 'Crazy in Love' came on, Bey did a raunchy dance for Jay and the couple made a mad dash to their crystalfilled bedroom a little before midnight."

The party reportedly lasted well after 2am and with the couple going to get that consummation on right before midnight shows that Jay was hurtin' something terrible after that three week no booty rule B put on his behind prior to the nuptials. [Source]

I see why it didnt take them 60 days to get married...... 1 day is too many for some men but 3 weeks, I know he was not having another second of that Bootylicious banishment!