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August 24, 2006

New York was the place for the MTV's Video Music Awards, Radio City Music Hall rocked as the night to honor music and the visual creative mini movies that interpret an artist song.  A red carpet that had to be at least two miles long and was jammed packed as some of the biggest names in music, film, and television entered the awards.    Of all the awards shows this year the VMAs left a lot to be desired the fashion was not on there and the show lacked a great deal.  Ludacris without the brads stopped and talked about his new look, it was just time for a change.  Not failing to inform Obnoxious of his new album dropping later this month and promising it to be one of the best Disturbing The Peace has produced.  The King as he calls himself, T.I. introduced a new rapper on his label DJ that it yet remains to be seen how good he is, but T.I. used the night as an opportunity to showcase his new artist. 

Beyonce' looked amazing in a cream beaded gown that was a little over dressed for the VMAs, but she is Beyonce' so it worked no matter what.  She was just as excited about her birthday party at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club as she was to be nominated for an award.      While talking about her party she also talked about her album " B'Day " what would be released on her special day.  A thinner Beyonce' than what I recalled shared that she had been on a liquid diet to drop weight for the movie " Dreamgirls ".  She stated that it is a dangerous way to go about losing weight and would not suggest that anyone try it.  "I would not recommend it if someone wasn't doing a movie, because there are other ways to lose weight," Beyonce' said.  Beyonce told me that she was even amazed at how great her body looked in " Dreamgirls ," an adaptation of the Broadway musical due in theater in December.  Beyonce' portrays the svelte lead singer of a girl group who rises to fame, but not without internal conflict.  "It's great because when I saw the movie I don't recognize myself-which was the point," she said.  Now that the film is over and it was at the VMAs and excited about her album dropping and back to her normal self.    "The funniest part was putting the weight back on and eating my doughnuts and all the other things," Beyonce' shared.  "So now I'm back to my body.  I'm very conscious of being a curvy woman and I'm very happy that I am a curvy woman."  A lot of men besides Jay-Z is also very happy that she is a curvy woman.

Well it took forever, but OutKast finally got their movie on the big screen.  " Idlewild ," was to be released long ago and the number of times Universal and HBO Films pushed it back seemed obscene.  However, the film finally made it to theaters and in many cases was well worth the wait and in others-well read on to find out.  " Idlewild ," was blasphemous in the first attempt to mix Hip Hop into a historical movie set in the Thirties during Prohibition.  The film, which only took in $5.9 million in the first weekend at the box office, was the directorial debut of Bryan Barber in his elaborate musical throwback.  Barber is best-known for his videos for OutKast , Missy Elliott , Ludacris , Destiny's Child , Christina Aguilera , and Kelly Clarkson .  In some respects, " Idlewild ," was not much of a stretch in the collaboration of OutKast's Big Boi and Andre 3000 , who co-star in this bifurcated, bittersweet tale of love and ambition.  " Idlewild ,' is blessed with a talented cast which includes, along with the aforementioned thespians, Patti LaBelle , Macy Gray , Cicely Tyson , Faizon Love , Paula Jai Parker , Bill Nunn , and comedian Bruce Bruce .  Yet, " Idlewild ," is frustrating and a headscratcher because it fails at its many attempts to commit to a specific demographic.  Visually, the picture pleasantly harks back to the bygone era of the Thirties by the way of its painstakingly-recreated sets, classic cars, zoot suits chorus lines and other appropriate accoutrement.    Unfortunately, it simultaneously undercuts that sense of nostalgia it might be trying to generate by indulging inconstant profanity, the word Nigga, and modern dance movies, but the aforementioned is consistent with rap music.

This unresolved dilemma might help explain why the release of this stimulating and engaging morality play was delayed for two years.  A marketing manager's very difficult task: " Idlewild ," is like " Moulin Rouge ," a rare combination movie which refuses to commit to one era.    Regrettably, in spite of several inspired moments where it exhibits some genuine promise, this desperate attempt to be all things to all people ends up sabotaging any potential the overly-ambitious project had to make a memorable and lasting contribution to the annals of cinema.  However, the Atlanta born duo offer great performances and show deep appreciation for the time period.  Andre Benjamin at the close of the movie exhibits great talent in a musical number combining singing, tap dancing, and playing the piano.  The performance and look of Andre resurrects Sammy Davis, Jr. from the grave, although he wanted to portray Jimmy Hendrix he should go after playing Sammy Davis, Jr .

Drug Dealers and Killers Strike Again ...Police that arrested Lil Wayne on drug charges say the rapper was in possession of several unlabeled prescription bottles-one containing 60 pills of Alprazolama, a generic form of Xanax that is used to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks; another containing 59 hydrocodone pills, a narcotic analgesic used to relieve pain.  According to a copy of Wayne's arrest report, police charged him with possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance.  The 23-year-old was released from Georgia's Fulton County Jail on $11,000 bond following his arrest.    The arrest report further states that Wayne , born Dwayne Michael Carter , was staying at the Twelve Hotel in Atlanta's Atlantic Station when an employee entered his room to check the security system and noticed a gallon-size bag of what he believed to be marijuana; he also told police he smelled a "heavy odor of marijuana."  The hotel's manager was summoned to the room and also claimed he smelled marijuana.  Carter ordered both men to leave his room and fastened the security latch behind them.  Police were called shortly thereafter.

Officers arrived and searched the room after the rapper gave his consent for them to enter, the report stated.    The prescription pills were found inside a small duffel bag, while the marijuana joints were uncovered in the room's garbage can.  A small amount of marijuana was also discovered in the room's refrigerator, according to the police report.  A second man named Derrick Lawrence, 37, was also charged with possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.  The arrest report claims that Lawrence was in Carter's room at the time, but his relationship to the rapper is unclear.    The report listed both men as being under the influence of drugs at the time of the arrests. 

According To My " Street Committee "...There is a rumor circulating that now Jay-Z is coming out of retirement and recording his new album and working out tour details he will be leaving his position as president of Def Jam.  Three years and he is out.  The word is Jigga is working hard between Los Angeles and New York with industry greats like Timberland, who has really packed on the pounds, Pharrell Williams , Kanye West , Dr. Dre , and others for this giant project. 

Purportedly Jennifer Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony have a little something in the oven, but he is so private and controlling they are hiding it and do not speak to the press about their private lives.  Wow!  It would be amazing if J-Lo and Diddy both had children around the same time.  Well, on the subject of time.  Diddy needs to go on and ask Kim for her hand in marriage especially since she is expecting twins.  No reason to wait, they have played house long enough. 

Not sure it Missy is worth all of this, but is it said that to book Missy you have got to spend a hunk and a chunk to get her to rhyme.  First it is rumored that she demands $133,000 in backstage perks, according to her rider.  The people in Bournemouth, England, felt she was worth it and paid 35 first class tickets, two five-star hotel suites, 33 five-star rooms, $5,500 worth of meals and an unlimited source of Cristal champagne at $750 a bottle.    Disappointing at best, with all the opulence, Missy must be unaware of Hip Hop's ban of Cristal. 

Kendra Wilkinson , one of Hugh Hefner's girls, got dissed by Eminem .  Not long ago she had a long detailed rant about her encounter with the Detroit Rapper.  The brief version is that Kendra was at a rap video shoot for Akon , her very first.  She was extremely excited about the opportunity to meet rappers like 50 Cent (bet she was egger to hook one of Hip Hop big banked nasty boys).  On the set was Eminem ; another rapper she loves.  She said that she had a brief encounter that was positive.  After a lot of dancing during one of the breaks she must have spent a little too much time in the face of another big name in Hip Hop because according to her Eminem , who was high, walked over to her while she was talking to the other guy and pours a bottle of water over her head.  Seems Eminem was feeling Kendra until she disrespected him by stepping to another guy in his face.    Guess Eminem thought that one of Hugh's hot girls needed a little cooling off.