Category: Music

Gladys Knight joins new Tyler Perry film

Gladys Knight and gospel singer Marvin Winans have joined the cast of Tyler Perry’s new film, “I Can Do Bad All By Myself.”  As reported earlier, Mary J. Blige and Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson were already cast in the movie set to be released Sept 11.

The movie follows the character Madea as she finds a 16-year-old girl and her brothers ransacking her house and sends them to live with their Aunt April, a nightclub singer played by Henson.  Knight plays Wilma, a neighborhood matriarch who sings at the Marshall Baptist Church where Madea hangs out. Knight, Winans and Blige will all sing in the film.

Isaiah Washington to star in Lou Rawls biopic

Actor Isaiah Washington is set to star in “Through the Eyes of a Son,” a biopic about singer Lou Rawls written by his son Lou Rawls, Jr.  The movie will detail the Chicago native’s poor childhood and turbulent marriage.  Rawls died in 2006.

“It’s the untold side of a glamorous life,” said Adel Nur, Washington’s manager told the Hollywood Reporter. “It’s like ‘Ray’; we knew about the beautiful music, but we didn’t know about the turmoil and chaos in (Ray Charles’) life.”

Method Man and Redman back together again

Method Man and Redman are teaming up again to release a follow-up to 1999’s “Blackout” album.  “Blackout 2” is scheduled to be released in April, reports Billboard.  Some of the album’s producers include Pete Rock, Erick Sermon and Bun B.

Mary J. Blige to star in Tyler Perry movie

Mary J. Blige will star in the next Tyler Perry movie, “I Can Do Bad All Myself,” due out September 11, reports Billboard.  She will play lead character Tanya, a nightclub manager.  Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson is cast as Tanya’s friend April.  The character Madea is also part of the cast.

Blige is also recording a new album, which is scheduled to be released later this year.

Robin Thicke prepares new album

As Robin Thicke prepares for his tour with Jennifer Hudson beginning March 31, he is also getting ready to release his fourth album this fall. 

“I always wanted to be like Prince and write and produce myself,” Thicke told Billboard. “This time I’m not trying to take all the credit…and work with a lot of the best producers in the business. So my sound is going to be a lot different than anything I’ve ever done before. The sound I’m getting is brand new for me. It’s great.”

Thicke said he has a crazy new sound that includes rock, hip-hop and soul music.  “I’m just really stretching the ceiling a little bit with an open mind, and the results have been wonderful,” he said.

Virgin Megastores to close in U.S.

By June, the British-owned Virgin Megastore chain will close its remaining six stores in the United States.  During its peak, the chain owned 23 stores and revenue of $280 million annually.  The chain could not withstand sliding CD sales, rising digital music purchases and exclusive chain releases.

“I tried my hardest to come up with a new model, and we were making a lot of headway with it before the holidays,” said Virgin Entertainment Group North America CEO Simon Wright.  “We have made a great contribution to music retailing, but it’s time to move on.”

Sheila E. Goes Country

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Sheila E. has gone country, y’all!  YEEEHAW!  The “Glamorous Life” singer decided to go on the CMT reality show, “Gone Country,” to compete to work with Nashville songwriters to write and sing a country song.  She said her friend Prince was a little taken aback by the news.

“He asked me why in the heck would I do this show,” the Grammy-nominated singer told People magazine.

Sheila E. won the competition for her new song, “Glorious Train.”  She beat out other celebrity opponents, which included George Clinton, Taylor Dayne, Richard Grieco and Justin Guarini. 

“I want to take an advantage of this opportunity and I would love to do a country record,” says the singer.  “I already contacted all of the writers who appeared on the show and I’m going back to Nashville to do a writing session at the end of March to come up with material.”