Tag: Music

Lauryn Hill to perform at European summer festival

As part of her 10-city European summer tour, Lauryn Hill will headline the Stockholm Jazz Festival in July, reports Billboard.  It is one of the country’s biggest summer events and is expected to attract 30,000 people.  Previous artists at the fest include Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder and Ella Fitzgerald.

This will be Hill’s second time headlining the fest and the first time she has publicly performed since 2007. Last January, Hill gave birth to her fifth child with Rohan Marley, Bob Marley’s son.

Ne-Yo is “Part of the List”

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Ne-Yo’s new video,”Part of the List,” is the prequel to his last video,”Mad,” where he is involved in a lover’s spat over a text from another woman.  In “Part of the List,” it is discovered that the text is from an old girlfriend that he sees again while vacationing with his new girl.  The plot thickens!

The video was filmed in Prague, where Ne-Yo is filming the Tuskegee Airmen movie, “Red Tails,” with Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr.  Suite 411 reported earlier that singer Jasmine Sullivan also appears in the movie.

Hot Boys to reunite

Rapper Juvenile said that he and other Hot Boys’ members Lil’ Wayne, B.G. and Turk are closer to reuniting for another album.

“I already signed the deal,” Juvenile told Vibe.com.  “So for me, I’m gonna definitely say it’s a go. I already received the check. Wayne is going to put that out, so for me and Wayne, it’s a go. I don’t know if the business been straightened out, but I know B.G.’s on board and he’s willing to do it. I don’t know where Turk stands on the business side.”

The group originally disbanded after financial disagreements with Cash Money Records chiefs Slim and Baby.

Fantasia to star in reality series

American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino will star in her own VH1 reality series.  Premiering in 2010, the show will follow the North Carolina native’s life as a singer and a young single mother.

“Fantasia’s life has been an open book, but at 24 years old, her story has just begun,” said executive producer Randy Barbato to the Hollywood Reporter. “We look forward to smashing expectations and revealing the fresh, funny and unexpected side of this one-of-a-kind country girl and superstar.”

The nine-time Grammy nominee’s autobiography, “Life is Not a Fairy Tale,” was made into a Lifetime movie, in which she played herself.

TLC’s Chilli to promote Dasani water

Chilli from the R&B group TLC is now pitching Coca Cola’s Dasani and Dasani Essence water brands to African American women.

African-American women are heavy purchasers of packaged waters and the new effort is about “invigorating women in a that allows her to escape her daily challenges,” said Yolanda White, assistant VP of African-American marketing.

Chilli, a 38-year-old single mom, represents this target audience, White said.  “She gives reassurance to moms that you can still be a great mom, take care of yourself and look beautiful.”

Common debuts new cologne and clothing line

Rapper and actor Common will work with Diesel to introduce the new men’s cologne, “Only the Brave,” reports Billboard.  The Chicago native will appear in print and TV ads and perform in select Diesel stores nationwide.

“Common perfectly represents the spirit and energy of ‘Only The Brave’ fragrance: passion, will and conviction,” Diesel president Renzo Rosso said in a statement. “He’s in control of his own destiny and has made his mark in all of his pursuits, creating changes through every effort and every medium.”

“I wanted to partner with Diesel because that’s really what I’m about too – to be an individual and an artist, it takes both bravery and courage,” Common said.

Common will also work with Microsoft to promote Softwear, a T-shirt line about the popularity of personal computers.  The T-shirts, which were designed by Common, are available in retail stores.

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.