M.I.A. Announces ‘Matangi’ Release Date

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Wow, thanks to the above Tweet (perhaps), M.I.A.’s oft-troubled album might see the light of day after all. From Pitchfork:

Following this morning’s threat of a leak, M.I.A.’s long-delayed new album Matangi has a new release date. The follow-up to 2010’s /\/\/\Y/\ is due November 5 via Interscope.

Kelly Rowland Speaks On Beyonce’s New Haircut

Beyonce Carter crushed it when she decided to chop off all of her hair — ’cause when it comes to style, B can do NO WRONG … so says her Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland.

“Beyonce can have a STRAND of hair on her head and still be fine,” Kelly told TMZ as she was leaving Madeo in L.A. last night. – TMZ

Chris Brown’s Camp Attributes Recent Seizure To ‘Emotional Stress’ From ‘Nonstop Negativity”

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Boy, they know how to spin it, don’t they? From The Hollywood Reporter:

Chris Brown suffered a seizure in the early hours of Friday, Aug. 9 while working at Los Angeles recording studio the Record Plant, the singer’s rep has confirmed. He was not hospitalized.

According to a statement issued Friday night: “Chris suffered a nonepileptic seizure (NES). … His doctor tended to him this afternoon and attributes the NES to intense fatigue and extreme emotional stress, both due to the continued onslaught of unfounded legal matters and the nonstop negativity.”

In the hours after the seizure, the hashtag PrayForChrisBrown became a trending topic on Twitter, although details of his medical condition at first were sketchy. Several outlets reported that the 24-year-old singer refused treatment by paramedics or hospitalization.

Brown has been battling bad press for years and has also seen his share of legal problems — even as recently as this week. According to E!, Brown paid a visit to a Van Nuys, Calif. jail in connection with a May 21 hit-and-run incident during which Brown allegedly fled the scene. Brown has pleaded not guilty. He was released after an hour with no bail set.

Man Who Murdered Wife & Posted Picture On Facebook Reportedly Wrote Books On Saving Marriages

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From the NY Post (who can read more about the actual books there):

The Miami man who posted a photo of his dead wife’s body on Facebook after allegedly killing her has written six books, including one about how he has saved marriages through communication.

Derek Medina, 31, posted the gruesome, bloody picture on the social networking site Thursday morning along with an apparent confession.

Derek Medina and wife.A photo of the body posted to Facebook
“I’m going to prison or death sentence for killing my wife love you guys miss you guys take care Facebook people you will see me in the news,” the post read. “My wife was punching me and I am not going to stand anymore with the abuse so I did what I did I hope you understand me.”

The picture [edited version below, though you can head to Crime & Capital Punishment to see the graphic photo] shows a woman identified as Jennifer Alfonso bent over backward at the knees with her head in a corner of the room, which appears to be a kitchen. The woman’s arm is covered in blood and blood can be seen on the wall.

Medina penned six e-books books, all of which are available on the site e-junkie and one, about how he saved his own marriage is in paperback for $19.99. The title is “How I Saved Someone’s Life and Marriage and Family Thru Communication.” Derek Medina Sr. said that his son and Alfonso were divorced and got remarried.

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Niesha Stevens (Sister Of Blaque’s Natina Reed) Found Dead

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As reported by Hip-Hop Enquirer:

Late yesterday, the sister of former singer Natina Reed of the 90’s group Blaque was found dead in her Atlanta home.

Niesha Stevens body was discovered dead by her seven-year old daughter who was home at the time while her husband Tim Stevens was at work.

The couple had only been married since February of this year.

We reached out to the Dekalb county police but they have yet to release a statement.

As previously reported, Natina Reed, a member from 90′s R&B girl group Blaque discovered by TLC’s Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, was hit by a car and killed October 27, 2012 as she walked across a street in Atlanta, GA.

B. Scott Sues BET For Making Him Dress Like A “Man”

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Spotted on Yahoo TV, where you can read the full story:

B. Scott, a transgender TV host and popular Internet personality with a successful website, sued BET Networks on Tuesday for $2.5 million, stemming from an incident that took place at the 2013 BET Awards. He is claiming gender-identity and gender-expression discrimination along with five other complaints, after he says he was pulled from his hosting job for dressing in women’s clothing.

In legal paperwork filed with Los Angeles Superior Court and posted to his website, B. Scott (real name: Brandon Sessoms) is suing for compensatory damages based upon gender-identity and gender-expression discrimination, sexual-orientation discrimination, violation of the Civil Rights Act, breach of contract, wrongful termination, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

B. Scott claims that while he was working as a Style Stage Correspondent on June 30 for the 2013 BET Awards “106 & Park” Pre-Show, producers pulled him from the red carpet and asked him to wear men’s clothing, even though the women’s clothing he originally wore had been pre-approved by the network and the broadcast’s sponsors. However, “after his first segment, B. Scott was literally yanked backstage and told that he ‘wasn’t acceptable.’ He was told to mute the makeup, pull back his hair, and he was forced to remove his clothing and take off his heels; thereby completely changing his gender identity and expression.”

The lawsuit adds that he was then “forced to change into solely men’s clothing.” He claims he was not allowed to keep presenting and that the network then replaced him with “The Real” co-host Adrienne Bailon. Later, when he claims the network learned the error of their ways, B. Scott claims he was added back at the very end of the show in a diminished capacity as a co-host alongside Bailon.

Drake May Or May Not Have Signed Cassie To OVO Sound

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This was said to have been spotted on a Mediabase newsletter…..we have spotted it on various media outlets:

R&B singer and occasional model Cassie, who had one of the biggest 2006 rhythm-crossover hits with the minimal electro Ryan Leslie produced “Me & U” and has since then been signed under Sean Diddy Combs exclusive Bad Boy/Interscope distribution partnership, has now inked another deal with Drake and Noah “40″ Shebib’s OVO Sound, their first big signing. Riding high on the release of her new mixtape RockaByeBaby, well-received by fans and critics, Cassie is now preparing for a new single later this year, followed by her sophomore LP next Spring.

I feel that, if this is true, Drake is going to make her into the viable artist that Diddy — too busy having sex with her, perhaps — couldn’t quite pan out in the world of Pop/R&B. I will say: that last mixtape is jammin’, though.

Mac Miller – Hard Knock TV Interview (Part 4, Episode 1)

This is the 4th time that Mac and Nick Huff Barili have sat down for an interview. In the first installment of this segment Mac shares where he is at in his life musically and personally. Mac explains that he went through a dark period during the Macadelic tour where he hated everything because he loved the mixtape but fans didn’t embrace it the way he hoped. Mac is in a better place now and has received critical acclaim and fan support for his new album which has no songs on it aimed for radio. Mac goes on to explain his alter ego’s Larry Fisherman and Larry Lovestein and how each allow him to tap into other aspects that might not fit into the “Mac Miller” brand. Though Mac states “I don’t even know who “Mac Miller” the artist is”. As the interview continues Mac talks about working with Ariana Grande and their controversial kiss in her music video which features Mac called The Way. Part 1 of this interview ends with Mac talking about Celebrity Culture and the false idea that people have a simple identity. Although it might be easier to put people in a box Mac states that we all go through the same basic feelings.