T-Boz Files For Bankruptcy


I came across this reading up on some Illseed so take it with a grain of salt until she confirms it herself…

Looks like T-Boz will have to stop “chasing waterfalls” before she ends up penniless. The former raspy voiced member of the highly successful group TLC which dominated the 90’s music scene with strings of melodious hits, filed for bankruptcy last month.


T-Boz whose real name is Tionne Watkins, was forced to bite the bullet and file once it became clear that she was unable to keep up with her mortgage payments for her $1.2 million abode. She now owes creditors about $768,642.99 according to court documents but interestingly enough there is no evidence of the kind of excessive spending that typically inspires celebs to embrace this particular option. The details of her spending habits and living expenses paint a reasonable picture. She rakes in about $11, 700 a month and spends about $8,821 monthly.


It’s also worth noting that despite numerous top ten singles and four platinum albums, T-Boz remarkably only gets $1,200 a month in royalties.


Perhaps a reality show could save the day? There seems to be plenty of green paper flying around in that arena.

Ciroc Presents The Art Of Celebration Starring Diddy & More

Filed under “Shit I Can’t Afford To Attend And Be A Part Of”:

The makers of CÃŽROC Ultra Premium present : The Art of Celebration featuring Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Eva Pigford, Michael K. Williams, Aaron Paul, Dania Ramirez, and Jesse Williams. Directed by Anthony Mandler in Las Vegas for CÃŽROC Ultra Premium. Perfectly Smooth. Celebrate Life Responsibly.

Toronto Questions Drake Billboard

Drake recently put up a billboard in his Toronto hometown to promote his new album, Take Care. The ad features the city’s population and utilizes the font as the official Welcoming Sign. City spokeswoman Francine Antoino-Forte told local newspaper, The Star
  “We would suggest that the treatment of the word Toronto used on the billboard is very similar to the wordmark that forms part of the Toronto logo. The similarity of the wordmarks, in conjunction with other creative elements used for the billboard, may cause some confusion about the source of the information. While the city is proud of its local and international talent, we have a general practice of reviewing and addressing reported or known cases related to the possible misuse of the Toronto logo.

Pharrell To Oversee Music For Oscars

From Rap-Up:

Pharrell is headed to the Oscars. The Neptunes super-producer will supervise the music for next year’s awards ceremony.

Skateboard P and composer Hans Zimmer have been tapped as music consultants for the 84th Annual Academy Awards, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Hans is one of the most accomplished and creative film composers of our time, and Pharrell is a phenomenal songwriter with an amazing list of credits,” said producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer. “This is an exciting and prestigious collaboration that promises to take the audience on a musical journey.”

Pharrell previously worked with Zimmer on the soundtrack to the animated film Despicable Me and his songs have appeared in films such as Fast & Furious, Knocked Up, and Mean Girls.

Billy Crystal will host Hollywood’s biggest night, airing live on February 26 on ABC.

Jay-Z Announces Carnegie Hall Concerts

It was announced today, Jay-Z will be performing two shows at NYC’s Carnegie Hall on February 6 and 7. Tickets will be sold privately on December 12 and limited public tickets on Jan 30 at 11 am. Below is a statement from Jay-z:

  “Its every artists dream to play a venue as legendary as Carnegie Hall. The fact that I can use the arts and my talent to benefit the education of the next generation of artists, entrepreneurs, and great thinkers makes for a legendary night. I’m proud to be a part of the continuing work of United Way of New York City and expanding the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.”

Uncle Luke’s Film Gets Selected For Sundance

Life And Freaky Times… (trailer above) was one of the 64 out of 7,675 pictures selected for the annual Festival. If the film wins an award, it will be considered as an Oscar contender. Hip-Hop! From the man himself:


“It’s an honor to have a highly respected organization such as the Sundance Film Institute recognize me and my life as an important part of American culture by adding “The Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke” to their 2012 line up.”

Jay-Z Breaks Billboard Top 10 Record

Some great news I spotted from The Big Homie:
For the first time, The Throne earned their first Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 with their Watch The Throne album. “Niggas In Paris” jumped from #15 to #8 this week giving Jay his 18th top 10 single.

With this honor, Jay has now passed both Lil Wayne and Ludacris (each at 17) with the most Top 10s held by a Hip-Hop artist. The shit cray. Ain’t it Jay?

Chuck Brown Concert Coming to Cardozo High School


Press Release:

Join us for Cardozo High School’s “Last Curtain Call,” a Concert with DC’s Chuck Brown and Cardozo‘s home grown original Marvin Gaye’s group that started on Cardozo’s stage in the 60’s, The Marquees. The concert will be in the Historical Cardozo Auditorium on December 9, 2011 from 8:00 until 11:00 p.m. to commemorate the modernization and closing of the 95 year old Historical School on the Hill until it opens again on August, 2013. Join us for our last event on the stage where Marvin Gaye started it all and Chuck Brown continues to keep it moving—a night of Rhythm and Blues and GOGO fun.

Tickets are just $25 in advance and $30 at the door and can be purchased at Cardozo High (1200 Clifton Street, NW –202-673-7385) and at the African American Civil War Museum (1925 Vermont Ave, NW – 202-667-2667).

THE EVENT SCHEDULE:

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. –Open Seating — Vendors, Food, CD’s, Meet our Guests

On the Stage Starting at 8:00 p.m.

The Cardozo High School Marching Band’s Tribute to Chuck and Marvin
Tribute to Marvin Gaye—The Original Marquees and Paul Waldron
Cardozo Thespians—If Marvin Gaye had Met Chuck Brown at Cardozo…

Wiz Khalifa & Snoop Dogg To Perform At Party For Internet Censorship Lobbyists In DC


Maybe the marijuana has blinded their decision-making on this one. Maybe the check was too good to pass up (which I doubt, given both of their success…..not sure about Grandmaster Dee’s pockets, though). Whatever the case, I really hope they can explain this one (or realize the error and rethink). Taken from The Second Alarm (by way of Politico):

Here is the Politico Influence newsletter “scoop” about the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) holiday party this year. The RIAA lobby is helping to lead the charge for SOPA/PROTECT-IP (the vast Internet censorship bill). With a little bit of star power from Wiz Khalifa, I wonder how many Capitol Hill staffers will get an invite to this shindig at the 9:30 Club:

RIAA WITH A SIDE OF GIN & JUICE: Invitations haven’t gone out yet, but PI has the inside scoop on the Recording Industry Association of America’s annual holiday party. Rapper Snoop Dogg is headlining the hot ticket Dec. 7 at the 930 Club for the trade association’s annual fete. Artist Wiz Khalifa and Grandmaster Dee of Whodini are also slated to perform. The event benefits the charity Musicians on Call, which provides in-room bedside performances to patients in health care facilities such as Walter Reed National Military Center. PI hears the invites going out as soon as today will list several sponsors including Microsoft, MasterCard, Walmart, Amgen, T-Mobile, the U.S. Chamber’s Global IP Center and the National Beer Wholesalers Associations, among others.

And it’s cosponsored with the odious U.S. Chamber of Commerce division devoted to promoting Internet censorship.

If a straight up lobbying firm brought in a few hip hop stars and offered a private party for Capitol Hill staffers, it would be a violation of the ethics code. But its these little freebies that fly under the radar. And as a trade association Christmas party, these sorts of events don’t receive enough scrutiny, especially since they aren’t billed as influence peddling events. Although the room will be filled with entertainment industry lobbyists pushing the Internet censorship bill, it’s all good since its a supposed charity event for Walter Reed. But don’t be fooled. Parties like these are not unlike the VIP Delta flight service for lawmakers, or the Friends of Angelo program at subprime mortgage giant Countrywide, or the vacation parties provided to congressmen as “policy retreats.”

For more on the Internet censorship law pushed by the RIAA and other corporate lobbying groups (particularly the movie, software, and broadcasting industry), see here.