New movie on Michael Jacksons life comes to cable television
The king of pop, Michael Jackson is currently defending his life in the courts of Los Angeles for charges of child molestation and various other counts and with all the turmoil that's come forth in the last few years of his life, his life story is again being portrayed on the small screen.
Music cable channel VH1, in association with Blueprint Entertainment and Nomadic Pictures brings the 2 hour movie called Man In The Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story, the film is to air August 6th at 8pm est. The flick stars comedian Flex Alexander as the 'Gloved One' and Amy Sloan. The plot centers around his life from his late teenage years to current events and the unusual ploits that takes place in his life. Directed by Allan Moyle from a script by Claudia Salter. The film also features in the cast Fred Tucker, Patricia Idlette, Eugene Clark, Peter Onorati and Krista Rae.
What most seem to forget is that for decades this man was the biggest artist on the planet. No one has yet to surpass his record for the most albums sold in the US (25 million units to date, 42 million worldwide) and although his music has tapered off a bit in the new millennium, his concerts still sell out to this day. The love affair the public has with him is torn and that's understandable due to his life chioces and what's been reported but you can't knock what he has achieved and what he's given to the public - his music. It carries on even if he doesn't and thats a gift to treasure.
- - Source: vh1.com
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Brandy's former husband says 'We were never really married'
Apparently it's come to light that singer Brandy and her former husband producer Robert Smith were never married - this coming from Robert himself.
In interviews given to New York radio stations WBLS-FM and WQHT-FM last week, Robert insisted that he and the 24-year-old Brandy never legally married but rather the couple just portrayed the notion of nuptials to preserve Brandy's image.
In early 2002, at the time Brandy announced she was pregnant, she also broke some other news as well that she and Smith had gotten married in the summer of 2001. But Smith who was involved with someone else before he began his relationship with Brandy, initially had sustained relationships with both women but when Brandy became pregnant, the decision was made to tell everyone that they were married.
Brandy gave birth to daughter Sy'rai in June 2002 and the couple parted ways last year. Smith has since gotten back together with his former fling a film producer and they are expecting a child in the next two months (guess he can't keep it in his trousers there either).
Brandy, in a statement issued by her publicist, claimed she was "hurt and shocked" by Smith's revelations. Instead of a legally recognized marriage, she claims they had a "spiritual union and a true commitment to each other."
"We still share a common bond through our daughter, Sy'rai," the statement continued. "He is not thinking about her, me, or what we had together. He is trying to destroy my reputation while using me and our daughter to get publicity and radio airplay for his artists. I am stunned that he is being so dirty about it."
- Following Brandy's statement, Smith issued one of his own. "My comments were in no way made to take away any responsibility from Sy'rai emotionally or financially and in no way am I an irresponsible father. ... I have recently been granted joint custody of Sy'rai. When breaking off relationships it's always difficult, and I prefer not to air our dirty laundry through the media. I was just stating the truth. Brandy and I have many things to work out over a long period of time, [and] will hopefully [head] in a more positive direction.".
Robert is currently promoting his new artist Amanda who is signed to his Big Bert Entertainment imprint. She is dropping her debut single 'Please Mister' in August.
- Source: MTV.com
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Nina Sky's 'Move Ya Body' moving up the charts
The song has become infectious and why not it's being played just about every hour on the hour on almost every hip hop/R&B radio station playlsit across the country (not to mention some pop ones too). The culprits are two 19-year-old identical twins Nicole and Natalie Albino from Astoria, Queens and they now have one of the hottest tunes in the country that is steadily climbing the charts.
The song itself is relatively nothing new (last years hit by Lumidee 'Never Leave' is a testiment to that fact) but with a touch of Jamaica's dancehall riddim and a few lines borrowed from Lisa Lisa and Cult Jams 'Can You Feel The Beat', Nina Sky's 'Move Ya Body' does offer the latest summer anthem for your listening ear.So what about these relative newcomers who calls themselves Nina Sky and what about the name itself how did that come about. The ladies made this comment in a recent interview to VH1 - "We grew up in a culturally diverse neighborhood," says Nicole, the twin with a stud in her lower lip. "We always heard different types of music playing. One day someone would blast rap out their window. The next day it would be Spanish or Greek music. We were really influenced by that. We chose the name Nina by using the first two letters of our own names then we added the sky because Natalie was always likening our personalities to the sun and the moon".
Their self-titled debut album is to be in stores August 8th (on Universal Records) and from what early reviews shows that they have some nice tunes there. The dance track aspect is well represented but also there are steamy ballads like sultry 'Temperature's Rising' and 'In A Dream'. Look out for the set next month.
- Source: VH1.com
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Up and Coming spotlight - Tarralyn Ramsey
With the likes of Nina Sky and JoJo heading up the new school year of R&B/Pop, the latest to enter the class is a young singer who looks set on the verge of stardom. Her name is Tarralyn Ramsey and although you may not know her name there's a good chance that you will in the near future.
The 22 year old Melbourne, Floridia born, Jacksonville native is now making waves as the recent winner of the 'Born to Diva' contest held by VH1, she is the first artist to be signed to the reborned Casablanca record label headed by Sony exec Tommy Mottola (distributed by Universal). With new self-titled album getting ready to hit store shelved, the Tarralyn reflects on her dream.
"I've always been the kind of girl who likes to sit in her room and read and write and listen to my CDs, and stand in front of the mirror with the hairbrush and practice singing my songs - and actually make believe, I guess, that I'm onstage in front of thousands of people singing."She's now made that dream a reality with her debut single 'Up Against All Odds' which incidently is the song that swept the final VH1 competition and won her America's votes. The album is peoduced by Cory Rooney who also served as co-creater and executive producer for the 'Born To Diva' talent contest.
Very much like those she idoled and draw inspiration (Aretha Franklin, Mahailia Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey) she too has cut her chops in the church where she sang her first solo at age three, (the song "You Don't Know Me Yet," at the Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in neighboring Palm Bay). With encouragement from both parents (her mother a schoolteacher and father in the construction business) she would sing at every opportunity and teachers took notice at her school. There are tapes of her singing 'God Bless America' over the p.a. system during morning announcements in elementary school.
An underage Tarralyn was allowed to audition for a community choir, Youth United For Christ, and gained exposure as the group's youngest soloist, as they traveled far and wide opening for the biggest gospel acts. She would move to Jacksonville and so the story begins of her auditioning for the Born to Diva contest. To find out more on how she got there and won, log onto her website www.tarralyn.net
- Source: tarralyn.net