Jill Scott Films Video In Hometown; Ruff Ryder Eve Joins In

Now since Jill's lawsuit with her former label is put to bed and signing a new deal with Warner Bros. to release her long awaited The Light Of The Sun album will be out by Summer. Ms. Scott took to her own familar spot growing up in Philly to kick off the visuals with the first single Shame. And from the looks of things, Eve joins Jill Scott on the set for the hometown festivies.

read the article via CNN

Beyonce Cosmetology Center Opens In Brooklyn, NY

via the press release

Phoenix House, the nation's leading non-profit provider of substance abuse and prevention services, today announces the opening of the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at the Phoenix House Career Academy. A residential treatment program with a fully equipped vocational training center on site, the Career Academy, located in Brooklyn, NY, guides students as they work toward their professional and personal goals. Adding a new track to the Career Academy's vocational programs, the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center will offer a seven-month cosmetology training course for adult men and women. As Beyoncé is a spokesperson for L'Oréal Paris, the company is generously providing all makeup, skin care, and hair care products.

The pop superstar's relationship with Phoenix House began when she was preparing for the role of Etta James in the 2008 film Cadillac Records. To play the part of the former heroin addict, Beyoncé met with women in treatment at the Career Academy. Moved by their powerful stories of addiction and recovery, she later donated her salary from the film. A year later, she and her mother and business partner, fashion designer Tina Knowles, who owned a popular hair salon in Houston when Beyoncé was growing up, conceived of the idea of Phoenix House's new cosmetology program.

"We were thrilled when Beyoncé and her mother Tina approached us about creating a cosmetology center for our clients," said Phoenix House President and CEO Howard Meitiner. "Their generosity and compassion toward the men and women we serve is extraordinary. With this tremendous gift, they have given our clients a route to achieve successful, rewarding lives in recovery."

Opening today, the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center will teach students the theory and practical skills they need to pass the NYS Cosmetology Licensure Exam. The Center will also offer complimentary services, using L'Oréal Paris products, to a wide range of community partners, enabling its more advanced students to refine and practice their skills. Phoenix House's partners in this endeavor are two divisions of the NYS Department of Education, the Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) and the Bureau of Propriety Schools (BPSS).

PHOTOS from the Beyonce Cosmetology Center opening/ribbon cutting ceremony in Brooklyn, NY:
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Film Magic
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Rex Features
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WENN Photo

Nelly's 4th Annual Black & White Ball In St. Louis Recap

Courtesy of the St. Louis American

Last night (Sun., Dec. 6) at 1 a.m., the Chase Park Plaza had to shut the party down to make it stop at Nelly’s 4th Annual Black and White Ball. When staff informed Nelly and the powers that be it was time to call it a night, people were still going hard.

They were on the stage and on the floor rapping’ and dancing along to some of the songs that Nelly and the St. Lunatics made famous as well as hits from back when they first started on the scene mixed with current hip-hop hits. Folks got down, but the whole point of the event was to help students move forward with their education.

Earlier in the night, Nelly announced – along with the Black Student Union of Lindenwood University – the launching of the 2010 Black and White Scholarship Program that would provide a full tuition scholarship for two deserving students.

“I feel like I don’t have a choice to do this,” Nelly said about his decision to use his star power on behalf of the community. “This is something that I must do.”

In the short formal element of the program, Nelly kept his comments brief. He was preceded by video footage of scholarship recipients expressing their thanks and gratitude to the Grammy-Award winning multiplatinum selling rapper for aiding them in their educational endeavors.

Following the short formal program, partygoers got down to business and hit the dance floor while Mario, Nelly and the St. Lunatics performed on stage for the duration of the night.

Jermaine Dupri, Mario, Bill Bellamy joined dozens of local notables – including legendary athlete Jackie-Joyner Kersee – were among the evenings special guests.

Photos:
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KMOV St. Louis

Your Favorite Rapper's Give Away Turkeys For Thanksgiving Holiday Rundown

Whether it's for an artist promotion or just to do a good deed for the community, it's always refreshing to hear these stories and redeems Hip Hop just for a moment.

Links provided.

Akon & Ludacris - Akon And Ludacris Help Distribute 2000 Turkeys To Families In Need (myATL events)

Young Jeezy - Young Jeezy To Give Back On Thanksgiving With Turkey Dinners (Word of South)

R. Kelly - R. Kelly to Host Thanksgiving Feast for Soldiers (PR News Wire)

Cash Money - Cash Money Records to give away turkeys on Tuesday (New Orleans The Times-Picayune)

Gucci Mane - Gucci Mane & Company To Feed Those Less Fortunate For Thanksgiving (Hip Hop Wired)

Bun B - Bun B Teams Up With Boost Mobile For Holiday Food Drive (Keep It Trill)

Jay Rock - Rapper Jay Rock Set To Give Away Turkeys In His Watts Neighborhood (BallerStatus)

Trey Songz - Trey Songz Giving Away Turkeys In Viriginia For Thanksgiving (BallerStatus)

KRS One - KRS-One to Feed NYC Homeless on Thanksgiving (Boombox)

Trae Tha Truth - Trae Tha Truth Joins Texans’ Amobi Okoye And Councilman Peter Brown To Tackle Hunger 4 Thanksgiving (Music On Play)

Vaughn Anthony - Vaughn Anthony giving back with free holiday meal (Illinois - Springfield News)

DJ Drama - DJ Drama Leads Atlanta Turkey Drive For Needy Families (Keep It Trill)

Travis McCoy To Release Charity Track On World AIDS Day

via the Reuters press release

LONDON, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks International's Staying Alive Foundation today announced the launch of Travis McCoy's charity track, One At A Time, which is set for release on December 1st to coincide with World AIDS Day.

McCoy, lead singer of alternative hip hop collective Gym Class Heroes and special ambassador to The Staying Alive Foundation, exclusively wrote the track for the Foundation which is MTV's global HIV and AIDS awareness charity, funding and supporting youth-led grassroots HIV prevention projects around the world.

Available to download on iTunes from December 1, World AIDS Day, all proceeds from sales of the track will benefit the young people and projects supported by the Foundation.

The track was written after the 10-day journey McCoy took as Staying Alive Foundation Ambassador to South Africa, India and The Philippines, during which time he visited some of the inspirational projects funded and supported by the charity. His journey enabled him to meet with some of the young people who have dedicated their lives to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in their own communities.

The track, which draws on McCoy's experiences while on the trip was recorded in Miami and produced and co-written by The Smeezingtons.

"This track comes straight from the heart," said McCoy. "It encompasses everything that I saw and felt on the trip. I met some amazing and inspiring young people - and this track is dedicated to them and their tireless and selfless commitment to the fight against HIV and AIDS. I just hope that it'll inspire others out there to get involved in whatever way they can. It really doesn't take much to make a difference."

"Travis' commitment to The Staying Alive Foundation has enabled us to reach young people around the world in a truly innovative way," said Georgia Arnold, Executive Producer of The Unbeaten Track and Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, MTV Networks International/ Executive Director, Staying Alive Foundation.

"Through this track, Travis will be sharing his experience and amplifying the HIV awareness message to MTV audiences, globally, in a creative and memorable way. We are delighted with the track and can't wait for the world to hear it."

In addition to the One At A Time track, an accompanying music video will be aired on MTV from November 9, 2009 and will be available to watch online on MTV websites. The video features footage of Travis in the studio, as well as clips from 'Travis McCoy's Unbeaten Track', the documentary that charts Travis' tri-continental journey and is set to air on MTV channels on December 1, coinciding with the track release.

The philanthropic effort behind One At A Time is the result of a partnership between MTV Networks International, The Staying Alive Foundation, Atlantic Records and Fueled By Ramen.

One At A Time will be available on iTunes from December 1, 2009. From December 8, 2009, the track will also be available via other major online music retailers.

Donations can be made directly to The Staying Alive Foundation here by visiting:
Staying Alive Foundation

Check out Unbeaten Track for more details on McCoy's trip, including the inspiration behind the track and the Foundation-funded projects (Travis) McCoy visited:
Unbeaten Track

source

Common and Friends Hollywood Benefit Concert Recap With Photos, Videos and Show Review

Common and Friends 'Common Ground' Benefit Concert took place at the Hollywood Palladium Saturday September 26th in Hollywood, CA.

Fan shot footage below, most good quality.













This is what Scott T. Sterling from the L.A. Times said about the Common and Friends 'Common Ground' Hollywood Benefit Show:

“I’ve been to a lot of charity events, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Old-school rapper Heavy D surveyed the sold-out Hollywood Palladium crowd gathered for the second annual “Common & Friends,” a star-studded affair that featured appearances from a seemingly endless cavalcade of A-list hip-hop stars to benefit Common's Common Ground charity.
The audience had already seen a series of highlights. De La Soul opened the show with a quick, high-energy set, punctuated by a surprise appearance from masked rapper MF Doom, who ferociously ripped through his verse from “Rock Co.Kane Flow.”

Black Thought and Amir “Questlove” Thompson represented for the Roots, and Ludacris ignited concertgoers with a crowd-pleasing set that culminated with “I Do It for Hip-Hop.” The latter allowed him to introduce Nas, who appears on the recorded version (video here).

Read more of the show review here:
L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss

Photos from the Red Carpet and Backstage:
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(video courtesy of Donjuan3foo, stepz7 and moviebruin)

(show review courtesy of Scott T. Sterling of the L.A. Times)

50 Cent supports Michael Jackson to the fullest

As Michael Jackson recently canceled some of the early dates of his upcoming tour engagement in London, Fifty had some words of encouragement for the 'King of Pop.'

50 Cent lends support to hero Michael Jackson
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