Posted March 31, 2008 -- Chris Brown will re-release his platinum Exclusive with new bonus tracks and a DVD of performance footage from the recent “Up Close and Personal” tour that he headlined. This updated version of his sophomore album is expected in June.
Continuing on his Hollywood roll, rapper/actor Mos Def will play alongside Beyonce Kowles’ Etta James in the biopic Cadillac Records. Mos will appear as legendary rock star Chuck Berry. Also added to the cast (since announcements were made about Knowles, are Cedric the Entertainer and Adrien Brody) is starlette Gabrielle Union. Cadillac Records is currently filming in New Jersey.
Despite the recent controversy surrounding the 1994 assault of rap icon Tupac Shakur, his mother, Afeni Shakur remains focused. “We will continue to work to save the lives of our young people and to offer peaceful alternatives to violence and conflict resolution,” she said in response to the apparently false article that outlined industry involvement in the Quad Studio incident where Tupac was shot and injured. “That is what we have done since the murder of my son, and that is exactly what we will consciously continue to do,” The “we” she refers to is the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation which is planning its expansion into California for the first time with its Leadership & Arts Camp. The deadline for the Atlanta Spring Break session is this week (Apr. 4). Applications in English y en espanol can be found at www.tasf.org.
Careful music industry analysis has songtress Mariah Carey projected to collect her 18th No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Although, according to Billboard.com, “Touch My Body” (the debut track from her 11th studio album, E=MC2) was at No. 15 on the most recent survey, digital download availability should propel Carey to one slot ahead of Elvis Presley on the list of artists with the most No. 1s. UK export, The Beatles holds the record with 20. Does Carey think about the science behind her music?
“I do, because people bring it up,” she told Billboard.com. “But it’s not like I sit around thinking about that type of stuff while I’m creating something.”
Also re-writing that era is the “Notorious B.I.G.” biopic officially entering their second (of seven) week of filming. Former B.I.G. manager/film producer Wayne Barrow is keeping a blog of the experience starring rapper Jamal “Gravy” Woolard as Biggie and Angela Bassett as his mother, Voletta Wallace. “We have been having a ball on set. The energy and vibe has been very vibrant, upbeat and intense. The actors are getting along great, the chemistry between them is evident in their performances.” To keep up with his blog, visit http://my.foxsearchlight.com/profile/WayneBarrow.
2008 Album of the Year Grammy winner Herbie Hancock is debuting his funk-jazz collaboration performance with longtime friend Joni Mitchell on Yahoo.com Tuesday (Apr. 1). The promo video of 10 songs comes one moth before her sets out on an international tour with stops around the U.S., Brazil, Europe and Canada.