Bring That Week Back
1 / 31
Blunt Testimony - Talk about your defense going up in smoke. Lil' Wayne needed to prove in court Monday that he runs a marijuana-free tour bus, but his witness, who's his assistant, testified that there were times when there was pot and guns on the bus. Terry Bourgeois admitted he never saw Lil Wayne himself with a gun.
2 / 31
Same Page - 50 Cent and his ex-girl, Shaniqua Tompkins, are finally on the same page as to how much time the rapper can spend with their 11-year-old son. Under the agreement reached this week, Fiddy will be able to spend one weekend per month with Marquise. Fiddy and Tompkins will also split custody for the boy's summer vacation, his winter break and spring break.
3 / 31
'Crazy In Love’ With Bey - If you had a date with Bey, would you drive fast? A Detroit-area man did. And he was arrested for nearly hitting a police car and driving over a sidewalk and grass. The arresting officer said the man told him he was on his way to meet Beyoncé at the George Washington Bridge in New York City. The man was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
4 / 31
Witness Stand Rap - Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa, was in front of an on open mic this week – but her rap was on a witness stand. Sandra "Pepa" Denton claims her ex-husband and his new wife forged her signature to buy a home in B'more. The defendants deny it. However, Denton now wants the property. A ruling is expected in January.
5 / 31
Sued for $180M - A Louisiana man is going after Oprah for $180 million after her Harpo goons and the feds painted him as an extorter. Keifer Bonvillian claims O and her attorney made false statements leading to his 2006 arrest. Bonvillian allegedly recorded unfavorable convos he had with an ex-Harpo office manager who aired O's dirty laundry. Bonvillian wanted to publish a book on them.
ADVERTISEMENT
6 / 31
Suing ‘Dr. Phil’ - The memorabilia dealer who led O.J. Simpson to a hotel room where an alleged armed robbery took place is now suing "Dr. Phil." Thomas Riccio claims the show edited his interview to make him say something he didn't say. He's suing Phil McGraw and the show's producers for unspecified damages.
7 / 31
‘Soul Train’ Legend Arrested - The man who put "Soul Train" on the track was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. Authorities say police were called to Don Cornelius’ home last Friday after someone reported a domestic dispute. He was taken to jail and later freed on $50,000 bail. He's set to appear in court next month.
8 / 31
‘Pacman’ Rehab - Suspended football star Adam “Pacman” Jones is getting treatment for a problem with alcohol. The cornerback has checked into a substance abuse treatment facility that's being overseen by the NFL. Jones was suspended for at least four games by the league last week after getting into a booze-related scuffle with one of his bodyguards at a private party in Dallas.
9 / 31
Family First - Barack Obama quickly got off the campaign trail Thursday and Friday to see his seriously ill grandmother in Hawaii. The 85-year-old Madelyn Payne Dunham helped raise Obama – and during his acceptance speech in Denver in August, he said it was she who taught him about hard work and sacrifice for others.
10 / 31
‘Iron Man’ Boot - Last week, we caught wind that Don Cheadle was replacing Terrence Howard in "Iron Man 2." Apparently, the fans weren't the only ones who were shocked. Terrence was too! He said the contract just "vanished," and there was no explanation. So what are the film's producers saying? "No comment."
ADVERTISEMENT
11 / 31
Releasing the ‘B’ Inside - Omarosa says any woman can transform herself from a doormat to someone able to take command of any situation. She says all it takes is to flip what she calls "The Bitch Switch." It's also the name of her new book. The reality show queen says "all women have the ability to take control of who they are and what they want out of life."
12 / 31
Free By July? - Michael Vick could be set free on July 20, 2009. According to paperwork filed this week, the ex-NFL star will plead guilty to state dog-fighting charges in Virginia to qualify for an early release from prison and into a halfway house.
13 / 31
Get Your House Right - The banks may not have your back when it comes to buying a home, but Russell Simmons does. This past weekend, he held a summit in the ATL to encourage young buyers to get their money right, because the real estate market will eventually recover. Participants got a booklet that stresses the importance of owning a home and having a solid credit score.
14 / 31
It's a Boy! - Weezy is the proud parent of a healthy baby boy. Dwayne Carter II was born Wednesday at Cincinnati's Christ Hospital. Wayne is keepin' quiet about his baby mama's identity, but little Dwayne is his second child. Wayne already has a 9-year-old daughter, Reginae, with his ex-wife Antonia “Toya” Johnson.
15 / 31
Hip Hop Awards - Some of the greatest names in hip hop appeared and performed at BET’s annual Hip Hop Awards, which aired Thursday. Get photos, see performances and more by clicking on the link below.
ADVERTISEMENT
16 / 31
Bey Is Etta - “'At Last'” ... we finally get a second look at Bey as legendary Blues singer Etta James. So what's Ms. James saying about Bey playing her in the movie “Cadillac Records?” “I don’t think she looks like me, but that’s all right. They can fix that up,” James said. The film chronicles the rise and fall of the influential R&B record label Chess Records.
17 / 31
'On My Way Out' - Singer Natalie Cole may need a kidney transplant. Doctors told the "Unforgettable" singer that her lungs have filled up with fluid and her kidneys are functioning at 10 percent. Cole, who is on dialysis and battling with hepatitis C, said she was close to dying when she was admitted into a hospital back in September.
18 / 31
Farewell Levi - Fans of the Four Tops will get a chance to say farewell to lead singer Levi Stubbs this weekend. A public viewing for Stubbs will be held in Detroit on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Swanson Funeral Home. Stubbs' funeral is set for Monday morning in Detroit. He died this past Friday while sleeping. He was 72.
19 / 31
Dee Dee Dies - Dee Dee Warwick, the younger sister of singer Dionne Warwick, and cousin of Whitney Houston, died in a New Jersey nursing home this week. Warwick, who won huge recognition for her work, both as a solo artist as well as with her sister, had been ill in recent months. She was 63.
20 / 31
Dead At 81 - A comedian who inspired a generation of rap and hip-hop stars has died. Comedian Rudy Ray Moore, better known as "Dolemite," the uniquely articulate pimp from the 1975 film “Dolemite” and its sequel, "The Human Tornado," died on Sunday from diabetes complications, according to media reports. He was 81.
ADVERTISEMENT
21 / 31
Tupac Saves the Day? - Tupac Shakur has inspired a lot of people in the rap game. But at a baseball game? Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza says listening to Tupac and other rappers helped him get ready for his start in Sunday night's deciding game of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. The Rays won the game 3-1 to advance to the World Series.
22 / 31
Always In Style - Bey is always "Instyle." The magazine did its November issue in which the R&B diva talks about her style and must-have beauty and accessory items. Beyoncé releases her new album, "I Am" on Nov. 18.
23 / 31
‘Oprah’ In Spanish - Se habla Espanol, Oprah? Starting now, the answer is "si" in the nation's six largest Hispanic TV markets. "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is being made available in Spanish. Those who want to hear it can do so through SAP – the Secondary Audio Programming settings on their TV sets or cable boxes. The dual-language shows are being made available in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston and Dallas.
24 / 31
Booted - Toni Braxton has been bounced from "Dancing With the Stars." The singer and her pro dance partner, Alec Mazo, were given the boot from the ABC show Tuesday night after getting a score of 22 out of 30 from the show's judges on Monday. That, combined with viewer vote totals, wasn't enough to keep her in the competition.
25 / 31
Coaching the 49ers - Former NFL player Mike Singletary has spent the last decade giving motivational speeches. Now, he'll use those skills to coach the San Francisco 49ers. He's been named the Niners' interim coach, succeeding Mike Nolan. Singletary's appointment gives the NFL seven Black head coaches, matching the most in league history.
ADVERTISEMENT
26 / 31
Howard Leads Howard - When Howard University's Marching Band hit the field at the school's legendary homecoming this past weekend, another Howard was leading the band. Actor Terrence Howard served at the university's homecoming ambassador and grand marshal.
27 / 31
Jazz Master - George Benson is known for crossover hits like "This Masquerade" and "Turn Your Love Around," but he recently got re-linked to his jazz roots. He was named one of the 2009 Jazz Masters, an annual honor given out by the National Endowment for the Arts. In accepting his honor, he thanked his stepfather, who hand-made his first electric guitar when he was a teenager.
28 / 31
Backing Obama - Colin Powell jumped the GOP ship this week and endorsed Barack Obama. Powell says the United States needs "a transformational figure" and "a generational change," adding the man who can provide that is Obama, not John McCain.
29 / 31
Democrat Powell? - It's unclear whether he will have an official title. But Obama says Colin Powell "will have a role" in his administration. He told NBC's "Today" the four-star general and former secretary of state will be an adviser. As for whether Powell accepts a formal role in an Obama administration, the candidate says it will have to be discussed whether that will be "a good fit" for Powell.
30 / 31
‘106’ & Obama - Sen. Barack Obama visited the “106 & Park” set via satellite this week to encourage young people to vote. Click on the link below to see the video.