The film will be loosely based on the lives of Basketball Wives star and fan favorites Shaunie O’Neal and her friends, and will follow the life of a young woman and her boyfriend as the couple deals first hand with relocation following his NBA draft and the tests and trials that come with being together in professional sports.

“We’re proud that we’ve been successful in demonstrating the talent and creativity among our African American actors, writers, and directors,” says producer Tracey E. Edmonds. “Going much further than the series, the film will have the ability to dig deeper into the personal challenges that couples face while living in the world of professional sports. It promises to be rich and unpredictable in story and will feature empowered characters that will be relatable to a broad audience,” she concludes.

“I am delighted about the new production from Our Stories Films,” says Bob Johnson. “Tracey continues to be a top producer in Hollywood and has a vision for bringing together top talent, writers and actors, as proven by the success of Jumping the Broom. I’m looking forward to the release and development of our new project and to bringing this hit show to an audience nationwide.

The woes that have befallen the Oprah Winfrey Network are by now the stuff of legend: the low ratings. The staff losses. The high-profile bombs like “The Rosie Show.” Appearing on CBS News in April, Oprah herself seemed to sum up the dispiriting atmosphere at OWN.

“If I were writing a book about it, I might call the book ’101 Mistakes,’” she said.

One of those mistakes might be the apparently vast sums of money that OWN has bled through since its inception. Bloomberg Businessweek reported last week that the network may have lost a whopping $330 million since it began in 2008. An analyst told the magazine that it was the most “successful failure in television today.”

FULL ARRTICLE HERE

“I imagine I’ll take things I learned from my mom and things I’ve learned from raising my nephews and apply that,” Jay said of fatherhood. “Then at the end of the day, I just know I’ll probably have the worst-spoiled little kid ever.”

Having taken a look at the very fancy dream nursery Andrea Edmunds, president of PoshTots, who has worked with Heidi Klum, Kimora Lee Simmons and Gwyneth Paltrow, put together for the posh tot and the fantastic threads baby Blue already sports on days out with mom, we’re pretty sure the royal couple of hip-hop and R&B are already headed down that path.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

The film will reportedly explore Hendrix’s early career, tracking his times spent in England in 1966 and 1967 crafting what would become his classic debut album, Are You Experienced. John Ridley, writer of 1999′s Three Kings and 1997′s U Turn, is set to write and direct.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Beyonce is set to take home a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists for a piece she wrote for the July 2011 issue of Essence Magazine.

In the award-winning story, titled “Eat, Play, Love”, Beyonce writes about a recent nine-month hiatus. According to Ms. Knowles, her time away from the spotlight helped inspire her creatively

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Gabriel Aubry was in court on May 3, 2012 – expecting to argue his case for the large increase in child support.

However, the case was continued because the paperwork wasn’t filled out properly.

Apparently, Gabriel Aubry was extremely upset that the matter was put off according to insiders. A source said that Gabriel believes he’s entitled to the money because he needs a proper environment to care for four-year-old Nahla.

Halle Berry wants to move with the child from Los Angeles to Paris, which would have a direct impact on Gabriel’s request for additional support.

FULL ARTICLE  HERE

Pictured: Model Gabriel Aubry and girlfriend actress Halle Berry attend Keep A Child Alive�s 6th Annual Black Ball at Hammerstein Ballroom on October 15, 2009 in New York City.  (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

The singer and his former partner, Tameka Raymond, both attended a hearing at Fulton County Court in Atlanta as part of their ongoing custody dispute over their sons, Usher, 4, and Naviyd, 3.

Raymond filed papers late last year asking for Usher to be stripped of joint physical custody of the children, and she also demanded the star increase his child support payments.

The judge overseeing the case ordered the warring pair to work out a temporary custody agreement in private mediation and they will be back in court on Wednesday. If they fail to come to an agreement, the judge will impose a temporary order deciding how they should split their time with their children, according to TMZ.com.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Pictured: R&B Artist and Actor Usher Raymond arrives with girlfriend Tameka Foster at the 15th annual Trumpet Awards at the Bellagio January 22, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The awards show is a celebration of African-American achievement where Usher was on hand to present the Usher Raymond Altruism Award to actor Hill Harper.  (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The new series gives a candid look at the R&B songstress at her most vulnerable, as a wife to NBA star Daniel Gibson, mother to her 2 year old son D.J., daughter, sister, musician and businesswoman. We’ve witnessed so many incredible and compelling moments in Keyshia’s life, especially her tumultuous relationship with her mom and sister, Frankie and Neffe. Now Keyshia has found herself on the path to becoming the woman she was destined to be, but will her new life lead her down the road to success  or will demons from her past continue to haunt her?

Sanaa Lathan attended the 27th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards in New York City and walked away with the award for Outstanding Lead Actress for the play By The Way, Meet Vera Stark.

(Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Lucille Lortel Awards)

The Young Money moola maker joins a long, fancy list of musical superstars like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Kanye West and Mariah Carey to serve as spokesperson for the popular pop. Nicki first tweeted out a link for the one-minute, 33 second spot Sunday afternoon, then celebrated with her newly recovered Twitter flock. “Can’t do it w/o my barbz!” she wrote in response to one excited fan.

The commercial starts with the crack of a can, as the spot’s two principal characters begin to drink their Pespi Cola. At the same time, Minaj’s “Moment 4 Life” begins to play as the lively soda drinkers navigate through various scenes in which everyone else is frozen in time. Together, they find a skateboarder stuck in midair trying to land a kick-flip, then run through a suspended soccer game on the beach, a food fight and a Betsey Johnson runway show. In fact, even Johnson herself is stuck, unable to move.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Ultimately, all three judges chose to save Roshon, which meant Jaleel “formerly known as Urkel but don’t call him that anymore” White said goodbye.

“I really only thought I would last about three dances in this competition,” Jaleel confessed, almost tearing up as he talked about promising his mother he wouldn’t get eliminated first.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Losses for Khaled include at least 150 pairs of sneakers and up to $600,000 in jewelry, including two big-faced Rolex watches. Knowing time was limited, he and his crew made sure to grab the most important thing: music for his upcoming album.”I was on my laptop listening to my album. It’s the only thing I grabbed,” he said. “That’s the album. Very important… Everybody sacrificed to make sure we got the laptop and the drive.”

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Will Smith is back at it again starring in Men in Black 3. The MIB duo of Agent Jay (Will Smith) and Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) are back in action. When the world is threatened by an evil alien, Agent Jay travels back in time to 1969, where he teams up with the younger Agent Kay to stop an evil villain named Boris (Jemaine Clement) from destroying the world in the future. Emma Thompson will play take-charge MIB operative Agent Oh, who is monitoring a prison breakout.

“Men in Black 3″ arrives in theaters on Friday, May 25.

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

It looks like Lionel Richie is out and John Legend is in as one of the mentors on the show, which also will star Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke. Richie dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.

The quartet will travel the country looking for talent in unexpected places and then choose singers to perform with them onstage each week. The winner will receive a recording contract.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

With the firing of “America’s New Top Model’s” top three judges–Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel and J. Alexander–who knows if the series will survive.

And while Tyra’s thinks ANTM “needs a new boost,” recasting the show might be just the opportunity Oxygen needs to slide in and turn her boost into the boot.

’The Face’ is a fresh new series that delivers all the elements our audience craves: fashion, beauty and drama,” said Rod Aissa, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and Development, Oxygen Media.

According to the show’s press release, Naomi will be joined by two other yet-to-be-named supermodels to mentor three teams of models who will be guided through weekly challenges until one winner is chosen to become ‘The Face’ of a major national brand. Sounds familiar.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

She also insisted she’s not pregnant, doesn’t have an eating disorder and isn’t battling diabetes.

The 26-year-old attended a screening of her Fox TV show at the TV Academy of Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood when she fainted in the middle of a interview.

In a series of Twitter posts yesterday she wrote, “Lol. Let me stop the rumor mill right now. I’m not pregnant! Yes I’m black but I don’t have diabetes, I don’t starve myself to fit clothes; I buy clothes to fit ME not vice versa, I DO NOT DIET; I eat right and exercise!

“I love myself waaaay more than I like my career. I would never ever put myself in harm’s way to mirror any ‘image’.”

“Come on ppl (people). Get a life. I did get a great laugh this morning reading all the BS (bulls**t) though.”

FULL ARTICLE HERE

The partnership coincides with the 25th anniversary of Jackson’s multi-platinum BAD album and record-breaking tour, around which the Michael Jackson Estate and Sony Music have celebratory projects underway.

To celebrate Jackson’s incredible contribution to pop music, Pepsi, Sony Music and the Estate of Michael Jackson have teamed up to share new mixes of legendary Michael Jackson music from the BAD album with fans around the world, proving that the King of Pop is not only the world’s most iconic artist from the 20th century but also influencing music in the 21st century as well.

Brad Jakeman, president, Global Enjoyment Brands, and chief creative officer, PepsiCo Global Beverages Group, said, “Pepsi has always been at the forefront of pop culture, helping to shape the music landscape.  This unique global partnership, around such a legendary music milestone, invites Pepsi fans from around the world to experience Michael Jackson’s music in an engaging and very NOW kind of way – it’s a model example of how Pepsi’s ‘Live for Now’ campaign can manifest itself in a way that resonates the world over.”

Pepsi will feature iconic silhouette imagery of the King of Pop on cans with the launch of collectible limited edition can designs. Pepsi will also run contests in markets around the world giving fans the opportunity to win merchandise including, a limited number of jackets inspired by the original staff BAD tour jackets and tickets to Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil, the #1 touring show in North America.

“We are thrilled to bring Michael and Pepsi back together, as they were in 1988, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the BAD album and tour and to put Michael on one billion Pepsi cans – perhaps a Guinness record,” commented John Branca andJohn McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson.  Branca and McClain added, “We’re excited to see it all come to life.”

China and the United States will be among the first Pepsi markets to launch the exclusive Michael Jackson King of Pop activity in 2012, with approximately 20 additional markets in Asia, South America and Europe continuing the international roll-out throughout the rest of the year.

On May 5 in China, a 330ml limited edition can will be available at retail locations nationwide.  In addition, from May 15 – June 14, 2012, fans will be encouraged to share photos of their valuable Jackson collections or original artwork celebrating him, for a chance to win tickets to Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil, as part of China’s “In Honor of King of Pop MJ” promotion.

Later in May, the U.S. will launch a nationwide retail campaign including a limited edition 16oz. King of Pop Pepsi can, as well as initiate a retail, music-themed promotion.

Frank Cooper, chief marketing officer, Global Consumer Engagement, PepsiCo added, “Michael Jackson will always be the King of Pop, and his music has always inspired fans and artists alike. But, this partnership goes beyond nostalgia and will engage with consumers all around the world with iconic imagery on more than one billion Pepsi cans, digital content and epic, live events, so that they can continue to connect with Jackson’s music and honor his legendary impact on entertainment.”

Michael Jackson has a long standing relationship with Pepsi spanning more than 25 years.  The legendary King of Pop starred in his first Pepsi campaign alongside his brothers in 1983, as part of the Pepsi ‘New Generation’ campaign followed by Pepsi’s sponsorship of the epic BAD Tour and the iconic “Chase” commercials which served as the impetus for the current reunion. Pepsi also featured Jackson in the ‘Music Icons’ commercial that premiered during The X Factor in 2011.

Pepsi’s new “Live for Now” campaign is a culmination of extensive global research demonstrating Pepsi fans’ desire to capture the excitement of now and live each moment to the fullest.  First launched in the U.S. last month, “Live for Now” will come to life through a breadth of global, pop-culture platforms, events and unique partnerships and will begin to roll out globally throughout 2012.

Season 2 of VH1′s “Single Ladies” turns up the heat and brings a whole new dose of sex, love and betrayal for Keisha, April and Raquel. Still reeling from Malcolm’s run-in with the FBI, Keisha (LisaRaye McCoy) is forced to decide just how loyal she is to her flame, especially since the facts aren’t lining up in Malcolm’s favor. With the surprise return of the man who broke her heart, Keisha finds herself reminiscing on the past and wondering if she ended things too quickly. April (Charity Shea) finds herself entering the dating game after being off the market since she was 18 years old. But she is discovering the game isn’t quite what she remembers. Meanwhile, newcomer Raquel (Denise Vasi) has spent her entire life living up to her parents’ expectations. A long-time childhood friend of Keisha’s, Raquel has found herself in the role of the “good girl” for years.

With encouragement from Keisha and April, Raquel finds herself at a crossroads: should she finally take a stand in her life and make her own choices or does her mother really know best? This season the women of “Single Ladies” have several new romantic storylines including one with Latin heartthrob William Levy, whose character “Antonio” reconnects with his former flame Raquel, while “One Life to Live” alum Terrell Tilford’s character “Sean” returns to shake up Keisha’s love life.  The cast includes: LisaRaye McCoy, Charity Shea, Denise Vasi, DB Woodside, Travis Winfrey and Terrell Tilford. Season 2 guest appearances include: Anthony Williams, Big Boi, Cassandra Freeman, Chilli, Eve, Flex Alexander, Harold “House” Moore, La La Anthony, Lauren London, Michelle Van Der Water, Omar Gooding, Paula Patton, Pilar Sanders, Rick Fox, Ricky Whittle, Romeo, Tank, T.I., Tony Rock, William Levy and others.  Executive producer Queen Latifah will also appear in the series.

“Single Ladies” is a romantic comedy series about Keisha, Raquel and April – best friends with different philosophies on love, sex and relationships, proving not all women have the same desires. Set in the world of Atlanta fashion, music and celebrity, “Single Ladies” asks the question: What do women really want? For additional information on VH1, follow @VH1 on Twitter or “Like” VH1 on Facebook, and visit VH1.com for all the latest in music and celebrity news. For full episodes, clips and bonus content from the first season, visit SingleLadies.VH1.com. Executive producers include Queen Latifah, Shakim Compere, and Shelby Stone for Flavor Unit Entertainment. Executive producers also include Maggie Malina, Alex A. Motlagh for POPfilms, Stacy A. Littlejohn, and Tamra Davis. Executive producing for VH1 are Jill Holmes and Jeff Olde. “Single Ladies” is written and created by Stacy A. Littlejohn and directed by Tamra Davis.

CBS News has learned around a dozen people will be arrested and charges will include both felonies and misdemeanors.

The student, 26-year-old drum major Robert Champion, Jr. died last November after a severe beating. The cause of death was trauma, caused by excessive bleeding after a hazing ritual aboard a band charter bus involving more than two dozen students.

The parents of the dead student, Pam and Robert Champion Sr., say any arrests will be five months overdue.

“When someone loses their life because of a crime, they should be punished,” Champion Sr. said.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Birdman wouldn’t confirm the exact figures in the deal, but he made it clear that when it comes to Wayne, who he considers a son, the sky is the limit. “The type of situation we did never been done in urban music; it’s probably the biggest deal ever in urban music,” he said. “I’m blessed to even do that — whatever my son want, he can get. It’s all his anyway, so it don’t really matter to me.”

A few weeks back, Weezy announced on MTV’s “Hip Hop POV” that he re-signed with Cash Money for a four-album deal, and since then, rumors have begun to surface that Birdman put up $150 million to retain Wayne’s recording rights.

“YMCMB start and stop with Wayne; it ain’t no YMCMB without Wayne,” Birdman told MTV News correspondent Sway Calloway on Monday night while DJ Khaled was shooting his “Take It to the Head” video in L.A.

On “POV,” Wayne said, “Everybody knows I came into the game at 11 years old with Cash Money Records, before we even had a major deal. We signed a deal in I don’t remember when, and I been with Cash Money ever since. So, if you’re looking for integrity, I am the definition. If you’re looking for a person that’s gonna stay down, I am the definition. If you’re looking for loyalty, I am just that.”

FULL ARTICLE HERE