A star-studded press conference for this Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards took place today at the Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California. There it was announced that:

The official cover for Ciara’s brand new single ‘Go Girl’. I’m guessing this is the style/image they are going with for her forthcoming ‘Fantasy Ride’ LP. It’s definitely ‘out there’, but I like.

There’s no doubt many were checking to see where The Game’s “final” LP (erm…yeh) ‘LAX’ and Solange’s sophomore effort ‘Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams) would chart, following their releases last week. Peep the report from MTV below for the goods:

The Game’s latest enters the chart at #2, selling more than 238,000 copies; his previous efforts sold significantly better. His 2005 LP The Documentary entered the chart on top with 587,000 scans, while the 2006 follow-up, Doctor’s Advocate, sold more than 358,000 units, to open at #1. Rockers Slip Knot narrowly clinched the top spot selling through 240,000 copies of All Hope Is Gone.

A total of 23 new releases crack the top 200, with two others debuting in the top 10. The Now That’s What I Call Country compilation enters at #7 with 50,000 scans, and Solange Knowles’ Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams bows at #9 with 46,000 sold.

Granted tongues will no doubt be wagging about sales, comparisons and whatnot, I think both artists have performed well considering. Put simply music doesn’t sell the way it used to, so both debuts are respectable all the same.

Monica took to the stage at the V103 Soul Session in Atlanta on Tuesday night to perform new buzz single ‘Still Standing’. The 28 year old was joined by the friend and the song’s feature artist Ludacris for the showing.

Great performance!
As previously reported, Monica’s album, of the same title, is set to hit stores early next year.

After much speculation, it has been confirmed that Britney Spears will be opening the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards - however will not be performing:

Since her hospitalisation earlier this year - as well as her family being granted control of her estate - the 26-year-old is on the road to recovery and is “excited” to open the 2008 awards.

“MTV has long played an important role in my career. How can I not be there to kick off their 25th VMAs?” she told People magazine.

“I’m excited to open the entire show, to say hi to my fans and to be nominated.”

The singer has been nominated 16 times for an astronaut-shaped VMA but has never been successful.

However, she has another shot at glory this year with nominations in the best female video, best pop video and video of the year categories, all for her hit Piece of Me.

MTV Networks’ music president Van Toffler commented: “Britney has done everything from perform with a snake, lock lips with Madonna and prove that what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas.

“I can’t wait to see what she does to kick off this year’s show.”

I must say I’m glad she’s not performing. The time will be right when it is. Still, it’s good to see Britney getting herself out there. No doubt all eyes will be on her come Sunday’s show. {Source}

R&B star Ciara strips down (all the way down) in the October issue of VIBE magazine, which she features in to promote her new LP ‘Fantasy Ride’. Say what you want about it (and no doubt people will), but she looks g-o-o-d!

Brandy’s long awaited comeback video for new single ‘Right Here (Departed)’premiered literally within the hour on Yahoo Music. Though the clip is pretty simplistic, it does the awesome justice. I’ve said it many a time, but can’t say it enough “Welcome back Ms. Norwood!”.

Beyonce on the cover of the latest issue on the cover for the October 2008 issue of Marie Claire UK. Sexy, yet classy…great cover.
Interestingly the cover’s tag ‘Beyonce’s back and ready to shock’ seems to be apt time-wise. There is mounting speculation that the ‘Crazy In Love’ singer will be the ’surprise’ at next Monday’s MTV Video Music Awards - taking to the stage to perform her highly anticipated new single.

With Brandy now putting the finishing touches to her ‘comeback’ LP ‘Human’ (due November 11th via Epic), a snippet of a track presumed to be from the set has surfaced titled ‘2nd Thought’. Though little is known about the cut in the way of producers etc, the song itself speaks volumes. The piano-driven mid-tempo sounds top-notch both production-wise and vocally from Ms. Norwood. Good stuff.

Kelly Rowland recently performed at The Astoria here in London. Peep her performance of last year’s summer hit ‘Like This’

There really must be something in the air over this side of the pond, as Ms. Kelly really seems to be feeling herself when over here - and rightfully so. Though not her best performance, still a great one all the same.

As reported earlier, Ciara’s much anticipated new single ‘Go Girl’, the first to be lifted from her third LP - ‘Fantasy Ride’ was set to debut this week. Indeed, the track went on to surfaced just a few hours ago.

Though the song, which features T-Pain, is a solid mid-tempo cut (with that ‘knock)’, I must say I’m somewhat underwhelmed by this. With the high-octane/’Crunk to the next power’ nature of the album’s previously announced first single ‘High Price’, I was expecting big things from ‘Go Girl’, yet it doesn’t really deliver. By no means a poor effort, just simply not first single material. Here’s hoping the album packs more of a punch than this…

R&B star Ne-Yo has won the lawsuit he filed against a tour promoter acting on R. Kelly’s behalf, after unceremoniously being thrown off a joint tour with the ‘Ignition’ singer back in January. Peep the report below:

Because of some backstage machinations, Ne-Yo is a little bit richer.

The R&B star has scored a nice payday for being dumped from R. Kelly’s road show last year. A Los Angeles judge has ordered Kelly’s promoter to pony up $700,320 to the “Because of You” Grammy winner.

Ne-Yo went to court in December, alleging he was bounced from the Double Up tour because his opening set was getting better reaction from fans and critics than Kelly’s. The bill also featured Keyshia Cold and J. Holiday.

Superior Court Judge Malcolm Mackey made his default judgment after Georgia-based Rowe Entertainment refused to respond to the lawsuit filed by Ne-Yo under his real name, Shaffer Smith.

Per his suit, Ne-Yo was supposed to earn $785,000 on the 25-date jaunt, but the 25-year-old performer was canned by Rowe after the second show on Nov. 15 and only received a fraction of the contracted amount.

At the time, the promoter blamed the dismissal on Ne-Yo’s camp for not completing the proper paperwork. {Source}

Jay-Z has broken his silence on comments made him by both Foxy Brown and Teairra Marì:

“As far as Foxy or Teairra Marì, these are people that I have given chances to. It’s understandable that they would be upset, but you got to look at it from my point of view as well. I gave Teairra Marì the same shot I gave Rhinna. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

“You know that stuff is going to happen, eventually it’s going to happen. What I’m happy about is, that no matter what people say, no one has ever said that I am dishonest or that I have taken one dime from them . . . I’ve never cheated anyone out of a dime. No one’s ever said that, right?” {Source}

Kudos to Jay for not getting messy with his response. I guess he does have a point…

In this clip showing Ciara enjoying the Labour Day weekend, the 22 year old singer confirmed that the first single fro, her 3rd LP ‘Fantasy Ride, the T-Pain assisted ‘Go Girl (ft. T-Pain)’ will be debuting this week:

1. Like This - (ft. Eve)
2. Comeback
3. Ghetto - (ft. Snoop Dogg)
4. Work
5. Flashback
6. Every Thought Is You
7. Show - (ft. Tank)
8. Interlude
9. Still In Love With My Ex
10. Love
11. Better Without You
12. This Is Love
13. Gotsta Go - (ft. Da Brat)