JICHO LA MWEWE : 12/18/14

Sergio Ramos Left Furious As Real Madrid Offer Reduced Wages In New Contract Terms

Published on 11:47 PM Category: Sports

Sergio Ramos has been left unsure over where his future lies, with Real Madrid offering the Spaniard a new contract that includes a wage drop. He sought advice from Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi on what to do, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Sacchi was at one point the sporting director at Real Madrid, and was the man responsible for bringing Ramos to the club from Sevilla in 2005.
The 28-year-old defender has made over 300 appearances for the club, and in the prime of his career he is understandably disappointed at being offered a reduced wage.

Sacchi revealed that he has a close relationship with the Spanish international, and was happy to give him advice about his situation.
He claimed that Ramos contacted him, asking, “I want to stay, but Florentino wants to pay me less; what should I do?”

With Sacchi responding, “You have to stay where you are. Look at Shevchenko and Kaka, who left solid situations for greater salary, and it cut short their careers. You’re in the right place at Madrid, so you should stay.”

The Real Madrid star has been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu before, and this could be the perfect time for any interested parties to make their move.

Neymar is phenomenon as Messi and Ronaldo, says Roberto Carlos

Published on 11:17 PM Category: Sports

Former Brazil international Roberto Carlos has labelled current captain Neymar a “phenomenon”, insisting he is now competing with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the best in the world.
The 22-year-old was made captain of his country by new coach Dunga, and has led the Selecao to six consecutive victories since the World Cup, hitting seven goals along the way.
He was the only Brazilian to make the 23-man shortlist for the Fifa Ballon d’Or and Roberto Carlos believes the Barcelona forward was the third-best player he’s seen this season.

“Neymar is a phenomenon,” Roberto Carlos told Perform.
“He adapted to European football very quickly. He turned in some great performances with Barca and the Selecao.
“The thing is Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are getting better every day. Neymar is trying to reach their level but every time he comes close they just get better.
“So in my opinion the three best players in the world this season were Cristiano, Messi and Neymar.”
Neymar has now hit 42 goals in 60 appearances for Brazil, placing him fifth in the Selecao’s list of all-time top goalscorers.
He will return to international action in March when the Gillette Brasil Global Tour resumes with a rematch of the 1998 World Cup final as the Selecao meet France in Paris.

Javier Hernandez to stay at Real Madrid

Published on 11:16 PM Category: Sports

The agent of Javier Hernandez has insisted that the out-of-favour Real Madrid striker will not be leaving the Santiago Bernabeu in January.
The Mexico international has struggled for first-team opportunities in his season-long loan from Manchester United, prompting speculation that a winter exit is on the cards.
“Sometimes the media speculate too much and assume situations,” Eduardo Hernandez told AS. “He will not leave the club [in January].

“He is eager to play more minutes but he knows that hard work will open up more opportunities. He has his future ahead of him.
“Real Madrid are a team full of impressive players and obviously to earn a spot is difficult, but Javier has a great quality in working hard, like he has since the first day, and this is his quality.”
Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti recently claimed that the 26-year-old will get chances to shine, having played second fiddle to in-form Karim Benzema for much of the season.

Hernandez has scored three times in seven La Liga appearances thus far.

6 THINGS YOU JUST SHOULDN’T ALLOW IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP

Published on 11:15 PM Category: Love Stories

There are countless things one should never tolerate in a relationship, though many of these things are a lot easier said than done. Being humans, we’re complex species, and while we may know that we shouldn’t be with someone for some reason, sometimes, we stick around instead of just letting go and moving on. However, I believe we are all worthy beings, and no matter what, no one deserves to be treated with disrespect; so wherever you are, whatever you do, do not forget these list of things you shouldn’t tolerate in a relationship…

1. CHEATING
Of all the things not to tolerate in a relationship, cheating is an obvious one. Cheating should not be tolerated in a relationship for several reasons. One, if your partner is cheating, you don’t know what disease he (she) may be picking up from others, and these could jeopardize your own health. Also, cheating breaks trust, which is a major foundation of a healthy relationship. If you happen to feel, given your particular circumstances, that working through an incident is an option you want to explore, fine, but do not, by any means, tolerate perpetual cheating. A cheater is not worth your own well-being.
2. LYING/ SECRETS
In addition to cheating, perpetual lying should not be tolerated as trust is a key foundation in any relationship. A white lie here and there is not necessarily something to get worked up over, but if you catch your partner lying to you on a regular basis, it may be time to rethink your relationship with that person.
3. UNCONTROLLED TEMPERS
Anger is a natural human emotion. Everyone feels angry at times, but anger and an out-of-control temper are two drastically different concepts. If you find that your partner punches holes in walls (not literally of course. Lol); takes his (her) anger out on you in an inappropriate manner, makes threats, breaks things, etc. This is not a healthy expression of anger and can lead to devastating consequences in your relationship. Do not tolerate this behaviour. Either insist that he (she) seek treatment options for his temper or drop him (her). Violence from women to men is rare, but that doesn’t mean it never happens
4. PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE
Abuse of any form should not be tolerated in a relationship. Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize signs of domestic abuse for a number of reasons. You must first realize that no matter what, you never deserve to be abused. If your partner hits you, beats you, rapes you (and yes, this includes marital rape), or inflicts any sort of physical violence on you, try your best to get out of the situation. I know this is often easier said than done, but realize that not all men (and women) are like this, and that you are worthy of someone who will treat your body with some respect!
5. MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL ABUSE
Mental and emotional abuse are often even harder to detect than physical or sexual abuse. If your partner uses manipulation, threats, belittlement, or any other means of making you feel unsafe, insecure, or bad about yourself, this is most likely a form of abuse as well. Do not tolerate a partner who makes you feel unworthy. And remember, no matter what he (or she) says to knock you down, the shame is on him (or her), not on you.
6. HARM TO YOUR CHILDREN
If you find that your partner has in any way jeopardized the well-being of your children, get rid of him (or her) immediately. Whether they are his (or her) children or not, he (or she) must respect them as well as you. If your children ever say that they have been inappropriately touched, harmed physically, etc. by your partner, he (or she) must go. Never tolerate a man (or woman) who harms your children.

So there guys, 6 of the many things you should never have to put up with in your relationships. Please, feel free to add your own.

ZARI AMPOKEA DIAMOND KISHUJAA NCHINI UGANDA...ANGALIA PICHA ZA MAPOKEZI YAKE HAPA

Published on 11:45 AM Category: Entertainment

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Naseeb Abdul aka Diamond Platnumz ameshawasili 256 Uganda kumpa support Zari Hassan a.k.a Zari The Bosslady kwenye event yake ‘All White CIROC Party’ itakayofanyika Des 18 Kampala.

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Diamond Platnumz akiwa na Zari baada ya kumaliza mahojiano na waandishi.

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Zari na Diamond wakihojiwa na mwaandishi kutoka NTV.

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Hili ndio gari lililombeba Diamond Platnumz kutoka Airport kuelekea Hoteli .

Meeting With Jay-Z, Common and Russell Simmons, NY Gov. Cuomo Pledges to Appoint Special Prosecutor in Cop Cases

Published on 10:59 AM Category: Entertainment

With all the protests surrounding the killings of unarmed Black men, many people have been wondering where the Black celebrities were and why weren’t they using their power to promote change. On Wednesday three members of the hip hop elite—Jay-Z, Russell Simmons and Common—met with government officials and came away with an important promise from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Simmons and Jay-Z talked reform with Gov. Cuomo, with Common joining Simmons later at a City Hall news conference.
“We want to promote the end of police protecting police and not prosecuting police,” Simmons said.
Common said America “should be ashamed of itself. We’re going to do everything it takes to change this system,” according to AP.
During the meeting with Simmons, Cuomo pledged to order that special prosecutors will be appointed to deal with police brutality cases, according to AP. It is a measure that many activists in New York and around the country have been calling for—and something Cuomo refused to do in the Eric Garner case, which resulted in the Staten Island District Attorney failing to get an indictment.
“We’re going to hold him to it,” Simmons said of Cuomo’s pledge.
Cuomo’s spokeswoman Melissa DeRosa said that the conversation dealt with discussions of special prosecutors among a “range of options that could be included” and other policy changes that governor plans on working on over the next year.
Jay-Z’s spokeswoman confirmed that he and Cuomo met with each other and DeRosa expressed that they had “a productive conversation” about reviewing and reforming the criminal justice system.
The trio didn’t just stop with the New York governor.
Simmons also had conversations with Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Simmons and Common worked with activist group Justice League NYC on Wednesday to promote the firing of officers involved in the Garner case and the appointment of special prosecutors for all cases involving police brutality.
De Blasio’s spokeswoman Marti Adams confirmed that de Blasio and Police Commissioner William Bratton “are serious about enacting smart reforms.

Laughter and Lessons: 7 Black Sitcoms That Bravely Tackled Controversial Issues

Published on 10:58 AM Category: Entertainment

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Even scholars have argued that the Fresh Prince and his family were one of the most important Black families in TV history. The show flawlessly integrated comedy with the discussion of serious issues in a manner that kept viewers laughing while also learning some important lessons about wealth inequality, conceptions of beauty and racial profiling. During the 1991 episode “Mistaken Identity,” Will is pulled over because police believed he is “suspicious” for driving a nice car. The show not only focused on police profiling of Black men and assuming them to be a threat, but it also gave a look at how difficult it can be for some Black men, in this case Carlton, to deal with the fact that the justice system is not built to work in their favor. The show also famously reveals the emotional turmoil that many Black youths face after being raised by a single parent and feeling as if they are unwanted and unloved by the parent who is missing from their lives.

Family Matters
While gun control has recently become a popular political hot button, some people may forget that it was Steve Urkel who brought the issue of gun control into many Black homes decades ago. After facing scary bullies at school, Laura comes close to buying a gun from a young dealer. That’s when Urkel steps in with a rather corny but entertaining rap about how dangerous guns are and encourages the students to “save a life” and turn in their guns to authorities. The episode deals with the struggle between feeling safe in one’s own community and the dangers of already frightened, young people who have no formal training on how to use a gun obtaining the deadly weapons

Shonda Rhimes Leading the Pack in Television Nominations for the NAACP Image Awards

Published on 10:57 AM Category: Entertainment

The nominations for the 46th annual NAACP Image Awards are out and Shonda Rhimes is on top once again.
“Scandal” received six nominations while Rhimes’ other projects “Grey’s Anatomy” and “How to Get Away with Murder” both received nods as well. In fact, Rhimes’ shows are actually in competition in a few categories, giving ABC three of the five drama-series nominations.
Kerry Washington is pitted against her fellow Shondaland lead actress Viola Davis from “How to Get Away with Murder” for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. Both shows are competing with “Grey’s Anatomy” for Outstanding Drama Series.
First presented in 1967, the awards weren’t nationally televised until 1994. The 35 categories of the Image Awards are voted on by members of the NAACP and range from television to film, books and music. The categories include Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, with Honorary awards such as the President’s Award, the Chairman’s Award, Entertainer of the Year and The Image Award Hall of Fame.
This year “Belle,” “Beyond the Lights,” “Dear White People,” “Get On Up” and “Selma” have all received top film nominations
The list of television nominations are as follows:
Outstanding Drama Series:
Being Mary Jane (BET)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
House of Cards (Netflix)
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Scandal (ABC)
Outstanding Actor in a Drama
LL Cool J, NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
Taye Diggs, Murder in the First (TNT)
Omar Epps, Resurrection (ABC)
Omari Hardwick, Being Mary Jane (BET)
Shemar Moore, Criminal Minds (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Nicole Beharie, Sleepy Hollow (FOX)
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Octavia Spencer, Red Band Society (FOX)
Gabrielle Union, Being Mary Jane (BET)
Kerry Washington, Scandal (ABC)

Supporting Actor in a Drama
Guillermo Diaz, Scandal (ABC)
Alfred Enoch, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Joe Morton, Scandal (ABC)
Courtney B. Vance, Masters of Sex (Showtime)
Jeffrey Wright, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)

Supporting Actress in a Drama
Khandi Alexander, Scandal (ABC)
Aja Naomi King, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Jada Pinkett Smith, Gotham (FOX)
Chandra Wilson, Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Alfre Woodard, State of Affairs (NBC)
Writing in a Drama Series
Mara Brock Akil, Being Mary Jane: “Uber Love” (BET)
Zoanne Clack, Grey’s Anatomy “You Be Illin’” (ABC)
Warren Leight & Julie Martin, Law & Order: SVU: “American Disgrace” (NBC)
Zahir McGhee, Scandal: “Mama Said Knock You Out” (ABC)
Erika Green Swafford, How to Get Away with Murder: “Let’s Get To Scooping”(ABC)
Outstanding Comedy
Black-ish (ABC)
House of Lies (Showtime)
Key & Peele (Comedy Central)
Orange is the New Black (Netflix)
Real Husbands of Hollywood (BET)

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Anthony Anderson, black-ish (ABC)
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)
Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime)
Kevin Hart, Real Husbands of Hollywood (BET)
Keegan-Michael Key, Key & Peele (Comedy Central)
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project (FOX)
Niecy Nash, The Soul Man (TV Land)
Wendy Raquel Robinson, The Game (BET)
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish (ABC)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Terry Crews, Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)
Laurence Fishburne, black-ish (ABC)
Boris Kodjoe, Real Husbands of Hollywood (BET)
Marcus Scribner, black-ish (ABC)
Glynn Turman, House of Lies (Showtime)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Adrienne C. Moore, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Yara Shahidi, black-ish (ABC)
Lorraine Toussaint, Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)
Writing in a Comedy Series
Sara Hess, Orange Is the New Black: “It Was the Change” (Netflix)
Regina Hicks, Instant Mom: “A Kids’s Choice” (Nickelodeon/Nick@Nite)
Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project: “Danny and Mindy” (FOX)
Aisha Muharrar, Parks and Recreation: “Ann & Chris” (NBC)
Brigette Munoz-Liebowitz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: “Road Trip” (FOX)
Outstanding TV-Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Lifetime)
Drumline: A New Beat (VH1)
The Gabby Douglas Story (Lifetime)
The Trip to Bountiful (Lifetime)

Outstanding Reality Series
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Iyanla: Fix My Life (OWN)
Shark Tank (ABC)
The Voice (NBC)
Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s (OWN)
Outstanding Talk Series
Oprah Prime (OWN)
The Queen Latifah Show (Syndicated)
Steve Harvey (Syndicated)
The View (ABC)
The Wendy Williams Show (Syndicated)
The winners will be announced on Friday, February 6, when the ceremony premieres on TV One

Kendrick Lamar Inks Deal with Reebok, Steps Up Next to Kanye As Rappers With Shoe Lines

Published on 10:57 AM Category: Entertainment

Widely praised for his way with a lyric, Kendrick Lamar will now get to reveal his shoe game as he becomes the latest rapper to sign on for a sneaker deal.
Lamar yesterday announced his collaboration with Reebok Classics, joining artists like Swizz Beats who is the Classic’s creative director.
The news was revealed by Reebok in a new campaign, which paid homage to Lamar’s hometown Compton to the backdrop of his song “I am.”
Lamar has reportedly been waiting on this moment since he was a kid.
“The shoe became popular when Cash Money Records hit the scene,” he said. “Everybody wanted to wear ‘Tee Bo’s and Ree’s’ as the Hot Boys would put it. White Tee, Jabo Jeans, and Reebok Classics.”
But more than that, the socially conscious rapper is happy to be working with a brand that stands for more than just fashion.
“Reebok has a history of helping kids in the community realize their potential is limitless,” said Lamar. “I saw what the brand was doing, and I wanted to be a part of it and make it even stronger. It’s as simple as that. Kids that listen to my music are looking for inspiration. It’s important that I continue that message in anything I represent.”
Reebok appears to be just as ecstatic to work with the award-winning artist.
“Committed to continuously pushing boundaries through partnerships with some of the biggest names in the industry, Reebok has taken the fusion of music and footwear to a whole new level with Kendrick Lamar,” representatives for Reebok said in a press release. “Together, we hope to inspire and empower youth to become their best selves through programs designed to provide a positive alternative to the streets.”
Though Lamar will now be joining the ranks of rappers like Kanye West who released the Nike Air Yeezy II earlier this year, his socially aware take on having a shoe out seems to be quite different than Mr. West’s.
“They try to act like people ain’t line up for the Yeezys,” Kanye West said in a statement about the sneaker’s first installment. “[Nike CEO] Mark Parker tried to son me. Yes. Son me because I am the sun and I will shine bright. And when I don’t have as much money as a billionaire and when I don’t have the factories that, that dude has over there, what I do have is my voice. Ain’t no corporation that can take me away from my voice and I’m going to scream at the top of my motherf**king mountain as loud as I want. Anything I want. Whenever I want. Is that crazy? So I’m going to make the announcement on Monday with the corporation that finally let me get an opportunity to create.”
Lamar will be part of the Ventilator’s 25th Anniversary campaign in March and his own collection, which is set to come out in June of next year, will feature Ventilator styles.

Le Projectiiii…..This Will Makes Team Wema To Cry……Photo..Is.... Wema Going Crazy? See What She Did As Reaction To Diamond And Zari Project..

Published on 10:55 AM Category: Entertainment

Stevie Wonder Wows Atlanta Crowd, Goes Off on Gun Violence

Published on 10:53 AM Category: Entertainment

There are few voices that can bring people to tears from the mere sound. As the woman behind me wept into her tissue 30 minutes into Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life Performance tour, it was clear that Mr. Wonder had one of those voices.
On Saturday night that soulful voice packed Atlanta’s Phillips Arena with people from all races and all walks of life. The electricity of anticipation wafted through the room as soon as you hit the arena.
When the 64-year-old legend finally made his way onto the stage, the applause was deafening. He was escorted by his two young sons and the beautiful India.Arie in a vibrant orange dress paired with a golden head wrap.
Wonder immediately thanked the Atlanta crowd for all his continued success as he recalled that the first plane ride he ever took to perform was from Detroit to Atlanta.
“Every experience started with you,” the Signed, Sealed, Delivered singer stated. “If I don’t know you personally, I know your heart because our hearts are connected.” He then wasted no time as he took his place behind the keys and flawlessly went into “Love’s in Need of Love Today.”
He brought Ms. Arie back out to help him sing “Have a Talk with God” and the combination of both their voices was enough to make the woman from earlier’s tissue soggy once again.
“He’s taking me to the 70s right here!” her friend screamed over her sobbing companion as she snapped to the beat. The rest of the arena seemed to share her sentiments as everyone rose to their feet for “I Wish.”
Wonder took the audience through a bevy of emotions with every song, going from missing a lover they may have never had to snuggling up to whoever was seated next to them during “Knocks Me Off My Feet.”
Before going into intermission, the singer wanted to take a poll of the audience. He told everyone who had been standing to take a seat and to only stand up if they answered “yes” to his next question.
“Do you feel that we have a gun problem in America?” he asked. The whole house stood.
“You’re able to fix the problem. If we are able to send rockets to the moon I would hope that we would have someone in the government to hold people accountable for the guns they have. I hope someone with a spirit who wants to see more people living than dying will do this because the only people making money are the gun factories and the mortuaries. I don’t care if you agree with me. I love you anyway.”
After his much-needed diatribe, he launched appropriately into “Saturn.”
A short intermission later, Wonder came back to tell the story behind the beloved, iconic “Isn’t She Lovely.”
“I just kept singing ‘isn’t she lovely’ and Yolanda kept saying ‘why do you keep singing isn’t she lovely, it’s going to be a boy.’ I said no, it’s gonna be a girl.”
At that point his beautiful daughter, Iesha, the song’s inspiration, came to join her father.
“And fellas if you looking, go blind if you ain’t got no money,” Wonder joked, pointing to his daughter, who had been singing backup.
He seemlessly transitioned into the much-awaited “Isn’t She Lovely,” while every voice in the house sang along.
“Joy Inside My Tears” followed and Wonder theatrically stopped playing his keys to raise and shake his hands while the crowd clapped and cheered.
Even when the songs from the 1976 “Songs in the Key of Life” double LP were finished, Mr. Wonder wasn’t done. And no one was complaining.
By the time he was closing with “Superstition” the audience was tired from the over three hours of concerted bliss that included surprise acts like Janelle Monae and Earl Klugh, but they still managed to jam through the final chords.
“No one can do it like you, Stevie,” the crying woman from the row behind me sighed as she got up to leave.
And she was right. There is no wonder like Stevie

Pharrell Says That Michael Brown’s Behavior Seemed ‘Bullyish’

Published on 10:52 AM Category: Entertainment

Days before the grand jury came to a decision on the Michael Brown case, Pharrell Williams did an interview with Ebony about racism and the occurrences in Ferguson, and criticized Brown’s actions.
“It looked very bully-ish; that in itself I had a problem with,” Williams said of Brown’s actions. “Not with the kid, but with whatever happened in his life for him to arrive at a place where that behavior is OK. Why aren’t we talking about that?”
He then went on to bring up Bill Cosby’s previous diatribes in a speech at a 2004 NAACP event that Black people need to take some responsibility for the judgments placed on them.
“And I agree with him,” Williams said about Cosby. “When Cosby said it back then, I understood; I got it. Listen, we have to look at ourselves and take action for ourselves. Cosby can talk that talk because he created Fat Albert, he tried to buy NBC, he portrayed a doctor on The Cosby Show and had all of us wearing Coogi sweaters. You’ve got to respect him. I believe that Ferguson officer should be punished and serve time. He used excessive force on a human being who was merely a child. He was a baby, man. The boy was walking in the middle of the street when the police supposedly told him to ‘get the f—k on the sidewalk.’ If you don’t listen to that, after just having pushed a storeowner, you’re asking for trouble. But you’re not asking to be killed. Some of these youth feel hunted and preyed upon, and that’s why that officer needs to be punished.”
He did, however, acknowledge that “the hangover from Ferguson is going to be a long one, worse than Trayvon Martin.”
After the Ebony interview, the “Happy” singer yesterday tweeted about the verdict in Ferguson, ”I’m heartbroken over the news of no indictment in Ferguson. Let’s all pray for peace.”

Rick Ross Arrested And Released After Concert in North Carolina

Published on 10:51 AM Category: Entertainment

Rapper Rick Ross has been released after his arrest following a North Carolina concert.
Greensboro Police Department spokeswoman Susan Danielsen says Ross was taken into custody Friday night after the SuperJam concert. She says a court had issued an order for his arrest because he failed to appear in court on a previous misdemeanor marijuana charge.
The rapper, whose real name is William L. Roberts, was taken into custody after his performance. Danielsen says he was released on $1,000 bond.
Messages seeking comment weren’t immediately returned by a spokesman for Universal Music Group or executives at a booking agency that works with Ross.

Meek Mill Defends Turf in ‘I Don’t Know’ Video

Published on 10:46 AM Category: Entertainment

Hip-hop recording artist Meek Mill is gearing up for the release of his new album Dreams Are Worth More Than Money, and he’s dropped a new video for his latest single I Don’t Know. According to vibe.com:

“It’s a warzone in Meek Mill’s video for his single, I Don’t Know. In the Eif Rivera-directed clip, Meek’s army of dirt bikes takes on a rival in the desert, as Paloma Ford plays a gorgeous prisoner-of-war while delivering the track’s hook. A fitting visual to the threatening nature of the song, the 4 1/2 -minute offering reiterates that the Dreamchaser is on the winning team.”

The video differs a bit from Mill’s typical videos, which usually feature him in the streets. However, the video still features him and his crew bike riding, which has become a staple in almost all his videos.
The new album Dreams Are Worth More Than Money is scheduled to be released later this year and will feature music from Timbaland, Rita Ora, Chris Brown and more.
Check out the Meek Mill I Don’t Know video below.

Despite Some Reports, Ticket Sales Appear Strong for Jay Z and Beyonce’s Tour

Published on 10:45 AM Category: Entertainment

Despite what you’ve heard, demand appears high for Jay Z and Beyonce’s On The Run tour.
Multiple published reports that the upcoming Jay-Z/Beyonce co-headlining stadium tour — set to begin in Miami on June 25 and wrap in San Francisco on Aug. 5 — is struggling, or that ticket sales are “dismal,” are inaccurate, Billboard has learned.

Sources close to the Live Nation-produced tour tell Billboard that, as of June 17, the tour has racked up about $86 million in ticket sales and is on a pace to gross close to $100 million from just 19 shows. The source says attendance is on a pace to top 850,000 tickets sold, and a Live Nation rep confirmed to Billboard that the tour is indeed nearing that threshold. That’s a whopping nightly take of $5.2 million, and an average attendance of nearly 45,000 per show — well more than two sold-out arena shows would generate in any given market. Numerous shows are sold out, and Live Nation cites “unprecedented” VIP and platinum ticket sales.
Live Nation offered this statement to Billboard: “The On The Run Tour opens next Wednesday in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium to over 48,000 fans, then rolls to Cincinnati to a sellout crowd of more than 37,000 fans, and on July 1st more than 50,000 fans will pack Boston’s Gillette Stadium. With sellout nights across North America, these first three shows are indicative of the strong demand. Overall, the tour has sold well over 750,000 tickets, grossing more than $90 million, and has unprecedented VIP and Platinum ticket sales.”

Those type of numbers would make On The Run one of the most successful tours of the year, with quite possibly the highest per-show average in terms of gross and attendance of any tour on the road this year. That is not unexpected; while both Beyonce and Jay-Z toured extensively in 2013, their audiences do not completely overlap, and their profile as music’s “power couple” gives the pairing the type of “event” status coveted in the live music industry.
While a significant number of tickets are currently available on the primary market a week before the tour begins, that is not out of line with market tendencies trending toward fans purchasing closer to the show, and walk-up will likely be strong as promoters promote, anticipation builds, and on-the-fence buyers figure out tickets are available.

Even if On The Run finishes at 90 percent capacity (which seems reasonable at this point), that would be considered a huge success, given the healthy ticket prices and the large number of tickets on the market. Complete stadium tours are rare these days in North America, not only because of the inherent production expenses involved, but also because of the huge demand necessary to pull them off. Most likely, Jay-Z and Beyonce opted to go for stadiums on their first tour together not only because of perceived demand, but also because tapping into that demand at stadiums required less of a time commitment than would multiple shows in arenas or amphitheaters. Not only have both Bey and Jay already been touring hard for more than a year, but for stars of this stature, with diverse interests, causes and businesses, time is their most valuable asset.
source: billboard.com

Jay Z and Beyonce Open Their ‘On The Run Tour’ in Miami

Published on 10:44 AM Category: Entertainment

Music’s royal couple, Jay Z and Beyonce, kicked off one of the most anticipated tours of the year, and maybe in history, Wednesday night in Miami. Mr. and Mrs. Carter performed in front of thousands of fans in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium. According to consequenceofsound.net:

“Jay Z and Beyonce kicked off their record-setting North American stadium tour, aka On The Run, in Miami. The dynamic duo ran through a mammoth 42-song set, featuring songs from just about every era of their respective careers. Among particular highlights, Beyonce filling in for Justin Timberlake on Holy Grail, Jay’s new remix of Beyonce’s Partition and a tribute to Michael Jackson during Love on Top.“

Jay and Bey wowed their fans completely by themselves. As reported by billboard.com:

“Alternating in the sparse, almost industrial-looking stage, Beyonce and Jay Z proceeded to take us on a journey of fashion, high-level performance and music, always returning to the central theme of love — challenged, perhaps, but finally standing strong.”

“And it was all about the Carters. There were no guest acts and no visible band, save for a rare appearance here or there from an instrument or back-up singer. Jay Z managed to power through his arsenal of hits — from Ni***s in Paris to Clique to 99 Problems and – forcefully and alone, without any props except the screen behind him. Beyonce, meanwhile, made every one of her songs a visual experience, each featuring new outfits (what an impressive array of leotards and catsuits that woman has!) and choreography.”

The On The Run Tour will make its way to major U.S. cities this summer and may get extended to other countries eventually.

Check out some video below from the kick-off show.

When It Comes to Rap Music, Are White Boys Really Doing All the Buying?

Published on 10:43 AM Category: Entertainment

Though the music industry has long perpetuated the notion that the overwhelming majority of the buyers of rap music are white males, the truth is the rap industry is not staying afloat on a sea of white male dollars.

Back in 1991, Newsweek did a cover story on gangsta rap that proclaimed 80 percent of hip hop’s audience was white. That article sparked a firestorm of attention, but the public began accepting the number as fact. Adding gasoline to the flame, around the same time Ice-T came out and attributed anything above his usual album sales of 750 thousand to “white kids.”

What can we say about the veracity of the 80 percent claim?

In 2004 Mediamark Research Inc. estimated that closer to 60 percent of rap music consumers were white. While that’s still substantial, it’s much lower than the rumored 80 percent that has been floating around for over twenty years.

Of the approximately 64 million Americans between age 15 and 30, about 73 percent of them are white. So if 60 percent of rap consumers were white in 2004, they represented a significantly lower number than their share of the population—meaning the Blacks and Hispanics in remaining 40 percent were significantly higher than their share of the overall U.S. population.

In others words, whites were underrepresented among rap consumers and Blacks and Hispanics were over-represented.

Have the percentages changed much in the decade since MRI’s estimate? It doesn’t appear as if anyone has undertaken such an investigation. That’s probably because the music industry now is more preoccupied with a different question: Is anyone buying rap—or anything else?

We are in the midst of a catastrophic decline in record sales. Total music sales went down for the first time ever from 2012 to 2013, falling 6.3 percent, according to the Atlantic.

The history of the data collection makes one wonder how in 1991, when there were no devices tracking race in record sales, did they come up with that number of 80 percent? And why were they allowed to release it as fact?

The answer? Media corporations needed a marketing tool to justify ad revenue for Top 40 stations.
Industry experts will remember that in the 80′s and 90′s, so-called “Black” stations weren’t playing rap in regular rotation and if they did it was only on the weekends. Black radio programmers claimed this was because of the effect on their advertisers—when a Black station played just rap it wasn’t long before it went off the airwaves.

Noticing the lack of hip hip on the radio, a lot of Top 40 stations began adding it to their rotation. The difference was these top 40 stations could keep their ad revenue up while playing the same amount, if not more, rap than an urban station. Hip hop was now being included in the Top 40 and making its way to every suburban middle school dance and frat party around the country.
According to hiphopandpolitics.com, advertisers have a very specific hierarchy of demographics they wish to reach: White males between the ages of 18 and 34 first, then white males between 25-54, white women 25-34, women of color 25-34, followed by white teens and eventually landing on Black males. This is largely due to the assumption that in America white males have the most disposable income.
Buying into the notion that only white kids buy rap music is not only ridiculous, it discredits an entire population.
“I think that we’re playing a game of racial politics when we say that white kids buy most rap music,” says Bakari Kitwana, author of “Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: Wankstas, Wiggas, Wannabes, and the New Reality of Race in America.” “It’s suggesting that the buying power of young African Americans is not as substantial as it is.”
As is evidenced in many other industries that cater to young people, such as clothing, sneakers and video games, Black young people are a potent consumer group. The advertisers who notice this the quickest are being rewarded with consumer loyalty—and noticeable increases in revenue. Just ask Nike.