BET GETS ITS ‘FREAK’ ON: Plus, network announces launch in the UK. *BET’s Toccara Jones and John Salley host the cable network’s new special, “BET's Top 25 Fabulous Freaks,” which “counts down 25 individuals that have absolutely no shame to their game,” says a press release. The show debuts Wednesday (June 27) at 10 p.
m. Celebs on the list include Brandy's brother Ray J., Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant, rappers Lil' Kim and Trina, sex kittens Vida Guerra and Buffie "The Body," and former president Bill Clinton.
Meanwhile, BET has announced that it will launch in the UK with original shows “Lil' Kim - Countdown to Lockdown,” “College Hill” and several music countdown programs in the lineup, reports MediaGuardian.co.uk.
The media regulator, Ofcom, last week granted a license to the network, which was launched in the States 27 years ago and is owned by MTV's parent company, Viacom. The UK channel will be run by Viacom Brand Solutions and be based at its London office. The BET International senior vice-president and general manager, Michael Armstrong, said the company was currently talking to a number of platform operators, including BSkyB.
Discussions are also under way as to whether it will be available free or as part of a monthly subscription package. Armstrong said BET-UK would develop its own locally-produced shows as well as importing hits from the US. "We are very interested in bringing a BET channel to the UK that is designed and developed for the UK audience," he said.
"It will be different in the UK. It will be programmed differently and we are definitely looking at commissioning programs locally." POLITICS MEETS HIP-HOP: Vibe shoots Obama for cover; Chavis to head H3 Enterprises.
*Vibe magazine on Wednesday held a photo shoot for Presidential hopeful Barack Obama, reports New York Daily News columnists Rush Malloy. The issue, which will reportedly feature the Illinois senator on the cover, is due on newsstands later this summer. Chavis of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network has taken over as chief executive of H3 Enterprises, the parent of HipHopSodaShop, which plans to open its first store of a worldwide chain in St.
later this year, reports the St. H3 aims to use HipHopSodaShop as a vehicle to promote sound business, teach investment to hip-hop youth and incorporate social responsibility into what Chavis describes as a unique business concept. Chavis said the next location will probably be in Harlem.
Stores are also planned in Jamaica, South Africa and the United Kingdom. MUSIC BITS: Chamillionaire’s ‘soundtrack’; Beyonce’s ‘Shortie’; we remember Pattie Darcy Jones; CM Cap launched. *Chamillionaire wants listeners of his upcoming sophomore album "Ultimate Victory" to sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy the ride.
"I was trying to make the whole album be like a motion picture from beginning to end," the Houston rapper tells Billboard.com of the oft-delayed set, which is due for release on Sept. "I'm just tired of the norm.
It's easy for me to just do what everybody else is doing and make a song about dancing and girls and stuff like that, but I was like, 'Lemme just try to think of some concepts, make it like a movie,'" he says. "So every song, even if it's a club song, it's got a concept to it. That kept me interested, y'know?
" His recently-released first single, “Hip Hop Police,” was produced by JR Rotem and features Slick Rick. *It’s the end of the road for Beyonce’s longtime security guard, “Shortie.” According to the newsletter Atlanta Gossip, the 400-pound protector was reportedly fired by her father Mathew Knowles because he wants a younger and more muscled guard to stand between his daughter and unruly fans.
Shortie was reportedly paid the rest of his $500,000-plus contract and a $100,000 bonus. *Smokey Joe's Cafe star Pattie Darcy Jones has died at age 54. The raspy-voiced belter was found dead in her Hopatcong, New Jersey home on the night of June 16, reports Broadway.
com. Police are investigating the cause of death. In addition to her work in Smokey Joe's Cafe, in which she appeared throughout its five-year run at the Virginia Theatre, Jones also starred in the 1985 Broadway revue Leader of the Pack.
She was also a sought-after background singer and has toured with Cher, Joe Cocker and Robert Plant. She is survived by her husband, Courtney. *Cedric Muhammad, former GM of Wu-Tang Management, has started CM Cap (www.
cmcap.com), the first firm dedicated to helping rappers start non-music industry-related businesses. David Banner is among clients who are being assisted in establishing brick-and-mortar businesses in local communities.
Muhammad explains: "Having been in the music business and understanding what artists go through and the power they have, I felt it was time to formulate my insight, experience, political and business network into a service that would serve the needs of today's Hip-Hoppreneur. They are ready to become leaders outside of the music industry, and our goal is to support and guide them into new forms of power, service, and wealth." in ‘Iron Man,’ Vasquez lawsuit; Tyrese, Anderson talk ‘Transformers’.
*Robin Thicke admits he struggled a bit while watching his wife, actress Paula Patton, in a sex scene with rapper Andre 3000 in the film “Idlewild.” He tells WENN: "I was a total f**king drag. Being vulnerable and sensitive is a good thing, but being a b**ch-ass with no strength?
No woman wants that. I had to man up." *Anderson Jones, an African American film critic best known for his stint at E!
, Online, died Thursday after suffering a major coronary before a promotional screening of “A Mighty Heart” at the ArcLight in Los Angeles. He was 38. Jones left E!
several years ago and had been freelancing ever since for publications such as Emmy magazine and Lavender, a gay and lesbian publication in Minnesota. He had been struggling with health issues in recent years. Jackson is rumored to have been cast as Nick Fury in the upcoming film “Iron Man.
” Ain’t It Cool News is reporting that the production from director Jon Favreau shot scenes with the actor last week. "Nick Fury" may also get a spin off film franchise should “Iron Man” do well at the box office. The prospect was announced by Marvel Studios as part of their independent film slate.
*A man suing “American Idol” producers and season-four hopeful Mario Vasquez for sexual harassment will have his case settled in arbitration, reports E! Online. A judge ruled Tuesday that Magdaleno Olmos must take the case to arbitration in accordance with the contract he signed with the show, where he worked as an assistant production accountant.
He sued for wrongful termination in March, alleging he was fired after complaining to executives about Vasquez. Olmos claimed the singer made unwelcome passes in Feb. 2005, including exposing himself in a men's bathroom.
Vazquez voluntarily quit Idol's top 12 the following month, citing "family reasons." *Tyrese Gibson and Anthony Anderson, stars of the upcoming film “Transformers,” say they were huge fans of the television series and action figures as kids. “I used to watch the cartoon every day when I got home from school,” said Tyrese.
“Who would have thought a cartoon you loved as a kid would end up being such a milestone in your life as a grown man? It’s crazy how things happen.” After breaking into the show’s theme song, Anderson said: “That’s my era, I grew up watching the cartoon.
When I heard there was a possibility of playing a character in the film, I was excited about it, as well as meeting Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg.” SPORTS BITS: ‘Pacman’ surrenders; Tank Johnson pulled over; Tiger to miss Buick Open. Jones turned himself in early Friday to Las Vegas authorities and was released a short time later after posting $20,000 bail.
He’s due back in court on July 23 where he will plead not guilty to two felony charges of coercion stemming from allegations that he threatened to kill employees of strip club Minxx and that he bit a bar bouncer, his lawyers said. If convicted, the 23-year-old Tennessee Titans cornerback faces a maximum of 12 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The arrest was the sixth for Jones since he was drafted in 2005.
*Fellow suspended NFL player, Tank Johnson of the Chicago Bears, was pulled over for speeding in Arizona early Friday and tested for DUI. Police in the Phoenix suburb of Gilbert said Johnson was stopped for driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone at 3:30 a.m.
and the officer made observations that led him to believe Johnson was impaired. Andrew Duncan said Johnson was arrested for "DUI Impaired to the Slightest Degree" but was released without being booked or charged. Johnson is suspended for the first eight games of the 2007 NFL season after violating probation on a gun violation.
*Tiger Woods says he will skip next week's Buick Open to be with his wife and newborn daughter Sam Alexis Woods, who turns one-week-old today. “We respect and support his decision,” said Buick golf marketing manager Larry Peck. “We look forward to having Tiger with us at future tournaments.
We're very happy for him and his family." The golf star is scheduled to host his own inaugural tournament in Washington, D.C.
, from July 5-8. WHITE HOUSE THROWS BLACK MUSIC MONTH PARTY: KEM among musicians who performed Friday in the East Room. *The President of the United States hosted a Black Music Month gathering in the East Room of the White House on Friday, with special guests Dr.
Dorothy Height and Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson, whom Bush referred to as “my friend.” “He knows a little something about black entertainment,” the President said of Johnson in his introduction. Invited musicians who performed during the occasion included 15-year-old Karina Pasian, KEM Owens and Tourie and Damien Escobar (artists behind a new music fusion that bridges classical, R B and rap).
The following are excerpts from President Bush’s remarks at the gathering: Thanks for taking time out of your day to come. One of the best things about living here is that some of the best musicians come to play. It's amazing what kind of talent you can draw here at the White House.
And over the years American Presidents have seen some fantastic African American musicians here on the White House stage. President Chester Arthur -- you might remember Chester -- (laughter) -- he welcomed the first black choir to perform at the White House, the Jubilee Singers from Fisk University. President Benjamin Harrison hosted one of the first black soloists to play at the White House, Sissieretta Jones, who was the daughter of a slave.
President William Howard Taft invited Joseph Douglass -- grandson of Frederick Douglass -- to perform here. Franklin Roosevelt hosted the great Marian Anderson, when she performed "Ave Maria" for the King and Queen of England. President Ronald Reagan hosted Mikhail Gorbachev, and invited the legendary Pearl Bailey to entertain.
And when he introduced her, he just simply said -- simply, "our Pearl" -- welcome "our Pearl." (Laughter.) I hope the translator got that right.
And Laura and I had some incredible entertainers and Americans sing for us and our friends. We've had Eartha Kitt, Patti Austin, B.B.
King, Irwin Mayfield, Aaron Neville, just to give you a taste of what happens here at the White House. Each of the performers has inspired people across the world with their talents, and each performer has brought great pride to the United States. It's really a great country that can produce a diverse group of musicians that can serve as ambassadors about what's right about America.
MOREHOUSE GETS $2 MIL TOWARD KING CURRICULUM: Donations come from Goldman Sachs and The Andrew W. *Morehouse College in Atlanta has received $2 million in donations for its newly-acquired Martin Luther King, Jr. The amount marks the largest gift to date for the collected works.
The donation from Goldman Sachs and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundations will endow The Goldman Sachs Leadership Chair in Civil and Human Rights at the college. The first academic to hold the chair will be the new director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr.
Collection, the magazine reports. The school hopes to have a director in place by the fall semester. He or she will assist in the development of a curriculum focused around the collection and Dr.
King’s work; coordinate access to the collection for scholars and helping to determine the long-term goals of the collection such as tours. Goldman Sachs will also work with the chair to develop programs on campus and at the firm promoting the theme of leadership as exemplified by Dr. BET GETS ITS ‘FREAK’ ON: Plus, network announces launch in the UK.
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