James Brown Auction Disappoints

The James Brown Estate auction, which was expected to fetch anywhere from $1 to $2 million dollars, hauled in just $857,688 yesterday with 97% of the items offered sold. A judge cleared the way for the auction after it was bitterly contested by James' former trustees and some of his children, who felt the money should go to James' I Feel Good trust as opposed to paying off the accumulated tax debts and expenses the estate has racked up since James' death on Christmas day 2006. Some of the Brown children are particularly upset because they claim they were told to list items they felt should stay off the auction block but said their lists were ultimately ignored. The children felt certain items should have been saved to create a Graceland type museum for the Godfather of Soul.

Foxy Covers XXL

Thanx to Icedotcom for the cover!

Jeffrey Wright Got Tasered

Actor Jeffrey Wright [Lackawana Blues, Basquiat, Boycott, Shaft] got arrested down in Shreveport, Lousiana last week after he and some of the crew from his latest film got into a bar fight with some locals. Jeffrey is playing Colin Powell to Josh Brolin's George W. Bush in Oliver Stone's new movie 'W'. Details are sketchy, but they say Jeffrey wasn't involved in the actual fight. After the cops showed up, Jeff and Josh tried to speak up for their friends and Jeffrey got tasered, called the n-word and thrown in jail, and Josh Brolin got the pepper spray treatment. Six others from the crew, including Josh Brolin were also arrested.

And It Don't Stop

Hold on to your seats people. The Jesse wants Barack's Nuts controversy ain't over. They say your boy Jesse also dropped a couple of N-bombs in previously unreleased footage from the hot mic conversation that caught him saying he wanted to cut Obama's nuts off. Rumors run the gambit from claiming Jesse called Obama a "no good half breed nigga" to him claiming, "Obama be trying to tell niggas what to do".

Nate Dogg Posts Bail

Hip Hop hook singer Nate Dogg, who suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed earlier this year, has been going through a thang. First it was the stroke thing, which when word first leaked out, was largely dismissed as rumor but turned out to be horribly true. Then in 2006 he got charged with five misdemeanors -- aggravated trespass of a dwelling, battery, annoying telephone calls, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and violating a protective order from a previous domestic violence incident -- after breaking into a Huntington Beach home where his ex-girlfriend, her new boyfriend and her mother lived. After Nate got in the house, he punched the boyfriend in the face and left. Three of the five charges were eventually dropped, but Nate's ex and her man filed restraining orders against him.

Anyway Nate got arrested a couple of weeks ago for trying to run his current wife off the road, driving with a suspended license and making terrorists threats. So yesterday after his arraignment, Nate posted $100,000.00 bail and was released with a warning to stay away from his wife. Nate is due back in court August 1.

Big Fight Over Death Row

Despite a high profile acquisition of Death Row Records by Global Music Group, the legal woes for the former Hip-Hop giant continues, as venture capitalist Ron Goldberg is suing the new owners for $25 million. Goldberg alleged in Superior Court that the investors he recruited for the acquisition conspired with Global Music Group president Anthony Marotta and closed the deal without his knowledge.

He also names Susan Berg and Reggie Bush of RSB Investment Strategies as parties he recruited for the deal. Global Music Group acquired Death Row Records for $24 million just weeks ago, on June 24. Goldberg further claims that the investors and Marotta used “confidential know-how, data, techniques, and contacts” that Goldberg himself had polished and refined for the deal. Death Row Records was founded in 1991 by Dr. Dre and Marion “Suge” Knight.

Flav's New Baby

Word to Urban Scanz for hook-up

Controversy At This Day Concert

Last week all your favorite entertainers and models were in Lagos, Nigeria performing at the ThisDay Music and Fashion Festival to spotlight Nigeria's fast-growing reputation as a cultural destination. Jay Z, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Chris Brown, Fat Joe, Naomi Campbell, Tyson Beckford and Alec Wek, along with tons of local Nigerian music acts and fashion designers were scheduled to make appearances. Unfortunately, the first night the program started a whole five hours late and the fashion show featuring Naomi Campbell and performances by all the local artists had to be cut from the show. Only Rhianna, Jay Z and Usher performed the first night, even though some fans paid as much as $508 for tickets. Anyway, here's some pictures from the event. And if you search You Tube, I'm sure you could find a performance or two.

Natalie Cole Has Hepatitis C

A statement released by Natalie Cole's publicist says the liver disease Hepatitis C, spread through contact with infected blood, was revealed to Natalie during a routine check-up and was likely caused by her excessive drug use in years past. You didn't know Nat "King" Cole's daughter used to be a serious druggie? She wrote all about it in her autobiography, Angel on My Shoulder. And please believe, if they'd had Internet back in the day, Natalie would have been an online star to rival the likes of DMX and Whitney Houston.

Al Reynolds Has A You Tube Channel

but Star Jones has nothing to worry about because all his You Tubes are boring as hell, no gossip material whatsoever. I swear I almost fell asleep during one of them. Sure, his flamenicity is amusing to watch for a few seconds, but other than that...boo. Anyway, we've heard it all before. Quite predictably, Al says he still loves Star and continues to wear his wedding ring, won't discuss the terms of his prenuptial agreement, says his wedding day was the most exciting day of his life, claims he's not gay, and that sadly, he and Star don't talk anymore. Click here to see the footage of him talking about his marriage to Star, but it's a good idea to have your morning coffee first or else you might fall alseep at your keyboard.

Slow Gossip Day Blues

Don't you hate it when nobody is spilling the beans on gossip boards and celebs are on their best behavior? Me too. Anyway, here's some crap that didn't make the cut with me from earlier this week.

The Baby Phat and Phat Farm store in Soho closed and Kimora just agreed to sell her Fabulosity line exclusively at JC Penny's.


A poster from Necole Bitchie's blog wrote the following about a Monica sighting: "I was having dinner at Outback and I was pleasantly surprised to see Monica and her two cutie boys…until she changed the oldest ones pamper. Yes I said pamper. And he has to be at least 3! She did it right at the dinner table and then left it and it was filled with #2!!!!!! Can we say restroom and changing table?"

Atlanta rapper Young Jock is being sued by a stereo shop because he got $25,000.00 worth of stereo equipment put in his car, and then didn't pay for it.

Stephon Marbury cut a deal with Amazon to sell his Starbury shoes online.

Terrence J and Rocsi from 106 and Park got into it on air and Rocsi walked off the set on live TV and hasn't been seen since.

Yung Berg got booed at a concert in Dallas.

Ice Cube's new cd Raw Footage is coming out Aug 19th

And old school rapper Too Short is about to lose his Oakland studio to settle a million dollar wrongful death judgement against him stemming from a drinking and driving incident in the 90's.

By Any Means Necessary

They say Kimora Lee is so hot to have a baby by her boyfriend, actor Diamond House-Shoe, that she has resorted to in-vitro fertilization. So if she pops up with twins, don't be surprised.

Faith Evans Writing a Tell-All

Late great rapper Biggie Smalls ex-wife R&B singer, Faith Evans, is writing a tell all book. Faith says, “Big never got a chance to tell his story. It's been left to others to tell it for him. In making the decision to tell my own story, it means that I've become one of those who can give insight to who Big really was. But I can only speak on what he meant to me.” 

Keep the Faith: A Memoir, is scheduled for release August 29th.

Were You There?

I heard Lil Wayne was at club Cirque in Dallas, TX over the weekend, got on stage, set the mic on the floor, rubbed lotion on his body....and walked off the stage. They say the crowd went nuts, booing and demanding their money back...allegedly. And get this, they say the promoter paid Weezy $30,000.00 for the privilege. Can anybody confirm this crazy tale?