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Video After The Jump Proving that age really "aint nothin' but a number" former football great Herschel Walker displayed lots of heart and toughness in his MMA debut last night (Saturday January 31). Walker already had an amazing athletic pedigree going into the bout. He won the Heisman Trophy while playing for the University Of Georgia in 1982. Then moving on to professional football, he played in the short lived USFL league before moving on to the NFL. Where he was a star with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles before retiring in 1997. So imagine being more than a decade removed from professional sports jumping into the world of Mixed Martial Arts. Herschel, a fifth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do took on 26 year old opponent Greg Nagy, He dominated the fight before the referee stopped it in the 3rd round declaring Walker the winner by TKO. Walker said after the fight "this is one of the hardest things I have ever done" His entire purse was donated to a Dallas area charity, Project Turnaround. Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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A group of American Baptists have become embroiled in the center of a growing fear in Haiti after the devestating earthquake - human trafficking. Ten men and women were detained in Malpasse while allegedly attempting to cross the border into the Dominican Republic with 33 children in tow without proper paperwork, according to officials. "No children can leave Haiti without proper authorization, and these people did not have that authorization," Haiti's social affairs minister, Yves Cristalin, told Reuters. The church group, most of whom are from Idaho, were arrested Friday night. They claim to have been taking the children - ranging in age from two months to 12 years old - to an orphanage in the neighboring nation. "In this chaos the government is in right now, we were just trying to do the right thing," said Laura Silsby, a spokesperson for group, to the Associated Press. The Baptists were part of the "Haitian Orphan Rescue Mission," Silsby said. It's goal is to save abandoned children and bring them to a 45-room hotel at Cabarete, a beach resort in the Dominican Republic, which the group claims to be converting into an orphanage. "We had permission from the Dominican Republic government to bring the children to an orphanage that we have there," she told Reuters. "They accuse us of children trafficking," Sillsby said. "This is something I would never do. We were not trying to do something wrong." Haitian officials fear child trafficking could be underway following the devastating earthquake. Speaking to CNN last week, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said he has received reports of kids being sold, and he believed human organs were also being taken from victims of the quake for profit. But aid group UNICEF was quick to refute the claims, saying child trafficking is a major concern in the impoverished nation, but there is no hard evidence to back up the government official's claims. NY Daily News Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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LOS ANGELES – Besides being one of the most popular singers on the planet, Beyonce has gotten plenty of accolades over her career. Now a veteran, she's won a caseload of Grammys for her solo work and also with Destiny's Child. What she hasn't won, however, is the prestigious album of the year trophy, despite being nominated once before. That may change on Sunday. The superstar is nominated for a leading 10 Grammys, including record of the year for "Halo," song of the year for her anthem "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" and album of the year for her multiplatinum third CD, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce." Of course, she faces tough competition — especially from two newer divas. Taylor Swift isn't far behind in the Grammy nominee count with eight. She too is up for the evening's three top awards: "Fearless" is nominated for album of the year, and her song "You Belong With Me" is nominated for both record and song of the year. Swift, whose country album became the most popular album of any genre last year, has captured top awards at just about every awards show she's been at, from the Country Music Association Awards to the MTV Video Music Awards. The 20-year-old, who is only on her second album, could emerge as the top winner at the Grammys as well. Lady Gaga is another relative newcomer up for top awards. Although she was disqualified from the best new artist category because her first single, "Just Dance," was released last fall and nominated for a Grammy, the Recording Academy more than made up for her exclusion in that category. Gaga is up for five Grammys, and like Beyonce and Swift, is also up for record and song of the year, for "Poker Face," and album of the year for "The Fame." Rounding out the album of the year category is the Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D.," and the Dave Matthews Band's "Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King." The latter album was the band's first release since the death of founding member and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. All are expected to perform on Sunday's show, to be aired on CBS from Staples Center. But the show won't be all about the nominees. There will be a special 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson; a video clip he made of "Earth Song" will be shown, as Usher, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson sing along. Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli will celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Bridge Over Troubled Water's" Grammy wins with a special performance of the classic song, which will be made available on iTunes. The proceeds will be donated to Haiti relief. AP Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Video After The Jump Timbaland brought an all star cast of entertainers with him to his Los Angeles concert at the House Of Blues Friday (January 29). Justin Timberlake, Brandy, Keri Hilson and Drake all joined him on stage during various parts of the show. Timbo and Drake performed "Say Something". Then Drizzy performed his verse from "Forever" Check it out below. Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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New Lloyd Banks: "The Bottom" D/L Link Inside

G-Unit rapper Lloyd Banks has taken his songwriting skills to another level in the past couple of years. One listen to his latest mixtape 'V5' and you will see what I mean. His buzz is also at an all time high. He seems to be gaining new fans rapidly to add to his already rabid fan base. Here's a new joint that will add to the frenzy as his fans wait on the summer release of his 3rd solo LP. Download Here
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Memphis legends, 8Ball & MJG, are ready to get back to business. The duo recently inked a deal with Grand Hustle, where they will be dropping their next album, Ten Toes Down. Via a partnership with E1 Music (formerly Koch Records), Grand Hustle presents the upcoming album, which will feature Snoop Dogg, T.I., Bun B, David Banner, and Young Dro while production will include Frank Nitti of Nitti Beats, Drumma Boy, David Banner, Nard & B, and Mo B. Dick. "I'm happy to be working with America's #1 independent, E1 Music," said Grand Hustle's boss, T.I. The first single is the album's title track. A video for it was just shot by director Gabriel Hart, and will be serviced shortly. "Ten Toes Down, in my opinion, is one of the best 8Ball & MJG albums ever," said 8Ball. "It's a heart-felt, soul-filled, portion of the lives of 8Ball & MJG. 8Ball & MJG sounds and feels like 8Ball & MJG on this album 4sho!" Ever since the duo's 1993 successful debut, Comin' Hard, 8Ball & MJG have been at the forefront of the southern rap movement. They've gone onto release 11 albums, several of which went gold. Their 2004 Livin Legends album peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Top 200. The duo later teamed up with Three 6 Mafia for the latter's hit single, "Stay Fly," which brought both Memphis groups much success. Ten Toes Down is slated for release April 6. BallerStatus Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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NEW YORK (Billboard) – Detroit rapper Hayes takes inspiration for his mixtapes from -- of all things -- magazines. "I want to give people a little taste of what a Hayes album would be like," he says. "It's like getting a trial subscription to your favorite magazine -- you get my music for free, you get to know me, and then hopefully you'll appreciate me enough to come back and support me." Tellingly, neither of Hayes' two mixtapes -- 2006's "24 Songs of Power" and 2010's "The First 48" -- traffic in two staples of the form: beats lifted from other official songs ("jacked beats," in mixtape parlance) and DJ scratches. "I have my own format," Hayes says. "I like to use original beats. I call my mixtapes 'street albums' -- I don't like to rap over other people's beats." Hayes' self-reliance is about to pay dividends: Two months ago he signed to Interscope through a joint deal with producers Timbaland's Mosley Music Group and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records. "For Tim, it wasn't just Hayes' lyrical prowess but his craftsmanship that really caught his ear," says Rick Frazier, Hayes' manager and vice president of Mosley Music Group. It was the entire package, Frazier says -- from lyrics to the original production by his in-house team, the Breakfast Club -- that got Hayes noticed. Following the mixtape-to-major-label success in 2009 of Toronto rookie Drake and Atlanta's Gucci Mane, labels are taking a new look at artists who make professional-caliber mixtapes -- a highly personalized form of unauthorized music compilation -- their calling card. In addition to Hayes -- who's touring with Timbaland and has started recording his debut album -- up-and-coming Houston rapper Chalie Boy and Atlanta-born Pill recently signed to labels on the strength of their mixtapes. GETTING NOTICED Nicole George, vice president of the rhythm and soul membership department at performance rights organization ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), says that her team listens to mixtapes and follows the industry talk, which leads them to artists and writers whom ASCAP could sign. Chalie Boy put out mixtapes for a decade before recently signing to Dirty3rd/Jive/Battery Records. "As I was shopping around for deals, mixtapes kept my name afloat in the music industry," he says. "Eventually, the buzz off my mixtapes not only got me signed, but it got me paid work through features on others' albums and mixtapes as well as show performances." Now, Chalie Boy is prepping the release of his major-label self-titled debut album; the lead single, "I Look Good," peaked at No. 20 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in December.

Chalie Boy Another rapper, Pill, had the Internet buzzing the last few months with his own "4075: The Refill" -- hosted by DJ Skee and Empire and released in November -- as well as his February 2009 mixtape, "The Prescription." Both releases largely featured original production. "Anyone can jack a beat, put hot metaphors together and sound convincing," Pill says of his decision to use new beats from the likes of Illfonics and Drum Majors. "I wanted people to hear me over original tracks. You can tell the difference between a mixtape artist and an actual artist who can make a real track." Eskay, founder/owner of Nahright.com, a Web site focused on posting music by new hip-hop artists, notes that after Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's underground tapes triggered a massive bidding war in 2002, "everyone jumped on the bandwagon and tried to release mixtapes at a rapid pace." But quickness can be the death of quality -- and the industry is looking for polish, not just potential. Pill signed to Asylum at the end of last year following his own bidding war. "If you're putting out a mixtape that is on a level of most other artists' studio albums, then people will support your music," says Hof, of New Music Cartel's mixtape specialist OnSmash.com. ROUTE TO THE CHARTS Aubrey "Drake" Graham, a graduate of TV's "Degrassi High," stunned the hip-hop world in 2009. In February, he released "So Far Gone" for free on his own blog. In May, the song "Best I Ever Had" entered Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at No. 78; by the end of June it topped the chart. Soon, the majors came in hot pursuit, and in midsummer Drake signed to Universal Motown. He has since collaborated with hip-hop's elite, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem and mentor Lil Wayne. Drake's early mixtape songs were released on an official EP, "So Far Gone," which has sold 344,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Gucci Mane's route to hip-hop stardom was far less direct. After leaving prison in March 2009 (on charges stemming from a 2005 conviction for aggravated assault), the prolific Atlanta rapper released a torrent of mixtapes -- "Writing on the Wall," "The Movie 3-D: The Burrprint!" and the three-part Cold War series ("Guccimerica," "Brrrussia" and "Great Brrritain"), among others -- all filled with original material. During the summer he signed to Asylum, which released his second official studio album, "The State Vs. Radric Davis"; by then he'd already been featured on 12 charting songs, and his mixtape profile brought a string of klieg-light guest appearances, including spots on the remix of the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" and Mariah Carey's "Obsessed." "Pow" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Obsessed" peaked at No. 7. "The State Vs. Radric Davis" has sold 215,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (Mane is back in prison for violating probation.) Beyond generating sales and superstar hookups, mixtapes have garnered underground radio airplay and helped to nurture relationships with fans. After 50 Cent was shot nine times in 2001, his recording contract was terminated by Columbia Records. In turn, 50 Cent started to flood the streets with mixtapes that were built to dazzle. "He revolutionized the art of stealing songs and changing hooks and getting more airplay for his version than even the original song," says Whoo Kid, a pioneering mix master known for releasing unauthorized music from the likes of the Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac -- as well as for being 50's official DJ.

Whoo Kid In 2006, industry vet Lil Wayne famously reinvented his career by releasing mixtapes featuring his hallucinogenic rapping over beats from recent hits. "Dedication 2," hosted by DJ Drama, came first, trailed a year later by "Da Drought 3." Although Drama was arrested in 2007, after a police raid of his Atlanta office over alleged bootlegging, Wayne, for one, wouldn't be slowed, releasing "Dedication 3" in 2008 and "No Ceilings" in '09. "What happened to me hit the mixtapes circuit hard," DJ Drama says. "It's still in the rebuilding process, but 2009 proved that mixtapes are just as important to hip-hop music as they ever were. They're just changing with the times, much like the record industry." For Hayes, Chalie Boy and Pill, the make-it-sleek lessons of Drake and Gucci Mane might have led them to record deals, but it's the entrepreneurial spirit of 50 Cent and Lil Wayne that's keeping them in business. "Mixtapes will always be a viable marketing tool to help promote artists, whether there's money involved or not," Whoo Kid says. "I don't make most of my money selling mixtapes anymore, but I constantly give away tapes for free on the Internet, and I'm booked now through 2011 for paying gigs all around the world. Without that exposure, I won't be able to connect the dots in other ways." Yahoo Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Kanye West obviously read PETA's recent criticisms of him and isn't too happy about it. They labeled him and girlfriend Amber Rose "pathetic creatures" for rocking fur while in France recently for Paris Men's Fashion Week . In his most recent blog, The Louis Vuitton Don fires shots back, reloads then fires some more. He even wrote in all CAPS to emphasize his point. Peep it below: WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, REMEMBER THE FEARLESS, REMEMBER THE DREAMERS, REMEMBER THOSE WHO REPRESENT THE GHETTO...THE FAIRY TALE OF NOTHING TO SOMETHING. I'M BRIEFLY SADDENED BY NEGATIVE COMMENTS, BUT I HAVE TO REMEMBER THOSE PEOPLE ARE SCARED, INCAPABLE OR JUST PLAIN IDIOTS. WE ARE THE FUCKING ROCK STARS BABY. NO COCAINE, JUST LIFE MY NIGGAS!! NO COCAINE, JUST LIFE! IT'S FUNNY TO ME WHEN FASHION BLOGGERS DOWN OUR OUFITS AND THEN SUPER JOCK OUTLANDISH SHIT ON THE RUNWAY BUT THEN THEY DRESS MAD PRUDE AND DON'T LIVE FASHION. WE LIVE IT MAN. FUCK THAT, WE LIVE IT!!! WE LIVE IT SO HARD PEOPLE LIVE THROUGH US! WE REPRESENT YOUR INNER SPIRIT!! THE CHILD IN US ALL, THE BRUTAL HONESTY, THE NAIVETY, THE BRAVE WARRIOR, THE ADRENALINE THAT ALLOWS A MOTHER TO LIFT A CAR IF HER CHILD WAS TRAPPED UNDER IT! REMEMBER, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN EVERYBODY DISSED MICHAEL JACKSON EVERY CHANCE THEY COULD. IMAGINE THE PRESSURE OF BEING A TRUE ICON. VERY FEW HUMAN BEINGS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE CONSTANT HATE!!! IF WE DON'T DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS THE SHIT, YOU BEAT US UP VERBALLY AND MENTALLY, LIKE A CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHER BEATING A CREATIVE STUDENT INTO SUBMISSION. I CAN HEAR YOU SCREAMING 'COLOR INSIDE THE LINES!!!' WELL FUCK YOUR COLORING BOOK, COLOR BY NUMBERS APPROACH TO LIFE. AT THE END OF THE DAY WHO ARE WE HURTING??? OH "THE NEW BLACK???" SINCE BARACK IS PRESIDENT BLACKS DON'T LIKE FUR COATS, RED LEATHER, AND FRIED CHICKEN ANY MORE?! WHEN YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND CULTURAL SETTINGS, BOUNDARIES, AND OUR MODERN DAY CASTE SYSTEMS, THEN YOU CAN FEEL THE GLORY AND PAIN FROM THE DAYS OF KINGS IN AFRICA TO THE NEW KINGS OF THE MEDIA. LET THE BALL PLAYERS DANCE AFTER THEY SCORE! IT'S LIFE MY NIGGAS, IT'S LIFE! REMEMBER CLOTHING IS A CHOICE. WE WERE BORN NAKED!!! FRESH IS AN OPINION, LOVE IS OBJECTIVE, TASTE IS SELECTIVE, AND EXPRESSION IS MY FAVORITE ELECTIVE. NO MORE POLITICS OR APOLOGIES!!! Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Audio After The Jump Lloyd Banks has been hard at work since he returned to the States a few weeks ago. He called us up here at MTV News and although he was advised by his legal team to avoid speaking about his recent assault and robbery case, he did give details on upcoming music. There is an official LP that may drop around summer and an official single with Juelz Santana called "Beamer, Benz or Bentley" dropping in the next couple of weeks. "I'm just starting back," he said. "I've been so focused with taking over the street and people hearing me back on that market — so when I come with the official records, they'll appreciate it more. 'Beamer, Benz or Bentley,' It's a club record, party record, car record. It's a lot of energy and something new. It's a sound that ain't out there right now."
Banks is about to go back on an overseas tour lasting from February until April. In the spring, he due to start a U.S. trek with the G-Unit, during which he'll be recording the album and hopefully coming up with a name for the project. On the street level, a Lost Tapes-style mixtape of unreleased songs is coming soon — and, of course, V5 is out now. "I got a few new followers behind V5," Banks said. "People just catching on. For those who been following me since last September, they should be familiar that it's the fifth volume of the Five and Better series — my personal favorite. I kind of envisioned it this way. I told them I was gonna give them five mixtapes in a year. "It's sequenced like an album. I wanted to go through different zones," he added. "I had records like 'Sh---y City,' which had significance because it's part two from the 'Sh---y City' that was a part of the Gang Green series. The record 'Look Ma,' it's my most personal record on the album. I'm speaking to my mother. I got a young mom — she appreciates it and she loves to see me successful. 'Rather Be Me,' I had that record for a few years. My favorite record is 'I Do.' I was getting up to the beat for two weeks. I had a good zone on this mixtape." Banks also wanted to thank his fans, who have been concerned about him given his recent legal troubles. "I wanna send my thanks to all the fans that supported me. I ain't been tuned in. My peoples put me on to what's been going on. Check the music — that's one thing that's not going nowhere. My talent is crazy. I will be in the studio later. They can look forward to me dropping new records on ThisIs50.com and MTVNews.com. I love all my fans, man. I want everybody to look forward to my third album. It's definitely gonna be worth the wait." MTV Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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(Hold On Music Video Inside ~Wyclef Jean Ft: Movado~)As Time Passes And The Journey Trully Begins, We Urge Everyone To Text YELE To 501501 & Visit YELE.ORGThough We May Not All Be Able To Attend Physically And/Or Have The Medical Skills Or Training Urgently Needed, Some Do And Can!It Is Our Gracious Donations That Will Help Provide Those Services As Quickly As Possible.We'd Like To Thank Assistant Producer To Wyclef Jean, Jason Turbyfill For Putting Together This Amazing Footage And Giving Us A Recap of Haiti's State Of Emergency:Finding Hope In The DevastationDEDICATED TO HAITI FROM WYCLEF JEAN: Wyclef Jean - Hold On ft. MavadoTwitter:@WYCLEF@YELEHAITI@VYBETHEORY@CHASINMOPAPER@EVELORA
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Two of the best pound for pound fighters in the world have finally agreed to settle their differences in the ring. ESPN announced via their Twitter page that Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr and "Sugar" Shane Mosley will fight May 1. This has all the makings of a great bout. Shane is quick enough to give Floyd problems and packs a strong enough punch to hurt him if he makes a mistake on defense. For Floyd it's an opportunity to put the rest the tag he dodges dangerous opponents. His great defense and hand speed will pose a big problem for Shane. Both fighters are coming off of impressive wins. Floyd easily defeated Juan Manuel Marquez by unanimous decision last September. While Mosely totally destroyed Antonio Margarito last January. Knocking him out in the 9th round to claim the WBA Championship belt. The fight will be shown on HBO PPV. Expect it to do brisk sales both at the gate and home buys. Sports website Covers is reporting oddsmakers have already set odds for the fight, pricing Mayweather as a -215 favorite while Mosley is listed at +175. Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Video After The Jump The man who is accused of killing Twinsburg police officer Joshua Miktarian in the summer of 2008 appeared in court on Wednesday, and only Fox 8 News cameras were rolling as Ashford Thompson cried when describing his life in prison. Thompson, 24, explained to the judge "harassment" that he's had to deal with behind bars, including not receiving mail and having his bed sheets taken away. While openly weeping, he told Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer that he feels as if he "can't get any kind of justice." "Just execute me. ... I'm tired of it," Thompson said. The appearance Wednesday at the Summit County Court of Common Pleas was intended to be a final opportunity for the defendant's new attorneys to file any additional motions. It quickly turned into an opportunity for Thompson to vent. Thompson originally pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, but later withdrew his plea. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 24. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

FoxNews8 Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Kanye West and his manager Don Crowley had criminal charges of vandalism, battery and grand theft dismissed after serving 50 hours of community service with the Red Cross TMZ is reporting. Yeezy had been charged after an incident at LAX on September 11, 2008 when he got angry at two photographers for snapping his picture and decided to smash their equipment. The judge in the case had agreed to dismiss the charges once it was proven he had served his community service time so this issue is now officially over. Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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VH1 is taking an in depth look at the deaths of some of the most beloved entertainers ever in its new series 'Famous Crime Scenes' The first of seven episodes will focus on the unsolved murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The additional six episodes will investigate the untimely deaths of Biggie Smalls, John Lennon, Anna Nicole Smith, Selena, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson. While news accounts tell only part of the story, VH1 has rounded up the witnesses and investigators who were there to give viewers the intimate details from the initial 911 call to the investigators’ final determination to help piece together what really happened. Using expert interviews and true-to-life reenactments, as well as advanced computer graphics, viewers will witness full recreations of these historic events. They’ll tour virtual crime scenes searching for clues and learn the science behind the investigators’ findings: ballistics, fingerprints, DNA evidence, toxicology, profiling and more. 'Famous Crime Scenes' premiers Friday February 12 at 9pm. VH1 Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper .
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Movie executives at Warner Brothers are firing back at "false, reprehensible, and defamatory" accusations levelled at them by actress BRITTANY MURPHY's widower. Producer Simon Monjack has hinted he's planning to file a wrongful-death suit against the movie studio bosses for allegedly firing the actress from Happy Feet 2 two weeks before her death. He claims she suffered a heart attack as a result of stress related to being let go from the project. Monjack recently told TheDailyBeast.com, "They killed her... She was devastated. "All she wanted to do was to make movies. She was waiting for the role that would revive her career, waiting for the call from Penny Marshall or Gary Fleder, people she had worked with before, that they might remember how talented an actress she was and call with a new magical role." But a Warner Brothers representative tells U.S. news show Access Hollywood that studio bosses aren't taking Monjack's accusations lightly: "Any claim that Warner Bros. Pictures was somehow responsible for Brittany Murphy's tragic death is demonstrably false, reprehensible, and defamatory. "Despite press reports to the contrary, Warner Bros. Pictures and Ms. Murphy never entered into any deal for Happy Feet 2." This is looking like it could get ugly. Contact Music Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's two eldest children are scheduled to take the stage this weekend to accept the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for their father, Jackson family sources said. It would be the first public appearance for Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11, since their dramatic appearance at the memorial service 12 days after their father's death. "The whole world is waiting to see these children blossom," said Brian Oxman, a lawyer for Joe Jackson. Two sources close to the family said the youngest, 7-year-old Blanket, was not expected to appear, although they suggested that might change. Contrary to some media reports, the sources said there was no plan for the children to sing or dance at the show. The Recording Academy, which presents the Grammy Awards, will honor the late pop star with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Special Merit Awards ceremony Saturday evening in Los Angeles. Video of the presentation is likely to be included in Sunday night's musical tribute to Jackson during the Grammy telecast, the sources said. While Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, is expected to attend, Joe Jackson, his father, decided not to go because of his anger over the behind-the-scenes talks that led to the agreement to have the children accept the award, family sources said. The decision came just this week, after Katherine Jackson, the legal guardian of the children, complained to Grammy producers that no family members had been invited, the Jackson sources said. Two sources in the family said that she was initially told by producers that the estate's special administrators would decide who would take part in the Jackson tribute. "Can you believe this crap?" one source quoted Joe Jackson as saying when he heard that. The Grammy producers have not responded to a CNN request for comment. A spokesman for the estate administrators said the matter was for Grammy producers to decide. "Why is a stranger making family decisions?" asked Oxman, the lawyer who is representing Michael Jackson's father in a legal battle with the administrators. Oxman said those administrators have disconnected the Jackson family from any decisions involving Michael Jackson's legacy. Oxman was in a Los Angeles court Thursday where a judge set May 26 as the date he will hear testimony in Joe Jackson's request for a monthly allowance from his son's estate. Joe Jackson, 80, said he depended on his son's financial support for years before his death. The administrators, lawyer John Branca and former music executive John McClain, contend he has not shown how he was "actually dependent" on Michael Jackson. The estate lawyers said the expenses Joe Jackson wants covered by the estate -- including vacations, air travel, assistants and legal fees -- are not reasonable. They also noted that while Jackson's mother and three children were named as beneficiaries in his will written in July 2002, Joe Jackson was not. Joe Jackson is challenging the validity of that will, which names Branca and McClain as executors, but so far the court has refused to hear his arguments. The judge overseeing probate of the will already awarded $60,000 in monthly support for the three children and $26,000 a month for Katherine Jackson, starting from June 25, 2009, the day Michael Jackson died. CNN has learned that Katherine Jackson has not received any of the money ordered for her because of a judgment in a lawsuit nearly two decades ago. A South Korean newspaper, the Segye Times, sued Michael Jackson in 1990, claiming he failed to perform at a series of concerts they had already paid him for. The lawsuit also named Katherine Jackson, Joe Jackson and another one of their sons, Jermaine Jackson. Michael Jackson's lawyers reached an out-of-court settlement with the newspaper, but his parents and brother did not. When they failed to fight it in court, a California judge issued a $4 million summary judgment against them, which has now grown with interest to about $8 million, according to court papers. CNN Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Ludacris will be heading out on a national tour with The Black Eyed Peas on their "The E.N.D." tour starting on February 4th in Atlanta. The tour will hit 32 cities across the country including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami. In addition to the tour, Luda will be celebrating his 10th year in the game with the release of his seventh album on March 9th, “The Battle Of The Sexes.” The album will include the hit single “How Low.” Originally scheduled as a duo album with his former Disturbing Tha Peace artist Shawnna (whose now rolling with T-Pain), the revamped project will find Ludacris spitting verses alongside a host of female MCs including Nicki Minaj, Ciara, Lil' Kim, Eve, and Trina. Ne-Yo, Flo Rida, and Plies will also help Chris Lova Lova do battle with his female counterparts. In addition, Bangladesh, Swizz Beatz and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League have provided some of the heated production. HipHopWired Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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Videos After The Jump Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges kicked it with with comedian George Lopez last night (Thursday January 28). They covered a lot of topics including Luda's first ever rap song at age 9, his upcoming album 'Battle Of The Sexes', the success of his new single "How Low" and the video the Youtube's "Twerk Team" made dancing to it. George talked about the first time he saw the movie "Hustle and Flow", how impressed he was with the film and asked Luda why he almost turned down the role of "Skinny Black" Ex Destiny's Child member Kelly Rowland was also on the show. She and David Guetta performed "When Love Takes Over".


Ludacris Interview With George Lopez David Guetta & Kelly Rowland "When Love Takes Over" Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaper
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