JENNIFER HUDSON OUT & ABOUT

J Hud was spotted in NYC yesterday donning yellow and black.

GV Says: Like the look. I like how she embraces her curves but...hate the shoes.

JAY-Z OUT & ABOUT

Hov was spotted leaving his place in Manhattan yesterday.

Looks like he has a MacBook Air....Nice

TYRA GRACES THE NEW YORK TIMES

Tyra Banks is gracing the latest issue of The New York Times. Could she be the next Oprah or Martha Stewart? Looks like the Times is posing that question.

GV Says: Go Tyra! She's a positive young, black, ambitious woman. It's good to see.

USHER TEAMS WITH SONY ERICSSON

Sony Ericcson and Usher had joined forces.

He will be the new face of Sony Ericsson's Walkman music phones. "It's the first big partnership in North America we've done," said Karen Morris, VP of Marketing for Sony Ericsson North America. "Globally, we've done things with Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. But this time, we have aligned it with the [U.S.] portfolio we are bringing to the marketplace, and Usher has such broad appeal."

Sony Ericsson is the title sponsor for Usher's North American tour later this year, and the partnership will include access to exclusive content on Walkman phones, and contests, such as winning a chance to meet Usher on a video shoot, and getting VIP tickets for a concert. Fans will also be able to vote on what other band Usher will go on tour with, although Usher will have the final say. The content will be limited to one wallpaper on the phone right now, but will include ringtones and full-album downloads later this year.

USHER TO HIT NO. 1

Usher's "Here I Stand" is slated to hit No. 1 on The Billboard 200 next week.



First-day sales came in at 146,000. That figure is near the 154,000 that Mariah Carey's "E=MC2" began with in April. She finished the week with 463,000.

Usher's last album, 2004's "Confessions," bowed atop The Billboard 200 with 1.1 million sold in its first week and spent nine weeks on top. With 9.54 million sold in the U.S., Usher's "Confessions" is the 21st best-selling album of the Nielsen SoundScan era, which began in 1991.

It's the second biggest seller among male solo singers, behind only Garth Brooks' "Ropin' the Wind," which has shifted 9.6 million.


Perhaps he could have sold more units had fans not been over zealous. Reports are coming in that "Here I Stand" was illegally downloaded more than half a million times before its release.



GV Says: I'm sure the hooplah around his personal life helped sales some too.

USHER DEFENDS WIFE ON TRL

In the midst of promoting his latest album, Here I Stand, on TRL Usher defends his wife.



"I love my wife very, very much," he said. "There was a little rumor earlier this week about us separating. It ain't true. We in love. Get outta there," he said, raising his left hand and showing off his wedding band. "Matter of fact, I'm tired of people continuing to talk so much trash about me, know what I'm saying? And my relationship.

"My wife is not 40 years old. I love her to death and I'm a black, strong man in America standing up for my people — as a man to my wife, to my son, to my family," he continued, removing his sunglasses and talking directly into the camera. "I'm making a stand that a lot of us should make. I coulda been like any other man who has a child and live with that woman and continue to just play the game. ... I'm trying to do it the right way. This is the way your supposed to do it! Pay attention, fellas."

Usher then turned his back to the camera, while the studio audience applauded wildly. "TRL" host Damien Fahey then attempted to continue with the segment, only to be interrupted as Ush began part two of his verbal assault.

"And my wife had nothing to do with me firing my mother — nothing like that, that's trash," he said, referring to his mother, Jonetta Patton, ceasing to be his manager last year. "I hear y'all talking crazy out there, she's a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it."

GV Says: I'm over Usher's rants about his wife. If you're happy, just be happy dude. All this hate in his heart is literally eating him alive. If he doesn't relax, he's going to let people tear his marriage up. Take a lesson from the Carter's.

T.I. GETS REALITY SHOW

Rapper T.I. is turning his legal woes into an MTV docu series.
Cameras will follow the rapper as he performs more than 1,000 of community service before beginning to serve his one-year prison sentence next spring.

Cameras already chronicled T.I.’s release from house arrest, and shooting will start in earnest this summer, leading up to his return to jail in early 2009. MTV plans to air the show some time soon after that.

“We began the conversations in the middle of deliberations over what would happen to him,” said Ish’s Michael Hirschorn, who’s exec producing with partner Stella Stolper. “The original idea for the show had him staging a series of interventions in each episode with people in danger. But when we visited him under house arrest, it felt much bigger and more powerful than we anticipated.”

The show features T.I. as he speaks to groups about his troubles. “Hopefully the mistakes I’ve made will be a lesson to today’s youth and they won’t go down that same path,” T.I. said.

Show will also document the release this fall of the rapper’s new album, “Paper Trail,” much of which was inspired by his travails over the past year, and the birth of his child.

GV Says: This could be positive. Hopefully there's no foolishness.

G-UNIT ASSOCIATE ARRESTED

Police arrested an employee of G-Unit head 50 Cent last night after receiving a call from a 22-year-old woman who said the man choked her and struck her with a belt during an argument.

The incident occurred at 50's Connecticut mansion, according to the New Britain Herald.

Dwayne McKenzie, 27, was taken into custody and charged with assault, strangulation, breach of peace and unlawful restraint.The Farmington newspaper is reporting McKenzie was already released recently for participating in another violent act. He was on conditional discharge for allegedly pistol-whipping a nightclub promoter in Hartford, Connecticut.McKenzie is due back in court July 15 after being released on a $10, 000 bond.

GV Says: WTF dude? Was all that really necessary?

VANESSA GETS GANGSTA

Apparently Vanessa is not the meek little forgiving wife that we all pegged her for. Laura Lane who covers the Lakers for ESPN.com got an earful recently. This is her account of an altercation that happened between her and Vanessa.


So as I’m walking out of the Lakers locker room after some post-game interviews with the players, I pass Vanessa, who is sitting outside the locker room as usual with her two girls.

“Laura!” she screams (yes, she apparently knows my name). “F*ck you! You f*cking b*tch!”

“Excuse me?” I say, completely baffled as I look around me to see if there is someone else named Laura. No, there’s not.

Her daughters – ages 5 and 2 – are sitting next to her on the bench looking at their mom as she screams.

[More f-words ensue. Many more.]

I just stare at her. I’ve heard many stories about her from reporters, but this was unbelievable. Two of my friends from the LA Times told me how she cussed out one of them last season, because he said hi to her daughter.

“Join the club, this means you’ve arrived,” said one reporter when word spread of my run-in with Vanessa. “She’s insane,” said another. “Everyone knows it.”

Laura went on to blog, "The sad part is before all of this I kind of liked Vanessa and I thought we hit it off. She doesn't give a fuck about anything. She wears these insane outfits, struts around Staples Center like a queen, shows off her daughters and lets them run around the hall way playing tag while reporters are trying to get by....As a journalist I am going to piss people off. That’s just the nature of the business. I never want to or intend to piss people off, but if you’re not pissing people off occasionally, then you are constantly kissing ass."

GV Says: Although I don't condone cursing and acting a fool, I'm not mad at Vanessa. It's good to know she has a backbone. I bet Laura will not mess with her again.

CHERISH MEMBER NEOSHA KING WEDS

Neosha King, 23 ,a member of R&B group Cherish married her beau of six years, Jason Lawrence, 24, on the coast of Florida on Saturday with six bridesmaids by her side.


"When I saw her walk down the aisle, it hit me that we were getting married," said the groom, a design engineer.

"We'd been in love for so long and on one accord that it always felt like we were married. She was so beautiful, it simply reaffirmed that she was The One for me."

"Jason and I both had come out of bad relationships," explained Neosha, "and we met when he visited his childhood friend, who was also my sister Farrah's then boyfriend. From the beginning, there was something special between us, but we took things slowly."

Neosha's husband admitted that he felt their bond immediately as well. "We vibed, got to know one another, and I decided to give her a chance," Jason recalled with a smile. "No, seriously she’s a beautiful person, and it was a blessing to fall in love with a woman who shares the same values and goals I do."


After the ceremony, a 100 guests boarded the privately chartered Indian River Queen cruise ship and feasted on a buffet-style dinner, which was served by a wait staff. For dessert, everyone sated their sweet tooth with a slice of the three-tier butter cream, picture-frame cake, which featured childhood images of the bride and groom.

GV Says: Twenty-three is a little young to wed, but good for them and black love. I guess the alternative is they could be somewhere acting a fool.

NE-YO SURPRISED BY LINDSAY LOHAN

Ne-yo is giving Lindsay Lohan major kudos.



Ne-Yo admitted to Billboard that he had doubts about writing for Lindsay's upcoming third album."I gotta admit, we were like ... 'Lindsay Lohan? I mean, I've written for Beyonce Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Celine Dion and ... Lindsay Lohan?"

But after hearing her sing on the track, called "Bossy," Ne-Yo says he and producer Stargate were so impressed that he called Lohan to say how sorry he was for not believing in her. "She did a ridiculously fabulous job," Ne-Yo tells the magazine. "I was so shocked I had to call her and apologize for what I was thinking because she did so good. I think the world is gonna be surprised."

GV Says: You better be telling the truth Ne-yo because now expectations have been set.

DR. DRE OUT & ABOUT WITH THE FAM

Dr Dre was recently spotted out on the beach in Hawaii with wife Nicole and their 2 kids recently.

CELEBS HIT UP SEX AND THE CITY PREMIERE

The Sex and the City premiere went down at Radio City Music Hall and the celebs were out. Jennifer Hudson who played Carrie's assistant was there of course. Michelle Williams, Lil Kim and even MJB showed up.


GV Says: Michelle is so tiny...and not in a good way. Her clothes just swallow her. There are plenty of tiny girls in Hollywood will properly fitting clothes. Michelle, please touch base with them honey.


GV Says: Has Kim put on a little weight or is that dress simply unflattering?




GV Says: Jennifer looks fierce. Girlfriend looks good. This movie was a great opportunity for her career. Go girl!

Jennifer later changed into another chic dress for the afterparty at the Museum of Modern Art.
GV Says: Love it!!

THE CARTERS LEAVE FRANCE

The Carters were spotted leaving Cannes, France.

GV Says: This Chanel outfit is the truth....very chic. I love the fact that these two keep it consistent....Mum's the word.

MARIAH THROWS THE FIRST BALL

Today Mimi showed off her "perfect pitch" (in heels!) while throwing out the ceremonial first ball before the pro baseball match-up between the Yomiuri Giants and Rakuten Golden Eagles at Japan's Tokyo Dome.

She's been on a Japanese promotional tour for her album E=MC2 with hubby Nick Cannon.

GV Says: (shaking my head) Through it all I still like Mariah....but she is toooo much. And the shoes look a mess. Poor Nick...that's all I have to say.

RAPPER XZIBIT MOURNS DEATH OF SON

Rapper Xzibit is mourning the loss of his newborn, Xavier Kingston Joiner, who died suddenly on May 26, Memorial Day.

Xavier was born prematurely on May 15. The rapper expressed his sorrow on his blog to his fans as well as how the baby died.

“Well, this week was extremely difficult for him, because his lungs were not strong enough to handle regular oxygen on his own,” he said. “Xavier passed away this morning at 3:30 am and I must tell you this, it is unnatural for a parent to bury a child.”

“I am telling you this because of the same reason I tell you when I’m having great times, life is too short to be fake. Hold on to your kids if you have them, protect them and show them you love them everyday you wake up and see them,” he said. “Don’t take a second you get to hug them teach them and care for them for granted.”“You can have all the material wealth in the universe but it is nothing compared to having your family. I am thankful for all of my blessings and I’m not one to question God's perfect plan,” he continued.

“So I leave you with great love and thanks for the love that was sent earlier on my previous blog to my son.”

The rapper plans to take time to deal with the loss of his son.

GV Says: I'm so sorry to hear that news. My prayers are with him.

RIHANNA & CHRIS OUT & ABOUT

Chris and Rihanna were spotted booed up last week at the Orchid Nightclub in Montreal last week.




GV Says: Love black love. They're young and cute. Good for them. They could be doing a plethora of bad things.

MORE RAY J DRAMA

So spies over at TMZ are reporting that Ray J was tossed out on his behind early Saturday morning from the Hyatt Regency in D.C. for allegedly having a stash of marijuana and a drug called "Boat" (a club drug).

Reportedly, Ray J went to his room after partying it up, when hotel management got a complaint. It appears security went up to the room where they allegedly found all the drug stuff. TMZ reports that Brandy's brother tried to bribe hotel security so he could stay but they didn't bite.

Eventually Ray J's own security came to the hotel and carted him away. Police were called, but no one was busted.

As predicted, Ray J's reps claim this was a huge misunderstanding. "The altercation did not directly affect Ray J -- it was people in his entourage. But he did the gentlemanly thing and left the hotel anyway."

GV Says: Yeah right....Let's keep it 100, Ray J has gotten more publicity for his antics rather than his talent. I'm so disappointed in him. The Norwoods appeared to be a tight-knit family with morals and values. I could never look at him in any sort of respectable way again.

WILL SMITH TELLS THE SECRET OF HIS MARITAL SUCCESS

Will Smith tells Ellen DeGeneres why he and Jada have lasted for over 10 years.

"What I found is divorce just can't be an option," the actor explained. "It's really that simple. And I think that's the problem with L.A. – there are so many options. So a huge part of the success for [Jada] and I is that we just removed the other options."

The secret to their success? "We're like listen, we're going to be together one way or the other so we might as well try to be happy," he said.

GV Says: I love it. Been there and done that and he's absolutely right!

BIGGA SPENDS QT

Bigga was spotted spending QT around Cannes.

GV Says: These two look adorable...very content and laid back.

NICK & MARIAH HIT TOKYO

Nick and MiMi were spotted arriving in Tokyo today.





GV Says: When will the jig be up? I predict Nick will grow weary of trying to live up to Mr. Mariah Carey.