JAY-Z & KANYE WEST HIT UP VEGAS

Rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West will be spending their New Years working this year – Vegas style.


Jay-Z will be performing at the swanky Pearl Concert Theater on Saturday, Dec. 29. The venue sold out within an hour, according to a box office representative. Tickets for the show, which were originally priced up to $225 each, are now selling on eBay for as much as $750 a pair.

West hasn't had quite as much luck selling out the Pearl, though it may be due to ticket prices which climb as high as $350. Tickets are still available for the New Year's Eve concert that begins at 10:30 p.m.

The Pearl is an upscale, 3,300 square-foot venue that seats up to 2,500 guests. According to a review on Vegas.com, no seat is farther than 120 feet from the stage in the three-level facility

In addition to getting up close and personal, each level of the Pearl has its own beverage stations and restrooms, while 18 private and semi-private sky boxes have their own bars, lounges and restrooms.

REMY MA HIT WITH LAWSUIT

In yet another setback for Remy Ma, the rapper has been hit with a $10 civil lawsuit friend via Makeda Barnes-Joseph, the woman and former friend she was accused of shooting in July after a dispute that took place on a street in New York.


According to Reuters, the suit, reportedly filed in a New York court on Friday (Dec 21), Barnes-Joseph accuses Remy Ma of "willfully, wantonly and maliciously" shooting her. The suit also names the rapper's record companies, including Universal Music Group and Sure Shot Recordings, as defendants, alleging they encouraged Remy Ma to engage in violent behavior as part of her image.

Ivan Fisher, her lawyer, said Barnes-Joseph's lawsuit was "looking for the deepest pocket it could find" and called it "irresponsible," according to Reuters.

CHRIS STOKES UNDER FIRE

For years, there's been a dirty little rumor that Chris Stokes was a Chester. Well....here's a YouTube clip of Raz-B and his brother discuss the lies, secrets, and dirty deeds that took place during their relationship with the self-proclaimed “King of Black Boy Bands.”

Now do I believe this.....NOT REALLY

NICK CANNON GIVES BACK

Nick Cannon held a “Young Hollywood” Christmas Party and Toy Drive last week in LA.

He's looking a little rougher than normal

Rapper/ actor Sticky Fingaz came through

So did actress Tamala Jones

JAY-Z KICKS IT COURTSIDE

For all you Hov stans, your boy hit up the Knicks v. Cavs game last week (Dec 19) in NY sans B.

QUEEN LATIFAH NEW FACE OF JENNY CRAIG

Queen Latifah has joined the ranks of Kirstie Alley and Valerie Bertinelli and signed up to be the latest celebrity spokesperson for the weight-loss chain Jenny Craig.

"We officially confirm that Queen Latifah will join the Jenny Craig program in January," Scott Parker, Jenny Craig's vice president of marketing, tells PEOPLE. "We are thrilled to have Queen Latifah support our mission of improving health by taking her first step toward achieving a more healthful lifestyle."

BRYAN MICHAEL COX CELEBRATES HIS B-DAY

Bryan Michael Cox celebrated his 30th b-day last night at the W Union Square

Q-Tip came out

Melyssa Ford rolled through of course

Somebody looked happy

Lil X showed up

Mario made an appearance too

Hey look...even Angie Martinez showed some love. I still can't believe she has a baby. I always expected her to hook up with some rapper...not a wack R&B singer.

MARY J BLIGE HOSTS ALBUM RELEASE

MJB’s album release party went down at the SOho Grand in the NYC last night

Thank goodness PETA doesn't frequent black events of Mary and Patti would be toast.


Patti WTF? What are you wearing?

OMARION EXPLAINS BOW WOW'S BEHAVIOR

Sooo……Omarion, has responded to the spoof interview going around the internet recent. In the interview, his close buddy, Bow Weezy is angered to the point of throwing hands when Toure rattles off a serious “odd” questions. BET informed the duo's label reps of the proposed mischief beforehand. However, the label didn't tell Bow and O because it was supposed to be for a good-natured, "Punk'd"-style show called "Hell Interview."


"Everything is good, man," he said. "You know how it is, sometimes when you're coming up in the game and you as young as we have been, sometimes people think they can — not necessarily push us around, but they feel they can play with us like that. If it had been 50 Cent or Game or any other man who would have stepped up in that interview, it would have went a lot differently. We want our respect, man. We want our respect as men. You don't just throw a man in a spoof interview and disrespect him. You have to respectfully talk to him. We didn't know it was a spoof, but I'm a little bit different when we handle situations. I'm very mild-tempered. I like to think about what I do before I do it. Bow gets upset."

O recently went on another BET program, "106 and Park," and dubbed himself "The King of Dance." He says he has plenty of ammo in his fancy-feet arsenal and knows he will definitely be scrutinized for wearing such a coveted crown, er, jacket — O announced his new title via an embroidered coat.

"It was time for me to claim that spot," he said. "It's gonna be very interesting for me to hold that name down, because I feel like I'm gonna go through something similar like when 'You Got Served' came out. When people saw the film, because it was such a confrontational film and hard-core dance film, I would get ran up in the street like, 'You wanna battle? I wanna battle you.' I felt I wanted to claim [the title]. I'm ready for the challenge. All challengers step up. ... I've been going at it in a professional sense since I was 5. I was a backup dancer at one point for a group that was on RCA. Dancing has been my life and it has been a major part of what I am today. I'mma claim it."

So, what is he claiming??? The imaginary title of best dancer. And who exactly is head of this committee? Let me stop before Bow Wow comes whip my a**.....lol....lmao...

JENNIFER GETS 2 BLASTS FROM HER PAST

According to the NY Post, mommy-to-be Jennifer Lopez was all smiles at Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman's wedding - except when she got two blasts from the past in the form of ex-boyfriends.

Among the celebs sending warm wishes via video to Weinstein and Chapman were two of Lopez's previous beaus, Ben Affleck and Sean "Diddy" Combs. "Jennifer was laughing at all the funny tributes," said one guest. "But when Diddy and Ben gave their speeches, she went silent. She looked sort of uncomfortable and people were staring at her." Lopez attended with husband Marc Anthony.

CIARA PARTIES

Ciara parties it up in London last night.

BRITNEY SPEARS' SISTER PREGNANT

Britney Spears's 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant.

Nickelodeon, which carries her TV show Zoey 101, said in a statement: "We respect Jamie Lynn's decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn's well being."

Spears and her mother confirmed the pregnancy to OK! magazine, saying she was 12 weeks along and the father is Jamie Lynn's longtime boyfriend Casey Aldridge.

"It was a shock for both of us, so unexpected," Jamie Lynn told OK!, according to the Associated Press.

"I was in complete and total shock and so was he." Spears told the magazine that after confirming the pregnancy with a home test and a subsequent doctor's visit, she told only one friend – then waited two weeks before telling anybody else, including her parents. "I needed to work out what I would do for myself before I let anyone's opinion affect my decision," she told the magazine. "Then I told my parents and my friends. I was scared, but I had to do what was right for me."

"I didn't believe it because Jamie Lynn's always been so conscientious," her mother, Lynne Spears, told OK!. "She's never late for her curfew. I was in shock. I mean, this is my 16-year-old baby."

D*mn! This is sad. What's going on in this family?

NICK & SELITA STILL COOL

So now that Selita got her two cents of fame and Nick Cannon got the karma that was due him after being so messy with Christina Milian, the actor/ rapper/ mogul?? says they're "still cool." (Wasn't that what he said about Christina just before she dropped that diss track?? Just asking...)

For those of you who can't remember, Cannon popped the question in May with an over-the-top proposal on a Times Square JumboTron.

Now that the breakup is behind them, Ebanks and Cannon still share the occasional dinner, she tells the December issue of Esquire. But he's not the only man in her life. Page Six reports that Ebanks traded in her rapper for preppy tennis pro, James Blake. Los Angeles spies told Page Six the model has been spotted with Blake on the Left Coast. "They met in LA and have been dating seriously," said our source.

BEYONCE BACK TO WORK

After enjoying a romantic weekend in Paris with boyfriend Jay-Z, Beyoncé gets back to work, promoting the new fragrance Emporio Armani Diamonds in Milan on Monday.

IS THIS MICHAEL JACKSON???

Is that Michael Jackson???? WTF?? Are those band-aids on his face???


Why yes it is. WTF Michael? MJ was caught hitting up a Barnes and Nobles bookstore near his crib in Vegas over the weekend.

SUPERHEAD DENIES RECORD DEAL

According to the rumor mill, Karrine "Superhead" Steffans is the flagship artist on comedian/ actor Eddie Murphy's record lable. However Karrine tells a different story. The salacious celeb clarified to SOHH that the gossip is untrue and that she's not even looking for a record deal.

"[I] don't sing or rap or anything."

DONDA WEST 911 CALL MADE PUBLIC

Never ones to steer clear of grisly details, the folks at TMZ have posted the eight-minute 911 call made in the wake of Donda West's collapse last month. The disturbing recording consists primarily of a dispatcher attempting to coach a panicked, unidentified caller on how to perform CPR. The post has garnered a heated reaction, with TMZ users calling it "tasteless," "insensitive," "sick," "morbid" and "worse than grave-robbing."

My sentiments exactly.

BOW WOW GOES AT TOURE

It seems Toure can get under Bow Wow's skin like no other. B got a little hot around the collar when Toure asked friend Omarion if he ever steals moves from Chris Brown. Then adding fuel to fire, Toure paid O a compliment for the video "Naked," - a track done by "brother" Marques Houston.



Toure was wrong for that.

JAY-Z MAY NOT BE LEAVING DEF JAM ANY TIME SOON

In an interview with Billboard.com, Jay addressed the rumors about him leaving Def Jam. "The model of selling CDs has changed," he said. "So doing things the typical way is not in the best interests of anyone and not exciting for me. My whole thing is, how do we invest in the future? If everyone is committed to doing that, then I'm sure there's a deal to be made."

In the interview, Jigga also beamed about Amy Winehouse ("I'd love to work with her again. I hope she keeps herself together"), and revealed that he'll put out another album "if I'm inspired. I have one album left, right? If I'm inspired to make that album, then my contract is done and I'm not in the music business anymore, as far as being an artist. I can still make music. ... Who knows? The possibilities are endless — and without any pressure to sell anything, I could make whatever and do whatever with my music. Maybe the songs would just play in [my] 40/40 [Club]."

ALICIA KEYS HITS UP Z100

Alicia performed at the Z 100 Jingle Ball this weekend.



Also there was Timbaland. He needs to stop w/ the crazy faces...and take that animal off his back before PETA gets hold of him.