Ashanti is this week’s cover artist for Page Six magazine. The 27-year-old singer doesn’t at all appear resentful towards her competition Rihanna even if Ashanti has lost her IT girl factor to the new generation of artists. For example, she’s sidelined by Rihanna whereas Usher who was the main man back in the day is getting overtaken by Chris Brown now and that’s just how it works. You get replaced. In 7 years, Rihanna could very well find herself in the same position. I love her but it is what it is. Remember when folks couldn’t get enough of Ashanti during her ‘Foolish’ heyday? Now Rihanna is getting all the success and accolades. Check out Ashanti’s Page Six cover below:

Nevertheless, Ashanti appears to be really pleased with her younger peer. At last year’s VMA’s Ashanti was even seen singing along to Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ when the pop starlet graced that stage. When Ashanti came out with ‘Foolish’, she was the exact same age as Rihanna so she knows what it’s like and has given the Umbrella singer nothing but praise: “I’d hear a song on the radio and wish mine was next. But I respect a lot of the artists who’ve come along since I was out, especially Rihanna. She’s smart and she’s worked the business instead of having the business work her.” I have to say I’m in agreeance but Rihanna’s thriving because she takes risks with her image and music. OK. Sooooo, she may get her ideas from someone else but it’s certainly working. Borrowing a vintage look from a variety of different artists from a certain era and then incorporating her own style to the mix is in fact a smart strategy. From long-haired Beyonce-cloned R&B chick to Fefe Dobson punk-rocker chick is drastic! Still, you can’t hate the playa except the game and Ashanti knows this.

Ashanti is this week’s cover artist for Page Six magazine. The 27-year-old singer doesn’t at all appear resentful towards her competition Rihanna even if Ashanti has lost her IT girl factor to the new generation of artists. For example, she’s sidelined by Rihanna whereas Usher who was the main man back in the day is getting overtaken by Chris Brown now and that’s just how it works. You get replaced. In 7 years, Rihanna could very well find herself in the same position. I love her but it is what it is. Remember when folks couldn’t get enough of Ashanti during her ‘Foolish’ heyday? Now Rihanna is getting all the success and accolades. Check out Ashanti’s Page Six cover below:

Nevertheless, Ashanti appears to be really pleased with her younger peer. At last year’s VMA’s Ashanti was even seen singing along to Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ when the pop starlet graced that stage. When Ashanti came out with ‘Foolish’, she was the exact same age as Rihanna so she knows what it’s like and has given the Umbrella singer nothing but praise: “I’d hear a song on the radio and wish mine was next. But I respect a lot of the artists who’ve come along since I was out, especially Rihanna. She’s smart and she’s worked the business instead of having the business work her.” I have to say I’m in agreeance but Rihanna’s thriving because she takes risks with her image and music. OK. Sooooo, she may get her ideas from someone else but it’s certainly working. Borrowing a vintage look from a variety of different artists from a certain era and then incorporating her own style to the mix is in fact a smart strategy. From long-haired Beyonce-cloned R&B chick to Fefe Dobson punk-rocker chick is drastic! Still, you can’t hate the playa except the game and Ashanti knows this.

Just a few short hours ago, Solange Knowles performed on yet another UK show - The Charlotte Church show. This time she collaborated with Welsh warbler Charlotte on ‘Be My Baby’:

Another hot performance! Solange is definitely showing UK folks that older sister Beyonce isn’t the only one who can put on a great showmanship. I really hope she does great in the UK because she’s deserving and has worked so hard.

Ciara was spotted behind the scenes of a promotional photoshoot that she was doing for her forthcoming album ‘Fantasy Ride’. With big hair and beam-stalk high heeled black boots, Ciara was looking like your ultra diva in training:

Not feeling the get-up at all or the hair for that matter but Ciara stays doing what she needs to do. It’s been reported that as ‘High Price’ has leaked in spliced edits, it will now be ditched as lead single. Her first single will be the bass-heavy electronic dance track ‘Work’ produced by Nate “Danjahandz” Hills. Totally looking forwards to hearing that although Danja has been disappointing me lately. His best work to date would be on Britney’s ‘Blackout’ album and as it’s rumoured that the ‘Blackout’ album is the direction Ciara is following, we could very well be in for a pleasant surprise or at least I hope so. Stay tuned on that one.

Rihanna really is living up to her ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ motif. She was spotted last night in New York partying the evening away as she rocked a see-through top and NO BRA along with a pink Herve Leger bandage mini skirt. Though I guess that was blatantly deliberate; all so that she could show off her nipple ring piercing:

It seems she struck up a friendship with BET host Rosci as the two were seen together on two different New York outtings. One of them being a dinner at the Da Silvana restaurant in the West Village where she was dressed more casually in denim pants and white sleeveness top. I know her boyfriend Chris Brown (who was nowhere to be seen) will be pissed at her showing those tata’s to everybody as it’s been reported this week that Chris doesn’t like Rihanna dressing up too sexily. I guess he’s that type of fella who feels Rihanna’s nekkidness should be for his eyes only. Hmmmmm…..

Cutie Christina Milian attended the X-Games XIV Kick-Off Party the Key Club last night:

I swear this chick LIVES for looking cute and showing up at various parties, restaurants and events. Whatever’s next? Well, in her defense, she WAS spotted in the studio with The Clutch this week. Seems like an era she’s been working on that one album though….

Monica had a promotional party for her new reality show ‘The Single: Monica’ in Atlanta:

Monica celebrated with her fiance Rocko as well as family and friends including fellow R&B songstress Keyshia Cole. Monica looked pretty. The series will premiere on ATL’s Peachtree TV on August 5th. Monica has nearly recording all of her fifth studio album, Lessons Learned. The first single from the set is entitled ‘Still Standing’.

Mariah Carey supported her hubby Nick Cannon when he deejayed at the Atlantis Resort’s Aura Nightclub on Paradise Island in the Bahamas on Friday, July 25th:

During the night, Nick played many of his wife’s music but at who’s request? LOL!

PHOTO’S: SPLASH // WENN // WIREIMAGES // ALLTHEPARTIES // SINCERELY CIARA // MARIAH DAILY

Solange is in the UK right now as I speak. Matter of fact, as I type this right now, she is a guest on The Charlotte Church show (which is airing right now on channel 4). Solange has been in London to promote her fantastic new single ‘I Decided (Part 2)’. She was on British Breakfast morning show GMTV this morning to perform the track. Here’s the performance:

She did a wonderful job! Vocally, she’s in her own class. Gotta love her. Solange really is coming into her own as a serious well-established artist just as Janet Jackson successfully managed to creep out of her famous sibling’s shadow as well. Who’d have thought that Solange would go international after the laughable Solo Star? I’m not talking about the album because the album ‘Solo Star’ was pretty solid but the actual song was terrible. Solange’s sophomore album ‘SoL-AngeL and the Hadley Street Dreams’ will be out on August 26th.

Solange is in the UK right now as I speak. Matter of fact, as I type this right now, she is a guest on The Charlotte Church show (which is airing right now on channel 4). Solange has been in London to promote her fantastic new single ‘I Decided (Part 2)’. She was on British Breakfast morning show GMTV this morning to perform the track. Here’s the performance:

She did a wonderful job! Vocally, she’s in her own class. Gotta love her. Solange really is coming into her own as a serious well-established artist just as Janet Jackson successfully managed to creep out of her famous sibling’s shadow as well. Who’d have thought that Solange would go international after the laughable Solo Star? I’m not talking about the album because the album ‘Solo Star’ was pretty solid but the actual song was terrible. Solange’s sophomore album ‘SoL-AngeL and the Hadley Street Dreams’ will be out on August 26th.

Beyonce looks extra suave and sexy in a brand new photoshoot taken from the Fashion Rocks magazine. The 26-year-old is set to perform at the event on Sept 5th at New York’s Radio City Music Hall alongside her sister Solange. Check it out:

As reported, other confirmed acts include Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Duffy, Justin Timberlake, Fergie, The Black Eyed Peas, The Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna and Chris Brown. I’m loving the new pic. Rihanna has one too but when the HQ photo hits the Net, hers as well as the others will get posted. In the mean time, check out Ms Bey in all of her basking glory.

Beyonce looks extra suave and sexy in a brand new photoshoot taken from the Fashion Rocks magazine. The 26-year-old is set to perform at the event on Sept 5th at New York’s Radio City Music Hall alongside her sister Solange. Check it out:

As reported, other confirmed acts include Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Duffy, Justin Timberlake, Fergie, The Black Eyed Peas, The Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna and Chris Brown. I’m loving the new pic. Rihanna has one too but when the HQ photo hits the Net, hers as well as the others will get posted. In the mean time, check out Ms Bey in all of her basking glory.

R&B power couple Chris Brown and Rihanna were spotted in New York City on a number of occasions this week. The first picture of Rihanna is when she was spotted arriving at the Nokia Theater on Tuesday to watch her fella play a concert for the Wrigley’s Gum Launch:

On the same night, she was seen attending a private screening of Paramount Pictures’ Tropic Thunder at the Regal Cinemas theater in New York City’s Times Square (middle) and after his gig on that same day also, Chris and his bodyguard were seen scouring New York. I love it when a straight sexy man isn’t afraid to show off his inner-pink side. Go Chris!

This past weekend, Solange performed at in the House of Blues Sunset strip:

Solange wore an Armani outfit during her performance. That would be because Giorgio Armani has announced that the 22-year-old is the new Armani Jeans global ambassador. Her sophomore album, SoL-AngeL and the Hadley St. Dreams, has a release date of August 26th, and will be followed by a worldwide tour beginning in late autumn. Here’s the official statement: “Armani Jeans expresses my vision of a young, independent, casual lifestyle with a strong and cool fashion sensibility. Solange epitomizes this style perfectly and brings to it that swing so evident in her new single, ‘I Decided’. Solange will begin her European press tour with a stop in London at the end of this month followed by Cannes in early August and during those events, she’ll rock Armani. Good stuff.

Chilli (of TLC fame) and her son Tron hosted the 2nd Annual Runway Red fashion Show in Atlanta last week:

Chilli has recently started her own fashion line designing her own set of handbags. Recently, she was spotted rocking a bag with her son’s face who the singer calls the “only true model of the company”.

Sony BMG have unveiled their net loss and it stands at a staggering $49m (£24.75m) in its first fiscal quarter of 2008, with sales down $55m (£27.78m) year-on-year at $820m (£414.35m).

Check out this interesting report: The loss compares to a profit of $21m (£190.61m) in the equivalent quarter of 2007, a result that parent company Sony says reflects the decline in the physical market and an increase in re-structuring costs. The company says that its best-selling release in the quarter included Usher’s ‘Here I Stand’ and Leona Lewis’s ‘Spirit’. Meanwhile, the Nikkei Business Daily today reports that Sony is continuing in talks to buy Bertelsmann’s 50% stake in Sony BMG, with the two companies aiming to reach agreement in August. You’ve got to admit the music economy has been poor as of late, not just because of promotion costs (or lack of) but because music has been sucking real bad. Of course this has resulted in hordes of illegal downloading where folks get a whiff of the wackness and decidedly ask themselves ‘Why should they waste their money on crap like this?’. As the last quarter isn’t too far away, maybe they can recoup some of that loss when a certain ‘Get Me Bodied’ singer makes her anticipated debut later this year.

Kelly’s beautiful milk chocolaty skin glistens in the Miami heat a couple of days ago as she took a vacation from all sorts lately. And, who’d have believed Kelly actually had some back? Where did the ass come from? I certainly don’t recall Ms Rowland having so much gunk in her trunk. British food has certainly done wonders for the super-svelte 27-year-old:

Kelly who spends most of her days in London is back in Miami, after shooting a TV pilot in Miami, Florida for a travel and lifestyle series that she will host called ‘Around The World.’ The show is a hip, modern version of ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and will feature the former Destiny’s Child singer showcasing the hottest food, hotel, restaurant and party destinations all over the world. If anyone knows all about that, Kelly is the one!

So yesterday was a really slow news day for the blog. And it looks like today is going to be yet another slowie. I can’t really see any more new music leaking for the next couple of weeks and we’ve already had our fair share of “fake” songs. Sucks. Of course I’ll try to make things as interesting as possible around these parts. Cassie’s first single ‘Official Girl’ got off to a really slow start in the beginning. I did say that the song was too bland to get major spins. It certainly lacked the oomph that was prevalent in ‘Me & U’.

With all the heavy rumours about the “singer” and her Bad Boy CEO having a steamy relationship, I guess they’d hoped for the song and it’s convenient ‘concept’ to take off explosively. It hasn’t unfortunately. So they have million-first-week seller Lil Wayne spit some verses on the track. The remix version is also what they’re using for her video which will premiere next week Tuesday on Yahoo! Music.

♫ CASSIE FEAT LIL WAYNE: OFFICIAL GIRL REMIX