Drug Used to Fight Alcoholism Found in Amy Winehouse's Bloodstream (BLOG)

A prescription drug used to treat alcohol addiction might have contributed to Amy Winehouse's death, the singer's father said Friday.

Taping the debut episode -- set to air Monday, Sept. 12 -- of Anderson Cooper's new talk show, Mitch Winehouse revealed that Librium had been found in his daughter's bloodstream, as well as traces of alcohol. Mitch believes his superstar daughter, who died on July 23 at the age of 27, suffered a seizure brought on by alcohol detox, and that "there was nobody there to rescue her," according to the AP.

"Everything Amy did, she did to excess," Mitch said. "She drank to excess and did detox to excess."

Despite her public bouts with drugs and alcohol, the beehive-rocking soul great had been making progress with her recovery, Mitch added. With a doctor's help, she was enjoying longer periods of sobriety, although treatment sometimes brought about seizures.

While Mitch admitted he's only speculating about the cause of death, more answers may come next month, when a full inquest is due to begin. Regardless of what led to his daughter's premature passing, Mitch insists the 'Rehab' singer wasn't defined by her demons.

"When she wasn't drinking," he said, "she was absolutely on top of the world."





spinner

Birdman's - 'Y.U. Mad' - Featuring Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne (BLOG, AUDIO)

A fresh song called "Y.U. Mad" from Birdman has hit the web for fans' listening pleasure. The co-founder of Cash Money Records secures not just one but two powerhouse featured guests, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, for this track.

The Harajuku Barbie steals attention right when she kicks in the song. "I am the female Weezy," she proclaims before proceeding to slam the haters with "Yeah, we shine, gold cluster/ As for your career, dead, ghostbuster" and chant "that's why you mad".

"Y.U. Mad" is confirmed to make the cut to Birdman's upcoming studio album "Bigger Than Life" which is due in the United States on November 22. On Twitter, he revealed that he will release it as a single and has already filmed a music video for it.

In related news to Birdman, the rap mogul denied accusation that Cash Money bought "Tha Carter IV" so it nailed almost a million copies in its first week. "Nah, man, that really don't make no sense. Why would we do that?" he asked back when quizzed about the rumor.

"I press and distribute 'em. Ain't no need for me to buy 'em. That's hustling backwards; we ain't in it for that. I ain't ever been a part of that type of scheme to be buyin' records. We don't do that, homey. We be working too hard to be - that don't go with what we do."

"We truly what we do. We're real about what we do, we work hard every day at it, and we work for the people. That's what we do music for: for people. And we appreciate the love they give us back. But no such thing as me buying no CDs. I wouldn't even play it like that."



Your thoughts?



aceshowbiz

Report: Feds transferred T.I. over business flap (BLOG)

ATLANTA (AP) — Grammy-winning rapper T.I. was sent back to federal prison after corrections officials discovered that a manager and a TV producer were with him on a luxury bus as he transferred to a halfway house in Georgia, according to documents obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The two were not authorized to travel or conduct business with T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, during the 375-mile journey last week from the Arkansas federal prison to Atlanta, the Department of Justice incident report said. It said T.I. indicated he was discussing a new reality series and book with the individuals but said he wasn't being interviewed.

T.I. had been released a month early from his sentence for violating probation, and a VH1 reality show and book deal were announced within hours of his release.

But his attorney, Steve Sadow, said the rapper didn't violate prison rules because those deals already were finalized.

"There wasn't any business to conduct," he said. "These were just two people riding back with him."

The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment and the performer remains in federal custody. There will be a hearing in which federal authorities will review the potential violation and determine if T.I. can return to the halfway house, Sadow said.

T.I. made the trip with his wife, Tameka Cottle Harris, manager Brian Sher and producer Cris Abrego, who is co-president of 51 Minds Entertainment, which specializes in reality TV shows, according to letters provided to the AP.

Sher and Abrego said in letters sent to Bureau of Prisons officials that they visited with T.I. a few times before his release and no business was conducted during the trip.

T.I.'s business attorney, Jonathan Leonard, said in a letter sent Tuesday to federal officials that the TV deal was negotiated and signed in late July and processed through his office. The book deal with HarperCollins Publishers was sealed in June 2011, he said.

"It appears that some of the information listed in the report was obtained from internet reports and not from Mr. Harris," Leonard said in the letter.

Cottle Harris said in a letter that her husband's team decided the bus would be safer and make it more difficult for paparazzi to pull up next to the vehicle and take pictures or record video.

T.I. initially served about seven months in prison in 2009 after he was arrested for trying to buy unregistered guns and silencers from undercover federal agents. He was on probation after he was released and ordered not to commit another crime or to illegally possess any controlled substances. He then was arrested in Los Angeles in September 2010 after authorities said he was found with four ecstasy pills.

He was sentenced to 11 months in prison for that violation and had been set for release at the end of September, but he was allowed to transfer to an Atlanta halfway house about a month early. He was returned to federal prison a day later, and Sadow said T.I.'s legal team is fighting the move.

"T.I. was never told that only his wife was permitted to travel with him and was never instructed or directed to list each and every person that would be traveling with him," he said. "It is disingenuous at best for BOP to see the private bus, escort T.I. to the private bus, watch him enter the private bus, observe the bus driver and then say the only people authorized to be on the private bus are T.I. and his wife."

Lil Wayne Scores 18 Nominations at 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards (BLOG)

Fresh off making a grand entrance on Billboard Hot 200 with a whopping 964,000 copies of "Tha Carter IV", Lil Wayne scores a ridiculous amount of nods at this year's BET Hip-Hop Awards. Weezy receives a record-breaking 18 nominations at the sixth annual prize-giving event.

The dreadlocked rapper gets his multiple nods in such coveted categories as Best Live Performer, Lyricist of the Year, MVP of the Year and Hustler of the Year. His single "6 Foot 7 Foot" is additionally vying for Track of the Year, Best Club Banger and Verizon People's Champ Award.

The Young Money MC bumps into "Watch the Throne" duo Jay-Z and Kanye West in more than three categories. They are joined in the battles by the likes of fellow rappers Busta Rhymes, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa and P. Diddy.

Weezy's domination is followed by Kanye and Khalifa who get 9 nods each and Rick Ross who grabs 8 nods. Other nominees who appear in multiple categories include Chris Brown, Rihanna, Drake, DJ Khaled, Cee-Lo Green, Big Sean and Minaj. The latest is the only femcee who gets nominated this year.

2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards will be taped at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta on Saturday, October 1 and will air ten days later on Tuesday, October 11 at 8:00 P.M. Actor and comedian Mike Epps will return as a host, and music newcomer Meek Mill will make his debut on the show by appearing in its cypher segments.

Best Hip-Hop Video:

•Big Sean ft. Chris Brown - "My Last"
•Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - "Look at Me Now"
•DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne - "I'm on One"
•Eminem ft. Rihanna - "Love the Way You Lie"
•Kanye West ft. Rihanna - "All of the Lights"
Reese's Perfect Combo Award (Best Collab):
•Ace Hood ft. Rick Ross & Lil Wayne - "Hustle Hard" (Remix)
•Big K.R.I.T. ft. Ludacris & Bun B - "Country Sh*t" (Remix)
•Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - "Look at Me Now"
•DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne - "I'm on One"
•Lupe Fiasco ft. Trey Songz - "Out of My Head"
Best Live Performer:
•Busta Rhymes
•Cee-Lo Green
•Jay-Z
•Lil Wayne
•Kanye West
Lyricist of the Year:
•Jay-Z
•Lil Wayne
•Nicki Minaj
•Rick Ross
•Kanye West
Video Director of the Year:
•Gil Green
•Anthony Mandler
•Chris Robinson
•Kanye West
•Hype Williams
Producer of the Year:
•J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
•Kane Beatz
•Lex Luger
•No I.D.
•Kanye West, Emile, Jeff Bhasker & Mike Dean
MVP of the Year:
•Lil Wayne
•Nicki Minaj
•Rick Ross
•Kanye West
•Wiz Khalifa
Track of the Year:
•"6 Foot 7 Foot" - Produced by Bangladesh (Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz)
•"Black and Yellow" - Produced by Stargate (Wiz Khalifa)
•"I'm on One" - Produced by T-Minus (DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne)
•"Look at Me Now" - Produced by Diplo & Afrojack (Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes)
•"My Last" - Produced by Lex Luger (Big Sean ft. Chris Brown)
CD of the Year:
•Big Sean - "Finally Famous"
•Lupe Fiasco - "Lasers"
•Nicki Minaj - "Pink Friday"
•Kanye West - "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"
•Wiz Khalifa - "Rolling Papers"
DJ of the Year:
•DJ Drama
•DJ Enuff
•DJ Envy
•DJ Khaled
•DJ Prostyle
Rookie of the Year:
•Big K.R.I.T.
•Big Sean
•Frank Ocean
•Diggy Simmons
•Tyler, the Creator
•Wiz Khalifa
Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip-Hop Style):
•Jay-Z
•Lil Wayne
•Nicki Minaj
•Kanye West
•Wiz Khalifa
Best Club Banger:
•Ace Hood - "Hustle Hard" (Produced by Lex Luger)
•DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne - "I'm on One" (Produced by T-Minus)
•Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz - "6 foot 7 Foot" (Produced by Bangladesh)
•Waka Flocka Flame - "No Hands" (Produced by Lex Luger)
•Wiz Khalifa - "Black and Yellow" (Produced by Stargate)
•YC Worldwide ft. Future - "Racks" (Produced by Sonny Digital)
Best Mixtape:
•Big K.R.I.T. - "Return of 4Eva"
•B.o.B - "No Genre"
•J. Cole - "Friday Night Lights"
•Kendrick Lamar - "Section .80"
•Frank Ocean - "Nostalgia, Ultra"
Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse:
•Busta Rhymes - "Look at Me Now" (Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes)
•Lil Wayne - "Motivation" (Kelly Rowland ft. Lil Wayne)
•Nicki Minaj - "Monster" (Kanye West ft. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver)
•Wiz Khalifa - "Bright Lights, Bigger City" (Cee-Lo Green ft. Wiz Khalifa)
•Wiz Khalifa - "Till I'm Gone" (Tinie Tempah ft. Wiz Khalifa)
Hustler of the Year:
•P. Diddy
•Jay-Z
•Lil Wayne
•Rick Ross
•Kanye West
Verizon People's Champ Award (Viewers' Choice):
•Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes - "Look at Me Now"
•Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz - "6 foot 7 Foot"
•Nicki Minaj ft. Drake - "Moment 4 Life"
•Kanye West ft. Rihanna - "All of the Lights"
•Wiz Khalifa - "Black and Yellow"




aceshowbiz

Big Sean Featuring Kanye West - Marvin & Chardonnay (Clean Version) (VIDEO)

Director Hype Williams brought out all the colors of the rainbow for the "Marvin & Chardonnay" video he directed for Big Sean. With plenty of video vixens to spare, the visual clip pays homage to those Diddy-like videos of the 90s, full of bright vibrant settings.

Watch "Marvin And Chardonnay" here:



theybf

Lil Wayne's 'Carter IV' Debuts at No. 1 With 964,000 Copies (BLOG)

It's official: Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter IV" has sold 964,000 in its first week according to Nielsen SoundScan, easily enabling its No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. It is his third No. 1 album following "Tha Carter III" and "I Am Not a Human Being."

"Carter IV" earns the biggest sales week for a hip-hop album (or any set by a male artist) since his own "Carter III" bowed with 1.01 million on the June 28, 2008 chart. "Carter IV" also marks 2011's second-biggest frame, behind Lady Gaga's 1.11 million debut with "Born This Way."

Of course, Gaga's first week was bolstered by two days' worth of 99-cent sale pricing from AmazonMP3's store. "Carter IV" managed to sell nearly a million without such tactics. It's estimated that AmazonMP3 sold upwards of 440,000 downloads of its 99-cent "Born This Way" album.

Speaking of downloads, "Carter IV" shifted 362,000 digital copies in its first week. That marks the second-largest digital sales week of all time for an album; again, behind "Born This Way," with 662,000 downloads.

However, while SoundScan does not disclose retailer-specific figures, sources say "Carter" easily broke the U.S. iTunes Store's single-week album sales record, with around 345,000 sold via iTunes.

"Tha Carter IV" is off to a fast start courtesy of both a hot single and an eve-of-release performance by Wayne on the highly rated MTV Video Music Awards telecast (Aug. 28). His "How to Love" single is his first top 10 hit as a lead artist on the Pop Songs chart since 2008, when "Lollipop" ("Tha Carter III's" first single) went to No. 5. "Love" is in fact only his second top 10 on the Pop Songs tally, after "Lollipop."

Also, figure that the "Carter" name brand carries weight with fans, much in the same way the word "blueprint" makes Jay-Z aficionados take notice. He's had three "Blueprint" albums to date: all debuted at No. 1 with over 400,000 sold in their respective first weeks.







billboard

Amazing Military Cover Of Adele - Rolling In The Deep (VIDEO)

These members of the U.S. Air Force perform an absolutely incredible version of Adele's hit song "Rolling In the Deep."Check it! This lady BRINGS it: 

Dope!




 thebubble

Throwback - Lonnie Liston Smith - A Garden of Peace (AUDIO)

Lonnie Liston Smith, Jr. (born December 28, 1940 in Richmond, Virginia) is an American jazz, soul, and funk musician who played with important free jazz artists such as Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis before forming Lonnie Liston Smith And The Cosmic Echoes, recording a number of albums widely regarded as classics in the fusion / Quiet Storm / smooth jazz and acid jazz genres.



Lonnie Liston Smith tracks sampled by other artists (incomplete list)
"Expansions" ::Stetsasonic - "Talkin' All That Jazz"
"Devika (Goddess)" ::Digable Planets - "Pacifics"
"A Garden of Peace" ::Jay-Z - "Dead Presidents II"
"A Garden of Peace" ::Mary J. Blige - "Take Me as I Am"
"Bridge Through Time" ::Jay-Z - "Understand Me"
"A Garden of Peace" ::Stacie Orrico - "Is It Me"
"A Garden of Peace" ::Total - "Rain"
"A Garden of Peace" ::O.C. - "You and Yours"
"A Garden of Peace" ::ABN-"I Miss My Dawg (I Gotta Survive)"
"A Garden of Peace" ::Nikki Jean - "Exit Sign"
"A Garden of Peace" ::Grifta (Dubstep act) - "Curbside on YouTube"
"Mystical Dreamer (A Tribute To Miles Davis)" ::Three 6 Mafia - "Smoke If U Got It"
"Quiet Moments" ::Scienz Of Life - "Yikes!"
"A Chance for Peace" ::Shape of Broad Minds - "Let's Go"
"A Chance for Peace" ::La Fouine - "Tombé pour elle"
"Quiet Moments" ::Malcolm Mclaren - "World Famous" (Ft. World's Famous Supreme Team)


wiki

Green Day singer booted off plane (BLOG)

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong was left fuming after he was kicked off a plane on Thursday for wearing his trousers too low.

The rocker was onboard a Southwest Airlines jet when a flight attendant asked him to hike up his trousers before take-off, prompting him to ask if there were "better things to do than worry about that?", according to an ABC7 report.

He was then booted off for failing to comply, and took to his Twitter.com page to vent his frustration, writing, "Just got kicked off a Southwest flight because my pants sagged too low! What the f**k? No joke!"

wonderwall

Mary J. Blige Performs on GMA (BLOG, VIDEOS)

Mary J. Blige chatted with ABC's Elizabeth Vargas this morning before she took the crowd in Central Park through a show-stopping performance of her latest single "25/8" and her classic hit "Just Fine."

She talked to the audience about her upcoming album My Life II: The Journey Continues saying it revisits some of the same dark emotions that My Life did, but it's also an upbeat album about learning from the past and living a healthier life.

She also reveal that her Rock Of Ages co-star Tom Cruise has a great singing voice and that she's excited to play Nina Simone in a soon-to-be-released biopic.

Watch Mary's interview and her performance of "The Living Proof" from The Help here:


"25/8":


"Just Fine":



theybf

Bruno Mars Sues Publishing Company for Breach of Contract (BLOG)

Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Bruno Mars has filed a lawsuit against music publisher Bug Music over a contract dispute. According to the “Grenade” singer, his agreement with Bug Music expired on May 12, 2011 but the company has not discharged him from the commitment.

The fight between Mars and Bug Music is over the ownership of Bruno Mars' production and songwriting royalties. Outside of creating hit songs for himself, Mars is a prominent sought after hitmaker that has written records for a wide range of artists including Alexandra Burke, Travie McCoy, Adam Levine, Brandy, Sean Kingston and Flo Rida.

Bug Music counter claims that Mars is still under their contract and they own fifty percent of the copyright to any music he records.



singersroom

Throwback - Michael Franks - The Lady Wants To Know (Audio)

Michael Franks (born 18 September 1944 in La Jolla, California) is a smooth jazz singer and songwriter from the United States. He has recorded with a variety of well-known artists, such as Patti Austin, Brenda Russell, Art Garfunkel, and David Sanborn. His songs have been recorded by The Manhattan Transfer, Patti Labelle, Carmen McRae, Diana Krall, Shirley Bassey and The Carpenters.






His third album, Sleeping Gypsy (1977), which includes the song "The Lady Wants to Know", was partially recorded in Brazil. Around this time, percussionist Ray Armando gave Franks a cabasa, which became a signature instrument for him to play on stage when he was not playing guitar.

The Game Earns Third #1 With 'The R.E.D. Album' (BLOG)

The Game beat out everyone this week, earning his third chart-topping album withThe R.E.D. Album.

The Compton rapper's fourth LP hit #1 on the Billboard 200 this week, selling 98,000 copies. It features the likes of Dr. Dre, Tyler The Creator, Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, and many more.

Game's debut, 2005's "The Documentary" and 2007 sophomore release "Doctor's Advocate," both opened at #1. His last album, LAX, was his only album to not top the Billboard 200, starting at #2 in 2008 with 239,000.

While Game is sitting pretty this week, he will likely step aside next week when Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV drops and hits #1. It's expected to sell anywhere from 850,000 to 900,000 copies in its first frame.

After sitting at #1 for the last two weeks, Jay-Z & Kanye West's Watch the Throne slipped to #2 with 94,000. So far, the set has shifted 707,000 in its three weeks of release.

Later, at #12, is Beyonce's 4, which moves another 21,000 copies; while Eminem and Royce Da 5'9 sell 18,000 more copies of Hell: The Sequel to land at #15.

Closing out the top 20 is Rihanna's Loud album, selling 15,000 this week and ranking at #20.

That wraps things up this week. To cop any of these new releases, head over toCDuniverse.com.

According to Billboard.com, overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Aug. 28) totaled 5.14 million units, down 4% compared to the sum last week (5.35 million) and up less than 1% compared to the comparable sales week of 2010 (5.13 million).

ballerstatus

Throwback - Bill Withers - Grandma's Hands (Acoustic Live)

William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. (born July 4, 1938) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Use Me", "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day", and "Grandma's Hands". His life was recently the subject of the documentary film Still Bill.




"Grandma's Hands" is a song written by Bill Withers about his own grandmother. It was included on his 1971 debut album Just as I Am, and was also released as a single, reaching number 18 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart and 42 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song has since been covered by many other artists, including Al Jarreau, Livingston Taylor, The Staple Singers, Gladys Knight, Barbra Streisand, Francine Bell, Will Downing, Take 6, Marti Pellow, Starsailor, Gil Scott-Heron, Paddy Casey in Today FM's Even Better Than The Real Thing and Ron Kenoly. It is also sampled for the hook of Blackstreet's "No Diggity" and "Shout" by Shout for England.

In 2007, well-known keyboardist Jeff Lorber covered the song from his album "He Had a Hat." The song featured Eric Benét on vocals, Gerald Albright and Tom Scott on saxophones.

I'm a Boss - Meek Mill Feat Rick Ross (Official Video)

Official Video for Meek Mill's I'm a Boss Featuring Rick Ross. Shot in Philadelphia

Get More: Meek Mill, Music, More Music Videos

Kanye West's Mentor No I.D. Leaves GOOD Music For Def Jam (BLOG)

Kanye West's musical mentor and former president of GOOD Music, No I.D. has been appointed Executive Vice President of A&R for Def Jam Recordings. Along with his new position, he brokered a deal for his record label Artium Recordings for an exclusive label partnership with Def Jam.

“No I.D. is one of the hottest and most well-respected hip-hop producers of our era," Barry Weiss, chairman and chief executive of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown, said in a statement. "His years of mentoring and developing artists in the studio should serve him perfectly in his new A&R role and will surely help take Def Jam to the next level."

“I’m proud of the success I’ve had with so many of the great artists and songwriters at Def Jam,” the producer said in a statement. “The Def Jam brand is cultural and iconic, and I'm excited to be working closely with the artists, Barry, Karen [Kwak, executive vice president and head of A&R for Island Def Jam Music Group] and the team in what promises to be an incredible new phase in my career.”

No I.D has shared his music production talents across Hip Hop & R&B genres, producing "Run This Town" (Jay-Z), "So Appalled" (Kanye West), "More Than A Woman" (Toni Braxton), "I Miss That" (Lloyd) amongst other records. In his new post he will sign new artist to his label and oversee current projects on Def Jam's roster.



singersroom

Adele Performance at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards (VIDEO)

How could we forget! Adele performing, 'Someone Like You':

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Adele

Happy Birthday, Michael Jackson! (BLOG, VIDEOS, LINKS)

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, dancer, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5, then the Jacksons in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.



In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of dance techniques, such as the robotand the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, pop,contemporary R&B, and rock artists.



Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous(1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.



Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, have generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury ruled him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series This Is It, Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. Before his death, Jackson had been administered drugs including propofol and lorazepam. The Los Angeles County Coroner declared his death a homicide, and his personal physician pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.

Read More HERE

Official Site HERE

Bruno Mars Performance at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards (VIDEO)

Bruno Mars performs 'Valerie', tribute to Amy Winehouse:

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Bruno Mars

Beyonce Performance at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards (VIDEO)

Beyonce performing 'Love On Top':

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Beyoncé