Well if you’ve got tickets to see JANET on tour you’re probably nervous about whether or not you’ll be seeing a concert at all.  Since the tour has started there have been so many cancellations and postponements that even LL COOL J has had enough.  LL was the opening act for the JANET JACKSON “Rock Witchu” tour until yesterday when his publicity firm officially announced that he won’t be continuing with the tour.  They say it is due to scheduling conflicts which I’m sure stem from all the re-arranging of tour dates.  Apparently, LL’s time is valuable and he has other things to focus on besides waiting on JANET to get her act together.  I heard he was upset because he didn’t feel she was really sick and all the cacellations were messing with his money.  This was LL COOL J’s first time as an opening act on another artist’s tour and it will probably be his last time…

I must say, I went to the JANET JACKSON concert here at the Phillip’s Arena and it was GREAT despite not having LL COOL J open the show.  Fans will not be disappointed!  If LL knows like I know, he’ll leave MISS JACKSON alone before JD kicks him in the knee cap!

Over the weekend JENNIFER HUDSON received the unamignable news that her mother and brother were found shot to death in their Chicago home and her 7 year-old nephew was missing.  After receiving the news, JENNIFER HUDSON immediately rushed back to her hometown, identified the bodies, and went into seclusion.  She pleaded with the public for any news regarding her missing nephew, JULIAN KING, and even offered a $100,000 reward for his safe return.  Unfortunately, the body of JULIAN KING was found yesterday on the floor of a white Suburban.  The only suspect in these murders so far is JULIAN’S stepfather, WILLIAM BALFOUR, who has not been charged with the murders. 

This tragedy has come during a time when JENNIFER HUDSON was realizing so many dreams.  She just released a new self-titled album,  her most recent film The Secret Life of Bees is in theatres, and she’s planning a wedding to fiance DAVID OTUNGA.  JENNIFER HUDSON was recently in Atlanta for our very own V-103 Soul Session.

Considering the impact of these shocking series of events,  JENNIFER HUDSON has understandably canceled all of her upcoming appearances, including the filming of her new video.

On behalf of V-103 I’d like to send my condolences to JENNIFER HUDSON and her family and we will continue to keep them in our prayers.

OOOOH I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!  T-PAIN did a great job as a last minute fill-in for the intended show host, KATT WILLIAMS.  He was funny and entertaining without being offensive.  I’m sure this won’t be his last time hosting!

The BET HIP HOP AWARDS was a great success, but one thing I noticed was there didn’t seem to be any awards going on at this award show.  It was more like the BET HIP HOP CONCERT.  I’m not mad at that, though!  It’s about time someone realized we don’t want to hear all that talking.  Now if they cut out the commercials they’d really be saying something!

My favorite performance of the night was when MC LYTE, YO YO, SALT N PEPA, and LADY RAGE took over the stage.  Those ladies really reminded everyone what hip-hop’s been missing! 

Of course I loved seeing T.I. and LUDACRIS together on stage.  NAS did his thing.  PLIES, RICK ROSS and NELLY kept everyone hype.  T-PAIN introduced his own circus act…. putting on a performance with LUDACRIS and LIL’ WAYNE while a chick on stilts backed it up behind them… COMMON, PHARELL and LIL’WAYNE lost their mind on stage… hoppin’ all around and carrying on.  BOW WOW and SOULJA BOY did their thing… Even ICE CUBE got him a lil’ piece.  And YOUNG JEEZY came out looking all presidential! 

YEA BABY!  BET HIP-HOP AWARDS was the party of the year!!  It really wasn’t about the awards.   They didn’t give out more than a dozen awards and LIL’ WAYNE took home half of them…  Shout out to SHAWTY LO for being the only one representin’ the ATL to win an award!  It was about paying tribute and celebrating the hip-hop cultutre…

They did a great job showing the positive side of hip-hop.  For example, I’m happy they highlighted many of the different charitable organizations that many of the artists have.  Instead of hearing about negative messages found in some of the music we were able to see the good hip-hop brings to the community.

Another positive theme of the night was the effort everyone made to push viewers to vote.  It was evident this was an OBAMA crowd.  There were slideshows of OBAMA on the big screen all throughout the show.  The best was when SALT N PEPA dedicated their performance of “What a Man” to  SENATOR OBAMA and his wife MICHELLE.  Poor BUSH has never seen love like that!  Don’t hate!!

Some of you may have tickets to see LYFE JENNINGS in concert at the Atlanta Civic Center this Friday. You can go if you like, but he won’t be there! The concert has been postponed due to LYFE’S unexpected run in with the law on Sunday. As the story goes, LYFE was trying to hunt down his baby mama when he kicked in the door of a home in Smyrna. Smyrna police were responding to a report of shots fired when they arrived on the scene. Apparently, LYFE had fired a gun in the street. I wish I could say the story stops there, but when the po-po showed up, LYFE made a run for it! According to the warrant, LYFE took off down Concord Rd. going 70mph in his 2005 red Corvette! When he was finally pulled over, police say his breath smelled like alcohol, but LYFE refused to take a field sobriety test. He was arrested but was released on a $50,000 bond Monday night.

WHY LYFE? WHY? I was looking forward to a nice lil’ concert on Friday…. I know the last place LYFE wants to be is back in jail after that 10 year bid he did… Maybe he feels like he needs the drama to inspire another hot album like his debut…

So last week I told you guys TINA TURNER and ARETHA FRANKLIN were fussin’ over titles.  Here’s the background.  At the GRAMMY’S in February, BEYONCE gave TINA TURNER the following introduction: “There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent…Ladies and gentlemen. Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen.”

ARETHA FRANKLIN who holds the title, “The Queen of Soul,” was like …Hold up now. Wait a minute! There’s only one Queen.

Well, it wasn’t until last week that TINA TURNER was asked to comment on it and this is what she said,“She’s the queen of soul, and I’m the queen of rock ‘n’ roll…Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one.”

ARETHA said, O HELL NAH “clearly was talking about herself” in terms of ego.“I never figured her to resort to tacky press just to sell a few tickets…I really had put her in a different class — higher than that.”

Just when I thought there was about to be wigs flying and hips breaking…. PATTI LABELLE stepped in the ring. 

PATTI told them both to stop all that bickering before she messes around and takes both their titles!!!

To be continued I’m sure!

Put your hands together for Tiny…