Fantasia Evicted, Jeffrey Wright Arrested for DUI
Times are rough for Fantasia Barrino. The singer and American Idol alum was evicted from her North Carolina mansion over the weekend, TMZ reports. Barrino has been facing problems with the home for years, including near-foreclosure, and decided to sign the property over to the bank and walk away. The home was recently seen on VH1's reality series Fantasia For Real.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Wright had an equally rough weekend. The Rise of the Planet of the Apes star was arrested for a DUI in New York City on Saturday, after cops pulled him over for a traffic violation and smelled alcohol on his breath. Wright failed the sobriety test and was immediately taken into custody.
Wright will next be seen in Hunger Games: Catching Fire while Fantasia recently dropped her new album, Side Effects of You.
Rick Ross Sued by Florida Touring Company
The last thing Rick Ross's boss status needs is trouble with another business associate. Rozay was fired by Reebok two weeks ago, reportedly costing him $3-5 million, and now a Florida tour booker is suing him for non-payment.
Total Access Talent has been booking shows for Ross since 2004 and says that the rapper never skated on a payment, until now. According to TMZ, the lawsuit was filed in a Miami federal court sometime this week. The company claims to have never received their 10 percent commission for booking a bunch of Florida shows for him and his MMG crew.
After locking down dates, venues, contracts and more, Total Access says Ross's people disappeared without paying up. The company is seeking a minimum of $171,000.
Nicki Minaj in Talks to Make Big Screen Debut
Nicki Minaj may actually beat fellow YMCMB rapper Drake to the silver screen. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Minaj is close to landing her first live-action role in a new movie opposite Cameron Diaz.
The rapper is in final talks to appear in The Other Woman, a comedy starring Diaz, who finds out her boyfriend is married. Diaz's character and the wife, played by Leslie Mann (This Is 40, Knocked Up), join forces to get revenge on the cheating husband.
Minaj will play Diaz's thrice-married "brutally honest" legal assistant. Swimsuit model Kate Upton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) have also been cast in the Fox flick, to be directed by Nick Cassaevetes.
Shooting is expected to begin in New York next month.
Either way — whether or not the talks lead to ink — it seems Nicki is definitely ready to take her theatrical background to Hollywood. Earlier this week, rumors leaked that she may also be appearing in another Cameron Diaz pic, The Counselor, co-starring Brad Pitt, John Leguizamo, Rosie Perez and Penelope Cruz.
Lauryn Hill Confirms Sony Deal in Open Letter
It's not often that Lauryn Hill speaks out, but between tax troubles and squatting allegations, she's got a lot on her mind this week. In her latest Tumblr post, L-Boogie announced that her deal with Sony is a label deal, and denounced rumors that she signed the contract to cover her tax debt.
"It has been reported that I signed a new record deal, and that I did this to pay taxes," she wrote. "Yes, I have recently entered into an agreement with Sony Worldwide Entertainment, to launch a new label, on which my new music will be released. And yes, I am working on new music."
Hill said the new deal is ideal, compared to situations that helped force her off the grid in the past, and it's not about the money.
"It took years for me to get out of the ‘parasitic' dynamic of my youth, and into a deal that better reflects my true contribution as an artist, and (purportedly) gives me the control necessary to create a paradigm suitable for my needs," she explained. "I have been working towards this for a long time, not just because of my current legal situation, but because I am an artist, I love to create, and I need the proper platform to do so."
Fans haven't heard a studio album from the mother of six since 1998's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. That release alone sold over 19 million copies worldwide, earned her five Grammy awards, and sealed her place in music's history as one of the most dynamic lyricist/vocalists alive. When she somewhat mysteriously left the public eye, many felt a needed voice was missing in the game. Talib Kweli even penned a whole song about it, "Ms. Hill."
Now, she says, with this "new business venture" (reportedly worth more than $1 million), she's ready and willing to talk about it all.
"Only a completely complicated set of traps, manipulations, and inequitable business arrangements could put someone who has accomplished the things that I have, financially in need of anything. I am one artist who finds value in openly discussing the dynamics within this industry that force artists to compromise or distort themselves and what they do, rather than allowing them to make the music that people need. There are volumes that could (and will) be said
Michael Jordan Ties the Knot With Yvette Prieto
Michael Jordan is a married man!
The NBA legend and his model girlfriend, Yvette Prieto, tied the knot in Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday. The church was packed with celebrity guests such as Tiger Woods, Spike Lee and Patrick Ewing.
Jordan, 50, and Prieto, 35, have been dating since 2008 and became engaged last year. They were spotted applying for a marriage license in Florida last month.
This is the first marriage for Prieto and second for Jordan. He was previously married to Juanita Vanoy for 17 years before the relationship ended in a very costly divorce. Vanoy reportedly netted $168 million in a settlement.
Hopefully second time is a charm for Jordan!
Kerry Washington, Gabrielle Union Named "World's Most Beautiful"
People magazine's annual list of the "World's Most Beautiful Women" has been released and a few of our faves have made the cut. Actresses Kerry Washington and Gabrielle Union were among the ten in the issue, which hits newsstands April 26. Gwyneth Paltrow landed the honors of being crowned this year's World's Most Beautiful Woman a year after her BFF Beyoncé nabbed the title.
Kelly Rowland, who once struggled with her " chocolatiness"and shows off her flawless skin sans makeup in her photoshoot, has learned to embrace everything that makes her a woman, good and bad. It seems to have worked as the confident singer came in at number seven along with beautiful-lists veteran Halle Berry, who came in eighth place, but once scored the magazine's top spot.
Katt Williams Won't Face Jail Time for Car Chase
Katt Williams must have a get-out-of-jail card.
The trouble prone comedian, who had a warrant out for his arrest following a wild car chase last November, has evaded jail time. Williams pleaded no contest to the incident, in which he lead Sacramento police on a wild chase in a three-wheeler, and was sentenced to 90 days community service.
The judge was lenient on Williams under one condition: he stay out of trouble. That may be easier said than done for the Scary Movie 5 star, whose rap sheet rivals his resume.
Hopefully this will be a turning point for the wild child, who threatened to retire from comedy last year. We'd love to see him spend less time in court and more time in front of the camera.
The rapper and reality star turned himself in to authorities today and was jailed after refusing to take a court-ordered urine test, TMZ reports. The Atlanta native allegedly violated the terms of his probation last March by providing a seemingly tampered-with urine sample. When asked to submit another, unadulterated sample, Scrap refused.
The court had since issued a warrant for his arrest, and Scrap turned himself in. No word on how much time he will serve or if he'll eventually oblige and pee in a cup.