Rihanna Last Girl At The Bookstore, Inks Book Deal

From the stage to the bookstore, Rihanna is poised to make her literary debut in 2010.
Thanks to a deal with Rizzoli, Rihanna will release a book in June, slated to retail around $38.
While details surrounding the project, titled 'Rihanna: The Last Girl on Earth,' are limited, sources say the 144 page book will likely end up being a mixture of photographs and short words written by Rihanna and Simon Henwood.
News of Rihanna's forthcoming project with Rizzoli, follows the release of Kanye West's debut literary project, also released by Rizzoli, titled "Kanye West Glow In The Dark".

‘Avatar’ Tops Box Office For Third Weekend, Breaks $1 Billion Worldwide

James Cameron's science-fiction epic "Avatar" tops the weekend box office for the third weekend in a row, but also hit a huge mark when it pasted the $1 billion mark worldwide, only the fifth film ever to do it.
Over the weekend, "Avatar" raked in another $68.3 million, to bring its domestic total to $352.1 million, beating out all other films to make it the top movie.
The Cameron-directed 3D film opened two weekends earlier with $77-million. While that was definitely a strong start, it was far below dozens of other blockbusters that debuted as high as $158-million in their opening weekends. However, those films' numbers dipped heavily the weekends following. Not "Avatar" though, its continued strong for three weekends straight.
"It's like a runaway freight train. It just keeps doing business," Fox distribution executive Bert Livingston told the Associated Press. "Here's what's happening: I think everybody has to see 'Avatar' once. Even people who don't normally go to the movies, they've heard about it and are saying, ‘' have to see it.' Then there's those people seeing it multiple times."
"Avatar" was Cameron's first film since 1997's "Titanic," the biggest modern blockbuster with $1.8-billion worldwide.
The following list is the top 5 highest-earning movies of all-time, and "Avatar" is closing in on the #3 and #2 spots fast:
1 - "Titanic": $1.84 billion
2 - "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King": $1.12 billion
3 - "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest": $1.07 billion
4 - "Avatar": $1.02 billion
5 - "The Dark Knight": $1 billion
Finishing at #2 was Robert Downey Jr.'s crime caper, "Sherlock Holmes," bringing it $38.4 million; while third place was nabbed by "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" with $36.6 million.
Those top three movies, as well as the #4 "It's Complicated" with $18.7 million, steered Hollywood to a big start to 2010 after a year of record revenue, of $10.6 billion domestically, surpassing the previous record of $9.7 billion in 2007, according to Hollywood.com.
Rounding out the top 5 was Sandra Bullock's "The Blind Side," a true life football drama about the Baltimore Ravens' tackle Michael Oher. It earned $12.6 million.
That wraps things up this weekend. Next weekend, look out for new releases such as the Ethan Hawke horror "Daybreakers," the romantic comedy "Leap Year," and "Youth in Revolt."
This weekend's top 10 is as follows:
1 - "Avatar," $68.3 million
2 - "Sherlock Holmes," $38.3 million
3 - "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," $36.6 million
4 - "It's Complicated," $18.7 million
5 - "The Blind Side," $12.6 million
6 - "Up in the Air," $11.3 million
7 - "The Princess and the Frog," $10 million
8 - "Did You Hear About The Morgans?", $5.2 million
9 - "Nine," $4.2 million
10 - "Invictus," $4.1 million

Q Tip ft. Obama?

According to the New York Post’s Page Six, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama will appear prominently on Q-Tip’s upcoming solo album, The Renaissance.

The rapper, formerly of the group “A Tribe Called Quest,” will debut a solo album this June that’s heavy on guest stars, including presidential hopeful Barack Obama, who speaks throughout one song. “I’ve got Norah Jones on there, but Barack is the big one. You’ll see what happens, I can’t reveal too much,” Q-Tip told Page Six Thursday at the Details magazine party at Le Royale for his album, “The Renaissance,” and a photo shoot he did for the March issue.

Filmmaker Spike Lee also reportedly makes an appearance.

Portlant starts "Hip Hop" High

The Portland Oregon school board has officially approved a new charter high school that will highlight Hip-Hop music and culture. The school board unanimously approved the high school in a 6 to 0 vote paving the way for The High School of Recording Arts Portland to open in 2011. The next 18 months will be spent developing the schools curriculum according to local news reports. The school’s goal is to prepare students for society through education and incorporating hip hop culture. A number of popular local rappers also participated in the development of the curriculum including versatile of the local group Lifesavas as well as hometown favorite rapper Cool Nutz.

R.Kelly To Release Memoirs On His Career

Well, this could be interesting. R. Kelly is going to be coming out with memoirs that document his rise to stardom and his ups and downs in his career. If Kelly goes there, this could definitely be a must-read. Hit the jump to check out the press release.

Los Angeles—December 9, 2009—R & B superstar R. Kelly (born Robert Sylvester Kelly) will publish his memoir with SmileyBooks, the publisher announced today.

A three-time Grammy Award winner whose remarkable career spans two decades filled with achievements, R. Kelly has thrilled audiences and sold more than 34 million records worldwide, including six No. 1 albums, twelve platinum-plus selling albums, and eleven No. 1 singles. Over the years, he has collaborated with and written songs for music icons from all genres, including Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Pussycat Dolls, Usher, and Celine Dion. Most recently, he earned rave reviews for his Ladies Make Some Noise Tour, and on December 1, Kelly released his tenth studio album, Untitled, including the chart-topping “Number One,” and his new hot single “Echo.”

“We are thrilled to be the conduit through which R. Kelly will tell his own story,” said Tavis Smiley, founder and publisher of SmileyBooks. “He has earned the right to tell his story his own way.”

In the memoir, Kelly, writing with celebrity author David Ritz, will detail the agony of losing his mother, whom he adored. He will reveal how the same creative soul that came up with such inspiring ballads as the iconic “I Believe I Can Fly” and “You Are Not Alone,” which became a No. 1 hit for Michael Jackson, could also generate such sexy R & B mega-hits as “Bump N’ Grind,” “Ignition,” and “When a Woman’s Fed Up.” And he will discuss the six-year legal ordeal that nearly ruined his life, but finally ended in vindication when he was found innocent of child pornography charges in 2008.

“I’m writing this book as Robert, not R. Kelly,” the singer says. “I’m tired of being misunderstood. I will show you the tears, fears, and sweat. I will open my heart and reveal the good in my life as well as all the drama. I want to tell it like it is.”

The collaboration between Kelly and Ritz is destined to captivate readers, says SmileyBooks President Cheryl Woodruff.

“You have the creative passion of R. Kelly, revealed in his groundbreaking Trapped in the Closet series, coupled with writer David Ritz, who has collaborated with the musicians Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Aretha Franklin. It’s a great pairing.”

Kelly’s book joins a SmileyBooks roster that includes the latest offering from New York Times bestselling author Cornel West, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir, as well as Jeff Johnson’s Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I Am. Other SmileyBooks authors include Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Tom Burrell, Sophia Nelson, and New York Times bestsellers Iyanla Vanzant and Tavis Smiley.

R. Kelly’s memoir, as yet untitled, is scheduled for release by SmileyBooks in early 2011.

T.I realeased from prison

The King is back. VIBESAREN.com has learned that T.I. was released from prison this morning (December 22) and will be admitted into a halfway house in his hometown of Atlanta, later today.

XXL spoke with Tip’s lead defense attorney in his federal gun case, Steve Sadow, who confirmed the news. “He was released this morning from his place of incarceration in Arkansas,” Sadow said. “As I understand it, he’s on his way back to the Atlanta area. He has to report to a halfway house in Atlanta sometime this evening. And he will then spend somewhere between the next two or three months in a halfway house, ending his Bureau of Prison sentence.“

According to Sadow, T.I. will have a lot more freedom under his new living conditions. “A halfway house is more along the lines of a residential dormitory,” he explained of the rap star’s new stipulations. “You live within this house that is broken into areas for living, and you are permitted to leave during the day for certain reasons of which would be employment, medical reasons, things of that nature, and you return to the halfway house in the evening. So it’s a restriction on your liberty but it’s a way for you to reenter into society and not be confined within a jail type institution 24-hours a day.”

T.I. has been serving time in Arkansas’ Forrest City Prison since May 26, for possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers, as well as firearms from a convicted felon. He is expected to be finished with his federal sentence in March of 20

P Units new video primere

If you thought that P Unit were just one hit wonderes, shock on you! P Unit has realesed a new joint 'Hapa kule' featuring the self proclaimed Genge Godfather NOnini. The video primered on www.noninimusic.com before hiting the TV stations. Get you fingers typing noninimusic.com to view the vid

Beanie Injured

VibesArena has learned that Beanie Sigel was involved in a car accident last night (December 19) in Baltimore.

Sigel was apparently leaving a studio in B-more when a tractor trailer side swiped the vehicle he was traveling in. The car was totaled and Beans sustained injuries to his face, arms and legs. It is not known if anyone else was harmed.

The Philadelphia-bred rapper did not go to the hospital following the incident and his rep says he performed at a show earlier today in Norfolk, Virginia.

As of press time Beans is expected to go on tour with newfound ally 50 Cent

8 Mile actress dead

Actress Brittney Murphy was pronounced dead today at 10:04 am after going in to cardiac arrest at Cedars-Sinai medical in Los Angeles. She was 32. Murphy had appeared on multiple movies and television shows such as “Clueless,” “Boy Meets World,” “King Of The Hill,” “Sin City,” “Just Married,” “Happy Feet,” and “8 Mile;” where she starred as Eminem’s love interest. The LAPD is currently launching an investigation into her death.

Dr. Dre Talks about "DETOX" delay

Dr Dre's "Detox" album is so highly-anticipated, it's almost become a myth but the good ol Doc made sure to let everyone know he's still working on the project. "You know what, I'm working hard on it man," Dre promised during an in-store interview. "I'm going and I'm stopping, I'm working with other artists in-between and what have you, but I'm working hard on it and the minute it's done and I feel it right here [in my chest] and it feels right to me, that's when it'll come out. And you know, hopefully at the beginning of the year." [Dr Dre Talks About Detox Album Delay - Watch Here]

Game, the newly-renewed Aftermath associate of Dre, recently talked about "Detox" and explained why fans should not worry about it taking a while. "Man, I can't even describe [2001]... I would just say it's a classic West Coast album but it was world-renowned and it had an international appeal, like who from where didn't f*ck with that album?," Game asked in an interview. "With 2001 he just went back to do what he do best man and that's just trying to create the sun, moon, stars and Earth in seven days, man. The thing that stands out to me about 2001 is the same thing that stood out to me about Chronic -- Dre is a perfectionist and no matter when he coughs up an album, B, they be exactly what you need. I know it seem like he be taking forever with these albums but if you think about the time that passed between the Chronic and 2001, I think Detox is just about due. So it's not about him just making us wait, it's his format."