….whole lotta smooth!

Evoking an era where men routinely wore tailored clothes that were sharp and gentlemanly,  Drake dressed up in a suit complete with a pocket square, skinny tie and smooth fedora for the promo shots for MTV’s September 12 VMAs.  The Young Money star tapped into one of raps frequent style inspirations, Frank Sinatra, as well as Denzel Washington’s ‘Mo Better Blues character for the shoot.

“I get to channel my inner Sinatra,” Drake said. “In the acting world, you gotta have reference points. I like to get into characters.” He added:  ”‘Mo’ Better Blues’ is like one of my favorite movies of all time. This reminds me of Denzel [Washington], who played a character [called] Bleek Gilliam.”

A promo video shot in black and white starts off with him in the dressing room pouring himself a drink and reading the paper as he clears his mind for a live performance. We then follow Drake as he arrives at the venue while dodging paparazzi and then makes his way backstage to ultimately step out for a big enterence as the crowd, also dressed to the retro nines, looks on. ”There’s a ’50s theme. They got it right, though. They got the set and the wardrobe,” Drake said of the video. “I feel like I’m here.”

At this year’s VMAs Drake is up for two moonmen in the categories for Best Male Video for “Find Your Love” and Best Hip-Hop Video for Forever and he’ll also be performing.

Do you think he should stick with this style for the big day?

Drake and Rihanna seem to be on good terms after he blasted her in the news and told the world she used him then broke his heart. The duo dined at Sotto Sotto restaurant in Drizzy’s hometown when Rihanna hit Toronto for a concert stop.

Back in June, Drake was singing a bitter tune:

“I was a pawn,” Drake told The New York Times about a former fling with the Good Girl Gone Bad . “You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I’ve done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, ‘Wow, this feels terrible.’ ”

Don’t expect any Fireworks between these two performers though–Rihanna’s still dating Matt Kemp–but hopefully Drake got some closure!

While we recognized John Legend at the BET Awards for his humanitarian efforts, a lot of the home audience recognized that something was slightly amiss with his hairline…so much so that “John Legend’s Hairline” literally became a Twitter trending topic.

The Twitterverse likened #johnlegendshairline to everything from a Tetris game piece to Fabolous’ tooth. Some cracked that Drake should take some of his eyebrows to fix the line, while others clowned that the patch was taken out of John’s hair to fill the oil spill.

Apparently the singer wasn’t feeling the jokes and saw fit to defend his jagged edge:

“Btw, my hairline has been the same since I was a kid. Can’t believe some people are obsessing about it now. I’ve been famous for 6 yrs now,” he Tweeted. “And to the haters, I’m still smarter, more talented, more successful and better looking than u. So fall back.” Um, like your hairline? (sorry, it was just too easy!)

Aww don’t be mad John, just think of how many hairline jokes Tyra Banks has had to deal with over the years and she just keeps bobbing and weaving with a smile!

At some point, the singer realized he took the whole thing a tad too seriously. He Tweeted again: “Sorry y’all. Couldn’t believe my hairline was a trending topic. Get a life!” Then: “My lesson: don’t be distracted by nonsense and focus on what matters. I shldnt have stooped. We all live and learn. Back to songwriting.”

It may not be a perfect hairline, but at least it taught John something — you can’t take Twitter too seriously!

This  Lil’ Kim and Nicki Minaj “beef” is getting old, just like Kim who should be secure enough in her status as a female rap icon not to be playing around arguing with youngins! Drake found himself in the middle of the feud when he called Nicki the “baddest woman to do this rap sh-t” and unnecessarily added “I don’t give a f-ck what Lil’ Kim or nobody else is talking about, you’re the baddest chick to ever do this sh-t!” Which prompted Kim to fire back and say: “How b-tchy do you look right now? You look like a straight pussy…You came at me, and I’m the f-king female.”

Of course in an effort to keep the drama going, Drake was asked in a radio interview what he thought about Kim’s comments. He replied:   

“I really dont’ care. My biggest thing is sometimes I get a little impulsive when people start talking about people that I love.  I really don’t care what you say about me, you can say whatever about me, I’ll never respond to it, I’ll never react to it but when you start talking about the people I love I do get a little more reactive and that’s all that happened right there.”  He added a little jab at the end: “Like I said Nicki’s got album’s that’s climbing the charts and ‘Thank Me Later’ is out…it’s about relevant people today.”

See it’s all those snide little remarks that keep this BS going! Hopefully Kim’s done with the verbal ping poing and doesn’t have to have the last word, because you  know what’s definitely not relevant? Having silly arguments over wigs and jacking styles.

What’s your take on this foolishness?

When Drake isn’t repeatedly mentioning his past feelings for Rihanna, he’s being mushy about Ms. Nicki Minaj.

Yep, if you haven’t noticed the obvious Aubrey Graham would love to go steady with one Onika Maraj.

In a recent interview with DJ Envy for MTV2’s Sucker Free Countdown, Drake talked about his crush:

“Me and Nicki have a really playful relationship,” Drake told DJ Envy. “When I was on tour … I saw Nicki for the first time and, like, literally fell in love. She had this snap-back hat on that said ‘Minaj.’ She used to wear that every single day. She was like a theater student and she was so cold at rapping.”

Drake — who rushed to Minaj’s defense last week after Lil’ Kim said some untoward things about her — said that before breaking through, he had to contend with her somewhat icy demeanor. “I remember one of the first nights that we were out in Miami and I went to Jerry’s [Famous Deli]. I was like [to Minaj], ‘You want food, you hungry?,’ and she was like, ‘Yeah, I want some food.’ I was like, ‘I’m in, we gon’ eat food together.’ I came to her door and she took the food and shut the door in my face! I was just like, ‘Man, this is gonna be a long road for us.’ “

But Drake maintains that his feelings for her have always been genuine. “I’ve always really, actually, really had a crush on her, always really loved her, and she’s always just looked at me as, like, her little brother.”

Meanwhile, Nicki’s denying it:

Cue Biz Markie…or Mario for you too young to catch that reference.

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Maliah Michel is wasting no time professing her feelings for her rumored boo Drake.  Yesterday she took to Twitter to change her profile pic to one of her and Drake kissing (although that could be a still from his video “Find Your Love” which she stars in….hmmm) and she’s already talking about him in interviews but just how close are they?  Maliah’s playing it coy.

When Bay Area station WILD 94.9 mentioned the recent pictures of the video vixen/model hugged up with Drizzy in Atlanta’s Gold Room they asked her point blank “are you guys dating?”

“Are we dating?” she laughed, “one thing I have to say is that Drake is extremely inspirational. He’s an amazing young man.”

But that didn’t answer the question! So they asked again. She replied “We’re very close” and when they asked if she’s the best he’s ever had she simply said “You guys are making me blush!”

While Drake hasn’t said anything about it directly, rumor has it he did shout her out on Twitter yesterday:

“ALLIANCE!! Jamaica to di world! Gal Ova Gun. @IamMaliahMichel you are incredible…MSU…LETS GET IT.”

Think we have another Amber Rose situation on our hands or just another rumor?

So it seems that Drake has made himself a new friend in video vixen, model, stripper, possible escort Maliah Michel.

The two have been spotted from coast to coast sparking rumors that Drake has become another rap cliché.

We all know how well those things turn out, but in the meantime, let Drake has his fun while we share the scoop via The YBF on Drake’s new lady:

Video vixen/”model” Maliah Michel, 26, seems to have his heart lately. Drake’s flown her to Jamiaca for his video and snuggled with her in the club.  But thanks to her famous “ass clap” and “my ass can grab a stripper pole video,” she’s rumored to be an alleged former stripper and escort.  Well you really know how to pick ‘em Drake.

We’re told that last week, Drake flew L.A. native/current Houston resident Maliah down to Jamaica to be his leading lady in his “Find Your Love” video.  A snippet of her on the set is in the vid above.

Then on Monday, he was spotted hand in hand with her hosting at ATL’s “Gold Room” club:

Maliah is known on the Internet as a booty model with ass clapping videos and her infamous booty cheeks in between the stripper pole pics. Supposedly, she is one of Houston’s favorite strippers and allegedly most requested hired help (escort). Sources say Drake’s people especially requested her saying Drake is a “big fan” of her work. And we’ve got pics of “her work” below. ‘’

Anyone else singing The-Dream’s “Take U Home 2 My Mama” right now?

Sidenote: Is escort a bougie way of saying high class prostitute? No shade, just asking.

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If you haven’t noticed by now, by the time Rihanna is 35 she’ll likely have that same number of tattoos sprawled across her body.

No shade to those who link to get inked up; it’s your body, do what you do. But, you have to admit, if you stepped away from your screens for two hours chances are Rih-Rih will have another random blotch of inked etched into her body.

This time the “so hard” pop starlet got, “Never a failure. Always a lesson” under her right collar bone in gray ink.

Anyone else feeling suddenly feeling inspired? I’ll probably get “Love that chicken from Popeyes” right underneath my belly button. That or “She by Sheree” on my thigh.

Anyhow, when Rihanna’s not being tat-tat-tatted up she’s letting it be known that she’s not fancying Drake, Justin Timberlake, or Kanye West.

Via Britain’s Glamour magazine:

“No, that (rumor about Timberlake) is incorrect. We worked together on my album. It’s not like we have the closest friendship. We just worked together one time.”

Rihanna also laughs off rumors she has been romancing hip-hop star Kanye West, adding, “I didn’t hear that one (rumor). We all know that’s not true.”

Whatever man she ends up with, she makes it known that she has a certain type:

“Definitely the high-risk (guys). I don’t like cream puff, corny guys. Usually they are the nice guys, the ones that won’t hurt you. They’ll pull out the chair for you and the whole nine yards. Everything is perfect and boring. “I like the risk, I like the edge. That’s the thrill for me.”

The last “risky guy” she dated went upside her head, but whatever, maybe that gun tattoo she has on her body is detachable when needed.

In any event, more pics of Rihanna’s new tat below:

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She’s back! After almost a decade away from blessing the world with new material,  Sade just released a new single today, “Soldier of Love”! The single kicks off the countdown to her upcoming album of the same title, which is scheduled to be released in February 2010, and I can’t get the track off repeat (listen below!).

It’s the smooth, timeless sound that Sade is known for–with her smoky voice and pulsating drum beats–but it feels fresh, not “more of the same” like the singles from some of today’s chart-toppers. So hard to believe Sade has been in the game for 25 years, but the airwaves need her! Sade’s last studio release was the triple platinum, Grammy-winning Lovers Rock in 2000.

The Smooth Operator rarely collaborates with pop stars, but word on the street is that Drake might be working on a project with her. “There’s conversations going on, I haven’t spoken to her personally yet but my management is talking to hers and it’s looking more yes than no right now,” Drake told WENN. “So I’m hoping we can get it done.”

I’m not sure how I feel about all that, but I’m so excited the sultry singer is back where she belongs: showing these singers how it’s really done!

Go to www.sade.com for more info on the new album!

Click here for a listen!

Sade- Soldier of Love by UrbanRelations

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Kanye West let the BET Hip Hop Awards finish this weekend without pulling another stage hijacking stunt…because he wasn’t there.

The awards, which went down in Atlanta on Saturday and will air on October 27th, brought out a long roster of names including Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, Lil’ Wayne, Drake, Gucci Mane, and  Fabolous, but Kanye pulled a no show, even though he led the rap pack with 9 nominations.

Where in the world is Yeezy?

Some reports say he he might have retreated to India to find “spiritual guidance” and lay low following his infamous MTV meltdown and the cancellation of his “Fame Kills” tour with Lady Gaga. MSNBC quotes a “source close to West” who said:

“Kanye might do some dumb things, but he’s smart. He knows he needs to come back from this break changed, and that isn’t going to happen at some rehab overlooking the ocean. He goes to India, he has a chance to come back seeming like he learned something from what happened.”

While it hasn’t been confirmed if  Kanye is actually getting his Eat, Pray, Love on, or not (I’m sure we’ll see paparazzi shots of him wherever he is, soon) but at least it seems like he’s making good on his vow to “take some time off.” MSNBC also reports that he has canceled plans to perform at Madison Square Garden on New Years Eve.

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