By Sherri L. Smith, BlackWeb20.com

As the world’s love affair with high-tech gadgets spreads like wildfire, it’s not enough to own the most advanced tech, they have to look good too. Shiny, glossy, matte finishes, eye-catching technical wonders of the world, it’s a constant arms race to have the best and prettiest tech. And with all arms races, he with the deepest pockets has the biggest guns. Which is why some of the best tech is in the hands of the rich and famous. What sets celebrity tech apart from the tech of mere mortals? Bling and plenty of it – from gold-plating to Swarovski crystals and even diamonds, celebrity devices are in a class all by themselves. Read the rest of this entry »

T.I. Speaks On ‘Snitching’
T.I. once again says, “Ain’t no such thing as a secret snitch.” Click for more.

Did Keri Hilson Diss Beyoncé?
Keri Hilson denies dissing Beyoncé & Ciara on “Turnin Me On” remix track. Check this.

Legendary blues singer Etta James is hatin’ on Barack and Beyoncé. Seems that James, who is played by Beyoncé in the movie Cadillac Records, doesn’t dig Beyoncé’s singing or the fact that President Obama chose her to serenade him with James’ signature tune on inauguration night.  “That woman singing for him, singing my song? She’s gonna get her ass whipped,” snapped James, speaking to an audience in Canada last week, according to TMZ.com. James, who has racked up four Grammys and 17 Blues Music Awards during her half-century career, was referring to her most famous number, “At Last.” A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Blues Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame, the 71-year-old James went on to say that she “can’t stand Beyoncé” and that the 27-year-old songstress “has no business up there singing, singing up there on a big old president day, singing my song that I been singing forever.” As for Obama, James dismissed him as “the one with the big ears,” adding, “He ain’t my president.” James reportedly never raised an objection about Beyoncé portraying her in the movie. Go here to sound off more on the story.

Does Beyoncé Regret Marrying Jay-Z?
On the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” Joyner and friends said that Beyoncé will never be Michelle Obama because Jay-Z is still a “thug.” Click for more.
 

Aaliyah Biopic To Hit Theaters
The life of the late Aaliyah Haughton will be documented in an upcoming film. Check it out.

Jay-Z Announces Inauguration Concert
Jay-Z will be performing on January 19th at The Warner Theater in Washington D.C. to help usher in Barack Obama as president of the United States. Read on.

NYE With Jay-Z & Beyoncé
Celebrities gather at the New Year Eve celebration in St. Barts. Can you spot the superstars?

Bow Wow and JD ‘Roc Da Mic’
Bow Wow links up with long time mentor, Jermaine Dupri for his new single, “Roc Da Mic.” Watch the video here.

 
R&B Diva Donates Big Time
Beyoncé Knowles donated her Cadillac Records movie salary to several drug treatment centers. Find out why here!

Top Keyshia Cole Moments Top Notch! Check out this exclusive flipbook of Keyshia Cole moments from The Way It Is. Beyoncé’s Own Words What Did She Say? Beyoncé gets in way over her head with her remarks about The Jackson family. Read what she said here!

Kelly Rowland kisses (or not) and tells about double date. Keep the Kleenex nearby if you ever get the chance to take singer Kelly Rowland to a movie. The drooling performer says she once fell asleep while on a date with her soulful colleague and friend Beyoncé when they went to see the comedy “There’s Something About Mary.” “The lights went up and I was actually slobbering on the guy’s shoulder. It was terrible,” she says. But maybe a little Kelly slobber is tolerable after years of inducing drool from her many male fans.

Debbie Allen returns to “Fame.” It’s been close to 30 years since she starred in the original film and TV series, but now Debbie Allen is slated to star in an updated version starting production, according to Variety magazine. Allen may be reprising her role as Lydia Grant, as she did in both film (1980) and series (1982 to 1987), the entertainment magazine reports. She will be the principal of the school this time. As with the 1980 original, the remake follows dancers, singers, actors and artists from auditions to graduation at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. In addition to Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally and Bebe Neuwirth have been added to the cast, Variety says. Produced by Lakeshore and MGM, the upcoming Fame has been set for release Sept. 25, 2009.

Rapper T.I. wins the charts battle. Despite the riding a wave of success, Beyoncé didn’t have the goods to knock Rapper T.I. from his No. 1 charts status. T.I. started a fifth nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna, according to The Associated Press. Beyoncé is, however, gaining on him with her two new songs. The R&B songstress’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” rocketed from No. 28 to No. 2 after selling 204,000 digital downloads, while “If I Were a Boy” held at No. 3. In the week ended November 23, Beyoncé scored her third-straight No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 album chart with “I Am … Sasha Fierce,” which sold 482,000 copies. Meanwhile, T.I.’s other recent No. 1, “Whatever You Like,” slipped from No. 2 to No. 4. 

Obama camp dismisses Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson inauguration rumors. Beyoncé fans need not take out the claws just yet. The rumor circulating that she’s been beat out by Jennifer Hudson again isn’t true, says the Barack Obama camp. Apparently, speculation about Obama’s hometown connection to Hudson in Chicago mushroomed into word that the singer was asked to perform at Obama’s Jan. 20 presidential inauguration. Be, who was upstaged by Hudson’s Oscar win after they both appeared in the film Dreamgirls, expressed interest in singing at the White House. “An inauguration committee hasn’t even been formed yet,” says an Obama spokesman. No decision has been made about who’ll sing at the event, the rep says. Meanwhile, Hudson is still mourning the recent unsolved murders of three family members.