Spike Lee says actor would “kill” as James Brown

If he can resolve his legal issues in an appeal of this spring’s verdict convicting him of tax violations, Wesley Snipes has a big role waiting for him. Director Spike Lee wants to produce a film based on the life of music legend James Brown, and says Snipes is the man to lead it. “He’s a phenomenal actor, and I truly feel that he’ll regain that power he once had,” Lee tells King magazine. “If my James Brown picture ever gets made, he’ll be playing James, and he’d kill in that, without a doubt. He still has chops.”

Michael Jackson’s underwear up for sale

Now you can know Michael Jackson like few fans have ever known him before: On-line shoppers who visit e-Bay may come across his Calvin Klein underwear. Though reportedly unwashed, the briefs come in a freshly sealed bag: They were taken as evidence by the Santa Barbara district attorney in 2003 when the singer faced child molestation charges. New Jersey businessman Henry Vacarro bought the unmentionables in a bankruptcy-related sale. No word on whether Vacarro called Mike to be sure he owns another pair.

“Lady T” honored along with Chaka Khan, Bill Withers.

Singer Teena Marie (above), long-time collaborator with the late Rick James, has been recognized by Philadelphia’s Rhythm & Blues Foundation for her 30-year career as an artist. Marie was one of nine artists who received a Pioneer Award Tuesday, along with singers Chaka Khan and Bill Withers, plus others. Grammy-winner Marie, whose first album cover featured no photo to keep secret the fact that she is White, still credits James with much of her success. Duets between the pair include the R&B classics “Fire and Desire” and “Love Them and Leave Them.”

Scientists find a protein that produces “good” fat. A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a “good” fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity. “Obesity is occurring at epidemic rates in the U.S. and worldwide, and that impacts the risk and prognosis of many diseases,” said Yu-Hua Tseng, Ph.D., an assistant investigator in the Joslin Section on Obesity and Hormone Action and lead author of the paper published in the Aug. 21 issue of Nature. “We hope this study can be translated into applications to help treat or prevent obesity.” Tseng noted that obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and is closely linked to metabolic syndrome, a collection of medical problems associated with insulin resistance that can lead to an increased risk of atherosclerosis, the build up of plaque in coronary arteries that leads to heart attack and stroke. In laboratory studies of mouse cells, Tseng and her colleagues identified that a bone-inducing protein called BMP-7 drives precursor cells that give rise to mature brown fat cells. According to Tseng, there are two main types of fat cells in the body – white and brown. “White fat cells are the ‘conventional’ form of fat designed to store energy. By contrast, the main role of brown fat is to burn calories by generating heat. Brown fat cells largely disappear by adulthood in humans, but their precursors still remain in the body,” Tseng explained. In one of the experiments, the mice that developed brown fat tissue gained less weight than those that did not. In another experiment, mice that received injections of progenitor cells – similar to stem cells – that had been pre-treated with BMP-7, also developed additional brown fat tissue. “Diet and exercise are still the best approaches for weight reduction in the general population,” Tseng said. “However, for people who are genetically predisposed to obesity, these approaches may have very little effect.”

Prostate health group to meet next month. The Prostate Health Education Network, Inc., will host its fourth annual “African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit” in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25 to 26, 2008. “Since our very first summit in 2005, this event has proved highly effective in bringing together members of Congress, medical and research specialists, survivors and members of industry to address one of the biggest health crises in Black America,” says Thomas Farrington, the group’s president. African-American men die at a rate of 2.4 times that of all other men from prostate cancer. This is the largest racial disparity for any type of cancer. Because of the overwhelming success of the annual summits on Capitol Hill, the 2008 Summit will be held in conjunction with the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference. Speakers on Thursday will include Tavis Smiley, U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.); U.S. Rep Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.); Dr. Edward Benz, president of the American Association of Cancer Institutes; former Major League Baseball star and prostate cancer survivor Ken Griffey, Sr.; and many others. A Friday “Town Hall Meeting” will outline an “action blueprint” to address the prostate cancer crisis in Black America. This blueprint will be presented to the incoming presidential administration in 2009. Panelists will include well-recognized leaders in the war on prostate cancer. The school will work with churches to find out who is pre-diabetic. Mercer University gets $3.1 Million diabetes prevention grant. The National Institutes of Health awarded Dr. John Boltri, a physician at the Mercer University School of Medicine, and his $3.1 million to study a church-based diabetes prevention and education programs. Mercer medical professors will be working with the Medical Center of Central Georgia in a five-year study that will launch in April or May, said Boltri, who conducted earlier research showing that the rate of diabetes was 50 percent higher in Blacks than in Whites. “We’re going into African-American churches and doing screenings for diabetes,” said Boltri, who works as a physician at the Family Health Center in Macon. “We’re looking to see who has pre-diabetes.”

Janet Jackson will unveil lingerie line

Singer Janet Jackson has already exposed at least one part of her body to the world. Now she wants to dress down fans and other ladies who may get some sexy inspiration from her new line of lingerie. The Pleasure Principle line, named after one of Jackson’s earlier hit songs, will go retail in the United States later this year. Stores in Australia and elsewhere will also sell the intimate apparel. Pleasure Principle clothing will reportedly be sold for under $40. Wardrobe malfunction components not included.

Bobby Brown hit with over $90,000 in fees.

One of the most high-profile divorces in R&B music’s history carried a high price tag. The end of singer Bobby Brown’s marriage to pop diva Whitney Houston reportedly left him with a debt of $90,217 in unpaid legal fees. Lawyers who represented Brown have filed suit to collect on the tab. Earlier this year, word of Brown’s plans for a tell-all book that included dirty details of his marriage to Houston went public. The book is said to be on hold.

DMX pushes “This Life of Mine.”

Could there be a method to rapper DMX’s legal madness? Seems that some of the currently jailed performer’s recent antics, including over a half-dozen arrests since the spring, have provided material for a new reality show. Previously broadcast on BET, “DMX: Soul of a Man” followed the star in his day-to-day trek from his home in Phoenix to road appearances and beyond. Now the rapper, who faces charges ranging from drug possession to identity fraud, says he has a second reality series in the works. “In many ways, my life has been an open book,” X tells AllHipHop.com. “I haven’t always been the one writing the story. With this show, however, people will get to see and hear with their own eyes and ears what really goes on in my life, and I think they’ll come to understand me a little bit better with each episode.” The new show’s working title is “DMX: This Life of Mine.” Multiple networks have reportedly expressed their interest.

She was accused of roughing up a flight attendant

It took a jury just a couple hours Thursday to kick a flight attendant to the curb who had accused the wife of mega-preacher Joel Osteen of assaulting her in a racist rant over a first-class seat. The case centered on Sharon Brown, an African-American attendant with Continental Airlines, who sued Victoria Osteen for $405,000, claiming that Osteen slammed her against a bathroom door, elbowed her in her breast and attempted to storm the cockpit during a December 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo. Brown’s claims were supported by another flight attendant, Maria Johnson, who is White. Johnson testified earlier in the week that she believes race was a factor because Victoria Osteen told her that she did not want to deal with Brown or the other African-American flight attendant during the trip. But the 12 jurors didn’t buy the story, perhaps agreeing more with Victoria Osteen’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, who characterized the charges as nothing more than a money-grab. “I’m glad it’s over,” Victoria Osteen said afterward. “I expected it because it’s the truth and I know the truth always stands firm.” Brown expressed disappointment. “We gave the truth to the jury,” she said. “We are happy we had an opportunity to try our case.” Victoria and Joel Osteen co-pastor the Lakewood Church in Houston, which draws 42,000 each week at a football stadium.

Jamie Foxx says talk show queen helped refine him

Even though the new reality show he helped conceive is just “Flavor of Love: Charm School” with a new name, Jamie Foxx says it was inspired by personal experience. Foxx’s friend Oprah Winfrey helped groom the Oscar-winner before he started producing “From G’s to Gents,” which debuted on MTV last week. “Oprah Winfrey said, ‘Before they give the Oscar out, there’s a certain way you have to campaign and carry yourself,’” Foxx recalls. “Being a comedian, (I was) sort of looking at everything as like, ‘Oh, it’s a joke,’ and she said, ‘No, you really need to take it seriously,’ and she took me and introduced me to Sidney Poitier and all these other different actors. I had to change.” Foxx won the Oscar for his portrayal of singer Ray Charles in Ray.

Kanye West, Wyclef will perform in support of Obama

Rapper Kanye West and singer Wyclef Jean will join N.E.R.D. at the 2008 Democratic Convention to perform in support of Barack Obama. West reportedly appears on behalf of singer Bono’s One Campaign, while Jean and N.E.R.D. will co-headline a party thrown by MTV’s popular “Rock the Vote” effort. The convention will begin Aug. 25 in Denver, ending in the party’s historic nomination of the first Black presidential candidate three days later.

Soul singer’s estate auction generates less cash than expected.

A projected $1 million to $2 million payday from the late James Brown’s estate auction has landed only $857,688. Brown, who died on Christmas of 2006, owed significant tax debts for his home. The legendary singer’s offspring complains that the valuables, including clothes Brown wore and hair grooming items, should’ve been kept from auction. Adult children of the late singer hoped to create a museum for the Godfather of Soul.

Star-studded line-up in Africa runs short on stars

Music and fashion celebrities including local performers, Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford, were slated to appear at last week’s “ThisDay Music and Fashion Festival” to help bring attention to Nigeria’s tourism industry. But only Rihanna, Jay-Z and Usher performed at the first night of the event, despite fans having paid as much as $508 per ticket for a star-studded line-up. Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown and rapper Fat Joe appeared before the event’s conclusion.

Laurence Fishburne could join the cast of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”

The man who played such popular film characters as The Matrix’s Morpheus and Boyz N the Hood’s Furious Styles could soon become a TV crime investigator. Laurence Fishburne is a front-runner, along with John Malkovich, for a role on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Fishburne could replace William Petersen, who’s set to leave the show this season.

Coolio helps youth understand the environment
Grammy-winning rapper Coolio has joined the Environmental Justice and Climate Change organization, helping to raise awareness of global warming among HBCU students. Teaming up with jazz saxophonist Jarez, the West Coast performer will be a part of a sustained campaign to increase stewardship in the Black community. The campaign’s focus is on recruiting a “diverse group of African American youth in the fight for climate justice,” a spokesman says.

The Godfather of Soul’s valuables will go to an auction tomorrow Christie’s auction house is set to put the late singer James Brown’s red jump suit, sofa, hair curlers and grooming products up for bid to settle his estate debts. A South Carolina court has ruled that the auction can proceed tomorrow, and it will include 350 items. Photos and awards that belonged to the star entertainer are expected to help raise between a half-million and $1 million dollars. The auction was delayed last week by heirs of the singer, who claim that his will was not valid.

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James Brown Auction/This Day Festival