Day26 Talks Reality
Day26 members sit down with BET.com to talk about their financial difficulties, the new album and the hit that they missed out on. Click.

Xzibit In Tax Trouble?
Xzibit becomes the latest celebrity that is dealing with some problems with the IRS. More here.

Oprah Warns Rihanna
Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump both disapprove of Rihanna running back to Chris Brown. Trump says she would be a “loser.” Here’s more.

Ex-Bad Boy Airs Out Diddy
Ex-Bad Boy artist Mark Curry talks to BET.com about his book, Diddy and his time spent at Bad Boy.  Check it.

New Releases
This week’s releases features The Dream and J. Holiday – a double dose of R&B. Click for the releases.

Xzibit addresses his interview where he talks about Diddy taking him to a gay club years ago. Read on.

Relative Weighs In On Rihanna Ordeal
As the Chris Brown and Rihanna saga continues, more and more people close to the couple are sharing their thoughts on the situation. Click for more.

On The Charts
Taylor Swift reclaims the top slot as new albums jockey for position in the top ten. Read on.

 
Diddy Heads to Paris On Sixth Album
Diddy’s sixth studio will take listeners on the “Last Train To Paris” and introduce them to what he calls “Train Music.” Here’s more.

Ten Gs in bling stolen from Latifah. Authorities on the island of Tobago are investigating the theft of about $10,000 in jewelry from actress Queen Latifah this week. “Big Tif” was looking forward to chilling in her luxury villa at the $1,000-a-night rental with a companion when burglars got her for a bracelet, three rings and a gold chain. The Queen had stepped out to attend a brunch held in her honor after she’d reportedly checked into the villa under the name of “Cynthia Hadden.” “Several searches are being carried out and the police are trying to have the jewelry returned to Queen Latifah,” a police spokesman told Trinidad and Tobago’s Newsday. “Investigators said the larceny seems to be an inside job and efforts are being made round the clock to make a breakthrough.”

Diddy says he’ll attend Obama inaugural. Among the many celebrities rumored to be attending Barack Obama’s inauguration as the first Black president this month, Sean “Diddy” Combs is the latest confirmed. Combs’ reps tell TMZ.com rumors that he was begging and pleading for tickets to the historic event are false: “The story is ridiculous and untrue. Diddy was offered tickets by the Obama inaugural committee because of his work on the campaign trail with Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and (record exec) Kevin Liles. He never asked for tickets and he was never asked to pay for them.” Diddy adds, “I am very grateful to be a part of this moment in history. I’ll see ya’ll at the inauguration.” Maybe so. But then again, Diddy’s the same guy who claimed to be flying commercial to save fuel expenses on his personal jet.

Be heard at the ballot box and cast your vote today.  Today is Election Day, and regardless of the results, this will go down as one of the most significant days in American history.  On Monday night hip-hop celebs held a “Get out the Vote” rally at Mayme Moore Park in Columbus, Ohio’s King Arts Complex.  Rapper Jay-Z, Mary J. Blidge and P. Diddy Combs were on hand to spur voters to the polls. Read more at Pamela on Politics.

Stan Lee ponders casting for Captain America. Marvel comics genius Stan Lee could bring a darker shade of superhero to the film screen in 2011 – depending on what happens in November 2008. Lee has been discussing a Captain America feature film, based on the shield-tossing character of the same name, and with actor Matthew McConaughey in the lead role. But a certain outcome to the upcoming presidential election could influence his casting choice, Lee tells Moviefone: “I would love (for) us to do something with Will Smith. It would be a real leap to make Captain America Black…then again, I don’t know. It might be a really smart thing. If Barack Obama becomes president, who knows…suddenly a lot of our characters will be Black!”

White Party guest wanted $3 million from Diddy, gets zero. A high-post hedge fund manager who hoped to heap $3 million into her handbag has had it. Maria Dominguez sued rap label boss Sean “Diddy” Combs after photos of her dressed as a mermaid at Diddy’s annual White Party surfaced in Vibe magazine. Dominguez, whose breasts were covered only by Lil Kim-style pasties, claimed the less-than-professional exposure caused her “mental strain and distress” and caused her to lose business. But a judge supported the arguments of Combs’ lawyers – essentially, that a rap star’s celebrity bash is no place to expect privacy when you show up dressed like a mermaid and with most of your breasts exposed. Get more at Entertainment Spotlight.

Why you gotta lie, Diddy?

 Score one for all the haters. If you were disgusted by Sean “Diddy” Combs complaining on video that he couldn’t afford to keep using his private jet because of gas prices, fret no more: Diddy lied. Federal Aviation Administration records show no aircraft registered to the Didster, Bad Boy Records or any of his other companies. The Palm Beach Post reports that, instead, Combs’ reps admit that he’s just one of thousands of wealthy travelers who use the services of NetJet, a company that sells air-travel hours. So when you see “your boy” Diddy making the supreme sacrifice he announced by sitting in commercial first-class, be sure to point and laugh at him – as you make your way to the coach section.

BET News Quiz – Louisiana teen is sentenced for showing off nooses, Diddy is set to come out with new fragrances and the Williams sisters shine in Beijing. Take the quiz here!

Worked with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin

The man who helped make Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett soul music legends has died at age 91. Wexler, who helped produce hits including Franklin’s “Respect” and many other notable tunes by seminal Black recording artists, passed away last week at his Florida home. Richard Schiff portrays Wexler in the 2004 feature film Ray, starring Jamie Foxx.

Disney wants Spike Lee to shut up

Execs backing a forthcoming Spike Lee flick agree with Clint Eastwood that Lee should “shut his mouth.” Lee recently called out Eastwood for the lack of Black actors in two of Eastwood’s war movies, in an obvious attempt to draw attention to Lee’s forthcoming Miracle at St. Anna, a film about Black soldiers in Europe during World War II. Eastwood dissed Lee in return, before Lee called him “an angry old man.” But Disney’s afraid that Miracle at St. Anna, starring actor Michael Ealy, could possibly lose recognition, Lee tells Entertainment Weekly. “I get the thing, ‘Well Mr. Eastwood is so well-beloved,’ and this may have ramifications at Academy time,’” Lee says. “But it’s over. I said what I had to say. He believes what he believes. And that’s that.”

Diddy drops two new fragrances. After succeeding with Unforgivable – aided by the controversy over a sexually suggestive commercial – Diddy’s back with more in the fragrance department. The I Am King cologne has been announced as Sean John’s next product. I Am Queen will follow as the fragrance for women – or for men who want to smell, well…different. Macy’s will begin selling the new cologne in December, just in time for Christmas. New reality show, new colognes and new money – what a combination.