Usher’s ex-wife Tameka Foster recently sat down with S2S Magazine and spoke about her life after Usher, her run-ins with his mom and how black women hated her the most. Here’s an excerpt from the interview: On falling in love with Usher: “At that time I would say he was my best friend. I’m a regular woman that happened to fall in love with an artist. Actually, I didn’t fall in love with an artist; I fell in love with a man. We were both going through kind of a tumultuous time in our relationships. I was getting ready to go through a divorce, separating from my first husband. He had broken up with his girlfriend. He had been in a long-term relationship with someone that he really cared about. And I guess we leaned on each other”. On the bashing her marriage to Usher received on blogs: “It’s a sad scenario because the lack of support that we received was from the Black women. Only the ignorant people are the loud one and are the ones bashing on blogs and talking and writing up terrible stories and false reports and all of that. That’s ignorance. People with sense,they’re busy”. On Usher’s romance with Grace Miguel: “I’ve heard it, of course. I’ve never seen it so I don’t know. It doesn’t make me feel any kind of way because he’s not my husband anymore.” Usher & Tameka Foster Sex Tape For Sale? Tameka Foster Calls Usher’s New Girlfriend A B***h! Tameka Foster STILL Tweeting About Her Failed Marriage
Nate Dogg‘s death seemingly came out of nowhere, though the singer had previously suffered strokes in 2007 and 2009. Nate’s friend and manager, Rod McGrew, says that the family believes the strokes led to his early death. McGrew tells TMZ that Nate Dogg had made significant progress in recovering from the two strokes. According to McGrew … Nate was “95% recovered from the first stroke in 2007″ … when the second stroke occurred in 2008 … leaving Nate partially paralyzed and causing partial memory loss. But McGrew says Nate had “cognitively fully recovered” — meaning he got his memory back and was fully alert and aware all the way up to his final days. McGrew just released a statement on behalf of himself and Nate’s family … saying, “We appreciate the enormous outpouring of response from all over the world. We greatly appreciate that and thank everyone for their prayers and support.” RELATED: Nate Dogg Dead At 41 RELATED: Celebs Reflect On The Death Of Nate Dogg RELATED: Top 10 Nate Dogg Guest Appearances
Nate Dogg‘s death seemingly came out of nowhere, though the singer had previously suffered strokes in 2007 and 2009. Nate’s friend and manager, Rod McGrew, says that the family believes the strokes led to his early death. McGrew tells TMZ that Nate Dogg had made significant progress in recovering from the two strokes. According to McGrew … Nate was “95% recovered from the first stroke in 2007″ … when the second stroke occurred in 2008 … leaving Nate partially paralyzed and causing partial memory loss. But McGrew says Nate had “cognitively fully recovered” — meaning he got his memory back and was fully alert and aware all the way up to his final days. McGrew just released a statement on behalf of himself and Nate’s family … saying, “We appreciate the enormous outpouring of response from all over the world. We greatly appreciate that and thank everyone for their prayers and support.” RELATED: Nate Dogg Dead At 41 RELATED: Celebs Reflect On The Death Of Nate Dogg RELATED: Top 10 Nate Dogg Guest Appearances
Bassist showcases his new ‘poptimistic’ project on Wednesday night. By James Montgomery The Black Cards perform at SXSW on Wednesday Photo: Daniel Boczarski/ Getty Images AUSTIN, Texas — Is it possible that Pete Wentz is really a poptimist? Despite his dark bangs and Black Cloud missives, his best Fall Out Boy songs were always, at their very core, spiky slabs of pure pop. And no matter what may be going on in his personal life these days, his new project Black Cards seems to be solely focused around the idea of optimism. So yes, perhaps he has been — and always will be — a poptimist at heart. And that much was certainly clear during the Cards’ Wednesday night performance at South by Southwest, a 45-minute set that was as heavy on sparkly synths and bubbly dub as it was on, well, pure poptimism. Wentz even said as much himself, telling the crowd that his new mission is to “broadcast sunshine,” and that “sometimes it’s good to have summer all the time.” He declared, “It’s good to be onstage and see people smiling,” slapped high fives with strangers, and closed the set by inviting everyone in Austin club Maggie Mae’s to join him and his bandmates onstage for an impromptu dance party. And in keeping with the spirit of the night, nearly everyone in the place obliged. And in between the sunshine and the smiling, Wentz spent the majority of the Black Cards’ set pogoing around the stage, thumbing out wobbly, delirious bass lines, and generally looking happier than he has in years. In fact, he seemed perfectly content to let someone else have the spotlight — the fans, his friends in the audience (most of whom received shout-outs) and, of course, frontwoman Bebe Rexha, who was more than willing to accept. All hips and lips and breathy exclamations, Rexha quickly proved to be the perfect foil for Wentz, whether she was getting low during the Cards’ dubbier, clubbier numbers (“Dirty Little Fingerprints,” “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Fame”), vamping it up (on upcoming single “Summer Nights,” when she removed a pair of handcuffs from her belt, snapped them on the wrist of a fan and then serenaded him in sultry fashion), or just plain old belting it out (on a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy”). Patrick Stump she most certainly isn’t, and perhaps that’s for the best. Because, really, the Black Cards’ SXSW set wasn’t about Pete Wentz’s past so much as it was about his future. With his new project, he not only appears to be having a blast, he just may have stumbled onto something big. By combining dub, a touch of rock-steady and a whole lot of pop, he’s uncovered a recipe for something new … for him, for his fans, for everybody. “Summer Nights” seems destined to be a radio staple, “Dominos” is a starry burst of synths and bass, and performance-closing “A Club Called Heaven” probably would’ve gotten the fans dancing onstage even if Wentz hadn’t invited them to. It was, in short, poptimism, pure and simple. Not exactly new, not entirely old, with Black Cards, Pete Wentz may very well end up proving the old adage correct: Optimists are nostalgic about the future. Related Photos 2011 SXSW Music Festival Related Artists Black Cards
‘We’re only able to be seen through the microscope of the media,’ the singer tells UsMagazine.com regarding her recent tabloid coverage. By Jocelyn Vena Christina Aguilera Photo: Ronald Martinez/ Getty Images While the year started off a little shaky for Christina Aguilera, a new gig as one of the judges on NBC’s upcoming TV talent competition “The Voice” may prove to be the career turnaround that the pop singer is looking for. And in a new interview, she admits that it’s not always easy having every move you make scrutinized by the public. “We’re only able to be seen through the microscope of the media and what people gossip about,” she tells UsMagazine.com “You take the good with the bad. It’s by telling our stories, sharing our experiences and really giving a firsthand look at us as human beings [that shows] who we really are apart from what we seem to be.” Aguilera, known for her own vocal pyrotechnics, admits that she doesn’t want potential contestants to come to the show hoping they can win by mimicking her signature style. “I am ready to share it all so I’m really excited,” she said. “I hope we can find the next biggest thing. But I’m not looking for vocal acrobatics. I really sincerely want to be moved by raw talent.” Aguilera will be joined on the “Voice” panel by Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, “F— You” singer Cee Lo Green and country star Blake Shelton. She recently explained during a press event promoting the program that she and her fellow judges hope to bring positive reinforcement and not be too cruel to those trying out for the show, which premieres on April 26. “This isn’t about tearing people down. I want to bring these people up,” Aguilera maintained. “‘The Voice’ really does stand for what it says. Instinctually, you can judge people based on the way they look. I love the fact we get to sit here with our backs turned away from these people and completely use just one sense to hear these voices. I’m not looking for vocal acrobatics, who has biggest range [of] high and low. I’m looking forward to getting moved.” Are you excited to see Christina on “The Voice”? Tell us in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera Related Artists Christina Aguilera
‘We’re only able to be seen through the microscope of the media,’ the singer tells UsMagazine.com regarding her recent tabloid coverage. By Jocelyn Vena Christina Aguilera Photo: Ronald Martinez/ Getty Images While the year started off a little shaky for Christina Aguilera, a new gig as one of the judges on NBC’s upcoming TV talent competition “The Voice” may prove to be the career turnaround that the pop singer is looking for. And in a new interview, she admits that it’s not always easy having every move you make scrutinized by the public. “We’re only able to be seen through the microscope of the media and what people gossip about,” she tells UsMagazine.com “You take the good with the bad. It’s by telling our stories, sharing our experiences and really giving a firsthand look at us as human beings [that shows] who we really are apart from what we seem to be.” Aguilera, known for her own vocal pyrotechnics, admits that she doesn’t want potential contestants to come to the show hoping they can win by mimicking her signature style. “I am ready to share it all so I’m really excited,” she said. “I hope we can find the next biggest thing. But I’m not looking for vocal acrobatics. I really sincerely want to be moved by raw talent.” Aguilera will be joined on the “Voice” panel by Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, “F— You” singer Cee Lo Green and country star Blake Shelton. She recently explained during a press event promoting the program that she and her fellow judges hope to bring positive reinforcement and not be too cruel to those trying out for the show, which premieres on April 26. “This isn’t about tearing people down. I want to bring these people up,” Aguilera maintained. “‘The Voice’ really does stand for what it says. Instinctually, you can judge people based on the way they look. I love the fact we get to sit here with our backs turned away from these people and completely use just one sense to hear these voices. I’m not looking for vocal acrobatics, who has biggest range [of] high and low. I’m looking forward to getting moved.” Are you excited to see Christina on “The Voice”? Tell us in the comments. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Christina Aguilera Related Artists Christina Aguilera
I’m blushing. So responded Selena Gomez on The Late Show last night, as David Letterman peppered her with questions about Justin Bieber. After showing the singer a photo of herself and the Biebs at a Vanity Fair Oscars party in February , he asked Selena how long she’s known Justin (two years), how they met (his manager called her mom/manager) and whether or not the duo are dating. Selena’s unclear reply? “He’s been in my life for so long, and it’s just nice to have someone that understands what you’re going through.” Selena Gomez on The Late Show: Avoiding Bieber… Gomez and Bieber are absolutely entitled to their privacy, but consider the lesson of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart : it might be best to just admit to a relationship and end the speculation once and for all. Otherwise, the young stars will continue to be asked about their status and will be forced to come up with awkward answers that pretty much confirm it anyway.
Lauren Alaina, Casey Abrams and Scotty McCreery also get great notes from the judges singing songs from their birth years. By Gil Kaufman “American Idol” top 12 Photo: FOX It was an evening of surprises on “American Idol” Wednesday night (March 16). From the first song by grunge icons Nirvana to a show-closing gospel throw-down on a tune by Heart, leading contenders Pia Toscano, Jacob Lusk and Casey Abrams continued their winning ways, while teen Lauren Alaina appeared to get back in the groove after an off week. The theme this week was songs from the year you were born, and first up was Naima Adedapo, who worked up Tina Turner’s comeback hit “What’s Love Got to do With It.” Slinking down the steps in one of her signature colorful getups, Adedapo struggled a bit to find the melody over the rocked-up, percussive track produced by Rodney Jerkins. The performance had plenty of attitude but failed to really show off Naima’s range. In his first attempt at live feedback , Steven Tyler blasted off, whooping it up and telling the singer she had a “sorcerer’s grasp for melody.” Jennifer Lopez admitted that she gave Naima a pass last week on her pitchiness, but said she was starting to worry it was not a one-time thing and encouraged Adedapo to kick it up a notch. Randy Jackson agreed, saying it was just kind of a mess and all over the place. Another 1984 baby, bearded rocker Paul McDonald , went with Elton John’s subtle ballad “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.” Sounding even more hoarse than usual, McDonald tried to get the crowd behind him while he did his rag-doll dance and croaked his way through a bland version of the song, always seemingly half a beat behind the tempo. Lopez could sense Paul’s struggle with a cold, but said his star quality overwhelmed it, though Randy was not as charitable, saying Paul was pitchy but still found a way to put his unique spin on the song. “But get the notes right!” Randy added, as Steven opined that McD defines “a cool dude in a loose mood.” Thia Megia is one of the babies of the bunch, born in 1995, the same year the Disney movie “Pocahontas” was released, featuring “Colors of the Wind” by Vanessa Williams. Backed by a gently plucked acoustic guitar and a string quartet, Megia came off a bit pageanty with her long, golden dress as she sang the song’s corny lyrics, but once again her vocals were incredibly clear and precise for someone her age. For Randy, the singing was just OK, but his real problem was the predictable, safe nature of her song choices from week to week. Though he praised her vocals, Steven wondered, “Is that song who you think you are?” Resident rocker James Durbin , born in 1989, went with Bon Jovi’s “I’ll Be There for You,” not exactly the Jersey band’s most notable hit. Doing his best Axl Rose-meets-Jon Bon snarl, Durbin worked the stage like an arena-rock veteran, swinging his mic stand, leaning in for some shoulder-to-shoulder with the guitar player, doling out audience high-fives and ending it all with a rock jump and what host Ryan Seacrest referred to as “JV pyro.” You knew Tyler was gonna dig it. “I got leftover sandwiches under my bed older than that, how do you do that?” he marveled at Durbin’s young talent, while warning him to avoid getting too poppy. Jennifer said a great performer makes you want to sing along with them, and she said JD is definitely one of those singers. Haley Reinhart was born in 1990 into a musical family, and she paid homage by getting back in her R&B groove with a swing at “I’m Your Baby Tonight” by Whitney Houston. Producer Ron Fair’s funked-up, new-wave arrangement seemed to throw her at first, but then Haley laid into a Christina Aguilera-like groove, growling and emoting her way through the song, which fit her style way better than last week’s detour into country territory. In what is emerging as her signature sweet putdown, J.Lo told Haley she looked beautiful and has a beautiful voice but that she seems tense and unsure onstage. “Do what you feel, don’t force anything, do what comes naturally,” she counseled. Jackson said Haley’s hopscotching from style to style is making it hard to pin her musical personality down. Stefano Langone (1989) was right in the pocket with Simply Red’s soul-stirring “If You Don’t Know Me by Now.” He confidently sang the goopy ballad as if working the crowd at a wedding (or office karaoke party), showing off the range, emotion and vocal clarity that earned him a wild-card berth. “The best performance of the night so far!” Randy raved, handing out an Olympic-gymnastics-style 10-10-10 rating. Steven loved the phrasing, and Lopez said it was the perfect song choice that could win him the whole thing — as long as he locked eyes with her a bit more while he performed. After emerging as a potential winner a few weeks ago, Pia Toscano (1988) also knows what works, which is why she chose Houston’s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” Working her magic over the thumping disco-lite track, Toscano gave it her glitter-ball best, tossing up emotion and solid vocals but falling a bit short in the stagecraft department. “You are why this show is called ‘American Idol,’ ” Tyler said, clearly impressed with Pia despite what he referred to as a “retro” arrangement. Jennifer was psyched to hear PT try out an uptempo song for once, and Randy put the other 11 singers on notice that Toscano is in it to win it. Bullfrog-voiced country crooner Scotty McCreery (1993) stayed firmly in his lane with Travis Tritt’s “Can I Trust You With My Heart.” He was, once again, spot-on, coming off as a seasoned country veteran with all the right shading and phrasing to deliver the song’s emotion. But you have to wonder: How many weeks can he essentially do the same thing and still advance? It felt to Lopez like he pushed his vocal range out a bit more with this song, and the panel agreed that he’d shown enough growth to justify another week in the game. Born in 1989, Karen Rodriguez went diva with Taylor Dayne’s other hit, “Love Will Lead You Back.” Wearing a kind of “Austin Powers” silver space miniskirt, Rodriguez had passion and again threw in some Spanish lyrics, but in the words of ex-judge Simon Cowell, it all felt a bit louche hotel lounge. It started rough for Randy, who said it was better than last week but still not all that. Jennifer sensed some fear at first, but praised Rodriguez for sticking to her guns and attacking the song. “If you are nervous about certain notes, don’t go there,” she said. “As a professional, you never have to. Never expose your weaknesses; play to your strengths.” After a second trip this season to the hospital , unlikely hirsute sex symbol Casey Abrams (1991) notched a couple of milestones on Wednesday night when he played electric bass while performing the first-ever song by grunge gods Nirvana on the show. He transformed the nearly untouchable “Smells Like Teen Spirit” into a dark-funk rave-up, busting out his best crazy eyes and screeching and screaming a bit more than usual, while putting lots of energy into the bizarre, horn-laden cover of the modern-rock classic. “You’re so crazy and you’re so talented,” said Tyler, who knows of what he speaks. “That’s the goop that great stuff is made of, and you got it.” Randy said he appreciated Abrams’ willingness to take risks and put art before commerce and always switch things up. The other 16-year-old finalist, Lauren Alaina (1994), was also battling the flu and a poor performance last week. She dug into “I’m the Only One” by Melissa Etheridge, putting some of her deep-voiced country sass on the tune and putting up some powerful, nuanced vocals, despite her illness. After singing along during the performance, Lopez gave Alaina props for sticking to the frame of the song while putting her own imprint on it, and Randy said if that’s how she sounds with a cold, she should have one every week. The final slot of the night belonged to Jacob Lusk (1987), who went way off the path by choosing the ballad “Alone” by female rock duo Heart. After a tentative opening, he exploded into the chorus, throwing down his gospel power and vibrato into the tune, which got a bit frantic at times but definitely highlighted his intensity. Randy appreciated the attempt to step out of his comfort zone, even if the vocals went a bit wobbly in the middle and nodded to Jacob’s decision to go subtle instead of bombastic at the end. The show opened with Tyler, Lopez and Jackson announcing that proceeds from the sale of the second weekly “Idol” download album would go to the Red Cross’ efforts to help the people of Japan in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami . Thursday night’s results show will feature the return of last year’s winner, Lee DeWyze, who will be on hand to sing his new single, “Beautiful Like You,” along with the Black Eyed Peas, who will perform their latest, “Just Can’t Get Enough.” Who did you think killed it Wednesday night? Let us know in comments below! Don’t miss “Idol Party Live” every Thursday on MTV.com, following the “American Idol” results show, for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season 10 Performances
Recent photos show the singer LeAnn Rimes, who is known for being in great shape, looking particularly slim. Referring to pictures of herself wearing leg-baring jeans shorts and an off-the-shoulder top as a “joke” and blasting the “judging” and “evil comments” that followed the photos#39; publication, Rimes also writes in response to a follower, “OVER It is right! I know how healthy I am, so really that#39;s all that matters.” LeAnn Rimes has a message for anyone judging her thin physique: “I a
‘I wanted to show you guys that I will never forget the support that you guys gave me,’ Disney star tells her fans. By Jocelyn Vena Demi Lovato Photo: Jason LaVeris/ WireImage In late October, Disney star Demi Lovato quit Twitter. Shortly after that, she entered a treatment facility to deal with personal issues. And after checking out of the center in January, Lovato has made strides towards her comeback. On Tuesday, Lovato reactivated her Twitter account @ddlovato . Her first tweet said simply, “Guess who’s baaaaaaaack…!!!!!!!” From there she went on a Twitter spree, getting support from the likes of Perez Hilton and Kim Kardashian in addition to her legions of dedicated fans. “I love you guys SO MUCH … this support is UNBELIEVABLE!! I’m tearing up I’m so thankful,” she wrote. “Achievement comes to those who are willing to walk as far as it takes till you get to what few have. Stay strong,” she added. Earlier on Tuesday, Lovato tweeted from her sister Dallas’ account. “Thinking of my fans … Oh how I MISSED YOU!!!!!! BUT I’M SO EXCITED I’M BACK!!!!!!! Hahahhaha,” she wrote, with her sister adding, “Yes I’ve been hacked by Demi. She just wanted 2 make u guys smile. Hahahha.” Lovato also shared with fans her new ink, which she said she got as a thank-you to them for sticking by her side during what she previously described as “the darkest time of my life.” “The journey that I went through and the support of my fans was so meaningful to me that I wanted to thank my fans in a way that I know can never be forgotten,” the singer said in a video posted on Cambio . “So I went ahead and I got a little heart tattoo on my wrist.” “It’s something that my fans were actually drawing on their wrists while I was still in treatment. Some people even got tattoos of it, so I wanted to show you guys that I will never forget the support that you guys gave me,” Lovato said. Related Photos The Evolution Of: Demi Lovato Related Artists Demi Lovato
