MELANIE FIONA: Adam Rodriguez the Cause of Heartbreak?

CSI: Miami's Adam Rodriguez is reportedly the subject of a slew of broken-hearted cuts on Melanie Fiona's upcoming album, The MF Life. The pair dated seriously -- but below the radar -- for three years before breaking up just a month ago, and that allegedly prompted Fiona's recent move from L.A. to New York.

A rep from Rodriguez's camp has confirmed the split with the New York Post, but says the songs came well before the amicable split -- and that the two are still friends. --


 




 

USHER: Giving Tameka $50,000...So She Can Sue Him?

Tameka Raymond has requested that Usher fork over $50,000 to cover her legal expenses in her lawsuit again him -- and Ush is not happy about it. The singer claims he has already spent over $25,000 for her attorneys in their ongoing custody battle, and that this new request is absurd. According to TMZ, the judge has yet to make a decision on whether he will have to pay up or not.

JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST: "Otis" Maybach Sold For Charity

The chopped up Maybach from Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Otis" video is now off the market -- after being sold in less than five minutes at a charity auction. The car was sold for $60,000, and was presented as a work of art rather than an operational vehicle. Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit Save the Children's efforts to feed and support children in Africa.

Source: PhillipsdePury.com

JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST: Settle Legal Dispute

Jay-Z and Kanye West have settled their dispute of a sample used on "The Joy" on their Watch the Throne album. Syl Johnson sued the duo last October, claiming that they used pieces of his song "Different Strokes" without his permission, but the case was now dismissed because they've reached an agreement out of court. Details on the arrangement have been kept private.

Soruce: TMZ

JAY-Z: To Headline Free Concert in the UK
Jay-Z will be treating his U.K. fans to a free concert this summer as he headlines Radio One's Hackney Weekend. The June 24th show in London is expected to draw more than 100,000 fans and will also feature performances from Leona Lewis, Flo Rida, will.i.am and over 100 other artists. --Christina Isaacs

Source: AllHipHop.com

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Jay-Z just booked a big festival show in the U.K. What's the farthest you've ever traveled for a concert?

ASHANTI: Her Heart Will Go On
Ashanti will break a long silence next month with the release of her fifth studio album, Braveheart. The lead single, "The Woman You Love," features Busta Rhymes, and R. Kelly and Keyshia Cole turn in cameo appearances. Braveheart is set to drop on April 17th. --Deb Sprague

KENDRICK LAMAR: Officially Signed to Aftermath/Interscope
Kendrick Lamar is officially signed to Aftermath-Interscope Records now that his old label, Top Dawg Entertainment, has merged with Interscope.

Kendrick's untitled album will be jointly released through Top Dawg-Aftermath and Interscope, but all future releases from him or his group, Black Hippy, will be distributed by Top Dawg and Interscope.

Kendrick will be performing at the South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, Texas next week, alongside fellow XXL Freshmen Future, Danny Brown and Hopsin. --Christina Isaacs

Source: Vibe.com

BOBBI KRISTINA WANTS NAME CHANGE, CAN STILL HEAR HER MOM'S VOICE

Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina wants to change her name "because of its association with her father Bobby Brown."

TMZ says she wanted to switch to Kristina Houston when her parents first split, in 2006, but her mother didn't allow it at the time.

Now the 19-year-old is rushing to make the swap and is doing so with a "sober mind," according to the gossip blog.

In an interview that aired last night on OWN, Bobbi Kristina said it hurts too much to listen to her mother's music, but she can "still hear" the late singer's voice. She told Oprah, "Lights turn on and off, and I'm like, 'Mom, what are you doing

CLASS CLOWN: Father Makes Son Pay for Three F's

Michael Bell Sr. had enough of his son's bad grades and behavior in school, so he took an extreme measure -- he made his son, Michael Bell Jr., stand on the corner of a busy South Florida intersection over the weekend wearing a sign highlighting his academic lowlights.

The front of the sign reads, "Hey, I want to be a class clown. Is it wrong?" the back says, "I'm in the seventh grade and got three F's. Blow your horn if there's something wrong with that."

Michael Jr. heard plenty of honking horns. His latest report card, which arrived just days before spring break, had him failing civics, language arts and math. So now, Michael Jr. will be spending his entire spring break wearing the sign to shame him into improving his grades and behavior at school.

Source: WSVN

For Facebook and Twitter: Dad forces kid in Florida to stand on corner with sign because of bad grades. #GoodParenting or #CruelAndUnusualPunishment?