As expected, Lauryn Hill will soon be behind bars. After pleading guilty last year for failing to pay about $1 million in taxes, the Grammy-winning singer was sentenced to three months in prison  (Monday), plus an additional three months confined to her home.

According to the Associated Press, Hill did have intentions of paying her overdue taxes, but wasn't able to during the time she dropped out of the music business. "I needed to be able to earn so I could pay my taxes, without compromising the health and welfare of my children, and I was being denied that," she explained to the judge.

So far she's payed $970,000 to satisfy the state and federal tax liabilities. It remains to be seen when and where she'd report to prison.

Let the rumors begin: Only days after Beyonce gave an interview expressing a keen desire in adding to her family, the Queen B makes a public appearance with a “baby bump.” Or at least that’s what the tabloids are calling the latest hint of pooch on Beyonce.

The singer told Good Morning America that she and Jay-Z are planning on a larger family. “I would like more children. I think my daughter, Blue Ivy, needs company. I definitely love being a big sister.”      

Source: USA Today

MY 2 CENTS:

• Beyonce appeared at the MET Gala last night with enough belly for gossipers to claim it's a baby-bump.
• Could her pregnancy have anything connection to Beyonce's rejection of photographers at her concert?
• Baby bump speculation is usually a false alarm, and a great excuse to "fat shame" the skinniest of celebs.

Rihanna isn't getting any love from fans in Boston -- after she showed up three hours late for her show and bailed after performing for only an hour.

According to Britain's Daily Mirror, RiRi couldn't pull herself away from last night's (Monday) playoff game between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat, so ticket-holders had to wait around for hours. The wait was made worse because opener A$AP Rocky couldn't make it to the show, which had been re-scheduled after Rihanna canceled the last time around

Fans -- or former fans -- made their opinions clear in tweets like:

• @rihanna 2-3 hrs late for your show in Boston, huh??! #disrespectful
• #noexcuse Basketball was more important huh?? Don't come back."
• "@rihanna...was three hours late and did a joke of a show!"
• "Thank you, @rihanna, for playing an hour-long concert and lip syncing the whole thing. I'm glad you 'balled out' for Boston."

MY 2 CENTS:

• RiRi doesn't give a damn about the clock -- or the people she's jerking around.
• Maybe fans just need to learn to live on Rihanna time. The alternative is not seeing her at all.
• It's obvious that "Unapologetic" is more than just an album title.
• Can you say "time to pay out some refunds"?

Did Naughty by Nature's Treach just kick Vinnie out of the group via Twitter?

It sure looks that way after Treach sent out the following tweet: "Vinnie from Naughty by Nature is officially fired! Anything he does besides shows til Sept is frugazy! [Eff] him and the ground he walks! Anybody that [messes] with that bitch ass [N-Word] don't'[mess] with me!"

Vinnie struck a more philosophical tone on Instagram, quoting the Native American warrior Sitting Bull: "Warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights, because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices himself for the good of others."

MY 2 CENTS:

• It's sad to see OGs in the game fighting on Twitter. First Mobb Deep, now this.
• Vinnie better hope Treach doesn't give him the Pepa treatment.
• These guys need to understand that no matter what their personal differences, they need to stay on the same page for that tour money.

Ja Rule is a free man -- sort of.

He was released today (Tuesday) from a New York jail, where he'd been serving a two-year sentence for gun possession and tax evasion. According to TMZ, his wife picked him up at 10 a.m. and drove straight home, where he'll remain on home confinement until July 28th.

Ja was originally set to be released in July, but got out more than a month early. 

MY 2 CENTS:

• See fellas -- your boys can talk a good game, but it's your wife who's gonna be there at the end of your bid.
• Maybe Irv Gotti was busy. Ashanti too.
• Unfortunately, Ja is past his prime now. It's going to be tough for him to get back into the game.

Lauryn Hill has penned an open letter addressing her decision to sign a new label deal with Sony.

After confirming the deal and stating that she's already working on a new album, she says the decision was difficult, since for 10 years she's been "fighting for existential and economic freedom, which means the freedom to create and live without someone threatening, controlling, and/or manipulating the art and the artist, by tying the purse strings."

Hill adds that she's actually seen a "fraction" of the money generated by the 50 million albums she's sold worldwide and seems to suggest that Sony is at fault for her current tax situation. "Only a completely complicated set of traps, manipulations and inequitable business arrangements could put someone who has accomplished the things that I have, financially in need of anything. I am one artist who finds value in openly discussing the dynamics within this industry that force artists to compromise or distort themselves and what they do, rather than allowing them to make the music that people need. There are volumes that could (and will) be said."

Hill was rumored to have received $1 million in the deal, which she has to pay to the IRS in the next two weeks or potentially go to jail for tax evasion. 

my2cents:

• This is a long-winded way of saying she doesn't want to do a new deal, but doesn't want to go to jail either. 
• While Sony probably does owe her more money, it's hard to argue that's the reason she hasn't paid her taxes.
• Don't expect to be hearing this new album anytime soon.