Kanye West sentenced to community service
A Los Angeles judge Friday sentenced Kanye West and his manager to community service in connection with an altercation involving a photographer.
According to the Associated Press, the attorney told the court West would volunteer at the American Red Cross. In return, all misdemeanor charges will be dismissed against West.
The altercation stems from an incident that occurred at a Los Angeles airport Sept. 2008.
West and his manager Don Crawley were caught on tape taking a camera from a photographer and crashing it on the floor.
In case you didn’t see the video clip of the incident when I posted it last year, its posted below.
Arnold Schwarzenegger signs law in memory of Kanye West’s mother
Kanye West performed while his late mother Donda West stood by in 2006 during a taping of the "Ellen DeGeneres Show." (AP Photo by Damian Dovarganes)
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law in memory of rapper Kanye West’s mother.
The Donda West Law requires cosmetic surgery patients to undergo a physical examination before the surgery.
Donda West died in 2007 after a cosmetic procedure. She had coronary artery disease, but it was undiscovered because she didn’t undergo a physical exam before the surgery.
While she was alive, Kanye had a close relationship with his mother. She accompanied him to several celebrity events, and she was always by his side on the red carpet.
Shortly after her death, Kanye continued to perform during concerts, and I don’t think he had time to properly grief.
I’m not making excuses for him, but maybe that’s why he’s prone to random outbursts.
50 Cent clarifies comments about “gay tour”
Hip hop star 50 Cent clarified comments he made regarding Kanye West’s and Lady Gaga’s tour (which is now cancelled).
During an interview with hostess Angie Martinez on the Hot 97 radio station in New York, 50 Cent said Kanye is “cool with the gay folk. I have nothing against them, but he’s cool with them. He goes, drops his video off to them. Remember 808s & Heartbreak? Where’d he premiere it? The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He went there to premiere his video. He’s conscious of the gay community and wants them to buy his CDs.”
Some members of the gay community were upset that 50 Cent tried to make fun of Kanye’s connection to gay people. So, 50 Cent later released a statement on his Web site to clarify his comments.
The statement says “During an interview with Angie Martinez yesterday, certain comments I made were taken entirely out of context. When I referred to the Lady Gaga tour as ‘the gay tour,’ I was basically repeating what I thought she had referred to the tour in the past. It was not my intention to offend anyone. I don’t have a problem with anyone’s lifestyle and have no issue with Lady Gaga. She makes great music.”
Kanye West cancels concert tour
The “Fame Kills” concerts have died before they were officially alive.
Kanye West dropped out of his joint ”Fame Kills” tour with Lady Gaga.
Kanye and Gaga were expected to embark on a three-month tour together beginning in November.
The reason for Kanye’s cancellation is unknown, but I think it’s safe to assume the negative publicity surrounding Kanye after the MTV Video Music Awards incident had something to do with it.
Lady Gaga will tour without Kanye beginning next month in the same scheduled cities, but the dates will change.
Jay-Z, Alicia Keys discuss Lil Mama crashing their performance
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys perform their new song titled "Empire State of Mind" during the MTV Video Music Awards (AP photo by Jason DeCrow)
Everyone was so focused on Kanye West crashing Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech during the MTV Video Music Awards, that everyone seems to overlook that Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ performance was crashed too.
While Jay-Z and Alicia were performing their duet to the song “Empire State of Mind” during the awards finale, rapper Lil Mama appeared out of nowhere, walked on the stage and stood next to them.
Rapper Lil Mama apologizes for crashing Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Lil Mama is also a judge on "America's Best Dance Crew." (AP photo by Mark J. Terrill)
Radio personality Angie Martinez interviewed Jay-Z this week about the incident. Jay-Z said “Me, personally, I would never do that. I would never have the nerve to do that. It’s just like, someone’s up there performing, we went through rehearsals, we did run throughs and we worked really hard at the performance to put on a show for people and to interrupt that moment for us, you know, I don’t think that was the right thing to do. I actually thought it was the equivalent of what Kanye did to Taylor Swift. And I’m cool with her being excited and all that but you have to understand, people put in work to make that performance happen, that took weeks. I was a little angry to be honest, but what I’ma do, fight Lil Mama?”
Alicia Keys appeared on NBC’s Today Show and discussed the incident. She said “I would rather not speak about it because the performance was so phenomenal it doesn’t even matter about anything else. Jay-Z and I are native New Yorkers. It’s kind of a classic New York song like new Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli. I can appreciate her being overwhelmed and inspired but we would have preferred she did it from her seat.”
Lil Mama later released a statement apologizing to the performers. She said
“I did not mean any disrespect towards Jay-Z or Alicia Keys. I admire them and look up to them as role models. ‘Empire State of Mind’ had my emotions running high. In that moment I came up onstage to celebrate my two icons singing about NY.”
It seems to me like Lil Mama just wanted some attention. She didn’t want to let Kanye West have all the attention for crashing the stage.
To watch the clip of Lil Mama crashing the stage during Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ performance, the video clip is posted below. Fast forward the video to the five-minute mark.
New music video: Forever by Drake, Kanye West, Eminem, Lil Wayne
Jay-Z discusses Kanye West, Taylor Swift incident
Jay-Z is breaking his silence regarding his friend Kanye West’s outburst during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech during the MTV Video Music Awards.
In an interview with BBC Radio, Jay-Z said Kanye has always been passionate, but he was still rude to Taylor.
Excerpts from the interview are posted below.
“He’s just a super-passionate person, and of course it was rude because it was Swift’s moment, but that’s the way he really felt. But he’s been that passionate from his first record.”
“He used to jump on tables. I was trying to make the first Blueprint, he’s jumping on tables, rapping, and I’m like, ‘Yo, not now.’ That was just him. He’s always been that passionate.”
“I told him I think it was rude, and that he has to watch his passion. At the end of the day, we’re going to celebrate him for his passion more than vilify him for it because his passion, which caused him to make Graduation and all these great records, is the same thing that causes him to step out of line sometimes. So as he grows, he has to learn how to balance that. And he’ll learn that in years to come. That passion right there, that wasn’t fake or staged. It was how he really felt, and it was just inappropriate. It wasn’t fair to Taylor.”
“I mean, it’s an awards show, really, and I think it’s a bit blown out. He’s on the cover of every paper, he didn’t kill anybody. Nobody got harmed. I don’t think he should lay low, I think he should go on tour and have a brilliant career. It’s an awards show.”
I agree with Jay-Z in paragraph above. Yes, it was rude and disrespecful, but no one was killed or physically harmed. He didn’t beat up anyone like Chris Brown did.
But, hopefully Kanye will listen to Jay-Z and learn to control his “passion.”
Meanwhile, Kanye is preparing to go on tour this fall and winter with pop singer Lady Gaga. The tour kicks off Nov. 10 in Phoenix. Click here for a list of the tour dates.
Kanye West taught Tim McGraw’s kids a lesson
A country singer is now weighing in on the Kanye West and Taylor Swift controversy at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Tim McGraw said his daughters learned a lesson from Kanye West.
In an interview with CMT, Tim McGraw said Kanye “shows himself to be an idiot every time he does stuff like that. My girls were upset. But what he did do is provide a great example of how not to be, and my girls learned a big lesson.”
McGraw also said “when they weren’t looking I said,”He needs an a** whoopin.”
I agree Kanye does need a whoopin of some sort, and he was extremely rude and disrespectful toward Taylor Swift.
But I think it’s time to move on. He apologized to Taylor, and Taylor said he was gracious, she accepted his apology, and it’s in the past.
If Taylor has moved on, maybe we all should move on and let it go. Myself included.
Kanye West, Lady Gaga tour dates announced
Kanye West and his girlfriend Amber Rose attend the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards (AP photo by Peter Kramer)
Kanye West is going on tour later this year, and his tour dates have been announced. His opening act will be eccentric pop star Lady Gaga.
I know everyone is angry with Kanye because of his behavior at the MTV Video Music Awards, but I’m sure he will put on a good show, especially with Lady Gaga on tour with him.
The tour kicks off Nov. 10 in Phoenix and concludes Jan. 24 in Dallas. The complete tour dates are posted below.
11/10 – Phoenix, AZ @ US Airways Center
11/11 – San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
11/13 – Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
11/15 – Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center
Pop singer Lady Gaga attends the MTV Video Music Awards. She will be Kanye West's opening act for an upcoming tour (AP photo by Charles Sykes)
11/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
11/18 – Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena
11/19 – San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion
11/24 – Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
11/26 – Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
11/28 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
11/29 – Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
12/2 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
12/4 – St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
12/ 9 – Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
12/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
12/12 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
12/13 – Norfolk, VA @ Scope
12/16 – Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
12/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center
12/19 – Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena
12/20 – Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena
12/22 – East Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center
12/26 – Hartford, CT @ XL Center
12/30 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
1/3 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
1/6 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
1/8 – Kanata, ON@ Scotiabank Place
1/11 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
1/14 – Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
1/16 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
1/19 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena
1/21 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center
1/22 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
1/24 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
President Obama says Kanye West is a jackass
The controversy involving Kanye West’s and Taylor Swift’s incident at the MTV Video Music Awards has penetrated the walls of the White House.
During an interview with CNBC, President Barack Obama called Kanye a “jackass” when asked about his thoughts on the ingredient.
He said “I thought that was really inappropriate. He’s a jackass.”
Although I agree Kanye was a “jackass” for rudely interrupting Taylor Swift’s speech, I was surprised the president of the United States weighed in on this issue.
Since he’s juggling health care, fixing our terrible economy and managing a war overseas, who knew he had time to fit the Taylor Swift and Kanye West discussion into his busy schedule.
In Obama’s defense, he made the comment BEFORE the interview actually began, and he was unaware that it was going to be recorded. He assumed it was off-the-record.
TMZ obtained a leaked version of the audiotape, and the off-the-record transcript is posted below.
Interviewer: Were your girls as hacked off as mine were that Kanye gave Taylor Swift the Joe Wilson treatment?
Obama: “I thought that was really inappropriate. You know it was like she’s getting an award. Why are you butting in? I hear you. I agree with you.”
Interviewer: So does that count as the first question?
Obama: “The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person. She’s getting her award. What’s he doing up there? He’s a jackass. No, now this… all this stuff, I’m assuming all this stuff. Where’s the pool? Come on guys. Cut the president some slack. I got a lot of other stuff on my plate. Yeah. Cause I remember last time it was the fly thing.”
Interviewer: No that worked out well for you. You were a ninja.
Obama: Except PETA.
Jay Leno interviews Kanye West
Hip hop star Kanye West appeared as guest Monday night on the debut of Jay Leno’s new prime time show.
Leno asked Kanye about the MTV Video Music Awards incident where he snatched the microphone and interrupted country singer Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech.
Jay Leno also asked about what Kanye’s deceased mother would have thought about the incident. The clip is posted below.
Kelly Clarkson slams Kanye West
Pop singer Kelly Clarkson is the latest celebrity to have harsh words toward Kanye West after the incident with Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Clarkson wrote a lengthy blog on her Web site criticizing Kanye, and she used profanities too. The full blog is posted below.
Dear Kanye,
“What happened to you as a child?? Did you not get hugged enough?? Something must have happened to make you this way and I think we’re all just curious as to what would make a grown man go on national television and make a talented artist, let alone teenager, feel like sh*t. I mean, I’ve seen you do some pretty shi**y things, but you just keep amazing me with your tactless, a**hole ways.”
“It’s absolutely fascinating how much I don’t like you. I like everyone. I even like my a**hole ex that cheated on me over you…which is pretty odd since I don’t even personally know you.”
“The best part of this evening is that you weren’t even up for THIS award and yet you still have a problem with the outcome. Is winning a moon man that much of a life goal?? You can have mine if it will shut you up. Is it that important, really??”
“I was actually nominated in the same category that Taylor won and I was excited for her…so why can’t you be?? I’m not even mad at you for being an a**hole…I just pity you because you’re a sad human being.”
“On a side note, Beyonce has always been a class act and proved again tonight that she still is. Go TEXAS!!
Taylor Swift, you outsell him ….that’s why he’s bitter. You know I love your work! Keep it up girl!”
From Kelly Clarkson
Kanye West apologizes to Taylor Swift
After being disrespectful to Taylor Swift by interrupting her accepting speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West apologized for his behavior.
In a statement posted on his blog, Kanye said “I’m sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom,” he wrote. “I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would’ve said. She is very talented! I like the lyrics about being a cheerleader and she’s in the bleachers! I’m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment!”
“”Beyoncé’s video was the best of this decade!!!! I’m sorry to my fans if I let you guys down!!!! I’m sorry to my friends at MTV. I will apologize to Taylor 2mrw. Welcome to the real world!!!! Everybody wanna booooo me but I’m a fan of real pop culture!!! No disrespect but we watchin’ the show at the crib right now cause … well you know!!!! I’m still happy for Taylor!!!! Boooyaaawwww!!!! You are very very talented!!! I gave my awards to Outkast when they deserved it over me … That’s what it is!!!!!!! I’m not crazy y’all, i’m just real. Sorry for that!!! I really feel bad for Taylor and I’m sincerely sorry!!! Much respect!!!!!”
The video clip of Kanye interruping Taylor is posted below.
Kanye West disrespects Taylor Swift at MTV awards
This was probably the most disrespectful moment in the history of award shows. Country singer Taylor walked on stage to accept her MTV award for best female video.
While Taylor was giving an acceptance speech, Kanye West walked on stage, grabbed her microphone, and said Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time. Kanye was disappointed because Taylor won.
It was highly disrespectful of Kanye to interrupt Taylor’s acceptance speech. It was Taylor’s moment to shine, and Kanye ruined it.
Beyonce has plenty of MTV awards sitting at home in her trophy case. It’s okay if Taylor wins one trophy. The video clip of the incident is posted below.
New music video: Make Her Say by Kid Cudi, Kanye West and Common
Kanye West faces misdemeanor charges
Hip hop star Kanye West was charged March 18 with three misdemeanor counts of vandalism, battery and grand theft.
The charges stem from an incident that was caught on tape in September at the Los Angeles International Airport.
A photographer tried to take his picture at the airport, and Kanye then became upset and smashed his camera on the ground.
A TMZ photographer recorded the incident, when Kanye’s associate came up and broke the TMZ video camera.
The incident was caught on tape below.
Kanye West wants people to cut Chris Brown some slack
Rapper and wannabe singer Kanye West believes we should cut Chris Brown some slack regarding the alleged fight with his ex-girlfriend R&B singer Rihanna.
Watch the clip below to find out what he said.
Kanye West wants to pose naked
Hip hop star Kanye West says he might pose naked in the future.
In the February issue of Vibe magazine he said, “I made a decision. I wanna make popular music, but I want less fans. I want the freedom of having less fans. It’s like the freedom of having less money. If you have less money, you have less responsibility. It’s like Bjork. If she wanted to pose naked, you’d be like, ‘Oh, that’s Björk.’ But if I wanted to pose naked, people would draw all type of things into it. I definitely feel like, in the next however many years, if I work out for two months, that I’ll pose naked. I break every rule and mentality of hip-hop, of black culture, of American culture.”
I understand that you are one of the most popular rappers in music history, but PLEASE keep your clothes on Kanye. NOBODY wants to see you naked.
Tim Henley
Kanye West’s mother’s surgeon sentenced to jail
Dr. Jan Adams, the surgeon who performed cosmetic surgery on Kanye West’s mother, was sentenced this week to one year in jail for misdemeanor drunk driving, according to the Associated Press.
Police said Adams was driving the wrong way on a California interstate last summer, and his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.
Adams performed a tummy tuck procedure on Kanye’s mother Donda West back in 2007, and she died the next day. An autopsy concluded that she died from heart disease and from complications from the surgery.
Kanye West on Saturday Night Live
Rapper turned wannabe singer Kanye West was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live this week. He performed his hit song “Love Lockdown” from his latest CD titled “808s and Heartbreak.”
On the CD he sings on most of his songs instead of rapping. When he performed his song on Saturday Night Live, he tried very hard, but he sounded kind of tone deaf on a few parts even though he used a vocal synthesizer alters your voice.
He should NEVER be allowed to sing again. A clip of his SNL performance is posted below.
Tim Henley
Kanye West Love Lockdown On Saturday Night Live – Funny video clips are a click away
Win a free Kanye West and Beyonce CD contest
We are giving away the new Kanye West and Beyonce CD’s during our weekly drawing.
Kanye West’s “808s and Heartbreak” features 13 songs, and Beyonce’s “I Am Sasha Fierce: Deluxe Edition” features two CD’s of music.
These are perfect to keep for yourself or to give away as a Christmas gift.
To enter the contest, send an email to celebnews25@yahoo.com and leave your name and email address.
Two winners will be chosen. The contest ends at 5 p.m. Dec. 10 (central time).
Kanye West said Beyonce is greater than Tina Turner
Kanye West always posts very interesting things on his blog. In one of his more recent posts, he is discussing Beyonce.
He said, “Nobody really wants to recognize that Beyoncé is a f***ing living legend and that she is just as great, if not greater, than the artists that we had in the past. She’s probably greater than Tina Turner.”
Now, I will admit Beyonce is legend, and she has accomplished many things in the music business. 
However, to suggest that she is better than Tina Turner, I think that’s going a little overboard.
Come on Kanye. Tina Turner has been around for more than 40 years, and she had to suffer several years with Ike. Beyonce has only been around for about 10 years.
Maybe in the future Beyonce will more of a legend than Tina Turner –but not yet. In fact, some of the dance moves that Beyonce performs during her shows were actually created by Tina Tuner.
As for his comment about nobody wanting to recognize Beyonce as a living legend. I respectfully disagree with him. I do think people recognize her talent.
Her albums always go to number one, her movies do well at the box office, her concerts always sell out and she’s always on the radio every time you turn it on.
Tim Henley
Kanye West blogs about his recent arrest
Kanye West was arrested recently and released in connection with the an incident that involved an alleged confrontation with a photographer.
Kanye blogged about the incident. I must say, after reading Kanye’s version of the events, I am on Kanye’s side on this one.
His blog is posted below……
”Regardless of how much light I put out, there are people working just as hard to deliver darkness. If you listen to my music, how could I deliver so many positive uplifting messages and be the monster that the media paints? Paparazzi give real photographers a bad name. A picture is worth a thousand words; theirs are worth a thousand dollars. Let us not forget the paps killed Princess Diana.
When will there be a law passed that simply enforces that someone has to ask to take a photography of you? That would seem like common courtesy. Right now, the paps are above the law, and the people they shoot are below it. What should be illegal is is pictures taken with the intent to sell … like drugs with the intent to sell .. or crossing customs with enough merchandise to have the intent to sell.
The exploitation of my images is the problem. It produces a “by any means necessary” behavior that causes the paps to drive recklessly on freeways, jump over fences and invade privacy all in an effort to get that “money shot.” You shouldn’t be able to sell a picture of me without my permission. After this law is passed, when you enter a public place like a basket ball arena etc., there will be a sign that reads … “All photos taken here are public domain and can be used at the photographer’s discretion.” Obviously red carpet events where people show 
up to be photographed will also apply.
The personal problem I have with the paps is when they try to catch you being a regular person. I am not a celebrity. I’m a normal person that just famous. I refuse to sneak in and out of back doors and kitchens of hotels etc … I am protecting my personal space since there are no laws to protect that for me. I put my hand up to the camera in self defense!
Here’s what happened … When I left the club, I was encountered by a thirsty paparazzi, as usual. He felt he mad more rights to my space than me, so I put my hand up to prevent him from taking my image. I didn’t assault him, but merely putting my hand up to cover his lens. My security yelled, “Get the camera off him.”
I guess in all the commotion, the camera scraped his nose. Three hours later, I get a knock at my hotel door. There were five police officers in front of my room and I had no idea why. I had my security go speak with them. The cops were very cordial, but the told me they had to arrest me because a compliant was filed. That was the bogus part. They placed me in handcuffs and drove me to the station. They spoke about how this was obviously a publicity stunt by the photographer, but they still had to go through the motions. When I got back to the hotel, there were paparazzi hanging over the bridge about the hotel trying to get a shot of me getting out the police ban.
Even though I wasn’t charged, the damage was done. Sure enough, the next morning, plastered across every media outlet … Kanye gets arrested. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t charged or the fact that I hadn’t assaulted anyway. All that mattered was that I was arrested.
Sidebar, they quoted me as saying … “Get the camera off him!” Like I was talking in the third person. He tried to make me sound like a crazy person, and people believed him. What merit does this guy have that he can say something about me, and people take it as law? The fact that he could get me arrested off a mere complaint, but I can’t ask him to stop taking pictures of me is very lopsided. Who’s winning, me or the media?”
Kanye West blames himself for his late mother’s death
Kanye West opens up about his mother’s death, and he puts the blame on himself.
Speaking during a listening party for his latest CD “808s and Heartbreak,” West said, “I feel like I moved to California, then my mom moved to California, and she did stuff she wouldn’t have done if we’d stayed in Chicago. If I’d never made it in the music business, it never would’ve happened.”
West was referring to the death of his mother Donda West when she passed away last year due to complications from a cosmetic procedure by a crooked doctor.
It appears that Kanye has been putting a lot of blame on himself and living with a lot of guilt during the past year. If anyone is to blame, it’s NOT Kanye…. It’s the crooked doctor. There’s no way Kanye would have known that the doctor was unqualified.
Tim Henley
Kanye West released from jail
Kanye West has been released from jail following his scuffle at an airport where he was caught on tape smashing a photographer’s video camera. (see my previous blog for more details).
Kanye West has always had an anger management problem, but only when it comes to him losing at award shows. When he loses an award, he’s known for throwing temper tantrums.
In honor of this most recent incident, I have linked below my favorite Kanye West tantrum that occurred backstage at a previous MTV award show after he was disappointed about not winning any awards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-631TgPP2s
Tim Henley
