RYAN LESLIE GIVES FREE CONCERT IN DOWNTON LOS ANGELES

Last week, singer/producer Ryan Leslie was spotted upon arrival at club Provecho in Downtown Los Angeles where he gave a free pop-up show.  Check out Leslie performing fan favorite, "Giberish," below:

imagery| PacificCoastNews.com

KANYE GETS HIS MODEL ON FOR BATHING APE

Since Taylor-gate, we haven't seen nor heard much from Kanye, but Mr. West's spread for the 2010 Bathing Ape Spring Lookbook has hit the net.  Kanye wrote on his blog that,

"THIS SHOOT WAS MAD FUN. THIS COLLECTION USES REALLY GREAT FABRICS, EASY TO WEAR CUTS AND STILL THE OCCASIONAL SUPER EXPRESSIVE DECADENT PRINTS. BAPE RAN THE LAST DECADE AND THEY'RE READY FOR THE NEXT ONE!"

FRESH MUSIC|→ J*DAVEY'S 'BOUDOIR SYNEMA' MIXTAPE

♪"BOUDOIR SYNEMA"♪

One of my favorite bands, J*Davey, gave fans a wonderful Christmas gift, Boudoir Synema, their new EP/Mixtape.  Brook D'Leau & Jack talk about their EP series below: 

A Moment with... J*DaVeY from Eazee Media on Vimeo.

SPOTTED|→ VENUS WILLLIAMS OUT & ABOUT IN MIAMI

Tennis champ Venus Williams was spotted outside Landshark Stadium in Miami before heading into the Dolphins vs. Houston game.

Venus ended 2009 seeded 6th on the WTA Tour.  Her first scheduled match in 2010 is at the Hong Kong Tennis Classic on January 7th. I send good luck to both Venus and her little sis, Serena, as the 2010 tennis seasons jumps off. 

imagery| Film Magic

RIHANNA HITS THE BEACH FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Rihanna headed back to Barbados to spend the Christmas holiday with her family.  The singer was spotted on the beach chilling with friends and jet-skiing while rocking a pink two-piece:

On New Year's Eve, RiRi is set to earn $500,000 just for performing at party at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi (Middle East).

imagery| INF Daily

COUPLES WATCH|→ MARIO LOPEZ & KOURTNEY DINE AT KATSUYA

Mario Lopez and girlfriend Courtney Mazza headed to dinner at Katsuya  in Los Angeles the day after Christmas.  

I too am guilty of eating out the day after Christmas.  Even though there's a fridge full of left-overs, i have to give myself a day or so before digging into them.

 imagery| PacificCoastNews.com

MOVIE TRAILER: VALENTINE'S DAY

Lately, A-List musicians and actors have been collaborating on major projects, and the Garry Marshall directed Valentine's Day is no exception.  In the film, "Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day."

The film hits theaters on February 12, 2010, and the star-studded cast includes: Julia Roberts, Queen Latifah, Ashton Kutcher, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Taylor Swift, Bradley Cooper, and Taylor Lautner. 

 

DWAYNE "THE ROCK" JOHNSON DELIVERS COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT MIAMI ALMA MATER

Last Thursday, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson delivered the commencement speech at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Johnson is a former University of Miami football player and graduated in 1995.  According to sources, The Rock spoke about his path to success and even gave the crowd a good laugh by dropping a Tiger Woods joke.

imagery| John Parra/wireimage

FRESH MUSIC|→ USHER'S "LITTLE FREAK" FT. NICKI MINAJ

♪"LITTLE FREAK"♪

Everyone is calling on Hip-Hops "it" girl Nicki Minaj for a hot 16 bars, and the latest Minaj feature comes on Usher's "Little Freak" taken from his 6th studio album Raymond vs. Raymond.  The track is produced by Polow Da Don (star of Meerkat Manor) and written by Ester Dean.

In my mind, this track has hit potential and will definitely be in heavy rotation in the clubs.  Raymond vs. Raymond is slated for release on March 1, 2010. Props to HIPHOP-N-MORE for the link.

ALICIA KEYS COVERS THE FINAL PRINT ISSUE OF GIANT MAGAZINE

GIANT magazine's elements, celebrity + style + culture, made it a true rarity in urban publications.  Not only did the magazine feature a diverse selection of musicians, actors, and models it offered up art and stories that were socially impacting. 

Radio One recently announced that GIANT'S print edition will cease publication after the Alicia Keys issue hits newsstands (December 15th). Much like Honey Magazine, GIANT will now go digital with the launch of Giantlife.com.  

ON THE CARPET|→ EVA MENDES AT 'SHERLOCK HOLMES' PREMIERE, NYC

Over the weekend, Eva Mendes hit up the black carpet for  the NYC premiere of "Sherlock Holmes" at the Lincoln Center.

Though the jury is still out on Eva's white lace dress with black tights, i think she was confident and pulled off the look. Mendes also COVERS the January 2010 issue of Elle Russia.

imagery| Stephen Lovekin/Getty

THE KARDASHIAN SISTERS RECREATE BEYONCE'S 'SINGLE LADIES' VIDEO

The Dash Dolls, Khloe, Kim, & Kourtney, are ranked #9 on People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People of 2009 list.  For their photo spread, the sisters channeled Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video and i must say that the results are amazing.

Head over to PEOPLE ONLINE for a behind-the-scenes look at the shoot. SCAN VIA ATRL.

SISTER RIHANNA GIVES PRAISE

I know, i know.  Religion + Rihanna is a TOUCHY SUBJECT these days, but don't be so sensitive.  Enjoy the joke.  If Rihanna ever made an appearance at YOUR place of worship, i could totally see her walking through the doors in this get-up.  It's like a couture version of what the pastor's wife wears every Sunday during the winter months.

 

Church hat? Check. Pearls? Check. Fur? Check. Testimony lean back? Check!  The story is fitting, but that's not quite what went down.  Ri Ri was actually performing during a pre-taping of NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly at Rockefeller Center in New York City.  

imagery| wireimage

VIDEO|→ RIHANNA'S "HARD" FT. YOUNG JEEZY

Rihanna - New Music - More Music Videos

TAMEKA FOSTER-RAYMOND TALKS REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA

After reports surfaced that Bravo is looking to replace both Nene Leaks & Kim Zolciak on Real Housewives of Atlanta, whispers began to spread that Tameka Foster-Raymond was being courted to join the cast for the third season. Because she loves the attention, Foster waited a few days before she released a statement to E-News saying,

"While I am flattered at the rumor circulating about being considered to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, I am absolutely not joining the cast.  I was initially approached by the producers for last season and declined. At this point, my priorities are focusing on being a mom and my philanthropy, Lost Ones Foundation."

RIHANNA STRIPS DOWN FOR GQ MAGAZINE

Michael Thompson/GQ

Rihanna is rocking the January 2010 GQ Magazine cover, and editors at my favorite magazine (GIANT has folded) sure knows how to ring in the new year.  Still, Ri Ri's partially clothed cover merely disguises the fact that the bulk of her article focuses on domestic abuse.

READ THE COVER ARTICLE By Lisa DePaulo HERE. 

ZOE SALDANA TALKS 'AVATAR' ON DAVID LETTERMAN

Avatar star Zoe Saldana did an autograph tour for awaiting fans after she taped an appearance on David Letterman in NYC.

"READ MORE" TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW

FRESH MUSIC|→ MARIO'S "THINKIN' ABOUT YOU" FT. KELLY ROWLAND

 ♪"THINKIN' ABOUT YOU"♪

After releasing "Thinkin' About You" as the second single from his gold-certified album, At that Point, Mario called in Kelly Rowland to breathe some fresh life into the track.  Kelly's incredible tone blends perfectly with Mario's voice, and i believe that if this version was released first it could have been a Top 40 single. 

ROBIN THICKE & NICKI MINAJ PERFORM "SHAKIN' IT FOR DADDY" ON 106TH & PARK

JAMIE JUNGER PROFITS FROM (SLEEPING WITH) TIGER WOODS

Personally, i'll be glad when Tiger-Gate blows over, but in the mean time, in between time, Jamie Junger (the one who claims she slept with Tiger the day his father died) is getting a check from someone other than Woods.

BidHere.com, an innovative new online auction site, recently announced that it has secured Jamie Junger  [who?] as the site’s official holiday spokesperson.

Junger comments, "“The last couple of weeks have been really crazy. I can't go anywhere without the paparazzi following me [this won't last much longer]. Since I can't go out in public, I decided to do some shopping online and discovered BidHere.com. It is the coolest thing that has happened to me in last couple of weeks and I can't stress enough how much fun this has been."

I GUESS. In my mind, people are making way too big a deal out of Tiger's infidelity.  The real story is how Tiger kept his cheating under wraps for so long.  Now, THAT should be the topic of discussion.

KELLY ROWLAND ISN'T SCARED OF PETA

I tried my best-est to select the photos where Kelly's lacefront was less prominent.  #FAIL. Wig and all, the beautiful singer was spotted rocking a furry vest and taking photos with fans before heading into her London hotel.

I'm glad she was across the pond, because she clearly wasn't worried about PETA running up on that ass.  Watch your back Ms. Kelly!  I'm sure you've been added to their drive-by list. 

imagery| PacificCoastNews.com

HOLIDAY GUIDE: 7 GIFT IDEAS UNDER $100

(click for larger view)

 Christmas is fast approaching, and if you're like me, you haven't even started your holiday shopping. To help out the Quicksters who happen to be last minute shoppers, i have pulled seven items (all $100 or less) that any fly guy would love to receive.

1. CUBE CLOCK: Urban Oufitters carries this awesome "electronic alarm clock, modeled after that famous frustrating cube. Turn the top layer to alternate between Time, Alarm, Date and Temperature Modes." $18.00
   
   
2.  CABLE BRAID HOODED CARDIGAN:  This fly Cable Braid Hooded Cardigan from Heritage 1981 can be dressed up (or down) for a night out on the town during the winter months.  $28.90
   
   
3.  KANYE'S GLOW IN THE DARK (TOUR BOOK): With a CD including previously unreleased instrumentals from the show as well as an interview with tour collaborator Spike Jonze, the book is not only a memento of one of the most successful musical performances of the year, but it is also an experience all its own. $31.50
   
   
4. NOKIA 7705 TWIST: According to CNET, "The Nokia Twist 7705 has a decent range of features, a comfortable keyboard, and admirable call quality." $99.99 [Verizon Customers]
   
   
5. TODAY'S GENTLEMEN COTTON KNIT TIE:  Today's Gentlemen out of NYC offers up many versions of the classic, square-end knit tie. I own a black knit tie which instantly bumps up my GQ-factor when it's time to dress up. $18.95
   
   
6. DOLCE & GABBANA POUR HOMME:  I recieved D&G's Pour Homme as a gift a few years back, and it fast became my favorite scent. Pour Homme is...dynamic freshness that expresses its personality through citrus notes with a touch of fresh flora and woods.$55 [2.5 oz bottle]
   
   
7. TRUE RELIGION HANABEL T HIGH-TOPS: I tried on these True Religion high-tops with a detailed fold-over cuff  about a month ago, and i definitely have these on my Christmas wish list.  The shoe is simple, but stylish because of the detailed hardware. $81.00

CATCHING UP W/→ ZOE SALDANA @ AVATAR LONDON PREMIERE

Zoe Saldana showed off her model-esq figure at the world premiere of her latest project, Avatar, in London, England.

With her recent role in Star Trek, and now this starring role as Neytiri in the James Cameron directed Avatar, Zoe is on track to have a lasting and lucrative acting career.  She is one of few (make that like two) African American actresses that get cast to do big budget action films.

Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images Europe

EVENT COVERAGE|→ SNOOP'S 'MALICE IN WONDERLAND' ALBUM RELEASE PARTY

Snoop Dogg recently teamed up with Famous Stars and Straps to celebrate the release of his 10th album Malice N Wonderland.  Many celebs, including Ray J, came to the event which went down at the Vanguard in Hollywood:

Kim Porter hit the black carpet.  She rarely makes appearances, choosing to focus on motherhood (either that or Diddy keeps her locked in the Bad Boy basement).  Elise Neal also showed up in a little black dress.

Funny Man Mike Epps | Baby Kardashian Rob

On the inside, both Pharrell and Travis Barker shared the stage with Snoop during his big night.  I'm concerned about the performance of this album.  Snoop always comes out with at least ONE monster single per album (i.e. "Beautiful," "Drop It Like It's Hot," "Sexual Seduction")...but none of his current singles are making an impact on the charts.  Good luck with that Uncle Snoop.

imagery| Noel Vasquez/Getty

MARIAH CAREY KICKS IT WITH RI RI, PREMIERES "H.A.T.E.U". VIDEO

Mariah Carey chatted with Rihanna  at last night's launch of VEVO (an online music video catalog) in New York City. She premiered her new video for "H.A.T.E.U." on the website:

imagery| Theo Wargo/Getty

NAS ORDERED TO INCREASE CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS, KELIS'S ATTORNEY SAYS HE IS BEHIND

Yeah. It really is cheaper to keep her.  Since July, Hip-Hop veteran Nas has been paying ex-wife, Kelis, nearly $40,000 a month in child and spousal support.  Yesterday after a two-day hearing, LA Superior Court Judge David Cunningham III ruled that Nas made enough money in recent months to pay more to support both Kelis and their son, Knight.

His monthly child and spousal payment is now over $51,000, but  Nas will no longer have to pay the expenses of the the Los Angeles home he and Kelis once shared.  During the trial, Kelis's attorney, Laura Wasser, called out Nas for not paying his December support in full (it's not even half-way through the month; give him a break).  [SOURCE]

ON THE CARPET|→ KATERINA GRAHAM AT GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER

The beautiful Katerina Graham, from the CW hit series Vampire Diaries, hit up the premiere of The Lovely Bones at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

I became a fan of this up-in-coming actress after watching her appearance on the Mo'Nique Show a few weeks back.  She has paid her dues in the industry to get where she is today; check out the interview:

imagery| Getty

VIDEO|→ YOUNG MONEY'S "BEDROCK"

QUICKMIX: AFTER LOVE

Today, I'm dropping the first installment of QuickMix (3 songs that capture a particular emotion, situation, or experience) called After Love.

TRACK-LISTING:

"AFTER LOVE" DIDDY FT. KERI HILSON \ "BUTTERFLY" MARIAH CAREY \ "YOUR SIDE OF THE BED" TREY SONGZ \ CLICK ON THE COVER TO DOWNLOAD

SPOTTED: AMBER ROSE TURNING HEADS IN SOUTH BEACH

Since Kanye's been off having "self reflection" time, Amber Rose has been rocking her fame all alone.  The bombshell was spotted strutting through South Beach while shopping with friends.

Kanye. You did good homie.  All i can say is DAMN, DAMN, DAMN! 

imagery| http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com

CHRIS BROWN, DIDDY, SOLANGE KNOWLES, & JANELLE MONAE PARTY IN THE DIRTY SOUTH

Plenty QCU celebs lived it up in the dirty South over weekend.  Down in Atlanta, Polow Da Don (his cousins have their own reality show called Meerkat Manor) played host for  Chris Brown’s concert after party.

Fellow artists Diddy and Ester Dean came through and partied with Pretty Crissy.

Over in Miami, what's next? kids Solange Knowles and Janelle Monae attended photographer David LaChapelle's "Bliss Amongst Chaos" party at the Raleigh Hotel.  

imagery| Freddy-O + http://solangephotos.net

RIHANNA SINGS "RUSSIAN ROULETTE" ON SNL

Rihanna was the musical guest on this weekend's SNL, and she gave a compelling performance of "Russian Roulette."  RiRi gave it to us live and even sang on key and hit all the right notes.   Of course she looked good in the process.  Partake:

MAXWELL, KELLY ROWLAND, DRAKE, BEYONCE, & KERI HILSON RECEIVE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

Keri at the GRAMMY nominations Concert, LA

The 2010 Grammy Awards are just around the corner, and plenty QCU celebs are nominated.  The beautiful Keri Hilson is nominated for Best New Artist, Maxwell ("Pretty Wings") dukes it out with Beyonce ("Single Ladies") for Song of the Year, and Drake ("Best i Ever Had") picks up a nod for Best Rap Song without even dropping an album!

Beyonce leads this year's pack with a total of 10 nominations, and former DC groupmate Kelly Rowland received a nod for her international dance hit "When Love Takes Over." Head over to GRAMMY.com for a complete listing of nominations.

imagery| Frazer Harrison/Getty

CATCHING UP W/→ PAULA PATTON SHOWING OFF HER BABY BUMP IN MIAMI

Paula Patton's baby bump is starting to see the light of day.  Patton and husband Robin Thicke attended the Roger Vivier boutique opening party in Miami, Florida. 

I am sure these two shall produce a beautiful child.  Patton is currently filming Just Wright with co-stars including Queen Latifah and Common.   

 imagery| G Caballero/Wireimage