Shakira Named Latin Grammy Person of the Year

Parade of Latin music's biggest stars pay homage to the 34-year-old "Hips Don't Lie" singer

2011-11-10

Cristina Silva The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Her hips don't lie and neither do her massive album sales. International pop star Shakira was honored as the 2011 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year in Las Vegas Wednesday night. Read the complete article

Heavy D Leaves Lasting Final Lyric: 'BE INSPIRED!'

Detectives rule out foul play in 44-year-old’s death

2011-11-09

Derrik J. Lang AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- It was as if Heavy D knew that it would be his last tweet. The self-proclaimed "overweight lover" of hip hop, who became one of rap's top hit makers with his charming combination of humor and positivity, enthusiastically told his Twitter followers Tuesday morning to "BE INSPIRED!" Read the complete article

Rappers Take to Mic in Oakland Occupy Protest

A number of artists say that despite their fame, they, too, stand for the 99 percent

2011-11-07

Garance Burke The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Hip hop heavyweights known as much for their fiery political lyrics as for their bass-pounding beats have been among the thousands marching, tweeting and sharing dinner with protestors in the Occupy Oakland protests in recent weeks. Read the complete article

Kim Kardashian: Intuition Led to Divorce Decision

Critics have called televised wedding a greedy, moneymaking publicity stunt

2011-11-03

Kristen Gelineau The Associated Press

SYDNEY (AP) -- A grim-looking Kim Kardashian said "intuition" led her to end her 72-day-old marriage, insisting in an Australian television interview on Thursday there was no "right or wrong" way to handle the situation. Read the complete article

Rapper Breaks New Ground in Conservative Pakistan

Adil Omar’s profanity-laced rhymes have caught attention of Cypress Hill, other heavyweights

2011-11-02

Sebastian Abbot The Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Adil Omar was a 16-year-old rapping in his bedroom in Pakistan when a member of the American group Cypress Hill discovered his music on the Internet and invited him out to Los Angeles to record together. Read the complete article

Alicia Keys to Donate Instruments to Her High School

Singer heads to Manhattan arts school in part to kick off “World of Betters” effort

2011-11-01

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alicia Keys is heading back to high school. The Grammy-winning singer will visit the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan on Tuesday and donate music instruments to its students. Read the complete article

Troy Johnson: Assessing the State of the Black (Digital) Press

Founder of the African American Literature Book Club talks about technology, readership, and what Google is doing to hurt online journalism

2011-10-31

Kam Williams Special To The Skanner News

Webmaster and literary figure Troy Johnson talks about both the challenges and rewards of running www.AALBC.com Read the complete article

12 Things You Don’t Know About @YaGirlRiss

Funny girl Rissa Riss dishes on comedy, career and getting expelled in 3rd grade

2011-10-27

Helen Silvis Of The Skanner News

Portland funny girl Rissa Riss dishes on comedy, career and getting expelled in 3rd grade  Read the complete article

VIDEO: Smithsonian Hosts 'The Black List' Portraits in DC

Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Combs among the 50 large-scale photographs of prominent African Americans

2011-10-27

Brett Zongker The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Sean Combs and Serena Williams now have a place in the National Portrait Gallery in a new show featuring leading black figures from entertainment, politics, sports and business. Read the complete article

Coroner: Amy Winehouse Died From Too Much Alcohol

Succumbed to alcohol poisoning when she resumed drinking after weeks of abstinence

2011-10-26

Sylvia Hui The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) -- The soul diva who had Grammy-winning songs and fans around the world died with empty vodka bottles in her room and lethal amounts of alcohol in her blood - more than five times the British drunk driving limit, a British coroner ruled Wednesday. Read the complete article