It’s been a rocky year musically for R&B royal Mary J. Blige. Yet, as ever, the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul has dusted herself off and blazed back with a banger.

The song in question? ‘Everyday People’.

Produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan Michael Cox, the cut is believed to be the lead release from ‘My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 2)’ – an LP Blige exclusively confirmed was in the pipeline during our chat with her last year.
Chilled, laid-back, and authentic Mary, we’re feeling this. The Sly & The Family Stone sample never gets boring.

That said, we can’t but wonder whether this is strong enough to re-rev the ‘My Life II’ project – which any such single would need to in light of the project’s so-so performance thus far.

Still, solid track.

Marissa Alexander, the Florida mother of three facing 20 years in prison for firing what her family said was a warning shot at her abusive husband, is anything but a victim, said the state prosecutor who oversaw the case.

“She was angry” when she fired the shot, State Attorney Angela B. Corey told HuffPost. “She was not in fear.”

Corey said her office considered all the details of the case before moving forward with Alexander’s prosecution. She said the facts don’t support Alexander’s self-defense claim. Just before Alexander went into the garage and retrieved her pistol, she told Gray, “I got something for your ass,” Corey said.

While Alexander’s family and her attorney have claimed Alexander fired a warning shot into the ceiling, Corey said a bullet hole in the wall shows the gun was aimed much lower. The shot Alexander fired appears to have struck to the right of an archway between the kitchen and living room, where Gray and his two young sons were.

“She didn’t fire into the ceiling,” Corey said. “They are blatantly lying. She fired the shot toward the living room, where they were, at an adult that she was angry with.

She might have been angry at him, but what if that bullet had struck one of those kids?

“Who would be crying for Marissa Alexander then?” Corey asked. “Who fights for those two children? She fired at two children. These two young boys had no choice. … Marissa Alexander made her decision.”

A judge later rejected Alexander’s Stand Your Ground defense, saying that she could have escaped “through the front or back door,” according to court records. Corey’s office offered a plea bargain that would have sent Alexander to prison for three years, but she rejected it, hoping to convince a jury she was defending herself.

“She got two shots at her self-defense theory,” Corey said. “Neither a judge nor a jury bought it”

Corey blasted Alexander’s family and attorneys for spreading “misinformation”

“If there was a way to prosecute [Alexander’s family] for what they are doing I would,” Corey said. “For them to put out this kind of misinformation.”

A few months after Alexander was released on bail on orders to have no contact with Gray, she got into an altercation with him at his home that gave him a black eye, Corey said. Alexander was charged with battery.

“Instead of her trying to work toward a resolution, about four months into this thing, claiming to be so afraid of this man, she went barging to his house and attacked him,” Corey said. “So it didn’t show much of her being remorseful of what happened and being a peaceful person.”

The entire article can be viewed on the Huffington Post

An unidentified entrepreneur admits he is trying to profit off Trayvon Martin’s death by selling gun range targets featuring the teen who’s death has sparked a nationwide controversy.

Although Martin’s face does not appear on the paper targets, they feature a hoodie with crosshairs aimed at the chest.  A bag of Skittles is tucked in the pocket and a hand is holding a can resembling iced tea.

Martin purchased both items minutes before he was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in February, according to police.

Zimmerman, who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges, originally told investigators he shot Martin in self-defense.

According to an advertisement for the targets that had been posted on a popular firearms auction website, the sellers stated they “support Zimmerman and believe he is innocent and that he shot a thug.”

That online ad has since been removed.

“This is the highest level of disgust and the lowest level of civility,” said Zimmerman’s attorney Mark O’Mara.

O’Mara said he is worried about how Martin’s parents will react to the image of their son on a target intended to be used for shooting practice.

The attorney is also concerned the targets will further inflame the community.

“It’s this type of hatred — that’s what this is, it’s hate-mongering — that’s going to make it more difficult to try this case,” said O’Mara.

Local 6 has been unable to determine the identity of the seller, who had also set up a website to sell the gun range targets.

In an email exchange with reporter Mike DeForest, the seller wrote, “My main motivation was to make money off the controversy.”

The seller would not disclose how many paper targets had been made, but said in an email, “The response is overwhelming.  I sold out in 2 days.”

Some of those targets were sold to two Florida gun dealers, according to the seller.

Before DeForest identified himself as a reporter, the seller claimed that targets were still available for purchase. After being informed Local 6 was investigating his online business, the seller claimed the targets would no longer be sold.

Firearm owners are buzzing about the Trayvon Martin targets on several gun enthusiast websites.

Very few have shown interest in purchasing the targets.  Most have expressed disgust.

“Even though I fully believe Zimmerman was justified in shooting, Trayvon was still a human being and does not deserve that kind of disrespect in death,” wrote one firearm owners association website member.

Attorney for the Martin family Natale Jackson said the family also believes the target is “disgusting.”

“It’s a sad certain segment of our society that would think you could make a profit off the killing of a teenage boy,” Jackson said.
The online advertisements for the targets have been taken down as of Friday.

Source: Clickorlando.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has a new campaign slogan: “Forward.”

Obama’s re-election team unveiled its new motto in a video released Monday morning. The seven-minute video begins by recalling the grim state of the nation’s economy when Obama took office, then ticks through what the campaign says are the president’s accomplishments, both on the economy and other issues.

The campaign also uses the video to target congressional Republicans, saying Obama had to overcome GOP obstruction on Capitol Hill in order to pass legislation.

The video tries to make the case for Obama’s re-election by saying there is still more work to do going forward.

The campaign says the video will be played for supporters attending the president’s first re-election rallies Saturday in Ohio and Virginia.

During Luther’s rise to stardom one of his most oft-compared peers was Freddie Jackson. The two enjoyed a friendly rivalry in the 1980s as well as a close friendship. In this exclusive interview TheUrbandaily.com asked Freddie to share his memories of “competing” with Luther and to share, among other things, why the two never recorded together.

Happy Birthday, Luther Vandross!

http://theurbandaily.com/1913615/freddie-jackson-remembers-luther-vandross-i-miss-him-dearly-exclusive/

Monica has a brand new album coming out on April 10th, but you can hear all of New Life first right here! Monica doesn’t have many features, but you will hear Brandy, Wale and Mary J. Blige as guest stars on New Life. Here’s the tracklist:

1. “Intro” (Interlude)
2. “It All Belongs To Me” Feat. Brandy
3. “Daddy’s Good Girl”
4. “Man Who Has Everything”

5. “Big Mistake”
6. “Take A Chance” Feat. Wale
7. “Without You”
8. “Until It’s Gone”
9. “Amazing”

10. “Cry”
11. “Time To Move On”
12. “Outro” (Interlude)

Monica Admits To Having Physical Altercation With Brandy In The 90s

Monica: My Kids Come First [EXCLUSIVE AUDIO]

SANFORD, Fla. — FBI agents on Monday were questioning potential witnesses in the Trayvon Martin shooting, confirming to NBC News that the agency had begun a “parallel investigation” that focuses on whether the teen’s civil rights were violated.

Agents are seeking information on George Zimmerman’s background and whether he was racially motivated when he pursued Martin after calling a 911 police dispatcher about his presence in the community, an FBI official told NBC.

The agents were at the Retreat at Twin Lakes, where Martin was shot dead by Zimmerman, the gated community’s neighborhood watch captain.

The state of Florida is conducting its own investigation in the shooting and that one is being overseen by a special prosecutor.
Advertise | AdChoices

Although the Justice Department two weeks ago publicly announced it would examine potential civil rights violations, the arrival of bureau agents represents a new phase in inquiries into the case.

A senior law enforcement official confirmed that one potential piece of evidence is records of Zimmerman’s prior 911 calls to police dispatchers.

The call sheets show that five of seven phone calls Zimmerman had made since last August involved what he viewed as suspicious activity by young men identified as “black males.” But the call sheets do not indicate whether Zimmerman was asked about the race of the suspects or volunteered that information.

Zimmerman, who has not come forward to talk about the shooting, acknowledged to police that he shot Martin but insists it was self-defense.

The incident has sparked outrage in many quarters because Martin, who was black, was unarmed.

Craig Sonner, Zimmerman’s lawyer, has insisted that his client, who has a white father and Hispanic mother, is not racist. “This was not a case of racial profiling,” he told NBC News on Sunday. “George Zimmerman is not a racist.”

Sonner told Reuters on Monday that Zimmerman would turn himself in to police should he be charged.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Also Monday, lawyer’s for Martin’s parents said they would ask the Justice Department to investigate the local prosecutor’s interactions with police handling the probe into their son’s death.

The Justice Department initiated a query on March 19, but the family wants them to look into possible interference by State Attorney Norm Wolfinger’s office with the Sanford police investigation of Martin’s Feb. 26 death, NBCMiami.com reported.

The Sanford Police Department requested an arrest warrant from Wolfinger’s office in the shooting, but the state attorney’s office held off until the case could be reviewed further, according to NBCMiami.com.Two audio experts who have analyzed the 911 tapes from the fatal evening have determined that Zimmerman was not the person heard crying for help.

“The tests concluded that it’s not the voice of Mr. Zimmerman,” said Tom Owen, of Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence.

Asked if he thought such tests would be admissible in court, Owen said “yes” and noted he had recently used similar testing in testimony at a Connecticut murder case that involved a 911 call.

Hellobeautiful.com reports Jazmine Sullivan is back! Following on the success of her critically acclaimed ‘Fearless’ LP, the 23 year old is set to release her highly anticipated sophomore album within the next few months. We just got our hands on lead single ‘Holding You Down.” Take a listen and tell us what you think:

Jazmine Sullivan

Start Gallery

Roland talks with US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk about growing small businesses and getting Americans back to work through exports.

President Obama has set a goal to double US exports in a effort to help create 2 million jobs. According to Kirk, 97% of companies that export are small businesses.

If you have a product that can be exported and need capital, the Small Business Administration will help you finance your growth. The US Department of Commerce has established a Gold Key Program that will assist in finding customers outside of the United States to purchase your product.

For more information visit
http://www.ustr.gov
or
http://www.export.gov.

To listen to this conversation visit RolandSMartin.com

<!– sphereit start –>
<p>Some of you out there weren’t trying to hear <a href=”
http://theurbandaily.com/news/the-urban-daily-staff/tiger-woods-press-conference-to-be-broadcast-live-on-ustream/
” target=”_blank”>Tiger Woods’ apology this morning</a>, so Robin Thicke gave him some help in getting his message out. <a href=”
http://zhiphopcleveland.com/
” target=”_blank”>From Z109.9 In Cleveland.</a><br />
<span id=”more-567942″></span></p>
<p><img src=”
http://theurbandaily.com/files/2010/02/robin-tiger-300×173.jpg
” alt=”robin-tiger” width=”300″ height=”173″ /></p>
<p id=’audio_366311′></p><script type=’text/javascript’ src=’http://theurbandaily.com/external/js/audio/366311/?external-src=http%3A%2F%2Fzhiphopcleveland.com%2F’></script&gt;
<p><strong>RELATED:</strong></p>
<p>1. <a href=”
http://theurbandaily.com/news/best-of-2009/nazneen-patel/woods-vs-weezy/
” target=”_blank”>VIDEO: Who Would You Do? Woods Vs Weezy</a></p>
<p>2. <a href=”
http://theurbandaily.com/music/billjohnson/paul-mooney-the-only-mistake-tiger-made-was-leaving-those-white-women-alive/
” target=”_blank”>Paul Mooney: “The Only Mistake Tiger Made Was Leaving Those White Women Alive”</a></p>
<p>3. <a href=”http://theurbandaily.com/music/casey-gane-mccalla/porn-star-jumpoff-says-tiger-is-the-whitest-black-boy-ever/”>Tiger’s PORN STAR Jumpoff Says He’s The “Whitest Black Boy Ever”</a></p>
<p>4. <a href=”
http://theurbandaily.com/special-features/Humor/jbarrow/friday-five-tiger-woods-new-endorsements/
” target=”_blank”>Tiger Woods New Endorsements</a></p>
<p>5. <a href=”
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” target=”_blank”>5 Reasons Women Don’t Get Caught Cheating</a></p>
<p>6. <a href=”
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” target=”_blank”>CHRIS BROWN Shuts Up When Asked About Tiger Woods</a></p>

<!– sphereit end –>

OMGZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1  3 new Sade songs hit the internet today, and I must say that I’m about 40 times more excited for Soldier Of Love than I was before!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s the first of the three, “Skin.”

You’re welcome!

Head over to Rappers I Know to hear two more!

RELATED: Go Behind The Scenes Of Sade’s New Album

RELATED: Sade Reminds Us Why We Can’t Wait For Her New Album

]]> http://kissdetroit.com/46681/kiss-eclusive-sade-skin-in-another-time-moon/feed/ 0 KISS Exclusive!: Sade “Skin,” “In Another Time,” “Moon” (thumbnail) ronefconley sade62 http://kissdetroit.com/45091/whose-is-hotter-melanie-fiona-vs-riris-redemption-song/ http://kissdetroit.com/45091/whose-is-hotter-melanie-fiona-vs-riris-redemption-song/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:47:33 +0000 Skip Murphy in the Afternoon http://kissdetroit.com/?p=45091 ]]>

We recently heard Rihanna cover the Bob Marley classic “Redemption Song” on Oprah (and she also made her version available online for purchase  where all proceeds would benefit relief efforts in Haiti). Now, Melanie Fiona, a much-talked about up-and-comer has posted her rendition on YouTube.

Whose is hotter?

PAPERS: RiRi’s New Man’s Restraining Order Docs!

NEW VIDEO: Melanie Fiona’s “Monday Morning”

]]> http://kissdetroit.com/45091/whose-is-hotter-melanie-fiona-vs-riris-redemption-song/feed/ 1 Whose Is Hotter? Melanie Fiona vs. RiRi’s “Redemption Song” (thumbnail) ronemamiller Picture 2 http://kissdetroit.com/32641/kiss-leak-michael-jackson-lenny-kravitz-another-day/ http://kissdetroit.com/32641/kiss-leak-michael-jackson-lenny-kravitz-another-day/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:30:55 +0000 Fantasee Blu http://kissdetroit.com/?p=32641 ]]>

Lenny Kravitz once revealed in an interview that he had done a song with Michael Jackson and that it was the most amazing recording session he’d ever participated in.  Fans of both MJ and LK have wondered what this song sounds like for awhile now, and a snippet of the song’s first verse has just leaked.

The song “Another Day” seems to use the same lyrics as Lenny’s 2004 hit single “Storm” which featured a CRAZY remix by Just Blaze and a guest verse from Jay-Z.

Take a listen to both!

Spotted @SandraRose.com

]]> http://kissdetroit.com/32641/kiss-leak-michael-jackson-lenny-kravitz-another-day/feed/ 0 KISS Leak!: Michael Jackson & Lenny Kravitz “Another Day” (thumbnail) ronefconley mikelenny http://kissdetroit.com/28191/kiss-first-listen-mjb-jazmine-sullivan-gonna-make-it/ http://kissdetroit.com/28191/kiss-first-listen-mjb-jazmine-sullivan-gonna-make-it/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:20:14 +0000 Fantasee Blu http://kissdetroit.com/?p=28191 ]]>

Mary J Blige teams up with the soulful Jazmine Sullivan for a new hit titled “Gonna Make It”, a bonus track off the deluxe edition of “Stronger With Each Tear.” These two sound great together!!!

Take a listen and tell us what you think:

Check out the two below: