Pictures From ESSENCE Music Festival

Beyoncé, Ne-Yo, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Solange, Keri Hilson, Salt-N-Pepa, performed at Day 1 of the 15 Annual ESSENCE Music Festival at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Friday.
Photos:Rap-Up

Britney Spears Tops Concert Tour List

The Canadian Press ranks the Top 20 Concert Tours. Britney Spears tops the list with her Circus tour. The Artists are ranked by the average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America in U.S. dollars.

The previous week's ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.

1. (New) Britney Spears; $2,384,567; $102.51.
2. (New) Elton John / Billy Joel; $2,185,634; $115.84.
3. (1) Celine Dion; $2,011,606; $107.97.
4. (New) Eagles; $1,691,056; $130.12.
5. (2) AC/DC; $1,409,211; $85.12.
6. (3) Fleetwood Mac; $1,169,580; $99.27.
7. (4) Nickelback; $787,420; $58.38.
8. (6) Rascal Flatts; $656,209; $61.08.
9. (7) Lil' Wayne; $599,313; $66.39.
10. (8) Brad Paisley; $454,374; $48.30.
11. (9) M Jotley Crue; $386,775; $53.91.
12. (10) Jeff Dunham; $290,685; $44.69.
13. (11) The Killers; $265,429; $42.01.
14. (12) Slipknot; $253,621; $38.17.
15. (13) Avenged Sevenfold / Buckcherry; $192,963; $36.98.
16. (14) John Legend; $173,355; $55.28.
17. (15) Larry The Cable Guy; $170,620; $32.39.
18. (18) Ron White; $142,018; $44.58.
19. (16) Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles; $142,006; $45.61.
20. (17) Bill Gaither & Friends Homecoming; $140,502; $34.85.

Photo:BritneyZone

2009 Academy Awards

The stars hit the red carpet for the 81st Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday.

Miley Cyrus attended with her mother

John Legend and girlfriend Christine Teigen

Alicia Keys and her mother Terri Augello

Photos:Rap-Up
MileyPhoto:Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images via JJ

Who's On TV This Week?

Tuesday, February 24

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno - DREW BARRYMORE, SERENA WILLIAMS, WILL.I.AM

Wednesday, February 25
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno - JENNIFER ANISTON, SANTONIO HOLMES, JAMEY JOHNSON
Late Night with Conan O'Brien - SETH GREEN, ARTIE LANGE, CONOR OBERST

Friday, February 27

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno - JIMMY FALLON, NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, LEE ANN WOMACK
Late Night with Conan O'Brien 2685 - HUGH LAURIE, JOEL MCHALE, GASLIGHT ANTHEM

Saturday, February 28

Saturday Night Live NEIL PATRICK HARRIS/TAYLOR SWIFT

John Legend Calls For Boycott of NY Post Over Controversial Cartoon

John Legend is calling for a boycott of the New York Post after the newspaper ran a controversial cartoon that has been widely criticized as racist. Read his open letter below.

Dear Editor:

I’m trying to understand what possible motivation you may have had for publishing that vile cartoon depicting the shooting of the chimpanzee that went crazy. I guess you thought it would be funny to suggest that whomever was responsible for writing the Economic Recovery legislation must have the intelligence and judgment of a deranged, violent chimpanzee, and should be shot to protect the larger community. Really? Did it occur to you that this suggestion would imply a connection between President Barack Obama and the deranged chimpanzee? Did it occur to you that our President has been receiving death threats since early in his candidacy? Did it occur to you that blacks have historically been compared to various apes as a way of racist insult and mockery? Did you intend to invoke these painful themes when you printed the cartoon?

If that’s not what you intended, then it was stupid and willfully ignorant of you not to connect these easily connectable dots. If it is what you intended, then you obviously wanted to be grossly provocative, racist and offensive to the sensibilities of most reasonable Americans. Either way, you should not have printed this cartoon, and the fact that you did is truly reprehensible. I can’t imagine what possible justification you have for this. I’ve read your lame statement in response to the outrage you provoked. Shame on you for dodging the real issue and then using the letter as an opportunity to attack Rev. Sharpton. This is not about Rev. Sharpton. It’s about the cartoon being blatantly racist and offensive.

I believe in freedom of speech, and you have every right to print what you want. But freedom of speech still comes with responsibilities and consequences. You are responsible for printing this cartoon, and I hope you experience some real consequences for it. I’m personally boycotting your paper and won’t do any interviews with any of your reporters, and I encourage all of my colleagues in the entertainment business to do so as well. I implore your advertisers to seriously reconsider their business relationships with you as well.

You should print an apology in your paper acknowledging that this cartoon was ignorant, offensive and racist and should not have been printed.

I’m well aware of our country’s history of racism and violence, but I truly believe we are better than this filth. As we attempt to rise above our difficult past and look toward a better future, we don’t need the New York Post to resurrect the images of Jim Crow to deride the new administration and put black folks in our place. Please feel free to criticize and honestly evaluate our new President, but do so without the incendiary images and rhetoric.

Sincerely,
John Legend

John Legend Was Surprised of The News Involving Chris & Rihanna

John Legend was surprised to hear about the allegations of assault against Chris Brown – but says the singer will have to accept the consequences of his actions if the reports are true that he hit his girlfriend, Rihanna.

"I know both of them. I was surprised when I heard because it doesn't strike me as something Chris would do," Legend told PEOPLE Thursday at Las Vegas's LAX during the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue release party.

"You never know what's inside people or what can trigger that," he added.

Although Legend has never recorded with either Brown or Rihanna, he knows them both from award shows and just being in the music industry together.

"It's an awful story," he said. "I feel terrible for both of them but if Chris did what they said he did, that's unacceptable. He has to accept the consequences of it."

Photo: LegendPhotos.net

New Video: John Legend - Everybody Knows

VH1 TV Shows | Music Videos | Celebrity Photos | News & Gossip

Inaugural Performances: 'We Are One'

Hip-hop, R&B, pop, rock, and country collaborated for HBO’s “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial” in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

Usher, Shakira, and Stevie Wonder - We Are One


James Taylor, John Legend, and Jennifer Nettles - Shower the People


Mary J Blige - Lean On Me


will.i.am, Sheryl Crow, and Herbie Hancock - One Love


Beyonce - America The Beautiful

Who's On TV This Week?

Monday, January 12

NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The All-American Rejects

Tuesday, January 13

ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: David Cook
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: John Legend
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Tom Freund w/ Ben Harper

Wednesday, January 14

NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Brett Dennen
SUNDANCE: Spectacle: Elvis Costello With...: Elvis Costello, Rufus Wainwright
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Seal

Thursday, January 15

NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Puddle of Mudd
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Live

Friday, January 16

ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Delta Spirit
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Lionel Richie
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: The All-American Rejects

Saturday, January 17

PBS: Austin City Limits: Foo Fighters

Who Is One Year Older?

John Legend celebrated his 30th birthday with a bowling party at Lucky Strike Lanes in New York on Sunday. The R&B singer bowled a strike with his girlfriend, model Christine Teigen, using a ball featuring his own face, and blew out the candles on a piano-shaped cake.

Photo:rap-up

John Legend Performs On Conan

John Legend was on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” on Monday performing his second single, “Everybody Knows.” Look for the song’s official video in January.

Everybody Knows Conan Live
by yardie4lifever2

Quick Updates

Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, and John Legend honored those making a difference in the world on “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” which aired on Thanksgiving Day.

Katy Perry has a girl crush on Natalie Portman. The singer recently revealed that her smash hit single I Kissed a Girl was inspired by actress Scarlett Johansson. She says, "Scarlett Johansson is a beautiful woman as everybody in the world probably agrees and the I Kissed a Girl song is inspired by all beautiful women and the power they release in their beauty.

Miley Cyrus has been inspired to give up her acting/singing career to study photography following her controversial shoot with legendary snapper Annie Leibovitz. The Hannah Montana star sparked outrage by posing in just a bedsheet for a Leibovitz spread in Vanity Fair magazine earlier this year. But the singer/actress was so fascinated watching the artist at work, she is now determined to gain a degree in photography herself. And Cyrus is convinced that the best way to study the medium is by enrolling at a university in Britain. She says, "I do want to come to London to study photography. I hear there are some really great art schools, so I would love to do that."

According to BritneySpears.Com,  Britney’s X Factor appearance pulled 12.8 million viewers meaning more than 53 percent of the entire viewing audience tuned into the UK show to see Britney’s performance.

Who's On TV This Week

Tuesday, November 18

ABC: Live with Regis and Kelly: Enrique Iglesias
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Paramore
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: Paul Simon
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Adele
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Cold Hard Cash (Johnny Cash tribute band)
SYNDICATED: The Bonnie Hunt Show: David Archuleta

Wednesday, November 19

ABC: Live with Regis and Kelly: David Cook
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Leona Lewis
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Mr Brownstone (Guns n' Roses tribute band)
CBS: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Sarah McLachlan
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Nickelback
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
SYNDICATED: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Jessica Simpson

Thursday, November 20

ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Hives
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Tenacious D
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Brian Wilson

Friday, November 21

NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Scott Weiland
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Vampire Weekend
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Allstarz (James Brown tribute band)

Saturday, November 22

BBC AMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Estelle
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Ludacris, T-Pain

Sunday, November 23

COMEDY CENTRAL: A Colbert Christmas: Feist, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, John Legend, Toby Keith

Don't Forget To Catch Your Favs On TV..

ON TV THIS WEEK!!!

Lance Bass, who competes in 'Dancing with the Stars' (ABC) on Monday and Tuesday and visits 'Chelsea Lately' (Comedy Central) on Wednesday.

Pink, who visits 'Today' (NBC) and 'Total Request Live' (MTV) on Tuesday, 'The View' (ABC) on Wednesday, and 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' (NBC) on Thursday.

Celine Dion, who visits 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' (Syndicated) on Tuesday.

Gavin DeGraw, who performs on 'Last Call with Carson Daly' (NBC) on Wednesday.

Natasha Bedingfield, who visits 'TRL' (MTV) on Thursday.

Mariah Carey, who visits 'Rachael Ray' (Syndicated) on Thursday.

Lindsay Lohan, who continues her guest stint on 'Ugly Betty' (ABC) on Thursday.

David Cook, who is musical guest on 'Saturday Night Live' (NBC).

John Mellencamp, Good Morning America (ABC).

Anastacia, The Graham Norton Show (BBC America).

Matt Rubano of Taking Back Sunday, who guest hosts 'Steven's Untitled Rock Show' (Fuse)Monday thru Friday.

The Black Crowes, who perform on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' (NBC) on Tuesday.

Alkaline Trio, who perform on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' (ABC) on Tuesday.

Ryan Adams, who performs on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' (CBS) on Wed

The Kooks , who perform on 'The Tonight Show' (NBC) on Wednesday.

Fall Out Boy, who perform on 'The Tonight Show' (NBC) on Thursday.

Death Cab for Cutie, who perform on 'The Tonight Show' (NBC) on Friday.

Elbow, MGMT, Alanis Morissette, Live From Abbey Road (Sundance).

My Morning Jacket, Austin City Limits (PBS).

Aretha Franklin, who visits ‘The View’ (ABC) on Monday and ‘The Early Show’ (CBS) on Wednesday.

The late Isaac Hayes is featured in a tribute on ‘106 & Park’ (BET) on Tuesday.

Duffy, who performs on ‘The View’ (ABC) on Tuesday.

John Legend, who visits ‘The Early Show’ (CBS) on Tuesday, ‘Total Request Live’ (MTV) and ‘106 & Park’ (BET) on Wednesday, and ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ (CBS) on Thursday.

T.I., who visits 'Chelsea Lately' (Comedy Central) on Monday, 'The Tyra Banks Show' (Syndicated) on Tuesday, and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' (ABC) on Thursday.

LL Cool J, who visit 'The Martha Stewart Show' (Syndicated) on Tuesday.

The Knux, who visit 'Last Call with Carson Daly' (NBC) on Tuesday.

John Legend 'Evolver' Tour Dates

John Legend announced his tour dates for the 1st leg of his American Tour:

Wed 11/19 - Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium
Thu 11/20 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
Mon 11/24 - E. Lansing, MI - Wharton Center For Performing Arts
Wed 11/26 - Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple Theatre
Fri 11/28 - Toronto, Ont. - Roy Thompson Hall
Sat 11/29 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
Mon 12/1 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
Tue 12/2 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
Fri 12/5 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theater
Mon 12/8 - Baltimore, MD - Lyric Theatre
Tue 12/9 - Washington, DC - Constitution Hall
Wed 12/10 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
Fri 12/12 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium
Sat 12/13 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center

Morning Video

John Legend's new video for Green Light featuring Andre 3000. The single is off the new album Evolver hitting stores Oct 28.

Jay-Z Performs For Thisday

Jay-Z performed at Thisday Presents “Africa Rising” celebration at Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington, D.C. on Friday. John Legend was also their to perform. His third album, Evolver will released October 28th.
Source/Photo:Rap-Up.com