Queen Latifah Show Says It Didn’t Cancel Cosby’s Appearance Due to Rape Controversy

In the midst of rape-allegation skeletons tumbling out of his closet, Bill Cosby has allegedly postponed his appearance on The Queen Latifah Show, not the other way around. “Mr. Cosby’s scheduled appearance on The Queen Latifah Show was postponed at his request and was in no way related to any of our recent or upcoming scheduled guests,” reads a statement obtained by The Grio from the syndicated show. The sexual assault whirlwind resurfaced when comedian Hannibal Buress said during a stand-up set that Cosby has raped women. Actress Barbara Bowan then spoke out again about allegedly being raped by the TV icon beginning when she was 17; it’s one of a reported 13 allegations by different women. Cosby, who has never been convicted of sexual assault, has yet to speak on the rehashed controversy. There’s no word on when (or if) he’ll reschedule with Queen Latifah.

Read it at The Grio.

Jodeci Is Dropping a New Song And Album

’Tis the season for ’90s R&B band comebacks. After Jagged Edge and Boyz II Men have dropped new albums this month (yes, that happened), Jodeci has announced a new track—its first in 18 years. The song is titled “Nobody,” and touches on the futility of hostile relationships. “Domestic violence has always been an issue in relationships, but because of the caliber of people being charged recently, it’s being brought to the forefront,” Davlin “Mr. Dalvin” DeGrate tells Yahoo Music of the song’s content. “It’s definitely something people are going to listen to, because domestic violence should not be tolerated in any situation, not just between men and women, but people in general.”

Jodeci—K-Ci & JoJo, DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin—aren’t stopping at one song. The quartet, which will perform a medley of classics at the Soul Train Music Awards in November, is hard at work on its first album since 1995’s The Show, the After Party, the Hotel. The four members have kept up with the times, too. “You can still hear our influence on people like August Alsina, Drake, J. Cole and Justin Timberlake,” Mr. Dalvin says, citing Drake’s “Jodeci Freestyle” and “How About Now” (which samples Jodeci’s “My Heart Belongs to You”). “I look forward to working with [Drake]. He keeps the sound alive. And knowing that we are still relevant to this new wave of entertainers, to see their respect means a lot.”

“Nobody” is expected to be released prior to the November 7 Las Vegas taping of the Soul Train Music Awards, which airs November 30.

Read it at Yahoo Music.

Kanye West Makes an Appearance at a New Jersey Open Mic

Imagine sitting at a local open mic night in Jersey, preparing to snap your fingers to up-and-coming spoken word artists, and next seeing Kanye West stroll through the front door. That’s what happened Wednesday night (October 29) at the Wolf Juice hip-hop showcase at Jersey City’s The Dopeness restaurant. Yeezy dropped by to support 17-year-old aspiring rapper Jay Hype (born Jahmila Sandifer), the daughter of one of Kanye’s closest friends. “Everyone was in shock,” said restaurant owner Jon Scanlon. “It was a 15-minute thing. I walked him to the back, he used the restroom. He came and gave her a big hug and a kiss, watched her perform, and he was out.” Jay Hype coincidentally performed a song called “K.O.W.,” an acronym for Kanye’s initials. “Kanye is a very, very big idol in my life and I try to incorporate the stuff he does into my work,” she said. “He gives me pointers and I take it very seriously… His opinion is always in the back of my mind.”

Read it at NJ.com.