Entertainment News

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G and The Game joined family, friends and about 1,000 fans of Nate Dogg to remember the hip-hop singer, who died this month of complications from multiple strokes.

The family of Nate Dogg — whose real name was Nathaniel Dwayne Hale — decided that the ceremony at the Queen Mary Dome would not be open to the public as they previously wanted, but they made 1,000 tickets and shuttles available to fans.

The dome in Hale's hometown of Long Beach is adjacent to the historic ship the Queen Mary and was the former home of Howard Hughes' airplane folly, the Spruce Goose.

Organizers had sought a more central location for the funeral, but none proved large enough for the numbers of expected mourners. A private dinner was planned after the service.

Hale started out singing in church choirs, then formed a group with Snoop Dogg and Warren G while the trio was in high school in Long Beach.

His almost monotone vocal stylings anchored some of rap's most seminal songs and helped define the sound of West Coast hip-hop on tracks usually produced by Dr. Dre and performed by rappers like Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound and Warren G. He remained sought after as a singer more than a decade after his original success, supplying vocals to more recent tracks by 50 Cent and Ludacris.

Hale dropped out of high school, was dishonorably discharged from the Marines and dabbled in the drug trade before finding success as Nate Dogg on Dr. Dre's classic 1992 album "The Chronic."

Late in life, he was plagued by legal and health problems, including at least two strokes in 2008.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – About 1,000 fans joined family and friends of hip-hop singer Nate Dogg for his funeral in Southern California.

Rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G and The Game were among the music industry luminaries who turned out Saturday for services at the Queen Mary Dome in Long Beach.

The family of Nate Dogg — whose real name was Nathaniel Dwayne Hale — decided that ceremony would not be open to the public as they had wanted, but they made 1,000 tickets and shuttles available to fans.

Nate Dogg died on March 15 of complications from multiple strokes, attorney Mark Geragos said. He was 41.

Hale, who started out singing in church choirs, formed a group with Snoop Dogg and Warren G while the trio was in high school in Long Beach.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Throngs of fans are expected to join family and friends of hip-hop singer Nate Dogg for his funeral in Southern California.

The family of Nate Dogg — whose real name is Nathaniel Dwayne Hale — decided that the Saturday morning services at the Queen Mary Dome in Long Beach would not be open to the public as they had previously wanted, but they made 1,000 tickets and shuttles available to members of the public who claimed them first.

The dome, adjacent to the historic ship the Queen Mary, was the former home of Howard Hughes' airplane folly the Spruce Goose.

Organizers had sought a more central location in Long Beach for the funeral, but none proved large enough for the numbers of expected mourners. Shante Broadus, wife of Nate Dogg friend and collaborator Snoop Dogg, teamed with Long Beach City Councilman Dee Andrews to find the space. Andrews' office predicted "thousands of mourners" would attend.

A public viewing of Nate Dogg's body was held Friday night, and a dinner is planned after the funeral.

Nate Dogg died on March 15 of complications from multiple strokes, attorney Mark Geragos said. He was 41.

Despite appearing primarily on rap records he was not a rapper but a singer. His almost monotone vocal stylings anchored some of rap's most seminal songs and helped define the sound of West Coast hip-hop on tracks usually produced by Dr. Dre and performed by rappers like Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound and Warren G.

Hale, who started out singing in church choirs, had met and formed a group with Snoop Dogg and Warren G while the trio was still in high school in Long Beach. He dropped out of high school, was dishonorably discharged from the Marines and dabbled in the drug trade before finding success as Nate Dogg on Dr. Dre's classic 1992 album "The Chronic,"

He remained sought after as a singer more than a decade after his original success, supplying vocals to more recent tracks by 50 Cent and Ludacris.

Late in life he was plagued by several legal and health problems, including at least two strokes in 2008.

DramaFever.com Brings Groundbreaking International Film Collaboration Project to American Audiences Online

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 25, 2011

Acclaimed international film collaboration project Telecinema comes to American audiences online via DramaFever.com. Beginning today, seven movies will be released over the course of seven weeks starring the most popular actors in Korea today performing screenplays by award-winning Japanese writers. The project was spearheaded by the film and TV production company Samhwa Networks to bring together two of the largest media companies in Asia, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) and Asahi TV. The seven titles include The Relation of Face, Mind and Love; Heaven's Postman; 19; Triangle; Paradise; A Dream Comes True; and After the Banquet. Film and TV fans alike in Korea and Japan have greeted the films with an incredible response and critical acclaim. American fans of independent films and TV dramas will love the touching stories that transcend borders.

Popular actors include Hero Jaejoong (formerly of super boy band TVXQ, now in spinoff group JYJ), Han Hyo Joo (star of Shining Inheritance, the biggest Korean drama of 2009), T.O.P (supporting actor in action hit IRIS and rapper in Korean super group Big Bang), Kim Ha Neul (winner of Top Excellence Award for an Actress for On Air), and Hwang Jung Eum (winner of Best New Actress award for her role in popular sitcom High Kick Through The Roof).

Award-winning screenwriters include Kitagawa Eriko (writer of popular Japanese drama Tatta Hitotsu no Koi), Yokota Rie (writer of the extremely popular Gokusen TV series), and Okada Yoshikazu (winner of Best Screenwriter award twice in Japan).

“The Telecinema film series is a fantastic collaboration of Korean and Japanese creative talent,” says Boram Nam of DramaFever.com. “We are honored to add these unique movies to DramaFever’s great lineup of entertainment.”

“Having won over Korean and Japanese audiences, we’re pleased to partner with DramaFever to bring this great entertainment to American audiences,” adds Je Hyun Ahn, President of Samhwa Networks.

TELECINEMA RELEASE SCHEDULE AND FILM SYNOPSIS

The Relation of Face, Mind and Love Releasing March 24 http://www.dramafever.com/drama/3915/1/The_Relation_of_Face,_Mind_and_Love/ Kang Ji Hwan (Coffee House) and Lee Ji Ah (Beethoven Virus, Athena) join forces in this romantic comedy about love coming from unexpected places. Kang Tae Pung (Kang Ji Hwan) is a successful interior designer. He experiences a phenomenon that makes him see unattractive people as attractive, and then he meets Wang So Jung (Lee Ji Ah), a cheerful girl who mimics animal expressions. This film, written by Oishi Shizuka (First Love, Mama wa Mukashi Papa datta) and directed by Lee Jang Soo (Stairway to Heaven), asks whether looks matter in love?

Heaven's Postman Releasing March 24 http://www.dramafever.com/drama/3914/1/Heaven's_Postman/ Han Hyo Joo (Shining Inheritance) and Hero Jaejoong of the Kpop group TVXQ star in this melodrama about a promising CEO who becomes a postman for the dead. After an accident, Shin Jae Joon (Hero Jaejoong) falls into a coma and is given the ability to travel between the real world and heaven. He delivers the mail from the bereaved to the dead in heaven. He meets Jo Ha Na (Han Hyo Joo) and she becomes interested in his work, especially since she's the only one who can see him. Written by Kitagawa Eriko (Tell Me You Love Me, Love of My Life) and directed by Lee Hyung Min (Sorry I Love You, Snow Queen).

19 Releasing March 31 http://www.dramafever.com/drama/3910/1/19/ T.O.P (IRIS), Seungri (from Big Bang), and Huh Yi Jae (Goo

Chris Brown apologized for throwing a tantrum over renewed questions about his assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna, but said he felt exploited and "wanted to release the anger inside me."

Brown, promoting his new album, smashed a window in a dressing room after an appearance on ABC television's "Good Morning America" show on Tuesday where he was pressed about his relationship with Rihanna since the 2009 assault.

The widely-publicized outburst divided fans but may have helped boost record sales. After two years of struggle to rebuild his image and career, Brown's well-reviewed "F.A.M.E" is heading for the top spot on the Billboard 200 charts.

If sales hold up, it would give the 21 year-old singer his first No.1 album when the music magazine's widely-followed charts are published next week, Billboard said.

Brown told BET's popular "106 and Park" music TV show on Wednesday that he wanted to "to apologize to anybody who was startled in the (TV studio) office, anybody who was offended or really disappointed in my actions, because I was disappointed in the way I acted."

He claimed that he and ABC had settled on "talking points" for the interview that focused exclusively on his new album.

ABC denied this, and "Good Morning America" interviewer Robin Roberts has said she told Brown ahead of time that she would ask him about his conviction.

"When the interview proceeded, I was thrown off," Brown told "106 & Park". "I felt like, OK, they told us this to get us on the show and exploit me. I took it very, very hard."

"I kept my composure throughout the whole interview...And when I got back, I just let off, like, steam in the back. I didn't physically hurt anyone. I just wanted to release the anger inside me. I felt like I worked so hard for this music."

ABC is not expected to press charges against Brown, who underwent months of domestic violence counseling after the Rihanna assault, and is still on probation. The network has also said he is welcome to come back to "Good Morning America".

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Snoop Dogg is promoting a new, caffeine-laced alcoholic drink that has triggered calls for its ban even before it goes on sale next month.

The drink, called Blast by Colt 45, is manufactured by Pabst Brewing Company and scheduled for release on April 5. A promotional video features Snoop Dogg posing with scantily clad young women at a photo shoot.

The 23.5 ounce drink has a 12 percent alcohol content and comes in grape, raspberry watermelon, strawberry lemonade and blueberry pomegranate flavors.

Critics say it is a hazard for young people because it can be confused with soft drinks.

"You look at this product, and you think it's a fruit drink," said John Challis, senior vice president of Daytop Treatment Services, aimed at rehabilitating substance abusers. "They (breweries) are creating a demand, and then offering the supply."

New York City Councilman Robert Jackson recently called for Blast to be banned in New York.

"Blast, along with similar drinks, is specifically targeted to younger people," said Jackson's aide, Martin Collins.

"In the short term, a drink like this masks and shrouds the effects of alcohol. That's dangerous for our young people."

Another caffeinated alcoholic beverage, Four Loko, made national headlines last October when nine college students in Washington State were hospitalized for alcohol poisoning after drinking it and similar beverages.

A month later, the Food and Drug Administration warned that caffeinated alcohol drinks were unsafe. New York and other states banned the sale of Four Loko. In response, its maker, Chicago-based Phusion Projects, said that it would no longer add caffeine to Four Loko. The new caffeine-free version is now on store shelves.

"Blast is the successor to Four Loko. The shiny, florescent cans attract young people's eyes, and it is stocked in shelves next to drinks like Coca Cola," Collins said.

Pabst did not respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Bernd Debusmann Jr., editing by Barbara Goldberg and Greg McCune)

LOS ANGELES – "American Idol" finalist Naima Adedapo was on the move.

The funky 26-year-old dance instructor from Milwaukee injected African dance choreography into her lively rendition of Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street" during the Fox talent competition's Motown-themed performance edition Wednesday. "Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez told Adedapo that her routine gave her the "first little goose bumps of the night."

"You definitely have that little extra something on the stage," praised Lopez.

Other singers who impressed the panel included unemployed 22-year-old rocker James Durbin of Santa Cruz, Calif., and 23-year-old spa concierge Jacob Lusk of Compton, Calif. Durbin wailed Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City," while Lusk belted out Marvin Gaye's "You're All I Need to Get By," which prompted Steven Tyler to rise from the panel for a hug.

"You know what was wrong with that performance?" asked Randy Jackson. "Absolutely nothing."

Some singers continued to misstep. Lopez again criticized the intensity of Stefano Langone, the unemployed 21-year-old singer from Kent, Wash., who crooned Lionel Ritchie's "Hello," and Jackson told Pia Toscano, the 22-year-old make-up artist from Howard Beach, N.Y., that he didn't want another ballad from her following Stevie Wonder's "All in Love is Fair."

"I know you can do it," said Jackson. "The next time bring something a little bit different to the thing."

Thia Megia, the soothing 16-year-old high school student from Mountain House, Calif., and Haley Reinhart, the growling 20-year-old college student from Wheeling, Ill., successfully recovered from their stumbles last week with their respective renditions of Martha and the Vandellas' "Heatwave" and The Miracles' "You've Really Got a Hold on Me."

"This is exactly the kind of singer we thought you were," Jackson told Reinhart.

Several of the "Idol" finalists made Motown hits their own, including 17-year-old high school student Scotty McCreery of Garner, N.C., with his Western take on Stevie Wonder's version of "For Once in My Life" and 26-year-old singer-songwriter Paul McDonald of Nashville, Tenn., with a Rod Stewart-like rendition of The Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears."

"You're kind of the complete package," Lopez told McDonald.

Confidence was key for Lauren Alaina, the 16-year-old high school student of Rossville, Ga., and Casey Abrams, the 20-year-old film camp counselor of Idyllwild, Calif. She brought her strut and swagger to The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Abrams stomped through the audience while delivering Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

"I think you're the perfect entertainer," Tyler told him.

One of the top 11 singers will face elimination Thursday.

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Fox is a unit of News Corp.

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Online:

http://www.americanidol.co

The highly infectious single, Made Of is the latest creation from Maff Test, pulsating with African war-drums over the strategically loop rhythm of producer Marcus Millz , with Jon Wain assisting on the hook. The natural pairing of Maff Test and Jon Wain is essentially rooted in friendship, but its the musical chemistry on Made Of , where the duo takes center stage.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) March 23, 2011

Standing out in the ever changing music industry is no easy task, but for talented artist and shrewd businessman Maff Test, the world quickly became obvious to his gift.

Lyrically Maff Test's style is distinctively unique and as a musical innovator he is enriching today's generation with his content driven lyrics, accompanied with the exceptional production of R&B singer/producer Jon Wain.

Lockout Records originated in 2003 against all conceivable odds, explains CEO Maff Test. “The name Lockout Records stems from Chicago being an outcast in the industry. We have been locked out in terms of exposure until most recently,” he explains.

Intent on building the career of artists signed to Lockout Records, Maff Test is now prepping the EP release of R&B artist, writer and producer Jon Wain tentatively titled Night Life to ensure the momentum of success of the burgeoning label.

With extensive media coverage on several highly popular websites and magazines such as: AllhipHop, Hip-Hop Weekly Magazine, RashaEntertainment, ThisIs50, GlobalGrind, and Cover of Coast 2 Coast Magazine (Issue #8) to name a few, the Harvey, Illinois native is not resting on his laurel since rising from obscurity to becoming a dominating force on the underground scene.

Through a prolific succession of mixtapes, (Young Illini, Stolen Property, Big Biz Vol 1, Big Biz 1.5) and explosive performance at Chicago's B96 Summer Bash, Maff Test is leaving fans with an everlasting testament to one man's star-power.

The formidable lyricist holds true to the mantra, “Get where you need to be to create opportunity”, while raising the flag for I.G. M. (Interstate G Movement or I Get Money). Lockout Records and I.G.M. strong alliance is based on a shared interest that is fleeting from today's rap movement.

The highly infectious single, Made Of is the latest creation from Maff Test, pulsating with African war-drums over the strategically loop rhythm of producer Marcus Millz , with Jon Wain assisting on the hook. The natural pairing of Maff Test and Jon Wain is essentially rooted in friendship, but its the musical chemistry on Made Of , where the duo takes center stage.

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MARK GLOBEGloabal Marketing404-484-27065Email Information

Chris Brown trashed his dressing room at "Good Morning America" and broke a window with a chair Tuesday after co-host Robin Roberts asked him about his attack on Rihanna, according to a person familiar with the show.

The person was not authorized to discuss the matter and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Security was called, but not police.

Brown was on the ABC morning show Tuesday to promote his new album, "F.A.M.E.," released the same day. During his interview with Roberts, she asked him about the 2009 attack on his then-girlfriend preceding her questions by noting he had been "very good" about talking about the attack.
"It was very serious what you went through and what happened," she said.

"How have you been able to ..."

A clearly agitated Brown tried to deflect the line of questioning, saying he was past that and wanted to focus on his new CD.

"This album is what I want them to talk about and not what happened two years ago," he said.

Roberts laughed and thanked Brown for letting her discuss that matter with him, and after the interview, Brown performed.

But instead of performing another song for the online audience, as he was scheduled to do, he went to his dressing room and started smashing things, according to the person.

In a statement, ABC News said: "As always, we ask questions that are relevant and newsworthy, and that's what we did in this interview with Mr. Brown."

Reps for Brown did not immediately return phone calls for comment. Brown is on probation for his assault on Rihanna.

Brown has been trying to rehabilitate his image since the attack, which occurred on the eve of the Grammys two years ago. After that, his once brilliant career was tarnished. His album "Graffiti," released several months after that, was a poor seller.

However, he's recently had success on the charts with the songs "Deuces," a No. 1 R&B hit last year, and "Look At Me Now" is now No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

He's been more accepted into the mainstream as well. Before his "GMA" appearance, he had appeared on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." A rep for ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" said Brown is still slated to appear on the show next week.

A judge last November commended Brown, a Virginia native, for working hard to complete his community service and for almost finishing his domestic violence counseling. He has since finished the counseling.

Last month, a judge, while praising Brown's progress, eased a restraining order that had prevented Brown from coming within 50 feet of Rihanna after Rihanna said she didn't object. The new order prevents him from being within 10 feet of Rihanna at an industry event.

Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos, did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

Brown who was photographed outside "GMA" with his shirt off moments after the incident tweeted his frustration shortly after the show: "All my fans!!! This album is for you and only you!!! I'm so tired of everyone else!! Honestly!! I love team breezy!!"

Roberts tweeted later: "Sure has been an interesting AM (at)GMA. Still sorting thru everything myself. Just my 2nd day on twitter, wonder what tomorrow will bring?"
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By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer

AP Entertainment writers Sandy M. Cohen and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.
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http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/
http://www.chrisbrownworld.co

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Singer Chris Brown angrily stormed out of a TV studio on Tuesday, reigniting controversy over his 2009 assault on singer Rihanna but helping to send his new album to the top of iTunes charts.

Brown, 21, who has struggled to repair his image after hitting and punching his then girlfriend two years ago, left behind a smashed window in his dressing room after dodging questions about the incident in an interview on ABC television's "Good Morning America".

News of the outburst divided fans of the R&B singer, while viewers of ABC's highly-rated TV competition "Dancing with the Stars" demanded the cancellation of a a planned performance by Brown on next week's show.

However, Brown's new album "F.A.M.E", on the Jive record label, was the top downloaded album on Apples' iTunes store on its first day of release Tuesday, an Apple spokesman said.

Brown's music career stalled after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna in February 2009, setting off a national debate on young, abusive relationships.

He publicly apologized, then underwent court-ordered domestic violence counseling and spent six months performing community service.

But when pressed about the incident on "Good Morning America", Brown appeared annoyed and said; "It's not really a big deal to me now, as far as that situation. I think I'm past that in my life. Today's the album day, so that's what I'm focused on."

He followed up with a Twitter message -- according to media reports and later deleted from his account -- saying "I'm so over people bringing this past shit up!!! Yet we praise Charlie sheen and other celebs for there bullshit." (Spelling and grammar are unchanged).

Some fans agreed. "We love you Chris!! There's no reason for anyone to even ask him about Rihanna anymore, ABC should have had something better to talk about as that is old," wrote supporter nthnbtlove on the MTV message boards.

But viewers of ABC's top-rated reality show "Dancing with the Stars" felt differently. Brown is scheduled to sing on the show in a week's time.

"His freak out on GMA proves how scary and unpredictable he is. If ABC does not do the right thing and ban him, I will have no choice but to not watch that episode," wrote chadcronin on the official "Dancing" message boards.

ABC did not return calls for comments on Brown's planned "Dancing with the Stars" appearance.

ABC News said in a statement; "As always, we asked questions that are relevant and newsworthy, and that's what we did in this interview with Mr. Brown."

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)