Two weeks after Barack Obama delivered his “Yes We Can” speech in Nashua, New Hampshire, the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am assembled an all-star cast of musicians and actors (including Common, John Legend and Scarlett Johansson) to appear on his “remix” of the speech and the accompanying video, an arty, black-and-white clip that quickly became a YouTube sensation, racking up more than 4 million views. Now, two weeks after Obama delivered another speech — this one from his hometown of Chicago, after a triumphant Super Tuesday in which he won 14 states — Will is at it again, booking time in a Los Angeles studio to record yet another pro-Obama tune.

So far comedians/actors George Lopez and John Leguizamo have recorded spoken parts for the track, and a publicist for the project told MTV News Jessica Alba, Ryan Phillippe, Ben McKenzie, Macy Gray and the Black Eyed Peas’ Tabu are slated to participate. And rumor has it that Beyoncé is trying to clear up her schedule to make an appearance too. The whole thing is coming together with a spur-of-the-moment kind of feel (in the studio, Will was collaborating with a New York-based percussionist via online chat service Skype), and it looks like that’s the way it’ll be until the song is finished. [ READ MORE @ MTV NEWS » ]

Beyonce Knowles will be coached for her role as Etta James in a forthcoming movie about blues label Chess Records by the singing legend herself. James is thrilled Knowles has been picked to play her in ‘Cadillac Records’, and is excited about her own role - as a special adviser to the R&B star-turned-actress. The 70-year-old, who is most famous for her timeless classic ‘I Just Wanna Make Love To You’, wasn’t sure the 26-year-old was up to the task, until she watched her rock the Grammy Awards last week in a duet with Tina Turner.

She tells PageSix.com: “I have my own way of putting those songs over, and I was just wondering if Beyonce could, and my son said, ‘They’re thinking about how she looks, but mama, she can really sing!’ It’s a privilege and an honour to have somebody like that girl. I don’t think she looks like me, but that’s all right. They can fix that up. I kinda have a man’s voice. It’s a contralto, more bluesy, religious. I would really like to work with her on that.”

Former heroin addict James claims Beyonce has a tough task, taking on her rollercoaster life, adding, “Oh my god, she’s going to have a hill to climb, because Etta James ain’t been no (sic) angel! I can tell Beyonce some things; some of the things I might not tell her. I wasn’t as bourgie as she is, she’s bourgeois. She knows how to be a lady, she’s like a model. I wasn’t like that… I smoked in the bathroom in school, I was kinda arrogant, so those are some of the things I would want to tell her.

Knowles, who will also act as executive producer on ‘Cadillac Records’, will join Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Cedric The Entertainer and Tammy Blanchard in the project, which begins shooting next month.

Here’s the video of Beyonce performing with Tina Turner at Sunday night’s Grammy Awards. Amazing performance! Photos from the event, including the afterparties will follow shortly. Be on the look-out for them!

Beyoncé
$27 million
The 26-year-old diva and former Destiny’s Child frontwoman is an endorsement darling, boasting deals with blue chip brands like American Express, L’Oreal and Samsung. Her last album, B’Day, sold over 7 million copies worldwide.

Not only she is one of the wealthiest woman in the music business (last post), she is one of the top earning African Americans! You go Beyonce!

Our girl Beyonce landed a top 10 spot in Forbes Magazine’s list of the richest women in music this year. The list, called “Cash Queens of Music,” also features big names like Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Shakira and Mariah Carey, and takes into account not only the cash these leading ladies are making through CD sales and tours, but also their varied side projects including clothing and perfume lines. Beyonce is #5 on the list because she made approximately $27 million dollars last year! I mean damn Beyonce, just let me borrow a couple grand, Lol! If you’re interested in checking out the full list, follow the link below. CONTINUE READING THIS ENTRY