by Maya Carpenter 

Condo Hard to Sell Due To Weed Smell

The Grammy Award-winning rapper’s ‘Lil Wayne’s landlord has been having a tough time unloading a three-bedroom, two-bathroom condo in South Beach which is currently listed for sale at $520,000. Why? Because the marijuana scent that has engulfed the condo is scaring off potential buyers.

The broker who is trying to sell the real estate has specific request of the viewers of this available property; and it goes somewhat like this: ‘I have two questions: Are you offended by the smell of marijuana?’” And, “Do you mind coming late in the afternoon? The property is currently rented by Lil Wayne, and these are not morning people.”

Despite these issues, one couple still attempted to view the property. When they arrived, however, they were greeted by scantily clad women and an apartment full of weed smoke.

“Once we got there, a member of Wayne’s posse opened the door to the overwhelming smell of marijuana,” the unnamed prospective buyer said. “Two hot, rap-video-looking girls were walking around in nothing but a bra and underwear, blasting hip-hop. We just went in and looked around and tried not to stare.

Our source continued that Wayne also has a $3.1 million condo in the Murano Grande building and wasn’t present during their tour. “He is actually a very neat tenant,” said the perspective buyer. “He had a perfectly organized closet of crisp T-shirts on hangers, and neatly stacked piles of XXL magazines,” concluded the visitors.

Award-winning rapper ‘Lil Wayne.

Single lady Tina Knowles.

Jermaine Dupri shown here with Brat.

Alicia Keys

Tyrese

Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne M. Carter, has been very candid about his drug use, telling CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric in her All Access Grammy Special this past September, “I will stand up for marijuana every day,” adding that he used pot to treat his migraines. His representatives did not respond to a request seeking comment.

All the “Single Ladies!”

Well, it looks like Tina Knowles will be singing her daughter’s favorite tune “Single Ladies” real soon; and it comes as no surprise. According to sources, Tina, whose name was filed as Celestine under court documents, has decided to finally end her 29-year marriage to Matthew Knowles.

Matthew and Tina Knowles married in 1980, and they have had their share of bumps in the road, including a separation early in Beyonce’s career.

The Knowleses let it be known that they are looking to keep their divorce proceeding as clean and civil as possible; so if you are looking for any “divorcegate” drama, you will be sadly disappointed.

Mathew Knowles was officially served his walking papers on the 16th of November.

Beyoncé will continue to do what she does best when she embarks on a two-week extension of her “I Am” Tour. The singer has added on dates for her tour and will perform in South America and the Caribbean beginning in February 2010.
Also coming in February 2010 – Beyoncé’s new fragrance, Heat.

Ain’t Nobody’s Business…

Jermaine Dupri spoke to Ryan Cameron of V-103, Atlanta’s urban radio stations, about Da Brat’s incarceration, and explains why he won’t visit her.  “People don’t know me or my business, so they should keep my name out of their months,” said Jermaine Dupri.  “It ain’t anybody’s business first of all what I do. Brat is my lil sister and she knows the deal, and that’s all that matters.  I’m working on her release, and I’m praying to God things turn out well,” concluded Dupri.

DaBrat is serving three years in jail for assaulting a woman in a nightclub two years ago.

What’s Happening Now…?

Alicia & Beyoncé Rivals?…Not!!

It looks like those folks who thought Alicia Keys and Beyoncé were in some sort of rivalry will need to think again – because the two have paired up to sing a duet called “Put it in A Love Song,” featured on Keys’s debut album, The Element of Freedom. It sounds like there will be plans to shoot a video for the women’s anthem. I’m sure fans of both artists are waiting on pins and needles for that one!

Tyrese’s Fender-Bender

On another note, R&B crooner Tyrese was recently in head-on collision in Miami that left neither party in serious condition. According to tmz.com, the actor/singer smashed against a mother of five driving an SUV. Apparently Tyrese’s Dodge Charger flipped over, but everyone was fine. Once he and his companion left the hospital, the pair went to the spa for a massage. Now that is not the way to end a near-death accident.

The 40th NAACP Image Awards

Each year, the NAACP Image Awards honor individuals or groups whose contributions and achievement merits special recognition. Halle Berry and Tyler Perry will host this special event airing on FOX – TV on February 12. Check your local listings for time. Here’s a partial list of the NAACP Award Nominations.

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Outstanding Comedy Series
• “30 Rock” (NBC)
• “Everybody Hates Chris” (CW)
• “Glee” (FOX)
• “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
•  “Ugly Betty” (ABC)

Outstanding Drama Series
• “Cold Case” (CBS)
• “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
• “HawthoRNe” (TNT) 
• “Lincoln Heights” (ABC Family)
• “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” (HBO)

Outstanding News/ Information – (Series or Special)
• “Anderson Cooper 360: President Obama’s African Journey” (CNN)
• “CNN Presents: Reclaiming the Dream 2” (CNN)
• “The Inauguration of Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States” (BET)
• “Judge Mathis” (Syndicated)
• “Leading Women: India.Arie, Dr. Maya Angelou” (Centric)

Outstanding Talk Series
• “Lopez Tonight” (TBS)
• “The Mo’Nique Show” (BET)
• “The Tyra Banks Show” (CW)
• “The View” (ABC)
• “The Wanda Sykes Show” (FOX)

Outstanding Variety – (Series or Special)
• “BET Awards 2009” (BET)
• “Bill Cosby: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor” (PBS)
• “Michael Jackson Memorial Service” (ABC, BET, CNN, MTV, NBC)
• “Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me” (HBO)
• “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial” (HBO)

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
• Jeremih (Def Jam)
• Keri Hilson (Mosley Music Group/Zone 4 Inc/Interscope Records)
• K’Jon (Universal Republic Records)
• Kristinia DeBarge (Def Jam)
• Melanie Fiona (SRC/Universal/Motown)

Outstanding Female Artist
• Alicia Keys (Columbia Records)
• India.Arie (Universal Republic Records)
• Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)
• Rihanna (Def Jam)
• Whitney Houston (Artista Records)

Outstanding Jazz Album
• “Detroit” – Gerald Wilson Orchestra (Mack Avenue Records)
• “He and She” – Wynton Marsalis (Blue Note Records)
• “Kind of Brown” – Christian McBride & Inside Straight (Mack

Outstanding Gospel Album – (Traditional or Contemporary)
• “A City Called Heaven” – Shirley Caesar (Light Records)
•  “How I Got Over” – Vickie Winans (Destiny Joy)
•  “Love Unstoppable” – Fred Hammond (Verity Records)
•  “Still” – BeBe & CeCe Winans (B & C Records)
• We Are All One: Live In Detroit” – Donnie McClurkin (VerityRecords)

Outstanding Music Video
• “Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
• “Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
• “I Look To You” – Whitney Houston (Arista)
• “Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)

Outstanding Song
• “Bad Habits” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• “Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
• “Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)
• “God In Me” – Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
• “Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia)

Outstanding Album
• “The Blueprint 3” – Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
• “BLACKsummers’night” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)
• “The Element of Freedom” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
• “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” – Mariah Carey (Def Jam)
• “Stronger With Each Tear” – Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)

LITERATURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
• “Basketball Jones” – E. Lynn Harris (deceased) (Doubleday)
• “Before I Forget” – Leonard Pitts, Jr. (Agate Bolden)
• “Life is Short But Wide” – J. California Cooper (Doubleday)
• “The Book of Night Women” – Marlon James Riverhead Books)
• “The Long Fall” – Walter Mosley (Riverhead Books)

Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
• “Brain Surgeon”: A Doctor’s Inspiring Encounters With Mortality and Miracles – Arnold Mann with Keith Black, MD (Grand Central Publishing)
• “Family Affair: What It Means to be African American Today” – Gil L. Robertson, IV (Agate Bolden)
• “Freedom in My Heart: Voices From the United States National Slavery Museum” – Cynthia Jacobs Carter (National Geographic Books)
• “In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past” – Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Crown)
• “Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis” – Al Gore (Rodale Inc.)

Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Auto-Biography
• “Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud” – Dr. Cornel West (SmileyBooks)
• “Michelle Obama” – Deborah Willis (W. W. Norton)
• “POPS: A Life of Louis” – Terry Teachout (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• “Shooting Stars” – LeBron James and Buzz Bissinger (The Penguin Press)
• “Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne” – James Gavin (Atria Books)

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Motion Picture
• “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• “Invictus” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• “Michael Jackson’s: This Is It” (Columbia Pictures)
• “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
• “The Princess and the Frog” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Independent Motion Picture
• “American Violet” (Samuel Goldwyn Company)
• “Amreeka” (National Geographic Entertainment)
• “Endgame” (Montery Entertainment)
• “Medicine for Melancholy” (IFC Films)
• “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)

Maxwell

DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY

Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television)
• “Capitalism: A Love Story” (Overture Films)
• “Crips and Bloods: Made in America” (Gravitas Ventures)
• “Crude” (First Run Features)
• “Good Hair” (Roadside Attractions)
• “More than a Game” (Lionsgate)