Webmaster: Sam About Me: Urban Pop Culture Enthusiast From: London, United Kingdom Site Since: February 2007 Current Version: 5.1 Email:sam@thatgrapejuice.net Additional:
That Grape Juice aims to be a reliable source for all that is Urban Pop Culture. False information will never deliberately be posted on this site. By posting news, rumors etc, we are in no way stating that they are 100% accurate. Much of what is written will be from my own perspective, which I am damn well entitled to have! I do not own the rights to any of the pictures posted on here; if there are any problems with me using them, please do get in contact.
As Madonna gears up for the release of her latest greatest hits collection 'Celebration', the video for the title track of the set premiered today.
After watching this, the words embarrassing, atrocious and hot mess immediately come to mind. Having never really been one to holler about ol' Madge being past it, this video is proof if ever it was needed. The cringe worthy choreography and insistence on trying to sell her sex appeal, which long expired, made this whole affair seem desperate and actually quite sad. Blunt as it sounds too, the song is trash.
Tidbit: Did anyone else notice Madge's daughter Lourdes getting her dance on at the end?
As Madonna gears up for the release of her Greatest Hits compilation 'Celebration' (due September 29th), the LP's title track has surfaced. Produced by Dance hitmaker Paul Oakenfold, the track can quite frankly be summed up as 'blah'. I say this not because the genre isn't my usual forte, but simply due to the song sounding cheesy and dated. What's more, with the lead singles from ol' Madge's more recent efforts 'Hung Up' and '4 Minutes' being undeniable winners, I feel she dropped the ball with this one.
This past weekend saw two of music's biggest acts pay tribute to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson. During Madonna's show at London's 02 last night, the 50 year old and her dancers gave an uptempo nod to MJ (which you can watch above), while Beyonce gave a touching rendition of 'Halo' (which you can see below), changing the words in honour of Michael. Good stuff.
Randomness: I must have randomly been walking through London Bridge today, stumbling upon a dance showcase (presented by Scoop). After the performances the hosts gave a speech about Michael and went on to give a master class in the classic 'Beat It' routine. I was so surprised to see hundreds of people of all races, ages (young - elderly), genders etc join in honoring Michael. This really brought a smile to my face and put me in a celebratory mindset about Michael's legacy for the first time since his untimely passing. Only he could bring together such a diverse mix of people, who united in their love for his music and dance. Definitely brightened up my day. The vid below doesn't really do the event much justice, many folk were in the house, and everyone from toddlers to pensioners got in on the 'Beat It' routine:
What's more, there's not been a time that I've been out since 'that' sad day, that I've not heard someone blaring out MJ in their car. I literally mean everyday, multiple people. Anyone else noticed the same thing?
Pop superstar Madonna, today, saw her bid to adopt another child from Malawi denied:
A Malawian court has ruled that US pop star Madonna has failed in her bid to adopt a second child from the country.
"I must decline to grant the application for the adoption of the infant," judge Esmie Chondo said after a closed-door hearing on Friday.
The application has been rejected over residency rules.
Madonna, who flew to Malawi on Sunday, was not in court to hear the ruling over Chifundo James, three. Her lawyer said she would lodge an appeal.
The 50-year-old singer applied to adopt Chifundo James, whose name translates into English as Mercy, on Monday.
Had her application been successful, Chifundo would have been a sister to David, the first child she adopted from the African country, and her biological children Lourdes and Rocco. {Source}
While I'm pretty indifferent to Madge's aggressive pursuit of another African baby, I'm keen to hear what you all think...
According to reports, pop superstar and recent divorcee Madonna is set to adopt another child from African country Malawi:
Madonna has reportedly filed adoption papers for a second child ahead of a new visit to Malawi.
An official at the welfare department has confirmed that the pop superstar has formally applied to adopt another child from the country, The AP reports.
A second anonymous source claimed that Madonna would travel to Malawi this weekend and have an adoption case heard by a court as soon as Monday.
Madonna adopted David Banda from Malawi in 2006 and has long been rumoured to want another child from the country to be his brother or sister. {Source}
This, I'm sure, will have her critics sounding off again...
Madonna took a tumble during her recent concert in Brazil's Rio De Janeiro. Peep the clip above
By all means funny stuff, but the Pop superstar is likely to be the last one laughing; her Sticky & Sweet tour continues to break records across the globe, already amassing a whopping $213 Million for the singer already.
Randomness: I really wish Michael and Janet would take note. Record sales may not be what they once were (even for ol' Madge), but hitting the road is increasingly becoming 'the' way to go. One can only hope...
Pop superstar Madonna brought out fellow mega-star Britney Spears last night during the Los Angeles stop of her 'Sticky & Sweet' tour at the Dodgers Stadium. Looking every inch a star, Spears joined Madge, 50, on stage for a rendition of 'Human Nation'.
Though the performance wasn't exactly mind-blowing, it's great to see Ms. Spears looking so great and getting her self reacquainted with the music scene again.
Randomness: Justin Timberlake was also in the building. He joined Madonna onstage for '4 Minutes' later in the show. Oh how 'interesting' it must have been backstage!
After months of speculation, it has been confirmed that Pop superstar Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie are to divorce, according to Madonna's spokeswoman. Check out the report via Billboard below:
A statement e-mailed to the Associated Press from spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg says the couple has agreed to divorce, and asks the media to respect their privacy.
The statement, co-signed by Ritchie's representative, says the couple had not agreed to a settlement.
Madonna and Ritchie married in December 2000 at a Scottish castle. The couple have two children: Rocco, 8, and David Banda, 3, who was adopted from Malawi in 2006. Madonna also has a 12-year-old daughter, Lourdes, from her relationship with personal trainer Carlos Leon.
The couple are reportedly worth some $525 million, the bulk of that belonging to Madonna. Ritchie has an estimated $35 million fortune. They own homes in London, Los Angeles and New York, and a 1,200-acre retreat in Wiltshire, England.
Unfortunately, this is hardly surprising as there have been murmerings about a separation for a while now. It's a shame, 'industry' relationships seem like an impossiblity.
For more than 25 years, the controversial Queen of Pop has both sung and shocked her way to the legendary status she enjoys today.
With the mother of 2 showing no signs of putting away the risque outfits anytime soon, That Grape Juice wants to know what your thoughts are on Madonna's half-century existence and storied career.
After increasing speculation, it has been confirmed that Pop star Britney Spears will make a video cameo at Madonna's upcoming 'Sticky & Sweet Tour':
"There is footage being shot of Britney some time this week in conjunction with Madonna's upcoming (Sticky & Sweet) tour," Madonna's publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said in an e-mail Tuesday to The Associated Press. "That is all the information I have available. The rest is `a secret.'"
Rosenberg denied reports that Spears, 26, is shooting a music video.
Madonna guest starred in a music video for Spears' single "Me Against the Music" in 2003. The singers stirred up controversy that year with an open-mouth kiss at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Madonna, 49, will kick off her tour Aug. 23 in Cardiff, Wales, and wind through European destinations including London and Paris before jumping to the U.S. in October.
She'll wrap it up Nov. 30 in Mexico City. {Source}
It's great to see Britney getting herself out there again - slowly, but surely.
In news that will both please fans and silence some critics, the NY Daily News is reporting that Janet Jackson's Live Nation 'Rock Witchu Tour' is performing well at the ticket box office:
Madonna's ticket sales may have gotten off to a slow start, but Janet Jackson's are doing fine, claims Live Nation, their concert-tour company.
Jackson is hitting the road to promote her latest CD, "Discipline", which hasn't fared well on the charts since its February release.
But hopes are still high for Jackson's tour at Live Nation, where the chairman left last week after criticism that he was paying stars too much for the return. "She's a tour record-breaker, having grossed more than $100 million in her career".
So why is Jackson apparently selling well while only half of the seats at Madonna's L.A. show have been sold? Her tickets are cheaper than Madonna's, ranging from $46 to $126 at the Izod Center in New Jersey, for example, where Jackson performs Oct. 17. And unlike Madonna, who almost always favors her new material in shows, Jackson is willing to do the fan-favorite hits.
"We're very happy with the ticket sales," said a Live Nation spokesman. "She hasn't complained about us. Thank God."
It's great to see Janet's Live Nation 'situation' working out well at this early stage. There are murmurings that she may sign a similar '360' deal similar to that of Jay-Z, Madonna etc with the company should the tour do well.
The video for Madonna's latest single 'Give It 2 Me' premiered today. Both the song and vid are kinda underwhelming coming off the brilliance of '4 Minutes'. IMO 'Hard Candy' has tracks that are more deserving of the single treatment such as 'Candy Shop' and 'Dance 2night'.
Pop superstar Madonna stopped by BET's 106 & Park Thursday to promote her new LP 'Hard Candy'. It's not everyday we see Madonna on more Urban-centered shows, but obviously with the more R&B/Hip-Hop inspired sound of the record she's covering all bases this time around. Great interview (Random tidbit: What was she wearing?).
Pop superstar Madonna held an intimate concert for 2,200 of her fans in New York's Roseland Ballroom yesterday night. During her 30 minute set, the 49 year old performed material from her new LP 'Hard Candy' (which is set to debut at #1 with predicted sales of 300,000) as well as songs from her back-catalogue. Check out some of the performances, which were screened on MSN, below:
4 Minutes (ft. Justin Timberlake)
Candy Shop
Hung Up
I have to give it her; at nearly 50, she is still killing it.
Today sees the release of Madonna's 11th studio album 'Hard Candy'. Boasting contributions from Urban heavyweights Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West, the record is the superstar's first full-scale foray into the world of Urban music.
That Grape Juice wants to know if you're sold on Madonna's latest musical effort. Is it believable or contrived? Will you be buying? Drop your views in the comments section...
{Madonna's people are on a rampage taking the vid off Youtube etc}
The much-anticipated video for Madonna's latest offering '4 Minutes (To Save The World)' premiered just a few short hours ago. I must say that I consider this to be one the year's better vids thus far. Both the clips concept of and the overall visuals were awesome. Saying that, I felt both Madonna and Justin could have brought 'it' better on the choreography front - which, IMO, was a real missed opportunity . Still, a great video that emphasises why she continues to remain relevant in today's unstable music climate. Madonna's forthcoming LP 'Hard Candy', from which '4 Minutes' is lifted from, will hit stores on April 29th.
Check out this preview of Madonna's chart smash 'A Minutes To Save The World' (ft. Justin Timberlake):
I can't even deny it, Madonna is bringing 'IT'! The vid, which should be premiering in full any day now, looks great. I'm just here cracking up at the fact a 49 year Madonna is up there whining and whatnot - looking good doing it too! LOL..
2008 really does seem to be the year of the Divas; both Mariah Carey and Madonna, this week, have surpassed Elvis Presley in the Billboard chart record books.
Securing her 18th #1 with 'Touch My Body' - which shot #15-#1 this week, Mariah Carey now stands solely in 2nd place as the artist with the most #1's on the chart, having been previously tied with Elvis at 17 entries. Carey's tally is second only to The Beatles 20 chart toppers.
Meanwhile, the rocketing of Madonna's latest effort '4 Minutes To Save The World' from #68-#3 has meant the 49 year old has overtaken Presley as the artist with the most Top Ten charting singles - which now stands at 37. {Source}
Congratulations to both ladies, it really is a major achievement in each case. Something tells me Mariah may likely crank out her 19th ,and possibly 20th, chart topper from her forthcoming 'E=MC²' record. I guess time will tell. {Note to Janet's people: What the hell is going on?!}
Pop superstar Madonna is set to release her latest album 'Hard Candy' on April 29th, boasting contributions from the likes of Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams. The above pic has been revealed as the LP's official cover. Though I'm kinda feeling the look she's gone for, the background is a mess, as is the 'Hard Candy' font.
As I've said before, it's not often you see Madonna around these sides. Yet her foray into the world of Urban of music (again), this time with the assistance of Timbaland & Justin Timberlake, is newsworthy in itself. A clip of the first single to be lifted from her forthcoming album 'Hard Candy' (due April 29th) '4 Minutes To Save The World', surfaced earlier this month, however the full version premiered on French radio today.
What can I say? She brought 'it' and then some! The production on the uptempo track is arguably Timbo's best in years and both Madonna & Justin ride the beat with ease. I'm still thinking to myself as I type, can this really be a Madonna track?! The hook heavy track is certain to be a smash IMO.
