Dec. 11, 2006

Grown Folks' Business

R&B sensation Omarion has come into his own. After being a standout in the defunct boy band B2K, where he earned gold and platinum plaques, countless awards and sent girls into a frenzy all over the country, Omarion (born Omari Ishmael Grandberry) opted to go solo when the group broke up in Jan. 2005. He released a solo album, 'O,' in Feb. 2005 and the album was certified gold.

On Dec. 26, Omarion, who actually turned 22 on Nov. 12, will release his sophomore CD, '21.' The singer will promote the album while headlining the Scream Tour Five, presented by BET, which kicked off last Friday in Miami and will wrap on New Year's Eve in Washington, DC.

"Having been on every one, just the evolution of it growing has been a major process. Now to be on this one and to be headlining… we started with myself, Bow Wow and B2K starting on the first Scream Tour. It was represented as that tour that most young people could be involved in and most young people could come and go to. But the Scream Tour has taken a different turn this time. Its more grown up, more mature," the singer told me over the phone, while waiting to board a plane from Los Angeles to Oakland.

Joining Omarion on the road for Scream Tour 5 will be Ne-Yo, Mario, Pretty Ricky, Yung Joc, Jibbs, Sammie and Usher's new group One Chance. "Everyone on the tour is adults pretty much. It feels good to be part of the evolution of it," he added.

The tour kicked off just as news of a restructuring at Sony Music was announced. The Sony Urban division is being dismantled, with the artists who are not being dropped having to be reassigned to various Sony divisions like Epic and Columbia. Omarion confessed that it makes him nervous to be releasing new music during this time.

"Yeah, man its real nerve racking. You just hope at the end of the day, like in the past, my fans just come through for me and support me. I've come to realize that in my business, I may have to start from the bottom and just build. It's a really tough time in the industry right now. I'm humbled to the fact that I am going to have to work a little bit harder," he shared, before adding: "Sony has been nothing but amazing for me, but at the same time, its important for me as an artist to understand the things that I need in order to become a superstar and be respected among my peers. It's a must! You have to know your business!"

On the movie front, Omarion said his horror film with business partner and longtime friend, Marques Houston, 'Somebody Help Me,' is slated to open in March. He also recently wrapped production on the Jennifer Lopez-produced movie, 'Reggaeton.'

In case anyone was wondering if there was in chance that the singer would ever reunite with his former B2K cohorts, Raz-B (De'Mario Thornton, J-Boog (Jarell Houston) and Lil Fizz (Dreux Frederic); Omarion was honest about the issue. "I don't personally think so. I think that we're now all at that point in our lives where we're really just trying to find our niche as men. Everyone is really cool with that. Fizz calls me on a daily; I call him on a daily. Just as well as Raz B. More important than the entertainment side, what needed to be re-patched was our relationship and that has happened now," he closed.

Big Move

In last week's BV Buzz I wrote: "The closing of Sony Urban isn't the only major record company news. I hear that a prominent executive on the BMG side of the Sony/BMG system will be announcing their departure sometime soon. Though my source isn't sure when and why said executive is leaving, I'm told that Sony/BMG brass is looking for a replacement now."

This week, I can tell you exclusively (after holding the news for nearly a week and a half) that Max Siegel, Senior Vice President of Zomba Label Group and President of Zomba Gospel (Verity Records), will be leaving his post with the company to take an unprecedented position within the NASCAR industry. According to industry sources, Siegel will be working with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. as President of Global Operations and that the announcement should be made formally this week. Apparently Siegel, fresh of the heals of a glowing profile in Newsweek magazine, will be the first African-American to hold such a high-ranking position in the NASCAR industry and this news places him in the league with other prominent Black executives like Kenneth I. Chenault (American Express), Richard D. Parsons (Time Warner) and Reginald E. Davis (Wachovia).

Buzzworthy

According to Hollywood gossip Janet Charlton, there'll be no 'Brokeback Mountain' roles for actor Ving Rhames. On her blog, Janet Charlton's Hollywood, the former Star magazine columnist writes that Rhames backed out of a scene in Adam Sandler's movie 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry' when his character was supposed to kiss another guy. "Ving Rhames plays a macho fireman of indeterminate sexual preference, and his character was supposed to give a big kiss to another guy. But Ving could NOT bring himself to do it. Kissing a guy freaked him out," reported Charlton. Producers solved the problem by grabbing an extra on the set-a statuesque girl with short hair-and dressed her up in men's clothes. Rhames was perfectly happy planting his kiss on the girl in drag and since the girl made out with a larger role, she was able to earn her Screen Actors Guild card.

Breakout gospel star Jonathan Nelson and his group Purpose recorded his sophomore gospel CD live at Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, Md. on Dec. 1. The live concert, also shot for DVD, featured guest appearances by Nikki Ross, Sheri Jones-Moffett, William Murphy, Sha Simpson and Jason Nelson. During the final song, his award-winning "Healed" that was re-recorded by Donald Lawrence, Nelson had all of the recording artists in attendance join him onstage. In addition to Ross, singers like Lucinda Moore, Crystal Rucker and R&B belter Lil' Mo took turns adlibbing on the vamp of the tune. Also in attendance for the session were Pastor Jamal Bryant (who took up what was estimated to be a $40,000 offering), Brent Jones, Maurette Brown Clark, Stephen Hurd, Dewayne Woods, Lexi, Ty Tribbett, James "JJ" Hairston, Neily Dickerson, Melanie Clark, James Robinson, Michael McCoy, Cheryl Jackson and Nolan Williams, Jr.

Speaking of gospel recordings, Tyscot Records artist VaShawn Mitchell will record his follow-up to 'Believe in Your Dreams' on Dec. 18 at the Apollo Theater Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. Gospel talents Kim Burrell and Calvin Bernard Rhone will be his special guests. The title track from Mitchell's debut album will be featured in a forthcoming episode of the NBC series 'Friday Night Lights.'

Robin Givens stars in the newly released straight-to-DVD film 'Restraining Order,' which was directed by first-timer Reggie Gaskins. Givens, who is currently on the road in the touring production, 'Men, Money & Golddiggers,' told me that she'd love to guest star on an upcoming episode of 'Desperate Housewives' and that everyone, including her pal Chris Rock, has asked why she isn't on the series. "Chris Rock is a dear friend of mine. He calls me periodically. One day I get this call from him and he says, 'I'm not calling to talk to you, I just want to know one thing. Why are you not on 'Desperate Housewives?' So I've heard it from everyone. I would love to do that," she said.

Can't Say Names…

Sources say that while many African-American females are vying for the gig of replacing Star Jones Reynolds on the revamped 'The View,' there is a short-list of names that won't ever get a chance to sit-in because of their actions following Reynolds departure. One Hollywood talent in particular upset the show's executive producers with a rant about the way the former Payless spokeswoman was treated in the end and sources tattle that Barbara Walters has vowed to never let her come on the show again.