Yolanda Adams
has plans to hit the tour circuit again with the 'The New Yolanda …Today Tour." Plans for the new jaunt are being solidified weeks after an initial package, featuring R&B veterans
Chaka Kahn and
Eddie LeVert, were scrapped. 'The New Yolanda' will also feature spiritual crooner
J Moss and innovative hip-hop violinists,
Nuttin But Stringz. According to initial tour routing, the 25-city tour plans to kick off on January 10 in Baton Rouge, La with an approach to play mega-churches.
I think this is going to be to be phenomenal," the singer said from her home in Houston, Tex. yesterday. "It's going to be like sitting in Yolanda's living room or her den and just talking with her."
Although some have speculated that the original tour, featuring secular artists not renowned in the gospel community, was cancelled due to poor ticket sales, legendary concert promoter
Al Walsh clarifies the true reason: "I took it upon myself to postpone the tour because the areas in the southeast that were affected by [Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma] prohibited our travel to many of our scheduled dates."
For Adams, who has toured with other mainstream gospel acts
Kirk Franklin and
Donnie McClurkin in the past, the proposed and revamped tour is her first solo national headlining gig. "This is long overdue," Mr. Walsh added. "Yolanda is by far the best singer in the land, in any genre. Toe-to-toe nobody can out-sing her."
In August, the singer released her latest album, 'Day By Day'--on the newly restructured Atlantic Records -- which debuted on the Billboard Gospel Album chart at No. 1. The former schoolteacher has recorded with
Jimmy Jam &
Terry Lewis,
Missy Elliott, and
Kenny G, amongst others. She recently appeared on the soundtrack for and in the Screen Gem's film 'The Gospel,' starring
Boris Kodjoe,
Idris Elba and
Nona Gaye.
A Revealing Source
The rap community is buzzing about hip-hop magazine 'The Source' once again.
Following an arduous legal battle with
Eminem over copyright infringement (which the rapper withdrew), the founders and publishers of hip-hop magazine, 'The Source,' has taken on another music and media giant: BET Networks.
On Oct. 16, a $100 million lawsuit against Black Entertainment Television, Inc. and its executives was filed in Supreme Court of the State of New York. The reason for the suit was for violating their contractual obligation to broadcast this year's presentation of 'The Source Awards.'
"We suspect that BET is trying to launch its own Hip-Hop awards show but they had a definitive obligation to televise the awards this year," said
Dave Mays, co-founder and CEO of The Source, in a statement. "Too many corporations want to exploit Hip-Hop and try to make money from it, but, at the same time, they do not respect the culture and they do not respect the streets, which is the creative nerve center for Hip-Hop. This respect has always been the key ingredient to 'The Source's' success."
"BET has failed to answer the allegations in the $100 million lawsuit filed against them and has opted to stick their head in the sand and not deny those allegations in any formal reply," said Attorney
Bruce Regenstreich, who is representing Source Entertainment, Inc.
When reached for comment this week by BV, a spokesperson for BET issued the following statement: "BET denies the allegations raised by Source Entertainment. Source Entertainment failed to fulfill its obligations to BET. BET and 'Source' could not come to terms regarding the '2005 Source Awards.' BET will aggressively defend any lawsuit brought by Source Entertainment in this regard."
This latest legal battle arrives on the heels of news that rap mogul
Jay Z and a handful of other hip-hop power brokers (rumored to include
Queen Latifah and
Will Smith) have designs on purchasing the magazine, which reportedly has been plagued by debt over the past few years.
"As to the rumors about Jay Z and a few other hip-hop notables looking to purchase the magazine, Dave Mays and his partner
Benzino own 82% of The Source," a spokesperson for 'The Source' tells BV. "Therefore, anyone interested in buying 'The Source' would have to come to them."
Black Enterprise, Inc., which publishes the black business magazine of the same name, is already an investor in the 'The Source.'
Olivia's Got A Brand New Bag
50 Cent female cohort
Olivia's long delayed sophomore album, 'Behind Closed Doors,' isn't slated for release, according to Interscope- anytime soon. Luckily, she has other irons in the fire.
With her involvement in the G Unit lingerie line under her belt, the sexy rapstress revealed plans for something more mass appealing: "I have a bag line that's going to be coming, with bags and accessories," she tells BV. "Around 2006-2007. We're just finishing up with the designs."
Olivia was signed to the
Clive Davis-helmed J Records 5 years ago and released a self-titled dance music album, which spurred the hit song 'Bizounce.' Since then she has signed with
G Unit and is the sole female performer in the rap clique, which includes
Lloyd Banks,
Young Buck,
Tony Yayo,
M.O.P., and Pastor Mason Betha a.k.a.
Mase.
