Jay-Z
Jay-Z Loses Legal Battle With British Chef
Hip-hop superstar JAY-Z has lost a longrunning legal battle with the boss of a British restaurant - four years after he sued the eaterie in a trademark dispute.
The rapper filed suit against celebrity chef Terry Miller in 2006 over the name of his Rockafella restaurant in Newcastle, England, claiming the title would lead to confusion with his Roc-A-Fella Records music empire.
Miller, who launched the business after winning U.K. cooking reality show Hell‘s Kitchen in 2005, fought back and after years of legal wrangling a ruling in England has gone in his favour.
The reality TV star has been granted the U.K. trademark for the restaurant and food-branding name Rockafella, and Jay-Z has been ordered to pay Miller's legal costs.
Miller admits he is delighted with the result. He says, "I'm happy with the legal win because it's a moral win as much as anything."
The rapper is not the first hip-hop star to fail after a trademark battle in the British courts - in 2007 Sean 'Diddy' Combs lost the right to use the name 'Diddy' following a legal dispute with London DJ Richard 'Diddy' Dearlove. The star is banned from releasing any music in Britain under the moniker, with trademark restrictions forcing him to use P. Diddy instead.
Kelis Demands Nas Pay Child Support
Kelis has asked a judge to summon NAS to court following the rapper's alleged failure to pay child support since 1 December (09).
The Milkshake hitmaker has filed legal papers requesting her estranged husband be held in contempt of court, accusing him of falling behind in his child and spousal support.
Nas is said to owe $56,911 (£35,570) in back payments, according to TMZ.com.
In December (09), a judge ordered Nas to increase monthly payments from $40,000 (£25,000) to $51,000 (£31,375).
Nas and Kelis split at the beginning of 2009, just before the birth of their son Knight.
Blue Enlist Ne-Yo For Help With Comeback Album
British Boyband Blue have landed heavyweight help for their comeback album - they're writing with R&B star NE-YO.
The four-piece split in 2005, but reunited last year (09), releasing a Greatest Hits album.
They'll follow that record with a disc of new material in 2010, and they're surrounding themselves with music's biggest names - to ensure they return with a bang.
In an interview on British radio station BBC Radio 1, singer Duncan James reveals, "We have been in the studio. We went back in last year. We went over to New York and recorded with Jay-Z's people, wrote with Ne-Yo and the stuff sounds really different to anything we've done before."
Peta Urge Usher Not To Replace Fur Coats
Animal activists are urging singer Usher not to replace fur coats that were stolen from his vehicle during a Christmas shopping trip.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) bosses have written to the R&B star in a bid to persuade him to stop buying furs as gifts.
The coats were among items taken from the Yeah! singer's SUV while he and a pal shopped at a store in Atlanta, Georgia on 14 December
(09).
In the letter, PETA official Michelle Cho writes, "When it comes to these coats, you're not the first victim. The animals who were beaten, electrocuted, or drowned for those coats - the original owners - are the real victims. Please pledge to be fur-free.
"You would be in great company! Other compassionate folks who refuse to wear real fur include Eva Mendes, Charlize Theron, Michelle Obama... and Nia Long, just to name a few. We'd be thrilled to add your name to the list."