Jazz Musician George Duke Dies at 67

According to George’s label Concord Music Group, the legendary keyboardist passes away at St John’s hospital in Los Angeles because of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Jazz musician George Duke, who is dubbed as a pioneer in the funk and R&B genres, passed away at the age of 67. George’s label Concord Music Group announced that the keyboardist died on Monday, August 5, because of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

“The outpouring of love and support that we have received from my father’s friends, fans and the entire music community has been overwhelming. Thank you all for your concern, prayers and support,” his son Rashid Duke said in a statement, as quoted by USA Today.

“I just received the devastating and sad news that the great musician, George Duke, passed away this evening at St. John’s hospital in L.A. It was just one year earlier, July 18th, that his beloved wife and my friend, Corine, went to be with the Lord. Please keep his sons, Rasheed and John, in your prayers,” former Supremes singer Scherrie Payne said.

Celebrities took to Twitter to mourn his passing. Justin Timberlake wrote, “RIP George Duke. Funk, Jazz, MUSIC Legend… One of the GREATEST.” Besides, Josh Groban tweeted, “I was fortunate enough to sing ‘They Won’t Go When I Go’ with George Duke. He was a master and a very kind guy. RIP.”

George was born in San Rafael, California. He fell in love with piano at the age of 4 after his mother took him to watch Duke Ellington’s performance. “I don’t remember it too well, but my mother told me I went crazy. I ran around saying, ‘Get me a piano, get me a piano!’ ” he once said.

The artist released more than 40 albums in his 40 years of career and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis and Jill Scott, among others. In addition, his work was sampled by Kanye West, Daft Punk and Common. The Grammy-winning musician released his final album “DreamWeaver” on July 16. The album, which came out a year after his wife’s death, made its debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s contemporary jazz chart.

He is survived by his sons Rashid and John. Funeral services will be private.

 

Usher’s Ex-Wife Retaliates After Son Nearly Drowned

While 5-year-old Usher Raymond V is recovering after nearly drowned in pool, his mom Tameka Foster files for an emergency custody request in Fulton County Superior Court.

Tameka Foster retaliates against ex-husband Usher upon learning that their 5-year-old son, Usher Raymond V, almost lost his life after diving in to rescue a pool toy earlier this week. The former stylist has filed legal docs in Fulton County Superior Court, Georgia, asking for an emergency hearing on Friday, August 9.

In the motion obtained by ABC News, Tameka accuses the R ‘n’ B singer of “negligence and failure to properly supervise the minor child.” She additionally claims that he is rarely at home watching over the kids as he uses “third-party caregivers” while going out of town working on “The Voice” and his new album.

Usher Jr., who was rescued by two men working in the house, is currently staying at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. According to reports, the kid is already sitting up in bed, eating, talking and even laughing. He, however, will not be released for a few more days since doctors want to continue monitoring him.

Tameka currently only has limited custodial rights of Usher Jr. and his 4-year-old brother Naviyd. Her 11-year-old son Kile, from a previous relationship, died last year after a jet ski accident on Lake Lanier.

-AceShowbiz.com

 

 

Mariah Carey Was Spat on in Racist Attack as a Child

The ‘#Beautiful’ singer says during a press conference of ‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler’ at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel that she has experienced some incidents because of racism.

A scene of “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” evokes a painful memory of a racist incident which Mariah Carey experienced when she was a child. The singer, whose parents are Irish American and African American/Venezuelan, said during the movie’s press conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Monday, August 6, that she was spat on when she sat in a school bus.

“That actually happened to me,” the 43-year-old singer told the crowd, referring to a scene in the movie in which a black student was spat on by a white woman. “I know people would be in shock and not really want to believe or accept that, but it did. That right there, that was almost the deepest thing to me in the movie because I know what she went through – and it happened to be a bus as well. It was a school bus,” she explained, as quoted by Yahoo! Movies.

Oprah Winfrey, who was also present at the event, chimed in, “Where somebody spit on you?” Carey replied, “Yeah. In the face and in the same way.”

Carey has spoken up about being a biracial kid several times. The Hattie Pearl depicter once said that her mother Patricia’s family disowned her because she married a man from different race in 1960.

She added during an appearance on Oprah’s show, “One of the first memories I have is when I was in kindergarten or nursery school they asked us to draw a picture of our family and so I was drawing everybody and I got to my father and I started to make him brown.”

“And, they were like, the kindergarten teachers are often young, and the two women were standing behind me giggling. And I turned around, self-conscious, and asked, ‘Why are your laughing?’ And they said, ‘You’re doing that wrong. Why are you making your father the wrong color?’ And I said, ‘No, that’s the color that he is.’ They made me feel like something was wrong with me, that it was a bizarre freakish thing,” the mother of two concluded.

-AceShowbiz.com

Drake: My new track is a wedding song

Drake

Drake insists his new single 'Hold On, We're Going Home' isn't a "rap record", instead he is hoping it will be played at weddings for a decade or more.

Drake insists his new single is a "wedding record" rather than a rap song.

The 26-year-old rapper is hoping his new track 'Hold On, We're Going Home', which features on his upcoming album 'Nothing was the Same', will be played at nuptials for the next 10 decades and more because it has a "timeless melody".

Speaking to MTV News, he said: "It's not a rap record. It's not 'Versace,' it's not [previous single] 'Started From the Bottom.'

"In approaching this album I was like man, it would be great if we had a record that was played at weddings in 10 years or that people that are away from their families in the army could listen to.

"Something that just [has] timeless writing, timeless melody. So I did it with the group that we signed to OVO called Majid Jordan."

The rapper worked with producer Noah '40' Shebib on the song, and admits the pair were going for a Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson-style production.

He added: "It's me and 40 just channelling our Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson production duo.

"Obviously no offense to the greats, I know we're not anywhere near that - it's just us kinda doing our thing, humbly attempting."

- The List