Jay-Z & Kanye West Announce Album Release Date…And New Duo Name

If you thought anticipation for Jay-Z and Kanye West’s joint effort ‘Watch The Throne’ had reached fever-pitch, think again.

For, the Hip-Hop heavyweights have today announced not only the release date for the eagerly awaited LP, they also revealed that they have formally formed a new group, and will be heading out on the road.

All the details after the jump…

The duo will now go by the name ‘The Throne’ when performing and recording, with their first joint effort ‘Watch The Throne’ confirmed to arrive on iTunes on August 8th. Traditional outlets and other digitial retailers will receive the album four days later (August 12th). The set is preceded by lead singles ‘Otis’ and the Beyonce assisted ‘Lift Off’.

Coinciding with the iTunes release, will be the release of tickets to the project’s accompanying US tour, which is set to make major stops in a number of key markets including Los Angeles and New York. As of July 28th, fans of the pair will be able to obtain pre-sale passwords to begin snapping up what will inevitably be fast-disappearing tickets. Click here for more details, and check out dates below…

‘Watch the Throne Tour’

Sept. 22 – Detroit, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills
Sept. 24 – Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre
Sept. 25 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Sept. 27 – East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center
Sept. 28 – East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center
Sept. 29 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center
Oct. 4 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Oct. 6 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Oct. 7 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Oct. 8 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
Oct. 10 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
Oct. 13 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
Oct. 14 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Oct. 16 – San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion
Oct. 17 – Sacramento, CA – Power Balance Pavilion
Oct. 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
Oct. 20 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
Oct. 21 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
Oct. 25 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Oct. 26 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Oct. 29 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena
Oct. 30 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
Nov. 1 – Baltimore, MD – 1st Mariner Arena
Nov. 3 – Boston, MA – TD Garden

Photos of Will & Jada Smith's Family Released

Will and Jada Smith's super star family have captivated the nation, but the world normally sees them walking the red carpet or silver screen, but photos of them in their home have been released.
These candid photos show Willow performing for her parents on a piano, hanging with her brothers Jaden and Trey, getting ready for a performance with her mom and chiling in the studio with her dad.
Check out more photos of the Smith's:

Kevin Durant throws a sick off the backboard lob to James Harden in Manila (2011)

Ron Artest: I've Been Divorced for Years!

We've been wondering why L.A. Lakers star Ron Artest hasn't taken his wife along when he's out on the town, and now we know why ... he doesn't have one!



We found out Ron quietly got divorced from Kimsha on June 30, 2009.  The couple shares joint custody of their 3 kids and their relationship is extremely amicable -- we're told they get along better than when they were married.

The couple married in 2003.

RUMOR: J LO and Puffy back together!

Shirley Coco predicted this one! Popular website claims Puffy and Jennifer Lopez may be a couple again.  Read and judge for yourself…..but don’t lie — it would be kinda romantic!
Monica Taylor

July 25, 2011. MediaTakeOut.com has just received some EARTH SHATTERING NEWS . . . Jennifer Lopez and rapper/mogul Diddy are DATING AGAIN!!!
According to an EXTREMELY RELIABLE MediaTakeOut.com snitch, Diddy and Jennifer had all but BROKEN OFF communication when their relationship ended nearly a decade ago.
But, the insider claims, Jennifer REACHED OUT to Diddy late last year – when she realized her marriage to Marc Anthony was NOT WORKING.
The insider, who is CLOSE TO DIDDY, told MediaTakeOut.com, “[Diddy] was not expecting Jennifer to call him. They hadn’t spoken in years, and all of a sudden, she’s calling and texting.”
But it wasn’t just CALLING and TEXTING, our insider claim that on AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS, Diddy and Jennifer actually PHYSICALLY MET UP!! And while they can not say whether or not anything POPPED OFF between them . . . you can decide what YOU THINK happened.
Anyways – J Lo and Diddy kept in contact for months and last week, we’re told that the two WENT ON A DATE!!!
MediaTakeOut.com EXCLUSIVELY learned that last WEDNESDAY NIGHT Jennifer Lopez FLEW INTO New York City and went on a date with DIDDY . . . at New York’s top restaurant PHILLIPE CHOW.
According to one person who was THERE AND SAW IT, “Diddy came in quickly and immediately went to the private area . . . about 20 minutes later J Lo went in. I was in shock.”

Legendary Boxing Promoter Butch Lewis Dead at 65

Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
Ronald “Butch” Lewis, known in the fight industry for tenaciously landing his light heavyweight champion Michael Spinks a massive $13.5 million purse for what turned out to be a brutal, one round KO at the hands of Iron Mike Tyson, apprently suffered a massive heart attack.
Lewis, age 65 and more active in recent years in the music and TV fields than in boxing, was in or around his stately home in Delaware when he went into cardiac arrest.

LAURYN HILL GAVE BIRTH TO BABY NUMBER 6 ON SAT THE 23RD. . . 4 WEEKS PREMATURE

July 25, 2011. Its learned that over the weekend, singer Lauryn Hill gave birth to her 6th child - a BOY.

But the delivery was NOT without complications. First, a source tells that the labor took EVERYONE by surprise. The insider explained, "[The baby] wasn't due for another 4 weeks,so it was scary."

And there were MORE complications. We EXCLUSIVELY learned that the child came out with the UMBILICAL CORD wrapped around his neck. Luckily, doctors were able to UNTIE the baby, and he began breathing normally.

We're happy to report that as of MONDAY MORNING, both Lauren and her new baby boy are both doing FINE. Lauren is expected to leave the hospital TODAY - and her new boy may leave WITH HER!!!