The Empire allegations of plagiarism seem to be rolling in left and right. First Diddy claimed the show’s creators ripped off his life story to influence the plot. Now, a man named Ron Newt is coming forward claiming Empire is based on an idea he shared with Terrence Howard years ago.

Newt is a self-proclaimed “known ghetto player” who said he signed with Michael Jackson and Death Row Records in 1989. According to Newt, he once met with Howard at a Four Seasons hotel to discuss his “Bigger Than Big” script about his life as a “gangster, pimp and drug dealer.” 

Allegedly, Howard immediately connected with his character and expressed interest in playing the role. Fast forward to Empire‘s 2015 debut, Newt said he instantly noticed similarities in Empire’s storyline and those in his movie – specifically the killing of Lucious’ long time friend/drug dealing cohort Bunkie and the character Cookie going to prison on drug charges.

Newt has filed a $1 billion suit against Howard and the show’s creator Lee Daniels. Plagiarism happens in Hollywood very often, but is the storyline of a deeply flawed yet powerful celebrity family that unique? There are literally dozens of cases Empire could seem to mirror, so Newt might have a hard time proving that Empire is a concept he originally conceived.

Meanwhile, season 2 is promising to feature an all-star cast. Sources close to the show told HollywoodLife that every A-lister from Kanye West to Justin Beiber is lobbying for a cameo. Season 2 of Empire will premiere in September.

Drama, tears and shade were all present at the Real Housewives of Atlanta season 7 reunion. A teaser of the 3-part special offers a sneak peek at the catty shade that fans all expecting, in addition to deeply emotional moments from NeNe Leakes and Phaedra Parks.

The short clip shows the Georgia peaches, all decked out in white, engaging in a bitter war of words. Cynthia Bailey and NeNe bicker over who is to blame for their souring friendship. Phaedra dishes on her estranged husband Apollo Nida’s violent fits of rage behind closed door, alluding that some domestic abuse might have taken place.

Newcomer Demetria McKinney was not present for the reunion taping for reasons currently unknown. However, the singer has previously denied rumors that she was fired from the show.

Will the ladies finally settle their long time feuds or will this be the official end of some alliances? The 3-part sit-down with Andy Cohen premieres April 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.

Geneva Thomas, from the Bravo reality show Blood, Sweat and Heels, has pleaded guilty to hitting co-star Melyssa Ford over the head with a bottle.

The writer was arrested late last year for the incident which occurred while the show’s cast members were on a Hudson River boat cruise. A disagreement ensued, which resulted in Thomas breaking a bottle over Ford’s head.  Ford was then rushed to the hospital, and Thomas was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree felony assault.

The reality star was able to accept a plea deal due to her clean criminal record, according to TMZ.  She was sentenced to 10 days of community service. She will likely avoid jail and probation, so long as she keeps her distance from Ford and stays out of trouble.

A source reportedly told Bossip that the former music video model is dissatisfied with her attacker getting off the hook so easy, especially since she suffered injuries to the attack, resulting in her having to receive three staples to her head. She reportedly still suffers from vertigo because of the incident.

“She doesn’t understand why this person isn’t going to jail,” the source said. “She could’ve been killed.”

The fact that Thomas pleaded guilty to the assault means that her $25 million dollar defamation suit against Ford will likely be negatively compromised.

Cameras were present for the brawl, so footage will possibly be revealed on the second season of the show.

R&B songstress, Brandy is gearing up for her big Broadway debut as Roxy Hart in the famed musical “Chicago”. On Friday she worked it out with her musical co-star Amra-Faye Wright who plays Velma Kelly in the play. The two stars alongside other cast members dressed in all-black-everything and put on quite a show as they rehearsed for a group of photogs and press.

Giving outlets and fans just a taste of what they can expect from Brandy’s Broadway takeover, Brandy and Amra performed two songs and a dance number. The event began with the two showing off their vocal skills and harmonies with an impressive performance of “Nowadays”.

Brandy also showed off her footwork with an almost flawless rendition of the “Hot Honey Rag”.

B-rocka’s dance moves weren’t the only thing on display during the private rehearsal. Looks like all that working out Brandy has been doing is really paying off. Her body looks amazing.

Super excited about the big press day, Brandy posted a photo from the rehearsal saying,

#BrandyasRoxieHart beautiful day today at @chicagomusical rehearsal. #thepress came!!! #yikes -I was so nervous and excited. I performed #Roxie and #Nowadays with the legendary Amra Faye!! God, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this life changing experience. You shined through me today. Muah #Godinmeasme @rennyvasquez and @tymwallacehair on glam #dreamteam”

Brandy’s “Chicago” debut will begin April 28th. You can purchase tickets here.

It’s pretty rare that you’ll come across a woman who looks better bald than she does with hair. Then you see women like Amber Rose and that theory is pretty much thrown out the window. Notoriously known for dating Kayne West, marrying Wiz Khalifa and her adorable son Sebastion, she is probably most known for her bold shaved haircut, a style we’ve seen some girls emulate and not quite master since Amber’s peak of popularity.

Like most girls who adopt the mantra, “short hair, don’t care” there comes a time when you start to care and possibly miss the days of your longer tresses. This sentiment is seldomly felt by Amber Rose. This weekend she took to Instagram to show off her new bright red wig, a possible sign that she misses her days of long hair. She captioned the first image, “U like?”

At this point it’s really hard to imagine Amber in anything but her short do’, but we can totally relate to her desire to change it up once in a while. Fortunately and on some days unfortunately, the buzz cut has become her signature style and without it, some say she is “less Amber Rose”. Thoughts?

This isn’t the first time Amber has tried to make a wig work.

What do you prefer? Wigs or Shaved?

Nearly 2 years since the birth of his first daughter, NFLer Reggie Bush is expecting a baby boy along with his wife Lilit Avagyan. While it’s been no secret that Lilit is expecting– she posted a pic of her growing belly bump on her Instagram page– it’s big news that the soon to be baby is a boy.

A friend close to the Bush’s revealed the exciting announcement to E! News stating, “Reggie and his wife Lilit are so excited for their second child and they can’t wait to welcome a baby boy… They seemed so overjoyed and happy when they talk about it. Reggie is extremely supportive and helpful. They both always wanted a big family.”

Back in 2013 when Reggie was expecting his daughter, he discussed how he felt about fatherhood and his new responsibility saying, “I’m very excited. Very excited about the baby. It couldn’t have come with a better person. Someone I really love and care about. It’s great. It really worked out perfect.”

How sweet is that? If their newborn son is anything like their daughter Briseis, they can expect to add another cutie to their roster.

Congratulations to the happy couple ,Reggie and Lilit, and to big sister Brisies!

Remember way back in 2013 when Chris Brown and Rihanna reconciled their relationship after a tumultuous ending and were seen cuddled up courtside at basketball games and releasing remixes for each others’ music? Who could forget the raunchy and catchy “Birthday Cake (Remix)” where Chris Brown croons, “Girl I wanna f*** you right now, been a long time, I’ve been missing your body. Let me-let me turn the lights down, when I go down, it’s a private party”?

Well it looks like there is more music from the couple’s reunion year that never saw the light of day– until now of course. Bad boy Chris Brown and his ex-boo recorded a track entitled “Put It Up”, a song where Chris Brown begs Rihanna to treat him like he’s her property. They also urge one another to explore all of their bodies. Hmmm… very sexy.

We’re not sure if this song was ever supposed to reach our ears, but we’re glad it did. You can take a listen to the unreleased track before it gets snatched down below.

Curiosity has us wondering if this song could be a sign of the two rekindling their love in the future. Now that it appears Karrueche is out of the picture for good and Chris Brown is focused on raising his daughter, could he be ready to get back with Riri, one of his first loves?

Only time will tell with these two. We’ll be watching.

The cast of “Black-ish” are on the promo trail yet again. Fox’s new hit sitcom arrived at the “Black-ish” ATAS Event at the Pacific Design Center in Hollywood this weekend. Our fave black family including Tracee Elis Ross, Anthony Anderson, Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown and Marsai Martin looked absolutely adorable as they made their press rounds.

Tracee Ellis Ross stepped out in ornate embroidered dress and sexy black Christian Louboutin heels. She finished off the look with freshly curled hair and a bright pink lip.

The kids displayed their adorable smiles and cute ‘fits as they posed for the photogs.

With two more episodes of the series lined up before the season finale on April 29th, the cast of America’s favorite black family are out to make sure they finish off their premiere strong.

Bobby Brown shared fantastic news with concertgoers Saturday night, telling them his daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown is now awake from her coma. The 22-year-old nearly died three months ago when she was found face down and unresponsive in a tub at her Georgia home.

In a video recorded at the Verizon Theatre in Dallas, Texas, and posted by a fan, Brown told the crowd, “I can say today, my baby is awake…Don’t believe what you read. No life support. Nothing. She’s breathing on her own. She’s living on her own.” The crowd screamed, nearly drowning out his words. Since the incident, Bobbi Kristina’s condition looked bleak, but the family disclosed that she was “fighting for her life” and her relatives have stood vigil over her during her hospital stay.

As a privacy measure, Bobbi has been moved to an undisclosed location since being released last month from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Brown’s attorney has not confirmed her condition and declined to comment to the Associated Press.

Theirs been terrible rumors circulating for months … @kingbobbybrown would like to share a message with you all … From our family to yours … Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers for his daughter #BK …. But let it be known that #GOD holds the glory …. ❤️

Wives of famous athletes or entertainers can suffer through much – so much that it’s rare to see celebrity couples stick it out through the long haul. But Basketball Wives LA star Jackie Christie said she has the formula to keeping an NBA husband satisfied in a long-term marriage – and it involves the occasional foot rub and private stripping session.

“I’m his biggest support system, his biggest fan. I followed him throughout the league. Wherever he went, I went because it’s lonely out there on the road,” Jackie told TMZ about her relationship with hubby Doug Christie. “Let him watch ESPN, be their wife, be their secretary, their dancer, their stripper…whatever you need to be to make him comfortable.”

The Christies are known for their wacky antics that keep the spice in their marriage, like renewing their vows every year in over-the-top themed ceremonies.

Those close to the deceased Miss Jessie’s co-founder, Titi Branch, are currently embattled in a nasty legal dispute, focusing not only on the cause of her untimely death, but also the fortune she left behind. Titi was found dead last December in her Midtown Manhattan apartment of an apparent suicide.

Titi and sister/business partner Miko Branch launched the Miss Jessie’s haircare line back in 1997 and had transformed the company into a multimillion-dollar business by 2014. Unfortunately, the sisters’ relationship by then had become strained. Miko claims that Titi’s boyfriend, Anthony Spadafora, manipulated her for money and isolated her from the family. Miko also says that Titi removed her as the beneficiary of her $2 million life-insurance policy and replaced her with Spadafora — a move she says proves his “undue influence.” Miko claims that in just two years Spadafora, 43, managed to “extract” hundreds of thousands of dollars from Titi to launch his own beard-care business, Maestro’s Classics; $420,000 to buy and renovate a Pennsylvania house; and $135,000 in an interest-free loan. In exchange, Titi “received nothing.”

“My sister’s death has been a devastating blow,” Miko told the New York Post. “It was only after Titi’s death that we learned more about what she’d been going through and how her affairs were being managed.” She adds that Spadafora “wielded exceptional control over [Titi] while fully aware that her mental health was severely compromised.” Days after Titi’s passing, Miko claims Spadafora harassed her grief-stricken family over Titi’s will and a Cartier bracelet that he wanted in exchange for her laptop.

Spadafora offers a far different version of the situation, calling the claims against him “ridiculous” and urging that it was Titi and Miko’s souring relationship that was at the center of her depression. “They’re trying to paint me as a villain,” he told the New York Post. “It was a real love … I was dedicated to her; she was dedicated to me.” It has also been uncovered that Titi and Spadafora were trying desperately for a baby, but multiple rounds of in vitro fertilization were unsuccessful, apparently leaving Titi drained and severely withdrawn.

Ever since Ciara broke it off with her ex-fiancé Future and birthed Baby Future, the singer hasn’t been seriously connected to any other men in the industry. But a recent picture of football player Russell Wilson may be hinting at a budding new relationship for the 29 year old.

The Major League Baseball Twitter page posted a tweet on Sunday of a picture that appeared to be Wilson at a Rangers versus Mariners game.  The Seattle Seahawks quarterback had on shades, and there was a lady sitting right next to him who also had on sunglasses, although most of her face was hidden behind other attendees.

The mystery woman is believed to be none other than Ciara. But those curious about the “I Bet” singer’s love life dug deeper and found a picture she posted on her Instagram page on the same day, and she was wearing shades similar to the ones in the baseball game picture.

Like Ciara, Wilson is rumored to be single. The 26-year-old was married for two years to his high school sweetheart, but the couple divorced in 2014, with rumors floating around that his wife may have had an extramarital affair. Afterward, he was linked to a few women, including Olympian Lolo Jones, German model Sylvie Meis, and a professional Instagram selfie-taker named Snowphat. But none of these supposed relationships were confirmed.

Since both entertainers just left serious relationships and seem to be single, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt for Ciara and Wilson to couple up and help mend each other’s broken hearts.

A new mayor was sworn in to serve a small town Parma in Missouri on Wednesday. She will be the first African American mayor the town has ever had. However, this monumental event isn’t being celebrated by all. The majority of the police force in Parma resigned upon the start of her term.

Tyrus Byrd, 40, was was ready to take charge of the town with a population of 713 people when she was sworn in as the first Black mayor of Parma. But instead she will have to replace five of the city’s six police officers because they turned in their resignation. In addition, a city attorney, clerk, and water treatment supervisor also turned in letters desiring to leave their positions. Randall Ramsey, the outgoing mayor who served the city for 36 years, said that all who resigned sighted “safety concerns.”

Byrd told the Daily Mail that she was not sure why the officials chose to leave. Her father, a past Parma board member, said that she actually has a really good relationship with the police department.

Citizens of the town were also outraged that officials would quit because of Byrd’s role in the Parma, which has a population of 57 percent White and 41 percent Black.

“I think it was pretty dirty the way they all quit without giving her a chance, but I don’t think they hurt the town with quitting because who needs six police for 740 people?” Parma resident Martha Miller said to KFVS.

Even though there has been a spike in the city’s break-ins, citizens say they never saw the police patrolling anyway.

A 25-year-old man, Freddie Gray, died Sunday at Baltimore’s Shock Trauma Center after suffering broken vertebrae during an arrest. A video of the incident has been released, and now an investigation into the mysteries surrounding his death is in progress.

Four bicycle officers spotted Gray in the Sandtown-Winchester area of Baltimore at around 9 a.m. on April 12. Officers reported that Gray then began to run from them.  In the video footage of the incident, the officers are seen dragging Gray, whose leg appears abnormally bent, into a van while a woman yells, “His leg is broke and ya’ll are dragging him like that?”  Gut wrenching screams can also be heard coming from Gray as he is hauled into the vehicle.

The police department’s timeline of the story states that after law enforcement heaved Gray into the van to head to the West district station, he was still responsive. Their report claims that medics were called to the police station 30 minutes after leaving the initial scene, and Gray was transported to a local hospital.

Gray’s family attorney, William “Billy” Murphy Jr., tells a different story. He says the young man was waiting at the station for an hour before anyone called the medics.

Police have not provided additional detail on the series of events, including why Gray was arrested, but Deputy Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez, said that officers patrolling in a crime-ridden area suspected Gray to be “immediately involved or had been recently involved in criminal activity.”

Attorney Murphy says that law enforcement had no reason to arrest Gray, as he was not involved in any criminal activities.

“What we know is that while in police custody for committing no crime — for which they had no justification for making the arrest except he was a Black man running — his spine was virtually severed, 80 percent severed, in the neck area,” said Murphy, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The family lawyer also mentioned that a camera stationed above where the incident occurred captured the arrest and will soon be released to the public.  He added that law enforcement is withholding a lot of information right now for malicious reasons.

“We believe the police are keeping the circumstances of Freddie’s death secret until they develop a version of events that will absolve them of all responsibility,” Murphy said. “However, his family and the citizens of Baltimore deserve to know the real truth; and we will not stop until we get justice for Freddie.”

Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts revealed that a police task force is thoroughly investigating the incident. Meanwhile, the officers involved with Gray’s arrest have been placed on administrative leave. State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby will decide whether to file any criminal charges.

Murphy said that after Gray was taken into hospital care, he went into a coma and then his heart stopped, but he was resuscitated. He then remained in a coma until Monday, when he underwent extensive surgery. “He clung to life for seven days,” he added.

Watch video from the arrest here.

Things got quite intense for the Real Housewives of Atlanta cast during the taping of the season 7 reunion. While there were definitely verbal exchanges and jabs left and right, one of the most monumental moments of the show was when NeNe broke down while discussing her mother.

“I’m a strong woman. My mother didn’t raise me,” NeNe disclosed to her co-stars and Dr. Jeff. Just as they were about to get into further discussion of her mother, NeNe walked off set where she could be heard whispering, “I can’t talk about my mom.”

Longtime “RHOA” fans likely remember seasons ago when NeNe learned that the man she thought was her biological father actually was not. Her half sisters have also been a topic of discussion on the show. Viewers even got a peek at NeNe’s stepchildren (hubby Gregg Leakes’ kids) on her wedding spinoff “I Dream of NeNe,” but little has been shared about her mom.

Strangely enough, it’s been NeNe’s TV nemesis Kenya Moore who has been open about her nonexistent relationship with her mother. She has shared her pain over that abandonment with co-stars, but NeNe has never claimed to relate to Kenya’s story.

However, the recent revelation might have brought about some healing. The end of the reunion teaser showed NeNe apologizing, and the whole group of women hugging it out. They even called each other “sisters.”

There has been a lot of recent speculation about Vivica A. Fox and whether she’s joining the cast of Hollywood Divas, and a lot of people had strong opinions on the potential news. Well, the rumors are officially true, as TV One has reportedly signed her on for the show’s upcoming season. The 50-year-old actress already made an announcement about joining the other ladies on the show on her Instagram.

The current cast includes Elise Neal, Golden Brooks, Paula Jai Parker, Countess Vaughn and Lisa Wu. Vivica will be accompanying them as they attempt to showcase their life when they’re not acting. There’s no word on what Vivica’s story line will be, but there’s a chance her love life might be part of it, especially after her recent comments about 50 Cent being the love of her life.

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Many fans of Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey, as well as the couple’s twins, “dem babies,” have been hoping for a reconciliation between the two, after their pretty lengthy divorce. In the past year, things have been looking up, as the two were all smiles when spotted together for their son and daughter, with Nick teasing “never say never” about the breakup. Now, Mariah is chiming in, and things don’t look too promising.

According to TMZ, a source revealed to the site that Mariah has no desire to get back with Nick, and no longer sees him in a romantic light. “Sources connected with Mariah tell TMZ, she’s out of that game. She likes Nick, but there’s no chance of a romantic reconciliation,” reports TMZ.

As far as the possibility of her dating someone else these days, the site also revealed, “She’s not in the market for anyone right now. Mariah has a residency in Vegas that’s just weeks away. She’s also into raising the twins. When she’s not working she goes to Eleuthera, her private Island in the Bahamas.”

These two have been putting on a great co-parenting face for their two children, as they were spotted looking happy together on Easter, and for numerous amounts of other occasions this past year.

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For every great team, there is a dependable, loyal, and persistently adept player and more often than not, that key player is a Taurus. Symbolized by a bull, the Tauruses strive for what they want — sometimes in a bull-headed manner.

Keep clicking to see which of these celeb Tauruses, like Chris Brown, Janet Jackson, and Kimora Lee Simmons, has an abundance of talent and is leading with greatness.

Derek Luke: April 24th

Not many people can watch the movie Antwone Fisher with a dry eye. The film starred Derek Luke, and his performance earned him an Independent Spirit Award. Recently, all eyes were on the handsome Taurus as he played Malcolm, Cookie’s love interest on the hit show Empire.

Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins : April 26th

As one-third of the group TLC, T-Boz has expanded her music career to include acting as an advocate for sickle cell anemia awareness, as well as an author and producer.

Dame Dash: May 3

As a hip-hop entrepreneur, Dame Dash has been known to boastfully take charge of his businesses in true Taurus form.

Kimora Lee Simmons: May 4

Congrats are in order for Kimora Lee Simmons, who just gave birth to a baby boy named Wolfe Lee Leissner. The mogul mom boasts an empire that includes a fashion line and juggles even more all while looking fabulous.

Chris Brown: May 5th

Award-winning R&B crooner and new father Chris Brown is on the music roster of several new, up-and-coming projects with artists Jamie Foxx and Usher in the coming months.

Kim Fields: May 12th

Whether on Facts of Life or Living Single, Kim Fields’ ability to play a range of characters kept us entertained from our childhood through adulthood.

Stevie Wonder: May 13th

Born a prodigy, Stevie Wonder is and will always be one of the most ever awarded male artists. As a songwriter, singer, and producer, Stevie’s career has been critically-acclaimed and will be one future musicians refer to for inspiration.

Janet Jackson: May 16th

Since marrying Wissam Al Mana and moving to Dubai, Janet Jackson has become as reclusive as her older brother Michael Jackson once was.

Kandi Burruss: May 17th

Singer and reality show maven Kandi Burruss not only stirs up her point-of-view on air, but will soon do so for a live audience. She’s making a point to help other aspiring entrepreneurs though her Empower Master Class workshops.

Grace Jones: May 19th

Very few singers have thought out-of-the box like Grace Jones, which is why she will go down as an icon of stylish edge. From her sound to her fashion, her signature vibe will always live on.

A New York woman and her teenage niece are being charged for beating down a middle school teacher in the hallway, knocking her unconscious, last Wednesday afternoon.

Catherine Engelhardt (pictured below) was standing outside her Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School classroom in Hempstead, Long Island when Annika McKenzie (pictured above) attacked her, putting her in a chokehold until she was unconscious. Her 14-year-old niece allegedly joined in the attack by punching her in the head. Several other students also kicked and punched the teacher, who has taught at the school for 22 years. The teacher is accused of reprimanding McKenzie’s 12-year-old and touching the preteen. McKenzie, 34, has been charged with second-degree assault and strangulation; the teenage student is charged with second-degree assault as a juvenile.

Engelhardt, who isn’t facing any charges, told ABC 7 that she has felt unsafe at the school for a while. “I knew something violent was going to happen. I’ve warned them time and again that the children have no respect for adults,” she said.

McKenzie’s attorney Donald Rollock defended his client. “As any loving parent, if someone puts their hand on your child, you’re going to react,” he said.

After a nasty back-and-forth battle, Damon Dash has lost custody of his two daughters with ex-wife Rachel Roy. The fashion designer has been granted sole custody of their daughters, 15-year-old Ava and 6-year-old Tallulah, despite Dash filing for full custody. The ex-Roc-a-Fella Records head honcho didn’t show up to the ruling where he ultimately lost sole and physical custody.

Despite the recent ruling, Dash will be allowed supervised visits with his girls, but Roy will be no where in sight, after she filed a three year restraining order against him. An order of protection was also granted.

The estranged couple has publically slung mud at each other, accusing one another of being horrible parents, with accusations of drug abuse and drunk driving. According to court documents, he claimed she drove drunk with one of the girls, and threatened to cut him with a knife. She claimed he smokes weed around the kids and his lifestyle is a bad influence on their children.

Roy filed for divorce from Dash in 2009 after four years of marriage.