-  On Saturday, October 16, 2010, BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ celebrated the brilliance, beauty, grace and influence of black women.

Hosted by Nia Long, BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™  honored the most exceptional women of color in the country from Missy Elliot to Raven Symone and featured performances and appearances by Malinda Williams, Shontelle, Lynn Whitfield, Keri Hilson, Ciara, VV Brown, Monica, Keyshia Cole, Estelle, Kym Whitley, and  more.

The network premiere will be televised exclusively on BET, Sunday, November 7th at 8 – 10 p.m.*

Founder, CEO and Executive Producer of BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Beverly Bond stated, “This historic partnership with BET marks the beginning of an empowerment movement for women of color across the globe because Black Girls Rock all over the world.” Bond continued, “Our girls are not being told how amazing they really are or how amazing they really can be. It is time that we start telling them. It is time that we start shouting out to the entire world that ‘We’ Black Girls Rock!”

Introduced by the beautiful Malinda Williams, the first award of the night was presented to the precocious Raven-Symoné, now the brains behind her own empire. When accepting her Young, Black & Gifted Award, Symone said, “It’s up to us as females to open doors for other females like the other legends sitting here tonight.”

Following that award, singer and songwriter Shontelle performed her touching ballad, “Impossible,”

reminding the audience of the outstanding achievements of each of the celebrants. Symone later introduced the Who Got Next Award to the inspirational ingénue, Keke Palmer.

The multifaceted entertainer and producer Missy Elliot was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by one of her best friends and fellow R&B powerhouse, Ciara.  Later, Monica graced the stage with her soulful hit, “Still Standing.”  UK artist VV Brown performed her fantastical chart-topper, “Shark in the Water,” and held it down in a lineup that featured additional performances heavyweights like Keyshia Cole and Keri Hilson.

Honoring some of the most extraordinary black women and girls around the country from entertainers to influencers, the show’s inspiring celebrants truly embodied the spirit of their category.  Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant, recipient of the Motivator Award, said “Black girls rock, because we have no other choice. We have a responsibility to rock the world, rock the community and rock the planet so our grandmothers will know that they did not die in vain.” Vanzant got a standing ovation for her powerful acceptance speech.

Kelly Price, Marsha Ambrosius, Jill Scott and Ledisi performed a flawless rendition of Nina Simone’s “4 Women” that brought down the house as part of a tribute to the accomplishments and contributions of notable African American women.

Teresa Clarke, founder of Africa.com, received the Shot Caller Award for her efforts to change the way the world views Africa and Major General Marcelite J. Harris, who was the the highest ranking woman officer in the Air Force and the Nation’s highest ranking African American woman in the Department of Defense, was the recipient of the Trailblazer Award.

The iconic Ruby Dee was the recipient of the Living Legend Award and was introduced by the exquisite Lynn Whitfield. “Ruby Dee represents everything BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ stands for,” Whitfield added.

Dee, in her moving acceptance speech, said “It’s times like these that I come to understand and appreciate profoundly the empowerment and promise, the responsibility in being deemed a legend.” Following her touching tribute, Fantasia, Kelly Price, Ledisi and Marsha Ambrosius rocked the stage in the finale medley of “A Brand New Day,” “I Am Woman,” and “I’m Every Woman.”  

The star studded affair also included memorable performances and tributes as well as entertaining and inspiring video messages from other black women that rock including actresses Anika Noni Rose and Tracee Ellis Ross; BET Networks CEO and Chairman Debra Lee; host and entertainer Sherri Shepherd; Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the NAACP; and Black Girls Rock! Inc. Foundation founder Beverly Bond.

In addition to the outstanding performances, the below women were honored at BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™

o    Young, Gifted & Black – Raven-Symoné
o    Visionary – Missy Elliott
o    Who Got Next? – Keke Palmer
o    Shot Caller – Teresa Clarke
o    Living Legend – Ruby Dee
o    Trailblazer – Major General Marcelite J. Harris
o    Motivator – Rev. Dr. Iyanla Vanzant

The following individuals were recognized as Black Girls Making a Difference:
o    Amiya Alexander
o    Hydeia Broadbent
o    Kari Fulton
o    Adele Taylor

The televised special, BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ is a BET Networks and B.G.R. Enterprises Inc. production.  BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Inc. Founder, Beverly Bond executive produced the telecast along with Stephen Hill, President, Music Programming and Specials, BET Networks; Connie Orlando, Eugene Caldwell, Salli Frattini, BET Networks; and L. Londell McMillan, President of The Northstar Group.

According to MTV News & Music Mix, Nicki Minaj doesn’t even have an album out yet, but she was one of the biggest winners at the 2010 BET Hip-Hop Awards, which were taped on Saturday for an upcoming broadcast. The Young Money rapper took home Rookie of the Year, People’s Champ, and Made You Look (style) awards, MTV News reports.

Jay-Z tied Minaj’s award total, taking home trophies in the categories of Perfect Combo (Alicia Keys duet “Empire State of Mind”), CD of the Year, and Best Live Performer. Other awards went to Rick Ross (Club Banger of the Year and Track of the Year, both for “B.M.F.”), Salt-N-Pepa (I Am Hip-Hop), Diddy (Hustler), Swizz Beatz (Producer of the Year), and DJ Khaled (Best DJ).

This year’s Hip-Hop Awards will air Oct. 12 at 8 P.M. on BET. Will you be tuning in? Which award categories are you most looking forward to seeing televised?

According to Jennifer Hong of Newsoxy: Willow Smith Snatched Up by Roc Nation. Smith, the daughter of Will Smith, has been signed by Jay-Z under his Roc Nation label. Roc Nation is owned by rapper Jay-Z.

“We at Roc Nation are excited to work with Willow,” Jay-Z stated. “She has an energy and enthusiasm about her music that is truly infectious. It’s rare to find an artist with such innate talent and creativity at such a young age. Willow is about to embark on an incredible journey and we look forward to joining her as she grows in all aspects of her career.”

The 9-year-old has already created a buzz after “Whip My Hair” was leaked on Sept. 7th. Willow has already begun her career in acting. She has had roles in “I Am Legend” and “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl”. In addition, she did voice-over work for “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”.

“After meeting with several record companies, it was clear that Jay-Z, Ty Ty, Jay Brown and the Roc Nation staff was the unquestionable choice,” Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith stated. “Their passion for Willow combined with their boundless vision and artistic integrity made Roc Nation the perfect home for our little girl.”

According to VH1.com News, Grammy Award-winning group Train is the latest to join the roster of VH1′s iconic series, Unplugged. “Unplugged: Train” launches on VH1.com on August 12th with exclusive interviews from the group, a Starburst contradiction “fun” cover, and an intimate performance including acoustic versions of some of the group’s smash hits from their latest album, Save Me San Francisco, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “If It’s Love,” “Marry Me,” and their sophomore hit “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me).” Unplugged: Train will air on VH1 “Friday Night Alright” on Friday, September 17th at 11PM* and on Palladia Saturday, September 18th at 9PM*.www.trainline.com.

Train (Pat Monahan, Jimmy Stafford, and Scott Underwood) have been an unstoppable tour de force since their 1998 debut. Train has had many albums starting in 2001 with their multiplatinum LP, Drops of Jupiter, followed by the 2003 album My Private Nation and their current album, Save Me, San Francisco. Throughout their career, they have had multiple chart topping singles including: “Meet Virginia,” “Calling All Angels,” and “Hey, Soul Sister,” to name a few. For more information please go to:

Starburst continues the line-up as the exclusive partner for VH1′s Unplugged. Starburst will continue to sponsor their campaign “Contradictions in Music” with performers covering songs by other artists during their Unplugged sessions. The brand will be featured alongside each episode on CMT.com, MTV.com and VH1.com.

New episodes will launch over the next several months on Unplugged.CMT.com , Unplugged.MTV.com and/or Unplugged.VH1.com. In addition to each episode living online, one performance from each episode will be added to the music video rotation on each linear network.

Over the years the award-winning “Unplugged” series has welcomed artists and bands including Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, REM, Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam and Nirvana. For archived performances from these and many other artists visit www.MTVMusic.com.

This summer, the great American tradition of summer stock theatre is being brought to New York City by CAP21: America’s Musical Theatre Conservatory & Theatre Company. The inaugural season will celebrate the women of Broadway.

Summer Stock NYC, a new initiative of the CAP21 Theatre Company, debuts with “A Celebration of the Broadway Musical” on July 16. The 75-minute musical revue features hit songs and production numbers from classic Broadway musicals, starring awarding winning Broadway and cabaret artist Karen Mason (“Mamma Mia!”;”) and “As the World Turns” Daytime Emmy nominated actress Colleen Zenk

Summer Stock NYC is the first collaborative partnering of CAP21 with The Fund for the City of New York, Pace University, Hunter College and Capital One, as a corporate sponsor. “A Celebration of the Broadway Musical” will play July 16 -18 at The Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts (Pace University) and July 20-23 at The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse (Hunter College). Ticket prices range from $15 to $30.

In 2011, Summer Stock NYC will tour different boroughs with a full length production of a classic Broadway musical.

It was comeback night at the BET Awards.

Kanye West opened Sunday’s show in his first TV appearance since dissing Taylor Swift at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards. T.I. made a triumphant return to TV for his first performance since being released from prison in December. And 1980s hitmaker El DeBarge blazed back onto the stage to play old hits and the title track from his first new album in 16 years.

But most unexpected was Chris Brown, who offered an emotional tribute to Michael Jackson. Brown has had many struggles since his unfortunate domestic dispute with Rihanna some time ago, but last night he proved he is still talent and also very humble.

Host Queen Latifah keep things moving, and Prince was honored with a star-studded performance of his hits, as well as John Legend’s humanitarian efforts were rewarded. The show was one of BET’s finest in many recent years.

Musical forces John Legend & The Roots are presenting fans with a empowering new offering, Wake Up! The upcoming CD, being released by Sony Music on September 21, 2010, will feature soulful music from the 60′s and 70′s all with an underlying theme of awareness, engagement and consciousness — effectively telling listeners to Wake Up!

The musicians were deeply inspired by the election of Barack Obama, and have chosen a list of songs that inspire and ignite change and positive growth in the public. The resulting album features eleven profoundly evocative songs infused with sounds of gospel, rock and reggae inflections with hip-hop influences. The album is highlighted by familiar tracks like “Wholly Holy” by Marvin Gaye and “Little Ghetto Boy” by Donny Hathaway mixed with the more obscure selections of Baby Huey and the Babysitters’ “Hard Times,” and “Hang on in There” by Mike James Kirkland.

These songs sound so relevant now,” Legend says. “On most of them, you wouldn’t change a lyric. Look out for “Wake Up Everybody,” the album’s first single featuring Common and Melanie Fiona. The cd is slated for release September 21st, 2010.

Pop star Rihanna recently announced “Last Girl on Earth”, her 2010 North American tour. Tickets go on sale on April 9th for Rihanna’s 25-date tour with Ke$ha and Nicki Minaj. Rihanna’s hit single “Rude Boy” has been #1 on the Hot 100 for the 3rd week in a row, and Rihanna will be a guest on “American Idol” tonight.

“We’ve never done a tour to this capacity. The production is unbelievable and the costumes, we just took it to a whole new level. Visually and sonically it’s going to be a big step up from the last time. We just keep growing and this time it is a massive production that I cannot wait for,” said Rihanna in a recent interview with AOL.

Rihanna will be launching her sold-out European tour on April 16th in Antwerp, Belgium and then return to Seattle on July 2nd. She will wrap up her North American tour on August 25th in Chicago.

Known for her cutting-edge performances and image, Rihanna will surely dazzle audiences during all stops of her tour. For additional ticket and tour information, visit RihannaNow.com and LiveNation.com. Additional dates to be announced soon.

Kenny Chesney and Nature Valley plan to raise up to $500,000 this summer for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) to help preserve America’s national parks. Chesney is a four-time consecutive Academy of Country Music and four-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.

“To me, there’s nothing better than being outside, enjoying the parks, the lakes and the oceans – and that’s what makes protecting our national parks so important,” said Kenny Chesney. “Teaming up with Nature Valley to raise awareness and funds is a great way to make sure the public realizes how special these parks are and that they can have a hand in keeping them available to generations to come.”

The money will be raised through ticket sales to the “Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D” movie, which opens nationwide on April 21st. Between now and May 9th, fans can purchase tickets through PreserveTheParks.com. For each of the first 50,000 movie tickets, Nature Valley and Kenny Chesney will donate $1 to the organization.

“At Nature Valley, we believe nature is an integral part of our well-being and happiness,” said Martin Abrams, Nature Valley marketing manager. “With the support of Kenny Chesney, our new initiative with the National Parks Conservation Association will help ensure our national parks can be enjoyed for years to come.”

Carole King is one of America’s best-known singers and songwriters. Available beginning April 27th, the new two-disc release, “The Essential Carole King”, will showcase and celebrate King’s career. Disc One will include King’s own recordings, and Disc Two will be a collection of King’s recordings recorded by popular artists from the 1960s.

King was a singer/songwriter before the terms became popular in the 1960s, during the folk boom. Sirius/XM rock and roll legend Andrew Loog Oldham (founding manager and producer of the Rolling Stones) and by L.A.-based music journalist/historian Harvey Kubernik wrote the liner notes that describe King’s unique career.

Over the course of her career, King topped the charts by earning RIAA Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum, and Diamond Certifications, four Grammy Awards in one year, Oscar recognition, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In June 2002, King won the Johnny Mercer Award from the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall Of Fame. The award reaffirmed her position as a pop music icon.