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Catfight: Battle of the Divas

Beyoncé vs. Mariah Carey

New feature. Biggest divas in the music world today, head to head. Let’s get to it.

There aren’t a lot of people who haven’t heard of Beyoncé and Mariah; they’re only two of the biggest selling female artists ever. Both multi-platinum artists came from well-documented (and marketed) beginnings: Beyoncé pulled a Justin Timberlake and after leading Destiny’s Child to all-time-best-selling-female-group success, branched out into an even more lucrative solo career, while Mariah Carey owes much of her earlier success to the sharp eye of music mogul and ex-husband Tommy Mottola.

The fascinating thing about these two artists is that they’re not just all-glitter and no-talent like your average pre-packaged pop star. They have pipes. Mariah is famous for her ability to break glass with her high notes, and even though Beyoncé doesn’t have quite as great a range, her vocal virtuosity has always earned much acclaim, even since the Destiny’s Child days. That doesn’t stop these two women from flaunting what they’ve got though; a few seconds of either’s music videos is enough to notice that sex appeal is just as strong a selling point as talent (who would’ve thought Mariah would still be going this road as she’s nearing the big 4-0?), and don’t they know it. Well, at least their management people do.

Tight race so far, but I have a feeling this debate can be settled by looking at how disgracefully divalicious their backstage demands are. Or… maybe not, since no list of outrageous requests made by divas these days is complete without Beyoncé and Mariah. Oh, I’ve got it now – this will definitely decide the winner of this Catfight: arm-candy. That’s right. Jay-Z may not be much to look at, but he’s certainly intriguing, and by intriguing we mean dirt-rich- all-powerful-hip-hop-king. Nick Cannon, on the other hand, can be counted on for a good laugh – he is (was?) a comedian after all. I think we can safely say that Beyoncé has chosen well, based on the Eminem Test: Eminem may enjoy picking fights with people, but he probably won’t be messing with Mr. Sean Carter anytime soon… at least, not in the way he disrespected Mimi and Nick. With her husband’s less than stellar career, her own waning popularity, and B’s sheer overpowering star power, Mariah Carey loses out by a hair in the battle of the divas.

Winning cat: Beyoncé

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Press Releases

BRITNEY SPEARS, MARIAH CAREY, USHER, RIHANNA, CHRIS BROWN, LIL WAYNE, KATY PERRY, T.I., JORDIN SPARKS AND FLO RIDA NAB MOONMAN NODS FOR “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” | BEST FEMALE VIDEO AND BEST MALE VIDEO NOMINEES | British Comedian Russell Brand Set To Host Star-Studded Award Show | Set To Air Live On Sunday, September 7th, 2008

BRITNEY SPEARS, MARIAH CAREY, USHER, RIHANNA, CHRIS BROWN, LIL WAYNE, KATY PERRY, T.I., JORDIN SPARKS AND FLO RIDA NAB MOONMAN NODS FOR “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” | BEST FEMALE VIDEO AND BEST MALE VIDEO NOMINEES | British Comedian Russell Brand Set To Host Star-Studded Award Show | Set To Air Live On Sunday, September 7th, 2008

“And the MoonMan goes to!!!” Well, we don’t know that yet but on Sunday, September 7th a few names you may hear when envelopes are opened and winners revealed are Britney, Mariah, Rihanna, Usher, Chris or Katy. Beginning on Friday, July 18th, MTV viewers began their contribution to the 2008 Video Music Awards by helping to decide this year’s nominees for “Best Female Video” and Best Male Video” guaranteed to create an award show with the music they want to hear and see. As previously announced, MTV’s 25th annual Video Music Awards will be hosted by comedian/actor Russell Brand and will air live and only one time in its original incarnation, on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 9PM (Live ET/Tape Delayed PT). Host, presenters and additional performers will be announced at a later date.

Artists nominated for the coveted MoonMan in the “Best Female Video” category include Britney Spears for her video “Piece of Me.” Other talented ladies nominated in the “Best Female Video” category include the always fabulous diva Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Jordin Sparks and talented “girl kissing” newcomer Katy Perry. And now for the men…nominees for “Best Male Video” are Usher, Chris Brown, Flo Rida, T.I.. and Lil Wayne. Each Friday night at 8pm ET/PT on “FNMTV,” two new categories will be announced and open for viewers to vote for their favorite artists and videos at vma.mtv.com or from their Verizon Wireless mobile phone by texting the name of the artist to 23882. Categories currently open for viewers voting are “Best Hip Hop Video and “Best Pop Video.”

AND THE NOMINEES ARE…

BEST FEMALE VIDEO:

Britney Spears – “Piece of Me”
Britney Spears
“Piece of Me”
Blackout
Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Wayne Isham

Jordin Sparks – “No Air”
Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown
“No Air”
Jordin Sparks
19/Jive/Zomba Label Group
Director: Chris Robinson

Katy Perry – “I Kissed A Girl”
Katy Perry
“I Kissed A Girl”
One Of The Boys
Capitol
Director: Kinga Burza

Mariah Carey – “Touch My Body”
Mariah Carey
“Touch My Body”
E=MC^2
Island Def Jam Music Group
Director: Brett Ratner

Rihanna – “Take a Bow”
Rihanna
“Take A Bow”
A Good Girl Gone Bad
SRP/Def Jam
Director: Anthony Mandler

BEST MALE VIDEO:

Lil Wayne – “Lollipop”
Lil Wayne featuring Static
“Lollipop”
Tha Carter III
Cash Money Records/Universal Motown
Director: Gil Green/D. Carter

Chris Brown – “With You”
Chris Brown
“With You”
Exclusive
Jive Records/Zomba
Director: Erik White/Chris Brown

Usher – “Love In This Club”
Usher featuring Young Jeezy
“Love In This Club”
Here I Stand
LaFace Records/Zomba Label Group
Director: The Brothers Strause

T.I. – “No Matter What”
T.I.
“No Matter What”
Paper Trail
Grand Hustle/Atlantic Records
Director: Self/James Lopez

Flo Rida – “Low”
Flo Rida featuring T-Pain
“Low”
Step Up 2 The Streets Original Soundtrack/ Mail On Sunday
Poe Boy Ent./Atlantic Records
Director: Bernard Gourley

Russell Brand has emerged as a genuine star of the silver screen. Making his feature film debut in ‘Penelope’ with Christina Ricci and James McAvoy, and then onto the contemporary Ealing caper ‘St Trinian’s’, and this year won rave reviews for his scene-stealing performances in Judd Apatow’s ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’. Apatow has cast him to play opposite Jonah Hill in his next feature ‘Getting Him to the Greek,’ filming in early 2009.

Official sponsors of “2008 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” are GM, Pepsi, TAG Body Spray, Taco Bell, Rhapsody and Verizon Wireless.

This year one lucky viewer will get the chance of a lifetime trip by joining “Do Good. Go to the VMAs.” Think.MTV.com, MTV’s online community for youth activism, is hooking up one young activist and shipping them off to Los Angeles to attend the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards alongside the biggest stars in the industry. From July 24th through August 22nd, all Think.MTV.com members who join the “Do Good. Go to the VMAs” group, at http://think.mtv.com/Groups/DoGoodGoToTheVMAs/, can enter to win two tickets to the VMAs on September 7, 2008 along with travel and hotel accommodations when MTV takes over Los Angeles for this year’s show.

Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves is the Executive Producer, for the “2008 MTV Video Music Awards.” Dave Sirulnick is Executive Producer. Chris Choun/Ish Entertainment is Co-Executive Producer. Jane Mun is Producer. Amy Doyle, Joanna Bomberg and Robin Katz are Music Talent Executives. Robin Reinhardt-Locke is Celebrity Talent Executive. Garrett English is Executive in Charge of Production.

Telescope is the Official Business Advisor of the “2008 MTV Video Music Awards” Nominee Voting period.

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Press Releases

Jazmine Sullivan records music in Atlanta for her first studio album with Grammy winning record producer Tricky Stewart (Rhianna, Usher, Mariah Carey, Madonna)

JAZMINE SULLIVAN RECORDS WITH “TRICKY” STEWART;
CHECK OUT THE SNEAK PEAK FOR “BUST YOUR WINDOW”

Watch Jazmine Sullivan Recording w/ “Tricky” Stewart:
Jazmine Sullivan records music in Atlanta for her first studio album with Grammy winning record producer “Tricky” Stewart (Rhianna, Usher, Mariah Carey, Madonna)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P30nNKo0tGM

“Bust Your Window” snippet now available on http://www.myspace.com/jazminesullivan

With a distinctive vocal style that’s rich and full of conviction, J Records’ latest signing, Jazmine Sullivan, is set to heat up the airwaves this summer with her smash new single “Need U Bad.” The infectious reggae-tinged single, written by Jazmine and produced by Missy Elliott and Lamb, impacted urban mainstream radio on May 26th and has already climbed to #25 on the charts.

Demure but dangerous, Jazmine’s frank, take-no-prisoners approach to songwriting, coupled with her passionate delivery, will quickly establish her as the one to watch this year and years to come. While her self-penned lyrics on “Bust Your Windows,” “One Night Stand,” “Call Me Guilty” and “In Love With Another Man,” may raise a few eyebrows, music production by Missy, Salaam Remi, Jack Splash, Tricky, Wyclef, Stargate and more, will keep listeners captivated throughout her forthcoming debut disc.

While in the process of recording and promoting her album, Jazmine will give fans an inside look into her life by leaving voice mail updates along her journey. Fans can call Jazmine at (215) 789-4753 to hear her updates and leave messages.

Singing since the age of five, the Philly native made her first national televised appearance on Showtime at the Apollo at the age of 11. As Jazmine continued to hone and define her vocal dexterity, she quickly gained a legion of fans during her jaw-dropping live sets at her hometown’s popular Black Lily showcases, where artists such as Jill Scott, Musiq, and Floetry performed before they became national recording artists.

With a track record of amazing live performances, songwriting credits for Christina Milian’s “Say I,” and background vocal appearances on several albums, including Missy’s forthcoming album, there’s no question that the sassy 21 year-old Jazmine is prepared to introduce the world to her unique brand of bold and beautiful music with a rebellious spirit.

Need U Bad (Windows Media, Streaming, 128k, Audio)

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Press Releases

MARIAH CAREY’s E=MC² ALBUM ENTERS AT #1, ON CAREER-HIGH FIRST WEEK SOUNDSCAN SALES OF 463,000 !!! “TOUCH MY BODY – HER 18th #1 HIT, AND 79th CAREER WEEK AT #1 – SETS HISTORIC CHART RECORD, SURPASSING ELVIS PRESLEY’s 17 #1’s, AND TYING HIS ALL-TIME HIGH 79 WEEKS AT #1

MARIAH CAREY’s E=MC² ALBUM ENTERS AT #1, ON CAREER-HIGH FIRST WEEK SOUNDSCAN SALES OF 463,000 !!! “TOUCH MY BODY” – HER 18th #1 HIT, AND 79th CAREER WEEK AT #1 – SETS HISTORIC CHART RECORD, SURPASSING ELVIS PRESLEY’s 17 #1’s, AND TYING HIS ALL-TIME HIGH 79 WEEKS AT #1

“Bye Bye” is next – impacting at Pop, Rhythmic and Urban radio formats and is #1 most added across the board

APRIL 25th ON ABC TV:

Mariah returns to Good Morning America for a traffic-stopping live outdoor concert at New York City’s Times Square

(April 23, 2008 – New York, NY) An unprecedented pre- and post-release campaign – including appearances on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, MTV’s The Hills, BET’s concert special, FOX’s IDOL Gives Back and American Idol, and The Oprah Winfrey Show – maximized exposure for international superstar Mariah Carey and her current smash hits, the #1 “Touch My Body” and #1 most added “Bye Bye,” resulting in a massive #1 debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart for E=MC² (in stores April 15th), weighing in with first week Soundscan sales of 463,000 units. E=MC² also debuts #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart and #1 on the Top Digital albums chart (Mariah’s first-ever #1 digital album debut with over 50,000 scanned!). E=MC² represents the biggest first week debut of Mariah’s career!!!

“Mariah’s an inspiration, the true definition of a star,” said Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group. “She continues to amaze us with every incredible new album she creates. Now Mariah has added another plateau of success to what has become her virtually unapproachable track record on charts around the world. She proves beyond a doubt that with talent, ambition, and sheer force of will, all things are possible.”

TV appearances continue this Friday, April 25th on ABC, when Mariah returns to Good Morning America for a live outdoor concert with New York’s Times Square as her backdrop. Three years to the month since she first shut down traffic outside GMA’s studios on 44th Street to celebrate the release week of The Emancipation Of Mimi, Mariah will once again welcome thousands of fans to the event, slated between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. She then hurries uptown for a guest appearance on Live with Regis & Kelly.

Mariah reached an historic career achievement earlier this month when “Touch My Body” became her 18th #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 – surpassing one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard history, Elvis Presley’s 17 #1’s. “Touch My Body”’s two weeks at the top marked Mariah’s 78th and 79th cumulative career weeks at #1, which tied Elvis’ long-standing all-time high of 79 weeks at #1, as calculated in Billboard. At the same time, Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits.

“Touch My Body” took over the #1 spot with an all-time record-setting 286,000 debut week on the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart. The video, directed by feature filmmaker Brett Ratner, and featuring a cameo by Jack McBrayer (30 Rock’s Kenneth Parcell), stays in rotation on VH1, VH1 Soul, BET and 106 & Park, and FUSE; as well as #1 at Yahoo Music Video. “Touch My Body” also topped the AOL video charts for several weeks.

Clear Channel Online played a major part in the Mariah Carey promotion, simultan­e­ously launching “Touch My Body” as it went to radio. The song was played over 400,000 times in one week and debuted at #1 on the On-Demand Chart. Tracks from E=MC² were also featured in Clear Channel’s Sneak Peak promotion a week before the album was released.

“Bye Bye” impacted across-the-board at Pop, Rhythmic, and Urban radio formats on Monday, April 21 and is #1 most added across the board.

Leading up to the release of E=MC², “Touch My Body” was one of two songs (along with “Migrate”) that were performed by Mariah last month on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, hosted by Jonah Hill, the show to be re-run on May 3rd. Earlier this month, Mariah gave a special perform­ance of “Touch My Body” and “We Belong Together” after the season premiere of the MTV reality series, “The Hills.” The episode set a year-to-date record as the highest rated telecast on cable TV.

On April 9th, Mariah joined an all-star cast for the second annual “IDOL Gives Back” two-hour tv special, a music celebration raising awareness and benefiting various U.S. and international charities. The following Monday, April 14th, Mariah appeared as special guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, chatting with the host and performing “Bye Bye.” The next day, as E=MC² was released, Mariah began a two-night stint on American Idol, serving as musical mentor to that week’s finalists on night one, and performing “Bye Bye” on night two.

“Touch My Body” was produced by Mariah Carey, C. “Tricky” Stewart, and fellow Island Def Jam artist The-Dream. Other guest producers joining Mariah on E=MC² include Jermaine Dupri, DJ Toomp, Stargate, Will I Am, Bryan Michael Cox, Nate “Danjahandz” Hills and James Poyser. The album is executive produced by Mariah Carey and Antonio “LA” Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group.

The 11th studio album of her career, E=MC² follows-up The Emancipation Of Mimi, Mariah’s worldwide 10 million selling #1 album, which generated three Grammy awards (including Best Contemporary R&B Album), two #1 singles, and countless more honors during its 18-month stay on the charts. Released April 12, 2005, Mimi was an industry phenomenon for the mega-platinum award-winning superstar. Soundscan’s biggest-selling album of the year, it brought total sales of Mariah’s albums, singles and videos to over 160 million worldwide, making her the top-selling female recording artist in history.