Crib Notes

RAT PACK THROWBACK: Jamie Foxx promises a “variety show.”

Let’s face it — Jamie Foxx can do just about anything he wants. After he accidentally leaked a pickle shot onto the Internet, he claimed the nude self-portrait was for an upcoming movie role. After he joked on his satellite radio show that Miley Cyrus should make a sex tape and do some heroin, he simply apologized to her and all was immediately forgiven. No one holds anything against him because, well, he’s one of the great talents of his generation, a Rat Pack throwback who can act, tell jokes and sing.

Oddly, Foxx still feels like he has to prove himself when it comes to his musical prowess, despite his latest album, Intuition, being his second consecutive R&B smash. “Until you get a chance to define another side of your career, people will always say, ‘You’re doing it as a hobby,’” he imparts by phone.

Continue reading “Jamie Foxx: The master of the entertainment universe”

(Photo by John Russo)

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Seems like there was more action behind-the-scenes than onstage, despite the 20-plus performances at this year’s Grammy Awards.

Chris Brown reportedly got gangsta with his girlfriend Rihanna, causing them both to cancel their performances. The alleged reason behind the smackdown should bring a whole new meaning to their upcoming collabo, “Bad Girl,” produced by Atlantan Polow da Don for the Confessions of a Shopaholic soundtrack. Meanwhile the real “gangstas,” Lil Wayne and T.I., delivered upstanding, redemptive performances — neither of which required NARAS President Neil Portnow to excuse their inclusion in the program, the way he had to when Eminem performed to the chagrin of gay rights activists in 2001.

Of course, the Recording Academy continued this year with the ultra-lame generational mashup theme that made for some of the oddest pairings ever.

Surely, Stevie Wonder would’ve been insulted if only he could’ve seen how silly he looked on stage with the Jonas Brothers. The Al Green/Justin Timberlake pairing was quite a yawner, but perhaps we should be thankful that Timberlake didn’t attempt to rip Green’s shirt off for a grand finale. And did we really need to see B.B. King and John Mayer trade ugly guitar faces for the second year in a row?

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Comedian Jamie Foxx got away with murder last night at the MTV VMAs when he cracked on T.I., who was seated in the crowd.

It marked the Atlanta rapper’s first televised award show appearance since his conspicuous absence from last year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards, taped hours after he was arrested on federal gun charges on October 13, 2007 in Atlanta.

“Got that bail money,” Foxx said, acknowledging T.I.’s presence before he announced the nominees for the Best Female Video award. “Just kidding. Don’t shoot me.”

T.I. flashed a smile back at Foxx, who was featured on “Live in the Sky” from T.I.’s multi-platinum selling 2006 album, King.

Apparently, Clifford Harris left his thugged-out (alter?)-ego, T.I.P. at home. He went on to perform two songs from his upcoming album, Paper Trail, including the cake daddy anthem “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life,” featuring Rihanna.

And was it just me or was Rihanna on some Pat Benatar shit last night?

Pat Benatar, “Love is a Battlefield”

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