Photos from Johnnie Walker Step Up to VIP Lifestyle event

Number one luxury brand, Johnnie Walker, treated it's deserving consumers to an exclusive Drive of a Lifetime experience with legendary Formula 1 champion  Mika Hakkinen  on Nov. 30^th. Johnnie Walker and Mika Hakkinen brought the Step up to VIP Lifestyle experience. There was a VIP After party later on that day, where guests partied with superstar Wale, the award winning rapper  who headlined the event alongside Nigeria’s best; D’Banj, Banky W and a host of other A-list artistes. Pictured above are Toke Makinwa, Karen Igho and Sasha P. See more photos from the event after the cut..

  

Hirst is accused of ‘plagiarism’ over Rihanna-Medusa image

Cover of British GQ's 25th anniversary issue

British artist, If Damien Hirst is never short of controversy: he is either inviting it or always besieged with one. He is again about to be engulfed in another as fellow artist Jim Starr has accused him of plagiarism.

 

Starr, according to Evening Standard.alleges that the cover shoot of Rihanna for British GQ's 25th anniversary issue  is similar to a work that appeared in an auction catalog alongside Hirst's work three years ago: 

The head shot of the cover feature's Rihanna's hair adorned by a Greek mythology character, Medusa like collaged with snakes.

Starr states: "I am aware that artists are all sort of drawing from the same well but I think I know when my work has inspired someone else's”.

REAL REASON BURNABOY DUMPED ARISTOKRAT RECORDS, sets to float own label

It has been confirmed that burnaboy dancehall star (real name Damini Ogulu) will leave his record label Aristokrat Records at the end of 2013.He officially signed with the record label in 2011 and has perfected all arrangements to float his own at the start of 2014.
Burna has made this clear with Aristokrat even though the news of his departure has not reached the public.
A few weeks ago, the dark-skinned Port Harcourt bred act hinted at leaving the label. He said, "Change is about to happen. I know #BBG will stick with me no matter what. Watch out for future announcement. #BBG’. #BBG refers to his newly formed crew ‘Burna Boy Goons’. The tweet was deleted moments later.

Little known Burna signed with Aristokrat in July 2011, released two mixtapes ‘Burn Notice’ and ‘Burn Identity’ in April and November 2011 respectively. He then went on to drop the mid-tempo hit record ‘Like to Party’ in mid-2012. With two other successful singles ‘Tonight’ and ‘Run my race’, Burna rose to fame, making a name for himself.

We are told that problem ensued when his debut album ‘L.I.F.E’ dropped in August 2013. Burna Boy wasn’t pleased with the way the label handled the marketing and release of the album.

Contrary to reports earlier published, Burna did NOT get a N10m upfront payment for the album. The artiste feels the label should have done better – probably with a high budget album launch, major campaign etc.

‘He can’t be told anything to do, he’s a big boy right now. He won’t just listen anymore, the label are frustrated with his actions’.

As you're reading this, Burna has moved out of the house provided for him by the label in Lekki Phase 1 and relocated to house in Chevron Estate also in Lekki, Lagos. He has extricated himself from them and now handles his career with a former label employee who now only answers to him (Burna).

Unfortunately, insiders say there are issues with his new management structure. We’re told his minders fumbled a recent deal with Guinness, asking for a 200 per cent increase in a proposed endorsement deal fee. They never got it and Burna was taken off.

We are also told that Globacom, the telecoms company that handed him a mouth-watering deal earlier in the year are not willing to extend his contract after his one-year deal lapses.

Burna is currently managed by his mother, Bose Ogulu who is the daughter of Benson Idonije, a veteran broadcaster and highlife critic who once managed Afrobeat creator Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Uniben Pulls Out Of ASUU Strike, Exam Starts Jan. 6th 2014

University of Benin Edo State has pulled out of the on-going ASUU strike which started since June 2013.

Examination will start Jan. 2014.

See 2nd Semester Calender above

PHOTOS: Tyrese, Ludacris, Fans Pay Tribute to Paul Walker

Fans gather and place flowers  at the scene of  the crash that killed Fast and Furious star Paul Walker.

The actor who is best known for his role in the action movie series ‘Fast and the Furious’ died instantly after a single-car accident and explosion on Saturday, November 30, 2013.

‘Fast and Furious‘ casts Tyrese, Ludacris, Vin Diesel and thousands of fans have sent in their condolences. Scroll through a timeline of Paul Walker’s career, leading to his death.

SEE MORE PICTURES AFTER THE CUT........................... 

Fans write remembrances

Fans leaved flowers, candles and even DVDs, right, at the scene of the crash that killed Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas

The red Porsche Carrera GT that Paul Walker died in on Saturday afternoon when his friend

Paul Walker with co-star Vin Diesel (right) in the 2001 film The Fast & the Furious and with Ludacris (left) in the sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious 

Early days

Walker as a young child (left) and pictured in Village Christian High School yearbook in 1991

Paul Walker with his 15-year-old daughter Meadow (far right) as he takes a break from filming in Montreal back in June

His relationship

Walker had been dating Jasmine Pilchard-Gosnell, 23, for the past seven years

Tributes

Bill Townsend posted this picture of himself with Paul Walker taken hours before the actor’s tragic death

Fans have been posting a quote – ‘If one day the speed kills me, do not cry because I was smiling’ – attributed to Walker

Tributes from castmates

Jordana Brewster starred with Walker thriller franchise Fast and Furious as the late actor’s wife

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson also tweeted condolences following the well-liked actor’s death

Vin Diesel posted a photograph of him and Walker on Instagram with the message: ‘Brother I will miss you very much’

Ludacris posted this tribute to tragic co-star Paul Walker on his Facebook page on Saturday

Walker’s death was announced on his Facebook page with this message

- See more at: http://topeorekoya.blogspot.com/2013/12/photos-tyrese-ludacris-fans-pay-tribute.html#sthash.8ixZ8XdG.dpuf

People come for Brandy for posting 'negative' pics of Africa

Quite a number of people from different parts of Africa blasted US singer Brandy for posting pics on her instagram page that they felt 'portrayed Africa in a bad light'. Brandy, who was in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire a few days ago to perform, posted the photo above and called it 'Beauty'. She posted another pic of three young boys in tattered clothing and called it 'depth'. 

Africans didn't see the 'beauty' or 'depth' in the photos. More responses after the cut...

Burna Boy was part of a gang that stabbed someone to death?

I did a double take after reading this report on Thenet.ng. According to the investigative news portal, singer Burna Boy was part of a gang that stabbed someone to death in the UK in 2010. See it below... 

Burn Boy’s ‘uncontrollable’ mannerism and persona didn’t just start yesterday; NET investigations and sources have linked him to a criminal past, a period of his life he would rather not make public knowledge.

We are told on good authority that while in the UK back in 2010, Burna Boy was arrested by London Police for allegedly being part of a gang and stabbing someone to death. He was tried as a minor and sent to jail.

After 11 months, he was released and given two months parole plus community service on the grounds of being of ‘good behaviour’. But Burna is said to have disobeyed authorities and travelled back to Nigeria where he signed a record deal with Aristokrat.

He later travelled back to the UK but was arrested at the airport and deported to Nigeria. He is currently barred from the UK for the next 15 years.

Wale and Kendrick Lamar to Perform at Rap, Rhythm and Rhymes In Lagos,

Rap, Rhythm and Rhymes is coming to Lagos, Nigeria on December 27th, 2013. Internationally acclaimed rappers, Wale of Maybach Music Group and Kendrick Lamar of Top Dawg Entertainment, will be performing alongside a bevy of Nigeria’s top hit makers. The concert will take place in Victoria Island at Eko Convention Center at 7:00pm on December 27th.

Rap, Rhythm and Rhymes is presented by Aeroplay, a music management and logistics label which launched in 2010 and is home to producer Pheelz and artists OD Woods and Terry Akpala. Bayo Fatoba, Managing Director of Aeroplay says, “We are ready to launch with what is promised to be the Christmas season’s best event. Our goal is to provide Nigerians with the ultimate concert, giving them a breathtaking and well packaged event.”

Rap, Rhythm and Rhymes touches the three core pulse points of music for music enthusiasts, bringing artists from different genres together, on one stage. Aeroplay has created this experience to satisfy Nigerian’s diverse musical tastes, and give every single member of the audience vibes they can rock to.

Further details, including the list of performing artists, and ticket pricing and distribution will be announced shortly.

Chris-brown sued by frank-oceans cousin for 3 million dollars

Chris Brown is responsible for more than $3
million dollars in pain and suffering …
according to legal docs filed by Frank Ocean’s
cousin over that massive brawl outside a
recording studio.The docs were filed by
Sha’Keir Duarte … who claims one of Chris’
goons put the hurtin’ on him during the melee
between Chris, Frank, and their posses in West
Hollywood last January.Duarte claims Brown’s
bodyguard brutalized him … and in his court
docs he itemizes his list of damages complete
with price tags:-$1,000,000 for pain, suffering
and inconvenience-$1,000,000 for emotional
distress-$1,000,000 for punitive damages-
plus, another $60K for medical expensesAs we
previously reported … Chris has filed a
counter lawsuit against Duarte, accusing him
of provoking the fight and attacking him with
kicks and punches.