Rap legend, Jay-Z made a bold move and came out in support of gay marriage. At a press conference for the Made in America Festival, the hip-hop king voiced his thoughts on same-sex marriage to CNN, saying that he thinks that you should be allowed to love who you want to.

“What people do in their own homes is their business. You can choose to love whoever you love. It’s no different than discriminating against blacks. It’s discrimination plain and simple.”

Just last week, President Obama announced his support of gay marriage and many have said that it will cost him votes this November. Jay-Z chimed in saying, “I think it’s the right thing to do, so whether it costs him votes or not… Again, it’s not about votes, it’s about people.”

“I think it’s the right thing to do as a human being.”

Watch the video below.

Azealia Banks revealed the cover artwork and release date to her upcoming 1991 EP late last night. 1991 will be digitally released on May 29, and available physically on June 12. Bank is also readying an upcoming mixtape, Fantastic, which features the lead single ‘Jumanji.’ See 1991′s full tracklisting below.

1. 1991
2. Van Vogue
3. 212
4. Liquorice

Saturday Night Live celebrated their 100th digital short with an all-star sketch featuring Usher, Justin Timberlake, Natalie Portman, Justin Bieber and more. The singers/ actors reprise their old characters in the skit about the art of self- fellatio.. Yeah…

R&B veteran, Usher was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on May 12. The Grammy winner performed two songs from his upcoming album — Looking For Myself, due out June 12.

Watch Usher give the first televised performances of ‘Scream,’ and ‘Climax’ below.

The 2012 Billboard Music Awards just got that much more exciting with the announcement that pop/ R&B star, Chris Brown will be hitting the stage. The Grammy winner is nominated for four awards including: Top Male Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Album (F.A.M.E) and Top R&B Song (‘She Ain’t You’).

Brown recently released his new pop single, ‘Don’t Wake Me Up,’ and so this would be a great chance for him to introduce the song to the world, and maybe also do a small portion of ‘Sweet Love’ or ‘Till I Die.’ Fortune hits stores on July 3rd.

Usher, Justin Bieber, Nelly Furtado, The Wanted, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Linkin Park, LMFAO and more will also be performing at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas next Sunday.

This is an amazing line up and I’m curious to find out if Usher, Bieber or Brown will have the show-stopping performance. My bet is on Usher.

On thing that I noticed is that there are no hip-hop performers. I’d love for Kanye and Jay-Z to be added, or even Drake, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj. There will also be a special tribute to the LEGENDARY and ICONIC, Whitney Houston, who amassed 30 Billboard awards over her career.

Leading all nominees is Adele with 18, followed closely by LMFAO with 17. Rihanna (13), Lil Wayne and Lady Gaga (10), and Katy Perry (9) also scored multiple nominations. For a full list of finalists, visit here.

The Billboard Awards airs May 20th, at 8pm (et) on ABC. We will be live tweeting @popaddicts_

Who do you think will have the best performance?

TLL

Grammy winner, Jennifer Hudson has endured 4 years of profound highs, and devastating, life-changing lows with her rise to fame, accolades, and then the sudden loss of her mother (Darnell Donerson), nephew (Julian King), and brother (Jason Hudson) in Oct 2008.

On Friday (May 11), William Balfour, 31, the man accused of killing her family in a jealous rage was convicted of three first-degree murders. Balfour, Julia Hudson’s ex-husband, faces life in prison.

Earlier today, Jennifer and Julia released a statement via Jennifer’s official website regarding the conviction.

Read the Hudson’s statement after the jump.

Chris Brown drops a new pop single,  ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ off his forthcoming album – Fortune. The track was produced by David Guetta (‘Without You’) and is very catchy, we must say. The track starts off acoustically and then builds progressively in true Guetta fashion, until eventually exploding at the chorus.

Listen below.

I like this one. We are now 5 singles deep (‘Strip,’ ‘Sweet Love,’ ‘Turn Up The Music,’ ‘Till I Die,’ ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’) in Fortune already with 6 weeks until July 3rd. Let’s hope that one of the many singles Chris has dropped catches fire.

Earlier today, Kanye West sent the Hip-Hop world into a state of frenzy by tweeting, “2 Chainz is charging 100k for a verse now cause he’s G.O.O.D!!!!!!”

The internet went crazy and automatically assumed that the “Spend It” rapper was now a part of the G.O.O.D Music brand. Well not so fast, according to 2 Chainz, who spoke with Bootleg Kev after the news started to spread.

2 Chainz says that the tweet meant that he was now “too good” to charge less than 100k, and how his stock has basically increased to the point where he won’t just do anything. 2 Chainz doesn’t outright say that he’s not with G.O.O.D music, but he doesn’t confirm it either. He’s so mysterious, this guy.

Listen below.

Well thanks for clearing that up Tity Boi….

XZ

As Mother’s Day quickly approaches, a number of celebrities have done interviews with their moms including Ashanti and now Trey Songz. Songz called into Power 99′s Morning show on Friday morning (May 11) with his mom, April Tucker in celebration of the holiday.

During the 5 minute chat, Tucker discussed whether or not Songz was a mama’s boy and revealed her nickname for him. Later, Songz discussed his recent trip to Africa, some of the artists we can expect on his upcoming album, Chapter 5 and more.

  “I got a record with Tip on there. Shout out to [Lil] Wayne, Big Sean, J. Cole, Kelly Rowland as well. A lot of great features thus far and I’m still recording.”

Is Trey Songz dating Kelly Rowland and does Mama Songz approve? Listen below to find out.

This interview was cute. It’s easy to see that Trey and his mom share a close bond. We wish April a Happy Mother’s Day!

Download from iTunes: Heart Attack – Single – Trey Songz

RU

Nelly Furtado dropped an acoustic rendition of her new single, ‘Big Hoops (Bigger The Better)’ through VEVO earlier today. The track is the lead single off Furtado’s upcoming fourth English album — TSI (The Spirit Indestructible), which is due out on June 19th.

I actually enjoyed this more than the studio version. Although I’ve been been a huge fan of Nelly’s voice, she sounded really good with the stripped down arrangement. Sometimes simple and not necessarily BIGGER is BETTER….

Download ‘Big Hoops’ from iTunes here.

TLL

R. Kelly is back with another track off his forthcoming 11th studio album –Write Me Back. ‘Feelin’ Single’ sounds like it was written for Michael Jackson in the vein off ‘Not Feelin’ the Love’ from R. Kelly’s last album — Love Letter. 

Listen to the smooth cut below.

I really like this one. It’s mature, sexy and the type of music that someone born in the late 60′s needs to be making. No one quite has the ability to channel and adapt styles and sounds like R. Kelly, except maybe Raphael Saadiq.

Write Me Back hits stores June 19.

Justin Bieber and Usher are featured on the latest cover of Billboard magazine. In the joint interview, the pair discussed upcoming duets, finding inspiration in one another, taking risks, pesky rumors more. The student and mentor will also both perform at the Billboard Awards on May 20.

Read the interview and see behind the scenes footage of the shoot below.

Interview and video after the break!

According to the Washington Post and Houston family representative, Kristen Foster, a new reality show featuring the family of the late pop ICON, Whitney Houston is in the works.The show is slated to air on Lifetime and will follow Pat Houston, Bobbi Kristina, and Cissy Houston, as they learn to adapt to life without Whitney.

Details below:

NEW YORK — A reality show featuring Whitney Houston’s relatives, including daughter Bobbi Kristina and mother Cissy, is in the works. Houston representative Kristen Foster confirmed the Lifetime show, “The Houston Family Chronicles,”on Friday.

It will focus on Pat Houston, sister-in-law and manager of the late singer. Pat Houston is also helping care for Whitney Houston’s only child, 19-year-old Bobby Kristina. The show promises to feature Bobbi Kristina and Cissy, as well as Houston’s cousin Dionne Warwick, gospel singer CeCe Winans and other members of the Houston family.

If this is true, I don’t like it. Whitney was a private person, never wanted to do reality TV (BBB was only for Bobby) and wouldn’t want her family exploited in that manner. I don’t understand the motivation behind this and how it could be advantageous to INVITE the world and the media into your lives considering how they treated Whitney. I don’t get it and right now, I don’t approve.

*update #1*

This is OFFICIALLY true. Gossip Cop — one of the most reliable entertainment sites — has verified that 10 episodes of The Houston Family Chronicles have been ordered. No word on when it will premiere.

More details and Pat Houston’s official statement confirming the show after the jump.

Last week we saw Brandy and Monica on the cover of Ebony Magazine’s June Issue and now the full spread and interview is here. Look at the photos and excerpts as the pair discuss their music in the 90′s, reuniting, and more. Brandy also defends her brother Ray-J and talks finding new meaning in life after the 2006 accident. Take a look below.

Excerpts and full spread after the jump!

Last night (May 10) the NARM Music Biz Awards Dinner took place at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City, California. Katy Perry was honored as the artist of the year for her amazing feats over the past 12 months.

“Katy‘s music was absolutely everywhere over the past year, and her dominance of the singles charts is a nearly unprecedented accomplishment,” said Jim Donio — NARM President.

Music legend, Lionel Richie was also honored with the Chairman’s Award for Sustained Creative Achievement. Donio said of Richie, “Lionel Richie has been a force in the music business for more than four decades and is still going strong today, a remarkable feat that grows increasingly rare each year.”

R&B veteran, Brandy also attended the event. Tons of pictures of her over at BrandyDaily.

HM

Ashanti recently sat down with her “Momager” for a special mother’s day interview. Ashanti is asked by her mother, Tina Douglas, what the best piece of advice she’s given has been to which she replied, “You always taught me to be a leader, not a follower.”

Ashanti also describes the women in her family as “remarkable.” Watch beyond the break.

Funny man and former cast member, Will Ferrell returns to Saturday Night Live as the host with music guest Usher this Saturday, May 12.  It is likely that Usher will perform his #1 hit “Climax” for the first time, and either “Lemme See,” or “Scream” off his forthcoming album – Looking For Myself. We’ll find out tomorrow, but until then, take a look at their SNL promo here.

Looking For Myself drops June 12.

Catch SNL May 12, at 11:30pm et.

RU

Moments ago, Harlem rapper, Azealia Banks dropped her new single, “Jumanji” off her upcoming 1991 mixtape. Listen to the Hudson Mohawke & Nick Hook produced track below.

This KNOCKS. Few new female rappers can compete with Azealia’s flow. Dope.

MissJia

Last night, Carrie Underwood stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “Good Girl” and “Leave Love Alone” off her newly released #1 album – Blown Away. In addition to the mini-concert, Underwood sat down with Kimmel for an interview and also took part in a hilarious parody of her song “Before He Cheats” called “Before She Freaks.” It’s like the bitter, more violent sequel, with a Jazmine Sullivan. And no…. it didn’t mend Carrie’s broken heart.

“Before She Freaks”

James Van Der Beek …….

Performances and interview after the break.

Pop superstar, Rihanna is looking to add another line to her resume with her new acting role as Cora Raikes in blockbuster film, Battleship. After premiering overseas weeks ago, the action film will finally see a stateside release May 18.

Last night, Rihanna and her castmates attended the Hollywood opening of the film and during a quick interview on the red blue carpet, she gave an update on her health. Days ago, Rihanna posted a picture of her arm with an IV, which threw fans into a state of panic, but the icon says she’s doing much better.

“I’m a lot better,” she confirms. “I got sick and I kept working as we always do, and finally I got to the point where I had to stop for a couple days. Now I’m a lot better.”

“This is my first Hollywood premiere [and] my first movie. A lot of firsts tonight. I’m looking forward to seeing [the film] and watching it with everybody.”

Insider || TGH