Lina LecaroDiddy was at Les Deux (and Playboy Mansion's Kandyland). Interscope held a velvet-roper at Playhouse. Will.i.am did his Dipdive at My Studio. And there was a mysterious Prince after-party and 3 a.m. jam session… somewhere.
It seemed everyone hosted a shindig of some sort around the BET Awards.
We attended one of the grooviest, ASCAP's Rhythm & Soul gala Friday, at the Beverly Hilton honoring Janelle Monae and Dr. Dre, both of whom were in the house, and both of whom had biggies there to cheer them on: Prince for Janelle and Eminem for Dre, the latter giving a touching intro to his mentor and thanks for the big break(s).
After a Dre video tribute and music mix medley from DJ Kid Capri, we're excited about the doc's long awaited new one, to be called Detox, which he explained is about halfway done (while denouncing once again the recent leak of a Jay-Z collab, which he said is incomplete).
Credit: Janelle Monae, honored on the night of the BET Awards (Lina Lecaro)
Detox, Em's Recovery… hip-hop seems to be sobering up, eh?
Or maybe not. Jamie Foxx's “Blame It” (on the a-a-a-alcohol) was a big winner Friday.
How many peeps does it take to compose an asinine club banger like this one?
Apparently, five, and two of them, C. “Tricky” Stewart and The-Dream, also took home “songwriters of the year,” some for schmaltzy soul ballads we've never even heard of.
The show's live performances from Gucci Mane and R&B singers Dondria and Miguel, were equally maudlin, but this event was as much about the free dinner, drinks and people-watching as anything.
You know P. Diddy's umbrella guy? There were lots of fellows working that spiffy look and ladies in body-hugging spandex, which made for a funny contrast on the red carpet.
Credit: Johnta Austin and Jermaine Dupri win “Song of the Decade” (Lina Lecaro)
Gotta giggle at mainstream media covering rappers and soulsters (like Ms. Jackson's ex, Jermaine Dupri, right) as they walk in.
Many of press needed ID signs so they could yell out the right nickname (and still pronounce wrong) and some even dared to utter the one thing you never, ever ask a hip-hop artist to do (indoors or out, day or night):
“Take off your sunglasses!”
See more pics from the red carpet and inside the event in this Friday's Nightranger slideshow.
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