A grief-stricken Janet Jackson appeared at the 2009 BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The singing star brought fans a special message from her family in the wake death of her older brother Michael Jackson, who passed away suddenly last Thursday.

“My entire family wanted to be here tonight but it was too painful,” a choked-up Janet told the audience.

“To you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself thank you for your love and support. We miss him so much. Thank you so much.”

Jay-Z took to the stage at Sunday night’s 2009 BET Awards for a live performance of his hit single, “D.O.A.,” (”Death of Auto-Tune”).

Here’s a sneak peek at the video for Jay-Z’s controversial track “Death Of Auto-Tune.”

The full video will premiere immediately after The 2009 BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 28.

The self-professed “Mike Jordan of Recordin’” is back. New York’s Hot97 just unveiled Jay-Z’s brand new single “Death of Autotune.”

What do you think? Rock It or Drop It?

According to MTV News, sources close to Jay-Z say that the hip-hop star’s next album Blueprint 3 will be released on September 11 — eight years to the day after the rapper’s first Blueprint debuted.

The record will be released by the Warner Music Group.

Jay-Z is thisclose to inking a deal with Warner Music Group after recently severing ties with longtime label home Def Jam. Jay Z has been taking top-secret meetings with his old pals and former managers Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles.

The conversations have included giving Jay his own record label at Warner, tentatively to be called the Carter Music Group. Read the rest of this entry »

Jay-Z has officially severed ties with Def Jam Records. Read the rest of this entry »

Jay-Z and Ciara are planning a summer tour that will include stops in Las Vegas, Connecticut, Atlanta, and a handful of other North American cities.

News of the pairing first broke Monday night when Ciara revealed on her Twitter page: “I will say it because the information has been leaked. Me and Jay-Z will be doing a 10-city tour run together! More details coming soon! [sic]”

So far, stops are scheduled for July 3 and 4 at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, July 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, and July 12 in Atlanta.

If you want Jay-Z to play at your event, you’d better have some good peanut butter and jelly! The Smoking Gun has obtained a copy of Jay’s rider for a University of Arizona show last April, and the legendary lyricist had a boatload of interesting demands.

Jay pocketed a cool $750,000 for the gig, but he also wanted a late-model black Maybach, a 72 degree dressing room stocked with beer, vodka, tequila, two bottles of $300 champagne, and “Good Quality” PB&J.