Young children and Blackberry phones usually don’t mix well, but Brandy’s daughter Sy’rai seems to think otherwise. The R&B superstar’s 8-year-old daughter was after the hottest techno gadgets this Christmas, including the latest hardware from RIM and Apple.
“I got her list, and it is ridiculous. When she believed in Santa, she had a smaller list, but now that she knows I’m Santa Claus, she went crazy. Now, she wants a Blackberry and an iPhone 4. It’s like ‘little girl, you are 8, and you’re asking for a Blackberry?’” Brandy divulged to Pop Eater.
At first glance one might cringe and cry spoiled, but Brandy goes on to explain that Sy’rai can also be a typical little girl.
“She also asked for a hug and a kiss,” she added. “Then clothes and shoes. She’ll get that and a few Barbies and American Girl dolls. But no way is she getting a Blackberry.”
We don’t blame you Brandy! Who does an 8-year-old have to call anyway?!
We’re sure Sy’rai was more than happy with her phone-free haul this Christmas!
It looks like Brandy got just what she wished for this holiday season.
Following the star’s involvement in a car crash that resulted in a woman’s death last year, Los Angeles prosecutors have now decided to drop a vehicular manslaughter charge against the singer, E! News reports.
Exactly one-year ago today, the Grammy-winner’s Land Rover slammed into the back of 38-year-old Awatif Aboudihaj’s Toyota Corolla and started a chain-reaction four car collision.
Aboudihaj, a mother of two, died the next day.
California Highway Patrol issued a misdemeanor manslaughter charge against the singer, citing negligence as the cause for the accident.
“These past 12 months have been extraordinarily hard for Brandy and her family, who were unfairly forced to live under a cloud of suspicion initially caused by an ill-advised and premature press release sent out by the California Highway Patrol, accusing Brandy of wrongdoing before the police investigation was even finished,” the singer’s lawyer said in a statement, E! News reports.
“However, Brandy continues to be mindful that she was extremely fortunate not to have been injured in this accident and that there was a life lost.”
Even though the charge has now been dropped, Brandy still faces a 50-million dollar lawsuit by the victim’s family.
R&B star BRANDY stands to escape prosecution on charges of misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter following a fatal 2006 car accident, if officials decide not to take the singer to court.
Los Angeles authorities are reportedly “split” over the decision whether or not to force Brandy to take the stand while they await technical data to reveal how fast the singer/actress – real name Brandy Norwood – was driving when her vehicle hit 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj’s Toyota Corolla on the San Diego Freeway in California on 30 December (06), killing the other motorist.
According to website TMZ.com, prosecutors will decide whether or not to press charges after receiving the information.
If the case does go to court and Brandy is convicted, she faces a possible one year in prison and a $1,000 (?500) fine.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
R&B star RAY J lost a role in an independent movie with gospel star YOLANDA ADAMS because of a leaked sex tape he directed and starred in.
The singer, who is now romancing Whitney Houston, was puzzled when he was asked to audition over and over again for the role in the unnamed film – before producers came clean and admitted his saucy private life was too risque for the project.
The sex tape that landed him in trouble was one he shot with ex-girlfriend Kim Kardashian.
He explains, “I felt like I shouldn’t have had to audition because I’d worked with the casting director on a few movies. But I did it for him.
“We were going through this whole thing and I was just like, ‘I’ve got the part.’ Then they called me and asked me, ‘Yo, what’s up with the sex tape? We know about it.’
“Then they called me back and said, ‘Well, Yolanda Adams is in the movie and this is gospel and we just can’t do it.’”
It’s not the first time Ray J has caused controversy on a film set – his video for Wait A Minute was banned because he was drinking in a club under age, and cavorting sexually with Lil’ Kim.
He recalls, “I was all over Lil’ Kim and all down in her legs and all over her breasts and stuff, so they thought it was a little over the top.”
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Troubled R&B singer BRANDY has confirmed reports she is leaving US TV show AMERICA’S GOT TALENT and is being replaced by SHARON OSBOURNE.
The Have You Ever singer, 28, joined actor/singer David Hasselhoff and English journalist Piers Morgan on judging panel of the first season of the NBC show.
However, following her recent legal troubles, Brandy has decided to step down, leaving Osbourne to replace her.
Brandy’s spokeswoman Courtney Barnes says, “Brandy has enjoyed her association with the programme. However, she felt she couldn’t give the new season the attention and commitment it deserved.”
Brandy faces a possible misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter charge and two wrongful death lawsuits following her involvement with a fatal car collision in December in Los Angeles.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
SHARON OSBOURNE is planning a return to US TV – to replace troubled singer BRANDY on hit show AMERICA’S GOT TALENT.
The reality TV queen, whose US chat show was axed in 2005, is reportedly being courted as a judge for the upcoming second season of the hit series, which will be hosted by JERRY SPRINGER.
The news comes as R&B singer Brandy fights a vehicular manslaughter charge after reportedly causing a fatal post-Christmas car crash.
Osbourne’s an easy replacement – she is a judge on British talent show THE X FACTOR, alongside SIMON COWELL, who is the brains behind America’s Got Talent.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
A second wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against singer BRANDY relating to a December freeway crash in Los Angeles.
The latest lawsuit was filed on behalf of the two sons of the woman who was killed in the crash after Brandy’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) struck the back of her car.
AWATEF ABOUDIHAJ, 38, was killed and her two sons, MRWAN MOHAMED, 14, and KAREEM MOHAMED, 10, were injured in the December 30 accident.
The claim alleges that unspecified injuries to the children will likely cause some permanent disability. Damages will be determined at a trial.
On January 30, a $50 million lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of her parents, ABOUDIHAJ AHMED and LABRIDI ZOHRA, who reside in Morocco.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office is still deciding whether or not to charge the singer, real name BRANDY NORWOOD, with misdemeanour vehicular manslaughter.
According to JONATHAN DIAMOND, a spokesman for the City Attorney’s office, California Highway Patrol investigators recommended she be charged after completing their investigation.
If convicted, the 28-year-old faces up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
LATEST: BRANDY is being sued for $50 million by the family of a woman killed in a car crash that’s being blamed on the singer/actress.
AWATEF ABOUDIHAJ’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit at Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday after police recommended the singer be charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. Their 38-year-old daughter was killed in a four-car freeway crash in California on December 30.
The California Highway Patrol has ruled Brandy was at fault because she failed to prevent her Land Rover from hitting the car in front when traffic slowed down.
The Aboudihajs’ lawsuit accuses Brandy – real name BRANDY NORWOOD – of “reckless driving” and seeks $50 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
If found guilty of criminal charges, Brandy faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The 27-year-old last week issued a statement through her publicist offering her condolences to Aboudihaj’s family.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Investigators probing the cause of R&B star BRANDY’s devastating car crash last month have ruled out mechanical factors.
The singer/actress triggered the accident when she collided with another vehicle on California’s 405 freeway. The subsequent pile-up left the driver Brandy rammed into dead.
Brandy was neither injured in the pile-up nor arrested but could still be found primarily at fault or criminally negligent after California Highway Patrol spokesman Leland Tang revealed an inspection of all four vehicles involved in the crash found no mechanical defects.
He added, “We know the person who started the chain reaction was obviously Brandy Norwood,” but he insisted the 27-year-old had been “fantastically cooperative” with police.
Investigators will spend the next few days sifting through evidence from the scene and conducting further interviews before turning the case over to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for review.
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
R&B star BRANDY started 2007 off with memories of a terrible car crash that left another motorist dead.
According to new police reports, obtained by website TMZ.com, the singer was driving her Land Rover on California’s 405 freeway on December 30 when she failed to notice cars in front of her were slowing down.
Brandy braked late and collided with a Toyota, which in turn hit another car before striking the central divider. The Toyota was then hit by another car.
The driver of the Toyota was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in critical condition and later died, according to the website.
Brandy was not injured in the accident and was not arrested. She was not deemed to be speeding.
After news of the car crash was published on the internet this morning, the singer’s representatives released a short statement acknowledging the accident and the deceased.
They wrote, “Brandy was involved in a car accident December 30, 2006 in Los Angeles, where there was a fatality.
“She wishes to publicly express her condolences to the family of the deceased. Brandy asks that you respect the privacy of everyone involved at this time.”
(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.
Singer and actress Brandy is set to fill in for the recently ousted Star Jones Reynolds on ABC’s The View.
People magazine reports that Brandy’s rep confirmed the 27-year-old will fill in on the morning show this Wednesday and Friday.
“These tryouts are for consideration for the permanent gig,” a source close to the situation told People magazine, suggesting the guest spot could lead to a full-time hosting position. “They plan to have a few people trying out, like what CBS did (before hiring) Craig Ferguson for the Late Late Show.”
Ren?e Goldsberry from TV’s One Life to Live actress was the first guest host last Thursday, and filled in for Jones again on Monday. Susan Lucci of All My Children fame will fill in on Thursday.
Brandy can also be caught on the small screen right now as a judge on Simon Cowell’s new show, America’s Got Talent.
