JAY-Z & KANYE WEST RESPOND TO SYL JOHNSON's LAWSUIT

The Throne files a response to the soul veteran's copyright lawsuit.

This past October, soul veteran Syl Johnson sued Jay-Z and Kanye West, as well as Universal Music Group and Def Jam, for sampling his song “Different Strokes” without permission for “The Joy.” Last Thursday, the duo combated the lawsuit, denying the allegations though acknowledging that the song was released prior to Watch the Throne.

According to Billboard.biz, Hov and ‘Ye cite federal copyright law, claiming that because the song was made before 1972 (when the law was enacted regarding covers), they were legally able to use it.

“Any claim based on the alleged use of Plaintiffs' recording is is barred because, inter alia, (a) the allegedly copied portion of the Plaintiff's recording is not part of the musical composition; and, if it is part of the composition, (b) is not protectable and/or (c) any use was de minimus,”

VYBZ KARTEL ORDERED TO PAY $15 MILLION FOR MISSED CONCERT APPEARANCE

The troubled dancehall star has been ordered to pay a promoter for failure to show up at a scheduled appearance in 2009.

Jamaican star Vybz Kartel has been ordered to pay $15 million to a promoter after failing to make a scheduled performance at the Turks and Caicos Islands in August 2009.

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was ordered by the Supreme Court to pay Jamaican promoter Alton Salmon for breach of contract. Salmon, who promotes under Abuka Entertainment, said that there was a riot at the venue on August 14, 2009 after Kartel failed to appear and suffered significant losses.

For loss of profit, Salmon was awarded $127,736 in addition to the pending $15 million from Kartel, who is currently incarcerated on two murder charges. He was recently granted bail for $3 million, but it is unclear if he will be released from prison.

MARIAH YEATER STILL PURSUING PATERNITY CLAIM AGAINST JUSTIN BIEBER

The 20-year-old California woman, who filed a paternity lawsuit against Justin Bieber, is still adamant that the teen popstar is the father of her 5-month-old son.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Mariah Yeater denied ex-boyfriend Robbie Powell as being the real father, saying that she does know him but he was not the child’s dad. “He is not the father, and he’s locked up and out of the picture,” Radar Online quoted Yeater as telling the publication.

JustinYeater told the paper that she is still pursuing her paternity claim against Bieber out of court, through her attorneys in Chicago and Los Angeles.“I dropped my lawsuit, but never my claim."

“I still definitely want a DNA test and I want to refile my paternity case -- I do believe he is the father,” Yeater said.

While Bieber claims he took a DNA test last month, Yeater’s Chicago counsel, Jeffery Leving, said that the singer’s camp has been sluggish and non-cooperative in getting on the same page as Yeater’s, concerning the test.

“Bieber’s counsel hasn’t told me where Bieber’s alleged DNA is secured, nor has provided information substantiating the chain of custody and protocol utilized in the claimed DNA collection and testing,” Leving said. “If negotiations with Bieber’s counsel does not result in DNA testing of everyone under mutually agreeable and controlled conditions, then the legal proceedings will likely need to be refilled,” he added.

LIL'WAYNE, NICKI MINAJ RECEIVE 'TEACHER OF THE YEAR' AWARD

Two of hip hop’s biggest and brightest stars; Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj have each received a ‘Teacher of the Year Award’ by a South Florida based educational company, Better Education Place.

According to the company’s CEO, Melvin El, the multi award winning artistes were immensely deserving of the award based on certain criteria passed.

These criteria include; ability to capture and maintain attention, ability to move the audience or create interaction, ability to inspire, effective use of language, use of memory devices, ability to transform behaviour or make them ‘do as you do’, and the quality of content. The last criterion however received moderate scores.

Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj both had a fantastic year, with Nicki recording a milestone as 2011 rising star by Billboard and Lil Wayne recording sales and chart success with his ‘Tha Carter IV’ album.

CRISIS ROCKS ERASTUS AKINGBOLA'S INSPIRATION FM

Just as the main investor former Intercontinental Bank Managing Director Erastus Akingbola is in trouble with the EFCC,there seems to be another trouble brewing at Inspiration FM.

The staff members loyal to the owner are currently enmeshed in a plot to remove the Managing Director and CEO famous radio personality Soni Irabor over accusations including the fact that he caused to be employed over 12 new staff which according to them will deplete the station’s funds.

Those who know say the plot is spearheaded by two loyalists of Akingbola, his close aide Rasheed Mumuni and Dayo Bayo because they want to take charge since Oga has been axed from the bank where they were very busy.

This has no doubt polarized the radio outfit that has some big names in the industry like American Dan Foster.

Meanwhile the sacking of some of the staffers who allegedly mismanaged the Praise Jam funds is still generating much Ado.

SHOWBIZ WEDDING PLANS THAT FLOPPED IN 2011

From the first quarter,to the last quarter of this year,a lot of showbiz stars nursed the ambition of getting married and went as far as publicizing such plans.

Unarguably,not all these arrangements materialized as nobody heard or witnessed these individuals walking down the aisle as proposed.One of such wedding plans that hit the rocks this year is that of top movie star James Ikechukwu Esemugha popularly called, Jim Iyke.

Towards the end of the first quarter of 2011,this handsome actor hosted Ghanaian media personalities and revealed that he will tie the nuptial knot with his Jamaican heartthrob, keturah Hamilton on October.

Indeed,it was a development that called for celebration as everybody and fans of this actor who is gradually pursuing age 40 eagerly waited for the final announcement of the wedding and the invitations to be circulated.The long time of waiting turned to a puzzle when nothing was heard about Jim Iyke and his wedding till October ending. Instead of the wedding,Jim launched his multi million Untamed Closet Boutique at Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

However,insider sources revealed that Jim must have shifted the wedding to finish his former businesses with ex-lovers. From the first quarter of 2011,insiders revealed that ex-beauty queen cum star actress Stephanie Okereke will be the first movie babe to hit the aisle this year. Meanwhile,after first quarter the rumor continued that she shifted the wedding to May for personal reasons, from May insiders insisted that Ms. Okereke and her beau Mr. Linus Idahosa have decided to tie the knots in far away France to keep it low as the actress has been on this journey previously in her life.

In fact,others insisted that they have wedded secretly in France on August 2011. The side talk of Ms. Okereke’s wedding to Mr. Idahosa continued till the end of 2011 and is still brewing as the actress mentioned in her recent interview that her wedding might be a fun fair.

Top comedienne Princess is yet another showbiz personality who had the ambition of getting married in 2011,but could not see the arrangement to a finish as nothing was heard about it till now.

Top cum gorgeous actor Chidi Mokeme equally had the plans of waving goodbye to bachelorhood in 2011,but stopped talking about the memorable day after his first hint.

The heavily hyped wedding of Yoruba star actress Fathia Balogun is one of the most talked about marriage that did not see the light of the day in 2011.The wedding was confirmed to hold on May 21 by the actress,after her engagement to Ade,a US based Nigerian took place in January 2011.

According to reports gathered then,the wedding plans crashed when Faithia discovered that her husband-to-be was still married to a white lady who he has children with. Aside this reason,the white woman was said to have threatened to sue Fathia’s lover boy for bigamy if he tries to settle down with Fathia, the estranged wife of star Yoruba actor Mr.Saheed Balogun.

PEP GUARDIOLA TO COACH BARCELONA DYNAMISM OF CONSECRATED CUP OF ITS THREE-AND-A-HELMET SEMESTERS TO STRIKER DAVID VILLA INJURED

The 30-year-old has suffered a broken shin in the semifinals on Thursday against Al Sadd and will miss at least five months,slightly affecting the rest of the season and his chances to play for Spain at Euro 2012 in serious jeopardy.

Guardiola, whose side beat Santos 4-0 to Barcelona in the finalof Club World Cup in Japan, said later: "I want to dedicate this victory to him.

"We missed a lot. I talked to him a lot (since the wound bad) andwant to talk to him tonight. "His wound was the most unfortunate of this tournament, but I'm sure the team will return soon."

The boat team wore T-shirts in honor of their teammate hurt - that was the idea of the players, said Guardiola.

"They wanted to wear T-shirts to encourage him."

SOURCE: AFP

KATE HENSHAW SHAKES OFF GLOOM OF SEPARATION

Kate Henshaw,one of Nollywood’s most gifted actresses has not allowed her matrimonial woes affect her in any dramatic way. From her countenance and mien in public, she has wiped the gloom off her body.

On Thursday,December 15,2011,at Radisson Blu (on Ozumba Mbadiwe,Victoria Island, Lagos), where she came to honour Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, Sylvia Nduka as she launched her hair business,she seemed happy.

And on Saturday, December 17, 2011, at Lekki area,as many assembled to protest the toll commencement on Lekki-Epe Expressway,she looked happy.

Kate appeared to have gotten over the collapse of her 12-year marriage to Roderick James Nuttal, a Briton.

NIGERIAN STUDENTS NOW POST PHOTOS OF THEMSELVES HAVING SEX ON FACEBOOK (PHOTO)

Due to the graphic nature of the image, we have decided to censor it, but you can view the uncensored version here.

This stupid secondary school boy – after wooing this girl for long and finally had sex with her – thought it was fun to post the photograph on facebook so that he and his friends could mock her.

The girl is said to be in their school too, and we’re told she doesn’t know this pic has been secretly circulating on facebook among her schoolmates.

Anyone who knows her should please ask her to contact us.

Girls be warned! Be careful with what you do and with whom you do it. There seem to be many immature minds out there that think facebook is everything.

BEYONCE's PARENT FINALLY GET DIVORCED

US R&B/pop singer and mom-to-be Beyonce will be a tad sad as she finds out that her parents Tina and Mathew Knowles have finally divorced after 31 years of marriage.

The couple were issued the final decree of divorce in a Texas court in November; two years after the legal papers were originally filed by Tina. Their original divorce filing was dropped last year after both failed to appear in court, leading Tina to file a divorce petition again in August this year.

TMZ reports that Tina, 57, stated in the court documents that the marriage was ‘insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities’ which ‘prevents any reasonable expectation of reconciliation’.

The couple’s separation in 2009 had stemmed from the news that Mathew, 60, had fathered a love child with former Scrubs actress Alexsandra White.

White, 40, gave birth to their son Nixon on February 4 2010 following an 18 month affair with Mathew

Mathew blatantly denied but a DNA test later proved otherwise.