Unfortunately, the entertainment world has suffered another blow in loosing famed urban fiction author, E. Lynn Harris. If you’re not familiar with his books (Invisible Life, Just As I Am), he is most notably recognized for bringing the lifestyles of down low men to the masses (before J.L. King). Women, in particular, took to his books. Author of Hiding In Hip Hop, Terrance Dean, made a statement about Lynn’s passing.

"I am deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of New York Times best-selling author, E. Lynn Harris. He was a dear friend and mentor who paved the way for authors such as myself.

E. Lynn broke ground and created a whole new genre of writing and the literary world will be void by this tragedy. His writings not only impacted the African American community, but the entire world."

You can also visit the archives on www.etwireonline.com for an interview with Dean about his Hiding In Hip Hop.

So, tell me did you read any Harris’ books?

Upon the onslaught of inquiries into Michael Jackson’s death, there have been many concerns about his slender frame. Cynthia Horner, editor of Hip Hop Weekly and longtime friend of the Jackson family, talked to Entertainment Wire (www.etwireonline.com) about health reports on the singer. She basically stated that Jackson was a really energetic person and dancer. He was physically active and that made it difficult for him to retain weight.

I personally know people who can’t seem to gain much weight. When they occasionally do gain weight, they have difficulty maintaining it. Although there was probably much more to Jackson’s weight than nervous energy, all things probably do need to be considered.

Do you think Michael Jackson’s thin frame was a symptom of a bigger health issue or do you think he was just thin?

According to Marcus Darc (singer R. Kelly’s high school friend and former group mate), that’s exactly what record execs initially said when he approached labels about signing Kelly. Ironically, one of these executives now works for Kelly. Entertainment Wire (www.etwireonline.com) recently interviewed Marcus about his association with the singer and his song/video titled “Friendz or Foez,” where he calls Kelly on some past incidents. Marcus says he just wants to get some things off his chest.

Listen to the interview. If you were in Marcus’ situation, would you come out with information on an old friend? Do you agree with the record executives about R. Kelly’s looks?

Singer Ne-Yo fell ill while performing in Manchester this past week. Instead of walking off the stage, he stood in front of the audience and proceeded to cry. He then said that he’s always finished a show. Ne-Yo ended the show saying that he will be back. Some people cheered, others booed. Several have questioned his manhood. I’ve always found it commendable for an artist to be honest with their audience. I think it strengthens their bond with their fans but his crying makes me wonder what type of illness he has. Flu? Meningitis?

Ne-Yo has already told bloggers to go to hell (I’m sure this excludes yours truly). Do you question the singer’s manhood for crying at his show? Isn’t music supposed to be about emotion?

It’s been reported in several Internet outlets That’s So Raven star Raven Symone had a baby girl. Symone’s rep has issued a statement that the 23 year-old “is not pregnant nor did she give birth.” I’m not sure how this rumor got started. Symone is pretty good at keeping her name out of the rumor mill.

Do you know where this rumor came from?

A billion people around the world watched the Michael Jackson Memorial on Tuesday, July 7th. All the performers offered poignant stories about the icon’s life and soulful renditions of his music. Amidst the mourning, one singer had people talking: Jennifer Hudson. Few people had seen her in the past several weeks and her appearance sparked more talk that she’s pregnant. It’s pretty obvious the songbird is pregnant and I wouldn’t be surprised if she gives birth sometime in August.

Do you think it’s necessary for singer Jennifer Hudson to confirm her pregnancy?

Well, the world is gearing up for tomorrow’s memorial for cultural icon Michael Jackson. It’s set to air live at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern. If you’re wondering which network is airing the event, look for ABC, CNN, MSNBC, BET and E! Entertainment. CBS may not be covering the full event, while E! Entertainment will have live coverage on their television network and their website. If you miss Jackson’s memorial in the afternoon, you’ll probably be able to catch it on NBC. They plan to wrap it up in a 1-hour prime-time special Tuesday night. BET will cover it from 12pm-4pm and show an encore presentation from 8pm-12am.

A few of the performers scheduled to attend are Mariah Carey, John Mayer, Usher, Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson and Lionel Richie.

Are you going to watch Michael Jackson’s Memorial? Better yet, are you one of the lottery winners who received a ticket to go?

Happy Belated Fourth of July! I hope you enjoyed your holiday. I have to say that I did. I went to the Soul Summer Series Concert featuring singers India.Arie and Tamia (sponsored by RenaissanceX, 102 JAMZ, VIBE, JBF Entertainment). There were two opening acts: Independent artist Brad Marquis and Motown/Universal artist Hal Linton. I believe Linton is a solid singer that everyone should look for in the future.

But the Orlando show was mostly about the ladies. Tamia sung her more recognizable songs and brought her family (including NBA husband Grant Hill) on stage. India.Arie performed with her usual honesty and generosity. At one point, she came off the stage to walk the aisle and even allowed an audience member to sing. Both performers covered Michael Jackson songs during their set. Overall, I think the Orlando show was great.

What do you look for in a good live performance?