Essence Music Festival

The festivities of blackness kicks off in New Orleans this weekend, July 1st-July 3rd. Those performing include: Kanye West, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, Boyz II Men, Trey Songz and Jennifer Hudson.
For more info, click here.

Jennifer Hudson... Plahdow!

Check out J-Hud getting up close and personal with some lingerie and a sexy attitude in her latest music video, "No One Gonna Love You." We dig it!

Jennifer Hudson Wins

Jennifer Hudson won a Grammy yall. She got the first one (best R&B album) and of course it was emotional... hmm and she was our pick for this one.

Arrest in Hudson Murders

Today the Chi-town Poe Poes have arrested William Balfour in the killings of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, brother, Jason Hudson, 29, and nephew, Julian King, 7 who were shot to death, reports The Chicago Tribune.

We hope this brings some sort of closure for Jennifer Hudson and family.

Hudson Family

Jennifer Hudson and her family have started a foundation for families of murder victims, reports People. The Hudson-King Foundation's name is in honor of Jennifer's mother, brother, and nephew.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be sent to:
Hudson-King Foundation:
c/o Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson, LLP
Attn: William L. Abrams, Esq.
237 West 35th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001

Unfortunate Breaking News

Although not identified, authorities believe they have found Jennifer Hudson's nephew, 7 year old Julian King. The body of an African-American boy was found inside the 1994 white Suburban, Jennifer's late brother Jason's vehicle, on Chicago's west side around 8 a.m. this morning.

William Balfour, 27, step-father of Julian, and the estranged husband of Jennifer's sister Julia, mother of Julian, is a suspect in the slayings. Balfour was picked up last Friday for questioning, and is now being held in prison for violating his probation on an unrelated charge. The police will not comment on what that charge is. Balfour has denied being involved and his girlfriend validates that saying, he was with her at her house when the murders took place. The Suburban was found 2.5 miles away from the girlfriend's home, Chicago Tribune reports.

Update: It is confirmed, the boy found in the Suburban is Julian King. A law enforcement source told the Chicago Tribune he was shot multiple times. Jennifer id'd the body.

Jennifer Hudson

Rant and Roast would like to offer our condolences to Jennifer and her family. We hope her nephew, Julian King, is found physically unharmed, and that the individual responsible for killing her mother, brother, and knows Julian's whereabouts, is brought to justice. Jennifer has posted a picture of what her nephew was last seen wearing on her myspace blog, along with asking for assistance and thanking everyone for reaching out to her.

My Less Than Stellar Weekend Roundup...

VP Republican nominee Sarah Palin denies abusing her power to get ex-bro in law fired even though she was found to have done so. Do we really want another liar who talks to people like they are idiots in office again?

Angelina Jolie is shown breastfeeding one of her twins on the November cover of W magazine. Hmm a picture of a celeb with her tit popped out and having someone suck on it... we haven't seen that before.. at least this time it is between a mother and child.

Jonathan Plummer

i took a good look at a picture of Jennifer Hudson's fiance, David Otunga and is it just me, or does he favor writer who penned, Waiting To Exhale, Terry McMillan's ex, Jonathan Plummer? You know the dude that left her for another dude? I'm just sayin yall.


David Otunga