Beyonce

The hardest working diva, Beyonce, gave exclusive details about her upcoming musical project while on set of a commercial for VIZIO.  She says she’s using live instruments to create a brand new genre of music.

“I’m actually in the studio now writing songs and producing,” she divulged between takes. “I have a lot of live instruments that I’m putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music.”

Watch the interview here:

Decoded

While working the press circuit for his upcoming greatest hits release and new book “Decoded,” Jay-Z has been asked to comment on a variety of topics – including President Obama, the legal woes of Lil Wayne, his friend Kanye West and his infamous comment regarding President George Bush.

“It was bad timing, but it was absolutely an honest emotion,” he told Howard Stern Monday of West’s statement that George W. Bush “doesn’t care about black people.”

Continues Jay-Z, “We all felt like that. We didn’t feel like Katrina was a natural disaster. We felt like it was an attack on black people.”

Howard’s sidekick Robin Quivers asked what he thought about pregnancy rumors surrounding his wife Beyonce that seem to pop up at least once a month.

“I really sit back and wonder when people are going to stop. The day that happens, I don’t think Newsday is going to know before my grandmother.”

He added, “Everyone knows I’m married, I just don’t discuss it because it’s a part of my life that I’d rather keep private.”

“Decoded,” meanwhile, provides unique insight into what shaped and continues to shape the 40-year-old hip-hop icon, from being abandoned by his father, his early mistakes in the rap game, and his approach to creating the music that has defined rap for almost two decades, notes the Associated Press.

But Jay-Z mainly does it the way he best communicates — through his lyrics. By “decoding” his songs — some famous, some obscure — he offers readers a unique vantage point of the mogul born Shawn Carter.

Below is Jay-Z’s full Q&A with the Associated Press:

The Associated Press: Why did you decide on this kind of book rather than a traditional autobiography?

Jay-Z: I wanted to tell the story of a generation. Through my story, I’m telling the story of a generation of kids, and we grew up in one of the worst eras ever. … Just to tell the story of my generation through music, and through that give a deeper understanding to rap lyrics and to make the case that rap is poetry. … Maybe there is other layers and meanings and things to be decoded in songs.

AP: What were the challenges of putting “Decoded” together?

Jay-Z: The hardest problem was getting the lyrics right, ’cause I don’t write them down, so, we had to find them somewhere, and a lot of those songs I forgot. So I had to listen to them again and then look at the lyrics and then say, “No, that’s wrong.” So the hardest part was really getting the lyrics right.

AP: What was it like going back through songs you hadn’t visited in a while?

Jay-Z: That was fun. It was almost like looking at an old photo album, like going back through those emotions and feelings. Looking at this song was like looking at me with a high-top and the four-finger ring.

AP: You discuss the assault charge you faced early in your career (he received probation). What are your thoughts on stars like Lil Wayne and T.I. who have fallen into those situations?

Jay-Z: The same sort of thing almost happened to me, and I pride myself on being a disciplined person. I was looking out for that sort of thing. I was trying to avoid it, and it still happened to me, so it just goes to show how difficult it is. Once you become a so-called celebrity, your life or your decisions don’t stop. You have to make smarter decisions, because you’ve grown up living your life a certain way. Most people grow up and just smoke weed. … You just smoke weed and think, “OK, I’ll keep weed in my pocket.” Now that you’re a celebrity it’s a whole different sort of thing. … Celebrities need to be conscious and know who they are, because the same choices they made as a civilian will cost them years as a celebrity.

AP: What do you make of President Obama’s recent struggles?

Jay-Z: I believe the same thing about Barack that I believed at day one. What he represents is bigger than any political agenda that he can pass across the House, Senate or whatever. I think that right now he’s going through a difficult period because people are putting the last eight years on his table and they’re judging him by it. You can’t expect a man to clean up eight years of mess in two years; it’s just bad math. It’s impossible.

AP: You talk in the book about how you agreed with what Kanye West had to say about President Bush, but Kanye recently apologized for saying Bush didn’t care about black people during Hurricane Katrina. What are your thoughts on that?

Jay-Z: I think what Kanye went through was, he himself became that, over the Taylor Swift incident. People said he was racist. And he’s not a racist person, so it made him reflect on the comments that he made. But I 100 percent agreed with the comments that he made, because again … it felt like it was being done to black people. Like all you saw on the news was black people on the news with help signs and all this stuff, and then you have this picture of the commander in chief, who we all rely on, just flying by. It’s like, What is that? … If that had happened anywhere else besides New Orleans, would the response (have) been so slow? Would Bush (have) been on the ground? You have to ask these sort of questions. Just the fact that he thinks that the worst thing that happened to him is Kanye saying something about him. Like, what? That alone shows you where his mind is. Are you kidding me?

The Dream

TMZ is reporting that Kim Kardashian has been in a recording studio working on a debut album with producer The Dream.

“We’re told Kim’s recently been in the studio with top notch writer/producer/performer The-Dream, whose hits include Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ and Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),’” the website reported.

One person who’s been inside a recording session tells TMZ, “Kim’s got a really good voice.”

Jay-Z & Beyonce

New rumors claiming Beyonce is pregnant with her first child have flared up via a source for Us Weekly who claims the pregnancy came as a total surprise to the singer and her husband, rapper-mogul Jay-Z.

“B was shocked. She loves kids, but she wasn’t ready to be a mother just yet … She really wanted to get her album done and tour the world again,” the source said.

The magazine also quotes industry veteran Kevin Liles, who has known Jay-Z for years.

“Jay has been all about family since I met him, and he’s always going to be,” he said. “I wish them the best.”

Tina Knowles appeared on the Today on (October 6) to promote her Miss Tina by Tina Knowles line, which will be sold exclusively at Walmart. Daughter Beyonce, made a surprise appearance and even showed off a piece from the collection.

Beyonce joined neighbors in West Orange NJ in a line dance while visiting Jay-Z’s mother. Check her out as she gets it in to “The Wobble” at a local neighborhood block party in New Jersey. Cute!

Beyonce

Songwriter-producer Sean Garrett is making a bold prediction about his latest project – Beyonce’s fourth solo album.

“It’s going to be her biggest album ever,” says Garrett, who has worked with Beyonce in the past on the tracks “Video Phone,” “Get Me Bodied” and “Upgrade U.”

“We’re going to take it to a whole other level,” he warns.

Celebrities at the Tom Ford fashion show held at the Tom Ford store on Madison Avenue

Designer Tom Ford  hosted his super secret fashion show yesterday in NYC.  Only a small group of special invited guests were allowed in to this high fashion affair.

According to the Daily News:

The performing artist was one of a stream of famous women who showed off the first Tom Ford women’s collection in the intimacy of the designer’s Madison Avenue store — an event so private that it took fashion back to a distant past when there were no banks of paparazzi or images whizzing off into cyberspace.

Mr. Ford’s vision was laser-focused on the man/woman thing that resonated throughout the 20th century, adding to his Saint Laurent obsession the silvered surface of classic Hollywood.

Solange Knowles attends Tom Ford fashion show

Beyonce

Jay-Z and Beyonce on vacation in Italy.

Jay-Z and Beyonce sure know how to take a vacation. The two were spotted cuddled-up, enjoying each other's company in Italy.  Hova's  even rocking his wedding band.  Super cute!

Beyonce and Jay-Z on holiday in Italy

Beyonce

Check out Beyonce's new ‘House of Dereon’ and ‘Dereon’ Fall 2010 ads + video.  Get'em Bee!

Beyonce

Beyonce

Beyonce

Beyonce

Kanye West premiered his new single, See Me Now, featuring Beyoncé and Charlie Wilson on Hot 97 with Angie Martinez last night.

Then untitled album has been pushed back to November.

Alice+Olivia dress

Alice + Olivia's olive one-shoulder draped silk and jersey mini dress is a party-perfect piece. Wear it with bare legs and sandals now, then switch to opaques and hard-hitting boots for fall. This dress features draped, silk-chiffon overlays. Asymmetrical neckline and exposed side zip. Ruched 2" strap.

Retail Price: $265

Beyonce was seen recently wearing this same dress while in the UK with her hubby Jay-Z

Beyonce in Alice + Olivia Wrapped Goddess Dress

Beyonce in Alice + Olivia Wrapped Goddess Dress

Jay-Z & Beyonce

Jay-Z & Beyonce have been seen jetting around the U.K. this week.  Here are the lovebirds departing their private flight to Sweden.

Jay-Z & Beyonce

Jay-Z & Beyonce

Jay-Z & Beyonce

Jay-Z & Beyonce