“With Rihanna, pretty soon after she came on the scene, you started seeing designers from Forever 21 to Gucci coming out with styles mimicking her look,” Haenn told Hollywoodlife.com. “We hope the same thing happens here, but I think the ultimate goal is for Willow and Jaden to have their own line.”

Mariel also believes Willow has similarities to her other client Rihanna – who is well known for her offbeat style.

“Willow is definitely inspired by Rihanna’s style,” she said. “We make an effort to give Willow her own style, so as not to be a mini-version of Rihanna, but Willow really knows what she likes and what she doesn’t like and she’s vocal about it.”

John Legend, Common and Melanie Fiona breathe new direction and life into the track. But the two have also opened up a lot of the 60s and 70s classics on a new album entitled ”Wake Up Everybody” dusted them off and made them their own.

Gordon was best known as the patriarch on “Roc,” the situation comedy about a working-class black family in Baltimore, broadcast on the Fox network for three seasons starting in 1991.

The show starred Charles S. Dutton as Roc Emerson, a sanitation worker, and Mr. Gordon as his proud, irascible father, Andrew. So proud was Andrew Emerson that he seeded the family home with pictures of Malcolm X and maintained that a certain member of the Boston Celtics was far too good a basketball player to be a white man:

“Larry Bird was born and bred in Harlem,” Andrew declared in one episode. “His real name is Abdul Mustafa.”

“We are so pleased and honored,” said executive producer Barbara Walters, who will make a special return appearance for the interview after taking a break in May to recover from open-heart surgery. She will return full-time in September.

Obama’s appearance will mark the first time a sitting U.S. president has been a guest on a daytime talk show.

“The President last appeared on the program in March 2008 while he was still a Senator and First Lady Michelle Obama was a featured guest co-host in June, 2008,” said Walters. “This shows that both the President and First Lady feel that our show is an influential and important source of information and news.

Obama’s appearance will tape on Wednesday as part of the show’s continuing “Red, White & View” campaign, which is committed to political guests and discussions. Vice President Joe Biden visited the show in April.

The program airs weekdays on ABC at 11 a.m. Eastern time.

“We don’t have anything to talk about at this point, that’s for sure,” Adrienne Jacoby told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview Saturday. “I know there’s always rumors flying, but we don’t have anything definitive on our end, so if anything were to change, I’m sure a press release would be issued.”

Jacoby, of Jean’s charitable Yele Haiti Foundation, was responding to a report Saturday in an Ottawa-based newspaper that says the Haitian-born musician is poised to run for president.

French-language newspaper Le Droit reported that a source close to the Haitian government is “sure” the singer and producer will be a candidate. The newspaper claimed he’s taking steps to formalize his candidacy, which must be registered by the first week of August. It also said he’s consulting his entourage and law experts to assure that his eventual candidacy is legal.

Jean, 37, was asked Friday in an interview with Fox Business if he would run in the Nov. 28 presidential election.

“I would say right now, currently at this minute, no,” he said.

Earlier in the week, the Haitian-American, who grew up in New Jersey, addressed the issue on his Twitter page.

“Just to Clear up the rumors I have not announce (sic) to the Press that I’m Running for President of Haiti,” his tweet said.

Jean’s charity helped with relief efforts following January’s devastating earthquake, work that prompted many to ask him if we would consider leading the impoverished Caribbean nation.

Jarreau was conscious, in stable condition and in the cardiology unit of La Timone hospital in Marseille, the Marseille Hospital Authority said. He was expected to remain there for about a week for tests.

Jarreau’s website said the Milwaukee born 70 year-old singer had asked to be taken to the hospital Friday after he had trouble adjusting to the Alpine mountain altitude. He had experienced breathing problems and was for a time in intensive care.

Read below:

Shirley Sherrod has been a great friend to me, Farm Aid and family farmers for 25 years. She has always worked to improve economic opportunities for family farmers in the South, going back to when I first met her as the director of the Georgia Field Office for the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. Like Ms. Sherrod herself has said, she’s always tried to help those who don’t have so that they can have a little more.

The real story of Shirley Sherrod deserved to be told a long time ago. She has had an amazing impact on the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of families and communities throughout the South. Farmers of every race have struggled with the income inequities that have persisted for generations, and advocates like Ms. Sherrod have moved mountains to ensure that families can remain in their homes and on their farms.

While all family farmers in our country face an uphill battle to stay on their land, growing good food for rest of us, black farmers have lost their land at an alarming rate, faster than any other family farmers. Lending discrimination and inequities in agriculture programs are largely responsible for the shrinking number of black farmers. Farm Aid began supporting the Federation in 1985, where Shirley worked at the time, because of the group’s unique ability to reach out and help struggling farm families in the South. Many had owned their land for generations and were, and continue to be, under constant threat. We continue to support the Federation’s work to this day, and hundreds of farmers are still on their land because of Ms. Sherrod’s efforts.

During her time at the Federation, she fought to make sure that family farmers got what they needed to stay on their land. She has been a national leader for family farmers and a compassionate, courageous advocate for all struggling family farmers. Shirley Sherrod has dedicated her life to working on behalf of family farmers, civil rights and the alleviation of poverty and it’s up to Secretary Vilsack to right this wrong immediately.

This country desperately needs more farm advocates with Ms. Sherrod’s expertise. But this is not just about a job — it’s about ensuring that Shirley Sherrod has the opportunity to continue to support family farmers and the rural poor, something she has spent her life doing.

*Sitting down and talking to music industry veterans is one of our most favorite things. It seems that everyone has a story or two about someone they once associated with. Most of the time those stories are very funny, but they are often sad as well. Recently EURweb.com had the pleasure speaking with longtime industry veteran Robert Funderberg about his onetime client and longtime friend, Rick James.

As you can imagine, it’s almost impossible to speak about the late funk-rocker without the subject of drugs coming up. Funderberg recalls a hilarious, but somber story of the DEA, Rick, a guitar and yes drugs.

[Read on/and or scroll down to listen to Funderberg's account]

“This is during the Urban Rhapsody Tour, so we had a show at the House of Blues in Orlando,” he explained. “I got a call from the DEA. They wanted to know if Rick James would sign a guitar they were going to auction off for a charity function. I said no problem. In exchange they would go take his family on Safari that they had down there. I arrive at the performance and I have two DEA agents on either side of me. We’re talking, enjoying the show. I tell them I’m trying to change Rick’s image and, hopefully, we’re trying to move forward, do a serious come back, he’s changed, etcetera.”

For those that do not know or may have forgotten the Urban Rhapsody Tour was in support of Rick James’ album by the same name. It was his first comeback attempt after serving a 2 year jail sentence on drug related charges and had swore to clean up his life.

“So, as he’s performing I see someone from the crowd throw a cellophane bag on the stage, what I think is cocaine and heroin,” he continued. “Commonly known on the streets as an 8 Ball. And it lands right in front of him. As I’m talking to them I say ‘I don’t believe this’ and my hair starts to turn gray. As we’re talking I say ‘excuse me’. They did not see it because it’s dark in the club, the music was blaring, and they were focusing on him. They didn’t see, I saw it. Once I saw it I’m really trying to engage them to look at me.”

“I tried to block them with my body from seeing in the direction that I’m going, towards the cellophane bag, because I’m a pretty big guy. I walk in front of him, snatch the bag up and tuck it away in my shirt. Went back to them, then excused myself to the men’s room and flush it. By the time I get back the show’s over. Rick then comes up to me and says ‘Robert, where’s that bag at?’ I said ‘the one I flushed down the toilet that you don’t want, right?’ He said ‘Uh, yeah, yeah, that’s right.’”

Though to reminisce on the tomfoolery of his now deceased friend/client gave all that were present a hearty chuckle, it was at a price. Immediately following the laughter the mood became somber indeed.

“Unfortunately, half the time I was battling guys that would come in there because they had benefited from when he was a multi-millionaire tremendously … when he was getting high,” Funderberg explained. “And they would come in there to supply him with drugs at his concerts. So, I would tell security ‘no they can’t come in’. I didn’t want to see them in the building. But I couldn’t watch him 24-7.”

If there was anyone that would have some reason to watch James around the clock it was Robert Funderberg. He was not only Rick’s manager, he was as close to being a family member as one can get without actually being related. Robert went on to tell EURweb.com that, despite reports to the contrary, Rick James was a great guy and was even gullible at times. But there was a dark side to him that was overindulgent in all of his appetites.

“People would take advantage of him. I had known Rick since I was 18. He knew my family he knew my uncles. When he wasn’t doing drugs we would have great conversations. He knew the Bible backwards and forwards. But once drugs were introduced it was like Jekyll and Hyde. He flipped. And that was the bad part. Unfortunately he started to become more Hyde than Jekyll. As he increased his use of the drugs he became more and more negative. More self destructive. Unfortunately, he was the kind of guy where, if there was a bottle of liquor he would want all of the liquor and then would say ‘Let’s get another bottle.’ He was hurting himself. The core of what he was, was a good person. I think him trying to live up to what other people wanted him to be is what killed him.”

We are aware of the circumstances of what led up to the death of Rick James, but many do not know the level to which James’ health had deteriorated due to his abusive habits and physical neglect.

“His heart stopped two or three times. The doctors told him he had to stop getting high because they might not be able to revive him the next time,” he explained. “For myself, if that happened to me just once whatever activities I was doing I would cease and desist. It’s too bad, musically he was a genius, but when the drugs took control … and unfortunately those around him egged him on. They benefited from his lack of judgment. His distraction. ‘Rick give me this, Rick give me that.’ No talent, just hangers on. And those that had talent, he took advantage of them. How long can you stay around and let somebody do that? Plus, on top of that, you don’t want to see your friend destroy himself. Some things you can do, some things are just not in your hands. I told him once ‘Rick, I cannot care more about your career than you do.’ That’s one of the last conversations I had with him.”

On the morning of August 6, 2004, Rick James was found dead in his Burbank, California, home at the Oakwood apartment complex on Barham Boulevard by his caretaker. James had died from pulmonary failure and cardiac failure with his various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, a pacemaker, and a heart attack. Through his autopsy it was discovered he was under the influence of alprazolam, diazepam, bupropion, citalopram, hydrocodone, digoxin, chlorpheniramine, methamphetamine and cocaine. But his autopsy states he died of an enlarged heart.

James’ story is a cautionary tale at its core. One cannot help but wonder how many people are actually listening.

Think that story was something? Shortly we will post the thoughts of Robert Funderberg’s wife Jo-Jo McDuffie Funderberg, former lead vocalist for The Mary Jane Girls as well as background vocalist on several of Rick’s projects. We promise, it’s going to be eye opening

The initiative, launched by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration, urges New Yorkers to think carefully about the caregivers they get for their children, reports the AP.

The city is starting the campaign amid an alarming spike of child deaths at the hands of their caregivers. This year, nine children younger than 2 years old have been killed while in the care of their fathers, their mothers’ companions or a babysitter. Last year there were three such deaths.

McDaniels said Thursday that violence against children cannot be tolerated.