Our junket began with a private dinner at the exclusive Foundation Room at the House of Blues. Journalists including myself, Kimatni Rawlins of Automotive Rhythms, Jamie Foster Brown and Randy Brown of Sister 2 Sister, Crystal Shaw of BET Radio, and several others got to mix and mingle with the Chevrolet executives and their colleagues, while enjoying some fine grub. Afterwards, we headed over to Mayor C. Ray Nagin’s kickoff party where I ran into media specialist Dyanna Williams, Sheila Eldridge of Miles Ahead Entertainment and publicity wiz Tresa Sanders of Tre Media. Jazz artist Boney James performed with neo-soul singer Bilal. While Bilal’s antics offstage have often been described as bizarre, he’s normally very charismatic onstage. Not this night. He wore pretty modest clothing, in respect to his normal garb, and held a cigar the entire time while barely singing on the cut “Better With Time.”

On the second day, there was a press conference held where all of the sponsors, including Coca-Cola, Budweiser, HBO and McDonald’s, gave speeches and presented the Essence executives with gifts. Chevrolet presented a dynamic original piece of artwork by Margaret Slade Kelley, and the piece was adapted into a hood cover for the Chevrolet SSR (shown above) that was auctioned off by Essence for charity. Gabrielle Union (“Deliver Us From Eva”), Matthew St. Patrick (“Six Feet Under”) and Ronald McDonald himself, were in attendance for the press conference.

After test driving a Chevrolet SSR and Chevrolet Corvette, the gang prepared for Chevrolet’s private dinner reception prior to the Prince kick-off concert. The reception was held in a suite in the Louisiana Superdome and included a splendid buffet, an open bar, and a private meet-and-greet with breakout soul star Anthony Hamilton, who performed that night in the Coca-Cola Superlounge.

After the Chevrolet reception wrapped, we hung out in the HBO and Enyce sponsored suite with Matthew St. Patrick, Gabrielle Union, “Queen of Comedy” Adelle Givens, former “106 & Park” host A.J. Calloway, and Jill Jones (“Girlfriends”), who came sans co-star Golden Brooks who had hosted the Coca-Cola booth with her earlier that afternoon. There we watched opening acts Larry Graham and Sheila E. perform via television, and took our seats just as Morris Day & The Time was taking the stage.

Prince headlined the show. It was amazing to say the least. He covered many of the classics, including the song he penned for Tevin Campbell called “Shhh.” It was reported that Prince was cutting a lot of risqué material from his set because he was now a devout Jehovah’s Witness, but the words to “Shhh” may raise eyebrows of other door-to-door pamphlet givers. Here’s a sample of the lyrics: “I'd rather do you after school like some homework/ Am I gettin' you hot?... I’d rather wait 'til everyone's fast asleep, then do it in the kitchen on the table top… Candlelight? No, I don't think so. The crackle of the flame will just spoil the flow/ Besides, I can be your fire, baby/ Drippin' all over like a ball of wax…”

Prince also had special guests Chaka Khan, Doug E. Fresh and Sheila E. join him onstage. It was such an awesome experience.

I jetted with Jamie Foster Brown about halfway through the set to check out Anthony Hamilton’s encore performance in the Superlounge. If you haven’t seen Anthony’s live show, do yourself a favor and check it out. For those who think Mary J. Blige’s church-like, shouting antics onstage are entertaining, then you’ll genuinely appreciate seeing someone go through similar motions and do it on-key.

The rest of the Essence weekend included performances by Gladys Knight, New Edition, Sinbad, Tyrese, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Donnie McClurkin, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore, Ledisi, Freddie Jackson, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Kem, Goapele, 112, The O’Jays and many other artists. It was my first time attending the Essence Music Festival and, despite the New Orleans summertime heat, I anticipate going back.

For more information on Chevrolet or any of their automobiles, visit them online at www.chevrolet.com.

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Affection For Africa: In Damon Dash's new America magazine, which is a quarterly publication retailing for $8 on newsstands, R. Kelly discusses his obsession with Africa. He admits how he turned his music studio into a jungle. "I have never been to Africa, but I got books and studied up on the music, the culture and, most importantly, the people," R. said in America. "That's why you see all of the shrubs and plants and trees in here. I just wanted to feel it. I put tents in the studio and slept in the tents for like a few months, eating off the floors, dressed in army fatigues...I know people out there might laugh, but we are in the jungle. We're on a serious mission, and just know that Charlie is out there to stop us, and you have to load up your guns. I know this all sounds crazy..."

Oh yeah R. Kelly, it really sounds crazy! More crazy, however, is how his jungle fever is what caused a song he was working on with Usher to not make “Confessions.” Apparently, Usher was so uncomfortable while recording in the Pied Piper’s fugazi jungle that there was no chemistry between the two singers.

R. apparently had Usher picked up from his hotel in a traditional, uncovered army jeep. He made him and his camp change into army fatigues and other military attire prior to getting into the vehicle and braising the Chicago cold. If that wasn’t enough, he only allowed them to drink out of canteens while in the studio. That’s taking ‘setting the atmosphere’ to the extreme.

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Speaking of Usher: The singer’s new “confession” is that he’s a stripper. Usher displayed his “rear view” after partying recently in London, mooning the paparazzi who snapped photos of him while he exited a nightclub. The contact sheet being shopped around to news agencies by the Express/Conquerangroup.com shows Usher exiting the club and then mooning the cameras after getting inside what looks to be an S.U.V. The other passengers in the vehicle look on—one holding what looks to be a bottle of vodka—while Usher drops his boxers and gives the camera a full glimpse of his southern-bred booty. Reps for the singer claim it wasn’t him who actually mooned the cameras, but even Stevie Wonder can see that the crack-bearing culprit captured by photographers sported the same jeans, jewels, belt and tennis shoes that Usher had on when exiting the club.

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Hollywood Hatred: A long-running feud between two Hollywood actresses recently came to a head. Sources say that “Third Watch” actress Nia Long has a bone to pick with Halle Berry. Nia’s current boyfriend is a new Virgin Records artist named Ricky Fante (debut album “Rewind” bows July 13), who has a cameo as a lounge singer in the Oprah Winfrey movie, "Their Eyes Were Watching God,” which stars Halle. When the Oscar winner learned that Ricky was Nia’s boyfriend, she had producers tell him that he couldn’t have any visitors on the set. Nia was furious when one of the producers told Ricky that Halle made the call to spite his girlfriend. Nia threatened to show up on the set with some girlfriends just to piss off Halle, but Ricky apparently begged her to not go there. Halle has longstanding animosity with Nia because when Halle used to date soap star Shemar Moore, Nia and the former “Soul Train” host took a photo together at a party that ended up in all of the papers. That photo ended Halle and Shemar’s relationship, and she’s hated Nia ever since.

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Minister’s Music: I attended an intimate listening party in Los Angeles for rapper turned pastor, turned rapper again Mase (a.k.a. Pastor Mason Betha). I was invited to the private listening session at an immaculate mansion in the Bel Air community of Los Angeles by Universal/Motown public relations beauty Wendy Washington. Wendy, along with U/M publicist Sindy Gilbert, served as the perfect hosts for the shindig, which had a decadent buffet and an open bar. (I wonder if Mase approved of the liquor being served?)

Mase arrived and was all smiles. Wendy and the gang popped in an advance copy of his new CD "The Second Coming," and I have to admit, the six or so songs that were played were very nice—no cussing or explicit talk of women and nothing to raise eyebrows from the holiest of churchgoers. It was just clean, sure-to-be chart-topping music that seemed to pleasantly surprise most in attendance. There’s one track that’ll feature Claudette Ortiz (formerly of City High) singing on the hook, but when I asked Mase about the female singing the hook on the original version, he answered, “I can’t tell you that.” (My bet is that it’s his wife.) In addition, when Mase was asked what his congregation in Atlanta thought about his return to the music industry, he answered, “I don’t want to talk about that right now.” Despite not wanting to answer many questions, Mase did approach me after seeing me bob my head to his music and ask me, “You like it don’t you?” Unlike him, I answered, “Yes!”

Lil’ Fizz and J-Boog of B2K attended the soiree, as did original Destiny’s Child singer LeToya Luckett, former BET “All” host Liza Michelle, and “Punk’d” personality Al “Hits” Shearer. Also present were a bevy of movers and shakers including Gail Mitchell of Billboard, Adell Henderson of King, Tosha Thomas of Urban Network, television producer Monica Moore, Evette Ferguson of The Courtney Barnes Group and artist manager Phil Thornton of Bright Star Entertainment.

Mase’s manager Ed Holmes thanked me for breaking the news about Mase’s return in the New York Daily News. For those who didn’t know, when I filled in for gossip columnists Rush & Molloy back in March, I broke the news of Mase’s comeback. (You can check that story out at: http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/178201p-154943c.html)

Though Mase is mum about the intentions of his comeback, I’m told a respected pastor of a televised mega-church phoned him and told him, “if the world is going to pay you to record music and you can use it as a platform to save souls, then you must do it.” My source says that call is what caused his recent epiphany to return to the music game. Maybe that’s what he meant when he told the EUR’s reporter at the party, "what I would tell them right now is that what I have on the inside of me they're not ready to receive…and the time will come where I can share my faith with the people."

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Music Notes: Ray-J has nixed his plans to partner with CMX Entertainment and has instead opted to sign with the Matthew Knowles-run urban division of Sanctuary Records. Brandy’s younger brother has already recorded tracks with Missy Elliott, R. Kelly and Timbaland and is currently working in the studio in Miami with Scott Storch (Justin Timberlake, Beyonce)…Also coming on Sanctuary Urban is rapper Won-G (who’s rumored to be worth millions) and his upcoming release “Rage of the Age.” Many have seen the music video for his single “Caught Up In The Rapture” which features Paris Hilton…Speaking of Matthew Knowles, he has a new group coming in wake of the B2K void on Music World Music called Mason Rd. The quintet is in the studio now and will be unveiled sometime in the near future…Kierra “Kiki” Sheard’s debut album “I Owe You” on EMI Gospel has been pushed back yet again. The set has been moved from its Aug. 8 street date to Sept. 7. The 17-year-old’s first outing is one of gospel’s most anticipated releases and should easily earn her a Stellar nomination for Best New Artist…There are talks that Virgin Records plans to re-release Janet Jackson’s “Damito Jo.” The new set will include six new tracks, and the label hopes the re-release will reignite interest in the struggling CD. It’s only sold 863,662 units to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan…There are also talks that the newly revamped Warner Group will re-issue Tamia’s latest release “More.” The album dropped just as Elektra Records president Sylvia Rhone was fired and never really received the support from the label it needed. The album has sold 186,860 units after being on the charts for 13 weeks.

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Help Wanted: Funnyman Anthony Anderson has a point to prove to The WB network, and he’s petitioning his fans for support. The star of such films as “Barbershop” and “Agent Cody Banks 2” wants The WB to know how much people really enjoyed his recently canceled sitcom. In an e-mail, Anthony writes: “To all my friends and family, unfortunately the WB has decided not to bring back my television show "All About The Andersons." But I have been nominated for the Teen People’s Choice Award for best actor in a comedy for the show. I normally don't ask for things like this, but I would like to send a message to The WB for not renewing the show by winning this award. Please log onto www.teenpeople.com/teenchoice and vote. I'm in section wave one under TV actor comedy.”

For more information on Anthony’s upcoming projects, visit www.AnthonyAnderson.com.

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Can’t Say Names: Sources say a certain singer and her camp planted a story that she violently attacked her spouse several years back just for publicity. Said source close to the singer said the stunt was planned just to boost record sales, and it actually worked. The things people will do to move units.

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Quickies:

~ Early word is that Deborah Cox isn’t the only person who’s been approached about doing the Broadway musical “Why Do Fools Fall In Love.” Sources say that producer Tina Andrews has also approached singer/actress Vanessa L. Williams, Tichina Arnold (“Martin”), and accomplished Broadway veteran Billy Porter to star in the production. With Deborah, Vanessa, Tichina and Billy onboard, this musical is shaping up to be a Tony winner!

~ Congratulations to Holly Robinson Peete and husband Rodney Peete. The couple is expecting their fourth child early next year. The good thing is that Holly won’t have to spend too much money on clothes, since she recently launched her very own Holly Robinson Peete Maternity line. The line is currently available in Mervyn’s department stores.

~ I guess when you have people in high places, things work out in your favor. Such is the case with first season “American Idol” contestant Tamyra Gray. I had this feeling that since Tamyra was signed to 19 Entertainment (which is responsible for “American Idol”) and her debut solo record “The Dreamer” was released on 19 Records, she’d somehow get added to the upcoming Pop-Tarts Presents American Idols Live tour. Well, my hunch was correct, and Tamyra joins “Idol" winner Fantasia and finalists Diana DeGarmo, George Huff, Jennifer Hudson, La Toya London, Jasmine Trias, Amy Adams, Camile Velasco, John Stevens and Jon Peter Lewis when the tour kicks off July 14 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hopefully the tour will help Tamyra’s record sells, because after being released six weeks ago, “The Dreamer” has only moved 90,239 units.

~ Looks like there’s life again for two former Vanguarde magazines. Hermene Hartman, publisher of the Chicago-based free weekly publication N'Digo, dropped $600,000 to acquire the rights, archives and title to Savoy magazine. Earl Graves, Sr. and the Black Enterprise organization took ownership of Heart & Soul after paying $80,000 in cash and agreeing to assume $450,000 in debt.

~ Speaking of magazines… You can call gossip maven Flo Anthony a publisher now. In addition to her daily syndicated radio show, Go With The Flo national column, and many other ventures, Flo and a team of investors (Lisa Green and Robert Wilson) recently purchased Black Elegance magazine from its previous owners Flash Publishing. The new Flo-helmed B.E. will hit newsstands on July 22.

~ Our condolences go out to the family of “The Jeffersons” star Isabel Sanford, who went home to be with the Lord yesterday. “Weezie,” her character on the show, was 86 years old. In recent years, she’d appeared in Old Navy ads and had several cameos on television shows. She’d also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2004. Costar Marla Gibbs said in a statement: "She was a true queen. We all gave allegiance to her. She will always be a queen in our hearts. We will miss her.”

~ They have dressed Chingy, Free of “106 & Park,” Ruff Ryder's deejay Swizz Beatz, Jaheim, actor Lamman Rucker (“As The World Turns”) and always keep me dapper. A special thanks to Aja Imani for keeping me “GQ.” Aja Imani is located at 9244 East Hampton Drive, Suite #622, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. Contact them at 301-324-8300 or at ajaimani@aol.com.

Well I’m Jawn and that’s your Juice! See you next week!

E-mail me directly at GarekNews@hotmail.com because I never read the message board! © 2002-2004 Jawn’s Juice. All rights reserved worldwide. All information provided by Jawn’s Juice on this Internet site is for personal use only. No commercial exploitation of anything contained herein may take place without prior written permission from the column’s author, Jawn Murray. Material contained herein may not be re-sold, loaned, hired, exchanged, bartered, or in any other way re-distributed in any other manner whatsoever.

* Kendra Story, senior contributing editor of Upscale magazine, edited this column. You may contact her directly at KendraStory@aol.com.