FBI Release Whitney Houston Files

Newly released documents, though heavily redacted, shed light on pressure the singer faced from blackmailers and obsessives.

The FBI has released 128 pages from its file on Whitney Houston, revealing details of an apparently successful blackmail plot, as well as an investigation into an obsessed fan.

Released in response to a freedom of information request, the FBI's documents cover 11 years of threats against the singer, from 1988 to 1999. But the pages are heavily redacted – in many cases, to the point of incomprehensibility.

Sometimes the redactions are tantalising. In late 1992, an unidentified Chicago lawyer wrote to Houston's New Jersey-based production company stating that unless the singer paid $100,000 (£66,000), his client planned to "reveal certain details of Houston's private life … to several publications". Later the blackmail amount was boosted even higher, to $250,000 (£165,000).

According to the FBI, this was extortion. But when agents met with Houston and her father, the singer said she knew the woman who was making the threats, and that she was "a friend … [who] would never do anything to embarrass her". Officers closed the case, even though Houston's father had apparently sent the blackmailer a confidentiality agreement and an unknown sum of money.

In addition to the extortion case, officers investigated several cases of over-devoted fans. One Vermont letter-writer claimed: "I start to shake … when I think about you."

"Over the past 17 months, I have sent … 66 letters to Miss Whitney," he wrote. "I have tried to stop writing the letters and to give up twice but after a few weeks I had to start writing again … I have gotten mad at [Whitney] a few times [for not replying] … it scares me that I might come up with some crazy or stupid or really dumb idea … I might hurt someone with some crazy idea."

FBI agents eventually questioned Houston's one-sided pen-pal in 1988. They decided he was harmless. The same was true for a Dutch or Belgian correspondent who insisted he had written some of Houston's songs. The writer further claimed that he was the president of Europe and had purchased the country of Brazil for $66bn.

After selling more than 200m records worldwide, Houston drowned in a hotel bathtub in February 2012. She was 48.

One Direction Named "Worst Band"

NME Awards: One Direction named 'Worst Band' and Harry Styles crowned 'Villain Of The Year'

One Direction have another couple of gongs to add to their ever-expanding collection, although we think their latest trophies might end up being used as doorstops rather than taking pride of place next to the Brit they won last week.

The group 'won' the Worst Band gong at Wednesday night's NME awards, with Harry Styles also bagging himself the Villain of The Year accolade.

It's no surprise the boyband got the the thumbs down from the magazine's indie/rock-loving readers but we're still trying to work out why they voted Harry as the biggest villain, beating off stiff competition from David Cameron.

Maybe they're jealous of his curly locks and success with the ladies? Or it could just be his collection of crap tattoos.

Whatever the reason, Hazza clearly isn't bothered - he'd already said he'd like to win the award.

"You've got to take the rough with the smooth," he said. "But I don't really feel like I've done anything that bad. Should be fun!"

Elsewhere at the awards - which were presented by Russell Kane - Florence Welch and The Rolling Stones took home two gongs each and there were also wins for Biffy Clyro, Arctic Monkeys and The Killers.

Bruno Mars: The Moonshine Jungle Tour

If you're a fan of Bruno Mars you will know he is going on tour, and will be arriving in the UK October 2013. It may be a while away from now, but the good news is you can get your tickets NOW.

THE TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY 1st MARCH 2013 AT 9.00AM. Tickets are selling at around £45 per ticket, which is a perfectly reasonable price , in my opinion to see a modern day Michael Jackson. Even if you are not a fan it would make a cracking gift to give.

I know this is only a short article but there's not long until the tickets go on sale and in no way are we affiliated with Mr Mars. We just wanted you guys to get the lowdown for the tickets to the showdown.

To get your tickets go to This Website.

Mindy McCready Has Committed Suicide

Mindy McCready has committed suicide at the age of 37.

The "Ten Thousand Angels" singer had been having a rough past couple of months after the January death of her boyfriend, David Wilson. Wilson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Jan. 13, an event that deeply shook the country singer. "I've never gone through anything this painful," McCready said in an emotional interview with Andrea Canning on NBC's Dateline on Tuesday, Jan. 29. "He didn't just touch my heart, he touched my soul."

Immediately following Wilson's sudden death, McCready admitted that she took to indulging in "too much alcohol because she was still mourning David's passing," according to E! News. McCready denied any involvement in Wilson's death, calling him her "soul mate."

"He was my life. We were each other's life," she said in the Dateline interview. "David was not having an affair with another woman. That is absolutely totally untrue."

Then, earlier this month, McCready was committed to a treatment facility following an emergency hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 6. At the request of her family, her two sons, Zander, 6, and Zayne, 9 months, were removed from her Heber Springs, Ark. home out of fear for her unstable condition.
"Since boyfriend (David Wilson) shot himself she has been in bed for 3 weeks," her father said in court documents. "Sleeps all day. Drinks all night and is taking Rx drugs. Not bathing or even helping take care of her 2 children." According to a source close to McCready, her death took place in Arkansas.

She had a great voice and she should never be forgotten.

Lil Wayne’s Emmett Till Lyric Offends, Gets Pulled By Epic label

Epic Records says it is making “great efforts” to take down a new Future remix with a vulgar Lil Wayne lyric that has offended the family of a black U.S. teenager whose murder in the 1950s for whistling at a white woman helped to change the national conversation on race.

In a version of the song leaked over the weekend, the rapper makes a sexual reference to the beating death of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Chicago boy tortured and shot in Mississippi in 1955. Till’s family objected, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson contacted Lil Wayne’s management, The Blueprint Group, on the family’s behalf.

The label issued a statement Wednesday night apologizing for the release of the song.

“We regret the unauthorized remix version of Future’s ‘Karate Chop,’ which was leaked online and contained hurtful lyrics,” the statement said. “Out of respect for the legacy of Emmett Till and his family and the support of the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. … we are going through great efforts to take down the unauthorized version.”

Epic will release an official version of the song that “will not include such references.”

Neither Jackson nor members of Till’s family could be reached late Wednesday. A publicist said Lil Wayne had no comment.

He appears briefly on the song, alluding to the black teenager’s beating in a way too vulgar to print.

Till was in Mississippi visiting family when he was killed. He was beaten, his eyes were gouged out and he was shot in the head before his body was tossed into a river. Two white men, including the woman’s husband, were acquitted of the killing by an all-white jury.

Till’s body was recovered and returned to Chicago, where his mother, Mamie Till, insisted on having an open casket at his funeral. Pictures of his battered body helped push civil rights into the cultural conversation in the U.S.

Bob Dylan wrote a song about it: “The Death of Emmett Till.”

A Facebook posting on the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation page Wednesday night said Epic Records Chairman and CEO LA Reid had contacted the family to personally apologize.