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Mariah Carey and Jasmine

Wow it's MOBO week!

Masses of black music stars are in town and throwing parties (Wyclef), listening sessions (will.I.am) and soirees (J.Lo), celebrity bowling matches where Geri Halliwell, Kylie and Sir Richard Branson were team captains) and why not! The MOBO's are the biggest celebration of black music alongside the Carnival that this country has. Our scene dominates brands, culture, trends and eventually filters down to joe public so lets not hate-celebrate! The MTV BASE team will be at our table at this weeks awards— if you're in the O2 Arena pass by and say hi or read about it all in my juice in the next fortnight.

Keeping it fresh

So this past Sunday, I joined thousands of women for the hydro active charity run for the ACLT and will give you the full scoopydoop on that next column too. I did prepare myself for the sweaty stinky betty's in the run who might've brushed past me and filled my lungs with their personal body odours. Readers— you may laugh but truly have you ever smelt someone so funky that the smell doesn't stop in your nostrils but seeps through to your mouth until you think you're tasting it! Yes, that's why I loaded my pockets and girl friends up with something sweet and fresh to spray all around me and in my path as I ran. It was the new M fragrance by Mariah Carey. Funnily when we first met I'd asked MC which perfume she wore and was informed by her that: "Dahhhling— I never wear perfume, I have extremely sensitive skin and I like to smell freshly washed— that's it." So it was a surprise to hear she was launching her own fragrance. The notes are as unpredictable as MC herself; marshmallow, Tiarre Flower and Moroccan Incense. She explained: "The inspirations were places I've been, moments in my life and childhood memories. It combines my favorite scents. Marshmallow reminds me of my childhood memories of being in the kitchen with my daddy. The Tahitian Tiare flower reminds me of the breezes on Hawaii and Capri (my and MC'S favourite annual summer vacation). The Moroccan incense tone makes me feel sexy, beautiful and glamorous."

It also reflects her Moroccan style rooftop party room at her Manhattan apartment complete with outdoor hot tub! I knew the bottle would reference MC's love of butterflies.

She agreed, "I really love beautiful crystal, and this bottle is like a work of art you want to display. It's a special moment when you remove the butterfly on top." When I told MC about my charity run she had her private jet fly me over some advance butterfly bottles of M so I wouldn't be eeked out by the inevitable stench of my fellow runners. It's out this Saturday in many UK department stores readers so you too will be able to get your lil mitts on it.

Finally the man that was one third of the world acclaimed Fugees was in town to talk about his new solo album The Carnival II— Memoirs Of An Immigrant. With rumours about his ongoing rift with Lauryn Hill I couldn't wait to catch up and get Wyclef's side of things at the Crystal nightclub in central London.

We arrived at the plush very Manhattan-esque club to find waitresses dressed in carnival costumes handing out rum and cokes and Alize cocktails (as well as gyrating on the podiums.) Huge VIP sections saw a smattering of D-listers enclosed in them with more important music programmers and media heads not in the VIP. Now firstly let me say I'm not a fan of VIP sections at parties. Diddy told me years ago he never has them as all his guests were special. That's why his parties always rock. Secondly, if you are going to insist on a VIP section then the folks in there really need to be VIPs for a reason. Not groupies, video chicks and one time celebs. Remember the reason for the party is to sell your artist so why would the important decision makers not be in the VIP, not made to feel special if they're 'working' late evenings whilst the wannabes in the VIP cant do Bo Diddley for your act. Answers on a postcard to, "how can I get my business savvy game straight." Having said that Clef endeavoured to make the night hot. He got on the mic, played and performed his new material to us, jumped on tables, danced with the ladies and encouraged fellow party attendee Will.I.Am to have fun so by 2a.m. it had turned into a great night. Everyone was dancing on the table when I left at 3am, ChoiceFM's DJ Jigs staggered out around the same time. He said that it was the best artist party he had been to since back in the day. The next day MTV spoke to Wyclef who told us he has collabs with Shakira, Norah Jones and Will.I.Am on his new joint as well as Akon on the first single Sweetest Girl, which is interesting 'cos Akon was on the first Fugee-la remix with the Fugees years ago! We discussed women as sex objects in the hip hop world and Clef explained "No, I don't feel that women arte sex objects at all. Ever since the beginning of time, men is in awe by women. Because of this sometimes they just loose their mind you know what I'm saying? I think all women are beautiful, and we need to respect our women. Because hey man - we would not be here if it was not for women. So big up my women out there. You are the sweetest girls, yes that's going to get me more p****y!" Clef recently produced Estelle's track So Much Things To Say, which features a Bob Marley sample. Estelle told me he actually called her "the new Lauryn but cooler." "Alright I gotta tell you, what I've called Estelle in the studio. And I will stick with my words," he elaborated. "Estelle reminds me of a young Lauryn hill, she is the most incredible vocalist. The way that Estelle does harmonies? I've never seen nobody do it like that since the time of Lauryn Hill. So let the MTV people know officially— Wyclef and Estelle had a sound clash in the studio. It was sound system versus sound system! When you see Estelle let her know that I said, "we destroyed her" the Wyclef Jean sound system, yes we won the competition. She will dispute this but we have facts!"

call 911

As Clef mentioned Lauryn we got the 411 on the latest. "I definitely look forward to The Fugees doing more material. But the first thing that needs to happen is a psychiatric evaluation. Lauryn Hill... Mrs. Hill, The Hill should go see a psychiatrist period. Just seek help. Lauryn hill— seek help. It's not looking good right now. We all see it on the internet— what's going on. Once she seeks help I'm willing to come into a room with the psychiatrist too— The Fugees need a psychiatrist. You know what I'm saying because you want to get the stuff back together you got to be willing to walk in to a room and have group therapy— of course starting with Lauryn Hill because I am not crazy (twitches his head)... I'm not crazy... (twitches)."

Next week juice lovers!

Published: 16 September 2007
Issue: 1287

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