Florida Sentinel Bulletin

While he’s no Rick Ross dropping $1 million in Miami’s King Of Diamonds, rapper Akon recently revealed that he spent over $50,000 in a Rhode Island strip club.

“I did that because another strip club wouldn’t let me in…they said if you come with an out of state I.D. you have to come with a backup. I never heard that in my life![…]

So I said no problem, I’ll take my business somewhere else.”

A former contestant on The Apprentice, whose harsh treatment by Donald Trump drew accusations of racism in 2004, suggested Monday that the billionaire Republican businessman’s attacks on President Obama’s academic record are reflective of Trump’s hang-ups over race.

“Apparently he doesn’t like educated African-Americans very much,” Kevin Allen, a final four contestant on the series’ second season, said with a laugh when asked about Trump’s recent attacks on Pres. Obama. His words contrast with Trump’s claim Monday on FOX News that The Apprentice’s treatment of African-American contestants in recent seasons confirms that he is “the least racist person there is.”

Allen, a Wharton Business School grad, Emory MBA, and University of Chicago law graduate, was “fired” from the show after Trump criticized his “unbelievable education,” and numerous degrees from elite universities.

LOS ANGELES — Rapper-producer Pharrell Williams is expanding his focus to include a new cable TV network aimed at the online generation.

Karmaloop TV said Monday that Williams has been named creative director for the network scheduled to launch later this year. Karmaloop will feature original productions along with movies that have shaped the 18-to-34-year-olds who grew up with the Internet.

The Grammy-winning Williams, who has created hits for Jay-Z, Britney Spears and other stars, will have a significant equity position in Karmaloop TV, according to the company.

Williams, frontman for the rap-rock trio N.E.R.D. and half of the production duo The Neptunes, said the “progressive youth culture” is underserved by what’s available in the marketplace.

Mariah Carey dropped a hint about the names for her twins, tweeting that the name of her newborn boy and girl began with “M.” The singer on Wednesday finally announced their names: The boy is Moroccan Scott, and the girl is Monroe, according to her official website.

The inspiration behind Monroe’s name is the starlet Marilyn Monroe, who has been an inspiration to Carey. Moroccan comes from the top-tier of Carey’s New York City apartment, which features Moroccan-inspired décor and was also the site of Cannon’s marriage proposal.

Scott is the middle name of Mariah’s husband Nick Cannon, as well as his grandmother’s maiden name. Carey and Cannon’s daughter did not receive a middle name because the singer herself doesn’t have one.

The twins were born April 30 in Los Angeles.

Fox announced Sunday that former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul is joining her former co-panelist Simon Cowell on his new singing competition “The X Factor.” Abdul will be the fourth judge, alongside Cheryl Cole and L.A. Reid.

“This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can’t believe I am saying this — I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she’s on the show,” said Cowell in a statement.

The two famously bickered on “American Idol” — with Abdul as the overly sympathetic judge, and Cowell as the caustic one — before she finally left after season eight. Cowell left “Idol” after season nine to launch “The X Factor,” which he produced and judged in the U.K.

NEW YORK — In the wake of initial disappointing ratings for OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, its head, Christina Norman, has abruptly left the 4-month-old channel.

The network announced Friday that Peter Liguori, the chief operating officer for Discovery Communications, will take over on an interim basis. His appointment is effective immediately.

OWN, which premiered on Jan. 1, is jointly owned by Discovery and Winfrey’s Harpo, Inc.

Winfrey said she and Liguori will work together the reminder of this year to recruit a permanent CEO for the network’s “next phase of growth.”

Winfrey added that with the end of her syndicated talk show this month, she can devote her full energies to OWN.

Norman, formerly president of MTV, arrived at OWN in January 2009.

LOS ANGELES — Jacob Lusk is out of air on “American Idol.” The booming 23-year-old vocalist from Compton, Calif., was revealed to have received the fewest viewer votes on the Fox talent contest Thursday.

A day earlier, he had unsuccessfully attempted both parts of “No Air,” the duet of Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown, and a tender rendition of “Love Hurts,” the classic tune made famous by Nazareth and Roy Orbison.

“I got to share a little bit with America, and I think America’s fallen in love with me,” said Lusk after his elimination. “Now I can go and put out that good-feeling R&B music that reminds you of Luther (Vandross) or those great old singers.”

Wanda Sykes has never pulled punches, especially when it comes to controversy and politics. On Thursday night, she delivered a jab to Donald Trump, and a full-on smack down of conservative birthers.

Before her scheduled performance in Vancouver, Sykes spoke to the Vancouver Sun about her take on the right wing attacks on President Obama.

“I feel sorry for ’em, they’re just sad,” she said of the birthers. “I love that they’re hanging it on ‘Well, he’s not from this country’ when they should just face it: You’re having issues because a Black man is president. That’s what it is, and you need to deal with that, to work with that.”

Trump’s act has not exactly impressed Sykes.

“He’s not happy unless he’s relevant in some way,” she told the paper. “He wants people to be talking about him. I thought he would be happy enough to finally have a decent season of ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ but, you know, he had to make a little bit more noise than that, I guess.”

Rihanna’s $7 million mansion is breath-taking! Ri Ri’s home has 8 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. Rihanna’s neighbors are Lady Gaga and Avril Lavigne!