Rihanna & Lenny Kravitz Performing at 2011 NBA All Star Game

[VNewz...]

 

GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS RIHANNA AND LENNY KRAVITZ TO PERFORM DURING 2011 NBA ALL-STAR GAME AS PART OF FIRST-EVER NBA ALL-STAR ENTERTAINMENT SERIES PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS

 

- Cee Lo Green, Far East Movement, and Cali Swag District to Take Part in
         the Entertainment Series Presented by American Express –

      -Josh Groban and Keri Hilson to Perform U.S. National Anthems-

- American Express ® Cardmembers Receive an Unforgettable Experience with
Performers and VIP Access to the 60th NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles -

Grammy Award-winning international superstars
Rihanna and Lenny Kravitz will headline the 2011 NBA All-Star Entertainment
Series  presented  by  American Express.  Kravitz will tip off the 60th NBA
All-Star  Game,  on  Sunday,  Feb. 20 with a special performance during the
player  introductions while Rihanna will perform at halftime. The game will
air  live  at  8 p.m. ET on TNT, Score Canada, ESPN Radio, and in more than
200 countries in more than 40 languages.

As  the  first-ever  presenting  partner  of the NBA All-Star Entertainment
Series,  American Express will offer Cardmembers exclusive access including
a  special,  behind-the-scenes  tour  of  Staples  Center  to view artists’
rehearsals,  as  well  as receive premier seats adjacent to the performance
stage for NBA All-Star Saturday Night and the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.

In  December,  the  NBA  and  American  Express  announced a comprehensive,
multiyear  marketing  partnership  that  makes  the leading global services
company  the  league’s  Official Credit Card Partner. American Express will
provide Cardmembers with exclusive experiences and access to regular-season
and  playoff  games,  and  premier NBA events such as NBA All-Star, the NBA
Draft,  and NBA Games – London 2011, the league’s first-ever regular-season
games in Europe, available at www.americanexpress.com/entertainment.

Grammy  Award-winning  artist Lenny Kravitz will rock the 2011 NBA All-Star
introductions  with  his  new  song, Come on Get It, welcoming the East and
West All-Stars to the court before Sunday’s game. The song, featured in NBA
on TNT promotions throughout the season, also has a basketball-themed video
which  was released in October and will appear on Kravitz’s upcoming album.
The  Hollywood  crowd  will  then  be  serenaded by American multi-platinum
superstar  Josh  Groban  singing  the  U.S.  National Anthem and R&B singer
Melanie Fiona belting out the Canadian National Anthem.

As  the  headliner  for  the NBA All-Star Entertainment Series presented by
American  Express,  pop  diva  Rihanna  will  mesmerize  basketball fans at
half-time  performing  her  single  What’s  My  Name  in  addition  to  her
chart-topping hit Only Girl (In the World) off of her current album Loud.

On  Saturday, Feb.19, as part of All-Star Saturday Night presented by State
Farm,  pop-artist  Keri Hilson will sing her rendition of the U.S. National
Anthem  prior to Canadian born R&B/soul singer Aion Clarke taking the court
to  perform  the Canadian National Anthem. Between the Haier Shooting Stars
and   Foot   Locker   Three   Point   Contest,   2011  Grammy  nominee  and
singer/songwriter  Cee Lo Green will get the crowd going as he performs his
latest  single  “Forget  You.”  Tipping  off  the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest,
pop/hip-hop  group  Far  East Movement will hit the stage with their newest
single, Rocketeer, from their debut album Free Wired. All performances will
air before a nationwide audience, live on TNT at 8 p.m. ET.

The  sensational  group  Cali Swag District will perform their hit Teach Me
How  to Dougie on Friday, Feb. 18, as part of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge
& Youth Jam which will be televised live on TNT at 9 p.m. ET.

About the Artists

Rihanna  (Roc  Nation/Def  Jam)  –  Rihanna  is  an international pop music
superstar  and songwriter born and raised in St. Michael, Barbados. In 2005
at  the  young  age  of  17,  Rihanna  signed  a  record  deal with Def Jam
Recordings and released her debut single "Pon de Replay" which peaked at #2
on  the  Billboard Hot 100 charts. Her debut single success was only a sign
of bigger things to come. Rihanna's second album A Girl Like Me released in
2006  produced  her  first #1 single "SOS." Rihanna's third album Good Girl
Gone  Bad  produced a new sound and a new look along with the musical smash
"Umbrella”  feat.  Jay-Z.  After the success of her 2009 hit album Rated R,
she  released  Loud  in November 2010. Loud's first two singles, "What's My
Name"  (featuring  Drake)  and  "Only  Girl (In the World)," were worldwide
successes, both solid #1 chart-toppers in the U.S. and UK. "What's My Name"
and  "Only Girl (In the World)" were Rihanna's 8th and 9th #1 Billboard Hot
100 hits, and she now ranks as the only female artist of the past decade to
chart  that  many #1's on the Hot 100.  With over 15 million albums sold, 3
Grammys,  four  American Music and World Music and BET Awards, five Peoples
Choice  and  Teen  Choice  Awards, MTV VMAs from every region, 15 Billboard
Music  Awards  and  nine  No.1  singles, Rihanna's influence on the musical
world is undeniable.

Outside  of  music,  Rihanna  dedicates  her time to her BELIEVE Foundation
started in 2006 to inspire and protect children in need all over the world.
Her  home  country  of  Barbados  recognized  her  dedication  to  youth by
bestowing  her  with the honorary title of Ambassador for Culture and Youth
in Barbados.

Recently,  Rihanna  wrapped  up filming Universal's Battleship, directed by
Peter  Berg.   She will make her feature film debut alongside Taylor Kitsch
and Alexander Skarsgard.  The film is set to be released May 2012.

Lenny  Kravitz  –  Regarded  as one of the preeminent rock musicians of our
time,  Lenny  Kravitz has transcended genre, style, race and class  into  a
20-year   musical   career,  one  which  revels  in  the rich influences of
'60s  and '70s soul, rock and funk. Kravitz’s multiple talents as a writer,
producer  and  multi-instrumentalist  have  resonated  through eight studio
albums  into  a  timeless  catalog and over 35 million in album sales. From
1999  to  2002, he won four consecutive Grammy Awards, setting a record for
the  most  wins  in the “Best Male Rock Vocal Performance” category for his
single  “Dig In” (previously winning for “Again,” “American Woman” and “Fly
Away”).   In  2004, he received his sixth Grammy nomination in the category
for  “If  I  Could Fall In Love” off his 6th studio album, Lenny. Kravitz’s
appeal has also been recognized by his peers; his collaborative efforts are
as  varied  as  his  own  influences,  having  worked  with Madonna, Slash,
Aerosmith,  Jay-Z,  N.E.R.D.,  Mick  Jagger,  P.  Diddy and Alicia Keys. In
2009,  Kravitz  appeared  in  a supporting role in the critically-acclaimed
film  Precious,  for  which  he  has  received  a  2010  NAACP Image Awards
nomination  for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.” Kravitz
and  the  celebrated Precious cast also received a 2010 Screen Actors Guild
nomination  for  "Best  Ensemble.”   In  addition to his supporting role in
Precious,  Kravitz  has  also appeared in such films as The Diving Bell And
The Butterfly and Zoolander.

In  2009,  the 20th anniversary deluxe edition of Kravitz’s debut, Let Love
Rule,  was  issued.  He is currently is the studio working on his 9th album
Black and White America set for release in 2011. www.lennykravitz.com

Josh  Groban (Warner Bros.) – An internationally renowned performer who has
sold  more  than  25  million  albums worldwide, Josh Groban has thrilled a
legion  of  devoted fans with his flawless baritone and extraordinary stage
presence.  The  29-year-old  Los Angeles native first broke through in 2001
with   his   self-titled   double-platinum   debut,   followed   by  2003’s
multi-platinum  Closer,  featuring  the  smash  hit  "You Raise Me Up," and
2006’s double-platinum Awake. In 2007, the Grammy-nominated star became the
best-selling  recording artist of the year thanks to sales of Awake and his
blockbuster  Grammy  nominated  Christmas  album,  Noel —  the best-selling
album  of  2007. In 2008 Groban released his third live DVD, entitled Awake
Live.  Filmed  in front of 15,000 fans at Salt Lake City’s Energy Solutions
Arena   during   Groban’s  81-city  Awake  World  Tour,  the  DVD  includes
electrifying  versions  of  Groban’s hit singles “You Are Loved (Don’t Give
Up),” “February Song,” and “Awake.”  In 2010 Josh released his fifth studio
album  entitled  Illuminations,  produced  by  Rick  Rubin.   The album has
already gone platinum.

Cee Lo - XXXX

Keri  Hilson (Interscope) – Keri Hilson is an American R&B recording artist
and  songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson made herself a
name  as  a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s
as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch.
In  2006,  she  signed  a recording contract with Timbaland's label, Mosley
Music.  Hilson  released  her  debut  studio album, In a Perfect World...in
March  2009,  which  peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200 albums
chart and featured the hit singles "Knock You Down" and "Turnin Me On." The
album  reached  number  one  on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was
certified  gold.  Hilson earned two Grammy Award nominations for the album.
Her  second,  and  current,  studio  album  No Boys Allowed was released on
December 21, 2010.

Melanie  Fiona (Title 9/SRC/Universal Motown) – Melanie Fiona is a Canadian
born  R&B  and  soul  recording  artist.   Her  debut  album The Bridge was
released  in  2009  and included the breakout song “It Kills Me.”  The song
topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart and earned Fiona her first
Grammy  nomination  for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.  With her second
album  The  MF  Life  scheduled  to be released this year, Fiona is a young
music talent destined for success.

Aion  Clarke  ­–  Aion  Clarke  is  a  singer/songwriter  on the rise in the
international  music  scene.  The Toronto  native  was  featured (under his
FKA  Voyce)   on  rap superstar  Drake’s  2006’s  debut  mixtape  Room  for
Improvement.  In  2010, Clarke teamed up with Grammy award-winning producer
Bryan Michael Cox for the mixtape The Leaks.  Clarke also added his soulful
voice to the Young Artists for Haiti Campaign.  Clarke is currently on tour
showing  audiences  around  the  world  why he is an entertainer you should
know.

Far  East  Movement  (Cherrytree Records/Interscope) – This four-man group,
also  known  as  FM, blends elements of hip-hop, pop, electro, and dance to
create  an  original  sound they call “free wired.” Group members Kev Nish,
Prohgress,   J-Splif,   and   DJ   Virman,  who wear stylish shades, skinny
ties,  shiny  blazers  and  fresh kicks, had a number 1 song on Los Angeles
radio  before they released their debut album.  The red hot pop sensation's
debut album 'Free Wired' released October 2010, had the explosive smash hit
single  'Like A G6' which spent 3 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100
and has sold over 3 million units.  The second single 'Rocketeer' is taking
similar  flight  atop  the  Top  10 spots of the Billboard Hot 100, Digital
songs  and  iTunes  singles charts. In the past year, the guys have been on
the  road with Lady Gaga, NERD, Robyn, Kelis, Mike Posner, La Roux and will
be  joining Rihanna on tour next month.  They have performed on the Tonight
Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Lopez Tonight and Conan.  The group
was  awarded  Best  International  Artist  in 2010 by the M.net Asian Music
Awards.

Cali  Swag  District  (Capitol Records/Checkmate Entertainment) – Cali Swag
District is an American hip hop group from Inglewood, California. The group
is best known for the single "Teach Me How to Dougie", which reached Number
1  on  Billboard  Heatseekers,  holding  the  Number  2  position  for  six
consecutive  weeks  before  claiming  the  Number 1 position in its seventh
week.  The  group’s  members  include C-Smoove aka Smoove Da General, Yung,
JayAre,  and  M-Bone. The group's debut studio album, The Kickback, will be
released on February 15, 2011.