BET HONORS HALLE, CHAKA AND MORE

BET is gearing up to celebrate notable African-Americans for the 2013 edition of the BET Honors. Filming on January 12 at Washington D.C’s Warner Theater and hosted once again by Gabrielle Union, the ceremony will honor legendary music exec Clarence Avant (Entrepreneur Award), actress Halle Berry (Award for Service), T.D. Jakes (Award for Education), soul queen Chaka Khan (Award for Musical Arts), and basketball phenom Lisa Leslie (Award for Athletics). Of course the event can’t be complete without musical interludes to serenade the honorees. Performers set to provide the evening’s banging soundtrack include, Erykah Badu, Brandy, Mint Condition, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Alicia Keys, Ledisi, the SOS Band, and Wayne Brady. The 2013 BET Honors will air on Feb 11.

BEY TO SING FOR THE PRES 

It was  four years ago, Beyonce performed the Etta James classic “At Last” for President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama at the Inaugural Ball.  No stranger to being an avid supporter for the President during his re-election campaign, it’s only natural that Bey would get promoted to singing at the Inaugural ceremony itself.  On January 21st as part of the main ceremony, Beyonce will have the honor of singing "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Capital Building. Other performers tapped to join the patriotic festivities are James Taylor with “America the Beautiful” and Kelly Clarkson who’ll be singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” sang by Aretha Franklin at the 2009 Inaugural ceremony