Just a few days after Marion Jones' six-month prison sentence for steroid use and fraud, a drug scandal playing out in Albany, N.Y. The district attorney there is on a mission to arrest doctors and pharmacists suspected of distributing steroids. The DA accuses a whole roster of celebrities, including Mary J. Blige, of getting performance-enhancing drugs from the targeted doctors. Interestingly, they're all black. Blige was the first to deny involvement. From the NY Daily News:

"Mary J. Blige has never taken any performance-enhancing illegal steroids," the singer's spokeswoman Karynne Tencer told the Daily News.

The R&B singer leads a roster of entertainers named in a probe by Albany County District Attorney David Soares, the Times Union reported.

Rappers 50 Cent, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean and actor Tyler Perry also allegedly ordered steroids or human growth hormone from doctors and pharmacists targeted in Soares' investigation, according to the paper.

Authorities have uncovered no evidence the celebrities violated any drug laws.

I don't know about Mary, Wyclef, or Tyler Perry, but the fact that Timbaland and 50 Cent's names have come up in a steroid probe is no surprise.

It's pretty much a fact that Naomi Campbell is not such a great human being. But here she is with Dolce & Gabbana at the Swarovski Fashion Rocks event in London last night sporting loads of weave and a pretty ridiculous see-through dress and somehow still looking unspeakably fabulous. This is why she gets away with not being such a great human being.

After the jump, check out more pics from the glamorous event, including one of Alicia Keys looking beautiful from the waist up. You'll see what I mean.

CONTINUED »

The American Music Award nominations are out, and Beyonce and Justin lead the group with 3 nominations each (so do Daughtry and Linkin Park, but that's beside the point). Not as entertaining as the VMAs (minus this awful year, of course) and the BET Awards, but not as stuffy and out of touch as the Grammys, the AMAs will probably get DVR'd, at least. Check out the full list of nominations after the jump.

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• Clearly, Jay-Z is really feeling the American Gangster angle. [C&D]

• Kind of like what Casper the Friendly Ghost would look like if he had a black wig and 12 nose jobs. [MG]

• Rihanna's taking lessons at the Beyonce School of Oversaturation. [PH]

• Timbaland wants a showdown with Dr. Dre, if Detox ever actually comes out. [SP]

• Nineteen thousand dead insurgents. More than 3,000 dead troops. Twenty-seven thousand troops wounded. The Iraq War? Priceless. [Politopics]

• Odd, but I think I might like her better blond, or at least with lighter hair. I don't deal well with change. [MG]

• Robin Roberts plans to stay on air at Good Morning America as much as possible even though she'll be fighting through breast cancer chemo. [People]

• Is having to sit through natural childbirth punishment for the ubiquitous lower back tattoo? [Gawker]

• Not sure if the phrase "100% behind" is the best way for an R&B star whose career has been plagued by gay rumors to describe his feelings about his ex-wife's relationship with an actor whose career has been plagued by gay rumors. [SOHH]

• Timbaland and Keri Hilson are trying to win over the bored housewife population. [SP]

• Wear black tomorrow to support the Jena Six. [Clutch]

Upon the completion of last night's disaster of an award show, my first thought was that it's going to be uglier than Britney's extensions at the MTV offices today. I foresee heads rolling. My second thought was that I needed to rewatch Britney Spear's performance, but I realized I couldn't. It was that bad, for those of you lucky enough to miss it. The woman who used to bring the house down couldn't even lip-sync properly, had serious trouble standing still, let alone dancing, and pretty much put on the most listless, embarrassing, shoddy performance in VMA history. I'm sure there was some sort of sedative and/or alcohol involved. Anyway, it's rough watching a career terminate before your very eyes. Don't think I can do it again any time soon.

And the new format, with the main stage and all the little parties in other rooms, was confusing and annoying, even though it allowed for more performances. The whole thing was sloppy and unorganized. My highlights and lowlights, plus pics galore after the jump.

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Not to be a downer on Friday morning, but I still still have trouble coming to grips with the fact that Aaliyah's not around anymore and hasn't been for years. Maybe it's because she — not her sound, unfortunately, but definitely her bared midriff/baggy pants look — lives on a little in Ciara. Maybe it's because as dated as her later songs should be, they still sound like they could rock the singles charts now, which is as much a compliment to Timbaland as it is to her. Anyway, here's the video for my favorite Aaliyah song, "One in a Million," featuring a fame cameo by Ginuwine. Happy Friday!

Timbaland got arrested in Germany this weekend, and I will give him one point for creativity. It wasn't for drunken driving, a charge I must admit I'm tiring of, but drunken brawling, which never goes out of style.

The pair took their argument outside where it allegedly escalated into violence, with members of Timbaland's entourage also reportedly joining in the brawl. Sources claim the fight began when Timbaland began flirting with the man's girlfriend. In an ensuing war of words, it is believed the producer took offence to a racial slur. According to Goebel, Timbaland was questioned and held in custody for approximately one hour.

Minus a point for flirting with a random Croatian's girlfriend and then allowing himself to be baited with racial slurs. Also, he needs to lay off the steroids.

[CM]

We already know Timbaland is a fan, but would you have counted RZA among the ranks of Hillary Clinton supporters? Well, he, along with Quincy Jones, Brett Ratner, Holly Robinson Peete, and McSteamy, attended Clinton's Young Hollywood Reception yesterday. Quincy Jones is obviously a bit confused about his age.

According to at least one reviewer who caught the premiere of Ocean's 13 at Cannes last night, it was pretty fun to watch. Reports say the stars in the photo above have had to defend the film to critics in Cannes who don't like its light-heartedness, even though the Ocean's 13 castmembers have spent much of their time there raising millions of dollars for amFAR and Darfur relief. They aren't allowed to laugh, too?

Some of the Clinton opponents who blasted her for accepting campaign funds from Timbaland will probably stay mum on this one. Why? It doesn't help their Don Imus case much.

The people who will care are the mostly black New Orleans residents who Jefferson Parish's Harry Lee forbade from entering his parish in the days following Hurricane Katrina. He claimed he had a duty to "protect our people." Oh, and he's a good friend of Hillary Clinton's and a fundraiser for her campaign. Accepting his money is not exactly the smoothest move from a candidate desperate to secure the black vote.

"Sen. Clinton’s campaign is going to have a tough time justifying the fact that it demanded that Sen. Obama return a contribution from Hollywood mogul David Geffen simply because Geffen expressed his opinion that Obama is a stronger candidate, yet her campaign so far sees no problem accepting a contribution from someone whose sensitivity to race relations is in question," Keli Goff, author and political analyst, told Stereohyped. "I think she needs to address it — and fast — or it may come back to haunt her much later in the campaign.”

So far, Clinton hasn't acknowledged criticism over her friendship with Sheriff Lee. I wonder if she's afraid he won't let her back in Jefferson Parish if she does.

[NYT]

Looking at the Billboard's top 10 this week, I'm reminded that we're living in a country that popularly elected George W. Bush (the second time, at least).

Bucky Covington, Chris Daughtry, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood are all crowding the top 10 with their American Idol resumes southern twangs. In other words, not too many brown faces on the Billboards this week, guys! Could it be that the perceived backlash against hip hop that we've been dealing with since the Don Imus scandal broke is, gulp, real? Actually, if that were the case, Akon would not still be secure at #6 in his 23rd week on the charts when all of Trinidad wants his head on a platter. Still, I wonder.

And then there's Timbaland's Shock Value at #10. When the hip hop haters get a load of this, Tim's ass will be grass. Once that happens, expect Justin Timberlake to gingerly remove himself from the situation and come away unscathed, wardrobe malfunction-style.
[Billboard]