The week in pop culture: Beyoncé's '4' real, Windy City loves Oprah

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Welcome to the weekly wrap up. We’ve got all the black entertainment news from the week that was!

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon take the heat from child protective service with allegations of drinking and drug abuse while breast feeding. (MSNBC)

Will Smith is said to to be the current frontrunner to play a slave Quentin Tarantino’s new revenge film. (Reuters)

Legendary blues singer Etta James is admitted to a Southern California hospital for a potentially deadly infection. (Washington Post)

Jordin Sparks performs her latest single “I Am Woman” on American Idol (Billboard)

Actor Clifton Powell defends Tyler Perry and lashes out at Spike Lee, calling him a “hater.” (Hip-Hop Wired)

Rihanna responds to follower on twitter about having “nappy” hair. (Madame Noire)

L.A. Reid is proving to be more ruthless than Simon Cowell during national auditions for The X Factor. (Hollywood Reporter)

Oprah is considering a run on Broadway after her syndicated talk show wraps up. (Today)

WE tv renews the reality show Braxton Family Values for a second season. (Broadcasting & Cable)

Mary J. Blige set to star in jazz singer Nina Simone’s biopic film. (Concrete Loop)

Talk show host Chelsea Handler confirms that she dated rapper 50 Cent. (Huffington Post)

Will Smith gets ‘heat’ over the large size of his Men in Black III movie set trailer. (The Scoop)

WATCH ACTRESS VIVICA A. FOX AS SHE TALKS ABOUT MARRYING A YOUNGER MAN
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Music industry Icon Whitney Houston enters rehab for drug and alcohol treatment. (People)

The Windy city loves Oprah! Chicago names a city street “Oprah Winfrey Way.” (Bossip)

Beyoncé announces that the name of her new album will be called 4. (Reuters)

Common sparks outrage from the right after he is invited to perform at the White House. (Politico)

Fans of Waiting to Exhale are in for a treat as sequel Getting to Happy is in the works. (Washington Post)

Wendy Williams gets emotional while discussing Whitney Houston’s drug addition on her show. (Urban Daily)

Creators of BET’s The Game , Salim and Mara Brock Akil ink a major new show production deal with the cable network. (Atlanta Post)

Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph shines as the bride in new movie Bridesmaids. (New York Times)

Grey’s Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo disputes the need for the NAACP awards while on ABC’s The View. “I don’t mean to misstep or offend anyone, but I don’t think that the separation gets us any closer,” Pomepeo said. “There once was a time, we needed NAACP Awards.” (TV Squad)