Forbes World’s Highest Paid Musicians For 2012

Forbes has released its list of highest-paid musicians and unsurprisingly, the top spot this year is not held by a popstar or rock band, but a doctor – of beats. Aftermath Records CEO, rapper and beat maker, Dr. Dre earned a cool $110 million between May 2011 and May 2012 to earn that enviable position. However, most of that paycheck had nothing to do with the production of music, though as he earned the vast majority of it from his über-trendy headphone line, Beats by Dre.

Others leading the pack: Roger Waters (a founding member of Pink Floyd) with $88 million, Elton John with $80 million, U2 with $78 million and Take That with $69 million. Now that’s a top 5 with just one American and none of them’s currently in the top 10 of the Billboard singles chart.

Bonjovi comes in at 6th with $60 million. Britney Spears, the highest-earning woman, comes in at No. 7 with $58 million. Taylor Swift tied Paul McCartney for the eighth slot. Both raked in $57 million over the course of the year.

Other hotshots: Justin Bieber rounds out the top 10 with $55 million, Rihanna lands at No. 12 ($53 million) and is followed by Lady Gaga ($52 million), Katy Perry and Diddy tied for 15th ($45 million) and Beyonce out-earned husband Jay-Z ($40 million and $38 million). Adele and Kanye West hold the joint spot at No. 22 with $35 million.

TERRY G COMES OUT PUBLICLY DENOUNCING THE FALSE HIT AND RUN STORY

According to Terry G, i was at club Royale with friends having fun.when it was time for me to leave i was escorted by 2 bouncers of d club to my car,yes some guys try 2 mop me while I was leaving which is normal,I got in 2 my car peacefully and drove out after couple of snaps with my fans.

I never received any call from the police inviting me for a hit and run case and i have no reason to run been Godly or notorious,I am a known face so what sense does it make hitting someone and running.I might act crazy but not heartless, only for me to read this stories on blog sites. 

I have been in the country facing my job... freedom of information is not freedom of misinformation..I did not hit anyone and I am not and was not wanted by Nigeria police force.

Rihanna and Chris Brown get matching Rolex watches

The reconciled couple bought matching Rolex watches same day and posted pictures of themselves wearing it on their Instagram pages same time.

Kanye West Deposed In Kim Kardashian Divorce Trial

Kanye has finally been called to court to answer questions by Kris Humphries’ attorney and HollywoodLife has learned that despite new efforts by Kim’s team to pressure Kris into a settlement, he’s not budging — he wants “justice served.” Kanye West must really love Kim Kardashian! The rapper is now in the center of this long and drawn out divorce between Kim and Kris Humphries. TMZ is reporting that Kanye was deposed in Kim’s divorce, and HollywoodLife can tell you that Kris is trying to prove that he was “defrauded” by marrying Kim. Believe it or not, she plans to sue him! 

Kim Kardashian’s Divorce Trial — No Settlement in Sight 

“Kris is not bending on a settlement,” the source tells us. “It’s not about the money. He feels he’s right and the point of the entire case is to prove that he was defrauded. He’s not bending and he doesn’t care how long it takes. He wants justice to be served.” But the source adds that there’s a ton of pressure coming from Kim’s camp, because she feels it has affected her empire and she wants to sue him for “defamation of character.”

 Kanye West’s Deposition

 Meanwhile, TMZ is reporting that Kanye was questioned. We bet he was asked when they fell in love and when they really started dating. He’s always been in love with Kim, he even admitted it in his song “Theraflu.” On top of all of this, Kim’s attorney Laura Wasser is reportedly fuming that “Kim is now handcuffed to Mr. Humphries.” They are reportedly arguing over the prenup. Kim & Kris’ Divorce Trial Date

Taylor Swift Wants BFF Selena Gomez To Dump Justin Bieber For Good

Apparently Taylor feels that getting rid of Justin would be in Selena’s best interest. And she’s not the only one who thinks so – Selena’s own mom agrees, according to a new report. Should Selena take their advice? 

With all the ups and downs Selena Gomez has been going through in her relationship with Justin Bieber, her BFF Taylor Swift thinks Selena should move on once and for all. According to the report, Selena’s mom Mandy Teefey couldn’t agree more! An insider tells Life & Style, “She [Taylor] just feels Selena is getting weighed down by the Justin drama.” Even Selena’s own mom wants her to move on.

 ”Selena’s mom, Mandy, doesn’t want Selena held back by Justin,” says a friend. “She says he’s too much trouble.” As HollywoodLife.com previously reported, Justin and Selena were spotted in NYC last night, Nov.27, and looked super happy with major PDA action! However prior to their PDA filled date, it has been an emotional roller coaster for Selena. 

Last month, she discovered Justin had been sending flirtatious texts to Chanel Celaya, the actress he made out with in his musics video, ‘As Long As You Love Me’. “Selena was INCREDIBLY jealous between the amount of time they both were hanging out,” an insider told HollywoodLife.com exclusively And she was also jealous over the attention he gave to her. Selena then found texts that Justin sent to Chanel that were more sexually toned. 

Selena brought it up angrily to Justin who denied any wrong doing, which Selena then got more mad at Justin for lying. Making things that much worse.” “There was a major trust issue that was broken and Selena took things to heart. Justin and Chanel are not an item but there was definite flirting through text between the two during and after the video was made. Justin was just dumb and didn’t erase the evidence,” our source added. 

 Then as HollywoodLife.com previously reported, Selena had to deal with Justin flirting with the gorgeous Victoria Secret models, in particular Hungarian beauty Barbara Pelvin. The two were spotted at a showing of The Lion King on Broadway on Nov. 8. Now this would make any girl crazy! Justin should know better!

Funke Akindele Joins Banky W, Toolz As MTV Base VJ Search Judge

Multiple award winning Nollywood actress, writer, producer and director, Funke Akindele has been revealed as the final judge for the MTV Base VJ Search – Nigeria.

Akindele, a veteran in the Entertainment industry who recently graced the cover of Genevieve magazine, will join previously announced judges, Banky W, Toolz and Tim Horwood to select the brand new VJ. The lucky winner of the talent search will become one of the key faces of the music network, hosting programmes on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and on the MTV Base block on STV.

“I feel honoured to be working with one of the biggest youth entertainment brands in the world. It is very inspiring to be involved in a project like the MTV Base VJ Search which offers such an exciting opportunity for young people who want to break into the entertainment industry,” Funke says.

Hundreds of Nigerian youths have already sent in their online auditions while thousands more are expected to turn up at the MTV Base VJ Search auditions, which will take place on Saturday December 1 at Fantasy Land, Lagos. Superstars Ice Prince, Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy will also be present at the auditions to lend their support to contestants.

The winner of the MTV Base VJ Search Nigeria will follow in the footsteps of veteran MTV Base VJ Cynthia “C-Von” Okpala who triupmphed in MTV Base’s first ever Nigerian VJ search in 2007.

Nigerian youth who are interested are advised to visit www.mtvbase.com for more information. [MTV]

'I could have another 9 months of this'

She's expecting her new arrival early next year and it seems that Shakira is very much enjoying the latter stages of her pregnancy. 

 The 35-year-old singer posted a snap of herself showing off her baby bump while lying on top of her boyfriend Gerard Piqué.

 The parents-to-be were seen beaming into the camera with wide smiles, clearly extremely excited about the arrival of their first child next year.

 Along with the adorable snap, the Colombian singer wrote: 'Podría estar 9 meses más así! I could have another 9 months like this! Shak.' 

Shakira appears to being enjoying a pregnancy glow and she seemed fresh-faced and relaxed in the cute snap. 

 While the singer is clearly enjoying the build up to her little one's arrival she is also keeping busy with work.

D'banj's Younger Sister Set To Marry Dotun of Cool Fm

On air personality with Cool Fm, Dotun Ojuolape is in a love relationship with D'banj's younger sister, Taiwo Oyebanjo. 

 Dotun who was recently suspended for slapping a colleague from Cool FM, we learnt, has been seriously having a smooth-sailing relationship with D'banj's younger sister, Taiwo Oyebanjo, former Mo'hits accountant but now a boutique owner in Victoria Island.

 Sources say Dotun and Taiwo are head over heels in love with each other, with the former often saying Taiwo has ‘changed his life.’ We hear he has also met her parents and has gotten approval from them and D’banj himself. 

Dotun, who has been working at Cool FM since 2004, currently anchors the ‘Midday Oasis Show’ alongside singer-presenter Temilola ‘Taymi’ Balogun. He also doubles as an MC at various shows, helping out at the weekly talent showcase Industry Nite once in a while

Terry G Declared Wanted By Nigeria Police

Contoversial singer cum producer, Gabriel Amanyi popularly known as Terry G, has been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police in relation to a hit-and-run incident in Ikeja Lagos, last Friday.

According to reports, Terry G had gone clubbing on Oba Akran Road, Ikeja penultimate Friday with friends when the incident happened.

Eye-witness reports that as Terry G was leaving the premises of the club at the dead of night, he recklessly drove out on high speed without looking and in the process crushed the legs of a funseeker who was identified as Moshood Azeez.

The victim who is a regular caller at the Computer Village Market, Ikeja was rushed to the General Hospital, Ikeja by good samaritans for medical attention.

The matter was later reported at the MAN Centre Police Station, Wemabod Estate, Ikeja.

Ngozi Braide, Lagos State PPRO who confirmed the incident, said the police will do everything within its power to arrest the singer whose wife just recently put to bed a baby boy.

OMG:Gabriel Aubry was really battered! Gets restraining order

According to TMZ, Halle Berry's ex Gabriel Aubry has obtained a restraining order against her fiance Olivier Martinez, who busted his face during a brutal brawl on Thanksgiving ... and Gabriel's declaration (which includes graphic photos of his injuries) paints a radically different picture of what went down at Halle's on Thursday.

According to Gabriel's declaration, the day before Thanksgiving, Gabriel took Nahla to her school play.  Halle and Olivier showed up and Olivier walked up to Gabriel and whispered in his ear in French, "I wish I could beat the s**t out of you right now. You're lucky we're in a school right now. We're going to take Nahla right now and you're not going to follow us."

The next day, Gabriel says he took Nahla to Halle's at around 10 AM.  He says in a completely unusual move, Olivier came out of the front door -- usually the nanny was the go-between.  Gabriel claims Olivier said, "We need to talk." Gabriel says he walked toward his car to close his door when Olivier jumped off the stairs and knocked Gabriel to the ground and started brutally beating him, screaming that Gabriel cost them $3 million to fight the custody war (Halle's failed move to take Nahla to Paris).

Gabriel says Olivier took his head in his hand and slammed it on the concrete driveway.

According to the declaration, as Olivier assaulted Gabriel he screamed that they were going to move to Paris and Gabriel had better move there too or Olivier would kill him. 

Gabriel claims Olivier then said, "We called the cops," and that when they show up, "you're going to tell them that you're the one who attacked me, or I'm going to kill you."

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Gabriel made no mention of the alleged threats when he spoke to police immediately after the fight.

Gabriel alleges in his declaration that Halle lost her bid to get primary custody with the judge consistently siding with Gabriel for a 50/50 arrangement.

Gabriel's lawyer attached photos of his injuries which are brutal. Sources on Halle's side claim it was Gabriel who flew off the handle and started the fight.

Nollywood actress Uche Jombo reacts to plastic surgery rumours

Nollywood actress Uche Jombo reacts to plastic surgery rumours

Chris Brown EX Karrueche taunts Rihanna over Chris Brown photo

 

These two girls are still at it. Chris Brown must be really good in bed...cos I don't see why else they want to di** there. Anyway, over the weekend Rihanna Tweeted a photo of Chris Brown lying in bed with no shirt on...and if Rihanna thought the picture would make Karrueche Tran jealous, Rihanna had another think coming...see what she did...

 

Shortly after Rihanna posted the pic, Karruehe Tran 'liked' the photo on Instagram letting Rihanna know that she and Chris Brown still get it in.

And of course Rihanna wasn't going to let that slide and Tweeted 'Bitch don't kill my vibe' shortly after Karruche's stunt.

 

These girls need to quit!

Meet Mr World 2012

Francisco Javier Escobar Parra from Colombia is the newly crowned Mr World 2012. The male pageant took place on Saturday 24th of November in Kent , United Kingdom. Hot or hot?

Kolo Toure tricked model into two year affair by telling her he was a car salesman'

Premier League family man Kolo Toure had a two year tryst with a model after he fooled her into believing he was a car salesman, it is alleged The Manchester City defender, who earns a lucrative £90,000 a week wage for the Premiership champions, hid behind sunglasses and caps when the pair were out to hide his real identity.

 He even told 22-year-old Kessel Kasuisyo his name was 'Francois' as he bought her lavish gifts he claimed were paid for thanks to selling cars in his native Africa. And all the while he was living a double life with the mother of his two children - marrying her in a ceremony in Africa during the alleged affair. 

The 31-year-old is said to have kept up the charade for two years, routinely refusing to pose for photographs, and not allowing her to meet his family because of his strict Muslim heritage.

In fact it wasn't until two weeks ago that she discovered it was all a ruse - when a friend of hers recognised him and urged her to Google the former Arsenal star. 

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Miss Kasuisyo said: 'I am devastated. On some of the wedding pictures he is crying but a few weeks before he was in my bed. 

'Two or three weeks after the wedding he was at mine. Around the time he got married he called and said he was back in Africa and had just sold two cars. 'I believed everything he said, I am hurt and confused by it all. 

Maybe he wanted me to be a second wife. I just don’t know. Everything about his strange ­behaviour now all makes sense.'

Love makes you go places you wouldn't ever go

As she reclines on a sofa, naked but for her knickers, it's clear there is nothing retiring about Rihanna. In newly released outtakes from the Barbadian singer's GQ photoshoot, she uses her shapely body to provoke in a series of revealing photos. 

Talking to the upmarket men's magazine she revealed she likes her partner to 'take the lead' in her relationships. 'I like to feel like a woman,' the 24-year-old explained. 'I have to be in control in every other aspect of my life, so I feel like in a relationship, I wanted to be able to take a step back and have somebody else take the lead.

 'I could absolutely be dominant, but in general, I'd rather... How do I say this in, like, a non-X rated version?' And she added: 'Love makes you go places you probably wouldn't ever go, had it not been for love. But I think everybody still has their limits.'

 Rihanna's collection of tattoos can be seen in the shots, while she wears her cropped hair simple and flat against her head. The pictures come as the beauty appeared to confirm she and former boyfriend Chris Brown were back together. 

Having spent Thanksgiving partying together in Berlin, on Saturday Rihanna tweeted a shirtless photo of the singer sprawled on her London hotel bed. She had previously denied that she was back together with Brown, who she split from in 2009 after he hit, choked and bit her during an argument in Los Angeles. He later pleaded guilty to assault

BBA Winner,Keagan Injured In Car Accident (PHOTOS)

Big Brother StarGame winner, Keagan Petersen was involved in a serious car accident this morning which left his arm is damaged in 3 places. 

"So was in a big car accident this morning, arm shattered in 3 places... To the guy whoever you are driving on my side of the road i forgive you! Much love people enjoy your weekend!" Keagan said via Facebook while at Constantiaberg Hospital in Cape Town, Western Cape. 

Todaysgist wish Keagan a speedy recovery!

I Married My Wife Out Of Sympathy – Actor

Is it possible to marry someone out of pity, stay in the marriage for 8-years and even have kids with that ‘pitiful partner? Award winning actor, Joseph Benjamin did all that.

According to the hunky actor from Kogi state, he married his wife out of pity when she got pregnant with his baby while they were still dating.

The actor opens up a can of worms in a recent interview he granted and here are excerpts below:

What Really Happened in his Marriage?: “I was married for 8 years. It was a rather odd situation at that time. She got pregnant and I didn’t want to have a child out of wedlock and so I married her so we could build a home together for the unborn child. Things weren’t rosy then, but I believed it was the right thing to do for the sake of the child. I overlooked my own personal desires, I just wanted to do right. Our second child came and I stood by my family like I always have; but no one is perfect, we had our issues – the crisis persisted but we stayed because of the kids. But you never make that kind of decision because if the parents are not happy together then the children suffer.”

Is Your Wife Older Than You?: ”She is not older than me, and she wasn’t taking care of my financial needs as people have insinuated. We were both starting off in life on the same grounds – no one was exploited. I’ve been separated for a year now but we still keep a good relationship, and our separation was a mutual agreement. She is a good woman but I could not go on with the union anymore seeing the foundation it was built on was untrue. I have two wonderful children – a ten year old daughter and a seven year old son. They are an integral part of my life; their mum and I have a very good arrangement on how to balance their lives and make sure that psychologically they are stable and unaffected by our separation.”

Omotola Clinches Actress Of The Year Award

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, yesterday (November 25, 2012) continued her winning streak as she won Actress of the Year at the 2012 Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards (ELOY).

Omosexy as she’s fondly called, beat stiff competition from Funke Akindele, Ini Edo and Nse Ikpe-Etim to clinch the award for her performance in the movie, ‘Ties That Bind.’

Producer of the dance flick, ‘I’ll Take My Chances,’ Emem Isong, went home with the Producer of the Year award.

Bollywood Super Star Shah Rukh Khan Talks About Parenthood.

In an interview with Pune Mirror after Shah Rukh Khan launched a kids’ edutainment park, he speaks about how he deals with parenthood to Aryan and Suhana, and keeps them grounded.

When asked why he has sent Aryan off to United Kingdom, he says it's because he wants the kids to have a great education and have the knowledge of their craft. "My kids can get into films if they want to. But they need to finish their education. I don’t think they invited me to Yale University to be a speaker just because I am SRK the actor, but also because I am educated enough to talk on any subject," he said on Aryan or Suhana entering Bollywood.

He knows that the kids can get into the business easily. "Honestly, I did not want to tell Aryan, ‘its summer vacation, why don’t you assist Karan uncle?’ because I knew even before I could utter the words, he would have been assisting him." Although he feels it's still to soon to talk about his children's Bollywood aspirations, he still feels that those actors are good who have in-depth knowledge on their subject either via education or via practise and experienced mentors.

While Aryan is into football, and Suhana is interested in writing, Shah Rukh wants to let them be whatever they want to be. He is extremely close to his children and thinks of them as his friends.

"I don’t have many friends. My kids are my closest allies, best friends. And I can share all my deep, dark secrets, my happiest or saddest moments with them. You know, my dad used to call me Yaara, that’s what a Pathan calls his pal. My parents were my friends. The rapport that they shared with me is what I share with my kids. I’m just the kind of dad that my father was to me. But Aryan and Suhana call me a monster!"

But he feels bad that he can't spend enough time with them - "This makes me want to pamper my kids. I want to give them anything and everything possible in this world to make up for the time I cannot give them," he adds.

About Aryan and Suhana handling the media and stories about him that are splashed every day, he said, "Most of the times, they understand because they know me very well and know the difference between right and wrong. But, sometimes they do get swayed."

Still, he feels that both kids are extremely grounded, well-mannered, sorted and courteous. Aryan even accompanied Shah Rukh to the late director Yash Chopra's funeral as he was close to his dad's father figure. "In fact, he wanted to get into the ambulance as well. But I did not want him to experience death so closely."

Like any father, Shah Rukh is protective of Suhana but feels that she is now old enough to handle all sorts of situations. Still he feels he had to intervene during the MCA debacle. "Forget a superstar, any father in my position would have reacted the way I did. Suhana is strong and capable enough to handle such situations. But I had to intervene, as things were going overboard. But it broke my heart when after the episode Gauri told me that Suhana was scared."

While Suhana still has some time to go, Aryan is certainly turning out to be more like his dad with his tall build and good looks. Let's see what the star kids have in store for us in due course!

Rihanna tweets topless picture of Chris Brown in bed(PHOTO)

They’ve yet to confirm they’re back on, but Chris Brown and Rihanna certainly don’t seem too concerned with hiding their relationship anymore. 

The stars were not shy about showing followers on their Twitter accounts that they were enjoying one another’s private company on Saturday, despite some fans expressing their opposition to the pair reuniting. 

Rihanna was Unapologetic about posting an image of Chris topless on a bed surrounded by The Simpsons memorabilia. The 24-year-old’s picture showed him with his jeans half way down his bottom and his underwear on display.

 His cap and coat were tossed to the side of the unmade bed and Rihanna gave the snap a hash tag of #BartObsessed. Apart from the fact that they have been seen together recently as he tours, his identity was clear because of his eye-catching tattoos.

Justin Bieber: Stop Hurting Selena Gomez By Posting Half N**k****d Pics

I’m having a hard time siding with Justin in the now infamous Jelena breakup-makeup drama that’s unfolded over the last few weeks. Find out why I think Selena should permanently break up with the Biebs. 

Justin Bieber uses his Instagram account to show off his half naked body on a regular basis. This is not a good way to make Selena Gomez feel safe in their on-again off-again relationship. It needs to stop, or Selena should break things off permanently.

 With all do respect, Justin — what is wrong with you? Your relationship with Selena is in a very fragile state right now. It’s not the time to be parading your half n**k**d body on the internet. 

I will admit that you look phenomenal, but save it for Selena! Justin wrote, “I’ve been working out in the gym, getting bigger, trying to get sexy for the ladies.” The ladies? Why not for Selena? Does Selena not give you the approval you’re looking for? If it’s not there, just end your relationship. 

Save Selena the agony of constantly worrying who you’re talking to or sending inappropriate pictures to. Based on this photo, among many other factors, I think that Justin and Selena should end their relationship.

Shakira Faces $200M Lawsuit From Ex-Boyfriend

Pop star Shakira is facing a $200M (N315M) lawsuit from her ex-boyfriend Antonio de la Rua over allegations that their business partnership went bad after their relationship came to an end.

Reports revealed that the terms between the separated couple, who dated each other for eleven years, have turned tart as de la Rua has filed a lawsuit accusing his ex-girlfriend of breaking a promise to continue paying him a share of her business profits.

Antonio de la Rua is the son of the former Argentine President Fernando de la Rua, who left his career as a publicist while he was dating the star, eventually becoming her business manager. An agreement between the pair says he is entitled to monetary compensation for this work.

De la Rua is seeking 18 per cent of the profits from her deal with Live Nation, the world’s largest entertainment company, a contract reported to be worth approximately $100 million.

The couple separated in August 2010 but did not go public with the split until last January, when the 35-year-old Colombian artist posted a letter on her blog citing the decision as ‘mutual’.

Annie Macaulay and 2face Idibia’s baby mama prove doubters wrong

2face Idibia shocked a lot of people, when he proposed to his longtime girlfriend and the mother of one of his daughters, Annie Macaulay. 

The reason for the widespread surprise, was because the artiste, was father to seven other children, from two other women. And it was generally believed that Annie, would become the subject of envy among the other women. 

However, in a move that confounded observers, Annie and one of the women, Sunmbo Ajaba, engaged themselves in a matured conversation on Twitter. 

“Hbd to @Sunmbo d mum of d 2 most adorable boys I knw..God bless n grant u all ur heart desires IJN… Have blast girl….” Annie tweeted from her handle, @AnnieMacaulay1. 

“Thx honey. If I tell u d story ehn, u will dance Azonto for mee ooo. Lol,” Sunmbo told her. 

Annie replied: “Hahhahaah mbok watz d gd newz?” 

The gesture has still not convinced a lot of people, as they feel both ladies are doing what is called ‘eye service’ in local parlance.

Kelly Rowland shows off her impressive six pack (PHOTO)

It's a famous day for excessive eating with turkey and all the trimmings on the menu. But dedicated star Kelly Rowland was back in the gym to work off her Thanksgiving dinner on Friday, and showed off the results on Twitter. The singer posted a picture of her impressive six pack, lifting up her white shirt to show off her toned tummy.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z share snaps of tender moments with baby Blue

This year they have more to be thankful than ever before, as Beyoncé and Jay-Z welcomed their baby girl Blue Ivy into the world in January.

 And the Crazy in Love singer, 31, decided to share her and 42-year-old Jay-Z's joy with her fans by tweeting a couple of gorgeous shots of them with the beautiful child.

 The proud mother uploaded a picture of her kissing Blue's forehead to her website.

No vacancy in my heart for my female admirers – Joseph Benjamin

Joseph Benjamin

Joseph Benjamin is not a green horn in the entertainment industry. Apart from being the host of the popular MTN Project Fame, he is also into acting. The tall, chocolate and handsome dude has become more famous with his latest movie titled, “Mr. and Mrs.” where he acted  the stubborn and uncaring husband to  renowed actress Nse Etim-Ekpe. In this interview, Joseph for the first time, talks about  his personal life experiences as an actor:  Excerpt.

Between MTN project fame and acting, which one would you say brought you into limelight?

I have been acting before I started hosting project fame. And I can say that project fame gave me the boost that my career needed. It was a very good platform for me and I leveraged on it. MTN Poject Fame re-launched and re-introduced the brand, Joseph Benjamin into the industry.

What are your greatest achievements so far?

My greatest achievements so far are the awards I have been receiving in recent  times. Also the fact that I have been  putting smiles on the faces of the people, and seeing that they  love me in return.

Has your usual co-operate disposition helped in getting more co-operate endorsements?

Of course. It is beginning to reward me. Recently, I got another endorsement  from MTN. So, my corporate disposition opens a lot of doors for me.

MTN endorsing you after about two years when your last contract with the company  expired, would you say it came late?

MTN has never done that before now. It is not a brand that endorses faces. This new development just started this year. That is why I am not claiming that I am the only person on that  platform. MTN doesn’t just endorse people without subjecting them  to rigorous test.

It is called experimental marketing. And that is why it takes  time before  the company  endorses faces they will use in pursuing their marketing goals.

Your role in Mr.and Mrs?

It is amazing. Do you know what I tell myself? Sometimes, I tell myself that it is amazing that Mr. and Mrs. has made me more popular than any other movie I have done over the years. I still find it to believe  that everywhere I go to, the movie follows me there. Even when I go into the mall, people call me MR and Mrs. I get positive comments following my role in that movie.

And it’s nice working alongside actress like Nse Etim-Ekpe. It was a pleasurable experience for me and I enjoyed everything about the movie. She was equally humble. I am really very glad that we were able to interpret our roles excellently.  You know, it is one thing for you to have a script and another  to have people who can interprete the roles very well.

Are  you surprised by the sudden break you had in the industry after the role you played in Tango with  Me

I wouldn’t say I was surprised by the big break I had in the industry after the role I played in Tango with Me, where  I acted alongside Genevieve Nnaji. I knew from the beginning that the film  was going to be a turning point for me because it was a big- budget movie for  Nollywood. I’m grateful to the producer, Mammod Ali-Balogun for believing in me and also, giving me the opportunity to star in the film. It really boosted my acting  career.

So far, people believe you are the hottest in the industry. Does it reflect on your pocket?

That is a compliment I get  everyday from my fans. As for whether it reflects on my pocket or not, it is personal.

Who is the next person you would like to work with in the industry?

I would like to work with Rita Dominic. I would also like to work with my sister from Kogi State, Mercy Johnson, Omotala Jalade and Stella Damasus. And talking about the people I have worked with, I have worked with Nse, Genevieve, Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha , Ini edo among others top rated actresses.

For  male actors,I would like to work with Pete Edochie, Olu Jacobs and many  others.I have also worked with Desmond Elliot and Justice Esiri.

What is your driving force?

My driving force is to surpass every standard I have set  for myself  at every point in my career. I am also driven by the goal to achieve excellence that always pushes me to go beyond my limit. I always like to push myself to the edge.

Do you see yourself as a s**x symbol in the industry?

I do not want to see myself in that angle. I want to be seen as somebody who is thorough, principled and likes maximizing his craft and not as a s***x symbol. But such notion goes with the job because everybody will start saying I’m  hot and will think that I’m a s**x hunk.

To someone who doesn’t know you, how can you describe yourself?

Well, I am simple and easy going. I keep it simple but, classy.

What makes you fell bad in the industry?

We still have a lot of work to do.I know we have been doing fine but, a lot more can be done in the industry to put things straight.

We should try to elevate the standard. When I was in London for the Nollywood award , I was thrilled at the way they arranged security for their veterans. I want the industry to emulate that. Sometimes, some of our veterans could fall ill and there will be nothing for them to fall back on. These are some of the things I want them to bring into the industry- a situation where actors and actresses can have value for themselves.

Looking back from where you started and where you are now, what do you have to say?

thank God for where I am now and I am happy for that. I hope to achieve much more. Looking back, it is a big leap for me because, what I have been able to achieve within this short period of time would have only come by the special grace of God.

Your job goes with a lot of temptations, which of them have you been able to surmount?

Everything is temptation. Even the money that we desire is a big temptation, that is why the Bible says we should not love it so much. Basically, what you are trying to say is how I handle female advances.

I will not shy away from the fact that they are real temptations but actually, I love my female fans. They constitute a lot of my fan base. I relate with them accordingly and also, try as much as possible to draw the line where it’s necessary. But one doesn’t have to get himself over-bored.

How often do you get strange calls?

I get a  lot of strange calls from my fans. Some will call you and tell you they like you. Some will want to hear your voice. But I wonder how they get my number.

How many friends do you have on your facebook account?

Actually, I have two facebook accounts. The second one is being handled by my publicist.  I do not even know what is happening there. I have a lot of friends there.

What does  marriage mean to you?

Marriage to me is ‘work.’  It is a big journey which can only be accomplished by two people who agree to come together for the journey in love. Love for me is beyond the word, it is an act.

It is a journey and you have to totally understand the second person you want to embark on the journey with. For me, I am not available for now.

So who is the woman in your life now?

Nobody. All I know is that choosing the right person can never be a problem for you when you are ready.

Who is your ideal woman?

For me, an ideal woman is somebody who has the beauty right from inside, not really an outside beauty. I mean one who understands life and who has passion for God. I do not like a woman who is materialistic but she has to look good. I’ m not really carried away by outside beauty but it is an added advantage.

How often do you get passes from your female fans?

As far as you are a man and you are good looking, there must be advances. And I handle such advances very well. It even happens on set but, you have to be very professional in handling them.

If you want to be carried away then, how many will you be carried away with? It is something that happens every time while I’m on set.

So, you have to apply professional approach to all these things and that is what I do. I focus on my work basically. And when I done, I’m  hardly seen around again.

How will you feel if a woman walks up to you and accuses you of impregnating her?

Well, I will be shocked.