'BayJayce' A.K.A. BEYONCE AND JAY-Z OFFICIALLY MAN & WIFE

Sources tell Usmagazine.com that Jay-Z and Beyoncé tied the knot at the rapper's apartment in NYC's Tribeca neighborhood Friday night, although their reps will not confirm. Former Destiny's Child singers Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin were among the guests who attended the ceremony. A Reverend was also spotted. The singer donned a veil and a white dress with a low V-neck and thick straps. Her hair was in a half ponytail with ringlet curls, decorated with a white flower. The party was still going strong at 3 a.m. this morning. Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, spoke about his daughter's nuptials in business meetings Friday. "Beyoncé's dad said he's sorry he couldn't have invited [more people] to the wedding, but they're keeping it small," a source close to the family tells Usmagazine.com.

Jay-Z, 38, and Beyoncé, 26, have always dodged questions about tying the knot. In 2007, the always tight-lipped rapper would only tell reporters: "One day soon - let's leave it at that." Are kids next for the couple? "One day I hope to be married with children" Beyoncé told Ellen DeGeneres in 2006. "I don't want to retire at 30, I want to relax," she said. "I still want to make albums and movies, but at a slower pace."

Early Friday, white checked linens were delivered, as well as boxes of white flowers. Tall silver candelabras were stacked on the street. A white tent was visible on the roof of the building.

Why wed on April 4? They're obsessed with the number! The rapper named his club 40/40 after a baseball term. (If a player hits 40 home runs and steals 40 bases in the same season, it's considered a major coup.) The couple also have matching IV tattoos on their ring fingers, and they were each born on the fourth day of a month (Beyoncé on September 4; Jay-Z, December 4).

Beyonce Knowles has married rapper Jay-z

Beyoncé Knowles has married rapper Jay-Z in a private ceremony in New York.

The couple's parents joined a group of close celebrity pals, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, as well as Beyoncé's bandmates in Destiny's Child Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and her sister Solange.

Jay-Z – real name Shawn Carter – and 26-year-old Beyoncé applied for a marriage licence last Tuesday and married on Friday night.

Award winning couple: Beyonce and Jay-Z are two of the biggest names in the urban music industry

They then threw a lavish party at Jay's apartment in the fashionable New York district of TriBeCa.

A large white marquee was erected on the top of the building and audio-visual equipment, large flower arrangements and a 5ft tall candelabra were also brought in.

Celebrity florist Amy's Orchids was hired to provide more than 50,000 white orchids from Thailand.



Ladies in white: Gwyneth Paltrow (left) and Beyonce's 21-year-old sister Solange arrives at the nuptials in New York

Guests – all the women wore white – were banned from bringing mobile phones inside and had to leave them with their chauffeurs.

A friend told People magazine late on Friday night: "It happened earlier this evening. Jay wanted it to be a really private affair – close friends and family."

Earlier, Rowland and Williams had posted a video of themselves on YouTube from their room at the Four Seasons hotel in which they teased viewers that they were at an 'undisclosed location' and refused to say why they were making the flying visit to New York.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z, 37, have been together for six years after teaming up for the rapper's single 03 Bonnie & Clyde.



Destiny's reunion: Beyonce's former Destiny's Child bandmate Michelle Williams arrives for the nuptials on Friday night

They also collaborated on her hit singles Crazy In Love and Déjà Vu.

They are the most successful couple in the R&B and hip-hop world.

Jay-Z, a seven-times Grammy winner, is reportedly poised to sign a £75million touring deal with Live Nation, while Beyoncé is worth about £15million

>
Newlyweds?: Beyonce and Jay-Z, pictured on the French Riviera last summer, are reported to have married on Friday

Beyonce Knowles

BIOGRAPHY

Born on September 4, 1981, to a loving family in Houston, Texas, Beyonce (rhymes with fiance) Giselle Knowles showed an aptitude for music before she could even talk. As a young girl, she would drown out everyone, including the choir, on Sundays at church. Every weekend, she tuned her voice by doing soulful hymns with the congregation and then moved on to opera classes, in which she was classically trained.

beyonce in destiny's child
A normal childhood was not in the books for Beyonce. At 8 years old, she met LaTavia Robertson while auditioning for a girl musical group and Matthew Knowles, Beyonce's manager and father, later paired the two with LeToya Luckett. In 1992, cousin Kelly Rowland joined the group, and they performed together on Star Search.

Small gigs and much label-shopping later, the four beauties cemented their relationship by calling themselves Destiny's Child. In 1997, "No, No, No" became their first official single, and they got off to a big start as the track went multiplatinum. The girls were instantly popular in the media and impressed all with their self-titled debut.

If critics were impressed with this new R&B group's success, they were absolutely floored when The Writing's on the Wall hit stores in 1999. DC, led by the incomparable Beyonce, had three top 10 hits within the year: "Jumpin, Jumpin," "Say My Name" and "Bills, Bills, Bills." They became one of the best-selling female groups of recent memory after this second album sold more than 9 million units worldwide. At the same time, it was announced that their single "Independent Women Part 1," off the Charlie's Angels soundtrack, had reached the largest audience ever in the recorded radio airplay -- 140.4 million pairs of ears.

beyonce's grammys
Shortly after the announcement of five Grammy nominations at the 2001 awards show and the excitement of the unbelievable record sales, LeToya and LaTavia left the group amid management struggles. Legal problems ensued, but Destiny's Child became whole again with the arrival of Michelle Williams, and, for a short stint only, backup singer Farrah Franklin. At the Grammys, DC took home two awards, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group, both for "Say My Name."

As a trio, Destiny's Child's third album, Survivor, which debuted in the spring of 2001, garnered a whole new set of hits, like "Bootylicious" and the title track. The success of Survivor resulted in another Grammy for the group in February 2002. In fact, the American Music, MTV, Soul Train, and Image Awards all showered the group with more hardware and praise.

beyonce in austin powers
After all this success, the group's three talented "sistas" decided to try their hands at solo careers before investing their time in another Destiny's Child album. To no one's surprise, Beyonce captured the bulk of the spotlight with her sex appeal and strong vocals. Even before her first album was organized, she had a hit with Jay-Z called "Bonnie and Clyde '03" and was cracking up audiences with her big-screen debut alongside Mike Myers in Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002). This simply prepared fans for what was to come with Dangerously In Love, released in June 2003.

In 2003, Beyonce ventured onto the big screen again in the musical/comedy The Fighting Temptations alongside Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr.

beyonce's crazy in love
Beyonce displayed a versatile style with this solo effort, creating the club hit "Baby Boy," the pop success "Crazy In Love" and the soulful "The Closer I Get To You" with Luther Vandross. Like her work in Destiny's Child, Beyonce wrote or cowrote many of the tracks and performed her heart out on award shows to get the word out to a huge audience. She has emerged as a diva, making the best videos, catchiest songs and creating the most headlines. At 2004's Grammy ceremony, Beyonce took away five awards and was the biggest winner of the night (a feat Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones each accomplished in previous years). It was also during this time that Beyonce become involved with her "Crazy In Love" duet partner, Jay-Z.

In 2006, Beyonce hit the big screen again in The Pink Panther with comedic icon Steve Martin. The movie debuted at No. 1 on its opening weekend, and further solidified Beyonce as a double threat in the industry.

beyonce releases b'day

Beyonce's second solo effort, B'Day, was released in September 2006 with much success, selling 3,116,000 copies worldwide (and released on her 25th birthday). The singles "Deja Vu," "Ring the Alarm" and "Irreplaceable" all hit No. 1 on the charts, and the album was nominated for an outstanding five Grammy Awards in 2007.

Beyonce was no stranger to award nominations in 2007, however, as her role in the musical Dreamgirls (2006) garnered the star her first official nomination as an actress by none other than the prestigious Golden Globes. She was also awarded the International Artist Award at the 2007 American Music Awards.

beyonce is named no. 14 in 2008 top 99
Beyonce has gained a lot of recognition on AskMen.com. She was voted as the No. 1 Most Desirable Woman of 2007, so it's understandable why she has a high ranking on our Top 99 list of 2008. With fame, fortune and the most bootylicious booty out there, we just can't seem to get enough of Beyonce

AVRIL LAVIGNE ROCKS WEST PALM BEACH

Avril Lavigne rocked West Palm Beach at Cruzan Amphitheatre yesterday giving them a full look at her musical repertoire from her old favorites like “Sk8er Boi” and “Complicated” to hits like “Girlfriend” and “Hot.” The Canadian pop punk princess Avril Lavigne gave her fans a preview of her music life over the years “- from bitter heartbreak and teen rebellion to fully embracing life as a mature married woman.”

AVRIL LAVIGNE

Biography

From early childhood onward, Avril Lavigne always stood out among the 5,000 residents of Napanee, Ontario -- her 1984 birthplace. At first distinguished from her female peers because of her affinity for the baseball field in the summer and the hockey rink in the winter, Avril became recognizable in the community on the basis of her musical performances.

avril lavigne sings with shania twain
By age 10, she had graduated from the local church choir to the regional fairgrounds, singing country music in competitions. Three years later, Avril Lavigne began making her impact outside of Napanee, as her vocal skill won her the grand prize in a radio station contest: a trip to the city of Ottawa, to perform a duet in concert with another Ontario native, country music star Shania Twain. While this probably ranked as the pinnacle of pubescence for any other 13-year-old girl, Avril went on to accomplish far greater things before leaving adolescence.

avril lavigne gets a record deal
By the time Avril Lavigne reached high school, her vocal prowess seemed rivaled only by her ability to play the guitar, and she began sending videotapes of her stage performances to labels and management companies throughout North America. Following a host of rejections, her talent finally caught the eyes of Nettwerk Management, an organization that fostered other such Canadian acts as Sarah McLachlan, Sum 41 and the Barenaked Ladies.

Nettwerk arranged for Avril to fly down to New York City to meet with some other songwriters and begin work on a demo tape. As it turned out, Avril was signed before she even had a chance to complete the demo. An Arista Records representative came to visit Avril at her studio, and was sufficiently impressed with her voice to return with Arista CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid, who immediately signed the 16-year-old to a contract.

avril lavigne moves to new york city
After briefly returning to Canada, Avril Lavigne made the move to Manhattan to embark on her professional career, accompanied by her older brother Matt as an escort. Although she had been signed to Arista strictly as a vocalist, Avril balked at the notion of singing someone else's songs and insisted on having a hand in the writing process. When she failed to click with any New York-based songwriters, Avril made her third move of the year, this time to Los Angeles.

It was on the West Coast that she met producer/songwriter Cliff Magness, with whom she immediately developed a rapport. The two began composing together, and within a few months' time, Avril's debut album had begun to take shape.

avril lavigne releases complicated and the album let go
Avril Lavigne's first single, "Complicated," was released in the early spring of 2002, and immediately began scaling the charts across the continent. By the summer, the track had reached the top spot among Canadian singles, and was in the top 15 on the Billboard Adult 40 list. The popularity of "Complicated" paved the way for the success of Avril's first full-length CD, Let Go, which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard charts in June 2002.

While Avril's vocal range and high-energy musical style has brought her comparisons ranging from Alanis Morissette to Pink, she has been adamant in positioning herself as a unique artist, one who runs counter to the mainstream. This persona has been nurtured thanks to the lyrics of such songs as "Sk8er Boi," wherein Avril is none too subtle in voicing her anti-conformist stance, and through her public remarks regarding other female musicians, notably Britney Spears.

avril lavigne releases under my skin
In 2004 Avril Lavigne released her second album, Under My Skin, which debuted at No. 1 in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere. The single "My Happy Ending" became her third biggest song. The album helped Avril win two World Music Awards and five Juno nominations. She also won the award for "Favorite Female Singer" at the eighteenth annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

avril lavigne releases the best damn thing
Avril Lavigne's third album The Best Damn Thing debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. as well. The album was produced with the help of her husband, Deryck Whibley of the band Sum 41, and the single "Hot" was a huge success (Avril performed this hit at the American Music Awards). A small tour followed.

ASHLEE SIMPSON REFUSES TO CONFIRM OR DENY THE PREGNANCY RUMORS

Ashlee Simpson is now more into the spotlight for her personal life just before the release of her new album Bittersweet World. Isn’t that just typical! There was little to no interest for the singer until now with her recent engagement announcement with Fall Out Boy boyfriend Pete Wentz and a pregnancy speculation that is all around them right now, too.

The 23-year-old star Ashlee Simpson has declined to directly answer questions about whether or not she is expecting a baby when she was asked about the rumours on MTV’s TRL.

I just think it’s an inappropriate question to ask any woman. For me, that’s something that I didn’t ever want to respond to, because I think it’s an inappropriate question. Some things, you want to keep personal, and I think that when people deny [pregnancy reports], it’s probably because it’s something they want to keep personal.
- said Ashlee Simpson on MTV’s TRL -

ASHLEE SIMPSON AND PETE WENTZ ENGAGED

Pop singer Ashlee Simpson and Fall Out Boy’ guitarist Pete Wentz got engaged and have announced they’re getting married. The couple have been together for three years and the happy news was announced by Ashlee in a statement. It seems Jessica’s parents are pleased with the engagement and Ashlee is very happy as she is flashing her amazing ring wherever she goes.

We know there has been a lot of speculation recently about Pete and I and we wanted our fans to be the first to know, because you guys are the best. Yes, we are thrilled to share that we are happily engaged. Thank you for all of your support and well wishes - it means the world to us! We consider this to be a very private matter, but we wanted you to hear it straight from us.
Ashlee and Pete.

Ashlee Simpson

Biography

Ashlee Nicole Simpson was born on October 3, 1984, in Waco, Texas, and raised in Dallas. She's the daughter of Joe and Tina Simpson, and the younger sister of pop star/reality TV queen Jessica Simpson. Attending Prairie Creek Elementary School, Ashlee's talent was apparent early on: At age 4 she started dancing, and by the time she was 11, she was the youngest person to ever be admitted to the prestigious School of American Ballet.

When Ashlee Simpson was 14, she began to dance professionally, and the Simpson family moved to Los Angeles. Not long after, Ashlee went on the road, dancing as part of her sister's stage show. She supported Jessica's rise to fame from 1999 to 2001, all the while dreaming of acting and pursuing her own music career.

ashlee simpson joins 7th heaven
In 2001, Ashlee made her first solo television appearance in a small role on Malcolm in the Middle, and during this time she appeared alongside her more famous sibling on Saved by the Bell, The Donny & Marie Show, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, The View, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and a Disney Christmas show and concert special. Ashlee also took a part in the Rob Schneider comedy The Hot Chick (2002).

But it was on TV that Ashlee Simpson first got the role that would catapult her to greater stardom: In 2002, she was cast as Cecilia Smith, girlfriend of Simon Camden on the popular WB drama 7th Heaven. While playing this recurring role, Ashlee took lessons from renowned acting coach Janet Alhanti. All the same, Ashlee began to take small steps toward becoming a singer as well, and in between breaks in her shooting schedule she recorded songs such as "Just Let Me Cry" for the Freaky Friday soundtrack.

the ashlee simpson show
In late 2003, Ashlee Simpson signed a recording contract with Geffen Records to make her first album. At the same time, her father, Joe, asked her if she wanted to have a show built around her. Ashlee declined at first, but agreed when Joe Simpson suggested it be about the making of her upcoming album.

The Ashlee Simpson Show premiered on June 16, 2004, on MTV, and the album, Autobiography, was released on July 20th, after the show finished its run. The debut single, "Pieces of Me," hit No. 1 on the charts.

Later in 2004, Ashlee Simpson was set to perform on Saturday Night Live but a technical mishap caused the cancellation of the performance and a great embarrassment as it proved the starlet was lip-synching.

ashlee simpson releases i am me
Ashlee Simpson's second album, I Am Me, hit music store shelves in the U.S. in October 2005, and the single "Boyfriend" became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Top 100.

After touring in support of her second album, Ashlee hit the stage as Roxy Hart in the London stage production of Chicago.

ashlee simpson is named no. 93 in 2008 top 99
In 2007, Ashlee Simpson began working on her third album, Bittersweet World, and worked with producers such as Timbaland, Kenna and Will.i.am.

And, in 2008, Ashlee Simpson placed No. 93 on AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women list, showing the world that despite past mishaps she's still hot stuff and geared to take on her sister and the industry. She also announced her engagement to Pete Wentz from the band Fallout Boy. Just after this, it was speculated that Ashlee Simpson was pregnant.

Ashanti

Biography

Ashanti Douglas was born in 1980 in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York into a musical family. Her father used to sing and her mother is a dance instructor. Ashanti began to sing in a gospel choir at the age of 6. As she grew, her musical talent developed and with it, appearances followed.

She danced in a show at Carnegie Hall and in the Disney television musical Polly. It was in high school that she honed her songwriting skills and harnessed her talent for creating a story that people could relate to, song after song.

and she's rolling

Ashanti first announced her presence with the Big Pun hit "How We Roll" in 2001. Her sound was infectious and caught the attention of record producers. Irv Gotti, the polished producer with Murder Inc. Records, was credited with her discovery and what was supposed to be an initial collaboration, turned into a record contract. The demure and feminine Ashanti was hesitant at first to sign with a label named Murder Inc., but she filled a void in the company stable of talent. What was a pure rap label became stronger with the arrival of the R&B singer.

The marketing team at Murder Inc. went to work to promote Ashanti in time for her debut release. She was featured on the Ja Rule smash "Always On Time," receiving major airwave and video exposure. In addition, her voice was loaned out to reigning Don of the Terror Squad, Fat Joe, for his big hit "What's Luv?". Ashanti stole both songs away from the thug rappers and created such a buzz that her self-titled debut album was released early, on April 9, 2002.

timing was key

The first single "Foolish" ripped apart the charts and the video was on heavy rotation as well. As a result, Ashanti sold over half a million units the first week and debuted in the top spot, a major achievement for a relative unknown with almost no expectations on her shoulders. In the future, you can expect to hear and see much more of this young talent. Ashanti has served notice that she is moving on up

BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE DAY AT THE BEACH IN SOUTH OF FRANCE

On Sunday the entire Brangelina bunch (daughters Zahara, 3, and Shiloh, 1, and sons Maddox, 6, and Pax, 4) visited Bono’s waterfront home at Eze, France, about 15 minutes from Paul Allen’s luxury compound. The family was snapped with U2 guitarist The Edge enjoying a quiet stroll on the beach.

One local source insists that, when it comes to daily life inside the villa, they’re just like any other family on vacation.

“They’re doing everything you and I might be doing,” said the source. “Eating, taking naps and swimming in the pool.”

Later this month, Angelina is scheduled to walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for two films, Kung Fu Panda and The Changeling.

Awww….what a sweet pic of Brad and Pax!

In other Celebrity news, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are staying in France as they await the arrival of their fifth or even their sixth child this summer. Also, recent reports says the Celebrity couple are going to marry in June, in an intimate non-religious ceremony at their Santa Barbara.

And on Saturday Angelina, 32, and Brad, 44, took a helicopter on a house-hunting trip to Monaco. They took Zahara, 3, along while choosing to leave their other three children behind with nannies.