Greetings, Planet Earth. Another week, another 25 cents collected, as super delegates threaten to determine who ultimately gets the Democratic presidential nomination. Roger Clemens engages in he say/he say with his ex-trainer while testifying to Congress that he didn’t take steroids, and President Bush finally signing that economic stimulus package so we can get our money.

Get well wishes go out to Lenny Kravitz, who had to postpone his European tour because of bronchitis. Shout out to all the lovers who made it a memorable Valentine’s for their significant others, Uno, the first beagle to win the hound group at Westminster Kennel Club since 1939 and the sounding boards, who make the struggle easy by looking at the light at the end of the tunnel.

Enough of the small talk…the Last Word for the week ending Feb. 15, 2008

1. Janet Jackson Professes Love of Sex
 
Those wondering if Janet Jackson can regain her status atop the music world can rest a little easier.
 
Sources tell AllHipHop.com Alternatives that the singer’s forthcoming album Discipline will be worth the wait, as fans can look forward to hearing Janet cover such topics as love, sex and relationships over what was described as "amazing production."
 
"There were the ‘80s, dance and techno inspired tracks like "Rock with You" and "Something in the Air" that will be sure to satisfy her fans’ need to dance, as people in the crowd could barely stay in their seats while these tracks blasted through the speakers," said a source, who attended a listening party for the album. "The Ne-Yo and Jermaine Dupri produced track ‘Rock with You,’ was a clear favorite amongst the attendees as, but my personal favorites were ‘Luv’ and ‘Rollercoaster.’ Both of which had a more futuristic sound to it, with the latter having an almost jungle sound."
 
With full-length curtains displaying Jackson’s image, fountains of melted chocolate, glasses of champagne for attendees, it was an event to remember as the source encountered "Disciplinarians" ("models dressed in black cat suits, similar to the outfits worn in Janet's ‘Feedback’ video") who greeted guests and were seen walking around the area where the listening party was held. But the real attraction was Janet herself, who greeted the crowd while receiving a standing ovation and made a memorable impression during an on stage interview with Blender magazine editor-in-chief Joe Levy.
 
According to the source, the singer had a readymade answer available as Levy noted that the new project was full of sex and love.
 
"I love LOVE... and I love sex," Jackson said as she left the stage to another standing ovation after the interview came to a close.
 
Discipline is slated to hit stores on Feb. 26. Any “feedback” on Janet’s declaration?

2. Morris Day Notices Rihanna, Drops Time News
 
Leave it to Morris Day to give you something to talk about. After rocking the Grammy stage with Rihanna, the gold suited Time frontman revealed that his pimped out bandmates have something new to offer fans.
 
"We plan on going into the studio and getting out on the road," said Day, whose remarks were upgraded by Time guitarist Jesse Johnson.
 
"We've got an album in the can that's so ridiculous," Johnson said. “We can't believe we did it."
 
And while he had eyes for Apollonia in Prince’s classic Purple Rain and has since settled down, Day admitted that he still maintains an eye for the beautiful things.
 
"I think she is a sexy young lady," Day said about Rihanna. "I have kids as old as her, but I did enjoy it. That did not deter me from noticing at all."
 
Now that we know how he feels about Rihanna, where do the other current singers rank on Morris’ list?
 
"Chris Brown? "He's very hyper, but talented," the singer said as he outlined the requirement for being cool for MTV. "Give him about ten years and we'll see. There are some cool people out there...it's embodiment — it's gotta be in you. I'm so cool that even when I'm sweating, it's a cold sweat."
 
3. Lenny Kravitz Trades Vices, Reminisces Over Prince

No doubt. Much of Lenny Kravitz’ swagger can be attributed to Prince. And the singer is not shy about his admiration for the Purple One as he told Blender magazine that he modeled himself after the Prince when he was in high school.

"I straightened my hair, and I wore the look he had back in 1980: black tuxedo coat, white shirt with the button ruffles. But not the panties," he said.

From the looks of it, Kravitz had a very interesting life as a kid. So much so that he got introduced to the high life early on.

"I’d smoke an ounce in two days. I was high from age 11 until I was 35," the singer revealed, as he found his desire to get high wore off after a while. " One day in Australia, I woke up and didn’t want it anymore. God just said, I’m pulling you out of this. I didn’t touch alcohol—that’s why I was a pothead. I drank Manischewitz wine at a Hanukkah party on Staten Island when I was seven and threw up all over the house. I was in bed for a week. Then when I started to tour, I learned about Château Lafitte and Cheval Blanc. I was like, ‘Oh, wine can be good!’

Going from one vice to the other. That’s the spirit, Lenny. After all, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

4. Keith Richards Gets Real With Amy Winehouse
 
In this episode of Tough Junkie Love, you would think that winning five Grammys would eclipse some of the hate rolling around, but Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards is putting his two cents in on Amy Winehouse.
 
Reuters reports that the rock pioneer and former drug addict had some frank advice for the embattled songstress, who’s currently in rehab for her reported drug troubles.
 
"She should get her act together," Richards said during a round-table interview at the Berlin International Film Festival last week to promote Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones documentary Shine a Light. "Apart from that, I have got nothing to say to the b***h."
 
While not as blunt as Richards, singer Natalie Cole weighed in on Winehouse as she told People magazine that the songstress should not have won a Grammy for Record of the Year as it sets "a bad message" for those who are trying to break in to the music biz by staying drug free.
 
So who would have gotten the award, if Cole had her way? The answer may surprise you.
 
"Rihanna, even Beyoncé. I just feel like they're ready to go the long haul. You can tell how hard they work, they're great people, their heart is in the right place. These are the people we should be praising, these are the people we should be encouraging."

"And the others, we need to help them."
 
So what do you think? Should Rihanna have taken the Grammy instead of Amy? Should what you do outside the studio reflect on your chances of taking home music’s highest honor? As a friend of mine told me, Cole seems to have a point since she’s a former junkie. But still...

5.  Appellate Court Stays the Course With Ronald Isley Tax Sentence

Mr. Biggs has caught a real case. And the law is not letting up on its stranglehold.

The Associated Press reports that an appellate court has upheld Ronald Isley's 37-month federal prison sentence for tax evasion.

The singer, who was sentenced in 2006 after being convicted of five counts of tax evasion and one count of willful failure to file a tax return, tried to argue that his sentence was unreasonable due to his age, poor health and lack of proof that the federal prison system can provide him adequate health care. But the appellate court stuck to its guns as it stated that the judge in Isley’s trial "best balanced the need to sanction Mr. Isley's ‘pathological' tax evasion against the need to accommodate Mr. Isley's poor health" as his sentence was handed down.

So the moral of the story is if you’re healthy enough to make a habit of avoiding the IRS, you’re healthy enough to serve time. Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

6. Shakira’s Bra Nets $3,000 for Charity

With a beautiful face, sexy dance moves and a killer voice, it’s not hard to see why fans are so taken with Shakira. But one person took it to another level as the fan paid $3,000 for one of the 31-year-old songbird’s bras.

The bid was among 40 items Shakira donated to an Internet auction for her Bare Feet Foundation. The charity is working to build a school for impoverished children in northern Colombia.

Among the other popular items up for bid was a shiny lavender skirt with turquoise-and-coral beading that Shakira wore while singing "Hips Don't Lie." That netted more than $1,000. The auction items were from Shakira’s 2007 "Oral Fixation" Tour.

While the bra netted $3,000, that ran a distant second over the auction’s most expensive bid. One Shakira fan guaranteed a meet and greet by paying $14,000 for the opportunity to meet the singer and receive front-row seats at a future show in Toronto.
 
Overall, the auction raised $76,000. And there are a few items you can bid on until Sunday (Feb. 17), including an electric Fender guitar and an acoustic Taylor guitar that are autographed by Shakira.

7. Aretha Franklin Issues Royal Statement Over Beyonce Dis

It’s a known fact that Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul. The name and the person are a natural fit, right? Maybe not, as the singing icon received a surprise during this year’s Grammy Awards from Beyonce.

Apparently Bey got under Franklin’s skin when she labeled Tina Turner as "the queen" while introducing Ike’s ex during their talked about performance. And while the set was one of the highlights of the Grammys, Queen Aretha made it known that Beyonce’s slight would not go unchecked.

"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé, however I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy," Franklin said in a statement. "In addition to that, I thank the Grammys and the voting academy for my 20th Grammy and love to Beyoncé anyway."

I guess I can see where Aretha is coming from. If you’ve been known as music royalty for so long, it could hurt when another singing pioneer is bestowed the title. But was it really worth it to scold Bey publicly?

It may be in Beyonce's best interest to avoid the Queen before Franklin takes her respect back by laying the royal smackdown on the young diva and sentencing her to work with the chain of fools. Be careful, Bey. You’re dealing with a heavyweight.