★ [CANDIDS] Mary J. Blige // Ice Cube // Terrence Howard, Anika Noni Rose & Phylicia Rashad // Ashanti // Day 26 // Janet Jackson // Don Cheadle & Tia Mowry // Flavor Flav // Russell Simmons // Nick Cannon & Mariah Carey

Singer Mary J. Blige performed live on NBC’s “Today Show” in New York yesterday as a part of the summer concert series.

Rapper Ice Cube and his wife were spotted as they left the Staples Center in LA after the Lakers/Jazz game Wednesday night.

Terrence Howard, Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls), and Phylicia Rashad (Cosby Show) received their caricatures at Sardi’s restaurant in New York Thursday night. The three of them are currently a part of the Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The Debbie Allen-directed show will continue at the Broadhurst Theater in NYC through June 22nd.

Singer Ashanti was spotted as she left the MTV UpFront presentation at the Nokia Theatre in New York Thursday night.

Day 26 (minus Q) attended the 2008 SESAC New York Music Awards at Chelsea Piers Thursday night. Where the hell have these guys been? Isn’t it about time to release a second single? Diddy, wtf are you doing???

Janet Jackson was escorted by two bodyguards as she left Katsuya Restaurant in Hollywood. Where’s the little guy, Janet?

Actor Don Cheadle and actress Tia Mowry attended the “Ante Up for Africa” Celebrity Poker Tournament, hosted by Don Cheadle in Highland, CA.

The creature from the Black Lagoon, better known to the general population as Flavor Flav, hit up Mr. Chow’s in Beverly Hills the other night, and was spotted by the paps as he left the restaurant.

Russell Simmons hit up Mr. Chow’s too, and when asked what he thought about Barack Obama, he said: “Obama is definitely the ticket to change.” We like Russell!!

Newlyweds Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey showed off their wedding rings Thursday night as the two left The Waverly Inn in New York. I suppose they plan on riding this publicity train until the wheels fall off. Unless they have something else up their sleeve, all of this whoopla is gonna die down after about a week or so. And then that’s when they’re gonna decide to divorce, causing more mayhem. You think Mariah’s slow … but trust me, she’s not! In fact, she’s the smartest rock in the box =)

{ Photos: Getty Images // Wenn // Wire Image // Mavrix Photo }