Whitney Houston Laid to Rest in Private Burial

Whitney Houston was laid to rest on Sunday in a private burial with family and close friends near her birthplace in Newark, New Jersey.

The pop star died in a Beverly Hills hotel room last week. She was found underwater in a bathtub, but an exact cause of death has yet to be determined.

Dozens of fans lined the edge of street barriers as the procession carrying Houston’s body drove by under tight security from a funeral home in Newark, New Jersey to the Forest Lawn cemetery in nearby Westfield where Houston’s body was buried next to her father.

Houston’s family decided against a public memorial service, as was done for pop star Michael Jackson after his 2009 death, but agreed to allow Saturday’s four-hour tribute in the church to be broadcast live by television networks.

Billboard Names Nicki Minaj as “Rising Star”

Billboard named Singing and rapping sensation Nicki Minaj as the 2011 Rising Star this past Wednesday after the incredible international success this year with her album, “Pink Friday.”

28 year old Minaj took the opportunity of Billboard’s announcement to confirm her next album on Twitter which is set to release on February 14, Valentine’s day next year, and will be called, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” after the rapper’s alter ego, Roman Zolanski.

The New York native stormed the Billboard charts this year, becoming the first artist to have seven songs in the Hot 100 singles chart at the same time, including hits such as “Your Love,” “Super Bass” and “Fly” featuring Rihanna, while “Pink Friday” reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

“Nicki Minaj has established herself as a force in hip-hop and pop music, and we’re thrilled to recognize her accomplishments over the past year,” said Billboard’s editorial director Bill Werde on Billboard.com.

Minaj is the fourth recipient of the award, following Jazmine Sullivan in 2010, Lady Gaga in 2009 and Colbie Caillat in 2008, and will join country music star Taylor Swift, who was named Woman of the Year, to collect the award at the annual Billboard Women in Music event in New York on December 2.