ISLAND/Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid skipped his own pre-Grammys gathering at Mr. Chow in Los Angeles on Saturday night, conceding party supremacy to bitter rival Clive Davis' bold-faced blowout at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Reid, who was said to be home sick in New York, was replaced as host by Def Jam president Jay-Z. After wining and dining Melissa Etheridge, Hoobastank and the Killers, Jay-Z high-tailed it over to Davis' party, where the legendary hit-maker gleefully announced to the crowd, "Jay — welcome to the other side." Even Reid's onetime LaFace Records partner, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, dissed Reid by showing up at Davis' bash.
In other Grammy gossip:
* At the Universal Music party at The Palms, Jay-Z — who supposedly retired recently as a performer — told PAGE SIX he hasn't ruled out a comeback. "I won't tour, and I am taking a break, but I'll be back," he said. "I am planning on recording again." After schmoozing Universal honcho Doug Morris and entertainment lawyer Allen Grubman, Jay-Z and girlfriend Beyoncé Knowles dined at Koi with Mary J. Blige, Nelly and Pharrell Williams before hitting Usher's party at the Geisha Room.
* Minnie Driver, who recently released an album in hopes of kick-starting a singing career, is said to be fuming at Grammy organizers after she was bumped from performing a song from "Phantom of the Opera" at the last minute. Driver, who was shunted aside to make way for Beyoncé, was said to be "inconsolable" after the slight.
* Star Jones Reynolds' coverage of red carpet arrivals for E! only got her so much juice at the Grammy after-parties. A music industry source tattled that Star "had her assistant call all the music labels and RSVP herself plus four guests. But the thing was, she wasn't invited. People had to call her back and tell her, 'Sorry, the party is only for artists and label executives.' " Star and her posse did manage to make it to the Sony BMG bash at the Roosevelt Hotel, where she shared a VIP room with Ricky Martin and Cyndi Lauper.
* Halle Berry's horny ex-hubby, Eric Benet, flirted up a storm with women at the Warner Music party at the Pacific Design Center, but the self-confessed "sex addict" had surprisingly little luck. Kid Rock, Mandy Moore, Zach Braff and Green Day also made the scene.
For a guy who picked up three Grammys, Usher was looking less than elated after Sunday night's music awards.
Backstage spies say the R&B star seemed vexed that his CD "Confessions," which earned him eight nominations, didn't do better. "Usher thought 'Confessions' was going to sweep the way that Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' did," a mole tells us. "After the show, he wouldn't let anyone come into his dressing room. He wouldn't do any interviews or pose for an official Grammy picture."
Godfather of Soul James Brown did offer some consolation - telling one and all that Usher was his "Godson. I'm passing the torch!"
The Godson also had a beautiful shoulder to cry on - that of Eishia Brightwell, the model we told you he was seeing back in July. Having just spent a vacation together, the pair couldn't keep their hands off each other. "Eishia seemed to be Usher's way of telling [sometime gal pal] Naomi Campbell he'd moved on," says one observer.
The singer seemed to have banished his blues by the time he reached his victory party. When he wasn't manning the turntables with Quentin Tarantino, he was being fawned upon by former Attorney General Janet Reno.
The bash, sponsored by Entertainment Weekly, also saw some dirty dancing by new couple Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.
"Portia kept rubbing her finger down Ellen's chest," says a witness. "And they were really grinding."
Also getting their groove on were Christina Milian and boyfriend Nick Cannon, Eric Benet (getting hit on by Blu Cantrell), Serena Williams, Wesley Snipes and Nelly, among others.
Elsewhere, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were said to have had a little tiff as they pulled into Boost Mobile's post-Grammy party for Kanye West. Though his rep denies any friction, a spy says Beyoncé refused to get out of the car for about 15 minutes, and stayed not much longer at the bash, leaving her boyfriend alone to give a toast to West.
Prince didn't deign to pick up his Grammy, even though he's in L.A., where he's been holding private jam sessions with other musicians at his pad.
More than a few Grammy nominees were rattled by the no-booze policy at the awards. Bono compensated later at a small Hollywood Hills bash thrown by Interscope honcho Jimmy Iovine. U2 bandmate The Edge understandably skipped the revelry - still troubled by his daughter's illness, which threatened to scupper the group's world tour.
The annual hot-ticket party of BMG Music boss Clive Davis became a little too hot for fire marshals. Good thing Robin Williams was there to give the ordinance-keeper plenty of hugs. Jamie Foxx stole the show by winging a version of Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" in which he dreamt about ménage à trois with Janet Jackson and Mary J. Blige.
02-16-2005 06:51 AM
