Coffee Talk: Essence Atkins is Pregnant with First Child!

We’re starting our day with a steamy cup of hazelnut coffee as we read the hottest news!

• Essence Atkins has a baby on board! The “Are we There Yet?” star and her husband Jaime Mendez who wed in September 2009 are expecting their first child on Christmas Day. “Adding a baby to our happy home is truly a dream come true,” Essence shared. Awwww! [People]

• Nicki Minaj is rolling in the dough. Just days after her infamous nip slip and announcing her first movie role, Nicki is the first female MC ever to land on Forbes’ Cash Kings list, ranking at #15 with earnings of $6.5 million this past year. And of course topping the list are the usual suspects — Jay-Z, Diddy, and Kanye took the top three money-making spots. [VIBE]

• Shaquille O’Neal scored a major victory in court after a judge dismissed a case against seven men who allegedly kidnapped and beat Robert Ross to get him to hand over a sex tape featuring Shaq. Yesterday, the D.A. stated that Robert’s testimony seemed a little shady and Roberts himself admitted to lying about the tape, which led the judge to throw out the case.  [TMZ]

• Mariah Carey is looking to get her pre-baby body back with the help of her pooch Jill E. Beans. The new mom tweeted a photo of her and Jill burning some calories via water aerobics in the pool. “Sababa!” she wrote, which means “cool” in Hebrew. [People]

• Aretha Franklin’s five decades of fame came in handy when the soul songstress dodged a parking ticket in NYC yesterday. Instead of hitting the Queen of Soul with a fine, the forgiving meter maid issued a warning and asked for autograph instead. Must be nice… [New York Post]

• In anticipation of the mega tribute concert this October honoring the late Michael Jackson, the pop star’s family plans to unveil the all-star concert lineup today. “Michael Forever: The Tribute Concert” is set to take place in Cardiff, Wales. “Some of the greatest names in music are already signed, and more are trying to come on board,” said a statement posted on the concert website. [KCCI]