Kanye West
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

NEW YORK — George Clinton was the night's honoree, and Lil Wayne and Kanye West were among the big winners, but Bootsy Collins undoubtedly stole the show at the 2009 BMI Urban Music Awards on Thursday night.

The famous bass player took part in the tribute to Clinton, which also included Outkast's Big Boi and Gnarls Barkley's Cee-Lo, among others. Collins, still the showman in his late 50s, led a party chant dedicated to his former Parliament-Funkadelic bandmate over "Atomic Dog." Decked out in his trademark rhinestone-studded attire, Collins then ventured out into the crowd and, despite wearing platform shoes thicker than most phone books, began climbing over seats.

	Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Rihanna, More At BMI Awards

"Ain't no party like a George Clinton party 'cause a George Clinton party don't stop!" Collins yelled repeatedly as the crowd, filled with artists like Rick Ross, Polow Da Don and Bobby V, stood. "Everybody now!"

Clinton was honored as the BMI Icon — joining the likes of 2008 recipient Michael Jackson — as an influence to generations of songwriters and producers including Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Outkast, all whom have sampled from his wide range of hits with Parliament-Funkadelic.

Janelle Monáe, Dallas Austin and Goodie Mob's Big Gipp also paid tribute to Clinton, performing a number of his hits, including "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)," "Flash Light" and "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)."

Ross kicked off the festivities, performing "Magnificent" and "Usual Suspects" from his recent album Deeper Than Rap. Songwriter and emerging artist Kevin Cossom joined the Miami rapper on the latter track. Cossom was later awarded for Keri Hilson's "Knock You Down," a #1 track he penned for the R&B star.

Kanye West and Polow Da Don shared the 2009 Producer of the Year award. West wasn't in attendance at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall, but Polow received a standing ovation from the audience, including peers like Bryan-Michael Cox, Cool & Dre and Tha Business.

Last year Polow was awarded the Songwriter of the Year trophy, but Auto-Tune bandits Lil Wayne and T-Pain scored the recognition this year. Neither were present, but T-Pain appeared via a pre-recorded video that aired on the big screen above the stage. Sporting Oakley shades, a gray T-shirt and gold necklaces, T-Pain thanked BMI for the honor and shouted, "Money, money, money!" in regards to the nod.

Jordin Sparks' "No Air," featuring Chris Brown, won Song of the Year, with songwriter Erik Griggs receiving recognition. The "American Idol" winner was not in attendance, nor was Brown, who was shouted-out earlier in the show.

T-Pain's music talents were recognized again when he, Jim Jonsin, J.R. Rotem and Los Da Mystro were noted as 2009 Top Producers. Universal Music Publishing Group was tapped as the Publisher of the Year after dominating the charts with hits like Lil Wayne's "Mrs. Officer," Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" and Flo Rida's "Low."

Hilson, Polow and Mario partied it up with Rihanna, Katy Perry and other stars later that night at the Hennessy Black-sponsored BMI afterparty at Manhattan's M2.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards air live this Sunday, September 13, at 9 p.m. ET, but New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long! Stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more.

• Rick Ross, Keri Hilson, Big Boi, More At BMI Awards

• Kanye West
• Lil Wayne
• T-Pain
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• Gnarls Barkley

T.I.
Photo: Getty Images/ Evan Agostini

"No one on the corner got swagger like these four guys." Lil Wayne was correct; it was an event, a milestone — Weezy, Jay-Z, Kanye West and T.I. on "Swagga Like Us."

The record brought together a cross section of cities on wax and four out of the top-10 MCs in the game. "No one on the corner got swagger like us." Hell yeah, M.I.A. — the track's producer Kanye West used her voice as a secret weapon, another musical firearm to go along with that sumo-heavy bass and marching-band drum line. It arrived out of nowhere (leaked several weeks before its strategically planned debut) and immediately became an anthem for sports teams and anybody in the club. The record also became a favorite of some MCs to freestyle on, trying to prove they too belonged on the all-star track.

"Swagger" might have been our Hip-Hop Song of the Year (an honor that went to Lil Wayne's "A Milli" instead) if the vision for the record were fully realized — there was no video and not even a proper live performance with all four of its stars. Still, it makes the top spot on our list of Underground Joints of '08 ("Swagga" was released as a single on iTunes prior to coming out on T.I.'s Paper Trail.) Here's a list of seven other songs you may have slept on but definitely need to have in heavy rotation.

Eight Essential Underground Joints of '08

1. T.I. and Jay-Z (featuring Lil Wayne and Kanye West) - "Swagga Like Us"
2. Joe Budden - "Who (Parts 1, 2 and 3)"
3. Jay-Z - "Jockin' Jay-Z"
4. Shawty Lo (featuring Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Lil Wayne and Plies) - "Dey Know" remix
5. Lil Wayne (featuring Jay-Z) - "Mr. Carter"
6. Big Boi (featuring Andre 3000 and Raekwon) - "Royal Flush"
7. The Game (featuring Nas) - "Letter to the King"
8. Nas - "Breathe"

Honorable Mentions

»Gucci Mane (featuring Yo Gotti and Yung Ralph) - "Bricks"
»Plies - "Ol' Lady"
»DJ Felli Fel (featuring Kanye West, Jermaine Dupri and Fabolous) - "Finer Things"
»Kid Cudi (featuring Jim Jones) - "Day 'N' Nite remix
»The Game - "Big Dreams"
»Fat Joe (featuring Lil Wayne) - "Crackhouse"
»Charles Hamilton, Asher Roth and B.O.B. - "Change Gone Come"
»Nas - "Testify"

• T.I.
• Big Boi
• Shawty Lo
• Joe Budden

Outkast's Big Boi with Ludacris
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

While rumors continue to swirl about which artists will play at President-elect Barack Obama's official inaugural ball, it sounds like two of the Illinois senator's biggest hip-hop supporters, Ludacris and OutKast's Big Boi, have already locked down some of the performers for their Urban Ball, part of the American Music Inaugural Balls taking place in Washington, D.C.

On January 20, D.C.'s Marriott Wardman Park Hotel will hold two American Music events. Luda and Big Boi will co-host the Urban Ball, which is reportedly slated to include appearances from David Banner, Bobby Valentino, Lil Jon, T-Pain, Cedric the Entertainer, the Cheetah Girls, Fantasia and Monica. A number of former NBA players will also reportedly be on hand, including Jalen Rose, Kenny Smith and Alonzo Mourning. Tickets for the ball will run you $350. Spokespeople for Luda and Big Boi could not be reached for comment at press time.

The lineup for the Legends Ball, co-hosted by Dionne Warwick and Yolanda Adams, is slated to feature appearances by Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Kirk Franklin, Harold Melvin & Blue Notes, the Temptations with Dennis Edwards, Isaiah Washington and Reggie Miller. Tickets for this event will cost $450.

Speculation has continued to swirl over which artists will play Obama's official ball, with Shakira's name the latest celebrity in a mix that already included an offer to perform from Beyoncé and a denial from the Obama camp that fellow Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson had been tapped to sing at the ball. One thing is for sure: MTV will be hosting its own "Be the Change Inaugural Ball," co-hosted by ServiceNation, to celebrate the massive youth-voter turnout in this year's presidential election.

• Ludacris
• OutKast
• Big Boi

Outkast's Big Boi
Photo: MTV News

ATLANTA — Big Boi is getting his second solo album, Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty, back on the good foot. The street-embedded member of Outkast says that despite a delay, his record is still coming.

"The South got something to say, and we gonna keep on talking," he told us recently in Atlanta. The roll-out plan for his LP seems to coincide once again with that of his partner, Andre 3000, and the 'Kast have been putting their heads together in preparations.

"Me and 'Dre were on the conference call [recently]," Big explained. "He's working on his album; my album is done. We're gonna wait until the top of the year — January or February — to put it out. Then 'Dre is gonna come hit y'all, and [then] we're gonna do the Outkast album. So y'all gonna get three records from the 'Kast next year."

Besides being holed up in the studio working on these records, Daddy Fat Sacks has also been spending time on the set — he's due to appear on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" next Tuesday, November 25. He plays a rapper — Gots Money — who gets greedy. Instead of just relying on the loot he gets as an artist, he decides to get involved with an animal-smuggling ring — when the cops catch him, he turns sides and works undercover for the authorities.

Now, we have heard about the 'Kast pulling a trifecta of albums before, and it hasn't materialized — but it might actually happen this time. Andre 3000 told MTV News' Mixtape Monday in September he had finally started work on his album.

"To be honest, I work best when people doubt me," 'Dre explained. "Our whole Outkast career has been built on people doubting us. [Hip-hop fans] up North hated on us from the get-go. We wouldn't be Outkast if people didn't understand what people would call weird. You know, none of that would've happened. Actually, if you see me, tell me I'm wack. That's the best thing you can do for me. You know, if you want a greater album, say that. Say that!"

• OutKast
• Big Boi

50 Cent and Shawty Lo on the BET Hip-Hop Awards red carpet
Photo: Getty Images

ATLANTA — Hip-hop has grown up for sure. At the BET Hip-Hop Awards, any artist with issues on the streets was able to leave those issues on the asphalt without soiling the red carpet.

"This is a great moment. Everybody is peaceful, I'm peaceful," Maino said on Saturday afternoon in front of the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. He was standing almost directly next to some of his foes in hip-hop, Lil' Cease and Gravy. Even though Maino has had words for both MCs on mixtapes and even had a physical altercation with Lil' Cease a couple of years back, everything remained peaceful. Saturday was a time for the culture and its artists to shine. No time for black eyes on the game.

"At the end of the day, you gotta have some common sense. Don't mess up some of the only good things we got," Juelz Santana said about an hour later as he walked the carpet.

"We're here to celebrate," Talib Kweli added. "Celebration is king. No room for all that nonsense."

A few minutes earlier, Kweli was saluting Ice Cube, whom he credits with being one of his huge inspirations as an MC. "If it wasn't for Ice Cube and Lynch Mob records, I wouldn't know how to do this," said the Brooklyn wordsmith as he stood with the West Coast icon. "I got my own label now. Raw Footage is an incredible album. From AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted to Raw Footage, I want to have that kind of longevity in the game, whether I'm doing other things or not."

The former N.W.A. member also gave his friend props. "Lyrics always win; that's why we still here," Cube said. "[Talib] stays true to his heart, not always chasing that dollar. Some of us get in the game and be like, 'If I make this pop song, I can make a lot of money.' Some MCs stay true. That's the difference between a rapper and an MC. You got a true MC right here that I always pay respect to."

Elsewhere on the carpet, Musiq Soulchild stood with Salt, Pepa and Spinderella. The soul man said he was very much looking forward to sharing the stage with Cube, who was a last-minute replacement for the Game.

"Today I'm here to perform with Ice Cube the second single off his album, 'Why Me,' " Musiq said. "I feel honored I can contribute to Ice Cube's legacy. He contributed so much to hip-hop music. Coming from a wild gangsta past, now he's informing people on the ramifications of being gangsta and living that whole life. He's doing his part of giving back to the community. I'm honored to be a part of that."

As Alfamega, who's signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle label, paid homage to one of the all-time goddesses of rap, Yo-Yo, they were joined by T-Pain in a very impromptu MTV News interview.

"Sexiness, sassiness," Mega said of Yo-Yo. "She still brings it. [She doesn't look] a day over 26."

"I just turned 27," said the rap queen, who in turn paid compliments to Pain.

"I used to do radio in Los Angeles," Yo-Yo remembered of the singer. "He came to radio when he was first pushing his project. I knew then he was a star. I knew he had a lot of talent. Early one morning during the morning show with me, I made him sing. I'm so proud to see young men pushing the limit in hip-hop, not being afraid to take hip-hop to another level. When we started out, that's something we were afraid to do. We always wanted to take hip-hop to another level but it always had its stigmas, some kind of dress code. But now you're bringing it up."

Pain was all smiles when talking about his 11th-hour call to replace Katt Williams as the show's host. He said he didn't have a bunch of things drawn out, and the show would be more free-wheeling.

"We're running it man," he said. "I know they got one thing planned for me. It's gonna be crazy. But you know me; I'm going in."

Another unexpected encounter was between DJ Khaled, his artist Ace Hood and Oukast's Big Boi. Khaled said he wanted to be down with Outkast's next LP.

"I want in," he said with a wide grin. "I want in on that Outkast album. Tell Andre. I want in, a feature or something."

It was definitely awkward seeing 50 Cent, who showed up just minutes prior to Khaled and company, in such close proximity to the Terror Squad DJ/ crowd-motivator — especially since Fif has well-documented issues with Terror Squad don Fat Joe. But no one was tripping: Everyone was there to show love to their art form. 50 later took a picture with Atlanta's Shawty Lo.

Later E-40 strolled down the carpet with his wife, while Monica and Rocko made their arrival together.

Monica has been happy to see the event take place in her city. "I think it says a lot for us, because in 1995, we had to go somewhere else to do what we had to do," she said. "Now we can just get up out of bed and get on the freeway. It's an enormous blessing and it shows everybody how all of us in Atlanta — hip-hop and R&B — how we really come to together on a regular basis."

• 2008 BET Hip-Hop Awards Red Carpet

• Big Boi
• T-Pain
• Talib Kweli
• Ice Cube

Big Boi
Photo: MTV News

Welcome to the home of Sir Luscious Left Foot, a.k.a. the Courvoisier Lounge, or just the plain old Boom Boom Room. Big Boi's Stankonia Recording Studio is an inner sanctum/ playground where Big and his guests, including Lil Jon, E-40 and Raekwon, come to play after the work is done ... or to inspire more work.

"There's no format, really, to follow once you start recording," Big said of constructing his solo LP Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. "To me, my album is like building a house. I work on all the songs at the same time. I might jump from song to song all throughout the time I'm makin' the album. I've always been like that. It just works out. Right now, we're just putting the sod in the front of the house. We almost done."

The first part of the house we heard was "Royal Flush," a hard-edged track on which both members of Outkast lyrically frolic over an instrumental with Raekwon the Chef.

"[Andre 3000] has a couple beats for me, but right now he's in Japan working on his clothing line. So when he gets back, if time permits, we'll get on that," Big said of having more contributions from his partner on the album. "But we gonna record those songs anyway. He's done more than enough that's needed right now.

"For so many years, the press just really couldn't get a hold on what they wanted to say [about Outkast]," Big continued. " 'How are these boys makin' this good-ass music, and they still together after 15 years?' So they created some hype like, 'Outkast is breaking up.' Which is not the case. Now nobody's saying that. We done 'Royal Flush,' 'Da Art of Storytellin', Pt. 4.' [If] you kinda mastered your craft and got what you wanted, you can branch off and do different things. This is like breathing to us; [it's] what we do. So all the hype and 'Outkast is breaking up' — all that is silenced right now."

It is not likely that we'll see a video for "Royal Flush," but Daddy Fat Sacks said a song with Mary J. Blige is a strong possibility to officially launch the project.

"We did a stupid duet called 'The World Is Too Big,' " he said. "It's been labeled as the recession special, basically. It just basically talks about everything that's going on in the world right now, because a lot of the music — I'd say about 90 percent of it right now — is just not factual to what's happening in the world. It's a lot of fantasy music goin' on. My thing is, like I said, to educate and entertain. If you got the forum to speak, you touch the people with something you gotta say, and you can move people's lives that way. Got that? 'The World Is Too Big,' 'Royal Flush' with Dre and Raekwon, I got a song [with] Khujo Goodie called 'Tambourine Village.' Crazy! And just a couple little tricks I'mma pull out of the bag in a minute. I just don't know where I'm gonna put certain people right now, but it's definitely action-packed. I have about 14 to 15 cuts, and I've got two more songs to finish."

Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty is due out later this summer.

• Big Boi Almost Ready To Unleash Sir Luscious Left Foot

• OutKast
• Big Boi

Big Boi on the set of "Big"
Photo: MTV News

Big Boi may have taken to calling himself Sir Luscious Left Foot, but the Outkast rapper isn't usually one to cut up a rug.

Yet he somehow managed to snag both a role and creative-director position in a ballet production titled "Big." The show — which opens Friday (April 11) at Atlanta's Fox Theater — centers around a child named Little Big.

The Grammy-winning rapper will perform "with some jeans on, believe that," he told MTV News earlier this week. "No tutus."

Costume issues aside, Big Boi said he was game when Atlanta Ballet's artistic director John McFall first approached him with the idea.

"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I was like, 'Huh, y'all wanna do that?' [Then] I said, 'OK, let's crank it up.' "

So, for the past year, the rapper recruited bandmembers, developed a story line and worked with choreographer Lauri Stallings to put the project together. For the show, he selected about 10 Outkast songs, plus songs by Sleepy Brown and former protégé Janelle Monáe, who also join the dancers onstage.

"It's about Little Big and the innocence of a child and just different things happening during the scenes, or whatever, that could affect the directions he goes and the mind state he has."

"I just think it's about having fun," 12-year-old Kameron Davis, who plays Little Big, chimed in.

The production is now set for a six-show run, but Big said if things go well, it may hit the road as a tour. If it does, he'll have to juggle "Big" with his long-awaited solo album, Sir Luscious Left Foot, due in July. The slick lyricist will debut a new song from the album, "Sir Luscious Left Foot Saves the Day," during his ballet performance.

It's just another notch in the nattily clad rapper's belt. Although Outkast has a reputation for being left-of-center, Big said his pairing with the ballet was actually an easy fit in his eyes. He was more surprised that the ballet would go with it.

"It was a natural thing [for me]," he said. "I've seen it before. As a kid you go and see 'The Nutcracker.' But for them to take a risk and get some music that's gonna beat their back out and do some hard-core funk music and let the ballet audience meet the hip-hop audience — I thought it'd be a good collaboration."

• Big Boi Collaborates With The Atlanta Ballet

• Big Boi
• OutKast

Big Boi
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

Big Boi is stitching together his upcoming album, Sir Luscious Left Foot, which will be released separately from Andre 3000's own new project and be followed by a proper Outkast release. Big Boi told Vibe.com that fans can expect to hear the first single from his effort at midnight on New Year's Eve. "I want all the stuff to be '08, everything to be brand new," he said. "I'm going to put 12 songs on [Sir Luscious Left Foot], I'm finished with like nine right now. Production is by Organized Noize." ...

The White Stripes trekked heavily in support of Icky Thump this year, but could those have been the band's final tours ever? "If we didn't ever tour again, it doesn't matter to me," Jack White told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that ran in the paper's Sunday edition. "There's so many different aspects to being creative that it doesn't matter if one component is changed. Because it's been changing all the time since the band started." The frontman insisted, however, that he will tour with his side project the Raconteurs for their yet-untitled second album, which he reportedly said is halfway done and due in '08. ...

Amy Winehouse previously announced that she had scrapped her remaining concert dates and public appearances for the year, but a little thing called the Grammy Awards has changed all that. "Amy is grateful and excited about the nominations, and she is planning to attend [the ceremony]," her publicist, Tracey Miller, confirmed to MTV News on Monday (December 10). But while Winehouse may be all smiles over her six nominations, she probably isn't too pleased about an open letter her mother reportedly sent to the British tabloid News of the World. In the letter, Janis begged her daughter to come home and get some help. She explained why she hadn't gone public until now, writing, "People will wonder why I haven't run down to whatever hotel you're staying in, scooped you up and taken you home for a hot bath and a steaming bowl of chicken soup. It's because your father and I know what you're like, Amy. We want to help you, but we know that unless you want to be helped — unless you come to us — anything we tried would be in vain." And though she admitted she's not the #1 fan of Winehouse's troubled husband, Blake Fielder-Civil — currently in jail following an arrest last month on charges of allegedly trying to interfere with a trial on an assault charge — Janis Winehouse said she knows Amy has made her choice. "Blake your husband might not be my favourite person — you know that, Amy — but he's your choice, and I would never say anything about him to hurt you. ... If your relationship is meant to be, it will survive." Janis Winehouse wrote that she thinks early fame has overwhelmed her daughter and that it has "dizzied" and "muddled" her mind. "For a moment, forget you're a superstar. You're also young and vulnerable. Remember you're just an ordinary human being, not stronger than any of the rest of us. You think you're strong enough to get through this on your own, darling, but you're not." The letter comes less than a week after Winehouse was photographed walking through the streets of London in a bra and jeans in the early morning hours. "We were terrified after we saw those pictures of you earlier this week, wandering the freezing streets of London at dawn in your underwear. All I wanted to do was rush into those pictures and wrap you up in a big, warm blanket." ...

Good news for Bow Wow fans: The singer plans to return to his his tour with Chris Brown, Sean Kingston, Soulja Boy, Lil Mama and others starting Thursday in Memphis, Tennessee. According to a statement issued by his publicist, Bow Wow is still recovering and, as it turns out, his recent rush to the hospital didn't stem from exhaustion, as was previously thought, but rather an appendix infection. ... Jessica Simpson is ganging up with Stride Rite Children's Group for the design, development, manufacturing and distribution of a line of tween kicks. The footwear collection will debut in 2008 and feature current Simpson women's styles in youth sizes, as well as youth-specific silhouettes. The footwear will be available at major department stores and specialty retailers. ...

Green Day may have done it again. A '60s-inspired band called Foxboro Hot Tubs have posted a six-song EP on FoxboroHotTubs.com that bears all the hallmarks of the Green Day sound. Songs like "Stop Drop and Roll," "Mother Mary" and "Ruby Room" trade snarling political anthems for bouncy, poppy melodies and sweet "Ooh, ooh" and "Bah, bah, bah" backing vocals, with a lead singer who sounds like a cardigan-sweater-wearing Billie Joe Armstrong. Green Day have not officially confirmed that the six songs available for free download on the site are their handiwork, but four years ago they pulled a similar stunt with their side project the Network. ...

Led Zeppelin's wildly anticipated reunion show went down Monday night in London, but before it did came news of the band's backstage rider, which includes requests for tea, coffee and an ironing board, according to reports. Also, according to the Los Angeles Times, Randy Phillips, the chief executive of AEG Live, which organized the concert, said he'll head from Los Angeles to England to "meet with Bill Curbishley, the band's manager, and hand him a huge offer" for a possible tour. "The reality is, Zeppelin has not agreed to a tour," he told the paper. "They want to play this show and see how it goes, how it feels, and then go from there. There's nothing firm yet, but maybe afterward." ... Eric Avery, the bassist and co-founder of Jane's Addiction, will issue a solo LP, Help Wanted, April 8. The set will include guest spots by Garbage's Shirley Manson, Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea. ...

Troubled ex-"American Idol" finalist Jessica Sierra wouldn't be able to perform at a holiday tribute to U.S. troops in Washington, D.C., on Friday, even if she wanted to. According to The Associated Press, organizers of the concert said the 22-year-old singer has been uninvited from the show, in light of her recent arrest and current jailing over charges of disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest after a scuffle at a Tampa, Florida, bar on December 1. "While we appreciate Ms. Sierra's past efforts to support U.S. troops, including performing for them in Iraq on Independence Day, it is quite obvious that Ms. Sierra needs to devote a great deal of time to putting her life back together," Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Buzz Patterson said in a statement released Friday. ...

Members of DevilDriver, Lamb of God, Soilwork and Killswitch Engage honored the memory of late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott on Saturday by performing a cover of Pantera's "Five Minutes Alone" during the bands' gig at the Nokia Theatre in Dimebag's hometown of Grand Prairie, Texas. The performance happened on the three-year anniversary of Dimebag's death. ... Marilyn Manson has unveiled the dates for his upcoming U.S. run. The trek is set to kick off January 19 in Orlando, Florida, and run through February 25 in San Diego. No support acts have been announced yet. ...

The Deftones have completed about six to eight songs for their next LP, according to an online post from the band. "We've taken a different approach to writing this record than we have the past few years, and so far it's been a lot of fun," the statement reads. "The material seems to be flowing freely, and each song is different from the other. We feel like we're accomplishing what we set out to do, which is to write a record that pushes boundaries for us creatively." ... The Mars Volta have lined up shows in support of their forthcoming LP, The Bedlam in Goliath. The band kicks off its tour December 31 in San Francisco and has dates booked through January 27 in Boulder, Colorado. ...

Perez Hilton wants Lindsay Lohan's friend Samantha Ronson to fork over $93,000 for attorneys fees after his lawyers successfully defended him in the Los Angeles DJ's lawsuit against the blogger, according to Los Angeles TV affiliate KNBC. In her suit, Ronson alleged Hilton defamed her when his site reported that she might have owned the cocaine discovered in Lohan's car when the singer was arrested. Ronson claims that Hilton's depiction of her as a "disloyal, dishonest friend who 'sold out' and 'set up' her friend Lohan for personal financial gain" was nothing but libel. ... Phil Spector's murder retrial is likely to be delayed until September because the only remaining Spector attorney from the original trial, a lawyer who is involved in two death-penalty cases, is unavailable until the fall. In a separate development, the music producer hired a new lawyer late last week. A mistrial in Spector's case was declared in late September after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. ...

The Universal Music Group has become the final one of the four major labels to sign a deal providing its music to social-networking site imeem. Like the others, the home of Amy Winehouse, 50 Cent and U2 will allow free streaming of full songs in exchange for a cut of imeem's advertising revenue, according to Forbes.com. This gives imeem an advantage over sites like MySpace, where Universal has restricted its song and video streams to 90 seconds in length.

12.7.2007

You probably didn't take Ashlee Simpson as a fan of Salvador Dalí, but the famed artist's surrealism is exactly the look she went for in her new video, according to Billboard.com. The singer shot a clip for "Out of My Head (Ay Ya Ya)," the Timbaland-produced first single from her yet-untitled March album, on Thursday. "One of my favorite artists is Salvador Dalí," she told the site. "You'll see a little bit of that surrealism in [the clip]. There's a bit of 'Being John Malkovich' in there too. It's a little out there." Simpson also said she will title the album during the holidays and hopes to kick off a small-club tour in February. ...

Kanye West has backed out of what would have been his first concert on U.S. soil since the unexpected death of his mother, Dr. Donda West, last month. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that West dropped off the bill for the KDWB Jingle Ball at the Target Center slated for Friday night (December 7) in Minneapolis with only a few days' notice, due to an unspecified "family matter." "American Idol" runner-up Blake Lewis and Fabolous will fill in for West on the bill, which also includes Avril Lavigne, Timbaland, Good Charlotte and Jordin Sparks. "We tried to get [West] on the air to explain all this to fans, but he refused," said Rob Morris, the station's program director. "We did everything we could to save this thing." ...

West, Avril Lavigne, Common and Coldplay are just a few of the many celebs who have pitched in for Waxploitation's new Darfur Benefit Auction, which launched Thursday. Lavigne, Com, the Flaming Lips, Norah Jones, Nickelback and Deftones signed guitars for the auction; 'Ye, Coldplay, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, TV on the Radio, Wilco, the Decemberists, Aesop Rock, Macy Gray, Thievery Corporation and Gorillaz signed other items; and there are additional items from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lupe Fiasco, Don Cheadle, and Bam Margera. All proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America. ...

Speaking of eBay charity auctions, Gorillaz's Damon Albarn, Robert Plant, Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, PJ Harvey and others have written and signed postcards for a British one that's currently up. One of Plant's postcards quizzically has just two words above his John Hancock: "Mitigating circumstances." Daddy G of Massive Attack and actress Helen Mirren also pitched in for the effort, which is raising money for Carers UK, an organization that gives financial and emotional support to individuals who provide unpaid health and social care. ...

J.K. Rowling has posted a new entry on her Web site, calling out the launch of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" at the National History Museum in London and insisting that the book is her fave of the series. "As for mourning Harry — and I doubt I will be believed when I say this — nobody can have felt the end as deeply as I did. The writing of 'Harry Potter' has been inextricably linked with my life for 17 years, and saying goodbye has been just as tough as I always knew it would be." Rowling also revealed that a documentary surrounding her is on the way. "J.K. Rowling - A Year in the Life," which will air later this month in the U.K., shadows the author working on "Deathly Hallows," on tour and at the launch. ...

After visa issues forced Velvet Revolver to cancel their tour of Japan, and "health issues" forced the band to postpone its Australian tour — a week after the DUI arrest of singer Scott Weiland — the group has announced a New Year's Eve show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The band also said that part of the proceeds from a limited-edition T-shirt sold at its Wednesday benefit with Alice in Chains at Universal City, California's Gibson Amphitheatre will be donated to victims of the recent Southern California fires. Meanwhile, the Australian tour dates have been rescheduled for February and will kick off with a show on the 15th in Brisbane. ... It was a rare bit of good legal news for Kid Rock this week when a judge in New Orleans dismissed Louisiana musician Troy Landry's claim that the rapper's song "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" was too similar to one of his songs. According to The Associated Press, U.S. District Judge May Ann Vial Lemmon said the works were not "so strikingly or substantially similar as to preclude independent creation." Landry sued Rock (born Robert Ritchie) and Atlantic Records in 2004, claiming that an eight-second snippet of "Feel This" that was featured in a beer commercial was similar to a song Landry released on a 1994 record. ...

Madonna is suing the board and management company of her luxury New York apartment — which includes a 6,000-square-foot duplex, a gym and a beauty salon — for not allowing her to expand it into a neighboring apartment, according to the Daily News. In a recently filed summons, the singer reportedly accuses the board and management company of breach of contract for holding up the sale of the other apartment. ... In other Madge news, Billboard.com reported Thursday that her new album would be called Licorice and drop in late April, but her label is saying not so fast. "Wrong title. Release date wrong etc.," Warner Bros. spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told Reuters. She did not, however, appear to deny the reported participation of Kanye West and Pharrell on the effort. ... Björk has reunited with director Michel Gondry — who got behind the camera for some of the singer's best-known videos, including "Human Behaviour" and "Army of Me" — for a new clip, RollingStone.com reports. The collaboration, for her song "Declare Independence," marks their first hookup in 10 years. ...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have lined up three gigs he'll play in the summer at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to Billboard.com. Sixty-six Springsteen concerts have reportedly sold out at the venue in the past, and the upcoming gigs will be held July 27, 28 and 31. ... So is that much-rumored new studio album by the Pixies still in the works? "Helll no," Kim Deal recently told RollingStone.com about participating on a potential new effort. "Because I don't want to," she added. She said she didn't think her bandmates wanted to make one either. "I was kind of waiting for [Frank Black and guitarist Joey Santiago] to get together and do demos, and they never did." ... "Wire" fans, there's another reason to get psyched, beyond the upcoming launch of the show's new season: Two soundtracks are on the way, Pitchfork reports. ... And All the Pieces Matter - Five Years of Music From "The Wire" will include music and dialogue from the lauded HBO show; tracks by Steve Earle, Solomon Burke and others; as well as variations of Tom Waits' "Down in the Hole" theme sung by the Blind Boys of Alabama and others. Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Club Tracks From "The Wire" will highlight underground B-More rappers like Rod Lee, Tyree Colion and Diablo. Both discs drop January 8, two days after the new season starts airing. ...

Will Smith, Ralph Macchio wannabe? Believe it or not, the "I Am Legend" actor is entertaining the idea of a "Karate Kid" remake, according to AP. While there aren't many more details yet on that shocker, there is some more news on the "I Am Legend" front: The flick's theatrical release in China is being held up due to the country's plan to temporarily ban American movies in an effort to help China's domestic-film industry. ... Kiefer Sutherland, who has served three of the 48 days he has been sentenced to spend in jail, is a "model prisoner," said Officer John Balian, a spokesman for the Glendale City Jail in California, according to People.com. Sutherland reportedly spent Thursday folding jail laundry and has been assigned to serve meals to the other inmates. "He's not happy to be here," Balian said. "But you can tell from his demeanor that he's sorry and takes responsibility for what he's done." ...

A fifth person has been charged with conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice in the case involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, BBC News reports. James Kennedy is due in court Friday. ... Billy Joel has released a new anti-war song — though the piano man isn't heard singing on the track. Instead, 21-year-old New York singer/songwriter Cass Dillon handled the duties. Joel thought "somebody young, about a soldier's age," should be heard on "Christmas in Fallujah," he recently told AP. The track went on sale on iTunes starting Tuesday, and net proceeds are going to Homes for Our Troops, a charity group that constructs homes for wounded Iraq and Afghanistan vets. ...

Hip-hop icon MC Lyte is prepping the debut from her new group, Almost September, which also features producer/DJ Jared Lee and singer Whitey White. Manager "Blue" Williams said the trio have a "grown-up rap" feel that mixes Lyte's rhymes with soulful funk akin to the Brand New Heavies. The group's first single, "Beautiful," will be available on iTunes before the end of the year. ...

Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton has been diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, an often-temporary neurological disorder that causes paralysis of the face, after being rushed to the hospital Thursday. According to a statement from his publicist, Benton felt ill during the band's Wednesday night show in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and has been ordered to stay off the road for at least six weeks. "I'm really bummed that because of this, we can't perform this last string of shows," he said in the statement. "I want to thank the fans for their continued support."

[This story was originally published at 1:17 pm E.T. on 12.10.2007]

• Big Boi
• Amy Winehouse
• Led Zeppelin
• Green Day
• Foo Fighters

UGK's Pimp C
Photo: Bill Olive/Getty Images

When your first name is Pimp, obviously you are a bold, bold man. But aside from his endearingly brash appeal, Pimp C was somebody who his friends and industry counterparts describe as genuine, big-hearted and funny.

Pimp C (real name: Chad Butler) was found dead Tuesday in his Los Angeles hotel room. As half of UGK, named one of MTV News' Greatest Hip-Hop Groups of All Time, Pimp's influence was far-reaching, both personally and professionally.

In a statement released late Wednesday afternoon (December 5), Bun B, Pimp C's longtime friend and the other half of UGK, said, "His genius was unparalleled. His passion was undeniable and his love was unmatched. To say that I lost a friend or brother would never do justice to the relationship we shared. I will never be the same again. Bun B."

"He was one of the funniest guys I ever met," Swizz Beatz, who worked on UGK's most-recent LP, Underground Kingz, said Tuesday night. "His character had me on the floor the whole time. I thought I was the only person in this industry who had some humor, not trying to act like a killer all the time. ... It's sad he went out. It's sad for hip-hop."

"You kept it trill way before I had a deal," Lil' Flip raps in a Pimp C tribute song, "RIP Pimp C," released Wednesday morning. "I can't believe we lost you and [Big] Moe the same year/ We miss you, homie/ We got your back though."

Pimp wasn't just a person his peers looked up to professionally; many also considered themselves fortunate to become friends with him.

"My initial reaction was disbelief," Slim Thug said Wednesday. "I just talked to him the other day. Me and Pimp were cool, for real. I always talk to him and Bun B on the regular. He always reached out to me and made it be known, 'I got love for Slim Thug,' in interviews he did and everything. He always showed me a whole lot of love. So that's why it hurt to see a good dude like that go.

"I remember soon as he got out of jail, I went to his video shoot," Slim added. "And just approaching him like, 'What's up? I'm Slim Thug.' And he was like, 'Man, I already know about you. I got love for you, and I respect what you doing. Here goes my number. Call me if you need anything.' I still got his card. Man ... I just want to send my condolences out. I'm just sitting here seeing this happen and wishing Pimp would just wake up."

"He was cool as hell," said Outkast's Big Boi, who was noticeably distraught when he spoke of his friend and "Int'l Players Anthem" co-star during a Tuesday phone call. "He was real laid-back, down-to-earth. We would talk from time to time. We hung out at a couple of clubs a couple of times. He was the real thing. He wasn't putting on a front or acting out a character: That was really him. Real good dude. So much fun and charisma.

"Once [Outkast] got in the game, we recorded a couple of tracks with each other," Big added. "We kicked it. Pimp C was living in Atlanta. ... He came to the house when we had our little parties. He's just my dog. Real honorable, real cool, really respected."

Big said being around Pimp and Bun B was definitely like being around family — his longtime musical clique, the Dungeon Family. "It's like having a crew," Big said of working with UGK. "They're like an extended part of our Dungeon Family. They were real close with [Big] Gipp and Rico [Wade] and pretty much everybody down with us all the way down. When the studio came, it was time to bomb on the tracks and make hits. It was like having Goodie Mob in the room, you know?"

Like many hip-hop fans, especially in the South, Big and Andre 3000 were influenced by the Underground Kingz at a very early age. "We had UGK tapes; we would listen to them on the way to high school," Big Boi said. "[We listened to] them and 8Ball and MJG. They were two of the groups we looked up to when we was coming up.

"It was the lyricism, man," Big added about what attracted him to UGK. "They were so real and blunt and honest with it. They said what they wanted to say. They were from Port Arthur, Texas, and represented that and told you what they went through. People have to realize the legacy of Pimp C is gonna live through the music. The boy got a hellafied catalog."

A lot of the classic songs in that catalog were produced by Pimp. "Dope," Big said of Pimp's beats. "Some of the most funkiest, vintage, country rap tunes you ever heard. If you go back and get the CDs and read the credits, you'll see some of your favorites were produced by Pimp C, as well as him and Bun B together. His talent went a long way as an MC and as a producer.

"A lot of people don't know that he made damn near all the beats on the old UGK albums," Big Boi continued. "He had a whole other sound. He gave Texas its sound. He was our Lil Jon, when it comes to a sound. You hear Jon and you know ATL, crunk music. Well, Pimp gave us our own sound out here, with what him and Bun were doing with UGK. He was cold with it. He was a genius at what he did with that."

The UGK legacy grew by leaps and bounds in 2007. The legends were finally able to capitalize on years of adulation with their first #1 album, Underground Kingz, and their biggest single, "Int'l Players Anthem."

"I think that [2007] was the rebirth of UGK," Swizz Beatz said. "They came with a fresh sound, got a new audience, stepped up their lyrical, reached out to a lot of people like myself and Outkast, brought in another side of UGK that was embracing the industry and showed everybody was rocking with them. It was amazing. And the album was good music."

"Bun B stayed down with him 300 percent [while Pimp was in jail]," Big Boi said. "He kept the UGK name and the Pimp C name alive. When Pimp got out, them boys reconvened and put the album together like [Pimp] ain't miss a day. It's a shame to see it go down how it went, now especially with them doing what they doing. It's a sad situation."

Pimp's mother, Weslyn "Wes" Monroe, told Port Arthur's KFDM News, "It's a terrible loss to the industry."

"What a nut he was," she added with a light smile. "C loved this community. He didn't leave, even when he came home [from jail], he chose to live here. ... So we need a tremendous support from the community."

[This story was originally published on 12.5.07 at 4:51 p.m. ET]

• Remembering UGK's Pimp C

• Pimp C
• UGK
• Big Boi
• Swizz Beatz
• Slim Thug

Andre 3000
Photo: Jive

Andre "3000" Benjamin — or "Been-Jammin' " — says all the momentum he's gained from guest appearances alongside the likes of UGK, DJ Unk and the Inc.'s Lloyd has spurred him to record his next LP. He's working on the project now and says his partner in Outkast is doing the same.

"Big Boi is working on a solo album right now. I'm working on a solo album as well because of all the remix work that's been coming out," Andre said — and added that he's contemplating teen Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girl" as his next remix to jump on. "After we do those solo albums, we're planning on doing another Outkast album. I don't know how long that's gonna be; it could be two years" (see "Andre 3000 Stewing Over What To 'Cook Up' For New Outkast LP").

There's no definitive word yet whether the two solo efforts will be released separately or as a joint venture, like they did with 2003's Grammy-winning Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below, (see "Big Boi Promises 'Something From Every Genre, Every Funk' On Solo LP"), but Andre already has another record on the market. He just released the soundtrack to his Cartoon Network series "Class of 3000," featuring songs written for and used in the show. The songs are performed by Dre, who plays the lead role of Sunny Bridges — a successful musician who gives up stardom to teach — as well as other characters from the program.

Releasing a "Class of 3000" soundtrack "didn't take much thought at all," he explained of the recent release. "The kids come up to me in public and sing the songs to me and wonder how they can get the songs and buy them and play them with mom and dad. So we said, 'Let's package them up' and it'll be a series — a first season soundtrack, a second season soundtrack. ... I hope when kids turn 20 years old, they'll be able to remember these songs like how I remember 'Peanuts' and all them songs."

Dre is already planning for the next season of his show and he says the learning experience of making a cartoon was a pleasant surprise.

"You're [recording dialogue] across from somebody that's 34 years old, and they're acting a fool. Acting like kid," he said about doing voiceovers for the show. "I had to catch up with them."

"I'm super happy," he added. "I been doing music for 13 years, but this is totally new for me. It's almost like I'm an underdog. I didn't know anything about animation. My partner didn't know anything about animation. We were going on our instincts. ... We didn't know what we couldn't do, so we tried everything. Thank goodness we're with Cartoon Network and they let us try everything."

Dre says he also had a lot of freedom while filming the comedy "Semi-Pro" with Ricky Bobby himself, Will Ferrell.

"It takes place in 1970s," he explained. "I play like this Dr. J type character. We're an ABA team. We're trying to make it to be a NBA team. It's hilarious."

Dre's name in the movie is Clarence Coffee Black, while Ferrell plays the team's owner Jackie Moon.

"He's a nut, but honestly when you're on set, he's a normal cool guy," Benjamin said of his co-star. "When we get into doing the scene, you're kinda in it, so you're not laughing at him, but when they yell, 'Cut,' oh, he's going for it! You laugh. A lot of the things people love about him, he makes them up. We have a script, but we usually go off script and naturally go at it. We do a few takes, but a lot of that they keep, 'cause it's naturally funny."

Andre revealed that he would love to show his more serious side in a biopic. His name has been attached to the big-screen life stories of Sammy Davis Jr. as well as Jimi Hendrix (see "Outkast's Andre 3000 Has Been Doing His Hendrix Homework"), but he says it's just Tinseltown chatter as of now.

"It's been talked about. I'd love to do it," he said of the Davis film. "But Hollywood, I tell you ... it's been talk about Jimi Hendrix, Sammy Davis — until there's a script and I'm on the set and shooting, you can never say. But I'd love to. I'm around."

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Red Carpet Spectacular: Photos From The 2007 Grammy Awards

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