Da Brat
Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/ Getty Images

Rapper Da Brat was sentenced to three years behind bars, seven years of probation and 200 hours of community service Friday morning (August 22) for striking a woman in the face with a rum bottle. The October 2007 incident at an Atlanta-area nightclub left the victim's face permanently scarred.

According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gail Flake handed down the punishment, while about six members of the rapper's family quietly wept inside the courtroom. Da Brat (born Shawntae Harris) told her relatives "I love y'all" as she was led out of the courtroom by sheriff's deputies. "We love you too," they replied.

Harris had pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault, a charge stemming from a serious physical altercation that happened last Halloween during a party at Jermaine Dupri's Studio 72 nightclub just outside Atlanta. According to reports, Da Brat got into a heated confrontation with one of the club's waitresses and was accused of striking the woman in the face with a bottle of rum, causing numerous cuts on her face.

The waitress was taken to a hospital for treatment. Police said the Halloween attack wasn't the first time Da Brat and the victim were involved in a physical altercation.

This is also not Da Brat's first brush with the law. In 2000 she faced charges that she beat a woman with a gun during a dispute over VIP seating in a Buckhead, Georgia, nightclub. The victim in that incident received six stitches for a head wound. That case did not make it to trial, however. Instead, in 2001 the rapper agreed to perform 80 hours of community service, serve a year's probation and pay a $1,000 fine after pleading guilty to misdemeanor reckless conduct.

• Da Brat

Britney Spears in her "Do Somethin' " music video
Photo: Sony BMG

Celebrities who want to show their love for Louis Vuitton in their videos and album covers better think twice. The company has settled out of court with record label Sony BMG, which represents Da Brat, Ruben Studdard and Britney Spears — all of whom used the brand without authorization.

Louis Vuitton has won an undisclosed sum after battling the label for the past five years. The amount of the earnings is estimated to be near $300,000. The design house didn't like the use of the Louis Vuitton brand in a Da Brat video back in 2003, when the rapper was seen playing with an LV-printed beach ball.

It also didn't like two other uses of its sought-after symbol. Britney Spears rolled around in a pink Hummer with an LV-patterned dashboard in the "Do Somethin' " video. Regarding the video, the spokesperson said, "We don't make dashboards."

Meanwhile, the monogram was also used by "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard. The R&B singer's 2006 album, The Return, displayed a jacket with the insignia printed on it.

"We believe the terms of this agreement will provide strong protection to our brand worldwide," Nathalie Moulle-Berteaux, a spokesperson for the Parisian fashion house, said in a statement. She added that the label also agreed "to educate its record labels," which include Arista, Columbia and Epic, about copyright laws.

A spokesperson for the record label declined to comment on the issue.

• Britney Spears
• Da Brat
• Ruben Studdard

R. Kelly
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

R. Kelly is about to hit the road for his upcoming "Double Up" tour, which starts November 14, but that doesn't mean his child-pornography case will be on hold for the duration of his trek. In a hearing on Friday (November 2), a Chicago judge ruled that forensics expert Dr. Sharon Cooper can testify at a hearing, to be held December 18, about the veracity of her methods to determine her claims that Kelly is the man on the sex tape. Cooper has claimed she could identify him through the veins visible on his hands, and the hearing will be used to determine whether that method is acceptable in the scientific community at large. Cooper will also testify about how she determined the age of the victim on the tape, whom prosecutors say was 14 years old at the time of the alleged taping. Kelly will be in between show dates in Sacramento, California, and Chicago, and thus able to attend the hearing. ...

Jay-Z has some Sirius radio plans — the hip-hop mogul is taking over the satellite station for a week starting Monday, The Associated Press reports. He will be in command of Hip-Hop Nation channel 40, playing songs from his albums as well as other artists of his choosing. The stint comes at an opportune time for Jay — his new album, American Gangster, hits stores Tuesday. Sirius will also play back across various programs on the channel a concert Jay-Z is set to perform at Chicago's House of Blues. ...

Mariah Carey will play at a Glamour ceremony honoring the magazine's 2007 Women of the Year. She will perform with the African Children's Choir at the event, to be held Monday at New York's Avery Fisher Hall. The related issue — which spotlights Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Edwards, Toni Morrison and others — hits newsstands November 13. In other Mariah news, Elizabeth Arden announced on Friday an increase in first-quarter profits thanks to the singer's M by Mariah Carey perfume. The beauty-products company earned $350,000 on revenue of $271.8 million — a year before, the company lost $1.3 million on revenue of $254.8 million in the same quarter. Profits are expected to rise again next year. ...

Da Brat was released from jail after posting a $50,000 bond Thursday night, AP reports. The rapper (real name: Shawntae Harris) was involved in a serious physical altercation early Thursday morning at Jermaine Dupri's Atlanta nightclub, Studio 72. According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, police arrested her on felony aggravated-assault charges after she got into a heated confrontation with a waitress. Da Brat is said to have struck the waitress in the face with a bottle of rum, causing cuts on her face. The waitress was later taken to a local hospital for treatment. ... T-Pain had an uncomfortable experience on Friday when he was arrested in Florida on outstanding warrants, according to TMZ. The singer/rapper (real name: Faheem Najm) reportedly turned himself in to authorities at Leon County Jail, where he was charged with driving on a suspended license, and subsequently released on his own recognizance, without having to pay bail. According to TMZ, police saw T-Pain driving in Tallahassee in June and, after running his record, discovered that he had a suspended license. ...

Like Don Imus and others before him, Duane "Dog" Chapman's racially charged comments have resulted in his show being pulled from the airwaves — A&E yanked "Dog the Bounty Hunter" from its programming schedule on Friday. The channel's top-rated show is being pulled indefinitely, although it has not been canceled. At least two advertisers pulled away from the show on Thursday after a tape of a call between Chapman and his son Tucker — in which the TV star used the N-word repeatedly — surfaced on the National Enquirer's Web site the day before. Duane "Dog" Chapman's lawyer Brook Hart told AP Thursday that Tucker had taped the call and sold it to the tabloid for "a lot of money." ...

E-40 is turning 40! But the bash the Bay Area spitter is planning for November 15 at Las Vegas' Poetry Nightclub will serve as more than just a b-day celebration — E-40 will also be using the event to celebrate 20 years in the rap game and unveil his new beverage line, 40 Water. "Rapping brought me into the entertainment game; once I got in, my eyes got bigger," he said in a statement. "As a business man, I get the best of both worlds, and the privileges of working and reaping the benefits at the best time in my career." The star-studded party will also feature a sneak peek of his 2008 album, The Ball Street Journal, a yellow carpet and more. ...

When it comes to her spending money, Britney Spears always seems to be saying "Gimme More." Recently released court papers related to her custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline show that the singer drops serious coin on clothes and entertainment and doesn't save or invest any of her almost $737,000 in monthly income, according to AP. Among Spears' monthly expenses are $49,267 in mortgages for two houses; $16,000 for clothes; and $102,000 on entertainment, gifts and vacations. And even though she's a fast-food junkie, she also stated in her financial declarations that she drops $4,758 per month dining out. She also spends zero on education, while giving $500 a month in charitable contributions. Federline, meanwhile, gets $15,000 per month in child support and $20,000 in spousal support, with the latter ending on November 15. ... Don't believe Vanessa Hudgens? Just look at her feet. The "High School Musical" starlet has submitted her hospital birth certificate, which includes her baby footprints, along with a motion that seeks the dismissal of a suit brought on by her ex-attorney Brian Schall, according to "Access Hollywood." He claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing Hudgens' funds for her recording and songwriting career. But Hudgens argues that she was too young to sign her contract — when she did so in October 2005, she was 16 years old. A hearing is set for December 5 in Los Angeles. ...

The Spice Girls unveiled a video for "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)," their first single in seven years, on TodayShow.com on Thursday. The racy video, which features the reunited squad shedding clothes, has since been making the rounds elsewhere. ... Jewel has recorded most of her LPs in Nashville over the years — but now she's ready for a full-on country affair, according to Billboard.com. The singer/songwriter recently signed a multi-album deal with Valory Music Company, a new Nashville indie label named in tribute to June Carter Cash (the country legend's birth name was Valerie June Carter). "I've been wanting to do this record my whole career, but my label was always scared of country music," Jewel said. "I've always had country songs on my records." Her yet-untitled new album will be produced by John Rich of Big & Rich. ...

Morrissey in '08? The singer's recent marathon stand at the Palladium in Hollywood was supposed to be his last sweep through the U.S. for the near future, but according to Billboard.com, his lawyer says Moz will be touring again early next year — and new music is on the way too. According to the magazine, Morrissey will sign a new deal with Sanctuary that will result in the release of a new studio album — to be produced by Jerry Finn, who helmed 2004's You Are the Quarry — and best-of collection next year. As for the tour, manager Merck Mercuriadis said Morrissey will "be back out in January. We'll take a short break and then start again in March." He didn't specify what cities are being considered. ...

Is Meat Loaf done? According to the U.K.'s Times Online, the rock singer announced that he was ending his career midway through a concert at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Wednesday. "I can no longer continue," he reportedly said as "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" began playing. "This is the last show I may ever do in my life." The concert ended, although it was later announced that the show had been canceled due to an illness. It's yet unclear whether Meat will still perform his scheduled Friday night show in Birmingham. According to Times Online, Meat's promoter spoke with the singer's doctor, who assured the promoter that Meat was exhausted and stressed. The newspaper also reports that his publicist chalked up the Wednesday incident to one of the singer's occasional blowouts. Meat Loaf's management did not return calls to MTV News as of press time. ... The Decemberists have canceled the rest of their Long and Short of It Tour after just two dates, due to an ongoing illness affecting an unnamed bandmember, according to the band's spokesperson. "One of our bandmembers has been ill for a while, but we thought all would be well in time for these tour dates," the group wrote in a statement. "After a couple shows, though, it has become clear that the illness is much worse than we had initially realized. We need to return home so our friend can mend. It saddens us to disappoint our fans. We hope everybody understands it is only because of an extreme situation that we had to cancel a tour we've all been excited about doing since the idea was originally hatched." There are no current plans to reschedule the tour. ...

Jack Osbourne, Jeff Buckley fan? Apparently so — Ozzy's son will MC the Jeff Buckley 10th Anniversary Tribute Concert being staged by the late singer/songwriter's mother, Mary Guibert. The salute will happen November 15 — two days before Buckley's birthday — at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California, and feature 25 Los Angeles-area singer/songwriters. Proceeds will go to the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, which was co-founded by Flea. ... The soundtrack to the upcoming music mockumentary "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" will feature actor John C. Reilly — in the guise of Cox — singing songs written by a host of rock luminaries, including Marshall Crenshaw, Beach Boys collaborator Van Dyke Parks, former Candy Butchers leader Mike Viola and San Francisco songwriter Dan Bern. Among the original songs on the album, due out December 4, are "Guilty as Charged," "A Life Without You (Is No Life at All)" and "Let Me Hold You (Little Man)." ...

Carlos Santana and his wife are splitting after 34 years together, Marin County, California, newspaper the Marin Independent Journal reports. Deborah Santana reportedly cited irreconcilable differences in her October 19 filing in Marin County Superior Court. The couple have three children together.

11.1.07

Amy Winehouse stumbled through her performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday (November 1) shortly after giving a very brief acceptance speech when she won the Artists' Choice honor. The singer — who was announced as a last-minute addition to the show when she canceled her planned performance at the mtvU Woodie Awards on November 8 — gave a brief "thanks" when she accepted the award, and later appeared to have difficulty remembering the words to her own song and danced unsteadily as she performed. And while this year's MTV Video Music Awards belonged to Justin Timberlake (and Rihanna), JT wasn't able to replicate his success abroad at the EMAs. While he was the most nominated artist, he left with no awards — and maybe even more stunningly, he was outdone by Avril Lavigne, who nabbed Most Addictive Track ("Girlfriend") and Solo Artist of 2007. Other winners included Nelly Furtado (Album of the Year), Linkin Park (Band of 2007) and 30 Seconds to Mars (Rock Out). Justice won the Video Star prize, which they also took home last year. ...

Britney Spears is being sued for $15,000 by a former manager who says she didn't keep up on her payments to him of commissions on her royalties for her first four albums — including on her $7 million advance in 2002 — movies, tours, books, etc. Johnny Wright, who was her manager through February 2003, filed a breach-of-contract suit in Orange County, Florida, claiming Spears didn't provide proper accounting of all her gross receipts. He is seeking compensatory damages, consequential damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorney's fees. ...

Like Britney before her, Lindsay Lohan is trying to make sure that her upcoming deposition — pertaining to a lawsuit filed over her 2005 car accident in West Hollywood, California — won't be videotaped, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Her lawyers are reportedly requesting that the deposition — which Lohan is scheduled to give December 3 — be sealed instead if their request is denied. "The court should act to prevent such an unwarranted invasion of [Lohan's] privacy, especially where the nature of the allegations ... are so inflammatory," her court papers state, according to Daily News. Her lawyers are also requesting that deposition testimony and written responses from other witnesses be made unavailable to the public. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern denied a motion by her attorneys on Friday for an immediate ruling on whether the deposition will be videotaped, saying he will consider it November 28 instead. ...

Don Imus' radio comeback is now set in stone: The controversial shock jock will be back on the airwaves after a nine-month hiatus on December 3. Imus will return to New York's WABC-AM, which is home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh. The Rev. Al Sharpton, a vocal Imus critic, issued a statement on the development through his National Action Network, saying they've "always maintained that wherever Don Imus goes back to work, the company should clearly outline to advertisers and trade organizations like the National Association of Black Journalists how they intend to safeguard against Mr. Imus returning to his former vile and biased behavior. One would think if they were sincere about his apologies and his new commitment they would enthusiastically meet with advertisers and the NABJ to voice these assurances. If they do not, then we exercise the right in the next 30 days to visit advertisers to ask what has changed since they withdrew their support to Mr. Imus's show six months ago. If there are no guarantees that the same conduct they withdrew support from will be duplicated upon his return, we will certainly act accordingly. Mr. Imus has the right to make a living, but we have the right to make sure he does not come back to disrupt our living. Particularly since these are the commitments he made personally." ...

Vanessa Hudgens isn't all smiles these days — the "High School Musical" star is battling with one of her former lawyers over money she allegedly owes him, according to TMZ.com. Brian Schall claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing the starlet's funds for her recording and songwriting career. But Hudgens argues that she was too young to sign her contract — when she did so in October 2005, she was 16 years old — and she subsequently disaffirmed it on October 9 of this year, according to the site. Papers filed in court by her lawyer say California's Family Code "provides that the contract of a minor is voidable and may be disaffirmed before (age 18) or within a reasonable time afterward." ... In related news, Aaron Carter has extricated himself from a contract he signed with Lou Pearlman, according to TMZ. The singer's attorney filed suit against the disgraced boy-band mogul in May 2006, requesting that Carter he released from the contract, which he signed as a minor. A bankruptcy judge ruled in Carter's favor and ordered that the contract with Pearlman and his label, the bankrupt TransContinental Records, is no longer in effect — but it's not yet known who orders Carter's recordings with the label. Carter is also seeking an accounting of royalties. ...

What do Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Genesis, Kenny Chesney, Maná and the Police have in common? Well, in case you're not on the concert-revenue tip, they've been drawing fleets of fans to their shows, making them finalists for the 2007 Billboard Touring Awards. JT and the Police are among the nominees for Top Tour and Top Draw, while Timberlake has also been noticed in the Breakthrough Artist category. Aguilera has a nod in the Top Package category for her tour with Pussycat Dolls and Danity Kane, and she's up for Breakthrough Artist as well. Prince's stretch of 21 shows at London's O2 arena earned him a spot in the Top Boxscore category, along with Bonnaroo and the U.K.'s Download Festival. The awards — based on the artists' box-office performance from January 1 through September 30, as reported by Billboard's Boxscore chart — will be presented 5 in New York as part of the 2007 Billboard Touring Conference. ...

Lance Bass' publicist is denying that the 'NSYNC star was ever married, despite what E! Online reports Bass said in a recent interview, according to The Associated Press. "People do stupid things in the heat of the moment," he had said, referring to a trip to Vegas he supposedly made with an ex-girlfriend. "I've been in Vegas where I've gotten married for, like, five minutes ... it was one of those crazy moments where you're with a friend and you're like, 'Hey, wouldn't it be fun if we did this?' And that's all that happened. It's the Vegas thing to do ... the only reason we did it is because we wanted to get free drinks all night. And we didn't get one. We're like, 'We just got married!' They're like, 'Ah. Whatever.' " But Bass' publicist Ken Sunshine subsequently told AP that, "He never really got married. That's why there's no record of it. ... By saying he was married in Vegas, it was a way to get free drinks." A clerk at the Clark County marriage license bureau said no license under Bass' name could be found in a search of records dating back more than 30 years, according to AP. Bass has been making the rounds to promote his new memoir, "Out of Sync" — which reveals why he kept his homosexuality hidden for as long as he did. ...

The Emmy Award-winning television program "Biography" will air a program on Guns N' Roses on November 29. The show will be part of a string of music documentaries that is also set to include Jennifer Lopez and Fleetwood Mac. ... Try this marketing scheme on for size: The Jonas Brothers are partnering with Gibson Guitars to record their next album while aboard one of the company's tour buses as they trek along the West Coast on the Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds Tour. The group will also be playing additional gigs on the tour, and at special shows in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, fans will be able to enter a contest for a private meet-and-greet at Gibson Guitar Showrooms. ... Joel Madden has dismissed rumors of tension between he and girlfriend Nicole Richie, while the pregnant socialite has also denied a report that she has been smoking, according to People. "Having a baby is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me, and to us," Madden said. His band Good Charlotte recently toured Australia, after which he and Richie spent "a great little getaway" in Thailand. "Now we're just getting home, getting settled in L.A. and getting ready," he said. Their baby is reportedly due in January. ...

Da Brat was reportedly involved in a serious physical altercation early Thursday morning at Jermaine Dupri's Atlanta nightclub, Studio 72. According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, police arrested Da Brat (real name: Shawntae Harris) on felony aggravated-assault charges after she got into a heated confrontation with a waitress. Da Brat is said to have struck the waitress in the face with a bottle of rum, causing cuts on her face. The waitress was taken to a local hospital for treatment; Da Brat is being held at DeKalb County jail, according to WSB. Spokespeople for Da Brat and her longtime mentor Dupri had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment at press time. ...

Jonathan Davis fans will be in for a surprise when they check out the Korn frontman's upcoming solo tour: He'll already have a concert CD/DVD package available for purchase, if everything goes according to plan. Billboard.com reports that Davis will film a small show for friends, family and the press on November 8 — the day before the tour kicks off in Hartford, Connecticut — and transform it into a limited-edition package that will be available, at least initially, only on his tour. The DVD will chronicle bandmember tryouts, rehearsals leading up to the recording and more. ... The Smashing Pumpkins have rescheduled five gigs they had been forced to postpone after Jimmy Chamberlin experienced chest pains, sending the drummer to the hospital. The Pumpkins will now play the Nashville gig on November 11 and the one in Austin, Texas, two days later, after which they'll hit Atlanta for a pair of shows November 15-16 and play the rescheduled Dallas show two days after that. Chamberlin was released from the hospital Wednesday after an angiogram revealed that he had a partially blocked artery. ...

Guess who was an OiNK user? None other than Nine Inch Nails boss Trent Reznor. In an interview with New York magazine about the new Saul Williams album, Reznor said, "I'll admit I had an account there and frequented it quite often," of the now-shuttered file-sharing site. "At the end of the day, what made OiNK a great place was that it was like the world's greatest record store. Pretty much anything you could ever imagine, it was there, and it was there in the format you wanted. If OiNK cost anything, I would certainly have paid, but there isn't the equivalent of that in the retail space right now. iTunes kind of feels like Sam Goody to me. I don't feel cool when I go there. I'm tired of seeing John Mayer's face pop up. I feel like I'm being hustled when I visit there, and I don't think their product is that great. DRM, low bit rate, etc. Amazon has potential, but none of them get around the issue of pre-release leaks. And that's what's such a difficult puzzle at the moment. If your favorite band in the world has a leaked record out, do you listen to it or do you not listen to it? People on those boards, they're grateful for the person that uploaded it — they're the hero. They're not stealing it because they're going to make money off of it; they're stealing it because they love the band. I'm not saying that I think OiNK is morally correct, but I do know that it existed because it filled a void of what people want." ...

Jacob "The Jeweler" Arabov pleaded guilty on Wednesday to falsifying records and giving false statements to investigators looking into a multistate drug ring, The Associated Press reports. Arabov, 42, the "King of Bling," who has made custom jewelry for everyone from Kanye West to Bono, agreed to a plea deal that will have him serve up to 46 months in prison and pay a $2 million penalty in exchange for prosecutors dropping money-laundering charges against him. Arabov was arrested at his New York jewelry store in June 2006 and accused of being part of a conspiracy to launder about $270 million in drug profits for the Black Mafia Family, a crime ring that operated out of the Detroit area beginning in the early 1990s. ... Linda Stein, 62, former co-manager of the Ramones and ex-wife of Sire Records founder Seymour Stein, was found dead on Monday in her apartment on New York's Upper East Side; she was killed by blunt-impact trauma to the head, police told New York's WCBS. Stein was also known as a real-estate agent to the stars, finding spots in New York for Sting, Billy Joel, Steven Spielberg, Calvin Klein and Bruce Willis. Police are treating the death as a homicide. ...

Black Lips — who took Brooklyn, New York, by storm with a circus parade in September — are bringing their maniacal ways to the big screen. The group will transform itself into a fictional late-'80s underground punk band for "Let It Be," a feature film due to begin production in May. The film will be directed by newcomer Roger Rawlings ("Neurotica"), and produced by Andrew Meyer ("The Breakfast Club") and Winn Coslick ("The Bottom"), and feature both original Lips music and key songs from the era. ... Swedish indie-rockers Peter Bjorn and John will try to make sure they're remembered as one of the year's most buzzed-about bands with an extra handful of 2007 U.S. shows. The "Young Folks" squad will play Houston (November 23); Dallas (November 24); Indianapolis (November 27); Cleveland (November 29); Louisville, Kentucky (November 30); Cincinnati (December 2); and Millvale, Pennsylvania (December 3). ... Touch and Go Records celebrated its 25th anniversary with a three-day bash last summer — now another prominent Chicago indie-rock label, Thrill Jockey, is getting ready to blow out 15 candles with a two-day shindig of its own. The Fiery Furnaces, the Sea and Cake, Eleventh Dream Day and many more artists who contributed to the label over the years will convene at the city's Logan Square Auditorium for the event, which will include two stages and be held December 14-15. ...

Talks between Hollywood screenwriters and studios hit an impasse on Wednesday, and with mere hours to go before their contract was set to expire, the writers were on the verge of the first major strike against the film and TV industry in 20 years. Reuters reports that talks broke off when the deadlock could not be broken between the writers and studios over writers' demands that they get an increased share of DVD revenues and Internet downloads of their work. Leaders of the Writers Guild of America ruled out declaring an immediate walkout when their contract, which covers 12,000 members, expired at 12:01 a.m. (3:01 a.m. EDT) on Thursday. According to the AP, the union instead said it would brief its rank and file at a meeting in Los Angeles on Thursday night. In the meantime, WGA members may continue to work under terms of the old three-year labor pact, though a spokesperson said, "They will technically be working without a contract." No further talks were scheduled, but an industry spokesperson said after Wednesday's eight-hour session that union negotiators had told studio officials they would contact them on Friday. If a walkout does take place, studios and TV networks have stockpiled scripts that could last into next year. ...

Believe it, "X Files" fans: A film sequel will start production in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December, according to Entertainment Weekly. Creator Chris Carter is slated to direct, and TV series stalwarts David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will revive their respective roles for the project, which has been in the works since the release of "The X Files: Fight the Future" in 1998. "If we didn't do it now and the [writers'] strike was protracted, it would force the movie to come out several years from now," Carter told the magazine. "And that was too late. It was either now or never." ... The woman who was ordered to pay more than $220,000 in the first verdict in a music-downloading trial, Jammie Thomas, has raised more than $16,000 so far in donations on FreeJammie.com. Now she's begun offering a whole range of gear to help raise more for her defense fund, including "Free Jammie" dog T-shirts ($17.49), white thong underwear ($9.99) and women's tracksuits ($49.99), as well as mugs, beer steins, teddy bears, kid's clothes, hoodies and boxer shorts.

• R. Kelly
• Jay-Z
• Mariah Carey
• T-Pain
• E-40

Amy Winehouse at the 2007 MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Amy Winehouse stumbled through her performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday (November 1) shortly after giving a very brief acceptance speech when she won the Artists' Choice honor. The singer — who was announced as a last-minute addition to the show when she canceled her planned performance at the mtvU Woodie Awards on November 8 — gave a brief "thanks" when she accepted the award, and later appeared to have difficulty remembering the words to her own song and danced unsteadily as she performed. And while this year's MTV Video Music Awards belonged to Justin Timberlake (and Rihanna), JT wasn't able to replicate his success abroad at the EMAs. While he was the most nominated artist, he left with no awards — and maybe even more stunningly, he was outdone by Avril Lavigne, who nabbed Most Addictive Track ("Girlfriend") and Solo Artist of 2007. Other winners included Nelly Furtado (Album of the Year), Linkin Park (Band of 2007) and 30 Seconds to Mars (Rock Out). Justice won the Video Star prize, which they also took home last year. ...

Britney Spears is being sued for $15,000 by a former manager who says she didn't keep up on her payments to him of commissions on her royalties for her first four albums — including on her $7 million advance in 2002 — movies, tours, books, etc. Johnny Wright, who was her manager through February 2003, filed a breach-of-contract suit in Orange County, Florida, claiming Spears didn't provide proper accounting of all her gross receipts. He is seeking compensatory damages, consequential damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorney's fees. ...

Like Britney before her, Lindsay Lohan is trying to make sure that her upcoming deposition — pertaining to a lawsuit filed over her 2005 car accident in West Hollywood, California — won't be videotaped, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Her lawyers are reportedly requesting that the deposition — which Lohan is scheduled to give December 3 — be sealed instead if their request is denied. "The court should act to prevent such an unwarranted invasion of [Lohan's] privacy, especially where the nature of the allegations ... are so inflammatory," her court papers state, according to Daily News. Her lawyers are also requesting that deposition testimony and written responses from other witnesses be made unavailable to the public. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern denied a motion by her attorneys on Friday for an immediate ruling on whether the deposition will be videotaped, saying he will consider it November 28 instead. ...

Don Imus' radio comeback is now set in stone: The controversial shock jock will be back on the airwaves after a nine-month hiatus on December 3. Imus will return to New York's WABC-AM, which is home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh. The Rev. Al Sharpton, a vocal Imus critic, issued a statement on the development through his National Action Network, saying they've "always maintained that wherever Don Imus goes back to work, the company should clearly outline to advertisers and trade organizations like the National Association of Black Journalists how they intend to safeguard against Mr. Imus returning to his former vile and biased behavior. One would think if they were sincere about his apologies and his new commitment they would enthusiastically meet with advertisers and the NABJ to voice these assurances. If they do not, then we exercise the right in the next 30 days to visit advertisers to ask what has changed since they withdrew their support to Mr. Imus's show six months ago. If there are no guarantees that the same conduct they withdrew support from will be duplicated upon his return, we will certainly act accordingly. Mr. Imus has the right to make a living, but we have the right to make sure he does not come back to disrupt our living. Particularly since these are the commitments he made personally." ...

Vanessa Hudgens isn't all smiles these days — the "High School Musical" star is battling with one of her managers over money she allegedly owes him, according to TMZ.com. Brian Schall claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing the starlet's funds for her recording and songwriting career. But Hudgens argues that she was too young to sign her contract — when she did so in October 2005, she was 16 years old — and she subsequently disaffirmed it on October 9 of this year, according to the site. Papers filed in court by her lawyer say California's Family Code "provides that the contract of a minor is voidable and may be disaffirmed before (age 18) or within a reasonable time afterward." ... In related news, Aaron Carter has extricated himself from a contract he signed with Lou Pearlman, according to TMZ. The singer's attorney filed suit against the disgraced boy-band mogul in May 2006, requesting that Carter he released from the contract, which he signed as a minor. A bankruptcy judge ruled in Carter's favor and ordered that the contract with Pearlman and his label, the bankrupt TransContinental Records, is no longer in effect — but it's not yet known who orders Carter's recordings with the label. Carter is also seeking an accounting of royalties. ...

What do Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Genesis, Kenny Chesney, Maná and the Police have in common? Well, in case you're not on the concert-revenue tip, they've been drawing fleets of fans to their shows, making them finalists for the 2007 Billboard Touring Awards. JT and the Police are among the nominees for Top Tour and Top Draw, while Timberlake has also been noticed in the Breakthrough Artist category. Aguilera has a nod in the Top Package category for her tour with Pussycat Dolls and Danity Kane, and she's up for Breakthrough Artist as well. Prince's stretch of 21 shows at London's O2 arena earned him a spot in the Top Boxscore category, along with Bonnaroo and the U.K.'s Download Festival. The awards — based on the artists' box-office performance from January 1 through September 30, as reported by Billboard's Boxscore chart — will be presented 5 in New York as part of the 2007 Billboard Touring Conference. ...

Lance Bass' publicist is denying that the 'NSYNC star was ever married, despite what E! Online reports Bass said in a recent interview, according to The Associated Press. "People do stupid things in the heat of the moment," he had said, referring to a trip to Vegas he supposedly made with an ex-girlfriend. "I've been in Vegas where I've gotten married for, like, five minutes ... it was one of those crazy moments where you're with a friend and you're like, 'Hey, wouldn't it be fun if we did this?' And that's all that happened. It's the Vegas thing to do ... the only reason we did it is because we wanted to get free drinks all night. And we didn't get one. We're like, 'We just got married!' They're like, 'Ah. Whatever.' " But Bass' publicist Ken Sunshine subsequently told AP that, "He never really got married. That's why there's no record of it. ... By saying he was married in Vegas, it was a way to get free drinks." A clerk at the Clark County marriage license bureau said no license under Bass' name could be found in a search of records dating back more than 30 years, according to AP. Bass has been making the rounds to promote his new memoir, "Out of Sync" — which reveals why he kept his homosexuality hidden for as long as he did. ...

The Emmy Award-winning television program "Biography" will air a program on Guns N' Roses on November 29. The show will be part of a string of music documentaries that is also set to include Jennifer Lopez and Fleetwood Mac. ... Try this marketing scheme on for size: The Jonas Brothers are partnering with Gibson Guitars to record their next album while aboard one of the company's tour buses as they trek along the West Coast on the Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds Tour. The group will also be playing additional gigs on the tour, and at special shows in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, fans will be able to enter a contest for a private meet-and-greet at Gibson Guitar Showrooms. ... Joel Madden has dismissed rumors of tension between he and girlfriend Nicole Richie, while the pregnant socialite has also denied a report that she has been smoking, according to People. "Having a baby is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me, and to us," Madden said. His band Good Charlotte recently toured Australia, after which he and Richie spent "a great little getaway" in Thailand. "Now we're just getting home, getting settled in L.A. and getting ready," he said. Their baby is reportedly due in January. ...

Da Brat was reportedly involved in a serious physical altercation early Thursday morning at Jermaine Dupri's Atlanta nightclub, Studio 72. According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, police arrested Da Brat (real name: Shawntae Harris) on felony aggravated-assault charges after she got into a heated confrontation with a waitress. Da Brat is said to have struck the waitress in the face with a bottle of rum, causing cuts on her face. The waitress was taken to a local hospital for treatment; Da Brat is being held at DeKalb County jail, according to WSB. Spokespeople for Da Brat and her longtime mentor Dupri had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment at press time. ...

Jonathan Davis fans will be in for a surprise when they check out the Korn frontman's upcoming solo tour: He'll already have a concert CD/DVD package available for purchase, if everything goes according to plan. Billboard.com reports that Davis will film a small show for friends, family and the press on November 8 — the day before the tour kicks off in Hartford, Connecticut — and transform it into a limited-edition package that will be available, at least initially, only on his tour. The DVD will chronicle bandmember tryouts, rehearsals leading up to the recording and more. ... The Smashing Pumpkins have rescheduled five gigs they had been forced to postpone after Jimmy Chamberlin experienced chest pains, sending the drummer to the hospital. The Pumpkins will now play the Nashville gig on November 11 and the one in Austin, Texas, two days later, after which they'll hit Atlanta for a pair of shows November 15-16 and play the rescheduled Dallas show two days after that. Chamberlin was released from the hospital Wednesday after an angiogram revealed that he had a partially blocked artery. ...

Guess who was an OiNK user? None other than Nine Inch Nails boss Trent Reznor. In an interview with New York magazine about the new Saul Williams album, Reznor said, "I'll admit I had an account there and frequented it quite often," of the now-shuttered file-sharing site. "At the end of the day, what made OiNK a great place was that it was like the world's greatest record store. Pretty much anything you could ever imagine, it was there, and it was there in the format you wanted. If OiNK cost anything, I would certainly have paid, but there isn't the equivalent of that in the retail space right now. iTunes kind of feels like Sam Goody to me. I don't feel cool when I go there. I'm tired of seeing John Mayer's face pop up. I feel like I'm being hustled when I visit there, and I don't think their product is that great. DRM, low bit rate, etc. Amazon has potential, but none of them get around the issue of pre-release leaks. And that's what's such a difficult puzzle at the moment. If your favorite band in the world has a leaked record out, do you listen to it or do you not listen to it? People on those boards, they're grateful for the person that uploaded it — they're the hero. They're not stealing it because they're going to make money off of it; they're stealing it because they love the band. I'm not saying that I think OiNK is morally correct, but I do know that it existed because it filled a void of what people want." ...

Jacob "The Jeweler" Arabov pleaded guilty on Wednesday to falsifying records and giving false statements to investigators looking into a multistate drug ring, The Associated Press reports. Arabov, 42, the "King of Bling," who has made custom jewelry for everyone from Kanye West to Bono, agreed to a plea deal that will have him serve up to 46 months in prison and pay a $2 million penalty in exchange for prosecutors dropping money-laundering charges against him. Arabov was arrested at his New York jewelry store in June 2006 and accused of being part of a conspiracy to launder about $270 million in drug profits for the Black Mafia Family, a crime ring that operated out of the Detroit area beginning in the early 1990s. ... Linda Stein, 62, former co-manager of the Ramones and ex-wife of Sire Records founder Seymour Stein, was found dead on Monday in her apartment on New York's Upper East Side; she was killed by blunt-impact trauma to the head, police told New York's WCBS. Stein was also known as a real-estate agent to the stars, finding spots in New York for Sting, Billy Joel, Steven Spielberg, Calvin Klein and Bruce Willis. Police are treating the death as a homicide. ...

Black Lips — who took Brooklyn, New York, by storm with a circus parade in September — are bringing their maniacal ways to the big screen. The group will transform itself into a fictional late-'80s underground punk band for "Let It Be," a feature film due to begin production in May. The film will be directed by newcomer Roger Rawlings ("Neurotica"), and produced by Andrew Meyer ("The Breakfast Club") and Winn Coslick ("The Bottom"), and feature both original Lips music and key songs from the era. ... Swedish indie-rockers Peter Bjorn and John will try to make sure they're remembered as one of the year's most buzzed-about bands with an extra handful of 2007 U.S. shows. The "Young Folks" squad will play Houston (November 23); Dallas (November 24); Indianapolis (November 27); Cleveland (November 29); Louisville, Kentucky (November 30); Cincinnati (December 2); and Millvale, Pennsylvania (December 3). ... Touch and Go Records celebrated its 25th anniversary with a three-day bash last summer — now another prominent Chicago indie-rock label, Thrill Jockey, is getting ready to blow out 15 candles with a two-day shindig of its own. The Fiery Furnaces, the Sea and Cake, Eleventh Dream Day and many more artists who contributed to the label over the years will convene at the city's Logan Square Auditorium for the event, which will include two stages and be held December 14-15. ...

Talks between Hollywood screenwriters and studios hit an impasse on Wednesday, and with mere hours to go before their contract was set to expire, the writers were on the verge of the first major strike against the film and TV industry in 20 years. Reuters reports that talks broke off when the deadlock could not be broken between the writers and studios over writers' demands that they get an increased share of DVD revenues and Internet downloads of their work. Leaders of the Writers Guild of America ruled out declaring an immediate walkout when their contract, which covers 12,000 members, expired at 12:01 a.m. (3:01 a.m. EDT) on Thursday. According to the AP, the union instead said it would brief its rank and file at a meeting in Los Angeles on Thursday night. In the meantime, WGA members may continue to work under terms of the old three-year labor pact, though a spokesperson said, "They will technically be working without a contract." No further talks were scheduled, but an industry spokesperson said after Wednesday's eight-hour session that union negotiators had told studio officials they would contact them on Friday. If a walkout does take place, studios and TV networks have stockpiled scripts that could last into next year. ...

Believe it, "X Files" fans: A film sequel will start production in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December, according to Entertainment Weekly. Creator Chris Carter is slated to direct, and TV series stalwarts David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will revive their respective roles for the project, which has been in the works since the release of "The X Files: Fight the Future" in 1998. "If we didn't do it now and the [writers'] strike was protracted, it would force the movie to come out several years from now," Carter told the magazine. "And that was too late. It was either now or never." ... The woman who was ordered to pay more than $220,000 in the first verdict in a music-downloading trial, Jammie Thomas, has raised more than $16,000 so far in donations on FreeJammie.com. Now she's begun offering a whole range of gear to help raise more for her defense fund, including "Free Jammie" dog T-shirts ($17.49), white thong underwear ($9.99) and women's tracksuits ($49.99), as well as mugs, beer steins, teddy bears, kid's clothes, hoodies and boxer shorts.

10.31.07

Lil Wayne made a brief appearance in an Atlanta courtroom on Wednesday (October 31) for an arraignment in connection with the year-old drug-possession charge that recently landed him in an Idaho jail on a fugitive warrant. According to Wayne's lawyer, William Head, the rapper was only in court for about 20 minutes during the nearly three-hour preliminary hearing and will return on November 20, when a judge could rule on defense motions questioning whether the hotel search that originally resulted in Wayne's arrest on drug charges was legal. The defense also filed a motion requesting to examine the evidence in the case in order to have a fingerprint analysis done on the objects, which Head said were found in a room that the rapper was not staying in. ...

Cynthia Reed, mother of the 14-year-old son of Game manager Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, spoke out Tuesday about Tony Yayo's pending trial, in which he is accused of having roughed up the boy. "I am looking forward to a trial, and it is important that justice be done," she said in a statement. "Trials bring out facts, and I know the facts will expose the cowardly act of G-Unit's member Yayo of assaulting my 14-year-old son." Leemon responded to Reed's statement by saying, "At trial, I am confident the evidence will show that Tony Yayo did not hit anyone. These baseless allegations against Yayo are nothing more than an attempt by a bitter business rival to disparage and embarrass him. Our investigation has uncovered more than one witness to the incident who will testify that Yayo did not hit 'Lil Henchmen.' This is nothing more than an attempt at legal extortion." The trial begins January 10. ...

In yet more legal-oriented rap news, Game went to court Wednesday for a brief pre-trial hearing, according to TMZ. The hearing pertained to allegations that the rapper (real name: Jayceon Taylor) threatened a person with a gun during a pickup basketball game at a park in Los Angeles earlier this year. Game's spirits were high, according to a TMZ video in which he rants about everything from dressing up like 50 Cent for Halloween to helping out Britney Spears — "I'll shampoo your hair, rub your feet, watch your kids and be your bodyguard," he said. He's due back in court November 14. ...

Britney Spears hasn't had much to say to the media lately — save some choice words for the paparazzi, that is — but she broke the brief silence by going on Ryan Seacrest's radio show Wednesday morning. When asked about the recent media coverage of her child-custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline, Spears replied, "People say what they want and do what they do. It's sad how people ... how cruel our world can be. But at the end of the day, you gotta know in your heart that you are doing the best that you can." When Seacrest asked Spears if she is in fact doing the best she can with her kids, she reassured him: "Oh God, yeah, yeah." Spears also talked about the Tuesday release of her new Blackout LP, saying she spent the day watching movies. Seacrest also asked her about her rumored romance with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Spears, who was on a speakerphone with Alli Sims and Sam Lufti, replied, "Who?" ...

Ashley Tisdale, Good Charlotte, Jordin Sparks, Corbin Bleu, the Jonas Brothers and more will hop aboard the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade when it snakes its way through the streets of New York on November 22. Catch the show from 9 a.m. to noon in all time zones on NBC. ... The American Music Awards are shaping up to be a night for the ladies — Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne and Nicole Scherzinger have joined previously announced performers Fergie, Rihanna, Celine Dion (and Daughtry) for the ceremony, which will air live November 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

The new season of "American Idol" is still a few months away, but that's not stopping the juggernaut's presence on TV. Former contestants Clay Aiken and Kellie Pickler will be celebrity contestants on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" on Thursday and November 15, respectively, while judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul will crop up in animated form in the November 11 "Family Guy" episode, in which Stewie auditions for the judges. And in yet more TV news, the "Simpsons" episode featuring Jack Black — who voices the owner of a new comic book store — will air November 18. ...

The ink has dried on Radiohead's deal to distribute its In Rainbows album — well, outside North America, at least. Billboard.com reports that the band has finalized a deal with XL Recordings — which released Thom Yorke's solo album, The Eraser, last year — that would entail the international distribution of the album but allow the band to cut a different deal in North America. The New York Times previously reported that the band had been planning to sign with Coran Capshaw's Side One Recordings to distribute Rainbows domestically, although Radiohead's U.S. publicist, Steve Martin, later told MTV News he could "neither confirm nor deny" the story. The album doesn't have an international release date yet, but according to Billboard.com, it will likely coincide with the Radiohead.com deluxe Discbox release on December 3. Sales figures for the album — for which the band allowed fans to name their own price — have not been released, but Radiohead manager Bryce Edge recently said reports of 1.2 million being sold were "exaggerated," according to Billboard. ... Lupe Fiasco and industry heavyweight Steve Stoute were on hand at the Bowery Hotel in New York on Tuesday night as Bitter: Sweet performed as part of a T-Mobile Shadow launch party. ...

A Maryland couple have dropped their lawsuit alleging Wal-Mart deceived customers by selling copies of Evanescence's Anywhere but Home LP containing explicit lyrics without parental-advisory labels. Trevin and Melanie Skeens had sued the department-store chain back in 2004 after they purchased the album for their daughter's 13th birthday. The news comes nearly 22 months after a judge refused to certify the complaint as a class action, which would have allowed anyone who bought the record in Maryland to hop onboard and collect compensation. ... Van Halen have booked their first gig of 2008, which could be an indication of a second leg being added to the band's current reunion run. The only show that's confirmed for next year so far will go down March 30 in St. Louis. ...

Coldplay have been teasing fans in recent months with updates on their next studio album, and now, in a new post on their site, they say they're almost done with the effort. The band revealed that two new songs, "Famous Old Painters" and "Glass of Water," have come into play for the album, which was already poised to include "Cemeteries of London," "Poppy Fields," "42," "Yes!," "Lost," "Violet Hill," "Rainy Day" and "Leftrightleftrightleft." "It feels like a very dense record," read the post. "There are so many melodies and colors packed into a relatively short space (42 minutes)." Regarding the album's producer, the post continued: "As you'd expect with Brian Eno, there's experimentation and exploration. But the music still has integrity. It's real and honest. There's no posturing or bombast. When the deadline comes and the work is done, this will be the album I always dreamed we'd make." Coldplay were more specific about the yet-untitled 2008 album in a previous post, saying the effort would have a "Hispanic theme." ...

Want to party with Ozzy Osbourne? Want to get arrested? Approximately 40 of his fans in Fargo, North Dakota, got a very unpleasant surprise on Monday when they received invitations to a supposed pre-gig bash that turned out to be a police sting operation, according to The Associated Press. Fans — who happened to have outstanding warrants — were reportedly told about a party to be held at the Venue at Playmakers before the metal legend's show with Rob Zombie at the Fargodome. The bash was sponsored by PDL Productions, a fake company made by Cass County Sherriff Paul D. Laney as part of an effort to crack down on scofflaws who had ignored court summons and failed to pay fines. "It was more of a warrant party," Laney told AP. "Some actually thought it was pretty funny. I think they were upset with themselves for being had." The security staff, which wore PDL Productions shirts, turned out to be deputy sheriffs, North Dakota probation and parole agents, and members of the local drug-enforcement task force. Laney got even more creative with the sting by adding a subtle clue into the mix — each "security" T-shirt also featured a festive Halloween skull, and the image of a sheriff's-badge star could be seen in its right eye socket. ...

Lordi's manager was shot at following their Friday gig in Louisville, Kentucky, according to EscToday.com, Web site for Eurovision. (The monster-themed Finnish metal outfit created a stir when it won the broadcasting group's famed Eurovision Song Contest in 2006.) Rikk Scholvinck was reportedly with his bodyguard at the time of the incident, and although neither was struck by gunfire, one of the band's fans was robbed at gunpoint. According to Scholvinck, after the gig, a van appeared next to Lordi's bus, and four or five teens jumped out. "One of the men with a gun took a fan, a girl, put the gun to her head and forced her to lie down on the ground," said band frontman Mr. Lordi (real name: Tomi Putaansuu), according to the site. "Also, one of the boys froze on the spot while the others fled away, including Rikk and the bodyguard, while another man started shooting at them. Luckily, he missed and no one was hurt. Rikk ran to the bar and called the police, who arrived soon. In a moment we were surrounded by like five police cars, but the guys managed to escape. They were a group of drug addicts that had stolen the [van] earlier that night, and police were already looking for them but have still not managed to catch them." Lordi handed the assaulted fan a lifetime all-access pass to their shows worldwide. ...

Iron Maiden have announced a pair of shows in the U.S. as part of their Somewhere Back in Time world tour. The metal gods will play at the Forum in Los Angeles on February 19 and at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on March 14. ... Speaking of Iron, Iron and Wine only played four shows in the U.S. after releasing their latest album, The Shepherd's Dog, in late September — but thirsty fans shouldn't worry, as more Stateside gigs are on the way. After finishing a two-week run of shows in the U.K. on Sunday, the band will return to America, rest a little, and then head out for another string starting November 27 in Tucson, Arizona. That tour will end December 11 in Austin, Texas, and will be followed by another European trek starting January 14. ...

According to a statement from Earache Records, two members of Polish death-metal band Decapitated were seriously injured in a car accident involving their tour bus and a truck carrying wood in Gomel — which is on the Russian-Belarus border. Frontman Adrian "Covan" Kowanek and drummer Witold "Vitek" Kieltyka sustained serious head injuries as a result of the accident and were taken to a hospital in Moscow for treatment. No additional information on the accident has been made public. ...

The Mars Volta-affiliated indie punk label Gold Standard Laboratories shut down this month, according to a letter founder Sonny Kay posted on the GSL site. Over its 14-year span, GSL released material by the Rapture, !!!, the Locust, Melt-Banana, the Faint and Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, who co-owned the label. The post reads: "We've experienced the onset of factors that have seriously limited our ability to maintain what we feel is the essence of the label; the experimental attitude and artistic freewheeling of times past are simply no longer sustainable. Rather than compromise our goals and beliefs, or allow our course to be charted by financial constraint and an industry in flux, we've decided the time has come for GSL to cease releasing new music, and to close this chapter of our story."

• 2007 MTV Europe Music Awards Performances
• 2007 MTV Europe Music Awards: Show Highlights

• Amy Winehouse
• Lindsay Lohan
• Vanessa Hudgens
• Justin Timberlake
• Da Brat

• Common
• Lupe Fiasco
• R. Kelly
• Da Brat

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• Common
• Lupe Fiasco
• R. Kelly
• Da Brat

Jennifer Lopez (file)
Photo: Brad Barket/Getty Images

Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith are among the acts slated for Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM's annual Wango Tango festival. Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris, Ciara, Backstreet Boys, Simple Plan, Frankie J, Ryan Cabrera, Natalie and the Pussycat Dolls will also perform at the Ryan Seacrest-hosted concert, scheduled for May 14 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. ...

After weeks of graphic testimony centering around molestation allegations, the Michael Jackson trial turned on Tuesday (April 12) to other crimes the singer is charged with — conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. On day 30 of the trial, the stepfather of the current accuser took the stand and told the court that Jackson associate Frank Tyson pressured the family to participate in a rebuttal video to Martin Bashir's documentary "Living With Michael Jackson." When he asked for a contract, Tyson offered "protection" instead but wouldn't say from what or whom. Tyson also offered the children a college education and a home, said the stepfather, who also described distressed calls he got from the accuser's mother when she was at Neverland, in which she said she wasn't able to see her children there and was always chaperoned. Though the defense has suggested the family is just after money, the stepfather said he never accepted money for the rebuttal video or for interview offers from British tabloids and had no intention of accepting money in the future, either. ...

Paris Hilton is never without a moneymaking scheme, and her latest involves her lapdog, Tinkerbell. The heiress has just signed a deal with Gund to license plush-toy designs, including one of her pup. She's also signed a deal to develop and market Paris Hilton watches, which will encompass both high-end Swiss watches and moderately priced fashion watches. ... 3 Doors Down, Staind and Breaking Benjamin are teaming up for a summer tour scheduled to begin July 1. Details have yet to be announced, but the trek will hit about 40 cities before wrapping up in September. ...

In a scene straight out of "The Surreal Life," Da Brat's 31st birthday party in Chicago turned into a melee when two uninvited men bum-rushed the door. According to the Chicago Tribune, at around 1:30 Monday morning two men pushed passed security guards at the Harold Washington Cultural Center and got into a fistfight with security. Other partygoers joined in and one person allegedly hit a guard in the head with a gun. Four men were arrested. Among the 100 attendees at the party were Twista and actress Lisa Raye. ... The Gap Band's Charlie Wilson — currently featured in Snoop's "Signs" video — is putting out an album of his own. Wilson's debut, Charlie, Last Name Wilson, is executive produced by R. Kelly and is written and produced by the likes of Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Dr. Dre and Scott Storch. Wilson is now in the studio finishing the album, which will hit stores July 12. ...

Want to hear a sample of Coldplay's new single? A 30-second snippet of the "Speed of Sound," off the group's upcoming X&Y, is going to debut as a Cingular ring tone. To order it, go to www.cingular.com/mediamall. ... The Pixies, Futureheads, Spoon, Stephen Malkmus and the Misfits have been added to the lineup of the inaugural CMJ/ Rock Hall Music Fest. The three-day event (June 9-11) in Cleveland will also feature the Art of Modern Rock Poster show, a discussion with Grandmaster Flash, a guitar competition judged by Joe Satriani and additional gigs by the Digable Planets, Powerman 5000, Keoki, Mushroomhead, From First to Last and Nashville Pussy. ...

Anthony Kiedis will be part of an environmental-activist panel with Daryl Hannah for Forces of Nature, which will address sustainability — buying products made with the fewest resources and utilizing earth-friendly materials that replenish themselves easily. Kiedis signed up for April 27's "The Future of Sustainability" panel at the LOHAS 9 Forum in Marina del Rey, California, since he was instrumental in getting his record label to use paper made of hemp, flax and post-consumer waste. Other panelists include Amy Smart, Mariel Hemingway, Raquel Welch and Ed Begley Jr. To attend the forum, visit lohas.com or inspirationfilmfestival.com. ... In an apparent homage to last summer's aborted Lollapalooza tour, the Flaming Lips and the String Cheese Incident have been tapped to headline the ninth annual All Good Music Festival, to be held July 15-17 at Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia. Both the Lips and the Incident were scheduled to be a part of the last incarnation of Lolla, but slow ticket sales forced promoters to pull the plug before a single show was played. In the meantime, both bands have apparently been sharpening up their hacky-sack skills to take part in the All Good Music Fest, which also features jam bands like Umphrey's McGee, Particle and Les Claypool. Tickets are $92 and go on sale Tuesday (April 12) at AllGood.MusicToday.com. ...

Russell Simmons wants you to pay your taxes. The hip-hop-CEO-turned-political-activist has joined forces with TurboTax to create Rock Your Refund, a Web site that helps young Americans understand and file their state and federal taxes — and aims to get them the biggest refund possible. Visitors to RockYourRefund.com are given tax tips, and filing your income tax forms there costs just $5.95. Simmons told MTVNews he got involved with Rock Your Refund because "the last leg of the civil-rights movement is economic empowerment ... not just for African-Americans, but for all young Americans."... Marxist post-punkers Gang of Four will re-release their seminal 1979 debut album, Entertainment!, via Rhino Records on May 17. In addition to the 12-track original disc, the reissue will contain the long-out-of-print Yellow EP and four other previously unreleased cuts. The group's widespread influence has scored it a headlining spot on the upcoming Coachella festival on May 1 in Indio, California. The next day the group begins a 14-date North American tour that will wrap May 21 in Philadelphia. ...

Cypress Hill and the Kottonmouth Kings, the self-described "two biggest pro-marijuana bands on the planet," have collaborated on a track called "Put the Pipe Down" for the latter's upcoming seventh album. The groups plan to service the track to radio stations on April 20, the weed-smokers holiday established from the police code for marijuana-smoking-in-progress, 4:20. ... On Monday night, rapper/ Cash Money boss Baby threw a bash at the posh New York club B.E.D. to celebrate the release of his upcoming album, Fast Money, and Rockstar video game "Midnight Club 3," which he narrates. The Birdman was also promoting his newest LUGZ shoe collection, #1 Stunna. Denzel Washington, Anthony Mackie, Bobby Valentino and Chaka Zulu of Disturbing Tha Peace Records were in attendance. Fast Money drops June 21. ...

Video directors Chris Mills (Modest Mouse) and Chris Grismer (the Arcade Fire) are teaming up to helm the clip for the new single from the Motion City Soundtrack, "Everything Is Alright." The band's new album, Commit This to Memory, due June 7, was produced by Mark Hoppus. The Motion City Soundtrack are touring through April before heading out on the Warped Tour this summer. ... Experimental laptop artists the Books are teaming up with hip-hop producer Prefuse 73 for the split EP Prefuse 73 Reads the Books, which will surface on Warp Records later this year. Meanwhile, the cut-and-paste Michigan bookworms will embark on their first North American tour in support of their recently released third album, Lost and Safe. The 13-date trek starts off April 20 in Hudson, New York, and ends May 20 in Hollywood. ...

04.11.2005

It's true — there is such thing as a "first iPod." On Monday (April 11), President Bush's iPod playlist surfaced in The New York Times, and it turns out W. is a fan of the likes of Van Morrison, Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Fogerty. The president received the gadget as a gift from his twin daughters and uses his tunes to help him power through his 18-mile Texas bike trail. ...

The Grey Album mastermind and Gorillaz member Danger Mouse and former Goodie Mob crooner Cee-Lo announced on Friday that they are putting the finishing touches on their collaborative effort, The Gnarls Barkley. The pair began work on the album last year. ... Death Cab for Cutie are working at a fervent pace. The "ultimate Bait shop band" (so says "The O.C." creator Josh Schwartz) has nearly finished Plans, the follow-up to 2003's breakthrough disc Transatlanticism, according to a rep for the group. Recorded in rural Massachusetts and due in September, Plans will be Death Cab's fifth LP. Guitarist Chris Walla will again assume production duties. Possible tracks for inclusion on the record include "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," "Brothers on a Hotel Bed," "Someday You Will Be Loved," "Your Heart Is an Empty Room," "Marching Bands of Manhattan" and potential single "Soul Meets Body." ...

The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Weezer are both tried-and-true L.A. bands, but they're going to party Las Vegas-style for Sin City's 100th anniversary. On July 2, the rock groups are headlining Vegas' centennial concert, to be held outdoors for free. "We can't wait to get there, feel the energy of the crowd and rock the house," RHCP bassist Flea said in a statement. Fifty thousand tickets will be available at www.vegasrocks100.com/ beginning April 18. ... Currently screening on TheTransplants.com: a preview of the band's upcoming album. In the promotional spot, we see frontman Rob Aston smoking, Travis Barker walking around shirtless and guitarist Tim Armstrong striking many punk poses. The trio also eat lunch at a diner. At the end of the spot, we are told that the new Transplants album will hit stores May 15 via LaSalle Records. ...

Mötley Crüe had a little trouble at the Canadian border when Mighty Mike, the band's resident "little person," MC and fire-breather, was detained by authorities, since he lacked a green card. The Crüe were trying to cross the border for Friday's show in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and were forced to enter the U.S. without Mike, who was transferred to Edmonton. He's expected to remain there for seven days before being allowed to return to the tour. "This could set U.S.-Canadian relations back a couple of weeks," singer Vince Neil said in a statement. "It's no 'big' deal," said drummer Tommy Lee. "Hopefully Mighty Mike will grow from this experience." ... The members of Alter Bridge inadvertently got mixed up in a high-speed police chase on Friday during a Kansas City, Missouri, tour stop, according to a band spokesperson. The band's crew was unloading equipment from Alter Bridge's tour bus when a man on the run from police pulled up and was blocked from passing. The driver veered into a nearby parking lot, hit a van, and dragged an officer across the street before finally crashing into the group's bus. Several of the crew members aided in the arrest of the driver, who is now awaiting charges. ...

Lil Jon wants to crunk up your cell phone — he's just signed a deal with BlingTones to create exclusive music and shouts for ring tones, voice-ringers and ringbacks. Starting in June, fans can download his master tones and ring tones by visiting BlingTones on their carriers' download page or at www.theblingtones.com. ... Performing for the first time in the U.S. in 10 years, Digable Planets hit the stage at Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre with the classic "It's Good to Be Here" at the stroke of midnight Sunday night. Ladybug, Butterfly and Doodlebug then ran through their two albums and promised new Digable Planets material in the future. Ladybug also debuted a couple of tracks from her upcoming solo album, Trip the Light Fantastic, due out June 12. The trio are planning to hit the road this summer with a 25-city U.S. tour, set to begin in June. ...

So P. Diddy is a baller for real now. At least he will be on Monday night, when he'll display his prowess on the court at BasketBall City at Pier 63 in New York. An honoree at the eighth annual Net Gain tournament, the hip-hop mogul will receive the 2005 H.O.O.P.S. (Helping Out Our Public Schools) Award. Run by Youth I.N.C., the Net Gain tournament gets NBA players, kids and corporate sponsors together to raise money to fund court time for 32 New York City high school teams. ... Alchemist and Mobb Deep's Prodigy performed for New York University students at the school's Music for Tomorrow fundraiser on Friday at Big Apple club Avalon. The student-run organization is looking to raise $10,000 to "adopt" a Lower East Side New York public school and assist in the creation of after-school programs and student-assisted teaching programs there. Members of the legendary Sugarhill Gang were among those in attendance at the event. ...

Il Divo, a group of four singers put together by "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, will release their debut album in the U.S. on April 19. The group, which combines pop and opera elements, topped the U.K. charts last year. ... Fredwreck, Snoop Dogg's DJ and a producer for Lindsay Lohan, Snoop and others, is releasing a collection of his tracks called Fredwreck: Greatest Hits Episode 1 on June 15. Fredwreck will also be a part of "Kings of Bling," a new show where Tony Hawk and Pharrell Williams build skate parks and recording studios in different community centers throughout the country, and "Minding the Store," a reality show with Pauly Shore. ...

Blackmail and robbery charges against former Libertines singer Pete Doherty have been dropped, the BBC reports. Doherty was arrested in early February for allegedly assaulting a 30-year-old documentary filmmaker at the Rookery Hotel in central London. Doherty served four nights in jail and was released on bail. The charges were dropped, according to officials, because of "insufficient evidence for a realistic chance of prosecution." ... According to a posting on Scottish indie rockers the Delgados' Web site, the band has decided to call it quits after more than a decade together. The group, which released five records during its career, thanked everyone who supported it, "especially all of our fans." The split was characterized as amicable. ... ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), which hosts a concert series at the Sundance Film Festival, will for the first time bring its Music Lounge to the Tribeca Film Festival. Damien Rice, Ben Jelen and Nic Armstrong and the Thieves are among the acts slated to perform at the Knitting Factory in New York from April 27 to 29. ...

• Jennifer Lopez
• Michael Jackson
• Da Brat
• Charlie Wilson (R&B)
• Ciara

Jermaine Dupri (file)
Photo: Getty Images/Sandra Rose

It looks like Jermaine Dupri is not only going to find a new home for his So So Def Records, but he's also picking up a new executive position.

On Monday (January 24) Dupri was officially named president of Virgin's urban music division and it was announced he's bringing his So So Def imprint with him.

"I gotta get acclimated to all the e-mails, meet the people, see who's gonna be in there and who ain't. I gotta do what I gotta do now," Dupri said of his first day in his new office.

He said he wasn't swayed to sign on the dotted line by the rumored $20 million (which he wasn't at liberty to comment on) he snagged or by the fact that girlfriend Janet Jackson happens to be the label's biggest act.

"Everybody believes I'm over here because of Janet and for the money. It has nothing to do with that," he insisted. "I feel like today's market is open for anything. My goal is to get Virgin poppin' just like Lil Jon did [with TVT]. He made an independent look like a major. I'm at a major that don't look like a major. I'mma try and make it look major."

In December Dupri said he was leaving Jive — which had taken over So So Def's distribution when Arista collapsed in early 2004 — for a situation more compatible with his roster.

"I'm just looking for a nice place to put out records and a place that's in love with what I do," the veteran producer of such artists as TLC, Usher and Jay-Z said at the time. "I love to put out records. I make something I believe in."

Among the acts on the So So Def roster are the Youngbloodz, Da Brat, Daz Dillinger, 3LW and of course Dupri himself.

J.D. contemplated releasing his own Green Light album first once he landed a new home, but he's decided to try his hand at breaking a new act instead. He's handing the ball to ATL newcomer T-Waters, who's been on several mixtapes rapping with the LOX's D-Block crew. Daz Dillinger will probably bat second.

"People look at Daz and say, 'He was with Tha Dogg Pound,' " Dupri said. "That era in their music has never gone. I'mma see Daz come back and you'll probably see some of them usual suspects on his album. I think him and Game got a song together, him and Snoop got a record. [Daz's] album will definitely be one of them rap records that from East to West you have to buy."

Besides the So So Def family, J.D. just finished work on new albums by Mariah Carey and Bow Wow and is going to executive produce a new one from his aforementioned main squeeze (see "Jermaine Dupri: New Janet LP's 'Gonna Be Straight 'Control' '").

• Jermaine Dupri
• Janet Jackson
• Youngbloodz
• Da Brat
• Daz Dillenger

Da Brat on "The Surreal Life"
Photo: VH1

As we've seen on previous seasons of "The Surreal Life," many of the show's made-for-TV-roommates are way past the prime of the careers, to put it politely.

So when Da Brat, who just had a hit song a couple of years ago and is still a pretty viable rapstress, signed up to appear on the fourth season of the popular VH1 program, some people close to her — especially Jermaine Dupri, CEO of So So Def, the label for which Da Brat records — were scratching their heads, thinking the hip-hop vet was buggin'.

"With 'The Surreal Life,' it was a real hard decision for her to do that," Dupri offered of his friend's participation. "As her superior, I felt she shouldn't do it. But at the same time, she talked to me like, 'If I went on there, [other current rappers] would want to do it. They would think it's something new to do.' She felt that as long as her life was current, it empowered her."

"I think it's gonna be a good thing," said Brat, who shared a house with "America's Next Top Model" winner Adrianne Curry, actor Verne Troyer (Mini-Me from "Austin Powers"), the Go-Go's Jane Wiedlin, Joanie Laurer (a.k.a. former WWE diva Chyna), male model Marcus Schenkenberg and actor Christopher Knight (Peter Brady of "The Brady Bunch"). The new season begins airing on January 9. "It's gonna be funny fo' sho. I can't really wonder what people think, as long as I do my thing. I enjoyed it. I think people are going to love it."

After thinking about it, Dupri came around to agree.

"No doubt in my mind that that show turns you into a celebrity," the producer said. "You see these people every day, and if they do have records on the radio, it should add fuel to the fire. If Flavor Flav and Public Enemy did come out with a record, he probably would be one of the most talked-to people out of the group 'cause you know something else about him. I think [Brat's] the first artist that's [still active] now that you're gonna see on there. After you see her being Brat, and it's like, 'Ah, that wasn't so bad,' you gonna see a whole gang of n---as want to go on that show. You're gonna want to see other people go on there and wild out."

Brat says her 12 days of taping last year got pretty wild at some points and that she's going to be in front of her TV every Sunday night with some popcorn to see how the show's producers put the program together. When she's not watching herself at home, she's going to be listening to herself in the studio. The B.R.A.T. has been recording and wants to release an album this year as soon as So So Def finds a new distribution home.

"Me and J.D. just been mashing it out," she revealed of her current recording process. "So So Def is about to do something major, so I want to have a catalog of songs ready."

Trick Daddy, Trina, Lil Jon, T.I. and Lil' Scrappy are among the rappers she has on her LP wish list. "I'm so ready, I've got fire in my boots," she said.

• Da Brat

• Nas
• Notorious B.I.G.
• A Tribe Called Quest
• OutKast
• Dr. Dre

Hilary Duff, Madonna, Mariah Carey, More At The 2008 Tribeca Film Festival

• Madonna
• Mariah Carey
• Da Brat
• Sting
• David Bowie

Justin Timberlake, Sara Bareilles, Fergie, More At The 2008 ASCAP Pop Awards

• Justin Timberlake
• Natasha Bedingfield
• Fergie
• Keri Hilson
• Sara Bareilles

Lil' Jon, Big Boi, Rza And More At VH-1's 2006 Hip Hop Honors

• Lil Jon
• OutKast
• Salt-N-Pepa
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Remy Ma

Hail to the King

• Da Brat
• Dem Franchize Boyz
• Jermaine Dupri
• Nick Cannon

Nelly, Kim, LL, Sean Paul, More On Source Awards Red Carpet

• Nelly
• Lil' Kim
• LL Cool J
• Sean Paul
• Clipse

Lil' Kim, Ludacris, Monica, Snoop, More On BET Awards Red Carpet

• Lil' Kim
• St. Lunatics
• Roscoe
• Clipse
• Floetry