Kid Cudi inside Radio City Music Hall in New York City
Photo: MTV

Along with UCB, Wale is brining along a whole bunch of artists along for his VMA house-band ride. The Washington, D.C., rapper and his crew will be performing a series of originals and covers that will definitely keep the Video Music Awards crowd rocking all night.

One of his collaborators, Solange Knowles, gushed to MTV News, "Wale is a good friend of mine. And he's a phenomenal artist."

Meanwhile, Kid Cudi — who revealed that he'll use his VMA performance to "celebrate" last year's house turntablist, the late DJ AM — said he looks forward to working with his "homie" Wale. "Wale is one of those innovative artists," he said. "This is like a big deal, so you know I'm glad to be a part of it, man. That's the homie."

Two members of the All-American Rejects are looking at this as an opportunity to mix their pop/punk with Wale's hip-hop sensibilities.

"They are incredible musicians, and it's actually really cool to get to do this," guitarist Nick Wheeler said.

The band's frontman, Tyson Ritter, added: "Every time you sort of get to cross the streams of rock and anything else, I think some cool fusion happens."

Like all the hot performances set to go down on Sunday, when the show goes live from New York's Radio City Music Hall, Wale's house-band set is all very top-secret. Butt, if Wale's VMA rehearsal Thursday was any indication, those covers could include songs by Britney Spears, Coldplay and Kings of Leon.

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.

• Solange
• The All-American Rejects
• Kid Cudi

Solange inside Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Thursday
Photo: MTV News

The Knowles sisters are having quite the fashion conundrum. Beyoncé and her baby sis, Solange, are both preparing to attend the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards this Sunday, and when they're not busy rehearsing for the big show, it seems the ladies are still hustling to find just the right looks.

When it comes to fashion, Beyoncé is more glam and Solange is edgier, but that doesn't mean they aren't helping one another find the perfect outfit in time for the show. "We're both, me and my sister, trying to find something to wear," Solange told MTV News. "We're both performing this year, which is incredible. The house just looks like one big, crazy clothing store gone wild."

If anyone is suffering in this clothing-explosion scenario, it isn't Jay-Z, who is also busy getting ready for his performance with Alicia Keys at this weekend's show. As it turns out, the situation is causing problems for Solange's nearly 5-year-old son, Daniel. "My son is like, 'Where are my toys?' " she said. "It's hell over there."

Well, we hope Beyoncé can get it together quickly since it seems that a fashion face-off is set to take place between B and Lady Gaga — and Gaga is already winning the battle. "I love Beyoncé," Elle creative director Joe Zee said. "But I think my vote goes to Gaga. I think she's daring. She's unpredictable, and at the end of the day, fashion is unpredictable."

Watch the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Preshow this Sunday, September 13, at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the big event, airing live at 9 p.m. New York is celebrating the VMAs all week long, so stay tuned for party coverage, concert reports, behind-the-scenes updates and more.

• The 2009 VMAs Are Taking Over NYC!

• VMA 2009: Behind The Scenes

• Beyoncé
• Solange

Solange Knowles
Photo: MTV News

Now that Solange Knowles has cleared up rumors that she was dropped from her record label, she can begin work on her follow up to Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams.

On this next album, will the world can finally get a duet between Solange and her superstar sister, Beyoncé? "I definitely think that they'll be a time and a place for me and my sister to collaborate," Solange told MTV News. "It's just all about the time and the place and letting it evolve naturally — and whenever that day happens well embrace it well come up with something good."

Until they find that time and place, Solange is hard at work on figuring out a sound for her new record, noting that it will probably go in a more moody, electronic direction. She would love to hook up with the likes of Chairlift, Boards of Canada and Midnight Juggernauts.

"I've actually started the early groundwork for the third record," she explained. "More so in finding out and experimenting on who I want to be on board with ... just more so experimenting with the ideas of finding one or two solid musicians and building from there."

When Beyoncé and Solange aren't busy with their careers — or trying to figure out when to get in the studio together — the girls do manage to find some time to talk about, well, music. B loves to learn about new music from her little sister. "I play a lot of new music for her, 'cause obviously she works a lot," she said. "I get the chance to introduce new music to her and that's always fun. It's sort of our little bond through music — exploring new artists."

• Solange
• Beyoncé

Solange Knowles
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Last week, music blogs across the Internet lit up with the rumor that Solange Knowles had been dropped from Interscope Records. According to Blackvoices.com, the label didn't want to continue their relationship with the singer after her album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams underperformed.

MTV News caught up with Solange at the "Yes Yes Yes to Safe Sex" event in New York City, where the singer/ campaign spokeperson called the reports untrue and blamed the Internet for the idle gossip.

"I think that the Internet has really been an impactful tool in artists' careers these days," she said. "And that impact can be very positive and that impact can be very negative as well, because anyone can say anything and it can be picked up from so many different sources."

Solange also said that Interscope quickly clarified the rumor as being just that, but somehow that side of the story wasn't addressed as prevalently as the part about her being dropped. "What's interesting is Interscope the next day released a statement saying that that was untrue and that they were 100 percent still onboard — and that wasn't printed anywhere!" she laughed.

In the statement, Interscope said, "Contrary to rumors floating through the Internet over the last few days, Solange remains a part of the Interscope Geffen A&M family. It's unfortunate that people have posted false information without checking their sources first."

In fact, Solange recently released a new single, "T.O.N.Y.," and is hard at work on new music. "All is well, and my third single is doing well right now, and everyone is completely supportive, and it's been a good journey," she said."

• Solange

Solange Knowles during fashion week on Tuesday
Photo: Jemal Countess/ WireImage

On Tuesday, Solange Knowles was rushed to the hospital after the singer fainted at the airport on her way home from New York Fashion Week. The singer, who was hospitalized for dehydration and low blood pressure, announced the news on Twitter.

"Woke up to 8 random people over me, laid out on the floor in baggage claim!" Knowles posted on her Twitter page Wednesday (February 18). "Guess I passed out! Scary. Hooked up to IV now. Apparently I'm super dehydrated."

Beyoncé's little sister said she began to feel ill after she took some cough medicine. "I took a Nyquil, and I think maybe I'm getting high off it because I'm not sleeping," she wrote. "Everything's movvvvviinnngg slooooowww, LOL."

Solange's mom, Tina, visited her at the hospital before she was released. "My mom is the best. LOL," Knowles wrote. "She's like, Ain't nothing wrong with this girl. She need some water and rest ... pull up the car! LOL."

Knowles also took to her Twitter page to talk about a fashion mishap that took place at the Toni Maticevski fashion show, where she accidentally revealed some skin under her sheer top. "I always wear undies, never been carried out of the club drunk, I won't even pose for King or any 'eye candy' type shoots, and now look," she wrote. "My sh-- on display for all the world to see. I'm wearing turtlenecks for the rest of the year, gosh dammit."

Reached for comment, a rep for the singer sent the following statement: "Solange was treated for dehydration following a flight from New York to L.A. She is fine and resting at home. She will launch her tour on Sunday, February 22 as planned."

• Solange

Kelly Rowland
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

Destiny's Child sang on their 2000 hit "Independent Woman" that they depend on themselves to pay their own bills. Perhaps founding member Kelly Rowland is taking that motto to heart.

The singer announced in a joint statement Wednesday (January 28) with Mathew Knowles that the two are severing their working relationship. Knowles is Beyoncé's father and manages her, in addition to her sister Solange, and Destiny's Child. He also oversaw Rowland's career since she released her first solo LP, 2002's Simply Deep.

"Mathew Knowles has been a positive influence in my career," Rowland said in the statement. "I have had great success under his guidance — both as a member of Destiny's Child and with my solo projects. Although we have decided to part ways professionally, the Knowles family and the entire Music World Entertainment team will always be my family."

Destiny's Child split in 2005 but have maintained the split is not permanent.

The move comes more than a year after Rowland's last album, 2007's Ms.Kelly. The album was delayed a number of times, but upon its release, the project was received well by critics. The album, featuring the single "Like This" with Eve, however, failed to live up to the commercial success of her debut, which sold over 500,000 copies and was certified gold.

Rowland was practically raised by the Knowles family, making the split that much more surprising. The singer moved into the Knowles' Texas home during the formation of Destiny's Child and often refers to Beyoncé as her sister. Mathew Knowles acknowledged their ties, saying Rowland will always continue to be a part of the Knowles clan.

He also stressed that no animosity was involved in this business separation.

"After a very positive meeting between Kelly Rowland and myself, we have amicably agreed to end our professional relationship," he said in the statement. "My company, Music World, will continue to manage Destiny's Child as a group. As an artist Kelly has incredible talent and I only wish her the best. We will always be family first and foremost, and as a dad I only have love for Kelly."

As of press time, it is unclear if Rowland has retained new management.

• Kelly Rowland
• Beyoncé
• Destiny's Child
• Solange

Kanye West and Estelle performing at the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool, England on Thursday
Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Kanye West has changed his priorities over the past year. While in Liverpool, England, for the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards last week, the rapper told MTV Base that his main career objective is just to be groundbreaking with his product, not to be the most recognizable face on the planet.

"I used to want to be the biggest star in the world; now I don't know if that's my goal anymore," West said. "I just want to make really good music. I wouldn't do anything just to become any more famous. If anything, I want to be less famous. So as I make my music, I'm putting it out for me!"

Although Kanye finally managed to win an EMA last week, that wasn't his main objective in being there. He said he just wanted to hit the stage. That's a stark contrast from his appearance at the show two years ago, when he jumped onstage to rant about his lack of awards.

"Man, I don't care about awards at all — awards are completely fixed," he said. "I just came to perform my song. ... It's just an opportunity to get up there and say 'thank you' to the fans, 'thank you' to my mother for supporting me all my life.

"The award is when you go to a club and people really play your song, and I haven't paid or asked to play it," Kanye continued. "The award is when real people sing your record and it's now penetrated culture! I don't know what awards Jimi Hendrix won, but I know that he penetrated culture. The award is the opportunity to perform. I would have preferred that I didn't get nominated for anything. I was like, 'Don't nominate me for anything else.' I used to practice my speeches. I don't practice speeches or anything anymore. It's about making some real f---ing music!"

At last week's awards show, Kanye could be seen pulling some of his fellow nominees and performers — such as Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, and the Killers' Brandon Flowers — backstage to hear his new album, 808s & Heartbreak. The record's release date has just been moved up one day to November 24.

Last week, an animated video for the new single "Heartless" was released, and on Monday (November 10), a remix of "Love Lockdown" with R. Kelly hit the Net. No word yet on whether the pairing of the two Chicago superstars was official. Meanwhile, Kanye says he's going back in the studio with Jay-Z for Blueprint 3, and the recordings they have come up with thus far are "phenomenal."

"Emotion" is how he summed up what he wants to convey on 808s & Heartbreak. "I have suffered a lot of hardships with trying to settle into being a celebrity," West admitted. "It is quite unsettling, and sometimes I'm onstage and I think I will never be normal again. I will never be able to just walk around normal again. I will never be able to just go to the grocery store again.

"[When I released the] 'Flashing Lights' video, there were people who didn't like the fact that it only had three cuts in it," he said. "And I was like, 'F--- you, it's for me.' So everything I do at this point is for me. That's the only thing I can do to try and stay sane. ... You have got to realize I have sacrificed my life, my anonymity to be a celebrity and to give a lot of myself. People are so f---ing cruel!

"Think about how much Michael Jackson has done for us, and every time you bring up Michael Jackson, usually people are joking about him," he continued. "I'm one step away from that kid that just won a couple of awards, and a step away from Michael Jackson. 'Oh, he's so arrogant, he's so this, he's so that!' People don't even f---ing know me and have so much to say. Paparazzi, anybody who comes close enough to me, if I ask you not to take a picture of me, don't ask me something; just realize I am a real person. I am not a celebrity, I'm just famous and stuff, and I make good music. It's just a hard situation for me. I lost my mom, I lost my relationship, my hopes of some type of normality, hopes of a family, just so I could be on the stage."

Kanye ended his EMA performance by bringing out Estelle for "American Boy." Then an image of President-elect Barack Obama appeared in the background. "He's the number one American Boy," the Louis Vuitton Don said of his tribute to the next president.

"It was amazing," West added of the win by his hometown's senator. "I mean, just to be in America when I heard it was just unbelievable. It was the most unbelievable thing I ever heard. It's funny, I was on a plane, and when I landed I found out my mother had passed, and it was unbelievable and devastating, in a bad way. This year, I was on a plane and I found out that Obama had won, and it was equally as unbelievable, but in an amazing way."

• Kanye West
• Beyoncé
• Solange
• The Killers
• R. Kelly

Deluxe edition of Beyoncé's <i>I Am ... Sasha Fierce</i>
Photo: Sony

In therapy, the goal would be to unite a fractured personality — but in music, putting your alter ego on display is all the rage. Beyoncé is giving hers, Sasha Fierce, some serious attention.

I Am ... Sasha Fierce, due out November 18, is a two-disc set. Part one, I Am ..., showcases the singer's more personal material, her Beyoncé side. The second part, Sasha Fierce, is intended to contain the more daring dance tracks.

"We thought outside of the box and did something different," said Mathew Knowles, Beyoncé's father and manager, during a listening session for the album in New York on Wednesday.

"The new record is a double album and has two covers, like a magazine would have two covers," Beyoncé said in a statement (read her full statement and see both album covers on the Newsroom blog). "Half the record, I Am ..., is about who I am underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights and underneath all the exciting star drama. And Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm onstage. The double album allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that only people who know me see."

But Beyoncé may have integrated these sides of herself far more than she realizes, for the I Am ... portion of her album is actually the more daring side, since it requires more bravery to step outside what she's known for — uptempo top-40 R&B — and try for a more timeless sound in a classic sense (perhaps the influence of playing Etta James in "Cadillac Records"?). And Sasha Fierce, fun though it might be, is mostly familiar-sounding dance tracks and doesn't stretch Beyoncé as an artist the way I Am ... does.

"If I Were a Boy" is the first taste of I Am ..., but as the only song on either album that Beyoncé didn't co-write, it's not very indicative of the rest of the tracks. Piano and strings dominate songs like "Halo," "Ave Maria" and "Broken-Hearted Girl," the latter of which she collaborated on with Babyface and Stargate. Her voice shows restraint, and singing in a lower register gives her more vocal power, even if it means that she sometimes sounds like Rihanna on the lush "Halo," the prospective second single from this side of the album (repeating "halo, halo, halo" makes the comparison even stronger).

"Smash Into You," co-produced by C. "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash, and "That's Why You're Beautiful" — both of which will only be available on the deluxe edition — are the highlights of the set, taking it slow and easy, building Beyoncé's vocals gradually, with a grungy guitar riff driving "Beautiful" as if it were an Alice in Chains power ballad. On these songs, Beyoncé transcends genre.

But then comes Sasha Fierce, who cares more for beats than ballads. Whereas all the songs on I Am ... are meant to make you feel, Sasha just wants to make you kick up your heels, all the while expressing shallower emotions. "Radio," with its skittering beat, is about listening to the radio ("I fell in love with my stereo"). The thumping "Diva," a collaboration with Sean Garrett, is about, well, being a diva ("Diva is a hustla/ I'm a hustla"). Another Garrett collabo, the bass-heavy "Video Phone," as you might guess, is about snapping images on your handheld ("Press record and film me"). Only "Sweet Dreams," with its rock drive and slinky vocals, seems "fierce" — as Beyoncé (or is it Sasha?) dares the listener to dream of her, warning that it might be a "beautiful nightmare."

The bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of Sasha Fierce include the piano-driven "Hello," in which Beyoncé takes "Jerry Maguire" to heart, with a "You had me at hello" hook — "Ego," where she sings that she loves her lover's "huge ego"; and the synthy "Scared of Lonely," co-written by Rodney Jerkins and her sister Solange. These three tracks seem more like a meeting ground between the album's halves — musically, they're with Sasha, but thematically and lyrically, they're full-on Beyoncé: vulnerable, wanting to love and be loved back, caring perhaps a bit more about her significant other than herself.

"There's what I call defining moments in our life," Mathew Knowles said, "and when we look back, in years to come, I think this will be the defining moment in Beyoncé Knowles' career as a recording artist. And there's more to come [from] Sasha Fierce."

• Beyoncé
• Rihanna
• Sean Garrett
• Babyface
• Solange

Radiohead's Thom Yorke
Photo: Jo Hale/ Getty Images

Radiohead have announced their tour plans for 2008, but if you're expecting a traditional itinerary ... well, then you really don't know Radiohead. The band has started sketching out cities and dates for next year on its Web site, but the info is only complete for three shows — and tickets are on sale for all of them: June 18 in Milan, Italy; June 20 at Germany's Hurricane Festival; and June 22 at the same country's Southside Festival. The band is also booked for Denmark's Roskilde festival and Belgium's Rock Werchter Festival, both of which will be held July 3-6. Paris; Barcelona, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; London; Berlin and other major European cities are also on the menu. ...

Seems all that "Tattoo" talk has gone to Jordin Sparks' head. The "American Idol" victor — whose new self-titled debut isn't doing so hot in record stores these days — told the San Francisco Chronicle that she decided to get a tattoo of her own after shooting the video for her latest single, "Tattoo." Sparks first asked her mother — "I would feel really bad if I did it without telling her," she said — who replied that she would get a tattoo with her daughter after she turns 18 on December 22. The singer said the tattoo will feature her brother P.J.'s name "in a nice script." ... Ashley Tisdale's performance at the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting in New York on Wednesday apparently went off with a hitch — video circulating online seems to show the "High School Musical" star lip-syncing "Last Christmas" out of step with the pre-recorded tape. Could Ashley have something in common with another Ashlee? ...

Amy Winehouse's father is speaking out regarding the singer's recent cancellation of the remainder of her 2007 concert dates and public appearances, according to BBC News. Mitch Winehouse reportedly said his daughter is "sorry for fans," that her decision to rest is "is in her best interests" — and that "all options" were being taken into consideration over whether she would go to rehab, where she had reportedly been treated earlier this year. Amy Winehouse nixed the rest of her '07 tour plans on Tuesday, saying in a statement, "I can't give it my all onstage without my [husband] Blake [Fielder-Civil]." Her husband was arrested in the U.K. earlier this month and formally charged with one count of "attempting to pervert the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice, in connection with an alleged $400,000 plot to fix a trial. ...

Deerhunter, the Black Lips, Mastodon and more are featured in "We Fun: Atlanta, Ga.: Inside/Out," a new documentary that is acting as the companion piece to "Athens, Ga.: Inside/Out," which came out in 1987. The flick's MySpace page has much more info, including ways to help donate to the production. ... Rare silk-screened, autographed gig posters relating to the Arcade Fire, Spoon and Superchunk are being featured in Merge Records' new eBay auction benefiting Oxfam America and the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. The revered indie label, which calls Chapel Hill home, is also putting up M. Ward, Destroyer and Robert Pollard posters — the Arcade Fire one is already going for $531. ...

Expect to find Lil Wayne, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius and Q-Tip on the upcoming album by Solange Knowles. Solange & the Hadley Street Dreams, due in 2008, will also feature, more bizarrely, a sample from long-running down-tempo duo Boards of Canada. ... The Warner Music Group posted a big loss on Wednesday (November 29) — a 58 percent drop in its quarterly profit, according to Reuters. Sales from digital music were up 25 percent during the quarter, but the decline in CD sales dwarfed that gain. U.S. album sales are down 14 percent this year. ... Moby tracks might not be as prized these days as they were back in 1999, but the musician is giving some of them away for free all the same on a new portion of his Web site. He's giving away music to be used by indie and nonprofit filmmakers, film students and people — so long as it's used in a non-commercial or non-profit film, video or short. ...

Critics' albums-of-the-year lists are popping up left and right, but what about the King of Horror's two cents? Stephen King — who is a member of Rock Bottom Remainders, the literary all-star squad that also features Matt Groening and others — rolls out his own list in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, which streets December 7. Steve Earle's Washington Square Serenade is his favorite album of the year, with Wilco's Sky Blue Sky and Lyle Lovett and His Large Band's It's Not Big It's Large following behind. Rounding out his list are Ozzy Osbourne's Black Rain, John Fogerty's Revival and Southern Culture on the Skids' Countrypolitan Favorites. ...

Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's son, was driving around 100 mph when he crashed his car in late August, according to reported police records released Tuesday, but his attorney is denying the claim. "The scientific evidence doesn't support anything like that," Morris "Sandy" Weinberg told the St. Petersburg Times. The report also says Bollea — who was cited for operating a vehicle with a breath-alcohol level of .02 percent or higher, among other infractions — told police he didn't know what road he was traveling on or in which direction, and that he had been driving 30 or 40 mph. Earlier this month, Bollea was charged with reckless driving in the crash that critically injured his friend and passenger John Graziano, who suffered a broken skull and has been comatose since the accident. ...

Ex-Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle was arrested Tuesday for not properly registering as a sex offender — the second time he's been busted for not doing so — according to The Associated Press. The musician (real name: Thomas Delmer Pyle) — who in 1993 pleaded guilty to charges of attempted capital sexual battery by an adult on a victim younger than 12, among other charges — is being held on $50,000 bond at a jail in Florida after being arrested at one of three addresses he gave to police. On November 19, Pyle was arrested on the same charge after he didn't register a new permanent address. The address on Pyle's driver's license reportedly doesn't belong to him — the musician has a house in North Carolina but has told police he wants to register at an address in Florida. Pyle left Skynyrd in 1992 after playing with the band for 17 years. ...

Jennifer Love Hewitt got engaged to boyfriend Ross McCall, a Scottish actor, last week during a trip to Maui, according to UsMagazine.com. A date reportedly hasn't been announced yet for the "Ghost Whisperer" star's wedding.

11.28.07

Lindsay Lohan was dealt a setback Wednesday (November 28) when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled her deposition in an ongoing lawsuit can be videotaped, according to TMZ.com. The site says Judge Michael Stern ruled that Raymundo Ortega, who is suing the starlet for $200,000 in damages stemming from an October 2005 car crash, can videotape Lohan's deposition as part of his lawsuit against her. Her lawyers had argued against the motion, saying such a videotape would sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Last month, Lohan countersued Ortega, who has accused her of negligence and drinking when she hit his parked van in West Hollywood, California. A trial date for both suits is set for April 7. Also in October, Britney Spears landed a courtroom win last month when a judge ruled that her pending deposition in her child-custody case will not be videotaped. ...

John Legend is one event-full dude. He appears on one of the covers of Black Enterprise's December issue, has a TV concert special on the way and is also booked to co-host the kickoff party at this year's Florida Entertainment Summit, which begins Thursday and ends Sunday. Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and others are also participating in the summit. ... The Killers have presented fans with a new Christmas charity single, the successor to last year's "A Great Big Sled." All proceeds from "Don't Shoot Me, Santa," which was made available Tuesday as a digital download, are going to Bono's (RED) campaign, as "Big Sled" proceeds did last year. They've shot a video for the track too. ...

"High School Musical" fans can breathe a little easier — Zac Efron will be back for the third flick, according to Us Weekly. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale were reportedly confirmed for "High School Musical 3" earlier this month, and the magazine quotes director Kenny Ortega as saying, "All of the original cast will be back." But, he added, "I have a feeling this will be the end [for the current stars]. This franchise may move to another generation!" Hudgens also commented on the upcoming flick, saying, "It's their senior year, so there's going to be graduation — and prom!," according to the magazine. ...

Autographed materials and other swag items relating to Foo Fighters, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, the Killers, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Slash, Bright Eyes, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Feist, the Arcade Fire, Marilyn Manson, the Rolling Stones and a fleet of other artists will be up for bidding at the 19th annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction, which will take place Friday in Chicago. Rock for Kids gives free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the Chicago area. ... And Incubus are hoping to inject their Make Yourself Foundation charity with an influx of cash via a new auction of their own. The band has put more than 50 items up for bid on eBay, including Brandon Boyd's 2006 Mini Cooper, a custom Xbox, sneakers, a pool cue and more. Incubus have so far raised more than $600,000 for their nonprofit this year. ...

Alicia Keys has been tapped to co-host "My Night at the Grammys," a two-hour special hyping the upcoming awards show. The CBS special will also feature Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Billie Joe Armstrong, Beyoncé, Bono, Ricky Martin and Usher sharing their Grammy memories, with Melissa Etheridge and Faith Hill also co-hosting. "My Night" will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, while the awards ceremony itself will take place February 10 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. ... Think you're the perfect match for Bow Wow or Omarion? The guys are launching a contest in which two winners will score a dinner date with them. To enter, contestants have to make a 30-second video of themselves explaining why they would be the perfect "Wifey" for either Bow or O, and submit it here. The winners will also get autographed copies of the two's December 11 album, Face Off, which they're celebrating with a day-of appearance at Circuit City on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street in New York. The first 500 people to buy the album at the location will get a wristband allowing entry to the autograph signing. ...

Unreleased tracks by Nas, Rihanna, Fabolous, Method Man, Redman, Bobby Valentino and Ne-Yo are being compiled onto Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1, due December 18. The so-called "ultimate bonus track collection," as a press release dubs it, features leftover cuts from the artists' latest albums and includes Nas' "The N ..." and "Where Y'All At" (from the Hip Hop Is Dead sessions); Rihanna's "Haunted" and "Cry" (Good Girl Gone Bad); Fab's "I Shine, You Shine" and "Chirp Back" (From Nothin' to Somethin'); Meth's "OD" (4:21 ... the Day After); Red's "F--- Da Security" and "Let's Go" (Red Gone Wild: Thee Album); Valentino's "Wreck" and "Let's Go" (Special Occasion); and Ne-Yo's "That's What It Does" and "Spotlight" (Because of You). ... Free agent Joe Budden previewed selections from his forthcoming independent album/mixtape, Mood Muzik 3: It's About to Get Worse, on Tuesday night at New York night spot the Plumm. The recently liberated Def Jam artist was on hand, as were rappers Joell Ortiz and Benzino. The first two installments of the Mood Muzik series were more acerbic, but the sharp-tongued MC still delivers a few lyrical uppercuts on the new disc, such as on "Ventilation": "I'm looking in his casket like he had no face/ I was at a loss for words like 'Fiascogate.' " ...

It's been almost a year since Brandy was involved in a multi-car freeway crash that claimed the life of a woman, and since the singer hasn't been charged yet, she could wind up in the clear, according to TMZ.com. The window of opportunity for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to file charges expires December 30, on the first anniversary of the accident — the site reports that the office is planning to wait until the last minute to make its decision. ... Yahoo and AOL might scrap their Internet radio services following a 38 percent increase in royalties to air music, according to Bloomberg.com. SoundExchange, which represents artists and labels, started collecting the mandated increased fees in July, after which Yahoo and AOL stopped directing users to their radio sites. Yahoo's Launchcast saw an 11 percent drop in the number of people using the service, while AOL Radio's audience took a 10 percent plunge. ...

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Blitzen Trapper and Cursive fans, make some noise ... the bands are anchoring the lineup for next year's Noise Pop festival. The 16th installment of San Francisco's indie-rock gala will happen February 26-March 2 and also feature Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan's Gutter Twins, whose Saturnalia debut is due in stores March 4. The Twins have also booked a Valentine's Day gig at New York's Bowery Ballroom. ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel's new project, Ashes Divide, are targeting March for the release of their yet-untitled debut. He produced and engineered the effort in Los Angeles, playing all guitar, bass and keyboard parts. Drumming was handled by Josh Freese, another APC vet, and Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, the Killers) engineered the disc. ... The Black Lips are hoping their 2007 hype carries over into next year: The Atlanta garage-rockers — or "flower punks," as they prefer to call themselves — are plotting a tour that will run from February 1 in Denver through March 22 in Atlanta. ...

Controversial hip-hop shock jock Troi "Star" Torain announced his return to the radio airwaves on Wednesday at a press conference held at Bryant Park Hotel in New York. Toran, who hosted top-rated morning shows at Hot 97 and Power 105 before unceremoniously departing from both stations amid clashes with management and disputes with a number of contemporaries — including Dame Dash and DJ Envy — will make his return as a part of the new independent station Pulse 87 (87.7). The Top 40 station will premiere in early January, followed by the debut of the new "Star & Buc Wild" show. ...

Natavia Lowery, the former personal assistant of ex-Ramones co-manager Linda Stein, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to Stein's murder. The Associated Press reported that Lowery, who initially denied knowing anything about the brutal slaying of Stein — who was found facedown in a pool of blood in her $3 million Fifth Avenue apartment on October 30 after her head and neck had been struck a half-dozen times — blamed a masked man at first, according to newly revealed court documents. But in a signed statement, Lowery claimed that Stein blew marijuana smoke in her face, brandished a cane and made derogatory remarks about black people. "I snatched the cane and hit her repeatedly with it," said Lowery, who is black. Her attorney said outside court that police coerced a false confession from his client by grilling her in an interrogation room for 12 hours and that the purported murder weapon has not been found. Police said surveillance tapes show Lowery leaving Stein's apartment shortly after the assault. ...

The Ozzy Osbourne pre-concert sting that was staged last month in Fargo, North Dakota — and resulted in dozens of arrests — is continuing to pay off for the police. According to North Dakota news site KXNet.com, Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney is selling T-shirts cops wore in the raid and using the money to raise money for the United Way. During the Halloween Eve sting, which was disguised as an Osbourne party, police wore "security" tees that featured a festive Halloween skull, and the image of a sheriff's-badge star could be seen in its right eye socket. "The T-shirt just became the image and look of what happened with that event, and people wanted one," Laney said, according to the site. "Initially we weren't going to do anything with it, but as I thought about it, I thought, 'Hey, what a way to give back to the community through something that happened — something positive.' So we'll give [every] penny raised to the United Way." ... In even more unusual Osbourne news, his wife, Sharon, made a macabre revelation on "Extra" on Monday — they have a suicide pact in place in the event that either she or her husband faces a terminal illness. "[When] you know you're going to die, we would want to choose the time where we want to leave," she said. "I would go with my old man, and he would come with me." But, Sharon added, "Not if it's in the next five years." She also addressed her feud with Courtney Love, saying that she can't address her allegations that the rocker hooked her son, Jack Osbourne, on drugs because the situation is "now in legal hands, so we can't talk about it, because it's gone to that stage."

• Radiohead
• Amy Winehouse
• Lil Wayne
• Cee-Lo
• Ozzy Osbourne

In between shooting scenes for her movie debut, "Coach Carter," Ashanti has been writing for her third album. "We're looking for a release in late summer," she said. "And we're going to be putting together a tour hopefully late summer too." ...

The Hot Boys' Turk had attempted-murder charges against him lowered from first-degree to second-degree at a preliminary hearing Thursday, after a police officer testified that several cops wearing black masks broke into the rapper's apartment but neither identified themselves nor produced a warrant. ... Bow Wow and his "Johnson Family Vacation" co-star Solange Knowles have more career moves in common than the movie. "We both have development deals with UPN for a sitcom, but separately, so it's kind of cool that we're on the same network," Solange said ... Bow Wow, meanwhile, has another new venture in the works. "I'm trying to be an entrepreneur; I'm going to open up a clothing store called Fly in Atlanta," he said. "We're going to be selling all the hot stuff. What's hot, we're going to have it." ...

Don't be surprised if heavy-metal godfathers Black Sabbath take the stage at this summer's Ozzfest. Bassist Geezer Butler has already signed on to replace Rob "Blasko" Nicolson, who left Ozzy's solo band in December, and when asked on the syndicated radio show "Rockline" on Wednesday whether there have been discussions about a reunion, Osbourne none-too-coyly replied, "I think so." ... A bottle of red wine named after a 1974 Bob Dylan album is expected to hit store shelves this fall. Planet Waves, described by Italian vintner and Dylan fan Antonio Terni as "a mysteriously Dylanesque encounter between the severity of Montepulciano and the softness of Merlot," has the blessing of the bard himself, and follows Visions of J, named after the classic song "Visions of Johanna," which won Terni the top prize at an Italian food festival three years ago. ...

Government officials near Slipknot's hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, turned down the band's application to play a concert at the nearby 7 Flags Event Center on April 27. The Clive City Council members voted 3-2 against granting the band the noise permit it would have needed to stage the show. The council nixed the request because it doesn't grant noise permits for weekday events. ... Ex-Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson will release his second record with his group the New Earth Mud, titled This Magnificent Distance, on June 29. The first single is "40 Days." The band will play Bonnaroo on June 11 and will open for the Allman Brothers Band in July. ...

Esteemed Princeton University professor Cornel West plans to drop his second rap LP, Street Knowledge, in June. When West, 50, was a professor at Harvard University, he released his first rap album, Sketches of My Culture, which prompted criticism from university President Lawrence Summers and West's subsequent departure from the department. ...Sevendust will release the live acoustic DVD/CD package Southside Double-Wide Acoustic Live on May 4. The discs were filmed and recorded last year at the Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia, and include versions of "Bitch," "Too Close to Hate," "Black," "Xmas Day," "Broken Down" and a cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt." The DVD contains more than two hours of live footage and lots of extras. ...

Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago will hit the road together for a 33-date tour that launches June 12 in the Woodlands, Texas. Dates run through August 15 in Auburn, Washington. ... The annual Plea for Peace Tour is set to begin April 19 in Minneapolis. With a revolving lineup that includes Cursive, Mike Park and spoken-word poet Saul Williams, the seven-week trek features voter-registration kiosks, and a dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to a charity of the artists' choice. ...

Swedish garage rockers the Division of Laura Lee are hopping the pond for a two-week trek with fellow countrymen the Sounds, beginning April 19 in Washington, D.C., to support their second album, Das Not Compute (due May 11). ... Metalogy, Judas Priest's four-CD box set, will arrive one week later than expected. The retrospective 65-song collection's new release date is May 11. ... In Florida, the record industry must file individual lawsuits against suspected peer-to-peer pirates instead of lumping them together in a single complaint, a more costly and time-consuming process, according to a ruling made Thursday by a federal judge in Florida. The decision echoed one handed down by a Philadelphia judge early last month. ...

04.01.2004

As part of the Principal for a Day program in New York City schools, Jay-Z paid a visit to his old high school on Wednesday. Jay met with about 80 kids from George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, mostly students who were on the school's honor roll, part of the Fresh Start program and on the robotics team. Jay refused to bring along cameras for the surprise visit, but plenty of students did. ... An illness forced Britney Spears to cancel Thursday night's show at Cleveland's Gund Arena. The concert will be rescheduled June 29. Spears' Onyx Hotel Tour is scheduled to proceed Saturday in Toronto. ...

Eminem was accused two years ago by French composer Jacques Loussier of lifting parts of his song "Pulsion" for the controversial Marshall Mathers LP cut "Kill You," and now the case will be heard in court. A trial date of June 14 has been set. The Paris-based pianist is seeking $10 million in damages. ... Limp Bizkit called off a string of dates in South Africa, set to begin Friday, for "undisclosable (sic) personal reasons," according to a post on their Web site. The band said it regrets the cancellation and intends to make up the dates. ... Nas and the Pixies are the first headliners announced for the 34th annual Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, taking place September 3-6. The eclectic music and arts festival will feature around 2,500 artists, in addition to a short-film festival, comedy festival, breakdancing stage, poetry slam, art exhibits, fashion shows and more. ...

For once, Outkast's Andre 3000 is attracting the ladies and he's not happy about it. On the June 15 season finale of FX's "The Shield," Dre plays the owner of a comic-book store who is frustrated by the large number of prostitutes loitering around his establishment. Apparently streetwalkers aren't good for business, and when the police don't handle the matter to his satisfaction, Dre takes action, according to FX network spokespeople ... A U.S. district court judge in Florida has issued Slipknot a court order that temporarily bans them from selling their own hats and T-shirts on the Jägermeister Tour. The band was sued by San Francisco merchandising company Signature Network, which has a licensing deal with Jäger to sell hats, T-shirts and other band-related items on the tour. Signature Network filed the suit after Slipknot, who were selling their own merchandise, booted the company from a venue in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday night. The matter will be settled at an April 10 hearing, but until then, Slipknot will not be able to hawk any of their wares on the tour. The band's label had no comment. ...

Alicia Keys will perform a duet with trumpet player Arturo Sandoval at the 2004 Billboard Latin Awards. The event will take place at the Miami Arena in Florida and will be broadcast live on Telemundo at 7 p.m. ET on April 29. ... Cake! That's Damon Dash's main focus, and we're not talking the kind you eat. Dash, forever in the pursuit of cash, maximized his time with the Roc-A-Fella roster while the artists were on set to shoot scenes for "State Property 2" by setting up a studio nearby. The Roc boss got all the acts to make songs together, and the result is Dream Team 2, which will drop at some point this year. ...

Jimmy "J.J." Walker is in the dark again, and it's not because that big ole buffalo butt Bookman has cut the power to the Evans family's project apartment again. Rather, Walker is making an appearance in the upcoming video "Good Times" by rap group Pitch Black. ... Alanis Morissette may feel like she has no room to breathe once Oxygen's done with her. The Oxygen Network is planning on following the singer for eight hours of live programming as she goes about her promotional activities in New York on the day of her new album's release. So-Called Chaos is due out May 18, and Oxygen will start airing Alanis TV at 2 p.m. ET that day. ...

Coming from the Inc. this summer is the debut from Atlanta R&B singer Lloyd. In his new video, "Southside," Lloyd finds love with an older woman played by Ashanti, who also sings on the cut. The clip visually references the movie "A Bronx Tale" in several scenes. ... A Canadian federal court ruled Wednesday that Internet service providers don't have to surrender their subscriber list on the demand of the music industry. The Canadian Recording Industry Association did not present sufficient evidence to sue 29 alleged file-sharers, according to Justice Konrad von Finckenstein, who compared a user putting copyrighted songs onto a shared directory to a library's photocopy machine in a room full of copyrighted books. The CRIA plans to appeal the decision. ...

• Ashanti
• Bow Wow
• Solange
• Black Sabbath
• Young Turk

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