Chamillionaire at the "Best of Texas" concert in Houston Sunday
Photo: MTV News

Houston hip-hop artists have a history of being very talented but, unfortunately, very divided at times. In the '90s, there were rivalries based on what part of the city you lived in. Several years ago, that philosophy was put aside, and the guys from H-Town started collaborating regardless of geography. When the city reemerged and exploded less than a handful of years ago, the scene caught fire with a bevy of pairings: Slim Thug and Chamillionaire. Lil' Flip and Chamillionaire. Slim Thug, Mike Jones and Paul Wall. Bun B and everybody.

Then everybody started doing their own thing again.

"In every argument, both sides are going to feel they are right," said Chamillionaire, who has had issues with Paul Wall and Mike Jones over the past few years. "In hip-hop, it's very competitive — the competitive nature of the music. ... Any little thing can make somebody mad."

At the recent Ozone Awards — supposedly a shining moment for the city — the division screamed when Trae tha Truth laid hands on Mike Jones, punching the MC. To make matters worse, the night ended early without a planned cipher of the city's MCs closing the show. Tsk-tsk.

On Sunday, Houston radio station the Box pulled off what some called the impossible, assembling just about every hip-hop artist in the city — old and new — for what they called the "Best of Texas" concert. It all took place during the Los Magnificos Car Show at the Reliant Center, and it lasted more than seven hours.

"This is home," Lil' Flip said after he got offstage early in the afternoon. "The biggest car show we ever had. Twenty-thousand [people]! Usually we have, like, 12,000."

Flip underestimated the turnout; by show's end, there was talk of the spectator tally being somewhere between 28,000 and 30,000.

"This is our biggest event of the year," Slim Thug explained. "Usually we have artists from all over the country come down and perform. This year, it's all Houston and a few Dallas artists, and it's sold out. This is the biggest turnout they ever had."

Houston legends the Botany Boys, Lil' Keke, Scarface and Bun B joined current hometown superstars Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, Slim Thug and Mike Jones. The night's most anticipated and loudly received sets, however, came from two guys who the mainstream don't really know, Trae tha Truth and Z-Ro, who closed the show.

"It's intoxicating, it's like one of them things rolled up burning," said Z-Ro, who was the undeniable crowd favorite of the night. "Z-Ro, Zeeee-rooooo," the crowd started chanting an hour before he came on.

"The kids and the older people, all walks of life — they out there screaming, word for word," the MC said. "I looked out and didn't see any wall, I didn't see any wall. All I saw was people. I felt I had to be all I can. It's like the army now."

It was very surreal hearing 20,000-plus sing Ro's song "I Hate You B----" like it was a Linda Perry power ballad.

Mike Jones got a very different reaction during his set. Maybe they didn't immediately recognize him because of his significant weight loss (he's been dieting and working out), but when he came out, the crowd was just cold. No booing, no cheering, no reaction. That indifference carried through his show for the most part. He did get them to sing along occasionally, though.

Bun B went over heavily with the crowd. They welcomed him like the legend he is. "Draped Up" and "Get Throwed" drove 'em crazy, while "Int'l Players Anthem" and "Big Pimpin' " kept hands in the air.

Paul Wall rolled out hits like "Sittin' Sidewayz" and "Grillz," but his big moment was bringing out Chamillionaire for 'N Luv Wit My Money.' The two buried the hatchet a while back, but they made it official Sunday night. Cham himself brought out Krayzie Bone on "Ridin' " and Lil' Flip for "Turn It Up."

Although songs such as "Mr. Scarface" and "Money and the Power" were probably older than some of the kids in the crowd, Scarface got them to chant his classics. "Smile" and "I Seen a Man Die" were also in his chamber, but the biggest record for him was "My Mind's Playing Tricks on Me." While it had been billed that the Geto Boys would take the stage together to receive a lifetime-achievement award, Bushwick Bill and Willie D were unexplained absentees.

Trae tha Truth clearly went over his allotted time: The house and stage lights were on during most of his performance. But who's gonna tell the imposing street don to stop rapping? Especially when Trae brought out his son and the kids of deceased Houston icons Fat Pat and Big Hawk.

But Slim Thug gets the show's MVP award. Besides his own set, he jumped onstage no less than five other times for various guest appearances. No "Still Tippin' " with Jones and Wall, though.

• Slim Thug, Z-Ro Talk About The 'Best Of Texas'

• Lil' Flip
• Scarface
• Mike Jones
• Paul Wall
• Slim Thug

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Remembering UGK's Pimp C

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

Ja Rule
Photo: Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Ja Rule's Sunday arrest in New York on a single felony weapon count was "another instance of hip-hop targeting," according to the rapper's attorney, Stacey Richman. She claims the .40-caliber Taurus pistol police recovered from inside the 2004 Maybach that Ja was riding in when he was arrested belonged to someone else. Ja; his driver, Mohamed Gamal; and his road manager, Dennis Cherry, were charged with criminal possession of a weapon and spent Sunday night in jail. The three were arraigned Monday afternoon, and Ja (born Jeffrey Atkins) was released on $150,000 bond. He's expected back in Manhattan Criminal Court November 7. According to Richman, the car in question was a company vehicle owned by Gamal's Maximum Transportation firm and is used by his clients. "If you get a car, and something's left in the car, is that yours?" Richman wondered. "How you can ascribe that anybody knows what's in a car?" She also contends that the car was stopped about a block away from the Beacon Theatre and that it had been "parked outside for two and a half hours, with the police department, and they ran the plates — they could have just handed out a ticket then, but they didn't. They waited for [Ja Rule] to get into the car." As for the speeding claims, Richman simply doesn't believe them: "Why would he speed for one block? What, he's going to speed to the next light on Broadway? Come on." The prosecutor's office would not comment on Ja Rule's arrest. ...

G-Unit's Tony Yayo was in court Tuesday morning (July 24) in connection with charges of harassment and endangering the welfare of a child, the 14-year-old son of Game manager Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond. According to Yayo's lawyer Scott Leemon, the rapper rejected a plea offer that would have him serve nine months in jail, and the case was adjourned until September 6. Leemon said the judge in the case asked for more time to make a decision on whether he will enforce subpoenas issued by Leemon to the public-relations firm for Rosemond's Czar Entertainment record label. Leemon would not discuss what information he is seeking from the PR firm. ...

R. Kelly is still feeding off his recent Double Up set, but he's already got another treat in store for next month: Ten new episodes in his "Trapped in the Closet" series. In his latest go-'round, R. dresses as a preacher in a wig — and even more amusingly, from the sound of it, an old man with a fake belly and beard, Billboard.com reports. A DVD encompassing the 10 eps will hit stores August 21, but you can catch them prior to that on, oddly enough, the Independent Film Channel. ... Lindsay Lohan's wax statue at Madame Tussauds in New York has a new addition: It's now dressed in black and white prison stripes. The museum pulled the same move with Paris Hilton's statue when the heiress went to jail. ...

Rage Against the Machine, Daft Punk, Iggy and the Stooges and Queens of the Stone Age are among the headliners of this year's Vegoose Festival. The third annual installment of the Las Vegas event, to be held October 27-28 at Sam Boyd Stadium, will also feature sets from Muse, Cypress Hill, the Shins, Public Enemy, Ghostface Killah, Pharoahe Monch, Battles, Gogol Bordello and more artists to be announced soon. The Stooges will perform their classic Fun House album in its entirety for the first time ever in the U.S. ...

Daughtry will hit the road next month for a spate of headlining gigs. Dates are scheduled from August 1 in Columbus, Ohio, through October 20 in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... Mandy Moore will team up with Paula Cole for a co-headlining tour set to kick off August 18 in Portland, Oregon, and expire August 25 in San Diego. Moore's also set to play some of her own headlining gigs, starting August 30 in Fort Worth, Texas. That trek runs through September 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina. ... Tori Amos has mapped out the U.S. leg of her world tour, which will launch October 9 in Albany, New York, and run through December 17 in Los Angeles. ...

Tupac Shakur's estate is trying to stop the late rapper's former label, Death Row Records, from selling his unreleased recordings as part of a bankruptcy settlement. Shakur's mother, Afeni, sought an injunction in federal bankruptcy court Friday, claiming the label was trying to sell Shakur material that belonged to the rapper's estate and should have been turned over to it as part of a 1997 agreement with Death Row. Shakur's lawyer Donald N. David said that during the label's bankruptcy proceedings, "it was revealed that an album's worth of unreleased Tupac material was being advertised to potential buyers as the jewel in the crown of the Death Row assets." ...

A Los Angeles judge has refused to dismiss Phil Spector's murder charge or reduce it to manslaughter on Tuesday, The Associated Press reports. Prosecutors rested their case Monday, and one of the attorneys said they might not even have to show the music producer pulled the trigger to the gun that killed actress Lana Clarkson in order for Spector to be convicted. "He had the gun in his home, loaded with his bullets," said Alan Jackson, who added that prosecutors only need to show that Spector pointed the gun at Clarkson. "Whether he pulled the trigger, whether he sneezed or she slapped his hand away or there was an earthquake — it doesn't matter. It's implied malice." The defense argued that implied malice wasn't shown and that the prosecution didn't support its second-degree-murder theory, so the charge should be dismissed or reduced. "It's very clear to me ... that there's more than enough substantial evidence to support a conviction if there was one," Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler said, refusing the motion. ...

Static-X, Shadows Fall, 3 Inches of Blood and Divine Heresy are planning a U.S. run that will commence in September. Dates and venues have yet to be announced, but we'll keep you posted. ... There's been some turmoil as of late in the world of Hopesfall. According to a statement from the band, it seems the only remaining member is singer Jay Forrest, meaning guitarists Joshua Brigham and Dustin Nadler, drummer Jason Trabue and bassist Mike Tyson have split. No explanation for the departures has been made public. ... Coheed and Cambria's forthcoming album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow, will hit stores October 23. ... The Bled's next effort, Silent Treatment, has been set for a September 25 release. The LP will contain 11 tracks, including "You Should Be Ashamed of Myself," "Platonic Sleepover Massacre" and "Breathing Room Barricades." ...

English manager Don Arden, the father of Sharon Osbourne, died Saturday in a Los Angeles nursing home, according to a BBC News report. He was 81. The man born Harry Levy in Manchester, England, but known variously as the "Al Capone of Pop," "The English Godfather" and "Mr. Big" for his uncompromising business practices was at one time the manager of acts ranging from ELO to the Small Faces and Black Sabbath. Sharon was famously estranged from Arden for nearly 20 years after she wrested control of husband Ozzy Osbourne's solo career and was forced to pay her dad a $1 million court settlement. The two reconciled in 2002. ... In an attempt to smooth the pathway to a proposed merger, satellite-radio competitors XM and Sirius have said that if the $4.7 billion merger is approved, they would offer new a la carte pricing plans that would allow users to pay only for the stations they want. The Washington Post reports that the proposed plans would start at $6.99 for 50 stations, which is almost half of the current price of $12.95 for about 150 stations, and include a $14.99 price for 100 stations and the option to add stations one at a time for 25 cents each.

07.23.07

All eyes will be on Jennifer Lopez when she launches her first-ever concert tour September 29 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Husband Marc Anthony will co-headline the trek, which will take them through the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Dates will be announced next week. Each set will include English- and Spanish-spoken songs, and $1 from every ticket sold will go toward financial-services company ING's school-fitness program for kids, Run for Something Better ...

Kelly Clarkson told Reader's Digest for the magazine's August issue that she got her way with her new album after a public battle with RCA, but the singer says in a new post on her Web site that she regrets feuding with label head Clive Davis over My December. "Contrary to recent characterizations in the press, I'm well aware that Clive is one of the great record men of all time," reads the post. "He has been a key advisor and has been an important force in my success to date. I really regret how this has turned out and I apologize to those whom I have done disservice. I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I love music, and I love the people I am blessed to work with." ...

Who needs a clothing line when you can have an umbrella range — especially if you're Rihanna? The singer has done the inevitable by partnering with British company Totes for a collection perfectly suited for her "Umbrella" single. Take your pick right here. ... Pink couldn't stomach her planned gig at Athens' recent Fly BEEyond Festival — she came down with a bout with gastroenteritis and had to bail hours before going onstage, according to the show's promoter, Hot Beez. The show will not be made up, but ticket holders are being offered cash refunds. ...

"Hallows" be thy name: The final installment of the Harry Potter series racked up some big numbers over the weekend (surprised?). Scholastic says roughly 8.3 million copies of the book sold in the first 24 hours upon its release Saturday, with Borders, Amazon and Barnes & Noble all reporting more than 1 million copies sold each. The sales were impressive in the U.K., where the book sold 2.7 million copies in the first 24 hours, and in Canada, where it moved about 812,000 in its first 48 hours. Daniel Radcliffe had his own reason to celebrate Monday (July 23): The actor turned 18, gaining access to a fortune that is the U.S. equivalent of roughly $40 million. ...

Freestyle king Lil' Flip turned himself in on a felony charge of credit-card abuse on Saturday after authorities said he tried to buy a $671 Southwest Airlines ticket to Baltimore from Houston in June using an American Express card held by someone else. Flip, 26 (born Wesley Eric Weston Jr.), was booked and released on $2,000 bond, according to the Houston Chronicle. Lil' Flip's attorney and manager addressed the allegations on Monday. "Flip had absolutely no involvement with any sort of credit card fraud," Sandy Lal said in a statement. "He never personally handles any travel arrangements; that is left to promoters and travel agents." His attorney Stanley Schneider added: "A complete investigation will easily show that Lil' Flip is innocent of all charges and is actually a victim of a scam." ... Cops working the John Mayer concert at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania, were busy on Saturday, arresting 63 fans, according to The Patriot-News. Among the arrests were 46 for underage drinking; 14 for disorderly conduct; and three each for public drunkenness, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. ...

It's all about "The Simpsons Movie" this week, as the much-anticipated flick opens Friday, but some people haven't forgotten about the show's upcoming 19th season — namely Jack Black, Lionel Richie, Topher Grace and MTV News' own Kurt Loder, all of whom will be paying guest appearances. Black will voice the character of Milo, who scares Comic Book Guy by opening up a competing store. In other "Simpsons" news, Matt Groening has finally 'fessed up to where he got the idea for Marge Simpson's blue beehive. He told The New York Times Magazine in an interview published Sunday that her 'do was inspired by "The Bride of Frankenstein" and his own mom's hairstyle in the '60s. ...

The Arcade Fire aren't burning out anytime soon — the indie-rockers have extended their tour with LCD Soundsystem with four additional dates: September 30 in St. Paul, Minnesota; October 3 in Louisville, Kentucky; October 5 in Columbus, Ohio; and October 6 at New York's Randall's Island. ... The Shins are tacking a cover of Pink Floyd's "Breathe" onto their "Turn Me On" U.K. single. ...

The Reverend Al Sharpton is supporting New York State Senator Antoine Thompson's idea to penalize record companies that don't crack down on denigrating lyrics by pulling the state's public investments from them, The Associated Press reports. According to Thompson, about $3 billion of the state's pension fund is invested in the entertainment industry. ... Iconic indie label Sympathy for the Record Industry — which has issued albums by the White Stripes, Hole, Rocket From the Crypt and a slew of others over the years — is up on the block, according to Idolator.com. Owner Long Gone John is pricing the label and its "questionable/nebulous rights to nearly 750 releases by over 550 bands" at "$625,000, or $700,000 if I don't like you." ...

There have been some lineup changes in Perry Farrell's Satellite Party project. Former Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt jumped ship last week, saying, "I have always felt uncomfortable with the direction of the lineup and live show. I truly do believe in the songs and music on the album, and I wish Perry Farrell and any musician that remains on tour all the best." Drummer Kevin Figg also opted to leave, but no reason was offered for his departure. In their place, Farrell has recruited Silvertide guitarist Nick Perri and drummer Jordan Plosky, who has worked with Ryan Cabrera in the past. ...

Babyface, Queen Latifah, Garth Brooks and others will perform at a concert to raise funds for a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on September 18. The event, set to take place at New York's Radio City Music Hall, will also feature previously announced artists Stevie Wonder, Robin Thicke and more. ... Jeff Beck's manager tells Billboard.com that, contrary to a report the site published Friday, the guitarist is not planning to tour with Jimmy Page and others as the Yardbirds this fall.

• Harry Potter's 'Deathly' Night: The End Of An Era

• Ja Rule
• Tony Yayo
• Rage Against the Machine
• Ghostface Killah
• Daughtry

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
Photo: Picturehouse

All eyes will be on Jennifer Lopez when she launches her first-ever concert tour September 29 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Husband Marc Anthony will co-headline the trek, which will take them through the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Dates will be announced next week. Each set will include English- and Spanish-spoken songs, and $1 from every ticket sold will go toward financial-services company ING's school-fitness program for kids, Run for Something Better ... Kelly Clarkson told Reader's Digest for the magazine's August issue that she got her way with her new album after a public battle with RCA, but the singer says in a new post on her Web site that she regrets feuding with label head Clive Davis over My December. "Contrary to recent characterizations in the press, I'm well aware that Clive is one of the great record men of all time," reads the post. "He has been a key advisor and has been an important force in my success to date. I really regret how this has turned out and I apologize to those whom I have done disservice. I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I love music, and I love the people I am blessed to work with." ...

Who needs a clothing line when you can have an umbrella range — especially if you're Rihanna? The singer has done the inevitable by partnering with British company Totes for a collection perfectly suited for her "Umbrella" single. Take your pick right here. ... Pink couldn't stomach her planned gig at Athens' recent Fly BEEyond Festival — she came down with a bout with gastroenteritis and had to bail hours before going onstage, according to the show's promoter, Hot Beez. The show will not be made up, but ticket holders are being offered cash refunds. ...

"Hallows" be thy name: The final installment of the Harry Potter series racked up some big numbers over the weekend (surprised?). Scholastic says roughly 8.3 million copies of the book sold in the first 24 hours upon its release Saturday, with Borders, Amazon and Barnes & Noble all reporting more than 1 million copies sold each. The sales were impressive in the U.K., where the book sold 2.7 million copies in the first 24 hours, and in Canada, where it moved about 812,000 in its first 48 hours. Daniel Radcliffe had his own reason to celebrate Monday (July 23): The actor turned 18, gaining access to a fortune that is the U.S. equivalent of roughly $40 million. ...

Freestyle king Lil' Flip turned himself in on a felony charge of credit-card abuse on Saturday after authorities said he tried to buy a $671 Southwest Airlines ticket to Baltimore from Houston in June using an American Express card held by someone else. Flip, 26 (born Wesley Eric Weston Jr.), was booked and released on $2,000 bond, according to the Houston Chronicle. Lil' Flip's attorney and manager addressed the allegations on Monday. "Flip had absolutely no involvement with any sort of credit card fraud," Sandy Lal said in a statement. "He never personally handles any travel arrangements; that is left to promoters and travel agents." His attorney Stanley Schneider added: "A complete investigation will easily show that Lil' Flip is innocent of all charges and is actually a victim of a scam." ... Cops working the John Mayer concert at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania, were busy on Saturday, arresting 63 fans, according to The Patriot-News. Among the arrests were 46 for underage drinking; 14 for disorderly conduct; and three each for public drunkenness, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. ...

It's all about "The Simpsons Movie" this week, as the much-anticipated flick opens Friday, but some people haven't forgotten about the show's upcoming 19th season — namely Jack Black, Lionel Richie, Topher Grace and MTV News' own Kurt Loder, all of whom will be paying guest appearances. Black will voice the character of Milo, who scares Comic Book Guy by opening up a competing store. In other "Simpsons" news, Matt Groening has finally 'fessed up to where he got the idea for Marge Simpson's blue beehive. He told The New York Times Magazine in an interview published Sunday that her 'do was inspired by "The Bride of Frankenstein" and his own mom's hairstyle in the '60s. ...

The Arcade Fire aren't burning out anytime soon — the indie-rockers have extended their tour with LCD Soundsystem with four additional dates: September 30 in St. Paul, Minnesota; October 3 in Louisville, Kentucky; October 5 in Columbus, Ohio; and October 6 at New York's Randall's Island. ... The Shins are tacking a cover of Pink Floyd's "Breathe" onto their "Turn Me On" U.K. single. ...

The Reverend Al Sharpton is supporting New York State Senator Antoine Thompson's idea to penalize record companies that don't crack down on denigrating lyrics by pulling the state's public investments from them, The Associated Press reports. According to Thompson, about $3 billion of the state's pension fund is invested in the entertainment industry. ... Iconic indie label Sympathy for the Record Industry — which has issued albums by the White Stripes, Hole, Rocket From the Crypt and a slew of others over the years — is up on the block, according to Idolator.com. Owner Long Gone John is pricing the label and its "questionable/nebulous rights to nearly 750 releases by over 550 bands" at "$625,000, or $700,000 if I don't like you." ...

There have been some lineup changes in Perry Farrell's Satellite Party project. Former Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt jumped ship last week, saying, "I have always felt uncomfortable with the direction of the lineup and live show. I truly do believe in the songs and music on the album, and I wish Perry Farrell and any musician that remains on tour all the best." Drummer Kevin Figg also opted to leave, but no reason was offered for his departure. In their place, Farrell has recruited Silvertide guitarist Nick Perri and drummer Jordan Plosky, who has worked with Ryan Cabrera in the past. ...

Babyface, Queen Latifah, Garth Brooks and others will perform at a concert to raise funds for a Martin Luther King Jr. memorial at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on September 18. The event, set to take place at New York's Radio City Music Hall, will also feature previously announced artists Stevie Wonder, Robin Thicke and more. ... Jeff Beck's manager tells Billboard.com that, contrary to a report the site published Friday, the guitarist is not planning to tour with Jimmy Page and others as the Yardbirds this fall.

07.20.07

Jessica Simpson is a big spender, she recently admitted to Harper's Bazaar — big surprise there. But the singer/actress also revealed that while sister Ashlee "goes to a thrift store and can buy something for 20 bucks ... I have to go buy a black button-down at Barneys. For $900. Because it's a collector's item," she said in the magazine's August issue, which features Jessica on the cover. When asked which career she would pick if she had to choose between music and movies, she replied, "In my music career, there have been moments of failure, and with acting I haven't had that yet. But music is opening up my heart and every emotion inside of me." ...

Speaking of Ashlee, you might not want to wait around for that supposed Robert Smith collabo she's been raving about. "I would be hugely surprised if I end up working with Ashlee this year, but I haven't ruled it out," he told Billboard.com. He added: "I went to see her in 'Chicago.' ... I was impressed. The fact is, when she got onstage and sang, she was really good." ...

50 Cent has beef again — but this time, it isn't with a rival rapper. On Friday (July 20), he filed a lawsuit seeking at least $1 million in damages from online-ad company Traffix Inc. for using his image without permission in a graphic advertisement, Reuters reports. Even further, 50 says that the ad — which features a cartoon version of him and the message "shoot the rapper and you will win $5,000 or five ringtones guaranteed," according to the suit — promotes violence and threatens his safety. The suit cites the "vile, tasteless and despicable" use of the rapper's image and says it "quite literally calls for violence against" him. A lawyer representing Traffix declined to comment to Reuters. ...

"I'll just say no until I get my way, and I did," Kelly Clarkson told Reader's Digest for the magazine's August issue, in regards to conflicts with RCA over her new album My December. The singer added that label execs "hated 'Miss Independent' on my first album. ... The song I wrote that they hated the most was 'Because of You.' I fought and fought for it, it became successful and they finally got behind it." Clarkson also talked "American Idol," saying she did her own hair and makeup for the first half of the inaugural season. ...

Want a side of Ne-Yo with your Big Mac? If so, you're getting your wish — the R&B artist, along with Twista, Kenna and others, are going to be performing 10 free gigs at McDonald's restaurants ... in the parking lot. Billboard.com reports that the happy meal on wheels will begin Thursday at the Venice Beach Recreation Center in California, then hit up eight other cities before wrapping September 25 in Austin, Texas. ...

Lindsay Lohan turned herself in to police on Thursday in connection with her Memorial Day car accident, The Associated Press reports. Lohan was fingerprinted, photographed and booked on charges of driving under the influence and suspicion of misdemeanor hit-and-run at around 4 p.m. and was released about an hour later on $30,000 bail. Shortly after the Memorial Day crash, Lohan, 21, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving at a Los Angeles hospital, where she was taken for treatment. Police have still not revealed the results of tests on a substance they said at the time was believed to be cocaine found during the investigation. The singer/actress' blood-alcohol level at the time of the crash was above the California legal limit of .08, but police have not said how high it was. A court date was scheduled for August 24. ...

J.K. Rowling posted a long letter to fans on her Web site on Friday saying she felt "a heady mixture of excitement, nerves and relief." (To read the full missive, in which she doles out a long list of acknowledgements, you'll have to go to JKRowling.com, use a "port key" and do some digging.) ... Annie Lennox has pulled out the big guns for an AIDS-prevention fundraising song on her upcoming Songs of Mass Destruction album, due in October. The album will feature a self-described "powerful feminist anthem" titled "Sing," which has a chorus of 23 iconic female singers, among them Madonna, Sarah McLachlan, Celine Dion, Fergie, Faith Hill, Pink, Dido, Shakira, Joss Stone and KT Tunstall. ...

The track list for James Blunt's forthcoming LP, All the Lost Souls, has been revealed. The disc, scheduled for a September 18 release, will boast 10 tracks: "1973," "One of the Brightest Stars," "I'll Take Everything," "Same Mistake," "Carry You Home," "Give Me Some Love," "I Really Want You," "Shine On," "Annie" and "I Can't Hear the Music." ... Afraid Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke might come down on you "like a ton of bricks"? Hopefully your name isn't Gordon Brown. Yorke is speaking out about carbon emissions in a new video post on TheBigAsk.com — the Web site for a climate-change virtual-march effort backed by Friends of the Earth. "I'm reminding my [member of Parliament] to remind [new British Prime Minister] Gordon Brown that he's committed to a bill to reduce our CO2 emissions double-quick-time, and if he doesn't, we're going to come down on him like a ton of bricks." ...

Korn avatars will perform the band's new single, "Evolution," in MTV's Virtual Pimp My Ride program this Monday, July 23. Fans will also be able to listen to the band's entire new album, Untitled, before it hits the streets July 31. In related news, Korn are said to be mulling a covers album, on which they'd tackle tracks including Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole" and "Love My Way" by the Psychedelic Furs. ... The Asbury Park Press reports that New Jersey State Police made 20 arrests on Wednesday at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, during a Tool concert. Police claim the arrests included charges of underage drinking and possession of marijuana but did not provide a more detailed breakdown of arrests. ...

Feist, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, the New Pornographers' A.C. Newman, author Sarah Vowell, Grizzly Bear and others are coming together to help "to try to settle the debate: words or music — which is better?" The one-night-only shindig will go down August 26 at the Beacon Theatre in New York, be hosted by comedian and "Daily Show" contributor Demetri Martin and benefit the free writing programs put on by literary hipster supreme Dave Eggers' nonprofit tutoring program, 826NYC. ...

New Order over? Uh, that's news to Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris, who said they will carry on with the group even though departed bassist Peter Hook recently said on Xfm that the band was through. "We would have hoped he could have approached us personally first," they said in a statement to BBC News. "New Order have not split up, they continue to exist." ... The Cure are working on a three-hour documentary film to celebrate their 30th year as a band. The film, which would be released as a DVD, will chronicle the group's career. ...

A source tells RollingStone.com that Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck will tour as the Yardbirds with the band's original bassist and drummer starting in October. The source added that Eric Clapton, another former member, will not be participating. ... Testament inked a deal with Nuclear Blast onstage in front of 20,000 fans at a concert in Germany on Wednesday. A new album featuring original members Eric Peterson, Chuck Billy, Alex Skolnick, Greg Christian and new drummer Nick Barker (Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth) is on the way. ...

Onetime Flavor Flav love interest Brigitte Nielsen has checked into rehab to treat an undisclosed condition, according to manager Steven Tempone. The AP reported that Tempone said the towering blond actress and 44-year-old co-star of the "Strange Love" reality show, "[checked in] on her own free will and we're proud of her and wish her very well." ... According to the San Jose Mercury News, many Ozzfest fans who scored free tickets to this summer's heavy-metal extravaganza are deciding to stay home. The paper claims only about 50 percent of the people who had tickets to recent shows actually showed for the concert. About 18,000 were expected at Thursday's Ozzfest date at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California, but the city took security precautions in the event that all 30,000 people who received free tickets made it out to the venue. ... Al Gore III, the 24-year-old son of former Vice President Al Gore, has been charged with possession of marijuana and prescription drugs, according to TMZ.com. He was arrested on July 4 in Laguna Niguel, California, after being stopped for speeding. ...

Fourteen years after three teens were sent to jail for the May 1993 murder of three 8-year-old boys in Arkansas, a lawyer for the so-called West Memphis Three has said new DNA evidence proves his clients' innocence. The Arkansas Times reported that police are conducting new interviews to determine how a hair from a stepfather of one of the boys ended up at the crime scene. Attorneys for the three convicted men — whose plight was highlighted on the 2000 Free the West Memphis 3 album on songs by Steve Earle, Tom Waits and late Clash leader Joe Strummer — said there was no DNA evidence at the scene that matches their clients'. The mother of one of the victims has stated recently that she now believes the three convicted men, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, are not guilty. ... One of the co-owners of the Station nightclub in Rhode Island, where 100 people were killed in a fire during a Great White show in 2003, has created a charity fund to help pay for educational expenses for children who lost parents in the blaze. The Providence Journal reports that club co-owner Jeffrey Derderian has asked people to set aside their anger over the tragedy and contribute to the Station Education Fund to help the 76 children, ages 4 to 23, who lost parents in the blaze.

• MTV Rough Cut: Daniel Radcliffe
• 'Harry Potter' Stars Don't Even Know How It Will End
• Jessica Simpson Steps Into 'Major' Role

• Jennifer Lopez
• Marc Anthony
• Kelly Clarkson
• P!nk
• Lil' Flip

Good Charlotte's <i>Good Morning Revival</i>
Photo: Sony Music

This year's Billboard albums charts have been shocker after shocker, with Daughtry, Lloyd and even potential "Where Ya Been?" candidate Musiq Soulchild claiming the crown in recent months. This week's slate of new releases is full of powerhouses, which might make next week's chart even tougher to predict.

Here are 10 top-tier candidates and why each one has a shot at making a dent on this week's chart.

Good Charlotte's Good Morning Revival: For their fourth album, the Madden brothers took their posse back to where it started by enlisting producer Don Gilmore, who worked on their self-titled debut in 2000. But unlike before, the band collaborated with another artist for the first time ever on one of their albums: Avenged Sevenfold's M. Shadows and Synyster Gates, who appear on the first single, "The River."

Advantage: The band's 2004 effort, The Chronicles of Life and Death, reached #3 on the chart and went platinum.

Jennifer Lopez's Como Ama Una Mujer: ¡Por fin! Fans of the pop singer have been waiting forever for a Spanish-language album, and she delivers with an assist from producer/hubby Marc Anthony. Estefano and Julio Reyes also sit behind the boards, trying to figure out just exactly how a woman loves. Songs include: "Me Haces Falta," "Qué Hiciste" and "Te Voy a Querer."

Advantage: Like Good Charlotte, the singer's most recent album — 2005's Rebirth — landed in the top three (#2, in fact) and sold more than a million copies.

Various artists' Now That's What I Call Music! 24: The hit series of hit collections encompasses 20 pipin'-hot singles this time around, including "Irreplaceable" (Beyoncé), "My Love" (Justin Timberlake), "Promise" (Ciara), "Fergalicious" (Fergie), Daughtry ("It's Not Over") and the All-American Rejects ("It Ends Tonight").

Advantage: This series is all about the numbers, and the numbers tell it all: last year's 23 was the 10th Now installment to hit #1 and was the second-fastest album to go double-platinum last year.

Young Buck's Buck the World: Could a guest list get much more seismic than this? For the rapper's second effort, Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent produce; Young Jeezy, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, Snoop, T.I., 8Ball and MJG, Jazze Pha, Pimp C, Bun B and 50 guest. Talk about universal appeal.

Advantage: The G-Unit member has been unintentionally in the limelight after becoming tangentially involved in the 50 Cent/ Cam'ron feud, which could wind up helping sales. Buck's debut, Straight Outta Cashville, opened at #3 and has sold a million and a half copies.

Lil' Flip's I Need Mine: The freestyle king piles a staggering 35 tracks onto his new two-disc set. His guest lineup doesn't quite measure up to Buck's, but it's not one to brush off, either: Chamillionaire, Lyfe Jennings, Three 6 Mafia, Mannie Fresh, Nate Dogg and Bun B pay visits.

Advantage: This Houston duder moved more than 100,000 copies of his Leprechaun debut before even getting signed to a major — with this Warner Bros. release, he'll certainly eclipse that number.

Macy Gray's Big: Macy who? The singer may have slid down the ladder in recent years, but a bevy of her friends haven't lost faith in her: The Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am is delivering this LP through his Will.I.Am Music Group partnership with Geffen, and Justin Timberlake, Nas, Fergie, Natalie Cole and Will himself hopped onboard.

Advantage: Big numbers probably aren't on the horizon for the singer — her last studio LP, 2003's The Trouble With Being Myself, opened at a flimsy #44. Now that she's signed to Will's label, she might see some slightly stronger numbers this time around.

Tha Dogg Pound's Dogg Ch--: The group just issued a comeback LP in July, but they're back with more doggie treats this week. This set features the Game ("Anybody Killa"), Snoop (first single, "Vibe With a Pimp"), Too Short ("Can't Get Enuff") and more top West Coast talent.

Advantage: This is the Pound's first self-produced album since their 1995 debut, Dogg Food. That effort went double-platinum ... could this one too?

Prodigy's Return of the Mac: Not to be confused with the rock band of the same name, one-half of Mobb Deep steps up this week with a new effort. The Alchemist-produced release is littered with samples of '70s soul songs, and is being classified as a mixtape for that reason — even though 50 Cent was reportedly so enthusiastic about the set that he wanted to issue it as a proper release. The Circuit City edition has three extra slices: "My Priorities," "That's That" (featuring Havoc) and "Last Words" (featuring Kokane).

Advantage: People seem to buy CDs that involve this guy "50 Cent."

Redman's Red Gone Wild: Thee Album: It's one thing for an album to bump, but for it to be postponed for nearly two years? Leave that to Red, who'll probably blame his partying ways. This is yet another LP heavy with guest spots — incorrigible cohort Method Man, plus Snoop, Erick Sermon, Keith Murray, Nate Dogg and Biz Markie all pay 'em. Scott Storch, Timbaland and Rockwilder produce to boot.

Advantage: The "H.R. Pufnstuf"-esque album cover is one of the more colorful illustrations to grace a rap release in recent memory. Maybe it'll distract consumers from the zillion other rap releases this week.

Kaiser Chiefs' Yours Truly, Angry Mob: Make room for the rock! Two years ago, the new wavers' Employment debut opened in the top 100 — not bad for a Brit-pop band in the U.S. Songs include "Love's Not a Competition (But I'm Winning)," "Learnt My Lesson Well" and "Everything Is Average Nowadays."

Advantage: The beefy deluxe edition is hard to say no to: It features a bonus DVD featuring six songs performed in Berlin last year and a 10-minute documentary, 24-page booklet and comes in digipak form.

Song Title of the Week:

"When Vegans Attack" from Clutch's From Beale Street to Oblivion

Other Notables:

TV on the Radio's Live at Amoeba: TV on the Radio not in the top 10, even though their Return to Cookie Mountain debuted at #41 and made it to virtually every best-of list last year? Well, that's because even hard-core fans might have a little trouble getting their hands on this limited-edition concert EP, which is only available at Amoeba Music stores. It features four Cookie cuts recorded at Amoeba's Hollywood location in September: "Blues From Down Here," "Wolf Like Me," "Province" and "Wash the Day." Hurry up — the CD is only available for 30 days but comes with a rare poster (and it only costs six bucks).

Various artists' Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire: With Musiq Soulchild all the rage all over again right now, his cover of EW&F's "Reasons" should give the tribute compendium an extra boost. The long-in-the-works salute — part of the Stax label's 50th anniversary festivities — also features Angie Stone ("Be Ever Wonderful"), Chaka Khan ("Shining Star") and more.

The Fall's Reformation Post-T.L.C.: After tireless frontman Mark E. Smith's guitarists and drummer bailed on him and keyboardist/wife Eleni Poulou mid-tour in the summer, he enlisted a new backing band to take over. After the stint, the new configuration then recorded this 14-track opus, which comes with enhanced video capturing concert clips, extended songs and more.

New Releases:

· Alabama - Songs of Inspiration II (RCA)
· Antelope - Reflector (Dischord)
· Che Arthur - Iron (Sickroom)
· The Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound - Ekranoplan (Tee Pee)
· David Ball - Heartaches by the Number (Shanachie)
· The John Butler Trio - Grand National (Atlantic) [Buy Now]
· Todd Carey - Watching Waiting (High Wire)
· Clutch - From Beale Street to Oblivion (DRT)
· Daphne Loves Derby - Good Night, Witness Light (Outlook)
· The Fall - Reformation Post-T.L.C. (enhanced; Narnack)
· Filthy Thieving Bastards - I'm a Son of a Gun (digipak; BYO)
· Good Charlotte - Good Morning Revival (Epic) [Buy Now]
Read: "Good Charlotte Don Their Dance Shoes For Feel-Good Revival"
· Macy Gray - Big (Geffen) [Buy Now]
Read: "Justin, Will.I.Am, Outkast Give Big Love To Macy Gray"
· Kate Havnevik - Melankton (Republic)
· Hot Rod Circuit - The Underground Is a Dying Breed (Immortal)
· Jack Ingram - This Is It (Big Machine)
· Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Universal) [Buy Now]
· Drew Kennedy - Dollar Theater Movie (Sustain)
· Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future (Geffen)
· Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver - More Behind the Picture Than the Wall (Rounder)
· Lesbian - Power Hör (Holy Mountain)
· Lil' Flip - I Need Mine (two CDs; Warner Bros./ Asylum) [Buy Now]
Read: "Lil' Flip 'Back In The Zone' With New Label, LP, Reality Show"
· Jennifer Lopez - Como Ama Una Mujer (Epic) [Buy Now]
Read: "Jennifer Lopez Says New Single Came From Marc Anthony's Dream"
· Machine Head - The Blackening (Roadrunner) [Buy Now]
· Madina Lake - From Them, Through Us, To You (Roadrunner)
· Moses Mayfield - The Inside (Columbia)
· Tim McGraw - Let It Go (Curb) [Buy Now]
· Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion (Casablanca) [Buy Now]
· MIMS - Music Is My Savior (Capitol) [Buy Now]
· Grant-Lee Phillips - Strangelet (Zoë/Rounder)
· Prodigy - Return of the Mac (Koch) [Buy Now]
· Redman - Red Gone Wild: Thee Album (Def Jam) [Buy Now]
· David Russell - Art of the Guitar (Telarc)
· Peggy Seeger - Three Score and Ten (live; two CDs; Appleseed)
· Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Ch-- (Koch) [Buy Now]
· Thes One - Lifestyle Marketing (two CDs; Wax Orchard)
· Turtle Island Quartet - A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane (Telarc)
· TV on the Radio - Live at Amoeba (limited-edition EP available at Amoeba Music stores and online only)
· Kim Waters - You Are My Lady (Shanachhe)
· Mary Weiss - Dangerous Game (Norton)
· Mare Winningham - Refuge Rock Sublime (digipak; Craig N' Co.)
· Young Buck - Buck the World (Interscope) [Buy Now]
Read: "Track By Track: Young Buck Says G-Unit Are Alive And Well On World"
· Various artists - Cielo: Seventh Heaven (two CDs; Kinkysweet)
· Various artists - Disney Mania 5 (Disney)
· Various artists - Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire (Stax)
· Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! 24 (EMI/ Sony BMG/ Universal/ Zomba)
· Various artists - "Meet the Robinsons" soundtrack (Disney)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Alabama - 16 Biggest Hits (RCA)
· Bobby Bare - 16 Biggest Hits (RCA)
· James Brown - 1's (Polydor/UMe)
· The Cannonball Adderley Quartet - The Cannonball Adderley Quartet in San Francisco (Blue Note)
· Guy Clark - The South Coast of Texas (DBK Works)
· The Doors - The Doors, L.A. Woman, Morrison Hotel, The Soft Parade, Strange Days and Waiting for the Sun (Rhino)
· Kenny Dorham - Jazz Contrasts (Blue Note)
· Joe Henderson - Power to the People (Blue Note)
· Elton John - Rocket Man: Number Ones (limited edition comes with DVD; Island/UMe)
· Katrina & the Waves - Premium Gold Collection (Caroline)
· Patty Loveless - 16 Biggest Hits (RCA)
· Ronnie Milsap - 16 Biggest Hits (RCA)
· Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington (Blue Note)
· Wes Montgomery - Full House (Blue Note)
· Stevie Nicks - Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks (also available with DVD; Reprise)
· Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Junk Culture (Caroline)
· Diana Ross & the Supremes - 1's (Polydor/UMe)
· Carlos Santana & Wayne Shorter - Live at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival (Image)
· Feargal Sharkey - Feargal Sharkey (Caroline)
· Bonnie Tyler - Heart Strings (Caroline)
· Ultravox - Vienna (Caroline)
· Warren Zevon - Envoy, Excitable Boy and Stand in the Fire (Rhino)
· Various artists - Putumayu Presents: Gypsy Groove (Putumayu)
· Various artists - "Pokémon X: 10 Years of Pokémon" soundtrack (Koch)

Music DVDs:

· Stanley Clarke - "Night School: An Evening of Stanley Clarke & Friends" (Heads Up)
· Engelbert Humperdinck - "Live in Concert" (Kultur)
· Cledus T. Judd - "The Essenshul Video Collection" (Razor & Tie)
· John Prine - "Live on Soundstage 1980" (Shout! Factory)
· Carlos Santana & Wayne Shorter - "Live at the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival" (Image)
· Joan Sutherland - "The Reluctant Prima Donna" (Kultur)
· John Williams - "The Seville Concert" (Kultur)

Coming Attractions:

April 3:

· The Academy Is ... - Santi (Atlantic) Read: "The Academy Is ... Say New Album Sounds Nothing Like Fall Out Boy"
· Beyoncé - B-Day - Deluxe Edition (with bonus CD; Columbia)
Read: "Beyonce Turns Heads With Sports Illustrated Cover, Shakira Duet"
· Hilary Duff - Dignity (Hollywood)
· Paul Wall - Get Money - Stay True (Atlantic)
Read: " 'Mature' Paul Wall Still Raps About Girls, Grills With Mariah, T.I."
· Shadows Fall - Threads of Life (Atlantic)
Read: "Dave Grohl's Party Calls Can't Distract Shadows Fall From Recording LP"

April 10:

· Bright Eyes - Cassadaga (Saddle Creek)
Read: "Bright Eyes Slim Down With Single LP, Fatten Up With Loads Of Collabos"
· Hellyeah - Hellyeah (Epic)
Read: "Vinnie Paul Returns To Make 'Hellacious' Magic With Hellyeah"
· Various artists - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack (William Street)

April 17:

· Bones Thugs-N-Harmony - Strength and Loyalty (Full Surface/ Interscope)
Read: "Bone Thugs Dropping Two New LPs; Second Disc To Feature Dre, Kanye, Mariah"
· Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing (deluxe limited edition with DVD due same day; RCA)
Read: "Don't Know How To Spell 'Avril Lavigne'? Prepare To Be Scolded"
· Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero (Nothing)
Read: "Nine Inch Nails' Year Zero Preview: Beginning To Solve The Mystery"

• MTV News RAW: Good Charlotte

• Good Charlotte
• Jennifer Lopez
• Young Buck
• Lil' Flip
• Macy Gray

Lil' Flip
Photo: Vince Bucci/ Getty Images

Lil' Flip's last three years have been filled with one series of unfortunate events after another.

First, there was his well-publicized spat with T.I. (see "T.I. Squashes His Beef With Lil' Flip, Plans To Serve 25 To Life"), followed by a Ja Rule-like backlash for his pop hit "Sunshine." Then came a power struggle between the 26-year-old MC and his recording home, Sony Urban.

Things got so bad for the Houston rapper that at one point he said he felt like the people in charge of promoting his long-awaited project I Need Mine — due March 27 and now being released by Asylum Records — were actually working for his rival.

"I don't wanna say no names," Flip said. "But there was a person [at Sony] who worked for me that used to work for the person I was beefin' with. [And then] I did a song with Kelly Rowland, I was on the 'Can't Nobody' remix, but some dumbass engineer threw my second verse off so it sounds like I'm rapping off-beat. So we had to get that canned. Then the next opportunity comes, Beyoncé's 'Naughty Girl.' That sh-- comes out, cool, they play it everywhere. They wanna shoot the video, but it's, 'Oh well, we can't get the OK.'

"Meanwhile, the person I'm beefin' with," he continued, "had a song with Destiny's Child, 'Soldier,' that they shot a video for!"

That incident turned out to be the last straw for Flip, who began negotiating out of his contract. But bad luck struck the Leprechaun (a nickname he picked up in his Cloverland neighborhood) once again as a rough version of I Need Mine leaked to the Internet right before he signed a deal with Asylum. Flip estimates 19 of the 26 songs were lost in the process.

Flip re-recorded the album, keeping only nine of the remaining tracks, and bumped up the project to a robust 36 songs. He got the chance to lay down vocals with a range of guests including Chamillioniare, Mya, Three 6 Mafia, Mike Jones, MJG, Z-Ro and Rick Ross, who appears on Flip's first official single, "I Got Money."

"Fat Joe did it with 'Make It Rain,' so I had to take it to a different angle," Flip said of "I Got Money," which interpolates Audio Two's "Top Billin' " on the chorus: "I got money/ Money I got."

Flip even wrote the treatment for the video and is set to co-direct the clip with Bernard Gourley (Three 6 Mafia, Master P) in Las Vegas next week. "It's gonna be two big bosses," Flip revealed, noting that the video was inspired by the 2006 movie "Lucky Number Slevin," which starred Bruce Willis and Josh Harnett. "We're living in buildings across the street from each other and we're beefing, but at the end you find out we're in business together."

And speaking of business dealings, Flip said he has a few in development. He's working on a project that chronicles his rap career, and he's also about to begin shooting a reality series he created called "Lil' Flip's American Rapper." The show follows aspiring MCs as they learn media training, punctuality and networking skills. The winner will tentatively receive a two-album deal with Flip's company, as well as a financial prize.

"Now I'm back in my zone, where I got control over what I want to make," Flip said of his business and music. "I feel like [Sony] put my career on hold. If I didn't have show dates and know how to hustle, a mutha------ wouldn't have nothing, ya dig? For real."

• Lil' Flip

• Lil' Flip
• Slim Thug
• Foxy Brown
• Clipse

Shakira on the cover of <i>Teen People</i>
Photo: Time, inc.

Shakira might have said that she's lucky her breasts are "small and humble" in "Whenever, Wherever," but there was a time when she considered getting breast-augmentation surgery because she was unhappy with her body, the singer reveals in the next issue of Teen People. The magazine's latest cover star also said that wasn't the only plastic surgery she looked into. "I considered ... all kinds of things. 'Maybe my eyebrows should be higher. Maybe my lips should be bigger.' " Eventually Shakira came to accept herself, despite all the insecurities. "I'm actually shy; I've just learned to hide it." But her hips don't lie — and her dancing reveals more skin than she sometimes would like to show. "It's not my hobby to show my belly! The moves I do when I perform require it. People of America, I want you to know that I wear clothes once in a while!" ...

Diddy introduced a select few to the next phase of Bad Boy Records Tuesday night in New York. Sean Combs held a small party at his Daddy's House studio and previewed music by newcomers Cheri Dennis and Yung Joc and veterans 8Ball and MJG. ... Jack White is preparing to unleash his brand-new band, the Raconteurs, on America — for one night, at least. On April 7, the band — which also features Detroit songwriter Brendan Benson and two-thirds of Cincinnati garage-rockers the Greenhornes — will play its first-ever U.S. gig at Irving Plaza in New York. Tickets go on sale Thursday at noon via Ticketmaster.com. The Rac's debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, is due in stores May 16. ...

Nick Lachey has decided on a title and release date for his second album: What's Left of Me, due May 9. The title is the same as the first single, which recently hit the airwaves. ... Paul Wall has titled his fall release Ain't No 401K for a Hustla. Wall is also set to appear alongside Lil' Keke on The Day Hell Broke Loose 3 compilation, due in August. ... Pimp-C will release a DVD documenting his experiences being incarcerated during the Houston boom in 2005 and what has happened after his recent release. "Pimpalation: Return of the Trill," hosted by MTV News' Sway, is due April 11 and will be followed by a CD called Pimpalation on June 13. ... Foo Fighters will be featured in a pair of episodes of "The West Wing." The shows will air Sunday and April 9 at 8 p.m. on NBC. ... Notorious B.I.G.'s family will receive $1.1 million from the city of Los Angeles after the City Council on Wednesday approved the amount U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper awarded in January. The money covers the family's legal expenses in a civil trial that was ruled a mistrial last year when it was discovered that the Los Angeles Police Department withheld statements that linked two rogue LAPD officers, David Mack and Rafael Perez, to the rapper's shooting. ...

Could it really be over so soon? That's what former Howard Stern listeners across the East Coast and Midwest might have been asking themselves Wednesday morning (March 29) when they turned on their radios to find Stern replacement David Lee Roth absent. Yes, preliminary numbers for Roth have not been promising, but a CBS Radio spokesperson denied reports that the former Van Halen singer had been canned just three months into his gig, saying the motor-mouthed morning man was simply taking a few days off to travel back to New York after broadcasting from Miami Beach Monday and Tuesday. Roth is expected to be back on the air Friday. ... Elsewhere on the dial, Mighty Mighty Bosstones singer Dicky Barrett has attacked Los Angeles' Indie 103.1 after he was recently fired as host of the station's morning show. In a statement released by his publicist, Barrett said he was fired for expressing his dislike on air for a Morrissey song the station was spinning and for an unauthorized pro-choice conversation he had with a caller. Indie General Manager Dawn Girocco responded by saying Dicky was not as committed to the show as he needed to be. ...

After complaints and a lawsuit earlier this year from a Louisiana man, Apple Computer released a software update Wednesday that allows iPod owners to set a maximum volume on their players. The free download works with Nanos and fifth-generation models that play video, and it also allows parents to set a volume limit on their child's iPod and lock it with a special code. The free update is available at apple.com/ipod/download. ... On Monday a judge ordered Michael Jackson and his ex-wife Debbie Rowe to submit copies of legal papers missing from their divorce file, The Associated Press reports. The documents, concerning the custody of the pair's two children, include Rowe's 2001 motion to terminate parental rights and an emergency motion filed two years later seeking temporary custody as well as Jackson's filing opposing his ex-wife's custody motion. Attorneys for Jackson and Rowe have 30 days to turn over the paperwork. A hearing has been set for May 24. ...

As he awaits his murder trial, troubles keep mounting for famed "wall of sound" record producer Phil Spector. A former personal assistant has sued Spector for more than $5 million in Los Angeles, claming sexual harassment, according to an Associated Press report. Spector sued former assistant Michelle Blaine in September, alleging that she skimmed hundreds of thousands of dollars from his accounts. Blaine hit back on Friday, saying that Spector authorized the payments to her, including those for a $700,000 house and that he sexually harassed her, sometimes appeared naked in front of her and once asked Blaine to find a prostitute for him. Blaine also claims that after Spector was charged with the murder of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003, the producer repeatedly proposed marriage to her as a way to block her from testifying against him. Spector's murder trial is slated to begin in September. ...

Eugene Landy, the show-business psychologist famous for his controversial relationship with troubled Beach Boys star Brian Wilson, died March 22 in Honolulu of complications from lung cancer, the Los Angeles Times reports. He was 71. Landy, who also worked with original shock rocker Alice Cooper and actor Rod Steiger, pioneered the concept of "24 hour therapy" when he began treating Wilson in the mid 1970s. Hired to work on Wilson's intense phobias and drug addictions, Landy took control of every aspect of the singer's life, monitoring him 24 hours a day and eventually acting as his manager and artistic collaborator, crossing an ethical line and eventually giving up his license to practice in California after admitting to a charge of unlawfully prescribing drugs in 1989. ...

Prolific songwriter Cindy Walker, known as the "dean of Texas songwriters," died of natural causes Thursday at the age of 87, according to The Los Angeles Times. Walker was known for the more than 500 sentimental, Western-flavored songs she wrote, performed by everyone from Roy Orbison ("Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"), to Ray Charles ("You Don't Know Me"), with the latter covered by more than 75 artists, including Elvis Presley. Willie Nelson released an album-length tribute to Walker this month called You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker. Walker, often called the greatest living country music songwriter, was a charter member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1997.

03.28.2006

Mariah Carey's been dreaming of a Broadway Christmas since late 2004, when she originally announced plans for a holiday musical, and now she's finally making progress with her plan. "I don't want to mention anything definitive until things are signed," she told MTV Radio, "but there's a very big company that just signed on to develop the project with me." Carey said the musical — which she'll create, produce and star in — will incorporate music from her 1994 album, Merry Christmas, as well as new material. "It's probably going to be a movie first," she said. "I don't want to say a television movie, because it's not like a cheesy network movie, but then it's going to be made for the Broadway production. So the [TV movie] will set the stage for the stage." ...

It was nothing but royalty Monday night in New York as a king, queen and prince came together for the premiere of "ATL." T.I. (the King of the South), Queen Latifah and former Prince of Bel Air Will Smith (with Jada Pinkett) joined Jay-Z, Usher, DJ Drama, Tisha Campbell and Duane Martin at the Tribeca Theater. Latifah's longtime friends and business partners Shakim Compere and Lance "Un" Rivera were also on hand. ...

Jessica Simpson is moving up in the world — at least as far as FHM's annual list of 100 Sexiest Women is concerned. While Scarlett Johansson nabbed the top spot, Simpson catapulted from #16 on last year's list to #4 this year. Other singers making the top half of the chart include Paris Hilton (#11), Lindsay Lohan (#14), Beyoncé (#18), Shakira (#20), Jennifer Lopez (#26; she was #1 in 2000 and 2001), Mariah Carey (#28), Mandy Moore (#31), Christina Aguilera (#37), Gwen Stefani (#40) and Kelly Clarkson (#50). Hilary Duff, the Black Eyed Peas' Fergie and Stefani were new entries this year, but Britney Spears, who was #1 in 2004, was nowhere to be found (Check out photos of FHM's Sexiest Women.). ... Since Lindsay Lohan's upcoming movie "A Prairie Home Companion" (in theaters June 9) focuses on a radio show, it's only natural that the soundtrack would include some of the songs performed on said show. Out May 23, the soundtrack will feature performances from castmembers Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly and Lohan herself, who contributes "Frankie & Johnny." ...

Not every singer on "American Idol" is a pop-star hopeful or graduate of the performance competition, as recent appearances by Stevie Wonder and Barry Manilow have proven. This week the show hopes to shake things up even further with belly-dancing Shakira, who will perform "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean on Wednesday night's elimination episode. ... And forgive us if this one sounds familiar, but Simon Cowell is at it again. After expanding his stranglehold on U.S. viewers with his "American Inventor" show earlier this month, the acerbic "Idol" judge is adding a third show to his empire: "America's Got Talent." Open auditions will begin next month for the NBC show, which will be open to performers of all ages and talents — from singers and dancers to jugglers and magicians, according to Reuters. The show will have a celebrity three-judge panel (it will not include Cowell) and the winner will take home a $1 million prize. ...

Live singer Ed Kowalczyk has released a statement in support of "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry, who sang a cover of Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line" last week with an arrangement similar to the version recorded by Live — but without giving the band credit. "We wish Chris the best of luck in the competition," Kowalczyk said. "I thought he did a great job with the song. There's no doubt he's a talented performer and I hope he goes far." Live, meanwhile, will hit the road beginning April 22 in Providence, Rhode Island, in support of their seventh studio album, Songs From Black Mountain, due May 9. ... Travis Barker and DJ AM will take their experimental show to San Francisco April 7 and New York April 13 and 14. VIP packages for the shows are available at StubHub.com and will benefit the Race to Erase MS. ... Chamillionaire and Lil' Flip are teaming for the Texas Boyz Tour, which kicks off March 30 in San Diego and wraps up early this summer. Chamillionaire has recorded several remixes of his new single, "Ridin'," featuring rappers ranging from the Game to Bun B to Fabolous. ...

In a post on Evanescence's official message board Sunday, singer Amy Lee wrote that she and new guitarist Terry Balsamo were in the studio finishing mixes on the group's upcoming album. "We'll be done mixing [the new album] next week! I can hardly believe it, we've been working on this album for so long," Lee wrote. "The stuff sounds so good. ... Wow, what a trip this has been." The singer said Balsamo is "doing really well" after the stroke he suffered in November and that she's busy trying to figure out the order of the songs on the still-untitled album. "It's going to be hard to hold this music in all summer," Lee said. "I really want to thank you guys again for being so patient — I know it's gonna be worth it." A spokesperson for the group confirmed the post and added that the album is slated for release in the fall, with a tour to follow. ...

The Offspring's Dexter Holland is turning into some sort of bionic man or something. In late 2004 he completed a 10-day solo flight around the globe, subsisting only on Doritos and beef jerky. And for an encore — and for charity — he decided to take on the Los Angeles Marathon. Running on behalf of the Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal organization aimed at using DNA testing to free the unjustly convicted, Holland finished in a little more than five hours, good enough for 7,900th place — but not better than Oprah Winfrey's 1994 Washington, D.C., marathon time of 4 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds, which was Holland's stated goal. Still, he raised money for a good cause and is happy with his efforts. "I hit a wall at about 16 miles," Holland wrote on Offspring.com, "but I'm glad I was able to finish. I shouldn't have eaten those tacos for breakfast! I didn't beat Oprah's time, but I challenge her to a rematch." ...

If you asked Alanis Morissette, she might say, "Isn't it ironic ... a little too ironic?" Victor Willis, 54, the singer who dressed as the policeman in '70s disco juggernaut the Village People, faces up to five years in prison after his arrest Sunday. He was booked for bailing on a plea deal he cut last year following an arrest on charges of possessing cocaine and a gun. Willis — who left the group in 1980 — had agreed to a maximum of 16 months in jail on the original charge, but when he goes to court Tuesday (March 28) he's looking at four years and four months on the original charges and a possible eight additional months on new drug charges, according to a Reuters report.

[This story was originally published at 12:47 pm E.T. on 03.29.2006]

• Shakira
• Diddy
• Eightball & MJG
• Michael Jackson
• Brian Wilson

Mary-Kate Olsen on the cover of <i>W</i>
Photo: David Sims/W Magazine

Mary-Kate Olsen reveals in the January issue of W that part of the reason she's taking a break from NYU is to recover from losing her boyfriend to Paris Hilton. "It's a hurtful and painful subject," she told the mag. "I've pretty much been with someone my whole life, so this is a hard time for me." Olsen says she misses and still loves Stavros Niarchos, even though she's not speaking to him anymore, or Hilton, for that matter. Olsen moved back to Los Angeles and says she's been trying to "take care of myself right now," so she spends her time working out, doing yoga, reading scripts and going on auditions. As for reports that her ex has been spending his time paying homeless people to douse themselves with soda for his amusement, Olsen says, "I never knew that person. All I can do is hope it's not true." ...

Nicole Richie and DJ AM have ended their engagement, Richie's publicist confirmed to The Associated Press. The couple, who were recently photographed house-shopping, had dated since 2003 and broke up a few days ago. ... Lindsay Lohan publicly apologized to talk-show hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa via "Access Hollywood" on Wednesday after she failed to make her scheduled appearance on their show Tuesday morning. The actress/singer had claimed she came down with food poisoning just minutes before she was scheduled to arrive at their studio. "I'm really sorry ... because I love you guys. I know it came across as really bad ... I'll make it up to you, I swear!" Lohan said. ...

In a statement released Thursday (December 8), rapper Lil' Flip offered prayers to the victims of a shooting that occurred outside his show at Minneapolis' Quest nightclub Sunday morning in which two people were injured. "The club shooting that occurred this past weekend in Minneapolis is unfortunate and sad," Flip wrote. "Even though it was not connected to me or my show in any way and happened outside the club where I was performing, it's cruel that some careless people and senseless actions can ruin a good and positive night, which is all I try to bring to my shows. My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families, and I wish them all a speedy recovery." In the meantime, Flip's new album, I Need Mine, has been pushed back to a February 28 release. ... Snoop Dogg has been tapped to be the executive producer for XM Satellite Radio's hip-hop channel the Rhyme, home to his show "Welcome to Da Chuuch With Big Snoop Dogg." "I will play music that people have never heard and music that they haven't heard in a long time," Snoop said in a statement. "We need more Snoop Dogg music all the time because the music I play makes people feel good. Consider yourself part of this new Snoop Dogg eargasm." In addition to his hosting duties, the rapper will also be in charge of developing new content for the Rhyme, as well as for other XM channels. ...

Yellowcard are heading back out on the road for another string of club dates in support of their upcoming album, Lights and Sounds. The new leg of dates begin on January 19 in Minneapolis, and the tour will hit an additional 13 cities before coming to an end on February 11 in Las Vegas. Lights and Sounds is due in stores on January 24. ... According to a post by guitarist Kevin Bond on Superjoint Ritual's Web site, his bandmate and former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo's recent back surgery "went well." Phil will spend the next few weeks recovering at his home in Louisiana. Anselmo went under the knife on November 21. ...

Having lost the rights to make Major League Baseball video games, mega-publisher EA is going the college route with "MVP 06 NCAA Baseball" for PS2 and Xbox this spring. Keeping with the college spirit, the company announced on Thursday (December 8) that it has teamed with indie label Victory Records for a soundtrack that will include songs from Hawthorne Heights, Bayside and Silverstein. Most of the game's tracks are included on a 20-song compilation available now to anyone who preorders the game at major retailers. ... O.A.R. and Brian Wilson will appear on a holiday episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," airing December 22 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Wilson performs "Deck the Halls" while O.A.R. play the show's theme song live. ...

Wayne Kramer, former member of Detroit proto-punk pioneers MC5, is suing Future/Now Films and From the Heart Productions for copyright infringement for using his songs "Poison" and "Looking at You" in two movies without his permission. The film companies produced the flicks "MC5: A True Testimonial" and "The Art of Funding Your Film" using Kramer's tracks even though the record label had originally declined them permission. They "simply stole them," a copy of the lawsuit reads, which also includes claims of breach of contract, fraud and common-law unfair competition. Kramer is seeking at least $75,000 in damages and further entitlement to the profits made from the films. ...

12.07.2005

Ashlee Simpson battled anorexia when she was younger, she reveals in the upcoming issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. When she was studying ballet as a preteen, she starved herself to keep her weight down, the singer told the mag. "It was about six months of not eating too much at all," she said. "I was 11 and 5 feet 2 and about 70 pounds." Her family helped pull her out of it, she said, forcing her to eat. "That really helped a lot." Now that she's grown up, she has a healthier self-image, and loves her curves. "I think it's sexy not to be a bone," she said. "It's sad when people get too weight-conscious and don't look in the mirror and see themselves as being as beautiful as they are." ... Meanwhile, Ashlee's director for her "L.O.V.E." video, Diane Martel, thinks it's sad when there's not enough time to make a video everything she originally imagined it could be. She'd hoped to have a lot more action in the clip, like having Ashlee slash a guy's shirt off with a sword, and have her fellow partygoers chain-saw furniture into pieces, but there was a "limited amount of time." "We had a samurai expert on set standing by, and my art director somehow found a grandfather clock at the last minute," Martel said. "Those ideas were all prepped and Ashlee was into all of them ... but I suppose time got the best of us and not the other way around." Still, she says, "Ashlee gave 100 percent, was very spontaneous and playful and extremely focused" and "we ended up with a great video." ...

The Inc. celebrated the release of the Collectables by Ashanti album with a party at New York's club Rome on Tuesday night. Ashanti, Ja Rule and Chris and Irv Gotti, fresh from their money-laundering acquittal, were all in attendance. ... Juelz Santana will perform at a benefit concert and toy drive for victims of Hurricane Katrina on December 17 at the Skate Key Entertainment Complex in the Bronx, New York. Reggae singer Sizzla and newcomer Deemi are also on the bill. ...

Actress Valerie Bertinelli announced on Tuesday that she is divorcing her husband of 24 years, Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen. "Yes, that's true. They have been separated for four years and it's amicable," Bertinelli's spokesperson told The Associated Press. Bertinelli, who has a 14-year-old son with Van Halen, cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday. ... Tina Turner was honored recently at the Kennedy Center, and Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey and Queen Latifah paid tribute at the black-tie gala, which will be broadcast December 27 at 9 p.m. on CBS. Queen Latifah sang "What's Love Got to Do With It" with members of the audience, including first lady Laura Bush and Robert Redford; Melissa Etheridge sang "Nutbush City Limits" and "River Deep, Mountain High"; while Beyoncé started singing "Proud Mary" "easy" but ended it "rough," Tina-style. Other performers and presenters at the Kennedy Center Honors, which also paid homage to Tony Bennett, Redford, actress Julie Harris and dancer and teacher Suzanne Farrell, included John Legend, Al Green, k.d. lang, Diana Krall, Quincy Jones and Willie Nelson. ...

Snoop Dogg, Gavin DeGraw and Rascal Flatts have joined the list of performers for the Radio Music Awards, which will air live from Las Vegas on December 19 at 9 p.m. on NBC. Ciara, Sean Paul, Lifehouse, Steve Harvey, Anna Nalick, Crossfade and Shinedown are among the artists scheduled to appear. ... In news that will no doubt leave European music fans feeling doubly bummed, both Yellowcard and My Morning Jacket have scrapped their Euro tour plans thanks to their respective ailing frontmen. Yellowcard called off their tour when Ryan Key developed a nodule on his vocal cords, which, according to a post on the band's Web site, required immediate rest. "If we don't take care of it now, there is a serious risk of surgery," the statement read, "which could put us out of commission for some time." Meanwhile, according to MyMorningJacket.com, Jim James was felled by "health complications related to pneumonia," which forced the band to cancel its jaunt, which was scheduled to begin in January. Both bands pledge to make up the dates, and both lead singers are expected to make full recoveries. ...

Seether, fresh off this fall's Audioslave trek where the band shared opening duties with 30 Seconds to Mars, will headline the 2006 Sno-Core Tour. Shinedown, Flyleaf and Halestorm are also on the bill. So far, just 13 dates have been confirmed for Sno-Core, which launches January 20 in Lubbock, Texas; dates run through February 25 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Additional shows will be added over the next few weeks. ...

• Lindsay Lohan
• Lil' Flip

Lil' Flip
Photo: Getty Images

As Lil' Flip performed inside, two people were shot on a corner outside the Quest nightclub in downtown Minneapolis early Sunday morning.

Police quickly cleared the club after the 2 a.m. incident and asked patrons to leave the venue with their hands up and submit to searches, according to an Associated Press report.

"A couple of officers actually saw the muzzle blast from the gun so they were very, very close," police spokesperson Ron Reier told WCCO in Minneapolis. The station reported that some patrons were asked to lie down on the ground as they were searched, and at least one was cuffed after exiting the club.

Though police said the shooting took place outside the club, patrons told WCCO that the scene inside as Flip performed was chaotic. "Some dude got shot up in there, because they were acting crazy," one patron said after leaving the club. "I don't even understand what the whole thing was about. They were shooting on the floor." The club has metal detectors and signs warning that guns are banned.

The unidentified man and woman who were shot were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made so far, according to police.

Flip did not hit the stage until after 1:30 a.m., which was later than advertised.

It's not the first time there has been violence at the Quest. In July 2004, three people suffered minor stab wounds and another patron was punched during a concert by G-Unit. Several people pelted police with bottles outside the club after that show.

• Lil' Flip

Bun B, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, And More At The Los Magnificos Car Show

• Slim Thug
• Chamillionaire
• Mike Jones
• UGK
• Lil' Flip

• Lil' Flip

MTV.com Exclusive: Lil' Flip Photos

• Lil' Flip

Direct Effect Presents: Straight Up Hip-Hop All Week Performances

• J-Kwon
• Twista
• Miri Ben-Ari
• D12
• Lil' Flip

Direct Effect Presents: Straight Up Hip-Hop All Week Portraits

• J-Kwon
• Twista
• Cassidy
• Miri Ben-Ari
• D12

Lil' Flip In The Studio, 09.23.2003

• Lil' Flip