Mario

Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Mario Get Low At Pre-Grammy Party

10 Feb 2008 03:54:00 EST

Fire marshal turns away countless hopefuls from packed 'midnight brunch.'
By Shaheem Reid

Ne-Yo at his pre-Grammy party on Saturday night
Photo: Rebecca Sapp/ WireImage

HOLLYWOOD — It's happened to the best of us — all of us, as a matter of fact. That miserable feeling of the "long-line reality check" ...

For some us, it's as simple as seeing said line — whether to get into the new Will Smith movie, a Miley Cyrus autograph-signing session or to purchase playoff tickets — and its ridiculous length. You know there's no way you're getting to the front in a timely fashion, so you give up.

Others, like the dozens trying to get into Ne-Yo's pre-Grammys party here, which was hosted by Def Jam Recordings and Microsoft Zune, at Hollywood 86 on Saturday night, are so relentless they get in said line. They wait, wait, wait ... until a police officer, or in this case a fire marshal, tells them to go home. It is kind of tough to put your tail between your legs and bail after you've dressed up all hoity-toity and have seen all these other beautiful people get in with either their pure legendary status — as in the case of Stevie Wonder — or some serious verbal Olympics ... or running game on the gatekeeper at the door ... or doing some politicking so serious Barack Obama would hire you for his campaign ... or, of course, if you happen to be with MTV News!

On Saturday night, a fire marshal literally shut Ne-Yo's door — counting the number of people who left before he'd let others in — before the four-time Grammy nominee had even arrived. When he got there, waiting for him inside were the likes of Jay-Z, Sanaa Lathan and Nia Long, while Chrisette Michele and Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls greeted him on the red carpet.

"It wasn't supposed to be this big," Ne-Yo explained about the enormity of his little get-together, which was also in honor of Jay, Kanye West, Rihanna and all the other Def Jam-related artists nominated for Grammy Awards.

"I love my team," Ne-Yo smiled. On the menu was the "brunch" as promised: omelets however you liked, roast beef, waffles and fried chicken. (Tequila shots were optional.)

Outside, Nick Cannon was getting so antsy, he talked about jumping the steel barrier that separated the street from the red carpet, joking in a "please-don't-let-me-show-my-'hoodness-out-here-in-front-of-everybody-but-Lord-knows-I-will" type of way.

"You have to pay off the fire marshal in advance," Cannon joked — but he did get in.

Ne-Yo kept his smile on the carpet, assuring the media that all his famous friends would get in. Inside, songs like Brandy's "Full Moon" and Cassidy's "My Drink N' My 2 Step" played.

Jay-Z — who had business partner Steve Stoute, Lathan and Long at his table — hugged Rihanna when she came in. The singer soon found her way to Chris Brown, and the rumored couple danced — as much as they could in the bumper-to-bumper traffic, anyway. It was hard for shawty to get low, low, low in the lounge, but Rihanna and Brown seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Mario entered the party as easy as possible (he had people call ahead to say, "Mario is not accepting shade tonight, so please make way"). Alicia Keys (who performed earlier in the night at Clive Davis' legendary party) made a stress-free entrance as well, but Polow Da Don and Keri Hilson both had to wait a few minutes.

As the night crawled to a close, Prince arrived — fashionably late as usual — around 3:15 a.m., accompanied by several people. He sat at Stevie Wonder's table and the two talked for about 45 minutes.

Geek out on the Grammys with MTV News' complete coverage right here!

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Marilyn Manson Countersues Bandmate; Plus Chingy, DMX, Yung Berg, Jordin Sparks, Mario, Kid Rock & More, In For The Record

22 Dec 2007 08:42:00 EST

Chingy shoots second Hate It or Love It video; DMX inks new record deal; Yung Berg arrested on set of Ray J video shoot.
By MTV News staff

Marilyn Manson
Photo: Vince Bucci/ Getty Images

Marilyn Manson has fired back at Stephen Gregory Bier Jr. — known to fans by his stage name, "Madonna Wayne Gacy" — by countersuing his former keyboardist for breach of contract, according to The Associated Press. In court papers reportedly filed in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Manson claimed Bier did not fulfill his obligations to take part in master recordings, concerts and the selling of his band's merchandise. The suit came in response to a breach-of-contract suit Bier filed against Manson back in August that sought more than $20 million in damages. Bier charged Manson shorted him on salary and medical support, and instead used the band's profits to fund his lavish lifestyle. The suit claimed Manson used the money to pay for his lavish lifestyle, drug habit and the production of his upcoming film, "Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll," among other things. According to Manson's countersuit, the pair's business partnership was dissolved in 1996, once Manson became the clear leader of the band. While Bier has been paid income for CD sales, live gigs and merchandise sales, the suit alleges he had "failed to render services to the best of his ability and in a practical and cooperative manner." The suit further claims Bier was often tardy for band recordings, performances and promotional appearances, and that he had provided confidential band information to the media and other people without Manson's consent. Manson's suit seeks unspecified general and special damages, and he's also seeking a court order to prevent Bier from releasing more confidential band information. ...

Chingy recently shot the video for his second Hate It or Love It single, "Gimme That," in Los Angeles. The track feature fellow Disturbing Tha Peace members Ludacris and Bobby Valentino. "Gimme That" follows the Amerie-assisted "Fly Like Me," the lead track on his recently released album. "It's a club song, about partying, having fun and just kicking it," the St. Louis rapper told MTV News. "Just one of them type of songs." ... DMX, who once considered changing his name to Dog, will release his next two albums through Bodog Entertainment, according to Billboard.com. The rapper recently inked a deal with the Canadian online gaming company's music division and plans to put out both discs, Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later, next year. Bodog recently nabbed the international distribution rights for the new Wu-Tang Clan album 8 Diagrams. ...

Yung Berg was arrested Friday in Miami Beach, Florida, on the set of Ray J's video shoot for "Sexy Can I." The upstart rapper is featured on the track and, according to his rep, he was taken into police custody after authorities discovered him smoking marijuana. A publicist for Berg confirmed to MTV News that he is still in custody and is waiting to be released on bail. ...

Jordin Sparks, Mario, Backstreet Boys, Teddy Geiger and others have teamed with mobile-media company Mozes for "Voices of America," a campaign that allows people to send well-wishes to soldiers overseas via voice messages. People can call the toll-free number 888-312-2612 to send messages to troops, who will have access to them through Armed Forces Entertainment. Hinder, Five for Fighting, Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and others are also participating in the campaign. ... Kid Rock busted out a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," a song that appeared on his recent Rock'n'Roll Jesus LP, for 500 U.S. troops as part of a United Service Organizations tour stop staged Thursday in Kabul, Afghanistan. Robin Williams, Lance Armstrong and Lewis Black also participated in the all-star event, which was part of a six-day, 14-show tour. ...

Amy Winehouse is finally getting some good news — Back to Black is likely to become the year's best-selling album in the U.K., according to BBC News. The effort, which was issued in the U.S. in March, actually dropped across the pond late last year. Back to Black also recently helped the troubled singer earn six Grammy Award nominations. Leona Lewis' Spirit and Mika's Life in Cartoon Motion currently follow behind Winehouse's album in terms of 2007 sales, BBC News says. ... Rap rules ringtones, according to AT&T. The cell phone provider released its best-selling list for the year-end and hip-hop artists accounted for eight of the top 10 numbers. Shop Boyz's "Party Like a Rockstar," Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot," and Soulja Boy's "Crank That" topped the list. Nickelback's "Rockstar" and Akon's "Don't Matter" rounded out the top five. Also making the cut were T-Pain, Hurricane Chris, Sean Kingston, Huey and Fergie. ...

Feist, Eddie Vedder, the Arcade Fire, Björk and M.I.A. are on the long list of nominees for the seventh annual Shortlist Prize, with the announcements of the finalists and winner to be made early next year. Wilco, Animal Collective, Against Me!, Klaxons, Puscifer, PJ Harvey, Spoon, the Hives, Of Montreal, LCD Soundsystem and Serj Tankian are also among the 54 artists who are in the running. Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody and the Killers' Ronnie Vannucci are on the panel that picked the nominees. ... Dwight Schrute is taking over the Spirit Awards — Rainn Wilson, who plays the power-hungry character on "The Office," will host the indie-film-hailing ceremony on February 23. The ceremony will be held the day before the Oscars and feature writing contributions from Wilson, even though he is a member of the Writers Guild of America. The WGA, which is on strike, granted a waiver to the Spirit Awards organizer to hire writers for the event. ...

In some crumbelievable news for Stephen Colbert, newspaper editors and broadcast producers have voted him as AP's Celebrity of the Year, the news service announced Friday. He beat out J.K. Rowling, Al Gore, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Judd Apatow and Kanye West. "In receiving this award, I am pleased that I was chosen over two great spinners of fantasy — J.K. Rowling and Al Gore," Colbert, who launched a presidential bid earlier this year, told AP. "Best of all, this makes me the official front-runner for next year's Drug-Fueled Downward Spiral of the year. P.S. Look for my baby bump this spring." "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" will start up production again on January 7, albeit without their writers, it was announced Thursday. ...

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco is getting pressure from members of the Congressional Black Caucus to pardon the Jena Six, according to AP. In a letter that was reportedly mailed to the governor this week, Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee said Mychal Bell, the other teens and their families "have suffered enough, as has the State of Louisiana and the town of Jena." According to AP, Blanco's press secretary said Friday that she cannot grant a pardon or commutation without the state Pardon Board, which has its next meeting on January 17, recommending to do so. Blanco leaves office three days before that. Lee is joined by 14 other members of the caucus who are asking Blanco to support releasing Bell, who was sentenced to 18 months in a juvenile facility after a plea deal was struck earlier this month. ...

Score one for Nick Lachey — the choir he put together from his Cincinnati hometown won NBC's "Clash of the Choirs" contest Thursday night. "I've been blown away by my choir's poise," Jessica Simpson's ex said on the show. "It's made up of amateur singers. They've never done this before." The 20 singers are taking home a quarter-million dollars for the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. ... Megadeth have heart — the metal band's frontman, Dave Mustaine, and his wife recently organized a Toys for Tots donation drive for families affected by the wildfires in his native Southern California. The toys were delivered to Camp Pendleton, the North Coast Church — which the Mustaines go to — and the town of Fallbrook. "We live in a little town, and this is nothing any neighbor wouldn't do for another neighbor," he said in a statement. ... Eddie Van Halen's divorce with Valerie Bertinelli, his wife of 25 years, has been finalized. The ex-spouses have one son, Wolfgang, who is touring with the reunited Van Halen.

12.20.2007

Remy Ma's European tour plans appear to have fizzled — a New York judge has denied her request to travel overseas for a trek that was supposed to begin December 31 in Paris, The Associated Press reports. A lawyer for the rapper (real name: Remy Smith) argued Thursday (December 20) that his client needed to tour to earn money because she hasn't been getting enough bookings in the U.S. since she was arrested in July for allegedly shooting a friend over missing money, but the judge said she couldn't leave the country due to the seriousness of the charges. Remy Ma was ordered earlier this month to stand trail on charges of gang assault and witness tampering. She is due in court on January 3 for adjournment where prosecutors will decide whether to admit DNA evidence in the case. ...

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert fans can breathe a sigh of relief — "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" will start up production again on January 7, albeit without their writers, AP reports. In a joint statement, the pair reportedly said, "We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence." Stewart and Colbert are the most recent late-night hosts to announce their return to the airwaves amid the ongoing writers' strike, joining the likes of Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien, who will return January 2. ...

So what's really going on between Rihanna and Josh Hartnett? The singer addresses the rumors in the January issue of Allure, saying there isn't much truth to them. "I went to [New York club] Pink Elephant, and he came by," she said. "All of a sudden, the next day I'm seeing that we were kissing and hugging up each other. You can't even go out with a friend who's a celebrity and have a good time without people making sh-- up ... well, at least he's good-looking, right?" Rih Rih also talked with the mag, which calls itself "The Beauty Expert," about — what else? — beauty. "While in America beautiful is skinny, in Barbados it's thick — girls with huge butts and nice curves," she said, contrasting the U.S. with her homeland. In other Rihanna news, she — as well as My Chemical Romance, Good Charlotte, Timbaland, Rufus Wainwright and many others — have partnered with Designers Against AIDS to create men's and women's lines called "Fashion Against AIDS." The lines will be available exclusively at H&M stores beginning in February, with one-fourth of the proceeds from the sales going to YouthAIDS, an HIV/AIDS prevention initiative that serves 60 countries worldwide. ...

Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah will star in the silver-screen adaptation of the best-selling book "The Secret Life of Bees," and Alicia Keys and Dakota Fanning are also in negotiations to star in the flick, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Keys and Latifah are due to play beekeeping sisters who take in Hudson's and Fanning's characters after they run away from home. Production will reportedly begin in January for the movie, which is targeting a 2008 theatrical release. ... Rick Ross is blaming clearance issues for the delay of his second album, Trilla, according to Billboard.com. He said a DJ Toomp-produced song called "This Me" was one of the tracks in question. Ross is reportedly considering "Boss" (featuring T-Pain) as his second single. ...

Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, Bless the Fall and Atreyu lead the lineup for next year's Taste of Chaos trek, which will launch February 29 in Denver and continue through April 6 in El Paso, Texas. An Internet presale begins January 5 on the tour's Web site, with tickets going on sale nationally January 12. ... Death Cab for Cutie have posted on their Web site a new video teasing their next album. The clip features a portion of a song that will presumably appear on the group's yet-untitled LP and announces that the effort will be out in May. According to the video, the album was recorded in 44 days at three studios, in Seattle; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco. ...

"Into the Wild" got some critical love Thursday as Sean Penn's flick scooped up four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, including best lead actor for Emile Hirsch. Ryan Gosling, Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie, Viggo Mortensen and George Clooney all got nods, although "Atonement" — which dominates the list of Golden Globe contenders with seven noms — was shut out altogether. ... South by Southwest is taking a walk on the wild side — Lou Reed will be the keynote speaker at the music conference and film festival, which will take place March 12-16 in Austin, Texas. The Velvet Underground-er will speak March 13 at the Austin Convention Center in conjunction with a screening of Julian Schnabel's new documentary, "Lou Reed's Berlin," which revolves around the rock legend's 1973 album. Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates and composer Steve Reich will also give talks at SXSW. ...

Pennywise have cooked up an interesting album-release scheme with MySpace Records: The punks will make their yet-untitled new album available for free DRM-free download on MySpace for two weeks, starting March 25. That day will also see the release of an enhanced CD/DVD version of the effort for sale at retail outlets. To download the album for free, users have to add promotional partner "Textango" as their MySpace friend. "We know that this will piss off a lot of people in the music industry," guitarist Fletcher Dragge said in a statement. "And what do we say to that? 'Who cares?' " Cameron Webb (Social Distortion, Sum 41) will produce and mix the effort. ... Are the Eagles too good for the Super Bowl? Apparently so — according to AP, the group turned down an offer to perform at the annual football extravaganza. As for a potential opportunity to play at the Grand Ole Opry, however, bandmember Don Henley said, "That would be an honor." ...

Live Nation has sewn up a deal with a German company that will allow the concert promoter to create its own ticketing service, according to Variety. The new service will reportedly allow Live Nation, which ended talks with Ticketmaster in August, to have more control over customer data, increasing sponsorship opportunities. There's another plus for Live Nation in the deal: It will reportedly allow the company to get the fees charged to customers over the listed ticket prices. ... A report issued Thursday determined that there were no violations in Paris Hilton's jailing in June but did find that three Los Angeles County sheriff's employees violated policy when Mel Gibson was arrested last year for misdemeanor drunk driving in Malibu, California, according to AP. The sheriff's employees have reportedly since been disciplined. The news service also said the report found that a sheriff's supervisor considered holding back details about the actor's anti-Semitic rant from an arrest report, but a captain eventually overruled him. ...

As he awaits a retrial, disgraced record producer Phil Spector has filed suit again in an attempt to get a refund of the $1 million fee he paid to former attorney Robert Shapiro, according to AP. Five years after his arrest in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson, Spector filed a second lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming that Shapiro cheated him and used their personal relationship to enrich himself unjustly. In December 2005, Spector dropped an earlier suit against Shapiro, the first lawyer to represent Spector after his arrest, with the provision that he could refile at a later time. The new suit makes similar allegations that Shapiro "took unfair and unscrupulous advantage of his friendship and position of trust with Mr. Spector, and decided to use Mr. Spector's arrest as an opportunity to make a financial windfall and garner publicity for himself." It also named Shapiro's law firm as a defendant, claiming it "stood behind and vouched for Shapiro's work." The suit alleges that Spector was under tremendous stress following his arrest and had not taken his medication for mental problems at the time he agreed to Shapiro's $1 million retainer fee. ...

Being an "American Idol" finalist ain't what it used to be. For proof, look at the depressed mug on curly haired season-six wonder Chris Sligh, 29, who is the main attraction for the alcohol-free First Night Westerly New Year's Eve celebration in the tiny Rhode Island town. After a day of face-painting, extreme sports video-gaming, karate demos, magicians, mimes, hayrides and swing-dance lessons, Sligh is slated to take the stage at the YMCA gym just before midnight. ... Chuck D, Lil Boosie and, oddly enough, Buckethead will salute James Brown by performing at a tribute show on Saturday in Covington, Kentucky, Billboard reports. Bootsy Collins, who was mentored by the late legend, is putting on the concert, and proceeds will go to the future launch of a museum and the rebuilding of Brown's early recording home. Brown's most recent band, the Soul Generals; members of his original backing group, the JB's; and MC Danny Ray will also play at the event. ... The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions will take place in Cleveland in March 2009 — which is fitting, since the Rock Hall is located in the city. For the past decade, the event has been held in New York.

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Mario Confronts His Mother About Her Heroin Addiction In New MTV Documentary

19 Oct 2007 01:24:00 EDT

The R&B singer begs his mom to get help in 'I Won't Love You to Death.'
By Jayson Rodriguez

Mario
Photo: MTV News

Having a parent addicted to drugs is traumatizing for any young person, even those who are surrounded by fame and fortune.

Mario proves this much to be true in "I Won't Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom," a thinkMTV documentary that chronicles the R&B singer's touching relationship with his mother, Shawn, a heroin addict.

"By doing this type of thing, I feel like I'm saying to her, 'It's OK, what you're doing is OK,' " the Baltimore native explains in a scene in which he takes Shawn shopping. "In the back of my mind, it would feel better if I knew I was doing this for my mother [when she were] well. I felt like after I left [the store], maybe I should have said, 'No. Until you get better, I'm not doing anything for you.' But sometimes it's hard to face reality."

The doc opens with the singer narrating his accomplishments, from debuting as a young teen with his 2002 hit "Just a Friend" to his later breakout, the Ne-Yo-penned "Let Me Love You." But while his career was taking off, Mario says he was struggling with his mother's addiction, which continued to weigh heavily on him.

In one of the more memorable scenes in the film, the singer describes seeing needles throughout his home as a child, constantly worrying about his mother and sometimes not seeing her for days or weeks on end. Mario was raised in a single-parent home and eventually stayed with his grandmother while his mother was at her worst.

"I want to give you the gift of life, like you gave me," Mario pleads with Shawn during an intervention he organized with her boyfriend and close friend. Though his mother is far from strung out, she has, at that point, refused treatment and relapsed several times after short periods of sobriety.

Throughout the documentary, Mario and his mother exchange stories, swap jokes and genuinely look as close as a parent and child can be. Mario gives his mother credit for kick-starting and supporting his career, even after he moved to New Jersey to live with his first manager and only saw Shawn sparingly.

But their relationship is turbulent too. Mario is often seen trying to talk to his mother about how her addiction affects everyone around her, and he balks that she's still getting high and spending so much time in the bathroom. For her part, Shawn steadfastly refuses to admit her problem and incites a confrontation with Mario's manager, trying to edge her way into her son's career. Mario wants to welcome her in, especially to help him out while he's on tour, but he's afraid she's not quite ready.

In the end, though, after much determination, his mother decides to enter treatment at a facility in Los Angeles.

"I'm tired of living my life in the bathroom," she tells Mario. " 'Cause one day I may go in there and never come out."

Watch "I Won't Love You to Death" and then take action if you or someone you love is coping with substance abuse.

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Mario

Mario Confronts His Mother About Her Heroin Addiction In New MTV Documentary

1 Sep 2007 12:01:00 EDT

The R&B singer begs his mom to get help in 'I Won't Love You to Death,' premiering Sunday at 10 p.m. on MTV.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Mario
Photo: MTV News

Having a parent addicted to drugs is traumatizing for any young person, even those who are surrounded by fame and fortune.

In the end, though, after much determination, his mother decides to enter treatment at a facility in Los Angeles.

"I'm tired of living my life in the bathroom," she tells Mario. " 'Cause one day I may go in there and never come out."

After the documentary airs on Sunday, think.MTV.com will host a discussion with Mario and provide resources on coping with substance abuse.

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Mario

'American Idol' Champ Jordin Sparks Wants Chris Brown, Mario On Debut

1 Jun 2007 06:01:00 EDT

Singer will work during Idols Live Tour on material for album, due 'before Thanksgiving.'
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Sasha Hamrogue

Jordin Sparks
Photo: Evan Agostini/ Getty Images

The sixth season of "American Idol" is all over — save the Idols Live Tour — and while most of the world struggles to find a new reason to live (Tuesdays and Wednesdays feel so empty), newly crowned champ Jordin Sparks faces a struggle of a different sort: trying to stay sane.

"This is so intense. It's crazy," she laughed. "I haven't been home yet since I won. I was in L.A. and then New York, and now I'll finally get to go home and spend some time with my friends. I hope."

Such is life for the "Idol" princess. Since taking home the title last week (see "Sparks Flies: Jordin Takes 'American Idol' Crown" and "Jordin Marvels At 'American Idol' Win: 'My Heartbeat Was Pounding In My Ears' "), Sparks has been on a seemingly endless parade of interviews and promotional appearances. And it doesn't look like things will be slowing down anytime soon — quite the opposite, in fact. The show's summer tour kicks off July 6, and Sparks already has a deadline for her debut album. That means it's never too early to begin soliciting for collaborators, a list Sparks says includes a couple of crooners popular with the under-17 set.

"I'd love to do a duet with Mario or Chris Brown ... but let's see what happens," she said. "I have a lot of work ahead of me. I have a deadline [for my album] already. It should be out before Thanksgiving. And I'm going to be doing the tour and trying to find songs at the same time. And then after the tour, it's gonna be record, record, record, write, write, write."

And just what will Sparks' yet-untitled debut sound like? Well, according to her, a lot like ... pretty much everything.

"I can't really describe what I want it to sound like. I'm a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll, a little bit pop, a little bit R&B," she said. "I listen to Nat King Cole and Patsy Cline and Bon Jovi and Heart and 'NSYNC and Britney and Christina and Justin Timberlake too. I want to mix it all together. I hope people like it. On the show, [you had to be] versatile. You had to do everything and twist it around and make it your own. So I'm used to being like that."

And while the pressure will undoubtedly be on Sparks to perform on par with former "Idol" champs, she said she's actually more worried about living up to another set of expectations: those of her young fans.

"The other day, I walked outside, and there were these two little girls out there, and they said, 'Jordin, you're my inspiration! I want to be like you!,' and it was so amazing," she said. "I get emotional about it, because I remember being a little girl and looking up to people. And now little girls are looking up to me, and I love it.

"Being a teenager is hard — I mean, you look at magazines, and it's in your face all the time — 'you've got to lose weight or change or you'll never make it' — and I want to change all that," she continued. "I want to break the mold and be somebody girls look up to. I'm not much of a partyer — I don't drink or anything like that — so I don't think you'll catch me out at all those types of things. I'm comfortable with who I am, and I don't want to change. I love being me. I was happy before 'Idol,' and I'll be happy after."

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest "Idol" news, interviews and opinions.

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A.M. Surf Report: 50 Safe From Suit; Green Day Hammer New Orleans; Harry Potter Does It Again

13 Apr 2007 08:15:00 EDT

50 Cent concertgoer sues venue, promoter, not rapper; Billie Joe's a builder; 'Deathly Hallows' breaks another record.
By Jane O'Donnell

50 Cent
Photo: Rob Loud/ Getty Images

The news happens all the time, even while you're catching up on your beauty sleep. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

Enough with the acting — Mario's getting back to music. But like his last film, "Freedom Writers," his next songs may be pretty serious. The singer told us that "Do Right," which he wrote with Akon, is a bit of a departure. "I didn't want to do a club record or like a fun record. I wanted to do a more serious record that would cater to some of the people who may have experienced what I have." ...

You can pull off a same-sex kiss in "Bully," to the delight of gay gamers. And having the freedom to make those choices is good for all gamers, explained industry legend Peter Molyneux — the mind behind "Fable," a game that allows gay marriage. "The point is that the game's about you," Molyneux told us. "It's about what you want, what you like, and if the world reacts to that, it gets me excited," he told us. ...

Jim Morrison fans have asked that the late singer be pardoned almost 40 years after he was charged with exposing himself onstage. So we were thinking, if the Doors' frontman's case is worth another look, how about a pass for Lil' Kim? Or Ozzy? Or even 2 Live Crew? ...

Quote of the Day: "Dang — I can't believe we're sitting here, just belittling all of these people who came out to a festival that we just played." — A Life Once Lost's Bob Meadows

Here's what everyone else is talking about

A man who claims he was assaulted at a 50 Cent concert in Vancouver is suing the venue, security and the show's promoter — but not 50, The Vancouver Sun reports. Clayton Baker says four security guards assaulted him and threw him out of Pacific Coliseum during the December 2005 show after mistaking him for another man. Baker, who also holds the promoter accountable for the incident — for hyping the show in a way that attracted a violent crowd — seeks unspecified damages. ...

Billie Joe Armstrong is working on his "upside-down hammering technique" in New Orleans, where he and his family are volunteering for Habitat for Humanity construction projects. The family is checking in with reports and photos at GreenDay.net. ... In other good-cause news, Nickelback's "If Everyone Cared" has raised close to $400,000 for Amnesty International and International Children's Awareness Canada, E! Online reports.

Put a record in front of this Harry Potter kid and he's sure to smash it. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" won't be in your greedy little hands for another three months, but the last chapter in the boy-wizard saga has already broken a pre-order record at Barnes & Noble, Reuters reports. ...

Word of Madonna returning to Malawi had Page Six predicting Thursday that Lourdes, Rocco and David better make some room for a new sibling. Not so fast, Madonna's rep said, according to Reuters. The singer is continuing charity work in the African nation, but has no plans to adopt another child. ...

Trey Anastasio has been offered a plea deal by prosecutors in Washington County, New York, that would spare the singer jail in exchange for drug treatment, The Burlington Free Press reports. The former Phish frontman is due in court Friday (April 13) on charges of drug possession and impaired driving. ...

The Wall Street Journal reports that Julian Lennon has sold his financial stake in the Beatles catalog, a day after EMI and the Beatles settled a royalties suit. ...

Speaking of EMI, did Warner Music follow the record giant's lead — with no fanfare — and begin selling music downloads without copy protection? Nope. Hours after Idolator noted (via Billboard.biz) that the non-DRM files were for sale at AnywhereCD, Reuters reported that Warner ordered the company to remove them, saying that selling the music without the copy protection violated their agreement. ...

And according to Blabbermouth.net — which cites a report from the TV show "ET Canada" — former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke is now also the former guitarist for Rock Star Supernova. TV contest selected frontman Lukas Rossi wouldn't confirm Gilby's departure, but he have good news to announce: The band is changing its name.

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Mario Gets Back To Making Music With Akon, Timbaland, Neptunes

13 Apr 2007 06:00:00 EDT

After acting alongside Hilary Swank, crooner drops Go! on July 17.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Mario
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

If you ask Mario the singer about Mario the actor, he'll say he keeps his two professions completely separate — but the similarities just seem too hard to ignore.

After starring alongside Hilary Swank in "Freedom Writers" (see "Mario Sheds A Tear For 'Freedom,' Says He Wants To Direct"), Mario's loaded his next LP, Go! — now due July 17 — with an equally star-studded lineup of producers and songwriters, including Timbaland, the Neptunes and Akon.

If you ask Mario, though, just like working with Oscar-winning Swank, communication is the key when putting together a project with so many people involved. Other producers penciled in to work on Go! are Mr. Collipark, Sean Garrett, Dre & Vidal, Warren Campbell and Jim Jonsin.

"I worked with a lot of different people [for this album]," Mario explained. "And you got to talk with the writers and producers and really be in front of it and really give your perspective on things. That's the best way to go — be involved and creatively help to come up with certain situations that cater to who you are."

One of the new tracks is "Do Right," which Mario described as a more personal song based in part on his childhood growing up in Baltimore. Mario revealed to MTV News earlier this week that he and Akon collaborated on the song.

"I kind of went in and told Akon about a lot of the personal things I experienced," the singer said. "I didn't want to do a club record or like a fun record. I wanted to do a more serious record that would cater to some of the people who may have experienced what I have."

Similarly, now that he's tucked a few films under his belt, Mario is taking his time selecting the next role and is interested in more dramatic roles.

"I've been struggling with [picking] what to do," he said. "It's been difficult for me. Of course I want to do something that's top of the line and amazing, but I also don't want to rush and put myself in a pressured situation, 'cause it may not be pulled off as well. So I'm still really working on that. I'm still working on finding the right next role. Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be shooting the next one."

Up next for Mario is the video for his lead single, "Breathe," which he said he'll shoot in two weeks with the song being released to radio by the end of the month. After "Breathe," the Polow da Don-produced "Crying Out" is slated as the follow-up.

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On-The-Go! Mario Changes LP Title, Reaches Out To Disadvantaged Kids

28 Dec 2006 06:00:00 EST

April 4 release features Alicia Keys, Nelly, Akon — but alas, no Luigi.
By Corey Moss

Mario
Photo: Mat Szwajkos/ Getty Images

Like the classic video game character he shares his name with, R&B singer Mario is always on the move.

And that explains why he changed the title of his upcoming third album from Mario Barrett — Effortless to Go!

"I thought it was the best title to describe where my mind is at the moment," Mario said. "I feel that there's nothing that's impossible. I hope that [his new movie] 'Freedom Writers' is successful and that the album is successful. Go! just explains a perception on life, and my perception is to just go get it. If you're looking for something and you want it, you just gotta go get it."

The singer's third album was originally due in November but has been pushed back to April 4. Mario previously said it will feature Alicia Keys, Nelly and Akon, with production by Scott Storch and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (see "Mario Says New LP Shows 'Mysterious Side' — But Ends Mystery Behind Last Name").

"Go!" is also the name of an album track produced by the Neptunes that is currently streaming on Mario's MySpace page, along with new tunes "How Do I Breathe" and "Crying Out for Me."

Although the full track list has yet to be confirmed, Mario also promised a song called "Do Right," which he wrote while filming "Freedom Writers," opening January 5 (see "Mario Sheds A Tear For 'Freedom,' Says He Wants To Direct").

" 'Do Right' was inspired by me growing up and having friends who were never really on the right path, and me making better decisions than they did," said Mario, who has also launched a new charity organization that will fund programs for disadvantaged youth. "The first verse of the song talks about decisions that you make as a teenager or as a young adult that will change your future. Basically, it inspires you to do the right thing with your life. You have choices, you have willpower. I wanted it to actually be in the movie, on the soundtrack, but we're working it out."

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Mario Sheds A Tear For 'Freedom,' Says He Wants To Direct

19 Dec 2006 06:01:00 EST

Actor/singer talks about how Hilary Swank compares with his own former teachers.
By Shawn Adler

Mario in "Freedom Writers"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

SANTA MONICA, California — From international R&B sensation to rising film star, Mario says he's built his career on a simple mantra: "Nothing's impossible. If you're looking for something and you want it, you just gotta go get it."

That's an infectious attitude, one the 20-year-old shares with Andre, the character he plays in "Freedom Writers." Out January 5, the movie follows teacher Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) as she encourages a group of struggling students to challenge their limitations and succeed against all odds. In a recent interview with MTV News, Mario talked about "Freedom Writers," what makes a good teacher and his own family's troubles.

MTV: Admit it: You cried when you saw this movie.

Mario: I get teary-eyed when I see it, man. You know, you just really get caught up in it. If you're a person who loves films, and you pay attention with deep detail, then you'll definitely cry — you can't help it.

MTV: To what in particular should people pay attention with deep detail?

Mario: They should pay attention to the transformations of the kids, they should pay attention to the actions shown by Ms. Erin Gruwell and her consistency — how her assertiveness helped [her students] to go to another level in their lives. I think people should pay attention to how this movie could relate to them. From top to bottom, I think, it's one of those movies where, when you watch it, you have this great appreciation for Erin and what's she's done and what she stands for.

MTV: What does Erin mean to your character?

Mario: Andre, of course, has always had a wall up because of all the people who've come in and out of his life and who've affected him in positive and negative ways. His brother, who he confided in and who now is facing life in prison, [made] Andre feel like there's no hope out there for him. If his brother's like that, then he's going to be like that. And with his mother being so sick and strung out as she is, she can't help him. And she always told Andre, you know, "You're going to be just like your father. Nothing."

He's facing so many obstacles and things that were bringing him down that when a person like Erin comes into his life he automatically has his defense up. Even though she's there to help him, he rebels against her. Throughout the movie you could see how she used her personality to break [him]. In a sense she broke them [all]. [Their perceptions of her] went from "You're nothing but white trash" to "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here."

MTV: Why was Gruwell able to do what she did when nobody else could?

Mario: Well, I don't think that any other teacher would care. For a lot of teachers — and I'm going to take from my own experience — it's about the paycheck and just getting through the day. You know, handing out a couple sheets of paper. It's not actually taking your own time to fight for your students. After a while they saw that she did that for them. She had her back up against the wall and she fought through it. I think that automatically shows that she cared more than a lot of other teachers.

MTV: Have you had mostly positive teachers like Erin or bad ones?

Mario: I've had both. You know, not necessarily as persistent as Erin or as colorful, but I've had good teachers that would come to me with advice about the things that I was doing. It would be great advice, now that I look back on it, but back then it was just, "You're not my father, you're not my mother, so to hell with what you have to say to me." Sometimes you have to humble yourself, and sometimes a teacher can do that.

Erin took the extra route — through all the disrespect, the neglect. Another teacher would have probably quit or just given up. They saw that they couldn't break her, and that made them weak.

MTV: Did you get a chance to meet the real Freedom Writers?

Mario: I met my character Andre and the rest of them after we did the shoot. It's funny because one of the Freedom Writers played a security guard for the class. He's the real Jamal.

MTV: And you read the book as well?

Mario: Yes I did. It was one of the tools that [director] Richard LaGravenese gave us to create our own characters and imagine being there.

MTV: So out of those two experiences, reading the book and meeting the real people, what was the story that most touched you or that you felt most connected to?

Mario: Where Andre and I are relatable is when I read the book and he talks about his brother, and how his brother was taken away from him so quickly right before his eyes and he was alone again. Stuff like that that made the story real personal for me.

I remember when I was younger and my older cousin Deion — we grew up together and he got into trouble. He used to watch over me when I was in school. He had graduated from the school I was going to, so he knew everybody there. He looked out for me and I felt like I was always safe. But he got locked up and taken away. It was like all my safety just got taken down, I felt like I was out there on my own.

MTV: This movie is about transformation. How are you transforming as an actor?

Mario: I think ["Freedom Writers"] gives people viewing me another insight into what type of actor I could be. When you look at "Step Up," you look at this fun movie, this character who's more laid-back, more suave. He's more happy and way more social. On the other hand, you see me in this very dark, very sensitive yet insensitive character. I think it gives me a great opportunity to appeal to different audiences. I want to challenge myself doing different roles, and doing different roles effectively so that each time it takes me into a different lane.

Ultimately, I would one day want to own my own production company and do my own shooting and directing. It's a beautiful thing watching Richard LaGravenese do what he does: It makes me appreciate my job even more. The way I felt towards Richard, I would love for someone to feel that way towards me and my music. I've grown in ways like that — understanding how special we all are. If one person falls off the ladder, then the whole ladder is going to collapse.

MTV: You mention your music in connection to Richard. Is there a similarity between your singing and your acting?

Mario: As far as wanting it to be perfect, yes. I'm a perfectionist. As far as the performance itself ... honestly, yeah. There's been shows that I've done where I've felt like a whole other person, where you're outside of your body. In some of my roles it could be that one shot that just makes it all worth it, because you lose yourself. And those are the scenes where you know it's living in the moment. You don't come back until he says cut, and sometimes when he yells cut you still don't come back. And that's the beauty of it, once you learn how to master that. I saw Hilary [Swank] do it every time, every day.

MTV: Is that the big difference between up-and-coming actors and established actors? Being able to switch it on and off?

Mario: Well, yeah, of course. Even Hilary, I'm sure she learned by working with other well-experienced actors. And once you have the experience and the patience, man, nothing can stop you. I felt like I learned so much from "Freedom Writers" and I'm ready to do another film.

MTV: Would you say that's the biggest thing Swank taught you?

Mario: I think the biggest thing I learned from Hilary was that you have to find a space — mentally, physically, whatever makes you feel in control. I think I saw her do this, where she would go and she would knit. She would go into her own world so that she could stay in character. But for me, it was hard finding that place where I could totally stay focused every moment. It's something that I've got to practice.

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For The Record: Quick News On Notorious B.I.G., Guns N' Roses, Steven Tyler, Nine Inch Nails, T.I., Nelly & More

25 Sep 2006 09:04:00 EDT

Reward offered for Biggie information; GN'R reschedule tour dates, add shows; Tyler battles Hepatitis C.
By MTV News staff report

Notorious B.I.G.
Photo: Bad Boy

Almost a decade after the unsolved murder of Notorious B.I.G. the Los Angeles City Council voted on Friday to reinstate a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever was responsible for his drive-by-shooting death. According to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, the move came as a judge prepares to hear arguments scheduled for February 27 in a wrongful-death civil case brought by B.I.G.'s family against the city that claims rogue LAPD officers were involved in the killing. ...

Guns N' Roses have postponed five dates on their U.S. tour — shows originally booked for September 27 through October 5 — according to Ticketmaster. Four of those five have been rescheduled: The band will be playing Fresno, California, on December 13 instead of Wednesday; Bakersfield, California, on January 11 instead of Friday. Saturday's show set for Reno, Nevada, has been bumped to January 13, and the Sacramento, California, gig scheduled for October 2 will now take place January 10. The band's October 5 performance in San Diego has not been rescheduled yet. Guns N' Roses have booked two additional tour stops, with shows set for the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk in Universal City, California, on December 17 and December 19. ... Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler told "Access Hollywood" on Monday that for three years he's secretly been battling Hepatitis C, a viral infection of the blood that can lead to chronic liver disease. After a year of interferon treatments, which "about killed me," Tyler said, the infection is now nonexistent in his bloodstream. ...

Nine Inch Nails will be releasing a high-definition live DVD early next year titled "Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You in Time." A teaser for the effort has been posted to the band's Web site. The DVD will feature live footage captured during Nine Inch Nails' 2006 trek. ... Boost Mobile had something for everyone when they rewarded their volunteering fans with a concert Saturday in New York. The Rock Corps concert at Radio City Music Hall featured big names like T.I., Taking Back Sunday, Young Jeezy, Nelly and Panic! at the Disco. Nas was a special guest performer with his wife Kelis, and Paul Wall made a surprise visit onstage with Nelly. After the show, T.I. had a birthday party at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan. Jeezy, Maino, B.G. and Zab Judah all showed up to wish Tip a happy 26th. ...

Backpackers rejoice! First underground-rap stalwarts Talib Kweli and Mos Def announced that they'll each release new material this fall, and now their frequent collaborator Hi-Tek is set to drop his sophomore album, Hi-Teknology 2, October 17 on Babygrande Records. The sequel to his 2001 debut will feature tracks with Nas, Busta Rhymes and the Game, as well as Hi-Tek's former Rawkus labelmates, Mos and Kweli. Hi-Tek, who has a production deal with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, will produce the entire project himself. ... In addition to the band's previously announced tour dates, which were set to run through November 26 in San Francisco, the reunited surviving members of Alice in Chains announced over the weekend that they'll be playing the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles on November 27. The band's Web site will offer a presale for the concert on Thursday. ...

Mario made an appearance at Fergie's album-release party on Thursday and talked a bit about his own upcoming LP, Mario Barrett - Effortless, due November 28. "The album is very important to me," he told MTV News. "It's a very intense album, really passionate and much more upbeat than my last project. My personality gets shown a lot in this project, in terms of the song titles, and in terms of the subject matter that I am talking about." ... Lacuna Coil have been added to Glen Danzig's forthcoming Blackest of the Black tour, scheduled to kick off with a string of West Coast shows in November — no official dates have been released yet. Danzig will serve as the tour's headliner, and Marduk will also be on the bill, which is still being finalized. ...

The Pogues, who reissued several albums last week, are coming to the West Coast for the first time with the original lineup in 15 years. The trek begins October 9 through 12 in San Francisco and ends October 18 through 20 in Los Angeles. ... Our Lady Peace have set a November 21 release date for their greatest-hits collection, A Decade. The album will also feature two previously unreleased songs from the band's 2005 Healthy in Paranoid Times sessions. ...

Looks like Elijah Wood has interesting taste in music. The first act signed to "The Lord of the Rings" star's Simian Records is modern psychedelic popsters the Apples in Stereo. On February 7, the band will release its first album in five years together, New Magnetic Wonder, which features 14 new songs and 12 musical interludes, as well as contributions from reclusive Neutral Milk Hotel leader Jeff Mangum, who is credited with adding drums, backing vocals, handclaps and "cow object." Apparently Apples leader Robert Schneider has been busy during the layoff, inventing a new music scale he calls the "Non-Pythagorean Scale," which will be explored on an enhanced portion of the CD that includes a video explanation of the scale by Schneider and digital MIDI files that can be manipulated by users. ... That didn't last long. Just a week after he proposed to former Playboy Playmate Kari Ann Peniche onstage in Las Vegas, Aaron Carter has changed his mind about marrying older brother Nick's ex. Us Weekly reported Sunday that Carter, 18, told the magazine, "I got caught up in the moment and proposed. I then realized it was a hasty thing to do and I am not ready for marriage quite yet." The Carter family is the subject of a reality series on E! Entertainment Television that debuts next week. ...

Twenty years after they first hit the U.S. charts with "West End Girls," Pet Shop Boys are launching a 22-date tour in support of their latest album, Fundamental and the best-of collection, PopArt, due October 3. The run kicks off October 10 in Montreal and hits cities including Boston, New York, Atlanta, Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles before wrapping up with a November 16 show in Monterrey, Mexico. Pet Shop Boys' book retrospective "Catalogue," featuring photos spanning the duo's 20-year career, is due next month. ... Straylight Run will preview new material from their just-finished second album (due in the spring) on a fall tour kicking off November 1 in New Haven, Connecticut. The trek, which will also feature Kevin Devine, Matt Pond PA and Street to Nowhere, wraps up December 5 in Philadelphia. ...

Cat Stevens, the 1970s folk singer who converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Islam in 1977, weighed in Sunday on the controversy surrounding recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam. According to a report, in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, former Catholic-schoolboy Islam said that, "At one point, I used to believe that the pope was infallible." But now, said Islam, the pope, "should have looked elsewhere if he wanted to quote but we respect the pope and his position." The singer was reacting to a recent speech in Germany, in which the pope quoted the words of a Byzantine emperor that characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman." Islam is slated to release his first pop album in 28 years this November. ...

Musician Danny Flores, who played saxophone and shouted "tequila" in the 1958 Champs hit "Tequila!" died Tuesday in Huntington Beach, California, from complications of pneumonia, The Associated Press reports. He was 77. Flores' wife Sharee said her husband was pleased when a new generation of fans latched on to the song after it was featured in 1985's "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." "I can honestly tell you he never got tired of playing that song," she told the AP. ... Influential blues guitarist Etta Baker died Saturday in Fairfax, Virginia, the AP reports. She was 93. Baker, a North Carolina native who influenced the folk revival with her 1956 recordings of "Railroad Bill" and "One-Dime Blues," balanced music with a day job for 26 years and finally quit the textile mill at age 60 to pursue music full time. She toured into her 80s, and recently focused on banjo playing when the guitar proved to taxing to her strength. A banjo collection from Baker is due next year, and she is also featured on guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd's upcoming album, due in November. "Like B.B. King and single-string blues, anybody who has picked up acoustic finger-style guitar has been influenced by Etta whether they know it or not," friend and colleague Tim Duffy said.

09.22.2006

Christina Aguilera has some advice for fans: "Never believe everything you read or see or hear." The singer shared that pearl of wisdom in Jane magazine's October issue, on newsstands Tuesday — and added, "Which I'm sure you are not going to want to print." They did print it, along with Aguilera's thoughts on documenting her life with Jordan Bratman for television: "My marriage is sacred to me, and I feel that they would exploit it." But while reality TV doesn't appeal to the singer, acting does. "I'm going to read scripts while I'm on the road working this record," she said. "I think so many people who start off as musicians and cross over just end up playing themselves. To me, that's not a challenge whatsoever. I want to quote-unquote act." ...

Last month, Hilary Duff predicted that she'd be done with her forthcoming album by mid-September. But when she was in New York last week to launch her new perfume With Love at Macy's, the singer admitted that she hadn't met her deadline. "Is it mid-September already?" she said. "It's probably going to be a bit longer. We've done a lot — I would say we're a little more than halfway finished, but I'm not done." Though Duff's record label had said the yet-untitled album would still come out November 21 as originally planned, the singer is in fact getting a little more breathing room — the label confirmed Friday (September 22) that it's pushing back Duff's next LP until December 5. ...

As NBC weighs whether to air the mock crucifixion in an upcoming Madonna concert special scheduled for November, the singer spoke out Thursday to defend the controversial element of her Confessions world tour. In a statement, Madonna said that the bit — which has been criticized by the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church — is not "anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous," but a plea for "mankind to help one another and to see the world as a unified whole. I believe in my heart that if Jesus were alive today he would be doing the same thing." She added that the intent of the staged crucifixion — which ends with a quote from the Bible's Book of Matthew about taking care of the hungry and sick — is to bring attention to the plight of impoverished children in Africa. ...

It doesn't seem to be too hard out here these days for Three 6 Mafia. MTV announced this week that it's partnering with the Oscar-winning rappers for "Adventures in Hollywood," a comedic reality series that will follow them as they try to make headway in Tinsel Town. The show will trail remaining members DJ Paul and Juicy J as they relocate from their Memphis hometown to Los Angeles along with their entourage, including artist and protégé Project Pat. ...

Fergie talks health in Shape magazine's October issue, and sings the praises of one food that's dear to her heart: pizza. The Black Eyed Peas singer, who said she hikes with boyfriend Josh Duhamel to stay in shape, has two takes on the cheese-topped treat, naming "pizza dipped in ranch or blue-cheese dressing" as her favorite food splurge and "a bagel with cottage cheese and tomatoes" as her #1 breakfast. "I heat it up, so the cheese melts a bit like a pizza." ... Reports that Michael Jackson plans to open a leprechaun theme park in Ireland are not true, according to the singer's spokesperson. Jackson's camp dismissed the Irish Daily Mirror story, which quoted a source that claimed the singer planned to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in the plan because he "loves the whole idea of leprechauns and the magic and the myths of Ireland," as "erroneous and ridiculous." ...

Perhaps smarting from the commercial beat-down they suffered with this year's Lights and Sounds, Yellowcard have been writing new songs and are preparing to enter the studio this winter to begin work on a new album. According to their label, Capitol Records, there is no word on just who will produce the new album, but Yellowcard hope to have it in stores by mid-2007. ... Tommy Lee makes a cameo in Jack's Mannequin's video for "Dark Blue," directed by Brett Simon (the Killers, New Found Glory). The 1950s-set clip is inspired by the dance-contest movie "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" Lee played drums on the album, the side project from Something Corporate singer Andrew McMahon. ... Dancehall reggae singer Buju Banton is facing his latest ban in the U.S. over violent lyrics about gays and lesbians. The Los Angeles Times reports that e-mail complaints and concerned callers prompted the manager of the Highland nightclub in Hollywood to research Banton's past and cancel the singer's show scheduled for October 2. ...

A seventh-grade teacher in Kentucky's Jefferson County school district will not be arrested for burning two American flags in class, Louisville newspaper The Courier-Journal reports. Still, Dan Holden — who was removed from the classroom after giving his lesson on free speech — will not go back to teaching until the district decides whether or not he violated school rules. He has since been assigned to perform noninstructional duties. The Louisville Fire & Rescue arson squad said in a report that Holden had left the students with the flags ablaze as he went to get water to put out the flames, but authorities said criminal charges are not warranted. ...

Alice Cooper will be joining the Rolling Stones for three guest appearances as part of his annual Halloween Tour, which kicks off Saturday in Halifax, Nova Scotia — where the legendary rockers will be joined by Kanye West and local favorites Sloan. Cooper and the Rolling Stones will also join forces at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, September 29. He will then hit cities including Nashville, Cleveland and New York without the Stones, before joining the band one last time to inaugurate the new Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and close out his tour. ... The Rolling Stones, who launched their tour Wednesday, have added a November 22 show in Honolulu, Hawaii, to their schedule. ... Original Bad Company bassist and King Crimson member Raymond "Boz" Burrell died Thursday at his home in Spain, according to a statement released by Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records, which put out Bad Company's first six studio LPs. The cause of Burrell's death was not given. He was 60 years old. ...

Plenty of artists have used the Old Testament as inspiration for their music, but an upcoming album called 10 Plagues (due November 7) takes a new approach. The 10-track compilation collects songs by a diverse group of artists — including Rufus Wainwright, Brian Eno, Stephin Merritt (Magnetic Fields), Laurie Anderson, Imogen Heap and Cody Chesnutt — who each take on one of the plagues associated with the Passover story of the Jews' exodus from Egypt. Song titles include "Blood," "The Meaning of Lice," "Flies," "Boils," "Hailstones," "Darkness" and "Katonah (Death of the Firstborn)." ... Joseph Arthur, a singer/songwriter known for using looping techniques in his live solo show, is touring with a band for the first time in his career. Arthur's trek begins Monday in Philadelphia and ends November 3 in Brooklyn, New York. ...

Fresh off a stint opening for Madonna in Europe, electronic-music hero Oakenfold is heading back to the U.S. for a string of club dates in support of his new single, "Sex 'N' Money," which features Pharrell. Oakenfold's run starts Friday in San Diego and winds down October 14 in Miami Beach, Florida. ... Stephanie McKay — a Bronx, New York, singer who has worked with Tricky, Mos Def and Kelis — will release her Stateside debut, a self-titled EP, on Tuesday. Geoff Barrow of Portishead produced her U.K. debut, which was released in 2003. ... British singer Lily Allen will release her debut album, Alright, Still, in the U.S. on January 30. In the meantime, a four-song digital EP that includes the single "Smile" is out Tuesday.