The Game
Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images

In the wake of Friday's Sean Bell verdict, in which three New York police detectives were acquitted of gunning down the Queens native, people are still expressing their outrage.

On Monday (April 28), Bell's supporters were urged to wear black in protest of the case's outcome. The most resonant opposition is coming from the hip-hop community. MCs are putting their influence to use, releasing statements and songs that express their feelings.

The Game is planning to release the response record "911 Is a Joke" via his Web site, ThisIzGame.com, on Tuesday. "I'm outraged and speaking out for my generation that are afraid to speak out against police brutality and murder," the L.A. native explained. "I grew up in Compton and had to stay silent because of the fear that was prevalent in my community. But now that I have a voice, I'm speaking out. ... [Sean Bell] could have easily been me, my brother, my family. So this song is for Sean Bell from my heart. My deepest condolences go out to his family."

Mobb Deep's Prodigy, who is currently in jail for a gun conviction, spoke up from behind bars. "We lost a lot of battles, but we will win the war," he said in a statement. "The decision in the Queens courtroom on Friday was simply a display of power. The NYPD is just a branch of corruption connected to a giant corrupt tree called the United States government. ... The Sean Bell murder cover-up is less about race and more about power. This evil family tree of corruption will do whatever it takes to remain in a position of power. They will put a judge who they can control on the case, in order to get the outcome they want and eliminate the risk of being exposed and exposing the higher-ups. I want to be very clear that all judges, DAs, lawyers and cops are not corrupt, just most of them."

"The Sean Bell murder itself was a reflection of how expendable black men are in the eyes of many," Queens MC Cormega said. "The verdict was a far worse crime because it stripped a dead man of his rights and it stripped a community of hope. We came so far as a people yet gained little momentum, but I would like to thank society for reopening my eyes to the myth called equality and the justice that eludes just us."

Soon after the Bell murder in 2006, Brooklyn's Papoose was one of the first MCs to vocalize his horror at the tragedy with the record "50 Shots." "No justice, no peace/ Another black man shot dead in the streets," he rapped on the track. " ... You thought he had a gun/ That means you shot him for nothing, 'cause he ain't have one."

Speaking to MTV News on Tuesday, Pap expressed that the verdict on Friday was not surprising. "It's a pattern of what goes on in the NYPD," he said. "This has gone on for years with black people in America. I was upset. I was real furious about it. It sends a message that they don't value our lives. I feel they walked in the courtroom laughing, and they walked out of the courtroom laughing."

The officers on trial, Gescard Isnora, Michael Oliver and Marc Cooper, were acquitted on reckless-endangerment, assault and manslaughter charges. Judge Arthur J. Cooperman levied the verdict. "Once they waived their rights [for a jury], I seen it was suspect," Pap added. "I knew it would be no justice. They got a judge with the same mentality as them. ... It's blatant. Kids are left without a father, and the cops are going on with their life like it never happened."

The hip-hop community will definitely not let the situation rest: Grafh put out a song called "Not Guilty (The People's Verdict)" on Sunday night, and Papoose is going to speak on the subject again.

"It's never too late," Pap said about putting out songs. "It's gonna happen again until they do something about it. I commend everybody who has stepped forward, because it says something. In hip-hop, we have a strong voice. People listen to our words."

Prodigy added that it will take more than music to make changes. "People of all races need to come together to control our government and run a giant comb through it, so we can see the filth that comes out," Prodigy said. "Right now, we have a government that controls the people, instead of people that control their government. Until we can do that, there'll be several more incidents like the murder of Sean Bell. America is under a spell, and we need to snap out of it."

• Sean Bell Shooting Case Ends In Acquittal

• Game
• Papoose
• Mobb Deep

Prodigy
Photo: MTV News

On Wednesday, a New York judge granted Mobb Deep's Prodigy a second medical reprieve from his scheduled 3-and-a-half year prison bid, which was set to begin that day. However, there seems to be some confusion regarding the rapper's health.

Prodigy was hospitalized recently after experiencing severe lung pain, according to an interview with his attorney Irving Cohen on Thursday (February 14).

But in a blog post on his Web site Wednesday afternoon, Prodigy wrote: "Who cares what they say, they say a lot. Spell/ pronounce my name right when it's time ... I did Connecticut twice in a row, B.B. King's in New York, then Boston, Albany and New Hampshire. So I don't know why they wanna say I'm sick in the hospital. I'm very good, getting that show bread."

Representatives close to Prodigy also confirmed he had not been hospitalized. When reached by MTV News Thursday, Cohen had no comment regarding Prodigy's blog entry.

Last month Prodigy also reportedly suffered complications from his sickle-cell anemia condition and was granted the first of his now two temporary extensions of freedom. Originally, Prodigy was set to begin his prison term — stemming from a 2006 gun charge, to which he pleaded guilty in October 2007 — on January 8.

The date, however, came and went without his compliance. According to previous media reports, prison officials requested the rapper be granted an additional postponement as the facility was ordered to be properly equipped to deal with his medical condition.

Prodigy's bout with sickle-cell anemia has long been a public matter: The rapper has often cited his blood disorder and related complications in his lyrics. Last year alone, he was hospitalized three times for his condition and reportedly underwent a hip-replacement surgery.

While he's been waiting for his prison sentence to begin, Prodigy has been promoting his forthcoming solo project, H.N.I.C. 2, now due April 8. Several songs have leaked to the Web, however; the first official single is slated to be "Real Power Is People," for which he shot a video recently in New York at the Queens House of Detention in Kew Gardens.

• Mobb Deep
• Prodigy of Mobb Deep

Prodigy
Photo: MTV News

A New York judge yesterday granted Mobb Deep's Prodigy a second medical reprieve from his scheduled three-and-a-half year prison bid, which was set to begin on Wednesday.

Prodigy, who held a farewell concert last week in New York, is now scheduled to begin his prison sentence on February 20. The rapper was hospitalized two days ago, according to his publicist.

Last month Prodigy also suffered complications from his sickle-cell anemia condition and was granted the first of his now two temporary extensions of freedom. Originally, Prodigy was set to begin his prison term — stemming from 2006 gun charge, to which he pleaded guilty in October 2007 — on January 8.

The date, however, came and went without his compliance. According to previous media reports, prison officials requested the rapper be granted an additional postponement as the facility was ordered to be properly equipped to deal with his medical condition.

Prodigy's bout with sickle-cell anemia has long been a public matter: The rapper has often cited his blood disorder and related complications in his lyrics. Last year alone, he was hospitalized three times for his condition and reportedly underwent a hip-replacement surgery.

While he's been waiting for his prison sentence to begin, Prodigy has been promoting his forthcoming solo project, H.N.I.C. 2, now due April 8. Several songs have leaked to the Web, however; the first official single is slated to be "Real Power Is People," for which he shot a video recently in New York at the Queens House of Detention in Kew Gardens.

• Mobb Deep
• Prodigy of Mobb Deep

Mobb Deep's Prodigy at his farewell show in New York on Wednesday
Photo: Dave Goodson

NEW YORK — For a farewell show, Prodigy's performance Wednesday night at B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill was short on sentimentality.

The Mobb Deep star pleaded guilty in October to gun-possession charges and next week will begin serving a three-and-a-half-year prison bid. The sentence has put the brakes on his rejuvenated solo career just as he's gearing up to release his latest album, H.N.I.C. 2, which he's been feverishly promoting.

But for P, the finale, as it was billed, turned out to be business as usual. There was barely any time for tributes.

"Standing next to me, this is my brother here," said Havoc, the other half of Mobb Deep, midway through the set; he flanked his partner onstage throughout the set. "I've known him like 20 years. We went to high school together. It's been since like '88 or '89. I've known him a long time, I consider him my brother. Give it up for family!"

"It's a celebration, though," Prodigy quickly cut in during the cheers, ending the only words of recognition for him all night.

With that, DJ On Point launched into "Shook Ones Pt. II," the Queens duo's classic hit. The crowd — littered with fans holding swirling cups of Hennessy, clad in Champion hoodies and Timbs — went wild.

"I got you stuck off the realness/ We been the infamous/ You heard of us/ Official Queensbridge murders," Prodigy spit, as the 30-plus members of his entourage onstage, including Cormega, chanted along.

P and Hav quickly transitioned into "Quiet Storm," then Prodigy kicked "Keep It Thoro" from his debut solo LP, before the M-O-B-B connected with their G-Unit era and went into "Have a Party."

Prodigy kept the capacity crowd off balance for the majority of the night. Vintage Mobb tracks were performed between a number of standout cuts from the upcoming H.N.I.C. 2.

"Real Power," with its woozy, minimal beat and chanted chorus, made it feel like a New York summer night in 1994.

"F--- jewelry, f--- rims," P rapped on the grimey track. And sure enough, before the song, P took his hoodie and chains off. His crew did the same and a chain went flying into the crowd as someone pumped their fist a little too enthusiastically to the song. Maserati Fox dived off the stage and parted the crowd to get it back.

Prodigy brought out Un Pacino for another new track, "Three Stacks"; Mega joined him to spit a quick a cappella verse.

But after 90 minutes onstage and with the time nearing midnight, P began a list of shout outs: to 50 Cent, to G-Unit, and to his grandmother, "the original H.N.I.C."

P then dove into one more track to end the night, "Dirty New Yorker," from his new album. But it was only for one verse, and by that time Prodigy's voice was getting hoarse.

However, it was a fitting cap to the evening. "Everyone, one love," P said plainly as he exited the stage. "We had fun."

• Prodigy Feels Vulnerable

• Mobb Deep
• Prodigy of Mobb Deep

Jessica Sierra
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

After a legal snafu that almost landed her back behind bars, former "American Idol" finalist Jessica Sierra is on her way to a rehab facility in California again. According to Florida Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi, the troubled singer — who was ordered to spend a year in the Pasadena Recovery Center as a result of her recent arrest on disorderly intoxication charges — had her emergency probation transfer order rejected by the California Department of Probation. That resulted in the awkward situation of Sierra, 22, being out of jail but unable to begin rehab. "She was supposed to get on a plane yesterday, but the probation department in California wouldn't accept her transfer on an expedited basis because they take up to 45 days to review requests, so we had the unfortunate situation of a pregnant addict on the streets," Bondi said. Luckily, Sierra was able to get back into court Thursday (January 10), and the judge in the case gave her permission to travel immediately with her dad to Los Angeles and get picked up by a representative from the Center, where she will be allowed to stay until the probation transfer is approved. ...

The fallout from Britney Spears' hospitalization continues, as a Maloof Productions spokesperson confirmed to MTV News that a reality show with former Spears associate Alli Sims is no longer "moving forward." Sims had hoped to do a reality show demonstrating what her daily life is like in Hollywood — including occasional appearances by her cousin, friend and former employer. A source close to the production said nothing had been taped yet, not even a pilot, and that Sims was only in the early stages of talks, with no deal yet struck with the Maloofs, who own the Sacramento Kings and Las Vegas' Palms Casino Resort, a frequent Spears haunt. But right now, the source said, "Britney needs to heal. She doesn't need another reality show." Spears last appeared in the reality program "Chaotic," which featured the early stages of her courtship with Kevin Federline. ...

Mischa Barton has spoken out about her recent arrest for DUI and drug possession. The English actress told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Thursday morning, "Obviously, I am 100 percent responsible for my actions, and I am really disappointed in myself. I am not perfect, and I don't ever intend to do something that stupid again." The former "O.C." star, who was also arrested for driving without a valid license, added, "I usually try not to get behind the wheel." ... Despite protesting that the case was baseless, Avril Lavigne has reached a settlement with 1970s rock band the Rubinoos over claims that her hit "Girlfriend" plagiarized their 1979 single, "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." The Canadian Press reports that a confidential settlement has been reached with the Rubinoos, who have agreed to drop their claims, but that the settlement does not necessarily indicate an admission of copyright infringement. ...

Here's one for the adults — T.I., the Shins and Daft Punk are among the artists participating in this year's installment of Playboy's Rock the Rabbit. The roster of musicians — which also includes Duran Duran, Iggy Pop and Hot Chip — will appear in the magazine's March issue and help create limited-edition T-shirt designs that will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to Rock the Vote. ... Jennifer Lopez's "Bordertown," which was widely panned by critics who caught early screenings of it, is headed straight to DVD. The film is about a reporter, played by Lopez, who investigates a series of murders of young female factory workers in Mexico. She also produced the movie, which will hit stores January 29. ... Jim Jones, Raekwon, Redman, Green Lantern and Papoose have piled onto Pete Rock's new LP, Billboard reports. The iTunes version of NY's Finest, which is due February 26, will reportedly also have a bonus track featuring Slum Village. Meanwhile, "914" — one of the B-side songs that will accompany the first single, "We Roll" (featuring Jones) — has featured guest spots by Styles P and Sheek Louch. ...

We don't normally report on hairstyles — except when the most famous black beehive in the world suddenly gets chopped and bleached. Pictures are circulating of Amy Winehouse's new 'do, which is a stark change from the style that helped make the soul singer famous. ... "High School Musical" star Ashley Tisdale is slated to make her feature-film debut in a comedy about a group of teens who defend their vacation home from an alien attack. The Hollywood Reporter reports that production on "They Came From Upstairs" will start next month in New Zealand, with a cast that also includes Robert Hoffman ("Step Up 2 the Streets"), Carter Jenkins ("Viva Laughlin") and Austin Butler ("Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide"). ...

On Thursday, MySpace announced the launch of its new MySpace Celebrity hub, which will feature pop-culture news, blogs, videos and events. Among the 300 celebrities who have profiles on the new hub are Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, "Juno" star Ellen Page, Ashton Kutcher, "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge and Hayden Panettiere. ... Radiohead are taking to the airwaves again, this time to fill in on BBC Radio 1 for host Zane Lowe while he's away on holiday, Pitchfork reports. The band, which webcast live studio performances earlier this year, will be on BBC Radio 1 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. U.K. time on January 17. ... Marilyn Manson and estranged bassist Twiggy Ramirez have made up. According to a statement from the group, Ramirez has rejoined Manson for the band's upcoming North American tour, following the split of bassist Tim Skold. ...

Unreleased tune-age from Feist, Bloc Party, Of Montreal, Deerhoof and Muse is scattered across a new charity release benefiting Energy Action Coalition, which helps support and strengthen the youth clean-energy movement in North America. The Green Owl Comp: A Benefit for the Energy Action Coalition, which consists of a CD and DVD, is due April 8. ... The Fader has an unlikely new executive editor in Chris Richards, who was previously a guitarist/singer for post-punk band Q and Not U. He previously covered music for The Washington Post. ... Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds will release their next album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, on April 8, and have revealed the album's track list. The record will feature 11 songs, including "Night of the Lotus Eaters," "Lie Down Here (& Be My Girl)" and "Jesus of the Moon." ...

Some of late Godfather of Soul James Brown's personal possessions are being appraised for auction to help pay some of the state taxes owed by his estate. The Associated Press reports that attorneys would not say exactly what items are on the block, or how much the estate owes in taxes, but some reports said the rights to some of Brown's songs could be among the items up for bid.

1.9.08

Jennifer Lopez says she was pretty sure people had put two and two together about her pregnancy before she formally announced it. "I was on tour with a bubble gut!" the singer/actress recently told Harper's Bazaar for its February cover story. Lopez, who has a new fragrance on the way, also glowed about husband Marc Anthony, saying, "He made me realize you can be an artist, and have credibility and success, without your life being on public display 24 hours a day." The issue hits stands Tuesday. ...

A parole hearing for Michael Derderian — co-owner of the Station nightclub in Rhode Island, where a fire during a Great White concert claimed the lives of 100 people in February 2003 — was held Wednesday evening (January 9), according to The Associated Press, but a decision won't be handed down until January 16. Relatives of some of the victims reportedly challenged Derderian's possible parole at the hearing, calling him a greedy businessman who put money before safety. "Michael Derderian violated a sacred code of ethics by not providing a safe haven for his patrons. In addition, he has shown absolutely no remorse," said William C. Bonardi, who lost his son in the fire, according to AP. Derderian became parole-eligible after serving 16 months of his four-year prison sentence. The fire was sparked by the show's onstage pyrotechnics, which ignited the venue's flammable soundproofing foam. In September 2006, Derderian and his brother, Jeffrey, pleaded no contest to involuntary-manslaughter charges. Jeffrey Derderian was sentenced to 500 hours of community service and was spared time behind bars. Daniel Biechele, Great White's tour manager and the man who set off the pyrotechnics, was granted parole from his four-year sentence in September and will be released in two months. The parole board plans to meet privately with Derderian in prison before handing down the decision. ...

Prodigy's prison term on a charge of gun possession has been pushed back to allow doctors time to produce records documenting the Mobb Deep rapper's sickle cell anemia, according to New York's Daily News. The MC (real name: Albert Johnson) was supposed to start a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, for which he was indicted in October, on Wednesday, but a New York judge said doctors need more time to gather medical records, Daily News reports. The judge will reportedly talk to state officials about assigning Prodigy to a prison where he would be able to get easy access to medical treatment for sickle cell anemia, which is an incurable blood disorder that can lead to stroke and organ damage. Earlier this month, Prodigy announced plans to issue his second solo album while behind bars. H.N.I.C. Part 2 is due in March. ...

Radiohead will tour North America soon — we just don't know when. All we do know is where. The band's publicist released a list of the cities Radiohead will hit on their tour, but they've yet to issue the stretch's dates or any venue information. The trek will make stops in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Seattle, Philadelphia and San Francisco, among other cities. ... Christina Aguilera will release "Back to Basics - Live and Down Under," a 90-minute DVD chronicling her world tour's stops in Sydney, Australia, in July. The February 5 effort will feature 18 live cuts, including "Ain't No Other Man," "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" and, of course, "What a Girl Wants." The DVD will also boast interviews with Christina's dancers, husband Jordan Bratman and Christina herself. ...

Justin Timberlake, Johnny Depp and Katherine Heigl came away with People's Choice Awards on Tuesday in a pre-taped program hosted by Queen Latifah. JT nabbed three trophies, while Jack Sparrow earned the Favorite Male Movie Star prize and the "Grey's Anatomy" actress landed the Favorite Female TV Star honor. As for the show itself, it absolutely tanked — 5.3 million fewer viewers tuned in this year than last. ... T-Pain, former Pretty Ricky singer Pleasure, Jazze Pha and Mannie Fresh have lent their skills to Dem Franchize Boyz's second effort, Da Point of No Return. The disc drops March 25 and is preceded by its first single, the wackily titled "Talkin' Out Da Side of Ya Neck!" ...

Kanye West posted a still image of the next video from Graduation, "Flashing Lights," on his blog Tuesday. In the post, 'Ye didn't give many details about the video, though he did write that he recently returned from Denmark, where he met with the director, whom he didn't name. ... Chicago MCs Lupe Fiasco and Rhymefest debated the merits of Democratic presidential hopeful Illinois Senator Barack Obama online recently. In an interview with SOHH.com, Fiasco expressed his dismay over the voting system and revealed that he wasn't going to vote in the upcoming election. If he did, however, he said he would punch his ballet for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. "Obama doesn't really impress me like that," Lupe said. 'Fest countered that his colleague was being irresponsible with his comments. He posted on his MySpace blog that the skateboarding rapper should be a bit more informed when speaking publicly about elections. "Please, do not let your arrogance be the fuel for your ignorance," Rhymefest wrote. ...

Silverstein — who count only vegetarians among their ranks — have been named Best Animal-Friendly Band in peta2's second annual Libby Awards. Scary Kids Scaring Kids, who have previously teamed with peta2; Rise Against; record labels Victory and Epitaph; and the Vans Warped Tour were also recognized for their various furry efforts. ... A pair of Pantera fans are trying to get a life-size statue commemorating late guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott erected in Texas. The Dime Statue in Dallas Foundation has already pulled in more than a grand for the project — go here for more info. ...

PJ Harvey just put out a new studio LP, White Chalk, in October, but that's not stopping the chanteuse from slapping together another one for release this year. She is reconvening with English multi-instrumentalist and songwriter John Parish for a yet-untitled effort that will be the follow-up to their joint 1996 disc, Dance Hall at Louse Point. Harvey has also sketched out five performances in Australia and New Zealand in February, as well as a March 9 show in Rome. ... Broken Social Scene have broken out their plans for a globe-trotting trek that will take them from New Zealand to Australia, Japan, Singapore and, finally, England. In the latter country, the crafty Canucks will play May 16 at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that is being curated by Explosions in the Sky. ...

Yellowcard have been enlisted to perform for U.S. soldiers stationed in the Persian Gulf. The rockers' first-ever tour with the United Service Organizations also sees them signing autographs and hanging out with the troops. "This tour isn't just a treat for them but also for us," frontman Ryan Key said in a press release. ... Less Than Jake want to make sure you haven't forgotten about some of their early releases. The ska-punk band — which has full control and ownership of its back catalog — has formed its own label, Sleep It Off, and plans to re-release a bunch of titles March 18: two albums (1995's Pezcore and 1996's Losers, Kings, and Things We Don't Understand), a rarities comp (2002's Goodbye White & Blue) and a DVD (2004's "The People's History of Less Than Jake"). ... Punk band Anti-Flag have set an April 1 release date for their next album, The Bright Lights of America. The album was helmed by producer Tony Visconti (T. Rex, David Bowie), and it marks Visconti's first foray into punk production. ...

Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones concert flick finally has a name and new release date. "Shine a Light," which had previously been due in late August, will now roll into theaters April 4. ... Forty years ago, Johnny Cash made music history at Folsom Prison. Now, an upcoming tribute hailing the late icon has received the death penalty. Less than 48 hours after promoters announced plans to honor the Man in Black's legacy with a concert marking his Folsom anniversary, the show has been scrapped. Citing security and recording-rights concerns, officials at the California prison shot down the idea Monday night. The event had planned to feature several members of the backing band from 1968's At Folsom Prison, regarded by some as the greatest live album ever recorded.

• Jessica Sierra
• Amy Winehouse
• Avril Lavigne
• The Rubinoos
• Ashley Tisdale

Photo: Jason Campbell

• Mobb Deep
• Lil Wayne

Chamillionaire's <i>Ultimate Victory</i>
Photo: Motown

Twenty-four years ago Tuesday (September 18), Kiss went on MTV and unmasked themselves for the first time. The stunt coincided with the band's Lick It Up LP and had fans of the glam-rockers salivating all over again. So in commemoration of that revealing day, here are this week's new releases, unmasked.

Resurrecting the Cham-P: It's unlikely Chamillionaire will be ridin' his way to the top of the Billboard albums chart anytime soon, given the sales aftershocks that are likely to result after last week's epic showdown between Kanye West and 50 Cent. But that isn't to say the Houston rapper didn't try to live up to the title of his second album, Ultimate Victory — Lil Wayne, Devin the Dude and UGK's Bun B and Pimp C all rear their heads on the effort, as does Slick Rick, who is featured on the lead single, "Hip Hop Police." But that track hasn't made a huge impact at radio, so maybe the MC should start thinking in terms of thousands and not millions ...

Let's Be Blunt: But Cham isn't the only one sweating the sophomore slump this week — James Blunt has even more to measure up to with All the Lost Souls. That album chases 2004's Back to Bedlam, which went twice platinum in the U.S. and had an even bigger impact elsewhere in the world. The album's collage cover is comprised by hundreds of small images of Blunt, but the negative reviews the LP has been garnering might be even more dizzying for the artist.

Oh, H.I.M.: Moody Finnish goth-rockers H.I.M. might surprise everyone by making Venus Doom the highest-charting Billboard debut among this week's contenders — despite such gloomy songs as "Dead Lovers' Lane," "Sleepwalking Past Hope" and "Love in Cold Blood." The group's latest LP has fewer keyboards than previous releases, and the limited-edition version comes with a DVD boasting remixes and more.

From Them 2U: It's been almost 10 years since U2 stirred a sports stadium full of fans at Mexico City's Foro Sol venue, so what better time to revisit the landmark event with a spiffy new DVD? "PopMart Live From Mexico City" is hitting the format for the first time and has been shined up with revitalized video and audio. A special limited-edition version takes it one step further by adding a bonus disc with unreleased concert material, plus four documentaries, a tour-visuals montage, wallpapers, screensavers and more.

That's a Rap: Speedy MC Twista roped Pharrell onto "Give It Up," the first single from his seventh studio album, Adrenaline Rush 2007 — but he also convinced R. Kelly, Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Cee-Lo, E-40, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Kanye West to lend their skills as well. Mobb Deep's Havoc went the underground route for The Kush, his solo debut, going light on featured artists and crafting the project on his own. Beyond his Mobb mate Prodigy, "I did not want a bunch of big stars on [The Kush], as it would have taken away from the real objective of the LP, which is grimy and down to earth." Watch him clue in MTV News' Shaheem Reid about the disc:

Also this week, there's a raft of artists cropping up in places you wouldn't expect, and a few more under-the-radar surprises too:

· Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump, Taking Back Sunday's Adam Lazzarra, Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba, Cartel's Will Pugh and Lisa Loeb (!) help New Found Glory burn through their favorite soundtrack songs on From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II.

· Justin Timberlake and Kelly Clarkson pay unexpected visits on Reba McEntire's Duets — the country singer's 25th album, impressively.

· Jay-Z gets an unexpected shout-out on "What Would Jay-Z Do?," a track featured on the new album by Ben Lee. Ripe, the singer/songwriter's sixth opus, also bristles with guest spots by Benji Madden, Mandy Moore, Rachael Yamagata and more. (Let's see how Lee's Ripe fares against Alvin Lee's Saguitar.)

· Elvis Costello chalks up a surprise cover of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" while Sarah McLachlan touches up XTC's "Dear God" on the "House" soundtrack. Even more eyebrows will be raised when people hear a cover of the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" that features the show's star, Hugh Laurie, performing alongside Greg Grunberg ("Heroes"), Bob Guiney ("The Bachelor") and more.

· Speaking of TV stars taking to the mic, Rosie O'Donnell does a duet of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Barry Manilow on his The Greatest Songs of the Seventies. OK, that one might be too much for anyone to handle.

· Eddie Vedder steps away from Pearl Jam for a sec to conjure up the soundtrack to Sean Penn's "Into the Wild" flick — "no other voice flows, bleeds or rejoices the young American's land and heart so passionately as Vedder's," Penn said in a statement.

· Babyface is using his 11th album, Playlist, as an opportunity to reimagine some of his favorite songs — and they're probably not what you'd expect. Kenny Edmonds puts his R&B polish on Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle," among other selections.

· Angie Stone and Anthony Hamilton share their gifts with urban-jazz saxophonist Boney James on his Christmas Present.

· Carlos Santana and — sure, why not? — actor Andy Garcia surface on Gloria Estefan's 90 Millas.

· Celtic punks the Dropkick Murphys go green on their The Meanest of Times LP, reining in the Pogues' Spider Stacy and former Dubliners singer/guitarist Ronnie Drew.

Song Title of the Week:

"Slash in the Snake Pit" from Pre's Epic Fits

Album Cover of the Week:

Drug Rug's Drug Rug

Other Notables:

Kevin Drew's Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If ...
Don't be confused by all those guest spots by Broken Social Scene members and affiliates — this is in fact a solo release by the Toronto collective's frontman. Recorded at Do Make Say Think multi-instrumentalist Ohad Benchetrit's house over the past two years when BSS were on break from touring, the songs are more stripped down than the ones typically found on the band's releases. Also participating in the affair are Dinosaur Jr.'s J Mascis, Scott Kannberg (Pavement), Metric's Joules Scott-Key and more.

Les Savy Fav's Let's Stay Friends
The colorful New York post-punks barrel back with their first album since 2001's Go Forth, bringing some unlikely homies along for the ride: "Saturday Night Live" actor Fred Armisen, who plays drums on two tracks, plus fellow arty spazz-outs Enon, Metric's Emily Haines and members of Modest Mouse, Fiery Furnaces and more. The album, which leaked online last month, features "The Year Before the Year 2000," "What Would Wolves Do?" and "Scotchguard the Credit Card."

Rogue Wave's Asleep at Heaven's Gate
After releasing two albums on Sub Pop, the Bay Area indie-rockers hopped over to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Recordings for their third one, which was produced by Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney). The band's music has been featured on "Heroes," "Weeds" and other TV shows, but lineup changes, health problems and other developments have tripped up the band a bit lately. Maybe this album — and its guest appearances, including ones by John Vanderslice and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws — will help get Rogue Wave flowing smoothly again.

New Releases:

· A Life Once Lost - Iron Gag (Ferret)
· A.A. Bondy - American Hearts (digipak; Superphonic)
· Ahleuchatistas - Even in the Midst ... (Cuneiform)
· Akron Family - Love Is Simple (with DVD; Young God)
· A-Sides - Silver Storms (digipak; Vagrant)
· Sérgio & Odair Assad - Jardim Abandonado (Nonesuch)
· Athletic Automaton - A Journey Through Roman's Empire (Skin Graft)
· Babyface - Playlist (Mercury) [Buy Now]
· Bella - No One Will Know (Mint)
· Between the Buried and Me - Colors (Victory)
· James Blunt - All the Lost Souls (Custard/Atlantic) [Buy Now]
· Doyle Bramhall - Is It News (Yep Roc)
· Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory (Motown) [Buy Now]
Read: "Chamillionaire Ditches Bad Attitude; Hooks Up With Snoop, Busta For LP"
· Alison Chesley - Helen Money (available at MusicStem.com; self-release)
· Cipes and the People - Conscious Revolution (KG2 Music)
· Billy Clyro - Puzzle (Roadrunner)
· Dan Colehour - Straight to the Highway (digipak; MCA Nashville)
· The Donnas - Bitchin' (Purple Feather) [Buy Now]
· Kevin Drew - Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew - Spirit If ... (Arts & Crafts)
· Dropkick Murphys - The Meanest of Times (Born & Bred) [Buy Now]
· Drug Rug - Drug Rug (Black & Greene)
· Gloria Estefan - 90 Millas (Sony BMG/ Burgundy)
· Jeremy Fisher - Goodbye Blue Monday (Wind-Up)
· Flugente - Flugente (Mootron)
· Four Year Strong - Rise or Die Trying (I Surrender)
· Mary Gauthier - Between Daylight and Dark (Lost Highway)
· Tom Gillam - Never Look Back (Burnside Distribution Corporation)
· The Grey Race - Give It Love (Unfiltered)
· Gringo Star - Gringo Star (EP; self-release)
· Hard-Fi - Once Upon a Time in the West (Atlantic) [Buy Now]
· Havoc - The Kush (Nature Sounds) [Buy Now]
· Health - Health (Lovepump United)
· Hezekiah - I Predict a Riot (Rawkus/Soulspazm)
· High on Fire - Death Is Our Communion (Relapse)
· H.I.M. - Venus Doom (limited edition comes with bonus DVD; Sire) [Buy Now]
· Holler, Wild Rose! - Our Little Hymnal (Backlight)
· Jesca Hoop - Kismet (Red Ink)
· Hope Waits - Hope Waits (Radarproof)
· Jana Hunter - Carrion (Gnomonsong)
· Michael Hurley - Ancestral Swawp (Gnomonsong)
· Boney James - Christmas Present (Concord)
· The Jazz June - The Scars to Prove It (comes with DVD; MVD Audio)
· Robert Leo Johnson and Gregg Bendian - Who Knew Charlie Shoe? (Cuneiform)
· Kids in the Way - Love Hate Masquerade (Flicker)
· Mark Knopfler - Kill to Get Crimson (Warner Bros.)
· Jim Lauderdale - The Bluegrass Diaries (Yep Roc)
· Christine Lavin - Happydance of the Xenophone (Yellow Tail)
· Alvin Lee - Saguitar (Rainman)
· Ben Lee - Ripe (New West) [Buy Now]
· Leiana - No Going Back (Page)
· Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends (French Kiss)
· The Lucky Tomblin Band - Red Hot From Blue Rock (with DVD; Texas World)
· Magnet - The Simple Life (Filter)
· Barry Manilow - The Greatest Songs of the Seventies (deluxe-edition DualDisc due same day; Arista)
· Mannequin Men - Fresh Rot (Flameshovel)
· Carolyn Mark - Nothing Is Free (Mint)
· Jonah Matranga - And (Limekiln)
· Reba McEntire - Duets (MCA Nashville)
· Metro Station - Metro Station (Red Ink)
· Ingrid Michaelson - Girls & Boys (Red/ Original Signal)
· Ministry - The Last Sucker (13th Planet/ Megaforce) [Buy Now]
· Pat Monahan - Last of Seven (Columbia)
· Thurston Moore - Tress Outside the Academy (Ecstatic Peace)
· Mother and the Addicts - Science Fiction Illustrated (Chemikal Underground)
· Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me (Epitaph) [Buy Now]
· Mt. St. Helens - Of Others (Two Thumbs Down)
· New Found Glory - From the Screen to Your Stereo Part II (Drive-Thru) [Buy Now]
· Plasticines - LP1 (Caroline)
· Pre - Epic Fits (Skin Graft)
· The Project - The Truth Today (Amalgam)
· Radio Massacre International - Rain Falls in Grey (Cuneiform)
· Rammstein - Volkerball (with DVD; Interscope)
· Rogue Wave - Asleep at Heaven's Gate (Brushfire) [Buy Now]
· Schoolyard Heroes - Abominations (Stolen Transmission)
· John Scofield - This Meets That (Emarcy)
· Jake Shimabukuro - My Life (EP; Hitchhike)
· Alina Simone - Placelessness (54º 40' or Fight!)
· Sleeping States - There the Open Spaces (Misra)
· Strings of Consciousness - Our Moon Is Full (Central Control)
· Sultan - Yoshitoshi Montreal Mixed by Sultan (Yoshitoshi)
· Th' Legendary Shack Shakers - Swampblood (Yep Roc)
· Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame in All of Us (Tooth & Nail)
· Time of Orchids - Namesake Caution (Cuneiform)
· KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (deluxe edition with DVD available same day; Virgin) [Buy Now]
· Twista - Adrenaline Rush 2007 (Atlantic)
Read: "Twista Raps For 'My People In My 'Hood' On New LP With R. Kelly, Pharrell"
· Matt White - Best Days (Geffen)
· Zerobridge - Havre de Grace (EP; Third Life)
· Various artists - Healing Force: The Songs of Albert Ayler (Cuneiform)
· Various artists - The Simpsons: Testify (Shout! Factory)
· Various artists - "Across the Universe" soundtrack (Interscope)
· Various artists - "House" soundtrack (Nettwerk)
· Various artists - "Into the Wild" soundtrack (J)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Bee Gees - Greatest (two CDs; Reprise) [Buy Now]
· John Coltrane - Interplay (five-CD box set; Prestige)
· The Crystal Method - Vegas - Deluxe Edition (two CDs; Geffen/UMe) [Buy Now]
· Emmylou Harris - Songbird: Rare tracks & Forgotten Gems (box set with four CDs and one DVD; Rhino)
· Kurious Jorge - A Constipated Monkey (Amalgam)
· Diana Krall - The Very Best of Diana Krall (Verve)
· Various artists - Song of America (three CDs; Spiritrock/Thirty One Tigers)

Music DVDs:

· Deep Purple - "In Concert With the London Symphony Orchestra" (Eagle Rock)
· DJ Krush - "History of DJ Krush" (three-DVD box set; Red Ink)
· D.O.A. - "Smash the State: The Raw Original D.O.A. 1978-81" (Sudden Death)
· Marianne Faithfull - "Dreaming My Dreams" (Eagle Rock)
· Marvin Gaye - "Greatest Hits: Live in '76" (Eagle Rock) [Buy Now]
· David Gilmour - "Remember That Night: Live at the Royal Albert Hall" (Columbia)
· Roger Hodgson - "Take the Long Way Home: Live in Montreal" (Eagle Vision)
· Bert Jansch - "Fresh as a Sweet Sunday Morning: Live at Sheffield Memorial Hall" (MVD Visual)
· Elton John - "Someone Like Me" (Eagle Rock) [Buy Now]
· Dennis Locorriere - "Unique Voice of Dr. Hook: Hits and History Tour Live" (MVD Visual)
· Pink Floyd - "The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story - Deluxe Edition" (two DVDs; MVD Visual) [Buy Now]
· The Polyphonic Spree - "Live From Austin TX" (New West)
· U2 - "PopMart Live From Mexico City" (limited edition come with bonus DVD; Island/Interscope/UMe) [Buy Now]
· Vital Remains - "Evil Death Live" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "The 25th Anniversary of the Marquee Club" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "All My Loving" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "Selena" (with bonus DVD; Warner Home Video)

Digital Releases:

· Edit - Certified Air Raid Material (Alpha Pup)
· Bo Diddley - I'm a Man: The Chess Masters (Hip-O-Select)
· Plastique De Reve - Jeux Sans Frontieres (Kitty-Cuts)

Coming Attractions:

September 25:
· Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (RCA) [Preorder]
Read: "Dave Grohl May Be Fond Of String Quartets, But Foo Fighters Haven't Gone Soft"
· PJ Harvey - White Chalk (Island) [Preorder]
· Hell Rell - For the Hell of It (Koch)

October 2:
· Dashboard Confessional - The Shade of Poison Trees (digipak; Vagrant) [Preorder]
· J. Holiday - Back of My Lac (Capitol) [Preorder]
· Soulja Boy - Souljaboytellem.com (Interscope) [Preorder]

October 9:
· Kid Rock - Rock N Roll Jesus (Atlantic) [Preorder]
· Jennifer Lopez - Brave (Epic) [Preorder]
· She Wants Revenge - This Is Forever (Geffen) [Preorder]

• Chamillionaire
• H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty)
• U2
• James Blunt
• Twista

Kanye West and 50 Cent at the 2007 VMAs
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Kanye West's Graduation is proving to be quite the bear. The album leads with 781,000 copies sold over the 603,000 moved by 50 Cent's Curtis according to projections, Billboard reports. "It's just a few days out," Fiddy told the news outlet, qualifying the numbers. He said the music industry "would consider me to be a hip-hop favorite because of my sales history, and people like to root for the underdog." He also took some time Thursday to sound off about Sunday's VMAs on New York's Hot 97, saying he was shorted compared to 'Ye — even though West has also been complaining he didn't get enough airtime during the show. Fif also managed to take a swipe at his record label, Interscope, during the VMA rant: "As far as the VMAs were concerned, Kanye received the upper hand. I ain't going to front. He had four looks — his song 'Stronger,' his new record 'Good Life,' he had a performance with Soulja Boy, 'Crank [That],' and then he came out with me. So I feel like Def Jam is doing a better job of promoting the CD than Interscope. Interscope is just relying on my base and the actual music. I was on the VMAs for one minute and 20 seconds. I should've just stayed home." ...

Last weekend, Britney Spears had the VMAs to worry about — this weekend, it's her kids. On Friday (September 14), a Los Angeles Superior Court judge postponed making a ruling on whether court documents relating to the singer's divorce and custody case with ex-husband Kevin Federline should be sealed or open to the public. "Access Hollywood" and People magazine were among the media outlets representing the public's interests. Outside the courtroom, Spears' divorce attorney Laura Wasser spoke to reporters, telling them this is a frustrating time for the singer. "I think she just wants to be a mom," Wasser told reporters, "and both of her kids' birthdays are this week, and I think she would've liked to celebrate with them without having to worry about the entire nation — the entire world — being concerned about what's going on with her personally and her custody battle with Mr. Federline." On Monday, the judge will hear Federline's order to show cause for primary physical custody of the couple's two children: Sean Preston, who turned 2 on Friday; and Jayden James, who turned 1 on Wednesday. ...

Earlier this week, the "American Idol" judges had at Britney Spears' VMA performance — now "Dancing With the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba is following suit. "When I watched it, I think they gave her a great place to make a comeback," she told Newsweek. "It was more mature than we've seen in the past. The thing that was unfortunate is that the center of the performance was Britney, and she was only giving about 30 percent. That's why it fell short. The backup dancers focused all the energy right to Britney, and she was the weakest link. ... I think fear got the best of her." ... Jamie Foxx got a place on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Friday, and when he chatted with reporters at the induction ceremony, he inevitably gave his two cents on Spears' performance. "I think Britney's gonna be fine," he said. "I think that she was courageous to get up there and do her thing. I wish her well for that." ...

Common and Q-Tip will co-headline this year's 2K Sports Bounce Tour, which will kick off September 22 in Milwaukee and conclude October 14 in Los Angeles, according to Filter magazine. Q-Tip is featured in "NBA 2K8" as a playable character and is on the video game's soundtrack as well. ... Mark Ronson — who manned the ones and twos inside the Palms' Pearl Theatre during last weekend's Vegas VMAs — has slapped two U.S. tour dates onto his itinerary: October 3 (Los Angeles) and October 5 (New York). ...

A fire broke out at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Friday afternoon, injuring four people, according to Austin360.com. The flames erupted inside a trailer located behind the beverage-vendor tents between two of the festival stages, and Pete Yorn's set was stopped as the fire was extinguished. All four people were transported to Brackenridge Hospital, and two are in critical condition. ...

Madonna, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher attended a Kabbalah conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Friday to celebrate the Jewish New Year, according to The Associated Press. She reportedly didn't speak with the media, and the conference was closed to TV cameras. ... Master P visited Monroe Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday and spoke to roughly 800 students about the importance of education, good financial management and a vision for success, AP reports. The rapper was approached by math teacher Bonnie Mwanda, who reportedly heard he would be in town and thought his success might be an inspiration for her students, many of whom come from similar backgrounds as the hip-hop mogul. "If the principal tells me y'all have a good year, I'm going to bring Romeo back to do a concert," he told the students, according to AP. ...

Fred Durst has been keeping a relatively low profile these days, but the Limp Bizkit frontman was given a 120-day suspended jail sentence after pleading no contest to seven misdemeanors way back on August 16, AP reports. He was also ordered to perform 20 hours of community service and fined $1,500 for assault, battery and reckless driving, for deliberately hitting two people with his car in Los Angeles in October 2006. Moreover, Durst was hit with a restraining order, is not allowed within 100 yards of the two victims — whose names have not been revealed — and cannot possess a firearm. ...

Elton John made a surprise appearance onstage during a Prince concert at London's O2 arena Thursday night. BBC News reports that John joined Prince for a cover of the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road." After the two-hour-plus show, Prince ducked into the O2's smaller theater and played another two-hour gig, which included covers of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and another Beatles song, "Come Together." ... Led Zeppelin fans are getting more time for a chance at tickets to see the band perform a one-off reunion gig November 26 at London's O2 arena. Organizers behind the concert — a tribute to late music icon Ahmet Ertegun — are extending the lottery-application process to Wednesday, Billboard reports. The Web site set up to handle registrations received 89.5 million attempts in a 12-hour period on Thursday, according to the news outlet. ...

Members of underground-rock heroes Shudder to Think will reconvene for a one-off gig at New York's Mercury Lounge on Monday, Pitchfork reports. Frontman Craig Wedren and guitarist Nathan Larson — whose conflicts were part of the reason the band broke up in the late '90s — will get together with drummer Kevin March for the gig, although bassist Stuart Hill will not be accompanying them. ... Glassjaw have booked three California dates for next month. The reunited band will play October 28 in Hollywood; October 29 in San Diego; and October 30 in Pomona, California. ... Iconic punk band Operation Ivy's 1991 self-titled compilation LP will be reissued on November 6 on Hellcat. The classic release has been remastered and will also be available for download for the first time. ... PJ Harvey's White Chalk album has shifted from a September 25 release date to October 2. ...

AT&T's Blue Room, the site where political comments made by Pearl Jam during Lollapalooza were censored a month ago, has announced a new policy to avoid repeating that controversial practice during its webcast of this weekend's Austin City Limits Music Festival. According to AT&T spokesperson Steven Schwadron, "AT&T has developed an AT&T Blue Room policy to maintain integrity of the live performances featured on the site. AT&T will not edit any audio during the live webcast, of performances. We may edit visual content — either through camera angle changes or video blackouts — if there is strong sexual content. Also, we are going to have a clear viewer-discretion messaging both before and during the webcasts. The terms and conditions of the site, which users accept when they choose to view the webcast, requires users to be at least 13 years of age." ...

It's been 42 years since Johnny Cash's arrest in Starkville, Mississippi, for picking flowers from a resident's garden. But a judge who is reviewing the matter could potentially pardon the late musician, according to BBC News, and the city plans to instead honor him with the Johnny Cash Pickin' Festival from November 2-4. Cash wrote the track "Starkville City Jail" — which he performed at his legendary live At San Quentin prison LP — after spending a night in the city's prison.

09.13.07

50 Cent, Common, Nicole Scherzinger and others have all had their say about Britney Spears' VMA performance — now the "American Idol" judges are having at her. "We've decided that we're all going to collectively manage Britney," Simon Cowell remarked at a press conference earlier this week, according to "Access Hollywood." "We're going to manage Britney, take her career over," Randy Jackson added. Cowell snickered that he would "keep her away from the stupid friends, buy her some underwear," while Paula Abdul — as always — tried to put a positive spin on her VMA performance: "I never count her out." Spears' fellow former teen icon Joey Fatone has also chimed in on the performance, telling "Extra," "I felt bad but didn't. It looked like she was really lost. A lot of people ... really want her to seek help ... there's something not right here, something needs to obviously be done before anything tragic happens. She's a great girl ... I've known her for many years." ...

In other Brit news, she attended an unscheduled meeting with Kevin Federline and his attorney on Wednesday — five days before they were due to meet before a family court judge. The meeting was reportedly held at the Century City, California, offices of Spears attorney Laura Wasser. Federline has been trying to seek full custody of the former spouses' two sons, Jayden James and Sean Preston. ...

Lil' Kim — who took a swipe at 50 Cent on her 2005 LP, The Naked Truth — is finding herself right alongside him in a new lawsuit filed by a record producer, The Associated Press reports. Carlos Evans claims in papers recently filed in a New York court that he was contracted to produce, engineer and mix Kim's "Magic Stick" (featuring 50 Cent), a song that sold 2 million copies, but that he wasn't paid the royalties he was promised. He adds that while he was paid the $7,500 advance he was guaranteed for the song, his requests for a royalties audit have been ignored. His suit seeks $1 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages. Theodore Sedlmayr, a lawyer for Rotten Apple Records — which is also named in the suit — told AP the late-royalty problems stem from the fact that Evans put a lengthy sample, which had to be licensed and paid for, in the song. "Atlantic is trying to get it straightened out. If after the accounting Mr. Evans is entitled to anything, he'll get it then," Sedlmayr told the news service. ....

Snoop Dogg, Talib Kweli, Mobb Deep, DMC and others will come together November 29 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York for the J.A.M. Awards, a Jam Master Jay- and Run-DMC-inspired event intended to reflect the positive aspects of rap. The event — being put on by Hot 97, the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music and other organizations — will be co-hosted by DMC, who said in a statement that it "is not designed merely for music fans, but also for people who want to see hip-hop answer its critics with a resounding voice of hope and inspiration." Eminem has also donated money for the cause, and the shindig will also feature Raekwon, Papoose and other to-be-named artists. ...

Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez are this year's best-dressed women, according to People. Kirsten Dunst and Janet Jackson aren't so lucky, though — they're cited for wearing the worst red-carpet dresses of the year in the magazine's "Best & Worst Dressed" issue, out Friday. Angelina Jolie, Jessica Biel, Cameron Diaz, Avril Lavigne, Lily Allen and Reese Witherspoon are also noted in the issue, as are a handful of men: Terrence Howard, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and George Clooney among them. ... Shakira, teacher's pet? Perhaps: PeopleEnEspanol.com reports that the singer has been taking Western-civ classes at the University of California, Los Angeles, over the course of the summer. ...

The White Stripes, who announced earlier this week that their U.S. tour would be scrapped due to Meg White's acute anxiety, have tabled their U.K. tour as well, BBC News reports. The band's eight-date arena tour, which was slated for October 24-November 2, would have been its largest U.K. trek to date. ... Foo Fighters have drummed up four shows in addition to their scheduled Saturday performance at Southern California radio station KROQ's LA Invasion. The band — which drops its Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace on September 25 — will grace New York (September 20); New Orleans (October 2); Atlanta (October 4); and Atlantic City, New Jersey (October 6). The rock act will also tape a performance for the "Nissan Live Sets on Yahoo! Music" series on Tuesday and be the featured musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" on October 13. ...

Queens of the Stone Age — who performed with the Foos during the VMAs — apparently have an unlikely fan in "chef-at-large" Anthony Bourdain. They stopped by his "No Reservations" Travel Channel show last week to shoot an appearance for the program. In the episode, Bourdain is cooking a holiday meal in his Connecticut home while the band is performing in the basement. QOTSA emerge wearing cheesy Christmas sweaters, dine with Bourdain and perform the holiday jingle "Silver Bells," retitled "Turkey Bells." The ep also allegedly features karaoke, Christmas carols and a Japanese businessman, so stay tuned. ... System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian — who also performed with the Foos — has announced a bunch of tour dates in support of his solo debut, Elect the Dead, which hits stores October 23. His North American tour kicks off October 12 at the Vic Theatre in Chicago and will make stops in Toronto, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, before concluding October 28 in San Francisco. ...

Led Zeppelin are getting a whole lotta love from fans after announcing a one-off reunion gig on Wednesday. More than 20 million fans have attempted to get tickets for the November 26 concert at the O2 arena in London in honor of late music icon Ahmet Ertegun, according to Agence France Presse. The venue can hold up to 20,000 people, and a lottery is being held in which tickets will be drawn at random. ...

Prince is planning to sue eBay, YouTube and other Web sites as part of an effort to "reclaim the Internet," according to the MediaGuardian.co.uk. Lawsuits pertaining to his material will be launched in the U.S. and U.K. through the anti-piracy firm Web Sheriff, which represents Prince. Over the course of the past two weeks, the artist's legal reps have asked for the removal of more than 2,000 videos that are alleged to have been uploaded illegally online. Web Sheriff Managing Director John Giacobbi said Prince "wants to create a template for other artists" but that he "doesn't really want to go around suing people — he'd much rather people just respected his rights. He will be victorious." ...

A security guard who worked a Guns N' Roses concert nearly 11 years ago is suing Axl Rose for battery and negligence, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in late August and obtained by TMZ.com. Gary Armijo claims that he was positioned at the front of the stage at the GN'R show in Universal City, California, on December 20, 1996, and that the singer came to the front of the stage and intentionally kicked the guard in the head, causing injuries. Armijo says he has experienced pain and suffering, sleeplessness, headaches and loss of earnings, and has incurred medical expenses as well. ...

The Cure have rescheduled for next year 18 of the 19 gigs they had intended to play in North America this year. The band's 4Tour North America run will now take them from May 9 in Washington, D.C., through June 20 in New York. In between will be an additional performance at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, Washington, on May 25 — the band has been promised a show-closing 150-minute slot for the fest. Those who want refunds on their 2007 tickets can do so at the original point of purchase until November 1. ... "Spawn" creator and toy magnate Todd McFarlane told Reuters he's spawning plans to direct a feature flick. He said he's eyeing low-budget concepts: "You're going to have some young kid do those anyway, so let me have a crack at it." McFarlane was at the annual GameStop convention, showcasing a new lineup of toys based on "Halo 3." ...

Bobby Byrd, James Brown's longtime sideman and co-singer, died of cancer on Wednesday, according to The Augusta Chronicle of Georgia. Byrd sung the classic "get on up" refrain in "Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine." He was also the co-founder of the Famous Flames, which became Brown's first backing band.

• Travis Barker, 50 Cent, Common On Britney's VMA Performance
• 2007 VMA: The Entire 2007 MTV Video Music Awards On-Demand
• Kanye Lectures On The Importance Of Graduation

• Shooting Stars: A Celeb's Eye View Of The VMAs
• 50 Cent's 5 Borough Tour Hits Manhattan
• Paris Hilton, Diddy, Timbaland, Janet Jackson, More Hit The Vegas Party Scene
• Britney's VMA Weekend: From Los Angeles To Las Vegas

• 50 Cent
• Kanye West
• Britney Spears
• Madonna
• Master P

Avril Lavigne
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Contrary to earlier reports — and her own MySpace page — Avril Lavigne's new album will not be called The Best Dam Thing, but rather The Best Damn Thing. According to her spokesperson, Lavigne intentionally misspelled the title, "but she decided to change it. Kind of like 'Sk8er Boi.' " ...

A Mobb Deep performance in Belgium was marred by violence Friday when a rowdy club patron threw around bottles of alcohol in the VIP section after security booted him from the area for unruly behavior. G-Unit affiliate 40 Glocc suffered a cut hand, but Mobb Deep will continue with their remaining overseas tour dates: Wednesday night (December 20) in Athens, Thursday in Dublin and Friday in Munich. ... Fresh Azimiz. Bow Wow celebrated the release of his latest set, Price of Fame, Tuesday night at New York's Dirty Disco as Jermaine Durpi, Omarion, Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, and Tommy Hilfiger all toasted the former hip-hop tike. ...

Sure, her album flopped, but Paris Hilton still manages to top charts. The professional party girl's name was among the top Internet search items in 2006, according to Google. Joining Hilton were Borat and the militant Islamic group Hezbollah. Google searchers were apparently more interested in Nicole Kidman's wedding to country star Keith Urban than Tom Cruise's blowout marriage to Katie Holmes. And perhaps even more shocking, more searches were done on ex-Beatle Paul McCartney's divorce than Britney's split from K-Fed. ... Australian officials are hitting back at Pink following the singer's call for a boycott of the country's wool exports, Reuters reports. "Sadly, like any other industry that uses animals, the wool trade uses methods so sadistic that it makes you consider clearing your closet of any animal products," Pink said in a statement released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, citing a practice known as "mulesing," in which sections of skin are cut from a sheep's rear quarters to prevent flies from nesting on the animal. "Pink is entitled to her views," said Peter Costello, treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia. "But at the end of the day would Australia's farmers take advice from Pink?" Australia plans to phase out the mulesing process, which does not employ pain-relief medication, by 2010. ...

Postponed Lady Sovereign tour dates have been rescheduled for early January. Shows in Las Vegas (January 4) and San Diego (January 9) will honor originally purchased tickets, while San Francisco (January 8) and Los Angeles (January 10) stops will require ticketholders to R.S.V.P. via Sov's Web site by Monday to receive a new ticket. Some additional tickets are still available for the makeup shows. ... Rancid fans witnessed what may well be the closest thing to a reunion of legendary East Bay, California, punk outfit Operation Ivy during a concert in San Francisco on Sunday night. According to The Mercury News, Op Ivy frontman Jesse Michaels joined former bandmates Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman during the Rancid gig for a rendition of "Unity" — marking the first time the three have played together since the band split back in 1989. Former Operation Ivy drummer Dave Mello did not perform. ... The Silversun Pickups, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, El-P and Deerhoof will descend on New York's Irving Plaza for the Plug Independent Music Awards February 10. The performers — who will play sets ranging from 20 to 40 minutes — will join host David Cross ("Arrested Development," "Mr. Show"), and Malkmus will receive the Plug Impact Award. ...

George Clinton needs your help. The flamboyant king of interplanetary funk is hoping the public will help him track down the crook who pilfered a video camera and other unspecified valuables from the Los Angeles set of his forthcoming music video. According to The Associated Press, the camera contains footage captured for Clinton's "Bounce 2 This" video, which was shot last week. The theft was caught by surveillance cameras, but the culprit blended in with others working the shoot. Those with any information about the crime are asked to contact police. ... Sony BMG will pay the price for embedding secret anti-piracy software in some of its CDs. The company agreed on Tuesday to stop manufacturing CDs with digital-rights-management software that limits the number of copies music fans can make of the music — and which also damaged some user's computers. According to Variety, the company also agreed to pay $750,000 judgments to the states of California and Texas, which filed consumer protection complaints against the company over the use of the so-called "rootkit" software. Under the settlement, Sony BMG will provide refunds of up to $175 to California consumers, who will have 180 days to file a refund claim through a form available on Sony BMG's Web site. ...

The FBI agreed Tuesday to release 10 documents from the surveillance of John Lennon that had been withheld for 25 years, The Los Angeles Times reports. University of California, Irvine, historian Jon Wiener said the now-public documents — which the FBI said were kept secret to avoid "military retaliation against the United States" — contained details of Lennon's ties to London antiwar groups, but no sign that the U.S. government considered the musician a serious threat. ... The driver for Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, was indicted in New York on Tuesday, charged with four counts of first-degree attempted grand larceny. According to a Reuters report, chauffeur Koral Karsan, 50, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan State Supreme Court to charges that he threatened to release personal photos and audiotapes of Ono and kill her and son Sean Lennon if she did not pay him. The judge in the case ordered Karsan held without bail, fearing that immigration authorities might seize the native of Turkey as they investigate whether he is in the country legally. Karsan's lawyer accused Ono of violating tax laws for paying his client as an independent contractor when he was a full-time employee.

12.19.2006

Eminem and Kim Mathers finalized their second divorce Tuesday (December 20), The Associated Press reports. The two parties will divide their property under terms of a private settlement and will share custody of Hailie Jade Scott, who is 10 years old. Eminem did not comment after the brief hearing, but Circuit Judge Antonio P. Viviano said the couple "conducted themselves with dignity and respect. All in all, they are a very fine couple to deal with." ...

If you've wanted to share the screen with Lindsay Lohan but are a bit lower down on the star ladder, this could be your chance. A Lohan thriller tentatively titled "I Know Who Killed Me" is seeking extras (18 and over, with ID) available to film key scenes in San Luis Obispo, California. The open call will be held Tuesday from 5-10 p.m. at Maggie's Diner in San Luis Obispo. ...

What's good for Drew Lachey is apparently good for Joey Fatone. The 'NSYNC member told Orlando, Florida, radio station WTKS-FM on Friday that he'd like to appear on the hit TV show "Dancing With the Stars," AP reports. Fatone said producers of the show had asked him three times to appear, but that he'd turned it down. Now that the show has become a hit, he's reconsidered. "I like doing it because it's challenging," Fatone said of dancing. "Can you imagine me wearing those stupid tuxes?" ...

A February 13 release date has been set for the Unholy Alliance collection, a CD/DVD set chronicling the Slayer-anchored tour's July 13 stop in Vancouver, British Columbia. The discs will include performances from all of the bands on the trek's bill: Slayer, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom and Thine Eyes Bleed. The DVD also includes backstage footage and band interviews. ... The Warner Music Group is about to get a bit more hardcore. The home of soft-rocker James Blunt has agreed to pay $73.5 million to acquire a majority stake in heavy-metal label Roadrunner Music Group, home to Slipknot, Megadeth and Nickelback. Roadrunner, based out of Amsterdam, will be a freestanding label within the Atlantic Records Group, already home to hard acts Metallica and Staind. ...

As he is wont to do, Bright Eyes — a.k.a. indie wunderkind Conor Oberst and whoever he feels like playing with — will release not one but two recordings (at least) next year. On March 6, they'll drop Four Winds, a six-song EP featuring six new tracks, including "Reinvent the Wheel," "Smoke Without Fire" and "Cartoon Blues." Then, on April 10, they'll release the full-length Cassadaga, featuring guest appearances by M. Ward, Gillian Welch and former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. The album — which was recorded in New York; Los Angeles; and Lincoln, Nebraska — is actually named after a Florida town that is commonly known as "The psychic center of the world." ...

You Hear It First alums and Woodie Award winners Plain White T's have set aside a chunk of 2007 for touring. The gang will head out for a March 4 gig in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and follow through until a May 2 concert in Chicago. ... Another band of up-and-comers, Mewithoutyou, will hit the road for a co-headlining jaunt with Sparta on February 22 in Omaha, Nebraska. That 22-date trek ends March 19 in St. Louis. ... In more tour news, Badly Drawn Boy has sketched out a North American run that will see him hitting Philadelphia March 3 and wind down in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 27. ... And finally, the reunited Lemonheads will check in again with another leg come early '07. Evan Dando and company will hit Carrboro, North Carolina, on January 25 and conclude the tour in Hoboken, New Jersey, on February 24. ...

It was cool while it lasted. On Monday, members of the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, the Doors and Santana sued the owner of Wolfgang's Vault, which has been offering streams of hundreds of rare concert recordings from major rock stars on its Web site. According to Reuters, the bands are claiming the site was illegally offering the recordings by artists ranging from A Flock of Seagulls to Bob Marley, the Clash, the Who and Bob Dylan — some of the thousands it acquired from the vault of late concert promoter Bill Graham — in order to stimulate sales of its concert T-shirts, photos and vintage posters. The suit was filed against Vault owner William Sagan, who bought Graham's assets for $5 million three years ago. ... In related news, the Dead and Doors will receive lifetime-achievement Grammys prior to the awards show on February 11, AP reports. Folk icon Joan Baez, jazz great Ornette Coleman, opera singer Maria Callas, soul stalwarts Booker T. and the MG's and departed country hero Bob Willis will also receive the honor. ...

Stacie Orrico has finished the video for her new single, "I'm Not Missing You." The song is featured on Beautiful Awakenings, an album she co-wrote many songs to that is due January 16. Orrico's self-titled album, which earned her a Grammy nomination, came out in 2003. ... Doing a sitcom for VH1 in which she played herself apparently wasn't enough reliving for Tori Spelling.The former "Beverly Hills 90210" starlet is writing a memoir as well, in which she'll discuss her childhood privileges, tabloid misperceptions, success and regrets in a humorous and self-deprecating way. The yet-untitled book is due for publication in spring 2008 by Simon Spotlight. ...

Legendary soul label Stax is relaunching in 2007 to mark the golden anniversary of its 1957 formation. The recording home of such R&B luminaries as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave and Isaac Hayes plans to release 20 CDs and DVDs in the new year, including new music from Hayes and Angie Stone. ... A warrant was issued by immigration officials Monday for Yoko Ono's driver, Koral Karsan — who was arrested last week and charged with attempted grand larceny after he allegedly threatened to kill Ono and her son Sean Lennon and release personal audio recordings unless he was paid $2 million. According to AP, immigration officials issued the warrant to determine if the native of Turkey is in the U.S. legally. ... Joseph Barbera, an animator who co-created dozens of cartoon series — including "The Flintstones," "Tom and Jerry," "Yogi Bear" and "Scooby Doo" — with creative partner William Hanna, died Monday in Los Angeles of natural causes. He was 95.

• Avril Lavigne
• Eminem
• Mobb Deep
• Bow Wow
• Chris Brown

Eminem
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

Eminem is cocked, loaded and back in the game. His would-be-mixtape-turned-compilation-LP, Eminem Presents the Re-Up, is headed to #2 on the Billboard albums chart, and as the 309,000 fans who copped the disc have found out, he has a whole new arsenal of artists he's working on.

Of course you're already familiar with 50 Cent (whose Before I Self Destruct LP is coming in early 2007) and Obie Trice (whose third effort is due next Christmas or in early 2008), but who exactly are the new guys? If you don't know them already, buckle up: You're about to get real familiar as we run down some of Slim Shady's latest recruits:

Name: The Alchemist

From: L.A.

Role: The Re-Up producer; Eminem's DJ; top-flank producer for Mobb Deep, the Lox and G-Unit

Down Since: 2005, when Em's DJ at the time, Green Lantern, abruptly parted ways with the camp

Re-Up Experience: "We pulled it off," he said. "It started out like a mixtape for the street and developed into this. Everyone is working on their albums, and they have to go in and make these songs that will be big. You expect that from a major artist, but to go in and just do stuff for the mixtape and put it in the stores is dope. This fits perfectly on a mixtape because everyone was just being themselves. I put [the album sequence] together like how I do my mixtapes. I went to Detroit and hooked up with Em. He gave me a couple of days to piece the joint together. It wasn't about using a bunch of intricate blends; it's about delivering you to the next song. It had to flow."

2007 Business: "Chemical Warfare is the name of the new sh--," Al said about his next solo release, which could very well come out independently. "It's hard. I'm just waiting for the right time, crafting my records; in the meantime, I'm dropping mixtapes. When it shapes to what I want it to be, I'll start promoting my album and it'll be dropping. Without blowing up, I'm working with most of the usual suspects: the Mobb, I'm also collaborating with the Shady/G-Unit camp. I'm rhyming a little more, having more fun making records. It's still about my beats though."

Name: Ca$his

From: Orange County, California, by way of Chicago

Role: Spearhead the next wave of Shady Records' dope MCs

Down Since: "I got signed on March 7, 2006," he said. Ca$his was called off the bench when Em heard "Talkin' All That Sh--," one of the first songs he recorded for the label. He got his name years ago, though, because his trash-talking reminded friends of Cassius Clay, a.k.a. Muhammad Ali.

Re-Up Experience: "It's a good look," he said. "I'm honored to be a part of this album. I'm extremely honored to be a part of that single ['You Don't Know']. This time last year, I never thought I would be on anything Eminem-affiliated. It's overwhelming, but it pushes me to write even harder because I don't ever want anybody to feel I have a spot I don't deserve. I go hard like I don't have a record deal."

2007 Business: "I got an EP dropping late January, County Hound," he said. "I'm mixing it down. I call it that because I used to live in Cook County, Chicago, then moved to Orange County, California. And I've been to county jail.

"Then the album should be [dropping] sometime this summer. It's called Forks and Six Point Stars. I'm working with Alchemist, I got some joints from Emile, [(+44) drummer] Travis Barker, Jelly Roll, supposed to go in with DJ Quik, I have over 200 songs recorded for the album. Anything we do now is just the finishing touches. I'm gonna do like 30 more songs. Me and Em gotta go back in too. Every time I go to Em's crib in Detroit, I walk out with 15 songs. I'm getting something from [Dr. Dre] too."

Name: Bobby Creekwater

From: Atlanta

Role: Ride that Down South momentum to international fame as an MC

Down Since: This time last year. He was discovered by Shady A&R Director Riggs Morales.

Re-Up Experience: "Em, he's definitely ... dude is more focused, and he re-energized us. Being able to see a veteran that has reached the top of the food chain as far as music is concerned, we aspire to get to that point. Seeing him motivates us to go that much more harder. The energy [in the studio] is crazy. As a MC, you don't wanna be the one not coming with it. You might hear somebody bussin' and say, 'Let me get back to the pen and pad.' "

2007 Business: "Bobby is my grandfather's name," the ATL native began to explain about the origins of his moniker, while giving a little insight into his debut LP. "Creekwater, the full meaning of that name, is on the Brilliant Mistake album — my solo album, which comes out first quarter 2007. That title came from a conversation I had with my mother talking about child birth. You have people that plan to have children and children are sometimes things of circumstance. I asked her, 'Was I a child of circumstance or was I planned?' She said I wasn't planned. So I said, 'I was a mistake then?' She said, 'God don't make mistakes. Even if he did, it would be a brilliant mistake.'

"I'm working with all in-house [artists] thus far. I'm probably mid-point and haven't went outside my camp thus far."

Name: Stat Quo

From: Statlanta, Georgia

Role: Live up to his hype from a few years ago, when he emerged on the mixtape circuit rapping on a Dr. Dre beat

Down Since: "I signed officially ... it's been three years now," he said.

Re-Up Experience: "We went in the studio, everyone got to vibing and the music came out crazy," Stat said of the project. "Em was like, 'Let's make it an album.' It's a family thing. Sometimes hard times bring people closer together. The struggle, the strife brought everybody closer together. Em is killing it. He's almost done with his album, 50 is almost done with his album and Dre is coming in September."

2007 Business: "I feel like my album is not just an array of songs," Stat said. "I feel it's a total experience. When you listen to my music, it's taking you to another place, and that place is Statlanta. I'm working with Dr. Dre, Eminem, L.T. Mo, Three 6 Mafia, DJ Toomp, Scott Storch." Look for Stat first quarter of '07 as well.

• Eminem
• Ca$His
• Bobby Creekwater
• Stat Quo
• Obie Trice

DMX, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, More At Hot 97's Back To School Jam '06

• 50 Cent
• DMX
• Lloyd Banks
• Tony Yayo
• Mobb Deep

Busta Rhymes, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige, T.I., Jamie Foxx And More At Summer Jam 2006

• Jermaine Dupri
• Janet Jackson
• Mary J. Blige
• T.I.
• Mobb Deep

Sucker Free Week Photos: Mobb Deep

• Mobb Deep

Sucker Free Week Photos 2006

• Kelis
• Mary J. Blige
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• DMX
• Mobb Deep

Sucker Free on MTV: Spring 2006

• Pitbull
• E-40
• Ghostface Killah
• Chris Brown
• Lil Wayne

Lil' Kim Album Release Photos

• Lil' Kim
• Wayne Wonder
• Jagged Edge
• Mobb Deep