The Black Keys
Photo: MTV News

Damon Dash recently took MTV News on a tour of his new Lower Manhattan art gallery/ studio compound, DD172. It's weird to think that the shirtless guy exposing his six-pack abs and splashing models with Armadale vodka in the "Big Pimpin' " video has an art gallery, but Dame would like to broaden the definition of a hip-hop mogul.

"I've always loved art and wanted to get involved in it," he said. "I'm always trying to do different new things and things that don't define what the perception of a hip-hop cat is. We don't only do the things they perceive us to do. We're pretty sophisticated."

One artist Dame said he's a big fan of is Graham Gilmore, whose work he's been buying since he made his first couple of dollars. Dame was excited to show MTV News Gilmore's work around his studio compound, saying that he finally ran into the Canadian artist at another friend's art studio.

"I felt, like, some special artist connection to him. ... [I said,] 'It would be an honor, actually, if I could have some of your art in my gallery.' All of them have a real specific meaning and come from a place in his heart. I wish he was here to explain all of these, because I can't."

Dame is more comfortable explaining the musical side of things. Once you get past the art gallery in the front, the DD172 space is devoted to music, a television network and a magazine. Another of the intellectual properties coming out of Dame's studio compound is his collaboration with Ohio blues-rock group the Black Keys, BlakRoc.

The project features Mos Def, RZA, Jim Jones and Q-Tip, and will be released on Black Friday, November 27. Dame said each artist had proven himself as a brand in hip-hop but had never worked with the others.

"People don't work together in the hip-hop community, but right now I'm working with Mos, I'm working with Jim Jones, I'm working with RZA, I'm working with Raekwon, I'm working with U-God, like why not? We're always supposed to share our resources."

He said there are all kinds of different artistic people teaming up at DD172. New Orleans rapper Curren$y, Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen and Voodoo Farm guitarist Sean O'Connell are collaborating under the name the Muscle Car Chronicles. On any other day, Curren$y could be working with Mos Def and Jay Electronica.

"I'm a home body," Curren$y said. "I be in the N.O., but I've been out here for a month, just chilling, just grindin', just because of the vibe of this."

"We call this 'The 24-Hour Karate School,' 'The Super Friends,' all that. It's really a place where dudes can come kick it, get artistic, catch a vibe," Dame said. "We just get to build and chill and grow."

• Dame Dash Explains His BlakRoc Project

• Damon Dash
• Mos Def
• RZA
• The Black Keys

Currensy
Photo: MTV News

"Just chillin'" with Dame Dash may have just spawned a rap supergroup project. On Wednesday, at Dash's new facility (art gallery, TV studio, music studio and more), DD172, critically acclaimed underground lyricist Curren$y told MTV News that he, Jay Electronica and Mos Def have combined forces to start recording an entire album together.

"That's ridiculous!" Curren$y said. "Jay Electronica is from my city, he's from New Orleans. I never met homie until I stepped foot in this building. He came here to meet Mos. And Mos, I had only known him for 24 hours prior to that. But genuine people could recognize [each other], it was like, 'Let's go.' "

Curren$y said Mos came up with the name of "Center Edge Territory" for the trio. When asked exactly what the moniker means, Curren$y would only comment emphatically, "Everything! That's everything!

"We all know the game is in turmoil. We know the machine messed it up," he added, explaining why they will be putting their music out independently instead of with a major label. "We know we don't even need to play that game, especially with access to all of this sh--. We are our own machine."

So far, Center Edge Territory have recorded six records together, but they have no concrete plans as to when the full-length album will drop.

"The funny thing, it came from just chilling," Dash said. "If you're gonna be here [at DD172], there's no hanging out.

"There's no reason to be here unless you have the ability to work or you're working," Dash explained of the space Mos nicknamed of the "24-Hour Karate School." "This is like an office where you work in a different way."

Dash is putting out BlakRoc by the Black Keys (featuring collaborations with Mos Def, Jim Jones, Q-Tip, Ludacris, RZA and others) on November 27. Meanwhile, Curren$y just completed an album with a group he formed called the Muscle Car Chronicles, which includes Thomas Pridgen from the Mars Volta and newcomer Sean O'Connell.

• Mos Def

MTV News Picks For Best Albums of the Year (So Far)
Photo: MTV News

The actual midway point of 2009 occurred on July 2, one week after the death of arguably the greatest entertainer of our generation. It was a pretty somber way to cap off the first 182.5 days of the year and, obviously, pretty much everyone's attention was turned to eulogizing the King of Pop (myself included ... twice over).

One piece I had intended on writing was my annual mid-year "Best Of" list, taking a look at my favorite albums released so far. And, well, here it is. There's lots of ground to cover, and I used a lot of words to do it (more than 2,000?! Jeez ... ), so let's get right to it. Here are my picks — some honorable mentions and a straightforward Top 10 — for the Best Albums of 2009 (So Far).

Honorable Mentions

Bat for Lashes, Two Suns
Multiple-personality music from schoolteacher-turned-songsmith Natasha Khan, Suns envisions pop music much in the same way M83's Saturdays=Youth did: through a John Hughes-ian filter. An album filled with gauzy vintage synths and odes to teenage love, as told by Khan and her alter ego Pearl, it's bravely backward-looking and weirdly prescient at the same time. If only all pop could be this good.

Dan Auerbach, Keep It Hid
Black Keys' main man goes solo, makes the best (or at least most somber, rousing, dusty, creaky, pretty, dank, horny, focused, swampy, sweaty, spooky, funky) Black Keys album yet. "I Want More" is a herky-jerky haunted-house ride, "When the Night Comes" is a plaintive, plucky ballad, and "Goin' Home" sounds like a Beatles B-side. There's a lot here, and it's all good.

The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love
The Pacific Northwest's reigning poets laureate ditch the diction and make a batsh-- prog-rock album (OK, it's still plenty wordy — the title track is broken into three sections, with handles like "The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone"). They unveiled it with a big, booming show at South By Southwest, and frontman Colin McCoy unveiled some burly sideburns for the occasion. Not surprisingly, this one runs a bit long, but there are hooks for days. Bookworms shouldn't be able to rock this hard, but the Decemberists do.

The Dirty Projectors, Bitte Orca
Grating, overly cutesy choir exercise, or daring, artfully arranged vocal experiment? To be honest, I can't really seem to decide, though given that this album has received near-universal acclaim, it seems to be the latter, which is why I keep giving it second (and third, and fourth) listens. There's something here; I'm just not sure I've got the patience to find it.

Ida Maria, Fortress Round My Heart, and the Dead Weather, Horehound
Both are currently stuck in the six-disc changer of my friend Monty's car, so I will grade them both as incompletes for the time being. But Ida rocks and rambles like the female Craig Finn, and the Weather recalls the rattling, ethereal darkness of the Jesus and Mary Chain, so, you know, based on what I've heard, both are plenty good.

Green Day, 21st Century Breakdown
The album that drew the unenviable task of following the decade's biggest rock spectacle, Breakdown might not be a better album than Green Day's revelatory American Idiot, but it's certainly a more accomplished one. A difficult album about a difficult topic (because, really, how do you encompass this upside-down decade?), it's proven divisive among GD fans and rock critics alike, though, according to my pal Christopher Weingarten, this is the best album of the year. And really, who am I to disagree?

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Swoony, gossamer-thin nu-gaze (get it?!?) from a bunch of Brooklyn kids too young to remember My Bloody Valentine or Sarah Records. Somehow, nothing gets lost in translation. Pure, unadulterated joy — whirringly, blurringly so.

Silversun Pickups, Swoon
The year's most unlikely rock-radio success story, the Pickups proved they weren't just flashes in the pan thanks to "Panic Switch," a very angsty track on their very angsty album. Frontman Brian Aubert told us the song is about a nervous breakdown, which is fitting, because it probably gave a few program directors shakes when they realized they had to fit the track next to Shinedown's latest. It's just one song, but at this point, we'll take all the small victories we can get.

UGK, UGK 4 Life
The real King of the South (his highness Bun B) leads a funeral procession for his partner (the late Pimp C) and a victory lap for the beloved Underground Kingz. In keeping with tradition, the beats are smooth like a wood-grain grip, the production is plush like velour seat-covers, and B emits vocal sparks like a dragging muffler. It's hardly a somber affair — more like a joyous celebration, which is probably why Bun included the ode to hirsute ladies. You know, for old time's sake.

The Top 10

10. Mos Def, The Ecstatic
Fun, funky and free — not to mention rambling, shambling and downright terrifying at points. And partially sung in Spanish. Mos Def is pretty much everything at this point (actor, rapper, poet, rocker, dodgy interview subject), and this album perfectly captures his free-wheeling, wide-ranging personae. It leaps through time (and time signatures), genres and generations with glee, gets political and doomy at points, is biting and smart and also a genuine thrill to listen to. Throw in cameos by Slick Rick (as a soldier in Iraq on "Auditorium") and Mos' Black Star partner Talib Kweli (on the J Dilla-produced "History"), and you've got the album his fans have been waiting for since 1999's milestone Black on Both Sides. Welcome back to earth, Ford Prefect.

9. Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You
Super-smart pop from a woman who makes no bones about being anything but, It's Not Me details the breakups, makeups, booze-ups and punch-ups of Allen's recent years, only, thanks to her growing strength as a songwriter, it's never alienating or off-putting. Lily's a very normal girl, unsatisfied by her lover (the great "Not Fair"), let down by life ("The Fear," "22") and just looking for a little tenderness ("Chinese") or forgiveness ("Back to the Start"). She's also brave enough to admit that she feels all those things, which puts her head-and-shoulders above everyone else in her field. She's the perfectly (im)perfect pop star, which is just what we need in these imperfect times.

8. Amadou & Mariam, Welcome to Mali
A married musical couple from Mali who just so happen to both be blind? Sounds like a music journo's wet dream (and it probably is). Still, on A&M's Welcome to Mali, the duo make breathtakingly beautiful, undeniably inspired music, blending rock guitars with Syrian violins, Egyptian flutes and Dogon percussion — to name just a few. Sometimes little more than Mariam's achingly pretty voice, others a whirling, rousing boogie powered by Amadou's ax, it's music for all seasons and all people. Released overseas last year, it saw the light of the day here in the States back in March, and I'm thankful to have gotten the chance to hear it. You should too.

7. Wilco, Wilco (The Album)
Am I a 30-something white dude who lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn? Pssht, no. I'm a 30-something white dude who lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (there's a difference), and yet I still like the strummy, somber, decidedly NPR-ified version of Wilco. Jeff Tweedy and company appear to be aging gracefully here — except on the unwieldy "Bull Black Nova," of course, which seems to be about murdering someone in a car — and, in the process, they've created the summertime anthem for anyone who owns a battered Volvo wagon and spends their Saturdays playing kickball in McCarren Park. But don't hold that against them.

6. Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest
Beautiful, aural indie-rock from the gentlest band in Brooklyn (or the world, for that matter), Veckatimest — named after a small island in Massachusetts, just in case you were wondering — is full of carefully strummed guitars, hushed drums and, most notably, otherwordly harmonies, the musical equivalent of a million New England summer sunsets. A stunning, gorgeous album, featuring songs like "Cheerleader" and "Two Weeks," which are among the finest you'll hear this year. It leaked super early, but that didn't matter: Grizz fans are loyal, so when the album improbably bowed inside the Billboard top 10 (#8!), Grizzly Bear acted like any muted, genuinely nice indie band would — they Twittered a "thank you" note to their fans. Sometimes nice guys do finish first ... or eighth.

5. Kelly Clarkson, All I Ever Wanted
Yes, seriously. The finest pop album you'll hear this year, full of perfectly crafted, big-budget tunes, All I Ever Wanted is sort of like some high-powered musical F-14, with Clarkson as the pilot. Some might say that the album is her peace offering to Clive Davis (after the whole My December debacle), but I like to see it as her finally realizing her full potential as a pop megastar. We get big, bold tunes like "My Life Would Suck Without You" and "I Do Not Hook Up" mingling with weepers like "If No One Will Listen" and "Cry" (duh). She is empowered yet vulnerable, everything you could ask for in a star of her caliber ... pop perfection, delivered by the best voice in the business. Kelly is back. It's almost like she never went away.

4. Dinosaur Jr, Farm
In 2005, alt-rock elders Dino Jr surprised pretty much everyone by setting aside their differences and reuniting for a European tour. In 2007, they surprised pretty much everyone by recording a new album that was actually pretty awesome. And now they're back with Farm, an album that's even awesomer than their last one. So, I guess the question is: At what point do we stop being surprised? Held up by a couple of epic, solo-laden tracks ("Plans" and "Said the People"), Farm is shiftless, stoner rock that sounds exactly like the dudes playing it look, if that makes any sense. But don't let the glasses, paunches and poor posture fool you — as evidenced by the songs here, these dudes can kick your ass ... once they get up off the couch, that is.

3. Dan Deacon, Bromst
Massive-yet-molecular, full of never-ending builds that head heavenward and deep burrowing lows that strike limestone, Deacon has always made electronic music unlike anyone else ... and on Bromst, he's gone orchestral. Sure, this is still very much music crafted on laptops, but he's added a multitude of instruments to the madness here, which gives songs extra sonic wallop, and moves the album into the space of really, truly great art. This is communal stuff, hands-on and hippified, the kind of music that ascribes to a higher quality. It's also maddening, beautiful, ear-splitting and pin-drop quiet ... a cacophonous spazzer one second, churchly hushed the next. It's carefully crafted and composed chaos, with Deacon holding the conductor's baton. One bone to pick, however: If he really is our Mozart, perhaps he should stop wearing cutoffs.

2. Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Retro pop hyper-focused on a futuristic re-imagination of post-modernism and neo-classicism as proletarian touchstones? That you can dance to? Why, of course they're French — but don't let the book-speak fool you. Phoenix are, at their very bourgeois heart, a pure pop band, and on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, they've crafted the year's most unabashed ode to the power of pop music. It's an album of undeniable melodies, joyous choruses and razor-sharp hooks — one that you wish would go on for eons (but sadly, is over in just 10 too-short tracks). Sure, conceptually they may be aiming for the stars, but with songs like "Lisztomania," "1901" and "Rome," they're also gunning for your heart, your hips and your lips. History can be awesome sometimes.

1. Animal Collective, Merriweather Post Pavilion
The blogs were right. Proclaimed to be "The Album of the Year" all the way back in January, and it's turned out to be about the only thing I can remember that has actually lived up to the hype ... if not exceeded it. A massive, hugely important record, one that represents one of this decade's most impressive groups operating at the absolute peak of their powers, MPP is the one people are gonna remember for a long, long time. Immaculately produced (Those highs! Those lows!) and full of bizarre, undeniable art-pop ("My Girls," "Lion in a Coma," "Summertime Clothes"), it shows what's possible if you stick to your guns and never, ever sacrifice your ideals. Amazing, breathtaking, undeniable — this time the hype machine got it right: The year really was over in January.

If there's something I've missed — or if you've got a list of your own — you can let me know in the comments below ... or e-mail me at BTTS@MTVStaff.com.

• MTV News RAW: Lily Allen

• Lily Allen
• Mos Def
• Kelly Clarkson
• Grizzly Bear
• Animal Collective

Black Eyed Peas
Photo: Joe Kohen/ WireImage

The E.N.D. is clearly just the beginning for the Black Eyed Peas. Thanks to the speaker-shredding mega-smash "Boom Boom Pow," the group will take the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart next week with first-week sales of more than 304,000, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan.

That is more than enough to dethrone last week's #1, the Dave Matthews Band's Big Whiskey & the Groogrux King, the sales of which plummeted by 70 percent to 128,000. At #3, Eminem's Relapse also saw another steep decline (38 percent) to 87,000 units moved, but the album managed to surpass the platinum sales mark in its first month. Showing remarkably strong hang-time, the all-star debut from Chickenfoot — featuring ex-Van Halen members Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani — holds strong at #4 with a more than 50 percent uptick in business to 79,000.

The only debuts in the top 10 are from bachata stars Aventura, whose Last comes in at #5 on sales of 47,000; veteran rapper Mos Def, whose Ecstatic lands at #9 (39,000); and former Pretty Ricky star Pleasure P, whose Introduction of Marcus Cooper sneaks in at #10 (39,000).

The rest of the top 10 are: Lady Gaga's Fame (#6, 47,000), the "Hannah Montana" soundtrack (#7, 46,000) and Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown (#8, 41,000). Back on an independent label after 20 years on a major, legendary New York noisers Sonic Youth hit #18 with their latest, Eternal (19,000), and veteran soul sister Teena Marie is close behind at #20 with Congo Square (18,000).

The full-length debut from D-Block (featuring the members of the LOX and others) drops in at #40 (12,000), while the DJ Quik & Kurupt collaboration, Blaqkout, pops up at #61 (9,000). One of the year's latest most talked-about indie albums, the Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca, arrives at #65 (8,000), and punk agitators Anti-Flag's People or the Gun makes a quiet noise down at #120 (4,000).

The Peas should savor the moment, because next week brings the latest from the Jonas Brothers, Lines, Vines and Trying Times.

• Black Eyed Peas Go Digital On 'Boom Boom Pow' Set
• Eminem's 'We Made You' Video & Analysis
• MTV News RAW: Green Day
• MTV News RAW: Dave Matthews Band

• Rihanna, Kanye, More Celebrate At Black Eyed Peas' Record-Release Party

• Black Eyed Peas
• Dave Matthews Band
• Mos Def

Mos Def
Photo: Jeffrey Ufberg/ Getty Images

When Mos Def visited Angie Martinez's New York radio show Tuesday to promote his new album, The Ecstatic, neither had any idea that would be promoting the most spectacular MC battle ever.

In March, a video hit YouTube that featured Mos challenging Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and others to a battle. Martinez asked him about the video. Mos admitted it was a candid moment in front of friends.

"I don't have to address it, but what I said, I will stand by," Mos said, adding that his comments were in regards to an article he saw (ours?) naming Jay-Z the greatest MC alive. "Friend or foe, I love you all, but I'm saying if you saying that you're better than Slick Rick, who is still very alive and well, you saying that you're better than Rakim, you saying you're better than Black Thought — and the people making that claim have never been in a position to have to defend that in an open forum."

"But isn't it all up to what you like?" Martinez asked.

"It is subjective, but people start coming out and making claims that you can't defend," Mos said.

He made an analogy to an automaker saying it has the best V8 engine. The automaker has to prove that against other automakers' engines, and a race would prove who is better.

"I just don't believe that claim, where any of these rappers are saying that they are the best alive," Mos Def said. "Really?!? Well, you can easily put that to the test."

"Didn't you say that too, about yourself?" Angie asked

"I ain't saying that I'm better than them, but they certainly ain't better than me," Mos replied. "I have no doubts about that at all. I work at this. This ain't just coming off of some pumped-up ego swagger. I do this."

Mos went on to propose a "Battle of New Orleans." The battle would take place at the Superdome in New Orleans and would settle all discussion. There would be a variety of battles, including the marching bands from Grambling and Morgan State duking it out, breakers from Korea going against those from France, a battle of the beats between Swizz Beatz and Kanye West, and finally an MC battle between teams of five.

"My dream team would be myself, Black Thought, MF Doom, Jay Electronica and Nas," Mos Def said. "I was saying for Jay, or somebody like Jay, or Kanye, or whoever, put you and your four together, and we'll go at it."

Mos said that this was a friendly proposal and that his comments were more about defending Slick Rick and Rakim than anything. He didn't think it was right for anyone to say they were the greatest while both are alive.

Martinez asked if he realizes that people may take this the wrong way, and Mos reiterated his stance: "I ain't gettin' at no rappers. This is, where is your skill set at? I'm always in a position to learn or grow, so if somebody's got a stronger skill set, and I could draw strength from that, then I'm cool with that. My ego is not involved with this.

"There are no losers in this scenario," he added. "It's really just a sound clash and a skill trade exhibition, and it grows the culture."

"This took a turn I didn't see coming today," Martinez said, laughing.

"Y'all brought up the whole battle thing," Mos Def said. "I don't try to get at no rappers. Come on, man. I love all of y'all. I do this because I care."

• Mos Def
• Jay-Z
• Lil Wayne
• Kanye West

Young Jeezy
Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images

Wonder how you stack up against Jay-Z, Mos Def and Dr. Dre? Good news: You'll get your chance with the upcoming release of "Def Jam Rapstar" from 4mm Games later this year.

The title will let you step behind the mic and perform karaoke hits from Def Jam recording artists.

Speaking with IGN, 4mm CEO Nicholas Perrett mentioned the goals for the game and whom they're designing it for. "I think, at the highest level, we're trying to make a game that appeals to a very broad audience of anyone who has really enjoyed hip-hop music at any point in the last 30 years."

Perrett went on to describe some of the features that will be revealed at next week's E3 Expo, saying that gamers will be able to continue the playing even after they've finished the song, and that there will be a strong community following behind the title to ensure that it has a long lifespan.

The partnership with the record label opens up a lot of possibilities, as well. "Def Jam means hip-hop. And I think it goes right to the core of why we're in partnership with Def Jam — why hasn't anyone made this game yet? — all comes back to, it's difficult, because there's only a few people who could probably pull it off."

The song list is, unfortunately, still unconfirmed, but a new trailer for "Def Jam Rapstar" on IGN featured Young Jeezy's "Put On." It's important to note that it won't just be new artists featured in the game. Perrett said, "If I had a grandma who was into a particular type of hip-hop song, I want to know that I've got that as much as the one that my 14-year-old nephew is listening to."

There's no word yet on how the game will actually play, but we're going to be getting a closer look at the title at E3 next week, so stay tuned.

For more video game news check out our gaming blog at Multiplayer.MTV.com.

• Young Jeezy
• Jay-Z
• Mos Def
• Dr. Dre

Mychal Bell (file)
Photo: Kita Wright/ Associated Press

Mychal Bell, one of the "Jena 6" whose case brought national attention to racial tensions in the small Louisiana town two years ago, accidentally shot himself in the shoulder Monday evening, according to CNN.

Bell was cleaning a gun and the firearm discharged unexpectedly, his lawyer said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Monroe, Louisiana, where he was treated.

Bell's lawyer, Carol Powell-Lexing, told CNN her client underwent surgery on Monday night. At press time Bell was unable to speak, CNN reported, but authorities said the injury was not life threatening. Bell has not been charged with any crime.

In 2006, Bell, along with five other African-American classmates, were facing felony assault charges after an incident in which he and several others beat a white student for allegedly using a racial epithet. The fight was prompted after a noose was discovered hanging from a tree on school grounds, a gesture which created outrage in the community. Three white Jena High students placed the noose in the tree, it was later learned; the shade of the tree was traditionally off-limits to blacks in the past.

In September 2007, over 15,000 activists — including Mos Def and UGK's Bun B — descended on Jena to lend support to Bell and his classmates. Many believed the charges against the "Jena 6," as they were dubbed, were too excessive. Nelly, Nick Cannon and Jay-Z were among those who spoke out against what were thought to be racially-tinged claims. Bell eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges. He served a few months at a juvenile detention center and then relocated to the town of Monroe, approximately 70 miles north of Jena.

• UGK
• Mos Def
• Jay-Z
• Nick Cannon
• Nelly

Mos Def
Photo: George Pimentel/ WireImage

Police in Las Vegas would like to chat with rapper Mos Def about an incident that allegedly went down in August.

TMZ reports that an arrest warrant has been issued for Def (born Dante Terrell Smith). The actor/rapper is facing charges of felony robbery and malicious destruction of private property.

Police claim Mos was involved in an altercation with a photographer during a fashion event in Sin City. Volker Corell — an official photographer for the Men's Apparel and Garment Industry Convention (MAGIC) — says the rapper got irritated with him while he was taking photos of attendees at the event. Def allegedly ripped Corell's camera from his neck and threw it against the ground, smashing it. The photographer said Def ran off, with the busted equipment in hand, soon after the scrap.

Corell also claims he suffered a cut on his left hand during the attack.

This is the second incident in recent months in which a hip-hop artist has had a brush with a photographer and allegedly destroyed his equipment. Back in September, Kanye West was arrested by Los Angeles International Airport police after getting into a scuffle with two paparazzi. While West was initially charged with felony vandalism, those charges were later dropped by the Los Angeles district attorney.

This situation seems to put Mos Def in a less sympathetic light, however, since Corell was a credentialed event photographer, not a paparazzo. And according to TMZ, he says he didn't even know who Mos Def was until after the incident.

• Mos Def

Amy Winehouse
Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Amy Winehouse might have missed the VMAs, but she's hoping to make up for her absence with a rare performance at the mtvU Woodie Awards next month. The performance by the singer — who made it to mtvU's "Freshman 5" earlier this year — is only one of two she has on her U.S. itinerary for the rest of the year. The Academy Is ... and Spank Rock will also grace the stage at the ceremony, which will be held November 8 at New York's Roseland Ballroom and air on mtvU and mtvU.com on November 15 at 8 p.m. ET. The program will also air November 18 on MTV2 at 12:30 a.m. ET, and highlights will be shown on MTV as well. ...

It's probably safe to say that when Snoop Dogg made the movie "The Wash" with Dr. Dre back in 2001, he wasn't anticipating that he'd have to be washing cars in real life down the line. But the rapper (real name: Calvin Broadus) has agreed to do just that — as well as clean toilets, rake leaves and pick up debris — as part of his 160 hours of community service for illegal possession of a dangerous weapon, according to Southern California newspaper The Orange County Register. The punishment stems from his weapon-possession arrest at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana in September 2006, when he attempted to bring a collapsible 21-inch police baton onto the aircraft. It's not known when Snoop will begin his service as a commercial pitchman, and the name of the park at which he will be working has not been released. ...

Did Busta Rhymes and Linkin Park become friends while they were at the "Transformers" premiere over the summer? The rapper tells RollingStone.com that he has cut a new song, "It Looks Like We Made It," with the rock squad and that it will surface on his next LP. "It feels like Rocky won the fight or something," he says of the song, which was reportedly produced by Cool & Dre. "It reminds the people who are successful to go and help those that haven't been so successful, and represent the unity between people." The rapper also said his LP title has changed from Before Hell Freezes Over to Back on My BS, and that it's due December 4. ...

Vocal Britney Spears critic Perez Hilton has a bit of a problem on his hands. The Zomba Label Group — home to Spears' label, Jive Records — has hit the super-blogger (real name: Mario Lavandeira) with a suit claiming he illegally obtained and posted on his gossip Web site at least 10 of the singer's songs and unfinished demos for her new LP, Reuters reports. Zomba alleges the posts took place over the past three months and that it moved up the release date for Spears' Blackout due to online leaks. The suit requests real and punitive damages as well as legal costs, although the amount of the damages wasn't specified. ...

So where did Ashlee Simpson celebrate her 23rd birthday over the weekend? Her parents' house, of course! The singer held an '80s-themed party on Saturday, and more than 200 guests showed up — including sister Jessica, Wilmer Valderrama, Kenna and, of course, boyfriend Pete Wentz, who was the prom king to Ashlee's queen as they danced to Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do." "Now we can say we are high school sweethearts!" the Fall Out Boy bassist told People. He also made a wisecrack to the mag, saying he and his girlfriend take the same amount of time to get ready to go out "because I'm actually just her purse." But apparently Saturday night didn't totally exhaust the couple — the following night, they went to the Hollywood Style Awards at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California. Russell Simmons was presented with the Hollywood Soul award for his work with the Diamond Empowerment Fund, a nonprofit that raises money to support education initiatives in diamond-producing African countries. Wentz and Simpson wore Simmons Jewelry Company Green Initiative bracelets, as did Vanessa Minnillo, Kim Kardashian, Cindy Crawford and other celebrities in attendance. And that's not the only place Simpson and Wentz turned up this week — she was seen busting some more moves a few nights later at FOB's show at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. Pharrell also headlined the event, which marked the finale of the invite-only Hennessy Artistry Concert Tour. ...

First Trent Reznor became a free agent earlier this week, now is Madonna about to follow in his footsteps and break free from a major label? Liz Rosenberg, Madonna's representative at her longtime label, Warner Bros., told MTV News that a move is likely. "Madonna has a new CD coming out on Warner Bros. Records at the end of this year or early next year," she said. "She also has a greatest-hits package on WB. After that she is a free agent, and I believe her managers are in talks with Warner Bros. as well as Live Nation regarding her future as a recording and touring artist." According to The Associated Press, a proposed $120 million, 10-year agreement would give Madge a signing bonus of $18 million and $17 million in advance for each of three LPs, with a portion of the compensation involving stock. The deal would also give Live Nation the exclusive right to promote her tours, and any revenue generated by her merchandise or name would be split 50/50 between the company and the singer. Madonna, who has been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, signed with Warner Bros. in 1984. In more, um, illustrious Madonna news, her co-manager Guy Oseary has pulled together photos he took on last year's Confessions tour and compiled them into a 256-page volume of the same name. It's due June 10. ...

Mobb Deep's Prodigy was sentenced on Tuesday to serve three-and-a-half years behind bars after pleading guilty to a 2006 weapons charge, according to New York's Daily News. Prodigy, whose real name is Albert Johnson, was indicted on one charge of gun possession at Manhattan Supreme Court in New York — the charge related to Johnson's arrest in October 2006 after New York police pulled his Chevy Suburban over for making an illegal U-turn. Police noticed a gun inside the rapper's vehicle during the stop. ... Good Charlotte bassist Paul Thomas injured his ankle after taking an unintended stage dive at the show in Brisbane, Australia, on Tuesday night — but that didn't stop him from playing, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The rocker reportedly continued slapping his bass after tumbling from the stage just two songs into the band's set. Thomas sprained his ankle as a result of the fall. ...

Do you like to sing along to Chris Brown? Well, here's your chance to do so with him in person. Screen Gems, the studio behind Brown's upcoming movie "This Christmas," has put together an "American Idol"-like singing contest that will be co-hosted by urban-radio stations in 35 markets this weekend. Contestants will have a minute to sing either "This Christmas" or "Silent Night," and the 35 winners will then tape performances for AOL Black Voices starting October 19. The public will be allowed to vote for their favorite singer, and voting will end October 24. The three semifinalists will be flown to New York to sing their tune on "106 & Park," after which viewers will vote online and the winner will be announced on the show November 1. The winner will get an all-expenses-paid trip to New York to perform on a "This Christmas" holiday special with Brown, David Banner, Columbus Short and other actors from the flick, which opens November 21. ... Michael Jackson has issued a new letter to fans in which he thanks them for their birthday gifts and cards. He also found room to hint at future plans. "I've been really busy lately. Hopefully, you've all seen the results of my recent photo shoot with L'Uomo Vogue," he said of the designer-clothes magazine, which features Jackson on its October cover. "Soon, I will be sharing exciting and surprising news with you from my other efforts." ...

Jonathan Davis' long-delayed solo-acoustic trek is finally a go again. While the Korn frontman announced the outing way back in October 2006 and had sketched out a February start date, he now has November 10 in Verona, New York, pegged as the new beginning date, with shows running through December 8 in Ventura, California. ... The Dave Matthews Band have signed up to play the "World's Loudest Pep Rally." The nationwide AT&T-sponsored contest for more than 100 NCAA Division I schools with college-football teams will award a free live concert by the DMB to the school that submits the most online invitations (texts, e-mails, photos, videos, songs) on AT&T devices relative to the school's enrollment. The contest runs until Monday, and fans can submit up to 50 invitations a day. ...

Metallica, who have been working on new material for what's turning into their own personal Chinese Democracy, have posted an update on their progress over at their Web site in the form of a series of photos and a fairly uneventful post. "There is nothing new to report," the missive reads. "Things are as you would call it, status quo, consistent, constant, invariable, unaltered, unchanged, unfailing, uniform, unvarying. Pretty much what we are trying to say is: work is continuing and all is good in the Metallica 'hood. As soon as we do have something new to report, you will be the first to know of course." ...

Bobby Brown now says he didn't suffer a heart attack after all on Tuesday, despite reports to the contrary. "I did go to the hospital ... to just get a checkup, get everything tested out so that I could go on [my upcoming] tour, and everything is fine," he told AP. On Wednesday, his representative Paedra Parks said Brown was in "great spirits and [had] a great prognosis from his doctor" after it had been reported that Brown was rushed to the Tarzana Regional Medical Center in Tarzana, California, for chest pains. ...

Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü, Sugar) is quite the label-hopper — after putting out solo material on Virgin and Ryko in the '90s, he then started up his own label, Granary Music — only to then jump over to Yep Roc for 2005's Body of Song. Now he's moved to yet another label, Anti-, for the release of his new album, District Line, on February 5. The album will feature drumming by Fugazi's Brendan Canty and 10 songs, including "Miniature Parade," "Old Highs New Lows" and "Return to Dust." ... Jude Law has been cleared of charges for allegedly assaulting a photographer outside his home in London in September, Reuters reports. No further action will reportedly be taken against the actor. ...

Legendary stuntman Bud Ekins died over the weekend of natural causes at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reports. Ekins was the Steve McQueen double who made the famous motorcycle jump in the classic 1963 film "The Great Escape," and also served as a stuntman in "Animal House," "Diamonds Are Forever" and "The Blues Brothers." He was 77.

10.10.07

Britney Spears' arraignment was delayed earlier this week, but the singer needs to make another adjustment on her calendar — her upcoming Blackout LP has bumped from a November 13 release to October 30. Jive, her label, chalked up the release-date shift to album tracks being leaked online. "Due to these numerous unauthorized online leaks, the label is doing everything possible to prevent and avoid any future illegal distribution of songs, including moving up the release date of the album to October 30," it said in a statement. ...

Hip-hop promoter James Waldon has filed a $5 million lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, claiming that after he chatted with the Bad Boy boss at the Box nightclub in New York, three of Combs' bodyguards attacked him. According to The Associated Press, the 27-year-old said one bodyguard punched him in the mouth, knocking him backward onto a table, while two others repeatedly hit and kicked him, then chased him around the club before he escaped. Waldon claimed the beating left him with a number of injuries, including mouth and teeth problems. Combs' lawyer said he had not yet seen the filing. ... In other Diddy legal news, a Los Angeles judge ruled Wednesday that the hip-hop mogul doesn't have to provide photos of his rings to a man who says Combs hit him outside the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel nightclub in February, according to The Associated Press. Gerald Rechnitzer's lawyer had argued that the photos were critical to his case. ...

Bobby Brown is recovering after suffering a mild heart attack, according to People. His representative Paedra Parks told the magazine that the singer is in "great spirits and has a great prognosis from his doctor." Brown's girlfriend, Alicia Etheridge, rushed him to the Tarzana Regional Medical Center in Tarzana, California, on Tuesday afternoon when he experienced chest pains. He is expected to be released later Wednesday (October 10) and still plans to perform at Los Angeles radio station V100's Taste of Soul fest on Saturday. ...

Black Eyed Peas ended a concert mid-show in San Salvador, El Salvador, last week after Fergie apparently became ill, according to AP. The singer announced onstage that she was suffering from food poisoning, saying, "I've never canceled a show in my life," according to a video that has been circulating online. The show's organizer announced Tuesday that the show will be rescheduled in 90 days, and refunds will also be offered. ... Justin Timberlake has become the first male solo artist this decade to score six top 40 hits from the same album, according to Billboard. His FutureSex/LoveSounds song "Until the End of Time" recently jumped from #41 to #28 on the magazine's Hot 100. The last solo male artist to accomplish the feat? Michael Jackson, naturally. ...

Kiefer Sutherland released a statement Wednesday in regards to his recent DUI arrest. "I'm very disappointed in myself for the poor judgment I exhibited recently, and I'm deeply sorry for the disappointment and distress this has caused my family, friends and co-workers on '24' and at 20th Century Fox. I appreciate the support and concern that has been extended to me these last weeks both personally and professionally." Sutherland will have to serve 48 days in county jail — 30 for driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of .08 percent, as well as 18 for violating his probation for another DUI case in 2004. He will be sentenced December 21. ...

Disgraced boy-band svengali Lou Pearlman is hitting back at allegations in a Vanity Fair story in which former members of male groups he worked with alleged inappropriate activities and sexual improprieties. Speaking to Radar magazine, Pearlman called the story "slander" and denied any wrongdoing. "I don't think there's anything wrong [with having one's] own sexual preference, but no, I've never dated nor have I been interested in men sexually," Pearlman said in response to a question about whether he is gay. He dismissed a number of the allegations against him as mostly sour grapes from people who are or have been in litigation with him, or whose careers did not take off. Pearlman also denied giving massages to any of his former clients and the allegation that he told a young man that in order to get into a band he had to perform a sex act on him. He also said former Take 5 member TJ Christofore made up a story about Pearlman wrestling on a bed with a number of young men while wearing only a towel. "T.J. [Christofore] is making up this story," Pearlman said. "He sued me in child-labor court and lost. If what he says is true, you would think he would have brought it up to help his case. The fact that he never mentioned this in court should tell you where he's coming from. He's just trying to join the lynch party. Besides, I've never owned a towel that could wrap all the way around me anyway." ...

Forget about Angelina Jolie, Jessica Biel and Scarlett Johansson — Charlize Theron is the sexiest woman alive, according to Esquire magazine. The "In the Valley of Elah" actress graces the cover of the mag's new issue, which streets Tuesday. ... It seems that a few hospital staffers wanted to know a little too much about George Clooney. Twenty-seven employees at North Bergen, New Jersey's Palisades Medical Center — where the "Michael Clayton" actor and his girlfriend were hospitalized in September after being involved in a motorcycle accident — have been suspended for four weeks for allegedly looking at Clooney's confidential medical information. "This is the first I've heard of it," Clooney said in a statement. "And while I very much believe in a patient's right to privacy, I would hope that this could be settled without suspending medical workers." ...

More disturbing information has surfaced concerning alleged animal abuse at rapper DMX's Arizona home. According to a report in The Arizona Republic, several of the 12 undernourished pit bulls recovered from the grounds back in August suffered from valley fever, an infectious lung disease that also affects humans. Also, three dogs that were discovered buried in the rapper's backyard may have died from heat after air conditioning in the house reportedly broke down. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, which is still investigating the matter, told the Republic that a "usable amount of marijuana" was also recovered from the rapper's home, along with a small amount of cocaine. The cause of death of the three dogs, which showed signs of bruising, could not be determined, as their bodies were severely decomposed. Two burned dogs, a 20-pound puppy and a 40-pound female, were found together, wrapped in a beige bed sheet and placed inside a plastic bag. ...

Mos Def and hipster rapper Spank Rock have come together to remix French house duo Justice's VMA-nominated "D.A.N.C.E." The two MCs are now labelmates after Mos Def recently signed to Downtown Records (also home to Gnarls Barkley and Cold War Kids), the rapper's label and management confirmed to MTV News. The remix was produced by 19-year old Baltimore beatmaker Benny Blanco who, along with Spank Rock, just released a 2 Live Crew tribute EP, Bangers & Cash. ...

The Police have been forced to cancel two gigs on their current world tour due to frontman Sting's alleged voice problems. The band canceled an Antwerp, Belgium, concert set for October 2, along with another in Manheim, Germany, that was scheduled for October 3. Sting is suffering from a throat infection and doctors have told him to rest his pipes. ... Leave it to the Flaming Lips to conjure a Halloween party for the ages. According to Oklahoma City's OK Gazette, the hometown heroes are participating in the city's Ghouls Gone Wild parade on October 27. Frontman Wayne Coyne will be the grand marshal — and march in his famed plastic bubble, no less! — and the band is trying to rally 1,000 costumed folks to be part of its March of a Thousand Flaming Skeletons. ... Mötley Crüe's upcoming live double-disc set, Carnival of Sins, has been scheduled for an October 23 release. The set features 23 tracks spanning the band's entire career, including "Too Young to Fall in Love," "Home Sweet Home," "Shout at the Devil" and "Dr. Feelgood." ...

The Beatles fans pumped for the November 6 double-DVD re-release of the band's "Help!," might want to buy a ticket to Cleveland — the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has constructed a new exhibit devoted to the 1965 flick. The exhibit, which will open November 16, will feature rare artifacts and photos shot during the making of the movie, including George Harrison's original script, call sheets, costumes and more. Speaking of Harrison, nine albums from his solo catalog debuted digitally on Tuesday, with the rest set to be made available next year. Fans will probably want to nab the iTunes versions, as they come with bonus tracks.

• Amy Winehouse
• Ashlee Simpson
• Fall Out Boy
• Madonna
• Chris Brown

Sway and Mos Def in Jena, Louisiana
Photo: MTV News

All Mos Def wants is a little revolution.

The rapper called for high school and college students to walk out of class October 1 in support of the Jena Six, six black students who were initially charged with the attempted murder of a white classmate (see "Jena Six: What Sparked Protesters To Descend On Small Town In Louisiana?"). And a few weeks ago, he wanted September 20 to be "Black Thursday," a time when all his peers from the hip-hop arena — big dogs, reformed D-boys, moneymakers, hustlers, ringtone rappers, trap stars, dons (Louis Vuitton, mob bosses or otherwise) — would join him in Jena, Louisiana, and march in protest of the justice system's treatment of the Jena Six.

He thought it would make a statement. It probably would have. Unfortunately, the only known hip-hoppers to show up were Mos himself, Bun B and R&B artist Lyfe Jennings (see "Thousands March On Louisiana Town To Support 'Jena Six' ").

"Shame on them. Shame on everybody that's not here for this," Mos fumed that Thursday in Jena during the protest. "Everybody should be here. I'm f---in' mad. I'm disappointed. ... You always talk about your jets — you supposed to be landing here on top of the courthouse. Enough is e-f---in'-nough. I'm prepared to die for that sh--."

Mos said he reached out to "everybody at once."

Twista commended the New York MC for taking a stand against the Jena Six situation as well as admonishing his fellow artists.

"I would have been upset," Twista said. "I think everybody should have come out. I think, too, sometimes people really need to hear the story and know exactly what went down. Because when I usually explain it a little bit to people, it tends to hit them a little bit more in their chest and they kind of want to say a little something or do a little more. I think everybody don't fully know the story. They hearing, 'Jena Six, Jena Six,' but I think they really need to know what went down."

Although Twista didn't participate in the march, he performed at Saturday's Jena Six Empowerment Concert in Birmingham, Alabama. Bobby Brown and Nick Cannon also took to the stage.

"It's definitely time for a lot of rappers to be more conscious about what's going on in today's society and speak their minds," Twista added. "Just really having a conscience, man. Like this is stuff that I always paid attention to in the early days of hip-hop when you had raps like 'Self Destruction' [by KRS-One's Stop the Violence All-Stars] coming out. We had artists like KRS-One and a lot of artists that were conscious and speaking on things on a very conscious level. And I always paid attention to those things because I was raised in that culture of hip-hop. So to see it coming about again, you just want to be a part of it. Like Mos Def called out a lot of rappers to take a stand, and I felt him on that, exactly what he was saying. So it's like I'm going to stand up and I'm going to represent. Because I'm a proud, black brother, and it ticks me off to see anything come our way negatively, especially today with what we want through [in the past]. So I'm going to play my part."

Nelly said that like everybody else, sometimes artists need that extra nudge to be more vocal.

"Yeah, you're right, we do need to take another step forward," Nelly agreed. "We probably need to take a couple of more steps and a few steps faster. I think [the protest rally] was an instance of not being aware of our presence not being felt. If that was brought to us like, 'Our presence is needed in this situation,' we would have stepped up. There's never been a situation to where we've been called upon and we didn't step up. ... Maybe we shouldn't have to be called upon, but even a sergeant wakes the Army up in the morning. That don't mean you ain't ready to fight, you just need to be put on the spit a little bit."

LOX rapper Styles P said it will take more than a protest to move him.

"You know what it is with me, sometimes I ain't always with marching," he said "Sometimes you gotta make a pure stand, because they ain't always respecting the march. Not to say wild out, but some day somebody has to say, 'On this day, nobody go to work.' Do something like go in front of the jailhouse and say, 'We ain't leaving till you let him out.' When they start those, that's what I want to be a part of. I don't wanna be a part of holding the picket. That's good, that's flavor, but when are you gonna say, 'We ain't leaving'?"

UTP's Skip and Wacko, who are from Louisiana, have more radical thoughts.

"He's criticizing," Skip huffed last week. "I like Mos Def, but I ain't like what he said. He don't know. We go through that sh-- every day down here. Y'all went down there marching and [Mychal Bell] still didn't get free [that day]. Y'all should have broke him out then. If they felt that strongly about the situation, they should have broke him out. If I would have went down there, I'm bringing a sledge hammer and I'm not leaving until he's leaving. Now you talking sh-- about nobody else ain't come? If we down there and 20,000 people would have hit the prison with a sledge hammer, we would have broken it down. They ain't really about no revolution."

Maybe Talib Kweli had the best answer. He feels that participation from the entertainers would be excellent, but the actual black community is where we should look to make charge.

"I agree with Mos Def as far as being critical with these artists," Kweli explained. "I think as artists who can say something, we have to. In my career, I have been critical of artists as well. But I will say that the hip-hop generation has mobilized around the Jena Six thing. I feel like there was a lot of hip-hop activism that got the 10,000 people who were there down there. And I'm more inclined to look at what those people are doing, 'cause those are the real heroes and the real activists. These artists, man, are followers. Mos Def happens to be a leader. So he happens to be above and beyond your average artist. But your average artist is a follower. And we have to create leaders, and leaders are not going to come from young rappers."

Although Mychal Bell, the only Jena Six member to go to jail, was released on bail last week, his and his classmates' turmoil is far from over. Bell faces a new trial on assault charges, and the other five members still have to go to trial for the first time.

• Spotlight On Jena, Louisiana

• Thousands Gather In Louisiana For Jena Six Rally

• Mos Def

"Cadillac Records"

• Beyoncé
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Paris Hilton, Avril Lavigne, Kate Bosworth, 50 Cent And More At Fashion Week

• Lil' Kim
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Lauryn Hill, Wu Tang Clan, Mos Def And More At Rock The Bells | 08.05.2006

• Wu-Tang Clan
• Lauryn Hill
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Usher, Mary J., Diddy, Snoop, More At 25 Strong: The BET Silver Anniversary Celebration

• Usher
• Diddy
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47th Annual Grammy Awards Red Carpet

• Beyoncé
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The Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA October 31- November 2, 2003

• 50 Cent
• A Perfect Circle
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Usher Multi-Platinum Party, 06.18.2002

• Usher
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Beyoncé 20th Birthday Party

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• Diddy

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