The Def Jam issue of <i>XXL</i>
Photo: XXL

They were simply bigger and deffer than any other label in rap history and, as a result, Def Jam Records was recognized on Tuesday during VH1's "Hip Hop Honors."

The seminal label was the night's sole honoree, a first in the event's six-year history. In the past, a class of MCs were inducted each year, from Big Daddy Kane to A Tribe Called Quest. The rap film "Wild Style" is the only other non-lyrical entrant.

The honor was the latest recognition for Def Jam as the label has been celebrating its 25-year anniversary all year long, which also included landing the cover of the latest issue of XXL.

Rick Ross, Method Man and Redman, Ghostface, ?uestlove of the Roots and Scarface grace the front cover and inside Def Jam rap alumni recall some of their fondest memories from the House that Russell Built.

"Me and [Jay-Z] were choppin' it up, and I kinda told him that it was frustrating being on Interscope, because we're used to the label being in proximity of Philadelphia," ?uestlove said of President Carter signing the Roots to Def Jam. "He says, 'OK, I'll see what I can do about the situation.' I say, 'What do you mean?' He's like, 'Can I trust you? I'm about to make a move.'

"He basically said, 'Hold off on that,' " the drummer added. "'I'ma get you your convenience back.' I guess he was saying he was 'bout to take over the label [as Def Jam president]."

Fabolous talks about the family feel of the label, Warren G shares a story about former president Lyor Cohen visiting his home as he tried to recruit the West Coast star and Scarface remembers meeting LL Cool J when the he was an upstart in 1989 and then having the legendary rapper appear at his own Def Jam album party years later.

"I was probably, like, 18 years old, on the phone with my mom, like, 'Mama, I'm in New York,' " Face explained. "Then LL come by and I'm like, 'Cool J, what's up, man? Talk to my mama.' That was the first time I came to the city. I was such a f---ing fan of Cool J. For him to be there the first time I came here, and for him to be there when I signed [to Def Jam] — man, it was a dream of mine."

The November issue is chock-full of Def Jam info, from a complete label discography to an interview with founder Rick Rubin.

The highlight of the package, undoubtedly, was the interview conducted with Lyor Cohen, Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles. The contrast between the cool Cohen and the animated Simmons that brought to life the energy that helped to launch the label into the stratosphere was existent. Case in point, when Cohen is asked about the beginnings of his career:

"I could talk about Lyor better than he can," Simmons chimed in.

Simmons then explained how the now Warner Music chief used to be treated poorly during his job as Andre Harrell's secretary.

"No, excuse me," Cohen cut back in. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I do," Simmons shot back. "Andre had Lyor working hard as hell."

"I didn't even know Andre at that time," Cohen said. "Wrong. Wrong, wrong. You have a really bad memory."

• 'VH1 Hip Hop Honors' 2009

• Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons and Reverend Run
Photo: Brad Barket/ Getty Images

Russell Simmons isn't as enthusiastic as you might think about the planned biopic about his brother's group, Run-DMC. The hip-hop godfather says the film's makers should talk major dollars — or not at all.

"That movie has been a made few times already," Simmons told MTV News. "I don't know if it's that exciting to do that movie at this time. I certainly don't know if a third movie about Run-DMC should be made on a shoestring budget."

All three group members starred in 1985's "Krush Groove" — a film that covered some of their origins — as well as the 1988 shoot-'em-up tale of revenge, "Tougher Than Leather." A new film on the kings from Queens is in the works, also with the working title "Tougher Than Leather." Cheo Hodari Coker — who wrote the script for the film "Notorious" — is crafting an adaption of legendary hip-hop figure (and Run-DMC publicist) Bill Adler's "Tougher Than Leather: The Rise of Run-DMC."

"Most movies made about our culture have been made on a shoestring budget," Simmons said. "Sometimes they're very talented and creative, and they get through it, like 'Notorious.' I don't think Run-DMC's story ... it's not gonna change them if the story is told at this time. It depends on if the studio is as inspired to do it as the producer says he is."

DMC doesn't seem too thrilled about the potential film, either.

"I don't really have anything to do with it," he said about the movie recently. "I'm just happy that somebody thinks I'm important enough to do movie about."

If D had his way, a police officer would crack the Jam Master Jay homicide case, apprehend the criminals and then a movie would be made about the how the murder mystery was solved — not necessarily a big screener about the trio's rise to fame.

"If the movie gets made, I will be involved," Simmons added. "If the movie gets made, it will have the same type of budget of any mainstream Hollywood movie, which almost never happens. So it's really up to them. When they approach us the right way, we can have a discussion. Until then, it's not something we're excited about."

The Queens mogul was thrilled to hear about the group being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"Any time you get an honor like that, it's wonderful. It's great that their work is being acknowledged like that," Simmons remarked. "I'm sure for D and for Joey it's very satisfying. I'm sorry Jay couldn't be here to see it. It's a very beautiful thing that people recognize their work like that."

• Russell Simmons
• Run-D.M.C.
• Jam Master Jay

Taylor Hicks
Photo: Vince Bucci/ Getty Images

Taylor Hicks will use the Saturday and Sunday concerts in his Birmingham, Alabama, hometown to help those affected by a devastating tornado that hit Enterprise earlier this month. The "Idol" winner — who will be headlining shows in the city for the first time since he was crowned — has invited the Red Cross to collect money on site. While in Birmingham, Hicks will also be presented with the key to the city, which he is planning to dedicate to the tornado victims. ...

Jim Jones appeared at Game Stop in New York on Tuesday to take on challengers in EA's new "Def Jam: Icon" video game. Later on that night, Jones joined Russell Simmons, Redman, Chamillionaire and Funkmaster Flex at the release party at Ultra in New York. "This game is f---ing nuts," Redman told MTV News. "This is taking fighting joints to the next level." ...

Speaking of Redman, the rapper has set a March 27 release date for his latest album, Red Gone Wild - Thee Album. Guests include Snoop Dogg, Method Man, Erick Sermon, Keith Murray, Nate Dogg and Biz Markie, while Scott Storch, Timbaland and Rockwilder contributed production. Red, who is performing at South by Southwest on March 16-17, is releasing "Put It Down" as the first single. ... Korn are planning a tentative July 17 release for their yet-untitled new album, which they've been recording since late last year. The band's MTV Unplugged hit stores Tuesday. ...

Blues Traveler singer John Popper was arrested in Washington on Wednesday after police clocked his black Mercedes SUV going 111 mph on Interstate 90. The Associated Press reports that after they stopped him for speeding, police found a cache of weapons — including four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade stashed in a series of hidden compartments — as well as a small amount of marijuana in Popper's car. Authorities also found a Taser and night-vision goggles in the vehicle, which had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public-address system. Popper, 39, is the owner of the car, which was being driven by another man and was seized by police. Authorities plan to charge the pair with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. "Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Washington State Patrol said in a news release. Popper also told officers he collected weapons. Both men were booked and released on their own recognizance. ...

Ozzy Osbourne, Genesis, Heart and ZZ Top have been named as this year's class for the second annual "VH1 Rock Honors." The ceremony will be taped in Las Vegas on May 12 and will air May 24 on VH1. ... Peter Gabriel will not join Genesis for the group's first tour in 15 years, Reuters reports. Expect to see singer/drummer Phil Collins, guitarist Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks on the band's Turn It on Again Tour, which will hit Europe throughout the summer and arrive in North America on September 7. ... Hanson raised almost $3,500 through a LIFEbeat auction over the weekend. The funds will be used to help fight AIDS. ... O.A.R. are back on the road and will continue to be until May 5 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Later this year, the band is planning to release a DVD and double album recorded at its January 27 show at New York's Madison Square Garden. ... The Sword kick off their tour with Priestbird and Year Long Disaster Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The jaunt runs through March 23 in Dallas. ...

Hard-rock rookies Flyleaf are celebrating their self-titled debut LP's gold status with their first headlining trek — and they're doing it for a good cause to boot. The Justice & Mercy Tour will raise funds for World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization fighting poverty and injustice, via a limited-edition EP and specially designed T-shirt the band is selling while on the road. The jaunt begins March 25 in Memphis and wraps April 30 in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. ... The Dismemberment Plan will reunite for a pair of gigs at the Black Cat in their native Washington, D.C., on April 27-28, three-and-a-half years after their breakup. The indie rockers will share the stage with Pilot to Gunner and the Oranges Band the first night, while Beauty Pill and Owls and Crows will open for the Plan the second night. The shows are being held to benefit Callum Robbins, the son of Jawbox frontman J. Robbins; the boy was recently diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, an incurable nerve disorder. Tickets for the shows, priced at $15, have sold out, with all proceeds going directly to the Robbins family. There is no word on whether the reunion will continue beyond these two benefit shows. ...

DJ Spooky has crafted music for "Stop the Clash of Civilizations," a political video designed to help resolve the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Check it out here. ... The Bled will reissue their debut LP, Pass the Flask, March 20. The updated version of the disc will boast an additional 11 tracks, including rare and unreleased cuts. The band plans to work on its next offering this month at Baltimore's Salad Days Studio. The effort will be produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Texas Is the Reason) and hit stores this summer. ... The Blood Brothers have rolled out a slew of new dates as they continue to tour in support of last year's Young Machetes. The latest leg of the band's trek kicks off March 18 in Lawrence, Kansas, and is scheduled to make stops in Minneapolis, Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles before wrapping up April 27 in Seattle. ... Former Cold frontman Scooter Ward's new band When November Falls has signed with I AM: Wolfpack, the label founded by producer Ross Robinson. The band will begin tracking its forthcoming debut, tentatively titled The Series of Emotion, in June for a projected fall release.

03.07.2007

Birthday cake, champagne and dope beats: Two hip-hop moguls held big birthday bashes for their friends Tuesday night in Manhattan, New York. The 40/40 Club was poppin', as Jay-Z called on Roc-A-Fella family members Freeway, Memphis Bleek and the Young Gunz to help celebrate longtime Roc artist Beanie Sigel's b-day. Sigel isn't letting it be known if he's still signed to Jay-Z's label, but from the looks of all the smiles Tuesday night, it didn't matter. Tyrese, model Melyssa Ford, Dres of Black Sheep and of course Beyoncé came out as well. Over at PM, Diddy was in the house for high-ranking Bad Boy executive Harve Pierre's birthday party. Cassie, Mario Winans, DJ Tony Touch, Joe Budden, D-Nice and former Bad Boy hitmaker Stevie J. were all there. ...

Jennifer Hudson is about to become the new Avon lady, Reuters reports. The Oscar winner will be the spokeswoman for the perfume company's Imari brand and new scent, Imari Seduction, it was announced Wednesday (March 7). ... Christina Aguilera's fan club closed down Thursday, according to an announcement posted on the singer's Web site. Former Baby Jane members can log in to the messageboards with their existing username and password, and new users may register for the boards for free. ... Lance Bass will open up about his life, music and sexuality in "Out of Sync," an autobiography due in October, The Associated Press reports. ...

Carrie Underwood is returning to "American Idol" Thursday to perform her latest single, "Wasted." The show will determine the coveted final 12 and is also expected to feature a major announcement from host Ryan Seacrest. Theories are rampant, but it could have something to do with a show executive producer Nigel Lythgoe told MTV News he pitched Fox earlier this year. The program would bring back former "Idol" champs to sing songs written by the finalists of the songwriting competition for this year's finale song. "Let's see Constantine Maroulis again, let's see Ace Young, let's see Tamyra Gray and all of the great people that we voted for over the years," Lythgoe said. "I'd love to do that. And with good reason at the end of the day for doing it, which is to produce the song that the next 'American Idol' is going to sing." ... In other "Idol" news, along with producing Travis Tritt's new album and managing Van Hunt and Nikki Costa, Randy Jackson is launching an independent label and plans to release a jazz-inspired solo record this summer. Jackson compared the project to collaborative efforts released by Quincy Jones. "He had more concept records where he had a bunch of different artists doing a bunch of things," Jackson said. ...

Britney Spears will have a big career comeback if Timbaland has anything to do with it. The producer told Entertainment Weekly that he'd like to work with Spears on new music — and his frequent collaborator (and Britney's ex) Justin Timberlake may be onboard as well. "I'm the type of person who tries to save the world," Timbaland said. "I just want to take her away, go overseas and work [it] out. ... I asked Justin, 'How would you feel about me working with Britney?' ... 'Would you do it with me?' " Timbaland told the magazine that JT was willing to get involved. "She's just gotta be serious."

Hawthorne Heights won a key court battle this week against their now-former label, Victory Records, when a federal judge ruled that Victory does not have an exclusive right to the band's services. "The band is free to record and release material either on their own or with any other record company," said Hawthorne attorney Rhonda Trotter. In an attempt to get out of its contract, the band sued Victory in August, claiming owner Tony Brummel's "scheming" actions had seriously damaged Hawthorne's reputation. Though the court ruled that their contract with Victory was nonexclusive, the judge asked for more time to decide whether HH or Victory own the copyrights to the band's first two albums. Lawyers for Victory filed a motion on Tuesday asking the judge to reconsider the ruling. Trotter said the band is reviewing its options but has not yet decided how it will release its next album. ...

Sacha Baron Cohen bum-rushed the White House last year as part of a publicity stunt for his "Borat" movie, but now his character might be finding an unlikely ally in Condi Rice, of all people. According to Reuters, Borat is cited in the State Department's annual human-rights report, which criticizes Kazakhstan — where Borat supposedly hails from — for numerous abuses, including increased restrictions on free speech. Among the abuses the report points out was the Kazakhstan government's revocation of Borat.KZ, a site it deemed offensive. ... Jimi Hendrix's family is suing a vodka seller for what, in a press release, it calls the "unauthorized, tasteless promotion" of the late guitarist's name in a marketing campaign. Experience Hendrix, the Hendrix family company, filed a federal lawsuit against Seattle businessman Craig Dieffenbach for using trademarked material to market Hendrix Electric Vodka and other products. ... Angelina Jolie will be united in three months or sooner with the Vietnamese boy she is adopting, an adoption official from the country has told AP. ...

After masquerading as the New Pantheon award for all of one year, the Shortlist Music Prize is back, and recently announced its panel of nine listmakers and the initial "long list" of nominees for the award. Panic! at the Disco, Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall and Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne are among the artists who have submitted lists of their favorite records of the past year, all of which have been compiled into an initial list of 61 nominees — including Beck's The Information, Hot Chip's The Warning, the Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Show Your Bones. That list will be whittled down to 10 finalists in April, with the Shortlist winner to be announced later this spring. Any album released during 2006 was eligible for the Shortlist, so long as it had not been certified gold (500,000 copies shipped) during the calendar year. Previous winners include Sigur Rós, TV on the Radio and Sufjan Stevens. ...

Tool have rescheduled the 10 tour dates they recently postponed after drummer Danny Carey tore his bicep. The band will play Reno, Nevada, on April 30; San Diego on May 2; Las Cruces, New Mexico, on May 5; Tucson, Arizona, on May 6; Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 8; Southaven, Missouri, on May 15; Oklahoma City on May 19; San Antonio on May 21; Corpus Christi, Texas, on May 22; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on May 24. Additional tour dates are expected to be announced shortly. ... "American Idol" contestants aren't safe from judge Simon Cowell, even when they're long off the show. At the Museum of Television and Radio's 24th annual Paley Festival in West Hollywood, California, last week, Cowell targeted Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and "Idol" champ Taylor Hicks. "Hudson said 'American Idol' was a 'stepping stone' for her," Cowell said. "Stepping stone? It was her big opportunity to become noticed and she got noticed and she got 'Dreamgirls,' " he said, adding, "The reason people come on the show is because all the doors have been slammed in their face." As for "Idol" winner Taylor Hicks, "Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson loved him," Cowell said. "I couldn't stand him. Just because you win the show doesn't mean you will sell a lot of records. [Chris Daughtry] is the one who sold the albums, not Taylor." ...

A new law proposed by Connecticut legislators would require social-networking sites such as MySpace to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors, AP reports. The bill was presented Wednesday, a day after a Connecticut man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for using MySpace to meet an underage girl he'd planned to have sex with. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal estimated that 10 to 20 other states are considering similar laws. "The technology is available," he said. "The solution is financially feasible, practically doable. If we can put a man on the moon, we can check ages of people on these Web sites." ... The future of many Internet radio stations could be in jeopardy thanks to a ruling Tuesday by an obscure panel of federal copyright judges. The decision by the Copyright Royalty Board significantly increased the royalties paid to musicians and record labels for streaming digital songs online, ending a discounted fee for small Internet broadcasters that some say could put them out of business, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Per the board's ruling, the current rate of 0.08 of a cent each time a song is played would more than double by 2010, resulting in fees that many small broadcasters say they cannot afford.

• Korn 'Unplugged' (Full Concert)
• Peep Show: 'Def Jam: Icon'

• Taylor Hicks
• Redman
• Jim Jones
• Russell Simmons
• Korn

Paris Hilton's <I>Paris</I>
Photo: Warner Bros.

If "Stars Are Blind" whetted your appetite for more Paris Hilton music, get ready to have your patience tested. Fans — and curious observers — will have to wait two more weeks to get their hands on Hilton's debut album, Paris. The disc, previously set for August 8 release, has been pushed back to August 22. ...

A $1.5 million breach-of-contract lawsuit has been filed against Beyoncé, her mother/manager Tina Knowles and Wear Me Apparel Corp, the company Knowles is collaborating with for her House of Dereon clothing line. Icon Entertainment CEO Greg Walker filed the suit in New York State Supreme Court Wednesday, claiming he has not been fully paid for securing the $15 million deal between Knowles and Wear Me Apparel. ...

Britney Spears followed up her mysterious May 22 poem "Remembrance of Who I Am" with a new message in the "Stream of Consciousness" section of her Web site. "In some ways, people are like animals," Spears wrote in a post titled "Tigers." "We all hunger for the same things: Love, lust, danger, warmth and adventure." Spears explains her fascination with tigers in the note posted Tuesday, leading off with a quote from the William Blake poem "The Tyger" before revealing, "I'm mesmerized by tigers. Their eyes, their stripes, their constant quest for survival. ... They pull you in and make it difficult to look away." ...

Remy Ma has been added to the lineup for Jamaica's Saddle to the East 2006, and she'll be bringing dancehall DJ Bounty Killer along for the ride. Elephant Man, Green Lantern, Wayne Wonder and others are also slated for the August 26 event, which will benefit Upliftment Jamaica, a nonprofit that provides health, education and social services for the country's impoverished parishes. ... A Jane's Addiction compilation titled Up From the Catacombs will land in stores on September 19. The disc will feature 16 cuts, all plucked from the band's discography — there will be no fresh or unreleased tracks on the record. Look for it to include the songs "Been Caught Stealing," "Summertime Rolls," "Classic Girl," "Three Days" and "Just Because." ...

Haley Joel Osment, 18, was hospitalized early Thursday (July 20) after his car hit a brick pillar and flipped over, The Associated Press reports. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the actor, who was alone and driving a 1995 Saturn, apparently lost control of the car while driving through a Los Angeles suburb at 1 a.m. Osment was conscious and talking after the crash and was taken to a hospital near the site of the accident. ... Two days after the U.K.'s National Enquirer retracted published reports that Britney Spears' marriage to Kevin Federline was in trouble, the tabloid offered an undisclosed payment to settle a libel suit filed by Kate Hudson, the AP reports. Hudson sued the Enquirer over an October story that stated the actress was "way too thin" and that her mother, Goldie Hawn, planned to confront her about her weight. Publisher American Media Inc. also acknowledged in a London court Thursday that the allegations were false and agreed to print an apology. ...

Jessica Biel promised she's a "cheap date" — good news for the man who forked over $30,000 Tuesday night to take her to lunch. Biel volunteered her company in an auction to raise money for Colorado teen Molly Bloom, who lost her left leg in a prom night limousine accident, The Rocky Mountain News reports. The winning bid came from a Denver businessman who would only identify himself as "John." ... Harmony for Humanity, the fifth annual edition of Daniel Pearl World Music Days, will be held October 6-15. The event, named after and inspired by the journalist who was kidnapped and killed in Pakistan in 2002, aims to unite musicians in a network of concerts promoting hope and solidarity. The World Music Days committee includes R.E.M., Elton John and Russell Simmons. Head to music-days.org for more information on how you can take part in the Harmony for Humanity event. ...

Recent "You Hear It First" band Dirty on Purpose kicked off a summer tour in support of their debut album, Hallelujah Sirens this week. The 29-date trek hits North Manchester, Indiana, on Thursday and wraps up August 29 in Washington, D.C. ... The reunited Murder City Devils join Pretty Girls Make Graves, Band of Horses, Minus the Bear and Helio Sequence among the bands on the lineup for Seattle's Capitol Hill Block Party. The two-day event kicks off July 29 at 3 p.m. For directions and ticket information, head to CapitolHillBlockParty.com. ... The Veils have posted "Advice to Young Mothers to Be," the first single from their upcoming album Nux Vomica, at MySpace.com/theveils. The band is currently touring Europe. ... Former Village People policeman Victor Willis pleaded no contest to drug possession charges Wednesday, the AP reports. Willis, who was arrested in March — and already faced a bench warrant for failing to appear for an October sentencing for another drug charge — will remain in custody until September 1, at which time a judge will decide whether the singer should be sentenced to prison or a residential drug treatment program.

07.19.2006

August 20 is going to be a big night for Kevin Federline. Britney Spears' rapper/dancer husband will make his network-television performance debut on Teen Choice 2006, closing the awards show with "Lose Control" from his upcoming Playing With Fire album. Jessica Simpson, who is up for three Teen Choice prizes, will be co-hosting the show with "Employee of the Month" co-star Dane Cook. The event will air live on Fox. Teen Choice votes are being accepted until August 11 at TeenPeople.com. ...

T.I. has signed on for another film role, and this time the rapper/actor will be playing a used-car salesman. The movie, tentatively titled "For Sale," will be the first film project from T.I.'s Grand Hustle Entertainment, Variety reports. It's set at an unpopular used-car lot in Atlanta. ...

Tired of the theme song to Showtime's pot-centric series "Weeds"? Perhaps star Mary-Louise Parker was too. The show's opening tune, "Little Boxes," will be reinterpreted each week of its upcoming second season by different artists, including Death Cab for Cutie, Elvis Costello, Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, Tim DeLaughter of the Polyphonic Spree, Regina Spektor and Ozomatli. Guests on the second season — which kicks off August 14 — will include Zooey Deschanel and Snoop Dogg, who will star as himself and record a song about smoking on the show. ... The All-American Rejects announced Tuesday that they are canceling the remainder of their Canadian tour — which included shows in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver — after doctors ordered frontman Tyson Ritter to rest his voice. The band hopes that a week off the road will help Ritter's throat, and the Rejects intend to play their next scheduled show, a July 26 gig at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. They made the announcement via a post on their Web site and concluded by pledging to make up the Canadian dates "later this year." ... Los Angeles is the place to be Saturday if you're an electronic-music fan. Paul Oakenfold, the Crystal Method, Deep Dish, John Digweed, Christopher Lawrence and other big names will be taking over four city blocks downtown from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. the following morning. Ten thousand attendees are expected for the five-stage Giant Village block party. ...

Hot Hot Heat have been added to the roster for this year's Hedgpeth Festival, set to take place July 28 and July 29 in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. Primus and the Flaming Lips are headlining. ... KT Tunstall has lined up a two-month North American headlining tour, which kicks off September 8 in Philadelphia and will hit cities including Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Nashville and Cincinnati before finishing up October 11 in Providence, Rhode Island. Tunstall will be featured on the PBS music series "Soundstage" on July 27. ... Former Savage Garden singer Darren Hayes wed his boyfriend of two years last month in a civil union in London, he announced on his Web site Monday. "As so many of you have given me your heart and soul over the past 10 years I thought it only fitting that I too return the respect and inform you of the most significant event in my life," Hayes wrote. He called June 19, the day of the ceremony, his "happiest day." ... There certainly are a lot of people out there who can relate to Daniel Powter's rotten 24 hours. The Canadian singer/songwriter's label announced that "Bad Day" has become the best-selling digital single in the U.S. to date, with nearly 1.7 million downloads. Powter kicked off his first U.S. tour Monday. ... Ashlee Simpson is stepping into the shoes of Christina Aguilera and Carrie Underwood — as a spokesperson for Skechers footwear. Simpson, who will promote the line through 2007, says she has something in common with the shoes. "Like me, they are not afraid of taking chances and having fun." ...

Ozzy Osbourne leads a panel of artists and music-industry players presiding over the sixth annual Independent Music Awards. Cyndi Lauper, Buddy Guy, Fatboy Slim, Afrika Bambaataa, Beenie Man, Tim Panotta of Sugarcult and Paul Oakenfold are among the judges for the competition, which honors achievements in genres from heavy metal to gospel. This year marks the first Sing Out for Social Action prize, awarded to politically conscious performers. Entry forms for interested musicians are available at IndependentMusicAwards.com. Submissions are due by August 25. ... The governor of Arkansas is preparing to pardon Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards for a 31-year-old reckless driving charge, The Associated Press reports. Richards was pulled over July 5, 1975, and paid a $162 fine. A clemency petition has been filed and now Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who plays bass in a band called Capitol Offense, will have the option of wiping Richards' record clean in 30 days. ... Pacific Northwest indie rockers Band of Horses have announced a fall U.S. tour. The 24-date trek kicks off in their hometown of Seattle on July 28, hits New York a whopping four times and finishes off back in Seattle for a two-night stand at the Showbox on November 4 and 5.

• Paris Hilton
• Britney Spears
• Russell Simmons
• R.E.M.
• Dirty on Purpose

Ja Rule and Irv Gotti
Photo: Soulbrother

BROOKLYN, New York — A who's who of hip-hop turned out Wednesday (November 30) for closing arguments in the federal money-laundering trial of Inc. principals Irv and Chris Gotti.

Jay-Z, Ja Rule, Ashanti, Russell Simmons, Damon Dash and Fat Joe — as well as professional poker player Phil Ivey — were all on hand in support of the rap moguls. The Gotti brothers are accused of cleaning more than $1 million in illicit drug profits for convicted New York crack kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff (see "Irv Gotti Pleads Not Guilty, Released On $1 Million Bond"). They face up to 20 years behind bars apiece if convicted (see "Prosecution Rests In Gotti Brothers Trial").

"[They're] my boys, my blood — if they take a hit, I take a hit," Ja Rule told reporters outside the Brooklyn federal courthouse. Simmons characterized the prosecution's case against the Gottis (born Irving and Christopher Lorenzo) as a "tremendous waste of resources." He also questioned the government's motives when, more than three years after the shooting death of Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay in Queens, those responsible for the DJ's death remain at large (see "Jam Master Jay, Run-DMC DJ, Killed In Shooting"). "Poverty and ignorance [are] more of a problem in our community than convicting our poets," Simmons added.

The day's proceedings began with prosecutor Carolyn Pokorny's summation, during which she reiterated the government's position: that the Gottis laundered cash for "one of the biggest, baddest, most dangerous drug lords in New York City." Bags stuffed with thousands of dollars, she said, were being toted to the Gottis during the course of several years. "Dirty, filthy dope money came in," she explained, and the brothers, in return, supplied McGriff — who headed his own gang of drug dealers, dubbed "the Supreme Team" — with legitimate checks written on the Inc.'s corporate bank accounts.

The Gottis, Pokorny said, "[had] to know [McGriff's cash] was bad, that it came from some kind of a crime" and "made an effort to hide what was going on. They helped a drug lord hide what he was doing." She added that they paid more than $50,000 for hotel stays and trips McGriff had taken — in effect helping him "masquerade around the country like a music executive."

She further accused the Gottis of covertly cutting sham checks for McGriff that were camouflaged as investments in a straight-to-DVD 2001 film called "Crime Partners," starring Ice-T and Snoop Dogg. A similar cash-for-check ruse, she said, was employed to secure the rights to transform the novel of the same name, penned by Donald Goines, into a film from Goines' estate. Additionally, Pokorny told the jurors that the "cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake" was Irv Gotti's involvement in securing a $1 million soundtrack deal with Island/ Def Jam for the film, "which was made with drug money."

Later, Pokorny said Irv supplied McGriff with free songs for the soundtrack from some of the artists on his label's roster, including Ashanti and Ja Rule.

	Jay-Z, Ashanti, Russell Simmons and Ja Rule in court on Wednesday

"Did they give him millions of dollars [in trips, checks and free songs from platinum artists] for free, or did they take drug money?" she said. "There's overwhelming proof that they did," including text-messaged exchanges between the brothers Gotti and McGriff. She also concentrated on a document appearing to be the Inc.'s overhead budget, which was seized from Chris' Manhattan office when the government raided the label's base of operations in 2003 (see "Drugs, Friends & Allegations: Inside The Murder Inc. Raid"). Several of McGriff's most trusted drug dealers were on the Inc.'s payroll, she pointed out, including Ja's one-time bodyguard and Irv's driver. The latter was busted in 2001 for drug possession, and the Gottis paid $50,000 to bail him out — more evidence that pointed to the brothers' guilt, she insisted.

Pokorny, sensing (correctly) that the defense would focus its attack on the credibility of the government's witnesses, commended them for stepping forward and testifying, considering McGriff was "a street thug" and "the most dangerous man in New York." Before beseeching the jurors to find guilt, she charged that the defense team tried to "distract [the jury] with talk about Ja Rule and Jay-Z," who, conveniently, were seated in the front row.

Chris' lawyer, Gerald Shargel, said the government's entire case was "built on speculation and guesswork" and accused the prosecution of "looking at [all of the evidence obtained via the Inc. raid] through dirty glasses." He said the government didn't have a shred of evidence suggesting the Gottis received money from McGriff.

The government's "pathetic" case is so "weak that it's a shame those two men are sitting there," he said, pointing to Irv and Chris. He told the jurors it didn't matter that McGriff was New York's most lethal drug dealer (a classification Irv's attorney, Gerald Lefcourt, would later question) or that he was a dealer at all. The Gottis committed no crime, Shargel said, and the government was trying to show guilt by association.

"There is nothing illegal about giving financial backing for a movie. It's not illegal to be friends with a criminal," he said. "It's not illegal to talk to a criminal. It's not illegal to pay for someone's trips. It's not illegal to post bail for someone. Knowing criminals and doing business with criminals doesn't make you a criminal."

He reiterated the basis for his entire defense, saying the association between McGriff and the Gottis afforded the music moguls added street credibility and helped ward off threats to their empire and their lives. As for those trips? Shargel said money was no object to the Gottis, what with "money flowing [into the label] like a mighty stream."

He also attacked the government's witnesses, saying some of them were self-admitted criminals and liars and that their testimonies seem contradictory.

"This is a case that has not been proven," said Shargel, who has represented several high-profile clients in the past, including reputed mobster John Gotti. "This has gone on long enough. Irv and Chris are not guilty."

In his closing, Lefcourt said the government spent years trying to find evidence of money-laundering that wasn't there and was desperate for a conviction — prosecutors "had their eyes on the prize," as he put it. And Lefcourt, like Simmons, wondered if there was something beneath the surface that fueled the investigation.

"There's a cultural divide between these tables," Lefcourt said. "The prosecution doesn't like rap music. They don't like the way they talk. They don't like the lifestyle. They don't like the name Murder Inc. They don't like the name Irv Gotti. Well, too bad. In this country, they have no business making [the Gottis] the prize."

The jury will begin deliberations Thursday morning, and a verdict is expected before the weekend.

• Irv Gotti
• Ja Rule
• Ashanti
• Jay-Z
• Fat Joe

Russell Simmons (file)
Photo: Paul Hawthorne

Russell Simmons is playing up his activist side with a new role as spokesperson for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The hip-hop mogul and animal lover is helping the ASPCA launch a national campaign to raise awareness of animal abuse and neglect, the organization announced Tuesday.

The campaign features Simmons in a television and print public service announcement encouraging Americans to be observant of animal cruelty in their neighborhoods and to visit the ASPCA's Web site to learn how to identify animal cruelty.

"There is nothing cool about being cruel to animals," Simmons said in a statement released by the ASPCA. "They have no choice and no voice. Animal cruelty happens every day in America and people just sit by and do nothing."

Simmons is joined in the advertisements by a 7-year-old dog named Emi Fitzgerald, who was rescued by an ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement agent from a dog-fighting lot in New York's South Bronx in 1999, after an anonymous complaint was filed.

"The ASPCA is fortunate to have Russell Simmons joining us in our campaign to eliminate animal cruelty through awareness and action," said Edwin J. Sayres, ASPCA president. "Every day, Americans witness animal cruelty and simply don't know what to do. The goal of this campaign is to let people know that animal abuse is a crime and if they see it, they need to report it."

In addition to the national campaign, the ASPCA will also launch a pilot program in the Big Apple to encourage New Yorkers to anonymously report animal abuse through a new toll-free hotline (1-877-THE-ASPCA).

• Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons (file)
Photo: True Majority

Russell Simmons has emerged victorious in his battle against New York State's harsh drug laws, which had mandated 15 years to life for some first-time low-level narcotics offenders, the toughest such minimum sentencing laws in the nation.

On Tuesday, state lawmakers voted to reduce penalties imposed by the so-called Rockefeller drug laws.

Reforming the laws has been an ongoing campaign, and in the past few years hip-hop artists and celebrities have joined the fray. Rap mogul Simmons got involved in 2003 when he gathered celebrity friends and rallied outside New York City Hall (see "Diddy, Jay-Z, Susan Sarandon Rally Against New York Drug Laws ").

"We are very happy and proud of all the support and efforts by hip-hop artists and other community activists that helped to bring about today's agreement to reform the Rockefeller drug laws," the Def Jam co-founder said in a statement released Tuesday evening.

The laws were enacted in 1973 when former New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller pushed statutes through the New York legislature to impose stiffer sentences on drug offenders.

Governor George Pataki has said he will sign the bipartisan legislative agreement, reached by Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, which would reduce sentences for first-time offenders to eight to 20 years, according to The New York Times.

In addition, more than 400 inmates currently serving prison sentences based upon the prior mandates will be allowed to apply for early release.

Another change that had also been discussed in prior legislative meetings, to allow judges to mandate drug-treatment programs to some offenders in lieu of prison time, was not part of the reform agreed upon on Tuesday.

Simmons nonetheless expressed satisfaction with the changes.

"Of course we wanted more," he said, "but it's as much as we could have realistically hoped for, and it finally broke the stalemate."

• Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons (file)
Photo: MTV News

Russell Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network announced on Wednesday that its large-scale March on New York, planned to coincide with the first day of the Republican National Convention, has been canceled.

"Due to increased security measures and safety concerns around the Republican National Convention, and the timing of the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami ... the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network has decided not to participate in the March on New York," the group said in a statement. "The large-scale march we had originally planned, given these circumstances, is not now feasible."

Plans for the march, intended to raise public awareness about New York's Rockefeller drug laws — which mandate prison terms for individuals found guilty of possessing small amounts of drugs — were originally announced back in April (see "Russell Simmons To Greet GOP Convention With Hip-Hop March"). The network then began the process of applying for a permit to march and rally on August 30, the first day of the RNC. When HSAN learned that other groups, including Still We Rise — a civil-liberties organization — also intended to march on that date, they filed a joint application with the New York City Police Department, and the protest officially became known as the March on New York: Still We Rise.

"We wish ... the Still We Rise coalition all the best for success in their mobilization, march and assembly on August 30," the network said. "The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will make a donation to Still We Rise in support of them. HSAN looks forward to continuing its work to increase public awareness around the unfairness of the Rockefeller drug laws."

• Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons (file)
Photo: MTV News

Russell Simmons is expecting "the biggest hip-hop gathering ever" to take place this summer in New York.

On August 30, the same day the Republican National Convention commences in the Big Apple, Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network are planning to hold "The March on New York."

According to a spokesperson for the HHSAN, Simmons' organization is planning for tens of thousands to converge on NYC, and is calling out to people all over the world to participate. The group is expecting that members of the hip-hop community will have a particularly strong presence at the march. So far no artists are confirmed, but the HHSAN says it will announce names throughout the summer.

The three main topics Simmons wants to address at the March on New York are the three he's been speaking about most ardently for the past year: the elimination of the Rockefeller drug laws (see "Diddy, Jay-Z, Susan Sarandon Rally Against New York Drug Laws"), national funding for deprived schools across the country, and voter registration.

The HHSAN is working with the New York Civil Liberties Union to lock down the site of the march. If Simmons has his way, the March on New York will take place on 7th Avenue between 24th and 34th Streets from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Republican National Convention is being held at Madison Square Garden, located at 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets.

A New York Hip-Hop Summit is also in the works for August 30.

• Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons (file)
Photo: MTV News

Russell Simmons is expecting "the biggest hip-hop gathering ever" to take place this summer in New York.

On August 30, the same day the Republican National Convention commences in the Big Apple, Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network are planning to hold "The March on New York."

According to a spokesperson for the HHSAN, Simmons' organization is planning for tens of thousands to converge on NYC, and is calling out to people all over the world to participate. The group is expecting that members of the hip-hop community will have a particularly strong presence at the march. So far no artists are confirmed, but the HHSAN says it will announce names throughout the summer.

The three main topics Simmons wants to address at the March on New York are the three he's been speaking about most ardently for the past year: the elimination of the Rockefeller drug laws (see "Diddy, Jay-Z, Susan Sarandon Rally Against New York Drug Laws"), national funding for deprived schools across the country, and voter registration.

The HHSAN is working with the New York Civil Liberties Union to lock down the site of the march. If Simmons has his way, the March on New York will take place on 7th Avenue between 24th and 34th Streets from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Republican National Convention is being held at Madison Square Garden, located at 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets.

A New York Hip-Hop Summit is also in the works for August 30.

For more political news, insight into the 2004 presidential election and information on registering to vote, check out Choose or Lose.

• Russell Simmons

The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove, More Arrive At 2009 Kids' Choice Awards

• Jonas Brothers
• Miley Cyrus
• Miranda Cosgrove
• Vanessa Hudgens
• Ashley Tisdale

Tyra Banks, Ashley Olsen, Mandy Moore, More At New York Fashion Week

• Kat DeLuna
• Mandy Moore
• Christina Milian
• Joss Stone
• Damon Dash

Grammy Parties: Scarlett, Christina, Justin, Katharine And More

• Timbaland
• Nelly Furtado
• Natasha Bedingfield
• JC Chasez
• Rich Boy

Alicia Keys, Tom Cruise, More Help Raise Money For AIDS Orphans At The Black Ball

• Alicia Keys
• Russell Simmons

Who's Who In Hollywood: The 'Vanity Fair' Post-Oscar Party

• Three 6 Mafia
• Lindsay Lohan
• Madonna
• John Legend
• Ludacris

P. Diddy, Beyonce, LL Cool J, More At Vibe Awards

• Diddy
• Beyoncé
• LL Cool J
• Mary J. Blige
• Ludacris

Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, More Meet The Press At Madison Square Garden

• Jay-Z
• Memphis Bleek
• Russell Simmons
• Run-D.M.C.

Hip Hop For Education

• Diddy
• Alicia Keys
• Run-D.M.C.
• Russell Simmons
• Jay-Z