Despite police confirming Foxy Brown had indeed filed a robbery report, the rapper's management team is now claiming she was not stripped of valuable possessions -- including a hearing aid and credit cards -- over the weekend in Brooklyn, New York, but rather that she simply "lost" her bag. According to New York's Daily News, Chaz Williams of Black Hand Entertainment displayed the stolen Louis Vuitton bag and several other items to the newspaper to prove his claim and also stated Brown does not need to cooperate with authorities any longer regarding the incident. Brown may also be heading for more hot water, as the News also reported she missed a scheduled probation meeting Friday, which resulted in a stern letter probation officials posted on the door of her home. ...

Dina Lohan told the Daily News that her daughter Lindsay voluntarily chose to extend her stay at the Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility in Malibu, California. "She's going to be dong extended care," she said. "It was her choice." The singer/actress entered the treatment center after a tumultuous Memorial Day weekend. Also, a New York judge on Tuesday (June 26) ordered Dina Lohan and her husband Michael Lohan to undergo family therapy, although it's not yet determined if they'll be attending the sessions together, according to The Associated Press. ...

The last installment of the "Harry Potter" series is going to have fans dancing in the streets -- for real. Scholastic is throwing a "Deathly Hallows" celebration at its New York headquarters that will feature magicians, jugglers, face-painting, wand-making and a giant Muggle board on which fans can leave personal messages. What's being dubbed "Harry Potter Place" will be open to the public on July 20 from 5 p.m.-11 p.m., with a big clock counting down to the 12:01 a.m. release of the book the following day. ...

Phil Spector's defense called its first witness, a forensics expert, to the stand Tuesday. Dr. Vincent DiMaio testified that he believed actress Lana Clarkson probably committed suicide in light of the blood spatter and gunshot residue evidence. "She's got blood on her hands, she's got gunshot residue -- that's 99 percent suicide," he said. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler recessed trial for the day before the prosecution could begin cross-examining DiMaio. While the defense began calling witnesses Tuesday, the prosecution still wants Spector's ex-attorney Sara Caplan to take the stand about a missing piece of evidence. ...

Avenged Sevenfold are looking to give one lucky fan the chance to produce the band's forthcoming LP for a day. Those interested must upload a short video (less than two minutes long) to either YouTube, DailyMotion or another sponsoring Web site explaining why they would be the best pick to get into the studio and work with the band. Entries must also be sent to a7xproducerforaday@yahoo.com, and the winner will be chosen on Monday. Technical know-how in the recording studio is not required. ... The Smashing Pumpkins have announced the lineup of opening acts for their upcoming sold-out residency tour. Among the groups scheduled to share the stage with the band for its first full U.S. tour since 2000 are: Celebration, Scissors for Lefty, Deerhunter, the Films, Gliss, Fair to Midland, War Tapes, Test Your Reflex, Idiot Pilot, Moving Units, Stars Of Track and Field, Black Angels and the 88. ... Swizz Beatz, Bryan Michael-Cox and Polow Da Don collaborated over the weekend, but not for a new song -- rather, the trio teamed up to host the Producers Ball Sunday night at Los Angeles' Wilshire Royale Hotel. DJs Gomez Warren and Trauma spun tracks as Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri, Johnta Austin and Kim Kardashian danced along. ...

Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson detailed his relationship with Jay-Z in a recent interview with The Kansas City Star. The Pro Bowl star, who sports a Roc-A-Fella necklace like Jay, called the rapper and executive a mentor of his. "He definitely didn't want me to do that Fantasia video ['When I See U']," Johnson explained. "I definitely got cussed out for that one. He told me there were a lot of things he wanted to do, but he couldn't do them. He said, 'You gotta be able to look at yourself as a business, as stock, and the less things you do, the more people will have interest in you. The more things you do, you water down your value.' " ... "American Idol" finalist Melinda Doolittle will travel to Zambia on Thursday with first lady Laura Bush and the group Malaria No More for a mission that will include the distribution of 500,000 bed nets funded by this year's "Idol Gives Back" charity special. A press release announcing the four-day trip said Doolittle will see the impact of malaria firsthand as she helps deliver the first installment of the $70 million raised during the "Idol" telethon to help aid children in the U.S. and Africa. ...

Buff "300" star Gerard Butler will join Ludacris in Guy Ritchie's upcoming crime caper "RocknRolla." The film, written and directed by Ritchie, is slated to begin production in London soon, according to Variety magazine. It revolves around a Russian mobster who orchestrates a crooked land deal, putting millions of dollars up for grabs and attracting London's criminal underworld. ... Henry Rollins has signed on to front the Ruts -- the reggae-influenced British punk band that split up following the 1980 overdose death of charismatic frontman Malcolm Owen -- for a benefit gig in London next month. Proceeds from the July 16 show, to be held at London's Carling Academy, will benefit guitarist Paul Fox -- who is suffering from untreatable lung cancer -- and various cancer charities. Rollins will take the place of Owen during the reunion concert. ...

Thrice have parted ways with their label, Island Records. In a statement from the band, the boys claim that, "over the past couple of years, we've realized that we have different visions for the band's future and we both agree that we'd be better off going our separate ways at this point. We're very grateful for all the help and support they've given us for the past four years. Thankfully, they've been generous enough to let us keep the record we're currently recording, and we're hopeful that this change in plans won't delay its release." Thrice are now looking for a new label home and plan to continue working on the follow-up to 2005's Vheissu, which might be out before year's end. ... Staind singer Aaron Lewis has announced the dates for his latest string of solo acoustic shows. The band's Web site reports that the Have Guitar, Will Travel gigs will kick off July 27 at the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and be staged at theaters around the country through an August 29 date at the Hampton Beach Casino in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. Staind will play a few weeks of shows before Lewis' solo dates, opening for Nickelback in early July and headlining a handful of shows on the East Coast. ...

In a move that should surprise absolutely no one, the release of the first volume of Neil Young's oft-delayed collection, The Archives Vol. 01, has been bumped to 2008. The notoriously perfectionist Young has reportedly been working on the massive eight-CD/two-DVD set (which spans 1963-72 and includes a truckload of rare, unreleased and live audio and video material) for more than a decade -- and that's just the first volume. The set, described as "the definitive audiobiography," is now slated to arrive early next year, but don't hold your breath. Check the collection's site for more info. ... Joss Stone has been in the news in recent months after a controversial appearance at the Brit Awards, but it seems the soul singer is actually turning the tables and making news now. Stone donned a blazer and glasses for a parody news broadcast poking fun at infamous blogger Perez Hilton. "I'm sure he-slash-she tries," Stone said in the YouTube clip. "[But] the torrent of lies spew forth from a mouth that is so spoiled it make never be cleansed without your help." The clip then throws to a link for HelpPerezHilton.com, which is registered but currently without any content. ...

Disgraced former boy band impresario Lou Pearlman is back in the United States after arriving in Los Angeles on Monday, according to AP. Pearlman had been under arrest on one charge of bank fraud in the U.S. territory of Guam after his expulsion from Indonesia earlier this month. He is accused of fraudulently securing $20 million in loans for himself and his companies using faked financial documents from a bogus accounting firm. ... Hundreds of Internet radio webcasters participated in a Day of Silence on Tuesday (June 26) to protest the recent hike in fees that they will have to pay to stream radio stations online. Among the broadcasters protesting the new royalty rates -- slated to go into effect on July 15 and retroactive to January 1, 2006 -- are Rhapsody, Pandora, Live365, WOXY.com, Soma FM, KCRW, MTV Radio and Radio Paradise. Many of the broadcasters have warned that they could be forced out of business if the rates go into effect, because they would result in annual fees of nearly $1 billion for a marginal industry that struggled to pay $20 million in fees last year. ...

A woman who successfully defended herself against a lawsuit by the Recording Industry Association of America has turned around and filed suit against the music industry trade group, a host of major labels and the company that helps the RIAA investigate alleged copyright infringers. According to Wired.com, after defending herself for two years against a financially debilitating suit by the RIAA, Tanya Andersen filed suit on Monday against Atlantic Recording Corporation, Priority Records, Capitol Records, UMG Recordings, BMG Music, the RIAA, MediaSentry and Settlement Support Center, claiming that the RIAA's methods are criminal and that its lawyers are needlessly harsh in pursuing defendants. It also claims that MediaSentry's investigations, which have allegedly been the "sole" basis of tens of thousands of copyright infringement lawsuits filed by the RIAA, are "illegal, flawed and negligent."

06.25.2007

Christina Aguilera told The Associated Press she's been reading scripts with the hopes of launching an acting career. "I am looking forward to moving into another form of what I feel is another creative outlet for me and that would be acting," she said. Without shedding light on which scripts or roles she is considering, she added, "[Acting] is something that, when I attempt to do it, I want to do it right so it's important for me that I do choose the right first role for myself." ...

50 Cent is embroiled in another feud -- he and Shaniqua Tompkins, mother of his 10-year-old son, Marquise Jackson, are wrangling over child-support payments, AP reports. The rapper's monthly payments of $25,000 for child support and household expenses aren't enough for Tompkins, whose lawyer Raoul Felder says, "[50 is] worth tens and tens of millions of dollars." On the other hand, the rapper's lawyer Brett Kimmel told the Daily News, "Her demands keep escalating." 50 showed up to a family court in Long Island, New York, on Friday in an armored SUV with a satellite dish. Closed-door hearings are scheduled to continue this week. ...

"American Idol" hopefuls, it's time to start warming up those pipes -- auditions for the seventh season of the show will begin July 30 at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. Wristbands will be given out from July 28 until 8 a.m. on the 30th. Auditions will continue at Dallas' Texas Stadium (August 6); Omaha's Qwest Center (August 10); a to-be-determined venue in Atlanta (August 14); Charleston, South Carolina's North Charleston Coliseum (August 18); Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena (August 22); and Philadelphia's Wachovia Complex (August 27). ...

Britney Spears and Rosie O'Donnell, together at last? According to People, Spears' choreographer told the magazine the singer will join Cyndi Lauper and others onstage Saturday at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre for a stop on the True Colors concert tour, which has sometimes featured O'Donnell playing drums. In a video blog shot during a stop in Texas, O'Donnell said, "Brit, if you're watching, honey, you and me -- we're gonna share, like, a backstage moment, 'cause I love you, kid!" O'Donnell, who is expected to perform standup at the show, said Spears' alleged appearance was news to Lauper, whose representative declined to comment to People. ...

Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Kelly Rowland and John Legend will join Nigerian artists in Africa next month for the Thisday Festival, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the abolishment movement this year. The event unfolds July 14-15, and many of the participating artists are visiting the country for the first time. "I've heard nothing but good things and can't wait to get over there and give back some of the love that I've been given from over there," Ne-Yo said in a statement. "It's an honor and a pleasure to even get the opportunity to visit, let alone perform. ...

Paris Hilton was having some trouble late last week squaring away her first post-jail interview, but the problem was cleared up over the weekend thanks to CNN's Larry King. The famed host will talk with the heiress in a one-hour interview slated to air Wednesday, less than 24 hours after her release. "I am thrilled that Larry King has asked me to appear on his program to discuss my experience in jail, what I have learned, how I have grown and anything else he wants to talk about," read a statement issued by Hilton's spokesperson. "It will be an honor to do his show." Another statement served to quash rumors about money being involved: "Contrary to media reports, Paris Hilton is not being paid for any television interview. Nor is Paris being paid for any collateral, including video and photographs related to any television interview." ...

Diddy, Nas, Suge Knight, Penélope Cruz and Erykah Badu were just a few of the A-listers who holed up in Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel to see the first of Prince's "3121 Live" concerts on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times. Prince tried to get Nas on the mic, but the rapper turned down the offer by simply saying, "I love Prince." Badu tried to participate but bailed on the mic, while former Prince collaborator Nikka Costa was game -- she joined him for "Purple Rain." ... Joey Fatone is hosting NBC's "The Singing Bee," a sing-along variety game show that will premiere July 10 at 9:30 p.m. ...

Saigon hosted a Remy Martin-sponsored Black Music Month event Friday at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in New York. The Brooklyn rapper/actor also took to the stage to perform and at the end of the night donated $10,000 to the In Arms Reach charity foundation. ... Warner Music Executive Vice President Kevin Liles met with President Bush at the White House late last week for Black Music Month. ... Reverend Run will be honored as a BMI Icon at the songwriters' organization's seventh annual Urban Awards, to take place September 7 at Las Vegas' New York New York Hotel & Casino. Run will join past recipients of the award, such as James Brown, Little Richard, L.A. Reid and Babyface. ...

Forensics expert Lynne Herold testified Monday (June 25) that Phil Spector might have been walking or running toward actress Lana Clarkson -- instead of standing in front of her -- when she was fatally shot, AP reports. Under questioning by the defense, the prosecution witness said Spector might have been moving at the time of the shooting. ... Tom Sizemore is going behind bars for a long time. On Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cynthia Rayvis sentenced the actor to 16 months in state prison for violating drug probation, AP reports. Sizemore "abused the privilege of probation" and "needs to be in a lockdown setting," said Rayvis, who suggested he be sent to San Diego County's R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility because of its notable drug-treatment program. ...

The publicity firm representing the family of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott has issued a statement regarding Zac Crain's forthcoming biography of the late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist. In the statement, Dime's family claims it "has not authorized nor cooperated with Crain" on "Black Tooth Grin: The High Life, Good Times, and Tragic End of 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott," which is set for release on November 5. The family adds: "Mr. Crain did not know Dimebag personally. Mr. Crain's request to the family was denied. Among other reasons, during his tenure as music editor of the Dallas Observer, Mr. Crain wrote nothing but negative reviews about Pantera's music." The book claims to be "the first biography of 'Dimebag' Darrell," and chronicles the guitarist's rise with Pantera. ...

The Cure have announced dates for a U.S. tour this fall, which will coincide with the release of the band's yet-untitled LP. The tour will launch September 13 in Tampa, Florida, and run through October 17 in Dallas. In the meantime, the Cure continue to hammer away at the LP. ... Cameron Diaz has something to say to Peruvians: sorry. The actress apologized over the weekend for toting around a bag with a red star and "Serve the People" written in Chinese -- a symbol and communist phrase that evoke memories of the Maoist Shining Path. The insurgency's fight against Peru's government in the '80s and early '90s left 70,000 people dead. "I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently offended," she said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press. "The bag was a purchase I made as a tourist in China and I did not realize the potentially hurtful nature of the slogan printed on it." ... iTunes is now the third-biggest music retailer in the U.S., according to a new survey by NPD Group. The Apple store has a nearly 10 percent market share, leaving it behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (15.8 percent) and Best Buy Co Inc. (13.8 percent) but ahead of Amazon.com Inc. (6.7 percent) and BestBuy.com (1.1 percent).