Lil' Kim has been attached to star in a new movie, "National Lampoon's Bouncers," opposite Vivica A. Fox. The flick, which will start shooting before the end of the year in New York, was written and produced by Full Force, onetime songwriters and singing crew who also helped develop "House Party" and "House Party II." ...

The new album from Usher, Confessions, will now be released on November 18. Usher's fifth album was previously scheduled to drop on the singer's birthday, October 14. ... If you're a full-figured gal who can't seem to find bras that don't look like rocket launchers, fear no more -- Queen Latifah's got your back. Adding lingerie spokesperson to her growing list of titles, she'll be promoting four new bras by Curvation that will up the comfort and style of plus-sized women. In turn, the company will contribute to the Lance Owens Foundation, her late brother's charity, which provides scholarships for kids. ...

Rapper Ras Kass, serving time in a Los Angeles prison for a DUI violation, released an open letter to the hip-hop community over the weekend blasting his former record company, Priority Records, for failing to release his last two albums, Van Gogh and Golden Child. Ras promises four new records by the end of the year, courtesy of indie labels and bootleggers: The Re-Up, a compilation of outtake recordings; Catch Me If You Can, the album he recorded while a fugitive; and both lost Priority albums. ... The 10 finalists from "American Idol" spinoff "American Juniors" will release their first single Tuesday. The record includes two mixes of a cover of Kim Wilde's 1982 hit "Kids in America," and "One Step Closer," written by producer Cathy Dennis (Kelly Clarkson). ...

On the heels of their career-reviving song "Unwell," Matchbox Twenty have selected the upbeat track "Bright Lights" as their next single. The track hits radio next week; video plans remain in the works. ... Marilyn Manson and Exene Cervenka will exhibit pieces of their art at "Cruel and Unusual: An Exhibition to Benefit the West Memphis Three" from September 6-20 at Sixspace Gallery in Los Angeles. Ex-Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra will provide a taped lecture for the event. An opening-night reception will be hosted by Winona Ryder. ...

Beth Orton's B-sides and rarities collection, The Other Side of Daybreak, will include a cover of "O-O-H Child," made popular by the Five Stairsteps, as well as Roots Manuva's remix of "Daybreaker" and a live acoustic version of "Concrete Sky," among others. The album is due September 2. ... Following their stint on Ozzfest, which concluded July 30, and their current tour with Taproot, which runs through the end of the month, Revolution Smile will open European dates for A Perfect Circle and Deftones. Filling their Ozzfest void is Chimaira, who joined the tour last week. ...

The Very Best of the Grateful Dead, a 17-track career-spanning retrospective, is set for release September 16. The LP features favorites such as "Sugar Magnolia," "Fire on the Mountain" and "Ripple." ... Phantom Planet have lost their star drummer. On Monday, Jason Schwartzman posted on the band's Web site, www.phantomplanet.com, that he's left the band "to pursue other things," namely, acting (he had previously made a name for himself for his lead role in "Rushmore"). Phantom Planet were halfway through recording their follow-up to 2002's The Guest with producer Dave Fridmann when Schwartzman gave notice, so he will appear on the new album, due in January, but not on all of the songs. Phantom Planet have started rehearsing with a new drummer, Jeff Conrad, for their upcoming set at the Sunset Junction Street Fair in Los Angeles on August 24. In the meantime, the band's track "California" can be heard as the theme song for the "The OC," which premieres Tuesday (August 5) on Fox. ...

Superstar DJ Paul Van Dyk will promote his October 7 release, Reflections, with a U.S. tour beginning August 28 at New York's Central Park Summerstage and ending November 4 in Las Vegas. The follow-up to his 2000 studio album, Out There and Back, includes the overseas hit "Nothing But You." ... With the hipster gauge firmly redlined, Brooklyn, New York, indie label StarTime International, home to Northern State, the Natural History and Brendan Benson, has teamed up with Fader magazine and formed a new label called Stifle. Every four weeks a new 12-inch dance-rock single will surface. The first, Stifle001, due August 12, features two remixes of the French Kicks' "Close to Modern" by Eucho and DJ Smash. The Streets' "Weak Become Heroes," remixed by Röyksopp and 3 Friends featuring Lisa Shaw, will follow on September 9. Remixes of tracks by VHS or Beta, the Ends and Ted Leo are on the horizon. ...

08.04.2003

He's got the album, the DVD, the mixtapes, the tour, the videos, the shoe line -- and now 50 Cent's got the clothes. In the ever-expanding 50 empire, the superstar rapper has launched his G-Unit clothing label in partnership with Ecko Unlimited. The first line -- available now for the fall season -- consists of five T-shirts emblazoned with different G-Unit logos. ... ([article id="1475239"]Click for photos[/article])

Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil turned himself in to Nevada police and posted a $1,000 bond, according to the Lyon County district attorney's office. Neil's attorney has yet to make arrangements for Neil to appear in court to face charges of misdemeanor battery for allegedly attacking a prostitute at a brothel last month, so no date has been set yet. ... N.E.R.D.'s follow-up to their Short List Prize-winning In Search Of ... is due November 18 and will be titled Fly or Die. ...

Sepultura's new record, Roorback, will come out August 26. The disc was produced by Steve Evetts at Mosh Studios in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and will include a cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky." Select pressings will also feature a bonus CD consisting of covers of songs by Jane's Addiction, Massive Attack, Devo, Exodus and Hellhammer. Sepultura plan to tour North America in October. ... Killer Mike will join Baltimore Ravens star Jamal Lewis for Giving Back Day in the Park Saturday at Adamsville Recreation Center near Atlanta. They will hand out free school supplies to underprivileged children. ...

Third Eye Blind, LeAnn Rimes and Tracy Chapman are among those slated to perform at the two-day One World One Heart festival, sponsored by Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Rock the Vote. Other artists scheduled to play the fest, to be held August 23-24 in Bethel, New York, include George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic and Hootie and the Blowfish's Darius Rucker. ... Canadian pop-punkers Gob want you to be in the video for "Oh! Ellin," the second single from their latest album, Foot in Mouth Disease. Interested parties should show up at Vancouver's Clark Park Tennis Courts on Wednesday morning. ...