Now you can say, "Hey Mr. DJ" to Snoop Dogg. The rapper is premiering his own monthly series on XM Satellite Radio from his home studio in Los Angeles called "Welcome to Da Chuuch With Big Snoop Dogg," starting Friday at 8 p.m. The 90-minute show can be found on the classic hip-hop channel the Rhyme (XM Channel 65). Meanwhile, Snoop has chosen "Let's Get Blown" to be his next single. ...

Like Alanis Morissette before her, Christina Aguilera has taken a passage to India for inspiration. "India has always captured my imagination with its myriad cultures and spiritualism," she said in a statement. At a brief press conference at her hotel in Bombay on Wednesday, she told reporters she was "enjoying every bit" of the country during her first trip there. ... While Paris Hilton's perfume is still slated to officially hit stores in February in time for Valentine's Day, it's gotten a soft launch and is in some department stores now, such as New York's Macys, but without displays to make a big production out of it. The heiress is celebrating the launch of the scent Friday at a party in Los Angeles, and is planning future launch parties in other cities through February. The Paris Hilton fragrance is both fruity and floral, with notes of apple, peach, mimosa blossoms, night-blooming jasmine, and of course, some musk and pheromones to keep it sensual. Meanwhile, the third installment of the heiress' FOX reality show with Nicole Richie, "The Simple Life 3: Interns," now has a premiere date of January 26. ...

John Mayer will perform an acoustic set for Musicians on Call's inaugural fund-raiser. The event, to be held at Sotheby's in New York on January 31, will also feature an auction of autographed guitars from Mayer, Avril Lavigne, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Dave Matthews, Elvis Costello, Hanson, No Doubt and Slash. Other autographed memorabilia to be auctioned off includes a miniature piano from Alicia Keys and a basketball from Justin Timberlake. Musicians on Call was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of people in health-care facilities. ... Free Fiona Apple! Or at least, free the release of her album, Extraordinary Machine. That's what a just-launched Web site, freefiona.com, is urging Sony Music to do. Apple's Machine, finished in 2003, was reportedly shelved by her record label because it lacked commercial appeal. The Web site, started by Missouri resident Dave Muscato, is organizing a week of protests starting January 24 outside Sony buildings in Los Angeles and New York and encouraging fans to send label execs apples of all kinds -- real, fake and photographed -- as a symbol of support for the singer. ...

New music is on the way from Madonna -- the pop matriarch is back in the studio this week, according to her Web site. No word yet on whether she's recording music for a new album, though she's rumored to be pairing up with William Orbit once again as well as Depeche Mode's Martin Gore. ... R.E.M. are reissuing their entire Warner Bros. catalog -- eight records from Green to Around the Sun, as well as a best-of compilation -- in two-disc editions that will include previously unreleased material. The first disc of each set will consist of the album as it was originally released, with the second disc featuring the album remixed in surround sound, as well as several extras, like the unreleased "Time Piece" documentary on Out of Time; a short film set in Athens, Georgia, on Automatic for the People; excerpts from the unreleased film "Update" on Up; and the video for "Bad Day" on In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. The nine CD/DVD combos will come out on February 15. ...

Sum 41 are getting into the holiday spirit by giving away 100 pairs of Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers and a Les Paul guitar. Entry forms and details on the two separate contests can be found on the band's Web site, www.islandrecords.com/sum41. ... Jurassic 5 will bring their old-school-inspired hip-hop show to the sixth annual Sallie Mae benefit concert in Las Vegas. The concert, slated for Friday, will benefit the Shade Tree Women's Shelter and will also feature Jem. ...

Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson will be honored as the MusiCares 2005 Person of the Year for his accomplishments as a musician and humanitarian. Wilson will receive the award at a special tribute dinner, concert and silent auction on February 11 in Los Angeles, two days prior to the Grammy Awards. Wilson "embodies the positive spirit that comes from dedication, perseverance and creative brilliance," said MusiCares Foundation president Neil Portnow in a statement. ...

12.01.2004

Nas threw a party Tuesday night at New York's Azaza to celebrate the release of his new album, Street's Disciple. His boo, Kelis, and friends Mic Geronimo and AZ were among those present. ...

Paris Hilton has been the brunt of many jokes, but now she's getting the "South Park" treatment on Wednesday's (December 1) episode, when all the fourth-grade girls idolize a certain blonde celebrity, known for her jet-set lifestyle, television show and extracurricular activities. They play with her new toy set that comes complete with a video camera and night-vision filter, and try to pursue the boys to make their own videos -- until "Paris" arrives to offer some competition. The episode, called "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset," airs 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. ... Snoop Dogg is lending his laid-back flow to the upcoming film "Racing Stripes." The live-action/computer-animated flick also features the voices of Mandy Moore and "Malcolm in the Middle" star Frankie Muniz. "Racing Stripes," about a zebra with thoroughbred aspirations, will hit theaters January 14. ...

The Diplomats' newest member came out onstage Tuesday night as the Harlem-based trio of Cam'ron, Juelz Santana and Jim Jones rocked the stage at their hometown's landmark Apollo Theater for a Roc-A-Fella pay-per-view special. The new member? Juelz's adorable nephew, 5-year-old "Young Ja". You could hear all the ladies saying, "He's so cute." He's also a smart businessboy: After he performed the choruses to the records "Shake" and his uncle's "S.A.N.T.A.N.A.," he told Cam he couldn't stay onstage all night because he had to go to school the next morning. The youngster didn't leave, however, until Killa handed over a huge wad of cash (it wasn't staged, according to Juelz) for services rendered. Memphis Bleek and Peedi Crakk also performed at the show. ... Jay-Z's team beat Nelly's team Tuesday night. No, the Roc-A-Fella family didn't square off with the St. Lunatics -- Hov's New Jersey Nets played a home game against Pimp Juice's Charlotte Bobcats. In the end, it was the Nets winning 99 to 86. ...

Following their tour in support of Greatest Hits Vol. 1, Korn plan to resume work on their seventh studio album. The as-yet-untitled effort, which follows last year's Take a Look in the Mirror, is expected to drop in late spring or early summer. Meanwhile, the band is also contemplating releasing an EP to showcase its covers of Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole" and the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way." ... Staples is auctioning off more than 140 autographed celebrity staplers from such stars as Paris Hilton, Donald Trump, Kobe Bryant, Ringo Starr, Cher, Alice Cooper, and the Dixie Chicks. Each celebrity has named a charity of their choice to receive 100 percent of the profits from the sale of their stapler. The current high bids are on staplers from Cher ($605), Trump ($800) and Hilton, who leads the bidding at $1,005. The auction ends on Monday at www.staples.com. ...

Adding a new member to the Gorillaz is a lot more complicated than just penciling in another rock star. The animated group, fronted by Blur's Damon Albarn, is holding a contest on its Web site, www.gorillaz.com, to augment its lineup. Entries are being taken beginning December 15 and can be anything from animation to sketches to vocal outtakes. The band is expected to release its second album next year. ... The Donnas are giving fans the chance to rock out with the "Daisy, Decibels, Decay & the Donnas" online sweepstakes. One grand-prize winner who submits their entry by Sunday will receive a prize package including a Daisy Rock guitar with a pink faux-fur guitar strap, guitar accessories including a maintenance kit and picks, a copy of the ladies' new album, Gold Medal, Logitech speakers and Urban Decay's "Heavy Metal" cosmetics package. Aspiring rockers and Donnas fans can check out www.thedonnas.com for more info. ...

Guitarist Luke Pacquin has joined the ranks of Hot Hot Heat, replacing Dante DeCaro, who left in October. The dance-rock band will drop its next album, Elevator, in April; "You Owe Me an I.O.U." will be the first single. ... Better Than Ezra have signed a new label deal with Artemis, and plan to release an album come spring. Lead singer Kevin Griffin recently wrote a couple of songs for Howie Day, "Perfect Time of Day" and his current single, "Collide." ...