Musical News
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Music

Usher has signed on to appear in a series of European ads for Sony Ericsson's new line of Walkman phones. The company also will sponsor his upcoming European tour. "This is a great partnership for me as an artist," says the singer. Meanwhile, Usher will be the musical guest on NBC's Dancing With the Stars this weekend, and will also perform on the season finale of ABC's Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST.

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Who Died this month in Musical History

May 14: bluegrass singer-guitarist Jimmy Martin (2005), Frank Sinatra (1998), Rudy West of The Five Keys (1998), Keith Relf of the Yardbirds (1976), Fairport Convention's Martin Lamble (1969)

May 15: June Carter Cash (2003), Joy Division manager Rob Gretton (1999), Frederick Van Pallandt (1994), Barbara Alston of The Crystals (1992), Paul Wilson of The Flamingos (1988)

May 16: pop/soul singer Marv Johnson (1993), Sammy Davis Jr. (1990), Ernie Freeman (1981), bluesman Arthur Gunter (1976)

May 17: producer Bruce Fairbairn (1999), Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1996), Lawrence Welk (1992), Fats Domino guitarist Roy Montrell (1979)

May 18: Elvin Jones (2004), Augusto Pablo (1999), Robert Carr (1993), John Fenton of The Diamonds (1982), Ian Curtis of Joy Division (1980)

May 19: Arnold "Gatemouth" Moore (2004), Freyda Epstein (2003), Susannah McCorkle (2001), Odia Coates (1991), Ron Wilson of The Surfaris (1989), Gene Mumford (1977), tenor sax master Coleman Hawkins (1969), Charles Ives (1954)

May 20: Renato Carosone (2001), harp player Willie Foster (2001), David Platz (1994), The O'Jays' William Powell (1977), Rudy Lewis of The Drifters (1964)

May 21: Nicholas Dante co-author of A Chorus Line (1991), Morris Levy (1990)

May 23: session guitarist Mike Farrell (2000), Jimmy Fernandez (1994), Joe Pass (1993), bassist Craig Pike (1993), Will Sin (1991), Lloyd Glenn (1985), Chitlin' Circuit comedienne Jackie "Moms" Mabley (1975)

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The May Babies

May 12: Burt Bacharach (1928), The Cardinals' Leon Hardy (1932), Jay Otis Washington of The Persuasions (1941), Ian Dury (1942), singer-songwriter Billy Swan (1942), Ian McLagan of Small Faces (1945), Steve Winwood (1948), Billy Squier (1950), Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn (1955), Billy Duffy of The Cult (1959) Actor Ving Rhames aka Irving Christopher 'Ving' Rhames (1959), Black Sabbath singer Ray Gillen (1959), Jason Biggs (1978)

May 13: editor of the Schwann Catalog William Schwann (1913), Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips (1926), The Weavers' Fred Hellerman (1927), Ritchie Valens (1941), Mary Wells (1943), Caolyn Franklin (1944), harp player "Magic" Dick Salwitz of The J.Geils Band (1945), bassist Danny Klein of The J.Geils Band (1946), Peter "Overend" Watts of Mott the Hoople (1947), Stevie Wonder born Steveland Morris (1950), Danny Kirwan of Fleetwood Mac (1950), Paul Thompson of Roxy Music (1951), Darius Carlos Rucker of Hootie & The Blowfish (1966)

May 14: Frederick Van Pallandt of Nina and Frederick (1934), Bobby Darin born Walden Robert Cassotto (1936), songwriter Ed Labunski (1937), Jack Bruce of Cream (1943), Derek Leckenby of Herman's Hermits (1943), Gene Cornish of The Rascals (1945), David Byrne (1952), Ian Astbury of The Cult (1962), C.C. DeVille of Poison (1962), Mike Inez of Alice in Chains (1966), Fabrice "Fab" Morvan of Milli Vanilli (1966), Danny Wood of New Kids on the Block (1969), Freaky Tah of The Lost Boyz (1971), Natalie Appleton of All Saints (1973), R&B singer Shanice (1973), Billionaire Facebook founder and CEO Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (1984)

May 15: Eddy Arnold (1918), Hi Records owner Joe Cuoghi (1922), Trini Lopez (1937), K.T. Oslin (1942), Graham Goble of the Little River Band (1947), Brian Eno born Brian Peter St. George De La Salle Eno (1948), Dennis Fredericksen of Toto (1951), Phil Seymour of The Dwight Tilley Band (1952), Mike Oldfield (1953), Prince Be of PM Dawn (1970), Ahmet Zappa (1974)

May 16: Liberace born Wladziu Valentino Liberace (1919), Betty Carter born Lillie Mae Jones (1930), The Diamonds' Ted Kowalski (1931), Kripp Johnson of The Del-Vikings (1933), Billy Cobham (1944), Robert Fripp (1946), The Chiffons' Barbara Lee (1947), Nazareth's Darrell Sweet (1947), Iron Maiden's Paul Di'anno (1959), Krist (Chris) Novoselic (1965), Janet Jackson (1966), New Edition's Ralph Tresvant (1968), Bobby Konders of Hot 97's reggae show with Jabba (?)

May 17: R&B singer-pianist Sonny Knight (1934), Malcolm Hale of Spanky And Our Gang (1941), Taj Mahal (1942), Jesse Winchester (1944), Bill Bruford (1949), George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson (1953), Enya (1961), Page McConnell of Phish (1963), Dave Abbruzzese (1964), Trent Reznor (1965), Jordan Knight of New Kids on the Block (1970)

May 18: Big Joe Turner (1911), Perry Como (1918), Joe Bonsall of The Oak Ridge Boys (1948), Rick Wakeman of Yes (1949), Bill Wallace of The Guess Who (1949), George Strait (1952)

May 19: Alma Cogan (1932), Pete Townshend born Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (1945), Phil Rudd of AC/DC (1946), Gregory Herbert (1947), ZZ Top's Dusty Hill (1949), Joey Ramone (1951), Grace Jones (1952), Heaven 17's Martyn Ware (1956), Ian Harvie of Del Amitri (1962), Jenny Berggren of Ace of Base (1972), Rohan Anthony Marley - son of Bob Marley (1972)

May 20: Vic Ames of the Ames Brothers (1926), Shorty Long (1940), Jill Jackson aka Paula of Paul and Paula (1942), Joe Cocker (1944), Cher born Cherilyn Sarkisian La Pier (1946), Jimmie Henderson of Black Oak Arkansas (1954), The Go-Go's Jane Weidlin (1958), Susan Cowsill of the Cowsills (1960), Haircut 100's Nick Heyward (1961), Tom Garman of Belly (1966), Busta Rhymes (1972), Naturi Naughton of 3LW (1984)

May 21: Thomas "Fats" Waller (1904), Henry Glover (1921), Ronald Isley (1941), Hilton Valentine of The Animals (1943), Bill Champlin of Chicago (1947), Leo Sayer (1948)

May 22: Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813), Sun Ra born Sonny Blount (1914), Jimmy Keyes (1930), Jackie Landry (1941), Bernie Taupin (1950), Morrissey (1959), Jesse Valenzuela of The Gin Blossoms (1962), Johnny Gill (1966), Dan Roberts of Crash Test Dummies (1967), The Rapper Plies aka Algernod Lanier Washington (1976)

May 23: Jimmy Bracken

Movie Reviews

Ok now life is grand, with a crop of great movies that are hitting this month like Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The Forbidden Kingdom,  Iron Man, not to mention Harold & Kumar, Speed Racer, Made of Honor, Red Belt, What happens in Vegas, Check out our picks for the newest flicks in the theatres.   There are a lot of films coming out soon, like Incredible Hulk, The Kung Fu Panda Movie, The Strangers, The Love Guru, among others that I am sooo waiting to see.  They are Greatly waited for. 

Iron Man:  There is a reason that this movie is the hot new movie out. It has been blazing records and is a must see. Marvel Comics is alive with the re-vamps of their popular comics. Iron Man is a mainstay of Marvel's cage of Super Heroes. Tony Stark is a more serious type of character and shows that Marvel is and always was based on real types of problems and people type of comics with a message. Tony Stark is a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man. Although Tony in the comics and in the movie was a drunk, a womanizer, he was redeeming himself again and again. I gave this an A for the movie in general, A- for story line and A for Action.  A great movie to see with the kids.  The movie is not as detailed as the comic book but it is worth going to see with the kids.  It is also not as deep as the comics, it is a great time for all. Go and see it if you have not already.

What Happens in Vegas:  This is a great movie, and I was loving it, diggin it.  I was amazed how old Cameron looked but it was a great movie, she needed less make up.  I think it is a great romantic movie. Two people discover they've gotten married following a night of debauchery in Vegas, with one of them winning a jackpot after playing the other's quarter. The pair try's to undermine each other and get their hands on the money... falling in love along the way.  It is a War of the Roses Movie in parts but turns to a different type of movie later.  It is full of fun, and has a great direction. I gave this movie a B+ and is a great family movie, a great date movie too.  So do not forget to check out this movie as part of the movies that you see this weekend.  Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher do a job on this movie and each other.

Speed Racer: A favorite TV show when I was small.  I was taken back to the original and was taken back by the differences in a couple of characters but loved the movie nonetheless.  Born to race cars, Speed Racer is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only Born to race cars, Speed Racer is aggressive, instinctive & he is Born to race cars, Speed Racer is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized - the legendary Rex Racer, whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill. Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer, the designer of Speed's thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner but uncovers a terrible secret  some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won't drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish line. The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie, Speed teams with his one-time rival - the mysterious Racer X - to win the race that had taken his brother's life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

Red Belt: This was a great movie but the ending was.... well, I will hopefully get some responses back from other people as they saw the movie.  In the west-side of Los Angeles fight world, a world inhabited by bouncers, cage fighters, cops and special forces types, Mike Terry is a Jiu-Jitsu teacher who has avoided the prize fighting circuit, choosing instead to pursue an honorable life by operating a self-defense studio with a samurai's code. Terry and his wife Sondra struggle to keep the business running to make ends meet. An accident on a dark, rainy night at the Academy between an off duty officer and a distraught lawyer puts in motion a series of events that will change Terry' life dramatically introducing him to a world of promoters and movie star Chet Frank. Faced with this, in order to pay off his debts and regain his honor, Terry must step into the ring for the first time in his life.

Harold and Kumar, Escape from Guantanamo Bay: This was a great movie that has great spoofs. Harold and Kumar are in their apartment after they've successfully completed their White Castle quest. It's only an hour or two later, and the guys are preparing for an epic adventure to Amsterdam so that Harold can win the heart of his crush, Maria. At the airport, Kumar runs into his ex-girlfriend, Vanessa, and he's shocked to discover she's about to get married. Before they even get on the plane, Kumar threatens to botch the mission by mixing it up with airport security personnel, insisting on protesting a random search. Though they do make it onto the plane, Kumar eventually succeeds in getting them into more trouble than they bargained for. Unable to wait six hours to get to Amsterdam, Kumar takes a home-made smokeless bong into the airplane bathroom. Turbulence strikes, the bathroom door swings open, the bongs mistaken for a bomb, and the guys are mistaken for terrorists. The plane is turned around and the guys are detained in Guantanamo Bay.  I gave this movie a B rating, and laughs galore. It is great for older teens and adults, the comedy is more college based with some great spoofs.

Currently playing : Monopoly Tycoon Release date: 2005-10-10

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Musical News
Current mood: fascinated
Category: Music

Justin Timberlake is hosting an awards show, and this time it’s definitely not the Grammy’s. ESPN has lined up the 27-year-old singer-actor to host its annual ESPY Awards show this summer, celebrating some of the best and funniest moments in sports over the past year. The ceremony, to be held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles on July 20, will be televised live on ESPN.  Timberlake has said he’s a sports junkie when asked.

According to a report on the Smoking Gun website, it appears that the Los Angles Times relied on forged FBI documents (known as "302s") created by a jailed inmate for its controversial story that implicated Diddy, James "Jimmy" Rosemond and others in the 1994 shooting of Tupac Shakur. Los Angeles Times editor Russ Stanton announced Wednesday that he will launch an internal investigation into the authenticity of those documents used in the story. For more

Your mornings are about to get brighter as a bevy of R&B stars have been tapped for the Today show’s annual outdoor concert series. Hip-hop soul queen Mary J. Blige is set to perform May 9, while disco queen Donna Summer will hit the stage May 30. Further ahead, purported couple Chris Brown and Rihanna will perform separate concerts on June 6 and 20, respectively

George Michael is going on U.S. tour for his new album "25" in June.  It is released on April 4th. It is a 7 week tour, after playing 80 shows he starts in U.S. in June 1st.

Diddy has settled a lawsuit brought against him by a Los Angeles man who claimed the music mogul attacked him last year at a post-Oscar shindig. Gerard Rechnitzer alleged that Diddy punched him, shoved his girlfriend and spat on another woman as they were all leaving the party. Diddy’s attorney filed a document Friday in Los Angeles stating that the case had been settled, but the terms of the agreement were not immediately disclosed.

Ok, so now this weekend was Britney Spears ex’s birthday.  K-Fed celebrated his birthday at a club in Vegas.  Got booed off the microphone on his Birthday, comforted by a a pal, who took the mic from him and calmed his boy down.  What Kevin said happened was that "I lost my voice at the craps tables and I lost all my money." he yelled at the assembled crowd at Pure night club. He did by the way, got somewhere between $100K and $300K to host his own b-day, so the damage couldn’t be all bad.

Soulful diva Lalah Hathaway will release her fifth disc, Self Portrait, on June 3 via Stax Records. The set’s first single is "Let Go," which was co-penned by Lalah, producer Rex Rideout and fellow singer-songwriter Rahsaan Patterson. "[The song] came out of a need for me to let go of the worry . . . and old ideas as well as some people who were taking up too much space in my life," says Lalah of the track.

Ok now life is grand, with a crop of great movies that are hitting this month like Semi-Pro, 10,000 BC, Doomsday, Shutter and Tyler Perrys, Meet the Browns.  Check out our picks for the newest flicks in the theatres.   Click to go to our website with our picks for movies that are great to see.

Facebook is having to do damage control.  The website is still reeling after a Canadian computer technician found a loophole in their system.  The techie found that  he could access personal photos on other peoples pages. He started snooping around after the site had just introduced new ways for people to secure their personal pages. After being alerted to the problem, they fixed the problem with an hour or so, they have 67 million users.

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Birthdays of March’s Musical Stars

March 23: Joey d’Ambrosio of Bill Haley and the Comets (1934), swamp bluesman Louisiana Red (1936), Ric Ocasek of the Cars (1949), Chaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens of Rufus (1953), Epic Soundtracks, born Kevin Godfrey, founding drummer of the punk band Swell Maps (1959), Damon Albarn of Blur (1968), Juvenille aka Terius Gray (1975),

March 24: Ollie McLaughlin, producer with Del Shannon (1925), George Lee, singer with Ruby and the Romantics (1936), soul singer Billy "Fat Boy" Stewart (1937), songwriter Peggy Sue, sister of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle (1947)

March 25: Vivian Carter, The "Vee" in Vee-Jay Records (1921), Tom Wilson, producer with Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, and John Coltrane (1931), Johnny Burnette (1934), Jose L. Rodriguez, engineer for Culture Club, Mary J. Blige, and Gloria Gaynor (1944), Nick Lowe (1949), Juvenile aka Terius Gray (1975)

March 26: Rufus Thomas, best known for "Walkin’ The Dog" (1917), Diana Ross aka Diana Earle of The Supremes (1944), Steven Tyler of Aerosmith (1948), Teddy Pendergrass (1950), Bill Lyall, keyboardist for Pilot and Bay City Rollers (1953), Eddie Van Halen (1955), Kenny Chesney aka Kenneth Arnold Chesney (1968)

March 27: Leroy Carr, influential blues pianist (1905), blues guitarist Robert Lockwood Jr., learned from the legendary Robert Johnson (1915), Sarah Vaughan (1924), Reprise Records’ mogul Mo Ostin, who signed Jimi Hendrix (1927), Johnny "Clyde" Copeland, Houston blues guitarist (1937), Brenda Knight of Gladys Knight and the Pips (1948), Tony Banks of Genesis (1951), Keith Charles Flint of Prodigy (1969), Mariah Carey (1970), Singer/Actress Stacy Ann Ferguson ’Fergie’ of the Black Eyed Peas & Wild Orchid (1975)

March 28: Aaron "T-Bone" Walker, legendary electric blues guitarist (1910), Milan Williams of The Commodores (1948)  Fergie of Black Eyed Peas (1975)

March 29: Donny Conn of the Playmates (1930), Vangelis (1943), Chad Allan of Guess Who? (1943), Terry Jacks (1944), Toto’s Bobby Kimball (1947), Patti Donahue (1956), Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction (1959), John Popper of Blues Traveler (1967)

March 30: John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson (1914), Willie Nelson (1933), Graeme Edge of the Moody Blues (1942), Eric Clapton (1945), Jim Dandy Mangrum of Black Oak Arkansas (1948), Procol Harum’s Dave Ball (1950), rapper Stanley "M.C. Hammer" Burell (1963), Tracy Chapman (1964), Canadian Sweetheart Celine Dion aka Céline Marie Claudette Dion (1968), Norah Jones (1979)

March 31: blues pianist "Big Maceo" Merriweather (1905), Lightning Hopkins (1912), Herb Alpert (1937), R&B performer and songwriter Chuck Willis (1928), Al Nichol of The Turtles (1946), Jon-Jon Poulos of The Buckinghams (1948), Angus Young (1959), Marvin Bernard aka Rapper Tony Yayo of G-Unit (1978)
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March’s  Passing of Musicians

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Musical News
Current mood: sore
Category: Music

Ruben Studdard has filed a $45,000 lawsuit against marketing company Peachez, Inc., for breach of contract. Both parties had no comment on the matter. Meanwhile, Ruben has lost roughly 100 pounds to prepare for his role in the 2008-09 national tour of Ain't Misbehavin'. "I'm really just trying to build up my endurance because we're doing about eight shows a week," says Ruben.

Update:  She is being kept 2 more weeks.  She is in a padded room for her safety and her father is being named executor  of her estate.  She is trying to fight that in court with her lawyers but it might not work.  She has been estranged a little with her father, but it would be great for her, since he cares and wants her better.  Dads always bump heads with their daughters, them no exception.

Heath Ledger has had a star studded funeral in L. A. and is being flown home. His ex-fiancé and daughter was absent as was a few others.  His dad and family attended the funeral, and are on their way to Perth Australia.  They still do not know what happened ultimately to the actor.

50 Cent appears with legendary actor Robert De Niro on the cover of Vibe's Hollywood Issue. In the magazine, both men discuss their roles in this fall's Righteous Kill. "[Robert's] celebrity is so strong that I get a chance to feel like a normal person for a little bit," Fiddy says. Meanwhile, the rapper was reportedly booted from a Scottsdale, Ariz., mall Thursday because members of his entourage were allegedly carrying weapons.

In celebration of Black History Month, Master P and his son Romeo have released a music video titled "Black History." The father-and-son rap team hopes to expand the video into a new venture of books and educational cartoons that chronicle the black experience. "My goal is to make this video part of the elementary and high school curriculum," says P, "and also to make this song the anthem for Black History Month."

Star Jones's post-View television effort, The Star Jones Show, is going off the air by "mutual agreement" between her and TruTV, the network announced Thursday. The live, 3 p.m. talk show, airing since September on the former Court TV, had been aimed at bridging the worlds of law and entertainment. Jones is a former Brooklyn prosecutor who got her big break on TV as a commentator during the O.J. Simpson trial. "Due to the rebranding and programming refocus of the network, TruTV and Star Jones Reynolds have mutually agreed to cease production of The Star Jones Show," the network said. "Star will continue as a contributing legal expert on our weekday IN SESSION trial coverage, it finishes on Friday the 8th.

Victoria's Secret executives and designers voted, and they think Ryan Seacrest has the sexiest smile. Eva Mendes is the sexiest actress; And Holloway, who plays Sawyer on ABC's "Lost," is the sexiest beach body; Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham, who has three sons with husband David Beckham, is the sexiest mom; and Katherine Heigl and her husband, musician Josh Kelley are the sexiest newlyweds. Other sexy celebs: Eric Bana (actor), Chris Brown (male musician), Dane Cook (funnyman), Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (male athlete), Rihanna (female musician), Justin Chambers (dad), "Gossip Girl" Blake Lively (newcomer), and Fergie and Josh Duhamel (couple). Scarlett Johansson was honored for her sexy style, Jessica Biel for her lips, Kate Bosworth for her eyes and Ali Larter for her legs. Victoria's Secret supermodel-spokeswomen, including Selita Ebanks, Adriana Lima and Karolina Kurkova, were to host a party in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Saturday, the eve of the Super Bowl, to honor the list-makers. Lima hosts a one-hour special "Victoria's Secret: What Is Sexy? 2008," which is scheduled to air Feb. 9 on E!

U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill got the jury in the Wesley Snipes trial laughing on Tuesday – no small feat in a tax-evasion trial – bringing up Steve Martin and his King Tut routine. From that he launched into the comedian's "How to Make a Million Dollars and Not Pay Taxes." First you make a million dollars and when the IRS asks why you didn't pay taxes, you simply say, "I forgot," O'Neill told the jury in closing arguments. The jury, which will begin deliberations Wednesday morning, laughed. But after the jury was dismissed for the day, Snipes was not laughing and admitted he was scared. "Of course you would be nervous," he says. "You're on trial. Anybody would have a certain amount of anxiety about that. But I have a great deal of faith in the Most High and the Good Lord and the truth shall set you free. So, I'm looking forward to being free, going back to what I do best." His wife, 10-month-old son and mother were in the courtroom to lend moral support.

Update:  Well in a split decision which made the actor able to breathe again, he was acquitted of Fraud and Conspiracy charges but zapped him with the lesser charges of failing to file a tax return. This was a better outcome than most had thought. With the Florida juries, and more so the judges very.... I guess we can say, bigoted or very non forgiving of people of color coming into court. Most being given years more than their white counter parts. he was looking at a 16 year sentence but now can get up to 3 years in this federal court.  His Birthday is July 31st Making him 45.   back to top

Montel Williams is calling it a wrap after 17 years in daytime. Fate of "The Montel Williams Show" was sealed when key Fox-owned stations opted not to renew it for the 2008-09 season. But a number of other stations had cleared the show for next season, prompting CBS to offer the "Best of" package. The rerun package is sold on an all-cash basis, which is a boon to stations that had been handing over 3½ minutes of barter ad time per seg to CBS for the firstrun episodes. "Stations continue to embrace Montel and the message of social responsibility that has been the cornerstone of his show," said CBS TV Distribution.

What is up with Lil Wayne, this kid is banana's. He got money, got talent, got fame but is trying to live up to the tat's on his face for some reason. He must think he is in jail for real, because he is on his way there or back or whatever: He was taken in by Drug enforcement agents in Arizona. Lil' Wayne has been hit with some big time charges, possession of cocaine, possession of ecstasy and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wayne, real name Dwayne Carter, was arrested with two others who have been charged with possession of marijuana. Cops say they found 105 grams of marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine and 41 grams of ecstasy pills on his tour bus, after they stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint. Police also found $22,000 in cash and a 40-caliber pistol, but Wayne, we're told, does have a permit to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Florida. They tell us they're checking to see if that carries over to Arizona. The judge set his bond at $10,000. Back to Top

Britney has done it again, she was rushed to the hospital in the night.  This is the second time in almost a month that she has been rushed to a hospital in some sort of mental breakdown. This time going to Cornell Hospital, this may have been a suicide attempt.  She has been under some tremendous stress lately. Click for last time Britney will not be able leave till the 72 hour hold is lifted, her doctor was trying to have her held for 2 weeks.  L.A. County Superior Court judge has just signed a "5150," meaning Britney Spears is on a three-day psychiatric hold at the UCLA Medical Center. With the "good possibility" that it will be extended to 14 days. We've also learned there have been several parallel attempts to get Britney on a 5150. Her lawyers, Anne Kiley and Tara Scott, secured a new psychiatrist late last week, he's the one who triggered the 5150 that night.  Back to Top

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Birthdays of Famous Musicians this week:

February 1: rock journalist Lillian Roxon (1932), Bob Shane of The Kingston Trio (1934), Don Everly (1937), Dr. Hook's Ray Sawyer (1937), Jimmy Carl Black of The Mothers of Invention (1938), Rick James (1952), Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1954), Dwayne Goettal of Skinny Puppy (1964), Lisa Marie Presley (1968), Patrick Wilson of Weezer (1969), Outkast's Big Boi (1975)

February 2: saxophonist Red Prysock (1926), Stan Getz (1927), Skip Battin of The Byrds (1934), Clarence Quick of the Dell Vikings (1937), Graham Nash (1942), Ronnie Goodson (1945), Howard Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers (1946), Peter Lucia of Tommy James and The Shondells (1947), Alan McKay of Earth Wind & Fire (1948), Journey's Ross Valory (1949), jazz bassist Alphonso Johnson (1951), Jeff Healy Band drummer Tom Stephen (1955), Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots (1966), Ben Mize of Counting Crows (1971), Shakira aka Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (1977),

February 3: Felix Mendelssohn (1809), jazz saxophonist John Handy (1933), Varetta Dillard (1933), Johnny "Guitar" Watson (1935), David Lerchey of the Dell Vikings (1937), Angelo D'Aleo of Dion & The Belmonts (1940), Neil Bogart (1941), Eric Haydock of the Hollies (1943), Dennis Edwards of The Temptations (1943), Johnny Cymbal (1945), Dave Davies of The Kinks (1947), pop singer Melanie (1947), Lee Renaldo (1956), Tony Butler of Big Country (1957), Lol Tolhurst of The Cure (1959), Big Dennis the Super Producer & Dj from Hot 97's Funkmaster Flex show and his own on weekends (?), Ramon 'Raymond' Ayala aka Daddy Yankee (1977)

February 4: Bernie West of the Five Keys (1930), The Animals' John Steel (1941), Florence LaRue of the Fifth Dimension (1944), sax man John Stubblefield (1945), Alice Cooper aka Vincent Furnier (1948), Phil Ehart of Kansas (1951), Humble Pie's Jerry Shirley (1952), Clint Black (1962), Aussie Singer-model-actress Natalie Jane Imbruglia (1975), Rick Burch of Jimmy Eat World (1975), Cam'ron (1976)

February 5: session drummer Samie "Sticks" Evans (1923), rockabilly Jackie Lee Cochran (1934), Alex Harvey (1935), soul singer-songwriter Barrett Strong (1941), country singer Henson Cargill (1941), Cory Wells of Three Dog Night (1942), Chuck Winfield of Blood, Sweat & Tears (1943), Al Kooper (1944), J.R. Cobb of Atlanta Rhythm Section (1944), Dave Denny of the Steve Miller Band (1948), Elton John drummer Nigel Olsson (1949), Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver (1964), Chris Barron of Spin Doctors (1968), Bobby Brown aka Robert Beresford Brown of New Edition (1969)

February 6: songwriter Leon Rene (1902), sax honker Bill Doggett (1916), teen idol Fabiano Forte AKA Fabian (1943), Bob Marley aka Robert Nesta Marley father of Rastafani movement and best known Reggae artist (1945), Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward (1946), Natalie Maria Cole daughter of Nat King Cole (1950), Axl Rose born William Bruce Rose  from Guns and Roses (1962), Singer Rick Astley (1966)

February 7: Eubie Blake (1883), bluegrass singer Wilmaka Lee Cooper (1921), Sun Records artist Warren Smith (1932), king of soul sax King Curtis born Curtis Ousley (1934), Donna Stoneman (1934), Earl King (1934), singer Sammy Johns (1946), Jimmy Greenspoon of Three Dog Night (1948), Alan Lancaster of Status Quo (1949), Brian Travers of UB40 (1959), Steve Bronski of Bronski Beat (1960), David Bryan of Bon Jovi (1962), Garth Brooks (1962)

Currently listening : The Complete Hit Singles By Three Dog Night Release date: 25 May, 2004

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Todays Musical News
Current mood: dirty
Category: Music

Now it is Brit's friends turn at the table. Mark Vincent Kaplan (K-Fed's Lawyer), was all over Sam lutfi, like white on rice during his depo on Thursday (24th). Kaplan grilled Mark about Brit's medicine intake, what she does at home, what she drinks and when, so on.. Besides asking about his relationship with X17 Photo agency and if he and Brit get money for pics he takes of her.  He denied there was any deal to do that at all. At first Lutfi tried to block the depo, & even tried running from Aaron Cohen, who served him with the depo subpoena.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic are ready to heat up the cold winter nights with their unbridled funk. George and his merry P-Funkateers are embarking on a U.S. tour of small theaters next month. The 15-city trek blasts off Feb. 8 in Redway, Calif., and winds down Feb. 28 in Charlotte, N.C. For more info on George, click here:

Ne-Yo will perform during the 2008 NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta on Sunday. The singer is slated to sing "Because of You" during the game's second intermission with support from the Halftime Live marching band. He will also perform after Saturday's Dodge/NHL Super skills event at a private party. Meanwhile, check out the video for Ne-Yo's new single, "Go On Girl."

Scotland Yard now started an investigation Wednesday into a video that allegedly shows troubled British singer Amy Winehouse smoking crack. The British tabloid, The Sun, just released grainy footage showing Grammy-nominated Winehouse, 24, inhaling fumes from a pipe. The video was reportedly shot hours before she attended a court hearing for her jailed husband. Police will look at the video before deciding whether any charges should be brought against Winehouse. Update: Amy checked into Rehab on the 24th, voluntarily in fact. Her label says Winehouse needs " a specialists treatment to continue her ongoing recovery from drug addiction and prepare for her planned appearance at the Grammy Awards." Amy met with her record label, management, family and doctors today to discuss her treatment options.

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Jessica Simpson is hopping mad. It seems that there is a OK! magazine article coming out soon.  It talks about her relationship with Tony Romo, and she has called the Lawyers.  It is on now!!  According to the article Jessica was dumped after the playoffs, and sister Ashlee distanced herself from her sister. It could not be further from the truth, cause she and Tony are still good, and Ashlee is still close to her sister.  According to the Lawyers, they say the article reflects a "smear campaign" and has subjected Simpson to "public contempt, ridicule, aversion or disgrace." So punks its on...

Stevie Wonder, Al Green and Keyshia Cole are among the headliners for the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, scheduled to take place April 25-27 and May 1-4 in the Big Easy. The lineup also includes the Neville Brothers, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, the Roots, Dianne Reeves, Santana, Tower of Power, Keb' Mo' and dozens of other artists. Click here for a complete day-by-day schedule.

Ringo Starr is known for being the cool headed Beatle, but the rock legend showed his tough side Tuesday when he walked off the set of "Live With Regis and Kelly" rather than cut short one of his songs. Starr, who is promoting his new album, "Liverpool 8," planned to perform the title song with fellow rocker Dave Stewart. However, due to miscommunication between his publicist, Elizabeth Freund, and the musical director, Starr didn't realize the performance had to be 2 1/2 minutes or less.

Britney is back in the news again, she was in a accident yet again.  This time it was with a man on a motorbike.  He was alright it seems and Britneys personal Pap, switched info with the biker.  While the paps kept Britney company. Also in the news is that Britney Spears walked into a downtown courthouse Wednesday the 23, to plead for renewed rights to visit her two little boys.  For Pap pal Adnan, news for him is grim: The wife of Britney Spears' paparazzo pal has filed for legal separation from him. Azlynn Elizabeth Berry cites irreconcilable differences with Adnan Ghalib for the split after four years of marriage, according to documents filed Friday in Superior Court. Berry, although she is representing herself in court papers, she seeks spousal support, and for Ghalib to pay her legal fees, the filing said.

Celibrate singers, Suge is banned, Winehouse is in the news, The Razzy goes to:, Remys case Delayed, Puffy might have gotten out of one mess but it dont end, Foxy losing her hearing, Mark starts new problems, Brit should go to court, Pulp Fiction writer gets arrested, Donda update, Michelle R out early, Beanie sentenced to one day, Prodigys prison term, Spears family is upset at Dr Phil& she flees, Jessica S denied treatment, Ice cube and Dj Pooh have something new, Beanie gets shafted?, What happened to Play of Kid & Play? Brandy is feeling a little better, Radio head news, Esai a predator, nah!!, Songz lost it, say it isnt so V?, Britneys breakdown, Arcani Crosswords died, Stevie B's new stuff, Radiohead splitting up?, Kimora gets naked? B's lawsuit releif, Mac World

Now this is late, but funny to some. Compton is Seeking to further curb criminal activities, Compton has asked a judge to ban individuals identified as members of the Mob Piru street gang, including rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight, from congregating in a northeast neighborhood. Using a strategy employed by other crime-ridden communities, the court order would be the first gang injunction in a city with a long history of battling street gangs. Authorities contend that the Mob Piru gang has terrorized the neighborhood for years, with buying and selling of drugs, discharging firearms, robbing and assaulting residents and by creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. For the last two years, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department gang task force has worked to get gang members off the streets with aggressive enforcement of immigration, housing and parole violations. "We've done it without an injunction," said Lt. Paul Pietrantoni, who heads the task force. "We have the lowest murder rate in 20 years in Compton. "This is crazy," said Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records. "I'm a 42-year-old business-man, not a gang member. I don't even live in Compton anymore . . . . This injunction names people who are already in jail, and at least one guy who is long dead." Mob Piru members have gained widespread notoriety for their alleged links to Knight and Death Row Records, once home to some of rap's biggest names. But sheriff's officials say the gang is on the decline. The injunction would create a huge "safety zone" in the neighborhood bounded by Bullis Road on the west, Pine Street on the north, Thorson Avenue on the east and Rosecrans Avenue on the south. It would ban the estimated 200 members of the gang from congregating, carrying guns, using gang gestures, spray-painting graffiti, fighting or drinking alcohol in public and staying out past 10 p.m. Violators would be subject to arrest on misdemeanor charges, which could bring a $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail, and that would scare them how? There are dozens of similar injunctions in place in cities throughout Southern California, including Los Angeles, Anaheim, Oxnard and Riverside. Los Angeles County has about 44 gang injunctions, according to the district attorney's office.

Lenny Kravitz insists he's been celibate for three years. "It's just a promise I made until I get married," the rocker, who's been married to Lisa Bonet, and linked to Adriana Lima, Devon Aoki, Natalie Imbruglia, Vanessa Paradis, Kylie Minogue, & not mention Madonna, Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman tells next month's Spin magazine. "Where I'm at in life, the women have got to come with something else, not just the body, but the mind and spirit. It usually trips them out, but that's the way it's going to be. I'm looking at the big picture." Also steering clear of sex is Sandy "Pepa" Denton of Salt-n-Pepa. "Just because I'm flirtatious people think I'm loose. But it's not true," the hip-hop honey tells Steppin' Out's Chaunce Hayden. "Truth be told, I haven't had any sex in two years . .   I need a guy to make me go 'Wow!' and I just haven't found that guy. My standards have gone way up . .  I'm not just jumping right in anymore." How times have changed. I remember not so long ago...  Oh forgot this is going out live, I do not know no-ting, no-ting I swear...

Amy Winehouse is in the news yet again. Recently we ran the story about her going to rehab. The troubled singer was spotted entering a private rehabilitation clinic in London Tuesday, just hours after a 19-minute video surfaced online of the 'Rehab' crooner taking cocaine, ecstasy and valium, and smoking crack. But Winehouse's rep told People magazine that the singer was merely seeing a doctor as part of her ongoing treatment for drug addiction. Scotland Yard now started an investigation Wednesday into a video that allegedly shows troubled British singer Amy Winehouse smoking crack. The British tabloid, The Sun, just released grainy footage showing Grammy-nominated Winehouse, 24, inhaling fumes from a pipe. The video was reportedly shot hours before she attended a court hearing for her jailed husband. Police will look at the video before deciding whether any charges should be brought against Winehouse.

Oh My Gosh, it is that time again, The Razzies time. In an awards season where the top-dollar ceremonies are all quaking in their boots wondering what stars (if any) will show up for their events, the one award show where the stars never show up is left wondering what all the fuss is about: As unaffected by the WGA writers' strike as they are unconcerned about the massive star egos they poke fun at year-after-year, the Golden Raspberry Awards® plan to forge ahead with their annual insult-fest whether The 80th Annual Academy Awards® (aka The Giving Out of the Little Gold Naked Men) go on or not. Scheduled for 10am/PST on Saturday, February 23 at Magicopolis in Santa Monica (the day before this year'sOscars® might be held) The 28th Annual RAZZIE® Awards promise to be a real horse race. Voters for Hollywood's least-coveted trophy wound up putting three of their five Worst Picture nominees within one nod of each other, meaning anyone on this year's List of Berry Bad Movies could go home with the bulk of the gold-spray-painted, $4.89 statuettes that signify their "winners" stank.  Click to see the Razzies.. and the nomination or winners of them this year, including Norbit winning 8 of them.. damn Leave Eddie alone....

Our Favorite Bronx rapper Remy Ma's assault case hearing was postponed for a second time this morning (Jan. 17) because her lawyer, Ivan Fisher, is still ill. Remy's pre-trial hearing, which was originally scheduled for January 10, was put off until today (January 17) after the rapper's lawyer first called out sick. Remy who stands accused of shooting long-time associate Makeda Barnes- Joseph twice in the abdomen, strolled into the courtroom this morning around 9:45 a.m. wearing a long black coat, a gray sweater dress and boots. All parties will return to Manhattan Criminal Court on January 31 to set a definite trial date. The Judge, R. Uviller was clearly pissed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

January 20: Leadbelly born Huddie William Ledbetter (1889), R&B singer Paul Gayten (1920), Earl Grant (1933), R&B singer Luther Tucker (1936), George Grantham of Poco (1947), Paul Stanley of Kiss (1952), guitarist John Campbell (1952), Ian Hill of Judas Priest (1952)

January 21: Wolfman Jack (1939), Richie Havens (1941), Placido Domingo of The Three Tenors (1941), Billy Ocean born Leslie Sebastian Charles (1950), Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC (1965)

January 22: Sam Cooke (1931), The Shirelles' Addie Harris (1941), punk impresario Malcolm McLaren (1946), Meatloaf aka Marvin Lee Aday (1946), Steve Perry of Journey (1949), Michael Hutchence of INXS (1960), Steven Adler of Guns 'N' Roses (1965), DJ Jazzy Jeff (1965), Willa Ford (1981)

January 23: Django Reinhardt (1910), Jerry Lawson of The Persuasions (1944), Anita Pointer of The Pointer Sisters (1948), Patrick Simmons of the Doobie Brothers (1950), Danny Federici of the E Street Band (1950), Bill Cunningham of The Box Tops (1950), Robin Zander of Cheap Trick (1953), Anita Baker (1958), UB40's Earl Falconer (1959)

January 24: Doug Kershaw (1936), Ray Stevens (1939), Aaron Neville (1941), Neil Diamond (1941), Warren Zevon (1947), Jools Holland (1958), Singer/Actress Tatyana Marisol Ali of Fresh Prince (1979)

January 25: Scottish folk revivalist Ewan McColl (1915), ABBA manager Stig Andersson (1931), Bill Justis Band guitarist Sidney Manker (1932), Chita Rivera (1933), Etta James (1938), Malcolm Cox of Split Enz (1953), Richard Finch of KC & the Sunshine Band (1954), Terry Chimes of The Clash (1955), Andy Cox of Fine Young Cannibals and English Beat (1956), Roxy Music's Gary Tibbs (1958), Iggy Pop bassist Craig Pike (1963), Alicia Keys (1981)

January 26: Stephane Grapelli (1908), Eartha Kitt (1928 - some sources cite her birthday as January 17), record executive Nat Tarnopol (1931), Huey "Piano" Smith (1934), The Teddy Bears' Marshall Lieb (1939), Derek Holt of the Climax Blues Band (1949), David Briggs of Little River Band (1951), Andy Hummell of Big Star (1951), Lucinda Williams (1953), Edward Van Halen (1957), Norman Hassan of UB40 (1958), Wham's Andrew Ridgley (1963), Soul II Soul's Jazzie B. (1963), gospel star Kirk Franklin of Gods Property (1970)

January 27: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756), Jerome Kern (1885), blues legend Elmore James (1918), David Seville, creator of The Chipmunks (1919), Nick Mason of Pink Floyd (1945), Seth Justman of The J. Geils Band (1951), Brian Downey of Thin Lizzy (1951), Cowboy Junkies' Margo Timmins (1961), New Order's Gillian Gilbert (1961), Faith No More's Mike Patton (1968)

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Todays news
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Music

Yellowcard have been enlisted to perform for U.S. soldiers stationed in the Persian Gulf. The rockers' first-ever tour with the United Service Organizations also sees them signing autographs and hanging out with the troops. "This tour isn't just a treat for them but also for us," frontman Ryan Key said in a press release.

Christina Aguilera will release "Back to Basics - Live and Down Under," a 90-minute DVD chronicling her world tour's stops in Sydney, Australia, in July. The February 5 effort will feature 18 live cuts, including "Ain't No Other Man," "Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" and, of course, "What a Girl Wants." The DVD will also boast interviews with Christina's dancers, husband Jordan Bratman and Christina herself.

Beanie Sigel was sentenced to serve one day in federal prison after being found guilty for violating the terms of his parole a second time and being in contact with a convicted felon, according to The Associated Press. For more on this click it

According to Variety R&B superstars John Legend, Fantasia, Anthony Hamilton and Ledisi will show some R-E-S-P-E-C-T to Aretha Franklin as they will perform tributes to the Queen of Soul at the MusicCares Person of the Year gala. Robin Thicke, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin and Bebe & CeCe Winans also will take the stage, as will Aretha herself. The event takes place Feb. 8 in Los Angeles.

The Fabulous O'Jays have filed a lawsuit against their former label Philadelphia International Records and its founders, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. According to the suit, filed by O'Jays members Eddie Levert Sr. and Walter Williams, the label has yet to comply with a 2006 court-ordered agreement to pay royalties owed to the group. The O'Jays are seeking $3 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

Amy Winehouse, amid all the craziness that is her life now is going around London England as a Blonde. It is not very striking but she did it and she needs to bring the Black back... She and her hubby are having a hell of a time and it is a new disguise of sorts. I know she wont be let into no clubs here, who are u?  You did what with who? ok go back to London then ok... Sorry, got caught up in a dream there... Winehouse has denied in past to having bipolar disorder, but has admitted to having problems with eating disorders, depression and self-harm. She has attributed these problems to insecurities about her appearance.

Hip Hop artist The Game is currently facing trial on weapons charges. His lawyer claims the LAPD confiscated $44,000 of The Game's money during the criminal investigation and has wrongfully refused to release it. The Game, whose real name is Jayceon Taylor, was in court today and was told he will face the music on Feb. 4, that's when his trial begins. The judge also set a hearing for Jan. 22, when he'll decide if the LAPD should be held in contempt of court for withholding the $44 grand. I know it should but hey... not my money, good luck kid...

Beanie sentenced to one day, Prodigys prison term, Spears family is upset at Dr Phil, Jessica S denied treatment, Ice cube and Dj Pooh have something new, Beanie gets shafted?, What happened to Play of Kid & Play? Brandy is feeling a little better, Radio head news, Esai a predator, nah!!, Songz lost it, say it isnt so V?, Britneys breakdown, Arcani Crosswords died, Stevie B's new stuff, Radiohead splitting up?, 

Britney Spears might look happy on the cover of the next issue of OK! Magazine, on which she poses for a portrait with her two young sons for the first time, but that was before the singer's custody battle put her in crisis mode and landed her in the hospital, only to have Dr. Phil McGraw later claim she was in "dire need" of an intervention. His statement riled the Spears family, who fought back Wednesday with some choice words of their own, and with good reason. Spears family business manager Lou Taylor, who appeared via satellite on NBC's "Today," called the television psychologist's statement "inappropriate" and his effort to get the Spears family on his program "self-serving." McGraw (a.k.a. Dr. Phil) had visited the singer in the hospital as she was packing to leave, at the behest of her family members. But even though he wasn't technically her doctor, Taylor said, he should have kept his observations and their conversation confidential. "The family extended an invitation of trust for him to come in as a resource to support them, not to go out and make public statements," she said. "Any statement he made publicly, because he was brought in under this cloak of trust, is inappropriate." The Spears family decided it would be "detrimental" to appear on Dr. Phil's show, because it would "not be a vector to get Britney help," Taylor said. "Dr. Phil did broach this issue, and I thought that was inappropriate for him to even be self-serving and bring something like that up." Also speaking out, on whether the Spears family likes it or not, is photographer Dani Brubaker, who spoke in lieu of the singer for OK!'s cover story this week. Brubaker shot the portrait of Spears with Sean Preston and Jayden James in the backyard of the singer's Beverly Hills home. "She was very loving," Brubaker told the magazine. "She told me that she loved her children and that they are her life. She was very attentive to their needs. You can see a connection between parents and their kids, and you can get a feeling if a child is well-loved by the mother. That's exactly what I experienced." Brubaker observed Spears with her children for just under an hour but didn't witness anything that indicated Spears was troubled. "She was an extremely sweet and kind person. She said, 'Yes, ma'am,' every time she responded to me." But once the photos were developed, Spears was in a different place emotionally. "I'm told that when she saw the photographs, she literally cried for over an hour and stared at them all night long," Brubaker told the magazine, but this showed that she was troubled, just not overtly. There's no telling whether Spears realized she was about to lose the right to visit her children (at least temporarily), and if she were to attempt to see them, she could be arrested. During her custody standoff with the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday night, as a matter of procedure, the LAPD sought and received an emergency protection order to prevent the singer from seeking out Kevin Federline. The order, which expires Thursday, says Spears must not attempt to contact Federline by telephone or send any messages to him. She also must not "molest, harass, attack, strike, threaten, sexually assault, batter, follow, stalk, destroy any personal property of, or disturb the peace of" her ex-husband, who temporarily has sole custody of their children. He could file for an extended restraining order though.  (The pic is Ok! Magazines from their new article, please check it out)

Prodigy's prison term on a charge of gun possession has been pushed back to allow doctors time to produce records documenting the Mobb Deep rapper's sickle cell anemia, according to New York's Daily News. The MC (real name: Albert Johnson) was supposed to start a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence, for which he was indicted in October, on Wednesday, but a New York judge said doctors need more time to gather medical records, Daily News reports. The judge will reportedly talk to state officials about assigning Prodigy to a prison where he would be able to get easy access to medical treatment for sickle cell anemia, which is an incurable blood disorder that can lead to stroke and organ damage. Earlier this month, Prodigy announced plans to issue his second solo album while behind bars. H.N.I.C. Part 2 is due in March.

Beanie Sigel was sentenced to serve one day in federal prison after being found guilty for violating the terms of his parole a second time and being in contact with a convicted felon, according to The Associated Press. The rapper was further punished by U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick, with an 18-month extension of his probationary period, which was to end next month. As part of Surrick's ruling, Beanie has been ordered to spend the first six of those 18 months in an unspecified halfway house, slowing down Beanie's efforts to promote The Solution, his latest album, which hit stores in mid-December. Beanie Sigel was sentenced to serve one day in federal prison after being found guilty for violating the terms of his parole a second time and being in contact with a convicted felon, according to The Associated Press. The rapper was further punished by U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick, with an 18-month extension of his probationary period, which was to end next month. As part of Surrick's ruling, Sigel has been ordered to spend the first six of those 18 months in an unspecified halfway house, slowing down Beanie's efforts to promote The Solution, his latest album, which hit stores in mid-December. The Wednesday development was merely the latest in a spate of legal problems the 33-year-old rapper (born: Dwight Grant) has faced in recent years. Still, Sigel's fate could have been much worse. It was well within the judge's purview to send the rapper back to the big house for three to nine months, due to the probation violation. On other stories with Beanie Sigel

Did you know Ice Cube and his partner DJ Pooh, Pooh is on the right, and Ice Cube is pic on the left. The record producer and screenwriter who also is a self-described techie, they are the latest entertainers to launch a new website showcasing all sorts of videos, original to music to user-generated. But Cube and Pooh aren't just looking to promote their own work. They have greater. loftier ambitions: to create a TV-style network with multiple channels and high-quality video that can support everything from short videos to full-length movies. UVNTV (short for U View Network Television, at uvntv.com), still in rollout mode, now features about a dozen channels, run both by large companies and individual artists. Each channel will be screened for quality but will run its own programming. For example, Snoop Dogg's Snoopadelic channel features his rap videos; Nextreme TV shows clips of extreme sports such as snowboarding jumps. All videos are shown in a new Microsoft-developed format called Silverlight that promises definition high enough to be played on big screens. Shows can be viewed by time or on demand. And, like most websites launching these days, UVNTV includes community-building features along the lines of MySpace. Eventually, the founders hope thousands of individuals, studios and corporations will bring their material to UVNTV, drawn by artistic freedom and the opportunity to bring their material to a new audience, and make money in the process. They're inviting everyone from kind of new or fledgling filmmakers and performers to established stars, networks and companies. Channel partners will share advertising revenue with UVNTV or sell their own ads on their own channels. "We figured we needed to think about how could we still be part of entertainment in this future that's coming out at full speed," says Cube, whose new movie, First Sunday, opens this weekend. "We didn't just want to be providers of a product. We wanted to be a full-blown network. I think we're going to have programming that's way more interesting than what you can see on your daily television or even YouTube." Cube says they're not competing with YouTube or other existing networks, but adding a needed new player to the mix. "Yeah, (artists) can throw (content) up and hope that it gets seen on a YouTube or whatever. But here you can present it the way you want it. And if you get enough people to come and watch, you become a major player in entertainment." Although there are pundits, naysayers, saying that what they are doing is one of the hardest things to do, it has not swayed them from doing their thing. "People are going to doubt anything that you do," he says. "People have doubted everything we've done, coming from the inner city. Ice Cube and I have had the No. 1 record in the country, (Cube has had) the No. 1 movie. I've had the No. 1 video. And we now will have the No. 1 website, says Pooh. And Pooh goes on to say: "Nobody thought YouTube would be big," he says. "I told people about YouTube, and they thought it was the stupidest idea in the world. People were wrong. We're preparing for the future."  They, Snoop and Pooh, are banking on niche in the live market and it can work. Although studios worry about things they cannot contain and try to knock down free thinking that they cannot control, these and others like U-