MTVNEWS Reports
Two different, star-studded tributes to Michael Jackson have begun to take shape. The first, according to TMZ, is an all-star remake of the late pop singer's "Will You Be There" that will reportedly feature vocals from John Mayer, Usher, Wyclef Jean, Jermaine Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie and Dionne Warwick.
That effort is reportedly being led by Shawn King, wife of TV talker Larry King, who will also lend her vocals to the song. King told TMZ she's not yet sure if Jennifer Hudson — who performed the song at last month's memorial service for Jackson — will participate in the tribute because she has just given birth to her first child. Proceeds from the song, the release date of which has not yet been announced, will be split 50/50 between the Larry King Cardiac Foundation and an unspecified charity close to Jackson.
In the meantime, the New York Post reported that Shawn King, Whitney Houston, Madonna and President Barack Obama will not be participating in Jermaine Jackson's global tribute to his brother, who died on June 25 at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest. The show is being planned for September 26 on a crown-shaped stage at the Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, according to The Associated Press. The lineup for the three-hour show will reportedly be revealed in two weeks, but early reports are that it will feature around 10 major entertainers who will perform 15 to 20 of Jackson's hits. Jermaine Jackson said the site was chosen because his brother "loved castles."
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MTVNEWS Reports
Lil Boosie has made a bunch of music with fellow Louisiana MC Webbie, and he just dropped a mixtape with his homie Hurricane Chris. However, there's one more cat Boosie wants to lock in with: Young Jeezy. He thinks a mixtape with the Snowman is an excellent idea.
"Jeezy is my homie," Boosie told us on the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, set of his new "Better Believe It" video. "If we wasn't rapping, we'd still be click-clackin'. I wanted to get on that album bad. Jeezy put me on that Recession album. I owe him for that. Whatever he needs, I got him. Jeezy, I'm trying to get him to do a mixtape with me right now."
Jeezy was also on the set, as he guest-stars on the song, along with Webbie.
"It was no other person in my mind I would want on my single," Boosie said of getting Young to pop off on his record.
Boosie's new album, Superbad: The Return of Boosie Bad Azz, is due this fall.
"The last time was Boosie Bad Azz. This time, I feel I'm better, stronger, spitting better, have more money — if you was doing all this when you Boosie Bad Azz, that makes you superbad. That's my main concept for Superbad — I'm badder than I was from the last album.
"I want a gold record for sure," he added of his expectations for the new project. "I'd love a platinum record, but I want a gold record. I want a lot of ringtone money ... just to reach everybody. We been killing everybody with the mixtapes ... this is my second album. Our goal is to stay focused. I'm just trying to work hard."
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MSNBC Reports
JOLIET, Ill. - Drowsy spectators in one suburban Chicago courtroom might want to stifle their yawns from now on.
Clifton Williams, 33, of Richton Park, is facing six months in jail for making what court documents call a yawn-like sound in Will County Judge Daniel Rozak's court last month.
The yawn happened as Williams' cousin, Jason Mayfield, was being sentenced for a drug charge on July 23.
Rozak found Williams in contempt of court and sentenced him to six months in jail. However, Rozak could free Williams after a status hearing Thursday, if Williams apologizes and the judge accepts. By then, Williams will have served 21 days.
Witnesses disagree about whether Williams' yawn was out of line.
‘A very loud statement’
Charles Pelkie, spokesman for the Will County state's attorney's office, said the prosecutor in the courtroom at the time told him that what came out of Williams' mouth could hardly be called a "yawn."
"This was a very loud, boisterous, deliberate attempt on the part of this individual to disrupt the proceedings and show disrespect to the court," Pelkie said. "It was not a guy who involuntarily yawned. This guy was making a statement — a very loud statement — in court."
Mayfield disagreed, saying it was "not an outrageous yawn." Williams has written his family to say that he can't believe he's in jail "for nothing."
A message left for Rozak Tuesday was not immediately returned.
Six months is the maximum sentence judges can give for criminal contempt without a jury trial.
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The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards are back in New York this year, and no one represents the Big Apple quite like Jay-Z. So, it only makes sense for the Brooklyn rap icon to perform during the festivities. When the show airs live on September 13 at 9 p.m. ET, Jay will take to the stage to perform a track from his upcoming album, The Blueprint 3, which will drop just days prior to the big show.
It won't be his first time appearing at the VMAs, although it'll definitely be one of his most eagerly anticipated. Here MTV News recaps five other memorable times Hov graced our stage in the past 10 year
1999: Run This Town
Jay-Z made his VMA performance debut in a big way at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. Joined by Ja Rule and Amil, Jigga took to the stage to perform his breakout hit "Can I Get A ..." along with a medley of tracks from his best-selling Vol 2...Hard Knock Life. His 2009 performance has a lot to live up to in order to top this one.
2001: Classic
Just days before he released one of his most celebrated albums, The Blueprint, Jay-Z was already basking in the success of the project. The legendary lyricist donned a number 23 Chicago Bulls jersey with Carter emblazoned on the back as he performed "Izzo (H.O.V.A)." The message was clear: This was his year in hip-hop. Everyone agreed.
2003: Meet the Carters
Madonna's kiss with Britney may have had tongues wagging, but the real steam came when Jay-Z joined Beyoncé for their hit "Crazy in Love." B cozied up to Jay and put some extra oomph into her moves when she walked past her man. Jay might not have been onstage for long, but sparks were flying during his screen time.
2004: And The Winner Is ... Hov!
The Roc boy was definitely in the house on this night. Jay-Z tied with Outkast for the most Moonmen at the 2004 VMAs held in Miami. His gritty, artistic and authentic clip for "99 Problems" scored the Roc-A-Fella boss wins for Best Rap Video, Best Direction, Best Editing and Best Cinematography. He did say he would not lose.
2006: King of New York
You guys thought Mayor Bloomberg oversaw the city? Think again. Jay-Z introduced the 2006 VMAs perched 70 stories atop the famed GE Building in Rockefeller Plaza. The show was back in New York after two consecutive years in Miami. With one simple line and gesture, he made us feel like we never left. "Welcome home," Jay said as he put on his trademark Yankee hat.
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Additional celebrity presenters and performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV.
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HipHopWired Reports
Warren G recently spoke to HipHopWired about the status of his homeboy Nate Dogg who suffered several strokes over the past few years and was close to death several times. While no one in the Dogg Pound Gang has talked publically about the tragedy, Warren said,
“He is recovering. He had two strokes. The recovery right now is slow but he is improving. I'm the only person that has seen him so far but he's doing good. He's recovering slowly but him having two strokes was deadly so it's a slow process.”
He also spoke of Nate's physical therapy process and him learning to talk and walk again, adding,
“Well you know with recovery like that, you gotta go through therapy and learn how to walk and all kind of stuff again so that's part of the therapy when having a stroke so that's' what it is. He has to go through a lot of therapy. It's a slow process but he's progressing.”
Warren will also be releasing his new album The G-Files on September 29th. The project features the new single “Swagger Rich” with the third member of 213, Snoop Dogg. The album will also include Nate D. O. Double G on the track “100 Miles & Runnin'” along with Raekwon. Going in a whole different direction from the N.W.A. classic, Warren also discussed the track and clarified that although Nate's on the hook, the song isn't dated.
“Nah those vocals weren't old. The vocals aren't old or the beat. None of that is old. That was done maybe like a year ago maybe, that ain't old. Maybe a year and a half. Right before he had the stroke, we did about 8-10 songs where he just did hooks and he was like whatever you want to use, go ahead. The record is definitely not old. It's a great record and Raekwon did his thing over a West coast track and he sounds incredible. Nate is always incredible on a track and the game needs that. We need his voice back in the game and I'm putting it down for him right now with that record. So people can hear that and be like ‘Damn, that's what we've been missing.' That's what we need from the West because he is one of the niggas that was helping the artist here by his hooks and his voice. But “100 Miles & Runnin'” is a totally different thing from the NWA record. Ours is just talking about how we roll.”
The G-Files will also include collaborations with Ray J and RBX. Stay tuned to HipHopWired for our upcoming feature with The G-Child.
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HipHopWired Reports
Lil Wayne appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom yesterday on a gun charge. He was arrested in 2007 for criminal possession of a weapon after officers raided his tour bus and found a .40 caliber pistol. He maintains that the weapon was not his because it is legally registered to his manager and Young Money CEO, Cortez Bryant. The case was adjourned until next month.
This is not the only legal issue pending for Wayne. He is also facing copyright infringement charges for his song, “I Feel Like Dying.” The song samples folk singer, Karma-Ann Swanepoel's song “Once.” According to Swanepoel, he did not get permission to sample her song. A U.S. District judge ruled to postpone the hearing for that case Wednesday. The hearing was set to take place on October 26.
While Wayne is busy making court appearances and headlining his “America's Most Wanted Tour,” his Cash Money team is announcing their international expansion with U.K. pop sensation, Jay Sean. The first single from the new Cash Money artist is called “Down” and features Wayne. He is already multi-platinum with his success spawning from his appearance in the 2005 hit Bollywood movie, “Kya Kook Hain Hum,” and his singles “Eyes On You” and “Stolen.” Co-founder and CEO of Cash Money, Ronald “Slim Williams” expressed his excitement over their latest signee saying:
“It has been our goal from the beginning to move from a small, local, independent label into a world-wide major entertainment organization, and I think, with artists like Jaysean and Drake added to Lil Wayne, we have done just that.”
HipHopWired Reports
West coast rap icon, Dr. Dre and the head of the record label that signed him, Interscope's Jimmy Iovine are collaborating with Hewlett Packard to save digital music. The two music moguls are working with the computer giant to improve digital music's sound quality. Hewlett Packard will release laptops, high-end headsets and software under a special edition “Beats By Dre" brand. “Beats By Dre” products will all feature improved sound quality technology. Iovine confirmed to CNET News that they were working to improve the “digital music ecosystem” from the sound file to the computer to the headphones.
While Dre preps for his collaboration with HP and Iovine, his fans are still prepping for his Detox album. Detox has been pushed back for years. Originally set to drop in the early 2000s, the album has a tentative release date for the end of this year. The icon's highly-anticipated album is said to be complete with 18 songs completed and ghost writing from none other than DTP front-man, Ludacris. Ludacris made headlines last month confirming to fans via Twitter that he was a ghost-writer for a song on the album titled, “O.G.'s Theme”.
In the meantime his fans will be pleased to know that a newly revised version of his classic album, The Chronic entitled The Chronic Re-Lit will hit stores September 1st. The Chronic Re-Lit features the sixteen original tracks from the album digitally re-mastered and also includes a DVD collection entitled The Vault.
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NYDailyNews Reports
Albany,New York-Who says crime doesn't pay?
A new state audit found nearly a dozen prisoners got more than just three hots and a cot -- they also got state unemployment checks.
The 11 prisoners amazingly collected $29,399 in unemployment insurance benefits, state Controller Thomas DiNapoli said in an audit released Tuesday.
DiNapoli's office also stopped an additional $18,261 in payments that would have gone to the individuals.
In some cases, inmates were using the names and Social Security numbers of people on the outside to get benefits.
Auditors also identified another 14 they thought might have improperly received payments at a time when they had been in prison, including one who was jailed under another person's name, Social Security number, and date of birth.
Of the remaining 13, nine checked out as having received benefits properly.
The other four had their checks suspended because they did not respond for requests for information.
"Crime should not pay, but these prisoners figured out a way to game the system from inside a cell," DiNapoli said.
DiNapoli noted that in order to qualify for unemployment benefits, a person has to be "ready, willing and able to work in their usual employment or in another place of employment that matches their training and experience."
Auditors recommended that the state Department of Labor recover all inappropriate payments and assess penalties.
They also suggested the departments of labor and corrections work together to find out how prisoners were certified for unemployment benefits and share info, including a monthly report of inmate names and Social Security numbers, so it doesn't happen again.
Both agencies promised to work to make the needed changes.
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EOnline Reports
Jaime Pressly isn't trailer trash, she just plays played one on TV. And she's also not a public urinator. She just played one on a dare.
In the wake of a certain blogger's breathless, exclamation-point-heavy claim that the former My Name Is Earl star popped a squat and publicly relieved herself outside a West Hollywood bar Sunday, Pressly has taken to Twitter, offering an innocent explanation for the admittedly suspicious-looking photo.
"Yes…that is me doing dare #8 at my bridal shower..Things are not always what they seem.. Notice my hand in the back," she wrote. "Its pouring a bottle of water!!! C'mon guys! Do you think i would really pee in the entry way to the Abbey in broad DAYLIGHT!!!"
Well, when you put it that way...
"Way to spin a story!! Breaking news huh? wow!!!!"
So the joke's on us? Jaime must be pissing herself. For real this time.
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HipHopWired Reports
The man who open-fired at a Pittsburgh L.A. Fitness, killing four woman and later turned the gun on himself, had a long history of radical anti-government sentiment dating back to the early days of the web. In this case, police have discovered a journal the murderer kept the year before he committed this gruesome crime.
According to his cyber diary, George Sodini was in full support of President Barack Obama, and even held off his murder/suicide plans to watch the outcome of the November election.
George Sodini, the shooter, writes in a post dated Nov. 5, 2008, “Planned to do this in the summer but figure to stick around to see the election outcome. This particular one got so much attention and I was just curious. Not like I give a flying fcuk who won, since this exit plan was already planned. Good luck to Obama! He will be successful. The liberal media LOVES him. Amerika has chosen The Black Man. Good!”
He continued: In light of this I got ideas outside of Obama's plans for the economy and such. Here it is: Every black man should get a young white girl hoe to hone up on. Kinda a reverse indentured servitude thing. Long ago, many a older white male landowner had a young Negro wench girl for his desires. Bout' time tables are turned on that shit. Besides, dem young white hoez dig da bruthrs! LOL. More so than they dig the white dudes! Every daddy know when he sends his little girl to college, she be bangin a bruthr real good. I saw it. “Not my little girl”, daddy says! (Yeah right!!) Black dudes have thier choice of best white hoez. You do the math, there are enough young white so all the brothers can each have one for 3 or 6 months or so.
Later, Sodini writes of the President, “But I got a promotion and a raise, even in this shitty Obama ecomomy.”
Sodini prolonged his murderous plans for months and expressed how he was glad he waited, in addition to a time in January when he took loaded guns to the gym, but could not bring himself to carry out his mission.
"Glad I stayed around. All these days off are great. I will shoot for Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at maybe 8:15. I have list of to-do items to make." On January 9 he wrote,
"I chickened out! Shit! I brought the loaded guns, everything. Hell!"
For weeks upon end until he finally decided to execute his plan, Sodini wrote about his plans and how, in death, he would love to share his story with the world...if it helps.
His final entry read: Also, any of the “Practice Papers” left on my coffee table I used or the notes in my gym bag can be published freely. I will not be embarased, because, well, I will be dead. Some people like to study that stuff. Maybe all this will shed insight on why some people just cannot make things happen in their life, which can potentially benefit others.
Miscellaneous: 1. Probably 99% of the people who know me well don't even think I was this crazy. Told by at least 100 girls/women over the years I was a “nice guy”. Not kidding. 2. Lee Ann Valdiserri had my baby in early 1991. Haven't seen her since she was about four months into it. I knew her sister, Chris, from high school. 3. Net worth slightly more than $250K, (after all debt) as of end of 2008. 4. Death Lives!
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HipHopWired Reports
MC Hammer is in financial trouble once again. After declaring bankruptcy in 1996, he now owes the government over $600,000 in unpaid taxes. Government officials filed three separate liens or legal claims against him this year that add up to $671,182. The first legal claim is from the IRS for $32,926, followed by a June request from the state of California seeking $12,464. The final lien is also from the IRS for $625,792.
Financial woes are not the only trouble for the Hammer clan. His cousin Marvin Grant is accused of raping a woman he met on Twitter. Grant appeared in a court room Monday and asked to be assigned a public defender. According to police, Grant and the woman exchanged emails, tweets and phone calls before agreeing to meet up at a hotel July 28. The woman claims he attacked her after she denied his advances.
Grant also appears on Hammer's “Hammertime” reality show. The show airs on A& E and follows Hammer, his wife, six kids and Grant through their everyday life.
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The luxury resort Colonna Pevero Hotel in Porto Cervo, Italy where Saudi princess was robbed
BangkokPost Reports
Rome (AFP) - Burglars made off with jewels and cash worth 11 million euros ($15.6 million) from the hotel room of a Saudi princess in Sardinia, Italians newspapers reported Sunday, sparking a diplomatic incident.
It was the biggest heist from Saudi royalty since Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai worker stole a fabled blue diamond and a 90kg bag of other jewellery from the wife of the future king of the country.
Sardinia is a large island belonging to Italy, and about 200km off the west coast of the country. It has many luxury resorts, and Premier Silvio Berlusconi owns property on the island.
"The thieves used a master key. In 10 minutes at dinner time, without making any noise, they managed to remove the safe from a suite occupied by the Saudi princess," who was not named, the daily La Stampa reported.
The safe was only fixed with silicon to the wall into which it was embedded, it said.
According to the daily La Repubblica, the burglary sparked a diplomatic incident.
"A military official from the Saudi embassy arrived in Sardinia and the Italian secret services and diplomats from both countries have been involved."
A Moroccan businessman also had his room burgled in another luxury hotel on the Costa Smeralda, the most chic resort area on the island, where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also owns a luxury villa.
Using a similar technique, thieves pulled the safe out of the wall and got away with around 150,000 euros worth of jewels and money.
Both burglaries were carried out this week. The two hotels belong to the same chain, Iti Hotels.
Investigators suspect they were the work of an expert gang, probably from abroad, helped by someone with inside knowledge, who had worked in both establishments.
A third burglary was carried out in a hotel in Portofino, on Italy's northwest coast, where a German businessman had the safe stolen from his room, containing a million euros worth of jewellery and 3,000 in cash, according to Il Corriere della Sera.
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