Day in Pop Report for 06/08/2011
(AP) Ja Rule � whose gravelly voice, thuggish tough talk and duets with R&B divas made him one of rap's stars in the early 2000s � is set to be sentenced Wednesday to two years in a New York prison. more (Billboard) After the Black Keys' Patrick Carney offered jokes comparing Lady Gaga to Madonna on two different occasions, Gaga fans turned vitriolic, sending a barrage of nasty tweets Carney's way early this week. more (BBC) Mad Men delay 'no one's fault' Actor John Hamm puts the delay in filming season five down to TV studio bosses and confirms there will be three more series more (Billboard) According to AllHipHop News, producer and songwriter, David Kirkwood, filed a lawsuit against Cash Money Records and Lil Wayne's imprint label, Young Money, in New York Southern District Court on Friday, June 3 for $1.5 million in royalties and "production services." more (FMQB) Ice-T and his wife, Coco, are gearing up for the premiere of their reality show, Ice Loves Coco: Baby Got Backstory, on June 12 on E! But meanwhile, Ice-T also is working on his directorial debut, a documentary film called The Art of Rap. more (BBC) The fifth X-Men movie tops the UK and Ireland box office in its opening weekend, taking �5.4m in three days. more (Jam!) Rap mogul Russell Simmons threatened to fire a writer on his entertainment blog after they defied his orders and posted photos online of a model he's rumoured to be dating. more (FMQB) Wiz Khalifa will kick off his Rolling Papers tour with a main stage performance at the Bonnaroo festival this Saturday, June 11, and the rapper is also preparing to release "No Sleep" as his next official single more (Billboard) "The Old Magic" is the title of Nick Lowe's first new studio album in four years. Slated for release Sept. 13 on Yep Roc, the set was co-produced by Lowe, Neil Brockbank and Robert Treherne. more
TMZ spoke with a rep from Animal Control in Austin, TX -- who confirms cops were dispatched to the scene after Jesse's dog -- not Cinnabun -- went after a corgi named Buckley and chomped down on his neck. We're told the person walking Buckley freaked out -- and began punching the pit bull in the face because it wouldn't let go of the corgi. Eventually, cops arrived to the scene and freed Buckley -- who was rushed to a nearby vet for emergency care. Buckley had to be sedated and stitched up -- and doctors inserted a drainage tube into his neck to prevent infection. After the incident, Buckley's owner got in touch with Jesse's assistant -- who eventually forked over $250 to cover the vet bill. We're told Jesse has also promised to cover any additional medical expenses. more on this story
Britney has filed a cross-complaint, claiming Brand Sense was all about radio silence when it came to accounting for how much money she was supposed to get for the sale of a perfume -- Radiance -- she was hocking. And there was a lot of money on the line, Brit claims -- millions of bucks worth of the fragrance were sold. Brit says Brand Sense withheld Britney's share of the proceeds for months, failing to pay her interest on the delayed payments. Brand Sense is suing Brit, claiming she cut them out of her deal with Elizabeth Arden. But Brit says in the new docs she didn't cut the company out and they are entitled to commissions. more on this story
With actor Tony Danza as emcee, the concert will feature a special performance by the legendary songwriting duo Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox ("Killing Me Softly," "Ready to Take a Chance Again," theme from "Happy Days"), together on stage for the first time in 30 years. "When I was young, I had opportunities and help in my education that were life-giving to me," said Fox, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the event's producer. "The Songs of Our Lives is my way of paying it forward so that students in Los Angeles get the same opportunity to achieve their dreams." more on this story
TMZ has obtained a demand letter, written by Kim's lawyer, threatening "In Touch" that if it ran the cheating story Kim would take legal action. The letter put "In Touch" on notice ... the cheating allegations "are, at a minimum, damaging, defamatory, and an invasion of her privacy." Kim's reps tell TMZ ... Kim has never even met or spoken with Lockett. Nevertheless, "In Touch" is publishing the story in its new issue. In the story, Lockett is quoted, saying, "I knew this was a game to her, and this is what she does." Lockett adds, "She pursued me." Kim's rep tells TMZ, Kim will sue both "In Touch" and Lockett." more on this story
He already had one of his biggest first week sales ever entering the Billboard Top 200 at #125 when the project was sold exclusively on Amazon.com and AmazonMP3.com beginning May 2nd. "Bride Of The Noisemakers" was recorded live on tour in various venues between 2007 and 2009. The live settings effectively capture the spirit of spontaneous creativity that Bruce and the band are renowned for. In addition, Bruce is in the midst of an extensive U.S. tour with an upcoming visit to Bonnaroo on June 11th and 12th. more on this story
Wyclef Jean, Yolanda Adams, Melanie Fiona, Raphael Saadiq, Paul Schaffer, and Chick Corea, as well as other surprise guests, will perform during this special evening dedicated to Mr. Wonder's legacy as an artist and philanthropist. The program will be hosted by celebrated comedian and former host of Showtime at the Apollo, Sinbad.
Playing songs from her debut, Who You Are, Jessie J is set to get crowds on their feet from Madison Square Garden in New York to The Staples Center in Los Angeles. JESSIE J joins the jaunt on November 15 in Hartford, CT at the XL Center. Jessie J has become a phenomenon everywhere due to songs like the international smash hits "Price Tag (featuring B.o.B)" and "Mamma Knows Best" from Who You Are. Jessie J has received over 170 million views on YouTube, while the album has reached the Top 5 in numerous markets around the world, and the Top 30 in 17 countries. Yet, there's absolutely nothing like hearing and seeing JESSIE J perform live. Her soulful and powerful pipes remain utterly undeniable in any venue. more on this story
The trio have set a July 19th release date for their debut album, "When I Stop Running," via Rock Ridge Music. The album was co-produced by the group and Rock Ridge Music President Jason Spiewak (Benjy Davis Project, Pat McGee). Recorded at the state-of-the-art studio at SPACE in Evanston, IL, the album sessions were organic: the three musicians sat in a circle and recorded the album live. more on this story
"Having had the opportunity to go and see these children and to see the need in their homes makes it possible for me to tell you that these are not just pictures of needy children," says Berry of his involvement with Compassion International. "They are real and they need our help." These days Berry is known as much for his philanthropy as for his soulful tenor voice. In the 1990s, Berry burned up the Country music charts with top 10 hits like, She's Taken a Shine, Standing on the Edge of Goodbye, and I Think About it All the Time. His chart-topper, Your Love Amazes Me ranks among the most popular love songs of all time. more on this story
Sources tell TMZ ... Weston was at The Farmer's Kitchen in Hollywood at around 4:00 today, when his trainer told him he couldn't eat something on the menu. For some reason, we're told Westin went off and started pushing the trainer in a violent way, at one point trying to roundhouse the trainer. The trainer took Weston down, and someone else tried calming Nic's son down, to no avail. Weston got up and continued freaking out. Cops showed up and told Weston if he didn't get on the ground they would tase him. Weston then complied. Cops put Weston in handcuffs but they were so worried he was unstable they strapped him to a gurney. more on this story
The modern-day fairy tale, starring Palmer as Kadee Worth and Max Schneider (How to Rock) as Charlie Prince, began production in May in Vancouver. Set to premiere in 2012, Rags is a music-infused, modern twist on the classic Cinderella story set against the backdrop of New York City. Bille Woodruff (Honey, Beauty Shop) will direct, with original music produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (American Idol, Lady Gaga, Beyonce). "Rags gives a contemporary spin to a classic story, and is told through a relatable filter that speaks to our audience," said Marjorie Cohn, Nickelodeon's President, Development and Original Programming. "The project was brought to us by Nick Cannon, as this concept was inspired by his own reverence for The Wiz, one of his favorite movies growing up. This also marks the first collaboration on a television movie between music industry titans Rodney Jerkins and Bille Woodruff, and Keke Palmer and Max Schneider are the perfect young actors to bring this urban fairy tale to life." more on this story
"Dancefloor" from 6 Point Entertainment is from Howard's forth-coming album titled "Genesis." Howard is best known for producing platinum selling artists such as Ne-Yo, Ginuwine, Trey Songz, Lupe Fiasco and Bow Wow. The "Dancefloor" video streams live starting Wednesday, June 8th, at 12:01 AM (PST) from VEVO here
Finley -- who SNAPPED the tibia and fibula bones in his right leg -- is not walking on his own yet and will use a wheelchair to get around for a while ... but we're told doctors are happy with his progress. Mdot's rep tells us the actor will undergo daily treatment at home while continuing on an "extensive" physical therapy program. Despite his brutal injuries, we're told Mdot -- who's a bigtime Ducati enthusiast -- is determined to ride again as soon as he's healthy enough to get back on his bike. more on this story
"We've been friends with Jeffree Star for years and always wanted to do something together," tells vocalist Jean Paul Makhlouf. "When we were mixing our record we thought he would be perfect to sing a part on 'Sexin' on the Dance Floor!' The vibe just felt really right." Jeffree's tongue-in-cheek (and probably elsewhere) vignette mocks online fame. The self-proclaimed "Queen of the Internet" pokes fun at the Internet's ironic princess, Rebecca Black, before launching into his trademark raunchy sing-rap. more on this story
Vek will be heading to the U.S. for two shows in New York City. He'll be playing on July 12 at Mercury Lounge, and the following night, July 13 at Union Pool in Brooklyn.
The cover photo was shot by legendary New York photographer Jonathan Mannion. Release week shows have been announced in LA & NY. On release day, July 19th, Theophilus London will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Theophilus will be headlining The Troubadour in LA on July 18th and Bowery Ballroom in NYC on July 21st. more on this story
Dance finds the band rendering tracks like "Boil Them Cabbage Down," Ol' Joe Clark," and the irrepressible "Mayberry's Finest Theme." The group was so caught up in the spirit of the show that they recorded a brand new, original song, "Boy, Giraffes Are Selfish," based on a favorite line from one of the episodes.
Similar to the first four cycles, the fifth season will follow the real-life experiences of celebrity patients undergoing detoxification and treatment at The Pasadena Recovery Center. This season will follow Michael Lohan (Celebrity Dad), Sean Young ("Blade Runner"), Dwight 'Doc' Gooden (baseball star), Amy Fisher ("Long Island Lolita"), Steven Adler (Guns 'n Roses), Bai Ling ("The Crow"), Jessica 'Sugar' Kiper (Survivor), and Jeremy Jackson ("Baywatch") on their quest for sobriety. "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew" is set to premiere Sunday, June 26th at 9PM on VH1. more on this story
The album's lead and record breaking track "Just A Kiss" has quickly become the fastest rising single of the trio's career, climbing into the Top 15 on Billboard's Country Singles chart in just five weeks. "We took more time to write and record this record than we've ever done before," says Charles Kelley. "I remember looking at Hillary and Dave at the GRAMMYs this year, on the wildest night of our lives, and saying 'this is amazing�we'll never get to experience a moment like this again, but now we have to go home and get to work.'" more on this story
Confirmed through his manager, Hancock is currently in a short-term rehab program and following his two Texas shows next week and a performance at the Rockabilly Rave in the U.K. on June 16, he will then enter an extended-term recovery facility to address his longtime fight with addiction. We would like to extend our appreciation for your understanding, especially to those who had tickets to the cancelled shows. Wayne will do his best to return to your area in the near future. more on this story
Albarn told BBC Radio 4's Today show that he will perform in the opera but will not be "walking around in a ruff and tights." As for his inspiration Albarn said, "I've got a really strange emotional connection - it really gets to me, that haunted, magical England. It's something that really stirs me in an irrational way." more on this story
Sources close to the club tell us -- "Idol" Season 5 finalist Ace Young visited the club recently ... and was SUPER interested in donning the famous bow tie and shirt cuffs. According to sources, Young paid Chipps a visit to hang out with Timmons -- and to see how the whole guest-hosting thing works. So far, there's no deal in place -- but it looks promising. more on this story
The trek will now hit New York, Six Flags Great America in Illinois, the Fox Theater and Wild Adventures Theme Park in California, and more through August and September.
But, talking to Entertainment Weekly, the singer has said she will not be making any more solo records. Stefani said: "That was a moment in time. It went on a little longer than we all thought it would, because it was inspired and you have to do with wherever you're at in that time of your life... [But] everything works out how it should." It has been two years since No Doubt reunited for a U.S. tour with no news of a new album. However, the singer teased that the band would be announcing their future plans this Friday (June 10). more on this story
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