Emmanuel Jal Week: Day 4 "No Bling"

As you can see this isn't your everyday hip-hop. Even if you don't like rap you can agree that he has something far more important to say than his contemporaries. You can learn more about Emmanuel's incredible story, preview some tracks from Warchild, find out where to see him live and more at his - Myspace page.

Madonna's Lesbian Controversy

Gigwise reports: Madonna caused controversy during a gig in France last night (May 7th) when she kissed one of her female dancers.

Performing a private concert in Paris, the singer declared that she "loves frenching French people" before she kissed the dancer.

"Viva La France," Madonna said afterwards, according to the Sun. It isn't the first time the singer has kissed a woman on stage - more on this story

100K Hendrix Sex Tape Challenge

Vivid reports: A controversial video concerning the sexual escapades of Jimi Hendrix is the real thing, says rock 'n roll experts who have seen it, according to Vivid Entertainment, which will release the DVD in stores today and simultaneously make it available for download from its website.

Vivid co-chairman Steven Hirsch said his company is so confident of the authenticity of the 40-year-old footage in "Jimi Hendrix The Sex Tape" that it recently offered $100,000 to Experience Hendrix, LLC ("Experience Hendrix"), the family company of the legendary guitarist, if it can provide verifiable proof that Hendrix is not the "star" of the tape.

The controversy over the tape escalated after Experience Hendrix publicly denied the tape actually showed Hendrix having sex with two unidentified brunettes. Mr. Hirsch said: "The press release/statement from Experience Hendrix proves nothing. Vivid took considerable time and spent a substantial sum of money to authenticate the footage and we are very comfortable that this is the real thing. We believe that those who say otherwise are relying on their emotions to make unsubstantiated claims. If Experience Hendrix can prove definitively that it's not Jimi Hendrix on this footage then we will pay them $100,000." - more on this story

Crazy Vanilla Ice 911 Call

TMZ reports: TMZ has obtained a bizarre, backwoods 911 call made on April 10 after Vanilla Ice allegedly kicked and hit his wife Laura.

You gotta hear this call -- halfway through, Laura starts talking to the dispatch operator like he's a couple's counselor! Too funny.

As we first reported, Laura withdrew her complaint against the former "rapper" and the case was thrown out. - Listen to it here

Rick Rubin Inks ZZ Top

antiMusic reports: BW&BK just posted an exclusive story about their conversation with ZZ Top where they learned that the band has inked a deal with Rick Rubin. Here is part of that exchange: Arguably the world's greatest living bluesman, Billy Gibbons, spoke to BW&BK recently about ZZ Top's upcoming DVD Live In Texas, the reissue of Eliminator, and also work on the band's first record since the highly entertaining but somewhat ignored Mescalero album from fully five years ago.

"That starts pretty soon," says Billy. "We just inked a deal with Rick Rubin that will be announced shortly. And I'm sure he's got plans to make way to drag us off the touring trail back into the studio, which will be a nice excursion."

Given his reputation for paring things back, would you be moving in the same direction, going for a back to the roots thing? "Could be. Rick and I have been friends for a couple of decades now. And we both like a lot of the same things. And mostly it is that rootsy kind of sense of realism. That's his genius." - Read the rest

Dreaded Idol Booted

antiMusic reports: For those that actually care about televised karaoke, that goofball with the dreadlocks, who had a Paula moment and forgot the lyrics to the song he was singing on Tuesday night, was given the boot. Now it's down to three people who will vie to win the title of American Idol, release and album next year and then be dropped the following year after not selling enough CDs!

AP has this: Simon Cowell once told Jason Castro that his face would save him from elimination. Not this time. The dreadlocked heartthrob was voted off "American Idol" Wednesday as the show narrowed the competition to three finalists: David Cook, David Archuleta and Syesha Mercado.

Castro, 20, from Rockwall, Texas, started off strong in the show's seventh season but lost momentum in recent weeks. He gave weaker performances, and flubbed the lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" on Tuesday's performance show. - more on this story

Zappa To Get Hometown Monument

AP reports: Frank Zappa, who sang about "Plastic People," has been cast in bronze. Again. In 1995, a quirky bunch of Lithuanian artists and intellectuals managed to erect a bust of the eccentric rocker in downtown Vilnius, the capital of the former Soviet republic.

Now, they've given a replica to Zappa's hometown. Saulius Paukstys, longtime president of a Zappa fan club, pitched the Zappa bust Wednesday to Baltimore's public art commission, and the commissioners, clearly charmed by his dogged efforts, voted unanimously to accept the gift.

"It's carved already, and it's ready to be shipped to the U.S.," said Arturas Baublys, a public relations consultant and Zappa admirer who joined Paukstys for the presentation. - more on this story

Double Throw Rag Releases

antiMusic reports: Throw Rag is one of So Cal's most underrated and underknown street rock bands. Thanks to MVD you'll get another chance to discover them with the first proper release of their debut album "Tee-Tot" and a brand new release called "2nd Place!". Both are set to hit stores on June 10th. Can we get a "hell yeah!"

Here is the PR on them: Throw Rag have been playing their brand of rock for a few years now and finally their debut "Tee-Tot" has been reissued! "Tee-Tot" never really saw a proper release and was only available at the band's live performances until now. Out of print for years, "Tee-Tot" finally sees the light of day. Produced by Mickey Petralia (Peaches, Beck, Beastie Boys), "Tee-Tot" has been remastered with two bonus tracks! Check out the beginnings of one of the best live bands in the country.

2nd Place? That's the spirit... Despite the album title, this is Throw Rag's finest work to date, a rabble rousing collection of anthems direct from California's Salton Sea... and with ace producer Cameron Webb (Social Distortion, Motorhead) at the helm, this ship is built for speed. - more on this story

Top Metal Mascots

antiMusic reports: Gibson has compiled a list of the Top 4 metal mascots. Here is their intro plus a snippet from each. You'll have to click on the full story to read it all: No one single genre, outside the world of professional sports, has dominated the field of mascots quite like heavy metal. Mascots are almost as old as the genre itself. Here is a brief history of heavy metal's five most savage icons. [they only posted 4 -ed]

Iron Maiden's Eddie (full name Eddie the Head) was born without a body. The creation of illustrator Derek Riggs, the original Eddie was based on an image from the side of a World War II era Japanese tank [actually it was Vietnam - ed]. A mess of rotted flesh, muscles, and tendons with charged punk rock hair, Ed's graced every Maiden album cover to date.

Megadeth's Vic Rattlehead first came to the attention of the metal-buying public as the grotesque face of Megadeth. He was featured on their first four records and just recently resurrected as the band's mascot after a lengthy absence.

Motörhead's Snaggletooth brings a punk bite to the heavy metal mascot set. The bastardized War Pig with SS-styled spiked helmet, chain link necklace, Iron Cross, skull, and other assorted ephemera represents everything heavy metal stands for.

The Misfits' Crimson Ghost was left behind almost everywhere the band toured. Notorious for showing up to gigs with their Crimson Ghost stencil and a can of white spray-paint, the band left its mark on any fan willing enough to dedicate their leather jacket to these New Jersey goons. - Read it all and watch the tribute videos for the mascots

Blackmore's Night Go On A Secret Voyage

Blabbermouth reports: Blackmore's Night, the Renaissance-flavored band featuring former DEEP PURPLE/RAINBOW guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and his fiancée Candice Night, will release its new album, "Secret Voyage", in Europe on June 30 (except for Germany where it will arrive on June 27) and in the USA on June 15 via SPV.

According to a press release, "Secret Voyage" is "another kaleidoscopic musical journey through time and space, incorporating and rearranging traditional melodies from all over Europe, blending the "old" and contemporary.

The brilliant guitar stylings of Ritchie Blackmore, the enchanting vocals and lyrics of singer/songwriter Candice Night and the saturation of authentic Renaissance instruments woven throughout the melodies, create a unique style of music they call Renaissance/folk/rock - more on this story

Crime Report: Winehouse Drug Arrest, DMX High Speed Bust- R. Kelly To Face The Music

antiMusic reports: Some quick crime reports from around the web about Amy Winehouse, DMX and R. Kelly. We start with this Billboard report: Amy Winehouse has been arrested on suspicion of drugs possession, police and her spokesman said Wednesday (May 7). Winehouse's spokesman, Chris Goodman, said the arrest is connected to a video that is alleged to show the troubled singer taking drugs at a party in her home in north London. more Winehouse has since been released on bail more

DMX was arrested after speed-enforcement cameras captured him in his bright yellow 1966 Chevrolet going 114 mph on a suburban Phoenix freeway. The rapper/actor was taken into custody Tuesday at his north Phoenix home without incident.more

It seemed for a while as if R. Kelly's day in court might never come. But after six years of repeated delays, jury selection is set to begin Friday in the Grammy-winning R&B singer's trial on child pornography charges, prompted by a videotape allegedly showing Kelly having sex with a girl as young as 13. - more

Bowling For Beck

antiMusic reports: Beck is making his summer plans early. He's planning to release his new Danger Mouse produced album sometime this summer and in September he has booked a big show at the Hollywood Bowl, the first headline date to what is promised to be a US tour. Here is the PR on both:

Beck has recorded a new album, produced with Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton, to be released this summer. The as yet untitled album contains 10 new songs. Having met a few years ago, Beck and Danger Mouse had planned to work together at some point, finally convening last December to do a few songs. Encouraged by the results, they decided to make an entire record and over the next few months recorded extensively, with the goal of using only 10 pieces in the end.

On the live front, Beck will play his biggest hometown headline show to date September 20 at the Hollywood Bowl. The bill will also feature special guests Spoon and MGMT and is the first headline date announced on a U.S. itinerary that so far includes the Austin
City Limits, Outside Lands and Bumbershoot festivals. - more on this story

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