SECTION 2

Musical News Now for the hot news this month..
Musical News past- what happened this month in musical history?
Songs Released in Music History for this month
This Months Birthdays in Music- Who do u share a birthday with?
Musical Deaths- Who died this month in Musical history?
Dj Spotlight - Dj Doug Fresh
Aprils Hot Music List done by Sure Record pool
Music Favorites - for Weddings, Sweet 16's, Family Events & ?
New Artist Spot Light for Feb
What Movies are hot this month.. Jan, Feb, March
Jokes of the month- provided by Yadida
This Months Computing news:
Valentines Day What to get?  What is nice to do, do kids get gifts? lets answer this
Marches DJ Political Spotlight fight for more FM stations, free stations

SECTION 3

Viewpoint-NY Emceeing is Dead

Grammy's Award Wrap-up check out who won..

Women On Wax - Some of the Worlds Women Dj Awards in NYC.. check it out and read about contestants.

Record pools, what are they?. how do you break into the music biz?

Word on the Street-Africa B brokers Peace

Musical Warnings - Save Internet Radio
Urgent Call to Dj's in April

Red Zone Blog News

March Warnings - Save Internet Radio
Urgent Call to Dj's in April

Music Charts for April Music Countdown for what is hot in the streets.

Do you want to get into the Music Business?  Check what's happening in the Circle this month?

Sure's Musical news: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3

The One day Scoop-find out about the Music Industry

This is how to hold the chopsticks? This illustration shows hand placement. 

Historical facts about the Chopsticks and History of Asian eating

SECTION 4
 

Computing & Gaming News Desk - filled with the articles below...

Computers - What is it that you should look for?

What is the craziest website?  Well how about this one!!

Printers - 3-D printing, is it the new move for printing.

 Double Layer DVD Drives

Laptop Security - some tips for Laptops.

Laptops - Are they the new addition to today's Dj's?

The iPhone is out now, for news, for specs click.

Watch out i-Phone, introducing Readius

Windows shortcut keys, do you want to add accents, use shortcut keys...

What is Lightscribe technology?  What does it do?  Does it work on CD/DVD?

Keep the Internet free: What can you do?

SECTION 5


What's going on this weekend?
St. Paddy's Day Parade

The One day Scoop-find out about the Music Industry

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Sundays

Clubs in NY Addresses

Search ARDictionary.Com

Enter word:

Damn that repo man, he done it now. He repo'ed Lil' Kims Bently.  He said it is because she is four months in arrears-back bills on the car.  What is crazy is that it is not even Kims Car.  That is still cold Mr. Repo man.  but that can happen if you forget the bill.  But Kims reps say, It isn't hers... Sorry ya'll

Ludacris has chosen September for the release of his sixth album, Theater of the Mind. "Expect the whole album [to be] theatrical," he says. One track from the album will be called "Let's Stay Together," and the first single should emerge by June or July. Meanwhile, Luda is filming scenes for Max Payne and can be seen in RocknRolla, which opens Oct. 31. For more on Ludacris, click here:

The Broadway debut of Grammy Award winner Mya, who was scheduled to begin performances in the Tony-winning revival of Chicago May 12, has been postponed. The platinum recording artist has broken her foot, according to a statement released by the producer of Chicago.

Teddy Riley has signed on to star in Paramount's dance flick Hype Nation. The legendary New Jack Swing producer will portray a music director in the $25 million-budgeted movie, which focuses on dance battles between R&B group B2K and a South Korean dance troupe called the Gambler. Filming is set to begin July 15. Teddy has worked with numerous artists, most recently Snoop Dogg on his Ego Trippin' album.

Cities and dates have now been announced for the 30th anniversary revival tour of the beautiful Tony-winning production of "Ain't Misbehavin'." The Musical, starring American Idol alums Ruben Studdard and Frenchie Davis, kicks off Nov. 17th, in Atlanta and stretches into 2009 with the final performance ending May 12th, in Syracuse, N.Y. The performance of "Ain't Misbehavin'",  is about some black musicians during the 1930's Harlem Renaissance, featuring the music of the late great jazz pianist Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller.

Soulja Boy has titled his new album Back to School. "Basically, it is really me taking it back to the basics," he says. "It's time to start studying again." No release date has been announced for the project. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old rapper wants fans to know that Yums sneakers, Soulja Boy sunglasses, a cartoon titled Bad Little Homies, and S.O.D.s clothing are all on the way, as well.

R&B singers Raheem DeVaughn and Chrisette Michele will embark on the Art of Love tour next month. The soulful 23-city trek begins May 22 in San Francisco and ends June 29 in Columbia, Md. During the tour, Chrisette will participate in various charitable efforts for Unlocking Hope, a program dedicated to building homes for displaced families. In June, the songbird will dedicate a new home to a New Orleans family who became homeless during Hurricane Katrina.

Wearing a humongous, gleaming ring on her left hand, Mariah Carey stayed close to Nick Cannon at the afterparty for her new film, Tennessee, on Saturday night. This of course stirred rumors that she is engaged. The pair held hands at the bash at Cadillac Lounge at Tenjune, which followed the movie's premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. The two also looked cozy in Vegas on April 14. When asked about a possible engagement, Cannon's rep had no comment; Carey's was unable to be reached for comment, which kept the rumors blowing faster. Whether or not the rumors were true, it is in the air now, so nothing short of an official word will do. He was at her side from 8 p.m. to about 10:45 p.m. in Tenjune's VIP room, where they were joined by her BFF, Da Brat. Zoe Kravitz and the awesome Ben Kingsley also stopped by. Meanwhile, before the premiere, Carey played it coy, saying she only has eyes for one male: Jack, her Jack Russell terrier. "I'm in love with my dog," said the singer, 39. "He is my special someone. I love spending time with him." So only time will tell.

Wiz Khalifa recently said "yeah" to a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records. The Pittsburgh rhyme-spitter is expected to drop his debut album this fall via his indie label, Rostrum Records. "We did what we could do as far as building a buzz and getting the respect of the industry as an independent label," says Wiz of the pact. "But we definitely need them major-label dollars and marketing to make [Rostrum] as big as we can be."

Lupe Fiasco has made no secret of his plan to leave the limelight sooner as opposed to later. "Retirement plans ain't just putting money up, that's making sure you have your sanity and everything when you walk up outta here," he says. Meanwhile, check out footage and photos of Lupe donning a Darth Vader suit on the Glow in the Dark tour. Finally, Lupe's disc The Cool has been certified gold for U.S. shipments of 500,000 copies.

Tina Turner announced during a special weekend taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show in Las Vegas that she plans to return to the road after an eight-year absence. Tina, who filmed scenes for the episode in the Coliseum at Caesars Palace along with Vegas veteran Cher, revealed that she intends to start a new tour Oct. 1 in Kansas City, Mo. More details on the outing are expected to come. The Oprah episode airs May 8th.

Whitney Houston reportedly gave a lackluster performance as an opener for Rod Stewart at the Plymouth Jazz Festival in Tobago on Sunday. According to one report, the reclusive R&B singer shunned photogs and fought serious vocal problems throughout the surprisingly short set, which included "Saving All My Love" and "It's Not Right, But It's Okay." In addition, she mistakenly shouted, "I love you, Trinidad!" several times.

Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus is having a bad weekend. She is having to defend herself from allegations of racy photos. She had some on her Myspace page that were accessible to her friends and somehow those got out. Showing Miley in a bra and shirt and showing a bit of her bra. Now the NY Post has a picture that she took on a shoot for a magazine that has her even more embarrassed than the first ones TMZ leaked out.  The one on the post has her clutching a towel with her back exposed. She went on the defensive and was expressed as deeply embarrassed. She released this press release: " I took part i a photo shoot that was supposed to be artistic and now, seeing the photgraphs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. Said Miley. She is a 15 yr old star, who is on her way up. She had posed for Vanity Fair magazine shoot for a legendary photographer Annie Leboritz. Miley apologized to her fans for the photos. Her father Billy Ray also posed in the shoot.

It's that time of year again...The TriBeCa Film Festival is here again! The International film festival was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro in response to 9/11 and the loss of vitality in the now trendy TriBeCa neighborhood.

Orish Grinstead, one of the founding members of the '90s R&B trio 702, died on April 20 of kidney failure. She was 27. According to sources, the Las Vegas native was suffering from various illnesses, including cancer, and was expected to live for only several more months. Orish formed the group 702 with her twin sister, Irish, and older sister, Lameisha, but left to pursue a solo career. In 1996, they released their gold-selling debut album No Doubt, which featured the hits "Steelo" and "Get It Together."

Guardians of James Brown's estate are suing investment bank Morgan Stanley for not stopping former trustee David G. Cannon from allegedly depleting the late singer's multimillion-dollar account at the financial institution. Morgan Stanley says the lawsuit "is without merit." Meanwhile, a judge has ordered a paternity test for Tomi Rae Hynie's son James Brown II; Tomi has claimed that the Godfather of Soul fathered the boy.

Rihanna and Maroon 5 have teamed up for a remake of the band's "If I Never See Your Face Again," which is appearing on reissues of both artists' most recent albums. "They're one of my favorite bands," says Rihanna. "When they called me to do this record with them, I was so honored." Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad reissue comes out on June 17th.

Despite their verbal tit-for-tat, an album-sales battle between G-Unit and the Game will likely not happen. G-Unit's Terminate on Site has been pushed back to July 1, while the Game's L.A.X. is due the following week on July 8. The Game describes his LP as a pure summertime hip-hop collection. "This album is going to be monumental," he boasts. Meanwhile, 50 Cent and G-Unit are touring in Australia. Good day, mates!

Go ahead girl, now this amazed some but not people like me who have heard some of the best antics of stars. This is not only her rules but I know a few who will shudder before reading the name mentioned now: Erykah Badu may be known as the queen of neo-soul, but when it comes to the bedroom, she rules! In the latest issue of Blender magazine, the boho songbird reveals her list of demands that must be met, must be met!, before lovemaking occurs. "The clothes have to be folded up neatly, my own music has to be playing," insists Erykah. "It just adds to the whole show, it's all about me, it's my show." I need to check out that show...uh ok

In a week that downed Jordan and now here's Alicia Keys has canceled two concerts on her 'As I Am' tour this week because of swollen vocal cords. Tuesday's stop in Pittsburgh and Thursday's Cleveland performance were pulled. As previously reported, opener Jordin Sparks recently left the tour because of a vocal cord hemorrhage, but she is expected back in May. The tour is set to resume Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

Fans of the E Street Band got together in the Stone Pony bar in Asbury Park to pay tribute & remember their lost keyboardist Danny Federici. He may have been a very quiet man in life, but his music spoke volumes to the fans. He was an Original member of Bruce Springsteen's Band from the 60's, The E-Steet band. Danny had been battling Melanoma for 3 years, he kept it out of the limelight.

Ok, since the bad girls were trying to go good again, I have been nice to not include them in news. First there is Lindsay Lohan aka LiLo, She is trying to stay sober but she slipped again. This time it is reportedly because of her parents. Lindsay has been humiliated by her dad Michael going on national TV saying he got short-changed in his divorce case. He's on a campaign trashing Dina. As for Dina, Lindsay can't believe she's pimping out Ali on a reality show. We're told that is what led Lindsay to hit the bottle Saturday night in NYC. Ironically, we're also told Lindsay has been taking sobriety seriously, requesting a sober companion on the set of her new film. People around her are telling her not to go to clubs but she's ignoring them, but it's not because she wants to party. Lohan is really really tight with DJ Samantha Ronson, who works in clubs, and Lindsay is there for Sam, not the scene. Meanwhile, sister Ali Lohan started filming her first movie in L.A. named "Mostly Ghostly", she plays a popular senior in high school.

Ok, it has been a conscious effort to keep the hotel heiress out of our type but she done it again. Paris Hilton, in her post act has been kind of good.  So we gave her a break from any reporting but it seems she broke the rules again.  She is coming back to being the bad girl, with the new prank.  She went to Moscow for a Photo shoot and ended up banned from a Hotel chain there.  She signed her name on a $60,000 hotel suite wall.  She was banned from the hotel, fined a record $9,000, which is kind of whack even for a hotel.  How about just repaint the wall and ban her for the behavior.  It does not cost $9,000 to repaint a wall, but hey.

Rapper Remy Ma's planned sentencing tomorrow (April 23) for shooting an acquaintance has been postponed until May 13th. Remy Ma, whose real name is Remy Smith, was convicted March 27 of assault, weapons possession and attempted coercion for shooting Makeda Barnes-Joseph in the abdomen. Smith claimed Barnes-Joseph had stolen $3,000 from her purse. The 26-year-old performer is being held without bail at Rikers Island until her sentencing. She faces the possibility of up to 25 years in prison. And while rumors have been flying that Remy Ma will likely serve only 3-5 years. Remy will remain in custody until May 13, unlike rapper T.I., who was sentenced to complete 1000 of 1500 hours of community service before serving one year in prison for federal weapons charges.

Bobby Valentino has parted ways with Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace label after releasing two LPs, 2005's self-titled effort and 2007's Special Occasion. Bobby recently hit iTunes with a six-track EP called Come With Me, which will be followed by a full-length studio album in the summer. "It's time for me to step out on my own and show the world who Bobby Valentino the artist really is," declares the crooner. Only time will tell.

Soulja Boy aka DeAndre Way is not much of a basketball fan, and he surprisingly has never seen LeBron James play. So when Way saw that James mentioned his stage name, "Soulja Boy," in a recent article, Soulja Boy was caught way off guard. What happened was, "Someone from Interscope Records called me and sent me the quote," Way said. "I looked and didn't really think much about it. LeBron said something like he was Jay-Z and DeShawn [Stevenson] is Soulja Boy. I took that as disrespectful." Following the Cavaliers practice on Friday in preparation of today's Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs against the Washington Wizards, James said he was not trying to be disrespectful to the rapper. Maybe did not want to be shot, sorry, I was just joking, I didn't mean that rappers shoot people. Maybe something like that huh, LeBron. Oh Well.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's 13-year-old son, Conner, will make his film debut in the drama 'Seven Pounds.' Well, Connor had to audition just like any other actor or actress in Hollywood and eventually won the role. For his first movie role he's set to play a younger version of the film's star, Will Smith.

Tia Mowry wed fiancé CORY Hardrict  today in a romantic ceremony in Santa Barbara, CA. The star of "The Game" wore a gown by Kevan Hall and her bridesmaids, including twin sister Tamera, wore dresses by Tadashi  in rose.

Remember Cliff, John Ratzenburger from 'Cheers' well, he has started a great org. Its called NutsAndBoltsFoundation.org, it is to help young to adult to come back to working with your hands.  You should check it out, there are many camps opening up during the summer.  It is a great place to learn.

Dwele is set to release his third album, Sketches of a Man, on June 24. The disc, which features production from Nottz, includes a cover of "Open Your Eyes" by Bobby Caldwell. "This album [deals with] relationships and what we have to do to make them work," says Dwele of the LP's theme. To listen to the set's first single, "I'm Cheatin'," click this.

Old-school rap legend KRS-One was hospitalized in New Haven, CT with a fractured hand last night when a "fan" threw a bottle on stage, striking the rapper in the head and hand. And get this: KRS was performing in New Haven on his Stop the Violence tour. Nothing like a little flying glass to help preach non-violence huh?? The concert-goer was upset because club security had removed him from the stage apparently according to reports. The rapper had to cancel several upcoming appearances due to the severity his injuries. The best thing, though, like the professional that he is, he kept rapping even after getting hit by the bottle!

Is Jordan Sparks down for a count of 5?  Well, it seems that the crooner has messed up her vocal cords. She will need to rest her vocal cords and slow down for a bit. So, will this take her out the game?  No, just some rest will do for the AI star. She had to cancel 3 shows over just this weekend. Sparks had to ditch gigs in State College, PA and D.C. because of "an acute vocal cord hemorrhage."

How sexy is Ray J? He is so sexy that his new LP, All I Feel, is No. 1 on both the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the Independent Albums tally. The disc moved 39,000 copies in its first week of release. The R&B mack currently has radio on lockdown with his hit song "Sexy Can I" (featuring Yung Berg). The next single from the disc will be the Rodney Jerkins-blessed jam "Jump Off."

Ashanti gives a cheating ex his so needed comeuppance in her dramatic video for "The Way That I Love You." Some have wondered if the clip is a big kiss-off to purported boo Nelly. "It's not!" insists the singer. "The song is just about real life. It's for every woman who has gone through it." So are Ashanti and Nelly an item? "We're really, really good friends," she clarifies. Ashanti's fourth disc, The Declaration, hits stores June 3rd.

Mariah Carey's hit "Touch My Body" drops to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 as Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" surges back to No. 1. Meanwhile, Mimi's E=MC² is set to top next week's Billboard 200 chart, according to early estimates. Her first-day sales of 154,000 units are comparable to Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride, which went on to sell more than 500,000 in its first week.

Now R. Kelly is working on a new LP called 12 Play: Fourth Quarter, according to a boast he makes on his unofficial remix of Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body." The set's first single is "Hairbraider," it's hot... Meanwhile, several investors are suing concert promoter Leonard Rowe for allegedly swindling them out of profits from Kelly's Double Up Tour. The singer has promised to help those who were victimized get their money back.

Guess what, Snoop Dogg wants to go country with singer LeAnn Rimes. The Doggfather was spotted backstage at Monday's Country Music Television Awards complimenting LeAnn on her looks. "You look like Marilyn Monroe," he barked. After their meet-and-greet, LeAnn revealed that a duet with Big Snoop would be the shizzle. "Snoop is really a gentleman and I loved meeting him," she said. "You never know, I never rule anything out!"

Is Akon a fake, just conning his fans about his past? According to the Smoking Gun site, the rapper-producer has "exaggerated" his criminal past of being a ringleader of a notorious car-theft gang and serving three years in prison. The website's investigation reveals that Akon was only convicted of one gun-possession felony and was sentenced to three years' probation. The only time that Akon did spend some time in jail was a five-month stint in 1999 after Atlanta police busted him for driving a stolen BMW. Akon's reps had no comment on the matter.

Grammy-winning acts the Winans, Sandi Patty and Edwin and Walter Hawkins will be honored at the Recording Academy's star-studded Grammy Salute to Gospel Music event. The singers will each receive the President's Merit Award for their continued support of cultivating the gospel's rich musical heritage. The event will take place June 18 in Washington, D.C. "We are delighted to pay tribute to such dynamic artists and their influential music," said Recording Academy CEO/President Neil Portnow.

The legendary Quincy Jones will be the recipient of performing-rights organization ASCAP's Pied Piper Award at a celebrity-filled gala in New York on Tuesday. Singers Ashford & Simpson, Tamia, Al Jarreau, Patti Austin, James Ingram, Roberta Flack, Tony Bennett, Lesley Gore, Take 6 and many others will perform a musical tribute to Q in honor of his influential career in music. Not only that but Quincy Jones will celebrate his recent 75th birthday with an all-star concert at Switzerland's 42nd annual Montreux Jazz Festival. Among the artists scheduled to take part in the studio maestro's July 14 celebration are Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Al Jarreau and Petula Clark. The festival, which runs July 4th-19th, will also feature gigs by Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravitz, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott and Rahsaan Patterson

Activist and Mogul Russell Simmons has enlisted rhyme-spitters Flo Rida, Webbie, Style P, Mike Jones, Rich Boy and others for the National Hip-Hop Team Vote 2008 campaign, which will launch April 20th, 2008 in Philadelphia. Russell will join the rappers in a summit to stress the importance of voting in the 2008 presidential elections. "The fact is that young people have more compassion and vision," says Russell. "I believe we need the hip-hop community to pick this next president."

Toni Braxton has canceled all performances of her Las Vegas revue at the Flamingo Hotel through the beginning of May. The 40-year-old songstress is now recovering from her April 7 hospitalization for chest pains and is scheduled to undergo more medical tests. Toni is expected to return to the stage on May 6. The Flamingo is offering refunds for the canceled shows.

Mr. Al Green will bring his soulful pipes to the Rochester International Jazz Festival in New York on June 20. The music extravaganza runs June 13-21. Meanwhile, Al has released two singles from his upcoming LP, Lay It Down (due May 27). The songs, "Stay With Me (By the Sea)" (featuring John Legend) and "Take Your Time" (featuring Corinne Bailey Rae), are now available on iTunes.

In his first interview since pleading guilty to three federal gun charges, T.I. takes responsibility for his actions and says he's "blessed" that he has a chance to correct his mistakes. He also revealed that he's engaged to girlfriend Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and they are expecting a baby boy on May 25. Despite everything, T.I. has a positive outlook on life. "I think my future's brighter than my past, still," he says.

Kanye West's creative juices are flowing once again, and he's back to making music. "If there's anything my mom [Dr. Donda West] taught me is to enjoy life," he writes on his blog. "I just recorded my first verse . . . at Bape's Studio in Japan. It felt good and I was inspired." He further states: "[Director] Chris Milk told me tragedy can produce great art and this is definitely true. I am a total mad man now."

Although Jill Scott has finished her Real Thing Tour, the Grammy-winning songbird will hit various stages this summer via music festivals. As part of the JVC Jazz Festival in New York, Jill will sing at the prestigious Carnegie Hall venue on June 20. Elsewhere, the singer will perform at the Macy's Music Festival in Cincinnati on July 26. She joins previously announced artists Patti LaBelle, Kem, Keyshia Cole, Raheem DeVaughn, J. Holiday and others.

Jermaine Dupri and Island Def Jam have partnered with Procter & Gamble's TAG body spray brand to form a new hip-hop record label called TAG Records. J.D. will reign as the president of the label, and will sign and develop emerging musical acts. "We're mixing the best of both worlds together," says Jermaine. "The marketing of a product like TAG . . . and then what the music and myself bring to the music industry."

Timbaland, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, Akon and Keri Hilson were among the winners at Wednesday's ASCAP Pop Music Awards in Los Angeles. Timbo won the Songwriter of the Year trophy for his work on nine honored tunes. Among Fergie's and Akon's honors was the shared Song of the Year award for "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "The Sweet Escape," respectively. The other honorees included Ludacris, Beyoncé, The-Dream, Keyshia Cole and Alicia Keys.

Mariah Carey's hit "Touch My Body" holds off Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love" to remain at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week. Meanwhile, Mimi's next single off E=MC² will be "Bye Bye." Give the track a listen here. She will perform the song on Monday's Oprah Winfrey Show, the same day it hits iTunes, and on Wednesday's American Idol.

Cynthia Reed and her 14-year-old son, James Rosemond, are suing G-Unit rappers Tony Yayo, 50 Cent and other parties for promoting a "gangsta lifestyle." They hold them responsible for an alleged assault on James in 2007. In response, 50's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, says that Cynthia is just looking for "a quick payday." Meanwhile, 50 is in talks to star in the flick Spectacular Regret, playing a death-row inmate whose case becomes a heated topic of debate.

Florida verbalist Plies has been slapped with a negligence lawsuit stemming from a July 2006 shooting at a Gainesville, Fla., club in which five concertgoers were injured. Attorney Christopher Chestnut filed the suit Tuesday on behalf of the five people who were hurt at the club. They are seeking $10 million in damages. Plies' attorney Robert Rush contends that his client is not "legally liable" for the incident.

Erykah Badu has added more dates to her upcoming Vortex tour, which begins May 4 in Detroit. Among the major cities added to the trek are Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver and Oakland, Calif. The trek ends its run in Albuquerque, N.M., on June 16. Check out the full itinerary here. Meanwhile, Erykah has tapped "Soldier" as the next single from her latest album, New Amerykah, Part I (4th World War).

Earth, Wind & Fire members Maurice White and Philip Bailey will be presented with honorary doctor of music degrees at Berklee College of Music's commencement program in Boston on May 10. Meanwhile, after a few isolated performance dates in April and May, EW&F will embark on a tour of casinos and amphitheaters in June. The trek kicks off June 6 in Las Vegas and wraps up in Bethlehem, Pa., on Aug. 6.

After months of speculation, 50 Cent recently announced that Young Buck is no longer a G-Unit soldier but is still a solo artist on his label. According to 50, Young has been vocal to the media about his discontent with the group but changes his story when they are together. "In order to validate himself as a man, he feels he has to go against what I'm doing," explains 50. "[But then] he'll back off of it, when we're in direct conversation.

Keyshia Cole is hard at work recording songs for a new disc she has tentatively dubbed The Love Album. The songbird hopes to have the LP ready in time for the holidays. "I'm just focusing on the subjects of love that make you happy," she says of the collection. "I just wanna switch it up a little bit." And what's her Christmas wish for the LP? "I wanna do a million [in sales] my first week," she says.

Part of Alicia Keys' documentary Alicia in Africa: Journey to the Motherland, will air Wednesday during the American Idol charity special Idol Gives Back. The entire film will also be available for exclusive download at SpiralFrog.com. Meanwhile, Alicia has been tapped as a headliner for the Umbria Jazz festival, to be held in Italy from July 11th to the 20th.

The Los Angeles Times has officially retracted the March 17th article, which implicated Diddy, Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond and others with having knowledge of a plan to ambush Tupac Shakur at New York's Quad Studios in 1994. The paper has now publicly acknowledged that the FBI documents used in the story were fabricated and that some of the sources were not credible. In response, Diddy reveals that he was hurt by the story, but is moving on. "I'm just glad the truth came out," he says.

Despite the controversy surrounding ex-husband Bobby Brown's upcoming autobiography, Whitney Houston's life and career are back on track, says her cousin Dionne Warwick. "No doubt she's overcoming everything that has been put in front of her even this week," Dionne explained in Phoenix on Friday, in the aftermath of Bobby's allegations that Whitney introduced him to cocaine. Meanwhile, the ex-New Edition member also claims to have had a secret relationship with Madonna before romancing Whitney.

Ike Turner's ex-wife has filed a claim against the controversial dead rock 'n' roller's estate. Former 'Ikette" Jeanette Bazzell Turner claims she has a right to Ike's stuff because of community property laws and now she wants the courts to take a look at her case. She married the former Mr. Tina Turner in Las Vegas in 1995, and then divorced him in 2000. Get this: Ike Turner died last December.

When Alicia Keys kicks off her As I Am tour on April 19 in Hampton, Va., she will be outfitted in exclusive frocks from designer and good friend Giorgio Armani. "Giorgio fits me, he comes in like a magician," she says. "He's totally, completely involved, and he's very gentle. I think he just loves women." Meanwhile, Alicia has added and rescheduled some gigs on her upcoming trek; check out her updated tour itinerary here.

Martin Luther King Jr. Died on April 4th, as a man of peace he transformed a nation with his voice and speeches. He did so much with passive resistance that the USA has recognized his presence by celebrating his birth.  He did a lot for people of color, African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics, and many other people of color.  He was the head of the Civil Rights Movement and was a good man. For other Famous Deaths & Births

Jay-Z reportedly is close to securing a $150 million deal with concert-promotion behemoth Live Nation for the rights to the hip-hop star's future tours and albums, meaning the rapper would leave longtime label Def Jam. In addition, the pact would financially provide for Jigga to start his own record label, music publishing house and management service. Meanwhile, Jay and Mary J. Blige will perform Friday on CBS' Late Show With David Letterman. In other News he and B picked up a marriage license this week and guess what? Although there has been no official confirmation, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have reportedly tied the knot during a highly secretive ceremony Friday at Jigga's New York apartment. "Jay wanted it to be a really private affair, close friends and family," reveals an inside source. Among those in attendance were Jay's mom, Gloria Carter; B's mother and father, Tina and Mathew Knowles; her sister, Solange; Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams; and Coldplay singer Chris Martin and wife Gwyneth Paltrow.  Mary J. Blige seemed to confirm the purported marriage of Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the Greensboro, N.C., stop of the Heart of the City tour, her co-headlining trek with Jigga. "Congratulations to my man Jay-Z and my girl B!" she said during her set on Saturday. Although there hasn't been an official confirmation, Bey and Jay reportedly tied the knot in a highly secretive ceremony Friday at Jigga's New York apartment.

Now, 50 Cent's baby mama thinks she has the "right" to stay in a house that he bought, even though they split up years ago, and she's still taking his money every month anyway. Baby Mama drama Shaniqua Tompkins wants to stay in her $2.4 million Dix Hills, Long Island mansion, and, in a new lawsuit, she's whining that the rapper is trying to kick her and their 10-year-old son to the curb. Tompkins already gets court-ordered child support every month from the rapper. Shaniqua wants the court to "declare" that she has a "right" to live in the house. 50's reps didn't have any comments, but I do, what??? Update:  a judge ruled Thursday that 50 Cent's ex-girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins, must leave the Long Island, N.Y., home that the rapper owns. Shaniqua filed a motion against the hip-hop star, claiming he reneged on an agreement to allow her and their 10-year-old son, Marquise, to stay in the residence. Click here to watch both parties' reactions to the judge's ruling.

With her mother in tow, Britney Spears stopped by the corporate offices of Hollywood clothing store Ed Hardy on Thursday to buy birthday presents for sister Jamie Lynn, who turns 17 on Friday. The singer was "in good spirits", said some employees outside later. Spears stopped in the afternoon to visit designer Christian Audigier and browse the new spring collection.

In his forthcoming autobiography, R&B bad boy Bobby Brown hints that ex-wife Whitney Houston fueled his hard-drug use. "I never used cocaine until after I met Whitney," he writes in Bobby Brown: The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing But, out next month. "Before then, I had experimented with other drugs, but marijuana was my drug of choice." Whitney's representative says the diva "chooses to take the high road" in responding to the accusations.

Naomi Campbell was arrested Thursday for investigation of assaulting a police officer at London's Heathrow Airport. According to Metropolitan Police, officers were "alerted to a disturbance" at 5:11 p.m. at the newly opened Terminal 5, where travelers frustrations have flared due to baggage delays since opening last week. "Subsequently, a 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer," a police spokesperson says. "She was taken to Heathrow Police Station where she currently remains in custody." Well, it was proven: Naomi Campbell was released on bail Friday after a spat with a police officer at Heathrow Airport's troubled new Terminal 5, where one of her bags was lost. She left the airport police station just after midnight. The London's Metropolitan Police said she was released pending further inquiries and told to report to a police station in late May. The London-born supermodel was arrested late Thursday on suspicion of assaulting an officer after police were called to a disturbance at the airport. Since Terminal 5 opened last week, more than 28,000 bags have been separated from their owners.

It looks like Stevie Wonder has a new hobby, it is skiing! The crooner and his family took skiing lessons on Monday with members of the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra at Southern California's Mammoth Mountain ski resort. The singer's instructors described him as "sweet and wonderful." Meanwhile, Stevie, Chaka Khan and Fantasia are among the headliners for the Taste of Chicago food-and-music festival, which runs June 27-July 6.

Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Pitbull and Sean Kingston are participating in the 50th Grammy Celebration Concert Tour. Busta and Missy will hit the stage in New York on April 9, while crooner Sean Kingston and other guests will close out the jaunt April 30 in Los Angeles. In the meantime, click here to check out Busta's hot new track "Don't Touch Me (Throw da Water on 'Em)."

Jay-Z reportedly is close to securing a $150 million deal with concert-promotion behemoth Live Nation for the rights to the hip-hop star's future tours and albums, meaning the rapper would leave longtime label Def Jam. In addition, the pact would financially provide for Jigga to start his own record label, music publishing house and management service. Meanwhile, Jay and Mary J. Blige will perform Friday on CBS' Late Show With David Letterman.

It looks like Jay-Z and Beyoncé may be planning to take the plunge into matrimony. On Tuesday, the rap king and R&B queen reportedly stopped by Scarsdale (N.Y.) Village Hall to obtain a marriage license. "It was just the two of them," said an eyewitness. "They were holding hands for a while. They looked really happy." Jigga and Bey-Bey have been an item since 2002, but have been tight-lipped with the media about their relationship.

With single "Love in This Club" on being a massive hit on radio, Usher has decided to bump up the release of his highly anticipated album, Here I Stand, from June 8 to May 27. "Love in This Club" currently sits at No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Digital Tracks charts. Click here to watch a 30-second preview of the song's video, which will premiere Monday on MTV, BET and VH1.

Marvin Gaye's sister Zeola has written an upcoming book about her famous sibling. The work, titled My Brother Marvin, details Marvin's life and answers questions about the events surrounding the singer's April 1, 1984, shooting death at the hands of his father. "It's a tell-all book that will basically reveal everything that anybody has ever wondered as far as my family [is concerned]," explains Zeola.
 

For all those who were watching, it was the Jabbawokeez that won the top spot of "America's Top Dance Crew".  This was a very inventive crew that were known for the masks that they wore and the dancing that rocked the stage. The leader Rynan Paguio was estatic and the crew did the best out of 8 weeks.  For most of the show no one even knew what they looked like. This crew that had a little of everyone in the crew danced their way into America's heart and rocked the stage to win the first season of "America's Top Dance Crew". For those who have not watched or did not know

Rap stars Lil Mama and Bow Wow are among the celebrities who are appearing in a new public service announcement urging kids to stay in school and pursue a college education. The PSA, titled "I Will Graduate," is being presented by the Entertainers4Education Alliance organization, which helps prevent New York students from dropping out. Other entertainers like America's Next Top Model alum Jaslene Gonzalez, R&B crooner Omarion and Rev. Run are also featured in the spot.

Poor 27 yr old Jessica Simpson was hospitalized. It appears that the singer was having some problems with her  Kidneys. She was feeling sick and went to the hospital. She signed into the hospital (Cedar-Sinai Hospital in CA) on Friday the 28th of March. Jessica responded well to treatment Doctors said so she was released on the 31st. Hopefully she is feeling better now.

Are you ready to fly the friendly skies? Well, let Kanye West book your next trip. The Grammy-winning rapper has now launched an online travel program called Kanye Travel Ventures. The service has been set up with the help of a quality team of travel consultants, and allows users to reserve flights and hotels. Once KTV evolves, users will be able to purchase K-West tickets and merchandise while booking their vacations.  Kanye West is among the performers set to headline the third U.S. edition of the Virgin Mobile Festival, taking place Aug. 9-10 at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course. The full lineup will be announced in the next few weeks. In other 'Ye developments, a video for Graduation track "Homecoming," featuring Coldplay's Chris Martin, has hit the Web here. The clip, filmed in Chicago, also features an appearance by Common. In other news: Kanye West is among a bevy of music acts set to invade the Lollapalooza festival in his hometown of Chicago. The three-day extravaganza will run Aug. 1-3. Meanwhile, on 'Ye's blog, the rapper is giving fans a behind-the-scenes peek of his "glowing" stage that will be part of his Glow in the Dark tour, which starts April 16 in Seattle. Finally, check out Kanye's performance of "Stronger" at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

The Rolling Stones are currently adding shows to their tour this summer. 50 in fact. They are hoping to extend their tour and make the summer packed. The Frontman Scott W. is just finishing up a tour in Europe with his other band Velvet Revolver. The reports of the band breaking up was quashed by Slash.  The will be recording a second album soon.

John Legend has been added as a headliner for the Indy Jazz Fest, taking place June 13-15 in Indianapolis. The piano-playing crooner replaces Aretha Franklin, who canceled her performance. Meanwhile, John has recorded a cover of U2's "Pride (In the Name of Love)" for the History Channel's King, a documentary on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The film will air April 6 at 8 p.m. ET.

Lil Mama has teenyboppers shaking their cabooses with her latest single, "Shawty Get Loose" (featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain). The track is off the New York-based rapper's long-awaited debut disc, VYP, Voice of the Young People, which hits stores April 29. The collection also will be available as a deluxe CD/DVD set. VYP features production from studio mavericks Scott Storch, Cool & Dre, Swizz Beats and Nate "Danja" Hills.  What is disappointing is that she was convicted of Assault and faces 8 to 25 years and we might not ever have her musical talent again. She was convicted of Assaulting an old friend that she parted with and shot after arguing with her in a car. 

R&B diva Mariah Carey gets the black-and-white treatment for the cover of her upcoming album, E=MC². Peep the exclusive pic, which features the singer sporting a barely there furry ensemble, here. Meanwhile, the official list of tracks and producers from the disc, due out April 15, has been unveiled. Need more Mimi? Check out a lengthy interview with the singer here: Telegraph.co.uk

Gospel superstar Dorinda Clark-Cole will release her new disc, Take It Back, on April 15. The set features inspirational songs of hope and triumph. "I'm taking back everything that the enemy has stolen from me over the last three years," says Dorinda. "He tried to take my dreams. I'm going to take it back and I want people to know that's what they need to do, and can do!"

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

Michelle Williams has ditched her gospel-leaning sound and is now ready to shake her booty for her upcoming third solo effort, Unexpected (due in August). The songbird is relying on club-oriented music for the new disc, which boasts "We Break the Dawn" as its first single. "It's a pop and dance [album], but don't call it dance," insists Michelle's label boss, Mathew Knowles. Other surprises on set include a vocoder effect on the song "Lucky Star."

Alicia Keys has been considering a "stripped-down, stripped-back, totally piano-based, singer-songwriter" vibe for her follow-up to As I Am. "I might do that, but you never know where life takes you, where the music's going to take you," she says. Meanwhile, "Superwoman" is Alicia's likely pick for her next single off As I Am. Finally, she is in discussions to contribute music for her upcoming film, The Secret Life of Bees.

Lil Wayne has left fans wondering if the artwork for The Carter III (due June 10), which shows a tattooed baby Weezy, is really him. "That's me!" he confirms. "Only thing [digitally enhanced] was the tattoos. My momma gave me the picture for me to put on the album cover." Meanwhile, Wayne will drop an official remix for "Lollipop," not to be confused with Young Jeezy's remix. "That's not the official remix," he says. "But I love that one."

A collection of James Brown memorabilia, including costumes, portraits, music scores and other items, will go on display this October at South Carolina State University, which is located in Orangeburg. The school will have the items for up to three years while the late singer's estate is settled. "We just want to do James Brown justice, and honor him in the way he should be honored," says SCSU's interim president, Dr. Leonard McIntyre.

Wedding bells apparently really are in Mariah Carey's immediate future: A source close to the singer confirms widespread rumors that she's engaged to actor Nick Cannon. Reps for both stars are remaining mum for now. Elsewhere, Mimi's latest studio set, E=MC², grabs the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart for the second week in a row, selling 182,000 copies.

T.I. has premiered his new single, "No Matter What," via his social-networking website, Streetcred.com.. The long-awaited track is the purported first release off his upcoming disc, Paper Trail. On the six-minute-plus song, the Atlanta rhyme-spitter appears defiant about overcoming his much publicized trials and tribulations. "Facing all kinds of time but smile like I'm fine," he spits. "Pain is a small thing to a giant." Paper Trail is due soon, guessing in the fall.

In an e-mail to MTV News, Jordin Sparks says her hemorrhaged vocal cord is almost healed and she'll be back touring with Alicia Keys in a couple of days. She adds that reports made the injury out to be more serious than it actually was. "My career could have been in jeopardy if I hadn't done anything about it," Jordin writes. "But I knew something was wrong and that I needed to get it checked out."

Chaka Khan and her son, Damien Holland, have been ordered by a Torrance, Calif., judge to pay more than $1.3 million to the family of Christopher Bailey, a young man killed by Damien, who was later acquitted  during a dispute at the singer's home in September 2004. Chaka's manager, Tammy McCrary, said that Chaka had no prior knowledge of the lawsuit or the recent judgment. Meanwhile, Musiq Soulchild is heading out on the road in support of his Grammy-nominated LP Luvanmusiq. The crooner will hit the stage in New Brunswick, N.J. (May 11), Minneapolis (June 19) and New Orleans (July 4) before treading on a 10-city jaunt, half of which he's co-headlining with Chaka Khan. That summer excursion kicks off Aug. 1 in Columbus, Ohio, and currently wraps up Aug. 24 in Houston.

Outraged by last week's acquittal of three police officers in the shooting death of Sean Bell, rappers Chamillionaire, Ice Cube, Bun B and others are speaking out about their displeasure over the controversial decision. "The verdict sends a terrible message to people across the nation who already don't have faith in the law," says Cham. Meanwhile, the Game will debut a protest song Tuesday via his website to voice his dismay about the verdict.

With an astounding phrase, "Coachella, I'm here," announced Prince as he hit the stage Saturday at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. The R&B superstar rocked the crowd during a two-hour performance that featured a warm-up set with surprise guests Sheila E. and Time frontman Morris Day. Then Prince plowed through a medley of hits including "I Feel for U," "1999" and "Controversy." But the highlights of the night were guitar-charged covers of Radiohead's "Creep" and the Beatles' "Come Together." "From now on, this is Prince's house," he declared during the encores.

For his as-yet-untitled upcoming album (due in September), John Legend is talking with several advertising firms to launch a unique promotion of the disc. "Record labels get into a creative rut," the singer explains. "I want an ad firm that launches other products to use their knowledge to launch my music." John describes the LP's sound as more "pop" and "up-tempo." The set features guest cameos from Andre 3000 (first single "Green Light") and Kanye West ("It's Over").

What are you doing this coming weekend? Do you have plans?  Well if you don't, and love flowers, trees, nature for that fact come and check out the Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend. The 27th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival is Saturday, May 3rd to Sunday, May 4th, 2008 starting at 10:00 AM to 6PM. From April 5 to May 11, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) celebrates Hanami, the Japanese cultural tradition of viewing and cherishing each moment of the cherry blossom season from the first buds to the pink blossoms that fall like snow. During Hanami, visitors can track the cherry display using Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s award-winning website’s CherryWatch feature. Click the blue to check it out.

What u talking about Gary Coleman? After just an amazingly eight short months of marriage, vertically-challenged Gary Coleman is heading to "Divorce Court" (via MSNBC). The couple will be appearing before Judge Lynn Toler on TV's "Divorce Court" to hash out his matrimonial problems before they rise out of his reach. The 40-year-old has-been says he's sick of always being the bad guy and wants his voice heard. Gary's 22-year-old missus says her little man has a hot temper and bangs his head against a wall when he doesn't get his way. We will see how this pans out...

Amy Winehouse was in trouble just this past weekend. She was released from police custody this morning the 26th. She allegedly head-butted a guy outside a London Bar. I guess he will think before he speaks next time. She was not charged although in the fight/scuffle. She got what amounts to a strong warning called a 'caution', which stays on her record and can be used against her if she charged with anything like that in the future.

Rapper Eve recently admitted to suffering a minor panic attack mid-flight, while on her way to Australia where she is to perform at the country's MTV Awards. She told Australian press that her nervous-ness caused it. "Yeah, I was having a little panic attack. Getting up on stage in a different country always makes you as nervous as you are excited," she said. Eve is scheduled to perform at Australia's Sydney Sports Centre on May 2nd.  That should be a great show to see.

Foxy Brown pleaded no contest Thursday to simple battery and resisting arrest in connection with a Feb. 15 incident in which the rapper allegedly fought with a beauty-supply clerk and two police officers in Florida. In addition to six months of probation, the rapper also agreed to perform 15 hours of community service, write letters of apology to the victim and two police officers, attend 13 weeks of anger management and pay $5,200 in fines and court fees.

There will be New songs from Jennifer