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?
Computer - Gaming News update
What Movies are hot this month.. Jan, Feb, March, April, May for the latest reviews from our staff..
The Circle for this Months meeting is located; Do you want to get into the music business, please check this meeting.
The Hot Music this month
Jokes of the month- provided by Yadida

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Viewpoint-NY Emceeing is Dead
Mothers Day
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,

The One day Scoop-find out about the Music Industry

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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?

Travel Gadgets - Some great travel gadgets that we have found on the net

Keep the Internet free: What can you do?

Save the Internet - Testimony before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet

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What's going on this weekend?
 

Spidey Week

The One day Scoop-find out about the Music Industry

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Sundays

Clubs in NY Addresses

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ootsy Collins has recorded an exclusive theme song for a 2K Sports' boxing video game Don King Presents: Prizefighter. "Doing the game track was very exciting," says Bootsy. "It's for Don King, a hero of mine from way back. I told Mr. King, 'We gonna punch um, just to make their hair stand straight. Then punch um again, to see the look on their face!'" The game hits stores June 10th, this year.

Common has partnered with the Chicago White Sox to raise money for his nonprofit organization the Common Ground Foundation. On Aug. 12, the baseball organization will host the Common Ground Foundation Day during its game against the Kansas City Royals. Portions of ticket sales will go to Common's organization, which helps young teens achieve their dreams. For more info, click here.

T.I.'s life will be documented for an MTV reality show as he performs community service leading up to his one-year prison sentence. The music channel has ordered eight episodes of the series, in which T.I. is attached as executive producer. Meanwhile, the rapper is set to produce Rick Ross' third album, Deeper Than Rap. "I enjoy it a lot," says T.I. of producing. "It brings me outside my comfort zone. It makes me sharper." Too bad he isn't..  Oh well, hard head, soft behind and all that stuff...

Veteran organist Jimmy McGriff died Saturday from multiple sclerosis in Voorhees, N.J. He was 72. The Philadelphia native was a master at playing the Hammond organ; his reworking of Ray Charles' "I've Got a Woman" and other hits such as "The Worm" and "All About the Girl" made him a soul-jazz pioneer. A memorial services is set for June 2 in Marlton, N.J., while another service and the funeral will take place June 3 in Philadelphia.

Ne-Yo is keeping his hands warm by penning hot songs for such artists as Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Hudson, Usher and Leona Lewis. The Grammy-winning tunesmith says that the song "Bossy" for Lindsay's upcoming album will "surprise" a lot of people. And Ne-Yo hopes that his songwriting magic on J.Hud's new single, "Spotlight," will help the songbird shine. "I hope and pray it does well 'cause Jennifer is an amazing talent," he says.

Although Bow Wow, aka Shad Moss, has plans to work this fall on his seventh album, H.I.M. (History in Making), he wants to shift his artistic focus to acting. "I'm going to try to be the next Will Smith," he says. Look for him in a recurring role as a stand-up comic in the upcoming season of HBO's Entourage, and he will star in the basketball drama Patriots with Lil Wayne.

Legendary singer Phil Collins is considering giving his music a modern twist by collaborating with hip-hop stars Akon and Pharrell Williams. This would be new for Phil Collins but not so unexpected since his music has crossed  lines in the music he makes. The musician admits he is "flattered" to hear the duo is keen to work with him and is equally surprised they are fans of his music.

For those who do not know already, it was David Cook who won American Idol contest. Congrats to both David's for getting that far and for David Cook for winning. Check it out

LL Cool J has teamed up with Sears to launch a new clothing line for young men, girls, boys and juniors called LL Cool J for Sears. The collection will feature embroidered T-shirts, jackets and jeans. The clothes are set to be in stores in September. "The LL Cool J name is a brand I have been building for 25 years and I didn't want to do this line with just any store," say LL of the partnership.

The tropical islands of Bermuda will be heating up this fall as R&B superstars Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Lyfe Jennings have been tapped to headline the upcoming Bermuda Music Festival, which takes place Oct. 1-4. Crooner Aaron Neville, soul group the Whispers and reggae band UB40 also are on the bill. Meanwhile, Bey-Bey won an Ivor Novello Award for best selling song in the United Kingdom for "Beautiful Liar" featuring Shakira.

The amazing R&B star Chrisette Michele has recorded an original tune for an promotional campaign to publicize Tyler Perry's syndicated series House of Payne. The song, titled "I Gotta Love Jones," will appear in commercial spots for television, radio and the Internet. In addition, Michele will join the cast of House of Payne at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on July 4th. House of Payne will begin its third season on TBS starting June 4 at 9 p.m. ET. There have been promos running on Television that have her performing live.

Wesley Snipes has been given until June 3 to surrender to prison authorities to begin serving his three-year sentence stemming from his conviction on misdemeanor tax fraud charges. The date was revealed in court papers filed this week by Snipes' defense lawyer Daniel Meachum, who is seeking to obtain an appellate bond for the star. If successful in his bid, the bond would keep the actor out of prison until a higher appeals court has the chance to review the defense's objections to the lengthy sentence.

Trina will celebrate the launch of her new high-end denim line Pink Diamond Couture during the Memorial Day weekend in Miami. The rap vixen will appear at the clothing store Sex & . . . on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. "I spent a lot of time creating hand-picked details that are fresh, unique and one-of-a-kind," says Trina. "The best part [is that] they look really expensive but are reasonable priced." Trina is also unveiling her two fragrances: Diamond Princess and Diamond Doll.

A large number of tour dates have been added to Smokey Robinson's calendar, beginning with a Friday concert in San Jacinto, Calif. Click this for the former Miracles singer's complete 2008 schedule. Meanwhile, in other touring news, fellow Motown songbird Mary Wilson will embark on an new extensive North American tour beginning Sunday in Coarsegold, Calif. To check out the former Supremes itinerary, click here: Mary Wilson's -- Official Site

Now a married man and a father, Usher was glad to have some new themes to work with while creating Here I Stand. "Let me change the stakes," he says of his approach. "Let me talk about the pleasures of a relationship." Meanwhile, check out the clip for Usher's "Moving Mountains" here and preview Here I Stand in its entirety here before its Tuesday release. Finally, Usher's manager says the singer has not separated from his wife.

JLO and Marc Anthony are taking the nanny leaving in stride. Jennifer Lopez decided to take care of the twins herself. She is doing well and said to want to take care of the kids herself and wants to be a stay at home mom. I guess her career will be on hold till Marc lets her go back to work.

The veteran members of Earth, Wind & Fire were bestowed honorary doctorate degrees Monday during commencement for graduating seniors at Columbia College Chicago. Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson graced the stage as they were "hooded" by members of Columbia's faculty. Afterward, the EW&F players joined in with school musicians for a jam session of "Shining Star" as graduates and their families clapped and sang along.

Proven hit-maker Polow Da Don nabbed the prestigious Songwriter of the Year trophy at performing-rights organization BMI's 56th annual Pop Awards for penning four top songs, including Ludacris' "Runaway Love" (featuring Mary J. Blige). Multiple winners included Ne-Yo, Snoop Dogg, Will.i.am and Sean Garrett, while Rihanna, T.I., Pharrell Williams and Corinne Bailey Rae each nabbed one award apiece.

T.I. is relishing his new role as Mr. Mom. The Atlanta wordsmith has been on daddy patrol since the birth of his son Major Harris on May 9. Recently, the doting dad had fun bonding with his five other children during his house arrest on weapons charges. "I spent more time with them than I did since before anyone knew who T.I. was," he recalls. "I value that time I got to spend with them."

Nas has changed the title of his upcoming album from the controversial N***** to simply Nas (due July 1st). The verbalist ignited a firestorm of debate since announcing the racially charged title in October. "It's important to me that this album gets to the fans," explains Nas about the decision. "The people will always know what the real title of this album is." Meanwhile, click here to listen to Nas' new song, "The Slave and the Master."

Apparently, Lil Wayne's acting career is on the fast track. The rapper-actor reportedly is in talks to star in Fast and the Furious 4 opposite Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Paul Walker. Meanwhile, Wayne's "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major), Jordin Sparks' "No Air" (featuring Chris Brown) and Ray J's "Sexy Can I" (featuring Yung Berg) are among the chart-topping hits appearing on Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 28 (due June 3).

Britney Spears's father Jamie quit his catering job to dedicate himself full-time to overseeing the pop star's affairs, court papers show. As a result, Jamie Spears was given $10,000 in back pay to cover the first month of his co-conservatorship of her estate, which started Feb. 1, according to the documents. He was awarded a $2,500 weekly salary beginning in March. Since Jamie Spears took over his daughter's personal and professional affairs, the singer has secured expanded visitation with her two sons, who live with Spears's ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Jermaine and Alejandra Jackson are officially divorced after a long separation. The Jackson 5 singer will pay $50,000 for his ex-wife's legal fees and $50,000 in back child-support payments. In return, Alejandra has waived all spousal support and any rights to Jermaine's assets. The couple married in 1995 and have two children together, Jaafar and Jermajesty. Jermaine will continue to pay $3,000 per month in child support to Alejandra.

Hawaiian authorities have dropped a misdemeanor drug possession charge against Whitney Houston that was first filed in January of 2000, after police discovered marijuana in the singer's luggage at the Keahole-Kona Airport. She now has a clean police record in the state. Meanwhile, Whitney's family and friends say her career is back on track, and there are rumors that she may be planning a tour and a new film alongside her forthcoming studio album.

Rapper, actor Mos Def will star in the upcoming movie Mama Black Widow, which is based on the 1969 novel of the same name by writer Robert “Iceberg Slim” Beck. Mama Black Widow, which will also feature R&B songbird Rihanna in her big screen debut, tells the story of a black family’s migration from the Southern Mississippi field, to Chicago in the 1930’s. For more, check out AllHip.com.

DMX is not out of the legal doghouse, not just yet. Arizona police are now investigating the embattled rapper for allegedly providing a false name and address to a local hospital. According to documents, DMX checked into the Mayo Clinic Hospital for pneumonia on April 4 presumably under the name of Troy Jones and a fake address in order to avoid paying the bill. DMX has not been charged in the case as the investigation is still ongoing.

Jennifer Hudson will release her highly anticipated debut album in September. The self-titled set's lead single is the Ne-Yo-penned ballad "Spotlight," which just hit radio and will be available for downloading June 10 via iTunes. "I'm beyond ecstatic about my new album," says the Oscar-winning songbird. "I think people will be pleasantly surprised, because it shows a side of my work that no one has heard before." To listen to J.Hud's "Spotlight," click this.

Kelly Rowland wants to add another title to her lengthy résumé, author. The multi-talented singer-actress is in the development stages of penning a children's book and she is confident about its prospects. "I'm really excited because I've talked to some different publishing companies and got some people interested," she says. The Destiny's Child songbird credits her five godchildren for giving her the inspiration to write a book. "I love my god-kids," she says. "I love kids!"

Ludacris and the rocker Tommy Lee will headline a May 28th benefit concert in Los Angeles, CA., that will be showcased on the season finale of the upcoming reality series Battleground Earth. The gig will raise money for the Griffith Park Recovery Fund. Battleground Earth, a show that follows Lee and Ludacris on some competing, very "eco-friendly" tours, will premiere Aug. 3 on the soon-to-launch Planet Green channel.

T.I. and his girlfriend, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, welcomed a baby boy early Friday morning at an Atlanta hospital. The proud parents named their son Major. The newborn, who weighed in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces, is the couple's second child together. "God has blessed us with another miracle," says T.I. Meanwhile, T.I. will embark on a brief tour that kicks off June 6 in Washington, D.C., and wraps June 21 in Maryland Heights, Mo.

Mariah Carey is loving the married life! Two weeks after she tied the knot with Nick Cannon, the songbird has no regrets. "It's fantastic," says the blushing newlywed. "It's a stone smash!" Adds Nick: "It's a beautiful thing." Meanwhile, Mariah's former beau is singing the blues. Producer Mark Sudack reportedly is devastated by his ex-girlfriend's surprising nuptials. "He's heartbroken and shocked," said a source. "He loved her so much."

Amy Winehouse is planning to renew her wicked wedding vows with her no jailed hubby Blake Fielder-Civil, once he is released from jail of course.  Amy is and has recently been fighting off recent reports that she had fallen for her managers assistant Alex Haynes.  Not to worry though, Blake was visited by Sarah Thomas several times recently. However both released statements that reaffirmed their love and relationship.

Well, everyone knew that this day would come, but the trial is upon him now. A jury has been selected for the R. Kelly trial, which will get under way Tuesday in Chicago. The jurors consist of eight men and four women. Eight jurors are white and four are black. Four alternate jurors also were picked. Meanwhile, a judge has denied the media's request to have sealed documents in the R. Kelly case opened up for public consumption. For the latest click this

Ok, now it has been a while since I did a Britney story but to catch you up. Britney Spears is on vacation with Mel Gibson and his wife in a very religious diversion. The Gibson's are very religious and are trying to help the starlet in Costa Rica.  The devout Christians (Gibson's)  are helping the Britster to straighten out and think more.

Paris is not been out and about.  She is settling down and been nice with Joel Madden.  He has been a calming influence in Paris's life and great for her new image.  It has shown she can be a regular person  for real.  Is that not amazing, well everyone else thinks so.  Joel has a great aura.

  Usher has signed on to appear in a series of European ads for Sony Ericsson's new line of Walkman phones. The company also will sponsor his upcoming European tour. "This is a great partnership for me as an artist," says the singer. Meanwhile, Usher will be the musical guest on NBC's Dancing With the Stars this weekend, and will also perform on the season finale of ABC's Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST. Meanwhile, Usher was the singing guest on SNL on the 17th.

A New York judge Wednesday awarded Lil Kim a $500,000 judgment in a case against her former associate Lil Cease. The rap vixen originally filed a $6 million lawsuit against Cease and his company Ground Zero Entertainment, claiming he was capitalizing on her image and notoriety to promote an unauthorized DVD, The Chronicles of Junior M.A.F.I.A. Part II: Reloaded. Both parties had no comment on the matter.

Rihanna is taking the charts by storm, she is hitting the top spot. Buoyed by 267,000 digital downloads and a ton of radio airplay, Rihanna's ballad "Take a Bow" skyrockets from No. 53 to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.The song's rise is the second-biggest jump to No. 1 in Hot 100 history. Meanwhile, Ri-Ri and her purported boo, Chris Brown, were spotted canoodling at a New York karaoke restaurant as Kanye West performed onstage.

Big Boi says his new disc, Sir Luscious Left Foot . . . Son of Chico Dusty, will offer several songs about topical issues. "This album is Big Boi to the extreme," attests the OutKast rapper. "I'm talking about what's going on in the world, with everything from rising gas prices to the election. It's just my insights on life up to this point." The disc's first single is "Royal Flush" (featuring Andre 3000 and Raekwon).

Michael Jackson's 1982 best-selling album Thriller, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' classic 1965 song "Tracks of My Tears" and Herbie Hancock's influential 1973 jazz-fusion LP Headhunters are among the 25 selections that were added Wednesday to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for audio preservation. The library archives these recordings in honor of their cultural, historical and aesthetic significance.

Two members of the 60's group, The Turtles (you know, "Happy Together'), have sued Capitol Records over an Ice Cube song. According to the suit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Flo & Eddie recorded a song in 1972 for The Turtles called "Buzzsaw." The suit claims the song was sampled in a rap song by Ice Cube called "Jackin' for Beats." Flo & Eddie allege Capital signed a deal for the derivative song but went beyond the agreement to make even more money. Flo & Eddie want minimum $25,000 but not more than $70,000. We know, it's weird to set a limit when you sue, according to TMZ.

Although they are The Three queens of R&B: Alicia Keys, Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige, grace three separate covers of the June issue of Essence magazine, which is on newsstands now. In an article that is aptly titled "Ladies First," the three songbirds share their thoughts on their longstanding careers, the ingredients to a perfect song and how they stay on top of the R&B game.

Stevie Wonder is such the consummate performer, he is always ready to go. Stevie Wonder is ready to hit the road again with a new leg of North American tour dates. The crooner, who just turned 58 years old, has lined up 13 shows for the excursion. The jaunt kicks off June 18 in Wantagh, N.Y., and currently is scheduled through a Vancouver, Canada, gig on July 12. Stevie recently performed at a rally for presidential candidate Barack Obama in Indianapolis.

Flo Rida has been singled out as one of the 25 Fittest Guys in America according to the June/July issue of Men's Fitness. Golfer Tiger Woods and actor Will Smith also made the list. Look for the issue on newsstands Monday. Meanwhile, Flo's "Low" video is up against Kanye West's "Stronger" and Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music" for Favorite International Video at the 2008 MuchMusic Video Awards.

Remy Ma messed up, well lets just say there is some bad news to tell you on her behalf. A New York judge has sentenced Remy Ma to 8 years in prison for assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion stemming from a July 2006 shooting incident. Remy reportedly wept in the courtroom and pleaded with the judge for leniency. She also apologized to the shooting victim, Makeda Barnes-Joseph. Meanwhile, the prison wedding of Remy and her boo Papoose at Rikers Island was canceled Monday when guards allegedly discovered a hand-cuff key on the would-be groom (Papoose). This would be a bad thing for the rapper if true. 

Kanye is settling back to work finally. He, Kanye West has partnered with Australian fashion designer Ksubi to develop an eyewear line for his high-end clothing company, Pastelle. The collection will offer limited-edition gold spectacles, which will cost about $2,000 a pair. Kanye is expected to launch the line in October. "It's an honor to collaborate with Ksubi on this first installment of Pastelle frames," beams K-Weezy. Meanwhile, click here to check out N.E.R.D's "Everyone Nose" (remix) featuring 'Ye, Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco and Pusha T.

One of the respected up and comers before her death Aaliyah, has been remembered in the Fader magazine's May/June issue. In the publication, music luminaries like Missy Elliott, Damon Dash, Mark Ronson and others share their private thoughts on the late R&B songbird, who died Aug. 21, 2001, in a plane crash. "We was gonna save the world," says Missy about Aaliyah. "We was gonna always be family. Forever." Adds Damon: "If she was alive today, she would be so relevant." Her career was just getting good. There was so much more that she could give.  She was just starting out a promising movie career.

The life of a disco queen wasn't all fun and glamorous for Donna Summer. The Grammy-winning songbird reveals that she struggled with severe depression and came close to committing suicide during the late 1970s. "It sort of snuck up on me," she says. "I had my daughter, and during that period my marriage broke up, and I was alone." Donna also adds that she is thankful she didn't resort to drugs or pills to alleviate her pain.

A cavalcade of music superstars will headline the Friday at Sunset concert series in Richmond, Va. Among the artists on tap to perform are Wyclef Jean (May 30), Chrisette Michele and Raheem DeVaughn (June 13), Mario (June 20), Nas (June 27), Boyz II Men (July 11), Yolanda Adams (July 18), Jill Scott (Aug. 1), Anthony Hamilton (Aug. 8), Ledisi (Aug. 15) and Teena Marie (Aug. 22).

A federal judge has reinstated a 2005 wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of the late Notorious B.I.G. against the city of Los Angeles and two former police officers. Meanwhile, Sean "Diddy" Combs has been blown away by the actors in the upcoming B.I.G. biopic Notorious, especially Derek Luke as Diddy and Jamal "Gravy" Woolard as Biggie. "Gravy's killing it," he says. "I don't think anybody could have done a better job."

DMX was busted Wednesday for allegedly driving 114 mph on a highway near his residence in Cave Creek, Ariz., in January. The rapper-actor was charged with reckless driving, two counts of endangerment, three counts of criminal speed and driving with a suspended license. He was later released after posting bail. Meanwhile, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio says that his animal-abuse investigation of DMX is nearly finished. Arizona sheriff deputies raided the home of DMX on Friday morning to arrest the embattled rapper on seven counts of animal cruelty and four counts of felony drug possession. The arrest is a culmination of a seven-month investigation into the discovery of a dozen emaciated pit bulls and weapons at his home in August 2007. DMX reportedly attempted to barricade himself inside his bedroom but eventually cooperated with deputies. Five pit bulls and more weapons were seized at the home during the raid.

Bootsy Collins was set to kick off a trek dubbed A Tribute to James Brown this month, but the jaunt has been rescheduled to begin Sept. 25. The postponement was necessary to develop a better promotional campaign for the outing. In other news, Bootsy is launching a project to help refurbish the building that once housed King Records, his and James' former label home. "We want to keep the history alive," says Bootsy.

As Mother's Day approaches, Ne-Yo is singing the praises of his mom. "I credit my mom for being so positive and putting the pen in my hand," he says. This is why the crooner will salute 50 single and foster mothers at a special Mother's Day brunch Sunday in Atlanta. If you want to send out a Mother's Day greeting, Ne-Yo is offering a special e-Card just for the occasion.

D'Angelo's chart-topping songs, rarities and music videos have been culled for a special greatest-hits CD/DVD package, The Best So Far . . ., which will arrive in stores June 24. The 17-track collection boasts songs from various movie soundtracks, seven previously unreleased music videos and other unearthed recordings. A 15-song digital LP, ringtones and four video downloads will also be available for purchase on the same day.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon confirm their wedding in the latest issue of People. Photos of the April 30 ceremony at Mariah's estate in the Bahamas are also included in the magazine. "We really do feel we are soulmates," Mimi says. "I never felt a love like this was in the cards for me." Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey reveals that she spotted a "Mrs. Cannon" tattoo on Mariah when the singer visited her show a week before the wedding.

Well, Kelly Osbourne is added to celebrity kids that entered the have drink I will travel club.  While at a London Club she drank a bit too much.  Had to be helped out to a cab. She had to have some assistance to the car and will have a major hangover this Wednesday the 7th, morning. 

Usher is definitely one of the sexiest R&B crooners around, but he has his own definition of sexy. "I think that wisdom is sexy, I think that growth is sexy," says Usher, whose disc Here I Stand drops May 27. "I think that confidence, which is growth, and being comfortable in your skin, is all sexy." Meanwhile, Usher will perform on the May 17th season finale of NBC's Saturday Night Live.

T.I. will discuss his legal struggles, the murder of his late friend, the drawbacks of fame and his future on the BET special T.I. Speaks airing Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Despite his setbacks, the Atlanta rapper plans to drop Paper Trail on Aug. 12. After promoting the disc, he'll start his one-year prison sentence for felony gun charges. "It's a bitter pill to swallow," T.I. says. "But I've got a lot of water."

Mariah Carey gets up close and personal with rumored hubby Nick Cannon in the video for her latest single, "Bye, Bye," available here. Meanwhile, sources say that the songstress did negotiate a prenuptial agreement prior to taking the plunge with her paramour. In more Mariah news, she is set to perform alongside fellow chart-topper Fergie at a festival in Dubai on May 15th.

Syracuse University alum Vanessa Williams is set to deliver the 2008 commencement address at her alma mater's convocation exercise for graduates of the school's College of Visual and Performing Arts. The singer-actress also will receive her bachelor of fine arts degree at the event, which takes place Saturday. "Earning my degree from Syracuse is not just a meaningful milestone for me," says Vanessa. "It honors my parents . . . and our family tradition of college graduates."

50 Cent has inked a multiyear pact with Steiner Sports to sell his swag. The collection would include movie-related products, concert-worn T-shirts, autographed photos and more. "He's an authentic guy who gets the business portion of his career," said a Steiner rep. Meanwhile, 50 had his chain snatched off his neck by a concertgoer during his performance in Africa. The suspect was later turned in to police by his parents.

According to an April DNA report, James Brown is indeed the father of Tomi Rae Hynie's 6-year-old son, James Brown II. "The probability of paternity is 99.999975 [percent]," reads a copy of the report. "Now we have the science to back up what we knew all along," says Hynie. "Everyone's been trying to make me and my son look as if we don't belong."

Prince is releasing a hardcover book inspired by his 21-date residency at London's O2 Center titled 21 Nights on Sept. 9. Included in the 256-page package are photographs from the performances, poetry penned by the singer and a live CD featuring recordings from O2 after-parties. New Prince tunes can be found on the disc, called Indigo Nights. The black and silver book jacket will be sealed in a foil-stamped purple slip case.

Happy Cinco De Mayo to all the Mexican Readers. I hope that you all have a great day. For all the other readers, don't forget to celebrate with a tall one.

The final four "A.I." contestants: David Cook, David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado and Jason Castro, were greeted warmly in Las Vegas yesterday by a paparazzi and fan crush that only Brad, Angelina, Paris, Lindsay and Britney have only witnessed.

Not only is Plies ready to drop his second LP, Definition of Real, on June 10, he plans to release his third effort, The Realest, on Dec. 16. The Florida rhyme spitter's grimy raps about love and prison life have fans often wondering why he's always so angry in his music. "I'm not mad all the time," Plies says. "I have interests toward women and I have interests in cats that are locked up. Musically, I'm cool with everything."

Great news! Beyoncé has returned to the studio and is recording new music for her as-yet-untitled next album. Hitmakers Chris "Tricky" Stewart and Kuk Harrell are clocking long hours with the R&B newlywed on a variety of songs. Now, ya'll "Beyoncé loves what she does and works her butt off," confirms Tricky who is a recent newlywed himself. "Right now she's basically doing three to four songs a day and that's unheard of."

Chaka Khan will be bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Rhythm & Blues Foundation's 20th anniversary Pioneer Awards taking place Sept. 9 in Philadelphia. Kool & the Gang and the Whispers will be given Group Awards, while the Funk Brothers will receive the Sidemen Award. In addition, Teena Marie and Bill Withers will collect Individual Artists Awards, and the late Donny Hathaway will be honored with the Legacy Award.

Hil St. Soul will release her third effort, Black Rose, on June 10. The collection is the follow-up to her now critically acclaimed LP SOULidified. Among the noted tracks on the album is "Sweetest Day," in which the songbird urges peace on earth. "I feel the world these days seems a lot colder, and I wouldn't want to be a child growing up in this day and age," she says. To listen to songs from Black Rose, click here: MySpace: Hil St. Soul

Rap newbie 2 Pistols is burning up radio with his hit single, "She Got It" (featuring T-Pain). Despite the 24-year-old rhyme-slinger's newfound success, he insists that he's not a one-hit wonder. "I'm not like them," he says. "They just wanna get a ringtone record . . . and to catch a quick dollar. I'll be here for a [while], so pay attention." Pistols' debut album, Death Before Dishonor, hits stores June 17th.

For a Hot & down group of artists, Sean Kingston, Mario, Boyz II Men and J Moss are among the many artists taking part in the Six Flags Sunday Rocks! and Starburst Thursday Night Concert Series shows. The performances will take place at participating Six Flags locations in Dallas, San Antonio, Washington, D.C., Jackson, N.J., Springfield, Mass., Atlanta and St. Louis between June 6th and Aug. 17th.

Will Downing will embark on an intimate speaking and listening tour of five major U.S. cities. These engagements are his first public appearances since the crooner was diagnosed with polymyositis, a rare muscular disorder. The trek kicks off April 22nd in Chicago, followed by Detroit on April 24th; Washington, D.C., on April 29th; Baltimore on May 1st; and Atlanta on May 7th. Proceeds from these events will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Ne-Yo will bring his soulful pipes to Pine Valley, as the singer will make a guest appearance on ABC's All My Children. Ne-Yo is set to perform two songs, "Closer" and "Stop This World," during the second wedding of super couple Angie and Jesse Hubbard, played by Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams. The episodes are set to air May 21 and 22. Meanwhile, click here to watch the video for Ne-Yo's latest single, "Closer."

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

After Essence cover girl Jill Scott finishes her Butterfly Bra meet-and-greet tour, she will return to the road for a series of festival and amphitheater dates. Jill's U.S. tour kicks off June 29 in Charlotte, N.C., and hits Nashville (July 1), Houston (July 3), Cincinnati (July 26), Detroit (July 27), Atlanta (July 30) and Kansas City, Mo. (Aug. 7). To purchase tickets, click here:

In honor of Kanye West's late mother, the organization 'Shine on Sierra Leone' will break ground this fall on the 'Donda West Library & Literacy Center' in Sierra Leone, Africa. The center will seek to reduce an 80 percent illiteracy rate in its community. Meanwhile, Donda's death from complications following plastic surgery has prompted new proposed legislation in California requiring patients to receive a physical exam before plastic surgery. That is good news...

Bun B's II Trill bows at No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200 chart and No. 1 on the publication's Top Rap Albums tally after moving 98,000 copies during its first week out. Bun has been catching some flak from die-hard fans over his new music being too candy-coated. The Houston rapper feels people should congratulate and not hate. "People make rap too personal," he exclaims. "You can't get mad at hip-hop; it's just the cycle of life."  He is just saying, man it is just sooo simple, right???

Ray J reportedly was tossed out of the Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C., on Saturday after hotel security found drugs in his suite. Apparently, the R&B crooner was getting a little too rowdy in his room and guests were complaining about the noise level. When hotel security arrived, they allegedly found marijuana and a psychedelic drug called "boat" in the room. Sources report that Ray argued with security but eventually left the premises.

T-Pain has penciled in Sept. 30 for the release of his third solo effort, Thr33 Ringz. The vocoder crooner's kick-off single is "Snap Yo Fingers" featuring Lil Wayne. T-Pain is still hard at work producing the album with his partner-in-rhyme Akon. T-Pain recently nabbed five nominations for the June 24 BET Awards for his collaborative work with Kanye West ("Good Life"), Flo Rida ("Low") and Chris Brown ("Kiss Kiss").

Patti Labelle has inked a deal with Verve Records to release an as-yet-untitled reunion album in the fall. The disc will mark the group's first studio effort in 33 years. The trio, Patti LaBelle, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, has tapped musician Lenny Kravitz and legendary studio mavericks Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to produce the effort. "The thread that always runs through is that we're sisters and we'll always be sisters," states Patti of the reunion. Oh Yeah, Happy Birthday girl, it was the 24th.

It is time again for Fleet week to be finished in NYC. This one is smaller than most of the ones before. But a nice one nonetheless.  It Starts today Wednesday the 21st, for a week from now (28th). So please say hi to the men and women in uniform. Give them a handshake, kiss or a hug.  Please welcome them to NY-NJ Tri-state Area. If in a bar or club, buy them a beer to say hi.  It is always a great thing to see them, the service members always love to come to the Tri-State, with the NYers as hosts to the city. Please direct them where they need to go.  Some will be coming to NY for the first time. Check out our battle group It's Fleet Week 2008 and thousands of service men are scheduled to dock this morning right here in New York City. For a list of scheduled events, log on to Fleet Week Events. The Armed Services thanks NYers for their hospitality and warmth, for making this Memorial Day weekend great and safe one. They loved everyone here.

Usher says he's working on a new song about the voting process. "My objective is to motivate people, mostly young people, because we all have the right to vote," he says. Meanwhile, Usher has teamed with Wizzard Media to develop uCast, a video podcast series now available on iTunes. Finally, a bonus track from Here I Stand is posted here.

In an effort to halt a deportation of the legendary Slick Rick to the UK, Governor Patterson has pardoned the rapper.  He cited the years the rapper has dedicated to the youth of this nation and positive model he has shown.  He was arrested for shooting his cousin and another man in 1991. He served 5 years for that crime. Slick Rick aka Ricky Walters is an Icon to the rap game. This move should hold off the extradition to the U.K.

After years of toiling in the underground scene, Ledisi has finally arrived. The songbird reveals that her two Grammy nominations put her in a position that has long been in the making. "Acceptance," she says. "It's opened doors that I'd never imagined. I've crossed to the other side of the velvet rope." Ledisi will embark on a major U.S. tour that begins Monday in Concord, Calif., and is scheduled through an Oct. 19th gig New York.

What time is it? It's time for Morris Day and the Time to get wild and loose! The reunited R&B/funk outfit is headlining a string of shows at the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel June 24-July 5 and July 20th-Aug. 2nd. The band also will perform one-off gigs June 12th in Thackerville, Okla.; July 10th in Sterling Heights, Mich.; and a co-headlining bill with Boyz II Men in Atlanta on July 25th, 2008.

LL Cool J is ending his longstanding deal with Def Jam with his upcoming album, Exit 13 (due July 18). The set's lead single is "I Cry" (featuring Lil' Mo). The veteran rhyme-slinger also plans to drop his first-ever mixtape, The Return of the G.O.A.T., with DJ Kay Slay. In the meantime, click this to check out LL's all-star track "Five Boroughs" (featuring Jim Jones, Method Man, KRS-One and Lil' Kim.

Lil Wayne's sweet hit "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major) makes a return to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after three weeks away from the top spot. Holding steady at No. 2 is Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love," while Rihanna's "Take a Bow" takes a spill from No. 1 to No. 3. Usher's "Love in This Club" (featuring Young Jeezy) and Jordin Sparks' "No Air" (featuring Chris Brown) finish at Nos. 4th and 5th, respectively.

Kevin Michael, Ledisi, Lalah Hathaway and other performers have been tapped to headline the Sounds of R&B concert series in Philadelphia. The free shows will be held on Fridays throughout the summer. Kevin will kick off the series on June 27, while jazz keyboardist Frank McComb performs July 18. Songbirds Ledisi and Lalah will close out the series on July 25th.

Singer Gladys Knight will salute the fallen men and women of the U.S. military with a performance at the National Memorial Day Concert, which PBS will broadcast live from Washington, D.C., on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. The evening's other performers include stage actress Idina Menzel and the National Symphony Orchestra. Actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise are co-hosting the event.

The Jonas Brothers are going on tour overseas and will be back for an American tour soon. They will be releasing their new album in August, so keep an eye out for that.

Diana Ross' in-demand 1970 album Everything Is Everything will arrive in stores on CD for the first time ever on June 17. The collection features the original 11 songs as well as a previously unreleased cover of the Beatles' "Something." Other bonuses include alternative versions of "Baby It's Love" and "Ain't No Sad Song," plus remixes of "Come Together" and "I'm Still Waiting." To preorder the disc, click here.

Crunk jams by Soulja Boy, Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz, Young Jeezy, Snoop Dogg, Jim Jones and Ludacris will be featured on Hidden Beach Recordings' Unwrapped Vol. 5.0: The ColliPark Cafe Sessions (due June 26). The disc features the Hidden Beach All-Stars performing jazz versions of Soulja's "Crank That," Lil Jon's "Get Low," Luda's "Splash Waterfalls," Jeezy's "Soul Survivor," Snoop's "Sensual Seduction" and Jim's "We Fly High," among other tunes. Listen to an album sampler here: SoulBounce

Wyclef Jean's organization Yéle Haiti has partnered with the World Food Program and the Pan American Development Foundation to launch Together for Haiti, an initiative to provide alternative methods to help feed poor families in Haiti. Among the program's goals are raising $48 million in the next six months, widening the food distribution network and creating jobs for farmers in the impoverished country. "Haitian people aren't a group of people who want handouts," stresses Wyclef.

Bun B is known for keeping his music "trill," hence the title of his just-released disc, II Trill. But when the Houston rapper dropped "That's Gangsta" with Sean Kingston on the hook, some wondered if he was getting II soft. Not so, says Bun. "I didn't look at it like it's a kiddie style," he explains. "I don't look at the world like that. I didn't see a problem with it."

Mom-to-be Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have gotten married, PEOPLE confirms. The couple quietly wed Monday, says her rep, Brad Cafarelli. According to a source, they were married in the beautiful Beverly Hills courthouse's ceremony room under an arch of green silk foliage and white flowers. They were casually dressed, with Alba wearing a long blue dress and her hair back in a ponytail.

Usher has partnered with TouchTunes to release "Love in This Club Part II" featuring Beyoncé and Lil' Wayne exclusively via 10,000 digital jukeboxes before Here I Stand hits stores May 27. Meanwhile, Usher has launched a contest to find the best "Love in This Club" story. Fans can upload a video at his YouTube group for a chance to win. Finally, New York and Los Angeles Virgin Megastores will host midnight release parties for Stand next week. It should be a great time for all comers that come down to participate.

Tina Turner is lending her public support to troubled British singer Amy Winehouse, whose struggles with substance abuse have been well documented in the tabloids. "Amy's problems started before the success and that is the problem," Tina explains. "If she wants to help herself . . . of course she can and she must." Meanwhile, Tina has added several more U.S. shows to her comeback tour and has also confirmed U.K. dates.

Police are seeking the boyfriend of rapper Queen Pen, after the man allegedly assaulted her in front of their children and broke her Grammy Award. The New York Post reports that Kendall Wicker, 29, attacked Queen Pen during an argument in their East Flatbush, Brooklyn apartment. In addition to striking Queen Pen and breaking the prestigious Grammy Award, Wicker allegedly trashed the apartment, threw a brick through the windshield of her car and threatened to kill the rapper. Queen Pen filed a police report in regards to the incident and revealed that Wicker had punched her in the face so hard three months ago, that she needed oral surgery. Wickers whereabouts are currently unknown.

Pretty Ricky will return to the R&B scene this summer with a hot new album. The group's third effort, '80s Babies, will hit shelves on Aug. 26. In addition, the Miami crooners have welcomed their newest member, 4Play, into the outfit. "I've been working towards this moment my whole life," he says. "I feel truly blessed." The set's lead single is "Cuddle" (featuring Butta Créame). To listen to a snippet of the song, click here.

Deborah Cox will join Cyndi Lauper and other artists on the True Colors tour, which kicks off May 31 in Boston. Deborah is honored to participate in the all-star trek. "What Cyndi stands for as a person, fighting for people's civil rights and for equality, those are all things that I stand very firm on and believe in as well," she says. "So I'm really excited about being a part of this tour."

KFC must have seen dollar signs. Rihanna and reported beau Chris Brown have been invited back to KFC, the site of some recent heavy petting between the two, for a free meal. KFC Chief Marketing Officer James O'Reilly says a return visit would earn the singer a donation to her Believe foundation. Meanwhile, Rihanna is reportedly attached to star in Mama Black Widow and could be a future Victoria's Secret model.

Foxy Brown has fired her manager Chaz Williams just days after she released her comeback LP, Brooklyn's Don Diva. According to Foxy, the split was due in part over the disc, which she feels doesn't represent her new musical direction. "I heard this CD in its entirety for the first time and was devastated," she said via a statement. Foxy says her label, Koch, will re-release a new LP next month with five new songs and videos.

DMX did not really have any comments on his way into a Phoenix court. D was arrested on Friday after investigators raided his Cave Creek home.  T