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8th June 2005
Guy Sebastian to Head To LA For New Album
After recently completing the final shows of his “Beautiful Life Tour”, Guy Sebastian is now about to head
off overseas again and start work on his third album.
Before he goes, Guy will be appearing at Jennifer Hawkin’s
Sydney Cancer bash and will also be performing with Gospel legend Ce Ce Winans at her only Melbourne show late June.
After
these dates the 'Fro' goes back to London, Sweden and LA where songwriting and recording will commence for the third album,
with a single expected to be released in October.
Guy is once again going for a big sounding R&B record but he
will also be recording some inspirational songs while in LA towards a contemporary Christian album early next year.
8th June 2005
Young Buck to stand trial
Young Buck is to stand trail on assault charges.
Judge James Dabney has ruled
that sufficient evidence was presented against the G-Unit rapper for a trial to go ahead.
Buck, real name David Darnell
Brown, has pleaded not guilty to stabbing Jimmy James Johnson and causing him to suffer a collapsed lung.
Johnson first
allegedly punched Dr Dre after asking for his autograph at last November's Vibe awards ceremony in Santa Monica, California.
Brown's
lawyer said: "We're confident when all the truth comes out he'll be exonerated."
G-Unit are set to support Eminem and
50 Cent on the Anger Management tour, beginning in the US on July 7.
8th June 2005
Nelly Is Coming To Oz
For the first time, rapper Nelly will head to Australia for his first national tour.
Nelly will perform songs
from his Grammy winning albums in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in July.
This week, Nelly fans will also
get to see the singer on the big screen when his movie debut in the Adam Sandler film 'The Longest Yard' is released.
The
Longest Yard is the story of pro quarterback Paul Crewe and former college champion and coach Nate Scarboro who are doing
time in the same prison. Asked to put together a team of inmates to take on the guards, Crewe enlists the help of Scarboro
to coach the inmates to victory in a football game fixed to turn out quite another way.
"The Longest Yard" - the soundtrack
- is released on 23rd May, and features two brand new tracks from Nelly.
Dates are:
July 17, Brisbane, Entertainment
Centre
July 19, Sydney, Superdome
July 22, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
July 24, Adelaide, Entertainment Centre
Nellys Brand new single "N De Say" is instores now.
23rd May 2005
Brand New Music
Well Missy Elliots new album comes out soon in Australia with the first of many singles from the Album Cookbook. Lose
Control is the brand new single from Missy Elliot. Teaming up with ciara and fatman scoop to bring this hot club track
with the maddest beat the wont make u leave the dance floor.
23rd May 2005
Black Eyed Peas Hit Number One spot Again
Black Eyed Peas hit the number one spot in Australia this week selling more the 35 thousand copies, with Will Smith dropping
to number 2, brand new entry this week at number 19 Fast Crew with "I Got". Usa Rapper Akon hits in at number 33 with
"Locked Up".
Ciara Finally Gets kicked out the top 5 to drop to number 9. But it wont be for long until ciara comes back into the
top 5 with her new single "Ohh Baby".
23rd May 2005
Eminem's puppet-sex video
Eminem's new video reportedly features puppets engaging in sexual activity.
According to today's Sun [May
23], the promo for "Ass Like That" is a "lesbian sex puppet video" featuring "girl puppets stripping and snogging."
Two
of the puppets reportedly resemble teen twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen who, along with Britney Spears,
Gwen Stefani and Janet Jackson, are mentioned on the track.
Access to a uncut download-only version of the
video will be included with the upcoming DVD release of footage from the rapper's 2002 Anger Management tour.
According
to Billboard.com, the DVD contains performances of "Stan", "The Way I Am", "Kill You" and "Sing for the Moment"
along with backstage footage.
Eminem will tour the US under the Anger Management banner again this summer with
50 Cent, with support from Lil' John, G-Unit, D12, Obie Trice and Stat Quo.
The DVD is set for
release on 27.
20th May 2005
Usher seeks 'Dreamgirls'
Usher is in talks to star in a new movie musical. "Dreamgirls", a 1981 musical loosely based on the Supremes,
is about a black female soul trio who move to New York to enter a talent contest and become pop superstars.
The musical
is set to be adapted for the screen and directed by "Kinsey" director Bill Condon for a 2006 release date.
Usher
said: "It is not 100 per cent confirmed yet, but it is something that I am entertaining. "Dreamgirls" is the name of
it and it did actually touch Broadway."
Beyoncé is reported to have signed to play the Diana Ross-like
lead role of Deena Jones. Other stars tipped to appear include Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy.
Usher's
manager and mother Jonnetta Patton issued a statement to MTV denying his participation in the project just last Friday
[May 13].
20th May 2005
Whitney leaves rehab
Whitney Houston is reported to have left rehab.
The singer was taken to Eric Clapton's Crossroads Clinic in
Willoughby Bay, Antigua by court order on March 23.
Clive Davis, who first discovered Houston, told US
TV show "Access Hollywood": "Whitney is out of rehab, and we are meeting in about 10 days."
"There is
no-one like Whitney. If you go to the writers, the producers, the arrangers, they can't wait for her to come back."
The
BMG boss added: "She has been through a battle, but she is the best singer, so I cannot wait to be in the studio with her."
Lil'
John is one of the artists reported to be working on new material for Houston.
Her last studio album was
November 1998's "My Love is Your Love".
20th May 2005
This weeks R&B Top 10
Well Will Smith is this weeks R&B number one, with Joel Turners new single "Funk
You Up" at number ten.
Frankie J moves up this week to number five with "Obsession" with Destinys Child "Girl at number four.
Here is the top ten.
1- Will Smith - Switch
2- Snoop Dogg - Sign
3- Ciara - 1,2 Step
4- Destinys Child - Girl
5- Frankie J - Obsession
6- Mario - Let Me Love You
7- P-Money - Stop The Music
8- Eminem - Mockingbird
9- 50 Cent - Candy Shop
10- Joel Turner - Funk You Up
19th May 2005
50 Cent gets game
50 Cent is set to launch his own video game.
"50
Cent: Bulletproof" is a "Grand Theft Auto"-style adventure based in New York's underworld of drug dealers, in which
the rapper uncovers an international conspiracy.
Other voices will be provided by Dr Dre, Eminem and G-Unit's Tony
Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck.
50 Cent said: "I'm as excited about "50 Cent: Bulletproof"
as I am about the success of my album, "The Massacre", and that means a lot since music has always been my life."
18th May 2005
Gwen Stefani has second album planed
After charting world-wide success with her debut solo
album, Gwen Stefani returns to the recording studio to record her second album.
The No Doubt singer is working with
Pharrell Williams on the follow-up to last year's 'Love, Angel, Music, Baby' album and it could hit the shops in just a few
months.
"We just started talking about doing a whole 'nother album with the tracks that never made it on this record
and maybe writing a few more," she told VH1. "It's going to be kind of like 'part two.'.
Gwen has so many new songs,
she's having trouble deciding what to include on her new album. "There are a lot of songs to choose from," she said. "It's
really hard, just because I want everyone to hear all the songs.".
16th May 2005
Billionaire hires Beyoncé
A
British billionaire hired Destiny's Child to perform at his son's bar mitzvah ceremony.
Philip Green,
owner of Topshop and BHS, is believed to have spent £4 million in total on the celebrations, held in France over the weekend
[May 14-15].
The Times also reported that Justin Timberlake was believed to be performing, although it
was possible he would be forced to mime after undergoing throat surgery.
Green left school at 15 to enter the
clothing industry and is now estimated to have a personal fortune in the region of £3 billion.
For his 50th birthday
celebrations he held a similar party in Cyprus, where 250 guests were entertained by Rod Stewart and Tom Jones.
16th May 2005
50 Cent's anger management
50 Cent has been ordered to take an anger management course
to avoid jail time.
The rapper, real name Curtis Jackson, reached a deal with prosecutors on Friday [May 13]
related to three assault and battery charges.
Under the terms of the deal, he must attend anger management classes,
take random drug tests for two years, make an anti-violence video and pay his victims' medical expenses.
He is also
banned from carrying a gun in Massachusetts.
16th May 2005
Akon stays on top
Hip-hop artist Akon stayed top of the UK music
charts with "Lonely" on Sunday, but came under pressure from Gorillaz' latest release.
"Feel Good Inc" jumped from 20 to the number two slot, pushing charity
hit "Is this the Way to Amarillo" to third place, the Official UK Charts Company said.
Seventies crooner Tony Christie and comedian Peter Kay had
spent seven weeks at the top of the charts but dropped to second place last week.
Number four saw a new entry for The Game featuring 50 Cent
with "Hate It Or Love It" while "Signs" from rapper Snoop Dogg, R&B singer Charlie Wilson and
pop star Justin Timberlake dropped to fifth place.
The Coral scored a new entry at six with "In The Morning" and
American rapper Eminem was down three places to seven with "Mockingbird".
Anglo-Australian dance duo Bodyrockers fell to eighth from fifth with
"I Like the Way", just ahead of Kelly Osbourne's new entry "One Word".
Rounding off the top 10 was "Switch" from Hollywood actor Will
Smith.
13th May 2005
J.Lo dumps documentary
Jennifer Lopez has reportedly blocked documentary footage
of her being released.
The singer-actress was filmed by award-winning director DA Pennebaker during the recording
of her latest album, "Rebirth".
According to US magazine Radar: "Sony was thrilled with the finished
product. So too were J.Lo's managers, who felt it captured the Jennifer they knew so well."
Lopez
herself reportedly felt the footage was unflattering.
The source added: "She was 'stunned' by her depiction, complaining
angrily about the sound of her voice and about scenes showing her abusing his employees."
The singer demanded that
the offending footage be scrapped.
According to IMDB.com, Pennebaker has confirmed that he filmed Lopez
but refuses to comment on the claims.
Jennifer Lopez release her second single from Rebrith, "Hold U Down".
12th May 2005
Jay-Z's comeback track
Retired rapper-turned-Def Jam CEO Jay-Z is to release a brand new
track.
"Dear Summer" will be released as a track on his protégé Memphis Bleek's new album "534",
months after it was first recorded.
Producer Just Blaze told VH1.com: "He started spitting that rhyme
out of nowhere. So it just sat there forever and then he spit it that one day on the radio."
The track was recently
aired on New York's hip-hop radio station Hot 97.
6th May 2005
50 Cent: 'I can't go home'
50 Cent says he is unable to return home for fear of repercussions.
The Queens, New York-born rapper was shot nine times in his own neighbourhood and now refuses to go
back, saying: "It secures the fact that no one gets hurt."
"If I go back to the 'hood and they mistake me for being
different now and do something [in reaction to that], I may not respond right there myself."
He
added that in his former life, he supplied drugs to his own family.
6th May 2005
Lil' Kim's new suit
Lil' Kim, real name Kimberly Jones, was found guilty in March of three charges of perjury and
one charge of conspiracy related to a February 2001 shooting.
She now faces additional charges related to her March
2003 album "La Bella Mafia" from songwriters and performers who co-wrote and contributed to four tracks.
Jones will be sentenced on her perjury and conspiracies convictions on June 24. She
faces up to 20 years in prison.
4th May 2005
Justin's
throat op
Justin Timberlake is to undergo a minor operation on his throat.
The singer, rumoured to be
marrying his longtime girlfriend Cameron Diaz at the weekend in France, will have nodules removed from his throat.
Following
the operation, he will be banned from singing for three months in order to allow his throat to heal and prevent damage to
his singing voice.
A source told The Sun: "He hadn't sung much for ages - he pretty much stopped over the last
year to focus on acting.
"But recently he's been in the studio again making his latest single, "Signs", with
Snoop Dogg. That's when he realised there was a problem with his voice.
"Sign"
is currently the number 1 single in Oz.
4th May 2005
J.Lo for President
Jennifer Lopez has announced she is ready to swap the Bronx
for the White House. Not content with careers in acting, singer, fashion and
fragrance, Jen wants to go for world domination with a career in politics.
Jennifer revealed her ambitions to German magazine Bravo and
she's convinced she could teach George Bush a trick or two:
20th April 2005
Missy's back
Missy Elliott has revealed the first details about
her forthcoming new album "The Cookbook".
Released on May 28th, the album will feature the Neptunes-produced
"On & On" as well as "Lose Control" which features Ciara and Fatman Scoop.
Speaking
to Billboard.com, Elliott said: "I was in a really great space with this album. I wasn't in a great space with
some of the other albums I've done."
She added: "I played Lil' Kim the album the other day, and she told me
it was incredible and that there was not one song on it that she didn't like."
The rapper also told the magazine that
she is working on a film about her life story, although she will not take an acting role in the project.
She explained:
"Paramount is interested in doing the movie, and right now I'm looking at writers for it.
"I don't want to star in
the movie. People see only famous artists as having superstar status, but people want to know about the struggles.
"I'm
sure that's what made Eminem's "8 Mile" a success, because people wanted to know what his house and mom were
like before he started in the music business.
"People can't even imagine what I've been through."
According
to hip-hop website urbanconnectionz.com, the tentative tracklisting for "The Cookbook" is as follows:
"Joy"
ft Mike Jones
"Partytime"
"Irresistible Delicious" ft Slick Rick
"Lose Control" ft
Ciara & Fatman Scoop
"My Struggle" ft Grand Puba & Mary J. Blige
"Meltdown"
"Right One For You"
"On and On" ft Pharrell
"We Run This"
"Time and Time Again"
"Gotta Move
On" ft Tweet
"Mommy"
"4 My Man"
"Tearyeyed" ft Tweet
"Smash The Place"
"Other
Things"
20th April 2005
Tupac's
last stand
The mother of Tupac Shakur has revealed that the last of her son's unreleased music will be issued next year,
although she is in the process of re-opening a memorial garden dedicated to the late rap legend.
Speaking to MTV.com,
Afeni Shakur explained why she is renovating the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation's Peace Memorial Garden and Visitors
Center in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
She said: "When Tupac died, the first year and afterward, we thought
the way to celebrate him was to have concerts and events every June in Georgia.
20th April 2005
Do you Hova the time
Jay-Z has unveiled a line of limited edition watches in association with Swiss watchmaker
Audemars Piguet.
The elaborate timepieces, created to commemorate the rapper's 10th anniversary in the
music industry, will cost between $24,000 and $100,000, depending on whether they are made of stainless steel, rose gold or
platinum.
Reportedly, only 100 are them being made - 50 in stainless steel; 30 in rose gold; and 20 in platinum.
They
will be sold exclusively in Audemars Piguet shops. Each watch sold will come with a specially engraved iPod with Jay-Z's
albums already uploaded.
11th April 2005
This weeks R&B Top
10
1- Ciara - 1,2 Step
2- 50 Cent - Candy Shop
3- Mario - Let Me Love You
4- Will Smith - Switch
5- Rob Thomas - Lonely No More
6- Mariah Carey - Its Like That
7- Jennifer Lopez - Get Right
8- Tamara - OOH AAH
9- Nelly - Over & Over
10- Nitty - Nasty Girl
11th April 2005
Elton's
shady love
Elton John has claimed
that Eminem is a talent on par with Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger.
He makes the comments in the latest
issue of Rolling Stone, where the rapper is listed in a special "Immortals" edition featuring what the magazine
thinks are 50 of the greatest figures in rock `n' roll history.
In his immortalizing of Eminem, John
adds that he got goose bumps when he first rehearsed with him for their performance of "Stan" at the 2001 Grammy Awards.
He explains: "From the start, I've always admired Eminem's thinking. That's the reason I wanted to appear on
the Grammys with him when I was asked, despite all the nonsense talked about his being homophobic.
11th April 2005
Timberlake to 'Die Hard'
Justin Timberlake is tipped to appear in a new "Die
Hard" sequel.
The singer-turned-actor is rumoured to be playing Bruce Willis' character's son in a future
instalment of the action movie series.
Willis and Timberlake appear together in the upcoming real-life
drugs drama "Alpha Dog".
A source told The Mirror: "Bruce met Justin on the set of "Alpha
Dog" and was really impressed."
"Die Hard 4.0" is slated to begin shooting later this year for
a 2006 release. "Alpha Dog" is expected to be released before the end of the year.
4th April 2005
Kanye signing
scrapped
A signing by Kanye West ended in violence at the weekend.
The Grammy-winning
rapper-producer was signing autographs at a shop in Fresno, California on Saturday [April 2] when a fight broke out.
Around
1,000 fans were turned away from the opening of the FTK 'urban boutique' after fighting took place between one fan and a security
guard.
West was ushered out of the store's back entrance to an after-party at a local nightclub after only 40 minutes
of signing.
4th April 2005
Mario & Shakaya To be Support Act For Destinys
Child
18 year old R&B phenomenon Mario has just been confirmed to join the
3 bootylicious babes of Destiny’s Child on the April Australian tour. The Girls from Destinys Child will treat their
fans to some soul material. Shakaya will be releasing their follow up
album this year.
Shakaya may have left the limelight for a while but are ready to rock with
Destinys Child when they land in Australia later this month.
Tour Dates For - Fulfill your destiny at:
21 April: Brisbane - Entertainment Centre
23 April: Sydney - Superdome
25
April: Adelaide - Entertainment Centre - SOLD OUT
Tuesday 26 April: Melbourne - Rod Laver Arena
4th April 2005
This Weeks R&B Top 10
1- 50 Cent - Candy Shop
2- Mario - Let Me Love You
3- Ciara - 1,2 Step
4- NEW-Mariah Carey - Its Like That
5- Will Smith - Switch
6- Jennifer Lopez - Get Right
7- Nelly - Over & Over
8- Nitty - Nasty Girl
9- Snoop Dogg - Drop It Like Its Hot
10 - Usher - Caught Up
4th April 2005
Mariah Carey She Admites being Dramatic
Mariah Carey, notorious for her diva antics, has made the biggest understatement
of the year by admitting that she can be "a little dramatic".
The 35-year-old singer said: "I'm a little dramatic at times. I know,
I know, it's tough to believe.
But, it's true." One
recent example of Mariah exhibiting diva-like qualities was when turned up 90 minutes late to a London awards night.
The reason? A broken fingernail.
1st April 2005
Notorious B.I.G Movie In the Making
A film about the life and death of the Notorious B.I.G. is apparently being
planned. The venture is being instigated by the late rapper's mother, P. Diddy and "Training Day" director Antoine
Fuqua.
Reported by MTV.com, Wayne Barrow, who currently manages B.I.G.'s affairs, claimed that the film would
not be a documentary. He described it as "focusing on Biggie the man, son and father, including little-known tidbits, such
as his knack for West Indian cooking."
30th March 2005
Andre 3000 stars in brand new movie
"Be Cool" star Andre 3000 is filming a new movie.
The Outkast
rapper-turned-actor is currently in Toronto, Canada to shoot "Four Brothers" with director John Singleton and co-star
Mark Wahlberg.
He told MTV.com: "Right now I'm Andre Benjamin sitting here talking to you, and when I get in
front of the camera, I want to be [the character of] Jeremiah."
"I juggle careers, so I'm still that dude who makes
music. When I'm sitting here talking to you, I just want to [talk] about my career [but] Jeremiah doesn't have a career."
28th March 2005
This Weeks Urban & R&B
Top 10
1 - Mario - Let Me Love You
2- 50 Cent - Candy Shop
3- Nelly - Over & Over
4- Ciara - 1,2 Step
5- Jennifer Lopez - Get Right
6- Will Smith - Switch
7- Nitty - Nasty Girl
8- Snoop Dogg - Drop Like Its Hot
9- Destinys Child - Soildier
10 -Usher - Caught Up
28th March 2005
Are you the next Australian
Idol
The third installment of Australian Idol kicks off later this year on Channel
Ten and the network have just announced the details for the national auditions!
So if you believe that you have a special
talent as a solo vocal artist than start preparing your signature song now to perform for the Idol judges ? Mark Holden, Marcia
Hines and new judge, Kyle Sandilands.
This time the auditions take to Cairns and Hobart as well as the other usual
general capital cities.
There is only one way to find out if you have what it takes and that is to try your luck at
one of the following auditions:
CAIRNS
Sunday, April 24
HOBART
Saturday, April 30
ADELAIDE
Sunday, May 8
Monday, May 9
MELBOURNE
Friday, May 13
Saturday, May 14
Sunday, May 15
BRISBANE
Saturday, May 21
Sunday, May 22
Monday, May 23
PERTH
Sunday, May 29
Monday, May 30
SYDNEY
Saturday, June 4
Sunday, June 5
Monday, June 6
*Venues are yet to be announced!
28th March 2005
Mariah Turns Down American
Idol
Popstar, Mariah Carey, has turned down
a guest spot as judge on the current series of American Idol citing that she is not nearly as mean or dishonest as the other
judges.
The singer, who is set for her music comeback later this month, was approached by Idol judge, Randy Jackson,
who coincidently is Carey's musical director on the new album.
Whilst talking to MTV this week, Carey says, "I couldn't
be mean to people, not that you have to be mean."
The 'Honey' singer also lashes out at judge Paula Abdul in the interview
after it was pointed out that Abdul is far from mean on the show.
"I'm not saying she's dishonest but I think that
her thing was mainly like choreography and dance and my thing is really ears and singing."
28th March 2005
Jeniffer Lopez's new album a flop
Jennifer Lopez's latest musical
efforts have proven to be a flop amongst music fans after dissapointing sales of her new album 'Rebirth'.
Lopez's fifth
studio album was released world-wide on February 28 and is currently sitting at number seven on the US Billboard charts, and
number twenty-six in the UK.
Locally, the album is struggling
to stay in the top 30 after three weeks of release.
Rolling Stone reported slim sales of 60,000 in the UK, in Australia
the album has been certified gold for 35,000 copies being shipped to stores [not actual sales] and in the US the album hasn't
neally surpassed 500,000 sales.
24th March 2005
Dre Is getting sued
Dr Dre is being sued over the contents
of a DVD. The "Up In Smoke" DVD features live footage of Dre, Eminem, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg as well as a bonus track
depicting a heated backstage discussion. The film, shot at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena on July 6 2000, shows local officials
arguing with Dre's tour crew after two explicit videos were forcibly dropped from the show.
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