Mike Jones Films Feature Film in Houston From August 28th to September 15th

New Album, "The American Dream," in the Works

BURBANK, CA -- (Market Wire - Aug 30, 2006) -- Mike Jones refused to be left behind, overlooked or outdone by his fellow rap counterparts. In just a little over one year, Houston's multi-platinum selling rap star Mike Jones went from fledgling rapper releasing his debut CD to a household name with the success of "Who Is Mike Jones?" Now, in conjunction with Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records he is set to start production on "American Dream," his debut film off his newly created film production company of the same name, from August 28th - September 15th in Houston, Texas.

The film, co-executive produced by Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records, will chronicle Mike's real life rise to fame as an aspiring rapper from the streets who finds his path in life through music.

Mike Jones assembled an amazing collective to help realize his "American Dream." He enlisted Producer Gregory Anderson, who is best known for the independently produced "Trios" (Rain Forest Films), a film ranked #34 on the Top 500 Film Distributors by Hollywood Reporter (August 2001), and was one of the Top 50 highest grossing Independent Films of that year. Mike also armed himself with Producer Keith Paschall, a veteran with over 15 years experience in television and recording. Keith cut his teeth at Black Entertainment Television, moving up as co-creator and Supervising Producer of Rap City. In 1998 Keith founded Geneva Films with noted Director Billie Woodruff, producing and creating videos for such popular artists as Britney Spears and Celine Dion. Finally, Mike brought on Industry Indie staple Derrick Dixon as Director. Derrick Dixon is noted for amassing record-breaking sales with the underground movie and soundtrack for "The Dirty Third."

"American Dream" - A Feature Film

Distributor: Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records
Executive Producers: Mike Jones, Warner Bros. Records, Asylum Records,
and Ice Age Entertainment
Co-Executive Producers: Denise A. Williams, Chonita Floyd, and Todd
Moscowitz
Producers: Gregory Anderson, Greg Carter, Keith Paschall
Director: Derrick Dixon
Writers: Derrick Dixon, Chris Johnson, Mike Jones
Casting Director: Rashad El Amin
Executive Consultant: Trey Haley, ND Brown
Asst. Director: Bryan Bentham
Start Date: August 28th, 2006
Location: Houston, Texas

Jones is concurrently in the studio putting the finishing touches on his sophomore CD, "The American Dream." He also has recently opened a night club in Houston called Club Iceage.

Eminem: The Real Slim Shoemaker

By Josh Grossberg

Semi-retired as a rapper, Eminem has decided to try his hand as a cobbler.


The hip-hop superstar is joining forces with Nike to create a limited-edition line of Air Max sneakers that to be auctioned off for charity.


Eminem will design eight different shoes in the series, from the Air Max '87 to Air Max 360. Nike will manufacture just 64 pairs, which will be numbered and then autographed by the rapper. Bids will be accepted beginning Thursday at NikeTowns in London, Berlin and Paris, and via eBay on Sept. 12.


"Who wouldn't want to design their own line of Nikes?" the Real Slim Shady said in a post on his Website. "And to do it for charity makes it that much better."


Money raised from the sale of the Eminem-branded kicks will benefit his Marshall Mathers Foundation, which provides grants to nonprofits that assist troubled youth in southeast Michigan, and ninemillion.org, a global initiative to create education and sports programs for children living in refugee camps around the world.


"We're always looking for new ways to try to raise money and awareness for the foundation, so when Nike approached us we jumped at the chance," said Eminem.


Aside from his shoe duties, the 33-year-old Detroit native, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has been busy helping out some buddies. He produced protege Obie Trice's latest CD, Second Round's on Me, which debuted at number eight on the album charts last week.


He also had a star turn in the new video for R&B singer Akron's "Smack That"--a title he apparently took a little too seriously.


According to sources, Eminem had a confrontation with Kendra Wilkinson, one of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's trio of girlfriends and a costar of E!'s The Girls Next Door. (E! Online is a division of E! Networks.) Wilkinson played Em's love interest in the clip.


Apparently, an on-set prank by Eminem led to a blow-up between the two. In any case, the rapper apologized for his outburst and made amends by sending flowers to Wilkinson at the Playboy Mansion.


Maybe next time he'll include some Nikes.

New Nas album pushed back to November

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Rapper Nas is still working on his Def Jam debut, Hip-Hop Is Dead... The N, and has now set a tentative November release date for the project. The rapper told MTV.com, "It's totally a blessing, man. We're gonna stomp them, man. I think a few people gonna ride with me. Everywhere I go, they're talking about the album. It's gonna be crazy. It's another level straight up."

Nas is currently working with producers Will.I.Am, DJ Premier, Scott Storch, Pharrell Williams, and Salaam Remi and he recorded a duet with The Game. He explained, "We got a crazy joint. I was thinking about just putting that out as a single. That's how crazy it is."

The rapper has leaked a song from the project titled, "Where Ya'll At?"

Akon to release 'Konvicted' in december

By: Janine Coveney

Singer and rapper Akon is putting the finishing touches on his sophomore album, titled Konvicted, due December 12th. The Senegalese-born artist's first single from the set is "Smack That" featuring Eminem. Other guests on the new album include Snoop Dogg and Styles P.

Konvicted is the follow-up to Akon's multi-platinum 2005 debut Trouble, which featured the singles "Locked Up" and "Lonely." Last November the singer released Trouble: Deluxe Edition, including a second bonus disc featuring never-before-released remixes.

Akon has also become a sought-after songwriter and producer. He did the first-ever approved remix for an India.Arie song, "I Am Not My Hair," and also worked on Young Jeezy's "Soul Survivor," which he wrote and remixed.

Akon is also working on a movie about his life, which shows how the singer overcame a prison stint to becoming a recording artist, which he felt was his only career option as a convicted felon. He said: "I got locked up, was a convicted felon, couldn't really get a regular steady job, the only way I could really make it without getting into something crazy was basically through music. And that was crazy because that was actually what kept me going through all this time and trouble I was going through and that was my way of venting it out."

Hot 97 jock suspended for two weeks after dissing Beyonce’s Mom

The latest Hot 97 drama with Miss Jones occurred last Friday during an encounter with Beyonce and her mother, Tina, which resulted in the host being suspended for the next two weeks.

A longtime critic of the singer, Jones was asked by management to leave work early to avoid any confrontation with the Knowleses, who were visiting another radio station in the same building to promote Beyonce’s upcoming album, “B’Day.” But a time mixup caused Jones and the Knowles camp to come face to face in the hallway.

In a nutshell, Beyonce shook Jones’ hand and tried to give her a Hollywood kiss on the cheek. Jones, in the words of one of the jocks, gave Beyonce “the Heisman” and said she doesn’t do kisses. Beyonce accepted it and moved past Jones, but her mother wasn’t able to hold her tongue.

According to Envy, Tina said: “I just wanna thank you for talking about me and my daughter everyday while you’re on the air. It just boosts her ratings.”

Jones reportedly fired back: “Actually you should thank M.A.C. makeup for hiding all that oldness you have on your face. Now you look like the joker.”

Hot 97 responded by promptly handing Jones a two-week suspension.

Mac Dre remains may be moved after theft of tombstone

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The family of late rapper Mac Dre, whose real name was Andre Hicks, is considering moving his remains from Oakland to Vallejo, California, after the rapper's 50-pound tombstone was stolen last week from the Oakland Mountain View Cemetery. The discovery was made after a fan was unable to locate the rapper's grave.

The late rapper's uncle Bernard Hicks told Oakland's The Argus, "We just think it's some kind of fan. Some crazed fan who put it in their house. They said it was taken and they didn't have no suspects, that's all we know right now."

There's a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the thieves but, according to Hicks, the family will not prosecute if the tombstone is returned. He said, "There will be no trouble, no going to the police, we just want the headstone returned."

Mac Dre was killed in a drive-by shooting in Kansas City in November of 2004. He was riding in a van traveling north on Highway 71 when another vehicle pulled up on the driver's side and began firing into the vehicle. The van swerved across the highway median and down an embankment. Hicks was thrown from the vehicle, but police believe he died from the gunshot wounds. The van's driver survived the incident and was able to walk for help.

Hicks had been recording since the late '80s as Mac Dre and was linked to a Vallejo, California, gang called the Romper Room Gang. The gang was suspected in a string of bank and business robberies in the Vallejo area. The rapper was eventually hit with conspiracy to commit bank robbery charges in 1991 after he and several associates were arrested while preparing to rob a bank.

The rapper was released from prison in 1996 and resumed his recording career.

Papoose inks $1.5 Million Deal

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Brooklyn-based underground rapper Papoose has finally signed with a major label after making a name for himself on the mixtape circuit for over two years. According to Violator Management's website, the rapper has signed a $1.5 million deal with Jive Records. No additional details were available at press time.

Papoose was featured on the remix to Busta Rhymes'"Touch It," as well as Joe's latest single, "Where You At?"

Papoose is also featured on several songs on DJ Kay Slay and Greg Street's new album, The Champions - The North Meets The South.

Danity Kane's Album Races to the Top of the Charts

Danity Kane's newly released self-titled debut is the fastest selling album in the U.S., with 90,000 CD's sold on its first day in stores.

To the surprise of music industry watchers, the album is competing successfully with new offerings from proven popular artists such as Outkast and Christina Aguilera. Despite a lack of radio play, fans of the Bad Boy Records R&B group buzzed the singers' single online, making "Show Stopper" one of the most streamed songs on MySpace, with almost five and a half million plays. The full length album is currently the top seller on iTunes.

"Many people wrote off these girls as just a 'made-for-TV' group, but I believed in their talent from the beginning", wrote Sean "Diddy" Combs, in a statement released to the press. "The fans have spoken, and with their love and support, Danity Kane's dream is coming true. He added, "Sometimes word of mouth is better than radio and video play. This is the best kind of success, one that comes straight from the people."
Diddy formed the all female group over the last two years on the MTV's reality show, Making the Band 3.

More details surface about Busta Rhymes Arrest

By: Dave Ankers

More details have surfaced about Busta Rhymes'assault arrest last weekend. Rhymes was arrested by New York City police officers after a show on Randall's Island on Saturday (August 19th), for allegedly beating up a man on the street a week earlier.

Nineteen-year-old Roberto Lebron claims he was casually spitting into the street on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan at 4 a.m. on August 12th, when Rhymes'Maybach drove by, and he accidentally hit the car. He says Rhymes stepped out of the car and said "Homie, did you just spit on my car?" Lebron says he replied, "Sorry, I didn't mean to. We're big fans of yours." He says that at that point a member of Rhymes'entourage hit him in the face and knocked him down, and while he was down Rhymes kicked him in the face. He also reportedly threw Lebron's sneakers down the street.

Afterwards, Lebron was treated for a concussion, as well as lacerations and abrasions.

After Rhymes was arrested, police also questioned him about the February shooting death of one of his bodyguards outside one of his video shoots. Rhymes declined to answer, referring them to his lawyer.

New HHH Search Tool, New Podcast Release, and more

Once again, we're trying to deliver based on feedback from all of you...now there's a HipHopHavoc search engine on the site. There's another ?????HAVOC site in the making as you read this...we hope to launch shortly so stay tuned for that. Last but not least....if you haven't noticed yet...The lastest podcast release "SIT BACK AND TAKE NOTES PT. 5" is out so cop that!!!

Like we said earlier...stay tuned for more and thanks for your support!!!

Foxy Weasels Out of Court

Did Foxy Brown really pull a Naomi Campbell? So far, the hip-hop diva has yet to confirm or deny--let alone acknowledge--such accusations.


Brown, who appears to be boosting her street cred one lawsuit at a time, failed to show at a court hearing in Jersey City Wednesday to answer two criminal complaints filed by her former personal assistant.


The rapper, whose real name is Inga Marchand, faces two complaints from onetime assistant Rasheeda Ellis, who claims the Def Jam artist not only stiffed Ellis out of a week's pay but harassed her via phone calls and unwelcome visits to her subsequent workplace.


According to police reports, Ellis claims that the Chyna Doll performer dropped in on Ellis' Jersey City business, threatening her with "physical harm." Ellis told police that following calls and emails from the rapper, she began to "fear for her own safety."


While Brown was a no-show at the court date, her lawyer, Brian Neary, did appear, defending his MIA client's behavior and successfully lobbying for a probable cause hearing regarding the incident.


"We don't even know what the details of the complaint are," he said outside the courthouse, according to the New Jersey Star-Ledger. "We want [Ellis] on the stand to detail the accusations. We can't just have someone walk in and sign a complaint and drag someone through the mud.


"The courtroom is too serious of a place," he said.


Though apparently not serious enough for Brown to show, an absence which didn't go unnoticed by the judge. While Judge Cynthia D. Jackson acquiesced to the request for the probable cause hearing, she warned that Brown had better be at the courthouse or be prepared for a legal smackdown.


Maybe it's time to log on to Google Maps. Last month, Brown also failed to show at a preliminary hearing in the trial. Not that it mattered. Ellis did show--but at the wrong courthouse. Jackson rescheduled that hearing for this week.


Ellis did make it to the right courthouse this time, and told the judge she was planning on representing herself in the case.


As for Brown's absence, it's possible she simply had too many dates to keep track of.


The 26-year-old has been embroiled for the past two years in a misdemeanor assault case brought by a Manhattan nail salon owner who claims the platinum-selling rapper attacked two manicurists over a discrepancy in her bill.

Man pleads guilty in Babyface extortion

INDIANAPOLIS - A man claiming to be Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' illegitimate son will spend six months in a halfway house after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor intimidation charge for trying to extort $9 million from the Grammy-winning musician.

John Travis Clark, 24, also was sentenced to six months probation as part of the plea agreement filed Thursday in Marion Superior Court.

Clark, who has already spent 98 days in jail since his arrest in May, was charged this spring after he contacted an attorney for the singer and threatened to go public with his story.

He offered to "keep his mouth shut" in exchange for $20 million, according to court documents.

Clark later lowered his demand to $9 million and met with attorney William Briggs at an Indianapolis restaurant on May 19.

During the meeting, Clark read and signed a fake but detailed 8-page nondisclosure statement the attorney had drawn up. He then accepted a bogus check for $9 million and was arrested as he left.

Clark will get credit toward his sentence for the three months he's spent in jail awaiting a trial.

"I want to make it emphatically clear that John Clark is not my son," Edmonds, who did not attend the hearing, said in a statement. "John Travis Clark sought to ruin my reputation by broadcasting his lies to the entire country, which would not only destroy my family but would resonate loudly in the music industry."

Edmonds' hits as a singer include "Whip Appeal" and "Change the World." He has also written hits for Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Bobby Brown and others.

DMX Cancels USO Tour to Persian Gulf

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Earl Simmons, who performs as rapper DMX, cancelled a week-long tour to entertain troops in Kuwait and Iraq. He offered no explanation.


Simmons was scheduled to depart on his tour Aug. 22, but delayed his departure until Aug 23. His representative agreed to add a day to the original schedule. However, on Aug. 23, he failed to appear on time for his flight to Kuwait.

"We are extremely disappointed that DMX decided not to complete the tour he asked us to arrange for him," said John Hanson, USO senior vice president for marketing and communications. "When we announced this tour, troops were extremely excited about the possibility of seeing a performer they admired. We understand their disappointment."

The USO and the military worked on an extremely tight schedule to make it possible for DMX to travel when it was convenient to him. "Typically, it takes up to 45 days to arrange transportation, housing, production assistance and country clearances for entertainment tours," Hanson said. "This tour was put together in just under two weeks, because we know how much service men and women appreciate his performances. Mr. Simmons let a lot of people down."

The USO listens to the troops and does its best to provide the kinds of music and entertainment they request. Celebrities who have performed on USO tours over the last few years include 50 Cent, Toby Keith, Master P, Lil' Romeo, Jessica Simpson, Shinedown, Chely Wright, Shaggy, Drowning Pool, Lil' Mo, La Mafia and Ludacris.

Entertainers on USO tours volunteer their time to perform and meet with U.S. service members around the world. "We will continue to provide quality entertainment to the people who defend us daily around the world in some remote and often dangerous places," said Hanson. "Fortunately, most performers honor their obligation to perform once they make the commitment."

Common, RZA, T.I. to Star in 'American Gangster'

By: Dave Ankers

Common, RZA and T.I. will all appear in a new crime drama film, American Gangster, alongside Oscar winning actors Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The film, to be directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed Black Hawk Down, Blade Runner, Alien, Thelma & Louise, and Gladiator, is filming now and expected to be released in 2007.

The film follows the story of a drug kingpin (Washington) who smuggles heroin into the U.S. in the coffins of dead soldiers returning from Vietnam. He is caught by a law enforcement agent (Russell Crowe) and turns informant, and they then work together to catch crooked cops and international criminals. The three rappers all play supporting roles.

Lupe Fiasco Gets Breakout Status on AOL

By: Janine Coveney

Chicago-based rapper Lupe Fiasco has been tapped as one of AOLMusic.com's list of Breaker artists for this season. As part of the program, Fiasco will be make an appearance on the in-studio performance series AOL Sessions, He'll also be profiled on AIM Music Interviews, be featured in song and music video debuts, and get heavy rotation on the Internet site's streaming radio service.

The rapper will release his debut album, Food & Liquor, on September 19th. The set is co-executive produced by Jay-Z and features the production of Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Three 6 Mafia, and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park. Grammy winner Jill Scott also makes an appearance.

The first single from the project was "Kick, Push." This week Fiasco debuted the video for the new Neptunes-produced single called "I Gotcha" featuring Pharrell.

Jay-Z lays out global 'Water For Life' Tour Dates

By: Janine Coveney

Hip-hop artists and record executive Jay-Z revealed his complete world tour itinerary this week. His seven-week world tour to spread awareness of the world's water crisis kicks off September 9th in Krakow, Poland, and will run through October 28th in Melbourne, Australia. MTV cameras will also be along for the ride, to film the documentary Diary Of Jay-Z: Water For Life, which is set to air November 24th on the network.

Jay-Z's tour will take him through most of Western Europe, as well as Slovakia, Turkey, Greece, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Thailand, South Africa, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Australia.

"In the beginning, when I was going out on a world tour, I was going out to play music," the Def Jam president announced earlier this month. "But I said to myself, I can't go to these places I've been and not go out and see the people that have been touched by my music for over 10 years. From that morphed, 'Well, I'm not just going to go over there and rap to them.'I'm going to help and see what I can do in these areas."

Scott Storch Facing Baby Mama Drama

Super producer Scott Storch was recently named in a paternity suit filed by his on again, off again girlfriend Dalene "Dae" Jennifer Daniel.

According to the Miami Herald, Daniel’s attorney Jason Setchen recently filed court documents naming Storch as the child’s father and requesting custody and child support. Daniel gave birth to Jalen Scott Storch, now 4 months old, on April 16. In her financial affidavit, the 29-year-old woman says she is unemployed, has no funds in the bank and lists her only assets as an ‘03 Pontiac Grand Am and an ‘04 Chevrolet Monte Carlo with a combined value of $21,000.

Hip-Hop Superstar DMX to Entertain Troops in the Persian Gulf on USO Tour

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Rapper DMX will soon embark on his first USO tour to perform for troops stationed in the Persian Gulf region. The raspy-voiced rap superstar also will meet and greet service members.

Currently starring in his own reality show, "Soul of a Man," DMX recently released "Year of the Dog ... Again," his first full-length album in three years and the sixth solo release for the Yonkers, N.Y., native. The album made its debut at No. 2 on Billboard's Top 200.

With more than 20 million copies sold in his career, DMX's commercial success as an entertainer is unquestioned. The first artist to have his first five albums debut consecutively at No. 1, he also has experienced success as an actor, starring opposite Steven Segal in "Exit Wounds" and with Jet Li in "Cradle to the Grave." His latest effort, "Last Hour," will feature Michael Madsen and Paul Sorvino.

This tour continues the USO's tradition of bringing entertainment to troops stationed far from home. Celebrities who have recently made trips for the USO include Gary Sinise, Master P, Lil' Romeo, Shinedown, La Mafia, Toby Keith and Pryde.

USO tours are sponsored by AT&T, Inc., the official telecommunications sponsor of USO entertainment tours.

About the USO: For more than 65 years, the USO (United Service Organizations) has been providing morale, welfare and recreational services to U.S. military personnel and their families. The USO is a nonprofit, charitable organization, relying on the generosity of the American people to support its programs and services. The USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners AT&T Inc., BAE Systems North America, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Military Channel, S & K Sales Co. and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. Other corporate donors, including the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-0600), have joined thousands of individual donors to support the USO. For more information on the USO, please visit our Web site at http://www.uso.org

Snoop Dogg Scheduled to Release Highly Anticipated New LP

Multi-Platinum, Award Winning Rapper Snoop Dogg Scheduled to Release Highly Anticipated New LP 'Tha Blue Carpet Treatment' November 2006
Video to First Single, 'Vato' Off His Eighth Solo Effort Set to Spearhead Black/Brown Unity Movement

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-Platinum, Award Winning rapper Snoop Dogg is set to release his eighth solo LP, "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment," this November through Doggystyle/Geffen. "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment" is one of the most highly anticipated new albums of the year and will continue to solidify this hip-hop icon as one of the most influential musical entertainers of today.

Throughout each record on the forthcoming release, Snoop takes it back to the basics ... back to the 'hood, showcasing the original gangsta sound that made this Long Beach rapper an instant household name when he made his debut in 1992 on Dr. Dre's hit song "Deep Cover" and the classic album "The Chronic." After releasing a string of hit records on his last effort that carried a more commercial sound, such as the #1 mega-hit "Drop It Like It's Hot" featuring Pharrell, the rapper decided this time around to bring back Snoop Dogg, the O.G., for his fans. Producers who collaborated on "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment" include hit makers Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Rick Rock, Pharrell, among others; along with guest appearances by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Ice Cube, The Game, Brandy, R. Kelly and MC Eight.

The premiere single, produced by Pharrell, titled "Vato," featuring B Real from Cypress Hill is a gritty street record that tells an everyday story from the rough LA streets that only the Dogg himself can tell. The video for the single, which was directed by Phillip Atwell, plays like a short cinematic film with an important underlying message: the need for black and brown unity, especially in the wake of violence in recent months in Los Angeles. With Snoop starring as an O.G. and B Real as a Latino gang member, the video also boasts guest appearances by rap veteran Kid Frost and Oscar nominated actor Edward James Olmos to bring attention to an unfortunate, but real issue that continues to plague communities today. Through this groundbreaking video, Snoop is looking to leverage his street credibility and knowledge to launch a much needed push for unity.

"It's about time we start to fight for each other rather than fighting against each other. I have homies from all cultural backgrounds and love all of my brothers, black and brown. There is nothing that can stop us from creating a better future for ourselves, for our families and generations to come if we all came together," says Snoop Dogg.

This is not the superstar's first attempt to bring forth social awareness to important issues. Last year, he held a peace summit dubbed "Protect the West" to end all feuds between rap artists from the West Coast. Snoop also participated in rallies to save Stanley "Tookie" Williams, an ex-gang member on death row who spearheaded the truce between the "Bloods" and "Crips."

The highly anticipated world premiere of "Vato" will make its video debut at the end of this month on "BET's Access Granted."

Source: Geffen Records

Usher to debut on Broadway in "Chicago"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Award-winning R&B singer Usher, making his Broadway debut on Tuesday in the long-running musical "Chicago," described the role as the most challenging thing he has ever done.

After selling millions of albums worldwide, acting in television series and movies and winning five Grammy awards, the 27-year-old told Reuters a Broadway role was a "natural progression" in his career.

He plays the character of devious lawyer Billy Flynn -- Richard Gere's part in the 2002 movie -- until October 1.

"I don't know if you can win a Tony for a few months on Broadway but, hey, why not, wishful thinking," he chuckled.

"It is more challenging than anything that I have ever done, and I am yet to even begin it," he said.

Usher, whose full name is Usher Raymond, joins a list of stars who have appeared on Broadway this year that includes Julia Roberts ("Three Days of Rain"), Denzel Washington ("Julius Caesar") and Christina Applegate ("Sweet Charity").

Usher was discovered in a talent competition at 13 and has since released five albums. He has also appeared on television shows and films such as the thriller "The Faculty," high school comedy "She's All That," and romantic comedy "In The Mix."

The current Broadway production of "Chicago," which won six 1997 Tony awards, has featured a number of stars since it opened in November 1996. Among the actors to play Billy Flynn have been George Hamilton, Taye Diggs and Billy Zane.

"This character is a well-rounded guy. He is always in control, always knows exactly what he wants and he loves his women," Usher said.

Kelis is disappointed with Jive's handling of her album

Eclectic R&B artist Kelis is upset with her record label Jive for including the track “F*** them B*tches” on her upcoming album against her wishes.

"I just did [the song] to get it out of my system," the singer explains to the New York Daily News. "I did not want it on the album. It's just not a statement I want to make right now."
The 26-year-old Harlem chanteuse and wife of rapper Nas feels Jive is treating her like a naïve newcomer by going against her creative decisions

"My label is constantly trying to take control of me," she says. "I'm not a new artist. I've been working hard to create my persona and have longevity and they went against my wishes."

A born again Christian, Kelis says many folks are misunderstanding the message behind “Bossy,” the first single from the new album “Kelis Was Here,” due Aug. 29.

"A lot of people think being bossy means bossing somebody around," she says. "But it's about being in control in your life. I'm fighting to be my own woman."

The statement is underscored by Kelis’ decision to sever ties with former producers The Neptunes, which produced her biggest hit “Milkshake.” In her decision to avoid them for her new album in favor of such beatmakers as Scott Storch, will.i.am, Raphael Saadiq and Linda Perry, Kelis said she no longer wanted to be perceived as the Neptunes’ puppet.

The singer, born Kelis Rogers, says her album title is “about leaving a mark; it's about letting people know someone was here before you."

Q3/Q4 Interscope Releases

Fergie "The Dutchess" 9/19

Robin Thicke "The Evolution of Robin Thicke" 10/3

Lloyd Banks "Rotten Apple" 10/10

Styles P "Time Is Money" 10/17

Young Buck "Buck The World" 10/24

The Game "Dr's Advocate" 11/7

Warner Bros. Records/Asylum Announce New Home for LiL Flip

New Album I Need Mine In Stores This Fall
New York, NY - Warner Bros. Records/Asylum are pleased to announce that platinum-selling recording artist Lil Flip, a.k.a. “The Freestyle King,” has penned a deal with the label and is set to release his forthcoming album, I Need Mine, this Fall.

During the label transition, I Need Mine, was leaked to the public, because of this the CD will feature new songs for the Asylum/Warner Bros. Records release.

"Flip is one of the most innovative rappers who has earned national respect and attention," says Chairman & CEO Tom Whalley. "We are excited that he has joined the Warner Bros. family."

We are excited to be a part of the Warner Bros. Records/Asylum organization. They both understand what we are trying to accomplish with Flip’s career and I believe they are the best companies to execute our goals. One look at Asylum’s success and overall embracement of the Houston hip hop culture and Warner’s relentless dedication to their artists illustrates their competency and expertise to continue what Lil Flip started,” says Flip’s Ma