Riots Vs Marc Mysterio- Michael Jackson Wrongful Death- will.i.am Denies Black Eyed Split Peas- 100 Hospitalized- Tom Cruise Bombs, Eminem Rules- New Gaga for Elton- more

Christina Aguilera refused to show off her multi-octave singing range while working with M.I.A. - insisting she was "bored" of her trademark vocal style. more
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What Really Happened to Michael Jackson

'What Really Happened to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Evil Side of the Entertainment Industry' is a new book that claims to chronicle unseemly circumstances around Michael Jackson's death. Here is the announcement:

FastPencil and Leonard Rowe today announced the availability of Rowe's book, "What Really Happened to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop: The Evil Side of the Entertainment Industry." Rowe, a legendary concert promoter and longtime friend of Michael Jackson and the Jackson family, selected FastPencil to publish the eBook version available for iPad, Kindle and all major eReaders.

"This is a story that must be told. It is a first hand account of the conspiracy and the power of the entertainment industry and I am so glad to be releasing the book on the anniversary of Michael's death," said Leonard Rowe. "It is a raw and eye-opening account of the perils of fame and about the man everyone knew as the 'King of Pop,' but whom I knew as a dear friend." - more on this story

Auto-Tune Your World With T-Pain

The king of Auto-Tune T-Pain has expanded his popular "I Am T-Pain" app by adding video just in time for the launch of the iPhone 4. You might not have much luck making phone calls with the new devise but T-Pain's new app will still allow you to have fun with it. Here is the announcement:

"I Am T-Pain", the most successful artist app in history, just got bigger. Why just record your own voice when, with Smule's new T-Pain Video feature, you can Auto-Tune your video?

Using the new front facing camera available on iPhone 4, singers can flip a switch and record themselves singing, in Auto-Tune, while song lyrics scroll up the same screen. And why stop with recording yourself? - more on this story

BET Awards '10 Recap and Winners List

Kanye West opened the BET Awards '10 show on Sunday night with a performance of "Power" atop a smoky crag of rocks marking his return to the Awards show spotlight and circuit.

King of the South T.I., backed by Travis Barker on drums and flaming pyrotechnics, tore the house down with his first national TV performance since being released from prison.

Just two days after the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson introduced Chris Brown who channeled the legendary Michael Jackson while dancing to classics like "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Remember The Time," "Billie Jean" and a silhouetted-in-white-lights version of "Smooth Criminal." - more on this story

Krayzie Bone's Lyrical Paraphernalia

Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's will release his newest solo endeavor "Lyrical Paraphernalia" on July 27th.

With the success of the last two Bone Thugs albums "Strength & Loyalty" (which sold over 500,000 copies on the strength of the smash single "I Tried" featuring Akon) and their most recent album "UNI-5: The World's Enemy" (which peaked at #3, is currently #18 on Billboards Rap Charts, and has production by DJ U-Neek), Krayzie Bone finds himself in an ideal position to give his fans more of what they obviously been yearning for.

Including appearances from the rest of the iconic crew from Cleveland, Krayzie keeps it all in the family by including his fellow Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on several tracks on the album. "Lyrical Paraphernalia" also features the single "What Have I Become (Trouble)" where Krayzie takes on his life's decisions and how they affect him on his day to day grind. -

The Secret Handshake in August

The Secret Handshake (Luis Dubuc) will release his sixth studio album, Night & Day, on August 17th, 2010 on Triple Crown Records.

It is an album title that truly signposts a major sea change. Night & Day holds fast to its title's pronouncement of seemingly polar opposites. The gripping melodies are still firmly in place, but that's where the similarities between Dubuc's back catalog and his latest creation end.

For the past several years, Dubuc and his fusion of sugary pop hooks, laid atop a host of samples and caked with computer-enhanced effects, created the signature electronic-pop sound that landed him the sort of success that many artists in indie circuits could only wish for. - more on this story

Max Richter Infra in July

Max Richter will release Infra, his fifth full-length, on July 20th through FatCat Records

Originally conceived as a Royal Ballet-commissioned collaboration between composer Max Richter, choreographer Wayne McGregor and artist Julian Opie, and premiered at London's Royal Opera House in November 2008, Richter's gorgeous score to Infra is deservedly given life of its own in this album-length release.

Expanded and extended from the original piece, Infra comprises music written for piano, electronics and string quintet, including the full performance score as well as material that has subsequently developed from the construction of the album - more a continued reference to the ballet than as a "studio album" in the strictest sense. The composition resonates with Richter's characteristic musical voice - majestic, involved textures; fluent and sweeping melodies; an enigmatic and inherently intellectual understanding of harmonic complexities that compels and mesmerizes. - more on this story

MakeUpBreakUp Eye Summer Release

MakeUpBreakUp will release their debut full length, Scents in late summer. The group's sound blends 90s Britpop and 80s new wave.

Fall tour dates throughout the US eastern coast (are being arranged to tie in with the album release.

Forming in the summer of 2007, MakeUpBreakUp has been catching the ears, eyes and libidos of the public from the start. With just a handful of pop-minded demos and a couple of shows to their name, Mike Lamantia Jr, Eric McNeil and Zan (formerly of A Trillion Barnacle Lapse, Rockethouse, and Groupthink fame) signed to California's S.A.F. Records for the release of the trio's debut EP, We Prefer Not To... - more on this story

John Dokes and the George Gee Swing Orchestra To Battle The Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra

John Dokes and the George Gee Swing Orchestra will take on The Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra in Battle of the Bands at Lincoln Center's annual Midsummer Night Swing which gets underway on June 29th.

"Battle of the Bands harkens back to the friendly but competitive contests at the Savoy Ballroom between bands like Count Basie, Chick Webb and Fletcher Henderson," Dokes explains. "It's really an opportunity to remind people of all the big bands that played back in the day in some of the biggest ballrooms across the country."

He adds, "Because we have occasion to perform for dancers, a lot of the music that we create has them in mind. We like the interaction that we get from a crowd in motion. I've spent a lot of nights lindy hopping to jazz music from this period -- I like to make sure [the music we're creating] is something that makes me want to move." John's fancy footwork can be seen on YouTube, where some clips have been viewed over 350,000 times. - more on this story

Brian Culbertson XII

Brian Culbertson will release the twelfth album of his career July 20th. The effort titled XII, will be released on GRP Records.

Culbertson commemorates his twelfth release with 12 new songs that continue to reflect his broad-ranging musicality and mastery of intimate moods. The titles swing from the rapturous metaphorically rich love ballad "Skies Wide Open" (featuring R&B singing star Avant), the sexy bedroom baby-maker "I Wanna Love You" (featuring singer/guitarist Ray Parker Jr.), the strings-kissed dance jam "Another Love" (featuring 21st century soul man Kenny Lattimore) and the cool club persuader "Out On the Floor" (featuring balladeer supreme Brian McKnight) to the slammin' attitude jam "Don't U Know Me By Now" (featuring powerhouse Faith Evans), a journey through the many moods of being entitled "That's Life" (featuring Earl Klugh who co-penned it along with fellow Detroit native Parker and Culbertson), a think piece on the meaning of it all titled "I Don't Know" (featuring spoken word enchantress Natalie Stewart of Floetry), and an all-out Go-Go party jam titled "Feelin' It" (featuring the man who put Washington, D.C. Go-Go Music on the map, Chuck Brown in addition to a comedic appearance by Sinbad). Four more instrumentals round out the album, including the lovely dreamscape "Waiting for You" and the incredibly funky "Stay Wit It" on which he takes a rippin' Moog solo. - more on this story

La La Vazquez Lands New VH1 Show

La La Vazquez will star in a new VH1 reality series about her upcoming wedding that will include all the planning and festivities leading up to her big day.

The five-part series will premiere on Sunday, September 19 at 10:30pm* and consist of four half-hour episodes and a one-hour wedding finale.

The series begins with La La meeting with A-list wedding planner to the stars Mindy Weiss and follows La La through all her wedding planning activities. Viewers will ride along as La La shops for the perfect designer wedding dress, chooses the wedding venue, picks out the ultimate wedding cake and menu, plans their honeymoon, and contemplates the guest list. Along the way viewers will also get a glimpse at La La's celeb-hosted bachelorette party in Las Vegas. - more on this story

Lee Scratch Perry Revelation

Lee "Scratch" Perry Revelation will be released in North America on August 10, 2010 via Megawave and MVD Audio.

Revelation is the third of a series of collaborations with UK multi-instrumentalist Steve Marshall, following the controversial Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered and Grammy-nominated The End of An American Dream. Perry continues to create unique, category-defying music.

For the uninitiated, Lee "Scratch" Perry is one of the most important figures in the history of reggae music. Not only did he help develop the early reggae sound captured in a number of important recordings, but as an engineer, producer, songwriter, and performer he pioneered a number of innovations, including dub reggae. - more on this story

Touch Natasha Bedingfield

Natasha Bedingfield releases of her first single, "Touch" off her forthcoming new album due out this fall. Look for Natasha to head back out on the road this fall in support of her upcoming third studio release.

The track, which Natasha co-wrote alongside a stellar writing team consisting of Julian Bunetta and Steve Kipner, has been chosen as the theme song for the new NIVEA Happiness Campaign currently running through September.

This is Natasha Bedingfield's first new music since the release of her sophomore album, Pocketful Of Sunshine which spawned the multi-platinum hits "Love Like This" and the title track, "Pocketful Of Sunshine." "Touch" is currently available for purchase at iTunes, and was recently performed by Natasha on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. - more on this story

David Banner and 9th Wonder Listening Event

David Banner and 9th Wonder's will participate in a live Q & A on Tuesday, June 29th at the 92Y Tribeca in Manhattan to promote their upcoming collaborative album Death Of A Pop Star.

Hot 97 personality Peter Rosenberg will interview both artists and take questions from the audience, similar in format to James Liptons' famous In The Actor's Studio show.

In the past, Rosenberg has delivered perspectives from the inside the minds of rap greats like Q-Tip, Rawekwon, The Roots, Talib Kweli, and Gang Starr's DJ Premier through his Noisemakers series. Attendees will be treated to the first public listening of Death of Pop Star. - more on this story

The Lion King Day Free Event

Members of the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay cast of Disney's The Lion King will be performing in Los Angeles at The Grove during a free event on Friday, July 9 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Performers will include Kissy Simmons, who joined the Las Vegas company after appearing as "Nala" on Broadway; Buyi Zama, a native of South Africa, who has performed as "Rafiki" in seven productions Of The Lion King around the world; and Jelani Remy as "Simba," previously seen in the theatrical touring production of High School Musical.

Join the cast as they celebrate "The Lion King Day" at The Grove, performing iconic songs from the Broadway phenomenon such as "Circle of Life," "Shadowland," "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Endless Night" alongside the FAME Church Choir, Los Angeles. - more on this story