Carroll Shelby Denies 'Wild' Sexual Assault Claim

Shelby's lawyer says the auto legend has "full confidence in the judicial system and believes that the truth will come out through the legal process." more on this story

Dallas Mavericks' Shawn Marion Rejects Dancing with the Stars Offer

(TMZ) Dallas Mavericks star Shawn Marion isn't taking any chances with the NBA lockout -- in fact, he just turned down "Dancing with the Stars" ... to make sure he's free to practice with his team this fall.

Sources close to Shawn tell TMZ, "Dancing" sent him an official offer to appear on the show, but the NBA champ wants to make sure he's 100% available in case the lockout ends early ... so it's a no go.

"Dancing" would end in November and NBA season usually starts in October -- which could put Marion in a difficult position if the upcoming season isn't put on ice.

We're told Shawn is adamant ... he just doesn't wanna be caught with his pants down -- or in this case, his leotard. more on this story

Tom Hambridge CD Release Show

(MPM) Tom Hambridge will celebrate the release of his new Superstar Records album, Boom!, with a special CD release show on Tuesday, September 6, at The Bluebird Cafe.

This event, with a show time of 9PM, is planned to feature many of the top artists and songwriters that Tom has successfully partnered with over the years to write and produce Grammy nominated as well as and hit songs and albums. The Bluebird Café is located at 4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215.

Superstar Records is also celebrating the new album's August 30 national release with a series of promotional events in other cities, which began with a very special CD release show in his native Buffalo, New York, on July 27; and continues with a show at Johnny D's in Boston on August 27, where Hambridge attended the Berklee School of Music and was the recipient of five Boston Music Awards. more on this story

Basketball Wives Star Issues Ultimatum Over Meeka

(TMZ) Tami Roman is throwing an ultimatum at the producers of "Basketball Wives" -- either Meeka Claxton does NOT come back next season ... or she walks.

Tami -- who used to be married to NBA star Kenny Anderson -- tells TMZ ... the straw that broke the reality star's back came when Meeka sued her over a fight that went down in Italy last month.

Tami says she knows "things got out of hand" with Meeka ... and she's "embarrassed" that things got violent ... but she was willing to let bygones be bygones ... until Meeka decided to sue.

Now Tami tells us, "I will NOT work with someone who is suing me, when they know what this situation is all about. I want to be clear, if she returns in any way, form or fashion I do not plan on participating."

A rep for Meeka had no comment. more on this story

Nickelodeon's Gigantic Star Charged With DUI

(TMZ) Ryan Rottman's DUI won't be going away as fast as his Nickelodeon show did -- TMZ has learned he has been charged with two misdemeanors stemming from the arrest.

As TMZ first reported, Rottman was busted for DUI on July 8 after cops spotted him jumping the curb while driving in Hollywood. According to our sources, Rottman blew a .19 ... more than twice the legal limit.

Rottman -- who starred in the now-canceled TeenNick show "Gigantic" -- was charged this week and is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday. more on this story

Chappo Releases Free MP3 and Announces Free EP

(Submitted) Chappo just finished a follow up to last year's Plastique Universe EP featuring the song 'Come Home.'

They are offering up a free stream and download for "Bodies Coasting" at the following location

On August 15th, CHAPPO is releasing (for free) their second self-produced and recorded EP, Plastique Universe II: Pisces Princess which they recorded and mixed to tape on a TASCAM 388. more on this story

K.Flay Hitting The Road

(Stunt) K.Flay has announced her upcoming US tour. Kicking things off at The Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco on August 12th the dates have her on the road on and off through mid-October.

Lucky fans in select cities across the US will have the privilege of experiencing one of her unique performances which consist of everything from creating beats, singing and rapping.

These shows will take the concert experience to the next level as K.Flay adds a new dimension to her performances through the juxtaposition of "charm with bad-ass style" and "sharp rhymes with cutting-edge electronic beats and guitar." more on this story

Mel Gibson Dry for Five Years

(TMZ) It's been FIVE YEARS since Mel Gibson's infamous 2006 DUI arrest -- and sources close to the actor tell TMZ, he's been off the sauce ever since ... and celebrated the sobriety milestone with friends last week.

Mel was arrested on July 28, 2006 -- and from that day forward ... we're told he hasn't taken a sip of booze.

Mel and some buddies commemorated the occasion last Friday -- and the actor is telling friends ... even though it's been a rough couple years, he's ultimately grateful for his arrest that fateful night.

Time really flies. more on this story

Ke$ha Stage Fire- 50 Cent Not Releasing New Album?- Sean Kingston Interview Special Tonight- Glee Star Goes Broadway- Meat Loaf, Chuck D and Lil Jon- more

(Jam!) Ke$ha was forced to cut short the first concert on her North American tour on Saturday after her stage set caught on fire. A lighting rig went up in flames towards the end of her performance. more

(FMQB) 50 Cent posted a series of frustrated tweets last week. "I'm not releasing an album I can't believe interscope is this f**ked up right now. I apologize to all my fans," he tweeted, followed by: "I will work with other artists on their projects but I will not put out another album. They dropped the ball with me one time too many." more

(FMQB) Sean Kingston will appear first on MTV News to speak about his near fatal jet ski accident in May. The interview with Sway Calloway will begin August 2 at 7:58pm ET for 30 minutes on MTV.com. more

(BBC) Glee star Darren Criss is to take over from Daniel Radcliffe in hit Broadway musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Criss, who plays Blaine Anderson - leader of all-male singing group The Warblers in the TV show - will play J Pierrepont Finch from 3 to 22 January. more

(Billboard) Meat Loaf has three new projects in the works, including a studio album that will feature rappers Chuck D from Public Enemy and Lil Jon. more

(Jam!) Jay-Z has defended his decision to sign an exclusive retail deal for his highly-anticipated joint release with Kanye West, insisting it is the only way to avoid the album leaking online more

(Billboard) Drake revealed that Stevie Wonder will be on his upcoming fall release, "Take Care," scheduled for October 24. "Stevie Wonder is a very close friend of mine. I'm honored to call him a friend, someone who embraced me very early in this music business," Drake said more

(FMQB) Fantasia announced at a Jacksonville, FL concert on Sunday that she is pregnant with her second child. "You are the first persons that I share this news with, and I share this with you because I can relate to you," she told the audience more

(Billboard) Michael Buble will headline his first network television variety special in December on NBC to promote an upcoming holiday CD. more

Sam Ronson Arrested

(TMZ) Sam Ronson was arrested yesterday morning outside Baker, California for DUI -- home of the world's biggest thermometer --TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, she was driving home from Las Vegas at 10:30AM in her black Porsche when she was pulled over for speeding.

We're told she was given a field sobriety test and didn't perform well. She refused to submit to a breathalyzer and was arrested on the scene.

She was transported to the Baker substation, where we're told she blew over the legal limit.

Sam performed at Lavo nightclub last night.

According to the booking sheet, 33-year-old Ronson is listed as 5'7" and 102 pounds. more on this story

Amy Winehouse's Father Wants More Rehab For Young People

(Gibson) Amy Winehouse's father, Mitch, met with the British government yesterday to work on improving drug rehabilitation for the country's young people in memory of his daughter. According to the Daily Express. Mr. Winehouse said: "This isn't only important to me, this is important to our whole country."

The last specialist NHS rehabilitation center for young people closed last year and Mitch Winehouse asked crime minister James Brokenshire and Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, to look at a "reallocation of resources."

He said: "There's hundreds of thousands of young people in situations today that could be avoided, and these are our future policemen, doctors and lawyers and solicitors that we could help. We need to be able to help our children." more on this story

MTV Reality Star Vs Entourage

(TMZ) An MTV reality star is threatening to sue the people behind "Entourage" -- claiming the show stole his nickname, "Johnny Bananas" ... and used it to fuel a storyline without his permission.

In case you gave up on "Entourage" ... Johnny Drama recently agreed to be the voice of an animated TV show called "Johnny's Bananas" ... in which the characters are all apes, gorillas and other primates (pictured above right).

Problem is, former "Real World" star Johnny Devenanzio says he's been going by the name "Johnny Bananas" on various MTV shows since 2006 ... and claims he owns the rights to the name.

Now, Johnny Bananas -- the human -- got himself a lawyer ... who fired off a cease and desist letter to HBO, the network behind "Entourage."

In the letter, Johnny's attorney Stephanie Ovadia writes, "If you do not cease and desist ... you leave us little option but to seek judicial intervention."

Johnny tells TMZ he believes the name controversy is "in no way coincidental and is instead an attempt to capitalize on the name recognition which I'm solely responsible for creating."

He adds, "I intend to fight vigorously in defense of the years of hard work and dedication i've spent making Johnny Bananas a household name, and the purpose of this lawsuit is aimed at protecting the integrity of my brand."

So far, no comment from HBO. more on this story

Tony Bennett Birthday Bash and Duets With Lady Gaga and Aretha Franklin

Tony Bennett announced details of his upcoming 85th birthday bash plus delivered news about new duets with Lady Gaga and Aretha Franklin. Here is the official word:

Legendary performer Tony Bennett celebrates a milestone birthday on August 3rd when he turns 85. Bennett's official 85th birthday celebration will be held on Sunday, September 18th following his debut performance at the Metropolitan Opera House. The elegant invitation only supper will take place directly after the concert and will be hosted by Alec Baldwin with a special performance by Sir Elton John. The event honors Bennett's Exploring the Arts organization which funds and supports arts education in all five boroughs in New York City.

But "the best is yet to come" with news that the singer has just completed recording with Lady Gaga and Aretha Franklin for his highly anticipated DUETS II CD adding to a celebrated list of artists previously announced including Michael Buble, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Queen Latifah, Carrie Underwood, Amy Winehouse and many others. more on this story

Battle Rap App

(Audible Treats) Rah Digga and Appalachian Apps have released a new smartphone application that allows users to battle rap each other, the first of its kind for Android, iPhone, Blackberry, and Nokia. Users all over the world can create profiles, buy beat packages, and earn the chance to even battle against bona fide rap celebrities.

Straight Spittin' is the only audio-based battle rap application that allows aspiring rappers to battle in either freestyle or written form, to select different beats, verse length, and the number of rounds. The application anticipates today's busy MC, giving them the option to schedule battles ahead of time, leave verses in their opponent's inbox or just hone their skills in rehearsal mode. One of the most exciting features of the application is the option for the public to vote for winners. As MC's win more battles, they advance from "Unsigned Hype " to "Gold " and eventually "Platinum" status, where they'll be scouted for global battle competitions.

According to Rah Digga, battle raps have and always will be an integral part of the hip-hop community. "As someone who prefers more aggressive rhyming, it's always refreshing to hear people rhyme like their lives depend on it," she explains. "Hearing battle raps can remind people of what a real lyricist should sound like...or not." more on this story

Carroll Shelby Accused of Sexual Assault

(TMZ) Automotive legend Carroll Shelby -- the guy who designed the Ford Mustang Cobra -- has been sued by a former receptionist who claims the 88-year-old sexually assaulted her ... and also ignored her complaints when she told him she was raped by one of his employees.

According to the lawsuit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, Angelica Smith claims she began working for Shelby back in 2005 as a receptionist ... but was treated as a "personal servant" ... with Shelby often forcing her to go out on "grocery runs, liquor runs, pornography runs."

In the docs, Smith claims Shelby ran a "pervasively hostile work environment" ... and "on at least one occasion, Shelby himself sexually battered [Smith] by groping her" at his home.

Smith claims things got worse in December 2010, alleging she was drugged and raped at Shelby's home by a man who worked for Shelby.

Smith claims she reported the incident to Shelby himself -- but he "did not take any corrective action."

Instead, Smith claims, she was fired -- partly out of retaliation for reporting the rape to Shelby.

Smith is suing Shelby, Shelby's companies and the alleged rapist -- and she wants more than $5 million in damages.

TMZ reached out to Shelby's lawyer -- so far, no response. more on this story

Yelle To Invade America This Fall

Yelle will kick off a North American Fall tour at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on November 10th.

The tour is set to hit cities in California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York and wraps up on December 10th on Philadelphia, PA.

No word yet if they plan to announce additional dates. They are touring in support of their sophomore album, Safari Disco Club. more on this story

Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller Aim For Harmony

(TMZ) It's the photo NO ONE ever thought would be taken ... Charlie Sheen and his ex-wife Brooke Mueller TOGETHER with their kids this weekend ... smiling, like one big happy family.

The meeting took place at Charlie's Hollywood Hills mansion Sunday -- while Brooke was on a break from her new rehab program.

TMZ spoke with Charlie ... who told us the twins, Bob and Max, had a great time -- playing around and scarfing down handfuls of candy while BOTH of their parents watched. Charlie says, "Harmony is our goal. Sunday was a wonderful start."

Charlie and Brooke are working hard to mend their relationship so they co-parent their kids. We're also told ... when Brooke completes her treatment, Charlie wants to move her to a home in his neighborhood, so they can spend more time together ... as a family. more on this story

Chad Ochocinco Not Buying A New England Home

(TMZ) Chad Ochocinco is fired up about moving to New England now that he's a member of the Patriots .... but he's not exactly ready to make a long term commitment when it comes to buying a place.

Sources close to the wide receiver tell TMZ ... Chad plans to rent a townhouse for now and wants to see how this year goes with the Patriots before he plunks down a chunk of change on anything substantial.

According to our sources, Chad doesn't need anything too fancy and would rather spend his time traveling back to Florida to see his fiancée, Evelyn Lozada.

Plus, he's gotta save up ... seeing as he might have to fork over some big bucks if he wants to keep his #85 jersey. more on this story

Tiesto Delivers Work Hard, Play Hard

(Sub) Tiesto's new single "Work Hard, Play Hard" was released this week on his Musical Freedom imprint. Featuring vocals from Kay, the package includes the original version and a remix from Toronto's AutoErotique.

In June 2010, Tiësto announced a partnership with Sandisk - the leading manufacturer of flash memory cards for imaging, computing, mobile, and gaming devices – to create a crowd-sourced music video using mobile phone footage from concert audiences around the world.

Fans who attended Tiësto concerts recorded their concert experience using mobile phones and then uploaded their footage. Tiësto then selected his favorite fan-generated clips for use in the official music video for "Work Hard, Play Hard (AutoErotique Remix)." The end result is world's first music video made entirely by fans with their mobile phones. more on this story

Speak Set Album Release

Modern Art Records/Atlantic have set a September 27th release date for Speak's debut full-length album, I Believe In Everything,

The band is currently trekking across 13-states with Tally Hall, performing 17 shows. Those dates come on the heels of SPEAK's first European tour and performance at SXSW.

I Believe In Everything was produced by Chris "Frenchie" Smith (JET, Dandy Warhols). The 11-song disc features the hit "Carrie" which is now available for purchase on iTunes. more on this story