Nicki Minaj Was Assaulted With A Suitcase

According to the report, a paramedic arrived on scene, but Nicki decided she didn't want to press charges so the case was closed. more on this story

Katy B On A Mission To Win Over America

Columbia Records have set a September 13 release date for UK pop singer Katy B's US debut album On A Mission. The lead in single to the effort, "Katy On A Mission," is now available on iTunes.

On A Mission, released in the UK in April 2011, debuted at #2 on the charts, is certified Gold and included three Top 10 singles, "Katy On A Mission," "Lights On" and "Broken Record."

At the young age of 22 no one would expect singer-songwriter Katy B to come out with such a powerful album. A fan of dance music ever since she was young, Katy B's combination of natural pop sass and uniquely powerful voice is ready to take on the U.S. by storm. more on this story

Booker T. Jones To Jam Live From Daryl Hall's House This Friday

Booker T. Jones will be jamming with Daryl Hall on the second half of a very special Live From Daryl's House, premiering July 15 exclusively at www.lfdh.com.

In June, Daryl and Booker T. were joined by R&B breakthrough artist Mayer Hawthorne, while this month's 44th installment of the Webby and MTV O Music award-winning Internet series, which last year made its broadcast debut on WGN America to impressive ratings, will feature Hall and Jones performing some of their most memorable songs.

The Memphis-born Booker T. Jones was honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy lifetime achievement award for his genre-defining Hammond B-3 organ work with the renowned Stax Records group Booker T and the MGs alongside guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dun and Al Jackson Jr. His new solo album, The Road from Memphis, which was released in May on Anti- Records, features cameos by Lou Reed, My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Sharon Jones. The L.A. Times said, "Jones makes a quietly convincing case that when it comes to soul music, all roads do seem to lead to Memphis." Booker T., who has collaborated with a who's-who of popular music greats, including Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Bill Withers, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Willie Nelson, among many others, had a blast playing with Daryl on the show. more on this story

DJ Fresh Debuts at No 1

(rephlektor) DJ Fresh's "Louder (ft Sian Evans)" has debuted at number one on the UK singles chart this week with sales of 140,000 – the second highest weekly sales number for all of 2011.

In addition to this outstanding debut sales position, "Louder (ft Sian Evans)" is also #1 most-played record on BBC Radio 1 and topped the iTunes chart within a few hours of its release.

Musically, "Louder" pastes together pop, dubstep and drum n' bass and features Sian Evans, vocalist with British pop-dance group Kosheen, The track is also the theme for a widely aired TV commercial for the Lucozade Sport Lite drink and features LA's hottest roller skating talent; including one of the world's best freestyle skateboarders in Kilian Martin. The video is the brainchild of Ben Newman, the director behind DJ Fresh's first hit 'Gold Dust' which has received over 8 million views on YouTube. more on this story

Floyd Mayweather Literally Burning Money

(TMZ) It appears Floyd Mayweather is getting away with a crime ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ the boxer will NOT get prosecuted for lighting a $100 bill on fire in an Atlanta nightclub this weekend.

Reps from multiple law enforcement agencies tell TMZ ... it is HIGHLY unlikely for Floyd to be charged with a crime .... with one person telling us, "Try to find a case in recent history where a person was prosecuted for destroying ONE bill. "

An official spokesperson for the Secret Service -- the agency that enforces the money burning law -- had no comment. Ditto for the United State's Attorney's Office.

It's bad enough that Floyd is burning money when the economy is in the crapper ... but what the hell is the point of the law if it's not enforced?

So, we gotta ask ...
more on this story

Cause of Road Trip Star's Death Disputed

(TMZ) Mia Amber Davis -- the big girl from "Road Trip" -- officially died from a blood clot in her lungs ... so says the actress' death certificate -- but her husband still believes KNEE SURGERY is to blame.

Mia's official cause of death had been a mystery ever since the 36-year-old actress passed away on May 10 ... one day after undergoing a routine knee surgery.

Now, an UPDATED death certificate has been filed in L.A. County ... listing Mia's primary cause of death as a "pulmonary thrombo-embolism" ... which is a blockage in the main artery of the lung.

But here's where things get murky -- under the line marked, "significant conditions contributing to death but not resulting in underlying cause" -- the doctor listed "LEFT KNEE, OPERATED."

Mia's husband, Michael Yard, asked the Coroner's Officer if it meant she died as a result of the surgery ... but the office said they could not give a definitive answer.

Yard tells us ... he believes the surgery DID contribute to Mia's death -- claiming she never had any issues with blood clots before she went under the knife. more on this story

Cirque du Free Download

(Stache) Cirque du Soleil present "Whenever" an original song inspired by Zarkana, the new acrobatic extravaganza which had its world premiere on June 29 at New York's iconic Radio City Music Hall.

Zarkana performs for a limited engagement through October 8, 2011 before heading to Madrid on November 9, 2011 and Moscow on February 4, 2012.
"Whenever" is the result of a collaboration between Zarkana Composer and Music Director Nick Littlemore for lyrics and Sir Elton John for music. "Whenever" is sung by Zarkana artists Garou ("Zark") and Cassiopée ("Lia").

Two versions of "Whenever" are now available, a 'Side A' version produced by legendary Broadway producer Phil Ramone, and a 'Side B' version produced by the acclaimed Sydney-based electronic duo PNAU, comprised of Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes. For a limited time, both versions are available for a free download on the Cirque du Soleil website.

The Adventures of the Bad Girls Club Debuting at Comic-Con

(The Syndicate) Oxygen will debut The Adventures of the Bad Girls Club: An Illustrated Episode, in partnership with IDW Publishing at Comic-Con.

Oxygen and IDW have joined forces to tell the story of a new group of fictionalized Bad Girls who all possess super powers. These amazing superwomen live out loud, showing these Bad Girls were put on earth to do good!

IDW will premiere the book at Comic-Con next week! Want to take a first look in person? Make it over to the IDW booth in the Main Exhibit Hall; enter through Lobby C doors and walk to the end of the row at booth #2643. Also be on the look for Oxygen street teamers throughout the week, providing promotional materials and goodies. more on this story

New Live Country Music Site Launched

(SKH) United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. have launched a website dedicated exclusively to coverage of live Country music at www.countrymusicontheroad.com.

The most significant unique offering of the website is a full-time, internet-only radio station that is 100% programmed with live Country music recordings from some of the biggest stars of the genre, and those concert performances come from an exclusive archive maintained by United Stations primarily for its nationally distributed live music show, The Road. Other features of the website will be concert tour schedules, Country Music news, Twitter feeds from the artists, concert photos and the ability for the public to purchase recorded music and concert tickets via the sites merchandise links. The announcement of this new digital presence for USRN comes from the company's Chairman/CEO Nick Verbitsky in the network's New York headquarters.

The concept for the website was born out of a desire by United Stations to give more exposure to its library of exclusive Country concert recordings gathered for The Road, a weekly 2-hour radio show now in its eighteenth year on the air. That show's concert material is heard on a lineup of radio stations from coast to coast that includes KKGO (Go Country 105) in Los Angeles and WUSN (US 99) in Chicago, but the limited window of being a two-hour weekly program has meant that much of the company's archive of original concert material has gone under-exposed. United Stations and The Road have built its own archive of concert material recorded across North American via a team of talent acquisition executives and recording engineers working for United Stations. Over the years, The Road had presented concert recordings from the biggest names in Country music including George Strait, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and Taylor Swift. more on this story

Lady Gaga Pelted With Eggs- Main Glee Cast Members Leaving Show- R. Kelly Foreclosure- Kelly Clarkson Leak Response- New Evil Dead Movie- Ted Danson CSI- more

(Jam!) Lady Gaga has been pelted with eggs during her promotional trip to Australia. Pranksters hurled eggs at the star as she left a nightclub in Sydney on Wednesday. more

(Billboard) After "Glee's" upcoming third season, cast regulars Lea Michele, Chris Colfer and Cory Monteith will depart "Glee" after its upcoming third season, executive producer Ryan Murphy has confirmed. more

(FMQB) A handful of new tracks from Kelly Clarkson popped up online recently, prompting a response from the Pop star. Clarkson wrote on her website, ""Well …..I get back in the states from a vacation and somehow like 50 of my songs are leaked on the Internet?! No point in getting angry because there's nothing I can do so I hope y'all like the music. I can't wait for everybody to hear my actual finished 5th album! more

(Jam!) R. Kelly has failed to make mortgage payments on his multimillion-dollar Chicago-area home for more than a year and now may lose the property to lenders, court documents show. more

(FMQB) Beyonce's new album, 4, continues to reign at #1 on the sales chart for a second straight week, selling another 115,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Adele holds down the #2 spot with 21 more

(NME) A new entry in the Evil Dead canon looks on the cards with original creator, Sam Raimi, set to produce. It's unknown at this stage whether the film will be a sequel or a remake of the original with mixed messages coming through from different players. more

(BBC) Cheers star Ted Danson is to join hit US forensic drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, replacing departing star Laurence Fishburne more

(NME) Wyclef Jean tells MTV News that his next album is titled Feel Good Music, but it is still a work in progress. more

(Jam!) Rapper-turned-reality TV star Vanilla Ice has split from his wife of 14 years. Ice, real name Robert Van Winkle, wed Laura Giaritta in 1997 but he recently moved out of the family home in Wellington, Florida. more

Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller May Reconcile

(TMZ) Brooke Mueller is telling friends she's been "hanging out" with Charlie Sheen again, and there's even a possibility of a reconciliation.

Brooke is saying, right after the last Goddess left Charlie's world, Brooke began hanging with Charlie at his home, where he's been a virtual shut-in recently.

Brooke is saying, forget all the drama -- she has a good time with C.S. and they have a lot in common, including twins. But Brooke acknowledges if they take it to the next level there are perils, given the toxic relationship they terminated with divorce.

Brooke was vague about what she does when she's with Charlie, but she made it clear -- the door is open, if only partially. more on this story

Little Big Town Covers Jessie J's Price Tag

(Sandbox) Little Big Town covers Jessie J's "Price Tag" (featuring B.o.B) as the latest addition to their hit online video series "Scattered, Smothered & Covered".

Karen, Kimberly, Jimi and Phillip gathered on their bus at a recent tour stop in Madison, NE to create this intimate, stripped-down version of the pop hit.

View LBT's "Price Tag" with Phillip filling in for B.o.B on the rap solo with the video right here.

The Human League Announce First New Album in a Decade

The Human League have set August 16 (digital) and August 23 (physical) release dates for their ninth studio album Credo.

They have also announced live dates where they'll share the stage with Men Without Hats, The B-52s, Berlin, and The Fixx.

Their first release in ten years (following 2001's Secrets), Credo will be available in North America via the MB3 Records/EMI Music imprint. more on this story

Never Shout Never Set New Album Release

Never Shout Never have announced the release of a new album called Time Travel which is set to hit stores on September 20th.

No longer just Christofer Drew's solo moniker, Never Shout Never is now a full band made up of Chris's longtime Joplin, MO friends and cohorts. Permanently joining Chris both in the studio and on the road are Caleb Denison (Guitar/Drums/Percussion), Taylor MacFee (Bass) and Hayden Kaiser (Percussion). Time Travel is their first recorded effort as a unit.

The band holed up at Studio 2100 just outside their hometown in Springfield, MO and produced the entire record themselves, a big change from the last record, Harmony, which was a big budget production by legendary sound doctor Butch Vig. With Time Travel, the band's sound has progressed and matured, resulting in Never Shout Never's most complete album to date. more on this story

Daniel Baldwin's Wife Hit With Divorce Papers and Arrested For DUI

(TMZ) Daniel Baldwin's wife -- fresh on the receiving end of divorce papers -- was arrested for DUI ... TMZ has learned.

Joanne Baldwin was busted in the Portland, Oregon area yesterdat afternoon. Daniel got a restraining order, and in his declaration he said Joanne had a serious drinking problem that had been escalating and that she had prior DUIs, for which she is on probation.

Joanne was booked for DUI and a probation violation. Daniel's rep tells TMZ, "It is sad. She needs help and I hope she gets it soon before it is too late. It's not just her life that's at stake but her children's too." more on this story

The Voices Behind Elvis, Aretha, Dionne and Dusty Celebrated In New Film

This Time, a new music documentary starring: The Sweet Inspirations (The legendary back-up singers for Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and the unforgettable voices behind Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man") will be released on July 26th on iTunes HD & Special Features DVD. Here is the background:

From Elvis' iconic back-up divas to a homeless club hit wonder, a crooning rock hopeful and an inventive producer-impresario... THIS TIME follows the painstaking efforts to turn up the volume on the careers of both musical legends and inspired has-beens as they navigate the treacherous stages and recording studios of a music industry far removed from the overnight sensations of "American Idol" and "The X-Factor". An unflinching and entertaining portrait of faith, talent and gut-wrenching determination wrapped in a soaring soundtrack, THIS TIME comes from Grammy Nominated director Victor Mignatti.

The musicians on the flip side of this business are recording artists The Sweet Inspirations (best known as back-up singers for Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick), New York cabaret sensation Bobby Belfry, soul diva Pat Hodges (Hodges, James & Smith) and composer-producer Peitor Angell. The film also features original Sweet Inspiration and gospel star Cissy Houston. Trailer is here

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah Giving Away New Album

DJ Jazzy Jeff and Ayah are offering fans a free download of their new 13-track project Back for More which they released this week.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, along with contributions from well-known producers James Poyser, Pete Kuzma and Demien DeSandies, has created an experience that music lovers have long awaited. Yet, those not as well versed in the genre will appreciate these soulful treats just the same. We are already familiar with the success of Jeff's past work with heavy-hitters Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Floetry. And his work with the Toronto songbird, Ayah, will be no exception.

Ayah, who is a success in her own right, has already garnered a grass roots fan base of her own with the release of her last two projects, Problem Woman and 4:15. And her most recent release of the When it Comes to You single and short film is continuing to make headway. Having worked with respected MCs like Freeway, Mac Miller, Elzhi and Skyzoo, Ayah is no stranger to hip-hop either. This makes Jeff's jazzy production and classic hip-hop sound the perfect complement for Ayah's full and melodic vocals. more on this story

Singled Out: Forrest Day's Hyperactive

Today Forrest Day tells us about "Hyperactive" from his namesake band's forthcoming self-titled album. Here is the story:

I was walking home from the bar one night when that beat popped in my head. I started bouncing to it, and that's when the bass-line came to me. So I ran home to my Korg Triton and programmed what was in my head, and started singing and rapping over it. I was really fascinated by the beat and all the possibilities for vocal rhythms. It has this kind of Indian charm mixed with hip-hop and rock.

I somehow started writing lyrics about our hyperactive minds. Specifically mine. It's also about trying to keep all those voices in my head quiet when I'm trying to focus, but giving in sometimes because it's so fun to get swept away. I also talk about how underneath my exterior is one of the craziest people you know, and how I like that little secret. I think a lot of people can relate to this. We are all freaks underneath it all, and if you deny it, then I'm worried about you, maybe even afraid of you.

Recording it was really cool, we recorded real strings and saxophones. My favorite thing about the recording is the sample of my mom talking about the day I was born. I had my buddy call her on speakerphone and ask her to describe the day of my birth, and she had no idea she was being recorded. So we got a really sweet, candid take on it. And it happened to fit perfectly in the space of the song I wanted it in. I'll always love this song for that moment. I also really feel the ending section. It gets real soulful and stripped down. I think that resolve is important in the song, it's hopeful and it makes me feel like I do when I'm the most at peace. It makes singing "hyperactive mind" that more meaningful because in peaceful moments like that you realize just how busy your mind really is, and how scattered and crazy your day to day really is.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!