Hot Music Beat

One-hit wonder Uncle Kracker recently pleaded guilty in a North Carolina court regarding the misdemeanor charges that he assaulted a woman in a downtown nightclub after a concert.

Kid Rock’s former DJ, real name Matthew Shafer, was sentenced to 12 months probation and was fined $1500. Kracker must also undergo an assessment to determine if he is addicted to alcohol. Prosecutors also agreed to drop the felony charge of second-degree forcible sex offense in exchange for his guilty plea.

The plea is pretty interesting considering that Kracker blasted the charges a month ago, saying “It’s regrettable that someone would make this kind of an allegation, it’s not the kind of thing that I’d do, as a father of three girls … I’m saddened that anyone might think I’m capable of this sort of thing.”

Rihanna has urged the media to stop criticizing Britney Spears’ MTV Video Music Awards performance. The “Umbrella” star believes Spears’ disastrous stageshow at the Las Vegas ceremony earlier this month was the result of her not having performed much recently coupled with the stress of her ongoing child custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline. She did not do her best. My brother’s partner was one of the dancers that danced with her. She did not show up to most of the rehearsals and when she did she did not participate. I guess it is nice that some artists are trying to stick up for her but give me a break. She deserves all the criticism she is getting. What’s more that the artist who are speaking in favor or against her do not know anything about what happened behind the scenes during the practice, yet they have their opinions which really funny, some hate Britney so they speak against her and other’s who like her speak in her favor that the whole thing going on.

The White Stripes drummer Meg White has denied reports she is the star of a video sex tape currently circulating online. The explicit footage shows a naked woman, who resembles the Fell In Love With A Girl rocker, having intercourse on a bed with an unidentified man. Why is it that we love seeing our stars do things that they are doing but we still like to see them associated in scandals and controversies. I have subjected myself to watching this clip several times today and I still can’t tell if it’s her of not… IS it possible that it’s not her but a publicity stunt to raise her visibility I mean before this I did not know who she was or anything about her? Does it make any difference if it is proved that the footage is true and if it hers then what change will it do, it can only help her get identified by people who do not know her.

Singer Fergie is still desperate to work with R&B star R. Kelly, despite his impending child pornography trial. The Bump N Grind hitmaker, 40, has been charged with 21 counts of child pornography and sex with an underage girl in 2002 in his native Chicago, Illinois. He’s a sick bastard, and quite frankly, I don’t think he’d work with you Fergie…you’re way over his age limit. I personally think R Kelly is a child molester. I would never in a million years ever buy any of his music. I have to wonder about Fergie, if she had a daughter would she want this pervert around her? He might be a good musician though I have my doubts on that too coz a person who has molested child can never have a clean mind and therefore not be a good person either. He if likes to see 5 and 8 year old girls nude and then makes blue movies of them for the adult market he has some serious sex problems and his dick could be having some fungus growing on it soon. Fergie please do not associate your self with him.

One of the half dozen most influential producers of the modern pop era is just about ready to just kick back and relax. That is, until after he releases his upcoming album.

Dr. Dre has announced that he will be retiring after the release of his solo album ‘Detox’. It’s the album that has been in the works for about eight long years. It’s a time frame that is worrisome for most especially when the likes of Phil Spector, Brian Wilson and Axl Rose have pretty much sealed their fates as has-beens after a long time out of the spotlight.

The difference may very well be in the fact that Dr. Dre has not only been working on his album but has worked on other artists’ albums as well, giving him a lot of creative ideas.

Who knew that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was so into the times and such a ladies’ man? He’s got a girl on his mind and it turns out to be the bootylicious Beyonce.

According to CNN, Barack was asked what his top list of tunes was composed of during a recent campaign stop in Creston, Iowa. Barack is said to be a big fan of old soul and new pop and even likes some of the newer songs that us young ones like.

Barack even went on the record saying “I tell you what. I can tell you the kinds of stuff that I love dancing to… I’m sort of the generation of Stevie Wonder and ‘Earth, Wind and Fire’.” But he also reveals his love for Beyonce when he said “I’m sort of hip to the younger stuff. You know, like Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’. That’s a good song to dance to.”

Love him or hate him he is still rocking the world. MTV just announced its MTV Europe Music Awards nominations and Justin Timberlake is on top. The funny thing is he ruled last years awards and chances are he is going to rule this years’ as well. I think this guy is a great performer and his fan following is enormous all over the world. And the fact is there for all to see that year after year at all the top awards ceremonies Justin Timberlake’s name features on top of the list most of the times and that only goes to prove that he is today one of the top most singer in the world and his fans are spread for America to Europe to the far east of Asia. He is a winner, I wish he always remains a winner; he has got style, charisma and charm to woo the crowds anywhere he goes.

Britney Spears’ former bodyguard Tony Barretto aka, “the secret witness” has sold his story to the News Of The World. Sadly at first I though it was gonna be total BS but after reading the entire story, I totally believe everything he says. He says that he has seen Spears overdose on multiple occasions, drink and drive, smoke by the kids and much more. “She was in a terrible state, just sweating and shaking. Her pupils were huge—we thought she was dying. <— And nobody call the 911. Sorry but I don’t believe when people sold story for money. f he really want to help the children, he would make the call when he was there. He doesn’t care about the money. He wants some cash and like always, he find a newspapers ready to put a piece of shit in their pages. And if it happens to her every single day which he claims it that way then why does he tell us about his love and affection for the kids today, why not earlier – coz then he wouldn’t have made money on the affection for the children, now he can.

Birthday girl Avril Lavigne was out celebrating with friends last night when she decided to turn the tables on the photogs waiting outside of Koi to snap the rocker. Now that’s a nice way of celebrating some moments of your B’day, clicking the pics of all those photographers who followed her to the place where she was celebrating with some friends. Good that she displayed some good sense in not lashing out at the photogs, that was probably because she might have been in real joyful mood or else she would have blasted them for intruding her birthday celebrations. Incase she got annoyed and blasted some of the photogs them that would have been absolutely normal thing to do. When you are out with friend having a personal time off, and bang you see all these guys hitting you with a barrage of question telling ‘Hey Avril, smile please, look hear, how was the party, what you intend to do now’ and all this rubbish, which might make you want to give it back to them right that instant.

Snoop Dogg pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of felony possession of a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 160 hours of community service and three years probation, his attorney said. Snoop Dogg, 35, was arrested in September 2006 after the discovery of a collapsible baton in his computer bag at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. I tend to think that are these guys pretending to be musicians and are actually gangsters or just that the American way of living in a stylish and hunk type celebrity world has led them to be carrying guns even when they know that after the 9/11 incident carrying guns and ammunitions could land them in jail for a long period. Any outsider (non American citizen) if he would be caught carrying a gun or weapon then he would have had it for 5-8 years of his life. I think it’s about time the Americans learn that if they want the world to respect its laws then they have to set an example for it themselves.

Heidi Montag celebrated her 21st birthday on Saturday night by performing her new single ‘Higher’ during her party at LAX nightclub at the Luxor hotel in Las Vegas. If you recall, that’s the same day that her arch rival Lauren Conrad launched her fashion collection online.

The reality show star turned wannabe singer and her boyfriend Spencer Pratt had dinner with friends at Sin City’s Social House inside the Treasure Island hotel before her big singing debut. Spencer even acted as Heidi’s publicity when he was spotted wearing a ‘Team Heidi’ shirt earlier in the day.

She is not fat. I’m getting tire of the media calling people who are slim fat that’s crazy. What is happening it something that the terminology of the dictionary ‘fat’ is totally being changed to being something like obese. Can’t a person have some skin and flesh on her body, come on man this is completely insane, the media and those people who have such thought, I have one simple word that best describes your pathetic state of mind – you all SUCK! We want are stars not to enjoy life by eating the normal things that we all are so found off ourselves. WE like Burgers, and Coke and other fast food dishes but we like our stars to munch on salads and diet coke and juices. Aren’t we being to harsh with them, when they cannot have these thing then they start jumping on to drugs and alcohol and then again we come out in numbers to bash them up for their habits. Let them have life for heaven’s sake.

Several days have passed since the 2007 MTV VMAs but Kanye West is still bitter. And he’s not letting anyone leave without them knowing about it. Not even Justin Timberlake fans.

Kanye made a surprise appearance at the Emmy’s right before heading over to Justin’s show at the Staples Center in LA. He was even wearing the same suit. He also joined Justin on stage and rocked out an amazing rendition of ‘Stronger’. Kanye then busted out with the freestyle when he told the crowd “Hey yo, MTV — I can’t trust ‘em.”

He may be a whiner but the guy can perform.

50 Cent has canceled two major international music events, citing “unforeseen and unanticipated” circumstances. The rapper – who vowed to retire if rival Kanye West beat him in the album charts, last week – has pulled out of performing at the MOBOs and the Vodafone Live Music Awards in London. Well Kanye West has already beaten him in the latest UK charts and that’s why he cannot bare the pain of having to eat him own words and has now become a subject of public mockery that’s for sure and he knows it well that there are good chances that if he appears at the awards ceremony and other place so soon after getting beaten the media and paparazzi would all be asking him the one question he cannot answer – ‘will you be retiring now’. This question could drive him mad and he doesn’t have the guts to retire or do anything remotely close to retiring. We all know he is a a**ho*e with a big out that knows to praise himself and nothing else.

Britney Spears’ lawyer wants to seal all court papers in her custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline over their two small sons.

Attorney Laura A. Wasser filed a motion Friday asking a Superior Court commissioner to make permanent a conditional order to seal all documents dealing with custody. It was filed in response to a motion by People magazine and TV station seeking to unseal some of the papers.

“This is the perfect instance to stop the madness,” Wasser said in court. Federline’s attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan agreed with Wasser’s motion.

Commissioner Scott Gordon heard arguments Friday, but put off ruling on the issue until a hearing set for Monday on Federline’s request to gain a bigger share of custody.

Representing People and KNBC-TV, lawyer Alonzo Wickers cited a pair of cases that he said show family law documents, even those involving custody, need not be kept entirely private.

“No statute says custody-related documents should be broadly sealed,” Wickers said.

The singer married Federline in October 2004. She filed for divorce last November and the divorce became official July 30. The two have joint custody of sons Sean Preston, who turned 2 on Friday, and Jayden James, who turned 1 on Wednesday.

The country band Lonestar announced last week that they have a new lead singer and are working on churning out a new Christmas album. Said album will be exclusively available at Cracker Barrel locations throughout the country. The band may want to rethink that deal.

Cracker Barrel has had a sordid history of homophobic and racist behavior. In 1991, the company imposed a policy which required employees to display “normal heterosexual values which have been the foundation of families in our society.” Said policy was eventually nullified 11 years later!

More recently, Reverend Al Sharpton accused the company of racial discrimination after several African American’s, which included Chris Rock’s mother, said that they weren’t served in a timely manner.

Lonestar + Cracker Barrel = Bad Idea.

She is as big a piece of crap as Britney and Lindsay, and Fergie it seems cannot make up her mind whether she wants to take a stand against the two or support them in some way. Day she comes out with comments blasting two of Hollywood’s most erratic celebrities and once she knows that she’s said something bad which in the first case she shouldn’t said, she tries to make up for the glitch by saying she feels for them. Maybe she the one who needs some therapy to help her make up her make on her decision making abilities. Actually, I feel bad for Britney but not Lindsay. I think Lindsay’s just a punk who thinks her fame will get her out of anything. They oughta lock her ass up and throw away the key! “They’re young. I was young when I went through my stuff. Leave them alone. If they want to get better, they’re going to get better on their own. If somebody is going to change, they have to want to do it themselves,” she says.

Kid Rock has appeared on morning radio talking about the major stories from Sunday’s MTV’s Video Music Awards, including Britney Spears, Kanye West, and of course his brawl with Tommy Lee.

Perezhilton.com reports that Rock appeared on San Diego radio station Rock 105.3 this morning and responded to Tommy Lee’s Internet post about the tussle at Sunday night’s awards in which he called Kid Rock “Kid Pebble” and says Rock “bitch-slapped” him.

Pointing out that he did not respond online to Lee, Rock said “I don’t talk. And he’s doing what he does best, he’s talking. And I really can’t say a lot about it–my attorneys told me not to, obviously–but I think there’s enough eyewitnesses there to say what happened. And of course he has a different story, which makes perfect sense.”

He then reportedly questioned why Lee was even at the ceremony.

“I was trying to figure out why is this whatever, 45-year-old man, who’s not involved with the show, who doesn’t have an album coming out, who has nothing to promote, even sitting through this garbage? I go to those things because I have my album coming out October 9th, and I think it’s the best record I’ve done so I’m trying to promote that. Other than that I don’t want to go sit through Britney Spears lip-synching and some kid dancing.”

Rock commented on Britney’s now-infamous failed comeback and her appearance, saying:

“How does MTV do that, with like, is there some sort of special editing or camera filters they use, how do they make like Britney Spears look overweight and like she’s lip-synching like that? That was incredible.”

And despite accusing MTV of racism against Kayne West, Rock also suggested that West’s outburst was unnecessary.

“Obviously with Kanye West not winning the award, we know Bush doesn’t like black people–apparently MTV doesn’t, either. I was walking through the press line you know and he came storming through like Norman, like it was D-Day or something. I’m like, ‘Calm down, man, it’s just a kind of corny award show.’”

The song won the prize for Best Original Music and Lyrics for the program Saturday Night Live at the 59th Creative Arts Emmy Awards on the September 8 in Los Angeles.

Timberlake teamed up with comic Andy Samberg to make the song, which spoofed early-’90s R&B/pop acts like Color Me Badd.

Samberg told the audience : “Justin, if you’re out there, congrats to you, kid.”

The video beat two songs from a musical version of Scrubs to win the award.

Samberg said : “I think it’s safe to say that when we first set out to make this song, we were all thinking, ‘Emmy!’

“The other thing we were thinking was, ‘Hey! There’s this young up-and-comer, Justin Timberlake, who is clearly very talented and could really use a break.”

Although Timberlake was not present at the ceremony Samberg said he would be willing to perform the song with the singer at the main Primetime Emmys ceremony, to be held in Los Angeles on September 16.

Harry Connick Jr. walked through the Bourbon Street jazz club where he performed as a child, saying repeatedly how amazed he is that so little has changed.

“It’s exactly the same,” the singer-pianist said Wednesday at the Maison Bourbon, where more than 30 years ago he performed on piano with the Dixieland jazz band. “I remember the smell of Irish coffee in here. That’s what people liked to drink in here back then.”

Connick was elated to see the painting of a group of musicians marching through the French Quarter still hanging on the wall. He said he has a deep appreciation for much of what has remained intact in New Orleans since Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005, flooding 80 percent of his hometown.

Connick’s childhood home in the Lake view neighborhood was badly damaged by floodwater when the city’s levee system failed during Katrina. On Tuesday, he discovered the house had been demolished.

“It’s just an empty lot,” he said. “It’s sad because for me there’s a lot of sentimental value, but it’s good too because it means progress. It means that things are going to change.”

On Wednesday, the Maison Bourbon served as a gathering place for Connick, who turned 40 Tuesday, and a handful of residents from the Musicians Village — the project Connick launched with saxophonist Branford Marsalis after Hurricane Katrina to help displaced musicians.

Connick said the city’s recovery from Katrina has been painstakingly slow, but he is trying to stay positive.

“I try to focus on the good more than anything else, because there’s not much I can do about all the bad stuff,” he said. “The thing I think I can do better than anything else is keep the awareness in front of people and remind people how much work still needs to be done.”

Connick and members of Habitat for Humanity break ground Thursday on the multi-million-dollar Ellis Marsalis Music Center, named for the jazz pianist and patriarch of the Marsalis family. The center will include a performance hall and practice rooms and serve as a place for musicians of different ages and genres to mingle.

“It will ensure there will be a physical place where young musicians can go to learn from older musicians,” Connick said.