iTunes Killer? Google Launches Free & Legal Music Download Website

After being Beta for a while, Google's new legal and free music download website officially launched in China.


Google just launched his new music download website. 350,000 songs are currently available for streaming and offers local artists as well as Internationals signed under Sony BMG, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, or EMI.
Google announced more than 1 million songs should be available within the next few months.

Sorry..downloads are only available in China.
Now you probably wonder...Free?! Well supposedly, advertising is the key...let's see

Google's new website

BOX OFFICE BEAT DOWN: Monsters Vs. Aliens Earns $58.2 Million

Weekend Box Office

1) Monsters Vs. Aliens $58.2 million
2) The Haunting in Connecticut $23 million
3) Knowing $14.7 million
4) I Love You, Man $12.6 million
5) Duplicity $7.5 million
6) Race to Witch Mountain $5.6 million
7) 12 Rounds $5.3 million
8) Watchmen $2.7 million
9) Taken $2.7 million
10) The Last House on the Left $2.6 million

Monsters Vs. Aliens fought it out at the box office this weekend, destroying everything else in its wake. The DreamWorks animated comedy took in an estimated $58.2 million, not only making it the number one film, but also the top grossing weekend earner of the year. DreamWorks first foray into 3D animation certainly paid off. And we might just be looking at their next big CGI franchise.

Opening in second place was Peter Cornwell's scary The Haunting in Connecticut, which took in a surprising $23 million. No one expected this ghostly tale to perform so well, which only prove that cheap thrills never go out of style. Speaking of which, Nicolas Cage's doomsday epic Knowing got knocked into third place in its second week of release. Taking in another $14.7 million, the film has earned an estimated cumulative gross of $46.2 million.

This week's only other big release was the John Cena action extravaganza 12 Rounds. It debuted in the number seven spot with just $5.3 million. Hopefully, it will do better on the home video market. Because what this world certainly needs is more John Cena movies! The film with the highest per screen average for the second week in a row was Valentino: The Last Emperor. It took in another $30,000 playing on just two screens. So far, the film has earned $88,400.

Next week, the Monsters and the Aliens will have to stop fighting each other if they want to conquer the box office again for the second week in a row. They will be going up against Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in Fast & Furious and Greg Mottola's coming of age comedy Adventureland.

Rapper Andre 3000 Arrested For Driving Porshe 109 MPH

Allhiphop reports:

Revered Atlanta rapper Andre 3000 was arrested outside of Atlanta on Saturday (March 28), for driving his 2007 Porsche Carrera at speeds so excessive police called him “an accident waiting to happen.”

According to a report by local ABC-affiliate WSB-TV Monday afternoon (March 30), the Grammy Award winning rapper/actor was arrested by a member of the Henry County Police Department’s Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic Team early Saturday morning.

The officer stated that he clocked Andre 3000, born Andre Benjamin, at 109 mph, 44 mph over the 65 mph speed limit along that stretch of I-75.

Benjamin was arrested for the danger he posed to other drivers.

“Traveling that fast along 75, you’re passing people as if they’re standing still,” explained Henry County Police Captain Jason Bolton. “It’s an accident waiting to happen.”

The arrest comes as State Representative Jim Cole is lobbying for a new Super Speeder Bill to be passed in the state of Georgia.

The law would impose an additional $200 fine for any driver stopped for driving at more than 85 miles an hour on highways and four-lane roads. Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue has indicated his support of the bill, which he intends to sign into law before summer.

Representative Cole stated that he hopes Benjamin will lend his support to the cause.

“He might be willing to help us market it,” Cole told WSB-TV.

The Outkast co-founder was released after posting an unspecified bond amount.

He is scheduled to appear in court to face charges associated with the incident on April 29.

At press time, representatives for Andre 3000 could not be reached for comment.

On Sunday (March 29), Benjamin wrapped up a live revival of his award-winning cartoon “Class of 3000,” which made a comeback as a stage play earlier this month.

The play, based on the short-live Cartoon Network Series’ pilot episode, “Life Without Music,” was presented for a month-long run as a partnership between Andre 3000 and the Alliance Theater in Atlanta.

According to Andre, who hopes to bring the play to schools around the country, he wanted to create an experience that would encourage kids to explore music beyond what is offered by the mainstream.

"I wanted to make sure it wasn't the teenybopper, kiddie sounds or stupid songs," he told the Associated Press. "I wanted to introduce them to different styles of music I was introduced to. From funk to jazz to calypso music, just to let them know there's a base from what they are hearing now."

Despite great critical acclaim and a 2007 Emmy Award for Individual Achievement in Animation, “Class of 3000” was cancelled in early 2008.

The decision to bring the show to live came shortly there after, at the request of the Alliance Theater’s director Rosemary Newcott, who told the Associate Press it was a “no-brainer” because of Benjamin’s impact through the show.

"The whole spirit of this show is infused with him, with his sense of humor and his love for music," she raved. "That's a valuable trait that draws people in."

Brutal Mugshot in ShamWow Case

As we previously reported, ShamWow pitch man got into a fight with a hooker .. and here is what ShamWow can do for you - allegedly.

Take a look at Vince Shlomi's handiwork. The hooker pictured below -- Sasha Harris -- allegedly bit his tongue during a "business" meeting, so he punched her in return.

Ciara Explains Importance Of Women’s History Month, Talks Super C Alter-Ego

With just a few days left of Women's History Month, singer Ciara wants to make sure she honors the women who paved the way before her.

In a blog entry posted at GlobalGrind.com, Ciara explained by the month of March is so important to her.

"I wanted to remind everyone that it's still Women's History Month," she wrote. "And even though we stay strong 12 months a year, I'm particularly proud to honor this month with all the amazing women that have paved a path for us from the Underground Railroad’s Harriet Tubman to fashion icons like Iman to even our amazing First Lady Michelle Obama."

Ciara says there are a few traits that the female gender carry with them and help keep them connected across the world. Those being: "hard work, perseverance and a natural flair that only women can pull off in high heels".

"I'm really passionate about this because I'm sure all of us, at some point, have been knocked down," the singer explained. "At work, at home, emotionally, mentally, and we thought we wouldn't be able to make it out, but somehow we do it."

Before ending her blog entry, she goes on to explain how she deals with the everyday pressures of being a celebrity. Somehow, when she throws on her super hero cape, those problems fade away. This "inner superhero" as she calls it, exists in every female.

"With all the gossip and jabs media throw at celebrities, sometimes I don't know how I deal with it, but that's when my inner superhero, 'Super C', comes to the rescue," says Ciara. "I'll tell you more about her another time, but she keeps me going and pushes me to overcome any obstacle or boundary that's in front of me and honestly, we all have that inside of us."

I Teach You How To Stunt! World First Flying Hotel

This is the world’s first flying hotel, called the Hotelicopter. It has 18 luxurious rooms and each room is soundproofed. In the room, you have a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless internet access, and all the luxurious appointments you’d expect from a flying five star hotel.

Rihanna Wants Chris Brown to Apologize on 'Oprah Winfrey Show'

Rihanna reportedly wants Chris Brown, who has been charged with felony assault and making criminal threats following his alleged assault on the Barbadian singer in February, to apologize to her on "The Oprah Winfrey Show". She believes the 19-year-old hunk should appear on Oprah Winfrey's famous show to publicly denounce his behavior, Look magazine reports.

"Oprah suggested Rihanna tell Chris that despite their recent commitment ceremony, she's been having second thoughts about them being back together," the Look insider reveals. "And agreeing to go on Oprah's show and tell the world how sorry he is will help make up her mind."

The insider tells the magazine, "Chris said no at first, but bought himself some time by saying he needed to think about it with his mother Joyce." But Chris is said to be "desperate to win over the American public" and he has realized this could be the perfect way. "Rihanna's trump card may be that Chris is desperate to avoid jail and thinks prosecutors will go easier on him if he expresses public contrition," adds the insider.

Kelly Rowland Dropped From Columbia Records

Contactmusic.com has informed its readers that Columbia Records has reportedly released Kelly Rowland from Columbia Records.

“Former Destiny’s Child star KELLY ROWLAND has reportedly been dropped by her record label, just two months after firing her manager, former band-mate Beyonce Knowles' dad.

Despite the fact her first two solo albums sold more than four million copies, British tabloid News of The World reports the Dilemma singer has been dumped by bosses at Columbia, because they fear she is "no longer commercially viable".

Rowland shot to fame in Destiny's Child in 1997 and released her first solo album, Simply Deep, in 2002. The album sold over three million copies worldwide.

The 28 year old started 2009 by splitting from longtime manager Mathew Knowles, who said, "After a very positive meeting between Kelly Rowland and myself, we have amicably agreed to end our professional relationship.

"My company, Music World, will continue to manage Destiny's Child as a group. As an artist Kelly has incredible talent and I only wish her the best. We will always be family first and foremost, and, as a dad, I only have love for Kelly."

Rowland was equally as complimentary in her post-split statement, saying: "Mathew Knowles has been a positive influence in my career. I have had great success under his guidance - both as a member of Destiny's Child and with my solo projects.

"Although we have decided to part ways professionally, the Knowles family and the entire Music World Entertainment team will always be my family."

Meanwhile, Rowland is currently working on a new reality TV project, called The Fashion Show, which she'll co-host.”

Alrightly then! I guest if your music isn’t commercially driven to draw in the other side, your ass is dropped. That’s okay Kelly! Stay R&B. Anyway, I wish her all the best.

Prodigy Sues Vox Music Group For Contract Breach, Rapper's Family Facing Foreclosure

Mobb Deep rapper and G-Unit affiliate Prodigy is suing Vox Music Group for allegedly failing to pay him more than $30,000 and plunging his family into foreclosure.

Prodigy says Vox Music Group agreed in August 2007 to pay him $10,300 a month but that it has missed three payments and failed to give him a semiannual royalty accounting statement.

"These breaches . . . have put Prodigy's family in financial peril," say documents filed last week in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Prodigy, who suffers from sickle-cell anemia and is serving a 3½-year term for gun possession, is also asking that the agreement be terminated.

Soulja Boy Scores Second #1 Single

When an artist gains across-the-board success, naysayers are quick to write him off as a "one-hit wonder." Such was the case with Soulja Boy, whose 2007 multi-cultural hit phenomenon Crank That, from his debut Souljaboytellem.com, literally spawned a mini industry of remixes, imitators and admirers.

With fans at his side, and the continued support of his label Collipark Music/Interscope, Soulja Boy hunkered down in his recording studio. The result was iSouljaBoyTellem, the 2008 follow-up that with time has proven its depth, producing two of 2009's hottest singles.



Soulja Boy proved his credibility on his smash single Kiss Me Thru The Phone (featuring Sammie). The Collipark/Interscope star has turned the temperature up way past nova as Kiss Me Thru The Phone topped the Billboard's Rhythmic Top 40 Radio chart this week and is the # 1 ringtone download sales (1,000,000+) for an incredible eight weeks in a row on Billboard's Hot Ringmaster's chart. The song remained steady at #4 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop chart and jumped to # 12 at Top 40, helped by a 1300-spin increase from the previous week, and is now at 107 million audience mark.



"My fans let me know, enough with that dancing songs for now," states Soulja Boy. "Now it's time to do great music like Kiss Me Through The Phone. It's a real record, no gimmick. It's a catchy record ,'cause that's what my fans want."



Soulja Boy will appear on BET's Spring Bling, taping this weekend, and plans to announce a number of big radio and tour appearances on both the East and West Coasts through July.

Suicide Bomber Blows Up His Own Going Away Party

A would-be suicide bomber accidentally blew himself up on Thursday, killing six other militants as he was bidding them farewell to leave for his intended target, the Interior Ministry said.
"The terrorist was on his way to his destination and saying good-bye to his associates and then his suicide vest exploded," a statement from the ministry said.

Taliban-led attacks in Afghanistan have escalated in the past year with suicide and roadside bombings insurgents' weapons of choice.

The incident happened in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan where mainly British troops are struggling against a growing Taliban-led insurgency.

ShamWow pitch man beats on a pugnacious hooker

The pitchman for the super absorbent ShamWow has been arrested for not having good clean fun ... unless you consider hiring a hooker who almost bites your tongue off fun.
Vince Shlomi was arrested in Miami Beach last month after cops say he allegedly hired a hooker, whom he took back to his hotel. According to the arrest affidavit, obtained by The Smoking Gun, Shlomi began kissing the hooker when she allegedly "bit his tongue and would not let go."

According to cops, Shlomi then punched the prostitute several times until she released his tongue. Both the prostitute and Shlomi were arrested for felony aggravated battery.

Excuse us for living, but it seems justified to punch a hooker when she bites your tongue. Apparently, prosecutors agreed, because they declined to prosecute either one

Sha Money XL's 3RD Annual One Stop Shop Producers Conference is Approaching

We are a little bit over a month away from the 3rd Annual One Stop Shop Producer's Conference, and the line-up this year is BANANAS! Sha Money continues to outdo himself, as he just told us he's confirmed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Talib Kweli, Black Milk, Charles Hamilton, and many many more!

If you are serious about networking to further your career, then you will be no place but the at the Phoenix Hyatt Regency from Saturday May 9th - Sunday May 10th, 2009. Just about EVERY label is sending their reps out to this event (Atlantic, G-Unit, DTP, Duck Down, Warner), everyone's favorite producers are there to provide knowledge & advice, and the most prominent tastemakers are there because they want to be!

Early-bird discount tickets ($300) are now available HERE, but will not last long. Your registration ticket includes a 2-day pass to all panels, breakout sessions, afterparties, an entry into the One Stop Shop iStandard Producer Showcase lunch & dinner, and endless networking with some of the most influential tastemakers in the game today!

PRODUCER
9th Wonder
Drumma Boy
Don Cannon
Nottz
Khalil
Just Blaze
Pete Rock
Shorty Red
Che Vicious
Mark Batson

PRODUCER/ARTIST
B.O.B
Hi Tek
Black Milk
Charles Hamilton
Q-Tip
Mr. Porter
Exile
Jake-One

ARTIST
Talib Kweli
Asher Roth
Nipsey Hussle
Consequence
Lloyd Banks
Tony Yayo
Spider Loc
Mickey Factz
Cory Gunz
Riz
Skyzoo
Blue

POWER PLAYER
Chris Lighty
Chaka Zulu
Jeff Dixon
Brian Leach
Jermaine Hall
Cory Smith
Manny Haily
Martin Haily
Martin Moore
John Monopoly

A&R
Rich Nice
Dru Ha
Niam Ali
Jean Nelson
Dre McKenzie
Step Johnson Jr.
Nu Bhattacharjee
Eric Beasley

VISUAL/MEDIA
Todd Angkasuwan
Julian Alexander
John Columbo
Zillz
Rik Cordero
Dan Da Man
Kareem Johnson
Broadway

MODERATOR
Sway
Angela Yee
Kisha Scott
Grouchy Greg
Jigsaw
Shaheem Reid

MEDIA PARTNER
Thisis50.com
Allhiphop.com
Mtv.com
Bet.com
Hiphopdx.com
XPOZ
It’s Done
Iced Media
Istandardproducers.com

SPONSORS
101 Distribution
Redbull/Big Tune
ASCAP
Native Instruments
McNally Smith School of Music
Money Management

SPONSOR PRODUCT
Propella Head
Native Instruments
Logic
Cake Walk
Engine Room Mastering
Aderra
File Blaze



HOTEL INFORMATION:

One Stop Shop 2009 is being held at:

Hyatt Regency Phoenix
122 North Second Street
Phoenix, Arizona, USA 85004
Tel: 602 252 1234

HELP WANTED: Kid Cudi Needs Beats

ATTENTION PRODUCERS!!! G.O.O.D Music/Universal's artist Kid Cudi b.k.a. The Man on the Moon, needs beats ASAP to complete his album. But, not just any beats, he needs uptempo hip-hop beats with NO HOOKS. So, if you think you got what it takes, submit your beats to:

tjsdjsbeats@gmail.com

**3 Beats Per Producer**

Paris Hilton & Boyfriend "Assaulted" In Club!

Not everyone thinks Paris should get the special star treatment.

On Thursday night, Hilton approached the DJ booth at LIV nightclub in the Fontainebleau hotel, Miami Beach, to request a song for her, personally, to dance to. A bodyguard thought that Paris was a little too close for comfort, and pushed her away, at which point her valiant knight in shining armor (her new bf) came to her rescue.

Which only led to boyfriend Doug Reinhardt engaging in a brawl with the bodyguard.

"I can't believe someone would do this to us, it's really scary," says Hilton, of last night's incident.

Police were called, but no charges were filed.

Paris was unhurt, but Doug got a bloody lip.

''Shooting Our Satellite For Peaceful Purposes Will Precisely Mean A War'' Korea Puts Troops on Alert, Warns of War Danger

North Korea put its troops on alert and cut the last hot line to Seoul on Monday as the American and South Korean militaries began joint maneuvers. The communist regime warned that even the slightest provocation could trigger war.
The North stressed that provocation would include any attempt to interfere with its impending launch of a satellite into orbit. U.S. and Japanese officials suspect the launch is a cover for a test of a long-range attack missile and have suggested they might move to intercept the rocket.

''Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war,'' North Korea's military threatened in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. Any interception attempt will draw ''a just, retaliatory strike,'' it said. Meaning it would attack the United States, Japan and South Korea.

North Korea says it plans to send a satellite into orbit, but neighboring governments believe it will be testing its Taepodong-2 missile, which theoretically can reach as far as Hawaii and Alaska.

The North has been on a steady retreat from reconciliation since President Lee Myung-bak took office in the South a year ago. After Lee said the North must continue dismantling its nuclear program if it wants aid, Pyongyang cut ties, suspended joint projects and stepped up its belligerence rhetoric.

''The danger of a military conflict is further increasing than ever before on the Korean Peninsula because of the saber rattling which involves armed forces huge enough to fight a war,'' the North's news agency warned as Pyongyang put its armed forces on standby for combat.

Allied commanders say the exercises are nothing more than the annual drills the two nations have held for years, while the North has been condemning them as a rehearsal for invasion.

Analysts say North Korea's heated words are designed to grab President Barack Obama's attention. With South Korea cutting off aid, the impoverished North is angling for a diplomatic coup of establishing direct ties with the U.S., analysts say.

For weeks, the North has said it is forging ahead with plans to send a communications satellite into space -- a launch that U.S. and Japanese officials say would violate a U.N. Security Council resolution banning the North from testing ballistic missiles. That decree came after the North test-fired a long-range missile and conducted an underground nuclear weapon test in 2006.

Analysts say the launch could occur late this month or in early April.


North and South Korea technically remain in a state of war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are massed on each side of the DMZ.

The United States, which has about 28,000 military personnel in South Korea, routinely holds joint military exercises with the South.

Last week, the North threatened danger to South Korean passenger planes flying near its airspace if the maneuvers went ahead, and several airlines rerouted their flights as a precaution.

Bow Wow Celebrates 22nd B-Day In Vegas, Preps Sixth Album

Rapper Bow Wow turned 22 years old on Sunday (March 8), and the young rapper took to Sin City to celebrate.

According to Bossip.com, Bow Wow partied the night away at the MGM Grand's Studio 54 nightclub with Jermaine Dupri in tow. During the evening, a cake was even present, so he may blow out the candles.

In addition to turning 21, the rapper is also gearing up for the release of yet another album. The new album is titled New Jack City II, his sixth solo album.

The first single is a track titled "You Can Get It All," a radio-friendly effort much different from his recently released mixtape Half Man Half Dog 2, which he says was released to display his skills on the mic.

"For me, it was something that had just really been embedded in me," Bow Wow told MTV's Mixtape Mondays. "A lot of people don't know that I was discovered by Snoop and [Dr.] Dre. Snoop was such an influence on me. It's always been in my blood to rap."

"When I got with [Jermaine Dupri], JD cleaned me up a little bit and did the right thing," he said. "That's the reason why I'm here right now. But it's always been in me to rap. I use the mixtape thing for fun."

However, despite all the criticism Bow Wow has received over the years, whether it's about his poppy music or over his rapping skills, the kid knows how to succeed. He was the youngest rapper to ever hit no. 1 on the charts, as well as headline seven different tours.

"You'll look at somebody who has one album, might have come out and sold 30,000 records, but he has the No .1 rap single," he said. "But you think he's better than me? No way. The stats don't lie. You can't compare that. It's not equivalent. I get criticized so much. 'Who wrote this? He can't be writing this. That was too nice.'"

According to Bow Wow's MySpace page, New Jack City II is due in stores March 31.

LISA RAYE Creeping around with GINUWINE?

According to bossip.com, Lisa Raye is playing Ginuwine's leading lady on the set of his new video shoot. The source says that Lisa Raye was there pressing up on Ginuwine something horrible, and the NY Post has proof:

I was there and saw it all! They are really attracted to each other and there was a lot of off-camera flirting and smiling at each other and Lisa Raye even reported in an interview on set in front everyone that she was "jokingly" going have sex with Ginuwine.

They were also spotted at Mr. Chow after the shoot. Peep what the NY Post said about them yesterday:

LISA RAYE McCoy-Misick - who’s in the midst of a nasty divorce with Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick - has moved on. She arrived at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills the other night with R&B singer Ginuwine and, after posing for the paparazzi outside, they “proceeded to kiss throughout their meal,” sources said. The two met after Ginuwine cast Lisa Raye to play his leading lady in the video for his song “Last Chance.” The lovebirds were later seen together at the Four Seasons, though Ginuwine is married to rapper Solé, the mother of his three children. A representative for Ginuwine declined to comment.

Today Marks The 12th Anniversay Of Notorious B.I.G.’s Death

Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), popularly known by Biggie Smalls (after a fictional gangster in the 1975 film Let's Do It Again), and his primary stage name, The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper.

Raised in Brooklyn, New York, Wallace grew up during the peak years of the 1980s' crack epidemic and started dealing drugs at an early age. When Wallace released his debut album with the 1994 record Ready to Die, he was a central figure in the East Coast hip-hop scene and increased New York's visibility at a time when hip hop was mostly dominated by West Coast artists. The following year, Wallace led his childhood friends to chart success through his protégé group, Junior M.A.F.I.A. While recording his second album, Wallace was heavily involved in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop feud, dominating the scene at the time.

On March 9, 1997, Wallace was killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. His double-disc set Life After Death, released fifteen days later, hit #1 on the U.S. album charts and was certified Diamond in 2000. Wallace was noted for his "loose, easy flow",dark semi-autobiographical lyrics and storytelling abilities. Since his death, a further three albums have been released. MTV ranked him at #3 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time. Because of his success and influence on music, he has become a cultural icon

'Watchmen' conquers box office with $55.7 million

"Watchmen" clocked in with $55.7 million in ticket sales to claim the top spot at the box office, making director Zack Snyder's comic book adaptation about a team of twisted superheros the biggest opening of 2009 so far.

Still, it was not quite as big as the $70 million take of Snyder's "300" in 2007.

Dan Fellman, head of distribution for "Watchmen" studio Warner Bros., said it was unfair to compare the two films.

"They're two different movies," Fellman said Sunday. "This is a movie that runs two hours and 45 minutes. That really only leaves the exhibitor with one showing a night. If you have an 8 o'clock show, the next show is at midnight. So with essentially one show a night, I think this is outstanding."

Fans of the subversive comic book series by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons waited years for Snyder's big-screen version. The anticipation was complicated last year when Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox fought over who owned rights to the $125 million film. The studios eventually settled in January, keeping the March 6 opening intact.

Many "Watchmen" enthusiasts raced to IMAX theaters to see the exploits of Dr. Manhattan and company on the bigger screens. Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, said the movie sold out on all 124 IMAX screens it was playing on during the weekend and was the second largest opening in company history behind another superhero film, 2008's "The Dark Knight."

With no other new releases to compete against, "Watchmen" easily bumped off "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail," which had held the top spot the two previous weekends. The Lionsgate comedy took in $8.8 million, good for second place, according to studio estimates Sunday. 20th Century Fox's "Taken," starring Liam Neeson, took the No. 3 position with $7.5 million.

For the year, movie attendance continues to soar, with revenue at $1.9 billion, up 16 percent through the same point in 2008. Even factoring in 2009's higher ticket prices, movie attendance is running 14 percent higher than last year.

Disney's "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" dropped from No. 2 to No. 9 at the box office.

"There have been some casualties this year," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers. "Not every film can be a hit — even during this box-office bonanza we're having right now. It dropped about 78 percent the second weekend. It's a young audience. The ones that wanted to see the Jonas Brothers came out last weekend."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Watchmen," $55.7 million.

2. "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail," $8.8 million

3. "Taken," $7.5 million.

4. "Slumdog Millionaire," $6.9 million.

5. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," $4.1 million.

6. "He's Just Not That Into You," $4 million.

7. "Coraline," $3.3 million.

8. "Confessions of a Shopaholic," $3.1 million.

9. "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience," $2.8 million.

10. "Fired Up," $2.6 million.

World’s Most Expensive CD For 100K

The World’s most expensive CD goes on sale, it can be found at the Takashimaya department store at Nihonbashi. The CD cost a whopping 10,000,000 yen (that’s about US$100,836). It comes with a platinum case with 2 carats of embedded diamonds.

The CD can be found at amazon for just 1980 yen without the platinum case and diamond.

According to Sankei reports, the publisher of the CD Universal Music is just trying to get the CD into the Guiness Book of Records.

McDonald's Makes Top 10 Healthiest Fast-Food List

Fast food is quick and inexpensive, but it can also be unhealthy and fattening. Is there a way to eat well and still get a cheap meal?
In its March issue, Health magazine surveyed fast food restaurants in America. They ranked the Top 10 and one surprise is that McDonald's makes the list.

The key to eating well at these restaurants is to look for the healthy options, like salad, soups and organic foods. Also patrons should go with reasonably sized items. But people need to be careful and stay away from unhealthy options like fries and super-size items.

The magazine's criteria was to look at uses of fats, preparation, sodium counts, organic produce and the availability of nutritional information. The testing was conducted by a panel of dietitians, nutritionists and doctors.

The America's Top 10 Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants are:

1. Panera Bread
2. Jason's Deli
3. Au Bon Pain
4. Noodles and Company
5. Corner Bakery café
6. Chipotle
7. Atlanta Bread
8. McDonald's
9. Einstein Bros. Bagels
10. Taco Del Mar

Health magazine has more tips and dangers zones from the restaurants on the list.

USA Today columnist Tedd Mitchell, M.D., echos Health magazine, saying that people should "stick to the lower-calorie, lower-fat menu items." Also he suggests splitting items at restaurants in order to save calories and cash.

Snoop Dogg Invites Chris Brown And Rihanna On His Show

Snoop Dogg has given Chris Brown and Rihanna an invitation to appear on his new variety show.

The rapper says he would welcome the celebrity couple on his new MTV series 'Dogg After Dark' to discuss their relationship with Dr Phil.

Speaking to HollyScoop.com, Snoop says: "I would definitely have them on the show. I would have to have Dr. Phil on the show because that's not my section or department, but I'm sure Dr. Phil would have some advice."

"If he wasn't available I would get Dr. Dre to come on the show for them."

This week Chris Brown was charged with two felonies this week - felony assault and making criminal threats.

Jadakiss Talks New Tracks, Refutes Coogi Rumors

Starting with a December 2008 release, Jadakiss' Def Jam debut The Last Kiss has been moved several times to its most recent date, April 7. Speaking with HipHopDX last night, Jadakiss revealed that he's used this time to update what critics first heard in listening sessions. "I just did some more songs, 'cause more time went by. Hov told me to do two more songs too." Jada said that he took some guidance from Jay-Z "I don't know why [he requested two], but that was just his lucky number. I did three though anyway, [one] with Pharrell, one with Swizz [Beatz], and a joint that he gave me with Mary [J Blige] with [DJ Khaled] and The Inkcredibles."

Looking at the album as it stands, 'Kiss was asked if "What It?" would still be placed. "Hell yeah! That's gonna be one of the power-boosters of the album," he said of the concept-record produced by North Carolina's Chophouse. "It's always a [concept record with me]. Asking 'What if?,' the things I'm asking are some crazy -- not too crazy, but just some shit that you might ask yourself, 'What if?'" Contrary to what was initially heard, Jadakiss then revealed a special guest, "I brought [in Nas] at the end, the icing on the cake."

The Yonkers emcee was overall optimistic to DX about the year ahead, "It should be a strong year; I feel real good about [Hip Hop in 2009]. But everybody don't think like me." With a dose of realism, he added with his signature laugh, "My motto is hope for the best, expect the wost though. However it comes out, it's a win-win when that's your motto."

Lastly, Jadakiss addressed rumors published by the Gawker, on whether he accepted endorsement money for mentioning Coogi Clothing prominently in "Letter To B.I.G." from the Notorious Soundtrack . "If [Coogi] came in after the song was already done and wanted to get involved, that's a different story. If you know anything about [Notorious] B.I.G., he had a million Coogis. My whole time around him, he almost [always] had one on. So that [rumor] is a crock of shit."

In further defense, 'Kiss reverted to his writing and the intention of the song. "That's just one of the memories [I have]."

He then admitted with a laugh, "I don't even really like Coogis like that. I [never normally] even mention them. I did 'cause he had it! You'll never catch me rockin' a Coogi or nothing. I only got that one in my closet!"

Before heading out, Jadakiss revealed how hard he is working for The Last Kiss' success. "I'm on 35 days of Hell right now, which means I'm doing whatever the label has for me - or anybody that comes up to me in the street. I'm doing whatever I can to let you know that I have an album coming out. I can't turn down nothin' right now."

The Last Kiss is scheduled for release April 7.

Universal Music wins Eminem song royalty lawsuit

A federal jury in Los Angeles ruled Friday that Eminem's music royalties don't change just because a song has been sold online.

The decision prevents, at least for now, an upending of the music industry that could have greatly changed the financial relationship between record labels and artists, in which labels have long commanded most of the proceeds from album sales.

The Detroit music producers who were involved in the rapper's early works, including his 1999 Grammy-winning album, "The Slim Shady LP," sued Universal Music Group's Interscope Records, accusing the music label of shortchanging them on royalty payments for music downloads and cellphone ring tones

Mark and Jeff Bass, brothers who own F.B.T. Productions, said their contract entitled them to 50% of the proceeds for songs sold through online stores including Apple Inc.'s iTunes or by cellphone operators such as Sprint.

They argued that the songs Universal provided to online and mobile services amounted to music "masters," from which infinite digital copies could be produced. As such, F.B.T. said it was entitled to a higher royalty rate than the 12% they would otherwise receive on the sale of a song or music CD.

The jury sided with the music company's interpretation that a song purchased online is no different from one bought in a store.

"It's saying that the digital download is the modern version of a record sale," said music attorney Fred Davis, founder of law firm Davis, Shapiro, Lewit, Montone & Hayes in New York, who was not involved in the lawsuit. "And the economics to the artist are the same for a digital download as they were for the sale of a single, back in the glory years."

Davis said the ruling would have had enormous implications if it had favored the Bass brothers, because it would have forced an already struggling music industry to share a much higher percentage of proceeds from sales with artists.

Although federal district court rulings do not establish a legal precedent, they can influence judges weighing similar disputes. Eminem was not a party to the suit.

Richard S. Busch, an attorney representing the Basses, said his clients were considering their legal options.

"We are very surprised by the jury's verdict," Busch said. "We don't understand it, and the fight's not over."

A Universal Music spokesman hailed the decision, saying, "We are pleased with the jury's verdict."

The jury did award F.B.T. $159,000 owed from underpaid royalties

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Set to Wed

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are rumored planning to get hitched in Italy in the summer. "Justin and Jessica were talking about who they'd invite to their wedding and where they would hold the reception," a source confirms to Star magazine. "And they both seemed to like the idea of marrying in Italy in the summer."

It is believed that the twosome was inspired by the wedding of Beverly Mitchell, Jess' former 7th Heaven co-star. Mitchell got married in Italy on October 1, 2008 and Jess became the bridesmaid in the ceremony.

Justin Timberlake began dating Jessica Biel in January 2007. The "Sexy Back" singer mentioned that the "Blade: Trinity" star is the perfect woman for him. Last Tuesday, March 3, both of them were snapped going out in New York City for celebrating Jess' 27th birthday in New York City.

Coolio arrested for alleged drug possession at Los Angeles airport

Big Brother pest Coolio was arrested yesterday after drugs were allegedly found on him at an airport.

The US rapper was going through screening at LAX in Los Angeles when a security agent pounced.

The drug was later claimed to be cocaine, but police would not say what the substance was.

The Grammy winner, 45, real name Artis Leon Ive Jnr, had his biggest hit in 1995 with Gangsta's Paradise.

But Coolio became known in Britain for racist and sexist slurs in Celebrity Big Brother.

T.I. is going to Jail: The date for T.I. to start his bid has been set

Rapper T.I. will start his prison sentence on March 27, 2009. The hitmaker will go before an Atlanta, Georgia judge on that date and he’ll officially be sentenced to jail. T.I., real name Clifford Harris, will spend a year and one day behind bars after pleading guilty to possession of unregistered weapons.

Slim Shady Will Be Back - Relapse Will Be Hitting Stores May 19th 2009

Millions of Eminem Fans are waiting for this day, May 19th 2009. Eminem will be hitting Stores with his new Album Relapse, the confirmation just came today. The first Single from Relapse will get released on April 7th, simultaneous with the Video.

And that's not all, Eminem is already working on the follow-up Album "Relapse 2". The Fans can expect this Album to drop in the second half of 2009.

Eminem said: "A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year. I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre. Putting out Relapse 2 will let everyone get all of the best stuff."

GA Drug Charges Against Lil Wayne Dropped

Georgia Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson has exonerated Lil Wayne of felony drug charges stemming from a 2006 arrest in Atlanta.Wayne (Dwayne Carter) was arrested in August 2006 at the Twelve Hotel.

A police search allegedly revealed unnamed bottles holding the drugs hydrocodone and Xanas.Also, the officers retrieved an undisclosed amount of marijuana.

In October 2007, New Orleans emcee was arrested per a fugitive warrant for skipping a scheduled Fulton County court date.Yesterday (March 3), Wayne’s attorney William Head successfully argued that the search was illegal, and that his client was not present in the room, nor was it registered to him when the arrest was decreed.

Regarding the missed court date, the judge deemed Wayne’s excuse appropriate.According to Head, his client missed the date because the summons was mailed to his New Orleans residence, which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Wayne next court appearance will be in New York on April 20, where he faces the charge of criminal possession of a loaded weapon.Similar to the dismissed Georgia charges, the Hip-Hop superstar was arrested after a police search of his tour bus revealed the weapon.

At press time, Lil Wayne’s rock-centered LP, entitled Rebirth, is scheduled to be released on May 19.

2Pac's Jail Screenplay Coming To Big Screen

A screenplay written by late rapper Tupac Shakur will be hitting theatres soon.

According to WoooHa, the screenplay is titled Live 2 Tell and it was written by Tupac while he was serving time in prison on sexual assault charges in 1995.

The play revolves around a young man who becomes a powerful drug kingpin and struggles to leave the life of crime behind.

Insomnia Productions own the rights to the play and they plan to release the flick in 2010.In related news, a movie based on Tupac's life is currently being shopped around to major movie companies.

T.I.'s Paper Trail remains at the top of the 'Top Rap Albums Chart' this week by pushing 25,300 units.

After 23 weeks on the charts, Paper Trail has sold a total of 1,749,100 copies.Debuting at No. 2 is Somalian rapper K'naan with his sophomore album Troubadour. The set, which features appearances from Mos Def and Chubb Rock, scanned 15,300 discs in its opening week.

Posted at No. 3 is Lil Wayne. Tha Carter III cashed out 14,800 copies this week. So far, the album has sold a total of 3,044,600 discs.

Right behind him are the comedic rap trio Lonely Island at No. 4. 13,700 folks picked up Incredibad this week, pushing it's total sales to 81,900.

Debuting at No. 5 is Joe Budden with his sophomore album Padded Room. The set, which features appearances from The Game and Fabolous, shifts 13,800 units in its first week out.

Chilling at No. 6 is Ludacris. Theater Of The Mind rang out 10,400 copies this week. The album's tally stands at 575,700.

Holding fort at No. 7 is Plies. Da Realist bagged up 9,500 units this week. After 11 weeks on the charts, the album's total sales rounds up to 290,500.

Entering the charts at No. 8 is Project Pat with Real Recognize Real. The album, which features appearances from Gucci Mane and OJ The Juiceman, rakes in 8,800 units in its first week spin.

Soulja Boy falls three slots to No. 9. ISouljaBoyTellEm lugs in 7,900 units this week. To date, the set has sold a total of 151,400 copies.

Wrapping up the Top 10 is Young Jeezy. The Recession shelled out 7,800 copies this week, bringing the album's total sales to 791,900.

A notable debut under the Top 10 this week is Cypress Hill frontman B-Real with his debut solo album titled Smoke & Mirrors.The set, which features appearances from Snoop Dogg, Xzibit and Damian Marley, sells 3,800 copies in its opening week.

To find out how Jamie Foxx and T-Pain are fairing on the charts, check out 'R&B Chart Watch'.

Keri Hilson To Release "In A Perfect World..." On March 24th

Keri Hilson is set to release her highly anticipated album, In A Perfect World... on March 24.

The album boasts amazing sounds from a slew of hitmakers like Timbaland, Polow Da Don, and Danja. It also features guest appearances by Timbaland, Lil Wayne, Akon, Keyshia Cole, and Ne-Yo.It's a watershed moment that meets both goals-it sounds and feels great.

Speaking up for all the ladies, In A Perfect World... also looks to empower women to be strong, independent and determined."No human is exempt from the realities of life- heartbreak, failure, success..." Keri comments.

This takes all forms throughout the album which reveals Keri's ability to translate every day trials and tribulations into engaging music.

T.I. Covers Vibe’s April Issue

In an extensive report titled “Cell Therapy,” VIBE Senior Editor Benjamin Meadows-Ingram chronicles the superstar’s history-making legal battle and gut-wrenching journey since his 2007 arrest for attempting to collect three unregistered machine guns and two silencers following his BET Hip Hop Awards performance rehearsal.

After the announcement on March 27, 2008 of what many felt was a shockingly light slap on the wrist for the serious charges, many responded by screaming, “Snitch!” However, authorities agreed to a groundbreaking plea deal negotiated by heavyweight Criminal Defense Attorney, Steve Sadow, who cited the star’s ability to influence others by serving 1500 hours of community service.

Young Buck's Clothing Line Goes Out Of Business

Young Buck's clothing line, David Brown Clothing, has reportedly gone out business.

According to WoooHa, Young Buck’s clothing line failed to take off after its launch last year due to the rapper’s waning popularity and being kicked out of G-Unit.

The clothing line's high prices and the ongoing economic crisis also played a factor in it's downfall.The website which offered Buck’s clothing line has also been shut down

President OBAMA Ends War in Iraq

According to bossip.com,President Obama committed to pull out nearly all combat troops by August 2010. He listened to the recommendations of the military and then roughly split the difference between what the generals requested and what he promised during the campaign.

Obama not only wants to get the troops out of Iraq, he needs to in order to meet two other commitments: lowering the federal deficit and transferring 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan. In six years at war, America has spent more than $700 billion in Iraq. It costs nearly $400,000 per year to keep each soldier there. But the president doesn’t want to be accused of blowing the gains made since the surge in troops that former President George W. Bush ordered and, more significantly, the successful counter-insurgency strategy of Gen. David Petraeus.

Most of the 142,000 troops there now will leave between December and August 2010. Up to 50,000 personnel will remain, as trainers, advisers and combat troops doing anti-terrorist work — an unclear mission

Chris Brown Spotted In Miami

After weeks of avoiding the spotlight, Chris Brown was recently spotted in Miami.Reports surfaced this weekend that the singer and his girlfriend Rihanna had reconciled and were spending time together at one of Diddy’s cribs

.According to Concrete Loop, the house that the star couple are living in is Diddy's Miami pad and Brown’s mother, Rihanna's friends and stylist have been spotted hanging around the house, which strengthens the reports of the couple’s reconciliation.

Brown and Rihanna made headlines earlier this month when a dispute between turn them turned violent and Brown was booked on a felony charge of making a criminal threat.Prosecutors are currently trying to build a domestic violence case against Brown. Rihanna has not pressed any charges against Brown.

Crooked I Shot ?

The rumor mill has been buzzing yesterday with news of rapper Crooked I getting shot somewhere in Los Angeles.While details are sketchy, we've confirmed with sources close to the rapper that he was apparently "hurt badly," but he is alive, at home, and in stable condition.

The word is he was shot, but we've yet to confirm this."Crooked I is hurt badly, but he's alive," the source said.Watts rapper G. Malone also confirmed Crooked's injuries, but didn’t elaborate on the cause. "Something happened ... which they ain't explaining, but Crooked is ok. He is at his home in fine condition," the rapper wrote in a text, via his official Twitter page.The incident happened as early as Friday night (February 27).

Since the incident, fans have expressed their concerns all over Twitter and his official MySpace page."Something's goin on, miss you friend, praying it's just rumors and not true ... get back to me," a fan named The Infamous So*Cal Vixen replied."Rumors floatin' you got shot homie. I wanted to make sure you was aight man and make sure it ain't true," DJ Age added on Crooked's MySpace page

Two NFL players are missing after their fishing boat disappeared

At least two NFL players are missing after their fishing boat disappeared about 50 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.Victor "Marquis" Cooper, of the Oakland Raiders, and Corey Smith, of the Detroit Lions, are among the four boaters that the Coast Guard is searching for today.A 21-foot center-console boat with four people left the Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater Pass, Fla., at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the Coast Guard in St. Petersburg.

The boaters were supposed to return after dark but never did.At 1:30 this morning, the Coast Guard received a call from a friend saying that the boaters were overdue. The Coast Guard said the third boater was Nick Skyler and did not identify the fourth person.

Cooper, whose truck and trailer is till parked at the boat ramp where the men left from, is a linebacker with the Oakland Raiders. Smith is a defensive end for the Detroit Lions. Both began their careers with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Officials say the waters in the Gulf are extremely choppy and they believe the boat is in distress.

A Coast Guard 47-foot motor-life boat crew from Station Sand Key, Fla., HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and C-130 Hercules fixed-wing aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, and the Coast Guard Cutter Crocodile are searching a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass for the missing boaters.