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Here’s an audio/video mixtape from some of the best MJ mixes I’ve heard recently. How many times can we say “RIP Michael?!”

SIDE A : The MJ Warm Up

Track 1. Come On Come On Come On/Lemme Show You What It’s All About: Love the five-part Minding Michael podcast series from Qool DJ Marv Aural Memoirs & da Buttamilk Archives. Featuring the MJ hits I had forgotten along with those beloved pop standards, this podcast is not to be missed. My favorites are Part One, “A Good Time,” for its melancholy, and Part Three, “Grab Your Belt Buckle/Music’s Taking Over” for the disco hits that make you move even when you’re sitting down. “Roughly 75 percent of these songs, I’ve never played in public,” Qool DJ Marv wrote about Minding Michael. “This is my translation of Michael as a fan and DJ, as a boy who grew up with stronger together black family vibes and Black is Beautiful all up in my head, and as a man who still embraces that exuberant idealism by perpetuating it and sustaining it through the magic of the music in the mix.” (Ranging from 47 mins. to over an hour long)

Track 2. Shake It, Shake It, Baby: Eclectic Method’s The Michael Jackson Video: Don’t be deterred by the Peter Jennings intro to this MJ memory lane video mix. For my money, the highlight comes midway through the video when London-based Eclectic Method mashes up “Blame It On the Boogie” with “Black or White,” and then moves seamlessly into “Rock With You” on top of “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Favorite parts of this video show not one, but TWO Michael Jackson videos that stream simultaneously. Shows just what a versatile dancer and performer Michael really was! (4:51 mins)

Track 3. You Can’t Run Away From/This Love I Got: Can’t even remember hearing Jackson Five do “Ready or Not Here I Come,” but you can groove to it here on Norwegian DJ and Producer Teddy Touch’s Memories MJ Tribute mix. Love mixing freestyling and beats with MJ’s classics. (40:04 mins)

SIDE B (The Flip Side)

Track 4. And Don’t Go Around Breaking Young Girls’ Hearts: If you like it when Michael Jackson goes all electronic on you, check out this Billie Jean remix from Philadelphia’s DJ Apt One. Guaranteed to make you move! (6:06 mins)

Track 5. Let Us Realize that a Change Can Only Come/When We Stand Together As One: Believe it or not, there are a handful of viral music videos out there that feature performances by inmates from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, a maximum security prison in the central Philippines. (The prison management has inmates do choreographed dances there for exercise.) The CPDRC did a Thriller video remake in July of 2007, and a “We Are The World” Michael Jackson Tribute just days after Michael passed away. Neither performance needs any introduction. (4:26 and 3:39 mins)

Track 6. Never Can Say Goodbye: DJ Ayres did this Michael Jackson Mix for The Rub, a party that creates long lines around the block of Brooklyn’s Southpaw the first Saturday of every month. The mix is a great chronological history of Michael’s music from “Maybe Tomorrow” (the ’70s) to  “Butterflies” (2001). (53:47 mins) –AFS

Abbie Fentress Swanson is a freelance radio radio reporter (and music addict) based in Brooklyn, New York.

New York-based writer, publicist, and activist April Silver says she continues to get feedback about a piece she wrote in response to this performance by Lil’ Wayne and Drake at the BET Awards 2009. Director Byron Hurt also responded, and wrote the following to BET’s Debra Lee on June 29:

“Sunday night’s BET Awards show was a disgrace. It’s sad and unfortunate that your network, owned by Viacom, continues to crank out mediocrity and perpetuate negative stereotypes of black men, women, and children. Although you likely received high ratings for the awards show, there is no honor in reinforcing the status quo’s opinion of black people. Your tribute to Michael Jackson and the overall show had its great moments, however, BET failed to deliver a solid, quality show. Rather than “raising the bar” and presenting African-Americans as a creative, proud, dignified people, BET lowered the bar for the entire world to see. The BET Awards drew a huge audience to watch a tribute to Michael Jackson, but left millions of viewers feeling disappointed, embarrassed, and reduced to classic stereotypes.

“During the most blatantly sexist performances of the night, the executives at BET failed to act and display intelligence, courage, and leadership. Show executives watched, approved, and applauded as artists Lil’ Wayne, Drake, and Cash Money brought young, under-aged girls onto the stage to dance and serve as window dressing while they performed ‘Every Girl,’ a song that reduces girls and women to sex objects. In a culture where one out of four girls and women are either raped or sexually assaulted – and where manipulative men routinely traffic vulnerable women into the sex industry – it is not okay that BET allowed this to happen. BET owes its entire audience – particularly girls and women around the world – an apology for its failure to intervene. BET should also take immediate steps to ensure that this kind of sexist performance does not happen again. Sunday night’s show epitomizes why so many black people worldwide are fed up with BET and feel strongly that your network inaccurately represents black men and women.”

# # #

“Last night, live at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, a room full of head-bobbing, consenting adults bounced to Drake and Lil Wayne’s back-to-back performances of the hit songs “Best I Ever Had” and “Every Girl.” I watched, underwhelmed. I wanted more “Michael” in what was supposed to be this award-show-turned-Michael-Jackson-tribute. I watched, ever puzzled by the Lil Wayne phenomena that has captivated the music industry. I watched, wondering when the set was going to end.

“Then the little girls came onstage…literally the little girls. “Are those children?” I asked out loud, in disbelief. Then the camera panned the audience. Everyone was still head-bobbing as the little Black girls huddled around these superstars.

“‘Are those little girls on stage…for this song?!?!‘ I, still in disbelief, lost breath and forced myself to exhale. ‘Why are these little girls featured on this performance? Is somebody going to stop this?’ Again, the show was live, though for a nano-second, I was hoping that a hunched-over stage manager would bust through from back stage to scoop up the children, rescuing them from harm’s way…from being associated from this song. But instead, what those girls witnessed from the stage was hundreds and hundreds of adults (mostly Black people) staring back at them, co-signing the performance. These girls, who all appeared to be pre-teens, were having their 15 minutes of glam on one of the biggest nights in televised Black entertainment history, with two of pop culture’s biggest stars at the moment, with millions of people watching. They must have been bubbling with girlish excitement, shimmering like princesses all night. Pure irony: one of them wore a red ballerina tutu for the special occasion. And we applauded them.

“But did no one care that Lil Wayne’s song Every Girl is about grown men and their sexual escapades with women? Did the meaning and intent of the song matter to anyone, this song whose hook and other lyrics required a re-write in order to get air play? ‘I wish I could love every girl in the world.‘ That’s the radio-friendly version of ‘I wish I could f–k every girl in the world.‘ But Lil Wayne’s BET performance was the clean edit of the song. Perhaps he (and the show producers) thought that there was nothing wrong in featuring the children in the clean version. Perhaps we were supposed to see the whole bit as cute and innocent. Absolutely not. There’s no other way to cut it: in presenting little girls in a performance of a song that is about sex, group sex, and more sex, BET and Lil Wayne set the stage for child pornography. It doesn’t matter what version of the song was played, much like a man who batters women is still an abusive man, even if uses flowery phrases while battering.

“In the song, Lil Wayne mentions superstar Miley Cyrus, but Cyrus gets a pass on this lyrical sex escapade because, as he acknowledges, she is a minor. Huh? Why, then, is he comfortable with featuring four minors, these four little Black girls, in the show? How deep exactly is this inability of some men to respect women, and how deep is Lil Wayne’s disregard for the safety of little girls?

“I’m told that one of the girls is Lil Wayne’s daughter. That doesn’t matter. In fact that makes it worse. Last night we were reminded that there are few safe spaces for our little girls to be children; that some of us are willing to trade their innocence for a good head nod. BET and Lil Wayne are beneath low because, in effect, they have given premium assurance to these and other little girls that their best value, their shining moment, their gifts to display to the world, all lie within a context that says they are fuckable.

“The programming at BET has been heavily criticized by artists, concerned citizens, college students, parent groups, social justice organizations, media reform activists, and many others for over a decade now. Their programming seems hell bent on broadcasting the worst pathologies in the Black community. Some have joined the anti-BET movement by simply tuning out. Others have been more pro-active. National letter-writing campaigns and other activities designed to shame and/or pressure the network into improving its programming have been in play for some time now. Boycotts have been called as well. Two years ago, for example, the network found itself in the line of fire as it planned to air the very controversial series “Hot Ghetto Mess.” Advertisers, such as State Farm Insurance and Home Depot, responded to pressure and requested that their ads be disassociated with the series (though, their ads could be placed in other programming slots). None of this has made a difference. In fact, it seems to have emboldened the network, for it is now expanding. In the fall, BET is due to launch another channel.

“As a social entrepreneur and activist, my entire life/work has been dedicated to standing up for what’s right, especially within the culture of hip hop. When identifying what cancerous elements exist within the Black community, many fellow activists agree with Chuck D (of Public Enemy), and even Aaron McGruder (of The Boondocks), when they targeted BET as one of those elements. That said, I didn’t think that we would ever have to take the network to task for what amounts to child pornography.

“But millions of Black people are not offended by the network and welcome anything BET has to offer, no matter how much it continues to unravel the fabric of our community. Imagine, if you will, BET as a human being and the viewers as the community. You would have to imagine BET as a drug dealer, with his swag on…perhaps outside standing atop a truck, the community crowded beneath him. Imagine him throwing nicely wrapped gifts into the crowed, or giving away turkeys at Thanksgiving. Or maybe it’s Mother’s Day and he buys dinner and teddy bears to all the single moms and grandmothers around the way. Despite his best efforts and despite the approval of his fans, he is still a drug dealer, pimping death to the masses.

“Proverbs is full of sacred text that teaches us that there will always be fools amongst us. Some of them will be highly paid, protected, and given world-wide platforms to show off what they do best. And these fools (be they performers, corporate executives, or others), will have fans and loyal supporters, and a place to call home, like a BET.

“But as long as there will be fools amongst us, there will also be wise ones – a small group of people concerned about the long term health and well being of the community. This small group will often go unheard and they will be outmatched. They will struggle over which problem to address first: the child pornographer, the batterer, the pimp, the prostitute, the thief, the slumlord, or the system that enables it all. They will get tired and their defense will pale in comparison to the almost crushing offense. And they will be betrayed from within. Historically and universally, this is what happens in the struggle for what is right. But eventually, with continued pressure, something will shift. A radical new thinking will emerge, and the fools will lose their stronghold.

“The sure expectation of victory, however, can not be understated. It is a concrete ingredient in the struggle against the death that is being paraded in our community…as necessary as letter writing campaigns, economic boycotts, symbolic and actual protests, and other pressure-oriented activities. It is indeed possible to bring more life into our community.

Copyright 2009, by April R. Silver. Silver is a social entrepreneur, activist and writer/editor. She is also founder of the communications agency AKILA WORKSONGS, Inc. Her first book is the critically acclaimed anthology “BE A FATHER TO YOUR CHILD: REAL TALK FROM BLACK MEN ON FAMILY, LOVE AND FATHERHOOD.” Contact Info: silver@aprilsilver.com or www.aprilsilver.com.

###

BET responded July 3 in a statement to AllHipHop.com:

“BET Networks deeply regrets the performance by Young Money at the BET AWARDS ‘09 (featuring Lil Wayne, Drake, Gudda Gudda and Mack Maine). Elements of the performance were unplanned and should not have happened.”

BET also said it found viewers’ opinions, like Hurt’s and Silver’s, useful. “We have edited Young Money’s performance for all BET Awards ‘09 encore presentations,” a representative said.

BET Awards 2009

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“Dude should come clean and tell the truth” … That’s what Jump Smokers say in effort to make moolah from the Brown/Rihanna hoopla in their latest song “My Flow So Tight (Anti-Breezy).” According to the Jump Smokers’ official Web site, part of the proceeds of the unflattering Breezy track will be going to “various organizations for battered women.” Mmkay, if that’s what you say.

On the other side of the respectable spectrum … New York hip hop legends Run DMC, along with Metallica and Jeff Beck, are the latest to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Only the second hip hop act to received the achievement (Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five were first), Run DMC was honored by a speech from contemporary rapper Eminem, stating the rappers “grabbed hold of my ears and changed my life.”

FOB join another scene, the political one … Scenester band Fall Out Boy pulled another in-crowd during the launch of the “Believers Never Die, Part Deux” tour in Mesa, Arizona Friday night. Dressed in suits, Donald Trump wigs, and black eyes, the band made a decent attempt to put corporate America on blast for their recent bust for wrongdoings. Needless to say, the getup didn’t last long, as they followed the rest of the night in their typical skinny jeans and guyliner. Gag.

Guess who’s back … Lauryn…Lauryn Hill, is that you? It is! Ms. Hill will be one out of 1,000 artists performing at Europe’s prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in the Swiss Stravinski Auditorium. She will be joining Dianne Reeves, Lizz Wright, and Angelique Kidjo for an all-out tribute to soulful jazz legend Nina Simone. The festival, which stretches from July 3-18, will also feature artists like BB King, Black Eyed Peas, and Herbie Hancock.

“Coldplay” and “free” in a sentence, huh?… British band Coldplay have announced that they will be giving a free live album to fans who will be attending their “Viva La Vida” summer tour. The album LeftRightLeftRight will be a 9-track collection of recordings from different cities over time, and will also be available for download beginning May 15 (the start of their tour). “Playing live is what we love,” said Coldplay in a statement. “This album is a thank you to our fans – the people who give us a reason to do it and make it happen.”

What about “John Legend’ and “eco-friendly?”… John Legend is putting out a more believable offer by teaming up with REVERB, a nonprofit environmental organization, to make his “Evolver” tour as green as possible. According to Billboard, this includes “coordination with venues and local caterers to ensure and facilitate the use of green products and practices, along with neutralizing CO2 emissions from venue energy use, hotels, flights and touring vehicle.”  Last month, Legend topped Billboard’s Green 10 list for his increased efforts on behalf of various environmental causes. Go ‘head, Johnny!

De La Soul is “just doing it” … Rap trio De La Soul is teaming up with Apple and the NIKE+ campaign to produce a 45-minute track made for runners to jam to. “We’d worked with Nike before, designing kicks and playing some of their marathons,” says Kelvin Mercer, aka Posdnuos. “We were excited when they approached us because we’re the first actual band to do one of these tracks.” This is the first time the rappers have made new music in five years. De La Soul are planning tours of Australia, Europe, and the UK and will be working on a new full-length album this year.

SXSW Music underway … Eager music fans and performers alike have begun their invasion of the SXSW music festival in Wednesday, and the overwhelming abudance of music has been accompanied by none other than tweets. Since 2007, Twitter and Austin festival have become an unlikely (yet powerful) match of community and interaction, helping those solo loners make friends quickly while helping the SXSW vets find the most crackin’ parties. To view some of the diverse crowds from this year’s fest so far, check here.

Kanye West charged not once, not twice … But three times for misdemeanors stemming from the LAX incident in September 2008 where he went buck wild on TMZ paparazzi. Kanye will be arraigned April 14 on the counts of battery, vandalism, and grand theft charged by the Los Angeles City Attorney. If convicted for all three charges, the 808s and Heartbreak rapper could face up to two-and-a-half years in prison. That just might make him as hard as T.I.

Incu-who? … Four years after their latest release Light Grenades, alt-rock band Incubus is back and has announced a greatest hits set and an accompanying tour for the summer. The two-disc release, Moments and Melodies, is slated to drop on June 16 and will include memorable songs like “Megalomaniac,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Nice To Know You,” while also featuring news songs “Black Heart Inertia” and “Midnight Swim.” The tour, which lasts seven weeks, kicks off July 9 in San Diego.

Fiddy and FOB-by… Fall Out Boy and 50 Cent are embarking on a tag-team tour this summer — enough to make any hipster, indie rocker, or plain ol’ pop hater gouge their eyes out. The rapper and pop-punk group will link up for the first time on April 14 for their “Believers Never Die” stint. But, like most of us “snooty” music appreciators, their own fans aren’t happy about the unlikely affair. One Fall Out Boy fan wrote, “I would rather eat my own crap literally than listen to 50 Cent.” You’re not the only one, dude.

The artist formerly known as who? … Well, it’s Prince. The Purple Rain singer will be performing on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno for three nights in a row on March 25-27 in effort to garner support for the March 29 release of not one, but two albums. The albums, LOtUSFLOW3R and MPLSoUND, will be available for purchase with a third album from artist Bria Valente exlusively at Target for $11.98.  And if you can’t get enough of the guy, catch Prince for a fourth night on March 28 for Leno’s Tonight Show retirement.

What about the real King of Pop? … Michael Jackson has announced 26 new dates for his comeback “This Is It” tour, all of which take place in London alone. The concert series, which includes 10 shows in July and an additional 18 in September,  is speculated to be part of a bigger world tour that has yet to be revealed. Tickets have been priced between 50 and 75 pounds ($70 and $105), a seemingly decent price range compared to today’s pop stars (ahem, Jo Bros). This will be Michael Jackson’s first tour in 12 years.

And the other Jack? … Jack White shows no sign of exhaustion as the White Stripes and Raconteurs frontman has developed a third band along with a new album. The new group, The Dead Weather, will be debuting their first album Horehound in June on White’s label, Third Man. The band also includes Alison Mosshart of The Kills, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age, and Jack Lawrence of the Greenhornes. White reportedly says that the band will go on tour this year.

Speakin’ of new bands … Ben Harper and his new bluesy band Relentless7 have released the music video for their new single “Shimmer and Shine.” The track comes from their upcoming release White Lies For Dark Times, which is scheduled to drop later this year. Check out the video below.

DepMod and Apple in business love … Depeche Mode are debuting their comeback album Sounds of the Universe with an Apple twist – they’ll be testing out the new iTunes Pass, which allows buyers to receive “extended singles, remixes, videos, and more,” in addition to the regular album. What’s the cost? While the actual album is priced at the regular $9.99, the deluxe iTunes Pass edition will be bumped up to $18.99. However, the perks, which extend until June 16, are never explained in detail, nor does it guarantee any exclusive material. Ha, there is a catch! Sounds of the Universe is expected to be released April 21.

The Beastie Boys and “weird” sound about right … In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last weekend, Beastie Boy rapper Adam Yauch (MCA) described their upcoming album as a “pretty weird record.” Unlike their 2007 record The Mix-Up, their upcoming and eighth release will feature rhymes, among other aspects like “playing” and sampling. The rappers will also be performing at this year’s Bonnaroo festival.

No Doubtamore dates … As promised, No Doubt will be headlining a summer reunion tour, releasing dates that begin May 3 at the Bamboozle Festival and ending August 1 in their native area of Southern California (Irvine). Other acts supporting them throughout the tour include Paramore, Janelle Monae, Bedouin Soundclash, and the Sounds. While fan club pre-sales begin today, tickets will be available to the public on March 7 through Live Nation.

Nappy Boy cancels gig (gulp) … Everyone’s favorite Autotune/Vocoder user, T-Pain, has canceled a South American show due to what his promoter says are “credible death and kidnapping threats.” The performance, which was part of a festival celebrating Guyana’s independence from Great Britain, was called when the singer received unidentified phone and e-mail messages. The threats are currently being investigated by the local authorities of Guyana.

Ozzy holds Ozzfest … It looks like this year will not be blessed (or cursed) with an Ozzfest, as the big man himself, Ozzy Osbourne, has decided to spend the time working on his upcoming album instead. Though the fest has lasted for the last 12 years, a statement was released saying that the cancellation is only temporary and the fest will return in 2010. The untitled album will be produced by Kevin Churko and is slated for a Thanksgiving 2009 release

Who wants rhinestone-trimmed socks? … Someone is sure to find them worthy, as it is one of Michael Jackson’s items up for grabs in a five-day auction beginning April 21. The king of pop has decided to let go of over 2,000 of his personal items, including his American Music Award for “Thriller,” a basketball signed by Michael Jordan, a customized Harley Davidson, and even his own original artwork. Dibs on the socks!

She’s back, and better than ever … After suffering the tragic loss of her mother, brother, and nephew in a triple homicide last fall, Jennifer Hudson has announced that she is back at work and ready to tour this spring. Teaming with hottie pop-soul sensation Robin Thicke, Hudson will be kicking off her tour in Albany, NY March 31, and will end the month-long gig in Houston, TX on May 8.

Luda says sorry … Ludacris made amends to Senator John McCain and his wife Cindy at the All-Star Game Sunday, apologizing for any offense taken by the lyrics in his song “Politics (Obama Is Here).” The song takes a sharp turn in one line where Luda says, “McCain don’t belong in any chair unless he’s paralyzed.” The senator appeared to have accepted the rapper’s apology, as they reportedly “spoke pleasantly for several minutes” afterward. My bet is Johnny boy didn’t know what Luda was referring to, that is, until a quick Google search after the game.

If it ain’t Ike, it’s Breezy … Chris Brown, who is under investigation for beating up his pop singer girlfriend Rihanna last week, is now being compared to past wifebeater Ike Turner, among others. Many speculate that the Pretty Boy’s image is in jeopardy, as more details on Rihanna’s “horrific” injuries, including bite marks, a split lip, and swollen-shut eyes, have been revealed from the police report. Not only that, but Rihanna told police that the relationship has been an abusive one in the past. Wrigley has since pulled its Doublemint gum ads featuring Brown, while the singer and his former gf have also canceled upcoming appearances in Phoenix and Malaysia. We’re guessing mom’s playing the valentine for homeboy this year.

Watch out Jo Bros, the bad boys are back … While the Jonas Brothers are getting major crap for proclaiming their good, clean innocence, it seems as though excited Bizkit and Blink fans are coming out of their shells for reunion tours and new albums. Fred Durst and the rest of Limp Bizkit have joined forces once again because they were “disgusted and bored with the current state of heavy pop music.” (Heavy pop music? Umm, okay) Blink 182 has also confirmed rumors, as they came out together on the Grammy stage last week. Bizkit fans might have to wait for dates, however, while Blink has given a rough tour time of Summer 2009.

MC Weirdo …. Actor-turned-MC Joaquin Phoenix made an unusual appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman Wednesday night, sporting a shaggy beard and hipster shades to go with his new persona. Mumbling one-sentence answers and seemingly annoyed by Letterman and his audience, Phoenix was definitely killing it. Check it out below:

Big Bruce and big broker mending … Ticketmaster issued a apology to Bruce Springsteen Wednesday after a ticket distribution fiasco for the singer’s Working on a Dream tour was followed by an onslaught of disappointed fans who couldn’t purchase tickets and, well, an unhappy post-Superbowl Springsteen. In an open apology letter sent to Bruce and his tour team, Ticketmaster Entertainment CEO Irving Azoff says that they were trying to “do the right thing for the fans by providing more choices” but “clearly missed the mark.”

Ticketmaster ain’t the only one … Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s potential partner in ticket sales, has issued a pledge of improvements after Phish fans encountered problems while purchasing the long-awaited reunion tour tickets on Live Nation’s new system. In response to the numerous complaints, a less sympathetic CEO, Nathan Hubbard of Live Nation Ticketing said, “When you have 10 million requests from your ticketing system and only 20,000 seats, there’s going to be a line.” Tsk tsk.

Speaking of Phish and Springsteen … They are both headlining this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival, alongside the E Street Band. The Manchester, Tennessee festival will be held June 11-14, and will also feature appearances from the Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Snoop Dogg, MGMT and, gasp, guitar phenoms Rodrigo y Gabriela. Tickets go on sale February 7, and will offer a pretty sweet payment plan of five $50 payments.

Not all festivals may be faring well … Miami’s Langerado Music Festival, which features artists Death Cab For Cutie, Snoop Dogg, Dashboard Confessional, and Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, has been cancelled due to “sluggish ticket sales,” according to the festival’s organizers. Though the three day pass costs a relatively decent $150, promoters say that it is the economy that has slowed sales to a meager 30 tickets per day. Tickets will be refunded within the next seven days, they say.

Now that’s what I call soul … Beyonce will be performing alongside soulful singers Al Green, Maxwell, and CeCe Winans at the 15th annual Essence Music Festival. The ceremony, which takes place July 3-5 in New Orleans, is also known for its inspirational emphasis on black empowerment, and will feature additional appearances from John Legend, Ne-Yo, and En Vogue. There will also be a gospel tribute to legendary pastor and well-known entrepreneur TD Jakes.

Lil Wayne and rock music a good idea? … That will be for you to judge, as the rap phenom has announced his release of a rock album, tentatively scheduled to drop on April 7. Miami producers Infamous and Drew Correa are expected to be working with Weezy for most of the songs, and his latest song “Prom Queen” will be released via MySpace. Wayne has told Billboard in the past that he learned how to play guitar. Really?

Kanye’s got somethin’ to say to Fiddy’s beef … By complimenting him? West says that he is a big fan of 50 Cent, and is disappointed (at most) at the “iconic” NY rapper’s rambunctious wordplay. We reported on 50’s diss last week, and because of West’s reaction, I am fully convinced that these MCs have officially wrung the towel dry on rap feuds. Face it, 2Pac and Biggie were clearly better at it.

RIP Billy P. … Legendary southern rockers Lynard Skynard have lost pianist Billy Powell Wednesday night at his home near Jacksonville, FL. The band are canceling upcoming shows and have directed fans for more updates through their Web site. Powell, who survived a fatal plane crash with his band mates in 1977, was 56.

Doubt no longer … After weeks of rumors and hints, Gwen Stefani and the dudes from No Doubt have officially announced that they are reuniting with a summer tour, with Paramore as their “Special Guests,” if they can call them that. While most fans think of the pop-punkers as noobs to the scene, some No Doubt diehards aren’t afraid to say that the kids will probably garner more sales than Gwen and company. Tickets to be on sale soon.

I’ll give you something ridiculous to ponder over … Katy Perry and celibacy? Well, at least that what she says. After a surprisingly short-lived relationship with Gym Class Heroes’ frontman Travis McCoy, the pseudo girl-kisser says that the only lip-locking this year will be with her cat, Kitty Purry (clever one). When MTV asked about her breakup with Travie, she took the opportunity to talk about her tour instead. Looks like homeboy got the short end of the stick this time around.

50 beefs it up … 50 Cent is giving Weezy and West a verbal run for their money, hitting them with disses on interviews and live performances. While promoting his new album Before I Self Destruct, 50 called into a radio station, dissing Lil’ Wayne as a “junkie” and calling Kanye’s latest an “R&B album.” Cough, publicity feud, cough.

Let’s talk about a real rapper … Actor Joaquin Phoenix is “embarking on a new path as a rapper,” as part of a documentary whipped up by Casey Affleck. The film will be focused on Phoenix’s new career, along with another actor and friend who, too, have decided to drop their day jobs for a more…street credible one? The album, according to Billboard, will be produced by Sean Combs.

No, really, where’s the real music? … In other, more substantial music news, Metallica, Run-DMC, and Jeff Beck are a few musicians who will be inducted into the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other notable artists include Fifties R&B vocal group Little Anthony and Sixties soul singer Bobby Womack. Run-DMC will be performing at the April 4th ceremony for the first time since Jam Master Jay’s death seven years ago.

Who’s performing at the Grammys? No surprise here… As if the ‘08 hype wasn’t enough for them, the headlining acts for this year’s Grammy Awards include the Jonas Brothers, Lil’ Wayne, Coldplay, and Kenny Chesney. The ceremony, which has been bitterly dissed in the past in Kanye-esque fashion, will be airing live from Los Angeles on CBS February 8th.

Speaking of which, West in the nude, anyone?… In an effort to pull another empty publicity stunt, Kanye wants to decrease his fan base by posing naked but only after working out for two months. West says in a Vibe interview that having less fans provides more “freedom,” and by revealing his all, he will be breaking “every rule and mentality of hip-hop, of black culture, of American culture.” Just like every (sampled) hit you’ve had, Kanye?

Your iTunes gift cards may be worth more, maybe… Apple Inc. has announced that most songs available on iTunes will go for 69 cents a track, 30 cents cheaper than years past. But the new price comes with more than one catch: songs that are deemed “popular” will be marked up for $1.29, while other songs will be bundled with exclusives and videos, resulted in a hiked price overall. Hmm, your mind games aren’t fooling us, Mr. Jobs (we still send you our best).

Something smells a little Phishy… After an accidental leakage through concert promoter Live Nation, popular jam band Phish have confirmed that they are reuniting for a summer tour, their first in five years. The tour starts June 4 at Wantagh, NY, and ends June 21 at East Troy, WI. Tickets go on sale to the public January 30 at 10 a.m. ET.

Akon Did It! He admits…. Rapper Akon pleaded guilty to harrassment when he threw a fan off the stage during a concert in upstate New York last year. The incident, which was caught on tape and posted on YouTube, occurred after the fan, Anthony Smith, threw an object on the stage. The singer shook hands with Anthony and his parents after entering his plea. But don’t expect any jailtime for Akon—he’s covered after doing 65 hours of community service and paying a $250 fine.

A Lawsuit for Weezy F. Baby… Lil Wayne is facing a lawsuit that accuses him of copyright infrigement for his song “I Feel Like Dying.” The song samples Karma Ann Swanepoel’s “Once,” but the federal suit says that his record label, Cash Money, failed to negotiate a license to use the song. Weezy’s lawyers have asked for an extension to turn over documents requested by Urband & Lazer Music Publishing.

Live Nation in Trouble, By Black Sabbath…. Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is suing Live Nation for selling merchandise with the band’s logo after their contract expired. The concert ticket company is accused of selling over 100 items with the band’s “likeness, name and logo.” Iommi is asking for three times the amount of the sales and the halt of Black Sabbath product sales.

Leaker of Chinese Democracy Pleads Guilty… The blogger who leaked nine out of the 14 songs from Guns n’ Roses’  long-awaited album has admitted to posting the songs on his Web site Antiquiet. Kevin Cogill, who initially pleaded not guilty to federal copyright violation, agreed to changing his plea after requesting probation only. Still, Cogill might face a year in prison, probation, and a fine.