All About My Music

50 Cent, Green Day Top ASCAPs

2006-09-10T04:50:00.000-07:00

ir Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bob Dylan...50 Cent? The times really are a-changing.
The hip hop superstar took home top honors at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Pop Music Awards Monday night, where he was named Songwriter of the Year by a group of industry peers.
The awards, voted on by more than 700 songwriters, recording artists and industry leaders, were doled out at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and in addition to Eminem's protégé, also gave kudos to Green Day, Annie Lennox and Kelly Clarkson.
"I want to tell you that I use you for energy," 50 Cent said while accepting his award via a video message. "I listen to the material that you create...it helps me move to the next level...it inspires me to write even more exciting material."
It was the rapper's second time receiving the ceremony's top honor. He was so awarded for his contributions to five radio-friendly songs, "Candy Shop," "Disco Inferno," "Hate It Or Love It," "How We Do" and "Just A Lil Bit."
As for Song of the Year honors, ASCAP declared the prestigious nod a tie, with Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" sharing the prize. Carey, however, wasn't included in the kudos love as the award is for songwriters only.
Billie Joe and Co. doubled up on their hardware at the ceremony, also taking home ASCAP's Creative Voice Award, given to an artist whose career achievements are "equally informed by their creative spirit and by their contributions to the role that a creator can play in their community."
Another major winner of the night was Lennox, who was awarded the evening's lifetime achievement equivalent, the Founders Award. The "Walking on Broken Glass" songbird was honored for her pioneering and inspiring career.
"It's no secret how much I admire you as a person, as a woman, a musician, a singer and a songwriter, and I'm thrilled that you are getting this award from ASCAP," Sting relayed to the singer via a video message.
"Annie Lennox is one of the finest musical voices of our time--unlike any other, uncompromising and unpredictable," ASCAP president Marilyn Bergman said.
Lennox performed several of her hits for the crowd following the receipt of her award.
EMI Music Publishing took home the most industry-skewed award of the night, named Publisher of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.
While the ceremony was a little light on camera-ready faces, it was heavy on handing out awards, with Destiny's Child, Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, Maroon 5, Nelly, Gwen Stefani, Ryan Cabrera, Ciara, Missy Elliott, The Killers' Brandon Flowers and Dr. Dre among the multiple award winners.

Green Day's Vocal Vacation

2006-09-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

Green Day is taking a brief pit stop off the Boulevard of
Broken Dreams.
Apparently belting out punk-rock anthems night after night
had taken its toll on frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, who
called in sick for two gigs. Per Reuters, Armstrong is
suffering from bum pipes, and he was forced to capitulate
to his doctor's recommendation to rest his voice. As a result of Armstrong's shot vocal cords, Sunday's
Dayton gig and Monday night's Nashville engagement will be
rescheduled, according to the Grammy-winning group's
label. New dates for both cities will be announced later
this week, Reprise Records said in a press release.
Armstrong and mates are still on for Wednesday's show in
Oklahoma City.
The Berkeley, California-based trio is currently winding
its way through a tour of secondary markets in support of
the multiplatinum-selling smash album American Idiot.
After Armstrong's brief vocal vacation, the pop-punk
purveyors will play dates in Houston, Dallas and Atlanta
before performing at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards Aug.
28 in Miami.
Green Day is nominated for a leading eight VMAs, including
Video of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

U2 Back In The Studio With Rick Rubin, Green Day

2006-09-10T04:43:00.000-07:00

U2 is working on material for its next studio album with
producer Rick Rubin, according to the band's Web site. The
group has been at work on the as-yet-untitled follow-up to
2004's "How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" since last month.
While in the studio, U2 will be joined by Green Day to
record a cover of Scottish punk band the Skids' "The
Saints Are Coming."
Proceeds from the track will benefit Music Rising, an
instrument replacement fund co-founded by U2 guitarist the
Edge last summer in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
"One year later, the devastation is still fresh in our
minds, and we'd like to keep it in yours," Green Day said
in a post on its Web site. "New Orleans has always been a
special city to us, being a hotbed of music and
creativity, and it's hard to believe parts of the Gulf
region still remain devastated. We feel that it's
important to continue to raise awareness."

Mariah Wins Big At Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

2006-09-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

Mariah Carey was the big winner at the 2006 Billboard
R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, held last night (Sept. 8) in Atlanta.
Carey won top R&B/hip-hop artist in both the overall and
female categories, as well as hot R&B/hip-hop songs
artist, top R&B/hip-hop albums artist and top R&B/hip-hop
album for her multi-platinum set "The Emancipation of
Mimi."
Kanye West took home top rap album for "Late Registration"
and also won hot rap track for "Gold Digger" featuring
Jamie Foxx. Foxx himself took home top R&B/hip-hop artist
-- male, while Young Jeezy won top R&B/hip-hop artist --
New.
In addition to winning top R&B/hip-hop songwriter and top
R&B/hip-hop producer, Jermaine Dupri was named the first
recipient of the Otis Redding Excellence Award for his
achievements both in and outside the studio. The award was
launched this year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of
Redding’s death.
Public Enemy received the 2006 Hip-Hop Founders Award in
recognition of their long-standing influence throughout
hip-hop.

Priest Confesses to Madonna Threat

2006-09-10T04:35:00.000-07:00

Like a prayer? More like a prank call.
A 63-year-old Dutch priest has confessed to calling in a phony bomb threat last week before a pair of Madonna concerts in Amsterdam in a last-ditch effort to stop the singer from staging her mock-crucifixion act, officials said Friday. The would-be terrorist was easily identified as he used his home phone to make the call to an emergency services line, where it was automatically traced, officials said.
Officials said they never believed that threat was credible.
"We take bomb threats seriously, but in this case it was clear very quickly that it was not real," Amsterdam prosecution spokesman Robert Meulenbroek told the Associated Press.
The priest appeared before a judge Friday and was released, pending judgment. As it was his first offense, he will likely be sentenced to community service, officials said.
The concerts went forward without incident on Sunday and Monday, despite the best efforts of a handful of protesters.
The Material Girl's mock-crucifixion scenario has drawn ire from religious figures in almost every location her World Is My Dance Floor tour has touched down.
In Rome, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim leaders came together in a rare show of unity to object to the singer's act taking place in the cradle of Christianity.
In Duesseldorf, prosecutors threatened to toss the pop star in the lockup if her act was construed as offensive to religious beliefs--a violation of German law.
However, the Dutch priest was the first to really blow his top over the issue.
After her Amsterdam showing, Madonna and entourage moved onto Prague, where she performed two sold-out shows on Wednesday and Thursday. (Unsurprisingly, Czech religious figures added their voices to the chorus of objections to the mock-crucifixion scene.)
The Confessions on a Dance Floor singer next performs in Moscow on Sept. 12. The date was rescheduled and moved to a different venue last month due to security concerns.

Fiddy's Bad Driving Rap

2006-09-10T04:28:00.000-07:00

Forget da club--50 Cent might soon be in da traffic court.
The rapper (real name: Curtis Jackson) was pulled over in New York Friday and cited for making an unsafe lane change, as well as driving without his license, vehicle insurance and registration.
At the time he was stopped, Fiddy was behind the wheel of a silver Lamborghini--not exactly the most inconspicuous car to be driving when committing any of the aforementioned infractions.
A police spokesperson said an officer in an unmarked patrol car put an end to the hip-hopster's joyride after observing him make a turn without signaling.
The rapper was handcuffed and escorted to a nearby precinct to ensure his safety after a crowd gathered.
He was issued four summonses and released without being fingerprinted or photographed. He faces about $200 in fines.
The Lamborghini, which is worth around $200,000, was driven to the station by a police officer and relinquished to a friend of the G-Unit rapper, who arrived bearing the vehicle's documentation and a valid license.
All things considered, it was a relatively tame run-in with the fuzz for Fiddy, whose lengthy police record includes prior arrests on drug, gun and assault charges.
Last month, the rapper was sued by two women who claimed they were trampled by crowds and battered by Fiddy himself in a brawl that ensued at a Massachusetts concert in May 2004.
The civil suit comes over a year after the rapper avoided jail in the case by cutting a plea deal with prosecutors requiring him to remain crime- and drug-free for two years.

Beyonce B'day

2006-09-10T03:32:00.000-07:00

Talk about a B'day surprise: The follow-up to the
Destiny's Child leader's solo debut, Dangerously in Love,
is appallingly not so good. From the too-slick production
to the almost nonexistent melodies, the album gets by
mainly on Beyoncé's willingness to repeal the submissive
sentiments of Destiny Fulfilled and whip out the tiger
claws on standout tracks like "Ring the Alarm" and "Suga
Mama"--sentiments reportedly inspired by her forceful
character in the upcoming Dreamgirls film. But that
doesn't stop boyfriend Jay-Z from upstaging her on the
otherwise lackluster "Déjà Vu." Guess anyone can have a
bad day. Or B'day.