50 Cent bigs up Eminem

50 Cent says Eminem will be the "number one rap artist" when he makes his comeback.

The 'In Da Club' rapper - real name Curtis Jackson - praised his former mentor, saying his new material will be far superior to any other hip-hop release.

He told BANG Showbiz: "I think when he comes back he will absolutely claim the spot as the number one rap artist.

"I get the opportunity to listen to material prior to its release and I'm sure it's better than anything that's out. "Eminem's different. A lot of material he has written is just scrapped, because it's got to feel like it's just happened, like it's new. That's just how he works as an artist."

Eminem friend and protegee Bishop Lamont recently confirmed the 'Slim Shady' star - real name Marshall Mathers - is looking forward to assaulting the charts once again.

He said: "Em is excited. He's been quiet too long, and he's got a lot to get off his chest."

Eminem revealed earlier this year that he was working on new material during a radio station prank call to LL Cool J. 'The Real Slim Shady' singer phoned into his own radio station, Shade 45, and pretended to be an unsigned rapper.

His real identity was discovered after he rapped to his own hit, 'Lose Yourself'. After confirming it was him, Eminem added: "Everything is good. I'm just in the studio right now working on songs and stuff like that."

Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972),[1] known as Slim Shady and his primary stage name Eminem, is an Academy Award-winning American rapper, record producer and actor. Having sold over seventy million albums worldwide,[2][3] Eminem is one of the highest-selling rappers of all time.

Eminem quickly gained popularity in 1999 with his major-label debut album The Slim Shady LP. The following album, The Marshall Mathers LP, became the fastest-selling hip hop album in history, followed by an increasing amount of popularity, critical praise, as well as controversy. While Eminem has won many Grammy Awards, been praised for having "verbal energy", high quality of lyricism and been ranked at number nine on MTV's list of The Greatest MCs of All Time,#13 on the MTV's "22 Greatest Voices in Music" and #82 on Rolling Stone's "The Immortals" he has often been infamous for the controversy surrounding many of these lyrics, including allegations of glorifying homophobia, misogyny, and violence. [wikipedia]

The Orange Lights: A Few Good Days

The record company blurb states that The Orange Lights 'unleash’ their new single A Few Good Days (song could be found here). Now 'unleash’ is a word that carries certain imagery. It invokes a vision of a restless force straining to be released ready to cause mayhem. When Russell Crowe ordered his generals to '...unleash Hell’, the result
was devastation, and the complete obliteration of the opposition: a demonstration of absolute power.

So, one would expect a ten tonne hammer of a song swung at your head with lethal intent. Oh no, what we have is a limp wristed wet paper bag of a song, that aspires to be grandiose and epic, but instead it is idle and complacent. Everything about it sounds lazy; the weedy faux fey vocals, the by the number guitar, drums, bass, the 'epic’ bit in the middle.

This is uninspired, corporate, cynical tick-box song-writing, tailor made for the V festival audience.

The albums of Orange Lights can be downloaded from westsounds.com.

Gong: The Arista Years

Gong has presented their new album "The Arista Years".
This is not the same Gong that produced the extreme Psych of 'Radio Gnome Invisible’ or 'Flying Teapot’ but rather the later version headed up by Pierre Moerlen and moving into a far more jazzy and funk orientated realm. There are guest appearances by Didier Malherbe, Mike Oldfield and Darryl Way but the music is much less whimsical and more focused and percussive and – lets be honest – much better musically although lacking the
extreme sense of originality of Daevid Allen’s original band.

What you are getting here is the three albums that Gong produced for Arista spread across two CDs and with the live album half on one and half on the other but without the sense of wholeness that each album had when they were first released.
The guitar work throughout is influenced by Steve Hillage and Mike Oldfield but the most influential instruments seem to be Vibes and crash cymbals – not surprising since Moerlen was originally a drummer!

But the music is a good example of where Jazz & Fusion were headed in the eighties and in their own right these tracks are highly evolved and very listenable to – just not heart-stoppingly unique as the original Gong were capable of.
The whole album can be downloaded here.

Kimmie Rhodes: Walls Fall Down

When a voice as clear and sweet as Kimmie Rhodes’ sings about the 'mean old world runs on .. sex & gasoline' or admonishes us all about 'Mother nature
doesn’t like it when ya tease her' it makes you wake up and take notice.

Now, I’m not usually a great listener to Country & Western although I do have an abiding love of roots and Americana, and Kimmie Rhodes usually falls into the C&W side of the equation – even if she is based in Austin Texas – but this album manages to grab my attention and listen throughout. And truth be told, she is one fine singer and the album is a cracker.

It does stray into oversweet territory occasionally; 'Beautiful’ is a little too cloying for my tastes but that is offset by 'Sex & Gasoline’ or I’ve Been Loved By You’ or the gorgeous 'All in all' and the overall impression is of a singer with a great voice, superb control and great songs. The version of 'Fool On The Hill’ here sounds fresh and original – no attempt to copy the psych effects that are usually used. The standout number has to be 'Your Majesty’, self-written by Rhodes but sounding and feeling like Neil Young and with a killer guitar line.The production is relaxed and clean and the playing throughout is excellent. There is none of the Dolly Parton-esque excess that C& W can be party to and it doesn’t stray towards the bluegrass and yee-hah school but it doesn’t have the edge that bands like OCMS or Hey Negrita bring to it either.

This should really be listened to wearing a fringed buckskin jacket and boots but the quality of the music transcends the corniness that could be slung at it and the end result is really fine.

The whole album could be found here.

Hilary Duff's father jailed

Hilary Duff's father has been jailed for contempt of court.

Robert Duff was reportedly arrested yesterday (27.08.08) and sent by a judge to a Texas county jail for allegedly violating an injunction by selling assets without court approval.

He must pay the $368,000 he earned from the sale into a court fund and serve 10 days in jail. The arrest came following an earlier dispute between the 20-year-old singer's parents over her birthday party.

Robert and Susan - who have been involved in a bitter divorce battle for two-and-a-half years - appeared in court after Susan requested $25,000 to spend on presents and a party for Hilary's 21st birthday next month - the same sum she claims they spent on elder daughter Haylie's 21st in 2006.

A lawyer for Robert asked Susan - who claimed she relies on financial help from Hilary to pay lawyers' fees and other bills - if her "adult millionaire daughter would be upset if she did not receive an expensive gift and party for her birthday".

Susan replied that her daughter "is emotionally upset by the abandonment of her father and deserves to have some kind of recognition for a young life well lived", before claiming he currently spends his cash on buying his girlfriend's sons gifts.

Robert was ordered to pay $12,500 to Susan for Hilary's birthday, before being arrested for contempt of court. His lawyer says he plans to appeal.

Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress, pop singer-songwriter and entrepreneur. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, Duff gained fame for playing the title role in the television series Lizzie McGuire. Duff went on to have a film career; her most commercially successful movies include Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), and A Cinderella Story (2004).
Duff has expanded her repertoire into pop music, with four RIAA certified Platinum albums and over thirteen million albums sold worldwide.[1] Her first studio album, Metamorphosis (2003), was certified triple platinum and she followed it up with two more platinum albums, Hilary Duff (2004) and Most Wanted (2005). Duff's last studio album, Dignity, was released in April 2007 and was certified Gold in August 2007.[2]

Dr. Dre's son's autopsy fails to find a cause of death

An autopsy of Dr. Dre's son, Andre Young Jr. has failed to find a cause of death.

Authorities have been unable to establish how he died, so further tests on the 20-year-old have been ordered, the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner has revealed.

Andre Jr. was found unresponsive at his California home by his mother Jenita Porter, who he lived with, on Saturday (23.08.08).

She called paramedics, who declared him dead when they reached the scene. Captain Ed Winter told People magazine: "We don't know yet why he died. "There were no signs of trauma or foul play. We'll be doing toxicology and other tests, which will take up to six weeks."

According to the officer, a toxicology test is carried out "mainly to determine whether alcohol or drugs played a part in a person's death".

Andre had been out with friends the night before his death but his mother says she heard him come home around 5.30am. Dr. Dre - who lives in a separate home in California with his younger children and wife Nicole Threatt - released a statement through his publicist earlier this week saying: "Dr. Dre is mourning the loss of his son. Please respect his family's grief and privacy at this time."

The 43-year-old star also has four other children. He has a 17-year-old son Marcel with his ex-lover, singer Michel'le as well as two kids with Nicole, 11-year-old son Truth and daughter Truly, seven.

Dre is also the biological father of rapper Hood Surgeon.

Nicole Scherzinger writes track for Lewis Hamilton

Nicole Scherzinger has written a song for her racing driver boyfriend Lewis Hamilton.

Nicole has recorded 'I think I'm in Love' for the Formula One ace, but is unsure whether to include it on the new Pussycat Dolls record or save it for her next solo album.

Describing the track, Nicole said: "It is a very personal song. It's very in-depth and emotional - a real song that I know is going to connect with people."

The song may possibly feature on the Pussycat Dolls' second album 'Doll Domination' - which is to be released next month.

A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "She has only just finished it, but it could be rushed onto the new album. There are reports on the internet claiming to have the tracklist, but so far only about seven songs are definite. Nicole is really proud of this one and they could squeeze it on."

Dating 'Don't Cha' singer Nicole has also inspired Lewis to pick up his guitar. Earlier this week, it was revealed Lewis has composed a song for her.

Nicole said: "He wrote a song for me and played it on the guitar." Lewis and Nicole met at the MTV awards in Munich, Germany, last November and started properly dating in May this year.

'Doll Domination' will be released on September 23.

Its rumoured tracklisting is:

When I Grow Up
Bottle Pop
Away
Psycho
Fly the World
In Person
I Hate This Part
Whatever Happens
Barely Breathe
If I Were a Man
Love Gun
Take Over the World
Elevator
Watchamacallit