DOUBLE PLAY OF FLYTALK: PROJECT NYC ON THE FLY..

LIVE FROM PROJECT NYC ON THE FLY: KANGOL PROJECT NYC

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ GREG STREET "INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN FOR BEING ONE OF THE HOTTEST IN THE SOUTH"

As one of the most recognizable voices in radio and the man behind the phrase “Its 6 o’clock, its 6 o’clock, time for Greg Street to Rock,” Greg Street is the true voice of the people. Having rocked the airwaves in Mississippi (WORV-WJMG), Alabama (WBLX 93), Houston (KMJQ), Dallas (K-104/KKDA) and currently holding it down in Atlanta (V-103/WVEE) all over a 20 year span, Street has definitely positioned himself as the music gateway to the South. This legendary DJ was an influential component to the careers of Rich Boy, 50 cent, Outkast, Rick Ross, Mary J. Blige, Puffy, T.I., Trina, Plies, Jazze Pha, Ciara, Akon, 8 Ball & MJG, Soulja Boy, Ying Yang Twins, Master P, Lil Wayne, Baby, Dj Khaled, Monica, Bow Wow, Keri Hilson, Chris Brown, Erykah Badu, Lil Jon, Polow Da Don and many more. In the past, Street has been awarded and recognized for his community influence and devotion to the music industry. A few of his accomplishments include Billboard’s Major Market Personality of the Year, NBPC Major Market Personality of the Year in 1997 and 1999, and he successfully became the first recipient of the Think B.I.G. Heart Award from the Christopher “Notorious B.I.G. Wallace Memorial Foundation. Aside from radio, Street hosts a list of annual events such as his Sneaker Friends Party, Car & Bike Show, Talent Showcase and The Greg Street Scholarship Fund Program. Being one of ATL’s most embraced community figures, one could definatley label Street as “the key to the city “. If you are in Atlanta tune into V – 103/103.3 fm Mon – Fri 6pm – 10pm and enjoy the 9’O Clock Mix accompanied by DJ Infamous, DJ Green Lantern and DJ Jelly. To catch up with Street or listen live, log on to v-103.com.

THIS FRIDAY! "CHRONICLE"

DAVID GUETTA FT. NICKI MINAJ "TURN ME ON"

Taking a pile of machinery and building a female rap superstar, pink hair and all, David Guetta ** flips Nicki Minaj's ** switch and literally turns her on in the pair's new Frankenstein-esque video for "Nothing But The Beat" single "Turn Me On." Watch below. Video: David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, "Turn Me On" The clip begins with Minaj as little more than a pair of singing lips, with Guetta tinkering away, adding mechanical limbs and bringing the "Superbass" star to life. She's then covered in plastic -- all the while singing "Make me come alive / Come on and turn me on" -- until she resembles a naked but less-than-anatomically correct doll. Nicki Minaj Gets Colorful in 'Stupid Hoe' Video With a few touches, Minaj is dressed in a Gothic 19th-century-inspired gown, parading through the city with flowing pink hair as the doll-like townspeople follow her enviously. Minaj hops on a black horse and begins to ride off, as the other dolls beat down the door of Guetta's laboratory, seducing him and ripping off his human exterior until he's a doll himself -- uniquely made of chainmail armor instead of plastic. "Turn Me On" follows "Nothing But The Beat" singles like "Where Them Girls At," featuring Minaj and Flo Rida **, "Without You" featuring Usher **, and "Titanium" with Sia **. Minaj's upcoming album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded," was originally expected to drop in February, but the rapper recently pushed the release date back to April 3.

ADELE WILL BE BACK ON STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 5 MONTHS SINGING FOR THE GRAMMYS

After weeks of speculation, it has finally been announced that Adele ** will be performing at the 54th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, marking her first live performance since undergoing vocal surgery last year. "I'm immensely proud to have been asked to perform at this year's GRAMMY Awards," said Adele in a statement. "It's an absolute honor to be included in such a night, and for it to be my first performance in months is very exciting and of course nerve-racking, but what a way to get back into it all." The Grammys: Adele, Kanye West Lead Nominations ** The "Rolling In The Deep" songstress joins previously-announced performers Jason Aldean **, Kelly Clarkson **, Glen Campbell **, The Band Perry **, Blake Shelton **, Coldplay **, Rihanna **, Foo Fighters **, Bruno Mars **, Paul McCartney **, Nicki Minaj ** and Taylor Swift **. LL Cool J ** is signed on to host. Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Bruno Mars To Perform at Grammy Awards Earlier today (Jan. 31), Adele tweeted [Link] about her upcoming performance. "Ima be, Ima be singing at the Grammys. It's been so long I started to forget I was a singer! I can't wait, speak soon xx," she wrote. The two-time Grammy winner is nominated for six awards this year, including Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year. Grammy Producer Talks Adele, McCartney & (Lack of) Boycotts The Grammy Awards take place at the Staples Center in L.A. and air on Feb. 12 from 8-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on CBS.

OMG!WTF!LMAO (REPUBLICAN MITT ROMNEY SINGING IN PUBLIC AFTER OBAMA STEALS THE SHOW WITH AL GREEN SONG)

MEEK MILL FREESTYLE ON HOT 97'S ANGIE MARTINEZ SHOW

X FACTOR LOSES HOST AND A JUDGE (WE ALL KNEW THIS JUDGE WAS GETTING FIRED)

The contestants on “X Factor’s” second season won’t be the only new faces, as Simon Cowell’s reality competition has cleaned house. Fox has confirmed to CNN that neither “X Factor” host Steve Jones nor mentor/judge Nicole Scherzinger will return for the show’s second season. Jones also confirmed the news via his Twitter account, simply saying that it was a “shame” but that he did have a great time. I wont be hosting next seasons XFactor which is a shame but I cant complain as I've had a great time. Good luck to everyone on the show.—Steve Jones (@SteveJones) January 31, 2012 To top it off, there are also rumors that Paula Abdul’s gotten the boot, with Deadline citing “a Simon Cowell insider” as saying that she won’t be back for season 2. (Fans of the series will recall that both Abdul and Scherzinger came under fire following the surprise elimination of contestant Drew Ryniewicz.) If the reports that Abdul is also off the show are true, that means only Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid — who has made quick work of signing “X Factor” winner Melanie Amaro as well as contestants Marcus Canty, Astro and Chris Rene to his label Epic Records — are the only two left standing after the first season. Although the success of the first season may not have been up to Cowell’s standards, Entertainment Weekly has reported that “X Factor” did come in No. 1 in the ratings among unscripted shows for the fall. Cowell previously told CNN as “X Factor” wrapped up its first season in December, “Never finish a season thinking it’s the best you’ve ever done, because you have to feel that you can get better…I think I probably came here a bit too cocky, but I’m cocky by nature.” What do you think of the switch-up? Was it to be expected?

BAD BOY RECORDS ARTIST MACHINE GUN KELLY ARRESTED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT

"Just spend my entire night in a f*cking Florida jail," Machine Gun Kelly ** tweeted after being arrested --and shortly released -- for misdemeanor disorderly conduct. "Shit escalated way to quick last night, it always does with us though," he continued to tweet [Link]. Freshman Haze: Machine Gun Kelly Talks label Bidding War, 'Laced Up' Album & More Machine Gun Kelly, born Richard Baker, was arrested at 4:12 a.m. Sunday morning (Jan. 29), according to TMZ via Pinellas County Sherrif's Office. MGK was released hours after his arrest after posting a $100 bond. Machine Gun Kelly Arrested for Flash Mob at Cleveland Mall: Watch MGK ran into some trouble a few months back (Aug. 20) when the rapper was arrested for organizing a flashmob at Cleveland's South Park Mall.

RIHANNA #1 MONEY MAKING TOUR

Manchester Arena and O2 Arena, the two largest indoor arenas in the U.K., dominate this week's Hot Tours rankings with concert box office totals reported from the final quarter of 2011. Eight of the 10 top-grossing tours in this week's tally are based on the reported grosses from these two arenas. Rihanna is No. 1 with ticket sales revenue from the final European leg of her Loud Tour that began in June 2011 and wrapped in December. Included in her reported totals are seven headlining performances at O2 Arena during the final two months of 2011 (Nov. 13-15, Dec. 1, 20-22). More than 116,000 fans attended the seven London shows with tickets sales totaling £5.3 million ($8.5 US$). The Manchester Arena also reported three Rihanna concerts, adding £2 million ($3.1 US$) to the native Barbadian's $12.6 million combined box office gross that lands her this week's top ranking. In addition to these two U.K. arenas, the 15,000-seat O2 World in Hamburg, Germany also reported ticket sales from its Loud Tour performance on Dec. 4 that drew a sellout crowd of 13,409. Ranking second is Red Hot Chili Peppers with grosses reported from three performances in London and two in Manchester. The London shows, on Nov. 7, 9 and 10, were attended by 48,181 fans, and the Manchester Arena sold 26,536 tickets for concerts on Nov. 14 and 15. Combined revenue for both venues was £3.5 million ($5.7 US$). Sir Paul McCartney, No. 3 this week, earned his Hot Tours ranking from single concerts in London (Dec. 5) and Manchester (Dec. 19) with crowds of 14,946 and 14,800 respectively. The rock legend's combined gross from these two performances was £2.6 million ($4 US$). Coldplay follows at No. 4 with £1.9 million ($2.9 US$) in ticket sales from its Dec. 4 performance in Manchester and Dec. 9 concert in London. Rounding out the top tours based on box office sales from these two U.K. venues are English comedian Lee Evans (No. 5), Canadian rocker Bryan Adams (No. 7), English television personality Alan Carr (No. 8) and pop star Britney Spears

BENNY POUGH NAMED EPIC RECORDS EVP URBAN MUSIC

BENNY JETS TO EPIC: It’s now official. Benny Pough has been named EVP Urban Music fir Epic Records, reporting to label head L.A Reid, who praised his leadership and executive skills. “I have had the pleasure of working with Benny for nearly a decade, and in those years I have seen him become one of the greatest executives in the business. His unparalleled instincts, history of success, and wealth of music experience give us a critical competitive advantage that will help ensure Epic’s future growth.” Pough was most recently SVP Urban Promotion for Reid at Island Def Jam Music Group since 2004. Prior to that, he spent seven years at MCA and Universal as VP Promotion. He began his music industry career in 1990 as a Regional Promotions Manager at Motown. Over the years, he has led the promotion and radio marketing campaigns rfor such artists as Mary J. Blige, The Roots, KC & JoJo, Rihanna, Young Jeezy and Kanye West.

THINKING OF WORKING FOR APPLE INC? WATCH THIS!

THE HELP HAS A BIG NIGHT AT THE SAG AWARDS VIOLA DAVIS(BEST ACTRESS)/OCTAVIA SPENCER(BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS)

The SAG Awards, as we have noted,often have a curious way of letting us know what the Oscars are going to deliver. So when the Screen Actors Guild doled out its golden statuettes on Sunday night (January 29), we couldn't help but feel there were more than a few hints at how the Academy Awards might shake out in a few weeks. What are we to make of the upset SAG win for "The Help" in outstanding cast in a movie, for instance? Where does this leave "The Artist," which had been looking increasingly, inevitably like the big champ come Oscar night, yet only won outstanding male performance (Jean Dujardin) at the SAGs? Things were more predictable on the TV side of things. In 2012, for the second year in a row, "Modern Family" (Outstanding Cast in a Comedy) and "Boardwalk Empire" (Outstanding Cast in a Drama and a Lead Actor win for Steve Buscemi) had strong showings. Check out the full list of winners: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture "Bridesmaids" "The Artist" "The Descendants" "The Help" "Midnight in Paris" Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role George Clooney, "The Descendants" Demian Bichir, "A Better Life" Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar" Jean Dujardin, "The Artist" Brad Pitt, "Moneyball" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn" Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs" Viola Davis, "The Help" Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady" Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin" Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Nick Nolte, "Warrior" Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn" Armie Hammer, "J. Edgar" Jonah Hill, "Moneyball" Christopher Plummer, "Beginners" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Octavia Spencer, "The Help" Berenice Bejo, "The Artist" Jessica Chastain, "The Help" Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids" Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs" Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture "The Adjustment Bureau" "Cowboys & Aliens" "Harry Potter and the Deahtly Hallows - Part 2" "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" "X-Men: First Class" Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie Or Miniseries Laurence Fishburne, "Thurgood" Paul Giamatti, "Too Big to Fail" Greg Kinnear, "The Kennedys" Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce" James Woods, "Too Big to Fail" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie Or Miniseries Diane Lane, "Cinema Verite" Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey" Emily Watson, "Appropriate Adult" Betty White, "The Lost Valentine" Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce" Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Patrick J. Adams, "Suits" Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire" Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights" Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad" Michael C. Hall, "Dexter" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Kathy Bates, "Harry's Law" Glenn Close, "Damages" Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story" Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife" Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer" Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock" Ty Burrell, "Modern Family" Steve Carell, "The Office" Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men" Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family" Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Julie Bowen, "Modern Family" Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie" Tina Fey, "30 Rock" Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family" Betty White, "Hot In Cleveland" Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series "Boardwalk Empire" "Breaking Bad" "Dexter" "Game of Thrones" "The Good Wife" Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series "30 Rock" "The Big Bang Theory" "Glee" "Modern Family" "The Office" Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series "Dexter" "Game of Thrones" "Southland" "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" "True Blood" Screen Actors Guild Awards 48th Annual Life Achievement Award Mary Tyler Moore

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ LATIN PRINCE "BUMSQUAD DJS FOUNDER/CALIFORNIA BRED/INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN"

Sergio “Latin Prince” Jimenez has been pleasing party-goers for over 2 decades. His passion for music was nurtured as a child in his homeland of Nicaragua. At the age of 7, a young Sergio visited local radio stations and watched in awe as the DJ’s spun everything from the Salsa and Merengue sounds of Hector Lavoe and Celia Cruz to theU.S. imported funk, disco and R&B hits of Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power. While at home, he would emulate his favorite radio heroes by speaking in to a make-believe microphone and playing 45’s and LP’s on the family’s record player. In 1979, things changed drastically. It was during the Nicaraguan Revolution that his mom became concerned for her family’s safety. She sent him and his siblings thousands of miles away to live with their aunt in Oakland, California, an urban city 16 miles east of San Francisco. This was quite a culture shock for him but he quickly adapted to his new home and a vibrant Funk and R&B music scene that fueled his passion. “I fell in love with the music and I felt like I needed to find a way to some how show people the love I have for the music.” Says Latin Prince. He soon found a way to express his appreciation by becoming a DJ. While in his early teens he moved across thebay to San Francisco and became neighbors with a local DJ named Eddie Def who became his mentor. “I would go to his house every day just to touch the turntables. Just to practice.” Latin Prince recalls. “He was teaching me things. He was showing me how to spin. It was like a school.” Equipped with a vast range of musical knowledge and sharpened turntable skills, Latin Prince stepped out on his own and DJ’d weddings, quinceañeras and birthday parties. He became fully immersed into the DJ scene and created a pretty nice buzz throughout the city. Although under age, some club owners allowed him to do a set anyway. “I think I was 17. The security would walk me in to the club before they would open because I was an underage kid, to spin.” Says Latin Prince. Before long, he was building a huge following and played at some of thehottest night spots in San Francisco including City Lights, The X, Sound Factory, Club Mirage and Giovanni’s. He became so popular that key people at 106 KMEL, the Bay Area’s #1 radio station, started to take notice. After witnessing Latin Prince rock thecrowd one evening, the station’s mix show coordinator, Alex Mejia, decided to take him under his wing and make Latin Prince’s life long dream of being in radio, a reality. He also credits DJ Franzen Wong for helping to get his foot in the door. “He said if you let me spin at the club, I’ll let you help me run the board at the station.” Said LP about Franzen. “He was a key person that showed me what radio was all about. I was an intern for a 17-year-old kid, who Franzen was at the time.” His brief internship paid off and landed him on air as a part of the KMEL All Star DJ’s. In 1997, after 5 years at KMEL, Latin Prince tackled new ground and moved to Los Angeles and became an associate producer for HITS Magazine, one of the music industry’s top trade magazines. He again covered new territory when he joined the staff of MCA Records as Director of Rap Promotions where he worked with such luminaries as Mary J. Blige, Common, The Roots and Talib Kweli. He later spearheaded promotion campaigns at TVT Records where he was instrumental in boosting thecareers of Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins and Pitbull. When MCA closed their doors in 2003, Latin Prince took the opportunity to launch his own marketing and promotions company, Urban Jungle Music where his clients consist of J Records, Geffen Records, Universal Records, Interscope and others. A year later he formed the Bum Squad DJz website, a place for DJ’s from around the world to network, share music and break new artists. The Bum Squad DJz has become one of the most explosive DJ movements in the business. It garners nearly 1 million hits per month and consists of members and followers from all over the globe including United States, Croatia, United Kingdom, France, Spain and Japan. With the many accomplishments that Latin Prince has made over his illustrious career, he still has one goal he is determined to bring to fruition and that is to create a body of work with his stamp on it. “The only thing that is left for me to do is an album. On that DJ Khaled tip. I think that’s the only thing that’s missing.” Says LP “I’ve done radio. I’ve donea magazine. I’ve done a lot. I’ve toured the world but actually putting a body of work together, that is something I’m working on.” Latin Prince is currently the National Director of Mix Show West Coast Universal Records/Motown Los Angeles, where he works with Lil Wayne, Ali & Gipp, Penelope Jones, Chamillionaire, 216, Remy Martin and others. Although, Latin Prince has many skills and a multi-faceted career, DJing and music remains his first love. He travels internationally dazzling crowds with his unique formula of DJing. “A DJ has the ability to control your emotions and that is very powerful.” Says LP “To be able to put a smile on your face. To put on a song that’s gonna take you there or to play a song that tears you up is very powerful.” Learn more about Latin Prince at www.djlatinprince.com

MEGAUPLOAD.COM USERS PLAN TO SUE THE US GOVERNMENT FOR THE LOSS OF THEIR FILES

The drama surrounding file-sharing site Megaupload continued Friday (January 27) as users announced a plan to sue the FBI over files lost during the site's shutdown last week. Last week,the federal government took action against Megaupload.com, arresting several members of the company on racketeering and copyright-infringement charges. A federal indictment alleged that the site, which allows users to transfer large files, has generated more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and costs copyright-holders more than $500 million in lost revenue from pirated movies, albums and other materials. According to TorrentFreak.com,Pirate Parties around the world are banding together to file an official complaint against U.S. authorities in an effort to recover the large amounts of non-pirated data, research documents and personal videos that are shared among users on the site. "The widespread damage caused by the sudden closure of Megaupload is unjustified and completely disproportionate to the aim intended," they announced in a statement obtained by TorrentFreak. "For this reason Pirates of Catalonia, in collaboration with Pirate Parties International and other Pirate Parties, have begun investigating these potential breaches of law and will facilitate submission of complaints against the US authorities in as many countries as possible, to ensure a positive and just result. "This initiative is a starting point for legitimate internet users to help defend themselves from the legal abuses promoted by those wishing to aggressively lock away cultural materials for their own financial gain." The Department of Justice said the case against Megaupload is among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States. The news broke just a day after major websites like Wikipedia and Google protested against the U.S. House of Representatives' controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, and the Senate's similar Protect IP Act.

YOUNG MONEY ARTIST CORY GUNZ ARRESTED IN NY FOR GUN CHARGE "NEW YORK HAS A MANDATORY JAIL TIME LAW FOR GUNS"

Veteran Bronx MC Peter Gunz confirmed early Sunday (January 29) that his son, rapper Cory Gunz,was arrested for gun possession in the Bronx, New York, on Saturday afternoon. "The details are still sketchy, but I can confirm that he was arrested with a firearm yesterday in the Bronx," Gunz told MTV News. "They caught him around 2 p.m. in the afternoon with a loaded gun in his knapsack. "It was definitely an illegal search," Peter added. Gunz was unable to disclose full details on the incident just yet, but he explained the events leading up to his son's arrest. "I spoke to the arresting officer, and so far, what I'm hearing from him is that they got a phone call at the station saying they should 'look out,' " Gunz said. "According to [the officer], they didn't know he was Cory Gunz. They just saw a bunch of kids following him around. "What I will say is that the officer that arrested Cory actually happened to be a cool dude," Gunz continued. "After arresting Cory, sitting down with him and talking, he felt bad about the situation." The 24-year-old rapper was brought to the 43rd Precinct in the Bronx on Saturday, but officials there say he has since been transported to Central Booking, on E. 161st Street in the Bronx. While this is Cory Gunz's first brush with the law, his father is still worried about the potential fallout from a firearm charge. "At the end of the day, there's a reason for everything, but at the same time, in New York, it's mandatory jail time," he said. "To go to a precinct and see your son, your junior, in handcuffs, it's heartbreaking. Anytime you see your child in jail, in the cell, in handcuffs, it's very hard. He's walked down some of the same paths that I walked down, but you never want to see your kids go through what you went through. "This is Cory's first offense, but sometimes they like to make an example out of rappers and people with any kind of celebrity to them." In April 2011, Cory Gunz and his father starred in the six-part MTV docu-series "Son of a Gun," which charted the young rapper's rise to fame. The younger Gunz is signed to Lil Wayne's Young Money label.

BOW WOW IN TAX TROUBLE FOR 3 SEPERATE YEARS. LIENS HAVE BEEN PLACED

Bow Wow needs to hire himself a new accountant -- because not only does he have a tax lien against him for unpaid taxes from 2006 ... but now it turns out he owes back taxes from 2008 and 2010 as well!As TMZ first reported, a tax lien in Florida for the year 2006 put Bow Wow on the hook for $91,105.61. The lien has still not been paid off.Now a new lien was filed on January 9, this time in Georgia, saying Bow Wow owes $15, 279.62 for unpaid taxes from 2008 and another $19.700.91 for 2010.Put it all together ... and you've got $126,086.14.Calls to Bow Wow's rep were not returned.

RIHANNA TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE NEW BRITISH FASHION COMPETITION SHOW

Rihanna has signed on to be the executive producer of a new fashion competition show being developed for British television. The show, which does not yet have a title, is set to debut on the Sky Living channel in Britain. It will be hosted by Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts and include appearances by Rihanna herself, though it is unclear how frequently the pop star will be on the show. "I've always had a great love of fashion. It's a constant source of inspiration in my life, and is a big reason why I've grown into the person and artist I am today," the singer said in a statement on Sky Living's website. "I have been very fortunate to work with some truly amazing designers and stylists throughout my career, and they have been instrumental in making sure my creative vision reaches the stage. I am excited to follow the journey of our aspiring contestants and see how their individuality influences their efforts during the course of the show." The show, which will presumably bear some resemblance to "Project Runway" in terms of format, will culminate with a final challenge in which the remaining designers must create a unique stage outfit for Rihanna's performance at the Wireless festival in Hyde Park, England, in July.

BIRDMAN & SLIM IN ATLANTA COURT FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT LAWSUIT CASE

"College Park woman claims a record company is responsible for a violent attack that took place inside a studio bathroom. Two of the biggest names in the hip hop recording business are in Atlanta this week to answer to the charges. Nicole Westmoreland claims she was supposed to be given an opportunity to make a business presentation, but instead she says she was "exposed to illegal drugs and explicit sexual activity" before the act took place. She identified Alfred Cleveland as the man who committed the assault. Cleveland is serving time in prison for the attack. At one time, Cleveland was allegedly and associate of Cash Money Records moguls Ronald and Brian “Baby” Williams. Westmoreland is suing to hold the record company liable in the assault. The Williams brothers had no involvement in the physical assault. Cash Money’s artists include Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and others considered top shelf talent. Westmoreland claims Brian Williams invited her to the studio to make a presentation for his employees. She says Williams left her in a lounge area. She said Cleveland assaulted her when she went to a restroom."

THOUSANDS RUSH OAKLAND, CA CITY HALL AND BREAK IN YESTERDAY. OVER 200 ARRESTED

The Occupy movement is showing no signs of stopping any time soon… About 300 people were arrested Saturday during a chaotic day of Occupy protests that saw demonstrators break into City Hall and burn an American flag, as police earlier fired tear gas and bean bags to disperse hundreds of people after some threw rocks and bottles and tore down fencing outside a nearby convention center. Dozens of police officers stood guard outside City Hall late Saturday following the most turbulent day of protests since November, when Oakland police forcefully dismantled an Occupy encampment. An exasperated Mayor Jean Quan, who faced heavy criticism for the police action last fall, called on the Occupy movement to “stop using Oakland as its playground.” “People in the community and people in the Occupy movement have to stop making excuses for this behavior,” Quan said. Protesters clashed with police throughout the day, at times throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at officers. And police responded by deploying smoke, tear gas and bean bag rounds, City Adminstrator Deanna Santanta said. “These demonstrators stated their intention was to provoke officers and engage in illegal activity and that’s exactly what has occurred today,” Santana said.

AMBER ROSE "EVERYONE IS SOMEONE'S SLOPPY SECONDS UNLESS YOU'RE A VIRGIN"

Amber Rose sat down with the NYPost to continue her media-slore extravaganza and discussed all types things such as her relationship with Yeezy, being broke, and “sloppy seconds”… Over the past three years, Amber has risen from obscurity to infamy, stalked by the paparazzi on the arms of some of the world’s biggest rap stars — and not afraid to stir up trouble with her female rivals. “I’ve had two men in the music industry who loved me to death — and I have a bald head,” Amber explains of why she’s a controversial hot rod in the hip-hop world. “Well, one man that loves me to death, and the other that loved me halfway.” In 2008, rapper Kanye West became obsessed with Amber’s unique look after seeing her dancing in the Ludacris “What Them Girls Like” video. Amber, whose father is Irish and whose mother is from Cape Verde, stood out in a sea of video vixens. “I was home in The Bronx, and he called me on my cellphone,” she recalled. “I’d never met him before. He was like, ‘Hey, it’s Kanye.” She promptly hung up on him, mistaking the famous rapper for a prank caller. Kanye called back and finally convinced her he was serious about flying her to LA to star in his Robocop video. The video was never released, but Amber and Kanye struck up a friendship and he invited her to the Grammys. “We weren’t dating yet,” said Amber. “ We were still just friends, and we had never kissed or anything. I was in the back with his family. I didn’t sit in the audience. We didn’t do the red carpet or anything like that. I had never had Chanel before,” she cooed over the bodysuit he bought her for the occasion. “I’d never had anyone go out and buy me a really expensive outfit. When I told him I was an [exotic] dancer, he was like, ‘I don’t care if you’re a crackhead. I don’t care if you’re a prostitute. I just want to be with you.’ That’s what made me love him.” Earlier this month, she blamed her 2010 break-up on reality television star Kim Kardashian, whom she called a “home-wrecker” for having an affair with Kanye. But she also blames him. “He is your typical rapper in the industry,” Amber told The Post over dinner at The Lion, a celebrity hot spot in the West Village. “He can’t be faithful, and it’s not just with one person. He’s just unfaithful with a lot of different women. I got to the point where I thought, my heart can’t take it anymore. I don’t deserve this. I don’t care when people say that I owe him my life because I’m famous now. I don’t owe him nothing.” Today, she lives in LA with current squeeze, rapper Wiz Khalifa, the 24-year-old who shot to mainstream fame with his ode to Pittsburgh, “Black and Yellow” last year. But she was single for only a few months before she met Wiz Khalifa via Twitter. “We both travel a lot, so when we do see each other, we lay up in the bed, get sticky with each other, and watch movies,” said Amber. “If Wiz felt insecure about me dating Kanye, I wouldn’t be with him today. Everyone is someone’s sloppy seconds, unless you’re a virgin.” “Like every poor person, I used to dream about winning the lottery,” said Amber, who estimated she’s worth millions today. “I didn’t just get money, though. I got fame. And I got fame before I got money, and it was scary. It f—ing sucks.” Amber’s Bronx housing project was a step up from her childhood in Philadelphia, where she says that she and her mother were homeless when she was a young teen. Her father, who served in the military for 20 years, divorced her mother when she was young, and she started stripping on the sly when she was 15, under the pseudonym “Paris.” Worth millions, huh??? She’s really on the come up. Good for her.

A$AP ROCKY PERFORMS IN TORONTO BRINGS DRAKE ON STAGE

FOOTAGE FROM ETTA JAMES' FUNERAL (CHRISTINA AGUILERA SINGS AT LAST)

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ JOEY SLICK "HE HELPED BRING TOKYO JAPAN THE MIX"

Joey Slick is in the house!!! Joey who? you might ask. Disc jockey Joey Slick is the host of the weekly Joint One Radio show in Japan. This special mixshow has been on the air & retained on behalf of undeniable ratings for the past 9 years on JODW 76.1 INTERFM Tokyo (Saturday nights from 11pm-12am). Joint One recently aired their 2000th show, highlighting the recording industry'smost current R&B, Hip-Hop/RAP & Reggae music! Keeping the programming fresh and “safely” open to extremes, the music appeals to a broad range of demographics, constantly increasing the show's popularity. Born and raised in Monterey Park California, a small town just outside of Los Angeles, Joey began his career as most DJ's did. At age 13, he and some friends gathered whatever equipment and records they could get their hands on and spun their disks at local school dances and parties. Dedicating his all to perfecting his craft over the next several years, Joey's sounds were eventually heard on KVCM, KUCI, KPWR, and various high profile events. Once hitting his stride in the Los Angeles music and entertainment scene, people started taking notice. Agents, producers and artist began contacting Joey in attempts to get airtime. As a result, The Black Eye Peas may have had different careers if it were not for Joey Slick bringing their demo cassette tape to the Baka Boyz’ attention on the Friday Night Flavas program. Soon after, the promotional media was arriving by the crates. So much that it soon spawned the Joint One Record Pool, sampling thousands of demo music per month, practicing tough review and selection of the hottest & freshest songs to make the monthly cut. DJ's, radio stations, and tastemakers subscribe to, upkeep, and depend on record pool filtration to help determine their programming. Continuing to spin his music on shows & now running his record pool, Joey Slick was approached to be spotlighted on a one week remote live show in LA to Japan for the Soul Train radio program on J-Wave. This in sequence spurred a two week traveling show in Japan. Before the show's end, Joey was presented with an offer to host a daily radio show in Tokyo on InterFM. The rest is history in the making. Joint One Radio, historically, remains the first show dedicated to contemporary R&B, Hip-Hop & Reggae music from American artists on prime-time radio. Utilizing quality control and context programming, Joint One Radio inclusively gives light to striving local Japanese music as well. Through the record pool, they have access to the newest music in the world. Their mission is to expose the freshest/hottest sounds to listeners of all ages. On tasteful occasion, they will even bring back and spin a classic from the 70's, 80's or 90's, just to prove that great music still has power and appeal. Joint One has also been producing new undiscovered artists, as well as creating their own original scores. When it comes to music of this genre, Joint One Radio and Record Pool are the pipeline to all of Japan. When you think of where the heartbeat of American music is today, thoughts of Los Angeles or New York may cross your mind. At the very least, we may think that our radio stations should be playing the most current music in the industry. Think twice because most likely, these same songs were first aired on InterFM 76.1 Tokyo.

BIG FENDI SPEAKS ON BEING THE REASON FOR NIKKI MINAJ'S START, YOUNG MONEY OWES HIM MONEY PLUS DISSEE GRAVY

MADONNA TALKS SLICK ABOUT JANET JACKSON'S SUPER BOWL MALFUNCTION

Like the chicken and the egg, nobody really remembers which diva said what first, but Janet Jackson and Madonna have allegedly been feuding for decades now. Whether or not these allegations are true is uncertain. However, just this week, Madonna interviewed with NY1 to promote her Super Bowl half-time show performance as well as her new film set to debut soon, during which she slammed Janet for her prior controversial nip slip seen around the world. When asked whether or not she had any juicy surprises up her sleeve, Madonna responded “I have not mainstreamed and I’m not planning anything naughty. I’m planning something super entertaining.” She then continued on to talk that talk about her fellow chart-topping colleague. “Yep, yep! You don’t have to show nipples to be interesting or and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re cutting edge if you do right?” That’s a pretty ironic criticism seeing as though Madonna made her whole career off of being naked and being “cutting edge”

REV JESSE JACKSON HINTING AT PROTEST FOR THE GRAMMYS ELIMINATING VARIOUS AWARDS.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson is entering the fray over The Recording Academy's cuts to its Grammy categories: He's asking to meet with the president of the organization and has raised the possibility of protests with the awards less than two weeks away. The civil rights activist sent a letter to Neil Portnow, the president and CEO of the Academy, and expressed his dismay over the Academy's decision last April to cut its categories from 109 to 78, the biggest overhaul in its then 53-year history. In the letter, Jackson said he had been talking to members of the entertainment community and asked that his organization, the Rainbow Push Coalition, "meet with you urgently to express our concerns and to see if we might help resolve this conflict ... and allow the Grammys to do what they do best." In a statement to The Associated Press on Friday, Portnow said he was willing to talk with Jackson. "We are receptive to meeting with the Rev. Jackson to explain how our nomination process works and to show the resulting diverse group of nominees it produced for the 54th Grammys - many in the musical genres he cited in his letter," Portnow said. "We also agree with the Rev. Jackson that the Grammys are about music, not sales. They have, and always will, stand for excellence in music and celebrating the impact all music has on our culture." In an interview with the AP on Thursday night, Jackson said he wanted "cooperation, not confrontation" with the Academy. However, he did raise the possibility of a protest of the Feb. 12 Grammys, to be held in Los Angeles, if his talks with the Academy did not go well. "We are prepared to work with artists and ministers and activists to occupy at the Grammys so our appeal of consideration of mercy really might be heard," he said. The Academy decided last year to shrink its voluminous categories after a yearlong examination of the awards structure. Among the changes: elimination of some of the instrumental categories in pop, rock and country; traditional gospel; children's spoken-word album; Zydeco or Cajun music album; and best classical crossover album. In addition, men and women compete head-to-head in vocal performance categories instead of separate categories for each sex.

PRESIDENT OBAMA HELPS AL GREEN'S SALES RISE OVER 490%!!!!!!

President Barack Obama probably hopes his plans to reform financial aid programs are executed as well as his unintentional initiative to boost the music industry. After Obama sang the first line of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” at a January 19 fund-raising event at New York’s Apollo Theater, the song got a 490% sales boost, according to Nielsen SoundScan via Billboard. The video of Obama singing went viral, prompting 16,000 downloads to be sold that week, Billboard reported. “Don’t worry, Rev. I cannot sing like you, but I just wanted to show my appreciation,” Obama said to Green (who was also in attendance) after his short serenade.

NEW FLYTALK EPISODE "WINE ACTION 101 WITH SHEHU FITZGERALD

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ SIR THURL "THE DJ FROM THE SHOW ME STATE HAS SHOWN ST LOUIS,MO A LOT OF HEAT & TALENT"

He is known for breaking the newest and the rawest Hip Hop/Rap and R&B with an impressive mix of Old School Classics. DJ Sir Thurl is also a business man; he is owner of his own radio production and imaging Company, Townsend Enterprises, the co-founder of the entertainment business and marketing consulting firm, Allstar Solutions, and the CEO of his own DJ Company, Allstar DJ Service. DJ Sir Thurl features as a Mixer on Sirius|XM Satelite Radio on The Core DJs Show. He was featured as a 90s specialty mixer on Music Choice's Mixtape Channel for 2009. He was also a mixer on KATZ 100.3 The Beat in St, Louis for 10 years before the radio station folded in 2009. In previous years, DJ Sir Thurl has appeared on BET's Rap City, won numerous awards as a video editor, and received appreciation plaques from Major recording artist such as Nelly, Ludacris, Murphy Lee and The Ying Yang Twins. He has built a resume from spinning at the hottest concerts and parties for stars like Nelly, Bun B, Cedric The Entertainer, T.I., 8 Ball & MJG, UGK, and many more. Also playing at parties for the some of St. Louis most impressive promoters and the Missouri Nights campaign just adds more prestige to DJ Sir Thurl's resume. From the projects to the present, DJ Sir Thurl seems to have done it all, but along with his family, The Core DJs, he is just getting started.

JOJO HAS GROWN UP!!! BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE FROM VIBE PHOTO SHOOT

THIS IS JOJO A FEW YEARS AGO.

IGGY AZALEA SIGNED WITH INTERSCOPE AFTER BEING COURTED BY A FEW MAJORS

"I'm super happy about it," Iggy Azalea tells Billboard.com's The Juice of her newly signed deal with Interscope. The rising female rapper announced her deal today (Jan. 27), via Twitter [Link]. "Get used to me + jimmy smashing shit, cause thats the plan," Iggy tweeted. "Interscope, if you were wondering. The femme rapper caught the eyes and ears of several record labels when her mixtape, "Ignorant Art," hit the net. "It took me a long time [to decide] because I went around to every label. I was like, 'Okay I want to meet your A&R, president, vice president, and marketing [team]. Who would do my marketing?' I wanted to know who'd be working on my project and I wanted to meet them." "It's a family and it's a long-term commitment," Iggy tells The Juice. "People aren't just asking you to sign for one album. They're asking you to sign for like three or four, sometimes five. That's like a marriage." Iggy did her research of every label before and after taking meetings. She considered how each one would handle her vision and image. "I think they [labels] have things that they specialize in. Def Jam, I love. I was super close to signing with them. I think they're just the best team. I think they're really passionate about what they do and you can just tell that they're so hungry over there. But then you look at who they've got signed to their label and it kind of makes you be like, 'I don't know. Am I going to be the guinea pig here for this?' I don't know." Still so, she had doubts on signing on the dotted line, questioning the move from indie to major label status. "I started thinking, 'Oh God, am I going to sign to a label? Maybe I won't. And if I don't, what's my plan b?' It was starting to freak me out a little bit," Iggy said. "I've based a lot on what I thought was going to be [on] me signing to a major. And now I was getting into it, I didn't know if that would be the best for this moment in time because I didn't, [still don't] want to short sell myself or find something I'm not happy with." Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope/Geffen/A&M Records, caught drift of Iggy's doubts and assured her that this was indeed the right move for her, "I think once Jimmy saw that I was starting to pull away and be like, 'No, I'll just do my own thing,' he was like, 'What do you want lady?' And I was like, 'Alright, let's cut the bullshit.'" Iovine has high hopes for the rapper who's currently working on her debut album, "The New Classic," (June 2012). He even compared Iggy to one of her own idols, 2Pac **. "He's crazy. He's like, 'You're the next Tupac!' I'm like you're absolutely insane. But I love it!"

MJ GETS IMMORTALIZED WITH HANDPRINTS & FOOTPRINTS IN WET CEMENT

Michael Jackson **'s three children, Paris, Prince and Blanket, honored their father by immortalizing his handprints and footprints in wet cement during a ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Thursday (Jan. 26). According to Reuters [Link], Paris imprinted her father's iconic sequined glove into the cement, while Prince and Blanket placed his shoe into the cement, before all three left their own handprints next to their father's. A hundred fans attended the event, including Justin Bieber **, Chris Tucker, Quincy Jones ** and Jackson's brothers Tito and Jackie. Jackson's mother Katherine called the ceremony "a very, very solemn occasion for my son." Bieber, in turn, told the crowd, "Everything I do, I look at Michael and I want to be as good as he was." Jackson's prints will now reside next to Hollywood royalty like Fred Astaire and Marilyn Monroe at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The ceremony comes one day before Cirque du Soleil begins a three-night stay at the Staples Center in Los Angeles as part of their "Michael Jackson: The IMMORTAL World Tour" run.

COVERGIRL, OLAY, AND VENUS TO THROW GLAM GRAMMY PARTY FEAT!

OH, YOU PRETTY THINGS: And the Grammy Week events just keep on comin’. the Recording Academy has partnered with CoverGirl, Olay and Venus on Grammy Glam—celebrating the intrinsic connection between music and glamour—on Tuesday (2/7) at MyHouse in Hollywood. The red-carpet event will feature DJ sets by DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown a.k.a. Erykah Badu, DJ Spinderella of Salt-N-Pepa and new DJ duo The Jane Doze. On the interactive tip, female fans at home will have the opportunity to showcase their spinning skills by entering the "Grammy Glam" room on Turntable.fm; their music will be virtually spotlighted at the event during The Jane Doze's opening act. Social engagement via Facebook and Twitter will also be featured at www.glam.grammy.com, where fans can upload photos and join in the #GrammyGlam conversation.

WALE SPEAKS ON SOPA/DRAKE & COMMON BEEF PLUS MORE

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ B LORD "SC's HARDEST WORKING DJ IN THE STREETS"

The most interesting DJ in the South is a good way to describe “The Mighty” DJ B-Lord. With humble beginnings in rural South Carolina DJ B-Lord has clawed his way into HIp Hop history with a relentless work ethic and incredible ear for music. He rocks parties 3-5 nights a week, radio mixshow 6 days a week and drops 3-4 classic and groundbreaking mixtapes a year. His lifelong love affair with all things Hip Hop has allowed him to become (and remain) relevant in the club circuit, the mixtape and radio mixshow arena. DJ B-LORD is without a doubt………….MIGHTY DAMN FRESH!

GLEE CREW DOES "WANNA BE STARTING SOMETHING"

TWO MURDERS OF ATLANTA AREA WOMEN COME BACK TO BACK!!!! WHATS GOING ON IN THE A?

Police identified a body found Wednesday night behind a Jonesboro apartment complex as that of a Riverdale mother of two. Rochelle Alicia Thomas, 30, dropped off her two elementary school-age children at school Wednesday morning, but did not return to pick them up again that afternoon, Jonesboro Police Chief Franklin Allen said. "Her mother called the Riverdale police and reported her missing," Allen said. "But she didn't have any identification on her when she was found, so we had no way of knowing immediately where to look to identify her." Police have considered Thomas' death a homicide. Her body was partially clothed when she was located behind the Harmony Crossroads Apartments in the 800 block of Tara Boulevard, police said. Thomas' car was located Thursday afternoon at a Clayton County location police declined to reveal. Through coordination Thursday with the GBI, which has now taken lead of the investigation, both Riverdale and Jonesboro police were able to identify Thomas. Medical examiners at the GBI Crime Lab completed an autopsy Thursday, but police are withholding the results, including the cause of Thomas' death, Riverdale Police Chief Samuel Patterson said. "We don't want to talk about the means," he said. "It could compromise the investigation." Allen said investigators are interviewing several persons of interest, and said he believes Thomas knew who killed her. Police are asking the public's help. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Riverdale police at 770-909-5423. ANOTHER WOMAN (STACEY ENGLISH) FOUND DEAD IN ATLANTA AREA. LOOKS LIKE FOUL PLAY! ((HER BODY WAS FOUND ON 1/23/12))

COMMON & MONTA ELLIS (GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS) VISIT WEST OAKLAND, CA SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAM

NBA STAR MONTA ELLIS, AND RAPPER COMMON SURPRISED A GROUP OF YOUNG BASKETBALL PLAYERS FROM WEST OAKLAND, CA DURING PRACTICE. A LOCAL RADIO STATION EVENT BROUGHT COMMON TO THE AREA TO JOIN HOMETOWN STAR ELLIS IN THE SURPRISE FOR THE KIDS.

RICK ROSS "GOD FORGIVES. I DONT" COMING SOON

NEW AT THE MOVIES.

LMFAO WILL BE ON STAGE WITH MADONNA DURING SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW

During the Super Bowl XLV halftime show last February, Will.i.am ** and the rest of the Black Eyed Peas ** brought out special guests like Usher ** and Slash ** to pump up their pop anthems. One year later, Will.i.am has taken it upon himself to reveal one of the performers expected to spice up Madonna **'s upcoming halftime extravaganza: those lovable party rockers, LMFAO **. Speaking to Capital FM [Link] about Madge's halftime show, Will.i.am says, "I'm going to the Super Bowl this year to see my group LMFAO perform with Madonna." LMFAO, who scored a pair of Hot 100 chart-toppers last year with "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It," are signed to Will.i.am Music Group through Cherrytree/Interscope. Madonna's Super Bowl Setlist: Poll Results The Peas star continued, "Check that out, Will.i.am Music Group is pretty freaking two for two…. One year the Super Bowl, the next year another group part of the Super Bowl in collaboration with Madonna. That's still happening." Madonna, a recent Golden Globe winner whose 12th studio album "M.D.N.A." is expected for a March release, was announced as the Super Bowl halftime show performer in December after months of speculation. Nicki Minaj ** is also rumored to show up at the Super Bowl performance, after the hip-hop star and pop legend collaborated on Madonna's forthcoming single, "Give Me All Your Love." Meanwhile, Will.i.am is gearing up for a new album himself: "#willpower," his fourth studio album, was previewed by the single "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" featuring Jennifer Lopez ** and Mick Jagger in November. Will.i.am and LMFAO both performed at the 2011 American Music Awards that month.

YOUNG MONEY/CASH MONEY PLANS TO PUT AN EVEN STONGER HEADLOCK ON THE MUSICBIZ IN 2012 WITH UPCOMING RELEASES

Young Money plans to take over 2012. From Tyga **'s "Careless World: Rise of the Last King" (Feb. 21) to Nicki Mina **j's much anticipated sophomore album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded," (April 3) more than half of the chart-stopping crew have projects underway. Nicki MInaj Pushes Back 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' Album Lil Wayne ** has a few projects in the bag himself. Birdman ** tells Complex [Link] that Wayne's "I Am Not a Human Being 2," is "ready to go." "It's gonna be before the summer for sure. We haven't picked the date yet.... He's definitely got an album done and ready to go. Wayne works a lot. There's no telling [if 'Rebirth 2' will happen]. But I know for sure we've got "I Am Not a Human Being 2" ready to go. That's the next project." Weezy has also been laying down tracks for his collaborative album with Juelz Santana **, "I Can't Feel My Face," and "Like Father, LIke Son," with Baby. The projects won't show face, though, till both bless their fans with their solo projects. "Wayne wants to do the 'I Am Not a Human Being 2' and I want to do my solo album too ['Bigger Than Life'], so we'll probably do that ['Like Father, Like Son'] later on," Birdman says.

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ TOUCHTONE "PHILLY'S OWN PROVES HIS LOVE FOR MUSIC AS THE WORLDS #1 BLIND DJ"

DJ TouchTone – America’s #1 Blind DJ! He’s an on-air personality and mixer, who amazingly mixes, spins, edits, and produces all without the sense of sight. A master of his art, he memorizes his music and catalogues it systematically to produce the hottest mix shows in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. From Ohio to Philly to NYC and LA – listeners have come to know, love, and crave his mixing style and DJ skills. His creations can be heard on 100.3 THE BEAT and 107.9 WRNB in Philadelphia; Z107.9 WENZ and 93 WZAK in Cleveland Ohio as well as Superadio, a nationally syndicated network. Born Anthony Stevenson in Philadelphia, PA, TouchTone accredits his ability to mix music to his firm upbringing. Not being able to move beyond the front step, he learned how to utilize his gift and passion to entertain himself using his mother's record player, and classic soul records. Ultimately, he perfected the art of mixing and scratching, which lead to his present day success in the music community. DJ TouchTone has an impressive list of credits to his repertoire. He has appeared on BET’s (Black Entertainment Television) “Rap City the Basement” and “106 and Park”; MTV’s judging of “Making the Band”; Philadelphia’s affiliate stations Fox 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia”, and ABC 6’s “Visions”. DJ TouchTone has been seen in several magazines such as “The Source” and “XXL”. DJ TouchTone has exhibited his talents from coast to coast doing parties for prominent celebrities in the entertainment and sports industry, notably P Diddy and Rasheed Wallace to name just a few as well as big named clients like Heineken, Comcast, Gillette, FOX TV and more. DJ TouchTone is in demand for his ability, charisma and talents! TouchTone incorporates his blindness, as a distinctive characteristic that sets him apart from the pack! His inspirations include, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Tom Joyner, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kid Capri, Funk Master Flex, Colby Colb and Russell Simmons. TouchTone is now focusing on the big picture, such as syndication and an array of other entrepreneurial opportunities. DJ TouchTone has already exceeded expectations and overcome tremendous limitations. He is a man with great vision and determination, and is truly one of God's gifts you have to SEE and HEAR to believe

ETTA JAMES SEES RECORD SALES SORE OVER 378% WITH HER PASSING

The late, great Etta James ** makes a powerful impact on the Billboard charts this week, following her death on Jan. 20. On the Billboard 200 chart, she nets her highest-charting album ever as "The Best of Etta James -20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection" rises from No. 162 to No. 46 with 8,000 sold (up 149% over the previous week) according to Nielsen SoundScan. Until this week, the R&B/blues legend had never gone higher than No. 68, when "At Last!" rose to that position in 1961. Etta James Dies at 73 | Honoring Etta: 7 Versions of 'At Last' Photos: Etta James Through the Years For the week ending Sunday, Jan. 22, James' overall catalog of albums sold 30,000 copies. That marks a 378% increase over the previous week, when her collected albums moved just over 6,000 units. James also debuts on the Billboard 200 at No. 59 with the 1997 hits collection "Her Best" (7,000; up 4,226%) and re-enters at No. 96 with the aforementioned "At Last!" (5,000; up 907%). Her famed single "At Last" was her best-selling song of the week as well. It shifted 63,000 downloads, enabling its debut at No. 29 on the Digital Songs chart, with a weekly gain of 1,361%. "At Last" is one of James' 26 charting hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart -- it rose to a peak of No. 47 on Feb. 11. 1961. Though she's had higher-charting Hot 100 singles, "At Last" is arguably her signature recording -- even though she wasn't the first to sing it. For the week, James' catalog of songs sold 118,000 downloads (more than half of that were "At Last's" sales) -- for an overall gain of 1,091% compared to last week.

"DJ IDOL"SIMON COWELL TEAMS UP WITH WILL & JADA PINKETT-SMITH FOR A NEW INTERNATIONAL DJ COMPETITION SHOW

Between his work on "American Idol," "Britain's Got Talent" and "The X Factor," Simon Cowell has been harvesting pop stars and helping to hone their natural talents for over a decade. He has made Kelly Clarkson **, Carrie Underwood ** and Leona Lewis ** household names, and now, Cowell is apparently ready to find the next Skrillex. The music mogul's Syco Entertainment has announced a partnership with Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith's Overbrook Entertainment to develop a live, international TV show dedicated to finding the world's next great DJ. Syco, Overbrook and Sony Pictures Television will soon unveil their U.S. and U.K. broadcast partners for the project. "We have been working on this show for over a year and we wanted to partner with the right people," says Cowell in a statement. "DJ's are the new rock stars, it feels like the right time to make this show." Pinkett-Smith adds, "This show will comb the world to find a new breed of talent." Cowell recently presided over the debut season of the U.S. "X Factor," which crowned Melanie Amaro its inaugural winner last month. Fox renewed the show for a second season in November. Meanwhile, "Idol" producer and XIX Entertainment CEO Simon Fuller is readying his own music competition with an international scope. "Q'Viva: The Chosen," Jennifer Lopez ** and Marc Anthony **'s Latin talent show, premieres this Saturday (Jan. 28) on Univision, and will follow on Fox a few weeks later.

NE-YO TAKES A DAY JOB OFFICE POSITION AT MOTOWN AS SVP A&R

: Ne-Yo is pulling a Jay-Z, taking the post of SVP A&R at Motown, which will also be his new label home as an artist, as he moves over from Def Jam, taking his Compound Entertainment imprint with him. The announcement was made this morning by Barry Weiss, who now bears the wordy title Chairman/CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown, and Motown SVP Ethiopia Habtemariam. According to Weiss, “this move to Motown will provide new and inspiring challenges for Ne-Yo, as both an artist and a key member of the new senior management team that is taking form at the label in 2012.” Added Habtemariam, “In Ne-Yo, we have both a global superstar and arguably one of the best songwriters in music. His presence on the executive team only strengthens our commitment to the very best in R&B.” The man himself also had a comment. "I'm a combination of excited, honored and terrified all at once!” he acknowledged. “Excited about a new beginning here at Motown, honored that I've been given such a prestigious title and trusted with such responsibility, TERRIFIED because I know that playing this role, in the fashion of one of my idols and career role models Mr. Smokey Robinson, these are big shoes to fill...but trust, I can handle it."

FULL STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

LOLA MONROE WIZ KHALIFA JUICY J "OH GEE LA FREESTYLE"

FUNK FLEX UNEDITED INTERVIEW WITH OLIVIA (LOVE & HIP HOP) ABOUT THEIR BEEF OR MISUNDERSTANDING

(THIS THE AUDIO TO THE UNEDITED INTERVIEW)

(A LITTLE VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM THE INTERVIEW)

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ NASTY "FLORIDA'S HIT MAKER/ORLANDO'S URBAN MAYOR"

NASTY HAS WENT FROM THE STREET TEAM TO RADIO TO MAKING HITS FOR/WITH RICK ROSS, DJ KHALED, THE RUNNERS, AND TOO MANY MORE TO NAME, BUT THE REASON HE IS THE DJ OF THE DAY ISN'T BECAUSE OF THAT FAME. IT'S BECAUSE HE STAYS HUMBLE. IF I NEED HIM, I NEVER HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING HIM ON THE LINE, AND HE STILL DJS IN THE CLUB, AND AT RADIO BECAUSE HE HAS A LOVE FOR MUSIC, AND HIS CRAFT AS A DJ. HIS BIRTHDAY PARTIES BRING OUT ALL THE STARS, BUT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DJ NASTY IS TO KNOW HE'S GROUNDED, AND DESERVES THE BLESSINGS HE GETS FROM THE STUDIO, AND TO BE CALLED DJ OF THE DAY.... NASTY!!!!! WHAT UP MY NINJA?!

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR ETTA JAMES ANNOUNCED

A public viewing will be held Friday for singer Etta James **, and the Rev. Al Sharpton will eulogize the late legend at a private funeral Saturday. A statement from Sharpton's representative Tuesday said the funeral will include performances by celebrities, but those names were not announced. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. The public viewing will be held in Inglewood and the funeral will be held in Gardena, both in the Los Angeles area. The family is asking that any donations be sent to the Philadelphia-based Rhythm & Blues Foundation.

BILLBOARD'S MOST ANTICIPATED ALBUMS/ARTISTS FOR 2012

Sales have leveled out but artists can kick-star careers with a click. It's a good time to be new. Meet 17 acts whose time is now and whose debut albums will win your ears in 2012. 2012 Album Preview: This Year's Best Bets Azealia Banks | TBA Date: TBA Twitter: @azealiabanks Genre: hip-hop After honing her skills at New York's La Guardia High School -- whose alumni include Nicki Minaj and Kelis -- 20-year-old Harlem rapper/singer Azealia Banks caught the attention of hip-hop blogs on her club-ready single "212," which hit iTunes in December. Formerly signed to XL Recordings, on Jan. 18 Banks announced she had signed to Universal Music. She is prepping her debut album for a 2012 release. In the meantime, she's issued more Internet-baiting tracks ("Liquorice," "L8R"), plotted a U.K. tour that kicks off Feb. 7 and confirmed spots at Coachella and Tokyo's Springroove Festival. Alabama Shakes | "Boys & Girls Date:April 10 Twitter: @alabamashakes Genre: independent, blues-rock Athens, Ala., blues rock quintet Alabama Shakes has built a monstrous buzz since self-releasing its self-titled debut EP in September through Bandcamp. Paste magazine recently named the band its best new artist of 2011, and the act's face-melting live shows-featuring the devastating lead vocals of frontwoman Brittany Howard-have been selling out faster and faster. The band's full-length debut, "Boys & Girls," is set to drop in early April on ATO in the United States and Rough Trade in the United Kingdom. Willow Smith | "Knees and Elbows" Date: April Twitter: @officialwillowbr /> Genre: R&B Ever since Willow Smith stormed onto the scene in 2010 with "Whip My Hair"-No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100; 1.5 million downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan-fans have been wondering what's next. Well, the 11-year-old dynamo is back with new single "Fireball" (featuring Nicki Minaj), while her Roc Nation debut album, "Knees and Elbows," is due in April, just in time for the Kids' Choice Awards (hosted by Willow's famous father, Will). The set's producers and songwriters include Tricky Stewart, the-Dream, Jim Jonsin, Warryn Campbell, Ester Dean, Andre Merritt, Red Styles and Stoopid Robots. According to Omarr Rambert, music director/A&R executive for Overbrook Entertainment, which manages Smith, "This album is like a gumbo of R&B, pop and rock. It's pretty much all the music that inspires Willow." Duck Sauce | TBA Date: TBA Twitter: @ducksaucenyc Genre: dance Duck Sauce started out as a side project: a chance for friends and fellow DJ/producers A-Trak and Armand Van Helden to indulge their love for all things "zany and absurd," according to A-Trak. In 2011, that resulted in a mere three singles: feel-good disco-house anthem "aNYway," minimal-house chant "Big Bad Wolf" and what might be the year's most surprising Grammy Award nominee (for best dance song), "Barbra Streisand." The simple track-which bleats the diva's name over a sampled disco loop-inspired a celeb-dotted video (66.3 million YouTube views thus far) and even a make-your-own microsite, which allowed users to set any similarly syllabic set of words to the same instrumental. It was enough to prompt the occasional duo to start work on a full album, set for a 2012 release. "It still sort of feels like a side project, because Armand and I both continue to do our own solo work in parallel," says A-Trak, also founder of label Fool's Gold. "Dance music's not going anywhere, and with Duck Sauce I feel like we really have our lane, our own place. Not to sound cocky, but no one's really making records like us on this level. Our approach is minimal and fun. We take pride in being outsiders and doing things our own way." Ed Sheeran | "+" Date: TBA Twitter: @edsheeran Genre: pop British artist Ed Sheeran (@edsheeran) has already made a big impression in his homeland. Signed to Asylum/Atlantic Records, the 20-year-old singer scored three top five singles in 2011 with his chart-topping debut, "+." Now Sheeran has set the United States in his sights. Live shows at New York's Mercury Lounge (Jan. 30) and Los Angeles' Hotel Cafe (Feb. 2)-booked by New York-based Paradigm-have already sold out. An appearance at South by Southwest is also scheduled. A U.S. release date for the album (on Elektra/Atlantic) is yet to be announced, but expectation for the folk-pop artist is growing. "Ed is a phenomenal talent, a unique voice and one of the biggest U.K. breakthroughs of the year," Atlantic Records U.K. chairman Max Lousada says. "His brilliant album is already attracting him a passionate global audience, and we're extremely excited about [its] U.S. campaign." Brent Anderson | TBA Date: summer Twitter: @brents2cents Genre: country Brent Anderson can recall singing in the hallway at a casino while his band played the main room because he was too young to legally be in the venue, but such obstacles didn't deter the Sea Gayle Records/Arista Nashville newcomer, who began writing songs when he was 10 and fronting his own band at 13. The Pascagoula, Miss., native spent the latter part of 2011 introducing country radio to his debut single, "Amy's Song," which features guest vocals by Vince Gill and Pure Prairie League's Craig Fuller. "We've been doing a lot of radio shows at clubs and bars, so we're getting in front of listeners," says Anderson, now 23, who has also been opening shows for Ronnie Dunn, Jerrod Niemann and Brad Paisley. "He's a unique songwriter and a unique singer," says Paisley, who co-wrote two songs for Anderson's debut, set to arrive this summer. "He has this really cool voice and when I heard the way he writes, I was in. I hope he has all the success in the world." J Balvin | TBA Date: TBA Twitter: @jbalvin Genre: latin For the past three years, J Balvin (real name Jose Alvaro Osorio Balvin) has permeated the airwaves of his native Colombia with self-released, danceable reggaet�n tracks boasting romantic lyrics and catchy hooks. In 2010, EMI Colombia signed Balvin to a distribution deal, leading U.S.-based Capitol Latin to sign him as an exclusive recording artist. After collecting a gold plaque in Colombia for sales of 15,000 copies of his 2009 debut, "Real," Balvin is now preparing to go global. His first international album will hit later this year, but in January Capitol Latin will drop a mixtape featuring hits and unreleased material. "What he has accomplished on his own has been unprecedented," Capitol Latin VP of marketing David Alvarado says. "We are happy to take him to the next level." Karyn Williams | "Only You" Date: May Twitter: @karynwilliams Genre: Christian In 2007, Karyn Williams left her real estate career in Orlando, Fla., and moved to Nashville. An indie effort stirred interest at Christian radio with the single "Rejoice" and paved the way for a deal with Inpop Records. "It has its roots in pop/worship," Williams says of label debut "Only You," coming in May. "I have a broad variety of musical influences that range from Amy Grant to Mariah Carey to the Judds, so there is a little bit of everything on this record." Jacob Latimore | "All of Me" Date: early 2012 Twitter: @jacoblatimore Genre: R&B Fifteen-year-old Jacob Latimore is a singer/dancer/actor who first appeared on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop charts in 2007 with viral single "Superstar" (released by Crown World/Face2Face, the track peaked at No. 84) and whose RCA debut is slated for early 2012. The Teddy Riley-produced radio version of first single "Like 'Em All" (featuring Issa) has sold 76,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and peaked at No. 55 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs last year. It was preceded last February by a version featuring Diggy Simmons that peaked in the top five at Radio Disney. Giovanna Pessi | "If Grief Could Wait" Date: Feb. 7 Genre: jazz Swiss harpist Giovanna Pessi, whose previous recordings have been with baroque and contemporary music ensembles, blends the folk music of Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake and collaborator Susanna Wallumrod with 17th-century pieces by Henry Purcell on her solo debut, "If Grief Could Wait," arriving Feb. 7 on ECM. Produced by Manfred Eicher and recorded in Lugano, Switzerland, the album uses early-music instrumentation of harp, viola da gamba and nyckelharpa to complement Wallumrod's understated vocals. Pessi met Wallumrod while recording with Wallumrod's brother Christian in 2006, which led to Pessi playing harp on Susanna's Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos. Eicher then asked Pessi to deliver a proposal for an ECM album, prompting a year of rehearsing before the project expanded to a quartet. Wallumrod, a Norwegian, has performed as Susanna & the Magical Orchestra since 2000. Meek Mill | TBA Date: spring Twitter: @meekmill Genre: hip-hop Maybach Music Group, Rick Ross' imprint on Warner Bros. Records, scored big in November when Wale's sophomore album, "Ambition," debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Next up for MMG is the proper debut from Meek Mill, a star on the Philadelphia mixtape scene who broke out in 2011 with "Ima Boss," the scorching street anthem that appeared on "Maybach Music Group Presents: Self Made Vol. 1" and peaked at No. 20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs tally. Warner Bros. executive VP/head of urban music Joie Manda says that Mill has completed four songs for his still-untitled debut, which is due in the spring, and that, like "Ambition, "will be executive-produced by Ross. "You're going to get those high-energy club records, and you're also going to get a few introspective records . . . He wants to describe who he is and his story about where he comes from," Manda says, adding that Mill is planning on a headlining tour in 2012. Fun. | "Some Nights" Date: Feb. 21 Twitter: @ournameisfun Genre: pop With a baroque pop sound that recalls Queen and a youthful exuberance that's in tune with its new label, Fueled by Ramen, New York-based band Fun. is just that. Almost three years after releasing its first LP, the group will make its major-label debut when new album "Some Nights" arrives Feb. 21. The set, produced by Kanye West collaborator Jeff Bhasker -who "gave the album the shot in the arm I was hoping it would have," fun. frontman Nate Ruess says-showcases the act's growth into a band able to channel its massive sound and singalong choruses into concise tracks. "Sometimes we felt the need to go overboard," Ruess adds, "and then we realized we wanted everything to be heard." Dustin Lynch | TBA Date: TBA Twitter: @dustinlynch Genre: country Broken Bow Records newcomer Dustin Lynch honed his songwriting skills penning more than 200 songs in less than two years. The Tullahoma, Tenn., native earned the respect of Music Row's songwriting elite and his collaborators include Dallas Davidson ("Just a Kiss"), Tim Nichols ("Live Like You Were Dying") and Casey Beathard. His debut single, "Cowboys and Angels," is gaining traction at country radio and he's a savvy social media operative: He documents his travels on his radio-tour Tumblr ( dlradiotour.tumblr.com) and connects with fans through his weekly YouTube Web series, "Tuesdays on the DL." On Jan. 17, Country Weekly will launch CW on the DL, featuring a new song from Lynch and a webisode each week leading up to street date. Feed Me | TBA Date: mid-year Twitter: @feedme Genre: dance In addition to being respected drum'n'bass producer Spor, U.K.-born Jon Gooch is also feed me, a toxic green, rec�tangle-shaped cartoon monster with a fang-filled Cheshire grin who just happens to produce song-based electro-house. An animated character fronting a dance music project? Just tell Feed Me's label boss Deadmau5 that it's crazy. A full album on Mau5trap, and a headlining North American tour-heavy with visuals and effects, supports TBA-are planned for midyear. Nena Guzman | "Te Declaro La Guerra/I Declare War on You" Date: Feb. 28 Twitter: @nena_guzman1 Genre: latin Downey, Calif.-based Del Records founder Angel Del Villar discovered Mexican-born Nena Guzman last year after seeing her belt out heartfelt corridos and romantic ballads online. On Feb. 28, Del Records/Sony will release her debut, "Te Declaro La Guerra/I Declare War on You." Produced by regional Mexican music vets Giovanni Cabrera and Daniel Niebla, the project will mark the 21-year-old Guzman, who has already racked up 2 million-plus YouTube views, as one of the youngest artists in her genre to emerge with a strong fan base. For King & Country | "Crave" Date: Feb. 28 Twitter: @4kingandcountry Genre: Christian Boasting a vibrant pop/rock sound that echoes a mix of influences ranging from Coldplay and Amy Grant to Aqualung, For King & Country bows Feb. 28 with its Fervent Records debut, "Crave." Born in Sydney, siblings Joel and Luke Smallbone moved to Nashville during elementary school when their concert promoter father relocated the family. "We are opposites, but we really function well together," Joel says of the brothers' dynamic. The duo's first single, "Busted Heart (Hold On to Me)" is climbing Billboard's Christian Songs chart. Album cuts "People Change" and "Love's to Blame" have aired on the CW show "Vampire Diaries," and the song "Light It Up" was tapped for Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva." The brothers will kick off 2012 joining Skillet, Sanctus Real and other acts on the Winter Jam tour. Brad Oberhofer | TBA Date: March 15 Twitter: @oberhofermusic Genre: independent, pop Before Glassnote Records signed him last summer, one-man band Brad Oberhofer already had a sizable fan base. A former student at New York University, the Tacoma, Wash., native spent years performing in Manhattan and Brooklyn at established and DIY venues alike, and today, within many online and local indie circles, Oberhofer is already a household name. Now with Glassnote onboard, the artist has been able to fully realize what he has called a two-year-long "labor of love." The result? A sparkly pop debut, due March 15, that fits well beside works by labelmate Phoenix. As for what to expect from it, Glassnote CEO Daniel Glass suggests the tracks will be best-digested on the move. "We were driving in California recently," he says, "and we just blasted it, over and over." 2012 Album Preview: This Year's Best Bets

UPCOMING ALBUMS TO HIT THE STORES

DATE /ARTIST /TITLE/ LABEL /PREVIOUS RELEASE DATE /PREVIOUS FIRST WEEK /PREVIOUS RELEASE TO DATE 01.24.12 2012 GRAMMY NOMINEES VARIOUS ARTISTS UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC 01.25.11 38,200 239,000 01.24.12 ICARLY SOUNDTRACK II NICKELODEON/COLUMBIA 06.10.08 20,400 231,000 01.24.12 KELLIE PICKLER 100 PROOF BNA 09.30.08 43,200 454,000 01.24.12 LAMB OF GOD RESOLUTION EPIC 02.24.09 68,000 218,000 01.24.12 SEAL SOUL 2 REPRISE 11.16.08 45,000 546,000 01.24.12 SKRILLEX BANGARANG EP (Physical Release) BIG BEAT/ATLANTIC 12.27.11 23,700 43,000 01.24.12 TIM MCGRAW EMOTIONAL TRAFFIC CURB 10.20.09 137,000 772,000 01.24.12 VARIOUS (AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL) CHIMES OF FREEDOM: SONGS OF BOB DYLAN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL N/A N/A N/A 01.31.12 FRED HAMMOND "GOD, LOVE & ROMANCE" VERITY/RCA 09.29.09 20,400 165,000 01.31.12 GOTYE MAKING MIRRORS (PHYSICAL RELEASE) UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC DEBUT N/A N/A 01.31.12 LANA DEL REY BORN TO DIE INTERSCOPE DEBUT N/A N/A 01.31.12 LEONARD COHEN OLD IDEAS COLUMBIA 09.19.10 4,500 29,000 01.31.12 METALLICA BEYOND MAGNETIC (Physical Release) WARNER BROS. 12.13.11 36,000 66,000 02.07.12 BRIAN COURTNEY WILSON SO PROUD MUSIC WORLD 06.02.09 4,100 119,000 02.07.12 DIERKS BENTLEY HOME CAPITOL NASHVILLE/EMI 06.08.10 39,000 245,000 02.07.12 "MAYBACH MUSIC GROUP, VOL. 2" VARIOUS ARTISTS MAYBACH 05.24.11 59,000 198,000 02.07.12 NOW 41 VARIOUS ARTISTS CAPITOL/EMI 11.13.11 119,000 550,000 02.07.12 PAUL MCCARTNEY KISSES ON THE BOTTOM HEAR MUSIC/CONCORD 06.10.07 161,000 635,000 02.07.12 THE FRAY SCARS & STORIES EPIC 02.03.09 180,000 897,000 02.07.12 VAN HALEN DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUTH INTERSCOPE 03.22.98 191,000 516,000 02.14.12 FAITH HILL ILLUSION WARNER BROS. NASHVILLE 08.25.05 329,000 2,260,000 02.14.12 L'ANDRIA JOHNSON EVOLUTION OF L'ANDRIA JOHNSON MUSIC WORLD 09.06.11 14,300 110,000 02.21.12 BAND OF SKULLS SWEET SOUR VAGRANT 04.07.09 1,900 61,000 02.21.12 SLEIGH BELLS REIGN OF TERROR MOM & POP 05.11.10 12,100 148,000 02.21.12 WAKA FLOCKA FLAME TRIPLE F LIFE WARNER BROS. 10.05.10 37,000 315,000 02.28.12 CRANBERRIES ROSES DOWNTOWN 10.23.01 29,000 172,000 02.28.12 ESTELLE ALL OF ME ATLANTIC 04.29.08 15,000 233,000 02.28.12 JA RULE PIL 2 MPIRE 11.08.04 166,000 662,000 02.28.12 LYLE LOVETT RELEASE ME LOST HIGHWAY 10.20.09 16,000 77,000 03.06.12 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN WRECKING BALL COLUMBIA 01.27.09 224,000 595,000 03.06.12 MONICA NEW LIFE RCA 03.23.10 184,000 575,000 03.06.12 SEAN PAUL TBD ATLANTIC 08.18.09 28,500 101,000 03.13.12 B.O.B. STRANGE CLOUDS ATLANTIC 05.02.10 84,000 585,000 03.13.12 FLORENCE + THE MACHINE MTV UNPLUGGED UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC 11.01.11 105,000 466,000 03.13.12 MARVIN SAPP I WIN RCA 03.16.10 76,000 385,000 03.13.12 MIKE POSNER SKY HIGH RCA 08.15.10 30,000 162,000 03.13.12 TING TINGS TBD COLUMBIA 05.20.08 4,500 355,000 03.20.12 ADAM LAMBERT TRESPASSING 19/RCA 11.29.09 198,500 833,000 03.20.12 CASEY JAMES CASEY JAMES 19/BNA DEBUT N/A N/A 03.20.12 ESPERANZA SPAULDING RADIO MUSIC CITY CONCORD 08.22.10 4,200 114,000 03.20.12 ONE DIRECTION UP ALL NIGHT COLUMBIA DEBUT N/A N/A 03.20.12 THE SHINS PORT OF MORROW COLUMBIA 01.23.07 118,000 620,000 03.27.12 ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS TBD INTERSCOPE 12.16.08 112,000 526,000 03.27.12 DEV NIGHT THE SUN CAME UP UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC DEBUT N/A N/A 03.27.12 R. KELLY WRITE ME BACK RCA 12.14.10 154,000 627,000

VIRGIN RECORDS FOUNDER TO BE HONORED AT CLIVE DAVIS PRE-GRAMMY PARTY (FROM HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT TO MOGUL)

BRANSON THE GUEST OF HONOR AT CLIVE’S PRE-GRAMMY BASH Virgin Group Founder Joins Legends Previously Enshrined Via Grammy Salute to Industry Icons January 19, 2012 For the fourth year since they partnered up, Clive Davis and the Recording Academy will jointly present the annual Pre-Grammy Gala at The Beverly Hilton on Grammy eve: Saturday, Feb. 11. But you knew that. Here’s what you didn’t know: In the main event of the star-studded, invitation-only bash, the 2012 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons will honor Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. The Academy will present Branson with the President's Merit Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the music industry and the impact his efforts have had on music and the business of music. Past recipients of the President's Merit Award include Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, Clive himself (prior to the award being given out at his party), Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, Berry Gordy, Doug Morris and Mo Ostin. The occasion called for a trademark quote from Academy honcho Neil Portnow, and he happily complied. "The Pre-Grammy Gala is a special night, with the legendary Clive Davis hosting an exclusive evening of music, memorable performances and stories—the perfect precursor to Music's Biggest Night ," said the Prez. "This year, we are thrilled to honor extraordinary entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, whose contributions to the music industry began with a record store in London and grew into a global empire. His iconic Virgin brand is synonymous with excellence and continues to draw consumers on numerous platforms from around the world. I’m just waiting for the right moment to hit him up for some free first-class tickets on Virgin Atlantic." Clive’s party now has sponsors; this year, it’s Harman, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hyundai and MasterCard.

PRESIDENT OBAMA IN THE OFFICE CREATING THE 2012 STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ SEMTEX "A LONDON UK LEGEND ON THE TURNTABLES"

DJ Semtex got his start in 1992, hosting weekly pirate radio shows in Manchester and performing at clubs such as The Haçienda and Home. During this time he also DJd for De la Soul when they performed in Manchester, and hosted Wyclef’s Carnival afterparty in London. He also produced hip-hop mixes for BBC Radio 1’s Trevor Nelson, Tim Westwood, and various deejays on Galaxy FM between 96’ to 98’. His proficiency at producing and distributing hip-hop mixtapes internationally led to Semtex being commissioned to produce promotional mixtapes for major labels such as Sony, Universal, Loud Records, and Def Jam. After completing his degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, Semtex moved to London, and was employed by Sony Music to set up their Street Team in 1998. Moving to London helped Semtex to become one of the UK’s premier hip-hop deejays and in subsequent years he helped organising a Lauryn Hill after party, DJd on the MTV float at Notting Hill Carnival, and opened shows for Dead Prez, Wyclef, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch and Asher Roth amongst others. In 2001, Semtex established the Urban department for Def Jam UK, and joined BBC Radio 1Xtra, the UK’s first national black music station as a hip-hop DJ. On behalf of the station he has broadcast shows live from New York, Miami, Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, backstage at Live8 and the Bahamas. Past guests on his show have included; The Iconz, The Committee, Gorilla Tek, Trak 53, Moezart, Carl Bosse, Ken Leader, Alex LeCount, J.C. Louis, Tony Castillo, Chapta, Stage McCloud, SupaStarr, Tony Manshino, Luc Duc, Scruface, 50 Cent, Kanye West, The Game, P.Diddy, Busta Rhymes, Dizzee Rascal, Nas, LL Cool J, Lil’ Jon, The Streets, Jay-Z, Eminem, Kano, Ludacris, Ja Rule, Wu-Tang Clan, Sway, Roots Manuva and others. In 2002 Semtex became an A&R official at Def Jam UK. His first signing was Fatman Scoop, whose debut single, Be Faithful, hit the No.1 in the UK charts and around Europe. Semtex continues to DJ at high profile engagements such as the Phat Farm UMF party for Russell Simmons, Kanye West's UK tour, DMX, Nas, and Nelly on their UK tours and is also Dizzee Rascal's official tour DJ. Semtex also provided the scratches on Dizzee Rascal's track, Stand up Tall and co-produced the Piece Keeper mix CD series with Dizzee.

JIM CARREY'S DAUGHTER AUDITIONS FOR AMERICAN IDOL?!

Last night’s American Idol audition show on Fox, which took place in San Diego aboard the USS Midway, featured a performance by one Jane Carrey, a 24-year-old waitress and single mom—and daughter of superstar Jim Carrey—who sang Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About.” Judge Jennifer Lopez, who worked with her dad on In Living Color some two decades ago, asked if she remembered her, while Jane just looked “amused” at the question. She did get through to Hollywood. See her performance below. WHY IS SHE A WAITRESS? JIM CARREY HAS MONEY$$$$$

UNDERWORLD #1 AT BOX OFFICE. BEATS OUT RED TAILS

UNDERWORLD FENDS OFF RED TAILS: Screen Gems’ latest installment of the Kate Beckinsale-starring Underworld: Awakening, the fourth of the series, but first in 3D, raked in $25 million to lead the weekend’s box office tally. The movie, showing on 3,078 screens, pulled in a per-theater average of $8,252. The big surprise, though, was Fox’s George Lucas-produced Red Tails, the true story of African-American fighter pilots during World War II, whose all-black cast inspired an impressive outpouring from the community, racking up $19 million, with a $7,604 per screen haul. Universal’s Mark Wahlberg-produced Contraband, last week’s #1, added another $12 million to its total of $46 million for third place, while Warner Bros.’ 9/11 drama, Extremely Loud & Incredible Close, based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer, scored $10.5 million in its first week going wide, beating out Relativity’s debuting Steven Soderbergh martial arts movie, Haywire, with $9 million and a per-screen average of $3,690.

DIDDY TV! "REVOLT A NEW CABLE NETWORK BEING LAUNCHED BY SEAN COMBS 12/12/12"

DIDDY TV: Sean Combs is planning to launch a music-themed cable network called Revolt by the end of the year—12/12/12, to be exact, according to TV trade Broadcasting & Cable. Sources describe it as “a music and music news channel with an urban skew… like the old days of MTV for an African American audience.” Former MTV programming chief Andy Schuon is reportedly involved with the company. Comcast will provide distribution as part of its commitment to the FCC to help launch minority-owned networks. The company plans to launch 10 over the next eight years, including eight Hispanic- or African American-owned channels, and began accepting proposals for the first three last spring. A source said Time Warner Cable will also be involved, with another 18 milion households.

KANYE WEST LIVE FROM AUSTRALIA "TURN ON THE LIGHTS"

AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE STEVEN TYLER HAD A BAD DAY SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM @ AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

JAN 28TH ((SAVE THE DATE)) #OPGLOBALBLACKOUT "AGREE OR NOT?"

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ BUCK "NOT JUST A PROGRAM DIRECTOR. A HELUVA DJ ALSO! HARTFORD, CT STAND UP"

OK SO IT'S A SUPER BOWL REMATCH WITH NY GIANTS VS NE PATRIOTS SO TODAY WE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF BOTH LOCATIONS FOR OUR DJ OF THE DAY. THE MAN IN THE MARKET YOU NEED TO KNOW IS MY MAN'S AND THEM, DJ BUCK. BUCK IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT HARTFORD'S MAINSTREAM URBAN RADIO STATION, BUT IS ALSO IN THE CLUBS HEAVY, AS WELL AS IN THE STREETS. IF HE DOESN'T LIKE IT, HE'S NOT PLAYING IT, BUT IF HE DOES LIKE IT, HE WILL BREAK THE ARTIST OR RECORD ALWAYS, SO ALONG WITH HIS PROVEN SKILLS ON THE TABLES, DJ BUCK IS TRUELY WORTHY OF BEING DJ OF THE DAY!

A SONG FOR THE 49ERS & RAVENS (NFL YOU HAD A BAD DAY AD)

DEDICATED TO THE BALTIMORE RAVENS AND SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS.

((BREAKING NEWS)) JOE PATERNO DIES *RIP JO PA* HIS LEGACY IS INTACT

JOE PATERNO WAS A GREAT MAN THAT HELPED BRING THE WORLD A LOT OF GREAT MEN TO PLAY FOOTBALL, AND DO OTHER GREAT THINGS IN LIFE. LET'S NOT ALLOW THE ACTIONS OF ONE SICK INDIVIDUAL RUIN HIS LEGACY. MAY HE FOREVER REST IN PEACE.

FOR ALL THE TRUE 49ERS FANS OUT THERE (SMH) 1984 CHAMPIONSHIP SONG

ONLY TRUEST SF 49ERS FANS FROM THE GLORY DAYS REMEMBER THIS SONG, AND ANYONE WHO WAS LIVING IN THE BAY AREA IN THE 80'S. (I STILL HOLD MY OAKLAND RAIDERS PRIDE FOR OUR TURN TO BE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT..)

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ ALIZAY "WASHINGTON, DC'S GAME CHANGER ON THE TURNTABLES"

OUR NEXT STOP WITH OUR ALL AROUND THE WORLD, 365 DAYS DJ SALUTE IS NON OTHER THAN THE NATION'S CAPITOL. WASHINGTON, DC TO PAY HOMAGE TO ANOTHER GREAT DJ TO EVER TOUCH THE TABLES. DJ ALIZAY HAS BEEN HOLDING IT DOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND FROM GO GO, HIP HOP, AND R&B, HE HAS MIXES THAT KEEP EM PAYING ATTENTION TO HIS TALENT. DC IS A FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR ME WITH ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LADIES THE CITY ATTRACTS, AND ALIZAY NEVER LET'S ME DOWN WHEN I'M AT ONE OF HIS PARTIES OR CLUBS HE'S SPINNING IN. ALSO A FIXTURE FOR RADIO IN THE MARKET, DJ ALIZAY SHOULD BE DJ OF THE WEEK, BUT THIS MOVEMENT IS TO HONOR ALL THE MANY DJS AROUND THE WORLD. ONE LOVE TO THE DJ OF THE DAY. DJ ALIZAY..

NIKKI MINAJ "STUPID HOE" DIRTY VERSION

*LIVE FEED* COMMON IN ATL & STYLES P IN STUDIO PERFORMANCE

COMMON'S DRAKE DISS LIVE FROM ATL STYLES P LIVE IN THE STUDIO

((((DJ OF THE DAY)))) DJ JIJI SWEET "THE WEST COAST'S QUEEN OF THE TURNTABLES"

THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS IN FACT A MALE DOMINATED FIELD, BUT ONE THING THAT IS FOR CERTAIN IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT FEMALE DJS IN THE GAME, AND TODAY WE HIT THE WEST COAST TO LET THE WORLD KNOW ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST DJS TO EVER DO IT. NOT TO MENTION SHE IS SUCH A LADY. DJ JIJI SWEET IS DEFINITELY AT THE TOP OF HER CRAFT, AND TODAY IS THE DAY WE ACKNOWLEDGE HER FOR WHAT SHE CONTINUES TO DO IN THE INDUSTRY.

A LOOK AT NEXT WEEKS SALES. ADELE #1 FOR 17 STRAIGHT WEEKS

Adele holds at #1 for the 17th non-consecutive week as the rest of the chart looks depressed and depressing. Here's how it looks headed into the weekend… Read it and weep. Releases from Tim McGraw and Nicki Minaj couldn’t come a moment too soon. Adele 21 (XL/Columbia) 95-105k Kidz Bop Kids (Razor & Tie) 45-50k Drake (YM/CM/Universal Republic) 28-32k The Black Keys (Nonesuch) 28-32k Rihanna (Def Jam/IDJ) 19-21k Young Jeezy (Def Jam/IDJ) 19-21k Attack Attack! (Rise) 18-20k Toby Keith (Show Dog) 17-19k Coldplay (Capitol/EMI) 17-19k Joyful Noise (WaterTower) 17-19k LMFAO (Interscope) 16-18k Nickelback (Roadrunner) 15-17k Adele 19 (XL/Columbia) 15-17k Kelly Clarkson (RCA) 15-17k Now 40 (Capitol/EMI) 15-17k

MEGAUPLOAD.COM SHUT DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT

The U.S. government nailed another piracy enabler today, shuttering Megaupload.com. With over one billion total visitors and 150 million-plus users, which accounted for more than 4% of total Internet traffic, the site has been closed down by the Dept. of Justice, who announced that “individuals and two corporations have been charged…with running an international organized criminal enterprise allegedly responsible for massive worldwide online piracy of numerous types of copyrighted works, generating more than $175 million in criminal proceeds and causing more than half a billion dollars in harm to copyright owners.” RIAA Chairman/CEO Cary Sherman offered his gratitude for the work put into making it happen: “The indictment unveils the true nature of services such as Megaupload and should send a clear signal to other similar illegal distribution hubs that think they can violate the law with impunity.”

AMERICAN IDOL RATINGS SMELLS LIKE TROUBLE FOR THE SHOW.

ANOTHER UPHILL FIGHT: Regarding the ratings dip for the season 11 premiere of American Idol Wednesday night , this is the fifth consecutive year in which the Idol premiere has come in lower than the one the previous year. Last year, despite the absence of Simon Cowell and the debuts of unknown quantities Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, Idol managed to claw back from its weak debut, off 13% from the previous year, to notch a 5% increase in its season-long audience.

APPLE REINVENTS THE TEXTBOOK ON THE iPAD

COMMON CALLS INTO CHICAGO RADIO STATION TO SPEAK ON BEEF WITH DRAKE (AUDIO)

LEGENDARY SINGER ETTA JAMES PASSES AWAY AT 73 ((RIP))

Etta James has died at the age of 73. The legendary "At Last" singer died from complications from leukemia; she also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. “This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world,” her Lupe De Leon said in a statement. “She was a true original who could sing it all –her music defied category.” From the AP: James died at Riverside Community Hospital, with her husband and sons at her side, De Leon said. Boldness was as much a trademark of James, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as her platinum-dyed mane. She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive "Roll With Me, Henry," which had to be changed to "The Wallflower" in order to get airplay. Over the years, she'd notch many more, carving a niche for herself with her husky, soulful voice and her sassy attitude, which permeated her songs. But it was her jazz-inflected rendition of "At Last" that would come to define her and make her legendary. The song, which starts with sumptuous strings before James begins to sing, was a remake of a 1941 standard. James made it her own, and her version became the new standard. Over the decades, countless brides have used it as their song down the aisle, and it has been featured in car commercials and films like "American Pie," But perhaps most famously, U.S. President Barack Obama and the first lady danced to a version of "At Last" at his inauguration ball. But the tender, sweet song belied the turmoil that James –born Jamesette Hawkins in Los Angeles –would endure for much of her life. Her mother –whom she described in her 1995 autobiography "Rage to Survive" as a scam artist, a substance abuser and unstable –was a fleeting presence in her life during her youth. She never knew her father, although she had been told that he was the famous billiards player Minnesota Fats. When she was older, she met him and asked about the rumor. He wouldn't confirm or deny it: as James recalled, he simply told her: "I don't remember everything. I wish I did, but I don't." Her mother would come in and out of her life, so she was raised by Lula and Jesse Rogers, who owned the rooming house her mother once lived in. The pair brought up James in the Christian faith, and even as a young girl, her voice stood out in the church choir. James would soon get solos and became so well known, she said that Hollywood stars would come to see her perform. But she wouldn't stay a gospel singer for long. Rhythm and blues soon lured her away from the church, and she found herself drawn to the grittiness of the music. "My mother always wanted me to be a jazz singer, but I always wanted to be raunchy," she recalled in her book. She was doing just that when bandleader Johnny Otis found her singing on San Francisco street corners with a couple of girlfriends in the early 1950s. "At the time, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters had a hit with `Work With Me, Annie,' and we decided to do an answer. We didn't think we would get in show business, we were just running around making up answers to songs," James told The Associated Press in 1987. And so, they replied to Ballard with the song "Roll With Me, Henry." When Otis heard it, he told James to get her mother's permission to accompany him to Los Angeles to make a recording. Instead, the 15-year-old went home and forged her mother's name on a note claiming she was 18. "At that time, you weren't allowed to say `roll' because it was considered vulgar. So when Georgia Gibbs did her version, she renamed it `Dance With Me, Henry' and it went to No. 1 on the pop charts," the singer recalled. The Gibbs song was one of several in the early rock era where white singers got hits by covering songs by black artists, often with sanitized lyrics. After her 1955 debut, James toured with Otis' revue, sometimes earning only $10 a night. Things changed for the better in 1959, when she signed with Chicago's legendary Chess label and began cranking out the hits and going on tours with performers such as Bobby Vinton, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Everly Brothers. "We would travel on four buses to all the big auditoriums. And we had a lot of fun," she recalled in 1987. She also had a lot of success. James went on to record a string of hits in the late 1950s and `60s including "Trust In Me," "Something's Got a Hold On Me," "Sunday Kind of Love," "All I Could Do Was Cry," and of course, "At Last." Chess Records, whose founder, Leonard Chess, called James their first soul singer, she wrote. "He went up and down the halls of Chess announcing, `Etta's crossed over! Etta's crossed over!' I still didn't know exactly what that meant, except that maybe more white people were listening to me. The Chess brothers kept saying how I was their first soul singer, that I was taking their label out of the old Delta blues, out of rock and into the modern era. Soul was the new direction," she said in her autobiography. "But in my mind, I was singing old style, not new." In 1967, she cut one of the most highly regarded soul albums of all time, "Tell Mama," an earthy fusion of rock and gospel music featuring blistering horn arrangements, funky rhythms and a churchy chorus. A song from the album, "Security," was a top 40 single in 1968. Her professional success, however, was balanced against personal demons –drug addiction. "I was trying to be cool," she told the AP in 1995, explaining what had led her to try heroin. "I hung out in Harlem and saw Miles Davis and all the jazz cats," she said. "At one time, my heavy role models were all druggies. Billie Holiday sang so groovy. Is that because she's on drugs? It was in my mind as a young person. I probably thought I was a young Billie Holiday, doing whatever came with that." She was addicted to the drug for years, beginning in 1960, and it led to a harrowing existence that included time behind bars and sapped her singing abilities and her money, almost destroying her career. It would take her at least two decades to beat her drug problem –her husband even went to prison for years, taking full responsibility for drugs during an arrest, even though James was culpable. "My management was suffering. My career was in the toilet. People tried to help, but I was hell-bent on getting high," she wrote of her drug habit in 1980. After she hit rock bottom, she finally quit the habit and managed herself for a while, calling up small clubs and asking them, "Have you ever heard of Etta James?" in order to get gigs. Eventually, she got regular bookings –even drawing Elizabeth Taylor into an audience. In 1984, she was asked to sing the national anthem at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and her career got the resurgent boost it needed, though she fought addiction again when she got hooked on painkillers in the late 1980s. Drug addiction wasn't her only problem. She struggled with her weight, and often performed from a wheelchair as she got older and heavier. In the early 2000s, she had weight-loss surgery and shed some 200 pounds. James performed well into her senior years, and it was "At Last" that kept bringing her the biggest ovations. The song was a perennial that never aged, and on Jan. 20, 2009, as crowds celebrated that –at last –an African-American had become president of the United States, the song played as the first couple danced. But it was superstar Beyonce who sang the song to the Obamas, not the legendary singer. Beyonce had portrayed James in "Cadillac Records," a big-screen retelling of Chess Records' heyday, and had started to claim "At Last" as her own. An audio clip surfaced of James at a concert shortly after the inauguration, saying she "can't stand Beyonce" and the singer had "no business singing my song." But she told the New York Daily News later that she was joking, even though she had been hurt that she did not get the chance to participate in the inauguration. James did get her accolades over the years. She was inducted into the Rock Hall in 1993, captured a Grammy in 2003 for best contemporary blues album for "Let's Roll;" one in 2004 for best traditional blues album for "Blues to the Bone;" and one for best jazz vocal performance for 1994's "Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday." She was also awarded a special Grammy in 2003 for lifetime achievement and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But her health went into decline, and by 2011, she was being cared for at home by a personal doctor. A struggle between her sons and her husband developed as she became more ill, as he sought to control her estate. Her sons, Donto James and Sametto James, had power of attorney over her affairs. Her doctor, Elaine James, who was not related to the singer, said the legend needed help with basic tasks, such as feeding, dressing and hygiene. In October 2011, James retired from recording. A final studio recording, "The Dreamer," was released, with the singer taking on classic songs –from Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Dreamer" to Guns N' Roses "Welcome To the Jungle" –and still rocking, a fitting end to her storied career.