Music News Blog

The Beastie Boys are getting set to compile their greatest moments.

The Brooklyn hip-hop pranksters announced they'll celebrate their 24th year (their totally random milestone, not ours) with the Solid Gold Hits collection. The 15-track album, predictably, ignores the band's really, really poor hardcore songs collected on Some Old Bullshit (which, incidentally were neither gold nor hits) to focus on the trio's hip-hop successes.

Courtney Love has been handed a six-month spell in a live-in rehabilitation centre after breaking the terms of her parole.

In February 2005, the rocker received three years probation, as well as anger management sign-up, after her lawyer submitted plea agreements over two outstanding assault and drug possession cases. Love also received a further 18 months probation and ordered to continue her drug rehabilitation program for another offence.

However, the star was discovered to have used drugs during her probation term.

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Courtney Love





Courtney Love
Picture: Virgin




Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rand Rubin decided not to impose a 180-day jail term because of Love's recent progress in battling her drug dependency. The musician had already been living at the drug clinic for around a month, reports the Associated Press.

"I'm very pleased with your progress," Judge Rubin said on Friday (Sep. 16). "I think this is an excellent first step on the road to recovery."

Love will not be permitted to leave the centre and will have to undergo random drug tests.

Speaking after the hearing, Courtney's lawyer Howard Weitzman said his client "fully intends to make good on her promise to be clean and sober, and I'm hoping she'll be able to do that".

While Americans are donating generously to Hurricane Katrina relief funds, they're apparently running out of patience for stars telling them to give.

Friday's benefit, "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast," was seen by fewer than 24 million viewers despite being shown on 29 networks.

That's less than one third of the 89 million people who watched its model, the somber "America: A Tribute to Heroes," which ran shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to Nielsen Media Research.

With Little Brother's sophomore release almost upon us and rave reviews coming in from all directions, the trio of Big Pooh, Phonte and 9th Wonder are on the brink of breakout success. But still questions remain: can a rap group out of North Carolina make the transition from the underground to the mainstream? Can their new Atlantic Records home push their music to a broader audience?

With 9th's superb production and MCs Phonte and Big Pooh's lyrics complementing his sound, it seems as though they are destined for the attention they deserve. Ballerstatus.net joined Little Brother live on the set for the "Lovin" It" video shoot in downtown Brooklyn to get their unique perspective on the industry. In this impromptu interview, Big Pooh dissects the current state of hip-hop, what Little Brother and their upcoming Atlantic Records release, The Minstrel Show will bring to the game, and why a certain young Hollywood mogul better watch his back and his girl. Justus League is in full effect; get on the bandwagon now, scallywhops.

Ballerstatus.net: Well your album is entitled The Minstrel Show, so in what ways do you think hip-hop right now is like a scene out of "Bamboozled?"

When you are a celebrity that has been around in the music scene for almost an entire decade and is now a house hold name, you can definitely have your cake and eat it, too.

Like many artists, getting a successful music career is just getting your foot in the door for many other opportunities, one of which being embarking into the world of fashion.

Although her fashion line, L.A.M.B. (“Love, Angel, Music, Baby”) has experienced a great amount of success (with the likes of the Hilton sisters, Pamela Anderson, Alicia Keys and Halle Barry – to name just a few – beginning to wear her work), Stefani is ready to continue into the fashion industry.