Usher is hard at work on his new LP with producer Jermaine Dupri, and JD said the singer's new fiancee, Tameka Foster, has inspired at least one new song, "The Realest." "Most of the time with Usher it's about the magic," JD said. "For the first month or so of us being in the studio, it's all mostly conversation to drive me to that point where I go into the room and hear something that clicks. He was like, 'I got the realest woman in the world.' And within the hour, I heard what we should be saying in the hook, and he was like, 'Yeah, let's go.' " ...
T.I.'s next album is a battle between his two personas, but the grittier T.I.P. wins out when it comes to the first single. "Big Things Poppin' ", his collaboration with Mannie Fresh, hits radio next week. T.I. told us that the song "is really just me talking to these people who say things and can't back it up." ...
Pearl Jam, Modest Mouse, the Roots, Snow Patrol, Amy Winehouse, Kings of Leon and Muse lead the lineup for Lollapalooza, set to hit Chicago's Grant Park August 3-5. ...
And a teary Haley Scarnato waved goodbye to "American Idol" last night — after 45 minutes of non-elimination action led by Jennifer Lopez, Akon, even Tony Bennett.
Quote of the Day: "I think every man wants to have that partner in life he can share the hottest moments with." — Usher
Here's what everyone else is talking about:
Justin Timberlake has lined up a couple of big pop allies. People reports that he's keeping in touch with Britney, and told reporters he's rooting for his ex, even calling her a "great woman." Meanwhile, CBS News' Showbuzz reports that Madonna's rep has confirmed that she is working with JT — and Timbaland, of course — on her next album. ...
OK, Fergie's a good sport, we get it. A week after TMZ.com reported that she sent flowers to Alanis after seeing her "My Humps" parody, People says Ferg didn't do that at all. Instead, she sent Alanis a butt cake — no, not a bundt cake — with "Alanis, You're a genius. Love, Fergie" written in icing.
DMX was a no-show for court on Tuesday, and went on to miss his "be there or you're in trouble, mister" appearance on Wednesday. Now there are two warrants out for his arrest, White Plains' Journal News reports. X, who was scheduled to appear in court on a misdemeanor driving count, is now a wanted man in White Plains, New York, and neighboring Yonkers. A lawyer for the rapper said he's out of state, but making efforts to return.
Marc Anthony is another musician with legal trouble — and serves as a cautionary tale as tax day nears. The singer will pay $2.5 million in taxes and penalties for neglecting to file for five years, The Associated Press reports. J. Lo apparently handles her own business — and files her own taxes — so she not involved in the investigation.
Have no fear, TMZ is on the sex-tape beat, reporting that a video featuring "American Idol" semifinalist Olivia Mojica (who?) from season two's top 24 will be out soon. And rumors of an explicit video featuring "The Hills" star Lauren Conrad are not true, she insists, with "sources close to" LC claiming co-star Heidi Montag may have started the talk. What a pal.
And novelist Kurt Vonnegut, the American literary icon responsible for 20th century classics including "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle," died Tuesday night in New York, The New York Times reports. He was 84.
Posted at : A.M. Surf Report
