08-23-06 EUR: Busta Still Won't Snitch / Usher Boosts Broadway Box Office

EUR Headlines

BUSTA RHYMES STILL MUM ON RAMIREZ SHOOTING: Also, rapper’s alleged assault victim details being pummeled by the rap star.
*After New York cops went through the trouble of bringing Busta Rhymes in last weekend on an assault charge – which the rapper’s lawyer says was a ploy to finally question him about the February shooting of his bodyguard Israel Ramirez – the artist reportedly stuck to his “no snitching” policy and continued to keep his mouth shut. Read Full Story

USHER’S BROADWAY ARRIVAL BOOSTS BOX OFFICE: Ticket sales for Chicago up 30 percent since singer sashayed into town.
*Things are looking up for Broadway’s “Chicago,” which last night began its first staging with music sensation Usher Raymond in the role of Billy Flynn, and has enjoyed a 30 percent boost in ticket sales since word of the singer’s casting hit the streets earlier this year. Read Full Story

RZA, T.I., COMMON GET ‘GANGSTER’ WITH DENZEL: Trio joins cast of crime drama about drug kingpin Frank Lucas.
*Rappers RZA, T.I. and Common have been added to the cast of director Ridley Scott’s “American Gangster,” which stars Denzel Washington in the story of real-life drug kingpin-turned-informant Frank Lucas. Read Full Story

MORE DETAILS ON JAY-Z’S WORLD TOUR: Dates and countries announced; rapper to film MTV documentary simultaneously.
*As previously reported, Jay-Z has announced the cities lined up for his upcoming world tour (see itinerary below), which marks another post-retirement set of shows for the rapper-turned-business tycoon. Read Full Story

PREGNANCY CONFIRMED FOR DIDDY’S GIRLFRIEND: Mogul’s rep says Kim Porter is definitely with child; also, Diddy picks Aguilera track as next single.
*A rep for Sean “Diddy” Combs has finally stepped forward to confirm that his girlfriend, Kim Porter, is pregnant with their second child. Read Full Story

OPRAH SELECTS STUDENTS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOL: Seventy-three disadvantaged girls given gift of learning.
*Oprah Winfrey has made the dreams of 73 disadvantaged girls in South Africa come true by personally selecting each one to attend a new $15 million school she has built with the sole purpose of giving young ladies in the region a better chance in life. Read Full Story

KIERRA KIKI SHEARD SHARES HER HIP HOP GOSPEL: But she doesn't want you doing the booty dance to it.
By Kenya M. Yarbrough
Sheard submits that her music is absolutely gospel music, even if it has an infectious bass line and a few lines of rap. “It definitely is gospel music,” she said. It’s basically for the young people. I wanted to reach out to young Americans because I think we all have potential and visions, but it has to be brought out of us. My music is for the real folk. It has a contemporary sound, but it still has that gospel message; it still has the Word in it; it has scriptures in it.” Read Full Story

EUR 'IDLEWILD INTERVIEW: Paula Patton -- Girl Gone Idlewild!
By Kam Williams
*2006 is probably going to be the breakout year for Paula Patton. The emerging ingénue hails from Los Angeles where she attended Hamilton High for the Performing Arts. Read Full Story

RUSSELL SIMMONS BACKS REPUBLICAN FOR SENATE: Maryland’s Michael Steele gets support from Def Jam mogul.
*Entertainment mogul Russell Simmons, known for pushing decidedly liberal activism through his group Hip Hop Summit Action Network, will join Radio One founder Cathy Hughes to co-host a campaign fundraiser Thursday for Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, a Republican running for U.S. Senate. Read Full Story

TROY VINCENT JUMPS INTO GUMBEL/TAGLIABUE BEEF: Players Assn. president calls Gumbel’s comments "inappropriate" and "detrimental."
*Bryant Gumbel’s recent criticism of the NFL’s relationship with its players' union has now riled up Buffalo Bills safety Troy Vincent, who also serves as president of the National Football League’s Players Association. Read Full Story

HIP HOP NATION STIFF-ARMS K-FED: As if to say…don’t come in here with that warmed-over garbage.
*The day after Britney Spears’ husband Kevin Federline performed his rap single “Lose Control” on the Teen Choice Awards, the footage was on YouTube (see footage below) and being passed around as a doggone shame. Read Full Story

MUSIC BITS: Gotti at Universal; Ross at U.S. Open; Storch a deadbeat dad; Bono to introduce new ‘One’ t-shirt.
*Irv "Gotti" Lorenzo is said to be on the verge of bringing his Inc. Records to Universal Motown. Read Full Story

FILM/TV BITS: ‘Scrubs’ The Musical; ‘Today’ concerts on iTunes; Woods boosts CBS ratings; Spike on vacation; Whoopi takes in another horse.
*“Scrubs” will follow in the footsteps of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” by staging of a full-blown musical episode for its upcoming season, reports TV Guide. Read Full Story

EVENT/CONTEST CALENDAR: ‘Watch me Work’ in L.A.; win a date with ‘Flavor of Love’ girl.
*Watch Me Work Productions celebrates their one-year anniversary of producing “The Short Shortz of Comedy” on Wednesday, August 30, at the M Bar (1253 N. Vine Street, Hollywood, CA). Read Full Story

EUR VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: Footage of Jennifer Holliday's riveting performace of 'And I'm telling You I'm Not Going' from Broadway's 'Dreamgirls'
Today's video: It's been talked about for years, the legendary performance by Jennifer Holliday of 'I'm Not Going' from the Broadway play, Dreamgirls, but many have never seen it. With the play's highly publicized film adaptation coming to theaters this December, now is the perfect time for you to see what all the hype's been about. Read Full Story

THE EURweb FREE-4-ALL PAGE/BOARD: Talk about the stories we didn't cover in this issue.
Just like the headline says, this page/board is where you can discuss the stuff that we didn't cover in today's issue. (It's sort of like feedback with a twist) Remember, NO name calling, racial taunting, graphic sex talk and vulgarity in general, PLEASE. Read Full Story

08-23-06 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
EUR all on ONE page Read Full Story