HRS News

Fantasia‘s dad, Joseph Barrino, filed a $10 million lawsuit against the publisher of his daughter’s autobiography “Fantasia: Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.” Claiming the book’s full of “malicious untruths,” he’s pursuing the publisher as opposed to the illiterate Fantasia or her disgruntled ghostwriter.
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Michael Jackson has parted ways with Bahrain royal family member Abdulla Hamad Al-Khalifa, with whom he had formed Two Seas Records. The label was supposed to release the 48 year-old pop icon’s comeback album, but as of press time there seems to be no plans to move forward with either this or the Hurricane Katrina benefit single “From the Bottom of My Heart,” also slated for release by Two Seas. Meanwhile, Jackson and his ex-wife Deborah Rowe have finally reached a settlement of their three-year custody battle over their two children. No custody, visitation or financial details have been made public.
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Alicia Keys will be guest starring on the popular children’s animated series “The Backyardigans.” In an upcoming episode due to air October 9, she will play “Mommy Martian” a character for which she also wrote the original song, “Almost Everything is Boinga Here.” Keys’ next album is due to drop early 2007.
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Black Eyed Peas wunderkind Will.i.am, has signed on as Head of Marketing for Musicane, “an online service that provides content creators and producers with the capability to market, virally distribute and sell digital content directly from their own Web sites, blogs and online social networks,” according to a statement.
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In addition to his three season Wild N’ Out series, Nick Cannon has received the go ahead for a second MTV show, “Nick Cannon Presents: Short Circuitz.” According to Reuters, the sketch-comedy series will premiere early 2000 and feature topical sketches, impersonations, parodies and other comedic elements. It will feature Cannon, who also is the creator/executive producer, along with comedy/improv players Affion Crockett, Eliza Coupe, Leonard Robinson, Taran Killam and Katt Williams.
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Raekwon has signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath label, and is currently in the studio working on his next set, release his Only Built for Cuban Linx II.
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Mathew Knowles is planning to release kiddie rap compilations made up of child friendly versions of rap hits. Kids Rap Radio will drop Nov. 21.
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Damon Dash is finally releasing A Son Unique, the last studio album from Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Due November 7 the set features collabos with Macy Gray, Missy ‘Misdemeanor’ Elliott, RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, M.O.P., N.O.R.E., and Pharrell.