April 26, 2005

MTV Video Music Awards Return To Miami On August 28

Get ready to watch the stars find even bigger boats this year: The MTV Video Music Awards are returning to Miami . The 2005 VMAs will take place on Sunday, August 28 at the beach town's American Airlines Arena, the channel announced yesterday. Last year's ceremony, which marked the first time the show had been broadcast from a city other than New York or Los Angeles, featured big wins for Outkast and Jay-Z, who walked away with four Moonmen each. It was also the most-watched telecast on cable in 2004 for those between the ages of 12 and 34.

NELLY TO AUCTION CARS FOR LEUKEMIA CHARITY: Move is in honor of his late sister

Two of Nelly’s “Pimp Juice” promotional vehicles will go up for bid on eBay to raise money for the Jes Us 4 Jackie organization, which Nelly - real name Cornell Haynes - founded with his late sister, Jackie Donahue. The winning bidder will also score 20 cases of Nelly’s Pimp Juice energy drink, an authenticity plaque and an autographed picture of Nelly with the vehicle. Reuther Chrysler Jeep in St Louis , Missouri , helped to put the vehicles up for sale, according to the Web site. Donahue, who passed away on March 24 from leukemia, founded Jes Us 4 Jackie with Nelly to encourage African-Americans to participate in donor registration programs.

MARIO JOINS DESTINY’S CHILD TOUR: ‘Ev-er-ee night, do-ing them right

*Destiny’s Child will let Mario love them all summer long. The 18-year-old crooner has signed on to open for the trio during the European and American legs of their world tour. “I'm very excited about it. It will be my first tour like this,” said the “Let Me Love You” singer from Baltimore .  Mario (remember he prefers it to be pronounced as 'marry-o') and the gals will kick off the European stretch of the tour, billed “Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin’ It,” at London ’s Earls Court Exhibition Center on June 2.

BAD BOY/WARNER MAKE IT OFFICIAL: Parties announce 50/50 joint venture

*Bad Boy is now formally in bed with Warner Music Group. The latter entity released a statement announcing the 50/50 deal between both parties that calls for Bad Boy founder/CEO Sean "P. Diddy" Combs to continue serving as the HNIC of his label while drawing upon the marketing, promotional and physical and electronic distribution resources of WMG and its Atlantic Records, WEA Corp. and Warner Music International divisions. The new joint venture will include Combs' existing recorded music business -- which has sold more than 75 million records worldwide - and its catalog and roster of multi-platinum artists such as B5, Boyz N Da Hood, Mase, Carl Thomas, 8Ball & MJG, Mario Winans and Diddy himself. The company will continue to be based out of Bad Boy's current offices in Manhattan . "I am thrilled to be working with Lyor Cohen and the entire WMG family," Diddy said in a statement. "It was important for me to have the opportunity to grow Bad Boy, and I can do that with WMG. This is a perfect situation for me and Bad Boy, and I can't wait to get out there and continue making music history."

LIL JON PRODUCING WHITNEY HOUSTON? WHAT!!!: Crunk guru preps for tour, Houston album, ‘What?’ the movie

*Lil Jon tells “Rolling Stone” that his forthcoming Anger Management 3 tour with Eminem and 50 Cent will be “the biggest tour of the summer.”  The trek takes flight on July 7 in Indianapolis and promises to be full of bells and whistles.  "By the end of the show, people are gonna be ready to go home and take a shower because of all the energy." Jon told the magazine. "Even though crunk music don't really need no props. We just go out there and hit them so hard -- so with the effects on top of that, it's going to be crazy!" G Unit, D12, Obie Trice and newcomer Stat Quo are also tagging along for the nationwide jaunt.  "Being on tour with all those characters, we might end up doing some records together," he says. "I'm going to have a studio on my bus, and we'll probably collaborate back and forth." Jon has also been in the studio working on tracks for Youngbloodz, as well as for Whitney Houston’s long-awaited comeback CD.  Jon is also prepping tracks for rappers on his own BME label – including Lil Scrappy, E40 and Chyna White. Hollywood is also tapping on the rapper’s shoulders.  Jon is also busy penning a script for a feature film, “What?,” in which he is set to star.  "It'll probably be like [the 1995 Ice Cube hit] ‘Friday,’" he says.   “What?” will start shooting next January.

KRAVITZ TAKING FANS TO CHURCH: New tour will put rocker in intimate theater setting

*Rocker Lenny Kravitz is taking fans to church. Kravitz kicked off the U.S. leg of his 27-city “ Electric Church : One Night Only!” Tour in Dallas last night. He’ll make stops Stateside and then head on to the European leg of the world tour on June 3rd in Italy , hitting 19 countries. The Kravitz camp reports that the superstar will perform a series of “exclusive” theater dates across the U.S. and Canada in intimate settings, and will feature his older and newer hits, although the tour is happening in conjunction with the release of his 7th studio album, “Baptism.” “I haven't been able to play for my fans in the US since 2002, so I'm really looking forward to these shows. When I was planning my American tour, I decided that I wanted to get back to my roots, strip down the production and do something different. I haven't played theaters in years, and don't know when I'll be able to do it again, so this tour is going to be a great way to get out there and really connect with my fans."