Simmons happy to pay $40,000 a month for kids

NEW YORK – Russell Simmons says he's happy to fork over $40,000 a month in child support for his two daughters.

Simmons blogged Friday about a court order issued Thursday that finalized custodial and financial arrangements for 9-year-old Ming and 6-year-old Aoki. Those are his children with ex-wife Kimora Lee Simmons.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Marjorie Steinberg signed off on an agreement giving sole custody to Kimora Lee Simmons, as well as child support. Simmons is to pay $40,000 a month until the girls are 19 and a half years old, but he says he wasn't forced to pay anything.

Simmons says his kids have a fabulous life and he's happy to contribute to it. He says as long as he has money, they will have money.

The comments were made on his blog on globalgrind.com.

Judge allows gun as evidence in Lil Wayne trial

NEW YORK – A New York City judge says a handgun found on Lil Wayne's tour bus after a 2007 concert can be used as evidence at the rapper's trial.

Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, has pleaded not guilty to gun possession and is free on $70,000 bail.

He was arrested in July 2007 after a concert at the Beacon Theatre. A police officer said she boarded the tour bus because she smelled marijuana, and then saw him try to hide a gun.

Defense lawyer Stacey Richman argued in court that the officer falsely claimed she smelled marijuana so she could board the bus.

Justice Charles Solomon set an April 20 trial date.

The 26-year-old rapper's albums include "Tha Block Is Hot," "Lights Out" and "Tha Carter III."

T.I. goes back to court — to talk to teenagers

ATLANTA – A month from beginning a yearlong federal prison sentence, rapper T.I. was in court again Friday, but this time he wasn't in the hot seat.

The 28-year-old performer, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., spoke to dozens of high school students — half serving juvenile sentences — gathered at the Georgia Supreme Court.

"You can see from me that nobody is too rich, too famous, too cool, too good-looking or too young to make a mistake and pay a price for it," said Harris, dressed in jeans, a gray hooded sweat shirt and a blue knit hat. "More important than the mistake you make, though, is what you are able to take away from that mistake. How can you use that mistake to ensure you will never make a similar mistake again?"

He told them to work hard, stay in school and do what is necessary to get what they want in life.

"Education is more important than any material thing you can have," said Harris, who only has a high school diploma. "The things you do not have in your life, the things you do not have in your possession, will be a reflection of the things you have not learned."

He warned the teens from high schools across metro Atlanta to learn from his mistakes, which include a 2008 federal firearms conviction that will send him to prison for a year starting next month. His appearance was part of 1,000 hours of community service he must complete under that sentence.

His legal troubles didn't start there. Harris grew up in one of Atlanta's housing projects and dealt crack while trying to break into the music industry. The students listened intently as he described the prostitutes, drug dealers and junkies he encountered.

He was first arrested at 17 and spent time in jail for violating probation after several other arrests. In 2007, just an hour before he was scheduled to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta, authorities arrested him for trying to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers.

High School junior Stephen Murphy said he is trying to turn his life around after getting into trouble with drugs and driving without a license last year. Harris' speech was encouragement to keep working at it, he said.

"Your life can go down the wrong path, and you'll end up in prison, where he's fixing to go," he said. "I don't want to go there."

Harris, a Grammy winner, has a list of No. 1 hits on his resume, including two off his latest CD, "Paper Trail," which also hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Rihanna won't discuss Chris Brown, but thanks fans

LOS ANGELES – As police probe whether one of their own leaked a picture of a bruised and beaten woman that appears to be Rihanna, the image is sparking a discussion of the impact it could have on the issue of domestic violence.

The celebrity Web site TMZ, which posted the photo Thursday night, did not explain its origin. The site wrote only that it was taken after an altercation between platinum-selling singer and her boyfriend, fellow pop star Chris Brown.

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton acknowledged Friday afternoon that the photo could prove embarrassing to the woman pictured, a view shared by some advocates for abused women. But in the welts and marks on the face of the woman in the photo, some also saw a teaching moment.

"If it could happen to Rihanna, it could happen to anyone," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women. There are an estimated 4.8 million domestic violence attacks on women and another 2.9 million attacks on men each year, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

"Maybe it is a good idea if it's her, if young girls see this," said Susan Murphy-Milano, a Chicago author and advocate for battered women. She said she hopes it makes them think, "Is the next picture going to be of her in a morgue?"

Both women expected the image, which even Bratton wouldn't go so far as to confirm was Rihanna, could spark a new awareness about domestic violence.

"The reality that domestic violence can happen to anyone, even someone with fame and celebrity, ought to bring home the point that this is a problem for our entire society," Gandy said. "We can't avoid or ignore it."

Bratton told reporters that along with launching an internal investigation into whether the photo is police evidence, he is also looking into how TMZ obtained the picture. He said the department may pursue a felony conspiracy case against TMZ and whomever might have helped them get the image.

Bratton said he suspected someone within the department leaked the photo, but did not elaborate or go so far as to confirm that it came from police evidence files.

"We are not treating this lightly," Bratton said. "It's an embarrassment to this department if in fact evidence was leaked.

"It's going to be a very painful experience for any personnel from this department and possibly those who they may have engaged in a conspiracy with to violate the laws of California."

TMZ did not say how it obtained the image and a publicist for the site did not return a phone or e-mail message seeking comment Friday.

Brown, 19, was arrested Feb. 8 on suspicion of making felony criminal threats, but police have not publicly identified his alleged victim. The woman was Rihanna, according to a person familiar with the situation, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity.

A spokesman for Brown said the singer had no further comment beyond a statement released Sunday in which he said he was "sorry and saddened" about the incident. His attorney has not returned calls seeking comment.

Rihanna broke her silence on Friday, her 21st birthday, by releasing a statement through Rubenstein Associates.

"At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown," the statement read. "She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time."

The singer canceled a planned birthday bash in New York and postponed concerts overseas in the days following the incident.

Prosecutors are still waiting for police to present more evidence against Brown. Bratton said Friday that detectives are working quickly to finish that investigation, and the inquiries into the leak.

Both Gandy and Murphy-Milano said one of the reasons the photo's release is so shocking is because domestic violence isn't in the spotlight except for when it involves high-profile couples.

"Such a graphic image may give people pause and make them think about what we're doing for the women who don't have resources to escape and take care of themselves," Gandy said. She said the country's economic problems will translate into more domestic violence cases as families suffer financial strain.

And from a painful image, Murphy-Milano hoped a new advocate for battered women might have been made.

"I think she could be a very important voice and a tool for other people," she said of Rihanna. "She could turn this around," Murphy-Milano said, and tell others, "'Don't be me.'"

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AP Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody contributed to this report.

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On the Net:

http://www.rihannanow.com/news/reloaded/

http://www.chrisbrownworld.com/

http://www.tmz.com

R&B star Chris Brown apologizes, seeks counseling

R&B star Chris Brown, who was arrested last weekend on suspicion of attacking a woman widely believed to be the pop star Rihanna, said on Sunday he was "sorry and saddened" about the incident, and was seeking counseling.

Chris Brown says he is seeking counseling from loved ones and family members, one week after an alleged attack against his girlfriend, singer Rihanna.

The 19-year-old performer of such U.S. chart-toppers as "Run It!" and "Forever" has been in hiding since the alleged fracas with his girlfriend in a rented Lamborghini.

"Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds."

Brown turned himself in on February 8 but no charges have been filed yet. He is free on $50,000 bail while the case is being investigated.

He hired a public relations company that specializes in crisis management to issue a five-sentence statement in which he also said many media and blog reports have been wrong.

"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," he said. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person."

Police and prosecutors have not officially disclosed that Rihanna was the victim of Brown's attack just after midnight on February 8. But unidentified police sources told the Los Angeles Times that Rihanna was the victim, and numerous media outlets have reported the same information.

Brown turned himself in to police, and he was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats against a woman. The Los Angeles Police Department is still investigating, and a spokeswoman for the L.A. District Attorney's Office said a decision has not yet been made on whether to file charges.

On Friday, Brown's father said his son is at home and "very remorseful" over what happened. Rihanna is reportedly at home in Barbados recuperating.

Celebrity websites and magazines have reported that the incident happened shortly after Brown left a Beverly Hills party with Rihanna as his passenger. The 20-year-old native of Barbados suffered bruises on her face and a split lip, according to several reports.

Brown added in his statement: "Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds."

Despite the serious nature of the allegations, many of Brown's showbiz comrades have defended him. Most recently, hip-hop star Kanye West said, "Can't we give Chris a break?" during a taping of VH1's "Storytellers" on Friday.

NEW ALBUM INFO! Diddy announces his new album 'Last Train To Paris'... and it drops THIS SEPTEMBER!!!

Rapper-mogul Diddy has revealed during the season premiere of Making The Band 4, that his upcoming record will be titled Last Train To Paris. Not much else is known about the album yet, but it's been revealed it will follow the autotune craze started by T-Pain & perfected by Kanye West. Earlier this month Diddy reaealed a few more tid bits on the new album, currently due for a September release.

"Right now, I'm working on my record, and it'll be out in the end of summer. It's feeling good. It's different. I'm creating a new sound. It doesn't sound like anybody else's stuff out there. With that comes a risk. I'm excited about the risk. I do have a beef a little bit with the game right now. I think hip-hop has lost its risk-taking quality. Everybody goes to the comfort zone. It doesn't have that risk anymore. You're not like, 'What is that?' when you hear that record anymore."

I really can't think of a more contrived or pretentious album title than Last Train To Paris. Coming from Diddy, it just feels like he's trying to think of something 'artsy' to try and steal Kanye West's thunder. It's quite ridiculous him going on about "creating a new sound", because I honestly feel this whole Paris er! a is goi ng to be nothing but swagga jackin' off Kanye.

Diddy's always been used to being the big boy on top, and now that Kanye is extremely successful as an artist, producer and fashion icon, Diddy wants to try steal his crown back. With that said though, I did really like his Press Play album, and I'll definitely check the new record out, it's just that I'm not going to be expecting anything too original or fresh.

Usher's wife recovering after

SAO PAULO – The wife of R&B singer Usher continues to recover in a Sao Paulo hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest shortly before undergoing plastic surgery, the spokeswoman of the doctor who was to perform the procedure said Thursday.

Ellen Dastry, spokeswoman for plastic surgeon Silvio Sterman, says Tameka Raymond checked into the Sao Rafael Hospital last Friday for a "simple liposuction." Dastry said that Raymond suffered a cardiac arrest while being anesthetized for the procedure "but was revived in less than a minute by heart massage." She was then placed in an induced coma before being taken to the intensive-care unit, a procedure Dastry said was "absolutely normal" and performed in order to "avoid unnecessary complications."

That same day Raymond was transferred to Sao Paulo's posh and better-equipped Sirio-Libanes Hospital where she is recovering, Dastry said without providing further details.

At Sirio-Libanes, a spokeswoman would only say that Raymond remains hospitalized. She explained that Raymond's family requested that no information regarding her condition be divulged by the hospital. She did not give her name, per hospital rules.

Usher was supposed to perform at music mogul Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party last Saturday, but backed out to come to Brazil to be with his wife.

The 30-year-old R&B star and his wife were married in August 2007. They have two young sons, 2-year-old Usher Raymond V and 2-month-old Naveid Ely Raymond.

Lil Wayne faces climb in getting best album trophy

Although the Grammys were slow to recognize hip-hop, over the past decade, rap acts have enjoyed a bevy of Grammy nominations, often emerging as the leader when nominations are announced. This year, rap leads the way again, with the omnipresent rapper Lil Wayne receiving eight nominations.

While the bulk of Lil Wayne's nominations come in the rap categories, he's nominated for arguably the most coveted award of the night — album of the year — for "Tha Carter III." Given that the CD was not only 2008's best-selling album but also delivered two of the year's biggest singles — "Lollipop" and "A Milli" — it would seem that momentum is on Lil Wayne's side.

Yet if the past is any indicator, Lil Wayne may go home empty-handed in the album category, with his wins contained in the rap categories. While, rap or hip-hop albums have been nominated every year for a best album Grammy since 2000 (2006 was the exception), its two victories — Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" in 2000 and OutKast's "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below" in 2004 — have been for hip-hop albums highlighted by the artists' musicality, not their rhyming skills.

"Lil Wayne indisputably made the best album of 2008," said Blender's editor-in-chief Joe Levy. "Now, are the voters going to recognize it by sending him home with a small truckload of Grammys? Hard to say. Hip-hop still remains challenging to Grammy voters, who include guys who were making records 40 years ago."

That's not to say that rap has gotten a bad rap from Grammy voters. Dr. Dre has been recognized as producer of the year among his multiple Grammy wins, Jay-Z has four, Eminem has eight trophies and Kanye West owns 10.

But Eminem has lost in the best-album category twice (the first was famously to Steely Dan in 2001) and Kanye West has lost the category three times.

Danyel Smith, editor-in-chief of Vibe magazine, thinks this year might be different for ! Lil Wayn e.

"I think he does have an even better chance because a lot of his rapping is very melodic," said Smith of Wayne, whose is known as much for his gravelly singing voice as he is his frenetic rapping style.

"I also think as time goes on, there are a lot more people on the voting committee ... who are, if not actual fans of hip-hop, understand it more, and understand the significance of hip-hop as part of pop music and not sort of its step-cousin."

If Lil Wayne does win, he'll have to beat back tough competition. Coldplay, who received the second-most nominations with seven, are nominated for "Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends"; Radiohead, who have been nominated before in the category are again recognized for "In Rainbows"; R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo is cited for his "Year of the Gentleman"; as is "Raising Sand," the unlikely collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Darius "Deezle" Harrison, a producer on "Tha Carter III," said he and Lil Wayne are excited just to be nominated, and noted that dreams of Grammy trophies were on their minds when they worked on the CD.

"We were talking in the studio, and he was like man, 'I wanna get Grammys this year,'" Harrison recalled. "I looked at him and I said, 'We're gonna get Grammys this year,' and he looked at me and gave me a pound, and said, 'Believe that.' And we're here, nominated for a bunch of Grammys. Hopefully we'll bring them all home."

NYC judge tosses ex's lawsuit against 50 Cent

NEW YORK – A judge has thrown out a $50 million lawsuit filed by 50 Cent's ex-girlfriend, who said the rapper promised to take care of her for life.

Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Carol Edmead dismissed Shaniqua Tompkins' claims to half the rapper's assets. The judge said 50 Cent's financial worth is "set at no less than $50 million."

The judge said she doubted an oral agreement for Tompkins' lifetime support existed. "It is incredible that two then-unemployed, penniless, 21-year-olds would make such an oral contract," she wrote.

The judge said that even if it were true that the two made an oral agreement for Tompkins' lifetime support, her breach of contract claim, "which is actually a claim for palimony," was barred by the six-year statute of limitations.

She said the couple's story was "an unfortunate tale of a love relationship gone sour."

She also noted Tompkins will receive about $6,700 a month for years to come to take care of her son by 50 Cent, 12-year-old Marquise.

The rapper's lawyer, Brett Kimmel, said he was happy with Wednesday's ruling.

"Ms. Tompkins' claims pertaining to a $50 million verbal contract were entirely frivolous," Kimmel said. "This is a complete and total victory for 50."

A statement from 50 Cent said: "I'm very thankful for this decision. I knew that once the facts were heard that justice would prevail."

Tompkins' lawyer, Paul Catsandonis, said he will consider an appeal.

Tompkins, 32, claims she supported 50 Cent financially after they started dating in 1995 while he was trying to start a recording career. She says she also nursed him for months after he was shot nine times on May 24, 2000.

Tompkins says the 33-year-old rapper promised to support her forever if he "made it big." She says they made the oral agreement in her bedroom in September 1996, a month before their son was born.

The rapper (real name: Curtis Jackson) denied telling Tompkins he would take care of her for life. The judge said 50 Cent stated that if that was what he had intended, he would have married her.

The rapper admitted that he loved Tompkins when their child was born but didn't consider her his wife and didn't intend to marry her. He said she had been his girlfriend and now she was "my son's mother."

Last year, Tompkins sued 50 Cent to stop her eviction from a $2.4 million house the rapper had bought on suburban Long Island. She claimed he reneged on a promise to give her the house. The house later burned down.

Suffolk County police and fire officials have investigated but haven't determined whether the fire was a case of arson.

The rapper has been nominated for 13 Grammys, including for the song "In da Club" and the album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'." In 2005, he starred with Terrence Howard in a semi-autobiographical movie based on that album. He also starred in the 2006 film "Home of the Brave" as a soldier returning home from the Iraq war.