Brooks tops Elvis on solo sales chart

He might have the hip swivel of Elvis Presley, but he has sold more records than the King did. Garth Brooks has dethroned Presley as the best-selling solo artist in history, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The group gave Brooks a Special Career award to recognize the fact that the country star has sold 123 million total units, topping Presley's 118.5 million.

"This award reflects the magnitude of the country audience and what they can accomplish when they act together," Brook said in a statement. "Mostly, I am proud for country music and take honor in playing a part in bringing this milestone to rest under the flag of country music."

Jay-Z avoids iTunes for Gangster

Hoping to prevent singles sales on iTunes from cannibalizing full album sales--and thus his numbers on next week's Billboard chart--Jay-Z has decided to keep his new album, American Gangster, off iTunes. "As movies are not sold scene by scene, this collection will not be sold as individual singles," he said in a statement.

The album, inspired by the movie of the same title, has received largely positive reviews, with most critics saying the album tops the rapper's 2006 album, Kingdom Come.

Gangster will likely be Jay-Z's 10th number one record, tying him with Elvis Presley for that mark. The Beatles top the list with 19 number one records.

Celine Dion to appear on soap

With a new album, Taking Chances, on the way, Celine Dion is doing the talk show circuit and will also be appearing on the fictional talk show of All My Children character Erica Kane. Dion will appear on the November 21 episode of the ABC daytime soap opera as a featured guest on New Beginnings, the talk show hosted by Kane, who is played by Susan Lucci.

"We are thrilled and honored to welcome Celine Dion to the All My Children stage," the show's executive producer, Julie Hanan Carruthers, said in a statement. "Her appearance with Erica Kane and her musical performance is a great treat for our audience. I can't think of a better way to ring in the holiday season than with the angelic sounds of Celine Dion."

E-40 to roll out 40 Water, Ball Street Journal

E-40 has his business game on lock. The Bay Area rapper will celebrate his birthday and 20 years in the rap game next week in Las Vegas by unveiling his new 40 Water energy drink and preview tracks from his forthcoming album, Ball Street Journal. The party will be held November 15 at the Poetry Nightclub in the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace.

40, who also owns Fat Burger and Wingstop fast food franchises, is no stranger to the concept of entrepreneurship. "Rapping brought me into the entertainment game, once I got in my eyes got bigger," he said in a statement. "As a business man, I get the best of both worlds and the privileges of working and reaping the benefits at the best time in my career." Ball Street Journal is scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2008.

Report: Tattoo could lead to Jam Master Jay killer

Like many a slain hip-hop star before him, the 2002 murder of Run-DMC producer/DJ Jam Master Jay remains unsolved. But according to a report this week in the New York Daily News, a telltale characteristic--a tattooed neck--could lead police to the murderer.

The paper said it conducted the first media interview with Randy Allen, Jay's business partner who was present at the Queens studio where Jam Master Jay--real name Jason Mizell--was killed in October 2002.

Allen told the paper that he had cooperated completely with investigators and was furious that others had not. "This is a case that can be solved," he said. Allen's name has surfaced repeatedly in the case, as has that of his sister, Lydia High.

Allen said High told him that after two gunmen ordered her to get down on the floor, she saw a man with a tattoo on his neck approach Mizell and fire. A first round injured another person; the second was blasted into Mizell's head from point-blank range.

Ozzy irate over sting operation

Possibly under the realization that Heavy Metal Parking Lot is as close to shooting ducks in a barrel a law enforcement agency could ever hope for, the Cass County (South Dakota) Sheriff's Office staged a sting operation before an Ozzy Osbourne concert last week.

Sheriff Paul Laney invited 500 people with outstanding warrants to a phony party at a Fargo, South Dakota, nightclub before the rocker's concert with Rob Zombie at a nearby arena. More than 30 showed up and were arrested.

Needless to say, Ozzy was not happy with the move. "Instead of holding a press conference to pat himself on the back, Sheriff Laney should be apologizing to me for using my name in connection with these arrests," Osbourne said in a statement. "It is insulting to me and to my audience, and it shows how lazy this particular sheriff is when it comes to doing his job."

Laney responded that he meant no disrespect to Osbourne. "What we did was a very creative law enforcement technique to lure individuals who had active criminal warrants to come to us," he said.