Britney gains expanded visitation rights

More than three months after she seemed headed for Crazytown in the car pool lane, Britney Spears has proven to a child-custody court that she is worthy of additional visitation rights with her two young sons. Her sons remain in the custody of their father, Spears' ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Following a low-key child-custody hearing in Los Angeles yesterday, the troubled pop star was granted expanded visits with her sons, 2-year-old Sean Preston and 1-year-old Jayden James.

Spears' appearance at the hearing, which was held behind closed doors, was a far cry from the spectacle of previous appearances. Though there was a significant paparazzi presence at the courthouse, gone was the gigantic circus that hounded her at every turn earlier this year.

Spears has gone out of way to lay low in recent months, appearing in public infrequently. The singer is set to reprise her cameo on CBS' How I Met Your Mother in the show's May 12 episode.

Lil Wayne pleads not guilty to drug charges

Allegedly caught with a stash that included 105 grams of marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine, 41 grams of ecstasy, miscellaneous drug paraphernalia, more than $22,000 in cash, and three firearms, Lil Wayne has pleaded not guilty.

The rapper Lil Wayne appeared in Arizona Superior Court judge on Tuesday to plead not guilty to six drug- and weapons-related charges, stemming from his January 22 arrest by federal agents along the state's border, just 75 miles outside Yuma, Arizona. Wayne--real name Dwayne Carter Jr.--pleaded not guilty to possession of dangerous drugs, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, and misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is due to return to court on June 19.

The rapper was arrested after his tour bus was stopped on Interstate 8 by border patrol. The highway has several checkpoint stops due to its reputation for frequent trafficking of drugs and illegal aliens.

Springsteen enters New Jersey Hall of Fame

It's safe to say that the barrier for entry to have your own hall of fame is pretty low at this point. The New Jersey Hall of Fame--yes, one apparently exists--unveiled its inaugural list of inductees this week, and the entries were topped by the state's pride and joy, Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen was joined on the list of inductees by Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra, Yogi Berra, Thomas Edison, Meryl Streep, astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, football coach Vince Lombardi, educator Clara Barton, author Toni Morrison, African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, publisher Malcolm Forbes, and philanthropist Robert Wood Johnson II.

Inductees had to have lived in the state for at least five years. Organizers made an exception to that rule for Underground Railroad pioneer Harriet Tubman.

Officials are currently raising money to build a permanent museum for the Hall. The inaugural class was chosen via the Internet after the 25 finalists were announced in 2006.

Common signs on for Terminator role

Common has joined one of the richest movie franchises of all time, signing on for a role in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins for Halcyon Pictures. The Chicago rapper will play a freedom fighter and member of the inner circle of John Connors, now in his 30s, who leads what is left of the human race in a battle against the machines. Christian Bale is playing Connors.

Common can next be seen onscreen in Wanted, a tale of a group of secret assassins. The film also stars Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and James McAvoy. Later this summer, he is set to release his eighth album, Invincible Summer.

Ice-T to perform with Indianapolis Symphony

Ice-T, Renaissance man. The West Coast rap vet will perform with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra on June 18, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Ice-T is set to narrate Ask Your Mama: Twelve Moods for Jazz, a poem from the 1960s by Langston Hughes. He will be accompanied by the symphony and the McCurdy/Wright Jazz Quartet, along with projections of images by photographer Gordon Parks and painters Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence.

Doherty leaves prison

Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty was released from London's Wormwood Scrubs prison at Monday morning, telling reporters that he was glad to be out and clean of drugs. The long-embattled singer had served 29 days of a 14-week jail sentence for violating the terms of his probation.

"Well, I knew it was going to be a bit rough to start with," Doherty told NME.com. "With the overcrowding and the medical facilities. Although they do their best--they are good, they can't really cater for the average junkie."