Lawyers try to keep alleged R. Kelly sex tape secret

A Chicago judge will decide this week if the alleged sex tape of R&B star R. Kelly and an underage girl will remain Trapped in the Closet. In the long-delayed trial of whether Kelly had sex with a juvenile girl and videotaped it, both prosecutors and defense attorneys have asked Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan to bar the public from viewing the tape. The attorneys on both sides based their requests on the fact that the girl was a minor--possibly as young as 13 at the time--and because its nature is so graphic and lewd.

Gaughan has set a hearing for Thursday to decide on the matter, hinting at a compromise that would allow members of the press to view the tape, possibly by wearing headphones and watching a video monitor that would be turned away from spectators when the tape is played in court. The trial, expected to start later this summer, will put Kelly's alleged lascivious pursuits back in the spotlight. Kelly has pleaded not guilty. (2:45 p.m.)

8GB iPod Nano on the way?

Reports about a higher-capacity iPod Nano continue to come in. This time, DigiTimes reports that industry sources indicate that Apple is booking considerable capacity of NAND flash chips at major chip makers like Samsung Electronics and Hynix Semiconductor, an indication that the House of Jobs is prepping the release of a flash-based 8GB iPod Nano.

The move comes shortly after chip maker PortalPlayer said that its own flash memory chips would not be used in future "midrange and high-end flash-based iPods," a move that sent shares in the company plummeting as much as 45 percent on the day. That news prompted industry analyst Gene Munster to issue a note stating that he expects Apple to unveil higher-capacity Nanos later this year. (2:45 p.m.)

Former Idol contestant Daughtry rejects Fuel offer

Thanks, but no thanks.

That's the response of former American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry to the band Fuel, which offered him the frontman slot following former singer Brett Scallions' decision to quit the band in February. Daughtry made the announcement in his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina, where he visited Saturday for a series of welcome-home appearances. Daughtry said he expects to announce his next career move in a few months, probably after he finishes with an American Idol summer concert tour.

"I'm going to be doing my own thing," Daughtry told The Charlotte Observer.

Daughtry's ouster in the final weeks of the fifth season of Idol, eventually won by Taylor Hicks, surprised many fans, as well as the show's on-air judges. (2:15 p.m.)

Rob Zombie to write and direct a new Halloween movie

Michael Meyers, meet Rob Zombie.

Zombie, the gore rocker-turned-filmmaker, has signed on to write and direct the latest installment of Halloween, the film series that tracks the gruesome exploits of Meyers, who first appeared in the 1978 original. The last Halloween film, Halloween: Resurrection, came out in 2002.

Zombie wrote and directed House of 1000 Corpses and last year's The Devil's Rejects.

Disney's Miramax Films will cofinance the development with former Miramax chiefs Bob and Harvey Weinstein's Dimension Films. The companies have targeted an October 2007 release date. (1:45 p.m.)

Starbucks taps music exec to lead LA-based entertainment unit

As Starbucks gets set to relocate its entertainment division from its Seattle headquarters to Santa Monica next week, it has hired a longtime music exec to take its reins.

The coffee conglomerate has hired Alan Mintz, formerly the manager for Herbie Hancock, to lead Starbucks Entertainment, which oversees the company's increasing forays into the music and movies worlds. The company has made no secret of its desire to become an entertainment powerhouse by selling movies and music in its coffeehouses, Hear Music stores, and elsewhere. Starbucks' music chief resigned in March. Before managing the jazz legend, Mintz was a senior partner at Selverne, Mandelbaum & Mintz, where he specialized in music and new technology. He also spent four years at Sony Music Entertainment as senior vice president of Epic Records. (11:45 a.m.)

Outkast sidekick Sleepy Brown preps solo debut

After crooning the hook on the Outkast smash hit "The Way You Move" and countless other cameos for Atlanta artists, soul singer Sleepy Brown is ready for his spotlight. The Southern soul man will release his solo debut, Mr. Brown, on September 27. The album's release will be preceded by the first single, "Margarita," which features both Big Boi from OutKast and Pharrell Williams, who produced the song. Mr. Brown will be released through Big Boi's Virgin-based Purple Ribbon imprint. (10:15 a.m.)