Keith Richards to get reckless-driving charge erased

Never say never.

Thirty-one years after he was charged with reckless driving in Arkansas, the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards will be pardoned by the state's governor--himself a rocker.

In 1975, Richards was traveling with fellow Stones bassist Ron Wood and two other people to Dallas, but stopped to grab a bite to eat in Fordyce, Arkansas. After getting back on the road, their car was stopped by a police officer, who, after smelling the scent of marijuana, took them downtown--City Hall, that is. Richards ended up paying a $162.50 fine for reckless driving, though a possession-of-a-concealed-knife charge was dropped.

But on July 3, Governor Mike Huckabee effectively terminated the charges by submitting a clemency application, on behalf of the Stones guitarist, to strip them from Richards' record.

The reason? The Arkansas governator didn't want Richards' opinion of the state "marred by a misdemeanor traffic stop."

As it turns out, the Arkansas politico isn't exactly afraid of rock music: He plays bass in a band, Capitol Offense, which rocked out at the 2004 Republican National Convention.

Ice Cube to be lavished at hip-hop awards

The VH1 Hip-Hop Honors is getting even cooler.

After the announcement in May that Ice-T would host the TV channel's third-annual award show, VH1 has revealed that rapper and actor Ice Cube will be the latest celebrity honored on the channel's award show, slated for October 17 at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom.

Cube will be honored with "performances by classic artists in collaboration with today's hottest new talent," according to VH1. Others to be honored at the award show include Wu-Tang Clan, Def Jam founder Russell Simmons, and the Beastie Boys.

Limp Bizkit's Durst set to marry mystery girl

Rap-rocker Fred Durst, frontman for Limp Bizkit and longtime fan of self, has posted on his band's MySpace page that he will soon be off the market.

"I have met a wonderful girl named Krista from Rhode Island and have asked her to marry me," Durst posted last week. "She said yes and I am now proud to say that we are engaged to be married."

Durst has been on location in Rhode Island shooting his directorial debut, The Education of Charlie Banks. Durst didn't reveal any other details about his fiancée, but he did write that he has been working on lyrics for Limp Bizkit's next LP between takes.

"I am extremely focused right now and have been able to channel my thoughts and feelings into lyrics without hesitation," he wrote. "I am so excited to get in the studio as soon as we wrap this picture July 25. We are excited to move forward and get the Bizkit rocking full throttle."