MP3.com News Breakers: Britney, Spider-Man 3, Drama, Fillmore, Paris
Couple nears divorce settlement; soundtrack loaded; mixtape king talks; Live Nation expands; Hilton said to violate probation.
Britney, K-Fed untie knot
The end of the Federline seems to be near. Britney Spears and Kevin Federline reached a settlement in their divorce Thursday, a spokesman for Federline's attorney told Reuters today. After a five-hour meeting with their attorneys present, Spears and Federline signed "a global settlement on all issues of their marriage," said Michael Sands, a spokesman for Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan. Sands declined to elaborate on terms of the settlement, saying only that it covers child custody and financial matters. Spears' attorney, Laura Wasser, declined to comment.
Several media reports indicated that Spears' prenuptial agreement called for Federline to receive just over $1 million of what some estimates say is Spears' $50 million fortune. The settlement came more than a week after Spears checked out of a luxurious rehab center. During her nearly one-month stay at Promises Malibu Alcohol and Drug Rehab Treatment Facility, Spears and Federline were under a temporary agreement that gave them joint custody of their two young sons, 6-month-old Jayden James and 18-month-old Sean Preston. Spears filed for divorce last November.
Rockers line up for Spider-Man 3 soundtrack
Some of the biggest names in rock have recorded new songs for the forthcoming soundtrack to Spider-Man 3, which hits stores May 1 via Record Collection. The album will include songs from Snow Patrol, the Flaming Lips, the Killers, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wolfmother, the Walkmen, and Jet. Snow Patrol's "Signal Fire" is the set's first single, while The Flaming Lips penned a song called "The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How to Be in Love."
"Peter Parker never seems to get over his introverted lack of confidence, at least in the classic comic books I remember," Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne told Billboard.com. "I was looking for some excuse to write a fight song, and then this came up. It has the chiming of the bell when they go into the ring. It's silly, but with the right storyline, it can be a lot of fun." Spider-Man 3 hits US theaters May 4.
DJ Drama talks about bust
His arrest in mid-January sent shockwaves throughout the hip-hop community, but Atlanta mixtape king DJ Drama has kept relatively silent about the whole affair until now. In an interview with Billboard, Drama--real name Tyree Simmons--said he's trying to focus on the future and not the past. "The mixtape game needs to change for the better," he said. "People need to learn from this."
Drama was arrested with partner DJ Don Cannon on January 16 on felony charges stemming from a magistrate's warrant under the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act by the Morrow County Sheriff's Joint Vice Task Force and the Clayton County Police. The officers reportedly confiscated more than 81,000 mixtape CDs, along with computers, recording equipment and four cars. The assets of DJ Drama's DJ crew, the Aphilliates, were also frozen.
The case strikes at the heart of the legality of the mixtape, which largely exists outside the framework of the traditional album but is used to promote hip-hop stars of all stripes. "There's going to have to be some agreement between labels and artists that makes everyone comfortable," Drama says of the copyright gray area mixtapes currently inhabit. "Even if the labels figure out a way of working directly with the DJs to get the mixtapes done by offering an upfront fee that makes sense on their end and on ours. It could create a system that makes mixtapes comfortably buyable."
The Fillmore to open in NYC, Philly, and Detroit
Concert promotion giant Live Nation said this week that it plans to expand its Fillmore franchise with new Fillmore venues in New York, Philadelphia, and Detroit, with more to follow. The venues would expand on the legendary Fillmore in San Francisco and another Fillmore in Denver. In New York that concept will debut on April 11 with Lily Allen at the newly renovated Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza.
The move follows Live Nation's 2006 acquisition of the 11-venue House of Blues chain. In Philadelphia, the Theater of the Living Arts (TLA) is getting the makeover, and in Detroit the State Theatre will become a Fillmore venue. Live Nation said the new Fllmores will mimick the look and feel of the original Fillmore, with its red decor, distinct chandeliers, and vintage Fillmore and Fillmore East posters throughout.
Hilton accused of violating probation
Prosecutors in Los Angeles said this week that they will ask a judge to revoke Paris Hilton's probation in a reckless driving case, a move that could lead to a jail term. The decision followed an investigation into whether the hotel heiress and reality star violated terms of her probation by driving last month with a suspended license.
"We're confident we have sufficient evidence to prove that her license was suspended and that she had knowledge of that suspension," said Nick Velasquez, a spokesman for the LA city attorney's office, told Reuters. He declined to elaborate on the evidence, citing an ongoing investigation. Hilton could face up to 90 days in jail if a judge finds she violated her probation, Velasquez said. A hearing was set for April 17, but Hilton is not required to attend.
