Soundgraph DJ Pad 2020   Digital DJs need not fret over using a keyboard to mix MP3s anymore. Tiny Korean company Soundgraph has introduced the $200 DJ PAD 2020 to throngs of laptop DJs starved for a decent hardware interface. Along with the circular USB controller comes robust mixing software with a boatload of features including automatic crossfading, a built-in fully sequenceable drum machine, an effects bank, and best of all a scratching function. click here Tech TV- | 06 July 2001 14:13   Michael Jackson Previews 15 Invincible Tracks    Though Michael Jackson has kept the world waiting for his new album, executives at his record label got a sneak peek of the nearly finished work this week.more Sonicnet.com | 19 June 2001 19:41   MP# Pro encoding launched   Thomson Multimedia have finally rerleased a public demo of an encoder and player for the new MP3 Pro format they have developed. The improved version of the ubiquitous MP3 boasts an improved sound quality-offering 128 kbps at just a 64 kbps encoding rate which also means that the file sizes are cut in half as well. The encoderand player are availableonline and are backwards compatible with MP3 files.company press release Caspar Kennerdale | 19 June 2001 19:36   Creative Labs preps 1394-based digital music rig   Creative describes the as-yet-unannounced Audigy - from 'Audio Energy'? - as "the most advanced digital audio entertainment centre". In addition to the hardware and the software that controls it, Audigy appears also to refer to the sound chip underlying it all, also known as the EMU10K2.more The Register | 19 June 2001 19:35   BT, Roni Size, Paul Oakenfold Among Headliners For Mekka Tour   With a list of performers that reads like a who's who of dance music, the Mekka Tour promises to be one of the largest electronic events in North American history.more Allstar Daily news | 16 June 2001 18:35   ODB Sentencing Postponed Until July    The Wu-Tang Clan rapper's sentencing hearing for cocaine possession, scheduled for Wednesday (June 13), was postponed until July 17 to allow New York's Department of Probation to revise its pre-sentence report.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:33   Da Brat Receives Probation, Community Service For Atlanta Assault   Rapper Da Brat received 12 months probation, a $1000 fine, and 80 hours of community service on Monday (June 11) in Atlanta for a March 2000 incident in which she pistol-whipped another woman.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:31   Playing Eminem Single Could Be Even More Costly For Stations Now    Now that the FCC has fined a Colorado radio station $7,000 for playing an edited version of Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady," any broadcaster who keeps playing it could face even harsher penalties.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:30   Owners Of P-Funk Catalog Sue Over Nearly 500 Samples    More than 800 defendants were named by Bridgeport Music Group for sampling such P-Funk classics as "Flash Light" and "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)." Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise" and Dr. Dre's "Let Me Ride" were mentioned in the suit.More sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:28   Eminem, Outkast Lead Source Awards Nominations    Precautions will be taken to avoid violence that marred 2000 ceremony, Source founder says.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:26   Russell Simmons Calling On Puffy, Wyclef To Inspire Creativity    Russell Simmons says people have misconstrued his motives for inviting politicians, record executives and artists to a hip-hop summit on Tuesday and Wednesday in New York. The rap entrepreneur says his...more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:23   New Rap Grammy Category Greeted With A Shrug    Apparently the Recording Academy's latest peace offering is still not enough. Despite the academy's recent announcement that it has added a fourth rap Grammy category — Best Rap/Sung Collaboration — some MCs are not impressed.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:20   Spiller, Fatboy Slim, Sonique Win At DanceStar Awards    Daft Punk, MJ Cole and Carl Cox were also honored at Wednesday's event. A worldwide academy of dance music artists, journalists and other industry experts chose the DanceStar nominees, and the public voted in the winners.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:19   Paul Oakenfold Travels From 'Planet' To 'Planet'    As music supervisor and composer of the movie "Swordfish," the distinguished DJ found himself remixing Afrika Bambaataa's classic "Planet Rock." For his next project he's remixing Danny Elfman's title track for "Planet of the Apes."more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:17   Reconciled TLC Recording New Album, Solo Projects    The oft-bickering trio is recording a new album scheduled for fall release. While Chilli has put her solo album on hold to accommodate the group's recording schedule, Left Eye's solo project is nearly completed.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:16   Detroit Electronic Music Festival Plans Life After Carl Craig    DEMF producers Pop Culture Media and the City of Detroit will find out next year whether they can manage without the event's ousted co-founder and artistic director. An advisory board of local dance-music experts will replace the musician.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:14   Busta Surrounded By Stars, Corpses In Latest Projects    Jill Scott, Kid Rock, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre and Xzibit are helping Busta Rhymes out with Genesis, his new album due in September. Meanwhile, Rhymes is starring in the eighth movie in the "Halloween" slasher series.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:12   'Wash' Roles A Clean Fit For Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre    They may play car-wash workers in "The Wash," but their blue-collar characters are a lot like the rappers themselves. The film's writer found inspiration by observing Dre and Snoop during last year's Up in Smoke tour.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:10   Eminem's 'The Real Slim Shady' (Clean Version) Not Clean Enough For FCC    A Colorado station was fined by the FCC for playing the radio edit of Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady." The government agency said the edited version "contains unmistakable offensive sexual references ... that appear intended to ... shock."more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:09   Destiny's Child's 'Bootylicious' Video Celebrates Sexiness    You're bootyful, and Destiny's Child want you to know it. Their new video for "Bootylicious," the second single from Survivor, is about feeling good about yourself no matter what you look like.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:07   Busta Rhymes Leading Violator 2.0 Charge    Violator let DJs take several potential singles out for a spin and used their feedback to select Busta Rhymes' "Put Your Hands Up" as the first single from Violator the Album: V2.0. The disc hits stores July 24.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:05   Napster strikes deal with 3 major record labels   Napster and the music industry came a step closer together Tuesday, as the file-sharing service announced plans to provide secure music from three major labels. Napster plans to license the music through MusicNet, the labels' joint venture.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:03   Tricky Works With Chili Peppers, Morissette, Kowalczyk on Blowback    How did the hodgepodge of musicians that includes Alanis Morissette, Live's Ed Kowalczyk, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Cyndi Lauper end up on trip-hop wizard Tricky's new record?more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 18:01   While Sean "Puffy" Combs has admitted to fathering Kim Porter's son, the model is asking a court to legally declare him the father. And, Combs is set to headline Jamaica's Sashi festival.    While Sean "Puffy" Combs has admitted to fathering the 3-year-old son of Kim Porter, the model is asking Manhattan Family Court to legally declare the rapper as the father and to give her full child support.more Allstar Daily news | 16 June 2001 17:58   Lady Lunatic Toya Follows Hot On Nelly's Heels    "Now that Nelly has done his thing, there's a magnifying glass on St. Louis," Toya said. The singer/rapper's hit single "I Do!!" will be followed in August by a self-titled album.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 17:53   Puff Daddy Calls Shyne's Sentence 'Unfair'   Shyne's sentence is unfair and extreme as I know he had no intention of hurting anyone," said Sean "Puffy" Combs in a statement released on Fridaymore Allstar Daily news | 16 June 2001 17:51   Shyne Sentenced To 10 Years In Shooting Incident    Rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday (June 1) for his role in the high-profile shooting incident at Club New York in 1999.more Allstar Daily news | 16 June 2001 17:47   Lil' Cease's Drug Possession Charges Could Be Dropped   Junior M.A.F.I.A. rapper Lil' Cease received an adjournment with contemplation of dismissal in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday (May 31), which means if he stays out of trouble, his possession of marijuana charges will be dropped, according to a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.more Allstar Daily news | 16 June 2001 17:44   Ol' Dirty Bastard, Lil' Kim Bring Phil Collins Street Love    Urban Renewal Featuring the Songs of Phil Collins, released in Germany, includes hip-hop and R&B artists such as Kelis, Joe, Brian McKnight, Lil' Kim and Ol' Dirty Bastard performing the former Genesis drummer's greatest hits.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 17:41   Eminem's life story to be made a film   Eminem fans are a bit closer to seeing an almost real Slim Shady on the big screen — the script for a semi-autobiographical film based on the rapper's life has been completed, and the project has lured an acclaimed director.more sonicnet.com | 16 June 2001 17:37   Fatboy Slim, Crystal Method To Play First U.S. Creamfields Fests    Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method and Orbital will headline America's first Creamfields festivals in Long Island, New York, and Las Vegas in September. European dance promoters Cream staged the first Creamfields in the U.K. in 1998.click here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:28   Music News Daily [more]    The rapper was not allowed to perform at a California club last week after local police got a complaint that he was "anti-white." Police say they did not try to censor the show and were only trying to ensure there was adequate security.click here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:27   Janet Jackson Two-Times Her 'Lover'    The pop vixen is preparing two video versions of her next single, "Someone to Call My Lover," with one featuring a Jermaine Dupri remix and aiming for a younger audience. The clips are due to debut the week of June 12.click here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:25   Lil' Romeo Bests Michael Jackson For #1 Chart Honor    The 11-year-old rapper will become the youngest artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 when "My Baby" hits #1 next week, his label says. Coincidentally (or not), the track borrows significantly from the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."click here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:22   After Making Peace, Kurupt Finds Peace In Space    Moving on from his venom-spewing past and even his recent D.P.G. album, Kurupt has a new outlook on life and a gang of new projects in the works. His third solo disc, Space Boogie, drops in late July.click here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:20   Destiny's Child Sues Publisher Over Hot! Magazine   Destiny's Child and its, manager Mathew Knowles, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against H&S Media and Warner Publisher Services Monday (May 21) in United States District Court for the Central District of California.click here CDNow.com | 25 May 2001 02:16   Sisqo Becomes Dragon   Having spent a mere two weeks recording his latest LP, Sisqó spent more time contemplating the album's title than he did in the vocal booth. Originally slated to be called Return of the Dragonclick here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:13   Jermaine Dupri Recording Another Star-Packed Solo LP    Producer rounds up Jagged Edge, Lil' Bow Wow, Da Brat, Jay-Z, Ludacris. If you're one of the many recording stars who've been blessed with track by Jermaine Dupri, expect to get a buzz from the 27-year-old hitmaker real soon.click here Sonicnet.com | 25 May 2001 02:10   Madonna's Drowned World Tour Hits HBO In August    Madonna has inked a deal with HBO for the cable network to broadcast Madonna Live: The Drowned World Tour, a live concert special on Aug. 26 at 9 p.m.click here for more CDNow.com | 25 May 2001 01:57   KRS-One Condemns Negative Rap Imagery At Hip-Hop Summit    NEW YORK — Minister Conrad Muhammad and his CHHANGE (Conscious Hip Hop Activism for Global Empowerment) organization's message to the rap-music industry is clear: The hip-hop community must solve the "crisis" it faces.more Sonicnet.com | 11 May 2001 18:43   Producer J-Swift Suing Jive Over 'Stutter' Sample    Producer J-Swift is suing Jive Records, its parent company and Touchstone Pictures for more than $11 million for using a Pharcyde sample in the remix of R&B singer Joe's hit "Stutter" without crediting him by name, according to a spokesperson for the producer.more sonicnet.com | 11 May 2001 18:39   P. Diddy May Play Death Row Prisoner    Sean "P. Diddy" Combs may soon find himself in the slammer — but only on film.more Sonicnet.com | 10 May 2001 14:04   Slick Rick Searches For Beats Online    On the StreetLabs Web site (www.streetlabs.com), would-be producers can listen to sample beats from the rapper's older tunes and then upload their own. The promotion will run until the end of August.more Sonicnet.com | 10 May 2001 13:59   New Faithless album features guest appearance by Dido   After giving her the chance to shine on their first two albums, trip-hop trio Faithless have again employed Dido's angelic vocals on their latest album, Outrospective, due July 10, according to the group's publicist.click here for more sonicnet.com | 07 May 2001 19:30   Microsoft courting Napster   Napster and Microsoft are in talks that could potentially pull the music-exchange company's fat out of the fire. A spokeswoman for Napster confirmed yesterday that Napster has talked to Microsoft about using its security software.click here for details NY Post | 07 May 2001 04:15   Sneak preview of the newest Pioneer CD Player   Pioneer has been very secretive about it's newest CD player being introduced to the world on May16th. We've found out it will be called the CDJ1000, For a sneak peak and audio sampleclick here | 07 May 2001 03:50   Finding 'Fingerprints' in Online Music    TRM, as the program is called, is intended to end the free music swap-a-thon on Napster. Sometime this summer, Ward's creation will be woven into a new version of the song-sharing service, which has infuriated much of the record industry by allowing 70 million Internet users to download and trade a couple billion songs without paying a penny to artists, labels or retailers.click here for full story The Washington Post | 04 May 2001 03:54   Aimster Sues the Music Industry Seeks ruling that it's unlike Napster   Aimster, a Napster-like file-sharing program that piggybacks on America Online's messaging service, has sued a recording industry trade group it says is trying to shut it down.click here for details Boston Globe | 04 May 2001 03:51   Club-Goers Unwitting Guinea Pigs In Chemical (Brothers) Testing    You may be hearing cuts from the Chemical Brothers' next album when you go out to a club — without even realizing it. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons have given potential tracks for their new disc to DJs who are testing them out in clubs.click here for more sonicnet.com | 01 May 2001 16:23   Ex-Underworld DJ Darren Emerson Preps New Mix Album    Global Underground: Singapore, due in July, is a techno-heavy mix based on the DJ's New Year's Eve show last year at Singapore's Zouk club. The set features Emerson's mix of the Laurent Garnier hit "Man With the Red Face."click here for more sonicnet.com | 30 April 2001 15:45   New York Mayor takes Aim at Twilo   Twilo and the Roxy have been attacked by New York Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington, for their policy of hiring private ambulances to cater for clubbers needing hospital treatment. “People are overdosing and the fact they put an ambulance outside a nightclub should be enough to establish that nightclub should be closed,” Washington told the New York Times this week. The story emerged after officials from Greenwich Village’s St Vincent’s Hospital notified local authorities, who then began investigating whether clubs were actively trying to bypass the police. Mayor Washington told the Times that the very presence of the ambulances provided ‘further proof that the clubs should be shut down.” Both the Roxy and Twilo defended themselves robustly, with the Roxy’s general manager Jason McCarthy singling out GHB as a key factor in the issue. “"Several clubs in the neighbourhood have had people die in them because of GHB. And when people go down, 911 is useless.” Twilo, which has been under threat of closure since 1998, also disputed the Mayor’s conclusions. "We are blamed for everything and we are never given the benefit of the doubt," said Peter R. Sullivan, Twilo’s lawyer. "The reason we are still open is because we have been able to prove to the courts that we are the safest club in New York." In an ominous echo of the circumstances that preceded the indictment of the New Orleans 3, Twilo’s lawyer added that they’d long sought to collaborate more closely with New York authorities. “We have been asking the city for two years to work with us to make sure there are no illegal drug transactions in the club and they have refused,” Mr Sullivan said. “So we have had to create a state-of-the-art medical system of our own." http://www.twilo.com The “New Orleans 3” are the trio of American club promoters facing 20 years to life in jail if convicted under ‘crack-house laws’ which authorities are trying to pin on people connected with dance events. To find out more about the case (which is being supported by leading US civil rights organisation the American Civil Liberties Union) or to contribute funds for the trio’s defence, click here: http://www.emdef.org (Electronic Music Defence Fund, cash welcomed) http://www.aclu.org(A.C.L.U.) mezzmusic.com | 30 April 2001 03:30   Napster May Be Able To Relax Filtering System   The judge in Napster's copyright infringement case gave the service some breathing room Thursday. The music industry, not Napster, is responsible for tracking down specific file names used to identify songs, Judge Marilyn Patel said.click here for details sonicnet.com | 30 April 2001 03:24   Congress Introduces Bill To Fine Entertainment Companies That Target Minors   Responding to Tuesday's damning report about the entertainment industries' continued practice of marketing adult-rated material to minors, Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) introduced yesterday a bill that would allow the Federal Trade Commission to fine companies that intentionally target adult-rated entertainment to children.click here for details sonicnet.com | 30 April 2001 03:21   Pioneer Announces Press Day For Their Newest CD Player, the CDJ-????   Pioneer will host the official press conference in New York on May 16th for their newest CD player the CDJ-????. "We will at that time have pictures, videos clips, and everything you could possibly want to get excited about this revolutionary product. It will all be downloadable from this sight. We have presented the new CDJ to more top DJ producers this last month and all have said in some form or another...."incredible, finally a CD player that reacts like my 1200s"." - Karl Detken, Pioneer The official press event will be for VIPs and press agents only. However there will be an event open to the public later that day at El Centro Fly Night Club in Manhattan from 10-12pm. click here for more details from Pioneerprodj.com Pioneerprodj.com | 29 April 2001 05:02   Scratch djs speak out on a recent Heineken add spoofing the creation of the scratch and call for a boycott   Perhaps you saw the Heineken commercial, during the Grammy's, featuring a DJ rockin' the party, back in the early 80's. He accidentally spills his beer on the turntables and when he attempts to wipe it off he "invents" the scratch. The year shown on the screen is 1982... Many of Hip Hop's legendary DJs have expressed their outrage but the most insulted of all is the actual creator of the scratch, GrandWizzard Theodore. In the Summer of 1975, at the age of 13, Theodore created the technique that would eventually become one of the signature sounds of Hip Hop music today. Turntablists like Kuttin Kandi, Bobbitto, Mix Master Ice, and Qbert have all expressed their dissappointment in the misportrayal of turntablism by Heineken. If you would like to express your concerns Heineken USA can be reached at:914-681-4100 or e-mail at info@heinekenusa.com or info@heineken.com Digitalscratch.com feels the ad is clearly misleading and it is unfortunate that Heineken has not responded to the turntablist community's concerns. Some sort of a retraction and apology is immediatley in order. Though the commercial was intended as a humorous spoof, there is no excuse for not including the correct year (1975) and in the very least crediting Grand Wizard Theodore by putting his name on the screen during the commercial. Until Heineken remedies the situation digitalscratch.com will fully support the boycott. Tools of war / digitalscratch | 26 April 2001 22:14   Online hip hop awards postponed   Organizers of the fifth annual Online Hip-Hop awards, citing unspecified production problems, have announced that the ceremony will be indefinitely postponed.click here for details Allstar Daily news | 26 April 2001 22:11   MTV to kick off TRL tour   Destiny's Child will headline MTV's first-ever TRL Tour, which will also feature Nelly, Eve, Jessica Simpson, Dream, and 3LW. The tour, which will hit about 30 locations, will start in mid-July.click here for more billboard.com | 26 April 2001 18:47   New Janet Jackson tour dates announced   Scattered dates have been announced for Janet Jackson's upcoming All for You tour, tentatively scheduled to begin July 5 in Vancouver, British Columbia.click here for tour dates CDnow.com | 26 April 2001 18:43   Kobe Bryant Brings Nas, Ludacris, More Aboard For 'Cherish'    The Los Angeles Laker's Heads High Entertainment is finally off the ground and has a "We Are the World"-type single in the works. The record will benefit the Cherish Foundation, which assists victims of school violence.click here for more sonicnet.com | 26 April 2001 18:41   Fatboy Slim tops nominees for Dancestar awards   The DJ's five nods, including Best Club DJ, tops the long list of nominees for the DanceStar 2001 Tiscali World Dance Music Awards, which were announced Wednesday. Sonique and Spiller were nominated for four awards each.click here for more sonicnet.com | 26 April 2001 18:35   Gangstarr to return with new album   After a three-year hiatus from the recording studio, Gang Starr -- the jazz-influenced hip-hop duo of Guru and DJ Premier -- has just begun work on the follow-up to 1998's "Moment of Truth."click here for more billboard.com | 26 April 2001 18:33   Sisqo and Carmen Elektra to host World Music Awards   Chart-topping R&B artist Sisqo and actress Carmen Electra will host the 2001 World Music Awards in Monte Carlo. The 13th annual ceremony will take place May 2 at the French Riviera hotspot Le Sporting d' Ete (the Sporting Club). The spectacle will air May 28 in the U.S. on ABC at 9 p.m. ET, and will be syndicated to television outlets in 160 countries.click here billboard.com | 26 April 2001 18:32   Dr. Dre settles lawsuit    Rap star Dr. Dre (real name: Andre Young) has settled a fraud and breach of contract suit with accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, his attorney Howard King told the Hollywood Reporter. Sources said the case settled for an estimated $15 million.click here for the details billboard.com | 26 April 2001 18:29   Basement Jaxx Stay On Point For Rooty    Basement Jaxx kept the music playing all night long on their 1999 debut, Remedy, but on its follow-up, Rooty, the South London duo focused on producing timeless melodies and infusing them...click here for more. sonicnet.com