Blog Posts by Jem Aswad

Producer Teddy Riley — who worked with Michael Jackson in the 1990s and produced three songs on Michael — said today he has more songs "in my computer, waiting for [Jackson's estate] to push the button."

One of those is "Blue Gangsta," which leaked recently and is probably the funkiest song Jackson's been associated with in years. Riley described the song as "the next level of the next chapter of 'Smooth Criminal.'"

Check Out All of Rolling Stone's coverage in "Michael Jackson Remembered"

Akon — who collaborated with Jackson on the album's first single "Hold My Hand" — said that none of the material in his possession is in as finished a state as that track.

"There were a lot of songs we actually got to start up," Akon told Billboard, "but the problem is we never really got a chance to finish them." However, he said, "I think whatever he left behind, there's ways we can make them sound really presentable to people and give them something to hold onto."

Riley recently told Reuters about

NBC is taking on American Idol and Simon Cowell's upcoming X Factor with a new singing competition called The Voice of America, based on a Dutch TV show called The Voice of Holland. and its new show will be a collaboration with that show's creator, John de Mol, and reality-TV vet Mark Burnett, who has executive-produced MTV's Video Music Awards for the past four years.

NBC is fast-tracking the show and plans to launch it in the spring — before X Factor premieres in the fall, and possibly during the 10th season of Idol.

Photos: The American Idol Rollercoaster: Checking In On The Show's Biggest Winners And Losers

The Voice, which premiered earlier this year, has become the top-rated show in the Netherlands. The show's format is similar to Idol's with one significant twist: the four coaches have their backs to singers while they perform. The coaches claim a singer as their student and send them to the next round by pushing a button; the singer picks a coach if he or she is claimed by more

In a wide-ranging interview on Sirius' Shade 45 radio show this morning, Lil Wayne talked about the first single off his forthcoming album Tha Carter IV, "6'7"", which hit the internet this afternoon. "It's a monster," said Wayne. "But hopefully, it shows people where I'm at lyrically — Better than everybody!"

During the call, Wayne — who was released from prison last month — also talked about Ja Rule getting a two-year prison sentence on gun charges yesterday, and his forthcoming performance with Nicki Minaj on Carson Daly's New Year's Eve special.

Photos: Lil Wayne Returns to the Stage With Drake

As for Ja Rule, Wayne has an unfortunate connection to the MC's prison sentence: Rule was arrested on the same night in July 2007 that Lil Wayne was arrested on the gun-possession charge that sent him to jail earlier this year, and Ja joined Wayne onstage at Weezy's headlining concert at New York's Beacon Theater earlier that night.

"That's super crazy, I'm very disappointed in it," Wayne

American Idol is continuing its efforts to revive its sagging ratings for its 10th season: Along with new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, the show will be bringing in some hitmakers to mentor the contestants.

Approximately 60 auditioning contestants recently traveled to Las Vegas to rehearse Beatles songs. Joining them there are Universal Music honcho Jimmy Iovine, who is helping to mentor this year's cast — and he's brought in chart-dominating writer/producers Tricky Stewart (Justin Bieber's "Baby," Rihanna's "Umbrella"), Alex da Kid (Eminem and Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie," B.o.B and Hayley Williams' "Airplanes"), Rodney Jerkins (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's "Telephone"), Polow da Don (Keri Hilson, Trey Songz) and Jim Jonsin (T.I., Nelly).

Photos: The American Idol Rollercoaster: Checking In On The Show's Biggest Winners And Losers

This group has more contemporary credits than many other mentors the show has featured in the past, but the shift

Levon Helm, former drummer and vocalist for The Band, was hospitalized on Saturday with a cold but is expected to make a full recovery and be released within the next few days, according to his manager. The ailment caused him to miss Saturday's Midnight Ramble concert at his Woodstock, New York, home.

"Because he's got COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], a little bit of a cold to you and me is a lot more serious for him," Helm's manager, Barbara O'Brien, told the Poughkeepsie Journal . She told the Kingston Daily Freeman on Monday that Helm's ailment is "totally unrelated" to his recent bout with throat cancer.

Helm, 70, told O'Brien to offer refunds or exchanges to ticketholders at Saturday's show, although "99 percent" decided to stay, O'Brien said. Justin Guip, chief engineer of Helm's studio, covered for him on drums.

Photos: Levon Helm's Ramble With My Morning Jacket

Helm has been holding Rambles once or twice a month since 2004. Guests have included Elvis Costello, Phil

Glee's pop culture domination continued Tuesday morning with the announcement that the show had gotten five Golden Globe nominations, easily leading the TV category and besting eight other shows — including 30 Rock, Dexter, Mad Men and Modern Family — that each scored three. The show's nominations include best actor nods for Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison, supporting nods for Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer, and Best TV Series - Comedy.

The show won Best TV Series - Comedy at last season's awards but lost the other three categories for which it was nominated, including the same three nods as this year for Lynch, Michele and Morrison.

Rob Sheffield on How 'Glee' Became a Pop-Culture Juggernaut

In the music categories, the critically panned Burlesque scored two nods for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for Christina Aguilera's "Bound to You" and Cher's "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me." Gwyneth Paltrow's "Coming Home" from Country Strong, Mandy Moore's "I See the Light" from Tangled

DJ Premier — one-half of the pioneering hip-hop duo Gang Starr — is preparing an album of unreleased material from the group as well as a live DVD, he told XXL magazine. Premier and his partner in the group, Guru, who died in April, had had a rocky relationship in the years leading up to his death, and the discovery of new material came as a surprise to fans and critics.

After Guru died, statements released by his then-partner Solar and allegedly written by Guru harshly criticized Premier; several people close to Guru, including his sister, have said that the letter was fake. It read, in part:

I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family

Rapper Ja Rule pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in a New York courtroom on Monday morning. He is expected to receive a two-year sentence that will likely see him serving 16 months in prison, followed by a year and a half of post-prison supervision.

The charge stems from a July 2007 search of a car in which the rapper was traveling — police say they found a loaded .40-caliber Taurus pistol in the car after they'd stopped it for speeding. Rule and two other men were charged.

Photos: Random Notes

The arrest took place on the same night that Lil Wayne was arrested on the gun-possession charge that sent him to jail earlier this year; Ja had joined Wayne onstage at New York's Beacon Theater earlier that night.

Rule will remain free until he is sentenced on a date to be determined. As he left the court, Ja Rule told reporters, "This isn't a good day," though he later tweeted, "Minor setback for a Major comeback!!!"

Rapper Ja Rule pleads guilty in NY weapon case [The