USHER, PRINCE, PUFFY, KANYE NEWZ

[JumpinJack AJ]

Usher Speaks Out on the Rumors About His Relationship

THURSDAY JULY 12, 2007 05:25 PM EDT

By Tiffany McGee

Usher Photo by: John Spellman / Retna

In an open letter to PEOPLE, Usher is speaking out about the rumors surrounding his relationship with and upcoming wedding to Tameka Foster, with whom he's expecting a child in the fall.

One issue: The report by the New York Post's Page Six that the couple are planning to marry at the end of July in the Hamptons. Usher, 28, won't divulge a wedding date, saying, "Since my wedding day will be special to Tameka and I, this is information that we would like to keep private."

Another topic is radio host Tom Joyner's claim that Usher threatened him. According to the New York Daily News, Joyner said Usher threatened to "whup my a--" after he joked about rumored tension between Foster and Usher's mother. Says Usher, "I have never threatened or harassed anyone from any media format."

Finally, he wants to make it clear that Foster, 36, is not running his life, as some bloggers have speculated after Usher fired his manager mother, Jonetta Patton, and publicist. But Usher insists: "I am happy, excited, completely clear and independent on my direction, feelings, decisions and I am not being led."

The full text of Usher's letter follows:

"It has already been announced that I plan to marry this year. However, since my wedding day will be special to Tameka and I, this is information that we would like to keep private. It's disturbing that the media and bloggers (under the guise as 'fans') continuously speculate on the personal aspects of my life, therefore making assumptions and wrong insinuations that my fans are subject to believe.

"I am happy, excited, completely clear and independent on my direction, feelings, decisions and I am NOT BEING LED. Some media and bloggers have been totally intrusive, they have misconstrued aspects of my personal life and, because of this, my 'true' fans are not sure about what is fact and what is fiction. There is a difference in stating an opinion versus drawing a conclusion that is incorrect.

"As previously reported, I have NEVER threatened or harassed anyone from any media format – print, radio, television or Internet media. At this point the best thing to say to my fans is just because it sounds enticing and it MAY sound 'true,' that does not make it truth. I understand the fact that I must sacrifice some anonymity for the career I love, however some things are personal like having a child or a marriage. These aspects are not for the public and, to me, are sacred. I would hope my privacy in these areas would be respected."

– Usher

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Prince CD Giveaway Angers Music Industry

By JANE WARDELL,

AP

Posted: 2007-07-12 16:43:06

LONDON (AP) - Prince has angered the music industry and stirred up trouble among British retailers by giving away his new album with a tabloid newspaper this weekend.

"Planet Earth" will be packaged with the Mail on Sunday at a price of $2.80.

The giveaway has been roundly criticized as a major blow for an industry already facing rapidly declining CD sales. It has led Sony BMG U.K., Prince's local label, to pull the plug on its own sales release of the CD in Britain.

International sales launch for "Planet Earth" is July 16; the U.S. launch is July 24.

"The Artist formerly known as Prince should know that with behavior like this he will soon be the Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores," said Paul Quirk, co-chairman of the Entertainment Retailers Association, referring to a period in the 1990s when the singer famously stopped using his name to protest a binding record deal.

"It is an insult to all those record stores who have supported Prince throughout his career," Quirk said.

A publicist for Prince's record label said the 49-year-old singer-songwriter wasn't doing interviews.

Also fueling retailers' ire is what they see as a traitorous move by one of their own. After initially harshly criticizing Prince and the deal, music and books retailer HMV, which doesn't normally sell newspapers, decided to sell the Mail on Sunday in its 400-plus stores across the country.

"Like it or not, selling the newspaper is the only way to make the Prince album available to our customers," HMV said.

Rival retailers were outraged.

"We're stunned that HMV has decided to take what appears to be a complete U-turn on their stance," said Simon Douglas, managing director of retail at Virgin Megastores. "It's not only retailers that suffer; the public will suffer in the long term by restricting choice on the high street."

The use of so-called "covermounts," where free CDs or DVDs are attached to the front of a newspaper to catch the buyer's eye, is widespread in Britain where many newspapers are struggling to retain readers who are turning to online news and entertainment.

Most of the giveaways are compilations of archive recordings or older films. Past giveaways by the Mail on Sunday include CDs by Duran Duran, Peter Gabriel and Dolly Parton. Prince's CD contains new tracks along with old hits such as "Purple Rain."

Sony BMG U.K. said it decided it was "ridiculous" to go ahead with its own sales launch in light of the newspaper deal, but stood by its star singer, adding it remained "delighted" to be working with Prince.

The Mail on Sunday declined to say how much it paid to secure the deal or how many copies of "Planet Earth" it planned to sell. Its average circulation is 2.3 million copies.

Quirk said the deal was "yet another example of the damaging covermount culture which is destroying any perception of value around recorded music."

Beyond the covermounts, the value of recorded music is already under widespread threat from the rapid rise of digital downloads. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry estimated that overall music sales worldwide fell around 3 percent last year as a doubling in digital sales failed to compensate for falls in physical CD sales and digital piracy.

Prince also plans to give away a copy of "Planet Earth" with each ticket sold for his 21-date London concert later this summer.

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Kim Porter Says She Broke Up With Diddy

AP

Posted: 2007-07-12 12:07:38

NEW YORK (AP) - Kim Porter says she dumped Diddy.

"After 10 years, I have decided to end my on-again/off-again relationship with Sean `Diddy' Combs," Porter said in a statement Wednesday to syndicated entertainment TV show "The Insider."

"In ending this relationship, I made a decision that was in the best interest of myself, Sean and our family. I look forward to moving on with my life and my career, and wish him prosperity, health and happiness in life and in love," the 35-year-old model said. "We will remain friends and committed parents to our children."

Porter and Combs have three children: a 9-year-old son, Christian, and 6-month-old twin daughters, D'Lila Star and Jessie James.

The 37-year-old rap mogul announced their split earlier this week.

He has another son, Justin, with ex-girlfriend Misa Hylton-Brim.

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Daredevil, Rapper to Settle 'Kanyevel' Suit

Reuters

Posted: 2007-07-12 16:58:49

TAMPA, Florida (July 12) - Evel Knievel and rapper Kanye West have agreed to mediate a copyright lawsuit the motorcycle daredevil filed over a music video West made last year.

In the "Touch the Sky" video, West appears as "Evel Kanyevel" and wears a white jumpsuit like the one made famous by Knievel during a series of dangerous stunts in the 1960's and 1970's.

Knievel sued, saying West was infringing on his trademark and likeness. Complaining that West's video contained vulgar and offensive language and sexual images, he asked that use of the video be stopped and sought all profits from it.

Roc-A-Fella Records, which produced the video, was also named as a defendant.

But in a filing in U.S. District Court in Tampa on Tuesday, the parties said they had agreed to try to reach a settlement.

The mediation is scheduled for November 7 in Tampa.

Knievel, 68, lives in Clearwater, Florida.