Get a beat from hitmaker Lil Jon and you could have a platinum record, so no doubt some artists’ ears perked up when the crunk producer announced he has plenty to go around.
“When it was time to go in the studio and work on [Trillville’s ‘Reloaded’] album, I went in for a weekend and did 50 beats in a week,” he told mtv.com. “I have a catalog now of about 600 beats.”
Of course, there’re only so many acts on his BME record label to dole out the beats to, so he picked out some dream artists for collaborations–Ice Cube, Too Short and even pop queens Jessica Simpson and Hilary Duff.
“I was doing a remix for [Simpson’s ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin’], and when I did the beat, I was like, ‘This beat is too hot for a remix,’ ” Jon told MTV. “I sent the beat to her, and they liked it for her (upcoming) album.”
PLANET REALITY: There are movies Mark Wahlberg has made that he is proud of … and there’s “Planet of the Apes.”
“I would not only not make ‘Planet of the Apes’ again, I wouldn’t want to see it again,” Wahlberg told amNewYork. “I don’t think Tim Burton would direct it again.
“I am at a point in my career that I just want to work with directors that I want to work with. I want to make movies that I want to see and play roles I want to play. I’ve paid my dues and done a lot for the experience and knowledge; now I want make the movies I want to see.”
Let’s hope “Four Brothers” is one of them.
NOW PRESENTING: The Emmys has rounded up its first group of presenters, with Oscar winner Halle Berry, “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart and “24” star Kiefer Sutherland agreeing to hand out awards.
“Law & Order: SVU’s” Mariska Hargitay and “Two and a Half Men” stars Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen also will present at the 57th annual awards, which will air Sept. 18 on CBS.
Four of the first six presenters also are nominees this year. Berry and Stewart, in fact, are up for two awards each. Berry’s nominations are for outstanding actress in a movie or mini-series for “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and as a producer of best TV movie nominee “Lackawanna Blues.”
HOLDING COURT: A judge in L.A. has extended a temporary restraining order barring an ex-girlfriend of Colin Farrell from marketing a tape of them having sex.
Farrell’s lawsuit against Playboy Playmate Nicole Narain says they made the videotape 2 1/2 years ago with the understanding that it would never be made public.
The lawsuit by Farrell accused Narain of working with the owner of an Internet pornography business and contacting the news media about the tape. Leodis Matthews, a lawyer for Narain, said her client had not attempted to profit from the tape but wanted to keep her half of the rights to the video.
Meanwhile, in New York, Lil’ Kim has won a court order preventing Lil’ Cease, the man who testified against her at her criminal trial, from releasing a DVD using her name and image. L. Londell McMillan, a lawyer for Lil’ Kim, said the lawsuit was a signal that she was taking charge of her life and business.
“She’s no longer fearful of the judicial system,” he said.
BADA-BONUS: The long-running saga of “The Sopranos”–not only the show itself, but also the speculation on how much longer it will last–may finally have an ending.
HBO announced Thursday that in addition to the 12 episodes for the Emmy-winning show’s sixth season next year, creator David Chase and Co. would produce eight “bonus episodes” to air in 2007, zap2it.com reports.
But that’s it. A network representative tells Zap2it.com that the series will end with the last of those eight extra installments.
Of course, fans of the show have heard that before. A couple years ago, Season 5 was pegged as the last one for the series.
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Compiled from news services and edited by Leo Ebersole (lebersole@tribune.com) and alBerto Trevino (atrevino@tribune.com)
