Jay-Z, Kanye West leak their new track, 'Otis'

Jay-Z and Kanye West have something new in the world: The latest cut from their forthcoming "Watch the Throne" album, a tune called "Otis." In it, the two modern-day monarchs of hip-hop step aside to make room for true soul music royalty: Otis Redding.

The sample-driven banger premiered Wednesday on New York radio station Hot 97 FM (97.1), courtesy of DJ Funk Master Flex.

With grainy snare snaps, greasy organ and a stomping floor-tom pulse, the song pays homage to Redding’s gravelly baritone with a sample of "Try a Little Tenderness" while the two titans of braggadocio trade verses that champion street-level cockiness wrapped in the elegance of a three-piece suit.

"Photo shoot fresh, lookin' like wealth/ I'm about to call the paparazzi on myself" Hova raps while Yeezy talks about "writing his curses in cursive." Though the duo's knack for flossing takes precedence over most of the track, Redding's raw power screams through in the final seconds like a rude wakeup call, reminding us that "Watch the Throne" is positioning itself for a chart takeover.

"Otis" follows the Lex Luger-produced "H.A.M.," which made its way to the tweetosphere in January.

The digital version of the album drops Aug. 1, with the physical version out four days later. Take a listen to the track here (there's some strong language -- scroll down for the audio link) then tell us what you think.

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Photos: Kanye West, left, and Jay-Z. Credits: George Pimentel / Getty Images, left; Andrew Gombert / European Pressphoto Agency, right.

Ryan Seacrest assembles Lady Gaga, Coldplay, John Mayer and more for online concert

One would likely need Ryan Seacrest's Rolodex to assemble a roster of superstars for a two-day, online streaming music festival -- so it's probably best that the host has taken it upon himself to do just that.

Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Sting, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Nicki Minaj, John Mayer and the Black Eyed Peas are among those set to perform at the Las Vegas music festival Seacrest is spearheading with iHeartRadio.

Seacrest has also invited Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Kenny Chesneyand David Guetta for the digital to-do, set for Sept. 23-24 at the MGM Grand.

Lopez, from Seacrest's "American Idol" family, showed up on the "Today" show Monday to join in announcing the event, with talk turning to another announcement folks are waiting to hear from her: whether she'll as a judge on the Fox singing competition.

"I have no announcement to make as of this moment, but I promise ... you'll be the first to know," she teased.

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Photo: Ryan Seacrest is putting together a music festival featuring some of his most famous pals. Credit: Steve Shaw / 42 West

 

Buju Banton gets 10 years in prison for cocaine trafficking

Buju Banton was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in federal prison after being convicted of three counts related to cocaine trafficking.

The reggae performer, whose real name is Mark Myrie, has been in custody since his arrest in December 2009 in Miami after he allegedly attempted to buy a large amount of cocaine from an undercover officer. He could have been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

After a mistrial in September, Banton in February was acquitted of attempted possession with the intent to distribute but found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

The convictions came less than two weeks after Banton, a previous Grammy nominee, won a Grammy Award for best reggae album, "Before the Dawn."

Banton can't record music while in prison, according to the Jamaica Gleaner, but will be allowed to keep his dreadlocks and practice his Rastafarian faith.

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Photo: Buju Banton performs in L.A. in 2006. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

Glen Campbell has Alzheimer's disease

Glen Campbell has Alzheimer's disease, and went public Wednesday with his diagnosis in anticipation of questions that might be raised around a number of farewell performances planned for this fall.

"I still love making music," the 75-year-old "Rhinestone Cowboy" singer told People. "And I still love performing for my fans. I'd like to thank them for sticking with me through thick and thin."

Things got a bit thin earlier this month when, after commenting on Campbell's struggles with lyrics, notes and poor rapport with the audience, one reviewer decribed a June 4 performance in Indiana as a "train wreck better suited for a county-fair beer tent."

"Facing a sold-out audience nestled in a world-class room, Campbell came across as unprepared at best and disoriented at worst," David Lindquist wrote on IndyStar.com.

Kim Campbell told People that her husband, who was diagnosed six months ago, is "still an awesome guitar player and singer."

"But if he flubs a lyric or gets confused on stage," she said, "I wouldn’t want people to think, 'What's the matter with him? Is he drunk?' "

The farewell tour will support Campbell's album "Ghost on the Canvas," Pop & Hiss reports. Due out Aug. 30, the new record features guests including Chris Isaak, Dick Dale, Billy Corgan, Brian Setzer and Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen.

The voice of "Southern Nights" (take a listen below) and "Gentle on My Mind" is a five-time Grammy Award winner and has released nearly 60 albums since 1962.

Alzheimer's, which has no cure, strikes one in 8 people age 55 and older, according to a National Institutes of Health task force.

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Photo: Glen Campbell at home in Malibu in August 2008. Credit: Phil McCarten / Reuters

Amy Winehouse cancels entire European tour [Video]

After a disastrous start, Amy Winehouse has canceled her 12-city European comeback tour.

Released from rehab weeks before the tour's kickoff, Winehouse was booed off stage during an appearance in Serbia on Saturday for flubbing lyrics, yelling at her band and leaving long gaps of silence during numbers.

The resulting scandal forced her management to cancel dates in Istanbul and Athens — and now the whole dang show is off the table.

"Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen," spokesman Chris Goodman said in a statement that called off the remainder of the tour.

While reps didn't comment on drugs or alcohol possibly affecting the Serbian gig and its aftermath, CNN noted, they said Winehouse agrees she's not up to snuff.

"Despite feeling sure that she wanted to fulfill these commitments, she has agreed with management that she cannot perform to the best of her ability and will return home," said Tracey Miller, another Winehouse rep.

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Photo: Amy Winehouse on stage in Belgrade, Serbia, on June 18. Credit: Associated Press.

Clarence Clemons is dead; Springsteen's 'Big Man' was 69

Clarence Clemons, "the Big Man" of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, died Saturday of complications of a recent stroke. He was 69.

The saxophone player fell ill at his Florida home last Sunday and later underwent two brain surgeries. His situation appeared to be looking up Monday, according to a friend who told Springsteen magazine Backstreets that his vital signs were improving and he had some minor movement on his paralyzed left side.

Photos: Clarence Clemons, 1942-2011

"He has his wonderfully supportive wife, Victoria, excellent doctors and healthcare professionals, and is surrounded by friends and family," Springsteen said in a statement Tuesday. Clemons reportedly took a turn for the worse later in the week.

In recent years, Clemons had suffered back and hip problems, and underwent double knee-replacement surgery in 2008. The band's eight-month world tour that year was "pure hell," he told Rolling Stone earlier this year.

Clemons, who had worked with Springsteen on and off since the early 1970s, was the man behind the E Street Band's signature sax sound, notably on the "Born to Run" album. Clemons recently collaborated with Lady Gaga, appearing on her "Born This Way" album and hitting the "American Idol" stage with Mother Monster.

In the words of the L.A. Times' Randy Lewis, Clemons  often served as "a playful and big-hearted foil" to Springsteen onstage.

Read the Los Angeles Times' full obituary here, and feel free to share your thoughts and memories in comments.

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Photo: Clarence Clemons in October 2009. Credit: Lucas Jackson / Reuters

Clarence Clemons dies at 69; saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band

Tom Cruise tweets shirtless 'Rock of Ages' photo

Tom Cruise treated fans to a sneak peek of his latest character, Stacee Jaxx in "Rock of Ages," via Twitter on Friday. The shirtless pic proves he’s still got it, even at 48.

With his long flowing hair, bad boy tats, leather boots and seriously toned arms, he could be the envy of every '80s rocker. Better yet, he gets to cover "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi.

But can he sing? The answer is yes, according to his wife, Katie Holmes. Tom “is such an amazing performer,” she tells Access Hollywood. “The voice is incredible.”

Of course, Cruise did his research and took in a live performance of the show at the Pantages Theatre in February, before officially signing on. The Broadway musical and the film both follow a small-town girl and a boy from south Detroit who move to L.A. in 1987 to follow their rock 'n' roll dreams.

Adam Shankman is directing the A-list film cast, which also includes Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Mary J. Blige. The movie is set to open June 1, 2012.

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Photo: Tom Cruise on the set of "Rock of Ages." Credit: Adam Shankman / Lockerz.com

Gwyneth Paltrow surprises fans with 'Glee Live' appearance [Video]

Gwyneth Paltrow memorably sang Cee Lo's "Forget You" for her first guest appearance on "Glee" -- and on Thursday night decided to remind one New Jersey audience that she can in fact bring it.

Paltrow made a surprise visit to a stop of the "Glee Live! In Concert" arena tour, where she donned her grey mini skirt and belted the track out alongside Lea Michele, Dianna Agron, Cory Monteith and Mark Salling.

East Rutherford went nuts over the Paltrow sighting, which she tweeted about ahead of time, saying, "On my way to Glee live! Rock. On."

Another fascinating Paltrowism? It appears she's had her first run-in with the notorious TSA scanners, and made an observation about the pose most pedestrians assume when passing through.

"Going through the airport, saw a very elderly lady getting scanned by that new xray thing...the TSA has everybody throwing up the ROC, its too good," she wrote. The ROC would be throwing your diamond in the sky in praise of Jay-Z (longtime Paltrow pal) and his empire.

Meanwhile, the "Glee" kids keep rolling across the nation. On Wednesday evening following their New York show they hosted AT&T Samsung's Spring Fling event, greeting fans for prom-style photos. Monteith rolled through the Gansevoort Hotel with Naya Rivera, and surprised costar Kevin McHale with a cake for his birthday.

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Lady Gaga's meat dress served under glass at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Lady Gaga's meat dress has been preserved and again presented for public consumption, this time on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, along with her meat boots. The meat dress was famously worn by Lady Gaga at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.

"It's going to be in a case and we are putting some canisters in there to control the humidity, and then we have this other canister that soaks up the glutens," Hall of Fame chief curator Jim Henke told MTV News. "But it's in a sealed case and we have the gels to control the environment in there."

The dress seen 'round the world was put into dry storage with the shoes after the event, with a chemical preservation process that turned the items into a fashionista's version of beef jerky. Henke explained to MTV that they'd worked with a taxidermist and put the ensemble -- put together by designer Franc Fernandez and stylist Nicola Formichetti and worn by Lady Gaga when she accepted her video of the year VMA for for "Bad Romance"-- onto a dress form while it was still wet.

The dress and boots turned brown from the preservation process, necessitating a paint job to return them to their original tartare tones.

Sadly, there's no meat purse under glass, but you can relive the raw experience with the Ministry's picture post from last year.

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Photo: Exhibitions chief preparator Andre Septavec, kneeling, and director of exhibitions Shelby Morrison, in gloves, join others in putting Lady Gaga's meat dress and boots on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland on Thursday. Credit: Amy Sancetta / Associated Press

Eminem backtracks on Lady Gaga diss, calls her an 'incredible talent'

 

While Eminem's recent lyrical diss Lady Gaga got some little monster paws swatting, the star is now backtracking on his words.

"I think Lady Gaga, as [an] artist, she's undeniable," Em said during a sit-down at Tennessee's Bonnaroo Music Festival.

In a track titled "Kiss," the rapper spits, "Tell Lady Gaga she can quit her job at the post office / She's still a male lady." Looked as if someone hadn't gotten the memo that, while not a dude, she was born this way.

"That was one of them things, sometimes I get a joke in my head and I kinda want to share it with the world," Eminem told Fuse.

"It's all in fun, it's hip-hop ... as far as an artist, she's dope. She's an incredible talent," he said.

We're glad for the kind words, considering the sadder to come out of the same festival this week: Two people have died, a 24-year-old man from hyperthermia, and a woman whose cause of death is unknown. 

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