Diddy assault charges dropped

Sean "Diddy" Combs should be able to breathe a bit easier tonight. That's because the Los Angeles Attorney's Office announced that assault charges against Diddy would not be filed, stemming from an incident at a post-Oscars bash in which Diddy allegedly attacked a man.

A spokemsan for the attorney's office said that there was insufficient evidence to charge Diddy with assault.

The incident reportedly took place Feb. 25 outside a post-Oscars party at Hollywood's Rossevelt Hotel. The alleged victim, Gerard Rechnitzer, claimed that he watched Diddy flirt with his girlfriend for approximately five minutes before he decided to intervene. However, when he approached Combs, the music mogul reportedly flew into a rage, yelling, "What the fuck you looking at, dude? I'll smack flames out your ass." Combs then reportedly attacked Rechnitzer.

Combs' attorney, Benjamin Brafman, told the Post that his client's fame was the only culprit in the case. "People who are superstars are always vulnerable to these allegations."

Rihanna gets line of umbrellas

Rihanna has more to celebrate than just making chart history overseas with her hit single "Umbrella." The singer will be getting her own line of umbrellas through a deal she has recently struck with umbrella manufacturer Totes. The umbrellas will reportedly have her name printed on it and be sold for $50. BBC News reports that her song has held the Number 1 position for ten weeks in the UK chart, making her the seventh artist in the chart's history to achieve such a feat.

R Kelly trial soon to begin

The much-delayed R. Kelly child pornography trial may be taking place sooner than later now that several key steps have been taken. The jury selection process moved forward during a morning hearing July 20th, The Chicago Tribune reports.

During the hearing, at which Kelly was also present, attorneys for both sides presented questionnaires they would like potential jurors to fill out. According to Asst. State's Atty. Shauna Boliker, a follow-up hearing is slated to take place today. At that hearing, both prosecution and defense will present Judge Vincent Gaughan a questionnaire that combines questions from both.

Though Boliker admits that the level of the juror pre-screening process is new to Illinois's Cook County, it was a necessary step due to the high-profile nature of the case. Though Kelly was first hit with 14 counts of child pornography back in 2002, getting to trial has been a lengthy process. This latest step may indicate that the trial will finally happen.

Rick Ross..."Be Out Day"

Rick Ross has teamed with Magic Johnson's Burger King Restaurants to host the 1st Annual Rick Ross Be Out Day on August 8 at Miami Carol City Senior High School.

The 1st Annual Rick Ross Be Out Day is designed to prepare students for the upcoming school years by providing backpacks, pencils, pens and other school supplies various youth may need to have a successful school year.

There will also be giveaways and activities for the children in a safe, relaxed atmosphere.

WEDR 99 Jamz jock DJ Khaled will co-host the event with Rick Ross, along with A-list recording artists and surprise A-list celebrities.

Over 1500 children are expected to attend Rick Ross Be Out Day, which takes place from 12 - 5 pm.

Tony Yayo rejects plea deal

Rapper Tony Yayo of the group G-Unit rejected an offer Tuesday of nine months in jail in exchange for pleading guilty to slapping and punching a 14-year-old boy.

Yayo, 29, whose real name is Marvin Bernard, was charged in March for allegedly hitting the boy, James Rosemond. The alleged victim is the son of Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, recording executive and manager of rapper The Game.

Yayo has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is free on $5,000 bail.

Scott Leemon, Yayo's lawyer, said, "The prosecution's nine-month offer is one Tony vehemently rejected. It's not even a good offer for a guilty person, and Tony denies the allegations absolutely."

A misdemeanor complaint said the youth told police Yayo hit him with his hand, "causing (his) face to strike the door of a building" and causing him "to have a headache, an earache, and caused substantial pain to (his) face." Yayo was charged with with assault, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child.

The case was adjourned until Sept. 6, when Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Neil Ross is expected to rule on Leemon's motion to subpoena e-mails between 5W Public Relations and its client, Czar Entertainment.

Leemon refused to say why he wants to see the e-mails.Czar Entertainment was co-founded by Rosemond. Its recording artists include Brandy, The Game and Mario Winans, according to the company's Web site.

Jay Z...leaving Def Jam

Jay-Z is trying to set sail from Island Def Jam.
A source very close to the hip-hop mogul confirms he is in negotiations to jump to rival Columbia.
Other insiders say the arrival of Jermaine Dupri as president of the Island Urban music division in February is the reason.

"There isn't room for two kings at one label," says a source. "Why would Island bring in another power-hitter urban guy?"

Dupri's main squeeze, Janet Jackson, followed him to Island two weeks ago. And Columbia is the home
of Jay's girlfriend, Beyoncé.

The fact that Jay would take with him ownership of his own master recordings makes him an attractive hire. And Columbia co-chair Rick Rubin has lately been shaking up his label's A&R department.

"He's creating a supergroup of staff," a second source explains. "So it would make sense that he would want Jay on his side."

Usher to marry this weekend

Usher and TamekaFoster will tie the knot this weekend at a private ceremony at L.A. Reid's Hampton mansion. Celebrity guests in attendance will include Jay Z, Beyonce, Janet and JD will be in attendance.

Invited guests, who were informed of the pertinent details via a discreet phone call, do not include usher's mom Jonetta Patton and his longtime publicist Simone Smalls who were both fired by order of Tameka. Both women objected to the relationship.

A source said: "They want the ceremony to happen sooner rather than later because they want to get married before Tameka has the baby."

This weekend's nuptials will be 28-year-old Usher's first marriage, and Tameka's second. The baby - a boy - will be her fourth by 3 different men.

The Pimp speaks his mind

Pimp C on Mike Jones and Lil Flip’s jewelry: "Them big ol’ plates they be wearing that look like dinner plates? Them diamonds are monkey. You need to take that monkey shit back cause you embarrassing us."

Pimp C on Russell Simmons: "I just made peace with the lil nigga Short Dawg cause on the cool, it really wasn’t his fault. It was ol’ dick-in-the-booty-Russell Simmons fault for not taking the message back to him and telling him to change his name. Yeah, I said ‘dick-in-the-booty.’ I know what I’m talking about. Bitch, I’ll air you out too."

Pimp C on Ne-Yo: "I ain’t out here dressing up trying to be sexy licking my lips like old gay ass Ne-Yo. Licking lips and shit, nigga. Pussy dick in the booty ass nigga wearing all that goddamn lip gloss at their video shoots and letting niggas put makeup on their face. Yeah, I said Ne-Yo, you heard what the fuck I said. Niggas putting all that lip gloss on they fuckin’ lips looking like they’ve just been eating a pork chop sandwich with no hands."

Pimp C on Atlanta: "Atlanta is not the South. Atlanta is not the South, goddammit, when you go to Atlanta what does your clock say? When you get off the plane from Los Angeles or Texas, what time do it be over there? Atlanta is East Coast time. You niggas ain’t in the South."

For all those that are wondering just how all of this came about...Pimp C (UGK) did an interview in the Ozone Magazine and made several controversial remarks about several rappers, Atlanta, and the dope game. He also makes comments about Young Jeezy, Young Joc, and others. CLICK HERE to listen to audio as an Atlanta radio station calls Pimp C and he continues to speak his mind.

Joc...can't keep secrets

Joc is hinting to people on the radio that he had sex with Rihanna and Mariah Carey. His exact words were, "Been there, done that." He gave some hints that included the words "Charm Bracelet" an "Umbrella." Sounds like ya boy Joc can't keep secrets...I thought we stop bragging on our little man in grade school.

Kimora..."Life In The Fab Lane"

On Aug. 5, 'Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane,' will make its debut on The Style Network at 8 p.m. ET/PT. As previously reported, cameras will go behind-the-scenes of the high-octane life of the ghetto fabulous fashion model, hip-hop mogul and beloved mother. Viewers will follow the soon to be former Mrs. Russell Simmons as she runs her multi-million dollar Baby Phat fashion empire and will also get a sneak-peek into Kimora's private life, including her most important job as mother of two young daughters two daughters, seven year-old Ming Lee and four year-old Aoki Lee.

Bow Wow & JD beefing

There have been rumors that JD and Wow Bow are beefin again. According to a source, JD and Wow Bow where working on Face Off, a collaborative album with Omarion. The two (Bow Wow & JD) got into an heated argument and Bow Wow bolted from the studio. Over the past weekend, it was So So Def Weekend in Atlanta and Bow Wow skipped every single event not showing his face at all!

Who stole my Valentine

Big Boi’s (of OutKast) wife owns a clothing line called P. Valentine. Well, over the weekend, somebody stole the company’s entire collection of jeans. So Big Boi took it to the airwaves. He went on V-103’s “Ryan Cameron Show” and offered $50,000 to whoever calls the store and lets him know who did it. “It is not a good day when your wife calls and says, ‘Babe, they got us,’ ” Big Boi told Buzz at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “So you know, I’ve got to see about this personally. You don’t even have to call the police folk. Just call me … I’ll get this shit handled.”