A memorial service for Michael Jackson has officially been confirmed and will take place this Tuesday (July 7 ) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Jackson rehearsed for an upcoming tour.

Organizers are giving away 17,500 tickets to fans lottery style, who must register at StaplesCenter.com. continue

Rapper DMC plans to celebrate Independence Day in his old neighborhood of Queens, New York, where he will celebrate being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

DMC will be displaying the actual trophy bestowed upon him by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which he earned in April, when he and fellow band mates from Run-DMC where inducted into the prestigious museum. continue

Michael Jackson’s private physician is in seclusion, not speaking even with family and friends, and won’t attend the singer’s memorial next week, the doctor’s rep tells PEOPLE.
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Veteran rapper/actor Busta Rhymes is going beyond the borders of the United States to give fans a lively dose of hip-hop with his upcoming tour of Canada.

The outing, which kicks off July 16 at the Ottawa Blues Fest in Ottawa, ON, will be in support of Rhymes’ latest album Back On My B.S. continue

John L. Sampson, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, became leader of the New York Senate Democrats. He rose through the ranks in politics reluctant of the limelight by some accounts, and now has to lead.

“He wrestled with it,” said Senator Eric Adams, a Brooklyn Democrat told the New York Times. continue

BET has expressed remorse over a performance by Lil Wayne, Drake and Young Money Records that involved underage girls during songs “Best I Ever Had” and “Every Girl.”

The songs, which have overt sexual references, were performed during the Sunday BET Awards ‘09 show as a bevy of young girls danced on stage. The group of girls consisted of Lil Wayne’s daughters and her friends. continue

Nearly four years after the release of his last album in Hustla’s Handbook, Inglewood-native Mack 10 will make his return with Soft White, which is scheduled for release on August 25. continue

A week after Michael Jackson’s sudden and shocking death, President Obama has finally offered his thoughts, saying the pop icon will “go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers.” continue