Music Stars Join Together For Unprecedented Event With A Single Goal: Beating Cancer.

Television is a very competitive industry. There's an old saying that goes something like this: "CBS doesn't tell NBC what it's up to." The traditional wisdom is that you never mention a competitor's name for fear of giving them free publicity as they vie for your eyes on their screens.

So you can only imagine how unusual it is when all those networks get together and eschew those lessons handed down through 50 years of the medium to collaborate for one remarkable cause: curing cancer.

On Friday night, Citytv will join rivals CTV and Global in Canada and U.S. networks NBC, CBS, ABC will all become one single entity, in an effort called "Stand Up To Cancer."

All those involved have donated a valuable hour of commercial free airtime to the cause of raising money and detailing research efforts and screening techniques designed to beat one of the world's deadliest diseases.

The show airs at 8pm and will feature a host of medical experts, athletes and stars in a jam packed 60 minutes.

Among those taking part and answering phones: Sally Field, Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, Salma Hayek, Charlize Theron, Casey Affleck, Forest Whitaker, Scarlett Johansson, Christina Applegate, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jennifer Aniston and cancer survivor and Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

A special video, called "Just Stand Up", featuring musicians like Mariah Carey, Beyonce Knowles, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Ashanti and more will be unveiled on the special. Click here to hear it now.

Source: CityNews

MARY J BLIGE BUYS DRESS FOR STRANGER SHORT OF CASH AT REGISTER!

Mary J. Blige did a good deed when she purchased a pricey Diane Von Furstenberg dress for a stranger who was short of the money.

A New York Post spy said: “The girl had a dress on hold that she loved, and the bill was $900. She thought it was only $500, and she couldn’t afford it.” Blige told the saleswoman, “Go get the girl. I want to pay for the balance on the dress.” The customer at first declined Blige’s offer but relented after the singer said, “I know what it’s like to want something and not be able to have it. I insist.” The customer wanted to send her a check for the balance, but Blige said, “Just enjoy it. I’m blessed, so let me do this.”

Good work Mary J. Now I want to see Beyonce pay for my next evening gown. LOL!

Montreal's Rappers Care About Kids Special Fundraising Event For the Montreal Children's Hospital.

This is the promo for the Hustle Hard Fam, Montreal's most accomplished rap trio, invites all members of the press to experience the release of their debut single 'Got That' and to help raise money for the Montreal's Children Hospital. The single was produced and composed by Beat Merchant, Canada's Number One Hip Hop producer. Merchant has worked with the likes of all-star crime drama 'Belly'; Juno Award-winning Canadian R&B and pop singer Keisha Chante; Mario Winans' awe inspiring blend of Gospel and R&B and now Hustle Hard Fam. The ticket cost is $10. All money raised will go towards Montreal Children's Hospital's (MCH) on-goint great work in the community. All Montreal citizen are invited to this event, not just members of the media. Thanks to Publicist Anne Howard for letting us know about a community worthy event like this that changes perceptions of Rappers!

View on YouTube at youtube.com/hustlehardfam

Visit the group on Myspace at www.myspace.com/hustlehardstudios


This is some cool stuff. Rappers doing good for the community! See the entire press release here and read about the events including the tracks you will hear at the event.

COMMON LAUNCHES LITERACY CAMPAIGN.

Rapper COMMON is encouraging teenagers to read - by promoting a book club for American kids. The Chicago-born star - real name Lonnie Rashid Lynn - is using his Common Ground Foundation to promote The Corner, an online group which aims to encourage teens to discuss literature. It will also feature monthly interviews with celebrity artists who will reveal their favourite books and why reading is so important to them, reports AllHipHop.com.

The Grammy award winner, who stars alongside Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman in upcoming movie Wanted, has a side project writing children's books and is currently the face of the American Library Association (ALA) READ Campaign. He says, "I started the Common Ground Foundation because I wanted to help. Most of all help people to help themselves."

BANNED IN THE PAST: Ludacris returns to his old High School!

UPDATE: That trip went very well with Producer Killer Mike and his cousin-in-law Monica also tagging along. Can you imagine, the Principal used to ban him there!! All photos are on Sandra's website.
Just like I visit schools in the U.S for 10 years talking about SADD (Students against destructive decisions) Some of you gave me that nice award at C.W Jeffreys last winter when I came to your school. It's not all about awards, I have millions of those. It's about giving back.

Rapper-turned-actor LUDACRIS will return to his former high school to give advice to troubled students. On Tuesday (13May08), Ludacris - real name Christopher Bridges - will visit Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Atlanta, Georgia, to address students about various concerns facing teenagers today, including rape, gang violence and the pressure to sell drugs. According to event organiser Tory Edwards, students have prepared for the ceremony by writing anonymous letters voicing their problems, which will later be placed in a casket and buried.

The star will also plant a tree on the school's campus, which plans to name one of its gymnasiums the Christopher Bridges Gym Of Dreams in the star's honour. The visit will be filmed for a documentary series about the hip-hop star, tentatively titled Behind The Mic. And Bill O'Reilly thinks Rappers like Ludacris are full of bad lyrics..........Above is Luda and I at just the very same place......in a school doing our thing in 2004!

HIPHOP COMMUNITY OUTRAGE: Ice Cube, Chamillionaire, Al Sharpton Are Disgusted By The 'Injustice' Of Sean Bell Verdict!!!

In what marked the end of one of the most high-profile police-involved shooting trials in New York City history, a judge on Friday acquitted three NYPD detectives of all charges in the shooting death of 23-year-old Sean Bell. The unarmed groom was gunned down in a hail of 50 bullets outside a Queens strip club on what would have been his wedding day in November 2006.

Justice Arthur Cooperman delivered the verdict in a Queens courtroom packed with spectators, including victim Bell's fiancee and parents, as at least 200 people gathered outside the building. Inside the courtroom, spectators gasped. Bell's fiancee immediately walked out of the room; his mother cried. I'm not one to hate police but what the hell is this? Our pals at VH1 report how outraged the hip-hop community is..........Always "Only in NYC." To serve and protect??? Have these jerks learned from the Amadou Diallo case?