EVANESCENCE STAR MOODY FORMS NEW LABEL.

Former EVANESCENCE star BEN MOODY has formed a new music label. The in-demand songwriter is the new boss of FNR Records. Moody quit Evanescence in 2003 after falling out with bandmate and former girlfriend Amy Lee. He has since penned hits for Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS PLANS INNOVATIVE TATTOO REMOVAL

N.E.R.D. star PHARRELL WILLIAMS is planning on spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new treatment to remove his many tattoos. The rapper-turned-producer is sick of the body art he has on his arms and has signed up to a undergo a new method of erasing them - which involves scientists growing skin grafts in a lab. Williams insists he doesn't care how expensive and painful the procedure will be - as long as it gets rid of the tattoos. He says, "It's going to be pricey, but f**k it, it's worth it.

I got fire on my arms! I'm a grown man! "There's an institute called the Wake Forest Institute in North Carolina for Regenerative Skin Treatment. It's basically like getting a skin graft, but you're not taking skin from your ass or your legs. These guys actually grow the skin for you. "First you have to give them a sample of your skin, which they then replicate. Once that's been done, they sew it on - and it's seamless." But Williams is already plotting replacement tattoos. He adds, "When it has healed you can go get whatever tattoo you want." Did Pharrell STEAL the song "Frontin?" Stay tuned for my interview with the two brothers that say so in U.S District Court!

BOOTS RILEY FACES OBSCENITY CHARGES!

Rapper BOOTS RILEY has been charged with an obscure obscenity law after using foul language at a show in Virginia. Riley and his group The Coup were performing at a festival in Norfolk on 21 June (08) when local police in the crowd took exception to his abusive language.

But Riley claims the charges against him, which haven't been used for 26 years, are racist. He says, "I stayed and debated the validity of the charge with police and festival promoters and it is clear that this is part of a larger debate that has nothing to do with profanity. That debate is about racism, gentrification and the ownership of public space." Riley is the first entertainer to be charged with public profanity in Norfolk.

NAS & SOULJA BOY LAND SNEAKER DEALS!

Rappers NAS and SOULJA BOY have just signed new sneaker deals. Nas and sports brand Fila have just entered into a new one-year partnership, while Soulja Boy has signed a multi-year footwear and apparel contract with Yums Shoes. Fila will back Nas' upcoming tour in support of his untitled album, as part of his deal. In return, the MC will wear Fila products and co-create an 1980s-inspired clothing line, according to Billboard.com.

He says, "My best friend Will and I loved Fila. It represented prestige and everything that was cool to us. When Will passed, we buried him in a black Fila sweat suit, so doing a deal with them has a lot of significance for me." Meanwhile, Soulja Boy is to release his first shoe later this year (08) - on the back of his new album and cartoon. He will team up with graffiti artist and designer Tex to create the new sneaker.

Yeah! That's the one I wanna get and dance that tell-em dance!

METHOD MAN'S INVITATION TO OBAMA .

WU-TANG CLAN star METHOD MAN has invited U.S. presidential hopeful BARACK OBAMA to join him on the streets of Compton in Los Angeles. The rapper is a big fan of the Democrat but he insists no new president should be allowed to lead the country without visiting the toughest areas of America. He says, "My people never feel the affects of who changes the world or who's in office because it never trickles down that low on the scale.

"We don't feel the President's power down there (in Compton), we just feel the poverty. Blessings to Obama and the whole Obama click. Hopefully he'll bring his ass to Compton and walk through the war zone to see what it is. "Somebody told me, 'Why would he go there; that's dangerous.' That's why he should go!"

I say go Obama! Take Hillary with you and get those votes in da hood!

IDOL COOK BACK AT LABEL WHICH DROPPED HER AS A TEEN!

AMERICAN IDOL reject KRISTY LEE COOK has landed a record deal with the company which previously dropped her. The pretty 24 year old has signed to Arista Nashville and will release her first single, 15 Minutes of Shame, in August (08). Cook became an Arista artist as a teenager - years before becoming a contestant on American Idol - but was dropped before she recorded a single.

Geez! Wonder who she refused to sleep with at the label when she was 18?

LENNY KRAVITZ JOINS LABELLE REUNION.

LENNY KRAVITZ has been added to the production team which will oversee new recordings by PATTI LaBELLE's reunited self-titled girl group. Kravitz has joined legendary producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff in the studio as LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash record their first new material together in over 30 years. The Lady Marmalade hitmakers will launch their new album in September (08), and they'll perform together for the first time since 1977 at the Essence Festival in Louisiana this coming weekend (05Jul08).

Snoop - Crazy ft Nate Dogg (Video). IT'S A CARTOON!!

Snoop Dogg Ft. Nate Dogg - Crazy (Animated Video) from amok525 on Vimeo.

Our sister blog in the U.K, The Hip-Hop Chronicle gave us heads up on this new animated Snoop Dogg video.

BEEF OF THE DAY: Young Jeezy thinks Prez Candidate Mccain is a FRAUD!!

Rapper YOUNG JEEZY was left unimpressed after appearing on TV alongside U.S. Republican presidential hopeful JOHN McCAIN - branding the politician a "fraud". See the full beefology at my hip-hop beefs blog www.hiphopbeefs.info

HOT OR NOT? Addi Stewart of NOW TORONTO magazine said it flopped!

You be the Judge and rate what Addi "Mr Mindbender" said. Is Mindbender bending 50's mind?