Search Results for: Jack Black

Members of the Nation of Islam have begun playing a role in Michael Jackson’s affairs, sources close to the Jackson camp tell The Associated Press, although the controversial group denies having any official part in the pop star’s life. Jackson insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AP that Nation of Islam members have handled security at the singer’s Neverland ranch and have began taking over some of Jackson’s business affairs since he was accused of committing lewd acts on a child. The group, which in the past has been accused of anti-Semitism and inflammatory, separatist rhetoric, issued a… Read more »

Red-hot actor Jack Black says he’s the man to play Ozzy Osbourne in the long-awaited film version of the metal legend’s life, according to the New York Post. In fact, Black made the case to Sharon Osbourne herself on her talk show this past Friday (October 10), telling Ozzy’s wife that her husband “was a hero of mine as a kid and I have to say, I’ve been tracking the Ozzy film…if anyone’s Ozzy, I’m Ozzy.” Both Johnny Depp and Colin Farrell have been mentioned as possible actors to play Ozzy. Jack Black’s new movie, School Of Rock, debuted at… Read more »

Michael Jackson, who arrived fours hours late to testify in a $21 million lawsuit against him, has asked the judge to delay next week’s scheduled testimony so he can travel to Germany to accept an award. “The award is of deep importance to me, it’s philanthropic,” he told Superior Court Judge Zel Canter. “I’ve done a lot of work for children.” The postponement isn’t the first that Jackson has requested. On Thursday, his second day of testimony, Jackson was granted permission to delay that day’s court appearance by several hours. He arrived Thursday without the surgical mask he had worn… Read more »

Reclusive pop star Michael Jackson took the witness stand Wednesday in a $21 million lawsuit by his longtime promoter that accuses the singer of backing out of two millennium concerts. Jackson spoke softly while testifying, saying yes or no or asking for questions to be repeated. He paused frequently when asked about his business relationship with the plaintiff, concert promoter Marcel Avram. The German-based promoter alleges he was left with hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses after Jackson dropped out of the performances, which were to take place Dec. 31, 1999, on both sides of the international date line… Read more »

Michael Jackson’s surprise attack on Sony Music as racist has grabbed headlines, but many in the music industry have turned a deaf ear – suspecting the pop star has been motivated by self-interest rather than a concern for civil rights. Jackson, under contract with Sony until 2004 and among the highest-paid pop stars of all time, appears to be trying to pressure Sony into breaking the deal so he can exit with his valuable trove of master recordings, industry sources said. They say Jackson’s assault was prompted mostly by anger at Sony for the poor showing of his latest album,… Read more »

Michael Jackson took on Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola this past weekend, accusing the head of his record company of being a racist and part of a racist conspiracy against black artists. Though it was anticipated that Jackson would challenge standard practices of the music industry and champion artists’ rights when he spoke at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network in New York’s Harlem neighborhood on Saturday, his personal attacks against the Sony executive came as a surprise, not least of all to Sharpton himself. Most of Jackson’s comments were constrained to the overall treatment of black artists, the… Read more »

Swedish experimental extreme metal band Meshuggah have been praised by the mainstream music press and metal mags alike, and have cultivated a loyal underground following since their first LP, Contradictions Collapse, was released in 1991. But even the largest crowds at a European metal festival pale in comparison to the millions that heard Meshuggah on “The Osbournes” when Jack, in an effort to piss off the family’s obnoxious neighbors, blasted “Future Breed Machine” from the band’s 1995 album, Destroy, Erase, Improve. The young metal powerbroker also recruited the band to play the second stage of this year’s Ozzfest, and the… Read more »

The Democratic Party brought its Every Vote Counts voter registration efforts to the forefront Wednesday night in New York. Michael Jackson, Chris Tucker, Tony Bennett and other celebrities joined the likes of former President Bill Clinton and members of the Democratic National Committee at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre for a concert fundraiser. Tucker co-hosted the event with actress Cicely Tyson. Ruben Blades, k.d. lang and Tony Bennett performed, as did Jackson. M.J. sang a medley of songs that included “Black or White” and “Smooth Criminal,” and was joined by Jane’s Addiction guitarist and former Red Hot Chili Pepper Dave Navarro for… Read more »

As the three-man DJ troupe X-ecutioners scratched through their hour-long set Monday, video images projected onto a screen above the stage. There, in grainy black-and-white, were jazz musicians straining away on trumpets and saxophones. It was an interesting choice because, like most DJs, the X-ecutioners never appear to exert themselves – their whole act is based around making daredevil wrist-flicking seem as calm as a hurricane’s eye. On a more formal level, the contrast between jazz and hip-hop DJing couldn’t be more pronounced: While most classic jazz improvisation hinges on a relatively steady beat, the X-ecutioners improvise the beat itself.… Read more »

Nearly three years after her divorce, Janet Jackson said finding a special someone is her biggest wish – but no wedding bells are ringing just yet. “I’d like to be in love,” she told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday, without naming any potential candidates. Jackson has described the great emotional pain that followed her February 1999 breakup with co-writer Rene Elizondo Jr., whom she had married secretly in 1991. After the marriage dissolved, Jackson started dating – something she said she never did while growing up. But the singer said that no new partnership would lead to nuptials any time… Read more »