Music News:

Travis Barker And DJ AM Critical From Fatal Plane Crash. Hospitalized with Burns.


DJ AM and Travis Barker were critically injured in a plane crash Friday night (September 19) in Columbia, South Carolina. They had just performed at a free T-Mobile-sponsored show in the Five Points area, along with Perry Farrell and headliner Gavin DeGraw. Farrell's manager, Peter Katsis, confirmed that Farrell was not on the plane; it was unclear at press time whether DeGraw was onboard.

According to Lynne Douglas, public information officer for the Columbia Metro Airport, the crash took place just before midnight on Friday and involved a private Learjet with six passengers onboard. While taking off, the plane, which never left the ground, began sending up sparks and skidded off the end of the runway through a fence separating the airfield from a nearby roadway. It then crossed the roadway and ended up in an embankment, catching fire on impact. Douglas said two passengers — who were later confirmed to be AM and Barker — escaped the aircraft while it was on the ground, while the other two passengers and crew members died in the crash.

Beth Frits, a spokesperson for the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia, confirmed that AM (born Adam Goldstein) and Barker were transported to a hospital in Columbia, following the crash. They were transferred — AM by helicopter and Barker by ambulance — to the Still Center soon after.

Lexington County Deputy Coroner Brian Setree confirmed for MTV News on Saturday morning that three men and a woman were killed in the crash. Just after 10 a.m. Saturday, Setree identified two of the crash victims: the plane's pilot, Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim, California, and her co-pilot, James Bland, who was 52 and lived in Carlsbad, California. At 10:40, Setree confirmed that Barker's assistant, Chris "Little Chris" Baker, also died in the crash. He was 29, and lived in Studio City, California.

The National Transportation Safety Board has scheduled a press conference for 11:30 a.m., and it is expected more details about the accident will be revealed at that time.

Good News is Trav and AM made it, bad news is there were people who didn't. Condolences to the loved ones. Here's an update (September 21st) on there currant stat.

Fans of former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM, a celebrity disc jockey, anxiously waited Sunday for word on the critical burns the two suffered in an incredible escape from the flaming wreckage of a private jet.

The Learjet crashed late Friday night shortly after taking off from an airport in Columbia, where they had just performed a concert for thousands of college students. The plane's two-person crew and a pair of the musicians' staff members — also their close friends — were killed.

Officials said as the plane was departing air traffic controllers reported seeing sparks. The plane hurtled off the end of a runway and came to rest a quarter-mile away on an embankment across a five-lane highway, engulfed in flames.

Barker and DJ AM, whose real name is Adam Goldstein, were in critical but stable condition at a burn center in Augusta, Ga., hospital spokeswoman Beth Frits said.

One witness said he was driving when a fireball streaked across the highway about 600 feet ahead of him. William Owens said he approached to see the two survivors frantically trying to remove their burning clothes.

"I noticed two guys who were on fire and it looked like a dance: They didn't know what to do," said Owens, a 60-year-old delivery van driver.

Goldstein had stripped off his own shirt and was helping Barker strip naked, said Owens, who was able to identify the men Saturday night because of news reports that showed Barker's extensive tattoos.

Owens said Goldstein told him four other people were on board the jet, but the flames were too intense to get close.

"'Oh my God' was all they were saying," Owens said of Barker and Goldstein. "

They stood there and it's like — didn't know what to do. None of us did."

Two other passengers — Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, Calif., and Charles Still, 25, of Los Angeles — died, as did pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills, Calif., and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad, Calif., according to the county coroner. Baker was an assistant to Barker and Still was a security guard for the musician. A publicist described the men as close friends of their employers.

The plane was headed for Van Nuys, Calif. It is owned by Global Exec Aviation, a California-based charter company, and was certified to operate last year, said National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman. The company said it was working with investigators to determine the cause of the crash.

A longtime friend of the co-pilot said Bland flew anti-smuggling missions 20 years for the U.S. Customs Service and flew missions for the Santa Ana Police Department in California and U.S. Border Patrol.


As Eminem Preps a new Album, His Mom Preps A Book - ON HIM


After years away from the limelight, the infamous and controversial rap star Eminem is back back in the 'lab' with his eyes on a new album. While details on the new album are limited it has been rumored to be set for release towards the end of the year.

"I'm concentrating on my own stuff right now -just banging out tracks," Eminem told Billboard recently.

While Em' is concentrating on his new album his mother, Debbie Nelson is doing some 'rhyming' of her own.

In a shocking memoir entitled "My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting the Record Straight on my Life as Eminem's Mother," Debbie Nelson calls her son out for allegedly manufacturing a 'pill popping,' alcoholic and welfare ridden tale about her to sell records.

"At first I went along with it for Marshall's sake -- if I made one mistake as a mother, it was giving in to my eldest son's every whim," she says.

Despite being close, so close in fact that relatives would say the umbilical cord had never been cut, Nelson admits that she did anything she could to make up for his missing father.

"I wasn't happy when he made up a whole new life for himself — what mother wants to be known as a pill-popping alcoholic who lives on welfare? To tell the truth, I was heartbroken. The lies started coming thick and fast — and not just from Marshall. ... I think he's forgotten the good times we had, and this book is my way of setting the record straight."

Nelson's book about her famous son Eminem is due in stores this November.

Eminem's new album is rumored to be on track for release at the end of the year.


I JUST WANT THE ALBUM

Kanye V. 50 08'


Hip-Hop superstar Kanye West has finally come forward to reveal details about his highly anticipated upcoming album, 808s & Heartbreak.

With his new R&B tinged single “Love Lockdown” climbing up the charts and reaching No. 3 on iTunes’ Top Songs countdown, Ye took the time to write in his renowned blog showing his appreciation to fans.

“HEY THANX EVERYONE,” the headline reads. “PRETTY DOPE FOR THE FIRST DAY!!!”

In addition to embracing his fan base for their purchases of the track, Ye also wrote about his work sessions schedule and officially confirmed his fourth album’s title.

“I just woke up from a quick studio nap…I’ve been workin’ on 808s & Heartbreak about 16 hrs a day and Superman passed out for a little bit,” he explained. “I’m in hawaii but I’m still on NY time so I wake up mad early, do some business, blog, jog for an hour, play ball, eat and then hit the stu by noon.”

Prior to landing in Hawaii, Ye was involved in an altercation with paparazzi at California’s LAX airport last week (September 11) before being arrested and later released on $20,000 bail. While across the waters, the multi-platinum selling rapper hinted at an upcoming video for his new single.

“While approving the final cut for the ‘Love Lockdown’ vid, I marvel at the fact that it was written less than 3 weeks ago,” he wrote. “I’m very excited about everything…”

After receiving a slight mocking by former SoundScan competitor 50 Cent of his new song, Ye had this to say, “I guarantee this will be 50’s favorite album of mine. This will be gangster’s album of the year.”

As of now, there is no official release date for 808s & Heartbreak.

Thought it was for Dec 16th?!?!?

LL Cool J V. Jessica Simpson?


LL Cool J had a few words for Jessica Simpson this week, according to sources close to the Hip Hop star who released his latest album 'Exit 13' last Tuesday.

Simpson's new album "Do You Know," which happens to be the pop star's first foray into Country music, outsold LL Cool J's album by roughly 20,000 copies, sending the star into a bout of outrage.

A source close to LL Cool J's label told MSNBC, "LL is furious. He was so angry at one point that he was beaten by Jessica...he actually threatened to quit rap."

Shortly after this information was released, a rep for LL Cool J released a statement saying the star has no plans to quit now.

The veteran rapper's album 'Exit 13,' which landed at no.9 on this week's Billboard Hot Albums Chart, marks his last Def Jam recording under the current contract according to reports. The "Baby" star also released a new clothing line through Sears entitled "LL Cool J For Sears" this month.

'Exit 13' is in stores now.

LMAO, LL stupid for that one.

Busta Rhymes Leaves Aftermath/Interscope, And Signs New Deal With Universal.


Busta Rhymes has left Aftermath/Interscope and is officially signed with Universal Motown.

According to Motown reps, the New York rapper has signed an agreement to release his next project on the famed label - which is also home to Lil’ Wayne and Chamillionaire.

The hip-hop icon was in talks earlier this week about leaving Aftermath to pursue a run with Motown. Busta helped the summer heat up when it was rumored he was being dropped from the label.

“I can’t confirm or deny anything,” an Interscope/Aftermath rep previously told SOHH about the then rumored split.

In addition to an alleged industry beef with label chairman Jimmy Iovine, Busta suffered major delays with his eighth studio album, Blessed, originally slated for an early July release, including various sampling conflicts. Blessed was never released, despite the label dropping two videos for the songs “We Made It” and “Don’t Touch Me (Throw Da Water On ’Em).”

If released on Motown, Blessed will feature contributions from Linkin Park, Dr. Dre, Green Lantern, Cool & Dre, Nottz, Timbaland and Pharrell. As of press time there is no word on when or if Blessed will hit stores.

DAAAAMN, I really hope Blessed gets released. And Of Course if he leaves Interscope he leaves Aftermath, Sence Interscope is the Parent Company.