Deen Castronovo Assault: Journey Drummer Arrested for Allegedly Attacking Girlfriend

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Deen Castronovo, current touring drummer for freshman-year favorites Journey, was arrested this weekend in Oregon for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend. The stickman has been with the band since 1998.

After their argument turned physical, Castronovo allegedly chased his girlfriend out of their house when she tried to call her father and grabbed the phone from her hand. He was presented with a bevy of charges including fourth-degree assault, second-degree criminal mischief, coercion, interfering with making a report and harassment. He was later released after posting over $52,500 in bail.

Urge Overkill Pen Beautiful 'Quiet Person' During Rehab Stint -- Video Premiere

Mike White

Though the band rose to prominence because of being heavily featured on the 'Pulp Fiction' soundtrack, Urge Overkill have been on hiatus for the last 16 years. Spinner is proud to premiere the video for 'Quiet Person' off of 'Rock & Roll Submarine,' their 6th studio album, and first since 1995. The tune recalls the gentler sides of Neil Young via the gentler sides of Dinosaur Jr.

"'Quiet Person' came from a project given to me during rehab in Malibu because I had talked a lot about depression and how it led to feeling like I had a bad case of writer's block," vocalist and guitarist Eddie "King" Roeser tells Spinner. "My counselor finally said if you want to get out of here you'll have to come up with a finished song, but I never thought of it for Urge Overkill until everyone heard it and thought it should be put out in its raw form, straight from the treatment center!"

Alt-Rock Then and Now: Connecting the Classes of 1992 and 2012

Getty Images (2)

If it seems like the hip new bands of 2012 remind you of something you've heard before, one, you're old, but two, you're right. The adage "everything old is new again" is particularly applicable to modern music and there are a lot of acts who feel mighty familiar right now.

Sensing a time-based forensic piece, we jumped in the Official Spinner Tardis™ (which actually looks more like Pig Floyd's flying pig) and zapped backwards 20 years. When we got there we realized pretty quickly how embarrassing grungewear actually was as fashion.

But it also became crystal clear that the rise of the alternative nation -- officially marked by Nirvana's 'Nevermind' knocking Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous' off the chart top in January, 1992 -- sounded a lot like what's going on today.

We sifted through all the DNA evidence and found a number of undeniable family resemblances between various acts from 1992 and 2012. Here they are now, we hope they entertain you:

Troggs Singer Reg Presley Battling Lung Cancer, Retires From Band

Christie Goodwin, Getty Images

Reg Presley, the lead singer for 'Wild Thing' hitmakers the Troggs, has revealed that he's battling lung cancer. The 70-year-old is retiring from the garage-rock pioneers while he undergoes chemotherapy.

The Troggs, who also had hits with 'Love Is All Around' and 'With a Girl Like You,' started their career in England in 1964 and have been active ever since. Presley suffered a stroke in 2010 and was thought to have had another in December 2011 while performing in Germany.

"During my stay in hospital tests showed that in fact I have lung cancer," Presley said in a statement on the band's official site. "I am receiving chemotherapy treatment and at the moment not feeling too bad.

Playing for Change Spread Love Around the World, One Heart and Song at a Time

Playing for Change

Mark Johnson is the co-creator of Playing for Change, the organization best known for creating the viral video of street musicians from around the world performing 'Stand by Me.' The multimedia project has also expanded into the non-profit world, launching music schools and programs in several developing nations, and the Playing for Change Band will kick off a tour on Feb. 12 in St. Paul, Minn. Johnson was gracious enough to pen the following essay for Spinner, explaining the roots of Playing for Change, its impact and its future.

Music is our greatest tool for healing broken countries, cultures and hearts. The worldwide movement of Playing For Change began seven years ago on the streets of Santa Monica, Calif., with one man and his guitar. The musician's name was Roger Ridley and he was singing the timeless classic, 'Stand by Me.' I asked Roger why, with so much talent, he was singing on the streets. He replied, "Because I'm in the joy business, I come out here and bring joy to the people."

Shortly after recording and filming Roger, we headed to New Orleans to see what music we could find after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. We met another street legend named Grandpa Elliott and asked him to participate in the PFC project. Grandpa had been performing on the streets for 60 years! He added his soulful voice and harmonica to our 'Stand by Me' recording and video. We then headed to New Mexico to record the Zuni Indians and add their drums to 'Stand by Me' as well as some other of our songs. They added such a unique dimension to the music and taught us that no matter who we are or where we come from, we are all united through music.

Hulk Hogan in Metallica? Wrestler Reveals He Was Asked to Join the Band

AP Photo|AFP/Getty Images

In another piece of news that sounds at once outlandish and also weirdly appropriate: Hulk Hogan once almost joined an early version of Metallica.The WWF/WWE living legend and star of '3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain' apparently found work as a session musician before becoming the Super Destroyer and between Hogan and Metallica there is a shared affinity for handlebar mustaches.

"I used to be a session musician before I was a wrestler," Hogan told the Sun. "I played bass guitar. I was big pals with Lars Ulrich and he asked me if I wanted to play bass with Metallica in their early days but it didn't work out."

The Sheepdogs Singer Says 'Forget Madonna' for Super Bowl Halftime Show

Photograph by Danny Clinch for RollingStone.com

Ewan Currie of Canadian rock group the Sheepdogs says this year's Super Bowl halftime show should feature the likes of the Roots, Black Keys or even Prince. Just anybody but Madonna!

"Forget Madonna, y'know," Currie said during an interview Thursday afternoon with Tim & Sid (Tim Micallef and Sid Seixeiro) on Toronto sports radio station The Fan 590. "I remember in '98 when she came out with that album 'Ray of Light,' she was old back then and like it's 2012 now. That was 14 years ago."

Instead of the material girl, Currie said he would rather see the Roots have an opportunity to perform. "They're getting more props now and people know about them thanks to the Jimmy Fallon show but if you've seen them live you know they can stake a claim to being the best live band around," he said. "They put on a killer show, can do all kinds of styles, they can medley and all that kind of stuff."

The 2 Bears Drop 'Whatever the Weather' Mix -- Exclusive Download

Linda Brownlee

Comprised of Hot Chip member Joe Goddard and Raf Daddy (Raphael Rundell), the 2 Bears have remixed everyone from Cults and Metronomy to Death Cab for Cutie and Junior Boys, receiving radio support for their acclaimed 'Bear Hug' EP from BBC Radio 1's Pete Tong and Annie Mac, and praise from Sirs Elton John and Paul McCartney.

As the 2 Bears prepare to release their debut LP, 'Be Strong,' the U.K. dance duo have dropped off an exceptional 80-minute exclusive mix called 'Whatever the Weather,' which features recent jams by DFA labelmates Factory Floor and Henrik Schwarz alongside classics from Gino Soccio, Armand Van Helden, Davina and many more.

The National to Curate UK's All Tomorrow's Parties

Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Having wrapped up 2011 with a week-long string of New York City dates, the National will curate and perform at this year's All Tomorrow's Parties set for Butlins Holiday Centre, Minehead, England from December 7-9.

The first batch of artists confirmed includes the Antlers, Sharon Van Etten, Kronos Quartet, Boris, Tim Hecker and Owen Pallett. Wye Oak, My Brightest Diamond, Lower Dens, Megafun, Suuns, Dark Dark Dark and Buke and Gase rounds out the initial list.

The band -- who will make its lone British 2012 performance at ATP -- made the announcement earlier this morning on its site.

President Obama's Celebrity Wish List Reads Like Weirdest Festival Ever

JEWEL SAMAD, AFP/Getty Images

President Barack Obama may be up against an increasingly disjointed group of candidates but that hasn't stopped him from compiling this crazy wish list of celebrities, musicians, politicians and philanthropists to back his campaign.

The 194-person list dug up by the Tennesseean is chock full of curveballs (and no baseball players) but musically displays such incongruities as Vampire Weekend, the Band Perry, Eric Robertson and the Boston Boys (who?), Ricky Martin, Train and Arcade Fire, just to name a few.

Bruce Springsteen's New Album,'Wrecking Ball,' Due out March 6

Danny Clinch

Bruce Springsteen. 'Wrecking Ball.' It's on.

The Boss has finally revealed details of his 17th album, which is due out March 6 via Columbia. Featuring 11 tracks, the LP was produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen.

Springsteen also gave fans a taste of what's to come by streaming the lead track 'We Take Care of Our Own.' Featuring a chorus with the line "Wherever this flag's flown, we take care of our own," the anthemic track's main difference from his classic work is the backing of strings.

Travis Barker's Nude Photo Leak: Drummer Threatens Legal Action Over Pics

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

The Internet is an interesting place. Hopes, dreams, shopping, music and Travis Barker's penis can all be accessed on the world wide web. Wait ... T. Bark pulled a B. Favre (alleged)? According to NME, gossip website MediaTakeOut.com published several NSFW photos of Barker's junk, reporting an "unnamed" musician had sent the photos to a female admirer.

Readers quickly discovered that the pics were of the Blink-182 drummer due to his incredibly distinctive tattoo collage. Now Barker is raving mad and has sicced his attorney on the website, claiming the photos are from over five years ago and were never intended to go viral.

MediaTakeOut has received a cease and desist letter from Barker's camp for their use of the unauthorized private photos. However, it still hasn't taken down the images and claims that Barker's "jank is the size of a microphone."

Merle Haggard Hospitalized With Undisclosed Illness

Tim Mosenfelder, Getty Images

We're wishing a speedy recovery to Merle Haggard, who was hospitalized in Macon, Ga., Tuesday night (Jan. 17). According to Nashville's WSMV-TV, the 74-year-old country icon fell ill prior to a scheduled performance and was rushed to a local hospital.

Merle's tour manager, Frank Mull, confirms to the Ledger-Enquirer that the singer had been sick since leaving his California home last week. However, details regarding the illness have not been disclosed. His scheduled show tonight (Jan. 18) in Columbus has been canceled.

Young Statues Hang Out, Eat Pizza in 'Spacism' -- Video Premiere

Mitchell Wojcik

Philadelphia indie rockers Young Statues didn't intend for their music to be heard outside their inner circle of friends. But when singer Carmen Cirignano decided to go forward with the project, the music became his main passion.

The band's self-titled debut album strikes a great balance between edgy indie and solid pop. With a voice reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, Cirignano's delivery is heartfelt and steady. New single 'Spacism' features some fantastic guitar work in the same vein as New Jersey's Real Estate, but with a clearer narrative.

The video for 'Spacism' was directed by Mitchell Wojcik and shows the band in their natural North Eastern habitat -- driving across the Verrazano Bridge, cruising over the gently rolling hills of New Jersey and drinking in the fine establishments of their home town.

Sinead O'Connor Heads to Hospital, Seeks Treatment for Depression

Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images

In recent weeks, Sinead O'Connor has used Twitter to document her on-again, off-again marriage to fourth husband Barry Herridge and generally keep the world abreast of her fragile mental state. It's been pretty hairy stuff, but now, she's finally tweeted some good news.

In a message posted yesterday (Jan. 17), the 'Nothing Compares 2 U' singer revealed that she's heading for a hospital and seeking the help she recently pleaded for and obviously needs.

"Treatment for depression," she tweeted. "Not at all well. But they will put me back together quick."

She added that she would be "back.. and smiling. Prolly 2 weeks ish."

Happy Mondays Reunite: Original Lineup Set to Perform in 2012

MJ Kim/Getty Images

After initial rumors were shot down, British rock band Happy Mondays have announced that they will indeed be reuniting their original lineup, according to a statement obtained by The Quietus. Their reunion will mark the first time brothers Shaun and Paul Ryder have played together since 2000.

"The rumours are true," the statement said. "Happy Mondays, the seminal Manchester band who changed musical culture forever has reformed and will be available for select live gigs across 2012."

The reunited lineup will be composed of original Mondays Shaun Ryder, Paul Ryder, Mark Day, Paul Davis and Gary Whelan, along with Rowetta Satchell, who joined the band in the '90s.

Ariane Moffatt, 'In Your Body' -- Song Premiere (Free MP3)

SPG Le Pigeon

Ariane Moffatt is an award-winning, platinum-selling Francophone artist from Montréal, Quebec who is skinny-dipping into the Anglo music scene with her latest electro-pop number 'In Your Body,' a woozy synth-drenched ode to sex addiction.

As Moffatt tells Spinner in inimitably French fashion, the song is a "short movie-like journey of an obsessed and skin-addicted character for the object of her desire. Circling her prey on her old bicycle, spying it to find the entering doors of it's body and hide between the flesh and the bone. Poor mad Aphrodite, she can't seem to control her sexual compulsions. When the sun comes out, you decide if she won or not."

Tribes Grow From Wallet-Stealing to Opening for the Pixies, Releasing Debut LP

Rachel Been

When it came time to mobilize a fanbase, London band Tribes chose to start simply, in a place many would consider outdated in this day and age. Rather than take to Facebook, Twitter, Bandcamp or any other social networking sites, the four-piece decided to forgo a Web presence in favor of more homegrown initiatives.

"We actually postered our gigs, which is totally unheard of in London," singer Johnny Lloyd tells Spinner in a thin voice that belies his plaintive onstage wail. "We put posters everywhere, flyered them and gave our mates a crate of beer if they went out and did all that."

Tribes have always done things in a slightly unorthodox way, including how guitarist Dan White met drummer Miguel Demelo. "Dan stole Miguel's wallet at a party when they were about 15," Lloyd says. "You can't leave anything lying around with Dan. He steals on a daily basis, I imagine. I just haven't caught him yet."

Lana Del Rey on 'SNL': Brian Williams Bashes, Daniel Radcliffe Defends Her

Andy Sheppard, Redferns

Lana Del Rey is stirring up plenty of internet ire due to her tepid appearance on 'Saturday Night Live.' The singer even stirred up news anchor and NBC mainstay Brian Williams, who wrote in e-mail to Gawker that "Lana Del Rey had one of the worst outings in SNL history last night-- booked on the strength of her TWO SONG web EP." He went on to name her "the least-experienced musical guest in the show's history, for starters ... "

Art Brut frontman Eddie Argos was also not a fan. "Just watched SNL thats the Lana Del Rey you all like?" he tweeted. "I thought it was Kirsten Wiig doing one of her 'wacky' characters. You are all idiots."

However, not everybody with ears clamored for Del Rey to be shamed. The host of that night's 'SNL,' Daniel Radcliffe, came to her defense, saying, "It was unfortunate that people seemed to turn on her so quickly."

Headphone-Related Deaths Increasing in the US, Study Finds

Brendan Hoffman, Getty Images

According to a newly published study, the number of pedestrians in the United States who have been killed or severely injured while wearing headphones has apparently tripled in the last six years. We know what you're probably thinking: Maybe cars just need louder horns.

Perplexingly, more than half of these incidents involved pedestrians being run over by trains and "Two-thirds of the victims were males and under the age of 30." In response to this shocking inattentiveness, government officials reportedly suggested that dudes stop wearing their headphones as blindfolds.

Skrillex and Doors Members Release Video for 'Breakin' a Sweat' -- Watch

Brian Nevins

Are you still confused as to what it is DJs, specifically the dubstep ones, actually do? Well, this Skrillex video for 'Breakin' a Sweat,' his collaboration with members of the Doors for the 'Re:Generation' documentary, might help. Or, maybe not.

At the outset, we see Skrillex alone in a hotel room, working on his music. "I make all my records in hotel rooms, pretty much," he says in a voiceover. "Just wherever I can. I've made records in car rides, if we have like a long trip to a show. All I need is my laptop and my headphones. That's all you really need I think for what I do."

Above and Beyond: Genres Are Divisive, Like 'Race and Religion'

Anjunabeats

Above and Beyond's Jono Grant, Tony McGuiness and Paavo Siljamaki can rest comfortably knowing they've become a icons in the electronic dance music community. The rest of us, however, can only wonder how they've forged a career that spans over a decade, 400 Trance Around the World (TATW) radio shows, countless performances in front of tens of thousands of people at a time, their own record label, hundreds of singles and remixes and three massively well-received studio albums.

When we chatted by phone with Grant, the trio was preparing for the eight-hour, 400th episode of TATW. Broadcast from Beirut, Lebanon, the show featured sets from Gareth Emery, Kyau and Albert, Mat Zo, Jaytech and, of course, the A&B boys. We talked about their live shows, the downsides to electronic dance music's popularity in the States, dubstep and a "cheesy" habit some of their fans have.

Classixx Debut 'Fax From the Beach' Via E-Mail -- Watch

Classixx

After releasing their 2011 single 'Into the Valley,' Los Angeles dance duo Classixx have returned with a VHS-inspired video for their new song, 'A Fax from the Beach,' directed by Jerome Potter of LOL Boys and Johnny Woods.

The video arrived in an e-mail sent to their list, with the enigmatic subject heading "A Fax from the Beach." The body of the e-mail contained solely a pink and blue still, which clicked through to a YouTube link, and no further explanation.

Kate Bush Stalker Breaks Into Singer's Home With Intention of Proposing

KateBush.com

Frank Tufaro isn't your average Kate Bush fan -- or your average stalker. According to the Daily Mail (via Brooklyn Vegan) the American music enthusiast has been obsessed with Bush since the height of her fame in the 1980s, and his love for the reclusive singer was reinvigorated with the release of her newest album '50 Words for Snow.'

No longer able to stifle his inner crazy, Tufaro purchased a $4,600 Tiffany diamond ring and booked a flight for London. Upon arriving, the Bush fan paid a cab almost $370 U.S. to drive him to a remote location in Devon, where Bush's home is. Tufaro used satellite images and local maps in order to pinpoint the million-dollar estate.

Tufaro knocked on the door, ready to propose to the singer, but no one appeared to be home. He then smashed a window and let himself in. "I was inside for about eight minutes before I realized I had to leave. I just walked around and looked at everything. It wasn't what I expected," Tufaro told the Daily Mail, adding that the whole situation "felt like a set-up."

Adele's Boyfriend Is Married, Has a 5-Year-Old Daughter

GF/bauergriffinonline.com

It's no secret that all of Adele's success has come after some pretty severe heartache. Both of her albums, '19' and '21,' were written in the aftermaths of bad breakups, and it seems her new boyfriend, Simon Konecki, has had his share of romantic troubles.

As U.K. tabloid the Daily Mail reports, Konecki, 37, married stylist Clary Fisher in 2004 and has a 5-year-old daughter with her. The couple separated in 2010 and are in the process of divorcing, sources told the paper.

Kate Bush Stalker Breaks Into Singer's Home With Intention of Proposing

KateBush.com

Frank Tufaro isn't your average Kate Bush fan -- or your average stalker. According to the Daily Mail (via Brooklyn Vegan) the American music enthusiast has been obsessed with Bush since the height of her fame in the 1980s, and his love for the reclusive singer was reinvigorated with the release of her newest album '50 Words for Snow.'

No longer able to stifle his inner crazy, Tufaro purchased a $4,600 Tiffany diamond ring and booked a flight for London. Upon arriving, the Bush fan paid a cab almost $370 U.S. to drive him to a remote location in Devon, where Bush's home is. Tufaro used satellite images and local maps in order to pinpoint the million-dollar estate.

Tufaro knocked on the door, ready to propose to the singer, but no one appeared to be home. He then smashed a window and let himself in. "I was inside for about eight minutes before I realized I had to leave. I just walked around and looked at everything. It wasn't what I expected," Tufaro told the Daily Mail, adding that the whole situation "felt like a set-up."

Jimmy Castor, Funk Saxophonist Sampled by Numerous Rappers, Dead at 64

Gilles Petard, Redferns

Jimmy Castor, an acclaimed disco-funk saxophonist whose classic horn lines have been sampled by such hip-hop artists as Kanye West, N.W.A. and Eric B. and Rakim, died Monday, Jan. 16 in Las Vegas of unknown causes, Prefix reports. He was 64.

Born in New York City in 1947, Castor is best known for leading the disco-era group the Jimmy Castor Bunch, whose 'Troglodyte (Cave Man)' was a No. 4 R&B hit in 1972. Prior to forming that outfit, he played with numerous bands, and in the late '50s, he found his initial success as a singer, taking over for Frankie Lymon in the doo-wop group the Teenagers.

While 'Troglodyte' was his highest-charting single, another 1972 tune, 'It's Just Begun,' has perhaps proved his most enduring. The tune has been sampled by dozens of hip-hop artists, and in appears in the memorable breakdancing scene from the 1983 film 'Flashdance.'

Lana Del Rey on 'SNL': Brian Williams Bashes, Daniel Radcliffe Defends Her

Andy Sheppard, Redferns

Lana Del Rey is stirring up plenty of internet ire due to her tepid appearance on 'Saturday Night Live.' The singer even stirred up news anchor and NBC mainstay Brian Williams, who wrote in e-mail to Gawker that "Lana Del Rey had one of the worst outings in SNL history last night-- booked on the strength of her TWO SONG web EP." He went on to name her "the least-experienced musical guest in the show's history, for starters ... "

Art Brut frontman Eddie Argos was also not a fan. "Just watched SNL thats the Lana Del Rey you all like?" he tweeted. "I thought it was Kirsten Wiig doing one of her 'wacky' characters. You are all idiots."

However, not everybody with ears clamored for Del Rey to be shamed. The host of that night's 'SNL,' Daniel Radcliffe, came to her defense, saying, "It was unfortunate that people seemed to turn on her so quickly."

Chris Brown Tattoo: Karrueche Tran's Face on Arm

Mindy Small, FilmMagic

Chris Brown has always been fond of visiting tattoo shops, inking up his chest and arms -- check out his recent video for 'Strip' to see the shirtless singer with loads of permanent body art. The crooner's most recent tattoo pays tribute to his new girlfriend, Karrueche Tran.

KarenCivil.com reports that the Virginia native has inked Tran's face on his left arm, beside his elbow. The 'Fortune' creator apparently dedicated the piece to the blonde-haired aspiring model. The tattoo comes from a past photo shoot Tran did, where she appears as a brunette, her hair covering parts of her face, which is decorated in paint.

Beyonce Skin Color: Accused of Lightening Face in Photos

Columbia

Looking lighter than usual in photos being used to promote her latest album, last year's '4,' Beyonce has raised concerns that she is trying to play down her natural skin color.

While pregnant women are sometimes anemic, and anemia can leave sufferers looking pale, the controversial new photos were taken before the 30-year-old pop superstar was with child, the Daily Mail reports.

Jennifer Hudson, David Otunga: Singer Reveals She Proposed

Jason LaVeris, FilmMagic

As reported by AOL Music, while many girls dream about the day their Mr. Right will pop the question, Jennifer Hudson has revealed that her proposal story with fiance David Otunga is far less traditional.

Otunga presented Hudson with an engagement ring on her birthday back in September 2008. A few months later, Hudson thought it would be fun to celebrate the engagement by returning the favor!

"He proposed to me on my birthday and he would complain that he didn't have an engagement ring," Hudson shared during an interview on 'The Talk.' J-Hud's romantic story continued, "[He would say,] 'You have a ring, but how are they going to know I'm taken?' So I had a ring made and then I gave it to him as his birthday gift on his birthday [April, 2009] and the way that I gave it to him was like, 'Now will you marry me!' So I kind of proposed to him, too."

Rihanna Strips Down for Armani Modeling Campaign

James Devaney, WireImage

Rihanna has teamed up with Emporio Armani once more, the U.K. newspaper the Telegraph reports, and will model lingerie and blue jeans for the fashion giant as she has in the past.

In her first campaign, the Bajan superstar wore close-cropped blond hair and posed seductively in the back of a car. The latest batch of photographs are just as sexy, but they show RiRi asserting a less aggressive form of sexuality. Rocking tussled dark hair reminiscent of Tyra Banks in her heyday, Rihanna flashes bedroom eyes and shoots looks that are more inviting than intimidating.

In real life, though, she may be looking a bit more fierce. According to GigWise.com, the 'We Found Love' creator laced into ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, taking him to task via Twitter for the news that he got a tattoo of his new girlfriend's face.

Tyga Mob: Rapper Accused of Ditching Show, Causing Riot

Denise Truscello, WireImage

Fans can be both loyal supporters and angry critics, which Young Money rhymer Tyga experienced earlier this month as a result of a canceled show.

TMZ reports that the 'Rack City' rapper was set to perform at the World Beat Center in San Diego on Jan. 6. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the tattooed entertainer failed to show up, disappointing a crowd that was well over 1,200 people.

As a result of his no-show, those in attendance handled the news in a violent manner, trashing the venue. Security at the location could not handle the massive crowd and San Diego police officers were called to the scene. Twelve cops arrived and restored order, yet the venue had been vandalized.

Janelle Monae, President Obama: Artist Sings at Rally

Barry Brecheisen, FilmMagic

Janelle Monae traveled to Chicago last week (Jan. 11) and met with President Obama during a concert and rally at the University of Illinois, which was organized as part of a campaign fundraising exhibition in Chicago.

President Obama praised Monae for her vocal abilities, which he had previously witnessed in October 2011, at a state dinner alongside Korean President Lee Myung-bak. "Music is the universal language," he said. "Janelle and her team are incredibly talented. I want to thank Janelle Monae for her wonderful performance."

Ice-T or Ice Cube? Bill O'Reilly Knows the Difference

Political pundit and Fox News correspondent Bernie Goldberg recently got his hip-hop "Ices" mixed up on the 'The O'Reilly Factor.' In an attempt to prove that he is not "the whitest man on the planet," Goldberg produced a photo of himself and rapper-actor Ice Cube "chilling" in South Central Los Angeles. However, that's not what he said on live television.

"Here is a picture Bill, of Ice-T, one of the iconic figures in black culture and music, spending a weekday with Bernie." When Goldberg was finished with misguided ID of a rap veteran, O'Reilly corrected him. "That's not Ice-T, that's Ice Cube," he replied.