Apr 25, 2006 6:15 PM

Jay-Z, Crosby, Rufus and More

TYRAN "TY TY" SMITH, JAY-Z's road manager and vice-president of his Def Jam label, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to pepper-spraying R. KELLY in the face two years ago. The incident, which took place during a highly publicized feud between Jay and Kelly, occurred onstage during the Madison Square Garden New York stop of the pair's Best of Both Worlds tour. As part of a deal with prosecutors, Smith must complete four days of community service and two days of anger-management counseling. Kelly is currently suing Smith and Jay-Z for $91 million over both the incident and a breach of contract claim stemming from a cancelled tour in 2004. Jay-Z alleges Kelly is attempting to draw attention away from the singer's upcoming teen-sex trial.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Exercise Freedom of Speech

With NEIL YOUNG's new political protest album hitting his Web site on Friday, CROSYBY, STILLS, NASH AND YOUNG have announced a three-month, twenty-nine-city North American tour, to begin July 6th in Philadelphia. Tagged Freedom of Speech 06', the outing will showcase the group's work together, favorites from the members' solo careers, and songs off Young's forthcoming Living With War. There will be no opening act. This is the group's third tour since 2000, when they reunited after more than twenty-five years apart. Tickets go on sale this weekend in Detroit, Washington, Seattle, Portland, Concord, Holmdel, Wantagh and Winnipeg. A special pre-sale for fan club members is planned, and additional ticket information and more dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

Rufus Wainwright, Rob Thomas Do Disney

MATCHBOX TWENTY frontman ROB THOMAS and piano crooner RUFUS WAINWRIGHT will contribute to the soundtrack for Disney's animated feature, Meet the Robinsons, due March 30th, 2007. While Wainwright performs "Motion Waltz" for the soundtrack, the Wainwright-penned "Where Is Your Heart" will reportedly be recorded by British singer JAMIE CULLUM. ANGELA BASSETT, KELLY RIPA and TOM SELLECK are contributing voices to the film . . . Music from the FX firefighter drama Rescue Me, including tracks from the VON BONDIES, STEREOPHONICS, the BLACK KEYS, RAY LaMONTAGNE, WOLF PARADE, the SUBWAYS and OUR LADY PEACE will go on sale May 30th, the same day as the show's Season Three premiere. The fourteen tracks were chosen by the show's creator and co-star, actor DENNIS LEARY, and the O.C.'s music supervisor Alex Patsavas.

Angels, Taking Back Sunday Team for Tour

New York screamo rockers TAKING BACK SUNDAY will hit the road this summer alongside TOM DELONGE's new project, ANGELS AND AIRWAVES, making stops in twenty-two North American cities. The month-long jaunt kicks off June 22nd in Jackson, New Jersey, with HEAD AUTOMATICA opening all dates. Taking Back Sunday are currently touring in support of their third album, Louder Now, which hits stores this week.

Yellowcard Cancel Summer Dates

Jacksonville, Florida, pop-punk outfit YELLOWCARD have cancelled eight dates set for this spring and summer due to singer RYAN KEY's pending surgery to remove a cyst from his vocal cords. The five-piece will continue on the road until May 7th, at which point they will take a month-long break while Key recovers from surgery. Five June dates have already been rescheduled for August, while three cancelled May dates are still up in the air. Yellowcard is touring in support of this year's Lights and Sounds, which has sold nearly three million copies.

Billy Talent, Metric Woman Bring New Releases

Canadian punk-revivalists BILLY TALENT will release Billy Talent II, the follow-up to their 2003 debut, on June 27th. The album, which features energetic tracks like "Devil in a Midnight Mass," "Surrender" and "Red Flag," was recorded in the Vancouver studio of fellow Canadian BRYAN ADAMS and includes thirteen socially conscious punk rock tracks . . . EMILY HAINES, frontwoman for Toronto four-piece METRIC, will release her solo debut, Knives Don't Have Your Back, September 26th. The album, in contrast to the energetic, New Wave-inspired sound of Metric, finds Haines singing over subtler piano, horn and string arrangements. JUSTIN PEROFF of BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE, EVAN CRANLEY of STARS and METRIC's JIMMY SHAW all contributed to the project, which includes the titles "Our Hell," Doctor Blind," "Crowd Surf Off a Cliff" and "The Maid Needs a Maid."

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