Mar 30, 2006 6:20 PM

From Three 6 Mafia to the Beatles

Oscar-winning rappers THREE SIX MAFIA are in the studio producing tracks for hotel heiress and professional celebrity PARIS HILTON. The Memphis hip-hoppers met up with Hilton at an industry party, where she approached the group and asked if they would collaborate on her debut. According to member JORDAN "JUICY J" HOUSTON, the crew is in the studio this week working with Hilton on a "dance track." The rappers will return to Memphis Saturday, deemed Three Six Mafia Day, to receive an honorary key to the city.

Three More Years of Simon for Paula

American Idol judge PAULA ABDUL has signed on for three more years with the hit FOX talent competition, currently in the midst of its highest-rated season to date. Abdul said in a statement that she looks forward to continuing her role on the show and putting fellow judge SIMON COWELL "in his place for years to come."

Cypress Hill, Blackalicious Join Bonnaroo

A host of hip-hop acts have been added to this year's Bonnaroo lineup, including CYPRESS HILL, BLACKALICIOUS, LYRICS BORN and the STREETS, as well as new indie rockers DEADBOY AND THE ELEPHANTMEN. Other recently announced acts include COMMON, SONIC YOUTH and MATT COSTA. In addition, Bonnaroo's comedy tent will return for it's third year, headlined by The Daily Show's LEWIS BLACK. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival will be held June 16th through 18th in Manchester, Tennessee. Tickets are available at www.bonnaroo.com.

Lachey Makes a "Resolution"

Former Newlyweds star and now-bachelor NICK LACHEY will release his latest solo album, Resolution, on May 9th. The album's first single, "What's Left of Me," is currently Number Seventy on the Billboard Hot 100.

Claypool Mockumentary Debuts in Malibu

LES CLAYPOOL will appear at the Malibu Film Festival April 9th to support his first film, the Spinal Tap-esque Electric Apricot, which satirizes the jam band scene in America. Claypool wrote, directed and stars in the film, which features guest appearances by the GRATEFUL DEAD's BOB WEIR, MIKE GORDON of PHISH, WARREN HAYNES and MATT ABTS of GOV'T MULE, and South Park's MATT STONE. Claypool is slated to perform at this year's Bonnaroo as a solo artist -- and alongside PHISH frontman TREY ANASTASIO and former police drummer STUART COPELAND in OYSTERHEAD. Claypool's first novel, South of the Pumphouse, is scheduled for release later this year.

Beatles' Apple Goes After iTunes

The BEATLES' record company, Apple Corps, has filed a suit with the High Court of Britain requesting that Apple Computers stop using a variation on its apple logo for the iTunes digital music store. In the suit, the record company claims the logo's use infringes on a 1991 agreement, which prohibited the computer company from using the symbol in conjunction with the sale of music. Apple Corps is seeking to have the logo removed from iTunes, in addition to monetary damages. Currently, the Beatles' catalog is one of the few collections unavailable for digital download . . . In other Apple news, the computer company has developed software, available as a free download on its Web site, allowing parents to limit the volume on their children's iPods. The move comes in response to a recent lawsuit that claims the music player causes hearing loss, as well as a request in January from Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) asking the National Institutes of Health to investigate the claim. Apple has sold more than forty million iPods since their introduction in October of 2001.

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