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Family Tragedy Strikes Ashanti
R&B diva ASHANTI was forced to cancel a Johannesburg, South Africa, performance last Saturday after her cousin was killed in a car accident in the city. Quinshae Snead, 20, was fatally struck by a seventeen-year-old drunk driver with no license who had stolen his parents' car. Snead had been on-site where Ashanti was scheduled to perform alongside LAURYN HILL and REGINA BELL, but reportedly was struck returning to the hotel to collect items for the concert. The teen driver was arrested for drunk driving and is set to appear in court at a later date. Ashanti, whose last effort, 2004's Concrete Rose, debuted at Number Seven, will return home without performing.
Chili Peppers Ready World Radio Premiere
The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will premiere their new double-disc album, Stadium Arcadium, May 1st on New York radio station Stryker. The show will air live, beginning at 8 p.m., with interviews from all four band members and an updated new tour announcement. The Chilis are giving four fans the chance to be in the studio for the entire broadcast. More information is available at their official Web site, redhotchilipeppers.com.
Lips, Death Cab Set for Ohio Fest
FLAMING LIPS, SONIC YOUTH, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE and the SECRET MACHINES are among the alt-rock outfits slated to perform at the first Kuyahoga music festival at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on August 3rd. The event, sponsored by Cleveland rock station WXRX, catches bands routing to Chicago for that weekend's Lollapalooza. The GO! TEAM, SHE WANTS REVENGE, the HOLD STEADY and WOLFMOTHER are also on the roster, with more artists to be announced in the weeks ahead . . . In other festival news, discounted three-day passes for the Austin City Limits festival are currently available. Although the lineup will not be announced until May 11th, the event -- set for September 15th through the 17th in the city's Zilker Park -- promises to host 130 acts across eight stages. Each day through April 21st a clue will be released about an artist billed for the 2006 lineup, and those who submit a correct answer may win tickets. More info is available at aclfestival.com/scavengercontest.
Destiny's Kelly Brings Second Solo Set
Former DESTINY'S CHILD diva KELLY ROWLAND will release her second solo album, My Story: Kelly Rowland, on July 11th. Some fourteen tracks are in the finishing stages for the follow-up to her 2002 solo debut, Simply Deep, including "Ghetto," "Still in Love With My Ex," "Can't Do It Again" and "The Show." Collaborations with SNOOP DOGG, SHAWNNA and REMY MA are in the works.
Babyface Slaps Anita Baker With Suit
Grammy-winning singer/producer KENNETH "BABYFACE" EDMONDS (MARIAH CAREY, WHITNEY HOUSTON, MARY J. BLIGE) filed a breach of contract lawsuit against soul singer ANITA BAKER last Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Edmonds is asking for $250,000, claiming that Baker failed to pay him $100,000 in production royalties for the song "Like You Used to Do," off Baker's 2004 album My Everything, and only showed up for two of four concerts with him in 2005.
Madonna, Elton and More Give for Katrina
More than one hundred artists -- including MADONNA, ELTON JOHN, CELINE DION, STAIND, INXS, TOBY KEITH, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, TIM McGRAW and DEF LEPPARD -- have donated concert tickets to help the Music Cares charity raise money to replace musical instruments destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. There are currently sixty-five auctions underway, with more being added every weekend. Each auction includes four tickets and an Epiphone guitar donated by Gibson. More information is available at ticketmaster.com/musicrisingauctions.