*The annual Newport Jazz Festival will be anchored this year by the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The Aug. 9th event at Fort Adams State Park in Rhode Island will also feature jazz saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter, trumpeter Chris Botti, and pianist/composer Herbie Hancock.
*Within days of being cited at a Florida airport for carrying an unloaded gun, "American Idol" veteran Vonzell "Baby V" Solomon got word that she may lose her home. The Bank of New York, according to TMZ.com, is foreclosing on the property and will put it on the auction block Wednesday if the mortgage isn't paid.
*Lil Wayne's new album "Tha Carter III" may surpass the 1 million sales mark this week, which would mark the first time this has happened since 50 Cent's release of "The Massacre" in March 2005. As previously reported, "Tha Carter III" sold 423,000 copies on Tuesday, the first day of its release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Conservative estimates are putting its total for the week at 950,000 – placing it within real reach of 1 million in sales. That figure would double this year's biggest first-week champ, Mariah Carey's "EMC2," which sold 463,000. Last year, Kanye West's "Graduation" posted the best first-week sales, with 957,000.
*Halle Berry got her clown on Thursday night ribbing her "Bulworth" co-star Warren Beatty at the 36th annual American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement ceremony honoring the veteran actor. Referring to the 71-year-old as "the greatest white rapper of the past 15 years," Berry said that, when it came to their working together, "there was the usual discussion with the studio if there should be a scene to spice up the movie – if somebody should go topless. But I have to say, to Warren's credit, he put his foot down and he insisted on keeping his shirt on for the entire movie."
*Pharrell Williams says he wants to produce the next album by rock band The Strokes after he and frontman Julian Casablancas collaborated on a track for Santagold. "Julian and I were in the studio together," he said. "We came together and did a track for the commemoration of the 100th year anniversary of the Chuck Taylor [shoe]," he explained. "I really wanna do it. I don't know [if Casablancas wants me], but I’d love to [produce the album]." The Strokes are scheduled to begin recording their fourth studio album later this year.
*The musical "Memphis," exploring the roots of rock 'n' roll featuring an original gospel, rhythm & blues and early rock score, opens this summer at the La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, Calif. "The musical follows the life of the first white deejay who dares to play black music at the center of the radio dial. Taking place on legendary Beale Street in the early 1950s, this dynamic show puts audiences front and center at the birth of rock 'n' roll." Stars include Chad Kimball (Lennon, Good Vibrations), Montego Glover (The Color Purple, Dreamgirls) and J. Bernard Calloway (The Good Negro, "Rescue Me,"' "Law & Order"). Previews being Aug. 19 at the Mandell Weiss Theatre. The play runs from Sept. 3-28. Single ticket prices range from $42 to $100. To purchase, call (858) 550-1010 or online at www.lajollaplayhouse.org.