LIL’ KIM RECONNECTS WITH MOM ON JULY 4TH: Rapper’s second day of freedom marked with barbecue at her Jersey home.

       *Independence Day will likely mean more than simple fireworks and
barbeques for Lil Kim from now on.
      
       July 4th marked the rapper’s second day of freedom following a
10-month stint in prison for perjury. Her early release was celebrated –
along with the nation’s independence – with a party at her $2.3 million
Alpine, N.J. mansion.
      
       "She's happy to be home," Kim’s mom Ruby Jones told the New York
Daily News, adding that the pair spent "a little mommy-daughter time
together” before a steady stream of friends and family showed up for a big
feast of barbecued chicken and ribs.
      
       As folks started arriving in reported late-model sedans and luxury
SUVs, the new barbecue grill ordered for the special occasion was still,
prompting several of the guests to pull out the instruction manual and get
to work, reports the Daily News.

  "Luckily, somebody knew how to do it," said Ruby.
      
       Soon, guests were grubbing on homemade barbecued chicken and ribs,
along with pasta salad and tossed salad. Kim's mom also accepted a gift
package for her 30-year-old daughter from the Daily News: a bouquet of peach
gladiolas, Belgian chocolates and an order of McDonald's French fries, which
Kim had mentioned craving upon her release Monday.

       As previously reported, Kim will remain under house arrest for a
month and will not be allowed to leave her home unless it’s for a medical
emergency. When the “ankle bracelet” monitoring device is removed next
month, she’ll be on probation for three years.

DALLAS AUSTIN LEAVES UAE JAIL AFTER PARDON: Producer hurried up and got on a plane back to the U.S.

       *Within the span of one week, producer Dallas Austin – convicted on
drug charges in Dubai, went from looking at a possible death sentence, to
getting a four-year bid, to being pardoned to being forced onto a plane back
to the United States.
 
      "He is on the plane and safely out of the country," Austin's Atlanta
lawyer, Joel A. Katz, said in an e-mail to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

       The 33-year-old Grammy winner, who has crafted songs for Michael
Jackson, TLC and Usher, pleaded guilty Sunday to possessing 1.26 grams of
cocaine and five-and-a-half capsules containing banned substances including
cocaine. He was sentenced to four years in prison, only to be pardoned hours
later by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum, who is also vice
president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of which
Dubai is part.

       Mohammad Abdullah al-Redha, one of the producer’s lawyers, told
reporters that Austin "admitted that he had (the drugs) in his pocket and
said he brought them in by mistake." Austin said he had "forgotten" to get
rid of them before coming into the country. He was reportedly on his way to
a three-day birthday bash thrown by Naomi Campbell.
      
       One legal expert tells AFP that the four-year jail sentence handed
down to Austin is the normal punishment under Emirati law for possession of
drugs for personal use. A conviction for drug trafficking carries the death
penalty.

GLOVER, SHARPTON JOIN SHEEHAN HUNGER STRIKE: Activists say they will take turns fasting in effort to bring troops home.

      *With the White House as her backdrop Tuesday, anti-war activist
Cindy Sheehan ate her last meal at midnight and begin a hunger strike
designed to call attention to her efforts to bring home U.S. troops fighting
in Iraq.

      Danny Glover, Rev. Al Sharpton and Susan Sarandon are among the
celebrities joining Sheehan for the nationwide effort, dubbed “Troops Home
Fast.” So far, more than 3,000 people from the U.S. and 18 other countries
have signed up to join the “rolling fast,” meaning they’ll be giving up food on
designated days and encourage others to fast with them on those days.

      "Everything we do is to get the troops to come home," Sheehan told
People magazine. "We want to show the world that there are Americans who are
committed to peace. Fasting is such a time-honored way of protest."

       Sean Penn and Willie Nelson have also joined the effort launched by
Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in Iraq in 2004. The activist will
remain on a diet of water, teas and juices until Sept. 1, International
Peace Day.

UK VENUE SCRAPS BUJU GIG AFTER PROTESTS: Gay community heated over reggae star’s homophobic lyrics.

      *Reggae star Buju Banton has been foiled again by a contingent of
gay rights activists who are outraged by his homophobic song lyrics.

       In the latest episode, UK venue Concorde 2 was forced to cancel
tonight’s scheduled concert by the artist after members of the LGBT
(lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community made their opinions of
the singer clear.

       "Due to unprecedented pressure from the council, members of the LGBT
community and the police, Concorde 2 have been left with no choice other
than to cancel the Buju Banton event," the venue posted on its website.

       Concorde 2 is located in the southern English seaside resort of
Brighton, an area also considered Britain’s “gay capital.”
      
       In its Web posting, Concorde 2 also expressed concern that it may
have lost its license had the show proceeded as planned. In a separate
statement, Concorde 2 had sought to assure the local community that Banton
would not perform his most notorious song "Boom Bye Bye," which describes a
gay man being shot in the head.
      
       "Over the last ten years, the name Buju Banton has become synonymous
with modern reggae," Concorde 2 stated. "Buju has metamorphosed from a rude
boy/teenage phenomenon, causing controversy with the track 'Boom Bye Bye'
(which he no longer performs in the UK) into a self-assured Rastafarian
deejay and singer."
      

‘LEEZZY FOR PRESIDENT’ MOVEMENT IN FULL SWING: Republican factions want Secretary of State to carry on Bush’s agenda in 2008.

       *Various Republicans are forming grassroots clubs around the country
– all with the common goal of getting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
into the White House in 2008.
      
       With such names as Team Condi, Rice for America, The Draft Rice
movement and Condistas, the mass effort gathered momentum in the year after
President Bush was re-elected, reports MSNBC.com. 
      
       "Once that was all over, you started thinking what's going to happen
in the next election?" said Mick Wright, a professional webmaster in
Memphis, Tenn and co-founder of http://www.condipundit.com. "The first one
to come to mind as a viable candidate was Condoleezza Rice."
      
       The Miami-based Americans for Dr. Rice political action committee
took things to another level, forming state chapters in key political
battleground states, including Ohio and Florida, and putting state chairs in
place around the country.
      
       Meanwhile, Rice continues to tell folks she has no intention of
running for president in 2008. However, political experts say these
political action committees will play a significant role in Rice's rise as a
potential candidate, and that power brokers will watch closely this fall to
see what happens to Rice's fellow black Republicans in high-profile races in
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

TUPAC, JAY-Z, BIGGIE TOP REMY MARTIN POLL: Black Music Month promotion draws 6,000 votes.

       *While the Cristal people continue to feel the wrath of a hip hop
boycott, Remy Martin has never been shy about its efforts to remain a
fixture in the urban market.
      
       The company’s most recent attempt – a Black Music Month promotion
asking consumers to vote for their favorite “hip hop soul” artist of all
time – netted 6,000 hits on its website www.1738.com.  A "leaderboard"
featuring the top 17 artists and 38 songs was posted and updated daily until
polls officially closed on June 30th.
      
       Tupac received the most artist votes, while his classic single "Hail
Mary" was voted the best hip hop soul song in history.  Artist runners-up
Jay-Z and the Notorious B.I.G. finished second and third respectively, but
also left their mark on the song list; in all, 14 of the top 38 tracks can
be attributed to either Jay, Biggie or Pac.
      
       Here are some other results from the 1738.com poll:

• Following Tupac, Jay-Z and Biggie, NAS and Eminem rounded out the top five
artists.
• The Queen of Hip Hop Soul herself, Mary J. Blige, was the poll's most
prominent female, finishing at No. 6 on the artist list and gaining
recognition for three of the top 38 tracks (No. 21 "Be Without You,” No. 24
"My Life" and No. 26 "Real Love").
• Mariah Carey joined Blige as the only other woman to grace the top 17
artists, at No. 17.

       Remy Martin's additional Black Music Month efforts included an
exclusive New York City VIP kick-off party hosted at the Canal Room, with a
live performance by Keyshia Cole, as well as sole-sponsorship of Hip-Hop
Soul magazine, a special issue from the publishers of XXL.

EUR FILM REVIEW: 'Black Hair' -- Documentary Reveals Korean Domination of
Black Hair Care Industry
by Kam Williams

       *African-Americans spend billions of dollars every year on their hair,
whether on wigs and extensions, moisturizers and relaxers, curling irons and
hot combs, sheens and gels, scalp and follicle conditioners, shampoos and
lotions, or cocoa butter and other oils. In fact, although blacks comprise
only 10% of the U.S. population, it is estimated that they consume over
three-quarters of the country's hair care products.

      Apparently, the untapped potential of this lucrative market was not lost
on Koreans who, as far back as 1965, began petitioning both the United States
and Korean governments for economic incentives to help them enter the
lucrative hair care business. Over the intervening years, while most folks
thought of these industrious immigrants as only operating fruit stands, they
methodically set up shop right in virtually every 'hood from coast to coast,
gradually gaining control not only of the retail market, but the
manufacturing and wholesale distribution as well. Who knew?

      As a consequence, the Black-Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA)
finds itself at the mercy of the Asian entrepreneurs, who now outnumber blacks in
the business by about 10 to 1. For once the Koreans developed a monopoly,
they reportedly began refusing to ship merchandise to any African-American
stores, bankrupting most in the process.

       And when no church, political, or grassroots movement was organized to
challenge the ethics of the Koreans' exclusionary and predatory practices,
the situation deteriorated to the point where today 90% of the hair care
stores are owned by outsiders who don't live in, invest in or give back to
the black community. This development is a tragedy, given the high
unemployment rate in the ghetto which keeps the bulk of African-Americans in
dire financial straits.

       All of the above, plus plenty of additional equally informative and
fascinating background material, is the subject of Black Hair, a disturbing
documentary by Aron Ranen. To his credit, the peripatetic director did his
homework, crisscrossing the country to interview both merchants and
customers, and Koreans and blacks in such cities as Oakland, Dallas, San
Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles. Invariably, he found
the same sorry state of affairs everywhere he went, disgruntled and
displaced African-American merchants, with well-to-do Koreans currently
catering to their former clientele.

      A riveting, 21st Century microeconomics lesson in supply and demand, namely,
Koreans control the supply, so they feel free to demand that blacks find
another line of work.

Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 60 minutes, plus a 13 minute update.
Studi Third Wave Media

To see the film online, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT-nX25UrsI&search=blackhair
To order it on DVD, call: Third Wave Media (415) 810-5934
Or visit: http://www.blackhairdvd.com
For more info on the issue, visit http://www.bobsa.org
Or email director Aron Ranen at: aranen@yahoo.com
Or visit his website at: www.dvworkshops.com

FILM/TV BITS: Beckford riled up; Star’s late Range; Brandy’s ‘View’ debut;
DMX on BET; free ‘Blade’ on iTunes; Arab beauty backs Oprah, Ferrera enters
‘Darkness.’

       *Tyson Beckford, who recently joined the “Queer Eye for the Straight
Guy” boys to help turn a pizza delivery guy into a model, was reportedly
ready to throw fists over MTV host Vanessa Minnillo. According to Page Six,
Beckford was grinding on Minnillo at New York City nightclub Stereo last
week when they were interrupted by Hollywood blogger Perez Hilton. Stereo
owner Mike Satsky tells Page Six: "When Perez started dancing with her,
Tyson put his hand up and said, 'Yo, you're trying to put a cool on my
steam. Back up.' Tyson was about to throw a punch. I jumped down from the
banquette and was like, 'Yo, Tyson, chill out.' We had to break it up. He
was being unreasonable and extremely rash."
      
       *Star Jones Reynolds had a little situation with the valet people
last weekend during a party at reporter Claudia Cohen’s crib in the
Hamptons. According to TMZ.com, the former “View” co-host and her husband Al
Reynolds had given the valet attendant their parking ticket to retrieve her
Range Rover. But a mix-up left her at the stand long after other party-goers
had come and gone. Soon, all but two cars were claimed, a Honda and her
Range. According to TMZ, Star told the attendant: "You better get my Range
Rover before that Honda!" When her vehicle finally arrived, Star and Al got
in and sped off… without leaving a tip, reports TMZ.

       *Meanwhile, the search to take Star’s place at “The View” continued
Wednesday with the unofficial audition of Brandy. The singer, currently a
judge on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent,” was pretty much content to sit back
and speak when spoken to during the hour-long show. Co-host and executive
producer Barbara Walters asked about her five tattoos and co-host Joy Behar
inquired about her weave (believing it was a wig). At one point, Joy
mentioned the absence of Reynolds by noting that the “View” hosts were
“dwindling down.” Brandy just laughed it off without commenting. She’s
scheduled to return to the show on Friday. In related news, "America's Got
Talent" was the most popular program on broadcast television last week,
drawing 11 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

       *DMX’s reality series, “Soul of a Man,” will debut July 12 on BET.
The six-week run, produced by Tracey Edmonds' Edmonds Entertainment, will
show the jail-prone rapper as he embarks on a soul-bearing, cross country
trip from New York to Arizona.  BET will also feature DMX in an episode of
“Access Granted,” which will follow the making of his video “Lord Give Me A
Sign” from his Sony Urban Music's debut, “Year of the Dog, Again,” due Aug.
1.

       *Spike TV's premiere episode of “Blade: The Series” is available for
free on Apple's iTunes Music Store until July 11. The drama, which stars
Kirk "Sticky" Jones in the role made famous on the big screen by Wesley
Snipes, drew 2.5 million viewers last Wednesday, the biggest audience for
any program in the channel's history. As previously reported, Spike TV’s
parent company, MTV Networks, is also offering additional programs from Nick
at Night, TV Land, and the gay-oriented Logo channels for $1.99 per download
on the iTunes site.

       *The movement to get Oprah Winfrey a Nobel Peace Prize has been
joined by one of People magazine’s ten Most Beautiful Women in the World.
Haifa, nicknamed The Madonna of the Arab World, recently gave her
endorsement to Oprah Winfrey for Nobel Peace Prize Movement (OWNPPM),
founded by Rockville, MD resident Rocky Twyman.  Simo Ben Bachir, Middle
East entertainment reporter and International Chairperson of The Oprah
Winfrey for Nobel Peace Prize Campaign, Middle East and Europe secured
Haifa's endorsement, according to Twyman. 

       *America Ferrera, the lead actress in ABC's upcoming "Betty the
Ugly," has signed on to star in and executive produce the indie film "Hacia
la oscuridad" (Toward Darkness) for writer-director Antonio Negret.
According to Variety, the bilingual thriller follows the last 90 minutes in
the life of a kidnapped Colombian and the surrounding tension as his family,
the ransom delivery man and a special ops team attempt to save him.
Production is under way in Panama City, Panama.

MUSIC BITS: Ross’ ‘Miami’; Biggie and P.E. dolls; CL Smooth’s ‘Me’; Chingy’s
‘Hoodstar.’

       *The long-awaited Rick Ross album, “Port of Miami,” will finally hit
the streets on Aug. 8 via Def Jam. The disc features guest artists Young
Jeezy, Akon, Mario Winans and Ross’ label president, Jay-Z. Producers
recruited for the project include Cool & Dre, Jazze Pha and DJ Toomp.  Among
the tracks on the album are his current hit single, “Hustlin’” and the
“Hustlin’” remix featuring Jay-Z and Jeezy.

       *Mezco Toyz will introduce a line of Notorious B.I.G. and Public
Enemy action figures. The artists will be featured in 9-inch likenesses –
Biggie in a white tailored cloth suit; P.E.’s Chuck D in his trademark
baseball hat and hype man Flavor Flav wearing a Viking hat and clock
necklace. Pre-orders will begin later this summer at Mezco Toyz.
(http://www.mezcotoyz.com/products.asp?pline=big2006)

       *CL Smooth, whose partnership with Pete Rock in the 90s produced the
classic tracks "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," “Lots of Lovin” and
"Straighten It Out," will release a new solo album, “American Me,” on Sept.
19 via Shaman Work Recordings. According to Vibe magazine, the set includes
production from Arsonist of the Heatmakerz, Kaygee and Tramp of Divine Mill
and newcomer Mike Loe. “‘American Me’ is about misconceptions. It's about
the things people say, the things people perceive, right or wrong it's about
the speculations that we force on each other," CL Smooth explained to Vibe.
The first single and video, “Smoke In the Air,” are scheduled to surface
this month.

       *Chingy’s third album, “Hoodstar,” is due to drop on Sept. 12 via
Slot-A-Lot/Capitol.  Jermaine Dupri, Timbaland, Trak Starz and Kwame are
among the producers assembled for the project, while guest artists include
Three 6 Mafia, Choppa and Chingy's cousin Spiffy.  The Dupri-produced lead
single, "Pullin' Me Back" featuring Tyrese, is currently No. 26 on
Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. The album also features the
tracks "Nike Aurrs and Crispy Tees," "Bounce That Thang Girl" and "You's a
Freak." Meanwhile, Chingy has completed production on the feature film "The
System Within." He tells Billboard.com: “It's like an urban street life
movie. I play a guy named Nick, a little street thug."

SPORTS BITS: Ali’s G.O.A.T. changes names; NBC punts Arena Football.

      *CKX, Inc. has renamed its partnership with Muhammad Ali to Muhammad
Ali Enterprises LLC and appointed Ali’s long-time attorney and adviser, Ron
DiNicola, as the renamed company's President and CEO. The moves mark the
initial rollout of CKX's overall strategy for the company, formerly known as
G.O.A.T. ["Greatest of All Time"] LLC. “We are actively pursuing strategic
opportunities that represent the ideas and ideals of Muhammad, both
nationally and internationally,” DiNicola stated. “And in keeping with the
business plan of CKX, we are also seeking to secure content and intellectual
property related to Muhammad that could be delivered around the globe in a
multitude of platforms." In April, CKX purchased an 80 percent interest in
Ali’s name and likeness. The remaining 20 percent was retained by The
Muhammad Ali Family Trust.

       *There will be no more Arena Football games broadcast on NBC next
season. The peacock decided to cancel its contract after four years of
carrying match ups that fewer and fewer people actually watched.  Ratings
for the nine Arena Football League games carried by NBC in 2006 was a 0.9,
the lowest average of the four years. Arena executives say the ratings were
poor because NBC failed to promote the games. Meanwhile, the AFL is hoping
to sign a deal with another national network within the next two weeks.

THEATER BITS: D.C. extends ‘Caroline’; Rashad, Rubin-Vega on ‘Bernarda Alba’
album.

       *The Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C. has extended the run of its
Broadway musical “Caroline, or Change” to July 23. The staging, starring
Julia Nixon in the title role, was embraced by critics and performances have
been selling out. The play follows a maid, Caroline, who works for a Jewish
family in Louisiana during the Civil Rights movement. When her employers
tell her she can keep the change she finds in their eight-year-old son's
pockets, they set in motion a series of events that will alter both Caroline
and their family forever. Tickets are on sale now at The Studio Theatre,
1501 14th Street NW, or at (202) 232-3300 or online at
www.studiotheatre.org. 

       *Phylicia Rashad, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Saundra Santiago will appear
on the cast album of Michael John LaChiusa’s new musical “Bernarda Alba,”
which was recorded during a March 27th production at the Lincoln Center
Theater and will be released on July 11 via Ghostlight Records. The play
follows "a newly-widowed mother (Rashad), who enforces her iron will on her
large household, only to have her daughters (Nikki M. James, Sally Murphy,
Rubin-Vega and Santiago) overwhelm her tyranny.”