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WHITNEY IN CALI UNDERGOING ‘TOTAL REHAB’: Fox411 says singer’s been in treatment there since April; friends have rallied to protect her privacy.

      *According to Fox 411 columnist Roger Friedman, Whitney Houston has been hunkered down in a rehab facility in California for the past five months undergoing a “total rehab for all her vices and illnesses.”

       This explains why the singer, who retains homes in both Georgia and New Jersey, filed for separation from husband Bobby Brown last week in Orange County, Calif, listing a Laguna Hills residence as her address. Friedman says it also explains why Whitney filed for separation instead of divorce.
      
       “The state requires six-month residency for a divorce, so Whitney
will file for the permanent parting next month,” Friedman writes.
      
      As for her treatment, sources tell the columnist that she has been
in California since April to get back on her feet following severe substance
abuse.

      “It’s not a regular treatment facility,” a source told Friedman,
adding that Whitney’s friends and families have formed a circle of
protection around her to keep the press and paparazzi at bay.

       Meanwhile, the New York Daily News is reporting that Bobby is indeed
holed up at the Beverly Hills home of Karrine Steffans, the former video
dancer who wrote a book about her sexual exploits with famous athletes and
entertainers, including Brown.
      
       According to the newspaper, Steffans was with Brown last Tuesday when
he was served with the divorce papers. Currently working on her second book
and being courted by producers from Howard Stern’s radio show and “Extra” to
discuss the drama, Steffans continues to deny involvement in the “Whit-by”
breakup.
      
       "It's not my place to speak about their marriage. It's not a happy
time," says the author of the best-selling "Confessions of a Video Vixen."
"I'm not a home-wrecker. I got dragged into this.”
      
       “I can't break up a 16-year marriage in a few months," continued the
woman once known as "Superhead." "I'm not that super."

JANET RINGS UP NO. 1 SPOT ON BILLBOARD: Justin brings sexy to Hot 100; Plus Beyonce’s ‘Alarm’, ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ hit charts.

       *How’s this for irony? Janet Jackson and her 2004 wardrobe
malfunction co-star Justin Timberlake occupy the top slots on Billboard’s
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop and Hot 100 singles charts respectively this week.
      
       Jackson jumped 7-1 with “Call on Me” featuring Nelly, the first
single from her album “20 Y.O.,” due Sept. 26 via Virgin. The feat ties
Janet with R. Kelly for scoring the most Top 10 singles since Billboard
began using Nielsen SoundScan in 1992.
      
       According to her label, Janet has now topped the 64-year-old R&B
chart more times than any other singer since 1984.
      
       Timberlake’s “SexyBack” remains atop the Hot 100 for a second week,
holding off Fergie’s former chart-topper “London Bridge” at No. 2. 
      
       The Pussycat Dolls' "Buttons" featuring Snoop Dogg jumps 4-3, Gnarls
Barkley's "Crazy" drops 3-4 and Sean Paul's "(When You Gonna) Give It Up to
Me" featuring Keyshia Cole holds at No. 5 on the Hot 100.
      
       Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" ascends 7-6 and Ne-Yo's "Sexy Love"
drops 8-7 but stays at No. 1 on the Hot Ringtones for a second week.
      
       Elsewhere on the Hot 100, Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" featuring
Timbaland slides 6-10, Ciara's "Get Up" featuring Chamillionaire is the Hot
100's greatest airplay gainer, though it drops 21-22, and Beyonce earns her
highest Hot 100 debut with the No. 12 entry of "Ring the Alarm."
      
       Debuting further down the Hot 100 are Justin Timberlake's "My Love"
featuring T.I. (No. 89), Webstar & Young B "Chicken Noodle Soup" featuring
the Voice Of Harlem (No. 92) and Unk's "Walk It Out" (No. 95)

‘PROJECT RUNWAY’S’ MICHAEL KNIGHT SHINES: Final four designer reportedly wows crowd at Fashion Week.
 
       *"Project Runway" contestant Michael Knight was reportedly the crowd
favorite among the show’s final four showing their collections Friday at New
York’s Fashion Week.
      
       According to Reuters, Knight’s line was a bit more adventurous than
the looks he created throughout the show, the majority of which have pleased
judges Heidi Klum, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.
      
       “Starting with an ivory and gold palette, the Atlanta-based designer
showed lace-up tops and smock jackets, used strong colors such as deep
fuchsia and metallic orange and went for the bold with a futuristic swimsuit
that appeared to be made of shimmering liquid gold,” Reuters reported.
      
       The season’s sole African American contestant and the show’s first
black male designer ever, Knight is competing in the final four with edgy
Los Angeles designer Jeffrey Sebelia, Miami Beach's Uli Herzner and
Manhattan-based architect Laura Bennett.
      
       The winner of the Bravo reality show, now in its third season, will
be announced during the season finale on October 11. The victor gets
$100,000 to start a clothing line and a fashion spread in Elle magazine.

COREY CLARK, A WANTED MAN: Warrant in the works for former “Idol” singer
after missing court date in Arizona.

      *A warrant is expected to be issued in Arizona for ex-“American
Idol” Corey Clark after he skipped a scheduled court appearance Tuesday,
reports the Associated Press.

       The 26-year-old was arrested in Yuma County last July 24 for
violating a court order and trespassing, stemming from an incident at the
Yuma home of his wife's parents.
      
       Two misdemeanor charges were filed against the singer, who was booted
from “American Idol” in 2003 for failing to disclose a previous arrest. He
later claimed to have had an affair with “Idol” judge Paula Abdul, but an
investigation by Fox found no proof.
      
       Clark's wife, Monica Rodriguez Gonzalez, 27, filed for a domestic
violence protective order in June in Yuma County Superior Court claiming
that he had abused her. The order prohibited Clark from having any contact
with her, as well as eight others, including their child.

BRANDY’S NEW TV PROJECT REVEALED: Singer to team with former ‘Moesha’ writer for new pilot.

      *In July, at the height of her stint as a judge on NBC’s “America’s
Got Talent,” Brandy told EUR that she was planning a return to series
television but didn’t want to jinx the situation by discussing it. Thanks to
IMDB, details about the project have finally come to light.

       The as-yet-untitled pilot teams Brandy with Mara Brock Akil, a former
writer on the singer’s UPN sitcom “Moesha” who went on to create
“Girlfriends” and its new spinoff, “The Game.”
      
       Brandy and Akil are developing a show that will star Brandy as a New
York native who takes a job in Los Angeles as an entertainment editor.
      
        In the meantime, the 27-year-old single mom is working on a new
studio album, due for release in early 2007.
      

DIDDY PREPS NATIONWIDE PROMO TOUR: Mogul will ‘Press Play’ at radio
stations, XM Satellite and in high schools.

      *You thought the media blitz surrounding new albums from Beyonce and
Janet Jackson were extravagant? Just wait until Sean “Diddy” Combs (that’s
P. Diddy for you British folks) begins the worldwide plug of new album,
“Press Play,” due Oct. 17 from his own Bad Boy label.

      He’s already had a myspace page for weeks featuring a personal video
diary that has given Internet bloggers lots of material for discussion.
Beginning today, the mogul launches a month-long, coast-to-coast marathon
promo run in Philadelphia that will include listening parties hosted by
multi-format radio stations in major markets. 

       Diddy will also be honored by mayors and other local officials
throughout the trek, with some cities tapped to give him a "Key to the
City." Others will issue a proclamation of "Diddy Day" to celebrate his
visit. 

       But that’s not all.
      
       High schools in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Norfolk,
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and  Las Vegas are also in the
rapper’s path as part of a series of events called, “Diddy High,” where
he’ll speak with students on such themes as "No Excuses," "How To Make It
Happen," "Press Play On Your Life," and "Empowerment."
      
       Tomorrow (9/19), Combs launches “Diddy Satellite Radio,” a two-hour
session on XM Radio. In the following days, he’ll also visit a number of
high-profile morning radio shows under the title “Breakfast with Diddy,” as
well as tape an appearance on the nationally-syndicated “American Top 40
with Ryan Seacrest.”
      
       Diddy’s promo tour also includes “Bad Boy Weekend” events in Atlanta
(September 22nd through 24th) and Washington, D.C. (Oct. 6 through 8).  In
every market visited, Diddy will spend time meeting and greeting winners of
various station-sponsored contests.
      
       The journey finally comes to a close Oct. 16 in his hometown of New
York with interviews and events slated for the album's street date,
including visits to Hot 97, Z100, and Power 105.

MONICA COURTED BY BRUNEI ROYALTY: Sultan’s son invites singer out to
celebrate his 24th birthday.

       *Singer Monica has a very rich fan overseas who requested her
presence last month at his extravagant 24th birthday bash.
      
        Prince Azim of Brunei, the son of the $40 billion Sultan of Brunei,
reportedly flew in the Atlanta artist to attend the party, which also
included R&B crooner Omarion among the guests.

       "It was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire career,"
Monica told Vibe.com. "As an entertainer we get to see things when we travel
but we don’t often get to experience them. You just never know how far our
music makes it."
      
       The flight to Brunei took 21 hours, but Monica tells Vibe that it was
worth every minute.
      
       "I surprised Azim by performing at his party," she said. "For the
next three days we just walked through the Empire and took in the
experience."
      
       Monica’s new album, "The Makings of Me," is scheduled to arrive in
stores on Oct. 3.

EDDIE MURPHY AND SCARY SPICE VACATION IN HAWAII: Couple takes respective kids to island for family time.
      
       *Eddie Murphy and his girlfriend Melanie “Scary Spice” Brown brought
their romantic relationship to Hawaii recently, staying at the same
$10,700-a-night luxury suite at Maui's Four Seasons Hotel where he has
vacationed in the past with ex-wife, Nicole, and their five children.
      
       According to People.com, Murphy and his kids, ages 4 to 16, joined
Mel B. and her 7-year-old daughter Phoenix Chi at the beachside resort for a
week in late August. During the excursion, the blended clan was spotted
poolside in private cabanas and out on the town at the restaurant Spago.
 
      On one occasion, Brown took all of the kids to the beach for an
afternoon of body surfing and boogie boarding.

      "There was a lot of togetherness between the families," a source
told People.

       Murphy’s big brother Charlie of “Chappelle Show” fame told the
magazine: "(Eddie) seems very happy with her, and that's what's important to
me. He's in a good place. If she does that (for him), then that's great."

THE GAME VS. RAS KASS:  Rappers scrap last week at Hollywood club; both give different accounts of what went down.

       *Last week, underground rapper Ras Kass claimed that he was jumped by
fellow West coast rapper The Game and 30 members of his Black Wall Street
entourage while at Element nightclub in Hollywood. Game acknowledges the
beatdown, but claims he was the sole distributor of the punches, not 30
other people.
      
       The beef reportedly started last year when the Watts-born MC dissed
The Game on a mixtape called “Caution.” Ras’ lyrics mentioned Game’s young
son, which didn’t sit well with the Compton artist. According to
BallerStatus.com, Ras rapped: "Get a thousand tattoos and won't raise ya
gun/ so when you get merked, I'ma raise ya son."
      
       While Ras has always maintained that those lyrics were not directed
toward The Game, rap fans felt otherwise.
      
       "I never had beef and never met Ras Kass, unless it was a quick
exchange saying hello," Game told Allhiphop.com. "He talked about my son by
name. You can say what you want about me, but what does my son got to do
with it?"
      
       In a statement, Ras Kass recounts the events of last Wednesday (Sept.
13) when he visited Element while in town for his tour with Rakim and Kid
Capri. 
      
       "The ni**a tried to jump me 30 to 2, yet I'm alive and chillin'," Ras
said. "My sweater is still white and all my jewelry intact. Game is a
'Change Of Heart,' stripping, fake-ass blood, who sold some records riding
Dr Dre's shirt tails.”
      

GOVERNOR LAYS DOWN LAW WITH FIRST LP: T.I.’s artist prepares for this week’s release; upcoming tour with Headley.

       *Singer Governor, the first R&B artist signed to T.I.’s Grand
Hustle/Atlantic label, is finally due to release his 12-track debut album
“Son of Pain” this week.
      
       "Governor is like an R&B version of me when I first came in the game.
He doesn't need any alterations or special effects," said executive producer
T.I. of the artist, born Governor Washington in Charles City, Virginia.
      
       The Track Masters-produced first single, “Blood, Sweat & Tears,”
leads a set that includes the tracks "Destiny," produced by Scott Storch;
"Make Love To You," produced by Wyclef Jean; "Never Wanna Leave," produced
by Raphael Saadiq and "You Got The Power," produced by Just Blaze and
featuring T.I.
      
       Governor will host three album release parties in the weeks to come –
Sept. 20th in Los Angeles at Pearl, Sept. 22nd at Compound in Atlanta, and
Sept. 27th at Club 1223 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit
www.governor-world.com or www.myspace.com/governormusic.
       
       The singer kicks off his fall tour with R&B songstress Heather
Headley on Oct. 12 in Jacksonville, FL. Here are the tour dates:

OCTOBER
12     Jacksonville, FL        Florida Theatre
13     Miami Beach, FL         Jackie Gleason Theatre
14     Clearwater, FL          Ruth Eckerd Hall
16     Myrtle Beach, SC        House of Blues
17     Norfolk, VA             The Norva Theatre
18     New York, NY            B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
20     Washington, DC          DAR Constitution Hall *
21     Baltimore, MD           Meyerhoff Symphony Hall *
22     Atlantic City, NJ       House of Blues
24     St. Louis, MO           Mississippi Nights
25     Chicago, IL             House of Blues
26     Cleveland, OH           House of Blues
27     Ft. Wayne, IN           Embassy Theater
29     Memphis, TN             Cannon Ctr. for Performing Arts

* also with Ruben Studdard

EUR DVD REVIEW: HellBent -- First Gay Horror Flick Arrives on DVD
by Kam Williams

      *It's Halloween night in West Hollywood and some sicko in a fright mask is on
the loose, sneaking up and slitting the throats of unsuspecting, attractive
young revelers partying like they don't have a care in the world.

      If this sounds a lot like your typical, high body-count, slasher flick, it
is, except for two glaring departures from fright fare convention: (1), the
black guy doesn't die first, and (2), virtually everybody around is a gay
male.

      So, for instance, we get treated to a unique cinematic version of coitus
interruptus when a guy receiving oral favors has his head lopped off by a
scythe-wielding apparition, and right at the peak of his climax. This sort
of scenario is repeated frequently over the course of this messy,
sado-masochistic gore-fest.

      Homo-erotic themes aside, the film is otherwise a stock scary movie which
rates out as an above-average example of the genre. Just brace yourself for
explicit clinches likely to make straights unfamiliar with graphic gay
lovemaking as uncomfortable during the sex scenes as during the violent ones
featuring gruesome slaughter and vivisection.

Very Good (3 stars)
Rated R for sex, expletives, drug use, gore and graphic violence.
Running time: 83 minutes
Distributor: Genius Products
DVD Extras: A "Behind-the-Scenes" backlot featurette.

FILM/TV CLIPS: ‘Gang’ rules; J.Lo’s ‘Cantante’; ‘Vice 2?’; ‘Wire’ slam;
‘Survivor’ bust; ‘Big Black’ DVD; ‘Hippo-T Hopp.’

      *Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s football film “Gridiron Gang” topped
the weekend box office with an estimated $15 million in ticket sales,
according to Exhibitor Relations Inc. The drama, based on the true story of
a football team at a Los Angeles juvenile detention center, beat such
competition as Brian DePalma’s “The Black Dahlia,” in second place with
$10.4 million; and the animated film "Everyone's Hero," which took in $6.2
million.
      
       *“El Cantante,” the film executive produced and starring Jennifer
Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony, picked up distribution in North America
following a deal made at last week’s Toronto Film Festival, reports Variety.
Following the film’s screening, Picturehouse offered J.Lo $4 million for all
North American rights, marking the most lucrative deal struck at the
festival. In the film, Lopez and Anthony star as the late Puchi and Hector
Lavoe. Lavoe is considered the godfather of modern salsa; the Puerto Rican
native achieved fame in the 1970's and '80's as he helped define a style of
music, but was also plagued by problems with addiction.
      
      *Word is Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell are actually pushing their
“Miami Vice” director Michael Mann to film a sequel, despite its failure to
impress critics or rake in big box office. An insider tells LifeStyle Extra:
"Colin and Jamie really hit it off on ‘Miami Vice’ but they were
disappointed the film didn't do better. They very much want to work together
again and they both want another Vice. They feel there is scope for another
story."

       *HBO is promoting its current education-themed fourth season of “The
Wire” with a contest for slam poets, hip-hop and freestyle artists to speak
out about their education experiences. "The Wire Spoken Word Battle," hosted
by Blastro.com and developed by interactive agency Deep Focus, asks
participants to visit www.blastro.com/spokenwordbattle/ and upload a video
of their poetry performance. Contestants will be judged on originality,
creativity and appropriateness to the topic of education until a deadline of
11:59 p.m. CT Sept. 25. Several entries so far are available for viewing at
the site. The grand-prize winner may be featured on HBO On Demand.
      
       *Although the ratings were enough to win Thursday night, “Survivor:
Cook Islands” and its little racial experiment wasn’t the slam dunk
producers had expected, averaging. It’s 18 million viewers, according to
Nielsen Media Research, was the lowest premiere of a “Survivor” season in 13
runs. After several years of debut audiences topping 20 million viewers,
"Survivor: Panama-Exile" launched in February with nearly 19.2 million
viewers and "Survivor: Guatemala" opened with 18.4 million last fall.
Meanwhile, the first casualty of “Survivor: Cook Islands” was Sekou a member
of the African American tribe, Manihiki.
      
       *“The Big Black Comedy Show Box Set,” showcasing the standup of
America's most popular African-American comics, will be released on DVD Oct.
17 with sets from such stars as Mo'Nique, Joe Torry and Michael Colyar. The
set features the previously-released four volumes packaged together, plus
the all-new Volume 5 hosted by John Witherspoon and featuring Yvette Wilson,
Wanda Smith, Scruncho and Tony Tone.

      *A new rap-themed animated series, “The Adventures of Hippo-T Hopp,”
is in the works from RDF Media Group and Cinemation, the production company
owned by director Rob Minkoff ("The Lion King," "Stuart Little"). The
30-minute comedy stars rapper Hippo-T Hopp and his quest for stardom despite
the machinations of his nemesis, Ton Def. The initial 26 episodes will air
first in the U.K. RDF will begin shopping the series in the U.S. shortly,
reports Variety. 

MUSIC NOTES: Akon’s ‘Smack’; Jones’ ‘P.O.M.E.’; XM’s ‘Soul’; Wyclef & Ying
Yang; Timberlake revives Stax; Luckett misses D.C.

      *Akon’s new single “Smack That” featuring Eminem was the No. 1 most
added song at Rhythmic and Crossover radio last week, according to his
label, Universal Motown. The track is the first from his sophomore album,
“Konvicted,” due in stores on Nov. 21 with guest appearances by T. Pain,
Snoop Dogg and Styles P. Outside of music, the Senegalese-born star has
established a mining company called Aliaune that supplies diamonds to
dealers worldwide. He is also developing his own clothing line and a film
based on his life story.

       *Rapper Jim Jones will release his third studio album, "Hustler's
P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment)," on Nov. 7 via Diplomat Records/KOCH
Records. The first single, "We Fly High," is heating up urban radio as its
music video was unveiled Friday on BET’s “106 & Park.” Jones said of his new
album: “Biggie said a long time ago, 'More money, more problems,' and now I
truly understand what he was talking about. I named the album 'Hustler's
P.O.M.E.' because it's just my definition of being a hustler. When you are
coming up on the streets you got to hustle to survive or else you'll be left
out in this cold world. That's all we got and that's what my music depicts.”
For more on Jim Jones, log onto www.MySpace.com/JimJones or
www.dipsetmixtapes.com. 

       *Oprah’s big arrival next week isn’t the only big news at XM
Satellite Radio. As part of a special "Artist Confidential: Soul Edition"
hosted by XM's BK Kirkland, Gamble & Huff will discuss the music and artists
behind their legendary Sound of Philadelphia the week of Nov. 20 on Soul
Street (XM 60) and The Groove (XM 63). “Artist Confidential” will also
include a fall appearance from Ludacris, host of the XM show "Ludacris
Presents Open Mic!" He’ll give fans a chance to hear songs from his upcoming
album “Release Therapy,” due Sept. 26. The fall season of "Offstage," which
puts XM's music library into the hands of a well-known artist to play and
discuss, will feature host Darryl "DMC" McDaniels on Oct. 9 on Deep Tracks
(XM 40). Complete scheduling information for XM is available at
http://www.xmradio.com/exclusivemusic. 

       *Wyclef Jean is one of the executive producers of the upcoming album
from the Ying Yang Twins, along with their longtime collaborator Mr.
Collipark and Jerry Wonder. Titled “2 Live Crew,” the new LP is an ode to
the famous Miami-based rap group headed by Luther Campbell. “1st Booty On
Duty,” the Collipark-produced teaser about strip club DJs, has already been
serviced to clubs and mixshow formats. "Working with Wyclef and Jerry Wonder
has pushed Ying Yang Twins and our sound to a whole ‘nother level,” says
Collipark. Check out “Dangerous,” the album’s first single featuring Wyclef
and Mr. Collipark, at www.tvtrecords.com/promotions/link.jsp?link=01515.  

       *In addition to bringing sexy back, Justin Timberlake is close to
bringing back the legendary Stax Records, the one-time home of such soul
greats as Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. Based in his hometown of Memphis,
Tenn., Stax is getting a relaunch courtesy of the former boy band star, who
has just signed his buddy Matt Morris to the label. "I don't want it to be a
factory. I want it to be like part of a creative process," Timberlake said
of his vision for the Stax project, according to commercialappeal.com,
adding that the "business details" are being worked out by his father, his
attorney and other members of a team. "I'm in charge of the creative end,"
he said.

      *Singer Letoya Luckett misses the friendship she once shared with
her former Destiny’s Child members Beyonce Knowles and Kelly Rowland.
Luckett and D.C. member Latavia Robertson were kicked out of the group in
2000 by Beyonce’s manager/father without warning, Luckett told World
Entertainment News Network. "None of the girls called up after I left the
group,” she said. “What I missed most was the friendship Beyonce, Kelly and
I had. We had met in elementary school so the hardest things were getting
over birthday's and Christmases without them. I did call Beyonce on the New
Years Eve of the new millennium. I told her I missed her, I loved her and
that it was a hard time. She called me three days later and told me things
were over with the group and they were all going solo. But then there was
another Destiny's Child album after that so I don't know what happened."

BLACK COLLEGE BITS: FAMU Marching Band members on probation; Morehouse president to retire.

      *The Florida A&M University marching band is in hot water after most
of its members were accused of stealing sheets, pillows and other items from
a hotel during a road game in Detroit. According to the FAMU newspaper, the
entire band faces suspension and 74 of the “Marching 100” were placed on
academic probation as the school investigates. "As of right now we are not
pressing charges; furthermore, the school has been very cooperative in
negotiations. We have not restricted the band from returning," said Raynard
Lawler, the residential manager of the Detroit Marriott hotel. According to
the paper, band director Julian White said that hotel officials stopped the
musicians as they departed from their rooms earlier this month. Body towels,
face towels, pillows, irons and comforters were among the items recovered.

       *Morehouse President Walter E. Massey announced Thursday that he
will retire at the end of the 2006-07 academic year. Massey broke the news
during the annual Opening Convocation at the Martin Luther King, Jr.
International Chapel on campus. The 1958 graduate of the school said he had
been thinking about stepping down for the past two years. He was named as
the college's ninth president in 1995. He is a physicist, former senior vice
president and provost of the University of California System, and former
director of the National Science Foundation. During his tenure, Massey
presided over the largest capital campaign in the Morehouse history.

SPORTS BITS: Bush says he’s innocent; NBA/Reebok want a high school academy;
Duquesne campus shooting injures five.

      *New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush continues to deny that
he and his family illegally accepted gifts, money and other benefits worth
more than $100,000 from two marketing agents while attending the University
of Southern California. "I'm not worried about any of these allegations or
anything like that, because I know what the truth is, like I said from day
one," Bush said after a Saints practice last week. "Once the smoke clears,
everybody's going to see we did nothing wrong." Yahoo.com reported Thursday
that Michael Michaels, a marketing agency investor who wanted to represent
the Heisman Trophy winner, and current Bush marketing agent Mike Ornstein
gave the athlete and his family gifts. The NCAA prohibits student-athletes
and their families from receiving extra benefits from agents or their
representatives. Any improper benefits could lead to NCAA sanctions against
USC and retroactively cost Bush his college eligibility and Heisman Trophy.

       *The National Basketball Association is teaming with shoe
manufacturers and college leaders to discuss the creation of a national
academy for elite high school players, reports the Washington Post.
Developed by Sonny Vaccaro, director of grass-roots basketball for Reebok,
the plan would create a structured system to give players an education in
academics and sports. According to the Post, several dozen ninth- to
12th-grade players would eat, sleep and train at an elite facility with
buses taking teens to nearby high schools to ensure top academic training.
Graduates would still have one year to play in college or overseas before
they would be eligible for the NBA Draft.  During the season, two teams from
the academy would play a U.S. nationwide schedule with some games on
television. Individuals and corporate sponsors would foot the bill for the
training academy. 
 
      *Five Duquesne basketball players were shot on campus early Sunday, leaving
at least one critically injured, after the teammates walked away from tried to calm
a man who had reportedly caused a stir at a student union dance, officials said. Six
to 12 shots were reportedly fired by the gunman. Sam Ashaolu (cousin of Hakeem Olajuwon) of Toronto, Stuard Baldonado of Colombia, and Kojo Mensah were all hospitalized and Shawn James of New York City and Aaron Jackson of Hartford, Conn. were treated and released.  What sparked the violence is unknown.  Duquesne University is a private Catholic university with nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

BLACK ENTERPRISE OFFERS ROLE ‘MODELS’: Tyra, Iman, B. Smith in Sept. issue highlighting black models-turned-moguls.

      *The September issue of Black Enterprise resembles a fashion
magazine as former models Tyra Banks, Iman, Kimora Lee Simmons and Barbara
“B.” Smith are highlighted as runway divas who transitioned into savvy
businesswomen.

       In the cover feature “Models Inc.,” writer Alisa Gumbs talks with
each mogul about their road from the catwalk to the boardroom. Banks, who
shares B.E.’s Sept. cover with Iman, talks about being the executive
producer and host of two television properties, "America's Next Top Model"
and "The Tyra Banks Show."
 
      Iman describes the building of her cosmetics empire that sells
millions of dollars of products annually through mass-market retailers such
as Walgreens, Wal-Mart, and Target; while Smith discusses B. Smith
Enterprises and Simmons comments on her fashion company, Baby Phat.

       "Few models ever make it big, and the majority of new businesses
fail. But these women have managed to conquer two very difficult
arenas—despite their double minority status and the perception that they are
nothing more than pretty faces," says Gumbs. "BE celebrates their
achievements and, at the same time, highlights some of the often overlooked
pioneers of the trend."

EVENT CALENDAR: Diversity Film Market; Fonzworth hosts The Quest’s ‘All That
Jazz’; Peace4Kids fundraiser.

       *The International Diversity Film Market, a leading film and
television conduit between the independent filmmaking community and the
entertainment industry buyers, acquisitions and distribution executives
worldwide, will be offering a variety of free opportunities for registered
filmmakers at its Sept. 21 – 23 event held in Washington, D.C. at the E
Street Cinema Landmark Theatre (555 11th Street NW).  The Market includes
seminars with topics ranging from scriptwriting and production to
distribution, management, and representation. Attendees can also take
advantage of free film submissions, free screenings and free online movie
trailer postings by logging onto www.onevibe.biz.  

       *Fonzworth Bentley, the former personal assistant and umbrella holder
for Sean “Diddy” Combs, will host The Quest’s “All That Jazz” concert from 3
to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 at Atlanta Symphony Hall. “All That Jazz” serves
as the kickoff to a series of musical events by The Quest, a non-profit
organization in Atlanta that celebrates our children in public schools
through musical achievement and opportunity. Bentley says of the event:
“It’s time to show you can be smart, you can dress appropriately, you can
speak the king’s language and still be hip.”
      
       *Peace4Kids, the Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that
provides educational courses, group activities and mentoring to foster and
at-risk youth to build life skills and self-esteem, will showcase the
talents of many of the kids in its program at a fundraising event Sunday,
Sept. 24 at the Secret Rose Theater in North Hollywood (11246 Magnolia
Blvd.). With performances at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., the event will feature
personal essays written and performed by teenagers in the program and will
raise much-needed funds.  Peace4Kids, located at the Watts/Willowbrook Boys
& Girls Club, is the only program of its kind geared toward foster children
in the South Los Angeles area.  Tickets are $25 and available by e-mailing
Meltinyourmouth@Peace4Kids.org.

GHANA APOLOGIZES FOR ITS ROLE IN SLAVE TRADE: Country’s 50th anniversary includes tourism campaign aimed at slave descendents.

      *As part of a tourism campaign to attract descendents of African
slaves around the world, Ghana is offering an apology for its role in the
trans-Atlantic slave trade, which launched in part from Ghana’s Elmina
Castle carrying Africans captured by fellow black Ghanans.

       According to The Washington Times, Ghana’s 50th anniversary of its
independence includes an effort called "Project Joseph," which invites
blacks to trace their history to the slave trade and reconnect with the land
of their ancestors. An apology will be included as part of the experience.
      
       "The reason why we wanted to do some formal thing is that we want --
even if it's just for the surface of it, for the cosmetic of it -- to be
seen to be saying 'sorry' to those who feel very strongly and who we believe
have distorted history, because they get the impression that it was people
here who just took them and sold them," said Emmanuel Hagan, director of
research and statistics at Ghana's Ministry of Tourism and Diasporean
Relations.
      
       "It's something we have to look straight in the face and try to
address, because it exists. So we will want to say something went wrong.
People made mistakes, but we are sorry for whatever happened." 
      
       While an estimated 17 million Africans were taken from the western
coast of Africa to become slaves in the Americas, millions more died during
overland marches to slave-trading forts such as Elmina, after being captured
by fellow black Africans.
      
       The idea that some Africans sold their own people into slavery has
been downplayed by history books, but it’s a fact that Ghana has never tried
to hide.

       "Long before the coming of Europeans to the Guinea coast of Africa,
our local people here already practiced slavery," Philip Amoa-Mensah, a
volunteer guide at Elmina Castle, told the Times.
      
       Emmanuel Hagan, director of research and statistics at Ghana's
Ministry of Tourism and Diasporean Relations says sometimes a simple apology
can go a long way.
      
       "We have something we call the healing to take care of that aspect of
the relationship, because we cannot gloss over it," Hagan told the Times.
"We just want to say 'sorry,' let's back down, let's calm down. ... I think
that if you say "sorry' to somebody, no matter how hard the feeling is, once
you say 'sorry,' it mellows things."