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MUSIC BITS: Diddy's ego; J.Lo's million-dollar gig; Mario's 'Go'; Dupri, Blige honored; jazz's Hill dies.
*Sean “Diddy” Combs and Justin Timberlake have made Us Weekly’s poll of celebrities with the biggest ego. The magazine says Timberlake “has claimed that McDonald's shares climbed 25 percent when he walked into their offices and changed their image." Diddy was flagged for once stating that he is "one of the greatest entrepreneurs and entertainers the world has ever encountered."
*London’s Daily Mail is reporting that a Russian tycoon paid Jennifer Lopez £1m to sing at his wife’s birthday party last weekend in London. Andrei Melnichenko, 35, offered £600,000 for the performance and £400,000 to fly in her entourage from the U.S. to Berkshire and put them up in posh hotels. The bash planned for Saturday was billed as a joint party to celebrate Andrei's recent birthday and the 30th birthday of his wife - a former pop star and Miss Yugoslavia - at their large estate in Ascot. J.Lo was to perform a 40 minute set.
*Mario’s new album, “Go,” will be released by J Records on July 31. The set marks his first new material since his sophomore CD, “Turning Point,” in 2004. That album included his Ne-Yo-penned megahit “Let Me Love You.” The production talent featured on "Go" includes Akon, Pharrell, Timbaland, Polow Da Don, Big Reese and Jasper and Stargate, reports Billboard.com. The latter is responsible for the first single, "How Do I Breathe." The Polow Da Don-produced "Crying Out for Me" is expected to be the second single. Mario's production team, Nightriders, produced three songs on the album as well, and has recently worked with Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, Usher and Raven-Symone.
*Johntá Austin, Mary J. Blige and Jermaine Dupri were among the more than 850 songwriters, recording artists and music industry leaders gathered at the 24th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards held April 18 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. The event saluted the songwriters behind some of today's most popular music. Johntá Austin and Jermaine Dupri shared the coveted Songwriter of the Year title for penning six songs apiece, including "Don't Forget About Us," "Like You," "Shake It Off" and "We Belong Together." Austin also won for "Be Without You" and Chris Brown's "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)." Dupri also picked up honors for Nelly's "Grillz" and Chingy's "Pullin' Me Back." This is the first time that the Atlanta natives have been named ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year. For the complete list of winners, please visit http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/popawards/2007/
*Innovative jazz pianist and composer Andrew Hill, once celebrated in the early 1960s as the next Thelonious Monk, died early Friday morning in Jersey City, N.J. He was 75. The Chicago-born artist had been diagnosed with lung cancer several years ago. In 2006, he was voted jazz composer of the year by the Jazz Journalists Assn. As a teen, Hill played with various jazz legends traveling through Chicago, including Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. He recorded his debut in 1955, "So in Love With the Sound of Andrew Hill," and moved to New York in 1961 to work with Dinah Washington. A week before his death, Berklee College of Music announced that Hill would receive an honorary doctorate of music degree in May "for achievements in the world of music, and for enduring contributions to American and international culture." He is survived by his wife Joanne Robinson Hill.
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