Hilson apologises insisting she had “no ill intent”.

An apologetic Keri Hilson has pointed out that she had “no ill intent” after creating a flurry of fury when posting a photograph online of her carousing with an Amy Winehouse lookalike at a party not long before the dead soul star’s funeral today.

The You Know I’m No Good hitmaker’s body was discovered by her security guard, Andrew Morris, in bed at her home in North London borough Camden on Saturday, when aged just 27.

Numerous pop stars and celebrities had paid emotional tributes to the troubled star, including Russell Brand, Adele and Lady Gaga, prior to the private funeral.

However, Keri’s decision to upload a picture of herself enjoying a party with the Amy lookalike, as well as suggesting that the dead star had been “resurrected”, a mere few hours ahead of the service, attracted numerous critical responses from offended fans.

The 28-year-old took to microblogging website Twitter to post a link to the photo, but also included a message that read: “*gasp* Amy Winehouse resurrected to party w/ (with) me!!! (seriously, uncanny resemblance).”

But Keri’s photograph and comments met with a furious protest from her Twitter followers and, within 60 minutes, she had once again taken to the website to ask for forgiveness from anyone who might have been offended by the post.

Keri wrote: “Come on, I mean no harm. All due respect. But really the resemblance freaked me out. This was simply the best tribute ever.”

The R&B singer-songwriter continued by writing: “RIP AMY WINEHOUSE… I apologize 2 anyone who might’ve taken it the wrong way”, before stressing that, “as a fan, I thought it was cool that she dressed up to honor Amy”.

The suitably contrite artist added that she “had no ill intent, but I understand how it appears insensitive… my bad twitterville. For real.”

Flo Rida is at the center of a paternity row.

Gloria Holloway has claimed the ‘Right Round’ rapper is the father of her child, who was born earlier this year, but the hip-hop star denies he is the dad and insists he has taken a DNA test to prove he is not the biological father.

Sandy Becher, a lawyer for Flo Rida, told TMZ.com the rapper had used a pseudonym when taking the test which proved he wasn’t the dad, but Gloria is not satisfied that this is the case, and may seek a court order against the star to make him take another test.

A lawyer for her said: “There is absolutely nothing to indicate that Flo Rida was sampled. I really do feel that the only way we are going to get a reliable paternity test is going to be within the confines of some sort of court order.”

The unmarried 31-year-old rap star’s legal troubles do not end with his paternity battle, as he was also recently arrested for driving under the influence (DUI).

The ‘Low’ rapper – real name Tramar Dillard – was pulled over in June by officers on Miami Beach in Florida, driving a red and black Bugatti car, worth an estimated $1.7 million, after swerving between lanes as he was driving at around 3.30am.

Officers reported he failed a field sobriety test after they smelled alcohol on his breath, and he was transported to a nearby station and reportedly booked for DUI and driving with a suspended license.

He was later released on bail and allowed to fly to Thailand where he was due to perform. His car was also released after a friend paid the $115 towing fee.

"Watch the Throne" will be available on iTunes on August 8.

(Billboard.com) – A week after debuting their new single, “Otis,” off “Watch the Throne,” Jay-Z and Kanye West are joining forces to form the group ‘The Throne’ and announce their ‘Watch the Throne Tour,’ kicking off on September 22, in Detroit MI.

“Watch the Throne” will be available on iTunes on August 8. On the same day (August 8), tickets for The Throne’s tour, powered by VoyR, will be made available at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com. Fans who purchase their tickers online will receive a digital copy of the album.

The Throne’s Watch the Throne Tour has twenty-four dates confirmed thus far.

Watch the Throne Tour Dates:

9/22/11 Detroit, MI Palace of Auburn Hills

9/24/11 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre

9/25/11 Montreal, QC Bell Centre

9/27/11 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center

9/28/11 East Rutherford, NJ Izod Center

9/29/11 Washington DC Verizon Center

10/4/11 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center

10/6/11 Chicago, IL United Center

10/7/11 Chicago, IL United Center

10/8/11 Minneapolis, MN Target Center

10/10/11 Denver, CO Pepsi Center

10/13/11 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome

10/14/11 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena

10/16/11 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion

10/17/11 Sacramento, CA Power Balance Pavilion

10/19/11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center

10/20/11 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center

10/21/11 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena

10/25/11 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center

10/26/11 Houston, TX Toyota Center

10/29/11 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena

10/30/11 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum

11/1/11 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena

Though he’s no longer with Geffen, he did claim that he’s still affiliated with G.O.O.D. Music,

Common recently made the switch from his longtime label home Geffen Records to Warner Bros. Records, a move that he explained came almost two years after being released from the imprint. Speaking with MTV News, the Chicago, Illinois native explained that Warner CEO Lyor Cohen coaxed him to signing with his shingle with a phone call.

“Point blank, I got a call from [Warner CEO] Lyor Cohen,” he said. “He was like, ‘Look man, I know who you are. I always told you, you was one of my favorite MCs, and I really meant that.’ I felt the sincerity in what he was saying. He didn’t tell me, ‘We’re going to do this, do that.’ He was more like, ‘I know how we can do your record, and I want to work this. I want this to be on my roster.’”

Com decided to sign with Cohen and Warner since it was easier than going the independent route.

“I felt like, man, it would be good because it’s so much … we do have a lot going on,” he continued. “I am doing these acting projects. I do have my foundation. I do have a daughter and a life, too. So it’s all these things I want to take care of, I felt like I didn’t want to have an independent label that I felt like you gotta be there for everything, every decision. I’d rather have a team that’s already in place that’s really confident in what I’m doing.”

Though he’s no longer with Geffen, he did claim that he’s still affiliated with G.O.O.D. Music, which recently became a subsidiary under Island Def Jam Music Group. His Warner debut, The Dreamer, The Believer, is due in November.

via-hiphopdx

Bruno Mars has compiled a list of acts he wants to work with, including Kanye West, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Mumford & Sons, and Kings of Leon.

The Just The Way You Are hitmaker, who can’t wait to get back into the studio, said he has been “fantasising” about a succession of side projects that will allow him to collaborate with many of the artists he most admires.

The 25-year-old from Honolulu also insisted that he has a far wider scope in musical output than many fans might assume after hearing his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, which was released in October last year.

Bruno – born Peter Gene Hernandez – said he is “itching and jonesing to get back into the studio”, but is also “fantasising about doing a side project” after becoming a massive “fan of how Jack White (of The White Stripes fame) and Danger Mouse get down and put these bands together”.

He added that his dream is “to be the drummer in a band that I’m producing, and sit back there and have someone else sing”.

With that in mind, Bruno stated that he wants “to work with the Kanyes, the Jay-Zs… a Rihanna, a Gaga, Kings of Leon, Mumford & Sons” because, although he is “proud” of his first album – a No.1 hit in the UK – he feels “like, ‘Oh, man, people haven’t seen nothing – they don’t even know what I’m about to do’, and that’s what I can’t wait to show the world”.

Although Bruno is keen to embrace variety in his musical productivity, he insisted that he is not planning to venture into the world of fashion because he reckons that would most likely ruin his first-choice career.

Speaking to Billboard magazine, Bruno said that he believes “people fall” because “they’re like, ‘OK, now I’m here, what’s next? A clothing line?’ That’s not what I’m trying to do”.

Instead, Bruno believes that musicians should stick to their “dream” and ensure that their music remains “special”, rather than being “a sl*t” by attempting to move into other fields.