URBAN NEWS

Last Update on September 02, 2010 03:09 EDT

DIDDY: HIT WITH AGE DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT

NEW YORK (AP) -- He may be known for throwing a white party every now and then. But a lawsuit filed against Diddy claims the rap entrepreneur isn't too down with gray. A New York woman has sued Diddy, saying he fired her because of her age. Francesca Spero is 51. And she says she got the ax two decades after helping Diddy launch his career. Spero claims in her lawsuit that she introduced Diddy to Russell Simmons and Uptown Records. She worked as an executive with Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment label for 12 years before being fired in March. The lawsuit claims Spero was let go after having hip surgery and after letting on to an executive she had a relapse of a drug dependency problem. A publicist for Diddy says there are "many reasons" why Spero is no longer working for Bad Boy -- but that age discrimination isn't one of them.

YOUNG BUCK: RAPPER FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Young Buck has run into some tax trouble with the government. And that means he has serious bills to pay. The rapper has filed for bankruptcy after an Internal Revenue Service raid on his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. The Tennessean newspaper says now the rapper is trying to get square with the government. To do so, a judge has accepted a plan to have the rapper's monthly pay docked. He will lose $12,500 a month over 60 months -- for a total of $750,000. Under the bankruptcy plan, Young Buck will have a chance to save a huge chunk of the $164,000 in property the IRS seized last month. The tax agency says the rapper owes more than $300,000.

WILL SMITH/DENZEL WASHINGTON: STANDING UP TO CANCER

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- They are two of the biggest names in the movie business these days. And now, Will Smith and Denzel Washington are among the celebrities trying to get cancer to take a final bow. They're taking part in next week's "Stand Up to Cancer" telethon. The event will air on all the major networks. Others who will be involved include George Clooney, Kathy Bates, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and performers will include Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah and Herbie Hancock. "Stand Up to Cancer" is aimed at raising money to speed up innovative cancer research. A similar event in 2008 helped raise more than $100 million for research. This year's telethon will air a week from Friday at 8 p.m. eastern time on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox -- as well as a bunch of cable channels.

------

Online:

Stand Up To Cancer site: http://www.standup2cancer.org

FANTASIA: STRONG START FOR NEW ALBUM

NEW YORK (AP) -- No one can tell for sure -- but it sure looks like Fantasia's drug overdose may have helped her move some product. Her new album is number two on the overall album charts and is number one on the R&B charts. Nielsen SoundScan reports the album sold more than 117,000 copies since its release last week. The album, titled "Back To Me," is her third studio album. It comes out just after she was hospitalized for an overdose of aspirin and a sleep medication -- an event authorities in North Carolina treated as a suicide attempt. The hospitalization came after Fantasia was named in a lawsuit that accused her of having an affair with a married man. She has apologized for the affair -- and the affect it has had on her former lover's marriage.

SNOOP DOGG: A CALL FOR SECURITY

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Think of computer security -- and then think of a celebrity who would be involved in helping keep your PC free of cybercrime. Chances are the name Snoop Dogg wasn't one that jumped to the top of the list. But the rapper is taking part in an effort to combat cybercrime along with the company that makes Norton Internet Security 2011. He and Symantec are calling on fans to create and upload a two-minute rap video on the subject of cybercrime -- including hacking, identity theft, computer viruses and other online crimes. For inspiration, Snoop has done one of his own -- it can be found on www.HackIsWack.com.

------

Online:

Anti Hacking site: http://www.hackiswack.com

Symantec site: http://www.symantec.com

CONDOLEEZZA RICE: OUT OF STEP WITH "DANCING?"

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- By now, you have heard who will be competing in this year's "Dancing With the Stars." But now, we're finding out about some of those who were asked by producers of the ABC show to be on -- but who turned them down. Among those who were asked -- former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Others who were invited and said no include Sylvester Stallone, billionaire Richard Branson, former TV star Suzanne Somers and Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg. The bunch of celebrities -- past, present and perhaps future -- on the current show begin their quest for the mirrorball trophy on September 20.

KANYE WEST: LOOKING BACK

UNDATED (AP) -- In 2005, Kanye West went off the script during an NBC telethon to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. He said, among other things, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

ARETHA FRANKLIN/JAMES BROWN: LOOKING BACK

UNDATED (AP) -- On this date in 1995, Aretha Franklin and James Brown were among those who helped open the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. They were among the performers at a seven-hour concert held at Cleveland Stadium and watched live by millions on cable. The first members of the Hall were inducted in 1996 but it had no home until the $92 million glass-and-steel shrine to rock opened on the shores of Lake Erie.

TEDDY PENDERGRASS: LOOKING BACK

UNDATED (AP) -- On this date in 1978, Teddy Pendergrass held the first of his "For Women Only" concerts in New York. He was backed up by a band called the Teddy Bear Orchestra and the ladies in the audience were given white chocolate lollipops in the shape of teddy bears.

PAULA ABDUL: LOOKING BACK

UNDATED (AP) -- On this date in 1989, Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted" became the first "B" side of a former number-one hit to later reach number one on the pop chart on its own. "Cold Hearted" was the flip side of "Straight Up," which had topped the charts earlier the same year.

SAM GOODEN: BIRTHDAY

UNDATED (AP) -- Singer Sam Gooden turns 71 today. He has been a member of The Impressions, the Chicago based group that featured Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler. He also was among those who took part in the group's 1983 reunion tour. Among the group's biggest hits were "It's All Right" and "Keep On Pushing."

ROSALIND ASHFORD: BIRTHDAY

UNDATED (AP) -- A birthday for an original member of the group Martha and the Vandellas. Rosalind Ashford turns 67 today. The Motown group's hits include "Heat Wave" and "Dancing In The Street."

K-CI: BIRTHDAY

UNDATED (AP) -- It's birthday number 41 for K-Ci Hailey. He and his brother Joel -- or JoJo -- teamed up with Dalvin and "DeVante Swing" DeGrate to form Jodeci. Their biggest hits include "Forever My Lady" and "Come and Talk to Me."