MTV News Round-up 07/07/2004

*** Usher has matched the record set by The Beatles in 1964 and the Bee Gees in 1978 by having three hits in one week in the US top 10. And it looks like 'Burn' may stay on top of the UK chart for another week, if the re-release of Elvis Presley's debut single 'That's All Right, Mama' doesn't overtake Usher's track to become the King's 19th UK chart-topper.

*** Kelis has announced two new UK shows after her June gigs, as part of the 'Hip Hop Dont Stop' tour with Missy Elliot, were cancelled. Kelis will play at the Edinburgh Liquid Room on August 25 and London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on August 26. Her next single, 'Millionaire', is released in September and features Andre 3000 of OutKast.

*** An OutKast poster has been branded "irresponsible" by the Advertising Standards Authority because it shows Andre 3000 holding a pink gun. The advertising watchdog said that because the "the gun was smoking," the ad implied it had just been fired and "could be seen to glorify gun use". The band's record label said the artist featured was one of the "least likely to glorify violence" and that the image was "ironic".

*** The White Stripes will release a B-sides and rarities album next year, said Jack White. "There will definitely be a CD of all of The White Stripes' B-sides and whatnot coming out in the future. And possibly a whole record of the Italy catalogue," he said. "Possibly live Detroit things here and there, and possibly a legal Peel Session record." Jack also confirmed that he and Meg had started work on their next studio album.

*** Eminem will produce tracks on Tupac's next posthumous album, to be released in November. The album will feature a new batch of the rapper's previously unreleased verses put to beats by hip-hop producers including Eminem, who produced three songs on last year's 'Tupac Resurrection', including the single 'Runnin' (Dying to Live)'. The new album will be the seventh since Tupac's death in 1996.

*** Olivier Martinez has bought Kylie Minogue a vintage 50ft sailing boat, according to reports. The French actor bid 180,000 in an auction to nab the classic yacht after girlfriend Kylie fell in love with it on a test drive. The 64-year-old craft, named White Wings, is berthed in St Tropez in the south of France.

*** George Michael is closing down the message board on his official website due to "bitching" between fans. He said: "I am afraid that, having visited the forums on a regular basis over the past few months... I have decided to close them down. I feel bad for those of you who have always been supportive, but I'm afraid I want nothing to do with the bitching that has evolved between some members... Sorry guys, but that's the way it goes."

CL