AHH Stray News: Ludacris, DJ Spooky, Mos Def, J. Period

Island Def Jam Music Group artists Ludacris and Sum 41 will appear together on next week’s edition of Saturday Night Live, hosted by actor Paul Giamatti. Ludacris will be performing his single “Get Back” with his fellow label mates. According to reps for Island Def Jam, Ludacris has always been a fan of the group, […]

Island Def Jam Music

Group artists Ludacris and Sum 41 will appear together on next week’s edition

of Saturday Night Live, hosted by actor Paul Giamatti. Ludacris will be performing

his single “Get Back” with his fellow label mates. According to reps

for Island Def Jam, Ludacris has always been a fan of the group, who jumped at

the chance to play with the bestselling rapper. The performance airs live on January

22, on NBC. In related news, Ludacris recently inked a long term partnership with

Island Def Jam Music group.

DJ Spooky is touring and

promoting his latest work, a remix of the 1915 film, “Birth of a Nation.”

Spooky presents a multimedia experience in “Rebirth of a Nation,”

that changes the racist story line of D.W. Griffith’s film, into a modern

version that makes comments on social divisions in modern culture. Spooky digitized

Harvard University’s copy of the microfilm and sliced a new storyline

together, set to his original music. "The film was made at a crossroads

of American culture, and I feel like we are again at a type of cultural crossroads,"

Spooky recently told NPR. “I feel like this film in particular is relevant

again in today’s society."

Mos Def continues to diversify

his acting portfolio and has signed on to star in the film version of John Kennedy

Toole’s novel, “A Confederacy of Dunces.” Mos will play the

role of a porter named Burma Jones, who holds on to his job only because the

police will arrest him for vagrancy. The comedy first went into development

in the early 80’s shortly after Toole’s unpublished work was released,

with Richard Pryor and John Belushi slated to star. Production has stalled on

the flick several times. The latest attempt will be directed by David Gordon

Green, with Scott Kramer and Steven Soderbergh handling the writing chores.

DJ J. Period won

the New York Regional title for the “Scion Free Up Your Mix DJ Contest.”

J. Period is now one of 12 semifinalists, who will compete for cash and the

opportunity to perform at Scion’s monthly events, which take place in

six major United States markets. Additionally, the grand prize winner will mix

Volume 12 of Scion’s CD Sampler, which will be released in April of 2005 with

a nationwide distribution of 500,000 promo copies.