Producer/rapper/mogul Dr. Dre has teamed with Dr. Pepper for a new ad campaign the soft drink giant recently launched. The spot, titled “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor,” features Dre in a DJ Booth commanding a party. Fans of the producer are excited, because the commercial also features an unnamed track from Dre’s highly anticipated album Detox. Other celebrities in the campaign include Gene Simmons, Julius Erving and Kelsey Grammer. Dr. Dre’s commercial is set to debut on Monday (June 1).
The Beastie Boys have revealed that they have finished a new album of brand new material. The veteran Hip-Hop collective have tentatively named the album Hot Sauce Committee and the release will contain overtly political content. “It’s a lot of vocals, a lot of words — very wordy. And it’s political, depending on what you call political,” group member Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horovitz said.
Def Jam is planning a new rap-related video game title with 4mm Studios. The new game, titled Def Jam Rapstar, is currently being developed as a Hip-Hop karaoke title. According to developers working on the game, Rapstar will cover over 30 years of music, including new music being timed and created for the release of the game, which is slated to hit stores this Winter.
American Gangster, the acclaimed series that debuted on BET, has been acquired by A&E Networks. A&E snagged the rights to seasons 1-3 of the series, which takes an in depth look at some of urban America’s most notorious criminals and gangs. The series, which is narrated by actor Ving Rhames, will air on A&E’s Crime & Investigation Network cable channel. “American Gangster is one of BET’s most critically acclaimed and thought-provoking series, and we’re extremely proud of the success the show has enjoyed on our network,” said Michael D. Armstrong, Senior Vice President & General Manager, BET International. “We’re excited that it will be reaching a new worldwide audience through this landmark deal with A&E.
