W/C July 15, 2005

Missy Elliot is preparing to make her first movie based on her life. Missy’s also planning to release a book around the same time.

Jessica Simpson and husband Nick Lachey are planning to adopt. Simpson revealed that she tried to adopt a child from a Mexican orphanage when she was 16. She said: "That's what I wanted for my birthday but I couldn't legally get a baby across the Mexican border." The 25-year-old says her and husband Nick plan to adopt within the next 12 months.

Latin Pop star Ricky Martin is returning this fall, with his first English-language album in five years. The currently-untitled record will feature a number of surprising collaborators and producers, including Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, songwriting collective The Matrix (Liz Phair, Avril Lavigne), and Hip-Hop producer Scott Storch, who was behind the boards for the lead single "I Don't Care." The track features Fat Joe and Amerie and fans can hear a clip of it currently on RickyMartin.com.

Ludacris and Kanye West have been ordered to stand trial for the $10,000,000 copyright infringement lawsuit filed by I.O.F. for allegedly stealing the concept for a Ludarcris’ song “Stand Up.”

LL Cool J has signed a three-picture deal with Lions Gate Films aimed at getting women to the theater to see the heartthrob, whose rap name LL Cool J stands for Ladies Love Cool James. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first film will be an urban fatal attraction-type movie where the rapper will play an average Joe who gets into trouble after having an extramarital affair. LL Cool J will serve as a producer on all three films, which will each have a budget of approximately $10 million.

Lil’ Kim has filed a $6 million lawsuit against Lil’ Cease for intending to release a tell-all DVD about her perjury trial.

The late Ray Charles, who died in June 2004 at the age of 73, will soon have his own museum on the landmark site of his original RPM recording studio in Los Angeles. The Ray Charles Museum will officially be opened with a groundbreaking ceremony August 17th with celebrities and city officials in attendance. The museum itself will open to the public sometime in 2007.

Eve recently shot a new commercial spot for Boost Mobile with rapper Fat Joe. MTV.com reports that the spot features Eve dressed up as a '20s showgirl and ballet dancer. (original Boost mobile commercial featured The Game, Kanye West and Ludacris) The new spot is slated to debut on August 2nd. Eve is working on her new untitled album, which will be released in February.

Confessions of a Video Vixen is the widely anticipated memoir of Karrine Steffans, the once sought-after sexy siren who appeared in the music videos of artists such as Jay-Z, R. Kelly, and LL Cool J. A top-paid video dancer, Karrine transitioned to film when director F. Gary Gray picked her to costar in his film A Man Apart, starring Vin Diesel. This memoir, part tell all, part cautionary tale shows how Karrinne came to be the confidante of so many, why she kept their secrets, and how she found herself in Hollywood after a life marked by physical abuse, rape, and drugs. All before she was twenty-six. By sharing her emotionally charged story, she hopes to shed light on an otherwise romanticized industry.

Mo’Nique is four months pregnant with twins, and she’s planning her wedding to Sidney Hicks.

Federal prosecutors are focusing on Ja Rule in their ongoing investigation of The Inc. According to published reports, Ja Rule and two bodyguards face possible charges including ‘conspiracy to commit murder,’ after a shooting outside of a club in December of 2004 left one man dead and another injured.

Ali G star Sacha Baron Cohen has been accused of grabbing a photographer by the throat at the Wedding Crashers premiere last week. According to accounts in both the New York Daily News and New York Times, 34-year-old Cohen lashed out as the photographer tried to take a snapshot of the comedian and his actress fiancée Isla Fisher a co-star in the movie at an after-party following the New York screening of the film.

Snoop Dogg is determined to take his children to watch his soccer hero David Beckham during Real Madrid's pre-season tour of America - despite having been banned from partying with the sports star by David's wife Victoria. Snoop had invited the British hunk for a wild night out after London's historic Live 8 gig earlier this month but although Victoria refused to allow her husband to join him, Snoop doesn't see why his sons should miss out. He says, "I'm a huge fan and want my kids to see Becks in action."