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Along his 2009 tour route, Maxwell will headline the main stage of the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on July 4, appear at the BET Music Awards in Los Angeles on June 28, and perform on the CBS "Late Show with David Letterman" on July 10.

Tickets for Maxwell's 2009 summer concert tour are available via Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com). Tickets for Maxwell's Milwaukee performance are available at Ticketmaster now with Grand Rapids and Vancouver going on sale Friday, May 22 and Las Vegas going on sale Saturday, May 23. Please visit Ticketmaster.com for on-sale information for all shows.

Maxwell's 2009 summer tour dates mark the artist's first extended run of evening's length concerts since breaking a six-year hiatus from live performance with his standing-room-only US tour in October 2008. When all 144,000 tickets for that tour sold-out within minutes of going on sale, the itinerary was extended from 26 to 33 cities. Maxwell's live performances were met with unanimously positive critical responses. The New York Times praised Maxwell's Radio City Music Hall concert as "exquisite" and "powerful" while the Boston Herald lauded his "awesome talent." Maxwell premiered new songs from BLACKsummers'night during his 2008 fall tour, among them "Pretty Wings," "Bad Habits," "Help Somebody," and "Cold."

BLACKsummers'night is the first full-length Maxwell release since Now, his critically-acclaimed third studio album, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in August 2001.

BLACKsummers'night is the sensuous opening installment of the artist's monumental BLACKSUMMERS'NIGHT trilogy. (The trilogy's subsequent chapters, blackSUMMERS'night and blacksummers'NIGHT, are slated for release in 2010 and 2011 respectively.)

"Pretty Wings," the first single from BLACKsummers'night, became available through digital service providers on Tuesday, April 28 while a video for the song premiered that same day on BET's "106 & Park" and on musze.com, Maxwell's website.

BLACKsummers'night reunites Maxwell with long-time collaborator Hod David, who serves as co-producer and co-writer of the album. Striving for an emotional authenticity and real world sound for the album, Maxwell and Hod recorded the entire album live in the studio with an a-list ensemble of elegantly sympathetic musicians.

Maxwell first rocketed to fame when he redefined classic soul music for a new generation with the release of his critically-acclaimed debut album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, in April 1996. Fueled in part by the RIAA gold single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," the Grammy-nominated Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was certified platinum in March 1997, less than a year after its release, and achieved double platinum status, in recognition of sales of more than 2 million copies in the US alone, in 2002. Maxwell followed up with his MTV Unplugged EP, released in July 1997 and certified gold in September 1999. His second full-length album, Embrya, was released in June 1998 and certified platinum in May 1999. Another Maxwell single, the hit "Fortunate," was certified gold in June 1999. To date, Maxwell has achieved 10 gold and platinum certifications from the RIAA for his albums and singles.

Maxwell - BLACKsummers'night North American Tour - Summer 2009

    Wed-Jun-17  Grand Rapids, MI        DeVos Performance Hall     Fri-Jun-19  Hammond, IN             The Venue/Horseshoe Hammond     Sat-Jun-20  Milwaukee, WI           Riverside Theatre     Tue-Jun-23  Seattle, WA             Paramount     Wed-Jun-24  Vancouver, BC           The Centre     Fri-Jun-26  Las Vegas, NV           Pearl     Sun-Jun-28  Los Angeles, CA         BET AWARDS     Mon-Jun-29  Phoenix, AZ             Dodge     Wed-Jul-1   Austin, TX              Bass     Thu-Jul-2   San Antonio, TX         Majestic Theater     Sat-Jul-4   New Orleans, LA         Essence Festival (Superdome)     Sun-Jul-12  Nashville, TN           Ryman Auditorium     Mon-Jul-13  Louisville, KY          Palace Theatre     Wed-Jul-15  Columbus, OH            Palace Theatre     Thu-Jul-16  Cleveland, OH           Allen Theatre     Sat-Jul-18  Pittsburgh, PA          Heinz     Sun-Jul-19  Buffalo, NY             Sheas PAC     Tue-Jul-21  Albany, NY              The Palace     Wed-Jul-22  New Jersey              NJPAC     Fri-Jul-24  Atlantic City, NJ       Borgata     Sat-Jul-25  Foxwoods                Foxwoods     Mon-Jul-27  Norfolk, VA             Chrysler Hall     Tue-Jul-28  Savannah, GA            Johnny Mercer     Thu-Jul-30  Tampa, FL               Ruth Eckerd Hall     Fri-Jul-31  Miami, FL               The Knight Center 

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May 18, 2009, New York, NY-  Bad Boy Entertainment's Donnie Klang, of Making the Band fame, has built a burgeoning career that seems to be unstoppable.  With the finale of the fourth season of Making the Band 4 having recently aired on MTV, an acclaimed debut album under his belt, and a massive following, Donnie is hotter than ever.   Coming into the second half of 2009, Donnie is hard at work and will be hitting fans with new music, more tour dates, and acting.  Watch as Donnie Klang becomes an international idol!

Working on the follow-up to his debut album, "Just a Rolling Stone" Donnie is putting his heart and soul into the music, letting his voice and personality shine through.  Donnie has tirelessly been working on writing his own music for the new album and with the help of his producers, Connecticut duo, The Young Boys, together they have crafted a sound he can truly call his own.  Speaking on the new album Donnie says "I have been spending a lot of time in the studio with The Young Boys and since working on my last album with them on the track "Pick It Up", we have developed a great relationship.  We are creating music that represents me as a person and an artist.  The songs are timeless, with pop, R&B, a little bit of rock influence in them, and they all depict the story of my life." This highly anticipated album will not disappoint as music aficionados and fans of Donnie Klang who look forward to hearing his voice as an artist and writer.

Donnie Klang will soon be adding Movie Star to a growing list of titles he already holds in the entertainment business.  No stranger to the stage and small screen, Donnie got his start in the business at a young age doing acting and modeling.  Delving into a career in modeling/acting once again, Donnie has signed with top talent agency, William Morris Agency, for acting opportunities. "After meeting with casting agents and movie producers last year, 2009 has brought in a lot of scripts and I am doing readings and sending audition tapes for multiple projects" said Donnie.  With his charismatic personality, gift for singing and the desire to act, Donnie looks to achieve a career like that of Will Smith.  "Music is my first priority but in between albums, I want to focus on acting and be known for delivering great finished products for both."

Whether it's a red carpet event, hitting the gym, rehearsing, reading scripts or making music for his sophomore album, Donnie Klang is constantly working.  Singer/Songwriter, Dancer, and Actor; Donnie Klang is Bad Boy's Triple Threat!  If people haven't realized what music mogul P. Diddy saw in this young talent, when he presented Donnie with a solo recording deal, things are about to change.

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May 20, 2009, NEW YORK, NY  - Aphilliates/Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist Drama has announced this week's release of his eagerly anticipated new album, "GANGSTA GRILLZ: THE ALBUM VOL. 2." The collection -- which features the banging hit single, "Day Dreaming (Feat. Akon, Snoop Dogg, and T.I.)" -- is available in stores and online now.

The ATL-based Drama is known far and wide for his legendary "Gangsta Grillz" mixtapes. "GANGSTA GRILLZ: THE ALBUM VOL. 2" continues in the same flowing formula as 2007's "GANGSTA GRILLZ: THE ALBUM," with all-new original material that gathers together a veritable who's-who of modern hip-hop. Among the rap icons included are Flo Rida, Gucci Mane, Trey Songz, LA the Darkman, OJ Da Juiceman, Bun B, Nas, Ludacris, The-Dream, Busta Rhymes, Too $hort, Lil Boosie, Yo Gotti, and Willie the Kid. Production comes from such studio luminaries as Drumma Boy, Zaytoven, and Aphilliates in-house beat maker V12 Da Hitman.

"This album broadens the movement and just brings good music to the table," says Drama. "With the albums, mixtapes and artists, I'm keeping the music alive for those who are coming up under us and representing hip-hop. I don't want to make it too complicated. It's just about giving everybody something to ride to and giving them what they want."

"Day Dreaming (Feat. Akon, Snoop Dogg, and T.I.)" has proven a major Urban radio success, while the track's companion video clip is in rotation at BET. The album's new single, "Ridiculous (Feat. Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti & Lonnie Mac)," is impacting now at Urban outlets nationwide.

Drama can be seen spinning on two upcoming installments of BET's "106 & Park," slated for Wednesday, May 20th and Friday, May 22nd. What's more, he will be DJing at T.I.'s hugely anticipated farewell concert, set for this Sunday, May 24th, at Atlanta's Philips Arena.

For up-to-the-minute news and information, please see Drama's official MySpace page, www.myspace.com/djdrama.

Courtesy of Marketwire

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Phoenix, AZ - May 14, 2009 - After spending more than ninety days behind bars, rapper DMX has been released from an Arizona jail cell. He was released today (May 15,’09) from Tent City Jail in Phoenix AZ, and is said to already be making appearances throughout various cities and markets. The appearances will continue throughout the month of May.

Hoping for a fresh start in his currently stalled career, the rapper is looking to reconnect with rapper and producer Swizz Beats to work on a follow-up album. Other producers would be involved as well.

With a buzz already building, DMX is planning to announce a tour schedule later this fall.

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