RAPPERS GIVE FREE CONCERT URGING STUDENTS TO VOTE

Rappers give free concerturging students to vote
COLUMBUS -- Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, Kanye West and other rap stars held a free concert at Ohio State University to encourage students to vote in November.
The Rev. Run of Run-DMC, Loon, Petey Pablo and Layzie Bone of the Cleveland group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony were at the Schottenstein Center on Thursday, along with Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash.
Dash said the hip-hop community needs to stress voting and civic responsibility to gain respect and bring about change.
"We are at the forefront of our culture and considered the coolest," he said. "It is cool to be socially conscious to do what's right and find a candidate to vote for."
Some 2,000 people registered to vote at the event, organized by Simmons' group, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. The network and community partners registered another 10,000 in the past two weeks.
A national hip-hop political convention will be June 16-19 in Newark, N.J. Simmons' group hopes to register 2 million young voters before the presidential election Nov. 2.
Aiken to start solo tourthat includes Cleveland
NEW YORK -- Clay Aiken will go on his first solo tour this summer, performing songs from his album, "Measure of a Man," along with other material.
The 42-date tour will open July 6 in Bismarck, N.D. Stops are scheduled through Sept. 16, including Charleston, W.Va.; Nashville, Tenn.; Greensboro, N.C.; Roanoke, Va.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Des Moines, Iowa; Cleveland; Dallas; and York, Pa.
Additional tour dates are expected to be announced, RCA Records said Thursday.
Black Sabbath to reunitefor 9th annual Ozzfest
NEW YORK -- Black Sabbath will reunite for the ninth annual Ozzfest, which begins July 10 in Hartford, Conn.
After initially declining an offer to join original Black Sabbath members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, drummer Bill Ward has reconsidered, said a posting this week on Ozzfest's Web site.
Ozzfest 2004 also will include a reunion of the original lineup of British heavy metal band Judas Priest.
"You have the original Black Sabbath and the original Judas Priest. What more could you want!" Sharon Osbourne said in a statement.
Notable death
Irene Manning, the beautiful, classically trained singer who appeared in some of the biggest musicals of the 1940s, including "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Shine on Harvest Moon" and "The Desert Song," has died of congestive heart failure. She was 91. Manning died May 28 at home in California, said her stepdaughter, Peggy Shafer.
Today's birthdays
Actress Billie Whitelaw is 72. Civil-rights activist Roy Innis is 70. Singer Levi Stubbs (The Four Tops) is 68. Singer-songwriter Gary "U.S." Bonds is 65. Country singer Joe Stampley is 61. Actor Robert Englund is 55. Folk singer Holly Near is 55. Singer Dwight Twilley is 53. Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein is 50. Comedian Sandra Bernhard is 49. Tennis player Bjorn Borg is 48. Actress Amanda Pays is 45. Comedian Colin Quinn is 45. Record producer Jimmy Jam is 45. Rock musician Steve Vai is 44. Rock musician Sean Yseult (White Zombie) is 38. Actor Max Casella is 37. Actor Paul Giamatti is 37. Rhythm-and-blues singer Damion Hall (Guy) is 36. Rock musician Bardi Martin is 35. Country singer Lisa Brokop is 31. Rapper-rocker Uncle Kracker is 30. Actress Staci Keanan is 29.
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