Bill Cosby will go hip-hop with help of guest rappers

Bill Cosby will go hip-hop with help of guest rappers

LOS ANGELES — Bill Cosby’s path has taken him from pudding pops to hip-hop. The 70-year-old has recorded a hip-hop album set for release next month. “Cosby Narratives Vol. 1: State of Emergency” blends the comedian’s concepts and stories with a hip-hop, pop and jazz soundtrack.

“I do not rap on any of these things,” Cosby told The Associated Press. “I wouldn’t know how to fix my mouth to say some of the words.”

Cosby said the hip-hop music he hears is profane and degrading. His album is “the opposite of what I think is the profanity for no particular reason, the misogyny for no particular reason,” he said. “It really looks at the frustration and the anger that a young man may have.”

The album, assembled by Cosby’s longtime musical collaborator Bill “Spaceman” Patterson, contains rhymes provided by guest rappers. The subject matter? “The value of an education. The value of respecting one’s self and ... giving [listeners] a chance to raise their self-esteem and confidence,” Cosby said.

First lady to guest host an hour of ‘Today’ show

NEW YORK — First lady Laura Bush will be “guest host” for an hour of NBC’s “Today” show next week. The network said she’ll host the 9 a.m. hour Tuesday, the morning of the Pennsylvania primary.

By that time in the four-hour morning show, politics is usually set aside for issues that affect women, who make up the majority of the audience during that time period. Mrs. Bush will participate in several segments and interviews, NBC said Tuesday.

She will be joined earlier in the broadcast by her daughter Jenna to talk about their new children’s book, “Read All About It!”

Rob Lowe’s ex-nanny claims sexual abuse

LOS ANGELES — A former nanny for Rob Lowe claims she was sexually abused by the actor but continued working for him because she loved his two boys and needed the job.

Jessica Gibson says in legal papers filed Monday in Santa Barbara, Calif., that Lowe touched her inappropriately several times between September 2005 and January 2008. Gibson worked on and off for the 44-year-old actor and his wife for seven years before quitting in February.

Gibson claims she thought conditions would get better. Lowe has sued three ex-employees, including Gibson. He claims Gibson demanded $1.5 million to remain silent. His attorney says Gibson’s allegations are outrageous and untrue.

Police: Woman embezzled from Heston, Cannell

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles police have arrested an account manager on charges of embezzling more than $725,000 from the accounts of Charlton Heston and producer Stephen Cannell.

Deputy District Attorney Marisa Zarate says Sharon M. Walker is charged with grand theft, forgery and filing false tax returns and was to be arraigned Tuesday. Zarate declined to name the business firm where Walker had worked.

Zarate says Walker is accused of stealing more than $157,000 from Heston, the Oscar-winning actor who died April 5, and more than $567,000 from Cannell, an Emmy-winning writer and producer. The 56-year-old Walker is being held on $700,000 bail. She faces up to 11 years in prison if convicted.

Notable death

LOS ANGELES — Walt Disney Studios says legendary animator Ollie Johnston has died at age 95.

Studio Vice President Howard Green says Johnston died of natural causes on Monday at a long-term care facility in Sequim, Washington.

Johnston was the last of Walt Disney’s so-called Nine Old Men.

Today’s birthdays

Singer Bobby Vinton is 73. Singer Gerry Rafferty is 61. Midnight Oil singer-turned-politician Peter Garrett is 55. Actress Ellen Barkin is 54. Bassist Jason Scheff of Chicago is 46. Singer Jimmy Osmond is 45. Singer David Pirner of Soul Asylum is 44. Actor-comedian Martin Lawrence is 43. Actor Jon Cryer is 43. Actor Peter Billingsley (“A Christmas Story”) is 37. Actor Lukas Haas is 32.