LL Cool J News

Three-time GRAMMY winner Ludacris, GRAMMY winner Lupe Fiasco, and GRAMMY-winning duo Sugarland have been added to the lineup for 'The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! - Countdown To Music's Biggest Night' (www.grammy.com).

Pioneer, innovator and the voice of an entire new musical theatre generation coming in the dawning of the age of GLEE, Tony Award recipient and Grammy-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda has merged the worlds of the two most significant of original American art forms - musicals and rap - in such a striking and surprisingly inventive way with his hit musical IN THE HEIGHTS - currently touring the country - and is setting out to do the same with his fresh collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL composer Tom Kitt on their new musical BRING IT ON!, currently in previews out of town in Los Angeles as it eyes New York. In addition to discussing the development of IN THE HEIGHTS and BRING IT ON! in detail, Miranda and I also outline his experience working alongside the two modern-day masters of the musical theatre - Stephen Sondheim and the recently deceased Arthur Laurents - on the Spanish translation and new lyrics for the recent bilingual revival of WEST SIDE STORY - in addition to his forthcoming ALEXANDER HAMILTON project, which Miranda recently performed a medley from for President Obama himself at the White House Poetry Jam. As if all of that were not enough, we also delve into his thought process as he sets out to take on one of Sondheim's most challenging roles in all of musical theatre - that of Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Encores!, under the direction of James Lapine. Plus, news on his new feature film THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, as well as recollections of his fondest Broadway shows, scores, cast albums, movie musicals and general musical and theatrical inspirations - and his favorite Shakespeare plays, too - as well as much, much more!

Country artist Jason Aldean and five-time GRAMMY® Award winner Lady Gaga are the first performers announced for THE GRAMMY® NOMINATIONS CONCERT LIVE! - COUNTDOWN TO MUSIC'S BIGGEST NIGHT.® Two-time GRAMMY® Award winner LL COOL J will again host. The special will broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Nov. 30 (10:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Country artist Jason Aldean and five-time GRAMMY winner Lady Gaga are the first performers announced for 'The GRAMMYNominations Concert Live!! - Countdown To Music's Biggest Night'(www.grammy.com).

Talk show listings for Tuesday, October 25.

Talk show listings for Tuesday, October 25.

In a featured presentation of its 50th Anniversary season, La MaMa E.T.C. will reprise 'Golem' by Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre (CAMT), a dance-theater rendition of the famed Jewish legend that may have been the first-ever puppet 'Golem' when La MaMa presented it in 1997.

The sixth annual 'BET HIP HOP AWARDS' brought the hip hop heat with the highly anticipated homecoming of Atlanta native T.I., who performed 'F.A.M.E.' alongside Young Jeezy and literally ignited the stage with their phenomenal performance.

On Tuesday, October 11th at 8:00P.M. hip hop headlines a night of must see TV when the 'BET HIP HOP AWARDS 2011' airs immediately before the series premiere of 'REED BETWEEN THE LINES.'

On Tuesday, October 11th at 8:00P.M. hip hop headlines a night of must see TV when the 'BET HIP HOP AWARDS 2011' airs immediately before the series premiere of 'REED BETWEEN THE LINES.'

The Drama Desk Award-winning Celebrity Autobiography returns to the Triad Theater for a new season with a new edition, Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter, beginning Monday, October 3. Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter will play five performances throughout October-Monday, October 3 at 7pm; Monday, October 10 at 7pm; Saturday, October 15 at 7pm; Monday, October 24 at 7pm; and Monday, October 31 at 7pm-at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street.

Celebrating its sixth year, the 'BET Hip Hop Awards,' hosted by comedian Mike Epps, will tape at The Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center on Saturday, October 1, 2011 and will premiere on the network on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 8 p.m.* This year's show will honor LL COOL J with the 'I AM HIP-HOP ICON' Award.

The Drama Desk Award-winning Celebrity Autobiography returns to the Triad Theater for a new season with a new edition, Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter, beginning Monday, October 3. Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter will play five performances throughout October-Monday, October 3 at 7pm; Monday, October 10 at 7pm; Saturday, October 15 at 7pm; Monday, October 24 at 7pm; and Monday, October 31 at 7pm-at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street.

City Parks Foundation recently announced the 2011 season of SummerStage, New York's largest free performing arts festival.

Multi-platinum superstar Jennifer Hudson will make her debut Festival performance, joined by R&B/Funk icon Chaka Khan and the reunion of New Edition at the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL celebrating the 'Roots of R&B' July 1, 2 and 3 in New Orleans. In addition, Kem, Miguel, Naughty By Nature, Doug E. Fresh, Marsha Ambrosius, Mavis Staples, Eric Benet, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Trin-i-tee 5:7 and Brian Courtney Wilson have been added to the previously announced line-up, which includes Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, Jill Scott, Charlie Wilson, Boyz II Men, Fantasia, George Clinton, Macy Gray and more.

Grammy award winning vocalist Steve Tyrell will return to the Blue Note from July 12 - 13 to perform material from his upcoming recording I'll Take Romance, to be released by Concord Records in the fall.

TEEN CHOICE 2011 will celebrate the hottest teen icons in film, television, music, sports and fashion in the choicest, star-studded two-hour event airing live Sunday, Aug. 7 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' leads the TEEN CHOICE 2011 nominees with 12 nominations, and GLEE has nine nominations. In addition, 'The Vampire Diaries' has seven nominations, while 'The Hangover Part II,' Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez each earned six nominations.