Happy Birthday to:

"The Wrestler" actress Evan Rachel Wood (1987)

The music industry has always thrived on fabricated competition to generate publicity; The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones, The Beatles vs. Elvis Presley,

Hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre's mother is set to release a book of memoirs revealing all about her son's rise to fame. In her upcoming tome Long Road Outta Compton, Verna Griffin documents her struggle from rags to riches, thanking her rapper son - real name Andre Young - for turning her life around.

Federal agents officially asked rap pioneers N.W.A to stop recording after receiving a slew of complaints about their expletive-laden lyrics. In an essay written for Flaunt magazine, group co-founder Arabian Prince reveals he and bandmates Ice Cube and Eazy-E received letters from F.B.I. officials asking them to stop releasing hardcore rap music.

Happy Birthday to "Thirteen" actress Evan Rachel Wood (1987), "Final Destination" actor Devon Sawa (1978), "American Pie" actress Shannon Elizabeth (1976), rapper Eazy-E (1963; d. 1995), songwriter Diane Warren (1956), actor Corbin Bernsen (1954), actress Susan Blakely (1952), Pretenders singer/guitarist Chrissie Hynde (1951), "The Simpsons" voice actress Julie Kavner (1951), disco singer Gloria Gaynor (1949), singer Buddy Holly (1936; d. 1959), jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins (1930), English actor Peter Lawford (1923; d. 1984), actor Anthony Quayle (1913; d. 1989), and Hungarian film director Elia Kazan (1909; d. 2003).

Rap mogul Dr. Dre is planning for his retirement with a vault full of unreleased magic, according to pal Busta Rhymes. As the world waits for the reclusive producer's delayed Detox album - his first release for six years - Rhymes reveals the rapper's biggest problem is deciding which tracks to release from his archive.

It has been 20 years since N.W.A. rocketed Straight Outta Compton to worldwide acclaim and notoriety as rap music's most powerful force, redefining forever the trajectory of popular music. On December 26, Capitol/Priority released The Best Of N.W.A: The Strength Of Street Knowledge, a commemorative career-spanning collection, in CD and deluxe edition CD/DVD packages.

The Game has defended his decision to record his new album with Black Eyed Peas star Will.I.Am, insisting he brought the gangsta out in the hip-hop hitmaker. Will.I.Am was the surprise choice to produce tracks on The Game's new album The Doctor's Advocate, but the rapper insists the collaboration made perfect sense to him.

-VH1's "Hip Hop Honors" Airs Oct. 17 at 9pm (EST) VH1 pays homage to the hip hop pioneers who transformed the genre into a true cultural phenomenon with the third annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors." Hosted by Ice-T, this year's "VH1 Hip Hop Honors," will pay tribute to Wu-Tang Clan, Afrika Bambaataa, Russell Simmons, MC Lyte, Rakim, Beastie Boys, Ice Cube, and Eazy E.