President Barack Obama was on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night (well, this morning) at the University of North Carolina. Part of his appearance was a "Slow Jam" of the news, where he sold his idea of halting an increase in interest rates on college students' Stafford loans.

Slow Jam is a recurring bit where Jimmy and a guest talk about a serious issue to smooth music by his house band, The Roots. This time, the bit was strictly partisan in nature. "Their position is that students just have to make this rate increase work. Frankly, I'm not buying it," said Obama, the straight man in...

The Roots star Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson has adopted a vegan diet in a bid to extend his life expectancy.

The drummer is known for his bulky build, but he's decided to embark on a healthy eating regime he's dubbed "a great vegan experiment" as he tries to slim down so he can outlive his rap peers.

Thompson, who is six weeks into his new meat-free diet, tells NYmag.com, "I want to be the first member of the hip-hop generation to live past 60."

Most recently, the hip-hop star's pal Heavy D, who suffered from heart disease, died at the age of 44 in November.

Hip-hop star Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson has become a partner in a new fashion company specializing in hooded clothing.

The Roots drummer has teamed up with entrepreneur Peter Shapiro to open the Hoodie Shop in New York and the Grammy-winning musician admits he's always had a passion for the casual sweatshirts.

He tells NYmag.com, "I have a love affair with hoodies that goes way back. When Tariq (Trotter, bandmate) and I first saw the Tribe Called Quest video for 'Can I Kick It?' and they were all wearing hoodies, I was like, 'Yo, we gotta go to the Gap (retail store) and get that.' That's...

It’s never been a hard and fast rule that the essential albums list that I comprise at the end of every year for Starpulse must contain an even 10 or 15 or 20 albums. As I covered in the introduction of last year’s installment, there are a few basic questions I’ll ask myself when I get started, stuff like: will this album be remembered in few years?

This question is most easily answered when an album contributes in a relevant way to the social culture of that given year (I’m looking at you, Britney 2000 Edition Spears). But sometimes, funny things happen and one finds that cultural relevan...

The Roots drummer Questlove has been forced to notify chat show bosses at NBC of his song choices in advance after he was recently reprimanded for apparently mocking politician Michele Bachmann on air.

NBC staff are now vetting all set lists from the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon band after Questlove and his fellow musicians performed Fishbone's Lyin' A** Bitch as Republican presidential candidate Bachmann walked on to the show.

Questlove has since apologized for the incident but in an interview on Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club he insisted he would "let the snark fly."

He added, "The...

Acclaimed hip-hop stars The Roots are to be honored with a mural in their native Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The You Got Me hit-makers, founded by rapper Black Thought and drummer Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson, will become the subject of Mural Arts' new project, and organizers are asking for artists interested in participating to submit idea suggestions by November 21st.

A statement posted on the Mural Arts website reads: "The project will be located along South Street, an area in which Black Thought and ?uestlove practiced (sic) and showcased their musical skills."

"Mural Arts will prod...

We probably should have seen this coming. With an alleged child fathered by Justin Bieber, it's obvious someone is going to riff on his hit single Baby. There may be more than one version out there, but we think Jimmy Fallon's was the best. He performed as Bieber on his show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with house band The Roots.

Could use a bit more auto-tune.

Justin Bieber's rep is fighting the allegations, and Bieber has decided to stop talking about the issue. "all the rumors...the gossip....Im gonna focus on the positives....the music... with this album Im giving portion of the pr...

Supermodel Heidi Klum will be staging her annual Halloween party in Las Vegas this year.

Klum has hosted Halloween parties for the past decade and 2011's bash will be held at the The Venetian's Tao nightclub on October 29.

The Roots star Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson will serve as DJ.

The invite to the party features Klum dressed up as a scary cat, but she has yet to reveal what costume she'll be wearing on the night. She recently told reporters it will be "a bit hairy."

The Dave Matthews Band have postponed their weekend festival in New York over fears Hurricane Irene will hit the city.

The storm has caused chaos in the Caribbean in recent days and forecasts show it is heading up East Coast. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has declared a state of emergency and advised residents to evacuate their homes this weekend, and as a result, the Dave Matthews Band have axed their planned Caravan music festival on Governors Island.

Ticketholders for Saturday and Sunday's shows can instead attend the event on Friday, before the storm is scheduled to hit.

A post...

During the summer of 2011, plenty of music will be playing across this great land of ours. While by no means an exhaustive list of summer tours, we're shining our spotlight on some of the hottest tickets of the hottest season. Whatever your musical taste or monetary budget, there's bound to be something for everyone.

POP

U2 - One of this summer's most highly-anticipated events is U2's 360º Tour, especially considering that many fans have been waiting with tickets in hand since last summer, when the North American leg of the tour was postponed due to Bono's back injury. The tour begins wit...

Soul legend Marvin Gaye's groundbreaking "What's Going On?" album is set for a 40th anniversary celebration featuring re-releases, rare cuts and celebrity tributes.

The classic hit stores on May 21, 1971 and quickly became one of the most important albums ever released, featuring a reflective Gaye musing on the troubles of the day.

The album spawned the hits "What's Going On, Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)."

To celebrate the anniversary, record label Motown is releasing "What's Going On" - Super Deluxe Edition, which features two CDs and one vi...

The Grammy Awards are set for a major overhaul from 2012 onwards following a decision from America's Recording Academy officials to cut over 30 honors.

Many categories have been consolidated and eligibility requirements have been altered in the most far-reaching shake-up in the awards show's history.

At next year's 54th annual Grammy Awards, there will be only 78 categories - 31 fewer than this year.

Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow and music mogul Jimmy Jam were among the high-ranking Grammy officials who made the announcement about the big changes at a press conference in S...

Lady Antebellum and Lady Gaga were the toast of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night after picking up nine awards between them.

Country trio Lady Antebellum claimed five accolades for their single and album "Need You Now," including Record and Song of the Year, while Gaga scored wins for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Video for "Bad Romance" and Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Vocal Album for "The Fame Monster."

But the surprise of the night came right at the end of the ceremony when indie darlings Arcade Fire picked up Album of the Year honors for "Th...

Veteran pop act Train picked up the first award of the 2011 Grammy Awards telecast when they beat the Glee cast, Sade, Maroon 5 and Paramore for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals during Sunday's ceremony.

The group's live version of "Hey, Soul Sister" won them gold at the Los Angeles event.

Taking to the stage, singer Pat Monahan joked, "Thanks, Justin Bieber, for not being a duo or a group."

The early leaders in the Grammy stakes were John Legend and Jay-Z, who both picked up three awards during the pre-show Grammys ceremony, which was not televised.

Legend took home t...

Soul superstar Prince has handed out $1.5 million to charitable causes during his string of concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden.

The Purple Rain icon wrapped up his residency at the fabled venue on Monday, with stars including Whoopi Goldberg, The Roots drummer Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson and socialite Kim Kardashian among the fans in the audience.

The singer has marked the end of the gigs by donating $1 million to educational charity the Harlem Children's Zone, and a further $250,000 to both the American Ballet Theatre and the Uptown Dance Academy in the Big Apple.

And Prince...

Actress Leighton Meester had the time of her life when she attended Prince's concert in New York on Tuesday after the soul superstar pulled her up onstage to serenade her.

The Gossip Girl star was one of the hit-maker's many celebrity fans in attendance at the Madison Square Garden show, but she got a special surprise when he plucked her out from the audience and brought her up onstage.

And Meester couldn't contain her excitement as Prince and funk saxophonist Maceo Parker began to sing to her.

Blogging about the gig, The Roots drummer Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson, who was also at the s...

The live broadcast for NBC's 84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, co-hosted by "Today's" Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, along with Al Roker, will air tomorrow on NBC from 9:00 a.m. until noon in all time zones. The parade is one of the nation's most memorable and cherished spectacles and will feature some of today's brightest stars.

"Kylie Minogue is coming aboard. Victoria Justice is going to be on our Build-A-Bear Workshop float. Jessica Simpson is here this year. Joan Rivers is playing the Snow Queen. I want you to know this is something a lot of people wanted, she’s going to b...

Rap superstar Kanye West treated a select group of fans to a surprise, star-studded concert in New York on Tuesday night when he performed his new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in its entirety.

The Stronger hitmaker announced the Bowery Ballroom show on Tuesday morning, just a couple of hours before tickets went onsale online. The $100 tickets, which were limited to two per person, sold out within minutes.

Those lucky enough to gain entrance to the late gig were sent into a frenzy when West stepped onstage just after midnight and began to perform his latest release from start to...

There were several great moments when Bruce Springsteen made a rare talk show appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, but only one is still making waves on the internet: a cover of Willow Smith's Whip My Hair performed by Jimmy Fallon (as Neil Young) and Bruce (as a 1970s version of himself). Watch it below.

Bruce Springsteen was on the show to promote his new Darkness on the Edge of Town box set, and also performed "Because the Night" and "Save My Love" with Jimmy's house band The Roots. He was featured for the entirety of the show, including an extended interview.

The Darkness on ...

Sultry singer Norah Jones is set to appear on "The Late Show With Jimmy Fallon"; but we want to know when she got so hot!

Tune in to NBC Monday, October 25 to see Norah Jones performing her single "Chasing Pirates" from her CD "The Fall" with Jimmy's house band, The Roots. They'll also perform several songs from her forthcoming album "…Featuring."

On November 16, Blue Note Records will release "…Featuring," a star-studded collection of the multi-platinum selling, multi-Grammy Award winning singer Norah Jones's musical collaborations from the past decade.

The 18 songs on the album include...

No, Amy Winehouse didn't look psychotic at the "Psychosis" London premiere, but she did enjoy smoking a cigarette and hanging out in a short fuchsia minidress that showed off her cleavage and tattoos. (Don't smoke, kids. Just look what happened to Amy.)

Amy is reportedly starting a supergroup with The Roots' drummer ?uestlove, real name Ahmir Thompson.

Thompson is adamant the band will soon begin work on new music: "The group will definitely happen. It's just the closest she can come to the States is Jamaica. I'm off to France soon so I'll see if she's up for discussing it over dinner. We...

Amy Winehouse showed off her cookies and chocolates outside the Jazz Cafe in London yesterday where she was partying with music producer Mark Ronson. The recovering British train wreck is practically falling out of her blouse. She looks healthier though, that's for sure!

Amy is forming a new supergroup with The Roots' drummer ?Uestlove. However, she has been unable to move the plans forward because she is struggling to obtain a visa to enter America to visit record producer Raphael Saadiq, who will be on guitar.

Amy was previously denied entry to the U.S. for the 2008 Grammy Awards after ...

British singer Amy Winehouse is forming a new supergroup with The Roots' drummer ?Uestlove.

The Rehab hit-maker is planning to make music with the hip-hop musician, along with producer Raphael Saadiq, who will be on guitar, according to ?uestlove, real name Ahmir Thompson.

However, Winehouse has so far been unable to move the plans forward - because she is struggling to obtain a visa to enter America to visit the record producer. The singer was previously denied entry to the U.S. for the 2008 Grammy Awards after she was arrested in October, 2007 when she was caught in possession of seve...

Run-D.M.C. are set for a reunion at the Roots' annual summer Philadelphia, Pennsylvania festival, if drummer ?uestlove's online hints are to be believed.

Rappers Reverend Run and Darryl McDaniels vowed never to perform again following the murder of DJ Jason 'Jam Master Jay' Mizell in 2002, but rumors of a reunion have been swirling around for months.

And, in announcing the Roots' third annual 'picnic' event in June, ?uestlove suggested Run-DMC would be the "a reunion we thought we would never get" by donning the group's iconic thick gold chain and a black fedora. He added, "This should sa...

So, in the spirit of Turkey Day and all that is holy in the holiday season traditions, I got up too early to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade along with an equally weary Liz Lewis. This year was pretty run of the mill.

Like all years past, NBC rolled in with semi truck filled with shameless plugs, an overload of NBC promotions, and puns corny enough to even make younger kids grimace. The route changed, to the chagrin of all those with pricey Broadway real estate who look forward to this fall classic, and the cast of Glee was glaringly absent. With NBC bringing out some real...

The Roots star Ahmir '?uestlove' Thompson is nursing an injured hand after he was involved in a car crash in Houston, Texas on Sunday morning.

The producer and drummer took to his online blog in the early hours of Sunday to tell fans of his close encounter, initially insisting he had escaped unscathed.

He wrote on his Twitter.com page, "I gots (sic) to be the golden child. Survived yet another car crash unscathed. The cab however..."

However, in another post a few moments later, Thompson admitted his hand had suffered slightly in the collision.

He added, "Left hand feels pai...

Two weeks ago Mark-Paul Gosselaar told us he would be doing Jimmy Fallon's show on June 8 and addressing Fallon's "Saved by the Bell" reunion idea. Monday night, thanks to Mark-Paul and TNT, I was lucky enough to be at "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" to witness the return of Zack Morris from "Saved by the Bell." Zack was on to promote the second season of the show his alter-ego, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, stars in, "Raising the Bar" (Monday nights at 10 pm on TNT). Mark-Paul spoke to us right after he finished the taping about the return of Zack Morris, his feelings on playing that character again...

Beastie Boys fans subscribed to the group's newsletter got a long-awaited announcement yesterday. The venerable rap trio revealed that their new album was finished, as well as the title.

"Our new record that is coming out that we finished the other day is called HOT SAUCE COMMITTEE," read the message.

Later that day, Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to talk about the remastering of their 1992 album Check Your Head.

When asked about the release date of Hot Sauce Committee by Fallon, Mike D said "September," before quickly recanting with "an und...

We are now a few weeks into the Jimmy Fallon era of late night network programming -- his absence this week was allegedly a planned vacation, not a result from his argument/possible fight at a New York City pizza restaurant -- and, well, I have mixed feelings. Now, I've made it clear I've always kind of enjoyed Jimmy Fallon so I am certainly not one looking to see him fail. At the same time, though, there's something about his show, so far, that has annoyed me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though. I almost feel the show is trying to be "too cool": Hey, look, we have bloggers (I can...

The new web-series "Rockville, CA" is the brainchild of Josh Schwartz (The O.C., Chuck & Gossip Girl). The series centers on a group of 20-somethings who gather regularly at a club to hear their favorite up-and-coming bands, blow off steam, and fall in love with the wrong people. Each 4-6 minute episode also features performances by such indie bands as Lykke Li, The Kooks and Anya Marina.

The scripted, music-oriented series features the roller-coaster relationship between Hunter (Andrew West), the hipster-cute smart guy, and Deb (Alexandra Chando), the consummate go-getter.

Sta...