Drake has admitted to sipping codeine and smoking pot to alleviate the "overwhelming stress" that comes with fame. In an interview with British newspaper The Guardian, the Toronto MC said he occasionally relies on drugs to get through the day, but only in moderation.

"You get artists in this position who go crazy and don't know how to handle it," he said. "There are people who have killed themselves. There's the overwhelming stress, how tired you are, the weight on your shoulders of going out there and giving 18,000 people entertainment… it's a lot of pressure."

"Have I sipped codeine before? Yeah, of course. Have I smoked weed? Yes. Do I drink wine? Yes," he added. "But do I do it excessively? No. I’m not a reckless guy. I do it all within moderation."

Drake is on a publicity blitz and tour in Europe this month to support his latest album Take Care. Also in the interview, he addressed the subject of his haters and negative comments about his sensitive persona and music.

"It's scary for me to say this on record," he said, "but artists are only human, and we seek validation like everyone else. You just have to come to the conclusion that it's OK, there are going to be people who like you and people who don't. Luckily there are millions of people who love me and a few who don't."

He also said he stormed out of a Vibe magazine cover shoot becuase he didn't like the way he was being treated: "They ran this story about how I'm the most bitter guy, and my life is in turmoil. And I'm, like, a very happy 25-year-old kid living an amazing life. They tried to put a damper on my character, I guess because I didn't play according to their rules."

Read the full story here.

(via NME)

Jennifer Lopez has joined forces with Pitbull and producer RedOne on her new single "Dance Again," which debuted online Friday (March 30). The trio previously scored a hit in 2011 with her comeback "On the Floor;" the accompanying music video racked up half a billion views on YouTube.

"Dance Again" will be released on Monday (April 2) and the official music video will premiere during American Idol on April 5. According to Billboard, the club-friendly single is a stand alone track but a label rep told the magazine that it might end up on Lopez's forthcoming greatest hits compilation (perhaps assuming it does indeed become one of her 'greatest' hits).

Listen to "Dance Again" here.

Rihanna has confirmed that she's started work on her seventh studio album. In an interview with British radio station Capital FM, the pop star said she's working out ideas for the record's creative direction but has yet to start working on specific songs.

"I'm definitely thinking about the next record. I'm a multi-tasker," she said. "Right now we're working on collecting and creating the sound first before we even start working on the lyrical direction or melodies.

"I kind of have an idea though, and it's very rough right now," she added. "So I'm eager to start that."

Rihanna has released an album a year for hte past six years. Her sixth album Talk That Talk came out last November.

During the interview, the "We Found Love" singer also said she's getting into the fashion world: "Before that we'll be getting into more fashion stuff and, I can't really talk about it, but my fans will be very happy, especially my British fans."

Iggy Pop isn't feeling much of the modern rock music that's coming out today. The Stooges front man, who is the ambassador for Record Store Day 2012, posted a video on the Record Store Day website in which he said the "current epic" isn't a great time for music.

"I think there are some ages, like the one we're living in, when the game is kind of rigged toward products that contain music – sort of like those cheap drinks you get in a bad supermarket where that say, 'Contains 10% juice,'" he said. "Or a bag of heavily-sugared crap cereal that says 'Whole grain now!'"

"There's a lot of stuff out there with a bit of music to it, and I think that's OK, but it reminds me of how bad it was to turn on American Badstand in the '50s when I was going to high school and see all the endless, gutless, dickless imitations of Elvis that the American industry decided to push on the kids."

Record Store Day is an annual event that celebrates independent music store culture. Several bands release exclusive, one-off records to mark the day. This year's event will take place on April 21.

Watch the full video here.

(via NME)

Amy Winehouse's parents will inherit her fortune. Probate documents revealed on Wednesday that the late soul singer's father Mitch Winehouse will administer her $4.66 million estate. She did not have a will, so the money goes to her parents in default and her ex-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, will get nothing.

The "Rehab" singer left assets amounting to more than $6.7 million, with $4.66 remaining after taxes and debts. She died in her London home last July of alcohol poisioning after struggling for years with alcoholism. She was 27.

(via Rolling Stone)

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• Flaming Lips record to contain Ke$ha's blood

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb is recovering in hospital after undergoing emergency intestinal surgery over the weekend, his publicist said on Wednesday (March 28).

Reuters reports that the 62-year-old disco legend was hospitalized late last year for stomach and colon problems but has not disclosed the nature of his illness. In an interview with the BBC in February he said he was feeling "fantastic" and making a "spectacular" recovery after a growth on his colon had been removed.

As a result of the operation, Gibb has cancelled all commitments prior to the debut of The Titantic Requiem, his first classical work written with his son Robin-John, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury ocean liner. The world premiere will take place on April 10 at London's Central Hall.

Gibb's health has come under scrutiny in recent months following a series of public appearances in which he appeared looking extremely gaunt.

More music news:

• Russell Simmons blasts Geraldo's Trayvon Martin apology

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has become the latest celebrity to pour scorn on TV host Geraldo Rivera over remarks he made about the killing of unarmed 17-year-old Florida boy Trayvon Martin.

On Tuesday, Rivera apologized for offending supporters of Martin's family with remarks he made on the show Fox and Friends about the hoodie the teen was wearing when he was killed by neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida last month.

Although Rivera believes Zimmerman should be arrested, he said Martin made himself a target by wearing a hoodie and appearing "gangsta." Politicans and celebrities such as filmmaker Spike Lee, comedian Aziz Anzari and The Roots' drummer Questlove responded by posting photos of themselves in hoodies on Twitter, prompting Rivera to issue an apology.

"I have obscured the main point that someone shot and killed an unarmed teenager," he said, "and I begin today's program with a sincere and heartfelt apology to anyone I may have offended by my crusade to warn minority families of the danger to their young sons inherent in gangsta style clothing; like hoodies."

Writing on the website Global Grind, Simmons denounced the apology as "bulls***."

"Your apology is nothing but a defense of a racist, backward thing you already said," the Def Jam Records founder wrote. "And I am a yogi, and I generally don't speak like this, but I have to say it like it is. It is a non-apology apology that continues to blame the victim for their appearance.

"A lot of the prominent Fox contributors of colour make people comfortable with their insensitive attitudes; don't be one of them," he added. "You're always playing your stripes of having been an activist, which has inspired me throughout the years, don't now try to play to cheap seats. It's like telling women not to wear skirts because they could get raped. That's what you just did. It's freaking horrible. It's inexcusable. And you're my friend, my friend for many years. I have a great amount of respect for you, but zero respect for your apology and for what you said."

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

More music news:

• Flaming Lips record to contain Ke$ha's blood

The packaging for The Flaming Lips' limited-edition Record Store Day release will contain the blood of the singers that collaborated on the project.

In an interview with MTV Hive (via Pitchfork), frontman Wayne Coyne said five or six copies of The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends will come with a vial of blood belonging to collaborators, a list that includes Bon Iver, Erykah Badu, Neon Indian, Nick Cave, and Ke$ha.

So far Coyne has collected blood from Neon Indian, Prefuse 73 and Ke$ha.

"What I'm going to try to do -- and I'm collecting stuff for it as we speak -- is I'm going to try to make a record that has every person's blood in the record," Coyne told MTV Hive. "I don't have everybody's blood just yet, but I collected quite a few vials of blood and it's actually sitting in my refrigerator as we speak... I'm going to try to take that same concept and put little bits of everybody's blood in the middle of this record. Like a glass specimen thing."

He added the bloody versions will be made-to-order for "interested rich Flaming Lips people" so be prepared to shell out a pretty penny if you'd like to own a piece of Ke$ha.

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• Bobby Womack confirms cancer diagnosis

The author of seminal feminist book The Beauty Myth has denounced Katy Perry's latest music video, "Part of Me," as military propaganda.

In a post on her Facebook page, Naomi Wolf said that she used to be a fan of the "Teenage Dream" singer but is now encouraging fans to boycott the star's music.

"Have you all seen the Katy Perry Marines video? It is a total piece of propaganda for the Marines," she wrote. "I really want to find out if she was paid by them for making it… it is truly shameful."

"I would suggest a boycott of this singer whom I really liked -– if you are as offended at this glorification of violence as I am," she added.

In the video for "Part of Me," Perry catches her boyfriend cheating on her with another woman and decides to join the army. Several scenes show the pop star clad in camo as she undergoes training, fights in a war zone and dances under a giant American flag.

(via NME)

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Bobby Womack has confirmed reports that he is battling colon cancer.

On Monday (March 26), his friend, musician Bootsy Collins, revealed on Facebook that doctors diagnosed the soul singer with colon cancer while he was being treated for pneumonia in hospital.

A day later, Womack's reps confirmed the news via Facebook. "Because of stories circulating regarding the health of soul icon Bobby Womack, we felt it necessary to set the record straight," they wrote. "We're pleased to let everyone know that Bobby was released from hospital yesterday afternoon following a successful recovery from pneumonia. Bobby has cancer and is scheduled to undergo surgery later this month."

In a statement, Womack said: "My family, friends and I are looking forward to a successful surgery and speedy recovery. I want to thank all of my fans for their prayers, love and well wishes. I look forward to seeing all of you on the road in support of my new release."

Womack is due to release his first album in 18 years on June 11. Entitled The Bravest Man in the Universe, it was produced by Blur and Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn and XL Recordings label chief Richard Russell.

Listen to the new track "Please Forgive My Heart" here.

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• Aretha Franklin plans new album with Clive Davis