Breaking barriers for women in rap, the one-woman hip-hop machine maintained a string of hit albums and singles throughout the next decade, including collaborations with Pink, Busta Rhymes and Lil Kim.

Her albums include Da Real World (1999), Miss E…So Addictive (2001), Under Construction (2002), This Is Not A Test (2003) and The Cookbook (2005).

[via JPost]

Legendary British heavy metal rocker and former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne is to perform in Israel in September, his official website has announced.

The performance will apparently take place on September 28, at Park Hayarkon in Tel Aviv, as part of a tour which begins in Folkstone, Britain on June 29.

Other destinations on the international tour include Moscow, Athens and Istanbul, as well as numerous stops in the United States.

Osbourne joins a rapidly expanding list of global music stars who will be performing in Israel this summer. Those set to appear include Elton John, The Pixies and Rod Stewart.

Last year, Israel hosted an array of world famous performers, including The Pet Shop Boys, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Leonard Cohen, Depeche Mode and Morrissey.

[via Haaretz]

Representatives from the network are slated to sign a media agreement in the coming days with Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov, and Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai.

In the event, which will be held at the Yarkon Park, international artists will perform alongside Israeli artists.

MTV producers are in negotiations with music artist Pink and rapper Jay-Z regarding the event. Talks are also being held with Jay-Z’s wife, Beyonce, but as of now, the chances that she will be coming to Israel this summer are not particularly high.

Steinitz already set his targets on MTV a few months ago when he asked that the MTV Europe Music Awards be hosted in Israel, but Spain was ultimately chosen as the destination of choice.

However, MTV management apparently took Steinitz’s determination seriously and agreed to hold its summer party in Israel. The party will be broadcast live to dozens of countries throughout the world.

Assessments in Israel are that the party will serve as a significant springboard for Israel’s tourism sector.

[via MTV]

Detailed proposals have already been handed to the three aging artists, and Israel is impatiently awaiting their responses.

Add to this list Paul Anka, Elton John, and Rod Stewart – who have or will perform in Israel as well – and a certain golden oldies trend may be perceived.

Paul McCartney and Leonard Cohen, who also stood on Israeli stages this year, are other examples of artists who peaked long ago. Their shows drew large crowds, however, and were largely praised.

Of the artists being asked to perform Sir Cliff Richards, who will hit 70 soon, is perhaps the most prestigious. The British knight had a dazzling music career that began in the late fifties and lasted around 20 years, and he put on a show in Israel in the early seventies.

The man who invited him this year is the same who secured his appearance way back then, Shmuel Tzemach. He has already booked the Nokia hall in Tel Aviv for two September shows and awaits the star’s arrival.

But Richard is also being courted by another music-savvy Israeli, businessman Kobi Sidi, who is simultaneously propositioning Diana Ross.

[via Ynet]

No confirmation has yet been received from Israeli producers.

The singer will arrive in the Jewish state after visiting Turkey as part of his July European Tour. It has not yet been reported whether he will be accompanied in Israel by his wife, German supermodel and TV presenter Heidi Klum.

Seal, 47, is best known for two chart-topping hits from the 1990s: “Crazy” and “Kiss from a Rose”. He has won multiple Grammy awards over the years for his achievements in music.

The singer has three children with Klum and has also adopted her daughter from a previous marriage.

His latest album, “Soul,” a collection of renditions of famous soul classics, was released two years ago. Last year he released a hits compilation as well as a DVD documenting one of his live shows in New York.

The Festival of Light is an initiative of the Jerusalem Development Authority and Ariel Municipal Company in which artists from Israel and abroad use light in order to create statues, installations, performances and artwork. During the week, which is the 9th to 16th of June, the festival is expected to bring 200,000 visitors to the Old City.

A virtuosi performance integrating theatre, dance and acrobatics along with lighting and pyrotechnic effects will be especially organized for the festival at Habonim Gardens. The opening performance for the festival will take place in cooperation with the Israel Festival and will consist of a huge concert at Sultan’s pool performed by the Symphony Orchestra and lighting design by the internationally renowned designer Avi-Yonah Bueno (Bambi).

Click here for more information on Caesarea or on concerts in Israel this summer.

International superstar Rihanna is rumoured to be performing in Tel Aviv in the end of May. RihannaDaily.com report that she’s been invited to perform at a show organised by Orange at the Bloomfield Stadium on May 30th. The performance is expected to be a part of a giant Orange production by company Sofrfos.

More when we get it…

Moyet, who will sing a selection of her new and old songs, began her career in the 1980s as the lead singer of electronic pop duo Yazoo with Vince Clark. Together, they led the electropop music genre which was very popular in clubs in Britain and spread to the entire world. After the duo was disbanded, she launched a solo career.

In 1984 she released the solo album “Alf” with hit single “Resurrection Love”. In 2001 she returned to the stage after a long break with a new album.

The festival will also host performances by Israel’s best modern female artists, including an evening an honor of pioneer stage director Nola Chelton, which will be attended by Gila Almagor, Oded Kotler, Liora Rivlin, Yehoshua Sobol, Moni Moshonov and others.

Additional performances will mark the 25th anniversary of the album “Motek” by Corinne Allal and the Gan Eden band, the 50th anniversary of the Mowtown record company (with Ninet Tayeb, Efrat Gosh, Yael Dekelbaum, Rona Kenan, Mika Sade, Gal De Paz and the Funkenstein band) and Gosh’s new album. The festival will also include an exhibition in honor of actress and dancer Dvora Bertonov on the occasion of her 95th birthday.

Source: Ynet