Putting Tourettes syndrome right in the public eye, and turning his personal hell into a triumphant heaven, Big Brother's newest champ f*cking rules!

As the nation salutes Pete, the true superstar who kept it real from start to finish here's to his ongoing success and genuine talent. Oh & er, Pete, when you get a sec, big up some beatboxing for an Xfm Rinse jingle please!

[PHOTO: Samir Hussein]

....was an Xfm screening for 'A Scanner Darkly' and as predicted in this blog entry, I was not disappointed. The 'Roto-scoping' effect, hypnotically essential to the dizzying drug-centric feel to the futuristic film. Phillip K. Dick's powerful paranoid prose comes alive terrifically; bring on the DVD asap!!! Then off to the 'Royal Duchess Palace' to hear P.Diddy's new 'Press Play' album, a star-studded production featuring an awesome A-list of who's who in R&B/Hip-Hop e.g. Kanye West, Brandy, Big Boi, Timbaland, Pharrell, Mario Winans, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Nas & Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am.

Diddy's not just stuck to music - having re-invented himself successfully on Broadway, his 'Sean John' clothing line, running the New York Marathon and maybe with one of the album's tag lines about Puffy, "providing more jobs for blacks than the armed services", could he be thinking about heading for the White House?!!!!

.... On 'Press Play' the re-invention's a positive head nod as 'gangster rap' matures into soulful hip-hop R&B with Diddy singing for the 1st time, the music, sample free and plenty of 'bangers' on there with Timbaland's Ibiza/Miami influenced track one of the stand-outs for me.

The last album I can remember packed with such solid production and high hit single rate, was Kanye West's "Late Registration", well when the next semester starts around October 3rd, my assessment for "Press Play" is equally, worthy of full marks.

In line with the new time slot for Xfm's Rinse, Saturday nights 9PM-1AM, many of James Hyman's in-depth inteviews with the likes of Pharrell, Mike Skinner/The Streets, Wu-Tang's RZA, The Prodigy, Sean Paul, Russell Simmons (Def Jam), Dizzee Rascal and Kanye West are now on line at Xfm's Rinse page (big up Xfm's manz dem Matt & Rob for sorting). Click left side picture or here to listen:

Yes, the last Top Of The Pops, watched it and a 'thumbs-up' back to Mr. Fix It, Jimmy Saville, the original bad bwoy DJ, still running tings after all these years, with outlandish outfits that normally consist of string vest bizness, tracksuits and heavy gold chains. No Jimmy, No Ali G. "Now then, now then", the show ended, Jimmy flicked the studio off switch, shook his head and then from Broadcast Magazine, this:

Another living London legend (in the same league as "Best Of Luck To You" man) is Phil Howard, to my right. Phil's constant daily street sermons via megaphone on Oxford Street unfairly got him an ASBO (!) (help/sign this petition if you like) so Phil's moved shop to Picadilly Circus and toned down the loud MC-ing though he still rocks the M-I-C, praising Jesus at every opportune moment (maybe he should hook up with Dr. & the Medics for a 'Spirit In The Sky' remix revival?) with his runnin' re-iterated rhymes along the lines of "Are you a sinner or winner?", "Don't be shy, give it a try?"

Hell, Robbie Williams and Black Eyes Peas' "Where Is The Love?" got name-checks in yesterday's street raps!!

Phil's cropped up a lot lately e.g. a Channel 4 '3 Minute Wonder' doc. plus press in The Guardian as well as Time Out, particularly the letters page with World Tour sightings including Australia with Time Out quipping, "Pity the poor soul who had to sit next to Phil on the longhaul flight over" (!)

Phil's mission statement here, he's a further 'cool cult-celeb' worth the documented salute!!! The only one left then, for now, '20pence Man', though, alas, after the above pic was taken, I moved on to Oxford St. but in friendly fashion he declined the opportunity :(