Rowing Back: Death Row Records, which went bankrupt earlier this year, is coming back to life. Music publisher EverGreen has struck a deal with WideAWAKE, the company that now owns the label, to license Death Row songs for movies and TV, distribute unreleased material, including bonus-track–laden The Chronic Re-Lit (and, yes, more Tupac albums), and eventually release a graphic-novel series, animated webisodes, and a feature film. But most exciting of all — EverGreen now has in its possession, with which to do whatever it pleases, a never-released album by Warren G! [Billboard]
B’way Bound: Memphis, a musical loosely based on one of the first white radio D.J.’s to play African-American music in the fifties, is coming to Broadway in the fall. The show, which premiered at La Jolla Playhouse last year, has a book by Joe DiPietro and music and lyrics by Bon Jovi’s David Bryan. This is the greatest thing a non-Jovi/Sambora member of Bon Jovi has done since the 1986 Slippery When Wet tour, when drummer Tico Torres drank an entire fifth of Jack Daniel’s while standing on his head. [Variety]
Footlooser: Julianne Hough, the combination Dancing With the Stars professional dancer and country singer, has signed on for the Footloose remake starring Chace Crawford in the role vacated by Zac Efron. Contrary to what common sense would tell you, Hough is not a replacement for a more famous person. [Variety]
On Dubs: French movie star Alain Chabat is set to star in The Dubber, a Focus Features buddy comedy. Chabat will play a man who provides the dubbing for a top Hollywood actor; when the actor breaks down on set and goes missing, Chabat goes to find him. Chabat’s really going for it, funding the movie through his production company WAM Films. So, snap-judgement time, America — can this guy make it in the U.S.? [Variety]
Prime Lambert: Hi Fi Recordings and Wilshire Entertainment will release On With the Show, an album of material Adam Lambert recorded before American Idol. In response, Lambert released a statement, saying, “The work I did back then in no way reflects the music I am currently in the studio working on. I’m thrilled to be working with some of today’s hottest songwriters and producers and can’t wait for people to hear what my music really sounds like.†The less-hot producers Lambert worked with before apparently becoming a famous jerk were not available for comment. [Billboard]