According to the AP former Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell has been charged with possession of a controlled substance – codeine syrup – after being arrested at his home in Alabama on Monday, authorities said.

The 24-year-old former LSU star and the No. 1 draft choice in 2007 was arrested as part of an undercover narcotics investigation, said Mobile County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Lori Myles. She would not say what led to his arrest. She said he did not have a prescription for the codeine.  Read more...

30 seconds into “Blush!,” the first track off Wonkachild’s debut album, Urkel 2.0, and it was undeniable: This kid will be famous.

He’s already well on his way. Those who have had the pleasure of seeing a live Wonkachild performance don’t soon forget the energy, passion, and tenacity the Kansas City, Missouri product brings to the stage each and every time. He dances. He writes. He sings. He rhymes. He produces. He’s created an incredibly marketable image of Elegant Funk: in a bow tie, argyle sweater, fedora, and of course Chuck Taylors, he’s equally comfortable charming the guests at a formal event as he is capable of turning said event out, having those same guests grooving on the dance floor in minutes.

Oh, and did I mention he’s ridiculously talented? Wonkachild is what I want pop music to sound like. Not that you can fit him neatly in the genre of pop; far from it. His vocals are decidedly hip-hop with elements of soul and funk. He is equally at home flowing over an electric guitar riff as he is an old-school drumbeat or a jazzy walking bass. He’s been called genre-bending, and truly is. He’s Andre 3000 meets James Brown. Michael Jackson meets Lil Wayne. Prince meets Kanye…and I could go on. Listening to his album, I was struck by his well-executed versatility. Wonkachild frolics all over the musical landscape with style and ease. He is a mix-master of intimidating proportions to the likes of Kanye West, who seems increasingly out of touch with his audience. By contrast, Wonkachild seems eager to engage listeners in his playful banter of jazz, rock, funk, soul, and electronica.

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