Arts bites: March 3, 2010

iTunes sells ten billionth song

Apple’s digital music sales service iTunes has sold its ten billionth mp3 file. A 71-year-old man from Georgia bought Johnny Cash’s “Guess Things Happen That Way” last Thursday, winning a $10,000 iTunes gift certificate and a personal call from Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

The service, which sold over a million songs in its first week back in 2003, sold a billion songs by 2006.

The fact that someone over 70 is attached to this story suggests the sad truth about the music industry: only old people actually pay for music anymore.

50 Cent sued over allegedly editing himself into someone else’s sex tape

A New York woman is suing rapper 50 Cent after she claimed he distributed a sex tape of her online after blurring out her lover’s face and editing video of himself wearing a wig and robe, as well as narrating the video.

Lastonia Leviston filed the suit claiming emotional distress last Wednesday. It has been reported that the tape was sold to 50 and is part of a feud with rival for rap supremacy Rick Ross – who previously dated Leviston.

This begs the question, why is 50 Cent is incapable of making and distributing his own Internet intimate videos and has to resort to buying and editing himself into those of others?

Russell Peters to appear in film directed by David Bowie’s son

It was announced Monday that Brampton-born comedian Russell Peters is set to appear in the Hollywood thriller Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal next year.

The film will be directed by David Bowie’s son, who was given the unfortunate name of Zowie Bowie.

The director, who now understandably goes by the name Duncan Jones, has given Peters an expanded role in the upcoming film, which has meant postponing his stand-up comedy tour.
Peters has been successful in recent years, making Forbes’ list of top 10 earning stand-up comedians in the U.S. last year. This continues a longstanding Canadian tradition of exporting funny, successful people south of the border.