The Show 08-04-09

DRAKE: Sitting This One Out

Drake has returned to his hometown of Toronto to have knee surgery following that nasty fall he took on stage last week in Camden, New Jersey. Drake tore his A-C-L in June but still attempted to perform on the America's Most Wanted Music Festival tour, against doctor's orders. He writes on his blog, "Lord only knows what other damage I have done. On the bright side, I will begin the reflecting and soul searching that it's going to take to make this album."

Ironically, the festival played Toronto last night without Drake.

No release date has been set for Drake's Young Money debut, Thank Me Later

MONICA: New Show, New Album

Monica's self-titled reality series will premiere October 27th on B-E-T. She tells us, "It was very scary stepping into the type of situation that would expose...everything personally. But there are so many kids now that are aspiring to do exactly what I've done, and I think that they don't know exactly what it takes and I felt like that was worth me putting myself on the line so they would really understand what the music business is like."

Monica's album Still Standing is due this fall. She's had to grow up a lot since being under producer Dallas Austin's wing at age 12. She says, "Dallas was in full control of single choices and things of that nature." But after Austin's label folded and Monica landed at a new label, she says she "had to become the Dallas Austin of the situation without the musical history."

BEYONCE: Book Won't Tell Anything

Beyonce put a damper on fans' idea of finding juicy personal tidbits in her hubby Jay-Z's forthcoming book, telling Extra last night, "It actually is not a biography," adding that Jay spilling details on their romantic life is "never gonna happen."

Beyonce also shared her thoughts on Michael Jackson, commenting, "I'm just fortunate to be one of the people to have told him how much I loved him before he passed away. He's amazing. And I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him."

JA RULE: A Look at The Mirror

Ja Rule hopes his "comeback" disc The Mirror will help fans and critics understand him as an artist. He tells AllHipHop.com, "It's hard for the public to distinguish the truth. They get a persona that you portray or they see on screen, but that may not necessarily be the person that you are... With The Mirror, I just wanted people to get an inside look to what it's like to be me and go through what an artist goes through."

The Mirror is set for release in November on Ja's own Empire Records. He says, "We made history with Murder Inc. It's incredible to look back at it. But Empire is my movement. [Irv] Gotti is my brother who I love to death, and is supporting me."

Some say Ja is taking a shot at D-M-X and former labelmate Ashanti on the track "Judas," but he insists it's not a dis record. He says, "When I have thoughts, I have to get them out my head through song. 'Judas' was just a real record I felt I needed to make. I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings -- I love everyone that was supposedly talked about on that record."

The Mirror is Ja Rule's first new disc in five years.

WILLIAMS BOASTS BOTOX

Vanessa Williams not only admits to using Botox, she's signed on to promote it. The Ugly Betty star has teamed up with pharmaceutical company Allergan to launch the Botox Cosmetic Express Success Campaign to educate people about the treatment. She tells Jet magazine, "The purpose for me is to maintain looking like myself. I am not trying to look like anybody else. I am not trying to change anything; I just want to maintain looking like who I am." The campaign also benefits Dress for Success, a non-profit group that donates clothes to disadvantaged women to help them succeed in the workforce. Learn more at ExpressSuccessCampaign-dot-com.