A man once appointed to represent the estate and wealth connected to late soul singer James Brown will serve six months in jail. David Cannon failed to pay back a $350,000 royalty check that was accidentally mailed to him. Cannon reportedly claimed he wasn’t able to repay the cheddar, even though he gave a contractor more than twice the amount to build him a house in 2007 – the year Brown died. Brown’s passing on Christmas day resulted in conflicting claims to his material legacy, including multiple tests to determine the number of his children.

Lee Pushes a ‘Godfather’ Film of His Own
Actor-director Spike Lee says he’s surging ahead with his plan to make a film about the life of Godfather of Soul James Brown. “We’re doing it together, it’s going to happen,” Lee told MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival. Shortly after Brown’s death, Lee and Paramount Pictures purchased the rights to the singer’s life. The film will feature the singer’s voice dubbed over Snipes’ voice. “I want to hear James Brown’s voice,” Lee said. “That’s just my personal taste.” Lee had better hurry if he plans on getting the film done any time soon. Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison in April 2008 after being convicted of federal income tax evasion; he remains free while awaiting an appeal.

Janet Can’t Shake Her Nasty Troubles
Troubles continue for pop diva Janet Jackson. Last year her Witchu Tour withered as dates were canceled one after another due to an alleged illness. In the another recent snafu, she reportedly has split with her second major label in less than three years following the poor showing on her last CD, Discipline. Now, her Japan tour is a no-go due to the global financial crisis, according to BBC News, which reports that concert promoter Kyodo Yokohama announced that Jackson was nixing five dates between Feb. 14 and Feb. 22. The 42-year-old singer was planning to visit such major Japanese cities as Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka on the world Rock Witchu outing, which was her first major tour in nearly seven years.
 

Who gets what? James Brown’s family wants answers.

Those who were expecting to cash in on James Brown’s estate are no closer to seeing any money than the day he died. The holdup is that no one really knows just how much the estate is worth, according to The Associated Press. Lawyers say the late singer’s accounts have little money left in them, which means most of the estate is made up of future income – funds from things like royalties, movies and the sale of Brown’s likeness. None of that will come into play until it’s decided how the estate will be divvied up. So who gets what when and if the estate is finalized? Among those in line to get a piece of Brown’s financial pie is his charitable trust, which half of his estate will go to, AP reports. Another 25 percent will go to Tomi Rae Hynie, James’ last wife, and their child, James Brown II.  The remaining 25 percent will go to some of the late singer’s other children.  However, one of Brown’s adult children, Terry Brown, is questioning whether Hynie’s marriage to his father was legal.  He is also claiming that he doesn’t believe the woman’s son was fathered by James Brown. Brown died in 2006 on Christmas Day.

Rodney King is getting into rehab.

The man who once asked: “Can’t we all get along?” is now, in effect asking himself: “Can’t I shake free from booze?” Rodney King will be one of the “celebrities” seeking help for their personal demons on the next round of “Celebrity Rehab.” In one clip, King is seen gulping down a beer as he tells “Dr. Drew” Pinsky: “Every day I wake up with a beer is a good day.” King was the Los Angeles motorist who was beaten by LAPD officers in 1991 – an encounter recorded on videotape. When the officers were acquitted the following year, it led to deadly rioting in several cities. King says his being part of the show and his most-recent effort at sobriety is “a blessing.”