After his press conference with Mayor Michael Nutter this morning, Jay-Z sat down for an interview with me atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art where Rocky Balboa stood to talk about the Budweiser Made in America festival he's headlining and curating. It'll take place on September 1 and 2 on Labor Day weekend on three stages, one of which will be a giant DJ tent, on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

That's where Live 8 drew half a million people in 2005, but the two-day ticketed festival will be on a much smaller scale. It will be limited to a capacity of 50,000 per day, according to Geoff Gordon of concert promoters Live Nation, and Jay-Z - a.k.a Shawn Carter - will headline one of the two nights. The full line-up will be announced May 21, and tickets go on sale on May 23 at Ticketmaster and LiveNation.com with early bird two day passes going for $99 plus ticketing fees, and a "significant" portion of the proceeeds going to United Way charities.

With Mayor Nutter, the husband to Beyonce, father to baby Blue Ivy Carter and part owner of the soon to be Brooklyn Nets - who also goes by the nickname "Hova," said that the Fest "will be a great day for Philly." When a fan called out "You're the best, Hov!," he replied "I agree." Then he pressed the flesh with the fans, before sitting down to talk.

Question: So why are you doing this festival in Philadelphia, and why now?

A: It's such an iconic city. It's time, and I have a long relationship and love affair with the City of Philadelphia. And as a lot of people may know, I signed a lot of artists from here and there's my relationship with Will Smith and James Lassiter in Overbrook to do films.  It just … it all came together.

UPDATED May 14th, 11:19 am

"Philadelphia is a great music town, everybody knows that," said Mayor Nutter as he introduced Jay-Z , who took the the stage after representatives from The United Way.

Lucky Oceans, the Philadelphia-reared steel guitar playing founding member of Western Swing kings Asleep at the Wheel has lived in Australia for a number of years now. He's home for a visit, however, and tonight at McShea's in Narberth he'll be sitting in with local Texas swingers Beats Walkin'.

With hoops behind him, is Allen Iverson returning to hip-hop? Is that the answer to The Answer's well-documented financial troubles? Apparently not: Iverson doesn't actually rap in the video clip for "Street Knock," a song from producer-rapper-and-Alicia Keys husband Swizz Beatz' forthcoming mixtape Limitless, and speaking of rapping, he recently told XXL, "I got into too much trouble for that."   

Beloved children's author Marice Sendak died early today. His obituary is here. In 2009, Spike Jonze-directed a movie version of the Sendak's wondrous Where The Wild Things Are, and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs composed and performed the music with a group of collaborators she dubbed The Kids. A video of "All Is Love" from the soundtrack with footage from the film is below.

Last year, Philadelphia-reared avant-pop singer Santigold - a.k.a. Santi White - guested on "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win," the lead single off the Beastie Boys album Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two. She also starred as a black Barbie superbabe version of herself along in the 11 minute long Spike Jonze-directed Adam Yauch-written video for the song.

If you take a peek at the cover of the Beastie Boys 1989 LP Paul's Boutique, you'll notice a number of items for in the Lower East Side corner store that gives the post-modern masterpiece its name. There's are classic albums like Al Green's 1972  Let's Stay Together, the John Cale produced 1976 album The Modern Lovers and Grover Washington Jr.'s 1974 Mister Magic. And right under the Paul's Boutique sign is a New York Mets shirt is on display.

The Beasties - whose co-founder Adam Yauch a.k.a. MCA died at age 47 on Friday - were high and low culture geeks par excellence, and along with the Chuck Woolery, Vincent Van Gogh and Star Trek references, they've always been up for an apropos sports analogy, including three baseball rhymes I can think of.

On "What Comes Around," they rhymed "Bum cheese on rye with ham and prosciutto, got more Louie than Phil Rizzuto," in a nod to the Yankees shortstop. In "Hey Ladies," Mike D. boasted "there's more to me than you'll ever know / And I've got more hits than Sadahau Oh," name checking the Yomiuri Giants home run king. And on "Sure Shot" he bragged: "I've got more action than my man John Woo / And I've got made hits like I was Rod Carew,"  in tribute to the Minnesota Twin who amassed 3053 knocks.

Adam Yauch, one of the three members of pioneering hip-hop band the Beastie Boys, has died, according to Rolling Stone. Yauch was diagnosed with cancer of salivary gland in 2009, and the band's excellent return to form on the album Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two, which was released last year, was delayed due to his illness. 

The video for "Lost In The World," the collaboration between Kanye West and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, just came out today. It's only a little bit late: MBDTF was released, what, a year and a half ago? Watch it below.