Gwinnett Daily Post

Kanye West makes pitch for education

CHICAGO - Kanye West says he isn't political and has no interest in 'who's running with who' in the 2008 election. But the 30-year-old hip-hop mogul filmed a public service announcement Friday for an advocacy group trying to make education the top priority for the next president.

'Politics is a business,' the six-time Grammy winner told The Associated Press Friday. 'I'm more social. I just care about people.'

'American Idol' runner-up signs record deal

NEW YORK - Blake Lewis has reaped another 'American Idol' reward - a record deal.

Lewis, who finished second to Jordin Sparks in the final 'Idol' faceoff in May, has signed a contract with Arista Records in conjunction with 19Recordings, the label managed by 'Idol' creator Simon Fuller, it was announced Friday.

His debut album is slated for release later this year.

Austin Nichols charged with DUI

JACKSON, Mich. - Austin Nichols, who plays the title character in HBO's 'John From Cincinnati,' was arrested early Friday on suspicion of drunken driving.

The 27-year-old actor was stopped by police about 2:40 a.m. after being spotted driving a silver Mercury Mountaineer the wrong way down a one-way street in the city, said Jackson police Lt. John Holda.

An officer smelled alcohol and, after conducting sobriety tests, took Nichols into custody.

Mos Def offers opinion on justice system

NEW YORK - Although a jury convicted Jose Padilla of supporting terrorism earlier this week, rapper-actor Mos Def thinks that Padilla may not have gotten the due process the criminal justice system promises.

'We all know the history of insufficient evidence or testimony under duress - at the very least, legal circumstances that demand some sort of reinvestigation."