andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Earlier this month, Kanye West got people talking when he posted a photo of himself, Killers singer Brandon Flowers and 30 Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto on his blog and wrote that the trio were working on a “dope-ass song” for 30STM’s new album.

According to mtvnews.com, Leto wrote a post on 30STM’s site a few days later — in which he revealed that the song was called “Hurricane” – and he had more to say on Monday.

“I had actually brought up [the idea of working with West] some time ago, but it’s pretty unbelievable that it actually happened,” Leto said. “He came by here, he was here in the studio, and we did some initial kind of listening, and he did some singing, and we knew we needed to kind of follow up and finish things, so I went over to Hawaii [with] an engineer and a small crew, and we had a great time.”

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Hurricane Katrina took filmakers in the damaged area by surprise when several movie crews were forced to abandon their production sites.

According to the BBC, the extent of damage to film sets and equipment is unclear.

Deja Vu, The Last Time and Vampire Bats, The Reaping and The Guardian were just some of the sets that were forced to escape.

The Last Time and Vampire Bats, by Michael Keaton, which stars Lucy Lawless, were already filming in the area.

Other films, like Deja Vu, starring Denzel Washington and The Guardian, with Kevin Costner, were preparing to shoot in New Orleans, the BBC reported.

Crews in nearby Baton Rouge were reportedly filming the Reaping, alongside Hilary Swank.

A chartered plane from Disney evacuated about 70 Deja Vu and The Guardian crew members from New Orleans, according to the L.A. Times.

Meanwhile, Lawless, otherwise known as Xena from the television show, said she’s been taken in by family members of her crew in Baton Rouge.

The area is a popular one to film in. Statistics from the L.A. Times reported in 2004, approximately 27 films were made in the state.

Hopefully, when everything goes back to normal, the people from Hollywood will continue on as usual, especially since two more films are expected to be shot in nearby areas.

Much like the aftermath of Sept. 11 just four years ago, celebrities, musicians, and actors are banning together to raise money for victims of another U.S. disaster. This time, the cause is Katrina, the Category 5 hurricane that has left the Mississippi gulf and the city of New Orleans in ruins.

?A Concert for Hurricane Relief,? to be broadcast on NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC this Friday at 8 p.m. EST, will include performances by Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Tim McGraw. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio are also scheduled to participate in the hour-long special, which will be hosted by Matt Lauer in New York. Viewers will be encouraged to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

But the special which will likely draw the biggest crowd is a three-city MTV extravaganza that will feature performances by Usher, Green Day, Ludacris, and Alicia Keys. It will air live on Sept. 10 on MTV, VH1, and CMT from New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville.

“In the face of a tragedy of this scope, we simply have to do everything in our power to offer support, comfort and hope to all the people directly impacted by the hurricane,” said Judy McGrath, chair and CEO of MTV Networks, who announced the concerts yesterday. “Our goal is to join forces on every medium to get involved, to volunteer, to contribute in any way we can.”

Other artists currently on board for the event are Gretchen Wilson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, and David Banner. Additional performers are expected to be added to the line-up as the show draws closer. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

President George W. Bush has called Katrina ?one of the worst national disasters? in U.S. history as hundreds are feared dead in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Hurricane Katrina is smashing houses, reducing buildings to rubble and leaving cities flooded, and it is not stopping yet.

Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama are feeling the wrath of Katrina.

According to NBC news, about 100,000 people took the storm head on in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nearly 20,000 of those people were taking refuge in the Superdome while wailing winds of 135-mph ripped off parts of the dome.

The storm had remained so severe that emergency personnel could not go out and assess the damage in the worst hit areas or respond to 911 calls.

Even President Bush has declared Louisiana and Mississippi disaster areas.

Although Katrina dropped to a Category 2 storm, it still left cities damaged with heavy flooding with some places recorded with six to 10 feet of water.

In Mississippi a 22-foot storm surge was recorded that blew out a major hospital?s windows, left a casino partially flooded and utility poles crippled.

Now a half-million people are left without power from Louisiana to Florida?s Panhandle.

The storm may be the most expensive storm to hit the United States costing insurers up to $26 billion, according to storm modelers.

As for those people who decided to stay and ride out the storm, some are feeling regret.

In downtown New Orleans, Chris Robinson who was calling via cellphone from his home was not doing so well.

?The water?s rising pretty fast. I got a hammer and an ax and a crowbar, but I?m holding off on breaking through the roof until the last minute. Tell someone to come get me please. I want to live.?

For now all people can do is evacuate to cities not bound to be hit by the storm or to pray.

According to seventy-three-year-old Josephine Elow of New Orleans, who was pressing her weight against the brokens doors of the hotel Le Richelieu, ?It?s not life-threatening.?

?God?s got our back,? Elow said as water was dripping from her face.

It?s a matter of attitude to some people and the will to survive.

As for now the storm is moving up North and hitting Albama hard.