Many in the hip-hop and R&B community are up in arms about Trayvon Martin, the unarmed 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed in his father’s gated community in Florida on Feb. 26. Martin was gunned down by an unregistered neighborhood watch member named George Zimmerman, who has yet to be charged.

Over a half million people have signed an online petition, which requests that Zimmerman be prosecuted for Martin’s murder. The petition, created by social action website Change.org, has been circulated by artists like Talib Kweli, Ghostface Killah,Janelle Monae, Wyclef Jean, Big Boi, Killer Mike and many more.

“I’m gonna keep sending this out until justice is served. Racial profiling on our people has got to end,” Janelle Monae tweeted, with a link to the online petition.

“This is real Trayvon martin was only 17 years old! if we let this slide they will keep killin 17 year olds your kid will be next!” wrote Wyclef. “Warriors lets go to work!”

Trayvon Martin was shot by Zimmerman as he walked home from a convenience store with a pack of Skittles and Iced Tea in his hand. He was on his way to continue watching the NBA All-Star Game.

Newly released 911 tapes from seven eyewitnesses at the scene paint Zimmerman, 28, as the aggressor, while the supposed neighborhood watchman’s own 911 call — one of 50 he made over the past year, mostly false alarms — appears to be the most condemning, as he sounds intoxicated, claiming the unarmed 17-year-old “a–hole” looked like he was “up to no good or on drugs or something.”

While Zimmerman has still yet to be charged, it appears that the hip-hop and R&B community’s outrage has at least provided some movement, as the investigation has been turned over to the Justice Department and the FBI, as a potential hate crime.

It’s only a matter of time before we see some sort of posthumous Whitney Houstonrelease, but it’s not a collection of dodgy outtakes or live recordings that has the late singer’s family up in arms. According to a story in Star magazine — via Hollywoodlife.com — the late diva’s relatives are worried that her former boyfriend Ray Jwill come forward with humiliating sex tapes and photos.

The Houstons may have reason to be concerned. Ray J owes his fame to the sex tape he made with Kim Kardashian, and in the new book ‘Death of a Cheating Man,’ where he was used as a case study, the R&B singer admits to being obsessed with having sex with multiple women.

“[Whitney's family have] been in contact with Ray and told him they do not want any photos or videos painting her in a bad light to come out,” a source told Star. “They explained to Ray that now is the time to honor Whitney, not drag her legacy down.”

The family has reportedly offered to buy the tapes and pics, but Ray has refused to sell, since he “knows he’s sitting on a gold mine,” according to the source.

As for why Whitney would consent to making such potentially embarrassing videos in the first place, the 48-year-old singer was evidently quite smitten with her 31-year-old beau.

“[Whitney] adored Ray,” the source said. “She loved doting on him, and she would have done anything he asked — including make a sex tape.”

The show is Hill’s first in the UK since the summer of 2007 and will see her debut new material from her second album. Her second LP will be released a full 14 years after her multi-million selling debut record ‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’ came out.

The singer most recently made headlines in the summer of last year, when she was sued for harassment and unpaid wages by her former guitarist Jay Gore for over $20,000 (£12,250).

In the lawsuit, Gore accused Hill of regularly dishing out public dress down members of her band in front of groups of people and of not paying him correctly. The case has not yet been settled.

Tickets go onsale on Friday (March 23) at 9am (GMT). To check the availability ofLauryn Hill tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call0871 230 1094.

It is currently unclear whether the new chapters will also appear on R Kelly’s YouTubechannel, along with the rest of the series. The previous 22 chapters of the hip-hop opera have gone on to become cult classics.

The series, in which R Kelly narrates a complex soap opera performed by actors, began in 2005. The new episodes will continue the story centered around Kelly’s character, Sylvester, and will resolve the “package” cliffhanger.

In a statement, R Kelly said: When I first began experiencing the unknown journey of writing ‘Trapped In The Closet’, I knew after the first chapter that I had tapped into something that was not of this earth
He added: “And now here we are at chapter 23, trapped in the million dollar question – what the hell is the package? Well, ladies and gentleman, not only am I ready to reveal what the package is, but I have many more chapters to share.”

Last year, Kelly revealed that he hadwritten 32 new chapters of ‘Trapped In The Closet’ but he was waiting on money to produce them. Now that he has a financial backer, the next instalments can be made.