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Two members of the rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and a bodyguard employed by the group have been charged in connection with a shooting outside a New York deli, police told The Associated Press.

Rappers Little Caesar--whose real name is James Lloyd, 23--and Banger--Antoine Spain, 23--and their bodyguard Suif Jackson, 31, were arrested Friday and charged with attempted murder, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon. Two 9mm handguns were found in a hidden compartment of the car they allegedly fired the shots from. The guns are registered to rapper Lil' Kim, who is also a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A., police said.

Births

Actress Tisha Campbell-Martin and her husband, actor Duane Martin, gave birth to Xen Martin, their 8-pound, 11-ounce son, on Wednesday. Both mother and baby are doing well, her manager, Gina Rugolo-Judd, told The Associated Press on Friday. Campbell-Martin played Gina, Martin Lawrence's girlfriend, on the Fox series Martin.

Country music Oak Ridge Boys' member William Lee Golden and wife, Brenda, welcomed a 6 pound baby boy, Solomon Golden, Friday, in Nashville, Tenn. "He looks wise already,'' Golden commented. This is the couple's first child, but Golden has three sons from a previous marriage, reports The Associated Press.

In Courts

Michael Houston, brother of famed diva Whitney Houston, was arrested Wednesday and charged with cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession, and being under the influence of drugs, Launch.com reports. Police searched his car and found 14 partially smoked marijuana cigarettes, a bag of marijuana, and cocaine. Michael Houston was arraigned at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, and released on a $3,500 bail.

A member of the rap group Insane Clown Posse pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a local bar fight. Joseph W. Utsler--also called Shaggy 2 Dope--entered no contest pleas to misdemeanor charges of battery and disorderly conduct Thursday in Wisconsin's Eau Claire County Circuit Court. Utsler paid $396 in fines and court costs, reports The Associated Press.

In General

Singer-songwriter Dale Watson, 37, pays tribute to his fiancée, Terri Herbert, who died in a car accident last September, on his new CD Every Song I Write Is for You. "The album is a chronicle of grief, if you will,'' Watson told The Associated Press.

Lynyrd Skynyrd resumed their tour Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, following the death of bassist Leon Wilkeson on July 29.

The Backstreet Boys are on course to continue their tour following AJ McLean's release on Aug. 4, from the rehabilitation center where he had been staying since early July. McLean, who underwent treatment for alcoholism, depression and anxiety, has been moved to a "transitional care" facility in Los Angeles, according to the Backstreet Boys' publicists. The Backstreet Boys tour will resume on Aug. 24 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI and end at the Coors Amphitheater in Oct. 20 in Chula Vista, CA.

Irish pop group U2 has launched a European tour with a plea to Northern Ireland to ''Give peace a chance," reports Reuters. "Compromise is not such a bad word after all,'' lead singer Bono told the crowd in Manchester, England Saturday night. "Our prayer is that this week brave people make brave decisions and this little island across the little channel does not go back to war,'' Bono said.