Rapper Raekwon has signed with Dr Dre's Aftermath Records. Dre will produce the majority of the tracks on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Part 2, due out this summer.

Stolen Transmission has signed PlayRadioPlay. The band is comprised of 17-year-old Daniel Hunter, obviously a fan of The Postal Service. The band's website has a music page with 15 MP3s, if you want 'em.

Righteous Babe Records signed Vermont singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell (pictured). The Brightness will be released on February 13, 2007.

Bad Boy Entertainment is going to jointly release and market Elephant Man's next record, due out in early 2007. The controversial dancehall star will be the opening act on Diddy's Press Play world tour that starts in February 2007.

I'm From Barcelona, a 29-member, super-cheery twee pop band from Sweden, has signed with Mute North America. Their album, Let Me Introduce My Friends, was already released by EMI Sweden and is scheduled for a North American release on March 20, 2007.

The hip hop/rock hybrid is, surprisingly, still viable. Detroit's Critical Bill has signed with signed with Strange Music, a subsidiary of Universal Music. Their album Downtown The World is due in January 2007.

The Twenty Twos announced their break up last week (read about their horrible Sony Music experience at this MySpace entry). If frontwoman Jenny Christmas starts a new band, A&R weasels may want to take a look.