Today, imeem confirmed earlier reports that it had acquired content licensing and DRM company Snocap. No financial terms were disclosed.

After Snocap saw a major downsizing, laying off 60% of its workforce, the company made it known it was pursuing a sale. Four months later, reports started to circulate that social network for artists and musicians imeem had entered into an acquisition of the suffering

Imeem has been using Snocap’s content identification technology since 2007 to automatically identify tracks as they are uploaded by users. It determines whether the content’s owner allows full streaming of their music, and manages payments to artists and labels for use of their music.Snocap has partnered with MySpace since 2006, offering independent artists a means of selling their music through its MyStore product. The company has announced that no changes will be made to users’ accounts, but will unveil enhancements later this year. Whether imeem will use the same product, or a similar, but uniquely branded “iStore,” will soon be shown.

Imeem is a member of Google’s OpenSocial network along with MySpace, so developments in that stratum may finally begin for imeem, which recently opened its API, Imeem Media Platform, opening up the site’s library of songs, videos and photos to developers.

Rumors of a marriage between hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and singer-actress Beyonce drew swarms of media to the street outside his penthouse on Friday, even as speculation swirled about the possibility of a hoax.

Throngs of photographers, TV crews and onlookers crowded around the garage entrance to the apartment building in Manhattan’s Tribeca district where the wedding ceremony was thought to be taking place.

A parade of sport utility vehicles with tinted windows was seen coming and going from the garage late in the afternoon, one of them carrying two people dressed in chef’s uniforms carrying large, square, white boxes on their laps.

And men dressed in tuxedos were spotted on the roof of the building, where a white tent was erected.

As night fell on the scene, word spread through the crowd that several celebrity guests had been spotted arriving by car, including Beyonce’s former Destiny’s Child cohort Kelly Rowland and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

People magazine touched off the celebrity wedding watch this week when it reported the couple, who have been dating for several years, had taken out a wedding license in Scarsdale Village, New York, that is valid for 60 days.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton fanned the flames when he reported the wedding would take place on Friday, then followed up by posting the address of Jay-Z’s apartment house as the location for the nuptials.

Live Nation will bring $5 million in seed money annually for Jay-Z own label Roc Nation, publishing arm and management company, with significantly more funds available for future acquisitions and expansion. He will also receive a $25 million upfront payment and $10 million per album for a minimum of three albums over the next decade.

This deal would give Live Nation a stake in everything from his music to his music-related business for 10 years.

Jay himself sees the deal as a way “to reach the consumer in so many different ways right now. Everyone’s trying to figure it out. I want to be on the front lines in that fight,” he said.

“In a way I want to operate like an indie band,” he said. “Play the music on tour instead of relying on radio. Hopefully we’ll get some hits out of there and radio will pick it up, but we won’t make it with that in mind.”

You know Jay-Z is a clever business man : despite the stagnation of record sales, the concert industry keeps booming. Last year revenues were up 8% to $3.9 billion, and Live Nation is in perfect position to expand its market share.

Live Nation recently announced a 10 year deal with Madonna, while U2 revealed a 12 year touring and merchandising partnership earlier this week.

But the Jay-Z deal is a major coup for Live Nation. He is not only one of the world’s top-selling rappers and concert draws, he’s also a former record company president who decides that “it’s really about trying to invest in the future, trying to invest in maybe coming up with a new model, because going in hard making records with artists and throwing those records into a system that’s flawed is not exciting for me”.

Sharon Osbourne has apparently revealed she disapproves of daughter Kelly’s friendship with Amy Winehouse.

The X Factor judge worries the Rehab singer, a former drug addict, may lead her 23-year-old daughter astray, according to The Daily Mirror.

Sharon, 55, apparently said: “I don’t approve of them.

“Do I approve of everyone she hangs out with? No I don’t. But I can’t choose who she is going to play with and who she isn’t. She makes her own decisions.”

Kelly has recently been photographed enjoying a string of boozy nights out with Amy, 24, and Kate Moss.

A source told the newspaper: “Sharon’s not happy about Kelly partying so much and looking the worse for wear.

“She’s concerned like any mother would be.”

Kelly was treated in Malibu’s Promises rehab clinic for an addiction to painkillers in 2004. She relapsed a year later and checked into another drug treatment centre in California.

The music superstars have taken out a marriage license in Westchester’s Scarsdale Village, People.com reported Tuesday.

The pair reportedly got the license yesterday morning, which means the earliest they could get hitched is Wednesday. Otherwise, it’s good for 60 days anywhere in New York State.

A spokeswoman for Beyoncé refused to comment, and Jay-Z’s rep couldn’t be reached.

The Destiny’s Child diva and the rap mogul have been an item since 2002, and rumors that they plan to make it legal have been heating up.

As the Daily News reported this week, while Beyoncé was out of town filming an Etta James biopic recently, Jay-Z met with her younger sister, Solange, at Miami’s Delano hotel.

Sources said the topic of discussion was popping the question to Beyoncé - and asking her manager-dad’s permission for her hand in marriage.

All that Beyoncé, 26, and Jay-Z, 38, would have needed to get a license in Scarsdale was proof of identity and age, and $40.