When it comes to Uncle Sam…blood is not thicker than water.

Rapper NAS is facing an inflated bill from U.S. tax officials - the money he allegedly owes has spiraled from $2.6 million (£1.6 million) to more than $3.4 million (£2.1 million).

The hip-hop star was hit with the initial bill from officials at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in October last year (09), and claims he had failed to keep up with his tax payments in 2006 and 2007.

Nas is already facing financial problems stemming from his ongoing divorce battle with estranged wife Kelis - last July (09) a judge ordered the rapper to pay his former partner $5,000 (£3,330) a month in child support for his son Knight.

POOR OL NAS. AS THEY SAY, "ITS CHEAPER TO KEEP HER, SO YOU PROBABLY SHOULDA JUST DEALT WITH THE KELIS BULL. FOR YOUR WALLETS SAKE AT LEAST! NOW U GOT ALL THESE OTHER BILLS TO TEND TO TOO! SMH, IMMA PRAY FOR YOU DAWG!

More rumors about Ne-Yo being gay…but where there’s smoke there’s usually fire.

ThePCscoop is just now finding out that R&B star NE-YO was detained in Norway on Saturday (27Feb10) after a member of his entourage allegedly assaulted a restaurant worker.

The So Sick hitmaker was partying at the Emil & Samuel restaurant/nightclub in Oslo following a performance in the city, when one of his associates allegedly punched a bus boy in the face as he walked past the group’s table because the gay bus boy tried to flirt with Ne-Yo.

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton reports another member of the singer’s entourage, supposedly Ne-Yo’s male lover, then ran into the restaurant’s kitchen and allegedly threatened staff with a knife.

The group subsequently left the venue, but was immediately detained and searched by police.  Officers are said to have released the group, but restaurant bosses are reportedly planning to press charges over the incident.

WE ALWAYS DID THINK NE-YO HAD A SWEET TOOTH LOL.

This is certainly interesting:

Earl Simmons agreed to perform at the Morning Star Sanctified Church for a fundraiser this Saturday — and he’s doing it for free.

According to Pastor Barbara King, DMX and his family have been members of the congregation for eight months now and he really wanted to help raise money for repairs.

We’re told the school holding the event is amping up security because they’re unsure of what kind of crowd the convicted felon will draw. Tickets are going from $35-$40 a pop.

FYI — We’re also told DMX doesn’t swear anymore … so we have absolutely no idea what he’s going to perform.

Well if Mase can do it, so can he. We see you X. This can be nothing but a good thing for Earl, and we hope he stays on a positive path to getting his life together. Good for him.