BEYONCE KNOWLES - BEYONCE'S DAD, USHER + DUPRI TO STAR AT BILLBOARD CONFERENCE

BEYONCE KNOWLES' manager and father MATHEW (corr) KNOWLES will join USHER and producer JERMAINE DUPRI as speakers at this year's (05) BILLBOARD HIP-HOP CONFERENCE.

The event, which incorporates the BILLBOARD R+B HIP-HOP AWARDS, will take place in Atlanta, Georgia in August.

Dupri, the new president of VIRGIN RECORDS' URBAN MUSIC DIVISION, says, "The Billboard Conference is one of the most necessary conferences for music executives, artists and anyone who is in any way related to the music business."