2008-08-18 23:35:02 -

- Move over, American Idol! Simon Cowell's got nothing on Diddy, the producer and host of "Starmaker" (www.myspace.com/starmakercasting), America's hottest new competition reality show!

The famed rap mogul is holding auditions for his upcoming MTV series at Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood on Saturday, September 6.

He's got two simple questions for those vying to be America's next

big music superstar: Have you got what it takes to hang with the best in the biz? And have you got the goods to be Bad Boy Records' next hot act?

The hip-hop mogul and producer Mark Burnett are teaming up to find fresh new talent to showcase on "Starmaker," which is set to air this winter on MTV. The competition will give one guy and one girl the opportunity of a lifetime--a recording deal with Diddy's label Bad Boy Records.

The public auditions are open to singers 18 and over in all styles of music: pop, rock, R&B, etc.

MI (www.mi.edu) is located at 1655 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood, CA 90028.

Since opening its doors in 1977, Musicians Institute has primed over 20,000 musicians, producers, engineers, vocalists and industry professionals for successful careers in every genre of contemporary music. Located just blocks from the Capitol Records tower, MI has an incredible history of innovation dating back to its origins in 1977 as the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT), which broke new ground as a performance-based contemporary music school taught by working professionals. Within a few years, GIT was joined by bass and drum programs to form Musicians Institute and the evolution has continued to this day with degree and certificate programs for career-minded guitarists, bassists, drummers, vocalists, keyboardists, recording engineers, independent producers, guitar makers, music business professionals and filmmakers

Luck Media & Marketing, Inc.
Guy McCain, 818-760-8077