Travis Barker assembles all-star lineup for solo album

What would an album from Blink-182’s Travis Barker sound like? It wouldn’t be 50 minutes of drum solos, nor would it have the punk flair of his side-projects, the Transplants or +44. If anything, Barker tells EW.com, he gravitates towards hip-hop, and has lined up some of the genre’s biggest names for his solo debut. “I’ve got Beanie Siegel, Lil Wayne, The Game, Rick Ross, Federation, Too $hort…” That’s in addition to reggae-flavored tracks Barker recorded with Damian Marley and Willie Nelson. “I’ve never produced an entire

record by myself,” he says. “I’ve always been accompanied by a band, so it’s just

me building beats, being creative and having fun.”

Barker is signed to Interscope Records, but says he’s in no rush to complete the album. That’s partly because his schedule is pretty packed these days. Barker is currently getting ready for an upcoming gig at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, where he will join DJ AM as the show’s house band, putting a new spin on MTV classics. Going by the name TRV$AM, the two also paired up for three sold-out shows at L.A.’s Roxy this week, where Barker let a live audience experience what has already floored 17 million YouTube viewers. After the VMAs, AM will also release an album on Interscope, and there’s talk of the two touring together.