Bet you didn't see this coming. Justin Bieber joining Dr. Dre in studio to make some beats? It's true. The two are working together to promote a line of headphones but eagle-eyed Akai Pro fans will notice they are using the Akai Pro MPK49 keyboard controller to do it. Bonus points for spotting all three MPCs making cameos in this video. Have a look.

The MPC has been called legendary, iconic, even essential. Now the MPC can add "covered in the New York Times" to that list, as this story showcases the impact the MPC has had on music production. Two Akai Pro artists, DiViNCi and Araab Muzik are also featured in this fascinating look into why the MPC remains one of the the most desirable pieces of studio gear in the world. Read the whole article here.

Our friends at Serato and Ableton have been working on a little something called The Bridge, that brings together the two worlds of Serato's popular DJ software and Ableton's Live software. This collaboration opens doors for users of hardware such as the APC20 and APC40. Here we have a video of The Bridge in action with the APC40, which may well be the coolest thing ever to happen for DJs. Watch the complete video here.

SynthStation really broke new ground when it appeared a few months ago with it's three full synthesizers, each with three oscillators, effects and so much more. Well, the reviews keep coming for this incredible app and Music Radar gives it 4 out of 5 stars saying, "All in all, the depth of SynthStation can't be overstated...Add in the functionality of the SynthStation 25 keyboard and you've got something quite special". Read the whole review.

During the rush of the recent Winter NAMM show, Planet Ill got together with Akai Pro Product Manager, Glen Darcey to talk about the SynthStation25 controller for iPod touch and iPhone. If you've been looking to integrate your iPod into your studio or use it live, see what has made this one of the most talked-about MIDI controllers ever. You can read the entire interview here.

If you want to be on the inside track to the latest announcements about new gear from Akai Pro, there is probably no better place to be than Frankfurt Germany April 6-9, 2011 for the Musikmesse show. This year we're planning some very exciting announcements and the show is open to the public on the 9th. Learn more here.

Last year Trent Reznor joined our list of Akai Pro artists, making great use of the APC40, MPK49 and MPD32. Now that Reznor has just won a Golden Globe and Academy Award we'd like to give another shout out to this artist who continues to evolve and impress. Learn more about Trent Reznor here.