- By Jennifer Vineyard

Cam'ron, Master P, Taliban Shoot 'Bout It, Bout It' Video

Diplomats remake P's 1996 classic.  Man, those sights of summer. The sun beaming down on the pavement, a lovely lady in a tank top licking an icy to beat the heat, frenzied children running around Harlem's Battleground Park oblivious to the 100-degree temperature and the Taliban out in full force, acting even more rambunctious than the kiddies.

"140 Lennox/ You know they bout it, bout it/ Taliban, and up top/ You know they rowdy, rowdy" Master P yelled into the camera, with Cam'ron, the Diplomats and members of Harlem's 145 Street Taliban bouncing around him.

P made the trek from New Orleans to New York on Tuesday to appear in the video for the Diplomats' remake of his 1996 classic, "Bout It, Bout It." It's the first single from their upcoming release, Ground Zero, due October 15.

"Killa was listening to 'Bout It, Bout It' and was like, 'This is hot, we gotta do this over,' " said Diplomat Capo Jimmy Jones, who is the co-director of the video along with Marc Klasfeld. "He hooked up with P and put it together. We did our own flavor of 'Bout It, Bout It,' show them how Harlem is. Summertime, lovely video, no theme behind it, it's just a great performance. It's a blessing to have P up here in the city and we gonna thug it out."

"I always liked the song, its hot," Cam, who recently publicly apologized to Nas for mentioning his daughter in a dis freestyle, confirmed a few minutes later. "I seen Master P on the airplane, we pollied it, he was with it. I decided it was time to bring it back."

P, who says the track's chorus and rhymes a few bars as well, said working on the song conjured up old memories.

"It definitely brought some stuff back," P said with a smile. "I'm definitely feeling Cam'ron and I think we got good chemistry together. It's been fun to be here in an environment where kids want to see it. It's gonna be something good for the kids and something good for the streets, showing the different communities hooking up."

And disconnecting — the playback machine. Although the people from the neighborhood lined up along the fences, making it difficult to see everything going on in the park, the NYPD could hear the music, which is a no no: The City of New York does not allow music to be played during the filming of videos.

A few minutes before, a police officer came through and told the crew that the playback machine couldn't be utilized or else filming would have to stop. Trying to adhere to the officer's demands, they did a couple of takes of the song with music piped into the mini earpieces of the song's performers, Cam, Jim Jones and M.P.

Giving you the feeling of watching a 3-D video on mute, the Dip Set, Taliban ("They feel like they've been at war — on the streets," Cam explained of his affiliates' nefarious name) and M.P. bounced around, but due to faulty wiring, Jones and M.P. couldn't hear the song and were messing up their syncing.

A compromise was made and the song was played at low levels. Fortunately the cops were gone and the scene made its way into the can.

Jones, who also called shots on "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma," said he's improving as a video helmer.

"This is like my third video I directed. Previously, I wrote all the treatments for Cam's other videos," he said. "It's coming out good for a dream of mine. I'm working hard, it's not as easy as you think. Every time I do get on the set, I learn something different and it makes me better for the next set."

The next two sets the Dip Set — which also features Juelz Santana and Freakey Zeakey — will be on are going to be for films. They have parts in Damon Dash's spoof of the music industry, "Death of a Dynasty," and are planning to shoot their own flick soon.

"We're doing a movie called 'Come Home With Me,' which I'm directing," Jones revealed. "We're supposed to film the movie before the summer's over. It's about our crew, me and Cam and the Dips and our immediate family. It's just depicting a story of how we came up in the 'hood doing regular sh-- — like hustling — and we made a transition from that to the music. It's similar to 'Bout It, Bout It' and 'Streets Is Watching,' but it's more focused."

The Dips' album features beats by up-and-coming production team the Heat Makers, as well as Just Blaze and Kanye West.

"It's called Ground Zero, a little dedication to our city," Jones said of the LP. "We started the whole album around [September 11, 2001]. It just played so much of how we came about. We've been on top before but it never panned out. They knocked our buildings down and they already built them back up. But the album is on fire."

After the new version of "Bout It, Bout It" has its run, the crew plans to put out a remake of Starship's 1985 #1 hit "We Built This City."

"Jimmy always wanted to do that song, Just Blaze heard him talk about it and he did the beat," Cam explained. "It turned out good."

- By Shaheem Reid

July 25, 2002

Ruff Ryders Plan 'Full Blowout' With New DMX, Jadakiss LPs

Co-CEO Waah says plans in works for Styles to record in jail. With Styles' A Gangster and a Gentleman moving over 200,000 units in just two weeks and Eve's Eve-olution on tap for August 27, the Ruff Ryders are looking to finish the year strong with releases by DMX and Jadakiss.

"We're going to have a full blowout. It's going down," Double R co-CEO Waah said on Monday from the Ruff Ryders' office in Yonkers, New York. "X is working. We're looking to make another statement with X."

Waah said the lineup of collaborators for DMX's album is still being finalized. Despite rumors of friction between Ruff Ryders producer Swizz Beatz and DMX, the two will be banging out tracks.

"They've got three songs they're gonna do," Waah said of his nephew Swizz and DMX. "Everybody is on the same page. X don't take that long to do. We're about to drop him in December."

Swizz is also going to be present on Jadakiss' second solo album, while Jada appears on Swizz's upcoming G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories Vol. 1 via "Big Business" with Ronald "Mr. Biggs" Isley. A video for the song is currently being discussed.

"Jada's in the lab. He's getting ready to drop some strong hip-hop," Waah said. "We're looking forward to dropping him before the year is out. Kiss has about five or six songs he's ready to lay. He's expecting to take it to the next level, so he's taking his time with it."

One of Kiss' partners in the LOX, Styles, is going to have plenty of time on his hands toward the close of 2002. He's heading to an upstate New York prison in November or December to serve time for assault.

"He still has a little bit more time to work before he's gotta go in," Waah said. "He's just hustling, moving around doing his shows, getting his videos together. 'Daddy Get That Cash' is gonna be the next joint. We're getting a video for that. We gonna keep him bubbling for the next six months. He's gonna be rolling."

Waah is putting plans into motion so that the six to eight months Styles is expected to serve won't slow him down.

"I'm looking forward to doing his second album in jail," Waah disclosed. "I'm looking to do his album behind the bars, behind the bricks. We got outlets for it. It's in the making. Styles is hungry, he stays on point. Look out for him.

"He ain't got nothing but time to think [when he's incarcerated]," he explained. "He ain't gotta move around that much. He's got a library of books to read, a lot of jail stories, war stories, he's gonna be ready. When he comes home, we drop that album, it's ugly. They think this [first] album is hard? They ain't seen nothing yet."

Ruff Ryders already have a couple of releases for 2003 on their radar as well. Drag-On is planning to release his next LP, and MC Jin, who gained national attention by winning battles on BET's "106 & Park" Freestyle Friday segment, is recording his debut.

- By Shaheem Reid

Heavy D Hires Hip-Hop Heavies For Comeback LP, H.E.V.

Rapper returning to the game after taking time off to explore acting. When you've been out of the spotlight for a while, one good way to make a triumphant return is to surround yourself with big names. The formula's not foolproof, as evidenced by Run-D.M.C.'s Crown Royal, but it sure worked for Santana, so heavyweight rapper Heavy D is willing to give it a shot.

His new album, H.E.V., will feature appearances by Faith Evans, Loon and P. Diddy, who will also provide production assistance. The rapper only has three tracks left to cut, and he hopes to have the disc out early next year. On other fronts, Heavy D is working with Jay-Z on a track for the superstar's next album, and he's also been in the studio with Fat Joe.

Heavy D left the rap world after 1999's Heavy to focus on his acting career (appearing in such films as "The Cider House Rules," "Larceny" and "Big Trouble"), and during that time the hip-hop scene gravitated away from the old-school funky grooves upon which Heavy D thrived. He's convinced the respite was healthy, and now he's returning to the game in an era that's more embracing of his trademark style.

"The way music is now, it just fits what I do," he said. "It's melodic and really danceable and headed back to being fun, and I want to be a part of that."

At the same time, Heavy D is making an effort to reach out to folks who grew up with his music but who might have abandoned hip-hop style as they've aged.

"I'm making records to fit a generation that's kind of lost right now," he explained. "There are lots of people who are in their twenties and thirties who still are hip-hop fans, but now they're lawyers, they're doctors, they're schoolteachers, and they don't really get into the day to day slang of hip-hop right now. They're not gonna wear their jeans a certain way and they're not going to wear certain clothes. So I think I'm trying to reach out to that as well as the younger market. When you have the combination of hip-hop and pop, I think you can invite everybody to it."

Songs on H.E.V. include "Just a Little Bit" (featuring Loon, with production by P. Diddy), "Would You Love Me?" (with Faith Evans and P. Diddy) "They Love Me California," "Heavy" and the reggae-tinged "Delilah."

While it's too early to announce a single, Heavy D is especially proud of the cut with Evans, on which he raps, "If I never made a video/ If I never made all of this dough/ Would you love me?/ Would you still be down for me?"

"It's me putting myself in this scenario where I'm going, 'What if I really wasn't this guy that I am now?' " Heavy said. "Would this crop of folks I've got around me eyeing me on a day to day basis still love me? Probably not."

In addition to working on his own record, Heavy D has been busy with a slew of production and writing projects. P. Diddy recruited his services for a number of baby groups on Bad Bay, and he's also worked with Black Rob and G. Dep. The project he's buzzing the most about at the moment, however, is a track he's just written for the next Jay-Z album.

"It's very different. I can't go into detail too much, but it's something very different, and people ain't expecting it," he said. "It's incredible. When I brought it to him, we sat in the car for like an hour just vibing to it. And he was like, 'I gotta do the record.' So, we're finishing up now."

Heavy D has also been helping out his old friend Fat Joe. The two have frequently talked about collaborating, but it didn't happen until recently when Joe was having trouble with a few tracks for his next record.

"He played me a couple of things that weren't flowing, so I was like, 'A'ight, by the time I get to New York I'm going to have one for you,' " recalled Heavy. "When I got in, I called him up and was like, 'Yo, check this out.' And he listened to it and was like, 'Yo, I have to do that.' So, we went to the studio and just laid it down.".

- By Jon Wiederhorn

July 24, 2002

Dre, Ja Rule, P. Diddy Have All Threatened To Retire — But Will They?

Allure of lights, camera, crowds and action, not to mention money, almost always delays that perfect early retirement. Picture Dr. Dre in a pair of Sansabelt slacks and a plaid fishing cap, working on his golf handicap at a Florida retirement community in between slugs of Metamucil. It could happen. Dre said so himself.

"I'm 37 years old," he said recently, swearing that his upcoming hip-hop musical, Detox, will be his final album on the front line. "I'm not talking about lowriders and blunts and all that anymore. What can I talk about?"

OK, maybe the Florida early-bird circuit isn't exactly what Dre envisioned when he said his third solo album would mark his retirement from recording. But if you believe every musician who has vowed that their next album/tour/appearance would be their last, hey, we have some tickets to the Rolling Stones' upcoming tour; we hear it's definitely their last one. For real.

Retiring at the top of their game is what many artists wish for and, on those rare occasions where a band doesn't just fall apart, break up or suffer a loss, threatening to hang it up is a time-honored rock and pop tradition.

The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder. Believe it or not, all these bands/singers have either retired from touring, playing their old songs or making new pop albums.

Of course, almost all of them are touring this summer and trotting out those old hits. The allure of the lights, camera, crowds and action, not to mention the money, almost always delays that perfect early retirement.

Lately, hip-hoppers have been getting in on the early 401(k)-cashing action like never before. Over the past few years everyone from Dre to Snoop Dogg, Master P, P. Diddy and such relative newcomers as Nelly and Ja Rule have threatened to hang up the mic.

"I'm going to retire after two more albums," Ja Rule declared in May. After those albums, Ja said he will quit rhyming and concentrate on his budding movie career. Then again, he cited twice-retired basketball great Michael Jordan as his inspiration for the move to the silver screen, so you'll have to excuse him for leaving that door wide open.

Nas and Noreaga have also recently been quoted as saying that their days on wax are limited. Bay Area gangsta rapper Too Short did actually retire in 1996, but it was a short-lived vacation, as he came back with a couple of singles just two years later and released the aptly titled Can't Stay Away in 1999.

"Once you get the taste of sitting there in the big house soaking in a big tub and your bank account has big zeros, you figure, 'Been there, done that, what new adventures are out there for me?' " said Short, who was busy recording just after he decided to retire. "People like Sugar Ray Leonard and Michael Jordan, when they reach certain goals, they can step away from the thing they love. But, then, when you stop doing that thing you love, it doesn't take long to say, 'Damn, I miss it.' "

So, why quit when you're at the top of your game? Other occupations certainly don't have a similar career arc. You rarely see a Wall Street trader step away from a hot streak, and, with the exception of former football great Barry Sanders, professional athletes rarely walk away before their bodies betray them.

"A lot of times when you see people contemplating retirement, that's usually frustrations," said LL Cool J, who has also done the retirement shuffle in the past. "The politics can get to you emotionally where you just want to quit. But you just gotta keep forging ahead."

Which is why, like boxers, it's a rare hip-hop artist who actually goes away and stays away. One of the few rappers to keep his word is former Bad Boy rapper Mase, who left the hedonistic hip-hop world in 1999 to become a minister and (so far) hasn't looked back.

Perhaps the question should be this: Why is it better not to go out on top?

"I have yet to actually see someone [in hip-hop] retire and not come back to the game," said Horace Madison, co-founder of the Madison Smallwood Financial Group, money managers for a who's who of hip-hop and R&B, including Usher, Swizz Beatz, Outkast and Mase. "I've seen forced retirement, where no one buys their records anymore, but not when they still have the ability to sell records and make money. There's a degree of being out of touch with reality that clouds their vision and allows them to think that they can retire when they haven't maxed out their earning potential in the three-to-five-year window they have."

Madison said that while it's cool for rappers to say they're going to retire to direct, act and/or produce, most artists don't make enough money in that short window of fame to retire and continue living in the style they're accustomed to ... or even the one they lived in before fame.

"A lot of people get burnt out by this industry, they get tired of the pressure, the expectations, everyone pulling them in all directions," Madison said. "But most of them also don't understand what retirement involves, the effects of inflation or estate planning issues and they're not set financially, emotionally or socially. Once they have to stand in line to get into a restaurant and realize that they maybe only had 12 of their 15 minutes of fame, those other three minutes might not look so bad anymore."

The answer for Too Short is simpler: like his album title said, he can't stay away. "Hip-hop is a culture, it's in you," he said. "Even if our style of rap fades out, I'll still be in the basement bangin' on some '80s beats for my own personal satisfaction. Our generation will still want to see Jay-Z, even when we're 50. If someone comes out on that stage and says, 'Lemme hear you say "ho!",' we'll say 'ho!' "

- By Gil Kaufman

New Edition Warm Up For Anniversary With Family Reunion

'You're New Edition family,' Michael Bivins tells hometown crowd. Judging by their ecstatic homecoming on Sunday, New Edition are primed, pumped and ready for next year's 20th anniversary celebration.

"No more 'fans,' " Michael Bivins told the FleetBoston Pavilion crowd of about 3,000, which remained on its feet throughout the 90-minute set on this anniversary warm-up tour. "Now you're New Edition family."

There was plenty of family already on hand, as the Roxbury-bred singers gave shout-outs to their aunts and uncles. But others in the diverse if largely 30-something audience felt their own measure of closeness (including P. Diddy, who made a surprise cameo to introduce the group).

"I grew up with them," said former Roxbury resident Jaque Furtado, 37, of Jamaica Plain. "I'm here to support them. I like their style and their songs, and they dance well." Her husband, Roger, 40, added an observation that was echoed by many in the audience: "They're the original boy band."

But boys become men. Nineteen years since New Edition broke out of Roxbury's Orchard Park projects, and five years since their last tour, the group (with Washington, D.C., recruit Johnny Gill still in the fold, but not Bobby Brown) displayed a maturity that balanced the nostalgic harmonies.

Dressed in loose, snazzy dark outfits that stood out against their simple white backdrop and five-piece band, the singers exuded confidence and camaraderie. They launched into opener "Word to the Mutha!" (from early '90s side project Bell Biv DeVoe) with enthusiastic steps, and built on a communal vibe by remaining together onstage through later solo showcases.

Nostalgia was fueled early by a medley of 1983-84 pop-soul hits including "Candy Girl," a percolating "Popcorn Love" and crisp "Mr. Telephone Man," with Ralph Tresvant taking a smooth vocal lead, as he did on much of the group's repertoire. The ballad "Lost in Love" proved awkward when the singers shared a single, five-spoked microphone stand. But soon they were back to roving the stage and mixing it up, with Tresvant passing the lead to Ricky Bell during "Is This the End."

In a solo-based segment, Bell also tackled "When Will I See You Smile Again?," the suave Tresvant crooned "Sensitivity" and Bell, Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe donned Red Sox caps as they got the crowd grinding and singing along to "Do Me!"

But Gill stepped from the shadows to virtually steal the show with his R&B loverman's tour-de-force treatment of "My, My, My," working into a lather with his gruff-voiced exultations and falsetto yodels and whipping off his shirt to reveal a firmly chiseled chest and nipple rings.

"If It Isn't Love" capped the show, with Dorchester resident Licia Pitts and her friends mimicking the singers' graceful dance gestures. "Coming back after so long, they were really good," said Pitts, 31. "Nice energy. But they needed a dancer to back them." And she was ready to volunteer.

- By Paul Robicheau

July 23, 2002

Eminem, P.O.D., Missy Elliott Nab Most MTV Video Music Awards Noms

Ashanti, 'NSYNC, Shakira, White Stripes, Linkin Park also garner multiple nods. Eminem, P.O.D. and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott are the early favorites to rule Radio City Music Hall when the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards are handed out on August 29.

Em, P.O.D. and Missy scored the most nominations for this year's VMAs, with each artist garnering six nods apiece when nominations were unveiled Monday morning (July 22). While the visual complement to Missy's "One Minute Man" was indeed "so addictive," the real battle for top honors pits the rap-rockers against the rock-rapper.

P.O.D. and Eminem are both vying for the Best Video of the Year, with their clips for "Alive" and "Without Me," and each artist is also contending for Moonmen in their respective genres: Best Rock Video (P.O.D.'s "Youth of the Nation") and Best Rap Video. Additionally, Eminem has his hat in the ring for Best Male Video, while P.O.D. are gunning for Best Group Video for "Alive."

Given that the Southtown boys and Slim Shady are neck and neck in nominations, it may take the power of the people to decide who winds up triumphant by evening's end. Both are also up for the Viewer's Choice Award, competing against Brandy ("What About Us"), Enrique Iglesias ("Hero"), Michelle Branch ("Everywhere") and B2K ("Uh Huh").

While odds are even that they'll come away with the most statuettes, at the moment Eminem has one thing P.O.D. doesn't: a performance slot onstage. Slim will grab the mic for a song, as will Pink and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. Additional performers, as well as presenters of the awards, will be announced later.

Missy Elliott gets props for her "One Minute Man," which features Ludacris and Trina, in the Best Hip-Hop Video category, though most of her nods stem from the technical side of video production: Best Direction, Best Special Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Editing and Best Cinematography.

"Saturday Night Live" cast member Jimmy Fallon will serve as the show's host, taking the reins from last year's master of ceremonies, Jamie Foxx.

Hopes for the future hang on the five nominees in the Best New Artist in a Video category. Striving for that "rookie of the year"-type honor are three-time nominee Ashanti ("Foolish"), John Mayer ("No Such Thing"), Avril Lavigne ("Complicated"), B2K ("Uh Huh") and Puddle of Mudd ("Blurry").

Shakira and the White Stripes could pose a challenge to the frontrunners for most awards. Shakira is up for Best Female Video, Best Dance Video, Best Pop Video and Best Cinematography in a Video for "Whenever, Wherever"; while the White Stripes fascinated viewers and the VMA panel alike with the unique "Fell in Love With a Girl" video, which also received four nominations. The Lego-constructed clip garnered consideration for Best Video of the Year, Breakthrough Video, Best Special Effects in a Video and Best Editing in a Video.

Other multiple nominees include 'NSYNC, Ashanti and Linkin Park.

The 2002 MTV Video Music Awards will take place August 29 at New York's Radio City Music Hall, and broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

- By Joe D'Angelo

Judge In C-Murder's Murder Trial Allows 'Previous Bad Acts' Evidence

Evidence from previous alleged shooting incident can bear upon current charges.
The defense strategy for C-Murder, who is facing second-degree murder charges, has taken a damaging blow.

A Gretna, Louisiana, judge ruled Friday (July 19) that the prosecution can introduce witnesses and evidence of previous alleged criminal behavior in the rapper's upcoming murder trial. This means witnesses to and a videotape of an alleged shooting that took place last August will bear upon the rapper's most recent charges, which stem from a January arrest.

In that incident, C-Murder (born Corey Miller) allegedly fired a gun — which malfunctioned — outside a Baton Rouge club after a doorman refused to let him enter without being searched. The incident was caught on a security camera. After a warrant was issued for his arrest, C-Murder turned himself in and posted bail.

The August arrest has already complicated C-Murder's second-degree murder case. Even though he has yet to be charged in Baton Rouge, the previous incident caused his latest bail to be set higher than usual, at $1 million. Additionally, the January arrest violated the terms of his release on bond in Baton Rouge, so posting bail for second-degree murder wasn't a realistic option, because it would mean he could then be remanded back into custody in Baton Rouge. C-Murder has remained in custody at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Facility in Gretna since January 18.

Now, with Judge Martha Sassone's ruling, the 11 witnesses to the Baton Rouge shooting and the videotape of the incident can be used to demonstrate a pattern of behavior. C-Murder's defense plans to appeal the ruling.

"No bullets were fired, no one was injured, no charges were filed, even though he was arrested, and no prosecution has been instituted [in the Baton Rouge shooting]," C-Murder's co-counsel Ronald Rakosky said. "And it's a totally different situation."

The 24th Judicial District Court in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, also heard testimony from a prisoner claiming that the rapper had confessed to him. C-Murder's defense team dismissed the testimony of the prisoner, who is facing drug distribution charges, as "preposterous" and "dubious."

"I have his rap sheet right here," Rakosky said, "and he's admitted to numerous felony convictions and he's facing a life sentence. He's trying to cut time off his sentence by helping the prosecution."

As if the blows on Friday to C-Murder's defense weren't enough, the defense is struggling to come up with its own witnesses and has been arguing that the district attorney's office still hasn't complied with the discovery process by providing them with the identities of witnesses who might exonerate the rapper. The prosecution initially told the court that the identities of witnesses were being withheld to protect their safety.

"We know virtually nothing," Rakosky said. "We know we're in jail, we know we're accused, but we don't even know the name of the first witness against us. We know basically what we knew seven months ago, and nothing new."

C-Murder's next motions hearing is scheduled for August 28.

- By Jennifer Vineyard

July 22, 2002

Mystikal Videotaped Alleged Rape, Police Say

Tape found locked in safe at rapper's apartment. As Mystikal's lawyers declared his innocence on charges of rape and extortion on Friday (July 19), authorities revealed they confiscated a video of the alleged sexual assaults from the rapper's Baton Rouge home.

The tape, which has been placed into evidence, allegedly shows Mystikal and two other men, Leland Ellis and Vercy Carter, threatening the rapper's 40-year-old hair stylist and forcing her to have sex with them, according to Cpl. Mary Ann Godawa, a spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Police Department.

The men allegedly told the woman they would turn her in to authorities for cashing unauthorized checks from the rapper's bank account if she did not have sex with them.

According to a copy of the arrest warrant obtained on Friday, the woman visited Mystikal's house on July 3 to braid his hair. Afterwards, he confronted her about the checks and ordered her to "get into the bedroom and take your clothes off."

The warrant states that Mystikal called his associates to come to his residence while he was engaged in oral sex with the victim. When they arrived, the rapper allegedly ordered Ellis to get his video camera and film him having sex with the woman. After the camera was turned off, Mystikal allegedly sodomized her. The warrant claims that the camera was turned back on to film the woman having sex with both Carter and Ellis, after which she was ordered to leave.

After the woman contacted authorities on July 4, police searched Mystikal's apartment and detained a video camera and a safe. On July 9, authorities opened the safe and found the videotape.

That same day, detectives were forwarded an affidavit signed by the victim from Mystikal's attorney, Gary Harvey. In it, the woman stated that she had consensual intercourse with the three men.

On July 10, however, the woman met with detectives and said Harvey misled her to believe "the case had been jeopardized, therefore making her feel compelled to sign the affidavit," the arrest warrant states. She said she was confused when she signed the affidavit and still wished to pursue the case.

On Friday, Harvey's co-counsel Michael Guy issued a statement reading, "I am extremely confident that [Mystikal] will be exonerated of all charges that are currently pending against him." He added that all of the rapper's scheduled appearances for July and August would go on as planned.

A spokesperson for Jive Records, the rapper's label, said they would not be issuing a statement with regard to the arrest.

Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Tyler, was released Thursday afternoon on $250,000 bond. If convicted on the rape charge, he would face a mandatory life sentence. Extortion carries a prison term of one to 15 years.

Bond has not been set for Ellis or Carter.

The Baton Rouge District Attorney's office said the rapper's arraignment will be scheduled in four to six weeks.

- By Corey Moss

P. Diddy Hit With $4 Million Suit By No Way Out Writers

Co-writers of six songs on Puffy's 1997 album claim they never recieved royalties. Bad Boy impresario Sean "P. Diddy" Combs has until the end of the month to respond to a lawsuit that was filed against him by three songwriters who are accusing him of cheating them out of millions of dollars.

The $4 million suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court by Universal-MCA Music Publishing, accuses Combs and Bad Boy of trying to swindle three writers out of royalties for six songs from Puffy's 1997 album, No Way Out. Among the songs cited is the #1 hit "I'll Be Missing You," which was written in memory of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. and revolves around major chunks of the Police track "Every Breath You Take."

An attorney for the publishing company and the writers — Todd Gaither, Jeremy Graham and singer Kelly Price — says that, although the album sold over 5 million copies, the writers have received no royalties because of an unfair and "fraudulent" record label policy that places a cap on the mechanical royalties the label will pay for an album. Since No Way Out had already exceeded that amount through sample clearance, there was nothing left to pay the writers.

However, an attorney for Universal-MCA Publishing said the writers never saw or signed any documents that explained the label's royalty rules, and were unaware they would receive no royalties for their work.

"Our writers co-wrote these songs and have received nothing from Combs," attorney Andrew Bart from the firm Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn said. "He played a shell game to his benefit and the detriment of the songwriters."

P. Diddy's spokeswoman Nathalie Moar was adamant that Combs did nothing wrong. "This lawsuit has absolutely no merit," she said.

- By Jon Wiederhorn

July 19, 2002

R. Kelly Sued By P.I. Who Was Hired To Find Videotape

Man claims he's owed part of his $100,000 bounty. Already facing criminal charges, R. Kelly has been hit with another civil lawsuit.  A private detective from Kansas City is suing the R&B singer, claiming that the singer hired him to locate a stolen videotape and didn't pay up in full. Charles Freeman filed his breach of contract suit on July 12 in a Jackson County Circuit Court in Missouri. He's seeking $75,000 in damages.

Last month, the singer pleaded not guilty to 21 counts of child pornography stemming from a videotape which Chicago police and Cook County, Illinois, prosecutors say depicts the singer having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Freeman's suit claims Kelly hired him via private detective Jack Palladino last August and agreed to pay him $100,000 plus up to $40,000 in expenses to recover the stolen videotape, described in a contract as a performance tape.

Palladino's office, which has been working with Kelly on various sex tape and bootleg issues, would neither confirm nor deny Freeman's employment, saying, "That's not information we could or would give out."

According to their contract, Palladino hired Freeman on August 21, 2001, and gave him until August 23 to recover and return the sole copy of the tape. At this point, Freeman was to submit to a polygraph test to attest that "the stolen items he has recovered and will be turning over are all the material that exists, and that he knows of no other copies (whether in whole or in part) in any form." The contract also had one more condition — that Freeman was keep all information about the recovered tape confidential.

Freeman recovered the tape, his lawsuit contends, and passed the polygraph. He was then paid $65,000, he claims, and was told that the remainder of his fee would be forthcoming. Freeman, however, appears to have breached the contract, since his lawyer Gregory Vleisides said that his client made a copy of the tape and kept the original for himself.

Kelly's camp, meanwhile, said that the singer plans to defend himself vigorously against this latest lawsuit. "We're confident that when the facts come out," Kelly's spokesperson Allan Mayer said, "the suit will be shown to have no merit."

R. Kelly has been hit with four additional civil suits, the most recent of which involved a woman who claimed she was the subject of a sex tape which made its way into the bootleg market. The basis of the other three lawsuits involved accusations that he took advantage of minors and engaged in criminal sexual conduct. Two of those lawsuits were settled out of court, while a third is still pending.

- By Jennifer Vineyard

Mystikal Charged With Rape, Extortion

Rapper could face mandatory life sentence if convicted. Mystikal was arrested Thursday (July 18) on charges of aggravated rape and extortion.  The rapper and two other men surrendered to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, authorities in the morning and were released in the afternoon on $250,000 bond, according to the Associated Press.

Mystikal, Leland Ellis and Vercy Carter are accused of threatening to turn a 40-year-old female acquaintance in to police for cashing unauthorized checks from the rapper's bank account if she did not have sex with them.

The police report alleges the rapper, whose real name is Michael Tyler, demanded oral sex from the woman at his house at approximately 8 p.m. on July 3 before inviting the men over. Each of the three men then had sex with her, the police report says.

"During the attacks, the victim was repeatedly threatened with prosecution of the checks and great bodily harm," according to a statement from police. "The victim was allowed to leave the residence after the attacks. She was treated and released at a local hospital."

If convicted on the rape charge, Mystical would face a mandatory life sentence, a police spokesperson told AP. Extortion carries a prison term of one to 15 years.

The rapper's lawyer was not available Thursday night, nor was his Jive Records spokesperson.

Mystikal, best known for "Shake It Fast" and "Danger (Been So Long)," said last month he is working on the follow-up to last year's Tarantula.

The week after his first album, Ghetto Fabulous, was released in 1998, the former Master P protιgι was arrested in Louisiana on a felony weapons charge and a misdemeanor drug possession charge.

- By Corey Moss

July 18, 2002

Jackson Family Defends Michael, Chides Ricky Martin

Jermaine Jackson issues statement reprimanding Tommy Mottola's defenders. As artists and activists start to take sides in Michael Jackson's ongoing battle with Sony, the singer's family has stepped into the fray with none-too-subtle threats to sue for libel.

Speaking for the Jackson family, Jermaine Jackson released a statement late Tuesday chiding those who've defended Tommy Mottola, chairman of Sony Music, and reprimanding comedians for ripping Jackson apart in their acts.

"Industry types, such as Russell Simmons and Ricky Martin ... [are] uninformed and should wait to hear the facts before making derisive statements about Michael," the statement read. "Comedians Dennis Miller and Robin Williams and others who bad-mouth and make comedic references to the scandalous [child molestation] allegations that he faced several years [ago] need to be reminded that not only was Michael not convicted of any crime, he was never charged nor was he ever indicted. Any statements to the contrary are libelous and subject to legal action."

In defending Mottola, Martin — a Sony artist — told the New York Post on Sunday that he didn't think Jackson's accusation that Mottola is a racist had any foundation, but Martin didn't say anything more about Jackson other than, "I've met Michael a few times, and I wish him the best. But I had no idea why he said that."

Simmons had also talked to the Post to defend Mottola and has questioned the validity of Jackson's claim that Invincible didn't sell because of lack of promotion on Sony's part. "There are two things I know," he told the Post. "Tommy Mottola is not a racist, and in black music, especially, you don't need $30 million to make an album successful. If it's a hit record, it'll stick on its own."

Williams joked about Jackson during a New York standup performance televised on HBO on Sunday. Referring to Jackson's charge of racism against Sony, Williams said, "You've got to pick a race first."

"My brother is black," Jermaine Jackson responded in the statement. "No one has the right to question his race."

Calling for an audit of Sony's books, the Jackson family accused the label of inflating the figures it says it spent making and promoting Invincible ($30 million to make the record, $25 million to promote). The statement also alleged that Michael has been cheated out of royalty earnings.

"We believe that the amount of record sales attributed to Michael is underestimated," the statement read. "We believe that the financial records are inflated and not accurate. There are numerous artists who are deceived by record companies who overwhelm them with lawyers, accountants, publicists, double talk, false practices and shady business dealings."

The family also took aim at people within Michael's own camp.

"The people that he has working for him, where are they?" the statement reads. "Why won't they stand up for him? Their non-support is eerily similar to when Michael faced molestation allegations. None in his camp stood up for him. His family was left to take the fight to the media to refute the terrible allegations against him. ... I hope that Michael now understands that he must rid himself of those who only want to reap the benefits of being associated with Michael Jackson yet does nothing for him."

Sony had no response to the family's statement on Wednesday, but the label previously addressed Michael's complaints by saying: "Sony Music spared no expense in creating and executing a series of global marketing, promotion and publicity campaigns in support of the album. We are proud of what we have accomplished with Invincible."

- By Jennifer Vineyard

Slick Rick In Jail, Facing Deportation

INS cites rapper's felony record, prison time.More than six weeks after the Immigration and Naturalization Service arrested Slick Rick aboard a docked Caribbean cruise ship, the hip-hop legend remains behind bars and faces deportation.

The British-born rapper (born Rick Walters) was denied bail in a hearing Friday in Bradenton, Florida, with the INS, which claims his felony record prevents him from living in America.

Rick, who was inducted into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame earlier this year, was convicted of attempted second-degree murder in 1991 after shooting his cousin. He served 5 years and 12 days in prison, and U.S. law states that any non-citizen who serves more than 5 years in prison must be deported.

Six months of Rick's time, however, was due to immigration issues, so he won the right in court to stay in America in 1995. The INS lost an appeal of that decision that year, won two years later, and the Board of Immigration Appeals ordered him to be deported.

Rick was never informed of the appeal, according to his spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the rapper has been recording and performing and scheduled a concert on the Tom Joyner Morning Show cruise ship in May, along with Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, the Baha Men and others. When the ship docked in Miami on June 1, he was arrested for attempting to return to the States and has been refused bail since.

In the hearing last week, Immigration Judge Kevin R. McHugh said only the INS, not he, has jurisdiction to grant bail.

So Rick remains held at the Bradenton County Jail near Tampa while his situation is adjudicated by the INS, who claim he is a "flight risk," according to his spokesperson. A spokesperson for the INS did not return calls. A second deportation hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Several of Rick's celebrity peers have stepped up in support of the rapper, including Will Smith, Russell Simmons and Chris Rock, who invited Rick to open for him in 1999.

"I respectfully ask that he be allowed to stay in this country and released to his family as soon as possible," Smith wrote in a letter to the INS, according to Rick's spokesperson. "I have known Rick for over 15 years, not just as an artist, but as a friend. He has always been professional, reliable and trustworthy."

Rick, who is 37, moved to the U.S. when he was 11 and has been a legal resident since 1976, although he never became a naturalized citizen. He has a wife and two kids and a home in the Bronx, New York, and no longer has family in England.

With his trademark eye patch and gold teeth, Rick has been a fixture in hip-hop since the mid-'80s, when he debuted with Doug E. Fresh on the landmark singles "La-Di-Da-Di" and "The Show." His first album, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, was released in 1988 and went platinum the following year thanks to classic tracks such as "Children's Story."

Rick's legal problems slowed the sales of his next two releases, 1991's The Ruler's Back and 1994's Behind Bars, although he staged an impressive comeback with 1999's The Art of Storytelling, which featured Outkast, Redman and other guests.

- By Corey Moss

July 17, 2002

LL Cool J Hoping For Duet With Fellow Stud Muffin Usher

MC wrapping things up on his LP X, due in September. His current tour is taking him from state to state. His film career has already seen him bounce from Hollis to Hollywood, and most recently, to Holland, for a new thriller. But for LL Cool J, there's nothing like going back to the place that's most familiar — the recording studio. He's hoping for a helping hand to finish up his next album, X, which is due in September.

"It's a strong possibility," he divulged last week in Chicago about a last-minute duet with fellow chiseled stud muffin Usher. "Me and him have been talking about working on something. He's a real good dude. I have one more song to do and it might possibly be with Usher. I didn't do a lot of collaborations, I just wanted to give the world LL Cool J. They haven't been getting enough of that."

His first offering from the album, "Love You Better," can currently be heard on mixtapes and some radio stations. He rhymes about taking his mate for granted and making promises to work his way out the dog house ("I know you don't feel appreciated and what not ... Every other sentence is 'You make me sick.' ").

"It's just something I was really feeling and it came directly from my heart," Cool J said of the Neptunes-produced cut while preparing to take to the stage later that evening. "That's how true art is, at least for me. Maybe it's true in my life somewhat. I don't know."

"Love You Better" is just one of many tunes he and the Neptunes and Trackmasters concocted while in the lab making X.

"When we got in the studio and locked up, the vibe was totally right," he said of the collaborations, which accounted for most of the album's 10 cuts (Neptunes produced five and Trackmasters did three). "When you got the right vibe, why mess it up? I was like, 'This is the direction I want to go in.' The music was flowing crazy, the beats were sounding unbelievable. When you hear the album you'll know exactly what I mean."

Several of the LP's cuts, such as "Paradise" (where Amerie has replaced Tweet as the guest vocalist on the hook), are reminiscent of some of LL's vintage cuts. However, the man who bestowed upon himself the title of "all-time greatest MC" said he just wants to keep it moving.

"I just [want] to make a hot record," he clarified of the blueprint. "I never choose to take things backwards, I choose to take it forward. I just wanted to make a real hot joint. A clean, positive, romantic, party-oriented joint."

From Cool J's description, X sounds like it will be at the opposite end of the spectrum from his last LP, 2000's G.O.A.T.

"I'm pleased with it musically," he said of G.O.A.T. "I feel it's exactly what I wanted to accomplish at that time. It's more a male-oriented street album, it came off exactly how I wanted it to come off. The only thing I think was a problem for me with G.O.A.T. was that rap music changed so much. There was a time when you say you're 'the greatest of all time,' people know it's your job to say you're the best.

"But in this era, when you say things like that, they take it literally," he continued. "They take it kind of personally, like you're desecrating the memory of every hip-hopper that ever existed. Run-DMC couldn't name their album King of Rock nowadays. That would be labeled narcissistic, [people would say,] 'They love themselves.' I think that's the part that was kind of unfortunate. But even that I learned from, so it was no harm in it. It was a great experience."

No matter how people rank LL among the kings of rap, they can't deny he has one of the most extensive catalogs in the game. He's been digging deep into his arsenal of hits on a nightly basis during his summer tour, which ends late next month.

"Everything is good, phenomenal man," he said. "Doing films and everything else I was doing, you don't really get a chance to interact with the fans on the same level. I just wanted to get out here and touch the fans, let them touch me and we vibe together and mix it up. Tear it down every night."

As far as his other means of getting checks, he's completed two films this year — a thriller called "Mindhunters" and the romantic comedy "Deliver Us From Eva," both of which he said will drop in 2003.

" 'Mindhunters' is with Val Kilmer and Christian Slater," he explained. "I play a character called Gabe Jenkins. He's a Philadelphia homicide detective who's basically doing some investigating of his own and things get real ugly. [In 'Deliver Us From Eva'] I play a guy named Ray. He's a loverboy who ends up running into a young lady played by Gabrielle Union. She's gets on everybody's nerves around her so much, all her friends get together, pay this loverboy $5,000 to come in and to break her off a little bit and loosen her up. All hell breaks loose. It gets crazy."

A little tamer is a children's book he's putting out in August called "And the Winner Is."

"It's a book and a CD," he said. "Kids nine and 10 years old are going to be able to rap along. It teaches them about sportsmanship. Not being arrogant when you win. Not being insecure when you lose. It's a real positive book."

- By Shaheem Reid

Fat Joe On Assault Charges: 'They Don't Faze Me'

Bronx rap kingpin denies being involved in May 12 incident at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. Even though Fat Joe says he's not shaken up by recently being arrested and charged with assault, he does know the severity of having the finger pointed at him.

"This is a very serious allegation," he said Monday in uptown New York. "If I go to jail, this is the end of my career."

On July 10, Joey Crack turned himself over to authorities after being accused of living up to his nickname and breaking a man's jaw during an incident at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Times Square on May 12. The Bronx rap kingpin denies being involved.

"Really nothing happened," he said. "That night I didn't have an entourage, I was just having fun, Gucci frames out, a nice little suit. We had an excellent time. I was in a club enjoying myself with my wife and her friends. We just chilled, enjoying the success of the tour. An altercation happened and we walked out. I had nothing at all to do with it. So these charges right here, they don't faze me or make me nervous. They're very serious allegations but I had nothing to do with it."

Joe says he's a victim of his own fame.

"Before we got contacted by the police, we got contacted by people looking for money," he explained. "I'm not the type to give up money, to get extorted, pressed up. We got witnesses from all over calling up, saying the same thing: 'An altercation happened, Fat Joe walked out, he had nothing to do with it.' The bartenders, the bus boys, everyone in the world said, 'Fat Joe had nothing to do with it,' but the cops arrested me."

After being arraigned, Joe, who will have his day in court on September 5, was released without having to post bail.

"They let me out on my own recognizance," he said with a smile. "The police treated me like a gentleman, I treated them like a gentleman. I don't think we have a problem."

- By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Sway Calloway

July 16, 2002

P. Diddy In Director's Chair For Foxy Brown's Ill Na Na 2

Bad Boy CEO co-executive producing female rapper's next LP. P. Diddy may not have been able to lure Foxy Brown away from Def Jam to Bad Boy, but he's making sure his influence is heard throughout her next LP, Ill Na Na 2: The Fever.

He's co-executive producing the project  along with the feisty siren's brothers, Gavin and Anton Marchand.

"Yeah, we working on that," P.D. said recently. "I think you can see by the albums that I've executive produced over time that I bring a movie on wax. I try to see myself as [Steven] Spielberg. I'm gonna make a big, big movie. I'm gonna make you be able to see it from beginning to end. I'm gonna transform the whole situation and get it where it needs to be."

According to Anton, his sister has gotten beats from a string of up-and-coming producers, Gavin, the Trackmasters and Ski, who did a chunk of Jay-Z's early hits. Foxy is also in the process of mapping out a video for "Stylin'," and Def Jam said her LP is due sometime this fall.

- By Shaheem Reid

Did Porn, Sony Or McDonald's Sink Jackson Charity Single?

Reports suggest executive producer's background in adult movies doomed 'What More Can I Give.' Michael Jackson's list of grievances with Sony Music has grown from complaints about the promotion of his Invincible album to include accusations that the label blocked the release of his "What More Can I Give" charity single.

Jackson predicted last fall that the "We Are the World"-type song — recorded with a sizable list of participants including Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin, Usher, Beyoncι Knowles, Shakira and Nick Carter — would raise $50 million for victims of September 11.

Eight months after Jackson announced he was ready to release it, the issues surrounding why the song never came out are starting to come to light. What was seemingly just one portion of Jackson's larger issue with Sony seems to have caused a fair amount of turmoil. The Los Angeles Times reported on Friday that the project was abandoned after it was discovered that the song's executive producer had a background in porn.

According to the Times, the porn connection caused McDonald's to back out of an agreement to sell the single in its restaurants. Sources in Jackson's camp, for the most part, tell a similar story, but the man at the center of the dispute said that there are other factors involved.

Jackson hired Marc Schaffel to executive produce the song and included him in plans to shoot its video, which was to be styled after Bono's "What's Going On" charity project. Jackson's vision, according to the video company hired to realize it, was to depict artists in the studio as well as at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Though Jackson was originally slated to direct, Schaffel handled most of the arrangements and was Jackson's point person, representing the singer in conference calls and meetings, according to sources close to the project.

But when it was discovered that Schaffel had directed and produced porn, Jackson's camp wanted him out. Jackson's legal and management team sought to terminate the singer's business relationship with Schaffel in a November 15 letter sent to Schaffel's lawyers and obtained by MTV News.

While the Times and Jackson insiders said Schaffel was involved in gay porn, the producer said his past work has depicted heterosexuality just as much as bisexuality and homosexuality, and he characterized his style as softcore "Spice Channel stuff." He acknowledged that his background ruffled some feathers, but insisted he wasn't terminated.

"How can I be fired when my company owns the rights to the song?" he asked. (Jackson's camp disputes Schaffel's ownership of the song but admits that he has possession of the master tapes as well as the video footage.)

Instead, Schaffel maintained that Sony is using his porn background to hide its real reason for not putting out "What More Can I Give," which he said was delayed due to the marketing plan for Invincible.

"Sony didn't want the single to take away from the record," he said. "So they wanted to make sure it didn't come out at the same time. After that, they had other excuses. I don't think the porn was a legit excuse. But let's say that it is. No one picketed, and I still get hundreds of e-mails from fans wanting to know what the problem is. No one cares what I did before."

Sources close to the project disagree and said that having Jackson linked with porn would have been disastrous for his already troubled image.

"One press organization, an entertainment television show, found out about it," a source close to Jackson said. "And they threatened to expose it. It got stopped because it was made clear that they would never get to work with Jackson again. But then it was like, ugh, we don't want to work with it anymore, because it would be an uphill battle and it was not part of the bargain."

The extent of Sony's involvement with the single's release remains unclear, as some sources at the label said Sony was only in talks and never actually agreed to release it. Jive, by some accounts, had also expressed interest in putting out "What More Can I Give," indicating that Jackson might have shopped the song around. Schaffel maintained that despite the lack of a formal agreement, Sony was involved, since many of the artists participating were signed to Sony subsidiaries Columbia and Epic.

"Do you think any of these major artists would have stopped what they were doing and recorded their parts without Sony authorization?" Schaffel asked. "They can't do anything without an OK from Tommy [Mottola]."

For its part, a spokesperson for McDonald's said that the fast food chain never had an agreement to sell the single in its restaurants. "We did have discussion about a potential deal," spokesperson Lisa Howard said, "but it fell apart [late last year] based on strict business prospects, in this case, timing, distribution and cost."

Sony had no official comment.

- By Jennifer Vineyard

July 12, 2002

Whitney Houston 'Back To Goose-Bump Time' On New LP

Singer lashes out at detractors on song leaked to radio. Aside from the ice grill she gives the camera in Murder Inc.'s "Down 4 U" video, Whitney Houston — the woman whom Irv Gotti calls the quintessential "down ass chick" — is giving people those old familiar chills, according to one of her collaborators.

"She's singing better than I've heard her sing in years," boasted Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds over the weekend at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. "Her voice is in tip-top shape and it's back to goose-bump time. When she's in the studio, I'm really excited about how she's going at it. She's going at it hard. She's very focused.

"There are some classic Whitney things and some things that have a pop flavor as well," added 'Face, who's writing and producing for the project. "The main thing I can say about her is that she is singing her butt off right now."

Irv Gotti, Rodney Jerkins, Platinum Status (IMX) and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis have all come forth in the past several months and said that they, too, were producing on the album. Tweet has also said she's written a song for the LP.

Houston's spokesperson at Arista Records, who was unavailable for comment on Wednesday, previously divulged that the singer's next album should be out this fall.

Exactly what music makes the cut has yet to be seen, though Houston does have obvious favoritism toward one of the album's contributors: her husband, Bobby Brown.

Tuesday afternoon on New York radio station WBLS, on-air personality Wendy Williams played "Whatcha Lookin' At," a track Williams said Brown produced. A voice similar to his can also be heard singing some background parts and adlibbing.

"My following is real strong/ You got the heart to show the world what I do/ Now I'm turnin' the cameras back on you/ Same spotlights, the ones who gave me fame/ Tryin' to dirty up Whitney's name," Houston scoffs on the track.

She then laments about people who've been "messing with [her] reputation" and "concentration" and don't "even have no education" on the chorus, singing, "I feel your eyes on me/ You been telling lies on me."

- By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Curtis Waller

Eve Discusses Her Eve-olution Into An Actress

Rapper will appear in "XXX," release third album in August.  Shoot another flick or tour? What's a girl to do?  If Eve has her way, she'll put off hitting the road this fall in favor of acting in her third film in about a year. She's becoming addicted.

"Movies are grueling work, and I loved it," she said recently about working on "XXX," which opens August 9, and "Barbershop," which is due in September. "It's another form of expression, but I did miss my music. It kind of helped me just have that passion for my music again."

Eve hopes to show just how much of a muse Hollywood was for her on Eve-olution, due August 27.

"I think you can expect a great album," said Eve, whose first Eve-olution single is "Gangsta Lovin' " with Alicia Keys. "I had a lot of fun doing this album. There's a growth. I had total control. Hopefully people will love it."

The blonde-again Philly rapstress, who recorded songs with her Ruff Rydin' music siblings Jadakiss and Styles as well as Truth Hurts, wasn't surprised how intoxicating it was to work with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg on the LP. She's familiar with how the rap OGs get inspired.

"I did get in the studio with Snoop and Nate Dogg," she started to say, holding back a smile. "What an adventure. That's an experience. We all know what Snoop loves to do, and pretty much my A&R [rep] and my manager were asleep because the room was so cloudy. It was a struggle, it was thick, but it helped the song. It was good atmosphere for the song.

"This was my second time working with Snoop. It was the same experience [as before]," she added. "It was cloudy again. I love Snoop. I think Snoop is super talented. Working with established artists brings the best out of me."

Besides being seen in her first flick and heard on her third solo album, Eve will also introduce her new clothing line, Fetish, in August. She said she's turned down fashion deals in the past, but when her the Iceberg clothing company came to the table, she couldn't refuse.

"I love clothes and fashion," explained Eve, who describes her line as urban elegant. "So I said, 'Why not?' "

- By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Edward Paige

July 11, 2002

TLC Returns to the Studio

The ladies of TLC are trying to soldier on without their Left Eye to guide them. Two months after the untimely death of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes in a Honduras car crash, surviving TLC members Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas have returned to the studio to resume work on their unfinished fourth studio album.

Grammy-winning songwriter-producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who's producing the album, tells the Associated Press that the group has "held up pretty well" as they try to wrap up work on the disc. The album will include tracks recorded by Lopes and is tentatively set to be released this fall.

"They feel like they are doing it still in spirit with Lisa," he told the AP, adding that the recording process has been difficult at times. "There will be ups and downs throughout. There will be times when they'll feel it more than others."

Lopes was killed April 25 when her sport utility vehicle crashed in Honduras, where she often vacationed.

Lopes had been working on several projects before her death: There was talk of collaborations with everyone from Pink and Eve, to David Bowie, and she had been writing material for both her next solo disc and the next TLC album. Her spokesman, Jay Marose, said he had heard four finished tracks from the next TLC album and said "they're the best work they've ever done."

"[At one point] I think they really hit a rough patch and they just got back to a point where they were doing this for a love of TLC," he said.

Edmonds tells the AP that many of the songs were recorded with Lopes, so her voice will be heard throughout the album.

By all accounts, the release should be big: The Atlanta-based group has already sold more than 21 million copies and won four Grammys for their work on CrazySexyCool, FanMail and their 1991 debut, Ooooooohhh...On the TLC Tip.

- By Mark Armstrong

Nelly Hangs Onto #1, Murder Inc. Crew Makes Big Debut On Albums Chart

Nelly's second album sold more than 447,000 copies last week, bringing its two-week total past 1.1 million mark.
Nelly retains the title of sales-chart kingpin as his Nellyville topped sales of The Eminem Show for the second consecutive week.

Nelly's second album sold more than 447,000 copies last week, bringing its two-week total past the 1.1 million mark, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (July 10). Eminem's latest moved more than 263,000 copies to hang on to its #2 slot, where it's been since Nellyville bumped it from the top of the heap.

Following the heavyweight numbers thrown around by the two Midwest MCs, East coast crew Murder Inc. and Capone-N-Noreaga's N.O.R.E. claim the top 10's other two rap releases. Irv Gotti Presents the Inc., a star-studded assortment assembled by the CEO of the Murder Inc. imprint and featuring contributions from Ja Rule and Charli Baltimore, will make its chart debut at #3, having sold more than 192,000 copies. Meanwhile, N.O.R.E.'s God's Favorite, in its second week of release, drops five spots to #8, with 64,000 in sales.

Encompassing the band's influential career, the double-album set O Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits will debut at #4. More than 136,000 copies of the Boston quintet's third best-of collection in as many decades were scooped up by fans both young and old: newbies who needed an all-inclusive fix and those who can't seem to own enough CDs containing the past classics "Dream On" and "Walk This Way," as well as the more recent smashes "Jaded" and "Crazy."

Overall, it was a relatively sluggish week at retail, perhaps on account of what was a four-day holiday weekend for many. Weekly totals for all returning Top 20 LPs dropped compared with the previous tallies, with the exception of one. Seventeen-year-old punk-tart Avril Lavigne saw sales of her debut, Let Go, increase by more than 10,000, although it slid down a chart spot to #5 to make room for the two debuts.

The "Like Mike" soundtrack, led by the all-star remake of Kurtis Blow's '80s paean to hoops and fueled by the allure of the film's star, Bow Wow, will make its chart debut at #18. And what could be taken as a sign that the bands are past their popularity peak, new releases by Oasis and Green Day will place outside the top 20. Oasis' latest album, Heathen Chemistry, will land at #23; while Green Day's B-sides and rarities collection Shenanigans will come in at #27. Oasis's fifth album sold less than any of their previous studio LPs after their first weeks on sale, totaling 20,000 fewer copies than their last album, 2000's Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. As for Green Day, last year's best-of-with-a-new-song set, International Superhits!, placed at #40 after its first week in stores, the Bay Area punks' lowest chart appearance since 1994's Dookie. However, it managed to best Shenanigans' first-week sales, also by approximately 20,000 copies.

The remainder of the top 10 will consist of Ashanti's self-titled debut, remaining in its #6 spot while breaking the 2 million mark after 14 weeks on the chart, all of which were spent in the top 10; Korn's Untouchables at #7; Pink's Missundaztood at #9; and Totally Hits 2 bringing up the rear.

While no album in the top 20 advanced higher than one place from the position it held the previous week, four albums slid more than five places, including the aforementioned N.O.R.E.'s God's Favorite; Papa Roach's Lovehatetragedy (#8 to #13); Truth Hurts' Truthfully Speaking (#5 to #16); and Will Smith's Born to Reign (#13 to #19, despite his film "Men in Black II" taking top honors at the box office).

Other notable debuts on next week's chart include Chicago's greatest-hits collection Very Best Of: Only the Beginning at #38; So So Def Presents: Definition of Remix, masterminded by producer Jermaine Dupri, at #117; Nas' remix effort From Illmatic to Stillmatic at #123; and the Beach Boys' Classics ... Selected by Brian Wilson at #159.

- By Joe D'Angelo

July 10, 2002

Jermaine Dupri Looks To Follow Diddy Down Free-Agent Path

Producer's So So Def imprint likely to split from Columbia when deal runs out this month. When Jermaine Dupri came to New York last week to help his friend P. Diddy celebrate Bad Boy's newfound independence from Arista, it wasn't just because he loves to dance and be in the company of fine models.

Dupri can relate to Puffy. He's about to embark on a new trail with his So So Def imprint, home to Bow Wow, Da Brat, Jagged Edge and Dupri himself.

"My deal with Columbia is basically up at the end of this month," Dupri divulged before going into the shindig. "They ain't come to me and said nothing yet, so I'm possibly going to be a free agent as well. I'm gonna take all my artists. I'm gonna make sure my artists come with me. It's only right it stays So So Def. You wouldn't know them if it wasn't for me, so we're gonna work that out."

A spokesperson at Columbia's parent company, Sony, declined to comment.

Aside from being a CEO, Dupri the producer said he's looking forward to working in the studio again with Usher. The two plan to follow up on the success of 8701 with more collaborations for the singer's next LP.

"We're working soon," J.D. said. "Matter of fact, his tour ends on [July] 14, and we're back into the studio. When we was in the studio [working on 8701,] we was nervous like, 'Yo, we can't top "You Make Me Wanna ... ." ' Then we came with 'U Got It Bad.' So ain't no telling. We just collaborate. We're good like that, so something's gonna come out of it — some heat."

Usher is equally ready to link up with his friend.

"Definitely jumping back in the studio," Usher said last month of his plans after the tour. "I know I will be working with the Neptunes once again. I'll definitely be working with Jermaine Dupri."

- By Shaheem Reid

Michael Jackson Says Industry Labeled Him 'Freak' At Harlem Summit

Pop star attempts damage control, maintains conspiracy theory. Hot on the heels of Saturday's controversial press conference during which he called Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola a racist, Michael Jackson returned to Harlem on Tuesday (July 9) to address artist rights.

As part of the Music Industry Initiative summit, Jackson appeared at the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network to lend star power to the fight for better contracts, royalties and distribution for black artists.

But with Jackson's fight with his record label and his personal attacks on Mottola overshadowing the purpose of his alliance with Sharpton and attorney Johnnie Cochran, the summit came off more like a vehicle for damage control than a constructive outlet for record industry reform.

Trying to take the focus off of himself and his accusations that Sony failed to promote his last album, Invincible, Jackson addressed criticism that his alliance with Sharpton was born out of self-interest and not out of a genuine interest in the plight of black artists and civil rights. Saying that the record industry system was corrupt, Jackson again spoke of a conspiracy that not only keeps black artists down but also co-opts their music and dance forms.

"I'm tired of the manipulation," said Jackson, who would not allow the media to tape his brief remarks. "The press has manipulated the truth. They're liars. History books are a lie. You need to know this, you must know this, that all forms of popular music, from jazz to rock to hip-hop, and dance, from the jitterbug to the Charleston, are black. But go down to the corner bookstore, and you won't see one black person on a cover. You'll see Elvis Presley. You'll see the Rolling Stones. But where are the real pioneers?"

Citing Otis Blackwell as one such pioneer deserving of larger recognition, Jackson said that there was something terribly amiss in a system that would find Blackwell dying penniless despite having penned such classics as "Don't Be Cruel," "All Shook Up" and "Great Balls of Fire." "They didn't write one book about him that I know of, and I've searched the world over," Jackson said. "And he was a prolific, phenomenal writer."

Jackson then said that as soon as he started gaining power, the system that once propped him up started working to destroy him. "Once I started breaking sales records," he began, "I broke Elvis Presley's record, I broke the Beatles' record — once I started doing that, overnight, they called me a freak, a homosexual, a child molester. They said I bleached my skin. They did everything they could to turn the public against me. It's a conspiracy."

He added, "I know my race. I look in the mirror, and I know that I'm black."

Before Jackson's speech, Sharpton exhorted the 300-person audience to consider not just how much record labels spend on their artists, but also where and how. Jackson echoed Sharpton's call for discussion and action when he asked the crowd to not forget why they were assembled.

"Let's not leave this building and forget what was said," Jackson said. "Let's do something about it. ... And remember, we're all brothers and sisters, no matter what color we are."

Sharpton then called upon the crowd to break into discussion groups to address issues such as royalties and distribution. At this point, however, Jackson — escorted by Sharpton and Cochran — left the building. This caused a slight disturbance as those attending attempted to follow them — some almost toppling a speaker stack on the trio, some even chasing his car down the block — leaving the actual work of the summit for another day.

- By Jennifer Vineyard

July 9, 2002

Michael Jackson Shocks Al Sharpton By Calling Tommy Mottola A Racist

Singer accuses Sony Music chairman of conspiring against black artists. Michael Jackson took on Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola this past weekend, accusing the head of his record company of being a racist and part of a racist conspiracy against black artists.

Though it was anticipated that Jackson would challenge standard practices of the music industry and champion artists' rights when he spoke at the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network in New York's Harlem neighborhood on Saturday, his personal attacks against the Sony executive came as a surprise, not least of all to Sharpton himself.

Most of Jackson's comments were constrained to the overall treatment of black artists, the struggle of whom he said he shared. The pop star compared his troubles with his record company to those of artists who struggled financially, saying that there was an "incredible injustice" taking place.

"The recording companies really, really do conspire against the artists," Jackson said. "They steal, they cheat, they do everything they can, especially [against] the black artists. ... People from James Brown to Sammy Davis Jr., some of the real pioneers that inspired me to be an entertainer, these artists are always on tour, because if they stop touring, they would go hungry. If you fight for me, you're fighting for all black people, dead and alive."

But Jackson may have taken a wrong turn when he turned the fight for him into a fight against Mottola. Claiming that Mottola had used the "N-word" to refer to an unidentified black Sony artist, Jackson singled out the company chairman for being "mean ... a racist ... and very, very, very devilish."

Those accusations expanded on previous comments Jackson had made at a fan club event in London on June 15, where he told the crowd, "Tommy Mottola is a devil." At that event, Jackson didn't address any aspects of racism, and he limited his remarks to his troubles with Sony, which he claimed had tried to destroy what was to have been his comeback album, Invincible, by failing to promote it.

According to sources close to the album, Sony spent $30 million to make Invincible and $25 million to promote it; only two singles and one video were released, however. And while Jackson did perform two high-profile anniversary concerts in September that were later televised, he did not tour to support the album — another source close to the project said that Jackson refused to. Jackson also made few public appearances and granted even fewer interviews. Though Invincible sold an estimated 6 million copies worldwide and went double platinum in the U.S., it was not a blockbuster.

Still, the pop star has since escalated his troubles with his album sales and record company into an artist rights' issue, one that garnered him the support of not only Sharpton but also Johnnie Cochran. While Sharpton still supports Jackson's view on the record industry overall, Sharpton told the New York Post that he was unaware that the pop star would vilify Mottola, an action he said was unfair and unfounded.

"He was the first record executive to step up and offer to help us with respect to corporate accountability, when it comes to black music issues," Sharpton told the Post. "I have known Tommy for 15 or 20 years, and never once have I known him to say or do anything that would be considered racist. ... I didn't know that Michael planned to personally attack Tommy, but nobody tells Michael Jackson what to do."

For its part, Sony was quick to defend Mottola as well, releasing a statement saying the company was bewildered by the pop star's remarks, which it called "ludicrous, spiteful and hurtful."

"We were deeply offended by the outrageous comments Mr. Jackson made during his publicity stunt this past Saturday," the statement reads. "The executive he attacked is widely supported and respected in every part of the music industry and has championed both Mr. Jackson's career and the careers of many other superstars. In launching an unfounded and unwarranted attack on this man's reputation, Mr. Jackson has committed a serious abuse of the power that comes with celebrity. The bizarre, false statements Mr. Jackson made on Saturday make it clear that his difficulties lie elsewhere than with the marketing and promotion of Invincible."

As the lines get drawn, Sharpton told the Post that he's already received a flurry of calls from top-level artists and producers upset with Jackson and coming to Mottola's defense, including producers Steve Stoute and Corey Rooney (Jennifer Lopez, Destiny's Child, Marc Anthony). It will soon be apparent whether Sharpton can separate Jackson's remarks about Mottola from the broader industry concerns their alliance is supposed to address, such as artist contracts and royalties, when National Action Network's Music Industry Initiative summit takes place Tuesday at NAN's New York headquarters.

- By Jennifer Vineyard

P. Diddy On 112 Dispute: 'We'll Cradle Them, Get Their Minds Right'

112 allege mistreatment at Bad Boy; Diddy says label did everything it was supposed to do. Mike, Q, Slim and Daron of 112 say they will not be part of the Bad Boy roster when the company's owner, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, finds a new home for his label.

However, while Diddy admitted last week that he and the group he introduced to the world in 1996 are not one big happy family, he was firm about the guys' status: "They're on Bad Boy," he said. "We're gonna have to talk about it further."

The next time they talk about it will be in a court of law.

In February, citing that their contract with Bad Boy had expired, 112 signed a new recording deal with Island/Def Jam's subdivision Def Soul. Puffy filed an injunction in court to stop them from leaving because he said that their obligations to Bad Boy were not fulfilled. A judge is reviewing the matter, and the group is in limbo.

"We'll let the courts handle it, and then when it's over with we'll take 112 back in," Diddy said of his game plan. "We'll take them back in, cradle them, we'll get their minds right and put out a new hot album and let bygones be bygones."

The group, which is currently waiting things out in its hometown of Atlanta, contends that things are irreconcilable.

"It just was time for 112 to go to the next level," Mike said of why they wanted to leave. "We really couldn't do that being on Bad Boy."

The quartet charges that when it had music out at the same time as Puff, Bad Boy's attention would never be on 112 and that P.D. favored himself.

"We were a priority at certain times," Daron admitted. "But when you dealing with a label where the CEO is trying to be an artist also, it just leaves the question mark to where the focus is. If you put yourself in a situation where you have your own label and one day you decide to be an artist yourself, where would you spend your marketing and promotion dollars? It has been frustrating over the years trying to deal with that."

As with most disgruntled artists, money — or lack thereof — is the source of another huge gripe they have with Puff. They claim to have done everything Bad Boy asked of them — including learning choreography, undergoing media training, losing weight and writing and producing — but were still treated like stepchildren in the Bad Boy family when it came to getting the checks.

"We were 16 years old when we signed those [recording] contracts," Mike explained. "We were naive. We're not blaming anybody for what we did. But the way it was presented to us was like we were family, that it was all about love. Being adults now and being more mature and knowing the business now, we would have never signed. But at that time we were hungry, we were desperate, we needed whatever we could get to be out there to sing to the world, to be artists."

"That's why the family thing was such a contradiction," Daron scoffed. "If you such a family you would have just taken care of us regardless of the structure of the contracts. If I'm a man and I'm worth over $100 million and I got this group and they signed an agreement that's structured in a way that they can't make money. ... Me personally, if I was the head of the Bad Boy family, I would have said, 'OK, let me break these guys off a little something.' "

"It's a shame when you work with a group for like eight years," Diddy countered. "You put out three hit albums, a bunch of hit videos, a bunch of hit singles. We ain't taking none of their money. We ain't never not paid them their money. We ain't never not got them on MTV, on BET. We ain't never not had them all over the radio. We ain't never not had them on tour. We did what we were supposed to do as a record company.

"Then you got somebody like Def Jam trying to scream, 'The grass is greener on this side,' " he continued. "You can't make me look like a bad guy. Everybody knows 112's name, you dance to their records, the guys ain't walking around broke and struggling, and we've done our thing as a label and we stand by that. It ain't no beef. We have the utmost respect [for them], and at the end of the day we don't want nobody rolling with us that don't wanna roll with us. But it ain't no just walking away or treating us like we haven't done a great job."

But the gentlemanly crooners feel Def Jam can do the best job for their careers. They say it wasn't a matter of Island/Def Jam head Lyor Cohen trying to steal them away, as Diddy alleged in February; rather, they were feeling the company's vision and track record.

"As far as we knew, Def Jam wanted us because we were available and it was a perfect merge," Mike said. "Because we was on Bad Boy, we still needed to be on a label that had a street, almost like gutter feel. Def Jam had that feel also. But as far as [Lyor] having a vendetta against Puffy, we didn't really know."

While 112 will have to wait for the judge to make sense of their contract before they can drop their fourth LP, the guys hope to start working on it soon. In the meantime, Daron will be producing for a host of R&B artists and the other guys are working with acting coaches in hopes of embarking on side careers on the big screen.

- By Shaheem Reid

July 8, 2002

P. Diddy Declares Bad Boy Independence Day At Massive Shindig

Impresario says new Notorious B.I.G. records, 'big announcement' on way. He gets it from his mama. Those hot shindigs that have helped build P. Diddy's reputation for over a decade — like Tuesday night's Independence Day fiesta — all come from what he picked up as a child.

"I'm not surprised," Mrs. Janice Combs said as stars started to flood Chelsea area nightclub Eugene. "He's always gonna have a big turnout, because he's a party-giving child. He loves to throw parties, and I used to love to give parties too."

Sean "Puffy" Combs was joined by Bad Boy camp members like Loon and Mario Winans, actors such as Wood Harris, Morris Chestnut, Donald Faison and castmembers from HBO's "Oz," and a host of other showbiz dwellers to not only kick off the Fourth of July, but also to celebrate the rebirth of Combs' Bad Boy label and its independence from Arista Records.

"I'm here to have a good time, man," crooner Joe said as he walked in. "I'm going to enjoy what's going. I'm here with my people, and I'm just here to support Puff. I'm sure its gonna be crazy. It's gonna be women all over the place."

"He's the king of socialites," said music video director Benny Boom, shot-caller on both "I Need a Girl" videos, of why he came out. "Ain't no party like a Puff party. He throws the hottest joints."

Roc-A-Fella's Damon Dash concurred. "Puff's my man," he said as he made his way into the fiesta. "I can see him [getting] on the mic. I can see a lot of dancing. He won't let no one sit down. No one gets to act funny."

Dash's forecast was correct. A little after midnight, DJ S&S had already hit the partygoers with a barrage of Nelly's "Hot in Herre," Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U" and Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya?" That was just an appetizer, because the guest of honor was just pulling up.

"This is the Bad Boy official Independence Day," Puffy exclaimed, clad in a blue pinstripe suit and brandishing a cigar. "Two weeks ago we bought back the rights to all our masters [tapes]; our catalog past, present and future; [and] all of our acts [from Arista], so we could be in total control of the future of Bad Boy going into the next decade."

The future of Bad Boy, according to Combs, is that the company will become a major label and house divisions that cater to several genres of music. He also said to expect albums from Loon, Dream, Mario Winans and Craig Mack, as well as unreleased material from his late franchise player.

"We got some new Biggie records we're gonna drop," Puff disclosed.

"It was a honor for us to be able to buy back the masters while we're in our prime, while we're hotter than ever," he added. "We got our masters. Now we can figure out what we're gonna do in the future, who we wanna roll with. We can make that decision and have more power on a worldwide level to really, really get it cracking. We're [about] eight weeks away from making a big announcement."

Last night, if your voice wasn't emanating from a spinning piece of vinyl, the only major announcement the crowd wanted to hear was "Make noise!"

Once Puff joined the fray, the party looked like one his videos. There was no V.I.P. section — everybody was good enough to mingle. Jermaine Dupri and Loon were dancing on tables; Puff and his A&R, Harve Pierre, sipped on expensive spirits; Dame Dash had one blonde cutie in front of him and one in back; and DJ Clue and Fabolous were casing the joint, readying themselves to get in where they fit in. Meanwhile, Rev. Run (collar and all) was outside posing for snaps with supermodel Tyson Beckford.

Puff, who'll be traveling extensively in the next couple of weeks, will be living a hip-hop version of the movie "Groundhog Day" during the holiday weekend. He's going to wake up in the morning, chill with some fans later in the day and cap off his night in a club, as Bad Boy and So So Def will host a myriad of events in Atlanta starting on Wednesday (July 3) and ending Sunday.

"Yeah, it be crazy," said So So Def chief Dupri, who took some time out to stand on solid ground and talk about collaborating with P.D. at the get-togethers. "The lines be down the block. A lot of the times the parties are over capacity, people can't even get in.

"We're talking about taking it on the road, doing it everywhere," he continued, "because only Atlanta, New York, Philly and a couple of [other] cities got a chance to experience it. It's crazy. Puff be on the mic, I be on the turntables. We rocking it."

- By Shaheem Reid

Nellyville Tops InTown On Billboard Chart

The Eminem Show drops to #2, followed by N.O.R.E., Avril Lavigne.The Eminem Show isn't getting top billing in Nellyville. After five weeks at the top, the Detroit rapper was dethroned by his St. Louis peer, whose second album sold more than 714,000 copies in its first week, enough to claim the #1 position on next week's Billboard 200 albums chart, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (July 3).

Sales of Nelly's follow-up to 2000's Country Grammar more than doubled that of Eminem's latest LP, which sold over 307,000 copies to give it a six-week total in excess of 3.6 million copies.

Despite the step down, Eminem can still take comfort in knowing that he continues to trump much of the competition. Coming closest to Slim Shady's sales is N.O.R.E.'s God's Favorite, the third solo album by half of Capone-N-Noreaga, which sold more than 118,000 copies to come in at #3. Rounding out the chart's top-10 debuts is the first offering from Truth Hurts, Truthfully Speaking, which lands at #5 after selling more than 89,000 copies.

Avril Lavigne will continue her ascension, peaking at #4 thanks to the pop hit "Complicated," from her debut album, Let Go, which sold more than 112,000 copies last week.

Rock took a back seat to rap on the chart, as Korn's Untouchables (79,000 sold) was pushed from last week's #2 debut position to #7, and Papa Roach's Lovehatetragedy (74,000) will slide from #2 to #8. Each album saw a dip in weekly sales totals of more than 52,000 copies.

Rapper/actor Will Smith may need another week to become heir to the top 10 positions, as his third solo LP, Born to Reign, debuts at #13. Perhaps the opening of his "Men in Black II," which features the single "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)," will help drive the album to a more regal location for the former Fresh Prince.

The rest of the top 10 includes Ashanti's self-titled debut, moving up a notch to #6; Totally Hits 2 dropping five spots to #9; and Pink's Missundaztood holding at #10.

Wyclef Jean's Masquerade fell victim to a second-week sales slide, dropping from a #6 debut to #17. The multitalented musician's weekly sales totals fell from 81,000 to 43,000, giving Masquerade the distinction of being the LP to move the farthest in either direction among top 20 albums.

Longer distances are traveled down in top 40 territory. Our Lady Peace's Gravity lived up to its name by falling 22 places to #31, and Paulina Rubio's Border Girl plummeted 27 spots to #38 in its second week.

Conversely, Enrique Iglesias was able to rejuvenate his Escape. On the heels of a new single, "Don't Turn Off the Lights," and appearances/performances on the "Today" show and "TRL," the LP will move up more than 21 places to #36 seven months after its release.

Other notable debuts include Shedaisy's Knock on the Sky at #23; Soulfly's 3 at #46; Nonpoint's Development at #52; the various-artists collection This Is Ultimate Dance at #61; Epitaph's Punk-O-Rama Vol. 7 at #67; Ozzy Osbourne's first live album in 12 years, Live at Budokan at #70; comedian Steve Harvey's recommendation-fest Sign of Things to Come: Steve's Picks of the Year's Hottest R&B and Hip Hop at #73; Queensbridge rapper Cormega's True Meaning at #95; Reel Big Fish's Cheer Up! at #115; Sonic Youth's Murray Street at #126; Joe Satriani's Strange Beautiful Music at #140; Halford's Crucible at #144; Trance Party Vol. 2 at #177; the re-release of Nickelback's debut album, Curb, at #182; and Home Grown's Kings of Pop at #189.

- By Joe D'Angelo

July 3, 2002

Blackstreet Members Reunite, Plan New Record In October

Everybody, Blackstreet's back. No, not Backstreet as in the Boys, Blackstreet as in "No Diggity."

New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley revealed at Tuesday's BET Awards that he and Chauncey Hannibal have put aside their bitter rivalry and re-formed the group with singers Mark Middleton and Eric Williams.

Those four have also reunited with past Blackstreet members Levi Little, Dave Hollister, Joseph Stonestreet and Terrell Phillips for a ballad fittingly titled "Bygones," according to a spokesperson for their new label, DreamWorks.

Blackstreet are recording an album now and plan to release it October 22. "The name of the album is Level Two, though we're not really sold on the name yet, but Level Two is the idea," Riley said.

So far the group has recorded with Havoc from Mobb Deep and hip-hop legend Erick Sermon, who produced a portion of the band's 1994 self-titled debut. "We have more people coming," Riley said. "They want to get in on the project because they hear what the first single is sounding like, so they love it."

The kickoff single, the party track "Wizzy Wow," features guest vocals from Mystikal. Blackstreet are shooting a video for the track late next month in Toronto. "It's just an unbelievable track," Riley said. "Everybody loves it. We tested it everywhere. We were gonna drop it at the end of August, but they pushed it up to August 1st."

The group, which had gone through several lineup changes, split bitterly in 1999, with Riley suing Hannibal for slander over comments he made on a solo album.

Since then Riley has maintained his status as a top producer, working with 'NSYNC, Michael Jackson and Joe, including his #1 hit "Stutter."

Blackstreet won a Grammy for their 1996 single "No Diggity," which featured guest vocals from Dr. Dre.

- By Corey Moss

3LW Lend Harmony To Bone Thugs' New Single

3LW are on the fast track out of teen-pop land, and they've got Bad Boys and Thugs along to speed up the ride.

The same week they premiere their video for "I Do (Wanna Get Close to You)," featuring P. Diddy and Loon, the R&B trio will hit the airwaves as guest vocalists on Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's new single, "Get Up and Get It."

The tracks follow up 3LW's appearance on Naughty by Nature's "Feels Good (Don't Worry 'Bout A Thing)" earlier this year and their collaboration with Nas on their own single, "I Can't Take It," from their 2000 self-titled debut. And that hip-hop trend appears to be blossoming.

"There is talk about Busta Rhymes being on [our] album," Adrienne Bailon said at last week's BET Awards. "We're about to work with Irv Gotti [on a track] which will include Ja Rule, hopefully. Lil' Kim [may appear]. There are projects coming up with Eve. We are really, really excited."

3LW are still finishing their second album, A Girl Can Mack, due September 24. Though they're not sure which rappers will make appearances on the LP, it's clear from the party vibe of "I Do" that the three little women are not so little anymore.

"It's definitely a club song — everybody in the club is going to be jamming to it," Kiely Williams said. "It's real hot. We found out P. Diddy was involved, and it was like an added bonus. We're very proud of that song. It definitely shows a new side and more mature side of 3LW."

Along the same lines, "Get Up and Get It," from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Thug World Order, due in October, is a light-hearted summer anthem, according to the group's spokesperson.

In conjunction with their new release, 3LW re-launched their Web site (http://www.3lw.com) last week.

- By Corey Moss

July 2, 2002

Nas Calls Cam'ron A 'Dummy,' Retracts Call To Steal Funkmaster Flex's Chain

Queens MC puzzled by New York radio station Hot 97's 'censorship' of him.
Concert boycotts, calling out other rappers, exposing alleged dirty radio politics and under-the-table payoffs: Nas has done it all in the past few days. Some have chalked up the usually reserved street poet's actions and words of late to straight

- By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Jason Gallagher and Rahman Dukes

Trick Daddy Takes A 'Holiday'

Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic rapper Trick Daddy is returning with his fifth album, "Thug Holiday," due Aug. 6. The album is led by the single "In Da Wind," featuring Cee-Lo, which has risen to No. 45 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart this week in its fifth week on the chart.

"Thug Holiday" sports guest spots from Big Boi of Outkast, Cee-Lo of Goodie Mob, Scarface of the Geto Boys, Baby of the Big Tymers, and LaTocha Scott. Veteran soul crooner Betty Wright and her children's choir join in on the gospel-leaning cut "God Be Good." The album was produced by Jazzy Pha and mixed by John Frye.

"Thug Holiday" is the follow-up to last year's "Thugs Are Us," which debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 in March 2001, also checking in with a No. 2 slot on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. That album also spawned the hit "Take It To Da House" featuring the SNS Express, which hit No. 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

- By Troy Carpenter

July 1, 2002

'Monica' Shows R&B Star Coming Of Age

R&B star Monica will release her self-titled third album Aug. 20 via J Records. The set is said to be a blend of contemporary R&B, pop, and hip-hop, and features the production skills of such well-known talents as Rodney Jerkins, Jermaine Dupri, Dallas Austin, and Soulshock & Karlin.

"As we agonized over the right album title, I said why not just 'Monica'? I've never had a self-titled album and since I co-wrote the entire thing, what better timing for one?," she says in a statement. "Also, this is truly the first time in my career that the songs reflect both my direct and indirect personal experiences."

The album is led by the single "All Eyez on Me," which features a sample of Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)." Monica describes the track, which debuts this week at No. 57 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart as "a party record. The world has had plenty of tragedy to deal with recently so I wanted to do something that had a 'feel good' flavor to it."

Although she's introducing fans to her latest via a lighthearted and upbeat number, the majority of the set "is quite serious," she notes. "I think more adults will be comfortable with my music. The truth is, I've grown up." Among the other cuts on the album is "U Should've Known" which she says is "about a relationship where everything is positive until something negative happens and the guy gets incarcerated. Yes, it is a situation I have experienced."

Another track based on real life is "I Wrote This Song," which Monica says is about her first love who committed suicide. "Some days, when I think about what happened, I cry. Writing the song was like a healing for me. I knew if I could write about that, I could write about anything."

Among the other songs on the album are "Hurts The Most," "U Deserve," "Girl, Please," "Ain't Gonna Cry No More," "Breaks My Heart," "Down 4 Whateva," and "Searchin.'" "It's like my 'coming of age' record," she says, "and with this album, I want to establish the kind of fans who will be with me for the next ten years and more."

"Monica" is the follow-up to the 1998 Arista set "The Boy Is Mine." That album debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 8 on The Billboard 200. It spawned several hits, including the No. 1 Hot 100 title track duet with Brandy, and has sold 1.97 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. 

- By Barry A. Jeckell

Fabolous Assists Diddy With His Wardrobe, Shoots Clip For 'Trade It All'

Remix track to appear on 'Barbershop' soundtrack.

With his own clothing line, Sean John, you wouldn't think P. Diddy needs any assistance with getting the right flavoring for his wardrobe. Not so, says Fabolous. When Diddy needs the hook-up with the hot throwbacks, Fab says he can be a valuable connection.

"Yeah, yeah we've been getting at him a little bit," laughed Fab, who recently teamed with Diddy for the remix to "Trade It All," which also features Jagged Edge. "I know Puff respects me on the throwback tip, he let me know that. I try to get him something. I try to show Puff the way, too. 'Cause man, he's good peoples and he would do the same for me."

Fab had a chance to display the latest in his arsenal of jerseys when he and P.D. shot the video for the song last week in Los Angeles. The clip pretty much follows the concept of the song, though it also incorporates parties in a mansion and on a beach.

"I did the throwback Rams," he explained. "They got a new Rams out. It's blue and yellow, its actually Joe Namath, he played on the L.A. Rams in 1977. I got [Stephon] Marbury with an old-school [Phoenix] Suns jersey. I got the throwback Kobe [Bryant]. It's an L.A. [Lakers] joint but it's the blue one. Kobe actually came down to the video shoot and he peeped the jersey and was like, 'Damn man, I can't even get this one. Where did you get this?' And I had to tell him I got a few connections and if he needs this jersey I'd get him his own jersey."

In his song, which will appear on the soundtrack to "Barbershop" (the original version is a track on his debut, Ghetto Fabolous), Fab rhymes about trading everything — jerseys and all — for the love of his life.

"We wanted to do it real fresh and bring the tempo of it up," he said of how the collabo with Diddy came about. "So we did a remix. Puff was doing a lot of those 'I Need a Girl' records and so we was like, 'Maybe we should put Puff on it man, I think that'd be hot.' So we hollered at him. He was with it. He wanted to do a track with me anyway so this would be a good way to set it off. So we just went in there, we laid it and it came out on fire."

F.A.B.O.L.O.U.S. is also pleased with the outcome of his teaming with Bow Wow and Jermaine Dupri on "Basketball." He said working with the 15-year-old was a way of touching his younger demographic of fans.

"Bow Wow's a cool dude," he said. "He's very young and it's good that he's got his head on his shoulders at such a young age. That joint I did right there is more like for the kids. I'm not really looking for the older crowd to pick up on that. I have a young fanbase also, so it's good to throw them back something."

Fab expects his next album, Street Dreams, to drop in October. He's already recorded two tracks for the album with producers Rick Rock and Mr. Fingers and is hoping to secure beats from Dr. Dre, Diddy, Megahertz and Kanye West. When he's not in the studio, the Brooklyn rapper is trying to get in touch with his fans. He just started the Fabolous fan club with his sister because he said people had no way of getting up with him. It's only right: After all, he did have a song that encouraged people to "holla back."