June 29, 2001

Jay-Z Beatsmith Kanye West Doesn't Sweat Lil' Romeo Comparison

Say it ain't so - Jay-Z biting Lil' Romeo?

Jay's new song, "H to the Izzo," uses the same sample of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" that powers Romeo's #1 single "My Baby," but Jay Hova's newest beat maker, Kanye West, says he's not sweating people analyzing similarities between the two cuts.

"I thought about that, but are they gonna compare ["H to the Izzo"] to that Mya and Blackstreet song ["Take Me There," which used the same sample]?" said the beatsmith, who supplied Jigga with the song's track. "My beat is based off of underground elements. It's not based on 'We gonna take this old song and we gonna make some money off of this.' The way I flipped it was so ill."

West, like many who watched Tuesday's live broadcast of the BET Awards, was shocked when Jigga debuted the single as part of his performance.

"I was on the phone with my girl, and she just started screaming, and my two-way [pager] started blowing up. I was just thinking, 'Damn.' That was like the time in the [movie] 'Five Heartbeats' when they heard their song on the radio and they start running through the crib. If they ever do a movie about me, that's one of the spots they're gonna have to put in the movie. That song is really gonna change my life," he said.

West - who originally created the song's soundscape for a radio promo that Common and Carl Thomas were supposed to perform on but never did - said he's already seen his life change since Jay's Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000 came out last year.

"Until an artist of that caliber co-signs for you, the industry doesn't believe in your skills," he said. "Now they know."

Using his trademarked sampling of spiritual wails to invoke feeling, West sat behind the boards for the pensive posse cut "This Can't Be Life," which featured Scarface, Beanie Sigel and Jay all disclosing personal anxiety while keeping optimistic. "The music is so soulful, it forces people to have a more positive subject matter," West said.

Mentored in his early days by producer No I.D., West has recently completed tracks for Trina, Cam'ron, Nas, Ludacris and Cris' "What's Your Fantasy" co-star, Shawna.

"I also rap, so I be wanting to save beats [for myself]," said West, who is pursuing a record deal with several labels. "But a certain caliber of rapper, I be like, 'You can have it. You probably could do something bigger with it.' That helps me to blow my name. The song I did with Nas is 'You Can't Stop Me.' It's one of my favorites because it uses singing samples but it's real bouncy."

West also has production credits on two of Sigel's cuts on The Reason, which hits the streets Tuesday. It was when he was submitting tracks for Beans' album that he once again caught Jay's ear and was recruited for four songs on The Blueprint, including "Ain't No Love Up in the City," which may feature R. Kelly.

"It makes you real spoiled to have [an artist] finish a song as quick as him," said West, who was astonished when Jay once completed a song in less than five minutes. "He was surprisingly receptive. He was way easier to work with than muthaf---ers who don't sell no records."

Now that his work is being recognized, the 24-year-old, who admits his style is somewhat derivative of P. Diddy's beat-jacking MO, said he's living by the Bad Boy motto "We won't stop."

"I make beats every day out of fear of not being hot no more," he said. "I'm only as hot as the last beat that I did."


Lil' Mo Recovering After Bottle Attack

Instead of celebrating Tuesday's release of her debut album, Based on a True Story, Lil' Mo will be resting and recuperating after being hit over the head with a champagne bottle on Friday.

The 4'11" singer, born Cynthia Loving, was attacked by a male as she was getting into her limo, which was parked outside the backstage area of the Warfield in San Francisco, according to a police report. She had just performed at the venue.

Mo was treated at California Pacific Medical Center, where she received 20 stitches. She is doing fine but is a little shaken up, according to a spokesperson for the singer.

"For this to happen on the eve of the most exciting week of Mo's career makes us all doubly sad," read a statement from the singer's label, Elektra Records. Mo has canceled all of her public appearances through June 29 as she has to follow up with her doctors, the label said.

A police spokesperson could not offer any further details about the investigation.

June 28, 2001

Lawsuit Against Juvenile Dropped

According to The Associated Press, a lawsuit against hip hop star Juvenile has been dropped. The rapper has agreed to get his huge tour bus off the streets of his Louisiana subdivision. In turn, Woodstone of Mandeville has agreed to drop a lawsuit against the rapper. Back in April, the subdivision sued Juvenile to stop him from parking the bus on the narrow neighborhood streets. The suit claimed Juvenile violated the subdivision's rules by parking a fleet of sports cars in his back yard. An attorney for the subdivision says Juvenile has basically agreed to do everything asked of him -- so they decided to have the lawsuit dismissed last month. Juvenile owns a 315-thousand-dollar home in the Mandeville, Louisiana, subdivision of Woodstone. In July of last year, the rap star was arrested after chasing five strippers down the street with an ice pick in hand. Police say that incident occurred during a housewarming at the house. They say the rapper got mad at the strippers because he said the women let an upstairs bathtub overflow. Juvenile was found guilty of several misdemeanor assault charges when he failed to show up in court. Since then, however, Woodstone residents say the rapper has become the ideal neighbor, keeping up his lawn and keeping the noise down.


The Fast and the Furious Beats Competition to Top Spot

The box office was full of surprises this week as The Fast and the Furious left the competition eating its dust. The adrenaline-paced race car film starring Vin Diesel, Ja Rule, and Paul Walker took in just under a whopping $42 million in its opening weekend, leaving Eddie Murphy's highly anticipated sequel Dr. Dolittle 2 in second place. Dr. Dolittle 2 is the sequel to Murphy's 1998 remake of the hit film, which grossed well over $100 million. In third place, Tomb Raider, the action-adventure film based on the video game bearing the same title took in another cool $20 million, bringing its total gross in at under $70 million. Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire finished fourth while the green ogre Shrek came in fifth with $11 million. Despite mixed reviews, Swordfish, starring Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Hugh Jackman, and John Travolta, showed staying power as it held on to sixth place while Pearl Harbor came in seventh with $7 million. Rounding out the top 10 were Moulin Rouge, Evolution, and Rob Schnider's comedy, The Animal. Here is a list of the this week's top 10 films:

1. The Fast and the Furious, $41.6 million
2. Dr. Dolittle 2, $26.7 million
3. Tomb Raider, $20.2 million
4. Atlantis: The Lost Empire, $13.2 million
5. Shrek, $11 million
6. Swordfish, $7.7 million
7. Pearl Harbor, $7 million
8. Moulin Rouge, $3.8 million
9. Evolution, $3.6 million
10. The Animal, $3 million

June 27, 2001

Destiny's Child Sued Over Missed Concert Dates

Two concert promoters have filed a lawsuit against Destiny's Child, alleging breach of contract, general negligence, and unfair business practices, among other claims, Billboard Bulletin reports. The suit, filed last week in Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles, follows the Columbia act's failure to perform two make-up shows after it missed a June 16, 2000, date at the Memorial Coliseum in Farmington, N.M.

Promoters Cliff Richey and Maricela Delgado claim that under terms of an Aug. 8, 2000, settlement, they paid appearance fees and expenses to Destiny's Child for two make-up shows, one scheduled for Saturday at the original venue and one at an undisclosed Southern California location. The suit says the act failed to appear for the shows. Richey and Delgado seek punitive damages to be determined by the court in excess of $100,000.

Representatives for Destiny's Child, Richey, and Delgado did not return calls. Destiny's Child plays Milwaukee's Summerfest on Monday (July 2).


Erykah Badu Returns To The Road

Soul diva Erykah Badu has announced a new round of North American tour dates, on which she will be supported by rap acts Common and Dilated Peoples. The trek begins Aug. 1 in Portsmouth, Va., and will wind down Sept. 3 in Boston. Beforehand, Badu will appear at New Orleans' Essence Music Festival on July 5, and will hit Europe for eight shows through July 18.

An Aug. 8 show outside of Detroit will feature an expanded lineup, including Macy Gray, Jill Scott, and Sunshine Anderson. Badu is touring in support of last year's "Mama's Gun" (Motown), which debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Bag Lady," which spent several weeks atop Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. The album has sold nearly 1.1 million copies in the U.S., according to SoundScan.

Badu is also a finalist for top R&B/hip-hop artist - female at the inaugural Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, to be handed out Aug. 30 in New York. Sade, Scott, and Tamia are also finalists for the award.

Here are Erykah Badu's tourdates:
July 5: New Orleans (Superdome - Essence Festival)
July 9: Munich, Germany (Colosseum)
July 10: Bonn, Germany (Museumplatz)
July 11: Hamburg, Germany (Stadtpark)
July 13: Bern, Switzerland (Gurtenfestival)
July 15: The Hague, Netherlands (Congressgebouw)
July 16: Manchester, England (Apollo Manchester)
July 17-18: London (Brixton Academy)
Aug. 1: Portsmouth, Va. (Harbor Center)
Aug. 3: Washington, D.C. (D.A.R. Constitution Hall)
Aug. 4: Richmond, Va. (Landmark Theatre)
Aug. 5: Baltimore (Pier Six)
Aug. 6: New York (Central Park SummerStage)
Aug. 8: Clarkston, Mich. (DTE Energy Music Theatre)
Aug, 10: Columbus, Ohio (Palace Theatre)
Aug. 11: Milwaukee (Riverside Theatre)
Aug. 12: Minneapolis (Orpheum Theatre)
Aug. 15: Seattle (Summer Nights at the Pier)
Aug. 18: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara Bowl)
Aug. 19: Los Angeles (Greek Theatre)
Aug. 22: San Diego (Humphrey's)
Aug. 23: Morrison, Colo. (Red Rocks)
Aug. 25: St. Louis (Pageant)
Aug. 26: Chicago (Arie Crown Theater)
Aug. 30: Toronto (Molson Amphitheater)
Sept. 2: Atlantic City, N.J. (Trump Taj Mahal)
Sept. 3: Boston (Fleet Pavilion)

June 26, 2001

BET Recognizes Game

In case you missed it last night, Black Entertainment Television scored big with the 1st Annual BET Awards live from Las Vegas. Hosted by reigning comedy kings Steve Harvey and Cedric The Entertainer, the ceremony proved to the masses that black star power was capable of producing the real thing as opposed to the ghetto Grammy's. Highlights included appearances by Jodeci, Shaquille O'Neal, Nelly and Ananda Lewis as well as mind-blowing performances by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani, Outkast, Snoop Dogg, Donnie Mc Clurkin with Patti LaBelle, Jay-Z and Lil' Bow Wow. Although Outkast led all winners with two trophies for "Best Male Group" and "Video of the Year" for their popular "baby mama drama" anthem "Ms. Jackson," the biggest honor went to Whitney Houston, who took home the Lifetime Achievement Award. This was definitely the climax of the show, which included a heartfelt memorable introduction by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Mary J. Blige, an outstanding tribute by Luther Vandross and Christina Aguilera, and Mrs. Bobby Brown herself throwin' down with a flawless performance of her record breaking smash 'I Will Always Love You.' If you missed it, BET assured us that even though all went well with the show, ain't a damn thing changed but the weather. They will re-run the show over and over and over again. Here is the list of the winners:

Best Female R&B Artist: Mary J. Blige
Best Male R&B Artist: Musiq Soulchild
Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Eve
Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Jay-Z
Best Female Group: Destiny's Child
Best Male Group: Outkast
Best New Artist: Nelly
Best Gospel Artist: Donnie Mc Clurkin
Best Actress: Sanaa Lathan-"Love & Basketball"
Best Actor: Denzel Washington-"Remember the Titans"
Female Athlete of the Year: Marion Jones
Male Athlete of the Year: Allen Iverson
Video of the Year: Outkast-"Ms. Jackson"
Viewers Choice Award: Lil' Bow Wow-"Bow Wow (That's My Name)"
Lifetime Achievement Award: Whitney Houston


Utah Jazz Player Wanted on Statutory Rape Charges

According to The Associated Press, Utah Jazz rookie DeShawn Stevenson has been charged with statutory rape for having sex with a 14-year-old girl, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Stevenson, a 6-foot-5 guard who went from high school directly to the NBA last year, was charged last week in Fresno Superior Court, chief deputy district attorney Liz Mitchell said. The 20-year-old Stevenson, a Fresno native who went to Washington Union H.S. in nearby Easton, faces up to three years in state prison if convicted. His whereabouts Tuesday were not immediately known. Stevenson is accused of having sex with the girl during a visit to Fresno in the past six weeks, Mitchell said. She didn't have any other details. "I didn't even know he played basketball," Mitchell said. "I have no idea what he was doing in Fresno."

Four undercover detectives staked out the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport for Stevenson Tuesday evening. The officers from the State Department of Justice said they expected him to fly in and they were waiting to arrest him on a warrant. The officers offered no other details, but the Fresno County Sheriff's Department said a warrant had been issued Monday for Stevenson's arrest. Neither the Jazz nor agent Rob Pelinka would comment. Stevenson's lawyer, Richard Berman, did not immediately return several messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Stevenson played in 40 games for the Jazz as a rookie, averaging 2.2 points and 0.7 rebounds. He was placed on the injured list March 2 with tendinitis in his right knee and was reactivated April 11. This is the second time Stevenson has run into legal troubles since he was drafted in the first round by Utah last year, the 23rd pick overall. On the night he was drafted, Stevenson was involved in a brawl at a high school all-star basketball game in neighboring Clovis. Stevenson, who did not play in the June 28 game, said he was jumped by five men after signing autographs. He pleaded innocent to charges of fighting in a public place.

June 25, 2001

Bluesman John Lee Hooker Dies In His Sleep

The blues world lost one of its profound voices early Thursday (June 21) morning . John Lee Hooker, a giant of post-World War II blues, died as he slept in his Redwood City, Calif., home. He was 83.

"He passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning," a spokeswoman at the Rosebud Agency, his San Francisco booking agent, told Reuters.

Hooker's family posted the following message on www.rosebudus.com: "John Lee Hooker, the greatest of all bluesmen, passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning (June 21) at his home in the San Francisco Bay area, at the age of 83. Hooker influenced countless generations of musicians and inspired music fans around the world during his 60-year career. He was loved dearly by millions and we will all miss him greatly. Funeral and memorial arrangements will be announced shortly. We thank everyone for their kind wishes and condolences."

Hooker, whose monochord boogies and terrifying voice electrified blues audiences and inspired musicians for over 60 years, recorded an estimated 100 albums for dozens of labels under almost as many names.

Though best known for songs such as "Boogie Chillen" and "Boom Boom," he distinguished himself with one of the most original styles in all of the blues. His taut, but primal, guitar tone and weathered voice -- soaked with sexuality and spiced with arrogance -- provided the blues with a powerful archetype.

"You can trace more musical roots back to John Lee Hooker than anyone else in popular music," says blues expert Dave Rubin. "The hypnotic nature, his strong sexual imagery, and the concept that a whole song can be built on a single riff -- all rock and roll trademarks -- come directly from John Lee Hooker."

Hooker was born in Clarksdale, Miss., as one of 11 children to a Baptist minister and sharecropper. By the time he was 14, Hooker hit the road, playing fish fries, small bars, and juke joints. At the age of 23, he moved to Detroit, which was unusual for bluesmen, who ordinarily found comfortable homes in Texas, Chicago, or Memphis.

His most popular material came for the Chess and Vee Jay labels, the latter spawning two of his best-known tracks, "Dimples" in 1956 and "Boom Boom" in 1962. Those two songs galvanized the nascent blues scene in the U.K., including young artists such as Van Morrison and Eric Clapton, and in 1961, the upstart Rolling Stones opened for him on a European tour.

Though his career ebbed and flowed throughout the '70s and '80s, Hooker won a GRAMMY Award for his 1989 set, The Healer, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the next year. The '90s would become Hooker's most successful decade. Hooker spent the last few years watching baseball, enjoying his fleet of expensive cars, and playing unannounced gigs at small venues.


Carlos Santana Expresses Thoughts On John Lee Hooker's Passing

Carlos Santana, who worked with the late John Lee Hooker on such albums as 1990's The Healer, is the first artist to speak out on the passing of the blues musician.

In a statement released late Thursday (June 21), Santana says, "There are no superlatives to describe the profound impact John Lee left in our hearts. For musicians and common people -- all of us feel enormous gratitude, respect, admiration, and love for his spirit.

"When I was a child, he was the first circus I wanted to run away with," continues Santana. "He, Jimmy Reed, and Lightning Hopkins were the foundation for all of my music. Working with him on The Healer, Chill Out, and also playing live on the Blues Festivals is something that I will deeply treasure. On behalf of CT [Chester Thompson], everyone in my band, and myself, we say to you John: 'Boogie in the Light.'"

June 22, 2001

Shaq Goes 'Psycho' With Members Of Korn, 311

Lakers center vents about celebrity on new single. Being one of the most celebrated players in NBA history is so difficult, in fact, that Shaquille O'Neal recently teamed up with members of Korn and 311 to record the mad rock rant "Psycho" on which the Lakers center vents about the snags of stardom.

"'Psycho' is just the other side of me — the side that I'm really not allowed to show," the hoopster/rapper said Monday at the Key Club, where the Lakers were celebrating their second consecutive NBA championship. "It's just how I get sometimes. I get stressed out, and I get pent up."

Korn bassist Fieldy and 311 singer/guitarist Nick Hexum and drummer Chad Sexton accompany Shaq on the track.

"He wanted to make a rock track where he's just going off, ranting and raving as this character called Psycho," Hexum said. "He's going off about all the pressures that are on him and how he just has to bust out sometimes."

Shaq declares in the song, "I want y'all to hear me/ Respect me and fear me/ Ahh, I suggest you don't get near me/ I'm psycho, and I don't think clearly."

The randomness of his ranting at times recalls an Eminem outburst, complete with lines bound to make listeners laugh: "Critics, when you hear this, don't say jack/ I'm the sh--; I was born out my mother's a-- crack."

Shaq said "Psycho" is readymade for slam-dancing, something there'll be plenty of on his upcoming U.S. tour. The rapper will hold a contest called Take Down Shaq, offering $10,000 to any audience member who can knock him down.

"I love all types of music — I love rock music, I love people going out there and slam-dancin', and 'Psycho' is a definite head-banger, banger-boogie, slam-dance-type song. And if anyone can knock me down in a slam-dance competition, I'll give 'em 10,000 out of my pocket."

"Psycho" will not appear on Shaq's upcoming album, Shaquille O'Neal Presents His Superfriends, Volume 1 (September 11), but it'll be available in limited numbers through select stores. The same approach was used for his Lakers victory song, "Shaq's Tribute to the Lakers (It Takes Two)," which samples Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock's classic "It Takes Two".

Nicole Scherzinger of Eden's Crush was invited to sing the tribute track's hook on the advice of 311's Hexum. "Shaq loved Nicole because she's just radiant and sang her ass off on the song," Hexum said.

Shaq thanked 311 for their help on "Psycho" and "Shaq's Tribute" by appearing in the reggae-punk band's video for "You Wouldn't Believe." "He's a lot of fun to hang out with," Hexum said. "He's always making everybody laugh."

Although he performed "Shaq's Tribute" at a victory parade for the Lakers earlier Monday, Shaq left the entertainment up to Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and up-and-coming Los Angeles hip-hop group Latin Froz at the Key Club party. Farrell delivered a typically eclectic DJ set of jungle and trance mixes in a private room downstairs, while Latin Froz got the upstairs dance floor shakin', with even the Laker Girls out there getting down.

Latin Froz, whom Shaq invited to perform, will release the single "Metelo" to radio next month, with an album due in the fall.

Shaquille O'Neal Presents His Superfriends, Volume 1 features contributions from hordes of artists, including the Roots' Black Thought and ?uestlove, 112, Ludacris, Common, Mos Def and Angie Stone.

— Teri vanHorn


Slum Village To Embark On Summer Tour

Detroit rap collective Slum Village will kick off their 24-city Family Tree tour at the Cubby Bear club in Chicago, Illinois on June 28th. The tour will include stops in Florida, California, and Texas and will wrap up on August 3rd at Harry O's in Park City, Utah. Slum Village, comprised Jay-Dee, T3, and Baatin', will also hit the stage with a live band. In addition to performing cuts from their critically acclaimed debut Fantastic Vol.2, they will also perform tracks from their forthcoming album Trinity, which will hit stores this fall. Phife Dawg and Jarobi, former members of A Tribe Called Quest, will also perform on the tour as well as DJ Rasta Root, Dwele, Phat Kat, and Mystic. For information on ticket prices and show times, call (407) 382-3951. Here is the current tour itinerary:

6/28/01 Chicago, IL Cubby Bear
6/29/01 Ashville, NC Ashville Music Zone
6/30/01 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
7/1/01 Birmingham, AL Five Points Music Hall
7/4/01 Charleston, SC The Warehouse
7/6/01 Atlanta, GA Earthlink Live
7/7/01 Jacksonville, FL Club 5
7/9/01 Orlando, FL HOB
7/11/01 Houston, FL Hypeira
7/13/01 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa
7/14/01 Dallas, TX Canyon Club
7/18/01 Vail, CO 8150
7/19/01 Boulder, CO Fox Theater
7/20/01 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
7/21/01 Tuscon, AZ The Rock
7/22/01 Las Vegas, NV Huntridge Theater
7/24/01 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity theater
7/25/01 San Diego, CA 4th & B
7/27/01 Anaheim, CA House Of Blues
7/28/01 Los Angeles, CA House Of Blues
7/30/01 Santa Cruz, CA Palookaville
7/31/01 San Francisco, CA Maritime Hall
8/1/01 Eureka, CA Club West
8/3/01 Park City, UT Harry O's

June 21, 2001

DMX Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Warner Bros.

DMX's commitment must have impressed Warner Bros. when he put off a jail sentence to promote last spring's "Exit Wounds." The studio has signed a new multi-picture deal with the rapper that will begin this fall.

DMX and producer Joel Silver, the man behind the DMX films "Romeo Must Die" and "Exit Wounds," will soon film an as-yet-untitled project inspired by the 1931 German crime thriller "M," a Warner Bros. spokesperson said Monday (June 18).

"M," directed by legendary filmmaker Fritz Lang, is about a child murderer who eludes an exhaustive police investigation. When the citywide search for the murderer interrupts organized crime, other criminals join in the search.

DMX's spokesperson said the rapper will also star in "The Crow: Lazarus," the fourth flick in the "Crow" franchise, as part of his deal with Warner Bros.

The film, which was slated to begin filming in the spring with video director Joseph Kahn at the helm , has been delayed while DMX finishes his next album , due in September.

DMX's upcoming autobiography, "A Dogz Life," has also been delayed, his spokesperson said. Originally slated for the fall, the book will now be published by HarperCollins at the end of the year.

— Corey Moss


Nelly Got Game

Universal Music has launched a new online interactive game featuring hip hop star Nelly and the St. Lunatics. Designed by digital solutions provider Pileated Pictures, the animated Adventure, entitled "Rip Van Nelly", allows site visitors to guide Nelly through a brief series of interactive events en route to his concert. Based on the classic story Rip Van Winkle, "Rip Van Nelly" finds the rapper waking up under the St. Louis Arch of his hometown after a twenty-year siesta. Using Macromedia Flash technology and the voices of Nelly and his group the St. Lunatics, Rip Van Nelly paints a colorful journey, which allows users to interact and guide the rapper against a backdrop of his music. "Rip Van Nelly" is the second teaming of Universal Music and Pileated Pictures, who paired up earlier this year to release a set of online trading cards for the Cash Money Millionaires. For a direct link to the game, log on to http://www.nelly.net/game/test.html.

In related news, the St. Lunatics debut album Free City debuted at number three last week on Soundscan. The album features the hit single "Midwest Swing."

June 20, 2001

Ol' Dirty Bastard Sentencing Postponed

Troubled hip hop star Ol' Dirty Bastard's sentencing hearing for cocaine possession was postponed on Wednesday until July 17 to allow the New York State Department of Probation to revise its pre-sentence report, according to a spokesperson for the Queens County district attorney's office. The rapper, whose real name is Russell Jones, faced two to four years in state prison on drug charges when he appeared before Judge Joseph A. Grasso. The judge allowed defense attorney Peter Frankel's motion to postpone the hearing until a more complete pre-sentencing report is resubmitted, despite objections from prosecutor Ken Holder. The Department of Probation is required to file a comprehensive evaluation of the defendant's criminal, social, physical and mental history if a sentence involves state jail time. Frankel said ODB's report did not have sufficient information about the rapper's mental health. Ol' Dirty Bastard remains in custody as he awaits sentencing.


Suge Knight to Return To Death Row in August

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Death Row Records CEO Marion "Suge" Knight will be released on August 9th from a federal prison in Oregon where he is completing a sentence for violating probation. Knight was paroled on April 20th from Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, after serving half of a nine-year term for violating probation on assault charges. He was then transferred to a federal prison in Sheridan, Oregon to finish the remaining months of a federal probation violation sentence that had been running concurrently with the state sentence, said Randsom Ali, executive assistant to the warden at the Oregon facility.

Knight will be on supervised release after he leaves prison in August, Ali said. Knight was on probation for state and federal charges the night of September 7, 1996, when he was involved in a fight at a Las Vegas hotel. Hours after the fight, rap star Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in a drive-by attack as he rode in Knight's car. The following February, Knight was sentenced to nine years in prison for violating the terms of his probation by taking part in the fight. He had been on state-monitored probation since 1995, when he entered no-contest pleas to two counts of assault stemming from a 1992 attack on two rappers at a Hollywood recording studio. He also pleaded guilty in 1995 to federal charges of attempting to commit a drug-related offense and conspiracy, and was given a month in jail and three years supervised release.

June 19, 2001

Busta Set To Violate

Charismatic hip hop star Busta Rhymes has been tearing up the airwaves with his latest hit single "What It Is." The contagious dance track was produced by the Neptunes and features the vocals of Kelis. It will be featured on the Violator The Album: V2 compilation. Missy Elliott and Ja Rule also come together on a track as the pay homage to the sex drug "Ex" while Noreaga tells us why the streets are so "Grimey." Goodie Mob and Dungeon Family member Cee-lo has also joined the Violator family as he delivers a stellar solo performance on " Sexual Chocolate. Violator The Album: V2 also contains production by Swizz Beatz while LL Cool J, The Lox, Mobb Deep, and Fat Joe also spit fire on the project. Here is a tentative track listing for the compilation:

1. Intro- Fortune
2. What It Is - Busta Rhymes & Kelis
3. Grimey - Noreaga
4. Put Your Hands Up - LL Cool J
5. Livin In The City - Da Franchise & Butch Cassidy
6. I Come Thru - Noreaga & Styles
7. Fiend - Jo Jo Pellegrino
8. Sexual Chocolate - Cee-Lo
9. U Feel Me - Fat Joe, Havoc, Remy Martin, Options, Capone & Noyd
10. Livin' The Life - Prodigy of Mobb Deep & Jadakiss
11. Grind Season - Jo Jo Pellegrino & Kurupt
12. Hoppin In My Car - Hollyhood & Ludacris
13. (Raps) Next Generation - G Dep, Tah Murder, Jo Jo, Red Café, Fabolous, Fortune' 14. We Do This - Muse & Maze
15. Can't Get Enough - Meka, Spliff Starr & Rah Digga
16. Die 3 - The Outfit
17. Apology Not Accepted - Da Franchise & Deshara Renee
18. Ex - Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliot, Ja Rule & Tweet


Allen Iverson To Give Away Sneakers and a 2 Way Pager

To celebrate Allen Iverson as this year's NBA MVP and the Philadelphia 76's advance to the finals, Reebok has launched www.2wayIverson.com. This micro site includes a contest to win a pair of autographed I3 sneakers, or a Motorola 2-way pager. Users can also register to receive 2-way alerts from Allen Iverson. Kris Wright, Marketing Manager at Reebok, said, "This contest is truly authentic because Allen really does use his 2-way pager all the time, now he can communicate directly with his fans."

Wright also expressed enthusiasm about "The Answer's" upcoming summer and fall sneakers. He said, " He has a bunch of shoes coming out. We have new introductions every month, different colors and models. In this quarter, we basically had about four different models come out. We had his play off shoe come out. We have a slide shoe, a running shoe, as well as a cross training shoe. We also have some low top versions of his performance shoe from this season that are coming out also."

For more information on the contest, log on to www.2wayiverson.com and to view the latest Allen Iverson tennis shoes, log on to www.reebok.com.

June 18, 2001

Left Eye and Andre Rison to Marry

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, football star Andre Rison made an impromptu visit to hip-hop radio station Hot-97.5 in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday morning and announced that he and TLC singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes plan to get married on July 5 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Rison, who played last season for the Oakland Raiders, didn't let loose with any other details, except to say - somewhat incoherently; he'd been partying all night -- that after the nuptials, he and Lopes would go on a "hot tour and speak in schools across America."

Lopes, 30, could not be reached for comment. However, the botanical garden confirmed that it has a July 5 reservation for a "Lopes wedding." Hot-97.5 morning announcer Ryan Cameron, a longtime friend of the football star, didn't doubt the report: "Whether [Rison] was in 'good spirits' or not," he said, "I have never known him to be a liar. He said it, and I believe he meant it."

Lopes' longtime friend Ian Burke added that he'd heard for some time that the two planned to wed. "I just hadn't heard when, an actual date until now," Burke said.

Event planner Jamahl King, the party organizer for Rison and Lopes, didn't know a date had been set either, he said, but "I knew it was in the air."

Lopes and Rison first made the news eight years ago when Rison fired a gun into the air when someone tried to break up a fight between the couple. In 1994 after another fight, Lopes set the couple's $1.3 million mansion fire, after which they split. Then at the 2000 Grammy Awards, Rison was spotted on the red carpet alongside Lopes. "You know, me and Andre just have a bond no one will understand," said Lopes afterward. "Sometimes, even I don't."


Chuck Berry Lawsuit Continues

According to The Associated Press, a federal judge has ruled that Johnnie Johnson can proceed with his lawsuit against Chuck Berry. Johnson sued the rock 'n' roller last November seeking millions of dollars in past royalties for songs Johnson says he co-wrote with Berry, including "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Berry's attorneys were seeking a dismissal of the case and cited a three-year statute of limitations on copyright claims. Judge Donald J. Stohr ruled Monday that Johnson may attempt to show why the statute of limitations should not apply. Stohr also ordered Berry to turn over all of his financial records showing the royalties he has received over the years.

Johnson alleges he often composed the music on piano, then Berry converted it to guitar and wrote the lyrics. Berry even wrote the classic "Johnny B. Goode" as a tribute to Johnson. In March, Johnson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "sideman" category, along with Elvis Presley guitarist James Burton.

June 15, 2001

Nelly Unhappy With TWA Flight

According to Reuters, hip hop phenomenon Nelly has filed a complaint with TWA, saying he received poor treatment during a flight because he's black. The 23-year-old rapper said a flight attendant refused to give him a pillow as he sat in first class from St. Louis to Denver on Saturday. He said when he got up later to find one, the pilot ordered him back to his seat and threatened him with arrest if he failed to do so. Minutes later, the attendants gave Nelly two pillows, but he said police officers were waiting at the gate when the plane landed in Denver. He said he tried to get the pilot's name to file a complaint, but police told him to leave the gate or he'd be arrested. "The way it escalated was a result of me being a black man,'' said the rapper, who complained to the airline on Monday.

TWA spokesman Mark Abels denied Nelly's account of the confrontation and said a witness backed up the airline. Nelly was in St. Louis last weekend taking part in a charity fund-raiser thrown by him and his group, the St. Lunatics. The St. Lunatics' debut album Free City premiered on Soundscan this week at number four. Nelly's solo album Country Grammar is ranked at number 21 on Soundscan and has sold over seven million copies.


Outkast Leads List of Source Award Nominees

The Third Annual Source Hip Hop Music Awards will be held on August 20th in Miami, Florida with a venue to be announced later. Eminem and Outkast lead the list of nominees with five a piece as both will compete for the "Album of the Year Award" for their respective works The Real Slim Shady and Stankonia. Snoop Dogg, Nelly, and Jay-Z received three nominations while Mystikal, Ja Rule, Ludacris and M.O.P. are up for two. Due to last year's melee, this year's awards will be invitation only. The Third Annual Source Awards will also be televised again on August 28th on the UPN Network. LL Cool J will also receive the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" which was awarded to Ice-Cube and Dr. Dre last year. Here is the complete list of nominees:

Lifetime Achievement Award:
L.L. Cool J

Album of the Year:
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
Outkast, Stankonia
Nelly, Country Grammar
Jay-Z, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000
M.O.P., Warriorz

Single of the Year:
Ja Rule, "Put It on Me"
Mystikal, "Shake Ya Ass"
Eminem, "Stan"
Outkast, "Ms. Jackson"
Nelly, "Country Grammar"
Ludacris, "Southern Hospitality"

Artist of the Year, Solo:
Jay-Z
Snoop Dogg
Ja Rule
Eminem
Eve

Artist of the Year, Group:
Outkast
M.O.P.
Wu-Tang Clan
Three 6 Mafia
Cash Money Millionaires

New Artist of the Year:
Nelly
Ludacris
Lil' Bow Wow
Trina
Shyne

R&B Artist of the Year:
R. Kelly
Jill Scott
Carl Thomas
Musiq Soulchild
Joe

Video of the Year:
Outkast, "B.O.B." (Dave Meyers, director)
Eminem, "Stan" (Philip Atwell and Dr. Dre, directors)
Snoop Dogg, "Snoop Dogg" (Chris Robinson, director)
De La Soul, "Ooh" (Jeff Richter, director)
Lil' Kim featuring Sisqo, "How Many Licks" (Francis Lawrence, director)

Lyricist of the Year:
Eminem
Jay-Z
Scarface
Talib Kweli

Live Performer of the Year:
Mystikal
Outkast
Snoop Dogg
Xzibit
Trick Daddy

Producer of the Year:
Neptunes
Dr. Dre
Rockwilder
Timbaland
Mannie Fresh

June 14, 2001

Prince Taking Celebration To The People

Weeklong Prince-centric bash spawns North American tour.

Never one to let the party die down, Prince is extending this week's "Prince: A Celebration" event into a North American tour.

The artist will kick off the trip June 21 in Columbus, Ohio, after a week of parties and concerts at his Paisley Park compound that will culminate with two shows in St. Paul, Minnesota.

At recent shows on his "Hit and Run" tour, Prince and his band NPG have played a mix of hits and rarities from throughout his 23-year recording career — from such early tunes as 1980's "Uptown" to Purple Rain-era hits like "When Doves Cry" and such fan favorites as Sign o' the Times' "Adore."

Prince will release The Rainbow Children later this year.

Prince tour dates, according to his publicist:

  • 6/15 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
  • 6/16 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
  • 6/21 - Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
  • 6/22 - Peoria, IL @ Civic Center Arena
  • 6/23 - Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena
  • 6/27 - Omaha, NE @ Omaha Civic Auditorium
  • 6/28 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
  • 6/30 - Dayton, OH @ Ervin J. Nutter Center
  • 7/1 - Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena
  • 7/3 - Saskatoon, SK @ Saskatchewan Place
  • 7/4 - Winnipeg, MB @ Winnipeg Arena
  • 7/7 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
  • 7/10 - Portland, ME @ Civic Center
  • 7/11 - New Haven, CT @ New Haven Coliseum
  • 7/13 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
  • 7/14 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
  • 7/15 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
  • 7/17 - Savannah, GA @ Savannah Civic Center
  • 7/18 - Greenville, SC @ Greenville Civic Center
  • 7/20 - Tampa, FL @ Ice Palace
  • 7/21 - Columbus, GA @ Columbus Civic Center
  • 7/22 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
  • 7/26 - Edmonton, AB @ Skyreach Centre
  • 7/28 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
  • 7/29 - Seattle, WA @ KeyArena at Seattle Center
  • 7/30 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
  • 8/4 - Fairbanks, AK @ Carlson Center
  • 8/5 - Anchorage, AK @ Sullivan Sports Arena



Da Brat Won't Go To Trial For Alleged Pistol-Whipping

Da Brat won't go to trial for allegedly assaulting a woman in an Atlanta nightclub last year.

In an agreement approved Monday, the rapper must perform 80 hours of community service, serve a year's probation and pay a $1,000 fine stemming from the March 2000 altercation.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Da Brat (born Shawntae Harris) pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless conduct. In May 2000, a judge ordered her to stand trial for a felony charge of aggravated assault for allegedly pistol-whipping a woman at the Chili Peppers night club in the city's Buckhead district. The fight allegedly broke out during an argument between Da Brat and the woman, Rezue Robateue, who was trying to gain access to the VIP area of the popular club.

June 13, 2001

DC3 Manager Starts New Label

Mathew Knowles, manager and executive producer of Destiny's Child, has just landed an 18-month record label deal with Columbia Records with distribution through Sony. First on the list of highly anticipated releases will be the Carmen Hip Hopera soundtrack, which will be in stores June 12th. The album will feature Destiny's Child's "Survivor" remix with Da Brat and their "Bootylicious" remix featuring Missy Elliott, as well as new songs from Beyoncé, Wyclef, Mos Def, Mekhi Phifer and Rah Digga. The second release to come off of the Music World Music label will be Destiny's Child's Christmas 2001. Also featured on the Destiny's Child Christmas album will be new Music World Music artist Solange Knowles.

Solange is Beyoncé's younger sister and is also a dancer for Destiny's Child. She is also the love interest in Lil' Bow Wow's video "Puppy Love" and will sing the theme song for the new animated Disney series "The Proud Family." Solange's new album, Solo Star, will be released on Music World Music either December 2001 or January 2002. Destiny's Child members Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and Beyoncé Knowles will also release solo albums on the label. Chelsea, a former Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Texas in 1995 is also signed to Music World Music. Matthew Knowles is also soliciting talent at his website http://www.musicworldentertainment.com/ for a new girl group.


City High Knows What To Do

Wyclef Jean's latest protégés City High have been tearing up the charts with their hit single "What Would You Do." The heart touching song focuses on a young woman who decides to become a stripper in order to feed her child. Comprised of male vocalists Robby Pardlo and Ryan Toby as well as siren Claudette Ortiz, the group recently described their music saying, "Our music is something totally different. All our songs have depth and contain provocative lyrics with messages that relate to real issues. We talk about issues that pertain to everyday life, and as you listen to the music you'll notice how we are able to express a message on every track without preaching."

Ryan also discussed how he and his group members initially hooked up and how they created their new single. He said, "When I was a senior in high school, Robby was a sophomore and then when I graduated, Robby moved up to be a senior and Claudette was a freshman so we all knew each other indirectly. We were all solo artists back then. That was about three years ago. Robby met Wyclef first at a showcase and Clef wanted to work with him as a solo artist. But since I knew Robby and we used to sing together all the time and I was going back into the studio all the time and then Claudette started hanging out in the studio all the time, Clef started seeing all three of us together. He started getting the idea because we all were singing together and doing harmonies and stuff like that so he was like, 'Yo, you sound kind of hot as a trio, maybe I want to do it as a trio type of thing.' 'What Would You Do' actually is the first song that we recorded together and we weren't even doing it as a group. It was just that we had a good idea and started recording. We were like Claudette should sing the hook, and she sang the hook and when Wyclef and them heard it, they were like, 'Yo, this is a hit.' We were like, we were just playin' around, but they were like, 'No, for real this is a hit.' They was flippin' and they were like naw, 'This got to be a group.' We was like cool. By a couple of weeks later, it was official, we was a group."

City High's self-titled debut was released on May 22nd. The album is currently ranked at number 42 on Billboard. Here is the track listing for the album:

1. Didn't Ya
2. Three Way
3. Why
4. Song For You
5. 15 Will Get You 20
6. Cat And Dogs
7. Caramel
8. Best Friends
9. Sista
10. What Would You Do
11. So Many Things
12. The Only One I Trust
13. City High Anthem
14. You Don't Know Me

June 12, 2001

FCC Chairman To Address Hip Hop Panel

According to Reuters, five members of Congress and FCC Chairman Michael Powell will join a host of rap stars, record industry chiefs and community leaders at a "Hip-Hop Summit" organized by music executive and hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons. Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), Earl Hilliard (D-Alaska) and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) will attend the summit, to be held at the New York Hilton on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Simmons, who co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Records with producer Rick Rubin, hopes to address the effects of hip-hop in shaping mass culture, the way rap music is treated by the music industry, and the destructive effects of disputes between rap artists. Powell agreed to join the conference after Simmons confronted the FCC chairman at an awards gala over the agency's decision to fine a Colorado radio station $7,000 for playing an edited version of "The Real Slim Shady" by controversial hip-hop superstar Eminem.

"I asked Mr. Powell, 'How can you make decisions regarding obscenity and indecency when you've never even met with the leaders of the hip-hop community?,"' Simmons said.

The conference will play host to high-profile rap artists including Sean "Puffy" Combs, KRS-One, Master P, Run DMC, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Method Man, Public Enemy's Chuck D, Foxy Brown and LL Cool J. Also on hand to give speeches and moderate panels will be NAACP chief exec Kweisi Mfume, Recording Industry Assn. of America head Hilary Rosen and Nation of Islam ministers Louis Farrakhan and Ben Chavis Mohammed.


Sisqo to Host Boston Summer Jam

JAM'N 94.5 is holding its Summer Jam 2001 on June 21st at the Tweeter Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The anticipated event will be hosted by Sisqo and will feature performances by Jay-Z, Lil' Bow Wow, and Redman. Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, The Product G&B, City High, Funkmaster Flex, and Lil' Mo will also perform at the concert. Arista recording artist Blu Cantrell will also perform her new hit single "Hit 'Em Up Style." Her debut album So Blu is scheduled to hit stores in early July. Sisqo is scheduled to release his sophomore album Return of Dragon on June 19th. The album features the hit single "Can I Live" which was produced by Teddy Riley.

June 11, 2001

Russell Simmons Outlines Goals Of His Hip-Hop Summit

Def Jam founder wants rap community to police itself, resolve disputes.

NEW YORK — Def Jam founder Russell Simmons, who's built a career on innovations in business and artist development, isn't out to change the game with his latest endeavor. Instead, Simmons wants to inspire members of the hip-hop community.

On June 12 and 13, Simmons will host a hip-hop power summit where artists and label executives will converge to discuss problems facing the rap music industry. Among those already confirmed to participate are Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Sean Combs, Dr. Dre, Jermaine Dupri, Master P, KRS-One, Talib Kweli, Scarface and Q-Tip, as well as the heads of the Loud, Def Jam and Priority record labels. Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan will also be on hand to give a keynote speech during the summit.

"No one has said no," Simmons said. "This is something we've been talking about for a long time. We wanted to make sure we had something to make the rappers show up."

"The theme of the summit is taking back responsibility," Simmons explained. "We're preparing a list of things of how we plan to police ourselves in terms of how we market music. We're gonna make a bold announcement after the summit of what we plan to do."

Simmons is hopeful that the move will help combat Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman's proposed bill to fine record labels and film companies for marketing adult material to children.

Simmons is also calling for thematic variety in rap music and will be moderating a seminar focusing on the labels' A&R departments.

"You can't only be thinking about standing on the corner for the rest of your life, dying," he said. "There are too many people that are worldly and sophisticated and have kids in school, and their songs don't reflect their real life. Let's get more truth."

Simmons is also taking measures to ensure that the artists don't keep extra real and let musical feuds spill off of the wax and into the streets. As part of the summit, some artists will sit down with Minister Farrakhan and attempt to resolve their differences.

"We feel very strongly in the success rate about trying to settle these beefs, because they're not fighting over no land or no money," Simmons said. "So when you get in a room and have the minister asking you what you're fighting over, nobody can really articulate it that well."

Simmons worked with Farrakhan in a similar fashion during the East Coast/West Coast rivalry. Common and Ice Cube were among those who were convinced to call a truce.

"The hip-hop community doesn't listen to too many people, but they have a history of listening to him," Simmons said.

He also plans to introduce an initiative that will hopefully bring an end to, or at least curb, what he calls the profiling of rappers, especially by the NYPD. He's started an organization that he claims will make thousands of military-trained men and women available for hire to provide security for entertainers.

On June 14, Simmons, who has been actively planning the event for the last three weeks with former NAACP head Ben Chavis, will hold a press conference to announce what actions that the hip-hop community will be taking as an outcome of the summit.

— Shaheem Reid


Reconciled TLC Recording New Album, Solo Projects

Chilli's debut on hold, Left Eye's project nearly completed.

Being a member of TLC means walking a fine linebetween love and ... dislike.

The trio's bickering has been well-documented — enough so that many believed their most recent album, 1999's Fan Mail, would be their last. The word that Chilli and Left Eye were working on solo albums, while T-Boz was raising a family with her hoo-bangin' husband Mack 10, all but sealed the threesome's demise for many. As Chilli tells it, though, while it may be hard for the crazy, sexy and cool trio to live with each other sometimes, it's even tougher for them to live apart.

"It's going to shock people, but TLC's back in the studio," said Chilli, who admits the group has had its share of problems. "It's all about unity and sticking together and supporting. Because when you don't do that, you leave room for people to assume we're not together and don't like each other and all that. We're together, we're always going to be together and we're working on this TLC record."

Chilli is so committed to the new TLC project that she was willing to delay her untitled solo album so Arista can release the record by November 6.

"It's funny," Chilli recalled. "Right when I was about to go in the studio for my solo project, I got a phone call asking me to do another TLC record. And I was like, 'I was thinking that.' I want to do a solo project, but I really felt doing TLC again was more of a priority."

While Chilli's solo debut is at a standstill, Left Eye's still-untitled solo project is nearly completed and scheduled for August 14 release. TLC's biggest drama queen said she does more singing than rapping on it, but it won't alienate fans who like her for her group efforts.

"I didn't move too far away from TLC, but I definitely moved into some arenas that are the next step," laughed Left Eye, who collaborated with Carl Thomas and Rockwilder on the album. "It's hard to describe. I've been trying to figure it out. I haven't come up with the right term yet."

You could describe Chilli's album as blithe. She says the vibe of the songs she has completed is upbeat. "I'm going to have ballads, but I'm not going to have anything sad on there. I'm not going to talk about, 'He broke my heart and Lord I can't make it now.' None of that. It's going to be fun. I have hooks everybody can sing."

Somebody who's definitely going to sing along with the Grammy winner is her good friend Lenny Kravitz, she said. She found her way to Kravitz's heart through his stomach.

"I reeled him in with my sweet potato pie," she recalled. "He was like, 'Your sweet potato pie isn't going to be as good as my grandmother's.' I was like, 'I'm not going to brag. I'm just gonna make the sweet potato pie and hope you like it.' He took it on his tour bus and called me the next day and was like, 'Man, you slapped my grandmama. This sweet potato pie is the best.'"

But will fans still find TLC the best when the new album drops? Since Fan Mail was released, the field has expanded with the rise to stardom of Destiny's Child and the emergence of other girl groups such as Dream and 3LW.

"I don't really feel the pressure," Left Eye said. "I don't know how T-Boz and Chilli feel. Sometimes I think they feel a little pressure, because when I signed Blaque to Columbia, it was sort of looked upon as, 'Uh-oh, I'm creating some competition.' I always felt like, well, if TLC doesn't do good, it's because of our own recognizance. There's enough room for everybody. As long as we're great at what we do, we'll be accepted."

— Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Ira Fields and Carissa Potenza

June 8, 2001

Jon B Not Happy With The Promotion of "Pleasures U Like"

R&B crooner Jon B recently discussed with VIBE Online why he has been canceling several concert dates in support of his latest album Pleasures You Like. He stated that the dates were cancelled because of lack of promotion from his record company and "Because I got issues in my life that are really important to me in terms of business. And the promotion of my album and how it's going and I'm really just not happy with so I wanted to stop things before they got any uglier. I'm the type of person where if my shits not ran completely tight, then we're not gonna run it at all. I'm just waiting to get my whole thing to where so I can do my thing the way I really wanna do it."

Jon B records for Edmonds Record Group, which is headed by fellow R&B crooner Babyface's wife, Tracy Edmonds. The R&B crooner further stated, " "Yeah I'm not happy with the way the album is being promoted. I'm not happy with a lot of different things. I can't really say exactly what, but yeah. My thing is I make music and the bottom line is I did this album for the people that really love me and support me. And I will give them, in every territory, a show they'll remember and not only walk away from remembering, but they're gonna be like, 'Yo, that really, really touched me'. Because I feel like the fans that really, really know the songs deserve to hear a real show. They don't deserve to hear a twenty minute joint. I wanna give them the real joint. So I'm just trying to get my whole thing to where I can do that. But you can't really do that if you don't have tour support, if you don't have all the necessary legs to be able to walk on. So you know, I gotta work things out with my record company and try to make it right so everything that I want to do is doable."

Pleasures U Like is currently ranked at number 130 on Soundscan and has yet to be certified gold. The album was released on March 20th and has only sold 358,210 units. The album features the hit singles "Don't Talk" and "Now That I'm With You." For more information on the soulful crooner, log on to www.jonbmusic.com.


Judge Shoots Down Lawsuit Filed By Eminem's Mom

According to The Associated Press, a Michigan judge has denied a request by Eminem's mother to collect more money for settling a pair of lawsuits against the rap superstar. Debbie R. Mathers-Briggs tried to change attorneys and protest efforts forcing her into a settlement of $25,000 in her claims against her son, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III. "It's clearly a settlement," Macomb (Mich.) County Circuit Judge Mark S. Switalski ruled June 4. "If someone feels remorse subsequent to it, that doesn't change that it is a settlement, established in writing by agents of the parties."

The judge ruled that Mathers-Briggs, who initially sued for $12 million, had abandoned her legal standing to jockey for more money. Her new lawyer said the $25,000 settlement is invalid. "She didn't sign anything, and this so-called settlement went through after she'd already written a letter attempting to fire her attorney," Michael Marsalese said.

Mathers-Briggs filed two defamation lawsuits over Eminem's statements in magazines and radio talk-show interviews that portray her as an unstable, lawsuit-happy drug user who moved about aimlessly during the rapper's formative years. She sued for $10 million in 1999 and an estimated $2 million last year.

"Debbie dropped the lawsuit because she wanted to try reconciling with her son," Mathers-Briggs' mother, Betty Kresin of St. Joseph, Missouri, told The Macomb Daily. "But then she's told me she wants to bring it back, and then she doesn't, and I don't know what's going on."

In related news, Eminem was to appear on Tuesday in Oakland County Circuit Court for sentencing on a weapons possession charge, but the hearing was postponed because the judge's docket was full. The 28-year-old rapper faces sentencing after pleading no contest to a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon and a misdemeanor charge of brandishing a weapon during a fight with a rival Detroit rap group. Oakland County Circuit Judge Denise Langford Morris has said she is unlikely to consider jail time for Eminem.

June 7, 2001

So So Def to Headline ASCAP Awards

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will hold its 14th annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards on June 7th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta. Awards will be presented to the songwriters and publishers of the top ASCAP songs on the past year's R&B/Hip Hop, Rap, Dance and Reggae charts. In addition, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year honors will go to the writer and publisher with the most award winning songs. R&B singer Peabo Bryson will be presented with the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award for his musical contributions. The awards will be hosted by Jermaine Dupri, who himself is a two time ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Songwriter of the Year. The evening will also feature performances by several award winning songwriters/artists including Gordon Chambers, Deborah Killings, and Lil' Bow wow. ASCAP President and three time Academy Award winning lyricist Marilyn Bergman, stated, "Each year, ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards draws the biggest names in music and so many of them are based in Atlanta. We are delighted to be hosting a celebration of our members' musical contributions in a city that is home to so much creative talent."


OHHA Awards Cancelled

The fifth annual Online Hip Hop Awards (OHHA) has been cancelled after several problems and a rescheduled date. Felicia R. Palmer, co founder of the awards, said, "Throughout the last eight months, the awards committee has worked diligently to produce an event that would give the highest honor to the best in hip-hop ... It was our vision to take The Online Hip-Hop Awards to higher heights ... We were successful in securing a television deal, a great venue, top artists and a group of talented and committed producers to bring this vision into reality. Unfortunately, this vision was not realized. Over the last four weeks, as we've examined the possibilities of re-organizing, it became evident that a summer show would also not be possible. Inevitably, it was a combination of timing and current market conditions that contributed to our final decision to cancel."

The awards were originally scheduled to be held on May 3rd at the Manhattan Center Grand Ballroom. Angie Martinez and Redman had signed on to host the presentation. Despite the setback, here is the complete list of Online Hip Hop Award winners:

Website of the Year: Okayplayer.com
Best Artist Website: LilBowWow.Com
Favorite Web Magazine/E-Zine: thesource.com
Best New Website: cashmoneyrecords.com
Outstanding Graphic Design: Ludacris.net
Best Elements Website: Hip-hop.com
Best Indie Website : Hiphopsite.com
Online Hip-Hop Award of the Year: Russell Simmons (for 360hiphop.com)
Artist of the Year (Solo, Duo or Group): Nelly
Album of the Year : Nelly - "Country Grammar"
Song of the Year: Ja Rule - "Put it On Me"
Favorite New Artist (Solo, Duo or Group): Lil Bow Wow
Producer of the Year: The Neptunes
Favorite Music Video: Mystikal - "Shake Ya Ass"
Favorite R&B/Hip-Hop Collaboration: Ja Rule, Lil' Mo & Vita for "Put it On Me"
Favorite Record Label: Def Jam Records
Favorite Fashion Designer/Label : FUBU

June 5, 2001

Eminem Barks About Coughing Up Child Support

Hip hop star Eminem is not to happy about the proposed offer to pay $142,480 a year in child support for his 5-year-old daughter although his estranged wife says it's not enough. The dispute is the first significant bump in a divorce that was sailing rather smoothly for the Grammy-winning rapper, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III. A support recommendation filed by the Macomb County Friend of the Court about two weeks ago suggests Eminem should pay $2,740 a week in child support to Kimberly Mathers. The couple agreed in March to share joint custody of their daughter, Hailie Jade. According to The Associated Press, the recommendation also calls for the 28-year-old rapper to pay $156 a week toward health insurance and assume 90% of any expected child care costs. Kimberly Mathers, who is unemployed, says she wants more money. "The sum recommended for child support and the percentage allocation recommended for health care expenses are, by reason of the parties' singularly disparate incomes and holdings, inadequate and inequitable," attorney Robert Feldstein of Troy argued in legal documents on her behalf. Court records suggest Eminem, of Clinton Township, may have a gross income of $2.7 million per year.


Dennis Rodman Charged For Outlandish Party

Prosecutors on Thursday formally charged former basketball player Dennis Rodman with three charges of disturbing the peace stemming from a wild birthday party at his beachfront home last month. About 30 police in riot gear went to his home fronting on a public beach on May 12 in response to noise and disturbance complaints by neighbors, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said in a statement. As VIBE Online previously reported, Rodman's arrived at his 40th birthday in a helicopter, which made an illegal landing. The party also included live concert by two rock bands and was attended by more than 300 people.

Rodman was also charged with using sound amplification equipment without a permit and using that equipment on a public beach, Rackauckas said. The flamboyant Rodman is scheduled to be arraigned on June 20th. In a Newport Beach, California City Council meeting last week, Rodman said, "I get harassed every day, every day. I throw a lot of parties, yes I do. But at all my parties, there's no kids in any danger."

The council later voted to stiffen restrictions on noisy neighbors, paving the way for prosecutors to press charges. Rodman has been fined $8,500 for violating noise ordinances in Newport Beach, located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, and police have been called to parties at his home more than 50 times in the last year.

June 4, 2001

Shyne Sentenced To Ten Years

According to The Associated Press, rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday in a New York court for shooting and wounding two people during a dispute between rap impresario Sean "Puffy" Combs and another man in a Times Square nightclub. Barrow admitted at trial that he pulled out a gun and fired during the fracas at Club New York on Dec. 27, 1999. Before handing down the sentence, state Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon called Barrow smart, talented, and charitable but said he couldn't lose sight of the fact that Barrow had fired a gun in a nightclub that was ''as crowded as a subway in rush hour.''

While holding the hand of one of his lawyers, Barrow, 22, recited the Lord's Prayer and then apologized to the court and his victims. He told Solomon that he was not a threat to society and asked for leniency. Barrow was charged with first-degree assault, gun possession, and reckless endangerment. His co-defendants -- Combs and his bodyguard, Anthony "Wolf" Jones -- were acquitted of bribery and gun possession. According to a statement released by Combs, an appeal is likely. "Shyne's sentence is unfair and extreme as I know he had no intention of hurting anyone," Combs said. "My prayers are with him and his family. I'm shocked by today's outcome. I will continue to support Shyne throughout his appeal."


Tommy Hilfiger Wants You!

Tommy Hilfiger U.S.A., Inc. celebrates Flag Day by announcing a national contest that offers a star-making opportunity for entrants, while encouraging them to celebrate the American spirit of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. Contestants are asked to create a video that demonstrates what the American flag means to them. The winner will receive $25,000 and have their video aired nationally on December 1, 2001 as part of the commercial for the brand on VH1. Runners-up will win a $10,000 trip for four to a great American destination of their choice. Coined Earn Your Stripes and Be A Star, entrants are asked to create a 20 - 50 second video. This contest acts as a springboard for aspiring filmmakers by offering them the opportunity to have their individual work recognized and seen by a national television audience.

"From Memorial Day to Flag Day to the Fourth of July and Labor Day, we celebrate everything that makes us proud to be an American -- our heritage of freedom and heroism, cultural diversity and the tremendous American landscape." said Tommy Hilfiger. "This contest lets us inspire each other through video essays about what personal meaning the American flag holds, and also the way we each communicate it. I am extremely excited to see the tapes and to share the patriotism and individuality they represent."

To supplement the contest, Tommy Hilfiger's top 600 retail doors will offer an American flag for $15 (a $36 retail value) with the $50 purchase of any Tommy Hilfiger product. The flag can be used in the video submission or enjoyed in any all-American fashion.

There is no purchase necessary to enter or win the contest. The video can be recorded on VHS, Beta or digital formats. The contest is open to all ages and will yield 29 finalists and one Grand Prize Winner. Winners will be pre-judged by Ventura Associates, Inc., an independent judging organization and final judging will be conducted by Tommy Hilfiger. For more information on the contest, log on to www.tommyhilfiger.com.

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