Eminem
Photo: Interscope

The hearing for a $1 million civil lawsuit filed against Eminem has been adjourned to an unspecified date four to six weeks from now. In 2001, DeAngelo Bailey sued the rapper for defamation and invasion of privacy after Eminem recounted being bullied by Bailey in grade school in The Slim Shady LP's "Brain Damage." ...

Dave Matthews will let his evil streak show on Some Devil, the singer/guitarist's solo debut that's expected to drop this fall. The LP follows DMB violinist Boyd Tinsley's solo affair, True Reflections, scheduled for a June 17 release. The first single from Tinsley's album is titled "Listen." ... Those who can't get enough Moby will be downright giddy with the release of a DVD he's in the process of compiling that features all the videos from his latest LP, 18. The electronic guru is also planning to revive his Voodoo Child persona on an upcoming album. The last Voodoo Child offering was a Stateside release of the U.K.'s The End of Everything. Moby expects the DVD and LP to be released by early winter. ...

Music mogul Damon Dash is doing something Russell Simmons and P. Diddy have never done: taking his clothing line international. Dash, who owns Roc-A-Wear clothing with Jay-Z, recently opened up an office in Amsterdam to market and distribute the line in Europe. Dash also recruited Posh Spice, a.k.a. Victoria Beckham, to be the initial European spokesperson. ... Blu Cantrell gave people a sneak peek of her new LP, Bittersweet, Thursday night at Nell's nightclub in New York. Among those mingling with the music industry attendees was Blu's Arista Records family member Anthony Hamilton, who's signed to So So Def. Bittersweet drops on June 24. ...

Neil Young and longtime backing band Crazy Horse are hitting the trail for a two-month summer trek beginning June 8 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Thirty-two dates are scheduled through August 10 in Maryland Heights, Missouri, and country balladeer Lucinda Williams will open each one. Young and the Horse also have two dates scheduled in September without Williams. ... Wildwood Flower, the last studio album recorded by June Carter Cash, who died May 15, is set for release September 9. Husband and frequent collaborator Johnny Cash sings on approximately half the songs, and other members of the pioneering country act the Carter Family will also contribute. ...

Southern boogie rockers Kings of Leon and psychedelic choir the Polyphonic Spree are among the additions to the lineup for the second annual Austin City Limits Festival, taking place September 19-21 in the Texas capital's Zilker Park. Reunited country group the Mavericks and singers Caitlin Cary and Tift Merritt will also join previously announced artists R.E.M., Ween, Liz Phair and the Beta Band. Over a hundred acts are expected to be confirmed by the time the festival kicks off. ...

DJ Shadow has just released a limited-edition, double-disc mix CD through his Web site, www.djshadow.com. Only 1,000 copies of the Diminishing Returns Party Pack were manufactured, each accompanied with a pair of stickers and drink coasters. The second disc also includes the previously unreleased track "War Is Hell." ... Former Blake Babies singer/guitarist Juliana Hatfield and drummer Freda Love have formed a new project called Some Girls with bassist Heidi Gluck. The group's 11-track debut, Feel It, is due September 9. ...

Twiztid will release their fourth album, The Green Book, July 1, and hope to support it with a U.S. tour in August. The follow-up to last year's Mirror Mirror boasts guest appearances by Layzie Bone, Tech N9ne, Bushwick Bill, Esham and, of course, their mentors, the Insane Clown Posse. ... Jim Rose, the pain-loving forefather to the fiends of "Jackass," will issue his history on DVD July 22. Originally released as a 35-minute video in 1993, "The Jim Rose Circus Show" features traditional sideshow stunts like sword-swallowing and knife-throwing combined with truly disgusting acts like drinking the result of a stomach pump and hanging cinderblocks from certain sensitive body parts. ...

An anti-piracy bill that passed in the California State Assembly Thursday lowers the number of pirated songs a person must possess to face serious criminal charges. Now only owning 100 pirated songs, instead of 1,000, can deal you one year in county jail, up to five years in state prison or a maximum fine of $250,000. AB6, drafted by Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn (D-Saratoga), passed unanimously and will now go before the California Senate. ...

5.29.03

Jennifer Lopez will launch a second fragrance line in October directed toward a more upscale market than her top-selling Glow. There's no name yet for the scent, but a spokesperson said the ads will again feature the singer, this time in vintage gowns. ...

Green Day were the big winners at the California Music Awards ceremony on Sunday, taking home awards for Outstanding Group, Artist of the Year, Spirit of Rock and Outstanding Guitarist for Billie Joe Armstrong. Other winners included Queens of the Stone Age's Songs for the Deaf for Outstanding Album and "No One Knows" for Outstanding Single, Audioslave for Outstanding Hard Rock/Alternative Album, the Donnas' Spend the Night for Outstanding Punk Album, Red Hot Chili Peppers' By the Way for Outstanding Rock/Pop Album and Jurassic 5's Power in Numbers for Outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap Album. ...

Though he's already shot three videos in the last two months, R. Kelly has plans to be in a fourth. He appeared in court in Chicago on Thursday (May 29) to ask permission to leave the jurisdiction for a number of trips in mid-to-late June to New York, Los Angeles and Dallas. Kelly hopes to be able to shoot a video, attend the BET Awards in L.A. on June 24, and then participate in a charity basketball tournament, all in time to be back in Chicago by July 7. The judge granted a continuance until next week to discuss Kelly's travel requests. He's due back in court on child pornography charges June 4. ... Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette and Robbie Williams will perform songs in "Just One of Those Things," the upcoming musical based on the life of Cole Porter and featuring music by the songwriter. Vivian Green, Elvis Costello and his fiancée, Diana Krall, will also sing in the movie, which stars Kevin Kline, who, as Porter, performs 14 numbers, including a duet of "In the Still of the Night" with Ashley Judd. ...

Los Angeles rapper Ras Kass was arrested in Las Vegas early Saturday and taken into custody by the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. The MC, whose real name is John Austin, has been a fugitive from L.A. law enforcement since January, after he failed to show up for sentencing following a DUI conviction. According to Las Vegas police, he is expected to be extradited back to California. ... After scoring huge hits with "Can't Fight the Moonlight" for "Coyote Ugly" and "How Do I Live" for "Con-Air," LeAnn Rimes and songwriter Diane Warren are teaming up for another soundtrack single. Their "We Can" will be the centerpiece song for "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde." ...

Your PlayStation 2 is about to get bigger and badder. The PSX, which combines the game- and DVD-playing functions of the PS2 with a digital music player, a television tuner and a personal video recorder that can store 60 hours of programming, will be available in Japan by the end of this year and in the U.S. in 2004. ... The WB network is launching a primetime music countdown and performance show that will air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET beginning July 16. Joel Gallen, who has produced past MTV Movie Awards and Super Bowl halftime shows, is behind the show, called "Pepsi Smash" and sponsored by the soda company. ...

Good ideas inevitably spur innovators and imitators, and Apple's revolutionary iTunes download system, released last month, has some competition. Through its Rhapsody music service, listen.com is offering burnable downloads for 79 cents apiece, undercutting Apple's fee by 20 cents. ... Hard rock indie imprint Roadrunner Records is one of the first labels to open its entire song stable to the online revolution. For 99 cents a song, visitors to the Vault (on www.roadrunnerrecords.com) can download any track, past and present, from the label's catalog, as well as B-sides, demos and unreleased studio outtakes. Entire LPs are available for $9.99. Both fees are identical to what iTunes charges. ... And just as iTunes is looking too good to be true to the recording industry, it turns out that it is. One of its features, Rendezvous, which gave users the ability to stream songs from other people's libraries, was disabled when pirates were able to alter the application so that the songs could be downloaded, in effect creating a Kazaa-like file-sharing network. Apple issued an update to the software on Tuesday that corrected the problem. ...

The Flaming Lips are among the newly announced artists slated to play Bonnaroo NE, a multi-band festival taking place August 8-10 in Riverhead, New York. Other additions to the lineup that already includes Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Dave Matthews are Steve Winwood, the Radiators, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Lake Trout. ... Great White will team up with L.A. Guns and XYZ for a summer tour to raise money for victims of the Station fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Dates have not yet been confirmed. ...

Vancouver power-pop powerhouse New Pornographers will launch a tour on Monday in Salt Lake City. Dates run through July 15 in Cleveland. The band will be on the road to support its new album, Electric Version, which came out May 6. ... Eric Clapton and B.B. King make guest appearances on Chicago blues legend Buddy Guy's new album, Blues Singer, which comes out Tuesday. Clapton plays on the Frankie Lee Sims cover "Lucy Mae Blues" and both he and King solo on John Lee Hooker's "Crawlin' Kingsnake." ...

English credit rating agency Moody's has put David Bowie's "Bowie Bonds" on its negative credit watch, and pointed out a possible downgrade in the future. Bowie conceived the securities in 1997 as investments fans could make on future profits generated by Bowie's recording and publishing rights. Other stars including Rod Stewart and Iron Maiden followed suit with their own bonds. ...

• Eminem
• Dave Matthews Band
• Dave Matthews
• Blu Cantrell
• Moby

As Britney Spears continues to work on her forthcoming fourth album — which is supposed to be a departure in style for the pop princess — she's also getting rid of a few other things from her past, in the name of charity. Spears is auctioning off her stage and movie costumes, some signed original photography and other memorabilia, as well as concert packages and "personal experiences" starting this Thursday on www.gottahaveit.com. The auction runs through June 3, and proceeds go to the Britney Spears Foundation. ...

Blu Cantrell has set a June 24 release date for her second album, Bittersweet, which features collaborations with Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, Fat Joe, Lady May and reggae star Ian Lewis of Inner Circle. Sean Paul appears on the first single, "Breathe," which was produced by Dr. Dre and will be accompanied by a Hype Williams-directed video. ... Nelly and producer 7 Aurelius were awarded Songwriters of the Year and Puddle of Mudd's "Blurry" was named Song of the Year at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards Tuesday in Beverly Hills, California. Elvis Costello was presented the ASCAP Founders' Award at the event, which included a performance of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" by the song's co-author, Linda Perry. ...

Twenty-one-year-old rapper Jason Johnson, better known as Camoflauge, was shot and killed on Monday in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia. Camoflauge, who made his major-label debut in 2001 with Strictly 4 Da Streets: Drugs, Sex & Violence Vol. 1, was fatally wounded while with his young son outside Pure Pain studios, where he had been recording. Police have made no arrests and have not named any suspects. ... Panjabi MC, whose remix of "Beware of the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke)" with Jay-Z is one of spring's breakout singles, will promote the July 1 release of his U.S. debut, Beware, with a week of tour dates. The trek includes several club dates in New York, including June 4 at S.O.B.'s Basement Bhangra party. ...

Legendary director Martin Scorsese's next project is a biography of Bob Dylan tentatively titled "Bob Dylan Anthology Project." The movie is currently slated for release in 2005. ... James Brown was pardoned by the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services for drug-related charges that stemmed from a 1998 bust. Brown had previously served two and a half years behind bars after being arrested for drug possession in 1988. ...

The guys of 3 Doors Down will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday afternoon to see the premiere of a NASCAR Busch Series race car decked out with a 3DD design. Later that evening, the band will perform a free show at Food Lion Speed Street. ... P.O.D. will name their next LP Payable on Death, which is what their namesake acronym stands for. The 17-song follow-up to 2001's Satellite is due November 4. ...

New York Yankees slugger Bernie Williams has had his fair share of hits on the ball field, but will it carry over to success in the studio? The centerfielder will drop his debut LP, The Journey Within, on July 15. Alongside jazzy covers of Billy Joel's "And So It Goes" and Kansas' "Dust in the Wind," the album also includes seven of the guitarist's original compositions. ... The mighty Tenacious D took the stage with Styx on Tuesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for a performance of "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye." The song is featured on the new Styx album Cyclorama. ... First season "American Idol" finalist R.J. Helton is expected to release a gospel album this fall on Gospocentric/B-Rite Music, home to contemporary Christian crooner Kirk Franklin. ...

Sheryl Crow, Billy Joel, Faith Hill, Elton John, Jamie Foxx, Robin Williams and Dennis Miller will all take the stage for Andre Agassi's annual Grand Slam for Children event, which benefits at-risk youths. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on October 4. ... In other Elton John and Billy Joel charity news, the two are reaching out to less fortunate musicians by donating concert tickets from their current tour to an eBay auction that will benefit the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to artists who can't afford health insurance. ... Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has donated almost $6 million to help provide housing for hundreds of poor and homeless people in central London. Gilmour got the idea from a community project he heard about in New York City. ...

5.20.03

Beyoncé Knowles, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott are among the artists set to perform at the 16th annual Essence Awards June 6 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. Talib Kweli, Common, New Edition, Lionel Richie and the Gap Band will also take the stage at the event, which this year will honor Mary J. Blige and Mos Def. ...

Rapping and acting just don't seem to be enough for some MCs. Today's well-rounded rhymers must get into the threads game as well. Ludacris, who'll be seen in "2 Fast 2 Furious," expects his clothing line, C.P. Time, to launch by the end of the year. ... R&B duo and two-time BET Award nominees Floetry are working on their new album, the follow-up to last year's Floetic. Meanwhile, Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart have thus far recorded two songs with soul diva Patti LaBelle for her album, and are planning to collaborate with 3LW in the summer for theirs. Floetry have six tour dates lined up, from June 7 in their hometown Philadelphia through July 5 in Los Angeles. ...

If you're a girl in Portland, Oregon, you too can now say, "This one time, at band camp ...": The third annual Rock 'N' Roll Camp for Girls, a day camp to familiarize 8 to 18-year-old females with the power of rock, will take place from June 16 to 21. This year, workshops, performances and instruction will be conducted by members of Sleater-Kinney, the King Cobra, DJ Pam the Funkstress of the Coup, the Gossip, the Quails, Cherchez la Femme and Queen Size Revolution. Girls will learn to play instruments, form bands, run sound boards, produce shows, design CD packaging and posters and develop self-defense skills. A showcase of bands formed at the camp will be held June 21 at the Aladdin Theater. ...

Now that "Para Que la Vida," Enrique Iglesias' latest single off his 2002 Spanish-language album, Quizas, has hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks, he now holds the record for the most #1 singles (16) by any artist on that chart. The crooner is currently in the studio working on a new English-language LP, the follow-up to 2001's Escape. ... On Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut, Wayne Wonder and Beenie Man will headline the Greatest One Night Reggae Show on Earth, a multi-artist festival that makes sporadic stops around the country, similar to Reggae Sunsplash in the 1990s. Sanchez, DJ Badda Flexx and Pickey round out the bill. ...

Rooney have scheduled a tour to support their self-titled debut. Dates begin Tuesday (May 20) in Cincinnati and go through June 17 in Anaheim, California. ... Fountains of Wayne will launch a tour in Milwaukee on July 3. Dates run through July 28 in Anaheim, California. The band will be on the road to support its upcoming disc, Welcome Interstate Managers, which comes out June 10. The first single will be "Stacey's Mom," a modern "Mrs. Robinson" with a new wave pulse. ...

Canadian rockers Default are working on their second album, the follow-up to 2001's The Fallout. The band has written at least 11 songs during pre-production in Seattle, and will move up to Vancouver Island to record the LP. The band has a half-dozen shows scheduled June 15-30 in Canada and the northern U.S., where the group is expected to preview some new tunes. ... Former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone has recorded a dozen Teenage Head songs with three of the four members of the early '80s Canadian punk band with longtime Ramones producer Daniel Rey. It's not known what will become of the tracks. ...

Adema have set an August 19 release date for their second full-length album, Unstable, which shares a title with the first single, due on radio in late June. The band will launch a headlining tour to promote the record June 1 in Chico, California, and stay on the road until a Los Angeles show July 12. ... Wu-Tang Clan member Cappadonna will drop his third solo album, The Struggle, in September. Track titles include "Get Away From the Door," which features Inspectah Deck, "Blood Brothers," "Cap Is Back," "Role of a Lifetime," "Season of Da Vick" and "I Don't Even Know You." ...

• Britney Spears
• Sean Paul
• Blu Cantrell
• Nelly
• Panjabi MC

Blu Cantrell
Photo: Arista

Blu Cantrell is having problems with a man in her life again.

On her new single, "Breathe," she's "walking out the door" in search of space and a "cure" for her love woes. "All we do is make up/ Then break up/ Why don't we wake up, and seeeee," she sings over the same track Dr. Dre used for "What's the Difference" off of his last LP, Dr. Dre — 2001.

"When love hurts, it won't work," continues the frustrated Cantrell on the song. "Maybe we need some time alone."

Cantrell is currently recording in New York, trying to finish her sophomore LP, according to a spokesperson for her label Arista. While the album is still untitled, it has a tentative release date of December 17. Tricky Stewart, Missy Elliott and Lady May have already contributed to the project, as have Ivan Matias and Andrea Martin, the producers of "Breathe."

• Blu Cantrell

Snoop Dogg
Photo: Walik Goshorn

Hip-hop celebrities will have to clear some more space on their mantles — another award recognizing their culture was birthed Thursday night.

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and his Sean John clothing line won three times at the inaugural Urban Fashion Awards (click here for photos), while Carl Thomas, Foxy Brown, Lady May, BET's Ed Gordon, Blu Cantrell and Snoop Dogg, who performed, were among those in attendance at Avery Fisher Hall in New York's Lincoln Center.

The Doggfather, who debuted his own Barbie-like doll, beat out Busta Rhymes' Bushi, Jennifer Lopez's J. Lo, Nelly's Vokal and Outkast's self-titled apparel brands with his Snoop Dogg Clothing for the New Urban Fashion Celebrity Line award.

Mary J. Blige won Female Urban Fashion Aficionado. The queen of hip-hop soul was up against Gwen Stefani, Eve and J. Lo. Lopez wasn't shut out altogether, however — she was given the award for New Designer of the Year.

Fashion mainstays Karl Kani and Russell Simmons, who were also on hand, received special recognition outside of the show's 24 categories. Simmons was given the Urban Fashion Humanitarian Award and Kani was presented the Urban Fashion Pioneer Award. Tommy Hilfiger received the Urban Fashion Lifetime Achievement Award.

Winners of the 2002 Urban Fashion Awards:

• Menswear Design - Sean Jean
• Womenswear Design - Baby Phat
• New Designer of the Year - J. Lo
• Outerwear Design - Avirex
• Athletic Sportswear - Jordan Nike
• Female Denim Design - Baby Phat
• Male Denim Design - Roc-A-Wear
• Accessory Designer of the Year - BCBG
• Fashion Stylist of the Year - Misa Brim
• Retail/Buyer of the Year - Macy's
• Advertising Campaign of the Year - Sean Jean
• Male Fashion Model - Tyson Beckford
• Female Fashion Model - Roshumba
• Female Urban Fashion Aficionado - Mary J. Blige
• Male Urban Fashion Aficionado - Sean Combs
• Male Runway Model - Dahil
• Female Runway - Alec Wek
• Fashion Journalism - Alez Aktar and Elena Romero (tie)
• Fashion Photography - Jonathan Mannion and Ronnie Wright (tie)
• Magazine/Publication of the Year - Vibe
• Excellency in Makeup Design - Nzinga
• Excellency in Hair Design - Trey Majors
• International Award - Phat Farm
• New Urban Fashion Celebrity Line - Snoop Dogg Clothing

• Diddy
• Snoop Dogg
• Carl Thomas
• Foxy Brown
• Lady May

Lady May and Rob Jackson
Photo: Arista

The similarities between Lady May and Rob Jackson are as numerous as the routes they took to crack the music industry. Chiefly among them are that both studied the game for years before hooking up with super-producers and getting signed to the same label, Arista. Both are dropping albums later this summer, and both wanted to crack stereotypes while saying hello to the world on their duet, Jackson's "Boom, Boom, Boom."

"We were both on Arista," Jackson said of how the first single off his August 20 debut, The Rob Report, came together. "Arista was looking for a way to promote us together as two new artists."

"It was a hard roll," May explained about the song. "I was told like this: 'You come into the game, you better have that clique that's out and established. You better have that n----- that's out there introducing you because you're a female.' So here we've got Rob Jackson that nobody knows from Adam. He's got me; no one knows me from Adam. And we're putting it out. Usually that Rob Jackson guy would have been like Prodigy or somebody."

May might be on to something with this whole collaborate-with-your-labelmate thing. "Boom, Boom, Boom" is getting strong buzz in the clubs and on the airwaves, and the Long Island native said she's going to be keeping up the anticipation for her first album, May Day, with its first single, "Round Up." It features Blu Cantrell.

" 'Round Up' is a no-brainer," May said. "It's talking about girls rounding up the money, how honeys should get down. It's not honeys getting down to rob a dude or tricking a guy in a club. It's like, 'We got it, we good, we don't need your money or your ride. Everybody round up in the club and let's have a good time. This is how I'm having fun with my girls tonight.' It ain't about jocking your cash. You're jocking my cash."

In the video, which was shot by Little X, May and Blu are getting jocked by the police.

"We did the 'Thelma & Louise' thing," she said of the clip. "Helicopters, cars going off cliffs, running into cars, great master performance shots. It was very exciting, fun and pretty. It was in the desert so it was very hot."

They also have joined forces for a track on Cantrell's upcoming album (Snoop Dogg is another artist who has called May to get on a song).

"Blu's great," said May, who grew up listening to such artists as Duran Duran, Elton John and Billy Joel. "Me and her are the same sign, Pisces, so we get along. She's just as fun and just as real. Very talented."

You can also look for P. Diddy and Memphis Bleek on Lady May's LP when it hits July 16.

Lady May, who had to change her name from May West because the moniker was already being trademarked, got indoctrinated into the house that Clive Davis built (and L.A. Reid has taken over) through producer Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie (Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Mase, P. Diddy). He met her over three years ago and signed her to his Crazy Cat imprint.

"I was very deep when I came to D-Dot, like 'Ashes to ashes and dust to dust,' " said May, who used to be a backup dancer for such acts as LL Cool J and Jodeci before entering the rap game. "He helped me make it entertaining. He said, 'Make it ABC for people. Make them understand you.' "

Jackson too had to make people understand him. The 24-year-old said that because he was from Kentucky, record companies were a little skeptical about signing him because he didn't fit the preconceived notion of what they felt was the local vibe.

So he bided his time and made demos while playing football for Miami University of Ohio. One caught the ear of a classmate, who happened to have an in with former Naughty by Nature member Kay Gee. The two hooked up last September and began working.

"My album is full of party cuts, but it's full of some stuff I feel the people need to hear," Jackson said. "I'm not using it as an opportunity to tell you what I got or don't got, it's not about that for me. I don't knock that, but I feel I got a platform, I got a deal. I got the attention of America and as a whole, we gotta say a little bit more than that. Even if you listen to 'Boom, Boom, Boom,' there's stuff on there you can use."

Besides Kay Gee, such producers as Megahertz and Kanye West, who also produced on Lady May's album, contributed to his project, as did Bun B, one-half of southern line-throwers UGK. Jackson is also staying busy mixing with other Arista artists: He's going to appear on the new album by Boyz II Men and he recently completed a remix with Pink.

• Lady May
• Blu Cantrell

Blu Cantrell will play the role of, well, Blu Cantrell in "Drumline," a movie about black college marching bands directed by Charles Stone III, who helmed the Cam'ron flick "Paid in Full." Cantrell performs the national anthem at a pivotal moment in the film, which also boasts appearances by Dallas Austin and Petey Pablo and stars Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana and Orlando Jones. ... Two singles from the upcoming "Queen of the Damned" soundtrack will be simultaneously released before the album hits stores on February 19: Static-X's "Cold" and "Forsaken," which was written by Korn's Jonathan Davis and former Oingo Boingo keyboardist Richard Gibbs and features Disturbed's David Draiman. ...

Pearl Jam's latest fan club single includes a cover of the Ramones' "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" by bassist Jeff Ament, John Lennon's "Gimme Some Truth" and live versions of "Last Soldier" and "Indifference." The band has no plans to release its buzzed-about B-sides album any time soon, their spokesperson said. ... Collaborations with Everlast and DJs Vinroc, Apollo, Shortkut and Biz Markie, along with a Lo-Fidelity Allstars remix, have been added to the X-ecutioners' first album in five years, Built From Scratch. Due February 26, the LP also features appearances from Linkin Park, Xzibit, Dan "the Automator" Nakamura, DJ Premier, the late Big Punisher and others. ... Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child is among the performers slated for the first annual Gospel Insider Music Awards ceremony on February 15 at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City, California. Kirk Franklin will co-host the event, which will be broadcast in local markets. ...

Led Zeppelin's eponymous box set, released in 1990, has received a Diamond Award from the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of more than 10 million units (the RIAA counts each disc as a unit, meaning the four-disc set sold more than 2.5 million copies). Zep now tie the Beatles as the group possessing the most diamond discs, with five each. ... The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion will release Plastic Fang, their first album in four years, on April 23. Spencer and crew plan to tour the U.S. upon its release. ... San Francisco's annual indie lovefest, Noise Pop, will launch its third annual film festival on February 27, one day after its rock-show component kicks off. Among the treats on tap are documentaries on acts such as the Clash, Soul Asylum, Radiohead and Nick Drake, an hour-long Sparklehorse video album and films scored by the Flaming Lips ("Okie Noodling") and Spoon ("Everything Hits at Once"). ...

Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas, Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks and the duo of Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora will pay tribute to Billy Joel in a ceremony and concert at the 12th Annual MusiCares Person Of The Year dinner. The event, at Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, will honor Joel for his accomplishments both as a musician and a humanitarian. ... In other Joel news, his Face to Face Tour with Elton John has added second dates in Ft. Lauderdale (March 5) and Tampa (March 11), and new shows in Uniondale, New York (March 20) and East Rutherford, New Jersey (April 6). ... Riviera, Big Head Todd and the Monsters' first studio album in four years, will be released on the band's own label on March 26. A headlining theater tour will kick off in April. ...

01.29.02

Beck has been working with producer Dan "the Automator" Nakamura on material for his next LP, according to Beck's label, Interscope Records. Nakamura's résumé includes Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Deltron 3030, Lovage and Dr. Octagon. ... On February 2, the day before the Super Bowl, P. Diddy will host the United We Stand Jam at Zephyr Field in New Orleans, Louisiana, to raise funds for children and families of African-American firefighters and a pilot who lost their lives in the events of September 11. Performers include Fabolous, Bubba Sparxxx, Jermaine Dupri, Jadakiss and Black Rob, with guest DJ Biz Markie on the ones and twos. ... Former Helmet and Orange 9mm guitarist Chris Traynor gave it a shot at Monday's tryouts for a new Limp Bizkit axeman at a Guitar Center in Queens, New York. ...

Ever wanted to see a Backstreet Boy covered in rats? You just might get your chance when Kevin Richardson guests on an upcoming celebrity edition of the NBC series "Fear Factor," according to TVGuide.com. ... Drowning Pool, Coal Chamber and Ill Niño will be drinking in the atmosphere during the Jägermeister Music Tour, which kicks off March 8 in Orlando, Florida, and wraps April 23 in a venue to be announced. The outing is scheduled to hit over 30 cities in the U.S. ... Linkin Park signed a sponsorship deal with Microsoft's Xbox gaming system, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The first fruits of the marriage will be giveaways of band-autographed Xbox systems during their Projekt: Revolution Tour. ... In her contract-termination lawsuit against the Universal Music Group, Courtney Love can legally challenge a California labor code amendment that exempts recording artists from labor laws that pertain to other entertainers, the California Court of Appeal ruled on Monday. According to the Los Angeles Times, the court denied a petition by Universal to remove that challenge from Love's suit, which was filed in response to Universal's breach-of-contract suit against her. ...

Will Smith is the actor most likely to get your tail in a movie-house seat in 2002, as he'll be named Male Star of the Year in March at the ShoWest convention, an annual gathering of motion picture industry bigwigs. The "Ali" and "Men in Black 2" star will be feted at a banquet in Las Vegas in recognition of his positive affects on both critics and the box office. ... On March 19 — eight months after its U.K. release — Super Furry Animals' fifth album, Rings Around the World, will hit Stateside stores via XL Recordings. The band will tour the U.S. in April to support the record, which was nominated for the 2001 Mercury Music Prize. ... Theatrical metal outfit Mushroomhead have firmed the first month of dates for their spring tour to promote last year's major-label debut, Xx. The outing, with openers 18 Visions, Lamb of God and Five Point 0, begins February 20 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and ends at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, on March 15. ...

Thin-skinned troubadour Dashboard Confessional, a.k.a. Chris Carrabba, begins his second headlining tour March 1 in Fort Worth, Texas. The six-week jaunt supports his second album, The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (Vagrant Records); released in May, the LP will yield a single, "Screaming Infidelities," on modern rock radio next week with a video to follow. ... Mike Doughty launches a solo outing on February 13 in Northampton, Massachusetts, with 12 dates confirmed thus far. He'll perform new material as well as acoustic versions of favorites by his former band, Soul Coughing. ... Playful punk-turned-pop trio Bananarama ("Cruel Summer," "Venus") will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their top 10 debut in the U.K. with a reunion concert and TV special, according to Britain's The Sunday Times. Joining original members Sarah Dallin, Keren Woodward and Siobhan Fahey will be Jacquie O'Sullivan, who replaced Fahey after she left for Shakespear's Sister.

• Blu Cantrell
• Cam'ron
• Petey Pablo
• Led Zeppelin
• Pearl Jam

Pink
Photo: Arista

Pink, Blink-182, Busta Rhymes and Bush are among the artists slated to help Dick Clark usher in the new year on December 31.

Clark, who's been a New Year's Eve fixture for 30 consecutive years, will host three programs that night, according to a spokesperson for Dick Clark Productions. Live performances from the aforementioned artists, as well as from Blu Cantrell, the O'Jays, LFO and Jessica Simpson, will be part of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2002, Part 1," which will be televised on ABC from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET/PT. While Clark is presiding over the festivities in New York's Times Square, "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" star Wayne Brady will co-host the show from Hollywood, where the performances will take place.

Following "Part 1," "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2002, Part 2" will feature encore stints by Blink-182, Blu Cantrell, Bush, the O'Jays, Pink and Busta Rhymes.

For their last performances of 2001 and first of 2002, Blink-182 will play "The Rock Show" and "First Date" from their latest album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket; Blu Cantrell will offer "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" and "Waste My Time" from So Blu; Bush will deliver "Headful of Ghosts" and "Inflatable" from their latest album, Golden State, and "The Chemicals Between Us" from 1999's The Science of Things; LFO will serve up "Every Other Time" and the title track from their latest album, Life Is Good; the O'Jays will perform their classic "Love Train" and new single "Let's Ride" from For the Love ...; Pink will bring her "Don't Let Me Get Me" and "Get the Party Started" from her latest LP, Missundaztood, as well as "There You Go" from last year's Can't Take Me Home; Busta Rhymes will compile a hits medley and perform "Break Ya Neck" from his latest, Genesis; and Jessica Simpson will bop to "A Little Bit" and the title track from her second album, Irresistible.

For those looking for primetime Dick, "Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve" airs from 10-11 p.m. ET/PT. That show will feature highlights of the year's biggest tours, including footage of Aerosmith, Destiny's Child, Elton John and Dave Matthews Band; archived "New Year's Rockin' Eve" performances by Barry Manilow and Kool & the Gang; and Clark reporting live from Times Square.

For a full-length feature on Pink, check out "Pink: So Missundazstood."

• P!nk
• blink-182
• Busta Rhymes
• Blu Cantrell
• LFO

RZA performs at Riverbank State Park
Photo: Image Direct

NEW YORK — The RZA, Res, Blu Cantrell and City High braved the rain Tuesday in Harlem to kick off MTV's VMA Music week with a free concert in Riverbank State Park.

With the rain sputtering then picking back up, Res, who has just replaced Alicia Keys on the Maxwell tour, opened things up. Backed up by a live band, the 23-year-old Philadelphia native sang a few selections from her current LP, Ice King, as well as a soulful cover of Jimi Hendrix's "If 6 Was 9."

Using just a DAT, Blu Cantrell performed a short one-two punch set of the dramatic ballad "Till I'm Gone" and her hit, "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)," as the sun finally decided to show up.

City High raised the energy level by mixing hip-hop with their acclaimed R&B vocal skills. Freestyling over the beat to Jay-Z's "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," group member Ryan Toby rhymed about the group's origins and introduced his partners Robby Pardlo and Claudette Ortiz.

The New Jersey collective, who often hit the stage with a band, opted for a DJ to perform cuts such as "City High Anthem," "Caramel" and its remix, where Ortiz sings in Spanish.

"We're representing peace and positivity," Pardlo said before the group went into its closer, the VMA-nominated "What Would You Do?" As finales often are, this was a highlight with the mostly pre-teen crowd, especially during the breakdown in the song where the group uses a piece of Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode."

The hip-hop vibe was thrust ahead full throttle when the show's headliner, Wu-Tang Clan's the RZA, took the stage. Flanked by members of Killarmy and the Black Knights, RZA started off by rhyming his verse to "Duck Seazon" off of the Wu-Tang Forever LP.

"It's Wu-Tang ni---, ain't nothing changed ni---, still shame on a ni--- ...," the Staten Island MC brashly rhymed on the mic.

He let out the heavy artillery with his verse from the riotous Wu-Tang classic "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit." Aware of all the child spectators, RZA tried to keep his explicit language to a minimum, eliminating "f---" and chanting "Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothin' to buck with" on the chorus.

However, when it was time to transform into his alter ego, Bobby Digital, RZA — who released Digital Bullet under his alias last week — and his crew let the blue language fly during performances of Digital Bullet cuts "Must Be Bobby" and "Domestic Violence Part 2."

"Your friends ain't sh--, your wip ain't sh--, pocketbook ain't sh--" they chanted on "Domestic Violence" before RZA offered his apologies.

"Pardon our language," he said to the kids. "But you know your moms and pops be cursin' too. It's hip-hop."

RZA let it be known that not only his rap roots but his entire life's origins started in Brooklyn, segueing into another Digital Bullet cut, "Brooklyn Babies," for which he brought the track's guest star, Masta Killa, onstage.

"A Brooklyn baby I was born up in Kings County/ Seven months before the Queen found me," RZA rhymed over a synthesized track that gradually sped up and slowed back down as the song progressed.

The set's finale was RZA's current single, the Latin-flavored party song "La Rumba." Method Man, one of the track's three cameo performers, wasn't in attendance; the other two, Killa Sin and Beretta, were on hand to lend support to their mentor. Two bikini-clad female dancers joined them onstage.

At the end of the show, RZA stood onstage alone, reiterating that his performance was in fun. "I hope we ain't offend nobody," he said. "To all the kids, respect your parents and all that."

Neither the children nor their parents seemed to mind RZA's onstage antics, as chants of "Wu-Tang! Wu-Tang!" went out as he exited.

Catch all the sizzlin', star-packed VMA action direct from Miami on August 28. MTV News' preshow kicks things off at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, followed by big show at 8 p.m.

Vote for the Viewer's Choice Award, see a timeline of MTV Video Music Awards history, and relive highlights of last year's event. And for more MTV Video Music Awards news, check out the MTV News VMA archive.

• RZA
• Blu Cantrell
• City High
• Res

Photo: Arista

• Blu Cantrell

Usher Multi-Platinum Party, 06.18.2002

• Usher
• Alicia Keys
• Lady May
• Blu Cantrell
• Donell Jones

Beyoncé 20th Birthday Party

• Destiny's Child
• Jermaine Dupri
• Eve
• Mos Def
• Diddy