Nas on the set of his "Can't Forget About You" video
Photo: M Szwajkos/ Getty Images

NEW YORK — Nas has kept albums pretty spaced out for most of his career, but he's in such a zone right now that he doesn't want to waste any time. Not even a month after releasing Hip Hop Is Dead, the MC is planning to jump right back in the studio and release an LP sometime this year.

"New album is in the making right now," Nas said Sunday night, sitting in his trailer outside the set of his new video for "Can't Forget About You." (Click here to see photos of Nas on the video's NYC set.) " '07, new Nas album, I can't wait. I'm not finished. I feel like something is starting right now. This is a momentum and a movement that's happening out here. I gotta make sure I stay the captain of this ship and push it forward. I'm here at Def Jam, I'm renaming it the Black Oasis. You bring Nas into any situation like the situation that's at Def Jam and you gonna get nothing but the top of the line.

"Look," he continued after a long pause, grinning. "I'm sounding like I'm really feeling myself right now. But real talk, I'm really feeling myself again. '07, I'm gonna drop again and see what's really good with y'all out there. ... When it comes to this, man, sometimes when you're feeling it, you gotta just let it go."

Even with a potential classic in his sights, Nas said he's far from done with his #1-debuting LP Hip Hop Is Dead (see "Nas Proves Hip-Hop Is Alive And Well With Third Career #1").

"Ah, man, going into the year the way I went into the year was real good," he said. "The irony of a title like Hip Hop Is Dead being #1, what is that? That's what it's all about. At the end of the day, it's real big. It feels like a good time. I'm excited, I'm loving the rap game, the potential that it has to grow. A lot of people thought that because I was hating the state of the rap game, I was hating rappers. I don't hate. It's just that there were a lot of rappers that were corny. There's always going to be corny rappers. They didn't understand the message. People were not getting it. It's a slow process, but it's all good. We're going to keep grinding, keep giving them more, showing them more. This is a record that's going to take time. We gonna push it on them for the whole year.

"With an album like this and a title like Hip Hop Is Dead, this is going to be a long burial," he continued. "You plant it, then maybe we could get some rain to fall, then you see stuff start sprouting and maybe get something reborn out here. But right now I'm at the funeral service, man. We got more material that's going to be showed to the world. I don't wanna stop this record. I usually fade out and not be a part of the scene ... but this one right here don't matter. I'm not even thinking about too much attention. I'm not thinking that. I'm thinking this one gotta play all the way out."

Nas and Def Jam are talking about making videos for "Hustlers," which features the Game, or even his duet with Jay-Z, "Black Republicans." But for now, the track is "Can't Forget About You." He shot the video Saturday and Sunday with director Chris Robinson. On Sunday, God's Son wore a tuxedo and bowtie, recalling the days he was suited up on the regular with the Firm in his Nas Escobar phase. On Saturday, Nas had taken his look back even further to the It Was Written days. He was shot on top of a triple-decker bus that cruised through Manhattan, similar to how he glided through those same streets in the clip for "If I Ruled the World."

"The concept of the video is [that] I put a lot of things on the map," he explained in his trailer, with friends like Swizz Beatz looking on. "Whether it's the pink-suit thing or the real dress-up look for the rappers. I been doing it for so long, and right now is a good moment in the '07. It's a good time to get that energy going."

If you've heard the single, you know the Will.I.Am-produced track uses a sample of Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable." Nas felt it was only right that he pay the legend's family tribute by inviting the legendary singer's daughter, Natalie Cole, to participate in filming on Sunday.

"I'm friends with [Def Jam A&R rep] J. Brown, and he said, 'Nas wants you to be in the video.' I said 'OK,' " said Natalie Cole, wearing a black suit, Chuck Taylor sneakers and a pendant of a crown (to pay homage to her famous father). "I hadn't heard [the song yet]. But I've heard of Nas, and I thought it was cool. I knew we had already given the license for the use of 'Unforgettable.' I think it's great every time I see the hip-hop world reaching back and getting great vintage stuff. I think the title ['Can't Forget About You'], it's appropriate. Then Nas got on the phone, we talked, and here I am."

"It was just an idea I wanted," Nas elaborated about reaching out to Cole. "It's a given, though, if we use the track. Nobody could forget what she did with the record, her and her father," he added, referring to the 1991 album on which Natalie sang a posthumous duet with her father using a track of his original vocal. That was one of the most major moments in music. With the family and what the song meant to a generation before her and our generation when she did it with her father. I'm not blood-related, but I'm musically related, and I guess I'm the child of their generation and I'm bridging the gap from Nat King Cole to Natalie Cole to Nas King Cole, and we're going to make it one family all over again."

Natalie Cole isn't the only female co-star Nas has in the video. R&B newcomer Chrisette Michele (Jay-Z's "Lost Ones") makes her video debut. The Long Island native, who appears four times on Hip-Hop Is Dead ("Not Going Back," "Still Dreaming," "Hope" and, of course, "Can't Forget Abut You"), said she was able to get on the album after Nas heard her freestyling over one of his incomplete tracks.

"I was introduced to Chrisette just from her being in the Def Jam family," Nas said. "When I heard her, I wanted to work with her more. She's an incredible writer and an incredible singer. It's something about her voice that's just the truth."

• Nas On The Set Of His Video "Can't Forget About You"

• Nas
• Natalie Cole
• Chrisette Michele

Macy Gray
Photo: David Livingston/ Getty Images

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California — When Macy Gray said her new album would be big, she wasn't kidding.

Not only has the raspy-voiced songstress raked in the dynamic production duo of Justin Timberlake and the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am — collectively known as the Jawbreakers — to helm the new LP, which is called Big and due later this year, she also locked down a collaboration with one of R&B's most celebrated vocalists.

"Natalie Cole is on the album," revealed Gray, who also laid down songs with Outkast and Sleepy Brown. Despite the A-list guests, Gray said she wanted to keep the outside influences fairly small. "We didn't need [a lot of guests]," she said. "The music is so hot that it speaks for itself." Gray also collaborated with Whiteleaf, a team of beatmakers who recently contributed to Floetry's latest, Flo'Ology.

Gray, who is currently in the process of mixing the album, said Big is "definitely the best album I've ever made," adding that it's a blend of classic Macy and new sounds. "It's [going to have] everything: hip-hop, R&B, rock and roll ... even, like, old folk music," she said. "We managed to come up with some new beats, so it's real hot."

Gray doesn't just have music on her mind. She has a small role as a madam in the Outkast film Idlewild, alongside Terrence Howard, Ving Rhames and Faizon Love (see "Outkast's Manager Swears Idlewild Is Almost Done; Group Plans Rosa Parks Tribute").

Gray will also be launching her new clothing line, Natalie Hines, this fall (see "Macy Gray Tries On Clothing Line, Rapper/Stripper/Burglar Role").

• Macy Gray: From The Red Carpet To The Stage

• Macy Gray
• Justin Timberlake
• Will.I.Am
• OutKast
• Natalie Cole

Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, and Nelly announce 2003 Grammy nominations
Photo: MTV News

When nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, reactions ranged from sincere congratulations to "What were they thinking?" (Click here for the list of nominees.)

Few readers writing to MTVNews.com's You Tell Us forum had sour sentiments about demure Norah Jones, the jazz-influenced singer/pianist who's got a chance to sweep the four biggest categories — Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist (see "Eminem, Avril Lavigne, Nelly, Norah Jones Nab Most Grammy Noms"). Jones is also among the eight artists who garnered five nominations. (Click for photos of this year's Grammy nominees.)

"I'm sooo happy for [Norah Jones]," wrote 18-year-old Lexi, from Seattle. "I know many people haven't heard her music, but those who have know how great it is. Big ups to the critics for giving this girl the credit she deserves."

Jones' Come Away With Me faces stiff competition from The Rising, Bruce Springsteen's return to form, and, to a lesser extent, The Eminem Show. Although the mainstream seems to have embraced the volatile rapper, with hardly a protest over his third major-label album or his fictionalized biopic "8 Mile," the Grammys might not be ready to bestow such a prestigious honor to a man who had a hit with a song that talks about killing the mother of his child and stuffing her in a trunk.

Then again, Eminem already has five golden gramophones in his trophy case (though none in the big four categories), and the Recording Academy did grant an Album of the Year Grammy to Steely Dan in 2001, for Two Against Nature, which featured the song "Cousin Dupree," about incest. But old guards like Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have always had Grammy odds in their favor, which is why Springsteen stands such a good shot. And even if The Eminem Show doesn't win for Album of the Year and "Without Me" doesn't lay claim to Record of the Year, Eminem is likely to make good on at least one of his other three nominations.

While Jones stands as the artist with the smallest presence at radio compared with fellow new-artist nominees R&B songbird Ashanti, singer/songwriter Michelle Branch, sensitive guy John Mayer and pop-rocker Avril Lavigne, most of you think the latter stands as her fiercest competition.

"I think Avril Lavigne definitely deserves Best New Artist," wrote 14-year-old Ashley of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. "She's worked so hard and accomplished so much this year."

"There is no doubt that Avril Lavigne should win Best New Artist," echoed 14-year-old Danielle, from Somerset, New Jersey. "She writes her own music, had three top 40 songs in 2002, sold over 4 million copies of her debut, Let Go, and hates Britney Spears. What more could you want in a Best New Artist?"

While statistics may garner gold records, they don't necessarily translate to a Grammy. Awards are (theoretically) doled out to those who demonstrate genuine artistry in their work. And that's Avril Lavigne, isn't it?

"Avril has no business being nominated for as much as she was," disagreed 19-year-old Andrea. "As far as music and creativity go, Britney is more creative — and you know that's a stretch, especially since Britney is nothing but manufactured bubble gum. Avril may have had something going with her and her ties but let's face it, MTV, that's all she has had."

After yesterday's announcement of the nominations, Lavigne has a lot more attached to her, namely a monumental mistake when she mispronounced David Bowie's last name. When reading the list of artists up for the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, she mispronounced Bowie as "bow-wie" (rhymes with oh, wowee!). An unnerving hush immediately enveloped Madison Square Garden.

"Am I the only person who realizes what a poser Avril Lavigne is?" queried 22-year-old Kim, from Denver. "First of all, she botched the pronunciation of David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of our time. ... Does Avril know anything about music? ... My point is, although everyone seems to be touting Avril Lavigne as some new prodigy, the fact is that she is not a true musician or artist and is just as fake and untalented as Britney Spears."

And here we thought Avril was the anti-Britney.

While Mayer's the only guy among the gals in the Best New Artist pack, his fans warn not to count him out just because he's outnumbered.

"John Mayer deserves to win the Grammy for Best New Artist," declared 18-year-old Tiffany Johnson, from Austin, Texas. "He is just on a different level from the rest of the nominees. The guy is brilliant."

Nelly, who's up for Album of the Year, Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album honors, among others, is feeling the brunt of haters. For the nearly 5 million copies of Nellyville sold, the St. Louis rapper seems to have just as many, if not more, detractors.

"I want to know what the Grammy folks see in Nelly," demanded 19-year-old Jason Curtis of Seattle. "Everyone is hypnotized by his so-called 'skills,' which are by no means good. As far as I'm concerned, Nelly doesn't deserve a Grammy."

It wasn't all trash talk directed at the St. Louis rapper, however. Many have their fingers crossed that the Band-Aid bearing MC will leave with even more gold than he came in with.

"I'm really anticipating seeing Nelly take home the Grammy for best album," wrote 14-year-old Linzi, from Sandusky, Michigan. "I mean, his music is totally hot, and I'm pretty sure that I don't know anyone who isn't into Nelly."

Linzi, meet 21-year-old James, from New Haven, Connecticut.

"It is clear once again that the awards honor what is popular, not what is good," James began. "Nelly has sunk so far down in the talent pool that he's left rapping about sneakers and some sort of heat wave that has apparently swept Nellyville. Talk about meaningless music. Seriously, if it's that hot in 'herre,' then drink a glass of water. Don't make a freakin' song about it."

Fellow hip-hopper Petey Pablo, up for Best Rap Album with Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, faced some harsh reactions, with fellow nominee Mystikal also catching some heat.

"I am very upset to see that Pete Pablo has been nominated for Best Rap Album," expressed 25-year-old Curtis, from Tallahassee, Florida. "Also, Mystikal's Tarantula album was very disappointing. How come someone like Trick Daddy or Cee-Lo never gets nominated? He is pure trash, and I understand why people like Jay-Z protest the Grammys. If we want to make it mainstream for all these old white people, let's nominate Will Smith. Even though his album sold probably 200 copies, he does not curse."

Such outrage over those who were nominated couldn't rival the furor over those who were left out: uber-producers the Neptunes and anyone from the neo-garage school, such as the Hives, the Vines, the Strokes or the White Stripes.

"How did Dr. Dre get nominated in the Producer of the Year category, while the Neptunes were ignored?" wondered Venni, 18, from Blacksburg, Virginia. "Dre didn't do anything in 2002. Every single song on the radio was produced by the Neptunes."

OK, Venni may be exaggerating a bit, though Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are responsible for Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," all of which are Grammy-nominated.

"I'm surprised the new 'the' bands didn't get major nods," typed an aghast CJ, 18, from Newmarket, New Hampshire. "I'm sad that the White Stripes were shafted, when overrated Avril Lavigne gets all the credit. Well, the Grammys are pretty lame either way."

If the nominations aroused such fervent feelings in these folks, they'd better be prepared for the shock of February 23. While some surprises can be expected with the nods, utter jaw-droppers like the over-the-hill Jethro Tull winning for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1988 are unmatched.

Stay tuned and stay calm.

For a look back at previous big Grammy winners, red carpet photos and much more, visit our Grammy News Archive.

• Eminem
• Norah Jones
• Nelly
• Dixie Chicks
• Bruce Springsteen

Nelly
Photo: Universal

With eight artists grabbing five nominations each, this year's Grammy Awards looks to be one of the most competitive in the ceremony's 45 years. (Click here for the list of nominees and for photos of this year's Grammy nominees and performers.)

Three relative newcomers, Ashanti, Norah Jones and Avril Lavigne, join Sheryl Crow, Eminem, Nelly, Raphael Saadiq and Bruce Springsteen as the artists with the greatest chances of leaving New York's Madison Square Garden on February 23 with the most golden gramophones in their arms.

All eyes will be on Norah Jones, who stands to reign supreme on Grammy night with four of her five nominations arriving in the big four categories: Best New Artist; Album of the Year, for Come Away With Me; and Song of the Year (given to the songwriter Jesse Harris) and Record of the Year for "Don't Know Why." Jones and her full-length debut album also received nods in the categories Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while the LP's producer, Arif Mardin, scored one in the Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category to give the Norah Jones camp a whopping eight nominations combined.

Eminem, Nelly, Springsteen and Lavigne received two nods apiece for the big awards. Em's "Without Me" is up for Record of the Year, along with Nelly's "Dilemma" (which features Kelly Rowland), Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." The Eminem Show will vie for Album of the Year honors against Come Away With Me, the Dixie Chicks' Home, Nelly's Nellyville and Bruce Springsteen's The Rising.

Springsteen was also nominated in the Song of the Year category for "The Rising." The Boss' tune, which resonated with many after the events of September 11, 2001, will face off against another song inspired by the tragedy, Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)."

The Best New Artist category finds John Mayer the sole male amidst a quartet of ladies, Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Jones and Lavigne, whose single "Complicated" is also up for Song of the Year. (Last year, Alicia Keys walked off with the prestigious honor. Who do you think should win Grammy's equivalent to Rookie of the Year? Take our poll.)

"Chauvinists unite!" Mayer joked at Madison Square Garden, in a half-hearted attempt to strum up support for his cause. "I'm just going to go to sports bars and lobby.

"It's cool," he continued sincerely. "I look at the list and say, 'It makes sense to me.' "

While Ashanti is likely to have her fingers crossed for the big Best New Artist win, she'll be doubly excited when the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category is awarded. Besides receiving a nod for assisting Fat Joe with "What's Luv?" the songbird with the second-best-selling debut album of 2002 has increased her chances of winning with "Always on Time," her collaboration with Ja Rule. Ashanti likes both songs, but she looks to the phrase "blood is thicker than water" when deciding whom to root for.

"I don't necessarily have a preference, but it I had to choose, it would have to be my brother Ja," she said. "That's my family, Murder, Inc. Records."

Nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday (January 7) at a press conference held in Madison Square Garden. Among the artists on hand to read the roster of those hopeful for Grammy gold were Ashanti, country singer Kenny Chesney, '80s faceplate Cyndi Lauper, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and producer Jimmy Jam, who filled in for a previously scheduled but absent Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

The artists each took the podium in turn to announce the contestants for two of the categories, which made for some interesting pronunciations. Ashanti (pronounced a-shan-tee) became the faux-fabulous sounding "A-shan-tay" whenever most on hand mentioned her name; and Lavigne, in announcing the nominees for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance botched David Bowie's name, pronouncing it 'Bow-wee" (as in the dog sound "bow-wow"). The flub is not likely to go unnoticed among Lavigne's critics, and it just might go down in pop-star infamy, the way Britney Spears' remark that suggested Pat Benatar sang "I Love Rock 'N Roll," a song Joan Jett made famous, did in a fall 2001 interview.

Four nominations fell on the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, R&B singer Remy Shand and Chad Kroeger, who scored one with his band Nickelback, and three others for his song "Hero," penned for the soundtrack to "Spider-Man."

Besides two in the big four, Vanessa Carlton's other nomination came in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). While most categories in the Composing/Arranging field are often overlooked in favor of more artist-specific ones, the 21-year-old pianist doesn't consider her third nod to be any less important. In fact, considering that she's the only nominee who's also an artist in that category, she said she's perhaps most proud of that honor because it shows her as the well-rounded artist she is.

"I am most excited for that nomination because it is recognizing the process, something other than the vocal and the song itself," she explained. "It kind of acknowledges how the puzzle fits together. I think [Be Not Nobody] is a beautiful record and I'm really proud to know that people recognized that. I was totally surprised, though. I really was."

India.Arie, Erykah Badu, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Dr. Dre, Randy Newman, Arif Mardin and No Doubt also nabbed three nominations each.

Touting over 100 categories, the Grammys is the most comprehensive music awards show, but even with classifications such as Best Polka Album (for which Jimmy Sturr's Top of the World looks to be the odds-on favorite) and Best Remixed Record, Non-Classical, there just aren't enough designations for some folks.

"Actually, one they didn't mention was best haircut-changing-style every year,' a near-bald Timberlake kidded. "I'm hoping I get the Victrola for that."

Maybe next year, Justin. In the meantime, the 'NSYNC star must be content with just one nomination, for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, for the Clipse-featured "Like I Love You," the first single from his solo debut, Justified.

Super production duo the Neptunes were puzzlingly absent from the Producer of the Year category, which instead found Dr. Dre, Nellee Hooper, Arif Mardin, Rick Rubin, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis attempting to stake their claim to the title. After producing a number of Grammy-nominated tracks, including Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," it's a mystery why Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams didn't receive any love from the Recording Academy.

"For the second year in a row, can you imagine that?" Williams said of his Grammy dis. "All the work we've done? For whatever reason, nobody thought to put us on the ballot."

The 45th annual ceremony marks the Grammys' return to New York, after Los Angeles hosted the previous four events. The show will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). Before the show, catch MTV's pre-show telecast "Backstage at the Grammys," airing at 7 p.m. ET.

MTV's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

• Nelly
• Avril Lavigne
• Norah Jones
• Eminem
• Vanessa Carlton

Disturbed's David Draiman
Photo: Amy V. Cooper

Chicago rockers Disturbed have upset the Dixie Chicks' three-week run as chart champs, selling more than 283,000 copies of their second album to debut atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday.

The riff-wielding quartet has come a long way in its short career. Disturbed's 2000 debut, The Sickness, while eventually selling more than 2.6 million copies, took nearly two months to crack the chart after its release.

What's even more impressive is that Disturbed's first-place showing came without an unavoidable, playlist-friendly video. The clip for the LP's first single, "Prayer," encountered restrictions because it was deemed insensitive by some in the wake of 9/11 (see "Disturbed Refuse To Re-Edit 'Prayer' Video For Airplay"). The curbing proved irrelevant, however, as radio embraced the song and Disturbed's camp used well-placed TV ads to show fans portions of the apocalyptic clip, which is included as a bonus on the disc.

Disturbed's chart debut pushes the Dixie Chicks' Home and Avril Lavigne's Let Go down to #2 and #3, respectively. Nelly's Nellyville holds on to #4 for a fourth straight week, while Eminem's The Eminem Show slides past it to #5.

The "Growing Pains" hurt so good for Ludacris' posse, Disturbing Tha Peace. The Dirty South sextet take the #6 position with their debut LP, Golden Grain, which sold more than 95,000 copies.

If Lifehouse were nondescript with their last album, No Name Face, its follow-up, Stanley Climbfall, is becoming a household name — at least to the more than 74,000 folks who bought it last week. Jason Wade and company land at #7 with more than 74,000 copies sold, thanks in part to the first single, "Spin."

Softie soprano sax player Kenny G's Paradise lands at #9, while Enrique Iglesias' Spanish-language album, Quizas, takes the #12 slot to round out the week's top-20 debuts. Quizas follows Iglesias' immensely successful English-language Escape, which sold more than 3 million copies.

The remainder of the week's top 10 includes Norah Jones' Come Away With Me, dropping one spot to #8, and former #1 country boy Toby Keith's Unleashed, falling five spots to #10, while also breaking the 1 million mark in total sales.

A reissue of John Mayer's 1999 debut EP, Inside Wants Out, comes in at #22 with more than 35,000 in sales, while the singer/songwriter's full-length debut, Room for Squares, sits just a few places ahead at #19.

With the band on a U.S. tour through October 24, Our Lady Peace's Gravity makes a mighty chart leap from #70 to #51 after seeing an increase in weekly sales of more than 3,000 copies. And former underground darlings turned You Hear It First buzz band Interpol reaped the benefit of nationally televised exposure coupled with critical fawning, moving from #187 to #158 with Turn on the Bright Lights.

Other notable chart debuts include Natalie Cole's Ask a Woman Who Knows at #32; Disneymania, featuring A*Teens, Aaron Carter and 'NSYNC covering Disney staples, at #61; Nickelback hand-holders Theory of a Dead Man's self-titled debut at #85; Chicago's OK Go's eponymous LP at #107; and Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch's solo venture, Now You Know, at #177.

For a feature interview with Disturbed, check out "Disturbed: Naked On A Platter."

• Disturbed
• Enrique Iglesias
• Norah Jones
• Our Lady Peace
• Natalie Cole

• Metallica
• Natalie Cole
• Michael Bolton

Nas On The Set Of His Video "Can't Forget About You"

• Nas
• Natalie Cole
• Chrisette Michele