<P>It's been widely reported &#8212; mostly because, you know, it's sort of amazing &#8212; that, over the last year, Mark Ronson logged a whole lot of time in the studio with mercurial <a href="/news/articles/1646700/mark-ronson-working-on-dangelo-album.jhtml">R&B magnate D'Angelo</a>, a man who, for most of the last decade has largely made a career out of, well, not making a career.</P><P>The story goes that D, eternally working on the follow-up to his 2000 album <i>Voodoo,</i> heard Ronson's work on Amy Winehouse's <i>Back to Black</i> and decided that he had to work with him. So, naturally, when D'Angelo called, Ronson answered.</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="Mark Ronson Dishes On Working With D'Angelo" id="vid:577342" width="240" height="211"></div><p></P><P>But while he was "floored" by the opportunity, Ronson also realized that he could probably get D'Angelo to record some vocals for <i>his</i> album too. And, lo and behold, on Ronson's brand-new <i>Record Collection</i> disc (in stores Tuesday, September 28), D does appear &#8212; contributing vocals to a song called "Glass Mountain Trust." It may very well be the guest appearance of the year.</P><P>So, obviously, when MTV News sat down with Ronson, we had to ask him what it was like to get in the studio with a legend like D'Angelo. First and foremost, we wondered: Did they replicate the infamous "Untitled (How Does It Feel?)" video and go shirtless?</P><P>Why, of course. Though, as Ronson explained, that was more a matter of necessity than anything else.</P><P>"Nobody wears shirts in the studio, that's the rule. Especially since we recorded most of the album during [a] heat wave, in Brooklyn, in a studio with no air conditioning," he said. "The only reason we actually got air conditioning is when we found out the tapes were melting and warping. We'd play back the tape from the day before and be like, '<i>What</i> is that sound?' We had the guy come over to fix the tape machine, and he's like, 'Dude, it's 110 degrees in here, your tapes are melting.' "</P><P>In some ways, Ronson even credits the sweltering heat for giving <i>Record Collection</i> such swagger ... after all, you had to be a pretty bad dude (or chick) to lock yourself in his Brooklyn space all day. And on a record that features cameos by everyone from D'Angelo to Boy George (and crackling session work from members of the Dap-Kings and the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra), that's a whole lot of badness. Though, perhaps the toughest of all was someone who doesn't even appear on the record: Mary J. Blige. The R&B queen came out to BK to work with Ronson on a Maroon 5 remix, and proved to pretty much everyone that she was the baddest bitch in the business.</P><P>"I have really fond, sweet memories of Mary J. Blige coming over one time, and [she] is at a point in her career where she deserves to be pampered and sit on a bed of fluffy down and be fed grapes in the studio if she wants to," Ronson laughed. "[But she] came to our sweatbox and, to her credit, she was so sweet. She was like, 'See, this reminds me of the old days.' Meanwhile, she was probably thinking, 'Get me the f--- out of here.' "</P><P><i>Are you eager to hear what Mark Ronson and the elusive D'Angelo cooked up in the studio? Let us know in the comments!</i></p>

• D'Angelo
• Mark Ronson

• Lauryn Hill
• Xzibit
• Dilated Peoples
• Memphis Bleek
• D'Angelo

<P>A rep for R&B singer <a href="/music/artist/d_angelo/artist.jhtml">D'Angelo</a> (real name: Michael Archer), who was arrested and <a href="/news/articles/1633360/dangelo-arrested-soliciting-female-police-officer.jhtml">charged with soliciting a prostitute Saturday</a> in New York, issued a statement about the incident Monday (March 8).</P><P>"We know there is a lot of speculation in regard to the arrest of D'Angelo in New York City this past weekend," the statement, from Lindsay Guion of D'Angelo Management, reads. "We would like his fans and the public at large to know that D'Angelo has pled not guilty &#8212; and is contesting the allegations made against him. Also know that he is in good health and extremely excited about his forthcoming new album.</P><P>"D'Angelo would like to personally thank all of his fans for the outpouring of concern, and appreciates if all would allow the American justice system to resolve the matter before jumping to any conclusions," the statement concludes.</P><P>While a police spokesperson declined to provide further details on the incident when contacted by MTV News, according to <i>The New York Post,</i> the singer allegedly offered an undercover policewoman $40 for oral sex.</P><P>D'Angelo was driving alone in his Range Rover at Greenwich and Horatio streets at about 2:30 a.m. when he saw a woman he believed to be a prostitute, unnamed sources told the <i>Post.</i> He was arrested and charged with solicitation after asking the woman for sex, according to the sources, who added that the singer had $12,000 in his car.</P><P>Powered by his 1995 debut LP, <i>Brown Sugar,</i> D'Angelo was one of the leading lights of R&B during the 1990s, but he has released little music since his 2000 sophomore effort, <i>Voodoo,</i> and has been <a href="/news/articles/1633360/dangelo-arrested-soliciting-female-police-officer.jhtml">plagued by legal difficulties</a> in the years since.</p>

• D'Angelo

<P>R&B singer <a href="/music/artist/d_angelo/artist.jhtml">D'Angelo</a> (real name: Michael Archer) was arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute Saturday in New York, a police spokesperson confirmed to MTV News on Sunday (March 7). While the spokesperson declined to provide further details, according to <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/busted_for_soliciting_cop_AJCQ4nnIyxooWT6e0r47DI#ixzz0hY7v9MAC" target="_blank"><i>The New York Post,</i></a> the singer allegedly offered an undercover policewoman $40 for oral sex.</P><P>D'Angelo was driving alone in his Range Rover at Greenwich and Horatio streets at about 2:30 a.m. when he saw a woman he believed to be a prostitute, unnamed sources told the <i>Post.</i> He was arrested and charged with solicitation after asking the woman for sex, according to the sources, who added that the singer had $12,000 in his car.</P><P>A rep for the singer had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment at press time.</P><P>Powered by his 1995 <i>Brown Sugar</i> debut LP, D'Angelo was one of the leading lights of R&B during the 1990s, but he has released little music since his 2000 sophomore effort, <i>Voodoo.</i></P><P>He has been plagued by legal troubles in the years since. In 2002, he allegedly <a href="/news/articles/1458765/dangelo-resists-arrest.jhtml">resisted arrest</a> when police went to his suburban Richmond, Virginia, home to serve a warrant for misdemeanor charges of aggressive driving and other counts. In 2005, he <a href="/news/articles/1500152/dangelo-pleads-guilty-dui-drug-charges.jhtml">pleaded guilty</a> to charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence and was fined $250 and given a 90-day suspended jail term for the DUI conviction, and his driver's license was suspended for one year. In 2007, he received <a href="/news/articles/1566921/britney-spears-assistant-served-by-kevin-federline.jhtml">suspended jail sentences</a> after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. He also was <a href="/news/articles/1510403/dangelo-hes-fine-after-car-accident.jhtml">injured in a car accident</a> in 2005.</p>

• D'Angelo

<P><b>Britney Spears</b>' assistant was served with court papers Sunday morning to give a deposition in a legal matter between the singer and <b>Kevin Federline</b>. Mark Vincent Kaplan, Federline's attorney, told <i>The Associated Press</i> that Alli Sims will be asked to offer a statement "in connection with the Britney Spears/ Kevin Federline issue," although he didn't elaborate. He added that Sims is "believed to have relevant information" but didn't go into specifics about that either. On Wednesday, Kaplan filed documents in Los Angeles Superior Court for primary physical custody of Federline's two sons with Spears. ...</P><P><b>Diddy</b> will executive produce the upcoming biopic of the <b>Notorious B.I.G.</b>, <i>Variety</i> reports. "Soul Food" director <b>George Tillman</b> will be behind the lens for "Unbelievable: The Life, Death and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G.," for which an open casting call was launched nationally on Sunday. ...</P><P><b>Jennifer Lopez</b> has pegged October 9 as the release date for her English-language album <i>Brave,</i> her second LP of the year and sixth studio disc overall. The set is highlighted by the just-released single, "Do It Well," and will be produced by <b>J.R. Rotem</b> (<B>50 Cent</b>, <b>Christina Aguilera</b>), among others. J. Lo's other album this year, <i>Como Ama Una Mujer,</i> is the best-selling Spanish-language debut LP ever. ... <b>Amy Winehouse</b>, who was hospitalized last week for severe exhaustion, has scrapped two planned shows in Germany opening for the <b>Rolling Stones</b>, RollingStone.com reports. The singer told Britain's <i>News of the World,</i> "I don't know how to explain what happened. ... I can't remember what I looked like. I couldn't recognize myself. It was terrifying." ...</P><P><b>Smashing Pumpkins</b>, <b>Foo Fighters</b>, <b>Kid Rock</b> and <b>Velvet Revolver</b> will anchor Los Angeles radio station KROQ's Inland Invasion fest &#8212; which has been renamed the L.A. Invasion, since its relocation from a venue in Devore, California, to one in Carson. <b>Against Me!</b>, <b>Chris Cornell</b>, <b>Hot Hot Heat</b>, <b>Satellite Party</b>, <b>Paramore</b> and <b>Cypress Hill</b> round out the bill for the show, which will take place September 15. ...</P><P>The French publisher of the "<b>Harry Potter</b>" series will not seek damages against a 16-year-old who allegedly posted online an unauthorized French translation of "<b>Harry Potter</b> and the Deathly Hallows," publishing house Gallimard Jeunesse said Monday (August 13), <i>The Associated Press</i> reports. The case is still being investigated by French authorities, who will decide whether to bring it to trial. ... <b>Robert Smith</b> of the <b>Cure</b>, <b>Julian Casablancas</b> of the <b>Strokes</b>, <b>Frank Black</b> and <b>Tom Waits</b> will judge this year's International Songwriting Competition, RollingStone.com reports. ...</P><P><b>Bloc Party</b>, <b>M&#250;m</b>, <b>Of Montreal</b> and more have been confirmed for the ninth annual Iceland Airwaves festival, set for October 17-21 in downtown Reykjav&#237;k. ... The <b>Shins</b> have beefed up their fall tour schedule with a smattering of new U.S. dates. After playing Seattle's Bumbershoot festival on September 1 and Chicago's Download Festival the following day, the band will take a month off, then hit the road again beginning October 5 in Berkeley, California. From there, the Shins will play more West Coast and Southwest dates before dipping down South and winding their way up the East Coast for a two-day stand at New York's Terminal Five on October 23-24. They'll cap the tour with a pair of gigs at Las Vegas' Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel on October 27-28. ...</P><P><b>Wilco</b> are bumping a pair of concerts because guitarist <b>Nels Cline</b> has come down with the chicken pox, according to the band's site. The Tuesday night show in Duluth, Minnesota, will now be staged September 4, and a concert scheduled for Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be postponed or scrapped entirely. ... "You Hear It First" vets the <b>Shout Out Louds</b> will tour for a month after they drop their new album, <i>Our Ill Wills,</i> on September 11. The indie-pop quintet will embark at the <i>LA Weekly</i> Detour festival in Los Angeles on October 6 and stay on the road through a November 3 show in Dallas. ...</P><P>According to <b>Killswitch Engage</b> bassist <b>Mike D'Antonio</b>, the band will head out for a co-headlining run with <b>Lamb of God</b> this winter. <b>Suicidal Tendencies</b> and <b>Every Time I Die</b> are in talks to open the gigs. ... <b>Alice in Chains</b> have been working on its first new material in more than a decade, according to frontman <b>William DuVall</b>. He said working with the band has "been deeply rewarding" and the new material sounds "insane." No word yet on when the reunited grunge rockers will release their next LP. ...</P><P>"<b>Big Lebowski</b>" fans who incessantly re-enact scenes and dialogue from the cult flick are about to be able to make their interpretations even lifelike: action figures are on the way. Seven-inch scale figures devoted to the Dude and Walter will be available in October <a href="http://www.entertainmentearth.com/hitlist.asp?company=bif+bang+pow" target="_blank">and can be preordered here.</a> ... <b>Barenaked Ladies</b> will host another cruise in 2008 called Ships &amp; Dip III and leaving Miami on January 27. Tickets go on sale March 22. Meanwhile, <b>Lynyrd Skynyrd</b> (with guests the <b>Marshall Tucker Band</b>) are also hosting another cruise, while <b>Sister Hazel</b> and <b>Toad the Wet Sprocket</b> are signed on for Rock Boat VIII. ...</P><P>According to the <i>Asbury Park Press,</i> police charged 33 people with underage drinking last week at the Family Values Tour's Wednesday stop at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey. Thirteen others were arrested on various other charges, including resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and assaulting a trooper. In all, 46 people, ranging in age from 16-47, were taken into custody during the gig, which was headlined by tour founders <b>Korn</b>. ... A <b>James Brown</b> trustee accused of misappropriating $350,000 of the late singer's money has resigned, the <i>Chicago Tribune</i> reports. David Cannon turned over a check for the sum at a hearing on Friday. A follow-up hearing has been slated for September 24 as wrangling continues over Brown's estate.</P><P>08.10.07</P><P>Think <b>50 Cent</b> is taking his upcoming face-off with <b>Kanye West</b> lightly? In an interview posted on SOHH.com on Friday (August 10), Fiddy threatened to end his rap career if he gets upstaged by 'Ye when their albums go head to head on September 11. "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music," he said. "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out anymore solo albums." 50's <i>Curtis</i> will square off against West's <i>Graduation.</i> ...</P><P><b>Lily Allen</b> has canceled gigs once again, this time because she has strep throat and sinusitis, she says in a post on her MySpace blog. "I'm back in London eating my mum's chicken soup, 'cause I'm afraid the traveling has caught up with me," she wrote in the post. "Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans, I want to apologise and say how sorry I am, but I can't risk causing any permanent damage." Defending herself further, the singer also posted an image of her holding her doctor's note. ...</P><P><b>D'Angelo</b> received suspended jail sentences Friday after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, <i>AP</i> reports. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. A reckless-driving charge was dropped. ... <b>Beastie Boys</b> finally said hello to Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night with &#8212; if you can believe it &#8212; their <i>first-ever</i> concert in the borough. RollingStone.com reports that the group, which played at McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, aptly opened the set with "Hello Brooklyn" and closed it with "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." ...</P><P><b>Norah Jones</b>, <b>Corinne Bailey Rae</b> and <b>Joss Stone</b> are chipping in for <i>Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino,</i> which arrives in stores September 25. <b>Paul McCartney</b>, <b>Elton John</b>, <b>Robert Plant</b> and other classic-rock vets also salute the bluesman on the two-disc set, the sales from which will go toward buying instruments for public schools in New Orleans, rebuilding Domino's home there and helping other Crescent City-related programs. ... Emma Bunton, a.k.a. <b>Baby Spice</b>, gave birth to a, um, baby boy in London on Friday. It's the first child for the singer and boyfriend Jade Jones, who used to be in a pop act of his own: boy band <b>Damage</b>. ...</P><P><b>Bright Eyes</b> are lighting up their tour schedule with seven additional dates: September 14 (Boise, Idaho); September 15 (Spokane, Washington); September 18 (Fairbanks, Alaska); September 19-20 (Anchorage, Alaska); September 23 (Eugene, Oregon); and September 24 (Chico, California). ... Waiting for a <b>Cure</b> LP? Well, the wait just got a bit longer. The band's new album was supposed to drop earlier this year, got bumped to the fall &#8212; and now won't be ready until the spring, Billboard.com reports. The band is busy touring and frontman <b>Robert Smith</b> hasn't finished writing yet. ...</P><P><b>Underoath</b> will hit the road with <b>Every Time I Die</b>, <b>Maylene and the Sons of Disaster</b> and <b>Poison the Well</b> for a fall tour beginning September 22 in Houston and ending November 6 in Orlando, Florida. ETID, who are still on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, will drop their new Ferret release <i>The Big Dirty</i> on September 4. Earlier this week, they posted "No Son of Mine" &#8212; a track from the <b>Steve Evetts</b>-produced (<b>Dillinger Escape </p>

• Britney Spears
• Kevin Federline
• Jennifer Lopez
• Amy Winehouse
• The Smashing Pumpkins

<P>Think <b>50 Cent</b> is taking his upcoming face-off with <b>Kanye West</b> lightly? In an interview posted on SOHH.com on Friday (August 10), Fiddy threatened to end his rap career if he gets upstaged by 'Ye when their albums go head to head on September 11. "If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music," he said. "I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out anymore solo albums." 50's <i>Curtis</i> will square off against West's <i>Graduation.</i> ...</P><P><b>Lily Allen</b> has canceled gigs once again, this time because she has strep throat and sinusitis, she says in a post on her MySpace blog. "I'm back in London eating my mum's chicken soup, 'cause I'm afraid the traveling has caught up with me," she wrote in the post. "Before anyone starts trying to accuse me of neglecting my fans, I want to apologise and say how sorry I am, but I can't risk causing any permanent damage." Defending herself further, the singer also posted an image of her holding her doctor's note. ...</P><P><b>D'Angelo</b> received suspended jail sentences Friday after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license, <i>The Associated Press</i> reports. A Virginia judge revoked his license for 13 and a half months and fined him $1,250, with additional penalties suspended. A reckless-driving charge was dropped. ... <b>Beastie Boys</b> finally said hello to Brooklyn, New York, on Thursday night with &#8212; if you can believe it &#8212; their <i>first-ever</i> concert in the borough. RollingStone.com reports that the group, which played at at McCarren Pool in Greenpoint, aptly opened the set with "Hello Brooklyn" and closed it with "No Sleep Till Brooklyn." ...</P><P><b>Norah Jones</b>, <b>Corinne Bailey Rae</b> and <b>Joss Stone</b> are chipping in for <i>Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino,</i> which arrives in stores September 25. <b>Paul McCartney</b>, <b>Elton John</b>, <b>Robert Plant</b> and other classic-rock vets also salute the bluesman on the two-disc set, the sales from which will go toward buying instruments for public schools in New Orleans, rebuilding Domino's home there and helping other Crescent City-related programs. ... Emma Bunton, a.k.a. <b>Baby Spice</b>, gave birth to a, um, baby boy in London on Friday. It's the first child for the singer and boyfriend Jade Jones, who used to be in a pop act of his own: boy band <b>Damage</b>. ...</P><P><b>Bright Eyes</b> are lighting up their tour schedule with seven additional dates: September 14 (Boise, Idaho); September 15 (Spokane, Washington); September 18 (Fairbanks, Alaska); September 19-20 (Anchorage, Alaska); September 23 (Eugene, Oregon); and September 24 (Chico, California). ... Waiting for a <b>Cure</b> LP? Well, the wait just got a bit longer. The band's new album was supposed to drop earlier this year, got bumped to the fall &#8212; and now won't be ready until the spring, Billboard.com reports. The band is busy touring and frontman <b>Robert Smith</b> hasn't finished writing yet. ...</P><P><b>Underoath</b> will hit the road with <b>Every Time I Die</b>, <b>Maylene and the Sons of Disaster</b> and <b>Poison the Well</b> for a fall tour beginning September 22 in Houston and ending November 6 in Orlando, Florida. ETID, who are still on the Sounds of the Underground Tour, will drop their new Ferret release <i>The Big Dirty</i> on September 4. Earlier this week, they posted "No Son of Mine" &#8212; a track from the <b>Steve Evetts</b>-produced (<b>Dillinger Escape Plan</b>, <b>Sepultura</b>) effort &#8212; on their MySpace page. ... <b>Queens of the Stone Age</b> will not perform as part of Samsung and AT&T's free Summer Krush series on Monday in Los Angeles, as previously reported by Billboard.com. <b>Plain White T's</b> will play the gig instead. ...</P><P>As promised, <b>Pearl Jam</b> have posted the edited and unedited videos of their performance of "Daughter" at Lollapalooza on <a href="http://www.pearljam.com/news/index.php?what=News#197" target="_blank">their Web site.</a> Some segments of the performance were missing in AT&T's live "Blue Room" webcast, including critical remarks frontman <b>Eddie Vedder</b> made about President Bush. A spokesperson for AT&T recently told MTV News the omissions were not intentional and were mistakenly made by a webcast vendor. ...</P><P><b>Spoon</b>, <b>Coheed and Cambria</b>, <b>Devin the Dude</b> and others have been confirmed for this year's CMJ Music Marathon, going down October 16-20 in New York, Billboard.com reports. <b>UNKLE</b> will play one of their first gigs ever with a live band, and surprise VMA Video of the Year nominees <b>Justice</b> will also hit up the fest. ... <b>Franz Ferdinand</b>, <b>Hot Chip</b>, <b>Deerhoof</b>, <b>Grizzly Bear</b> and <b>David Byrne</b> are among the acts who are contributing performances of songs written by <b>David Shrigley</b> for <i>Worried Noodles,</i> an unusual package containing two CDs and a hardcover book by the Scottish artist. The book of words and drawings was previously issued and caught the attention of the musicians, who have chalked up new songs for the set. ...</P><P><b>Martin Scorsese</b>'s <b>Rolling Stones</b> flick is rolling into next year. The film, originally slated for an August 26 theatrical release, will open in April instead, to allow the band more time to promote it. ... Speaking of rock docs, IFC has secured the rights to "<b>Joe Strummer</b>: The Future is Unwritten," a flick about the former <b>Clash</b> frontman that will hit select theaters November 2 and be televised on the cable channel thereafter. ... An unreleased <b>Mick Jagger</b> song produced by <b>John Lennon</b> in Los Angeles in 1973 will surface on <i>The Very Best of Mick Jagger,</i> due October 2. Jagger recorded the song, which has been on bootlegs for decades, with a cast of all-stars that included <b>Harry Nilsson</b>, <b>Jack Bruce</b>, <b>Al Kooper</b> and others. ...</P><P>In honor of the 40th anniversary of the release of <b>Pink Floyd</b>'s first album, <i>The Piper at the Gates of Dawn,</i> a special edition of the album will be released August 28. The three-disc collection will look like a cloth-covered book, and include remastered stereo and mono versions of the album plus bonus tracks. The effort will also include a 12-page reproduction of <b>Syd Barrett</b>'s notebook. ... Notorious ex-<B>David Bowie</B> manager <B>Tony Defries</B> will release his autobiography, <I>Gods and Gangsters,</i> in 2008. Also known for his work with the <B>Beatles</B> and <B>Stevie Wonder</B>, Defries is best remembered for helping to fashion the string of iconic characters rolled out by Bowie in the 1970s, as well as helping launch the solo careers of <B>Iggy Pop</B>, <B>Lou Reed</B>, <B>Luther Vandross</B> and <B>John Mellencamp</B>. ... The world's leading record label, Universal Music Group, has announced that it will experiment with offering a large part of its catalog for download without copy protection at least through January. According to <I>The New York Times,</i> Universal (home to <B>50 Cent</B>, <B>Amy Winehouse</B> and <B>Akon</B>) will offer the songs without DRM through RealNetworks, Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Google and some artists' sites &#8212; but not on top download service iTunes.</P><P>08.09.07</P><P><b>Gwyneth Paltrow</b> wasn't so into the initial idea of singing onstage last year with <b>Jay-Z</b> at London's Royal Albert Hall, she admitted to <i>W</i> magazine for its September issue. "Jay was playing at the Albert Hall on my birthday, and he said, 'Will you sing on this song?' " the actress told the mag. "At first I didn't want to do it!" Paltrow also talked a little about her husband, <b>Coldplay</b> frontman <b>Chris Martin</b>, who was also onstage for the strange collabo. "When Chris gets home, we're not going to do anything other than what any regular couple does," she said. ...</P><P>A day after <B>Amy Winehouse</B> canceled two European festival dates following a trip to a London hospital to deal with what her label termed "severe exhaustion," a spokesperson for the singer said doctors have ordered Winehouse to rest in bed. For now, she's still expected to perform at the Virgin Festival in Toronto on September 8 as well as a string of U.S. dates in September. Winehouse's spokesperson would not comment on British tabloid reports that said the collapse that lead to the singer's hospitalization was possibly drug-related. ...</P><P>A woman is peeved that no one from <b>Britney Spears</b>' camp has contacted the woman about her car, which the singer was seen driving into earlier this week in Studio City, California. Kim Robard-Rifkin told CelebTV.com on Wednesday that, "It was simply like my car didn't matter to her, my inconvenience didn't matter to her." Robard-Rifkin, who filed a police report Thursday (August 9), added, "I'm not asking for money. I'm not asking for a new car. ... I simply want my car fixed, the same as I would fix somebody's car if I had done that." ...</P><P><b>Hilary Duff</b> is branching out. The singer/actress has partnered with Michaels stores for Stuff by Hilary Duff, a new fashion-crafts line that includes bracelets, necklaces, charms, patches and more. All Michaels stores will host in-store demonstrations of the products on August 26 from 1-3 p.m. local time. ... An "<b>American Idol</b>" hopeful went into labor during her audition on Monday at Texas Stadium and had contractions as she was singing, <i>People</i> reports. After that, Antoria Gillon, who was taken to a local hospital, gave birth to a healthy son. She will be on the next round of the show. ...</P><P><b>John Mayer</b> has been confirmed for the upcoming season of "Austin City Limits," <i>Pitchfork</i> reports &#8212; but the program will be heavily weighed toward indie-rock acts too. <b>Bloc Party</b>, <b>Arcade Fire</b>, <b>Decemberists</b>, <b>Regina Spektor</b> and <b>Wilco</b> have also been booked for th</p>

• 50 Cent
• Lily Allen
• Spice Girls
• Bright Eyes
• The Cure

<P>According to R&B crooner D'Angelo, he's recovering at home following last week's car accident, and he can't wait to return to the studio to finish his forthcoming record.</P><P>"I banged up my ribs, but other than that, I'm fine," the Grammy Award-winning singer told <I>The Associated Press</I> on Monday night from his home in Midlothian, Virginia. The singer sustained bruised ribs and some contusions, according to his attorney and business advisor, L. Londell McMillan.</P><P>D'Angelo said he was released from Richmond's Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center on Friday, just days after the September 19 accident along Virginia's Route 711 (see <a href="/news/articles/1510311/dangelo-seriously-injured-car-crash.jhtml">"Singer D'Angelo Seriously Injured In Car Crash"</a>).</P><P>McMillan issued a statement yesterday afternoon assuring fans that D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, was doing well and "is anxious to finish the recording of his soul masterpiece that the world has patiently awaited."</P><P>The singer's last album, <i>Voodoo,</i> was released in 2000.</P><P>The news of D'Angelo's release from the hospital's Intensive Care Unit comes after comments made Monday morning by Sergeant Kevin Barrick, a Virginia State Police spokesperson, who explained that the musician was still being treated for injuries characterized as "critical" in a press release issued over the weekend.</P><P>Calls to Virginia State Police for comment were not returned by press time.</P><P>D'Angelo was rushed by Med-Flight helicopter to VCU Medical Center soon after last week's accident, a single-car crash that took place just before 8 p.m. on September 19. Barrick said D'Angelo's 2003 Hummer was headed east on Route 711 in Virginia's Powhatan County when it ran off the road and slammed into a fence before overturning.</P><P>Barrick said D'Angelo, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle. Another person inside the Hummer, Lynne Sellers, also sustained significant injuries; she was taken by ambulance to VCU Medical Center, where she was treated and released days later.</P><P>Police investigating the wreck are still unsure who was operating the vehicle when it crashed; according to the <I>Richmond Times-Dispatch</I>, the Hummer is registered to D'Angelo's brother, who lives in New York.</P><P>D'Angelo told the <I>AP</I> that Sellers was at the wheel when the Hummer skidded off the highway. Beyond that, he said, "I don't really remember anything" about the crash.</P><P>Two weeks ago, D'Angelo was handed a suspended prison sentence after being convicted of cocaine possession. In April, the singer was fined $250 and given a 90-day suspended jail term after pleading guilty in Virginia District Court to charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence of alcohol (see <a href="/news/articles/1500152/dangelo-pleads-guilty-dui-drug-charges.jhtml">"D'Angelo Pleads Guilty To Charges Of DUI, Drug Possession"</a>); his driver's license was revoked for one year.</p>

• D'Angelo

<P>Grammy Award-winning R&B crooner D'Angelo was seriously injured last week in an automobile accident along Route 711, a heavily trafficked highway in the singer's native Virginia.</P><P>D'Angelo, born Michael Eugene Archer, was transported by helicopter to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in nearby Richmond, according to Sergeant Kevin Barrick, a Virginia State Police spokesperson. While Barrick said Monday morning that D'Angelo was still being treated for his injuries and still in critical condition, his attorney and business advisor, L. Londell McMillan, said he'd been released on Friday.</P><P>"He's home and bugging us about getting back in the studio," McMillan said Monday. "He's fine. He had some bumps and bruises; he bruised a couple of ribs. But he's fine &#8212; he's cool. The cops got it wrong. He's home. He's playing his instruments and wants to record. This is an unbelievable business, man."</P><P>The single-car crash happened the evening of September 19, just before 8 p.m. Barrick said that D'Angelo's 2003 Hummer, headed east on Route 711 in Virginia's Powhatan County, ran off the road and slammed into a fence before overturning.</P><P>D'Angelo, one of the founding fathers of the neo-soul movement of the 1990s and perhaps best known for his steamy track and video "Untitled (How Does It Feel)," was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Another person inside the Hummer, Lynne Sellers, also sustained significant injuries. She was taken by ambulance to VCU Medical Center, where she was treated and released, according to Barrick.</P><P>Police would not provide additional information on the accident, as it's still under investigation. It's not clear whether D'Angelo or Sellers was driving the SUV at the time of the crash.</P><P>D'Angelo's criminal attorney, Ned Mikula, wouldn't provide specifics on the singer's condition or his injuries, but did say he has met with D'Angelo's family at the hospital. "They're praying and hoping for the best," Mikula said. "Knowing his strong constitution, I know he'll pull through. All I can say is his family's cautiously optimistic that he will survive and fully recover."</P><P>The accident occurred one week after D'Angelo stood before a Chesterfield Circuit Court judge and pleaded no contest to one count of felony cocaine possession; the 31-year-old singer was given a three-year suspended sentence, according to the <i>Richmond Times-Dispatch</i>. D'Angelo was arrested back in January outside Richmond on drunk-driving and drug-possession charges (see <a href="/news/articles/1495766/dangelo-arrested-drug-possession.jhtml">"Singer D'Angelo Arrested On Charges Of Drunk Driving, Drug Possession"</a>) when, during a routine traffic stop, police discovered marijuana and cocaine inside his vehicle.</P><P>In April, D'Angelo, who hasn't released an album in more than five years, pleaded guilty in Virginia District Court to charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence of alcohol (see <a href="/news/articles/1500152/dangelo-pleads-guilty-dui-drug-charges.jhtml">"D'Angelo Pleads Guilty To Charges Of DUI, Drug Possession"</a>) &#8212; charges stemming from that same arrest earlier this year. He was fined $250 and given a 90-day suspended jail term for the DUI conviction; his driver's license was also suspended for one year. He was also arrested in 2002 for reckless driving (see <a href="/news/articles/1458765/dangelo-resists-arrest.jhtml">"D'Angelo Resists Arrest On Charges Of Assault, Aggressive Driving"</a>).</P><P><I>[This story was originally published at 7:37 a.m. ET on 09.26.2005]</I></p>

• D'Angelo

<P>After much suspense, <b>Foo Fighters</b> and <b>Weezer</b> <i>finally</i> have some tour dates confirmed. Their joint trek, which has been talked about for months, had only gotten as far as a list of target markets last week, but on Monday afternoon (July 18) a spokesperson for the tour released the first confirmed cities and venues: September 8 at Atlanta's Gwinnett Arena; September 10 at Sunrise, Florida's Office Depot Center; September 11 at Tampa's St. Petersburg Times Forum; September 13 at The Woodlands, Texas' C.W. Mitchell Pavilion; September 14 at Austin's Frank Erwin Center; and September 15 at Dallas' Smirnoff Center. ...</P><P><B>System of a Down</B> shot the video for their next single, "Question!," earlier this month in Los Angeles with bassist <B>Shavo Odadjian</B> and <B>Howard Greenhalgh</B> (<B>Soundgarden</B>, <B>Muse</B>) co-directing. The clip's concept, based on a dream Odadjian had, ruminates about reincarnation and the cycle of life in a sort of surreal fairy tale, as the band performs in an opera house. "The subject of death is universal &#8212; what is death? What happens afterwards? To me, it's very mystical," frontman <B>Serj Tankian</B> said. ...</P><P>The <B>Backstreet Boys</B> shot the video for their next single, "Just Want You to Know," this past weekend in Los Angeles with director <B>Marc Klasfeld</B>. Klasfeld co-wrote the treatment for the clip with the group's <B>Kevin Richardson</B>. ... Rapper <B>Common</B>'s sex-fantasy single, "Go," is getting a steamy remix courtesy of <B>Jay Dee</B>, who produced two songs for the Chicago rapper's recent album, <I>Be.</I> The reworking will be notable for more than just sultry pillow-talk, though &#8212; it'll also feature the return of <B>D'Angelo</B>, the troubled crooner who, save for a DUI arrest last November, hasn't been heard from since a 2002 collaboration with singer <B>Raphael Saadiq</B>. ...</P><P><B>Outkast</B>'s <B>Big Boi</B> and <B>Cypress Hill</B> are among the artists heading up the Flavor 2 Savor concert series, a four-city tour that kicked off Friday in Minneapolis with <B>Gavin DeGraw</B> and <B>Aslyn</B>. The tour will bounce between the four cities with alternating acts, continuing Tuesday in Washington, D.C., (with <B>Common</B> and <B>Lyfe</B>) and Thursday in Philadelphia (<B>Q-Tip</B>), then resuming August 17 in New York (with <B>Talib Kweli</B>, <B>Res</B> and <B>Jean Grae</B>) and finishing up September 17 in Philadelphia (with Cypress Hill). ... <b>Silkworm</b> drummer <b>Michael Dahlquist</b> was killed after an allegedly suicidal woman deliberately crashed her car into the vehicle carrying Dahlquist and two other Chicago musicians at an intersection in Skokie, Illinois, on Thursday. Jeannette Sliwinski, 23, was charged with first-degree murder and was being held under guard at a hospital after she was denied bond on Friday, according to <i>The Associated Press.</i> Police said the woman was driving at speeds of about 70 mph and ran three red lights before ramming into the 2001 Honda Civic carrying the musicians. Sliwinski was not seriously injured in the crash, and Cook County Assistant State Attorney Colleen Daly said prosecutors may seek the death penalty. ...</P><P>Much like <b>Nine Inch Nails</b> and <b>Weezer</b> before them, <b>Death Cab for Cutie</b> are taking to MySpace.com to premiere the first single from their upcoming album. "Soul Meets Body," off of <i>Plans</i> (due August 30), can be heard on the band's MySpace page from Monday (July 18) until Friday. ... <B>Pixies</B> guitarist <B>Joey Santiago</B> has been holed up in a studio writing the original music for Showtime's upcoming comedy series "Weeds," which debuts August 10. "Weeds" stars <B>Mary-Louise Parker</B>, who makes ends meet by dealing pot to the neighborhood. Santiago, who has also composed for "Undeclared" and "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia," hopes to continue scoring post-Pixies. "This is a lot of fun and something I can continue to do when I'll embarrass my kids by being onstage," Santiago said. Santiago also wrote the theme for the Cartoon Network's "Sunday Pants," which will premiere on September 25. ...</P><P><B>Susie Castillo</B> of "TRL" is slated to co-host "Miss Teen USA," along with "Passions" star <B>Galen Gering</B>, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on August 8. <B>Aaron Carter</B> and <B>Kimberley Locke</B> will perform at the competition, which will air live on NBC at 9 p.m. ET. ... Also in MTV VJ news, congratulations are in order for <B>Kennedy</B> &#8212; the onetime "Alternative Nation" host is now a mom. Her baby girl, named Pele Valentina Lee, was born on July 1 and is "so damn cute" and "so damn sweet," according to her proud mother. ...</P><P>The <B>X Games</B> are coming &#8212; daredevil athletes will converge in Los Angeles for the Summer X Games, featuring the best in skateboarding, inline skating, BMX biking, motocross jumping, wakeboarding and other extreme sports. The games will be televised on ABC August 6-7, 3-6 p.m. ET both days. ... The <B>Grammy Awards</B> will air on CBS for the next five years &#8212; the network just signed an extension on its broadcasting agreement with the Recording Academy that will keep the awards show on CBS through 2011. The current agreement was set to expire after the next ceremony, in 2006. ...</P><P>07.15.2005</P><P>"The Dukes of Hazzard" star <b>Johnny Knoxville</b> doesn't care for being the subject of gossip-column fodder, but he realizes the rumors about him sleeping with his castmate <b>Jessica Simpson</b> could be worse, he says in <i>GQ</i>'s August issue. (<a href="/photos/photos-johnny-knoxville-in-gq-magazine/1505818/1760980/photo.jhtml">Click for photos</a>.) "I'm not going to sit here and whine about it," he said. He has nothing but praise for Simpson, calling her "nice and open and sweet," but as far as rumors of a romance are concerned, "It's not true," Knoxville told <i>GQ.</i> "Jessica and I are just friends. She's a great girl and all that, but all the rumors &#8212; I just kind of take it in stride. But it's kind of hurtful to the families that are involved." ...</P><P><B>Shaggy</B>'s got <B>Olivia</B> on board for the first single from his forthcoming album, <I>Clothes Drop,</I> due out September 20. The only female member of the <B>G-Unit</B> shot the video for "Wild 2nite" with Shaggy in Brooklyn, New York, recently with <B>X</B> directing (<B>Usher</B>, <B>Ying Yang Twins</B>). Other tracks on the album include "Shut Up and Dance" (produced by and featuring the <B>Black Eyed Peas</B>' <B>Will.I.Am</B>), "Would You Be" (featuring reggae singer <B>Brian Gold</B>), and "Back in the Dayz" (featuring <B>Rayvon</B>, who sang with Shaggy on his hit "Angel"). The album was recorded in Jamaica, the West Indies and New York, with producers <B>Sly and Robbie</B>, <B>Scott Storch</B> and others. ...</P><P><B>Queen Latifah</B> performed Thursday night in a Secaucus, New Jersey, Wal-Mart parking lot to launch her Curvation Project Confidence Awards, an offshoot of her VF Intimates Curvation brand of intimate apparel for curvaceous women. The Confidence Awards are a nationwide search for women who project confidence, and the winner will be awarded a $10,000 grant to support a program or project of her choice. To enter or nominate others, visit curvation.com. "I credit much of who I am today to the confidence I was given as a child," Queen Latifah told the crowd. "Strong, independent women like my mother and grandmother showed me the power of believing in myself and now I want to pass this message on." ...</P><P><B>P. Diddy</B> can't get enough reality TV. He's got another show in the works, this time, a hip-hop reality sitcom about the life and family of <B>Reverend Run</B> from <B>Run-DMC</B>, which will begin airing on MTV in October. "Run's House" is a full house &#8212; he's got five kids, ages 9 through 21 &#8212; so Diddy's co-executive producer <B>Russell Simmons</B> calls it "Father Knows Best on Steroids." "Rev. Run is a legend and one of the most interesting individuals I know," Diddy said. "He's destined to become America's next biggest reality show star! He's going to show the world what hip-hop family life is really like." ... <b>Black Rebel Motorcycle Club</b>'s third album, <i>Howl,</i> will hit stores on August 23. The group's 19-date U.S. trek in support of the LP will launch September 12 in San Francisco and end October 8 in Los Angeles. ...</P><P><b>Sigur R&#243;s</b> have completed their new album, <I>Takk</I> (which translates as "thanks" in Icelandic), the follow-up to 2002's <i>().</i> Due September 12, the 11-track disc is sung in Icelandic; previously, the material was sung in the made-up language of "Hopelandish," which singer <B>Jon Thor Birgisson</B> created. <I>Takk</I>'s release will be preceded by the launch of a 23-date North American tour, which kicks off August 9 in Hawaii and ends October 5 in Los Angeles. ... Five-piece indie pop outfit the <B>Decemberists</B> have unveiled all 36 dates on their upcoming Flight of the Mistle Thrushes Tour. The trek kicks off on September 11 in San Francisco, with <B>Sons and Daughters</B> and <B>Petra Haden</B>'s <B>Sell Out Choir</B> opening. The tour hits Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, Washington, D.C., and New York, where the Decemberists will pick up a new support act, <B>Cass McCombs</B>; he finishes out the remainder of the tour, which stops in Boston, Cincinnati and Chicago before wrapping in Denver on October 23. ... </p>

• System of a Down
• Backstreet Boys
• Common
• D'Angelo
• OutKast

<P>Producer Easy Mo Bee, who has worked with Notorious B.I.G., Alicia Keys and LL Cool J over the years, is hoping to use his connections to preserve the legacy of jazz great Miles Davis.</P><P>Easy was the last person to work with him before he fell ill, having produced Davis' 1991 <i>Doo-Bop</i> album. Now he's working on a new version with vocals from modern artists weaved into the music.</P><P>"It's not just about remixing, it's about making something that means something," Easy said. He cited Quincy Jones' 1989 album, <i>Back on the Block,</i> which featured several pop, hip-hop and jazz guests, including several who were no longer living. "Everyone connected would have to have a [musical] connection to Miles. Alicia. I could see Mos Def fitting in. Jill Scott. Or I would give anything to work with D'Angelo."</P><P>Easy is just starting the project and has yet to lock down artists, but he hopes musicians recognize the importance of keeping Davis' name in the spotlight.</P><P>"With Jimi [Hendrix], his estate remains so active to this day," Easy said. "Miles Davis' estate, there's a lot more stuff that should be released. People should really know more about him. Maybe with an effort like this, we can achieve that."</P><P>In the meantime, Easy Mo Bee brought old and new music together with his remix of the Temptations' 1971 hit "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)," which was released May 24 on a collection called <i>Motown Remixed.</i> Easy is also in the studio with Mos Def and just turned some tracks in for the Game's next album. "He's doing an N.W.A-type of project and Dre wanted to recapture that feel, so I have classic-style tracks," he said.</P><P>The producer is launching his own label, Easy Mo Records, as well. "I'm reading my royalties statements and all of the different areas where the records are selling, and it's like, 'This isn't a joke, I need to take advantage of my name being out there,' " Easy said. "And I want to remain in control. I've never been into the cookie-cutter thing."</p>

• Easy Mo Bee
• D'Angelo
• Alicia Keys
• Game
• Mos Def

Break Ups 2 Make Ups

• Artist: D'Angelo
• Label: Def Jam/RAL
• Director: Hype Williams

Untitled (How Does It Feel)

• Artist: D'Angelo
• Label: Virgin Records America, Inc./Cheeba Sound
• Director: Paul Hunter/Dominique Trenier
• Album: Habarigani