Snoop Dogg
Photo: MTV News

He had a place in New York, two more in Malibu. Diamonds on his fingers and toes. Ladies by the dozens and money by the tons. Lead singer of the Time, Morris Day epitomized what he sang about on the group's 1981 hit "Cool." He had his own dance and somebody to carry a mirror around just so he could check out his own sharp splendor. Now, in 2008, one of the coolest guys of the past two decades is honoring the Time in song.

"Sensual Seduction" was just the beginning for Snoop Dogg's full-on singing. His upcoming LP, Ego Trippin', includes a tribute to the Time. Coooool!

"I redid 'Cool,' " said Dogg, sitting with his new business and musical partners Teddy Riley and DJ Quik. "Teddy put his fingerprints on the music. We did a remake of it. It sounds amazing. Everybody who hears it don't believe I sang. Teddy made me sing. I was trying to cheat in the beginning.

"I was like, 'Teddy, you should keep your vocals on there,' " Dogg continued. "We sound good together. He was like, 'Nuh-uh. You come in there and you sing.' He stripped it all down. He made me sing it. Find the right note, get on the right key. It's a fun record. It's one of those records that if you never heard it before, it's gonna be dynamic to your ears. If you have heard it before, it's gonna take it back to a time where it felt good, where music was all about feeling good and partying. No killing. No dying. Everybody just lives happily ever after and parties all the time."

"I ain't afraid," said Riley, who produced the new version of "Cool," about making a record as big as "Sensual Seduction." "I just think that music is music. Anything with the touch and print of Snoop on it is gonna feel good. People are gonna say, 'Wow! That's him?' They gonna bug out. It's gonna be a totally different world after that single."

The Time have heard Snoop and Riley's song and have co-signed on it. When asked whether he would appear in the video, Day replied, "Absolutely."

"I think it's a good thing that Snoop Dogg chose to cover 'Cool,' " Day said. "We heard it, and he did a decent job. So it's all good. I'm happy to see he's singing, going towards the R&B direction. Props to Snoop Dogg."

Snoop's next two singles from Ego Trippin' are "Neva Hafta Worry" and "Life of Tha Party." No word yet on whether "Cool" will be a single.

• Snoop Dogg's 'Cool' Cover

• Snoop Dogg
• Morris Day
• The Time

Morris Day and the Time backstage at the 2008 Grammy Awards
Photo: Todd Brown/MTV News

LOS ANGELES — As the Grammy Awards progressed on Sunday night, one man was making headlines of his own backstage: the Time's Morris Day.

The frontman/lothario, who duetted with Rihanna early in the show, said of the singer: "I think she's a sexy young lady. I have kids as old as her. ... But I enjoyed it. That did not stop me from noticing."

He had a less flattering — although sympathetic — comment about her onstage pouting: "When the groove hits you, you get ugly for a minute. It's like you broke wind."

Since the Time are noted for their cool ("Cool" is also the name of one of their best songs), he talked about how some of today's artists measure up.

"I don't see Kanye as being cool — very talented, but not cool."

Chris Brown? "He's very hyper, but talented. Give him about 10 years and we'll see. There are some cool people out there. I think Snoop is cool. Puffy's cool. It's embodiment — it's gotta be in you. I'm so cool that even when I'm sweating, it's a cold sweat."

After noting how impressed he was with his own group's performance, Day continued: "I don't know if you were able to watch [our set] because you were too busy eating sandwiches and potato chips, but we had a good time," he told reporters with a laugh. "I still do the dance moves every day, I just happened to do it on the Grammy stage tonight."

When asked if he spoke with longtime friend and foil Prince backstage, Day answered, "I asked him, 'How's the family?' ... He didn't say nothing." (Day and Prince are old friends and rivals — Day split from Prince's camp not long after the blockbuster success of 1984's "Purple Rain," but reunited for 1990's "Graffiti Bridge" and the Time have opened for Prince at several shows in recent years.)

Asked if he was going to kick it with Prince backstage, he replied: "Am I interested in kicking him backstage?"

Day also said the Time have a new album done and plan to tour. "That was fun. Where's the sandwich boxes?" he said before leaving the media room.

T-Pain, who wore an outrageous top hat and denim suit, had kinder words for West, with whom he shared the Best Rap Song award for "Good Life."

"I love his arrogance," he said. "Couple more of these, I'll be like that too."

T-Pain said he's been working with "Jamie Foxx, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, more Britney Spears, more Chris Brown. The person I have the most fun with is Chris Brown. I stole some dance moves from him. Him and Omarion — I've been stealing moves since I met them."

Vince Gill made sure his lighthearted comment onstage when accepting his Grammy from Ringo Starr (noting that he'd just gotten handed an award from a Beatle, and could Kanye say that?) wasn't misunderstood.

"He has said something about how he was gonna win Album of the Year later, and if not him, then Amy Winehouse was most deserving and not me or the Foo Fighters," Gill said. "So I decided to have a little fun. ... He's passionate, he sticks his neck out, and I have no ill will at all. I just saw him out of the corner of my eye when I was up there, and I decided I had to do it. My heart goes out to him, because he lost his mother, and I know what that's like, because I lost my father a few years back. He took a shot at Gretchen Wilson when he lost Best New Artist to her a few years ago, and so us rednecks stick together. He was laughing [when I said] it was some harmless fun."

Country singer Brad Paisley said he was told backstage that he was nominated 14 times without winning a Grammy.

"It's great," he said. "Fourteen more and I get my second [win]."

Paisley was informed that Jill Scott had just left the media center and told the reporters that she loved Brad's performance and hadn't heard of him before.

"I'm sure [she didn't know who I am]," he said, adding, "Who's Jill Scott?" He laughed and said he was joking, then said it was a big compliment: "Wow — coming from her ..."

Later in the one-on-one room, a classic moment occurred as Leslie Feist shimmied to Amy Winehouse's performance while scarfing down a slice of pizza.

"This is my award tonight," she said, holding up the slice. "I'm taking this home and putting it on my mantle: It's the award for 'Best loss of four Grammys by a Canadian girl ...' "

Earlier in the evening, on the red carpet, Ne-Yo was talking with Sway when his publicist announced that the singer's Because of You had won Best Contemporary R&B Album. Ne-Yo's mom was standing with him and they yelled with excitement.

"MTV, thank you!" he hollered. "Damn!"

Elsewhere on the carpet, Musiq gave Akon five, Young Dro told Ledisi he loves her music, and Ringo Starr was giving out hugs as Evanescence, Alicia Keys, Tank and Natasha Bedingfield made the rounds. In fact, it was hugs everywhere as Latin nominee Juanes hugged Tony Bennett, Bun B hugged Akon and Akon hugged and greeted Young Dro. Akon even let Sway try on his coat.

Don't miss these sizzling snaps of Beyoncé, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and more.

Geek out on the Grammys with MTV News' complete coverage right here!

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• Rihanna
• Morris Day
• The Time
• Feist
• Kanye West

After serving 10 months on a parole violation, Suge Knight is getting out of prison this week. The rap mogul served the bulk of his time at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, after a parole board determined that his punching a parking valet was a violation of the terms of his 2001 parole. Knight had already served time at Mule Creek for committing a 1996 assault in a Las Vegas casino, itself a violation of probation for sentences on assault and gun charges. ...

Prince taped a private performance for MTV on Tuesday night in New York that was open to local members of his NPG Music fan club. He played songs from his new album, Musicology, with his New Power Generation band, plus a solo acoustic set (on a purple guitar) that included "Cream," "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" and "Sometimes It Snows in April." Later, he celebrated the release of Musicology with a party that attracted the likes of Stevie Wonder, Maxwell and the Roots' ?uestlove. ... Just as Prince is undergoing a revival, his old mate Morris Day of the Time is prepping the release of a new album, It's About Time, due June 22. The record contains old live recordings of classic hits from the Time and Day's solo career, plus four new songs written by Day and original members Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson and Monte Moir. ...

Mario Winans had an album-release party Tuesday night at New York's Lot 61. Foxy Brown, Carl Thomas, the Isley Brothers and members of Bad Boy's Da Band showed up to give Yellow Man his props. ... The compilation LP Totally Hits 2004 will feature the previously unreleased Justin Timberlake song "I'm Lovin' It," which was recorded during the sessions for Justified but left off the record. The disc, which comes out May 4, will also include singles by Alicia Keys, Sean Paul, Kelis, Maroon 5, J-Kwon, R. Kelly and others. ...

Is Clear Channel Communications the evil empire? A U.S. district court judge in Denver is letting a jury decide. Judge Edward W. Nottingham concluded that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the world's largest concert promoter reduced airplay on its radio stations for artists who used the company's competition. Denver-based Nobody in Particular Presents accused Clear Channel of engaging in illegal monopolistic practices in a complaint filed in August 2001 and will have their day in court August 2. ... To christen the takeoff of a new partnership between Sony Connect and United Airlines, Sheryl Crow will perform a 40-minute acoustic set in an airplane flying between Chicago and Los Angeles on May 4. Upon landing, Crow will play a party celebrating the arrival of a new Sony digital Walkman. Soon after, fans can purchase the performances on mileageplusmusic.com. Sony Connect is Sony Music's digital online music service, offering songs for 99 cents a pop, and now that they've teamed with United Airlines, travelers can trade in frequent-flyer points for songs at Connect.com. ...

To celebrate their 35th anniversary, ZZ Top will launch a North American tour on June 25 in Wichita Falls, Texas. Dates run through September 25 in Las Vegas. In addition, ZZ Top will play the Crossroads Guitar Festival at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on June 6 with Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, B.B. King and Buddy Guy. ... Following the conclusion of the Headbangers Ball 2 Tour May 7 in Portland, Oregon, Damageplan and Drowning Pool will extend their road relationship another two weeks. The two bands have lined up a string of dates, beginning May 8 in Seattle through May 17 in Boulder, Colorado. ...

The as-yet-untitled new album from the Cure is scheduled for a June 22 release. The U.K. band's first album since 2000's Bloodflowers was recorded in London with producer Ross Robinson, best known for his work with nü-metal bands Korn, Slipknot and Soulfly. ... The first DVD to collect the videos of morose crooner Nick Cave is set to drop May 4. The 20-track "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Videos" features "Into My Arms," "Red Right Hand," "Deanna" and "Where the Wild Roses Grow," Cave's collaboration with Kylie Minogue. ...

New York publishers are involved in a bidding war for an ambitious and massive new proposal by cultural historian and recognized Beatles authority Mark Lewisohn, in which he would write a three-volume biography about the band to be published over the next decade. The project is expected to sell for at least seven figures. ... Shane MacGowan, ex-singer for the Irish folk-rock band the Pogues, suffered a fractured cheekbone after being attacked in a London pub on Monday, the Evening Standard reported. MacGowan was assaulted by two men, who kicked him, punched him and struck him with a metal bar. The singer was taken to St. Thomas' Hospital but left before being treated. A 20-year-old and a 21-year-old were arrested and released on bail. ...

04.20.2004

And you thought Ashton Kutcher was merciless. For her brother Bryan's birthday on Monday, Britney Spears had him "arrested" by undercover cops and FBI agents in Beverly Hills, California. Bryan, who works with his sister's management company, was handcuffed and taken into custody, while Britney acted shocked and horrified. But the phony police actually took him to his own birthday party, where all was revealed. ...

The 16-year-old who carjacked Eminem's mom early this year has been sentenced to at least four years and three months behind bars. The incident occurred January 22 when James Antonio Knott dragged Debbie Nelson from her car on Detroit's 8 Mile and stole her vehicle. Nelson suffered bruises and a broken foot. Knott, who didn't realize he was assaulting Eminem's mother, was also fined $3,473. ... Nas' trial on a second-degree assault charge has been set for April 30. The charge stems from an incident at a nightclub in New York's West Village in December 2003, in which Nas allegedly struck a man with a bottle. ...

An electric guitar owned by Kurt Cobain from 1990-92 sold for $117,500 at an auction held in Dallas last weekend. The guitar was the first of the Nirvana frontman's instruments to go on sale since his death a decade ago. ... The recording industry unceremoniously canceled its "Clean Slate" amnesty program for illegal file-sharers earlier this month. On Friday, lawyers for the RIAA asked a judge to dismiss a complaint filed by a California man claiming fraudulent business practices, because the Clean Slate program, which stipulated that file-sharers who admitted their guilt in writing and deleted the infringing files would be protected from the costly copyright-infringement lawsuits, was no longer in effect. Critics of the program had argued since its inception in September that a trade organization could not legally offer protection from lawsuits filed by the copyright-holding record labels. ...

Suge Knight is working with various rappers and record labels to put together a hip-hop compilation benefiting the financially troubled families of U.S. soldiers fighting in Iraq. "I'm not taking any kind of political stance on the war, however, with so many soldiers now in Iraq for more than a year, I'm concerned about the families they've left behind," Knight said in a statement. The album will be released before Christmas, he added. Meanwhile, the mogul's next project, Kurupt's Against the Grain, is due June 29. ... Sevendust had to cancel a show in McAllen, Texas, on Sunday after their tour bus caught fire on the way. A store clerk helped extinguish the flames and no one was injured. The Atlanta rockers are touring in support of the CD/DVD package Southside Double-Wide Acoustic Live, which drops May 4. The set was recorded in Athens, Georgia, in September. ...

The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins checked out the Darkness' brand of spandex-clad rock Sunday in Los Angeles, along with the Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit. The next day, the U.K. phenoms made perhaps the shortest appearance ever on the syndicated radio show "Loveline," when they abandoned ship after roughly 20 minutes. Apparently the callers' questions about STDs, masturbation and other sexual topics made the band "uncomfortable." Now in England, the Darkness are writing for the follow-up to Permission to Land before taking on the European festival circuit in July. ... Japanese beatboxer Dokaka has lent her percussive vocal talents to Björk's untitled next album. The LP, expected to drop later this year, follows 2001's Vespertine. ...

Members of the Ramones, Dictators, Television and Dead Boys will play Ramones songs to celebrate the band's late frontman, Joey Ramone, who died of lymphatic cancer in 2001. The fourth annual Life's a Gas - The Annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash will take place May 19 in New York. Ramone would have been 53 on May 19. Also on the bill that night are Alkaline Trio, the Dickies, Supersuckers and Bebe Buell. ... Danger Mouse has teamed up with indie rapper Murs to record a remix of the song "To a Black Boy," from the '60s group the Free Design. The track is dedicated to Marcus Dixon, an 18-year-old black scholar and high school athlete who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Georgia for having sex with his 15-year-old high school girlfriend, who is white. The song will appear on the compilation Free Designed Redesigned Volume 2, which also features remixes by Belle & Sebastian and Madlib. ...

Busta Rhymes will release a DVD titled "Everything Remains Raw" on May 18. The DVD features live footage from several performances over the last year. ... Three months after reducing its suggested retail price for CDs from $18.98 to $12.98, the Universal Music Group has bumped the cost to $13.98. Attempting to stimulate a business that had been down for three years, Universal expected merchants would pass the discounts on to consumers and other labels would follow suit. Neither has happened, according to the conglomerate. ... Broken Sounds, the label founded by New Found Glory's Chad Gilbert and Ian Grushka, dropped its maiden releases Tuesday: Memories of Better Days, from melodic punk rockers Breakdance Vietnam, and Only Time Will Tell, from hardcore quintet Suffocate Faster. Both bands will play select dates on this summer's Vans Warped Tour. ...

• Justin Timberlake
• Prince
• Mario Winans
• Foxy Brown
• Morris Day