Run DMC
Photo: Priority

• UGK
• The Fugees
• Salt & Pepper
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Run-D.M.C.

Michael Jackson
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Although he bombed at the World Music Awards last week, Michael Jackson is going to give another celebration a try. The singer will go to Japan for a December 19 Christmas celebration that is also commemorating the upcoming 25th anniversary of the release of Thriller. "I look forward to visiting Japan again, and greeting my fans and friends," Jackson said in a statement. ...

Jay-Z recently joined forces with another New York heavyweight — New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez — for a celebrity-poker tournament that benefited their respective charities, the A-Rod Family Foundation and Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. The tourney, which raised a half-million dollars, was held at Jay's 40/40 Club in Manhattan and also counted Nelly, Cedric the Entertainer and baseball vets Cal Ripken, Gary Sheffield and Mariano Rivera among the players. ...

Alicia Keys' new Web site launched Tuesday (November 21), and one of the features on the way is a book club. "I always loved the way Oprah did that," she told MTV News. "To do that with my style and the books I like to read would be really fly." Keys plans to start the group with "The Temple of My Familiar," a novel by Alice Walker. "She is insane, in the best way, when it comes to writing. There's something about a book that engages you, when you become enraptured in the whole thing like it's your life and you're yelling at the book." Keys also plans to recommend the W.E.B. DuBois novel "The Souls of Black Folk," which she just finished recently. "I love to read. It makes you write better, and I just want to open that conversation up, to talk about many things, many styles." ...

Green Day have teamed up with the Natural Resources Defense Council for the Move America Beyond Oil campaign. "People are sick of our oil addiction and feel like nobody is doing anything about it," frontman Billie Joe Armstrong said in a statement. "Our message is that it's OK, and very rebellious, to take on that responsibility." Visitors to GreenDayNRDC.com can access a tool to send text messages directly to lawmakers and corporate leaders to demand change. ... Rock the Bells is about to get a little bit louder. The hip-hop festival's first world tour will now include Ghostface Killah, Pharoahe Monch and EPMD, in addition to previously announced acts Redman and Raekwon. The jaunt begins Tuesday in Washington, D.C. ...

Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin has updated fans of the reunited rockers on the progress of their comeback album in a post on the Pumpkins' MySpace page. "We are moving along nicely in the studio," the drummer wrote. "[Frontman Billy Corgan] pulled off a magnificent guitar symphony last night and it is still ringing in my ears this morning. Eight guitars resonating in one big harmonic handshake. ... Today we will be working on vocals and solos. Tomorrow, who knows?" The Pumpkins' forthcoming LP, which is being produced by Roy Thomas Baker (Queen, the Cars), is slated for release next year. While Corgan and Chamberlin are back on board, it remains unclear who else will be in the resuscitated band. ... Come 2007, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival will be a year older and a day longer. The now-three-day fest will take place April 27-29 in Indio, California. ...

It's a good thing the "Borat" movie is making so much cash, because the lawsuits just keep coming. The latest is from two residents of Glod, Romania, who claim they were tricked into participating in the movie and were depicted as thieves, racists and "simpletons," according to a $30 million suit against 20th Century Fox and the filmmakers that alleges fraud and civil-rights violations. The Los Angeles Times reports that the suit, filed in New York federal district court by Nicolae Todorache and Spridom Ciorebea, claims the pair fall into a group protected by the laws of the U.S. and the United Nations and that, unlike the others depicted in the satirical film, they don't speak or read English. Also Monday, Fox hit back at a pair of fraternity members who sued over their depiction in the movie, calling the lawsuit a "fatuous" attempt to thwart free speech, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Plaintiffs may claim that they were tricked 'into making fools out of themselves' and becoming 'unsuspecting players' in the movie 'Borat,' " the studio said. "They never contend ... that bigoted and misogynistic statements were put into their mouths." A temporary restraining order against the film's continued distribution was denied November 9 and a hearing is set for December 7 to take up the students' subsequent request for a preliminary injunction. ...

Three fresh tunes from the revived Blind Melon have been posted online at the band's Web site. The cuts, called "Make a Difference," "For My Friends" and "Harmful Belly," are the first new songs the group has written since the death of frontman Shannon Hoon more than a decade ago. They're also the first ones Blind Melon have worked on with new singer Travis Warren, formerly of Rain Fur Rent. ... Hopesfall have entered Vu Du Studios in Freeport, New York, with producer Mike Watts (As Cities Burn, As Tall as Lions) to start tracking the follow-up to 2004's A Types. The band has been writing material for about a year and say there's been a serious progression in its sound. ...

Bloggers across the country were popping corks on Monday after a California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Internet users and providers can't be held liable for posting defamatory material written by someone else. "The prospect of blanket immunity for those who intentionally redistribute defamatory statements on the Internet has disturbing implications," wrote Justice Carol Corrigan, adding that immunity, however, "serves to protect online freedom of expression and to encourage self-regulation." The ruling, supported by such heavy hitters as Google and Yahoo!, upholds the Internet's status as a forum for free speech. "The reason the Internet is such a tremendous forum for free speech is it provides the opportunity to exchange and debate ideas and to pass along what someone else had to say," Ann Brick, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who took part in the case, told the San Francisco Chronicle. "That would all stop if the liability rules were different."

11.20.2006

He's touched the sky, now Kanye West is aiming for a much lower, and yet equally lofty, target: the pavement. The rapping producer will sponsor a race car in the Formula BMW World Finals, to be held Friday and Saturday in Valencia, Spain. West's car will feature decals from his College Dropout bear mascot as well as those of two charities, the Kanye West Foundation and the United Nations World Food Programme. ...

Paris Hilton, Xzibit and Wilmer Valderrama are among the presenters scheduled for the Arby's Action Sports Awards Show, airing December 10 on Fox. The cast of "Jackass Number Two" are hosting the show, which is taping November 30 in Burbank, California. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers will follow up "Dani California" and "Tell Me Baby" with "Snow (Hey Oh)." The video features performance footage shot at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on October 17 and 18. ...

Carrie Underwood will perform at halftime during Thursday's Dallas Cowboys football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The show will serve as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Christmas campaign. ... U2 and Green Day's collaboration, "The Saints Are Coming," is now available via iTunes, with proceeds benefiting Music Rising, an organization that is helping replace the musical instruments that were lost in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The song is also featured on the U2 album U218 Singles, due Tuesday. ... A partner in the Game's Black Wall Street East recording studio was arrested in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday for alleged money laundering linked to a faction of the Bloods street gang, The Associated Press reports. John "Johnny Hooks" Abbey was charged with laundering more than $100,000 for the 9 Tre Gangsters, a group that runs drugs and guns throughout the state, according to police. Authorities, who would not say whether they suspect that Game has any involvement in the alleged gang activity, searched Black Wall Street East offices in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as well as a home that Abbey owns in nearby Little Egg Harbor. ...

A Malawian high court ruling scheduled for Monday (November 20) on Madonna's adoption of David Banda has been postponed until next week, when a judge will consider challenges to the adoption by a coalition of human-rights and child-advocacy groups, AP reports. In related news, Yohane Banda, David's biological father, was remarried on Friday. The 32-year-old, whose wife of 10 years died a week after giving birth to David in October 2005, wed 22-year-old Flora Kamanga in a civil ceremony in his Lipunga village. ... Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic has ended his retirement and plans to slap his bass for influential San Francisco punk/noise band Flipper, on that band's first tour in more than a decade. Flipper, who counted Kurt Cobain as one of their ardent fans, kick off the tour December 1 in Seattle. ...

Tom Cruise married Katie Holmes in a medieval castle near Rome on Saturday in a Scientology ceremony comparable to a Hollywood premiere. Among the stars in attendance at the lavish, $2.5 million trip down the aisle — the third for Cruise and first for Holmes — were Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, John Travolta, Victoria Beckham and former Cruise adversary Brooke Shields. They joined 150 guests at the 15th century Odescalchi Castle, which was lit by torches burning in its battlements and a fireworks display from a castle tower after the ceremony, according to an AP report. Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli serenaded the couple at the reception, while their first dance was to Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird." A spokesperson said the couple officially married last week in Los Angeles. ...

Taking Back Sunday will release their first-ever DVD, "Louder Now: Partone," December 12. The performance elements were shot earlier this year at the Long Beach Arena in Southern California. ... The Offspring have returned to the recording studio with legendary producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Mötley Crüe) to begin tracking their first LP since 2003's Splinter. The album's slated for release next year, with a world tour set to follow. ... David Gray is releasing a DVD called "Live in Slow Motion" on Tuesday. The 19 performances were taped at London's Hammersmith Apollo earlier this year. ... Everclear and indie-rockers Jonny Lives!, whose "Get Steady" is the first single on the "National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj" soundtrack, are touring together to promote the compilation. The outing will kick off in January, while the comp is due Tuesday. ... Unwritten Law have set a January 2 release for their greatest-hits album, The Hit List. The band re-recorded its hits for the album, which includes some alternate arrangements. ...

After breaking up and then reuniting earlier this year, Cold have once again decided to disband. "We had a great career," the band said in a statement. "We thank the Cold Army for all their support and love throughout our span, and the members of Cold are grateful for the music we made and the accomplishments we have. We were blessed to make music and let it be heard." Several of the bandmembers will embark on a new project called When November Falls. ... Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson has filed for divorce from estranged wife Kate Hudson, three months after the couple first announced their split. According to People magazine, Robinson, 39, is asking for joint legal and physical custody of their son, Ryder, 2. He is not seeking spousal support from Hudson, 27, who has been romantically linked to one of her former co-stars, Owen Wilson. ...

Pioneering 1950s R&B singer Ruth Brown, whose hits included "Teardrops From My Eyes" and "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean," died Friday in a Las Vegas hospital from complications after a heart attack and stroke. She was 78. The Los Angeles Times reported that the Grammy- and Tony-Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, who went from being a major star in the 1950s to cleaning houses and driving buses in the 1960s and '70s to support her two children, spent much of the past two decades working to get unpaid royalties and musical credit for early R&B and blues musicians through the Rhythm and Blues Foundation, an organization she helped found in 1988. Known as "Miss Rhythm," Brown had such a strong string of hits early in her career at then-fledgling Atlantic Records that the label became known as "The House That Ruth Built."

• Michael Jackson
• Green Day
• Ghostface Killah
• The Smashing Pumpkins
• EPMD

EPMD perform at B.B. King's on Saturday
Photo: Johnny Nunez

NEW YORK — EPMD haven't put out an LP or a single as a group in almost 10 years, but you would have thought they were in their prime judging by the crowd waiting to get into their concert Saturday. The group was performing the first of what it promises will be many comeback shows in the U.S. (A 10-date European tour is scheduled in the next few weeks as well.)

The line to get into the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill spanned nearly an entire city block. The duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith and their DJ, Scratch, were back in town, and their fans, who catapulted them to the top of the rap heap in the late '80s and early '90s, waited patiently for an hour just to get through the door.  

"I didn't have the luxury of seeing them the first time they were out because I was only 11 years old," said superproducer Just Blaze, who had just made his way inside the club. "This is like getting to relive my childhood a little bit. When I got here and saw that turnout, I was happy to see that many people come out for a group that's been out for so long. That's a testament to the fact that they are one of the greatest groups in hip-hop history."

"To sell out someplace and get massive love 19 years in the game, it feels dope," Sermon said the day before the show. "It's bigger than us," Smith added. "God is great. We had a spiritual bond before music."

From 1987 to 1992, EPMD were a model of consistency and creativity with their distinctive, self-produced underground funk. Many songs from their catalog were flipped and sampled years later by their peers: Jay-Z sampled "It's My Thang" for "Ain't No N---a," DMX rapped over a beat similar to that of "Get the Bozack" for "Get at Me Dog" and even Mario Winans took parts of "You're a Customer" for his "I Don't Wanna Know." Many people also followed in Sermon's footsteps by using samples of Parliament, Funkadelic and Roger Troutman.

"We set the standard of what not to do, with being fake," Sermon said of another mark they made. "I remember when Vanilla Ice and Hammer was out, [some people] was trying to make it seem like that was the new hip-hop. We dropped 'Crossover' and put it back in line. We even had 'Gold Digger.' People was like, 'What's a gold digger?' 'A chick that's getting your money — watch out for her.' "

"We never were caught up in the hype," Smith said, explaining the group's popularity. "We always had a commitment to hip-hop. Keep your album tight, your image tight, never front on the fans."

Their 1992 breakup was one of the most disappointing in hip-hop history (the group temporarily re-formed in the late '90s). They had the game on lock at the time of their demise. Not only had they just put out their third and best album, Business Never Personal, but Sermon and Smith had set the business template for rap crews by breaking new artists, their protégés K-Solo, Redman and Das EFX (the Hit Squad), all of whom had recording contracts at different companies.

On Saturday, not only were EPMD coming back together, they brought the Hit Squad with them, with the exception of K-Solo. 

"It feels great because I haven't had my family around me in, like, 10 years," Redman said, standing outside of EPMD's dressing room. "It's an EPMD show, and it brought everyone. We gonna get a good laugh and a good show out of everything. I'm already buzzed."

"The sh-- is mad energy," said Keith Murray, an integral cog in Sermon's Def Squad crew, formed by Sermon, Murray and Redman after EPMD disbanded. "I get to open the show and tear everyone's asses up. We got everyone here from the golden era."

Not quite everyone, but almost. Backstage, among the swell of people, were members of the Ultramagnetic MCs, freestyle specialist Craig G, Lords of the Underground and Special Ed.

Murray started off the night by shouting, stagediving, freestyling — about slapping Prodigy from Mobb Deep and leaving Def Jam — and bringing back some of the classics from his catalog. The most energetic and well-received was his closer, "The Most Beautifullest Thing in the World."

EPMD came onstage looking as they had for much of their run, wearing fisherman hats, hoodies and boots. They started the show at the very beginning of their career, with hits from 1988's Strictly Business LP such as "You Gots to Chill" and "It's My Thang."

"I feel kinda amped 'cause I'm in NYC," Sermon said from the stage. "N---as is saying NYC is dead. But f--- all that, this is hip-hop music. New York City is the originator of hip-hop music. When I say n---as is coming back, we coming the f--- back. I'm not doing no popcorn-rap sh--. I ain't gonna be shake dancing and snappin' fingers. None of that."

"You gotta be yourself," Smith agreed.

After performing most of their catalog, the two MCs let their old friends rock. Das EFX came out for "They Want EFX," and Redman followed with "Tonight's Da Night" and "Time 4 Sum Aksion." Soon after, the crowd started screaming for the signature Hit Squad song "Headbanger." Finally, the Squad answered the fans' chants and performed the record.

As EPMD exited the stage, Red and Murray closed out the show. "You could feel the energy escalating," Smith said. "You had the old school, the young kids. It was great. This was a whole big reunion."

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• EPMD
• Redman

R. Kelly
Photo: Jive

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — R. Kelly sings to the heavens about needing a hug and on Thursday night he was embraced (Click here for photos from the show).

The legally troubled crooner was showered with love by the thousands that flooded the Continental Arena for the Powerhouse, the first big concert put on by New York radio station 105.1.

At the top of the show when the evening's scheduled performers — including Nas, Ja Rule and Fat Joe — were announced, an eruption of cheers echoed throughout the arena, so it was no surprise when the sentiments carried over during the introduction of Kelly's first major arena performance since his arrest in June on child pornography charges (see "R. Kelly Arrested On 21 Counts Of Child Pornography").

Kelly — who returns to record stores on January 28 and to court on February 7 — didn't start onstage when the spotlights first hit him. He stood out in the crowd, silent for a few seconds while the people cheered. From the look on his face, the reaction almost drove the singer to tears.

"We thuggin', rollin' on dubs," he stiffly began to sing, waving his hands, trying to keep his composure. He then left the stands, and Fat Joe, who performed earlier in the night, returned to the stage to rap his Kelly-assisted hit, "We Thuggin'."

"I got four honeys in the drop," Kelly continued, now onstage with Joe. The two hugged at the end of the song and the fat gangsta left with a few words of encouragement: "Give it up for the R. That's my muthaf---in' n---a!"

Kelly then took a boom box and sat at the front of the stage with his legs dangling off. He thanked the crowd for their support and fought back tears. "I wanna try something different tonight," he said, collecting himself.

For the next several minutes, Kelly teased the crowd. He turned the dial on the radio until he arrived at a station playing one of his jams. The audience would hear and sing a few seconds of "Honey Love," "Sex Me," "Bump 'N Grind" and "Slow Dance" until Kelly stopped at "It Seems Like You're Ready" and actually sang a verse.

He briefly let the crowd sing "12 Play" and later a brief part of "Your Body's Calling." When the audience sang the chorus to "F---in' You Tonight," Kelly began to chuckle before once again turning the station.

More teasing would come as Kelly scrolled through his catalog on the boom box. When he arrived at "Feelin' on Yo Booty," people urged him to sing, but he playfully mouthed the words, "I can't do that," and made the cut motion with his finger going across his neck. He then pointed toward the backstage area with his thumb as if someone told him the song was taboo.

R. finally performed a whole song for his finale, the party-friendly remix to "Ignition." "Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce," he sang, now walking around with his mic and boom box. Before he left, Kelly used the radio one last time, playing snippets of tracks from his dead peers including Left Eye, Marvin Gaye and Big Pun. He quickly exited the stage while "Heaven I Need a Hug" played.

Kelly wasn't the only industry heavyweight who's had recent problems with the law to turn up for the show. Irv Gotti made his first appearance at a public event since the offices of Murder Inc. were raided a couple of weeks ago by the NYPD and federal agents (see "Drugs, Friends & Allegations: Inside The Murder Inc. Raid"). He did not address his problems as he accompanied Ja Rule and Ashanti onstage for their performances.

In fact, Gotti showed no signs of having any problems, yelling "I love my f---in' job," towards the end of the Inc.'s show, which capped off with "Mesmerize."

The night ended with surprise guest spots. Headliner Nas, who performed street bangers like "Ether," brought out Jadakiss and Ludacris for the remix of "Made You Look." AZ had joined his former partner in the Firm earlier.

Other surprises at Powerhouse were Erick Sermon bringing out his partner in EPMD, Parrish Smith, along with Redman, Method Man, Keith Murray and the long lost K-Solo. An old-school set was also featured. Along with Doug E. Fresh, who was on the bill, Greg Nice, Big Daddy Kane, and Dres from Black Sheep gave surprise performances.

Notable in her absence, though, was Eve, who had been scheduled to play the concert. No reason was given for her departure from the bill.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• R. Kelly
• Nas
• Ja Rule
• Fat Joe
• Ashanti

Jay-Z and Michael Jackson
Photo: Walik Goshorn

UNIONDALE, New York — When hip-hop's reigning microphone king needed a little help driving home the point that he wasn't about to relinquish his crown anytime soon, he simply placed a call to none other than the self-proclaimed King of Pop.

Jay-Z, the headliner at Thursday's Hot 97 Summer Jam 2001, shocked the sold-out crowd at Long Island's Nassau Coliseum when he brought Michael Jackson onstage during a break in his performance. Although M.J. didn't perform — not live, anyway, considering a sample of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" was used in the set-closing "H to the Izzo" — just his presence was enough to elicit the loudest pop of the night from a crowd that had already seen performances by Ja Rule, Destiny's Child, R. Kelly, Ludacris, Eve, Nelly and Outkast. (Click HERE for photos from Summer Jam.)

"I know Michael Jackson better come from behind that muthaf---in' curtain," Jay-Z said during what had to be 90 of the longest seconds of his career. Jigga had just announced Jackson to the crowd, but the music icon failed to make his entrance. The audience seemed to think Jay was joking — who would expect Jackson to appear at such a hip-hop-heavy concert?

But Jay quickly figured out that with cargo as precious as this, it's probably best to hand-deliver it to the crowd. "You want me to go back and get him myself?" Jay asked a girl in the front row. "OK, I'm 'a go get him."

Seconds later the two walked out and posed for photos together. In one of the pictures, Michael struck a b-boy stance with his arms folded. Jackson's only words to the crowd were "I love you all" before he exited the stage, but Jay-Z fans can expect to hear more from him. According to Roc-a-Fella Records, Jackson will make a guest appearance on Jay's next album, and although Jay attempted to return the favor, his contributions are not currently scheduled to appear on Jackson's long-awaited new LP.

Jackson wasn't the only guest Jay brought out with him, however. His Roc-a-Family crew Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek stayed onstage with him throughout the performance, and Missy Elliott popped up to perform "Is That Your Chick" and a verse from "Get Ur Freak On." Violin player Miri Benari was brought onboard for "Big Pimpin'," while EPMD showed support for Beans and Bleek by performing "So Wat Cha Sayin'" with them before Erick Sermon went into "Music."

Jay began his set by arriving onstage backed by what seemed to be all the tenants of Brooklyn's Marcy Houses project. He told everyone how focused he was before going into his verses from Mya's "Best of Me" remix.

"There's a lot of sh-- going on in rap music," he stopped to tell his fans. "A lot of cats yappin'. Y'all know what I do — your boy handles his business."

Jay then started to freestyle, shooting back at everyone who's been dissing him lately. Hardest hit was Prodigy of Mobb Deep. Not only did Jay make fun of P's small frame by saying, "We got money stacks bigger than you," but Jigga poked fun at the Queens rapper's past, saying, "You's a ballerina, I seen ya," and showing photos of an adolescent Prodigy at his grandmother's dancing school. The photos, displayed on four huge screens that hung over the stage, showed Prodigy in leotards and a sparkling jacket.

But the fire Jay spit was nothing compared to the venom the audience spewed on Destiny's Child. The crowed booed in unison as soon as the group was introduced. On the song "So Good," Beyoncé Knowles put a little more bass and feeling in her voice when she sang, "This is for the haters who thought we wouldn't make it."

Keeping their game faces on, the girls finished their set, closing with "Survivor," but their determination did not impress the crowd, which booed after practically every song — especially when the girls would taunt the audience back by sarcastically saying, "Thank you."

Although the audience members showed R. Kelly love, they were left disappointed by his relatively brief performance. He didn't do either of his two hit songs with Jay-Z or his current single, "Feelin' on Yo Booty." His show was limited to "Home Alone," during which he brought out Keith Murray, "I Wish" and its remix, and an a cappella rendition of "R&B Thug."

Jadakiss proved you could make your appearance short but still keep it sweet. Coming out toward the end of Eve's set, 'Kiss received an ovation that was only overshadowed by Jay-Z's and M.J.'s as he performed "Put Your Hands Up" and "We Gon' Make It."

For the past two years, Summer Jam's luster was somewhat tarnished by violent outbreaks because of the people bumrushing the doors of the concert's former home, New Jersey's Continental Airlines Arena. This year you had to show your ticket just to get into the coliseum's parking lot, cutting down on unruly loiterers.

"I don't think anybody is thinking about [violence]," said one audience member. "Everybody is here to have a good time. You know how long we all been waiting to see this show?"

• Jay-Z
• Michael Jackson
• Ja Rule
• Destiny's Child
• R. Kelly

Erick Sermon
Photo: MTV News

Erick Sermon is living up to his "Green Eyed Bandit" nickname. Having just moved his Def Squad imprint from DreamWorks to Clive Davis' J Records, Sermon has a boatload of money in his sights. "The J Records deal is dope," E-Double said Monday. "Just what [Clive Davis] has done at Arista and the stars he's made, he's a genius. He knows what records should be, what artists should look and sound like. Clive Davis is music." It's "Music" that has Sermon, who's been staying busy producing other artists, going through rejuvenation on the mic. Using a sample of Marvin Gaye's vocals, the song has endeared itself to the public because of its thematic break from the monotony of hip-hop song content, which lately boils down to icy wrists and necks, Bentleys, and how chicken heads flock to MCs. It's just the story of a man and his true love — music — and how it has inspired him. "Marvin used it as a third person when he was singing about music," Sermon said. "Just how it influences and affects our lives as people. I wanted to be able to show that. I have a line in the record that says 'Have black and white vibe in one room with no confrontation/ And they party all night because of the sensation of the music.' " "Music" came together when Sermon received an import version of his favorite album, Marvin Gaye's Midnight Love, as a gift from a friend. As a bonus, the LP included studio outtakes of the singer, and Sermon decided to make a song using the vocals. He started production on the track with the intent of just having something to play around the house — he was not looking to make a hit record.

"I went down in my basement and just started looping a couple of words he was saying," Sermon said. "It took me about 20 minutes to program a beat to it. Once I got the concept and a rhyme, which was like an hour-and-a-half process, I was calling [my friend] on the phone telling her to check it out." Sermon then played the song for one of his business partners, and in turn, his partner started to distribute it at the Impact music convention earlier this year, where radio station programmers dubbed "Music" a future hit and wanted to add it to their playlists.

Things happened so quickly that Sermon was caught with his pants down — he had yet to clear the sample. With the help of his friend, legendary hip-hop DJ Eric B., Sermon set up a meeting with Gaye's family and was given the OK to put out the song ... for a small fee.

"Marvin's ex-wife, Marvin III and his other son heard it and they were like 'You gave my pops some justice and it sounds good.' So they came at us with a real high number and I was prepared to pay that. We ended up paying $200,000 for the clearance and it was worth it." Sermon has devised a song that the thugs in the clubs can dance to, and at the same time your grandmother would want to sing along to. He said that now that he has the attention of a diverse congregation of listeners, he plans to address everyone with his third solo album, The Sermon, scheduled to drop in August. One of the points he plans to preach is bringing an end to the discord in the hip-hop community.

"Biggie Smalls is dead," he griped. "Tupac is dead over a rhyme, beefing back and forth because of lyrics. With a record like ['Music'] it shows that it ain't about that. Have a good time, it just makes you feel good." He plans on making people feel even better when he releases a new version of "Music," this time with more guest vocals.

"We got a remix going on with Dr. Dre and Jay-Z that will be happening around," he said. "I don't know when we are going to drop that though, because the [original version] is still heating up. Hopefully when we start dying down a little bit, we will drop that. I'm going to use the same beat. The beat was already hot so don't change it if it ain't broken." Another visitor coming to work with E-Double is Debbie Harry, who'll perform on an updated version of Blondie's "One Way or Another." "It's hard though," Sermon said of the record. "Don't picture what you think it might be. It's hard, it's hip-hop." R&B King R. Kelly will sing on a song about hardship, while veterans Scarface and LL Cool J join in on "Do Re Mi," where each vet boasts about his longevity in song-making. Foxy Brown has also collaborated with Sermon for the album, as have Def Squad members Keith Murray and Redman.

Sermon, who produced 10 tracks on the current Redman album, said that in addition to working on a new Keith Murray album, the Def Squad are planning their second LP as a collective, titled Tsunami, to be released next year. Also on his plate is a return to the foundation that made him a rap legend — Sermon has already recorded seven songs with Parrish Smith for a new EPMD album. They plan to call the new effort, their seventh, We Mean Business. "We do mean business this time," Sermon said. "Before we really weren't into ourselves because of what was going on." (During the recording of its last album, the duo was coming to the end of its relationship with longtime label Def Jam). "This time we really know what time it is. I just did two shows in Portland and San Francisco and I brought Parish with me and it was like off the meter. The type of love that is happening right now is just incredible. I just appreciate all this." You could say it's music to his ears.

• Erick Sermon
• Marvin Gaye
• Def Squad
• EPMD
• Debbie Harry

Marvin Gaye
Photo: Motown

Digging in the crates is how some producers make a living. Blowing off the dust from their vinyl, they find old sounds and discover new ways to introduce them to the world.

Erick Sermon's been digging in his crates for the past 13 years, flipping songs by such artists as George Clinton and Roger Troutman into his own brand of murky funk. Sermon's latest find came courtesy of Mr. Smooth himself, Marvin Gaye.

On "Music," off the soundtrack to Martin Lawrence's upcoming comedy "What's the Worst That Can Happen?," Sermon uses rare vocals by Gaye. According to Bernard Alexander, Sermon's co-manager, Sermon had a limited release, special edition of the late singer's 1982 Midnight Love LP, which included outtakes of Gaye singing a cappella during some never-before-heard studio sessions.

"Music," which is fast becoming one of radio's most played songs, will also be featured on the Green Eyed Bandit's August 7 solo album, The Sermon. Alexander said Sermon has already recorded songs for that LP with his Def Squad compatriots, Redman and Keith Murray, as well as with Dr. Dre, Ludacris, Xzibit, LL Cool J, Too Short and Foxy Brown. Soon after The Sermon, E Double is going to bring his career around full circle — he's been hard at work on a new EPMD album as well.

Sermon's been just as busy behind the boards as he's been in the vocal booth. Redman's Malpractice, which drops on May 22, features 10 Sermon tracks. Alexander said his client also contributed three beats to Teddy Riley's upcoming solo debut. Sermon has been collaborating with Xzibit and Method Man on their new projects, and he'll jump into the studio with Keith Murray upon Murray's release from a halfway house on May 17. He will also serve as one of the executive producers on the soundtrack to Redman and Method Man's starring vehicle, How High, and score the film as well.

Alexander said he'll secure a label deal by May 29 for the Sermon solo and EPMD projects. That same day, the soundtrack to "What's the Worst That Can Happen?" hits stores. The track listing for the "What's the Worst That Can Happen?" soundtrack:

• Snoop Dogg - "F--- What They Say"
• Cha Cha - "Stick 'Em"
• Craig Mack featuring Frank Sinatra - "Wooden Horse"
• Sara Jane - "No Job"
• Queen Latifah featuring Sara Jane - "Everywhere You Go"
• Benzino - "Bang Ta Dis"
• Supafriendz - "What's the Worst That Can Happen?"
• Sam Logan - "Happy Feelin's"
• Jo Doja - "Whatever Jo Wants (Jo Gets)"
• Nina - "That's the Way Love Goes"
• Erick Sermon featuring Marvin Gaye - "Music"
• Dyme - "Ladies Are U Wit Me"
• Doggy's Angels - "Shoot 'Em Up"
• Bosstown - "I Got Duvs on It"
• Jo Doja - "Hit the Road Jo"
• Legit - "My Love Your Love"

• Erick Sermon
• Marvin Gaye
• EPMD

For the second time in three months, Erick Sermon and Redman will take to the steps of the Capitol building in Hartford, Connecticut, next Wednesday to rally support for the release of their Def Squad bandmate, Keith Murray.

Connecticut state Senator Eric Coleman and Murray's lawyer, Joe Moniz, are also expected to turn out for the event, a follow-up to a similar rally in July that brought out such hip-hop notables as Fat Joe, Rockwilder, and Tha Alkaholiks (see "Redman, Erick Sermon, More Plead For New Keith Murray Trial").

In 1998, Murray was convicted of a second-degree assault following an altercation with a concert promoter in Connecticut back in 1995. After being sentenced to three years in prison, the rapper failed to turn himself in to authorities and was on the lam for almost a month before surrendering to authorities (see ).

Murray's sentence was subsequently upped from three years to five, although the additional two years can be suspended if Murray keeps out of trouble while in prison or following his release on parole. To date, Murray has served 23 months of his term.

• Def Squad
• EPMD
• Keith Murray
• Redman

Erick Sermon, famed producer and half of recording duo EPMD, has set a June 27 release date for his next solo album.

Entitled "Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis," Sermon's new album will be the first recorded under the new alias that was inspired by the late Aristotle Onassis' wealth and power-building prowess (see "Erick Sermon Lines Up New Name For New Album").

The album features cameos from the likes of Redman, DJ Quik, Ja Rule, Xzibit, Too Short, PMD, and many more (including a previously recorded vocal from the late Eazy E), and the first single will be "Why Not," which features Slick Rick trading rhymes with Onasis.

"Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis" is Sermon's first solo effort since 1995's "Double Or Nothing" and comes nearly a year to the date of the release of EPMD's (alleged) farewell album "Out Of Business."

The "Erick Onasis" track listing is as follows:

• "Talk To Me" (intro)
• "I Do 'Em"
• "Don't Get Gassed"
• "Why Not" featuring Slick Rick
• "Live It Up" (interlude) featuring Redman and Khari Santiago
• "Hostility" featuring Redman and Keith Murray
• "Mastering With E" (skit)
• "So Sweet" featuring Eazy E
• "Focus" featuring DJ Quik and Xzibit
• "Feel Me Baby" featuring Khari Santiago and Sy Scott
• "Can't Stop" featuring Dave Hollister and Peter Moore
• "Get Da Money" featuring Ja Rule
• "Ain't Sh** To Discuss" featuring Teflon Da Don and Noah
• "Sermon" (speech)
• "Vanguady" featuring Big Kim, Sy Scott, Nolan Epps, Bo & Ruck, Billy Billions, and PMD
• "Fat Gold Chain" featuring Too Short

• EPMD

Zapp frontman and talk box aficionado Roger Troutman will be remembered on a new album, "Tribute To Roger Troutman," featuring some of his best known hip-hop collaborations, including tracks with Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, EPMD, Blackstreet, and Donell Jones.

In addition to such talk box-laced cuts as "California Love," "You Gots To Chill," and "Booty Call," the "Tribute To Roger Troutman" record also includes songs from S.W.V., Jodeci, and H-Town, as well as three all-new tracks including "True Love" from Chantay Nelson and "Cali4yey" by TWDY with Ant Banks, Too Short, and Dolla Will.

"Players City," a new song from A.L.T. and JV, will be issued as the first single from the "Tribute" album, due in stores on May 23.

Troutman was gunned down by his brother and Zapp bandmate, Larry Troutman, outside of a studio in Dayton, Ohio last April (see "Zapp's Roger And Larry Troutman Killed In Apparent Murder-Suicide").

At the time of his death, it was estimated that his work for Zapp, the Ohio Players, and Parliament-Funkadelic had been sampled in over 500 different songs.

The tracks slated for inclusion on "Tribute To Roger Troutman:"

• Tupac Shakur featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman - "California Love"
• S.W.V. - "Weak (Bam Jams Jeep Mix)"
• Jodeci - "What About Us"
• Ronnie Hudson - "West Coast Poplock"
• Paperboy - "Ditty"
• Mokenstef - "He's Mine"
• H-Town - "Knockin' Da Boots"
• MC Breed - "Ain't No Future In Yo' Frontin'"
• EPMD - "You Gots To Chill"
• Blackstreet - "Booty Call"
• Donell Jones - "In The Hood (Remix)"
• Chantay Nelson - "True Love"
• TWDY with Ant Banks, Too Short, and Dolla Will - "Cali4yey"
• A.L.T. and JV - "Players City"

• Dr. Dre
• EPMD