Lauryn Hill in Brooklyn, New York, on Monday
Photo: Walik Goshorn

Lauryn Hill arrived more than two hours late and performed an uneven if not memorable set on Monday night at Brooklyn, New York's Wingate Field as part of the free Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series. The enigmatic singer, overdressed for a hot summer night, showed up at 10 p.m. for the scheduled 7:30 show and ran through a number of her more popular solo and Fugees hits — but often reconfigured them into unrecognizable scat chants. Hill told the audience her sometimes-inaudible voice was hoarse, but her tone improved as she continued. Hill closed the show with her Grammy-winning "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and then immediately exited after thanking the 10,000-plus people who showed up for the park jam. ...

Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu and Common will light up the Red Star Soul concert series over the course of the next three months, Billboard.com reports. Common and Chrisette Michele will kick off the campaign August 15 in Los Angeles, with Com playing additional shows in Detroit (September 4); Atlanta (September 18); and Washington, D.C. (September 26). Raphael Saadiq, Michele and Teedra Moses will play at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on August 28; Badu and Michele will hit up Chicago on September 13; and Badu will also play Philadelphia on October 13. ...

If you're a fan of Kelly Clarkson and football, get ready for some red-hot double coverage: She'll help kick off the NFL season when she sings before the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts game September 6. The half-hour pre-game show — which will also feature performances by Hinder, Faith Hill and John Mellencamp — will air on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. Clarkson's performance will be part of a free concert she'll be giving at Indianapolis' Monument Circle. ...

Lily Allen's U.S. work visa was canceled upon her arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday, BBC News reports. The singer, who had come to the States for the VMAs announcement on Tuesday (August 7), was held at the airport for five hours due to her June arrest in London for alleged assault. A spokesperson for Allen said the singer was questioned but that her work visa will be sorted out by her next visit. Allen is slated to tour the U.S. in September and is still expected to attend — and perform at — the VMAs on September 9. ... Madonna's representative Liz Rosenberg says that despite reports of a snag in the singer's adoption of David Banda, the process is going smoothly. "None of that stuff is true," Rosenberg told UsMagazine.com in regards to a Reuters report that suggested the adoption might be compromised. "The adoption process is going along very well and according to proper procedure," she asserted. ...

The Reverend Al Sharpton is staging a "day of outrage" on Tuesday to urge the public to divest from the music industry until it forces rappers to stop using derogatory terms including the N-word. Sharpton led a rally in Detroit outside the former studios for Motown Records, but he has also organized 19 additional protests elsewhere in the U.S. "The opposition has tried to use the argument of free speech, but they don't have the freedom to use people's pension funds against their own will and interest," he said in an interview with Reuters. ... A London judge has dismissed a suit over a U.K. photo agency using a 2004 image of J.K. Rowling's 3-year-old son, saying the legal action didn't have a realistic chance of success, according to Bloomberg News. "Our aim has only been to protect our children from press intrusion during their childhood," Rowling said in a statement, adding that she and her husband plan to appeal the ruling. ...

AFI side project Blaqk Audio will embark on their first tour September 5 in Atlanta, in support of the forthcoming Cexcells, which lands in stores August 14. The trek runs through September 27 in Los Angeles. ... Buzz is building over the next Hives LP, which will be called The Black and White Album, according to Billboard.com. There's no release date scheduled yet. ... Black Tide, a young metal band from Miami that had been tapped to replace Circus Diablo on Ozzfest's second stage, have now found themselves having to drop off the bill — without even playing a single note. As it turns out, the band is too young — the second stage is being sponsored by Jägermeister, and the group's youngest member is only 14 years old. ...

They've gone and done it: McFarlane Toys has created Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora action figures, and is planning to unveil them this month. Go here for details. ... Anthrax have nixed plans to record their next album with Slipknot's Corey Taylor, citing scheduling conflicts with Taylor's other projects. The band's searching for a new singer to enter the fold. ... Boston hardcore legends Sam Black Church will reunite for a September 22 gig at the Roxy in Boston; this will be the band's first live set in more than six years. Darkbuster, Madball and Unearth will also play at the show. ...

Louisiana native Terrance Stewart, also known as DJ Bay Bay, was arrested Monday and charged with rape and witness intimidation, according to a report in Louisiana newspaper The Shreveport Times. Stewart served as the inspiration behind rapper Hurricane Chris' breakout hit "A Bay Bay," which is a nod to the DJ. According to Shreveport police, an unidentified woman was found drunk and unconscious on Thursday night at the club where Stewart was spinning, and police believe the woman was raped during the party. Stewart is being held in jail on a $150,000 bond; his lawyer issued a statement defending his client's innocence. "Mr. Stewart is innocent of these charges and intends to vigorously defend himself against them," lawyer Eric Johnson said. "We are very confident that after the case is tried by a judge or jury that Mr. Stewart will be exonerated." Police are also searching for another DJ, Ron Johnson, who they believe was also involved in the incident. ...

What better way to bring the bizarre Phil Spector trial down the homestretch than with an appearance by blockbuster-movie director Michael Bay? On Monday, the filmmaker — one of the last three rebuttal witnesses being presented by the prosecution — said he didn't see deceased actress Lana Clarkson at a Hollywood party weeks before her death, as the defense had suggested, the Los Angeles Times reports. According to defense attorneys, Bay had snubbed Clarkson at the party, hurting her so much that it helped drive her to suicide. Bay, who was called to rebut testimony from defense witness Punkin Pie Laughlin, said he had cast Clarkson in a commercial about a decade ago and that he would have recognized her had he seen her at a party. ...

Pete Doherty tested positive for drugs during a review of the Babyshambles frontman's court-ordered participation in a treatment program on Tuesday, spurring a London judge to warn him to quit drugs within a month or face jail time, The Associated Press reports. "If he does not show his motivation it's prison, as simple as that," Judge Davinder Lachlar said at the hearing. "Depending on what information I have when [Doherty] next [comes] to court, the decision will be made." Doherty is due in West London Magistrates' Court on September 4 for another hearing.

08.06.07

Let the fiesta begin — Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have rolled out dates for their En Concierto trek. The spousal celebration will hit Atlantic City, New Jersey (September 29); Uncasville, Connecticut (October 3); Washington, D.C. (October 5); New York (October 7); Toronto (October 10); Chicago (October 14); San Jose, California (October 17); Los Angeles (October 19); Anaheim, California (October 20); San Diego (October 24); Las Vegas (October 26); Dallas (October 30); Houston (October 31); and Miami (November 2). In related news, Lopez is firing back at critics of "El Cantante," her new film with Anthony, the Los Angeles Times reports. Speaking at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles on Friday, she insisted that the film is an accurate portrayal of salsa legend Hector Lavoe. "I don't know what movie [the critics] want to see, because this is the truth," she said. ...

Lindsay Lohan checked into a drug and alcohol treatment center in Sundance, Utah, over the weekend, according to a CBS News radio report. Lifestyle magazine Town & Country recently named the center, Cirque Lodge, one of the best substance-abuse facilities in the country. Lohan, who is due in court in Santa Monica, California, on August 24, has been to rehab twice before. ...

Gwen Stefani recently admitted to U.K. newspaper The Observer that meeting up with her No Doubt bandmates was a bit uncomfortable. "It would be ridiculous to say there was no tension," she said. "Because my solo career has been going on and on. It was never supposed to be this long." Beyond the No Doubt reunion, the singer also revealed what else is on the horizon — acting roles "are the last thing on my list," she said; instead, her focus is "make babies, make music." "I'm on repeat mode," she added. Stefani also opened up about her ongoing "mad love affair" with Gavin Rossdale. "Time goes by and you get the rocky times then you get the intense love times, then you get the reward of having the baby," she said about her relationship with her husband. "It's just this ongoing saga. ... I'm interested to see what's going to happen next, you know?' " ...

The organizers behind "A Concert for Virginia Tech" are coming to the defense of Nas, whose lyrics have stirred up controversy over his participation in the event. "Nas is a positive force in hip-hop," read a statement issued by Red Light Management, which manages Dave Matthews Band and is helping the group organize the event. "Over the course of his albums, many of which have included storytelling about the violence of inner-city life, he has evolved into a spokesman for change. His actions stand out as a true lesson in how conflict can be resolved with words." ...

Many U.S. music retailers are yanking import copies of Amy Winehouse's 2003 debut, Frank, from their shelves after receiving a letter from Universal Republic that threatens legal action and claims the label has exclusive rights to distribute her recordings Stateside. The label is planning to issue the album domestically for the first time November 7. ... Backstreet Boys are unveiling their new single "Inconsolable" Monday night (August 6) on New York's Z-100 radio. The track will surface on the group's yet-untitled new album, due October 30. ... Speaking of big returns, the Black Crowes have finished recording their new album, which will be mixed in September and street in the spring. The disc spotlights new touring keyboardist Adam MacDougall and North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson, and was produced by the band and longtime collaborator Paul Stacey. ...

A New Zealand mayoral candidate is trying to put Ice Cube in hot water. Political hopeful Len Brown, who is vying for the mayor's seat in Manukau City, issued a press release Monday morning calling for the rapper's August 22 visit to Auckland to be canceled. "Ice Cube brings a gangsta message to our community via his gangsta rap," the statement read. "This message promotes gangs, gang violence and drugs. We don't want this in our homes. We don't want it on our streets." ... LL Cool J highlighted the New York leg of the Microsoft Zune BBQ concert series in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday. The veteran rapper stormed through tracks that spanned his entire career, including his latest, "Queens." Grand Puba, the LOX, Clipse, the Boot Camp Click, Large Professor and Joell Ortiz also performed at the community-based event. UGK and Mos Def performed at previous stops in Chicago and Los Angeles. ...

Don't bet the family farm on it just yet, but Van Halen's reunion tour is reportedly back on, sources tell Billboard.com. The outlet reports that a press conference will be held in Hollywood next week, during which the band will announce a 50-date arena tour to start in early October. The hard-rock legends had originally planned to set out on an amphitheater tour this summer, but it was scrapped, and guitarist Eddie Van Halen entered rehab. The reunion tour will reportedly feature Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Eddie's son Wolfgang and David Lee Roth. ... Gene Simmons was forthright, to say the least, about his feelings toward former Kiss mates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in a recent interview with TVGuide.com. "They were thrown out of the band because they were drug addicts and alcoholics," said Simmons, who has a strong aversion to drugs and alcohol. "They're damaged. ... You're talking about 30 years of abuse. Everybody cares about Ace and Peter. I love them to death. But I don't want them to die on tour." ...

There's a new wrinkle in Madonna's adoption of a Malawian boy. The court-appointed official who was assigned to the case is not being allowed to travel to Britain to evaluate the suitability of the singer and her husband, Guy Ritchie, to be the adoptive parents of David Banda, Reuters reports. The official, Penstone Kilembe, had been appointed to travel to Britain twice, after which he has been expected to testify in a hearing next year whether Madonna's adoption of the child should be formalized. Kilembe is being accused of getting a plane ticket and money directly from Madonna, without the approval of the Malawian government, but he has dismissed claims that he asked the singer for the ticket. ... Two more people have been identified as James Brown's children, The Associated Press reports. While many DNA tests have come back negative and others are pending, two people claiming to be the late singer's offspring are indeed telling the truth, longtime Brown adviser Buddy Dallas said Friday. While Dallas refused to identify the two people, a 45-year-old retired flight attendant is thought to be one of them. ...

Chris Rock and his wife Malaak said in a statement issued Monday that he is not the father of a 13-year-old boy whose mother, Kali Bowyer, attempted to file a paternity suit against the comedian in March. According to the statement, DNA testing has ruled out Rock as the father of the child. "After multiple lies, including that Chris refused to establish paternity and after finding out that Ms. Bowyer has an extensive criminal record, we personally asked the court to help us establish paternity so that we could put this harassment to rest. ... We have spent a tremendous sum to litigate this case and are asking our attorney to pursue all legal remedies against her." ... Eddie Murphy has confirmed that he is the father of Melanie Brown's child, but the Spice Girl is still upset — her lawyer Gloria Allred said Saturday that the actor "has not indicated ... that he plans to visit the baby," AP reports. Murphy issued a statement Friday saying, "He acknowledges paternity of the child Angel and has paid child support to Ms. Brown, as well as covering the expenses of her pregnancy." But Allred said Brown's chief concern is that he "see his child, spend time with her, hold her, love her and bond with his daughter." ...

Record label Kill Rock Stars is giving away free downloads of Elliott Smith's "Angel in the Snow" on Monday in commemoration of what would have been the late singer/songwriter's 38th birthday. Go here for details. ... If Iggy Pop's performance with the Stooges at Lollapalooza on Sunday has you salivating for more, mark September 18 on your calendar — a new Pop DVD, "Live San Fran 1981," drops that day. The concert features Ig being backed up by Blondie drummer Clem Burke and future David Bowie guitarist Carlos Alomar, and two unreleased songs he recorded with Ric Ocasek of the Cars are also included in the package. ...

Lee Hazlewood, who wrote "These Boots Were Made for Walkin' " — Nancy Sinatra's hit from the '60s that Jessica Simpson reworked for "The Dukes of Hazzard" — has died of cancer, BBC News reports. The singer/songwriter, whose songs were covered by a wide range of artists including Nick Cave and Primal Scream, was 78.

• Lauryn Hill
• Alicia Keys
• Common
• Kelly Clarkson
• Lily Allen

Lauryn Hill
Photo: Joseph Cultice

Given that the most positive thing Lauryn Hill's bandmates are saying about another potential Fugees reunion is "just keep praying," the chances seem slim that we'll see the trio of Wyclef Jean, Pras and Hill doing an album together again. With the 10-year anniversary of her solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, close to a year away, fans have questioned whether we would see her put out another album. But Sony Music, the label she is signed to, is still saying yes.

Hill has acquired new management, and earlier this month, she even put out a new song called "Lose Myself" that was inspired in part by a dude named Big Z. No, not some new rapper — Z is a penguin in the film "Surf's Up." And the song isn't the first single from her album; it's a featured track on the soundtrack to the film.

But, as her reps optimistically pointed out to MTV News, Hill has recently gone back into the studio with the goal of making a new LP. In all seriousness, they say. She theoretically has a library of unreleased material in the vault, since she has consistently recorded over the past decade (we just haven't heard anything yet). But the hip-hop star's camp says Hill has cooked up a batch of fresh new material and there will probably be some collaborations once the project is finally released.

Hill has also signed up for several dates, mostly at festivals, around the globe this summer. Stops in Dubai, Turkey and the Netherlands are all on her list, and in the U.S., she has four dates scheduled, including a free concert August 6 in Brooklyn, New York, as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series.

There's still no release date scheduled for the next Lauryn Hill project.

• Lauryn Hill

Joss Stone
Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

When British R&B songstress Joss Stone started writing material for her forthcoming third album, Introducing Joss Stone, she decided she wanted the disc to feature a couple of collaborations. More than anything, though, Stone wanted to work with one of her favorite artists, the Fugees' Lauryn Hill. In her mind, the musical pairing just had to happen. So for months the 19-year-old tried to secure a commitment from the seven-time Grammy Award-winning artist, but to no avail.

Rather than stalk Hill's management or record-label heads, Stone turned to a more intimate source to make the magic happen.

"I called her mum every day for like a month and a half," Stone explained. "I couldn't get a hold of [Lauryn], and there was no answer from [her camp] — I couldn't get a yes or a no. So I just kept calling her mother."

And Stone's persistence eventually paid off, with Hill hopping on board to contribute to the track "Music," which Joss described as her love letter to song.

"I wrote it based off of the Fugees track 'The Mask' [from 1996's The Score], but now the track has changed drastically — but the bass line's similar," Stone said. "I really think that everybody goes through life looking for love in all the wrong places — in human beings. Unconditional love is impossible to get from a human being, but it's not impossible to get from music. And Lauryn, I've wanted to work with her since the first time I heard her voice. It's a dream come true for me — a goal I can mark off my list. I love her so much, and she's just so talented. She's just a poet."

When Introducing Joss Stone — which she co-produced with Raphael Saadiq (Mos Def, the Roots) — is released in March, fans will also find a "wicked" collaboration with Common, another of Stone's favorite performers, on the cut "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now."

"With rappers it's difficult, because sometimes you can get all that gangsta rap, which means nothing," she explained. "Sometimes it's good to listen to, in certain situations, but there's no substance to it. With people like Common or Lauryn or Nas [who she did not work with on the album], they're real poets. They're really saying something, and that's why I needed them on the record. ... I wanted artists who had something to say."

Stone began writing the follow-up to 2004's Mind, Body & Soul back in April and brought about 60 songs with her into a studio in Barbados in September. When it's finished, Introducing will boast a dozen tracks, including "Girls, They Won't Believe It," "Tell Me 'Bout It" (the first single) and "I Wish," which she said is a "calm 'F--- you' that just needed to be done. I had to get that one out of me, and it was inspired by that feeling of, 'I wish I never met you, because then, I wouldn't feel anything at all.' When you come out of a bad relationship, you just kind of wish it never happened in the first place, because you would never have to feel that aftermath."

Stone, who recently made her film debut in the fantasy epic "Eragon" (see "Joss Stone Gets In Touch With Witchy Side For Film Debut In 'Eragon' "), titled the album Introducing Joss Stone because, for the first time in her relatively young career, "I feel like it's really my album — like, I made it. I decided who to work with, and what songs to put on there. I wrote the songs. This is what I want to hear when I hear my album."

She's a bit less enthusiastic about her first two records, Mind, Body & Soul and 2003's The Soul Sessions, which goes a long way toward explaining her new LP title. "There were songs [on the earlier albums] there I didn't want on there and vocal performances I didn't feel were good enough," she explained. "I cannot tour for two years singing songs that I really don't feel. I want to be able to say, 'This is my song that I love, that I wrote, and it means this and that.' I want to go on TV and be able to say, 'Yes,' when they ask me if I like it. Before I couldn't say that. I can't lie. I just wanted to love my music. That's the reason why we live — to be happy."

And working with Saadiq did just that.

"He just gets me, and musically, everything came together when he came along," she said. "For years, since I was 14, I've been trying to tell people what I want to hear. One, they didn't listen to me because I was too young; and two, they didn't know how to listen to me, because they really weren't in the same headspace as me. But he just gets it. Finally someone understands. That's how I feel with him. He wanted to make me happy, and he gave me everything I asked for — and more."

Ultimately, Introducing is an album Stone said she can be proud of, and one that truly represents her as an artist.

"This is the first album I did by myself, and I felt I had to prove myself with it," she said. "I think this is one of those albums that, when it ends, just leaves you wanting more."

• "Eragon"

• Joss Stone
• Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill performs at the 2006 Rock the Bells concert
Photo: MTV News

SAN BERNARDINO, California — Southern Californians are notorious for arriving late and leaving early, but an estimated 20,000 hip-hop fans didn't want to miss a second of Saturday's Rock the Bells festival.

Tributes were paid and history was made, as hip-hop living legends, surprise guests and a record-breaking performance gave the fans a whole lot more than they could have ever imagined.

(Click here for photos from the concert.)

Fans have come to expect the unexpected from Rock the Bells, now in its third year. But when special guest Lauryn Hill took the stage, fan reaction was lukewarm, to be kind.

Earlier, Talib Kweli got the crowd moving to his blend of street poetry and socially conscious flow. Mos Def followed, serving up a satisfying but extra-long performance, which left many in the audience starving for the headlining heavyweights, Wu-Tang Clan.

So when a live band began playing smoothed-out jazz grooves, many fans unwillingly put down their "W" hand signals. Hill emerged onstage to light applause and "Wu-Tang!" chants — not exactly the raucous ovation expected for the woman many regard as the greatest female MC of all time. She told the crowd that she just wanted to come by and do a song or two, delivering "Doo Wop (That Thing)," "Lost Ones" and the Fugees' "How Many Mics."

Then the fans got what they'd been waiting for. Wu-Tang's rabid army of fans didn't need any cues to thrust their "W" hand signs proudly into the air, as sirens wailed and the Shaolin warriors brought the ruckus as hungrily as ever.

Before assaulting the stage, Method Man called this show a "Dirty-versary," dedicating it to the late Wu soldier, Ol' Dirty Bastard (see "RZA Eulogizes At ODB's Funeral: 'He Was A Unique Soul' "). The fans waved and nodded to every beat and verse, as Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am and onetime tourmate Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine joined in.

The day had already featured several surprises. Earlier, De La Soul's Posdnuos and Trugoy had brought out some fellow backpacker vets not on the lineup. Dres of Black Sheep joined De La Soul for "The Choice Is Yours" and Phife Dawg came out for a medley of A Tribe Called Quest hits, including "Buggin' Out," "Check the Rhime" and "Award Tour."

De La gave way to Redman, who, in between moving the crowd with hits like "Time 4 Sum Aksion" and "Diggy Doc," told the crowd he had partied too much and left his luggage in Brick City. He asked whoever could spare some "extra drawers and socks" to meet him at his dressing room. Upon finishing his set and returning to his trailer, Red was later seen smiling broadly with women's thongs draped over his head.

Not counting Red's dressing-room antics and the mainstage performers, much of the festival's action came from the adjacent VIP ballroom, where rapper Supernatural set out to make history by breaking the "Guinness Book of World Records" mark for longest freestyle. Supernat's goal was to break the standing record of eight hours and 45 minutes and flow for nine hours. He designed the stage to match his living room — complete with coffee table, leather couches, bottles of Heineken and Hennessy — and a dictionary for inspiration.

With DJs Rhettmatic, Icy Ice and Rocky Rock among others rotating turntable responsibilities throughout the day, Supernat looked to the crowd to keep him going. He placed a dry-erase board by the stage for audience members to jot down ideas and even asked some to hand him items in their pockets that he could work into his rhymes. Fans gave him money, fake cannabis and even batteries.

Supernatural didn't need the batteries, as he spit then spit some more, building up a serious rasp in his voice while pumping up the swelling audience as it witnessed history. When the beat ended, Supernatural had his record — freestyling straight for nine hours and 12 minutes.

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

• Lauryn Hill, Wu Tang Clan, Mos Def And More At Rock The Bells | 08.05.2006

• De La Soul
• Mos Def
• Lauryn Hill
• Talib Kweli
• Wu-Tang Clan

Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill
Photo: Jason Squires/WireImage.com

HOLLYWOOD — Lauryn Hill may not be winning any Grammys this year, but she is absolutely the hands-down favorite for bizarre quote of the year: "I'm crazy, blood clot!"

Hill joined her Fugee teammates Wyclef Jean and Pras on Monday night for the group's first full-on concert in almost 10 years. The Fugees kicked off Grammy week with a free outdoor show that, owing to its location smack in the middle of the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, shut down part of Hollywood on Monday night.

And the biggest story coming out of the show is the redefinition, if you will, of Lauryn Hill. Onstage, she didn't seem to be the post-Miseducation Lauryn we've come to know: the serious and detached Hill that many, from 50 Cent to barbershop observers, might have deemed a little odd.

The Hill onstage last night was definitely L. Boogie: The Lauryn who, years ago, was not only one of music's most captivating singers but also one its most dynamic lyricists, standing right behind the likes of Jay-Z and Nas as one of the best MCs of the then-new millennium. But then she disappeared on us, popping up briefly and erratically over the last six or so years.

Thus, even though the Fugees have performed together several over the last couple of years (see "Fugees — Yes, Even Lauryn — Reunite For Dave Chappelle's Block Party" and "Destiny's Child Give Lap Dances, Fugees End Feud At BET Awards"), it seemed surreal to see all three onstage. For the first time in years, it felt like there wasn't a wall around Hill: She really seemed to be enjoying the music, being in front of the crowd and being onstage with her bandmates. L. Boogie danced, rapped and sang — and the only person saying the word "crazy" was her.

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"I'm not crazy," she insisted during a between-song break. "I'm super-smart. I can't be bought. I can't be bribed. I am not a machine and I give my people the truth. If that defines crazy, then I'm crazy, blood clot!"

Hill then started pointing to her heart and told the crowd that life started getting very serious for her around the time a particular song came out. The Fugees' band then started playing the lead-off track from Miseducation, "Lost Ones," as the crowd jumped.

"It's funny how money change a situation," she rapped. "Miscommunication leads to complication/ My emancipation don't fit your equation/ I was on the humble/ You on every station."

The show kicked off with Wyclef onstage by himself, telling the crowd that "California will never be the same." He launched into some freestyle raps and reggae chants before being joined by Hill and Pras. The Refugees commenced with "Nappy Heads" and "How Many Mics," before Clef announced, "The Fugees don't do the same thing twice!" — and the band launched into a reggae groove to finish off the song.

Throughout the night, the Fugees showed just how much a DJ can add to a live band, frequently improving upon and changing up their classic material by integrating the beats from Freeway's "Flipside," Tony Yayo's "So Seductive" and even a reggaetón rhythm reminiscent of Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" (wheeled out during "Guantanamera") at various times during their set. The energy level barely dipped all night.

"This is legendary!" Clef told the crowd. He informed everyone that he would be as tame as he could be and stay onstage — then jumped offstage and climbed onto a bodyguard's shoulders shortly after. The two waded into the crowd as "Fu-Gee-La" began. As the enormous bodyguard began to bring Clef back to the stage, Jean yelled "Pull up!" and told the group to start the song over. Still on the bodyguard's shoulders, he jokingly told Hill he wasn't coming back onstage — but soon did.

"We used to be number 10," he rapped. "Now we're permanent one/ In the battle, lost my finger/ Mic became my arm."

The show's highlight came toward the end, when Hill started singing "Doo Wop (That Thing.)" The scene resembled the one from her video, with people dancing in the street as her soulfully pure voice rang into the night air. The band then eased into the beat from Amerie's "1 Thing" before bringing it back to "Doo Wop."

If you still can't believe the Fugees are back together, you'd better get used to it. The group is in the studio now working on a new album slated for release later this year (see "New Fugees Song Leaks; Group Has Been Working On LP For Months").

The show's over, but there's still plenty of Grammy goodness right here on MTVNews.com. Check out photos of the hottest green-carpet and onstage moments, find out what went down at the celeb-packed parties, and share your thoughts on the performers, winners and losers.

Plus watch videos of all the nominees on MTV.com and check out exclusive video footage from the big night on Overdrive.

	Kanye Gives Tom Cruise Something To Shout About At Pre-Grammy Party
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	T.I. Says Grammy Noms Are Only The Beginning Of His 'Global Conquest'
	Check Out Everything We've Got On The Grammys

• The Fugees
• Wyclef Jean
• Lauryn Hill

50 Cent
Photo: Getty Images

50 Cent's "Get Rich or Die Tryin' " will get the video game treatment next month — but owners of the various consoles won't be able to bring the G-Unit captain's character to life unless they pick up the phone. 50's inked a deal with mobile entertainment firms Fathammer and Zingy to give gamers the chance to step into his "Get Rich" characters' shoes, according to Interscope Records. The cell-phone game's plot will follow the film's story line of an aspiring rapper who works his way up from the streets to the top of the hip-hop game. The game will be available for download in mid-January. ...

The reason Lauryn Hill had to step away from the spotlight, she told Essence magazine for its new issue, was that it was a "very toxic situation" for her, because she wasn't able to be herself. "I discovered people could only acknowledge red and blue and I was somewhere between. I was purple," she told the magazine. "And when I can't be whole, I have a problem. I was like, 'I've got to get out of here.' " So she spent two or three years "away from all social interaction," with no music and no television. "It was a very introspective and complicated time because I had to really confront my fears," she said. During her downtime, Hill also wrote a lot — music as well as screenplays — and even dabbled in fashion design, endeavors that helped her become "older, wiser, and clearer." Still, she vetoed plans to do a clothing line, because it bothered her to see her look "exploited, appropriated, copied and reproduced" by others. "Fashion is something I breathe," Hill said. "I wasn't really trying to share my style, I was just trying to be me and exist." Now that's she back with the Fugees, Hill says her hope is that other artists don't get "trapped in images that don't really reflect who they are." ... Mary J. Blige isn't about to turn down an opportunity to do a clothing line, though. The R&B singer recently revealed to MTV Europe that she's hoping to do one in the vein of Catherine Malandrino, because the designer has a classic sensibility. "I can pull clothes of hers from five years ago, those are the kinds of things I want to make," Blige said. "I definitely want to do a clothing line, and not just because everyone else is doing one. I want a clothing line which is around forever." ...

Pink's happy about her time away from the spotlight as well, "if you forget about stalkerazzi," she joked to MTV Europe. Keeping a low profile helped her record her fourth album (I'm Not Dead, due in the spring) and film her first major film role (in the upcoming "Catacombs"). "I haven't had any time off," Pink said. "I just haven't done any reality TV shows." But now that she's back, the tabloids, which usually "kind of skip" her and her fiance, Carey Hart, have shown a new interest, even if that means bringing back a few old rumors. "I've been pregnant for three years," Pink laughed. "I've had the longest pregnancy in the history of mankind." Mostly, though, the tabloids "don't really target" them on a major scale, "which is good," and is probably aided by the couple's lack of clubbing. "We don't go out much, we're normal," she said. "We make it a Blockbuster night." Still, Pink's not about to tip off the press when the wedding will be. Instead, she'll just say that Hart said yes when she proposed "because he's smart" and the engagement has been "an emotional time." "But we're happy and really excited and I love him a lot," she said, before gushing, "I'm going to be a girl, and I'm going to wear a dress!" ... Snoop Dogg was among the hundreds of mourners who congregated at the Bethel AME Church in Los Angeles on Tuesday for Stanley "Tookie" Williams' funeral, according to The Associated Press. A recording of Williams' voice was played and the Reverend Jesse Jackson told the crowd the recently executed Crips co-founder was a "healer, not a predator." Snoop recited a poem that read, in part, "It's nine-fifteen on twelve-thirteen and another black king will be taken from the scene." ...

Michael Jackson is in dire financial peril — Tuesday (December 20) is the deadline for him to make good on a $270 million loan, which, if his creditors foreclose, could cost him his Neverland Ranch as well as his stake in the Beatles catalog. Fortress Investment Group bought and consolidated the singer's loans in April from Bank of America, loans that Jackson had secured with his 50 percent stake in Sony/ATV publishing, a song catalog estimated to be worth $1 billion (the other 50 percent is held by Sony Corporation, which has the option to be the first to buy back Jackson's share if he defaults on the loan). Sources close to the singer and to the situation, though, said that Jackson has painted himself into a corner, by refusing to participate in the talks and shutting out advisors, save for a sheik from Bahrain. "He's not talking to anybody" was the common refrain from those who used to be in Jackson's inner circle. They also described Jackson as being divorced from reality, paranoid and withdrawn, mostly because of his criminal trial earlier this year. "He's fed up with the U.S. and its court system," one associate said. "And he's upset about the personal stuff that came out, how much porn he collects, how much he drinks." Fortress and Sony had no comment. ...

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Elizabeth Hurley, Bryan Adams and Kid Rock were among the guests who attended Elton John's bachelor party Monday night inside a London nightclub, The Associated Press reports. John and his partner, David Furnish, will be united in a private civil ceremony on Wednesday. ... Madonna's latest album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, has inspired an entire line of limited-edition, collectible wines from California's Celebrity Cellars. For $29-$40, fans of the singer can own a bottle of either Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Grigio sporting a label with Confessions' album art. There's also a non-alcoholic version of the vino available. The manufacturers promise a wine "as complex and sophisticated as the artist herself." ...

As announced last month, "American Idol" will not shift its finals weeks from a Tuesday-Wednesday to a Wednesday-Thursday schedule as was considered, but FOX will air the semifinals once again on a Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday schedule. For three weeks beginning February 15, the male semifinalists will perform on Tuesdays, the females on Wednesdays and the results will be announced on Thursdays. ... Diddy's lending his voice for a commercial advertising Biggie ring tones, which are being culled from the master recordings in the Notorious B.I.G. catalog, including his posthumous Duets: The Final Chapter album, in stores Tuesday. The spot will be shown on BET. ...

Head Automatica, who're working on the follow-up to 2004's Decadence, will hit the road with Morningwood in tow on January 24. The 13-date trek kicks off in Seattle, with dates running through February 25 in Boston. ... Staind have mapped out a 14-date North American tour with openers Theory of a Deadman. The outing launches in Philadelphia on January 29 and wraps up in Maplewood, Minnesota, on February 19. ...

12.19.2005

Mary J. Blige will headline the Essence Music Festival, which is usually held in New Orleans but will take place at Reliant Park in Houston until the hurricane-ravaged city is rebuilt. Additional artists for the festival, happening July 1-3, remain to be announced. ...

You may have missed it if you're not a boxing fan, but R. Kelly's expanded his body of work to include a remix of the national anthem, which is now circulating on the Internet as a bootleg clip. Before the Bernard Hopkins-Jermain Taylor match at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay two weeks ago, the R&B singer put a little step into "The Star-Spangled Banner," adding dancers steppin' in the ring. Between phrases, Kelly urged the crowd to clap along — but boxing fans seemed offended and have taken to tearing Kelly apart on message boards. As ESPN's Scoop Jackson wonders in his column, "Did Kelly bastardize it, or beautify it?" ... Snoop Dogg's record as a Pee Wee Football coach just keeps improving. After his Rowland Heights, California, Rolling Raiders took their division's Super Bowl title, Snoop's team bested the Victorville, California, Hawks in the inaugural Friendship Bowl this past weekend. According to the Victorville Daily Press, Coach Snoop said of his team's 40-0 trouncing of the Hawks following the shutout, "That's just business as usual. I wouldn't expect nothing less. We took them behind the toolshed and whooped them." ...

Scott Storch is heated about being snubbed for a Producer of the Year Grammy nomination, but he did wipe the frown off his face to party in Miami on Friday night. Timbaland, Alex Rodriguez, Pharrell Williams and Hulk Hogan all came out to wish him a happy birthday. ... Michelle Branch posted a late-night tirade recently on her Wreckers band Web site, taking her fans to task for them "bitching" about her new music taking so long to come out, and complaining that her record label forced her to do "a lame ass tour" while she was pregnant and made her record with Santana when she didn't want to (the message board was then taken down). Now her partner in the Wreckers, Jessica Harp, and her manager Stuart Dill have responded to the rant, explaining that the singer is under a lot of pressure, and her response was understandable. Harp told the Tennessean newspaper, "Perhaps Michelle did overreact a little bit, but she's human. It was the middle of the night. ... Everyone gets angry sometimes. I completely support her." Meanwhile, Dill told the paper, "There are always pressure points and often huge hurdles in making a record and getting it out." The Wreckers album is due in May. ...

The soundtrack to the forthcoming film "Underworld: Evolution" will feature exclusive fresh and remixed material from My Chemical Romance, Hawthorne Heights, Alkaline Trio, Senses Fail, Slipknot, Atreyu, Trivium and others. In addition, the album will include the first solo recording from Linkin Park's Chester Bennington and a track from Puscifer, Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan's side project with former Nine Inch Nails guitarist Danny Lohner. ... Beck's Guero won Best Made-for-Surround Title last week at the 2005 Surround Music Awards. Ben Harper won Best Concert Video for "Live at the Apollo" at the ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. ... Boy George's Monday (December 19) court appearance on drug charges was adjourned by a Manhattan judge because the singer is in England. The singer, who was arrested October 7 after he called 911 to report a burglary and police found cocaine in his apartment, is due back in court February 1.

The Rolling Stones spent a good part of 2005 on the road, and will start off 2006 in much the same way. The group has booked 14 more North American gigs, and has lined up a host of openers for those dates. Sloan will warm up crowds in Boston on January 13 and 15, Metric will perform for the tour's New York stops on January 18 and 20, Antigone Rising will take the stage in Chicago on January 23 and 25 and in Baltimore on February 1, and Queens of the Stone Age will join the trek for the March 4 date in Las Vegas and the March 6 stop in Los Angeles. ... Toronto's No Warning have called it quits. But there's a new project on the way from some of the band's members, according to a statement posted on the group's MySpace page. The unnamed band is "very different ... musically with a fresh start, but we promise you will dig it." No Warning's last album, Suffer, Survive, was released in 2004 through Linkin Park's Machine Shop imprint. ...

After more than a decade of making ultra-literate, low-fi alt-country, the Silver Jews are finally gearing up to launch their first-ever tour. The band — a vehicle for the work of poet/musician David Berman that occasionally also features guitars and drums from former Pavement members Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich — will hit the road starting March 10 in Athens, Georgia, and wrap things up March 25 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Silver Jews released their fifth album, Tanglewood Numbers, in October. ... Travis have just finished their third session at London's Hospital studio with producer Nigel Godrich, who twiddled the knobs on the band's 1999 album, The Man Who, and the 2001 follow-up, The Invisible Band. The group has written around 20 songs for the still-untitled new album, which is tentatively due next year. ...

• 50 Cent
• Lauryn Hill
• Michael Jackson
• P!nk
• Diddy

Fugees at the 2005 BET Awards
Photo: Getty Images

It's taken just about a decade, but the Fugees reunion that fans begged for, gave up on and then started asking for again is official. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Prakazrel Michel have been in the studio for two months, according to their label, and have just leaked a new song called "Be Easy."

The reunion album is still untitled, but a tentative release date of December 27 has been scheduled. There's no word yet on who the group has been working with.

On "Be Easy," the three exchange verses, with Hill employing a speedy, spoken-word-type of flow, while Clef and Pras use a more traditional delivery. "I got moxie, I'm so damn cocky/ Industry tried to block me like cops and paparazzi," Hill raps. Later she says, "We 'bout to reconcile."

"I see you looking, but you better take it easy," Clef advises during the chorus. He comes a little harder in his verse: "I ain't rhyme in a minute, but y'all ain't catch up/ And that ain't blood on your shirt, it's ketchup."

The Fugees stunned the crowd with a surprise performance at Dave Chappelle's block party in Brooklyn, New York, last summer (see "Fugees — Yes, Even Lauryn — Reunite For Dave Chappelle's Block Party"), and their most recent show was in June at the BET Awards (see "Destiny's Child Give Lap Dances, Fugees End Feud At BET Awards"). Hill had been cutting records for a solo album, however details on the project remain sketchy (see "Kanye West Collaborating With Lauryn Hill On New LP"). Pras just released his latest solo LP, Win, Lose or Draw, a few weeks ago. Clef released a Caribbean-flavored LP called Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101 last year.

• The Fugees
• Lauryn Hill
• Wyclef Jean

Black Eyed Peas (file)
Photo: Getty Images

Black Eyed Peas, Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean are teaming up to raise money for tsunami victims by throwing a concert in a nation within the devastated region: Malaysia. Organizers hope that the Force of Nature concert reminds people not only that the relief effort is far from over, but also that a bigger power than the tsunami could be the human spirit.

"Sometimes things are about money, and sometimes things are about building communities, reconstructing, restoring people's ways of life that were taken away from them by nature," Will.I.Am said.

"Think about a little kid, 4 years old, whose parents were in the tsunami. He doesn't understand what's going on," Fergie said. "This child is going to need help; this child is going to need nurturing, just like every other child is going to need. We need to do something to help fund programs so that these children can get through life."

The concert, which will take place March 18 at Kuala Lumpur's Stadium Putra, springs from a local nonprofit organization called Force of Nature Aid Organization, which is raising funds and awareness for victims of natural disasters. Since this concert is being underwritten by a consortium of Malaysian private enterprises, 100 percent of the proceeds from the show will go toward the long-term regeneration of Malaysia's neighbors. On the committee to spread the word are Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh and Harvey Weinstein.

Tsunami Relief: What You Can Do To Help

This isn't the first benefit that Black Eyed Peas have played for tsunami relief (see "Peas, Timberlake And James Brown Get Funky For Tsunami Relief"), but the group said that it is involved — and will stay involved — because it remembers how many people pitched in to help America after September 11. "We know what that's like to have fear: 'Oh my God, what is tomorrow going to bring?' " Taboo explained. "To express that, to connect to people who have that fear, but of nature, we just share sympathy for them. We feel a lot of remorse that they lost a lot of people, and so we do what we do and try to create some magic."

"We believe in aiding people in need and utilizing what we do for a living and for fun to help people out," Will.I.Am said.

"When you perform, you can take them away for an hour of their life to think about something else," Apl de Ap said. "We have the power to deliver a message, to change, to bring help. It's a good power."

For MTV's firsthand coverage of the aftermath of the tsunamis, see "MTV News Presents: After The Tsunami." To find out more about how you can help, see "Tsunami Relief: What You Can Do To Help."

• Backstreet Boys
• Black Eyed Peas
• Boyz II Men
• Lauryn Hill
• Wyclef Jean

Lauryn Hill (file)
Photo: Soulbrother

More than six drama-filled years after the release of her Grammy-winning solo debut, it looks like Lauryn Hill's sophomore studio album is finally nearing fruition — with a little help from Kanye West, perhaps.

The pair have collaborated on at least two songs, and while it isn't certain that the collaborations will make the album's final track listing, given West's spiritual slant, the producer seems like a perfect fit for Hill, whose music has taken an ethereal turn in recent years.

Still, the pair's collaboration is somewhat ironic, considering that West sampled a Hill song for the original version of his track, "All Falls Down." The then-relatively unknown producer couldn't get clearance to use Hill's performance and re-recorded the song using singer Syleena Johnson.

Representatives for West and Hill could not be reached for comment.

Hill's last studio set, 1998's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, won five Grammy awards and turned her into a household name. However, rumored turbulence in the singer's personal life contributed to a long delay in the release of any new music.

The silence was finally broken in 2002 with MTV Unplugged 2.0, culled from an MTV special of the same name. The album featured Hill singing spiritually driven, acoustic songs while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar (which she'd only recently learned to play). The songs' lyrics reflected the religious and at times mystical bent that some of her comments to the media had taken. The singer's behavior has been unpredictable in recent years (see "Lauryn Hill Attacks Catholic Church At Vatican Concert" and "The Misvaluation Of Lauryn Hill: $15 Music Video Posted Online").

Recently, Hill has turned up to do a series of live performances and even reunited with the Fugees last year for Dave Chappelle's Block Party, which also featured West (see "Chapelle Throwing A Block Party With Kanye, Lauryn, Others"). While talk of a Fugees reunion album has been constant, fellow Fugee Wyclef Jean has often said that any group material would come only after Lauryn has finished this album (see "Wyclef Addresses AIDS Problem In Haiti, Sees 'Great' Future For Fugees").

West has had a remarkably busy schedule in recent months. The producer has worked with Mariah Carey, Common and Twista, among others, on their upcoming projects. He also tried his hand at directing John Legend's new video, "Ordinary People."

West has also been hard at work on his own sophomore release, Late Registration. He has already enlisted the help of John Mayer for the set, which is due this spring (see "Kanye West And John Mayer Collaborate But Won't Elaborate").

• Kanye West
• Lauryn Hill

Dave Chappelle (file)
Photo: Getty Images

There's nothing funny about Dave Chappelle's latest project. In fact, it's downright ambitious.

On September 18, the comedian will celebrate the music and culture of New York by throwing the Dave Chappelle Block Party, an old-fashioned neighborhood jam that'll include musical performances from an all-star lineup of his favorite hip-hop and R&B artists. Kanye West, Lauryn Hill, Talib Kweli, the Roots, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Common and Dead Prez and are slated to take part, with Chappelle serving as master of ceremonies for the event.

"I'm glad to be a part of it. Dave just called me and broke it down," said Mos Def. "A lot of my friends and heroes are going to be there. It's very inspiring."

The party will be shot by acclaimed director Michel Gondry for a potential DVD release. Chappelle is hoping to re-create the vibe of Wattstax, a 1972 concert and subsequent film set in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles that featured performances by funk, soul and gospel artists like Isaac Hayes and the Bar-Kays.

Sources say Chappelle conceived the project by himself and is funding it out of his own pocket. He has sworn everyone involved in the project to secrecy on its location and other details of the event. Fans who register online are being bussed to a secret location in Brooklyn from another secret location elsewhere in the city. The concert is expected to take place all day.

"If all the surprises come through, this cannot be missed," said Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots, who will serve as the event's musical director.

• Kanye West
• Lauryn Hill
• Erykah Badu
• The Roots
• Dead Prez

Lauryn Hill, Wu Tang Clan, Mos Def And More At Rock The Bells | 08.05.2006

• Wu-Tang Clan
• Lauryn Hill
• Mos Def
• Talib Kweli
• Method Man

Love Rocks Honors Bono

• Lauryn Hill
• U2
• No Doubt
• R.E.M.
• Cher

Smokin' Grooves Tour Report

• OutKast
• Lauryn Hill
• The Roots