Rick James and his daughter Ty
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

Five years ago, one of the greatest and most controversial entertainers in a generation died. Rick James, who helped bring R&B and funk to the masses and inspired an early wave of hip-hop with songs like "Super Freak" and "Give It to Me Baby," died of heart failure August 6, 2004. Following his struggle with drugs and a stint in jail, James received a second wave of popularity when he appeared on an episode of "Chappelle's Show" and Chappelle turned the phrase "I'm Rick James, bitch!" into a household phrase.

But his real legacy is being carried on by daughter Ty. In the five years since her father's passing, she has been working on a number of projects that will pay tribute to her dad's life and career, including a feature film and a stage musical. Though she remains tight-lipped about many of the projects, she admits that "the exact person that needs to play him has pretty much agreed to do it." She wouldn't say who that actor is, but she did bring up the fact that Eddie Murphy is a good friend of the family.

She is also launching a musical career of her own, though for a long time that went against Rick's wishes.

"For a number of years, he wasn't even aware of me going into the studio, because he was trying to keep me sheltered," she said. "He always told me, 'I don't want you going into the industry! It's dangerous!' But I'm his only daughter, so he was just trying to protect me from the lifestyle that he led."

Her dad's lessons didn't fall on deaf ears. "As far as drugs are concerned, I don't do anything white because of him," she said. "I've never had the urge to do cocaine. For him, it was the lifestyle. He was somewhat miserable, and that's why he resorted to those types of things."

Time has given her perspective on her father's drug abuse. "I've been able to deal with it, because he accomplished so much in his life. If that's the outlet that he chose to escape the world, what can I say about that? He gave so much of himself."

Growing up with her father, Ty got to see a side of him that the public never saw. "My dad was an excellent father, but he taught me by example," she recalled. "He taught me by his actions. 'Do this or don't do this, because I'm doing it' — that was how he worked. My dad was a character who knew how to command a room. But there were a lot of things that saddened me as well. But those were the ups and downs in the life of a drug addict. We had a studio in the house, so I would sneak in with my producers, and we would be recording during moments where he was not with us. I don't know if you know anything about a true drug abuser, but he would just not be with us for days at a time."

Ty knows that her father's work hasn't been forgotten, as she sees his influence every day. "All of my peers have so much respect for my dad," she explained. "Busta Rhymes is a really good friend of mine, and he did a tribute record for him. Everybody from Snoop to Kanye — they are totally aware of the effect that he had on the game. That gives me chills, the fact that all these guys know and respect my father."

• Rick James

Linkin Park's <i>Minutes to Midnight</i>
Photo: Warner Bros.

Sixty-seven years ago Tuesday (May 15), McDonald's was founded. In the spirit of fast food, let's see — real quick-like — what helps turn this week's new releases into Happy Meals.

Time's a Wastin': For starters, Linkin Park serve their ominously themed third studio album, Minutes to Midnight — for which they spent 14 months in the studio and racked up a stupefying 100 demo songs. Rick Rubin put his Grammy-winning spit-shine on the LP and even let the bros use his 808 drum machine, which rap-rock crossover pseudo-brethren Beastie Boys used on License to Ill more than 20 years ago.
Happy Meal: The special edition comes with a Music Video Interactive DVD containing downloadable MP3s for all the tracks, plus videos, a "What I've Done" ringtone and much more.

Look, Up in the ...: Wilco's Sky Blue Sky is already drawing critical raves — duh, it's Wilco — and, were it born 30 years ago, would have fit comfortably on AOR radio. Their melancholic sixth release follows 2004's A Ghost Is Born, their first to crack the Billboard albums chart top 10 — and unless Rick James or Megadeth have something to say about it, this could very well be the second-biggest release dropping this week.
Happy Meal: Move over, LP — Wilco have a special edition of their own, and it also comes with a bonus DVD littered with surprises: a 45-minute documentary co-directed by Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty, interview clips with the six bandmembers and more.

Still Getting His Freak On: Rick James had put the finishing touches on a new studio album before he passed in August 2004, and almost three years later, Deeper Still finally makes its way into stores. The set features 11 tracks, 10 of which James wrote or co-wrote and all of which he produced, even though the funk master had originally wanted it to be a double album consisting of 20 cuts.
Happy Meal: "Do You Wanna Play" is, according to a press release, "an unadulterated invitation to carnal pleasures," while "Secrets" and "Funk Wit Me" are equally intimate, to put it politely.

Give (It) Up: For their fourth effort, metalcore stewards Hopesfall huddled with Mike Watts — no, not the legendary punk bassist; Mike Watts, producer of like-minded bands like As Tall as Lions and As Cities Burn. The North Carolina group's latest includes "Swamp Kittens," "Cubic Zirconias Are Forever" and "Devil's Concubine."
Happy Meal: The brilliant Magnetic North cover art.

Playing Tag: Rawkus Records is back as you probably know, and the label is hoping it has a new Mos Def or Talib Kweli on its hands in newcomer Marco Polo. The NYC-by-way-of-Toronto rapper, who is a former member of the Beat Society and was named one of Urb's Next 100 artists, produced his first album all on his own.
Happy Meal: Guest spots by Masta Ace, Large Professor and Kool G Rap round out the release.

Wain's World: Speaking of self-produced albums, Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars is the first he did completely by himself — although it was executive produced by Pet Shop Boys conspirator Neil Tennant. The emotional singer/songwriter also got assists on his fifth album from guest stars Richard Thompson, Joan Wasser and veteran Welsh stage actress Siân Phillips.
Happy Meal: Look no further than Wainwright's quintessential operatic heart-on-his-sleeve outpouring, which inevitably crops up again throughout his latest LP.

Strung Out: The High Strung have been touring libraries — yes, you, uh, read that right — to hype their third album, which is appropriate in light of the many fictional character sketches and narratives brought forth in Get the Guests. That includes "Rimbaud/Rambo," about a narrator weighing the romantic potential of both; "The Curator," about a museum employee who covers the walls with his own art; and "Arrow," which imagines what would happen if Cupid were to stick himself with one of his love spears.
Happy Meal: Song titles include "There Was No One Before You, There Was No One Before Me," "The Meddler" and — wait for it — "What a Meddler!"

Friendly Fire: Welsh rockers Funeral for a Friend — who recently toured with My Chemical Romance — churn out Tales Don't Tell Themselves this week, with a big assist from Foo Fighters producer Gil Norton. The band's third album features the first single, "Into Oblivion (Reunion)" — the video for which landed 14,000 views in its first 24 hours — "Out of Reach" and "On a Wire."
Happy Meal: Norton employs strings, French horns and a 26-piece orchestra on many of the tracks.

The genesis of Genesis: The band is back this summer — without Peter Gabriel, beware — and Rhino is hailing the reunion with a six-CD/six-DVD set, Genesis 1976-1982. The first of three box sets the label is planning features the band's five studio discs from that era, expanded with bonus tracks, remastered sound, unreleased videos, photo galleries, interviews and much more.
Happy Meal: Fans will go gaga over rare B-sides, EP tracks and more that are littered throughout the hefty set.

Metal Mayhem: On the topic of "genesis," Job for a Cowboy — who have made the rounds with Cannibal Corpse and are set for this summer's Sounds of the Underground Tour — are using that term as the title of their first album. The LP features weightily named songs like "Altered From Catechization," "Reduced to Mere Filth" and "Martyrdom Unsealed" and was mixed by Grammy-winning Megadeth collaborator Andy Sneap.

Sneap also reconvened with 'Deth for their 11th studio release, United Abominations, which Dave Mustaine and the gang churn out this week. Recorded in Los Angeles and England, the old-school throwback album recaps the band's classic track "À Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free)" with new vocals by Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia.

Happy Meal: Metalheads are always happy.

Odds 'N' Sods: Also this week, Zach Barocas is helping out his onetime Jawbox bandmate, post-punk icon J. Robbins, with a two-CD tribute comp, For Callum. The set has been crafted to raise funds for Robbins' son, who has spinal muscular atrophy, and it features contributions from Mission of Burma, David Grubbs, Jawbreaker and many more. It's only available at Catlick Records' Web site.

Also hard to find but available on Dischord's Web site is a remastered version of Fugazi's Red Medicine and a slew of entries in the Fugazi Live Series. The label is selling the remaining stock of CDs from the series, after which it plans to release the concert recordings digitally.

And speaking of digital releases, hip-hop producer and X-ecutioners collaborator Marshall Law has posted his 60-minute experimental mix, Testing the Waters, right here for free download.

Last but not least, Starbucks is exclusively releasing the collection Bluesville, featuring tracks by Albert King, Willie Dixon and other blues greats.

Song Title of the Week:

"And I Told Them I Invented Times New Roman" from Dance Gavin Dance's Downtown Battle Mountain

Other Notables:

Dungen's Tio Bitar: The Swedish psych-rockers take guitar noise to another level with their second disc, which also encompasses violin, flute, piano and organ, along with the usual bass and drums. Gustav Ejstes and company dish up "Ska Inte Tro Alt Det Ordnar Sig," "Mon Amour," "Familj," and other tracks you don't understand. Just don't let the artwork make you too dizzy.

Betty Davis' Betty Davis and They Say I'm Different: The funk and soul goddess — who counts Ice Cube and Herbie Hancock among her fans — gets some retro lovin' with her first reissues ever. Mrs. Miles Davis' first two albums — which she wrote and produced all on her own, like her other releases — feature three and four unreleased bonus cuts, respectively.

Tim Buckley's "My Fleeting House": There's another first in the archival world this week: the release of the only authorized Buckley DVD to date. The footage spans the entirety of his career (1967-'74) and includes 11 full songs and three partial performances, plus unreleased footage from "The Steve Allen Show," interviews with his collaborators and more.

New Releases:

· The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism (Ramseur)
· Balkan Beat Box - Nu Med (JDub)
· Before Their Eyes - Before Their Eyes (Rise)
· Blacktop Mourning - No Regret (Megaforce)
· Chaka Khan - Classikhan (Music World)
· Dance Gavin Dance - Downtown Battle Mountain (Rise)
· Dirty Sweet - ... Of Monarchs & Beggars (Seedling)
· Dungen - Tio Bitar (Kemado)
· Flatfoot 56 - Jungle of the Midwest Sea (Flicker)
· Funeral for a Friend - Tales Don't Tell Themselves (Atlantic)
· Great Northern - Trading Twilight for Daylight (Eenie Meenie)
· Howard Hewett - If Only (Machine Productions)
· The High Strung - Get the Guests (Park the Van)
· Hollywood Rose - Dopesnake (Cleopatra)
· Hopesfall - Magnetic North (Trustkill)
· The Horrors - Strange House (enhanced; Stolen Transmission)
· Ian Hunter - Shrunken Heads (Yep Roc)
· Rick James - Deeper Still (Stone City)
· Job for a Cowboy - Genesis (Metal Blade)
· JT and the Clouds - The City's Hot Yeah the City's Hot (Dishrag)
· Kari Kimmel - A Day in the Life (self-release)
· Lewis & Clarke - Blasts of Holy Birth (La Société Expéditionnaire)
· Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight (special edition comes with MVI DVD; Warner Bros./ Machine Shop) [Buy]
Read: "Linkin Park's Minutes To Midnight Preview: Nu-Metallers Grow Up"
· Harry Manx and Kevin Breit - In Good We Trust (Stony Plain)
· Marco Polo - Port Authority (Red Urban)
· Megadeth - United Abominations (Roadrunner) [Buy]
· Maria Muldaur - Naughty, Bawdy & Blue (Stony Plain)
· The Narrator - All That to the Wall (Flameshovel)
· The O'Jays - Imagination (Music World)
· Dolores O'Riordan - Are You Listening? (Sanctuary)
· Ozma - Pasadena (Reincarnate)
· The Phoenix Foundation - Horsepower (Young American)
· Pink Martini - Hey Eugene! (Heinz)
· The Race - Ice Station (Flameshovel)
· Fennesz Sakamoto - Cendre (Touch)
· The Shake - Kick It (Unicycle)
· Southerly - Storyteller and the Gossip Columnist (Greyday)
· Rufus Wainwright - Release the Stars (Geffen) [Buy]
· Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (enhanced; Nonesuch) [Buy]

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· The Alan Parsons Project - The Essential Alan Parsons Project (two CDs; Arista/Legacy)
· Betty Davis - Betty Davis and They Say I'm Different (Light in the Attic)
· Genesis - Genesis 1976-1982 (six CDs and six DVDs; Rhino)
· Jefferson Airplane - Sweeping Up the Spotlight: Live at the Fillmore East 1969 (RCA/Legacy)
· Moby Grape - Listen My Friends! The Best of Moby Grape (Epic/Legacy)
· The Remains - The Remains (Epic/Legacy)
· UB40 - Live at Montreux 2002 (Eagle)
· Chucho Valdéz & His Combo - The Complete 1964 Sessions (MVD Audio)
· Chucho Valdéz Trio - Jazz Bata (MVD Audio)
· Various artists - Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (Legacy)

Music DVDs:

· Tim Buckley - "My Fleeting House" (MVD Visual)
· Madonna - "The Wild Angel - The Unauthorized Story" (Eagle Vision)
· Garnett Silk - "Earth Day Celebration: A Reggae Tribute to Garnett Silk - Live 2003" (MVD Visual)
· TLC - "Now & Forever: The Video Hits" (La Face)
· Miroslav Vitous - "Live in Vienna" (MVD Visual)

Coming Attractions:

May 22: · Tim Armstrong - A Poet's Life (with bonus DVD; Hellcat)
· The Bravery - The Sun and the Moon (Island) [Preorder]
· KRS-One and Marley Marl - Hip Hop Lives (Koch) [Preorder]
· Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long (Octone) [Preorder]
Read: "Maroon 5 Back With 'Harder' Album After Adam Levine Gets Sick Of Partying"
· Ozzy Osbourne - Black Rain (Epic) [Preorder]

May 29: · Les Claypool - "Fancy" DVD (Prawn Song)
· Danzig - The Lost Tracks of Danzig (two CDs; Megaforce) [Preorder]
Read: "Glenn Danzig Preps 'Final' Tour, Film, Box Set And, Uh, Dolls"
· R. Kelly - Double Up (Jive)
Read: "New R. Kelly LP Includes Akon, Jeezy, 'Flirt' — But No 'Closet' Till July"

June 5: · Chris Cornell - Carry On (A&M)
Read: "Chris Cornell Ready To Carry On As Solo Artist: 'I'm Best In My Own World' "
· Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me (Nothing)
Read: "Marilyn Manson Reveals He Came Close To Suicide; LP 'Was My Salvation' "
· O.A.R. - Live From Madison Square Garden (two-CD set and two-DVD set; Everfine/Lava/Atlantic)

• Linkin Park
• Wilco
• Rick James
• Megadeth
• Rufus Wainwright

Jennifer Lopez
Photo: Michael Buckner/ Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez's "Bordertown" finally has a release date: August 31. The singer/actress recently spoke with MTV Trés about the film, which also stars Antonio Banderas and finds Lopez playing a reporter investigating a series of murders of young female factory workers in Mexico. "We tried to make it an interesting film, for people to wanna go see it, but at the same time, really focused on [letting] people know that [factory workers are being murdered in Mexico]." ...

In another interview — published in the May issue of Elle's U.K. edition — Lopez describes herself as "the Christopher Columbus of romance." I've been through some rough seas and had some disasters, but in the end, I found what I was looking for," she said. After a burst of laughter, she added, "Can you believe I just said that?" But while love makes her say some strange things, Lopez said it's also helped her music. Husband Marc Anthony, who worked with the singer on her Spanish-language album Como Ama Una Mujer, told her, " 'I know you can do this. Sing the words. You know what they mean. You can do it,' " she said. "I'd go into the recording booth and, for the first time ever, I'd feel as if I was flying when I was singing. He gave me the confidence to do the best work I've ever done." ...

Russell Simmons, Warner Music Group Chairman Lyor Cohen, Damon Dash and other high-powered industry executives gathered Wednesday (April 18) to discuss sexist and racist remarks in rap lyrics, The Associated Press reports. T.I. also attended the summit, which was staged in the wake of Don Imus' firing for saying racial slurs on his radio program. The meeting lasted for several hours, postponing a scheduled news conference that was to be carried out after the summit. No specific initiatives were announced after the meeting, but Simmons' publicist released a statement saying the topic is a "complex issue that involves gender, race, culture and artistic expression. Everyone assembled today takes this issue very seriously." ...

Snoop Dogg and Bun B are helping pay homage to the late Eazy-E in a new tribute video by Mike Jones. The clip for Jones' "My 64" is set to be filmed in Los Angeles on Thursday. ... Rick James will be recalled with the posthumous release Deeper Still, the last studio effort he recorded before he died in August 2004. The funk master's LP — which contains 10 songs he either wrote or co-wrote, and was produced by James — will drop May 15 and is to be preceded by "Memoirs of a Super Freak," an autobiography James wrote while in California's Folsom State Prison in 1993-'95. ...

Beyoncé told MTV News that she hadn't planned to put her cover of Des'ree's "I'm Kissing You" — which she retitled "Still in Love (Kissing You)" — on her re-released B'Day - Deluxe Edition album and video anthology, but other people insisted, telling her she'd be "crazy" not to. She might have benefited from a second opinion, since now she's being sued for copyright infringement over the track. The Royalty Network — which administers the publishing on behalf of Westbury Music, owner of the copyright for Des'ree's song — is asking for $150,000 in damages and seeks an injunction to recall the album from stores, according to a suit filed Monday in Manhattan Federal Court. A hearing to show cause has been scheduled for Monday. ...

The ubiquitous Now That's What I Call Music! juggernaut rolls on, as volume 24(!) of the pop-hits collection sold more than 89,000 copies to hold the #1 spot on next week's Billboard albums chart, according to SoundScan. Country crooner Tim McGraw was a distant second, selling more than 65,000 copies of his Let It Go. Nearly as-ubiquitous-as-Now hook man Akon landed in third, as his Konvicted album sold more than 59,000 copies. He's followed closely by the week's biggest debut, Omaha, Nebraska's own Bright Eyes, who sold more than 58,000 copies of their Cassadaga album (a number right on par with the first-week sales for each of their 2005 releases, I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash in a Digital Urn). Timbaland rounds out the top five, as his Shock Value also topped the 58,000 mark. ...

Chris Rock has every intention to "contribute to the support, maintenance and education" of a 13-year-old boy in Georgia — so long as the teen is really the actor's son, AP reports. Rock's attorney filed papers Monday in Bulloch County Superior Court, requesting that the court start paternity proceedings to determine whether he is the father of the boy, whose mother tried to file a paternity suit against the actor in March. ... The trust responsible for James Brown's estate owes more than $70,000 for the funeral and care involved with the singer's body, according to AP. Brown's longtime adviser, Buddy Dallas, said Wednesday that some funeral costs have been paid and that trustees have sent a check covering the balance owed to the C.A. Reid Funeral Home in Georgia. Dallas claims it "was the children that ran up a funeral bill of over $150,000, not the trustees," although a lawyer for Brown's offspring said the funeral costs are the trust's responsibility. Brown's children have filed three motions this week: one asking a judge to provide accounting records of the singer's trust and estate, one claiming Brown's trustees have been attempting to sell some of his assets against court orders, and another requesting that a judge modify his previous order that appointed two administrators to help the trustees settle the estate. ...

Fergie covers Heart's "Barracuda" for "Shrek the Third," AP reports. The soundtrack, due May 15, also features Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas teaming up for a cover of Sly & the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)"; Eels' "Royal Pain," which was written for the film; as well as classic tracks by the Ramones, Led Zeppelin and Paul McCartney and Wings. ... Kelly Clarkson is going country. The singer is teaming up with Reba McEntire on May 15 for a performance on the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The show will air live from Las Vegas beginning at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Country stars Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait and Sugarland will also perform. ... Can't get enough Dave Chappelle? How about six hours' worth of standup performance by the comedian? AP reports that Chappelle was onstage at West Hollywood, California's Laugh Factory for six hours and seven minutes Sunday night, surpassing Dane Cook's previous record-breaking, near-four-hour stretch from earlier this month. ...

Hellyeah are greasing their wheels for Fire It Up, a spring tour they're staging prior to heading out as part of this year's Family Values Tour. The band's run starts May 20 in Baltimore and hits 10 more cities before winding down June 5 in Corpus Christi, Texas. ... Pete Doherty told a judge in London on Wednesday that his friends are tired of his drug use, AP reports. "They've said it's drugs or them," the Babyshambles frontman said at a court appearance to review his drug-treatment progress. The judge praised Doherty's cooperation with the program. ... Expect to hear some new Happy Mondays material from their first album in 15 years when the band co-headlines Coachella on April 27. On the production front, the Mondays have been working with Sunny Levine — Quincy Jones' grandson — and U2 and Björk collaborator Howie B., who is mixing the LP. A title and release date have not been set. ... Actress Kitty Carlisle Hart — who starred in Woody Allen's "Radio Days," the Marx brothers movie "A Night at the Opera" and "Six Degrees of Separation," among other films — has died, AP reports. She was 96.

4.17.2007

Britney Spears took over a paparazzi video camera and made her own statement over the weekend, sarcastically noting that the world is nice, the press always prints the truth and "my management totally knew what they were doing when they sent me to rehab — they're so right!" The singer did two takes of the video, posted on X17Online.com, and noted, "You have to believe everything you read, because you're smart, and I'm stupid." ...

The family of the late Notorious B.I.G. has filed another wrongful-death lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, according to documents obtained by TMZ.com. The new suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, involves state-related claims and names two ex-police officers as co-defendants. The rapper's mother, two children and widow, singer Faith Evans, are suing for unspecified general, compensatory and punitive damages. ...

Carrie Underwood reigned at the CMT Music Awards Monday night, with her "Before He Cheats" clip nabbing trophies for female video, overall video and also video director of the year. "Thank you, fans," the former "American Idol" winner said in her acceptance speech. "I've had such an amazing, blessed two years. I started out on a fan-based show, and you guys have continued to support me throughout everything." Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Sugarland also won big. ... Speaking of Idols, former finalist Elliott Yamin is celebrating the #3 Billboard albums chart debut of his self-titled debut with a 25-city tour across the States. The jaunt will start May 15 in Atlanta and hit New York, Philadelphia and Detroit before winding down June 19 in Tuscon, Arizona. ...

Paris Hilton is scheduled to appear in court May 4 for allegedly driving with a suspended license, The Associated Press reports. Los Angeles city prosecutors contend that the heiress violated her probation and that it should be revoked, which could lead to a sentence of up to 90 days in jail. Hilton was arrested in September for alcohol-related reckless driving and later sentenced to 36 months' probation. ... On Monday, actor Rip Torn pleaded guilty to charges of driving while impaired, AP reports. He agreed to pay $380 and give up his license for 90 days. ... Some prospective jurors in the trial of Phil Spector are already saying that they've made up their minds about the embattled music producer, AP reports. "Honestly, I think he did it," one woman said during jury selection Tuesday in Los Angeles. Roughly 100 people are being questioned for jury service for the trial, and none of the prospective jurors have been removed from the panel yet. ...

Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing dropped Tuesday (April 17), but she's making room for hubby Deryck Whibley and his Sum 41, who just put a new single, "March of the Dogs," on iTunes. The band is gearing up for the release of its fourth studio LP, Underclass Hero, which drops July 24. ... Bobby Valentino previewed songs from his forthcoming album, Special Occasion, Monday night at New York's Canal Room as part of Vibe magazine's VSessions. The Southern singer belted his current hit, "Anonymous." ... BET's "106 & Park" co-host Terrance J was joined by his co-host Rosci, DJ Clue, Joe Budden and members of the New York Giants Monday night to celebrate his birthday at night club Sol in Manhattan, New York. ...

Chuck D, DMC and Large Professor are lighting up Guitar Center's "GC Sessions" educational-forum series for musicians. The three will convene at Manhattan, New York's Guitar Center on April 26 and are slated to perform as well. ... Speaking of artists showing up at unlikely venues, Tapes 'N Tapes, Dinosaur Jr., the Rapture, Klaxons, Rogue Wave and the Ponys are among the acts who are staging free in-store shows at Urban Outfitters outlets as part of the Free Yr Radio Tour to benefit indie radio stations. The tour kicked off last week and will run through July 21. ...

Queens of the Stone Age major-domo Josh Homme gives fellow QOTSA contributor Chris Goss a boost with his Goon Moon project on its Licker's Last Leg, due May 8. The band also features Jeordie White — a.k.a. Nine Inch Nails bassist Twiggy Ramirez — and the disc also guests drummers Josh Freese of NIN and Zach Hill of Hella. ... Fishbone are coming back April 24, after six years of silence, with a new record: Still Stuck in Your Throat. The album was recorded in spurts over 2005 and 2006 with producer David Kahne, who helmed some of their earliest works. Look for the set to include "Jackass Brigade," "We Just Lose Our Minds," "The Devil Made Me Do It" and a cover of Sublime's "Date Rape." ...

Dopesnake, the first album by Hollywood Roses, will feature some of the more impressive guest stars you'll see playing with a Guns N' Roses tribute band. Even more surprising: The band also covers non-GN'R songs on the LP. Ex-GN'R member and current Rockstar Supernova axeman Gilby Clarke joins two members of Cinderella for a cover of Van Halen's "Ice Cream Man"; Rolling Stones's Mick Taylor chimes in on a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Jailbreak"; Pat Travers lends a hand on "Lights Out"; and two more former GN'R members, Tracii Guns and Teddy Zig Zag (a.k.a. Teddy Andreadis), also provide support. The LP, produced by Bradley Cook (Queens of the Stone Age, Yellowcard) drops May 15. ...

Elvis Presley's Graceland is getting a fresh marketing push, Washington Post reports. The "Discover Your Inner Elvis" campaign is the first time the company is advertising nationally on TV, radio, print and beyond. ... On a similar note, a Led Zeppelin-themed roller coaster is planned for the Hard Rock Theme Park, which is under construction in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The looping, 150-foot-tall steel roller coaster, called "Led Zeppelin - The Ride," will feature a high-fidelity onboard audio system that soars to Zep's "Whole Lotta Love." The 140-acre theme park is scheduled to open in spring 2008 and will boast more than 40 attractions for rockers of all ages.

• MTV News RAW: Beyonce

• Beyoncé
• Akon
• Bright Eyes
• Kelly Clarkson
• Jennifer Lopez

Busta Rhymes
Photo: Getty Images

NEW YORK — The Flipmode general's been away for a little while, but don't think for a second that he's sweating the competition.

For his new LP, The Big Bang, Busta Rhymes shunned his usual album-a-year MO and instead took three years to make an effort that includes guest appearances from Stevie Wonder, Rick James, ODB and Eminem (see "Busta Rhymes In Studio With Timbaland, Dr. Dre").

"With the significant caliber of people that came through to support this project, in addition to me having three years to just brainstorm with [Dr. Dre], I got to learn a lot," he said. "I got to condition myself on how I'mma come at the game in a new and a different way. I think that patience was my best weapon this time around, because I was able to have some things fall in my lap. I don't think dudes is really gonna be able to compete with me this time around."

Busta said the album title is "the perfect definition of just how big I'm gonna bang the street. It's gonna bang everything so big."

And with tracks produced by Dre (the Doc also spits a 24-bar verse on the LP), Timbaland, the Neptunes, Scott Storch, Erick Sermon and Swizz Beatz, it's no wonder Bus is so confident.

Despite the three-year hiatus, Busta said, no one has taken his spot, "which is a great thing for me, and a thing I'm gonna use to my advantage. There's a wide-open lane. ... There's nothing that feels, sounds or dynamically comes off the way this album is about to. That's something I always pride myself on, being able to do it different from how everybody else is doing it. ... I always made it difficult for [other artists] to do me. Stay in your lane and do you because you're gonna hurt yourself trying to do me."

Big Bang is due in March.

• Busta Rhymes
• Eminem
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• The Neptunes
• Rick James

Hilary Duff's <i>Most Wanted</i>
Photo: Hollywood Records

Mmm ... Duff: Hilary Duff's Most Wanted comes clean with three new songs ("Wake Up," "Beat of My Heart," "Break My Heart") produced by the Dead Executives — OK, the secret's out, it's the Madden brothers — but if those tracks and a few remixes aren't enough to tide you over, a "signature collector's edition" has four additional cuts (an acoustic "Who's That Girl"; an alternate "Jericho"; a dance remix of "Party Up"; and another new song, "Supergirl"), four "autographed" photo cards, a different album cover and a wristband.

Click Here: Dapperly dressed Berklee College of Music grads the Click Five, who've played with everyone from Ashlee Simpson to Rod Stewart (?!), removed the cover of the Tiffany staple "I Think We're Alone Now," which appeared on promo versions of their debut, Greetings From Imrie House, and tacked on a sendup of the Thompson Twins' "Lies" instead. Other highlights: "Just the Girl" (first single), "Catch Your Wave" and "Angel to You (Devil to Me)," co-written by Kiss' Paul Stanley and Cars guitarist Elliott Easten, who also lends some licks.

A Funk Eternal: Rick James gets a few touching goodbyes on Rick James Forever, from Johnny Gil and Howard Hewitt on "Just Got Played," and from daughter Ty on the closing track, "My Life." Other tracks on the posthumous release include the vintage-James-titled "When Your Body's Mine," "Freak Baby" and "Sex Slave."

Because Platinum Isn't Enough: The Killers' "Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll" has thoroughly infected radio, prompting a limited-edition re-press of the band's successful debut, Hot Fuss, along with two more B-sides, "The Ballad of Michael Valentine" and "Under the Gun." This one's got a straight-black cover, so you have no excuse for getting confused.

The 411 on Tread: A few additional 311 tracks have been hitting the pavement along with the band's Don't Tread on Me. iTunes offered the album's 11 songs plus bonus track "Little Brother" and two live slices prior to the release date; subsequently, it's offering just "Little Brother." But there's more: Early birds can get a free vinyl 7-inch at participating stores. Album tracks include "Thank Your Lucky Stars," "Whiskey & Wine" and "Long for the Flowers," a revised outtake from Transistor that was originally called "Grifters."

Covering the Bases: Madness go the way of the cover song on The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One, polishing off Diana Ross & the Supremes ("You Keep Me Hanging On"), the Kinks ("Lola") and Bob Marley ("So Much Trouble"). In the meantime, Cowboy Junkies use their Early 21st Century Blues to reinterpret Bruce Springsteen ("Brothers Under the Bridge," "You're Missing"), U2 ("One") and Bob Dylan ("License to Kill") — which could have qualified them for Drive-Thru's two-disc Listen to Bob Dylan, bristling with tips-o'-the-hat from Jason Mraz, Something Corporate and Rx Bandits.

Blood on the Tracks: "Blood on My Hands" (Todd Agnew's Reflection of Something), "Fist Wrapped in Blood" (Silverstein's Discovering the Waterfront), "The Blood, the Sweat, the Tears" (Machine Head's "Elegies" DVD).

Four for the Road: BoDeans and Magic Slim recorded their live albums at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee and at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California, respectively. Also, "Alcohol" is the first single on Brad Paisley's salute to the sauce, Time Well Wasted; and Waco Brothers cough up "Drinkin' & Cheatin' & Death" on Freedom and Weep.

Song Titles Of The Week:

"Whacko Jacko Steals the Elephant Man's Bones," "Macaulay McCulkin" (The Fall of Troy's Doppelgänger)

Other Notables:

Taproot - Blue-Sky Research (Atlantic): Seeing as how it's been nearly three years since Taproot's Welcome, it may come as no surprise that the band came up with around 80 songs for Blue-Sky Research, with 13 cuts making the cut. Despite being on tour with Chevelle, they've managed to find time to shoot a video for the first single, "Calling." Other selections include "Lost in the Woods," "Violent Seas" and "Promise," all co-written by Billy Corgan.

Idlewild - Warnings/Promises (Capitol): The Scots seem to be snoozing on their fourth record, with songs like "As if I Hadn't Slept," "Too Long Awake" and "Goodnight," which ultimately puts the LP to rest. Released in March across the pond, this is the first album to feature the band's new bassist, Gavin Fox, and longtime touring guitarist, Allan Stewart.

Johnny Cash - The Legend: Limited Edition (Columbia/Legacy): The $329.98 price tag on this box-set-on-steroids might make you cry, cry, cry, but if you're a diehard fan, start filling up the piggybank. Unlike the standard set released earlier this month, this one has a 12-by-16-inch lithograph portrait and a hardback book of the same size. Plus there's a fifth disc, "Johnny Cash on the Air," featuring a 1955 recording of the Man in Black's first time on the radio, and a DVD containing a 1980 TV special.

Out Tuesday, August 16:

New releases:

• Todd Agnew - Reflection of Something (Ardent)
• Eric Alexander & Vincent Herring - The Battle: Live at Smoke (HighNote)
• Aly & AJ - Into the Rush (Hollywood)
• American Minor - American Minor (Red Ink/ Jive)
• Marc Antoine - Modern Times (Rendezvous Entertainment)
• Eddy Arnold - After All These Years (RCA Nashville)
  
• The Banner - Each Breath Haunted (Ferret)
• BEDlight for BlueEYES - The Dawn (Trustkill)
• David Benoit - Orchestral Stories (Peak/Concord)
• Elvin Bishop - Gettin' My Groove Back (Blind Pig)
• BoDeans - Homebrewed: Live From the Pabst (two CDs, Back Porch)
  Buy Now: Homebrewed: Live From the Pabst (Back Porch)
• Michael Brooks & Royal Priesthood - Michael Brooks & Royal Priesthood (Comin' Atcha)
• The Click Five - Greetings From Imrie House (Lava)
  Buy Now: Greetings From Imrie House (Lava)
  Read: "Click Five Winning Over Soccer Moms On Ashlee Simpson Tour"
• Shemekia Copeland - The Soul Truth (Alligator)
  Buy Now: The Soul Truth (Alligator)
• Cowboy Junkies - Early 21st Century Blues (Zoe/Rounder)
  Buy Now: Early 21st Century Blues (Zoe/Rounder)
• Joe Craven - Django Latino (Compass)
• Rodney Crowell - The Outsider (Columbia)
  Buy Now: The Outsider (Columbia)
• Cuban Link - Chain Reaction (Mob)
  Buy Now: Chain Reaction (Mob)
• Dirty - Hood Stories (Asylum/Rap-A-Lot)
• Hilary Duff - Most Wanted (Hollywood)
  Buy Now: Most Wanted (Hollywood)
  Read: "Cheaper By The Duo? Hilary Duff Teams Up With Madden Brothers For New LP"
• Aydin Esen, Anthony Jackson, Dave Liebman and Steve Smith - Flashpoint (Tone Center)
• The Fall of Troy - Doppelgänger (Equal Vision)
• Flotation Toy Warning - Bluffers Guide to the Flight Deck (Misra)
• Foghorn Stringband - Weiser Sunrise (Nettwerk)
• Gang Gang Dance - Hillulah (EP, Social Registry)
• Philip Gayle - The Mommy Row (Family Vineyard)
• Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Come on Back (Rounder)
• Goapele - Change It All (Columbia)
  Buy Now: Change It All (Columbia)
• Johnny Casino's Easy Action - We've Forgotten More Than You'll Ever Know (Steel Cage)
• Hanna-McEuen - Hanna-McEuen (DreamWorks Nashville)
• Harsh Krieger - Harsh Krieger (Megaforce)
• Idlewild - Warnings/Promises (Capitol)
  Buy Now: Warnings/Promises (Capitol)
• Rick James - Rick James Forever (Sanctuary Urban)
  Buy Now: Rick James Forever (Sanctuary Urban)
• Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown - Celebration: Live at the Triad (HighNote)
• Madness - The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One (V2)
  Buy Now: The Dangermen Sessions, Volume One (V2)
• Magic Slim & the Teardrops - Anything Can Happen (Blind Pig)
• Bill Mays Trio - Live at Jazz Standard (Palmetto)
• Tony McManus & Alain Genty - Singing Sands (Compass)
• George McRae - Latest and Greatest Hits (Empire Musicwerks)
• Malcolm Middleton - Into the Woods (Chemikal Underground)
• Bart Millard - Hymned No. 1 (DualDisc same day; INO)
• Mira - There I Go Daydreamer (Projekt)
• Mr. Capone-E - A Soldier's Story (Thump)
• Nazarenes - Songs of Life (Heartbeat/Rounder)
• Salim Nourallah - Beautiful Noise (Western Vinyl)
• Oxes - Oxes EP (Monitor)
• Rocky Padilla - R&B Legend of the Underground (Thump)
• Brad Paisley - Time Well Wasted (Arista)
  Buy Now: Time Well Wasted (Arista)
• Papa Reu - Life & Music (Sanctuary Urban)
• Pras - Win Lose or Draw (Universal)
  Buy Now: Win Lose or Draw (Universal)
• Trevor Rabin - "The Great Raid" soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)
• Randy Rogers Band - Live at Billy Bob's (Image)
• Side Sixty Seven - Beyond Warped Live Music Series (DualDisc, Immergent)
• The Siegel-Schwall Band - Flash Forward (Alligator)
• Silverstein - Discovering the Waterfront (Victory)
• Sleeping People - Sleeping People (Temporary Residence)
• Stryper - Reborn (Big3)
• Taproot - Blue-Sky Research (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Blue-Sky Research (Atlanti)
  Read: "Taproot Tap Billy Corgan To Help Them Craft New LP"
• 10 Years - The Autumn Effect (Republic/Universal)
• 311 - Don't Tread on Me (Volcano)
  Buy Now: Don't Tread on Me (Volcano)
• 3rd Degree - The Pedestrian (Black Ice)
• Totalisti - Slaves to None (Magna Carta)
• Tren Brothers - The Swimmer EP (Western Vinyl)
• Unstable Ensemble - Embers (Family Vineyard)
• Waco Brothers - Freedom and Weep (Bloodshot)
• Jimmy Webb - Twilight of the Renegades (Sanctuary)
  Buy Now: Twilight of the Renegades (Sanctuary)
• A Wilhelm Scream - Ruiner (Nitro)
• Windsor for the Derby - Giving Up the Ghost (Secretly Canadian)
• Abdel Wright - Abdel Wright (Weapons of Mass Entertainment/ Interscope)
• Xeronimo - Xeronimo (Universal Latino)
• Various artists - Hands Across the Water: A Benefit for the Children of the Tsunami (Compass)
• Various artists - Listen to Bob Dylan (Drive-Thru)
• Various artists - Luaka Bop Remix (Luaka Bop)
• Various artists - This Is Americana, Vol. 2 (American Music Association)
• Various artists - "Valiant" soundtrack (Disney)

Notable reissues:

• Johnny Cash - The Legend: Limited Edition (box set, Columbia/Legacy)
• Dr. Israel - Inna City Pressure (two bonus tracks, ROIR)
• Ahmad Jamal - The Legendary Okeh and Epic Recordings (Epic/Legacy)
• Killers - Hot Fuss: Limited Edition (Island)
  Buy Now: Hot Fuss: Limited Edition (Island)
• Taj Mahal - The Essential Taj Mahal (Columbia/ Private Music/ Legacy)
• Gerry Mulligan - Jeru (Columbia/Legacy)
• Tito Puente - The Essential Tito Puente (RCA/Legacy)
• Ramones - Weird Tales of the Ramones (box set, Rhino)
• Artie Shaw - The Essential Artie Shaw (Bluebird/Legacy)
• Woody Shaw - Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia/Legacy)
• Horace Silver - Silver's Blue (Columbia/Legacy)
• Stooges - Fun House (deluxe edition, Rhino)
• Stooges - The Stooges (deluxe edition, Rhino)
• Frank Zappa - Bongo Fury, Fillmore East, Freak Out!, Läther (box set, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Roxy and Elsewhere (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Weasels Ripped My Flesh (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Zappa in New York (remastered with mini album-jacket sleeve, Rykodisc)

DVDs:

• Judy Collins - "Pop Legends Live" (SRO)
• Emerson, Lake & Palmer - "Beyond the Beginning" (Sanctuary)
• Dizzy Gillespie - "Live in London" (Kultur)
• Benny Goodman - "At the Tivoli" (Kultur)
• Helloween - "Hellish Videos: The Complete Video Collection" (BMG)
• Herman's Hermits - "Pop Legends Live" (SRO)
• Chaka Khan - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Abbey Lincoln - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Machine Head - "Elegies" (Roadrunner)
• Magic Slim & the Teardrops - "Anything Can Happen" (live; Blind Pig)
• Randy Rogers Band - "Live at Billy Bob's" (Image)
• Sarah Vaughan - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Nancy Wilson - "Great Women Singers of the 20th Century" (Kultur)
• Various artists- "The Dick Cavett Show: Rock Icons" (featuring David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, George Harrison, Janis Joplin and more; Shout! Factory)
• Various artists- "Jamboree" (Warner Bros.)

Coming Attractions:

August 23:

• Björk - "Drawing Restraint 9" soundtrack (One Little Indian)
• Jim Jones - Harlem: Diary of a Summer (Koch)
  Buy Now: Harlem: Diary of a Summer (Koch)
• Kurupt - Against the Grain (Death Row)
  Buy Now: Against the Grain (Death Row)

August 30:

• Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
  Buy Now: Plans (Atlantic)
  Read: "Death Cab For Cutie Living Up To The 'Death' Part On Next LP"
• Rihanna - Music of the Sun (Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Music of the Sun (Def Jam)
• Kanye West - Late Registration (Def Jam)
  Buy Now: Late Registration (Def Jam)
  Read: " 'Can He Do It Again?' — Kanye West Says New LP Backs Up His Bragging"

September 6:

• 50 Cent - The Massacre (re-release, Interscope)
  Buy Now: The Massacre (Interscope)
• Sarah McLachlan - Sarah McLachlan in Bloom (remix album, Arista)
• The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang (Virgin)
  Buy Now: A Bigger Bang (Virgin)
  Read: "Rolling Stones Announce World Tour, Unveil New Song"

• Hilary Duff
• The Click Five
• Rick James
• 311
• Taproot

The "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" soundtrack album
Photo: Rockstar Games

2Pac, Cypress Hill, Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy, Bell Biv DeVoe and other artists who dominated the airwaves in the late 1980s and early 1990s will add the musical accompaniment to "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."

As was the case with the last edition of the popular video-game series, the music will be available independent of the game, this time as both a double album and an eight-disc box set.

To complement the game's setting in the era when films like "Boyz N the Hood," "Juice" and "Colors" were at the forefront of pop culture, gangsta rap weighs heavily on the soundtrack, but other genres play their part, too. James Brown's "The Payback" and Rick James' "Cold Blooded" embody funk, while Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" and Faith No More's "Midlife Crisis" take care of the hard-rock set. Country (Willie Nelson), classic rock (Heart, Eddie Money) and reggae (the Maytals) are also represented.

AFI's cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like a Hole," recorded exclusively for "San Andreas," is the only new track in the set.

In the game, whenever the main character, CJ, carjacks a ride, the music heard is determined by which station the car's radio is tuned to. Players can listen to more than 150 tracks on eight fictitious, genre-specific stations. Besides the 23 music tracks, the double album also features a DVD component that tells CJ's back story and serves as a prologue to the story that unfolds in the game (see " 'Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' — Beware Of Hostile Hippies, Hare Krishna Gangs").

Both releases are due November 23, nearly a month after the game hits stores on October 26.

The seven CDs that comprised the box set for the last installment in the GTA series, 2002's "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," which was set in the '80s, were also released independently.

Track list for the "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" double album:

Disc 1:

• "The Theme From San Andreas"
• Rage Against the Machine - "Killing in the Name"
• 2Pac - "I Don't Give a F---"
• James Brown - "The Payback"
• Ronnie Hudson - "West Coast Poplock"
• Guy - "Groove Me"
• Eddie Money - "Two Tickets to Paradise"
• Cypress Hill - "How I Could Just Kill a Man"
• The Maytals - "Pressure Drop"
• Slick Rick - "Children's Story"
• Rick James - "Cold Blooded"
• Raze - "Break 4 Love"

Disc 2:

• Ohio Players - "Funky Worm"
• Heart - "Barracuda"
• Compton's Most Wanted - "Hood Took Me Under"
• Lyn Collins - "Think (About It)"
• Public Enemy - "Rebel Without a Pause"
• Faith No More - "Midlife Crisis"
• Bell Biv DeVoe - "Poison"
• Max Romeo & the Upsetters - "Chase the Devil"
• Eric B. & Rakim - "I Know You Got Soul"
• Willie Nelson - "Crazy"
• AFI - "Head Like a Hole"

• Tupac
• Public Enemy
• Rick James
• Cypress Hill
• Rage Against the Machine

Rick James (file)

Rick James had nine different drugs in his system when he died in August, including cocaine and methamphetamine, according to a toxicology report.

The coroner's findings, released Thursday, noted that prescription medications for anxiety, pain relief and heart failure, including Valium and Vicodin, were found in his body as well, according to Reuters.

None of the drugs or drug combinations, however "were found to be at levels that were life-threatening in and of themselves," the report said. Though the cause of death was determined by the report to be a heart attack and ruled accidental, it added that the drugs in James' system may have led to the heart failure.

"He didn't die of a drug overdose," coroner's spokesman David Campbell told The New York Times.

When an autopsy performed on James in early August failed to determine the cause of death, toxicology tests were ordered. A spokesperson at the coroner's office said they sought a further investigation, since James had not seen his physician in more than six weeks and there was "concern about the past history of substance abuse" (see "Cause Of Rick James' Death Still Uncertain After Autopsy").

James, who passed away at age 56 on August 6 (see "Funk Legend Rick James Found Dead"), had suffered from diabetes and had a stroke in 1998 after a blood vessel broke in the back of his neck during a performance in Denver. The singer had also battled drug addiction.

• Rick James

Paris Hilton's <I>Confessions of an Heiress</I>
Photo: Touchstone/Fireside

Despite the leak of Paris Hilton's version of the song "Screwed," Haylie Duff is plowing ahead with her plans to include her version of the song on her own upcoming debut album, since she procured the first rights to record and release the song from both of the songwriters and from their publisher, her rep said. There's no release date for either of the two fledgling singers' albums. ... Meanwhile, Hilton's book does have a release date — "Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-In-Chic Peek Behind the Pose" is due out via Simon and Schuster on September 7. ...

Rick James will be buried on Saturday at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York, according to The Associated Press. A public viewing will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at St. John Baptist Church followed by a funeral service and burial. James passed away on Friday at his home in California. ... Lenny Kravitz, who earlier this month announced a fall tour to promote his album Baptism, is canceling the outing — for now — citing family matters as the reason. "I was really looking forward to getting out there to meet and play for my fans," Kravitz said in a statement Thursday (August 12). "Unfortunately, things come up in life that you cannot control. I hope my fans will understand and I will definitely make it up to them with these shows next year." Kravitz's 19-city tour was to begin September 11 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. ...

Christina Aguilera fans who bought VIP-ticket packages to her canceled summer tour but have yet to receive a refund take note — a hearing is being held in the matter, and the singer is inviting you to attend. Since the company that provided the ticket packages, FansRule, went bankrupt, the hearing is being held at the Bankruptcy Court in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, during which the singer's lawyers will fight a motion that seeks to have the FansRule trustees' payment a higher priority than repayment to consumers. ... On August 27, Jay-Z will release the third shoe in his series of S. Carter kicks with Reebok — the S. Carter Basketball Mid. To celebrate the release, Jay will be doing a Footlocker in-store in Miami on August 30. ...

JoJo and Gavin DeGraw are joining a whole host of tennis stars (such as Serena Williams and Mandy Moore's ex Andy Roddick) to headline Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, an annual daylong festival of children's tennis activities. The event, the kickoff to the U.S. Open, will take place on August 28 at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, and will be hosted by Quddus of "TRL." ... Prior to their October tour with New Found Glory, Green Day are lining up a club tour to perform their new album, American Idiot, due September 21, in its entirety. So far, shows are scheduled for Los Angeles (September 16), Chicago (September 18), New York (September 21) and Toronto (September 24). ...

More dates for the Beastie Boys' fall tour have been announced. Tickets for shows in and around Los Angeles (September 13), Philadelphia (October 11) and Atlanta (October 15) go on sale this weekend. Meanwhile, a second San Francisco show (September 17) has been added after the first sold out. ... George Clinton pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor drug charges on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. The rainbow-haired funk musician was arrested in December in Tallahassee, Florida, when he was found in his car with cocaine in his pocket and a glass pipe. Clinton has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service (he plans to teach free music-education courses) and two years of probation. ...

While Frank Black is making the rounds with the reunited Pixies, the singer is also working on dropping albums of his own. The two-CD Frank Black Francis, due this fall, compiles both pre-Pixies demos and new versions of Pixies tunes; while an album of new Black solo material that was recorded in Nashville is planned for the spring. ... Before Tommy Stinson was known as a member of Guns N' Roses and after he left the Replacements, he was in Perfect. The group's album, Seven Days a Week, never came out. But now, retitled to reflect the LP's troubled history (three labels and three release dates that never came), Once, Twice, Three Times a Maybe is finally hitting shelves, via Rykodisc, on September 14. ...

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has plans to start a record label called Aretha Records, on which she plans to release her future albums. Her next LP, a collection of duets, will be released by the new Sony/BMG conglomerate. ... Louisville, Kentucky, live-tronica quartet VHS or Beta will release their sophomore disc, Night on Fire, on September 21. The album will feature production work by Mocean Worker. ...

8.11.2004

The suit brought against Snoop Dogg by two Louisiana women who alleged that their images were used on the cover of the "Girls Gone Wild Doggy Style" tape without their permission has been settled. The women, who were 17 and 18 years old at the time the pictures were taken, according to The Associated Press, claimed that they were told by Mantra Films Inc. owner Joseph R. Francis that their photos would not be used in connection with the video. The terms of the settlement were approved on July 21, but have not been revealed. ...

Metallica are the subject of a "tribute night" to be held Friday by the Fresno Grizzlies, the AAA affiliate of baseball's San Francisco Giants. Grizzlies players will wear Metallica-themed jerseys, and the band's songs will be played between innings. The jerseys will later be auctioned off to benefit the Grizzlies' community fund. The team ran a similar Jimmy Buffett tribute night in May. ... Those searching for spiritual salvation at Target stores will have to look elsewhere. The monolithic chain store has stopped selling the Kabbalah red string bracelet, which retailed for $25.99 on its Web site. A representative at Target's guest relations division said the company received a number of phone calls and e-mails complaining about the product, but would not confirm that the objections were the reason for the product's removal. There is some good news: You can still purchase the ubiquitous red string at the Kabbalah Centre's official Web site, for just a penny more. ...

Founding member of the Kinks Dave Davies has been partially paralyzed by a stroke. According to The Associated Press, Davies collapsed on June 30 while promoting his new solo album, Bug. The guitarist, who is paralyzed on the right side of his body but has some feeling, will reportedly have to spend at least another month in the hospital. Doctors feel that with the help of physiotherapy, he will recover. ... Mandy Moore posted a new message on her Web site about how she's been writing more songs with her friend James (most likely James Renald, the writer of her single "Cry"), but feels like she's been slacking on getting her new album together. "I've been kind of a lazy bum recently," she wrote. "In between watching some wonderful films, hanging with some new friends and going to the occasional meeting, I've been writing a bunch ... and I'm really excited to find the right producer, band, and get working on the record for real." ...

Mariah Carey may have thought a plagiarism lawsuit against her was dismissed, but an appeals court has reinstated the suit, allowing two songwriters to sue her for her 1999 hit with Xscape, "Thank God I Found You." Songwriters Seth Swirsky and Warryn Campbell say "Thank God" is a retooling of their "One of Those Love Songs," a track they wrote for Xscape. ... Metal outfit Cradle of Filth will hit the road later this year on an MTV2-sponsored North American tour. Mudvayne will co-headline the trek. No word on the other bands that will join the tour, and dates and cities have not yet been announced. ...

Tanya Donelly plans to record her next album in front of a live studio audience at the end of the month. On August 27 and 28, the former member of Throwing Muses, the Breeders and Belly will record 10 songs at a performance in Bellow Falls, Vermont. Joining her will be members of the Dambuilders, Come, Buffalo Tom, Fuzzy and others. ... Actress-turned-rocker Juliette Lewis doesn't think KFC is finger-lickin' good — she's just sent a letter to the fast-food chain taking them to task for their treatment of animals, on behalf of PETA. "I was deeply disturbed to learn from my friends at PETA that KFC continues to permit outdated and cruel treatment of chickens by its suppliers," she wrote, urging the company to replace its current animal-handling methods with less-violent methods. ...

"Just Say No" advocate Nancy Reagan would be proud — the new album by Social Distortion, due September 28, is titled Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. The LP's first single, "Reach for the Sky," recently surfaced at radio. ... James Brown has been busy getting all his memories in order for his upcoming autobiography. "I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul" will hit bookshelves in January 2005. ... Grateful Dead bassist and blood-and-organ-donor advocate Phil Lesh will host a blood drive at New York Blood Center's Upper East Side headquarters on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lesh will sign posters and pose for photos with donors between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ...

• Haylie Duff
• Rick James
• Christina Aguilera
• Lenny Kravitz
• JoJo

Rick James (file)
Photo: Michael Caulfield/WireImage

The cause of Rick James' death remains uncertain following an autopsy performed Saturday by the Los Angeles County coroner's office. James, 56, died in his sleep Friday at his Los Angeles home.

"The results [of the autopsy] performed on Mr. James have been deferred, pending the outcome of the tests ordered by the physician at the time of the autopsy," said coroner's office spokesperson David Campbell. "These tests are toxicological."

The cause of James' death will not be known until the results of the toxicology tests are available. According to Campbell, the normal turnaround time on the tests is 6-10 weeks. "But given the high profile and media interest in the tests, I'm certainly hoping they'll be able to get results more rapidly," he said.

"Funk Legend Rick James Found Dead"). "The coroner's office became involved in the investigation into Mr. James' death due to his past medical history, including substance abuse," Campbell said. "It's certainly known he had a stroke and other medical conditions." The singer suffered a stroke in 1998 when a blood vessel in the back of his neck broke during a performance in Denver. He was also a diabetic and had a pacemaker. It was originally thought that James' attending physician would sign off on the death certificate, which states that James died due to an existing medical condition. But California law says that if a physician has not attended to a patient within 20 days of the death, the case becomes reportable to the coroner's office. "It had been more than six weeks since his regular physician had attended him, so we took jurisdiction of the case," Campbell said. "And there was concern about the past history of substance abuse." James' publicist announced that there will be a public viewing of the singer's body on Wednesday at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills Memorial Park on 6300 Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles. Fans are encouraged to attend between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. Related Artists Rick James ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1490036/20040809/james_rick.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1490036/20040809/james_rick.jhtml 9 Aug 2004 01:30:00 EDT 'It's a great loss. He was just an amazing talent,' rapper says. By MTV News staff report Kanye West, Rick James and Bumpy Johnson (file) Photo: Kevin Winter As news of Rick James' passing filtered through the music industry Friday, he was remembered by friends, peers and admirers as a wild visionary with seemingly boundless energy, drive and thirst for life. The 56-year-old singer/songwriter/producer's body was discovered in his Hollywood home Friday morning (see "Funk Legend Rick James Found Dead"). "It's a great loss to music," said rapper/producer Kanye West, who recently worked with James. "He was just an amazing talent, and it was a privilege just to be in the studio with a legend like that." West had been working on a track called "On the Run" featuring James and Chicago rapper Bump J. "We thought it would be perfect for him because it's comparing how a girl tries to lock you down to how the cops try to do that, and I'm like, 'Oh, that's Rick James all the way.' " West's work with James came just as the funk legend was finding a new audience thanks to comedian Dave Chappelle's send-up of James' hard-partying persona on "Chappelle's Show." "Rick could've dropped an album right now that would have gone platinum just off the Dave Chappelle stuff alone," West said. "I think personality and songs are what sells albums. You have to take a good personality and put it with a good song. I know those are two things Rick James had a whole lot of."   Photos: Rick James 1948-2004 "He was a hard worker," Bump J said of his experience with James. "I gave him the hook and he had come up with his own bridge already before he went in and laid down the hook. I didn't know these were his last days, but now that I know that, I really respect him and realize how hard he was working, definitely. He was open-arms. We had a ball in the studio. We had a lot of fun, man. He was singing, doing his thing. Very, very, very confident and cocky. He had the camera-lady pimped up in the corner. He was the same old Rick. He was in there acting crazy. I feel like this is part of history." "That night was so memorable," recalled Free Maiden, CEO of Free 4 All Inc. and the man who pulled the project together. "Rick is a real funny guy. We got so many funny home-video moments. Man, Rick was a walking movie. Rick was one of those guys you had to walk behind him with a tape recorder, because you didn't want to miss anything. He was hilarious. He was on it. He came into the studio and he was confident, he was cocky, he had a hip-hop attitude. Even though he's from another era, his attitude was so hip-hop. A lot of older superstars, they have different reactions when it comes to working with rappers. Some of them don't embrace us. Rick was open-arms. He was happy to be there. No ego in the studio." "I was shocked and saddened by Rick's passing," friend and fellow funker Morris Day said. "He will be missed as a friend and as a music icon. I know Rick James, and he will have them 'freakin'' up in heaven." "Today the world mourns a musician and performer of the funkiest kind," Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said in a statement. "Grammy-winner Rick James was a singer, songwriter and producer whose performances were always as dynamic as his personality. The 'Super Freak' of funk will be missed." James' was honored at the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Awards in June, where he was saluted by the likes of producer Jimmy Jam and industry heavyweight L.A. Reid. "Rick James is absolutely incredible," Jam said at the time. "He's one of the people that is responsible for me being in the music business. Back when I DJed, his records were always the ones that I used to pack the dance floor whenever I needed that secret weapon. "Rick James not only kept funk alive for a long time, but also put the attitude and the rock-star mentality into it," Jam added. "His shows were bigger than life. ... He was just so defiant and put such an attitude into R&B music. R&B had kinda softened up a little bit, and he came and put this rebellious, rock and roll attitude into it." James himself seemed comfortable with his legacy at the event, addressing fellow honorees Jay-Z and 50 Cent and offering up some enduring advice. "I'm so proud of all the youngsters [to whom] we old-school people passed along the torch," James said. "You guys have to pass it along to the next generation. It's like something [Motown founder] Berry Gordy told me a long time ago. He said, 'You'll come and go, [but] music will stay here forever, no matter what you do.' " [This story was updated on 08.06.04 at 6:42 p.m. ET.] Related Artists Rick James ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1490024/20040806/james_rick.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1490024/20040806/james_rick.jhtml 6 Aug 2004 05:58:00 EDT Rick James - Superfreak Superfreak Artist: Rick James Label: Motown Records Director: n/a Album: Street Songs [Deluxe Edition] ]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=9951&vid=302488 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=9951&vid=302488 25 Sep 2001 12:00:00 EDT Rick James - She Blew My Mind (69 Times) She Blew My Mind (69 Times) Artist: Rick James Label: Motown Director: n/a Album: Throwin' Down ]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=9951&vid=311363 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=9951&vid=311363 1 Jan 1982 12:00:00 EST