Stevie Wonder and John Legend perform onstage for the 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert on Thursday
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

NEW YORK — For any singer, performing the national anthem at a World Series game is a pretty big deal. Getting to share a stage with one of your idols is also a rare and spectacular occasion. So how did John Legend feel about singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" to open Game 2 of the Yankees/ Phillies series before heading downtown to play two songs with Stevie Wonder at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary concert Thursday night?

"I feel like the luckiest kid in the world," Legend said. "I was able to do both the Yankees game and then come here with all these amazing artists."

Wonder brought Legend onto the stage about halfway through his set at the Madison Square Garden show. They tackled two covers together, Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel." During the latter, Wonder emotionally freestyled, "Long live Michael Jackson," during an extended jam.

"Stevie's emotion for Michael is very heartfelt," Legend said. "You can see it and you can feel it, and I was honored to pay tribute to Michael's legacy."

Despite the fact that he was surrounded by legends at the Hall of Fame show, Legend said the earlier performance was far more nerve-racking. "It was harder at Yankee Stadium," he said. "The national anthem is a fundamentally harder song to sing than 'Mercy Mercy Me,' and it's also harder when you're just naked out there by yourself, and it's just you and millions of people around the world watching."

• Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert

• John Legend

John Legend
Photo: Statia Photography/ Getty Images

John Legend might be feeling conflicted this week. The R&B star attended college in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, but he has also lived in New York for 10 years.

So when he sings the national anthem Thursday night (October 29) before the second game of the World Series, who will he be rooting for: the New York Yankees or the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies?

"Well, I lived in New York for 10 years, so I feel like I'm home here," the Ohio-born Legend told MTV News shortly before his performance. "So I'm going with the Yankees. Until the Phillies won [last year], I definitely identified with the whole Philadelphia curse, the curse of William Penn. I always hoped someone would break it, but now that the Phillies have broke it, they aren't underdogs like they used to be."

Legend is part of a marquee bill prior to the game's first pitch that will also feature Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performing "Empire State of Mind."

"This is monumental," Legend said. "It's the first World Series played at the new Yankee Stadium, the Yankees versus the Phillies — this is a pretty big stage, and I'm honored to be a part of it. So you gotta bring your A game."

Unfortunately for Legend, he won't be able to catch much else after the pregame entertainment. Shortly after he sings "The Star-Spangled Banner," he'll have to head downtown to Madison Square Garden; he's scheduled to perform alongside Stevie Wonder.

"I got a busy night," he said. " 'Cause as soon as I perform, I have to leave for MSG for a song with Stevie Wonder for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I'm looking forward to all if it."

• John Legend

Beyoncé performs at the Essence Music Festival on Friday
Photo: Soul Brother/FilmMagic

On a weekend when some of today's biggest R&B stars collided with the genre's legendary singers to celebrate the 15th annual Essence Music Festival, one common topic was consistent throughout the events: of course, Michael Jackson.

The three-day event, which celebrates African-American culture in the heart of New Orleans with a series of workshops and music showcases, boasted a lineup that included Ne-Yo, John Legend, Robin Thicke and Beyoncé, along with veterans such as Lionel Richie (who reunited with the Commodores), Anita Baker and Frankie Beverly and Maze, all of whom paid homage to Jackson.

The festival kicked off on Friday evening with a video tribute of Jackson as a live band played a number of his hits against a 20-foot backdrop of the fallen star. The tribute was followed by sets from Ne-Yo and then John Legend. For his performance, Ne-Yo dedicated the majority of his set to Jackson. Click here for photos from the show."I'm gonna do my best to keep his legacy alive," said the singer, who was clad in a Jacksonesque hat and sparkling jacket.

Next up, Beyoncé brought her "I Am ..." Tour to the New Orleans Superdome. After tearing through hits including "Single Ladies," "Ego" and "Crazy in Love," B then went into her own MJ tribute.

After a video of a 5-year-old Beyoncé doing her best Michael Jackson impression, B told the hushed audience that at that moment, "That's when I decided who I wanted to be," and that MJ was responsible for the inspiration. Beyoncé then went on to sing "Halo," dedicating new lyrics to Jackson.

The festival also included Jackson tributes from Robin Thicke, Jazmine Sullivan and an early morning set from Maxwell. The festival was capped with performances from Frankie Beverly and Maze and the Commodores.

Chris Brown, Ludacris, Gabrielle Union, Bill Cosby and Sanaa Lathan attended the festival, snapping photos with fans and signing autographs on Bourbon Street and speaking at workshops at the city's convention center. Queen Latifah was also on the lineup for the festival for Friday night's kickoff where she shared some of the most memorable words for Michael Jackson.

"I think you're going to be seeing a lot of tributes to Michael Jackson over the next year, at least," Latifah told the crowd. "He was the greatest entertainer of all time, bottom line. There's no one who can compare to him."

MTV's live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will begin on Tuesday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT.

For complete coverage of the life, career and passing of the legendary entertainer, visit "Michael Jackson Remembered."

Share your Michael Jackson memories by uploading video and comments to Your.MTV.com or joining the discussion below.

• Michael Jackson In His Own Words: The Music Videos

• Beyonce, Ne-Yo And More At 2009 Essence Music Festival

• Michael Jackson
• Beyoncé
• Robin Thicke
• John Legend
• Ne-Yo

John Legend and Rick Ross perform at S.O.B.'s on Thursday
Photo: MTV News

It was a family affair Thursday night at S.O.B.'s nightclub as John Legend showed off the talents of his younger brother — and latest addition to Legend's record label — R&B singer Vaughn Anthony.

In the hopes of securing a distribution deal for Anthony's upcoming debut album, Legend hosted the exclusive event for industry executives and fans.

To kick off the night, Legend played the supportive-big-brother role as he took to the stage at around 9 p.m. to introduce Anthony's seven-song showcase. Legend was met with deafening screams when he got onstage to hail the up-and-coming singer as an "incredible vocalist" and promised the crowd "a few superstar surprises."

Before the surprises came Anthony's energized performance. The singer — who sounds a lot like his megastar brother — wowed the S.O.B.'s crowd with smooth vocals on upbeat tracks infused with soulful and reggae-inspired beats. Anthony debuted the rumored first single from his upcoming album, In Your Shoes, a song co-written with Legend. Sporting a black tank top, which showed that nice arms run in the family, Anthony graciously addressed the packed venue and thanked them for showing their support.

A few of Legend's famous friends also showed Anthony some love. First up was London export Estelle, the first and only other artist signed to Legend's HomeSchool Records. Estelle and Legend hit the fans with some island flavor as they performed their sultry track "Come Over."

Next in line was the always effervescent rapper Rick Ross. Ross sauntered onstage, decked out in bright red, to perform the hit "Magnificent" with Legend. After the laid-back performance, Ross took the mic, toasting Legend as "the greatest singer of our generation" and praising the singer's humility.

"I want to commend this brother right here for not only being a great artist, for not only being a trendsetter, but [being] down to earth," the rapper said. "I don't think we say that enough for the artists that remain the same after they become the legends that they are."

The next surprise guest might not be a legend yet, but R&B sensation Ryan Leslie won over the crowd with his impromptu performance.

Legend closed the night with a solo rendition of "Green Light."

Back in 2007, Legend told MTV News that he was planning to sign Vaughn and continues to look for new artists for his label.

"We're growing, and I'm just trying to find great talent and bring it to light. It's a lot of fun," he said.

• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• John Legend

Rihanna
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Between the commercials, the halftime extravaganza and lingerie-clad counter-programming, it's hard to remember that the reason the Super Bowl is the most-watched TV event of the year is because of, you know, the football game.

Music has increasingly become the biggest distraction from the gridiron action, and this year, that's truer than ever, with a Grammy-night-worthy roster of acts lining up to get a bit of shine on football's biggest day.

There is, of course, the prime-time halftime slot, which has become a haven for classic-rock acts, with one of the biggest one taking the stage this year: the Boss. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will run onto the field between halves — two days before their latest album, Working on a Dream, drops — but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Faith Hill will sing "America the Beautiful" before the game on Sunday, and Jennifer Hudson will give her first public performance since the murders of her mother, brother and nephew when she sings that national anthem at the game.

On Thursday, the Pepsi Smash concert will air live from the Ford Amphitheatre on VH1, with sets from Rihanna, Fall Out Boy and Lifehouse, with actor Jerry O'Connell hosting. The next night, Enrique Iglesias will headline Pepsi Musica Super Bowl Fiesta at the Ford on Telemundo, which will air Saturday. Friday night will also bring the Miller Lite Super Party in St. Petersburg at Williams Park starring Hoobastank, and the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration at the USF Sun Dome.

Saturday night boasts the Hard Rock Hotel's Rock & Soul Super Saturday Night show featuring the ubiquitous Will.I.Am and DJ Ruckus, with possible appearances by invited guests including Paris Hilton, Brody Jenner and the Kardashians.

That's not to be confused with the Seminole Hard Rock Revolution party on Friday night, hosted by "Entourage" star Kevin "Johnny Drama" Dillon and Khloe Kardashian, with music from DJs Colleen Shannon and Selfborn.

If you're in Florida, you gotta see Flo Rida, right? You're in luck, because the "Low" rapper is playing at the Green Iguana in Tampa as part of a Low Dough Pregame Show. Celebrity DJ Samantha Ronson will take to the decks at another Green Iguana outlet in Tampa, in the Westshore Hotel, following the game for a Celebrity Postgame Show, and Tampa's Club Underground is promoting the I Am Legend Super Bowl party, hosted by Jay-Z, on Saturday night.

Not to be outdone, Diddy, NFL legend Deion Sanders and boxer Winky Wright are hosting what's being called a three-day, star-studded party leading up the game called the Good Life Experience at the Venue in St. Petersburg from January 29-31. Among the guests promised to drop by are comedian Dane Cook and football legend Warren Sapp, and Diddy is set to host the final night's events, called the Icons of the Good Life Diamonds and Pearls Gala.

And just like you can't have a party without Will.I.Am, you can't host an event without the equally everywhere-at-once Dave Navarro, who will be MCing the Rock-N-Babes gig at the Hula Bay Club in Tampa on Saturday with J-Mello. Another party staple, DJ AM, will be spinning with DJ Jazzy Jeff at a Super Bowl kickoff party at AJA on Thursday night in Tampa. Journey and John Legend will also be part of the pregame festivities, performing adjacent to Raymond James Stadium at 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Some other random acts making the scene: DJ Kid Capri at the 2009 Players After Party; Cheap Trick singer Robin Zander at the Band Together charity show on Saturday at the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Petersburg; actor Kevin Costner with his band, Modern West, at the Super Sunday HQ party on Saturday night at TPepin Hospitality Centre with New York Giants legend Michael Strahan; Nelly and Jermaine Dupri co-hosting the Under the Veil 2 party on Saturday night at the Museum of Science and Industry; and Nick Lachey teaming up with NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson for the Super Skins Party at the Hula Bay Club in Tampa on Friday, followed by the Super Skins Celebrity Golf Classic the next day.

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention that Snoop Dogg is performing at the Anheuser-Busch-sponsored pregame Bud Bowl concert at Channelside in Tampa on Friday night, with 3 Doors Down playing the next night.

• Bruce Springsteen
• Snoop Dogg
• Rihanna
• John Legend
• Will.I.Am

John Legend at Declare Yourself's inaugural ball on Sunday
Photo: Dan Gorder/ Getty Images

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Even though the carpet wasn't red at Declare Yourself's "A New Birth of Citizenship" inaugural ball at the Renaissance Hotel on Sunday night, celebrities like John Legend, Maroon 5, Jamie Foxx and Hayden Panettiere came out to celebrate the youth vote.

The thrill of Barack Obama's victory resonated with guests, who shared with us their feelings of pride and a new sense of hope for the new administration. Some, like Jamie Foxx, shared their experience meeting the soon-to-be president. "He got to hear my Obama impression and I saw him laugh," said Foxx, who shared his "best Barack" with everyone on the whole carpet (after doing it for the whole country at the "We Are One" concert earlier on Sunday.)

Declare Yourself is a nonprofit campaign intended to encourage eligible young people to register and vote in the presidential primaries and election. According to the organization, 2.2 million young people either used its online registration tool or registered through its "Ultimate College Bowl" contest.

The evening was hosted by Jessica Alba and featured powerful performances from Maroon 5, John Legend, spoken word artists Steve Connell and Sekou (Tha Misfit), and Nuttin' But Stringz. The celebration, which highlighted the impact of young voters in the 2008 election, started off calmly but quickly turned into a Democratic partay!

DJ Samantha Ronson kept the party jumping while her girlfriend, Lindsay Lohan, played the texting turntables in the background. At one point in the evening, LiLo ran to accompany Ronson on the carpet so she wouldn't be left alone with the paparazzi.

King Anyi Howell is a regular contributor to Youth Radio/Youth Media International (YMI), a Peabody Award-winning youth-driven converged media production company that delivers the best youth news and culture and undiscovered talent to a cross section of audiences.

"Be the Change: Live From the Inaugural" will air live on MTV on Tuesday, January 20, at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. MTV News will have wall-to-wall coverage of the event and of the scenes in Washington, D.C., New Orleans and Kenya in the days leading up to the event and in the days that follow.

• Inauguration Celebrations Fill D.C. With Music
• 'We Are One' Inaugural Concert: Highlights

• 2009 Inauguration Week Events Celebrating Barack Obama

• John Legend
• Maroon 5

John Legend on the set of "Everybody Knows"
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — After surprising everyone with his sexy, upbeat "Green Light" — a club banger featuring Andre 3000 — John Legend is dialing it down a notch and getting back to basics. The next single from his third album, Evolver, is "Everybody Knows," a love ballad that emphasizes his signature easygoing vibe.

MTV News got a peek at behind-the-scenes footage from the upcoming video, which was shot November 8 and 9 in New York City. In it, Legend wanders the streets of downtown Manhattan and sings from a rooftop overlooking the skyline.

"The concept behind the video is, we're getting a slice of life in New York, different people going through different life issues, different relationships," Legend explained. "Just showing how everybody experiences love, and me, myself, you know, I'm just performing and contemplating a failed relationship and hoping we can give it one more try."

According to the treatment, the video is a cinematic portrait of romantic relationships and will feature couples young and old, gay and straight, white, black and mixed, illustrating the universal theme of the song.

" 'Everybody Knows' is a song about a relationship that's falling apart and we don't know what's going to happen with it," Legend said. "You can get advice from everybody else. Everybody thinks they know what's going on, but nobody really knows. And it's really just saying, 'We all go through these things, but you don't really know what someone else is going through unless you are them.' "

The video isn't expected to premiere until early 2009. Meanwhile, Legend is in the midst of a U.S. tour and will launch a European leg in February.

Music wasn't all that was on Legend's mind when we caught up with him at the video shoot. He was a vocal supporter of President-elect Barack Obama — and was prominently featured in Will.I.Am's "Yes We Can" — so it's no surprise that Legend was ecstatic about the outcome of the election.

"I was in Los Angeles with my band and a few friends [on election night]," he recalled. "We were in the hotel, and I rented out the hotel VIP lounge, and we had the TV set up, had a bunch of drinks set up. We were just hoping we had something to celebrate. And we did."

Legend has also become an actor of late. He had a bit part alongside Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac in "Soul Men." And he made a hilarious cameo appearance on Stephen Colbert's special "A Colbert Christmas." Will there be more acting gigs in the future?

"Right now, I'm loving being an artist and being a performer, and if acting works out, if it comes at the right time with the right film, then I'll do it," he said. "But right now, I'm getting ready for my tour, and I'm excited about that."

John Legend's remaining U.S. Evolver tour dates:

· 12/4 - University Park, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center
· 12/5 - Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
· 12/6 - Fairfield, CT @ Fairfield University
· 12/8 - Baltimore, MD @ Lyric Opera House
· 12/9 - Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
· 12/10 - Greenville, SC @ Peace Center Concert Hall
· 12/12 - Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
· 12/13 - Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center
· 1/8 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
· 1/10 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl
· 1/12 - Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
· 1/13 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
· 1/15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
· 1/16 - San Diego, CA @ RIMAC Arena
· 1/22 - Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie
· 1/23 - Austin, TX @ Bass Concert Hall
· 1/24 - Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Theater
· 1/26 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
· 1/28 - Orlando, FL @ Bob Carr Performing Arts Center
· 1/29 - Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
· 1/30 - Miami, FL @ The Fillmore Miami at Jackie Gleason Theater
· 2/3 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
· 2/5 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
· 2/6 - Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand Theater at MGM Foxwoods
· 2/7 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Events Center

• On The Set Of John Legend's 'Everybody Knows'

• John Legend

"Twilight" Soundtrack
Photo: Atlantic

After two weeks at #1, AC/DC's Black Ice — which has already broken the 1 million-sold barrier — has been bitten by the "Twilight" phenomenon.

The vampire flick opens next Friday, but before hitting the local cineplex, fans of the much-anticipated adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's novel hit their local record stores to pick up a copy of the movie's soundtrack, which features tracks by Muse, Perry Farrell, Paramore and Linkin Park.

The "Twilight" soundtrack debuts at #1 on next week's Billboard albums sales chart, having sold about 164,700 copies in its first week on store shelves. It becomes the year's third soundtrack to top the chart, following this summer's "Mamma Mia" soundtrack and the "Juno" set, which was released in 2007, but climbed to #1 in January. According to the latest sales totals compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, AC/DC's latest falls one spot to #2, with 159,500 week-three scans reported.

"Twilight" was among 17 new releases impacting next week's chart, and one of four to enter in the top 10. Following the soundtrack to "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," which holds at #3 with just under 110,000 sold, Hinder's Take It to the Limit bows at #4, after selling 81,400 units. Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli's Incanto opens at #8 with 62,200 copies scanned, and country star Brad Paisley's Play debuts at #9 with 53,700 sold.

Meanwhile, Pink's Funhouse drops three spots to #5, with 72,900 scans, while John Legend's Evolver falls two positions to #6, selling another 72,000 copies. T.I.'s Paper Trail holds for a second week at #7, thanks to almost 68,800 scans. Rascal Flatts' Greatest Hits, Volume 1 rounds things out at #10, with 39,100 sold.

A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip enters the chart at #11, after selling 34,200-plus copies of his latest, Renaissance, while Sarah Brightman's Winter Symphony debuts at #38, with 13,500 sold. Shiny Toy Guns' Season of Poison follows at #47, with sales reported at 12,200, and rapper UNK's Second Season makes its debut at #104, with 5,200 copies sold. Travis' Ode to J. Smith follows at #122, with week-one sales reported at about 4,600, while Switchfoot's The Best Yet trails at #123, with 4,500 sold.

• AC/DC
• Paramore
• Perry Farrell
• Travis
• Switchfoot

Bernie Mac and Samuel L. Jackson in "Soul Men"
Photo: The Weinstein Compan

"Soul Men" is a sweet and occasionally funny, but over-amped and limply constructed comedy about two old R&B stars who are persuaded to bury their years of bitter, post-fame estrangement in order to play a reunion show. Floyd Henderson (Bernie Mac, sharp and funny) and Louis Hinds (Samuel L. Jackson, slightly miscast) started out in the '60s singing backup in a group fronted by handsome Marcus Hooks (John Legend, who's in the movie for about a minute). When Marcus split to go solo, Floyd and Louis carried on as a hit-making soul duo until drugs and women drove them apart. Floyd settled down to become a prosperous L.A. car-wash mogul, now retired; Louis did some jail time and currently works as a lowly auto mechanic. When news breaks that Marcus, still a star, has died on tour, a tribute concert is quickly set up at the Apollo Theater, in New York, and the two grumpy old has-beens are invited to drive across the country to take part. Floyd is up for it; Louis hates the idea, but reluctantly gives in, and off they tear in Floyd's boat-size, lime-green Cadillac.

This middle-aged road trip proceeds pretty much as you'd expect, and there are some cute scenes. A blown tire out in the middle of the desert gives the two men time to affectionately brush up their corny old stage moves; and when they stop off in Flagstaff and Amarillo to revive their performing chops with some seedy lounge gigs, you can see Louis, all smiles now, getting back into it. (Floyd is already there.) But the duo's incessant bickering — a barrage of mo-fo invective conducted at top, snarling volume — grows exceedingly tiresome. And the addition of two clownishly conceived characters — an angry rapper (Affion Crockett) and a lumpish, die-hard fan (Adam Herschman) — dumbs the story down. There's also a miserable sex scene featuring Jennifer Coolidge as an ultra-buxom admirer, which has been shot in an extraordinarily ugly way. Sharon Leal ("Dreamgirls"), with her angel face and considerable pipes, is a welcome addition as a young woman drawn into Floyd and John's adventure against her better judgment (she brings some real feeling to her scenes with Jackson, and some real oomph to the big windup at the Apollo), but there's not enough of her to realign the film's scattered emotional tone.

It should be noted that "Soul Men" is now reportedly the subject of a threatened lawsuit by Sam Moore, the surviving member of the titanic '60s soul duo Sam & Dave — whose own story of stardom, dissipation and dissolution this movie very closely resembles. Moore denounces the picture as "sexist, racist and embarrassing." A lawyer for the Weinstein Company, which is releasing "Soul Men," has responded that the movie "is not, in any part or respect, based on Mr. Moore's life. It tells a different story about different people." This seems fairly brazen. True, some of the details are different — Sam & Dave never sang backup for anybody, for one thing. But Floyd and Louis perform Sam & Dave's great 1966 hit "Hold On, I'm Comin' " at one point, and at another, with Legend, a rendition of "I'm Your Puppet," a song included on Sam & Dave's second album, in 1967. And when Floyd and Louis pull into Memphis, the home of Stax Records, where Sam & Dave recorded their classic tracks, they're greeted by Isaac Hayes — who with his partner, David Porter, actually wrote and produced those records. (Hayes died last August, the day after Bernie Mac, too, passed away.) In addition, there are fond references to Booker T., who led the Stax house band that played on those sessions, and to Carla Thomas, another Stax artist of the period. Weinstein's lawyer says, "If Mr Moore decides to file a lawsuit, he will lose." To anyone familiar with the ways in which R&B performers were traditionally treated by the record industry, that sounds a lot like the bad old days.

Don't miss Kurt Loder's reviews of "Repo! The Genetic Opera" and "Role Models," also new in theaters this week.

Check out everything we've got on "Soul Men."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• "Soul Men"
• Sam Jackson, John Legend At The "Soul Men" Premiere

• John Legend

John Legend
Photo: MTV News

T.I. and John Legend decided to swap it out — Legend appears on Tip's "Slide Show" from Paper Trail, and the King of the South recently completed a remix of the crooner's current big single.

"T.I. did a remix for me for 'Green Light,' with Swizz Beatz on the production," Legend told MTV News. "That was fresh. That'll be coming up soon. I switched up my lyrics a little bit to ride the beat in a different way. The beat is slower, a little more R&B-ish. Swizz slowed up the beat a little bit. T.I. did a different verse [from Andre 3000's], obviously. It's kind of a different record, but it still has an element of the original."

More importantly, Legend says his now-famous line "Do I have a girlfriend? Technically, no" isn't going anywhere.

"I still kept that one," he said of the playfully playalistic lyric. " 'Technically, no' — that's gonna get me in some trouble. But I kept it."

As for appearing on Paper Trail, Legend said it was smooth sailing. "It was easy," the Grammy winner said. "[T.I.] just laid out the format of the song, what he asked me to do for it. I knocked it out in an hour or something. The chorus was already written, then I wrote a little bridge at the end. That was it."

For the original "Green Light," Legend was able to get Andre 3000 for a verse and an even rarer music-video appearance.

"Well, Andre, he really loved the song 'Green Light,' " Legend said. "He wanted to be a part of it and was proud of his contribution, so he was down to do the video. I was honored. I know he doesn't do a lot of collaborations these days. I know he doesn't do a lot of guest appearances. He chose to do it with my song. I'm grateful, and he helped make the video what it was. He's a creative talent, great performer. We got on the phone and did a conference call before the video. He had a lot of ideas for the video. We had a good time. The people we hired — as far as the extras and dancers — they had a good time."

"Green Light" is the lead cut from Legend's third album, Evolver. The singer said that despite the song being recognized as an undeniable hit now, his circle was worried about it being the album's first single.

"Some people in my camp were kinda afraid," he explained. " 'Man, you've been known as the midtempo-ballad guy. People have seen you on the piano all this time. I don't know if you can come with this uptempo joint with Andre on it. It's gonna throw people off.' I felt like the record spoke for itself. It could get played on all the stations, people would love it in the clubs, and I wanted to make a statement that this album would sound a bit different."

Evolver comes out October 28, with guest spots from Kanye West, Brandy and Estelle. On November 19 in Minneapolis, Legend starts the first leg of what should prove to be a very soulful tour with Raphael Saadiq. That leg ends December 13, with a second jaunt ramping up January 12 and wrapping up February 9.

John Legend tour dates, according to Sony Music:

» 11/19 - Minneapolis, MN @ Northrop Auditorium
» 11/20 - Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
» 11/24 - East Lansing, MI @ Wharton Center for Performing Arts
» 11/26 - Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre
» 11/28 - Toronto, ON @ Roy Thomson Hall
» 11/29 - Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
» 12/1 - Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
» 12/2 - Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
» 12/5 - Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
» 12/8 - Baltimore, MD @ Lyric Opera House
» 12/9 - Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
» 12/10 - Greenville, SC @ Peace Center Concert Hall
» 12/12 - Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
» 12/13 - Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center

• John Legend
• T.I.
• Swizz Beatz

Woodie Awards 2009 Nominees

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John Legend and India.Arie Perform At New York's Madison Square Garden

• John Legend
• India.Arie

Beyonce, U2, Usher, More Perform At "We Are One" Inaugural Concert

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MTV.com Exclusive: John Legend

• John Legend

Great Grammy Moments: Beyonce, Kanye, Rihanna, More

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Fergie, John Legend, Slash, Randy Jackson Perform At The Peapod Benefit Concert

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2008 Grammy Awards Performers And Presenters

• Foo Fighters
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Red Carpet Spectacular: Photos From The 2007 Grammy Awards

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What You Didn't See At The Grammys

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Discover & Download Live: John Legend

• John Legend