Raphael Saadiq
Photo: Beyond Records

Producer and songwriter Raphael Saadiq is getting ready to expose himself.

Though known for performing with Tony! Toni! Toné! and Lucy Pearl, next month he'll be on his own for the first time when he releases "Be Here," the lead single from his debut solo album, Instant Vintage (May 28).

The groove-laden, sensual R&B song features murky beats, a funky rhythm and sultry vocals by Saadiq and ladies' man D'Angelo.

"It's talking about your girl," Saadiq explained from his studio in North Hollywood. "Maybe she's out of town or maybe you just bought an apartment and you're trying to convince her to move with you. But it's saying, 'You should be here. You don't need to be across town. You should be with me.' That's something I've experienced from being on the road touring or traveling, but I think it's something every man can understand. Like, you could be in the military like those cats over in Afghanistan now. They probably all wish their wives and girlfriend could be with them."

This weekend, Saadiq will make his directorial debut shooting the video for "Be Here" with D'Angelo. The clip will be filmed in and around Saadiq's studio, Blakeslee Recording Company, and on location in Los Angeles. It'll feature shots of the two crooners pining away for their girlfriends while a bevy of beauties flocks around them.

"There are gonna be a lot of girls hanging outside this old, beat-up apartment, and we're just kind of ignoring them, waiting there for our girls to show up," said Saadiq, who will be filmed eating alone, doing dishes and gazing longingly at a picture of his girl. D'Angelo will be depicted in a similarly melancholy light, distractedly channel surfing and talking on his cell phone.

"Our girls never really show up until the end of the video," said Saadiq. " It's gonna be shot really artsy and kinda funky. It ain't gonna be your typical bootie-shakin' video, but there's gonna be some booty in it."

Saadiq and D'Angelo will reconvene later in the year to help produce D'Angelo's next album. Saadiq is also planning to do some production work on Justin Timberlake's solo disc and has recently worked with Kelly Price and TLC, whose T-Boz guests on the Instant Vintage track "Different Times."

• Raphael Saadiq
• D'Angelo
• Lucy Pearl
• Tony! Toni! Toné!
• *NSYNC

Dawn Robinson
Photo: Beyond Records

After spending years in En Vogue, recording an album with the short-lived Lucy Pearl and contributing backing vocals to a number of artists, Dawn Robinson has decided to keep her silky, soulful voice all to herself.

Robinson's debut solo album, Dawn, will hit stores October 16, with the sassy, uptempo single "Envious" leading the way at radio in mid-September.

The R&B singer/songwriter recorded the album in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles with such songwriting and production collaborators as PAJAM ('NSYNC, Sisqó) and Travon Potts (Christina Aguilera, Monica), according to her publicist.

The 12-song disc also will include the ballad "Just Get Up" and "MOW," an En Vogue-esque number with a new jack swing rhythm. Other songs are "Set It Off," "Party Party," "Fed Up," "Read It in My Eyes," "Still," "I Don't Know Why" and "You Will Never."

"I grew as a singer, songwriter and artist, and when it was over I felt a great sense of accomplishment," Robinson said in a statement. "There's something for all the En Vogue and Lucy Pearl fans, and the new Dawn fans as well."

While with En Vogue, Robinson scored such hits as "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" and "Hold On," but she left the group in 1997.

In late 1999 she formed Lucy Pearl with Tony! Toni! Toné! founder Raphael Saadiq and ex-A Tribe Called Quest DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad. The trio released their self-titled album the following May.

Robinson claimed she was shocked when her bandmates announced late last year that R&B singer Joi had replaced her (see "Dawn Robinson: Lucy Pearl Replacement 'A Big Shock'"). Lucy Pearl are now dormant. Saadiq announced earlier this month that he is recording a solo album (see "Raphael Saadiq Taps D'Angelo, Angie Stone For Solo Debut").

• Lucy Pearl
• En Vogue

Shaggy
Photo: Jason Campbell

Though their lead is shrinking, the Beatles will continue to hold onto the #1 spot on next week's Billboard 200 albums chart, staving off dancehall Hotshot Shaggy by a margin of 12,000 copies.

According to sales figures issued by SoundScan on Wednesday, The Beatles 1 sold more than 215,000 copies last week to maintain its position atop the charts, with Hotshot selling some 203,000 copies to finish at #2.

One of the biggest chart moves comes from the "Save the Last Dance" soundtrack, which features tracks by K-Ci & JoJo, 112, Lucy Pearl, Q-Tip, Pink and more. The companion album to the box-office-topping film managed to pop and lock its way to the #3 spot with 172,000 copies sold, up from 76,000 copies and the #11 spot last week.

Despite the sales increases posted by Hotshot and the "Save the Last Dance" album, The Beatles will likely face their stiffest chart competition next week, as Jennifer Lopez's just-released second album, J.Lo, may put an end to The Beatles 1's seven-week run at #1.

The rest of the next week's top 10 features most of the usual suspects from the last few weeks, with Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 5 at #4 with 112,000 copies sold, followed by Creed's Human Clay (102,000), Sade's Lovers Rock (88,000), and Limp Bizkit's Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (85,000).

Rounding out the remainder of the top 10 are Dido's No Angel at #8 (78,000 copies sold), Outkast's Stankonia (78,000), and Lenny Kravitz's Greatest Hits (78,000).

Fledgling rap-rockers Crazy Town look to crack the upper echelon of next week's Billboard 200, as the Los Angeles group's debut, The Gift of Game, moved up to #16 from #23 on the charts, fueled by the hit single "Butterfly." Crazy Town's recent success with The Gift of Game has been a study in patience and endurance; the album was initially released in October 1999 but didn't reach the Billboard 200 until nine weeks ago.

Other movers and shakers on the charts include a pair of movie-related albums. The "Coyote Ugly" soundtrack jumped up from #110 to #39, benefiting from last week's release of the film on video and DVD, while the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack climbs from #59 to #41. The only record set to debut in the new Billboard 200 comes courtesy of country stalwarts Alabama, whose When It All Goes South will enter the charts at #37, with more than 37,000 copies sold during its first week in stores.

• The Beatles
• Shaggy
• K-Ci & JoJo
• 112
• Lucy Pearl

When Lucy Pearl announced Monday that Joi was replacing Dawn Robinson in the R&B/hip-hop supergroup, no one was more surprised than Robinson herself.

"That came as a big shock to me when I heard about it [Tuesday]," said Robinson, who added that she understood all along that Lucy Pearl would be a one-year, one-time project. "That wasn't something we had discussed. We hadn't talked about anyone replacing anyone."

Robinson said she hadn't had a chance to talk to Raphael Saadiq and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, with whom she formed Lucy Pearl in late 1999. The group released their self-titled debut in May.

"The group knew I was leaving as of October 31 to work on my solo album, and I thought we were all just going to go our separate ways," Robinson said. Sounding upbeat despite the surprise news, the former En Vogue singer wished Saadiq, Muhammad and Joi well.

"A phone call would have been nice," Robinson added.

Saadiq and Muhammad could not be reached for comment Wednesday (November 8).

Meanwhile, Robinson just inked a deal with QVC's Q Records, which is distributed by Atlantic. She said she'll start working in a few weeks on the solo album she put on hold when she joined Lucy Pearl.

Robinson said she's already written most of the songs, including "Planet You," an R&B ballad about a self-absorbed boyfriend. But she might not include it on the album, she said, because she doesn't want to be pigeonholed as an R&B singer.

"I don't see why we have to categorize everything," Robinson said. "Music breaks through color lines and genre lines. You can go to a Madonna concert and stand next to a skinhead and get along, where you wouldn't normally be around that kind of person."

Robinson said she plans to ask No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani and Black Crowes leader Chris Robinson to guest on the album.

She said her experience with Lucy Pearl allowed her to grow as an artist, because each member contributed equally to the group's sound on songs such as "Dance Tonight."

"With En Vogue, we were never allowed to write our own material," Robinson said. "I think Lucy Pearl was a more credible band, because we all had a part in the sound."

• Lucy Pearl

Ex-En Vogue member Dawn Robinson has fallen out of vogue with Lucy Pearl — she's been replaced in the R&B/hip-hop supergroup by R&B singer Joi.

A statement issued by the group Monday gave no reason for Robinson's departure. The trio — Robinson, Tony! Toni! Toné! founder Raphael Saadiq and ex-A Tribe Called Quest DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad — released their self-titled debut in May.

Joi, in addition to issuing three solo LPs (the most recent one was 1996's Amoeba Cleansing Syndrome) has appeared on albums by Outkast, Goodie Mob and Curtis Mayfield. Her next solo disc is due next year.

"I always wanted to collaborate with Joi; I always loved her vibe," Saadiq said in the statement. "It was a natural progression for Joi to work with us in this capacity."

Lucy Pearl's new lineup will shoot the video for their next single, "You", which features Snoop Dogg and Q-Tip, in Los Angeles on Sunday and Monday.

• Lucy Pearl

The hip-hop trio Lucy Pearl plans to warm up for an opening stint on the D'Angelo tour with a New York City club show this week, and the band has just shot the video for its next single, "Don't Mess With My Man."

For the clip, Lucy Pearl -- which features Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue), Ali Shaheed Muhammad (from A Tribe Called Quest), and Raphael Saadiq (from Tony! Toni! Toné!) -- tapped director Matthew Rolston, who has also helmed videos for Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Brandy, and Matchbox 20.

The "Don't Mess With My Man" video was filmed on Sunday on location in Los Angeles.

Lucy Pearl will hook up with soulful crooner D'Angelo for a few dates beginning on August 4 in Los Angeles, with a portion of the concert's proceeds going to the Magic Johnson Foundation (see "D'Angelo, Lucy Pearl To Donate Funds To Charity").

• 7/21 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
• 8/4 - Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theater (w/ D'Angelo)
• 8/7 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues (w/ D'Angelo)
• 8/9 - Concord, CA @ Chronicle Pavilion (w/ D'Angelo)
• 8/28 - Boston, MA @ FleetBoston Pavilion (w/ D'Angelo)
• 8/31 - Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Concert Pavilion (w/ D'Angelo)

For a full-length interview with the band, check out the MTV News Online feature "Lucy Pearl: Good Noise."

• Lucy Pearl

The R&B trio Lucy Pearl has been confirmed to join D'Angelo for several dates on his upcoming "Voodoo: Episode II" tour, and part of the proceeds from their joint August 4 date in Los Angeles will be donated to the non-profit Magic Johnson Foundation.

The donation will be made as part of the Foundation's 15th Annual "A Midsummer Night's Magic" event, which raises money for a scholarship fund that provides financial aid to qualified minority high school and university students. The Magic Johnson Foundation plans to award over 35 of its Taylor Michael scholarships with the money raised by this year's "A Midsummer Night's Magic" alone.

"We would like to thank the bright and talented star D'Angelo for teaming up with 'A Midsummer Night's Magic' in support of the Magic Johnson Foundation," wrote former NBA star Earvin "Magic" Johnson in a statement. "His spirit of positivity and compassion will make a significant difference to all the deserving high school and college students who will benefit from his generosity."

In addition to the D'Angelo/Lucy Pearl show, "A Midsummer Night's Magic" will also incorporate an August 5 Mardi Gras Gala at Paramount Studios and a charity all-star basketball game at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion on August 6.

Some of the ballers expected to come out for the game include Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Steve Francis, and, of course, Magic Johnson himself.

In related news, Lucy Pearl will also play several other shows on the D'Angelo tour, including August 3 in Phoenix, August 9 in Concord, California, August 28 in Boston, and August 31 in Baltimore.

• D'Angelo
• Lucy Pearl

• Lucy Pearl

The members of Lucy Pearl bring some impressive resumes to the table, but the R&B outfit sought out even more big-name help in putting together its debut album.

Lucy Pearl's three "formerly of"s (Dawn Robinson of En Vogue, Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest, and Raphael Saadiq from Tony! Toni! Toné!) called in Snoop Dogg and Q-Tip to appear on their self-titled debut, which hits stores this week. The two hip-hop heavyweights turn up on a track called "You," providing some of the few moments on the album not sprung directly from the creative efforts of Robinson, Muhammad, and Saadiq.

The group is currently pumping the effort on the road and putting its money where its collective mouth is. "Most urban bands, I notice, when [they're on] award shows or something, it could be Metallica live, and as soon as it goes to such-and-such [artist], they throw in a DAT tape," Lucy Pearl's Saadiq told MTV News. "That could never happen with us. If we play any awards shows, we'll be playing like Metallica. It's gonna be live. That's what we've been trying to push since the Tonys. We play live, and we can't play no tape. A tape is like stopping your life or something to me." [RealVideo]

If you want to catch Lucy Pearl live on the road, here's where to look:

• 5/24 - Washington, DC @ The Garage
• 6/4 - West Hollywood, CA @ House Of Blues
• 6/5 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo's 365 Club
• 6/6 - West Hollywood, CA @ House Of Blues

• Lucy Pearl
• Q-Tip
• Snoop Dogg
• A Tribe Called Quest

As R&B/hip-hop supergroup Lucy Pearl prepares to bring its self-titled debut album to stores, the group has announced a brief club tour to coincide with the release.

• 5/21 - New York, NY @ SOB's
• 5/23 - New York, NY @ SOB's
• 5/24 - Washington, DC @ The Garage
• 5/26 - Detroit, MI @ WJLB radio show - venue TBD
• 5/27 - Chicago, Il @ House Of Blues
• 5/29 - Toronto, Ont @ The Phoenix
• 5/30 - Philadelphia, PA @ TBD
• 6/1 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

• Lucy Pearl

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