Bow Wow
Photo: Sacha Waldman

Bow Wow's sophomore album is still a couple of weeks away, but that hasn't stopped the formerly pint-sized rapper from bringing his music to the people. All grown up, Bow Wow is in the middle of a three-week tour to preview his upcoming Unleashed.

The 16-year-old is facing some adult-sized decisions, too, that have added a touch of controversy to his trek. Just before the tour began, Bow Wow excused "Uh Ooh" singer Lumidee from the opening slot, instead choosing to headline the shows solo and use up-and-coming artists from his own label as support.

"I wanted it to be all about my people," Bow Wow explained diplomatically. "It's cool to have other people on tour, but I want my family to eat. I want my people to have a shot."

Recognizing the need to get up close with his fans, Bow Wow is playing smaller stages. "It's more up-close-and-personal this time. In smaller venues, I get a chance to interact with the fans and the fans get a chance to interact with me."

Bow Wow calls the smaller spots "easy sellers," but they're still places that have the capacity to hold a few thousand fans — a testament to his popularity and his new single, "Let's Get Down," featuring Cash Money hurler Baby (see "Bow Wow To Seek Lessons On Macking, Gliding On 22s In New Clip").

"The crowd to me is way crazier inside smaller venues because there's only so much you can do. We got people packed to the cellars, screaming. It's crazy."

The tour wraps up on August 17 in Flint, Michigan, two days before the release of Unleashed.

Those who don't get a chance to see Bow Wow perform live will at least be able to see him in a new commercial for Campbell Soup that begins airing next week. Campbell is one of three organizations Bow Wow has aligned himself with to be a commercial pitchman. The other two are Kraft Foods and Computers for Youth, a foundation that looks to provide computers to disadvantaged inner-city youths (see "Bow Wow To Play Free Concert For Charity").

• Bow Wow
• Lumidee

Scott Weiland
Photo: MTV News

Scott Weiland was due in a Burbank, California, court to face drug charges Friday (July 11), but the case was continued until July 18 because the Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver singer is still in rehab in Florida, according to a court clerk. ... Though Marion "Suge" Knight remains in custody pending the scheduling of his parole revocation hearing, his sure-to-be-controversial memoir is moving forward. "American Nightmare/American Dream" promises to dish not just about the rap mogul, but also on Dr. Dre, J. Lo and Snoop Dogg. It's due in November through Riverhead books. ...

Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. clothing line for LeSportsac has quietly launched, with handbags and accessories available online and in stores. Check out the items — some with woven guitar-strap handles — at LeSportsac's Web site. ... Puddle of Mudd, Trapt, MXPX and Damone will perform a the Nokia T-Mobile Ramps & Amps Invitational July 19 at Randall's Island Park in New York. The free event will feature top athletes in freestyle motocross (including Pink's boyfriend, Carey Hart), vert skateboarding and BMX. ... Björk will perform with Matmos and the Icelandic String Octet on a nine-date North American tour beginning August 8 in San Francisco. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Will Oldham (under the moniker Bonnie Prince Billy) and the Matthew Herbert Big Band will open on various dates. ...

The members of Simple Plan stood dazed and spattered in blood in a Los Angeles building on Wednesday, but they weren't injured. They were taking part in a photo shoot for the most graphic anti-fur ad yet from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The campaign, titled "From Her Back to Yours," features the group standing behind the carcass of a dead fox hanging from the ceiling. ... Master P's 13-year-old son, rapper/actor Lil' Romeo, will be starring with his dad in the TV comedy "Romeo," which debuts September 13 on Nickelodeon. Victoria Jackson, best known for her years with "Saturday Night Live," will play the family nanny. ...

Uh-oooh! Lumidee's joining Bow Wow on tour in August and DMX on a college tour later this year. Dates and other details have yet to be ironed out. ... With the Rolling Stones as headliners, tickets have neared the half-million mark for the star-studded Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto Concert on July 30. The event — organized with the hope of boosting morale in Toronto, where tourism slumped due to a SARS outbreak — will also include Justin Timberlake, AC/DC, Rush, the Guess Who, Sam Roberts, the Flaming Lips and the Isley Brothers. ... Trapt will headline the 29-date Jim Beam Tour, set to get underway on July 22 in Boston, according to Pollstar. Rockers Smile Empty Soul and 3 Days Grace are also on the bill. ...

Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat are featured on "Miss P," the first single from Dupri's latest protégés, Cherish. The artists shot the video Monday in Los Angeles with director Darren Grant (Destiny's Child). "They have tremendously raw talent — sisters who each have the potential to be lead singers," Dupri said of the group, whose debut, The Moment, is due in the fall. "They are the new Xscape." ... Mandy Moore has set an October 21 release date for Coverage, which will feature interpretations of classics by Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Elton John and more. "I could've done a whole Elton cover record," Moore wrote on her Web site. ...

07.10.2003

Former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha has joined A Perfect Circle. Although Iha didn't contribute to the band's new album, Thirteenth Step, he'll be onstage for the band's 12-date club tour, which begins July 26 in Denver. ... Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith will play detectives in a still-untitled action comedy scheduled to begin production in early winter. Pinkett Smith's husband, Will Smith, will produce the movie. ...

Beyoncé Knowles' upcoming musical comedy, "Fighting Temptations," will now hit theaters on September 19. The film — in which Beyoncé co-stars with Cuba Gooding Jr. — was expected to arrive in August. ... 'NSYNC and Vanessa Carlton will judge the new teen category in the annual International Songwriting Competition. The winner receives a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston. ... "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell is writing "I Don't Mean to Be Rude, But ...," a book offering his insight into the music industry. It's scheduled for publication December 2. ...

Don't know why Bad Brains are often called "America's Clash"? Then hearing singer H.R.'s political lyrics rendered atop a mix of punk and reggae on the hits collection Banned in DC: Bad Brains' Greatest Riffs is essential. Banned drops July 29. ... Vanessa Carlton will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Major League Baseball's All-Star Game on Tuesday in Chicago. Thirty-nine outs later, Amy Grant will sing "America the Beautiful" for the seventh-inning stretch of the 74th Midsummer Classic. ...

Ex-Blur guitarist Graham Coxon is finishing up a new solo album with producer Stephen Street, who worked on the first five Blur records, according to his Web site. Meanwhile, Blur start the second leg of their North American tour this weekend in Minneapolis in support of Think Thank, the Britpop band's first album since parting with Coxon. ... Gene Loves Jezebel have set an August 12 release date for their next album, Exploding Girls. The group is planning a U.S. tour for the fall. ...

Puretunes.com, a Spanish music download service launched in May that claims to abide by Spanish copyright laws, is the current focus of the RIAA's efforts to curb piracy. According to Reuters, the RIAA has filed suit against the company, claiming copyright infringement and unfair competition, and also alleges that Puretunes deceived its customers into believing the service was approved by Spanish recording artists. ... Big-name acts like the Rolling Stones, the Dixie Chicks and Cher have boosted concert ticket sales, which are up 24 percent so far this year. According to tour-industry trade magazine Pollstar, sales seem to be recovering from the slump they have been in since 2000; however, unfavorable weather may slow the outdoor concert and festival sales that are the heart of summer shows. ...

They're "feeling good, feeling great" and feeling like changing their minds. Outkast have switched up their original singles plans for the double LP Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. "She Lives in My Lap" will still be one of the first two initial offerings, but "Ghetto Musick" will be the second half of the double whammy. The album's release date has also been reset for September 9. ... "Awww baby"? More like "Awww fooey!" When Ashanti celebrated the release of her #1 album, Chapter II, at New York's Chelsea Piers on Wednesday, many of her invited guests cried foul over being forced by security to stand outside in long lines. VIPs Usher, Joe Budden, Fat Joe and Irv and Chris Gotti made it inside to partake in the revelry. ...

On August 5, A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese will release a jazz-influenced solo record called Strip Search on Magna Carta. Bass player Mike Elizonzo and guitarist Michael Ward join Freese on the album. ... Techno fans will have to wait two more weeks for Kraftwerk's new album, Tour de France. (After 17 years, what's another 14 days?) The LP's release date has been moved from July 22 to August 5. The electro duo's last album of new material was 1986's Electric Cafe. ... Speaking of delays, the State Property gang is still going to all be there, just a week later than expected. State Property Presents the Chain Gang Vol. II has been pushed back one week to August 12. ...

• Scott Weiland
• No Doubt
• Puddle Of Mudd
• Björk
• Simple Plan

Beyoncé
Photo: Columbia

Beyoncé Knowles has made it as an independent woman.

The Destiny's Child singer graces the top spot on the new Billboard 200 albums chart with her long-awaited solo debut, Dangerously in Love (see "Beyonce Pushes Up Release Date Of Solo Debut"). Driven by the hit single "Crazy in Love," featuring Jay-Z, the album sold more than 316,000 copies last week, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (July 2).

If Michelle Branch could have just one more birthday wish (she turned 20 on Wednesday), it might be to place one notch higher on the chart — though she isn't exactly complaining about Hotel Paper's #2 debut (see "Michelle Branch Ignores Sophomore Jinx Like She Ignored Death Threats"). The singer's second album fared far better than her debut, The Spirit Room, which came in at #97 with only 15,000 copies sold in its first week two years ago. The Spirit Room went on to sell more than 1.8 million copies.

It looks like Southern rappers the Three 6 Mafia have a hit with Da Unbreakables. The collective's latest album debuts at #4 with more than 94,000 copies sold on the heels of the single "Ridin' Spinners."

The rest of the top 10 includes: Luther Vandross' Dance With My Father, which has sold nearly three-quarters of a million copies in just three weeks, at #3 (119,000); Metallica's St. Anger dropping two spots but cracking a million, at #5 (87,000); 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin' holding at #6 (78,000); Monica's After the Storm forfeiting its #1 position and dropping to #7 (78,000); Evanescence's Fallen sticking to its #8 slot (69,000); Norah Jones' Come Away With Me dropping three to #9 (67,000); and Annie Lennox's Bare dropping five spots to bringing up the rear (66,000).

While Beyoncé's LP is #1 with record buyers, her "Crazy in Love" is tops with downloaders, logging 1,497 transactions from legit Internet sites iTunes, PressPlay, MusicNet, Listen.com and Liquid Audio, according to SoundScan's new online tracking data. Coldplay also appear to be hot among digital-music mavens, with 13 tracks in the top 200, followed by Steely Dan, who have nine.

Perhaps people bringing their iPods to the pool or beach are responsible for Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" receiving 168 downloads; and apparently 10 more people prefer Supertramp's "Take the Long Way Home," downloaded 130 times, to their "The Logical Song," which only had 120. Complete albums downloaded through those sites are now also calculated by SoundScan, and the results contribute to an album's total sales.

The soundtrack to "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," featuring the single "Feel Good Time" by Pink and new collaborations from Nas and Pharrell Williams as well as Nickelback and Kid Rock, lands at #14 after selling just under 50,000 copies (see "New Tracks From Nas, Pink, Nickelback On 'Charlie's Angels' Disc"). And after 14 years in the game, influential hip-hop duo Gang Starr's sixth album places at #18 with more than 48,000 copies sold.

With remix help from Busta and Fabolous, Lumidee is indeed Almost Famous with her debut album landing at 22, and former indie-rock queen Liz Phair, toting a reinvented image and a saccharine pop single written by Avril song-scripters the Matrix, finds herself at #27 with her self-titled fourth album (see "Gang Starr Returning With Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss, Fat Joe").

Other notable debuts include socially conscious rappers Black Eyed Peas' Elephunk at #33 (see "Black Eyed Peas Exhibit New Breed Of Elephunk On Upcoming LP"); campus faves Guster's Keep It Together at #37; Blu Cantrell's second melancholically titled LP, Bittersweet, at #37; De-Loused in the Comatorium, the debut album by the post-At the Drive-In project the Mars Volta, at #39; Seattle rockers Vendetta Red's Between the Never and the Now at #101; Selena's Greatest Hits at #117; and KRS-One's Kristyles at #186 (see "Angry At 'Devious' Record Label, KRS-One Halts Sales Of New LP").

• Beyoncé
• Michelle Branch
• Three 6 Mafia
• Luther Vandross
• Lumidee

Lumidee
Photo: Universal

NEW YORK — Her album came out Tuesday, she has one of the hottest songs on radio, and her first video just hit the airwaves.

This is what Lumidee Cedeño has dreamed about doing for many of her 19 years, but even she will admit that sometimes it seems like things are moving too fast.

Three months ago, the Spanish Harlem native didn't have a record deal with a major label; six months ago, performing in front of more than 50,000 people at Summer Jam was just a dream. And when it happened, the reality was Lumi had to overcome stage fright for what was only her third concert ever.

"I've been recording like two and a half, three years, but [my producers] didn't really try to shop [for a record deal] because I wasn't ready mentally," said the lifelong around-the-way girl. "I could record, but I was too scared to perform in front of people. So they was like, 'You gotta break out of that because things could change from one day to the next. What if people want to sign you?' "

The prophecy of her producers Trendsetta and DJ TedSmooth panned out just as her hit club banger "Never Leave You (Uh-Oooh)" started taking off in February. Incorporating Lumi's now signature "Uh oh, uh oh" croons and the same irresistible Diwali riddim that fueled Sean Paul's "Get Busy" and Wayne Wonder's "No Letting Go," the record has become one the most played in the clubs this year and is climbing the charts.

" 'Uh oh,' I can't take credit for that," she admitted, sitting in New York's Right Track studios. "The song was too short and Ted said, 'Write a bridge.' He was like, 'Just say "Uh oh." ' I recorded it and I hated it. But it's just so catchy. I think it just blew up like that because it's different. It's like, 'What is she singing?' Either you not gonna like it or you gonna love it. Some people be like, 'I hate this sh--.' And the people who like it really like it. I don't know, I don't have such a strong voice, but it's different. I don't sing like I came straight from church, but it's different. Whoever likes it wants to hear something new."

While fans of the song may be falling in love with how it mixes R&B, reggae and smidgens of freestyle to create a fresh sound, they're actually hearing an old song. Lumi recorded it almost a year ago just to give TedSmooth something to spin in the clubs. As it picked up during Smooth's gigs, he passed it along to his fellow turntablist friends, and eventually it popped on radio.

Smooth, who signed Lumi to his Straight Face label, was soon fielding offers from heavyweights like Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella, Epic and Arista. They eventually decided to go with Kedar Massenburg and Universal in late April, leaving Lumi to quickly master multitasking. People were clamoring to book her for shows, but she also had to abruptly turn around and record most of her debut, Almost Famous, in a matter of weeks to make the June 24 release date. She said doing both put a strain on her voice, but she worked through it.

"We have to rush," Lumi said in early May, two weeks after signing with Universal. "I was always recording, so that's good or I would have been real stuck. A lot of stuff was reference tracks, so we went back and re-recorded everything."

Lumi did have a little help on the mic. She already had a song with Nore, the probable second single "Crashin' a Party," and Busta Rhymes and Fabolous reached out to her to be on the remix of "Never Leave You."

"I was loving her song," Fab said. "I had the chance to call up and speak to her one day and she said she'd love to have me on the song. We made it happen from there."

"All these people, of course I would look to them to be on my songs, but we ain't got Busta and Fab money," she said. "We don't have Nore money. They just hollered at us like, 'Yo, that is hot; I want to get on that.' All this is just amazing."

• Lumidee

Eva Mendes, Rosario Dawson, Leonardo DiCaprio, More At The 2007 Tribeca Film Festival

• David Bowie
• Alicia Keys
• Lumidee