Mr. Cheeks

New Releases: Nelly, Prodigy, Mr. Cheeks, Megadeth, Fu Manchu, Dizzee Rascal, Bowling For Soup & More

13 Sep 2004 09:55:00 EDT

Nelly's Sweat/Suit
Photo: Fo' Real/Universal

Sweaty club patrons and slick-suited players alike will find tracks to grind to on this week's top new release.

Nelly returns with a double shot of his Southern rap, with one half of Sweatsuit heating up the party with club tracks (Sweat) and the other taking the tempo down a couple notches while upping the sexy ante (Suit). The rapper, who collaborated with Mase, Fat Joe, Remy Martin, Jaheim, Christina Aguilera, Mobb Deep and country star Tim McGraw on the LP, said he had so much great material coming out of him in the studio that he couldn't possibly limit his third album to just one disc.

Last year, Mr. Cheeks came Back Again! with a new album and just 18 months later, he's back again with Ladies & Ghettomen. Meanwhile, garage/hip-hop artist Dizzee Rascal, who won the U.K.'s Mercury Prize in 2003 and is on the Long List for this year's Shortlist Music Prize, will release his sophomore album, Showtime, this week.

On the harder side of things, the Prodigy, whose biggest release was 1997's The Fat of the Land, will release the more dance-oriented Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, which debuted at #1 on the British charts at the end of August. Sticking with the heaviness, Megadeth will release their 10th studio album, The System Has Failed, their first since 2001's The World Needs a Hero.

Van Halen are releasing their 1986 video "Live Without a Net" onto DVD. With Sammy Hagar at the mic, the band rocks through tracks like "Why Can't This Be Love?" and "There's Only One Way to Rock." In other '80s rock band news, Tears for Fears will release Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, their first studio release since 1989.

Guns N' Roses bassist Tommy Stinson, who recently put out a solo album, Village Gorilla Head, is releasing Once, Twice, Three Times a Maybe from his band Perfect, which formed in 1995 but only released an EP in 1996.

Pop-punk outfit Bowling for Soup are making their oddball name more widely recognized with the single "1985" off their newest album, A Hangover You Don't Deserve, which comes out this week. "The Lyricist Lounge Show" star and underground hip-hop fixture Wordsworth drops his debut solo effort, Mirror Music. And on the indie rock side of things, the Thrills release their sophomore LP, Let's Bottle Bohemia, and Canadian duo Tegan & Sara see their third album, So Jealous, hit shelves.

Some of the other artists with albums hitting stores in this big release week are the Datsuns (Outta Sight/ Outta Mind), Fu Manchu (Start the Machine), Flogging Molly (Within a Mile of Home), Citizen Cope (The Clarence Greenwood Recordings), Har Mar Superstar (The Handler), the Zombies (As Far as I Can See), Ray LaMontagne (Trouble), Gov't Mule (Deja Voodoo) and Branford Marsalis (Eternal).

Out Tuesday, September 14:

Mindi Abair - Come as You Are (GRP)
Across Five Aprils - Living in the Moment (Indianola)
Action Action - Don't Cut Your Fabric to This Year's Fashion (Victory)
Eric Alexander - Dead Center (HighNote)
Anthony B - Untouchable (Pyramid)
The Arcade Fire - Funeral (Merge)
BeauSoleil - Gitan Cajun (Gypsy Cajun) (Vanguard)
Blackfield - Blackfield (Snapper)
Bowling for Soup - A Hangover You Don't Deserve (Jive)
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Timeless (HighTone)
Norman Brown - West Coast Coolin' (Warner Bros.)
Kasey Chambers - Wayward Angel (Warner Bros.)
Peter Cincotti - On the Moon (Concord)
Citizen Cope - The Clarence Greenwood Recordings (RCA)
Cowboy Jack Clement - Guess Things Happen That Way (DualTone)
The Datsuns - Outta Sight/ Outta Mind (V2)
Dead to Fall - Villainy and Virtue (Victory)
Dem Franchise Boyz - Dem Franchise Boyz (Universal)
Dizzee Rascal - Showtime (XL/Beggars Banquet)
Dollhouse - Rock and Soul Circus (Dim Mak)
Dub FX - Dub FX (Pyramid)
Fast Forward/ T Cells - Split (Three One G)
The Faint - Wet From Birth (Saddle Creek)
The Features - Exhibit A (Universal)
Flogging Molly - Within a Mile of Home (SideOneDummy)
Fonzie - Wake Up Call (Transdreamer)
Fu Manchu - Start the Machine (DRT)
Giant Sand - Is All Over ... the Map (Thrill Jockey)
Gov't Mule - Deja Voodoo (ATO)
The Great Jazz Trio - Someday My Prince Will Come (88's/Columbia)
Hilary Hahn - Elgar Violin Concerto/ Lark Ascending (Deutsche Grammophon)
Har Mar Superstar - The Handler (Record Collection)
Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz - Come Closer (Rounder)
John Herman - Just Ain't Right (Sanctuary)
The High Water Marks - Songs About the Ocean (Eenie Meenie)
Japancakes - Waking Hours (Warm Electronic)
Mike Katz - A Month of Sundays (Rounder)
The Knockout Pills - 1 + 1=ATE (Estrus)
Lake of Tears - Black Brick Road (Sanctuary/Noise)
Ray LaMontagne - Trouble (RCA)
Layton - Grand Design (Leftwing)
Ludicra - Another Great Love Song (Alternative Tentacles)
Mannheim Steamroller - Monster Mix (American Gramaphone)
Augie March - Strange Bird (spinART)
Branford Marsalis - Eternal (Marsalis Music/Rounder)
Mark McKay - Shimmer (Bacchus/ Toadfish)
Megadeth - The System Has Failed (Sanctuary)
Read: "Dave Mustaine, Megadeth Return To Life With New System"
Buy Now: The System Has Failed (Sanctuary)
Brad Mehldau - Live in Tokyo (Nonesuch)
Mexican Gangster - Mexican Gangster (Thump)
Mindless Faith - Momentum (Metropolis)
Joni Mitchell - Dreamland (Rhino)
Mr. Cheeks - Ladies & Ghettomen (Legal Drug Money/ Contango)
Nicole C. Mullen - Everyday People (Word)
Nelly - Sweat and Suit (Fo' Reel/ Universal)
Read: "Nelly's Double Dose Features Mase, X-tina And ... Tim McGraw?"
Nevea Tears - Do I Have to Tell You Why I Love You (Eulogy)
Dolly Parton - Live & Well (Sugar Hill)
Polly Paulusma - Scissors in My Pocket (Birdman/ One Little Indian)
Perfect - Once, Twice, Three Times a Maybe (Rykodisc)
Houston Person - To Etta with Love (HighNote)
Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love (Rounder)
Prodigy - Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned (Maverick)
Read: "Twista, Kool Keith, Juliette Lewis Smack Up New Prodigy LP"
Buy Now: Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned (Maverick)
Psyche - Legacy (Metropolis)
Mark Rae - Into the Depths (Grand Central)
Rachael Sage - Ballads & Burlesque (MPress)
Saturday Looks Good to Me - Every Night (Polyvinyl)
Coyote Shivers - Gives It to Ya. Twice (Foodchain)
Signer - The New Face of Smiling (Carpark)
Silent Force - Worlds Apart (Sanctuary/Noise)
Silkworm - It'll Be Cool (Touch and Go)
The Silos - When the Telephone Rings (DualTone)
Singapore Sling - Life Is Killing My Rock 'N' Roll (Stinky)
Scott Stapleton - A Storm Over Springtime (Undecided)
Jimmy Sturr - Rock 'n Polka (Rounder)
Tears for Fears - Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (Hip-O/ UME)
Tegan & Sara - So Jealous (Vapor/ Sanctuary)
The Thrills - Let's Bottle Bohemia (Virgin)
Sally Timms - In the World of Him (Touch and Go)
Viva Voce - The Heat Can Melt Your Brain (Minty Fresh)
Paul Weller - Studio 150 (V2)
Matt Wilson's Arts and Crafts - Wake Up to What's Happening (Palmetto)
Wordsworth - Mirror Music (Halftooth)
Zap Mama - Ancestry in Progress (Luaka Bop/ v2)
Thalia Zedek - Trust Not Those in Whom Without Some Touch of Madness (Thrill Jockey)
The Zombies - As Far as I Can See (Rhino)
Various artists - Disney's Lullaby & Goodnight (Walt Disney)
Various artists - Galactic Caravan: Intergalactic Bellydance (Ark 21)
Various artists - Many Blessings (Silver Ware)
Various artists - Trance Divas (Varese Sarabande)
Various artists – Soundtrack to "Moog" (Hollywood)
Various artists – Soundtrack to "Will & Grace" (BMG SMG)
DVD: Dion - "Live" (Image Entertainment)
DVD: Godsmack - "Changes" (Rounder)
DVD: Moloko - "11,000 Clicks" (Sanctuary)
DVD: UB40 - "Homegrown in Holland Live" (Rhino)
DVD: Van Halen - "Live Without a Net" (Rhino)

September 21:

Green Day - American Idiot (Warner)
Read: "Green Day: Anatomy Of A Punk Opera"
Ben Harper & the Blind Boys of Alabama - There Will Be a Light (Virgin)
Shadows Fall - War Within (Century Media)
Keb' Mo' - Peace ... Back by Popular Demand (Sony)

September 28:

Brian Wilson - Smile (Nonesuch)
Joss Stone - Mind, Body & Soul (S-Curve)
Hilary Duff - Hilary Duff (Hollywood)
Queen Latifah - The Dana Owens Album (Interscope)

October 5:

Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays (Warner Bros.)
Cake - Pressure Chief (Sony)
Good Charlotte - The Chronicles of Life & Death (Sony) Read: "Good Charlotte Get Serious With The Chronicles Of Life And Death" 1489850
R.E.M. - Around the Sun (Warner Bros.)

New Releases: '8 Mile' DVD, Mr. Cheeks, Raveonettes, Libertines, Stephen Malkmus, Buzzcocks & More

18 Mar 2003 07:57:00 EST

Eminem
Photo: Universal

Time again for new releases, but this week's big story might not be a record: Eminem's rags-to-riches story, "8 Mile," makes its DVD debut and features deleted scenes of Em spontaneously battling extras from the film in a freestyle sequence.

The compilation Atticus: Dragging the Lake 2 features pop-punks Blink-182 and their side projects Box Car Racer and the Transplants, plus contributions from Sparta, Rocket From the Crypt and Alkaline Trio.

The Libertines up the racket in Up the Bracket, their punk rock album produced by the Clash's Mick Jones, which invokes the Jam and the Buzzcocks on "Horror Show" and "The Boy Looked at Johnny." Meanwhile, the Buzzcocks invoke themselves on their new eponymous album. After some shaky years trying to maintain relevance, the punk pioneers recapture some of their original magic as co-founder Howard Devoto returns to pen "Stars" and "Lester Sands" with Pete Shelley.

M. Ward, a singer/songwriter combination of Nick Drake and Neil Young with a hint of John Fahey, presents his haunting Transfiguration of Vincent, while Stereolab bassist Simon Johns releases Trinity Neon from his band Imitation Electric Piano.

Moldy Peaches and their Unreleased Cutz & Live Jamz share shelf space with the Blam's poppy garage rock on their self-titled LP, as well as with the North Carolina hip-hop trio Little Brother's Listening.

Now that the buzz on this band has increased, it's time for its major-label debut. You Hear It First alums the Raveonettes present, for the second time, Whip It On. And finally, Stephen Malkmus is back. The ex-Pavement star and his band the Jicks release their second album, Pig Lib. Wowee Zowee.

Out Tuesday, March 18:

Alicen - Talk to Me (Hitpros)
The Allman Brothers Band - Hittin' the Note (Peach/Sanctuary)
Ape Breaks - Volume 5 (Ubiquity)
Nate Ashley - The Darker Corners of Your Heart (Knw-Yr-Own)
Philo Beddow - End the Measured Mile (The First Time)
Belmondo - Entertainers (Kold)
Big Country - Rarities III (Navarre)
Biohazard - Kill or Be Killed (Sanctuary)
Buy Now: Kill or Be Killed (Sanctuary)
Jeff Black - B-sides and Confessions Volume One (DualTone)
The Black Lips - Black Lips (Bomp)
The Blam - The Blam (Mootron)
The Blood Brothers - Burn, Piano Island, Burn (ARTISTdirect)
Read: "Blood Brothers Seek Order In Muscle-Free Chaos"
Blue Oyster Cult - Then and Now (Sanctuary)
The Boils - Pride and Persecution (TKO)
Briefs - Off the Charts (EP, Dirtnap)
Mick Bund - Astronaut Graffiti (Madacy)
Buzzcocks - Buzzcocks (Merge)
Califone - Quicksand/Cradlesnakes (Thrill Jockey)
Deana Carter - I'm Just a Girl (Arista)
Cave In - Antenna (Hydra Head/RCA)
Concrete Blonde - Live in Brazil (2 CDs, Ark 21)
Crooks - Just Released (Navarre)
Culture - Healing of the Nations (Varese Sarabande)
Deerhoof - Apple O' (Kill Rock Stars)
Detroit Experiment - Detroit Experiment (Rope A Dope)
DF Dub - Country Girl (Columbia)
DJ Debra - Wildlife 2003 (Studio K7)
DJ Spooky - Dubtometry (Thirsty Ear)
Drugstore - Songs for the Jet Set & Collector Number One (First Time)
Ronnie Earl - I Feel Like Goin' On (Stony Plain)
Exhibition - Sign of Tomorrow (Limb)
Father MC - My (Empire Musicwerks)
Lorraine Feather - Cafe Society (Sanctuary)
Ibrahim Ferrar - Buenos Hermanos (Nonesuch)
Fire - Magic Shoemaker (Navarre)
Five Blind Boys of Alabama - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Liquid 8)
Fleetwood Mac - Live in Boston 1&2 (Snapper Classics)
FM Knives - Useless and Modern (Broken Rekids)
Kim Fox - Return to Planet Earth (Franklin Castle/Oglio)
Freaks - Man Who Lived Underground (Music 4 Freaks)
Fred Frith - Prints (Fred)
Rory Gallagher - Wheels Within Wheels (BMG)
Howie Gelb - Listener (Thrill Jockey)
Gentle Giant - Artistically Cryme (United States)
Gigi - Illuminated Audio (Palm Pictures)
Gluecifer - Basement Ape (Steamhammer)
Grand Mal - Bad Timing (Arena Rock)
Gravy Train - Hello Doctor (Kill Rock Stars)
Gun Barrel - Battle Tested (Limb)
Regie Hamm - American Dreams (Universal South)
Jim Hightower - The People Are Revolting (In the Very Best Sense of That Word) (Alternative Tentacles)
Imitation Electric Piano - Trinity Neon (Drag City)
Incredible Expanding Mindf--k - Arcadia Son (United States)
Jet Black Summer - Ladder of Divine Ascent (Lakeshore)
Junior Panthers - Junior Panthers (First Time)
Damien Jurado - Where Shall You Take Me? (Secretly Canadian)
Kaskade - It's You It's Me (Om)
Kill Your Idols - Skinnier Years (State of Grace)
King Britt - Adventures in Lo-Fi (Studio K7)
Jill King - Jillbilly (Blue Diamond)
Lambrettas - Da-A-A-Ance (Navarre)
Adam Levy - Get Your Glow On (Lost Wax)
Libertines - Up the Bracket (Sanctuary/Rough Trade)
Little Brother - Listening (Abb Soul)
Longwave - The Strangest Things (RCA)
Read: "Longwave Different From Anthrax, Public Enemy; Get Career Help From The Strokes"
Buy Now: The Strangest Things (RCA)
Corb Lund Band - Five Dollar Bill (Stony Plain)
Lylah - Lifeless Valentine (Vermillion)
M. Ward - Transfiguration of Vincent (Merge)
Magic - White Eyes (Universal)
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Pig Lib (Matador)
Marmalade - Kaleidoscope: Psych-pop Sessions (Navarre)
Meteors - Wreckin' Live (Navarre)
The Midnight Evils - Straight Til Morning (Estrus)
Miracle of 86 - Every Famous Last Word (Idelic Sounds/Lakeshore)
Mirror - Eye of the Storm (Streamline)
Moldy Peaches - Moldy Peaches 2000: Unreleased Cutz & Live Jamz (Sanctuary)
Mr. Capone-e - Dedicated 2 the Oldies (Thump)
Mr. Cheeks - Back Again (Universal)
Read: "Mr. Cheeks Casts Ex-Destiny's Child Member As A Shorty With The Fatty"
Buy Now: Back Again (Universal)
Mr. Serv-On - No More Questions (D3)
Mull Historical Society - Us (XL/Beggars Banquet)
Neon Hunk - Smarmymob (Load)
Pearlene - Pearlene (Sympathy for the Record Industry)
Pistoleros - Cult 45 (Navarre)
Planet Earth - Blackout (Volcano/Jive)
Puny Human - It's Not the Heat, It's the Humanity (Small Stone)
The Raveonettes - Whip It On (Columbia)
Read: " '8 Mile' Outtakes Coming Sooner Than You Think"
Celine Dion - One Heart (Sony)
Les Nubians - One Step Forward (Higher Octave)
Linkin Park - Meteora (Warner Bros.)
Read: "Linkin Park Expand Meteora's Musical Horizons ... In 40 Minutes Or Less"
Buy Now: Meteora (Warner Bros.)
Various artists - Now That's What I Call Music! Vol. 12 (Virgin)

April 1:

The White Stripes - Elephant (V2)
Read: "White Stripes To Put Their Best Trunk Forward On April Fool's Day With Elephant"
Robbie Williams - Escapology (Virgin)
Buy Now: Escapology (Virgin)

April 8:

Russell Crowe and 30 Odd Foot of Grunts - Other Ways of Speaking (Artemis)
Godsmack - Faceless (Universal)
Read: "Godsmack's Visions Of Spinal Tap, Dio, Worse Prompt A Change"
Lisa Marie Presley - To Whom It May Concern (Capitol)
Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun (Matador)

April 15:

Thicke - Cherry Blue Skies (Interscope)
Read: "Robin Thicke: Mixing The Beatles, Zeppelin And Hendrix With Jay-Z"

Related Artists

For The Record: Quick News On Mary J. Blige, Baby, Mr. Cheeks, Queens Of The Stone Age, Jimmy Eat World & More

7 Feb 2003 04:44:00 EST

Mary J. Blige
Photo: MCA

The first gold and platinum plaques of 2003 were doled out by the recording industry, for album sales of 500,000 and 1 million, respectively. Queens of the Stone Age, the White Stripes and Baby a.k.a the #1 Stunna were each awarded their first gold records. ...

Producers/songwriters Kiyamma Griffin and Floyd Howard filed an $11 million lawsuit against Mary J. Blige, MCA Records and the singer's Mary Jane Productions on January 24 that alleges fraud and breach of contract, among other complaints. They claim they've never been paid royalties for contributions to the tracks "Sexy" and "No Happy Holidays," from 1999's Mary; and "Flying Away," "Destiny" and "2 U," from 2001's No More Drama. ... An array of artists, including Blige, Musiq, Mark Anthony, India.Arie and Eric Clapton pay homage to Stevie Wonder on the tribute album Conception: An Interpretation of Stevie Wonder's Songs, due March 18. The 14-track LP features selections from Wonder's best albums, such as 1976's Songs in the Key of Life and 1973's Innervisions. A cover of "That Girl" by R&B singer Joe and rapper Mr. Cheeks began appearing at radio last week. ...

LeAnn Rimes was forced to postpone her upcoming European tour after she and husband Dean Sheremet were hospitalized for severe cuts and bruises they suffered in a car accident with a drunk driver. Rimes was returning from filming a guest appearance on NBC's "American Dreams" on January 31 when the accident occurred in Hollywood. She was treated and released from a local hospital, and the driver was arrested for driving under the influence. ...

Jimmy Eat World frontman Jim Adkins and his promoter friend have started a label called Western Tread, based in their hometown of Phoenix. The imprint's first release will be a vinyl version of Jimmy Eat World's eponymous, self-titled LP that features the bonus track "Splash, Turn, Twist." It will be followed by an EP by the duo the Format, who will release a full-length debut next year on Elektra Records. The label's first full-length LP, due in early summer, will come courtesy of Phoenix's Reubens Accomplice. ...

Bret Michaels' fast-approaching 40th birthday (on March 15) has put him in a reflective mood. On April 22 the Poison vocalist will release Songs of Life, a solo album that looks back on all of the major events in his life, from the birth of his daughter Raine to the death of his uncle in Vietnam. ... Jagermeister tour participants (Hed) Planet Earth are set to release their third album, Blackout, on March 18. The LP follows 2000's Broke. The album's title track surfaced at radio this week. ...

02.06.03

Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera have set June 4 as the start date for their 45-date North American trek, dubbed the Justified and Stripped Tour. An itinerary has yet to be lined up, but the duo plan to hit major markets including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Boston. ...

Billie Joe Armstrong's lawyer entered an innocent plea on behalf of the Green Day singer in Alameda County Superior Court on Tuesday on two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol. A pretrial hearing was set for February 19. Armstrong was arrested in Oakland, California, on January 5 after police pulled him over for suspicious driving. ... City National Bank in Los Angeles is suing Suge Knight for failing to make payments on a yacht he purchased in the L.A. area. The music mogul owes more than $592,000 plus late fees on a loan, according to the Associated Press. ...

Former New Kids on the Block member Danny Wood will release a solo album, Second Face, on April 15. After NKOTB broke up in 1995, Wood produced tracks for Joey McIntyre's solo album. ... Russell Crowe has recorded a duet with the Pretenders' Chrissie Hynde for the next album from his band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts. Due in April, the group's sixth release will be titled Other Ways of Speaking and, for the first time, will include Crowe on the cover. ...

PJ Harvey is in the middle of writing her sixth album, which she described to BBC Radio 1 as an "ugly-sounding batch of songs" that is "quite disturbing," "dark" and "bluesy." She previewed some of the material at this year's Big Day Out Festival in Australia. The album will be the follow-up to 2000's Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea. ... Taking advantage of the attention surrounding their Grammy nomination, Swedish garage rockers the Soundtrack of Our Lives are planning a North American tour. The 19-date trek will kick off March 15 in Orlando and wrap April 27 in Indio, California. ...

The Calling recently shot a video for "For You," their single from the "Daredevil" soundtrack, with director Meiert Avis (Bruce Springsteen, Van Halen). The Los Angeles rockers are now recording their follow-up to their debut, Camino Palmero. ... Jimmy Allen, the guitarist who co-wrote several of Puddle of Mudd's hits but left the band before they recorded Come Clean, has released an EP with his new band, Cut-Out. The group also has some Los Angeles shows lined up. ...

Queensrÿche are hard at work completing their new studio album, which is tentatively titled Tribe. The disc should be ready shortly after April 22, when EMI re-issues four of the band's classics: Queensrÿche (EP), The Warning Rage for Order and Operation: Mindcrime. A full U.S. tour will follow the releases. ... Andrew W.K. has begun working on his second album, the follow-up to 2001's I Get Wet, in a New York studio. The dirty-white-jeans-wearing maniac is producing the effort himself, and it's expected to hit stores this summer, in time for his stint on the Warped Tour. ...

Cold's third album, Year of the Spider, has been pushed back a week from its previously expected due date to an April 29 release. It will be preceded by the first single, "Stupid Girl." ... Transform seems an apt title for Powerman 5000's new album, given that Anyone for Doomsday?, which was to follow 1999's Tonight the Stars Revolt, never came out as scheduled in 2001, and was scrapped entirely. The new 12-song LP carries a May 20 release. ... The Cover Problem, the occasional side project of the Los Angeles band the Negro Problem, are dedicating an evening to Madonna covers on Friday at Spaceland in Hollywood. In the past, the group has performed Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Michael Jackson's Thriller and other classic albums. ...

Related Artists

Mr. Cheeks Casts Ex-Destiny's Child Member As A Shorty With The Fatty

31 Jan 2003 01:06:00 EST

Farrah Franklin plays leading lady in Cheeks' 'Crush on You' video.
By Shaheem Reid

Farrah Franklin
Photo: Sony

QUEENS, New York — Mr. Cheeks was so excited to be shooting a music video in his old Southside Jamaica neighborhood with director Zodiac Fishgrease that he mimicked the trademark yell of wrestling legend "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

"Woooooo!" Cheeks exclaimed Wednesday in his trailer, in between explaining the concept of the song and video for "Crush on You" and deciding which shoes to wear in the next scene.

"This is like taking it back to my sensitivity," Cheeks said, standing up and barely able to move in the overloaded space, which was filled with his crew, including the song's producer and guest star, Mario Winans. "That's how we do. All of us got a little shorty we see in the 'hood. Maybe you don't think you are her type, but you holla at her and let her know you got a crush on her."

"We got together in Miami, I worked on the beat, by the time I was finished with the beat, he was finished with the rhyme," Winans added about the collaboration. "He kicked it to me and really inspired me and I came up with the hook. It's a real passionate joint for the ladies."

Earlier in the day, Cheeks and the Yellowman shot performance scenes in front of an 8-foot sculpture that spelled out the word "Crush," and at night it was time to begin filming the more dramatic scenes with the video's leading lady, former Destiny's Child member Farrah Franklin (see "Destiny's Child Talks Split With Farrah").

"Basically I'm playing the chick he has a crush on," Franklin said while sitting in a trailer next to Cheeks'. "I just got called for it two days ago. I helped [Cheeks] pick out this song for his single, so that's why he called me. Him and my manager are good friends. I loved the song when I heard it and was like, 'That would be a hot video to do.' Cheeks is crazy and I'm feeding off his energy.

"He's gonna be in the car with his boys, I'm gonna be walking and his boys are gonna be like, 'Yo, that's the shorty with the fatty that you like,' " she continued. "Then it's a grocery store scene, so I guess he's gonna be trying to get at me when I'm shopping. I'm dressed like I'm going to a club and I'm shopping. I'm kinda fabulous in this video."

From being fab, to hanging out with Fab — Franklin also disclosed that she'll finally be ready to release her debut solo LP this year, which will come out on Street Family Entertainment, a label started by slick-mouthed MC Fabolous and his managers.

"I'll probably be on some other projects before my album comes out," Franklin explained. "We're talking about [putting out] a single now with me and Fab. It's not named yet. We just did it a week ago. It's a club joint.

"Basically [it's about] a girl going to the club and she sees somebody and so I say, 'So it looks like I'm going to be leaving with you tonight/ It feels so right/ I'm thinking me and you could fall in love,' " she continued. "He's telling me 'Yo ma, I didn't come to the club for that, I'm chilling.' So I'm saying, 'What you come to the club for? You didn't come to dance, you're standing on the wall, so you came to look at the scenery.' "

Franklin, who also has a TV pilot in the works with Miguel A. Nunez called "America's Most Talented," and who is being wooed by DMX to star in his film "Never Die Alone," isn't Cheeks' only co-star keeping busy with a gaggle of projects.

Winans, who just came back from Miami, said P. Diddy had him and the Bad Boy family locked down there in the studio for two months.

"We was down there making nothing but hits," Winans said. "We was real focused, finishing the Mary [J. Blige] album. You know how it is when Puff and Mary get together, he makes that magic for her. We was working on New Edition, Loon, then I was working on Ginuwine, 702, Tamia. I was doing Queen Latifah stuff, Brian McKnight, Method Man, we got a lot of stuff coming."

One thing Mr. Cheeks does not have coming to him is a lawsuit courtesy of Fox Sports. Cheeks originally wanted to name his April release The Best Damn Rap Album Period, which was derived from the network's "Best Damn Sports Show Period," but decided the wiser (see "Mr. Cheeks Promises The Best Damn Rap Album Period").

"Fox called me and said, 'Chill, we're gonna have some beef if you do that, Cheeks," the Lost Boyz frontman laughed. "I said all right. I don't need no beef with Fox Sports, so I named it Back Again.

M.O.P., Alexander O'Neal, Glenn Lewis, Floetry, Joe, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth all appear on the LP, as does Tweet, who sings on the title track.

"We used the original [beat from] 'Car Wash,' " Cheeks said of the song. "She's doing her flow, but we took it back to the '70s for them. I'm a '70s child, so it's only right to get that involved. I always loved the movie 'Car Wash.' I'm back again, woooo!"

Related Artists

Mr. Cheeks Promises The Best Damn Rap Album Period

8 Oct 2002 07:56:00 EDT

Rapper's new LP features Bink, Big Gipp, Glenn Lewis, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth.
By Shaheem Reid

Mr Cheeks
Photo: Shaheem Reid

Sitting in the studio Sunday, taking a break from a new track with M.O.P., Mr. Cheeks couldn't stop thinking about rap's fallen soldiers.

He was thinking of listening to Tupac's music, remembering chillin' with Biggie, recalling when he used to travel from Queens to Harlem with Big L to battle other rappers during his days as an upstart. No loss has had a greater impact on him, however, than Lost Boys member Freaky Tah.

"Right now, I'm making a solo album, and it doesn't feel like nothing without being around [Pretty] Lou, Spigg Nice and Tah. I could do all of this, I got my LB fam with me, but I ain't got Lou, Spigg and Tah here. But it's still a blessing. God didn't take everything away from us. He took his angel back. So we gonna hold it down for him. He's looking over us."

Cheeks' mood isn't all dreary, though, despite his somber words and the sobering, piano-tinged beat for the night's work-in-progress, "Call Me a Hustle" — which features the chorus: "Just call me a hustle/ Grinding pies/ Writing rhymes/ 95/ Pimpin chicks doing sticks/ ... Bottom line dollar signs" — playing in the background. In fact, he'll got downright jolly through most of the night, even doing his trademarked jig, the LB Slide.

But Cheeks wasn't dancing around words. "My new album is titled The Best Damn Rap Album Period," he said unflinchingly. "I got that from 'The Best Damn Sports Show Period,' so I thought I might as well make The Best Damn Rap Album Period.

"It ain't putting no pressure on me," he said of the title. "I'm back at it. It's time to bring the game back to how we do it. N---as is talking about a lot of nonsense now. So bong! I'm coming with The Best Damn Rap Album Period. Real rap artist music, bottom line. We had to take it back. It's a lot of stuff going on right now. N---as told me, 'The game is wack. Come back and represent.' It's more [to hip-hop] than platinum chains and throwbacks. We got skills right here. I got a lot of records for y'all."

Helping him with those records so far are Bink, who produced Cheeks' smash "Lights, Camera, Action," as well as The Best Damn Rap Album Period's first single, "I'm Back Again," which samples "Car Wash." Big Gipp, Glenn Lewis, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth (Cheeks redoes their "They Reminisce Over You [T.R.O.Y.]") and Alexander O'Neil also joined the fray.

"I brought him out the cracks 'cause I love his song 'Sunshine,' " Cheeks explained about using onetime R&B star O'Neil. "I got a song called 'Sunshine' on my album. As an entertainer, I'm always on the road. There's times you want to be home with your woman. It's times you be on the road so much, when you go home, you don't want to leave. So 'Sunshine' is for my lady.

"I did a lot of lady joints," he added. "I f---ed up in the past. I did a joint called 'I Apologize' that's featuring Glenn Lewis, for all the real n---as who ain't afraid to tell a chick how he feel. Sometimes we f--- up, and I'm the guy that came through to let all [the men] know how we get down. You might lose the best thing we ever had, but you never know till she's gone. This is life."

According to Cheeks, who has been traveling on the road with Rick James, the Isley Brothers and Teena Marie, life outside of music also includes a recurring role on Showtime's "Soul Food" and parts in the big screen flicks "Deliver Us From Eva" and "Honey."

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Mr. Cheeks

For The Record: Quick News On Dr. Dre, Marilyn Manson, Mr. Cheeks, Wilco, Jay-Z, Built To Spill & More

18 Jul 2002 04:14:00 EDT

Dr. Dre
Photo: MTV News

Dr. Dre has produced "It's a Shame," the first single from Devin's second album, Just Tryin' to Live, due August 27. Dre also produced "Yo Ho" for the album, and DJ Premier is behind "Doobie Ashtray," while "Some of Em" features guest vocals from Nas and Xzibit. ... Mr. Cheeks has just entered the studio to begin work on his second solo LP according to his spokesperson. P. Diddy, Bink and longtime collaborator Mr. Sexx have all signed on to supply beats. Having branched out to clothing and film, the Roc-A-Fella label has added liquor to its extended family of products. Top dogs Jay-Z and Damon Dash just purchased Armadale Vodka. ...

The Flaming Lips shot a second video for "Do You Realize??" the debut single from their new album, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, with director Mark Pellington (Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) Thursday (July 18) in Las Vegas. The first clip, intended for U.K. video outlets, is viewable on www.flaminglips.com, and the new video is described as a semi-abstract stream of consciousness featuring fire and elephants. ...Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch will drop his first solo album, Now You Know, on September 10. A tour to support the mellow LP will coincide with its release. ...

Brand Nubian's Lord Jamar and Gang Starr's Guru were among those who attended the album release party for The Best of D&D Vol. 2 Wednesday night in New York. Those performing at club Coda included Craig G and Jack Venom. ...DJ Sammy, who has scored a huge dance hit with a remake of Bryan Adams' "Heaven," will release his debut album, also titled Heaven, August 6. The record will include new versions of the Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreamin'" and Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer." ...

Seattle dark power metallers Nevermore have canceled all three of their scheduled Warped Tour appearances, citing undisclosed "circumstances" on their Web site. The group features founding members of Sanctuary, whose 1987 debut album was produced by Megadeth's Dave Mustaine. ... In a recent journal entry on his Web site, Marilyn Manson wrote that his band's forthcoming album has entered the mixing stages and that he has assumed personal control over their upcoming DVD. "I think you deserve to see the best that we have," he wrote, "and I intend to show it." ... A* Teens will begin a U.S. tour on July 28 in Richmond, Virginia, and run through September. Baha Men will accompany the cutesy Swedes on the Radio Disney-sponsored tour, which is in support of A*Teens' Pop 'Til You Drop! platter. ...

After the Wilco documentary "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" made its New York premiere Wednesday night, director Sam Jones and the band's Jeff Tweedy, Glen Kotche, Leroy Bach and John Stirratt joined the likes of Conan O'Brien and studio stalwart Jim O'Rourke at the Penthouse at the Park for a soiree. Wilco had taped a "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" appearance earlier that day. ... Orlando drum 'n' bass DJ AK1200 will release his first studio album September 24 on Run Recordings. A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg and Philadelphia rapper the Last Emperor guest on the record. ...

Evan Dando, Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, Saint Etienne, Kid Loco and Lambchop are among the artists featured on Total Lee! The Songs of Lee Hazlewood, due August 6. Lee Hazlewood produced and wrote hits for Elvis Presley, Dean Martin and Nancy Sinatra, including "These Boots Are Made for Walking." ... After releasing a mix album (Modern Mantra) in May and a jazz album (Optometry) earlier this month, DJ Spooky is hard at work on his next project, a magazine called 21C. An early version of the publication, which he described as a cross between Wired and Artforum, is online at www.21cmagazine.com. ...

Nine Days' second album, So Happily Unsatisfied, will feature guest appearances from Lifehouse frontman Jason Wade, who plays guitar on the first single "Good Friend" and co-wrote "Ocean," and the Wallflowers' Rami Jaffee, who plays Hammond organ on "Still Here." The album is due September 17. ... A double-disc live album recorded at the Bonnaroo Music Festival late last month in Tennessee will be released September 24, with a documentary DVD to follow in October. Highlights of the event included Steve Winwood jamming with Widespread Panic, Les Claypool sitting in with Galactic and solo sets from Trey Anastasio and Norah Jones. ...

Motown has recovered nearly 40 lost tracks by the likes of the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips and the Isley Brothers, and will release them July 30 on A Cellarful of Motown. Among the tracks is Wonder's version of "Are You Sure Love Is the Name of This Game," which was later recorded by the Supremes. ... The 40th anniversary of the recording and release of the Beatles' first record ("Love Me Do") will be marked this fall with the re-release of "A Hard Day's Night" on September 24. The DVD will include several hours of new material, including "Give Me Everything!," a companion anthology to the Beatles' first film, and the documentary "Things They Said Today." ...

07.17.02

Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D. has added PETA to his roster by recording a downloadable outgoing voicemail message that implores listeners to be kind to animals. The message can be heard now on peta2.com and soon on the answering machines of PETA supporters. ... Radiohead have pegged Friends of the Earth to act as their representatives at next month's Earth Summit in South Africa and are encouraging fans to submit to the organization's audio petition for more accountability for industrial pollution. Singer Thom Yorke posted a message online saying, "It is not good enough to preach about the trickledown effect of economic growth if your house is being washed away, your child has skin cancer, you can't get clean water and the weather is changing beyond recognition, forever." ...

Following a round of choice Ramones reissues last year, Rhino Records is bringing back four more gems on August 20: the Phil Spector-produced End of the Century (1980), Pleasant Dreams (1981), Subterranean Jungle (1983) and Too Tough to Die (1984). The reissues will also include rare demos, radio spots and a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man." ... Chicago's Thrill Jockey Records, America's home to post-rock bands such as Tortoise, the Sea and Cake and Mouse on Mars, is celebrating 10 years of making electronic blips for the kids by throwing a three-day birthday bash in New York City from September 5-7 at Irving Plaza and the Bowery Ballroom, with Tortoise headlining the first two nights and the Sea and Cake headlining the third. Thrill Jockey chose to celebrate in NYC instead of their hometown of Chicago because "the bands play here a lot." ...

Widespread Panic guitarist Michael Houser has a terminal form of cancer, he told fans on Tuesday in a letter posted on his band's Web site. The group has replaced Houser on their current tour, and the guitarist said he hopes to get back to playing sometime in the future. ... Guy/ Blackstreet honcho/superproducer Teddy Riley now has the less glamorous job of filing for protection from creditors in bankruptcy court. According to the Associated Press, Riley filed to reorganize his finances under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy law, as he did not have enough money to cover his increasingly high income-tax liabilities. ... Ben Folds will release a live album recorded during his spring solo tour on October 8. The track list for Ben Folds Live, which has not been finalized, will feature hits from his solo debut and his group's previous albums, along with B-sides such as "The Secret Life of Morgan Davis." ...

The Crystal Method will release their first mix album, Community Service, July 23 on Ultra Records. The collection will include remixes by the duo of their own favorites and hits by P.O.D. and Garbage, along with tracks by Orbital and the Plump DJs. ... Trance DJ Sasha (of Sasha & Digweed fame) will tour the States this fall in support of his first studio album, Airdrawndagger, due August 6 on Kinetic Records. The first single is titled "Wavy Gravy." ... Speaking of Sashas, Kittie collaborated with Sasha Konietzko of KMFDM on a remix of "Safe," from their latest album, Oracle, which will be released this fall. Konietzko has remixed tracks for Korn, Metallica and White Zombie, among others. ...

Buckcherry have split because "[frontman Josh Todd] was no longer having fun being in Buckcherry, and the process of making the new record had become quite disappointing to him," according to a written statement. "He thought it best to move on at this time." ... Queensrÿche belter Geoff Tate sang the blues last week after his saxophone was stolen from the Birch Hill Nite Club in Old Bridge, New Jersey. Anyone with information is encouraged to e-mail president@queensryche.com, and while there's no cash reward, a Queensrÿche Empire platinum album signed by the singer will be gifted to whoever helps to recover the beloved instrument.

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For The Record: Quick News On Limp Bizkit, Mr. Cheeks, Queens Of The Stone Age, Marc Anthony, Ozzy & More

27 Jun 2002 04:48:00 EDT

Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst
Photo: MTV News

The Australian coroner's inquest that sought to determine Limp Bizkit's possible contribution to the death of a 15-year-old concertgoer who suffered a heart attack in the mosh pit at Sydney's Big Day Out festival in January 2001 concluded Tuesday. The coroner's findings will be announced November 8, approximately one year after the inquest began. ... Mr. Cheeks will follow up his latest John P. Kelly single, "Friday Night," with "Let's Get Wild," the second single from comedian Steve Harvey's compilation Sign of Things to Come, released Tuesday. Chris Robinson (Alicia Keys, Nas) will direct the video in Los Angeles in early July. ...

The street date of the Queens of the Stone Age's third album, Songs for the Deaf, has been pushed back. The follow-up to 2000's R is now scheduled for an August 27 release. ... Dashboard Confessional is calling out to his fans via his Web site (www.dashboardconfessional.com) to join him in his video for "Saints and Sailors." The one-man band wants all fans — especially those who know the words to the song — to show up at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday at 11 a.m. to check in, though be sure to email dashboardvideo@aol.com first to let 'em know you're coming. ...

Marc Anthony is taping his Thursday night (June 27) concert at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, for a TV special, "Marc Anthony: I've Got You," which is slated to air July 12 on CBS (MTV's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS). ... Party at the Palace, a live CD capturing the June 3 Buckingham Palace concert celebrating the Queen of England's Golden Jubilee, will be released July 2. Tracks include Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi performing "Paranoid," Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood and Brian May collaborating on "With a Little Help From My Friends," and Paul McCartney and an all-star roster singing "Hey Jude." ...

Johnny Rotten and the birth of punk are the focus of the next film from "Decline of Western Civilization" director Penelope Spheeris, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Spheeris, who also directed "Wayne's World," said she hopes her film adaptation of John Lydon's autobiography "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs" will explain the '70s punk revolution from Rotten/Lydon's perspective. ... Exene Cervenka became only the second person — and first woman — to have her footprint immortalized in cement as part of Hollywood's RockWalk, when her band, the seminal L.A. punk outfit X, was inducted into the prestigious path Tuesday. Cervenka was joined by X's other three original members, who were all introduced by fan Henry Rollins. ...

Billy Joel checked out of a substance abuse and psychiatric hospital after a 10-day stay, according to Reuters. Joel had checked into Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut last week to address "a specific and personal problem that had recently developed," his spokeswoman said. ... Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will perform several songs from their new album, "The Rising," live from the boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on July 30, the same day the album drops. The event will air live on NBC's "Today" show. ...

06.26.02

Outkast's next album will be a double-disc soundtrack to a film the hip-hop duo are nearly finished writing. Big Boi said at Tuesday's BET Awards the group has recorded more than 60 tracks for possible inclusion. ... Also at the awards show, Jill Scott said she has two albums in the works, including one called Brown Baby Diaries. She is dedicating most of her summer to freelance writing for various national magazines and newspapers in her hometown of Philadelphia. ... Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias will perform at Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular in New York City on, well, July 4, of course. The show, which also features Ray Charles, James Taylor and host Rob Lowe, will be broadcast live on NBC from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ...

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will stage a performance on Ellis Island in New York City on July 9 exclusively for ticket-winners from local station 92.3 K-ROCK (WXRK-FM). The show date coincides with the release of their new album, By the Way, and is the second K-ROCK concert for the band, who performed on the roof of the World Trade Center in October 1999 to celebrate the release of Californication. ... Usher, Eve, Tweet, Busta Rhymes, Donell Jones and R&B newcomer Sharissa are scheduled to perform at the fourth annual Sashi Experience and Concert on August 25 at James Bond Beach in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The event will also feature Jamaican musicians Super Cat, Bling Dawg, T.O.K., Dawn Penn and Major Damage. ...

Filter sure have a hard time making up their minds. First they repeatedly change the release date of their upcoming album, The Amalgamut, and now they're postponing their July mini-tour in order to launch a full U.S. headlining trek. ... Dance music pioneers Underworld will release their first new album in three years, A Hundred Days Off, on September 24. The first single from the disc will be "Two Months Off." ... Dirty Vegas will accompany Moby on his American summer tour, which kicks off July 14 at the Bronco Bowl in Dallas. The U.K. trio's road trip ends at the Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 24. ...

Forget "American Idol" — realize your rock star dream by applying for the position of frontman with the former members of Megadeth. Alumni David Ellefson, Jimmy DeGrasso, Al Pitrelli and Marty Friedman are looking for a vocalist for their new band, and aspiring rockers should contact Entertainment Services Unlimited, Main Street Plaza, 1000 Suite 303, Voorhees, NJ 08043. ... Sepultura have slated August 27 as the tentative release date for Under a Pale Grey Sky. The album features the band's final performance with former frontman Max Cavalera at the Brixton Academy in London, England, on December 16, 1996.

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Now That's What I Call Hip-Hop

3 May 2002 05:58:00 EDT

Off the Hook applies Now formula to rap, R&B.
By Joe D'Angelo

B2K
Photo: Sony

The folks responsible for the Now That's What I Call Music! series are taking their next compilation LP to the street.

Off the Hook, a hip-hop/R&B version of Now, is scheduled for release May 21, according to a Columbia Records spokesperson. Like the Now series, the LP is a collaborative effort between Sony Music, Universal Music Group, EMI and Jive Records.

The album's 20 previously released tracks feature the smooth R&B of B2K, the soaring sultriness of Aaliyah and the aggressive bounce of Mystikal. The newest cut on the LP, "Feels Good" by Naughty By Nature featuring 3LW, comes from the rappers' next album, Iicons, due May 7 (see "Naughty By Nature, 3LW Save The Day In 'Feels Good' Video").

Off the Hook track list, according to Columbia Records:

Jermaine Dupri featuring Ludacris - "Welcome to Atlanta"
B2K - "Uh Huh"
Jagged Edge featuring Nas - "I Got It 2"
Lil' Bow Wow - "Take Ya Home"
Aaliyah - "More Than a Woman"
Mystikal - "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)"
Joe - "Let's Stay Home Tonight"
Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule - "I'm Real (Murder Remix)"
Nas - "One Mic"
Glenn Lewis - "Don't You Forget It"
Ruff Endz - "Someone to Love You"
Keke Wyatt featuring Avant - "Nothing in This World"
City High - "City High Anthem"
India.Arie - "Video"
Angie Stone - "Wish I Didn't Miss You"
Janet Jackson featuring Missy Elliott - "Son of a Gun"
N.E.R.D. featuring Lee Harvey and Vita - "Lapdance"
Mr. Cheeks - "Lights, Camera, Action"
Petey Pablo - "Raise Up"
Naughty By Nature featuring 3LW - "Feels Good"

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Usher Lets Out Secrets Of His Evolution Tour

25 Apr 2002 07:57:00 EDT

Dance tribute, old hits, 'best time of your life' promised on outing.

Usher
Photo: MTV News

Usher is bringing six dancers and a band to back him up on tour this spring and summer, he said, and fans shouldn't expect to find too many people helping the "R&B/soul/pop cat" out with singing.

"We're not doing a Milli Vanilli," Usher joked. "I might have to catch my breath a little bit, but it's not Milli Vanilli. You're gonna see the ultimate entertainment. Especially since this show is named 'Evolution,' that's what I wanted to do. Take you from what I consider [to be] the beginning of our musical history as young R&B/soul/pop cats, from the early '70s, to 2000.

"I have an evolution section in my show, a dance tribute," he added. "There's a song or two I might perform. If you know some of my influences or who I looked up to, then you probably know who it's gonna be.

"As far as the records, the songs I've had the most success with are the songs I've chosen to go with [from my previous albums]. Obviously, those are the ones people really like.''

A lot of people really would have liked to hit the road with Usher when he gets rolling on May 8 in Seattle. He and his people gave the nod to Nas, Faith Evans and Mr. Cheeks (see "Usher Taking Faith Evans, Nas, Mr. Cheeks On Tour").

"We wanted to put together a package," he explained. "I feel there's sort of a fear of people going out on tour right now. It's not as attractive as it was before [September 11]. I wanted to create a package that would make everyone happy and bring everyone to the table. Let it be known, it's a cool environment."

Usher promised that with the eclectic mix, fans will get more than their money's worth.

"This summer, you will have the best time of your life," he declared. "Whether you've heard your favorite hip-hop record, whether you've heard the song that's been blasting on the radio for the last 12 hours that you can't get out of your head or whether it's just that club joint you listened to last night."

As for the tongue-twister of a way he describes himself, Usher said it all has to do with having a universal music appeal.

" 'R&B/soul/pop cat'? In this era of music, you have to be willing and be able to be flexible in all different directions, because music could make a right turn at any given moment," he explained. "So [that] you don't lose it, you want to stay centered. The greatest entertainers have done it, but they actually never gave it a name."

—Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Sway Calloway

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Mr. Cheeks Promises New Lost Boyz Releases

12 Apr 2002 07:55:00 EDT

Two singles and possibly an album will feature Freaky Tah rhymes from the vault.
By Shaheem Reid

Mr. Cheeks
Photo: Nitin Dukal

NEW YORK — Mr. Cheeks and P. Diddy performing the remix of "Lights, Camera, Action!" together at Tuesday's Urban Aid 2 was just a preview of things to come, according to the Queens MC.

"We've been rolling since way back, but we have some time where we got to do some things together," Cheeks said of his relationship with P. Diddy, who he may work with in the studio again. "We've got the tour coming with 'NSYNC and Diddy."

Cheeks said P.D. has invited him to perform as part of the opening act on 'NSYNC's current second leg of their Celebrity tour. From there, Cheeks will kick things for off for another multiplatinum giant — he joins Usher's 8701 Evolution Tour in May.

"My manager was on his job," Cheeks said, explaining how he landed the slot on Usher's tour. "However it came about, I'm just glad to be on it. I'm amped up. I've never really been on no main tours like that. That's crazy major. Heavy duty. I'm meeting a whole new audience."

Cheeks said he's not switching up his stage steelo that much despite having to rhyme in front of an unfamiliar demographic of children and teeny-boppers during both tours.

"I'm going to do the same thing," he said. "I bring me to the table. They may say we can't curse. We may flavor it up. That's mostly the only thing we do, censor it up for the kids. We put it down like it was any other show."

As part of the Lost Boyz, Cheeks gained a rep for being one of hip-hop's best line-slingers onstage. He said his crew has reconvened in the studio and will possibly put out a fourth album, Take the Streets Back, this fall on his indie label Dianne's Boys. They'll definitely be releasing two singles in June.

"We got the first single called 'Spit Flow,' and the next joint is 'Everybody Asking,' " he said. "The first one is just a party joint. The second one is just the answer. Everybody's asking, 'What's up with y'all?' We're just letting them know we're still doing it. It's crazy right now. We're just working, really."

Cheeks said fans will be hearing him with Pretty Lou, Spigg Nice and the group's slain hype man, Freaky Tah. They're bringing out some of his vocals from the vault.

"We've got some songs we did with Tah in the past," Cheeks said. "We're gonna spilt them up, put his voice on some joints. We ain't gonna OD on them, but we're gonna let them know he's still with us."

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