Ludacris and Ne-Yo
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Scott Wintrow/Getty Images/Midway

Basketball video games have incorporated hip-hop for years, but a new NBA game out next week may be the most beats-and-rhymes-drenched title yet.

"NBA Ballers: Phenom" will feature 35 original tracks from rappers and R&B artists such as Bubba Sparxxx, Chingy, Mannie Fresh, Freeway and Ne-Yo.

If that's not enough of a hip-hop connection, the game forces the player to steer their hoops hopefuls down a number of forked story-line paths, taking advice from an in-game version of Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups or getting pulled toward the life of an off-court celebrity by none other than Ludacris. Will you put in more hours practicing your jump shot? Or do you raise your profile by participating in a benefit car wash with cheerleaders?

"NBA Ballers: Phenom" features an over-the-top street-balling brand of basketball that allows players to pick up one-on-one and two-on-two games against NBA pros in the hopes of making their mark and eventually getting picked #1 in the NBA draft.

Players who choose to have their phenoms build some hip-hop credibility (this would be the Ludacris path, no doubt) can enter a rap battle. According to the game's developers, lyrics for both sides of the clash were written by freestyle veteran Jin.

The game plays out as a story, a mode of play that is popping up in a number of sports games as developers reach the limits of realistically portraying the sport yet want to attract gamers. Midway did this with last year's "Blitz: The League," a non-NFL football game in which contests were connected with a story about the decadent lifestyle of pro players. Sony used a similar tactic with fall's "NBA '06," which let gamers engage their character in off-court activities such as getting endorsements and doing motion-capture moves for a video game.

"Ballers" attempts to one-up other recent story-driven sports games and test the limits of sports gamers' interest in off-court activities by letting the player walk city streets, making celebrity friends and seeking challenges. Help the local barber out and he reveals that he's Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace's dad, who gives out his son's cell phone number. The two ballers head to a playable basketball showdown at Wallace's mansion.

"NBA Ballers: Phenom" is developed and published by Midway and will be available for Xbox and PS2 next week. The first 500,000 units sold will include a bonus second disc acting as the game's soundtrack. The songs featured in the game, many of which will also be on the soundtrack, are:

• 4th World - "It's on You"
• Abstract Rude - "L.A. City"
• Ali - "Y'all Ain't Ready"
• B. Lloyd - "Take It to the Hoop"
• Basement Beats - "I'm a Baller"
• Bubba Sparxxx - "Pull Up and Pop"
• C.I. - "Put It on the Line"
• Camp Lo - "I Wanna Be"
• Chingy - "The Lifestyle of a Baller"
• Freeway - "The Only Way"
• Gena - "Just Begun"
• Goodie Mobb - "Break Bread"
• Heavy Mojo - "Got to Get It"
• Jeff Lacey - "I B-Ballin' "
• Jelly Joe - "Gimmie Dat"
• Jin the Emcee - "Choices"
• Juice - "Gotta Come Up"
• Kaine Cioffie - "Ballers"
• Kanjia - "Keep It Movin' "
• KoKo - "What It Iz"
• Mannie Fresh - "#1"
• Nappy Roots - "You Don't Want It"
• Ness Lee - "Super Star" and "The Blacktop"
• Ne-Yo - "Ballin' "
• Northern League featuring Ming + FS - "We Hot Now"
• Phife Dawg - "I Got This"
• Planet Asia - "Back 'Em Down"
• Point Game - "I'm a Playa" and "It's a Shame" (featuring Ness Lee)
• Raskal - "Raise Up"
• Rock City - "Ballin' Out"
• Shak-C - "Let's Ball"
• Smoke & Numbers - "Go Hard or Go Home"
• Ty Jilla featuring Raskal - "They Know Me"

• Ludacris
• Ne-Yo
• Bubba Sparxxx
• Chingy
• Freeway

Michael Jackson arrives at court on Friday
Photo: Getty Images

There was stunned silence in the courtroom on Friday (May 27) when both sides in the Michael Jackson trial announced that they've rested, even ahead of the schedule that was announced earlier the same day. The prosecution finished their rebuttal, contingent upon a motion that will be heard Tuesday, by playing a videotape of the accuser's first interview with the police. The defense opted out of their rebuttal case altogether, resting unconditionally. As for the videotape, Judge Rodney Melville instructed the jury to only observe the "demeanor, manner and attitude" of the accuser, and that the accuser's statements were "not to be considered for the truth of the matter stated." Observers witnessed at least two alternate female jurors holding Kleenex after the video was screened. After adjournment, Jackson stood on the side all alone, until his defense team came over to comfort him: Robert Sanger touched him on the arm, Thomas Mesereau shook his hand and embraced him, and Susan Yu hugged him tightly.

Remember when Cassidy said a few weeks ago that he would gladly take on a battle with 50 Cent? Well, stay tuned — according to a source close to the project, in his new video for "B-Boy Stance," Cassidy is going to be parodying 50. Word is that Cass pokes fun at the "21 Questions" video and will have an oiled-up G-Unit general look-alike in his clip. ...

Nearly 36 years after a young man was stabbed to death during a Rolling Stones concert at Altamont Speedway near San Francisco, investigators have finally closed the case, The Associated Press reports. After a two-year renewed investigation, authorities concluded the assailant acted alone. Eighteen-year-old Meredith Hunter was killed by a member of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang — hired by the Rolling Stones to work as security — during the December 6, 1969 show that drew a crowd of 300,000 people. The ill-fated concert — and stabbing — were captured on tape and featured in the 1970 documentary "Gimme Shelter."... Talib Kweli, who joins Cameron Diaz in Tanzania on the Monday episode of her MTV reality show, "Trippin'," has another trip he's about to embark on — with the Black Eyed Peas. He's just announced he'll be joining the hip-hop group on its upcoming summer tour, which kicks off June 11 at Atlanta's Music Midtown Festival. ...

Xzibit doesn't just want to pimp your ride anymore — he's starting a shoe line called (what else?) Pimp Your Kicks. The collection will include his trademark silver "X" insignia and will come in a variety of styles, colors and fabrics. The rapper's shoes will hit stores in August. ... Mandy Moore posted on her Web site that she's planning on going into the studio "around June 10 or so" in Los Angeles, but will have to juggle her schedule around a film that starts shooting in July. "I'm really excited about that," she wrote. "I am so ready to go into the studio and get this record going!" ...

Tommy Lee's band Mötley Crüe is suing NBC for a "lifetime ban," but that doesn't mean the drummer's reality show won't see the light of day on the network. "Tommy Lee Goes to College" will premiere on August 16 with two back-to-back episodes starting at 9 p.m. ET. The six-episode show follows Lee's studies and extracurricular activities at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, such as finding a roommate, trying out for the marching band and cramming for finals. Lee is also one of the producers of the series. ... Emo-rockers Sparta have lost a member. According to the band's Web site, guitarist Paul Hinojos has decided to leave the fold, but the band plans to continue working on its next record — as it has been since mid-April, when a ruptured disc in Hinojos' back forced the cancellation of the group's spring tour. Sparta have no immediate plans to replace Hinojos. ...

Henry Rollins is going on yet another USO tour to bolster the morale of the troops, this time to the Pacific. He's heading to stations in Japan, Korea and Guam between June 13 and June 23, where he will meet with service members, tour a variety of job posts and sign autographs. The beefy singer has visited troops in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Honduras and several other locations in the past. ... Southern rap sextet the Nappy Roots will release The Humdinger, the group's follow-up to 2003's Wooden Leather, on August 16. The collective previewed some of its newest material, including the album's first single, "Rewind," on Thursday night at New York's members-only club NA. ...

Norah Jones is among a handful of celebrities who have autographed a VIP gift bag that will be auctioned off on eBay to support the 20th annual AIDS Walk in New York. Bidding on the package, which has a retail value of $1,800, begins on May 30 and wraps June 9. Other celebs who donated their John Hancock for the event's cause are Hal Sparks of "Queer as Folk"; Ted Allen, Jai Rodriguez and Kyan Douglas of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"; and John Spencer of "The West Wing." ...

05.26.2005

Corey Clark isn't laughing at the spoof "American Idol" aired Wednesday night poking fun at his claims about judge Paula Abdul. His spokesperson issued a statement saying that instead of mocking Clark, the show has "made a mockery of their viewers, their sponsors and the FCC," by wasting time on "diversion tactics" instead of investigating the accusations, despite promising to take the claims "very seriously." "FOX is betting that public sentiment in favor of the show will override their duty to act responsibly and with integrity," Clark's rep, Jed Wallace, said. "This is a blatant misuse of power to seemingly cover lies, broken promises from the highest-level executives and their abuse of the trust bestowed upon them by the American people. Ratings or no ratings, where is your professionalism, honor and integrity?" ...

Already the glamorous offers are rolling in: The Pennsylvania-based burger chain Eat'n Park has offered "American Idol" runner-up Bo Bice $10,000 to re-record the jingle to its summer promotion "It's All Here." The company said it's been in talks with "Idol" producers about the gig, but no word yet on whether Bice will take it. ... This fall, two of rock's most respected acts will be joining forces for a U.S. tour. Nine Inch Nails will hit the road with Queens of the Stone Age for a post-Labor Day nationwide trek, according to an Interscope Records spokesperson. No word yet on dates or which cities the tour will hit. ...

Prosecutors in the Michael Jackson trial continued calling witnesses to dispute aspects of the defense's case on Thursday. Judge Rodney Melville decided to allow the prosecution to play a videotape of the accuser's initial interview with sheriff's deputies, and he will also allow the defense to call the boy back to the stand afterward. The accuser's family's first attorney, William Dickerman, took the stand to talk about how then-Jackson attorney Mark Geragos wouldn't hand over the family's belongings, to which current Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau retorted, "You and your client were trying to set up Mr. Jackson for a lawsuit." Later, during another contentious exchange, Dickerman said, "Well, if you want to get to the truth instead of playing games, we can have a reasonable trial where the facts come out." Melville cautioned him to just answer the questions. ...

Mariah Carey's friends and label execs threw her a surprise party Wednesday night at Jay-Z's New York club 40/40, to celebrate her single "We Belong Together" hitting #1 — her 16th song to do so, making her the most successful female artist of all time as far as singles are concerned. Jay, Jermaine Dupri, Patti LaBelle and DJ Clue were among those who helped eat her "surprise" cake, which had the cover of "We Belong Together" on top. ... Jessica Simpson wants you to have the shirt off her back — for charity. She's auctioning off her YogaForce sweatshirt — signed and everything — starting June 2 and running through June 9. All proceeds benefit the Skin Cancer Foundation. For more information, visit yogaforce.com or auctiondrop.com. ...

Wiry Boston Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo, known for his four-seamer and awkward cornrows, is releasing a rock record. Much like rival New York Yankee Bernie Williams, Arroyo will release a guitar-driven album called Covering the Bases — and featuring covers of Pearl Jam's "Black," Stone Temple Pilots' "Plush" and the Foo Fighters' "Everlong" — on July 12. Arroyo will even get a little help from his Sox friends, as several members of the championship team — including Cro-Mag outfielder Johnny Damon — contribute vocal shouts to some of the songs. The album also features the bass work of Alice in Chains' Mike Inez. ... Britney Spears, watch out — it's Bobby Brown's prerogative to do a reality show about his private life, too. However, Brown's show has been shot documentary-style, instead of as home video, and features the singer's life over the course of six months and nine episodes. "Being Bobby Brown" will show the singer's trip to London to meet the Dalai Lama, a trek to the Bahamas, a romantic excursion with wife Whitney Houston to a spa, and one of his many trips to the courtroom. Brown is a co-executive producer (along with his brother and manager, Tommy) of the series, which will premiere June 30 at 10 p.m. on Bravo. ...

The Recording Industry Association of America launched a second wave of copyright-infringement lawsuits against users of the high-speed university computer network Internet2 on Thursday (May 26). The latest sting added 20 more schools to the list of universities where the RIAA says students are using the specialized network to illegally download and trade songs. The bust involved action against 91 students at a total of 33 schools, including Boston University, Brandeis, Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Indiana University and Princeton. On the same day, the RIAA filed its latest round of lawsuits against individuals — 649 — allegedly illegally distributing music on such P2P services as Kazaa, LimeWire and Grokster. ... Beck will be playing a handful of California dates in July with Le Tigre, according to an Interscope Records spokesperson. The dates are July 11 in Santa Cruz, July 19 in Santa Barbara, and July 22-23 in Los Angeles. "We just want to do a bunch more touring of the States, just keep playing shows through September," Le Tigre's Kathleen Hanna said. "Because that will be a full year that we'll have been out [on the road]. That was our goal and it looks like we're going to make it." ...

Pete Yorn has collaborated with several musicians for his as-yet-untitled third studio album, including Dave Grohl (on drums), the Dixie Chicks and pianist Leon Russell. Yorn, with producers Michael Beinhorn (Korn) and Don Fleming (Sonic Youth), recorded much of the album live with various musicians in a ballroom. The sessions were filmed for an upcoming documentary. ... Wilco's Jeff Tweedy has been tapped to curate a concert that will kick off Wired magazine's NextFest 2005. The second-annual technology festival will present the most promising advances in entertainment, medicine and security at Chicago's Navy Pier (June 24-26), while the Tweedy show will take place at the city's Vic Theatre on June 22. The lineup for the show has not yet been announced. "I love thinking about what the future holds, so I was thrilled to be invited to be part of Wired NextFest and to share my vision of the future," Tweedy said. "Which is not very futuristic, really, and admittedly a little bleak." ...

• Michael Jackson
• 50 Cent
• Cassidy
• Black Eyed Peas
• Mandy Moore

Linkin Park have set a November 18 release date for their live CD and DVD package Live in Texas. The discs will chronicle the band's complete set recorded at their two Texas Summer Sanitarium dates. "The shows were so amazing this summer, we had to record them and share them with our fans," singer Chester Bennington said. Added rapper Mike Shinoda: "Until now, we've never put together anything that captures the energy of what we see at our concerts." ...

System of a Down are writing and rehearsing in Los Angeles for their new album. The follow-up to last year's Steal This Album! is expected in the spring. ... A clip of Korn's "Right Now," the first single from their upcoming album, Take a Look in the Mirror, has been posted on www.korn.com. The follow-up to last year's Untouchables is due November 25. ...

Jessica Simpson will join comedian Paul Rodriguez and members of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for the Wayne Newton USO Show, an annual United Service Organization fundraiser. The event will take place Friday at the Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C., and honor General Tommy R. Franks for his service, and entertainer Ann-Margret for her participation in previous USO tours. ... N.E.R.D., the Clipse and Spymob will headline the October 30 Rock the Vote Benefit Concert at the inaugural New Orleans Media Experience, a festival celebrating the best in film, music, advertising and video games taking place October 26 to November 1. ...

In a seeming attempt to rival Cher for the tour that would never end, Kiss and Aerosmith have added another leg to their North American trek. The new dates begin Friday in Mountain View, California, and run through December 20 in Fresno, California. ... The 13-date Tell Us the Truth Tour, for those who can handle it, features Tom Morello's Nightwatchmen, British bard Billy Bragg and Lester Chambers of the Chambers Brothers educating concertgoers on political issues and media and trade reform. Tour information and updates will announced soon. ...

The artists on Atlantic should probably start getting their jewels mailed to them when they travel. First somebody swiped Lil' Kim's Queen Bee necklace a few months ago, now it looks like somebody may have nabbed a chicken-foot charm and necklace belonging to Nappy Roots member Big V. On Wednesday while traveling from Los Angeles to Indianapolis, he put the necklace in his luggage when he checked his bag in the airport. The husky wordsmith thinks somebody working for LAX probably stole it because when the bags arrived in Indiana, his $15,000 worth of jewelry was gone. ... Ultimate Run-DMC, a two-disc CD/DVD package due October 28, commemorates almost two decades of music and video productions by the Kings of Rock. The set includes 18 of the group's hit singles such as "Raising Hell" and their collaboration with Aerosmith, "Walk This Way"; 14 videos, and more. ...

Without ever releasing an album together, INXS and new singer Jon Stevens have parted ways over musical differences. The replacement for the late Michael Hutchence and the surviving members of the band will remain friends, INXS said in a statement. ... A few landmark feathers were put in the RIAA's cap last week. Alan Davis received a six-month jail sentence for illegally selling more than 100 CD compilations via a Web site. Four members of a warez ring pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement. And a New Jersey flea market was hit with a lawsuit for selling pirated CDs and cassettes. ...

Influential pop-punk band the Descendents have recorded 20 songs for two upcoming projects. An EP is scheduled for January, and a full-length album will follow in March. The discs will be the band's first studio releases since 1996's Everything Sucks. ... Taking a break from recording his fourth album, British singer Damon Gough, a.k.a. Badly Drawn Boy, will hit the states for a three-week East Coast acoustic tour. The trek begins November 1 in Northampton, Massachusetts, and ends November 18 in Dallas. ...

Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten/ Lydon is working with director Penelope Spheeris ("Wayne's World," "Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years") to adapt his autobiography, "Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs," to the big screen. The film has yet to be cast and no release date has been set. The 1994 book will be republished in January. ...

10.8.2003

While pop culture won out at the governor's mansion in California, it wasn't doing so well in Maryland, where first lady Kendal Ehrlich took it to task last week when she went gunning for Britney Spears. Speaking at a domestic-violence conference at Hood College on Friday, Ehrlich wanted to blame pop culture for taking precedence over education, so she took a shot at Spears. "It is incredibly important to get that message to young women," she said, when stressing the importance for young women to educate themselves to avoid becoming dependent on anyone else. "You know, really, if I had an opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would." On Tuesday, she apologized for her unfortunate phrasing, which she called an "inadvertent figure of speech" via her spokesperson. Spears' rep, on the other hand, said that the governor's wife had shot her own self in the foot by promoting violence. Spears is shooting something far less violent, we assume — her video for "Me Against the Music" with Madonna this week in New York with director Paul Hunter. ...

Joining the ranks of her hip-hop peers, Beyoncé is adding "fashion designer" to her growing list of job titles. The diva announced to the fashion world she's launching two clothing lines with her stylist — and mom — Tina Knowles. There's no name or timetable on either yet, but one will be ghetto fabulous couture and the other more hip-hop and street clothes for the masses. ... Vibe magazine announced its nominees for the inaugural Vibe Awards. Artists, cities and icons from hip-hop and R&B are nominated for such distinctions as Tightest Team Players (Lil Jon, Outkast, B2K, Neptunes, the Roots) and Coolest Collabo (Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Snoop and Pharrell, Busta and Mariah Carey, David Banner and Lil' Flip, Lil' Kim and 50 Cent) along with more traditional categories like Artist of the Year (50 Cent, Beyoncé, Sean Paul, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly). There are 10 categories in all, voted on by tastemakers in the music, fashion and film worlds. The ceremony will be broadcast November 21 on UPN. ...

An attorney for Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has asked police in Byron Beach, Australia, to drop a charge of malicious damage against the singer, the BBC reports. The charge was filed in July after Martin allegedly threw a rock at a photographer's windshield, then let the air out of his tires. The magistrate for the case adjourned it until November 21. ... A Perfect Circle will begin a tour on Halloween in San Antonio, Texas. The stint will include a stop at the Voodoo Music Experience on November 2. The tour ends in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 29. ...

The executives at Miramax said it killed Quentin Tarantino to miss the New York premiere of his "Kill Bill" Tuesday night at the Ziegfeld Theater. Tarantino, who couldn't make it because of illness, missed the chance to hang out with the movie's stars, Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Vivica A. Fox, Sonny Chiba, Lucy Liu and Darryl Hannah, who all made it. RZA, who masterminded the movie's score, was also in the place to be. Afterwards, most of the stars trooped over to club Noche. ...

People expecting an end-of-year rush of Roc-A-Fella releases are going to have to be satisfied with Jay-Z's The Black Album until 2004. According to a label spokesperson, the Young Gunz's Tough Luv will now drop January 13, Kanye West's College Dropout is due on January 27 and Cam'ron's Purple Haze is set for a February 17 release. Meanwhile, Ghetto Warfare, the Roc debut from Brownsville screamers M.O.P., will be out sometime before spring. ... Papa Roach entered the studio on Monday to start tracking their new record, tentatively titled Dancing in the Ashes. The disc is being produced by Howard Benson (P.O.D., Cold), and will feature 12 or 13 new songs which the band will winnow from the 15 it has written. ...

Just as all the Backstreet Boys pursue their various solo projects, so do their mothers — and strangely enough, at least two of them are penning books about what it's like to be phenom moms. A.J.'s McLean's mother, Denise, is getting set to publish "Backstreet Mom," due in December, and Nick Carter's mom, Jane, is working on the similarly titled "BSB's Mom," due early next year. Though she's previously written bios on her sons Nick and Aaron ("The Heart and Soul of Nick Carter" and "Aaron Carter: The Little Prince of Pop"), this time, Jane Carter is focusing on her own life, including what she alleges to be "constant physical and emotional abuse" from the boys' father, Bob, who was arrested for domestic abuse this summer. ... On the heels of her first children's book, "The English Roses," Madonna is getting set to publish her second installment in the five-book series. "Mr. Peabody's Apples" is described as a "story about words and the importance of teachers." The book will available in stores starting November 10. ...

After an initial run of select solo acoustic dates, Jewel is continuing her theater tour sans band for 11 more dates next month. The singer's second leg starts November 21 in Thousand Oaks, California, and continues through December 2 in Long Beach, California. Full dates are listed on her Web site at www.jeweljk.com. Jewel's original tour was canceled due to the death of her touring bassist, Terome "T-Bone" Hannon, who died from a brain aneurysm in September. ... Pete Doherty, frontman for the U.K. band the Libertines, was released from prison on Wednesday (October 8) after a Middlesex court agreed to reduce his sentence. On September 8, he was jailed on charges of burglary after pleading guilty to breaking into his ex-bandmate Carl Barat's apartment on July 25 while the band was in Japan. Doherty admitted to stealing an antique guitar, a VCR, a laptop computer, a CD player and a mouth organ. ...

Former Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell played full sets with his backing band on Friday and Saturday at Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo Mexican Meltdown in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Musicians included two members from Comes With the Fall — guitarist William Duvall and bassist Adam Stanger. After the second show, which featured a cover of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," Cantrell joined in on an all-star jam, which also included Hagar, Tommy Lee and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. ... Vanessa Carlton is midway through recording her second album, which boyfriend Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins is producing. The sessions are being filmed for a documentary to be released with the album next year. ...

The whole world may not know who Jacki-O is, but the music industry does. Pras and DJs Kay Slay and Red Alert joined some industry insiders Monday night at New York hot spot Lemon for an advance preview of Jacki's debut LP, Poe Little Rich Girl. Besides contributions from Timbaland, Trick Daddy, Ludacris, Jazze Pha and Red Spyda, the LP features the record "Nookie," which is buzzing in the South and Midwest. ... 50 Cent's five nominations leads the contenders for the 15th annual World Music Awards scheduled for Sunday at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco and based on international sales figures. Prince Albert of Monaco will present Mariah Carey with an award for sales in excess of 100 million. ...

Bill Yukich, who recently directed a short film for Jay-Z, will helm the video for the first single from Probot, Dave Grohl's death metal side project. Along with guest singer Lemmy from Motörhead, the "Shake Your Blood" clip will feature the SuicideGirls' burlesque troupe. After the video, the girls are touring nationally and hosting a contest through their Web site (www.suicidegirls.com) for local bands to open for them. ... Nas, Outkast's Big Boi and the Chemical Brothers will headline the Audiotistic festival October 18 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Talib Kweli, Blackalicious, El-P, Dan the Automator, DJ Q-Bert, Z-Trip, Sandra Collins, DJ Dan, Bad Boy Bill, King Britt, Seb Fontaine and Dave Audé are also on the bill. ...

Mike Doughty has finalized dates for a fall tour, which will kick off October 9 in Farmingdale, New York, and wrap up November 23 in Los Angeles. Three of the shows — November 13 in Chicago; November 14 in Madison, Wisconsin; and November 15 in Minneapolis — will feature the former Soul Coughing singer's new band, which played on his as-yet-untitled second solo album, produced by Semisonic singer Dan Wilson. ... On October 15 at 7 p.m., Thursday and Thrice will perform at Apple stores in New York and Santa Monica, California, respectively. The performances will be broadcast live at www.apple.com/quicktime, and recordings of the shows will be available for purchase at Apple's iTunes Music Store. ...

Next month, Iron Maiden's pugilistic drummer, Michael "Nicko" McBrain, will appear in Hempstead District Court in New York to face third-degree assault charges. On Tuesday, a judge set a November 7 date for the case, which involves McBrain intentionally running his car into a parking-lot attendant before an Iron Maiden show in July. ... The Federal Communications Commission has determined that sometimes it's OK to say "f---" on television, much to the chagrin of the Parents Television Council. The PTC had accused dozens of TV stations of violating restrictions on obscene broadcasts by airing the portion of last year's Golden Globe Awards in which U2 frontman Bono said, "This is really, really, f---ing brilliant" after winning an award. On Tuesday, the FCC decided that in the context Bono used it, the word may have been "crude and offensive," but wasn't indecent because it didn't describe "sexual or excretory organs or activities." ...

• Linkin Park
• Jessica Simpson
• System of a Down
• Nappy Roots
• Clipse

Who better to talk about Love & Life than Mary J. Blige? And who better to take the reins on the new album than P. Diddy, the producer responsible for getting Mary's career off the ground more than a decade ago? That's not the only reunion on Love & Life — the single "Love @ 1st Sight" features one of Blige's best-remembered collaborators, Method Man. But this record isn't just a rehashing of Blige's former formulae: She's got new blood in the form of 50 Cent on "Let Me Be the 1" and Eve on "Not Today."

Warren Zevon's The Wind was recorded after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer (see "Singer Warren Zevon Terminally Ill") and features special guests Bruce Springsteen, Don Henley, Tom Petty, Jackson Browne and Dwight Yoakam. In a clear allusion to his state of health, Zevon covers "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and closes the album with the ballad "Keep Me in Your Heart."

Metamorphosis, the sweet-rock debut LP by actress Hilary Duff, features the single "So Yesterday," written and produced by the Matrix. Meanwhile, Phish bassist Mike Gordon, fresh off of his backstage misunderstanding involving a 9-year-old girl and his subsequent arrest for child endangerment (see "Phish Bassist Arrested For Child Endangerment" ), makes the news for a more pleasant reason this week: his new album, Inside In.

The Bronx, a California foursome who were both formed and signed within nine months, release their self-titled debut alongside rapstress 24K's album Quotable and Brookville's Wonderfully Nothing, which features James Iha.

The Nappy Roots return with their second major-label album, Wooden Leather, and the lead single "Roun' the Globe," which is their attempt to show the world they're not Kentucky-fried country bumpkins. But rather, we all are.

Out Tuesday, August 26:

• 24K - Quotable (Madd)
• Gary Anglin and the Voices of CCC - Gary Anglin and the Voices of CCC (Eagle)
• Art Ensemble of Chicago - Tribute to Lester (ECM)
• Ben Atkins - Mabelle (HighTone)
• Avenged Sevenfold - Waking the Fallen (Hopeless)
• Mary J. Blige - Love & Life (Geffen)
  Read: "Mary J. Blige: Love Of My Life"
  Buy Now: Love & Life (Geffen)
  
• Joe Bonamassa - Blues Deluxe (Medalist)
• Boo & Gotti - Perfect Timing (Universal)
• Bouncing Souls - Anchors Aweigh (Epitaph)
• Rick Braun - Esperanto (Warner Bros.)
• Bright Calm Blue - Direct Approach for Casual Conversation (EP, Level Plane)
• The Bronx - The Bronx (White Drugs/Ferret)
• Brookville - Wonderfully Nothing (Unfiltered)
• The Business - Hardcore Hooligan (BYO)
• Michel Camilo - Live at the Blue Note (2 CDs, Telarc Jazz)
• Caribbean Jazz Project - Birds of a Feather (Concord Picante)
• John Carty - At It Again (Shanachie)
• Tommy Castro/Lloyd Jones/Jimmy Hall - Triple Trouble (Telarc)
• The Chesterfield Kings - The Mindbending Sounds of ... (Sundazed)
• Clearlake - Almost the Same (EP, Domino)
• Client - Client (Mute/Toast Hawaii)
• Dressy Bessy - Dressy Bessy (Kindercore)
• Hilary Duff - Metamorphosis (Buena Vista)
  Read: "Hilary Duff: Not Just For Kids"
  Buy Now: Metamorphosis (Disney)
  
• Envy - A Dead Sinking Story (Level Plane)
• Forty Foot Echo - Forty Foot Echo (Hollywood)
• Ghazal - The Rain (ECM)
• Scott Gibson - Make Ready (Hayden's Ferry)
• Glasseater - Everything Is Beautiful When You Don't Look Down (Victory)
• Mike Gordon - Inside In (Ropeadope/Atlantic)
• Growing - The Sky's Run Into the Sea (Kranky)
• Hamell on Trial - Tough Love (Righteous Babe)
• The Havoc - Our Rebellion Has Just Begun (Punkcore)
• The Heavenly States - Heavenly States (Future Farmer)
• Hella - Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass (EP, Narnack)
• Hot Shots - Jubilee (Sundazed)
• Stacey Kent - The Boy Next Door (Candid)
• Bill Mallonee - Perfumed Letter (Paste)
• T.S. Monk - Higher Ground (Thelonious/Hyena)
• Joye B. Moore - The Cocoon (Moore Music/Lightyear)
• Nappy Roots - Wooden Leather (Atlantic)
  Read: "Nappy Roots Out To Show They're Not Just Country Boys"
  Buy Now: Wooden Leather (Atlantic)
  
• Aaron Neville - Nature Boy: The Standards Album (Verve)
• Overseer - Wreckage (Columbia)
• Pedal Steel Transmission - The Angel of the Squared Circle (Cardboard Sangria)
• Pepe Deluxe - Beatitude (Emperor Norton)
• Pigeon John - Is Dating Your Sister (Basement)
• Po' Girl - Po' Girl (HighTone)
• Pro-Pain - Run for Cover (Spitfire)
• Radio 4 - Electrify (EP, Astralwerks)
• Josh Rouse - 1972 (Rykodisc)
• Eric Sardinas - Black Pearls (Favored Nations)
• Simply Red - Home (SimplyRed.com)
• Soundtrak - Soundtrak (EP, Ace-Fu)
• Streetlight Manifesto - Everything Goes Numb (Victory)
• Jimmy Sturr - Let's Polka 'Round (Rounder)
• The Talk - No, You Shut Up! (MoRisen)
• Vaz - Dying to Meet You (Gold Standard Laboratories)
• Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site (Epitaph)
• Keller Williams - Home (SCI Fidelity)
• Pamela Williams - The Perfect Love (Shanachie)
• Gerald Wilson - New York, New Sound (Mack Avenue)
• Warren Zevon - The Wind (Artemis)
• Various artists - Exile on Blues Street (Telarc)
• Various artists - The Future Is My Melody (Den of Thieves/Milan)
• Various artists - "Jeepers Creepers 2" soundtrack (Varese Sarabande)
• Various artists - "Sweet Charity" soundtrack (Decca)
• Various artists - Uncorrupted Steel 2 (Metal Blade)
• Various artists- Verve Remixed 2 (Verve)
• DVD Atomic Kitten - Right Here, Right Now: Live (Eagle Vision)
• DVD Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - God Is in the House (Mute)
• DVD Cher - The Farewell Tour (Image Entertainment)
• DVD Sinéad O'Connor - Goodnight, Thank You. You've Been a Lovely Audience (Eagle Vision)

September 2:

• Mariah Carey - Remixes (Sony)
• Raveonettes- Chain Gang of Love (Sony)

September 9:

• John Mayer - Heavier Things (Sony)
  Read: "John Mayer Tries Hip-Hop With Help From Roots' ?uestlove"
  Buy Now: Heavier Things (Sony)
  
• Seal - Seal (Warner Bros.)

September 16:

• Elvis Costello - North (Universal)
• Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance (Interscope)
  Read: "Bubba Sparxxx Softens Bumpkin Image, Teams Up With Justin For A 'Hootnanny' "
  
• Carnie Wilson - For the First Time (KMA)

October 7:

• Jin - Almost Famous (Virgin)
  Read: "Ruff Ryders' New Dog: Jin"

• Mary J. Blige
• Nappy Roots
• Hilary Duff
• Warren Zevon
• Mike Gordon

Beyoncé Knowles is in discussions with her manager/father about launching her own clothing line. Her mother, Tina Knowles, who has dressed Destiny's Child for years, will design the apparel. ...

Fans at Coldplay's show in Denver on Friday got a rare glimpse into frontman Chris Martin's relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow, when he announced that the band's unreleased love song "Moses" was about her. Melodic chimes accompany his smooth falsetto when he sings, "Like Moses has power over the sea/ So you've got power over me." ... Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell will co-host "Jimmy Kimmel Live" for an entire week starting Monday. Performing on the program will be a handful of artists from the upcoming Lollapalooza Tour, including the Donnas, Rooney, Kings of Leon, Steve-O and the Bellydance Superstars. Meanwhile, Boy Sets Fire, Fingerfight and MC Supernatural have all been added to the Lolla second stage. ...

An acoustic Hanson will take the stage June 19 at Los Angeles' Henry Fonda Theatre along with Pat Wilson from Weezer's side project the Special Goodness to raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry fights AIDS organization. Sponsored by 89.9 KCRW and Spaceland, the concert will also include performances by Bleu, Calexico, Phantom Planet and surprise guest MCs. ... Nappy Roots are filming the video for "Roun' the Globe" this weekend in Los Angeles with director Lenny Bass. The cut is the lead single off of Nappy's new album, Wooden Leather, due August 26. ...

Russell Simmons will be presented the Innovator Award at the American Black Film Festival June 21 in Miami, while actress Gabrielle Union ("Bad Boys II") will be honored with the Rising Star Award. Cedric the Entertainer will present Simmons with his award. ... The skies just got a bit friendlier, not to mention perkier, now that Kylie Minogue has signed on as spokesmodel for British Airways. The Australian pop tart will appear in the airline's upcoming TV spots in the U.K. ...

To promote the release of their EP Fight Test, the Flaming Lips have begun filming a video for the title track in Los Angeles. The clip features frontman Wayne Coyne and the band performing in front of a blue screen that will flicker with pitched battles, animals and vegetables. ... Roc-A-Fella Records and the cognac Remy Martin are teaming up for the Remy on the Rocs Music Series, which consists of a six-city tour featuring singers Rell and Allan Anthony. The jaunt begins June 15 in Detroit and ends July 2 in Chicago. ... Synth-pop duo Erasure have set sail for the U.S. with their ninth LP, Loveboat. Slated for release June 17, the follow-up to 1997's Cowboy had only previously been available in the U.K. until now. ...

06.10.03

Axis of Justice, a lefty political organization founded by Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello and System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian, wants you. The group is currently taking applications for volunteers to help out in its Los Angeles home base. Those chosen for the task will conduct research, communicate with other nonprofit entities, coordinate activities with the Axis street team, help plan displays at Lollapalooza and other tours and help raise funds. If you're up for the task, send an e-mail that states why you're the person for the job to axisofjustice@streetwise.com. Include contact information and experience. ...

Following her successful auction for GottaHaveIt.com, Britney Spears is once again shedding her clothes. The pop star is cleaning out her closet of a hundred additional, less extravagant items, such as tanks, T-shirts, jeans, hats and other accessories, that should be more affordable to her average fan. Details for the Britney Walk-In Closet Auction, which will be offered through Studio Closet and WorldOfBritney.com, will be announced soon. For more information, call (818) 972-2179. ... Christina Aguilera is giving her fans a shot at front-row tickets, backstage passes and the chance for a face-to-face meeting. The pop princess is offering up the goods as part of a charity auction at StubHub.com that will benefit the Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. ...

Ja Rule has scheduled three concert dates in South Africa, marking the country's first visit from a major music artist this year. Ja will perform in Johannesburg July 4, Durban on July 6 and Cape Town on July 9. ... Lil' Kim just shot some scenes for B2K's new film, "You Got Served," in Los Angeles. Steve Harvey and Marques Houston star alongside the teen heartthrobs. ...

Madonna didn't touch up her bruises from her recent bike accident for her "Hollywood" video, despite the clip's glamorous look. The pop star wore close to $20 million in vintage jewelry for the shoot, including pieces once belonging to '30s film star Mae West, and vamps like movie queens from the '20s through the '70s throughout. "Hollywood" is set to debut June 22 on VH1 and June 23 on MTV. ... The White Stripes have extended their North American tour through August 4 in Cleveland. The newly announced dates, which continue to support their latest album, Elephant, begin July 20 in Boston. On Friday, the band plays a radio festival in Mountain View, California. ...

When Metallica decided to contribute to the Ramones tribute album, We're a Happy Family, they couldn't make up their minds about which three-chord stomp they would cover, so they laid down a bunch. They wound up giving "53rd and 3rd," but some of the other tracks will surface as B-sides to the international single release of "St. Anger." "Cretin Hop" will back the two-track single, while "Commando," "Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World" and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" accompany the CD maxi single. There are no plans at the moment for a Stateside release. ... While his new bride, Gwen Stefani, prepares for her first major film role in "The Aviator," Gavin Rossdale will be testing out his acting skills as well. The Bush frontman is taking on a small role in the soccer film "The Game of Their Lives," in which he'll play 1950s player Stanley Mortensen. He posted on the band's Web site that he has "one major speech in it and someone calls me an a--hole for what I've said. So it's a prestigious start." The singer starts shooting in St. Louis and Rio De Janeiro this month. ...

Smash Mouth are nearly finished with their fourth album, which has yet to be titled, according to a post on the band's Web site. A bonus DVD will be included with the release, which could hit stores as soon as July. ... An alternating current just ran through Detroit's Electric Six. Out of the rump-shaking rock troupe are the Rock 'n' Roll Indian, Surge Joebot and Disco; replaced by Johnny Na$hinal, the Colonel and Frank Lloyd Bonaventure. Until the Colonel can enlist full-time, replacement John R. Dequindre will take his place. No tour dates will be affected, despite the breakup. The split, due to creative differences, was planned last month, but was only announced on Monday. ...

Blink-182, New Found Glory and the Roots are homeless. The groups' label home, MCA Records, has been absorbed by Geffen Records. Both labels are part of the Universal Music Group conglomerate, and the expanded Geffen will be run by Jordan Schur, the former head of Flip Records, which first signed Staind on the recommendation of Fred Durst. ... Lemonheads frontman Evan Dando sets out on his first tour to support his solo debut, Baby I'm Bored, on Tuesday (June 10) in Providence, Rhode Island. Joining the cleaned-up balladeer on the 15-date trek will be former flame and Blake Babies singer Juliana Hatfield. Confirmed dates run through June 29 in Solano Beach, California. ...

• Beyoncé
• Destiny's Child
• Hanson
• Nappy Roots
• Kylie Minogue

Nappy Roots
Photo: Gregg Delman

Nappy Roots don't just say it, they live it. The first single from their second major-label LP, Wooden Leather, is called "Round the Globe," and in June that's exactly where they're going.

The six-man clan is going to perform for troops stationed in Kuwait. "We've been around the country, we went to London and Germany, but this right here is going to the Middle East," Nappy member Skinny DeVille said Friday (May 30).

"That's crazy 'cause that's taking a chance, but we heard the troops wanted us over there. They wanted to see a concert and had a list of people they wanted to get over there. We were at the top of the list. It will be an honor for us to go over there and perform for them. This for me is the chance of a lifetime."

With last year's Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz the group capitalized on its first chance of a lifetime and hit a home run out of the gate. They said they felt less pressure while recording their second album for Atlantic than they did on the first, but more importantly they hope this album will help them avoid being pigeonholed as country boys.

"It's going to be different," DeVille said of the video for "Round the Globe," for which they're still securing a director. On the song they sing that "the whole world is country" and talk about how Kentucky is similar to just about everywhere they've traveled.

"It's not going to be country, how people think it will be," DeVille finished. "We're looking for something different that's not going to paint us into a creative corner. Some people think Kentucky and Nappy Roots [means the video] has to have a damn barn and tractors, we gotta be broke, hollering 'Po' Folks.' It's still going to be us and it's going to have some elements of the country, but we're looking at it on a global thing and we're representing [everybody]."

On Wooden Leather, the guys worked with such people as David Banner, Raphael Saadiq and "Po' Folks" guest star Anthony Hamilton. A couple of tracks soon to hit the streets will give fans a different look at the group. The bouncy "Twang" is an anthem Nappy Roots think strip clubs will love, and "Dog n Hogs" finds them representing one of their loves.

"It's a tribute to the car," DeVille explained. "It shows appreciation for automobiles. The dogs is the [Cadillac], something for them 'Lac lovers. Escalades, the DeVilles the Fleetwoods. The 'hogs' is the trucks. [The song] is almost like a 'My Ride' from the last album, but slowed down."

Wooden Leather is slated to drop in late August or early September, and in early 2004 the guys want to put out a DVD and accompanying soundtrack.

"The last DVD was pretty much us on the road, clowning and joking," DeVille said. "Imagine if we took that long-form video seriously and really put some ideas into it. So we came up with an idea, we got a 35- to 40-minute movie called 'Half the Truth.' It's pretty much the story of Nappy Roots and how we all hooked up. It's kinda like a comedy."

The DVD will also show the making of Wooden Leather and behind-the-scenes footage of the guys in their everyday lives.

• Nappy Roots

Ashanti
Photo: Jason Campbell

It seems like Ashanti's been nominated for just about every music award this year, and she might have the chance to add even more trophies to her mantle soon. The Murder Inc. princess was at the head of the pack when the list of nominees for the Soul Train Awards were announced Tuesday morning (February 4) in Beverly Hills.

The singer is up for Best R&B/ Soul Single - Female, Best R&B/Soul Album - Female and R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year. And while Ashanti's props probably don't come as a shock to most, people may be surprised to see who she's running neck and neck with for nominations: newcomer Amerie.

Amerie is against Ashanti in the female-only soul categories and will square off against Heather Headley, Nappy Roots and Tweet for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist.

Other notable nominees include Maxwell's "This Woman's Work," Musiq's "Dontchange," Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You" and Usher's "U Don't Have to Call," which are all up for Best R&B/Soul Single - Male. 

Busta Rhymes' "Pass the Courvoisier Pt. 2," Missy Elliott's "Work It," Nelly and Kelly Rowland's "Dilemma" and 50 Cent's "Wanksta" are all nominated for the Michael Jackson Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video.

While 50 Cent did get love from the folks at Soul Train, the man who signed him to a record contract didn't. Eminem isn't up for any awards this year, despite having the biggest hip-hop album of 2002.

There will be no surprises for LL Cool J and Nelly, at least when they are handed one award. They have been named recipients of the 2003 Quincy Jones Award for Outstanding Career Achievements in the Field of Entertainment - Male (Dionne Warwick gets the female award) and the 2003 Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year, respectively.

The Soul Train Awards will air in syndication on March 1. Arsenio Hall and Queen Latifah will host.

• Ashanti
• Amerie
• 50 Cent
• Nappy Roots
• Justin Timberlake

Coldplay will be among the performers for the 45th annual Grammy Awards on February 23 in New York, according to the band's label. The British quartet is competing for Best Alternative Album, for A Rush of Blood to the Head, and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal, for "In My Place." ...

Nappy Roots and their label Atlantic Records are being sued by Willie Woods, who claims he wasn't compensated for composing and performing music for the Grammy-nominated "Po' Folks," off the Kentucky rappers' Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz. The St. Louis musician is seeking copyright ownership and damages. ...

Beth Orton is scheduled to bewitch the girls of "Charmed." The singer will perform her new single, "Thinking About Tomorrow," on an episode set to air February 9 at 8 p.m. on the WB. ... 

Staind frontman Aaron Lewis took his first steps as a label mogul by signing Lo-Pro to the new, as-yet-unnamed imprint he founded with Geffen president Jordan Schur. Lo-Pro, currently recording their debut album in L.A. with producer Don Gilmore, are composed of former Ultraspank members Pete Murray (vocals) and Neil Godfrey (guitar), departed Godsmack drummer Tommy Stewart, and guitarist Pete Ricci. ... Stereomud will drop their second album, Every Given Moment, March 11, four shows into this year's Jagermeister Tour, on which the quintet will share a stage with Saliva and Hed (Planet Earth). The album follows Stereomud's 2001 debut, Perfect Self. ...

David Bowie's classic concert film "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - The Motion Picture" will be released on DVD on April 1, along with the double-disc soundtrack. The features on the DVD include commentary from director D.A. Pennebaker and DVD-Rom extras, such as a screen saver, desktop patterns and icons. ... George Harrison Tribute: Songs From the Material World, featuring covers of the late guitarist's Beatles and solo material by the Kinks' Dave Davies ("Give Me Love [Give Me Peace on Earth]"), late Who bassist John Entwistle ("Here Comes the Sun"), ex-MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer ("It's All Too Much") and They Might Be Giants ("Savoy Truffle"), is set for release February 25, which would have been Harrison's 60th birthday. ...

01.23.03

The NBA's All-Star weekend (February 6-9) always packs its share of ballers, and this year's no different, with Nelly, Ja Rule, Jermaine Dupri, the Clipse, Nappy Roots, and B2K among the artists playing the Club NBA music stage. They join Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera, who'll perform at the televised "Read to Achieve" charity event on February 8, as artists heading to Atlanta for the gala weekend. ...

As the Super Bowl approaches, even more performers are being added to an already-crowded entertainment lineup. Sting is the latest addition to the halftime-show bill, joining the previously announced No Doubt and Shania Twain. Other performers throughout the show include the Dixie Chicks, Bon Jovi, Santana, Michelle Branch, Beyoncé Knowles, Styx, Celine Dion and Bonnie Raitt. ... Electronic music guru BT is producing a couple of tracks for Sting's upcoming album. "They're letting me do some very punk rock stuff that I didn't know if they were going to go for," BT said recently. "I've done some really crazy vocal treatments and stuff. It's like, 'Wow, Sting is now in a blender.' [There are] chunky breaks with Detroit techno sounds and then like Latin guitar and percussion." ...

Foo Fighters and Transplants are teaming up for a couple of shows at Los Angeles' Universal Amphitheater on April 17 and 18. The concert marks the Transplants' first live show since releasing their self-titled debut in October. ... Blink-182 are preparing to enter a rented house in San Diego to record their next album with longtime producer Jerry Finn (Green Day, Sum 41). A camera will record the action, and fans can watch on the band's Web site. ... Ani DiFranco, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Ozomatli, Chuck D & the Fine Arts Militia, and poet Saul Williams will perform a sold-out concert January 31 Berkeley, California, to benefit the anti-war organization Not in Our Name. ...

Marilyn Manson has finished mixing the final track for his upcoming album, The Golden Age of Grotesque, he wrote on his official Web site. He also revealed that the artwork for the disc is also complete, but he remains cryptic about everything else. "I have put the dirt back in my mouth and drank from the dead, regardless of what these powdered wig witch doctors prescribed," he wrote. "We will not be censored." ... Ben Falgoust, vocalist for the New Orleans extreme metal bands Soilent Green and Goatwhore, has nearly fully recovered from serious injuries he and Soilent Green bassist Jon Modell sustained in a van accident while on tour with Gwar last year. Soilent Green are writing the follow-up to A Deleted Symphony for the Beaten Down, while Goatwhore, whose second album will be released next month, will tour throughout March, sharing stages with the likes of Hate Eternal, Dying Fetus and Anal Blast. ...

Tool drummer Danny Carey won't just spin on his drum stool while Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan finishes up work on the second record by his other band, A Perfect Circle. Instead, he's formed a side project with King Crimson guitarist Adrian Belew and ex-Primus bassist Les Claypool. The trio's first recording session was January 19, but as yet there are no concrete album plans. ...

• Coldplay
• Nappy Roots
• Staind
• Beth Orton
• Saliva

Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, and Nelly announce 2003 Grammy nominations
Photo: MTV News

When nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, reactions ranged from sincere congratulations to "What were they thinking?" (Click here for the list of nominees.)

Few readers writing to MTVNews.com's You Tell Us forum had sour sentiments about demure Norah Jones, the jazz-influenced singer/pianist who's got a chance to sweep the four biggest categories — Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Best New Artist (see "Eminem, Avril Lavigne, Nelly, Norah Jones Nab Most Grammy Noms"). Jones is also among the eight artists who garnered five nominations. (Click for photos of this year's Grammy nominees.)

"I'm sooo happy for [Norah Jones]," wrote 18-year-old Lexi, from Seattle. "I know many people haven't heard her music, but those who have know how great it is. Big ups to the critics for giving this girl the credit she deserves."

Jones' Come Away With Me faces stiff competition from The Rising, Bruce Springsteen's return to form, and, to a lesser extent, The Eminem Show. Although the mainstream seems to have embraced the volatile rapper, with hardly a protest over his third major-label album or his fictionalized biopic "8 Mile," the Grammys might not be ready to bestow such a prestigious honor to a man who had a hit with a song that talks about killing the mother of his child and stuffing her in a trunk.

Then again, Eminem already has five golden gramophones in his trophy case (though none in the big four categories), and the Recording Academy did grant an Album of the Year Grammy to Steely Dan in 2001, for Two Against Nature, which featured the song "Cousin Dupree," about incest. But old guards like Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have always had Grammy odds in their favor, which is why Springsteen stands such a good shot. And even if The Eminem Show doesn't win for Album of the Year and "Without Me" doesn't lay claim to Record of the Year, Eminem is likely to make good on at least one of his other three nominations.

While Jones stands as the artist with the smallest presence at radio compared with fellow new-artist nominees R&B songbird Ashanti, singer/songwriter Michelle Branch, sensitive guy John Mayer and pop-rocker Avril Lavigne, most of you think the latter stands as her fiercest competition.

"I think Avril Lavigne definitely deserves Best New Artist," wrote 14-year-old Ashley of Thief River Falls, Minnesota. "She's worked so hard and accomplished so much this year."

"There is no doubt that Avril Lavigne should win Best New Artist," echoed 14-year-old Danielle, from Somerset, New Jersey. "She writes her own music, had three top 40 songs in 2002, sold over 4 million copies of her debut, Let Go, and hates Britney Spears. What more could you want in a Best New Artist?"

While statistics may garner gold records, they don't necessarily translate to a Grammy. Awards are (theoretically) doled out to those who demonstrate genuine artistry in their work. And that's Avril Lavigne, isn't it?

"Avril has no business being nominated for as much as she was," disagreed 19-year-old Andrea. "As far as music and creativity go, Britney is more creative — and you know that's a stretch, especially since Britney is nothing but manufactured bubble gum. Avril may have had something going with her and her ties but let's face it, MTV, that's all she has had."

After yesterday's announcement of the nominations, Lavigne has a lot more attached to her, namely a monumental mistake when she mispronounced David Bowie's last name. When reading the list of artists up for the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, she mispronounced Bowie as "bow-wie" (rhymes with oh, wowee!). An unnerving hush immediately enveloped Madison Square Garden.

"Am I the only person who realizes what a poser Avril Lavigne is?" queried 22-year-old Kim, from Denver. "First of all, she botched the pronunciation of David Bowie, one of the most influential musicians of our time. ... Does Avril know anything about music? ... My point is, although everyone seems to be touting Avril Lavigne as some new prodigy, the fact is that she is not a true musician or artist and is just as fake and untalented as Britney Spears."

And here we thought Avril was the anti-Britney.

While Mayer's the only guy among the gals in the Best New Artist pack, his fans warn not to count him out just because he's outnumbered.

"John Mayer deserves to win the Grammy for Best New Artist," declared 18-year-old Tiffany Johnson, from Austin, Texas. "He is just on a different level from the rest of the nominees. The guy is brilliant."

Nelly, who's up for Album of the Year, Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Album honors, among others, is feeling the brunt of haters. For the nearly 5 million copies of Nellyville sold, the St. Louis rapper seems to have just as many, if not more, detractors.

"I want to know what the Grammy folks see in Nelly," demanded 19-year-old Jason Curtis of Seattle. "Everyone is hypnotized by his so-called 'skills,' which are by no means good. As far as I'm concerned, Nelly doesn't deserve a Grammy."

It wasn't all trash talk directed at the St. Louis rapper, however. Many have their fingers crossed that the Band-Aid bearing MC will leave with even more gold than he came in with.

"I'm really anticipating seeing Nelly take home the Grammy for best album," wrote 14-year-old Linzi, from Sandusky, Michigan. "I mean, his music is totally hot, and I'm pretty sure that I don't know anyone who isn't into Nelly."

Linzi, meet 21-year-old James, from New Haven, Connecticut.

"It is clear once again that the awards honor what is popular, not what is good," James began. "Nelly has sunk so far down in the talent pool that he's left rapping about sneakers and some sort of heat wave that has apparently swept Nellyville. Talk about meaningless music. Seriously, if it's that hot in 'herre,' then drink a glass of water. Don't make a freakin' song about it."

Fellow hip-hopper Petey Pablo, up for Best Rap Album with Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, faced some harsh reactions, with fellow nominee Mystikal also catching some heat.

"I am very upset to see that Pete Pablo has been nominated for Best Rap Album," expressed 25-year-old Curtis, from Tallahassee, Florida. "Also, Mystikal's Tarantula album was very disappointing. How come someone like Trick Daddy or Cee-Lo never gets nominated? He is pure trash, and I understand why people like Jay-Z protest the Grammys. If we want to make it mainstream for all these old white people, let's nominate Will Smith. Even though his album sold probably 200 copies, he does not curse."

Such outrage over those who were nominated couldn't rival the furor over those who were left out: uber-producers the Neptunes and anyone from the neo-garage school, such as the Hives, the Vines, the Strokes or the White Stripes.

"How did Dr. Dre get nominated in the Producer of the Year category, while the Neptunes were ignored?" wondered Venni, 18, from Blacksburg, Virginia. "Dre didn't do anything in 2002. Every single song on the radio was produced by the Neptunes."

OK, Venni may be exaggerating a bit, though Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are responsible for Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," all of which are Grammy-nominated.

"I'm surprised the new 'the' bands didn't get major nods," typed an aghast CJ, 18, from Newmarket, New Hampshire. "I'm sad that the White Stripes were shafted, when overrated Avril Lavigne gets all the credit. Well, the Grammys are pretty lame either way."

If the nominations aroused such fervent feelings in these folks, they'd better be prepared for the shock of February 23. While some surprises can be expected with the nods, utter jaw-droppers like the over-the-hill Jethro Tull winning for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1988 are unmatched.

Stay tuned and stay calm.

For a look back at previous big Grammy winners, red carpet photos and much more, visit our Grammy News Archive.

• Eminem
• Norah Jones
• Nelly
• Dixie Chicks
• Bruce Springsteen

Nelly
Photo: Universal

With eight artists grabbing five nominations each, this year's Grammy Awards looks to be one of the most competitive in the ceremony's 45 years. (Click here for the list of nominees and for photos of this year's Grammy nominees and performers.)

Three relative newcomers, Ashanti, Norah Jones and Avril Lavigne, join Sheryl Crow, Eminem, Nelly, Raphael Saadiq and Bruce Springsteen as the artists with the greatest chances of leaving New York's Madison Square Garden on February 23 with the most golden gramophones in their arms.

All eyes will be on Norah Jones, who stands to reign supreme on Grammy night with four of her five nominations arriving in the big four categories: Best New Artist; Album of the Year, for Come Away With Me; and Song of the Year (given to the songwriter Jesse Harris) and Record of the Year for "Don't Know Why." Jones and her full-length debut album also received nods in the categories Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while the LP's producer, Arif Mardin, scored one in the Producer of the Year, Non-Classical category to give the Norah Jones camp a whopping eight nominations combined.

Eminem, Nelly, Springsteen and Lavigne received two nods apiece for the big awards. Em's "Without Me" is up for Record of the Year, along with Nelly's "Dilemma" (which features Kelly Rowland), Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" and Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." The Eminem Show will vie for Album of the Year honors against Come Away With Me, the Dixie Chicks' Home, Nelly's Nellyville and Bruce Springsteen's The Rising.

Springsteen was also nominated in the Song of the Year category for "The Rising." The Boss' tune, which resonated with many after the events of September 11, 2001, will face off against another song inspired by the tragedy, Alan Jackson's "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)."

The Best New Artist category finds John Mayer the sole male amidst a quartet of ladies, Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Jones and Lavigne, whose single "Complicated" is also up for Song of the Year. (Last year, Alicia Keys walked off with the prestigious honor. Who do you think should win Grammy's equivalent to Rookie of the Year? Take our poll.)

"Chauvinists unite!" Mayer joked at Madison Square Garden, in a half-hearted attempt to strum up support for his cause. "I'm just going to go to sports bars and lobby.

"It's cool," he continued sincerely. "I look at the list and say, 'It makes sense to me.' "

While Ashanti is likely to have her fingers crossed for the big Best New Artist win, she'll be doubly excited when the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration category is awarded. Besides receiving a nod for assisting Fat Joe with "What's Luv?" the songbird with the second-best-selling debut album of 2002 has increased her chances of winning with "Always on Time," her collaboration with Ja Rule. Ashanti likes both songs, but she looks to the phrase "blood is thicker than water" when deciding whom to root for.

"I don't necessarily have a preference, but it I had to choose, it would have to be my brother Ja," she said. "That's my family, Murder, Inc. Records."

Nominations for the 45th annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday (January 7) at a press conference held in Madison Square Garden. Among the artists on hand to read the roster of those hopeful for Grammy gold were Ashanti, country singer Kenny Chesney, '80s faceplate Cyndi Lauper, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Nelly and producer Jimmy Jam, who filled in for a previously scheduled but absent Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

The artists each took the podium in turn to announce the contestants for two of the categories, which made for some interesting pronunciations. Ashanti (pronounced a-shan-tee) became the faux-fabulous sounding "A-shan-tay" whenever most on hand mentioned her name; and Lavigne, in announcing the nominees for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance botched David Bowie's name, pronouncing it 'Bow-wee" (as in the dog sound "bow-wow"). The flub is not likely to go unnoticed among Lavigne's critics, and it just might go down in pop-star infamy, the way Britney Spears' remark that suggested Pat Benatar sang "I Love Rock 'N Roll," a song Joan Jett made famous, did in a fall 2001 interview.

Four nominations fell on the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, R&B singer Remy Shand and Chad Kroeger, who scored one with his band Nickelback, and three others for his song "Hero," penned for the soundtrack to "Spider-Man."

Besides two in the big four, Vanessa Carlton's other nomination came in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). While most categories in the Composing/Arranging field are often overlooked in favor of more artist-specific ones, the 21-year-old pianist doesn't consider her third nod to be any less important. In fact, considering that she's the only nominee who's also an artist in that category, she said she's perhaps most proud of that honor because it shows her as the well-rounded artist she is.

"I am most excited for that nomination because it is recognizing the process, something other than the vocal and the song itself," she explained. "It kind of acknowledges how the puzzle fits together. I think [Be Not Nobody] is a beautiful record and I'm really proud to know that people recognized that. I was totally surprised, though. I really was."

India.Arie, Erykah Badu, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Dr. Dre, Randy Newman, Arif Mardin and No Doubt also nabbed three nominations each.

Touting over 100 categories, the Grammys is the most comprehensive music awards show, but even with classifications such as Best Polka Album (for which Jimmy Sturr's Top of the World looks to be the odds-on favorite) and Best Remixed Record, Non-Classical, there just aren't enough designations for some folks.

"Actually, one they didn't mention was best haircut-changing-style every year,' a near-bald Timberlake kidded. "I'm hoping I get the Victrola for that."

Maybe next year, Justin. In the meantime, the 'NSYNC star must be content with just one nomination, for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, for the Clipse-featured "Like I Love You," the first single from his solo debut, Justified.

Super production duo the Neptunes were puzzlingly absent from the Producer of the Year category, which instead found Dr. Dre, Nellee Hooper, Arif Mardin, Rick Rubin, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis attempting to stake their claim to the title. After producing a number of Grammy-nominated tracks, including Timberlake's "Like I Love You," Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Mystikal's "Bouncin' Back (Bumpin' Me Against the Wall)," it's a mystery why Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams didn't receive any love from the Recording Academy.

"For the second year in a row, can you imagine that?" Williams said of his Grammy dis. "All the work we've done? For whatever reason, nobody thought to put us on the ballot."

The 45th annual ceremony marks the Grammys' return to New York, after Los Angeles hosted the previous four events. The show will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. (ET/PT). Before the show, catch MTV's pre-show telecast "Backstage at the Grammys," airing at 7 p.m. ET.

MTV's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS.

For more Grammy news, check out the MTV News Grammy Archive.

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