Raekwon
Photo: Jerritt Clark/ Getty Images

Recently, Raekwon the Chef took time to reflect on the 2009 VMA stage-crashing incidents while visiting Power 106 radio personalities the L.A. Leakers. He said Kanye West and Lil Mama still take a backseat to the late, great Ol' Dirty Bastard.

"That's his lane," Rae laughed, remembering how Dirty interrupted the 1998 Grammys to protest Wu-Tang Clan's loss. "Dirt Dog did that because he had that suit on that day. Nobody seen Dirt Dog with a suit on before. That was Dirt. I'm sure everybody that's ridiculing Kanye or Lil Mama, Dirt was in that same position. He pioneered that beasting-the-stage sh--."

Rae did say that Kanye's interruption of Taylor Swift wasn't quite as cool.

"Why he do that? That was a f---in' little girl, B," Rae said. "That was some sucker sh--. I ain't respect that right there. I ain't respect that.

"I like Kanye," the Chef added. "He had to be drunk or he felt like, 'F--- that! I own the awards.' I feel that wasn't fair to her as a teenager. To do that against a little white teenager, that wasn't really cool. At least he apologized. When you drinking, you don't know what the f--- you gonna do. They said he had a [bottle of Hennessy] on the red carpet. You know what that Henny will do. That Henny will f--- with you."

Raekwon was confused by Lil Mama's actions as well. He initially thought it was planned for her to get onstage with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.

"Lil Mama was on some Brooklyn sh-- that night, yeah," Rae said. "I thought she was supposed to come out. It is what it is. I looked at it like a Brooklyn thing. She's from Brooklyn, Jay's from Brooklyn. Maybe they were feeling themselves."

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards might have wrapped, but the party is far from over. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes updates, party reports and much more.

• VMA 2009: The Entire Show On Demand

• Kanye West's History Of Outbursts

• Raekwon
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Kanye West
• Lil Mama

Kanye West crashes the VMA stage as Taylor Swift accepts the award for best female video on Sunday
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic

For a man so hung up on being original, Kanye West pulled the oldest trick in the book on Sunday night at the VMAs when he crashed the stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video.

For the third time at a major music awards show, West invited himself onto the stage for a righteously indignant rant against the winner, in this case the squeaky-clean, 19-year-old country phenom whose second album, Fearless, has been an unmovable staple of the top 10 for much of the past year.

And though it grabbed the headlines, got Kanye tossed from the show, was blasted by fellow celebrities on Twitter, and led to a somewhat heartfelt apology, West's latest outburst is just the most recent in the long, weird tradition of stage crashers at major entertainment events. (Did we mention that Lil Mama inexplicably wandered out during Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' performance too?)

The year 1998 was a historic one for stage storming, with two of the most notorious interjections of all time, both of which took place at that year's Grammys. The most bizarre was when performance artist Michael Portnoy managed to get hired to dance during Bob Dylan's performance of "Love Sick" and then proceeded to gyrate spastically with his shirt off and the words "Soy Bomb" written across his chest. Dylan gave Portnoy a nod and then kept going, until security whisked the instantly famous crasher off the stage a short time later.

That same night, late Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard pulled the original Kanye, grabbing the mic from singer Shawn Colvin during her acceptance speech for Song of the Year and ranting about the Clan's loss to Puff Daddy for Best Rap Album earlier in the evening. "It's nice that I went and bought me an outfit today that costed a lot of money today, you know what I mean? 'Cause I figured that Wu-Tang was gonna win," Dirty lamented. "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. You know what I mean? Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. OK?"

And who could forget the 2000 VMAs, when Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford climbed up the stage scaffolding and shook the set during a Best Rock Video acceptance speech from Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst?

Sometimes the intruder is a nobody, such as the gentleman by the name of Nicholas "Sixx" King, who made a habit of interrupting speeches for a few years. He did his best in 2006 to hijack Panic! At the Disco's win for Video of the Year for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" when he ran up onstage and grabbed the microphone from singer Brendon Urie and complained about MTV not giving him his own show. The self-proclaimed "professional awards show crasher" — who also interrupted the Foo Fighters during their Grammy acceptance speech in 2003 — was quickly hustled off by security and has laid low ever since. That was also the same year Mos Def almost crashed the party by performing an impromptu set outside the venue, which promptly got him arrested.

There doesn't appear to be a three-strikes-you're-out law for awards-show gate-crashing, but if there were, we might not have Kanye to kick around anymore.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards might have wrapped, but the party is far from over. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes updates, party reports and much more.

• VMA 2009: The Entire Show On Demand

• VMA 2009: Show Highlights

• Kanye West
• Taylor Swift
• Ol' Dirty Bastard

Ol' Dirty Bastard jumps on stage during the 1998 Grammy's
Photo: CBS

Ten years ago, Ol' Dirty Bastard got onstage at the Grammy Awards unannounced and took the microphone for one of the most spontaneous and memorable moments in music history. All he wanted to do was tell the world that he and the Wu-Tang Clan loved the children — and that they deserved a golden statue.

According to ODB's mom, Cherry Jones, if the rapper were alive today, he might have tried to crash another event: Barack Obama's victory rally.

"I know my son would have been at that rally in Chicago when the first African-American president was elected, and I'm sure he would have gone up onstage and grabbed the microphone as only he could," Jones said in an e-mail sent to MTV News Thursday (November 13).

ODB died November 13, 2004, four years ago today, and his mother is still grieving the loss of her son. Jones told MTV News that there is unrest in the family because of financial disputes between her and ODB's widow, Icelene.

"Four years ago today marks one of the most tragic days in my life, when I lost my son 'Rusty,' whom many of you know as Ol' Dirty Bastard," the e-mail read. "For the past four years, I have sat back and watched certain individuals try and tarnish my son's beliefs. My son loved every single one of his children and every single one of their mothers and provided for them all the best he could when he was alive. My son was an extremely generous soul.

"Lastly, today is a very sad day not only for me, but for my entire family, including Dirty's father and his siblings and children," she concluded. "I will always love my son Rusty, and I will always make sure all of his children are taken care of."

Before his untimely demise, ODB had recorded an album for Roc-A-Fella Records called A Son Unique, which included collaborations with the Neptunes, State Property, Ludacris, Macy Gray, Fat Joe and Wu-Tang, among others. The opus was planned for a 2005 release but has never seen the light of day. Koch Records had recently picked up the rights to distribute the project, but due to ligation with ODB's family, the album is shelved, wrapped in red tape.

Author Jaime Lowe just put out the autobiography "Digging for Dirt: The Life and Death of ODB." Cherry Jones vehemently stated that she does not endorse the book.

• Ol' Dirty Bastard

The RZA
Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images

"How can hip-hop be dead if Wu-Tang is forever?" the RZA asked over the summer. A few months later, some fans are asking if his sentiments will continue to hold true.

To the dismay of Wu-Tang fans, the Clan seem to be falling apart, and RZA is in the proverbial eye of the storm when it comes to the group's open dissention. Two of the group's most vocal, flamboyant and popular members, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, have accused the RZA of mismanaging the group's money and creative malpractice.

Rae told New York radio personality Miss Info that he and the crew craved more street-oriented beats on the new album, 8 Diagrams. Meanwhile, Ghost told MTV News that the album was "rushed," he hasn't heard good word-of-mouth about the handful of records that have leaked and, most importantly, the RZA owes him more dough than they have at your favorite pizza shop.

While others in the Clan have remained silent, one thing is for sure: The unity the group showed during the summer on the Rock the Bells Tour with Rage Against the Machine has been absent. Two weeks before what was once proclaimed to be the Clan's triumphant return December 11, the biggest buzz around 8 Diagrams has been about the group's infighting. Rae and Ghost have denounced it. There is no official single, let alone a video, and the group's promo run to push the album has been reduced to RZA telling his side of the turmoil and dragging his name out of the mud.

"It's really all good, it's just different directions," RZA told U.K. radio DJ Tim Westwood, in an interview posted online Monday. " ... Everything is back [to] peace already."

While in the U.K., the RZA also rebutted claims that he owes group members any money. "I ain't never take no money from nobody, and I don't owe nobody no money," he yelled. "Don't never say that. I pay all my bills. I work hard and pay all my bills."

In an interview with MTV Base last week, the RZA said that any discord the Wu may have is only temporary. "Over the years some of us have grown in doubt, or maybe some of us have grown creatively in different directions," he said. "But I will say that when we do come together, a lot of things just seem to evaporate. When we get on the stage together, we can have a problem 10 minutes before we get onstage. But once we're onstage, we feel like everything evaporates.

"When you read on the Internet that Ghostface is upset that his album is coming out the same day as the Wu-Tang's album, that's because after the tour, Ghost was gone for two or three months into his own world [and] we went back into our own world," RZA added. "So nobody was in synergy of what's really happening and that's what makes the problem. You've got to build every day. ... I can honestly say, though, we did come together to do this record, and it was recorded without money. Nobody got any money in the beginning to do this record — we worked the deal out later — but to sit down and do it, we were still negotiating, but every MC came to the table. Method Man came to that studio, his lawyer called him up [and said], 'Meth, don't go to the studio.' But he came. I think Method Man gave one of his most vicious, most hungriest performances in years on this album. U-God was the first one to come to the studio and said to me, 'You know brothers are trying to say that your production is on left. Let me hear what you got, brother.' I start playing the music and he was like, 'Man, we're going to be on fire. This is beautiful.' When he said that he loved the music I was producing, I knew I was on the right track, because he's the one that that really will say, 'F--- you.' I took it on face value that we all came because this is what we believe in. Now I think it's a little different, because all this flak is popping up, and it's like, 'Wow, I thought we were all on the same page.' "

That unified sentiment was the inspiration for the album's title, 8 Diagrams. RZA was watching a kung-fu movie almost 15 years ago, and the light bulb turned on. "There was a movie called 'Eight Diagram Pole Fighter,' which features a group of brothers all fighting for their country," he explained. "Their loyalty to their country and their loyalty to each other really struck a nerve to me, and when we first formed Wu-Tang Clan, we actually was called Brother Number One, Two ... Brother Number Five — that's originally how we did it. As time went on, we just took different names and abandoned that idea. For me, it's time to bring that idea back in effect, and that's what the 8 Diagrams is helping to do."

Musically, RZA's beats on 8 Diagrams were inspired by everything from the Beatles to his very own cousin, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard.

"The way I produce now is I produce more like a musician," RZA said. "In the old days, I produced more like a DJ. I didn't understand music theory at all. Now that I do understand music theory, I make my music more playable, meaning not only could you listen to it, you could get someone else to play it. Before, you couldn't even write down Wu-Tang music. I think almost 80 percent of this record can be duplicated by a band, which is important for music, because that means 10 years from now, somebody can make a whole song out of it and cover it like how I'm covering the Beatles song."

RZA's good friend, DreamWorks Records exec Michael Ostin, let the famed producer know that the Beatles' George Harrison wrote "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and Eric Clapton played guitar on the classic song. When RZA decided to redo the record, Ostin also tipped him off that Harrison's son Dhani was a huge Wu fan and would probably clear the record. Not only did the young Harrison give his sign of approval for the new interpolation — the Wu used the composition sample, not the master sample, as they did not receive permission to use the original songs as heard on the Beatles LP commonly referred to as The White Album — he played acoustic guitar on it for the RZA. Then Erykah Badu was brought in to sing vocals after Corinne Bailey Rae bowed out.

"When I heard this song, 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' ... I made this big [drug] metaphor of my own," RZA said of the Wu's version, "The Heart Gently Weeps." "It's my own imagination. I got Method Man and Raekwon to give me the illest verses. Ghostface delivered one of his best verses in years. To me, that verse is comparable to the verse on Wu-Tang Forever's 'Jamie.' I heard his best spirit in it."

You can feel the spirit of ODB on "Life Changes." The Clan pay tribute to their deceased brother, expressing how they feel about his tragic loss. " 'Life Changes' I named it because the hook is kind of saying I go through life changes," RZA said. "But really, life does change after you lose somebody so dear to you. Your whole life can change. Maybe the grass is not green anymore. Maybe the spring does not feel like the flowers are there anymore because you don't have that person there to share it with you. That's one thing that I truly miss about ODB. I think I said it in my lyric: 'It's hard to live without you.' "

"Take It Back" and "Get 'Em Out Ya Way Pa" are probably 8 Diagrams' best examples of vintage Wu wolf music — that means fans will wild out as soon as the tracks come on. But RZA insists the album isn't all about wolf music.

"I was so aggressive and so unfriendly to people at one point, and now I feel like I'm good," he said. "I can sit here, I can talk to people, I can shake hands. I feel like I'm a mature man. I think it's important for me and my crew. It's not all about making music to punch people in their face. [I want to be] making music to inspire people to stop punching each other in the face."

But how big can Wu be with a more mature, worldly sound?

"I think we're bigger than we used to be," RZA said. "I see 19-year-old kids in the audience, and I don't know how they know my music, but they're jumping up and down singing my lyrics. We did shows in 1997 — the biggest audience I've seen in front of the Wu-Tang Clan was 30,000 kids with their 'W' way up in the sky. I was real proud of that: 'Wow, we've made it.' On this last summer tour, I saw 70,000 kids do it, 100,000 kids. I mean, the biggest crowd was 115,000. So it's bigger. It's just not popular in the media. And the funny thing about that is, when Wu-Tang came out before, it wasn't popular in the media. The media totally missed it. By the time they got it, it was already platinum. I think it may happen again: By the time certain people get it, it's going to be already over here. I'm not worried. I'm feeling very confident. It's not really about the record sales, either. Record sales don't really measure the bigness or magnitude of the person. MC Hammer is the best example. He sold more records than all of us. But who wants to talk to MC Hammer?"

• Wu-Tang Clan
• RZA
• Ol' Dirty Bastard

Mariah Carey
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty Images

"Glitter" was a box-office bomb, and now Mariah Carey is pleased that at least one person missed the film. Producer Lee Daniels cast Carey in the upcoming "Tennessee" after catching her performance in the 2002 independent drama "WiseGirls." "I don't know if he's seen ['Glitter'] since then," Carey told MTV News, "but the great thing is, he's in the independent-film world and that's where 'WiseGirls' was such a great validating moment for me — even though it was totally overshadowed by the debacle of 'Glitter.' " The singer, who plays a waitress in "Tennessee" — as she did in "WiseGirls" — said the role is a real departure. "The character is so not what you would think. This is not about hairdos and ensembles. The girl's in the trenches." ...

The Killers are poised to make TV history of sorts next week, when they become the first act to appear for three consecutive nights on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." The stint kicks off Tuesday — the day the Killers' new album, Sam's Town, hits stores — and comes on the heels of the Las Vegas' quartet's appearance as the musical guest on this weekend's season premiere of "Saturday Night Live." ...

Michael Jackson has settled his custody battle with ex-wife Debbie Rowe, The Associated Press reported Friday (September 29). Rowe's attorney wouldn't disclose the terms of the settlement to AP, but Jackson lawyer Michael L. Abrams said the agreement was reached last week and that "both parties are satisfied." ...

Shimmy shimmy ya, one last time: Ol' Dirty Bastard's long-delayed final solo studio album, A Son Unique, will be released November 7 through Damon Dash Music Group/ Koch Records. The date almost coincides with the two-year anniversary of the late rapper's sudden drug-overdose death on November 13, 2004. A Son Unique will feature collaborations with fellow Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, as well as Pharrell, M.O.P. and Macy Gray. ... Patti Smith will perform October 15 at New York's CBGB, marking the iconic punk club's final night in business on the Bowery. Tickets for the gig will go on sale Saturday at noon and are priced at $33 a piece. Additional artists are expected to perform that evening as well. ...

My Chemical Romance have been tapped to perform their single "Welcome to the Black Parade" during Spike TV's Scream Awards, scheduled to air October 10. The event, which will be taped October 7 at Hollywood's Pantages Theater, celebrates the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres and will present a special honor to Ozzy Osbourne. Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan and Marley Shelton, stars of the upcoming Quentin Tarantino/ Robert Rodriguez collaboration flick "Grindhouse," will host the show, and Korn are also expected to take the stage. ... Baby Rock Records will release a collection of Nirvana songs transformed into lullabies. Due October 31, Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of Nirvana will feature 10 kid-friendly renditions of Nirvana classics including "In Bloom," "Smells Like Teen Spirit," "Heart-Shaped Box," "All Apologies" and "Come as You Are." ...

The soundtrack to the surfing documentary "A Brokedown Melody" features new songs from Jack Johnson, Matt Costa and Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, who contributes the spare ukulele love song "Goodbye." The album, due November 14 on Johnson's Brushfire label, also has tracks from Kings of Convenience, the Beta Band, M. Ward and a solo tune from Built to Spill leader Doug Martsch. ... Costa is also taking part in the latest edition of the Hotel Cafe Tour and will be joined by fellow singer/songwriters Cary Brothers and Tristan Prettyman. The outing, which also includes Joshua Radin, Brett Dennen and actress/singer Schuyler Fisk on a rotating schedule, begins Monday and ends November 15 in Anaheim. ...

A Perfect Circle guitarist Billy Howerdel told MTV News in May that the band's future plans were uncertain, revealing that the group might even be a done deal; he explained that he'd be spending most of his creative time crafting his solo debut. But this week, A Perfect Circle's frontman, Tool singer Maynard James Keenan, updated fans with a brief message on the band's Web site. The message left some wondering whether A Perfect Circle is, indeed, over. "Billy is hard at work on his solo project and I'm on the road with Tool, and making wine in between," Keenan wrote. "Check back often. Peace. Out." ... The Deftones will hit the road late next month for a U.S. headlining run with Deadsy. Seven shows have been announced, starting with a Tempe, Arizona, gig on October 29 through a November 14 performance in Albuquerque, New Mexico. More dates will be revealed over the next few days. ...

Moby has an upcoming greatest-hits collection, Go: The Very Best of Moby, slated for release October 24. It will feature "New York, New York," a track he recorded this summer with Debbie Harry on vocals. A bonus disc will also be included, with remixes by the likes of Timo Maas, Jason Nevins and Tiesto. ... Clinic will release their fourth album, Visitations, October 17 on iTunes. The album, which includes the single "Harvest," will hit retail stores Stateside on January 29. ... Eighteen Visions are heading out with Hinder to tour starting October 18 in College Station, Texas. Eighteen dates, coincidentally enough, have been booked through November 15 in Huntsville, Alabama. ...

Heavens — Alkaline Trio singer Matt Skiba's side project — will be on the road beginning October 24 in Seattle and ending November 17 in Chicago. Their debut, Patent Pending, was released September 12. ... Dredg will issue their "Live at the Fillmore" DVD on November 7. The effort was filmed during the band's May 11 performance at the legendary San Francisco concert venue. ... Godsmack will head up the 2006 Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert October 14 in Green Dickson Park in Shiner, Texas. Blue October, Old 97's, Pat Green and Lost Immigrants are also on the bill. ... Papa Roach and (hed) p.e. are teaming for this year's Zippo Hot Tour, which is set to commence November 12 in Norfolk, Virginia. Just seven dates have been revealed thus far, with more to be rolled out in the coming weeks. Shows are booked through a December 3 stop in Orlando, Florida.

09.28.2006

Jay-Z just can't keep the stage to himself in London. The rapper, who has performed in the city twice on his current Water for Life tour, was joined by Nas and Beyoncé during Saturday's show at Wembley Arena, and was backed up by Gwyneth Paltrow — who lent her voice to "Song Cry" — and Coldplay's Chris Martin at Wednesday's gig at Royal Albert Hall, the venue's very first hip-hop show. Check out Think MTV's Water for Life site to read Jay-Z's tour diary, see photos from the many stops on his global trek and learn more about the mission. ...

Snoop Dogg's guest appearance on the Showtime series "Weeds" will air Monday at 10 p.m. As previously reported, Snoop will star as himself in the episode, which will feature the rapper making a deal with the drama's entrepreneurs and recording a song about marijuana. ...

An October 16 closing date has been set for New York's iconic punk landmark CBGB. There's no word yet on who will perform the night before, but owner Hilly Kristal has been hinting at something special — an evening of music featuring some of the bands CBGB helped to break over the years — although no definitive plans have been announced yet. A crew will enter the club on October 16 to dismantle it piece by piece. Kristal hopes to move most of CBGB to Las Vegas, where he would reopen the club this spring. ...

With their treadmill-riffic "Here It Goes Again" video still getting plenty of attention, OK Go are heading out for a batch of headlining shows beginning October 7 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That show will be a free gig at the Pontiac Garage Stage, held prior to the University of Michigan's football face-off against Michigan State. After that, the band will play four additional shows in October, then tour more extensively through November 21. On November 26, they'll link up with Death Cab for Cutie to open for them for five dates. OK Go will also perform on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" November 7. ... Jet have been forced to cancel their Friday and Sunday concerts in Philadelphia and Toronto, respectively, as lead singer Nic Cester is battling laryngitis. The band plans to reschedule the shows for November. ...

Nick Lachey invited People magazine onboard his luxury tour bus for a feature in the October 9 issue (out Friday), and showed off some of his road-trip amenities, including flat-screen TVs, leather couches and a full-size bed. "It's nicer than most apartments I've lived in!" Lachey said. The singer, who prefers highway travel to flying, revealed that his post-show routine includes video-game marathons. "Then I'd go back [to the bedroom], go to sleep, wake up and I'm in the next city. That's the beauty of the bus. It couldn't be any better." The tour hits Rosemont, Illinois, on Thursday. ... Lachey's former 98 Degrees bandmate Jeff Timmons pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and refusal to sign a citation on Wednesday. He was sentenced to one year of probation, 50 hours of community service and ordered to undergo alcohol- and substance-abuse treatment, and pay $900 in court costs and fines. Timmons was originally charged with driving under the influence when authorities pulled over his white Mercedes on April 23 after clocking him at 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, but that charge was dropped due to lack of evidence; Timmons refused to undergo blood or urine testing at the time. ...

Marc Ecko marked the 20th anniversary of Spike Lee's 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks production company by designing a special collection of jackets, hoodies and T-shirts bearing images from the director's most memorable films, including "Do the Right Thing." The limited-edition sportswear line debuted this week. ... The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are back on the road again starting Thursday in San Diego. They're being joined on select dates by the Eagles of Death Metal, the Blood Brothers, Ex Models and Deerhunter. The trek runs through October 16 in Nashville, after which they'll shove off to Central and South America for additional dates. ... The Pixies documentary "Loud Quiet Loud" will debut in Los Angeles on November 3, and the DVD is due four days later. Before that, though, fans can feast their eyes on "Pixies Live at the Paradise in Boston," which hits stores Tuesday. The 110-minute disc contains one of the band's 2004 reunion gigs, plus an unreleased, 12-song 1986 set the Pixies played at another Boston venue, T.T. the Bear's Place. ...

A childhood friend of Bob Dylan is selling a tape featuring three of the folk icon's earliest recordings. As a teenager in Minnesota in the late 1950s, Ric Kangas was buddies with the artist formerly known as Bobby Zimmerman, who asked Kangas to record one of their jam sessions. According to The Associated Press, Kangas found the tape of those sessions in a suitcase a few years ago and will try to sell it at auction in Dallas early next month. One Dylan expert has appraised the tape at about $100,000. ... "America's Got Talent" first-season winner Bianca Ryan has signed with Columbia Records through SYCO, Simon Cowell's imprint. The 12-year-old singer will release her debut album November 14. ... "Rock Star: INXS" finalist Mig Ayesa has signed with Universal and will release his debut album in January. The Australian native will tour before then. ... Sparta will kick off a North American tour in Dallas on Wednesday. Dates are scheduled through November 1 in Denver. The band is hitting the road in support of the forthcoming LP Threes, which hits stores October 24. ...

A federal judge in Los Angeles ruled Wednesday that the creators of the peer-to-peer file-swapping network, StreamCast Networks actively encouraged users to illegally swap songs, movies and other copyrighted materials. The ruling was the latest victory by the entertainment industry over P2P networks and it came as a result of some damning e-mails sent by StreamCast executives, according to the Los Angeles Times. In one, an executive said that the goal "is to get in trouble with the law and get sued. It's the best way to get in the news." The music and movie industry sued StreamCast — creators of the Morpheus file-sharing program — in 2001 and last year the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in the case, ruling that technology companies can be held liable for distributing software that is used to violate copyrights. Even after the Supreme Court decision, StreamCast kept fighting as fellow P2P networks Grokster and Kazaa agreed to pay multimillion-dollar settlements in copyright-infringement suits.

• Mariah Carey
• The Killers
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Method Man
• My Chemical Romance

Busta Rhymes
Photo: Getty Images

NEW YORK — The Flipmode general's been away for a little while, but don't think for a second that he's sweating the competition.

For his new LP, The Big Bang, Busta Rhymes shunned his usual album-a-year MO and instead took three years to make an effort that includes guest appearances from Stevie Wonder, Rick James, ODB and Eminem (see "Busta Rhymes In Studio With Timbaland, Dr. Dre").

"With the significant caliber of people that came through to support this project, in addition to me having three years to just brainstorm with [Dr. Dre], I got to learn a lot," he said. "I got to condition myself on how I'mma come at the game in a new and a different way. I think that patience was my best weapon this time around, because I was able to have some things fall in my lap. I don't think dudes is really gonna be able to compete with me this time around."

Busta said the album title is "the perfect definition of just how big I'm gonna bang the street. It's gonna bang everything so big."

And with tracks produced by Dre (the Doc also spits a 24-bar verse on the LP), Timbaland, the Neptunes, Scott Storch, Erick Sermon and Swizz Beatz, it's no wonder Bus is so confident.

Despite the three-year hiatus, Busta said, no one has taken his spot, "which is a great thing for me, and a thing I'm gonna use to my advantage. There's a wide-open lane. ... There's nothing that feels, sounds or dynamically comes off the way this album is about to. That's something I always pride myself on, being able to do it different from how everybody else is doing it. ... I always made it difficult for [other artists] to do me. Stay in your lane and do you because you're gonna hurt yourself trying to do me."

Big Bang is due in March.

• Busta Rhymes
• Eminem
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• The Neptunes
• Rick James

Beastie Boys speak with MTV News on Tuesday
Photo: MTV News

The Beastie Boys would like to let you know they're not breaking up.

Never mind that they recently celebrated their 24th anniversary — which means it's really time for them to drop the "Boys" tag, don'tcha think? — and despite the fact that their last album, 2004's To the 5 Boroughs, failed to make a massive commercial splash, the B-Boys have no intention of calling it quits.

But now they're faced with the prospect of doing press for an honest-to-goodness greatest-hits package, Solid Gold Hits, a career-spanning retrospective that's similar to 1999's The Sounds of Science except that it's one disc and reeks a whole lot more like a farewell release from a band just itching to let go. Which is probably why the press release that accompanies Solid Gold ends its first paragraph by asserting, "No, the group is not breaking up."

"We just figured that since we're putting out the greatest-hits album, people would say, 'That's it, they're breaking up,' " Mike D laughed. "So we figured we'd just cut to the chase and put that in the press release, but people just ask us about it anyway. It's a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't kind of thing."

And that's a pretty fair assessment of the Beasties' current situation too. In today's musical landscape, dominated by beefy MCs, raccoon-eyed punk rockers and nubile pre-teen popsters, the Beastie Boys' salt-and-pepper hair, old-school tag-team rap style and blatant nostalgia trips — brought to the forefront on 5 Boroughs (see "A Beastie Boys Lyrical Guide To The 5 Boroughs And Beyond") — make them look positively Paleozoic.

But it's not like they're going to change their flow almost a quarter-century into the game. In fact, if anything, their longevity has left them in a rather odd position as rap godfathers who can still count on an army of loyal fans to buy their new albums — 5 Boroughs, 1998's Hello Nasty and 1994's Ill Communication all debuted atop the Billboard albums chart — but with enough classic cuts to necessitate a greatest-hits record.

"Yeah, but the whole industry is pretty weird now, because like Hilary Duff has a greatest-hits album out," D said. "ODB had a greatest-hits [album] before he died. So all the kids are doing it these days. You can just put out one album and then you can have a greatest-hits record too."

"Kenny Loggins has a greatest-hits album, so does Gordon Lightfoot," MCA added. "So we figured if those guys have greatest-hits albums out ... we'd get in business with those dudes."

Fair enough. But as Beastie fans prepare to snap up Solid Gold Hits, which is due in stores November 8, there's still one question on all their minds: Just when will the B-Boys drop a new album? It's a rather demanding query, especially since they seem to spit out new albums roughly every 4.5 years, but in light of today's political climate — the Boys are not shy with their criticisms of President Bush (see "Beastie Boys Take On Bush With First Song In Three Years") — they're bound to release a new disc soon. And besides, it'd be a great way to dispel all those nasty retirement rumors.

"We don't put out records too often, and we've been doing it for a while, so that puts us in a high-risk category for rumors," Mike D sighed. "So here's what I'm going to do. I'm issuing a challenge to Madonna. She's coming out with an album soon [Confessions on a Dancefloor, due November 15], and we can't compete with that, but we're going to compete with the one after that. We're going to go head-to-head with the next Madonna album. By that time we'll be ready. Maybe."

• Beastie Boys
• Ol' Dirty Bastard

Ol' Dirty Bastard (file)
Photo: Evan Agostini/Getty Images

Ol' Glory: Ol' Dirty Bastard may be gone, but in this post-Tupac world, that doesn't mean he can't still make some moves. A Son Unique is not only his first release on Def Jam, it's also the first to attribute the music to "ODB," not "Ol' Dirty Bastard," on the album art. Songs include a cover of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Macy Gray, "Intoxicated" and "Skrilla."

Five — And Still Alive: Bewildered by the title of Staind's Chapter V? Time to hit the bins. While many thought 2001's Break the Cycle was their debut, and those who looked a little deeper unearthed 1999's Dysfunction, Tormented, an independent album from 1996, actually began the band's cycle. Chapter V might sound like a turning of the page, but Aaron Lewis seems as tormented as ever with "Cross to Bear," "Runaway" and "King of All Excuses."

A Motley Crew: Tommy Lee's invited some major — and majorly bizarre — guests to his TommyLand: The Ride, including Nick Carter, Good Charlotte and Slash, but by releasing the record through a tiny Michigan-based distributor, sales could be a challenge. Then again, Lee has drawn plenty of attention in the past by slipping out his stuff through, uh, less traditional means. Songs include "Makin' Me Crazy" with Dirty Harry, "Sister Mary" and "The Butler."

The Search Is Over: More than three years after it was first announced, D12's Proof is finally dishing up Searching for Jerry Garcia, a follow-up to 2002's Electric Cool Aid: Acid Testing EP. He's tweaked the original concept, which was for each song to be named after a musician or icon ("Janis Joplin," "Billie Holiday," etc.), although he did retain "Kurt Kobain." He's also padded the LP with some red-hot guests: 50 Cent ("Forgive Me"), D12 ("Pimplikeness"), Obie Trice ("72nd & Central") and Nate Dogg ("Sammy Da Bull").

Chopped & Served: Swishahouse Records owner Mike "5000" Watts is fine-tuning his chopped-and-screwed skills for retouched versions of Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz's Crunk Juice and the Ying Yang Twins' U.S.A. (United State of Atlanta).

Stones Galore: Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood roll onto Tim Ries' The Rolling Stones Project and contribute to the album design; Wood also surfaces on the Jones Gang's Any Day Now, a record he also did the cover art for; and a reissue of the Blasters' 4-11-44 includes a bonus video of "Daddy Rollin' Stone."

Around the World in Six Albums: We Will Take You With Us (Epica), Made in China (Juliana Hatfield), East/West (Bill Frisell), Underneath a Brooklyn Moon (JC Hopkins Biggish Band), Let Me Come Home (Limbeck).

Song Titles Of The Week:

"There's a Coldest Day in Every Year" (Cursive's The Difference Between Houses and Homes: Lost Songs and Loose Ends 1995-2001)

"Twelve Years on Tour and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" (Suicide Machines' War Profiteering Is Killing Us All)

"Women Turn on Your TV" (Kool Keith's Lost Masters: Volume 2)

Other Notables:

Backandtotheleft - Obsolete (Metropolis): The Seattle band's moniker is a tip to the famous "magic bullet" line quoted by JFK conspiracy theorists, hence joining the ranks of Dead Kennedys, Texas Is the Reason (whose own "Back and to the Left" came out in 1996), Kennedy, Bay of Pigs and Jackie O Mother------.

Chimaira - Chimaira (Roadrunner): Hardcore heroes Chimaira pay tribute to a fallen comrade, Dimebag Darrell, on "Nothing Remains," one of 10 tracks featured on their self-titled fourth record. "Lazarus" is another tribute, this time to a friend who committed suicide, while "Left for Dead" and "Comatose" deepen the somber mood.

Tremolo - Love Is the Greatest Revenge (Flagship): The Bay Area band is putting its money where its mouth is — literally. The benevolent bunch — which has been heard on numerous MTV shows — is donating 50 percent of the proceeds from its debut to the Love>Revenge Fund, a site that, through online voting, allows fans to decide where the trust fund money should go to.

Various Artists - Def Jazz (Verve): Yup, you guessed it: a collection of smooth-jazz versions of rap faves commemorating the 20th anniversary of Russell's baby. Unlike the ever-present Pickin' On tributes, however, this endeavor brings in veritable talent like Roy Hargrove and Gerald Albright — and tosses in a version of "Bring the Pain" with flute and Moog to boot.

Out Tuesday, August 9:

• Backandtotheleft - Obsolete (Metropolis)
• Big Blue Hearts - Here Come Those Dreams Again (Adrenaline)
• Bottom of the Hudson - Holiday Machine EP (Absolutely Kosher)
• Kaci Brown - Instigator (Interscope)
• Chimaira - Chimaira (Roadrunner)
  Buy Now: Chimaira (Roadrunner)
• Day of Contempt - The Will to Live (EP, Epitaph)
• Epica - We Will Take You With Us (The End)
• Fleshtones - Beachhead (Yep Roc)
• Bill Frisell - East/West (live, 2 CDs) (Nonesuch)
• Eliza Gilkyson - Paradise Hotel (Red House)
• Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike (SideOneDummy)
• Groovie Ghoulies - Berry'd Alive (EP, Green Door)
• Hail Social - Hail Social (Polyvinyl)
• Juliana Hatfield - Made in China (Ye Olde)
• Holopaw - Quit +/or Fight (Sub Pop)
• Ellis Hoojeks - Godson of Soul (Evidence)
• JC Hopkins Biggish Band - Underneath a Brooklyn Moon (featuring Queen Esther) (Evidence)
• Hootie & the Blowfish - Looking for Lucky (Sneaky Long Records)
• J-Henry - Another Long Day (Rockview)
• The Jones Gang - Any Day Now (Reality/AAO)
• The Juan MacLean - Less Than Human (Astralwerks)
• Kill Your Idols - Live at CBGB's July 30th 2000 (Blackout)
• Earl Klugh - Naked Guitar (Koch)
• Koufax - Hard Times Are in Fashion (Doghouse)
• Tommy Lee - Tommy Lee Presents: TommyLand the Ride (Rocket Science)
  Read: "Tommy Lee Parties With Good Charlotte, Slash And, Er, Nick Carter on Tommyland"
  Buy Now: Tommyland: The Ride (Rocket Science)
• Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz - Crunk Juice - Chopped & Screwed by Michael (TVT)
• The Life and Times - Suburban Hymns (DeSoto)
• Limbeck - Let Me Come Home (Doghouse)
• Lunascape - Reminiscence (Noir)
• Mad Ro - The Foul Stench of Something Good (Noc on Wood)
• Pat Metheny - Song X (Nonesuch)
• Minotaur Shock - Maritime (4AD/Beggars)
• Mobius Band - The Loving Sounds of Static (Ghostly International)
• Moggs - The White Belt Is Not Enough (Absolutely Kosher)
• Carrie Newcomer - Regulars and Refugees (Philo/Rounder)
• Nickel Creek - Why Should the Fire Die? (Sugar Hill)
• ODB - A Son Unique (Def Jam)
  Read: "ODB Album Preview: Star-Studded A Son Unique Is Radio Ready"
  Buy Now: A Son Unique (Def Jam)
• David Pack - The Secret of Movin' On (Peak/Concord)
• Pennywise - The Fuse (Epitaph)
  Buy Now: The Fuse (Epitaph)
• Proclaimers - Restless Soul (Persevere)
• Proof - Searching for Jerry Garcia (Iron Fist)
  Read: "D12's Proof Readying Solo LP With 'Kurt Cobain' On It"
• Tim Ries - The Rolling Stones Project (Concord)
• Poncho Sanchez - Do It! (Concord)
• Scars of Life - What We Reflect (Sixthman)
• Shelby - The Luxury of Time (Gigantic)
• Sons and Daughters - The Repulsion Box (Domino)
• Staind - Chapter V (Elektra)
  Read: "Staind Pushing Hard To Put Grey Days Behind Them"
  Buy Now: Chapter V (Flip/Atlantic)
• Suicide Machines - War Profiteering Is Killing Us All (SideOneDummy)
• Swarmy, Astro & Glide - Le Souk Sunday Sessions (Aurora Music Group)
• Richard Thompson - Front Parlour Ballads (Cooking Vinyl)
• Tremolo - Love Is the Greatest Revenge (Flagship)
• Ying Yang Twins - U.S.A. (United State of Atlanta) - Chopped & Screwed by Michael (TVT)
  Buy Now: USA (United State of Atlanta) [Chopped & Screwed] (TVT)
• Various artists - American Folk (Putumayo)
• Various artists - Dance 2 This Volume 2 (Thump)
• Various artists - Def Jazz (Verve)
• Various artists - "Heights" soundtrack (Tommy Boy)
• Various artists - Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen (Hollywood)
• Various artists - Ministry of Sound Clubber's Guide Vol. 1 (Ultra)
• Various artists - Pure Chill (Water Music)

Notable Reissues:

• Bardo Pond - Selections: Volumes I-IV (unreleased and rare tracks, ATP)
• Blasters - 4-11-44 (bonus video, Rainman)
• Chin Up Chin Up - Chin Up Chin Up EP (three bonus tracks and a bonus video, Flameshovel)
• Cursive - The Difference Between Houses and Homes: Lost Songs and Loose Ends 1995-2001 (two unreleased songs, 10 rarities and a 24-page booklet by written by frontman Tim Kasher and illustrated by Eastern Youth's Yuriko Yoshino; ATP)
• Kool Keith - Lost Masters: Volume 2 (Dmaft)
• Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman - Song X: 20th Anniversary (six unreleased bonus tracks, Nonesuch)
• Michael McDonald - The Ultimate Collection (Rhino)
• Mouse on Mars - Autoditacker (Too Pure/ Beggars)
• Orange Juice - The Glasgow School (two unreleased bonus tracks, Domino)
• Sloan - Smeared and Twice Removed (Koch)

DVDs:

• "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz" (featuring Ashanti)
  Read: "Ashanti's Muppet Co-Stars Pull Back The Curtain On 'Wizard' "
• Jerry Garcia Band - "Live at Shoreline 9/1/90" (Rhino)
• Chris Isaak with Raul Malo - "PBS Soundstage Presents: Chris Isaak Live in Concert" (Koch Vision)
• Steve Winwood - "PBS Soundstage Presents: Steve Winwood Live in Concert" (Koch Vision)
• Yes - "Songs From Tsongas: Yes 35th Anniversary Concert" (Image)

Coming Attractions:

August 16:

• 311 - Don't Tread on Me (Volcano)
• The Click Five - Greetings From Imrie House (Lava)
  Read: "Click Five Winning Over Soccer Moms On Ashlee Simpson Tour"
• Killers - Hot Fuss (limited edition, Island)

August 23:

• Björk - "Drawing Restraint 9" soundtrack (One Little Indian)
• Jim Jones - Harlem: Diary of a Summer (Koch)
• Kurupt - Against the Grain (Death Row)

August 30:

• Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (Atlantic)
  Read: "Death Cab For Cutie Living Up To The 'Death' Part On Next LP"
• Rihanna - Music of the Sun (Def Jam)
• Kanye West - Late Registration (Def Jam)
  Read: " 'Can He Do It Again?' — Kanye West Says New LP Backs Up His Bragging"

• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Staind
• Tommy Lee
• Proof
• Pennywise

Birdman's <I>Fast Money</I>
Photo: Universal

His new album doesn't hit stores for almost two months, but Kanye West is already making his presence felt in record stores. The rapper/producer's skills are featured on new albums from three R&B, soul and hip-hop up-and-comers this week.

West produced "I Changed My Mind," the first single from R&B newcomer Keyshia Cole's debut album, The Way It Is. Cole, who also enlisted jailed MC Shyne for the track, had once gotten her musical tutelage from none other than MC Hammer. For soul singer Leela James, Kanye collaborated on a pair of tracks on her debut album, A Change Is Gonna Come. James, who defines her sound as "back-porch soul," also worked with Raphael Saadiq and Wyclef Jean on the disc. North Carolina-bred hip-hop trio Little Brother, meanwhile, got a nod from West on "I See Now," a track off The Chittlin Circuit 1.5.

Out Tuesday, June 21:

• All Good Funk Alliance - On the One (Sunswept)
• Amici Forever - Defined (RCA Victor)
• Eric Benét - Hurricane (Reprise)
• B.G. - Life After Cash Money: Chopped and Screwed (Koch)
• Birdman - Fast Money (Universal Motown)
  Read: "Baby Keeps It Down-Bottom With Fast Money"
• Tracy Bonham - Blink the Brightest (Rounder)
• Boom Bap Project - Reprogram (Rhymesayers)
• Boyz N da Hood - Boyz N da Hood (Bad Boy)
• Wade O. Brown - All Night, All Love (Groove United/33rd Street)
• Laura Cantrell - Humming by the Flowered Vine (Matador)
• Chicago Blues Harmonica Project - Diamonds in the Rough (Severn)
• Cintron - Back in the Day (Ark 21)
• Corey Clark - Corey Clark (Bungalo)
  Read: "Corey Clark Nabs Scott Storch, Peas Members For His 'Hot To Death' LP"
• Clutch - Robot Hive/Exodus (DRT Entertainment)
• Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is (A&M/Interscope)
  Read: "Keyshia Cole Has Kanye, Shyne On LP, Proof That Stalking MC Hammer Pays Off"
• Billy Corgan - The Future Embrace (Reprise)
• DBG'Z - P'hissed Off! (Bungalo)
• Down to the Bone - Spread Love Like Wildfire (Narada)
• Dredg - Catch Without Arms (Interscope)
  Read: "Stone Age Success Means Brighter Future For Prog-Rockers Dredg"
• Dropkick Murphys - The Warrior's Code (Epitaph)
• Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart - Communion Bread (Funzalo)
• Eldissa - What a Difference ... Disco Meets Acoustic Lounge (Le Maquis/Dreyfus)
• Evergreen Terrace - Sincerity Is an Easy Disguise in This Business (Eulogy)
• Foreign Born - In the Remote Woods (EP, StarTime International)
• Gothminister - Empire of Dark Salvation (Dancing Ferret)
• John Hiatt - Master of Disaster (New West)
• Chris Hillman - The Other Side (Sovereign Artists)
• Leela James - A Change Is Gonna Come (Warner Bros.)
• Mark Knopfler - One Take Radio Sessions (EP, Warner Bros.)
• Patti LaBelle - Classic Moments (Def Jam)
• Left Alone - Lonely Starts & Broken Hearts (Epitaph)
• Little Brother - The Chittlin Circuit 1.5 (Koch)
• Lost Boyz - Forever (Contango)
• Luca - You Win Again (Funzalo)
• Master P - Ghetto Bill: The Best Hustler in the Game (Koch)
• Mayday - Bushido Karaoke (Saddle Creek)
• Me'Shell Ndegeocello Presents the Spirit Music Jamia - Dance of the Infidel (Shanachie)
• Method Man Presents Street Life - Street Education (X-Ray)
• Stina Nordenstam - The World Is Saved (V2)
• The Offspring - Greatest Hits (Sony)
• Ol' Dirty Bastard - The Definitive Ol' Dirty Bastard Story (Rhino)
• On Broken Wings - It's All a Long Goodbye (Eulogy)
• David Poe - Love Is Red (The LAB)
• Prodigal Sunn - Return of the Prodigal Sunn (Free Agency/Godz Inc.)
• Ra - Duality (Universal)
• Ratchets - Heart of Town EP (Hell Bent)
• Redwalls - De Nova (Capitol)
  Read: "Redwalls Bring The Sound Of Liverpool To Lake Michigan"
• Sasha - Fundacion NYC (Global Underground)
• Special Generation - Take It to the Floor (reissue, Bungalo)
• Al Stewart - A Beach Full of Shells (Appleseed)
• Stutterfly - And We Are Bled of Color (Maverick)
• Télépopmusik - Angel Milk (Capitol)
• Kevin Toney - 110 Degrees and Rising (Shanachie)
• Trini - Like No Other (reissue, Empire)
• The Vanity Project - The Vanity Project (Flagship)
• Gene Watson - Then and Now (Koch)
• Matthew West - History (Universal South)
• Wiggles - Sailing Around the World (Koch)
• Without Gravity - Tenderfoot (One Little Indian)
• Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice - XIAO (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Various artists - Bam Margera Presents: Viva la Bands (456 Enterprises)
  Read: "Skater Bam Margera's Latest Trick: Making Bands Blow Up"
• Various artists - Instrumental Icons: Music of Lil Jon (Fastlife)
• Various artists - Look at All the Love We Found: A Tribute to Sublime (Cornerstone)
• Various artists - Ultimate Trance Remixed (Water Music)
• Various artists - "Herbie Fully Loaded" soundtrack (Hollywood)
• Various artists - "My Summer of Love" soundtrack (Milan)
• Various artists - "Rize" soundtrack (Social Capital)
• DVD: "Foo Fighters: Guardian Angels" (Chrome Dreams)
• DVD: "Placebo: Androgyny" (Chrome Dreams)
• DVD: Blindside - "Ten Years Running Blind" (DRT Entertainment)
• DVD: Cruxshadows - "Shadowbox" (Dancing Ferret)
• DVD: Kool Keith - "Global Enlightenment Part 1" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Lamb of God - "Killadelphia" (Epic)
• DVD: Sarah Jane Morris - "In Concert" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Ian Parker - "Whilst the Wind: Live" (Music Video Distributors)
• DVD: Various artists - "Metalmania 2004" (Music Video Distributors)

June 28:

• DMX - Here We Go Again (Ruff Ryders)
  Read: "Mase Advises DMX To Rap Again, Wait For The Lord's Call"
• Fountains of Wayne - Out-of-State Plates (Virgin)
  Read: "Fountains Of Wayne To Spout 26-Song Rarities Collection, Tour In June"
• Longwave - There's a Fire (Red Ink)

July 5:

• R. Kelly - TP3 Reloaded (Sony)
• Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
• Various artists - "Fantastic Four" soundtrack (Wind-Up)

July 12:

• All-American Rejects - Move Along (Interscope)
• Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma (Metal Blade)
• Bow Wow - Wanted (Sony)

• Corey Clark
• Keyshia Cole
• The Offspring
• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Clutch

ODB (file)
Photo: MTV News

One of the most animated rappers of all time, Ol' Dirty Bastard is still riffing about sex, drugs, jail and tomfoolery. Only now he's not around see his fans enjoy it.

And it seems like a lot of people will be enjoying A Son Unique, since the rapper's first posthumous LP is definitely his most radio-ready album. It's thick with featured guests, including Missy Elliott, Pharrell and Joe Budden, but it also preserves the unique chemistry ODB shared with fellow Wu-Tangers RZA and Ghostface.

The June 21 release showcases the likes of the Neptunes, Macy Gray, Beanie Sigel, Raekwon, N.O.R.E., Lil' Fame of M.O.P., Clipse, Young Gunz's Young Chris and Method Man.

The standout track is "Back in the Air," featuring Ghostface, on which rolling bass-guitar samples flow throughout while soothing horns slide. "This is Dirt McGirt, not P. Diddy," Big Baby Jesus says just before he threatens that the "bitch better have my money." Ah, the kid was in his element.

RZA produced four songs on the 13-cut effort, including "Back in the Air" and the aesthetically conceptual "Stomp," which features a marching army echoing in the shadows. "Intoxicated" also displays the legendary Wu posse chemistry.

Elliott, one of the record's many radio familiars, appears on a track produced by British DJ Mark Ronson, who samples a thundering, wild-piano riff. While the chorus sings, "Dirt Dog, Dirt Dog, he's our man/ If he can't do it no one can," a crazy-sounding ODB says he's "Wu-Tang's new John Coltrane."

DJ Premier shows up on "Pop Shots," which is also the first single. Using the trademark horns that have made Premier famous, Lil' Fame rips through the track with a cottonmouth flow. Meanwhile, Dirt Dog hollers "pop shots" offbeat while Beanie Sigel growls, "Roc-A-Fella, Roc-A-Fella, Roc-A-Fella" in the background.

The Neptunes-produced "Operator" showcases both Pharrell and Clipse. The female-oriented track utilizes crazy drums but doesn't outdo the Damon Elliott-produced "ODB Don't Go Breaking My Heart." Macy Gray, who makes a couple of appearances on the disc, joins Dirty for the off-key and peculiar cover of the song originally performed by Elton John and Kiki Dee. Suffice it to say, it's a novelty track.

N.O.R.E. hops on the Dame Grease-produced "Dirty & Grimey." It features electronics reminiscent of a video game, with the two MCs rhyming back and forth. Meanwhile, Dirty shouts out to Slick Rick's "A Teenage Love" on his track "Don't Hurt Me Again."

Unfortunately, an ODB tribute song recorded by Wu-Tang was not finished in time to make the album, but it should be on the soundtrack to the upcoming film "Death of a Dynasty," according to a spokesperson.

Although ODB's passed on, his label, friends and cohorts refuse to let his legacy waste away. And with 13 tracks of well-formulated and exciting beats, ODB's wildly endearing personality still shines through to his fans on A Son Unique.

• Ol' Dirty Bastard

Warning: These Album Covers May Contain Explicit Content

• The Beatles
• The Mamas & The Papas
• Moby Grape
• Jimi Hendrix
• John Lennon