Petey Pablo
Photo: MTV News

HOLLYWOOD — If you're wondering how Southern rapper Petey Pablo ended up on onetime West Coast powerhouse Death Row Records, you're not alone.

"I have often asked myself the same thing," Pablo said. "But if you accept what life is supposed to be, then there's things that'll happen in your life that you won't fully understand until later on in life, but when the understanding comes at the end of the day, everything that you ever had questions about will be no more. What God put together, let no man take it apart."

Pablo offered no details about how he ended up in business with Suge Knight, but confirmed that the Death Row founder is executive producing his next album, Same Eyez on Me.

"It's like Tupac's album All Eyez on Me, which was his greatest album," Petey said of the title. "And I think this is following in the footsteps, 'cause this is my greatest album. I've been so focused and I'm ready. I've been overlooked for a long time."

Pablo is still finalizing the track list for the album, which doesn't yet have a release date, but he's so far recorded with Timbaland, Magoo, newcomers the Strike Team, R&B singer Bobby Green and Lil Jon, who produced the single "Freek-a-Leek" from Petey's last album, 2004's Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry (see "Flowers? No, Petey Pablo Gives Studio Time For Mother's Day").

"I got a lot of material," he said. "I've recorded over like 200 songs since I been out here. People have told me I've recorded more songs than Tupac."

And Pablo's not just writing songs. He's also written a movie called "When the Fat Lady Sings."

"I can't give [the premise] away right now, 'cause somebody might try to get me," said Petey, who is also acting (see "Petey Pablo, The Black Robert De Niro?"). "I was just on 'The Shield' recently. ... So I just got a whole lot of stuff going on."

There's only one thing he's not been able to accomplish.

"I just can't find a girlfriend," he said. "Everybody keep thinking that I'm just a rapper and they scared to go to the hotels and all that other stuff, 'cause they hear about things that go on with y'all rappers. But I want some kids, man. I mean, I got a lot of animals, but I want some kids. My sister told me to have some babies."

• Petey Pablo

Ashlee Simpson (file)
Photo: Mark Liddell

A teen pop star, a rock band and a rapper will help the no-doubt-already-hot crowd get even more heated at this year's MTV Video Music Awards pre-show.

Ashlee Simpson, New Found Glory and Jadakiss with Anthony Hamilton have been announced as the performers for the "2004 MTV Video Music Awards Pre-Show by the Shore," which will air live from the red carpet in Miami on Sunday, August 29 from 6:30 - 8 p.m.

The newly added performers join the lengthy list of indoor acts including Usher, Kanye West, Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe, Yellowcard, Lil Jon, Jet, Petey Pablo, Hoobastank, Alicia Keys, Nelly featuring Christina Aguilera, Outkast, Ying Yang Twins, Jessica Simpson, the Polyphonic Spree and Dave Chappelle.

Sauntering to the podium to present on the big night is a bevy of celebrities including songstresses Brandy, Shakira, Evanescence's Amy Lee, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff and Ashlee Simpson. Representing for the men of hip-hop are Mase, Omarion, LL Cool J, P. Diddy, Ludacris and Will Smith, while sportsmen Shaquille O'Neal and Tony Hawk will help quicken a few heartbeats. Rounding out the star-studded list of presenters are Nick Lachey, Beastie Boys, John Mellencamp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jimmy Fallon, Paris Hilton, Lenny Kravitz and Jon Stewart.

As for the nominees, Jay-Z is the leader of the pack this year with six nods for his "99 Problems" clip. Nipping at his smartly attired heels are Beyoncé, No Doubt, Usher and Outkast with four nominations each.

The most anticipated and most coveted award of the night, the Viewer's Choice Award, is being determined this year by the VMAyhem Viewer's Choice Playoffs, which allowed MTV.com users to narrow a list of 40 videos down to five nominees through head-to-head video battles. Voting for the five nominees — Christina Aguilera's "The Voice Within," Good Charlotte's "Hold On," Linkin Park's "Breaking the Habit," Simple Plan's "Perfect" and Yellowcard's "Ocean Avenue" — is under way.

• 2004 MTV Video Music Award Presenters and Performers
• VMA '04 Red Carpet Fashion
• VMA '04 Backstage: Usher, Kanye, Jay And More
• VMA '04 Onstage: Usher, Jessica, Shaq, Christina, Nelly, Fat Joe, Alicia, Stevie, Outkast, More
• VMA '04 Behind The Scenes

• Ashlee Simpson
• Jadakiss
• New Found Glory
• Usher
• Kanye West

Ashlee Simpson (file)
Photo: Geffen

Fresh from their various reality shows, talk shows, comedy shows, rock shows and skate competitions, Paris Hilton, Tony Hawk, Ashlee Simpson, Dave Chappelle, Jon Stewart, Lenny Kravitz, P. Diddy, Ludacris and LL Cool J have all been added to the list of celebrities appearing at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards on August 29. (click for photos of Ashlee Simpson and more from the 2004 VMA Red Carpet)

A raft of hip-hop artists have been added to the list of performers as well, including Lil Jon, Petey Pablo, the Ying Yang Twins and Terror Squad featuring Fat Joe. Chappelle will also perform, although there's no word on whether he'll also play the roles of Rick James, Prince, fellow performer Lil Jon or any other celebrity the comedian channels on his "Chappelle's Show." (check out photos from backstage at the 2004 VMA)

The newly announced performers and guests will join Usher, Kanye West, Jessica Simpson, Hoobastank, Yellowcard and Jet, already slated to perform at the 2004 VMAs in Miami (see "Jay-Z, Beyonce, No Doubt, Outkast Lead Pack Of VMA Nominees"). The show will take place at Miami's American Airlines Arena on August 29 and will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. on MTV (tape-delayed on the West Coast). (click here for photos from on stage at the 2004 VMA)

Leading this year's pack of nominees is Jay-Z, who nabs six nominations for his "99 Problems" clip, and Beyoncé, No Doubt, Usher and Outkast have five nominations (check out the complete list of nominees).

The Viewers' Choice Award will be determined this year by the VMAyhem Viewer's Choice Playoffs, which allow MTV.com users to narrow a list of 40 videos down to five nominees through head-to-head video battles. Voting on the five final nominees will begin on August 18.

• 2004 MTV Video Music Award Presenters and Performers

• Ashlee Simpson
• Diddy
• Ludacris
• Lil Jon
• Petey Pablo

Usher (file)
Photo: Gregg Delman

After temporarily stepping back while D12 had their moment in the sun, Usher will retake his previous position at the top of the Billboard albums chart next week.

Confessions sold 267,000 copies last week, according to SoundScan, 5,000 more copies than the LP did the week before. The increasing prominence of the album's second single, "Burn," can take credit for the slight rise.

After seven weeks, six of which were spent at the top, Usher's fourth album has amassed more than 3.1 million in sales.

Sales of D12's second album, D12 World, dropped off by 63 percent in its second week, though the 196,000 copies it managed to move was enough to secure a spot at #2, ahead of Prince's Musicology. Thanks to a combination of album purchases and three shows' worth of ticket sales (all concertgoers receive a copy of the album, whose cost has been worked into the ticket price), Musicology sold more than 150,000 copies to keep its place at #3 for the third week in a row.

Keeping his journal on wax is proving profitable for Petey Pablo. On the strength of "Freek-A-Leek," the Southern rapper's second album, Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry, will come in at #4, with more than 117,000 copies sold. Pablo's latest is on par with his 2001 debut, Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, which sold more than 103,000 copies in its first week for a #13 chart debut.

Moms nationwide helped Norah Jones and Josh Groban's latest albums re-enter the top 10. The presumably popular Mother's Day gifts each increased their weekly sales by about 35,000 copies, so that Jones' Feels Like Home will advance three spots to #8, with more than 90,000 copies sold, while Groban's Closer jumps nine spots to #9, with more than 78,000 copies sold.

The rest of the top 10 finds jazz singer Diana Krall's The Girl in the Other Room taking one step back to #5 (with more than 97,000 copies sold); Hoobastank's The Reason continuing to reap the benefits of the crossover title track and moving up a spot to #6 (90,000); Mario Winans' Hurt No More dropping two spots to #7 (90,000); and Now That's What I Call Music! 15 falling four places to #10 (76,000).

Although weekly sales rose by 11 percent for Evanescence's Fallen (from 59,000 to 67,000), the album will slip out of the upper bracket to #11, followed by Southern gospel rockers Third Day's seventh album, Wire, at #12. Totally Hits 2004, featuring tracks by Jet, Maroon 5, Kelis and J-Kwon, will land at #14; second-season "American Idol" loser Kimberley Locke's One Love will bow in at #16; and soul diva Patti LaBelle's Timeless Journey will enter at #18 to round out the top-20 debuts.

Next week's other notable albums-chart debuts include Flaw's Endangered Species at #42; Sevendust's live, Southside Double-Wide at #90; Magnetic Fields' I at #152; the Pixies' Wave of Mutilation: The Best of the Pixies at #161; and comedian David Cross' It's Not Funny at #194.

Last week's statistics also show that downloaded tracks far outnumbered conventional single sales. While Clay Aiken's "Solitaire/ The Way" will be the #1 single on next week's Billboard 200 singles chart with more than 9,500 copies sold, Hoobastank's "The Reason" was downloaded more than 15,700 times to be the most popular downloaded track last week. The top 200 singles moved a total of 92,000 copies, while the top 200 tracks were downloaded more than 374,000 times. Since January 1, however, sales of the top 200 singles exceed the top 200 downloads, 7.1 million to 6.2 million.

• Usher
• D12
• Prince
• Petey Pablo
• Norah Jones

Petey Pablo (file)
Photo: Jive

Petey Pablo knows exactly what he's getting his mom for Mother's Day — a CD. No, he's not making a trip to the local record store. The North Carolina rapper will soon be booking recording time for his mother so she can record her own album.

"My mother can sing," Petey revealed recently. "Now that I'm able to grant those dreams that we had once, I just want her to have an opportunity of going into the studio and really singing, doing her thing."

Petey said he'll hook up beats and bring in musicians so Mama Pablo can cut a proper album. He'll sell the CDs through a Web site he's launching for his record label, Wright Brothers Records, this summer. If the response is good, he'll try to distribute it properly. "She doesn't want to be an artist, but this is just [me being] a dream fulfiller," he explained.

Petey's been busy lately, anticipating the release of his second album, Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry, due Tuesday. "I'm not a person who really feels comfortable sitting down and talking to people, so I put my business in the street through my music," Petey said, describing the "diary" theme that runs through his first two albums. "If you have a problem, all you need is someone to listen to make you feel better. And once 10 million people pick up [the album], I'll feel a lot better."

Petey admitted that while people all over the country are falling in love with Lil Jon, he still hasn't talked with the producer since enlisting Jon for his first single, "Freek a Leek." Lil Jon essentially used the same beat for Usher's smash hit "Yeah!" without telling either artist.

"I wasn't annoyed," Petey said before changing his mind. "Oh yes I was. MTV, I gotta keep it real — I was annoyed. But I just let that one fly out in the wind. Sometimes it's best to let things go. I ain't got no complaints."

• Petey Pablo

Petey Pablo (file)
Photo: Jive

Petey Pablo ... rock star? It's something that the country-bred Southern rapper claimed could happen one day.

"I'm not a rapper, I'm not what you consider to be a hip-hop artist," he said recently. "I'm an artist, period. If I wake up tomorrow morning and want to do a hard rock song and I want to call up Kid Rock or Fred Durst, you might not even realize that's really me you're listening to."

Petey makes the first strides toward broadening his horizons on his second album, Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry, which is due early this year. After the surprise success of his debut, Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry, the North Carolina native is peppering his rural crunk with raucous party tracks, melodic rhythm & blues and down-home confessionals.

In fact, one of the "guests" Petey unveils on 2nd Entry is a throwback R&B singer named Bobby Green. "Look out for Bobby Green because Bobby Green is really doing his thing on this album," he said with a wink. Who is Bobby Green? Well, Petey wouldn't explicitly say, but it wasn't hard to realize from the name alone — a combination of old-school soul men Bobby Womack and Al Green — that he was talking about an alter-ego. "[He's] the soulful side of my album. Not only do I have a funny, hangin'-out, let's-get-freaky side, but [this too]."

That "let's-get-freaky" side is represented in the first single from 2nd Entry, "Freaky Leaky." Petey isn't one who usually talks about jewelry, fancy cars and the lavish lifestyle often portrayed by his Northern peers. But on this song, he certainly lets the more raw and rambunctious side of him come out and play.

"This song is really like a step out there in the water, talking about some real freaky stuff. When I woke up that day, that's what I wanted — I wanted to get freaky."

Petey says he's been finished with 2nd Entry for a few months. That hasn't stopped him from working in the studio, however. He made a quick trip to New York recently to record a healthy dose of new songs for mixtapes and various soundtracks. "I get a lot of stuff going when I go in the studio," he said. "That's my place, that's my zone, that's my playing field.

"If you had to place me in a category as far as what I do with my music, I'd fall in the Tupac category," he added. "I record just like that — I've got four or five albums just waiting right now."

Petey's recent output has included a song he finished for a DJ Kay Slay album, a track with Bubba Sparxxx and two with Missy Elliott. Since Timbaland had a hand in discovering Petey Pablo, working with Missy seemed inevitable, Petey said. The two songs they recorded are called "Whole Wild World" and "Break Me Off," though he doesn't know what will happen to either of the tracks. "I don't want to pull out all my big guns," he said. "She's a megastar. You don't want to wear that out. I want to keep something."

Petey got down on another collaboration recently, one that surprised even him. In the fall, he flew out to Los Angeles and recorded four songs with Will Smith.

A grimy, Dirty South rapper like himself was the last thing Petey thought Smith would be seeking, but sure enough, he received a call from the pop superstar, who paid for Petey to join him in the studio.

"You don't really hear about Will working with other rappers. For him to call me and bring me to his house?" Petey said with disbelief.

So what did he think of the experience? "I'm in his house, in his kitchen, eating a banana out of his bowl. It's like, hey, man — I'm really here."

• Petey Pablo

Eminem
Photo: Interscope

Eminem is working with Russell Simmons to help spread the word about what a positive effect hip-hop can have on urban communities politically, socially and economically. Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will be sponsoring their latest Hip-Hop Summit on April 26 in Slim Shady's hometown of Detroit.

Taking place in Cobo Arena, Em and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will be two of the event's co-hosts. D12, Rev. Run, Redman, Method Man, N.O.R.E., the D.O.C., Doug E. Fresh, Petey Pablo, Slum Village, the Bass Brothers, Cam'ron and the Diplomats, and Keith Murray are among those confirmed to attend.

"For me, Detroit symbolizes hip-hop in a lot of different ways," Eminem said in a statement released Thursday (April 17). "Everybody who's been involved in Detroit hip-hop culture here has spent years trying to bring light to the city the same way Russell worked to bring hip-hop to the attention of the world and the same way the mayor is working to put Detroit back in the spotlight. It's the struggle to be heard and to be recognized. It's our time, both hip-hop's and Detroit's."

"It's a big deal and there's gonna be all these artists performing, there's gonna be 18,000 people and the summit is going to be during the NAACP convention," Simmons explained on Tuesday. "You're not going to believe how dramatic and life-transforming it can be for some of the kids who come. Our commitment is to help empower the youth of today, who are the most gifted and talented generation of young people that we've ever been blessed to have. Assembling in Detroit, amidst its rebirth under a dynamic, young 32-year-old hip-hop mayor, is a great tribute to the power of hip-hop."

Simmons' reps say the theme for this year's summit is "The Remix: Rebuilding ... Refocusing ... Reinvesting ... Resurgence." During the NAACP festivities the next night, Simmons will receive a lifetime achievement award from the organization.

On July 12, Eminem will also be at the center of a major shindig in his hometown. He'll be headlining his only scheduled U.S. concert this year at Ford Field (see "Em's Hometown Concert In July Might Be The Eminem Show"). 50 Cent, D12 and Missy Elliott are also on the bill.

• Eminem
• Russell Simmons
• D12
• Redman
• Method Man

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.

• Nelly
• Avril Lavigne
• Norah Jones
• Eminem
• Vanessa Carlton

Big Tymers
Photo: Universal

There's no disputing Cash Money Records is on a roll, and on August 20 the hip-hop label is looking to ride the momentum of the Big Tymers and Lil' Wayne to another high chart debut with the "Undisputed" soundtrack.

The album features tracks from the Cash Money stable, along with friends ranging from Trick Daddy to Carl Thomas to Bubba Sparxxx to Petey Pablo.

Cash Money Millionaires Lil' Wayne, Big Tymers, Lac and Mikkey collaborate on the soundtrack's first single and title track. Director Terry Heller (K-Ci and JoJo) recently filmed a video for "Undisputed" at the Nashville State Penitentiary, where much of "The Green Mile" was shot.

"Undisputed" the movie, which opens August 23, stars Wesley Snipes and Ving Rhames as boxers behind bars who are thrust into an underground prison boxing match. Master P also has a small role in the film (see "Master P, Lil' Romeo To Tour After Finishing Movie Roles").

Undisputed track list, according to Universal:

• Cash Money Millionaires - "Undisputed"
• Big Tymers - "We Drop It"
• Trick Daddy - "Let Me Ride"
• Lil' Wayne - "Real Talk"
• Carl Thomas - "How Did I"
• Bubba Sparxxx - "Hungry"
• Mikkey - "Everyday"
• Teena Marie - "Shorty Down"
• Gilly f/ the Major Figgas - "So Gangsta"
• Boo and Gotti f/ Baby Da #1 Stunna - "Ride Together"
• Stone, Gilly and Lac - "I Walk It"
• TQ - "Think About You (Looking Through the Window)"
• Erick Sermon - "If You Don't Know by Now"
• Petey Pablo - "Que La Cosa"
• Benzino - "Go Hard"
• Cristina - "Daddy's Little Girl"
• Baby Da #1 Stunna f/ Kandi, Duke and Big Gee - "Bout My Paper"

• The T-Players - "Time Has Come Today"

• The B.E.C. - "In Here"

• Universal and the B.E.C. - "If U Wanna Know"

• The Result - "Man Up"

• Lil Wayne
• The Big Tymers
• Bubba Sparxxx
• Carl Thomas
• Trick Daddy

Miami After Hours: Kanye, Paris, Juvenile, Lil Jon, Jada, More

• Lil' Kim
• Kanye West
• Diddy
• Lil Jon
• Petey Pablo

Petey Pablo Photos

• Petey Pablo