Ciara
Photo: MTV News

LOS ANGELES — Is Ciara opening up her cookie jar?

"I want to bring you into my world, that's what I really want to do with this one," the "Goodies" singer said of her upcoming sophomore album, contradicting the message of her standoffish breakthrough single.

After playing MTV News a few songs, however, it seemed Ciara is not exactly welcoming in everyone.

(To see Ciara in the studio talking about her new LP and playing some new tracks, check out "Spankin' Free Ciara: Watch Her 'Evolution,' " on Overdrive).

Take the tentatively titled "I'm Doing Me Tonight," for example. "With girls, we have a tendency to alter our schedule for guys," Ciara said during a break from recording the song with producer Lil Jon recently. "So the whole thing is, 'I'm doing me tonight. I'm going to make changes. I'm going to go out and have fun with my girls. It's all about me.' "

Then there's "Like a Boy." "I think a lot of women can relate to this, the whole thing about when a guy does certain things, it's cool, but when a girl does certain things, we look crazy," she explained, referencing lyrics like "Pull up your pants just like him/ Take out the trash just like him/ Getting your cash like him/ Fast like him/ Girl you better act like it then." "Sometimes I wish I could act like a boy," she said. "Like, that's so real to me."

So maybe there's a bit of the same you-ain't-gettin'-none Ciara we came to love on Goodies, but she swears it's a new direction. The LP is even called Ciara: The Evolution.

"It's just a perfect way of summing it up," she said of the title. "It's definitely a transformation from the first album to this one. This is my first time co-producing, which is really exciting for me. I've been learning a lot throughout this whole recording process. And I'm thankful to just be in my second album. But it's all about where I'm going next" (see "From Crunk To Yeek — Ciara Steps In A New Direction For Goodies Follow-Up").

Ciara wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, due December 5, and co-produced almost every track. Some of her Goodies collaborators returned, including Jon and mentor Jazze Pha, but there's also a new slate of both bigwigs (Pharrell, Will.I.Am, Rodney Jerkins) and newcomers (Brian Kennedy).

Musically, Ciara: The Evolution blends Miami bass with Atlanta crunk, with some ballads and old-school homages tossed in. On the Will.I.Am-produced "Do It," for instance, she samples Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." "I feel like that's one of my responsibilities as an artist, to remind you of those that paved the way for what we do," Ciara said.

The album's first single, "Promise," was a joint effort between Ciara and Polow Da Don (Fergie's "London Bridge," Pussycat Dolls' "Buttons"). " 'Promise' basically is saying just how I'm single right now and ... I don't even want to explain too much because when you hear the words you can put it together," Ciara said, confirming her separation from Bow Wow. "I'm someone that goes hard for a guy that I like, and this record is saying there's nothing I want to do but spend my life with you, whoever that guy is that I envision."

Over a dance beat, Ciara sings, "Opened my heart/ Gave it you/ Told the whole world that I'm in love with you," leading into the chorus, " 'Cause baby, there is nothing I won't do/ To spend my life with you/ I'll give my all to you/ I promise that I will never lie to you."

"She's coming into her own," Pha said of his protégé. "And I think that's what's most important for her, growing up and becoming a woman."

"She was 17 years old when we started working together," Lil Jon added. "She was this shy, quiet girl in the studio. She is a woman now."

Maybe so, but Ciara is still 20 years old and speaking to a fanbase that is largely younger. "It's very important to me in the writing of the record [that it] be relatable to every demographic," she said, citing the Jon-produced "Crush" as an example. "Even if you're 21 and older, 21 and younger — even if you're still in elementary school — a crush is a crush, period."

So does that mean Ciara has a new crush? "I'm not saying that, it's just a great topic for a song," she replied, laughing. Another great topic is apparently the importance of self-confidence, something Ciara addresses on at least two songs: the Pharrell-produced "I'm Just Me" and the Will.I.Am-produced "Get In, Fit In."

"To me, everyone wants to be like the other," Ciara explained. "My whole thing is find yourself, love you for who you are and do what you do your way."

• In Focus: Ciara

• Ciara
• Salt-N-Pepa

The Roots' Black Thought
Photo: MTV News

MONTREAL — The Roots' Friday evening North American tour opener brought the heat to this cold city with a two-hour set of old favorites, new crowd-pleasers and fresh twists on some classic hip-hop tunes.

After Montreal residents DJ Storm and Shades of Culture warmed up the sold-out crowd with old-school classics, the Roots took the stage in darkness and rapper Black Thought announced, "You are now rocking with the best." As a giant screen displayed a purple neon outline of the group's Phrenology album cover, the group launched into the disc's second track, "Rock You."

Audience members cheered in anticipation as guitarist Ben Kenney playfully teased them with the opening riff of Eminem's "Lose Yourself," and Thought had them throwing their hands in the air "8 Mile" style. The group then transitioned to Phrenology's "Thought @ Work," mixing in covers of Leadbelly's "Black Betty" and Rick James' "Super Freak."

The crowd dug "Proceed," "Act Too (Love of My Life)" and "Water," singing, dancing and hanging on every note as the spotlights flashed from all sides of the stage.

"We're not done," Thought alerted the crowd, which cheered and threw fists in the air as he eased into Phrenology's "Break You Off."

Bassist Leonard "Lenny Flynt" Hubbard, sporting a sleeveless hoodie, kept the crowd's energy high, soloing and echoing the sounds of the bass on the mic as the rest of the band took a break.

Guest Mad Skillz then took command of the mic for a lengthy cameo, stealing the spotlight to rap about his talent as a songwriter on "Ghost Writer," egging the crowd on with persistent jabs at P. Diddy.

After a few more by Skillz about how today's artists can only "rap about cars and crack," Roots drummer ?uestlove, sporting a Montreal Canadiens hockey jersey, led the Roots back onstage. Thought and Skillz got into a freestyle war as the crowd shouted in approval. Thought won after Skillz botched a rhyme, to the playful jeers of the Roots and the crowd.

The Roots got right back into it, starting the second half of the show playing "Sacrifice" with Kenney going falsetto to fill in Nelly Furtado's part.

"We 'bout to give you more of what you looking for," rapped Thought, reminding the sweaty, overheated and unflinchingly energetic crowd that the show was nowhere near its close. "Pussy Galore" came next, and the crowd chilled a bit as a percussion solo and several minutes of distortion followed.

The excitement peaked again with the commercial classic "You Got Me." In lieu of Jill Scott's vocals, the group twisted the tune to feature a reggae flavor and a hard rock interlude that included blindingly bright flashing strobes and spotlights.

Dueling percussion and a bit of blues followed, with no less intensity or enthusiasm on the part of the bandmembers, who when not playing grooved on the side of the stage or, like Kenney, on the drum platform.

The show began to wind down around midnight, with a medley of mainstream and old-school hip-hop, including Nelly's "Hot in Herre" and Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It." The finale featured the band turning the lights on and off while striking b-boy poses in honor of the late Jam Master Jay.

Scratch showed his beatboxing skills to close out the show, bringing the crowd's screams to a climax by picking up a sneaker and pretending to scratch with it before following the group offstage.

Waiting until the crowd's cheers for an encore became near deafening, the Roots took the stage again, remixing a medley of old tunes with fresh new beats. At close to 12:30 Thought threw his arm around Mad Skillz, who joined the group to close the show.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

• The Roots
• Run-D.M.C.
• Salt-N-Pepa

Slick Rick
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — What do you call the group of people who influenced old-school hip-hop pioneers? Probably the First School. Hip-hop trailblazers Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Run-DMC's DJ Jam Master Jay, Crazy Legs and some of the people who inspired them in their youth were all present Wednesday night at the Puck Building for the inaugural Hip-Hop Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

"It's an honor, kid," one of the honorees, Slick Rick, said before the ceremony. "I finally get a little recognition, it can't hurt. When I was growing up, I never thought we would be so close to the root of this whole thing. It's an honor, a great feeling to be part of something that made history and see it spread. [Hip-hop] is taking over big time."

Prior to the ceremony, it felt as if the Puck Building were full of living pin-ups from an old issue of Right On! or Word Up! magazine from the mid-to-late '80s. Luminaries such as Grandmaster Caz, Grandmaster Flash, Roxanne Shante, U.T.F.O.'s Kangol Kid, the Real Roxanne and Special Ed all spoke on their origins in rap.

There were a few friendly disputes as to which year certain things happened, who originated the term "hip-hop" and who came first, the break dancer, the MC or the DJ. The highlight, however, was a brief catty exchange between Roxanne Shante and the Real Roxanne as they told of how their beef on wax started.

"I never worried about what other people were doing," Shante said. "That's why I was able to last and the other Roxannes faded away."

Unfortunately, many of the Hall of Fame's first 15 inductees, including the father of hip-hop DJ Kool Herc, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Afrika Bambaataa, KRS-One and Russell Simmons, were absent from the proceedings. Deceased MCs Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur and late graffiti great Dondi were also among the inductees.

Those who were there took their time in the spotlight to salute those who made them want to choose their career paths. "In the early '70s I decided to sacrifice my teenage years," Grandmaster Flash said in his acceptance speech about beginning his life as a DJ. He credited DJ Kool Herc as his greatest influence. "After 27 years — the first [year] didn't count 'cause nobody was understanding me — I guess I wasn't so crazy after all, 'cause you people [get it]. This one's for us."

Doug E. Fresh took that one-for-all motif to heart when he was officially inducted. "I cannot accept this award," Fresh told the audience. "This award has to go to my brotha Busy Bee. Because I'm a legend, but this is the muthaf---in' man, the Chief Rocker. I can't get an award like this first. I'll get mine last. As a kid watching him, you don't understand what this man did for me and my family, so I'm telling you, my brotha, that's from me to you."

Jam Master Jay didn't give up his award when he accepted it on behalf of his group Run-DMC, but he did give props to Russell Simmons for helping them with their image, Grandmaster Flash for inspiring him to spin records, and the Cold Crush Brothers for giving Run and DMC ideas on how to rock the mic.

"Everybody says 'if it wasn't for you cats,' but we know that's bullsh-- because we know there was cats before us," Jay said. "We just was the people that were able to put the real beats from the street — which y'all brothers was doing — and put it on TV, let people hear it on wax. It had to be Sugar Hill Gang to bite off my man Grandmaster Caz. It had to be a Puff Daddy to bite off of the Sugar Hill Gang. It goes around in circles."

Organizers of the event said they are currently trying to secure a location for the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame museum.

The Hip-Hop Hall of Fame is part of the Hip-Hop Super Conference & Expo, which is taking place at the Puck Building through the rest of the week, and is the brainchild of David Olu. Olu, who lectures about the culture around the world and created the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame board game two years ago, said the inductees were chosen by people voting at the Web site www.hhsc2002.com the past few months. Notorious B.I.G. was the favorite, getting 60 percent of the nods.

• Slick Rick
• Doug E. Fresh
• Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• Roxanne Shanté
• The Real Roxanne

Notorious B.I.G.
Photo: Bad Boy

NEW YORK — Late heroes Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur are among the icons of hip-hop culture who'll be honored next week at the inaugural Hip-Hop Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Afrika Bambaataa, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah, Run-D.M.C., KRS-One, Salt-n-Pepa, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh also made the cut, along with legendary breakdancer Crazy Legs, DJs Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, rap mogul Russell Simmons, and graffiti artist Dondi.

The honors will be bestowed at New York's Puck Building on Wednesday, the opening day of the Hip-Hop Super Conference and Expo. The conference runs through Friday and will feature more than 100 panel discussions on hip-hop culture. Mos Def, Rah Digga and New York Knicks all-star Allan Houston are among the scheduled speakers, organizers said.

• Notorious B.I.G.
• Tupac
• LL Cool J
• Run-D.M.C.
• KRS-One

After 11 years together, this week in 1992 Mötley Crüe announced they were splitting with their frontman, Vince Neil. Apparently the band was ticked that race car driving had "become a priority in Neil's life." The singer himself offered a different take on his departure from the group a week after the official announcement was made.

"It happened like out of the blue," he said. "We're rehearsing, writing new songs for the album, and it just came as a complete shock to me. The one thing is, I really didn't like the way the music was heading, and so maybe I didn't have the enthusiasm for the new music, but I don't think it was a reason to be fired. Anytime I wanted to say something about the music, I was always just shut down right away and I guess they just thought that it was time to go on and look for a new singer."

Neil then expressed excitement about going the solo route.

"Actually I'm really jazzed about starting a solo career, and all my buddies from all kinds of other bands are like, 'Hey dude man, I want to play on your record,' and it's just great. I think things happen for a reason and I think this just might be the best thing right now for both of us. I feel really sorry, really sad for the fans because Mötley Crüe was one of the greatest bands there ever was and it's really sad to not be part of it anymore, but it really wasn't my decision."

(Neil rejoined the Crüe in 1997 after the band recorded one commercially unsuccessful album with singer John Corabi — 1994's Mötley Crüe, which sold a measly 323,000 copies, a 95 percent drop in sales from the band's last album with Neil before the split, 1989's six-times platinum Dr. Feelgood.)

Michael Jackson cut short a tour of Africa back in 1992 as it quickly began turning into a public relations nightmare. Jackson's visit to Abidjan went off without incident and he was crowned an honorary king by a tribe near the Ghanian border, but in both the Ivory Coast and Tanzania, police brutally beat thousands of fans greeting the singer's arrival. A spokesperson for the Ivory Coast government, which had urged fans to give Jackson a warm welcome, explained that perhaps the police were a bit brutal but not with the intention on doing any harm.

There was also some unpleasant comment about Jackson's holding his nose when dashing from his plane to his limousine. As one Ivory Coast newspaper editorialized, "This voluntary mutant, neither black nor white, neither man nor woman, took it upon himself to remind us that we are impure." Jackson's press people quickly explained his nose touching thing was simply a nervous habit.

This week in 1992, the rap duo Salt-N-Pepa re-recorded their hit single "Let's Talk About Sex" as "Let's Talk About AIDS" for a public service announcement.

"A lot of people are misinformed about AIDS, and this PSA will tell you how you can get it," Cheryl "Salt" James said. "Some people think it's just a gay disease so they don't pay it any mind ... but this is letting you know this is an everybody disease.

Since what happened with Magic [Johnson, who had recently announced he was HIV positive] ... I mean, even we didn't take it as seriously as we should, but that kind of opened our eyes a little bit."

For more "This Week In ...", check out the This Week In Archive

• Mötley Crüe
• Michael Jackson
• Salt-N-Pepa

• Mötley Crüe
• Michael Jackson
• Salt-N-Pepa

The Grammys have often been the butt of many music fans' jokes — remember when flute-tooting Jethro Tull won for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance? Or when "Who Let the Dogs Out" was not only nominated for an award, but actually won one?

This week back in 1989, the Recording Academy roused the ire of no less than Will Smith, then known as the Fresh Prince, and LL Cool J, not for making a seemingly clueless yet chuckle-worthy choice, but for, in the rappers' eyes, handing down a judgment that amounted to slapping the entire hip-hop community in the face.

Three of the five nominees in what was then the brand new Rap Performance category announced they would boycott the event: LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were the first acts to pull out of the show, angered by the fact that the rap awards would not be part of the live, televised ceremony but would be part of the less prestigious pre-show proceedings instead. They were joined by the rap duo Salt-N-Pepa, who bowed out with a statement saying, "If they don't want us, we don't want them." Rap and metal both got their own separate categories in the 1989 Grammy lineup for the first time, but while the metal awards were to be part of the live broadcast, rap was given second-class citizen status. Show producers said they had limited air time, and viewers "want George Michael," not rap.

The late '80s were a time when hair metal gods ruled the land, and in the feathered-hair-and-tiger-striped-spandex-bedecked pantheon, Jon Bon Jovi pretty much sat at the top of the heap. Bon Jovi were looking at 4 million in sales of their album New Jersey 13 years ago this week, and fans had some questions for the comely frontman.

Fan: Hi, Jon. My name's Fabian. My sister's 13 and she wants you in bed, are you up for it?

Bon Jovi: Well Fabian, if you're willing to sacrifice your sister to me ... I'm absolutely willing. Ready, willing and able.

Fan: Jon, if you came over for dinner my parents would be really displeased, but what would I cook for you?

Bon Jovi: We have pretty good table manners. I promise I won't bite your mother on the neck. I won't steal your father's wallet. And anything like pizza or burgers and a cold beer will do just fine.

Poison's irrepressible guitarist C.C. DeVille was Pan to Jon Bon Jovi's Zeus, and this week in 1989, the frisky, oversexed blonde played host to MTV News backstage at a Poison show.

C.C. DeVille: We see the glitz but let's see what happens behind the scenes. So right now you and me, we're gonna go. Follow me. Oh no, what a coincidence, my fiancée Debbie Gibson's here. Say hi to the camera, hi Deb.

Debbie Gibson: Hi, he's totally crazy.

DeVille: A picture of my favorite guys, Guns — Slash and Axl. Love 'em. I bet you wonder what rock stars eat. Come on in, I'll show you. I used to have McDonald's, now we can afford sushi. I'll be honest with you, I still like McDonald's. We also have lobster ... We're going on in 10 minutes, there's no one here. Please families, mothers, send your daughters and sons. Send them to Poison. My mom and dad are old. They need a place to live. Won't you please help us? Please help us. Thank you. We love you. Thank you ...

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

• Salt-N-Pepa
• Will Smith
• Bon Jovi

Method Man live at "MTV20: Live and Almost Legal"
Photo: MTV

NEW YORK — After two decades of rock, shock, hip-hop, teen pop and fashion disasters, the ghosts of MTV past, present and future visited the Hammerstein Ballroom Wednesday night to celebrate the cable channel's 20th birthday.

From original VJ Martha Quinn to "Total Request Live" heartthrob Carson Daly, from '80s provocateur Boy George to current sexpot Aaliyah, the faces and forces who have become synonymous with the network turned out to pay their respects. (Click for "Mariah Carey Had 'Breakdown,' Her Publicist Says"). Taking her place was another one of MTV's favorites over the last 20 years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

"Give it away, give it away, give it away now," Anthony Kiedis sang to close the last performance of the night.

But the singer was all wrong. The crowd was giving it up. No cake was served, but with free lobster, chicken and wine on the menu, who can be greedy. After all, it wasn't even a 21st birthday party.

• Limp Bizkit
• Method Man/Redman
• Jane's Addiction
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Kid Rock

George Clinton
Photo: Marcy Guiragossian

The Michigan company that owns much of the George Clinton/Parliament/Funkadelic catalog has sued more than 800 defendants for what it claims is unauthorized sampling of such P-Funk classics as "Flash Light" and "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" and Clinton solo tracks such as "Atomic Dog." The suit, filed by Bridgeport Music Group on May 4 in the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee in Nashville, alleges nearly 500 counts of copyright infringement in songs such as Public Enemy's "Bring tha Noise," Salt-N-Pepa's "I'll Take Your Man" and Dr. Dre's "Let Me Ride." While no artists are being sued, the nearly 1,000-page suit names all five major record companies as well as dozens of independents, publishing companies and copyright administrators. Bridgeport — which owns former Clinton label Westbound Records, among others — is seeking the profits from the recordings as well as $150,000 in statutory damages for each instance of alleged copyright infringement.

Whatever the outcome of the suit, it's not likely to benefit Clinton. The funk legend sued Bridgeport in 1999 to reclaim control of his catalog, a suit rejected by a Florida judge earlier this year (see "George Clinton Denied Rights To His Own Work").

• George Clinton and The P-Funk Allstars
• Public Enemy
• Dr. Dre
• Salt-N-Pepa

Cheryl "Salt" James
Photo: Island Records

Although most artists use the holidays to relax, Salt of rap trio Salt-n-Pepa kept busy, putting the finishing touches on her solo debut and tying the knot on Christmas Eve.

Salt of the Earth is the first new material from any member of Salt-n-Pepa since the group recorded four new tracks in 1999 for a U.K. best-of album. The disc is also the first release for the GavFam imprint, run by Salt and her husband, which will issue the record in April or May as a joint venture with Houston's Rap-a-Lot Records. It will be distributed by Virgin.

Produced by East Coast knob-twiddler Rockwilder (Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes), Salt of the Earth features guests Carl Thomas, Ideal, Jamaican dancehall artist Sean Paul and Angie Stone, who sings on the track "Where's the Love?" Other songs include "Sorry," "Let 'Em In," "Strobe Light" and "Letter to Pep." According to Salt (born Cheryl James), the flavor of her solo debut might come as a shock to some Salt-n-Pepa fans. "It's not very Salt-n-Pepa-y," she said. "I guess it's more mature, more mellow. There's a lot of party songs on it, though, and a lot of relationship-oriented songs." The rapper with a 14-year-old string of rhymes in her wake is quick to deflect presumptions that the album might sound dated. "It's hot, and everybody's surprised," she said. "They keep telling me that my flow's up to date, you know. I guess they thought I was gonna come back sounding ... old." The future of Salt-n-Pepa remains uncertain, as bandmates Sandy "Pepa" Denton and De De "Spinderella" Roper are each exploring other avenues, including acting and possible solo projects of their own.

"I'm not even thinking that far," Salt said of another Salt-n-Pepa album. "I'm not even gonna stress my brain to think that far. If the opportunity comes about that's right and it can be a smooth thing, yeah sure. But for the moment, I'm concentrating on my own stuff." And part of that, no doubt, includes focusing on her new state of matrimony. On December 24, Salt and longtime boyfriend Gavin Wray were wed at the couple's home in Melville, New York. Salt said the ceremony was so beautiful that "even [the groom's] hardcore friends cried." The two, who have been romantically linked for more than a decade, have a 10-year-old daughter and an 18-month-old son together.

• Salt-N-Pepa

Introducing Salt-N-Pepa

• Salt-N-Pepa

Lil' Jon, Big Boi, Rza And More At VH-1's 2006 Hip Hop Honors

• Lil Jon
• OutKast
• Salt-N-Pepa
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Remy Ma

Nelly, Kim, LL, Sean Paul, More On Source Awards Red Carpet

• Nelly
• Lil' Kim
• LL Cool J
• Sean Paul
• Clipse