John Forte
Photo: Transparent

John Forté plans to make the most of his second chance. Following the announcement earlier this week that the former Fugees collaborator and solo hip-hop artist was one of 16 people to be pardoned or have their sentences commuted by outgoing President Bush, Forté is preparing to re-enter society after serving seven years of a 14-year sentence for possession of 31 pounds of liquid cocaine with intent to distribute.

One of Forté's lawyers, Aarti Tandon, told MTV News that contrary to earlier reports, her client had not been pardoned but had his sentence commuted, which means he does not have to serve the rest of it. Though Forté cannot currently be reached by phone or e-mail to discuss his feelings about the commutation, Tandon said he is elated and looking forward to getting back in the music game.

"I have spoken with him, and he is pleased and very grateful to President Bush for commuting his sentence," Tandon wrote. "Mr. Forté is humbled by his life experiences. He will use his early release to return to his family, re-enter the world of music, work with at-risk youth to deter them from drugs and crime, and continue his educational program at the London School of Economics."

Forté — who studied violin at the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire as a youth — co-wrote and produced two songs on the Fugees' Grammy-winning 1996 smash, The Score. Two years later, he released his debut, Poly Sci, on which Fugees member Wyclef Jean has an executive-producer credit. He released his second album, I, John, while in prison in 2002.

Tandon said that Forté's commutation came as a result of more than five years of campaigning by his lawyer, Michael Nussbaum, herself and a number of others, including singer Carly Simon. Forté is a friend of Simon's son, singer/songwriter Ben Taylor.

Tandon said Forté understands the lengths those who support him have gone to secure his release, and "he intends to justify fully the confidence shown in him." While in prison, Forté has been organizing music groups and Save Our Youth events; working as a G.E.D. tutor; leading classes in philosophy, writing and re-entry into society; taking correspondence courses and writing music that he intends to record upon his release. He was also admitted to a correspondence program with the London School of Economics for a degree in politics and international relations.

Forté is slated to be released on December 22.

• The Fugees
• Wyclef Jean
• Carly Simon

John Forte
Photo: Transparent

Rapper and former Fugees producer John Forté was one of 14 people pardoned by President Bush on Monday, according to Reuters. He had been serving a sentence of 14 years in prison since 2001, after being found guilty of possession of 31 pounds of liquid cocaine with intent to distribute.

The presidential pardons, which were for offenses ranging from distribution of marijuana to unauthorized use of a pesticide, cannot be overruled and can help the recipients find jobs, live in public housing and vote. Bush has received more than 2,000 requests for pardons, which typically come fast and furious near the end of a president's term.

Forté — who studied violin at the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire as a youth — co-wrote and produced two songs on the Fugees' Grammy-winning 1996 smash, The Score. Two years later, he released his debut, Poly Sci, on which Fugees member Wyclef Jean has an executive-producer credit.

Forté was arrested in 2000 at Newark International Airport after accepting a briefcase containing $1.4 million worth of cocaine. He released his confessional second album, 2002's I, John, while already serving his sentence at Pennsylvania's Lorreto Federal Penitentiary.

I, John featured an unexpected duet with '70s legend Carly Simon on "Been There, Done That," which came about through Forté's friendship with Simon's son, Ben Taylor. Simon and Taylor have long advocated on Forté's behalf, arguing that the MC did not receive a fair trial and that his sentence was unfair considering it was his first offense and he was a nonviolent offender.

According to TMZ, Simon has been lobbying a number of politicians, including Senators Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch, "religiously" on Forté's behalf. He will leave federal prison next month, TMZ said. A spokesperson for Forté had not returned requests for comment at press time.

• The Fugees
• Wyclef Jean
• Carly Simon

Unwritten Law
Photo: Lava Records

Don't be surprised by the lack of new albums hitting stores this week. Yeah, CD sales have been dipping pretty low these days, but what's happening here is nothing more than a result of late-night New Year's Eve soirees, the post office kicking back for a few days and record labels hibernating for another week or so.

That leaves us with an Unwritten Law greatest-hits collection, a new Carly Simon album, the soundtrack to "The L Word" and an Elvis Presley compilation — or, as far as you're probably concerned, just an Unwritten Law greatest-hits collection.

Luckily for you readers, there's a bit of a story behind the Law's self-devised set, The Hit List. See, apparently the 17-year-old band was in the process of putting together its own best-of comp when Interscope slapped together the skimpy 20th Century Masters: The Best of Unwritten Law - The Millennium Collection and dropped it in mid-October.

But while the Law sounded off on their Web site about what they consider to be a sub-par comp, the reality bites: They don't own the masters to all their own material. So they've resorted to a different approach — one previously taken by Night Ranger, Cyndi Lauper and Cracker — and re-recorded choice tracks for what they're calling their "authorized" best-of CD.

"We've been in the studio most of the year re-recording all of the old songs so that they are new again," the band said in a post on its Web site. "We've delayed this album a couple of times already 'cos we just wanted to get it right. The old songs are completely re-recorded and rearranged and they rock like you've never heard them before — like the way that the band has grown since the Oz Factor days."

Besting the 12-track Millennium Collection, The Hit List collects 19 cuts. While the former has "Holiday," "Before I Go," "Mean Girl" and "Geronimo," the latter skips those tracks and swaps in "Shoulda Known Better" (the band's new single), "C.P.K.," "Superman," "Shallow," "Rescue Me," "Rest of My Life," "Blame It on Me," "Save Me," "She Says," "Celebration Song" and "Oblivion."

The Law's biggest competition this week comes in the form of one of your mom's favorite artists: Carly Simon. The ever-grinning, 61-year-old New Yorker covered standards the last time around, on 2005's Moonlight Serenade, and for this occasion she's taking a similar approach by revisiting folk and pop classics, as well as lullabies. Yes, lullabies.

Produced by Simon and Jimmy Parr — who engineered 2004's Reflections: Carly Simon's Greatest Hits — Into the White finds the singer tackling songs made famous by the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Stephen Foster and James Taylor. She gets assists from singers Teese Gohl, Peter Calo, Jan Hyer and David Saw — and for your narcotic listening pleasure, tosses in "Over the Rainbow," "You Are My Sunshine" and "Oh! Susanna."

So in other words, beware. This ain't no "American Idol" picnic. As Simon (no, not Cowell — we're talking Carly here) says in a post on her Web site: "This is very much an album for grownups, as well as children. The album is very, very soothing ... it doesn't startle you. It just does nice things to you."

And that's about all, folks. Check back next week when the year really gets started with new ones from Mos Def and Mario.

Song Title of the Week:

"Dating My Frankenstein" from Ryan Parmenter's The Noble Knave

New Releases:

· Robert Tabby Crabb - Three Ducks on a Pond (Musark) · Rob Kendt - I'm Not Sentimental (Ruby) · Ryan Parmenter - The Noble Knave (Split Difference) · Jane Pickens - Music in the Air (Sepia) · André Rieu - Romantic Moments With André Rieu (Laserlight) · Carly Simon - Into the White (Columbia) [Buy Now] · Windstorm - Snapshots of Life (Windstorm) · Wonder - Welcome to Wonderland (Dump Valve) · Various artists - L Tunes: Music From and Inspired by "The L Word" (Columbia/ Music With a Twist)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Angelica - Angelica (Atlantic) · Elvis Presley - The Essential Elvis Presley (Sony BMG) · Unwritten Law - The Hit List (Rocket Science) [Buy Now] · Various artists - Country Heartbreak (Laserlight) · Various artists - Crooners: Be My Love (Madacy) · Various artists - Crooners: Love Story (Madacy) · Various artists - Crooners: Some Enchanted Evening (Madacy) · Various artists - Crooners: Unforgettable (Madacy) · Various artists - Essential Love (Madacy) · Various artists - Highway Fever: All-Time Greatest Country Road Songs (American Beat) · Various artists - I Love Paris: Sensuous French Classics (Laserlight) · Various artists - Incurable Romantic: Piano Music for Lovers (Laserlight) · Various artists - Kings of Country: Love Songs (Laserlight) · Various artists - Latin for Lovers (Laserlight) · Various artists - Power Ballads (Madacy) · Various artists - Queens of Country: Love Songs (Laserlight) · Various artists - Romantic Jazz: Music for Lovers (Laserlight) · Various artists - Romantic Moments of the 70s and 80s (Laserlight) · Various artists - Sensuous Saxophone: Music for Lovers (Laserlight) · Various artists - Simply Romantic: Guitar Music for Lovers (Laserlight) · Various artists - The Best of Body and Soul (Madacy) · Various artists - The Romantic 60s (Laserlight) · Various artists - Torch Singers: Sirens of Song (Laserlight)

Music DVDs: · Various artists - "Gotta Have Gospel! Gold: The World's Top Gospel Artists and Songs" (Gospocentric)

Coming Attractions:

January 9: · Green Day - 1,039/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hours (enhanced; Reprise) [Preorder] and Kerplunk (Reprise) · Mario - Go! (J) [Preorder] Read: "On-The-Go! Mario Changes LP Title, Reaches Out To Disadvantaged Kids" · Mos Def - Tru3 Magic (Geffen) [Preorder]

January 16: · America - Here & Now (Burgundy) · The Smithereens - Meet the Smithereens! (Koch) [Preorder] · Various artists - "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls" soundtrack (Atlantic)

January 23: · Clinic - Visitations (bonus track; Domino) [Preorder] · Dustin Kensrue - Please Come Home (digipak due same day; Equal Vision) · Madonna - "Confessions Tour" DVD (Warner Bros.) [Preorder]

• Unwritten Law
• Carly Simon
• Elvis Presley