TLC's Chilli and T-Boz
Photo: MTV News

LAS VEGAS — It's been seven years since TLC's Left Eye died in a car crash, but the two remaining members, T-Boz and Chilli, insist they aren't ready to quit. They also say they have no plans to replace Left Eye — and that fans will soon hear new music from the duo.

"Well, first I have to say, when people say, 'coming back together,' we've always been together. We're always TLC. We're not the former members of TLC," Chilli told MTV News at the second annual Justin Timberlake and Friends concert in Las Vegas. "This is TLC right here, no new people in the group. It's just T-Boz and Chilli."

With that cleared up, T-Boz shared that she and Chilli have plans to hit the studio and get working on some new music to be released sometime soon. The exact details, however, were still up in the air. "We're talking about it right now," she said. "Well, we haven't started. We're talking. ... We're getting it together, and then it will most likely happen."

Chilli felt there is no time like the present to get their empowering, socially conscious, R&B-infused pop back on the airwaves. "It's needed, I think, with the lyrics today," she said. "You just listen to the radio, and it's like the beats are hot, but the lyrics aren't there. I think that inspires us to go back in and come up with songs that continue to change people's lives for the better."

• TLC

Justin Timberlake performs in Las Vegas, NV
Photo: Bryan Haraway/ PictureGroup

LAS VEGAS — When it comes to attracting big names for charity, Justin Timberlake has no trouble. Saturday night in Las Vegas saw the wide reach of JT's star power, with a diverse lineup of artists from Snoop Dogg to Taylor Swift taking part in his second annual Justin Timberlake & Friends Concert, benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino. While last year's show boasted many onstage collaborations, Justin had high hopes for this year's event — which included the aforementioned Doggfather and country queen, plus Alicia Keys, TLC, Timbaland, Ciara and Jay Sean.

"There were a lot of acts this year that weren't able to get here till today, so there weren't as many collabs as I had in my brain," Timberlake told MTV News during rehearsals. "But I think that's always the case, it's kind of like [when] you do an album and you write, like, 40 songs, and then 12 of them make it. ... But still, just having everyone out and getting to see them do their set — there are a couple of things that have never been performed onstage. There's a new song from [Timbaland] tonight, from his record that we did together. I think Snoop's doing a new song from his new record. So it's kinda cool for them too, because it's like perfect test marketing."

The night saw Justin wearing many hats (including a fedora) — acting as emcee, performer and maestro. He even kept the crowd updated with the Yankees/Angels score in between sets. But the fans were there for music, and they sure got their money's worth.

Jay Sean kicked off the night's performances, accompanied by U.K. beatbox champion MC Zani. The duo took a different take on the British singer's current hit, "Down," starting off with a beatbox intro and acoustic guitar, until launching into a full version of the song with Justin's band — which served as the house band for the whole evening.

Next up was Taylor Swift, and Justin assured everyone that there would be no Kanye-style stage crashing on his watch. "Don't worry, guys, I got security on the sides, so no one can come up and ruin her set," Timberlake told the crowd.

As soon as Swift hit the opening notes of "You Belong With Me," she had the crowd on their feet. Her raucous set was full of hair tosses and hip swings, impressive for the silver dress she performed in, dripping with what looked like diamonds. Her set got even more dazzling when she strapped on a shimmery acoustic guitar for "Love Story."

Justin introduced the next artist as "one of the greatest musicians of my generation." Alicia Keys then strutted across the stage in a stunning pair of red pumps, and took a seat at her piano to belt out "Doesn't Mean Anything." After the song, Alicia addressed the crowd.

"I wanna tell you a little about myself, where I'm from," she said, launching into the hook from "Empire State of Mind" then going right into "Fallin'," which sounded even more impressive with the house band's backup singers. The Mandalay Bay Events Center could barely contain the energy.

For the next performance, JT told the crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, asses up, give it up for the one and only, legendary T-L-C!" Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozanda "Chilli" Thomas' first performance in six years sent the crowd into a frenzy, as the duo tore through a barrage of hits — "FanMail," "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," "What About Your Friends," "Baby Baby Baby," "Creep," "Waterfalls" and "No Scrubs." While founding member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes is no longer with us, her presence was still in the room as her vocals were filled in by live performance footage on the screen.

	Justin Timberlake & Friends Perform In Las Vegas, NV

The next performance brought the night's first on-stage collaboration. After Justin got the crowd moving to "Señorita," he welcomed Ciara onstage for "Love Sex Magic." The crowd stayed on their feet for the rest of Ciara's set — "Goodies" and "1, 2 Step."

Next up was Snoop Dogg, who performed "Drop It Like It's Hot," "What's My Name" and new single "Gangsta Love." Continuing the night's collaborations, Snoop told the crowd, "Since my homeboy Justin asked me to come out here tonight, I'm gonna ask him to come out right now." The guys broke into "Signs," doing a little two-step action.

Justin took the reins, jumping into a medly of "Summer" and "Chop Me Up," with Timbaland coming out to do his verse on "Chop." Tim stayed on stage for "Give It to Me," which had girls spilling into the aisles to dance. The duo then broke into the brand-new song that Justin had promised, the title of which they never announced. It features an anthemic chorus with the lyrics "Turn me on now" and a breakdown that repeats "What's your name?/ What's your number?/ I'm glad I came, so you can take my order."

Two hours into the show, it was time for Justin to take over. JT launched into an acrobatic mash-up of hits — both his and other artists'. It started with an acoustic rendition of "Like I Love You," then transitioned to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" during the "Like I Love You" chorus. Next was Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody," mixed with the lyrics of "Cry Me a River," then going back to the KOL chorus. "Lovestoned" followed, blended with Coldplay's "Viva la Vida."

The night seemingly was coming to an end as Justin sat down at a piano for a heartfelt performance of "What Goes Around ... /... Comes Around," but although he announced it was his last song, he changed his mind.

"I'm in the mood," he told the Vegas crowd. He shouted to his band to freestyle on the next song, and they settled on "Until the End of Time."

The show ended just shy of midnight, capping off another successful year for Justin and his charity. Honors are especially due for Justin's bandmembers, who spent nearly three hours on stage backing up the night's performers.

• Justin Timberlake Takes Over Las Vegas

• Justin Timberlake & Friends Perform In Las Vegas, NV

• Justin Timberlake
• Taylor Swift
• Alicia Keys
• TLC
• Timbaland

T-Boz and Chilli
Photo: Arnold Turner/Getty Images for BET

TLC will reunite for the first time in six years for the "Justin Timberlake and Friends" annual benefit concert on October 17 in Las Vegas, according to People.com.

The remaining members of the group, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas will perform without original third member, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who was killed in a car accident in 2002. Since her death, T-Boz and Chilli have performed as TLC only once, as part of a 2003 concert for New York radio station Z-100, which was billed as their "final" live show.

	TLC's Career In Photos

The pair later worked on a reality show called "R U the Girl?" that sought a third member of the group; while a winner was chosen (20-year-old Tiffany "O'so Krispie" Baker), the duo stressed that they were not looking to replace Left Eye but were inviting a singer to work with them on a one-off basis, and no new material was released under the name TLC.

Timberlake's concert, which benefits Shriners Hospital for Children, will also feature live performances by artists like Alicia Keys, Ciara and Taylor Swift. The concert will take place alongside a weeklong golf tournament, the 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, which will take place from October 12-18. Both the concert and golf tournament are a part of Timberlake's five-year partnership with Shriners.

• TLC's Career In Photos

• TLC
• Justin Timberlake

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes in March 2000
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

The second solo album by the late Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who died in a 2002 car accident, will finally see the light of day. The long-awaited 12-track album, Eye-Legacy, will hit stores November 11, according to XXLmag.com. It features previously unreleased vocals from the TLC rapper and collaborations with Chamillionaire, Lil Mama, Bobby Valentino and Missy Elliott, who appears on the first single, "Let's Just Do It."

The LP is being released through Mass Appeal Entertainment, in conjunction with the Lopes family. It will also feature songs from Lopes' 2001 solo debut, "Supernova," which was never released in the U.S. UrbanNetwork.com reports that a duet with late rapper Tupac Shakur called "Legendary" will also appear on the disc.

"We hope people understand the message in Lisa's music and appreciate her as not just a member of TLC, but as a solo artist as well," the Lopes family said in a statement. "This album is Left Eye's musical gift to her fans and adds to the beauty of her legacy."

A percentage of the proceeds from the album sales will go to the Lisa Lopes Foundation and her orphanage in Honduras, according to UrbanNetwork. In April 2002, Lopes was vacationing in the Central American country when the SUV she was driving flipped over. Lopes was the only fatality among the eight passengers in the vehicle. She was 30.

In May 2007, VH1 premiered "Last Days of Left Eye," a documentary culled together from video footage Lopes took during her trip.

• Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
• TLC

Lil Wayne and Kanye West onstage at the 2008 BET Awards
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Are we really supposed to call them "T-Wayne"? Collaboration kings T-Pain and Lil Wayne — who have revealed plans to forge a supergroup together in the future — made a joint effort to move the crowd during last night's BET Awards in Los Angeles. Pain came out during Weezy F Baby's closing set and helped the New Orleans "Fireman" with his medley finale.

The pair started out with "Got Money" from last week's #1 album, Tha Carter III. In the midst of the mayhem, Pain showed off a T-shirt that read "T-Wayne." Weezy then went into "Lollipop," and the two shouted out the late co-star of the record, Static Major, who died in February. Pain and Wayne sent everyone home right after "A Milli," the most energetically performed number of the trio of cuts.

Of course, there were awards handed out as well. Kanye West got two big wins with Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and Best Collaboration. West brought T-Pain onstage with him for the latter, and Pain took his sweet time getting to the podium: He walked in slow motion all the way from his seat, ensuring that everyone could see his flamboyant circus-ringleader outfit, which was silver and black (with a matching top hat to boot) and had a litany of designs on it. UGK also won two awards (Best Group and Best Video, for "Int'l Players Anthem"), Lil Wayne took the Viewers Choice award, Alicia Keys nabbed Best R&B Female Artist and Chris Brown won Best R&B Male, Missy Elliott scored Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and The-Dream won Best New Artist. (Head here for a complete list of winners and nominees.) Actor/comedian D.L. Hughley was the host of the night, and Diddy and Keri Hilson hosted a live afterparty.

But as always, the highlights of the night — both good and less good — were the performances.

No doubt Usher is one of the top showmen in the game, but the famed pharaoh of performing seemed to lip-sync his way through "Love in This Club" as he opened the show. Ush did display some slick dance moves on a conveyer belt, at one point sliding through the legs of three female dancers.

Kanye West brought the audience to its feet when he joined Young Jeezy for "Put On." 'Ye went through a couple of false starts on his verse, beginning to rap "I feel like there's still n---as that still owe me checks/ I feel like there's still [women] that owe me sex" too early in the song. However, West did compensate for the errors with his undeniable presence.

Very sexy was the pairing of Chris Brown and Ciara during "Take You Down." Cici did gyrations that would make most professional strippers retire as she stood over Brown, who lay flat on the ground. The duo had the dance moves of the night when Ciara slowly fell backward from a standing position and Brown caught her with one of his feet. Only the best can do that!

Alicia Keys brought girl power — actually, grown woman power — to the stage during "Teenage Love Affair." Keys started with her hit, then transitioned into classics by top female R&B acts. SWV came out for "Weak"; En Vogue — all four members, y'all — stepped onstage for "Hold On"; and TLC came out for "Waterfalls." It's always emotional to see Chilli and T-Boz sing without Left Eye. No matter how excited you might be to see the two, there's always a sigh in the heart because the spunkiest part of the group is no longer with us.

Ne-Yo shut things down with "Closer," which was the sleeper highlight moment of the night. Ne-Yo showed off his dancing skills with a very versatile repertoire, which include frat stepping, smooth spins and some foot-gliding.

Earlier in the evening, Al Green had everyone singing "Let's Stay Together," and Keyshia Cole, Lil' Kim, Nelly, Fergie and T-Pain and friends also performed.

• Chris Brown, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, More At 2008 BET Awards

• Fergie
• Keri Hilson
• Missy Elliott
• Lil' Kim
• Diddy

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
Photo: Dave Hogan/ Getty Images

Whenever an anniversary of the death of a beloved musician comes around, it's always difficult to believe that they've been gone for so long. Last year made a decade since Tupac Shakur left us and last month marked 10 years since the Notorious B.I.G. passed away. Wednesday (April 25) is five years to the day TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes died. She was 30.

Like 2Pac and Biggie, Left Eye, of course, left a whole legacy of music and memorable media moments to remember her by. But what we didn't know until now is that the self-proclaimed "crazy" third of TLC left even more behind. The hip-hop singer documented the last month of her life in video form, and that footage will soon be made available for the public to see in the VH1 doc "Last Days of Left Eye."

Lopes died in a car accident on April 25, 2002, while in Honduras, where she had gone for spiritual and physical healing. She went there on a 30-day pilgrimage with family and friends and was killed just a few days before her scheduled return to the U.S.

"Last Days of Left Eye" tells her story not just in the Honduras — she originally went there in 1997 to study with controversial natural healer Dr. Sebi and kept returning — but also the beginning of her life, her career and into its tragic conclusion.

Much like MTV Films' "Tupac: Resurrection," "Last Days of Left Eye" lets the pop star tell her own story through interviews she taped in the Honduras as well as a slew of unreleased home videos, photos and famous footage from the vaults of television outlets such as MTV. Laurin Lazin, who directed and wrote the Tupac movie, also directed and wrote the Lopes project.

Left Eye rarely shied away from a camera or microphone — well, except after some well-publicized TLC no-shows, and another time when she went missing for a few days, but it turned out she was just spending some quality time with her boyfriend (footage of which is in the movie).

Still, over the course of Lopes' career, fans got to feel that they knew her intimately. That was one of the keys to TLC's success — not only were they talented, but they were easily one of the most publicly identifiable groups of their generation, thanks also to TLC's efforts to raise awareness about contraceptive devices.

"Last Days," though, gives some new insights that even devout Lopes fans may not have known about. How did Left Eye become such a rebel? She talks in depth about her childhood and how she became the woman we came to know. Maybe the most revealing chapter in the film deals with her infamous relationship with fiance/ NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Rison. Lopes breaks down the violent night of fighting that led to her burning down his Atlanta mansion — "I was just trying to barbecue his tennis shoes," she later explained — and reveals more about the trials of their relationship.

Left Eye was drawn to go to the Honduras for the final time after Arista Records declined to release her solo LP, Supernova. She was upset and needed to take a break, and Honduras seemed like the perfect refuge where she could reflect. She had been involved in a separate car accident in which a local boy — who had the same last name as the singer — was killed. Left Eye said that "spirit" was chasing her, and she started foreshadowing more death. The footage of her in the Honduras goes almost to the exact moment of the other car accident, in which she was killed. She was driving an SUV with six other people when she lost control of the vehicle. Left Eye was the only one victim.

Last week in Atlanta, VH1 held a screening of the movie as part of the Atlanta Film Festival with several of Left Eye's friends and admirers — Monica, Ron DeVoe of New Edition, 112, Big Boi, Rico Wade, India.Arie and Cee-Lo were all in attendance. Lopes' family, who supplied much of the footage to VH1, was there as well. After the movie, many took time to reflect on the late singer's life.

"A lot of people were coming up to me and asking me about different things in the movie, but I was learning a lot from it myself," Cee-Lo said of the event.

Lopes would have turned 36 on May 27. "Last Days of Left Eye" debuts on VH1 and VH1 Soul on May 19 at 9 p.m.

For complete coverage on the Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes tragedy, see Remembering Left Eye: The Lisa Lopes Reports.

• MTV News: Remembering Left Eye

• Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
• TLC

• Young Jeezy
• Killer Mike
• T.I.
• Ludacris
• Bobby Valentino

TLC's T-Boz and Chilli (file)
Photo: CBS

Reality shows are the new auditions — want a new singer for your group? Make the candidates try out on TV. But what if you're trying to replace someone who, well, died? You can go the "Rock Star: INXS" route, and declare that there's nothing tacky or disrespectful about what you're doing, and go full steam ahead. Or, you can try the more subdued singer search employed on "R U the Girl With T-Boz & Chilli."

The surviving members of TLC insist that they're not inviting unknowns to take the place of Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who died three years ago in a car crash in Honduras (see "Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes Killed In Car Accident")."TLC is sitting right here, and Lisa's memory is in between," Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins said. "No one's getting in the group. That's not going to happen. We're not replacing her. Ever."

"This is not about a new member of TLC, it has nothing to do with that," Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas said. "She cannot be replaced. That's our sister. You can never replace a sister."

Bonds of sisterhood aside, TLC do want to continue recording, even if Lopes isn't around to join them. What they're looking to find is someone who can record a single with them that will appear on an upcoming greatest-hits album, and who can perform with them live in concert on the show's finale (see "TLC's T-Boz, Chilli Announce Details Of Their Reality Show"). They're not promising any more than that, but even for the one-off opportunity, they have some pretty high standards. "To be the girl, you have to be a triple threat for real," Watkins said. "You got to have an aura. Like you know certain people walk out onstage and they just don't have it? You got to have it. You got to captivate the audience."

"We call it 'the light,' " Thomas said. "Some people just have that light."

Having "the light" also means candidates need to do more than sing or rap. TLC want someone who can be a trendsetter as much as they were, in both fashion and dance moves. After all, these are the girls who sparked serious pajama envy with their "Creep" video. "Victoria's Secret stole our idea, girl!" Watkins laughed. "I think they owe us a big check."

Plus, they want to make sure potentials fit certain other criteria — like meshing well with others, not being taller than they are, and, most importantly, "no stinking hoes," Watkins and Thomas both said. We think that means "project a positive image befitting of their legacy," but you'll have to watch the show to be sure. Oh, and the final condition? Being able to take a joke.

"We're going to give it to them," Watkins said. "I mean, to give a person a chance to pursue their dream, to get onstage with someone who has experience like us, who have been here for a minute, hello? Child! You got to go through some things. It's happening way faster for you girls than it did for us!"

"It's going to be TLC boot camp," Thomas said. "We're playing pranks on these girls. Oh, it's on. You'll see."

"R U the Girl With T-Boz & Chilli" debuts Wednesday (July 27) on UPN at 8 p.m. ET.

• TLC

Usher (file)
Photo: Getty Images

In what comes as no surprise, Usher is among the top nominees for this year's Soul Train Awards. The singer scored four nominations, including Best R&B/Soul, Male for "Confessions Part II," Best R&B/Soul Album, Male for Confessions and best R&B/Soul or Rap Dance Cut for "Yeah!" The video for "Yeah!" also earned Usher a nod for the Michael Jackson Award for best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video. Fellow ATL native and R&B ingénue Ciara also scored four nominations, including Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, Best R&B/Soul, Female for "Goodies" and Best R&B/Soul Album, Female for Goodies. Other multiple nominees include Alicia Keys, Prince, Jill Scott and Beyoncé, who is nominated both as a solo artist and as part of Destiny's Child. The Soul Train Awards will be held February 28 at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. ...

Want to join TLC? The group is holding open-call auditions, starting Saturday in New York at the Hilton and continuing through the rest of the month in Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Miami. Camera-shy singers need not apply, as they're shooting the auditions for their upcoming reality show for UPN, "R U the Girl with T-Boz and Chilli." ... Seattle radio station 96.5 K-Rock has assembled a lineup of Seattle's finest (circa mid-1990s) for its "Tsunami Continued Care Relief Concert" on February 18. Topping the bill are the re-formed Alice in Chains — Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney and Mike Inez — who will perform together for the first time in more than eight years. There is no word yet on who will front the band, whose lead singer, Layne Staley, died in 2002 from a drug overdose. Also scheduled to perform are former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and Sea-town booty enthusiast Sir Mix-A-Lot. Tickets for the event are $40, and go on sale February 10 on K-ROCK's Web site, www.965KRock.com . ...

Fans of Radio 4 got a big surprise last weekend when Beck and his band played a surprise set opening for the New York rockers at the Echo in Los Angeles. It was the second unannounced set the singer played at the club last month, and served as a warm-up for the touring that will follow the March release of his new LP, Guero. ... Ever wonder what inspires artists like Björk, Yo La Tengo, Tortoise and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore? Check out Thrill Jockey's "Looking for a Thrill: An Anthology of Inspiration" DVD (February 22), which collects personal stories from more than 100 musicians about the concerts, records and artists that have motivated them. Others interviewed for the movie — the proceeds from which benefit Greenpeace — include Mike Watt, Jon Spencer, Vic Chesnutt, Steve Albini, Mark Arm (Mudhoney), Ian MacKaye (Fugazi) and Carl Craig. ...

Despite being behind bars, C-Murder will release his new album, The Truest **** I Ever Said, on March 22 via Koch Records. The album features guest appearances from the late Soulja Slim, Akon and Capone, among others. C-Murder's first single, "Y'all Heard," features B.G. A video for the single, shot in prison and in New Orleans, will be available later this month. C-Murder is currently in jail on second-degree murder charges. ... Warren G, Talib Kweli and Fantasia are all upcoming guest stars on the UPN show "All of Us" (which airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET). Warren G plays a warrant officer on February 8, while Kweli and Fantasia both appear as themselves on the March 1 episode. ...

NBA players Alonzo Mourning and Carmelo Anthony will host "Zo & Melo's 8-Ball Challenge" on February 17 at Denver's Wynkoop Brewing Company. A host of celebrities and athletes including Ludacris, Fabolous, Philadelphia Eagles' Terrell Owens, New Jersey Nets' Vince Carter and members of the WWE are scheduled to be on hand to showcase their billiard skills and compete for an exotic all-expenses-paid vacation and NBA All-Star Game tickets. The event will be hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, and will also include a silent auction featuring items from Michael Jordan, Jason Kidd, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, and LeBron James as well as Anthony and Mourning. The net proceeds raised will benefit charities supported by Alonzo Mourning Charities, Inc. and the Carmelo Anthony Foundation Fund. ... While Courtney Love has been resolving some of her criminal matters, she's still facing legal problems of a financial sort. Saturday is the deadline for her to resolve non-payment of legal fees in one civil case, while another company is now also claiming non-payment, according to a complaint filed recently in Olympia, Washington. WMC Mortgage Corp. is seeking foreclosure on a 13-acre property which Love bought in 1997 for Kurt Cobain's family, which would mean that the home would be put up for bid at a public auction. Love owes about $318,000, and the company says she hasn't paid the bills in over a year. ...

Sharon Warren, who won rave reviews playing Ray Charles' mother in "Ray," spent a lot of time on the set talking music with Jamie Foxx, as she too is releasing an album. Warren, who has written for Lenny Kravitz, will debut in the spring with the single "There." ... Cher is threatening — or promising, depending on how you feel about her — that her current tour will be her last. Though she's intimated that about past tours, she's now saying that this trek, called the Farewell Never Can Say Goodbye Tour, will end April 30 at the Hollywood Bowl with her last live performance ever. ...

For the price of a T-shirt and a hat, Megadeth's Dave Mustaine will personally tear your demo tape to bits. Fans who purchase a shirt/hat combo from Mustaine's merchandising company, BandMerch.com, can enter a contest to have their demo critiqued by the singer. As if chiding and derision from a rock star weren't enough of a prize, the winner will also receive an ESP Dave Mustaine Guitar and Line 6 Guitarport. The deadline for the contest is February 11. ... Canadian rockers Hot Hot Heat will hit the road for a trek across the U.S. prior to the release of their major-label debut, Elevator, in early April. Beginning February 21 in Seattle, the band will hit 14 cities across the country, ending up in Dallas on March 15. ...

Ben Folds' second solo studio LP, Songs for Silverman, has been pushed back from February to April 26. Folds recorded his follow-up to Rockin' the Suburbs with bassist Jared Reynolds and drummer Lindsay Jamieson, making it his first album with a band since Ben Folds Five's final LP in 1999. Songs for Silverman includes the first single, "Landed," as well as a tribute to Elliott Smith called "Late." ...

01.31.2005

Ashlee Simpson will begin rehearsing on Tuesday for her first-ever tour, which launches next month. ...

Mariah Carey is shooting the video for her new single, "It's Like That," this week with director Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour," "Red Dragon"). "I don't want to give it away yet," Carey told MTV Radio recently, "because you know how things change, but it's a Las Vegas casino scene. Brett is great at giving things a cinematic feel. We did the 'Heartbreaker' video together, and it had such a sense of humor to it, that I hope to have that for this video." ... Clay Aiken is bringing his squeaky-clean image to "Scrubs," for an episode that was taped in front of a live audience. "Scrubs" usually shoots on a closed set, but Aiken's episode, which airs February 15 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, makes fun of the laugh tracks associated with traditional sitcoms. ...

Jack Russell, lead singer of Great White, said he will not respond to allegations in eight civil suits filed against him by families of the victims of the 2003 nightclub fire that started as a result of his band's onstage pyrotechnics, according to The Associated Press. The singer's lawyer said Russell could face criminal prosecution for his role in the West Warwick, Rhode Island, fire, and is therefore not willing to address the charges. ... Lil' Kim's manager Damion Butler pleaded guilty in a New York court on Friday to participating in a shooting and conspiring to obtain/traveling with a false passport, according to New York Newsday. Butler, who is currently incarcerated on an unrelated charge, could face up to 71 months in prison. The case stems from a 2001 shootout outside a New York radio station between Kim's camp and that of Capone (of rap duo Capone-N-Noreaga). Kim is scheduled to stand trial on February 28 on charges of conspiracy, obstruction and perjury. ...

The Neptunes, Jermaine Dupri and Mario Winans are among the producers who contributed to Faith Evans' fourth album, The First Lady, due March 29. Chris Robinson, who directed the clip for Evans and Twista's current hit, "Hope," is helming the video for the first single, "Again." ...

Janet Jackson and her beau, Jermaine Dupri, are co-hosting a pre-Super Bowl party designed to raise money for scholarships. The Willie Gary Celebrity Scholarship Party — to which Magic Johnson, Bow Wow, Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya, and others have been invited — will be held Saturday at the Aetna Building in Jacksonville, Florida. ...

Alanis Morissette will teach you how to be Canadian in a few easy steps when she appears in an upcoming episode of the Great White North's teen soap opera "Degrassi: The Next Generation." Morissette will make a cameo during a three-episode storyline in which Kevin Smith (as himself) visits Degrassi while doing research for a "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" sequel titled "Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh?," according to The Ottawa Sun. The singer will play Degrassi's principal in the story-within-a-story, and will spend the episode throwing out an obscene number of Canadian stereotypes, including references to the metric system and the notion that Canadians say "aboot" instead of "about." The episode will air Stateside on the N channel during the next season of the show, which starts February 18. ... Carmen Electra will voice a character on a preview episode of "American Dad," the latest animated series from "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane. Electra voices Lisa Ailver, the hottest girl in class whose heart is won by the power-mad class president, Steve, whose father just so happens to be a CIA agent. The episode airs Sunday at 10:30 p.m. ET on FOX. ...

Rapper Chuck D and a host of others who played pivotal roles in the creation of Public Enemy's seminal album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back will assemble at New York University on February 25-26 for "The Making of Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back." The in-depth discussions will cover various aspects of the 1988 album, from its creation to its place in music history. In addition to panel discussions, there will be a screening of "Public Enemy: London Calling," an in-progress documentary chronicling PE's U.K. tours. ... Jem, who returned to her DJing roots for the closing party of the Sundance Film Festival over the weekend, will release "24" as the second single from her debut, Finally Woken. After shooting the video next month, Jem will hit the U.K. for a promotional tour and then return to the States for an outing with Gavin DeGraw. ...

Trey Anastasio and John Medeski will join Moe at a benefit for tsunami survivors scheduled for February 10 at New York's Roseland Ballroom. Dave Matthews Band are matching the proceeds from the event. ... Lisa Marie Presley has set an April 5 release date for her second album, Now What. The first single is a cover of Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry." ... Lifehouse have just released the first single off their new self-titled album (March 29), the moody ballad "You and Me." The "Hanging by a Moment" group's third effort features the songs "Come Back Down," "Blind," "All and All," "Better Luck," "Days Go By," "Into the Sun," "Undone," "We'll Never Know," "Walking Away," "Chapter One" and "The End." New bassist Bryce Soderberg will join the band when it hits the road in March. ...

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TLC (file)
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Wire Image

Nearly five months after reports of the project first surfaced, TLC's surviving members announced Tuesday (November 16) that they're staging a reality series to find someone to join them onstage and to record with them in the studio. The show will be called "R U the Girl With T-Boz & Chilli."

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas said they're ready to launch the next phase of their careers some two and a half years after the death of group member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (see "Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes Killed In Car Accident"). They completed the fourth TLC album, 3D, as a duo, and they played what was billed as a final TLC performance seven months after the album's September 2002 release (see "TLC To Give Final Performance At New Jersey Concert In June"). So when news leaked of their deal to replace Lopes on a reality show (see "TLC Looking To Replace Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes"), it came as a surprise to many fans. A source close to the show, which will be produced by FOX Television Studios and will air on UPN, stressed that they're not looking to replace Lopes, but are just inviting a performer to work with them on a one-off basis.

"We want to find someone with the right chemistry and magic to work with us," Watkins and Thomas said in a statement. "We have been blessed with great success, and this is a chance for our fans to join us as we give someone a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fulfill their dream."

No airdate has been set yet for the series, in which cameras will document the group's eight-week search to find someone to perform with. During that period, which will likely start early next year, Watkins and Thomas will put the aspiring performers through a series of challenges in which they'll test, judge and eliminate candidates.

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