Bow Wow
Photo: Jonathan Mannion

Forget the googly eyes they made at each other in the video for "Puppy Love." Bow Wow and Solange Knowles are teaming up once again, but this time the labelmates are playing the children of Cedric "The Entertainer" and singer-turned-actress Vanessa Williams in the upcoming flick "Johnson Family Vacation."

"She's the older sister and of course they don't get along," Solange's father Mathew Knowles said on Wednesday (April 2) about her onscreen interaction with Bow Wow. "They raise hell every day. It's a great role."

The movie is being compared to the Chevy Chase "Vacation" franchise, which became popular in the '80s. Those films centered around the many mishaps of the dim-witted Griswold family as they trekked around the world.

The Johnson family doesn't have much better luck as they travel across the country and get into trouble. The movie is still in production and slated to come out later this year.

"Part of the overall plan of her career is to merge music and the big screen," Knowles said of Solange's multitasking. "We're doing that with all our artists. Kelly [Rowland], hopefully within the next 30 days we'll be able to make an announcement of a movie she's doing this year. We're going to be making an announcement of a movie that Beyoncé is doing this year, and there is a play that Michelle [Williams] is doing this year. The whole climate of the music industry is such that you have to do more than music."

In two weeks Solange will be putting time into her first job. She's releasing "Crush," the second single from her debut LP, Solo Star, and shooting its accompanying video.

"The thing that Solange does really well is dance," Knowles said of his daughter's clip. "It's going to be more of a performance video showing her qualities as a vocalist and dancer."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Bow Wow said he's just about finished with his still-untitled next album. The rep said Jermaine Dupri had no involvement in the project, but would not divulge with whom Bow Wow will be collaborating on the album. It is still being determined which songs are going to make the LP.

In the recent weeks, however, Lil Jon has said that he did some production work on the record, and ATL MC Bone Crusher (see "Bone Crusher Serves 'Scared' Rap Competitors A Steaming Slice Of ATL") said he's been working in the studio with the teen titan as well.

• Bow Wow
• Solange
• Vanessa Williams

Eight years ago this week, hip-hop impresario Russell Simmons was working on expanding his already lengthy résumé by coordinating a concert movie featuring some of rap's biggest luminaries.

"It's the first time that the magnitude of this talent, this star level all getting on the same stage at once," "The Show" director Brian Robbins said. "Warren G, Run-DMC, Tha Dogg Pound including Snoop, the whole Wu-Tang Clan with Method Man, Craig Mack, Biggie Smalls — it's a pretty major event."

One of the things the filmmakers wanted to show in "The Show" was that not all rappers are the thugs their lyrics may make them out to be. "Maybe they manipulate you as a medium," Robbins said. "They say sometimes what MTV wants to hear, but do they mean it? Maybe not, but they're saying it for a reason. I think we find that out a little bit."

Others were hopeful the movie would remind people where the art form came from — the ghetto.

"Rap is the industry, the Billboards, the Hits magazines, you know what I'm saying," Meth said. "The interviews, all that — all that's just the rap. The hip-hop is when you see a brother onstage sweating, going for what he knows, shaking his people's hands, freestyling on the block. That's hip-hop, man."

R.E.M., meanwhile, were preparing to hit concert venues, not movie theaters, with their live act. The band's first world tour in five years would take R.E.M. through Asia and Europe before arriving back in the States. Scott McCaughey of Seattle's Fresh Young Fellows and guitarist Nathan December lent assistance to the group for the trek, which featured openers Sonic Youth and Luscious Jackson.

"The volume of people that are willing to pay money to see us perform is probably going to diminish after this tour, or I would think ... after the word about how we were playing got out," singer Michael Stipe joked before expressing excitement over visiting the Far East, Israel and Vienna, Austria, for the first time.

"We're gonna play the Green Day record, the entire Green Day record, and I'm really excited about that," drummer Bill Barry deadpanned.

Singer Vanessa Williams was trying to excite audiences on Broadway in "Kiss of the Spider Woman."

"It didn't strike me until I was, like, probably a month into the run when I realized man this is a pretty major thing," she said. "I'm getting great reviews on my first Broadway show and it's really happening. This is a dream come true."

After seeing Williams in the show, Babyface produced and wrote two songs for her third album, Sweetest Days. The collection of lush ballads and relaxed acoustic tunes, she said, illustrated where she was at in life when she recorded it.

"I'm 31, a mother of three, I don't care at this point. I've gone through so much in my life since I've been 20 years old that I feel that I've probably lived the life of a 50-year-old already. I feel pretty weathered on some of these days."

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

• Run-D.M.C.
• Wu-Tang Clan
• R.E.M.
• Vanessa Williams

Dr. Dre
Photo: MTV News

Dr. Dre has ponied up $1 million, Britney Spears and Busta Rhymes are joining Sister Sledge's new "Family" and Mariah Carey is coming out of seclusion as musicians of all stripes seek ways to pitch in to the worldwide relief effort for victims of last week's terrorist attacks.

A wide range of artists has been lined up by famed producer, Chic member and disco icon Nile Rodgers to remake Sister Sledge's 1979 hit "We Are Family," which he co-wrote and co-produced.

The New York native said on Tuesday that Britney Spears, Busta Rhymes, 'NSYNC, Run-D.M.C., Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Vanessa Williams, Joan Rivers, Macaulay Culkin, Kevin Bacon and Sister Sledge themselves have all joined the project. The cover tune will be recorded in two sessions — one on Saturday in New York and the other on Sunday in L.A. Rodgers said he's still trying to decide which charities should benefit, though he made it clear he wants the money to help the survivors and families of those killed in the WTC disaster.

"I let my heart reach out, and it pointed me in the right direction," Rodgers said. "Everybody I reached out to really just came through."

Rodgers, who said he's working on a different beat for the song and that the all-stars will be singing "a new interpretation," said he has no worries about making harmony between established singers and celebrities who aren't exactly known for carrying a tune.

"There's something I've noticed all my life," he said. "When you walk in a room full of people, and people start singing 'Happy Birthday,' something is really beautiful about that because of the spirit. The vibe is right. We can fix pitch [with studio equipment], but there is no button in the studio to add vibe."

To help do his part, Dr. Dre anted up $1 million to L.A. radio station KPWR-FM (Power 106)'s Power of a Dollar Relief Fund, which benefits the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Tyrese, Fat Joe and Russell Simmons are among those who have pledged funds to New York radio powerhouse WQHT (Hot 97)'s Hip Hop Has Heart Foundation. Both those efforts are part of a joint venture with the stations' parent company, Emmis Communications (see "Musicians From Madonna To Godsmack Pledge Aid").

Mariah Carey will emerge from seclusion to join the cause on the televised event "America: A Tribute to Heroes" (see "Mariah Carey To Resurface For 'America' TV Tribute"). Hollywood A-listers such as Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Julia Roberts, Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks and Robert De Niro will be on hand to help solicit charitable donations for victims of the attacks, as will musicians such as Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias, Limp Bizkit, Sting, U2 and Wyclef Jean. The telethon will be broadcast simultaneously on ABC, CBS, NBC and dozens of other network, public television, cable, radio and Internet outlets on Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

Toronto TV station MuchMusic announced Thursday (September 20) that it is organizing a similar, smaller-scale effort. Acts such as Sum 41, Shaggy, Sarah McLachlan and Barenaked Ladies will take the stage for "Music Without Borders." That benefit concert will be broadcast live and commercial-free on MuchMusic and its affiliate outlets as well as on Toronto radio stations CHUM-FM, Edge 102 and Kiss 92 on Sunday from 4-8 p.m. ET. A spokesperson for MuchMusic said they are still trying to finalize the details of which organizations they will be helping.

Jermaine Dupri and Bono have already gathered performers such as Destiny's Child, P. Diddy, Ja Rule, Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera and Nelly to record a Dupri-produced remake of Marvin Gaye's classic "What's Going On" (see "Fred Durst, P. Diddy, Aaron Lewis, More Join In On Gaye Remake"). Proceeds from that single were originally destined to help AIDS research in Africa; on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Dupri said that 50 percent of the money from the song will go to the United Way's September 11th Fund, with the other half to be used as originally intended.

Whitney Houston and Arista have already put forth plans to re-release her decade-old rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Houston originally performed it at Super Bowl XXV, in 1991; the single's profits will go to the New York Firefighters Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Fraternal Order of Police Fund (see "Whitney Houston's 'Star-Spangled Banner' To Wave Again").

Meanwhile, Michael Jackson is making progress on his all-star benefit single, "What More Can I Do." Usher, Aaron Carter and country star Reba McEntire have joined the likes of Destiny's Child and Backstreet Boy Nick Carter on Jackson's list of guest artists. A Jackson representative said Britney Spears and 'NSYNC's Justin Timberlake have committed verbally to the song (see "Jackson Taps Britney, More For Song To Help Terrorism Victims"), though a spokesperson for the star couple said their participation is not confirmed.

The Black Crowes, who will kick off the first of three New York performances at the Beacon Theatre on Thursday (September 20), announced they will donate all profits from ticket sales as well as all of the merchandising revenue from the shows. Those funds will be distributed to the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and the New York City Public/Private Initiative Inc. The latter helps families of the lost rescuers at the WTC.

On Tuesday, Britney Spears pledged to donate $1 from each ticket she sells during her fall tour of the U.S., as well as profits from merchandising and other tour endeavors, to help the children of police and firefighters lost in the incident at the World Trade Center (see "Britney Spears To Raise Money For Children Of WTC Disaster").

Madonna, Janet Jackson, Maxwell, Incubus and Backstreet Boys are among the entertainers who have already donated proceeds from concert performances to various relief charities (see "Madonna Closes Drowned World Tour With Prayer, Donation").

For more information on and audience reaction to the attacks, including tips on how you can help, see "9.11.01: Moving Forward."

• Dr. Dre
• Britney Spears
• Sister Sledge
• Busta Rhymes
• Mariah Carey

June 5 [16:00 EDT] -- Actress/songstress Vanessa Williams is taking on quite a workload these days. Fresh from her turn in the NBC miniseries adaptation of Homer's "Odyssey," Williams has just completed her new album, titled "Next," which is due to arrive on August 26.

This time out, Williams sought the production expertise of R. Kelly, Keith Thomas, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Grammy-magnet Babyface.

Now Williams is back in actor mode, as she is currently working on the film "Shut Up and Dance" with "Children of a Lesser God" director Randy Haines. The film should arrive in theaters early next year. Before that, Williams will appear in the Babyface produced film "Soul Food" for Fox, and in MGM's "Hoodlums" with Lawrence Fishburn, Tim Roth, and Andy Garcia. Both of those films should surface this fall.

• Vanessa Williams