While he wasn't able to lure Foxy Brown from Def Jam, P. Diddy just bolstered the lineup of his Bad Boy label with seminal Southern rap duo 8 Ball & MJG, who recently signed with P.D.'s company. ... On August 3, we'll find out who the year's biggest balla is when Funkmaster Flex hosts his second annual celebrity car show at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. Flex said that playas such as P. Diddy, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes and Wyclef Jean will submit vehicles and try to snatch the championship from hip-hop's "#1 Stunna,"Baby of Cash Money, who was last year's winner. ...

Nearly seven months after it was recorded, Incubus' home video "The Morning View Sessions" will be released on VHS and DVD. The laid-back performance video, which more resembles an informal jam session than an actual concert, was recorded at Sony Studios in New York the day the band's fourth album, Morning View, dropped. ... Kelly Osbourne will sing her cover of Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" at her live debut at KIIS-FM's Wango Tango festival June 15 in Pasadena, California. The song will be featured on The Osbournes Family Album, due June 11. ... A few weeks after dropping the greatest-hits package Work in early June, electronic duo Orbital will release the next volume in the Back to Mine chillout compilation series. Highlights on the mix include the previously unreleased Orbital track "Ska'd for Life" and material from PJ Harvey and the Divine Comedy. ...

05.17.02

The man who insists he invented the remix, P. Diddy, is working on new material with Justin Timberlake. Diddy's production partner Mario Winans said their team has fashioned an uptempo Justin solo track that will burn the dancefloors. ... Britney Spears is offering 10 pairs of choice seats for each stop on her summer tour, as well as passes to soundcheck at select venues, through an online auction at www.britneyspears.com beginning Friday (May 17). Proceeds from the auction will benefit the singer's children's charity, the Britney Spears Foundation. ... Look for Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston to share a toast on the beach in the upcoming video for Ja Rule's "Down Ass Chick" remix. Houston's own video shouldn't be out before too long; her label, Arista Records, said her next LP is scheduled for August 6. ...

Sevendust have recruited their pals in Creed to donate an autographed guitar and drumsticks for an eBay auction to benefit the family of Cameron Gallion, the 14-year-old who appeared in Sevendust's "Praise" video. Gallion died of cancer last February. ... The members of Sum41 may be flippant jesters about most things, but they're pretty stone-faced when it comes to protecting wildlife. The group recently set a letter to Manitoban Minister of Conservation Oscar Lathlin on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, urging him to force the Suarez Bros. Circus to release six polar bears, three of which were caught in Manitoba. ...

Beck has finished recording his as-yet-untitled next album with producer Nigel Godrich (Radiohead). Due September 24, the record is said to be acoustic pop in the vein of 1998's Mutations. ... One of Beck's favorite bands, Icelandic experimentalists Sigur Rós, are nearly done with the follow-up to Ágætis Byrjun and are eyeing a fall release. On the band's Icelandic record label Web site, singer/guitarist Jon Thor Birgisson described the material as having "far fewer little slick things and much less sweet stuff" than their acclaimed debut. ...

Korn, System of a Down and Eminem may have been bested by Web warriors recently, but R.E.M. didn't wait for Internet pirates to raid their latest sonic treasures. The band has posted 10 electronic remixes from Reveal on remhq.com, drawing upon the talents of Matthew Herbert, Marc Bianchi, Dahoud Darien and more. ... Garbage are back working on a B-sides collection after setting aside the project to record last year's Beautifulgarbage. The band is asking fans to e-mail suggestions for the album to garbagefanmail@qprime.com. ... Fans can vote on the set list and the theme of the set design for Alanis Morissette's upcoming concert special on the Oxygen network on www.oxygen.com. The show will air June 23. ...

Our Lady Peace have set out on a North American tour this week to promote their fifth album, the Bob Rock-produced Gravity, due June 18. The Canadian rockers, whose single "Somewhere Out There" is currently #9 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart, will play radio festivals and club dates before ending the trek July 7 in Omaha, Nebraska. ... Before heading out on the Warped Tour, the Alkaline Trio will hit the studio to begin recording the follow-up to last year's From Here to Infirmary. The album, which will proceed a solo recording from singer/guitarist Matt Skiba, is due in the fall. ... Pop singer/songwriter Brendan Benson will open on the White Stripes' upcoming tour beginning May 28 in Tucson, Arizona. Benson is promoting the just-released Lapalco, which he recorded with Jason Falkner