Janet Jackson guests on "Feel It," the first single from Beenie Man's Tropical Storm, which is due August 20 and features appearances from Lil' Kim and dancehall artists Sean Paul and Lady Saw, along with production work by the Neptunes, Irv Gotti, DJ Clue and Sly & Robbie. Janet and Beenie filmed a video for the song at a beach in Los Angeles last week with director Dave Meyers (Britney Spears, Pink). ... P. Diddy is remixing "Call Me," the second single from Tweet's debut, Southern Hummingbird, the singer said at last week's BET Awards. For her third single, she is eyeing "Smoking Cigarettes" and hopes to align with an anti-smoking campaign to feature the song in a commercial, the way she teamed with Verizon with "Call Me." ...
Silverchair have pushed back the release of their fourth studio album, Diorama, from July 30 to August 27 due to frontman Daniel Johns' severe case of reactive arthritis. The Australian trio were forced to cancel several promotional appearances because of his illness, including sold-out shows in New York and London. ... Pop vocalist Rosemary Clooney, the voice behind classics such as "Come On-a My House" and "Mambo Italiano," died on Saturday of complications from lung cancer, according to CNN. The 74-year-old singer/actress was surrounded by her family, including her five children, grandchildren, and her husband, at her Beverly Hills home. ...
Soulfly guitarist Mike Doling, who organized the tribute album Strait Up for Snot singer Lynn Strait, has produced a live album by his former band titled Snot Alive!, due July 30. The eight-song LP, recorded at the Palace in Hollywood in May 1998, six months before Strait was killed in a car accident, includes favorites "Snot" and "Stoopid." ... Steve Earle will play a drug counselor in three episodes of the new HBO series, "The Wire." According to a spokesperson for the artist, the singer, whose new album, Jerusalem, is slated for a fall release, will first appear in the July 21 episode. ... Mike Doughty is composing the soundtrack and score to the upcoming movie, "Evenhand," a cop story directed by Joseph Pierson ("Cherry"). The former Soul Coughing singer is also releasing a poetry book, "Slanky," on July 8. ...
06.28.02
A 1999 purple Ford Mustang convertible once owned by Eminem went up for auction on eBay Friday (June 28) by Russ Milne Ford in Macomb, Michigan, at a starting price of $17,000. The rapper's old ride will be up for grabs until July 9 at 9:06 a.m. PT, with all proceeds above the normal Mustang price going to the Macomb Literacy Project, a charity that teaches adults to read. ... Usher is launching his own Usher Records. He said at the BET Awards that his first release may be an Aaliyah tribute album. ... Blu Cantrell will reunite with producers Dallas Austin and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for her follow-up to last year's So Blu, due at the end of summer. "It's a lot of dance ... for the clubs," said Cantrell, who will be heard on a new track called "Round Up" next month with Lady May. ...
R&B producer Mike City is in talks with Mariah Carey about doing some tracks for her next album. City has recently worked with Solange Knowles, Dave Hollister and Terry Dexter. ... Bow Wow will judge a basketball dribbling contest at Planet Hollywood in New York's Times Square on Monday at 3 p.m. The MC will also present the restaurant with an autographed basketball jersey from his new movie "Like Mike." ... Dave Matthews Band will release a new live DVD-enhanced CD, Open Up the Curtains, in late fall. The live performance took place on July 11, 2001 at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, and featured three tracks from their upcoming album Busted Stuff, which will hit stores on July 16. ...
R&B singers and husband and wife Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore are recording a duets album called Kenny and Chante, due in September. "We tried to make the whole album just sexy, so couples could put it on and do their thing," said Lattimore, who is following up 2001's Weekend.... Lattimore will have some competition from Tank, whose I'm One Man album is due August 20 and will feature production work from Timbaland and Rodney Jerkins. "We're bringing back the sex music," Tank said. "We're gonna party a little bit, but we're gonna party to get to the bedroom." ... Tank has also been recording with rapper Caviar. His upcoming The Masterpiece will feature Timbaland, Snoop Dogg and E-40. ...
MC Lyte, in the spotlight again for her standout collaboration on Moby's new 18 album, is nearly finished recording Lytro, Underground Heat, Vol. 1, which will feature shout-outs from Janet Jackson, Jamie Foxx, Da Brat, Queen Latifah, Kid Capri and Biz Markie. Lyte also just lent her voice to a Nike commercial and a new doll from Mattel. ... Oakland rapper Mystic is recording a few new tracks to include on a re-release of her 2001 album, Cuts for Luck and Scars for Freedom, due in the fall on DreamWorks. The Grammy-nominated artist said the tracks will likely be collaborations.