Before touring together this summer, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera will headline the NBA All-Star Read to Achieve Celebration, which will air February 8, the day before the 52nd annual all-star game. B2K and LL Cool J will also perform at the hour-long event that will be simulcast on 12 different networks, including ABC, TNT and Nickelodeon, at noon ET. ...

More performers have been added to the pre- and post-shows for the Super Bowl. Bon Jovi will kick off the post-game festivities, while Styx will join the pre-show lineup, with already announced performers Santana, Beyoncé Knowles, and Michelle Branch. The Super Bowl airs live on ABC on January 26. ... Vanessa Carton will play Dusty Springfield in an episode of "American Dreams" filming on Saturday and airing February 9. The NBC drama's February 16 episode will feature India.Arie as Nina Simone. Usher, Michelle Branch and Nick Carter were guests during last fall's sweeps period. ...

D'Angelo was granted a continuance Wednesday for his resisting-arrest and assault charges stemming from a November road rage incident. A Chesterfield, Virginia, district court judge gave the R&B singer, whose real name is Michael Archer, a new court date of March 12. ... Those wondering what Clash songs the band's late singer/guitarist Joe Strummer considered essential will find out March 11, when the two-disc retrospective Essential Clash arrives. Before his death in December, Strummer selected the 40 songs for the digitally remastered set, which includes "Janie Jones" and "White Riot" and rare photos in the liner notes. ...

Mekhi Phifer, who accepted an American Music Award for Eminem at Monday's ceremony, said after the show he and his "8 Mile" co-star are planning another film project together. When asked if it would be a sequel, perhaps chronicling Slim Shady's later years, he answered, "I'm not sure about that." Phifer's next film is "Honey" with Jessica Alba and Lil' Romeo. ... Ice-T premiered his new clothing line, Ice-Wear, Tuesday night in New York. Besides yakking it up with such celebs as Keith Murray about his new apparel, the rapper/actor revealed at the party that he will be putting out a new album with his rock group Body Count this year. ...

Tori Amos is taking Scarlet out for another walk. The flame-haired songstress will launch her second North American tour in support of her latest album, Scarlet's Walk, on February 19 in Boca Raton, Florida. The monthlong, 19-date stretch concludes March 19 in Erie, Pennsylvania. ... Two bands fronted by some of the best hairdos in rock will share the stage on a tour kicking off February 8 at Penn State University. Bon Jovi and the Goo Goo Dolls are teaming up for 36-show tour that winds down April 19 in Las Vegas. ...

"Great Tastes Just Within Reach Vol. II," the second fundraiser cookbook from Kevin Richardson's Just Within Reach charity, is available online at www.alwjwr.com. The Backstreet Boy wrote the forward and provided recipes (in the Down Home Kentucky Grub section) for the book. ... John Mayer will release his first DVD and VHS, "Any Given Thursday," on February 11. The concert video was filmed in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 12 and also features backstage footage of the singer/songwriter. ...

Blink-182's clothing line, Atticus, will release its second compilation, Dragging the Lake II, on March 18 via Side One Dummy Records. The album will feature unreleased tracks from Blink-182, Box Car Racer, Hot Water Music, Alkaline Trio, Suicide Machines, Sparta, Rocket From the Crypt, Finch and more. ... Side One Dummy is also releasing a Vans Warped Tour 2003 compilation on May 20 featuring more than 50 bands. ... LeAnn Rimes said at Monday's American Music Awards she will release "Suddenly" as the second single from her fall release, Twisted Angel. Rimes is hoping the more rock and roll track will appeal to fans of Avril Lavigne and Pink. ...

The Recording Academy will present its Technical Grammy Awards to engineer Geoff Emerick and audio equipment manufacturer Shure Incorporated on February 22, the night before the Grammys return to Madison Square Garden. Emerick was the engineer at Abbey Road Studios who worked on several classic Beatles albums, including Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, while Shure is best known for quality microphones, including some of the first wireless models. ... And speaking of the Grammys and geeky technology stuff, this year's show will mark the first time an awards show will be broadcast in High Definition TV and 5.1 Surround Sound. ...

01.14.03

Ms. Dynamite and the Streets have both been nominated in four categories for this year's Brit Awards, which take place February 20 at Earl's Court in London. Other nominees include Shakira, White Stripes, Coldplay, Robbie Williams, Missy Elliott, Norah Jones, Beth Orton, Nickelback, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, Blur, Avril Lavigne, Enrique Iglesias, Pink, Beck, Eminem, Moby, Nelly and Bruce Springsteen. ...

Jay-Z is making sure his global phone is ready. The Jiggaman will be heading to Paris to headline a European tour that kicks off on January 16 in Paris and ends on February 2 in Manchester, England. From there, Jay will be going in front of the cameras for his second video off the Blueprint 2 album, "Excuse Me Miss." An exact production date or plot has not been determined, but those at the Roc do know what Jay's third single will be: "Guns & Roses," which features Lenny Kravitz. ... The monetary terms of their agreement have not been released, but it doesn't exactly take a super sleuth to conclude Jermaine Dupri is so, so paid. Not only did he just ink a distribution deal for his So So Def imprint with Arista, but Dupri has also been named the senior vice president of the major label. ...

Upon returning from their European tour, Sum 41 will begin another round of Stateside tour dates to support their latest album, Does This Look Infected? The repeat routing begins close to the band's home, in Toronto, on February 15, and visits 12 other cities before concluding March 4 in Norfolk, Virginia. ... The television show that doubled as a dance contest, "Dance Fever," might be returning to the airwaves after 15 years. The show's producer, TV omnipresence Merv Griffin, recently said that he plans to resurrect the show at an as-yet-undetermined time. ...

David Wayne, the former frontman for Metal Church and the current vocalist for Reverend, was in a three-car pile up in Tacoma, Washington, last weekend. Wayne was rear-ended and suffered trauma to his neck and back. He was rushed to the hospital and treated, then released, and will require rehabilitation. ...