Sunday November 11th 2001

 

Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and R&B Album Chart November 17

 

New CD's this week:

This week only 2 new CD's worth mentioning, but they are both goodies. First
the long awaited second album by Angie Stone called "Mahogany soul" and
second the third album from Faith Evans "Faithfully".

Short  news stories this week:

Angie Stone remixed by Alicia and Eve

Angie Stone has got together with Alicia Keys and Eve on a remix of her song
'Brotha'. The track was so popular with J Records that the company has included
it on Angie's new album 'Mahogany Soul' which is due for release soon. They will
also shoot another video for 'Brotha'.
The original version includes cameos from Will Smith, Luther Vandross, Raphael
Saadiq and pays tribute to men such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Marvin
Gaye, Mohammed Ali and Colin Powell.

Jill Scott Marries Longtime Friend In Hawaii

R&B singer Jill Scott recently married Lyzel Williams in Hawaii, according to a
spokesperson for the singer who said she could not offer any further details. Scott
sings about Williams on her double-platinum debut album, "Who Is Jill Scott?:
Words And Sounds, Vol. 1", on the song "He Loves Me (Lyzel In E Flat)."
Prior to the nuptials, Scott said that she and Williams were longtime friends
before becoming lovers: "Yeah, my finance and I were friends for several years
before we started to date. We went to the club, we hung out, we danced, we shook
it up, we drank, we partied. But we also went to carnivals, and we took long walks.
I enjoyed his company so much. I'm glad I can say I'm such, so resounding blessed
to have him in my life."Scott's sophomore album, "Experience: Jill Scott", a live
double CD, will be released November 20.

R. Kelly, Alicia Keys, Al Green, Aretha Franklin & Others Turn Up On 'Ali' Soundtrack

"Ali, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" will be released on November 27.
The set features music from some of the biggest names in music, including R.
Kelly, Alicia Keys, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Bilal, Angie Stone, Everlast, and
newcomer Truth Hurts. The film, which was directed by Michael Mann and stars
Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, and Mario Van Peebles, will hit theatres on
Christmas Day (December 25).
The first single from the soundtrack will be "The World's Greatest" by R. Kelly.
The Grammy Award-winning singer shared his admiration for Muhammad Ali
in a statement, "I admire his courage not only as a boxer but as a man." A video
for "The World's Greatest" was shot last weekend in R. Kelly's hometown of
Chicago, with veteran video director Billie Woodruff behind the lens.
The tracklisting for "Ali, The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" includes:
"The World's Greatest" by R. Kelly, "Fight" by Alicia Keys, "Hold On" by R.
Kelly, "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Al Green, "Ain't No Way" by Aretha
Franklin, "Sometimes" by Bilal, "20 Dollars" by Angie Stone, "For Your Precious
Love" by Truth Hurts, "Bring It On Home To Me" by David Elliot, "E-Ali The
Greatest" by Everlast, "Mistreated" by Shawn Kane, "Tomorrow" by Salif Keita,
"All Along The Watchtower" by the Watchtower Four, "Odessa" by Martin
Tillman, and "See The Sun" by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke.

Faith Evans Producer Battlecat Explains Title Track

R&B singer Faith Evans released her third album, "Faithfully", Tuesday (November 6).
Hip-hop producer Battlecat, who is responsible for songs for Lucy Pearl Brian
McKnight, and Tyrese, created the album's title track.
Battlecat told us that the song revives the feel of '80s R&B group Mtume. "It's
something to look forward to--two-step material, cha-cha in the club," Battlecat
said of the song. "I wanted to bring that 'Juicy Fruit' kinda vibe back again, so
you're going to love that when you hear that. It's beautiful."
Battlecat said "Faithfully" is being considered as a release. "You Gets No Love,"
the first song released from "Faithfully", is Number 10 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-
Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Kelly Price Asked Wynonna Judd To Appear On Christmas Album Via Mail

Kelly Price and Wynonna Judd's "Mary's Song" may earn Judd some new R&B fans.
The two recorded the song in Nashville for Price's holiday album, "One Family",
scheduled to be released November 20 on Def Soul.
Price, who has been a fan of the Judds since she was a child, thought of Wynonna
when she wrote the song. Since Price and Wynonna had never met, Price told us
that she decided to first contact Wynonna via mail. "I wrote Wynonna a letter,
and sent her a copy of a really, really, rugged nasty demo of the song after I
wrote it," Price said. "It didn't have any music. I did an entire a cappella arrangement
of the song with background vocals and everything."
After receiving the letter and demo, Wynonna called Price, saying she loved the
song, which made her cry, and insisted that the two record together.
Price said that she first fell in love with the Judds from watching them perform on
award shows. She liked their look and especially enjoyed Wynonna's voice. "I was
really captivated by Wynonna's voice because she had kind of a grit to her sound,
that almost sounded like she could do some soul music if she wanted to," Price
said.
While in Nashville, Price also worked on material which her publisher has been
shopping to country artists. Wynonna and Faith Hill have expressed interest in her
songs. Price is also slated to release her third solo album in March or April 2002.

 

News 2001