Sunday November 25th 2001

Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and R&B Album Chart December 1

New CD's this week:

New releases this come from Jill Scott with a double album, on disc 1 live recordings
and disc 2 containing new studio tracks. As Christmas is coming closer you might
want to get into the spirit with the new Kelly Price (Christman)album, entitled "One
family". Also new this week Pink's second album "Missundaztood" and yet
another new album from the legendary Temptations that is just  "Awesome".

Short  news stories this week:

Faith Evans Raps Like Biggie, Sings For DMX After 4 A.M. Hotel Visit

She's a singer, songwriter, budding businesswoman (as one of the owners of Pedigree
M.G.I., she manages former 702 lead singer Kameelah Williams) and, as her current
hit single, "You Gets No Love," shows, a closet rapper. On the song, Faith Evans
says some rhymes once spat by her late husband, the Notorious B.I.G. "The fact that
I quoted his lyrics on the single was definitely ... for one, I was having fun," she said.
"I'm always sitting around rhyming. So my friend dared me to rhyme on the record.
She was like, 'You know you need to go ahead and do it.' I don't really be serious. I
just start flowing. So I was like, 'What am I gonna say?' She was like, 'Say some of
Big's rhymes. He's the illest'
On her album Faithfully, Evans also sings about Biggie on "Alone in This World,"
where she pays homage to him by sampling his song "Who Shot Ya?" "When I heard
the track I couldn't write nothing to do it," she said. "I was so happy to have that track,
I was like, 'Oh that's hot. Everybody gonna love it.' "
After letting P. Diddy find a songwriter for the beat, she added some of her own lyrics
to make it more personal. "I'm sure the lyrics were definitely drawn off of my
experiences with B.I.G.," she admitted. "I wouldn't say word-for-word it's
autobiographical. The theme of it definitely reflects back to the fact that we were
married. And actually my [current] husband thought it would be a great idea."
Evans' spouse, Todd Russaw, who is also one of Faithfully's executive producers,
didn't think that it was such a good idea for her to have an early morning meeting
with DMX to discuss their first reteaming since Faith appeared on X's remix to "How's
It Going Down" in1998.
"The first time we worked together [DMX] wasn't there, it was just like I came in to
re-sing the sample on that remix," she explained. "But this time it was interesting, to
say the least."
It wasn't that Russaw had anything against X, but as Faith recounts, Dark Man woke
her up when he came barking at her hotel at four o'clock in the morning to woo her for
The Great Depression's "I Miss You," a cut honoring his late grandmother.
"I was dead to the world asleep, out like a light," said Faith, who sings the hook and
ad-libs on the track. "He was calling, and Todd was like, 'Man she's asleep like for
real. What do you want me to do? She asleep.' [DMX] was like, 'No, you don't
understand, like I gotta talk to her. I want her to totally understand my whole vision.' "
"He was so passionate about that song," she continued. "And I see why, after I heard
it and realized it was to his grandma. He told me 'If you don't sing it I gotta sing it
myself.' [In the studio] he told me every melody to sing, 'Sing this line over.' He was
really in there producing me, whereas normally I pretty much produce myself. I mean,
sometimes Puff might have a little idea of how he wants me to sing a line, but for the
most part I usually decide how I sing my vocals."
Evans said her following will get to see exactly how she carries each note of her tunes
up close next year - a tour across the U.S. is in the works.

Michael Jackson Moving Up The Singles Charts

In just its second week of release, Michael Jackson's latest single, "Butterflies,"
moves up 11 spots to Number 49 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And since the
track, which appears on Jackson's Invincible album, won't be released as a
commercial single until December 18, the chart position is based solely on radio
stations around the country adding the Andre Harris-penned track to their playlists.
Elsewhere on the Hot 100, Jackson's "You Rock My World" slips 13 positions to
Number 77 in its tenth week on the chart. As for the Jackson's standings on the
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, "Butterflies" and "You Rock My World"
currently occupy the Number 14 and Number 22 spots, respectively.

Bebe is back

On Monday, November 19, mega-superstar and multi-platinum recording artist
Bebe Winans, recorded his 3rd solo project, a live recording at BET Studios in
Washington, DC. The concert provided an intimate setting which afforded BeBe
the opportunity to be personable with the audience and to sing from his heart.
Clad in black, the gospel crooner belted out some of his well-known hits and s
ome new songs too. The host for the evening was none other than the incomparable
Stephanie Mills, a personal friend of Winans. Bringing down the house herself
with a song written by BeBe entitled, "Born For This," Mills did a beautiful job
as host for the evening. Winans sung favorites like "In Harm's Way," "Thank
You" and the title tune to his latest project, "Love And Freedom." BeBe ministered
powerfully on the soon-to-be hit, "I Fell In Love With God" and on another ballad
"Humpty Dumpty." More new songs included "Do You Know Him" and the classic
"Amazing Grace." CeCe may have some stiff competition as BeBe and his other
sister Debbie Winans worked the hit "Heaven." BeBe was flanked with awesome
background singers including his sister Debbie, Margaret Bell-Byers and Byron
Cage, who shared the stage with him on "Jesus Children Of America." BeBe also
did a duet with nephew Juan Winans on "Coming Home."
BeBe recorded his project for BET Gospel, one of BET's Digital Networks
channels, scheduled to debut January 21, 2002. The project will be released as
a CD and DVD from Motown. Look for the project to street March 5, 2002.

Kelly Picee releases Christmas album

New CD features duets with Wynonna Judd, Donnie McClurkin and more.
Def Soul first lady, Kelly Price, has released her first Christmas album, "One
Family". The album is a soulful collection of traditional Christmas favorites,
gospel standards, and original songs penned by Kelly. This meaningful and
warm release features duets with country music superstar Wynonna Judd,
contemporary gospel sensation Mary Mary, gospel favorites BeBe Winans and
Donnie McClurkin, and the legendary Shirley Murdock. With guest vocals from
Kelly's celebrity friends and family members, One Family encompasses the true
spirit of Christmas. Kelly lends her incomparable voice to Christmas classics
like "Silent Night,'' "We Wish You A Merry Christmas,'' and "Oh Come All
Ye Faithful.'' Along with those traditional tunes is the original heartfelt duet
with country great, Wynonna Judd, simply titled "Mary's Song'' and the romantic
R&B flavored "In Love at Christmas'' featuring Mary Mary. Another standout
track is Kelly's operatic yet soulfoul rendition of "Ave Maria'' which eloquently
shows Kelly's outstanding vocal prowess.
Known for her powerful voice and impressive songwriting skills, Kelly Price
made her solo debut in 1998 with the release of the platinum-selling album,
"Soul of A Woman" which featured the smash hit "Friend of Mine.'' Kelly's
second release Mirror Mirror (2000), took radio by storm and featured Kelly's
powerful rendition of the Shirley Murdock classic "As We Lay,'' elevating her
to soul-diva status. Kelly was nominated for a Grammy in 1999 for Best R&B
Performance and has appeared on Oprah, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,
Letterman, and Rosie O'Donell. Kelly will release her third album in Spring 2002.

Rule, Usher, Vandross Lead Platinum Charge

Ja Rule's Murder Inc. set "Pain Is Love," Usher's Arista album "8701," and
Luther Vandross' self-titled J Records debut lead the list of albums newly certified
platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Released in
October, August, and June, respectively, each has been certified for U.S. sales of 1
million copies. The Ja Rule and Usher albums were also each certified gold (500,000
copies) in their first accounting by the RIAA since their release.

News 2001