Sunday February 10th, 2002
Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and R&B Album Chart February 16
New CD's this week:
This week a a new live offering
from Sade featuring renditions of "Smooth Operator,"
"No Ordinary Love," and other hits.
Short news stories this week:
Chicago Police Investigate R. Kelly Sex Tape
R&B star R. Kelly is under police
investigation in Chicago for allegedly having
sex with an underage girl and videotaping the illegal act. The Chicago Sun-Times
reported febr 8 that they anonymously received a 26-minute, 39-second videotape
that shows Kelly performing various sex acts with the underage girl.
The publicly unnamed girl, who is now 17-years-old, was identified by a family
member who estimated she was 14 at the time the tape was made. Chicago police
have been investigating the allegations for as long as three years, according to
the
paper. Because the girl and her parents have in the past denied her involvement,
there was no evidence on which to prosecute Kelly. But authorities tell the
paper
that the tape makes building a case more possible.
Kelly's attorney, John M. Touhy, claimed the video is not real. "Any tape
you have
is a fake, and we find the timing of these events to be extremely
suspicious," he told
the paper.
In 1998, Kelly, who was briefly married to late R&B star Aaliyah in 1994
when she
was just 15-years-old, settled a lawsuit with a woman who claimed he had sex
with
her when she was 15, and convinced her to drop out of school, according to the
Sun-Times article. The artist is also fighting a suit brought by another woman
who
claims she was involved in an illicit relationship with him when she was
underage.
Kelly's collaborative album with rapper Jay-Z, "The Best of Both
Worlds," is due
March 26 via Def Jam.
Mary J Blige European support act announced
As reported earlier, Avant will be be
supporting Mary J. Blige on her US tour. On
her European tour however, she will be supported by R'n'B newcomer Res
Res, who was originally approached to become a member of 90s group Groove
Theory, releases her debut album 'How I Do' in the UK later this year.
Mary's new single, ''Dance For Me' featuring Common was released on January
14th.
Glenn Lewis releases first album
R&B newcomer Glenn Lewis is to release
his highly touted debut album, 'World
Outside My Window' in the UK on March 18.
Alicia Keys told Rolling Stone magazine that she was so bowled over after
hearing
the album that she invited the singer/songwriter to support her on her current
US
tour.
'World Outside My Window' has been produced by the team behind Jill Scott's
debut 'Who Is Jill Scott? Words & Pictures Vol.1'.
The single 'Don't You Forget It' will be released in the spring.
Brandy Admits To Marrying Producer Last Year
Singer-actress Brandy has revealed that she
married producer-songwriter Robert
Smith last year. "I've fallen in love with a very warm, gentle,
understanding, and
focused person," Brandy said via statement. "This summer we married
quietly. A
new experience, a new day for me."
Brandy's father Willie Norwood, who released his first album in October 2001,
alluded to Brandy's nuptials in November when he spoke with us about the timing
of his solo debut, the gospel album 'Bout It. The elder Norwood said, "Now
that
they are all grown and everything, they have their own career and (are) getting
ready to get into their own lives and start their own families and things like
that,
(starting my own career lets) me have something worthwhile to do."
Brandy recently released "What About Us?", the lead single from her
forthcoming
third album, titled Full Moon, which is due out March 5. The song has been
racing
up the chart and is currently Number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Calls to Brandy's Atlantic Records label were not returned at press time
Snoop Dogg, Lil' Kim, & Erick Sermon Turn Up On R.L.'s 'RL:ements'
R.L. of Next is tentatively scheduled to
release his long-awaited solo debut,
RL:ements, on April 23. The first single from the set is the Jermaine
Dupri-produced
"Got Me A Model" featuring Erick Sermon. Lil' Kim and Snoop Dogg also
turn up
on the album's song "Do U Wanna Roll."
In a recent statement, R.L. explained how his solo work is different from his
work
with Next: "Being in a group, I only got to express one-third of myself. I
don't
want to limit myself by doing something that's just comfortable for me. On this
album, I drew outside the lines."
The tentative tracklisting for RL:ements includes: "Elements,"
"Got Me A Model,"
"Whatcha Wanna Do," "Ghetto," "Good Man,"
"I'll Give You Anything,"
"Tempted/Temptation Island," "K.N.O.W.", "Damn!",
"Model Chick," "Luv Led
Me 2 U," "As Long As U Know," "Do U Wanna Roll," and
"Thank You."
R.L. released two albums with his bandmates T-Low and Tweety as Next,
including 1997's double-platinum Rated Next, and 2000's gold-certified Welcome
II Nextasy.
Soulchild prepares another set
Musiq wants you to Juslisen ...
Musiq Soulchild is preparing to release another album less than two years after
the debut of his critically acclaimed set "Aijuswanaseing." (I just
wanna sing)
The album will be titled "Juslisen" (just listen) and is scheduled for
release on May
7.The first single is called "Half Crazy" and deals with a situation
far too many folks
find themselves in. The premise is,a man and a woman are good friends, but one
day
they become more. Afterwards, the situation becomes filled with so much drama,
the male involved has second thoughts about crossing the line of friendship
again.
Producer Rodney Jerkins Explains Michael Jackson And Brandy's Tradeoff
R&B pop star and actress Brandy is
forever indebted to super-producer Rodney
Jerkins. In exchange for Brandy singing background vocals on Michael Jackson's
album Invincible, Jerkins managed to get Jackson's permission to use a portion
of
his voice on Brandy's forthcoming set, Full Moon, due out March 5.
Brandy is featured singing background vocals on the first song on Invincible,
"Unbreakable," which also includes a rap from the late Notorious
B.I.G. Jackson's
voice appears on Brandy's song "It's Not Worth It."
Jerkins explains incorporating the Jackson vocals into Brandy's song: "I
took a portion
of Michael's voice from a song that didn't go on Michael's album," he said.
"And I
kinda blended it in to the record. It's not a big portion, but it's smooth the
way we
took Michael and put it in there."
"What About Us?", the first single from Brandy's third album, hits
Number Five
this week on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.