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Lil' Kim, Trick Daddy, Trina and others join tour
Nelly and the Cash Money Millionaires will have plenty of company when they embark on a 28-city tour in November. Lil' Kim, Lil' Cease, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Trick Daddy and Trina officially have joined the roster. The tour also now has a name and a sponsor: "MTV's DFX Presents The Jingle Ballers Jam." The lineup already was stacked before the additions, with Juvenile, Lil' Wayne, Hot Boyz, B.G. and Big Tymers representing Cash Money, Nelly and the St. Lunatics, Profyle and Joe on board from the start. The original schedule for the tour also has changed. The trek will now get underway Nov. 10 in Miami and conclude in Anaheim on Dec. 22.

The updated schedule: 11/10 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena; 11/12 - Tampa, FL @ Ice Palace; 11/15 - Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena; 11/16 - Buffalo, NY @ Marine Midland Arena; 11/17 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Arena; 11/18 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse; 11/19 - Cleveland, OH @ CSU Convocation Center; 11/22 - Hartford, CT @ Hartford Civic Center; 11/24 - Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Coliseum; 11/25 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum; 11/26 - Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum; 11/30 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center; 12/1 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum; 12/2 - Worcester, MA @ The Centrum; 12/3 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Spectrum; 12/6 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena; 12/7 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena; 12/8 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena; 12/9 - Nashville, TN @ Gaylord Entertainment Center; 12/10 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena; 12/12 - Houston, TX @ Compaq Center; 12/14 - St. Louis, MO @ Savvis Center; 12/15 - Dayton, OH @ Ervin J. Nutter Center; 12/16 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace Of Auburn Hills; 12/17 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center; 12/19 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome; 12/20 - San Jose, CA @ San Jose Arena; 12/21 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Arena; 12/22 - Anaheim, CA @ Arrowhead Pond.


Sheist pulls heist on charts
You may have never heard of Shade Sheist, but you probably have heard his voice blessing one of late summer's hottest joints. Sheist's "Where I Wanna Be" featuring Nate Dogg, Kurupt and production by Damizza was the second-most added single at R&B radio stations last week and fourth-most at urban stations, but as anyone who spent any time in Los Angeles this summer can tell you, the track has been in heavy rotation on Damizza's own Power 106 for quite some time. The track, which might pick up even more momentum thanks to a recently released video, will be featured on Damizza's upcoming compilation album that features Bone, Ja Rule and additional production by Jermaine Dupri, Kay Gee and Warren G. Damizza Presents...Where I Wanna Be, which also promises a heavy dose of Sheist, is scheduled to hit stores on Oct. 31.


Scarface debuts at No. 7
Scarface, who has been laying low for the past year or so, will debut high on the Billboard 200 albums chart next week. According to figures released by SoundScan, Scarface's Last of a Dying Breed sold more than 133,000 copies to check in at No. 7. Mystikal's Let's Get Ready slipped just one spot to No. 2, while Nelly's Country Grammar continued to show considerable staying power by locking down the No. 3 spot. The week's other noteworthy debuts include Guru's Jazzmatazz: Street Soul at No. 32, Death Row's compilation, Too Gangsta For Radio, at No. 171 and Soul Assassins' Chapter II at No. 178.


Busta keeps his name in the news
As rumors circulate about Busta Rhymes and his Flipmode Squad switching from Elektra to Def Jam, the man himself has been more concerned with resolving some issues in the courtroom. Busta received five years probation last week in connection with an incident in which police found a loaded pistol in his 1995 Mercedes-Benz. Busta pleaded guilty in May 1999 to the charge, which carries up to a seven-year prison term upon trial conviction. In the meantime, Busta has been serving as the guest host for the first few episodes of The Source's new show, "Sound Lab," which premiered Oct. 7 on UPN. Meanwhile, one of the Flipmode artists that he's always proud to promote, Rah Digga, is starting work on her first major film. "13 Ghosts" is a remake of a 1968 film about a doctor who stashes a fortune in his haunted home and wills it to a poor relative. And what about all those rumors? "As far as I know, those rumors are just that and Busta is still on Elektra," said an Elektra representative when contacted by The 411 Online.


Iverson under fire for lyrics
Philadelphia 76ers guard
Allen Iverson is used to bad press and negative attention. He's had his share of it due to power struggles with his coach, Larry Brown, and an occasional run-in with the law. But now it's his upcoming hip-hop album, Non-Fiction, that is making headlines for its controversial content. Iverson apologized for the violent and derogatory lyrics, but there are no plans to remove them from the album, which many people in the industry say is a typical hip-hop offering. But because Iverson represents the 76ers and the NBA, sports radio talk show hosts and newspaper columnists are ripping into him. Protesters gathered outside of a recent 76ers exhibition game in Philly. Earlier this week in an interview on WTXF-TV, even filmmaker and well-known NBA fan Spike Lee got into the act, calling Iverson's album a "21st century minstrel show," which might be a slyly disguised plug for his new movie, "Bamboozled." "I'm not saying he can't rap, but I'm talking about the material, the content," Lee said. "It's the content, and I love Allen but he's messing up on this one." Needless to say, Iverson expected this kind of controversy. After being awarded the Sports Athlete of the Year Award at The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 2000, Iverson gave The 411 Online a preview of things to come. "It's for the streets," he said at the time. "I know a lot of people will think that I'll be setting a bad example for kids or whatever, but it's music and it's street and it's the only thing I know." Read the complete interview...


Lil' Bow Wow makes some noise
Jermaine Dupri's latest young protege,
Lil' Bow Wow, is off to an impressive start in his hip-hop career. The 13-year-old's first single, "Bounce With Me," still sits at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles chart 10 weeks after its release. His debut album, Beware Of Dog, sold more than 100,000 copies to check in at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. And he's got an online game in which players help him navigate his scooter through the streets while avoiding potholes, animals and other obstacles to gain points. He's become so popular that even his in-store appearances are being shut down due to oversized crowds. A recent stop at New York's HMV Records to promote the release of his album had to be cut short when fans outside began banging on the store's windows. So how does such a young artist handle the sudden fame? Surprisingly well. The 411 Online caught up with Lil' Bow Wow, who was discovered by Snoop Dogg when he was six, at The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards 2000. He came across as a mature young artist who doesn't take his early success for granted and recognizes that it will take plenty of hard work to stay on top. Read the complete interview...


Nelly, Cash Money plan tour
Nelly, the Cash Money Millionaires and possibly Lil' Kim will be teaming up for a tour launching Nov. 12 in Houston. The tour would give Kim a chance to pump some new life into the sales of her second album, The Notorious K.I.M., while the Cash Money camp will be able to promote its seemingly endless supply of albums, from the Big Tymers' latest release to upcoming joints from B.G. (Checkmate, Oct. 31), Lil' Wayne (Lights Out, Nov. 21) and Juvenile (Project English, Dec. 5). Nelly, meanwhile, is only a few weeks removed from a five-week run at No. 1 with his debut album, Country Grammar. The 27-stop tour will close with a West Coast run, wrapping up in Phoenix on Dec. 24.


Puffy sued by driver
Wardel Fenderson, the chauffeur that was driving Puff Daddy's vehicle the night in which the Bad Boy CEO fled a shooting at a Manhattan night club that he and Shyne allegedly were involved in, is suing him. Fenderson, who claims that Puffy ordered him to "take off" in the vehicle after the shooting and was told not to stop for the police or anyone else, is seeking at least $3 million from Puffy and Bad Boy Entertainment, on claims of assault, false arrest and emotional distress. Puffy and bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones face weapons possession and bribery charges in connection with the shooting, while Shyne has been charged with attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment.


Wyclef, DMX start labels
Wyclef Jean now has his own record label thanks to a deal he signed with Clive Davis' J Records. Clef Records is the first joint venture for the former Arista head's new label. Wyclef will sign and produce the artists, while J Records will take care of sales, marketing and promotion. "I feel honored and privileged that Clive Davis chose me as a musical partner to enter the new millennium," Wyclef said in a press release announcing the deal. Wyclef is currently on tour with De La Soul and Black Eyed Peas promoting his critically acclaimed sophomore album, The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II A Book. Meanwhile, DMX has started a joint-venture label with Def Jam. Bloodline Records will start out as a hip-hop label, but eventually will include pop, rock and other styles of music. DMX will continue to record for Ruff Ryders/Def Jam.


Mystikal debuts at No. 1
After a one-week slump, hip-hop once again will claim the top spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart. You'd think that after Nelly ruled the chart for five weeks, someone as mainstream as Madonna might hold on to No. 1 for a while. But Mystikal snatched the title from her by selling more than 330,000 copies of Let's Get Ready, his first album since leaving No Limit. The disc, which undoubtedly was helped by the hit single "Shake Ya Ass," marks the XXL cover boy's return to Jive, the record company that picked up and distributed
his self-titled debut after it originally was released independently in New Orleans on Big Boy Records. Meanwhile, Shyne checked in at No. 5 after selling more than 150,000 copies of his self-titled debut, and Lil' Bow Wow sold more than 100,000 copies of his first offering, Beware Of Dog, to debut at No. 8. Black Eyed Peas' sophomore disc, Bridging The Gap, premiered at No. 67.


Puffy's trial set for 2001
Puff Daddy's trial to face weapons possession and bribery charges will begin Jan. 2, 2001, more than a year after his arrest on Dec. 27, 1999, in connection with a shooting at a New York nightclub. Shyne and bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones also will be tried as Puffy's co-defendants. All three were charged with criminal possession of a 9mm handgun that allegedly was found in the vehicle Jones, Puffy and Jennifer Lopez used to flee Club New York. Shyne, whose debut album was released Tuesday, also faces additional charges of attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment for allegedly shooting and injuring three people that night. In other legal news, Puff Daddy recently settled a copyright infringement lawsuit over lyrics used in the 1997 hit, "I'll Be Missing You." Although the song legally borrowed heavily from The Police's "Every Breath You Take," it also used lyrics from "I'll Fly Away" for portions sung by Faith Evans.


Xzibit: The next big thing
Remember when
Xzibit's main claim to fame was that he released hip-hop's first enhanced CD? He was a talented West Coast MC down with the Alkaholiks who had a loyal following, but never quite blew up. Well, all that has changed. During the past year, Xzibit's profile has been heightened considerably. It all started with "B Please," which not only brought Snoop back to the top of the game, but introduced Xzibit to the mainstream world as well. His exposure expanded with appearances on albums from Dr. Dre, Eminem, Erick Sermon and L.L. Cool J, and a soundtrack hit with "Year 2000" -- not to mention a prime spot on the summer's hottest tour, the "Up In Smoke" tour. His next album, The Restless LP, has been one of the most anticipated albums of the summer, fall, and now -- due to the latest delay -- winter. The album, on which Dr. Dre serves as executive producer, has been pushed back to Dec. 12. Now, Xzibit is about to reveal himself to a completely new audience that might help push his album sales through the roof. X will be part of the "Anger Management" tour with Limp Bizkit, Eminem and Papa Roach. DMX also is expected to drop in for a few shows. The tour kicks off Oct. 19 in East Rutherford, N.J. at the Continental Airlines Arena, and currently has 18 stops on its schedule.

The complete schedule: 10/19 - East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Airlines Arena; 10/21 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena; 10/23 - Worcester, MA - Centrum Center; 10/24 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena; 10/26 - Toronto, ON - SkyTent; 10/27 - Montreal, QC - Molson Centre; 10/29 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills; 10/30 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena; 10/31 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center; 11/2 - Champaign, IL - Assembly Hall; 11/3 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse; 11/5 - Moline, IL - The Mark Of The Quad Cities; 11/6 - St. Louis, MO - Kiel Center; 11/8 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center; 11/10 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center; 11/13 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome; 11/14 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden Arena; 11/15 - Vancouver, BC - General Motors Place.


Made Men implicated in Pierce stabbing
Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce remains hospitalized in fair condition after being stabbed 11 times at about 1 a.m. Monday during a private party. Most of the wounds were superficial, but one near his sternum was reported to be seven inches deep, nicking a lung and requiring surgery. Doctors credited Pierce's leather jacket with preventing further damage. According to witnesses, Made Men got into an altercation with security at the club, but police are unsure of how Pierce might have become involved. "Members of the local rap group Made Men may have been involved in this," police spokesperson Mariellen Burns said during a live television interview. A witness who was working as a security guard for the party told police he recognized the suspects as members of the group. However, Made Men said in a statement that they had nothing to do with the fight. "We can say absolutely that Made Men had nothing to do with the melee that took place last night," said Made Men's Raymond "Ray Dog'' Scott in a statement. "We do not condone or advocate violence against anybody." Made Men, originally dubbed Almighty RSO, is best known for getting preferential treatment in The Source. Last year, publisher David Mays upped a reviewer's rating of Made Men's album from 3.5 mics to 4.5, and the group has been prominently featured in the magazine and at the past two Source Awards, despite not having a hit. The group reportedly holds a financial stake in the magazine.


Flesh-N-Bone gets 11 years in jail
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Flesh-N-Bone was sentenced Friday in Van Nuys, Calif., to 11 years in a California state prison for threatening a friend with an AK-47 in December 1999. He had been facing a maximum sentence of 19 years in the case. Flesh's manager, Gary Ballen, was quoted as saying that he was "very pleased with the sentence." His lawyer, Jonathan Kissell, said that he felt the sentence was fair, adding that he did not expect Flesh-N-Bone to serve the entire 11 years. "While this may appear to be a lengthy sentence, it will not serve as a life sentence. He will continue to write music, to interact with people in the music industry, and use his talents creatively for others' enjoyment. He will be back in society's grasp within five years and will have learned a very valuable lesson in life." In June, Flesh was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon for threatening a friend with an AK-47 that he pulled out of a baby's crib.


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