Jagged Edge's Kyle Norman Turns Himself In
Jagged Edge's Kyle Norman turned himself in to the DeKalb County sheriff's
office on Wednesday morning (September 3), surrendering almost a week after
officers turned up an assortment of drugs, weapons and cash during a sweep of
his Decatur, Georgia, home.
The R&B singer, accompanied by his attorney, reported to the county jail around
10 a.m., according to a sheriff's office spokesperson. Norman was booked and
sent to wait in jail until his arraignment Wednesday evening.
Norman was not in Decatur when DeKalb authorities arrived at his home Thursday
to serve him with an arrest warrant for his part in a local theft ring. Instead,
police discovered a 13-pound bag of marijuana, two guns and $6,000 in cash (see
"Jagged Edge Member A Wanted Man").
Seven people on the premises were arrested and were arraigned on Monday. All
will face another hearing on October 24. It is not known what their specific
relationship to Norman is.
Norman is expected to face an array of felony charges related to the marijuana
as well as the original charge that he was the recipient of stolen property.
Gwen Stefani Works On Solo LP With Outkast, Missy Elliott
Sure, she's already collaborated with Eve, but if two of her more recent
partnerships are any indication, Gwen Stefani is in even more of a hip-hop state
of mind than previously expected as she continues to work on her solo debut.
Outkast and Missy Elliott spilled the beans on their collaborations to MTV News
at this year's VMAs, but both stressed that the No Doubt singer's album is still
a work in progress (see "Gwen Stefani Recording Solo Material") and that their
contributions may not make the final cut. They also said they're encouraged by
Stefani's open-mindedness in exploring new directions.
"I think the album will sound totally different than her No Doubt stuff,"
Outkast's Andre 3000 said. "And that's cool. Step out and do something new
sometime. It could be interesting."
Outkast said the tracks they've already submitted were "some of the strangest
stuff" they could, just to encourage Stefani along the road not usually taken.
"It's kinda like mid-tempo, like Outkast," Big Boi said, "but something you
wouldn't normally hear her on. ... You just submit something that you think
might cause them to switch to something new, something where they don't do their
usual [thing] on it, something where they sound a little different. Give it to
her and see how she's freaking it and [how] she brings it back."
One track, "Long Way to Go," is designed as a duet about interracial
relationships. Andre had intended it for his own solo album (one CD's worth of
Outkast's upcoming double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below). "We thought it
would be a cool concept," he said, "talking about a girl that didn't have the
same color as your skin, but it's a cooler concept for her album."
As for Elliott, she said that she and Stefani were still discussing concepts and
didn't have any finished tracks yet. "She came down to the studio and we vibed
instantly, worked out a couple of ideas" she said. "But she's still figuring out
her direction, so I'm waiting on her at the moment."
Elliott — who is never at a loss for projects to keep her busy — also has plenty
of patience and doesn't mind waiting. "When we get together, when she does this
record, it's not going to be just another record," Elliott said. "It's going to
be an event."
And in case Stefani is at a loss for ideas, the boys in Duran Duran have
welcomed her to try out a few with them, since they wouldn't mind including her
on their own upcoming record.
"[Collaborators], that stuff is always going to be in the cards," Simon LeBon
said. "That's usually a matter of luck and people's schedules being able to
allow it."
"It also has to work musically," Andy Taylor said. "We're not just going to
bring someone in because they're Gwen Stefani ..."
"Oh, I would!" LeBon laughed.
'Macho
Man' Savage Cuts Rap LP, Tells Hulk Hogan To Be A Man
For the past few years we've been hearing members of the hip-hop
community such as Jay-Z, DJ Kay Slay and Jadakiss equate the beefs in rap music
to WWE wrestling. Finally it's cool to take to quarreling off of wax — at least
in one instance.
Not only has grappling legend Randy "Macho Man" Savage announced that he's
embarking on a career behind the mic as a rapper, he's still trying to settle an
old conflict with one of his squared-circle nemeses.
"I've never been humble in my whole career, so I'm not going to start now,"
Macho Man, appearing at MTV's VMA radio forum, said last week of the love he was
getting from all the radio DJs and fellow celebrities like Lil Jon. "Once again
the madness is running wild. October 7 is the launch. [The album] is called Be a
Man. It's got 13 hits on there, and it's gonna be rocking the house. Ooooh
yeeeaaah!"
If it seems a little random that Macho Man, who has been wrestling
professionally since 1975, would decide to pick up the mic, it is. Early this
year, Savage was working with boxers in his hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida,
and ran into Big 3 Records chairman Bill Edwards, who was managing a local boxer
at the time. The two hit it off and Savage, who said he listens to Eminem, Run-DMC
and LL Cool J, among others, jumped at the chance to express himself to the
world through another medium.
"Just like anything else, it takes a little bit of adjusting, but I caught on
pretty quick," he said of working in the studio. "Right now I'm all about it.
This is everything to me. We just had our first show in Florida. People felt
good about it, there was a lot of energy. Now we're ready to take this thing on
the road, man! I've been loving music all my life. Music's been a part of me.
Now I'm going to put the power on. We're going to rock the country; we're going
to rock the world."
The first step in shaking up the world for Savage is making it hot in the clubs.
DJ Kool, who teamed up with Redman for "Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get in Da
Club)," helps Macho Man out on the synthesizer-heavy "Hit the Floor"
"You could party by yourself or party all alone," Kool says, trying to encourage
dancing.
Randy comes in later with his signature growling monotone, rapping, "Coming
right back at ya is the Macho Man/ DJs in the club, slam the jam/ I'm coming
with the heat that's sizzling hot/ When I drop this beat, it's blowing up the
spot."
On "What's It All About," Savage proves that he's not too macho to mend a
woman's broken heart. "I wanna keep ya happy, not just financially, but
mentally, physically, romantically/ I know it's funny 'cause I'm usually slammin'
cats/ Elbow off the rope in a wrestling match/ But you bring out another side of
me."
The Macho Man also opens up his heart with a down-South bouncy flow on "My
Perfect Friend," dedicated to late wrestler Curt Henning, better known as Mr.
Perfect.
"Mr. Perfect's the name that will never be forgotten," he rhymes. "As long as
Macho's around, I'mma keep your spot in/ Wrestling history, 'cause you were all
about perfection/ ... You were one of the best, very high on my list/ Not just
in the ring, but out of the ring, you're dearly missed."
Another person Macho Man misses is Hulk Hogan. No, Savage doesn't miss the days
when he and Hogan formed the Mega Powers tag team and dominated the WWF. He
misses the days when he used to ascend the top rope and jump down on his
blond-haired, vitamin-taking, prayer-saying foe.
"I had 13 songs on the album and I had to dedicate one to Hulk Hogan," Savage
said, getting more emphatic. "Every time I call him out, the dude has 101
reasons why not to fight the 'Macho Man' Randy Savage. I know the fans are
demanding it, especially when you get to the hip-hop culture. We got him boxed
in right now, and I think the fans want to see Hogan and Savage fight it out one
more time."
Macho has the perfect place where he and Hogan can get it on: March's
WrestleMania XX at Madison Square Garden.
"Hulk Hogan, I'm calling you out and I'm begging you, for once in your pathetic
lifetime, be a man and answer the 'Macho Man' Randy Savage's challenge," he
added.
If Hogan still doesn't get the point that his on-again/off-again friend and
enemy is trying to drive home, he can listen to Be a Man's title track.
"Used to be hard, Hulk, now you just turned soft," Savage scoffs. "Doing
telephone commercials I seen ya, dancing in tights as a ballerina/ I knew all
along you had those tendencies, 'cause you been running from Macho like I had a
disease."
Be a Man was produced by Big 3's in-house team Da Raskulls. In addition to the
hip-hop-flavored tracks, the producers also supplied some rock beats for Macho
Man to rap over as well.
