Band Break Ups, Music Collaborations & Hov's 99 Problems Video

There has been a lot of band break up in the past two weeks. Pitchfork has some news on the break ups of Guided by Voices, Wu-Tang Clan, Orbital and Denali.

Just chuck this down as music collabs that makes you go Huh? Juliet Lewis & Prodigy are teaming up. Lewis & Liam Howlett have joined forces on an untitled track on the long awaited Prodigy album. Apparently, Ms. Lewis has her own band called The Licks, which sounds like the perfect title to Courtney Love's next album. Howlett went on to say that the new album "sounds sexier! The tracks I've done sound like me, they sound like the Prodigy." Another collaboration in the works are with Gorillaz & The Bees. It seems that Damon Albarn approached them about helping to make the follow-up to Gorillaz's self-titled debut. We haven't listened to any music by The Bees so we are anxious to see how this all turns out.


It's politics as usual for Jay-Z. His new video was screened for a large group of media-types, industry executives and DJs at the Tribeca Screening Room last Thursday night for the debut of his controversial new video for "99 Problems." Hov couldn't stay too long though since his team, the New Jersey Nets, were playing in the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Director Mark Romanek (Johnny Cash's "Hurt," Michael Jackson's "Scream") lived up to Hov's expectations: "99 Problems" is arguably Jay's most uncompromising and stark video to date. Featuring guest appearances from actor Vincent Gallo and Rick Rubin (the track's producer), the uncut version features lurid prison scenes, cockfighting, a funeral, and -- most shocking -- Jay getting riddled with bullets toward the clip's close. That scene drew a gasp from some members of the audience at the Tribeca.

Hov's been getting a little difficulty having the video played on MTV & BET and goes on to say that he's starting to feel like Madonna when she went through her video controversies. Anyway, "99 Problems" made its national debut on MTV2 yesterday on "Making the Video." It will air again on MTV Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET.


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