FREE ADVERTISING Taking a cue from Madonna and Michael Jackson, who both used Pepsi commercials to promote new songs, Grammy winning crossover darlings Destiny's Child will premiere the first single and title track of their new album, ''Survivor,'' via TV commercial. The 1-800-CALL-ATT spot debuts today, March 1, on network and cable channels. The independent women's much anticipated album hits stores on May 1.
Unlike past AT&T commercials, which featured David Arquette shilling the collect calling service, the new ad, created by Foote, Cone & Belding NY, features Beyoncé, Kelly, and Michelle as themselves. The trio's song ''Survivor'' plays throughout the 30 second ad. In other Destiny's Child news, the trio has recorded a rendition of the Bee Gees '70s hit ''Emotion'' for ''Survivor.'' The cover will be the third single released from the album, following the title track and a song called ''Bootylicious.'' Yummy.
MUSIC AWARDS Eminem was shut out, while R. Kelly and The Jagged Edge emerged the big winners of the 15th annual Soul Train Music Awards, which were held Wednesday during a taped ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Eminem, who did not attend the awards show, lost both categories he was up for. The ceremony will be broadcast Saturday, March 3 in syndication.
Here's a list of the winners:
Best R&B / Soul Single (Female): ''Open My Heart,''Yolanda Adams
Best R&B / Soul Single (Male): ''I Wish,'' R.Kelly
Best R&B / Soul Single (Group, Band or Duo): ''Let's Get Married,''Jagged Edge
Best R&B / Soul Album (Female): ''Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sound Vol. 1,''Jill Scott
Best R&B / Soul Album (Male): ''TP-2.Com,'' R. Kelly
Best R&B / Soul Album (Group, Band or Duo): ''J.E. Heartbreak'' Jagged Edge
Best R&B / Soul or Rap Album of
the Year: ''Dr. Dre 2001,'' Dr. Dre
Best R&B / Soul or Rap New
Artist: ''Country Grammar,''Nelly
Best R&B / Soul or Rap Music Video: ''Shake Ya Ass,''Mystikal
Best Gospel Album: ''Thankful,''Mary Mary
LEGAL BRIEF Despite what Sean ''Puffy'' Combs and Jennifer Lopez had to say in a joint statement Tuesday, Combs' attorney Ben Brafman announced Lopez may still testify in Puffy's gun possession and bribery trial. ''If Miss Lopez is to testify, she will follow Mr. Combs first thing Friday morning,'' Brafman told the presiding judge Wednesday afternoon. ''It's always been a possibility, but as I anticipate right now, she will not testify,'' he added. Meanwhile, prosecutor Matthew Bogdanos asked the judge to hold Combs in contempt and jail him for violating a gag order. According to Bogdanos, Combs and Lopez's public statement was ''contemptuous, arrogant and brazen.'' According to the Associated Press, the judge decided to consider the prosecutor's request to jail Combs for 30 days and barred both sides from talking to the press.
CHART ATTACK Never underestimate the power of professional wresting. Reggae singer Shaggy remains No. 1 yet again (''Hotshot'' sold 272,000 copies last week), but the real surprise about this week's chart is ''WWF:The Music,'' which debuted at No. 2. The fifth edition of the World Wrestling Federation's compilation series moved 177,000 albums, bumping The Beatles to No. 3. ''1'' sold 126,000 units. Dido's ''No Angel'' claimed a No. 4 finish, selling 124,000. The ''Save The Last Dance'' soundtrack finally moved from No. 3, moving 120,000 copies for No. 5. Rounding out the top 10 are: Jennifer Lopez's ''J.Lo'' (No. 6), Lenny Kravitz's ''Greatest Hits'' (No. 7), Ja Rule's ''Rule 3:36'' (No. 8), Crazy Town's ''Gift of Game'' (No. 9), and Ludacris' ''Back for the First Time'' (No. 10).
TOUR NEWS Neil Young & Crazy Horse will open for the Dave Matthews Band at a special charity concert in Matthews' hometown in Charlottesville, Virginia. The April 21 show (which also kicks off DMB's 2001 tour) will take place at the University of Virginia's Scott Stadium -- the band's first ''home'' concert since 1994. The concert will benefit the band's charitable organization Bama Works Foundation, which distributes money to several nonprofit groups in Virginia. Tickets for the concert go on sale Sat., March 3 at 10 a.m.
REEL DEAL Roberto Benigni is back. The Oscar winning writer - director - actor plans to adapt the classic tale of ''Pinocchio'' for the big screen. Currently in negotiations with Miramax to distribute the picture in the States, Benigni will play the wooden puppet, while his wife (''Life Is Beautiful'' costar ) Nicoletta Braschi will appear as the Blue Fairy. Production on the Italian language film starts this May in Umbria. No word yet on who will portray Geppetto, the puppet master. Maybe Harvey Weinstein is available.
CASTING Owen Wilson (''Shanghai Noon'') will once again play a sidekick in the Columbia Pictures adaptation of ''I Spy,'' starring Eddie Murphy. The comedy starts shooting this summer or fall, after the possible union strikes.
Four young actors have joined the ensemble drama ''29 Palms'' for Italian director Leonardo Ricagni: Rachael Leigh Cook (''She's All That''), Chris O'Donnell (''Vertical Limit''), Michael Rapaport (''Small Time Crooks'), and Jeremy Davies (''Saving Private Ryan'') will all star in the indie thriller, which starts production in March.
CONGRATULATIONS It's an heir and a spare for James Bond star Pierce Brosnan and his fiancée Keely Shaye Smith, who had their second boy Tuesday in Los Angeles. The couple's first son together, Dylan Thomas Brosnan, is 3. The two now plan to marry this summer, according to Reuters.
OBIT Producer Stan Margulies, who brought the landmark miniseries ''Roots'' and ''The Thorn Birds'' to prime time, died Tuesday of cancer. He was 80. The New York native started out as a publicist at RKO Pictures, before becoming a production assistant on the set of Stanley Kubrick's ''Spartacus'' and finally a producer. After producing several films, including ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,'' Margulies teamed with David Wolper to produce two of the most recognized minis in television history. His last effort was the A&E original movie ''Dash and Lilly,'' which aired in 1999.
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