Britney, Lil' Kim PR reps in war of words

Britney Spears' infamous interview with Matt Lauer just won't go away.

The publicist for recently freed rapper Lil' Kim incited a war of words with the Britney Spears' PR rep this week by sending an e-mail to the pop star's manager, condemning the handling of Spears' much-criticized NBC interview earlier last month.

Lil' Kim flack Tracy Nguyen sparked the dispute after learning that Spears' PR team was a no-show at the NBC interview. It was reported that Dateline employees had said Britney Spears' PR standbys did not oversee the interview with Matt Lauer. "Neither of her publicists, Leslie Sloane Zelnick or Nanci Ryder, showed up," an anonymous source told the NY Post. This prompted Nguyen--who says she is responsible for resurrecting the image of Lil' Kim--to send a sharply worded message to Spears' manager, Dan Dymtrow.

"I would NEVER allow any of my clients to do an interview, let alone such an important one as the one that Britney just did, without being there to make sure that the questions that were being asked were appropriate, and also to make sure that she looked her best on camera at all times," Nguyen wrote.

Then things got interesting. Nguyen, apparently seeking to take a step up in the world of public relations, offered to handle Spears' PR duties for less money--and at a performance 10 times greater than Zelnick's.

"A perfect example that I can present is what I was able to do for Lil' Kim," Nguyen said. "Two years ago, no one wanted to touch her. She was perceived as a raunchy rapper who had gone way too far with her plastic surgery. ... I see Britney today in the same position that Kim was once in."

Britney's publicist Zelnick derided Nguyen's remarks. "She must not have taken PR 101, where they teach you: When you're trying to steal other people's clients, don't diss your own."

And according to The New York Daily News, Spears has no plans to switch PR reps.

In a message posted to a Lil' Kim fan site, Nguyen defended herself and said that her words weren't meant to bad-mouth her client Kim.

"I would never talk negatively about a current client to gain a new one, especially about Kim. She is not only someone who is a joy to work with professionally, but someone I consider to be a very dear friend," she said.

"I reached out to [Spears'] management upon the suggestion of someone very close to her camp who told me there was a serious possibility that she was seeking a new publicist," Nguyen said. "Honestly, this is the nature of the business. I am not the first PR person to seek out new clients who I feel need help, nor will I be the last."

50 Cent granted executive privileges

LL Cool J has tapped 50 Cent to executive-produce LL's final Def Jam Records album, titled Todd Smith, Part 2: Back to Cool--21 years after the rapper released his first full-length on the hip-hop label.

"He's talented and I feel like I have something I want to say," LL explained. "I think he can help me get it off my chest.

"It's my last Def Jam record so I wanted to make it something special and something really unique and kind of get back to my roots a little bit," LL said about the upcoming LP, as quoted by MTV. "50 reminds me a lot of the things that I used to do and the places I used to be in my life, and I think we can have a good time together."

LL Cool J's album Todd Smith, Part 2: Back to Cool is scheduled for a fall release, and the rapper promises it will feature more solo material and fewer collaborations on the tracks than his last LP.

Metallica gets Simpsons treatment

The first episode of the upcoming Simpsons season is going to rock. Heavy-metal band Metallica will be featured in the 18th season of the hit cartoon comedy, following a long list of guest stars that includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, former Beatle George Harrison, Barry White, The Rolling Stones, and U2.

The band recorded the episode's voice-overs last fall for the show, originally scheduled to air in May before it was pushed back to the 18th season's initial episode.

Crow discusses cancer battle, Armstrong, marriage

Sheryl Crow wanted to turn to her former fiance--and cancer survivor--Lance Armstrong when the female pop rocker learned she had breast cancer early this year, according to the August issue of Vanity Fair magazine.

"I do think about Lance every day. And I think about his kids every day," said Crow, who is 44 and planning a joint tour with John Mayer in August.

Armstrong, who has survived testicular cancer, nearly made the trip from northern California to be with Crow, who was in Los Angeles.

"When I got that news, I can't even describe it. It was the cruelest twist," he said. "We talked along the way and she said, 'You know, I just don't think that's a great idea.'"

The article also delved into topics of the couple's relationship. Crow and Armstrong broke up in February.

"It would be easy to say this is all about my wanting to get married and have kids but it was never that simple. It was much deeper than that," she said. "I think that if I wanted to be married I would be married by now. And, for whatever reason, I haven't done it. I've picked people who've helped me to not make that happen."