WEEK IN PREVIEW:
D12 = ONE BIG NUMBER!

Yes, folks, one week after John Ashcroft’s Justice Department announced it would pursue a settlement with the major tobacco companies (effectively removing the Clinton administration’s litigious foot from their collective throats), Eminem’s D12 album on Shady/Interscope is about to be the #1 album in the good ol' U.S. of A.

Of course, neither occurrence is related to the other, though many hope the two polar reactions will cause Sen. Jesse Helms to have a heart attack. Thank you.

No surprise over the Em-man’s stellar first week, but how about them supporting players making their bows? Check out the solid first weeks building for J’s Luther Vandross, Atlantic’s Stone Temple Pilots. Island Def Jam’s Sisqo, Volcano’s 311 and Atlantic’s Ray J.

Over in Top 40 land, our brain surgeons are predicting solid action for Epic’s J.Lo, MCA’s Blink-182 and IDJ’s Sisqo, with some solid fill-ins for Interscope’s Smash Mouth.

Speaking of J.Lo, our Mix Show rocket scientists are screaming that the "I’m Real" remix featuring Ja Rule is blowing up, and they want some credit for the spillover into the aforementioned Top 40 land. Those looking for some irony should note that J.Lo’s former love muffin, P.Diddy, is causing quite a stir with his "Bad Boy For Life."

The Mensa Society that is our Post Modern department hypothesizes that Arista’s Adema is impacting BIG at the format, while the Phi Beta Kappas in Jamz claim that Loud’s Violator featuring Busta Rhymes is the big story this week.

Next week, John Ashcroft dismisses toxic waste as much ado about nothing.