JILL SCOTT: Heavy Load

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Jill Scott has a whole lot in store for her fans this year.

This week, the release of the Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter's compilation project, 'Collaborations,' arrives at retail.

As previously reported by The BV Newswire, the 10-track set features guest spots by hip-hop heavyweights Common, Mos Def, will.i.am, and Will Smith, juxtaposed alongside Grammy Award nominated collaborations with George Benson and Al Jarreau ('God Bless The Child'), and Chris Botti ('Good Morning Heartache'). Kirk Franklin, The Isley Brothers, Lupe Fiasco and Sergio Mendes are also on the project.

But that's not it, the Neo-Soul diva is heading to the studio for work on her third studio album, due out later this year, her publicist Kate Lupson of The Chamber Group confirmed.

Last week, Scott made the rounds at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in support of her next movie project -- 'Hounddog.' The Deborah Kempmeier-directed film, starring Dakota Fanning, was clearly the most talked about film of the season -- involving a rape scene with the 12-year-old starlet. Scott stars as Big Mama Thornton, the chart-topping blues legend of the 1950s who originally recorded the song "Hound Dog." While Thornton's version became a mainstay amongst black audiences (even staying atop the R&B charts for nine weeks in 1953), it was Elvis Presley's rendition that brought it into the mainstream lexicon three years later. The film's title references the main character's emotional connection to the song.

And that's not all the acting Scott is up to do.

The North Philadelphia native, previously seen on 'Girlfriends' and 'Sesame Street' and starred in the Showtime Network telepic 'Cavedwellers' in 2004, has plans to work with Tyler Perry. Lupson revealed that she has signed on to star in two of his upcoming flicks; 'Jazzman' and 'Why Did I Get Married.'