Music Notes: Steven Seagal Sings

March 15 -- Forget the Fugees. Wyclef Jean's new musical venture is expected to be with beefy actor Steven Seagal.

The odd pairing is based on their friendship. Seagal describes Jean as one of his "closest" friends. The planned album will feature hip-hop and R&B songs, but no raps.

Seagal's latest kung-fu flick, Exit Wounds, has the martial arts actor as a police detective researching a conspiracy. Along the way he teams up with a crime lord played by rapper DMX.

"I love hip-hop," says Seagal, who thinks the film employs a logical pairing. "The marriage of kung fu and hip-hop and the Japanese, Chinese, hip-hop — [are] going to serve altogether."

DMX just finished up a real-life jail term; he served 11 days for drug possession and driving without a license.

What was it like working with the chart-topping rapper? Seagal describes DMX as "a gentleman" who was "reflective and thoughtful."

Gangsta Madonna

Pop superstar Madonna, who changes personas as quickly as the rest of us change socks, is now recasting herself as an outlaw in the video for her song "What It Feels Like For a Girl." It's directed by her new husband, Guy Ritchie, who has directed comic-gangster movies such as Snatch.

In the video, Madonna is reportedly seen stealing cars, robbing an ATM and pointing a weapon at a police officer. She caps it off by killing herself by chrashing a car into a pole.

The violence is apparently being deemed too graphic for young audiences in England. An insider at British MTV says it will only air the spot after 10 p.m. No word on the planned airtime in the States.

Ringo's Road Trip

The former Beatles drummer has lined up a new cast of characters for his summer touring All-Starr Band.

Ringo Starr won't be the only drummer on this tour. He's bringing on former Prince percussionist Sheila E., '80s new wave singer Howard Jones, Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Supertramp's Roger Hodgson and ex-Mott the Hoople singer Ian Hunter.