TWEET PERFORMS "WHEN I NEED A MAN" IN NEW "KOJAK" MUSIC VIDEO

TWEET NEEDS A MAN AND KOJAK IS HER GUY

R&B SONGBIRD RECORDS THEME SONG AND TAKES FLIGHT ON MUSIC VIDEO FOR NEW USA NETWORK ORIGINAL DRAMA SERIES

NEW YORK -- March 7, 2005 -- R&B recording star Tweet, a prot�g� of hip-hop sensation Missy Elliott, has completed filming of a music video for the theme song, "When I Need a Man," for the new USA Network original drama series, Kojak, which premieres March 25 with Ving Rhames in the title role. The song will also appear on Tweet's new Goldmind/Atlantic Records album, "It's Me Again," which will be released March 22.

"When I Need a Man" was written, produced and arranged by Spencer Proffer and Steve Plunkett. Mona Scott, who manages Missy Elliott and Tweet, was executive producer. The song was recorded at Studio City Sound in Studio City, Calif. and mixed at The Hit Factory in New York City by Proffer.

The music video, directed by Antti J. Jokinen, was filmed by DNA/Steam Films at the 30 Booth Avenue Studios in Toronto on the "Kojak" soundstages. Director of photography was Dylan MacLeod, art director was Mark Gabriel, John Thorpe produced, while Proffer and Scott executive produced.

"Teaming up with Tweet and Goldmind/Atlantic Records is a real win for our Kojak marketing campaign," said Chris McCumber, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy for USA Network. "The video is a great piece of entertainment that seamlessly promotes Kojak, and the music fits perfectly with the brand image we are creating for the series."

"Kojak is a true American original, and in the hands of the great Ving Rhames, he has an incredible mix of charm, street smarts and intuition," said Jeff Wachtel, Executive Vice President of Original Programming for USA Network. "We needed a hot R&B artist with a truly contemporary sound to evoke the new world of our new Kojak. Tweet was the perfect choice to set a distinct tone for this series."

The "When I Need a Man" video, which is one of the key components in the Kojak marketing campaign, will be seen in Regal Theaters across the country on 5,400 screens in 100 markets as well as the street level window at New York's Loews in Lincoln Square. The video will also be featured on Yahoo!, USA Network and usanetwork.com. Further, the video will be seen in more than 5,000 barber and beauty shops throughout the country. Additionally, the video will be released to music outlets such as MTV, VH1, Fuse and others, and the single will be made available to radio stations nationally.

"What I wanted to do was give Kojak a great intro," says Tweet, whose friendship with and tutelage under Missy Elliott helped with Tweet's rise to fame in 2002 as the No. 2-ranked Billboard Top New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist. Her single, "Oops (Oh My)," sat in the #1 spot on the charts for three consecutive weeks. "I wanted to make a statement with this song -- 'don't mess with 'Kojak,'" says Tweet, whose real name is Charlene Keys (no relation to Alicia Keys). "The song has a lot of energy to it. 'When I Need a Man' is very much a woman's song and is definitely destined to be an anthem for all women."

"Being part of the new Kojak is a fantastic opportunity for Tweet," said Julie Greenwald, President of Atlantic Records. "She is an amazingly gifted artist, and this is a great way to bring her and her music to a mainstream audience. Tweet sings classic, sexy R&B music that is timeless and totally hip, so it is a perfect fit for her to deliver the theme for a modern take on a classic tv icon. Add a brilliant video into the mix, and the exposure for both Tweet and Kojak will be off the charts."

Jokinen, who has directed numerous critically acclaimed music videos, is well known for displaying a great sensibility for mesmerizing imagery and an amazing ability to capture the evocative spark of the artists he works with. Those artists include Shania Twain, Beyonc�, Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, Kelly Clarkson and an earlier video with Tweet.

"Tweet is original in her look," says Jokinen, who directed such music videos as Yolanda Adams's "Never Give Up," Wyclef and Claudette Ortiz's "Two Wrongs," Celine Dion's "One Heart," Shania Twain's "Up" and Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This." "It was very easy to highlight Tweet's beauty. I concentrated on her performance to fill the screen. You can test music to death, but there's no substitute for that visceral reaction you get from a great performance. The new Kojak series has a real edgy style to it and Tweet's vocal performance is a perfect match."

"When I need a man," sings Tweet, "I'm callin' you. When I need a man, strong and true, baby, no one else will ever do. When I need a man."

Kojak is based on the Emmy-winning Universal Television police drama which aired on CBS from 1973 to 1978, setting a new standard for realism in its canny depiction of a New York cop with a passion for justice matched only by his frustration with an imperfect legal system. Telly Savalas created an instant television classic with his portrayal of the bald, no-nonsense, lollipop-loving detective, Theo Kojak. Rhames puts his own fresh stamp on this iconic character, bringing Kojak's grit, strength and soul to today's mean streets. Kojak, also starring Chazz Palminteri and Roselyn Sanchez, is executive produced by Rhames and Tom Thayer (A&E's "The Great Gatsby").

Established in New York City in 1947, Atlantic Records grew from literally a one-room operation into one of the world's preeminent music companies. Atlantic has released a string of recordings that have had a profound impact on the course of modern music, its rich history including such musical icons as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Coltrane, and Led Zeppelin. The Atlantic roster today includes many of the world's most popular recording artists, among them Bj�rk, Tracy Chapman, Phil Collins, The Corrs, The Darkness, Craig David, Missy Elliott, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Jet, Jewel, Juvenile, Kid Rock, Lil' Kim, matchbox twenty, Jason Mraz, Sean Paul, P.O.D., Rush, Staind, Sugar Ray, T.I., Trick Daddy, Twista, and many more. Visit www.atlantic-records.com for more information.

USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.