SMALL FACES

Rappers Craig Mack and Salt-N-Pepa make guest appearances on “Time or Healing,” an album by the Sounds of Blackness celebrating the Minneapolis soul-gospel vocal ensemble’s 20th anniversary, due May 6. “Spirit,” the song featuring Mack, is being remixed by the Fugees and will be released as a single on April 1. . . .

While his son Jakob’s band the Wallflowers is climbing the charts, Bob Dylan is in Miami working on a new album with producer Daniel Lanois, who oversaw “Oh Mercy,” the 1989 album that many considered Dylan’s strongest in years. This will be the first collection of new Dylan compositions since 1990, with his only intervening albums being two folk song collections, an “MTV Unplugged” performance and a greatest-hits volume. . . .

Though it’s not exactly clear who is in Cypress Hill these days, the group is set to work on a new album in L.A. with member DJ Muggs producing. Meanwhile, Muggs’ first solo album is due next month, with guest spots by, among others, Dr. Dre and Cypress’ B-Real, who appear in the video for the song “The Puppet Masters” as a devil and the Pope, respectively, with Muggs cast as the Grim Reaper. . . .

The F Musicfest, the L.A. rock showcase event that debuted last October in an attempt to rival Austin’s South by Southwest and New York’s CMJ Festival, is being moved up this year to May 8-10 in order to catch rising acts before they get wider exposure on summer tours. Announcements will start soon about artists who will play in the more than 150 sets planned in more than a dozen Hollywood and West Hollywood clubs.