If your heart has been breaking ever since you heard Boyz II Men sing “Four Seasons of Loneliness” you’ve probably been asking one question again and again: “When does it come out?”

Fear not, the ever-helpful Internet provides yet again — Webmaster Kyle Jones has created “The Krib” for fans of hip-hop and soul genres looking for new albums at www.krib.com.

Established since October 1994, Jones’ site is one of the Internet’s longest running and is likely the single most-used music release date site on the Web.

“In the beginning on [Indiana University’s] server, it was getting under 10 hits per day,” Jones said. “It really took off to another level a year ago, and now we receive total hits of around 5,800 to 6,000 daily.”

Jones said running the site is frustrating sometimes but is worthwhile since the dates are useful to the average reader.

“Part of the info comes from labels,” Jones said. “They’ll submit the info via email or leave a message on voice mail.”

Jones thinks that some record labels might be playing an unfair game with eager fans waiting for new products.

“I believe sometimes the info is strictly marketing and is probably just something to get the public feenin’ for the product,” Jones said.

Jones’ site has even gotten large enough to attract attention of the national news media.

“We were up on MSNBC’s ‘The Site’ in September of ’96 when they did a piece on Tupac’s death,” Jones said.

The news media are not alone — hip-hop celebrities have been dropping in now and then as well.

“KRS-One left a voice mail about doin’ some Temple of Hip-Hop sign-ups,” Jones said. “Q-Tip peeped it once and gave us a link from the Tribe page.”

The Krib is expanding this week with the official Organized Konfusion Web site at www.krib.com/konfusion. Many are not familiar with the lyrically creative rap group, but Jones aims to change that.

“It will include a freestyle they did this weekend at KPWR in L.A. and their video performance from Vibe [TV],” Jones said.

One thing may have many people itching their heads, though — why The Krib and not New Release Crib or something more obvious?

“Use of alliteration,” Jones said. “The page started out as a personal site for me and my crew and originally started out as Kyle’s Krib.”

Jones does all of the site design and layout but has some help getting release dates and information.

Marcus Patterson and Ben Helcomb are the writers behind the scenes and handle most of the scanning magazines, making calls to labels and checking news sources, Jones said.

Jones sounds a note of warning for netsurfers to beware of phony release dates and false information online.

“So much of the stuff on the Web could be labeled ‘shady’ or whatever,” he said.

The next time you’re wondering if there’s an unreleased Tupac album coming out or what’s going to be in stores next Tuesday, www.krib.com is bound to have the answer.

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