HipHopG

NEW THEMES

HIP HOP G FEATURING

E-CARDS

NEWS & EVENTS

6-18-2010

Lakers go back-to-back:

A Game 7 win over an age-old rival made title No. 16 that much sweeter for L.A., says Shaun Powell.

6-18-2010

Drake's Family Tree Extends From Childhood Pals To Kanye West:

Hip-hop phenom Drake might only be 23 years old, but his roots in the rap world run quite deep. His debut album, Thank Me Later (which dropped this week) is the result of years of studying with a handful of masters, toiling in the mixtape circuit and traveling across North America in an effort to synthesize his unique style and build his credibility...

6-18-2010

Snoop Dogg Tickets O2 Academy Shepherds Bush London:

Snoop Dogg is making a long awaited return to the UK in July and he has announced a series of Snoop Dogg concerts.

6-18-2010

Dr. Dre/Jay-Z Collaboration Leaks Online:

An obviously unfinished version of the much anticipated Dr. Dre/Jay-Z jam "Under Pressure" was posted at www.RapRadar.com yesterday. Take a listen to the track here. It thumps, that is for sure, and Dre and Jay share an impressive, captivating vocal chemistry as they trade off over an urgent beat...

6-17-2010

Tupac And Biggie Would Have Reconciled, Naughty By Nature's Treach Says:

The purported rivalry between hip-hop camps on the East and West coasts came to a tragic end when hip-hop icons Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. were killed at the height of the hype. To fans and the media, 'Pac and Big were figureheads of the hip-hop movements on their respective coasts and fierce adversaries...

6-17-2010

Dr. Dre Responds to ‘Under Pressure’ Leak:

Dr. Dre has spent six years recording Detox, only to have an incomplete version of his first single surface before its intended release. The hip-hop pioneer is speaking out about the unauthorized leak...

6-17-2010

Kelis Talks Relationship With Nas With Perez Hilton:

Kelis recently sat down with Perez Hilton to talk about a variety of things, including her highly publicized divorce from Nas. When asked by Hilton whether she and the hip-hop legend were on friendly terms, the “Milkshake” singer simply replied “Sometimes.” She also dismissed talk the two of them had ever tried to get back together, rumors originated by various media outlets almost a year ago...

6-16-2010

Happy Birthday, Tupac Shakur:

As it relates to music, I always seem to measure time by a distinct period. I call it A.T.: After Tupac. As a member of a society that has watched hip-hop and the music business and its inhabits change drastically over the course of nearly 15 years, A.T. seems to be the most accurate mark to correlate who, what, when, where, why and how in the world of popular culture...

6-16-2010

T.I. Dismisses Snitching Allegations in XXL’s July/August Issue [With XXcLusive Pic]:

The King is officially uncaged and in celebration of T.I.’s return from prison, he will be appearing on the cover of XXL magazine’s July/August issue. In the revealing article, written by Ben Detrick, Tip denies the insistent rumors that he supplied the government with pertinent information in order to receive a shorter prison sentence for charges stemming from a 2007 arrest on federal gun charges...

6-16-2010

Ice Cube and The Roots "Straight Outta Compton":

The Roots perform "Straight Outta Compton" by NWA with Ice Cube. A warm up performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:

6-16-2010

Drake In NYC: Cancelled :

Tonight Drake was set to take the stage as part of South Street Seaport's free summer concert series. Instead of the singer, the crowd got the NYPD. As crowds swelled and the temperature rose, authorities were brought to work crowd control...

6-16-2010

Kelly Rowland Unveils Video for World Cup Song 'Everywhere You Go':

All eyes are on Africa to witness the on-going FIFA World Cup and Kelly Rowland shows her support by debuting a music video for "Everywhere You Go", an MTN theme song of the soccer championship. In it, the ex-member of Destiny's Child is seen dancing in front of colorful graphics...

6-16-2010

Dr. Dre loses round of court hearings against Death Row Records:

Nowadays, hip-hop producing legend Dr. Dre is known for bringing the DJ culture to the Average Joe and for working on one of the most ridiculously postponed albums in music history. But lest you forget Dre is also the mastermind behind The Chronic, one of hip-hop’s most influential and highly regarded LPs...

6-16-2010

Eminem says addiction put him a "couple of hours away from death":

Detroit rapper Eminem is back in the spotlight with a new album, aptly named "Recovery," in which he opens up about his recent struggle with drugs and his road back to a healthier state...

6-16-2010

Tupac's Code Foundation:Revisited :

From June 1994 to April 2002, Ms. Erica Ford ran Tupac's Code Foundation even after the rapper had passed away. Erica, Tupac, and his stepfather Mutulu Shakur, established The Code in 1994. The mission was simply to keep young people out of jail and to decrease “Black on Black” crime. Ms. Ford tells her taled of setting up Code with Pac and Mutulu and also how the rapper's activist legacy lives on today...

6-15-2010

Damian Marley and NAS in Oakland:

From the release of 'Roots Rap Reggae' (1985) featuring Run DMC and Yellowman, through the launch of 'Def Jam’s Def Jamaica' compilation (2003) with dancehall artists and riddims laced with lyrical styles from American MCs, the hip-hop and reggae communities have collaborated with mixed results...

6-15-2010

Styles P Wrote a Novel:

Styles P has been to prison for stabbing a guy in the ass, and once chewed out 50 Cent for being soft. The Yonkers-bred member of platinum hip-hop collective the LOX is not just gangsta, he's super-gangster, to borrow the title of his 2007 solo album Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)...

6-15-2010

Fabolous Being Eyed by NYPD in Murder Case:

The New York Daily News is reporting that Fabolous, whose real name is John Jackson, may be currently under investigation by the NYPD as a possible person of interest in the slaying of up and coming Brooklyn rapper G-Baby. While Fabolous has yet to be questioned in the March 13, 2010 murder of Greg "G-Baby" Brown, video evidence has surfaced that shows Fab leaving the nightclub...

6-15-2010

Hip-Hop mogul P Diddy spends a whopping £80,000 on booze:

Despite the fact that Diddy’s musical career is history, he’s not out of the news and of course, not out of money. Known for his extravagant spending, Diddy spent a whopping £80,000 ($118,000) with fellow stars Drake and Kelly Rowland in Whisky Mist in London. It was all lavish when hip-hop mogul Sean “P Diddy” splashed the cash on...

6-15-2010

BET to give Prince lifetime achievement award:

The 51-year-old joins the likes of James Brown, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross and Al Green in being honored by the BET Awards, which will celebrate its 10th year in Los Angeles on June 27...

6-15-2010

The New Face of Hip-Hop:

IN March the young hip-hop star Drake was in town for a harried few days, polishing up the final details on his debut album, “Thank Me Later,” and filming the video for the first single, “Over,” before heading out on his first proper headlining tour. On his last night, his team was holed up at the studio in the basement of the Sunset Marquis hotel, accessible only by special elevator...

6-10-2010

Lil Wayne Wants Drake's Thank Me Later To Sell 2 Million The First Week:

Lil Wayne has huge aspirations for Young Money franchise player Drake. But hey, you don't become as big a superstar as Wayne is by thinking small. In footage from DJ Scoob Doo's upcoming "Nino Brown Story, Pt. 3" DVD, Weezy calls Mack Maine from prison, and they talk about the sales...

6-10-2010

Destiny's Child Reunion Rumors Quashed By Beyonce's Dad:

Attention those of you diehards still dreaming of a Destiny's Child reunion: Matthew Knowles would like to inform you that you might want to consider moving on with your lives. Because Knowles — who, in addition to being Beyoncé's dad, was the manager of the group back in the day — just released a statement refuting weeks of rumors that Bey, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams are planning on reuniting...

6-10-2010

Erykah Badu Sparkles, Brighter Than Ever:

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Clad in a black trench coat and top hat, Erykah Badu stood before the sold-out crowd at New York's Roseland Ballroom on Monday crooning the atmospheric opener "20 Feet Tall." With four backup singers and a seven-piece band to accompany her, Badu was a smoldering torch who warmed and glowed as the night went on...

6-10-2010

Will and Jada Presenters at Tony Awards:

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been announced as presenters for the 64th Annual Tony Awards. Hosted by Sean Hayes, the 2010 ceremony will air live Sunday from Radio City Music Hall on CBS at 8 p.m. EDT...

6-10-2010

Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest & DJ Premier Added to Rock the Bells 2010:

It was revealed that A Tribe Called Quest, Snoop Dogg, and DJ Premier would be added to this summer’s Rock the Bells lineup. The seventh annual event, whose initial roster was announced in late May, will hit San Bernadino, San Francisco, New York, and Washington D.C. in late August...

6-10-2010

Kanye West to Perform at BET Awards:

Grab your popcorn, Kanye West will be appearing at the upcoming BET Awards. The network announced today (June 9) that the rap superstar is set to perform at their annual celebration at the end of the month...

6-08-2010

Jay-Z introduces 'future of hip hop':

On his most recent album The Blueprint 3, Jay-Z raps, "Drake's up next, see what he do with it".Of course, endorsements don't come much bigger than that. That line on the track A Star Is Born is Jigga's acknowledgement that Young Money artist, Drake, is the real deal...

6-08-2010

Lil Kim wants respect from Nicki Minaj:

To Lil' Kim, it seems, the old adage that "imitation is the highest form of flattery" is better suited to theory than actual practice. The Brooklyn rapper has been lashing out at Lil Wayne protégé Nicki Minaj, most recently in a series of promo shows and an interview in which she claims the upstart femcee hasn't paid proper respect to the Queen Bee...

6-08-2010

Fakin The Funk: Why Hip-Hop Legends Can't Play Old Albums (And Rockers Can):

It's the summer music season, and that means a new crop of legacy artists are popping up, ready to perform old albums in their entirety. Sometimes, the full-album performance is a fantastic gimmick; when the GZA performed his '95 classic, Liquid Swords, from start to finish we were blown away. But it gets a trickier when groups try to pull off the same feat. This summer, the Wu-Tang Clan and Rakim will perform Enter The 36 Chambers and Paid In Full, respectively...

6-08-2010

Brandy Denies Turning Into a Rapper:

R&B singer Brandy has laughed off reports she is seriously considering a career in rap after rhyming on a pair of tracks for her upcoming album. The "Never Say Never" hitmaker introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu in December 2009 for a collaboration with hip-hop producer Timbaland...

6-08-2010

Fourth Annual ADCOLOR Awards Set to Honor Queen Latifah:

NEW YORK, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The ADCOLOR® Industry Coalition today kicked off the 2010 ADCOLOR Awards nominations season by announcing that this year's All-Star honoree will be Queen Latifah. The ADCOLOR Awards is an initiative launched by the ADCOLOR Industry Coalition – a collective formed in 2005 that includes the Ad Club of New York, Association of National Advertisers (ANA), American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), American Advertising Federation...

6-08-2010

Reality Series "Hip Hop Sensation" Searches For New Hip Hop Talent:

June 8, 2010 - Los Angeles, California June 8, 2010 -- Tite-Belt Productions, LLC. announces the launch of Hip Hop Sensation, a new web based talent series showcasing up and coming hip hop artists. The show’s innovative format will intertwine interviews, music videos, concert and taped performances, tracing the music’s background from the performer’s perspective. On Saturday June 19th...

6-08-2010

Rick Ross Reveals Why He Wrote A Song About MC Hammer:

Last week MC Hammer told us he was in love with Rick Ross' new song "MC Hammer," from The Albert Anastasia EP. "Bi---, I'm MC Hammer, I'm about cream," Ross raps on the track. "I got 30 cars/ A whole lot of dancers, I take 'em everywhere/ I'm MC Hammer." "I just was reflecting on certain parallels of lifestyles," Ross told us last week during the taping of "VH1 Hip Hop Honors." "I always loved MC Hammer, what Hammer brought to the game...

6-04-2010

Usher Claims Fourth Week At No.1, Preps For SummerJam:

Usher is yet again holding down the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Thanks to "OMG," featuring will.i.am, Usher has been atop the chart for four non-consecutive weeks...

6-04-2010

New Song: Eminem & Pink – ‘Won’t Back Down’:

In somewhat of an unlikely collaboration, rapper Eminem has teamed up with Pink for ‘Won’t Back Down’, a track lifted from his forthcoming LP ‘Recovery’. Check out the Hip-Hop meets Rock cut after the jump...

6-03-2010

Def Jam Rapstar Confirmed for October:

Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. and Autumn Games are pleased to announce the release date for Def Jam Rapstar, the first true interactive Hip Hop music game experience. Developed by 4mm Games, Terminal Reality and Def Jam Interactive, Def Jam Rapstar will be available in North America on October 5, 2010 and in Europe the week of November 2, 2010 for the Xbox 360(TM) video game...

6-03-2010

Nicki Minaj to Perform at the 2010 BET Awards:

Nicki Minaj is one of the most buzzed about hip-hop artists to hit the music scene since Kanye West. In a time in which female rappers are nowhere to be found, the Queens, New York native is bringing the voice of women back to hip-hop...

6-03-2010

Pitbull to bring Latin-infused hip-hop to Coliseum:

Many musicians say they are products of the cities in which they grew up. Rap star Pitbull can back up that claim better than most. A native of Miami, Pitbull says his style of rap reflects the multicultural influences and the varied musical sounds that populate that southern Florida city...

6-03-2010

Is Signing With Diddy Suicide? MOG Explores the Curious Case of Janelle Monae:

The reviews are in, and Janelle Monae's debut LP, The Archandroid, is earning praise from fans and critics alike. The unflinchingly diverse album spans multiple genres, and her concerts are sure to become meeting points for scenes that almost never interact. What makes this story interesting...

6-03-2010

Master P Talks No Limit Records, 2010 'VH1 Hip Hop Honors':

At its zenith, Master P's No Limit Records was cranking out albums like a factory and collecting plaques that matched the gold and platinum tanks that dangled from P's chains. His business plan was simple, succinct and, to some, foolish...

6-03-2010

Dr. Dre To Be Honored By ASCAP:

Hip-hop pioneer Dr. Dre will be presented with the ASCAP Founders Award during the organization's 23rd annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. The ceremony-which will also honor the songwriters and publishers of 2009's most performed ASCAP songs on the R&B/hip-hop, rap and gospel charts - will take place June 25 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles...

6-03-2010

50 Cent: Drake Allowed to Do Things I’m Not:

Drake has taken the hip-hop world by storm with his mixtape So Far Gone and much-buzzed-about debut Thank Me Later. Someone who knows a thing or two about creating buzz is 50 Cent, who exploded onto the scene in 2003 with his breakthrough album Get Rich or Die Tryin’. So we went to 50, now a seasoned vet, to get his thoughts on hip-hop’s latest sensation...

6-03-2010

The Wu-Tang Clan’s “Wu-Tang Clan Name Generator”:

The Wu-Tang Clan are a hip-hop group based on New York City. For almost 20 years, the group had been one of the most popular and successful hip hop and rap artists in their industry. The group is composed of the members: RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol’Dirty Bastard...

6-03-2010

Eminem On Working With Pink And Rihanna:

The 'Just Lose It' rapper - who famously collaborated with Dido in the 2000 hit 'Stan' - reveals the female singers were the only people who could "pull off" his tracks. He said: "When I did the song that I did with Pink I laid my parts first and kind of heard her on the record. I felt like she would smash this record, so I gave her a call and she was with it, so we did it...

6-01-2010

Ice Cube's new sitcom premieres on TBS: Are We There Yet?:

IN 2004 the cable station TBS, based in Atlanta, rebranded itself with a bold slogan: “very funny.” What it had to back up the tag line, at the time, were reruns of “Seinfeld” and “Friends” — shows that had already proven their hilarity on NBC...

6-01-2010

T.I. Reaches Out To Lil Wayne:

Rapper T.I. has revealed that he is trying to do what Eminem did for him when he was incarcerated, and help his fellow friend in hip-hop Lil Wayne through his one-year jail sentence...

6-01-2010

50 Cent's New Lightweight Look!:

50 Cent is a staple on the hip-hop scene. His dramatic life story and impressive rap skills have taken him to the top of the music charts. 50 has also been a fashion icon for many as guys strive to be as buff and polished as this star. As dedicated as 50 Cent is to his look, he is more dedicated to his work as he has just lost a lot of weight for his role as a cancer patient in the movie Things Fall Apart...

6-01-2010

Jay-Z: 40 Facts About the 40-Year-Old Hip-Hop Icon:

For the better part of the last 15 years, the Brooklyn-bred hip-hop icon Jay-Z has become one of the most respected men in and beyond the music business. From his revered rap style to his savvy business acumen, the man legally known as Shawn Corey Carter (and also known as "Jigga," "Hov" and "Jay," among other monikers) is definitely worthy of celebrating in a special way...

6-01-2010

P Diddy Thinks Jay Electronica Is 'Dope':

P Diddy has recently talked about what he thinks of newcomer Jay Electronica. The Bad Boy CEO claimed that Jay is one of the best rappers in the scene right now, and touched on why his relationship with rapper Rick Ross is so much deeper than rap...

5-24-2010

Elin Nordegren wants $750M from Tiger Woods, won't agree to 'confidentiality clause' in divorce talk:

It's a high price for silence. Wronged wife Elin Nordegren is trying to club an eye-popping $750 million out of Tiger Woods in their divorce negotiations, according to reports Friday...

5-24-2010

Rapper Nicki Minaj Sex Tape Leak? Hip Hop Scandal!:

Young Money artist, rapper Nicki Minaj has been named the latest victim in a string of celebrity sex tape scandals. The tape is reported to showcase Minaj performing various sex acts but here’s the juiciness — it is unknown whether she is ‘doing it’ with either men or women or both...

5-24-2010

Big Boi Defines Freestyle, "The New Style Is Just Reciting Some Sh*t You Wrote":

Let me say one thing about free-styling. There's a new school definition of free-styling and then it's a real definition of free-styling. The definition of free-styling is raps or thoughts off the top of your head, not written down, your homeboy can't say your backgrounds behind you while you say it...

5-24-2010

Singer,Ciara Really Gets Her Dirty Groove On In ‘Ride’ Clip:

Singer,Ciara really gets her dirty groove on in ‘Ride’ music video clip. Damn,damn,damn, Ciara. Singer, Ciara really makes it smokin hot in her latest music video for her new song entitled, “Ride” featuring rapper Ludacris. “Ride” was produced by Tricky Stewart and co-written by The-Dream and Ciara...

5-24-2010

N-Dubz Sign With Def Jam:

The camden trio sign five album deal with the hip hop label…We just wana send a big congrats out to Dappy, Tulisa and Fazer who signed on the dotted line for Island Def Jam last week...

5-24-2010

50 Cent Blood on The Sand Reviews:

Daily Break is excited to show you the 50 Cent Blood on The Sand – 50 Cent Blood on The Sand is great and already has great reviews. Don’t take our word for it, you can see it for yourself right here! So browse at our wide variety of 50 Cent Blood on The Sand reviews and if you have your own opinion leave us a comment and make sure we hear it!

5-21-2010

Mystikal Speaks On Jail Time, Learning New Technology:

Since Mystikal's January release from jail, the former No Limit Soldier has been making his rounds delving back into the rap game. As previously reported, Mystikal, real name Michael Tyler, served a six year sentence for sexual battery and extortion...

5-21-2010

2010 BET Award Nominees Announced:

2010 BET Award Nominees have been announced. The show will take places on 27 June and will be hosted this year by Queen Latifah. Jay-Z is representing (as usual) with five nominations including Best Male Hip Hop Artist and two nominations for Video Of The Year...

5-21-2010

Tupac - Live At The House Of Blues [Blu-Ray] :

Hip Hop fans will be ecstatic and grateful to Eagle Rock for this high quality release: Tupac “Live At The House Of Blues”, the rapper's very last performance before being shot dead in 1996, is finally available on Blu-Ray...

5-21-2010

The Roots Introduce "How I Got Over" To Media:

The legendary Roots crew held a private listening session yesterday evening (May 20th) in New York City's Legacy Studios for their ninth full-length (11th including EPs) album titled How I Got Over...

5-20-2010

Rapper Nas Says Maybe Hip Hop Isn’t Dead After All:

Rapper Nas, who has teamed up with reggae star Damian Marley for a new joint album titled “Distant Relatives,” once released an album called “Hip Hop is Dead.” Now the Brooklyn-born Nas says that rap genre is back on its feet...

5-20-2010

KRS-One Explains Boycott of National Hip Hop Museum:

The National Museum of Hip Hop is facing a feud with pioneers of the culture. While the organizers want to honor the history of Hip Hop, some pioneers are saying that the museum is "illegitimate," according to the Wall Street Journal...

5-20-2010

Diddy: Bieber deserves to be on the BET Awards stage:

You don’t mess with the Bieber. After a bit of dust-up earlier this week because the pint-sized pop star garnered a BET Award for Best New Artist, he took to twitter, saying that “music is color blind.” Now he’s got another defender, Sean Diddy Combs...

5-20-2010

Suge Knight Arrested in California! Assault Lawyers Needed!:

Death Row Records founder and Hip Hop music mogul Suge Knight has been arrested in California and held as a suspect for pointing a gun at a man, according to information from California authorities. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm and with driving under a suspended license...

5-20-2010

Fresh Fest 2010: Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick & More:

Hip-hop was definitely in the house over the weekend as the “Old School Reunion Tour” known as Fresh Fest kicked off its first stop at Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Arena at Harboryard venue. The sold-out audience—fans of all ages to see acts like Kid N Play, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, EPMD, Slick Rick and more tear down the stage—came dressed to impress in their finest throwback gear including shell toe Adidas, three-finger rings, bamboo earrings, gold chains and more...

5-20-2010

The Story of Makaveli:

The name makaveli is much known throughout the urban community and hip hop community. The makaveli name carries the pride and honor of the one of the largest personal legacies of any music artist in the history of music, Tupac Shakur...

5-18-2010

Lil Wayne Laughs At Ex-Wife Toya's Rapping:

Rasheeda's sorority-styled "BedRock Remix" featuring Kandi, Diamond, Lola Monroe and Antonia "Toya" Johnson caught many people off guard after its late April release. For one, it was an unlikely adaptation, but more so, the song debuted Lil Wayne's famed-ex-wife-turned-reality-star, Toya rhyming a decent 16. Expect more where that came from...

5-18-2010

Nas & Damian Marley Celebrate Album Release in NYC [With Photos]:

Nas and Damian Marley celebrated today’s release of their ambitious rap-meets-reggae album, Distant Relatives, with a performance last night (May 17) at a sold-out Highline Ballroom in New York City...

5-18-2010

Game R.E.D. Album Pushed Back :

Game fans will remain in suspense for a while longer due to the MC's fourth album's release date being pushed back. The R.E.D. Album is now set to hit stores on July 6th...

5-18-2010

Timbaland Recognized By VH1 Hip Hop Honors:

VH1 has announced that super producer Timbaland will be honored during the seventh annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South special airing on next month . Timbaland will be recognized for his many contributions to Hip-Hop in the form of hit records by artists like Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Jay-Z, Gnarls Barkley, Missy Elliot, and Gucci Mane...

5-18-2010

Chris Brown, Tyga Drop Fan Of A Fan Mixtape:

Chris Brown and Lil Wayne protégé Tyga released their collaborative mixtape Fan of a Fan online in the wee hours of Monday morning (May 17). The project is a joint effort between Brown and the Young Money rapper featuring a mix of polished R&B tunes and raw hip-hop numbers...

5-18-2010

Toyota’s Lame Ploy: Hip Hop to Sell Minivans?:

The savvy marketing industry has once again found a way to take hip hop and make it non-threatening enough to sell minivans. In this case, a yuppie couple with their two kids — a rap antithesis — who star in Toyota’s “Meet the Siennas” campaign, grab the mic in their Swagger Wagon video...

5-18-2010

Diddy: "I'm The Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Of Hip-Hop:

THIS DUDE HAS THE BIGGEST HEAD IN THE WORLD; P Diddy isn’t embarrassed to big up himself when it comes to talking about his achievements within the rap game. In a recent interview he wanted to let us know just how much he has become an urban innovator and also declared his hip-hop legacy...

5-14-2010

New Video: Alicia Keys 'Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)':

Alicia Keys has debuted her new video for "Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)," the fourth single from her current album, The Element of Freedom. The video portrays Keys and One Tree Hill actor Chad Michael Murray as lovers and examines the tabboos associated with interracial dating. In a recent statement to Rap-Up, the singer summed up the offering by saying that it "highlight[s] the past and present...

5-14-2010

Cam'ron Still Putting Together U.N. Debut, "We Got An Album Coming Out In August":

We're the U.N. That's the name of the team," Cam described. "The U.N. is 'Us Now.' We got an album coming out in August that's gonna be stupid. Vado's solo joint, look towards December [for that one]. But I want everybody to be focused on that U.N. album...

5-14-2010

David Banner Amped Over VH1 Hip-Hop Honors Dirty South, "You're Always Gonna Miss Somebody":

"Anytime you have something like that you're always gonna miss somebody," he said in an interview. "These are people that don't get the credit that they can. No matter what we did or do we will never get everybody that had a part of something...

5-14-2010

Review: Drake wows fans at Warfield:

Drake is the rhyme master of the moment. The 23-year-old Canadian rapper/singer, who first came to prominence with his role on TV's "Degrassi: The Next Generation," simply couldn't be much hotter right now. Major stars, such as Usher, Mary J. Blige and Jamie Foxx, want him on their records...

5-14-2010

Erykah Badu, Nas & Talib Kweli Speak on Jay Electronica:

With Drake and Nicki Minaj now signed and readying to release debut LPs, Jay Electronica is arguably hip-hop's hottest free agent. A rookie by no means, he's been cultivating a rapidly growing fan base through mixtapes for quite some time. High off his guest appearance on Reflection Eternal's "Just Begun" alongside Mos Def and J. Cole, his own "Exhibit C" produced by Just Blaze...

5-13-2010

The New Death Row: No Suge, No Drama, More 2Pac:

What happens when the most notorious gangsta rap label Death Row Records is resurrected as a Canadian-based catalogue imprint? VIBE connects the dots to find out the future of the once-feared West Coast power...

5-13-2010

The New Death Row Records: Unreleased 2Pac Records?:

For Danny, the chance to finally release his Death Row debut album is bittersweet. “I would never go back to Death Row as an artist,” says the vocalist, who was one of the last artists to remain by Suge Knight’s side following its successful ‘90s run. “There were so many good things that came from that situation, but there was also so much pain...

5-13-2010

Rapper Gucci Mane Released From Jail, Says ‘Hip Hop Game Needs Substance’:

Gucci Mane, who was serving a six month sentence for violating his probation, was released at 12 am today (May 12) from the Fulton County Jail. As he walked out of the jail, he was greeted by his good friend, rapper Shawty Lo, and then thanked the 50 or so supporters and media before issuing a pre-written statement...

5-13-2010

New Jay Z and Eminem Tour to Visit Detroit and New York City :

2010 Hip Hop music fans will see something for the first time at the Yankee's new $1.5Billion US dollar ball park. Rappers Jay-Z and Eminem will headline the first concert at the new Yankee stadium September 13th. A mark in Hip Hop history, it's amazing where Hip Hop culture has arrived to...

5-13-2010

Scarface Upset With VH1; Not Attending Hip-Hop Honors:

What Southern artist ISN'T upset with the upcoming Hip-Hop Honors? With Uncle Luke and Tony Draper in protest to the celebration of the “Dirty South” presented by VH1, Scarface is yet another name that has a problem with the program and has chosen not to attend. Prior to the upcoming show, Face attended for the past two year, but now feels as though the South is being blatantly disrespected and are just getting it for pity...

5-13-2010

Hip Hop Super-producer Kanye West Puts L.A. Home Up For Sale For 3.9 Mil:

Rapper/producer Kanye West is apparently putting his Los Angeles home up for sale. The 4,214-square-foot home features views of Los Angeles, an aquarium in the bathtub, theater, closet adjacent to a designer boutique, and built-in computers to control the property...

5-12-2010

Is teenage accuser lying about having sex with Lawrence Taylor?:

Over the past several days, the story dominating sports headlines was the arrest and arraignment of New York Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor on charges of third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute. The sordid details of the events leading to his public humiliation include Taylor arranging a $300 sexual rendezvous through an ex-convict named Rasheed Davis; who fulfilled Taylor’s request by bringing a 16-year-old Bronx girl to his hotel...

5-12-2010

Jay-Z Jealous of Beats By Dr. Dre, Launches Roc Nation Aviator Headphones:

We know that competition can get tense between hip hop artists, but Jay-Z is obviously jealous of the Beats by Dr. Dre’s success to go out an launch his own headphones. Jay-Z and his company Roc Nation, has collaborated with Skullcandy, to develop the Roc Nation Aviator headphones that are going to be available in white, brown, and black...

5-12-2010

Cypress Hill cancels Tucson show over immigration law:

Hip-hop band Cypress Hill has canceled a concert in Arizona because it doesn’t like state’s new immigration law. The law gives police greater power to question and detain suspected illegal immigrants. Cypress Hill is canceling it concert later this month in Tucson over the law...

5-12-2010

Gucci Mane Free, Promises to be a ‘Role Model’ for Fans:

Earlier today at midnight, Gucci Mane (Radric Davis) was released from Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail after serving six months for parole violation. Gucci Mane walked out and was greeted first by friend Shawty Lo before thanking a group of roughly 50 media and fans who congregated outside the jail...

5-12-2010

Music in the movies: RZA:

"Early on, Ol' Dirty Bastard and I used to watch kung fu movies, leave the theatre, do some kung fu fighting, get on the train, keep fighting, and then run into MCs and musically battle them like it was a kung fu fight. That was my weekend habit...

5-12-2010

NY court axes suit vs. label over Remy Ma shooting:

NEW YORK — To the woman shot in a dispute over money with rapper Remy Ma, her wounds are the product of the artist's thuggish persona and a music industry that promoted it. But an appeals court Tuesday rebuffed her effort to hold Remy Ma's former record label accountable for the 2007 shooting, which sent the Grammy Award-nominated rapper to prison...

5-12-2010

Universal Wants RZA’s ‘The Man With The Iron Fists’:

It may not be Kill Bill 3, but RZA’s upcoming martial arts flick, The Man With The Iron Fists, will draw plenty of comparisons to his good friend Quentin Tarantino’s work. On a number of occasions, Quentin Tarantino has praised RZA’s knowledge of the martial arts world...

5-12-2010

Tyra Banks Takes Her Stab at Writing the Great American Novel:

Retired-model-turned-Oprah-wannabe Tyra Banks is writing her first novel, Modelland. It will be part of a trilogy, since Random House signed her to a three-book deal. Oh, goodie! The details sound scary and fierce, like Tyra in a jumpsuit...

5-10-2010

Legendary singer Lena Horne dies:

NEW YORK — Lena Horne, the enchanting jazz singer and actress who reviled the bigotry that allowed her to entertain white audiences but not socialize with them, slowing her rise to Broadway superstardom, died Sunday. She was 92...

5-10-2010

DMX Not Allowed to Join Celebrity Rehab :

Dr. Drew Pinsky, addiction medicine specialist to the stars and producer and star of the VH1 show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, reportedly extended an invitation to hip-hop star DMX (whose real name is Earl Simmons) to be treated in his rehab clinic in California...

5-06-2010

Arizona hip hop unites against SB1070:

First things first, SB1070 is a bill that just got passed in the state of Arizona, now making it a misdemeanor to be in Arizona without proper documents proving your legal citizenship and it allows the police to request proof if they have "reasonable suspicion" that a person is here illegally...

5-06-2010

Nas Tells Kelis I Can't Afford Child, Spousal Support:

Hip Hop recording star Nas may not end up paying Kelis over $87k worth of support stemming from their divorce after all. Sources say the "One Mic" star asked the judge presiding over his ongoing divorce case with fellow entertainer Kelis to review his financial records this week...

5-06-2010

Sean John inks deal with Macy's:

Macy's Inc. has signed a deal with Sean John, the trendy fashion brand founded by hip hop impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs, to be the exclusive retailer for its men's sportswear collection...

5-06-2010

Super-Producer Jermaine Dupri Isn't Happy With Usher:

Jermaine Dupri is the man behind many hip-hop tunes both old and new and one of the people he helped at the start of their career was a guy by the name of Usher, heard of him? Well, Jermaine Dupri doesn’t seem to be happy with the Raymond V Raymond star, because he wasn’t even asked to produce one track for the R&B singer's new album...

5-06-2010

Jay Electronica, Public Enemy & More to Rock NYC SummerStage:

The City Parks Foundation has booked a slew of hip-hop acts—including Jay Electronica, Public Enemy, Brand Nubian and EPMD—to perform for free throughout New York City’s five boroughs as part of SummerStage’s 25th anniversary...

5-06-2010

Rapper Gucci Mane Gets Early Prison Release:

Rapper Gucci Mane will walk free from prison next week (12May10) after serving seven months of his one-year sentence...

5-06-2010

President Obama Books The Hip Hop Rap Band, Camel Carl & The Desert Rag Headz :

President Obama was in Cheyenne addressing the annual convention of The Wyoming Bison Breeders Coalition and Association. The president stated "Now lissen up y'all. Dem buffaloes is still a very important and integral part of da American way of life...

5-05-2010

Dwyane Wade's wife sues his actress girlfriend (Gabrielle Union) over 'emotional distress':

The wife of NBA star Dwyane Wade has filed a lawsuit against the Miami Heat guard’s alleged actress girlfriend, claiming her conduct around their young children has inflicted emotional distress. Siohvaughn Wade claims actress Gabrielle Union “engaged in sexual foreplay...

5-05-2010

Manny Pacquiao Warms Up To Mayweather's Drug Testing Demands:

Now that the final bell has sounded and Floyd Mayweather defeated an aging Shane Mosley on Saturday (May 1), boxing buffs are on to the next one: the seemingly unavoidable Mayweather vs. Pacquiao big ticket...

5-05-2010

Olivia 'Confused' By Drake's Reaction To Mixtape Song 'Control':

Olivia said that if a song goes on a mixtape, it should be no holds barred. The former G-Unit artist said she was shocked that Drake released a statement to the press denouncing a song she has on her new Under the Radar tape called "Control." The record features a verse by Drake he recorded some time ago...

5-05-2010

50 Cent To Appear On Lloyd Banks' "Beamer, Benz Or Bentley" Remix:

50 Cent will be on the official remix to Lloyd Banks' "Beamer, Benz, Bentley" coming to the airwaves sooner than you think. Are you anxious for a new Fiddy verse? We wonder if he will be responding to any of the jabs thrown at him from Shyne's new diss record?...

5-04-2010

Damon Dash Resurrects Roc-A-Fella:

When Damon Dash pulled a Roc-A-Fella chain out of his vault several months ago and presented it to Curren$y, it was just a celebration of their friendship. Now, the chain means much more. Dash is resurrecting Roc-A-Fella Records and plans to make Curren$y's Pilot Talk the label's first new release on June 15...

5-04-2010

Is P Diddy Dating Nicki Minaj?:

Just weeks after TaleTela reported that P Diddy is now the 'Massive Attack' rapper's manager, the pair are now an item, according to sources. The hip hop mogul was snapped earlier this week leaving the L.A. nightclub, Guys & Dolls, hand in hand...

5-04-2010

Usher, Drake, Trey Songz to perform at this year's Summer Jam:

Rising hip-hop star Drake, who performed Saturday at the Bamboozle festival in the Meadowlands Sports Complex’ parking lot, will return to East Rutherford next month for a show at New Meadowlands Stadium itself. He is billed second for the June 6 Summer Jam concert, after Usher and before Trey Songz, Ludacris, Fabolous, Nicki Minaj, Gucci Mane, Juelz Santana, Hi-Tek and Talib Kweli, and DJ Khaled and Friends...

5-04-2010

Cypress Hill makes a return to the studio:

Rise Up is the eighth studio album from the hip-hop group Cypress Hill, who has sold over 7 million albums in the U.S. alone. It is the group’s first album since 2004's Till Death Do Us Part, and the first to be released on EMI’s Priority Records instead of their old label Columbia...

5-04-2010

N.W.A Biopic In The Works... To Be Written By White Female:

Ice Cube has teamed up with Andrea Berloff to write the screenplay for the NWA documentary Straight Outta Compton. According to published reports, Berloff, who is most noted for writing the screen play for Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, is set to work with Ice Cube to write the story based on the rise and fall of the Compton, Calif.-based Hip-Hop group, whose initials read Ni*gaz With Attitude...

5-04-2010

Red Cafe’s “Heart and Soul of New York City” Gets Streetball Video Makeover:

We stumbled upon a video “tribute” of sorts, shot to provide a visual counterpart to Red Cafe’s Pete Rock-produced “Heart and Soul of New York City”, conceived and produced by K1X, who as best we can tell is a basketball fashion outlet out of Munich, Germany who have been involved with New York City streetball...

5-04-2010

Rapper Big Daddy Kane Ties the Knot:

Antonio Monterio Hardy, better known as Big Daddy Kane of the legendary Juice Crew and his bride Shawnette married yesterday (May 1) at a private ceremony in North Carolina...

4-30-2010

Founder of BET Sheila Johnson 'ashamed' of channel:

Sheila Johnson is using her riches from launching BET to raise awareness of the capital’s AIDS crisis with a new documentary. The billionaire talks to Lloyd Grove about the pandemic, why she’s “ashamed” of BET now, and how politics disillusioned her...

4-30-2010

Bobby Brown Clears Up Death Rumors:

Bobby Brown is alive and well. R&B's original bad boy's apparently the latest celebrity to be rumored dead on Twitter. The false reports quickly spread via Twitter yesterday (April 28)...

4-30-2010

Fox News skips Dorothy Height service:

Fox News Channel was the only cable news channel not to carry the funeral service for Dr. Dorothy Height Thursday morning, at which President Obama, Cabinet members, congressional and civil rights leaders were in evidence. Obama delivered the eulogy. A Fox News spokeswoman noted to Journal-isms that a Fox News anchor directed viewers to foxnews.com, which streamed the service...

4-29-2010

Jay-Z Teams Up With Rick Ross On New LP Track!:

Jay-Z has crossed paths with almost everyone in the hip-hop world in some way or another, and this time he's hooked up with Tha Bawse AKA the Miami based rapper Rick Ross...

4-29-2010

Ford Teams With Funkmaster Flex For Custom :

Tapping the world of hip-hop for official car customization isn't a new thing at Ford--the Blue Oval's relationship with Funkmaster Flex has been going on since at least 2006, when Flex tricked out an Expedition for SEMA...

4-29-2010

Paul Wall Jumps “In the Mix” [DJBooth Interview Exclusive]:

As the self-proclaimed “peoples champ,” Grammy-nominated Houston emcee Paul Wall has been able to accomplish many things; from collaborating with some of today’s hottest artists to establishing his very own grill empire (not the George Foreman kind). Despite some ups and downs, his talent and business savvy often merge to land him on top...

4-29-2010

Eminem Calls Relapse 'Ehh' In New Song, 'Not Afraid':

Eminem unveiled "Not Afraid," the first single from his forthcoming Recovery album, on Thursday morning (April 29), and the track is a strong departure from the usual lead cuts Slim Shady delivers: There are no jabs at pop-culture icons, no jovial goofballing. Mr. Mathers is reflective and remorseful over the Boi-1da-produced track...

4-29-2010

Drake's 'Find Your Love,' Produced By Kanye West, Premieres Online:

Drake's long-awaited collaboration with Kanye West finally hit the Internet early Thursday morning (April 29). The pulsating "Find Your Love" was released on the Toronto MC's Web site (though it has since been taken down due to bandwidth issues)...

4-28-2010

Bobby Brown DEAD? :

I got this from one of the Delaware homeboys. What up Illseed This Tekneek out of Delaware man i just got a crazy text you prolly already heard of the rumor and will be posted on ahh tomorrow but just in case you didn't They saying Bobby Brown Died Today (April 27th) of lung cancer. Don't really know what facts are really haven't looked it up just though i would tip you off with that..

4-28-2010

Afeni Shakur, Tupac's Mom Arrested On Drug Charges:

The mother of late Hip Hop icon, Tupac, has been arrested on felony drug possession charges ! Afeni Shakur, also known for her work as an activist, was arrested in Lumberton, North Carolina, earlier this month...

4-28-2010

Hip Hop Producer Dr. Dre’s Son, Curtis Young, Prepping New Album and Label:

Dr. Dre’s son, Curtis Young, is following in the footsteps of his father as he prepares for his debut album release as well as the launch of his label Young Entertainment Inc. Curtis Young, the biological son of legendary rapper and producer Dr. Dre, who didn’t meet his father until the age of 21, is prepping for his debut album release...

4-28-2010

Plies Thanks Young Jeezy For The 'Opportunity' To Collaborate:

Plies and Young Jeezy have an obvious respect for each other. If you know either one of the Southern street champs, you know they won't do collaborations with just anybody...

4-28-2010

Malcolm X killer freed after 44 years:

Thomas Hagan, the only man who admitted his role in the 1965 assassination of iconic black leader Malcolm X, was paroled Tuesday. Hagan was freed a day earlier than planned because his paperwork was processed more quickly than anticipated, according to the New York State Department of Correctional Services...

4-28-2010

Fabolous Looks To Live Greener Life:

If going green means more time on God's earth, then Fabolous is all for it. So when the Be Seen Being Green initiative in Miami came knocking, Loso signed up right away. Last month, when Fabolous attached himself to the Be Seen Being Green College tour in Miami, he didn't have the slightest clue as to what it meant to go green...

4-28-2010

Royce Da 5'9 Confirms Slaughterhouse/Shady Deal, "We Gonna Make The Official Announcement":

"We gonna make the official announcement and probably have a few release parties," Royce revealed in an interview. "It should probably be done in a week or two I'm guessing. It was kinda mutual, I inquired about it, I sat down with Paul [Rosenberg] and it just so happened Em was listening to the album...

4-28-2010

Usher Denies Engagement and Baby Rumors :

If you've already bought wedding and baby presents for Usher, you might as well return them. The Internet was popping with rumors today that the Grammy-winning crooner and his rumored-to-be girlfriend Grace Miguel are not only engaged, but also expecting their first child together...

4-27-2010

Stars welcome back T.I.:

Stars including Jamie Foxx, Usher and Sean 'Diddy' Combs were on hand to celebrate the return of T.I. at a lavish party in Los Angeles - following the rapper's recent release from prison...

4-27-2010

Album review: Daddy Yankee's 'Mundial':

For a hot minute in the mid-’00s, reggaeton looked like it might emerge as a new strain of hip-hop in mainstream America. It had an instantly identifiable sense of rhythm, huge cachet among the growing young Latino population, and a breakout superstar in Daddy Yankee, a Puerto Rican M.C. whose hit “Gasolina” was responsible for about half of the bad decisions made in nightclubs in 2005...

4-27-2010

Rapper DMX files NYC lawsuit claiming company hired to collect royalties stole them instead:

NEW YORK (AP) - Rapper DMX says he's been ripped off for years by a company hired to collect his song royalties, but he's been behind bars so much that he only recently realized the problem...

4-26-2010

DJ Premier, Big Shug Speak On Guru:

In a tribute mix for the recently-departed Guru, DJ Premier and rapper Big Shug were among those who spoke on the emcee. DJ Premier described his visit to Guru in the hospital, who had been in a coma for some time. "When I saw Guru, it just really fucked me up. I wore a Gang Starr shirt, first of all, just for the energy, and jus so he knew that's forever with us. Forever."...

4-26-2010

Lloyd Banks Calls Rick Ross A Liar, "[He] Said Def Jam Would Never Sign Me" [Audio]:

"I think he would make it his business not to be in the building when we around," Banks said referring to if he were signed to Def Jam. "Some things you just can't control. When, if, I get into that building, I will be the bigger business. You understand what I'm saying? So he would go from having an office to just operating from Florida...

4-26-2010

Drake Talks About The Evolution Of Mixtapes:

On Mondays, we usually bring you our main pick, but we had to start this week by saluting mixtapes. We're proud that so many MCs are stepping their mixtape game up. The mixtape world is strong, potent and competitive right now...

4-26-2010

Georgia parents upset over T.I. school appearance:

A Henry County parent is complaining he wasn’t notified when Atlanta rapper T.I. was invited to speak to his children’s school. And he was shocked by the response the school’s principal gave him. Tom Myers declined to talk to an AJC reporter about his concerns, but told WSB that he wanted to know ahead of the March 5...

4-26-2010

Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes Passes Away: Wake-Up Video:

There was a time back in 1995 or so when you couldn't turn on your radio or MTV without hearing a TLC song. Their smash album CrazySexyCool was a juggernaut of epic proportions that sold millions of copies around the world, spawned at least three gigantic singles ("Creep," "Red Light Special" and the absolutely massive "Waterfalls") and turned Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes into household names...

4-26-2010

Drake And Lil Wanye 'Make Timeless Music':

Young Money artist Drake has said that he and label boss Lil Wayne will always be relevant when it comes to hip-hop music, as they make ‘timeless music’. Drake told the Vancouver Observer: "I think between myself and Lil Wayne, we make timeless music...

4-26-2010

Dame Dash, Marc Ecko Host Fundraiser For Kevin Powell's Bid For Office:

Hip-Hop moguls Damon Dash and Marc Ecko have announced they will support Kevin Powell’s bid for Congress. Powell, a noted journalist and Hip-Hop historian, is running for the 10th Congressional District, Brooklyn, New York, in hopes of defeating Rep. Ed Towns...

4-26-2010

Nas and Damian Marley will play Hammersmith Apollo :

Hip hop icon Nas and Bob’s youngest son Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley bring their highly anticipated Distant Relatives collaboration to London. July 20, Hammersmith Apollo...

4-23-2010

Kanye West -- New 2010 Album Preview:

2009 was a rocky year for Kanye West, to say the least. Now, though, we're all in a new year, and with it always comes new things -- including a new 2010 album from Mr. West himself. Word of the new album officially broke in January, when Kanye confirmed the news via an all-caps blog post...

4-23-2010

Jim Jones To Teach Music Business 101 Class:

Dipset President turned CEO Jim Jones has longed bragged about the ability to “teach a class on how to have swag” and thanks to a New York City high school, he will have that chance...

4-23-2010

A Long Convo With... Game:

With his fourth studio album, The R.E.D. Album, dropping this summer, Game is packing serious heat. The Compton rapper played it mellow, chopping it up with VIBE about his new project, the new West, Shyne and the return of the D.R.E...

4-23-2010

Naomi Campbell walks out of ABC News interview:

Naomi Campbell is no joke, but she is beatiful. Check out this video, she is reppin what pelple in the news are saying about her. Thank you very much...

4-23-2010

DJ Toomp At Work With Jay-Z, Kanye West & Diggy Simmons:

While DJ Toomp had a relatively quiet 2009 compared to recent years, the Atlanta producer says 2010 is shaping up to be a big year in terms of collaborations. Speaking with Vibe.com, Toomp stated he has worked on four tracks for Kanye West’s latest album Good Ass Job, which he estimates will be ready by early next year...

4-22-2010

Ex-partner says gracious goodbye to rapper Guru:

NEW YORK — The former partner of rapper Guru has bid a gracious goodbye to his one-time Gang Starr sidekick, despite a deathbed letter from Guru that dismissed their friendship. Guru died Monday of cancer at age 48. Producer DJ Premier issued a farewell statement Wednesday, following Guru's posthumous online proclamation, which said that he didn't wish for DJ Premier to have anything to do with his name...

4-22-2010

Lil Wayne Didn't Pay 'Lollipop' Royalties?:

Incarcerated star Lil Wayne has been hit with a $500,000 lawsuit over unpaid royalties from his hit 2008 single “Lollipop.” According to the New York Post, producer Jim Jonsin filed the suit on Tuesday (April 20), claiming that he’s yet to receive any royalties despite holding...

4-22-2010

Pepa Speaks On Nicki Minaj In New Interview:

Rap veteran Sandra “Pepa” Denton recently shared her thoughts on up and coming rapper Nicki Minaj in an interview with Vibe Magazine. In the interview, Pepa explained that Nicki Minaj is too young to have music with a message...

4-22-2010

Ice Cube Packs Heat On "I Am The West" LP, Album Cover Art Revealed:

Ice Cube -- I Am The West (Album Cover). April 22nd, 2010 by Navjosh My apology for the low quality. At least I could give you an idea what it's like. It's not tagged doesn't mean you can jack. July 13th is the date. Update: High quality up. You know how I do...

4-22-2010

VH1 Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South; Luther Campbell Has Words About It:

VH1’s will tribute it’s seventh annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors to the South. VH1 Hip-Hop Honors will celebrate The South and the honorees who merged the southern story into hip hop’s global message. Jermaine Dupri, J Prince of Rap-A-Lot Records, Organized Noize, and Master P are being recognized on the show for their talent and success...

4-21-2010

Ice Cube talks film and his Raiders:

LOS ANGELES -- When Al Davis moved his Oakland Raiders to Southern California in 1982, the rebel owner forged a seemingly perfect marriage. Playing for a city that shared its swagger, the Los Angeles Raiders made four consecutive playoff appearances, punctuated by a 38-9 drubbing of the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII...

4-21-2010

50 Cent Announces The Invitation Tour Beginning May 28:

There's been a bit of confusion about what 50 Cent's next album, Black Magic, might sound like. After initially saying the record was inspired by dance beats he heard at a nightclub in Europe, the 50 explained that the disc will still be hip-hop, but with a twist...

4-21-2010

Diddy's Vodka Takes the Gold:

Even if you don't keep up to date with Diddy's off-the-wall marketing strategies, you may recall a little comment the hip-hop mogul made at Greenhouse nightclub in New York City back in March, that really ticked off the owners of fellow vodka brands. Diddy's crude comment, "If you're not drinking Ciroc Vodka, then you're drinking pee pee...

4-21-2010

Social Media Is The New Hip Hop :

will admit without reservation that I am proud that hip hop changed the language of American culture, and also the language of inclusion in the rest of the world. But that was nothing compared to what social media has done. Social media is the new hip hop, the new rock and roll, the new equalizer, giving voice to the previously voiceless, the sound and thunder for social justice...

4-21-2010

Erykah Badu Plots 'Out My Mind' Tour With Janelle Monae, N.E.R.D., ?uestlove:

Erykah Badu is pulling out the big guns for her latest concert trek. The dynamic singer-songwriter, who just announced dates for her Out My Mind, Just In Time North American tour, will be joined by rising futuristic soul-rock darling Janelle Monae, veteran genre-jumping band N.E.R.D., respected Roots’ drummer ?uestlove, and R&B cult favorite Bilal...

4-21-2010

Michael Jackson Estate, Cirque Du Soleil Unite For Groundbreaking Tour:

Michael Jackson’s immense legend continues to tower. According to the estate of the best-selling artist of all-time, the King of Pop will be the center of a series of high profile productions developed by world-renown dance and acrobatics troupe Cirque du Soleil...

4-21-2010

Guru’s Family Speak on Rapper’s Death:

The confusion over the death of pioneering rapper Guru (born Keith Elam) continues. Today (April 21) his family issued a press release contradicting many of the statements made by the Gang Starr MC’s business partner Solar...

4-21-2010

Game Calls Gang Starr MC Guru 'A Legend':

The hip-hop world is still reeling from the passing of legendary Gang Starr MC Guru (real name: Keith Elam), who died Monday at the age of 43 from cancer. Fans have reacted to his death with found memories of Guru's work with DJ Premiere for Gang Starr and his Jazzmatazz series...

4-20-2010

Civil rights leader Dorothy Height dies at 98:

Dorothy Height, a leading civil rights pioneer of the 1960s, died Tuesday at age 98, Howard University Hospital confirmed. Height died at 3:41 a.m., said hospital spokesman Ron Harris. No cause of death was given. Height, who had been chair and president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, worked in the 1960s alongside civil rights pioneers, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr...

4-20-2010

Guru of Gangstarr Dies, Writes Letter To Supporters:

Legendary Gangstarr artist Guru has succumbed to cancer after a lengthy bout with the disease. The artist, born Keith Elam, died on Monday April 19. He was 43 years old. Solar, Guru's partner, expressed sadness over the loss. "The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all-time -- my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru," Solar said in a statement...

4-20-2010

Do we need a Black Agenda? The experts say yes.:

What do you think? Take a look, and let's talk about it...

4-20-2010

Chris Rock Defends Marlon Wayans As A 'Knockout' Richard Pryor:

At first thought, silly-man, Marlon Wayans seems far from the right actor to portray legendary comedian, Richard Pryor, in the biopic, Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? But his fellow jokester and producer of the film, Chris Rock, told VIBE he believes Wayans' will give a more than impressive performance...

4-20-2010

Drake Opens Up About Filming In Jamaica, "They Had 'Young Money' Sprayed On The Gates":

"We went to Kingston," Drake said. "We went to this 'hood. They call it the 'gully' side. It's bad out there, real bad. They had 'Young Money' sprayed on the gates, 'Drake and Wayne,' 'cause I came to shoot the video out there. I'm talking about you drive by people's homes, they had 'Drake,' 'Young Money,' 'Drake, Welcome Here,' 'Drake We Love You' -- crazy sh--, man. It was so crazy...

4-20-2010

Kelis Asks Judge to "Terminate" Marriage ASAP:

While many have divorce talks in private, it's been quite different for Nas and Kelis. The two have had their divorce information hit the streets and the web quickly and it's exemplified more recently by TMZ. According to the site, Kelis filed documents stating, "... it would be in the best interest of both of us if our marital status is terminated as soon as possible...

4-19-2010

KRS, Rap Pioneers To Build Governing Body For Hip-Hop:

A number of Hip-Hop pioneers will gather at S.O.B.’s in New York tomorrow (April 20th) to focus on a unified front in maintaining and continuing the integrity and preservation of the culture. KRS-One’s Temple of Hip Hop in association with the Universal Zulu Nation will host an ongoing series of discussions regarding the cultural integrity of Hip-Hop...

4-19-2010

Hip Hop Hooks: A Tribute To Nate Dogg:

Since suffering two strokes at the beginning and end of 2008, news on hip-hop crooner Nate Dogg has been somewhat scarce. The vague updates we've gotten led many to believe his recovery was moving along, and he could possibly even continue his music career sometime soon. Sadly, a recent update from producer Damizza was not so encouraging: Nate Dogg is still unable to walk or speak...

4-19-2010

MCDANIELS: 'RUN-DMC REUNION NOT HAPPENING' :

RUN-DMC star DARRYL MCDANIELS has shot down rumours the hip-hop icons wil l reunite at THE ROOTS' annual festival this summer (10), insisting it wo uld be "disrespectful" to their late DJ, JAM MASTER JAY.Rappers Reverend Run and McDaniels, also known as DMC, vowed never to p erform together again following the tragic murder of Jason 'Jam Master Ja y' Mizell in 2002, but rumours have continued to swirl for months...

4-19-2010

Notorious BIG death lawsuit dismissed:

A judge in the US has finally dismissed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles from the mother of late rapper Notorious BIG. Voletta Wallace had filed the suit blaming the city and the LAPD for her son's wrongful death. However, judge Jacqueline Nguyen has now dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice after five years of legal...

4-19-2010

Fashion Trend Alert: Beyonce & Solange's Crop Tops:

Maybe it runs in the family—or maybe (and more likely) it’s a style statement for Spring. Sisters Solange and Beyoncé were both hanging out at Coachella this weekend and were spotted wearing crop top shirts. While little sister, S, went with a flirty...

4-19-2010

Swizz Beatz Unveils New Line of Jackets:

Hip-hop is all about the hustle. Already making waves with outside business ventures in the field of automotives and night clubs, Swizz Beatz is now getting his feet wet in the world of fashion...

4-19-2010

Jay-Z Rocks Coachella, Dr. Dre a No Show:

Over the course of the past three days (April 16-18), Indio, CA played host to the eleventh annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival. Spurred on by Jay-Z’s headlining set to close out the festival’s first night, this year’s edition boasted a decidedly stronger hip-hop presence, despite there being only a handful of acts from the genre...

4-16-2010

Dr Dre and Pharell Williams for Game's New Album:

Dre Dre, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams will feature on Game's new record, 'The R.E.D. Album'. Timberlake features on the first single, 'Ain't No Doubt About It'. The rapper, who previously worked with Dre on 2004's 'The Documentary' said: "I never thought I would have the chance to work with...

4-16-2010

Controversial Kanye West prepares new music :

These days, a conversation about Kanye West can’t last very long without bringing up controversy. First, it was running his mouth about George W. Bush at a Hurricane Katrina relief concert. Then came the Rolling Stone cover with West dressed as Jesus Christ. More recently, it has been numerous awards show run-ins, culminating...

4-16-2010

Guru releases The Timebomb:

Legendary MC and GangStarr founder, Guru, presents his critically acclaimed Jazzmatazz project "The Timebomb: Back To The Future" to his worldwide fans for free download -- limited time only. The "The Timebomb: Back To The Future" mixtape exemplifies Guru's ability to bring together Jazz legends such as Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd, Ramsey Lewis, and Roy Ayers, with female vocalists like Dionne Farris, N'Dea Davenport, Carleen Anderson and Chaka Khan...

4-16-2010

Shaq to VH1: My Wife Better Not Bash Me on TV:

Shaquille O'Neal believes his estranged wife Shaunie O'Neal may be cooking up a "televised revenge" plot on her VH1 reality show -- and now he's making legal threats to keep her from Shaq-bashing on the air...

4-16-2010

Tyler Perry Goes Hip Hop? Young Money Nomads? Nicki Minaj Tour Update!:

Tyler Perry has been killing the Hollywood game in the past few years. Hit after hit, all his movies seem to find their audience and he has developed a real following. Most of his movies center around the chruch in some way and are overall positive films. However some are saying that his next flick will take on a different kind of style...

4-16-2010

Eminem's New Album Means A New Batch Of Celebrity Targets:

On Wednesday (April 14), world-dominating rapper Eminem announced that the concept of Relapse 2 was dead. But luckily for fans, is still dropping a new album on June 22, which he is calling Recovery. "I had originally planned for Relapse 2 to come out last year," Eminem told MTV News in a statement yesterday. "But...

4-16-2010

Snoop Dogg to perform at 1-year anniversary of Chandelier Room at W Hoboken:

Hip-hop music icon Snoop Dogg is performing tonight at the W Hotel, 225 River St., in Hoboken, as a part of the celebration of the hotel’s one-year anniversary of its palatial Chandelier Room...

4-16-2010

Trey Songz To Appear On MTV's Uuplugged :

Trey Songz has taped an episode of MTV's Unplugged for broadcast later this spring or in the summer. MTV's live, acoustic performance series has a long history of featuring some of R&B's best, including Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys...

4-15-2010

KRS-One Calls For Boycott of National Museum of Hip-Hop:

Legendary rapper KRS-One, known widely as one of the originators of conscious hip-hop, took a stand recently to lead a boycott against the National Museum of Hip-Hop. At an event last Thursday (April 8), commemorating the launch of the National Museum of Hip-Hop in the Bronx, KRS-One stood up at the podium and voiced his opinion about why people should not support the museum's movement...

4-13-2010

E-40 Says Two New Independent Albums 'Complement Each Other':

Key Cameos: "Can't Stop the Boss" (featuring Too $hort, Snoop Dogg and Jazze Pha), "Power Up" (featuring San Quinn and Keak Da Sneak), "Whip It Up" (featuring Gucci Mane and YV), "Outta Control" (featuring Dem Hoodstarz and Mistah F.A.B.). Essential Info: About the only one in the game who...

4-13-2010

Snoop Dogg - Snoop Dogg Backs Woods Over Cheating Scandal:

SNOOP DOGG hopes TIGER WOODS is able to reconcile with his wife following his recent cheating scandal - because the rapper understands the devastation when a family is torn apart by infidelities. The hip-hop star married Shante Taylor in 1997, but they separated in 2004 when Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin Broadus, filed for divorce...

4-13-2010

Jay-Z Inspired By Daft Punk:

Rap don Jay-Z has spoken about his need to find influences out with hip hop, name checking French electro stars Daft Punk. With his new album 'The Blueprint 3' smashing its way into charts across the globe, Jay-Z has suddenly risen to new levels of fame...

4-13-2010

Erykah Badu combines funky jam session and old-school hip-hop revival:

Weeks after displaying what she called her ``butt-naked truth'' in a video that had the blog world buzzing, singer Erykah Badu placed the focus squarely on another asset -- her music -- Thursday night at Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena...

4-13-2010

Nas Loses Court Battle W/ Kelis, Must Pay $299K To Estranged Wife:

Nas went to court Monday over his divorce with Kelis -- and walked out a little lighter in the wallet. According to documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Nas had to immediately fork over $47,249.42 in back child support and $40,454 in back spousal support. The judge also ordered Nas to pay $10,000/month in spousal support until he pays off the $299,015.50 he owes Kelis...

4-12-2010

Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley to play Dublin's Tripod:

The duo will be touring this summer to promote their collaborative album "Distant Relatives" Hip-hop star Nas has teamed up with Grammy-nominated reggae artist (and youngest son of Bob Marley) Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley to create a collaborative album...

4-12-2010

Scarface's "Dopeman Music" Mixtape Cover, Tracklist Revealed:

Hip-Hop pioneer Scarface's upcoming Dopeman Music mixtape cover and tracklisting have been revealed online. Click here to find out more! The underground project will reportedly feature 14 cuts with mutliple guest appearances...

4-12-2010

Shyne To Release First Single Since Leaving Prison :

Shyne will release a new single, "Messiah", today. It was produced by EZ Elpee and is Shyne's first single since being released from an eight year prison term. "I make music about life," he said. "One of the greatest musicians was Bob Marley. There was nothing misogynistic about him...

4-12-2010

Drake's 'Over' Video Shows Struggle Between 'My Past Life And This New Life':

The clip starts off with Drake, dressed in white, sitting in a room on a bed, reflecting on his life these days. Images of explosions and time-lapsed cityscapes are projected on him and the wall of the room. From there, he launches into a heavy performance...

4-09-2010

Behind the Scenes of Ice Cube's 'I Rep That West' Music Video:

In an effort to promote his new single "I Rep That West", Ice Cube has filmed the music video and dropped a behind-the-scene footage to give fans clue on what he has to offer in the upcoming clip. The video was filmed in Los Angeles and directed by Gabriel Hart...

4-09-2010

Erykah Badu 'Didn't Expect To Be Demonized' Over Nude 'Window Seat' Video:

"I thought it was a move for women and men and children who feel they weren't good enough," Erykah Badu said Thursday (April 8) about her controversial video for "Window Seat." " 'This is just me, I'm good enough.' I felt it was important enough to do. More pros than cons."...

4-08-2010

Def Jam CEO Kevin Liles on 'Def Jam Rapstar':

Music games like Guitar Hero cannot technically transform you into a real-world guitar hero, but the upcoming Def Jam Rapstar can help launch your hiphop career...

4-08-2010

Whitney Houston Says Drug Use Reports "Ridiculous":

LONDON/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer Whitney Houston was released from a Paris hospital on Wednesday after suffering a respiratory infection and she called media reports that she was using drugs again "ridiculous."...

4-08-2010

Dr. Dwayne Carter Is Saving Inmate Lives :

It's been less than a month since Lil Wayne's entered Rikers Island, escort in sight, but the Young Money captain seems to be adjusting well to prison life. According to Us Weekly, the N'awlins rapper has started a job supervising suicidal inmates...

4-08-2010

Suge Knight sues Kanye West for $1m:

One of hip-hop's most notorious characters is suing rapper Kanye West and a Miami nightclub for injuries sustained in a shooting five years ago. Marion "Suge" Knight, founder of Death Row Records, was shot in August 2005 at a party hosted by West at the Shore Club...

4-08-2010

Answers From a Hip-Hop Veteran:

Following is the first set of answers from Jorge Pabon, a performer and choreographer known as Pop Master Fabel, who is responding to questions about the history and culture of hip-hop. Why have Latino contributions to hip-hop been downplayed in the media? What can we do to provide more financial/monetary funding to “pioneers” like yourself, who paved the way for this generation? In what direction should hip-hop culture go?...

4-08-2010

Pete Rock Calls Kanye West "Hip-Hop", Confirms Working W/ Him In Hawaii:

Rap pioneer Pete Rock confirmed the fact that he was recently in Hawaii working in the studio with Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West. Although he did not say his work was related to Ye's upcoming Good A** Job production, Rock said the rapper has already begun rapping over his beats...

4-08-2010

Cypress Hill Add Tour Dates:

American hip hop outlaws Cypress Hill are to play several UK shows ahead of their new album. Drugs have always had their place in popular music. Reflecting and inspiring the attitudes of their audiences, a series of bands and performers have spoken of their experiences while under the influence...

4-08-2010

Hip Hop Legend Rakim Returns to NY, Performs Tonight on Long Island:

Rakim, a native of Long Island, returns to the NY area tonight to headline an installment of the Legends of Hip Hop concert series at The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale. The man who many place at the top of their “top five, dead or alive” lists grew up in nearby Wyandanch. Local artists are scheduled to open for the veteran performer, as the series of concerts, presented by Terence Trend Inc...

4-07-2010

Jay-Z Working With Dr Dre:

Rap megastar Jay-Z is set to team up with famed producer Dr Dre on a forthcoming single. Two of the biggest names in hip hop, it's perhaps strange that Jay-Z and Dr Dre haven't worked together before. Both long for collaboration, and both have dominated the music industry over the past decade...

4-07-2010

Eminem Collaborates With Paramore Star:

Eminem has collaborated on a new song with Paramore's Hayley Williams. Hayley, who shot to fame by singing the song Decode for the first ever Twilight movie has worked on a track with Shady called Airplanes (Part II)...

4-07-2010

Coco Has A Sore Booty! [PHOTOS]:

Ice T and Coco stopped by Pink Elephant in New York last night for the National Museum Of Hip Hop party. The star studded event was to help raise money for the first Hip Hop Museum. Coco was in VIP standing and sitting on couches. It's what we do when in VIP...

4-07-2010

VH1 changing tone with black reality shows:

LOS ANGELES—On her new VH1 reality dating show, Rozonda Thomas—better known as Chilli from the groundbreaking hip-hop group TLC—doesn't lounge in bubble baths or hand out fake bling to her suitors. Instead, the 39-year-old singer and mother meets bachelors at black-tie affairs and confers with a dating expert, as well as her 12-year-old son...

4-07-2010

Wrath of the Math: Understanding the Census:

Voting for Obama was one thing, but now that it's Census time again, will Black America really stand up and be counted? Pradine Content is playing to a tough crowd: a Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn conference room full of young Black men who aren’t really feeling her talk about the upcoming 2010 Census...

4-07-2010

Win Tickets to Pete Rock Noisemakers Event:

Sound the horns. XXLMag.com will be giving away a pair of tickets to tonight’s (April 7) Noisemakers event with Pete Rock in New York City’s 92Y. The first reader to email XXL@harris-pub.com with their full name and the correct answer to the following question will win a pair of tickets to the show. What is Rock’s younger brother’s rap alias? XXL will notify the winner by email...

4-06-2010

VIDEO: The "absolute queen of hip-hop soul " Mary J. Blidge is back :

Today, we start our culture segment with the amazing story of Motown. Then, our music critic, Amobe Mevegue, tells us about the very first album of a young French rapper: Nixon...

4-06-2010

Jay-Z Reclaims Spot As Hip Hop's Top Grossing Tour:

While Hip Hop has permeated the fabric of popular culture, the presence of Rap music has not particularly been felt in the realm of concert grosses. This year, however, Jay-Z has continued to conquer the Hip Hop genre in tour grossing, and has kept up with some Rock 'n Roll acts notable for their concert success...

4-06-2010

Is Drake Too Suburban To Save Hip Hop?:

Since the release of his hit mixtape "So Far Gone" in 2009, rapper Drake has risen to hip-hop's upper echelon of at a meteoric rate. His upcoming debut, Thank Me Later, is the consensus choice for most-anticipated rap album of the year, and the stars are lining up for it to make a huge splash on the Billboard charts...

4-06-2010

GrooveMaker For iPad Hits:

IK Multimedia has just sent out a press release announcing the launch of a new app for the iPad. GrooveMaker for iPad contains the same music remixing/looping features as its iPhone ancestor, but has been changed to take advantage of the Pad's massive surface area. This app has large sliders for volume, pan, and master volume...

4-06-2010

Dr. Dre to get back in game with ‘Pressure’ release:

Fenway was the place to be Sunday night. On the field, the Red Sox [team stats] made their comeback. Behind the scenes, special guest Dr. Dre made one of his own. At the ballpark to promote his new Red Sox headphones, Beats by Dr. Dre, the legendary rapper/producer (N.W.A and Eminem) quietly announced something of far greater interest to fans of his music: His much-delayed third studio album, “Detox,” is almost finished, and a new single, a collaboration with the mighty Jay-Z, is on its way...

4-06-2010

Consequence Works With Kanye West, Q-Tip On Upcoming Album:

"Whatever You Want (The G.O.O.D. vs. Bad megamix)" (featuring Kid Cudi, Common, John Legend, the LOX and Diddy), "The More I Get" (featuring Rick Ross) and "Down This Road" (featuring Maino)...

4-06-2010

Jacob The Jeweler Released From Prison, Sent To Halfway House:

After being sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison for helping launder money for drug kingpins at BMF, famed New York jewelry man Jacob Arabov (known throughout the industry as Jacob The Jeweler) was reportedly released last month...

4-06-2010

Method Man, Ghostface Killah, & Raekwon:

“We back / Reunite like The Wu.” This lyric, slotted into the middle of “Wu Massacre’s” first single, “Our Dreams,” sets the tone for this release by three of the Wu Tang Clan’s most well-known members: Method Man, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon. However, this is no mere return to the 1990s Wu formula of steady beats and stripped down samples...

4-06-2010

Illness forces Whitney Houston to postpone concert:

NEW YORK — Illness has led to a brief postponement of Whitney Houston's European tour. The singer had been due to kick it off in Paris on Tuesday. But a statement released Monday by her representative says an upper respiratory infection is forcing Houston to bow out of that show on doctors' orders...

4-06-2010

Michael Baisden challenges Black men:

Nationally syndicated radio personality Michael Baisden told an audience of nearly 1,000 people Friday night that black men should start kissing their sons. "They need affection," Baisden said. "Ask black men if they kiss their children, and they'll say they kiss their daughters, but not their sons. They don't want to turn them in to sissies."...

4-02-2010

TLC's Chilli Getting Help from TV to Find a Man:

You have to wonder what’s going on in Hollywood when gorgeous women like Sandy “Pepa” Denton and “Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas can’t find a man. But apparently, as long as female celebrities are willing to go on TV to find one, VH-1 will keep giving them reality shows...

4-02-2010

Hip-hop artists put time into Paid Dues fest:

SAN BERNARDINO - The fifth annual Paid Dues Festival, an independent hip-hop show, boasts an all-star lineup of talent that includes Ice Cube and Tha Dogg Pound. "The fifth year is a big deal. This is a bill I felt compelled spiritually to do this year," said festival founder, co-organizer and artist MURS in a recent interview...

4-02-2010

Athens Music Festival Seeks to Showcase Real Hip-Hop:

Music, music, music. The hip-hop kind, that is. It’s what Elizabeth Schenck’s mind has been focusing on for the past few weeks — especially as the calendar grows closer to April 9, the date that Schenck and her college business partners have secured for their self-started business’s first annual hip-hop showcase in Athens...

4-02-2010

With London Hip-Hop Artist LionizePRIME :

What do you hear when an emcee freestyles? A rhyme written free of style? A pre-written verse boasting skill? A rap with no particular subject? A vocal jazz solo? A verse off the top of the head? Depending on the hip-hop school you come from or the coast you reside on, freestyling can mean any or all of the above...

4-02-2010

Estelle's Jewelry Line from Rachel Roy:

Grammy award winning singer and songwriter has teamed up with designer Rachel Roy to create a jewelry collection exclusively for the Rachel Rachel Roy brand. The line includes necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings available for sale beginning...

4-02-2010

Rick Ross Shares A 'Window Seat' With Badu:

Erykah Badu's bold video for "Window Seat" may currently be the talk of the week, but strip away the visuals (no pun) and beneath still lies a gorgeous song. So it's no surprise that Rick Ross — who's known for adding burly flows...

4-02-2010

Nas On Being A Hip-Hop Veteran, "I'm Waiting For The Rap Game To Catch Up":

"Where do I see myself, I'm waiting for the rap game to catch up," Nas said during a press conference. "Not to sound arrogant, that's just a generational thing. When the young guys come out, they hit me on the BlackBerry, real rap and it's love because they can tell I love them...

4-02-2010

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Ignores Freck Billionaire Lawsuit:

According to the New York Post, welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has yet to respond to a lawsuit filed against him by Just For You Entertainment. Mayweather is being sued by the label because they claim he stole their artist Freck Billionaire from them...

4-02-2010

Remy Ma's Appeal Case Is Going Well, Says Papoose:

Rapper Remy Ma is optimistic about coming home early from Rikers Island Prison, said her husband and fellow emcee Papoose. The former Kool G Rap protege told Star magazine recently that he believes his wife will not serve her full eight-year-sentence...

4-02-2010

T.I. To Release New 'Aggressive Album' August 24th:

Rapper T.I. has revealed that August 24th is the official release date for his new untitled album, his first since 2008’s hit, Paper Trail. T.I. was sentenced to a year in prison last May, for attempting to purchase machine guns and silencers in October of 2007. He is currently finishing the terms of his sentence...

4-02-2010

Eminem's New Music Will 'Surprise A Lot Of People,' Just Blaze Says:

It seems like the only time Just Blaze isn't in the sky these days is when he's working. Blaze has been DJing at places like the Winter Music Conference when he isn't busy traveling back and forth and producing for people such as Jay Electronica and Eminem...

4-01-2010

Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek Reunite:

After 10 years since their classic contribution "Train of Thought" sealed their fates in hip-hop lore, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek are releasing their follow-up venture "Revolutions Per Minute" May 18 on Blacksmith/Warner Bros. Records...

4-01-2010

Nipsey Hussle Reacts To Rappers “Repping” Gang Affiliation:

While gang life is feared by many that are on the outside and do not represent a particular sets, gang affiliation is heavily promoted within Hip-Hop by rappers. Sporting rags, throwing up hand signals and shouting distinct cries in music videos, some feel as though there is a misrepresentation of gangs, especially Bloods...

4-01-2010

Rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs In Trouble With The Law?:

Rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs landed in trouble with the law last week (25Mar10) after reportedly making an illegal turn while driving through Los Angeles...

4-01-2010

Ron Artest Lands "Crazy" Reality Show:

Pro basketball player/rapper Ron Artest has landed his own reality series that will document his life. The Los Angeles Lakers’ star forward’s show is titled They Call Me Crazy and will feature Artest making amends for his past transgressions, including a controversial 2004 brawl with fans during a Pistons-Pacer game...

4-01-2010

Black Eyed Peas to play in Bogota:

Grammy award winning hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas will perform in Colombia as part of their South American tour this year. According to website Vive.in, the Los Angeles collective - made up of Will.i.am., Apl.de.ap, Taboo y Fergie - will be bringing their urban sounds to Colombia's capital in October 2010...

4-01-2010

Rap Newcomer YelaWolf Confirms Interscope Deal, Awaits Eminem Collaboration:

"I've probably been through every label in the past couple of years," laughs YelaWolf. "I don't think we missed any. But after SXSW, it just got really heated, you know? Prior to that we had taken a few meetings, but we decided to just hold out and go knock it out there, see where it took us...

4-01-2010

Chris Brown Having Trouble Locking Venue for 21st B-day:

It's been over a year since Chris Brown's assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna, but the R&B singer is still struggling with a tarnished image. According to the reports, Brown is having a hard time locking down a venue to accommodate his upcoming 21st birthday party, because club promoters...

4-01-2010

E1 Signs Deal with Ron Artest:

E1 Entertainment is teaming up with Tijuana Entertainment and L.A. Laker's basketball star Ron Artest to develop and produce a new reality series, They Call Me Crazy...

4-01-2010

Jennifer Hudson becomes Weight Watchers rep:

NEW YORK – Jennifer Hudson is the latest celebrity to become a weight-loss spokeswoman. The Oscar winner has signed to become the new rep for Weight Watchers...

4-01-2010

Faith Evans Facing $360,000 Tax Debt:

Faith Evans is the latest celebrity added to the growing list of people with tax problems. The former first lady of Bad Boy Records is facing a total of $360,000 in back taxes owed to the government. The money owed stems from liens filed against Evans in Los Angeles, New York and New Jersey...

3-31-2010

Magic Johnson Wants to Help Get People Working:

Need a gig? Well, it doesn’t take hocus pocus, but it may take some Magic - Earvin "Magic" Johnson, that is. His Magic Workforce Solutions is a company that looks to get urban America back to work, whether you are underemployed or unemployed...

3-31-2010

Rap Legend to Co-Host Hip-Hop Awards:

Rap icon Kurtis Blow, most famous for his hit “The Breaks,” is set to co-host the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Awards (HHHOF) in June. This will be the first broadcast of the awards show since it aired in national and international syndication. It will also appear on the BET Cable Network...

3-31-2010

Drake Thank Me Later Album Release Date May 25:

Drake Thank Me Later Album Release Date May 25 – The young rap artist Drake who once appeared in the hit teens television series Degrassi has been making a lot of noise in the music industry in recent months...

3-31-2010

Just Blaze Reflects on 'Exhibit C':

It's always interesting to talk to a producer about a dominant track. Did they know it would be huge hit when they made it? What did they set out to do? Did they have any idea that nearly every rapper, professional or not...

3-31-2010

Janet Jackson unleashes in latest Tyler Perry film:

NEW YORK – Janet Jackson unleashes her anger in an over-the-top, dramatic and staggering way in the latest Tyler Perry film, "Why Did I Get Married Too?" But Jackson, who portrays a self-help psychologist in a struggling marriage, explains that she's expressed herself that way in real life, too...

3-31-2010

Did Badu Break the Law for 'Window Seat' Video?:

Erykah Badu’s controversial video for “Window Seat,” where the green-eyed musician made urban video history by stripping nude in the streets of Dallas, may have indeed been made illegally...

3-31-2010

Is Chris Brown Really Being Blackballed? VIBE Investigates:

It's hard out there for a Chris Brown. Last month, the R&B heartthrob put out a distress call, begging his fans to help him get radio airplay. “Nothing else will do that except for the fans,” he said, sounding near tears...

3-31-2010

Ciara Should Really Stop Yodeling:

Ciara has plenty to bandage from last year's disenchanted Fantasy Ride, but The-Dream and Tricky Stewart think they've got the right prescription. However, if "Speechless" is a strong sample of her upcoming fourth album...

3-30-2010

Notorious B.I.G.'s Music Gets New Life On 'Video Remix Collection':

No guest stars, but you have to check for the blends. "Flava in Ya Ear" over the track from Jay-Z's "P.S.A." "Hypnotize" over the track from Eric B and Rakim's "Paid in Full." "One More Chance" over the instrumental from Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long" and the Gap Band's "Outstanding."...

3-30-2010

Hip-Hop Mogul Confuses Hate Speech With The Truth:

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons posted a piece entitled “The Ugly Head of America” this morning on The Huffington Post. It was a broadside attack on Americans for engaging in what he calls ‘hate speech’ towards the Muslim world...

3-30-2010

Hosted By Canadian Hip-Hop Artist: Drake:

Red Bull announces an exclusive performance by Canada's leading DJ's on one stage, hosted by Canada's fastest rising hip-hop artist, Drake, in partnership with Pink Mafia, Last Gang Entertainment and TMKO Lawyers at the legendary Majestic Theatre in St. John's, Newfoundland on April 17, 2010. Doors: 10PM...

3-30-2010

Madonna teams with daughter Lola on fashion line:

NEW YORK — When Madonna needed inspiration for her latest fashion collection, she didn't have to look far. The pop icon teamed up with her 13-year-old daughter Lourdes to create Material Girl, an affordable juniors' clothing line that debuts at Macy's this fall...

3-30-2010

Erykah Badu: New Amerykah 2: Return of the Ankh (Album Review):

Individuality is not something that’s celebrated in the music industry. Just turn on the radio for proof that conformity more often than not is championed. For the chosen few who refuse to let their talent become their artistic prisons, the road is sometimes paved with gold, and other times filled with ridicule and abuse. Erykah Badu has...

3-30-2010

Cypress Hill: Bobo in the Corner:

We put Cypress Hill percussionist Eric "Bobo" Correa on the spot for a few hard and fast facts on Latin beats, real vampire fiction and the inspirational power of Black Sabbath...

3-30-2010

Trina: Life in Marvelous Times:

Leave it to Miami’s own Trina to christen herself a “Million Dollar Girl” in the midst of a recession. Talk about nerve. No surprise, since the sassy rap diva has been a firecracker since she emerged on the rap scene in 1999 with rapper Trick Daddy...

3-30-2010

Court: Seattle police OK to stun pregnant woman:

SEATTLE — Three Seattle police officers were justified when they used a stun gun on a pregnant mother who refused to sign a traffic ticket, a federal appeals court ruled Friday in a case that prompted an incredulous dissent. Malaika Brooks was driving her son to Seattle's African American Academy in 2004 when she was stopped for doing 32 mph in a school zone...