NARAS is the organization that produces the annual Grammy Awards, which honors the top performing music artists, producers and engineers, in a variety of categories.

But The Grammys has been under fire for sweeping changes the organization has made to the categories.

Dr. West and Rev. Jesse Jackson are working with artists/organizations like Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Grammywatch.org and now, Presente.org, in the battle to restore diversity to The Grammys.

Presente.org, which is the largest online Latino advocacy organization in the U.S., has joined in the growing criticism of The Grammys.

The artists and activists are upset that NARAS eliminated a number of categories, comprised mostly of ethnic music.

Categories like Gospel, R&B, Traditional and Contemporary Jazz, Latin Jazz, Traditional and Contemporary Blues, Cajun/Zydeco, Polka, Mexican Norteña, Native American and Hawaiian music have been eliminated.

To make matters worse, the activists say the changes were done without the knowledge of the organizations 21,000 members.

“Neal Portnow and the big bosses at the Grammys have committed a deplorable act of greed and racial discrimination by deleting music categories that are so central to the lives of so many,” Presente.org Executive Director, Arturo Carmona, said. “Portnow and the Grammys have nothing to celebrate and deserve an lifetime achievement award for putting profit over people. We are honored and highly motivated to join the fight to re-institute the deleted categories on behalf of the millions who love Latin jazz, Gospel, R&B and other musical genres.”

Over the past year, the Grammys have come under fire for their alleged lack of diversity in honoring all forms of music.

Last year, music industry/advertising executive Steve Stoute wrote an open letter to The Grammy’s in a full-page ad in The New York Times .

He most recently sat down with the Associated Press, where he further discussed The Grammys’ lack of ethnic diversity, along with their alleged exploitation of Hip-Hop music.

Check out the article, which contains commentary from 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Quest Love and Steve Stoute.

The rapper/singer will be joining artists like Travis Barker, Country singer Keith Urban, and iconic guitarist Slash, who previously partook and hosted the competition in years past.

Complex reached out to Pain and asked how he would go about picking the winner for the contest. He responded, “Me and Young Fyre, we’re going to literally just take days and listen to all the music. I’m just looking for something new, you know? Something I’ve never heard before.”

The contest prize for the winner includes:

• A three-song EP produced by Young Fyre
• T-Pain as co-writer and co-producer of your single
• Complete Pro Tools HD Native recording studio
• Akai MPC 5000 music production center
• New gear and products from Shure, Izotope, and Rockstar Energy Drink
• Worldwide music distribution from Tunecore

All submissions for the “Your Next Record” contest will be accepted until April 4 at www.YourNextRecord.com

Feed DA Wolves CEO/former G-Unit associate Domination is currently facing a manslaughter charge, as well as several counts of gang assault.

G. Dep is currently awaiting trial after he walked into a police precinct in December of 2010 and admitted he shot a man during a 1993 robbery.

Unbeknownst to G. Dep, the man died from his gunshot wounds, resulting in a murder charge against the rapper.

In an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com, Domination said that he has been in touch with G. Dep.

“I just bumped into G. Dep you know I’m in the same building as Dep,” Domination told AllHipHop.com. “We was cool before we got in here, we used to go to the studio in Manhattan. Dep used to be there.”

According to Domination, G. Dep is holding up well, despite the unusual circumstances of his case.

According to G. Dep’s own admission, he copped to the shooting as part of a rehab program, during his recovery from drug and alcohol abuse.

He had no idea that John Henkel, the man he shot in October of 1993, died from the three gunshots he took to the chest.

“His spirits are up…at the end of the day, you don’t know why that man chose to do what he did,” Domination told AllHipHop.com. “He dealt with his demons the way he dealt with his demons. He felt like he owed something to God. He doesn’t owe nothing to NO man on earth. He’s definitely good though, from my perspective. I see him, he’s definitely good peoples.”

Both rappers are facing stiff sentences if convicted for their alleged actions.

Earlier this year Domination rejected a plea deal and will stand trial sometime this Spring/Summer for his crimes.

He is facing between 5 and 25 years for the charges.

Despite his confession, G. Dep rejected a plea deal in January of 2011 and is currently awaiting trial.

G. Dep faces 25 years to life for the murder.

A compilation of Domination’s material is being put together for release entitled FreeDom while G. Dep has a full album for sale on ITunes titled Ghetto Legend.

Check out Mikey T The Movie Star’s interview with Domination below:

John Monopoly and real estate/property preservation businessman Larro Wilson are developing Lawless Inc.’s flagship artist from Southeast Chicago, King Louie.

King Louie has been getting prominent placements and developing a buzz since his signing with Lawless Inc.

“We found Louie through my protege Young Hustle who works with me through my event production company and he also works with Lawless,” John Monopoly told AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview. “My plan is to just build the brand. I got a couple of collaborative mixtapes, I can’t say who they are with, but they are going to be some interesting pairings to widen his audience base and widen his demographic.”

While Monopoly was tight lipped about Lawless Inc.’s plans for the future, he did allude to the fact that he has been fielding offers from majors for King Louie.

“We have gotten a couple of offers from people who have major situations, or a major situation, but I don’t know if we are going to go necessarily go in that direction as of right now,” John Monopoly said. “You will definitely see some music on iTunes within the next couple months for some projects, but I can’t say if we stay independent, we are just in a blessed situation to have options right now.”

Monopoly also took the time to answer questions about his relationship with Kanye West and whether or not he has had contact with his former friend and business partner.

John Monopoly was a part of Kanye’s inner-circle from 1991 until 2008, when the pair had a falling out over business matters.

“I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in years and then at his concert in Chicago, he had some really nice things to say about me on stage,” John Monopoly told AllHipHop.com. “I saw him back stage and we kind of really got a chance to see each other and spend a little time, so that was really cool.”

Monopoly remained humbled about his past association with Kanye West, who has gone on to become one of the world’s best known entertainers.

“I got to be a part of the development of one of the great iconic figures of our time, so it was a truly a blessed situation,” Monopoly continued.

“I’m so happy and proud of is success, and I hope to do something with him in the future,” John Monopoly told AllHipHop.com. “We had a great positive, profitable run over the course of three historic albums. My name will be on those albums forever, I’ll never forget the world tours, the studio sessions, the marketing campaigns, and just all the stuff we were involved in together as a team.”

John Monopoly is also actively involved in Pheed, a new online platform that allows celebrities to monetize and copyright exclusive content via a pay-per-view like medium.

John leads the urban initiative, signing artists like Big Sean, Game, Jim Jones, Keyshia Cole, Young Jeezy and Mike Epps.

King Louie – Too Cool (Official Music Video)

IM ARROGANT- KING LOUIE

Recovery exploded on the charts in June of 2010 when it sold over 750,000 copies in its first week.

The album, which was executive produced by Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Paul Rosenberg, contained a wide range of tracks that made their way across both Urban and Pop radio for most of 2010 and 2011 off of the sound and success of the hit singles “Not Afraid,” the Rihanna-assisted “Love The Way You Lie,” and “No Love” which featured Lil Wayne.

In 2011, Eminem released Hell: The Sequel, a collaborative album between himself and Royce Da 5’9″. The two went under the monikers of Bad and Evil for the album, playing off of their acclaimed song from Em’s 1999 album The Slim Shady LP, which featured Royce on the song “Bad Meets Evil,” for which the newly released album was named.

Eminem is currently helping to put some finishing touches on the upcoming Slaughterhouse album, which is scheduled for release this May, as well as his own currently untitled ninth studio album.

The track has already started running in promotional spots promoting Wrestlemania XXVIII.

“The reaction to ‘Invincible’ has been amazing,” Machine Gun Kelly told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “First, Verizon picked it to run in their campaign and now it’s an official Wrestlemania song. It’s crazy.

Additionally, John Cena will walk into the ring to “Invincible” during his main event showdown against Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, during the famous PPV event.

“John Cena and myself are both underdogs and the song is about struggle, I think it’s so cool they chose it,” MGK continued.

Wrestlemania XXVIII takes place April 1, 2012 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL.

West reportedly sent representatives to scout locations in the Persian Gulf, including Abu Dahbi, Dubai, and Doha Qatar, for the short which is scheduled to film in March and will be presented in a similar manner to 2010′s “Runaway” from his Grammy-nominated album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

According to the Observer, “A number of local municipal officials and film companies are said to be engaged in what is characterized as a heated bidding war for the contracts involved in bringing Mr. West’s vision to life.”

One source involved in the talks stated, “In Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha all of the film initiatives are government controlled. A bidding war is going on between various government entities and private investors to fund the film. There’s pretty intense rivalry here between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar. They all want to claim the film as their own and take credit for generating the publicity.” Currently, details on the plot of the short and the shoot itself are being kept under wraps, even to those who are closely involved.

“Mr. West’s creative team is moving to the region for a few weeks, as part of an effort to create an “authentic” depiction of the culture. They plan to utilize local talent and production crews, and are said to be eager to portray the locales and their cultures in a positive light,” the source added.

Check out Kanye’s short film for “Runaway” below:

The pair join Rev Run, RedOne and DJ Khaled for the pre-Grammy panel, to be held February 11 at the Key Club in Los Angeles.

The RZA and the Maddens will discuss the process of writing producing and performing hit songs.

Previous “How I Wrote That Song” participants have included will.i.am, T-Pain, Nas, Colbie Caillat, Common, T-Pain, Keri Hilson, Zac Brown, Seal, Cee Lo Green and others.

The conversation will be moderated by Catherine Brewton, BMI Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations.

BMI’s “How I Wrote That Song” is open to members of the public, ages 15 years old and up.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day-of the panel and can be purchased at http://www.keyclub.com/.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday February 11th and the panel discussion will be held from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Drake held it down for Hip-Hop releases in the Top 10 with his sophomore album Take Care claiming the #9 spot and selling 26, 433 copies. Along with the platinum album, Drake’s new single “The Motto” which features Lil Wayne, has just gone platinum as well, securing the #16 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Young Jeezy announced his fourth album, TM103 (Def Jam), going gold after a month of release with the following tweet: “Half a MILLI #TM103 Certified GOLD thanks to yall. Half way there! Men and Women lie #’s don’t. #ITSTHAWORLD Coming Soon. Stay Tuned!” Last week TM103 (Def Jam) sold 15,575 copies, a 7 percent decline from the week prior.

Coming in at #28 this week are Jay-Z and Kanye West with their platinum-certified album, Watch the Throne (Roc-A-Fella/RocNation) which dropped two spots from last week with a 1 percent decline in album sales. Watch the Throne (Roc-A-Fella/RocNation) sold 12,723 copies in the last week.

Surprisingly, two weeks after her daughter’s birth, Beyonce, saw a 3 percent increase in sales for her album 4 (Columbia) selling 8,302 copies and coming in at  #41 on the charts.

Memphis native Yo Gotti released his debut album, Live From the Kitchen (RCA) last week to disappointing numbers, with 15,000 copies sold of his #14 debut. Gotti, who had been very vocal in the past few weeks about the lack of marketing from the label, fell out of the Top 50 this week altogether.

Lil Wayne’s platinum-certified Tha Carter IV (Cash Money/Universal) moved another 10,000 copies this week and came in at #37 with a 4 percent decline in sales from the prior week.

Dropping This Week (1/31/12)

Alchemist and Oh No will be dropping their psychedelic-rap collaboration, titled Vodka and Ayahuasca (Decon), under the name Gangrene.

Dropping Next Week (2/7/12)

No notable Hip-Hop releases next week.

However, before he releases his first major label album, K.R.I.T., will supply the fans with a new mixtape entitled 4evaNaDay, which drops for free on February 20.

Last week, K.R.I.T. posted a picture of an iTunes playlist called “4evaNaDay” that featured a 14-song tracklist, which includes “Wake Up,” “Ride Clean,” “Red Eye,” “Package Store,” and more.

K.R.I.T. took to the Internet yesterday (February 1) to release the first single from 4evaNaDay, “Boobie Miles,” with the following message:

“The 1st song I wanted 2 release from #4evaNaDay is called Boobie Miles. It’s about over coming all the obstacles that block your dreams, the sacrifices that come with how hard you have to go to obtain your goal, giving your all no matter what the situation, the only difference between a winner N a loser is a winner plays until he wins“

Listen to “Boobie Miles” below:

“Half a MILLI #TM103 Certified GOLD thanks to yall. Half way there! Men and Women lie #’s don’t. #ITSTHAWORLD Coming Soon. Stay Tuned!” Jeezy told fans from his Twitter page.

The Hustlerz Ambition tour will trek through the United States and Canada, starting in Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Harford and Philadelphia.

The tour concludes with seven Canadian dates starting in Vancouver and ending in Montreal.

Young Jeezy does not make a stop in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia on the tour.

Jeezy is currently on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with “I Do,” feat. Jay-Z & Andre 3000, moving from No. 7 to No. 4 this week.

This is Jeezy’s highest charting single since “Put On,” featuring Kanye West, hit #3 on September 13, 2008 according to Billboard.

Take a look at the tour dates below:

March 3 Washington DC Fillmore

March 4 New York, NY Irving Plaza

March 5 Boston, MA House of Blues

March 6 Hartford, CT The Dome

March 8 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts

March 9 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s

March 10 Detroit, MI Fillmore

March 11 Cleveland, OH House of Blues

March 12 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room

March 13 Chicago, IL (TBA)

March 20 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

March 21 San Diego, CA House of Blues

March 22 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues

March 24 San Francisco, CA (TBA)

March 27 Seattle, WA Neptune

March 28 Vancouver, B.C. Gossip Nightclub

March 29 Edmonton, Alb. Edmonton Events Centre

March 30 Calgary, Alb. Flames Central

March 31 Saskatoon, Sask. The Odeon Theatre

April 1 Winnipeg, Man. The Pantages Theatre

April 5 Toronto, Ont. Sound Academy

April 6 Montreal, Que. Olympia Theatre

Bey, along with John Hawkes, will play the the younger versions of Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara respectively, characters made famous by Jackson and De Niro in director Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 film Jackie Brown, which also starred Pam Grier in the role of the title character.

Credited as Mos Def and having starred in over 13 films including Cadillac Records, The Italian Job, 16 Blocks and Next Day Air, Yasiin Bey is no stranger to acting. He also had roles on television show like Dexter, The Boondocks, and Chappelle’s Show.

Switch is based on the 2002 novel The Switch, written by Elmore Leonard. The film, set 15 years before Jackie Brown, is being written and directed by Dan Schechter. Production on the film is set to begin in May.

See the book description for The Switch below:

Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara hit it off in prison, where they were both doing time for grand theft auto. Now that they’re out, they’re joining forces for one big score. The plan is to kidnap the wife of a wealthy Detroit developer and hold her for ransom. But they didn’t figure the lowlife husband wouldn’t want his lady back. So it’s time for Plan B and the opportunity to make a real killing — with the unlikely help of a beautiful, ticked-off housewife who’s hungry for a large helping of sweet revenge.

The 17-track album currently boasts features from the likes of Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, Ace Hood, Jadakiss, Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J, Miguel, Chris Brown, and Musiq Soulchild.

Production on the album was handled by Cardiak, Jahlil Beats, Drumma Boy, AraabMUZIK, No I.D., and more.

In addition to the revealing of the Underrated tracklist, and the announcement that the deluxe addition of the album will features appearances from Boyz II Men and Machine Gun Kelly, Bow Wow also released the music video for his Lil Wayne assisted single, “Sweat”.

Underrated is currently scheduled for release on March 13.

Check out the full tracklist below:

1. Intro
2. Where My Dogs At [Prod. Cardiak]
3. Must Be Stupid ft. Busta Rhymes [Prod. AraabMUZIK]
4. Why Y’all [Prod. Jahlil Beats]
5. We Going Hard ft. Ace Hood [Prod. Cardiak]
6. Right Now ft. Miguel
7. Heart Stop [Prod. Drumma Boy]
8. Sweat ft. Lil Wayne [Prod. Detail & Bei Major]
9. Aint Thinking About You ft. Chris Brown [Prod. K-Mac]
10. Wrong Time ft. Musiq Soulchild [Prod. Musiq Soulchild]
11. I Try [Prod. Beat Bully]
12. Boy Or Girl [Prod. Soundsmith & Neenyo]
13. If You Were Down ft. Talib Kweli [Prod. No I.D.]
14. The Cypher ft. Meek Mill [Prod. Jahlil Beats]
15. Lifestyle Aint For Me [Prod. Lodi]
16. Ohio To Yonkers ft. Jadakiss [Prod. Jahlil Beats]
17. All That I Know ft. Wiz Khalifa & Juicy J [Prod. Sledge]

The documentary, narrated by Jamie Foxx and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, is a tribute to sports legends and pioneers who have been long forgotten in the course of time. The film includes interviews with many sports and cultural icons such as Dr. Cornel West, Dr. Maya Angelou, Coach John Wooden, Jerry West, Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Samuel Jackson, and Spike Lee, just to name a few.

“On The Shoulders Of Giants” will be premiering February 9 at 8:30 pm EST on the Showtime cable network.

Ja Rule is being held at Mid–State Correctional Facility in Oneida, New York.

In an exclusive interview with the New York Daily News, Ja Rule said that he was networking and getting advice from some of the United States’ most infamous criminals.

The New York Daily News reveals that disgraced politician Alan Hevesi and former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski mentored the rap star, who is due to be released from prison in February of 2013.

“Outside, you don’t meet guys like this every day. This place is amazing…” Ja Rule told the Daily News. “Koz just got out on work release. Not to say I wish he was still here. But they’re both great, smart guys”

Former New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, 72, began serving a one to four year prison sentence in April for accepting bribes and using state employees to help care for his sick wife.

Dennis Kozlowski, 65, is infamous for his time a CEO of Tyco, where he spent hundreds of millions of dollars of the company’s money improperly.

Ja, who has nicknamed Hevesi “Hevey D” and Kozlowski “Koz,” said both men have encouraged his education, while sharpening his knowledge on politics.

“Hevey’s a Democrat like me, so that helps,” Ja Rule quipped. “He told me how it’s like pulling teeth with the two parties trying to get bills passed.”

Mitt Romney used K’Naan’s hit single “Waving Flag,” as the music in his speech last night during the Florida Republican primary.

K’Naan told AllHipHop.com in a statement that Mitt Romney had not received the proper permission to use the song.

Furthermore, K’Naan said that he is not endorsing Mitt Romney.

“I have not been asked for permission by Mitt Romney’s campaign for the use of my song. If I had been asked, I would certainly not have granted it. I would happily grant the Obama campaign use of my song without prejudice.”

According to K’Naan, he is exploring all of his legal options, to prevent Mitt Romney from continuing to use “Waving Flag.”

Stephen Lee Pieck, of Ossining in Westchester New York, filed the lawsuit on January 12, in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York.

Pieck, who listed his address as “homeless” in the lawsuit, claims that he was in a Legal Seafood restaurant in White Plains New York, on September 9, 2010.

The lawsuit claims he was in the restaurant with Jordon Bratman and Christina Aguilera, when the pop singer called Eminem.

The lawsuit claims that Christina Aguilera handed Pieck the phone and that he then gave Eminem the idea for the “Born of Fire” commercial.

“I want the court to reward me a judgment in the amount of $9 million,” Pieck’s handwritten lawsuit states. “I designed every aspect of the commercial and the commercial was stolen from me. In addition, I did not receive compensation in monetary terms for the work I did.”

Two numbers were listed for Pieck in the lawsuit.

One number went to his mother’s house and the other went to a cell phone.

When contacted, his mother refused to provide any details about the lawsuit.

A another woman answered the cell phone and when asked for more details, she hung up.

The “Born of Fire,” commercial debuted during the 2011 Super Bowl and promoted the new 2011 Chrysler 200 Sedan.

The award-winning, two-minute commercial featured Eminem and his song “Lose Yourself.”

Check out the entire lawsuit below:

The song, which can be found on Wale’s Ambition album, was successfully added into the rotation of 41 markets across the United States, including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, and New Orleans according to a recent press release.

Ambition currently remains in the Top 100 this week on the charts with over 350,000 units sold since its November release on MMG and Warner Bros. Records.

Wale is at work on the two video’s at the moment. The first is his next single with G.O.O.D. Music rapper Big Sean for the Ambition track, “Slight Work,” which is being directed by R&B singer Chris Brown. The other video in the pipeline is the title track from the album which features Maybach Music Group founder Rick Ross and member Meek Mill.

Fans can catch Wale on the second installment of his ”Ambition Tour,” which is happening now. He will be performing two special “Lotus Flower Bomb” shows with Miguel in New York and Los Angeles around Valentine’s Day.

Check out the lyric video for Wale’s “Sabotage” featuring Lloyd below:

AllHipHop.com spoke to the “Kushed god” outside the store, where he exclusively told us about his love for Ralph Lauren, and his next two projects, Rugby Thompson and George Kush Da Button: 2nd Term, both of which are slated to drop this year along with a number of other projects the Harlem native is working on.

Rugby Thompson is mostly produced by Harry Fraud, one of New York City’s most exciting new producers, and although no official date is set, DZA enthusiastically revealed that April 20 (4/20) could be the perfect day to put the project out.

In addition to sharing album details, DZA spoke on the 2012 incarnation of the “Smokers Club Tour,” which reported enormous success in its national run last year, and his recent signing to Curren$y’s Jet Life Recordings imprint. The Kushed god also pondered who smokes more – he or Curren$y. Both A$AP Rocky and Chace Infinite also made brief appearances during the interview.

Check out AllHipHop.com’s exclusive interview with Smoke DZA below:

While details are still being confirmed, early reports said that Cornelius shot himself in the head in his Sherman Oaks, California home.

“We are overwhelmed with the news regarding the passing of Don Cornelius. Our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with his family at this time,” said Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings. “He was a true television visionary and his contributions to African American culture, music, and entertainment are incomparable. The outpouring of affection and tributes to his legacy are a true testament to the profound impact that his life’s work had on many generations.”

Don Cornelius is largely credited as being a pioneer in the development of urban culture through music on television.

“Every Saturday morning I looked forward to watching Soul Train, as did millions of other people,” said Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Soul Train Holdings Chairman. “Soul Train taught the world how to dance! Don’s contribution to us all is immeasurable. He will truly be missed. I thank him for trusting me with his Soul Train brand and I will carry on his legacy through it. My condolences to his son and my good friend Tony Cornelius and the entire Cornelius family.”

If the messages on Twitter are indicators, Don Cornelius will be greatly missed by the Hip-Hop community, despite his well known views on the genre.

“JUST WOKE UP TO SOME SAD NEWS, R.I.P. Don Cornelius founder of SOUL TRAIN,” Wyclef Jean said via Twitter.

“Rest in Peace, Love & Soul…Don Cornelius,” Ice Cube said in remembrance of Cornelius.

Don Cornelius had plans to make a movie about the Soul Train legacy in the coming years, but nothing had come to fruition as of late.

“We’ve been in discussions with several people about getting a movie off the ground. It wouldn’t be the ‘Soul Train’ dance show, it would be more of a biographical look at the project,” Don Cornelius told the L.A. Times in a 2010 interview.

“So sad about Don Cornelius,” Russell Simmons Tweeted.

“May u rest in peace and thank u 4 ur platform. U will always be remembered R.I.P. Don Cornelius,” Q-Tip expressed through his Twitter page.

“RIP Don Cornelius…Thank You for all you have done for us…” DJ Jazzy Jeff told fans.

Don Cornelius had just been in the spotlight, when he was featured on a popular episode of TVOne’s “Unsung” featuring Full Force.

The group was supposed to present Don Cornelius with a plaque for his unwavering support throughout the years.

“He couldn’t make it because of root canal he had earlier. I spoke to him early last week too, for 40 minutes,” Bow Legged Lou told AllHipHop.com.

“Don Cornelius and his creation of ‘Soul Train’ and its legacy had a great impact on American culture. Don’s vision allowed for African-American artists to be exposed to people all over the world through the power of television,” said Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, who wrote the #1 theme song for Soul Train.

“We were glad to help Don Cornelius fulfill his dream and legacy by creating the theme song for his hit show. The ‘Soul Train’ and TSOP brands will forever be inseparable. We thank Don Cornelius for his tremendous contributions to the entertainment world.

“Our deepest sympathy goes out to Don’s family and everyone he touched.”

More news as funeral details are announced.

Check out Full Force’s plaque to Don Cornelius, as well as some ads congratulating the legend on his show over the years.

Also below are some Hip-Hop performances from Soul Train.

Heavy D & The Boyz on Soul Train

Run DMC performs Hit and Run on Soul Train

Michael Jackson with The Jackson 5 – Soul Train I Want You Back

The O’Jays perform “Backstabbers”

During an interview with the U.K. radio station Capital FM, Will.i.am.confirmed the involvement of Rhymes and Keys for the follow-up to 2007’s Songs About Girls, as well as Britney Spears, Shakira and former X Factor judge/Pussycat Doll member, Nicole Scherzinger.

“I have a song with Alicia Keys – me, Alicia and Swedish House Mafia,” Will.i.am said. “I have a song with The Beats, which is pretty grand. Me and Shakira have been trying to finish the stuff we started, and me and Britney is really crazy.”

“So we got a song with me, LMFAO and Eva Simons,” he continued. “A song with me and Busta Rhymes and Swizz Beatz. I got a whole other bunch of collaborations.”

Rhymes’ contribution to #willpower marks the second time the former Leader of the New School rapper has worked with Will.i.am. The two first collaborated on Rhymes’ hit single “I Love My Chick.” The tune, which also featured Kelis, is taken from the entertainer’s 2006 opus, The Big Bang.

Spears, Rhymes and Keys represent a star-packed roster of artists working with Will.i.am on #willpower. According to the rapper/actor, the album will feature a collection of “uplifting songs” that would surprise fans.

“#willpower is just a reminder to myself of staying contestant with the dream – keeping the dream alive,” Will.i.am said. “It was all a dream when I was 15 years old – 20 years later I managed to take the dream from an idea to physicality. So #willpower is uplifting songs, encouragement for those that need it.”

The forthcoming album, which includes the single “T.H.E (The Hardest Ever),” featuring Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez, is slated for release later this year.

According to reports, Don Cornelius allegedly took his life from a self-inflicted gunshot.

In recent years, the 75-year-old was in failing health and according to various sources, he suffered from dementia.

Don Cornelius helped revolutionize black music when he created televisions longest running dance show, “Soul Train.”

The show aired from 1971 – 1993, with Don Cornelius plan host during those years.

Don Cornelius’ association with Hip-Hop music was fleeting throughout the years.

Although a number of Hip-Hop groups appeared on “Soul Train,” Don Cornelius was admittedly not a fan of the genre.

“[Cornelius] ultimately decided that there was a duty to show the culture as authentically as possible,” according to the “Soul Train” website. “Soon after, the Soul Train Awards developed and while there were unfortunate occurrences at different shows, there was an overall appreciation for the award ceremony recognizing Hip-Hop’s contribution to American culture.”

A variety of rappers have named checked “Soul Train” in their songs, from Eric B & Rakim, to De La Soul.

Legendary rapper Kurtis Blow was the first Hip-Hop artist to appear on “Soul Train”, in 1980.

More details will be released as they become available.

A representative spoke to TMZ.com, and confirmed that the video was banned, because it is too explicit for the network.

A representative said that “Stupid Hoe’s” chorus, along with the risqué video, was too much for the network to air.

The BET ban or Nicki Minaj’s video for “Stupid Hoe” will not impact the song’s popularity.

The video for “Stupid Hoe,” which shot by legendary director Hype Williams, already has over 20 million views on YouTube since it was posted on January 20.

Nipsey Hussle’s All Money In Entertainment has teamed with DJ Skee’s DJ Skee.TV, which is now responsible for all the brand development, marketing and communication for Nipsey Hussle and his related businesses.

DJ Skee’s responsible for licensing, partnership development and marketing deals, while also acting as Nipsey Hussle manager.

”We are proud to align ourselves with an artist as talented as Nipsey. His talent, work ethic, and potential make what we feel will become one of the biggest brands in the urban music scene,” DJ Skee told AllHipHop.com. “Nipsey has already been consistently touring and selling out shows worldwide, creating amazing music, and building up his incredible movement and brand on his own. With our outlets and resources, we look forward to adding the fuel to the fire and creating the next West Coast icon.”

DJ Skee will also be responsible for the marketing and promotion of Nipsey’s All Money In label, as well as is Crenshaw Clothing line.

“The separation between artists and their labels is the reason a lot of things don’t work. When people get together and pull resources, it makes it better for everybody” stated Nipsey in an interview with Skee, announcing the partnership on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. “It’s 2012 and we saw the artists that have been successful recently- most of them built up their Internet base ahead of time and took advantage of the Internet and the new media and so, I think that what you’ve got going, Skee, is the perfect platform for artists like myself.”

Nipsey is now in the studio, working on his official debut album due out in 2012.

FluD Watches and Fusicology will be sponsoring the tour alongside Move Forward Music.

The 25-date tour will kick off on February 25 in Providence, RI, and conclude on March 30 in Toledo, Ohio.

Joining Black Milk on the “Claps And Slaps Tour” will be the live band, Nat Turner, and openers J. Pinder and A.Dd+.

Check out a full list of tour dates below:

2.25 – Providence, RI – Fete
2.27 – Boston, MA - Middle East
2.28 – Philadelphia, PA - Silk City
2.29 – New York, NY - Knitting Factory
3.1 – Pittsburgh, PA - Shadow Lounge
3.2 – Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
3.3 – Kalamazoo, MI - The Strutt
3.6 – Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
3.8 – Toronto – Great Hall
3.9- Chicago, IL - Subterreanean
3.10 – Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
3.11 – St. Louis - Gramaphone
3.12 – Nashville, TN – TBD
3.16 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
3.17 – Scottsdale, AZ - Chaser’s
3.18 – Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy
3.20 – Santa Barbara, CA - Velvet Jones
3.21 – Fresno, CA - Fulton 55
3.22 – San Francisco, CA - 330 Ritch
3.23 – Portland, OR – Crown Room
3.24 – Vancouver, BC – Fortune Sound Club
3.25 – Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
3.28 – Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
3.29 – Iowa City, IO - Mission Creek Festival
3.30 – Toledo, OH - Frankie’s Underground

The researchers at Birck Nanotechnology Center at the Discovery Park in West Lafayette created the device that is known as a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).

A study found that acoustic waves for music, especially rap, effectively recharge the device’s pressure sensor.

The professors used a number of genres of music to test the sensor, including Jazz, Blues, and Rock.

“Rap is best because it contains a lot of low frequency sound, notably the bass,” said Babak Ziaie, a Purdue University professor of electrical/computer engineering and biomedical engineering.
The acoustic waves from music or plain tones drive a vibrating device called a cantilever, which sends a charge to power the sensor.

Ziaie, who has applied for a patent for the new technology, further explained how the device actually works.

“Music within a certain range of frequencies, from 200-500 hertz, causes the cantilever to vibrate, generating electricity and storing a charge in a capacitor,” Ziaie explained.

“The music reaches the correct frequency only at certain times, for example, when there is a strong bass component,” he said. “The acoustic energy from the music can pass through body tissue, causing the cantilever to vibrate.”

Perdue hopes the device might help to treat people stricken with aneurisms or incontinence due to paralysis.

The researchers are positioning the new technology to replace existing sensors, which typically rely on batteries or inductance through coils, to send their electrical charge.

The findings are being detailed in a paper that is being presented during the IEEE MEMS conference that is taking place until February 2.

BMI president Del Bryant and VP Delia Orjuela will bestow the rapper with the BMI President Award during the ceremony, which is taking place at Encore Wynn Theater on March 30.

Organizers for the event said that Pitbull’s genre bending style of music has allowed him to appeal to numerous fan bases, including Hip-Hop, Urban, Latin, Pop and European.

Hit singles like “Hey Baby,” “Krazy,” “Hotel Room Service” “I Like It” (with Enrique Iglesias), “Rain Over Me” (featuring Marc Anthony) and “Bon Bon,” “International Love” and the double-platinum smash “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho),” have kept Pitbull on the charts over the years.

Pitbull joins luminaries like Juanes, Kike Santander, Taylor Swift, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and Willie Nelson, who have all been honored for their influence on the entertainment industry.

The group, which included brothers Theron a.k.a Da Spokesman and Timothy a.k.a Don’t Talk Much, have created a sound that blends Caribbean twangs of consciousness is currently celebrating the success of their most recent project American Dream, which has garnered over 30,000 views in less than a month.

“We are working on everyone’s album from Justin Beiber to T.I. to B.o.B. We are on the writing scene in Atlanta,” Da Spokesman told AllHipHop.com of the release under the new alias “Planet VI.” “We dropped on December 30th we are at about 30,000 downloads in less than thirty days, so we are proud of that

“A lot of our old fans might have known us as Rock City, we were songwriters on Rhianna’s ‘Man Down’ and Justin Beiber’s ‘Run Away Love,’ and bunch of stuff like that and we were artists trying to find our place and everyone wanted us to write songs like that for ourselves,” Da Spokesman explained. “We wrote songs for Rhianna becuase thats what she represents, but that doesn’t mean we represent what she represents. So with this project we felt it was time for a change, we didn’t put our picture on it and we just put it out, we just put it out and wanted to people who heard it for the first time, to hear it and just nothing else.”

When asked about the transition from going from Akon’s Konvict Music to an independent, route the group alluded to the politics of the music business as the reason for their fallout with Akon.

“I would say the transition of going through music business politics and us being non political people, we just didn’t fit in and now that we are able to go create our own world, our own vibe, our own language, our own slang, and our own sh*t. This is the sh*t we been preaching since we came into the business.”

In addition Planet VI’s production for some of the biggest acts on the planet, the group is working on their own material.

Tickets for the concerts will benefit both the United Way of New York City and the Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation.

According to Carnegie Hall’s website, “Concert goers will get a once in a lifetime experience as Jay-Z takes the stage at the New York landmark to raise dollars that will help fight poverty, boost on-time graduation rates in underserved New York City schools, and put college within reach for low-income students across the five boroughs.”

The tickets, which range from $150 to $15,000, can be purchased two ways. For high-end boxes starting at $15,000 and tickets priced from $2,500 to $5,000, contact www.jayzconcerts@uwnyc.org. For all tickets under $1,500, visit the Carnegie Hall website.

The history of Full Force’s impact on the music business will be explored during the one hour special, which explores the careers of group members Paul Anthony, Bow Legged Lou, Baby Gerry, B-Fine and Shy Shy.

The Full Force “Unsung” focuses on the legendary career of the family oriented group, who got their start opening for stars like James Brown and The Jackson 5, at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The hitmaking family group is credited with helping to pioneer the “New Jack Swing” style of R&B/Hip-Hop music, based on hit singles like “Roxanne, Roxanne” by UTFO, “Alice Can’t You See,” “Unfaithful,” “Temporary Love Thing,” “Your Love Is So Def,” “Aint My Type of Hype” and others.

“I think people are going to see our episode and say to themselves, ‘wow..I didn’t know that they worked with that person,” group member Baby Gerry told AllHipHop.com. “Hopefully people realize that we were kind of the ‘proto-type’ for today’s younger crop of producers- that kind of ‘Wild Style Hip-Hop,” with melodies and real songs over the top.”

Full Force’s rise to stardom as producers is chronicled as their work with artists like Backstreet Boys, Lil Kim, Lisa Lisa, Britney Spears, Rihanna, James Brown and a young Nicki Minaj is highlighted, since she was part of the group Hood Stars with Lou $tar, Bow Legged Lou’s son.

In 1990, the group experienced success on the big screen, as the villains in the classic Hip-Hop movie, House Party, which starred Kid-N-Play.

“Alway dream big and never give up on it. Also being able to humble yourself to situations,when you humble yourself all good things will follow and fall into place,” group member Curttt told AllHipHop.com.

The episode will also delve into group member Paul Anthony’s battle with an incurable form of cancer.

“I looked at my Blackberry and there were words like no cure, fatal,” Paul Anthony revealed. “The first thing I said, is I respect cancer, but I aint changing s**t. Me and my brothers went on a whirlwind adventure to find doctors. We went to one hospital and when we got there, the doctor introduced himself and said ‘I am Doctor Paul Anthony.’ I felt like it was a message. I looked at my doctor and I said ‘all of my life, I have bet on Paul Anthony. So I tell you what, I am going to bet on Paul Anthony.’”

Full Force “Unsung” debuts tonight (January 30) at 10:00 PM ET on TVOne.

RELATED: UK Week on AllHipHop.com: A UK Revolution!

The panelists for the 2011 roundtable debate included Charlie Sloth (DJ, BBC Radio 1Xtra / Radio 1), Posty (CEO, Grimedaily.com), Joseph ‘JP’ Patterson (Editor, MTV: The Wrap Up), Laura ‘Hyperfrank’ Brosnan (Music Journalist), Morgan Keyz (Music Video Director, SB.TV), and Nardene Scott (Senior Writer, RWD Magazine).

The show was to be hosted by BBC 1Xtra’s Vis. The group of hand-chosen UK urban experts chose artists based on biggest buzz, and the biggest impact on the UK scene. Panelists also reviewed who received the most attention from the media, who has the best flows and lyrics, and which MC is out there setting the trends.

RELATED: UK Week on AllHipHop.com: The Influence of Reggae on UK Rap

The chosen MCs from the UK were:

1. Wretch 32

2. K Koke

3. Professor Green

4. Chipmunk

5. Giggs

6. Ghetts

7. Lowkey

8. Skepta

9. Krept & Konan

10. DVS (co-ranked)

10. Blade Brown (co-ranked)

As it’s clear to see, one of the most well-known UK urban acts, Tinie Tempah, was not included in the controversial list. What are your thoughts on that? Watch the full show online at MTV’s urban destination, “The Wrap Up.”

Cardiak launched his career with the song “Start it Up” by Lloyd Banks ft Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Fabolous and Ryan Leslie.

Since then, Cardiak has been busy putting in work, most recently landing his second hit with “600 Benz,” featuring Wale and Rick Ross.

“I’ve been producing since 2008, but my success didn’t really pop off until I reached out to G-Unit and ‘Start it Up,’ with Lloyd Banks came out,” Cardiak told AllHipHop.com. “I just played the internet on Twitter and Facebook, just reaching out to A&Rs, remained humble, remained consistent and I really don’t talk much. I just thank God for all my success.”

The Willingborough, NJ producer is now consistently working with some of the top artists in the game.

In addition to contributing to Rick Ross’ upcoming official album God Forgives I Don’t, Cardiak is working with Fabolous on Loso’s Way 2, while securing work with G-Unit and Kid Ink.

“I got two joints on there from what he told me, both of the beats are mad different, and one of them is soul sample type joint, the other one is a some left field type shit, I’m just waiting for it to come out. I’ve been working with Fab on Loso’s Way 2, G-Unit, 50 Cent and Banks.”

Interestingly enough, while Cardiak’s music often sounds like anthems that were produced for arena’s, the producer has quite a small pre-production set up, to make his huge sounding hits.

“It really doesnt matter what you use these days as long as you got a talent.”

Cardiak’s production aesthetics come from his experiences with Kanye West in the studio.

“Well, you know he was on ‘Start it Up’ and I had the opportunity to work with him on ‘Watch the Throne,’ album. Unfortunately I didn’t make the album, but it was still a great experience, because I was in the studio with him. he’s real energetic and it even made me step my whole sh*t up working with Kanye,” Cardiak recalled.

The Native Tongue alums are retelling their story in the form of a newly created group under the “First Serve” concept – spolighting how, “after years of laying down demos and mixtapes on the hustle in the Hip-Hop game,” the fictional duo of Jacob and Deen have been signed to a label, set to become “the next big thing…

“Taking place in an animated world that could have been imagined by Hawley Pratt on Magic Mushrooms, the high spirited and often hilarious journey is pure old school Hip-Hop; skits, disco, beats, funk, quips, burns, and hustlin’ all included. Ain’t nothing gonna stop us now…”

Want more First Serve? The album is set to release April 2 on Duck Down Music in North America & Pias in all other territories. Check out the video for First Serve’s “Mrs. Whitter” below, along with some sneak peeks from the music and visuals:

“Pushin’ Aside, Pushin’ Along” (Video)

Mixtape Stream:

Visit First Serve on the Web at www.wearefirstserve.tumblr.com.

Police caught the rapper with a loaded, unregistered Taurus .9mm handgun.

Cory Gunz, born Peter Pankey Jr., is currently in custody in the Bronx.

His father, rapper Peter Gunz, told MTV News that his son was the victim of an illegal search.

“It was definitely an illegal search,” Peter Gunz told MTV News.

Peter Gunz further elaborated on his 24-year-old son’s arrest.

The rapper was exiting a cab when plain clothes officers aggressively approached him.

“He just got out of a cab and police ran up on him and they were in plainclothes,” Peter Gunz told the New York Daily News. “He didn’t know they were cops – he thought he was getting robbed.”

Peter Gunz said his son was currently in Central Booking, where he is being processed.

Although its his first offense, Corey’s father is worried that New York’s strict anti-gun laws will have an adverse affect on his son’s career.

The same laws sent Lil Wayne, the CEO of Young Money, Cory’s label, to jail for eight months in 2010.

“At the end of the day, there’s a reason for everything, but at the same time, in New York, it’s mandatory jail time,” Peter Gunz told MTV News. “To go to a precinct and see your son, your junior, in handcuffs, it’s heartbreaking. Anytime you see your child in jail, in the cell, in handcuffs, it’s very hard.”

Even though its his first offense, Cory Gunz faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 3 and 1/2 years in prison.

His next single will be titled “Rain” and will be a conceptual record, according to MGK.

“Its a deep song, It’s the opposite of ‘Wild Boys,’ very revolutionary,” Machine Gun Kelly told AllHipHop.com. “It’s a rebellion type of message so its kind of one of those joints like, it gives you three minutes to free yourself.”

According to MGK, “Rain” is a precursor to his first official album for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy imprint, which has signed the rapper to a two album deal.

“They gave me full creative control, I have control over everything in my project and it’s worked out for me well,” MGK told AllHipHop.com. “They let me grind, they didn’t hand me s**t. But Puff is like a big brother to me.”

Machine Gun Kelly also revealed that he will not release any more mixtapes until his debut release Lace Up for Bad Boy.

“I didn’t come here to the industry to make friends I came to make a change,” MGK said. “I am friends with the people who were with me when I was a nobody.”

Check out this exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com’s Mikey T below:

Led on the strength of his hit song, “Rack City,” Tyga is set to release his album Careless World – Rise of the Last King on February 21 after several delays and recent legal troubles.

Check out a full list of tour dates below:

02/17/12 Salt Lake City, UT (Maverick Center)
02/21/12 Atlanta, GA (Masquerade)
02/22/12 Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Revolution Live)
02/23/12 Tampa, FL (Ritz Ybor)
02/24/12 Gainsville, FL (The Vault)
02/26/12 Myrtle Beach, SC (House of Blues)
02/27/12 Charlotte, NC (The Filmore)
02/28/12 Philadelphia, PA (TLA)
02/29/12 New York, NY (Best Buy Theatre)
03/01/12 Boston, MA (Wilbur Theater)
03/02/12 New Haven, CT (Toad’s Place)
03/03/12 Providence, RI (Lupo’s)
03/04/12 Sayerville, NJ (Starland Ballroom)
03/05/12 Silver Springs, MD (The Filmore)
03/06/12 Cleveland, OH (House of Blues)
03/08/12 Des Moines, IA (Val Air Ballroom)
03/09/12 Toledo, OH (Omni)
03/10/12 Milwaukee, WI (The Rave)
03/11/12 Minneapolis, MN (Epic)
03/13/12 Detroit, MI (Royal Oak Music Hall)
03/15/12 Chicago, IL (Metro)
03/20/12 Denver, CO (Ogden)
03/21/12 Albuquerque, (NM Sunshine Theatre)
03/22/12 Tucson, AZ (The Rialto Theatre)
03/23/12 Phoenix, AZ (Clubhouse)
03/24/12 Santa Cruz, CA (The Catalyst)
03/25/12 Ventura, CA (Ventura Theatre)
03/26/12 San Luis Obispo, CA (The Graduate)
03/27/12 Sacramento, CA (Sunrise Event Center)
03/28/12 Santa Ana, CA (The Observatory)
03/29/12 San Francisco, CA (Regency)
03/30/12 San Diego, CA (House of Blues)
04/01/12 Los Angeles, CA (Club Nokia)
04/04/12 Pullman, WA (Washington State University)
04/06/12 Yakima, WA (Dos De Oro)
04/07/12 Seattle, WA (Showbox)
04/11/12 San Antonio, TX (White Rabbit)
04/12/12 Houston, TX (Warehouse)
04/13/12 Dallas, TX (Southside Music Hall)
04/14/12 Austin, TX (Emos East)
04/15/12 New Orleans, LA (Howlin Wolf)

Late last week, Alley Boy set the internet on fire with his song “I Want In.”

Many Hip-Hop fans thought Alley Boy was taking shots on the track, which showcases Alley letting Jeezy and T.I. know that he “wants in” on all the hit making thats going on between Jeezy and T.I..

“All that street sh*t? It’s over, game over/I’m the new king of the streets, no motivation, game over,” he spits. “F**k that snow sh*t/This hot sh*t/ In the A-town/This my sh*t,” Alley Boy says.

While the previous two lines suggest Alley Boy is not happy with Jeezy and T.I., Alley Boy told AllHipHop.com that there was no beef or rift between him and his famous counterparts.

“I did the ‘We Want In’ record,’ a lot of folks say its a shot at a ni**a man, but I don’t take shots man, when I take shots at a ni**a they gon’ be bleedin,’” Alley Boy told AllHipHop.com. “But at the end of the day, I say respect the way I feel about sh*t. I feel like f**k a ni**a, it’s my city, know what I’m saying?”

Many listeners questioned the beef, since Alley Boy was a guest feature on Young Jeezy’s ‘The Real is Back’ mixtape hosted by DJ Drama.

But Alley Boy didn’t mince his words and was clear that if the shoe fit, either rapper could wear it.

“Ain’t no bullsh*t in it, once I peep a ni**a character and I feel the ni**a aint real, I just go in on a ni**a, I dont give a f**k, its whatever, ni**as know what it is around the A,” Alley Boy explained to AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview during a listening session for “Nigganatti.”

Alley Boy made it clear that some of the more established acts refuse to work with artists like himself, who are garnering a street based following.

“You know man, it wasn’t no disrespect to none of the independent ni**as, you know what I’m saying, when I say what I say, its just for these bitch ass ni**as that be coming out here that don’t f**k with no street ni**as, they don’t f**k with no real ni**as, that was just my thing like, ni**a you needa f**k with a real nigga, or it is what it is, you get caught with the wrong person, you might get caught with the green light on you, so that was just me saying that,” Alley Boy concluded.

Young Jeezy and T.I. were not available for comment at press time.

T3 gained a special affinity for health after losing both of his Slum Village bandmates before they reached the age of 35.

The legendary Jay Dee, also known as J Dilla, in 2006 died after battling Lupus and a rare blood disorder called TTP. Baatin was diagnosed with bipolar schizophrenia, and died due to complications of drug use in 2009.

T3 says he started Mind Over Matter in their memory, so that families and friends don’t have to lose their loved ones as early as he did, as well as to help Black men change their attitudes towards overall health.

The goal of Mind Over Matter is to reach the African-American adult male in the 25 – 40 age spectrum.

“Everyone knows how important it is to be healthy,” T3 states, “but, not everyone is healthy or acting with a healthy mentality and behavior. In many of our communities, Black men spend so much time trying to make it in a complex society and handle business when it comes to their families and their business initiatives, that they have forgotten to take care of themselves.”

Mind Over Matter plans to offer an “Open Mic Speaker Series,” where T3 will talk openly about health issues that he and his Slum Village bandmates experienced.

The series will also offer information and solutions for how others can cope with health issues and care for loved ones diagnosed with mental health challenges.

“It’s tough to ‘hustle hard’ and accomplish your goals, when the mind and body are not healthy,” he added.

Mind Over Matter wants to reach Black men in a relevant and engaging manner, and T3 is available for panel discussions, speaking engagements and local performances to benefit health organizations. Reach T3 on Twitter (@T3SV).

The rapper took to Twitter to unveil the news with the following tweets: “Interscope, if you were wondering,” “Get used to me + jimmy smashing shit, cause thats the plan,” and “Album in june entitled ‘f*ck your life’ nah… not really its called ‘The New Classic’.”

Fans can expect Iggy Azalea’s major-label debut, The New Classic, to hit stores in June.

To get more familiar with Iggy, download her mixtape, Ignorant Art, here.

Check out her video for “My World” below:

As you may have heard, the video was shut down after gunfire erupted on set before Meek Mill, who is featured on the track, could arrive to shoot his part for the song. Police showed up almost instantly and shut the video shoot down. As of press time, no fatalities have been reported nor has an arrest been made.

Check back tomorrow for exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage from the video shoot.

Photos by Tim Sanchez

Check out the full gallery of pictures below:

The contest’s winner will be featured on the digital release of Ja’s upcoming album, Pain Is Love 2, which is currently set for release on February 28.

“Listen up music junkies! Here’s your chance to win win a feature spot on Ja Rule’s upcoming album, PIL2. Visit Ja Rule’s Facebook page now an download the a cappella of his new hit single “Parachute” and remix the song with your own twist. Submit your entry on his Facebook page by Friday, February 3rd. The top three remixes will be posted on Ja Rule’s Facebook page to be voted on by fans. Voting will take place on Monday, February 6th. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, February 7th and the winning remix will be featured as a bonus track on the digital download of PIL2.”

For rules and more information about the contest, visit Facebook.com/Mpiremusic.

Hosts Terrence J. and Rocsi will welcome a number of special guests during the “Young, Single and Parenting” 90-minute special, which will focus on issues affecting young parents, specifically African-American youth.

Rapper Don Trip will discuss his track “Letter To My Son,” while actor/poet Tray Chaney will explain the motivation behind his video “Fatherhood.”

The guests will be joined by in-studio experts, Dr. Michelle and Dr. Tartt.

“We are proud of our place as the only daily source of Black Youth culture on television and we know it’s about more than music, celebrities and fun,” said Stephen Hill, BET’s President of Music Programming and Specials. “On 106 & Park, we’ve taken the time to discuss relationship violence, teen body image issues, AIDS prevention and other topics relevant to our audience. Many in our audience are young parents and need more information and guidance than they’re getting about how to work through certain issues; not the least of which is working on the relationship with the other parent for the benefit of the child. It’s our hope that this special edition of 106 & PARK will help strengthen young families.”

Both doctors will answer questions live from the audience during the special, which will air on January 30 at 6:00pm.

For more information on 106 & Park Presents: “Young, Single & Parenting,” visit BET.com/106Cares

Shown live on Ustream, the interactive experience allowed young voters to witness top political, music, and media pundits voice their opinions on President Obama’s State of the Union Address.

#BarackTalk 2012 was highlighted by three discussion panels featuring Dee-1 (rapper/activist), RhymeFest (hip-hop artist), Chuck Creekmur (AllHipHop.com), Janee Bolden (Bossip.com), Andreas Hale (TheWellVersed.com), Shaheem Reid (MTV and XXL), Michael Skolnik (GlobalGrind.com), and more. Viewers joined the conversation by tweeting #BarackTalk, with panelists answering their questions. During the event, the Ustream viewer count exceeded 32,000 viewers.

Additional partners included Cashmere Agency, UStream, TurboVote, Busboys and Poets, Sierra Club, Energy Action Coalition, Green for All, USSA, Black Youth Project, and Headcount. The event was funded in part by the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

Check out the recap video below of all of the festivities and lively discussion from Tuesday’s event.

The viewing will be held in the Los Angeles, California, area in Inglewood. A private funeral for James is scheduled for Saturday (January 28) in Gardena, also located in the Los Angeles area. The Rev. Al Sharpton will be on hand to deliver the eulogy.

News of the funeral comes after James died last Friday (January 22) following a struggle with various health issues, including leukemia and dementia. She was 73.

James is best known for her influential singing voice and recording of the song “At Last.” Since her death, sales of the vocalist’s music has surged, with her overall catalog of albums selling 30,000 copies for the week ending Sunday, January 22, a 378 percent increase over the previous week, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In addition, James’ 1997 greatest hits collection, Her Best, debuted on Billboard 200 at No. 59. “At Last” re-entered the Billboard Digital Songs chart at No. 29 with 63,000 downloads.

The family of Etta James requests that any donations be sent to the Rhythm & Blues Foundation in Philadelphia.

Appearing onscreen in a segment called “Nemo’s Advice,” Snoop Dogg recalled Kardashian’s past relationships with NFL star Reggie Bush and R&B vocalist Ray J, as he argued in favor of Humphries who he believes should have avoided marrying Kardashian.

“Advice for Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian? The first advice, you dumb a** n*gga, you shouldn’t have tried to wife the b*tch, man. She’s not that type of a h*e. She gets around man,” the rapper conveyed in the 59-second clip. “You see when Reggie took the b*tch to Africa, she was lookin’ at the Africans because they had bigger d*cks than his. He didn’t know how to act afterwards.”

Despite Snoop Dogg’s passion, the entertainer’s advice comes a bit too late. Humphries and Kardashian were married in August in a highly-publicized wedding that generated high ratings for the E! network, which broadcast the event along with Kardashian’s hit reality show, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” The newly married couple ultimately filed for divorce 72 days later, triggering a backlash from fans and claims of the wedding being a publicity stunt.

Noting Kardashian’s affect on men, Snoop Dogg referenced Ray J as the only man that “bounced back from the b*tch.”

“She’s cold-blooded. I’m pretty sure she’ll have a book in a month talking about all the n*ggas that she got and how she played them,” Snoop says of Kim. “So, my advice is, look, you can’t make a h*e a housewife. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.”

To view the Snoop Dogg video, click HERE.

As part of a joint issue with the U.S. and the French postal service, La Poste, stamps honoring Davis and French singer Edith Piaf will be issued in 2012. Davis’ latest achievement comes more than 20 years after his death on September 28, 1991, in Santa Monica, Ca.

During his lifetime, the trumpeter became known as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century, and was instrumental in the creation of bebop, jazz fusion, cool jazz, and hard bop. Davis, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, also delved into Hip-Hop with his final studio album, Doo-Bop, on a collaboration with DJ/producer, Easy Mo Bee.

The posthumous honor for the musician was nothing more than “fitting” in the eyes of Lee Barham, chairman of the steering committee for the Miles Davis Jazz Celebration.

“Miles Davis was one of the greatest jazz musicians and trumpet players in the world. Before Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley, there was Miles Davis,” Barham told The Telegraph.

To listen to Miles Davis’ “The Doo-Bop Song”, click the link below:

The panel discussion is set to take place on February 11th and will give winners and nominees an opportunity to discuss songwriting and writing hit songs.

“How I Wrote That Song” is taking place at Los Angeles’ Key Club, where hip-hop icon Rev Run, Grammy nominee/producer/artist DJ Khaled, and Grammy winning songwriter/producer RedONe will discuss what it takes to consistently make hit records.

The discussion serves as a platform for panelists to discuss the process of writing, producing and performing hit songs.

Previous participants have included artists like will.i.am, T-Pain, Nas, Common, T-Pain, Keri Hilson, Cee Lo Green and super producer Chad Hugo (N.E.R.D., The Neptunes).

The conversation will be moderated by Catherine Brewton, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations and the panel is open to the public for those 18 years and up.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day-of the panel and can be purchased at http://www.keyclub.com/

Shaquille O’Neal will host the event, while Flo Rida will perform his latest hit single “Good Feeling” during the awards, which allows viewers to vote and honor their favorite sports stars and sports moments of the year.

The event, which is “geared towards kids,” will also feature a performance by Hot Chelle Rae, while a number of sports superstars are slated to appear.

Athletes like Victor Cruz, Rob Gronkowski, Hope Solo, Matthew Stafford, DeSean Jackson, Maya Gabeira and others will make appearances at the Hall of Game Awards.

Fans can log on to HallofGame.com now to vote for their favorite moments in sports.

So far, over 49 million votes have been tallied up.

The Second Annual Sports Awards Show will air Monday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. (ET/PT).

DJ Hurricane says the Rock Hall is snubbing DJ’s and hype men like himself and Flavor Flav, by not giving them their due recognition.

The DJ wants to bring to light the importance of supporting artists and their role in the success of their respective groups.

Despite the importance of the DJ and the hype man in a rapper’s live show and in the creation of music, many hip-hop fans often overlook their critical contributions.

According to DJ Hurricane, similar instances include DJ’s like DJ Spinderella (of Salt n’ Pepa) and Eric B (of Eric B and Rakim) and hype man Flavor Flav (of Public Enemy).

“That’s how it was back then. When you look at Jam Master Jay and Run DMC- Jay wasn’t under contract on the first 2 albums,” DJ Hurricane explained to AllHipHop.com in a statement.

According to Hurricane, in 1986 when the Beastie Boys were just gaining notoriety, they lost their original DJ amidst the Rasing Hell Tour, that featured Run D.M.C., LL Cool J and Whoodini.

The Beastie Boys went to Russell Simmons for help in finding a DJ, who in turn asked the late Jam Master Jay, who recommended DJ Hurricane.

Despite the “white rapper” stigma that DJ Hurricane says the Beastie Boys carried, DJ Hurricane went on to complete the rest of the tour and eventually became their permanent DJ.

DJ Hurricane would go on to tour with The Beastie Boys for the next 13 years, until 1999 when they officially parted ways.

Hurricane asserts that he wasn’t just a DJ for the Beastie Boys, but a more integral member, who received songwriting credit for the hit single, “Sure Shot.”

In a 1999 interview with The Beastie Boys, Adam “Ad Rock” Horovitz acknowledged Hurricane’s role in creating the “Sure Shot” track.

“We woke him up maybe around two a.m. And from bed he came up with the chorus and did it over the phone,” Ad Rock said.

“Ten months out of the year- I was on the road,” recalled DJ Hurricane. “And when you pull up the archive- I’m there. All I want is recognition, not money. A trophy would be correct; like a team that wins a Super Bowl; everyone gets a ring.”

Slaughterhouse’s welcome to: Our House will hit store shelves on May 15, with a national tour to precede the album’s release.

The group will embark on the 43-date tour beginning on March 8 in Dallas, Texas and running through May 3, where the tour will wrap up in Boston, Texas.

Joe Budden and Joell Ortiz recently spoke to AllHipHop.com about the different artistic and recording processes between their first self-titled album and welcome to: Our House. Check out that exclusive clip here.

See a full list of Slaughterhouse tour dates below:

March 8, 2012—Southside (Dallas, TX)
March 9, 2012—House of Blues (Houston, TX)
March 10, 2012—Beauty Ballroom (Austin, TX)
March 11, 2012 – White Rabbit (San Antonio, TX)
March 16, 2012—House of Blues (Myrtle Beach, SC)
March 17, 2012—Beachem Theater (Orlando, FL)
March 18, 2012—Revolution (Miami, FL)
March 22, 2012—Masquerade (Atlanta, GA)
March 23, 2012—The Cannery (Nashville, TN)
March 24, 2012—The Fillmore (Charlotte, NC)
March 25, 2012—SoundStage (Baltimore, MD)
March 26, 2012—Wilbur Theatre (Boston, MA)
March 27, 2012—Trocadero Theatre (Philadelphia, PA)
March 28, 2012—9:30 Club (Washington D.C.)
March 29, 2012—Best Buy Theater (New York, NY)
March 31, 2012—Lava Lounge (Bowling Green, KY)
April 1, 2012—Metro (Chicago, IL)
April 2, 2012—Royal Oak Music Theatre (Detroit, MI)
April 5, 2012—The Clubhouse (Tempe, AZ)
April 6, 2012—Music Box (Los Angeles, CA)
April 7, 2012—The Regency Ballroom (San Francisco, CA)
April 8, 2012—Hard Rock Cafe (Las Vegas, NV)
April 9, 2012—The Galaxy (Santa Ana, CA)
April 10, 2012—Porters Pub (San Diego, CA)
April 11, 2012—Velvet Jones (Santa Barbara, CA)
April 14, 2012—Showbox at the Market (Seattle, WA)
April 16, 2012—Harry O’s (Salt Lake City, UT)
April 17, 2012 – Sunshine Theatre (Albuquerque, NM)
April 18, 2012—Bluebird (Denver, CO)
April 19, 2012—Fox Theatre (Boulder, CO)
April 20, 2012— TBD
April 21, 2012—Granada (Lawrence, KS)
April 22, 2012—Epic (Minneapolis, MN)
April 24, 2012—Rave (Milwaukee, WI)
April 25, 2012—Kalamazoo Theatre (Kalamazoo, WI)
April 26, 2012—The Vogue (Indianapolis, IN)
April 27, 2012— TBD
April 28, 2012—House of Blues (Cleveland, OH)
April 29, 2012—Omni (Toledo, OH)
April 30, 2012—Headliners (Louisville, KY)
May 1, 2012—Toad’s Place (New Haven, CT)
May 2, 2012—Lupos (Providence, RI)
May 3, 2012—Wilbur Theater (Boston, MA)