Frank Lucas may be Hollywood’s man of the moment via Denzel Washington’s portrayal of him in the film American Gangster, but the former Harlem drug lord is anything but that, according to the widow of Johnson’s mentor Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson.   In her new book Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, […]

The family of superstar rapper Kanye West are making funeral arrangements for Dr. Donda Williams-West in Oklahoma City, who passed away on Saturday.   A spokesperson for Howard-Harris Funeral home told KOCO Channel 5 in Oklahoma City that the family had contacted them in preparation for Dr. West’s funeral. Kanye West released the following statement:”Kanye […]

Rapper C-Murder is hitting the ground running after an overturned prison conviction with a forthcoming DVD and album.   The DVD, titled The Movement, finds the artist (born Corey Miller) offering fans a peek into his current mind state as he gears up for the release of his first album in five years, Screamin’ 4 […]

Syndicated radio personality Big Tigger has signed on to be the official DJ of the NBA’s Washington Wizards.   Tigger, born Darius Morgan, will provide the music for each one of the home games, as well as entertain the crowd.   “I am very pleased to be working with the Washington Wizards’ organization,” Big Tigger […]

Koch Records has signed Brooklyn-based Hip-Hop label Fat Beats to a physical and digital distribution deal.   Fat Beats, which was established in 1994, originally launched as a record store, but soon turned into a critically acclaimed record label, releasing projects from artists like Atmosphere, Edo G. & Pete Rock, Afu Ru, Krs-One and others. […]

Chicago rapper Common has partnered with Lincoln to promote the 2008 Navigator.Common will be featured in a number of advertisements and promotional activities with Common’s community outreach programs.The rapper will appear in national TV, radio and print advertisements.The first spot, titled “Common,” will debut nationwide on November 25 during NFL Sunday Night Football on NBC.Lincoln […]

West Coast rapper/actor Xzibit has landed a high profile role in Oliver Stone’s upcoming war drama titled Pinkville.   According to the Hollywood Reporter, Xzibit will join an all-star cast that includes Woody Harrelson, Bruce Willis and Channing Tatum.   Pinkville centers around the 1968 My Lai Massacre in Vietnam.   Willis stars as Army […]

Dr. Donda West, Kanye West’s mother, suddenly died last night, individuals close to the rapper confirmed.The cause of death was not released immediately, but she was reportedly in the Los Angeles area when she died. Early reports suggest Dr. West’s death may have been the result of some form of surgical procedure. Those reports have […]

Hot 97 on-air radio personality Angie Martinez is moving beyond the airwaves to give listeners a chance to learn about and utilize hair and beauty tips.   The New York-based DJ, along with Covergirl® Queen Collection, Akademiks and Hot 97, will present the first annual Angie Martinez Hair Show & Beauty Expo on Nov. 24 […]

Public Enemy leader Chuck D and rapper/producer Kanye West are among the nominees for the inaugural J.A.M. Awards.The event, which will take place Nov. 29 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, is the latest endeavor from the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music, an organization created in honor of the late Run DMC […]

Brooklyn Hip-Hop mainstays Boot Camp Clik will embark upon a seven city tour of Canada this month.   Buckshot, Smif N Wessun, Heltah Skeltah and Sean Price will perform new material from their albums Last Stand and Casualties of War, as well as material from their legendary catalog.   The tour kicks of Thursday November […]

Amaru Entertainment has announced the official release of two new posthumous CD’s from slain rapper Tupac Shakur.   The best of 2Pac – Part 1: Thug and The Best of 2Pac – Part 2: Life are two separate retrospective CD’s that will land in stores this December.   Each album was assembled by Tupac’s mother […]

Houston, Texas Hip-Hop stars Paul Wall and Chamillionaire officially ended their long-running feud last night at Texas State University.   Chamillionaire is the headlining act on BET’s Black College Tour.   He took to the stage last night at Texas State University and stunned over 2,000 fans when he brought former rival Paul Wall out […]

Rapper Common is taking his support of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama to the next level, by appearing in first in a series of celebrity public service announcements.   The newly launched effort, called ‘Get-Out-The-Vote 4 Obama, is the brainchild of Vote Hope, a new statewide political network committed to raising voter turnout in California […]

Chart-topping rapper T.I. has dropped a request to allow extra guests into his house for a Thanksgiving Day celebration.   T.I., born Clifford Harris, dropped the request today (November 8), citing strong opposition from prosecutors handling the high profile case.    Prosecutors claimed that T.I. was seeking special treatment and said that since his release, […]

Rapper/actor Ludacris will bring his own brand of action to the stage this weekend, as part of the LG Action Sports World Championships.   The event, which is scheduled to take place Nov. 9 – 11 at the Reunion Arena in Dallas, is the culmination of the 2007 competition season for skateboarding, BMX, inline skating […]

Larry Smith, the seminal producer for acts like Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and Whodini, has suffered a stroke that has hospitalized him.The debilitating stroke has rendered the 50-something Smith bedridden and the St. Albans, Queens native is currently unable to speak, according to close friend/rapper Duane “Spyder D” Hughes, who is 47 years old.“The doctor’s […]

Jay-Z is on pace to top the Rolling Stones for the most #1 albums, as his American Gangster stands to top the Billboard Top 200 album chart next week.   According to Nielsen Soundscan, American Gangster has moved almost 179,000 copies on Tuesday, topping Chris Brown’s second album Exclusive, The Eagles Long Road Out of […]

Rappers Kanye West and The Beastie Boys have teamed with over 100 other celebrities who will design lunch boxes to raise money for two non-profit hunger relief organizations.   Kanye West, The Beastie Boys, Gwyneth Paltrow, Yoko Ono, Elton John, John Mayer, Zac Posen Mike Myers and hundreds of others will create personalized lunchboxes, which […]