Rapper Snoop Dogg has been tapped to host the MTV Europe Music Awards this November in Munich, Germany. Acts that will perform during the evening include veteran rock group Foo Fighters, as well as British pop singer Mika. “I’ve called up the homeys from East to West and I guarantee it’s gonna be off the chain, ya dig,” Snoop Dogg said of the awards. According to reps, this year MTV is introducing a new category to “decide the New Sound of Europe.” Fans will decided and vote what artist was the breakthrough act is on the continent. The MTV Europe Music Awards take place November 1.
Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will present the “Get Your Money Right” financial empowerment summit at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, N.C. Simmons will be joined by artists like 9th Wonder, Anthony Hamilton, Keith Murray, Belly, Terrence J and Rocsi of BET, Dr. Benjamin Chavis and others. “In light of the current economic climate, one of the most urgent issues facing young adults today is the issue of having a firm financial foundation,” said HSAN founder Russell Simmons. “Hip-Hop is about personal and social transformation. The theme ‘Get Your Money Right’ is not some rhetorical gesture. This is a real issue and we are talking about providing real solutions that attendees at the Hip-Hop Summit can use for the rest of their lives.” The event takes place on September 8 and is free and open to the public. Doors open at noon, while the Summit takes place from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Rap diva Lil’ Kim became the center of attention Thursday (Aug. 30) as New York police officers stopped her for driving without a license. According to the New York Post, the 33-year-old former Junior Mafia member (born Kimberly Denise Jones) was pulled over by authorities as she drove her Lamborghini into a gas station at 50th Street and 11th Avenue. During this time, officers noticed that Jones did not have her driver’s license. Although the Lamborghini had a temporary out-of-state registration, Jones’ lawyer, Bernie Jackson, arrived on the scene to pick up his angry client and drive off in the vehicle. Jones later posed with and signed autographs for fans after the incident, which comes as the rapper prepares to host a celebrity charity basketball game in December.
The fallout from a recent police raid on his home still hangs over DMX as the rapper may have to answer for three dogs that were found dead at the residence. The Arizona Republic reports that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will send the carcasses of the canines to a forensics scientist in Atlanta to determine their cause of death. “That could be important evidence in our case,” Arpaio said. “The results of the necropsies will be used as evidence for possible charges of animal cruelty.” Although DMX is a possible suspect in the case, the question remains as to whether the rapper (born Earl Simmons), the home’s caretaker, Brad Blackwell or someone else is responsible for not feeding and watering the dogs According to deputies, Blackwell told them Aug. 22 that he warned Simmons that he could feed and water the dogs for “just a couple of days.” A sheriff’s search warrant confirmed that Blackwell was going on vacation Aug. 23.
