Rick Ross: On The Real
It is said that each year in the music industry is equivalent to three normal years. If that’s the case, then Rick Ross is way beyond a new artist – he’s a veteran. Most of the time, when neophytes drop records, the fans and the industry are typically interested in one thing: is that person […]

Diddy’s Celebrity Cooking Showdown Canceled
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Celebrity Cooking Showdown, a reality series created by the Hip-Hop mogul and Ben Silverman, has been canceled by NBC. The show, hosted by Alan Thicke, featured various celebrities including singer Patti LaBelle, model Cindy Margolis and actor Tom Arnold in a boot camp-style race to complete a fancy meal before a frenzied […]

Rapper Freeway Finishing ‘Free At Last,’ Kicking Off Mixtape Tour
Roc-A-Fella rapper Freeway is hard at work on his upcoming album Free At Last, co-executive produced by longtime friend and Def Jam CEO Jay-Z and G-Unit President 50 Cent. The album is slated to drop July 25 and features guest appearances by several Roc-A-Fella and G-Unit members, including 50 Cent, Young Buck and State Property. […]

Jive Records, BMI and Shine Network Launch National Tour Seeking Talent
Jive Records, BMI and Shine Network have joined forces to launch a national tour to find the next big star. The tour, which kicks off in Oakland, Calif., April 30, will showcase the best talent in each area as they perform for industry executives with hopes of walking away with a record deal with Jive, […]

Public Enemy Rapper Chuck D. Launching New Mobile Company
Public Enemy front man Chuck D is entering the wireless communication market with his new mobile-content aggregation company, Chuck D Mobile. The goal of the service, launched earlier this month at the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Wireless Show in Las Vegas, is to wirelessly distribute music and videos to cell phones. The rapper is working […]

Hill Harper: Higher Education
Actor Hill Harper has made his mark in television as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on the hit show CSI: New York, and has taken on memorable roles in movies such as In Too Deep and He Got Game. Although the Iowa native has dozens of movies and television shows under his belt, he has even more […]

40 Glocc: Empire Strikes Back
A s Mobb Deep gears up for their smashing comeback, one of the members of their entourage may look familiar to West Coast Hip-Hop fans. 40 Glocc has taken a personal investment in P and Havoc, and parlayed his own career to the G-Unit label. Unlike your usual rapper support-system, 40 Glocc is hardly waiting […]

E-40: Big Ballin’ With My Homies
M ajor labels are looking at the Bay Area the same way that baseball scouts are eyeing up the Dominican Republic. Just as he did 14 years ago, Earl E-40 Stevens spearheaded a movement that attracted major attention out West. The one-time Gold Rush is replaced with a Hyphy train. On the heels of his […]

Fort Minor Member Mike Shinoda Lands NBA Commercial On TNT
Fort Minor, the hip-hop side project of Linkin Park member Mike Shinoda, will unveil a new song to promote TNT’s post-season coverage of the NBA playoffs. The track, titled "Remember the Name," features Styles of Beyond, a collective on Linkin Park’s Machine Shop record label, counting down a formula for success as they declare, "This […]

Jay-Z Associate Pleads Guilty In R. Kelly Pepper-Spray Incident
A close associate of Jay-Z pleaded guilty yesterday (April 24) to disorderly conduct for pepper-spraying R&B crooner R. Kelly during the duo’s The Best of Both Worlds Tour in 2004. Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith, vice president of Def Jam Records and friend of rapper Jay-Z, stood trial in a Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday regarding the […]

Marc Ecko Files First Amendment Lawsuit Against NYC & Mayor Bloomberg
Fashion designer and entrepreneur Marc Ecko announced the filing of a First Amendment lawsuit yesterday against the Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Councilman Peter Vallone and the City of New York. Filed on behalf of seven artists under the age of 21, Ecko’s lawsuit challenges anti-graffiti legislation that directly impacts the First Amendment rights of young citizens […]

Jonathan “JR” Rotem: So Amazing
I ts often the strongest that move the quietest. So while ultimate hustler wannabees and your favorite superstars weed carriers party their lives away, the cats who actually create this music we diddy-bop to are pulling long hours in the studio, away from all the hooplah, doling out the hits that keep this machine going. […]

Warren G: The Funky Child
W arren G may not be signed to a major anymore, he may no longer have the best selling album in the country; but his presence never falters in the booth or behind the boards. The independently released, In the Mid-Nite Hour encouraged a different direction in production to what is generally expected from the […]

The Black Eyed Peas Host The Peapod Benefit Concert In South Africa
Hip-Hop trio The Black Eyed Peas are set to host The Peapod Benefit Concert in South Africa, the first major event for the group’s non-profit organization The Peapod Foundation. The concert will be held May 28 in South Africa’s Johannesburg Stadium at Ellis Park. Local South African artists and dancers will also participate in the […]

Black and Male in America
I read the recent New York Times cover story, “Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn,” with a great deal of pain and sadness. As a Black man who is in his late 30s, I have literally encountered every dilemma documented: I am the product of a single-mother led household, fatherlessness, horrific poverty, omnipresent violence […]

The Outlawz And dead prez Unite for New Album
The Outlawz and political rap duo dead prez are hooking up to record a new album titled Can’t Sell Dope Forever. Featuring appearances from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Layzie Bone and Messy Marv, the project aims to spark dialogue, while urging unity, power and progression in the streets. The album title was inspired by Miseducated Society, […]

Nelly Teams With Richmond Braves For Celebrity Softball Game
Grammy Award winning rapper Cornell “Nelly” Haynes, Jr. will be heading to Richmond, Va., next month to team up with the Richmond Braves minor league baseball team, for a celebrity softball game to raise money for inner city youth. The event is scheduled to take place May 2 at The Diamond as part of Nelly’s […]

Alternative News: Trey Songz’ Lawyer Comments On R&B Singer’s Recent Arrest
Trey Songz’ lawyer released a statement regarding the Virginia R&B singer’s riff with law officials at Clark Atlanta University. Songz, born Tremain Neverson, was arrested April 6 by the Clark Atlanta Police Department on charges of obstruction of law enforcement and disorderly conduct. The singer and his lawyer, Attorney Curtis L. Hubbard, Jr., deny the […]

Family of Slain Bouncer ‘Terrified’ For Safety, Struggling To Pay For Funeral
The family of the man allegedly shot by Detroit rapper Proof voiced concern for their safety following a shooting earlier this month. Police say Keith Bender Jr., 35, died April 18 after being shot by the D12 member at the CCC nightclub on 8 Mile Road. Proof (born DeShaun Holton) was also killed during the […]

Brandon Watson: Friendly Game of Baseball
The Beastie Boys Mike D compared his string of hits to Rod Carews in the 1994 single, Sure Shot. Phife Dawg made a similar simile, comparing A Tribe Called Quest to the Braves and the Yankees on 1993s Award Tour. However, ever since baseball went on strike in 94, it seems Abner Doubledays invention may […]