MTV Renews “Making the Band,” Dylan Facing Jail Time
MTV officially picked up “Making the Band” for a third season, the network announced.The new season will feature the group Sean “P.Diddy” Combs put together, Da Band.The show will feature the group living in Combs’ luxury apartment on New York City’s Upper East side.The show started taping in Atlanta in November. Da Bands debut album, […]

Police Arrest “Dipset” Gang Members In Upstate New York
Police in upstate New York arrested 12 people linked to the gang “Dipset,” named after rap group The Diplomats hit song “Dipset Anthem.”The gang, which is comprised of 40-50 teenagers, is suspected in as many as 12 slayings in the Rochester, New York area.In recent months, police infiltrated the group, which operated in a neighborhood […]
The Lex Diamond Story
Artist: RaekwonTitle: The Lex Diamond StoryRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Toshi Kondo There will never be another Only Built 4 Cuban Linx . So get over it and stop comparing it to Raekwons third solo release, The Lex Diamond Story. Despite telling myself this, thirteen different producers, generic-ass Ice Water shout outs, and the lack of concepts […]

Fred “Rerun” Berry Passes At Age 52
Fred "Rerun" Berry, star of the hit 70’s situation comedy "What’s Happening!" has passed away at age 52, apparently by natural causes. Friends said that Berry had been in ill health and the legendary actor/dancer had recently suffered a stroke. "What’s Happening!" ran from 1976-1979 and was based on Eric Monte’s 1975 smash movie, "Coolie […]

A Call Out to Defari: An Editorial on Race and Criticism
"I’m out here trying to get shows and a lot of these dudes are taking my money you understand? It’s like a lot of these cats are taking my money. The Ugly Ducklings, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, and all this s### that I ain’t even heard of. I guess it’s a lot of these young kids […]

The Source Wins Court Ruling, Will Issue Eminem CD
The Source magazine won a court case that will allow them to include a snippet CD of racist remarks the rapper made against African-Americans.U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Lynch said the magazine can publish up to :20 seconds of the CD and ruled that the usage of the snippets fall into fair use of copyrighted […]

Three 6 Mafia: Nuff Respect Due
Before David Banner rode his Cadillac on 22s, they were Ridin Spinners. Before Lil Jon got crunk, they tore the club up. And before Bone Crusher said he was Never Scared, they told people, Dont Be Scared. They are the Three 6 Mafia. But the Hypnotize Minds headliners arent out reaching for recognition. They dont […]

Quincy QDIII Jones III: Renaissance Man
You ever look at directly at the sun? One blinding light in the hip hop universe that is and has been doing extraordinary things is Quincy Jones III. Better known as QDIII this man has been a visionary in hip hop and the complete music industry for nearly twenty years. His father, the pioneering legend […]

Trick Daddy Pleads Guilty
Maurice “Trick Daddy” Young pled guilty to felony cocaine and weapons charges, avoiding prison time.By pleading guilty, the most serious charge of aggravated assault with a firearm was reduced to a misdemeanor.Young also pled guilty to possession of cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon.The rapper must make 24 free appearances to warn […]

Outkast, Rosa Parks Close To Reaching Settlement
Rosa Parks is close to reaching a settlement with Outkast. The settlement would end a five year battle between the two parties over the song “Rosa Parks.”Under terms of settlement, Outkast’s record label Arista will produce CD’s and DVD’s aimed at educating hip-hop fans about Parks and the struggle for civil rights in Montgomery, Alabama.Arista […]

Method Man And Redman To Star In TV Show
Method Man and Redman will star in an untitled television comedy based on an idea by Method Man.According to The Hollywood Reporter, the untitled project stars the rappers as themselves, living in a white suburb of New Jersey.Things go sour for the fun loving duo when Method Man’s mother moves into the house.”It’s a very […]

50 Cent Sued By Actor
50 Cent was hit with a lawsuit by an acto who claims his bodyguards roughed him up on the set of a music video.Jamarr Isom claims 50’s bodyguards punched him in the face during a video shoot in Manhattan Beach, California.Isom said the incident started when he was waiting for his wardrobe with several other […]

Eminem Book And Artwork On The Way
A new book on rapper Eminem has hit the stores, titled “White Noise: The Eminem Collection.”The book focus isn’t about Eminem as much as it is about what others have written about him.The book takes excerpts from newspaper articles and websites, in an attempt to show his influence on American culture.The book examines all sides […]

Lebanese Man Says U.S. Troops Used Rap As Torture
A Lebanese man that said he went on a pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Iraq and was instead detained by U.S. troops, alleges the troops used loud rap music to torture him.Mohammed Jaber said an Iraqi cab driver handed him and three friends over for $100, claiming they were fighters for Saddam Hussein’s fallen […]
David Banner Makes Throwback Honoring Teen Murdered In 1955
Mississippi’s David Banner is representing all sides of the state that he hails from, including reminders of the hardships African-Americans faced in their attempt to obtain civil rights in the United States.Banner is launching a line of throwback Jersey’s that will honor the murder of Emmitt Till, a teenager who was murdered in 1955 for […]

Financial Dispute Arises Over Three 6 Mafia’s “Choices” Sequel
While there is considerable anticipation surrounding the sequel to Three 6 Mafia’s “Choices,” one of the top selling VHS/DVD releases of 2001, members of the film’s crew aren’t happy with the companies that are producing “Choices 2.”Neal L. Fredericks, who is working as Director of Photography on the film and was the eye behind the […]

How to be a FAMOUS Rapper
After years of being a fan and over a decade of being in the industry, I’ve finally figured it out. There are only a few things to do to gain the status of “FAMOUS RAPPER” and they’ll work at any level, be it local or across the globe. 1)Be generic. Have a look that anyone […]

Rhyme Night Heading To Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Xzibit and Contrabandit.com are taking their “Rhyme Night” unsigned hip-hop talent showcase to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Taking place at the Parkbar on January 4, “Rhyme Night” will be hosted by MTV’s Real World television show alumni, Teck Money, who recently launched his own rap group, The Firemen.The event’s co-founder, Ryan Ford, said he hoped to highlight the […]

Mr. Len Pays Tribute To Company Flow
Mr. Len is preparing to release Class-X A Tribute to Company Flow, an album filled with unreleased and hard to find tracks by his former group, Company Flow.The album, which drops on Len’s newly formed imprint Smacks Records, features 17 tracks, of which five have never been released.Len also continues Company Flow’s tradition of innovative […]

Westside Connection Debuts High, Takes Over T.V.
The latest album from Westside Connection, Terrorist Threats moved more than 136,000 Copies its first week on the shelves and was the higest debuting rap album of the week.The album, a follow up to 1996’s Bow Down, landed at number 16 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album’s chart.The group, which features W.C., Ice Cube and Mack […]