VH1 will premier a four-part documentary tonight (June 12) that examines the rise of illicit drug use in America and its impact on pop culture. Produced in association with The Sundance Channel, VH1’s The Drug Years provides an analysis of the commercial drug culture in America by exploring how popular influences, including music and television, […]

Afeni Shakur and the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation have announced the Tupac Legacy Tour, which will feature well known artists performing songs from the late rapper’s catalog. Due to begin in Los Angeles this fall, the 25-date cross country tour will feature artists celebrating the life of Tupac backed by a live band. DJ’s will […]

Hip-Hop duo dead prez was honored last week at this year’s Imagenation’s Revolution! Awards. The second annual event, which was held at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, recognizes artists and industry leaders of color who use their work as vehicles for social change, to foster solidarity and blaze new trails. "Dead prez is tremendously proud […]

Rapper Eric "Lil’ Eazy-E" Wright Jr. was arrested near Compton, California last night (June 10), after authorities stopped vehicle for a traffic violation and found him to be in possession of a firearm police officers said. Wright and two other unidentified men were also arrested, one for possession of a firearm and the other for […]

A date for a retrial in the wrongful death lawsuit of the late Notorious B.I.G. has been set. The Associated Press reports the retrial will be October 16. U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper, who made the ruling Thursday (June 8), ordered the plaintiff and defense attorneys to continue the information-sharing process in preparation for the […]

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), along with Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) and Billboard will announce a new Gold and Platinum Award, recognizing sales of mobile ring tones. The event will take place on June 14 at the Time Warner Center in New York, at which point 128 different racks will be […]

Tracks from R&B singer/actor Tyrese "Black Ty" Gibson’s new dual-disc LP Alter Ego have been leaked to the Internet. According to sources, several songs from the double disc set were leaked. The album features Tyrese recording R&B songs on disc one, while the second disc introduces his new rap moniker "Black Ty" and will only […]

Hollywood actor Bruce Willis has executive produced an inspirational documentary about inner city youth and the power of Hip-Hop culture. TheWord.Life: The Hip Hop Project features Willis, alongside MTV’s Sway and Hip-Hop pioneers Russell Simmons and Doug E. Fresh, and chronicles several years in the life of New York City teenagers who transform their life […]

Miami rapper Rick Ross and singing duo Nina Sky will grace the cover of The Fader Magazine’s summer music issue. The edition, which features a look at what’s hot in music for the summer, will be the first full magazine posted on iTunes and featured on iTune’s “New and Notable” podcast section. Although the magazine’s […]

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, Brookyln rap icon Jay-Z will take the stage June 25 for a one-night only concert at New’s York’s Radio City Music Hall. The Def Jam Recordings President will perform songs from the album in their entirety. The concert marks a milestone for Jay-Z, who […]

Fabolous has finally made the leap into fashion with his new clothing collection, Ric Yung, a line he said would evoke a classic look with a Hip-Hop twist. “It’s the hottest s**t in a minute. If anybody likes the classic Polo from back in the days, this is about to be a new Polo for […]

A variety of Texas rap legends will unite and pay homage to the late pioneer DJ Screw at the first annual DJ Screwfest and Car Show. The event takes place July 22 at the Pasadena Convention Center & Fairgrounds in Houston. Confirmed performers include various members of DJ Screw’s Screwed Up Click, as well as […]

Atlanta singer Sleepy Brown is set to release his debut album Mr. Brown this fall via Purple Ribbon/Virgin Records. The new LP features production by Brown and his group Organized Noize, as well as the Neptunes and the Black Eyed Peas. Guest artists include Big Boi of Outkast and Erick Sermon, among others. The disc […]

Rapper/actress Queen Latifah was on hand yesterday (June 7) to welcome the arrival of the first annual National Women’s Day on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C. Latifah, along with the YWCA USA, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and VF Intimates’ Curvation(R) brand, acknowledged the day, which helps raise awareness for, and celebrate the positive impact […]

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will celebrate its fifth anniversary June 14 by ringing the opening bell of the NASDAQ Stock Market in Times Square, New York. HSAN Chairman Russell Simmons and HSAN President/CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis will do the honors at the NASDAQ Stock Market, the largest U.S. electronic stock market with over 3,000 […]

British conservative leader David Cameron is speaking out about the damaging effects of Hip-Hop music in the UK. Cameron, who made his views known Tuesday (June 6) at a British Society of Magazine Editors event, accused BBC Radio 1 of encouraging knife and gun violence through its airing of rap music. He singled out the […]

A spokesman for Sony Records has confirmed that Three 6 Mafia Member Crunchy Black has severed his relationship with the Academy Award winning group. Although there was no reason given for his sudden exodus, the Sony representative indicated that Crunchy (real name Darnell Carlton) made the decision to leave on his own and that he […]

In a special edition of The Economist Magazine, the managing director of Louis Roderer Cristal addressed the popularity of the brand amongst Hip-Hop artists. In an article titled “Bubbles & Bling” in a special Summer 2006 issue, Frédéric Rouzaud, the managing director of Cristal, stated that the company observes its association with the rap world […]

Czar Entertainment CEO Jimmy "Henchmen" Rosemond was sentenced Tuesday (June 6) to three years of unsupervised probation and fined $2,500 for his role in an incident involving a Washington disc jockey. Several of Rosemond’s supporters, including his business partner Bryce Wilson, Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit’s Shakim Compere, Czar Entertainment staff, close friends, and family, were […]

Manchester United soccer star Wayne Rooney reportedly paid £150,000 pounds at David and Victoria Beckham’s recent World Cup charity auction so he and fiancé Coleen McLoughlin could party with industry mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs in New York. Diddy boasted to the VIPs at the Beckhams’ Full Length and Fabulous bash, which raised 2 million pounds […]