The mother of deceased rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard and his manager have announced plans for a new record label and other related business ventures. Dirty’s mother Cherry Jones and longtime manager Jarred Weisfeld have formed JC Records (Jarred Cherry Records), a division of AGU music, and are planning the first posthumous release from Ol’ Dirty […]

Kanye West’s single “Jesus Walks,” previously on heavy radio rotation, has incited debate over the use of the word “Jesus” and the role of religion in secular music, a topic West addressed directly in a “60 Minutes” interview to air Wednesday (Dec. 8). West, known for his upbeat rhymes, told “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon […]

Common, geto boys, kweli, david banner Chicago-bred Emcee Common says he still enjoys old school hip-hop, which plays a significant role in his upcoming album, expected in 2005. “I usually go back and listen to a lot of old hip-hop to inspire me, whether it be Nas’ Illmatic or Only Built for Cuban Links by […]

A judge in the Surrogate Court has granted control of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s estate to his widow, Icelene Jones, as she and ODB’s mother, Cherry Jones, continue to battle over the deceased rapper’s assets. Icelene, mother to three of ODB’s (born Russell Jones) children, was reportedly estranged from ODB for years since their 19-year marriage, […]

Legendary singer Stevie Wonder recently criticized Eminem’s spoof of pop icon Michael Jackson in the "Just Lose It" music video, which has come under fire of late. "Kicking someone when he’s down is not a good thing," Wonder reportedly told Billboard magazine. "I have much respect for his work, though I don’t think he’s as […]

American Hip-Hop star 50 Cent was engaged in a scuffle with the entourage of another rapper in a Lagos, Nigeria airport last night. 50 Cent was in the African nation taking part in the annual Star Mega Jam, which brings top name talent to perform along side popular Nigerian artists. The incident started in an […]

Billboard will honor the top ringtone of the year at their annual award show to be held next Wednesday (Dec. 8) in Las Vegas, according to the magazine. Rappers 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and Andre 3000 of Outkast will battle for the honor, which is based on sales tracked by the new Billboard Hot Ringtone Chart. […]

Eminem’s conflict with Ray Benzino and The Source magazine may finally come to rest, as both emcees have expressed their desire to make peace after intense feuds and lyrical assaults. Eminem contended that record labels profit when artists battle, as the disputes tend to generate more publicity. "A lot of times when rappers have beefs, […]

British rapper and songwriter Mike Skinner aka The Streets received accolades for his sophomore album A Grand Don’t Come for Free, dubbed the best album of 2004 in Q magazine’s list of the top 50 albums of the year. "A Grand Don’t Come for Free captured the country’s mood in a way no one could […]

Mixtape impresario/producer/ Clinton Sparks is gearing up to release his first full-length studio album. "Titled Get Familiar Vol. 1., the album will also serve as the flagship release from his marketing and distribution deal with KOCH records. "I’ve worked so hard for so many years to get the people familiar, and now with this album […]

Family Room Entertainment Corporation recently completed principal photography on the motion picture, "The Tenants," starring Snoop Dogg. The movie is based on Bernard Malamud’s 1971 novel, which centers around a black radical recently released from prison. Snoop plays Willie Spearmint, a black writer who moves into the building and harbors animosity towards Jewish people. The […]

Ludacris has refuted published reports stating that he sold his record label Disturbing Tha Peace to Island Def Jam Music Group for $11 million. Ludacris said that the story, which first appeared in the Lowdown section of the New York Daily News, was bogus. “That’s not true at all, that’s funny,” the rapper told AllHipHop.com. […]

The Atlanta rap duo Outkast is nominated for several Billboard Awards, including Artist of the Year, for their hit record Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Outkast dominated the American Music Awards this year, taking home three, as well as the MTV Europe Awards, where the duo stacked three more trophies onto their catalog. Other hip-hop artists nominated […]

The Jurassic 5 will perform at a benefit concert tomorrow (December 3), to help raise money for a non-profit organization that helps over 4,000 homeless and abused women and children each month. The group is part of the musical line-up at the annual Sallie Mae benefit concert for Las Vegas’ Shade Tree Women’s Shelter. The […]

Snoop Dogg has signed with XM Satellite Radio to host his own series, to be broadcast from his Los Angeles, California home. Snoop’s show, “Welcome To Da Chuuch With Big Snoop Dogg,” will appear on XM’s classic Hip-Hop channel The Rhyme and will be 90 minutes long. A new show will be broadcast every four […]

Police are investigating Marion “Suge” Knight’s alleged involvement in an assault on Dr. Dre during the Vibe Awards last month in Santa Monica, California. Police are investigating Knight’s possible ties to the assailant, Jimmy “James” Johnson. Santa Monica police have been interviewing witnesses in an attempt to determine Knight’s actions before and after the event. […]

Rapper Ice T is expected to testify before the New York City Council today (Dec. 1) to support a tax credit on TV and movie production expenses. Along with Director Spike Lee and Tribeca Film Festival Founder Jane Rosenthal, Ice T will lobby a bill proposed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the […]

The Associated Press is reportedly seeking legal action against the unidentified authors of a false story incriminating R&B superstar R. Kelly, AP representatives said. The AP’s legal department is investigating the origin of the website that first ran a false story alleging that R. Kelly made sexual advances to Shia “Shi Shi” Douglas, the younger […]

Platinum selling rapper Trick Daddy recently finished taping a cooking show pilot for MTV. And while the Miami native welcomed the invitation to participate in the show, he said he wasn’t about to slave over a hot stove without a full season’s commitment from MTV. “They wanted me to cook all my dishes,” Trick Daddy […]

Apparently there’s a Queen of Crunk now. The self-proclaimed King of Crunk Lil’ Jon reportedly got married Saturday (Nov. 27) at the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa in Fajardo near San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to reports. Lil Jon, sporting a white tuxedo, recited vows with his sweetheart under a white canopy […]