(AllHipHop News) Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA has responded to allegations of mismanagement featured in his bandmate U-GOD’s recent memoir, suggesting it’s full of “myths.”

Rap veteran U-GOD, real name Lamont Jody Hawkins, hit headlines last month following the release of his autobiography, “RAW: My Journey Into the Wu-Tang,” in which he details various divisions in the group, and blames RZA for failing to capitalize on the stars’ early success in the 1990s to help them cement their legacy.

He also questioned some of the decisions RZA has made over the years on behalf of the crew, which also features Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, and GZA, among others, claiming he’s been prioritizing his own career instead of helping to take care of the band as a whole.

“In 25 years of being in the business, RZA has never placed the group at an A-list (talent) agency. I wonder why,” he wrote. “Just talking about this s##t frustrates me. I mean here we are, the Rolling Stones of hip-hop, and we ain’t even got proper representation. Meanwhile, RZA’s always had A-list agents repping him personally. What the f##k is that all about?”

RZA never responded to the public criticism at the time, but now he has shrugged off the fall-out within the band in a new interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

“Look, every man has a right to write a book,” he began. “Some books are fiction and some books are nonfiction. Some are myths, some are fantasy, some are sci-fi – I don’t know if this book falls totally in nonfiction.”

He also challenges statements U-GOD made about RZA being a “control freak” who “wanted to control budget, publishing, writing hooks, everything.”

“I could never be a control freak,” the rapper, producer, and actor said. “If Wu-Tang is a dictatorship, how does every Wu-Tang member have their own contract, their own career, and have put out more albums without me than they’ve done with me?”

However, RZA also uses the interview to praise U-GOD’s talents, insisting despite their differences of opinion, he will always have love for his longtime pal.

RZA added, “He’s always been a good artist. In his book, he writes that he was looked down upon. I think he don’t really realize how much people love him and I think this particular book tour and promotion, he’s realizing, ‘Wait a minute, motherf##kers know me and love me.’ I think he’s learning something we all know…

“He’s an important piece to this Wu puzzle, and I’ve got nothing but love for him, personally.”

(AllHipHop News) Marion “Suge” Knight is not in the hospital after being moved from LA County jail.

The Death Row Records co-founder has now been hospitalized for two days, admitted about 11 am on Tuesday morning. Why the embattled mogul in now in hospital is unknown. Suge has had numerous health issues in the past few years, including blood clots and vision woes. Knight, 52, will awaits trial for murder after running two men down with his truck in Compton. One of those men died.

Suge Knight went to jail in January of 2015.

(AllHipHop News) A New York judge has dismissed an assault charge filed against rapper Azealia Banks after completing an anger management course.

The “212” star was arrested in December 2015 after allegedly attacking a female bouncer outside a Manhattan nightclub by spitting at her and reportedly biting one of her breasts.

Banks was booked for third-degree assault, but in March 2017, she reached a plea deal with prosecutors to have the charge reduced to disorderly conduct.

She was given a deferred no-jail sentence and was ordered to complete an anger management program, mental health treatment, and abide by a full order of protection.

Banks, 26, had previously risked jeopardizing the plea deal after failing to produce the proper paperwork proving that she had completed the anger classes during her last court hearing in March, but earlier this week, she officially pleaded guilty to the lesser count, as it was revealed she had kept up her end of the bargain.

As a result, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Angela Badamo dropped the misdemeanor assault charge.

(AllHipHop News) Russell Simmons is pushing back legally against Jennifer Jarosik. She filed a lawsuit against Simmons after alleging he raped her, but the entertainment mogul filed documents that attempt to back up his insistence the accusations are untrue.

TMZ reports:

Simmons says in new legal docs, he and Jennifer Jarosik had a casual relationship for over a decade and occasionally had sex … but it was always consensual. He claims Jarosik frequently sent him loving messages and unsolicited nude photos — including just weeks after the alleged 2016 rape and long after another 2011 sexual assault he claims she’s publicly accused him of.

The answer to Jarosik’s complaint also claims previous court proceedings have found her as having a “propensity to exaggerate” and “untreated mental health issues.” Additionally, Simmons’ court papers claim the Yoga instructor/writer is “unfit to properly parent” her son.

Numerous other women have also accused Simmons of sexual misconduct. The Def Jam co-founder denies having non-consensual sex with any of the accusers.

https://www.google.com/sorry/index?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3x27i_qt4c&q=EgQi3HnaGJOKg_kFIhkA8aeDSy0yrDuc1iLQ6rIuYPZD7belF7ZKMgFy

(AllHipHop News) Gossip site Page Six had the internet believing Kardashian family matriarch Kris Jenner was now running the careers of two of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. Kim Kardashian’s husband Kanye West and Kylie Jenner’s boyfriend Travis Scott were said to be under the wing of the 62-year-old momager.

Kylie went on Twitter to dispel the rumors. She replied to a news headline about the story by posting, “this isn’t true.”

Kanye has been laying low for a few years, but he is reportedly working on his next studio album. However, the Chicago-raised rapper was all over social media yesterday when Kim K uploaded a photo of the West-Kardashian clan.

“I don’t think you really understand how hard it is to take a good family pic. This was all we got before all three kids started crying. I think I cried too,” tweeted Kim.

(AllHipHop News) Season 1 of Donald Glover’s Atlanta featured the Emmy-winning episode “B.A.N.” which included the fictional Montague talk show and fake commercials. Tonight’s episode will run 41 minutes without any actual ads.

S2E6 of Atlanta Robbin’ Season is titled “Teddy Perkins.” Lakeith Stanfield’s popular Darius character will be the focal point of the latest chapter.

“Yea this Thursday’s Atlanta please turn the volume all the way up and watch closely. It’s MY episode homie,” tweeted Stanfield.

This season has seen each of the show’s actors take center stage. Last week’s “Barbershop” was all about Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry), and “Helen” followed Vanessa “Van” Keefer (Zazie Beetz).

Atlanta airs Thursdays at 10 pm ET on FX.

(AllHipHop News) It’s starting to look clearer that A$AP Rocky is close to dropping another music project. This week, he posted his “We Run It” freestyle and released a new song titled “A$AP Forever” featuring Moby.

Rocky stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday to perform “A$AP Forever.” The Harlemite also presented a live version of “Distorted Records.”

“If I’m in your Top 10, mine’s better be the first name,” raps Lord Flacko on the latter track.

A$AP Rocky’s current catalog includes the studio albums Long. Live. ASAP and At. Long. Last. ASAP. His breakout mixtape Live. Love. ASAP came out in 2011, and the 29-year-old music/fashion star contributed to the A$AP Mob’s discography.

(AllHipHop News) April is looking to be a big month for rap releases. Cardi B’s debut Invasion Of Privacy lands tonight, Rae Sremmurd is expected to let go of SremmLife 3 in the next few weeks, and Post Malone has now announced a date for Beerbongs & Bentleys.

“My album comes out April 27,” tweeted the Texas native on Wednesday night.

Beerbongs & Bentleys follows 2016’s double-platinum Stoney. The Top 5 hits “Rockstar” featuring 21 Savage and “Psycho” featuring Ty Dolla Sign are expected to appear on Post’s sophomore LP.

(AllHipHop News) Veteran radio personality Peter Rosenberg is heading up a weekly late-night program. Open Late with Peter Rosenberg premieres April 12 on Complex.

“I’m so excited to partner with Complex on this new venture! This is a show based on my passion for music, culture, and politics that recognizes the diverse interests of the generation raised on Snoop Dogg and Outkast alongside the generation raised on Kendrick Lamar and J Cole,” said Rosenberg.

Open Late will include panel discussions, interviews, and exclusive musical performances. The series joins Complex Networks’ content roster of Sneaker Shopping, Complex Closets, Complex Cover, The Blueprint, and Everyday Struggle.  

“This is a really big deal for us,” says Complex GM of Content Jack Erwin. “Over the past few years we’ve developed a slate of programming that hits so many touch points in contemporary culture, in the formats best suited to really explore the things we love, and late night is a natural next frontier. There isn’t a late night show that talks directly to our culture the way that Complex and Peter can, so there’s no doubt that this will be something completely unique.”

(AllHipHop News) Kanye West’s career has taken any twists and turns and now it has made a move akin to a New Jersey jug handle. Kris Jenner is now managing the career of the Chicago producer/rapper.

The management move also includes rapper Travis Scott. Kanye is infamously married to Kim Kardashian and Scott is the father of Kylie Jenner’s child.

Last week, Kanye West fired his longtime manager Izvor “Izzy” Zivkovic and Travis Scott left the Three Six Zero management team.

According to Page Six, Kris Jenner has been working on Kanye for quite some time. A source said, “Kris is in [Kanye’s] ears. Kanye’s been making changes and [he and Zivkovic] have grown apart—but Kris definitely gives her opinion and Kanye’s all ears. She’s about brand building and is gangster at it.”

(AllHipHop News) A variety of rappers have been endorsing cryptocurrencies over the past year.

Artists like Nipsey Hussle, Ghostface Killah and even Old Dirty Bastard’s son are heavily involved in promoting the burgeoning industry.

There is also a lot of fraud going on in the new industry, which has recently come under the scrutiny of the SEC, which subpoenaed over 80 companies last month, looking to root out the shady players.

Earlier this week, the two founders of a cryptocurrency endorsed by DJ Khaled and Floyd Mayweather were hit with a $32 million dollar fraud lawsuit.

The SEC accuses a company called Centra of selling unregistered and investments using their so-called “CTR” token.

Centra raised millions by promising to produce a number of products, including a Visa or Mastercard, which could be used to instantly convert cryptocurrencies for purchases.

The problem is that Sohrab “Sam” Sharma and Robert Farkas, the founders of Centra, completely fabricated their biographies, and simply hired influencers to market their tokens.

To make matters worse, Centra overstated their relationship with Visa and MasterCard, since they don’t even have one.

“As we allege, the defendants relied heavily on celebrity endorsements and social media to market their scheme,” said Steve Peikin, Co-Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “Endorsements and glossy marketing materials are no substitute for the SEC’s registration and disclosure requirements as well as diligence by investors.”

Both men are charged with violating anti-fraud and registration laws.

DJ Khaled has since removed his Instagram and Tweets promoting Centra but Floyd Mayweather’s posts are still active.

(AllHipHop News) Black Panther has officially passed “Jurassic World” to become the fourth highest-grossing movie in North America.

Director Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster became the fifth highest-grossing release last month, and it has now hauled in a North American box office tally of $652.5 million to date, passing “Jurassic World’s” $652.3 million.

Meanwhile, globally, “Black Panther” has now beaten “Frozen’s” $1,276.5 billion to become one of the top 10 movies of all time, according to Deadline.

The Marvel film has grossed over $1.279 billion.

It is also the highest-grossing solo superhero film.

“Black Panther” recently spent five weeks at number one in North America, becoming one of only seven films to ever earn $600 million or more in the U.S.

(AllHipHop News) will.i.am has been forced to credit British popstar Tulisa ContoStavlos as a co-writer of Britney Spears’ hit “Scream & Shout” after a five year legal battle.

The former “X Factor U.K.” judge claims she co-wrote the chart-topping 2012 track, which featured Will on vocals and was the Toxic singer’s first U.K. number one in eight years.

Tulisa penned an early iteration of the track titled “I Don’t Give A F##k” for her solo album The Female Boss, but only Will.i.am, producer Jef Martens and co-writer Jean Baptiste were credited on a version reworked for Britney.

According to editors at the Daily Mail, Tulisa is now set for a payday as she has been awarded 10 per cent of the worldwide publishing rights and income from the song after her publishers Sony ATV successfully sued Will’s, BMG.

“Tulisa was annoyed when the song was taken from her and given to Britney – especially as she co-wrote it,” a source told the U.K. newspaper. “It was set to be one of the big songs on her debut album. She didn’t let it lie, and took it all the way to the courts and has now won. She just wanted to be recognised as the writer of one of the biggest pop tracks of the last decade.”

Will, real name William James Adams Jr., has previously confessed that the former N-Dubz star played a role in conceiving the song, but said Jef, who also produces alongside his brother under the name Lazy Jay, thought it better suited Britney.

Tulisa claimed that the new version still included her contributions including the key lyric, “When you hear this in the club, you’d better turn this s##t up” and submitted a musicologist report alleging her original vocals can still be heard underneath Britney’s.

The money due to the songwriters was frozen in 2012, but has now been released so Tulisa can claim her 10 per cent.

(AllHipHop News) DJ Khaled claims a celebrity jeweler is using a phony organization to issue bogus appraisals of their goods in a vast conspiracy.

Khaled just filed documents in an ongoing lawsuit with New York’s Rafaello & Company.

Rafaello & Company filed a lawsuit against producer DJ Khaled in 2015, claiming Khaled decided to keep two Rolex watches, a diamond chain, a pair of diamond earrings, and a 4-carat diamond ring, all valued at more than $100,000.

Khaled struck back in court in 2016, with a countersuit claiming Raefaello has been overcharging him for goods in years.

In the latest round of legal filings, Khaled claims Raefaello & Company uses a company called The American Board of Certified Gemologists (ABCG), who appraises the company’s jewelry at inflated prices.

Khaled says the two companies work together “to sell jewelry at a much higher price by falsely representing the quality and value,” thus, ripping off their clients.

According to TheBlast, rapper cited an example where he paid $110,000 for a chain which was presented with a bogus appraisal certificate for $240,000.

Rafaello maintains Khaled was lent the pieces for 15 days with the stipulation the Miami native would either pay for the items or return them.

The suit alleges Khaled simply kept the jewelry despite a supposed written agreement between the two parties.

(AllHipHop News) Ohio rapper Stalley continues to build out his own independent record label.

The rapper, who amicably split from Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group in 2016, runs his own imprint, Blue Collar Gang (BGC).

Stalley just appointed long-time producer and engineer, Smitti Boi as the head of A&R for his label.

“My goal is to bring everything I can to Blue Collar Gang. I want to give the fans great music from not only Stalley, but the entire roster of BCG talent.”

Smitti, who has produced songs for artist like Cee-Lo Green, Boosie Badazz, B.o.B., Stalley, Curren$y, will be responsible for overseeing the label’s music output from a lyrical and sonic perspective.

He is also tasked with finding and developing new and existing talent for BCG in addition to advising on projects and finding placements for the label’s roster of artists and producers.

Stalley and Smitti are currently working on a collaborative project that will drop later this year.

(AllHipHop News) Ja Rule is reportedly in trouble with the IRS.

Ja is currently facing liens totalling into the millions, over income he failed to report from 2004-2015.

According to Bossip, Ja Rule failed to report over $1.7 million in earnings from 2004-2008 alone.

The amount makes up the bulk of the amount he owes to the IRS.

Ja Rule was once a member of the fabled rap group Murder Inc., featuring Jay-Z and DMX.

While Jay seems to be immune to tax issues and has gone on to be worth almost a billion dollars, his group members haven’t been so lucky.

DMX was just sentenced to serve a year in prison, and he must pay over $2 million in restitution to the IRS, for deliberately concealing his income from the IRS over the past five years.

Ja Rule should have experience in paying taxes and dealing with IRS by now too.

He was sentenced to 28 months in prison in 2011 after he pleaded guilty to dodging taxes on more than $3 million of money he earned between 2004 and 2006.