(AllHipHop News) Akon has signed another artist to his Kon Live label, with the addition of Los Angeles rapper Ya Boy to his Kon Live record label.

Ya Boy has been gaining steady buzz for the past seven years, resulting in 45 million page views for his myspace page, with 37 million plays.

His single “We Run L.A.” featuring Dr. Hollywood, has received over 3,000 spins on California radio stations like Power 106 and KIIS FM.Ya Boy joins artists like Lady Gaga, T-Pain, Colby O’Donis, Kardinal Offishall and duo Rock City.

“Ya Boy is one of the hardest workers today…He’s an amazing artist that never got a chance to shine. He never gave up and now he has a chance to shine not only on the West Coast but internationally,” Akon told AllHipHop.com in a statement today (March 1st).

The rapper has already collaborated with a number of top Hip-Hop artists and producers. Ya Boy’s 2006 debut Rookie of the Year featured collaborations with E40, Clyde Carson, San Quinn and Turf Talk, while producers like Cool & Dre and Rick Rock contributed to the release. “Ya Boy truly deserves this moment…We felt there’s no one on an international level bigger than Akon. We’re excited and happy to join the Kon-Live family,” added Ya Boy’s manager Mike G of Nitevision Management.

Ya Boy is currently preparing his debut release for Akon’s Kon Live imprint. No release date for the project was available at press time.

(AllHipHop News) Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco has two high profile projects lined up for 2010, in addition to launching a major tour to support his upcoming album Lasers.

Lupe Fiasco has formed a new group with producers Kanye West and Pharrell Williams to form Child Rebel Soldiers and he is working on an untitled book.

Lupe told New Zealand’s Channel 3 News that the book will be released under his birth name, Waasalu Muhammad Jaco. “I started off as a writer. You know, since I was a little kid, I’ve been telling stories and actually Hip-Hop has just been an extension of me telling stories,” Lupe Fiasco said. “So putting it in a more traditional form as far as a book has always been a part of the plan.”

Lupe Fiasco recently kicked off his Steppin’ Lasers tour to promote his fourth release, Lasers, which has been turned into Atlantic Records, although there is no release date for the album.

Lupe Fiasco’s Steppin Laser tour will kick off this Friday (March 5th) in Claremont California with B.O.B., who will make appearances on select dates. Tour dates for the Steppin’ Lasers Tour is listed below:

Friday 3/5 – Bridges Auditorium – Claremont, CA – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 3/20 – Bob Hope Theatre – Stockton, CA

Wednesday 4/07 – House of Blues – Boston, MA – (w/B.o.B)

Friday 4/09 – House of Blues (Atlantic City) – Atlantic City, NJ – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 4/10 – The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza – New York, NY – (w/B.o.B)

Tuesday 4/13 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC – (w/B.o.B)

Wednesday 4/14 – Royal Oak Theatre – Detroit, MI – (w/B.o.B)

Friday 4/16 – Eagles Ballroom – Milwaukee, WI – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 4/17 – Lund Arena (Gustavus Adolphus College) – St. Peter, MN

Sunday 4/18 – Midland Theatre – Kansas City, MO

Tuesday 4/20 – Peoria Civic Center Theatre – Peoria, IL – (w/B.o.B)

Thursday 4/22 – East Tennessee State University Center – Johnson City, TN

Friday 4/23 – UNC – Charlotte – Charlotte, NC – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 4/24 – Worcester Polytechnic Institute – Worcester, MA

Monday 4/26 – House of Blues – Houston, TX – (w/B.o.B)

Tuesday 4/27 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX – (w/B.o.B)

Thursday 4/29 – Ogden Theatre – Denver, CO – (w/B.o.B)

Saturday 5/01 – House of Blues (Las Vegas) – Las Vegas, NV – (w/B.o.B)

Sunday 5/02 – House of Blues (Sunset) – Los Angeles, CA – (w/B.o.B)

Wednesday 5/05 – Regency Ballroom – San Francisco, CA – (w/B.o.B)

Friday 5/07- Showbox SoDo – Seattle, WA – (w/B.o.B)

(AllHipHop News) DJ Premier of Gangstarr has confirmed reports that his partner guru suffered a massive heart attack in New York City over the weekend.

Guru was left in a coma as a result of the massive heart attack. According to DJ Premier, Guru is slated to undergo surgery in New York today (March 1st).

DJ Premier confirmed the reports of Guru’s heart attack last night on his Hip-Hop Nation radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio.As a member of Gangstarr, Guru delivered vocals for classic albums like No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989), Step in the Arena (1991), Daily Operation (1992), Hard to Earn (1994), Moment of Truth (1998) and The Ownerz (2003).

The rapper rhymed over 160 of DJ Premier’s productions throughout the course of his career, before launching his own record label 7 Grand in 2004 to continue releasing his legendary series of Jazzmatazz albums. In an exclusive statement to AllHipHop.com, Brownman – the featured

trumpet soloist for Guru’s Jazzmatazz album, stated: “After touring the globe standing next to Guru on stage for

the last 3 years, I can’t imagine a world without Bald Head Slick”.

The Trinidadian-born, New York trained jazz trumpet player was

handpicked by Guru to replace Donald Byrd on Jazzmatazz and appears on

Jazzmatazz Vol. 4 (featured on “Universal Struggle”). Guru’s most recent release was Guru 8.0: Lost & Found, which was released in May of 2009.

(AllHipHop News) Wu-Tang veteran Method Man has issued an apology to Waka Flocka regarding their differing opinions on the value of lyrics in today’s Hip-Hop.

In an previous appearance on Shade 45’s All Out Show with Raekwon and Ghostace Killah, Method Man spoke on his disdain for subpar lyrics in Hip-Hop music, specifically pointing out Waka Flocka after the hosts made him aware that the Atlanta rapper stated intricate lyricism is not needed in today’s climate.

“He has the right to his opinion. But the people that are in the know and know what time it is, know that if you ain’t saying s### out your mouth, your time is very slim in this m############ game, b.”

Waka Flocka responded in an exclusive AllHipHop.com interview that he wouldn’t disrespect Method Man, and expressed disappointment an artist he looked up to would attack him.

“I feel like he disrespected his own kid. I listened to you, I seen you start, buddy. I seen you in the bus, hanging on the bars, I was digging that with the one eye [in the “Bring the Pain” video.],” Flocka explained. “They called Down South music pop, but Onyx wasn’t doing crunk music to you, honest opinion? Wu-Tang was crunk music, crunk aggressive music. Hip-Hop is supposed to have different angles.”

Method Man appeared again last Friday on the All Out Show, and criticized the media for taking his point “out of context.” In addition, Method Man clarified his personal feelings on Waka Flocka.

“[My statement] wasn’t about that man or what that man do. It was about the statement [Waka made],” Meth detailed. “I don’t even know that man to feel any type of way about that man….Anybody trying to eat legally and get their money the way I try to get mines, and ain’t never gonna knock them, man. That’s the last time I say anything about any fu**ing emcee or what they do. I’m going to keep my business to myself.”

“I appreciate that that man took the high road, I respect that man for that because I was way out of context. I can honestly say that because I didn’t know where the information came from, or how it was stated. But from the input that I got, his s### was taken out of context when he made that statement.”

Method Man is making promotional rounds in preparation for a March 30 collaboration LP with Raekwon and Ghostface Killah entitled Wu-Massacre. The album will feature production from The RZA, Scram Jones, and Mathematics.

Waka Flocka Flame’s debut project Murda Man Flocka is expected to drop this year. The first single, “O Let’s Do It,” was released in December.