(AllHipHop News) The Hip-Hop Caucus has announced the relaunch of their non-partisan Hip-Hop voter mobilization campaign, Respect My Vote!. The Respect My Vote 2010 campaign is being relaunched to helped educate the Hip-Hop community on the importance of voting to help shape police at the local and national elections. Starting this week, The Hip-Hop Caucus is holding a photo shoots with a variety of artists and celebrities, will lend their image and likeness while wearing a new, exclusive Respect My Vote 2010 T-shirt design specifically for the new campaign. “The Respect My Vote! campaign is designed to educate the Hip-Hop community on the importance of voting in every election to help shape public policies for our communities,” said Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President of the Hip-Hop Caucus. “We had a great turnout for this past Presidential election, but it’s important to understand how vital it is to vote in the mid-term elections so Congress and state and local legislators continue to recognize our voice.”The original Respect My Vote! campaign was launched during the 2008 Presidential election. The Hip-Hop Caucus helped to register over 50,000 new voters during a grassroots mobile tour, which included appearance by artists like Keyshia Cole, T.I. and others. For the new campaign, the Hip-Hop Caucus has tapped Brooklyn Hip-Hop veteran Special Ed, who will help develop the PSA’s with his organization, OSSE (Old School Special Edition). “The Hip-Hop Caucus speaks directly to the community in its efforts to mobilize voter registration and increase participation in the general and presidential elections,” added Source Magazine publisher L. Londell McMillan. “Our commitment to empower the community is mirrored through the work that Rev. Yearwood is leading. We are total supporters of his vision.”The Hip-Hop Caucus is currently planning a tour of the nation’s historically black colleges, which will include educational seminars and performances by some of rap’s biggest artists, with the aim of educating fans about each individual’s responsibility to vote.

(AllHipHop News) Pioneering Hip-Hop artist Just-Ice has reunited with Boogie Down Productions’ founder KRS-One and the pair are working on a new EP, AllHipHop.com has confirmed. According to reps for Just-Ice, the new EP, titled The Just-Ice & KRS-ONE EP, which will contain five brand new tracks from Fort Greene, Brooklyn-raised rapper. Just-Ice, who recorded a pair of Hip-Hop classics in 1986 (“Latoya” b/w “That Girl is A S###”), also released his debut Cold Gettin’ Dumb the same year with Kurtis Mantronik, for Sleeping Bag Records. Just-Ice release albums consistently throughout the 80’s and 90’s with albums like Kool & Deadly (Justicizms) (1987), The Desolate One (1989), Masterpiece (1990), Gun Talk (1993), Kill the Rhythm (Like a Homicide) (1995), and his final album VII (1998). Just-Ice and KRS-One recently recorded a video for the first single from the album titled “Blah, Blah, Blah). A release date for The Just-Ice & KRS-ONE EP was not available as of press time.

Revered Brooklyn emcee Talib Kweli announced today that he was putting the finishing touches on a new album. According to Talib, his new album will be titled Rainbow Gutters. The latest offering from the rapper will feature production by Hi-Tek, Ski Beatz, EJones, S1, MPhases and others. According to Talib, the new album will be self-financed and released independent of any record label. “Gutter Rainbows will be completely self-financed, and exist outside of the music industry,” Talib tweeted today (September 20th). “It is an experiment in freedom, but it aint free!” No release date was available for Talib Kweli’s new album Gutter Rainbows, which is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed album Revolutions Per Minute as Reflection Eternal, with Hi-Tek.Grammy Award winning rapper Kanye West will hit Saturday Night Live this October for a high profile appearance on the popular show. According to a press release issued by NBC, Kanye West will return to the show on October 2nd, when Emmy Award winning actor Bryan Cranston serves as host for SNL. The new season of Saturday Night Live is slated to kick off this weekend (September 25th) with host Amy Poehler and musical guest Katy Perry. On October 9th, singer Bruno Mars will appear on the show. In related news, Kanye is putting the finishing touches on a new 40-minute for his video “Runaway” from his upcoming tentatively titled album Dark, Twisted, Monster. Fans of Lupe Fiasco announced today (September 20th) that they will take their grievances with his label Atlantic Records to another level this October, in hopes of the rapper’s album Lasers, released. Lasers has been sitting on the shelf since 2008, as Lupe and Atlantic are reportedly at odds over the promotion for the album. Over 28,000 fans have signed a petition requesting Atlantic Records to simply release the rapper’s highly anticipated album. According to the LupE.N.D. fan site for the rapper, a protest will take place this October in front of Atlantic Records’ office. “If you think the petition would be the only thing we’d be doing to get this album released – you’re wrong! On October 15th, Lupe Fiasco fans will gather in New York City to protest in front of the Atlantic Records Headquarters!” Fans are being encouraged to wear the “Lasers” uniform and to bring picket signs. Fans who can’t make it to New York are being asked to spread the word on October 15th, in addition to protesting any local offices of Atlantic Records.

(AllHipHop News) North Carolina artists J. Cole and 9th Wonder have teamed up to create the official soundtrack for EA Sports’ new game, NBA Elite 11. The entire soundtrack to the game was created by revered Hip-Hop producer 9th Wonder, who hails from Winston-Salem, Carolina. He tapped fellow North Carolinian J. Cole, who recorded the track “The Plan” for NBA Elite 11, with 9th Wonder. “Being the first artist to throw down the full soundtrack for NBA Elite 11 was pretty amazing,” said Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder. “I was able to mesh together the two things that I love in life, basketball and music.”The new NBA Elite 11 has been improved to center on user control and for the first time, the game allows each player on the court to move independently of one another. “As a big sports video game fan, it’s an honor to be a part of EA Sports NBA Elite 2011. I thank EA for trusting in me to create the game’s main song. I truly enjoyed the experience,” J. Cole stated. NBA Elite 11 will be available for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system on October 5, 2010.

(AllHipHop News) This September 30th, Rebel Rock Entertainment/Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist B.o.B, will be the featured musical guest at the upcoming “National Gen44 Summit Kick Off Concert with President Barack Obama,” at Washington, DC’s historic DAR Constitution Hall.  The news came in the midst of a jam-packed schedule of performances for B.o.B, which began Saturday, September 11th with a live set at the 2010 BMI Urban Music Awards at Hollywood’s famed Pantages Theatre. The next night the rapper hit the stage alongside his chart-topping collaborators Bruno Mars and Paramore’s Hayley Williams, at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards extravaganza.  “I just want to show people that there are endless possibilities of what you can do,” B.o.B said in a statement about his recent successes.  “You don’t just have to be a rapper, you don’t just have to be a trapper; you can be anything you want to be and whatever you do, just love it and it will show.” In a addition to his awards show performances, B.o.B crossed the country for a pair of acclaimed opening sets at the Jay-Z and Eminem “Home & Home” blockbuster double-bill at New York’s Yankee Stadium on September 13th and 14th.  B.o.B also served as special guest at Eminem and Jay-Z’s concert held earlier this month at Detroit’s Comerica Park.  Currently, the Atlanta native’s most recent single “Magic” from the album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, features Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and the song is currently reaching most multi-format radio outlets nationwide and its companion video clip has just entered rotation at MTV, MTV2, mtvU, and MTV Hits.  “Magic” has also exploded onto the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown, where it is now poised to enter the tally’s top 10.   For details and ticket information on the Gen44 Summit Kick Off Concert visit www.genfortyfour.com or http://mybarackobama.com/Gen44KickOff. Below is a list of the upcoming dates for the rest of B.o.B’s tour dates.   NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2010 “The Shootin’ For Stars Tour“  30        Washington, DC                   National Gen44 Summit Kick Off Concert *OCTOBER3          Bowling Green, OH             Bowling Green State University6          Columbia, MO                     University of Missouri, Columbia7          Lawrence, KS                        University of Kansas – Liberty Hall12        Salt Lake City, UT                McKay Events Center14        Fresno, CA                            Big Fresno Fairgrounds15        Las Vegas, NV                      House of Blues17        Albuquerque, NM               Sunshine Theater19        Houston, TX                         House of Blues21        Lexington, KY                      University of Kentucky24        Towson, MD                         Towson University26        Blacksburg, VA                    Burress Hall Auditorium28        Harrisonburg, VA                James Madison University – Wilson Hall29        Lewisburg, PA                     Sojka Pavilion30        Washington, DC                   Grey Goose Event – Venue TBA

(AllHipHop News) Jury selection will start today (September 20th) in the federal cocaine trial against Jamaican superstar reggae singer, Buju Banton. The Grammy-nominated artist is on trial in Federal Court in Tampa, Florida, after he was arrested in December of 2009 for possessing multiple kilos of cocaine.  Buju Banton, Mark Myrie, was arrested on December 10th, 2009, after surveillance camera allegedly caught the singer and associates making a drug transaction. Police claim they found the singer inspecting and in possession of 5 kilos of cocaine and charged him with conspiracy to posses and intent to distribute in addition to possession of a firearm during the course of illegal activity.Buju Banton’s lawyers claims the government entrapped the singer because they used a government informant who pressured him to purchase the cocaine. Buju’s lawyers claim that he met the informant during a flight from Madrid, Spain, to Miami, Florida in July of 2009. The informant then subsequently pursued Buju over the next few months until he allegedly purchased the 5 kilos of cocaine. “In addition to refusing to disclose the identity, the government has refused to identify the prior cases in which he has been involved, the outcomes of those cases, the amount of money he has earned making cases for the government, or even the amount he has been paid (or expects to be paid) in this case,” court papers filed in Buju’s defense read.Buju Banton’s trial comes as the singer prepares his latest album Before the Dawn, which is due in stores on September 30th??Buju Banton has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held in Pinellas County Jail in Tampa, Florida, without bail. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the charges.