(AllHipHop News) Urban radio/mixtape veteran Brandi Garcia has officially joined the Swisha House family and is now an official Swisha House DJ. Garcia spins Monday-Friday from 10am-3PM and on Saturdays from 11am-2PM, on Houston’s 97.9 The Box.  On Sunday’s Swisha House’s CEO Michael “5000” Watts holds down Sunday’s from 7pm-10pm. Garcia has a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University. She began her professional career in Huntsville, Alabama as an on-air personality. Shortly afterwards, Garcia joined the roster of DJ’s on 97.9, where she has provided news, interviews and more for the past five years. Tupac’s final concert at the House of Blues in Los Angeles will be released on Blu-ray when Tupac: Live at the House of Blues is released on April 30th. The 118-minute DVD captures Tupac and Death Row at the height, with artists like Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Outlawz and K-Ci and JoJo hitting the stage. The DVD, which is being released by Eagle Rock Entertainment, features 25 songs and five bonus tracks. Sean “Diddy” Combs is in Los Angeles today (April 14th) for a photo shoot for the cover of an upcoming issue of XXL magazine. Combs is gearing up to promote a variety of projects, including his album Last Train to Paris (release date 6/22/10) and the movie Get Him to The Greek. Combs, who recently debuted the single “Hello Good Morning” during a performance on American Idol with his group Dirty Money, will also appear on an upcoming edition of Inside the Actors Studio, which is hosted by James Lipton. According to Combs’ Twitter page, the episode will air May 25th.  “Thank you to everyone at Inside the Actors Studio and everyone who came out @paceuniversity! And my son @JDior_,” Combs Tweeted today.

(AllHipHop News) Political emcee Immortal Technique is close to finishing his 4th album, The Middle Passage.As an entrepreneurial artist that also serves as president of Viper Records, Technique explained that he has been very meticulous in his approach to the new LP, which he expects to be his biggest project to date.“[We’re] 8 songs deep into the middle passage,” he told AllHipHop.com. “There was one sample that wasn’t clearable so we had to redo the song so it’s just been little stuff because we are trying to do it as official as possible.”Because Immortal Technique is focused on the album having a streamlined focus, another project for additional songs is in early stages to accommodate fans.“It’s a very, very vivid journey and then besides that, I will probably have a supplement to that as well,” he revealed. “Besides just the record, I got another 5-6 songs that are from a few years ago that didn’t really match the vibe of the album, but they’re still dope, so we might do an unreleased Immortal Technique EP.”Viper Records is also still in the midst of a promotional run for Long Island rapper Diabolic’s Liar and a Thief LP, available at www.viperecords.com.At press time, Immortal Technique has not finalized a release date for The Middle Passage.

Memphis rappers 8Ball and MJG are taking their health seriously as the preparing to release Ten Toes Down, their debut album on T.I.’s Grand Hustle. According to 8Ball, who was once affectionately referred to as “the fat mack,” he has resolved to shed an extra weight he may be carrying and has vowed to live a healthier lifestyle.“I been doing a change in the way I eat,  I got youngin’s,” 8Ball told AllHipHop.com. “I’m getting older everyday, so I just changed the way I eat man.  Lost a little bit already.”According to 8Ball, he has already lost weight by cutting soft drinks, bread, beef and pork from his diet. “[I made] little minor changes. I aint trying to get heroin chick, but I want to be healthy,” 8Ball said, while revealing his goal was to increase his productivity. “Walking, walking dogs, tread mills. I do yoga if you believe that. It helps me,” 8Ball told AllHipHop.com. “We be doing a lot of stuff to give you more energy.”On April 27th, 8Ball and MJG’s album Ten Toes Down will hit stores. The album features production from David Banner, Drumm Boy, Mo B. Dick, Frank Nitti, Nard & B. and others, while guests include Snoop Dogg, Bun B., Young Dro, David Banner and T.I.Ten Toes Down is their first group release in three years, since dropping 2007’s Ridin’ High.

(AllHipHop News) Rap star Eminem has apparently put the brakes on releasing his highly anticipated album Relapse 2. On March 29th, Eminem promised his 600,000-plus followers on Twitter that “big news” was coming in regards to his career. Today (April 14th), Eminem took to his Twitter page and announced: “There is no Relapse 2.”Relapse, which was released in May of 2009, was Eminem’s first album in almost six years. The album sold 608,000 copies during the first week in stores and hit #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart. The album has since been certified platinum and closing in on double platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Relapse 2 was supposed to land in stores in 2010. The album was to feature more material Eminem recorded while creating the original Relapse project. No details were given as to why Eminem announced that Relapse 2 was no more.