Christmas may be days away, but Snoop Dogg is spreading his own brand of holiday cheer with a new Christmas album.

The release, titled Snoop Dogg Presents Christmas In Tha Dogg House, will include exclusive holiday songs from the Long Beach, California.-based rapper as well as Tha Dogg Pound, Soopafly, Bad Lucc, Damani, J. Black and The Hustle Boyz.

Fans can get a sample of the album with the new single “Xmas.”

The song, which features Snoop Dogg and J. Black, is now available for listening via a free stream on MySpace Music.

MySpace Music is a joint venture between MySpace, The EMI Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony ATV.

The endeavor serves as a vehicle for artists to use their MySpace music profiles to reach out to fans and friends by uploading video content and blogging, as well as posting tour dates, lyrics, and making their music available to fans for stream or download.

The release of “Xmas” comes on the heels of the web site’s free streaming of the latest albums from rapper/actor Common and R&B vocalist Musiq Soulchild this past weekend.

The previews of Common’s Universal Mind Control and Musiq Soulchild’s OnMyRadio were available to fans while leading up to the official release of the albums on Tuesday (December 9).

Snoop Dogg Presents Christmas In Tha Dogg House will be available for digital download beginning December 16.

To listen to “Xmas,” visit www.myspace.com/snoopdogg.

While Killer Mike has confirmed that he is in the final stages of negotiating a partnership between his Grind Time imprint and T.I.’s Atlanta-based Grand Hustle Entertainment, he wants to reassure fans that this is by no means a sign that he has abandoned the independent scene.

On the contrary, he expects his new situation, which should be finalized in early 2009, to make him a greater asset to thriving Atlanta scene, which has supported him over the years.

Killer Mike’s confirmation comes just days after T.I. shared the pending agreement with MTV.

Though the full details are still being ironed out, Mike explained that the new arrangement, which he sees as a direct result of his close relationship with T.I. and the work he has put in since going independent in 2007, puts him in the best position to further his career ambitions.

“I’ve worked very hard at making sure that I was able to not only live off the independent scene, but become a force in the independent rap music scene,” Killer Mike told AllHipHop.com. “Tip is encouraging me to be a business man, and he’s encouraging the efforts I’ve already put forth. This is an industry of slaves and sharecroppers. And most people just try to either enslave you or make you a sharecropper. And sharecropping, it ain’t perfect, but it’s a lot more noble than slavery. I’ll be happy to work the whole field as long as I can own a small piece or make a profit.

“Tip has been in the exact position I am in,” added Mike. “One of the most distinct memories I have of him is me and him in an Escalade. And he was like, at the time Bad Boy wanted him and Atlantic wanted him. But Atlantic gave him the opportunity to not only be a huge star, which Bad Boy would have done, but also to be a businessman. And Tip is giving me the same opportunity. Not many people have their ego in check enough to offer you that kind of opportunity.”

The offer presented by Grand Hustle as it stands extends solely to Killer Mike as a Grind Time artist.

The first project to be released through the new deal will be the highly anticipated 16 In The Kitchen, which Mike has always promised would stand apart from the various recordings he has presented to fans, since his departure from Big Boi’s Purple Ribbon label nearly two years ago.

“The goal of any business is to get the business to a good point to sell it,” Mike explained. “One of the smaller goals before that is to be able to expand. What Grind Time is gonna be able to do brand-wise and me as an artist is gonna grow by leaps and bounds, just by me being associated with Grand Hustle and Tip. But not only because of his name but because of the work that we put in and the tools I’ll now have in place.”

Killer Mike is also working on two compilation projects: Underground Atlanta, rumored to feature buzzworthy artists like OJ Da Juiceman, former BME artists Princess and Bohagon and Yung Ralph; and the forthcoming Skulls and Roses, which will bring together street-influenced R&B artists and the rappers who relate similar tales.

Both projects will be released through Grind Time’s current partnership with SMC Recordings and Fontana Distribution.

First up will be Underground Atlanta, due out in March 2009.

Reluctant to deem himself the leader of the Underground Atlanta movement, or even to call the group of artists he’s been working with a movement per se, Killer Mike does want to open the world’s eyes to what Atlanta natives have to offer.

“Atlanta has a very eclectic ear,” Killer Mike said. “I don’t want people to get my city misconstrued. I want to be a catalyst for that music to keep coming out in an organized way. I’d like to give this music its proper shine. I ain’t cute as Tip or as wavy as Max B. I don’t have the swagger of Jim Jones. I don’t have the cool of Jay-Z or the weird loveable-ness of Dre or Wayne, but I think that people sense a certain realness about me and a certain integrity and I think people relate.”

DMX has been apprehended by FBI Agents at Scott Storch’s house in Miami, according to reports.

The rapper was arrested today (December 9), after police followed up on a tip in regards to his location.

Police could not confirm if the rapper was being treated at a local rehab facility as his lawyer Bradford Cohen has suggested in previous, published reports.

The rapper is expected to be held in a Miami jail until tomorrow morning, when he is expected to be extradited back to Arizona in the next 15 days.

The arrest comes one day after Phoenix, Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio offered a $5,000 dollar reward for any information leading to DMX’s arrest.

A woman in Georgia tipped Florida told authorities about DMX’s whereabouts in order to collect the $5000 dollar reward for information leading to his capture.

The troubled rapper, who is reportedly in rehabilitation attempting to kick what many say is a long-time drug habit, is wanted for animal abuse, drug possession and theft of services charges, for defrauding a local clinic of $7,500 in services.

The rapper must post a $120,000 cash bond, or surrender his freedom.

The tumultuous life of Grammy award-winning singer Bobby Brown is now the subject of The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But…, a new “unauthorized biography” of the artist’s life.

Initially, the book was a private memoir for Brown to reflect on his volatile 20-plus years in the entertainment industry.

Author Derrick Handspike, a longtime friend and co-writer of Andre Rison’s autobiography, urged the singer to seriously consider transforming his memoir into a no frills autobiography.

The duo’s work resulted in a controversial 233-page intimate look into Brown’s life.

The book chronicles Brown’s life from his childhood, rise to stardom with New Edition, drug problems, relationships, and his explosive 14-year marriage to Whitney Houston.

While excited about the project, Handspike revealed that Brown inexplicably dropped out in the 11th hour, due to concerns about how his family would be affected by the illicit stories contained in the memoir.

“I had heard rumors that Whitney was trying to stop this book from coming out and that she was going to do whatever she had to do to keep it from being published,” Handspike states in book’s foreword. “I then started to wonder if Bobby had been influenced by Whitney not to go through with it. Whitney has been known, is known and will always be known as having a major influence on him. For whatever reason, Bobby, his lawyer and manager were not in a hurry to finalize the agreed upon book release deadlines!”

Despite this setback, Handspike made several changes to the book which legally allowed the go ahead for the project to be published, even without Brown’s final support.

“With all the hard work, time, and dedication to the project and money spent out of my pocket preparing this memoir, I decided to make the necessary changes to release it, Handspike stated. “I made the changes to revise the book so it reads as a biography in lieu of an autobiography.”

Bobby Brown was one of the music industry’s biggest stars throughout the 80s and early 90s.

After departing from the multi-platinum group New Edition in 1986, he scored a massive hit with his seminal 1988 sophomore album Don’t Be Cruel, which went 7X platinum and is a one of the best-selling New Jack Swing LPs of all time.

Bobby Brown: The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But… is published by Down South Books and available now at all major book retailers and www.downsouthbooks.com.

In related news, Brown has revealed that he is part of a new group named Heads of State featuring former New Edition group members Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill.

Only hours after expressing his outrage over Busta Rhymes’ controversial song “Arab Money,” Iraqi-born rapper The Narcicyst told AllHipHop.com that he received a personal phone call from Busta himself last night (December 8), apologizing for the misunderstanding created by the song.

According to Narcicyst, the two rappers spent nearly half an hour on the phone discussing Busta’s original intent in making the song, which the veteran rapper says was meant to pay homage to Arab culture.

The Narcicyst, whose family fled Iraq years ago after they were displaced by the political turmoil said he came to understand that there may have been a bigger culprit in Busta’s lyrical misstep.

“It was a thorough explanation and he was a very respectful man,” the Narcicyst told AllHipHop.com. “He explained to me his experience as an African-American man in the States and [it] seemed to me as an experience that I can correlate as an Arab being in the Middle East and having been displaced from my nation and seeing my country being bombarded in the media, being misrepresented.”

According to Narcicyst, Rhymes revealed that he didn’t purposely disrespect Arab culture and that representing it “in a positive light” was important to his fellow rapper.

“He also acknowledged that it was definitely something that spun out of control,” Narcicyst continued. “You know, when you put out a song, you can’t really put out an essay on why you put out the song. And it’s always hard to explain to the masses.”

While some YouTube posts of the song and/or video have already been removed from the popular website, there is no word on when or if the controversial song will be officially removed from rotation.

The song is already banned in the U.K., where award winning DJ Steve Sutherland was temporarily suspended by Galaxy FM, for playing the song.

As a result of Busta’s apology and The Narcicyst has also agreed to pull his response to the song, a track titled “The Real Arab Money.”

“This is an example of how two people can come together and create something bigger than them,” The Narcicyst concluded. “I’m a strong believer in truth and breaking stereotypes down and not allowing people to box you in. And this whole experience has been a huge eye opener for me. This is what Hip-Hop is about. Two brothers from another mother can come to a peaceful and just conclusion for all sides.”

Violator All-Star DJs and M.I.A. are partnering with Koch Entertainment to celebrate and support the release of the late K-Swift’s Greatest Hits album.

K-Swift, real name Khia Edgerton, died in a tragic pool accident on July 21.

A growing star, Swift at the time of her death had the one of the top rated radio shows in the Baltimore market, a wildly popular mixtape series entitled The Jump Off and was an artist on Unruly Records.

The day of her death, Swift had signed a major deal to nationally distribute the series.

The new album drew the attention of international pop star M.I.A., who decided to temporarily suspend her music “retirement” to host the album.

As an artist whose music owes a large debt to Baltimore’s club music scene, M.I.A. felt obligated to contribute as much as she could to honor K-Swift’s legacy.

Violator DJs Scrap Dirty and AB Butler will do in store promotional appearances in New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia to promote the album.

For Dirty, his participation is the manifestation of a personal vow to keep K-Swift’s name alive in music.

“This project is dear to me and I think this will keep my lil’ sister K-Swift’s legacy alive,” Dirty explained to AllHipHop.com. “I will make sure that everyone will continue to feel her presence from here to eternity.”

Butler adds that in K-Swift, Baltimore has also lost a positive face and champion of their distinctive club music scene.

“Swift was very influential in the music area and definitely was the face of club music,” he explained. “I can’t begin to say how much we will miss her. I was an honor to have her as one of our own.”

A portion of the albums sales will go to K-Swfit’s non-profit seminary for inner city youth seeking scholarships in broadcast journalism and entertainment fields.

K-Swift’s Greatest Hits is available now at all music retail outlets.