Former actor turned rapper Joaquin Phoenix gave his act a harder edge courtesy of a mid-performance brawl with a loud heckler.

Phoenix’s show took place last night (March 11) at the LIV nightclub, located in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel.

The Walk the Line star arrived four hours late, and graced the stage in a black suit, taped-up sunglasses, and his well-grown ZZ Top beard.

After rhyming lyrics that were mostly intelligible over the loud beats, Phoenix became enraged at a front row fan that relentlessly heckled him.

In the tradition of his stated influences the Wu-Tang Clan, Rakim, and Chuck D, Phoenix challenged his adversary head on.

“We have a f**king b**ch in the audience,” Phoenix spat at the fan. “I’ve got a million in the bank. What have you got b**ch?”

To the delight of the fans, Phoenix then hurled himself off the stage and began assaulting the hapless heckler.

During his attack, chants of “beat him up, beat him up” were heard through the audience.

The entire incident was filmed by Phoenix’s brother-in-law Casey Affleck, who plans to release the former actor’s Hip-Hop exploits via a documentary.

Joaquin Phoenix announced back in October his intentions to quit acting to pursue a Hip-Hop career.

Allegedly, Phoenix has enlisted the help of mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs to produce his debut.

His first live performance in January was a disaster, which ended with the rookie emcee falling off the stage in mid-rhyme.

Last month, Phoenix gave a catatonic interview with David Letterman, prompting the veteran late night host and fans to question the star’s mental stability.

At press time, no charges have been filed against Phoenix over the nightclub incident.

Here is a video of the altercation:

A former member of NWA has filed a lawsuit against Ruthless Records, claiming the company has refused to pay royalties, after licensing one of his records to Black Eyed Peas’ member Fergie for use in her hit Hip-Hop song “Fergalicious.”

The Arabian Prince, born Kim Nazel, filed the lawsuit on March 9 in the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

The lawsuit claims that Tamika Wright, Jerry Heller and Ruthless Records authorized the use of his composition “Supersonic” for use in Fergie’s #1 record “Fergalicious,” taken from her debut solo album The Dutchess.

Around 1986, The Arabian Prince formed N.W.A. with Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren, DJ Yella and The D.O.C., while Eazy-E also formed the seminal Gangsta Rap label, Ruthless Records.

During his time with N.W.A., The Arabian Prince authored or co-produced a number of hit records for Ruthless, including seminal tracks like “Straight Outta Compton,” “F*ck The Police,” “Gangsta Gangsta,” “Dopeman,” “Quiet On Tha Set,” “Something 2 Dance 2” and others.

In 1988, Ruthless released “Supersonic,” which he wrote with four other writers, including the members of J.J. Fad, who performed the original track.

According to the lawsuit Arabian Prince, who owns 20% of the composition, claims that Ruthless “misrepresented that they had authority to license [his] portion of the composition for use in the new composition ‘Fergalicious.’”

He also claims that unbeknownst to him, Ruthless has been collecting royalties from the sales of “Fergalicious,” which has sold almost 3 million copies and set records for digital downloads.

Additionally, The Arabian Prince claims in the lawsuit that despite repeated attempts, Ruthless has yet to compensate him for the tracks he produced for N.W.A.

The Arabian Prince seeks damages for unjust enrichment, tortious interference and breach of contract.

Former cocaine kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross is in danger of being sent back to prison despite a judge ruling to release him.

Ross has been in prison for the last 14 years, serving an original 20 year sentence for attempting to purchase 100 kilograms of cocaine from a federal agent in 1996.

Due to a successful appeal and model behavior, the courts ruled that Ross was eligible to be released this month to a halfway house, and begin the transition back into society.

However, Texarkana Federal prison officials have stated Ross’ paperwork has been “lost,” and the correctional facility will not honor the judge’s ruling.

Wendy Day, celebrated Hip-Hop advocate and founder of the Rap Coalition, explained that the prison’s actions are a concerted effort to keep Ross from moving on with his life.

“We need help and support in contacting everyone and anyone of power who works for the BOP (Bureau of Prisons) to get this situation resolved,” Day disclosed in a statement. “Rick should have been out over a year ago, and this newest so-called ‘glitch’ is the 5th time that the warden and the BOP have directly gone against the Judge. How can they get away with this? I don’t know – but they are.”

In the early and mid 1980s, Rick Ross controlled the majority of the drug trade in Los Angeles, reportedly grossing $2-3 million dollars per week.

His arrest and conviction at the behest of his dealer, Oscar Danilo Blandon, revealed his organization had ties to the infamous Iran-Contra scandal.

Since his imprisonment, Ross has expressed regret for his actions, and plans to begin extensive community outreach to youth on the dangers of drugs.

Additionally, he has shunned the glorification rappers have bestowed on his former life.

“After seeing all the stuff that has been going on with the Correctional Officer (William Roberts) that stole my name, makes me think back to a year and a half ago when we spoke,” Ross told AllHipHop.com last July. “I tried to talk to him like a big brother and let him know to be you, and that he couldn’t be me. And that if he wanted to rap the lifestyle that he couldn’t frame it based on my life.”

Before his latest legal issue, Ross was scheduled to be released on March 29.

Superstar T.I. and his K.I.N.G. Foundation have formed a coalition with the Political Swagger Foundation and C.H.A.N.G.E. Initiative to remove guns from urban communities.

The first stop for T.I. is Houston, where on March 14 the Atlanta native will host Responsibility Is a Lifestyle: Give Back Your Gun Day.

The event commences at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. Throughout the day, any person with an unregistered weapon will be able to turn in the firearm without fear of questioning, fines, or arrest.

The outreach program was enacted partly due to a recent sociological study by Northeastern University.

The results displayed that from 2002-2007, there was 31 percent increase in the murder rate for juvenile African-American males.

Of those murders, there was an increase of 41 percent in black male perpetrators.

Additionally, Northern University found that the numbers increased further when firearms were utilized.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the city of Houston has seen a reported 139 percent increase in the amount of young African-Americans suspected in gun murders.

T.I., who was convicted last year on several counts of possessing illegal firearms, referenced that his actions going forward will reflect a new spiritual consciousness.

“Instead of walking with guns, I now have to walk with God,” T.I. told AllHipHop.com in a statement.

Colleagues see that professed change in T.I., but Political Swagger Foundation co-founder Tonja Styles detailed the community must be willing to support his efforts.

“Every era of great change has had its music and the artists have always been at the forefront of that change; from John Lennon to Marvin Gaye,” Styles explained to AllHipHop.com. “Today, T.I. is using his influence to affect change and we’re excited to join him. The responsibility is on us.”

Later this month, T.I. will begin serving a one year sentence per his guilty plea on federal weapons charges.

The Give Back Your Gun Day begins this Saturday (March 14) at 11am.

Missionary Baptist Church is located at 3015 North MacGregor Way in Houston.

As one of the WWE’s most popular Superstars, John Cena is known to garner cheers and applause among pro-wrestling fans as he makes his way to the ring to the sounds of his M.O.P.-sampled entrance theme, “The Time is Now.”

The music, in addition to Cena’s freestyling in the ring when he first came on the scene, represents a solid relationship with Hip-Hop.

So much so, the wrestler/actor’s love of the culture ultimately became the catalyst for his transformation from a scrawny teen in West Newbury, Massachusetts to a muscular celebrity.

“I started listening to Hip-Hop when nobody else was, started dressing all urban when nobody else was, and I got hell for it,” Cena shared with Men’s Fitness magazine. “To counteract, strictly for self-defense, I wanted to get bigger. I figured if I worked out three times a week, I’d get big. If I did it seven days a week, I’d get huge.”

Cena’s appreciation for Hip-Hop is not a newfound revelation.

The pro wrestler released his first rap album, You Can’t See Me, in 2005.

The release featured guest appearances from Cena’s cousin Trademarc as well as rappers Esoteric and Bumpy Knuckles.

The hard work paid off as Cena found success in the and out of the wrestling ring, including a high profile role in the upcoming movie 12 Rounds.

The Renny Harlin-directed action thriller stars Cena as Danny Fisher, a New Orleans police detective who prevents internationally known terrorist Miles Jackson from pulling off a million dollar heist.

When Jackson’s girlfriend is accidentally killed, the criminal mastermind escapes from prison to seek revenge on Fisher through a series of near-impossible dangerous challenges that Fisher must complete in order to save the life of his fiancé.

“Renny (Harlin) originally thought, ‘OK, I’m getting a wrestler, he can’t act, so how can I build the best movie around a broomstick,” Cena joked.

Harlin disagreed with Cena’s assessment of his ability to act and stated that Hollywood needed more talent like the upcoming rapping/wrestler.

“He’s intelligent, he’s funny, and more invested than anyone I’ve worked with. I don’t know if it comes with his physicality, but he has such confidence in himself, definitely not to be confused with cockiness,” Harlin said. “I truly feel he’s a new movie star, a new action star, which Hollywood desperately needs.”

Men’s Fitness’ April issue featuring John Cena is slated to hit newsstands on Monday (March 16), while 12 Rounds arrives in theaters on March 27.

Joe Budden and girlfriend Tahiri are hoping to enter the world of television, after connecting with several people interested in bringing their lives to the tube.

“We had six meetings this week with TV producers and we had a few other meetings with a couple people that have some big plans for the both of us – and we had to cancel them all,” Budden told AllHipHop.com.

The rapper said that Tahiri is taking a brief break from the entertainment game and that the success they have had together isn’t the primary focus of her life.

Budden admitted she’s working out some personal matters and they’d soon be reunited in their endeavors, both joint and separate.

“Tahiri could care less about the fame,” he said, “She enjoys it, but our relationship comes first.”

Tahiri, a curvy Dominican woman, has been an appealing part of Budden’s newfound success on the viral portions of the internet and talkative gossip blogs.

Another part of the New Jersey rapper’s success has been his hardcore street base, but a show in Boston went awry as he promoted his new album Padded Room.

According to rapper/concert promoter Ed O.G., Joe Budden treated the Boston locals with disrespect when he took to the stage at a show.

“Honestly, if I wasn’t a promoter on that show and I was just a host, Joe Budden would have caught it,” Ed O.G. said. “I think he thought there were a bunch of internet soldiers…I guess he didn’t know there were some real live Boston soldiers there.”

O.G. said that Budden commanded everybody off the stage loudly and challenged dissenters to fight.

Budden refuted the notion that he was rude or disrespectful, but only wanted to offer the fans the best show possible.

“I want to Boston to do a show and there were twenty billion acts all doing their entire catalogue. Fans were restless, but it was time for me to rock, there were a bunch of people on stage,” Budden explained to AllHipHop.com.

Joe said he had a lengthy show and didn’t want to run to time constraints.

“Some people left [the stage], some people didn’t. Somebody said, ‘F**k Joe Budden.’ I invited him to the stage to act that out,” Budden said.. He didn’t. Stage got cleared. Then I run into all this Boston bulls**t like something happened…’oh the goons were gonna get him.’”

He said that alcoholic drinks might have impaired ED O.G. from seeing the occurrences with clarity, but the Boston rapper disagreed.

“We already angry enough and you can’t add fuel to the fire,” Ed OG said. “We not having it. Period.”

Joe Budden’s Padded Room is in stores nationwide.

Rapper/actor Saigon is setting the stage for the release his long-delayed debut album, The Greatest Story Never Told, with a new partnership with Amalgam Digital.

Under the new alliance, Saigon will be able to market, promote and release music under the label, which includes rappers Joe Budden, Max B and Peedi Crakk among the artists on its roster.

The first project from the Saigon and Amalgam will be the digital only album All In A Day’s Work.

The release, which was completed within 24 hours, will feature production exclusively from DJ/producer Statik Selektah.

For Saigon, the project comes as a positive sign for the return of Hip-Hop from the East Coast.

“This album, All In A Day’s Work, is a bonafide Hip-Hop classic created from beginning to end in twenty four hours. It is a definitely a spark in the right direction for the resurgence of East Coast Hip-Hop,” the rapper told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “I teamed up with producer Statik Selektah and Amalgam Digital and we came together to present the world with the best album of the year 2009, aside from my debut of course, The Greatest Story Never Told, which will soon follow…”

To capitalize on the pending release of All in a Day’s Work, the album’s first single, “Spit” will be featured on the newest edition of Grand Theft Auto, while the project’s second single “The Rules” continues to garner a buzz for the offering.

All in a Day’s Work is the first of a series of upcoming releases from Saigon, who plans on following up the digital offering with Warning Shots 2, the sequel his Warning Shots brand of mixtapes.

The Amalgam Digital release will come as a prelude to The Greatest Story Never Told.

The album, which was originally slated for a 2004 release, is finally set to be released in the coming months. Producer Just Blaze will primarily handle production on the opus.

As for All In A Day’s Work, Selektah feels the album’s imminent serves as a testament to Saigon’s talent and dedication in bringing new music to the masses.

“Working with Saigon in those twenty four hours and getting songs done so fast showed why he should be held as one of the greatest to ever do it,” he stated. Saigon’s All In A Day’s Work, is set to be released digitally on Wednesday (March 17).

The following is a tracklisting for the album:

1. To Be Told… 2. So Cruel 3. The Rules 4. My Crew 5. Prepare For War 6. Spit 7. Lady Sings The Blues 8. Lose Her 9. Goodbye 10. The Reason 11. BONUS: I Warned You