This year’s American Music Awards proved to be anything but a disappointment for Kanye West.

The rapper/producer was among the winners as he took home awards for favorite rap/hip-hop album for Graduation and favorite rap/Hip-Hop male on Sunday (November 23).

“I’d like to thank everyone who accepted me trying to break new boundaries in music,” said West, who encouraged his fellow entertainers to elevate their talents to create music that rivals the classic material of the 1960’s. “It’s our responsibility as musicians to keep pushing each other. … We will be the new Beatles, the new (Jimi) Hendrix. I want to be Elvis.”

As he returned to the stage to accept his second award, West decided to give the honor to a more deserving nominee.

“I really appreciate these two awards. I want to give this award to Wayne for this year,” the rapper said. “If it was last year, it would have been my award. This year, it’s Wayne’s award. We’ll see what happens next year.”

Despite West’s double recognition, the night’s big winner was R&B crooner Chris Brown, who collected AMAs for artist of the year, favorite pop/rock male artist and favorite soul/R&B artist.

Other multiple winners included Alicia Keys, who received favorite pop/rock and favorite soul/R&B album honors for her latest release As I Am and Rihanna who garnered the awards for favorite pop/rock and favorite soul/R&B female artist.

“I’m very, very shocked and proud to be here,” said Keys, who dedicated her second award to all the superwomen and her first award “to all the incredible artists who are here tonight and who show their artistry.”

In addition to West and Rihanna, the AMAs included performances from show opener Christina Aguilera, Pink, New Kids on the Block, Beyonce, Leona Lewis, Taylor Swift, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Coldplay, Sara McLaughlin, the Pussycat Dolls, Ne-Yo, Annie Lennox and Mariah Carey.

Keys also took the stage to close the show as she brought out Queen Latifah and opera singer Kathleen Battle for “Superwoman.”

The following is the list of winner’s for this year’s American Music Awards: Artist of the Year: Chris Brown Pop-Rock: Male artist: Chris Brown Female artist: Rihanna Band, duo or group: Daughtry Album: As I Am, Alicia Keys

Soul-R&B: Male artist: Chris Brown Female artist: Rihanna Album: As I Am, Alicia Keys Rap-Hip-Hop: Male artist: Kanye West Band, duo or group: Three 6 Mafia Album: Graduation, Kanye WestCountry: Male artist: Brad Paisley Female artist: Taylor Swift Band, duo or group: Rascal Flatts Album: Carnival Ride, Carrie Underwood Adult Contemporary: Jordin Sparks Alternative Rock: Linkin Park Latin: Enrique Iglesias Contemporary Inspirational: Third Day Soundtrack Album: Alvin and the Chipmunks T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist Award: Jonas Brothers Award of Merit: Annie Lennox

Former Fugees member Wyclef Jean is at the center of a new situation concerning his recently foreclosed Miami Beach mansion.

The Palm Beach Post reports that Jean took out a $2 million mortgage from Home Equity Mortgage Corp. in 2004 to purchase the estate through a corporation he owns with several friends.

Although the rapper/producer set out to renovate the canal-front property, the foreclosed home, which was appraised at $1.4 million, was left unfinished for more than two years as a series of construction liens were filed.

In addition, the property garnered $6,200 in fines from the city of Miami Beach once the $900,000 construction project halted after Jean and his partners couldn’t come up with the $177,913 in construction costs needed to finish the effort.

Court documents note that a lien was put on the property this year by the project’s architects, who have tried to collect $75,000 owed to them since 2004.

In all, Jean’s corporation now owes the bank $2.4 million.

As a result of the foreclosure, Miami-Dade county will sell the mansion in downtown Miami on December 12.

Court records also show that Jean has not paid employees who worked on the home. The entertainer has yet to comment on the situation.

Chad Kiser and Jonathan Hay gets the last interviews with MC Breed. Breed speaks on his collapse at the basketball court and his recovery and his plans on new music before this emcee’s premature demise.

MC Breed, a legendary Atlanta/Flint, Michigan based rapper, died today (November 22), according to a source with AllHipHop.com. 

While details are still being confirmed, several sources told AllHipHop.com that the rapper died early this morning.

“He’s no longer with us,” said a tearful friend, who shall remain anonymous. “We are in the process of putting together a benefit concert, hopefully at Saint Andrews to raise money for a funeral,” the source told AllHipHop.com.

MC Breed, born Eric Breed, was a 15-year-veteran who was born in Flint Michigan.

He worked with a number of rappers, including Too $hort and Tupac Shakur.

On September 5, Breed was admitted to an Atlanta area hospital and placed on life support, after he collapsed when his kidneys failed, during a game of pickup basketball.

His condition began to improve and he was taken off of life support a few days later.

Over the course of 30-minutes of testimony, rapper T.I. shared his account of the events that led to the death of his “best and oldest friend” with a Hamilton County, Ohio jury this afternoon (November 21).

The Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum artist’s demeanor was calm as he spoke on behalf of the prosecution, detailing the club altercation that would end in gunfire on Interstate 75 on May 3, 2006.

He told the packed court room how the two vans in which he and his entourage were travelling came to be sprayed with bullets after being followed by another vehicle.

He went on to describe finding Philant Johnson lying lifeless with blood running down his face from a gunshot wound to the head.

“All of those rounds were fired for me, in my opinion,” a remorseful T.I. told the prosecuting attorney.

Prosecutors accuse Hosea Thomas of shooting Johnson to death during the gun battle.

The shootout stemmed from an altercation in a local club, where T.I. was performing.

A fight broke out when men attempted to enter an area harboring T.I. and his entourage, resulting in Thomas being struck in the head with a bottle.

Prosecutors say Thomas’ brother Padron Thomas was driving the Jeep that chased T.I. and two vans in his entourage along I-75.

Three members of T.I.’s entourage were also injured in the shooout, while Johnson was fatally wounded.

“Before I know it, shots rang out. At that time, we’re calling everybody’s name out to see if everybody was all right,” T.I. testified.

Johnson, who was in front of the rapper, didn’t answer, because he had been shot in the left side of his head.

“[He was] lifeless,” T.I, stated. “I saw blood running down his face. His shirt was wet. He had an entry wound in the temple, left temple.”

Defense attorneys for Hosea claim that his brother is testifying against him in order to receive a reduced sentence.

T.I. also gave the jury insight into the man Philant Johnson was, saying the two had been friends since childhood.

Hosea Thomas is charged with murder, felonious assault and various weapons charges for his role in the shooting.

A verdict in the case against Hosea Thomas is expected sometime next week.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! has acquired a portrait of rapper Eminem made completely out of M&M chocolate candies.

Enrique Ramos, who lives in Orlando, Florida and Mexico, created the portrait of Eminem using more than 1,000 individual M&M’s.

Ramos used over 8 pounds of chocolate to create a portrait of the chart-topping rapper, born Marshall Mathers.

The high calorie portrait – which measures at 40 inches x 30 inches – will hang in the halls of one of Ripley’s museums.

“Our customers have a pretty good eye for art. They won’t be disappointed by Eminem in M&M’s,” said Tim O’Brien, VP of Communications for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “This thing looks good enough to eat.”

Ramos has also crafted other unusual works of art, including a replicate portrait of by Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, which he painted on the back of a cockroach.

Eminem’s M&M portrait will hang along side other oddities in the Ripley’s musuem, including a picture of Princess Diana made from lint, The Supper in burnt toast and Michael Jackson, done completely in gumballs.

The smooth sound of Nat King Cole will cross paths with Hip-Hop’s edgy vibe via a new tribute album to the pioneering late crooner.

The release, titled Re: Generations, will feature Cole singing alongside entertainers and producers such as Nas, Cee-Lo Green, Brazilian Girls, the Roots, Cut Chemist, Just Blaze, TV On The Radio and will i. am, who joins Natalie Cole for the song “Straighten Up and Fly Right.”

Working with the Black Eyed Peas frontman proved to be a productive experience for the songstress, who expressed her satisfaction with the finished product.

“I just love, love, love the mix that will.i.am put on ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right,’” Natalie Cole told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “It’s so very cool and Dad would get quite the kick from this. What a great feeling it was to have worked with both will and Dad at the same time! It doesn’t get much better and this entire album is so amazing.”

Executive produced by Natalie Cole’s sister Carole, Re: Generations was created as vehicle to “musically and visually bridge the so-called generation gap and hopefully create mutual admiration and respect between teens, parents and grands of every culture.”

With the diverse group of talent working on the album, the King Cole Partners & Productions CEO is convinced her father would’ve appreciated the effort.

“As the curators of our father’s music, image and likeness, my sisters and I strive to keep Dad in the mix and as innovative as he was back in the day,” Carole Cole stated. “We have no doubts that if Nat were here today, he would embrace all of the artists on this record as well as the ones we were unable to get next to. He would want to produce them and encourage them to leave their own indelible mark on the cultural landscape. And as a bona fide music lover, Dad would buy their music and be a loyal fan.”

In addition to the musicians, Re: Generations will involve several visual artists from Los Angeles who will create custom artwork for the Capitol/EMI album using Cole’s music, style and cultural influence as inspiration.

“Creating artwork for this project, Re: Generations, is quite an honor,” said international muralist/graffiti artist Man One, who created an original mural in honor of the project with assistance from two students from The HeArt Project, a local mentoring program.

Other artists contributing Cole-inspired art to Re: Generations include Ritzy Periwinkle, and Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca and Cole’s own grandson Sage, who created the album’s cover art.

Musically, the project afforded Cut Chemist the chance to work with someone he described as “an incredible vocalist.”

“Nat King Cole’s voice sounds great with any and every style of music,” the producer said. “I’ve never had this much fun doing a remix before. It was an honor and a pleasure to work with the best.”

Re: Generations is slated to hit stores on March 10, 2009.

The following is a track listing for the forthcoming album:

1. Lush Life Cee-Lo 2. Straighten Up and Fly Right will.i.am & Natalie Cole 3. Day In Day Out Cut Chemist 4. Brazilian Love Song Michaelangelo L’Acqua & Bebel Gilberto 5. The Game of Love Nas & Salaam Remi 6. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home The Roots 7. Hit That Jive, Jack Souldiggaz & Izza Kizza 8. Calypso Blues Stephen & Damian Marley 9. More and More of Your Amour Bitter:Sweet 10. El Choclo Brazilian Girls 11. Pick-up Just Blaze 12. Anytime Anyday Anywhere Amp Fiddler 13. Nature Boy TV On The Radio