Actor Terrance Howard has reportedly signed on to appear in a sequel to “Hustle & Flow,” a hit movie about a Memphis pimp/rapper going through a mid-life crisis. The movie was written and directed by Craig Brewer and produced by John Singleton. Since its premiere in July, the acclaimed film raked in over $22 million at the box office. According to published reports, the cast will remain the same with actors like Anthony Anderson, Paula Jai Parker, Taryn Manning, singer Isaac Hayes and Ludacris as rival rapper Shinny Black.

The money laundering trial of Irv and Chris Lorenzo (professionally known as Irv and Chris Gotti as been delayed for the third time after federal prosecutors announced they had a bombshell witness on the first day. The presiding judge also disallowed the prosecution’s request to use the 2000 shooting of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson in their opening statements. Prosecutors hope to use a purported “confession” by Chris Gotti to Drug Enforcement Administration agents in 2003. According to thesmokinggun.com, Lorenzo said that reputed drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff was granted a "free soundtrack" for "Crime Partners," a movie McGriff produced. At the time, Chris said that the soundtrack was worth $1 million, an inadvertent confession of money laundering according to the feds. The trial will now start on November 16.

Daz Dillinger has announced a promo tour to promote his upcoming So So Def debut. In a statement, Dillinger explained, "I am really glad to be more visible. I haven’t left the game. I just took a role behind the scenes. But this tour is a clear indication that I am beginning to turn on my career as a solo artist." The rapper has already released Dillinger II Young Gotti: The Saga Continues, a reunion album with Dogg Pound partner Kurupt.

Below are the dates for Daz’s promo tour:

11/15/2005: Las Vegas: KLUC, KVEG

11/16/2005: Los Angeles: KPWR, KKBT, KDAY

11/17/2005: San Diego: z90, XMOR

11/18/2005: Bakersfield: KISV, KBDS, KSEQ, KBOS

11/19/2005: N. California: KHTN, KWIN, KSFM, KBMB

The 4th Annual H20

(Hip-Hop Odyssey) International Film Festival closed out this past week in New

York and presented awards in over nine different categories.

One major winner was the documentary film "Hip-Hop Colony,"

which took home two major awards.

The film received the Best Feature Documentary award and the

Heineken Emerging Filmmaker Award.

The documentary – which was written by Russell Kenya and directed

by Michael Wanguhu – documents Hip-Hop’s roots in East Africa, Kenya.

“A lot of people – especially in America – are not familiar

with how big African Hip-Hop is getting to be,” Wanguhu told AllHipHop.com.

“So it is quite an honor to be recognized at such an event, especially

in New York the Mecca of Hip-Hop. We are also thankful to the H2O film festival

organizers.”

Other honorees included Kid-n-Play, The Last Poets and brothers

Reginald and Warrington Hudlin, who were responsible for the House Party series.

"Hip-Hop Colony" has also received awards for Best

Urban Documentary at the Houston Black Film Festival and Best Urban Documentary

at the San Francisco Film Festival.

“These awards will go along way for us because we’ll be

able to show those in position of power in Kenya that we are worth it and they

can start to listen and even do business with us (African youth involved in

Hip-Hop) and even start funding our projects. I know of so many events that

have not happened in East Africa just because the young people organizing them

are not connected to some businessman or officials, causing true artistry to

be sidelined and undermined.”

H20 is a media program that works with new and experienced filmmakers,

encouraging them to develop and create work that showcases positive images of

Hip-Hop culture.

For more info on

the film, visit www.hiphopcolony.com.

Mark “Brother Marquis”

Ross, formerly of pioneering Miami, Florida rap group 2 Live Crew, hit Ice-T and

Jay-Z with a lawsuit over the lyrics to Jay-Z’s#### song “99 Problems.”

The original version of the song was featured on Ice-T’s classic 1993

album Home Invasion, with a cameo from Brother Marquis.

In his lawsuit, which was filed in Manhattan Federal Court, Brother Marquis

claims he’s been paid just $10,000 in royalties, despite being prominently

featured on the original version.

Furthermore, Brother Marquis claims that Jay-Z owes him royalties after recording

an updated version of “99 Problems,” which was produced by Rick

Rubin and featured on Jay-Z’s blockbuster, The Black Album.

Jay-Z also shot a critically acclaimed video for the song, which was shot by

veteran director Mark Romanek.

After leaving 2 Live Crew

around 1996, Brother Marquis had a spiritual awakening and entered the church,

but still tours with a reincarnation of the group.

50 Cent is launching

G-Unit Books with a new line of novellas, or short books featuring his G-Unit

cohorts, Pocket/MTV Books announced.

The new line of books will feature Tony Yayo, Young Buck, Lloyd

Banks and Olivia as characters in the series, which will be published in 2007.

"These tales will tell the truth about The Life; the sex,

guns and cash; the brutal highs and short lives of the players on the streets,"

Pocket/MTV Books said in a press release.

The first book in the series will be penned by Nikki Turner,

best known for “The Glamorous Life” and “A Hustler’s

Wife.”

Pocket/MTV Books

also published 50 Cent’s semi-autobiography, “From Pieces to Weight:

Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens,” the rapper’s version of growing

up in Southside Queens, New York.

WBLS 107.5 FM DJ Wendy Williams, Hip-Hop legend DJ Tony Touch and super model Tyson Beckford are among the special guest scheduled to serve as hosts of the Move Against AIDS Dance-a-thon, which will take place at the Manhattan Center on December 3, 2005.

Williams, a long-time advocate of AIDS awareness, will act as host to the thousands that gather at the five-hour Dance-a-thon.

Williams also co-chairs the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS and will appear at the Chose Life Awards in New York City in December, which recognizes corporations or individual’s outstanding efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Super model Tyson Beckford has also pledged his support for the event.

“I’m glad that the event is back again this year and that I am involved,” Beckford said “People need to be reminded that the crisis is definitely not over, and Move Against AIDS is a great way to have fun while really taking steps to eradicate HIV/AIDS.”

The Move Against AIDS Dance-a-thon will feature five hours of music, including sets by world renowned club DJ’s Tony Touch, Junior Vasquez, Tony Moran, Mary Mac, and Chad Jack, and musical performances by Jody Watley and La Bruja.

The event will also include appearances by several other special guest hosts, including “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” star Jai Rodriguez and others.

Proceeds from the Move Against AIDS benefit will go to Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the nation’s oldest and most comprehensive AIDS service organization, and CHAMP (Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project).

Currently there are the 15,000 men, women and children living with HIV in New York City who receive services at GMHC.

To register for the Dance-a-thon or get more information visit www.moveagainstaids.org.

KOCH Entertainment

has inked deals with Mid-West record label Legit Ballin Records and Northern California

Real Talk Entertainment.

Legit Ballin was founded in 1999 by Chicago rapper Twista and

is run by CEO “White Boy” James Frasier.

The label has released four albums, Legit Ballin Vol. 1,2

& 3, with installment #4, The Truth, slated for January 2006

release under the new deal.

“This was an opportunity for two strong independent entities

to come together and create a major force in the industry,” Frasier said.

“Our partnership with KOCH is just the beginning of great things to come.

‘LB’ has come to prime time with a prime situation and we will present

ourselves as the prime independent rap label to contend with.”

Real Talk Entertainment is helmed by Derrick Johnson, who launched

the label in 2003.

“I am very pleased to be on board with KOCH,” Johnson

stated. “They are a great home for our future product and I look forward

to a mutually beneficial and prosperous relationship.”

In 2006, Real Talk

will release MC Eiht’s upcoming album The New Season, a collaboration

between Layzie Bone & Young Noble titled Thug Brothers and a new

album by Brotha Lynch Hung.

Wyclef Jean’s

Yéle Haiti and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced

the launch of a new joint food distribution program in two of Haiti’s worst

neighborhoods today (Nov. 14).

Cité Soleil and Bel Air rank among the poorest slums

in Haiti, which itself is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

To add to the country’s issues, the interim government

filed a lawsuit against Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide last week,

accusing him of stealing tens of millions of dollars from the Haitian treasury

and the state-owned telephone company.

Cité Soleil and Bel Air were devastated by tropical storm

Jeanne in 2004 and violence and crime prevent aid from reaching the disaster

stricken areas.

“Children fear not the storm, because after the storm,

it gets calm, and that’s when the sun comes out. Yéle Haiti,”

Jean said.

Unemployment rates have reached 80 percent in the area, where

open sewers run and residents bake and eat mud pies for a small amount of nutrients.

Jean’s organization and WFP will distribute food to the

region twice a month and feed almost 3,000 people per day.

“Working with Yéle Haiti has allowed us to reach

out to some of the most vulnerable people in Haiti, namely the women and children

of Cite Soleil and Bel Air. We are therefore very happy about this new cooperation,”

said WFP Haiti Country Director, Mamadou Mbaye.

Yéle Haiti

is a U.S. 501 (c)3 organization. For more information visit

www.yele.org.

Harlem, New York rap

group The Diplomats were named Group of the Year at the Third Annual Vibe Awards,

which was taped last night (Nov. 12) in Culver City, California.

The group bested nominees Destiny’s Child, 112, The Black

Eyed Peas and The Ying Yang Twins.

The evening was hosted by actor Anthony Anderson and actress

Tracee Ellis Ross.

Mariah Carey was the evenings biggest winner, taking home four

Vibe Awards for her album, The Emancipation of Mimi.

Kanye West’s sophomore album Late Registration earned

him Best Rapper.

Kevin Liles, T.I., Ludacris, The Game, Damian “Jr. Gong”

Marley, R. Kelly, Amerie, Kimora Lee Simmons, Ciara and others were among the

evening’s winners.

Mary J. Blige was honored with the Legend Award.

The Third Annual

Vibe Awards air on UPN Nov. 15.

With his major-label

debut The Sound Of Revenge set for release on Universal Records, Chamillionaire

is offering a fan a chance to spend his debut album release day with him.

Universal Records, in conjunction with eBay, is offering the auction winner and

one (1) guest to accompany Chamillionaire as he promotes his new CD across the

city of Houston, Texas.

The promotional events include a brief lunch with Chamillionaire on 11/21/05,

as well as, escorting the Houston native to several in-store signings on 11/21/05

and 11/22/05.

The winner will also help Chamillionaire celebrate The Sound

Of Revenge at his album release party at a surprise location on 11/22/05.

An ex-member of Houston’s legendary Swishahouse, Chamillionaire and former friend

Paul Wall, started a group known as the Color Changin Click.

Their first album, Get Ya Mind Correct, was nominated

for Indie Album of the Year in The Source Magazine.

The acclaimed release went on to sell over 100,000 copies independently.

Known as the Mixtape Messiah, Chamillionaire recently made national news when

he remixed his Scott Storch produced single, “Turn It Up” to pay

homage to the Astros and their first World Series appearance.

The remix, "Turn It Up Astros," was quickly placed

into heavy rotation at the Astrodome and became a top requested song in Houston.

The Sound Of Revenge features Bun B, Scarface, Lil’ Wayne, Lil’ Flip,

and Krayzie Bone, with production from Mannie Fresh and Cool & Dre among

others.

Chamillionaire’s The Sound Of Revenge is due in stores

November 22.

For more information

on “Spend the Day with Chamillionaire” log onto eBay.com.

The Dec. issue of U.K. hip-hop

magazine Hip-Hop Connection has caused a stir within the UK Hip-Hop scene.

In an interview with the

magazine – which features 50 Cent on the cover – Rhymefest has words for North

London rap group S.A.S., labeling the group’s career as "all an act.”

In the same issue, Dipset

CEO Jim Jones took aim at Rhymefest’s Chicago associate, Kayne West and

his choice of clothing.

“Man Kanye’s

spaced out,” Jim Jones told the magazine. “That s**t aint right

what he be wearing. That s**t be borderline h###. I can still fit 20/30 thou

[sand] in one jean pocket, he can’t fit two singles in his.”

And Rhymefest, signed to

Mark Ronson’s Allido Records, offered words for "those UK rappers

who signed with Damon Dash…they aint even f**king representing the UK!"

Rhymefest concluded

the interview by applauding Dizzee Rascal and Tyas, calling the rappers more

creative. "That’s why with S.A.S., I can’t give a f**k!"

The North London rappers

have responded to AllHipHop.com about the article and claimed that the Chicago

rapper dissed them on a previous mixtape making the rounds.

"Rhymefest has been

told to say what he said because of marketing,” group member Mayhem told

AllHipHop.com. “He doesn’t realize what he says will get him f**ked up

in the UK. This is not a game. I rep the street. Just because I don’t go down

the pub and eat fish and chips, it doesn’t mean I’m not from London. Rhymefest

has no idea!

Mayhem said that Rhymefest’s comments have infuriated him and group member

Mega and warnings have already been issued to the rapper from across the Atlantic.

“How dare he come

to my city and diss me to a UK magazine! I see him when I go to Chicago, New

York and around London. When I see him next time, I’m gonna f**k him up! He’s

been around since 1991? And we only started hearing about him now? He’s over!"

S.A.S. signed with Cam’ron’s

Diplomat Records Europe imprint in 2002 but confusion arose when Damon Dash

held a press conference for the group in Jan. of 2004, implying they were signed

to Roc-A-Fella Records, which Dash was running at the time.

The group skipped the press

conference, making international headlines.

“We have

been doing music since 1998 and [have] grown up on the streets most of our lives.

Everyone from Marcy projects to Harlem knew us as ‘the boys from London

while we were in the United States. Did I change my accent to American? No!"

Last Monday, S.A.S. released

their mixtape album Streets or Salute which features Cam’ron, Nicole

Wray Juelz Santana and UK female rapper, Baby Blue.

Houston’s Lil’

Flip recently released his new single "What It Do" from his forthcoming

album, I Need Mine.

The new single is produced

by former Cash Money Records producer Mannie Fresh, who concocted a unique track

that Flip feels will be another sure-fire hit.

"I wanted a song with

energy, the way ‘Game Over’ has mad energy and the crowd goes crazy,"

said Flip. "Fresh laced it up like he does, we did the hook and I did my

thing. This track is like Magnolia meets H-Town. Some real hood to hood type

s###."

According to Sandy Lal aka

“The Synphony” (Flip’s advisor, manager and producer), the pairing

of Manny Fresh and Lil’ Flip is a monumental event.

"The whole Texas/New

Orleans connection is strong, but nobody has actually ever done it on a large

scale,” Lal stated. “The king of Houston hooked up with the king

of N.O. and it’s nothing short of great."

I Need Mine

will feature guests like Nate Dogg, Lyfe Jennings as well as production from

the likes of Scott Storch, Salaam Remi, Mannie Fresh and others.

Lil’ Flip has also

made waves with his recent signing of New Orleans rappers Sqad Up to his Clover

G Records, and the launch of his own beverage line called Lucky Nites.

For everything

Lil’ Flip related visit www.lilfliponline.com. I Need Mine hits stores

Dec. 27.

The Black Eyed Peas are scheduled to perform at the one of the

world’s largest 21-and-up New Years Eve bashes, "Giant Village 2006."

Going on its sixth

year, "Giant Village" is returning to Wilshire Boulevard in downtown

Los Angeles.

After last year’s

sold-out event, the party will be expanded by two blocks, for an even bigger

and better celebration that equals roughly six blocks.

Over 15,000 people expected to attend the event, which will also include performances

by Junkie XL, Z-Trip, Death Cab for Cutie and others.

Giant Village will donate a portion of its proceeds to the American Red Cross

and to Chrysalis, a non-profit organization committed to helping the economically

disadvantaged and homeless become self sufficient through employment opportunities.

Since its beginning, Giant’s celebrations have generated over $300,000

for various Los Angeles based charities.

In related news, Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie has been tapped to star in a

remake of ’70s disaster flick "The Poseiden Adventure" with Kurt Russell

and an episode of the HBO series, The Sopranos.

After being jailed

for non-payment of child support, Beanie Sigel was released within an hour of

posting more than $27,000 in back child support and $2,000 in fines yesterday

(Nov. 10).

The Philadelphia Weekly reports that Sigel seemed almost entirely

unaware of his own financial status, and the rapper claimed to have made little

income from his movies, music or clothing line.

Early Thursday morning, Sigel was called to the stand to testify

about his financial status.

The rapper, who is currently on probation for a gun charge possession,

claimed that he had little to no income over the past three years.

For instance, when queried about his earnings from his State Property clothing

line that he said is valued at over $20 million; Sigel reported that he received

no income in 2004 or 2005.

Sigel also revealed that he only owns a 20 percent stake in

the clothing line, and his deal calls for him to receive just one-fifth of 10

percent of the profits his gear yields.

In addition, the Philadelphia MC testified that he made little money off the

"State Property" and "State Property II" films.

He reported that he received SAG (Screen Actor’s Guild) wages,

which amounted to a $100 every couple of weeks. He also indicated that he only

made about $100,000 off his music in 2005.

After testimony ended, Sigel attempted to make a good faith payment of $8,000

to avoid being jailed by Judge Leonard A. Ivanoski until April 2006.

The offer was rejected and Beans was sentenced to two concurrent

six-month prison terms. The Judge noted that if Sigel could pay the amount owed,

plus court fines, he would be set free.

After sitting in jail for an hour, Sigel posted nearly $29,000 and was released

from jail.

In December 2004, Sigel was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine

related and sentenced to one year in prison on gun possession charges.

He is currently

serving two-years probation for that charge.

A man was shot and

killed Wednesday night (Nov. 9) at the Loews Waterfront movie theater in Homestead,

Pennsylvania, after viewing 50 Cent’s new movie, "Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

"

Shelton Flowers, 30, was shot after a confrontation between

him and three other men in the movie theater’s bathroom.

According to reports, Shelton had just left the 9:00pm showing

of 50 Cent’s semi-autobiographical film.

Flowers was shot in the thigh and chest and died later at UPMC

Presbyterian hospital.

The three men fled and witnesses have yet to come forward despite

a sizable crowd for a Wednesday night.

An off-duty officer was in the building, but the assailants

were able to escape when Flowers collapsed in front of the officer.

The movie has been pulled from the Waterfront Theater until

homicide detectives complete their case.

“This isn’t the first time violence broke out at [that]

Loews’s theater,” a local resident told AllHipHop.com. “If you ask

me Loews doesn’t have enough security for the neighborhood it’s in. It’s

sitting right in the middle of three different hoods. Rankin, Braddock and Homestead…I’m

not a 50 Cent fan, but they shouldn’t ban a movie just because violence broke

out. They should do a better job of overseeing a safe and fun environment.”

Advertisements depicting 50 Cent holding two guns caused outrage

in several U.S. cities before being released.

Billboard advertisements were pulled in various cities, including

Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

In related news, Mike Navarre, the police chief of Toledo, Ohio

asked the National Amusements movie theater chain to pull the movie as well,

fearing the flick could incite more violence.

Last month, a riot broke out in the city over a planned neo-Nazi

march, which was canceled. The movie chain denied Navarre’s request but said

they would not show the movie at any of the midnight showings.

Navarre said there

would be extra security during the film’s showing.