Urban clothing moguls Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons recently premiered the latest collection of Baby Phat watches, which expands upon the popular and best-selling "kitty" logo using a variety of Austrian crystal and leather. One of the more popular international collections features the "Hello Kitty" logo in diamond-encrusted watches. "We are gonna sell a lot," […]

Snoop Dogg and the Global Gaming League announced today (March 2) the formation of the Hip-Hop Gaming League, GGL’s newest online video game community where MCs and international gaming champions compete and showcase their skills. Snoop will serve as the league’s first commissioner, ensuring that all matches played online via Xbox Live for the Xbox […]

Busta Rhymes has been sued for assault in Manhattan Supreme Court by a man who claims the rapper and his bodyguard assaulted him for no reason. Melvin Smith, 37, claims Busta Rhymes and co-defendant Troy Green assaulted him without reason. Smith’s lawyer Bruce Regenstreich said his client sought an autograph from rhymes in a sandwich […]

Former Juice Crew members MC Shan and Roxanne Shante are seeking new talent to help reorganize the legendary Hip-Hop group. Formed in the mid 1980s by producer Marley Marl and his label, Cold Chillin’ Records, the original Juice Crew is best known for their classic, “The Symphony.” The original team included Marley Marl, Kool G. […]

Houston rapper Chamillionaire has been tapped as the new face of the spring 2006 tribute advertising campaign for Makaveli Branded, the official clothing line of the late Tupac Shakur. Chamillionaire joins Ludacris, Scarface, DJ Quik, Twista, Chingy, the Disturbin’ Tha Peace crew and Omar Epps in the campaign, which will run in major Hip-Hop publications […]

Hip-Hop activists, recording artists and college students are looking to raise awareness of the physical and emotional destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina through the Katrina on the Ground initiative. The program is a College Student Spring Break initiative that aims to highlight the effects of Katrina and the recovery process in the Gulf region. The goal is […]

Kanye West’s debut performance at the NEC Arena near Solihull in the UK was tainted by a shooting that left two security guards of the venue wounded. West was in town on the final date of his five-date Touch The Sky Tour, which ended with an appearance at the NEC Arena. According to police the […]

Brothers Master P. and Silkk The Shocker were ordered to stand trial for various weapons charges by a Superior Court Judge yesterday (Feb. 27) in Los Angeles. Master P., born Percy Miller and Silkk The Shocker, born Vyshonn Miller, were arrested in Jan. of 2005 after being pulled over by University of California police officers. […]

Rapper Chingy will make his acting debut in the film The System Within, a new film that includes veteran actor Hawthorne James and Bryce Wilson. The movie was written by and stars Tariq Alexander as Tony "Wise" Good, an internationally known model from the inner city who falls from grace and lands in the prison […]

Music producer Timbaland, Violator management co-owner and president Mona Scott, and Roots member ?uestlove are among the panelists scheduled to participate in a Music Biz 101 symposium on April 19. Contestants, who must be currently enrolled in college, are eligible to win an all-expense paid trip to New York City to attend the symposium, and […]

Rapper and entrepreneur Nelly is expanding his Apple Bottom clothing brand to include lingerie, shoes, handbags, plus size clothing, and childrensware. Apple Bottom, which launched in July 2003, is gearing up for a children’s print ad campaign featuring celebrity rappers, including Nelly, Ali from the St. Lunactics, Big Gipp from Goodie Mobb and Jermaine Dupri, […]

Rapper Chino XL is offering aspiring rappers a chance to be heard, courtesy of his forthcoming album, Poison Pen. Activate, the rapper’s label, and Foundation Chi are sponsoring a contest, which allows fans to write and add their own verses to an interactive mix of one of four bonus tracks on the album. Participants have […]

Busta Rhymes flew to Los Angeles over the weekend to complete the star-studded video to his “Touch It” remix. The filming of the video has put the rapper in the headlines, because of the shooting death of his bodyguard during the portion filmed in New York. Rhymes’ bodyguard Israel Ramirez was shot and killed on […]

Christopher “Play” Martin, one-half of the early rap duo Kid ‘n Play, is releasing Holy Hip-Hop, a new DVD that showcases rappers from the world of gospel music. Martin serves as host, director and producer of the 82-minute DVD, which offers an inside look at artists leading the way in the gospel rap scene. “When […]

An audio tape recorded before the slaying of rapper Busta Rhymes’ bodyguard has surfaced and is reportedly being offered to the media for $50,000. The 53-minute tape has not been given to police or prosecutors. The New York Daily News reported that the tape includes the argument that set off the shooting of Israel Ramirez, […]

The legal wrangling over The Source magazine continued yesterday (Feb. 23) in a New York courtroom. New York Supreme Court Judge Richard B. Lowe III granted co-founders Dave Mays and Ray “Benzino” Scott a temporary restraining order preventing the auction of their stock in the company. The Source’s bank, Textron Financial, is attempting to auction […]

Former Nas associate Lake has signed to Suge Knight’s Death Row Records subsidiary, Death Row East. “I’m the flagship artist [of Death Row East],” Lakey the Kid said on DJ Kay Slay’s Hot 97 radio show today [Feb. 24]. “We doing this for the streets. Death Row is back. The streets is ready, the penitentiary […]

Rapper/actor LL Cool J and actress Gabrielle Union have been tapped to host BET’s annual Rip the Runway fashion special. Busta Rhymes, Three Six Mafia, Steve Harvey, Christina Milian, Anthony Hamilton and Ne-Yo will also be featured in the special, which airs March 23 on BET. The one-hour show will showcase LL Cool J’s new […]

Mobb Deep have a retort for those those fans that thought the group’s G-Unit affiliation would compromise their self-proclaimed "murda musik." The group’s upcoming album, Blood Money, features 50 Cent and many acts like Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and Tony Yayo, but Prodigy and Havoc say their style prevails on the opus. "Basically, to the […]