Now that a tumultuous 2008 has come to an end, a number of rappers and producers took time this week to plan the new year and reveal their resolutions for 2009.   The year which has now passed seems to have brought these artists closer to their fans, as their resolutions reflect that of the […]

Ronelle “Big Gates” Levatte, manager/brother of rapper Plies, has responded to rumors that his younger brother was incarcerated after a show in Atlanta last week.   According to reports, Plies born Algernod Washington, was allegedly arrested by federal agents after a performance at the Hot 107.9’s Jingle Bash.   The show, which took place on […]

A member of the Louisiana-based Jena Six is being treated at a local hospital after shooting himself in the chest.   The Associated Press reports that Mychal Bell injured himself Monday night (December 29) at his grandmother’s house in Monroe.   According to a police report, the shooting was reported at 7:40 p.m. At the […]

Throughout 2008 T.I. found himself alternating between personal and professional challenges in the form of promoting a new album, legal woes, and a persistent Bankhead rival.           On March 27, T.I., real name Clifford Harris, was sentenced to 1 year in prison for two counts of illegally possessing machine guns and silencers, and one count […]

Multi-platinum rapper DMX entered a guilty plea today (December 30) before a Phoenix judge on four counts of theft, drug, and animal cruelty charges.   Per the plea agreement, DMX (Earl Simmons) will be sentenced on Friday January 30. The agreement will cover one count of possession of narcotic drugs, a misdemeanor county of animal […]

Even a full year after its release, Flo Rida’s smash single “Low” continues to be a cash cow in overseas ringtones for the Miami rapper.   Telstra, Australia’s largest provider of long-distance and local telephone services, officially recognized “Low” as the top-selling ringtone of 2008.   The country’s ringtone purchases peaked in 2007 at $50 […]

Super-producer Timbaland will ring in the New Year with a newly processed $11,450 lien against his mansion, courtesy of an ongoing florist bill dispute.   The White Tulip Florist, a company based in Miami Beach, filed legal papers against Timbaland claiming the star purchased $25,850.00 in trees, flowers, and lights from their organization.   According […]

West Coast rap star E-40 is speaking out regarding his role in a recent shooting, following a sold-out performance at a Denver, Colorado nightclub.   According to his manager, Chaz Hayes, “E-40 and his camp were uninvolved in the unfortunate incident at Club Vinyl in Denver on Dec. 27, 2008.”   “Neither E40 nor anyone […]

President-elect Barack Obama’s landmark 2008 presidential run not only galvanized the nation, but ignited a renewed sense of political awareness and music from Hip-Hop artists.                 The noticeable trend began slowly at the end of 2007 through artists such as Common and Talib Kweli, both of whom publicly supported Barack Obama’s then perceived long shot […]

Jay-Z’s plans to add the title of hotelier to his ever-expanding empire has been halted, the New York Times reports.   The rapper/mogul’s planned J Hotels, which was scheduled to break ground this year, has been postponed indefinitely, as New York’s real estate development market takes a heavy hit.   The luxury hotel was proposed […]

Talib Kweli’s Blacksmith Music imprint has dissolved its distribution arrangement with Warner Brothers Records.   The Brooklyn MC confirmed the split to AllHipHop.com today after rumors surfaced online that he had been released from his contract with the label.   “My label Blacksmith is no longer distributed by Warner Brothers, which means they will not […]

Detroit’s Trick Trick, the self-proclaimed “villain” of Hip-Hop, made himself one of the culture’s biggest talking points this year courtesy of one-sided feuds with Yung Berg and the gay community.           Over the summer, talkative rapper Yung Berg was mercilessly beaten and relieved of his trademark Transformer chain mere moments after stepping into Trick’s Plan […]

The Dancehall fraternity suffered a severe loss early Friday morning: Just hours after most celebrated life and love on Christmas day with family and friends, dancer, Ice, was murdered.   “Ice,” real name David Alexander Smith, was best known for his internationally acclaimed “Gully Creeper.”   The dance took the world by storm after Bad Boy’s […]

14 years ago, a shooting happened that forever altered the course of Hip-Hop history and the lives of three of its most significant artists – Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. and Sean “Diddy” Combs. On November 30, 1994 Tupac Shakur was shot five times, pistol-whipped, and robbed in the lobby of the Quad Recordings Studios […]

Police in Denver, Colorado are investigating a shootout following an E-40 Concert that left five people wounded last night (December 26).   According to police, the shooting occurred around 2:00 am outside of the club as it closed, after E-40 had performed without incident inside the venue.   Local residents in the area have stated […]

Coming off winning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2007, 2008 was supposed to follow with more accolades as Jennifer Hudson made her long awaited return to music.   Instead, the singer/actress, who garnered a healthy buzz for her debut album with the lead single “Spotlight,”  found herself on the receiving end of a major […]

Despite serving time in prison, Sacramento, California rapper X-Raided is laying the groundwork for a series of upcoming projects.   In a statement issued from Pleasant Valley State Prison, X-Raided confirmed that he will release another installment of his Unforgiven series with his forthcoming album Eternally Unforgiven.   According to the rapper, the album has […]

Oscar-award winning singer/actress Jennifer Hudson is coming out of seclusion to honor singing icon Neil Diamond with a Grammy week tribute performance.   According to reports, the entertainer will take the stage February 6 at the MusiCares Person of the Year gala.   The event, which will be held at the at the Los Angeles […]

Keeping it real may be cliché in Hip-Hop, but the philosophy behind the statement remains the backbone of many rappers. For Rick Ross, keeping it real was put to the test as the Miami-based rapper’s credibility came into question amid allegations concerning his background. The rapper, who is known for his gritty rhymes about street […]

Mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka announced an ambitious, $1 million dollar charity offer for the city of New York to redesign the iconic New Year’s Eve ball.   The bold offer is the latest example of the brand’s ubiquitous presence in New York’s Time Square.   Just the eight days before […]