Former Priority Records head Bryan Turner’s new company, MELEE has entered into a joint venture deal with DreamWorks to release DVD’s, that will be distributed by Universal Music & Video Distribution (UMVD). The first release under the new deal will be "Entertainer’s Basketball Classic At Rucker Park: The Second Season," due March 4. It is […]
Veteran R&B crooner Keith Sweat, reggae kingpin Bounty Killer, and radio and television personality Big Tigger all recent signed to Producer Swizz Beatz new imprint, Full Surface Records. Full Surface will be distributed by J Records. J Records recently merged with RCA to form the RCA Music Group. The Full Surface roster also includes Yung […]
Users of satellite radio service Sirius recently announced that they are expanding their music and entertainment lineup, starting February 3rd. The network will launch eight new music streams, two of which cater to hip-hop enthusiasts. "Planet Rhyme," which will be on Channel 41, will feature the international sound of hiphop, while "Wax" on Channel 42, […]
VH1 will celebrate Black History month, by featuring various African-American performers. VH1 will premiere two new episode’s of the series "Driven," spotlighting Lil Kim and Jay-Z. "Driven: Jay-Z," will premiere February 9 at 9:00 PM EST and "Driven: Lil Kim," will debut one week later on February 16 at 9:00 PM EST. The network will […]
Missy Elliot has earned the distinction of being the most successful "Artist Of The Month" in web property AOL’s history. In a testament to the growing power of hip-hop, Elliot beat out the previous titledholder, Faith Hill. To date, Missy Elliot has received 8.42 million streams, as opposed to Faith Hill’s 1.5 million. Elliot’s popularity […]
Grandmaster Flash and The Furious 5’s 1982 record "The Message," was one of the first 50 recordings placed in the The National Recording Registry today (Jan. 27). The Registry was created by Congress to preserve recordings of historical and cultural significance. "The Message" joins Thomas Edison’s first recordings, President Roosevelt’s "fireside chats," and Scott Joplin’s […]
Universal Pictures has started an ad campaign on behalf of Eminem’s#### movie, "8 Mile," in various trade magazines and in New York and Los Angeles trade newspapers, aimed at the voting body of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that votes on Oscars. The body is now casting their ballots for best […]
Pranksters sent a wave of fear through the hip-hop community via a fake CNN website, which reported that rappers 50 Cent and Jay-Z were murdered. "Jay-Z is in f*cking Switzerland right now," Russell Simmons told AllHipHop.com. "This sh*t isn’t true. 50 Cent was just on New York radio too." The URL was cleverly designed to […]
A Brooklyn, New York city councilman will lead a protest in front of Hot 97 today (Jan. 26) to have embattled R&B singer R. Kelly removed from the radio stations playlist. Councilman James Davis, who is also a former police officer, said that he is targeting the radio stations to send a message. "We all […]
Brazilian rapper Sabotage, 29, was shot to death in Sao Paulo, Brazil yesterday morning (Jan. 24). Sabotage, whose real name is Mauro Mateus dos Santos, was shot in the head and chest four times as he returned home from a party. Police found a ski mask near the crime scene, but have no suspects in […]
Suge Knight was hit with a multi-million dollar lawsuit by his former legal team. The McPherson & Kalmansohn law firm accuse Knight of cheating them out of more that $600,000 in legal fees in the 90’s. Last month, former Death Row Records artist Daz Dillinger and a Philadelphia based company, Organized Crime Family, won a […]
Pop princess Nivea has come forth to declare that she and Cash Money Millionaire Lil’ Wayne are a serious couple. The singer, who got her big break on Mystikal’s “Danger,” refused to admit that she and Wayne were engaged, as insiders have speculated. But she did acknowledge that the pair was excited to be together […]
XXL magazine has dropped its latest issue, which boasts a cover story that features 50 Cent, Eminem, Dr. Dre and attacks the integrity of rival The Source Magazine. The issue also features a rebuttal to Source co-owner Ray Benzino’s criticisms of the white rapper, who he deems a poster boy for the ills in the […]
Murder Inc.’s Ja-Rule and Ashanti have confirmed a concert date in New Zealand, and will play at the Mr. Smart Supertop on Friday, March 7. The Grammy nominated pair will perform one show, along side Charli Baltimore. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale next Friday. In related Murder Inc. news, staff producer 7 Aurelius […]
Warlock Records vice president Diana J. Lemchak, 39, and her husband, Gary Clugston, 37, a sound engineer, were found dead in their upstate New York home. The police are investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide, Sgt. John Lynch said. A caller reporting to sounds of gunshots brought police to the residence. Lynch said their were […]
Ruff Ryders Records has inked a distribution deal with Virgin Records for signing new acts and releasing compilations. The Ruff Ryders’ previous distributor, Interscope, will continue to hold the rights to Eve and Jakakiss’ solo material, according to Billboard. Likewise, DMX and his Bloodline imprint will continue dealing with Island Def Jam as they were […]
Producer/musician Willie Woods filed suit in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis against Nappy Roots and their label Atlantic Records because he alleges the Grammy-nominated rap group hasn’t paid him for work he performed on their song “Po’ Folks.” Woods also alleges he has never appeared as a co-writer or a co-producer of the […]
The Roots are about to embark on a jam-packed, nationwide tour with metaphor monster Skillz (formerly Mad Skillz) and eccentric singer Cody Chestnut. Richmond, VA rapper Skillz said he was excited about performing alongside of the Philadelphia-based band of hip-hop. “Hell yeah, I’m excited. The industry is so shaky now and nobody’s really touring. I’m […]
Listing $227.9 million in assets versus $222.5 million in debt, popular music chain Wherehouse Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This is second bankruptcy filing for the company in five years. The Associated Press reports that the company—who at one time operated 370 stores—will close 120 stores in the next few months; this is […]
The lyrics of Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, Goodie Mob and The Geto Boyz are being trumpeted along side John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot and others. Students on the verge of dropping out at Los Angeles’ Crenshaw High School are being encouraged to stay in school with classes that allow them to dissect the lyrics […]