(AllHipHop News) After years of delay as an artist on Aftermath/Interscope Records, Atlanta rapper Stat Quo is finally on the verge of releasing his highly anticipated album Statlanta.

The album, which is slated for May 4th, will be released on Sha Money XL’s Dream Big Ventures, through digital distributor, The Orchard.

Stat Quo remained tight lipped on the details about the album, but he did disclose the release will feature 12 tracks.

“For this album I’m not telling anyone anything or anything about who is on it because I feel a lot of artists always tell who is going to be on a record and then it takes some of the mystery away,” Stat Quo told AllHipHop.com. “So I would rather just wait and have you get the album and then you can see what’s going on with it.“

Stat has released the first single off the album titled “Success (Back To You),” which also has an accompanying video. “Yea it is the first single off the album. A lot of people would say that it is not a traditional single, because its not targeted towards radio,” Stat Quo told AllHipHop.com. “I just want to make good music and not worry about BDS [radio spin tracking service].”

The video “Success (Back To You)” features Stat going through various situations that he has been through, in an attempt to become successful.

“When I heard the beat and chorus, when you hear it, you may think that I am talking about a woman, but it really I am talking about my relationship with success,” he told AllHipHop.com. “The video takes three aspects of my life, like working a corporate job. You got another situation, me selling CDs, what I believe in. And another situation is me graduating from school and being successful.”

While many people may not know, Stat is one of many rappers that has earned his college degree.

In the early 2000’s Stat finished received his degree from the University of Florida with a double major in business and economics.

“Graduating in business and economics, it allows me to step outside of me just being an artist. I had to look at the business side of things. Hundreds thousands of people at those companies depend on Dr. Dre and Eminem’s album sales, so I can understand why it was so pertinent to get those albums out when they did. I didn’t understand at the time, but now I understand”

Finally Stat Quo gave an update on working with Dr. Dre on Detox and his relationship with Eminem.

With respect to working with Eminem and Dre, Stat said, “I enjoyed working with them, and I enjoy working with them. I learned so much from both of them on how to be a better MC and person, and I continue to learn from them. I’m not going to say me and Em talk on the phone, or that we have had contact, it’s been a while, but at the end of the day I still got love for him and that’s never going to change. When it comes down to Dre, what can I say? Dude is the end all and be all as my mentor, he held me down and continues to.”

Stat confirmed that he will be a part of Detox, although the album has no set release date as of press time.

“On his record I feel so important, his album is just so important to Hip-Hop. I am blessed to have an opportunity to be in the situation to work on it. S**t is going to be a classic from beginning to end,” Stat Quo told AllHipHop.com.

Stat Quo will next be performing at SXSW in Austin, Texas later this month.

(AllHipHop News) Reality TV star Joseph “Jo Jo” Simmons recently dropped his debut mixtape, titled Most Improved Player under his rap name, Young Simmons.

The rapper, son of rap legend Joseph “Reverend “Run” Simmons, teamed with DJ Spin King to drop the 21-track mixtape under the name Young Simmons.Young Simmons’ mixtape was released to the Internet on Wednesday (March 3). As a co-star of MTV’s#### show Run’s House, millions of viewers watched Rev Run’s eldest son begin his career as a Hip-Hop artist.

According to Young Simmons, he released the mixtape to showcase a different side of him that he does not reveal on the television show.

“All the hate I’ve been getting motivated this mixtape,” Simmons told AllHipHop.com. “I love music that’s why I make music. I feel like no matter what I do, hot or not, people don’t like me because of the personality they see on TV. Hopefully this mixtape will help people get to know me better.”

Young Simmons tackles the issue of his family’s fame on “Related to Russell” and addresses his arrest for possession of marijuana in May 2009, over Waka Flocka Flames’ “O Let’s Do It.”

Most Improved Player features appearances by Matic, Blackout, Young Jerz, Allie, Zach, Da Professor, Legacy and others.

(AllHipHop News) Former Three 6 Mafia member Mr. Del’s career is in full swing as a gospel rapper, as the MC has been nominated for best album during the upcoming 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards.

His June 2009 album Thrilla, which was released via the Dedicated Music Group (DMG), is nominated for best Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year.

Del, born, Delmar Lawrence, is now officially a Pastor and has founded his own church, City of Refuge, where he also heads up his own record label, Holy South.

In 2005, he released his first gospel album titled The Future and he has released two other solo albums, including Thrilla.

Other artists that received nominations include Mary Mary, tobyMac, Jars of Clay, Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, Tenth Avenue North and others.

The 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards will take place on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry House.

The show will be televised nationwide on the Gospel Music Channel (gmc) on Sunday, April 25, 2010 from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. EST.

Fans of Mr. Del can find his preaching each Sunday and Tuesday at City of Refuge, which is located in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

(AllHipHop News) Solar, partner of Guru, has issued a new statement that addresses the allegations that he has prevented the GangStarr founding member from seeing his family members.

“I have nothing but the deepest love and respect for The Elam family. But I have not stopped anybody from seeing him,” Solar said. “Guru’s brother, sister and niece has visited with him and his brother was here for three days. I am in touch with them on a daily basis.”

Solar also stressed that Guru has requested privacy with this health matters, a demand that may include family members.

“Guru’s family dynamic and who he wants to look out for his interests is Guru’s business and best left to Guru to discuss. I will state that Guru wanted this matter to be kept private to protect his loved ones and fans from this ordeal and from it becoming a circus, which it is becoming,” he continued. “Guru has made clear he does not want anything to do with certain people from his past, and for them too be making false statements about his health is unacceptable.”

Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff, who claims to be Guru’s nephew, said that he and other family members were prevented from seeing the rapper.

“My family has no way of knowing what is going on with Guru’s situation,” Ruff stated. “Solar has complete control over the flow of information given from the hospital, and will not disclose any information with us. The doctors and staff won’t discuss any information with Guru’s family.”

Solar reiterated that his only concern was to make sure Guru would return to normalcy after suffering a major heart attack in February.

“The hospital records will show that Guru’s Brother, sister and Niece visited him last week, Fact !” Solar said. “Guru’s well-being and need to heal is what I am concerned with, and that Guru’s wishes in this matter be observed,” he said.