Jim Jones leaks Jay-Z diss song

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The Diplomats'Jim Jones will release his new album, Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment), on November 7th, but the rapper recently leaked a song, titled "Alarm," where he goes after Jay-Z. There's been a longstanding beef between Jay-Z and Cam'ron and the Diplomats that dates back to when Cam'ron was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records in 2002.

On the diss song, Jones raps, "Y'all waiting on Kingdom Come, but his kingdom's done ... I seen kings get done." The line is a reference to Jay-Z's forthcoming new album, Kingdom Come.

Jones told MTV.com, "I'm not really going at him if you listen to it. It's tasteful. This game is built on competition. When (Jay-Z) was hot and had his little eight-summer run, he was taking so many jabs at so many people in the game, it was all love. Now it's my turn, and everybody's included. But I don't do battle rap. I don't have beef with nobody except the devil, so if y'all want that, y'all gonna meet him. This game is built on aggressive competition, and I'm gonna do what I do for the people to understand where I'm going. I got another song coming. It's got Dame Dash on it. It's called 'Roc-A-Fella Breakup.' "

Mobb Deep duo working on solo projects

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep have been busy touring and recording. The duo is currently working on solo projects which they will release independently through their own Infamous Record label next year. The group's deal with G-Unit Records allows them the freedom to release solo projects through other labels.

Prodigy explained why it was a no brainer for the group to sign with 50 Cent. He said: "When you got the person that's cutting the checks, calling the shots, a fan of your music, you know that's a good situation because he's gonna make sure you're all over the TV."

Prodigy added: "He's gonna make sure you're all over the radio. He gonna make sure you're all over whatever albums they're working on. You know what I mean? You gonna get all the perks that come along with it. You know what I'm sayin'?"

In related news, Mobb Deep will be releasing a greatest hits set, Life of the Infamous: The Best of Mobb Deep, next Tuesday, October 31st

Jay-Z doesn't plan to leave post at Def Jam

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Hip hop mogul Jay-Z plans to release a new album, Kingdom Come, on November 21st, but the rapper doesn't plan to leave his post as president of Def Jam Records. He told MTV.com, "Everything is good. I know there's been some rumors I was leaving Def Jam. I'm not leaving Def Jam. I signed on for three years, so I don't have any plans to move on. I love working with (Island Def Jam Chairman) L.A. (Reid), I love working with (Island President) Steve (Bartels), I love (Universal Chairman and CEO) Doug (Morris)."

The rapper's contract runs through 2008 but he shared that even if he were to leave the presidency he would continue on as a consultant.

Some critics have voiced concern that in addition to Jay-Z's new album, Def Jam Records plans to release new albums by Young Jeezy, Nas, Ghostface Killah, and Fabolous in December.

Jay-Z explained, "The funny thing about Def Jam is when people say, 'How can you put out an album and promote (other records) at the same time?'is, the amount of albums that come out of Def Jam and always come out of Def Jam is, like, 60 albums in a year. There is an extraordinary amount of work; it's not like my album is any different. When people say, 'How can you put an album out?'I say, 'Well it worked for (Former Def Jam CEO) Lyor (Cohen). It made Lyor look like a genius, it should make me look like a genius too!'"

The rapper added, "The best moment in Def Jam's history, well the one that I can recall, is when Lyor was going to sell the company for maybe $80 or $90 million. Then one month Lyor put out (albums) by myself, Ja Rule and DMX, everyone did great. I think there's something to be said about a company and having synergy and having energy and having a bunch of artists come out at the same time. I think that works also....When No Limit had their run and Bad Boy had their run and Death Row had their run it was more than one artist doing it. So I just think it makes only logical sense."

Jay-Z is currently wrapping a world tour but his close friend Sean "Diddy" Combs is already talking about putting together a tour for next year that would include Jay-Z, Diddy, Nas, and Busta Rhymes.

Ghostface Killah to release new album in december

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah will release his second album of the year, More Fish, on December 19th. The album is the sequel to the rapper's Fishscale which he released in March. The first single from More Fish is "Good."

The new album features several collaborations with the Theodore Unit as well as a guest spot from Ghostface's son, Sun God.

The Theodore Unit is made up of Ghost, Trife Da God, Du-Lilz, Shawn Wiggs, Cappadonna, and Kryme Life.

Ghostface Killah was noticeably absent when the Wu-Tang Clan was honored by VH1's Hip Hop Honors earlier this month. The rapper was unable to attend the event because he had already committed to several European tour dates.

Lloyd Banks says there's no beef with dipset

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Last month Lloyd Banks and the G-Unit performed at a back to school concert that was co-headlined by the Diplomats'Jim Jones at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island. According to witnesses at the event, members of the G-Unit were backstage, chanting "Boring" instead of "Ballin," which is the chorus of Jones'hit song, "We Fly High."

Banks told MTV.com, "Nah, I mean there ain't no problem, man. Whenever you get a lot of energy into the same building, people don't know what to expect. So just walking by somebody without saying, 'Wassup,'might get taken the wrong way. But it's nothing. We do what we do, they do what they do. We're holdin'NYC down. Unnecessary problems shouldn't occur. If it ain't no problem there, then keep it goin'."

The rapper added, "But I can't X out anything. Who knows? Records might come. That goes for anybody who you don't have a solid beef with. I don't really got beef with nobody. I got bread. ... Nah, ain't no beef with them."

Banks released his sophomore album, The Rotten Apple, earlier this month. The set debuted at Number Three on the Billboard 200 albums chart last week after selling 142,000 copies its first week in stores.

The new album isn't the only new material from Banks on the streets. He's been putting out a steady diet of mixtapes and he's scheduled to release a new one within the next two week. Banks said, "I'm gonna let the album breathe about two weeks. But I got Mo'Money in the Bank Pt. 5 already geared up and ready to go. Mo'Money in the Bank Pt. 4 with DJ Whoo Kid is on the street right now -- (the one with) the green cover. Now it's time for the blue cover. That'll be out in a matter of days."

Snoop Dogg Caught with weapon at Airport

By: Nick Tsolkas

Snoop Dogg may be facing criminal charges after a 21-inch collapsible baton was found in his bags as he boarded a flight headed to New York. The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was going through a security checkpoint at John Wayne International Airport in California on September 27, when the baton was found in his laptop bag. Snoop told sheriff's deputies that the baton was a prop for a movie he was filming in New York. "He had a collapsible baton and it is classified as a dangerous weapon," sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino told the Associated Press. Prosecutors have not decided on whether to charge the rapper, who was not arrested at the scene.

This isn't the first time Snoop has had a problem at an airport.

In April, he and five other men were arrested on charges of violent disorder and starting a brawl after some members of his entourage were denied entry to British Airways' first-class lounge at Heathrow Airport in London. Seven officers received minor injuries and one suffered a fracture to the hand in the altercation.

Last month British Airways announced that Snoop is banned from future travel on the airline.

Papoose shoots two videos

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Brooklyn-based rapper Papoose will release two videos in the coming weeks as he puts the finishing touches on his Jive Records debut, Nacirema Dream, which is due out in January. The rapper will release his official lead single later this fall. MTV.com reports that Papoose shot the videos for "Alphabetical Slaughter" and "Ghetto Soldier" featuring Akon in his hometown, Brooklyn.

Papoose said, "'Ghetto Soldier,'basically the concept of the video is showing the comparison of the soldier that's going to war in Afghanistan and the everyday ghetto soldiers that are losing their lives. It's a visual metaphor between the two. People could see they going to war over there, but it's everyday war we going through in the 'hood. We showing both sides of the fence. I think the video made a good statement in the end. We're all fighting for different causes, but at the end of the day, it's a loss of life."

As for the "Alphabetical Slaughter" video, the rapper said, "They gonna use a lot of different graphics to bring it to life. But it's me spittin'the lyrics. One scene shows a different learning process. You got my man with the boxing gloves and somebody is training him, he's learning to fight. Then there's this female who's sitting down learning schoolwork. It's more like a lesson. 'Alphabetical Slaughter'is a lesson to MCs. Throughout the video you gonna see a lot. This is just a warning shot, me making my introduction to the mainstream."

Papoose has been anointed as the rapper that will bring New York City back to forefront by some hip hop fans. The rapper shared his thoughts on being the one to bring New York back. He said: "Basically I'm just gonna be myself and do what I do. I feel like people got to you know, people go to elect you as the individual to bring New York back to the forefront. I'm not one to stand up here and say you know, 'I'm bringing New York back.'I speak by what the people say. The people got to elect you as king or anything."

The rapper added: "So you know a lot of fans are saying that. Even when I'm in the south, they saying, 'Yo, we like how you bringing New York back.'So you know I'm just gonna be myself and continue what I do with my God given talent, you know what I mean?"

In addition to the new album, Papoose is working on a mixtape from his group, Thugacation, which he plans to release in the coming weeks.

Hip Hop Weekly Arrives At National Newsstands And Supermarkets This Week!

New Magazine's Innovative, Oversized Format Explodes With the Latest News, Photos and Features on the Entire Hip Hop Culture

The hip hop community has been buzzing with anticipation for the last few weeks, ever since David Mays and Ray Benzino, the creators of The Source, announced the launch of their new magazine, Hip Hop Weekly. HHW arrives on newsstands this week, featuring a fast-paced and groundbreaking new format that is unlike any other magazine currently on the market. HHW's first cover story is an exclusive report on the split between Game and Dr. Dre, who did not work on Game's new album coming out this fall.

Hip Hop Weekly delivers on its promise to provide more timely and relevant information than traditional monthly hip hop magazines. Highlights of HHW's debut issue include:

-- Television: a first look in print at VH1's annual "Hip Hop Honors"
show

-- News: exclusive photos of DMX going after the soundman at a recent
Long Island concert

-- Lifestyle: "310 Whips" with Nick Cannon showing off his 2006 Phantom
Rolls Royce

-- Music: a feature on how Jay-Z & Beyonce are fending off the haters;
plus, spotlights on Yung Dro, Fat Joe and Lupe Fiasco

-- Events: a first-hand report from the recent Jay Z/Rick Ross overseas
concert tour

-- Sports: an editorial on football's current bad boy Terrell Owens and
pictorial on hip hop/sports powerhouse And 1 and their streetball games,
tour and video game

-- Politics: an exclusive report on Jay Z stating, "I'm out for dead
president Bush," while performing with Nas at London's Wembley Stadium

-- Fashion: celebrity style on the red carpet with Terrence Howard, Zoe
Saldana, Lil' Kim and more

HHW also features exclusive columns by two of today's most influential hosts in urban radio, Wendy Williams and Star & Buc Wild. In "The Wendy Williams Pages," Wendy dishes dirt on Big Tigger, Bobby Brown, Busta Rhymes, Jermaine Dupri and more. Star & Buc Wild's column predicts the newest celebrity battles, including Beyonce vs. Rihanna and Will Smith vs. Johnny Knoxville.

SPECIAL NOTE: "Diddy Apology"

The staff of Hip Hop Weekly would like to apologize to Sean "Diddy" Combs for the mistake made in the rating of his new album, "Press Play." Unfortunately the HHW staff stayed up for 72 hours straight to complete their first issue on time, and all of the record ratings were printed incorrectly. The correct rating will be printed in the next issue.

Hip Hop Weekly breaks new ground as the world's first entertainment news & celebrity lifestyle publication targeting the market of almost 40 million U.S. consumers under the age of 40 who identify with hip hop culture. Hip Hop Weekly reports on all the news, events and issues surrounding the hip hop community, right as they happen. The magazine covers film, TV, music, fashion, sports and celebrity news with an authoritative voice, and serves a 50/50 male/female readership from 15 to 40 years old. Hip Hop Weekly's founders, David Mays and Ray Benzino, are considered visionaries in the hip hop space, having created The Source -- the first magazine/multi-media outlet to focus solely on hip hop -- in 1988, from Mays' dorm room at Harvard University. Hip Hop Weekly continues their tradition of editorial excellence in reporting on what has now become a mainstream fixture and way of life: hip hop culture.

Eminem Re-Up's With New Compilation, Out Dec. 5th

SANTA MONICA, CA – October 25, 2006 – Rumors about an upcoming mixtape project prompted Eminem today to reveal details about the album. “So much wrong information has gotten out,” said the multiplatinum-selling rap superstar, “it’s time to set the record straight.”



Eminem Presents: The Re-Up(Shady Records/Interscope Records), to be released December 5th, began as a street mixtape project--an underground, unofficial CD with raw production values--designed to help launch new Shady Records artists Stat Quo, Ca$his and Bobby Creekwater. “But what happened is that the material was so good and the tracks were getting produced like a regular album,” said Eminem. “Instead of putting it out there rough and unfinished, I thought we should add some other new tracks, make it a real album, and put it in the record stores to give these new artists a real boost.” The album was executive produced by Eminem, who also produced the majority of the songs. A handful of selections were produced by The Alchemist, who also compiled the album in true mixtape fashion. The Alchemist is best known for his work with Cypress Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Mobb Deep, and Jadakiss.

Each of the tracks makes its official CD debut on Eminem Presents: The Re-Up, though Stat Quo’s “Billion Bucks,” and Obie Trice’s “Cry Now” (Remix), produced by Sicknotes, was recently released on mixtapes and to radio. The first single and video will be “You Don’t Know” from Eminem, 50 Cent, Ca$his and Lloyd Banks. With Eminem and Ca$his from the Shady camp and 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks from G-Unit, the rap illustrates the unity of the two organizations.

The Re-Up also gave acclaimed hip-hop producer The Alchemist a chance to work with Shady’s new regime. After joining forces on-stage as Eminem’s DJ on last year’s Anger Management 3 tour, Alchemist and the Shady camp began collaborating in the studio. This new album features the results of this anticipated collaboration with new tracks produced by The Alchemist featuring Stat Quo, Ca$his, Bobby Creekwater and Obie Trice.

Among the album’s other recordings are “No Apologies” from Eminem; “Talkin’ All That” from Ca$his; “City Of Gold” from Bobby Creekwater; “Murder” from Bizarre and Kuniva (both of D12); and The “Smack That (Remix)” with Akon.

Stat Quo, hailing from Atlanta, was signed to a joint deal between Shady Records and Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment after Eminem and Dre heard him on the Underground Atlanta mixtape series. Creekwater, also from Atlanta, was inked after Eminem heard his work on demos and in the studio with The Alchemist. Ca$his, a Chicago native transplanted in his youth to Orange Co., California, was a member of West Coast underground favorites The Renegadez.

Rampant misinformation about Eminem Presents: The Re-Up included many false internet tracklistings and that the mixtape would be a tribute to D12’s Proof, the recently slain rapper and close friend of Eminem. “The D12 album and those unreleased songs with Proof are coming,” said Eminem. “But The Re-Up is about these new artists and these new songs. It isn’t fair to them or to the memory of Proof to mix them up.”

###

Mobb Deep Escapes Plane Crash

G-Unit acts Mobb Deep and 40 Glocc watched their travel plans literally go up in flames this weekend, when an engine fire during a flight to Chile forced the plane carrying them to make an emergency landing in Tampa, FL.

The three were aboard a flight that departed from Atlanta and were en route to Chile when an hour into the flight, the plane began dropping, rising and dropping again. Passengers soon witnessed flames and smoke pouring from one of the plane's engines. The pilot made an announcement that the aircraft had lost an engine, and he would be attempting an emergency landing in Tampa, FL but urged the passengers aboard to "buckle up and not panic."

The pilot was able to successfully land the plane, which was greeted by dozens of fire trucks and ambulances on the runway.

The grounded flight was not the original flight Mobb Deep and 40 Glocc had been scheduled to take. The three had actually been forced to stay overnight in Atlanta the night before, due to flight delays after missing a previous connection to Chile.

The three G-Unit artists were forced to cancel several planned performances in Chile; however all parties were able to appreciate their fortunate safe landing. Had the engine failure occurred later in the flight, the aircraft would have been over the ocean, making for a much more difficult landing in water.

LiL Wayne won't be performing at Morgan State University anytime soon

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Cash Money Records president Lil Wayne was trying to share the wealth during a concert at Morgan State University's homecoming but the rapper ended up in hot water. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes performed at the school's homecoming concert at the Hill Field House on Thursday, October 17th. During his performance, members of Lil Wayne's entourage tossed $20, $10, $5 and $1 bills into the crowd of college students. According to the Baltimore Sun, two women sustained leg injuries and another one fainted as the students attempted to grab the money.

Morgan State University Police Chief Adrian Wiggins said, "We're evaluating it from a public safety standpoint and a criminal standpoint."

Morgan State University Spokesman Clinton R. Coleman added, "It is something we regret that he did. We regret the injuries that were caused. And we're happy that most of the people in the crowd acted responsibly."

Lil Wayne has been barred from performing at Morgan State University in the future and authorities are weighing whether or not to bring criminal charges.

In related news, Lil Wayne and Baby will release their new album, Like Father, Like Sun, on Halloween, October 31st.

DMX sued for defamation

DMX has been hit with a $2 million defamation lawsuit by Monique Wayne, the mother of his two-year-old son – the woman X claims raped him when they met in August 2003. The lawsuit alleges that DMX, real name Earl Simmons, met Wayne at a nightclub in Washington, D.C. in 2003. The pair are said to have left the club together to spend the night at a nearby hotel. However, while Wayne’s attorneys claim the two had consensual sex, the rapper alleges that Wayne raped him. He said in a recent interview, “She raped me. I mean, you know, that might sound like some bullsh*t. No man has ever been. You know what I mean, like never? Is that the only thing in the world that’s not possible?” Wayne is seeking the $2 million in compensation for the defamatory comments which painted her in a false light.

Cash Money Superstar LiL Wayne nominated for 3 BET Hip Hop Awards

Cash Money superstar Lil Wayne pulled down three nominations for the First Annual BET Hip-Hop Awards, to be taped in Atlanta, GA on November 12, and air on November 15. The first ever hip-hop awards presented by the top rated network will pay homage to hip-hop’s global impact with an evening of awards and performances. The prolific Lil Wayne has been nominated for Hip-Hop CD of the Year for his platinum-plus opus, Tha Carter II, as well as receiving nominations for Lyricist of the Year and Hip-Hop MVP of the Year.

The award nods come during a flurry of end-of the year activity for the New Orleans native. His long awaited duet album Like Father Like Son with Cash Money founder and mentor Birdman hits stores on October 31. The duo is set to perform their breakout single from the new album “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy” during the awards ceremony. The song is already garnering a crossover and urban radio audience of close to 50 million listeners. In addition, the song corralled over 30,000 ringtone views/plays in the last week alone, and is the #1 most played video on BET and #4 on 106 & Park.

Lil Wayne is also enjoying success with the crossover buzz-song of 2006 “Shooter,” from Tha Carter II. One of the most talked about songs of the year, the groundbreaking track features Robin Thicke, and recently debuted in video form on MTV’s TRL and MTV2’s “Unleashed,” during which the video was played every hour on the hour. The song has garnered Wayne critical acclaim from such respected outlets at The New York Times and the video has become a fan favorite at MTV. The tireless hip-hop star is also featured on Outkast's next single, "Hollywood Divorce," from their Idelwild CD. The new song also guest stars Snoop Dogg, and the superstars will be joining forces in a new video to be shot sometime in the next few weeks.

The First Annual BET Hip-Hop Awards Show will be hosted by comedian Katt Williams, and held at the Fox Theater in Atlanta GA on November 12. The show is scheduled to air on BET on November 15 at 8:00pm EST.

Fabolous lawyers says rapper didn't know about the guns in the car

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Rapper Fabolous, whose real name is John Jackson, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and possession of a defaced firearm on Tuesday, October 17th, after police discovered two loaded guns -- a 9mm and a .40 caliber pistol -- in the vehicle which was transporting the rapper to the hospital after he had been shot. According to his lawyer, Alberto Ebanks, Fabolous didn't even know there were weapons in the car. Ebanks told MTV.com, "No one alleges that there were any guns in the car he drove there in. Any car that would have pulled up and taken him to the emergency room he would have jumped into because he was bleeding profusely."

The attorney added, "I don't know that he knows anything about those guns in that car, and he categorically denies carrying or possessing any firearms. If he had two guns, he probably wouldn't have gotten shot that day."

Fabolous was in the parking lot next door to Sean "Diddy" Combs'Justin's restaurant waiting for his Cadillac Escalade when he was shot in the right thigh. The rapper is expected to fully recover. Police are still searching for the gunmen.

Fabolous was hit with the two weapons charges because, under New York state law, any time an unlicensed gun is found in a vehicle it is believed to be possessed by everyone in the vehicle unless someone steps up to acknowledges ownership.

The other three men in the vehicle, 18-year-old Kevin Bass, 23-year-old Percell German, and 29-year-old Rascharm Davis were also charged.

Authorities were probing whether or not the shooting was related to a robbery which occurred at the restaurant a few hours earlier. NBA star Sebastian Telfair was robbed of a $50,000 chain. According to Ebanks, the two incidents were unrelated. He said, "I think Justin's caters to people who are famous and wannabes who prey on its high-profile clients. My understanding is that this was absolutely not a beef, that it was not someone he expected would do something. He doesn't have any beefs with anyone."

Fabolous was released on $15,000 bail on Wednesday, October 18th. His attorney said that the charges will be dropped soon because its clear that Fabolous was not in possession of the two weapons found in the Dodge Magnum that transported him to the hospital. The vehicle was registered to the rapper's company, Ghetto Fabulous Inc.

Fans cause Jive Records to push up release of Clipse Album

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The Clipse sophomore album, Hell Hath No Fury, was scheduled for release on December 5th, but due to consumer demand, Jive Records has pushed the album up to a November 28th release date. The group said in a released statement, "The moving up of the date is purely off the demand of the consumer and the Clipse fan. That's who we're doing this for right now. This album is about the fans that kept us relevant. They've helped us carve out our path, and we're very prepared to go against the grain in putting out these releases. We had that confidence that not one conglomerate is gonna hold us back."

The Clipse haven't released an album since their 2002 platinum debut, Lord Willin'. After battling for months with their label Jive Records, the group reached a resolution earlier this year that allowed them to stay with the label but launch their own Re-Up imprint.

The album has been receiving excellent reviews. The group explained the message behind the new project. Pusha T and Malice said, "The album is a documentary. This is the life of the Clipse, what we're going through, and us spillin'our guts, and letting the world know it ain't been all gravy with us. This album, if it says nothing else, says struggle. It represents struggle."

The duo added, "We just wanna be responsible for putting out the hip hop that we and our peers listen to, and that's lyric-driven hip-hop. We wanna be known as the guys who brought a balance back to hip-hop in general."

The latest single from the project is "What It Do (Wamp, Wamp)" featuring Slim Thug.

Super Producer Nitti Receives BET Nomination

Nitti has done it again! BET has nominated Nitti for "Track Of The Year".

More than just a beatmaker, producer NITTI is a true Playmaker. Each song he crafts – from Yung Joc's Going Down to 8Ball's’ “Stop Playing Games” – he has his hands all over it, with NITTI playing all his own music.

Nitti Beats R Official
That hit record has led to requests pouring for "Nitti Beats" to which artists’; Nelly, Bow Wow, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, TI, Rick Ross and Gucci Mane have all gotten one of his signature beats. NITTI, the multi- instrumentalist knows how to construct songs that make the fans get loose. An owner of 5 guitars, 10 keyboards and a set of drums, all of which he plays with proficiency. .
That do-it-yourself spirit is something NITTI believes in strongly and is what helps make his sound so unique. With several hits already under his belt, and artists all over the south and beyond knocking down his door, not to mention his current nominations from the 2006 Dirty Awards “Producer of the Year” and BET’s First Annual Hip Hop Music Awards for “Track of the Year”, it seems like he’s well on his way to achieving that goal, making NITTI a Playmaker to watch.

Lloyd Banks makes top three debut

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The G-Unit's Lloyd Banks couldn't match the first week sales of his 2004 debut, Hunger For More, which sold 434,000 copies its first week in stores, but the rapper was able to crack the Top Three of the Billboard 200 albums chart with his sophomore set, Rotten Apple. The rapper sold 142,000 copies of the new album to land at Number Three on the chart.

The Rotten Apple features some high powered collaborations with Rakim, Scarface, 8Ball, and others. Banks shared what it was like to record with the hip hop legends. He said: "It's crazy because, like I said, I just turned 24 years-old. You know, so when Scarface, and let only Rakim when he first came out, man I was in school. You know I was a young man so it's just crazy for me to actually come up. My mother trips off of it too. So does my father, 'cause that's who they were listening to."

The rapper added: "You know it's cool man. Having a Rakim stamp, you know that says a lot man. He ain't work with a lot of people. You know and Scarface man, he holds his own. Everybody knows what he's about as far as Texas and everything goes so."

Re-Up/Jive Recording Artist the Clipse Attain Critical Perfection

New and final release date is November 28, 2006

After the much-publicized label saga, Re-Up/Jive recording artist the Clipse can now let someone else speak on their behalf. Namely XXL magazine music critic Brendan Frederick, who in the November issue bestows upon Hell Hath No Fury, their oft-delayed sophomore release, the mag's highest XXL review rating -- only the 4th perfect score in the publication's 8-year history. Citing the duo's lyrical acumen, depth of content, and lack of superfluous guest appearances, Frederick asserts that the Clipse have in Fury "street hip-hop built to last." Having flooded the streets with mixtape traffic, brothers Pusha T and Malice have mauled the obstacles of time and pressure, condensing the carbon smoke of public invective into glittering diamond.

The release date of the album has finally been set for November 28, 2006. This news comes none too soon for fans fiending for the Virginia duo's lethal dose of vein-spiking allegory and head-creasing commentary, a formula whipped up to platinum caliber on their 2002 debut, Lord Willin'. "The moving up of the date is purely off the demand of the consumer and the Clipse fan," the brothers note, balancing artistry and groundedness. "That's who we doing this for right now. This album is about the fans that kept us relevant. They've helped us carve out our path, and we're very prepared to go against the grain in putting out these releases. We had that confidence that not one conglomerate is gonna hold us back."

That sort of dedication, in spite of mainstream whitewashing of rap music, gives the Clipse their grit. Other acts would be content to let the Neptunes craft an LP of club bangers and simply amass those spins and ends. But the brothers are in this for good, and for the good of the game: "We just wanna be responsible for putting out the hip-hop that we and our peers listen to, and that's lyric-driven hip-hop. We wanna be known as the guys who brought a balance back to hip-hop in general."

The four years wait hasn't softened the Clipse' resolve; they're resiliently reloaded to smash the airwaves and shatter the stagnation of current rap. "The album is a documentary. This is the life of the Clipse, what we're going through, and us spillin' our guts, and letting the world know it ain't been all gravy with us. This album, if it says nothing else, says struggle. It represents struggle." Lord willing.

Source: Jive

Pac's Life Press Release

PAC’S LIFE, FEATURING UNRELEASED RECORDINGS BY 2PAC, SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 21st, WITH 2006 MARKING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING



Album Also Includes Contributions By Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Keyshia Cole, T.I., Ashanti, Young Buck, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Outlawz, Lil Scrappy With Production From LT Hutton, Sha Money XL, Swizz Beatz And Others







SANTA MONICA, CA—October 19th, 2006 -- 2Pac’s legendary work ethic and constant drive often found him laying down vocals in two or three rooms of a recording studio simultaneously, and then heading straight to a film set, video shoot, or concert, only to begin again the next morning, sleeping during travel from one location to the next. Since his tragic death, his spirit has been kept alive thanks to the extraordinary legacy of unfinished recordings he left behind, and the commitment his mother Afeni Shakur has made to continue to get his complete body of work released; work considered even more astonishing given that his first album came out in 1991 and he was murdered in September 1996 at age 25. Now some of the recordings from this tremendously prolific period are brought to light for the first time on Pac’s Life (Amaru/Interscope Records), released November 21, 2006. Other than one verse fans will recognize from an earlier album, all of the recordings on the album are previously unheard.



Contributing to Pac’s Life are Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Keyshia Cole, T.I., Ashanti, Young Buck, Lil Scrappy, Carl Thomas, Outlawz, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Big Syke, Papoose, with productions from LT Hutton, Sha Money XL, Swizz Beatz and more. The artists and producers involved range from his close friends and colleagues to those who grew up on his music and were inspired and motivated by it. The passion and the fire inside him makes it possible, 10 years and 11 posthumous albums later to create yet another album of unreleased material.



“I say it every time, that Tupac left us the blueprints to follow, and without the amazing contributions made by everyone of these artists, producers, musicians, everyone, I do not know how I would get this great task accomplished,” says Afeni Shakur, his mother, the album’s executive producer (along with Tom Whalley) and founder of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, “ I believe whole-heartedly that Tupac sends the people he wants to these projects.”



2Pac’s relevance is attested to by the success of his post-1996 albums. His most recent studio album, 2004’s Loyal To The Game, charted #1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop and was certified platinum. The soundtrack to Tupac: Resurrection that same year hit #2 Pop and #3 R&B/Hip-Hop and was also platinum. 2002’s Better Dayz, #5 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop, earned double platinum while the previous year’s Until The End Of Time, #1 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop, reached the triple platinum plateau. In 2000, Still I Rise scored #6 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop positions while racking up a platinum award. 1998’s Greatest Hits, #3 Pop and #1 R&B/Hip-Hop, is currently nine times platinum.



The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation (TASF) was founded by Afeni Shakur to provide training and support to artists who aspire to enhance their creative talents. TASF fosters an environment that encourages freedom of expression, serves as a resource for the arts, and empowers through education. To date, more than 500 students have benefited from the program with a broad range of training available via the Annual Performing Arts Day Camp held at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts (home of the Foundation in Stone Mountain, Georgia). Students are able to study creative writing, vocal technique, acting, stage set design, dance, poetry, spoken word, and conflict resolution. A portion of the proceeds of Amaru’s projects go to benefit the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation www.tasf.org

"The Game" Video Girl Contest

Rapper The Game Graces Video Contest Site Bix

The Game (Geffen/Black Wall Street) is now being featured on Bix.com, a destination that allows users to create video and photo contests. The rapper is soliciting entrants for a female dancer for his next video, as well as a top rapper for his next mixtape. For the "Video Girl Contest," contestants can choose a number of tracks to dance over, while the "MC Freestyle Contest" allows budding rappers to deliver a 16-bar entry. In both cases, contestants are encouraged to rally votes amongst their friends, and those with the most thumbs up will become finalists. Both contests started Monday, and winners will also receive cash payouts. Bix offers a wide range of user-generated contests, ranging from "Best Back-to-School Photo," "Hottest MySpace Girl," and "Gospel Singer Shoot-Out."



Contest link:

http://www.bix.com/contest/975

Jay Kicks to join Hoodpromo

Jay Kicks is working out a deal with Hoodpromo to become the Head of Midwest Promotions. Hoodpromo is one of the top online Hip Hop promotional companies in the U.S. They promote for many top name companies like Stall & Dean, The Mix Tape Awards, and many Hip Hop magazines. They also have a online television show that just came out recently called HPTV the slogan is "People Fear What They Dont Understand, And Resent What they admire". They have had Ice T, Lil Kim, Big Boi and many others on the show so far. HoodPromo also has a College Party Tour coming soon hosted by Dj Front and Dj Woogie. To see and hear more check out Hood Promo at www.Hoodpromo.com


Have you heard of Jay Kicks?

Ask Nick Cannon, Bishop Don Juan or Lil Flip have they heard of Jay Kicks? You’ll get the same reply from all of them. Jay Kicks is a name that is starting to make noise around the Hip Hop World. Jay Kicks got his name by being exclusive on the sneaker side for many years. When asked about his sneaker fetish Jay stated” I have been a sneaker head since I was born, when I was young I cared about shoes more than homework, girls and video games.” Jay Kicks has a clothing line named H City that has been starting a big buzz since last May. The co-CEO is Sam “Bird” Hurd who is also a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. H City supposedly started as a silly saying that blew up overnight. Jay stated “H City is on it’s way to big time success, I think once people see our new styles and more celebrities are seen wearing H City we will be on our way.” The first H City shirt was seen in T Pain’s I’m in Luv with a Stripper REMIX from their H City has not looked back. This fall Jay Kicks will go on tour with Only10models (MTV) as a Model Scout. “It’s a long story how everyone thinks I’m a great Model Scout, I’m really just very connected and know a lot of people.” The tour is a College Model Search Tour where we basically go to a different school each week and pick the Top 10 models at each school with one grand prizewinner. It has been fun so far and I’m really having a good time, but I decided recently I’m not going on the 2nd semester tour. I have 2 online classes this semester which is cool, but next semester I’m not taking any online classes.” Many people believe the best way to success is to be a part of everything. Jay Kicks has been in many things lately. “ I have been in a few magazines and online sites, I also had a commercial with Diadora this summer. I try to be a part of anything that will get my name out there and get me experience.” You will hear a lot from Jay Kicks and H City in the future. Jay Kicks can be contacted at jaykicks@only10models.com or myspace.com/hcity

The Game & Young Buck Perform For Free

The Game, Young Buck and Lupe Fiasco are among the list of hip-hop artists who will play exclusive concerts across the United States as part of "Flash Concerts 2006." Sponsored by Cingular Wireless and Sony Ericsson, "Flash Concerts 2006" kicked off in Atlanta , GA with Yung Joc on Sunday (October 8) and will continue on until December.

All concerts are free and open to the public but admission is limited. The concert series will utilize text messaging to notify fans of concert information and to grant admission to the events.

Music fans can improve their chances for entry by registering. Fans can register to "Get in and Win" by sending a text message to "FLASH" (35274) with their city’s code, which will allow them to receive concert information on their mobile phone.

Registrants will receive "Alerts" including: Event details, exclusive invites, VIP access, meet & greets and special music prizing. Entry details, artist information and more can be found at www.flashconcerts06.com or at Cingular Wireless stores.

"Wireless is of course for people on the go. But more and more, it’s become a great way for music lovers to be in the know," said Cingular Wireless Executive Director David Garver via a statement. "The Flash Concert series is just one more way that we are connecting our customers to all-things music."

Following is the full schedule of Flash Concerts 2006. Additional guests and details for New York and Seattle shows will be announced shortly:

October 26 Lupe Fiasco Philadelphia PHI

November 21 The Game Los Angeles LA

November 24 Lupe Fiasco Chicago CHI

December 1 Young Buck Miami MIA

December 4 Von Bondies Boston BOS

December 11 My Chemical Romance Las Vegas LV

TBA TBA Seattle SEA

TBA TBA New York NYC

Young Jeezy records extra material JUST IN CASE

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Young Jeezy is taking a page out of 2Pac's book and recording extra material in case anything should happen to him. Billboard.com reports that the rapper has recorded 114 songs for his new album but only 14 will actually make the cut. The rapper said, "I did this in case anything ever happens to me, so I've got a couple of albums left. You never know, these days."

Jeezy's new album, The Inspiration, is due out on December 12th and features guest appearances by Ludacris, T.I., Keyshia Cole, Three 6 Mafia, Young Buck and Timbaland.

The first single from the project is "I Luv It."

Young Jeezy released his debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, in 2005. The set has sold over 1.7 million copies since its release.

Flavor of Love's New York in 'Flavorette' Spinoff

Tiffany “New York” Patterson, the twice-spurned lover of Flavor Flav and true star of his reality show franchise “Flavor of Love,” currently sits in the position of power as the subject of its new spinoff, “Flavorette.”

As previously reported, the “Flavorette” concept involves 20 single guys vying to win the heart of Flavor Flav’s most “dramatical” contestant. But according to New York, the men appearing on her show give the women from “Flavor of Love” a run for their money in the drama department.

"These guys are so dramatic," Patterson, 24, tells the New York Post. "They're worse than the women who were on season one and season two [of "Flavor of Love"]. This show is so chaotic, it's overboard, it's over-the-top, it's extreme and these guys know they're fighting for a wonderful woman so they've been at each other's throats and I'm flattered by it. I can't complain."

“Flavorette” is currently in the final weeks of shooting, and VH1 has yet to set a premiere date for the series. As of press time, Patterson says only three guys remain, and she's catching feelings for each one of them.

"There's one man in particular that I can definitely see myself living out the rest of my life with," she says.

According to Patterson, who lost out in Sunday night’s “Flavor of Love” finale to Deelishis, viewers are in store for even more over-the-top mess among her harem of men.

"I like it when the guys go at each other," she says. "I'm a prize, I'm so worth it - frankly, it turns me on."

Jay-Z with boxing series titled hit men

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is teaming with ESPN Original Entertainment to create a scripted boxing series titled Hit Men.

Hit Men will focus on the lives of a multi-cultured group of struggling athletes who work out at The Hit Men Boxing Club, a gym that is run by former boxer Frank Cerrones.

According to ESPN, the series is executive produced by Jay-Z and Def Jam.

The pilot episode was written by John Eisendrath (Beverly Hills, 90210, Playmakers) and will be shot in Louisiana starting in the first week of December.

Flavor Flav Finds Love and VH1 Shatters Ratings Records

7.5 Million Viewers Tune In for Season Finale of 'Flavor of Love 2' Propelling the Episode to the #1 Telecast on Cable for the Night and the #1 Non-Sports Telecast In All of Basic Cable for the Entire Year

'Flavor of Love' Seasons One and Two Available Exclusively on Apple's iTunes Music Store Beginning Today

VSPOT Hits 1-Day Record for a Single Show With 1.1 Million 'Flavor of Love' Streams

NEW YORK, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The winner is "Deelishis" ... and VH1. A record-breaking 7.5 million total viewers watched Flavor Flav select "Deelishis" as his love match in the season finale of "Flavor of Love 2" on Sunday, October 15 at 10:00 PM, making the show the #1 telecast on cable for the night. Additionally, VH1 announced today that "Flavor of Love" seasons one and two are now available for purchase and download exclusively on the iTunes(R) Music Store (www.itunes.com).

The one-hour season finale of "Flavor of Love 2" averaged a 4.6 in the key 18-49 demo, beating out all other programs on all of cable on Sunday night. Other accomplishments:

* The finale also goes down in the VH1 history books as the network's
highest-rated telecast ever.
* The #1 non-sports telecast in all of basic cable for the entire year.
* VH1 now ranks #4 among all basic cable networks during Sunday primetime
year-to-date.

In addition, "Flavor of Love 2" scored an 18 rating/34 share among African American adults 18-49 - 1 out of every 3 African Americans watching TV on Sunday night tuned in to VH1. The series has consistently been the #1 program in its time slot on all of television (cable and broadcast) among African- American adults 18-49 throughout the series run.

The launch of "Flavor of Love" on iTunes marks the first time episodes of VH1's hit series are available for purchase and download and are available for customers for just $1.99 per episode. In addition to "Flavor of Love," episodes of other VH1 series including "Hogan Knows Best," "Breaking Bonaduce," and "Strange Love" are available on iTunes beginning today.

The second season of "Flavor of Love" proved to be a hit right out of the gate, attracting 3.3 million total viewers for the premiere episode on Sunday, August 6, becoming the most watched series premiere ever in VH1's history. The series consistently broke VH1 ratings records throughout its run.

The show has also driven record levels on all of VH1's digital platforms - broadband, mobile and VOD. "Flavor of Love" streams on VSPOT, VH1's broadband channel, hit a new 1-day/single show high with 1.1 million streams on Monday, October 16. "Flavor of Love" content is also the most popular video content currently offered on VH1 Mobile. The weekly "Flavor of Love" mobile phone poll, in which viewers text in responses to a question posed at the top of the show, has also seen significant growth. Viewer participation has grown ten- fold since the second season began in August.

The show is executive produced by Mark Cronin & Cris Abrego for Mindless Entertainment & 51 Pictures. "Flavor of Love 2" marks the 10th show the duo have produced for VH1, including the other hit franchises "Surreal Life," "My Fair Brady" and their latest project "Celebrity Paranormal Project" which debuts, Sunday, October 22nd, 10PM ET/PT.

Gucci Mane is back and he's Hard To Kill

Atlanta, GA. October 18, 2006—On Tuesday, October 24, 2006, Big Cat Records and Tommy Boy Entertainment will release the explosive Gucci Mane sophomore album, Hard To Kill. The first single from the CD is “My Chain” which is one of the hottest tracks on the album and most requested in clubs throughout the Southeast.

This time around, Gucci picks up where he left off after the success of his hit single, “Icy.” “Icy” was in heavy rotation all over the world and the album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Charts for Independent Albums and remained on the Top 20 for eight weeks. Scanning over 125,000 units independently on his debut album, Gucci will show the world that he can come better and harder.

Big Cat Records’ President, Mel Breeden, states, “With all that Gucci Mane has seen and been through in this past year, this album shows how much he has grown lyrically. We named the project, “Hard To Kill” because of all of the drama that has surrounded Gucci’s career and he pulled through it all. Now he’s back. HARD TO KILL!!! Although we had big success with “Icy”, there is a lot more to the story now.”

This album is packed with hot laid-back comedic flows and catchy hooks that are displayed heavily throughout the album with cuts such as “Everybody Know Me” produced by Lyrical Chead George & Paul “Why/Not” Roach for Arthentic Krew Productions, “Pillz” featuring Mac Bree Z, produced by Xavier Dotson pka Zaytoven and “Freak Girl” produced by Cyber Sapp, Cyberwerks Music/Family Tree Entertainment.

"Hard To Kill" will invite Gucci’s fans into his life like a reality show, up close and personal. Get the real street sh**. See what he experienced during his time on lockdown, how he pulled through it and the issues that still plague him today. Comprised of songs from label mates Black Magic and Young Snead, “Hard To Kill” is destined to be one of the most prolific trap music albums of 2007.

Rapper Fabolous Shot, Stable in NYC

NEW YORK -- Rapper Fabolous was shot early Tuesday as he stood at a Manhattan parking garage, spurring a sequence of events that left him both hospitalized in stable condition and under arrest, police said.

The 28-year-old rapper, whose legal name is John Jackson, was shot once in the thigh when a male with a gun approached him and three others and opened fire, police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wysokowski said.

The four jumped into a vehicle and fled, attracting the attention of police when they ran a red light. Officers stopped them and discovered two loaded guns in the vehicle, both of which were apparently unlicensed, Wysokowski said. All four men were arrested, and charges were pending.

The rapper was taken to a hospital. Police were searching for the shooter.

Police did not identify the three men arrested with the rapper, saying only that they are 18, 23 and 29 years old.

The Brooklyn native's hits have included, "Breathe" and "Can't Deny It," and his songs cover topics ranging from romance to street life and violence. He recently took part in the taping of the VH1 Hip Hop Honors, which were to air Tuesday evening.

An e-mail seeking comment from a representative at Def Jam Recordings was not immediately returned early Tuesday. The label is producing the rapper's upcoming solo album, due out in December, according to Fabolous' Web page on MySpace.com.

Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter Returns

DEF JAM CONFIRMS RELEASE DATE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST



LEAD SINGLE, ““SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT,” LEAKS AND SPINS OUT OF CONTROL AT ALL RADIO FORMATS



VIDEO, DIRECTED BY F. GARY GRAY, DEBUTS NATIONWIDE, MONDAY, OCTOBER 16TH





(New York, NY, October 10, 2006): At long last, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, President & CEO of Def Jam Recordings, philanthropist and entrepreneur, officially returns to the rap game with his first solo LP in 3 years. KINGDOM COME, the most anticipated album of the year, is scheduled for release on November 21, 2006.



The lead single, “Show Me What You Got,” produced by Just Blaze leaked to radio one week early on Friday, October 6th. The MP3 spread through the country at a record breaking pace broke records over the weekend. Stations across the country broke programming and spun “Show Me What You Got,” six, seven, eight; up to 10 times in a row within minutes of receiving the track. In just 2 and a half days, the single has over 16 million in audience, is already # 1 Most Increased on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and debuts at 39 bullet on the R&R/BDS Urban Chart. “Show Me What You Got” will officially impact at all radio formats on Monday, October 16th, one week earlier than originally planned.



The video for “Show Me What You Got,” shot on location in Monaco, will debut nationally on Monday, October 16th. The video highlights the energy of the track with quick edits; venturing from land to sea to heights above the city. Directed by F. Gary Gray, the clip features the top race car drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick, as well as some of the most amazing aerial shots ever to be featured in four minutes.



Commented JAY-Z, “I thought I was retired but, my passion for music had other plans for me. I am overwhelmed with the initial record breaking response!! I am happy to be officially BACK! The video/movie shot by F. Gary Gray is incredible. I can’t wait til ya’ll hear the album.”



The release of KINGDOM COME is hot on the heels of JAY-Z’s Global Express Tour. In 2 months, the tour is hitting over 20 countries on 3 continents. While on tour, JAY-Z participated in the Water For Life campaign in conjunction with the UN and MTV with the mission to raise awareness on the world’s water crisis. His trip is being documented by MTV News and the program, Diary of JAY-Z: Water for Life will air on Friday, November 24th. In Tanzania and Nigeria, JAY-Z just christened 2 of the first of 10 pumps he is sponsoring in the region. Photos and diary entries are featured on MTVNews.com.



JAY-Z is currently exclusively featured in a series of commercials for the TNT “Let The Truth Be Told” campaign. The series includes eight different 30-second spots that show Jay Z sharing his ‘truths’ during a thought-provoking interview on core themes, such as competition, talent, stardom and legacy, during a ride through the streets of Manhattan in the back of a chauffer-driven car. The underlying essence of the series tracks the stages of a superstar athlete, which parallel that of an entertainment mogul. The spot began running nationwide on Thursday, Oct. 5th; the remainder of the series will be rolled out in following weeks, with an extended director’s cut of the interview available exclusively on TNT OverTime on NBA.com.



Be sure to stay tuned for new Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter information every week.

Ludacris, Young Jeezy & Jermain Dupri to announce BET award nominees

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, and Young Jeezy will be in Atlanta on Thursday, October 12th, to announce the nominees for the first annual BET Hip Hop Awards which will be held on November 12th in Atlanta, Georgia. MTV.com reports that the show will be hosted by Katt Williams.

In related news, Ludacris is riding high as his new album, Release Therapy, is the Number One album in the country. The set's lead single, "Money Maker" featuring Pharrell Williams, should challenge Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack," for the Number One position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart this week.

Diddy says new album may not be his last

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs will drop his new album Press Play next Tuesday, October 17th. The mogul had billed the project as his last, but lately he's been backtracking. Diddy told MTV.com, "To be honest, I would love for it to be the last one. My first couple of albums talked about drama, death, tragedy, controversy -- ups and downs. This album is about love. I would love to end it on a note of love. I don't want to overstay my welcome. I ain't never been a cat to overdo it; I don't want to overdo it now. I feel like I'm at my best on this album. It makes people feel good when they hear it."

Diddy also shared his thoughts on recording with Cee-Lo and Nas. He said, "Working with Cee-Lo from Gnarls Barkley and Nas, it's like working with the people I've always worked with. They were both on my Forever album; they've both been longtime friends of mine. Us together on a Kanye track, it's uplifting, inspirational, something you need to hear. It's a beast. The song is talking about passion. 'Everything I Love': It's the passion for who you are and what you represent. There ain't never gonna be another Diddy, never gonna be another Nas. Right now, we all feel like we on the top of our game. What's kept us in the game so long has been the love."

The next single and video from the project is "Tell Me" featuring Christina Aguilera.

Press Play also features guest appearances by Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Fergie, Brandy, and OutKast's Big Boi.

In related news, Diddy has partnered with Burger King to launch his own channel, Diddy TV, on Youtube. Diddy said in a released statement, "I'm having it my way on this album, and it's been a great journey for me, so I'm grateful for partners like Burger King Corporation that are helping me bring a fresh sound to my fans. They share my passion for being tastemakers and giving the people what they want."

Burger King will also sponsor the mogul's fall tour.

Ciara duets with 50 Cent on upcoming album

By: Janine Coveney

Multi-talented performer Ciara is still putting the finishing touches on her sophomore album, Ciara: The Evolution, due December 5th. The singer recently revealed that she got none other than hip-hop hitmaker 50 Cent to appear on the song "Dope Boys." She explained to MTV.com, "I ended up doing it with 50. Rodney Jerkins produced it and I think it's going to be a big record. The way he laid his verses is crazy."

Ciara also dropped heavy hints that another last-minute surprise guest would be adding to a track from the new set, which she describes as being more mature than her debut, Goodies.

The new single from the set is "Promise," for which she recently shot a new video. "I just wanted to make a record that felt good, and I think this is one of those records that truly is a sing-along, and that was the goal," Ciara said of the Polow-produced track. "I want you to be able to go back to the old days, and put your hands up and rock from side to side and just feel good."

Eminem cleared of domestic violence charges

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Rapper Eminem was cleared by the Macomb County Police of domestic violence charges stemming from a September incident where he allegedly threatened his soon-to-be ex-wife's 13 year-old niece. Eminem and Kim Mathers have guardianship of Kim's sister's child. According to The Macomb Daily, Eminem and the niece were having a phone conversation on September 24th over school clothing and when the young lady didn't like what she heard, she hung up on the rap star.

According to Eminem after calling back several times, he drove over to Kim Mather's home in Macomb County to see if everything was alright. He allegedly went into the house without knocking and told his niece, "Don't you ever hang up on me again. The next time you do you won't have anything at my house and will never see me again. And you wanna know the reason I left your aunt was because she had hung up on me."

According to the niece, Eminem then poked her in the head and raised his hand as if he was going to hit her before grabbing her cellphone and leaving the house.

According to the rapper, he only poked the child in the head because she wasn't paying attention to what he was saying.

The niece and the mother-in-law, Kathleen Sluck, also said in a written statement that the rapper yelled, "I'll kill you."

Prosecutors decided against pressing charges. Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel said, "There were no injuries and nothing to give an indication of a domestic assault. We don't think there was any intent to hurt her."

Eminem publicist released a statement that read, "After an independent investigation by the Macomb County Sheriff's Office and a review by the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, both have decided that the basis for the complaint was without merit, and the prosecutor has declined to issue any charges. Anybody who is remotely familiar with Marshall's life knows he is a caring and loving guardian of his niece."

Fat Joe takes it back to basics on new album

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Rapper Fat Joe will release Me, Myself, & I, his first album since leaving Atlantic Records, next month. The rapper explained why he titled the album, Me, Myself & I. He said: "It's called Me, Myself, & I because I locked myself up in a room. Didn't tell nobody I was working on a album. Just went into so many different chambers, man, and made sure you know this album was really, really, truly a Fat Joe album."

The rapper added: "First single I got Lil'Wayne on it. Scott Storch produced it. It's called 'Make It Rain.'The video is out there crazy. The second single me and The Game. It's called 'Breathe & Stop.'We going to Jamaica to shoot that."

Me, Myself, & I is due out on November 14th. The album will be released on Terror Squad Records through Virgin's Caroline Distribution.

Janet Jackson Eyeing $30 Million Apartment In NYC

Janet Jackson must be optimistic about sales of her new album; the singer is reportedly shopping for $30 million apartments.

The singer went apartment hunting recently and was interested in a 9,000-square-foot “crib” in a high-rise in Manhattan’s Columbus Circle. She was considering a move there with boyfriend/producer Jermaine Dupri, according to Upscale magazine.

If the deal goes through, it would be one of the highest prices ever paid for a New York apartment. It’s not a record-breaker, though: last year media mogul Rupert Murdoch paid $44 million for a 19-room apartment on Fifth Avenue.

Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco & Others featured on 'My Block' Chicago Soundtrack

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Kanye West, Twista, Lupe Fiasco, Common, Shawnna, Rhymefest, Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, and others are featured on the My Block:Chicago...The Soundtrack, which hits stores next Tuesday, October 10th. The album will be released through Asylum Records in conjunction with MTV2. The first single from the project is "Got What You Need" by newcomer Gemini.

The My Block: Chicago, MTV News special, will on October 9th at 12 p.m. ET. The show will be hosted by Sway Calloway and will explore the sights and sounds of Chicago and its urban recording artists.

The tracklisting for My Block: Chicago....The Soundtrack includes: "I Gotcha" by Lupe Fiasco, "Let's Get It Poppin'" by GLC, "Girl Tonight" by Twista featuring Trey Songz, "Candy" by Gemini, "Bullet" by Rhymefest featuring Citizen Cope, "Pills" by Lupe Fiasco, "Po Pimp" by Do or Die featuring Twista, "Gangsta" by Speedknot Mobstaz, "Overnight Celebrity" by Twista featuring Kanye West, "Hay" by Crucial Conflict, "Got What You Need" by Gemini, "In Tha Chi" by Shawnna featuring Johnny P. and Syleena Johnson, "Go" by Common, "South Side" by Gemini, and "Money and Murder" by Speedknot Mobstaz featuring Twista.

Lloyd Banks gets 'Rotten Apple' Tattoo

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The G-Unit's Lloyd Banks recently got the title of his sophomore album, Rotten Apple, tattooed on his back. The event will be profiled on an upcoming episode of TLC's reality show, Miami Ink. The episode, which features tattoo artist Chris Garver crafting the full back tattoo, which includes the Statute of Liberty holding a gun and the words 'Rotten Apple,'will air next Tuesday, October 10th.

Tuesday, October 10th, is also the day that the Rotten Apple hits stores. The album features 50 Cent, Young Buck, Tony Yayo, Mobb Deep, Spider Loc, Timbaland, Scarface, Rakim, 8Ball, and Musiq Soulchild.

The latest single is "Hands Up" featuring 50 Cent.

When we spoke with Banks, he explained how he selected the tracks for his new album. He said: "As far as the beats go, you know, I pick all my beats. You know, I don't have an A&R. I don't have anybody that goes through my music and filters what he thinks is good and then gives it to me. You know, I actually sit and go through anywhere from a hundred to 300 CDs in a weeks time. You know, sometimes more than that."

The rapper added: "That's the way I been working for the past four years, is going through all the CDs myself and developing my own sound. I would hate for people to know who produced the record before they read the credits. You know, so that was my whole thing. I just wanted to keep my style new, man."

More Major Moves For Ludacris,#1 Album,New Movie Roles,Party With Him

Fresh Off His Number Spot On The Billboard Charts Selling 309, 000 In The First Week Of His Newest LP Release Therapy. Ludacris has been cast as an angry elf in the upcoming Christmas comedy, “Fred Claus,” which stars Vince Vaughn as Santa’s loser brother living in New York.

Vaughn’s title character returns home to the North Pole and almost ruins Christmas, according to a synopsis in the Hollywood Reporter. The Warner Bros. project also stars Paul Giamatti, Kevin Spacey, John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks.

The film will be directed by David Dobkin, who previously worked with Vaughn in "The Wedding Crashers."

Rapper Cassidy In Critical Condition After Car Accident

Cassidy is recovering in an undisclosed hospital after being involved in a serious car accident on Wednesday night in New Jersey.

The rapper was a passenger in an SUV en route to a studio in Yonkers, New York, when a U-Haul truck swerved into oncoming traffic and struck the SUV. The truck crashed into the side of the of the vehicle that Cassidy was sitting in, according to a J Records spokesperson and members of Cassidy's camp.

Cassidy was rushed to the hospital, suffering a fractured skull. A large number of bones in the left side of his face were also broken, according to his people. Cassidy is in critical condition and is said to be breathing on his own. On Thursday afternoon (October 5) he underwent a CAT scan; his reps report Cassidy's doctors as saying his brain activity is normal, adding that the rapper is heavily sedated and his injuries are not life-threatening. None of the four other passengers in the vehicle were injured.

On Thursday evening, Cassidy's friend and collaborator Swizz Beatz e-mailed MTV News saying, "Cass is like my brother, and this has been such a rough year for him. We're all praying and staying positive during this time. Thanks to everyone for their continued support, and please keep Cassidy and his family in your prayers." He expressed similar sentiments on L.A. radio station Power 106 on Thursday afternoon. Cassidy has been working on his third album for Swizz's Full Surface label, which is affiliated with J Records, for the past several months.

The rapper was released from prison in March after serving eight months. He had been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and other charges stemming from the 2005 shooting death of Desmond Hawkins.

Young Buck Hook up with Jazze Pha for new single

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The G-Unit's Young Buck is working on a new album called Buck The World, which he plans to release on November 28th. The rapper recently released the first single from the project, "I Know You Want Me" featuring Jazze Pha. The album also features guest appearances by Young Jeezy, Trey Songz, and Snoop Dogg.

In addition to the new album, Buck has launched his own record company, Cashville Records. He has already signed Lil'Murder, Hi-C, and D'Tay. The three aforementioned rappers and Young Buck also make up the group 615.

Young Buck doesn't plan to slow down anytime soon and the rapper has been able to use the drive he developed in the streets of Nashville as a young hustler to his advantage. He explained:"My first thing was hustle before music. I liked the music but the situation, the cards that I was dealt in life, it was always had to be hustle for the simple facts that my father is a crack fiend. My mother did whatever she could do to kinda like hold it down for her kids and she had custody of her sister's kids. Her sister is a crack fiend."

Young Buck added: "So I came from a full house and the oldest one, so I was the father of the house at a young age. It wasn't no time to really sit there and be rapping. That's where the street part came in. It was the streets first."

The Game says six months ago he was suicidal

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Compton-based rapper The Game will release his new album, The Doctor's Advocate, next month on Geffen Records. The rapper has been making the promotional rounds promoting the new album and he even expressed a willingness to end his beef with 50 Cent. What many fans may not know is that the rapper was suicidal just six months ago.

The Game explained what was going on in his life to Complex magazine. He said, "I was, six months ago, at a point of my life where I felt like I knew how it felt for a person to want to commit suicide. Life was just that bad. I felt like I didn't get the props that I deserved, and that started f**king with me. And when you hear this album, you'll hear the conviction and the pain."

The rapper added that he was "sitting in a closet by himself with f**king tears running down my face, trying to figure out, how did I go from being one of the best rappers in the world and the most loved to being one of the most hated?"

During the interview with Complex, The Game also explained his decision to stay loyal to Dr. Dre although Dre didn't work with him on the new album. The rapper said, "I stay loyal. It's like people trying to...just because people think Dre's not working on the album, or they feel like Dre turned his back, doesn't mean that I'm not going to stay loyal to the guy that has helped me turn my life around. How about giving me a chance to feed my family for the rest of my life? Isn't that better than giving me a beat?"

The Game will release the official lead single from the new album, "Let's Ride," later this month.

Violence erupts at DMX concert

A DMX concert in New York descended into violence on Saturday evening, when a woman in the audience was struck with a chair thrown from the stage.

The "Back To School Jam '06" at the Nassau County Veterans Coliseum became a near-riot after the rapper stormed off, seemingly frustrated with a number of technical problems.

DMX is reported to have left the stage midway through the gig, after his microphone failed, before organizers pulled the plug on the show in Uniondale.

He apparently reappeared with members of his entourage and bottles of water were thrown into the crowd, who responded by returning fire.

A fold-up chair is understood to have been thrown onstage and was tossed back by the group, striking the woman, 29, who was later taken to hospital.

Police, who were forced to end the concert, say the unidentified victim was treated at Nassau University Hospital, having suffered a cut to her head.

Ludacris Controls Janet

Something funny happened on Janet Jackson's way back to number one. Make that something Ludacris...

The rapper-actor's fifth album, Release Therapy, edged out Jackson's 20 Y.O., to lead four albums in the top five and end the two-week reign of Jackson's partner in wardrobe malfuction, Justin Timberlake.


Release Therapy sold 309,000 copies to 297, 000 copies of 20 Y.O for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures.


Ludacris, who will perform next month on Saturday Night Live, ruled the Billboard 200 on the strength of his new smash single, "Money Maker," which itself topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Mainstream Songs and Rhythmic/Top 40 radio charts. Since his last album, 2004's chart-topping Red Light District, the Atlanta-based rapper also made an impact on the big screen with roles in the acclaimed films Crash and Hustle & Flow.


Early predictions had Jackson topping Ludacris, in large part because her Oprah appearance last week gave the singer an early sales boost. But a late charge by Ludacris wound up extending Janet Jackson's streak as a runner-up.


Both of her albums released after the Super Bowl XXXVIII have opened at number two--all her previous studio albums debuted at number one stretching back to 1986's Control. Her last album, 2004's Damita Jo sold 381,000-in its first week. Her last number one album, 2001's All for You, had given the singer a career-best 605,000-copy first week.

'VH1 Hip Hop Honors' Red Carpet Pre-Show to Air Exclusively on VSPOT

Extensive Music- And Artist-Based Programming Leading Up To The Third Annual 'VH1 Hip Hop Honors' Available On VSPOT, VH1 Mobile, Urge, VH1 Classic, and VH1 Soul

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Former "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" honorees Salt, Pepa and Spinderella will host this year's red carpet and backstage interviews at "VH1 Hip Hop Honors." For the first time in VH1's history, pre- show event footage will be seen exclusively on VSPOT, VH1's broadband channel.

Red carpet interviews and backstage footage will be available on VSPOT at http://hiphop.vh1.com/ beginning at 6PM ET on October 17. Hosted by Ice T, the third annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" honoring the music and influence of Ice Cube, Wu-Tang Clan, Afrika Bambaataa, Russell Simmons, MC Lyte, Rakim, Beastie Boys, and Eazy E. will be broadcast on VH1 at 9PM ET/PT that day.

Additionally, for the month of October, VH1's digital properties - VSPOT and VH1 Mobile - will remix your hip hop digital experience with extensive and exclusive hip hop-focused content in celebration of "VH1 Hip Hop Honors." VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul will also air special programs dedicated to hip hop throughout October.

VSPOT at VH1.com

VSPOT's dedicated hip hop channel showcases on-demand content leading up to "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" including:

-- Over 10 hours of video playlists compiled from Hip Hop Honors honorees
past and present. New playlists are added each week and are compiled by
artist and location (i.e. "Hip Hop By The Boroughs: Brooklyn).
-- Exclusive Q&A interview segments with the 2006 "VH1 Hip Hop Honors"
honorees, performers and presenters, as well as behind-the-scenes
footage from each honoree's photo shoot with acclaimed photographer,
Michael Wong.
-- Footage from VH1.com's "Freestyle 59" contest to find the nation's most
talented emcee. This program contains in-studio performances,
freestyles, and bio packages from the five finalists, as well as an in
depth Q&A session with Fat Joe.

Beginning at 6PM ET on October 17 VSPOT footage will include:
-- Red carpet interviews and backstage commentary hosted by Salt, Pepa,
and Spinderella.
-- One exclusive performance that will not be seen during the on-air
broadcast. 8-10 additional performances from the main show will be made
available on VSPOT during the on-air broadcast.

VH1 Mobile

Beginning today, VH1 Mobile will offer "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" content including original ringtones from select honorees recorded exclusively for VH1 Mobile, original wallpapers, and video footage from a "Freestyle 59" session with Fat Joe.

Select video footage from "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" will be available on VH1 Mobile following the on-air broadcast.

VH1 Classic

VH1 Classic presents an all-new special series "The Heart of Hip Hop," in honor of the upcoming "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" airing on VH1 on October 17. Hosted by hip hop icon Fab 5 Freddy the 5-hour music video-based special will look at the history of the hip hop phenomenon. "The Heart of Hip Hop" will premiere on Monday, October 9 - Friday, October 13 at 9:00 PM/ET with additional episodes airing throughout the fall.

VH1 Soul

October is "Hip Hop Honors Month" on VH1 Soul. Throughout the month VH1 Soul will premiere original series and specials including an all-new "Top 10: Best In Hip Hop" hosted by MC Lyte premiering on October 12 at 5:00 PM/ET. Then Big Daddy Kane hosts "The Soul School Takeover" airing all of the best old school hip hop videos from the 80's and early 90's from October 14 through October 17 beginning at 6:00 AM/ET. VH1 Soul will also air an encore presentation of the 2006 "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" on Wednesday, October 18; Thursday, October 19 and Friday, October 20 at 6:00 PM/ET.

VH1 On-demand

VH1 On-demand celebrates "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" throughout the month of October with select Jools Holand performances by Mary J. Blige, The Roots and The Fugees. Additional on-demand content will include interview segments with 2005 and 2006 honorees including, Ice T, Wu Tang Clan, Afrika Bambaataa, Salt- N-Pepa, and LL Cool J. VH1 On-demand is available across various cable providers' VOD platforms.

URGE

Extensive "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" -related music including celebrity playlists from honorees Ice Cube and MC Lyte, as well as full music catalogs from past and present honorees and performers are available through URGE, MTV Networks' digital music service. Hip Hop fans can buy individual tracks for 99 cents, or download entire playlists/music catalogs as part of their URGE subscription.

URGE, available at http://www.urge.com/, features an array of exclusive tracks and editorial across all musical genres.

About "VH1 Hip Hop Honors"

VH1 pays homage to the hip hop pioneers and luminaries who transformed the genre into a true cultural phenomenon with the third annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors," premiering Tuesday, October 17 at 9PM ET/PT. The music and influence of each of the honorees will be recognized through performances by classic artists in collaboration with today's hottest new talent.

Hosted by Ice T, this year's celebration will honor Ice Cube, Wu-Tang Clan, Afrika Bambaataa, Russell Simmons, MC Lyte, Rakim, Beastie Boys and Eazy E. With the exception of Russell Simmons, Afrika Bambaataa and Eazy E, all the honorees are set to take the stage and showcase their legendary talent, along with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Bootsy Collins, Shawna, Lil Eazy-E, Black Ice, Lil Kim, Diddy, Fat Joe, Lil Jon, Da Brat, Xzibit, Talib Kweli, Remy Ma, Q-Tip, Common, The Roots, George Clinton, Young Jeezy, Erykah Badu and KRS-One.

Hosted by Ice T, "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" will be taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on October 7 and will include appearances by Outkast, Tracy Morgan and Mike Epps. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots will be this year's musical director.

For more information go to http://hiphop.vh1.com/ and check out interactive honoree profiles, exclusive programming, show information and more.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in over 88 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno, VH1 Mega Hits and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at http://www.vh1.com/.

VSPOT at VH1.com (http://vspot.vh1.com/) - VH1's broadband channel - brings viewers the richest music and pop-culture video content while it's happening: live events, series sneak peeks, exclusive celeb Q&A's, movie trailers, in- studio performances and original series, not to mention thousands of music videos, customizable play lists and artist interviews.

Diddy Says "It's A Shock To People That I Write My Own Rhymes."

After years of relying on ghostwriters, Diddy has revealed that he co-wrote several songs on his forthcoming, Press Play.

Whether it's his previous three full-length albums or countless guest appearances, Diddy has never made a secret about employing ghostwriters. While he's used less recognizable artists like Sauce Money, Skillz and Smitty in the past, he's enlisted the likes of Common, Nas, Pharoahe Monch and Talib Kweli for Press Play. Diddy also penned some of the rhymes for the first time in his career for the LP.

"That's just for this album. We haven't really put out that release yet. But it's something that people will know before the album drops. It is a shock and a surprise to people," Diddy said. "A lot of the writers, cause I'm such a perfectionist, were tired of me just saying, nah I don't like that, I don't like that...it's like, 'why don't you try it so you can see how hard it is.' So a lot of things I was coming up with were getting ripped up and thrown out. It was a crazy exercise for me and really helped me get to another level. You can hear, I think in the vocals cause it's another level of belief in what I'm saying."

In related news, the mogul recently agreed to drop his Diddy moniker in the UK as part of an out of court settlement with English music producer Richard "Diddy" Dearlove.

"In the UK I gotta call myself P. Diddy cause somebody got the name Diddy," Diddy shared. It's just how the game goes. You have to have your name trademarked and if you come late in the game trying to get a name somebody already has, you gotta let them rock with it. Luckily for me I had numerous names so I was able to just switch over to one of the other ones."

Diddy's Press Play is scheduled to hit stores October 17th

N.Y. Rapper Max B & Others Charged In Deadly Heist

New York rapper Diplomats/Byrd Gang member Max B was charged with robbing two Miami men and killing one of them in a New Jersey hotel room.
The 28-year-old rapper, known as Charly ''Max B'' Wingate, is accused of masterminding a plot to rob Allan Plowden and his friend, David Taylor, both of Miami.

Wingate was charged Friday with felony murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He faces life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Bergen County prosecutor John Molinelli said Wingate and his accomplices, who included a hooker girlfriend and a gunman, were unaware that another group of would-be thieves -- two hookers and two car sound system workers -- had plans to rob the South Florida men.

Two weeks ago Plowden, 41, and Taylor, 29, went from Miami to Fort Lee, N.J., apparently looking to upgrade their Mercedes-Benz and BMW with sound systems.

They met with Julio Cruz, 27, and Edward Blancaneaux, 30, both of the Bronx, about the work.

But the Bronx men had observed Plowden and Taylor spending tons of money at a Bronx topless bar called Sin City, the prosecutor said.

At one point, Cruz arranged a meeting with Plowden and a former employee of Sin City, Gina Maria Conway, 29, a prostitute from the Bronx.

Cruz and Blancaneaux cooked up a plot to rob Plowden and Taylor, and hired two other prostitutes, Maite Castro, 23, and Gisselle Nieves, 24, Molinelli said.

''They asked Nieves and Castro to soften them up, make them loose and let their guard down,'' Molinelli said.

But unbeknownst to the would-be robbers, Conway was scheming to rob Plowden and Taylor as well, and contacted her rapper boyfriend, Wingate, to help, according to Molinelli.

Around 3 a.m. Sept. 22, at a Holiday Inn in Fort Lee, Conway and an accomplice of Wingate, Kelvin Leerdam of New York, knocked on Plowden's door, authorities said.

''At that time Mr. Leerdam held a gun to Mr. Plowden and Ms. Nieves,'' Molinelli said. The woman was duct-taped and put in the bathroom.

After Plowden said he did not have cash, he was ordered to call his partner, Taylor. When Taylor entered the room, Leerdam shot him in the head, authorities said.

Cruz and Blancaneaux never got a chance to carry their scheme out.

The robbers stole $800 and a watch, leaving without $30,000 in cash that the Miami men had stashed.

Wingate was charged with felony murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Leerdam and Conway were charged with murder, felony murder and robbery. Plowden was charged with money laundering and possession of identity theft equipment.

Castro, Nieves, Cruz and Blancaneaux were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery

Jay-Z to Promote New Album and NBA Season on TNT

Turner Network Television will turn to hip-hop star Jay-Z to tout its upcoming slate of exclusive Thursday night National Basketball Association games, and also turn some commercial control over to a number of the league's top stars.

Jay-Z will create exclusive spots that will not only promote the upcoming 2006-07 NBA season on TNT, but also the rapper's new album, Kingdom Come, set to be released Nov. 21.

Part of TNT's ongoing "Let the Truth Be Told" marketing campaign, the eight 30-second spots, which begin airing Oct. 3, show Jay-Z sharing his "truths" during a interview focusing on core themes such as competition, talent, stardom and legacy, during a limousine ride through the streets of New York City. The network also will make an extended director's cut of the interview available exclusively on its "TNT OverTime" broadband site on NBA.com.

"The new approach to our NBA on TNT promo series is dramatic, smart and provocative," said Turner Sports creative director Craig Barry. "Using Jay-Z's own words and powerhouse persona, we wanted to showcase his sophisticated style to parallel the tenets of sports and music."

He also said the use of entertainers like Jay Z and Ali G, a comedian that TNT used in last year's NBA spots, allows the network to reach out beyond traditional fans in an effort to draw in new viewers.

Additional campaign promos will feature spots created by such NBA players as Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Ben Wallace. The spots will allow each player to create their own images and scripts for the commercials.

Barry said the players were very enthusiastic about having some creative input into the spots in which they appear.

"For the most part, the players would give us a concept about what they thought about the league or how they saw life in the NBA," Barry said. "We came back and wrote the creative and gave them a number of different options to choose from before we produced the spot."

While TNT will run the spots in heavy rotation leading up to its Oct. 31 debut of its regular season NBA telecasts, Barry said the players will have the opportunity to make commercials throughout the season.

"This hasn't been done before, so I think the players are having a good time coming up with different ideas and concepts," he said.

The Game is ready to end beef with G-Unit

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The Game is finally ready to end his beef with 50 Cent and the G-Unit. The two men held a press conference to announce a truce last March but shortly thereafter The Game launched his G-Unit campaign. During an interview on New York's WQHT-FM last week, The Game said, "I want just to talk and just to see where our heads are and see if maybe we can come to an even playing field -- respectfully to each other. I want to see if we can figure it out as grown-ups."

As to the pair's previous attempt to make peace, he said, "We weren't ready to do that. You can't force us to do anything. I don't think that either of us was ready to get on that stage."

The Game also came clean about Dr. Dre's involvement on his new album. He said, "Dre is not on the album. No Dre involvement on this album. If you looking to buy my album just because Dre did a beat or two, leave it on the shelf. This album is executive-produced by the Game. Dre took me from the 'hood and gave me an opportunity so I'm always going to pay him that respect."

The Game's new album, The Doctor's Advocate, hits stores on November 14th.

Eve to release 'Here I Am' Early next year

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Rapper and actor Eve is set to release her first solo album, Here I Am, in four years. Billboard.com reports that the project will be released through a joint venture between Dr. Dre's Aftermath label and Swizz Beatz'Full Surface record. No release date has been set for the project, which will also feature the production of Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Cool & Dre and newcomer Neo with guest spots by T.I. and Sizzla.

The rapper said, "It feels like a first album. I haven't been out in four years and I felt like I had to roll the dice. Why put out an album that sounds like (all the others)? I had to get out of the box -- for myself.....I didn't want it to be too serious. When I get up -- no matter what time -- if I turn on music I move a little faster. If I'm driving it clears my head, so I just wanted to make a feel-good album that people can listen to and rock out to."

Eve leaked the song "Cashflow" featuring T.I., but plans are in the works to release an official single before the end of the year.

On the acting front, Eve's television show has been canceled after three seasons. The rapper explained, "I was really excited about it but I needed to get away from it to do music 'cause there's no way you can do both. I'm sad on one hand 'cause I really fell in love with the cast but this is something that I really want to do. I missed music."

New Podcast Release(On Anotha Level Pt. 1...Shout to DJ RC), New Videos.....

Check the latest Podcast release, "On Anotha Level Pt. 1" in the podcast section.

Also check the videos section for the latestby Fat Joe ft Lil Wayne(Make it Rain), Lil Scrappy(Gangsta, Gangsta), Young Dro(RubberBand Banks), Young Buck, Lupe Fiasco, and more...

AZ Delivers The Format On New Studio LP

After beginning his career by debuting on Nas track Life's A Bitch, AZ released classic Albums such as 1995s Doe or Die, 1998s Pieces Of A Man, 2001s 9 Lives and 2002s Aziatic. AZ was also a member of rap super group The Firm with Nas, Foxy Brown and Nature and has recorded with some of todays greatest producers such as Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Trackmasters, Buckwild and Pete Rock.

Following the success of his 2005 release A.W.O.L., AZ strikes back again a mere year later with a brand new studio LP, The Format, which will be released on 11-7-06 courtesy of AZs own label Quiet Money/Fastlife Music.

After a decade in the game, A.W.O.L., brought AZ back to the forefront and among his rightful place as one of Hiphops most elite visceral lyricists; and The Format will only build upon his already legendary status, as AZs vision and lyrical power to paint pictures have long been celebrated by critics and fans alike.

The Format is a rock-solid collection of 12 new tracks, lead by the DJ Premier produced title track, as Primo and AZ rekindle the seamless chemistry they previously demonstrated on 2005s The Come Up. Also, after producing AZs 2005 street-anthem New York , Emile (more recently Emile produced Obie Trices They Wanna Know) rejoins the fold to produce four-tracks. M.O.P.s Lil Fame produces three tracks and also appears alongside his M.O.P. brethren Billy Danzenie and AZ on Sit Em Back Slow and Little Brother joins AZ on Rise And Fall (which is co-produced by Little Brothers Phonte Coleman.

The Format will also contain a bonus DVD, will contain a live concert performance and music videos.

Tracklisting and credits for AZs The Format:

1). I Am The Truth (Produced by Lil Fame)
2). Sit 'Em Back Slow f/M.O.P. (Produced by Face Defeat and Lil
Fame)
3.) Get High (Produced by Emile)
4.) Make Me! (Produced by Emile)
5). Rise & Fall f/Little Brother (Produced by J.Cardim and Phonte Coleman)
6.) Animal (Produced by Statik Selektah)
7.) Doing That (Produced by Lil Fame)
8.) This What I Do (Produced by J.Cardim)
9.) The Format (Produced by DJ Premier)
10.) Vendetta (Produced by J.Cardim)
11.) Game Of Life (Produced by Emile)
12.) Royal Salute (Produced by Emile)---Bonus Track


AZ- The Format Video

Lupe Fiasco's Debut Is #1 Rap Album This Week

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- September 29, 2006 -- 1st & 15th/Atlantic recording artist Lupe Fiasco scores an impressive #1 debut this week as his album, "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR," tops the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart. The Chicago-based MC also ranks #2, just behind Justin Timberlake, on the Billboard Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums chart and #8 on the Billboard 200, selling more than 80,000 units in his first week.

Because of missing information from "a data supplier in the retail chain strata," this week's Nielsen SoundScan reports were incomplete until today. Originally, SoundScan, the company that tracks sales, had Lupe Fiasco debuting at #2 on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart, #4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and #12 on the Billboard 200.

"LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR" -- which features the singles "Kick, Push," "I Gotcha," and "Daydreamin'" -- is executive produced by Jay-Z, Chill, and Lupe Fiasco. Recently named one of Rolling Stone's "10 Artists To Watch 2006," Lupe Fiasco just last week celebrated the debut of his album with an explosive MySpace Secret Show in Chicago. In addition, he has just been nominated for the "Breaking Woodie" award, which will be given to the year's Best Emerging Artist at the upcoming mtvU Woodie Awards 2006, presented on October 25th at New York's Roseland Ballroom. The awards will air on mtvU and mtvU.com on November 2nd.

Lupe Fiasco has quickly established himself as one of hip-hop's most exciting and intriguing young artists. The 24-year-old MC first made himself known last year via his underground skateboard anthem, "Kick, Push," as well as with his appearance on Kanye West's hit single, "Touch The Sky."

Laced with 14 tracks of complex, thought-provoking, and playful lyricism coupled with sure-fire beats, "LUPE FIASCO'S FOOD & LIQUOR" features production by the likes of Kanye West, Needlz, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park, and Atlantic chief Craig Kallman, not to mention 1st & 15th producers Soundtrakk and Pro. Driven by inventive tracks like the Neptunes-produced "I Gotcha," and the new single, "Daydreamin'," the album is certain to thrust Lupe into the forefront of mainstream hip-hop.

Lupe has been praised to the skies for his playful wordplay and complex chronicles of the streets and the 'burbs. Among his biggest fans are some of hip-hop's leading luminaries, including Jay-Z, who raved, "I just love his wordplay. I think he's one of the most creative new guys in the game right now." Atlantic Records' own Twista declared Lupe to be "the next hottest sh*t in the Chi," noting that "if Twista said it, ain't nothing else need to be talked about after that." "He's one of the best MCs coming out," said Kanye West, explaining Lupe's inclusion on his multi-platinum smash, "LATE REGISTRATION," while the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams sums it up: "Lupe's a star. He's on his way and you'll see him."

For more information, please visit www.lupefiasco.com or www.myspace.com/lupefiasco.