Q-Tip confirms role with Kanye West and "Good Ass Job"

Kanye West was able to shake his Taylor Swift controversy when news about his new album arose. Following his crossover 2008 R&B album, Kanye had plans of returning to rap. People close to West have been describing the album for some time. The first person to speak of the album was Kid Cudi. He said that Kanye West had taken a break to record his new album.

Later, more associates from GOOD Music would speak about the new album. Before Kanye West revealed that he would be recording an R&B album, he said that his 2008 album would be a part of his album series. But, with all of the emotions running through his system, Kanye went R&B. As more information leaked about the 2009-2010 album from West, it was revealed that he was going old school.

Earlier this month, there were rumors of Q-Tip signing on to work with the new Kanye West album. Given the influence of Kanye West on the rap game, people believed that they could work together. But, later, many began to think that it was pure speculation. Now, Q-Tip has come out and announced that he will be returning to the game and he will be producing for Kanye West's new album, Good Ass Job. That album will not be released until some time this summer.

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J. Cole talks Memphis Bleek and Jae Millz

A native from Fayetteville, North Carolina, for the past three years, J. Cole has been with Jay-Z. Even when Jay was still a part of Roc-A-Fella Records, he was acting as a sidekick to Jay-Z. In 2008, Jay-Z had left his Roc-A-Fella label to create Roc Nation. The first artist signed to Roc Nation was J. Cole.

Early in Jay-Z's career, he signed Memphis Bleek as one of the first artists to Roc-A-Fella. For the next few years, Bleek would become the sidekick to Jay-Z. In the time since Roc Nation was created, Bleek has become the leader of his own team. Jay-Z was awarded a new sidekick in J. Cole. Despite the comparisons, Cole said that it does not matter who he signed in the past, he is the present.

Recently, J. Cole was featured on XXL magazine's cover that featured the rising rappers of 2010. One rapper that was left off of the list was Jae Millz. The rapper has been trying to release his debut album for the past six years. In the process of trying to create music, he left his original label of Wanna Blow for the bright lights of Young Money. Because he was left off of the list of the rising rappers, Jae Millz dissed the magazine and every other rapper on the list. Many people wanted J. Cole to step into this battle, he has spoken about Jae Millz and his comments. J. Cole said that he cannot control what Jae Millz says and he will not end up feuding with him over the matter.

Later this year, J. Cole plans to release his debut album through Roc Nation and Sony Records.

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Nicki Minaj thanks her Supporters

As Nicki Minaj prepares to release the video of "Massive Attack" to the public, she wants to take the time to thank all of her fans. Still with no title to her upcoming debut album, Minaj has a strong fan base. Hip hop has placed the female rap game upon her shoulders. Many feel that Nicki can revive the female rap game following years of obscurity. As she prepares to solidify things, Nicki Minaj has taken the time to thank her people.

Two days ago, Nicki Minaj released the song to the internet and to the radio. Surprisingly, the song quickly caught on. As great as Nicki has been on the mixtape circuit, some doubter her mainstream appeal. The song has been played multiple times. Taking advantage of the massive success of "Massive Attack," Nicki Minaj is ready release the official video for her single. The video will premiere later today.

Finally ready to reveal to the world the video for "Massive Attack," Nicki Minaj wants to thank her fans. As popular as she is, Minaj had no idea that the single would end up being this popular. Because of the quick success of her song, Nicki Minaj has offered a "thank you" to everyone involved in her success. She has also invited everyone to tune into "106 & Park" on BET to watch the world premiere of her first official music video.

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Fabolous begins feud with Jim Jones

Last fall, Fabolous showed how things can get started over the internet. Never before in his career had Fabolous been a person to create trouble. But, when he began using Twitter, he felt as if he could speak his mind about everyone. The brief feud over auto-tune between Jay-Z and T-Pain was created by Fabolous. He created a lot of controversy and he almost created feuds between himself and Bow Wow and 50 Cent.

Fabolous barely escaped those feuds. He questioned why 50 would be trying to unite rappers when he ended Ja Rule's career. Word got back to 50 Cent only hours after Fabolous made the statement via Twitter. 50 Cent said that he considered Fab a friend, but he was open to recording a diss record. Weeks went by and no word came from Fabolous. Towards the end of October, 50 Cent revealed that he and Fabolous talked.

While 50 Cent and Fabolous never locked horns over his frequent Twitter comments, Fabolous would end up in a Twitter feud. However, it would not be an ignorant comment from Fab to send someone over the edge. Recently Fabolous released a video for his single, "Body Ya." Jim Jones watched the video and he said that Fabolous stole his style. He left his comments via Twitter and he and Fabolous have been exchanging words ever since. Previously, Fabolous and Jim Jones had been friends, but the things that they have written about each other have led to the end of their friendship.

Fabolous has teased Jones for his only two hits, "We Fly High" and "Pop Champagne." He also went on to subliminally diss Jones by saying that he was listening to Jay-Z's "You're Only a Customer."

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Eminem prepares "Relapse 2"

Most rappers do not receive the chances that Eminem has had over the course of his career. By 2004, Eminem had gone from superstar status to legendary status. As he finally reached the top of the mountain, Eminem decided to take a break from music. He had decided to take a break and find peace with all of his rivals.

For the next five years, Eminem winded himself down until he was almost forgotten from the game. In order to keep himself in shape, Eminem continued to write and record. He even began trying his hand at producing new music. Rumors of a comeback from Eminem began as early as 2007. There was an album called King Mathers that began flooding the internet.

Eminem decided to wait for five years and he ended up returning with Relapse. While recording this new music, Eminem said that he had enough material to record two albums. Originally, Em had planned to release two new albums before the end of 2009. Despite the high record sales of Relapse, the label decided that Eminem wait on releasing another album. They felt that he should record all-new music and release Relapse 2 in 2010.

With 2010 four months old, Eminem has been hard at work on Relapse 2. Over the past few months, Em has become nothing short of a memory. Just because the fans are beginning to forget about him, that does not mean that he has forgotten about what he has to do. Eminem is currently putting the finishing touches on his new album. The album should be completed within the next few months. There is no set release date for his upcoming Relapse 2.

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Lloyd Banks talks New Album and 50 Cent

Four years have passed since the release of the last Lloyd Banks album. Originally, the album had been planned for a 2007 release on Interscope Records. But, because of the fact that the buzz of the G-Unit label faltered, Interscope delayed the album. Growing tired of waiting on Jimmy Iovine to put his album out, Banks decided to leave G-Unit Records.

The new Lloyd Banks album has changed so many times since its planned release. Initially, the album was set to be another album that was heavy with G-Unit collaborations. But, soon, Banks decided to turn the album into a sequel to his Rotten Apple album. Then, he decided to make it into a double album and record a song with Jay-Z and Nas.

However, after the emergence of the 50 Cent/Jay-Z feud and reluctance from Nas to record with G-Unit, those plans ended up falling through. Because Lloyd Banks could not land the collaboration with Jay-Z and Nas, Interscope pulled the plug on his album. Finally having enough, last summer, Banks ended up leaving Interscope Records. He would be followed by Tony Yayo and 50 Cent would leave G-Unit in the fall, right after the release of Before I Self Destruct.

Because the executives of Interscope Records will not be involved with his new album, 50 Cent has to come in and fill the void created by their departure. The increased involvment of 50 Cent in the new album from Banks has led to a lot of questions. Lloyd Banks has spoken on all of the questions regarding himself and the general of G-Unit. Most people assumed that when Banks left Interscope Records that he had also left his longtime home of G-Unit Records. When 50 Cent returned to working with Lloyd Banks and filming his videos, people wondered why. But, Banks has revealed that he is still on G-Unit Records and that 50 Cent is still the head of the organization.

Lloyd Banks plans to release his third studio album sometime in June of this year.

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Raekwon speaks on Lyrical Content

Ever since he first came into the game, Raekwon was hailed as one of the best rappers to touch a microphone. Most rappers are considered great because of the way that the make words rhyme. Others are considered great because of the stories that they tell through their rhymes. There is no single category that Raekwon fits into.

Each year, there is always the discussion of the best rappers of all-time. People always point towards the likes of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. when talking about the best ever. But, more recently, people have added Jay-Z to this prime discussion and some are even placing Lil Wayne into the conversation. The rappers that always end up left off are the guys like Raekwon.

XXL, however, has taken the time to pay some homage to Raekwon and his skills. Rae would even take the time to speak on his raps, himself. He said that every time that he picks up the mic he tries to paint clear pictures with his rhymes. Raekwon said that he wants the people to listen to him rap and be able to close their eyes and imagine everything that is going on. When speaking his album, Raekwon said that every song off of that album deserves a music video.

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50 Cent is the New Director for G-Unit videos

The days of videos directed by Hype Williams and Benny Boom are long gone for G-Unit Records. The days of having their records distributed by Interscope Records are also long gone. 50 Cent had a falling out with Jimmy Iovine, the head of Interscope, and he promised to leave after the release of his fourth album. Many were hoping that a truce could be made, but 50 Cent left.

Not only does G-Unit Records find themselves without a distributing label, but they also lost their financial backbone. Everything that they put out, from this point on, is coming out of their pocket. Luckily for the crew, 50 Cent is one of the most-savvy businessmen in the hip hop game. He has built his career out of saving money and the money saved while at Interscope is probably enough to hold G-Unit over.

50 Cent made a promise to his fans that G-Unit would continue to go strong even without Interscope behind them. As soon as he cut his ties with the label, he told Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks to prepare their new albums. Before the end of the summer, both rappers hope to have released their albums and they are working on the singles before the summer starts. In the past, 50 Cent would recruit high-profile video directors for the G-Unit videos. Realizing the limitations of G-Unit, 50 has stepped up to direct the new videos from G-Unit.

Tony Yayo will be the first G-Unit artist to release an independent artist. His album will be followed by the third album from Lloyd Banks, The Hunger for More 2. 50 Cent will release Black Magic sometime during the fourth quarter of 2010.

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Jay-Z to appear on Dr. Dre single for "Detox"

For the past ten years, there has been a lot of talk about the new album from Dr. Dre. To be titled Detox, it has gone through as many release dates as every Jay-Z album released since 2000. Every now an again, talk of the new album hypes up. But, when the release date nears, the album is pushed back. By the fall of 2009, Dre began to upset some of his oldest fans. Now, early in 2010, people have given up on the album.

Perhaps hoping that people had given up on the album, Dr. Dre has returned with more information. Despite what people think happened with his album, Dre has informed people that it is still on the way. With the way that he has worked with the album, that fact could be in question. Dr. Dre said that he does not care about the album, then he said that it may not come until 2011. He said that this album would be his final one and it is for the fans.

After a decade of those statements, the hip hop community had finally gotten over the fact that Detox may never come out. Two years ago, Dre recrutied Jay-Z for the album. Jay, like many other rappers has said that he recorded with Dr. Dre. But, the state of the song, he could not confirm or deny. Recently, rumors have emerged that not only is Detox right around the corner, but the first single will be coming before the end of the summer. Michael Yo, a source close to Dr. Dre, said that the first single off of Detox will be released shortly. The single does feature Jay-Z, a frequent collaborator of Dr. Dre.

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Nicki Minaj finally releases "Massive Attack"

For the past six months, Nicki Minaj has been talking about her debut album. She had been affiliated with Lil Wayne and his Young Money crew since 2006. But, she did not sign with the label until 2009. Her actual signing with Young Money did not come until after Drake signed with the label.

The focus of Young Money shifted from Wayne to Drake and his album will be released before Nicki's. She has been promoting herself in order to maintain her buzz. As the release date for Drake's album nears, Minaj has more buzz than he does. Without releasing a single or an album title, Nicki Minaj has kept herself popular.

Now, after months of talking, Nicki Minaj has released her long-awaited debut single. "Massive Attack" featuring Sean Garrett, was released to the radio and the internet earlier today. Later this summer, Nicki plans to release her debut album. It has become the job of the entire Young Money crew to step up while Lil Wayne is out of commission.

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Fat Joe lands a Solid Deal with E1 Music

Ever since his departure from Atlantic Records, in 2006, Fat Joe has been shopping himself to Imperial Music. He signed a one-album deal with the label to release his 2006 album. For his next album, he signed another deal with the label. But, last year, they held up the release of his album. Because of that, a dispute arose between Fat Joe and the label, so he left his business deal.

Before he had even left Atlantic Records, Fat Joe had a deal with Koch Records. Late last year, Koch changed its name to E1 Music. The label has been home to many Terror Squad artists and is the current home to DJ Khaled. Because of his strong relationship with the E1 family, Fat Joe decided to sign a deal with the label.

Portraying the "nice guy image" on his most-recent efforts, Fat Joe is going back to his roots on his next album. Unlike his releases throughout the 2000s, he will he raw and explicit. This is the reason that he titled his album The Dark Side. He will end up releasing this album through E1 Music and the album will be released sometime during the summer of 2010.

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Prodigy disses Rick Ross, Max B, Saigon, and Others

From behind bars, Prodigy has sounded off on the current state of hip hop. Much like Shyne during his time behind bars, Prodigy has recorded a song over the phone. The name of this song is "Phone Tap." In the song, he mentions his supporters and his rivals.

Right at the beginning of the song, he disses Max B. He refers to Max B as Rat P. Prodigy pretends that this is a mistake, but it is an obvious diss. From there, he also mentions Tru-Life, their feud stems from Tru-Life being a member of Roc-A-Fella Records.

There have been rumors of a feud between Prodigy and his former boss, 50 Cent. 50 is also mentioned in the song, but he has nothing but praise for him. He says that 50 Cent came by to see him. When he gets out of prison, he hints at a reunion with the G-Unit general.

Prodigy also references his 2007 feud with Saigon and he accuses Pitbull and Flo Rida of imitating the style of Kanye West. He mentioned that Havoc has some fresh beats and when he gets out, the new Mobb Deep album is coming out. Prodigy goes on to mention that he spoke with the real Rick Ross, who is still behind bars. After mentioning the death of Michael Jackson, Prodigy said that the Jay-Z collaboration at Summer Jam means nothing.

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Cassidy shuts down HIV/AIDS rumors

Hard times have hit Cassidy since the 2007 release of B.A.R.S. At the time, he seemed poised to finally take a major position in the game. But, following the release of his album, the label shifted their focus. By the time Cassidy was set to release a new album, he was an afterthought.

It appears that Cassidy has fallen so far that rumors of him having an STD have risen. Last week, a random woman sent out an email that said that she had unprotected sex with the rapper. She said that after they had sex that she had contracted the virus from him. For the past few days, the media has had a field day with the rumors.

Cassidy has not given the rumors too much of a chance because he is already out denying the allegations. The rapper did admit that he was "sick wit it, but not sick in that manner." He also denied ever sleeping with the woman, or even knowing her for that fact. In an effort to prove that he is not like other rappers who lost their buzz, Cassidy purchased a 2010 Bentley.

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Ludacris wanted Lauryn Hill on "Battle of the Sexes"

For the past few years, Ludacris has been trying to leave the rap game. On his last two albums, it appeared as if Luda was uninterested. But, on his most recent album, Ludacris seemed to fall back in love with the rap game that made him rich. Easily, Battle of the Sexes, is one of the best albums that Ludacris has ever created.

As great as Battle of the Sexes is, there is a chance that it could have been better. While Ludacris landed a lot of high-profile guest appearances, there was one he could not land. During his promotional run for the album, Luda had expressed interest in working with Lauryn Hill. Despite her only releasing one album, she is one of the most-acclaimed artists of all-time.

Ludacris spoke on working with Hill and he said that she is very talented and that he did reach out. But, for one reason or another, she never got back in touch with him. While Luda accepts that the album is great, he cannot help but think about what it could have been had Lauryn Hill performed on the album, too.

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Big Boi breaks silence on Def Jam deal

Following two year's worth of rumors, Big Boi finally signed with the legendary Def Jam label. This follows years that he recorded for Jive Records. His solo rap album, which has been spoken of for about two years, will be released on Def Jam. Recently, Big Boi spoke about his new record deal.

The main reason that a deal was made was because of the past that Big Boi has with OutKast. When OutKast signed their first label deal, they signed with LaFace Records. At the time, LaFace was still being run by L.A. Reid. Now, Reid is an executive for Def Jam.

Once L.A. Reid was out of LaFace Records, Big Boi said that he and Andre 3000 no longer had as much creative freedom. He said that he had been trying to leave Jive Records for Def Jam for the past two years. That is the main reason for all of the rumors about him being headed to Def Jam for so long.

Big Boi said that Jive Records released him last month and as soon as they did so, he called upon L.A. Reid to meet in Miami. Following their meeting, Big Boi was signed to Def Jam and he was "happy as hell." His new album will be released later this year. Big Boi said that he is hoping to repeat the success that Ludacris has been having recently with his album.

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Ja Rule remains confident in Major Comeback

It may be hard to believe now, but Ja Rule was the biggest rap star on the planet. But, when 50 Cent emerged into the game, he made it his personal mission to end the career of Ja Rule. The hit from 50 was not too hard, though. He would release a platinum album the next year, but a federal investigation of his record label ruined him.

During his time with Def Jam, Ja Rule released an album every year. But, when Def Jam ridded themselves of Murder Inc., no other label openly signed them to another deal. It would take two years for a new deal to be made for the label. Because Ja Rule had already fallen off, a bit, a comeback was hard to come by.

In 2007, he was supposed to make his big comeback. But, because his music did not receive a strong response, the album never came. It would soon be revealed that Universal was not confident in releasing an album from Ja Rule. Because of that, the deal lapsed without a new Ja Rule album.

Three years have passed since Ja Rule attempted to make a comeback. In the years since that attempt, Rule has remained confident in making a comeback. Despite everything being thrown in his direction, Ja Rule has landed big roles in some new films. There is a strong possibility that he will also contribute to the soundtracks of these movies. With his new album only two months away, Ja Rule has a new single, "The Life," in rotation and it is gaining airplay.

Ja Rule plans to release two albums before the end of this year. The first album, Venni Vetti Vecci 2010, will be released in June, but no official date has been slated.

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Ice Cube speaks on the New West

Recently, Ice Cube has been exchanging words, back and forth, with new rappers from the West Coast. The controversy has been sparked because of the title of his new album. Paying homage to himself and his legacy, Cube titled his latest album, I am the West.

The title has sparked controversy with one rapper in particular named Jay Rock. He went on record and said some things about Cube. Later, he would rephrase his words. Jay Rock would go on to deny having any type of feud with Ice Cube.

However, the rapper did state that he was a part of the New West and it is the job of people like Ice Cube to pass the baton. In response to those charges, Cube said that he will no longer help new artists. He said that he was tired of babysitting grown men.

Ice Cube said that every time that he tries to help a new artist out, they blame him when they fail. Already using rap as his side hustle, Ice Cube does not have the time to deal with trying to break a new artist into the game. The rappers that he spoke of are not mentioned by name. However, they will be on his new album, I am the West.

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Diddy and Gucci Mane locked in for Miami concert

Miami resident, Sean "Diddy" Combs, has been tapped to host a music fesitval in his second home. Ever since the late 1990s, Diddy has been having a love affair with Miami. The festival is The Best of the Best International Music Festival.

Despite being in prison ever since the end of last year, Gucci Mane will be making his first public appearance of the year. Being out on probation, the Atlanta rapper is free to attend the event. He will be joining DJ Khaled as one of the performers.

JBJ Entertainment is behind the event and they have released an official statement. They said that each year they try to give people visiting the city of Miami the experience of a lifetime. This year, the event has been extended to four days, as opposed to one.

The event kicks off on Friday, May 28, 2010.

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T.I. is officially Free from Legal Troubles

For the first time since 2008, T.I. can say the words "I'm free" and truly mean them. Ever since he picked up his 2007 gun charge, T.I. knew that his life would change. Initially, he assumed that nothing would happen because of who he was. He would soon realize that no one was above the law. Towards the end of 2008, he was sentenced to one year and one day behind bars.

In his last days of freedom, T.I. spoke with the youth. He would even team up with MTV to create "Road to Redemption." On the show, he focused on helping out those less fortunate. T.I. used his gun charge as inspiration as opposed to a punishment. During his last day of freedom, the rapper walked with Al Sharpton to protest gang violence. When it was finally time for him to go behind bars, T.I. went with pride.

Because of good behavior, the hip hop community received a special gift. After only being in prison for seven months, T.I. was being let out early for good behavior. For the remainder of his time, they would place him in a Halfway House. With a curfew of 11:00 pm, T.I. was free to do whatever he pleased, as long as it was not against the law. Being the family man that he is, the first thing that he did was greet his longtime girlfriend, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and his five children. Following his reunion with his family, T.I. returned to the studio.

Already back to being a major part of the lives of his children, T.I. released his first single since being free from the bars. Last month, he released his single, "I'm Back." On March 26, 2010, T.I. was able to say those two words and really speak the truth. Later this year, a new studio album from T.I. will be released.

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On the Rise: Fashawn

It has been fifteen years since the West Coast truly dominated. After years of obscurity, there are a lot of new rappers out there trying to re-establish the left coast. The artists among that list happen to be newcomer, Fashawn. Getting an early start, at 21-years-old, already has a debut album out, Boy Meets World.

Recording for the independent record label, One Records, Fashawn has yet to reach a large audience. But, over the next few years, it appears that he will be the one to take the baton. Unlike other new, rising, acts, he does not have a legend in his corer. Because of the fact that he comes from Fresno, not too many people from the West know about him.

Fashawn has been making some strides on the mixtape scene, however, and they will be receiving more buzz as his name spreads. Coming from an unlikely place, it appears that Fashawn will be putting Fresno on the map. His debut album, Boy Meets World, is currently in stores.

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What if Tupac Shakur had never Died: Snoop Dogg

In the time since the death of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg has changed his entire demeanor. When he first arrived in the game, Snoop was Death Row. The label was notorious for its roughousing. Being the first artist signed to the label, Snoop successfully portrayed that image, himself. But, as the feud between the East and the West got a little tough to handle, Tupac turned on Snoop Dogg.

Following the death of Tupac Shakur, and later The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg left Death Row. But, because of the way things were headed, Snoop had plans of leaving, anyway. There were rumors of Tupac, himself, leaving the label, but he had no plans of ending his feud with the East Coast. Because of the fact that Snoop Dogg admitted to being a fan of artists from the East, Tupac had already taken aim at the Doggfather.

During his time at Death Row Records, Snoop Dogg was one of the most popular rappers in the game. But, anyone that had a problem with Tupac had a problem getting radio play. That was, everyone except for Biggie, but his popularity was waning. In the eyes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg was a traitor and he was preparing to diss him. With Snoop Dogg also ready to leave Death Row for No Limit Records, headed by Master P, nothing would have stopped Tupac from entering a feud with them, either. The success that Snoop Dogg had with No Limit probably would have never happened and, for that matter, the success that Master P had, would have never come to pass.

Fresh off of the heels of the release of a new album, Snoop Dogg is considered a legend in the music industry. He has successfully made the crossover from music into television and movies. It is never uncommon to see the Long Beach rapper at mainstream events. Snoop Dogg's style, once seen as thuggish and controversial, is now looked at as acceptable American culture. Even though his lyrics remain as raw as ever, Snoop Dogg has gone pop. Had Tupac Shakur never died, Snoop Dogg's career would not have made it into the year of 2000. Albums would have come from him, but not too many people would have been listening.

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Ludacris - "My Chick Bad (remix)" video

Ludacris featuring Diamond, Trina, and Eve in the official video for the remix of his hit single, "My Chick Bad."

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Kanye West recruits RZA and Q-Tip for "Good Ass Job"

In his return to rap, Kanye West is going all out. Following his last album, Kanye wants to prove that he can return to dominance in rap. He promised the people, early on, that this album would be a classic. Because of this promise, Kanye has turned to the legends.

On his previous rap efforts, Kanye West always went with a different sound. His latest album will be no different. Recently, hip hop has changed and Kanye is contributing to these changes. He will take on the task of mixing the old with the new for a unique sound that will not be forgotten.

The album will already feature work from Pete Rock, Pusha T, and Drake. Most of this album has been recorded in Hawaii, much like his previous effort. Good Ass Job will be released before the end of this year.

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Young Dro responds to 50 Cent

Back in 2008, it appeared that 50 Cent was heading into a feud with T.I. There was a track that he released with G-Unit that spoke of someone who had snitched. No one was mentioned by name, but at the time, there were rumors that T.I. had snitched in order to receive a lighter prison sentence.

50 Cent would come back later to say that he would never diss anyone without saying their name. He said that if he wanted to feud with T.I., it would be no secret. However, he has said negative things about T.I. in the years since. T.I. said that he has no time for petty feuds.

Recently, Young Dro spoke on the negative comments that 50 Cent has had for T.I. Dro said that he has known T.I. for most of his life and he would never snitch. As far as 50 Cent, Young Dro said that he will always have something to say, so he will let him keep on doing so. But, Dro knows the truth and the people who know about the Grand Hustle crew know the truth.

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Too $hort shuns the Internet

The internet has taken the hip hop world by storm. For the past decade, or so, there have been many hip hop websites. But, in more recent years, more and more have appeared. These websites have been the place to get the latest news on hip hop. However, rappers began their own internet invasion and some seem to be addicted.

With the popularity of MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, most hip hop fans pull up their favorite artist's profile to receive the news. As opposed to getting the source from television or from an interview, most websites get their news from these outlets. Hip hop has been drawn to the internet and some have their own blogs, most notably Kanye West.

Before rap became so commercialized, Too $hort was in the game. He has been rapping since 1983 and is the longest-tenured rapper in history. As times have changed, he has managed to stay relevant. Times are still changing and hip hop is going digital. While things are changing, one thing that will remain the same is Too $hort not spending too much time on the internet. He acknowledged the fact that the internet has taken over hip hop, but Too $hort will not be taking up his time to write about his every feeling. Instead, he will do things as he has been doing them.

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Rah Digga prepares Comeback Album

With over ten years put in at Flipmode Records, Rah Digga finally left the camp. The crew had been united, but it was obvious that Busta Rhymes made the move to Aftermath for himself. Since the CEO of the label was only looking out for self, Rah Digga decided to leave and re-establish herself. Ten years ago, she released her only album to date, Dirty Harriet.

Recently, Rah Digga spoke on her album that was supposed to be released in 2003. She said that the album was pushed back and later shleved. Because J Records did not see her vision, they dropped her from the label and soon Flipmode also abandoned her. When speaking of what she can bring to the hip hop community, Digga proclaimed that she is hip hop, period.

Having recently re-emerged from the shadows, Rah Digga has a new album coming soon. There are some people wondering why she does not have any singles out. In a response to those questions, Rah said that she is not going to rap for buzz. She is simply going to release her album and then let the music speak for itself.

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50 Cent to direct New Tony Yayo video

Now that G-Unit is no longer on Interscope Records, they are having to pay for things out of pocket. In the midst of a comeback, they are going to need a lot of help. 50 Cent has plans of a big comeback for the crew, but he wants it done on the cheap. The first thing that he has to do is create a new rotation.

The first album from G-Unit since their departure from Interscope will come from Tony Yayo. Because it will be his first studio album in five years, he is going to need to do something big. Yayo has been promoting this new album ever since 50 Cent told him to begin recording it.

With his album coming before the summer, Tony Yayo is preparing the first single. Before he goes into the album, Yayo is going to do like 50 Cent and promote his mixtape single. Recently, he released a single titled "Obama" and a video is on the way. Instead of paying someone to have the video done, Yayo is going to 50 Cent to direct the video.

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Game talks "R.E.D." and Reaches Settlement

Last week, Hip Hop Vibe reported that Game was looking to change his hardcore image. The reason behind that decision was a charge from 2007. Three years ago, he was accused of attacking a bystander at a pickup game in Compton.

The man was aiming to prove in court that Game was gang affiliated. Ever since he first emerged in the game, it has been no secret that Game is a member of the Bloods gang. But, in order to beat the charges, he had to change his image. Game settled out of court with the man.

With the charges behind him, Game is putting the finishing touches on The R.E.D. Album. Initially, the album was supposed to have been released yesterday. But, the hectic schedule that the rapper is on and the recent lawsuit have had him held up. Now that he is back on schedule, Game is looking to complete his first album since returning to Aftermath Entertainment.

Updating the people, Game has let everyone know that the album will be released on his own Black Wall Street label, along with Pharrell's Star Trak label, and Aftermath Entertainment. For production, Game has worked with Cool & Dre, Dr. Dre, Pharrell, and Boi-1da. However, he was unable to link with DJ Premier for the album, as expected. Game said that he will have to save that collaboration for his next album. Game will release this album on April 20, 2010.

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Joell Ortiz sounds off on E1 Music

Because of his struggle with the major record labels, early in his career, Joell Ortiz signed with E1 Music back when it was still Koch Records. Under Koch, he would release his debut album, The Brick (Bodega Chronicles), in 2007. The album would not be much of a success, but it was critically praised.

The second album from Ortiz was supposed to be released on Aftermath Entertainment. Following the warm reception from the streets to his album, Dr. Dre signed him. But, the top priority over at Aftermath was 50 Cent and G-Unit. Upset at the lack of attention, Joell Oritz would return to Koch Records.

One of the main reasons that Koch Records has been so popular is because they release albums from an artist, regardless. Where major labels push artists back at a constant rate, all they do is put the music out. But, now that Koch has become E1 and they have a distribution deal with Epic Records, they are a major label.

Now, Joell Ortiz is trying to put out his second album, Free Agent, and he is trying to release the debut album from Slaughterhouse. But, because E1 Music has this new deal, they are expecting to receive a full return on their investment. Even though Joell Ortiz is one of the best lyrical rappers out there, they do not feel that he is notable enough. Last week, they suggested that Ortiz create a feud with another artist for promotion. Fed up with E1, Joell Ortiz has had enough. Because of his treatment, Slaughterhouse is not going to sign with E1, instead, they will sign a group deal with another label.

While he is trying to move on, E1 is blocking any label from signing Joell Oritz from a group deal. This has upset the Brooklyn rapper and he said that E1 is trying to ruin his career. Now, he has taken direct aim and he has informed the executives of E1 Music that they are blocking something truly great from happening.

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Cam'ron promises "Killa Season 2"

Following his falling out with Roc-A-Fella Records, Cam'ron went independent and released Killa Season. The album lacked the big promotion from the Roc, but it was critically-acclaimed. On the album, Cam directly challenged Jay-Z and created the "Stop Snitchin" campaign.

Despite the success of the album and a response from Jay-Z, Cam took a break after the album. In 2007, he was expected to release a follow-up, Killa Season 2. The album could have been greatly promoted by his feud with 50 Cent. But, because he had a falling out with Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, Cam'ron took a break.

Towards the end of 2008, Cam'ron returned to the public and began doing interviews. Early in 2009, he announced his next album, Crime Pays. Much like his previous effort, it was also critically-acclaimed and it placed Cam back into the game. Now that he is re-established, Cam'ron is ready to release another album.

From the initial release of the Killa Season album and film, Cam'ron has promised a sequel. But, after he lost his crew, Cam had to regroup. He has since re-emerged with a new crew and now he is ready for his second Killa Season. Recently, Cam'ron spoke on his new album and movie. Much like the original, Cam is taking things hardcore with both the movie and the album. The album does not have a solid release date, but it will be released before the end of 2010, with the film attached to the album in the packaging.

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Jeezy officially dumps Young

Young Jeezy has decided that it was time for him to grow up. As opposed to calling himself Young Jeezy, he has made the decision to go as simply Jeezy. This is not the first name change of his career. Before he went mainstream, Jeezy released two albums under the moniker of Lil' J. But, when he signed with Def Jam, he released his albums under the name of Young Jeezy.

However, when he released his next album, Thug Motivation 103, the album will be released by Jeezy. No longer the picture of youth, especially in the rapidly-changing world of hip hop, Jeezy decided to change his name. At the age of 32, he is not exactly young in the age of hip hop. The change actually occurred last fall with the release of "Hard" by Rihanna.

All new music from Young Jeezy will come under the name of Jeezy. His fourth studio album, Thug Motivation 103, will be released during the summer of this year.

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Big Boi is officially on Def Jam

For the past two years, there have been rumors of Big Boi signing with Def Jam. Big Boi had been signed with Arista Records through Outkast and though a solo deal throughout his career. His first record deal came when he was signed by L.A. Reid. For a little while, Reid remained with Arista, but he would soon leave. He resurfaced with Def Jam.

Throughout these two years, there have also rumors of Big Boi releasing a new album. On December 31, 2007, Big Boi announced that he was going to release his first single from his new album. That album was supposed to come before the end of 2008. Despite the promise of a new album, it never surfaced.

Last year, during the fall season, the rumors of Big Boi heading to Def Jam rose. Many thought that the rumors were true. Following the rumors of his ship-jumping, he debuted the title of his album. After nearly two years of delays, Big Boi promised his album, Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty. 


Initially, this album was expected to be released on March 23, 2010. However, with his new deal, the album will now be released in May.

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Max B may be Released Soon

Last fall, former Byrd Gang member, Max B was sentenced to a life sentence of 75 years in prison. The rapper was tied to a robbery that wound up being a murder. After being in the game for five years, Max was starving for attention. He found it, but he never wanted it to come in that fashion.

It appeared that Max B was going to be behind bars for some time. His case was very widespread. Every hip hop outlets reported on it and 50 Cent even dedicated a line to him on "Flight 187." Until recently, there was still talk of Max B and his prison sentence. Just as things died down, there is more news on the Harlem rapper.

The manager of Max B, Joli O'Shay, spoke with XXL about the situation. Surprisingly, the news was good. The appeal that Max B filed was successful and he may be getting out of prison soon. Max B is trying to go to another trial, make his previous trial a mistrial, or simply get off with time served.

If things go as planned for Max B, he may finally get in the studio with Dame Grease and record his long-awaited debut album.

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50 Cent talks Sextape Lawsuit and Longevity

50 Cent has caused quite of stir, as of late. Last month, he made headlines when it was revealed that he was being sued for the sextape that featured a woman supposed to be one of the baby mothers of Rick Ross. The tape was a part of the "Pimpin' Curly" series created by 50 Cent. 50 placed the face of Curly on the man and the face of Rick Ross' baby's mothers on the face of the woman.

The woman that actually participated in the video, Lastonia Leviston, sued 50 Cent last month. Her grounds for the lawsuit is because of the fact that 50 Cent distributed the video across the internet without her permission. She also cited emotional distress from having everyone seeing her exposed body. Her face is visible for a short moment in the video, but the face of the partner was replaced with the face of 50 Cent as Curly.

It has been almost a month since Leviston filed the charges. Most people have forgotten about the charges until recently. Yesterday, 50 Cent conducted a series of interviews and he spoke on the sextape lawsuit. When he was asked about the lawsuit, he said that it was not him who distributed the tapes, instead he places the blame on Curly. 50 Cent is a known joker within the hip hop community and he will probably end up settling the case out of court.

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Joell Ortiz needs beef to Release Album

Dating back to 2004, Joell Ortiz has been on the scene. There have been quite a few times when it appeared that he was close to making his big break. But, for one reason or another, something always happens that sets him back. In 2007, he signed with Aftermath Entertainment, but he released his debut album on E1 Music (formerly Koch Records).

Because of the constant delays of his second album with Aftermath, he decided to leave the label. He would end up returning to E1 to release his album. The motto at the independent label is that all an artist has to do is record their album. Joell Ortiz did this two years ago and his album still has not been released. Fans of the rapper are questioning what the holdup is.

Answering all of those questions is Ortiz. He said that the reason that his album has yet to come out is because the label feels that he is unknown. Despite them calling him "unknown," Ortiz has two singles in rotation and he has filmed a video. No matter what he does, the label will not release his album unless he decides to create a feud. Joell Ortiz plans to release new music regardless of his label situation.

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Gucci Mane to release "The Burrprint 2" from Prison

For years, Gucci Mane was considered a joke. Until last fall, his claim to fame was his 2007 single, "Freaky Gurl." The song had an appeal to everyone, but still no one took him serious. When 2009 rolled around, the New Year's resolution from Gucci Mane was to become one of the top rappers in the game. Still, many people were taking Gucci as a joke.

The people who were laughing in January were convinced by December. There are a lot of people who still do not like Gucci Mane, but no one feels as if he is not a good rapper. After playing a Lil Wayne and collaborating with everyone, Gucci is now taken seriously. Just as he began his climb to the top, he was convicted of a parole violation and sent back to prison.

Despite being in prison, Gucci Mane has plans of releasing a new album, but those plans are currently on hold. Aside from his chart-topping album, The State vs. Radric Davis, Gucci Mane released a highly-successful mixtape, The Burrprint. Hoping to continue his run, Gucci plans to release the 24-track follow-up, The Burrprint 2.

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Drake on Jay-Z and "Light It Up"

Last summer, Drake received an unexpected call from Jay-Z. When Drake was still a rising star, Jay was preparing his return to the game. At the time, Hov was going against everything that the new school was doing. Many thought that his album would have some shots taken at Drake.

Those thoughts were thrown right out of the window when Jay-Z recruited Drake to perform the hook of the song, "Off That." Not only did the song feature a future chart-topper in Drake, but it was a song about the future. That song proved that there was some good chemistry between Jay-Z and Drake.

While promoting his 2010 debut album, Thank Me Later, Drake said that he wanted to feature Jay-Z on the album. Not long after he made that announcement, Jay-Z agreed to do the song. Information about the collaboration was scarce, but it was said that the verse from Jay-Z was one of the best in his career. Now, Drake is giving more information about the collaboration. He said that he raps and sings on the record and that the verse from Jay-Z is nothing short of pure rap at its best.

The singing from Drake is only on the hook, but he said that the song will become a fan favorite once the public hears it. The new Drake album, Thank Me Later, is going to be released sometime this summer.

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50 Cent gives more "Black Magic" details

Last week, 50 Cent revealed that he was already recording his fifth studio album, Black Magic. Following the failures of his past two albums, 50 Cent is changing things up for this album. He said that the tracks that he recorded for the album have a techno feel to them. The rest of the album will carry this trend on.

50 Cent has given more teasers for the album today. Unlike other rappers going into begin their fifth album, 50 has yet to make a significant change. Most rappers constantly evolve, but 50 Cent has remained the same. The only thing that has changed is that he raps about having money as opposed to a lack thereof.

For his latest album, however, 50 Cent told Tim Westwood that he wants to go outside of the box. 50 said that he wants to write rap lyrics to nontraditional beats. He feels that his album will be a total success if he is able to do this. The hip hop community has come to love rap lyrics over nontraditional beats.

50 Cent hopes to release Black Magic before the end of thus year. Off of Interscope Records, 50 Cent is searching for an independent distribution deal for G-Unit Records.

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Ice Cube challenged by Up-and-Coming rapper, Jay Rock

As previously reported, the title of the latest Ice Cube album has caused quite a stir. Much like when Nas titled his album Hip Hop Is Dead, the West Coast hip hop artist has not taken kindly to Ice Cube titling his album I Am The West. Unlike other regions in hip hop, the West only has three prominent artists.

However, they do have a lot of rappers trying to break through and they have taken offense to Cube claiming to be the West. A lot of these new rappers feel that he should step aside. It is often said that new artists cannot flourish because the older artists refuse to move out of the way. The new artists out West feel that they are being held back by Ice Cube.

Ice Cube took to his Twitter account to challenge these critics and he accused them of age-ism. Los Angeles rapper, Jay Rock said that if Cube has a problem with any new rappers from the area that he should call their name. When he first came into the game, Ice Cube was the most-vicious rapper out. But, over time, he has changed. Jay Rock has said that he has never disrespected Ice Cube, but he does not have a problem doing so.

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Ludacris discusses Deal with Def Jam

Just as Ludacris was breaking into the game, Master P had made history with his No Limit Records. Until he emerged as a rapper with his own record label, not too many artists did that. Following his run at the top, Ludacris emerged into the game. Not only was he signed to Def Jam South, but he also had a deal with his own Disturbing tha Peace label.

Looking back on the deal, Ludacris is among the most powerful artists on Def Jam. For years, he and former label head, Jay-Z, maintained most of the control of the label. The reason behind that is the fact that Luda has over fifteen other artists signed to Def Jam. While he has his own label, there are plenty of artists who do not.

For the first time in his career, Ludacris has finally spoken on his deal with the historic label. Ludacris said that when he first began negotiations with Def Jam that he did not sign with them until he had his DTP label established. This way, when the money came around, he would receive another cut. A standalone artist only receives a portion of the profits. But, if another label is involved, they receive a piece of the profit, too. Because Ludacris owns another label that is involved, he receives another cut of the profit. Also, the label has other artists, too, so when they release albums, he also receives a cut of their profits.

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T.I. catches the "Last Train to Paris"

Fresh out of prison, T.I. is already putting his comeback into motion. Despite being free of the bars since December, T.I. is not completely free until the end of this month. This has not stopped him from starting on his new album. Before the end of this year, he wants to release his new album.

First, T.I. has to take care of some things to rebuild his buzz. When a rapper has been away as long as T.I. has, they have to appear on other music before coming back. So far, T.I. has collaborations lined up with the likes of Juelz Santana, Drake, and Kanye West.

Those artists already have significant buzz, but Diddy does not. He needs T.I. just as much as T.I. needs him. For his latest album, Last Train to Paris, Diddy has recruited a lot of big names. Among those names is now T.I. It is unknown exactly what track that he will appear on.

Diddy plans to release Last Train to Paris on June 22, 2010 on Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records.

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Drake assumes leadership of Young Money

With Lil Wayne done for the rest of the year, there is a major hitch in the Young Money crew. Even before their franchise player was sentenced to prison, there was a plan to hand the game down. Now that Wayne is gone, this plan was put on rush.

Last year, Drake released his So Far Gone mixtape that made him into a household name. This year, he plans to duplicate that success with his debut album, Thank Me Later. But, with Lil Wayne gone, the record sales and the popularity of that album have to be extremely high.

The pressure is a lot on Drake, but he has said that it is nothing that he cannot handle. Drake said that he spoke with Lil Wayne before he went to prison. In their talk, he promised to lead Young Money while he was away. With the rap game changing every second, only time will tell if Drizzy delivers on this promise.

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Lloyd Banks speaks on the New Direction of G-Unit Records

The era of G-Unit on Interscope Records has come to an end. A lot like other labels, G-Unit Records had a nice run. There was a point when they were the highest-selling imprint on the Interscope label group. But, when G-Unit fell off, Interscope did nothing to pick them up. Now that the deal is over, G-Unit CEO, 50 Cent said that the promotion for the label came out of his pockets as opposed to Interscope.

Since he was doing all of the work, anyway, 50 Cent has decided to move G-Unit away from the major labels. Just three years ago, 50 Cent famously teased Cam'ron for doing the same thing with his Diplomat Records. At the time, Cam was trying to explain to him how much easier it was to be independent. Ironically, the decline of G-Unit came right after the start of their feud. Three years later, 50 Cent understands where Cam'ron was coming from.

Throughout all of the controversy, Lloyd Banks maintained a low profile. But, ever since the beginning of last year, Banks has been on the mixtape scene. He has a solid underground buzz and big-name rappers are calling upon him for some collaborations. Fabolous has openly stated that he wants to record with Lloyd Banks for Loso's Way 2. When the previous Fabolous album was released, Banks was tied into his contract with Interscope Records. Now, the entire G-Unit label is off of Interscope Records and 50 Cent is going to keep things simple. Much like he has done over the past seven years, 50 will handle all of the promotion, himself, and have some other label handle the distribution.

With his album set to be the first album from a G-Unit artist on an independent label, Lloyd Banks agrees with the decision of his boss. He said that it was a wise choice to make, because the major record labels are no longer safe for artists, groups, and labels like G-Unit.

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Drake to establish Drake the Artist with "Over" video

While he has been around for a few years, Drake is preparing his official debut for this year. He has filmed multiple videos, but none of them were like "Over." The other videos were for mixtape singles, but these are official.

Drake has said that the people have been seeing the regular version of Drake on his current music. But, the music coming off of his album, Thank Me Later, will be different. This music, and the videos, will be the birth of Drake the artist.

The first appearance of Drake the artist took place in the official video of "Over."

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Game looks to abandon Gangster Image

Compton rapper, Game, is being sued by California man, Shannon Rodrick for striking him and pulling a gun on his during a pickup game. For years, a gangster image has been promoted by Game. He has made it no secret that he is a member of the infamous Bloods game. However, because of the charges that he is facing, he is trying to change things up.

Now that he has been given a second chance by Dr. Dre, Game is not going to let anything come in the way of himself and success. For the time being, the rapper is looking to avoid anything gang affiliated. Game pled guilty to the charge and he served 8 days in jail, due to overcrowding. But, the team of Rodrick is aiming to win the case.

Almost exactly two years ago, the case was opened and Game is trying to avoid any more charges by distancing himself from gang ties.

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Ludacris tops Billboard Hot 100 for Fifth Time

Ten years ago, when he first came into the game, there were a lot of people who doubted Ludacris. He was written off as a fad, but he would become one of the top rappers in the game. Fast forward to 2010 and he is the biggest rapper out right now. In the past, he has recorded hits, but a lot of people would say that he had been on the decline since 2006.

Before the release of his 2006 album, Release Therapy, Luda would shave his trademark braids in favor of a fade. Not only would he change his hair, but he also changed his style. That album only socred two hits for Ludacris. Two years later, he would return with his next album, Theater of the Mind. That album would not score any notable hits. "One More Drink" did receive moderate airplay.

It was after that album that Ludacris said that he was going to retire in order to make room for his film career. His final project was supposed to be Cineplex, a sequel to his 2008 album. However, he had been promising an album with his label-mate, Shawnna, for almost three years. Last year, they were supposed to release Battle of the Sexes, when she pulled out at the last minute and signed to T-Pain's Nappy Boy label. Because of this, Ludacris took the entire album upon himself.

While recording this album, Ludacris fell back in love with the music. His latest single off of the album, "Break your Heart," with Tao Cruz has become the fifth single to feature Ludacris and top the Billboard Hot 100. His album, Battle of the Sexes, is currently in stores.

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Jim Jones reflects on Cam'ron falling out

The ongoing feud between Jim Jones and Cam'ron has reversed from what it was in the beginning. Initially, it was Jones that forced Cam out of the group. Meanwhile, Cam'ron was pushing for a reunion that was denied by Jim Jones. The two rappers did speak for a short period of time one year ago. In the time since that talk, it has been Jones pushing for the reunion while Cam closed the door.

Apparently, the feud between Cam'ron and Jim Jones had been going on for some time. People began wondering what was going on when Jones took over for Cam in the Jay-Z feud. Early in 2007, Cam'ron would return to the spotlight and begin a feud with 50 Cent. Going against what most crew members would do, Jones aligned himself with the G-Unit crew.

Later, Cam'ron expressed his feelings about the situation, but he said that he was not going to get upset about it. Recently, Jim Jones looked back on the origins of his feud with Cam and he said that he feels that he never turned his back on Cam'ron. Even with all of the negative things that Cam has said about him, Jones does not feel that Cam ever turned his back on him, either.

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50 Cent uses "Black Magic" on New Album

Often 50 Cent brags about having the largest fan base of any other rapper in the game. Despite this, he has delivered the same hardcore style that he had when he was a street rapper in the late 1990s. After the failure of his last album, 50 said that he was going to change things up. He blamed a lot of his stagnation on Interscope Records, who wanted 50 Cent to be the same on every album.

After a two-year battle with Jimmy Iovine and Interscope, 50 Cent is off of Interscope Records. He is currently searching for a new distribution deal for the G-Unit label. In the meantime, he has his artists working on new albums. Frequently, Tony Yayo speaks of his second album and Lloyd Banks recently filmed a video for his single, "Beamers." 50 Cent has said that he wants to release the next round of albums from G-Unit on an independent label.

This will include his next album, Black Magic. He attempted to change his style on his last album, but 50 has promised to go all out on this album. In an effort to entertain his entire fan base, the Queens rapper will be promoting the same type of music that Jay-Z featured on his last album. This comes after 50 Cent dissed Jay-Z for going pop last fall, but after looking at his record sales, 50 Cent is going to follow his lead. The new album from 50 will feature techno and a more European style.

When speaking on Black Magic, 50 Cent said to "expect the unexpected." There is no confirmed release date for this new album, but it will be released before the end of this year. The album will be released under the G-Unit label.

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Memphis Bleek loses Childhood Friend and Get Low labelmate

Throughout his career, Memphis Bleek has had doubters. In the minds of many, he is nothing more than the sidekick of Jay-Z. Recently, he has been shedding this image. He left Roc-A-Fella and moved his own Get Low label to an exclusive distribution deal. The rapper is only days away from the release of his fifth studio album, The Process.

Much like how Jay-Z featured him on his earlier music, Bleek had plans of doing the same thing. Memphis Bleek has been known as the right hand man of Jay-Z. However, as he transitions from sidekick to big star, Memph Bleek wanted his own sidekick. For years, he has had one in the form of Gregory "G Baby" Brown.

Brown was a childhood friend of Bleek and he was an artist on his Get Low Records. G Baby signed to Get Low in 2003. His album was expected to come sometime next year, but he was shot and killed after a Fabolous performance. It is said that Memphis Bleek is taking things hard. Despite having a heavy heart, he is already back out with Jay-Z doing performances.

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What if Tupac Shakur had never Died: Jay-Z

The arguable winner of the Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. feud was Jay-Z. He entered the game when the feud was at its peak. His association with Tupac Shakur made him among the many targets. It has been said that on Tupac's "Hit 'Em Up" that the muted part of the outro was some choice words for Jay-Z. While that diss was left out, there were many shots that Tupac sent at Jay-Z. Before he could respond, though, Tupac was dead.

In the time since Tupac died, Jay-Z avoided a feud with one of the best rappers of all-time. On his next album, Hov would shout out Tupac and his friend, The Notorious B.I.G. Following his sophomore album, Jay-Z would catapult into superstardom. Each of his following albums would go platinum and Jay-Z would soon become the biggest rap star on the planet. He expanded his brand through his clothing line, his record label, and his retirement, which led to him becoming the CEO of Def Jam.

But, had Tupac Shakur never died and the planned diss record from Jay-Z had been released, things could have been entirely different. The way that Tupac was feeling in 1996, he would have sent his entire squad after the entire Roc-A-Fella crew. Not too many people realize that Bad Boy was on its last leg because of the feud with Tupac. Because he died and Biggie expressed his condolences and then released "Hypnotize," the people continued to listen to their music. But, with Jay-Z being the right hand man of B.I.G. and ready to take Tupac on, their feud may have continued. What is likely, however, is that Tupac and Biggie would have met in a public place and their feud would have died.

Just like how Jay-Z and Nas ended their feud, they went on to make appearances on each other's albums and on albums with other artists. With Tupac never really wanting to feud with Biggie the way that he did and with Biggie wanting peace, their feud did not have legs. They would have probably ended things by 1997 and Jay-Z may have been invited to work with them. With Tupac and Biggie still alive, they are still on top of the rap game. Throughout the career of Jay-Z, he has been noted for "sampling" lyrics of Biggie and he has even used some of the rhymes of Tupac. But, with them still alive, that is nothing more than biting, so Jay would have been more original. His style, compared to their styles, would have never caught on. Right now, instead of being considered one of the top rappers in history, he would be on the popularity level of Keith Murray.

While his feud with Nas may have still happened, neither rapper would have been as high-profile and with no attention, the feud would have died shortly thereafter.

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Dr. Dre joins Drake and "Thank Me Later"

Numerous times, Drake has stated that he wants to go all out with his debut album. Where most rappers start out modest with their debut albums, Drake wants to hit the ground running. If his mixtape can be successful enough to be the album of the year, why would he hold off with his debut album?

Following his appearance on "Off That" with Jay-Z for his critically-acclaimed comeback, The Blueprint 3, Drake said that he wanted the big homie for his debut album. Weeks after he made the announcement, Jay-Z and Drake had recorded their song. After collaborating with Eminem, Drake said that he wanted him for the album and he got him.

So far, everything that Drake has asked for he has gotten it. His collaborations with Eminem went so well that Em recruited Dr. Dre to also work on the album. Now that 50 Cent is gone, it appears that the production duo will not be starving for work.

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