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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Ludacris ends feud with Bill O'Reilly

For the past eight years, Ludacris has been involved in one of the oddest feuds in history. Throughout his career, Luda has tried to be neutral, but he has been involved in feuds before. His most notable rival was T.I., but they ended their feud over two years ago. However, there was one feud that was started before his feud with T.I. and it lasted longer.

In 2002, a major deal was made when Pepsi signed Ludacris to be their new spokesperson. Because of the content of his music, Bill O'Reilly led a boycott against Pepsi, which led to them dumping Ludacris from their ad campaign. Since that time, there has been nothing but harsh words between the two. Most notably, Ludacris addressed the feud on his song, "Blow it Out."

Recently, there was an event that booked both, Ludacris and his rival, O'Reilly. Because of their issues, Luda made sure to walk over to his table. Ironically, instead of Ludacris blowing him out, he said that they had a civil conversation and their feud was ended just like that.

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Fabolous encourages Nas to Dig Deep for New Album

Ever since the release of his 2006 album, Hip Hop Is Dead, Nas shunned the younger hip hop fans. Last January, Soulja Boy accused the Queens rapper of killing hip hop, himself. At one point in time, Nas was hailed as the top lyricist in the game. But, his past few albums have not received much attention. Because of that, the game has shifted to the likes of Lil Wayne and other newer rappers that have strong lyrics. Unlike the younger hip hop fans, Fabolous grew up on Nas and he knows what he can do.

While he has been in the game for some time, himself, Fabolous did not get to know Nas until they both signed with Def Jam, in 2006. Their relationship stems from their respective friendships with former label head, Jay-Z. Because of Nas' friendship with Jay-Z, his album was the top priority of Def Jam. For that album, he was allowed to be as creative as he could possibly be. That was what led to him calling out the new generation of hip hop.

Even with no album out, Nas is fairly relevant in the game. However, in the late 1990s, he was one of the hottest rappers out. Not only was he one of the best lyricists, but he had found that happy medium where lyricism was met with commercial success. Much like Nas, Fabolous has been trying to do the same thing with his music. There are a lot of people who doubt that it is still in Nas, but Fab does not. With Nas preparing a new album for this year, Fabolous has urged him to try and find that happy medium, once again. If he does so, Fabolous feels that he can take the game over and let the youngsters know exactly who he is.

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Maino hypes Sophomore Album

Often, when people speak of a comeback from New York hip hop, they say that someone outside of Jay-Z has to step up. That person is going to be Maino. His debut album, If Tomorrow Comes..., was a critical success and it solidified his position on the scene. Recently, he spoke about rappers, such as Jay-Z and T.I. He credited their success to their consistency. It was then that he promised to release an album every year for his fans.

Maino began working on his sohpomore album, Day After Tomorrow, last fall. While his debut album focused on his rise from the streets and into fame, his second album will focus more on his life after making it big. Maino has been recording this album while he has been touring the world. He said that this album will be a part of the series that he created with his debut, but with a new mindstate. The fact of the matter is that he is no longer on the streets.

Following the success of his debut album being released in the summer, Maino plans to release Day After Tomorrow, in June 2010 through his Hustle Hard label and Atlantic Records.

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Nicki Minaj hooks up with Bobby Valentino

Using her Young Money connections, Nicki Minaj has recruited some of the top artists for her debut album. As previously reported, she landed production from Kanye West and Swizz Beatz. For guest vocals, she has landed major acts in that arena, too. The most-recent addition to her untitled debut album is former DTP singer, Bobby Valentino.

Coming as a surprise to many, Nicki Minaj revealed that she and Bobby V have collaborated many times in the past. He said that he was in the studio with Nicki and her producer, Fat Boy. The vibe that the trio had was undeniable. What started as only one song ended up being a series of songs that the two recorded together. It was revealed that they have recorded multiple songs together.

Nicki Minaj is not clear about which songs that she will be putting on her album. What is clear is the fact that Bobby V will be featured on the album. Still, there is no title and no release date for the album.

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Tony Yayo wants to Be In a New 50 Cent movie

Despite struggling with his music, as of late, 50 Cent has been doing extremely well with his new film ventures. Lately, he has not only been starring in new independent films, he is also producing them. After the failure of G-Unit Films, 50 Cent created a new company, Cheetah Productions, and they are behind a lot of new films. Two of the films are starring 50 Cent. He has moved into the film venture for a short period of time, before he decides where to move G-Unit Records.

While 50 Cent has a way to keep his name in the public eye, outside of music, Tony Yayo does not. Outside of 50 Cent, Yayo was the first artist signed to G-Unit Records. But, because of his time behind bars, he was rather quiet during their run on the top. He did not release his album until the crew was beginning to fall off. Because of that, he has been the least-successful rapper on the label and he did not receive proper treatment from Interscope Records.

Feeling mistreated by Interscope, Yayo would leave the label and the rest of G-Unit would not be too far behind him. Tony Yayo is very happy to be off of Interscope Records, but he would love to have a way to reach the public. Ever since 2003, he has been a fixture on the mixtape scene, but Yayo wants something that would expose him to the mainstream audience. He feels that the perfect way for this to happen is for him to star in one of the new 50 Cent films. As long as he has been in the game, he could always count on 50 Cent to look out for him. Because of this, Tony Yayo has reached out to his boss to see if he could land a role in some of his new films.

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Birdman talks post-Lil Wayne Cash Money Records

Birdman established Cash Money Records, along with his brother, Slim, in 1990. The label was created in New Orleans and they signed local rappers. Because they were new to the game, they offered each artist 50% of their profits on each album. They would sell their records to local CD shops and would land small deals. It did not take long for the Cash Money label to become well-known within New Orleans. Soon, they would be overshadowed by No Limit Records before the mid-1990s.

Things would change for the label when they added Juvenile, Turk, Lil Wayne, and B.G. to the label. At a time when boy bands were taking over, Birdman decided to turn the four young men into a hardcore rap group. In 1996, they released the debut album from B.G., Chopper City. The album would be hailed as a classic and it built a fan base for the rapper outside of Louisiana. Soon, the success of B.G. attracted a major record label in Universal Records.

Universal Records attempted to sign the teenage rapper, but the move was blocked by Birdman because B.G. was under contract with his Cash Money Records. The label tried to work out a joint venture deal, but it was turned down and Universal Records offered a distribution deal. Under the terms of this deal, Universal would become the exclusive distributor to Cash Money Records. At the time, Universal was not looking to distribute the entire Cash Money label, but it ended up being a profitable partnership. At one point, it appeared that deal was going bad as Juvenile and B.G. had left the label. During this frame of time, Lil Wayne was not looked at as one of the top rappers. This is what led to the assault that Wayne put on the rap game.

For the past three years, Lil Wayne has been on top of the game. However, unlike other stars, Wayne insured the future of his crew. Starting in 2007, he began signing acts to his Young Money label. Right before he was sentenced, Lil Wayne introduced them into the game. Now, the entire crew is stars. Not only are these artists, which include Drake, Bow Wow, and Nicki Minaj signed to Young Money, but they are also signed to Cash Money Records. Recently, Birdman spoke of how releases from these artists were going to keep his label on top of the rap game. Not only will they be holding things down, but Lil Wayne will be releasing singles off of his album, Tha Carter IV with the videos already being filmed.

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T.I. is on the Comeback Trail

The fairy tale ride for T.I. that was 2008 came to a screeching hault. For years, he had been calling himself "King of the South," but he was just beginning to live up to the title. His lyrical level was at an all-time high and his music was finally number one with the people. However, during his time trying to reach the top, T.I. was caught with guns. This occurred in 2007, but the trial was not until 2008. He was given one year of prison time.

At the time, T.I. was on top of the rap game and if he had been thinking, he would have recorded a new album before he went behind bars. Sadly, he did not think ahead and he lost a year of productivity. When he came back, late last year, T.I. reestablished himself with his family. He did not make his first public appearance until last month. Now, T.I. has just began speaking with the media.

Just to let people know, T.I. released a new single, called "I'm Back." It has been out for a few days, but he officially released it today. The song is official and it will be the lead single from his next album. Now that T.I. has reestablished himself with his family and the media, he now plans to reestablish himself with his fans. He plans to release more singles throughout the year, while he is touring the nation. Before the end of the month, T.I. proclaims that all of this will be behind him. His prison sentence will be complete on March 26.

March 26 is not the only big day for T.I. in 2010. Perhaps his biggest day of the year will be August 24, the day that he releases his comeback album. There is still no title for this new album.

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Boi-1da talks "Thank Me Later"

No one has been with Drake longer than Boi-1da. Before the fame and the hip hop spotlight, he was there. When Lil Wayne came calling with his Young Money crew, Boi-1da was thrown into the mix. Not forgetting where he came from, Drake has made Boi-1da an instrumental part of his upcoming debut album. He even had Boi-1da as a key part of his So Far Gone mixtape. The lead single from his new album, Thank Me Later, is produced by Boi-1da.

Apparently, more production for the album will be handled by Boi-1da because he has been speaking about the album. Drake has let it be known that he is going all out with this album. Still, he wants to stay close to his roots. This is one of the main reasons that he chose "Over" as his lead single. It is obvious that Boi-1da has skills, but that is his man from way back, so he had to come through for him. Throughout his time with Young Money, Drake has been working back and forth with his longtime supporter.

Boi-1da has let it be known how he feels about Drake and his new album. There is no doubt about the rapping skills that Drake possesses and there is no question about his ability to carry an album. However, when Drake said that he wants this album to compare to Illmatic, the questions rose, once again. Now, one of the up-and-coming producers in the game has given Thank Me Later the co-sign. Boi-1da has already said that this album will be one of the greatest hip hop releases, to date. When speaking of the lead single that he produced, Boi-1da said that is only the tip of the iceberg. He has said this without even hearing all of the album.

Thank Me Later is supposed to be released in June 2010 on Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown.

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T.I. will Go Hard with New Album

After missing a year out of the game, T.I. has fallen from the top ten to not being mentioned at all. But, because of his good behavior, the rapper was released from prison to a halfway house to complete his prison sentence. Because of his good behavior there, the rapper will be done with his crimes before the end of the month. When he is officially free from all of his legal duties, T.I. will have more time to dedicate to his new album.

Initially, it was expected of T.I. to take some time off after his release from prison. But, just as soon as he was released, he hit the ground running. Recently, he released a new single, "I'm Back." There is no word on if the single will be from his new album. The only thing that is for sure is that 2010 will bring forth a new album from T.I. Last year, had he been free, a new album would have come from T.I. Now that he is out, he will not be wasting anytime coming back with a new album.

Not only is T.I. coming back with his seventh studio album, he will be doing so in convincing fashion. He has released great albums before, but not like this one. T.I. plans to be both lyrical and agressive on this new album. This will combine all of his greatest aspects to create the greatest album in his discography. While he has been gone, the game has changed, but T.I. has, too. The Atlanta rapper is confident that he can combine his lyricism, the changes that he has gone through, and the changes in the game, to create his best album. Not only is he trying to create his best album, but he is also trying to create the year's best album. T.I. hopes to release some singles to radio before the start of summer.

Towards the later half of the year, T.I. hopes to release his new album. There is no confirmed title and there is not a set release date. In the coming months, more information will be provided about the new album from the Grand Hustle rapper.

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Bow Wow to Return with Double Album

Last year, Bow Wow announced that he was retiring after the release of New Jack City, Pt. II. The album had been pushed back multiple times and Bow Wow admitted that his heart was not into rapping anymore. Instead, Bow wanted to make the transition from rapping into acting. He went on to compare himself to Will Smith and how he went from being a rapper to a successful actor.

After being released from his contract with Sony Records, Bow Wow announced that he had signed with Young Money. The new label deal signlaed his return to the rap game. It was said that Bow Wow began working on a new album as soon as he signed with the label. Despite being signed to Young Money, Bow Wow did not appear on the Young Money album. But, with Lil Wayne behind bars, the crew will need all of the star power that it has.

While it is clear that Drake is the second in command, Bow Wow is the only person on the label that has experienced success before signing with Young Money. Because of that, Birdman has stepped in and scheduled a new album from Bow Wow that will be released this year. Bow Wow said that New Jack City, Pt. II would end up being the best album of his career. However, he has changed his words, saying that his unretirement album will be the best of his career. It is obvious that Bow Wow is planning something big, because he said that this album would be a double album. Usually, when rappers release double albums, they are hailed as classics.

Bow Wow wants to use this album to target all of his fans. He said that one disc will be dedicated to his male fans and the other disc will be dedicated to his female fans. Af of right now, there is no set release date or a title for the album. The only thing that Bow Wow confirmed is that he has been working on the album for about six months and it will be coming out before the end of 2010.

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Snoop Dogg is allowed to return to the United Kingdom

For the past three years, Snoop Dogg has been banned from the United Kingdom. Initially, he was banned for the strong language of his music. But, later he and his entourage got into an altercation. The final straw occurred when the rapper was caught with drugs. There have been times where Snoop Dogg has tried to fight the ban, but he has yet to be successful.

In 2008, the team behind Snoop Dogg successfully fought the ban. Just when they thought that the rapper would be allowed entrey into the nation, it was banned again. It is important that Snoop Dogg be allowed into the United Kingdom. This is mainly because the nation is home to London, England. Aside from such cities as Paris and New York City, London is the most important city in the world.

On Monday, March 1, 2010, the ban was officially overturned when the lawyers used Snoop Dogg's good guy image to help get him off. Not only has Snoop Dogg become one of the biggest philanthropists in the world, but he also is a great father. His lyrics are known for their harsh content, but he counters that with his appearances on his reality shows and his appearance on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live. Even his songs that do have strong content are edited for radio purposes, where they usually end up becoming family friendly and family favorites.

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Diddy says that Hip Hop will miss Lil Wayne

Although it does not seem like it, Lil Wayne will be going to prison, soon. He has managed to avoid being sentenced, but next week, the best rapper alive will be behind bars. Unlike other rap stars, Wayne plans to stay in the spotlight from behind bars. He has filmed several music videos in advance from three of his albums and his collaborations with other artists. On top of all of that, the rapper will be recording music from behind bars through his iPod.

While it will seem as if Lil Wayne has not gone anywhere, he will be gone. On the radio and on the music video channels, it will not feel like it. But, when it is time to watch the award shows, Lil Wayne will obviously be missing. It is at those times, when all of the hip hop artists are together when Wayne will be missed. With all of the music that he has created right before he is set to go to prison, Wayne will likely be nominated for a few awards. Sadly enough, he will not be there to bask in the moment.

Rap mogul, Sean "Diddy" Combs has acknowledged this. He said that for the next year, hip hop will greatly miss Lil Wayne. Not only is Wayne the biggest rapper on the planet, but he is also the most energetic rapper in the game. It is rare that a top dog in hip hop would have the energy of a rapper like Lil Wayne. This is what Diddy feels that the hip hop game will be missing while Wayne is serving time in New York. Diddy said that the beauty about the absence of Lil Wayne is the fact that he will be back. He said that Wayne will likely return better than ever when he gets back. If that is indeed the case, Lil Wayne will dominate well into next year and the year after that.

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Memphis Bleek explains his Absence on Jay-Z's albums

When Jay-Z was still a relatively new artist, he would feature Memphis Bleek on every album. From 1996 until 2002, the only albums Bleek didn't appear on were In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 and The Blueprint. But, after The Blueprint 2, Memphis Bleek no longer made appearances on Jay-Z albums. Some assumed that this was because Jay-Z decided to move in a different direction, others felt that Jay-Z assumed that he was too good to feature Bleek on his albums.

Finally, Memphis Bleek is setting the record straight. The reason that he was no longer featured on Jay-Z's albums was his own choice. Bleek felt that each time he was featured on a Jay-Z album, it was like Jay-Z was throwing him a bone. People would expect Memphis Bleek to appear on Jay-Z's albums because he was the sidekick. Ever since 2003, Memphis Bleek has been trying to be the captain of his own team.

For his latest album, Memphis Bleek will not feature Jay-Z on it. Throughout his career, he has worked with Jay on every album. Of the nine singles that Memphis Bleek has released, seven of them feature Jay-Z. Then, there is "Dear Summer," which solely features Jay-Z with no support from Memphis Bleek. Now that he is finally off of Roc-A-Fella Records, Memphis Bleek plans to begin a new phase of his career. He will always maintain a friendship with Jay-Z, who is the executive producer of the new album. Jay-Z has been there for the entire recording process, but he just will not appear on the album.

Memphis Bleek will release The Process on March 23, 2010 on Get Low Records, Mass Appeal, and E1 Music.

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J-Kwon is Missing

For the past month, J-Kwon's record label, Gracie Productions, has been trying to reach him. He finally returned to the rap game after a five-year hiatus last year. In 2008, J-Kwon signed with the label and he released two albums on the label in 2009. With his fourth album on the way, the label has been trying to reach him. Much like everyone else, they have not had any luck in contacting him.

Tony Bucher, the CEO of Gracie Productions is extremely worried about his artist. He has set up a Twitter account for the rapper and he wants anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward. Bucher said that the label has received tons of mail from fans across the nation that are worried about the 24-year-old rapper. All Bucher wants is to find out that J-Kwon is alright. He wants anyone that has seen him or has contact information to let the people know about him.

J-Kwon is set to release his fourth studio album, J-Kwon, on March 23 on Gracie Productions and One Records.

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Diddy's stalker was Busted in the Hamptons

A Jacksonville, Florida woman named Cemelia Green was busted twice outside of Diddy's home in East Hampton, New York. She had been on the property of the rap mogul twice in one week. The woman has been charged with second degree mischief and second degree criminal trespassing.

During the first incident, Green went to the headquarters to ask for the address of Diddy (real name Sean Combs). She had told the people that she was his wife. The first incident took place on February 12. After she made this attempt, the police were notified and she also told them that she was his wife.

Ever since her first attempt to get into the home of Diddy, the police have been patrolling the area. Last week, the police discovered Green wandering around behind Diddy's home. It was revealed that she had shattered a glass door in an effort to get into the house.

When she discovered that the police were on to her, she jumped into her car, but the police caught her. They were successful in trying to coax her out of her car. Once they got her out of the car, they went on to arrest her. After the lady was coaxed out of the car, it was impounded and her bail is currently set at $5,000.

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Lil Wayne avoids prison Again

At the beginning of last month, Lil Wayne was supposed to go to prison. However, he ended up cracking his teeth. In an effort to keep up appearances, Wayne was allowed time to fix his teeth. From there, the court had to decide when Lil Wayne was going to go to prison. They had selected today to be that day, but Wayne has managed to escape prison once again. This time, however, a fire in the courthouse kept him from being sent to prison.

This had nothing to do with Lil Wayne, but they were not going to have court with the building on fire. The fire was nothing more than a fire in the basement, but it took the people an entire day to get things back under control. First, they had to put out the flames and then it was time to get the court back in order. It is assumed that he is still in Miami.

Lil Wayne is expected to be in court tomorrow and from there, he will be a part of the New York Prison System.

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Diddy releases New Single from "Last Train to Paris"

Last fall, Diddy announced that he would be going R&B on his new album, Last Train to Paris. Even as he made new announcements and established a new label deal, his album was still pushed back to an indefinite release date. Despite not having an official release date, Diddy pushed ahead with the music and had the first single out in November.

The album's last single, "Love Come Down," was a minor hit, but it did enough to make the album notable. It was because of that why Diddy was given a release date for the new album. With the release of his Interscope Records debut right around the corner, he is trying to put out as much music as possible.

Just yesterday, Diddy released the third single from Last Train to Paris, "They Don't Love Me." The song is yet another attempt from one of the original hip hop presidents to go R&B. Obviously, he listened to Kanye West's last album, but maybe R&B just is not for everyone.

Diddy - They Don't Love Me.

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