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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Kid Cudi denies leaking Snoop Dogg collaboration

Recently, a new song by Kid Cudi that features Snoop Dogg has been leaked to the internet. The song has become quite popular, only it was not set to be released yet. Whoever released the song has illegally released it. The blame has fallen to the creator, Kid Cudi, as he has a new album coming out soon. Despite what the people think, Kid Cudi has adamantly denied any participation in leaking this song. But, he said that the song is a banger.

When speaking on the song, Kid Cudi said that he recorded it last summer. Actually, it was meant to be on his Man on the Moon album, but it did not make the final cut. Because of that, Cudi decided to save it for his Cudder album. Also, Kid Cudi questioned how he could leak a song that he did not even have a name for. While he says that the song sounds good the way that it is, he will have it even better for the album. Those who have heard it think that the song was produced by Dr. Dre, but he is putting that rumor to rest, too.

Dr. Dre did not produce this untitled song by Kid Cudi. Instead, Rashad "Ringo" Smith handled the production of this song. This song will probably end up being the official lead single when it is reworked because it already has a buzz. Currently, there is not a set release date for the album, but Kid Cudi wants to have it out before the end of this year.

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J-Kwon denies Publicity Stunt

Only a few days ago, the hip hop community was worried about J-Kwon, the 2003-2004 one hit wonder. It was said that he had been missing for over a month. With an album set to come out before the end of the month, his label needed to get in touch with him. The CEO of his label, Gracie Productions, soon let the word out about the missing rapper. Thoughts about what could have happened to him set in and his name was the hot topic for a little while. Then, just like that, J-Kwon returned.

It seems just a little odd that J-Kwon would go missing right before the release of his new album. His excuse for being away was that he needed some time to himself. The rapper then issued an apology to all of those who were worried about him. Soon, all of the worry turned into anger. There is no secret about J-Kwon and his struggles in the industry. Everything after "Tipsy" has been a flop for him. Nothing that he does seems to catch on with fans. Most do not even realize that this is J-Kwon's fourth album that he is ready to release.

Last year, J-Kwon returned after missing five years from the game. In order to make up for lost time, the rapper released two albums in the same year. Unfortunately, neither album did much to boost his image, his albums sold a combined 1,000 copies, at best. Because he had been gone for so long, J-Kwon just assumed that when he put his name back out there that the people would accept him. They did not and he had two albums to flop on the heels of each other. There is an old saying that goes "consistency is key" and J-Kwon has decided to become consistent on his album releases. But, he also needs to have a good promotional tool because every rapper has one.

It seems like a very wise move for J-Kwon to go "missing" long enough to get his name out there. The people soon began to feel like this is what J-Kwon did and they turned on him. Now facing a backlash, the Atlanta rapper has come out to deny charges of faking his absence. J-Kwon said that he was taking some time off because he was tired of the game. It is sort of strange that he did not notify his label, but maybe he did not want them to know, either.

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Ice Cube wants to work with Dr. Dre

After a two-year hiatus, Ice Cube has returned with a new album. He is not going to let anything come between creating classic music on this new album. With this new album, Ice Cube plans to go all out. Late last year, Dr. Dre emerged after a four-year hiatus and he is now working on multiple projects. Since the creative juices are flowing, Ice Cube hopes that Dr. Dre will help him out with his new album, I Am The West.

Ice Cube is 65% completed with the album and he plans to go ahead and begin taking the proper photos for the album. The first single has already been chosen for the album. When speaking about the new single, Cube said that it is a banger. He has said that this album will be a return to his hardcore self. Despite Cube always being agressive, he has toned it down since his movie days.

Dr. Dre has yet to say if he will work with Ice Cube for I Am The West, but given their history, something is bound to happen. The release date for the album has yet to be set, but Ice Cube wants to have the album out before the end of the summer. He has spoke of trying to have the album out in July. While he has a timeframe to release the album, he does not have a label to distribute the release.

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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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Jay-Z receives Presidential Treatment

Jay-Z was one of the first celebrities to come out and endorse Barack Obama in 2008. Even through his tough time in office, one of the biggest Obama supporters is Jay-Z. In return, Barack Obama has been one of the biggest Jay-Z fans. Not so long ago, the Brooklyn-bred rapper boasted that President Obama works out to his album, The Blueprint 3. During his campaign, Obama said that he listened to Jay's Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life frequently.

When Barack Obama was sworn in as president, he had Jay-Z come out and perform. Jay-Z performed outside, after the parade, for the people to see. Then, he also performed inside of the White House as the Obama family hosted the 2009 Inaugural Ball. In the one year that Obama has been president, he has expressed his support for Jay-Z. In return, Jay-Z has also expressed his support for the president. After many of his 2008 concerts, he had places where the fans could register to vote.

All of that support has finally paid off. For years, Jay-Z has been dubbed as the "President of Hip Hop," but that does not count for much unless he was elected. The true hip hop president was Barack Obama and even the former Def Jam president admitted to that. His unwavering support for President Obama has led to him being invited over to see the president. President Obama took a break from the Health Care Reform debate, while Jay-Z took a break from his Blueprint 3 tour and the two men talked in the Oval Office. At a performance, Jay-Z revealed that he had just finished talking with President Obama at the White House.

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Game reunites with Ja Rule for "Jump Off"

When he first made his mainstream debut, Game was one of the biggest rivals of Ja Rule. But, as he solidified his position in the rap game, his true enemy was revealed to be 50 Cent. For the past five years, he and 50 Cent have been trading disses. Once it was clear that he and 50 would never reconcile, Game built a relationship with Ja Rule, Irv Gotti and Murder Inc. Records. For the past four years, they have all been good friends.

In 2006, Game released his hit single, "One Blood," on the remix, he featured almost every rapper in the game. The surprise guest of the remix was Ja Rule. The following year, Rule had planned to release his album, The Mirror. Had things gone as planned, his West Coast homage song, "Sunset," which featured Game, would have been the third single off of the album.

Irv Gotti has been trying to rebuild his label with new releases from Ja Rule and through a new artist, Newz. In an effort to help Newz gain exposure, Game recorded a track with him that appeared on L.A.X. The final single released from that album was "Nice," which was produced by Irv Gotti and featured Newz. A few months later, Rick Ross began feuding with 50 Cent and Game offered to help him out. Game did more than help out when he recruited Fat Joe and Ja Rule to help them diss 50 Cent on "Mafia Music (remix)." Ja Rule and Game have a history of helping each other out when they need it.

With his album coming in a few weeks, Game needs a single. Over five years ago, Ja Rule was a hitmaker and his style is still appealing to some. Today, Game leaked a song from his new album The R.E.D. Album, the song is called "Jump Off" and it features a hook from Ja Rule. This has become the fourth collaboration to take place between Ja Rule and Game. Game plans to release The R.E.D. Album on March 23, 2010 and Ja Rule plans to release Venni Vetti Vecci 2010 in June 2010. Both rappers plan to release another album later on in the year, too.

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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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Memphis Bleek is cool with Damon Dash

When Roc-A-Fella Records split in 2004, Memphis Bleek sided with Jay-Z. Out of all of the feuds going on in the crew, it was said that the worst one was between Bleek and Damon Dash. Right before a performance in 2003, Memph Bleek got into it with Dash and Jay-Z told him that there would be a day when he would never see Dash again. That time would come within the next year and things would never be the same again.

For five years after the split, Memphis Bleek remained on the label. Despite being the most loyal member of the label, he was lost in the shuffle when it came time for him to release his fifth studio album. In his last years with the Roc, Bleek often spoke highly of Jay-Z and badly of Damon Dash. Even to this day, he does not blame Jay-Z for the mishandling of his album, which has yet to come out.

Last summer, Memphis Bleek was finally able to leave Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records. Throughout his career, Bleek has been running his own label, Get Low Records, which was distributed by Roc-A-Fella. During his time away from the game, Bleek used the label to release a series of mixtapes. But, by 2009, he realized that he needed to make plans to release his album. There were short talks with Def Jam, then Memphis Bleek broke out on his own and signed a distribution deal with the independent label, Mass Appeal Entertainment.

Now that the deal is in place, Memphis Bleek has made plans to release his album, The Process, and the first single, "Still Ill," has taken over the radio waves. Recently, there was video footage of Memphis Bleek running into Damon Dash in London, England and the two former rivals shook hands. When Bleek was questioned about the footage, he said that the footage was actually from 2008. Memphis Bleek never did state his current feelings for his former boss, but it was clear that there was little friction. Around the same time that they saw each other, Memphis Bleek was saying bad things about Dash in interviews. That was because he was still signed to Roc-A-Fella, at the time.

Memphis Bleek is now the captain of his own team and he speaks directly with the big executives. That gives him the right to say whatever he feels like saying. Recently, he was asked how he feels about Damon Dash and Memphis Bleek said that their issues are in the past. Often, he tries to downplay feuds that he was once involved in. While he and Dash are on good terms, the chances of the two uniting for any causes are slim, at the moment. On March 23, 2010, Memphis Bleek is expected to release his long-awaited album, The Process, through Get Low Records and Mass Appeal Entertainment. No Roc-A-Fella, no Def Jam.

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