50's Ex Sues For $50 Million; Court Battle Starts Next Week

Paul Catsandonis, lawyer for 50 Cent ex Shaniqua Tompkins, has disclosed that his client is suing the rapper for $50 million dollars in damages resulting from a fire than destroyed the home she was living in.

In May, a suspicious fire destroyed 50’s Long Island property, which the Queens mogul had successfully obtained eviction on for Tompkins.

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Comedian John Witherspoon Releasing Hip-Hop Album

Comedian John Witherspoon is readying the release of a new Hip-Hop/Comedy album titled 63 Cents.

Witherspoon's rapping album will be available on iTunes soon and will be listed under both genres, the accomplished television and film actor told AllHipHop.com in a new interview.

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Steve Rifkind Enters Into Deal To Provide Jet Services To Celebrities

Hip-Hop mogul Steve Rifkind and his SRC Corporation has entered into a partnership with Chief Executive Air to provide exclusive jet services to some a variety of celebrity clientele.

Rifkind, 44, will leverage his 25-plus-years of experience in the entertainment industry to help attract a variety of multi-platinum artists and actors to use Chief Executive Air’s “elite charter services.”

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Hip-Hop Activist Rosa Clemente Joins Presidential Race

Hip-Hop activist, journalist, and community organizer Rosa Clemente has announced intentions to run for vice president of the United States with Green Party presidential nominee Cynthia McKinney.

The announcement comes as the Democrat and Republican parties finalize their conventions and jockey for position in the upcoming November election.

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Don't sanitize Helms' racist past

Death has a way of sanitizing the most virulent and despicable aspects of prominent lives, especially those who trafficked in racial bigotry.

In the last several years, notorious racists such as former Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox and Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina left this Earth, and in efforts to show the humanity of both, tributes poured in, speaking to their Christian faith and unyielding conservative values.

Check Out Full Article @ CNN

Mexican comic-book character called racist

A comic-book character popular in Mexico for generations has run into a cultural barrier at the border, where Americans see him as a racist caricature.

For more than 60 years Mexicans have followed the adventures of "Memin Pinguin." But the dark-skinned Memin's exaggerated features in "Memin for President" came as a shock to Houston, Texas, Wal-Mart shopper Shawnedria McGinty.

"I was like, OK, is that a monkey or a boy?" McGinty said. "To me it was an insult."

Check Out Full Article @ CNN

Jackson apologizes for 'crude' Obama remarks

The Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized Wednesday for "crude and hurtful" remarks he made against Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama after finishing an interview with a Fox News correspondent.

Jackson told CNN's "Situation Room" that a "hot" microphone caught a part of conversation he was having with a fellow guest at the studio.

He said he made a comment about Obama "speaking down black people" followed by a crude remark.

Check Out Full Article @ CNN

Lil Wayne Back On Top Of The Billboard 200

Despite a 25% drop in sales, Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" returns to the top of The Billboard 200 this week. The Cash Money/Universal album moved 156,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and has now sold 1.68 million in four weeks of release.

Check Out Full Article @ Billboard

Young Jeezy Puts On For T.I., Nas, Swizz Beatz At Vibe Party

Rapper and magazine make amends after misquotation in cover story.

Check Out Full Article @ MTV

David Banner Teams Up With Lil Wayne For 'Shawty Say' Clip,

Hits The Big Screen With Ice Cube. Rapper says video is about things women say that men don't pay attention to.

Check Out Full Article @ MTV

Universal Music Group & INgrooves Finalize Partnership

In March, Universal Music Group announced it would soon make a "strategic investment" of an undisclosed amount into INgrooves. For those outside of the music industry, the announcement probably seemed like one of many obscure business deals that happen daily. Now that the deal is finished, analysts aren't sure exactly what to make of the world's largest music company investing what could be millions into the San Francisco-based digital music distribution company.

Check Out Full Article @ Hip-Hop DX

Freddie Foxxx Reveals Albums With KRS-One, Pete Rock

As Freddie Foxxx prepares to release his 14 year-old relic Crazy Like A Foxxx on Fat Beats Records later this month, the veteran New York emcee and producer revealed to HipHopDX other projects he plans to release.

"I'm doing my Music From The Man series," Foxxx revealed exclusively to DX recently. "I have albums that are just me and one producer. Everybody from me and [DJ] Premier, Pete [Rock] [click to read], Clark Kent, Jesse West. I got Kev Brown, Oddisee [click to read]. I've been recording all these albums. For the last five or six years, I've just been building catalogue. What I decided to, was instead of going to the studio, do an album, drop it, go work the album, I'll forgo that concept, and decided to build my catalogue, knowing that this is an Internet-driven society, musically, at this time." The rapper who sold over 200,000 units of his completely-independent Industry Shakedown release added, "I can create as a feel, but not in a desperation to have something new out at the time. A lot of people drop albums, and they work it, and the music don't last that long right now. I figured, 'Let me drop catalogue.'"


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Dave Chappelle To Appear At Kevin Powell Rally

Today (July 9) comedian Dave Chappelle will make another one of his rare appearance's at an event for Democratic Congressional candidate Kevin Powell.

Powell, a former Real World-er jumped into politics at a young age and has since served as a political activist, poet, journalist, essayist, Hip Hop historian, public speaker, and entrepreneur.



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AZ Drops His Own N***a Album With DJ Absolut

Rapper AZ has teamed with DJ Absolut to release a controversial new mixtape titled N.4.L. (N***az 4 Life.).

In addition to songs such as "Knowledge Freedom," "Runaway Slave," "Conspiracy," "Negro Spiritual," and "Self Savior," the mixtape features images of the past, which include a black and white picture of civil rights protestors being violently hosed by firemen on the cover.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

Black Hand/Koch Form Alliance; New Grafh On The Way

Queens, New York-based rapper Grafh is set to reap the benefits of a new deal between his recording home, Black Hand Entertainment and Koch Records.

Grafh's forthcoming album, The Evolution, will be the first project under a new alliance between Williams’ Black Hand Entertainment and Koch

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Laurie Ann Gibson Addresses Nightclub Brawl Rumors

Reports have circulated over the past few days implicating famed choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson in a nightclub brawl at Missy’s birthday party.

In an exclusive interview, the talented artist cleared up the rumors on her role in the fight that left a waitress injured and her makeup artist Deborah Padilla arrested.

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Ozone Awards Heading To Houston

The Ozone Awards and Tastemaker's Only Conference are moving out of Florida for the first time in it's three year history.

Organizers Julia Beverly, publisher of Ozone Magazine, and Thomas "TJ" Chapman, founder of TJ's DJ's, have selected Houston, TX to host the four-day event, set for August 8-11th.

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QD3 to Release First Ever Lil Wayne Biopic

Producer QD3 has announced plans to release the first ever DVD biopic on the life and career of Lil Wayne.

The embryonic project aims to chronicle Wayne’s family background and what drives his famous work ethic.

“We at Young Money are thrilled to be working with QD3 on production of The Carter,” explained Wayne’s manager Cortez Bryant to AllHipHop.com. “As Weezy’s manager and lifelong friend, I am excited to see Wayne’s story documented with truth and sincerity.”

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Game's Cousin Files Police Report Against Rapper

It seems like the drama never ends for The Game - particularly when it comes to family matters.

According to TMZ.com, Game's alleged cousin, Robert "Kirky" Kirkwood, filed a police charge after a heated argument lead to a fight.

The report says that Game agreed to finance part of his cousin's - Kirkwood's sister's - funeral; but when the time came to pay up, the rapper changed his phone number and became unavailable.


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Killer Mike Talks Lil Wayne, Ice-T/Soulja Boy & More

Killer Mike paid a visit to WREK 91.1 FM studios in Atlanta this past Thursday, to chop it up with DJ Enchant'd on a wide array of topics. Mike goes in about his thoughts on the Ice-T/Soulja Boy beef, Lil Wayne's sales, his version of "A Milli", his controversial song with Ice Cube and more.

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50 Cent's Biggest Battle Yet?

50 Cent is known for being a lot of things in life. He's been known as a thug and is now mostly known as an impressive business man. However, with all of the glamor surrounding his music and movie star lifestyle, little is ever said Fif as a father. Curtis Jackson is now putting that as a priority as he fights to see his eleven year old son Marquis.

Check Out Full Article @ Hip-Hop DX

Flavor Flav Loses Virginity At Six Years Old?

In a shockingly candid interview with Complex Magazine this week, Public Enemy hype man/activist turned reality show star Flavor Flav discloses some eyebrow-raising answers to Complex's admittedly "offbeat" line of questions, including tales of childhood pranks of eating boogers and dog feces, as well as losing his virginity at age six:

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Public Enemy, M-Audio And Obey Host Remix Contest

Public Enemy has encouraged fans to remix records previously. After 2002's Revolverlution, an album that featured classic tracks remixed by Paris and The Molemen, the group has linked with Obey and M-Audio to offer a full home recording studio to one lucky producer.

The song to remix is "Harder Than You Think" from last year's How To Sell Soul To A Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul album. The accapella is available, and contest rules.


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dead prez Next Album To Have No Label, Distribution

Following his dead prez partner stic.man's work with Nas, M-1 says the group's new album - titled Information Age - will be released in November.

When HipHopDX caught up with M-1 at Los Angeles' Do Over Lounge Sunday, he was coy about the album's contents. "It's Let's Get Free 2009" he said, when asked about the album's direction, referring to the group's seminal debut on Loud Records that spawned the single "Hip-Hop."


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Kanye West Denies Anger Management Rumors

Kanye West is vehemently denying all reports that his management team has urged him to take anger management classes. The rumor surfaced on July 4, when Chicago Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker reported he heard as much from someone in West's camp.

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Ice Cube Launching International Tour

West Coast Hip-Hop legend Ice Cube is gearing up to bring his hardcore rap style to fans with an upcoming international and US tour.

The overseas outing, which kicks off July 11 in Leipzig, Germany, will land in 11 cities, before coming stateside August 21 for the beginning of the US leg of the tour, which kicks off in Seattle.

The tour, which is meant to support the rapper’s upcoming album Raw Footage, ends September 21 in New York City.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

National March Scheduled for Black Female Torture Victim

National march scheduled November 3rd for young, Black female torture victim

So if forcing a young, disabled woman to eat dog and rat feces, drink urine from a toilet and lick up her own blood while sexually assaulting her and making statements like, “This is what we do to ni**ers around here,” doesn’t constitute as a hate crime, then what does?

This is the question attorney Malik Shabazz of Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ) is asking on behalf of his client, 20-year-old West Virginian Megan Williams, who Shabazz says has suffered “one of the worst hate crimes in U.S. history.”

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Who Killed the Economy? Greenspan Leads Portfolio.com's Blame Game

"Who Killed the Economy?" That's the question readers can answer in Portfolio.com's interactive NCAA tournament-style "blame game" bracket. All the "usual suspects" are here - Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Anthony Mozilo, OPEC - as well as some that don't immediately come to mind.

Check Out Full Article @ Yahoo

Woman who died on hospital floor is honored in death

Esmin Green died in a drab hospital gown, facedown on a waiting room floor, apparently ignored by hospital staff for more than an hour.

At her funeral Sunday in a tiny church in Brooklyn, packed with some people she didn't even know, she was dressed in lace gloves and a white chiffon suit.

"I'm so glad you're in my life/I'm so glad you came to save us," four children sang in a hymn at the Jesus is Lord Sanctuary.

Check Out Full Article @ CNN

Dizzee Rascal, Coldplay Lead U.K. Charts

British rapper Dizzee Rascal achieved his first U.K. No. 1 single yesterday (July 6) with "Dance Wiv Me" (Dirtee Stank), featuring Calvin Harris & Chrome. Meanwhile, Coldplay began week number four atop the album chart with "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" (Parlophone/EMI).

Rascal, aka east Londoner Dylan Mills, has been charting singles in Britain since 2003 but only once before made the top 10, with "Stand Up Tall" in 2004. His collaborator, Scottish producer Harris, had consecutive U.K. top 10 hits of his own last year on Sony BMG with "Acceptable in the '80s" and "The Girls."

Check Out Full Article @ Billboard

Nelly and other Top Acts Offer Exclusive Olympic Songs Via AT&T

Several major artists have teamed up with AT&T to provide exclusive motivational songs for the U.S. Olympic Team as it gears up to compete in Beijing.

3 Doors Down, Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum and Nelly are among the artists who will contribute new songs to the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack, which will be available for download in August during the 2008 Olympic Games.

Check Out Full Article @ Billboard

Mixtape Monday

50 Cent Thinks His Next Solo LP Will Sell A Million; Jay-Z Analyzes Ice-T/Soulja Boy Debate, In Mixtape MondayPlus, Young Jeezy Sees 'Eye To Eye' With R. Kelly.

Check Out Full Article @ MTV

50 Cent Reveals When Next Album Will Drop

50 Cent has been all over the news portion of this and every other site for the past month because of his unstoppable quarrels with other emcees. His latest spat was with former close associate and friend Young Buck. Now, he's actually ready to place a lot more of his focus on his forthcoming album, Before I Self Destruct. This album has already garnered some buzz for a long time because it was actually supposed to be released before or around the same time as last year's Curtis. Now, with this in mind, he's making some bold predictions that may or may not surprise you.

Check Out Full Article @ Hip-Hop DX

Busta Rhymes The Next To Go In Interscope Housecleaning?

According to inside label sources at ThisIs50.com, Busta Rhymes is the next artist to be dropped from Interscope Records. The announcement comes less than a week after Shady Records artist Obie Trice was released from his contract, and in the same year Joell Ortiz severed ties with Aftermath Records.

Per the reports, the veteran rapper and Flipmode Squad leader had a conflict with Interscope President Jimmy Iovine that ended with the two parting ways. Busta Rhymes had been working on his second Aftermath/Interscope album, Blessed. A number of songs from that album have already surfaced on the Internet, including "Don't Touch Me (Remix)" featuring an all-star list of emcees new and old.

Since signing with the label in 2005 after a tenure at J Records after starting his successful career with Elektra Records, Busta Rhymes released The Big Bang.


Check Out Full Article @ Hip-Hop DX

Record Indsustry Reports Continued Decline In 2008

Each week HipHopDX runs a list of the previous week's top-selling albums. While artists and record labels will always use album sales as the barometer of their efforts behind the scenes, the early figures for 2008 prove what many analysts predicted all along: fewer people are buying physical albums. June serves as the midpoint for the calendar year, and so far Nielsen SoundScan shows physical album sales at 206.4 million units. That number is an 11 percent drop from last year's figures.

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Rapper Sues Biggie Documentary Producers for $5 Million

William Troy McCune, a NY rapper in the late 80’s and early 90’s, is suing the producers of Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life for $5 million.

In the suit, McCune alleges the producers included footage of him battling Brooklyn legend Notorious B.I.G. without his permission.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

Onyx Returning With Two New Albums

Queens, New York rap trio Onyx is gearing up to give fans a double dose of hardcore Hip-Hop, with albums featuring unreleased and new songs.

The first release, titled Cold Case Files, will include previously unreleased material that is comprised of underground singles and lost studio recording sessions from Onyx’ first three albums.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

EPMD To Headline 11th Black August Concert

Legendary rap duo EPMD will hit the stage for a worthwhile cause at this year's Black August benefit concert.

The 11th annual event, which will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Nokia Theater in New York City, is geared toward assisting and supporting political prisoners.

The Black August movement originated in the California penal system as a way to honor incarcerated activists like Jonathan Jackson, George Jackson, William Christmas, James McClain and Khatari Gaulden.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

Bushwick Bill Dropping Gospel Album

Rapper Bushwick Bill, a member of the controversial, legendary Southern rap group The Geto Boys, is set to release his sixth solo album, with an unexpected twist.

Testimony of Redemption, which Bushwick hopes to release later this year, will be his first foray into Gospel Rap.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

Brawl Erupts at Missy B-Day Party

Missy Elliott’s joyous 37th birthday party at the NYC Marquee nightclub was interrupted by a wild brawl involving former Making the Band choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson and makeup artist Deborah Padilla.

The problems began when a waitress, seeking to get close to MC Busta Rhymes, allegedly shoved Gibson

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop

Eminem Sued Over Bathroom Brawl

A Michigan man filed a lawsuit against rapper Eminem on Thursday (Jul 3), seeking $25,000 in damages, the Detroit News reports.

Miad Jarbou’s assault and battery suit stems from an encounter with Em nearly two years ago in a Detroit strip club.

The plaintiff claims that on July 13, 2006, he and a friend attempted to speak to Eminem after the rapper, born Marshall Mathers III, entered a bathroom with a man assumed to be his bodyguard.

Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop