August 2007 Hip Hop News

Ruff Ryders CEO, Darrin "Dee" Dean, was indicted yesterday (August 29) on drug and weapons charges stemming from a previous arrest earlier this year.

As previously , Darrin Dean (also known as David Jones Green) and driver, Jerry Gilbert, were arrested on May 31 by the Palisades Interstate parkway police after a traffic stop for a broken tail light. After smelling marijuana upon approaching the car, they conducted a search leading to the discovery of 1½ kilos of cocaine and a loaded .45 caliber handgun hidden in a customized floor compartment.

Both men were charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun while conducting narcotics violations. They were released from the Bergen County Jail on bail of $342,500 on June 1.

The indictment by the BergenCounty grand jury in Hackensack charges Dean and Gilbert with possession of large amounts of cocaine with intent to distribute it. The indictment also charges Dean and Gilbert with the unlawful possession of an Intratec .45-caliber handgun.

Though detectives say they found evidence of marijuana, no marijuana related charges were included in the indictment. If convicted, both men could face up to 20 years in prison.

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Brooklyn rhyme-spitter Talib Kweli is calling on fans to help him choose several stops on his upcoming national tour to promote his latest release, Eardrum.

Teaming up with leading events website Eventful.com, the College Demand competition encourages fans to "demand" that Kweli performs on their campus during his upcoming 2007-2008 tour. Fans will have the opportunity to compete to have their school be one of five colleges and universities chosen to be added to the tour.

"I live on the road, I'm constantly on tour and I really love feeding off the energy of my fans at all my shows," said Kweli via a statement. " Some of my favorite shows of all time have been at colleges so when Eventful brought this to my attention I immediately became interested, especially since a lot of college kids have been hittin' me up about playing at their university. This gives them the opportunity to make it happen for themselves. "

The contest, which was launched on the same day as Eardrum's release (August 21) and will continue until October 3, with the winning schools to be announced on October 4.

"We love helping fans connect with Talib Kweli and influence where he performs," said Eventful's CEO Jordan Glazier. "We've taken 'user-generated concert tours' one step further by adding the ability for Demands to take place across colleges, giving students the ability to attract performers to their campus."

Fans who want Kweli to perform on their campus can log onto www.eventful.com/talibkweli for more information.

In related news, Kweli teamed with pop sensation Justin Timberlake for a bonus track on Eardrum. Kwe spoke exclusively to SOHH about how the union came to fruition.

"'The Nature' was a song he started for his record, but he hadn't finished it in time," Talib explained to SOHH. "We both thought it would be great for us to collaborate because no one would expect it. People are surprised that he is familiar with my music and vice versa."

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Maricopa County Sheriff deputies reportedly rescued 12 distraught pit bulls from DMX's Cave Creek, AZ residence this morning (August 24).

DMX (born Earl Simmons) wasn't present when the raid took place. Deputy sources also revealed that several weapons were found on the property, according to TMZ. The Yonkers rapper has been haunted by legal issues for some time now, including arrests on several traffic violations in the last few years.

Known for his K-9 infatuation as a rapper, with a trademark bark, dog clothing line and a tattoo of one deceased pet, Boomer, across his back, DMX has been cited for cruel treatment to his animals. In 2002, X pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in New Jersey for reportedly neglecting 14 pit bulls. Part of his sentence required him to perform public service announcements against animal abuse. The raid on X's home comes weeks after Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted for running a dog fighting operation. Vick has since plead guilty.

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8-25-07

RZA, GZA, Q-Bert On Board For Hip-Hop Chess Tournament

By Tiffany Hamilton

Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, GZA and DJ Qbert will be among the celebrity rappers taking part in the Hip-Hop Chess Federation's 1st Annual Chess Kings Invitational tournament being held this October in San Francisco.The Hip-Hop Chess Federation (HHCF) announced the 1st Annual Chess Kings Invitational, which will include a celebrity chess tournament and emcee battle.

The HHCF is an organization that uses music, chess and martial arts to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence. The HHCF teamed with gaming giant Ubisoft to present the 1st Annual Chess Kings Invitational.The event will be hosted by Rakaa of Dilated Peoples and will feature appearances by Wu-Tang members and multi-platinum artists RZA and GZA, chess master Josh Waitzkin, DJ QBert and other surprise guests, who will discuss how music, chess and martial arts have guided them in their paths to success.

Guests will enjoy multiple events, including open chess gaming, Kung Fu films and information sessions regarding educational opportunities. Other events will include an auction featuring items donated by various celebrities and chess-inspired graffiti art created by legendary artists. All proceeds collected from the auction will directly benefit schools in local underserved communities.The 1st Annual Chess Kings Invitational, which is scheduled to be held at the San Francisco Design Center on Saturday, October 13th , will kick off with HHCF's Life Strategies All-Star Panel.

"We are amazed by how well we have been received since our first event earlier this year," HHCF cofounder Adisa Banjoko said "By celebrities donating their time, it really sends a message that they care about the state of our communities. Their presence will greatly assist us in raising money to provide scholarships to local schools." The Hip-Hop Chess Federation was founded by award-winning lecturer and author, Adisa Banjoko and Leo "Blast" Libiran, to focus on giving urban youth effective life strategies to scholastic and financial success."Hip-Hop has always been about more than bullets and bling and the fact that so many fantastic rappers, chessmasters, martial artists and graf writers have donated their time to the children is proof of this in itself," added HHCF cofounder Leo Libiran.The 1st Annual Chess kings Invitational takes place at the San Francisco Design Center on Saturday October 13 from 1pm and 5pm. For more information, visit: www.hiphopchessfederation.org.

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Screamfest tour, Jay-Z, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Diddy, T.I. and more all graced the stage together!

In a historic hip-hop event at the NYC Madison Square Garden stop of the Screamfest tour, Jay-Z, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Diddy, T.I. and more all graced the stage - together! Last night's show was on its normal course featuring T-Pain, Yung Joc, Yung Berg, Lloyd, Ciara and T.I., when it took an unexpected turn. It started when Ciara bought out 50 Cent to rock their jam together, followed by a chaotic performance of "I Get Money" with the entire G-Unit family. Later during T.I.'s set, the King of the South brought out Jay-Z, only to be surprised when 50 Cent also crept onstage. Soon after Jay-Z did the unthinkable by bringing out Kanye West who performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as the crowed roared. Any rivalry between 50 Cent and Kanye West was officially dead in the water as the two men danced onstage together, hugging each other at times; Diddy later joined the all-star cast making it a memorable night.

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New York rapper Saigon was reportedly arrested on felony knife-possession charges in Manhattan yesterday (august 22).

According to the New York Post, authorities found a gravity knife in Saigon's car after he was pulled over for a traffic infraction 11^th Avenue and West 29^th Street at 1:25 am. A gravity knife is a fast, powerful weapon, that uses gravity to deploy the blade.

Last year, Sai (born Brian Carenard) was a victim of violence during an attempted robbery outside a Manhattan eatery. The rapper was hit over the head with a bottle by one of two muggers who tried to snatch his chain.

This is not the first time Sai was in trouble with the law. The rapper served six years in federal prison for attempted murder.

Saigon, who had a recurring role on HBO's "Entourage," is currently signed to Just Blaze's Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is gearing up for the release of his debut album The Greatest Story Never Told, which is set to hit stores this year after several delays.

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Dogg Pound member Kurupt and his girlfriend Gail Gotti recently exchanged wedding vows during an elaborate and private ceremony held in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday (August 20).

The pair and 170 of their closest family and friends gathered at the Rittenhouse Hotel to witness the Kurupt, born Ricardo Brown Jr. and Gail Gotti, born JoVan Brumfield, make their long-term relationship official.“Our wedding was perfect," Gail Gotti told AllHipHop.com. "It was elegant, personal, simple and fun. The day was filled with everything I ever dreamed of and more.”The couple had been planning the wedding since last year and deliberately kept their plans secret to avoid unwanted attention from the media, fans and other would-be wedding crashers.

“This is just another example in a long list that differentiates them from other high profile couples," their publicist Melissa Haje Sera said. "Everything was so upscale and elegant just like they are.”The ceremony started at 3:00 PM and guests celebrated the pairs union at the Rittenhouse Hotel until the early hours of the morning, dancing to music provided by XM's DJ Nina 9 and DJ Xclusive. “I’m still speechless," Kurupt said. "Gail really out did herself with putting the entire wedding together. Everything was perfect from the beginning to the end, and I married the perfect woman, I couldn't of asked for more!”

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MTV Kills Sean Kingston's "Beautiful" Lyrics, "We Do Not Take Any References To Suicide Lightly"

As rapper/singer Sean Kingston enters his third week at the top of Billboard's Singles Charts with his hit, "Beautiful Girls," MTV's popular video countdown show, "TRL," continues to edit out the word "suicidal" from the song's chorus, even as many radio stations and networks, including BET, air the original version. "Because we know [suicide] is an issue that so many members of our audience struggle with, we do not take any references to suicide lightly," a spokeswoman for MTV explained to the New York's Daily News. "With regards to Sean Kingston's 'Beautiful Girls,' we knew that the label had a version substituting 'suicidal' with 'in denial' so we gave them the option of submitting the version with 'in denial'," the rep continued. The chorus for "Beautiful Girls," reads "You're way too beautiful girl. That's why it'll never work. You'll have me suicidal, suicidal. When you say it's over."

Oddly enough the Jamaican-American artist is known for shying away from using controversial lyrics. "I feel like with what's going on in hip-hop, people don't need to be cursing -- especially coming from a 17-year-old," "I don't need to curse in my music to make it any better. I'm trying to touch every fan base, and make everyone connect with me as an artist, I want people to know this artist is real, he writes all his own stuff, he does really good music, he doesn't have no negative stuff about him." "Beautiful Girls" is the lead single from Kingston's self-titled debut CD, currently in stores now.

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Rapper Foxy Brown is facing more charges stemming from a traffic stop last Wednesday (August 15), when she allegedly gave police false information after she was pulled over for talking on her mobile phone.According to police, Brown, born Inga Marchand, was chatting on the phone and driving her 2007 Land Rover in Mahwah, New Jersey just one day after surrendering to authorities for allegedly assaulting her neighbor in July. Police stopped the platinum-selling rapper for talking on the phone and failing to check at a stop sign.

An officer ran the tags on the Land Rover and found out that the registration for the vehicle had been suspended. When an officer asked the 27-year-old rapper for her name, she reportedly gave a variation of her name and a false date of birth. After a search of the bogus name turned up no results, Brown gave in and revealed her birth name.Police ran her real information and found that in addition to Brown's registration being suspended, she was also driving with a suspended license. Brown, who has a home in Mahwah, was arrested and taken to police headquarters, where she was cited with seven traffic tickets and released.

She is due in Mahwah Municipal Court on Sept. 4. Brown was charged with assault last Tuesday (August 14) stemming from a July incident, in which she allegedly smacked her 25-year-old neighbor in the face with her Blackberry during an altercation. The rapper is currently on probation for assaulting two manicurists in a Manhattan nail salon in 2004. In March, Brown also pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges for allegedly spitting on the owner of a beauty store and resisting arrest during a dispute in Pembroke Pines, Florida in February.The New York Probation Department has filed a violation with the courts and Brown may face up to a year in prison.

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In celebration of the release of his solo disc One Man Band Man, New York hitmaker Swizz Beatz is set to rock a Manhattan Apple store.

The free set is scheduled to take place tonight (August 21) at 6 p.m. in Apple's SOHO branch (103 Prince St. at Green St.). It will feature the producer/DJ/MC performing various songs from his album including "It's Me Snitches" and "Money In The Bank."

Swizzy's sophomore CD, which dropped today, features guest spots from Kanye West, Nas, Ciara, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana Cassidy, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, DMX, Coldplay, and wife Mashonda.

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Rapper Foxy Brown is preparing for a new phase in her life as the rapper has reportedly confirmed that she is pregnant with her first child.

According to the New York Post, Foxy (born Inga Marchand) spilled the beans about her being an expecting mother, while also saying that she will be getting married soon.

The former Def Jam recording artist, who recently landed a multi-million dollar deal with Koch to distribute her own Black Rose Entertainment imprint, did not however divulge the identity of her soon-to-be husband or how far along she is in her pregnancy.

According to New York's Daily News, Raymond told authorities that the bad blood between her and Brown began after she got into a dispute with the Brooklyn rapper for blasting her car stereo in their Prospect Heights neighborhood.

The resentment would continue when Brown appeared at a drugstore where Raymond works as a cashier and insulted her while waving money in her face.

Despite her legal woes, the Brooklyn MC is continuing to record and is set to drop a street album, Brooklyn's Don Diva, in December. The disc will be released through her own Black Rose Entertainment and will be her first LP since 2001's Broken Silence.

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Hi-Tek Announces 'Hi-Teknology 3: Underground'

By Roman Wolfe

Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek has announced the release date of the third installment of his Hi-Teknology series of albums. Hi-Teknology 3: Underground, is slated to hit stores on November 20. While the guests on the album have not been revealed, like the two previous Hi-Teknology albums, fans of Hi-Tek's production can look forward to the producer pushing his creative boundaries, with guest appearances by a number of notable MC's.

Previous Hi-Teknology albums have featured artists like Q-Tip, Kurupt, Talib Kweli, Bun B, Nas, J. Dilla, Common, Buckshot, Slum Village and others. "I am always advancing myself, musically and technically by listening to other genres of music, not just hip-hop and R&B," Hi-Tek told AllHipHop.com in a recent interview. In addition to working with 50 Cent, The Game, Busta Rhymes and contributing production to Dr. Dre's highly anticipated opus Detox, Hi-Tek is staying busy in the world of film. "I am doing the sound score of a movie. It’s the documentary based on the life of [Leroy Antonio] Nicky Barnes," Hi-Tek said of the unnamed project.

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Barely a week after revealing his disregard for Lil' Wayne, 50 Cent has released a track taking shots at the New Orleans rapper and Cash Money Records' co-founder Bryan "Baby" Williams.

On the track titled "Part Time Lover," which DJ Kay Slay debuted on his radio show last night (August 17), 50 spits: "You make me wanna kiss you like Baby kiss Wayne / And make you call me daddy like Baby do Wayne / Damn that @#!* sounds gay it's insane / I guess that's the price a lil' @#*$% pay for fame..."

The G-Unit honcho divulged his disinterest for Weezy in a recent interview claiming he was irked that journalists always asked him about the Cash Money standout, who he believes is not on his level.

"What makes him [Weezy] a legitimate conversation," Fif asked SOHH. "That makes us the same 'cause we both rap?" [Watch 50 Cent Interview Here]

Weezy isn't the only one feeling 50's wrath. Earlier this week (August 16), 50 released a track titled "South Side" which took shots at Irv Gotti and Interscope Records CEO Jimmy Iovine.

"@#*$%s think Jimmy Iovine my boss? @#*$ Jimmy Iovine! I'm from 134th Street, I ain't got a mother@#*$ing boss," 50 barked over the track. "I be the boss of this @#!* right here. I said the boss. You hear me. I'm the George Bush of this @#!*." [Listen Here]

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Rapper Foxy Brown surrendered to authorities yesterday (Aug. 14) on assault charges stemming from a July 30 incident, in which she hit her neighbor in the face with her BlackBerry, injuring the woman. Brown, who is currently on probation for a 2004 assault involving two manicurists, has had a long-standing dispute with her neighbor Arlene Raymond, 25. According to The New York Post, the origin of the dispute revolved around the volume of the stereo of Foxy Brown's car. Shortly before the July 30 assault, Brown allegedly confronted Raymond at the pharmacy where she works, flashed a wad of money in her face and called her a "low life b**ch" that would "never be nothing."The women crossed paths on a street corner in their Prospect Heights neighborhood on July 30 and Brown allegedly attacked Raymond.

"She just ran into me and she just started screaming, I hate you, b**ch," Raymond told The New York Post. "And she hit me with her Blackberry. She just threw it at me. I have an abrasion in my eye. It was red and bleeding. She ran off to her mothers home."Raymond went to a local hospital and treated for a bruised eye and a loose tooth. Officials with the Department of Probation filed a violation, which means Brown could face at least one year in prison for the assault for the alleged incident. Brown was released yesterday on $5,000 bail. A hearing was set for September 26.

In addition to the latest incident, Brown, 27, is facing charges stemming from February incident in Pembroke Pines, Florida when Brown allegedly spit on the owner of a beauty supply store and struggled with an arresting officer. In that incident, Brown was charged with battery and resisting an officer with violence. She was released on $1500 bond.Brown has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor assault charges stemming from the February beauty store incident.In related news, Brown is no longer recording for Def Jam and has inked a deal with Koch Records. Brown will launch her own imprint, Black Rose Entertainment. The label will release at least three albums a year, with the first project being Brown's album Brooklyn's Don Diva (Dec. 4) and the second being her highly anticipated album Black Roses.

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8-15-07

Hip Hop Shots Spot

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Remy Ma appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court yesterday (August 14) expecting to be indicted on charges stemming from her attempted-murder arrest last month but a grand jury has reportedly not heard the case because of slow progress in the investigation.

Barnes-Joseph, who claims to be one of Remy's closest friends, alleges that the rapper accused her of stealing about $3,000 from her purse before shooting her. Barnes-Joseph reportedly held Remy's purse briefly while they partied at the Pizza Bar.

According to New York's Daily News, Remy's lawyer, Ivan Fisher, claimed that the events which have surfaced publicly are inaccurate and contradictory stories from witness are to blame for the slow pace of the investigation.

"I suspect that the district attorney's getting conflicting views of the events from various witnesses and doesn't want to go before a grand jury until he's sure of what happened," Fisher said.

Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Michael McIntosh declined to reveal why the investigation is sluggish but said his office would agree to let Fisher's reps examine and photograph Barnes-Joseph's car before returning it next week.

Lauren Raysor, Barnes-Joseph's lawyer, said her client was disappointed there was no grand jury action and is still in pain and unable to work.

Remy is facing charges of attempted murder, first-degree assault and weapons possession. She plead not guilty to the charges and is free on $250,000 bail until her next court date on November 29.

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Hip-hop showdown: Is the battle between Kanye West and 50 Cent just a publicity stunt?

Kanye West and 50 Cent are both best-selling rap artists - but the similarities end there. One is from the suburbs, the other from the streets. And, as they prepare to release their new albums on the same day next month, the mutual antagonism is growing. But is it all a publicity stunt?

Even before he was a multiplatinum-selling rap star, complete with the obligatory footwear line, sprawling mansion and autobiographical movie, the Queens-bred rapper was renowned on the underground New York scene as a man who had perfected the so-called Art of Beef.

Otherwise known as trashing a fellow artist (be it their ability to rap, wear the correct industry approved clothes or score with the opposite sex) "beefing" is practically a hip-hop rite of passage and, from the start, 50 Cent was a gifted, and somewhat foolhardy, natural.

In early 2000, while still a young rapper virtually unknown outside his small circle of local fans, 50 Cent stormed on to the New York scene with the underground track "How to Rob", a tongue-in-cheek instruction manual detailing how best to mug some of the industry's most successful stars, including Jay-Z, the Wu-Tang Clan and Nas. They responded in kind by attacking the cheeky upstart in their own tracks and the rest, as they say, is history.

As a recipe for generating publicity and notoriety beefing has worked every time for hip-hop artists, and none more so than for 50 Cent - a man with almost as many aliases as someone on the FBI's most-wanted list (Fitty and Five-0 being just two). But now the rap star has taken beefing to a whole new level by opening up a new and unusual feud with Kanye West, the only hip-hop artist who could steal his thunder, when they simultaneously release new albums on 11 September.

Hip-hop fans were stunned over the weekend when 50 Cent made the unusual announcement that he would quit rapping if West's Graduation sells more copies than his own upcoming album, Curtis. In an interview with the hip-hop website Sohh.com on Friday, 50 Cent attacked supporters of West, who is himself a highly acclaimed platinum-selling artist, but generally regarded as likely to sell fewer records next month.

"They would like to see Kanye West give me a problem because I've worked myself into a space where I've become the favourite," he said "Everybody roots against the underdog when he goes against the favourite. Put it like this, let's raise the stakes. If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music. I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out any more solo albums."

Hip-hop's biggest showdown for years will pit two characters from distinctly different backgrounds and many are billing it as the music world's latest class war, the 21st-century equivalent to the Beatles v the Rolling Stones, or Blur against Oasis.

On one side is 50 Cent, a multi-platinum artist who survived on the streets of New York by dealing crack cocaine at the age of 12 and whose music praises the thuggish urban gang culture into which he was born. On the other is West, the critically acclaimed, born-again Christian from middle-class Chicago suburbia who fought off the macho gang culture surrounding hip-hop to revolutionise the way people listen to rap.

Since the announcement, websites and blogs across cyberspace have been packed with fans debating which of the two mega-stars will outsell the other, and whether 50 Cent would actually stick to his promise to quit rapping if West wins.

The simultaneous release of new albums from two of the rap world's best-selling and most talented artists was already being hailed as the mother of all contemporary music battles. But the New Yorker's vow to turn his back on what he does best has raised the stakes to a whole new level.

When 50 Cent and Kanye West released their debut albums in 2003 and 2004 respectively, both critics and fans lauded what was then a much-needed fresh input of raw talent into the increasingly staid US hip-hop scene.

The former's album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', became the fastest selling solo album in US history, shifting 872,000 copies in the first four days of its release. Alongside his second offering, The Massacre, he has since gone on to become one of the world's best selling hip-hop artists, shifting nearly 20 million records worldwide.

West's triple-platinum 2004 debut, The College Dropout, meanwhile, stunned critics and fans for its sheer originality, topping all the major critics' polls and earning 10 Grammy nominations. His second release, Late Registration, sold 600,000 copies in the first week alone and picked up a further three Grammys.

The perception that West is the critically acclaimed rap revolutionary while his rival simply sells lots of records appears to have been the major impetus behind 50 Cent's latest attack. "The people who give out trophies, pick [Kanye] because he's safe," he said. "But my projects have been making a way bigger impression ... by actually selling. That's an indication of the public's interest.

"How many people are interested enough to go spend $16 (£8) on a CD? I sold 1.1. million records in four days and I didn't get one trophy for The Massacre, for the entire album, then release Get Rich Or Die Tryin' as a soundtrack, sell 3 million records of the soundtrack and soundtracks are harder to sell than solo albums ... and then, no trophies for the soundtracks. I don't get trophies, I get cheques, he gets the trophies. But how you gon' give him a trophy now when he comes out the same time I come out? And I'm just all over his ass. You gon' clearly see the favouritism. He's gonna still get the trophies."

But is 50 Cent's animosity for real, or was his announcement a cleverly crafted media stunt to garner as much publicity in time for the release of his new album? After all, both artists were spotted and supported by the same people, particularly Eminem, who helped launch both their careers.

"There's a lot of clever PR going on here," says Hatie Collins, the editor of NWD magazine, one of the UK's best-selling hip-hop publications. "It's a tradition in hip-hop that if you want to sell a new album then you come out and take a pop at another artist. Kanye and Fitty are friends, I think Kanye's even got a track coming out on 50's upcoming album."

Apart from their single-parent backgrounds and long struggle to get into the industry, 50 Cent and West have very little in common. The early life of Curtis James Jackson III, the man who would later be known as 50 Cent, was virtually a blueprint for the endemic violence that has plagued America's inner-city poor for decades.

Forced on to the streets after his drug dealer mother was murdered when he was aged just eight, 50 Cent quickly learnt that the only way to get out of the urban poverty he had been born into was to make money, fast. (His stage name, 50 Cent, is a reference to the way the star survived the streets of New York through providing for himself "by any means"). The quickest way to make cash in the drug-infested inner suburbs of 1980s New York was to sell crack cocaine. At the age of 12 he became a dealer.

While 50 Cent was dodging rival dealers and police officers as a teenager, Kanye Omari West was attending the Polaris High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois. His mother, a teacher, had moved there after divorcing the singer's father, a former Black Panther, and the young singer enjoyed the type of American suburban idyll that his rival could perhaps have only dreamed of.

After dropping out of art college, West looked to a career in hip-hop and soon found himself producing tracks for top artists such as Jay-Z, The Game and Alicia Keys. But while Kanye's middle-class background allowed him to jump into the hip-hop scene as a producer, many felt he would be hard pressed to gain the legitimacy needed to be a rapper on stage in an industry that lionised gang culture and violence.

Both 50 Cent and West, for instance, cite near-death experiences as events that forced them to turn their lives around, but whereas Kanye's was a near- fatal car crash, the way 50 Cent cheated death was by miraculously surviving being shot nine times at point-blank range. In the world of hip-hop, being shot is simply sexier than crashing a car.

"We all grew up street guys who had to do whatever we had to do to get by," said Jay-Z in an interview with Time magazine in 2005. "Then there's Kanye, who to my knowledge has never hustled a day in his life."

But then fans of West's music and style would say that the rap star had never been about hustling in the first place. In contrast to most of his contemporaries, West has resolutely distanced himself from the violence, misogyny and homophobia that is often endemic in modern popular hip-hop. Where 50 Cent's lyrics largely revolve around the hip-hop mainstays of guns, sex and drugs, West brought criticism and scepticism to his own industry and culture.

"Kanye never really tried to be a gangster," says Hattie Collins. "He always questioned why anyone would want to be part of that ethos. When he came on to the scene you knew it was hip-hop, but with lyrics that were different and original."

On the upcoming showdown between their two albums, West has remained noticeably non-combative. His only comment so far has been deliberately conciliatory, by simply stating: "When my album drops and 50's drops, you're gonna get a lot of good music at the same time."

But in an industry where feuds have often spilled out into open warfare between rival rap stars, is it not a little dangerous to start a rivalry between two of the hottest properties on the hip-hop scene at the moment? "Feuds are simply a great way to generate publicity," says Collins. "I admit they can get a little sinister when it comes to hip-hop, but with 50 and Kanye its pretty much a clever PR stunt dreamed up by the record labels."

But whether the rivalry is real or not, bosses at both the artists' record labels will undoubtedly be licking their lips at the prospect of a showdown between the two people that have arguably done more to revolutionise hip-hop music and widen its appeal in the past five years than any of their other contemporaries. And suggestions that the feud is class based will only help grease the already well-oiled publicity machine.

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A New Jersey contractor has filed a criminal complaint against Ja Rule claiming that the New York bred rapper failed to fully compensate him for his services.

According to North Jersey.com, Joel Tobia claims Rule hired him to fix a leak at his $3.5 million Saddle River mansion for $13,000, but only paid him $5,000. Tobia's complaint alleges that Ja's failure to pay amounted to theft of services.

Tobia already obtained a judgment in civil court for $8,000 after Ja failed to show up in court but the rapper's lawyer, Brian Neary, who appeared in Hackensack Municipal Court with his client yesterday (August 9), claims the amount in contention is actually $4,000.

"Some work was done, and there was a dispute as to whether the work was done properly and whether money is owed," Neary said.

The hearing yesterday was scheduled to determine whether there is probable cause for the criminal complaint but it was rescheduled to next week by Judge Roy F. McGeady at Tobia's request.

McGeady could dismiss Tobia's complaint or rule that there is sufficient basis for the complaint to proceed. If the judge allows the case to continue, it would be the second time in a few weeks that Ja (born Jeffery Atkins) would find himself in criminal court.

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Ludacris Hosts Free Concert

By Tiffany Hamilton

Ludacris and NBA Seattle SuperSonics forward Damien Wilkins have teamed up to host a free concert to uplift and bring the community together. The Ludacris & Friends, Strength in Numbers Concert will be hosted by Wilkins and Ludacris and will focus on the positive development of the community.

The concert, which will be held Sunday, September 2nd, 2007 will feature performances by Ludacris, Chingy, Shareefa and Ne-Yo, as well as appearances by NBA superstars Ray Allen, Kevin Durant and Rashard Lewis. After the star studded concert, The Ludacris Foundation and the Damien Wilkins Foundation will host an after-party at the The Opera Nightclub located at 1150 Peachtree St NE in Atlanta, GA. Donation collections will be taken at the door for the after party to support both The Ludacris Foundation and The Damien Wilkins Foundation.

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"How can hip-hop be dead if Wu-Tang is forever?" asks RZA. For the founder and chief producer of the multiplatinum New York rap group, the question is purely rhetorical.

It's hard to argue with his logic - or with the enduring Wu-Tang mystique. The group's return to the forefront of the music world draws nigh, courtesy of this summer's Rock the Bells Festival and Wu-Tang's long-awaited fourth album, "Eight Diagrams," which is nearly completed.

In a phone interview conducted two days before the start of the national Rock the Bells tour, RZA (born Robert Diggs), analyzed hip-hop's health and discoursed on all things Wu. For starters, he takes issue with Nas, whose recent album "Hip Hop Is Dead" sparked a heated debate among keepers of the culture over the genre's mortality index.

RZA points out that Nas himself is part of the Rock the Bells tour, whose lineup also features Rage Against the Machine, plus others including Cypress Hill, the Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, EPMD, Pharoahe Monch, MF Doom, Hieroglyphics and Blackalicious. There's even an appearance by Public Enemy. If that's not the ultimate fantasy hip-hop concert lineup, it's hard to imagine what is.

Talentwise, Rock the Bells 2007 rivals the fabled Fresh Fests of yore. Yet these days, RZA says, "there are not that many hip-hop tours." To some degree, that's the genre's own fault. Rappers are frequently in the news for the wrong reasons, and hip-hop's image could certainly stand a thorough polishing.

Even more worrisome, RZA suggests, is the state of the art form, which has become commercialized to the point of dilution.

"It ain't downloading," he says, pointing to hip-hop star T.I.'s sales figures as proof that rap fans will still buy strong albums.

While RZA opines that "hip-hop is unbalanced," he believes its course can be righted by Wu-Tang's "killa beez": GZA (also known as Genius), Method Man (or Johnny Blaze), Raekwon (also called the Chef), Ghostface Killah (or Tony Starks), Inspectah Deck (Rebel INS), Cappadonna (Cappuccino Don) U-God (Golden Arms) and the mysterious Masta Killa.

When the Wu takes the stage Saturday night at McCovey Cove, one key member will be missing: the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. But even though ODB won't be there in physical form, "his energy is still present at our shows," RZA says. In fact, concertgoers can expect to see an ODB tribute performed by the entire Wu-Tang Clan.

Co-headlining with Rage Against the Machine makes the show even more special - not just to music lovers but also to RZA himself. He notes that the two groups were originally scheduled to tour seven years ago, but circumstances - including ODB's legal and personal problems - forced the Wu to bow out. The group reunited in 2004 for the first RtB, held in San Bernardino. The festival has since become an annual event; this year, the Wu signed on for the full tour.

During the Wu's hiatus, its members kept busy by releasing various solo projects. Method Man and Raekwon dabbled in acting, while RZA scored films for directors Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino. RZA says Jarmusch told him that the idea for the movie "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai" was inspired by the Wu's music, adding that fellow Wu fan Tarantino had never worked with a composer before inviting him to do the soundtrack for the first "Kill Bill" film. Most recently, RZA scored the animated kung-fu miniseries "Afro Samurai," and he's in the cast of two forthcoming films: Giancarlo Esposito's directorial debut, "Gospel Hill," and the Denzel Washington-Ridley Scott vehicle "American Gangster." Meanwhile, the Wu-Tang empire continues to grow; second-generation killa beez Ice Water and Cilvaringz recently dropped albums, and GZA appears in a new DVD documentary "Wu-Tang Revealed."

"The energy is resurging," RZA says. "When the first album came out, nobody knew what to expect."

Back in 1993, after Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" had tipped the scales toward West Coast G-funk, the Wu's debut "Enter the Wu Tang: 36 Chambers" re-established East Coast hip-hop, paving the way for Nas, Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z. Certainly, no one thought a ragtag bunch of music industry outcasts, felons and high school dropouts would amount to much, much less change the rap game irrevocably. Despite the Wu's roguish background, the group's mission is to uplift, RZA says. "We will f- you up, but what we'd rather do is enhance your spirit."

RZA likens the Wu's colorful, oversize personalities to a team of superheroes, and no hip-hop group before or since has ever spawned so many successful solo artists or assembled so many affiliated acts under one banner. For all the Wu's verbal finesse, a big part of their appeal remains RZA's gritty, soulful production. Whether chopping samples in a unique way or blending '60s and '70s R&B with dialogue lifted from John Woo triad dramas and obscure kung-fu flicks, RZA's tracks strike a universal, if esoteric, chord.

Fourteen years after "36 Chambers," hip-hop heroism is again needed, and the Wu is ready for the challenge. With RtB hitting cities across the United States (the tour ends Sept. 1 in Hawaii), the stage is set for "Eight Diagrams," the group's first album of all-new material in six years. Details about the still-unfinished album are scarce, but this much can be revealed: Its title was inspired by the 1983 Shaw Brothers film "Eight Diagram Pole Fighter," whose plot revolves around eight brothers skilled in martial arts. That's an obvious parallel to the Wu, whose lineup currently features eight original members (ODB was the ninth); one of the album's main themes, RZA says, is brotherhood.

In addition, the "eight diagrams" are a reference to the "I Ching" - or "Book of Changes" - a seminal tome in Eastern philosophy and a major influence on RZA. The "I Ching" is "one of the main reasons why I chose the title," he says. As usual, Wu fans can expect plenty of cryptic slang, as well as new levels of knowledge previously unexplored. "There's things on ("Eight Diagrams") that haven't been done," RZA says.

But unlike, say, Smashing Pumpkins' comeback album, "Zeitgeist," RZA and the Wu aren't looking to the future at the expense of the past. "There's a couple of classic chambers that we brought back," he promises. As an example, he points to the spine-tingling, emotional vibe evoked by Ghostface on "Wu-Tang Forever's" "Impossible" - a rhyme so powerful, it was named "Hip Hop Quotable of the Year" by Source magazine.

This time around, the Wu-Tang Clan is older, wiser and more aware of the group's capabilities.

"We bring a special energy," RZA says. "It's good when you can keep it real and have people respect you for your realism." {sbox}

Rock the Bells Festival featuring Rage Against the Machine, Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, the Roots, Nas, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, EPMD, Pharoahe Monch, MFDoom, Hieroglyphics, Blackalicious, Murs 3:16, Sage Francis, Immortal Technique, Jedi Mind Tricks and Public Enemy. Hosted by Supernatural, DJ Mike Relm, Hi-Tek and Rahzel. Saturday. McCovey Cove parking lot. $76-$151. www.ticketmaster.com .

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50 Cent Bets Career, "If Kanye Sells More Records... I Won't Put Out Any More Solo Albums"

50 Cent recently bet his rap career that he'd outsell Kanye West when their albums drop next month.

Despite holding a more successful track record, skeptics are questioning whether 50 Cent's Curtis will outsell Kanye West's Graduation come September 11. Ask 50 and he'll tell you there's no way he'll come in second. In fact, he's ready to wager his career on it.

"They would like to see Kanye West give me a problem because I've worked myself into a space where I've become the favorite," Fif told SOHH exclusively. "Everybody roots for the underdog when he goes against the favorite.

"Put it like this," 50 told SOHH. "Let's raise the stakes. If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer write music. I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out any more solo albums.

"And I bet this, when Kanye West's sales come in, he's gonna have a 70% decrease [the second week] 'cause Def Jam is gonna buy records to keep him closer to 50 Cent," the Queens rapper added. "So watch the first week and then watch the second week. Watch his @#* drop off the planet. We keep our angles covered before we make a decent bet."

As previously reported, the two superstars spent time in the studio together working on Fif's LP, but the material they worked on isn't scheduled to appear on the album's final version.

"We worked together on an actual record to try and create something," 50 said. "I went in with Kanye, I went in with Swizz Beatz, I went in with will.i.am, I went in with Polow [Da Don] just to see if they had something that I didn't, to create a new direction for me that I couldn't get my hands on. I mean these guys are popular producers [and] have a higher consistency than a guy that's unknown, but a lot of times they may have music planned that doesn't fit the project that you're working on."

For Additional Footage From The Interview And To Hear 50's Thoughts On Lil' Wayne [Click Here]

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Website Launches To Find Actor To Play B.I.G.

by Morris Moore

A new website has launched to find an actor to play the role of Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace in an upcoming biopic titled Notorious about the rapper's life, it was announced yesterday (August 10). Producers are casting actors via the website www.biggiecasting.com to find an unknown to play Wallace, who was gunned down in Los Angeles in March 1997. Starting on Sunday, hopefuls can upload videos of themselves for a chance to play the Hip-Hop legend on the big screen.Notorious is executive produced Wallace's former managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts and his mother, Voletta Wallace.

"There will only be one Christopher Wallace, but I'm happy that his legacy will open a door for another to walk through," Mrs. Wallace said in a statement. "I don't want you to just imitate him. I want to see his swagger, his style, his energy and smile come through."According to the Associated Press, Notorious will be directed by George Tillman (Soul Food, Men of Honor), while the script was authored by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Cheo Hodari Coker, who wrote the biography "Unbelievable: The Life, Death, and Afterlife of the Notorious B.I.G."

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UNIVERSAL MUSIC BACKS HIP HOP WEB SITE: Acquisition of Loud.com part of company’s move to expand opportunities for its artists.

*Universal Music Group said Wednesday it has acquired a stake in the operator of urban social networking Web site Loud.com, a location that allows hip-hop fans to upload their own raps and compete for a record deal with Universal-distributed SRC Records. The partnership is part of the company's overall move to gain new sources of revenue and media outlets for its stable of recording artists, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Earlier this year, Universal acquired companies that have record labels and operate merchandising, touring and artist management businesses in Spain, Great Britain and Brazil. Universal wouldn’t disclose the amount of money it has invested in the ad-supported Web site, which also operates under the domain name Battlerap.com and sells audio files of hip-hop beats for 99 cents.

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Jay-Z and his Chelsea sports bar, The 40/40 Club, filed a countersuit yesterday (August 7) in Manhattan federal court in response to a lost wages lawsuit by former assistants Kishma Pickering and Sheron Branch. While Branch and Pickering claim they were robbed of wages and overtime (and that staff members were treated so abusively by the club that managers resigned en masse), lawyers for Jay-Z and his club say that Branch lost her position by not showing up for her shift. According to the New York Post, lawyers for the club said that Branch "abandoned her employment...by failing to show up for work as scheduled, without calling in" last Christmas. The suit also claims that the following day, the former administrative aide used the company's passwords, for 40/40's YouTube and MySpace accounts, to delete promotional videos. Lawyers for the club estimate the damage done by deleting the videos amounts to around $20,000.

As previously reported, Jay-Z recently sought to have wage claims against him dropped, since he does not take part in staffing matters for 40/40. In May, former 40/40 waitress Celeste Williams filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Jay-Z, business partner Juan Perez, and the club, claiming that 40/40 failed to pay the legally required minimum wage and shorted employees out of overtime.

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A second man accused of raping a woman along with the Louisiana radio personality that inspired Hurricane Chris' hit single "A Bay Bay," has reportedly surrendered himself to Shreveport authorities. According to Shreveport's news station KTBS, another DJ, 34- year-old, Ronald "D.J. Ron" Johnson, turned himself in yesterday (August 8) and was charged with one count of simple rape. He is currently being held on $250,000 bond.

As previously reported , DJ HollyHood Bay Bay (born Terrance Stewart) was arrested Monday afternoon (August 6) and charged with one count of simple rape and intimidation of a witness. He is being held on $150,000 bond. Authorities believe both men raped a woman who was found lying unconscious on the second floor of a Shreveport night club called Kokopelli's last week. Police revealed that the unidentified woman was either intoxicated, drugged or both. Bay Bay reportedly works for K103 Tha Beat. His lawyer, Eric Johnson, said his client is innocent.

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A Louisiana radio personality who inspired Hurricane Chris' hit single "A Bay Bay" has reportedly been arrested in connection with a rape investigation. According to the Shreveport Times, DJ HollyHood Bay Bay (born Terrance Stewart) was arrested Monday afternoon (August 6) and charged with one count of simple rape and intimidation of a witness.

Authorities said a woman was found lying drunk and unconscious about 4 a.m. Thursday (August 2) on the second floor of a night club called Kokopelli's. Police believe the unidentified woman was raped late Wednesday or early Thursday. "I'm not sure if the sexual assault happened after she was drunk or before she got drunk," Shreveport police spokeswoman Kacee Hargrave told The Times. "We are continuing our investigation, more arrests are possible." DJ Hollyhood Bay Bay reportedly works for K103 Tha Beat. Hurricane Chris recently revealed to how the radio jock's name turned into an infectious hook on the song, "A Bay Bay." "It was something we said in the club," Chris explained, "It came from his name, DJ HollyHood Bay Bay. He used to go so hard in the club that when he walked in they would chant his name. It became so snappy we made a song out of it."

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A New Zealand mayoral candidate is reportedly calling for the cancellation of an upcoming Ice Cube concert.

According to The New Zealand Herald, aspiring mayor Len Brown claims that Cube's music advocates the gangster lifestyle and will be replicated by youth in his community which is already suffering from problems with youth gangs and violence.

"We don't need a gangsta rapper working against the future interests of our young," Brown said via a statement. "It's time to freeze out the Ice Cube. We don't want him. We don't need him. He is not welcome here."

Brown is also pressuring the owners of the venue where the Los Angles bred rapper is expected to perform.

"It's also time for Telstra-Pacific to step up and show leadership. They need to cancel this concert," he added. "That would show commitment to the community they serve."

The concert's promoter, Camilla Anderson, disputes Brown's claims that the event will promote violence in the community and suspects his criticism is an election tactic.

She defended Cube saying that he often sings about the plight of the poor and revealed that the rapper is a Muslim who is all about family.

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A man claiming to be an employee of 50 Cent was arrested by Connecticut authorizes earlier today (August 3) for firing a .40 caliber Glock among a crowd of people during an argument over a chain he received from Fif.

According to The Hartford Courant, 26-year-old Dwayne McKenzie, who says he lives at 50's mansion in Farmington, told authorities that Adolfo Yepez, 25, pushed him and stole his $100,000 diamond platinum chain during a dispute on Hartford street.

Mckezine denied firing the gun and told police that it would have all 16 rounds but three rounds were found missing after it was inspected. The gun, which McKenzie has a permit for, was found in his pants pocket.

Yepez ran into the path of a police sergeant who took him into custody and recovered the chain. He told authorities that McKenzie pulled out a gun and waved it in the air during the argument. He said he started running and heard a blast as he ran.

Witnesses at the scene told authorities that they saw McKenzie fire the gun among a group of 10 to 20 people. No injuries were reported.

McKenzie was charged with one count of unlawful discharge of a fire arm and first-degree reckless endangerment while Yepez was charged with third-degree robbery.

"We are not going to tolerate people, whoever they are, firing any kind of fire arm randomly out in the city of Hartford," said police spokeswoman Nancy Mulroy. "It was fortunate no one was injured."

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Daddy Yankee Sued For Copyright Infringement

By Mike Winslow

Reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit over a song contained on his multiplatinum third album, 2004's Barrio Fino.

In a lawsuit filed in United States District Court for the Central District of California, plaintiff Victor M. Lopez Jr. alleges that Daddy Yankee used a musical composition on the track "Salud Y Vida" and while Lopez has received credit for his contribution, he has yet to be compensated.

"Daddy Yankee's representatives tried to negotiate a deal with Lopez to include the song on the Barrio Fino album, but when negotiations broke down, they simply used the composition without permission," alleges Peter Afrasiabi of the law firm Turner, Green, Afrasiabi & Arledge.

Lopez is seeking an undisclosed amount from Universal Music Latino, Interscope Records and Daddy Yankee's record label, El Cartel.

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Mississippi rapper David Banner has resigned from the Rock the Bells North American Festival, due to "creative and promotional differences" with the festival organizers, a representative for the rapper said. The tour kicked off July 26 in Boston, Massachusetts and is slated to wind down September 1 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Banner's cancellation will effect 12 stops on the tour, including tonight's performance (August 2) in Atlanta, GA, in addition to dates in Miami (August 4), Dallas (August 7), Houston (August 8), San Bernardino (August 11), San Diego (August 12), San Francisco (August 18), Salt Lake City (August 21), Denver (August 22), Minneapolis (August 25), Chicago (August 26) and Detroit (August 29).Rock The Bells is an annual concert/festival which launched in 2003.

Other performers on the 2007 Rock The Bells North American Festival include Rage Against The Machine, Nas, The Roots, EPMD, Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Rakim, UGK, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, Slum Village, Boot Camp Clik and numerous other acts. The announcement comes as David Banner prepares his upcoming album Greatest Story Ever Told, which is due in stores October 9. The album features guest appearances from Lil' Wayne, Akon, Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown and others.

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Nike Inc. will pay $7.6 million to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from racial discrimination allegations filed by black employees from a Chicago Niketown location. According to Reuters the lawsuit involves claims on behalf of approximately 400 former and current black employees of Nike Retail Services Inc.'s store. Court documents filed on July 30 with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois indicate the lawsuit was originally filed in

December 2003. Last March the court certified a class that includes all current and former black employees of Niketown Chicago from December 17, 1999 to the present, along with four subclasses. Claims by employees of the store include that they were subjected to a hostile environment, given the worst jobs, and denied equal opportunities. Despite the settlement, Nike has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and liability. In addition to the financial terms of the settlement, Nike has also agreed to take affirmative steps which include appointing a compliance officer at its headquarters and diversity training of supervisors at Niketown Chicago.

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Eight Mile Style, Eminem's music publisher, has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Apple Inc. for copyright infringement. In the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit yesterday (July 30), Eight Mile Style charged Apple with infringing its copyrights by permitting unauthorized downloads of Eminem songs. "Eight Mile and Martin have demanded that Apple cease and desist its reproduction and distribution and Apple has refused," the complaint accuses.

Neither Apple reps nor attorneys for Eight Mile, could be reached for comment. Back in 2004, Eight Mile first filed a suit against Apple, after the company failed to secure Eminem's permission to use "Lose Yourself." Apple used the song in an ad campaign, that began running in July 2003 all over the internet and TV. The ad, which also aired on MTV, featured a 10-year-old rhyming Slim's hit while promoting Apple's iPod's music player. The case was settled out of court.

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Jay-Z is fighting an illegal wage practices lawsuit levied against him by a former 40/40 employee, claiming he does not oversee payroll issues for the business. According to the New York Post, attorneys for Jay (born Shawn Carter) filed court papers yesterday asking that a federal judge dismiss the lawsuit since Carter and business partner Juan Perez are shareholders in the Manhattan nightspot, and do not play any part in staffing issues. In documents filed yesterday, attorneys for Jay-Z and 40/40 speculated that the rap mogul may have been targeted because of his high profile. "It may be plaintiffs named these individuals as defendants solely because Shawn Carter is a public figure and plaintiffs hoped to draw publicity to extract a quick settlement," court documents read. While Jay is "a Grammy Award-winning rapper and businessman who is of obvious interest to the media and the public," the documents added, he and Perez have "no role in payroll whatsoever," nor is he "a statutory employer." Former 40/40 waitress Celeste Williams filed a class-action lawsuit against Jay and his business partner Juan Perez in May, claiming that the NYC sports bar paid their staff below minimum wage.

In related news, Hov says he's staying put at Island Def Jam for the time being, despite reports that he was headed for a new position at Columbia Records. The rapper and businessman cancelled a scheduled interview Friday (July 27) with Hot 97's Angie Martinez that would have touched on those rumors. However, Martinez did manage to briefly question Jay by phone and the label head confirmed that for now, Def Jam is home. "If they don't kick me out the building [I will be there next week]," Jay-Z told Martinez. When asked directly if he was planning a move to Columbia Hov answered, "I'm always looking at the next move," he said and stated that he liked his job at the label but he added that the media has blown the idea of him leaving Def Jam out of proportion. "I'm nowhere near that. That's the papers, they are ahead of me." Hov's talk with Martinez has been rescheduled for this Friday, August 3 on Hot 97.

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Turk To Be Paroled And Released From Prison

By Nolan Strong

Former Hot Boy rapper Tab "Turk" Virgil Jr. will be released from prison in the coming months and according to the rapper, he is going to take full advantage of his freedom.Turk, an original member of the hit group The Hot Boys - which featured Lil' Wayne, Juvenile and B.G., was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2006, for his role in a 2004 shooting in a Memphis, Tennessee apartment that left several members of a local S.W.A.T. team with serious injuries.The rapper went on trial in the controversial shooting, alleging that plain clothes officers raided the apartment, but never identified themselves as officers.He was eventually convicted of being a felon, a drug addict and a fugitive in possession of a handgun.Speaking to AllHipHop.com exclusively from prison, Turk revealed that since he has been incarcerated since 2004, he has served 30 percent of his prison time and is due to be released as early as November.

"I got the word last week on my parole. It's final, I gotta do a drug program and once I complete that I'm home," Turk told AllHipHop.com. "I was sentenced to 10 years at 30%. I'm passed my red date. I been down 3 years and 6 months."Turk maintained his innocence and denied being in a closet or firing the 9mm handgun that left officer Chris Harris with gunshot wounds to the jaw, hip and leg.

"He was initially sentenced to 12 years, that was reduced to 10 years. We ended up having a series of battles in court," Turk's trial attorney Javier Bailey told AllHipHop.com. "The 12 years was supposed to be concurrent, but they tried to stack charges. Because a police officer was involved, they tried to charge him both federal and state courts. What ended up happening, was after we went to trial on gun possession charges in federal court, the jury came back [and] we worked out a deal with the state to run their charges with the federal charges concurrently. They agreed to it, but then they reneged. Finally what ended up happening was he came up to the parole board relatively quickly considering his sentence. The hearing officer agreed that Turk should be released, which they accepted."

According to Bailey, of Memphis-based Walter Bailey Law Firm, like officer Harris, Turk was lucky to be alive, considering the amount of rounds that S.W.A.T. Team officers fired into a small, Memphis apartment, allegedly in search of drugs, which were never found."There were 189 bullet holes in this small two bedroom apartment," Bailey told AllHipHop.com. "The place looked like swiss cheese. These officers shot that place up and Turk didn't get hit once. It was like divine intervention." Turk explained that he put his time behind prison to good use, reflecting on his past, while at the same time making plans to resume his recording career."I have seven full albums done telling my story that I wrote while I been locked up," Turk told AllHipHop.com.," Turk told AllHipHop.com.

The rapper also confirmed talks are still underway for a highly anticipated reunion album from The Hot Boys, all of whom have maintained very successful careers since the group disbanded in 2001."I've been hollering at Wayne, B.G. and we are definitely talking about a Hot Boy reunion," Turk said. "You know I have very good relationships with everyone. I don't have beef with anyone in the industry, and when I get out, I really want to work with everyone."In addition to his album, Turk is focused on his business ventures as well, as he heads up the label YNT (Yung-N-Thuggin') Music.

"My first artist is Emani Da Made Woman," Turk told AllHipHop.com. "I'm pushing her, she got a single that's hitting really big in Memphis right now titled "Like A N**a."Emani Da Made Woman was also present when officers raided the apartment."The police kicked in my door, bullets was flying everywhere, I thought Turk was dead and I was next, I thought it was over," Emani said. "We made it...so I got to hold it down, and make this money, we both got a second chance and I’ll die before I lose it." Turk, who also fought a well documented addiction to heroin, is clean and has been so since 2004. Still, the rapper is going through 500 hours of drug counseling. "He's going through a drug prevention program that he voluntarily asked for," Bailey told AllHipHop.com. "If you see him now, you wouldn't know him. He has been clean since 2004, but his drug of choice was heroin, so he asked that he be allowed to complete this drug program. It's a 500 hour program, but that doesn't prevent him to moving on with his life."

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Rage Against the Machine and Hip-Hop Greats Ignite New York Crowd at Rock the Bells

Shirtless white-male aggression reared its dangerously burned chest at this past weekend’s Rock the Bells festival in numbers not seen since Woodstock 1999 went up in flames. The show was ostensibly a two-day hip-hop event, but most of the overwhelmingly white audience seemed to regard Saturday’s show as a Rage Against the Machine concert with lots of opening acts. Judging by the license plates, the 35,000 fans came from far and wide to check out the group’s second concert since splitting up seven years ago.

“We are Rage Against the Machine from Los Angeles, California,” Zack de la Rocha roared as his group took the stage and tore into their 1999 single “Testify.” Rage broke up less than a month before Bush stole the 2000 election and thus nearly every word de la Rocha performed was written before the unending nightmare of the past seven years. They’ve never sounded more relevant or necessary. The only lyrical alteration was a new line in “Killing in the Name”: “Some of them that bore crosses are the same that hold office.”

The show was nearly identical to their last tour behind The Battles of Los Angeles. Highlights included an incendiary “Guerilla Radio,” a sing-along “Sleep Now in the Fire” and a show-closing “Killing in the Name” that had every single person on Randalls Island raising their middle fingers and screaming, “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” at the top of their lungs. Tom Morello’s day job as the wrong-writing acoustic troubadour the Nightwatchman has done little to temper his thunderous guitar playing, and Zack de la Rocha’s seven years’ hibernation has only made his flow sharper and his anger more palpable.

At the completion of each song everyone waited for de la Rocha to address the audience and say something to rival his famous Coachalla rant in which he said that Bush “should be hung, and tried and shot.” At the end of “Bullet in the Head,” he finally opened his mouth. He began by saying he was misquoted at Coachella and that the president should be “tried like a war criminal and then hung and shot.” He went on to say that the only way to end the war is for everyone to “rise up like the youth in Iraq and bring these fuckers to their knees.” Most of the audience roared their approval, while others had expressions on their faces that seemed to ask “What exactly is he advocating?”

If Audioslave seemed irrelevant when they started, they now seem like an asterisk next to Rage’s name in the Rock and Roll Dictionary. Hopefully the oldies show Rage is doing this summer will pave the way for a new album. They weren’t here in the years we needed them most, but Bush does still has a year and a half in office. Better late than never.

The rest of the two-day festival was devoted to indie and mainstream hip-hop. VH1 regular and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian joined Public Enemy on the main stage, where Chuck D sprinted around and rhymed urgently to tracks like “Bring the Noise” and “Welcome to the Terrordome” with Flavor Flav at his side. The Wu-Tang Clan battled sound problems while tearing through their set and honoring lost member Ol’ Dirty Bastard (a banner reading RIP ODB hung in the corner of the stage). Though the Wu seemed a little disjointed and low-energy mid-set, as soon as they brought everyone together for a “this one’s for ODB” rendition of the late rapper’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” they were on fire. Method Man crowd surfed and struck a Jesus pose, standing upright and walking across the sea of hands, rocketing the crowd into a frenzy.

Main stage acts like Mos Def and Talib Kweli kept the crowd’s energy up with hits like “The Blast” and “Get By,” while old-school pioneer Rakim made his presence known with booming tracks off Master and Seventh Seal. Cypress Hill jumped around looking young and vibrant with a twenty-foot-tall golden Buddha behind them (and, of course, a pot leaf). B-Real, who according to DJ Muggs is “the highest man in the world,” held it down with all the expected classics and announced the group will have a new joint out next year.

At the smaller Paid Dues stage, Murs, Brother Ali and Sage Francis garnered substantial crowds despite the pouring rain on Sunday (concert-goers in garbage bags were a common sight). Atmosphere’s Slug and Ant joined Murs as the trio known as Felt and easily had the crowd laughing and bouncing. The star of the second stage, though, was clearly MF Doom, who arrived in his trademark silver super-villain mask, a green Mets jersey and very mysterious pants that looked like they’d been made out of tree leaves. The set started and the crowd — packed with a diverse group of indie kids and hard-core hip-hop heads — immediately fell under the spell of his lazy, smoky voice and those eerie, hypnotic space-beats. It was almost mesmerizing enough to distract everyone from the bad weather, which truly didn’t dampen this tireless fest.

Want to see the Roots, Rage, Wu-Tang and more in action? Check out the Rock the Bells photo gallery here.

Photo: David Atlas

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50 Cent Links With YouTube For Rap Contest, Winner Gets Deal With G-Unit

by Jolene "foxxylady" Petipas

50 Cent will serve as a judge on YouTube's upcoming contest called "The YouTube OntheRise Rap Edition," giving aspiring rappers a chance to showcase their skills and receive a singles deal from G-Unit Records

From Friday, August 10 to Friday, August 17, rappers can submit original videos displaying their talent to popular video sharing website YouTube.com. 50, Common and producer Polow da Don will help judge the competition, selecting 20 finalists to ultimately be voted on by the YouTube community on August 29.

YouTubers can then vote on a final winner who will be unveiled on September 7. Along with being flown to New York to record a song for G-Unit/Interscope Records, the winner will also receive a $10,000 gift card from GuitarCenter and have their video featured on the YouTube's homepage.

"There are top shelf artists on YouTube that haven't been heard," 50 said via statement. "This contest will give them a chance to rise to the top of the game. There will be some great stuff coming out of this contest. It's a shot to claim a spot as an MC."

For more info and competition rules peep youtube.com/ontherise.

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7-30-2007

Jay-Z On Columbia Move: "I'm Nowhere Near That"

By Houston Williams

Jay-Z disappointed millions, when a scheduled interview with Hot 97's Angie Martinez was cancelled for personal reasons yesterday (July 27). The interview was to address a number of matters surrounding the mogul, including recent rumors of his departure from Def Jam.

The rapper and Martinez did get on the phone for a few moments to reschedule and answer a few questions. After Martinez queried him, Jay-Z said that he'd be at his Def Jam post next week, sidestepping the notion that he was exiting his presidential position at the label."If they don't kick me out the building [I will be there next week]," Jay-Z said to Angie Martinez.

She also asked him if he was planning the rumored move to Columbia."I'm always looking at the next move," he said and stated that he liked his job at the label. Additionally, Jay-Z shunned the gossip that he was close to leaving Def Jam. "I'm nowhere near that. That's the papers, they are ahead of me," he quipped about rumors of his departure.The interview was rescheduled for Friday August 3 on Hot 97.

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Cool & Dre Sign Distribution Deal With Imperial Records

By Chris Richburg

Music from hit making production team Cool and Dre will connect with more fans, thanks to a new distribution deal between their record label Epidemic Records and Skeleton Key Entertainment/EMI's Imperial Records.

Under the recently signed deal, Imperial Records will a host of distribution and label services which include promotions, marketing, online marketing and publicity for Misery Loves Company, the forthcoming Epidemic Records release from Miami-born rapper Joe Hound."We're really excited about this Joe Hound project and about us being in business with Imperial," Cool said about the partnership. "It's the beginning of a long lasting relationship. Epidemic and Imperial are going to take it all the way to the top."

Described as an album exploring life lessons and missed opportunities mixed with detailed musical bits and pieces of Joe Hound's rise as an emcee, Misery Loves Company chronicles the Bethune Cookman graduate's life.The first single from the album will be "She Likes It.""Working with Imperial Records has proven to be "a great experience," said Hound. "They take care of our needs. It's been a really professional relationship. They give us opportunities to do whatever we want because they let us control our own music. You can't ask for anything more than that."

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Wu-Tang Legacy Explored In New Doc

by Anthony Roberts

The history of the Staten Island MC's will finally be unveiled as the documentary Wu: The Story Of The Wu-Tang Clan is set to be released on DVD.

The film is both directed and narrated by Gerald "Gee Bee" Barclay, who has directed several Wu-Tang music videos in the past, including "The Mystery Of Chessboxin'" and "Method Man." Chronicling the rise of the Shaolin collective, the documentary features never before seen interviews with the group and rare concert footage. The film also has appearances from DJ/writer/radio and TV personality Bobbito Garcia, legendary Video Music Box host Ralph McDaniels, and noted hip-hop journalist Bonz Malone, among others. [Watch An Exclusive Clip Here]

No details have been released on when the documentary will be available.

In related news, the Clan has teamed up with Loud Records to sponsor a contest in which one fan will have a chance to be the opening act for the group's last stop on the "Rock The Bells" tour.

The contest, which is being held from now until August 20, will allow would-be MC's to record their own songs via Loud.com's free, online recording studio over authentic RZA beats. The winner will get to hit the stage as the Wu's opening act on the final leg of the September 1 "Rock The Bells" show in Oahu, Hawaii. The tour includes an all-star lineup, with acts like Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy and Nas.

The entries will be reviewed by the website's A&R staff and narrowed down to 10 finalists, with the grand prize winner to be chosen by the RZA himself on August 27.