Star's Attorney Asks Court for Dismissal, Offers Explanation for Jock's Comments

Ben Brafman, the lawyer of New York-based radio personality Star of the "Star & Buc Wild Morning Show," asked a court to dismiss charges against his client yesterday (May 31).
As previously reported, Star (born Troi Torain) faces charges of endangering the welfare of a child, after threatening to find and sexually assault the four-year-old daughter of DJ Envy, an on-air personality at Hot 97, Power 105.1's rival station.
Star's threats, which took place during a Power 105.1 broadcast earlier this month, included hurling of racial sluts to describe Envy's wife and child. The infamous disc jockey was eventually fired after New York Councilman John C. Liu and members of the NAACP and Social Action Committee of Philadelphia called for his termination.
Star, 42, was arrested two days later and was formally charged with child endangerment as well as criminal possession of a weapon and failure to report a change of address on his gun permit, which allows him to use the weapon only for target practice. He was then released after posting $2000 for bail.
Before his arrest, Star issued an apology via his attorney, who called Star's remarks "unsuitable and inappropriate" and claimed his client was reacting to threats made by DJ Envy.
During Tuesday's hearing, Brafman claimed other Hot 97 hosts also directed threats towards Star. Brafman cited racial taunts from Hot 97 morning host Miss Jones who called Star's mother a "prostitute" and his father a "tar black Sambo."
According to Brafman, Jones also called Star a "faggot" who "liked boys" and also warned that DJ Envy and others were waiting for him outside the studio.
"If we are going to criminalize comments made by warring deejays in competing radio broadcasts, then the repeated threats against Mr. Torain must be dealt with by authorizing the immediate arrest of the offending Hot 97's deejays," Brafman said in Manhattan Criminal Court. "This case either does not belong in criminal court at all, or if it does, the Hot 97 DJs should both be arrested as well, if you apply the same legal theory used to authorize the arrest of Mr. Torain."
Brafman also blamed political pressure for the prosecution of Star.
Prosecutors had no comment after hearing Brafman's plea and they also declined to say if they were looking into comments aired on Hot 97.
Kenneth Thompson, who is representing Envy's wife, Gia Casey, in a potential civil suit, said none of the taunts aired on Hot 97 justified Star's attack on Casey's wife and their young daughter.
"It's an act of desperation to avoid Star being held accountable for his despicable words about a child," Thompson said.
Five days after his firing, Star was officially replaced by Big Tigger of BET's "106 & Park" fame and Power 105.1's Egypt.

Dipset Capo Takes Another Shot At Jay-Z

Cam'ron has just fired another lyrical round at Jay-Z via his own remix of Yung Joc's "It's Going Down."
"Player hater I don't play them games/you got beef with Killa, nigga... say my name/you shy?/snortin wrong/or they recorded wrong/my paper long/I pee on any resort you're on," Killa spits early in the verse.
Cam also tells Hov to get off "[Young] Jeezy's dick and Rick Ross' shit," claims President Carter only goes back to his hometown Marcy on Christmas Day and compares his retirement to Michael Jordan joining the Washington Wizards.
The song features Cam on the first verse and still uses Yung Joc's hook as well as his second and third verse. This marks the third cut Cam has released against Jay. Earlier this year, he released "You Got It" and "Swagger Jacker." He later mocked Jay in his "Touch It Or Not" video. Killa Cam had alluded to having several dis songs in the chamber, but kept them on hold until Jigga's recent "Hustlin" remix verse.
After giving Cam the silent treatment for months, Jay recently took subliminal stabs towards the Harlemite on Rick Ross' "Hustlin" remix. Though he doesn't mention Cam by name, Hov directly answers several shots taken by Cam, including references to Hov wearing open toe sandals and claims that the gunman that shot Cam put up a diamond sign before pulling the trigger.

News

After Cheers, Obie Trice is ready for another round. Second Round's On Me is gearing up for a release later this year. In order to heat the streets up before the album drops, The Oster is putting together a mixtape with tons of material. "I've got a lot of songs I didn't use for the album I'mma throw on there, he told MTV. "There's a few tracks I'm freestyling over other people's music. We've got some Shady collaborations with some of the new Shady cats that just got signed: Bobby Creekwater, Cashis. Plus Stat Quo. I'm keeping it moving," he said. Bobby Creekwater is also gearing up for his debut LP, A Brilliant Mistake. The ATL native has created a buzz around a song off ATL, the motion picture soundtrack and by being one of the newest Shady artists.D12 is also working on a new album. The group's got a few roadblocks in their path. One is the tragic death of Proof and the other is the incarceration of Swift. Still, the group has vowed to keep going regardless of the obstacles. Expect their new album with new material from Proof and the rest of the crew later this year or early 2007.

The Roots Prep Game Theory

The Roots have announced that they will tour the country in advance of their next album. ?uestlove, who seems to be everyone's favorite everything including percussionist, producer and comedian (from Dave Chappelle's Block Party) nowadays, is very excited for their next release and has devoted his myspace page, to keeping fans informed on all news related to the group and the album.The group will release the album under the Def Jam imprint, which leaves the door open for numerous guests artists and label mates. The tour will consist of appearances from mostly with Talib Kweli, Blackalicious, The Incredibles, hip-hop violinist Miri-Ben Ari and Stones Throw artist Aloe Blacc. The LA show will include Blackalicious & Talib, so be sure not to miss the House of Blues show. The Baltimore and Milwaukee bill will include a rare showing from the Pharcyde. The Pharcyde is merely a ghost of what they formerly were, so it's yet to be seen who will be performing that night, but may include 3-5 artists you've never heard of. The Roots album should be a good one considering they've been on hiatus for a while, recently performing at their annual show in New York City. Check out ?uestlove's myspace page for the official countdown until Game Theory is expected to be released. Until then, let these tour dates put you at ease
05-27 Nashville, TN - City Hall
05-29 Memphis, TN - Premier
06-01 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room
06-02 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ
06-03 Houston, TX - Hush
06-05 Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
06-08 Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
06-09 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
06-10 San Francisco, CA - The Grand
07-05 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus &
07-13 Washington, DC - Fur Nightclub
07-15 Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
07-17 Pittsburgh, PA - Margarita Mamas
07-27 St. Louis, MO - The Paegant
07-29 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
08-03 Detroit, MI - State Theatre
08-07 Boston, MA - Avalon

Gnarls Barkley Deletes Hit Single

As Gnarls Barkley, DJ Danger Mouse and rapper/singer Cee-Lo have experienced success on a much higher level than they had previously been accustomed to. Now however, the success of their debut single Crazy seems to be too much of a hit for the duo, who have announced that they are to pull the plug on the track in order to concentrate on their next single release. Crazy has been reigning supreme on the Official UK Singles Charts for nine weeks running, even breaking records in its first week of release when it became the first single to reach No.1 on digital sales alone. In an odd turn of events, Gnarls Barkley released a statement this week stating that they are to delete the single so that the focus can shift to their new single, Smiley Faces, which is due for release in July. “I consider myself a realist,” read the statement. “I suppose that goes for most of us. But I have found a way to at once hold them, fold them, walk away and run. This was not a painless decision. But pain is nothing but a bi-product of beauty. Potentially toxic, to be sure, but that’s all it is.”The singles are taken from their debut album, St. Elsewhere.

iTunes Offers Exclusive Death Row Classics

Apple’s iTunes has started to offer exclusive downloads of over 25 videos from Death Row Records, the seminal label that released artists like Snoop Dogg, Tupac and the Dogg Pound.
The digital offering, which started on May 30, will also offer a rare remix version of Tupac Shakur’s “California Love." There will be a video album with eight specially priced videos.
Death Row helped to foster a burgeoning gangsta rap scene on the West Coast during the 90’s. The company has submitted hits from their musical catalogue to iTunes, along with video offerings like "Gin and Juice," "Let Me Ride," "How Do U Want It," and "California Love," featuring 2Pac and Dr. Dre.
Below is a complete list of songs iTunes offers from Death Row Records.
Dogg Pound – “What Would U Do"
Dogg Pound – “Let's Play House"
Dogg Pound - “New York New York"
DPGC – “Real Soon"
Dr. Dre – “Lil' Ghetto Boy"
Dr. Dre – “Nuthing But a "G" Thing"
Dr. Dre – “F*** Wit Dre Day (and Everybody's Celebratin')"
Dr. Dre – “Let Me Ride"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Gin and Juice"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Who Am I (What's My Name)?"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Murder Was the Case"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Doggy Dogg World"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Doggfather"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Vapors"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – “Snoop's Upside Ya Head"
2Pac – “Hail Mary"
2Pac – “All Bout U"
2Pac – “To Live & Die in LA"
2Pac – “When Ure Hero Falls"
2Pac feat. Snoop – “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted"
Warren G feat. Nate Dogg – “Regulate"
2Pac – “How Do U Want It"
2Pac – “California Love"
2Pac feat. Dr. Dre – “California Love (Exclusive remix)"
The video album is:
Death Row Records Video Album
1. “Gin and Juice" - Snoop Doggy Dogg
2. “Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang" - Dr. Dre
3. “California Love (Original) - 2Pac
4. Murder Was the Case - Snoop Doggy Dogg
5. How Do U Want It - 2Pac
6. Let Me Ride - Dr. Dre
7. Doggy Dogg World - Snoop Doggy Dogg
8. California Love (Remix Version) - 2Pac feat. Dr.Dre

No Murder Charges for Proof Shooter

Murder charges will not be given to a man allegedly responsible for the recent death of D12 rapper Proof, a prosecutor ruled Tuesday (May 30). According to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Mario Etheridge shot and killed Proof in an act of self-defense. In May, authorities charged the 28-year-old with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit as well as firing two shots in the air inside a building. Although Etheridge was not charged in the killing, he is scheduled to appear in court Friday (June 2) for a final meeting on the other two charges. Etheridge's avoidance of the murder charge is the newest development in the aftermath following the death of Proof and Etheridges' cousin, Keith Bender, 35. The rapper and Bender died around 4:30 a.m. April 11 following a heated argument the two had at the C.C.C. Club on 8 Mile Road. In a timeline of the events released Tuesday, prosecutors revealed that Etheridge and another man intervened in the argument. The timeline further stated that Bender threw the first punch after Proof asked Bender to take the argument outside, according to the Detroit Free Press, and that the rapper got a gun from another man soon after going outside. Bender's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in May against Proof's estate, claiming the Detroit lyricist "violently assaulted and battered [Bender], culminating with the infection of a gunshot injury that caused the death of Mr. Bender."

Rapper The Game Negotiating With Interscope For Black Wall Street Label

The label status of Compton rapper the Game has been the subject of speculation after the chart-topping rapper broke from 50 Cent's G-Unit camp to remain a solo artist on Dr. Dre's Aftermath/Interscope imprint. While representatives for both the Game and Interscope refused to comment, sources told AllHipHop.com that Game is in the process of re-negotiating a deal for his own Black Wall Street Record label through Interscope. Although Game is allegedly forming his own imprint, at press time, he is expected to continue his work with mentor Dr. Dre, the legendary producer who founded Aftermath after leaving Death Row over business disputes and creative differences with Marion "Suge" Knight. Dr. Dre's production talents will be featured on Game's upcoming album The Doctor's Advocate, which was scheduled to be released on June 6 but has since been pushed back. Other producers featured on the album include Kanye West, Scott Storch, Cool & Dre, Timbaland, and Just Blaze. As an Aftermath artist, Game released his platinum-selling critically acclaimed debut The Documentary with the assistance of 50 Cent and his G-Unit collective. The album produced several hits, including "Hate It or Love It," "How We Do," and "Dreams." In March 2005, the two rappers' relationship turned sour over credit for The Documentary. A man associated with Game suffered minor gunshot wounds in front of Hot 97's New York offices after both rappers appeared on rival radio stations taunting each other. The Game and 50 Cent publicly ended their dispute later that month at a press conference. The pair also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charities. The tension soon flared up again on mixtapes, in interviews, and at various concerts, where the two artists took jabs at each other, prompting Game to launch a nationwide "G-Unot" campaign. On Aftermath's official site, Game is still listed on the label's roster, along with Busta Rhymes, Eve, Eminem, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Stat Quo.

Black Eyed Peas Going Digital For Snickers Digi-Sodes

Hip-Hop group Black Eyed Peas have teamed with Snickers for a series of digital films designed to attract teen buyers. The five short films, called "digi-sodes" - will feature BEP members will.i.am, Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap posing as Snickers factory workers by day and a collective of old-school Hip-Hop defenders known as Instant Def by night. The group inherited their superpowers after coming in contact with Snickers after an incident in the plant. Will.i.am, along with Form TV's Jesse Dylan and BBDO New York, an advertising agency, came up with the idea for the digi-sodes. The rapper, who mixed the music for the series and created the series' theme song, was totally into the idea of constructing a short film with Snickers. "You know, this is fresh," will.I.am said. "You mean I can make music, incorporate it into a film that's on the internet and wherever else we can get it played? Oh, that's tomorrow ... all the way." For Fergie, creative freedom was the main motivation for her involvement. "I had always dreamed of being a comic book character," the singer said. "I've always had this thought in my head of what I wanted to do with it. And so then they came to me with this idea and I said I know what I want to do." Snickers began showing the trailer in the top 10 theater markets during the Memorial Day weekend. The company, which plans on running online promotions to create a buzz for the digi-sodes, will also run the trailer in June and July on the In-Store Sports Network, FootLocker, FootAction and Champs stores nationwide. The first digi-sode will premiere June 5 exclusively on InstantDef.com.

Raekwon Signs To Aftermath

On May 28th, Wu-Tang Clan’s official website, Wutangcorp.com, announced that Raekwon the Chef signed a deal with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records. While it was widely known that Dre contributed beats for Rae’s upcoming Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 project, and that recent Aftermath addition Busta Rhymes was acting as one of the album’s Executive Producers, this contract should come as something of a surprise to many. Though the agreement’s details are still somewhat murky, wutangcorp.com does confirm that OB4CL II will be released as a collaboration between Aftermath and one of Wu-Tang’s enterprises (Wu Music Group or Wu-Tang Productions). While the pairing of a highly revered MC and a legendary producer would generally be cause for celebration, expect the streets to be up in arms on this matter, particularly in light of Aftermath’s release of Rakim and the ever-growing wait for the new joint from Busta.

Damon Dash Resurfaces, Brings Music Group To Koch

Damon Dash has partnered with Koch Records for his Damon Dash Music Group.
The label's first release will be the new album by dancehall artist Sizzla. Sizzla's album, entitled The Overstanding, is due this summer.
Koch has also closed deals with former Motown/Universal CEO Kedar Massenburg for his Kedar Entertainment and Atlanta's Big Oomp. Massenburg has managed or signed such award-winning acts as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu and India.Arie, while Big Oomp has made a name for himself in the world of southern hip-hop. Kedar Entertainment's first release will be a new album by Buffalo native Sansom, while Big Oomp's first release will be the new album by DJ Unk.
"We are all very excited about these deals with such talented partners and are looking forward to long, fruitful and profitable partnerships," said Koch president Bob Frank via a statement.
In addition to their recent signings, Koch Records also serves as label home to Snoop Dogg, Jim Jones, The Diplomats and D-Block, among others.

More Details Emerge About G-Unit BBQ Shootout

More details are emerging about a shooting at a Queens, NY birthday party held yesterday (May 29) for a G-Unit affiliate and attended by Lloyd Banks.
According to The New York Post, the St. Albans family of G-Unit associate Jesse Brown Jr. was hosting a 22nd birthday party for him that was initially intended only for family. When word spread that Banks was at the party, things quickly spun out of control.
"Lloyd Banks showed up . . . [and] as soon as people heard about that, the crowd started coming," a woman who attended the party told The Post.
The crowd reportedly grew to some 150 people, including a group of women who arrived outside wearing bikinis and a number of men on motorcycles. Police say soon after that, shots were fired over the fence into the backyard.
"I heard 'Pow! Pow! Pow!' " Mark Brown, Jesse Brown's uncle, told The Post. "Everybody was ducking."
Jesse Brown's mother, who is a corrections officer, used her licensed pistol and returned fire at the people who shot at her guests. When police arrived at the scene some 31 shots had been fired, one of which struck Destin Mills in the neck. His relatives say he is expected to be paralyzed from the chest down for the rest of his life.
Police have not arrested any suspects in the shooting, which occurred shortly after 1 a.m. yesterday. Brown was arrested after police arrived on the scene. He was not charged in the shooting, but is accused of assault and allegedly resisting arrest.
Brown's father, Jesse Brown Sr. told The Post he thought the shooting might have been directed at G-Unit.
"People do a lot of things out of jealousy," Brown Sr. told The Post. "There are a lot of people that used to be part of G-Unit and no longer are... It may have been a retaliation."
Jesse Brown Jr. was shot in a previous incident during May of 2005. He was seriously wounded outside a Queens club while with another G-Unit member.

Atmosphere News

Underground kings Atmosphere and fellow Rhymesayer, Brother Ali are going international. New dates have been added for their European tour. Part of this tour includes some stops at eclectic festivals including the Hype Festival. Here are the new dates according to their official site.

6/29 - Werchter, Belgium @ Pyramid Stage
6/30 - Belfort, France @ Eurokeenes Festival w/ Brother Ali
7/1 - Montreux, Switzerland @ Montreux Jazz Festival w/ Brother Ali
7/3 - Malmo, Sweden @ Accelerator - Folkets Park
7/5 - Kristiansand, Norway @ Quart Festival
7/6 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Accelterator - Munchenbryggeriet
7/8 - Lisbon, Portugal @ Hype Festival
7/10 - Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms w/ Brother Ali
7/11 - London, UK @ KOKO w/ Brother Ali
7/12 - Reykjavik, Iceland @ Gaukuinn w/ Brother Ali

Ali and Atmosphere have recently stopped at one of the US' most famous festivals, Coachella where they hit the stage on the same bill as Kanye West and Madonna.

Earlier in the year, Slug and Ali were also in the highly praised Paid Dues show, which featured various underground heavyweights including Murs, Grouch, Blueprint, 2Mex, Living Legends, Aesop Rock and El-P.

50 Cent Goes to War

For 50 Cent’s latest Hollywood outing, the rapper says he draws on his own experiences to enhance his performance in new film, Home of the Brave. While acknowledging that the shootings and stabbings he has survived growing up in New York are a far stretch from staying alive in a war-torn country like Iraq, 50 says he empathizes with what the soldiers go through.“They don’t report back every casualty in a war… and somebody dies every day. They don’t report that back at home, you know what I mean? But that’s the way it is,” he told the Associated Press in a recent interview.“So, can you imagine waking up in the morning, coming back, and somebody’s not in the bunk next to you? Your imagination says, ‘one of these days’. You have to take into account that it’s happening all around you, that one day your bunk is going to be empty; that you will be the person that don’t make it back.”“I believe that would change a person’s spirit,” said 50. “I don’t believe they come back exactly the same person, whether they actually killed, themselves, or they just was around killing while it was going on… I believe your spirit changes with that much death around you.”The independent film has just finished primary filming in Spokane, Washington, and is the first movie to focus on the Iraq war and the difficulties faced by the military in the transition from battlefield to homefront. Starring alongside Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel, Christina Ricci and Brian Presley, 50 plays a soldier who faces the challenges of returning to civilian life at home. He went on to tell how his street persona has helped him in his pursuit of a movie career.“In the environment that I come from, you have to be aggressive enough to actually get by,” he said. “Me, I had to be two peole: I had to be aggressive enough to get by in the neighbourhood and then my grandma’s baby in the house.”“People who meet me, it’s common that they say, ‘Well, you aren’t exactly what I expected you to be.’ And I go, ‘Well, sorry if I let you down, that I didn’t shoot you!’”Home of the Brave is scheduled for release at the end of the year.

News

According to Davey D, Eazy E’s son Lil’ Eazy E is on his way to the ever expanding G-Unit camp. There has been no official word from either side yet, but Lil E’s current label pretty much confirmed it is going to happen...Its like the real Cube is back, spitting venom in his rhymes and in interviews. With all the drama surrounding Oprah and rappers, Mr. Jackson weighed in with FHM, “I've been involved in three projects pitched to her, but I've never been asked to participate. For 'Barbershop,' she had Cedric the Entertainer and Eve on, but I wasn't invited. Maybe she's got a problem with hip-hop…She's had damn rapists, child molesters and lying authors on her show. And if I'm not a rags-to-riches story for her, who is?"

Gunfire Erupts At Lloyd Banks BBQ

Gunfire erupted at a barbecue party purportedly attended by Lloyd Banks in Queens, NY on yesterday morning (May 29), leaving a teenager paralyzed.
According to accounts from witnesses, a group of men on motorcycles rode up to the house where the party was being held and began shooting over the fence.
"It sounded like the 4th of July," Tom Bailey, who lives near the scene in St. Albans, told the New York Post. "It was like 35 shots, and it went on for like five minutes."
18-year-old Destin Mills was the only one hit during the shootout. He was struck in the neck.
"He'll be paralyzed for the rest of his life," his mother, Colette Mills told The Post. "It's devastating. I really feel the city needs to do something about all these guns on the street."
Witnesses who spoke to authorities said Banks (born Christopher Lloyd) was among 150 guests at the party before the shooting begun, but the owner of house says different.
"He wasn't here," said Jeffrey Jay Shields. "They're gonna say 50 Cent was here, too."
A silver .45-caliber pistol was recovered and four men were arrested at the party. Police say none of them wounded the victim.
When asked what sparked the gunfire, Shields told reporters, "You guys would never guess what happened in a million years."
Authorities still want to interview Banks and are already probing whether an argument that fellow G-Unit member Tony Yayo had with Swizz Beatz during a Busta Rhymes video shoot in Brooklyn on Feb. 5 led to the fatal shooting of Rhymes' bodyguard Israel Ramirez.
In related news, Banks is currently putting finishing touches on his sophomore album, Rotten Apple. According to his official website, the album is slated for release on July 18.

Royce & Primo Collabo

If you’re like me, every Royce Da 5’9” album brings the same reaction: "It’s nice, but it ain’t Boom. Now, if Royce could just get some more Premier tracks on his record…". Well, the wait is almost over. According to mixtapedetroit.com (and reportedly Royce himself, while onstage in Chicago), Royce and DJ Premier are hard at work on Royce’s forthcoming album, produced entirely by the Gangstarr DJ and underground demigod. The two expect an end of the year release for the album that heads all over have been dreaming about for years. And you thought the Christina Aguilera album meant Premier had sold out. Jokes on you, Jack.

Ludacris and Kanye West Take The Stand in Song-Jacking Trial

New Jersey-based rap group I.O.F. filed suit against Ludacris, Kanye West and Universal Music for purportedly stealing the chorus for Luda's "Stand Up" from their song on "Straight Like That."
I.O.F., who are suing for $10 million in damages, claim that they gave Ludarcris copies of the song between August 2002 and May 2003, before he released the single "Stand Up" via his album Chicken and Beer in October 2003.
During Ludacris' testimony on Thursday, Mel Sachs, the attorney who represents the I.O.F, asked the rapper whether "Straight Like That" had any similarities to his song, "Stand Up"
"I'm not a musicologist, but I see them to be completely different," Ludacris answered.
Sachs seeks to prove that the words "like that" were repeated more than 80 times in each song. The word "straight" proceeds "like that" in I.O.F.'s version, while the word "just" precedes it on Luda's version.
Ludacris testified that he believes the words are repeated fewer than 80 times in his song and he had never heard the expression "straight like that" or the song by that title until he was sued. He also added that he had used "like that" in a 1999 song.
During Kanye's testimony, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel asked him to say the first two lines of "Stand Up." West shot a grin at Ludacris before beginning, "How you ain't gonna fuck?"
"I'm sorry I asked," said Castel with a chuckle, as nearly everyone in the courtroom, including the jurors, laughed out loud. "I think I'm going to withdraw my question."
West would then go on to tell the court that it was not unusual that "Stand Up" and "Straight Like That" would both repeatedly use the words "like that."
"There's a lot of rap songs that say, 'like that,' 'what's up' or 'throw your hands high,'" said West. "Whatever people say in the hood, it ends up on records. That's what hip-hop does."
West also testified that the first time he ever heard "Straight Like That" was when they were hit with the suit. Christine Lepera, lawyer for both rappers and EMI April Music Inc., has asked the jury to reject the claims of I.O.F. and their company BMS Entertainment/Heat Music LLC.
The on-going trial, which is in its third day, is seeking to determine liability. If liability is found, a second phase of the trial will assess damages.

News

If you've heard and enjoyed Murs and 9th Wonder's latest joints, this bit of news may intrigue you. 9th is back with a vengeance and he's brought some friends along. He's hit the lab with various collaborators to cook up The Dream Merchant Vol. 2. He's worked with underground kings Little Brother, Jean Grae, Murs and Sean Price to name a few. For his latest offering, he's enlisted some more greats. Expect features from Mos Def, Memphis Bleek, Saigon, Raekwon, Royce Da 5'9', DJ Premier, Dilated Peoples and Ness, known for his rhymes and fights on Making Da Band. We'll keep you updated as soon as more names are added to the extensive list. A finalized version of the album is expected in September. Speaking of artists 9th works with, Sean Price is gearing up to release his next album. Little Brother, Bootcamp Click, Sadat X and Joe Scudda will make their guest appearences to round out the album which should land in a store near you in September. Masta Killa is also looking to drop his next LP. Nature Sounds will be the title of his next album. A release date for his much anticipated album should come in September as well.

Dirt

Good afternoon dear readers, and this week, I have a few rumors for you that will make your jaw drop.Lets start off with Rihanna, now, I don’t know if anyone has seen her video Unfaithful where she is this crazy cheating girlfriend, and it irritates me that she is like 17 (? Or is she 18 already) and she is a cheater?? I tried ignoring this one, but it’s said that she is dating a very known well member of the ROC, I’d like to tell you who it is, but I will save that one till next week.Moving on, I just heard that 50 read Sickamore’s blog on XXL and he wasn’t amused. I know Sickamore just got that job at Atlantic and Fifty might wanna fuck with that, he’s is not feeling that blog, and that's from an insider.Memphis Bleek is back in the studio working on a new album and let me tell ya, he has the hottest producers working with him. I think there might be some beef coming our way, I don’t know who will be targeted yet, but I’m about to find out!And last but not least I went to the Roc-la-familia listening session for Hector Bambino and it was cool, he’s got Jay-z (woohoo) , Fat Joe, Memphis Bleek, Freeway and some others on the album. I had a good time there, the guys are real sweethearts.So, this is it for this weeks dirt, and let me say, like Tony Yayo said “I know you don’t love me” and I love it.Shout out to Bleu DaVinci of BMF Ent. you cool peoples, and Ill with the freestyles man!!

DMX Considering a Name Change

As of late, DMX has been known more for his personal life instead of his recordings. Now, X is thinking of changing his name.“I think I'm going to have to do that soon for spiritual reasons," he told MTV Europe.For those who have followed his career, the spiritual reference should come as no surprise. On each of his albums, DMX always offers a prayer or an inspirational song. The rapper has also spoken about becoming a pastor one day. "It's just the whole Dark Man thing," he adds. "Because if you look at it, from a spiritual point of view, the Bible teaches us that we can speak things into existence. ... And Dark Man, you know, it may not be the best name for me."In other X related news, the Dark Man is also set to star in his very own reality TV show. DMX: Soul of a Man will air is set to air on BET. No premier date has been set as of press time.

Foxy Brown To Stand Trial In July For Assault

Foxy Brown will stand trial July 17 for allegedly assaulting two nail salon employees in a dispute over a manicure, a judge ruled today (May 26). Brown, born Inga Marchant, will face misdemeanor assault charges. Prosecutors say the rapper, 26, punched and kicked two employees after they allegedly refused to let her leave the salon when Brown refused to pay her $20 dollar tab. Brown allegedly struck one of the employees in the face and body with a cell phone in her closed fist and hit the manager of the salon. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Gerald Harris also issued orders of protection today for Myoung Yi and Sun Ji Song, the two employees allegedly assaulted by the rapper. Brown rejected a plea deal with prosecutors and has maintained her innocence. In December 2005, Brown was handcuffed to a court bench for allegedly disrespecting the court, over chewing gum. The rapper was ordered to apologize or face 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for contempt of court.

British Rapper MIA Denied Entry Into U.S.

British rapper MIA was reportedly refused a visa by American immigration officials due to the political content of her lyrics. MIA's lyrics are said to support the Sri Lankan political group Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan armed forces. The rapper, born Maya Arulpragasa, was planning to visit the United States to work on her new album with various Hip-Hop producers. Shortly after the incident, the London-born Sri Lankan rapper posted a blog on her Web site telling fans, "Roger, roger, do you hear me, over? The U.S. immigration won't let me in, I'm locked out. They won't let me in. Now I'm making my album outside the borders." Last year, MTV banned MIA's single "Sunflowers" because it was a song about a suicide bomber.

Rapper Beanie Sigel Heads Straight To Studio After Shooting, Details Emerge

Rapper Beanie Sigel was released from a Philadelphia hospital this morning (May 25), after suffering gun shot wounds to both arms in what police believe was an attempted robbery. Sigel rode away from the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in a chauffeured vehicle with a towel over his head and his arm in a sling. The rapper was shot earlier this morning around 8:00 a.m. Sources told AllHipHop.com that Sigel was found near 22nd and Sigel Street, the street from which the rapper's name derives. Sources said his family has a residence in the area. Sigel told police that five black men in two vehicles boxed him in and that a bearded man in jeans and boots opened fired, hitting the rapper once in his upper-right arm. Sigel's wallet, watch and other items were taken. The rapper was treated for his injury and released. Police have yet to announce suspects in the shooting, and detectives are unsure where in Philadelphia the shooting actually occurred. Reps for Sigel told AllHipHop.com that the rapper went straight to the studio after the shooting to finish recording songs for his new album, tentatively titled The Bad Guy. Sigel is planning to release an untitled song to this weekend (May 27). In November, Sigel was briefly jailed by a Philadelphia Family Court judge for missing back child support payments. In September, the rapper was acquitted of attempted-murder charges in relation to a 2003 shooting in front of a Philadelphia bar. The next month, his stepfather Sam Derry was shot and killed and then set on fire. Police arrested a 22-year-old Philadelphia man for the murder.

Former Editor-In Chief Of The Source Jailed

Dasun Allah, the former Editor-In-Chief of The Source magazine, was jailed yesterday for six months after being convicted of striking two people with a satchel filled with gravel earlier in January. According to the New York Post, Manhattan prosecutors charged that Allah, whose real name is David Blanks, hit a pair of strangers with the satchel on Jan. 8 while in Harlem with no discernible motive. Authorities charge that Allah hit the men in the head and caused "substantial pain." The 32-year-old scribe, who has written for the likes of the Village Voice, had pled guilty in March and was free on $5,000 bail. Allah has another case pending where he stands accused of decimating a Jehovah's Witness sanctuary in October of 2005, a felonious offense if he is convicted. According to reports, the editor was booted from the religious sect 13 years ago and claimed they "mentally molested" him.

Lupe Fiasco's Debut Gets Pushed Back

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor has been pushed back from its June 27 release date, a result of an early leak of the freshman debut. The highly-anticipated album was leaked to the Internet over a month ago to the ire of the artist and Atlantic Records. A representative for the label confirmed that Lupe has begun recording new songs for a revised version of Food & Liquor. In a previous report, Lupe suggested that he has secured feature appearances from Jay-Z, Pharrell, Jill Scott, Three-6 Mafia and others. "My project wasn't completed, there's all a lot of other things I had orchestrated and arranged for the album. The leak kind of takes away from the experience I had planned for myself and for the experience I had planned for my fans," he said. "You see the kids that have downloaded it from the Internet and s**t, that's them. They're not going to experience it on June 27th, but my audience is way bigger than [that]." Atlantic Records has not released a new street date for Food & Liquor

Wendy Williams Talks 'Drama,' Prepares First Novel

Radio personality Wendy Williams is entering the world of literature with a new series of novels.
Williams' first book Drama Is Her Middle Name: The Ritz Harper Chronicles Vol. 1 is part of an on-going series about her alter-ego, Ritz Harper, a famous radio personality.
"She gets to be super-sized by a backstabbing college friend," Williams told AllHipHop.com of the novel's main character. "It's kind of like a moral thing, like, 'Would you do that?' She just runs away with her new super-sized fame money, fortune, the whole bit. Ritz starts my series of novels."
Published by Harlem Moon and written with author Karen Hunter (LL Cool J, Karrine "Superhead" Steffans), Drama's storyline somewhat mirror's that of Williams' actual career, and according to a press release for the book, "readers will salivate as they try to figure out where the fictional Ritz ends and the real-life Wendy begins."
Williams, who will release the next novel in the series in December, also revealed that she is the new spokesperson for liquor brand Alize. "You'll be seeing cutouts and all that other kind of jazz in stores very soon," she said.
Drama Is Her Middle Name : The Ritz Harper Chronicles Vol. 1 hits shelves June 20.

Police Officer Wins $10 Million Judgment Against Rapper Turk

A police officer that was injured in a shoot-out with former Hot Boy Tab "Turk" Virgil has won a $10 million dollar judgment against the rapper.
The judgment stems from a shoot-out in a Memphis area apartment complex in January 2004. As SWAT team members raided the apartment seeking a cache of drugs, Deputy Chris Harris was shot in the jaw, hip arm and calf.
A jury convicted Virgil, after ballistics evidence found gunfire residue on his shorts. The rapper has maintained his innocence and denied firing a weapon.
In August of 2005, Virgil was convicted of being a felon with a handgun, a fugitive with a handgun and a drug addict with a handgun.
Virgil made his mark as a member of Cash Money Records’ hit group, The Hot Boys. The group featured fellow New Orleans rappers Juvenile, B.G. and Lil’ Wayne.
Virgil was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted second-degree murder. The rapper was also sentenced to 10 years for being a felon, drug addict and fugitive in possession of a firearm. The rapper the sentences consecutively.

B.G. Recording New Album Executive Produced By T.I., Readies New Chopper City Projects

Only two months after the release of his album The Heart Of Tha Streetz: Vol. 2 (I Am What I Am), New Orleans rapper Christopher "B.G." Dorsey has a new album in the works. B.G.'s new album B.G. Presents Life With Chopper City will be released by his record company Chopper City Records, which is distributed by Atlantic Record umbrella. The album will also be executive produced by platinum recording artist T.I. and features Mannie Fresh, T.I., Juvenile, and Chopper City Records' newest edition, The Chopper City Boyz. "Each of The Chopper City Boyz has a different style," B.G. said. "On my album, I chose beats that would work with each member of the Chopper City Boyz and featured them on different tracks as a way to introduce them individually." The group, which includes B.G.'s brother Hakizzle, VL Mike, Gar and Sniper, is already gaining popularity from their appearance on B.G.'s The Heart Of Tha Streetz: Vol. 2 (I Am What I Am). Chopper City Records will introduce another act to the world this year with the release of newly signed R&B crooner K'Jon's debut album, This Is Me. B.G. has sold over seven million records worldwide.

Rapper Beanie Sigel Shot

Philadelphia rapper Beanie Sigel was shot this morning (May 25) on a South Philadelphia street. While details are still being confirmed, sources told AllHipHop.com that Sigel was shot in a robbery attempt.
Police said shortly after 8:00 am, 5 men in two vehicles boxed the rapper in and that a man with a beard, jeans and boots open-fired on Sigel, striking him twice in the arm.
Sigel drove himself to a local hospital where he is being treated and expected to recover.

Set Yo Tivo To Stunna!

The Bay area is the spot right now if you’re down with the Hyphy movement. The Hyphy movement’s origins are hotly contested, and to some hardcore hip hop heads it’s meanings are obscured with confusion. For those that are looking to pick up a pair of Stunna shades and get down with the cause the hyphy movement is essentially hip hop music rowdier than the Dirty’s crunk sound with all inhibitions stripped away. The movement has its own dances, slang, fashion and car culture (ghost ride the whip!). For those that are really trying to educate themselves on the Hyphy craze tune into BET next week as Rap City gets hyphy’d up. The schedule for the week long showcase is as follows: Monday 5/29/06 - Too Short: A Day in the Life. Tuesday 5/30/06 - Hyphy: A subculture of Hip Hop. Wednesday 5/31/06 - E-40: His second wind. Thursday 6/01/06 - Hieroglyphics & Davey D: The Past, Present, & Future. Friday 6/02/06 - Bay Area: The Road Map. Shake dem dreads! Yip Yip!

Hip Hop IS Music

Hip Hop IS Music, the growing label launched by Braille of Lightheaded fame, recently announced a series of new releases for the second half of the oh-six. Braille, fresh off of a 30 day European tour, states that June 14th will bring the good people of Japan a new Braille solo record titled Box Of Rhymes. The Japanese version will have exclusive songs that won’t appear on the worldwide version, which will be released later this year. DJ Balance and Surreal are prepping their Hip Hop IS Music debut, Future Classic for a 2006 release and Deepspace5 member Sivion is putting the finishing touches on his solo debut, Spring of the Songbird. Sivion’s album features production from Ohmega Watts and appearances from Othello, Braille, Theory Hazit, and Freddy Bruno.

Kweli Preps Eardrum

Fresh off his performance at the already legendary Roots concert at Radio City Music Hall this past weekend, the man known as Talib Kweli has leaked a new track to the masses off his upcoming full length LP, Eardrum. The LP, which will be released on Kweli’s own Blacksmith Music record label is slated for a late summer release date. The track, produced by Kwame is titled Listen and is available to stream by clicking here.

Slumlord Music Drops New LP

After touring throughout 2006 and opening for nationwide acts such as Juvenile and Three Six Mafia, Midwest hard-hitter STR8 Caine from Slumlord Music will now hit the masses with his new album Blow. The albums title-cut will also make the cut for the new Soul River/Gant Pictures film Make It Funky set for a Fall release by Lions Gate Films. Look for Caine to also make appearances as a featured halftime performer for the upcoming 2006-2007 ABA Season. For more info on Caine, or to preview new tracks or to download ringtones, hit up slumlordmusic.com.

Mr. Dibbs teams With Rob Viktum

Cincinnati DJ Mr. Dibbs, probably best known as the touring DJ for Atmosphere and the founder of Scribble Jam, has teamed with Dallas beatsmith Rob Viktum, member of the Socialists and Ground Opening, to form 9th Circle. The duo plan to release a series of nine albums, the first of which is due soon on Dibbs’s own Self Core Records. Vocalists include Murs, Barfly, Terror, Grayskul, and others. You can check some audio on their myspace page. More news as it develops.

OutKast Gets Idlewild

By now you probably know that the soundtrack to Idlewild, the Prohibition-era film starring Andre 3000 and Big Boi, is scheduled for an August 22nd release- three days before the release of the film itself. However, unless you copped the May 26th issue of Entertainment Weekly, you might have missed some interesting news about the duo. While it should come as no surprise that EW paints OutKast as a group on the verge of a major schism, the article reveals that Dre and Big Boi currently record in different studios and further quotes Big Boi as stating, "That sh-t’s f---ed up, for real", referring to Dre's unwillingness to tour as a member of OutKast. EW further reports that the duo only appears together in three of Idlewild's scenes and that the accompanying soundtrack features very few songs with vocals by both members. Ultimately, no one interviewed by EW is confident enough to explicitly predict the group’s demise and since those interviewed include both Dre and Big Boi (and since we’ve heard this story before), I would wait to hear it from the horse’s mouth. However, I thought you’d like to know.

"Rap City" Hits Up the Bay, Gets Hyphy With E-40 and Too Short

BET's "RapCity" will get "hyphy" next week as it travels to Bay Area for a week of programming beginning Monday (May 29).
BET cameras captured three days of footage in Northern California's Bay Area, spending time with Bay Area artists like Too Short, E-40 and The Hieroglyphics. They also focused on the new cultural phenomenon known as hyphy.
"Hyphy is like the rebirth of hip-hop," "RapCity" host Madd Linx proclaimed.
Though born in Oakland, the Hyphy movement has now spread throughout the country, where it has continued to draw widespread attention.
In related news, "Rap City" recently featured an exclusive interview with Hot 97 New York personality DJ Envy who spoke candidly about his recent beef with rival radio personality Star formerly of the "Star and Bucwild Morning Show."
The full schedule is as follows:
Monday, May 29 - "Too Short: A Day in the Life?"
Tuesday, May 30 - "Hyphy: A Subculture of Hip Hop"
Wednesday, May 31 - "E-40: His second wind"
Thursday, June 1 - "Hieroglyphics & Davey D: The Past, Present, & Future"
Friday, June 2 - "Bay Area: The Road Map"
Saturday, June 3 - "Top 10 Countdown"

A Man Killed at NY Hip-Hop Club, Three Others Wounded

A man was killed and three others wounded following a shooting outside of the Opus 22 Cafe and Lounge in New York last night (May 24).
According to police, a bouncer is suspected to have opened fire on four men following an argument in front of the hip-hop/r&b lounge. The bouncer then fled the scene.
One victim, a 25-year-old Puerto Rican man, was pronounced dead on the scene while the three others, all twenty-something, were wounded and taken to hospitals. Police says one was in critical condition while the other two are in stable condition. Police searched for the suspect for hours before cuffing a 30-year-old man in connection to the incident in Brooklyn this morning.
Witnesses outside Opus say the dispute began when several partygoers of an ending function, an open mic night, refused to leave to allow a second party to start. The incident reportedly took place at around 11 p.m.
According to the club's website, Opus 22 held "Afterlight Tuesdays," a weekly after-work party featuring hip-hop, R&B and reggae music from 5 to 11 p.m. The site also says DJ Self was slated to spin for a second party starting at 11 p.m.

L.A. Judge Says B.I.G.'s Family Attorney Lied, Knew About Informant Comments

The federal judge who called a mistrial in the Wallace family's wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles recently said a lawyer for the Wallaces "absolutely deceived" the court.
U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper made the comments after a lawyer for the city accused the Wallace family's legal team of lying when claiming that the city purposely withheld evidence. Judge Cooper called a mistrial in the suit after discovering that statements by a police informant connecting The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder with two crooked cops, David Mack and Rafael Perez, were being hidden.
The judge also ordered the city to pay $1.1 million in legal fees to the Wallace family as sanctions for intentionally withholding the aforementioned evidence.
In a status conference held yesterday (May 23) for a retrial, city attorney Vincent Marella showed Judge Cooper a report prepared for the plaintiffs that shows the city had knowledge of the informant's comments as early as 2002. Judge Cooper said she was "outraged" after examining the report. She reportedly told Perry Sanders, the Wallace family's attorney, of her disapproval over the phone.
"I believe you have absolutely deceived this court into believing that you knew nothing about this," Cooper said.
Sanders answered that he realized that his defense team had been "previously contacted" by the informant shortly after telling the court he knew nothing about the informant. Sanders then said he "made it clear" to the court that he knew of the informant. Sanders offered that the city's lawyers took a document submitted by his defense team and "used it against us."
"It's inappropriate and we plan to thoroughly address these allegations in the course of the next seven days," Sanders told the Associated Press.
A spokesman for the city attorney's office declined to comment on the case since he didn't attend the status conference. Judge Cooper stopped the sharing of information between the two parties and added that she is not likely to allow the Wallace family to file a revised version of their lawsuit, as they previously requested. The judge also mentioned that the two parties have been trying to settle the case without success. A month after Judge Cooper called a mistrial; the Los Angeles City Council rejected the family's offer to settle the case for $18 million.
"This might be the time to settle this case," Cooper revealed.
Voletta Wallace, Biggie's mother, and Faith Evans, his widow, sued the city and others four years ago, alleging wrongful death and accusing Los Angeles Police Department officials of covering up the involvement of corrupt officers in the killing. To date Mack, Perez and Marion "Suge" Knight, whom they suspect of being connected to the murder, have denied any involvement.
Born Christopher Wallace, Biggie was killed on March 9, 1997, after a party at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. His slaying has yet to be solved.

NYC Graf Artists Are Being Watched, Cameras Put On Subway Trains

New York City's Transit Authority recently proposed to put cameras in subway cars in an effort to halt graffiti writers from burning their tags into train windows.
According to the New York Post, transit officials are considering putting both surveillance cameras on trains and replacing subway windows with protective mylar in order to end the recent rise in acid etching - a form of graffiti where writers burn glass windows with their tags using acid.
The cameras will not be watched live but hope to be used as a tool to catch criminals.
"The kids will always find a way to get their name out there on the trains," legendary graffiti writer Cope 2 aka Fernando Carlo told the Post. "All you'd have to do is wear a hood, and they wouldn't be able to identify you."
On the other hand longtime anti-graffiti spokesperson City Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr. was thrilled by the idea. "The MTA has finally come around," Vallone told the Post.
In related news, clothing designer Marc Ecko has been fighting for the rights of graf artists in both New York and Denver in recent months.

Jurors Hear Both Tracks in Ludacris Song-Jacking Case

Jurors compared Ludacris' "Stand Up" to I.O.F.'s "Straight Like That" in a copyright infringement lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, NY yesterday (May 23).
New Jersey-based I.O.F. is suing Ludacris, Kanye West, who produced the track, and Universal Music for allegedly stealing the chorus on "Straight Like That." According to reports, two out of 10 jurors bopped their heads as they listened to "Stand Up," but didn't budge when listening to I.O.F's cut.
Mel Sachs, the attorney who represents the group, assured the court that he would prove that Ludacris heard "Straight Like That" before releasing "Stand Up" in 2003. The former dropped in September 2001 and only played on college radio. Sachs added that hundreds of the single's promotional copies were distributed and that a Ludacris representative reached out to BMS Entertainment, the production company that produced "Straight Like That."
According to Sachs, the issue is that the words "like that" are repeated 80 times in both songs. The word "straight" precedes "like that" in I.O.F.'s version while the word "just" precedes it on Luda's version.
Christine Lepera, lawyer for Luda, West and EMI April Music Inc., says that I.O.F. is trying to claim rights to the words "like that."
"None of you can monopolize certain expressions," Lepera said in court. Meanwhile, Sachs pleaded the jury not to be "blinded by celebrity."
Last July, a New York federal judge denied Ludacris and Kanye's motion to have the case dismissed, forcing the duo to stand trial. Universal, Luda and Kanye are being sued for $10 million in damages.
The suit was first filed back in 2004. Several months after the suit was filed, I.O.F. released the dis track "Fuck Ludacris," claiming that Luda subliminally aimed at them on "Pass Out" off the emcee's Red Light District album.

Lyrics Born Preps U.S. Tour

After a terrific showing at the Coachella Valley Music Festival, Quannum recording artist, Lyrics Born will set out on a three month tour of the United States. The non-hyphy Bay Area rapper started things off last night in Portland, Oregon and he'll work his way down the West Coast until he reaches Benbow, CA June 6. At which point, Lyrics Born, real name Tom Shimura, will switch coasts to perform at another festival, the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, TN as well as Lollapalooza in Chicago ultimately finishing the tour with stops on the famous, Santa Monica Pier and Paradise in Boston. According to his website, mixes for the Lyrics Born live album are going through approvals right now and the new studio material for the album is being mixed and recorded as well. All the work is in hopes of a late summer release date. As if Shimura wasn't busy enough he's also mastering his wife, Joyo Velarde's solo album, featuring production nods to RJD2, Headnodic, Jumbo of Lifesavas and Jake One. LB On Tour:
05-19 Seattle, WA - Neumos
05-20 Bellingham, WA - The Nightlight Lounge
05-21 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall
05-27 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
05-31 Santa Cruz, CA - Moes Alley
06-03 Fairfax, CA - 19 Broadway
06-03 Benbow, CA - Benbow Lake State Recreation Area
06-04 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
06-17 Indianapolis, IN - Major Taylor Skate Park
06-18 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
06-20 Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Nightclub
06-21 Newport, KY - Southgate House
06-22 Chicago, IL - The Abbey Pub
06-23 Milwaukee, WI - Stonefly Brewery
06-24 Clarks Grove, MN - Harmony Park Music Garden
07-27 Santa Monica, CA - Santa Monica Pier
08-05 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
08-11 Boston, MA - Paradise

Nagin Reelected in New Orleans

Since the devastating Hurrcane Katrina tore apart New Orleans and much of the southern coast, Ray Nagin refused to just be another forgotten citizen in this country. As the Mayor of New Orleans, Nagin surprised many by verbally attacking President Bush's plans for evacuation and the government assistance the region was forced to do without. Nagin told the Associated Press, "This is a great day for the city of New Orleans. This election is over, and it's time for this community to start the healing process." Nagin himself, was the focus of the election based on his comments on New Orleans being a "Chocolate City", frankly discussing race for the first time in decades by a political figure. His views most likely divided outside voters as much as it divided his own followers.”You're not going to get a typical Ray Nagin speech. I'm not going to get into trouble tonight, trust me, it's time for us to stop the bickering. It's time for us to stop measuring things in black and white and yellow and Asian. It's time for us to be one New Orleans," Nagin also said.Nagin is said to be working with President Bush now to alleviate pressure on the region and bring millions of dollars in revenue back to the city, for levees and the rebuilding process. "It's time for a real partnership" Nagin said, "It's time for us to get together and rebuild this city.His second term will start May 31, a day before the hurricane season.

Diddy Producing Untitled Dance Series For MTV

MTV announced an agreement today (May 24) to produce a pilot for an untitled dance competition series produced by Sean "Diddy" Combs, producer of the successful Making the Band series that airs on the music network. According to reports, Combs' untitled show will focus on street dancers from around the country. Combs announced a first-look production agreement with MTV in March of 2005. "It gives me a chance to create content but it also doesn't limit me to do things outside," Combs noted after signing the deal. The new series comes on the heels of Combs' reality show Celebrity Cooking Showdown, which aired on NBC. The show, hosted by Alan Thicke, featured various celebrities racing to complete a fancy meal before a studio audience. NBC was originally scheduled to run the series for five consecutive nights beginning April 17, but canceled it in April, with two episodes remaining. In related news, Combs will reprise his Broadway role in the stage classic A Raisin in the Sun. Combs will star in the TV version of the play, which will also feature cast members Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan. Combs starred in revival of the play, which was nominated for four Tony Awards in 2004. A Raisin in the Sun originally opened in 1959 and featured Sidney Poitier, Louis Gossett Jr. and Ruby Dee.

Mitchy Slick, DJ Quik Launch Tour

West Coast rapper/producer DJ Quik will hit the road this summer for a nationwide tour beginning June 3 in Park City, Utah.
Quik will be accompanied by Strong Arm Steady Crew member Mitchy Slick.
The tour comes as Slick gears up for the release of his sophomore album Urban Survival Syndrome, which features appearances from Xzibit, Kokane, Krondon, and Phil Da Agony, as well as production by DJ Muggs, DJ Khalil, Fredwreck, and Jelly Roll.
As a producer, Quik has helped garner gold and platinum-plated albums for 2Pac, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre, among others.
Urban Survival Syndrome is scheduled for release on July 19.
The following is a list of DJ Quik and Mitchy Slick's tour dates:
June 3, Harry O's (Park City, Utah)
June 4, The Big Easy Concert House (Boise, Idaho)
June 7, The Big Easy Concert House (Spokane, Wash.)
June 8, The Showbox (Seattle)
June 9, Roseland Theatre (Portland, Ore.)
June 10, The Filmore (San Francisco)
June 13-14, House of Blues (Los Angeles)
June 15-16, House of Blues (Anaheim, Calif.)
June 17, House of Blues (San Diego)
June 18, Marquee Theat (Tempe, Ariz.)

Smack DVD Magazine Prepares First National Release

Smack DVD Magazine is planning their first release since entering into a distribution deal with Koch Records last. Smack The Album: Vol. 1 features new, exclusive music from DMX, Young Jeezy, Fat Joe, Bun B, B.G., Juvenile, Maino and Stack Bundles among others. The DVD segment includes videos, performances and interviews from Paul Wall, Mike Jones, E-40, Mannie Fresh, Murder Inc. and Funkmaster Flex. The Koch deal marks the first time that the quarterly DVD magazine has had major retail distribution. The two disc set will be sold at all Trans World Entertainment stores including FYE, Sam Goody, Target, Best Buy and Circuit City, as well as mom and pop locations. "We are enthusiastic about the opportunity we have to bring our title to a national market," owner and CEO Troy "Smack" Mitchell told AllHipHop.com. "It's more than just a DVD - it's a movement. Plain and simple, we are the streets." Since its inception in November 2002, Smack has sold over 750,000 copies of its DVD units. The DVD magazine focuses on the various contents of the entertainment, movie, television, fashion and sports industries. In related news, this fall Smack plans to produce a Raw & Uncensored DVD featuring previously unreleased footage from prior volumes. According to reps, a Smack print magazine and documentary video series are also said to be in the works. Smack The Album: Vol. 1 is scheduled to hit stores on June 6.

The Game Arrested In LA Suburb

Rapper The Game was arrested this past Saturday (May 20) in Burbank, Calif., and charged with possession of a dangerous weapon after police pulled his vehicle over in the suburb of Los Angeles.
The Compton, California-bred rapper, born Jayceon Taylor, was detained around 9 p.m.
Sources told AllHipHop.com that Game was pulled over for having no license plate on his 2006 Bentley and having a tint on his windows that was too dark.
While police did not confirm why the rapper was initially stopped, Lt. Puglisi of the Burbank Police Department did confirm that Game was arrested, charged with possession of a dangerous weapon, and released on $20,000 bail.
Sources also told AllHipHop.com that police found a set of brass knuckles in the rapper's car, resulting in his arrest and his vehicle being impounded.
Representatives for The Game did not comment.

50 Cent Takes Top Honors At ASCAP Awards

G-Unit rapper 50 Cent was named Songwriter of the Year yesterday (May 22) at the 23rd annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards.
The rapper received the honor for his contributions to "Candy Shop," "Disco Inferno," "Hate It Or Love It," "How We Do," and "Just A Lil Bit."
Although 50 Cent wasn't at the ceremony, he voiced his appreciation in a video message, stating, "I want to tell you that I use you for energy. I listen to the material that you create…it helps me move to the next level…it inspires me to write even more exciting material."
The occasion marks the second time the wordsmith received the ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year honor.
Hosted by ASCAP President & Chairman Marilyn Bergman, the ASCAP Pop Music Awards spotlight the songwriters responsible for some of today's most popular music.
Other honorees included Jermaine Dupri and Sean Garrett, who picked up four awards each; Scott Storch (3); and Dr. Dre, Ludacris, Missy Elliott, Nelly, and The Game (2).
Dupri, Johnta Austin and Seal received the Song of the Year award for co-writing Mariah Carey's hit single "We Belong Together." The song tied with Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams for the award.
EMI Music Publishing took home the award for Publisher of the Year for the fourth consecutive year.
The company was honored for a host of songs, including the Black Eyed Peas' "Don't Phunk With My Heart," Alicia Keys' "Karma," and Destiny's Child's "Lose My Breath."
More than 700 songwriters, recording artists and music industry leaders attended the event, which was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Soundtrack To Dolemite Reissued On CD

The soundtrack to the cult classic film Dolemite is being reissued by Relapse Records for the first time on CD.
Representatives for Relapse told AllHipHop.com that the reissue will contain rare and exclusive bonus tracks, radio ads from the film and the sequel, a 28-page-booklet written by Moore's biographer Mark Jason, and never before seen photos.
Rudy May Moore conceived the smooth street character Dolemite in the mid-1960's after hearing a panhandler tell a story about "Dolemite," a mythical black hero with super strength who could kill women with the power of his love-making.
Moore released several albums under the moniker Dolemite, but the albums were so raunchy that they were regularly banned from record stores. Moore issued his self-financed debut Eat Out More Often in 1970 under his own name.
In 1975, he shot the low-budget spoof Dolemite in Los Angeles and followed with the films The Human Tornado (1976) and The Devil's Son-In-Law (1977).
Images from the movie have since been incorporated into various Hip-Hop videos, and the character has had an influence on scores of rappers, including Ice-T, Ol' Dirty Bastard and Snoop Dogg, who featured Moore as Dolemite in his 1994 video for "Doggy Dogg World," from Snoop's breakthrough album Doggystyle.
"Without Rudy Ray Moore, there would be no Snoop Dogg, and that's for real," Snoop Dogg said of the pioneer, while fellow West coaster Ice T added: "Dolemite is really the flyest man of all time in film history. People just don't know. He shaped a lot of Black men including myself with his strength and his ability just to show us how we are."
In 2001, it was announced that rapper LL Cool J would star in a remake of Dolemite for Dimension Films.
The soundtrack to Dolemite hits stores June 27 in the United States and July 3 internationally.

New Mixtapes By Eminem and Lloyd Banks On The Way

DJ Whoo Kid is preparing to invade the mixtape circuit with a pair of upcoming releases. The Hot 97 disc spinner has aligned with Eminem for a new Shady Records mixtape titled The Re-Up. The album is a collaboration with the Detroit rapper and his resident DJ, Alchemist, and will feature music and freestyles from Obie Trice, D12, and 50 Cent, in addition to Eminem, who returns to the mixtape scene after a hiatus. DJ Whoo Kid will also unveil Lloyd Banks' new mixtape Mo' Money in the Bank Pt. 4 - Gangrene Season is Now. The project, according to G-Unit leader 50 Cent, is the lyricist's best music and collection of freestyles to date. Whoo Kid, who can be heard every Saturday on Sirius Satellite's Shade 45 channel with G-Unit Radio, is expected to complete his Bay Bidness Pt. 2 mixtape with E-40 and DJ E-Rock, as well as a French mixtape with DJ Cut Killer. Both releases are will be available soon. Mo' Money in the Bank Pt. 4 - Gangrene Season is Now hits streets Thursday (May 28), while The Re-Up is slated to be released in another week. Listeners can win free CDs by tuning in to Whoo Kid's Sirius radio show and his POW! Radio show on Hot 97 over the next two weeks.