Nas Resurrects NY Hip-Hop, Performs For Hometown

With the release date of his long-awaited album, Hip Hop Is Dead, just around the corner, Nas is set to perform for his hometown fans.
God's Son is scheduled to rock the New York City's Nokia Theatre in Times Square on December 22. Fans are eagerly anticipating the show, as many are wondering if the Queensbridge MC will be joined on stage by label head Jay-Z.
As previously reported, the two hip-hop icons recently attended an advanced listening session for Nas' new album in NYC, teasing attendees by only playing a portion of their collaboration reportedly titled "Black Republican."
In related news, Nas will also be debuting his new video for the album's lead single, "Hip Hop Is Dead" today (November 29) on BET's "Access Granted" at 8:00 p.m. EST. The video is the first for the illmatic emcee since joining the Def Jam fold.
Hip-Hop Is Dead features appearances by some of hip-hop's elite including The Game, Kanye West and Snoop Dogg with production by a host of notable beatmakers including Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, Just Blaze, and will.i.am, among others.
Hip Hop Is Dead hits stores on December 19.

DJ Clue Signs Up The Game, Kanye & Lil' Wayne for 3rd LP

DJ Clue is currently gearing up for release of his third album, The Professional Part 3.
Due in stores next month, the album features appearances from The Game, Juelz Santana, Mobb Deep, Beanie Sigel, Snoop Dogg, Young Jeezy, Lil' Wayne, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, Mike Jones, Jagged Edge, Styles P, M.O.P., Paul Wall and Fat Joe, among others. Production on the project is supplied by Clue, Swizz Beatz, LT Hutton, Develop, Doughboyz, Chops, Baby Paul and Heatmakerz.
The first single off the album, "Like This" features Fabolous and Kanye West, which can currently be heard on Clue's MySpace page.
In related news, Fabolous, who is an artist under Clue's Desert Storm imprint and recently signed to Def Jam, will release his fourth album, From Nothing To Something, in early 2007.
The Professional Part 3 is scheduled to hit stores on December 19 via Roc-A-Fella /Def Jam.

Despite Early Reports Jay-Z Sells 680K, "It Didn't Live Up To People's Expectations"

Despite fluctuating sales, Jay-Z's Kingdome Come has topped T.I.'s King as the year's top selling hip-hop album with 680,000 units sold, according to Nielsen's SoundScan.
After selling a massive amount of units its first day, early reports had Kingdome Come selling over 800,000 copies with a chance at reaching 850,000. Weekend sales then revealed that the album was projected to sell between 700,000 and 730,000 units. Now that the official reports have surfaced, Kingdome Come has nabbed Billboard's top spot with 680,000 CDs sold.
"The album was flying off the shelves, man," Anthony Omor, Customer Service Supervisor for Times Square's Virgin Megastore, told us. "It's number one in our store right now."
Meanwhile, lukewarm reviews may have contributed to Hov's numbers dropping. Bloggers all over the internet have slammed the album while fans are increasingly voicing their disappointment with the God Emcee's comeback LP.
"I can see why they would say they're disappointed in the sales," Omor offered. "I think a lot of fans weren't too happy with the album neither though. People were expecting it to be this great album and it's hard to live up to what The Black Album was, you know. I think it didn't live up to people's expectations."
Still, Kingdome Come registers as the year's best selling rap album and the third overall best selling album behind Rascal Flatts' Me And My Gang (714k) and Justin Timberlake's Future Sex/Love Sounds (711k).

Snoop Reveals Details On Suge Knight Beef In New 'Rolling Stone'

Snoop Dogg may be one of the most easy going rappers in Hip-Hop, but the West Coast rhymeslinger exposed a different persona years ago while contemplating the death of his former Death Row Records boss Marion "Suge" Knight. In an upcoming interview with Rolling Stone, Snoop traced the source of his frustration to when Dr. Dre left Death Row to start his Aftermath record label. That move, coupled with Snoop's defection to Master P's No Limit Records, resulted in bad blood with Knight, who was serving a five year jail sentence at the time. "The n***a threatened my life when he was in jail," Snoop revealed to the publication. "N***as tried to get at me at concerts; they put my address on a tape. He was gonna give a n***a a Benz if a n***a cut my hair. All kinda f****n' with me." Despite the attempts, Snoop had a plan for shifting the momentum of the beef after Knight was released from jail in 2001. "I had to let him know I didn't give a f***k about none of that fake-a** power s**t you was supposed to be on, and all this money and all these Bloods you hidin' behind," the rapper explained. "I felt like challenging him would either expose his whole card or I would have to kill the n***a. And I was ready to do it. That's where I was with it. So when he got out of jail, I'm f****n' with him." The conflict escalated further with the release of the song "Pimp Slapp'd," a diss song aimed at Knight. "I stepped to him [four years ago] at the BET Awards with my n***as, and he was more scared than a motherf****r," Snoop said. "That was the scenario when n***as knew the balance had shifted. That's when everybody felt like the floodgates was open on Suge. Snoop dissed him in public, and he didn't do nothing." Despite Knights fearsome reputation, Snoop brushed off any fear of retribution from Knight. "Never was afraid of him," the lyricist told Rolling Stone. "I was afraid I was gonna have to kill him. That's what I was afraid of." Snoop credited his friend and spiritual advisor Bishop Don Magic Juan, for offering a peaceful alternative in the form of discussion. "Bishop kept saying, 'I don't like that situation. Y'all need to talk.'" the rapper said. "I was like, 'F talking. F*** that n***a.' But after hearin' him say it so many times, it got to the point where I was on peace, like, 'OK, I ain't tryin to f*** cuz up.' A lot of n***as put fuel to the fire. Bishop put water. It takes a grown man to do that." The full Snoop Dogg cover story can be found in the new issue of Rolling Stone, which hits newstands Friday (Dec. 1).

Snoop Dogg Arrested Outside NBC Studios

Snoop Dogg was arrested yesterday (Nov. 28) in Burbank, CA, as he was leaving NBC studios after a performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Snoop, 35, and two associates were pulling out of NBC studios around 6pm, when police stopped their vehicle, armed with a search warrant.
All three men were arrested after police found a handgun, and small amounts of marijuana and cocaine in the vehicle.
Snoop was arrested for investigation of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possessing cocaine, transporting marijuana and having a false compartment in his vehicle.
Also arrested were Michael Mingo, 33 and Lovell Polk, 36. According to police, both men are acknowledged gang members who are associates of the rapper.
Snoop Dogg, who dropped his new album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, was released on $60,000 bail.
Police obtained the search warrant for last night's arrest, after an investigation that started when Snoop Dogg was arrested in October at Bob Hope Airport.
In that incident, police found a gun and marijuana in the rapper's car,
In September, Snoop Dogg was arrested for carrying a deadly weapon at John Wayne Airport. In that case, the rapper was accused of trying to sneak a collapsible baton in his luggage through an airport security check point.
Snoop Dogg is slated to appear in court Monday (Dec. 4) to answer the charges at John Wayne Airport, while the rapper will be arraigned for the latest charges on Jan. 11.

Raekwon OB4CL2 Press Release

Reprinted directly from Raekwon's Official MySpace Blog: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II will be the fourth studio album from Wu-Tang Clan rap artist Raekwon. It will serve as a sequel to Raekwon's 1995 album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and is to feature Wu-Tang members GZA and Inspectah Deck almost exclusively. Some tracks are the result of several LA studio sessions originally aimed towards creating a new Clan album. The album is to be released as a joint venture between Wu-Tang and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Producers are set to include RZA, Dr. Dre, Scram Jones, and J Dilla. Nas and Fat Joe have been approached about guest appearances, and Busta Rhymes (who is, informally, co-executive producing the project) will probably be on the album as well. Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist, John Frusciante is also said to have played guitar on a few joints for this album - and along with a few other RZA beats, in general. Similar to the first Cuban Linx album, "OB4CLII" will be set up in a cinematic fashion, with skits loosely tying each song together in a sort of storyline, and each rapper playing an implied "persona" of sorts; for instance, Raekwon being the main protagonist, with GZA and Inspectah Deck playing "supporting roles" throughout. Tracks that are confirmed are the RZA-produced "Secret Indictment," which will be the second single off of the album (after "State of Grace"), "House Of Flying Daggers" produced by J Dilla, "Kareem Khan" featuring GZA, produced by RZA and Justice (GZA's son), a Raekwon solo produced by RZA: "Thug World", "Rock Stars and Smoking Barrels" featuring GZA and Inspectah Deck "No Matter How Hard You Try" is another RZA produced track and features Inspectah Deck and finally a track produced by Dr. Dre featuring RZA and Busta Rhymes. The main sidekick in "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx", Ghostface Killah is rumored to be appearing on three of the tracks. In a recent interview with MTV Europe, Raekwon said the album was about 96% complete and it's in the sequencing process. The first single off of the album is "State of Grace," produced by RZA, and already has a remix featuring Busta Rhymes. Other rumors include the color purple being included on the album cover to pay homage to the purple cassette that the first Only Built 4 Cuban Linx came out on. According to RZA, the whole Wu-Tang Clan has been confirmed for appearances and at least three Dre beats are favorite picks for the album.Most recently, it was announced on the Wu-Tang Corp. website that Raekwon's management has stated that the album is about done and the production is credited to Dr. Dre and RZA equally.

Can I See Some I-Dee?

The Miami DJ scene is far from weak. For years it’s been the go-to U.S. destination for party rocking and excess, thus producing some of the nation’s finest and most talented turntablists. With his recent signing to the Miami based Premiere Artist Group, it’s time to add another to the mix. Say hello to I-Dee.Fresh off victories at both Scribble Jam and the Gong Battle DJ World Championship, I-Dee has elevated himself to international acclaim and the kid ain’t even old enough to drink legally. He has been spotlighted in The Washington Post, Teen Vogue Magazine, Remix Magazine, and Scratch Magazine. Danish brand Ortofon recently featured I-Dee in their Summer/Fall DJ News magazine, calling him “one of the most dominating young turntablists the US has ever produced.”Following up on his popular self-titled mix tape, I-Dee has announced that he will be releasing his highly anticipated new album on February 5, 2007, and will be embarking on a world tour in support of the album in early 2007. Check for kid.

Dom Pachino Ain’t Nuthin To F**k Wit’

Hardcore Wu-Tang fans know all about Kill Army. The Wu-affiliates dropped their debut in the 90’s at the height of the Wu-Tang reign of supremacy. The crew has been relatively quiet as of late, but the soldiers are not sleeping. Kill Army member Dom Pachino is putting the finishing touches on his solo debut LP, “Rice & Beanz”. Dropping on Napalm Recordings, Pachino declares “Rice & Beanz” to be his “best work to date”. The album is already heavily anticipated by Wu-Tang fans worldwide, and is slated to drop first quarter ’07. To preview two MP3’s off his latest effort click the links below:
Dom Pachino – "Box With Me
"Dom Pachino – "La Calle"

New UGK Double Disc Pushed Back

Representatives from Jive Records recently announced the upcoming album from veteran rap duo UGK will not be released until early 2007.
According to a spokesperson for Jive, UGK's highly anticipated seventh studio album U.G.K. Underground Kingz has been pushed back until February 27 to allow proper setup for the release. The album is the first for the two since Pimp C (born Chad Butler) was paroled last December.
U.G.K. Underground Kingz will feature appearances from Rick Ross, Slim Thug, Sleepy Brown, Three 6 Mafia, Willie D, Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane. The double disc release also includes production from Pimp C, Jazze Pha, Lil Jon, Swizz Beatz and Scarface. Jive has also confirmed that the first album's single will be "The Game Belongs to Me," not "Stop-N-Go" as initially announced.
In related news, Jive has caused fans confusion multiple times this year after repeatedly pushing back the release date for Clipse's sophomore release, Hell Hath No Fury. The release date was eventually moved up, with their record coming out today (November 28).
U.G.K Underground Kingz hits stores on February 27.

Madvillain Takes Form

Fans of the producer, Madlib and the emcee, MF DOOM of the creative duo known as Madvillain will now be immortalized in the form of a new figurine from toymaker, Kidrobot. Kidrobot is an urban designer toy retailer in New York and California. They specialize in artist created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong and Europe. Most of their products include limited editions which become collectors items, based on their small scale releases.
The Madvillain figurine will be released January 4th by Stones Throw Records/Kidrobot and will coincide with the upcoming release of Chrome Children Part 2. The figure will stand 8.5 inches tall and come in two colors with big giant fists to knock you out with. The duo released their latest single on the Chrome Children collective album as well as a live performance on the accompanying DVD.
Kidrobot have also made figurines honoring Q-bert and the Gorillaz and have commissioned special projects with Shepard Fairey of the Obey Giant crew, Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 and Mike Shinoda of Fort Minor.

Young Jeezy Offering Scholarship To Atlanta Area High School Students

Young Jeezy and his label Corporate Thugz Entertainment are putting local Atlanta high school students to the test by offering a $1,000 scholarship to one lucky winner of an essay contest.
The rapper announced the "What Inspires You" Essay contest, in honor of his upcoming sophomore release The Inspiration. High School students in the metro Atlanta area can participate by submitting a 300 word or less essay explaining where their daily inspiration comes from.
The grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship, an autographed CD and poster and a pizza party for the winner's entire senior class.
CTE, which was launched in 1998 with partner Demetrius "Kinky B" Ellerbee, is also involving local Atlanta businesses that will provide goods and services to give the lucky winner the "ultimate Jeezy treatment."
Young Jeezy will personally deliver the grand prize to the winning student's school.
To enter the "What Inspires You" essay contest, mail an essay to Corporate Thugz Ent. Be sure to include your name, return address and telephone number. Students can also email: inspiration@corporatethugzent.com.
All entries must be postmarked by December 4th and the winner will be selected and notified by December 8.
Young Jeezy's The Inspiration hits stores December 12 on Corporate Thugz Entertainment/Def Jam.

BET Preps 'American Gangster,' Programming Hits iTunes

BET viewers will now be able to watch the network’s latest slate of programming, by downloading them on iTunes.
Available shows include BET’s new docudrama American Gangster as well as DMX: Soul of a Man, Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown and Beef: The Series.
BET's latest series American Gangster chronicles the life and times of some of Black America's most notorious crime figures.
The show, which premieres Tuesday (Nov. 28), will showcase profiles of Leroy Nicky Barnes, "Freeway" Ricky Ross, The Chambers Brothers, Fat Cat Nicholas and Stanley "Tookie" Williams and how their actions affected their community.
"Crime is a cancer that eats away at our communities," said Reginald Hudlin, BET President of Entertainment. "But for a generation that grew up thinking greed is good -- whether on Wall Street or Martin Luther King Boulevard -- they're not quite so sure whether crime pays or not. We wanted to take an honest look at the criminal life, demystify that world and show what it does to our community."
In addition to exploring the lives of drug dealers, murderers and thieves, each American Gangster episode will include segments with those affected by the subjects profiled, as well as news footage, photographs and interviews.
The six-part docu-drama is narrated by actor Ving Rhames and executive produced by Nelson George, Frank Sinton (Asylum Entertainment), Mark Rowland and BET.
"We picked figures whose crimes were legendary in their cities and had national, and in some cases, an international dimension," George added. "U.S. presidents play a key role in four of the six episodes, which shows you these criminals were not just purse snatchers."
Viewers can download the first episode of American Gangster right now for free on iTunes.

G-Unit's Spider Loc Talks New Album, Acting Career

G-Unit rapper Spider Loc is preparing a variety of projects as he records upcoming debut album titled West Kept Secret.
The album, which is slated for a 2007 release date, features Young Buck, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and 50 Cent, as well as production from Sha Money XL, Scott Storch Hi-Tek and others.
While Spider Loc's major label debut is being produced, he has gained a loyal fan base by releasing a number of mixtapes, including a recent MixUnit.com collaboration titled Connected with West coast legend DJ Felli Fel and an upcoming Gangsta Grill mixtape with Philly's DJ Drama.
"I'm just trying to make the most quality album I can make," Spider Loc told AllHipHop.com. "It's been a long time coming and there's no need to put a half a** effort out there, so we are cooking it up. It's gonna be the best of the West."
Last week, the South Central native took a break from recording West Kept Secret to star as a character named "Gangster" in an upcoming episode of The WB's dramatic series Cold Case.
"I only have one line on the show, but it's a good start for me," Spider Loc told AllHipHop.com. "[But] I am taking acting serious. I just finished shooting a full length feature film entitled Parole, which costars Master P and Cedric Thomas," Spider Loc told AllHipHop.com.
Parole, a drama/comedy, was shot on location in Compton and South Central, Los Angeles. The flick was lensed by Sal Martino, who edited Master P.'s 2006 comedy, Repos, as well as Larry Elder's 2004's DVD, Michael & Me.
"My character goes to prison quite a bit," Spider Loc revealed. "It's about a woman who has a bone to pick with me. After 15 years of wanting to be next to me, she finally has me in her house, when I am paroled through a prison ministry and she tries to kill me."
West Kept Secret and Parole will be released in 2007.

BET Documents "American Gangsters" In New Series

BET is gearing up to premiere a new series entitled "American Gangster," profiling some of the most notorious crime figures in history.
Narrated by acclaimed actor Ving Rhames, the show will begin airing on November 28 at 10 p.m. EST and will outline the lives and exploits of many of the crime figures who have found a place in street folklore including recently executed Crip founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams, "Freeway Ricky" Ross, Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols and Leroy "Nicky" Barnes, among others. The show's primary objective will be to both examine the personalities behind these notorious figures as well as gauge their lasting impact on the communities in which they made their names known.
"I was born and raised in Harlem. I grew up around a lot of criminals, thugs, dope dealers gangbangers, whatever you want to call it. What I like about American Gangster is it reveals the true side and future of this sort of lifestyle if one chooses to go down that road," said Rhames. "One of the things that we have in our show is basically that with 'hood gangster,' 'hood legend' or what have you, something turns out negative. Whenever you do something that is destructive to your community, to your people, to mankind, it will come back on you and you eventually wind up destroying yourself."
The six-part series will utilize archival footage, photographs and interviews with people familiar with the various cases including ex-members of various criminal organizations, police officials from the time period and attorneys that represented the criminals involved to profile the subjects each week.
"Crime is a cancer that eats away at our communities," said Reginald Hudlin, BET President of Entertainment. "But for a generation that grew up thinking greed is good, whether on Wall Street or Martin Luther King Boulevard , they're not quite so sure whether crime pays or not. We wanted to take an honest look at the criminal life, demystify that world and show what it does to our community."
"AMERICAN GANGSTER" premieres on Tuesday, November 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT with encore episodes on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Big Boi Scores "Girlfriends," Returns To The Big Screen

Big Boi of Outkast is set to appear in three upcoming episodes of the CW series "Girlfriends."
The Atlanta bred rapper will play himself and will discover Lynn, played by Persia White, as a talented musician who he hires to write music and collaborate on an album.
Big Boi will also perform a song written by White's character. The first of the episodes will air on Monday (November 27) at 9:00 p.m. ET.
In related news, Big Boi is currently shooting the independent film Who's Your Caddy?. Boi plays a rap mogul from Atlanta who tries to join a conservative country club but runs into fierce opposition from the Board President.
The flick's cast includes Tamala Jones (Head of State), Faizon Love (Friday) and Jeffrey Jones (How High).

New Ghostface: More Fish Unveiled

Ghostface Killah dropped Fishscale to rave reviews earlier this. Without a pause, Ghost is prepping More Fish for his fans to enjoy.

Ghost ain't going at it alone. This time, the Wu vet is bringing freinds along for the ride. Expect to hear guest spots from Redman, Sheek (of LOX fame) and production from Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Madlib and MF Doom. Of course, The Thodore Unit will also make an appearence.

More Fish is scheduled to hit stores December 12.

In related news, Ghost will also join Redman and Raekwon on the Rock The Bells Tour for a few dates.

The following is a tracklist for More Fish. Enjoy.

"Ghost Is Back"
"Miguel Sanchez"
"Guns N' Razors"
"Outta Town Sh*t"
"Good"
"Street Opera"
"Block Rock"
"Miss Info Celebrity Drama Skit"
"Pokerface"
"Greedy B*tches"
"Josephine"
"Grew Up Hard"
"Blue Armor"
"You Know I'm No Good"
"Alex (Stolen Script)"
"Gotta Hold On"
"Back Like That"

Jay-Z Moves Major Units, Cops Shut Down Release Party In NY

Jay-Z's latest release Kingdom Come is on pace to move an estimated 850,000 copies the first week in stores, giving the rapper the year's best selling CD in one week and another #1 album on the Billboard charts.
Kingdom Come is expected to debut at #1 on Billboard's Top 200 Chart next week, giving the rapper his 9th #1 album.
Jay-Z embarked on a massive promotional blitz for the album that included a world tour, a performance at the American Music Awards, commercials for the NBA, Budweiser and Hewlett-Packard, a one-day "Hangar Tour" of seven cities in 24 hours and continuous coverage on MTV and BET.
Snoop Dogg's Tha Blue Carpet Treatment will battle Chris Daughtrey's self-titled debut for the #2 position, with both albums selling around 270,000 copies.
In related news, police shutdown Avalon on Wednesday (Nov. 22), 30 minutes before the venue was to host hundreds of people celebrating the release of Jay-Z's album.
According to reports, police closed the club because of issues with its certificate of occupancy, which managers had unsuccessfully attempted to resolve for several weeks.
Many patrons that prepaid to attend party left the venue upset, even though Jay-Z was not expected at the event.

Pharrell Williams In Negotiation To Perform At Princess Diana Tribute

Rapper Pharrell Williams is in negotiations to take part in a massive concert to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana.
The charity concert is being planned by Princes William and Harry, and will take place at the new Wembley Stadium on July 1, Princess Diana's 46th birthday, various London newspapers reported today (Nov. 26).
Artists like Madonna, Beyonce, The Killers, Kylie Minogue, George Michael and Elton John are also being considered by the Princes, who are handpicking each act.
Over 90,000 fans will gather for the concert at the new Wembley Stadium, which is due to open in May of 2007. The concert will also be broadcast to fans worldwide.
Prince Charles married Princess Diana in 1981. She became world famous for her charity work and her rocky marriage to Prince Charles, the father of Prince William, 24 and Prince Harry, 22.
The royal marriage came to an end in 1992 and finally divorce, in 1996.
In August of 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a mysterious car crash along with her billionaire boyfriend Dodi Fayed and his chauffeur.
Rumors of a collaboration between Pharrell and Prince William began to surface in July, when the pair met during The Audi Polo charity tournament.
Williams hinted that his collaboration with Prince William could for a charitable cause.
"I spoke to William before he played polo," Williams told reporters in July. "We spoke about doing something. I can't say what it is, except it's going to be big."

Sony Urban To Be Dismantled

According to reports, SonyBMG is planning to dismantle it's Sony Urban Music division, with layoffs at the label coming just before the holiday season.
Layoffs at the label are scheduled to start some time this week. According to the New York Post some of Sony Urban's 70 employees will be reassigned to other labels within SonyBMG starting on or around December 1.
The conglomerate has an interest in a number of ventures, including Arista Records, Epic Records, Columbia Records, J Records, RCA Records, RCA Records and others.
Artists on Sony Urban, which include DMX, Three Six Mafia, Beyonce, Bow Wow, Omarion, John Legend, Amerie and others, will be reassigned to the Epic and Columbia labels.
Layoffs at SonyBMG started last week in the classical music division.

Russell Simmons Lands In South Africa, Issues Statement

Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons landed in South Africa today (Nov. 27) on a fact-finding mission to learn how the diamond industry can positively affect the lives of black Africans living amongst high poverty, HIV and lack of quality education.
Simmons will visit Botswana and South Africa during the fact-finding mission to learn more about the diamond trade.
Today, the 49-year-old mogul visited the Jwaneng diamond mine in Botswana.
"I am here because the most important and powerful Muslim preacher and the most important and powerful Jewish Rabbi I have met in my lifetime - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Rabbi Marc Schnier - both, individually, told me to come here," Simmons told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "I am sending this out because I sincerely believe that the more people I can mobilize to support this mission, the greater chance we’ll have to help improve the quality of life of more of the African people. The more people talk about this mission, the more I can serve humanity. Further, I believe that I am protected by the One God that protects all of humanity."
Simmons was supposed to embark on the nine-day trek with supermodel/tsunami survivor Petra Nemcova, who stayed behind.
The Czech model and wife of singer Jimes Blunt, became the subject of media gossip, which claimed she and Simmons were getting close after the pair were spotted leaving two New York night clubs together, hand-in-hand.
Simmons, who is separated from his wife Kimora Lee, said he and Nemcova were just friends.
Nemcova also denied the rumors in US Weekly saying: "There is nothing truthful about it. I am with James, happy and in love."
"I have heard from Ken Sunshine directly (Petra Nemcova and Leonardo DiCaprio’s publicist) that Petra is worried about the political and, possible, business ramifications of this trip and that she is awaiting her advisers to respond to decide whether she can join me on this trip," Simmons said. "I know her presence as a celebrity and the chairman of her Happy Hearts foundation will give added attention to this mission, which is much needed to make it a success."
Footage of Simmons landing in South Africa will posted on Youtube.com on Nov. 30.

50 Cent & Method Man Present Callused Thumbs At Video Game Awards

50 Cent and Method Man are slated to serve as presenters at Spike TV's fourth annual Video Game Awards next month.
The event, which will be hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, celebrates the designers, the animation, the music and the performances of the past year in video games, while also taking a look to the future of games in 2007 and beyond.
Other celebrities expected to present at the event include Sacramento Kings guard Mike Bibby, half-pipe legend Tony Hawk and actress Rachael Leigh Cook, among others.
The award show will be taped on Friday, December 8 at the University of Southern California's Galen Center in Los Angeles and will air on Wednesday, December 13 at 10 p.m. ET.
In related news, 50 and Jackson recently wrapped work on the war drama Home of the Brave. Set to open nation wide on December 15, the movie centers on three soldiers who struggle to readapt to everyday life following a long tour in Iraq. Jessica Biel (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Eva Mendes (Hitch) and Christina Ricci (Monster) also star in the film.

Peedi Crakk Takes Shots at Juelz Santana, "Jim Jones Can Get Some of This Too"

With his "Number 1" diss song making the rounds, we recently chopped it up with Roc-A Fella artist Peedi Crakk to discuss his beef with Juelz Santana, Jim Jones and the rest of the Dipset.
On the track, Crakk repeatedly ridicules Santana over the instrumental to Nas' "Where Y'all At." According to Peedi, the song was inspired by an incident during the October release party for Diddy's Press Play album.
"I seen him at the Puff Daddy album release party at the black carpet affair," Peedi told us exclusively. "When I seen him he didn't greet me, he kinda brushed me off. That was unusual and I didn't appreciate it. It was like a sign of disrespect, especially cuz normally me and him are real good friends. A little more than that happened, but I just felt disrespected. I went in the studio like two days later and just murdered him."
On "Number 1," Peedi cautions Santana, "After this, if I hear some shit you gonna be under my boot." Juelz has yet to respond to the attack.
"I haven't heard anything from him," Peedi said. "He got one of his artists, one of Dipset's little underdogs--nobody you might of heard of--one of them came at me but it was a cheap shot, it wasn't anything. But [Juelz] didn't say anything. I might leave it alone if I don't hear nothing else from him, but I might not."
Despite Santana's silence, Dipset Capo Jim Jones reportedly had some words for the former State Property rapper.
"Jim Jones had a show in Philly and stated that P. Crakk should keep his mouth shut, saying how I'm talking about his little brother and that means I'm talking about him," Peedi told us. "Ain't nobody scared of you Jim. Jim ain't no gangster. He got a couple albums and got real bigheaded. Jim can get some of this shit too. I got a lotta shots to take. I might go in on Jim, but I think Jay[-Z] beat me to it. Jay just did a diss on him. So I don't have to do that. I might chill out on him. But I'm on Juelz's ass."
And while the North Philly MC acknowledges Hov's personal beef with Jim Jones and Cam'ron, he continues to assert that Jay Z's problems with Dipset are completely separate from his own. "Jay didn't put me up to do this shit. Some people get misled. They think Hov sent Crakk on Juelz. I did this on my own. Hov didn't send me nowhere. I never spoke to him about this. This has nothing to do with Def Jam or Roc-A-Fella. This is a P. Crakk move. Just so they don't think there is some kind of war because Cam'ron and Jay don't fuck with each other. Nah, this is some personal shit. Ask Juelz what happened at the Puff party a month ago."
Peedi Crakk's first single, "Take Me Home," featuring Megan Rochell is due out early next month. His album, Prince of the Roc, is expected to drop in early 2007. The album features Twista, Bun B, Black Thought, Swizz Beatz and Chad West.
[Listen To Peedi Crakk's "Number 1" here.]

Trina, Sqad Up, Mims, King Magazine

Trina has launched the Diamond Doll Foundation, a new nonprofit, dedicated toward the upliftment of young women in communities across the country. To celebrate the new organization's founding, Trina will host the 1st Annual Diamond Doll Celebrity Birthday weekend in Miami. On December 2, Trina will play host to women of various backgrounds from South Florida. The day consists of panel discussions, a performance and a scholarship giveaway. "I've met so many young girls and everyday life for them is a struggle," Trina said in a statement. "Everyday life for them is a different day of facing some sort of obstacle that they feel that can't endure." Trina said launching the foundation was a milestone in her career. "I see it [the Diamond Doll Foundation] as becoming a family outside of a family; almost like a second home where I can reach out to people to let them know that I understand what they're going through." For more information visit www.slipnsliderecords.net. New Orleans rap crew Sqad Up and their label Money Yung'n Records have inked a deal with Def Jam to release their new CD/DVD combo, We Here Now. The group, former associates of Cash Money Records and Lil' Wayne, was rewarded with the deal after the success of their 2004 CD/DVD Now or Never, as well as several popular mixtapes including Scared Money Don't Make Money, Eyes Above Water, We Do Dis and others. "We wanted to embark on this partnership because there is no other group out right now that is as recognizable as Sqad Up,' said Tyran 'TyTy' Smith, VP of A&R Island/Def Jam. "Through their own movement they have been able to brand themselves so well in the industry and the public's eye that whether separate or together there is no denying who they are and what they stand for as a whole. We look forward to working with Money Yung'n Records and together we plan to take Sqad Up to the next level in '07." The group is currently in the studio recording new material for We Here Now, which is due in stores in spring '07. Breeding Ground Alumni, Mims has teamed with reggae giants Junior Reid and Cham for a remix to his single "This Is Why I'm Hot (RMX)"." The reworked version of the song was produced by Miami-based production team The Blackout Movement and is the lead single from the rapper's upcoming UBO/American King debut album Music Is My Savior, which hits stores in early 2007. "As an emcee with Jamaican ancestry it was humbling to have the legendary Junior Reid, an artist who has touched so many people with his music not only say that I'm "next in line" but to touch this track with his talents," Mims said. Mims tapped director Dale Resteghini [Jim Jones' "We Fly High] to shoot the video for the single, which will be serviced to outlets nationwide next week. In related news, Mims has also officially chosen Capitol Records as his recording home. King magazine will celebrate its 5th anniversary with a collectors edition guest edited by Sean "Diddy" Combs. The magazine also announced that former editor-in-chief Datwon Thomas has been promoted to editorial director, while industry veteran and former King executive editor Jermaine Hall has been bumped up to editor-in-chief. "I'm excited about keeping the content of King at a high level," Hall told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "Women, fashion, music, pop culture and investigative journalism will be covered compellingly." The December/January '06 issue features Melyssa Ford, Mya, Trina, Buffie the Body and others. In related news, Ford will star in the upcoming psychological thriller from Lionsgate titled God's Prayer.

Lil Scrappy Launches 'G's Up TV'

Reprise Records launched G's Up TV today (Nov. 21), a new online show starring Atlanta-based rapper Lil Scrappy.
The documentary-style Internet television show features Lil Scrappy recounting his life and how he broke into the music industry. The rapper will also appear in a variety of humorous skits, which include a cognac tasting contest with Lil Jon, a food run with friends and a skit where he enters into record label's master tape vault.
Guests on the show include Lil Jon, Three 6 Mafia, Jaime Kennedy and Stu Stone, Young Buck, Young Dro and others.
"'G's Up TV' is the other side of me -- not just doing the rap thing," Lil Scrappy said in a statement. "It'll help people understand what I'm about, beyond my music career -- the real Scrappy."
A trailer of the show that was posted on popular video sharing site Youtube garnered over 1.5 million views in just six weeks.
"The current climate requires us to be innovative and resourceful when it comes to delivering content to consumers and fans," said Reprise's Sr. Director of Creative & Visual Content Denise Williams. "We built and housed our set at Warner Bros./Reprise Records' office, in order to transform and create an environment for any artist from any genre."
G's Up TV debuted today and new episodes will be released each week until December 5, when Lil Scrappy releases his full length album Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live, which is executive produced by 50 Cent and Lil Jon.
For more information visit www.lilscrappy.com and http://gsup.tv/.

New Era Hat Company Unveils J. Dilla Hats

A new line of New Era Fitted hats honoring the memory of Hip-Hop fixture Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla) will debut on Okayplayer.com. The web site will exclusively unveil and sell the fitted head pieces beginning at 12:00 pm ET Friday (Nov. 24).
The revered producer, a founding member of the rap group Slum Village, was known for his work with numerous artists, including Common, Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, The Roots, De La Soul and the Pharcyde.
Jay Dee (born James Yancey), left Slum Village in 2003 to pursue a solo career. He died on February 10, 2006 from complications of lupus.
The Jay Dee hats mark the latest venture for New Era, which teamed with rappers the Game, Fabolous and Fat Joe as well as MTV personality La La as part of its Capture the Flag series of hats.
Proceeds from the sale of the Jay Dee headwear will go to the J. Dilla Foundation, an organization founded to keep the producer’s memory alive through partnerships, events, concerts and fundraisers.
For more information visit www.okayplayer.com

Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige Victorious at AMAs

Hip-Hop quartet Black Eyed Peas and singer Mary J. Blige were among the victors Tuesday (Nov. 21) at this year's American Music Awards (AMAs). The Peas, who made an appearance via satellite from Costa Rica, picked up three awards, including favorite R&B/Hip-Hop group, Soul/R&B group and Rap/Hip-Hop album for Monkey Business. In addition to performing, Blige took home the favorite Soul/R&B album award for her latest release The Breakthrough, as well as a favorite female R&B artist award from presenter Britney Spears. Hosted by comedian/talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, the AMAs honors the best in all genres of music. The AMAs kicked off in high fashion with Beyonce, who belted out her latest single "Irreplacable" in a shiny minidress. Fresh from his "Hangar Tour," Jay-Z hit the stage for a live version of "Show Me What You Got." Favorite male Soul/R&B artist Jamie Foxx delivered a heartfelt rendition of "Wish U Were Here," a song from his 2005 album Unpredictable. The actor/singer dedicated the selection to recently deceased crooner Gerald Levert, his grandmother and his biological mother, who was sat in the audience. "I dedicate this song, y'all, to my mother in the audience, and everyone. I hope you allow me to be myself," Foxx said, before going into the song. Other winners included Eminem (favorite ale Rap/Hip-Hop artist), Sean Paul (favorite male Pop/Rock artist) and Kirk Franklin (favorite Contemporary Inspirational Music artist). Gwen Stefani yodeled and rapped as she premiered her new song "Wind It Up," while Nicole Ritchie introduced her father Lionel Ritchie, who made his official AMA return with a medley consisting of his new song "I Call It Love" and the '80s classic "All Night Long." The following is a list of winners from this year's American Music Awards:
Pop-Rock:
Male artist: Sean Paul
Female artist: Kelly Clarkson
Band, duo or group: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album: All the Right Reasons, Nickelback
Soul-R&B:
Male artist: Jamie Foxx
Female artist: Mary J. Blige
Band, duo or group: The Black Eyed Peas
Album: The Breakthrough, Mary J. Blige
Country:
Male artist: Toby Keith
Female artist: Faith Hill
Band, duo or group: Rascal Flatts
Album: Greatest Hits Volume 2, Tim McGraw
Rap/Hip-Hop:
Male artist: Eminem
Band, duo or group: The Black Eyed Peas
Album: Monkey Business, The Black Eyes Peas
Adult Contemporary:
Artist: Kelly Clarkson
Latin Music:
Artist: Shakira
Alternative Music:
Artist: Red Hot Chili Pepper
Contemporary Inspirational: Artist: Kirk Franklin
Breakthrough:
New artist: Carrie Underwood
T-Mobile Text-In Award (voted by public): Rascal Flatts

Sophomore Albums From The Game, Akon Take #1, #2 Spots

Compton, California rapper The Game has proven his selling power despite label turmoil and the loss of production from Dr. Dre, as his sophomore album Doctor's Advocate moved almost 380,000 copies the first week in stores.
The Game, born Jayceon Taylor, suffered numerous setbacks while recording the album, which is expected to top the Billboard charts next week.
He feuded with powerful rap collective 50 Cent and G-Unit and was eventually shuffled off of the powerhouse Aftermath/Interscope labels due to the negative publicity surrounding the beef and his "G-Unot" campaign.
The rapper remained confident in numerous interviews that his album would be a best-seller, despite the downward spiral of compact disc sales, due to fans purchasing and downloading music off of the Internet.
The Game even leaked the entire album himself on the Internet to give fans a preview of the album.
"Those n***as, they want to get the album," The Game told AllHipHop.com a week before the release. "Then I got my five times platinum fans that are going to get the album, so I think I'm going to be alright. I'ma move some units. I'm do my numbers and n***as gotta respect it. I know n***as is saying the climate [to sell records] is f**ked up. F**ked up for who? Not me, I'm good."
Game's debut The Documentary almost 600,000 units its first week in stores and has sold over 4 million copies worldwide.
Game's Doctor's Advocate was released on Black Wall Street/A&M/Geffen, a unit of Universal Music Group.
UMG scored another success with R&B singer/rapper Akon, as his SRC/Universal Motown album Konvicted snagged the #2 spot, moving over 285,000 copies during its first week on the shelves.
Akon's sophomore album's sales were powered by the success of his singles “Smack That" with Eminem and "I Wanna Love You” featuring Snoop Dogg.
“Akon is one of the most versatile and talented personalities in all of Hip-Hop, with his skills on full display in these two records with Eminem and Snoop Dogg," said SRC boss Steve Rifkind. "Some of the biggest stars in rap and pop are lining up to work with him. His development since I signed him to the label has been nothing short of remarkable. I’ve seen a great deal in my Hip-Hop career, but the breakout of this album is unprecedented.”

?uestlove Steady Bloggin

Hip Hop veterans The Roots recently began a European tour to promote their 8th album Game Theory (available in the Store section of the site and highly recommended). Throughout the tour, drummer ?uestlove will be posting short videos on his MySpace blog describing the trials and tribulations of a musician’s hectic schedule. Their first stop is Oslo, Norway and ?uest’s first video is already up, you can check it at myspace.com/questlove; it’s sure to please Roots fans and musicians alike

T'Raach Serving Up Newness

Los Angeles label Sound In Color has been putting out some quality releases as of late and their newest addition to that list is sure to carry on the tradition. T’Raach, (formerly known as Lacks), is set to drop his newest LP in late January, 2007 entitled The Fever. Aided by a strong group of musicians who he refers to as The Lovelution, this producer/MC/singer extraordinaire aims to take the sound of his native Detroit and bring it to music lovers everywhere. The album features guest spots from Amp Fiddler (the man who taught Dilla how to use an MPC), Big Tone, Fuzz Scoota, and more.

Frequency & 6th Sense Making Power Moves

Even though the new Snoop Dogg album, The Blue Carpet Treatment hasn’t come out yet, you’ve probably heard the leak, and if you’ve heard the leak then you’ve heard how hard Snoop brings it on the opening song “Think About It.” What you don’t know is that “Think About It” is produced by underground producer Frequency (Wordsworth, El Da Sensei, Oktober) and rapper/producer 6th Sense, both of whom are members of the collective Notherground Music. Notherground is set to make big moves in the near future as Frequency is poised to contribute tracks to the EMC Project (Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Punchline, Strickland) and multiple members of the DITC crew, and 6th Sense gears up to release an EP entitled I Still Ain’t Recoup Yet as well as get behind the boards to fulfill his role as a recent signee as a producer to Scram Jones’ Beast Music imprint. 6th Sense’s debut LP Highing Fly is available in the Store section of UGHH.com as well as Notherground artist Wildabeast’s LP entitled “Hood Hippe Vol. 1.” Support the movement.

Ashy Larry Talks Racist Kramer Incident, "He Went Too Far"

In light of Michael Richards' racist tirade at West Hollywood, CA's Laugh Factory, comedian Donnell Rawlings weighed in on the former "Seinfeld" star's break down and apology.
This past Friday (November 17), Richards, better known for playing Kramer on the highly popular "Seinfeld" sitcom, repeatedly shouted the N word at an audience member after being heckled. Though the comedian returned to the Laugh Factory for a performance the next day, he has now reportedly been banned from the venue. Comedian Donnell Rawlings, a fan of Richards work on "Seinfeld," discussed the incident.
"Yeah, I think he went too far," Rawlings told SOHH.com. "Whether you're in showbiz or not, we all get to a point where we black out and that's when your true character comes out. Unfortunately for him, his true character was spitting out racist slurs."
"It's always been a question like...when can you use the N word, but being a fan of hip-hop we know that we use it differently," Rawlings added. "But used in the wrong hands, it's definitely pretty dangerous and he did it with the "e-r."
Last night, (November 20) Richards apologized via a satellite appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman." "I am not a racist, that's what's so insane about this," Richards offered during the apology. "I lost my temper onstage. I got heckled and took it badly and went into a rage." Thus far, black comedians haven't cared much for Richards' apology.
"The political thing was to apologize but he really exposed himself," Rawlings explained. "Even when I heard bits of it when he was saying 'nigga' when he was like 'shocking...shocking, uh,' I thought he was gon do something funny on words and kinda flip it. But when he said a comment about 50 years ago you'd be hanging from a tree, that was definitely crossing the line."

DJ Whoo Kid Drops 3rd Bay Area Mixtape

DJ Whoo Kid and Bay-area powerhouse DJ E-Rock have collaborated for the third installment of their 0Bay Bidness mixtape series. After the success of Bay Bidness 1 and Bay Bidness 2, the notorious deejays are releasing Bay Bidness 3, featuring E-40, Keak Da Sneak, Mistah F.A.B., The Federation, San Quinn, and new Bay-area stars J. Valentine, Dem Hoodstarz and PSD. "Without DJ E-Rock, I wouldn't have known anything about the Bay Area and its scene," Whoo Kid said. "After he put me up on what was going on out there, I had to start this series of tapes to put the Bay in a more commercial light." says DJ Whoo Kid." Whoo Kid eventually asked E-Rock to head up the Shadyville DJ Coalition on the national level, which includes 30 DJ's in the top 30 markets. "My goal with the Bay Bidness series was to put the Bay back in the face of Hip-Hop," E-Rock said. "What a better way to do it than by teaming up with one of the world's most influential DJ's, who just happens to also be a key figure in Hip-Hop's most successful movements- G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath." The two mixtape giants will appear with Pharrell on MTV's Sucka Free television show to talk "Bay Bidness" and formally announce E-Rock's upcoming album on 3030/SMC Recordings. "Now with the Bay movement in motion, we can show the rest of the country what Bay Area Hip-Hop really is with Bay Bidness 3," E-Rock said.

Jay-Z Album Leaks On MySpace, Universal Files Lawsuit Against News Corp.

Universal Music Group, the parent company of Island Def Jam, filed a lawsuit against MySpace.com's corporate parent News Corp. on Friday (Nov. 17), claiming the popular Internet site is guilty of copyright infringement. UMG, the world's largest label, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for California's Central District, after Jay-Z's highly anticipated come back album Kingdom Come was leaked on MySpace.com. The entire album hit the Internet last week and has been traded en masse across the Internet and heavily bootlegged around the country. "I'm sure it's cut into our sales, and not by a small amount," Antonio' "LA" Reid told The Wall Street Journal. "Even if it [sells] a million units it's not what it should have been." UMG and MySpace had been negotiating a deal that called for News Corp. to pay a licensing fee for Universal content. The deal stalled when UMG requested that News Corp. also pay restitution for content that had previously appeared on MySpace. MySpace is in the process of testing digital rights management software to report and remove files that infringe on an owners copyright. "Notwithstanding MySpace's frank admission that it is 'unable,' i.e., prohibited by law, from offering its music and video services without first obtaining the permission of the copyright owner, MySpace has knowing and intentionally operated its business on the fiction that it has obtained the licenses it needs to exist from members that MySpace well knows are not the true copyright owners," the suit stated. UMG seeks $150,000 in damages for each 58 songs and videos MySpace allegedly infringed upon. MySpace.com representatives were confident that they would "prevail in court."

Kanye West, Rodney Peete Sponsor Formula BMW Racecars

Kanye West is entering the fast lane as one of two celebrity race car sponsors for this year's Formula BMW World Finals. The second annual event, which takes place Friday (Nov. 24) through Sunday (Nov. 26) in Valencia, Spain, is a competition involving 38 of the best drivers from 18 countries in the world's regional Formula BMW series. West's car will feature his bear mascot from the covers of his College Dropout and Late Registration albums along with the logo of two of the rapper/producer's favorite charities, the Kanye West Foundation and the United Nations World Food Program. "The ability to make a positive difference in the world has always been a dream of mine, and Kanye West Foundation is the realization of that dream," West said in a statement. "To be able to spread the word about both the Kanye West Foundation and the UN World Food Program in such an exciting setting is particularly gratifying." In addition, the Formula BMW USA vehicle will be driven by Philip Major, a 17-year-old driver from Ottawa, Ontario who was recently chosen as the Motorsport Club of Ottawa Novice driver of the year and awarded the Dewar Trophy. He will join the AIM Autosport team for the World Finals. West won't be the only celebrity sponsoring a Formula BMW race car. Former NFL quarterback and The Best Damn Sports Show Period host Rodney Peete will back a vehicle in an effort to support the United Nations World Food Program. The Kanye West Foundation is dedicated towards combating the severe dropout problem in high schools across the United States by developing student-centered music production programs which encourage increased literacy, heightened self-worth, independent thinking and self-actualization through the arts. Known as the world's largest humanitarian agency, the World Food Program gives food to an average of 90 million people each year to meet their nutritional needs. This includes 58 million hungry children in at least 80 of the world's poorest countries.

Tyrese Speaks On Black-Ty Reaction and Possible Musical Retirement

It's been a good year for Tyrese Gibson. With a hit movie ( Waist Deep ) and one on the way ( Transformers ), as well as a successful collaboration with rapper Chingy ("Pullin' Me Back), the crooner/thespian is riding a wave of good fortune. Couple this with the unveiling of his rhyme persona Black-Ty and Gibson becomes a humbled soul in the midst of the love he's received. "I feel blessed, like I've sold 10 million records already. I feel like I can die in Hip-Hop heaven," Gibson said about Black-Ty's acceptance in the rap community. "It wasn't the fans that was the hardest challenge because sometimes it takes a minute for things to grow on the fans. For me the hardest challenge was my peers, everybody in this industry who make the music business run, who run the game. Everybody that's in this rap game that's embraced me. Those are the cats that I was concerned about." Fellow emcees aren't the only ones embracing Black-Ty. The rapper's latest mixtape Ghetto Royalty has received more than 450,000 downloads in four weeks. The mixtape's success comes as Gibson prepares for the release of his forthcoming album Alter Ego, a double disc featuring R&B from the singer as well as rhymes from Black-Ty. The album boasts cameos from Snoop Dogg, Game and Method Man, David Banner, Lil Scrappy, Kurupt, Too Short, R. Kelly and Lil' Jon. Production comes courtesy of Mannie Fresh, Scott Storch and the Frontline Boyz. Gibson is planning a 35-city outing where concertgoers must wear black to see the singer perform as well as hear music from the album before it hits stores on Dec. 12 Although he enjoys making music and interacting with fans, Gibson hints that Alter Ego could be his musical swan song. "This could definitely be the last," admitted the balladeer, who is leaning toward acting full-time. "If this for whatever reason don't stick, this could be it. It ain't no gimmick but this could definitely be it. I told J Records 'you better get me while you can because if this s*** for whatever reason don't take off, I'm done.'" Black Ty's Ghetto Royalty mixtape is available at www.headquarterentertainment.com.

Freekey Zeeky Home From Prison

Diplomatic Records' president Ezekiel "Freekey Zekey" Jiles was released from prison in Durham N.C. yesterday (Nov. 20) after serving three years in prison for running an ecstasy ring.
Freekey Zekey, 31, was convicted in 2004 on the drug charges and served almost three years in prison.
The rapper was greeted in front of the Durham Correctional Center by a limousine, which whisked him away to the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for a flight back to New York.
"It's a headache already, but it's all good," Freekey Zekey told AllHipHop.com. "That's my atmosphere, that's how I live. If it's not loud music, if it's not police siren, fire siren, gunshots, people yelling, if it's not a loud atmosphere, I am not going to feel comfortable, no way no how."
Zekey has appeared on numerous Diplomat mixtapes and albums by Cam'ron. In April 2003, Zekey was robbed in New York after a minor car collision outside a Manhattan nightclub.
The robbery and subsequent shooting took the life of his childhood friend Eric Mangrum. In December of 2005, Chauncey Dillon, 30, was sentenced to 30 years to life for the robbery and murder.
Shortly after the shooting, however, Freekey Zekey was sentenced to 35 to 42 for his involvement in an ecstasy ring in New Hanover County, North Carolina.
With his past behind him, Freekey Zekey is focusing on his upcoming debut, The Book of Ezekiel.
"I'm touching on all sides," Freekey Zekey told AllHipHop.com. "I am not just focusing on one way of rap. There's people that just do gangsta rap. My mind fluctuates so much that I just change course in my music. It might be a happy song, it might be a song where you shed a tear, it might be a song where you wanna pop a n***a head off, it might be a song where you just want to party. I'm real diversified because my mind is like that. That's how I feel. I might be happy, sad, ready to killa a n***a or ready to party."
Freekey Zekey and his Dipset group members have established a cult following in Hip-Hop through their mixtapes and independent albums.
Zekey's freedom comes during another high point for his group. Dipset group member Jim Jones' single "We Fly High" has become a national anthem of sorts, for its catch phrase "Ballllin."
The single is taken from Jones' recently released Hustler's P.O.M.E., which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Rap Albums chart and the Independent Album chart.
Cam'ron's 2002 effort Come Home with Me has been certified platinum, while his 2004 album Purple Haze has been certified gold.
Juelz Santana's 2003 album From Me to You is certified gold and his 2005 release What the Game's Been Missing is certified platinum.
"Going gold and platinum? That’s all we go!," Freekey Zekey said. "Listen, we on an independent label, man. Independency means… listen, if you go 50,000 [sales] that’s they recoup. Once you go anything over 50,000 on Koch, Asylum and all that, Jim [Jones] goes 200-300,000, Killa [Cam'ron] goes the same thing 200-300,000, Duke [Da God] goes 110-189,000. I don’t know the stats on J.R. [Writer], I ain’t get ‘em, I’m locked up . But when you do over 20-30,000 maybe 50,000, we get eight dollars off of that. Times that by 100-200-300,000. All that 10 cent, all that 15 cent n***as do on them major labels, we not with that. We getting real cake, man. $8.45 a record, man. I be home I’ll get it and you check my stats, check my flow, check my guap.
Freekey Zekey's debut album The Book of Ezekial will hit stores in December.