Jim Jones Weighs In On Jay-Z/Beanie Sigel Dispute, "When Your Luck Is Down, You Resort To Bullsh*t" [Audio]

Dipset's Jim Jones has become the latest emcee to weigh in on the Beanie Sigel-Jay-Z dispute and said he can understand Beans' frustration but that the Philly rapper should have made smarter business decisions with Hov.

From Jones' perspective, Beans is using diss records to gain the public's attention.

"I'ma keep it all the way live," Jones told radio personality Angela Yee. "Beanie has the right to vent for whatever he wants the right to vent for, things like that, you know what I mean? I seen the ride we was on, he trying to get in the game and he knows one way to get back in the game is to stir controversy and who better to stir controversy than somebody that was directly in the camp and had to live that life day in and day out and seen the flaws that he could talk about and put a man on blast about due to the fact that he's venting because he feels or he felt that he was with a team that should have still been going now. And when your luck is down on you, you resort to bullsh*t because that's all you got. I don't know if that situation is frenemies because you came in as an artist, you don't know these people from nowhere. When I say frenemies, I know these people since 10, 11. People I've known for 10, 15 years of my life...After you start to learn the game, you think people are jerking you when they didn't, ya dig? If you came in and knew what you were doing, you would have been on top of your game and it wouldn't have went like that."

Mase also spoke on the dispute and said it was most important to establish hit records before resorting to disses.

"Beans and Jay, I think it's ridiculous," Mase explained to DJ Drama. "I think it's ridiculous you know, I think it's ridiculous really. It's not called for, you know what I'm saying? I don't know, I come from a different, like when I was doing rap and people had issues, they just go across your head, they from that go up side generation. Not all these records and all that. They just go up. [laughs] When we was going up against the West Coast, it was like real serious issues, it wasn't just do it because your album is coming out. The gimmicky era, 'What I need to do to sell some records?' I don't believe you sell records off diss records, I think you sell 'em off hit records. It don't matter what diss record you got, you still need a hit record."

Lil Scrappy recently hit up SOHH and explained why diss records and rap beefs do not typically work out financially in the long run.

"If you a real gangsta, cuz, you tell the n*gga to go meet you somewhere. Whatever we gonna do, let's do it and be done with it. If you 'not' gonna do it, then make that joint big. Get some money off of it 'cause when you going against each other, you really don't make no money, 'cause his fans don't like you and the other dude, his fans don't like you. So they would have bought [your merchandise] if y'all weren't even beefing."

After performing at a 50 Cent concert earlier this week, Beans promised more collaborations with the G-Unit leader.

"I just finished rocking the MySpace sh*t," Beans said backstage at the event. "It was crazy, I came out to the stage blowing my [Newport cigarette], put my Biggie's [sunglasses] on. Hold up, where's my Biggie's at? Where's my Biggie's at? These the Biggie's, came out with my Biggie's on, know what I mean? They went crazy. And that's just the beginning, wait 'til me and 50 dig in. [laughs] This sh*t start, this sh*t finish...Don't nobody want to see us walking down the dark alleys. You don't want to see that. You don't want to see that. You don't want to see that, [shakes head], ThisIs50.com. You definitely gonna see something with me and 50 in the future, definitely gonna keep putting my foot on n*ggas' necks."

Check out Jim Jones speaking on Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel below:

Diddy Makes "King" Move, Plans Home Shopping Network Appearance

Rap mogul Diddy will reportedly make his way to the television screen next week as he promotes his Unforgivable and I Am King fragrances on the Home Shopping Network.

According to reports, Puff will hit the retail network channel on Monday (November 30).

On November 30, beginning at the ripe hour of 11 p.m., the Home Shopping Network will be forever changed when P. Diddy hits the airwaves. Diddy will shill his Unforgivable and I Am King fragrances with the reported goal of selling $400,000 worth of merchandise, and showing the world fragrances can be sold on TV -- or, at least, that if anyone can convince the public to buy scents they can't smell, Diddy can.

Diddy's appearance is set to offer fans a talk show-like setting.

HSN will be building a special set for Combs' fragrance segment that looks more like a slick city talk show set than the cozy livingroom or wintry wonderland one might typical expect of, say, HSN or QVC. In fact, Diddy won't even really be selling the fragrance -- he'll be appearing more like a talk show guest than a promoter, adding a flashy celebrity element to the show and also playing up, we'd suppose, being the embodiment of each fragrance's aesthetic.

Critics have weighed in on the power move by Puff calling it a good decision.

Entertainment Industry analyst Jack Myers says HSN will be good for Combs. Jack Myers: It's a major retail outlet and his association reaches out to a broad cross-section of America with his brand. It's a smart move on his part.

Diddy's fragrances leads the path in rappers' new cologne ventures including recent products by Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West all got fragrance deals when Iconic Fragrances, LLC (where Jay-Z is a principal) signed an agreement with Parlux. Also part of the contract is the announcement of an upcoming scent with a "well-established female artist." Considering it's Jay-Z's deal and he's married to Beyonce, let's read between the lines on that one.

Check for Diddy on Home Shopping Network, Monday, November 30 at 11 p.m.

Peep a recent interview with Diddy below:

NBA Star Allen Iverson Set To Retire, Rappers Share Mixed Reactions

NBA player-turned-rapper Allen Iverson has announced plans to retire which has sparked a flurry of mixed reactions from emcees including Fabolous and Q-Tip.

Reports of the baller's retirement landed online through a statement released to the public.

"I would like to announce my plans to retire from the National Basketball Association," he wrote. "I always thought that when I left the game, it would be because I couldn't help my team the way that I was accustomed to. However, that is not the case. I still have tremendous love for the game, the desire to play, and a whole lot left in my tank. I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level. Stepping away from the game will allow me to spend quality time with my wife and kids. This is a reward that far exceeds anything that I've ever achieved on the basketball court. I have prayed for this day and I see it as my greatest gift."

NBA star LeBron James weighed in on Iverson's speculated retirement.

"His legacy would be huge," Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James said. "He's one of the best when you talk about guys 6-foot and under in the game of basketball. He played injured and he played hard every single night. I don't think it should end this way, but if it does, he's left a lot of great things behind."

Fabolous remembered Iverson's 1990's crossover moves against Michael Jordan.

"Watchin Sports Center, 4 the 2nd time..," Fab wrote via Twitter. "Iverson retiring, they showin his old highlights.. the Jordan crossovers are #classic. Its funny how people say 'What u doin up on twitter?'..UHH.. the same thing u doin up on twitter! or 'Y u aint Sleep'.. same reason u aint!! Free bars - Yall been talkin all night, you haters should be tired then.. its too early for this sh*t like Iverson retiring!"

Q-Tip reflected on Iverson's legacy in the NBA.

"Allen iverson may be arguably the best little man to ever play," he wrote on Twitter. "Tribe had a show in D.C. The day he was drafted. We were getting on amtrak back to NY and iverson runs down the stairs to catch the train. Iverson was catching that train back to D.C. We all stopped and congratulated him. We rapped a bit and he took off."

No further details have been released on Allen Iverson's expected retirement.

Game On 50 Cent's "BISD" 161K First Week, "Karma Is Just A B-*-T-C-H"

Former G-Unit member Game has shared his reaction to 50 Cent's Before I Self Destruct moving 161,000 sold albums its first-week in stores and said he should be credited for a portion of the sales.

Despite his "G-Unot" campaign in the past, Game co-signed his former associate's latest effort.

"& if you REALLY wanna know the truth : to me, 50 album wasn't that bad.....," Game wrote via Twitter on Wednesday (November 25). "I contributed to that 161,000 ... Karma is just a B-*-T-C-H."

50's fourth solo project lost the top spot to singer John Mayer who sold 285,700 records in his first week debut.

50 Cent's highly-anticipated Before I Self Destruct debuted on the charts this week landing at No. 5. After a solid seven days in stores plus sales from iTunes, 50's new album has moved 161,200 copies.

Speaking with radio personality Funkmaster Flex last week, Fif stressed his inability to battle an international leak.

"With the actual outcome of the project, once the record leaks from the international plant, what more can I do," 50 explained in an interview. "I can't, I held the record long enough to get it to them, to mix and master it and for them to ship it and then it leaks from the plant internationally, I'm like come on, then that's it. They lost the ball. You know what I mean, if the numbers look funny to me, it's they fault."

Writing via Twitter, Game playfully taunted 50's speculated 150,00 first-week projections earlier this week.

"I'm startin a trending topic #help50goGOLD .," he wrote Monday (November 24). "if you'd like to contribute to my old friends sub-par album sales please just "RETWEET" this."

Check out 50 Cent speaking on his low numbers debut below:

Kay Slay On The New Boyz & Tight Jeans! "Ya Are Encouraging Homosexuality Against Young Urban Men. I Bet You They F*ck Each Other"

Jadakiss Gets Introduced To A Louie Vutton Rap Booth + Styles P Goes Shopping For Weed!

Vh1's Own "It" Comng Out With His own Reality Show? "Ya Girls On World Star Ass Not Bigger Than This"

Stephen Smith Speaks On Allen Iverson Retiring From The NBA

Video Vixen Brooke Bailey Gets Into Fight Outside Of An ATL Club! (Pierced Tee-Tays Pop Out)

AT THE VELVET ROOM IN ATLANTA. About 4 Months ago.

Song Of Da Day

Curren$y & Wiz Khalifa -

CMB IN LA

CMB IN LA from DERICK G on Vimeo.

Timbaland ft. Drake – ‘Say Something’ (Sneak Peek)

WTF Clip Of The Week: Mya Finishes Second on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ (Losing To Donny Osmond)

Mya was a step away from claiming victory on Season 9 of “Dancing with the Stars.” The singer and her dance partner Dmitry Chaplin, who had the highest scores during the season, were the runners-up, losing to Donny Osmond on Tuesday’s season finale. Kelly Osbourne placed third.

A frontrunner throughout the competition, Mya felt mixed emotions about her loss. “There’s disappointment, dedication, passion, and commitment,” she told E! Online. “It’s an experience that you’ll never forget for the rest of your life and that you want to share with others.”

Dats Some Bullshit. Can Somebody say RECOUNT.

DJ Khaled Gets A Ride From Drake And Usher In 'Fed Up' Video

"Denzel, watch out," DJ Khaled laughed. "I'm coming!"

Khaled not only got a chance to say lines, but he also was involved in action scenes during the recent filming of his video for "Fed Up." Usher, Drake, Young Jeezy and Rick Ross all came to Miami for another of the DJ's now-signature mammoth posse cuts.

The chaos starts when Khaled brings a briefcase — with special contents — to a meeting with some underworld bosses.

"I can tell they trying to set me up," Khaled described of himself in the Gil Green-directed video. "The boss that I am, I'm on my P's and Q's. When they said the deal is off, I let them know the streets is fed up."

Khaled then has to jump through a window to escape. Luckily, Young Jeezy is pushing the getaway whip.

"Jeezy was there waiting on me in the exotic car," Khaled said. "One of the fastest cars in the world. I jump in that, me and Jeezy are out! Jeezy goes in [rapping], speaking his mind. I'm with him. Then he sees the Maybach. He pulls over, I jump out the car into the Maybach with Rick Ross. Ross is getting interviewed, but he says, 'Come on.' DJ Envy, he's in the Maybach too. He's helping me get away."

The chase doesn't stop there. Khaled goes from the Maybach to the docks, where Drake is on a boat. From the boat, Usher hovers above in a helicopter where he lends a helping hand to the DJ.

Khaled said he was especially impressed with Usher's performance on a rooftop and in a tunnel, where they had to stop traffic.

"We're getting it off, letting the people know we're here," Khaled said. "Usher does the most amazing performance ever. Usher is singing, kicking the camera. His energy is wild. When I say Usher is going in, I thought I was seeing Michael Jackson. The whole time, his energy, he repped. He just was going in. He gave us a helluva performance. I thanked him 100 times. He don't do too many features. It was fun. He's a great person."

The video ends with Khaled revealing what is worth risking life and limb for inside the briefcase.

"That's the setup for the next single, 'Put Your Hands Up,' " Khaled said. "I let them know it's coming. It's some movie sh--. It was a three-day shoot. It's gonna be the best video in the game."

For those asking where Lil Wayne is in the video, he's not there. Although he appears in a new version of "Fed Up," Wayne never intended to be in the video.

"Wayne jumped on the song later," Khaled explained. "I'll call that the 'just added version.' He just showed love and jumped on."

"Fed Up" is the first single from Khaled's upcoming LP Victory, which drops next year.

MTV Shows

Rihanna Celebrates Album Release With Jay-Z, Diddy, More

To quote a track from her just-released album, Rated R, the wait is over for Rihanna.

The singer was feted at her album-release party in Manhattan on Tuesday night as Jay-Z, Diddy and Fabolous, among others, turned out at Juliet's Supper Club to celebrate Rihanna's first project since her February assault earlier this year by Chris Brown.

The Barbadian beauty arrived at the festivities fashionably late, just after 1 a.m., but the cameras were at the ready, capturing Rihanna's red-carpet strut. The fashion icon sported a shimmering gold micro-dress with long spikes sporadically jutting out all over and matching shoes.

Rihanna was quickly escorted inside where DJ D-Nice was spinning tunes ranging from Jay-Z's "Run This Town" (featuring the guest of honor) to Maino's "Million Bucks" and, of course, RiRi's Young Jeezy collaboration, "Hard."

Frequent Rihanna collaborator Sean Garrett said he was happy to support the Def Jam star. He said she took more control of this album, her fourth, and showed that she is not only resilient but also, at 21, she's more of a woman at this point in her career.

"She was very, very picky [with this album]," Garrett told MTV News. "She was going through a lot, so I think her emotions were leaning to things that were closer to her heart as opposed to closer to the radio, to be real honest. And that's the sign of a real, true artist."

The atmosphere remained festive both inside and outside the venue.

Jay-Z, a longtime Rihanna advocate and supporter, arrived with Diddy in a black Maybach. Tyson Beckford, Rick Ross, DJ Clue, DJ Envy and New York Jets star Thomas Jones were also in attendance.

Monday's Rated R release came on the heels of a media blitz that began with some very personal interviews with ABC's Diane Sawyer, Glamour magazine, Hot 97 and MTV News. The media appearances were her first since her assault as she broke her silence and explained in detail the attack and her desire to move on. She told MTV News that her album is the summation of her emotions in the aftermath of that fateful night.

"This album is an expression of all those feelings that I went through in the last eight months, just different emotions," she explained. "All of it isn't angry, all of it isn't dark and sad, 'cause I didn't go through that the whole time. That was part of it. It was really a roller-coaster, and you get that when you're listening to the album."

MTV Shows

Slain Rapper Dolla's Mother Speaks On Debut, "They Say It's Awesome"

Late rapper Roderick "Dolla" Burton's mother has spoken on her son's legacy and how plans have been placed in motion to have his debut album released on Akon's Konvict Music label.

While admitting she was never too close to his content, Dawnee Robinson said her son was on the road to stardom.

"I've never been allowed to hear his music until a few days before release, so with that being said, from the critics around me they say it's awesome," Dawnee said in an interview. "It's gonna set him aside, it's totally different than anything he's done in the past. So we're working with Konvict and Bu (Akon's brother) and out of respect for me they've pretty much allowed me to give them the thumbs up on when they can go ahead with the project. They're always supportive. We've known Akon, Omar and Bu for many years and the sky's the limit with those guys. They're always looking out."

She also spoke briefly on her last conversation with Dolla prior to his fatal shooting.

"Just a few hours before the incident, I spoke to my son and he was on his way home catching a flight out. I stay close to the airport, so he used to stop by," Dolla's mother revealed in an interview. "He told me what he wanted for dinner. He wanted some yellow rice, cabbage and chicken wings. So I went to the store and made sure I had everything. So when I got the call, I was cooking his dinner."

Akon touched on the rapper's memory and the permanent effects of gun violence.

"He was a great kid, he didn't deserve it," Akon said of the 21-year-old Dolla, who was in Los Angeles to work on his first album A Dolla & A Dream. "The reason he got shot was probably the most miscellaneous thing ever. It's to a point now where we're always trying to find ways to deal with our issues, deal with all these main challenges which is very hard, especially when we're surrounded by an environment that don't really have morals." Akon, who has been accused of embellishing his own criminal past, also called the murder "a very senseless crime."

Details on the shooting last May landed online around spring.

Dolla's publicist Sue Vannasing said the rapper was involved in an altercation before the shooting with an unidentified man and woman who followed him to the mall. Police recovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun and turned the man over to Los Angeles police. Los Angeles Police spokeswoman Karen Rayner said two other persons of interest one male, one female who were with Berry at the airport were being questioned but neither has been charged in connection with the shooting. They were detained before attempting to board a plane out of Los Angeles International Airport, about 10 miles away from the Beverly Center.

No further details have been released as of now.

Alicia Keys Finds "Freedom" W/ Jay-Z & Drake, New Album Tracklising Revealed

Grammy-winning singer Alicia Keys has decided to add a hip-hop element to her upcoming The Element of Freedom album by securing guest slots from Drake and Jay-Z.

Along with Jay and Drizzy, Keys has also enlisted Hov's wife, Beyonce Knowles.

Earlier this month, Alicia Keys said since her album, The Element of Freedom, was pushed back from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15, she used the additional time to work on possibly "the most exciting collaborations of my career yet." Now her label, J Records, confirms the album includes a duet with Beyonce as well as one with newcomer Drake. "Put It In A Love Song" features Beyonce, while "Unthinkable (I'm Ready)" has background vocals by Drake.

The album's tracklisting has also been released to the public.

"Element of Freedom" (Intro) "Love Is Blind" "Doesn't Mean Anything" "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" "Wait Til You See My Smile" "That's How Strong My Love Is" "Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)" featuring Drake "Love Is My Disease" "Like the Sea" "Put It in a Love Song" featuring Beyonce Knowles "This Bed" "Distance and Time" "How It Feels to Fly" "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down"

Speculation on a Drake collaboration landed online earlier this month.

The "Best I Ever Had" hitmaker is reportedly featured on a song from Keys' fourth album The Element of Freedom, due December 15. Her longtime producer Kerry "Krucial" Brothers broke the news on Twitter. "'If you have something to say... U should say it right now,'" he wrote, possibly quoting the unnamed song's lyrics. "Wow this new Ak and Drake is fire! I love my job."

A rep from Keys' camp confirmed Hov's guest appearance on the forthcoming project.

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys couldn't contain their enthusiasm for New York to one song, so the pair have decided to team up again for a sequel to their hometown anthem. Keys will include "Empire State of Mind Part 2" on December's The Element of Freedom. The sequel will feature a new verse from Jay, a rep for Keys confirmed to MTV News. The first version of the song was featured on Jay's Blueprint 3 album, and the duo performed the track at the Video Music Awards and before game two of the World Series.

The Element of Freedom drops Tuesday, December 15th.

Check out Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind" live performance below:

Rihanna's "Rated R" Projected To Sell 200K In First-Week, May Miss No. 1 Spot

Grammy-winning singer Rihanna's Rated R will reportedly debut next week with estimated sales of around 200,000, based on one-day projections.

While the numbers are still being calculated, RiRi is likely to debut behind reality television star Susan Boyle.

That's right, folks, the team of Barnett and Boyle, as in Columbia's fearless leader Steve, will be #1 next week with a total that right now appears more than 600k and, dare we say it, could go even higher. Def Jam/IDJ's Rihanna, whose new album Rated R has been getting stellar reviews in the L.A. and N.Y. Times and Rolling Stone, is on line for 180-200k. A couple of Cash Money/Universal Republic acts in Jay Sean and Birdman are the other new releases, both trending in the 30-35k range.

The singer recently touched on the influence Chris Brown had upon the overall project.

"This album is an expression of all those feelings that I went through in the last eight months, just different emotions," she said of the aftermath of Brown's assault. "All of it isn't angry, all of it isn't dark and sad, 'cause I didn't go through that the whole time. That was part of it. It was really a roller coaster, and you get that when you're listening to the album...I really vented on this album, and as I said before, all of it isn't about that specific relationship or what I went through, 'cause that's not who I am. That's not all of who I am."

The project features guest appearances from Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am and Young Jeezy.

Rated R: Mad House, Wait Your Turn, Hard featuring Young Jeezy, Stupid In Love, ROCKSTAR 101 featuring Slash, Russian Roulette, Fire Bomb, Rude Boy, Photographs featuring will.i.am, G4L, Te Amo, Cold Case Love and The Last Song.

Collaborator Drake recently touched on his reaction to the album's sound.

"Rihanna has a great album," Drake said in an interview. "She's got great records that she's using, she's got great records that she's not even using that she has for a later date. I'm excited for her. She deserves everything that she gets...We did do some great work together and hopefully it'll find it's place on some project one day. The record we have is great. It's a special record, so for it not to make it, I know something had to click. It's all good. I think the project's gonna be great no matter what."

Check out a recent Rihanna interview below:

Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J Looks Beyond Rap, "A 100 Checks Are Better Than 1 Check"

Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J has weighed in on the recent trend of artists stepping outside of the hip-hop boundaries and trying their hand at other forms of music.

From J's perspective, it is vital for rappers to stay relevant and extend their reach to a larger audience.

"Yeah, man, I feel you've got to keep your head in everything," J explained in an interview. "You've got to do a little bit of this and a little bit of that. A hundred checks are better than one check. If you look in the mailbox and you have five or six checks in there, that looks delicious! If you look in there and you've only got one, that's cool, but I'm [also] trying to get money from everywhere across the board -- the movie money, the independent game, etc. We're trying to get it all! You've got to keep your ear to the street! Three 6 Mafia can do all different kinds of music and make it sound good. That's all that matters! We can accomplish anything we put our minds to."

Jay-Z recently described his willingness to sacrifice having a 12th number one album in order to make an experimental project.

"I've always said I believe in good music and bad music...I like music. The second Blueprint, the reason it was all over the place is because I like music so much. You have tracks with Lenny Kravitz then Sean Paul. Dr. Dre. It's all over the place because of my taste in music. I like music. My next album, which I'm working on now -- that's exclusive, no one knows that -- is gonna be the album that really -- it's not gonna be a number one album. That's where I'm at right now. I wanna make the most experimental album I ever made. But let's not deal with that now; I want to deal with The Blueprint 3."

Cash Money Records' Baby also touched on Lil Wayne's ability to become successful in other genres of music.

"We still feel like we got a long way to go man," Baby said in an interview. "His music and his heights are unlimited. We do pop, rock, rap, everything, so when you catering to our nationalities, our songs, it's not gonna be just one urban record. You gotta do pop records, cross over records...They think [Rebirth] is rock, but it got a little heavy metal to it. He still Wayne, he still doing his thing on that motherf*cker...And the music he's about to do, because he's coming with the rock album and Tha Carter IV as a double disc."

Lupe Fiasco said he, too, was ready to try his hand at a new sound since he has already established a loyal fanbase.

"I feel like, 'cause of my first two albums, that now I have the foundation to just branch off and just do not really crazy [music] or whatever I want, but just make music outside of who I normally make music for," Lupe said referring to his upcoming album last summer. "I feel like I have my true fans, my hardcore fans down, locked down, and now I can kinda experiment with other types of music and it's really good. It's my favorite album thus far."

Check out Baby speaking on Cash Money's diverse music-making ability.

Amerie On Leaving Sony For Def Jam, "They [Were] Going Through So Much Turmoil"

R&B singer Amerie recently discussed her decision to leave Sony Music to join Rihanna and Rick Ross at Def Jam Records.

For Amerie, the frequently changing executives influenced her move to Island Def Jam.

"Leaving Columbia was two-fold, the reason I went to Def Jam was specifically because of the company -- their marketing and promotions team," Amerie explained in an interview. "I love what they're doing, but the other reason was L.A. Reid. L.A. Reid and I have crossed paths for years...It wasn't that I wasn't happy. I felt that the project could've gotten more support and more push on the side of marketing and promotions. The people on the team are awesome, but I think what's happening is that the company's been changing. The executives have been changing. It's been like a revolving door and whenever that happens you're so busy focusing on getting all the people necessary for the company that you don't have time to set a plan. And when you do set a plan, then people leave. So that's just what happened. I just felt that, this was a period of time in the company where they're going through so much turmoil, it just wasn't going to be good for the project I had. So I decided I wanted to leave. It went pretty well."

Lil Scrappy, who also left Warner Music Group for Def Jam/DTP, cited his ex-label as being too focused on pop acts.

"Before I even made the move I had just talked to [Warner Music Group CEO] Tom Whalley and told him I need to get off," Scrappy said in an interview. "Because basically, Warner Bros is a rock and roll label. So they didn't really understand what to do with me as of then. Even though I showed them two or three times, this is me Scrappy, this is how I move, young gangsta from Atlanta, I do what I do, try to stay outta trouble but you know how sh*t go. But he believed in me enough, he didn't want to hurt my career, so he let me go, after that I went through a couple of label situations, it wasn't looking too good.I always had this stop-and-go relationship with Chaka and Luda -- That was the best contract I ever signed. Just being a rapper or whatever, that's the best contract I ever signed."

Sony/Columbia made headlines last spring when the company let go for Urban Music President Kyambo "Hip-Hop" Joshua, the former A&R for Roc-A-Fella Records.

Sony's Columbia Records has laid off several of its staff members, including president of urban music Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua and urban marketing executive Al Branch. Several regional promotional staff members have also been let go. It is unclear who will follow Joshua to guide Columbia's urban department, or who will handle the projects of Jim Jones and The Clipse. Both artists were signed by Joshua.

Amerie recently spoke on her Lil Wayne "Heard Em All" collaboration.

"Lil Wayne is great," she explained in an interview. "I've liked him since he was with Cash Money...I've always liked what he does, and I love his energy. For me it was just awesome working with him. Of course I like the stuff that he's done recently as well, but he's just really into the artistry. He's really into being an artist and I think that's awesome. Because sometimes people are into the life, but not into the art of it."

Check out Amerie speaking on Lil Wayne below:

Lil Wayne, Drake & Nicki Minaj's "Young Money" Cover Art Revealed

Jadakiss Talks Ruff Ryders Movement, "It's Like A New Beginning" [Video]

The Lox's Jadakiss recently discussed his role in Ruff Ryders reunion and revealed that rap elite like the late Biggie Smalls and Eminem have co-signed his emcee skills.

According to Jada, the Ryders long-awaited reunion is just a matter of getting his crew together in the studio.

"You know, the Ryders is pure talent around the board," Jada said about his team of emcees which includes DMX, Eve and Swizz Beatz. "It's just a matter of linking up and putting it together. I had to be the engine, you know what I mean, with this Last Kiss album, get back in the door, get my elbows, get my elbow space and pull everybody out. DMX is back out of the trouble again. I feel fresh, it's like a new beginning. Five years off [and] to have a first-week like I had, you know, the response is great. The people are still feeling the kid and that's all it's about...I was told I was nice from [Big] Pun, Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z, Eminem."

Swizz Beatz previously talked about re-sparking the Ruff Ryders through working with X and Eve.

"I'm about to drop this joint that was supposed to be DMX and Jadakiss, but it's gonna be DMX and Eve," Swizz said in an interview. "I want people to hear Eve in that hard element again. X is on his A-game. They're in trouble. Just the lineup of music I have already done, ignorant! X is gonna come back so crazy. They are both on the way...I paused up on my album sh*t...I'm on a different level of expressing myself. I'd rather express musically than lyrically. But any minute, I can go in the studio and jump on some sh*t I made for somebody else and not wanna give it to them."

Last summer, Jada confirmed the movement would be in full effect for 2009.

"We got the Ruff Ryder, D-Block remix out," Kiss explained as he and Swizz Beatz pulled out trademark Ruff Ryder bandannas in an interview last May. "We got [DMX] on there. X on there, Eve, Drag On, Styles P, Sheek Louch, we bringing it back. We bringing it back to that element baby! ... And yeah, yeah, the Big Bosses tour, me and my big homie Cam'ron coming to a venue near you real soon...Catalog is crazy right now. We got Lox album coming, Ruff Ryder compilation, new Sheek album, new Swizz album, new Kiss album. We gettin' it poppin' baby!

Their reunion "Who's Real (Remix)" music video landed online earlier this year.

Originally a Jadakiss solo hit (produced by Swizz Beatz) from his most recent album The Last Kiss, the song's remix and accompanying video reunite the entire Ruff Ryders crew, Jadakiss, Swizz, DMX, Styles P, Sheek Louch, Drag-On, Eve and Murda Mook. The video's concept, overseen by Ruff Ryders co-founder and CEO Joaquin "Waah" Dean, pays homage to the collective street spirit the Ruff Ryders pioneered in the late 1990s. The video was shot in different locations, with DMX and Swizz on set in Arizona due to X's current travel restrictions, and the rest of the crew filmed in New York City.

Check out Jadakiss speaking on Ruff Ryders below:

Beyonce & Sade Announce New Albums For 2010

R&B stars Beyonce and Sade have announced plans to return to store shelves with new solo efforts set to drop beginning in early 2010.

Keeping details on the low, Beyonce said a new album is in the works.

During the last U.K. stop of her "I Am..." tour at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, Beyonce announced that she indeed has plans of releasing a new album next year. "This is my last show for this tour in the UK, so hopefully, I'll see you all in a year with a new album," a raspy-voiced Beyonce told the crowd at the end of the set, before thanking them "from the bottom of my heart" for coming to the show. Producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins also confirmed the news on Twitter, recently posting he is working on some tracks for Beyonce's upcoming album.

After nearly a decade, Sade will make her return to retail stores.

Sade is making music again. The soulful English group fronted by 50-year-old singer Sade Adu will release a new album Feb. 8, according to Epic Records. "Soldier of Love" will be the group's first studio album since 2000's "Lovers Rock." All five of Sade's studio albums have landed in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 200, selling more than 50 million copies worldwide.

Led by frontwoman Sade Adu, the group consists of three other members.

Sade, fronted by 50-year-old Sade Adu, have sold more than 50 million records worldwide since the release of their debut album, Diamond Life, in 1984. The group, made up of Adu and her long-time bandmates Stuart Matthewman, Paul Spencer Denmann and Andrew Hale, are best known for hits like Smooth Operator, Your Love is King and No Ordinary Love.

Beyonce latest album, I Am...Sasha Fierce has continued to see success on the charts.

Grammy-winning singer Beyonce's I Am...Sasha Fierce made a tremendous leap back onto the charts moving up 55 slots to No. 37 with 16,000. After 52 weeks, the singer's third solo project has sold 2,492,000 albums.

No further details have been revealed as of now.

Check out a past Beyonce performance below:

Trey Songz (Feat. Gucci Mane & Soulja Boy) - LOL :-) Smiley Face [No Gucci, Trey Or Soulja Cameos]

Lil Boosie On Channel 9 News! On Serving 10 Year Prison Sentence! (Last Interview Before Heading To Jail)

Rihanna Wants Some Great Sex & Food For Christmas!

Jim Jones, Dame Dash & Nikki Wray In The Studio Recording Soul Track For Dame's Blakroc Album!

Method Man, Raekwon & Ghostface - The Wu Massacre (Trailer #3)

Snoop Dogg Talks Fake Bloods & Crips, Tells Gang False Flaggers To Stay Out Of California, Pimpin & Alot More!

Diddy Loses Day26, "Bad Boy Is Always Our Family, But We're W/ Atlantic Right Now"

Diddy's boy group Day26 have reportedly parted ways with the rap mogul's Bad Boy Entertainment label.

According to Day26's Willie, the group still maintains a level of respect and unity with Puff's label.

"Bad Boy is always our family, but we're with Atlantic right now...we really want to get people focused on the artistry, on the music. I think a lot of people lost it with the entertainment of the show. So now, we really want to show people what we're all about, that we do our thing whether it's on stage, in the studio, writing and producing -- we do it all."

Speculation on the group's Bad Boy status began to grow when Diddy signed to Interscope Records earlier this year.

"I had started some previous business relationships with Jimmy Iovine," Diddy said in an interview. "We had a great chemistry with each other. When I sat down with Julie [Greenwald, Atlantic COO] and told them that I had an interest to go sign with Jimmy and they didn't make it rough for me. Lyor [Cohen, WMG Chairman] and Julie were nice enough to let me get my [Bad Boy] name. I was able to take the name over to Interscope and to still in stay in business with them. I am not abandoning any of my artists over there, I still have that imprint. But all my future recordings, including my recording contract, that will be at Interscope Records...We are going to take our time with the amount of acts that we sign...We want to find those very unique artists. We want to build something very special that's not already out there."

Diddy left Atlantic Records in part to further advance his recording career.

"Now that the term of the Warner deal has ended, I have elected to accept an opportunity to move my recording career and future label venture to another company," Diddy said in a statement. The joint venture for Bad Boy's current roster and catalog with WMG will remain in place.

Both Day26 and Diddy were sued over the summer in relation to copyright infringement accusations.

P. Diddy handpicked Day26 in Season 4 of "Making the Band" -- and now they're being accused of handpicking one of their new songs straight from someone else's album! In a copyright infringement notice fired off to Bad Boy Records -- the company ran and founded by Diddy -- singer Kirby Shields alleges his song "I'm Just Getting Started" is "identical" to Day26's "Just Getting Started," released in April. And here's the rub: Shields says the copycat track was produced by Christian Davis Stalnecker, the same producer he hired to work "exclusively" for him back in '07.

No further details have been revealed as of now.

Tahiry On Making Relationships Private, "Keep It Like Beyonce & Jay-Z, They Only Give You A Little"

King Magazine covergirl Tahiry Jose recently discussed the importance of keeping celebrity relationships on the low and detailed what her forthcoming reality show will consist of.

From Tahiry's perspective, a couple's relationship should be kept on the low if it is to remain private and not in the public's sight.

"Well, it comes with the territory to be quite honest," Tahiry said about having a publicized relationship with rapper Joe Budden. "I personally have no regret. I signed up for this, and it is what it is. I think that breakups shouldn't be as ugly. When you've been with somebody for so long you should find other ways to let it out. But you're in the public eye, so even if you walk down the block with someone people might think you're sleeping together. So it's between you and the other person to keep it like Beyonce and Jay[-Z] -- they only give you a little...I have something in the works with a production company right now. We're gathering footage right now, and we should start filming in January. We're talking with networks and it's just life. I think people can relate to being with someone for half of a decade then having to pick up the pieces and start all over again. I went from being a bartender--and I'm still a bartender--to waiting on tables, to being on the cover of a magazine. It's my life, my family...just keeping it Washington Heights, Harlem."

Tahiry has been keeping herself in the public's eye, most notably by posting for photos with 50 Cent at his "Do You Think About Me" music video.

He sonned Vivica A. Fox, now add Tahiry, and while you're at it, Joe Budden's to the list. Revenge comes to those who wait. I guess 50 didn't forget all the shots that Budden took at the Unit. "Guess who's gonna throw up in his mouth this time!" reads Tahiry's Twitter.

This also caught the attention of Budden who scolded Tahiry for releasing the images.

"Can you hear me, I'm tired of n*ggas asking about Tahiry/She can do what she want as long as she ain't do it near me...Everything ain't what it appear to be/Leaking pictures of Fif feeling on your a**/But if you seen it like me, then you'd be feeling like an a**/So I'm thinkin' I'm fool by watching you act a fool/Seeming desperate for attention, baby, take this as a jewel/Since we no longer, you and Cotto get the same advice, need to fire everybody in your corner/N*ggas ain't worth my time, I won't respond to ya..."

Prior to revealing his new girlfriend, Somaya Reece, Budden aired out his issues with Tahiry in a blog cast last month.

"My life is pretty routine and predictable," Budden said during a blog broadcast. "i don't need much, I'm not controlling, I'm not jealous, I'm not insecure, I'm not any of the things that Tahiry would say that I am. I'm like cool as a fan -- the really sad part about my entire five-year relationship that I am just now getting out of, you can call it arrogant, you can call it cocky, you can call it whatever the f*ck you want to call it, I was ready to marry my significant other. Let me just say that. Thank the f*cking lord above that that did not happen...It would have been a whole lot worse if I had married Tahiry. I went from being ready to settle down -- and now that I am outside of that relationship, it's easy to see that I spent five years settling."

No further details on Tahiry's upcoming reality show have been released as of now.

Check out Tahiry's Complex Magazine photo shoot below:

Rihanna Talks Chris Brown's Influence On New LP, "All Of It Isn't About That Specific Relationship"

With Rihanna's long-awaited Rated R album landing in stores this week, the singer spoke on how her time with former boyfriend Chris Brown played a role in its content.

According to RiRi, her relationship with Breezy does not dominate the entire album.

"This album is an expression of all those feelings that I went through in the last eight months, just different emotions," she said of the aftermath of Brown's assault. "All of it isn't angry, all of it isn't dark and sad, 'cause I didn't go through that the whole time. That was part of it. It was really a roller coaster, and you get that when you're listening to the album...I really vented on this album, and as I said before, all of it isn't about that specific relationship or what I went through, 'cause that's not who I am. That's not all of who I am."

Giving her first televised interview since the domestic dispute earlier this month, Rihanna said the former couple's fight stemmed from a text message.

According to Rihanna, the fight started as they were driving away from a pre-Grammy Awards party and Brown received a text message from another woman. "I caught him in a lie, and he wouldn't tell the truth. And I wouldn't drop it," the singer told Diane Sawyer. "I couldn't take that he kept lying to me, and he couldn't take that I wouldn't drop it. It escalated into him being violent towards me. And it was ugly."

Aside from recently apologizing at concerts and on BET music video show "106 & Park," Brown released a statement responding to Rihanna's televised interviews.

"While I respect Rihanna's right to discuss the specific events of February 8, I maintain my position that all of the details should remain a private matter between us," he said in the statement. "I do appreciate her support and wish her the best. I am extremely sorry for what I did, and I accept accountability for my actions. At this point, I am taking the proper steps to learn about me and grow from my mistakes. I only hope that others in similar situations can learn from our experience as well. Abuse of any kind is always wrong. The rest I leave it to God."

Rihanna collaborator Drake talked about his overall impression of Rated R earlier this month.

"Rihanna has a great album," Drake said in an interview. "She's got great records that she's using, she's got great records that she's not even using that she has for a later date. I'm excited for her. She deserves everything that she gets...We did do some great work together and hopefully it'll find it's place on some project one day. The record we have is great. It's a special record, so for it not to make it, I know something had to click. It's all good. I think the project's gonna be great no matter what."

Check out a portion of Rihanna's televised interview below:

Dame Dash Denies Money Problems, "I Am A Cake-aholic. My Quality Of Living Never Changes"

Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon "Dame" Dash recently addressed the recent speculation about financial problems, and said he appreciates the attention.

According to Dame, his money problems are overly exaggerated by the media.

"I have fun everyday," Dash said about his life post-Roc-A-Fella. "The problem is, I think people take themselves a little bit too serious. I'm happy to be a part of history so many different times in so many different ways. I'm from a place where you have your ups and your downs. That's not really what I'm concerned about. It don't matter. I'm Dame Dash broke, I'm Dame Dash not broke -- I'm Dame Dash when I got some money. But we also know that when Dame Dash got some money, he's putting it into his businesses. I am a cake-aholic. My quality of living never really changes, ever! I've never had to sacrifice or compromise. Y'all actually seen a lot of my tragedies," Dash said. "I know what real pain feels like. Y'all seen me cry...All this other stuff, because these people wanna sell papers and say things, I don't care about that. I don't defend myself."

Dash recently explained how a tax accountant stole money from him.

"The first thing you gotta kick when you're an entrepreneur is your ego," Dame explained in an interview. "You can't look like you're doing good all the time. You gotta struggle and I don't mind grinding, I actually like it. I'm almost addicted to it. Even when the thing with all my taxes happened, I thought, you know I made a bunch of money and I thought my accountant paid my taxes instead he stole some money out my account and didn't say nothing. I look at that as a learning experience, it just won't happen again, you know what I mean? I don't regret nothing, I got too many healthy kids. You know, I got four of 'em so as long as they're around and they're cool, I'm good."

He previously said his financial issues were in part due to looking after his associates before himself.

"My mistake was watching everyone else's careers and not watching mine," Dame explained. "After being able to settle my wife's company, I was able to start doing other things. My first approach was the music business and getting with Jim Jones. At first I wanted to help him because I've known him since he was young and me listening to the album and thinking it was really good. I thought it deserved to be heard outside of the urban market. So I spent the last six months doing research, trying to figure out how to use all my resources to blow this out...I'm not in the community like I used to be. I just know that good records sell. But I also know I don't depend so much on record sales; I depend on the brand."

The Harlem-based rap figure's recent financial problems have been publicized over the past few years.

An August 2008 lawsuit claims Dash and wife Rachel Roy have failed to pay due amounts on their luxury Tribeca condos from January to August totaling $7.8 million, which has resulted in the early steps of foreclosure proceedings. Eastern Savings Bank claims the couple agreed to make monthly payments of $78,500 on the properties.

Check out Damon Dash speaking on his business habits below:

Omarion On Timbaland's Absence On New LP, "He Had So Much On His Plate"

Former Young Money singer Omarion has revealed why Timbaland did not produce his forthcoming Ollusion album despite initial speculation and explained how breaking ties with Lil Wayne has helped him move forward to create his own company.

Timbo's role on the project was decreased due to the producer's workload.

"Timbaland had so much on his plate," Omarion recalled in an interview. "And when I saw I couldn't have the relationship I wanted to have with him, I knew it wasn't the home for me. With Young Money, it was getting close to the end of the year, and I wanted to build momentum for the first quarter. Wayne had other plans, though...he's the captain of his ship. Everyone was speculating that I was out for the count, but I never sweat. Stepping out as an entrepreneur was the smartest thing I could do."

O previously explained why Cash Money newcomer Bow Wow did not force him to leave Young Money last summer.

"Business-wise, Young Money and Cash Money are two totally separate entities," O explained in an interview. "Wayne has his group of artists and Cash Money has its group of artists. It is one big family but Bow Wow, he's under Birdman. That didn't have anything to do with me wanting to be released...The whole Young Money situation was a really, really great idea in the beginning. But when I really started to think about the history of superstars, you know, they stand alone, including Wayne, Kanye [West]...So when I thought about that I really wanted to pursue, and at that moment I had an opportunity to not only be an entertainer and stand on my own, but be an entrepreneur."

Weezy also weighed in on the singer's departure citing their creative differences as a determining factor.

"Uhm, we made different decisions," Weezy explained in an interview with radio personality Tim Westwood. "And time is nothing when you, there's no deadline or nothing like that when you're making decisions on your future, on your career. For a person like me, I don't put no deadline on it because today you can say 'I wanna do this' and tomorrow [or] that night you can say, 'I wanna think it over and do something different.' It is your career, it is your future and it is your life and I respect that and that's all it was. Different decisions was made and I let him make his decision and his decision was to go another route. Yeah. Nah, leaking the records? They leaked the records after that, after the decision. The records leaked after the decision, yeah, so it was nothing to do with the leaking of the records. Dude just made different decisions and went on the road somewhere else."

Following his Young Money exit, Omarion decided to team up with EMI Music for his own company.

Omarion will be releasing the new album via his label imprint, Starworld Entertainment, through EMI Label Services. The multi-platinum superstar will release his anticipated third studio album, Ollusion. Throughout each record on the forthcoming release, Omarion showcases his growth as an artist and entertainer. The triple threat known for his vocal, dancing and acting abilities, penned and co-produced all of the songs on Ollusion. Producers who collaborated on the album include Tank, King, Detail and 253, among others; along with guest appearances by Gucci Mane and Fabolous.

Ollusion is due out in stores Tuesday, January 12th, 2010.

Check out Lil Wayne speaking on Omarion below:

Usher's Post-Divorce Album Delayed, "We Want To Give It A Proper Launch"

Usher's first album since his highly-publicized divorce from Tameka Foster, Raymond v. Raymond, has reportedly been placed on hold and is expected to be pushed back until next year.

While an exact release date has not yet been revealed, an Usher representative has confirmed the decision to move the date from December 21st.

According to the spokesperson, the date change is to give Raymond v. Raymond the proper set-up time that it deserves. "This is a solid album that we believe in. We want to give it a proper launch." The album's lead single, "Papers," holds the No. 2 post this week on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

The album will reportedly touch on Usher's differences with Foster, which became publicized during a 911 call the singer made earlier this fall.

"I actually wanted to report a situation where my car has been keyed," Usher told the 911 operator. "Yes ma'am, property damage. Can you hold on for one second? It happened last night apparently, I had called and filed a complaint because of a potential domestic violence between me and my ex-wife because she had come to my house, they sent the police there last night, we filed a complaint. My name is Usher Raymond...It was around 12 o'clock, last night [the car was fine]. It was after I had an altercation between my ex-wife and after I filed a complaint and the police came, she fled the scene. But when I woke up this morning I saw my car..."

Foster's camp later released a statement regarding the situation last month.

"This is just another attempt to disparage Tameka," a rep said. "It's simply an angry ploy that has no merit. Tameka's own truck was scratched but it's not clear how. The truck is registered in her name, it's not even Usher's car. Why would she vandalize her own vehicle?"

The separation between Usher and Tameka made headlines over the summer.

From the beginning it seemed like sentiments were against the marriage between Usher Raymond and Tameka Foster Raymond. She was older than the 20-something-year-old singing sensation whose career has catapulted him into the realm of first name only fame. She was also married at the time they met and already the mother of three children. So news that Usher had filed for divorce from his wife of less than two years has been met with a collective "I told you so" from fans and industry watchers alike.

No further details on his album have been released as of now.

Check out Usher's leaked 911 phone call below:

The King Of Ink: Wiz Khalifa Stamps Himself As The One With The Most Tattoos, Talks Soulja Boy, Producers & More!

Young Dro With A Dog Made Out Of Kush!

Jim Jones On Dipset "I Am Dipset. N*ggas Dont Like It Holla At Me. When You Cant Get On Radio I Guess Youtube Is The Next Thing To Get On" [Audio]

D. Woods - Legalize Me

Sex Cameras & Hip Hop With Juelz Santana (Sex Talk With Clarissa) (Unreleased) [New Series / Episode 4]

WTF: Ron Artest Interview On Jimmy Kimmel Rockin Nothing But His Boxers On

Nicki Minaj Right On! Magazine Photo Shoot

Song Of Da Day

Hurricane Chris Ft. Plies & Mario - Headboard

Drake Hypes "Thanks Me Later" LP, "I've Gotten Better At Rapping"

Young Money's Drake recently talked about his emcee skills getting better and the focus he has on putting a story-based spin on his forthcoming Thank Me Later debut next year.

For Drizzy, the anticipation to share his personal journey with fans has continued to increase.

"You can expect the same sound, I'm still going to be telling a story," Drake explained in an interview. "I've got a great story to tell now -- it's been a crazy year. I just want to make it a little bigger, a little more energy. Sonically, I want to advance. I think I've gotten better at rapping since the last one so I'm excited to share it with the world. That's how I come up with songs, I'll sit there and rap to myself. There are people who are phenomenal at freestyling, but I'm a writer."

Recently recalling his publicized Funkmaster Flex radio show appearance last spring, Drizzy weighed in on his focus toward written rhymes rather than off-the-head freestyles.

"I'll never forget how nervous I was," Drake explained in an interview. "It was such a rookie hip-hop moment -- and, obviously, the controversy of me pulling out my phone and rapping off my phone because I just wasn't prepared. A lot of people don't know the difference between freestyle or off the top and coming to a radio show knowing you got to go there, so you got verses cued up in your head, whether they be off your upcoming album or verses just that you have laying around. A lot of artists get that preparation time...I'm a writer, man. I appreciate the elements of hip-hop. I appreciate a guy like Common who goes city to city and just spits at the crowd for 10 minutes about everything he sees. I admire talent like that, because that's just not my creative process."

Still in its early stages, Drake recently explained the initial difficulty he has been having with song selection for his upcoming album.

"No, it's not the first single," Drake said about his The-Dream collaboration. "It deserves to be a single at some point, but it's not the first single... I have trouble doing that. I'd say I have about six songs done and to pick from just six is hard for me 'cause I don't know what else is going to come. With So Far Gone, before 'Best I Ever Had' became the single, the entire project was done and it just happened to be the most commercially viable, catchiest song. I like picking my singles like that. Now obviously my management hates that because that doesn't give them much time to work it. But I'm a big believer that everything should happen organically and if it doesn't then something's not right, and I don't really want to change my formula. Before I start working a single, I need to get about 10, 15, 20 songs done so I can pick from a batch of music as opposed to just committing to something right now."

Drake recently touched on the importance of lyricism for his debut album.

"Lyrically, I want to keep the album as genuine and honest as 'Fear' is, but musically there will be a little more energy," he promised. "There will be more moments of triumph, because my life is the best it's ever been in my 22 years of existence. I want my music to reflect that, but I still want to be able to relate and connect with people. It's a good indication. There will obviously be some variation -- not every track is going to sound like that. I was actually going to save 'Fear' for the album, but I wanted to give people another reason to buy the [So Far Gone] EP"

Thank Me Later is slated to hit stores February 2010.

Check out a recent Drake live performance below:

Timbaland Drops Chris Brown From New Album, "There's Nothing Against Chris"

Grammy-winning producer Timbaland has reportedly decided to drop Chris Brown's contribution to a song titled "The One I Love" which is on his upcoming album, Shock Value 2.

Reports claim the singer may have been taken off due to the controversy surrounding his publicized domestic dispute with ex-girlfriend Rihanna last February.

A source close to Brown tells TMZ the singer's vocals were removed from a song called "The One I Love" due to the "drama" surrounding him. Tim's manager, Marcus Spence, confirms Brown was dropped from the song -- but insists the move was a "creative decision for both parties" adding, "There's nothing against Chris. We love Chris." But according to rapper D.O.E. -- who does appear on the track -- the song was originally called "Maniac" ... but was changed because "some people" didn't think it would be a good idea to attach Brown to a song with that title.

Despite the loss of Brown, Timbo's new album will be packed with additional R&B and rap features.

I mentioned that what I was hearing is greater than the stuff on BP3 and he said "of course I'm not going to give Jay my best material." He wasn't joking...So here are some exclusives of who will be on the Shock Value 2: Estelle, Danja, Keri Hilson, Jonas Bros, Daughtry, Hollywood Undead, Jim Beanz, Amar, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Usher, Chris Brown, Missy Elliot, Drake, Pharrell, Sebastian.

Initially slated for a November release, Tim's latest effort will now drop in early December.

Super Monday is about to become a little less crowded. Timbaland's Shock Value II has been pushed back from November 23 to December. The sequel to 2007's Shock Value was previously set to go up against Rihanna's Rated R, Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster, 50 Cent's Before I Self Destruct and Shakira's She Wolf, among others, on the same day. It will now be released on December 8, Rap-Up.com has learned, facing competition from Gucci Mane, Robin Thicke, Snoop Dogg, Usher and more.

Juelz Santana recently defended Brown in light of the negative publicity he has received as of late.

"You don't look down on a person unless you're trying to lift 'em up. I remember when they wasn't playing the 'Runnin'' song and Chris first came to me and said 'I wanna get a rapper on it' and once I got on it, they started playing the record. So at the end of the day, I feel like me and him made magic together, it was time for us to make magic together again. I got the right track from Polow, I heard him on it before I even got him on it, so I reached out to my dude, I didn't care about no situation, you live and you learn because he's young. I told him that from an older dude [perspective,] long as you learn from your situation, life is a road of learning experiences. Long as you learn from what you do, it is what it is."

Shock Value 2 drops Tuesday, Decmeber 8th via Interscope Records.

AZ Reached Out To Nas For "Doe Or Die 2" Project, Says "I Haven't Gotten Feedback As Of Yet"

Rap veteran AZ recently hit up SOHH to discuss his relationship with fellow Queens, New York rapper Nas and the possibility of collaborating with him once again.

Known for their time together on The Firm, AZ said Nas has been hard to get in contact with most likely due to his recent publicized hardships.

"I mean, I reached out to him, uhm, I think he's going through a couple of whirls, he's going through a lot of situations so we haven't really sat down and politic'ed and talked about everything," AZ explained. "Actually, I did reach out for this Doe Or Die 2, that's what I'm working on, the Doe Or Die 2 stuff. Raekwon did the Cuban Linx [2], and The Blueprint 3 and the Carter III and IV, so them sequels do good in the marketplace. So I'm trying to do this Doe Or Die 2, I reached out to him, I haven't gotten feedback as of yet, but like I said, look at what he's going through."

Nas made headlines last month when his tax problems landed online.

Kelis isn't the only person trying to get money from Nas -- turns out Uncle Sam is too! TMZ has obtained a federal tax lien filed last month against Nas for a whopping $2,584,206.31. Looks like Nas didn't pay his taxes in 2006 and 2007. Nas is currently involved in a bitter divorce battle with Kelis. Looks like she'll have to wait in line.

A judge ruled against Nas over the summer and said he would have to pay over $40,000 to Kelis in spousal and child support expenses.

A day after welcoming a baby boy, the "Milkshake" singer, 29, was awarded nearly $44,000 in monthly support from her ex Nas at a hearing. He initially asked a court to deny Kelis any spousal support and then proposed paying Kelis a one-time payment of $20,000 until the judge could settle on an appropriate spousal and child support amount at a later hearing. But on Thursday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Louis Meisinger rejected the offer, stating that new mom Kelis needed more money per month to accommodate her new lifestyle.

AZ shares over a decade of musical history with Nas.

In the wake of his debut Doe or Die's critical success, AZ collaborated with Nas in the ill-fated supergroup the Firm and released Pieces of a Man (1998), another critical favorite. But for the most part, that was it from AZ for several years as he fell by the wayside, not surfacing in a big way again until a pair of Motown releases, 9 Lives (2001) and Aziatic (2002), that didn't sell any better than his previous efforts. He subsequently took his music underground, periodically releasing albums such as A.W.O.L. (2005).

No further details on Doe Or Die 2 have been released as of now.

Check out AZ & Nas' "Mo' Money Mo' Murder" from Doe Or Die below:

B.G. Reacts To Lil Wayne's Jail Bid, "I Done 10 Months Standing On Top Of My Head"

Hot Boys' B.G. recently spoke on seeing his former labelmate Lil Wayne prepare for a eight to ten month jail sentence and said he felt the rapper would make it out in no time.

Despite being confident in Wayne, B.G. said he wished the jail bid would take place in their hometown, New Orleans.

"Eight months?," he questioned in an interview. "Sh*t, man, I done ten months standing on top of my head. So, it shouldn't be hard for him. I wish he was in New Orleans, where it'da be better for him. New York got a lot of love for him. But you know how n*ggas try to test n*ggas who on top of the game or whatever. Me personally, they a have to put me in [general] population. 'Cause I'll fight. They couldn't put me in no 23/1. I couldn't live like that. So, I mean, what he rap about, the true him 'bout to come out, whether he be in protective custody or whether he be in population. Every jail is different. I never been to Rikers Island. I been to jail in Atlanta. I been to jail in Texas. I been to jail in Detroit. I been to jail in New Orleans. I never been to jail in New York so -- I done seen DVD's on how they be slashing people and doing this, doing that. But, you know, I'm a man. And I could live anywhere. You could put me in the woods with the lions, tigers and bears [and] I'ma find a way to survive."

Young Money's Drake also shared his reaction to Wayne's time last month.

"He's dealing with it well," Drizzy revealed in an interview. "Wayne's not usually gonna open up emotionally and tell you how he's really feeling about anything. He's kinda more concerned about getting as much music as he possibly can, so that when he's in there, people are still satisfied musically with Lil Wayne product, and that's just the mind of a true businessman. I'll just do what I can to keep the whole Young Money/Cash Money team going, and I just want to play my part as a team member and keep the brand strong until the boss gets home...He's like superhuman. I don't think anything could really break his concentration or his zone when he's in there. I definitely didn't think this would be the outcome of it, but I hope it will add to him selling a million records again. It's an unfortunate situation and I hope that he'll be able to position it where his release is a day where everyone's excited and they're just excited about his new album. I hope he manages to market it the right way."

Cash Money Records founders Bryan "Baby" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams recently released a statement regarding Wayne's predicament.

"The Cash Money family will continue to support our artist and friend Lil Wayne in his current court case. We have worked with Wayne since he was a teenager, and have seen him grow into one of the world's most successful hip-hop artists, with a work ethic that is second to none. Wayne has our love and commitment during this difficult time. We always have and always will stand behind him. -Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby" Williams, Cash Money Records, Oct. 23, 2009"

In light of artists like Wayne and Lil Boosie doing jail time, SOHH spoke with Lil Scrappy to get his take on Southern artists being behind bars.

"I don't know how to react cuz, 'cause it's like d*mn, if anybody noticed, this is the most rappers that done got locked up," Scrappy explained. "I'ma tell you what it is though, it's from certain n*ggas feeling like 'I'm a rapper, I can do whatever the f*ck I wanna do,' and not saying I'm a boss and do whatever I wanna do. If you a boss and you doing whatever you wanna do, you still gonna do it where you gonna be good, you not gonna just be 'Oh, I f*cked up cuz, now I got eight years.' Nah, not like that, they gonna be like 'Eh, I did whatever I had to do, I'm good.' N*ggas be going out their character, cuz. They doin' sh*t they wouldn't even do and they get f*cked up."

Check out Lil Scrappy speaking on Lil Wayne & Lil Boosie below:

Canibus Goes After Eminem On New Diss Song, "You A B*tch 'Cause You Dissed Mariah" [Audio]

New York rapper Canibus has re-sparked his past conflict with Eminem by releasing a new diss song which attacks the rapper's image and taunts him for disrespecting Mariah Carey on a record last summer.

The five-minute song features Canibus also speaking up for the late Michael Jackson.

"You push D12 to the side -- if Proof was alive, he'd be dying inside," Canibus raps. "You ain't no hip-hop messiah, you a b*tch 'cause you dissed Mariah, sh*t like that's supposed to be private/I'ma fry you on behalf of Mariah and Michael, put you back on them drugs, make you suicidal/You can't shut the record down, n*gga it's viral/When you use the word n*gga, just remember your idols...Devil in a red dress on MTV, you signed more black people than a basketball team...Slim Shady you a coward because you scared to rap with me, the only black man you respect is 50/And the greatest rapper of all time was dead right, but you're dead wrong/You shouldn't have even been on that song..."

Em's "Warning" from last July sent disses toward Carey and her husband, Nick Cannon.

"Only reason I dissed you in the first place is because you denied seeing me and now I'm pissed off," Em says on the song's intro. "Sit back homie, relax, in fact grab a six pack, kick back while I kick facts/Yeah Dre sick track, perfect way to get back/Wanna hear something with wack/I got the same exact tat that's on Nick's back/I'm 'Obsessed' now/Oh geesh, that's supposed to be me in the video with the goatee, wow, Mariah, didn't expect it to go balls out/B*tch shut the f*ck up before I put all the phone calls out you made to my house when you was Wildin' Out before Nick/When you was on my d*ck/And give you something to smile about/How many times you fly to my house just on account/Better shut your lying mouth if you don't want Nick finding out/You probably think since it's been so long that if I had something on you, I woulda did it by now/Oh on the contrary Mary Poppins/I'm mixing our studio session down and sending it to mastering to make it loud/Enough dirt on you to murder you/This is what the f*ck I do/Mariah, it ever occur to you that I still have pictures/However you prefer to do and that goes for Nick too/F*ggot, you think I'm scurred of you/You gonna ruin my career, you better get one/Like I'ma sit and fight with you over some sl*t b*tch c*nt that made me put up with her psycho a** over six months/And only spread her legs to let me hit once/Yeah, whatcha gonna say, I'm lucky?/Tell the public that I was so ugly that you f*cking had to be drunk to f*ck me..."

Cannon said he was unwilling to let his differences with Em go last month.

"He's lucky I haven't run into him yet," Cannon said in an interview. "I'm supposed to protect my woman if someone can be so heinous and disrespectful. Until we speak, I don't respect him as a man. He and I need to have an old-school sit-down."

Slim Shady poked fun at Canibus on 2002's "Square Dance."

"Dr. Dre, wants to square with me," Em raps. "Nasty Nas, wants to square dance with me/X to the Z, wants to square dance with me/Busta Rhymes, wants to square dance with me/Cana-b*tch won't square dance with me/Fan-a-b*tch, won't square dance with me/Canada-bis, don't want no parts of me."

Check out Canibus' Eminem diss song below: