No More N*gger?

Ew.com confirms that Nas has changed the title to simply "Nas"

I feel it was a smart move, but I would like to have seen it happen.
Just to see the record sale's, with that title.

Ludacris Talks New Album, Max Payne Movie

While not much has been heard or seen from multi-talented artist Ludacris within 2008, the Atlanta rapper is preparing to hit the commercial spotlight as he prepares his upcoming sixth album and a police chief role in a new film.

On set to being another impactful album to add to his collection, the DTP-front-man rapper looks to release Theater of the Mind this September. Not speaking vividly about the project, Ludacris did tell Billboard.com that it would be "theatrical" as it will focus on being a collection of his experiences up to this point.

Despite not having a first single chosen, he believes one will be coming out by June or July, Ludacris told Billboard. As of now, one track on the album is "Let's Stay Together" produced by DJ Paul from Three-6-Mafia.

Possibly ready to show the world his additional acting capabilities, Ludacris will be playing NYPD Deputy Police Chief Jim Bravura in the video game-based film Max Payne. For people unfamiliar with the actual game's storyline, Ludacris provided a brief synopsis.

"It's about how the Russian mob came to Europe and took over," he told Billboard.

Co-starring in the expected blockbuster hit will be Mark Wahlberg as the movie's release date is expected to be October 31st.

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Justo Awards

Full List...

Best Mashup: Clinton Sparks
Best Mixtape Team: The Aphiliates
Best DVD Magazine: Cocaine City
Best Hip Hop Mixtape: The Phantom
Best Underground Mixtape DJ: DJ Scarface
Best Female Mixtape DJ: DJ Blazita
Street Album of the Year: Mr. Crisis
Best Club Mixtape DJ: DJ Enuff
Best East Coast Mixtape Artist: Styles P
Best Radio Mixtape DJ: DJ Envy
Best Mixtape Duo: Big Mike and DJ Thoro
Best Personality on a Mixtape: DJ Khaled
Best New Mixtape DJ: DJ Whiteowl
Best East Coast Mixtape DJ: Big Mike
Lifetime Achievement Award/Executives of the Year: Allhiphop.com, Chuck and Greg
Mixtape Pioneer Award: Tony Touch
DJ Red Alert Award: DJ Jazzy Joyce
Mixtape Legends Award: DJ Barry Bee
Best R&B Mixtape DJ: DJ Finesse
Best Blends Mixtape DJ: DJ Skee
Best Reggae Mixtape DJ: DJ Kool Kid
Best Graphics: Miami Kaos
Best Mixtape Producer: Don Cannon
Best Underground Artist: Joell Ortiz
Best West Coast DJ: DJ Skee
Best Midwest DJ: Mick Boogie
Best Label Representative: Duke Da God
Best West Coast Mixtape Artist: Crooked I
Best Dirty South Mixtape Artist: Lil Wayne
Best Dirty South DJ: DJ Drama
Best Mixtape Internet Radio Show: Shade 45/Whookid
Best Promotional Mixtape: Allhiphop.com
Best Reggaeton Mixtape DJ: DJ Flaco
Best Chopped and Screwed: Michael ‘5000′ Watts
Best International Mixtape DJ: DJ Hotsauce
Best Canadian Mixtape DJ: DJ A-Trak
Kayslay Award - Best Mixtape DJ: DJ Drama
Rookie of the Year: Dub Floyd
Mixtape of the Year: Gangsta Grillz

Lupe Fiasco Wants To Quit Music Biz, But Promises More Collabos With Kanye, Pharrell; Fabolous Makes The Band: Mixtape Monday

'Nuff respect to Lupe Fiasco. Usually, we take his word as bond, but when he starts talking about his next album being his career finale, that's something we refuse to believe. Maybe it's just denial that one of the most promising young superstars (pun intended) would retire before he even reached his prime. Recently he told MTV Base that he was 85 percent sure his next LP would be his last full-length solo set.


"I don't want to say I'm 100 percent sure, like, 'Yeah, this is it.' But 85 percent," he revealed. "That 15 percent is the X factor. That could be bills. Like, 'Lupe, you got to pay the bills.' 'Oh, man, I got to put out another album.' "

Fiasco says that the wear and tear of the music industry has taken its toll on him, physically and mentally. But he insists that he hasn't lost the passion for making music, just for the business of putting it out.

"There's all types and parts of the music business," he said. "There's the studio, record-store music business, and then there's the performing music business. I love the performing, I could perform forever. I'll be on stage until I'm 90 doing 'Kick, Push' and all that stuff if I can. But it's the whole process of it that wears you down. I actually got sick right before the Grammys. Never got a chance to go to the Grammys. I was running so hard doing music, and then when I got to the pivotal moment where you get the accolades for it, I found myself in the hospital and the doctor telling me I can't even go. I had a long conversation with the doctor, and he doesn't know me from Adam. He just came in and said, 'This is your life. This is how hard you're going. What happens when there's nothing there, and you drop down again?'

"When I came in, I was like, 'Yeah, I want to be a rapper, and I want to make three albums,' " he added. "But we'll see. It's amazing. I'm going to go away with a bang. Ahh, so good. I don't want to give too much away, because it's later. We're still just into The Cool project and still got more stuff to come out of this, but I am thinking on it. I'm already building it out, starting now, because it's massive. ... I'm treating it like I'm filming 'Lord of the Rings.' ... They had to film [that trilogy] over four to five years. It's going to take me about two years to put [my last album] together right. I'm 85 percent sure that my next album, LUPN, will be the end-all."

This is where we insert a big Flavor Flav "Wowwwwww!" Hopefully, he'll stick around a little longer. Besides, there's still the matter of the super group Child Rebel Soldiers, or CRS. It's comprised of Lupe, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West.

"Pharrell came up with the idea — 'Let's do a group, Child Rebel Soldiers,' " he recalled. "So, I did a song. Took Thom Yorke's 'Eraser,' cut it up, put 'Us Placers' on it, because I was going to do a mixtape called Us Placers and remake Thom Yorke's album [The Eraser] and Radiohead's stuff. I sent the record out, and it was initially supposed to have Kanye, and I wanted [U.K. artist] the Streets [on there]. The Streets, I got no response. He asked me to do the song for one of his artists. Then Kanye jumped on it and was like, 'I'm going to send it to P.' Then P sent it back, and it was like, 'This is the first song right here. Let's do it.' That was, like, a year and a half ago, and the whole time we've been figuring out what to do."

Since all three will be on 'Ye's Glow in the Dark tour, Lupe promised we could expect to see that performance soon.

"We don't know if there's going to be an album from CRS, what CRS are going to be," he said. "All we know is we're going to debut a piece of CRS on the Kanye tour. You have to come see it." ...

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Method Man & Redman Still Set to Release Blackout 2

Method Man and Redman are back in the studio together after nearly 10 years, recording a new collabo project Blackout 2, the follow up to the duo's platinum selling disc Blackout!

The two rappers' chemistry has already scored them co-starring roles in the flick "How High," an endorsement deal for Right Guard deodorant and their own short-lived Fox sitcom, "Method & Red."

Now they're back at it in the studio.

"A lot of good music comin out this year," Redman said in a sitdownstandup.com interview. "You're especially gonna hear from us, finally."

The album features production by Gilla House, E-Sermon andRocwilder and there may even be a DJ Premier track or two before recording wraps.

"Preemo, we need some heat baby!" Red shouted. "We need some heat right now baby!" "Treach need to be on this sh*t, too."

In addition to Meth and Red's collabo, the two are sharing a mic with almost 70 other emcees for a 2008 regeneration of KRS-One's new Stop the Violence Movement.

Along with Meth and Red, David Banner, Chamillionaire, Nelly, Busta, and Ne-Yo are among the artists putting a new spin on the 1989 inspirational rap song "Self Destruction" called "Self Construction."

"Anything positive is always good for the Hip-Hop community," Redman said. "I remember when the first 'Self Destruction' came out, that sh*t was hot. I wasn't in the game to get on it but now I'm in the game, so why not be a part of history?"

The first version was recorded by the Stop the Violence All-Stars, an East Coast collective including KRS, Whodini, Miss Melody, MC Lyte, D-Nyce, Doug E Fresh, Heavy D, Public Enemy and others.

Blackout 2 is expected to hit shelves this summer.

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Three 6 Mafia Kicks Off Strip Club Tour, Releases New Video Featuring Eliot Spitzer

Three 6 Mafia is going on a tour of strip clubs to promote their new single "I'd Rather" from their upcoming album, Last 2 Walk. The tour will feature 20 stops in the south and mid-west United States and kicks off on March 17th in their home state of Tennessee and ends on April 14th in St. Louis, Missouri. "We are doing it because our first two singles are sex and booty songs," DJ Paul said, continuing "Its Spring Break and Summer is coming up. It's about to be alotta sex going on in the U.S. and we gonna do the score music for hotels, dorm rooms and the back seat of cars!" The oscar winning group also released an Internet video for the single which features recent news headliner, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. "I wish him luck," said DJ Paul. "I never wish harm on people. He got caught up. I just hope she had some real good p***y."

DC Rapper Wale Inks Deal With Interscope Records

Washington, D.C. rapper Wale has finally landed himself a label by signing to Interscope Records as part of an agreement involving producer Mark Ronson's imprint, Allido Records.

Wale, who has created a major buzz over the past year thanks to his various mixtapes and his hit “Nike Bootz”, signed a production deal with Ronson’s Allido Records in 2007 and has been involved in a major label bidding war over the past six months.

According to Wale, Intersope’s consistent success is one of the major reasons he decided to sign with the label.

“Look at their track record,” Wale explained via a statement. “Dre, Eminem, 50, Pharrell, Timbaland, Black Eyed Peas, Soulja Boy…the list goes on.”

Wale’s untitled debut album will hit shelves this fall and will be executive produced by Ronson, who has crafted hits for Amy Winehouse, Rhymefest and Lily Allen, among others.

The album will also feature production from Osinachi, Best Kept Secret, Just Blaze, Pharrell, Kanye West, 9th Wonder, Justice and DJ Toomp.

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New Eminem Produced By DJ Premier???

Back in the 90’s it seemed that in order to be somebody you couldn’t possibly do an album without the legendary DJ Premier stamping his trademark production. From Nas to Jay-Z and everyone in between, a DJ Premier track made every artist worth talking about official. These days, those calls have dwindled as the younger crop of emcees have opted to go another route while Premier nurtures a new batch of emcees.

But there’s one person that needs that extra punch to make his comeback official and he picked up the phone to make that call…

Marshall Mathers aka Slim Shady aka Eminem

"I just got a call from Eminem," Primo revealed exclusively to HipHopDX.

The song, titled “Keys To The City,” will indeed be on Eminem’s upcoming album (possibly leaked as the street single) and will be the first time Slim Shady will put his signature flow over a DJ Premier backdrop.

“It’s a song that he actually produced and he wasn’t crazy about the track,” Premier says as he recalls the conversation between he and Em. “(I told him) as long as I can strip it clean and do what I do with your vocals it will be dope,” and the final result according to Premier? “It’s dope!”

The former Gangstarr producer explained that he thought the initial song Eminem did with his own production was great but Eminem called, wanting that “DJ Premier sound.”

But how exactly will the two sound together?

“Man…Eminem is back,” Premier continues. “He attacked the track with a new style, just fucking ridiculous, kind of like how he came with ‘The Way I Am’ but even more lyrical like the old Eminem.”

With a legend like DJ Premier saying that the song is “ridiculous” what more can you expect? Be on the lookout for “Keys To The City” off of the as-yet-titled Eminem album dropping this year.

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The Mix-Up Continues, Prison Rep Says The Game Is A Free Man

So is The Game in jail or not? The answer to that question continues to conflict daily as a representative for the Los Angeles Twin Towers Correctional Facility recently revealed that the rapper is a free man.

As reported earlier, Game turned himself into the aforementioned prison on March 3rd to serve a 60 day sentence for weapons possessions in relation to an altercation between him and another man at a basketball court located at a South Los Angeles school in 2007.

The sixty day sentence was a part of a plea deal which Game received after he plead no contest to a felony charge of possession of a firearm in a school zone. The agreement also came with 150 hours of community service and three years probation

On Monday (March 10), reports would surface that Game had been released from jail after only serving 8 days of the sentence,

Hours later, a rep for the rapper told Sixshot.com that the report was 'false' while Game's manager, Jimmy Rosemond, would also discount the report to various media outlets saying the rapper was only transferred and was not free.

Accord ing to MTV News, a rep for the Twin Towers divulged Tuesday (March 11) that The Game's inmate status doesn’t indicate that he was transferred, which could only mean he is a free man.

Rosemond and Game's lawyer could not be reached for comment.

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Juelz Santana Headed To Court For Weed & Bullets Bust

Dipset affiliate Juelz Santana is expected to appear in New Jersey Municipal Court this morning (March 12) to face charges of driving with a suspended license and being in the possession of marijuana and hollow point bullets.

According to The New York Daily News, Juelz was pulled over in his Bentley by police last week as he was approaching his home in Teaneck, NJ.

Authorities would smell marijuana coming from the rapper’s vehicle and saw a green leafy substance on the car’s center console as well as marijuana roaches and Dutch Master and White Owl cigars.

A hand rolled cigar laced with marijuana would be found in Juelz shoe.

In the car's trunk, cops would find 29 hollow-point bullets wrapped in a sock and $19,500 rolled in small bundles in a plastic bag also filled with Jolly Rancher candies.

A plastic bag with marijuana would also be found in the backseat of the car where Juelz was seated after he was arrested.

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Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 3/10/08

The calm before the storm of Fat Joe, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross affected the charts little this week. As Country star Alan Jackson, and former accomplice of Rock-rappin' outfit G. Love & Special Sauce, Jack Johnson held down the #1 and #2 spots, R&B occupied much of the Top 10, with queens throughout the '80s, '90s and present-day holding the slots with four very distinctly-created albums.

For the second week in a row, Baton Rouge, Louisiana's Webbie proved to be Asylum/Atlantic Records' latest success story, with Savage Life Volume 2 holding the #11 position, based off the the strong single "Independent."

Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)

Rank	Artist	Album	This Week	Total
3	Janet Jackson	Discipline	57,398	238,850
6	Erykah Badu	New Amerykah	41,466	165,591
8	Alicia Keys	As I Am	38,486	3,245,328
11	Webbie	Savage Life Vol 2	28,652	101,459
13	Mary J Blige	Growing Pains	37,507	1,321,304

Further down the charts, the usual suspects of Soulja Boy, Kanye West and Jay-Z all remained active on the charts, as Lupe Fiasco continues to prove his consistent success, with The Cool coming in at #35, but Food & Liquor also scanning over a 1,000 units this week on the Rap/Hip Hop Top 100. His partial label-mate Shawty Lo did not fare as well, dropping significantly from a strong start last week. Cult favorite Joe Budden is also making a convincing argument that albums made off of mixtapes are suffering in the marketplace, despite rave reviews. His Amalgam Digital retail release has yet to find position in the Top 200.

Other Notables…

Rank	Artist		Album	This Week	Total
35	Lupe Fiasco		The Cool	16,218	392,488
46	Shawty Lo		Units In The City	13,774	44,942
55	Soulja Boy		SouljaBoyTellEm.com	12,600	826,382
141	Lil' Flip		All Eyes On Us	5,347	5,393
--	Joe Budden		Mood Muzik 3	734	1,893

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Tony Yayo Promotes Literacy To Teens

New York based non-profit The Book Bank Foundation is kicking off its 1st Annual Community Tour, featuring Queens, New York rapper Tony Yayo. Yayo will join Book Bank founder Glenn Toby from March 10-15th in New York City promoting literacy while visiting various schools and homeless shelters.

The Book Bank Foundation was established in 1997 by Glenn Toby, with its primary focus on reaching homeless youth. In addition to distributing $40,000 in annual donations, The Book Bank Foundation also sponsors a number of community outreach events.

The tour is part of community service Yayo must perform, after he pleaded guilty in February, to being involved in the assault of the 14-year-old son of music executive Jimmy "Henchmen" Rosemond.

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Lil Wayne & Rick Ross Get Drafted For Bun B's 'II Trill’

Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Chamillionaire will be among various artists featured on Bun B’s upcoming sophomore album titled II Trill.

According to Billboard, the set hits shelves on April 29th and also features appearances from Lupe Fiasco, David Banner, Mya, Slim Thug, Webbie, Mike Jones, 8 Ball and MJG, Z-Ro, Junior Reid, Paul Wall's new group Expensive Taste and the late Pimp C.

Production on the set is supplied by Clinton Sparks, Scott Storch, Jazze Pha , Khalil and Mr. Lee, among others.

Bun B has been on the road promoting the album. Following is his itinerary:


3/6 Indianapolis, IN Cloud 9 Performance

3/7 Detroit, MI Zoo Bar Performance

3/8 Cincinnati, OH Annie's Performance

3/9 Chicago, IL /
Round Lake, IL Sharkey's Performance

3/12 Austin, TX (SXSW) Fuze Performance

3/16 Houston, TX Club Hush Birthday Party

3/22 St. Louis, MO Club Society Performance

3/28 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues Performance

3/29 San Francisco, CA Mezzanine Performance

4/3 Portland, OR TBD Performance

4/4 Seattle, WA Neumo's Performance

4/5 Las Vegas, NV TBD Performance

Lil Wayne Collabs With Jay-Z On Tha Carter III, Rapper Plans To Drop Album In April

Lil Wayne recently revealed that his upcoming album The Carter III will feature an appearance from Jay-Z.

The two first collaborated on Jay-Z's latest album, American Gangster, on the track “Hello Brooklyn”.

The Carter III, which was originally slated for release last year, was set to hit shelves this month but Wayne tells MTV News that the album will be in stores in April.

The New Orleans rapper claims that his constant creation of songs is the major reason for the album’s delay.

“I make it worse for Universal [Records],” Wayne explained. “I keep doing new songs every other day. I don't stop working, so I don't know when they gonna get that. Everything I do be better than the last, like, 'Oh, this gotta make the album!”

Wayne revealed that The Carter III will also feature collaborations with Hurricane Chris, Juelz Santana, Corey Gunz, Fabolous, Lil Mama, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Baby, Brisco and Dre from Cool & Dre.

Production on the set is supplied by Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Alchemist and Cool & Dre, among others.

Wayne p lans to release two singles from the project, “"Lollipop”, which targets the ladies and “A Millie”, which has a gritty feel to it.

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