January 5th, 2009 |
Author: Allen Starbury
 
Lupe Fiasco said in the past that he’s only got one more hip-hop album in him, and would possibly retire his microphone. But is he giving up hip-hop for another musical genre? Possibly rock?
 
According to FakeShoreDrive.com, the Chicago rapper is using the new moniker Percival Fats, and is fronting a new rock band called Japanese Cartoon, where he sings in a British accent.
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January 5th, 2009 |
 
Jim Jones’ first order of business in 2009 was to meet with the police in New York this morning (January 5). A rep for the Harlem hustler’s record label has confirmed to MTV News that Jim Jones has agreed to appear at the 54th NYPD precinct to talk to investigators about an incident that allegedly occurred on Christmas Eve.
 
The details of the event are sketchy at this point: Police believe Jones and/or members of his crew were involved in a physical altercation with Ne-Yo and/or one or more of his entourage at the Louis Vuitton store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. According to several blog reports, including MissInfo.tv, members of Jones’ entourage fought with an associate of Jay-Z’s who works for Ne-Yo. That associate is said to be the brother of longtime Jay-Z friend and business colleague Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith. (Early reports said it was Ty Ty himself, but those were later refuted.)
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January 5th, 2009 |
Author: Tai Saint Louis
 
Hip-Hop artists were responsible for the top three highest selling mastertones in 2008, accounting for nearly thirteen percent of the top 100 mastertones sold last year, the Nielsen Company’s RingScan report says.
 
The honor of the most purchased mastertone goes to Lil’ Wayne, whose hit single “Lollilop” was downloaded 2.36 million times, surpassing the second runner up by nearly a million sales.
 
That distinction went to T.I.’s “Whatever You Like,” which was purchased 1.62 million times.
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January 5th, 2009 |
Author: Tai Saint Louis
 
In addition to his legal woes, embattled rapper DMX has fallen victim to the harshness of the current real estate market. His luxurious Arizona home is in shambles and is now facing foreclosure.
 
The five bedroom house, which lies on a sprawl in the Cave Creek valley outside of Phoenix, is currently on the market for $429,000, nearly $200,000 less than the multi-platinum selling rapper paid for the home in 2003.
 
Had the home been kept in proper condition, it should be worth nearly $650,000, according to a local real estate agent in charge of selling the home.
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January 3rd, 2009 |
Author: Allen Starbury
 
Teen rapper Soulja Boy may have been robbed at gunpoint earlier this week at his home in Atlanta. However, reports are still unconfirmed.
 
Via text messages on the rapper’s official Twitter page, he left an ATL night club “zooted” at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday (December 29). Then hours later, the next day, two more texts popped up, stating robbers kicked in his door, and almost took his life.
 
“Thanking God for my life,” Soulja Boy’s Twitter message read. “Six n****z kicked in my door and tried to kill me.”
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January 3rd, 2009 |
 
Dr. Dre’s son, Andre Young Jr., died from an overdose of heroin and morphine, the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday.
 
“This case has been closed, it’s been ruled an accident due to morphine and heroin intoxication,” coroner spokesman Larry Dietz said. The drug test results had been pending for four months.
 
Young, 20, was found unresponsive by his mother, Jenita Porter, 40, in their Woodland Hills, Calif., home on the morning of Aug. 23.
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January 2nd, 2009 |
Author: Allen Starbury
 
While vacationing in the Caribbean over the holidays, Queen Latifah was the victim of thieves who stoles more than $10,000 in jewelry from her luxury villa.
 
According to various reports, the Queen was staying at a luxury resort on the island of Tobago, and attended a private bbq brunch. But when she returned, a $10,000 bracelet, two gold rings, a gold chain and a silver ring were all missing.
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January 2nd, 2009 |
Author: Miles Bennett
 
With the theatrical premiere of the Notorious B.I.G.’s biopic, simply titled “Notorious,” coming out this month, Lil Kim is speaking out about her disapproval of the movie’s portrayal of her relationship with the late rapper.
 
In Hip Hop Weekly’s two-year anniversary issue, the pint-sized female rapper reportedly sounds off about B.I.G.’s mother Voletta, and his wife Faith, saying she’s “been quiet for too long.”
 
“I’ve had enough and I’m about to expose them both … I’ve been quiet for a long time,” Lil Kim told the magazine.
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December 31, 2008 |
Author: Chris Richburg
 
A member of the Louisiana-based Jena Six is being treated at a local hospital after shooting himself in the chest.
 
The Associated Press reports that Mychal Bell injured himself Monday night (December 29) at his grandmother’s house in Monroe.
 
According to a police report, the shooting was reported at 7:40 p.m. At the time of the incident, Bell was staying at his grandmother, Rosie Simmons,’ home as his mother, Melissa Bell, arrived for a visit.
 
Melissa Bell told authorities that she and Simmons heard a gunshot coming from Mychal’s room and found him on his bed with a wound to his upper right chest.
 
Despite recovering a .22-caliber handgun, police were not clear on Tuesday (Dec. 30) as to who owned the gun.
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December 31, 2008 |
 
Beyoncé has the #2 album in the country this week, according to Nielsen Soundscan. I Am … Sasha Fierce sold almost 211,000 copies in its sixth week of release. Britney Spears’ Circus falls to #3, with sales of just under 203,000 copies, but the album still managed to break the 1 million mark in its fourth week.
 
Kanye West’s 808s & Heartbreak jumped from #11 to #5, selling more than 165,000 copies. Keyshia Cole’s Different Me — which bowed at #2 on last week’s chart — falls to #7, selling close to 127,000 copies.
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