T.I. - Akoo Clothing Line Photo Shoot

T.I's getting ready for the launch of his clothing line - AKOO (A King of Oneself) which is due to hit market next month.

Check out the video that hit his StreetCred.com site of the AKOO photoshoot with T.I., The Dream and DJ Drama.

50 and Kanye back on the WARPATH - War of RAP that its...

The rap chart war between 50 and Kanye West is on again - the pair's new albums will be released a week apart in December.

West won the last battle when his album Graduation outsold his chart rival's Curtis last year, after both records were released on the same day.

And now the rappers are set for a pre-Christmas showdown, with Interscope record bosses confirming 50's new album, Before I Self Destruct, will hit stores on 9 December - a week before the release of West's 808's + Heartbreak.

West's fighting talk has already started - in a blog posting today Kanye wrote, "I guarantee this (808's + Heartbreak) will be 50's favorite album of mine. This will be gangster's album of the year."

NAS - The New Face of Fila

Rapper Nas has broken his tradition of sidestepping brand partnerships and inked a one-year partnership with athletic apparel company Fila.

Fila will offer reciprocal financial support for Nas' print and TV ad campaign as well as his upcoming tour in support of his untitled album, due July 15 via Def Jam. In return, the MC will wear Fila products and co-create an apparel line that draws from fashions of the late '80s.

"My best friend Will and I loved Fila," Nas tells Billboard.biz. "It represented prestige and everything that was cool to us. When Will passed, we buried him in a black Fila sweat suit, so doing a deal with them has a lot of significance for me."

According to Fila president John Epstein, it was a natural match. "One of my executives spotted Nas shopping in our Manhattan store and struck up a conversation with him," Epstein says. "Nas isn't interested in selling out. He's interested in being true, and that fits with our brand."

Nostalgia aside, some may view Epstein as brave to co-brand his company with an MC who's pledged to unpack America's racial struggles.

"I had some trepidation, and then I started talking to 16- to 20-year-old kids in focus groups," Epstein says. "They looked at me like I was crazy for not understanding his message of positive change. Nas is relevant to his followers and I don't have to understand it as long as they do."

Billboard.com

T.I in multi-picture deal

T.I. is set to star in three upcoming high-profile movies, after signing a multi-picture deal with a Hollywood film company.

The contract with Screen Gems has landed the hip-hop star a role opposite Matt Dillon and Idris Elba in forthcoming film Bone Deep, a thriller about bank robbers attempting their final heist.

The second T.I.-starring film is titled Boulevard and is in pre-production phases, while the third is still in development, reports AllHipHop.com.

T.I who acted alongside Denzel Washington in the 2007 drama American Gangster, is also set to star in his own reality series on MTV, about the 1,000 hours of community service he must perform before his year-long imprisonment for possessing unregistered guns.

Hip-hop pioneer `Slick Rick' pardoned by N.Y. gov

New York Gov. David Paterson is granting a full and unconditional pardon to rapper Ricky "Slick Rick" Walters for the attempted murders of two men in 1991.The pardon is expected to halt efforts to deport Walters to the United Kingdom, the country he left as a child.

The eyepatch-wearing star behind the '80s rap classic "La-Di-Da-Di" served more than five years in prison after the shooting of his cousin and another man. Both survived.

The governor says Walters is now a rap artist and landlord in the Bronx who hasn't had any criminal problems since his release from prison in 1997. He also says Walters has volunteered to counsel youths against violence.

NYC judge sentences Remy Ma to 8 years in prison

A weeping Remy Ma was sentenced to eight years in prison Tuesday for shooting a woman outside a Manhattan nightclub. "I feel so bad for all the physical and mental pain you've gone through," the Grammy-nominated rapper told the victim. "This has taken a toll on us and both our families. I would never wish you harm and I pray the best for all of us."

Full story HERE

Artist Spotlight: YOUNGE SINATRA

Fresh New Sound: Self-proclaimed Prince of the ‘O’ (Oakland, California), Younge Sinatra brings a fresh new sound from the Bay Area music scene. Younge Sinatra explains his style is updated more universal. Breaking out with his own brand of bay music, he’s improved on the old frenzied Hyphy sound, retooling it into a more pristine and steady groove the Bay calls “Go music”.

Check out the full feature HERE

Fashion Meets Music interviews Hip Hop Artist - Crooked I

Breaking News: T.I. Pleads Guilty to Weapons Charges

In more "jail news".

T.I. pleaded guilty today to federal weapons possession charges, and will receive a sentence that includes prison time after he completes a period of community service.

In the year that he is awaiting sentencing, T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, must complete at least 1,000 hours of a total 1,500 hours of community service, talking to youth groups about the pitfalls of guns, gangs and drugs.

He will be sentenced to serve about 12 months in prison after completing the community service, officials said. His prison time could be increased or reduced, depending on his fulfillment of the terms of the deal and good behavior, they said.

He pleaded guilty to possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers, unlawful possession of machine guns and possession of firearms by a convicted felon.

U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said Harris will remain "under strict bond conditions" during the next year.

He said Harris' sentencing was deferred "to allow him to perform a unique and extensive program — at least 1,000 hours — of community service. That service will focus on using his high public visibility and his talents to tell at-risk young people about the mistakes he has made and to educate them about the dangers of violence, guns, gangs and drugs."

Nahmias said under the agreement, Harris will have to serve a year in prison and three years of supervised home detention, perform a total of 1,500 hours of community service and pay a $100,000 fine.

Failure to fulfill his obligations will net Harris a "much longer prison sentence," Nahmias said.

Breaking News: Remy Ma CONVICTED

Remy Ma was convicted of assault, weapons possession and coercion today for shooting a woman in the abdomen in a dispute about money in New York.

The New York State Supreme Court jury cleared her of charges of gang assault, witness tampering, witness intimidation and assault in a separate incident in which her associates are accused of beating up the boyfriend of a witness.

The artist, whose real name is Remy Smith, was taken into custody after the verdict was read. She faces five to 25 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Smith shot Makeda Barnes-Joseph after a night out in New York last year, thinking she had taken $3,000 from her purse.

Birthplace of Hip Hop Music Preserved As A Landmark

Big yaaaaaaaay to all those that helped save the birthplace of Hip Hop.

Remember my previous feature asking for help HERE

Well it seems everybody's hard work to save the place has paid off.

The AP is reporting that the project apartment building 1520 Segwick Avenue, in the Bronx where it is said DJ Kool Herc pioneered this thing we call Hip Hop is now eligible to be listed on national and state registers of historic sites.

The building’s owner had planned to sell the structure to developer, Mark Karasick’s who planned to then eradicate the affordable housing units and instead renovate and sell the units as condos. However due to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s decision these plans have been put on hold.

The new owner hoped to abandon the Mitchell-Lama program, under which the previous owner received incentives such as low-rate mortgages and tax breaks in exchange for charging tenants low to moderate rents. Sen. Charles Schumer said the city rejected the proposed sale to a developer because current rents could not be sustained if the sale was executed.

“This building, which housed hip-hop’s founding father … is a New York treasure that must be preserved as a bastion of affordable housing,” Schumer said.

Bill Cosby To Put Out Rap Album

Thanks for forwarding this over Lila.. Really have no comment, I love Bill too much..

Bill Cosby - a staunch critic of some rap music - is set to release a Hip-Hop album called State of Emergency, which will be a sanitized, issue-oriented CD.

Sources told AllHipHop.com that the actor, comedian and philanthropist will address issues like proper parenting, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, Black-on-Black crime and the dropout rate in America’s high schools.

Cosby’s album will not contain any profane language, nor will it offer any denigrating comments towards women.

State of Emergency would be the 35th album for the legendary comedian, actor, who released his first album Bill Cosby is a Very Funny Fellow in 1963.

Read full feature HERE

Kool Herc Calls On Hip-Hop Fans To Save Genre's Birthplace

With the fate of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue hanging in the balance, Hip-Hop co-founder DJ Kool Herc is issuing a call for supporters of the genre to help save the culture’s official birthplace.

Get the full scoop and video @ www.FashionMeetsMusic.TV

VH1: Hip Hop Honors, I Love New York 2

Ok, HAD TO HAD TO post something after last nights shows..



VHI Hip Hop Honors:

Wonderful show, but who in the hell booked T-Pain to sing a Keith Sweat classic in tribute New Jack Swing maestro Teddy Riley, WTF??? And with no studio robot voice backup?? I was totally baffled, seriously, that was my jam (still is) but T-PAIN?? I sat through the whole performance with my mouth open in disbelief...



I Love New York 2:

HILARIOUS.. Whoever filmed/edited the soundbites with Midget Mac should be shot.. Ok we all know he's a "little person" but no need to have his interviews with only the top of his head in view at the bottom of the TV screen, like the person filming was a 3 year old, wrong wrong wrong..

Rapper Rev. Run Featured On Oprah Winfrey Show

Talk show mogul Oprah Winfrey hasn't received much love from the Hip-Hop community lately. Minor incidents with Hip-Hop stars such as Ludacris and Ice Cube has the billionaire deemed a Hip-Hop hater by many, but hopefully an appearance by a Hip-Hop legend on Winfrey's show will silence critics.

Joseph "Reverend Run" Simmons from the legendary Hip-Hop group Run DMC made a special appearance on The Oprah Show to discuss the upcoming season of his reality show Run's House. "Gayle King is a friend, and she kept telling Oprah, 'Man, there's this show with Reverend Run, and he writes these words of wisdom', and she was talking to her for awhile about it until she finally said, 'Okay, let's have him on the show'," Reverend Run told AllHipHop.com.

For the full story log on: ALLHIPHOP.com

LL Cool J In Negotiations To Endorse Chapstick

How did this take so long to happen? LOL

Rap superstar LL Cool J is in negotiations to represent popular lip balm brand, Chapstick. The negotiations are part of a brand extension strategy for artists LL Cool J and 50 Cent, which is being launched by Violator Artist Management.

According to industry trade magazine Brand Week, both LL Cool J and 50 Cent are seeking to leverage their popularity as celebrities, through various endorsement deals. "It's an obvious fit. LL has been licking his lips for 20 years," Lighty told Brand Week. "They'll get to speak to people who normally would not pick up Chapstick."

In addition to his possible deal with Chapstick, LL is seeking to endorse a vitamin supplement to capitalize on his popularity in the fitness/training market, since his book LL Cool J's Platinum Body hit stores in Dec. 2006.

Violator client 50 Cent is in negotiations with Glacéau Vitaminwater to star in the company's first national TV ad campaign.

Jay-Z sells ROCAWEAR

Rapper/mogul Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has entered into a deal to sell clothing company Rocawear for $204 million in cash to the Iconix Brand Group, a company that licenses and markets such popular brands as Candies, Joe Boxer, Mudd, London Fog, Ocean Pacific and others.

The deal, which was announced today, (Mar. 6) could also net Jay-Z $35 million in Iconix stock, if the Rocawear brand meets certain performance requirements over the next three-five years. "Iconix is pioneering a new brand management model and by combining Rocawear with their platform, my team and I can focus on our strengths in design and lifestyle marketing." Jay-Z said.

Jay-Z will continue to be in charge of all product development, marketing and licensing for Rocawear, which boasts annual retail sales of over $700 million. Iconix and Jay-Z have also reached a deal to form a new brand management/licensing company that will debut a new luxury brand titled The Shawn Carter Collection, which is due in stores in 2008. For the full story log on: All Hip Hop.com

P Diddy - Tell Me (ft. Christina Aguilera) Music Video

Ok, just got in from an event where this song was bumping, I was singing this all the way home.. Seriously this song is still the S**t

Swurv Radio - The No.1 Internet Hip Hop Radio Station in Las Vegas

SwurvRadio.com is a Free Internet Radio station based on the idea that Radio should be more than a corporate brainwash playing the same songs over & over. The main focus of the station is their listeners and they work hard to give them a wide variety of good music, whether it’s Jay Z, Janet Jackson, Dead Prez, E40, 50 Cent, 2pac or even a little Marvin Gay. They have over 23 Dj’ s around the country from NY to Germany and everywhere in between.

Based out of Las Vegas Nevada SwurvRadio is the 1st Internet radio integrated into one of the hottest nightclubs in Sin City. You can check them out live every Saturday at OPM NightClub inside the Forum Shops at Caesars from 11-4am. They've had NUMEROUS artists on the show such as Nas, Tyrese, Rick Ross,Trey Songs, as well as Super Dj’s Kid Capri, Fat Man Scoop & Funkmaster Flex, just to name a few.

You can tune in & hear CD quality hits 24/7 (365), anywhere in the world, via the internet, cell phone & satellite. They also offer their web-radio tool bar for music all day, everyday.. It's seriously easy, I did it in 2 seconds and that's saying something.. The tool bar has a scroll feature which is GREAT for advertisers / sponsors wishing to get their message out there.

Check them out: www.Swurvradio.com

LL Cool J on promo workout book tour

More rappers, more books, more new albums... Want a ripped bod like LL????

LL Cool J is currently on a two week promo tour promoting his new book, LL Cool J's Platinum Workout. The book tour kicked off on Jan 3rd in NYC and will wrap on Jan 13th at the Wal-Mart in Evergreen Park, Illinois.

SOHH.com reports that the book which hit stores last month, was written by LL with his personal trainer, Dave "Scooter" Honig. The book includes fitness programs for men and women that vary in degree from bronze, silver, gold, and platinum workout levels. The Platinum segment also features pics of hunky LL showing us the proper way to do the exercises as well as his personal recipes and meal planning for those who want to lose weight.

On the album front: LL Cool J is working on what may be his last album for Def Jam Records under his current deal. The album, Todd Smith Pt.2: Back To Cool, will hit stores on March 6th and will be executive produced by 50 Cent.