Kanye Glows in the Dark

(image from Kanye University City) Get your Flashing Lights ready, Kanye West has been touring with what is called the "Glow in the Dark Tour". It was announced back in May of 2007 and is currently finishing up in Europe. As seen on the concert poster above, R&B singer Rihanna and Superstar rapper, Lupe Fiasco, will be a part of the Canadian and US legs of the tour. It was also recently reported on Kanye's personal blog that the group N.E.R.D. will be joining the tour as well. NERD has been finishing up a third studio album after a hiatus of several years. According to FreshnessMag.com, "There are no official dates or what cities the tour will hit, but we can assume that the tour will start in the Spring and conclude in the Fall and will go through most major US cities". Head over to Kanye's University City blog to keep updated on the latest about this Kanye tour. You can join a Kanye fan club there as well to receive presale ticket offers. According to MTV.com when West isn't filming music videos, making music or doing tours, he enjoys playing Connect Four against stars like Beyonce. Find Kanye West songs at iTunes Store Music. Kanye West in the Studio: Beats Down! Money Up! The Studio Years (2000 - 2006)

XXL Magazine's 100th Cover

Nasty Nas aka Escobar aka Nasir Jones graces the March 2008 100th cover of XXL magazine as seen above. Inside Nas gives a candid interview to the magazine. One topic discussed is the controversial new "N" album title Nas will be releasing. He discusses the feud he had with Jay-Z and now working with him on the same label and records. Nas also discusses subjects like Don Imus, Oprah and rap haters/censors. The 100th issue of XXL is currently available on newsstands everywhere.

Odd Couple: Cee-Lo & Danger Mouse

After the critically acclaimed hit album, St. Elsewhere Gnarls Barkley is back at work in the studio. The duo consisting of Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse is putting finishing touches on a new album called "Odd Couple" due out in April. They recently recorded with live musicians in Los Angeles for the on-going project. According to Billboard.com's article, there is no official tracklist yet, but Cee-Lo has one song asking "Who's gonna save my soul now?" Danger Mouse has upcoming projects he produced on by Black Keys, Martina Topley-Bird and Shortwave Set. This will be the group's sophomore release, and will be released on Downtown/Atlantic label. Many artists fall into that dreaded "sophomore slump" but you've have to believe this talented duo has more great music in store for the fans. Gnarls Barkley Celebrity Playlist - Download on iTunes

Latest on Jay-Z & Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco says that many up and coming rap stars idolize Jay-Z but not for his musical talents and accomplishments. Instead Fiasco says it's Jay's business sense that inspires many. From teenmusic.com: "Fiasco - real name Wasalu Muhammad Jaco - says, "We (rappers) want to be Jay-Z, because we can be Jay-Z, and have some of the same lyrics as Jay-Z and even be compared to Jay-Z, but what he trumps everybody with is his business sense." "Every couple of weeks there's a new announcement of Jay-Z buying something." Meanwhile Wu-Tang rapper Raekwon has a different take on things. He believes Jay-Z and Kanye West have lost their musical presence because they've lost their connection with the hood. From teenmusic.com: "Raekwon claims they are missing out on a whole generation of hip-hop enthusiasts, because their wealth and success has alienated them from ordinary people. He says, "A lot of street people don't put stock in them anymore because they aren't doing enough to excite anyone. (They should) Come back to the hood and drop $100,000." Jay has released a live version of the song "Pray" on the Rocafella website. It's his second single from the American Gangster album, but owners of the album will notice a difference in the track. Jigga is also dealing with verbal attacks from both Joe Budden and Peedi Crack. Lupe Fiasco is planning to release his next music video from "The Cool" on the internet in a viral marketing campaign. From MTV.com: Fiasco's follow-up video to "Superstar" is going to be a low-budget affair and head straight to cyberspace. After that, he said some exec at Atlantic records is going to sign off on a big check for the next clip. "We're shooting a lot of videos," he promised. "The next viral record is gonna be 'Hip-Hop Saved My Life.' We're gonna leak that to [the Net]. The next main video is gonna be 'Paris, Tokyo.' Were planning a huge, big, kinda exotic, grandiose production for that. That'll probably come in February."...

Where are They Now? - Digital Underground

Alright stop what you're doin, cuz I'm about to ruin the image and the style that you're used to... Those were the famous opening words from Digital Underground's hit song The Humpty Dance which still remains a classic to this very day. Remember that pulsating beat and the crazy lyrics? There was also that funky fresh video to match it. I also remember their hit songs, "Dowatchalike", "Same Song" from whatever that movie was with Demi Moore and Dan Akroyd (we all didn't see), and "No Nose Job" which isn't on Ashley Tisdale's iPod right now. It got me wondering what happened to these guys. They released just those few tracks and of course launched Tupac's famous career. They consisted of Humpty Hump, Shock G, DJ Nu-Stylez, Money B and of course the late 2Pac. On their website they also list out Element, Metaphysical, Binc and FunkCyco as group members. According to Wikipedia they still do tours, and it's been rumored that they may be making a new album in 2008? It looks like Shock G's still at it because he released a solo album entitiled "Fear of a Mixed Planet" a few years ago. You can check out a few select tracks from it at his Myspace page. It would be great to see these guys making new music, but then again I've been pulling for a Tribe Called Quest reunion for several years now..Time will tell if either of these groups reunite for the sake of hip hop.. See The Humpty Dance rap lyrics.

Bring on the Gauntlet!

One of my favorite reality TV shows is easily the Gauntlet and Inferno challenges they run on MTV. These programs showcase not only a ton of bleeped out expletives, gratuitous hook-ups and violence, but the healthy spirit of high-intensity competition. It's basically survival of the fittest at its finest. MTV has began to air yet another Gauntlet challenge this year. It features a mixture of characters from the Real World, Road Rules, as well as former Gauntlets and challenges. There's plenty of household names and newcomers to make a name for themselves. The favorites on the show tend to be the loud mouth bullies. CT is the cocky guy from Massachusetts who tries to out-shout his opponents, but never outclasses them For the women you have the likes of Beth who nobody seems to like and Coral, who is the female loudmouth bully. The current show's format features the Veterans vs. the Rookies. Other challenges have been men vs. women type battles. With this sort of format, it creates plenty of strategy and plotting, and scheming. What's fun about these shows is seeing the alliances, backstabbing and attempts to make each others' opponents look stupid. I've never watched CBS Survivor too much, but this show definitely takes things to a high level of dramatic intensity. Bravo to MTV for continuing to do these shows because it's one of the more entertaining (non-music) shows they air. If you're gonna do reality, make it the brutal in your face type reality like the kids from Road Rules, Real World and the challenges do.

Compton Tries to Ban Suge

Looks like the city of Compton doesn't want Suge Knight and other Mob Pirus gathering in one of its northeast neighborhoods. The city has moved to ban them from meeting there, but several local residents are fighting the move. The Mob Pirus are known by rap fans due to their association with Suge and Death Row records for years now. Even Tupac said in an interview once he doesn't have to worry about embarassing anyone because everyone fears Suge. That's causing concern from the city officials who want to keep crime rates low. Suge has mentioned that he's now a businessman and not a gangster or mobster. Suge also states he isn't even a resident of Compton anymore and the injunction names people already in jail, as well as one deceased man. According to Vibe.com: "The proposed ban will put the breaks on gangsters congregating in the areas of Bullis Road on the west, Pine Street on the north, Thorson Avenue on the east and Rosecrans Avenue on the south. Gang members will be fined $1000, or thrown in jail for throwing up gang signs, carrying weapons, drinking alcohol or fighting in public, spray-painting graffiti, and are expected to be off the streets by 10 p.m."

Why Meet the Spartans?

After seeing Date Movie, I decided that Epic Movie would not be in my best interest. Don't get me wrong I love spoof movies. In fact many people hate on Scary Movie 3 which I thought offered some hilarious mockeries of 8 Mile, Signs, Sixth Sense and the White House. It really seems that with Epic Movie and now the latest entry, Meet the Spartans, they are trying too hard to spoof. Looking at the previews originally told me that this movie was a spoof of 300 and Stomp the Yard. I wasn't sure why it was necessary for 1 movie. Upon recent advertisements shown, it looks like it also spoofs Rambo, Shrek, Britney Spears, Spiderman 3, Donald Trump, American Idol and a billion other things. It's almost as if Saturday Night Live and Mad TV were thrown into a blender. I'm all for a good laugh but these recent spoof-fests seem to be trying too hard. Not only that, but it appears as if these are the only roles Carmen Electra is being given nowadays. The poor girl hit superstar status with Baywatch, and now is reduced to starring in these movies. The main point here is that when you throw a bunch of random spoof material together, it's not going to make for much of a movie. There's no central concept, plot or story, so it makes you wonder how funny it will be. I say if you want a good spoof movie, refer to the Naked Gun series or the first three Scary Movies. Even Airplane. But the new stuff that is being force fed to ADHD audiences has got to go. View the official Meet the Spartans website here. View the movie itself which will cost you about $10 and over 1 hour of your time, at your own risk..

Lil' Wayne Busted in Yuma

Rapper Lil' Wayne was arrested earlier today in Yuma, Arizona. He was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of dangerous drugs. He was being held in the County jail on a $10,185 bond. According to Reuters.com: "Two other passengers on the bus, Curtis Stewart and Harold Johnson, were arrested for marijuana possession, said Capt. Eben Bratcher, a Yuma County Sheriff's spokesman. Border patrol agents stopped the bus at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday after a dog alerted them to possible drugs on board, Bratcher said. The bus, with 12 people on board, had been traveling east from California. A further inspection found 105 grams (3.7 ounces) of marijuana, 29 grams (1 ounce) of cocaine, 41 grams (1.45 ounces) of ecstasy and more than $22,000, agents said." Wayne was arrested back in July 07 as well when he was found smoking marijuana and carrying a weapon.

RIP Heath Ledger, Age 28

(Ledger will star as the Joker in 2008's Dark Knight) Tragic news came today with the announcement of actor Heath Ledger's death. The 28 year old actor was found dead due to drugs. Authorities didn't suspect foul play and Ledger was found at Mary Kate Olsen's lower east side apartment in New York. The young actress was away in California at the time. Olsen's been involved in her own personal drug issues as well. According to the AP: There was no obvious indication that the Australian-born Ledger had committed suicide, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said. Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the SoHo apartment that is believed to be the home of the "Brokeback Mountain" actor, Browne said. The massage therapist and a housekeeper found his naked body at about 3:30 p.m. They tried to revive him, but he was already dead. Full Associated Press story Ledger's most notable recent work was the critically acclaimed Brokeback Mountain in which he played a homosexual cowboy along side Jake Gyllenhaal. Ledger was nominated for an Oscar for the work as well. He is set to star as the Joker in the latest Batman 'Dark Knight" film this Summer 2008. This makes you wonder why Congress is so gung-ho about investigating steroids in sports and not the drug overdoses and rampant partying lifestyles of Hollywood stars. We see it too often in the news these days with the problems of Britney, Lindsay and others. Last year claimed Anna Nicole Smith, due to drug use. Now another star's life is lost suddenly. It's definitely personal choice, but you'd have to wonder if the celebrity lifestyle and status contributes. RIP to Heath Ledger, a life taken way too early. Read more about Heath Ledger's career at Wikipedia.

Fat Joe's 8th Album

The latest album from Mr. Don Cartagena, Fat Joe, will be called "Elephant in the Room" (cover pictured above). It features production from the likes of DJ Khaled, Swizz Beats, Scott Storch and DJ Premier. Guests on Fat Joe's 8th solo album will include Rick Ross, Fabolous, Diddy and Lil' Wayne. Here's a look at the tracklist so far: I Won't Tell (w/ J. Holiday) [Produced by Sean C. & LV] Thank God for That White [prod. DJ Premier] The Crack House (w/ Lil' Wayne) [prod. Scott Storch] 300 Brolic [Produced by Sean C. & LV] Kill All Rats Drop [Produced by Swizz Beatz] Preacher On ASunday Morning [Produced by Scott Storch] Fugitive [Produced by Street Runner] Image and info courtesy of Wanadoo members site.

Foxy Brown Wants Hearing

Foxy, holla if ya hear me...According to Reuters.com, imprisoned rapper Foxy Brown is pleading with a judge to release her from prison early. She was sentenced in October 2006 to three years probation after assaulting two nail salon stylists over a $20 manicure. Now while in jail, she's claiming that her hearing is in danger of becoming worse if she is made to sit behind bars rather than being treated. According to Reuters.com, Foxy wrote: "I ask you to please take into consideration that my health is in jeopardy," Brown wrote in a four-page handwritten letter to Judge Melissa Jackson. The letter was part of an appeal filed late on Tuesday at New York State Supreme Court. "Yes, I've made some bad choices and stupid mistakes. But please understand that sitting in a prison with murderers and criminals is not rehabilitating or what I need to deal with my inner issues." Foxy's real name is Inga Marchand (age 29) and she had surgery in January of 2006 to implant an electronic device in her right ear. It was used to reverse "profound hearing loss". The doctor who successfully treated the ear problem said if her hearing is further damage it will affect not just her hearing but her rapping/singing as well. The doctor claims it will impact her ability to maintain her rapping and livelihood. According to NME.com, Supreme Court Justice Melissa Jackson is asking for more info about Foxy's hearing impairment before she will release her for further medical care. If they can let Paris out so fast over a medical issue, why not Foxy? As of right now, there's no official word yet if Foxy will be having any "hearing"...

The Shut Up Ringtone Craze

It's old news, so you may or may not have heard about the ringtone explosion for "Shut Up" back in November 2007. In Madrid, Spain there was a ringtone craze sparked by political debate. It seems the citizens wanted to tell President Hugo Chavez to shutup, not long after King Juan Carlos told him to during a political debate/confrontation. It immediately made for one of the more popular ringtones, igniting sales through the roof! According to CNN.com: "About half a million people have downloaded a mobile phone ringtone featuring the phrase "Por que no te callas?" or "Why don't you shut up?" leading Madrid daily El Pais reported on its Web site Monday. That's what King Juan Carlos told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a heated confrontation at a summit in Chile last week. The ringtone is thought to have generated around $2.2 million for the companies selling it, El Pais said. T-shirts and mugs featuring the words are also becoming a profitable business, and videos of the confrontation have been a hit on the YouTube Web site." There's probably many people around the world who want to tell someone "why don't you shut up with your ringtone" as well! Watch the Shutup Ringtone story on YouTube. Here's 5 other notable "Shut Up" ringtones, from more popular artists: Shut Up and Drive by Rihanna Shut Up by Simple Plan Shut Up by Kelly Osbourne Shut Up by Black Eyed Peas Step Up or Shut Up by Vanilla Ice

Top 10 MP3 Real Ringtones

Right now Mary J, Kanye West and Santana are dominating some of the hot ringtone sales. Courtesy of Funtonia, here's a look at the top 10 MP3 ringtones from their website as of January 20, 2008: No One by Alicia Keys Flashing Lights by Kanye West Into the Night by Carlos Santana f/Chad Kroeger Duffle Bag by Playaz Circle feat. Lil Wayne I'm So Hood by DJ Khaled feat. T-Pain Teardrops on My Guitar by Taylor Swift Can't Help But Wait by Trey Songz Just Fine by Mary J. Blige Kiss Kiss by Chris Brown Stay by Sugarland Check out more great ringtones at Funtopia!

Run DMC - Kings of Rap

Run DMC: Kings of Rap Run DMC is the reason for the mainstream success of rap today. Together with Beastie Boys they really started to bring hip hop and rap music onto the radio airwaves, into music videos and into mainstream pop culture. The group consisted of two emcees; Daryl "DMC" McDaniels and Joseph "Run" Simmons; and 1 DJ: Jason "Jam=Master Jay" Mizell. Run is of course related to famous Hip Hop mogul, Russell Simmons, a founding father of Def Jam Records. Run DMC the group definitely spawned a movement in hip hop to wear Adidas, gold rope chains and Kangol hats as well. Their hit records caught the attention of many and began to introduce rap more to society. Run DMC's 1986 album, Raising Hell was a tape that stayed on play in many walkmens back in the day, and set made records as the most sold rap album of all-time (back then). It contained several hit songs such as: "My ADIDAS", "Peter Piper", and of course, "Walk This Way". They went on to have other hits as well such as the Christmas Classic, "Christmas in Hollis"; "It's Tricky", which had the memorable MTV video, "Run's House", "Mary Mary" and their comeback joint, Down with the King (featuring Pete Rock). Run DMC also made contributions to World Wrestling Entertainment. They provided the theme song for Wrestlemania V in 1989 known as "Wrestlemania Rap". They later recorded the theme song for the team of wrestlers known was D-Generation X called "The Kings" in 1999. DMC also had a part on the Ghostbusters 2 soundtrack. The most unfortunate incident from DMC's history would have to be the loss of Jam Master Jay on October 30 2002. Jay was shot and killed by suspected drug lord Kenneth Supreme McGriff. It was a sad loss for the group as well as the hip hop music world. According to an interview Reverend Run did with Grandslam magazine, "No one will want to see Run-DMC without Jam Master Jay. Run-DMC is officially retired." Since the unfortunate loss, DMC released a solo album in 2006 called Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll, which featured a track sampling a Harry Conwick Jr song. He is going to release an album called: "This Iz Tha Final Kut". The album will feature DJ Run, BDP, N.W.A., Kid Rock, as guests. DMC's new group, Tha All-Stars which consists of Nas, MC Ren, Jay-Z, and newcomer, Knock-Out will also be featured on the album, produced by DMC. Run Simmons has gone on to enjoy success as a solo artist, releasing the 2006 album Distortion which featured "Mind on the Road", a song included in the Madden NFL video game. He's also a practicing reverend, and star of the MTV reality show "Run's House", which has now been on for several seasons. The show chronicles the tales of Run and his family including his 5 kids and wife. Run DMC will forever be responsible for sparking the hip hop revolution. While some say the current level of rap has watered down the radios, Run DMC definitely had mainstream appeal and great music. The legacy of these 3 kings of Hip hop will forever live on. Check out Run DMC Walk this Way Lyrics! See more rap music lyrics. Run DMC albums at Amazon.com Check out Run DMC ringtones for your mobile phone!

Star Wars Rap Videos

Star Wars Rap If you've seen the Star Wars movies (some people haven't) and are a huge fan, you'll want to check out these Star Wars gangsta rap videos. They incorporate explicit Star Wars rap lyrics over hot beats and use dubbed footage from the various movies. Everyone from Darth to Luke to Lando to Han Solo, Jar Jar and Yoda have cameo raps in this. Yoda and Luke actually do a bit of breakdancing as well. Not sure when the full length album will be coming out for these, but definitely hilarious stuff! New Star Wars Gangsta Rap video on YouTube! and another one... star wars gangsta rap You Tube video Looking around YouTube you'll probably see many more of these videos as it seems many others have tried to immitate...Knock em out da box Luke, knock em out!

Midget Mac Tour Dates

(Mr. VH1, chillin..courtesy of Mac's Myspace) Midget Mac's career is far from done. Even though he didn't win this past season's "I Love New York 2", he still has Big Thangs Poppin'. His Myspace is full of promotional ads for his upcoming appearances, solidifying Mac's superstar status. According to his Myspace he's: Midget Mac aka "Mr. VH1" aka "They Hate Me cause I'm Clean as $#%". According to Wikipedia Midget Mac's real name is Torrey Samuels. He's also been on location with rap star T-Pain, and done his thing in Miami... Upcoming Midget Mac appearances: NEWYORK SOUTH- COCOA BEACH, FL January 18, 2008 PRIVE NIGHTCLUB- LAS VEGAS NEVADA January 25, 2008 CLUB SOBE- MIAMI, FL January 26, 2008 ISLAND BREEZE- SAVANNAH GEORGIA January 31, 2008 View the official Myspace of Midget Mac here.

Culcha Candela Ey DJ

Culcha Candela is an interesting group which started back in 2001 and combines dancehall, reggae and hip hop all in one. They originally formed in Berlin by founding members Jonny Strange, Itchyban and Lafrotino, all singers. They've been joined by singers Larsito, Mr. Reedoo, Don Cali and DJ Chino con Estilo. Due to the mixture of heritages in the 7 person group they offer lyrics in German, English, Spanish and Patois. They are currently signed to the Universal Music label. Culcha Candela's latest popular song is called Ey DJ and has climbed as high as #7 on the German music charts. It comes from their 2007 album Culcha Candela. Check out the YouTube video here. Check out their official website: www.culchcandela.de Pick up the latest album, Culcha Candela Also see lyrics for Hey Baby by DJ ÖTzi Check out Rap music lyrics and the Beastie Boys MP3!

DJ Destrovega on TGR

Check out a new internet radio show tonight on Total Gamer Radio, hosted by a good friend, DJ Destrovega. He plays music from various genres, from hard rock to alt rock to hip hop/R&B. He usually takes requests as well, making for a great show. He'll be on tonight (Tuesdays) from 9PM to 12AM EST. You can read more about his show over at his personal blog, Escalator Music, or head over to Total Gamer Radio tonight to catch the stream. Also see: Lyrics for Hey Baby by DJ ÖTzi Culcha Candela Ey DJ Beastie Boys MP3 Rap music lyrics Star Wars rap Videos

50 Cent, Wyclef,Timbaland and Mary J Juiced?

This just in, baseball players and pro wrestlers aren't the only ones on roids. Now it looks like rap, R&B and movie producer superstars also turn to performance enhancing drugs to give them a boost. This comes from the Albany prosecutors report which took a look at the Signature company, which had also been linked to pro wrestlers receiving drugs. The wrestlers were given suspensions promptly by World Wrestling Entertainment. According to Canadian Press: "The Times Union of Albany newspaper cites unidentified sources in a Sunday report that R&B music star Mary J. Blige, rap musicians 50 Cent, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean, and award-winning author and producer Tyler Perry may have received or used performance enhancing drugs. Soares has declined to comment on or confirm the identities of the stars mentioned in the report. His multistate investigation has focused on Signature Pharmacy of Orlando, Fla. So far 10 defendants have pleaded guilty and some professional athletes have been linked to the probe in news reports." Timbaland definitely bulked up and got in shape quickly over the past few years. Wyclef and Mary J, your guess is as good as mine there. Read the full article here

Showbiz Stunt Doubles: Doom & Montana

It's the latest rage in musical performances. Not lip synching your albums or on stage performances like Milli Vanilli or Ashlee Simpson did. That's a thing of the past, well for some. The latest fad in music involves being too lazy to go out on stage yourself, so you send out a music stunt double. They look enough like you to pass for the real thing, but discerning fans are always able to tell the real deal. There had been buzz for quite some time on the internet over Daniel Dumile aka "Zev Love X" aka "King Geedorah" aka "Viktor Vaughn", or most commonly known as "MF DOOM". The underground rap star was taking a break from shows and fooling people, or so he thought. His rapper character and act involves him wearing a metal mask (like comic book character Doctor Doom) on stage. However, his fans are smarter than that, and he's been revealed as people noticed scars and marks on the impostors at shows. You can check out the various impostor pics here at hiphopsite.com's forum. The artist is being smart about all this of course. His next album is aptly titled "Doomposter" and will address the Doom clone situation. According to his Wikipedia entry: "As explained by John Robinson and C-Rayz Walz, live lip-syncing and impostor-sending dating back to Rock The Bells in NYC (July 29, 2007) has been orchestrated by Dumile as both a marketing mechanism and a basis for understanding his new album" Hmm..Likely excuse for a lazy rap star, or clever marketing strategy? You decide. That brings us to teen sensation, Miley Cyrus, aka "Hannah Montana". She recently made headlines in the news for sending out a double on stage. According to the Associated Press: "A video posted on YouTube shows the 15-year-old entertainer, who stars on the hit Disney TV show "Hannah Montana," onstage as her character, dancing and singing onstage with a group of dancers and the Jonas Brothers, also on the "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus 'Best of Both Worlds'" tour. During the song, someone ushers her offstage via a trap door. Immediately, another girl dressed like the character "Hannah" in the same pink trench coat with blonde hair covering her face dances around, runs up stairs on the stage set and then quickly leaves the stage. While the double is holding a microphone for her less than a minute, the girl motions like she is singing. However, a rep for Miley said the switch was only for costume purposes." Check out the Montana YouTube video here. So Hannah's switch is definitely more innocent and acceptable than Doom's, but both have caused quite enough buzz. The question is how many of the Doom clones will he have as guest rappers on his "Doomposter" album? And will there be a Doom-Montana mashup album in the works? Let's hope not.

New York Finds True Love?

Although it's taken other reality show stars several seasons of crushed hopes for true romance, VH1's reality diva New York appears to have found it. On Season 2 of I Love New York, the winner of the show was suave businessman "Tailor Made". The reunion show revealed that the new couple was truly in love and New York even accepted an engagement ring. Recent internet rumors claimed that New York was out and about with other men. MediaTakeOut.com had reported on January 7th that New York wanted to do a new "I Love New York" show as her relationship with Tailor Made had ended. The good news is that VH1 has reported as of 2 days ago that Tiffany "New York" Pollard and George "Tailor Made" Weisgerber. There's also no plans to do a third season as of now. So that might leave the door open for Midget Mac to have his own show after all! (Source: Google News) In other news, there will be a Season 3 of Flavor of Love, Season 2 of Rock of Love and Season 2 of Shot of Love (Tila Tequila's show).

Will 2008 be the Year of 3000?

One of the most interesting guys in hip hop has got to be Andre 3000 from Outkast. You don't always hear his name in the news, but he's done quite a bit. He not only is 1/2 of the legendary rap duo of Outkast, but he's done cartoon, TV and movie acting as well. He's constantly listed on the top fashionable celeb reports when he attends events too. So what will the rapper be up to in the coming year? According to Vibe magazine's talk with the rapper: I've been reading a couple of things [scripts]. Can't talk about them though, you know how that is. The clothing company will be out fall/winter 2008 it will be in your stores. Maybe in the following year we'll start talking about our own retail store. The clothing company Dre is referring to is Benjamin Bixby. Other good news is 3000 has 2 new movie roles coming up, with Battle in Seattle and Semi-Pro (2008). He also has word of a solo album on the way. Dre's definitely one of the most underrated talents in rap today, so be on the lookout for him to breakout even more. Check out the very interesting Outkast website here.

Jay-Z's 2008 Plans

It appears Jay-Z has already started working on new ventures in 2008. First off, it's been reported that Jay may be working with Apple iTunes to launch a new digital record label. Playlouder.com also poses the idea that Jay wasn't selling his American Gangster album on iTunes last month. (Source: Playlouder.com) MP3.com also notes the following about Jay's Def Jam contract which may create some conflict: "Another obstacle is Jay-Z's current recording contract with Def Jam. Late last month, Jay-Z ended months of speculation by announcing that he was stepping down as president of Def Jam Recordings after a three-year run as an executive with the company. But he remains under contract for two more albums as an artist." Jay also wants to open up five more 40/40 clubs, has a mixtape mashup of himself and Ghostface Killah and may be planning a wedding with Beyonce for NYC. Also see 10 New Year's Resolutions for Jay-Z Jay-Z Songs at iTunes: Umbrella by Rihanna feat. Jay-Z Big Pimpin' by Jay-Z feat. UGK Check out Jay-Z ringtones for your mobile phone! Pick up American Gangster at Amazon.com. View Rap Music Lyrics for Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Kanye West & more!

Hip Hop Honeys: Lauren London

Meet one of the newest Hip Hop Honeys, Lauren London. Pictured above on the June 2006 King magazine cover is the American born model and actress. Recently engaged to Lil' Wayne in December, she's been on hit TV shows such as Everybody Loves Chris, and HBO's Entourage. Her movie roles include ATL, Stomp the Yard and This Christmas. In addition, she's been in hip hop videos such as Snoop's Drop it Like Its Hot, and Pharrell's Frontin. Check out Lauren London in ATL (Widescreen Edition)! See more info at Lauren's Wikipedia Entry Also see: Lauren London IMDB entry. See more hip hop honeys!

A Fresh New Year Begins...

As you shake off that New Year's party hangover, here's some stories in music and hip hop to start off a fresh 2008... Rapper Prodigy is heading to jail on January 9th. He starts a 3 1/2 year sentence, for weapon charges. While there he will work on lyrics, and has already shot videos for his upcoming album, H.N.I.C. Pt. 2. The album is set for release in March. The interesting part about it, they will use a voice technology on the album to translate it to 1,400 different languages. A first for rap. (Source: XXLMag.com) Jay-Z has opened his newest 40/40 club, with the help of the Knowles sisters. Lebron James and Rev Run's daughter Vanessa were amongst his celeb guests in attendance. There continues to be rumors that maybe Jermaine Dupri will take Jay's vacant spot at Def Jam. In other news on Jay-Z, a Newsday article named Umbrella by Rihanna as #1 single of the year, and Roc Boys as the #4. Kanye was nowhere to be found on the list. The article says 2008 will be even more about the single. See the Newsday article with more top choices. Miley Cyrus, the popular Hannah Montana, is outraged over pictures that have surfaced of her and a friend on the internet. They are basically from a sleepver with the two girls eating candy and getting "in each others faces". However, gossip and internet speculation is making more of it. Read more here And Female First has its look back at the year 2007 and the stories in hip hop. Some of the biggest include Kanye vs. 50's album feud, TI's gun charges, Wu-Tang's return, Jay-Z triumphant new album, female rapper arrests and Kanye's dominance of rap. See the Female First 2007 recap here Check out the Daily Chinese Horoscope Monkey!