Nike Vintage Nylon Blazer Hi x Electrolime

Of all the retro styles to undergo Nike’s pre-yellowed vintage treatment, it appears the Blazer is on the receiving end of that particular honor more frequently than most. It makes sense — the Blazer was born in 1973, after all, and its spartan, no-frills design certainly evokes a simpler time. A new Electrolime colorway, however, makes the case that the sneaker is just as relevant today as it was in the polyester ’70s. Built with a ballistic nylon upper in an appealing neon green hue that highlights the shoe’s clean lines, the Vintage Nylon Blazer Hi is available for pre-order now throughEnd Clothing.

End Clothing
4-6 High Bridge | MapNewcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 1EN England

VIA LOFTXMUSIC

EXTRA BUTTER X Reebok Pump AXT “AHCHOO” Bundle

Via Freshness

Long Island sneaker boutique Extra Butter is finishing out the year in grand style: the last day of 2011 will see the store release its highly anticipated Reebok Pump AXT “AHCHOO.” An homage to comedian Dave Chappelle’s tour-de-force performance in Mel Brooks’ celluloid masterpiece Robin Hood: Men in Tights, the shoes are built with premium suede in varying shades of burgundy and purple. Extra Butter branding is embroidered at the heel, and each custom sockliner is printed with classic lines from the film (as well as Extra Butter’s spoof video). The “Gotta Get Pumped” tagline is repeated on the sleeve of a matching hoodie, which is set to release along with the kicks. Retail for the shoes is $135, hoodie $60, and the bundle is specially priced at $180. Get to the store early Friday night because the shoes and hoodie will release in-store at the stroke of midnight, with an online drop scheduled the following morning at 11 am ET.

EXTRA BUTTER
266 Merrick Road | Map
Rockville Centre, NY 11570
TEL #: 516-632-5150

Release Date: December 30st, 2011 (TONIGHT!) | Midnight

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New Balance M1500 Pre-Order

When the first New Balance M1500 sneakers were launched, it came with a whole lot of features that justified the very high price point. It just goes to show that New Balance was not willing to sacrifice on quality, even if it meant the end product will be at a premium price. And to this day, the M1500 series is a popular sneaker for runners and sneakerheads. For the next season, New Balance is going back to its roots and keeping a minimalist approach towards the whole sneaker. Both versions are made up of white, black and grey on the nubuck and mesh uppers with a hint of mint and lemon as highlights. Expect these classic sneakers to drop around February 2012 and for those who can not wait until then, end clothing is accepting pre-orders right now on their online store.

End Clothing
4-6 High Bridge | MapNewcastle Upon Tyne
NE1 1EN England

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Heir Jordan x Marcus x Jeffery

The site, Heir-Jordan.com,  is expected to play host to a range of alluring topics surrounding the upbringing and lifestyle of Marcus and Jeffrey Jordan, heirs to the legendary Michael Jordan. A fitting reel of footage, the latest short follows the Concord-clad brothers traveling through a series of Air Jordan locations, apparently scouting out elements of their father’s legacy in hopes of carving out their own in the shadow of a truly one-of-a-kind basketball great.

Check out the 3rd teaser trailer

 

 

 

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Nike Sportswear Blazer High “Gorge Green”

Nike Sportswear pays homage to its vintage roots, as it presents a new colorway for the heralded Blazer High. The upper is comprised of smooth suede, while leather Swoosh branding is present alongside and a matching patch has been applied at the heel. The worn aesthetic has been applied to the midsole to further aid in the retro feel. You can purchase the recently released Blazer through select NSW accounts such as Atlanta’s Wish, as they are retailing for $100.

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Gabriel Urist x LeBron James 9 Jewel Piece x WTT

As sneaker aficionados continue to marvel over the recently revealed rendition of the Nike LeBron 9 “Watch the Throne,” we have since been awarded a closer look at the accompanying jewelry piece, crafted by well-known jeweler Gabriel Urist. The inspiration is clearly connected to Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne album art by Givenchy’s Ricardo Tisci, which bears the same luxuriously gold aesthetic. Six pieces have been created to coincide with the six pairs of sneakers that will unfortunately never see retail.

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Supreme Moleskine Camp Caps

Today Supreme updated their online store with a fresh series of camp caps. Featuring a cotton moleskin upper, the caps come in three colorways, each with a matching tonal Supreme box logo tag. Simple but effective, these go for $44 gotta go get me one.....#Dope 

 

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Converse All Star Hi x Oiled Leather

Releasing from Converse Japan January 2012, we present the Converse All Star Chuck Taylor in a new oiled leather version. The high top sneaker features a premium leather upper, hiking boot laces and comes in both brown and black colorways.

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Top 10 Albums Of 2011

OK Hip-HopDX has put together what I think to be a horrible collab of top 25 albums. I think to give the year 2011 justice that #TeamAlius would come up with its on synopsis on the #Top10 albums of 2011. While reading other sites #Top10 list I became upset, bewildered, confused and finally found myself laughing calling the team and saying "have you read this yet!?!?!" They felt the same way. Some people didn't even deserve to make the cut let alone be mentioned in the list itself. I thought to myself why don't we conduct our own #Top10 list with the office we work in. Testing peoples hip-hop IQ. Not saying that any other office around the world list is incorrect but we feel it could have been a shit ton better haha. Here we go.

We Love to hear comments so please send them in or Tweet them!!!


Top 10 Albums of 2011

10.The Roots - Undun
The Roots have a lot of strong records, but I think that "undun" might top them all. Top notch musicianship and rhymes make this arguably, most debatable hip-hop record of the year for the Grammys.
-Tip The Scale
-Kool On
-Stomp


9.Common - The Dreamer/The Believer
Every song on "The Dreamer/The Believer" succeeds off the strength of Common and No I.D.'s seasoned chemistry and Maya Angelou’s poetry on top of it equals major success.
-Ghetto Dreams
-Sweet


8.Game - R.E.D Album 
It was a pretty solid effort from Game. One of his more well-rounded albums, though we've seen better singular songs from him.
- Red Nation
- The City
- Ricky
- Drug Test
- Pot of Gold


7.Lil Wayne - Carter IV
There goes Lil Wayne, wearing bleached leopard-print skinny pants women’s pants. There goes Lil Wayne, riding a skateboard and falling off. There goes Lil Wayne, who can’t sing worth a lick, “How to Love,” into the Top 10 of the Billboard pop chart. Judging by his behavior in 2011, rapping seems to be the furthest thing from Lil Wayne’s mind, but....well leave that up to the fans he has.
-Megaman
-It's Good
-John
-She Will


6.Wale - Ambition
One of the best surprises of the year. An incredibly solid album, it's a lot less mainstream than his last album, but it's all for the better.
- Ambition
- Miami Nights
- Chain Music
- Legendary
- No Days Off


5.Eminem &Royce 5'9 - Hell: The Sequel
This wasn't a fantastic album. It was mainly an album of Filler Tracks but still hits like a right hook from yo moma if you interrupted her during Oprah haha. Two dope lyricist goin hard on some good production.
- Lighters
- Fast Lane
- Living Proof


4.J.Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story
This is poetry at its finest. J.Cole's 2011 debut studio album shows that he has a message to send to people listening to his music and that he's 2011's best new artist of the year.

-Work Out

-Dollar And A Dream III

- Sideline Story 

-In The Morning


3.Drake - Take Care
Once again Drake has proved himself to be greater than his predecessors. This was a very slow, melancholy album. But it was still very solid overall with great lyrics and production value.
Must Have Songs:
- Over My Dead Body
- Headlines
- Lord Knows
- Underground Kings


2.Young Jeezy - TM: 103
This trend continues for a majority of the project, but things change dramatically halfway through. For some odd reason with only being out for an official week Jeezy has made it to the number #2 with I guess his lyrics (on repeat) and with content (nothing new).
-I Do

-O.J.

-Trapped


1.The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye) - Watch The Throne

A classic in our eyes from the 2 of the best in the game right now. With the play on words, controversial lines and then  ridiculous production value from the best in the business this was a winner with A's all across the board. 

-No Church In The Wild

-New Day

-Otis

-Niggas In Paris 

Honorable Mentions

Tyler, The Creator - Goblin
Raekwon - Shoalin vs. Wu-Tang
Joell Ortiz - Free Agent
Kendrick Lamar - Section .80
9th Wonder - The Wonder Years

 

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Joe Budden & Joell Ortiz Speak On The Recording Process For New Albu

Slaughterhouse's Joe Budden and Joell Ortiz say they have more time to be free as artists on sophomore album.

According to rappers Joe Budden and Joell Ortiz not much has changed when it comes to the recording process for their sophomore album. The two Slaughterhouse members recently spoke with

AllHipHop.com in regards to the recording process and shared that the only difference now is that they have more time and more money to dedicate towards their album
oeWell, the first one was six days this one was like 67 days, said Ortiz when comparing the recording process for both Slaughterhouse albums. oeI(TM)m just saying that we have a lot less time restraint. We(TM)re feeling free to be artists. We(TM)re working with different producers. We(TM)re spreading sessions out.

Budden also spoke on the fact that Slaughterhouse has more time to record this album and also revealed that they now have more money allocated to their project.

oeI think that the process is the same, Budden explained. oeWe picking beats in unison. We all going in different rooms, different beats, different verses, different zones so the process is the same but like Joell said we have more time and we have more money allocated to be able to do something. So now we just sit in a session and say ~Hey, maybe Nicki Minaj would sound good on that(TM)I think it(TM)s safe to say each one of us are approaching it like it(TM)s the most important album of any one of our careers.

When asked who they worked with this time around that they didn(TM)t have the opportunity to work with for their debut album both Budden and Ortiz didn(TM)t hesitate to mention Eminem.

(hiphopdx)

Simone Green Discusses Death Row Memoir, Says Suge Knight Apologized For Assaulting Her

Exclusive: The former photographer for Death Row Records explains her hot and cold encounters with Suge Knight, Tupac's fondness for her "wings,"and responds to Jewell's claims regarding Dr. Dre's sexuality.

The horror stories about Suge Knight's alleged penchant for using his physical prowess to resolve every obstacle he encountered during his reign as the head of Death Row Records have abounded in the Hip Hop community for 20 years, with rarely anyone coming to the defense of Rap music's equivalent to the sinister Big Red from The Five Heartbeats. 

But now one of the last people anyone who has seen the documentary film Welcome to Death Row could have imagined defending Suge Knight is doing just that - to an extent - in her forthcoming memoir Time Served (My Days and Nights on Death Row Records). 
Simone Green, the onetime in-house photographer for Death Row, and the visibly bruised beating victim shown in the aforementioned documentary, is documenting both the good and the bad times she shared with her former "friend," Suge Knight, as well as her experiences with Tupac Shakur, Yo-Yo, Jewell, and all the other artists she captured with her camera lens. 

As she prepares for the January 13th release of her book, Simone spoke to HipHopDX about the intriguing content that comprises her writings, including her relationship with Tupac, (who she fondly recalls enjoying her chicken wings "as much as he liked other stuff"), her rare witnessing of the remorseful side of Suge Knight, and the incident she witnessed involving Jewell that she guarantees will incur the ire of the former Death Row songstress.

HipHopDX: Going back to the beginning, how did you become the Chief of Photography for Death Row Records?

Simone Green: My ex-husband, [Tony Green of The Dramatics], was one of the bass players that they hired, from Detroit. He brought that Detroit sound to Death Row [Records]. And he went on and hooked me up with a job over there. He set it up for me to work with [Dr.] Dre, and then once you start working with Dre, Suge [Knight] kinda - he saw me somewhere and let me know that he wanted me to come and see him. When I came to see him, that day, he told me - He hadn't looked at my work or nothing; he didn't know what I could do. And he [immediately] introduced me to his staff like, "This is the new Chief Photographer for Death Row Records." And I looked at him kinda crazy like, "Well, thanks for letting me know." And that's how it all started.      

DX: What years did you work for Death Row?

Simone Green: I started in 1992. In late '92 I started with a [company] picnic, and then went on from '92 to '94. I was gone by '95.

DX: So you weren't around for the Tupac era ?

Simone Green: No, but I knew Tupac, so... He was one of the first people I met when I came back to California, because when I first came back I ended up working for Yo-Yo, and they were real good friends.

DX: What did you do for Yo-Yo, just album cover shoots and stuff?
Simone Green: No, quiet as kept, I was Yo-Yo's road manager.

DX: So are those stories of being on the road with Yo-Yo in the book?

Simone Green: Yeah, it's a few things in there with her. And she's coming to an event that we're having in New York [on January 13th at Hue-Man Books in Harlem], because we ended up bonding real close.

DX: And I know she was close with Tupac. Is that time with Tupac documented in the book?

Simone Green: A little bit. Not as much as me and his - how we hit it off. And then [with him and] Yo-Yo, I kinda kept those stories separate, because me and Yo-Yo are like family now. From that day to this day we talk every day. So, it's like, her business is her business, and so I kinda didn't tap on that too much. 

DX: You wanna speak on your business with Tupac, or you wanna save that for the book?

Simone Green: Well, you know, we kinda hit it off. When I first met him it was because a friend of mine, [singer] Val Young, was having a potluck at her house. She had an apartment, but she could pack that joint like it was a concert 'cause everybody in that apartment was famous: from Darryl Strawberry to the Mary Jane Girls to Tupac Shakur, Yo-Yo, Bell Biv Devoe, everybody was there. They came for the food. And, I moved in that building and she asked me to make some buffalo wings. And I made the buffalo wings, and I tell you Tupac snatched them wings up and snuck into a corner and ate 'em all. He loved the wings to the point where that's what made us become friends. He [would say], "Oh, yo, can you make some more of those wings." [Says slyly] I moved right around the corner. And he literally had moved on our same street but on the other side, in North Hollywood. So he invited me and Val and her daughter over. And, I went over and I took my wings over there as [needed]. He was addicted to the wings. I think he liked the wings as much as he liked other stuff. 

DX: [Laughs]

Simone Green: You know what I'm talking about. It was like, wow, those wings are the bomb. [Laughs] He always used to tell me how good he liked my wings, so that was how we hit it off.                   

DX: Now, bringing the timeline forward, and back to the Death Row stuff, when and why did you leave Death Row?

Simone Green: I left on January 25, 1994. And the why is in the book. That part I don't wanna let out, what happened. But it was an incident that occurred, and I had no control over it.

DX: Well, I do have to tack on a question to that . The scene in the Welcome to Death Row documentary when you detail the time Suge Knight assisted in assaulting you is a powerful one. So I was surprised to hear you speaking in the promo video for the book of the couple "cool" convos you've had with Suge since. I have to ask, why would you sit down and talk with someone who had done that to you?

Simone Green: Well, I'ma be honest with you, I was tired of looking over my shoulder. And I wanted to know why. I had some questions myself, and I wanted to know, "Why did you do this to me?" Because I thought we were much cooler than that. So, when he came to Atlanta to Left Eye's funeral and I ran into Kurupt at the funeral, it was like - Kurupt immediately went back and told him, "Man, you know Simone lives here?" This is the first time in all my years that I let my guards down for a hot second and Kurupt said, "What's your digits?" And I gave 'em to him. I wasn't thinking; I swear I wasn't thinking. And sure enough, he called me about three hours later and said, "Yo, Simon wants to holla at you." And I was like, [Says hesitantly] "Why?" And he was like, "He wanna talk to you for a minute."
So, [Suge Knight] got on the phone and he was like, "You know, I wanna talk to you." And I was like, "Yeah, but I'm not coming." And he was like, "Simone, everything is cool." I said, "I'm not coming!" When I got off my job that night, I got off at 11 o'clock. Now, you know I must've been crazy because I went straight to that hotel. It was The Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead. Now, don't ask me why I did that, but I wanted to know. In my mind for [eight] years I had puzzled around with it, trying to figure out, "Why did he do this to me?" And so that's when he told me. And he apologized. 

DX: Oh, he did apologize?

Simone Green: Oh yeah. He apologized, and told me that day - I don't know if it was because he was saddened by Lisa's death and just was feeling bad, but he told me that, "Anything I can do to help you in whatever [you're doing just let me know]." He said, "I heard you got a book coming out?" And I said, "I do." He said, "Well, just do me one favor: make money." He said, "Make money, because those people in that movie, that did that movie that you did, they didn't make no money. So I need to know, how much did you make?" And all I said was, "I made about 20-times-$300, and some." And he said, "My girl." And I was able to walk up out of that room with his blessings for the book." He said, "Just tell the truth."
And I'm telling the truth in the book, regardless to who it hurts: ex-husbands, Suge Knight, whoever. I'm telling the truth in the book.   

DX: In that Welcome to Death Row documentary you said that you weren't "the only woman he beat up. So do you detail Suge's long-rumored acts of violence during the Death Row era in the book?

Simone Green: Well, we interviewed other people from Death Row Records like one of his kid's mother's, and she talks about situations that she had and how they played out with her and Suge. [So] I definitely wasn't the only one, but I'm the only one that I'm speaking on, because I can speak for me. Can't nobody speak for anything else but you can speak for yourself. And that's how I feel, I just wanna talk about me and what I went through, and how I feel that we can help other people in the long run.

DX: So, I have to ask, are there any other revelations about other artists, or just what was going on at the time at Death Row, that the HipHopDX readers are gonna learn about from reading Time Served?

Simone Green: Well, they're gonna find out that everybody that Suge called a friend, they might've not really been his friend. 'Cause I thought I was his friend, and if I got that for being his friend what did some of his other friends get? I have a picture that I took of all of the guys - one night we were doing a video shoot... and it was Suge and all of his henchmen. And all the henchmen are dead today. Every one of 'em is dead; Suge is the only one alive. So those were his friends. And if you really think about it you'll be like, Hmmm, that's kinda weird.
But I do feel like me and Dre and Sam Sneed and Snoop [Dogg], we got out with our lives. And Jewell.

DX: Speaking of Jewell, just for the record, you're not writing about Dr. Dre's sexuality or other tawdry topics the way she is in her new book?

Simone Green: No. Like I said, this is about me. Hopefully Jewell will talk about her own sexuality and the things that she has [done] while she's telling on Dre.

DX: Yeah, I interviewed her recently and I was very surprised to hear a grown woman talking the way she was.

Simone Green: Oh, yeah. And, I think it's a little bitterness with her and her situation. But, all of the girls at Death Row were... The whole thing was ran like a little gang. And if you didn't do what one said I talk about Jewell now. She fin to be mad at me, 'cause I'm putting it out there on her. So, while she wanna talk about Dre, we gonna talk about her. So I do talk about her. And it's not a bad thing, but it's just an incident that occurred with her while we were out of town and some things that she did. But it just happens to be her.

DX: I wanna wrap this quick Q&A up by asking the most obvious question: Why did you wait 15 years to document your time at Death Row?

Simone Green: Because the first time... Really, I been working on this since I left Death Row Records. And the first time I did a manuscript, it got kicked back by the [publisher]. Then someone walked it in to Simon & Schuster, and Suge had got a book deal at Simon & Schuster and they said, "Eh, he didn't sell no books so you probably won't sell any either. But we do like this story." So they told me what I should do, and I did what they told me to do and I went out and I hired someone to help me and we put it together in the proper kind of way and we did everything right and they told me, "Simone, if this book starts to sell don't forget us, 'cause we might come back and ask you can we buy it." So, now that it's coming the way it's coming, I think that it might blow and they'll come back and wanna buy it. But it took 15 years 'cause I wanted it done right.
And I really had to think about the people that I was pulling into this situation, because there's a few people that might be mad at me afterwards. And they're not Suge Knight. But, the truth is the truth.
Time Served (My Days and Nights on Death Row Records) is available for pre-order.

(HIPHOPDX)

Rick Ross Sued By Nigerian State For Cancelled Concert

Rick Rozay finds himself in legal hot water after he bailed on a festival performance in Nigeria's Cross River State.

Rick Ross may not forgive, but apparently the government of Nigeria's Cross River State doesn't either. The Bawse was recently slapped with a lawsuit by the Nigerian state's government for canceling a performance date at the Calabar Festival and failing to reimburse the performance fees.

According to a recent article from InformationNigeria.org, Rick Rozay abruptly cancelled his performance at this year's Calabar Festival, a nearly month-long music festival funded by the Cross River State government. In addition to failing to notify the concert organizers of his intention to cancel his performance, the Miami rapper has failed to reimburse them for his performance fees, which he had already cashed.

In response, the Cross River State government has hired lawyers within the United States to sue the rapper for breach of contract. An official statement was released by the government this past Wednesday via BlackBerry Messenger.

(HIPHOPDX)

Lil Wayne "How To Love" Crew Takeover L.A. Subway

Weeks after New York City pedestrian Terrane Hicks raised eyebrows performing Kanye West's "N*ggas In Pars" in public, a group of Los Angeles people have pulled a similar stunt with Lil Wayne's "How to Love" hit.

In a new viral video, Los Angeles subway riders perform Weezy's record amongst unknowing riders.

The Love Project, launched by L.A. local advertising agency Muse Communications, created a cultural experiment where those taking part tried to get "to the heart of what love really means" by performing the Young Money CEO's hit song on public transportation. In a press release issued by Muse Communications chairman and chief creative officer, Jo Muse, she explained The Love Project was created in an effort to explore culture and share it with a broader audience. In the two-minute clip, a man boards the subway with guitar in hand and kicks off the song. As the commute gets underway, he's joined by more passengers singing 'How to Love,' including a ponytail-sporting tween who knows all of the lyrics. (The Boom Box)

A few months ago, pop star Justin Bieber released a cover to Wayne's "How to Love."

If you, like Vulture, forgot to send a really awesome present, don't worry; Justin Bieber was on top of it. Young Biebs tweeted out a remix of Wayne's oft-maligned hit single "How to Love" late last night, with an obligatory birthday greeting. Okay, hear us out: Even if you weren't a fan of the slightly dull original, you might enjoy this cover. In fact, this cover might explain why many Wayne devotees weren't particularly jazzed on the single. This is actually a Justin Bieber song! Granted, Biebs tries a lot harder in his version: We're talking harmonies, a meandering guitar riff, and even a brief appearance by Shawty Mane (that would be Bieber's rapping alter ego, though this breathy verse maybe only counts as half-rap). (New York Mag)

Last week, Internet star Terrane Hicks talked about gaining a buzz for his "N*ggas In Paris" subway performance.

"Well, everyone I know keeps calling me and hysterically laughing. I love it. Love the excitement and I'm actually going to try to take this somewhere! ... I was born and raised in Harlem, recently moved to Brooklyn. I'm a martial artist and I own a personal training company called Skye Fitness (skyefitness.com). [Was I drunk?] No, actually I was totally sober. I am like this all the time. I'm just a hype person. ... No, I don't normally rap out loud but that's one of those songs that gets you hype! I really didn't care what the other riders thought. That's that song!!! And yes, I was definitely trying to entertain my fellow commuters." (Miss Info)

Earlier in the week, Yeezy posted Hicks' YouTube link to his Twitter page.

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMIw82pX4mA&sns=em," Kanye West tweeted December 21st. The YouTube link brings readers to a clip titled "Guy Singing 'N*ggas In Paris' on NYC Subway. The video is nearly three minutes long and already has over one million views. (Kanye West's Twitter)

Waka Flocka Flame Wants Kanye West To Get Nasty

With the popularity of rap duos uniting for full-length albums, Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame has revealed his interest in seeing hip-hop veteran Nas team up with Kanye West for a joint LP.

 While brief with his words, Flocka said a Nasty Nas and West collaboration would be nothing less than classic.

"Nas and my boy West need to drop a tape #classic," he tweeted December 29th.

"You dont have 2 wear tight jeans to get a bigger crowd #beyoself" (Waka Flocka Flame's Twitter)

Waka may have to wait to see his hip-hop dream come to fruition, as Nas is already planning a joint LP alongside Chicago rap veteran Common.

"At some point, we will do that. We'd talked about it and we had a good idea to call it Nas (Dot) Com. That was actually going to be a mixtape at one point," he revealed. "But we decided that we should make it an album. And we will. Nas is working on his album right now and my album is coming, November 22nd." (Hard Knock TV)

In August, Waka addressed the comparison of Kanye West and Jay-Z to his and Gucci Mane's bond.

"Trying to compare us to Jay-Z [and Kanye] is like comparing [NBA player] Dirk Nowitzki to Larry Bird -- that's disrespectful...That's like two different classes. ... I been rappin' for three years, those folks got 15 years -- I'm happy that my name comes in the conversation -- even behind Gucci. At the end of the day it's all respect; I'm a fan of music." (Rapfix)

Earlier this year, reggae star Shaggy talked to SOHH about his perception of Nas teaming up with Damian Marley for their Distant Relatives 2010 joint effort.

"It's good and it's a good collaboration because it was organic when it happened," Shaggy told SOHH referring to Nas and Damian Marley's Distant Relatives. "A lot of people do collaborations these days because the person is hot. Collaborations aren't done for the right reasons. The collaboration between Nas and Damian was one that came out of a relationship that they had. It didn't matter if Nas was hot or Damian was hot. It was just the fact that [...] two people connected musically and came out with a product and enjoyed making it together. They enjoyed promoting the project and just being part of it. They really connected. A lot of collaborations are political. It's about who's hot and who's not. I don't think I would want to get into it like that. I would rather not do a collaboration if it's all about that because then the egos turn into problems and the record companies [get involved] and all of that. It has to be organic and if it's not organic, I would rather not get into it." (SOHH)

Kanye West Aiming For A Pricey One-Night Stand, "He Doesn't Want To ]...] For Less Than A Mil"

Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West is allegedly shopping different venues to perform at on New Year's Eve with reports suggesting he is looking to bank $1 million for a one-night gig.

According to reports, Ye could end up deejaying at a Las Vegas party this Saturday.

After refusing to settle for less than $1 million to perform at a New Year's Eve party, Kanye West went back on a hunt to land a gig two days before the ball drops. "He doesn't want to get on a stage for less than a mil," a source said. The "Watch the Throne" rapper is considering heading west to Vegas to DJ at an Eve bash -- but at a much lower rate. (New York Post)

A few days ago, Ye publicly revealed his interest to deejay heading into 2012.

"I kinda wanna DJ somewhere this New Years"

"My New Years DJ name is gone be YEEZY WORLD PEACE! If you book me you have to put YEEZY WORLD PEACE on the E-vite. Or I ain't spinning."

"Ima need a stealth bomber and 2 bottled waters #YEEZYWORLDPEACE'SRIDER," Ye tweeted December 28th. (Kanye West's Twitter)

Ye's pricey New Year's Eve game plan comes shortly after making $6 million alongside Jay-Z for a Sweet 16 birthday party performance.

Do you remember your Sweet 16? Mine was spent in my basement. And we're pretty positive even the blingest bash on My Super Sweet 16 couldn't compete with this one. How about paying $6 million for Jay-Z and Kanye West (aka The Throne) to perform at your birthday bash? That's how much Manchester Football Club owner, Sheikh Mansour, paid for the pair to fly out to Dubai so his niece and her guests could Watch the Throne. Yeezy and Jay, who are nominated for a combined 10 awards at the 2012 Grammys--including Best Rap Album for their WTT collaboration and Best Rap Song for "Otis"--performed both their collaborations and a few of their respective solo hits at the pricey Sweet 16 party. (RapFix)

Last summer, Kanye made Forbes' annual "Hip-Hop Cash Kings" list.

Jay-Z (aka Shawn Carter) leads all comers once again with $37 million in earnings since last August. A majority of the dough is proceeds from his Blueprint 3 tour. Nipping at his heels, however, is fellow mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who raked in a neat $35 million from his Bad Boy record label, his Sean John clothing line and his lucrative Ciroc vodka deal. West may have landed at No. 3, but he's a ways down there at "only" $16 million. (E! Online)

"I Was Always Into 'Pac Early Before His Controversial Side Blew Up All Over America"

Rap veteran Nas may have been dissed on numerous occasions by late rapper Tupac Shakur, however, "God's Son" claims he was always a fan of the controversial music mogul.

Asked for his opinion on Pac accusing him of stealing "Street Dreams" off 1996's It Was Written, Nas said he never took the matter seriously.

"See, I was always into 'Pac early before his controversial side blew up all over America and the world. I was already into his music," Nas said in an interview. "I saw him as a kindred spirit, I saw him as a brother, so it was like beefin' with your brother. Not even beefin', it felt like, your brother over there's a little mad. This is an issue right now, so you gotta deal with it." (XXL Mag)

On Pac's "Against All Odds," he directly calls out Nas over using the same sample that utilized for his single, "All Eyez On Me."

"Lord listen to me/God don't like ugly, It Was Written/(ey yo Nas) Nas, your whole d*mn style is bitten/You heard my melody, read about my life in the papers/All my run-ins with/authorities, felonious capers/Now you wanna live my life, so what's a Hausa Nas?/N*ggas that don't rhyme right, you've seen too many movies/Load em up against the wall, close his eyes/Since you lie you die, GOODBYE/Let the real live n*ggas hear the truth from me/What would you do if you was me n*gga" ("Against All Odds")

Earlier this year, an unreleased Pac diss record leaked online with the rap mogul taking shots at Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Diddy, De La Soul and more.

"We untouchable now that we shook Doc Dre," Pac raps. "He ain't made a beat in six years, swear he the sh*t/Don't get no record sales suckin' Nas d*ck -- I heard Nas got beef 'cause I'm dissing his clique/Cool, come bring your a** n*gga you can get dissed -- De La got a problem with this hard sh*t, ever since 'Me, Myself & I' y'all been garbage/I'ma keep this real, show y'all how it feels to ride/y'all went three feet high and stopped rising/ Wendy Williams is a fat b*tch, that's the truth/I got a job full of n*ggas nuts, that's for you/Let the West Side, East Side drama cease, I'll come alone to your own streets, Outlaw -- Cream Puff never had no heart to start, so how the h*ll Biggie Smalls get the part? Watch yo mouth!" ("Watch Yo Mouth")

In 2008, Nas opened up about his admiration for Pac despite the negative press.

"Pac now is Black Jesus in a sense; Pac is Lennon; Pac is Marvin. So, h*ll yeah, I love the fact that he starts Makaveli off and says that about me," Nas told the mag, when asked how he felt about calling Nas the ringleader on the Makaveli album. "Hell yeah. I loved him before he died. I loved him before he said anything." (Baller Status)

UPDATE: Jay-Z Dusts Off $18K Workers Comp Accusations, "There's Never Been A Missed Payment"

A day after Jay-Z made headlines for getting sued over $18,000 by the Workers Compensation Board of New York, a spokesperson claims the matter is currently being handled. 

 

If all goes accordingly, Jay will be in the clear and not have to worry about dishing out money.

"After consulting with the employer's insurer, the board expects this matter to be resolved in the next few days, resulting in the judgment being vacated," said Brian Keegan, a spokesman for the New York State's Workers' Compensation Board. The state had previously claimed Shawn Carter, 42 -- Jay-Z's birth name -- failed to pay insurance from Sept. 30, 2009, to Dec. 30, 2009, for staff at 195 Hudson St. The complaint was filed in March, and the board secured a Supreme Court judgment on Nov. 22. Jay-Z's reps chalked up the judgment to a paperwork foul-up. "There's never been a missed payment," said a Jay-Z confidant. (New York Post)

Details of the original suit hit the Internet Thursday (December 29).

According to the suit, obtained by TMZ, Jay-Z failed to pay workers' compensation insurance for three months in 2009 -- and sources close to the situation tell us, the insurance was supposed to cover domestic employees in Jay-Z's house ... cooks, maids, drivers ... that sort of thing. The government agency sued the rapper to collect $18, 000 in fines for the transgression -- and a court has since ordered Jay to pay up. According to the docs, it was only a momentary lapse -- after the three-month period in 2009, Jay-Z acquired the right insurance and the problem was resolved ... with the exception of the outstanding $18, 000 owed. (TMZ)

Despite the headline-garnering suit, Hov's camp claimed the rapper had done no wrong.

But according to a source close to the rapper, he never missed a payment -- the claim arose from an administrative error that was being resolved. Most US employers are required to supply workers' compensation insurance, which provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of their work. (MyFox News)

A few years ago, Jay caught heat for allegedly neglecting to issue compensation to a few workers employed at his 40/40 Club.

In July of 2008, Judge Preska ruled that the club owners violated New York labor laws after reviewing the earning reports for various employees, who showed they were not paid for working over time. Almost 400 employees could be eligible to collect money should the 40/40 club eventually lose the lawsuit. (Examiner)

 

Kanye West London Relocation Speculation Develops, "West Could Be Set To Move To The UK"

Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West's name is circulating online with rumors claiming he may be set to move to London in order to pursue his fashion dreams.

Speculation on Ye's perceived move to the United Kingdom emerged online Friday (December 30).

Earlier in the year, Kanye West made his fashion debut at Paris Fashion Week, showcasing his first collection of womenswear. Unfortunately the collection was met with mixed reactions, with many believing that he should stick to his day job, while others believe that he could grow into a credible designer. But it seems that West is still keen on the idea of being a fashion designer and will not stop pursuing one of his many dreams. British newspapers have now reported that Kanye West could be set to move to the UK in order to keep his fashion career afloat. (Style Clone)

Last week, Ye made headlines after performing his first-ever deejay set in London.

Last week just before Christmas, Kanye gave fans across the pond a sneak preview of his label compilation when he DJed at holiday party at LeBaron London. Not only did Yeezy spin G.O.O.D. Music tracks, he also played beats from his upcoming sixth solo album. (MTV)

Detroit rapper Big Sean also recently said the G.O.O.D. Music compilation album would be completed by Ye in London.

"We're gonna do the G.O.O.D. Music album first; we been working on that," Big Sean said in an interview. "So, me, Kanye, [Kid] Cudi, CyHi, John Legend, Common, Pusha T, everybody on G.O.O.D., Mr Hudson: We're all working on a new project; it's almost done. We're going to London to finish it up and do the last part of it and working on my album at the same time with 'Ye and everybody." (MTV)

Earlier in the fall, West debuted his DW fashion line at Paris Fashion Week.

West's opening look--and remember this collection is for spring--was a black leather skirt and jacket. It was soon followed by his single best decision: sexy silver python jeans paired with a delicate gray sleeveless top. The mistakes began to mount: A black leather dress that unzipped at the waist displayed only a passing familiarity with the curves of a woman's body. Necklines plunged so deep--to the waist, in fact--that a woman would have to keep double-sided tape handy to avoid indecency charges. And there were fur coats, fur trims, and even a giant white fur backpack. Did I mention that this was a spring collection? (The Daily Beast)

Jadakiss Can't Kiss The Game Goodbye, "There's A Lot Of Artists Scorching Hot Right Now, That Won't Have A 5-Year Career"

The LOX's Jadakiss recently offered his take on having longevity in hip-hop and how being a seasoned rap veteran gives him leverage over some current mainstream sensations.

While Jada feels artists should strive for success, he also pointed out the importance of being content with the simple things in life.

"Longevity is an accomplishment within itself. Sometime people overlook how long you been in the game. This is a game that deals with a lot of bullsh*t, you gotta be happy, take care of your family and bask in the glory of your loved ones. Sometimes the glory you see, the outside world don't see that. You have to use that as motivation to keep going. There's a lot of artists that's scorching hot right now, that won't have a five year career, or 10 years, nothing. At the end of the day I just feel blessed to be here." (XXL Mag)

Chicago rap veteran Twista previously talked to SOHH about maintaining a 20-year hip-hop career.

"I think people forget the art of what rapping and emceeing is. Some of these n*ggas out here can't f*ck with me. So that's when it starts to get crazy to me, when I hear about who is underrated. You can't skip Twista when you see me constantly being relevant in the game since 1991. Here it is, 2011, twenty years and I'm still making jams? How can my name not get brought up? So when you say "Greatest Of All Time," that doesn't disturb me, but when you say, "Most Underrated," that disturbs me. I feel like I'll be most relevant when the chart comes up showing artists with longevity. Like, who was able to keep banging them over their heads with jams? I think when you start looking at longevity, my name will come up." (SOHH Underrated)

Earlier this month, Slaughterhouse's Joe Budden revealed some industry tips Jay-Z instilled on him.

"When I was coming up, I bumped into Jay-Z at the Def Jam offices and I was at the height of my success [around 2003] and he said, 'You're doing great out there. Now go keep it up.' And that stuck with me. Anybody can go out there and score 30 on any given night and never do it again. But the talent is being able to do it on a consistent basis. So that's what I'm trying to see from the younger guys. That's what I'm doing now." ("The Life")

Budden also previously offered his take on maintaining longevity in hip-hop.

"[The key to longevity,] you want to practice, you always want to work on your craft and continue to get better everyday," Budden said during a Hip Hop Nation radio broadcast. "And you want to be as persistent as possible. You will run into a lot of people who are naysayers, people who will be non-believers, people who will tell you you're not fit for this, and you know, it takes a strong-willed individual to be able to block all that out and pursue your dreams." (Hip Hop Nation)

LMFAO Rapper's Honduras Show Ends In Fire, Venue Goes Up In Smoke

LMFAO's Redfoo had to end a deejay set in Honduras prematurely this week after a fire reportedly erupted causing smoke to fill up the venue.

Police suspect the fire may have been maliciouly started by an unknown party.

LMFAO was forced to stop their concert early in Honduras last night -- when a fire burned through the concert venue ... but cops believe the blaze was no accident. According to local news reports, the fire broke out at the Coliseo Nacional de Ingenieros ... towards the end of the LMFAO concert. The group reportedly ended their show after smoke began to fill the arena. According to the reports, no one was killed in the blaze -- but at least 15 people were treated for smoke inhalation. Cops told local media ... they suspect a "criminal hand" set fire to the electrical system. It's unclear if any arrests have been made. (TMZ)

Immediately following the fire incident, Redfoo tweeted his reaction.

"Epic concert tonight!!!! Everybody in Honduras, we set the place on fire!!!! #sorryforpartyrocking ...yeah baby," he tweeted December 29th. (Redfoo's Twitter)

He later opened up on what went down during Wednesday's performance.

Through LMFAO's label, Interscope, Redfoo gave this account to MTV News: "All of a sudden, right in the middle of 'Beatockin,' my manager Ian Fletcher shouted, 'There's a fire under the stage. We have to go!" "I didn't want to go!" he continued. "I didn't realize how serious it was. The security escorted us out the venue. We were forced to leave a few items behind, nothing irreplaceable. "I hope everybody is safe," he added. "Honduras fans are true party rockers! This will go down in history as one [of the] craziest Redfoo DJ sets ever." (MTV)

Outside of the fire buzz, LMFAO's latest album continues to fly off retail shelves.

Rap duo LMFAO's Sorry for Party Rocking made a five-slot jump to No. 16 with 74,000. After 27 weeks, their newest offering stands at 475,000 sold records. (SOHH Sales Wrap)

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Rapper Strikes Deal In Wife Beating Case

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Stanley "Flesh-n-Bone" Howse will reportedly avoid time behind bars after getting arrested nearly a year ago on domestic violence charges involving his wife.

According to reports, Flesh will go on probation and be forced to perform community service.

Howse and his attorney Shepard Kopp struck a deal with prosecutors -- in which Howse agreed to plead guilty to false imprisonment in exchange for dropping the first two charges. Howse was sentenced to 3 years probation and time served in jail -- in addition to 100 hours of community service. He must also participate in a domestic violence program and donate $400 to a battered women's shelter. Kopp tells TMZ, "Flesh has always maintained his innocence of these charges, but it was best for his family and Bone Thugs to put this case behind him." (TMZ)

The rap veteran made headlines last January after getting arrested on domestic violence charges.

Flesh -- real name Stanley Howse -- was arrested back in January on suspicion of domestic violence after a fight with his wife allegedly turned violent. He was later charged with inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, threatening her, and false imprisonment. (Anti Music)

Prior to the arrest, Flesh was busted for having two outstanding warrants in March 2010.

A concert at the House of Blues in Cleveland came to an abrupt end Sunday evening when authorities arrested a member of Bone Thugs -N- Harmony. Stanley Howse (Flesh-N-Bone) was arrested by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office on two outstanding warrants. According to court documents, Howse was charged with felonious assault with firearm specifications and domestic violence with firearm specifications in January 1999. (WTOL News)

The arrest prompted police to shut down the rapper's Cleveland show.

A hip-hop concert in Cleveland Sunday night ended with about 50 police officers and the arrest of a member of Bone, Thugs N Harmony. The Cleveland Division of Police assisted deputies as they executed the arrest warrants at The House of Blues. Just before midnight, it was announced that police were closing down the show. Fans left the venue, many shouting at the police. (WTAM News)

Lil Kim's In-Studio 50 Cent & Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Photo Emerges

Brooklyn rap veteran Lil Kim made sure to prove fans she was not blowing smoke after announcing an in-studio hook-up with hip-hop star 50 Cent and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. by releasing a photo from the occasion.

In the photo, the Queen Bee is pictured alongside 50 and Mayweather's Money Team.

Lil' Kim was the only female in the crew while kicking it with 50 Cent and the Money Team. The fellas, including boxing champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr., enjoyed some down time over the Christmas vacation. Earlier in the week, the Queen Bee hit the studio with her "Magic Stick" collaborator to record some new material. It's unknown where their latest work will end up, but Kim is expected to drop her EP any day now and announce a new record deal at the top of the year. Over the summer, Kim declared her loyalty to 50 and G-Unit while sharing the stage with G-Unit South signee Shawty Lo at Hot 107.9's Birthday Bash 16 in Atlanta. (Rap-Up)

A few days ago, Kim revealed hooking up with Fif for a studio session.

"In da studio with my boys @50cent @floydmayweather @clsdash and @thaboyparis lego!!!," she tweeted December 27th. (Lil Kim's Twitter)

Over the summer, 50 cleared up confusion suggesting the Queen may have inked a G-Unit deal.

"She's not actually signed to G-Unit," 50 explained in an interview. "We didn't even have discussions about that. I heard it, I heard people say it too. It was just like, there was no reason to give confirmation for something that didn't actually happen at all. Like, when people say Shawty Lo is signed to G-Unit, they think that he's actually signed an artist deal directly to G-Unit when the project that we're doing is a lot bigger. It's a joint venture." (Headkrack)

In December 2010, the female emcee hinted at new music from her and the G-Unit head.

"That's my baby man. Like, 50, I've always been a fan of his, but I'm a big fan all over again. He is 'bout to... he is getting ready... it's gonna be crazy, that's all I got to say. I'm loving his new stuff. The stuff we working on together is gonna be crazy... This time around it's not gonna be just one song. It's gonna be a whole movie behind it, so I'm excited about this project." (Hot 97)

Jay-Z & Kanye West Bank $6 Mil, Make B-Day Girl "Watch The Throne" For Sweet 16

Grammy-winning rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West reportedly banked in around $6 million for a private overseas birthday performance earlier this month.

According to reports, the duo flew out to Dubai for their performance.

Do you remember your Sweet 16? Mine was spent in my basement. And we're pretty positive even the blingest bash on My Super Sweet 16 couldn't compete with this one. How about paying $6 million for Jay-Z and Kanye West (aka The Throne) to perform at your birthday bash? That's how much Manchester Football Club owner, Sheikh Mansour, paid for the pair to fly out to Dubai so his niece and her guests could Watch the Throne. Yeezy and Jay, who are nominated for a combined 10 awards at the 2012 Grammys--including Best Rap Album for their WTT collaboration and Best Rap Song for "Otis"--performed both their collaborations and a few of their respective solo hits at the pricey Sweet 16 party. (RapFix)

This week, Yeezy hit up Twitter and informed all promoters he is down to deejay at a New Year's party.

"I kinda wanna DJ somewhere this New Years"

"My New Years DJ name is gone be YEEZY WORLD PEACE! If you book me you have to put YEEZY WORLD PEACE on the E-vite. Or I ain't spinning."

"Ima need a stealth bomber and 2 bottled waters #YEEZYWORLDPEACE'SRIDER," Ye tweeted December 28th. (Kanye West's Twitter)

Ye showed off his deejaying skills and unveiled new G.O.O.D. Music records at a recent London show.

Last week just before Christmas, Kanye gave fans across the pond a sneak preview of his label compilation when he DJed at holiday party at LeBaron London. Not only did Yeezy spin G.O.O.D. Music tracks, he also played beats from his upcoming sixth solo album. (MTV)

Last summer, Jay and Kanye made Forbes' annual Hip-Hop Cash Kings list.

Jay-Z (aka Shawn Carter) leads all comers once again with $37 million in earnings since last August. A majority of the dough is proceeds from his Blueprint 3 tour. Nipping at his heels, however, is fellow mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who raked in a neat $35 million from his Bad Boy record label, his Sean John clothing line and his lucrative Ciroc vodka deal. West may have landed at No. 3, but he's a ways down there at "only" $16 million. The rest of the top 10 had similar years, revenue-wise, with Cash Money honcho Bryan "Birdman" Williams tying Lil Wayne for the next two spots with $15 million, showing that tha Carter isn't doing too bad, either. (E! Online)

Drake's Newest Wifey Confirmed, "They're Both In L.A. Right Now"

Young Money star Drake may have confessed his love to Nicki Minaj in the past, however, the Canadian-bred emcee is now officially hooked up with video vixen Dollicia Bryan.

Bryan's rep has confirmed their romance and said the two lovebirds are currently in Los Angeles.

A rep for Dollicia Bryan just confirmed to TheYBF.com that she and Drake are indeed an item. Surprised? Neither are we. "Yes, Drake & Dollicia are dating," her rep tells TheYBF.com exclusively. "They're both in L.A. right now spending the Holidays together." (The YBF)

The video vixen has been attached to other well-known entertainers including rapper Bow Wow and actor Hill Harper.

Dollicia, who has been linked to Bow Wow, Rob Kardashian and Hill Harper, had her rep confirm she is exclusively dating the rapper. The two met in early January this year while the bombshell was still dating Hill Harper, but it looks like since that relationship fizzled out, Dollicia has moved on with Drizzy. Yesterday the couple headed to Saddle Ranch in Los Angeles and the rapper even took to his Instagram to share a picture of his boo eating cotton candy. (Global Grind)

Recently, "Bad Girls Club" star Catya opened up about her past close-knit romance with Drizzy.

"I was in love, he was in love and by the way in the song he said he was in love, so don't try to switch it up now," she explained in an interview. "I never mentioned you, you mentioned me. It was good. I'm talking family dinners and we in Whole Foods pushing the cart around. It was a regular relationship. I was in love and he was in love but at the end of the day he started getting a little bit too loose. It's a problem [when] you had the kind of relationship we had. That was my dude; it wasn't somebody I was just kicking it with. If you were just kicking it, you can do what you wanna do but I was yours and you were mine. .... He is a phenomenal 'peach eater' and he is black and Jewish and the black side is Mandingo." (Hot 107.9)

Prior to romance rumors exploding across the Internet, video vixen Maliah Michel talked about her bond with the rapper.

"It was so funny because when we were shooting the beach scene [for 'Find Your Love'], the director, Anthony Mandler, was like 'Come on, come on! You got to make me feel this!' And we had never kissed or anything before, so I just went for it and kissed him! And we started kissing for real and everybody just started cheering. [Are we dating now?] Um... Drake and I are good friends, and we like hanging out... having fun together. That's all that anyone needs to know at this point." (VIBE)

Yung Joc Denies Setting Up Studio Robbery, "I've Been Seeing Stories [Saying] This Is About Insurance Fraud"

Atlanta rapper Yung Joc has cleared the air on rumors and speculation claiming he secretly planned the robbery of his Georgia studio which saw thousands of dollars in valuables diminish.

In addition to denying the claims, Joc has also offered a reward for the return of his stolen music.

Joc said his brother and his brother's girlfriend were outside the small home when someone forced them inside, taped their mouths, put zip ties around their wrists, forced them into the bathroom and then cleaned out the place. The robbers took upward of $70,000 worth of equipment. Joc said they also took the irreplaceable material on his hard drives. "I've got songs with Jasmine Sullivan, Lil Wayne, Pitbull - I mean, big name artists," Joc said. Joc said he's offering a $2,500 reward for whoever gets his drives back to him. "I've been seeing stories where people say this is about insurance fraud. The truth is, I did not have insurance. I was in the process of deciding who I wanted an insurance policy with," said Joc. (WSBTV)

A week ago, Joc confirmed the robbery took place but assured fans no one was fatally wounded.

"#robbingseason!!!!!!!!! It's officially here!!! They took all my sh*t!!! Now watch god bless me with sumn Bigga and better!! Love," he tweeted December 18th.

"Just thankful they didn't kill my ppl... http://yfrog.com/nu2w0ifj" (Yung Joc's Twitter)

Two of Joc's employees were victims to the robbery.

Police are searching for three men who ambushed and robbed a man and a woman at gunpoint at a recording studio in northwest Atlanta. The recording studio is located in a home on Boyd Avenue and is owned by Atlanta rapper Yung Joc. Atlanta police said the men were waiting in the bushes for caretakers of the studio to show up around 5 a.m. Sunday. When they did , the men ambushed the man and woman, forced them into the bathroom and tied them up. Police said the robbers took around $50,000 in equipment. (WSBTV)

Despite the deadly situation, both victims were eventually able to escape for help.

The two caretakers, a man and a woman, were able to escape to a friend's house to call 911. They didn't recognize the robbers, but detectives are hoping they may have left fingerprints on some of the items. Police also said the robbers planned to use the victims' car to get away with some of the equipment, but decided to leave the vehicle at the studio. (RapFix)

Kid Cudi Crushed Over 18-Y/O's Fatal X-Mas Heart Attack, "I Broke Down, I Am To Tears"

G.O.O.D. Music's Kid Cudi has opened up following the tragic, fatal heart attack of an 18-year-old fan who posted a series of YouTube videos detailing his terminal medical ailments.

Writing on his Tumblr blog, Cudi admitted the emotional turmoil he experienced after watching the videos.

"Iam so sad about Ben Breedlove. I watched the video he left for the world to see, and him seeing me in detail, in his vision really warmed my heart. I broke down, Iam to tears because I hate how life is so unfair. This has really touched my heart in a way I cant describe, this is why I do what I do. Why I write my life, and why I love you all so much. Life is really fucked up sometimes, but I know Ben is at Peace, and I hope he gets a chance to sit and talk with my Dad. We love you Ben. Forever. Thank you for loving me. To Ben's family, you raised a real hero, he's definately mine. You have my love. [sic]," Cudi posted a day following Breedlove's passing. (Kid Cudi's Tumblr)

The Austin, Texas teenager's videos have made headlines over the past few days.

The teenager, Ben Breedlove, died on Christmas Day of a heart attack, but posted his story in a pair of videos a week earlier. In the videos, with an instrumental version of Gary Jules' "Mad World" playing in the background, Breedlove, over a series of handwritten index cards, silently tells of his life coping with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition marked by the thickening of the heart muscle that makes it hard for the organ to pump blood. Breedlove relays several near-death experiences over his life, most recently being when he collapsed in the hallway of his high school. During the few minutes between when he stopped breathing and was revived by EMS paramedics, he said he had a vision of a being in a white room alongside his hero, Kid Cudi. (New York Daily News)

His family have since released an obituary detailing Breedlove's life.

Ben Breedlove: On Christmas night, our son, Ben Breedlove received a gift greater than any we could have given him. He stood in the presence of his Lord and Savior and felt the peace that surpasses all understanding. Ben's 18-year-old heart may have been afflicted with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, but his physical limitations didn't keep him from experiencing the things he loved---in fact, he found extraordinary ways to expand on those experiences and take us all along for the ride. He had a curiosity for learning (remember the drum kit?), and his quick, analytical mind sought ways to be the best at whatever captured his attention. (Austin American-Statesman)

Earlier this year, Cudi said he had began taking his life more seriously and stopped smoking marijuana.

"You know how some people can take a smoke and they're good, they do it for recreational purposes, sh*t like that? People that go to bars or drink at their house with their friends casually. I was the motherf*cker who was doing that sh*t all the time, recreationally, every day, wake up, needed it, all those things. While I was in that state of mind I just was missing a lot of sh*t that was going on in my circle. I just felt like I needed to just take a step back, clear my dome and focus on some real important sh*t. Like my daughter for one. My family, my business, things that are important. But you know, don't be sad, I had a good run right? We got high together a lot right?" (Necole Bitchie)