"I'm A Big Fan Of Jay-Z's Whole Movement, I'm A Big Fan Of Eminem"

Rap veteran Rakim recently revealed what hip-hop artists have remained on his radar as of late including moguls Jay-Z and Eminem, as well as crews such as The LOX.

Although considered one of hip-hop's greatest emcees by many, Rakim said he looks forward to seeing newcomers take the crown.

"I'm still a fan. I love hip-hop. I've got a wide range of different artists [that I respect]. I was an underground artist, but the underground status was successful," Rakim said in an interview. "Coming from where I came from to see where rap is now, now artists are selling from a million to eight million copies. It's a little scarce today, but I'm a fan of watching different rappers take the torch and run with it. I'm a big fan of Jay-Z's whole movement. I'm a big fan of Eminem. I'm a big fan of people like The LOX, Wu-Tang Clan, and different rappers like that. Just watching from afar, knowing where it came from, to see where it's at now and see how rap impacts the world is unbelievable. It's a good feeling to see that it's still a major genre in music." (Complex)

Last summer, Rakim opened up about refusing to tailor his style to today's modern hip-hop stars.

"You care about it, but you don't let it do nothing to you," he explained in an interview. "It's rap, it's an album, some people will like it, some people won't. Hip-hop is so diverse and mixed right now, you have a lot of fans who like radio-friendly hip-hop. I don't do that. You have a lot of fans who like pop hip-hop. I don't do that. You got a lot of fans that like different styles -- I'm from my era, I'm known for doing a certain kind of music. I don't want to switch off and do what Lil Wayne is doing. That ain't Rakim. I can't switch off and do what Wiz Khalifa's doing. That's not Rakim. It's hard trying to keep up with what's going on and still keep your integrity and keep your logo and your brand of who you are with these times. I made a statement. [I] definitely wanted to bring about that awareness with a conscious album." (Splash-Mag)

A few weeks prior, Boston rapper Termanology told SOHH he has plans to work with Rakim.

"Bun B has a contest. It was a Red Bull contest for an emcee battle. He did it in Boston and so he had called me out to do an interview for his show and when I went there, Rakim was one of the judges. So with me just chilling with Bun B backstage, I ended up bumping into Rakim and his manager. They were mad cool and we started chopping it up with him. Rakim told me he was down to do a record. He was like, 'Yeah, so let's do something'. He gave me his number and I told him I wanted to do it on a DJ Premier beat and he said, "H*ll yeah." So hopefully it's going to go down." (SOHH)

Recently, New York rap veteran Cormega told SOHH how much of an impact Rakim has had on hip-hop.

"First and foremost, Rakim is the blueprint for modern rap. Period. There's no debate to it. Before Rakim, it was "Peter Piper picked peppers, but Run rocked rhymes," sh*t like that. That's what was up. But that was simple. Rakim changed rap. If there's no Rakim, if you erase Rakim from rap, then the whole landscape is different. That's the respect I got for him. That's number one." (SOHH Guest Star)

A$AP Rocky & Machine Gun Kelly Burn Gay Card, "I Used To Be An Ignorant, Homophobic Cat"

Rap newcomers A$AP Rocky and Machine Gun Kelly have offered their take on attracting a gay fanbase and why no one should be judged solely due to their sexual preferences.

Admitting he used to be anti-gay, A$AP said he has matured for the better.

"I'm respected by all the respected fashion blogs," he says. "It's all about diversity. I don't give a f*ck if you white, black, brown or yellow. I really just want to keep the peace. I really love people for who they are. I'm not gay or anything like that, but even gay people--they can be fans too. All the designer stuff I wear is made by gay people. I used to be an ignorant, homophobic cat. I didn't know any better...I was young. Now that I'm knowledgeable about life all this sh*t has made me a better person. I feel like the world can be a better place if we learn how to accept each other for who we are." (VIBE)

Machine Gun Kelly shared his views on gay culture through Twitter.

"I have gay friends. No one should be judged by that. Everyone should just lace up RT @irRAEsistible @machinegunkelly views on homosexuality?," he tweeted November 2nd. (Machine Gun Kelly's Twitter)

West Coast rapper Game recently opened up about his opinion on the gay community.

"I think there are several rappers that are in the closet and gay, and see those are the type of gay people that -- the only type of gay people that I have a problem with," Game said in an interview. "I don't have a problem with gay people. Like, Beyonce should've said, 'Who run the world? Gays,' because they're everywhere and rightfully so. Do you. It's a free country. Be gay, you can do that. Game don't have a problem with gay people....Game has a problem with people that are pretending not to be gay and are gay because the number one issue with that is that you could be fooling somebody and you could give them AIDS and they can die and so that in the closet sh*t is real scary. So, we've got to get into the real seriousness of it and it's just not fair to other people -- If you gay, just say you gay. Be gay and be proud." (Hot 107.9)

Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon also previously weighed in on the gay community.

"My mouth is too small to suck a d*ck," Raekwon added. "How the f*ck do you convert over to do some sh*t like that? How do motherf*ckers get into that sh*t? The males? The females, they gonna do what they do. I ain't gonna front, I can't stand f*cking h*mos. That sh*t is just f*cking disgusting. They can never holla at me. Get the f*ck away from me, immediately." (Shade 45)

Curren$y Gives The Jet Life Success Code

New Orleans rapper Curren$y recently gave his take on the keys to success, and said the most important rule is to pave your own lane.

Curren$y a.k.a. Hot Spitta also imagined releasing his own Jet Life pamphlet.

"Doing your own sh*t," Curren$y said when asked how to maintain success. "Like the minute you try to do what somebody else is doing because they're winning, you're gonna fall in the lump. And there's nothing original about you anymore. Nobody's gonna give a f*ck about it. You're just gonna blend in. So you gotta make sure you stand out. [If I could write my own book, what would it be called?] Jet Life Instructions. [It'd be] life instructions and instructions on how to live the Jet Life." (Montreality)

Hot Spitta has kept busy as of late by touring and signing The Cool Kids' Mikey Rocks to his Jet Life Recordings.

"I really respect what the Jets been doing over the past few years. That's just been my people for a minute, I got sh*t with [artist] Trademark, I f*ck with [artist] Roddy tough, man," Mikey said in an interview. "Me and Curren$y done plenty of sh*t together. We kinda been edging towards that for a minute anyway, just through our friendship and us being around the same music circles and sh*t man -- It's kind of the best fit for what I'm doing right now. I kinda can identify with everything they got going on, and it's kind of like the best fit for what I'm doing. It really wouldn't be a better place for me right now, at this point in my career." (Ashley Outrageous)

Curren$y officially announced the new signing over his Twitter page last week.

"Happy to have added one of my good friends to the J.L.R. family.... After I roll this doob I'll let yall kno all about it..," he tweeted Monday (October 24).

"Roll one for @SirMichaelRocks for he is indeed Jet Life Official.... Pop a bottle for dat man"

"So honestly we must all follow @SirMichaelRocks ...simply because #mikerocksisjetlife" (Curren$y's Twitter)

Over the summer, Curren$y credited Cam'ron and Pharrell Williams for fueling his Jet Life movement.

Curren$y provides further insight into his success. "I'm big on observing. And it was definitely, shall we say, educational to see certain artists going about building their empires, building their own movements: Pharrell with Star Trak, Cam'ron with Dipset. Fans would hear a beat and be like, 'That sounds like a Neptunes beat,' or 'That sounds like a Dipset joint.' That's how I engineered Jet Life to be. I want it to be branded in a way, so the people know what it is." (Village Voice)

Yelawolf Tells Machine Gun Kelly Stop Crying, "If You're Feeling Froggy, Jump Motherf*cker"

Shady Records' rapper Yelawolf has responded to recent remarks made by newly signed Bad Boy Records emcee Machine Gun Kelly after being accused of taking subliminal shots at him on multiple occasions.

Clearing the air by denying MGK's claims, Yela said he has never heard the Cleveland rapper's music.

"He's being sensitive. He thinks I'm talking about him [when I'm not]," Yela said in an interview with radio host Bootleg Kev. "The best thing that he could do is if he has a problem or if he has something he needs to say to me, just say my name, dog. This is hip-hop, if you've got something you want to rap about, just rap about it. At the end of the day, this is the God's honest truth, on the Bible, I haven't heard any of his songs -- just because a rapper is white, I don't feel the need to attack them; part of my crew is white rappers -- put it on wax -- Machine Gun Kelly, if you want it, come get it. Drop your verse, do whatever you want to [do]. If you want to take it there, we can take it there - and that goes for anybody else, too. If you're feeling froggy, jump motherf*cker." (Bootleg Kev)

Yela's remarks come just days after MGK called him out during a radio interview.

This comes after MGK's appearance on New York's Power 105.1's The Breakfast Club morning show last week where he said he felt Yela was taking subliminal shots at him with his cypher verse. "Real talk, I just think he takes shots at me in every one of his raps, like the BET cypher," Kelly said. "I felt like that was all about me." (XXL Mag)

Although Yela is down to battle MGK, he previously said he would want no part of Eminem in a battle rap.

The unassuming southern rapper, who possesses one of the more blistering flows in the game, humbly bowed down to his new boss Eminem. "I'd say Marshall is definitely at the top of the list," agreed Yela. "Cyhi Da Prince is metaphorically the illest dude out right now in my opinion. Just the way that he can flip words, he'll just tear you apart." Yela confessed during the interview that battling wasn't his forte such as it was for Em in his younger days coming up in Detroit. Hailing from the small town of Gadsden in Alabama, the opportunity for head to head competition for Yela was scarce. "Where I grew up, there was never a battle scene," shared Yelawolf. "I never got to exercise that because frankly it'll get you beat up in Gadsden." Yela added, "There was never no scene, no ciphers, no real scene to get in. So I'm not really equipped in that arena anyway." Yela wrapped up his answers succinctly by saying "I definitely wouldn't want it with Marshall or [Cyhi Da] Prince. Nobody does." (RapFix)

Last year, Eminem gave out some personal advice for battle emcees.

"I came up on the local Detroit scene and everything was about battling," Em said in an interview. "If you wanted to make a name for yourself, the battle scene was so huge, it was battles every couple months where anybody who was anybody trying to make a name for themselves would come out. I think one of my greatestinspirations or things that I would feed off of was people not believing, the cloud of doubt I felt hanging over my head and I just wanted to prove everybody wrong. I wanted to make it and I was gonna make it regardless of what anybody said. I'm looking for somebody, one to stand out to be unique and also say the sickest, most ridiculous retarded sh*t you can say and think of that would make somebody quit. Emcees have competitive spirits, that's why we're in it and we do what we do. I would have written lines, I would have punchlines, that I would be prepared to say at anytime to kinda figure out on the spot what punchlines I would pick and choose for this person that was in my face but also be able to mix in freestyle with it. That would be the basic formula that I would follow, have my punchlines ready to go but also be able to say something spontaneous too." (Real Talk NY)

"Twitter Is Like A Street Where All These Motherf*ckers Are Standing, Screaming At The Top Of Their Lungs"

West Coast rap newcomer Kreayshawn recently opened up about her addiction to Twitter, and why she ultimately favors the easily accessible social network over Facebook.

With over 541,000 followers watching her every move, Kreay admitted she is a Twitter junkie.

"I'm always on Twitter. I'm on Twitter too much," Kreay said in an interview. "I have people who follow me and that are my fans like, 'I'm a huge fan of Kreayshawn but she really needs to stop tweeting so much.' You know what I'm saying? I over tweet sometimes. But you know, you go through things, you over tweet, we get into our mind frame and kind of let the keyboard turn into your head if that happens. I'm good, I'm good. My online presence, I must say I'm very skilled at the electronics and things. Freestyling tweets. That's what I do. Yes. You gotta do it man. Twitter cypher. ... Facebook is like your living room, you invite your friends and your family into your living room, you show them photos and update them with family things and places you're going. Twitter is like a street where all these motherf*ckers are just standing out there screaming at the top of their lungs. [Which do I prefer?] I like the streeeets. [laughs]" (Daily Dot)

A few days ago, rap star 50 Cent discussed his love for Twitter.

"I think it's great. I think it allows you the ability to make a public statement from your telephone," 50 explained when asked about his love for Twitter. "It allows you to reach your base, the people who have interest in your material or what you're doing, at any time -- I think entertainers are supposed to entertain on it versus provide more of their personal lives insight. But, it's cool. Everybody utilizes it differently." (CNN)

In September, Slaughterhouse's Royce Da 5'9 gave SOHH the scoop on co-signing Twitter.

"I have a lotta fun f*ckin' with people on Twitter. It's a good vehicle to show a part of your personality that might not come across in your music. Being that accessible to fans -- I hate callin' them fans -- but being that accesible to people keeps people from treating you like some kind of science project." (SOHH)

Despite being under rap star Eminem's wing at Shady Records, Royce said he uses Twitter to speak with high profile celebrities and the average person simultaneously.

"No matter how much popularity that I acheive, I want people to treat me like a regular person. That's why I chose to not only converse with celebrities or only promote something on Twitter because it's an opportunity to show people that I'm just a regular person. So yeah, I'll get on there and argue like crazy. It's all in fun though." (SOHH)

Drake Names His Top 5 Fave LP's, "That Was Pivotal In My Life"

Young Money's Drake may have his own album dropping in the next couple of weeks, but the Canadian-bred emcee recently named his personal Top 5 favorite LPs of all time.

While showing love to East Coast rappers like The Clipse's Lord Willin' album and Jay-Z's Black Album, Drizzy also gave props to OutKast.

"Top 5 hip hop albums for me, because I'm young, for me. Black Album. Clipse, Lord Willin'. Uh, this is not an album, but The Little Brother/[Mick] Boogie [And Justus For All] mixtape, that was like pivotal in my life. And then I would have to say, uh, I say [Notorious B.I.G.'s] Life After Death. And then I will say a toss up between [Andre 3000's] The Love Below and [OutKast's] Aquemini. That's five" (The Source)

He also gave an honorable mention to his Young Money boss, Lil Wayne's Tha Carter 2.

"And then that's without....that's life changing. That's without, you know, Carter 2 and other things that pushed me to rap. Those were definitive albums that opened my sound. Oh, and Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. Those were just definitive albums that opened my mind to sound and melody and cadences and flows and you know. Those were like really important to me." (The Source)

Last winter, Drizzy named Miami rapper Rick Ross' Teflon Don 2010 summer LP as the year's best.

"Favorite album of this year," Drake said in an interview, "[I'd say] Rick Ross. Rick Ross had the best album of this year, yeah. Phenomenal album." (Billboard)

In summer 2010, the rap star named his Top 5 favorite rappers.

Lil Wayne: It's hard as a rapper not to become repetitive, and he always has a new way to make it fun. Andre 3000: If I wasn't myself, I would want to be that guy! Kanye West: I've never been so moved by a person's entire career. He's the guy I'll tell my kids about. Nas: He influenced this album a lot. I had to break down how he raps. Jay-Z: You look at [other] rappers from his era, and they couldn't transcend generations. But he's still completely relevant. (All Things Fresh)

Kim Kardashian Tells All in Open Letter, "This Is Probably The Hardest Thing I've Ever Had To Write"

As hype continues to grow around the publicized divorce between reality star Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries, the 31 year-old TV personality has now released an open letter.

Addressed as "A Message To My Fans," Kardashian details how hard the media has been on her.

"This is probably the hardest thing I've ever had to write. I see all of the support and I am so thankful for my fans, friends and family who are helping me through this difficult time. I am trying not to read all the different media reports but it's hard not to see all the negative ones. First and foremost, I married for love. I can't believe I even have to defend this. I would not have spent so much time on something just for a TV show! I share so much of my life on a reality show, that contemplating whether to even film my wedding was a tough decision to make, and maybe it turned out to not be the smartest decision. But it's who I am! We filmed Kourtney giving birth, Khloe getting married, break ups, make ups, our best moments and our worst moments. These were all real moments. That's what makes us who we are. We share, we give, we love and we are open!" (Kim Kardashian Blog)

Within the letter, she also admits rushing her desire to create a new family.

"Everyone that knows me knows that I'm a hopeless romantic! I love with all of my heart and soul. I want a family and babies and a real life so badly that maybe I rushed in to something too soon. ... I never had the intention of hurting anybody and I accept full responsibility for my actions and decisions, and for taking everyone on this journey with me. It just didn't turn out to be the fairy tale I had so badly hoped for. There are also reports that I made millions of dollars off of the wedding. These reports are simply not true and it makes me so sad to have to even clarify this. I'm so grateful to everyone who took the time to come to my wedding and I'll be donating the money for all the gifts to the Dream Foundation. I'm sorry if I have hurt anyone, but my dad always told me to follow my heart and I believe now that I really am." (Kim Kardashian Blog)

Details of the divorce became public knowledge Monday (October 31) afternoon.

Kim Kardashian filed for divorce Monday morning, after 72 days of not-so-wedded bliss to Kris Humphries ... TMZ has learned, and now we have the documents. We're told even though the marriage was short, she is not seeking an annulment. It's a garden variety divorce, in which Kim cites "irreconcilable differences." The date of separation is listed as today, Oct. 31, 2011. According to the docs, Kim wants Kris to foot his own lawyers' fees and she'll pay hers. And, she wants the court to reject any move by Kris to get spousal support. (TMZ)

Confirming the divorce, the 31-year-old E! reality star released a statement on her now-public situation.

"After careful consideration, I have decided to end my marriage. I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision," she told MTV News in a statement. "I had hoped this marriage was forever but sometimes things don't work out as planned. We remain friends and wish each other the best." (Statement)

Kim Kardashian is widely known for dating R&B star Ray J and NFL star Reggie Bush a few years ago and being associated with Kanye West, 50 Cent and other hip-hop artists.

Lil Scrappy Won't Disturb Tha Peace Anymore, Parts Ways W/ Ludacris

Atlanta rapper Lil Scrappy has moved on from a brief stint with Disturbin' Tha Peace's Ludacris and partnered with another record company for the release of his delayed album, The Grustle.

Details of the rapper's power move landed online this week.

Atlanta rapper Lil Scrappy announced this week the upcoming release of his new album via a new recording venture. Scrappy's G-Sup imprint has partnered with S-Line, a company owned by Scappy's manager Kevin Clark. G-Sup/S-Line has embarked in a joint venture with Bonzi Records, a label owned by platinum producer J Wells and distributed by Universal/Fontana. (Press Release)

Although his upcoming LP does not have an exact release date, fans can expect to hear collaborations alongside rap stars like Bun B and Twista.

Lil Scrappy's new album The Grustle is set for an early 2012 release. According to the label's early reports, the album will feature a stellar line up of appearances including the ones by hip hop legend Bun B, lyrical phenomenon Twista and critically acclaimed newcomer 2 Chainz, among several others. Hit producer Non-Stop, who is known for his work with the likes of T.I., Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, E-40 and more, will handle most of the production duties for the project. (Press Release)

In late 2009, Scrappy hit up SOHH and talked about partnering with Luda.

"Luda let me do my thing," Scrappy told SOHH. "[DTP manager] Chaka, everybody let me do my thing. They come in where they come in. Where I need them to come in, they come through and do they label thing. But me, I'm me, by myself. I've been doing it by myself -- that was the whole thing with getting off Warner Brothers and not messing with Violator Management, going to get my own management. Nobody sent them to me, somebody to really get my team right...Or I could be like Beanie [Sigel], you know what I'm saying, just go hard on Luda cuz. [laughs] I don't know if I'm gonna win or not...[laughs]." (SOHH)

He previously explained parting ways with ex-label Warner Music.

"Before I even made the move I had just talked to [Warner Music Group CEO] Tom Whalley and told him I need to get off," Scrappy said in an interview. "Because basically, Warner Bros is a rock and roll label. So they didn't really understand what to do with me as of then. Even though I showed them two or three times, this is me Scrappy, this is how I move, young gangsta from Atlanta, I do what I do, try to stay outta trouble but you know how sh*t go. But he believed in me enough, he didn't want to hurt my career, so he let me go, after that I went through a couple of label situations, it wasn't looking too good.I always had this stop-and-go relationship with Chaka and Luda -- That was the best contract I ever signed. Just being a rapper or whatever, that's the best contract I ever signed." (Rolling Out TV)

Rick Ross Reacts To 50 Cent's Seizure Remarks, "I Thank You, Homie"

Days after Maybach Music Group leader Rick Ross assured fans he was recovering from multiple seizures on Twitter, the "Boss" made his first public appearance Tuesday (November 1) to elaborate on his current condition and speak on rap nemesis 50 Cent's words of encouragement.

 

Prior to revealing a huge collaboration in the works alongside Jay-Z, Ross explained what went down with last month's publicized seizures.

"On the flight, I had a seizure and when I snapped out of it and they had told me what happened, I'm like, 'You bugging. Call the jet, we finna keep it moving.' ... I felt a little wore out but I felt like I could keep going and that's what it was," Ross told "106 & Park" hosts Terrence J and Rocsi. "I boarded a jet and I had another seizure and when I snapped out of that one, I woke up in front of a doctor and he asked me basically, 'When was the last time you slept eight hours?' And I said it had to have been at least five years. ... I would get two hours of sleep and keep moving -- me being the hustler. That has to stop. I was fortunate enough, the doctor ran a battery of tests on me from cancer, diabetes, HIV, et cetera, et cetera and I came back totally healthy." ("106 & Park")

Ross also took a moment to share his reaction to 50's recent words of advice and concern over his health.

"It was a case of me not getting enough rest, just not getting enough sleep so I had to fix that," Ross added. "Since then, I've just been relaxing, spending time with my family, my loved ones. And you know, just taking it chill for a while -- against the doctor's orders, soon as I got home, I was supposed to be on bed rest but actually, me and Jay-Z finished the biggest collaboration that we've ever done together for my album [God Forgives, I Don't] ... [50 Cent's remarks?] I mean, you know, if it was genuine, I appreciate it. If that's the case, I thank you, homie. It's all about us taking care of ourselves. You know what I'm saying?" ("106 & Park")

Last week, 50 Cent spoke on Fat Joe's recent weight loss and Ross' publicized seizures.

"[I wasn't] really concerned," 50 told Angie Martinez. "But, I was just saying to him. When people want to ask me a question like that, it's obvious. If a person has a seizure twice, they're not really [taking care of themselves]. You can look and see he's not conscious of his health. I seen [Fat] Joe, like, Fat Joe done slimmed down. You gotta call him Joe. That's good because you look at that. We lost [Big] Pun like that. Overall, you can look at your competition, hip-hop has always been competitive. Battling is a part of the culture. I don't wish death on nobody...It's early age for you to be having two seizures." ("The Angie Martinez Show")

A few days ago, Maybach Music Group's Meek Mill said his boss needed some vacation time.

After wrapping up a memorable set at this weekend's Power 99 Powerhouse concert in Philadelphia, MMG signee Meek Mill also shed a little light on Rozay's current situation. "He's just getting rest," Meek Mill told MTV News, addressing Ross' absence at the annual concert, where he was originally slated to perform. "He had his little situation and you wanna make sure your health is 100 percent, you don't wanna be 98, you don't wanna be 97. He's trying to get his rest, chill with his kids." "That boy Ross, he's never had a vacation," Mill continued. "I talked to him the other day, Ross told me he never had a vacation so I'm like 'you might as well chill, get your health right.'" During his Powerhouse performance the Philly native gave a quick shout out to Ross before performing the Bawse's hit "9 Piece," with some assistance from the raucous crowd. (RapFix)

Odd Future Assault Witness Speaks Out, "He Immediately Exploded Into His Vile Hatred Of Photographers"

A day after Odd Future's Left Brain was accused of striking a female photographer at last weekend's Voodoo Experience Fest in New Orleans, a witness has come forward to confirm the claims.

According to fellow photographer Skip Bolen, who was also in attendance, Left Brain (Vyron Turner) left a visible mark on the victim's face.

"Turner immediately exploded into his vile hatred of photographers with a long string of obscenities, and then hit one male photographer first -- breaking his Nikon 70-200mm lens," he said in a statement. "A split second later [he] hit the female photographer Amy Harris in front of me -- it was clearly assault and battery." Bolen added that regarding the dispute on whether Left Brain took an actual swipe at Harris or just her camera, "they are both connected when a photographer is shooting photos -- and after the incident, Amy Harris' face was red." (Billboard)

Details on what reportedly took place hit the Internet Monday (October 31) afternoon.

Harris claims she was slapped by rapper Left Brain, real name Vyron Turner, who knocked her camera out of her hands during the group's performance at the Voodoo Experience on Sunday (30Oct11). Reports suggest Turner took aim at the snappers in the photo pit after Odd Future frontman Tyler, the Creator, voiced his dislike for photographers, insisting the fans should be allowed to stand closer to the stage. Turner is said to have showered the photographers with water, before pushing them and kicking their equipment and allegedly assaulting Harris. Harris has decided against taking legal action against the band, although she admits she felt unfairly targeted. (Chicago Tribune)

Although she is not seeking legal action, Harris addressed what went down.

"I have worked many shows before, and I've had to deal with a band flinging water at the photographers, but I never expected this to happen," Harris told NBC after the incident. "In the pit, the male to female ratio is about 20 to 1. There were way more men in that pit than women." (Exclaim)

In light of the photographer's remarks, Odd Future's publicist, Heathcliff Berru denied the claims.

"There simply is no truth to the accusation floating around the internet," Berru tells Billboard.com's The Juice. "It's no secret that Odd Future has a love/hate relationship with photographers at shows. [It's] simply because sometimes they are given access the group wishes there fans would have instead. After telling the photographers to clear out multiple times (as they've done before) Vyron (Leftbrain) took a swipe at a few cameras, NOT people. To manipulate the situation [and] to insinuate an attack on a woman specifically is careless and manipulative" (The Juice)

McDonald's DJ Flavor: "The Atlanta Hip-Hop Scene Is A Mecca"

[As the winter season approaches, SOHH has teamed with McDonald's to heat things up in a four-part series highlighting all-star deejays throughout the United States, dishing on how they put on for their city. Today, Atlanta's DJ Drama gives us a taste of the ATL flavor.]

 

Let me tell you something about Atlanta. The Atlanta hip-hop scene is a Mecca. You get what I'm saying? We get [all of the latest music] out here in Atlanta. Making and having the music out here, we get the best of all lanes and all cultures down here.

For me coming up as a deejay, Atlanta was a great place [to partake in] this profession. Being here, it's helped me go on to bigger things that's more than just being a deejay. There's so many [deejays] that's in here in Atlanta that are from so many different places. So what's happening is you're getting a lot of good energy from all over.

There's people from all over that are coming here and going to work with their music. So for me, this is always an exciting place to work from. It wasn't hard coming down here, originally from Pennsylvania, because Atlanta embraces me as their own and vice versa.
It feels good to have two homes. Of course I was born and raised in Philadelphia, but I came up in "The A". The way to make it out here is by proving it through your work. I think I've definitely proven it [with] what I've done as a deejay.

When I'm deejaying, there's some records that are always going to be guaranteed Atlanta bangers. You'll always be safe when you throw on a bunch of T.I. records [while deejaying at various venues throughout Atlanta]. You can definitely hit the people with some f*cking Young Jeezy tracks, just put on his Thug Motivation records. If you're really feeling like you're in the moment, you can hit them in the head with Pastor Troy's "Vice Versa." You can't go wrong with those records when you're in Atlanta.

DJ Drama is a radio deejay and the official deejay for T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records. He is widely known for building a buzz throughout the underground circuit with joint efforts alongside T.I., Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy and more. DJ Drama, Don Cannon, and DJ Sense founded Aphilliates Music Group in 2003. The Aphilliates Music Group inked a label deal with Asylum Records in 2006, signing rapper Willie the Kid. As of January 2011, The Aphilliates now operates as its own entity, due to DJ Drama recently cutting ties with La the Darkman and Embassy Entertainment.

Rick Ross Blames Seizures On Sleep Deprivation, Reveals Collaboration With Jay-Z

The MMG chief says he wasn't getting enough rest on account of his hectic schedule.

Rick Ross shook the Hip Hop community when he suffered two seizures in the same day earlier this month, but he assures fans that he’s on the road to recovery. During an appearance on “106 & Park,” Ricky Rozay appeared in good spirits, explaining that his medical emergency stemmed from sleep deprivation and that he has a clean bill of health.

“What it was was I was going about my business as every day. I boarded a flight, and on the flight, I had a seizure and when I snapped out of it, they told me what had happened. I was like, you buggin', call a jet, we finna keep it moving. Because I understand me growing up and hearing about seizures, they can be violent, you bust vessels and bite your tongue up and this and that and in my case, it wasn’t none of that. I felt a little worn out, but I felt I could keep going and that’s what it was.”

He recalled getting on a second plane and having another seizure. When he awoke, he realized the source of his problems.

“I boarded a jet and I had another seizure, and when I snapped out of that one, I woke up in front of a doctor and he asked me basically, ‘When was the last time you slept eight hours?’ and I said ‘It had to at least been five years.’ Being the fastest growing label in the game, it comes with a lot of sacrifices. And in my case, it was sleep. I would get two hours of sleep and keep moving, me being a hustler. And that has to stop.
“I came back totally healthy,” he added. “It was a case of me not getting enough rest, not getting enough sleep.”

He also mentioned that while he was supposed to be on bed rest, he instead netted "the biggest collaboration that we've done for my album" with Jay-Z. Watch the full interview below (via Yardie).

(hiphopdx)

Kreayshawn's "Gucci Gucci" Co-Writer Speaks On Its Creation

A rapper named Speak reflects on writing with the leader of the White Girl Mob.

Kreayshawn reportedly netted a $1 million recording contract off the strength of her breakout single "Gucci Gucci," but her co-writer Speak isn't facing the same success. In his profile with LA Weekly, the 25-year-old musician, who also wrote her follow-up track "Rich Whores," says he hasn't yet profited from the track despite her signing a lucrative deal.

"That's the weird thing," he says, "seeing someone become rich overnight and getting to do all the cool things that come with being a successful artist, knowing you had a part in that, but eating Spam for dinner."

Speak, who is releasing his new album Inside Out Boy on November 14th, is also lending his pen to No Doubt and Plies, but is content with his situation. "When I put out my album, will the world care? Probably fucking not. That's humbling. It's depressing to have the world sing along to your every fucking word, and not care about you," he says.
Read the full profile at LA Weekly.

(hiphopdx)

Big Sean Announces New Mixtape "FFOE (Finally Famous Over Everything)"

The G.O.O.D. Music rapper also gives an update on his label's compilation LP and his sophomore album.

Following the success of his debut album Finally Famous, Big Sean is taking his talents back to the mixtape format. During an interview with Canal Street (Perajok via HHNM), the G.O.O.D. Music rapper revealed that he will release his new mixtape FFOE (Finally Famous Over Everything) in honor of his fans.

"Next move musically? I’ma release a new mixtape for the streets, because that’s where I came from. A lot of people, after they reach a certain level of success, they kind of stop doing mixtapes. To me, that’s what got me to where I’m at," he explained. "I’ma put one out, especially for all my believers, all the people who been riding with me since before the album. And I'ma call it FFOE, which stands for Finally Famous Over Everything."

Revealing that a video for "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" is on the way, the Detroit, Michigan native updated on the progress of the G.O.O.D. Music compilation and said that his sophomore album will drop shortly after its spring release.

"Then, G.O.O.D. Music album is coming out early next year, so that's something you guys should be really excited about. We've already got a lot of tracks done for it," he said. "And then my next album comes out right after that. It's going to be good. We're making that shit banging."

(hiphopdx)

Chase N. Cashe Discusses Friendship With Drake, Calls Him "The G.O.A.T."

Cashe calls Drake the leader of this generation and the greatest of all time and says he's like a brother to him.

During a recent interview, Chase N. Cashe discussed his friendship with Drake and his overall admiration for the Canadian emcee. Cashe referred to Drake as "The G.O.A.T." and said that he is doing everything emcees wish to do. Cashe also noted that his relationship with Drake is one of mutual respect and love, saying the two share a brotherly bond.

According to Cashe, his friendship with Drake is one that began many years ago.

"This goes back to when we were 16 years old," he said in the interview with The Source. "We're talking about two people who met each other, had the same dream coming from different backgrounds but very like-minded. We're talking about two people who've always been introducing each other to new stuff. I've met a bunch of beautiful people through him and he's met a lot of beautiful people through me and we've done a bunch of beautiful things together. We're always going to have that bond to where anything I learn, anything he learns, we're going to give it to each other."
He went on to further explain that their relationship is as close as the one shared by brothers and says they help each other out of love.

"It's a brotherly bond. It's what you would do with anyone you care for, anybody you love. You want to see them at their best and that's the bond we have."

Still discussing Drake, Cashe continued by calling him the greatest of all time, saying he is doing what others wish to accomplish.

"We've got to stick together. That's one thing I try to do. Me knowing Drake's position in this Rap shit right now, he's really the forefront leader of our generation. He's the G.O.A.T. right now. As far as, if we were to say, who's doing anything you want to do, success that the new generation wants to achieve, he's the one who's done it. He's the one paving the way for us in the street and the Internet."

(hiphopdx)

Big Sean Rides Nicki Minaj's "A$$" On Screen

Young Money's Nicki Minaj helped heat up Big Sean's "A**" single with a remix feature and now she adds some visual support in the new music video.

The duo's latest collaboration made its way online Tuesday (November 1) afternoon.

Queen of the asses Nicki Minaj shakes her moneymaker in the remix video for "Dance (A$$)," Big Sean's bouncy single off his debut Finally Famous. Wearing a long black wig and Union Jack outfit, the rap diva makes her booty talk in different languages as she flirts with the G.O.O.D. Music rapper in the splashy visuals. You're in for a big ass treat. (Rap-Up)

Earlier this month, Sean said Nicki willingly hopped on the track's remix without an appearance fee.

"I was like, 'What about Nicki Minaj?' and they was like, 'Man, Nicki gon' charge too much.' I was like, 'Did anybody even ask her?' So I text her and was like, 'Yo, you want to do this?' She text me back like, 'H*ll yeah, send it over,'" Sean explained in an interview. "She didn't charge nothing. She completely did it for free and all for the love -- I don't know if people know Nicki, but she's one of the nicest people in this rap game. She is definitely just a hard worker, so it was great working with her." (92 Q Jams)

The duo's collaboration began circulating online in early October.

Earlier today (Oct. 4), Big Sean debuted the remix to his third single, "Dance (A$$)," featuring Minaj. The Harajuku Barbie spits a few dirty words and makes fun at the rumors surrounding her derriere. "Kiss my a**, my anus cause it's finally famous/ And it's finally soft, yeah it's finally soft/ I don't know man guess those f*cken shots wore off/... Only time you on the 'net is when you Google my a**." (Billboard)

Earlier this year, Sean told SOHH if he could take any woman on a Valentine's Day date, it would be the self-proclaimed Barbie.

"For Valentine's Day, I would want to go with Nicki Minaj to my house," Sean admitted. "I would make dinner. I know how to cook. I cook almost every day. Yeah man, I love cooking. That's actually one of my passions. I think I'm gonna start a cooking show one of these days. My favorite is pasta. I love making spaghettis and macaroni. So I'd probably do something like that with some asparagus. Something on the side, maybe some chicken. Some weed brownies at the end." (SOHH)

"I Grew Up On Funkmaster Flex & It's Like, 'Yo Fam, Just Give Me A Shot'"

After catching our attention by publicly reaching out to New York's Hot 97 radio veteran Funkmaster Flex last week with a Tweet, SOHH decided to hit up Big Apple rapper Donny Goines to get the backstory.

Admitting he is not looking for a Funk Flex prime time shout-out, Donny said he just wants to have a one-on-one with the radio vet.

"I don't want a co-sign, let me just make that very clear, I don't want a co-sign," Donny told SOHH. "I just want somebody to respect me for the work that I've put in and respect me for what I do. He's the kind of person, one of the ambassadors for New York City. And that doesn't mean I don't deal with people in terms of deejays and people like that, but him personally, I feel it's like, 'Yo, fam. I know you've heard of me by this point.' [laughs] There's no way he could not have heard of me. And every deejay in New York I know personally. They're all fans of my music." (SOHH)

Goines also said never having met Flex inspired the Harlem-bred rapper to reach out to him last week.

"It's just this one particular that, like, you have so much power and say so within this realm," Donny added. "And I ain't talking about [just within the] deejay [crew.] I'm talking about New York City. F*ck the bullsh*t. I'm talking about my city. Regardless of where I live, I will always be a New Yorker and that kind of person. I grew up on Funkmaster Flex and it's like, 'Yo fam, just give me a shot.' You know what I'm saying? I don't want a handout from [Flex], I'm gonna be fine regardless. No disrespect to him but it's like, come on, sh*t. Give my f*cking music a chance. Because you're going to come to me later on and it's going to be like, "Yo, this guy is the greatest and ...' and I'm just going to look at him like he's retarded. Like, 'Yo, what are you talking about? I've reached out to you so many times.' He probably doesn't know who the f*ck I am, I mean, who knows. But he's the one person that I have not yet met, I have not communicated with and I know everyone in New York. He's the one person I haven't talked to. He's the only person. Just give me a shot." (SOHH)

Although Flex now has his own television show, the New York hip-hop personality is widely recognized for his days in radio.

Not since the early '80s when DJs such as Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa were acknowledged as two of rap's most popular figures had a hip-hop DJ attained such prominent status among the masses as New York's Funkmaster Flex. Throughout the 1990s he reigned over New York's mammoth rap scene, capable of making or breaking artists with his high-profile position at the top-rated radio station in America's top radio market, Hot 97. By the mid-'90s, he was also the weekly DJ at one of New York's top clubs, the Tunnel, and also had his radio show broadcasting on Los Angeles' Power 106, America's second largest radio market. Furthermore, Flex began releasing commercially successful mix albums in the mid-'90s. (All Music)

Outside of Flex talk, Goines is currently preparing the release of his upcoming album, Success Served Cold.

"The album's title is a combination of two popular expressions, "Revenge is a dish best served cold" and "Success is the best revenge". I chose the title I did because those two sayings explain exactly how I feel. I move very methodically, and I am really focused on becoming one of the greatest to ever do it, period. The premise of the title and vibe really simply is stating a simple sentiment. My greatest revenge will be my success and non-believers are going to have to eat that." (Reading Is For The Rich)

Donny Goines has removed his Funkmaster Flex tweet from his Twitter feed.

Kreayshawn Breaks Silence On Leaked Underage Nude Pics

West Coast rap newcomer Kreayshawn has finally addressed making headlines last summer over her alleged underage nude photos leaking across the Internet.

According to Kreay, the man responsible for releasing the photos is now facing over a century behind bars.

"Yeah, definitely," Kreay said when asked if she felt more vulnerable about her personal life getting exposed publicly. "[It made me realize,] don't send your e-mail and phone numbers on Twitter and stuff like that. Be more secretive. But f*ck. What the f*ck are you going to do? But did you know, did you know the guy that did that to me, do you know how many years he's facing in jail? A hundred and twenty motherf*cking years because he didn't just do it to me, he did it to that f*cking hot chick -- [actress] Scarlett Johnsson -- he put out this country singer's medical information and he put out all of these movie scripts that ..." (The Daily Dot)

Kreay's pics began circulating online around late August.

Kreayshawn was reporting from the red carpet Sunday at MTV's Video Music Awards. And then she woke up Monday to a hacked Twitter account. On her blog, Kreayshawn posted, "My twitter got hacked today by some anti-hollywood extremists. They sent out wack a** tweets and promoted their odd message of anti-jew stuff and deleted my twitter.." (CBS News)

She also said the nude flicks were taken when she was a minor.

"Oh and they leaked out private photos of me while I was underage." The nude photos have been posted on SEVERAL websites -- and Kreayshawn's pissed ... saying, "Real nice guys! Spreading child-porno that's cute. VMA's was insane on top of that. Can I s**t man? I ain't even mad." (TMZ)

The alleged hacker, Christopher Chaney, is also accused of stalking a woman online.

The man charged with hacking into the email accounts of Christina Aguilera and Scarlett Johansson may have stalked a woman online for the past 12 years, according to an unsealed search warrant obtained by The Associated Press on Friday. The warrant served on a hard drive belonging to Christopher Chaney, 35, showed that the hard drive was used to conduct Internet searches as recently as last November for a Connecticut woman who had complained to police that Chaney had been chatting with her online since she was 13. (CBS News)

RZA Says Eddie Griffin & Tracy Morgan Battling For ODB Flick

Late Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard may have his legacy live on through the big screen as RZA has revealed that comedians Eddie Griffin and Tracy Morgan are both interested stepping into the role of Big Baby Jesus.

While both comedians have fair shots, RZA said Eddie could slightly have an edge over "30 Rock" television star Tracy Morgan.

"Eddie Griffin is down" he said. "Me and Eddie talked about it, laughed about it. Tracy Morgan, he wanna do it [too]. I said 'Ya'll both kinda can do it." Asked who had an edge, the Wu-Tang Clan leader hinted at Griifin. "Eddie spent time with Dirty," he shared. "They knew each other well." The ODB movie has apparently been in the works for some time now, with Raeshawn, another cousin of the wild and crazy rapper, penning the script. "He's been working on it for two years now," RZA confirmed. "[In fact] I think Eddie's already signed on with a letter of Intent--I signed on, of course. So you know [Raeshawn] got my blessin' to make it happen." (XXL Mag)

Last year, the Wu's Raekwon spoke to SOHH about his days around ODB.

"I think at the end of the day, all of the great times I had with him when he was alive, it was something about just being around him. One thing I can always say about ODB is he would give everybody around him drama, but when it came to me, it was different. I could be around him and tell him, "Yo, you're wilding," or "Yo, n*gga, you doing something that you're not really supposed to be doing." He always knew I was one of the individuals that was always gonna keep it funky with him. Me and him would laugh about it because he'd say, "Yo, Raekwon, I can't even get at you but all them other n*ggas." It wasn't really so much the other n*ggas, but he would be able to put them out real quick and he never came at me like that, so, I would just say what was missing was the times." (SOHH Guest Star)

Photographer Mike Schreiber previously spoke to SOHH about taking a shot of ODB in front of New York City's Statue of Liberty a year prior to his passing.

"When I shot ODB, it was right after he got out of jail [in 2003, convicted of drug possession] and he was like really quiet. Like, kind of out of it. He [seemed] like he wasn't all the way there, but he just seemed off. He wasn't fully, I don't even know how to describe it. It was almost like, off. His camp was trying to film a reality show for him for MTV and actually, the close-up of him smiling in my picture is on the Staten Island ferry. The photo editor for XXL was like, "You need to come up with a concept," and I don't really do concepts, so I decided to go out in front of the Statue of Liberty." (SOHH Guest Star)

While an ODB film is still in the works, the late rapper's song, Boy Jones, talked about carrying his dad's legacy as a rapper last year.

"It's in my blood, it's supposed to be like that," he said. However, he did admit that there is added pressure to being a second-generation hip-hop artist and heir to Dirty's game-changing style. "Some people be just hating a lot. [Saying] 'He's not like Dirty ... He's trying too hard to be like Dirty.' It's in my blood ... he's my pops...I can go from ... making Soulja Boy music to making Nas music. I'm a real artist, I don't play. I ain't gonna front, I don't like Soulja Boy at all. But the music he's putting out there, I see little children vibing off of it. 'Cause you make the children dance, then that's music." (MTV)