Latest World Wide

15th ANNIVERSARY OF TUPAC SHAKUR'S DEATH. R.I.P(JUNE 16,1971–SEPT 13,1996)

2011-09-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

September 6, 1996 Tupac Shakur was shot after a Tyson fight in Las Vegas. Seven days later, on September 13, 1996 he passed away. It’s been 15 years today.
Not only did he make everlasting music when he was alive, but continued that level of excellence even after his death! With 9 posthumous albums, including 3 of them reaching number 1 on US charts, 2pac shows that he was relentless in the studio. Many consider him the voice of a generation and I wouldn’t be one to argue that.
His talents musically didn’t match the level of intelligence he truly had. The power he had with his words, the way he voiced his opinion no matter how blunt or possibly offending it may be,
and the overall talent he had has a
rapper, actor, poet, and as a human being is damn near unmatched to this day.
The irony in a lot of his songs, that led to his ultimate fate, goes to show that he knew he was a target. He knew that he was going to be someone that was loved by millions, and hated by just as many.
Through all that, if somehow you don’t take anything from 2pac’s legacy, at least take these three words. Life goes on. If he could speak to us right now you
know he wouldn’t want us mourning himon this day. “Have a party at my funeral,let every rapper rock it.” That’s exactly how he would want it to go down. So everyone join me today by playing 2pac’s music all day long. And Pac, life has gone on my friend. And so have you.

Lil Wayne’s “Carter 4″ Goes Straight ToNumber 1 – Sells Just Under 1 MillionFirst Week!

2011-09-06T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well. Weezy did it again. CarterIV goes straight to number 1 on the album charts. According to Hits Daily Double it also sold 1 million copies in the first week. Official numbers are in tomorrow.
Update: According to Billboard, Nielsen Soundscan reports that it sold 964,000
first week. Still a great acheivement for
Lil Wayne.
So does Weezy officially hold the Hip Hop
throne?

J. Cole Announces First World Tour

2011-08-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

J. Cole announced that he is going on his
first “Cole World” World Tour starting on
Augut 23rd. Check out the tour dates after the jump. J. Cole Cole World Tour Dates August 23rd – Vancouver, BC (Vogue)
August 25th – Edmonton, AB (Edmonton
Events Centre)
August 27th – Calgary, AB (Flames
Central)
August 30th – Saskatoon, SK (Odeon Theatre)
August 31st – Winnipeg, MB (Garrick
Center)
September 3rd – Toronto, ON (Sound
Academy)
September 6th – London, ON (Music Hall London)
September 7th – Montreal, QC (Club Soda)
September 10th – Orlando, FL (The
Beacham Theatre)
September 11th – Miami, FL (Revolutions)
September 14th – Houston, TX (Warehouse Live)
September 15th – New Orleans, LA
(House of Blues)
September 16th – Dallas, TX (Southside
Music Hall)
September 17th – Austin, TX (Emos) September 19th – Denver, CO (The Ogden)
September 20th – Albuquerque, NM
(Sunshine Theater)
September 21st – Phoenix, AZ (The
Venue)
September 22nd – Los Angeles, CA (Club Nokia)
September 23rd – San Francisco, CA
(Regency)
September 29th – Winston Salem, NC
(Winston Salem State University)
October 2nd – Atlanta, GA (Tabernacle) October 4th – Cleveland, OH (House of
Blues)
October 6th – Kalamazoo, MI (Kalamazoo
State Theatre)
October 7th – Detroit, MI (Royal Oak)
October 8th – Milwaukee, WI (The Rave) October 9th – Chicago, IL (House of Blues)
October 12th – Philadelphia, PA (Electric
Factory)
October 13th – Charlotte, NC (Fillmore)
October 14th – Norfolk, VA (Old Dominion
University) October 15th – Elizabeth City, NC
(Elizabeth City State University)
October 16th – Myrtle Beach, SC (House of
Blues)
October 19th – Washington, DC (Fillmore)
October 20th – Baltimore, MD (Sound Stage)
October 21st – Albany, NY (Armory)
October 22nd – Worcester, MA
(Palladium)
October 23rd – Providence, RI (Lupo’s)
October 25th – New York, NY (Best Buy Theatre)
October 31st – Liverpool, UK (Echo Arena/
TinieTempah UK Arena Tour)
November 1st – New Castle, UK (Metro
Radio Arena/TinieTempah UK Arena Tour)
November 2nd – Glasgow, UK (SECC/ TinieTempah UK Arena Tour)
November 4th – London, UK (O2 Arena/
TinieTempah UK Arena Tour)
November 5th – Bournemouth, UK (BIC/
TinieTempah UK Arena Tour)
November 6th – Birmingham, UK (LG Arena/TinieTempah UK Arena Tour)
November 7th – Manchester, UK (MEN
Arena/Tinie Tempah UK Arena Tour)
November 8th – Cardiff, UK (Motorpoint
Arena/ Tinie Tempah UK Arena Tour)
November 11th – London, UK (Electric Ballroom)
November 12th – Birmingham, UK
(Institute)
November 13th – Cardiff, UK (Solus)
November 14th – South Hampton, UK
(University) November 17th – Glasgow, UK (ABC)
November 18th – Liverpool, UK (Academy)
November 19th – Sheffield, UK (Academy)
November 20th – Manchester, UK
(Academy 2)
November 22nd – Cambridge, UK (Junction)
November 24th – Bristol, UK (Academy)
November 26th – Norway (Waterfront /
UEA)
November 30th – Brussels, Belgium (VK*)
December 1st – Amsterdam, Holland (Melkweg)
December 2nd – Germany (TBD)
December 3rd – Copenhagen, Denmark
(VEGA)
December 4th – Malmo, Sweden (Babel)
December 6th – Gothenburg, Sweden (Parken)
December 7th – Stockholm, Sweden
(Nalen)
December 8th – Oslo, Norway
(Rockefeller)
December 10th – Berlin, Germany (TBD) December 12th – Paris, France (La Cigale)

Game - 'I Almost Formed A Supergroup With Rick Ross & Beanie Sigel'

2011-08-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

One of the cuts on Game’s upcoming The R.E.D. Album (August 23rd), “Heavy Artillery,” features Rick Ross and Beanie Sigel, but the three emcees contemplated further collaborations. Speaking with LWW team, the Compton, California native said that the trio considered
calling themselves “ESPN (Everyday
Stacking Paper Niggas)” but that
circumstance stifled the super group’s
formation. “Me, Rick Ross and Beanie Sigel [were
going to call ourselves] ‘ESPN (Everyday
Stacking Paper Niggas),’” he said. “That’s
what it is. We entertained doing a group
before, but then Rick Ross went crazy
with the Maybach Music Group and he signed Meek Mill and all of them. So that reality didn’t come to pass. But that’s
where it was when we did ‘Heavy
Artillery.’ If you can imagine an album
with us three.”

Watch The Throne Debuts At Number 1 – Sells 426,661 Copies First Week

2011-08-16T23:39:00.000-07:00

Jay-Z and Kanye West have a lot to
celebrate this week after their Watch The Throne album went staight in at Number 1 in 23 countries. According to HitsDailyDouble they sold 426,661 copies in the first week. This album represents Jigga’s 12th
Number 1 album and Kanye’s fifth.

Mugabe dying...?

2011-04-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

A close source told LWW that Mugabe is slowly dying.''he spends the whole day sleeping,he barely walks without taking his medication- energetic pills,his condition was worsened after his surgical operation'' said the close source who refused to be identified to the public. ''i dont like the tyranny but am afraid that if he gets to know i have leaked this information,it will be over for me and my family''
Why are the people there not revolting against this tyranny? I wonder? Or is it that the world leaders are afraid to take this animal to Hague because seriously people are being denied their freedom and rights. Elections are supposed to be held this June 2011 and our source told us that the Government is secretly mobilising young youths to beat up people who are against the current leader promising them a Virgo(latest trucks) to each one of them. ''this is not fair...''clamoured the source.

Latest World Wide is Back!!! Tell Your Friends to check this out regulary...When it happens we get it first!!!!!

2010-06-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

CHECK US OUT!!!!!!SORRY FOR THE INCONVINIENCE CAUSED......STAYED BLESSED PEOPLE....WE lOVE YOUUUUUUUUU....MWAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Swizz Beatz Confirms Baby on the Way With Fiancée Alicia Keys

2010-06-06T05:10:00.000-07:00

Hip-hop fans knew that Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys were engaged, but up until recently it was only speculation that the two have a baby on the way.

Ends up the rumors are absolutely true. The Associated Press reports that the singer is pregnant after reps for the couple confirmed the news last night (May 27).

This will be A. Keys’ first child and Swizzy’s third. The superproducer already has two sons, one from his previous marriage with Mashonda. As previously reported, Swizzy will head to court before his upcoming wedding to fight his ex-wife’s claims that he owes her $344,000 in missed payments.

The former lovebirds are scheduled to go to court next month.

DMX Being Considered For "Celebrity Rehab" TV Show

2010-03-13T04:43:00.000-08:00

Rapper Earl "DMX" Simmons is reportedly being considered for a television appearance on the upcoming "Celebrity Rehab" series.

Based on reports, X was requested following his arrest earlier this week.
DMX's attorney, Gary Jenkins, tells TMZ reps for "Rehab" contacted him after X was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly violating his probation by using drugs. Jenkins says the "Rehab" team is considering sending someone to DMX's next court hearing to speak with the judge -- just like Dr. Drew did with Jessica Sierra from "American Idol" -- to try and get X placed in their care instead of being locked up.

Last April, there were reports that X was being requested to appear on the show.
The 38 year-old hardcore rapper will join the cast of the VH1's "Celebrity Rehab" show for its upcoming third season. The show's resident drug counselor, Bob Forrest has told RadarOnline.com exclusively. DMX is the first celebrity named in the new cast.

However, this was later denied by his publicist Pam Pinnock.
"Several media outlets have reported that my client Earl Simmons, aka DMX has signed on to appear in VH1's 'Celebrity Rehab Reality Show,'" a statement reads. "These reports are false and Mr. Simmons has not greed to appear in any reality show. Mr. Simmons is currently serving a 90 day jail sentence at Tent City Jail in Arizona . He has expressed great appreciation to the overwhelming amount of support he has received from his fans during this difficult time. He would like his fans to know that he is taking this time to focus on his personal as well as spiritual growth, and is looking forward to being released soon."

Awaiting a court hearing next Tuesday (March 16), the rapper was arrested earlier this week on a parole violation charge.
"He admitted to using cocaine, so he's back in our jail," said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. "I think it's about time to give him hard time." The get-tough sheriff said if the rapper is serious about kicking his drug habit, the Arizona jail system -- where X has already logged time on animal cruelty and drug possession charges -- could help him get clean. "We do have a great drug prevention program in the jail, so if he stays in our jail system I will consider (letting) him go through our program," Arpaio said.

No further details have been revealed as of now.

Jay-Z On Lil Wayne's Surprise NYC Concert Appearance, "He Came Out To An Incredible Reaction"

2010-03-13T04:37:00.000-08:00

Rap mogul Jay-Z has opened up about Lil Wayne's surprise appearance at Madison Square Garden during his Blueprint III tour stop in New York City last week.

Jay was happy that Wayne could perform one final time before heading into jail for a one-year sentence.
"It was fantastic," Jay said in an interview. "Again, any time you play the Garden is a special moment. It's special. Wayne, how that worked out, he was supposed to go away for a year. Somehow he was able to perform that last show. He came out to an incredible reaction. Then Drake, Nicki Minaj -- all on Jeezy's set, which was fantastic. Then Trey Songz and Fabolous. It's one of those magical nights at the Garden. Once again, one of those magical nights."

New York radio personality Angie Martinez shared her thoughts from the venue.
"I called it!!!! ;) weezy on stage at the garden!!!!!!!! W/jeezy they goin iiiiiin!!!!!! Crowd goes crazy!!!!!!!!," she wrote. "Oh, drake and nicki too!!!!!!!"

Diddy also talked about the concert and reaction to Jay's set.
"Hov is tearing this sh*t down!!!!! I'm a fan. F*ck that!!!! Give respect where respect is due!!! Let's goooooo!!!!!," Puff wrote. "RT @questlove: whooooo! "on to the next one" intro got us hype and me and @iamdiddy standing next to each other tweetin<--hip-hop unity FTW."

Fabolous Tweeted his post-performance reaction from the Garden.
"Did Say Ahhh wit @songyuuup at Madison Square Garden.. Watchin Hov show now.. What'd u do 2day..?? lol."

Lloyd Signs With Interscope Records

2010-03-13T04:32:00.000-08:00

Former Murder Inc. recording artist Lloyd has opted out of a possible Young Money record deal and signed a contract with Interscope Records.

According to the singer, Cash Money/Young Money were the initial front runners.
"Baby and Wayne were definitely the first people to reach out to me," he revealed in an interview. "I talked to them about a deal. That's who I thought I'd end up with in my heart. The problem is that Young Money/Cash Money is exclusive to Universal Motown. As you and I know, that's where I did my last two albums. I wasn't excited about going back. I tried to do a Young Money/Cash Money deal through another distributor, but it couldn't be done. At the end of the day, I'm still family, though."

Last December, Lloyd killed rumors that he was already signed to Young Money.
"A lot of people think I'm already signed over there, but the truth is that I'm still a free agent and I haven't signed with Young Money/Cash Money," he said in an interview. "I don't want to get into specifics, but I have been talking to them and to some other labels. It's an important decision and we're not gonna rush it. We're both working, but not on anything specifically together. He has The Rebirth and The Carter 4, and I'm working on my new album and a couple mixtapes. There were rumors about us doing a project together a few years back, but that was just wishful thinking by the fans."

The singer addressed rumors of leaving Murder Inc. for Wayne's Young Money last year.
"I think that's the question on everyone's mind," Lloyd said about the possibility of signing to Young Money. "No, I wasn't offered a deal, uhm, if anything I think about it because I'm big fans of their work and we all good friends. We've worked [together on songs] a lot in the past, you know, we broke bread together and I think a lot of fans would probably want to see that happen. I just wanna win, I just wanna be successful. I think wherever I go, I'm gonna be successful."

Lloyd said his recent collaborations with Wayne and Drake have helped him keep his name relevant.
"I mean, it's not hard, you just gotta work," Lloyd explained in an interview. "The way I stay relevant is to make more music. There's so many different avenues to get music out now that it's pretty rare for you to make a song and not be heard one way or another and by working with other artists, that plays a big part. So when I'm not on the scene or I'm going through label problems and you give me a Drake mixtape, it kinda reminds you of who I am."

Drake Reportedly Shooting "Over" Music Video In Los Angeles

2010-03-13T04:25:00.000-08:00

Young Money's Drake is reportedly recording a music video for his new single "Over" in California from the upcoming album, Thank Me Later.

Filming reportedly began on Friday (March 12) at a location based in Los Angeles.
Drake hopped a plane from his hometown of Toronto to sunny Los Angeles, where he is shooting the video for "Over" today. Rap-Up.com has learned that Anthony Mandler is directing the clip for the first single from Drizzy's debut album Thank Me Later. The filmmaker has helmed videos for Rihanna ("Russian Roulette"), Beyoncé ("Irreplaceable"), Jay-Z ("Run This Town"), and Mary J. Blige, for which he teamed up with the Canadian artist on "The One." The Boi-1da produced "Over" is currently No. 15 on the iTunes Top Songs chart, while the album is tentatively scheduled for a May release.

The song's producer Boi-1da recently talked about its creation.
"He's a dude that makes sample quality music that people think it's a sample," Boi said in an interview. "Like 'Over' sounds like a sample but it's not a sample...That's the way Drake envisioned himself coming out, it described exactly how he was feeling at this moment. You know, the first line, the hook, he comes out saying 'I know way too many people in here that I didn't know last year.' It's explaining that his life, he has all these people around him now, but at the end of the day, he's going to prevail, it's not over yet. He has a lot more time to go, that's what it is you know. He felt like this is the moment that he wanted to capture for his first single."

Drizzy's track landed online last week.
"Bottles on me, long as someone drink it," the 23-year-old raps in a slow, aggressive flow. "Never drop the ball, f--- is y'all thinking?/ Making sure the Young Money ship is never sinking/ 'Bout to set it off in this bi---, Jada Pinkett/ You too fine to be laying down in bed alone/ I can teach you how to speak my language, Rosetta Stone..." 'Bout to go Thriller, Mike Jackson on these n---as," Drake later raps. "All I need is a f---ing red jacket with some zippers."

Prior to the song debuting, Drake spoke on its overall motivation.
"This is my first song," he told radio-show hosts Jus Red and Jwyze. "This is still my first single off my first album. This is still the beginning, as great as everything has gone...I went with 'Over' as the first look because of the words in the hook...The hook being the most repetitive part. I got a lot of great songs on my album. I got songs for women who wanna feel special. I got songs for dudes -- if you ever thought my music was too soft, this is one you will enjoy. I got a lot of variety on there, but the biggest thing was that opening line on the hook."

Jim Jones Previews New Mixtape, Confirms Movie With Asher Roth

2010-03-13T04:04:00.001-08:00

Last night (March 11) LatestWorldWide team was on hand to preview Jim Jones’s long-awaited mixtape, The Ghost of Rich Porter.

Tentatively scheduled to be available for free download on March 23, the 19-track project features appearances by Gucci Mane, Juelz Santana, Shawty Lo and Joell Ortiz, among others. The tape includes all new, original beats, except for “Harlem Forever,” which finds the Capo, Santana and Tobb Cobain over Drake’s smash single “Forever.”

Along with the mixtape, Jones is also working on a movie called The Ghost of Harlem. “It’s a love story about Harlem,” he told LatestWorldWide. “…It’s a fast paced world,” he said of his hometown, “from the money to the girls to the jewelry to the drug dealing to the fast cars…[yet] getting on the flip side it’s still a hood. There’s a lot of crack abuse, there’s a lot of drug abusers, single parent homes, project living.”

Jimmy confirmed that he’s trying to get Asher Roth involved in the DVD, which he hopes will be ready to hit stores by September. —Elan Mancini with reporting by Rondell Conway

Peep The Ghost of Rich Porter Tracklisting below

1. Intro
2. Oh Yeah[Intro]
3. Hit ‘Em Up feat Mel Matrix, N.O.E. & Chink Santana
4. Haunted feat. Gucci Mane & Sen City
5. Alchemist Freestyle
6. Coke Rush [2 Da Connects]
7. Bussa Move feat. Mel Matrix, Shootah & Hard Luck
8. Harlem Forever feat. Juelz Santana & Tobb Cobain
9. How Life Go feat. Sen City, Rell & JR Writer
10. Skit
11. Black on Black feat Sen City & ATM
12. Cocaine Dreams feat. Chink Santana & Joell Ortiz
13. Legends feat N.O.E.
14. Money on My Mind feat. Sandman & Young Handsome
15. Penicillin feat. Sen City& Shawty Lo
16. Chasin’ the Paper feat. Shootah, Hard Luck & Oshy
17. Younger feat. Sen City
18. Paper Chase feat Mel Matrix & Chink Santana
19. Rosary feat. Oshy

Lil Wayne Can't Sign Autographs In Jail, "He Is Not A Celebrity Here"

2010-03-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Incarcerated rapper Lil Wayne has reportedly been forbidden from signing autographs while he completes a one-year jail sentence in New York's Rikers Island.

According to reports, the restriction is an attempt to hide Wayne's celebrity status.
A rep for the Correction Officer's Benevolent Association tells us officials issued the no autograph mandate because "Lil Wayne is not a celebrity in here." The rep also tells us Wayne isn't getting any special treatment while at Rikers -- but we're told the rapper really hasn't requested anything out of the ordinary.

He was officially sentenced to a year behind bars on a gun possession charge earlier this week.
Lil Wayne has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty in a New York City gun case. The Grammy Award-winning rapper was taken away in handcuffs to start serving his term immediately after his sentencing. He'll serve his sentence in city jails, not a state prison. He could be released in about eight months with good behavior.

The night prior to beginning his sentence, Wayne bid a final farewell to fans via a UStream broadcast.
"Shout out my n---a Justin Bieber," he said, continuing his public conversation with the teen sensation. Wayne also revealed a new addition to his label of talented artists. "Shout out to my n---a Cory Gunz, about to be the newest member of the Young Money team."

He previously had his sentencing delayed for tooth surgery and due to an electrical accident at the courthouse.
A fire that shut Manhattan's main criminal courthouse for a second day - delaying a slew of cases, including the sentencing of Lil Wayne - was an electrical accident, officials said Wednesday. Cases from the massive 17-story complex at 100 Centre St. were jammed into the much smaller courthouse across the street, with some arriagnments being shifted to the Midtown Community Court.

Lil Wayne Signs $200 Million Dollar Clothing Deal

2010-03-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

If you thought 50 Cent’s Vitamin Water deal was big, well hold your horses. We just learned from a VERY CREDIBLE source that rapper Lil Wayne is about to become one of the wealthiest rappers in music history. The business insider told us that Weezy just signed a deal which will be announced in the next few days - for a new Young Money clothing line. But we're not talking about just ANY clothing line. The line will be inspired by Lil Wayne and his Young Money artists.

The general line will be Weezy's domain, but there will also be a preppy line of clothes that will be inspired and modeled by rapper Drake. And there will even be a ladies line, fashioned in the style of Young Money's first lady Nicki Minaj.

But get this, the deal will be worth a reported $200 million to Lil Wayne.

Ludacris To Debut At #1 With Battle Of The Sexes

2010-03-12T09:33:00.000-08:00

Ludacris seems to be everywhere these days, and next week, he’ll be atop the Album Sales Chart, according to one-day sales reports from retailers. Riding high on hit collaborations with Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber and labelmate Taio Cruz (the #1 download, "Break Your Heart"), the DTP/Def Jam/IDJ hip-hop superstar-turned-actor will debut at #1 next Tuesday, with approximately 120k in sales for his latest, Battle of the Sexes. To put that into perspective, Weezy's Rebirth pushed 176K it's 1st week and Khaled's Victory flopped hard with less than 28k. The rumors that Khaled will rename his label from "We The Best" to "We OK" arent true though. The album boasts current hit singles “How Low” and “My Chick Bad,” the latter featuring Minaj. His seventh studio album also includes cameos from Shawnna, Lil Scrappy, Trey Songz, Lil’ Kim, Gucci Mane, Monica and Ne-Yo, among others.

Ludacris Saves The Rap Game, Alfamega Snitches On T.I., DMX Misses His Pink Stripes

2010-03-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

In this week's LWW's Report, doggies, we got this motherf*cker rolling as we look back at the past seven days as Ludacris saves the rap game, Alfamega returns to his snitching on T.I. roots, DMX turns pink, and hip-hop waves good-bye to Lil Wayne. Also, make way for some "Shut The F*ck Up" first-timers.

T-Pain Blames Lil Wayne Duet Album Delay On Jail Bid, "We're Actually Gonna Wait Until He Gets Out"

2010-03-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Grammy-winning singer T-Pain has updated fans on the status of his duet album with Lil Wayne and said the rapper's one-year jail sentence has pushed the project's release into 2011.

In addition to Wayne's legal woes, Pain also said he did not want to drop the album while the rapper's Rebirth is currently available.
"The T-Wayne album, we're actually gonna wait until he gets out," Pain said in an interview. "He has so much going on. He has Rebirth out right now. I don't wanna interrupt that. We just gonna wait until he gets out to really get in on that. We recorded a bunch of songs. But, right now, it's time for him and his personal sh--. We definitely got an album's worth of material, but it's only an album's worth. It's nothing to pick from. We just got an album. We can put out whatever we feel like and say, 'Hey, this is T-Wayne's album,' or we can actually try to make it good. Like we're actually trying to make an album and say, 'This is the good T-Wayne album.' Rather than just record 12 songs and say, 'Here you go, mutha----as! I know you want it. You gonna buy it anyway, just 'cause you think it's good.'"

Cash Money Records co-founder Ron "Slim" Williams addressed the duo's compilation album last summer.
"They've been speaking on it," Slim said in an interview. "I wanted to get past Tha Carter III. Now we can sit down and get to the business of different collaborations. I just want to make sure that we have a good record."

Aside from Pain, Wayne also has a Juelz Santana collaboration album set to drop.
"The album is done," Juelz previously told LatestWorldWide. "It's like the situation I had that stopped me from doing a lot of things before, was one of the same situations why the album ain't come out. But the album is done. It's not like we gotta go in and do a bunch of songs. We got about 35 records done so we just waiting for the politics and bullsh*t to get out the way and then we gonna put the album out."

The rapper began serving his one-year jail sentence on Monday (March 8).
Lil Wayne has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty in a New York City gun case. The Grammy Award-winning rapper was taken away in handcuffs to start serving his term immediately after his sentencing. He'll serve his sentence in city jails, not a state prison. He could be released in about eight months with good behavior.

T.I. Recruiting Andre 3000 For New Album

2010-03-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

As T.I. preps his much anticipated comeback album, due August 24, he’s got a lot of friends to lean on for support. And if he has his way, he might be linking up with Andre 3000. Atlanta producer DJ Toomp—best known for crafting T.I.’s “What You Know” and “24s”—revealed that the King is looking to get a verse from Big Boi’s reclusive other half.

“Different people have been reaching out to Dre [because] he’s still one of the greatest around,” Toomp told VIBE, adding that T.I. has the advantage of Dre’s being a fan of his. “If they do [the song] I would really love to produce it. Dre is a fan of T.I. and [Young] Jeezy. And [T.I. and Jeezy] be like, ‘Dang, he really dig me like that?!’”

Although Toomp said he rarely spoke to T.I. during his jail stint, he was one of the first people the rapper called after being released to a halfway house in December (his sentence ends officially on March 26). Their first conversation consisted of the two playing music over the phone.

“I got two or three strong ones on [the album] right now,” said Toomp. “Right now he’s just putting a feeler out in the streets, letting people know he’s back.”

Trackslayerz produced the first record to hit the streets, "I'm Back." While the album’s concept is still being hammered out, it’s expected to include new songs, as well as some recorded in the past few years.

“He got songs from the last two albums that didn’t make the album but were hot songs. So sometimes we go back and pull songs from 2007 and upgrade it a little bit,” explained Toomp. “After we do a certain amount of songs, that’s when we figure out the whole theme of the album.”

Other producers on the disc include Jim Jonsin, Swizz Beatz and T.I. himself.

Toomp, who’s splitting his time between T.I.’s and Young Jeezy’s new projects, said he plans to “mail [T.I.] at least five more [beats] before the door is closed.”

Chris Brown Returns To Twitter

2010-03-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

R&B singer Chris Brown has had a change of heart and has re-joined the popular public social network Twitter.

Writing in his first new Tweets as @ChrisBrown, the singer updated fans on his status and requested followers.
"Everybody hands go up...And they stay there," he wrote Thursday (March 12) night. "Just left a school in Harlem reading to 3rd graders a book called superhero school Im bout to get verified soon.lol listening to tpain's "reverse cowgirl".... its a smash FF: follow me follow me!!! "too freaky"... mixtape on fire right now."

Last December, Brown reportedly made a brief Twitter comeback as @MechanicalDummy.
"Please Follow me back, Im back on twitter for good now....I was going thru some things but ya boy is back 2010 Lets Go!," he wrote on New Year's Eve. "It might telling you that ur following me & when you click my page ur not because I reactivated my page...so Re Click the FOLLOW button Yes this is really me, I decided to come back & connect with the fans for 2010 its only right because I LOVE yall....So Please ReFollow me My account will be verified again soon!"

He deleted the page in mid-December.
Chris Brown is the latest artist to abandon the service completely, following the precedent set by Miley Cyrus and Lil Wayne. Brown's exit came after a week's worth of Twitter-based ranting about stores not stocking his new album Graffiti. Only a few hours after that revelation, Brown issued his finally tweet: "I wanna thank my fans for all the support," he wrote. "Goodbye!" The old address for his Twitter page now leads to the dreaded "Sorry, that page does not exist!" screen.

Rapper and close friend Soulja Boy Tell Em shared his reaction to Brown's unexpected move last year.
"I was thinking about that last night man," Soulja Boy told radio personality Tim Westwood. "I just think, I don't know man, you see Miley Cyrus deleted hers and then when he did it I was just thinking like 'Who's gonna be next to delete their Twitter?' I don't never say never because you never know, one day I might just wake-up and be like I don't wanna be on Twitter no more but right now, nah, I don't think I'd ever delete my Twitter. I work hard for them followers, the 1.9 milli's baby. They gonna be disappointed in me man."

Lupe Fiasco Explains Not Wanting Jay-Z's Fame, "You're A Fool Trying To Chase That Success Down"

2010-03-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

Grammy-winning rapper Lupe Fiasco has explained his recent comments about not wanting to reach Jay-Z's level of fame.

According to Lupe, artists like Jay and Lil Wayne should not be measuring tools for a person's success.
"Jay-Z's a personal friend of mine," Lupe said in an interview. "[He] executive-produced my first album. [My comments were] just an example using him of how people rate success. There's an idea of the status quo that every rapper wants to be Jay-Z. Nah. Every rapper does not want to be Jay-Z. Every rapper don't wanna be Kanye West. Everybody don't wanna be Lil Wayne. They wanna be who they are. ... You're a fool trying to chase that success down and manage it like that. I always look at my success as further than a dollar sign, further than record sales. ... Everybody thinks because you're black and you're from the 'hood, you wanna be Jay-Z. There's kids who wanna be astrophysicists and don't care about rap. That should be OK. You should be OK just being you, working your regular job and being happy. That's why I made that statement. I felt it need to be said."

In Lupe's original statement, he shared his views on what success is to him.
''There's a misunderstanding with my fanbase,'' he said in an interview. ''People [at Warner] feel they know my fans more than I do. They want me to step out of my comfort zone and step into theirs. I don't have necessarily the celebrity success they want me to have but it's more social success and being able to speak at a college about world affairs. That's a success, to me. 'I don't want to be Jay-Z and be worth $400 million and perform on every awards show. It's getting in touch with somebody who needs to improve their self-esteem. As opposed to driving a Bentley and putting some chains on.''

Last December, Lupe addressed the accusations that he "sold out" by contributing a rock influenced track to the New Moon soundtrack.
"Hi guys...Lupe Here...," he wrote. "There seems to be a lot...A LOT...of misconception and misguided info floating around the net...so for the sake of clarity and so that everyone (HOPEFULLY) will be on the same page let me reaffirm and debunk some things and just turn down the general noise that is surrounding Lupe Fiasco...thats me..."SOLAR MIDNITE" is NOT a single off of "LASERS"...Nor was it intended to be apart of "LASERS" project..."SOLAR MIDNITE" was exclusively done at the request of the Twilight: New Moon Team to be apart of their film, motion picture soundtrack and as a vehicle to promote the film...NOT TO PROMOTE "LASERS"...I produced "SOLAR MIDNITE" I'm not SELLING OUT by doing a song for NEW MOON...People thought I "SOLD OUT" when I did "Kick, Push"...I LOVE "SOLAR MIDNITE"..."SOLAR MIDNITE" is NOT a HIP-HOP RECORD..."

Lupe is most known for entering the rap game around 2006 with close ties to Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Thanks in part to the vocal support of Jay-Z, L.A. Reid signed Fiasco as a solo artist to Arista, but before anything of significance was able to happen (only a promo single and a couple guest appearances were set up), Reid was fired, leaving the MC without a label. Fiasco eventually landed at Atlantic. Preceded by the single "Kick, Push," as well as several mixtapes and an appearance on Kanye West's "Touch the Sky," the album Food & Liquor was set to surface during early 2006, though an unfinished version leaked during the spring, pushing its official release back to September instead. The album earned Fiasco three Grammy nominations. A highly conceptualized follow-up, The Cool, was released in December 2007.

Nas & Damian Marley Snag Lil Wayne for Collabo LP, New Tracklisting Revealed

2010-03-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

Last night (March 10), LatestWorldWide team previewed the collaborative project from Nas and Damian Marley, Distant Relatives, and it seems as if is the long awaited album is almost ready to see the light of day.

The disc, set to come out through Universal Republic in either May or June, features cameos from Lil Wayne, Joss Stone, K’NAAN and Jamaican music legend Dennis Brown, as well as a bonus track with Junior Reid. All 14-songs, which were dedicated to the hoods in America and Africa, were produced by Marley, who seamlessly merges the worlds of hip-hop and reggae.

Distant Relatives singles, “Strong Will Continue” and “As We Enter,” have already made their way online.

Nas and Damian previously worked together on “Road to Zion” for Marley’s 2005 solo effort, Welcome to Jamrock —Brooklyne Gipson

Peep the official track listing below:

1. As We Enter
2. Tribal War (feat. K’NAAN)
3. Strong Will Continue
4. Leaders
5. Wisdom (Sabali)
6. Count Your Blessings
7. Disappear
8. The Promised Land (feat. Dennis Brown)
9. Nah Mean
10. Angola (Friends)
11. My Generation (feat. Lil Wayne and Joss Stone)
12. Africa Must Wake Up (Feat. K’NAAN)
13. BONUS TRACK Ancient People (feat. Junior Reid)

[Editor's note: LatestWorldWide has learned that one more song, "In His Own Word," will also be included on the album]

DMX’s Manager Speaks on Rapper’s Arrest

2010-03-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

DMX is back in the doghouse. The troubled rapper was arrested and brought to a Phoenix jail on Tuesday (March 9) for using illegal drugs.

According to Reuters, the Yonkers-bred MC, born Earl Simmons, admitted to a probation officer that he had been abusing cocaine since he was released from jail nine months ago. He is currently facing five counts of violating his probation and being held without bond.

“Of course it is unfortunate and painful to see Earl incarcerated, as there are a lot of rumors and lies surfacing regarding the details of his personal and professional state,” X’s manager, Nakia Walker, said “However, thank God for a great team—family, friends, pastors and doctors. Collectively, I am excited to say that X’s team is putting forth every effort to ensure the success of Earl’s health and career. We appreciate the support of his fans. Please stay prayerful, as X will return.”

DMX’s attorney, Gary Jenkins, spoke to tmz.com, where he revealed that the rapper is seeking the help of Celebrity Rehab doctor, Drew Pinksy. “[DMX] has been battling addiction for some time, and he’s in need of treatment,” he said. “We’re hoping that maybe Dr. Drew might be able to help him.”

DMX served 90 days in a Phoenix’s Tent City prison last year on drug, theft and animal abuse charges. While locked up he was sentenced to probation for throwing a food tray at an officer.

Fabolous Wants Nas To Rise From The Dead, "I Wish Nas Would Just Let These Young Boys Know He's That Dude"

2010-03-11T11:49:00.000-08:00

New York rapper Fabolous has made a public calling for Nas to prepare a strong comeback and remind younger hip-hop generations of his rap pioneering skills.

From Fab's perspective, young hip-hop heads tend to be unaware of Nas' early 1990's contributions.
"Nas, Nas, like Nas is so ill," Fab told interviewer Karen Civil. "I think this younger generation of hip-hop really don't know, like, I got a dude who rolls with me, he's like 21, 22, he don't know any of the ill Nas, he don't know Illmatic, you just don't know that Nas that I grew up with. I wish Nas would just let these young boys know he's that dude."

Rapper Bow Wow recently said he was prepared for Nas to drop a new LP.
"I'm ready for a new Nas Album," he wrote yesterday (February 4). "1st day starting on my new album. @RealDjKayslay @bowwow614 when u got tht banger.. ima blow it up in NY<== yessir big homie. thank you. anything you need from me let me kno."

Nas recently spoke on his role in hip-hop and why he must be the voice for rap.
"A lot of people are fronting, like, 'I'm from this. I'm from that,'" he said in an interview. "Even the so-called [socially] conscious rappers, they claim ghetto. I love jewelry. I love cars," he said. "And part of it is because cars fascinate me. Part of it is because of what social status it represents. ... So I do talk about it [on recordings]. Every gangster I've ever known or every street dude I've ever known has a heart. They know about ... more than girls and booty-shakin'. And that's who I'm here to represent. All my peers are dead, fugitives or locked up."

According to rapper Jay Electronica, a collaboration project with Nas is in the works.
Me and Nas have a project that we're doing. I'm just trying. I'm in the process of working and connecting. I don't really feel like a song or an album is the end-all, be-all to what we're doing. You can expect my album this year. You can expect multiple projects this year. We're going to do a lot this year."

Nas Adds Lil Wayne To "Distant Relatives" Album

2010-03-11T11:47:00.000-08:00

Rappers Nas and Damian Marley have reportedly added incarcerated rapper Lil Wayne to their upcoming Distant Relatives album.

Based off a new tracklisting, Wayne will be featured on a track called "My Generation" with singer Joss Stone.
1. As We Enter 2. Tribal War (feat. K'NAAN) 3. Strong Will Continue 4. Leaders 5. Wisdom (Sabali) 6. Count Your Blessings 7. Dispear 8. The Promised Land (feat. Dennis Brown) 9. Nah Mean 10. Angola (Friends) 11. My Generation (feat. Lil Wayne and Joss Stone) 12. Africa Must Wake Up (Feat. K'NAAN) 13. BONUS TRACK Ancient People (feat. Jr. Reid)

Nas recently spoke on the underlying theme behind his new joint album.
"Reggae and hip-hop are cousins,'' he said in an interview. "Go back before the '90s and think about the music that was playing on the ghetto blasters and you'll hear it...The whole world is like family, split up all over the place. It's overdue, and I want to help build whatever we can [in Africa]. I've worked with a lot of reggae artists, like Sizzla and Supercat, but not until [2005's] Jamrock did I get a chance to work with Damian. I love his music and I'm a big fan of Bob Marley and the whole family. We haven't worked out any tour dates yet. But I'm sure Damian and I will do something soon."

Last year, the rapper said he was unsure of how the fans' would react to the new project.
"I feel good about it," Nas said about the album and his legacy. "So I can't say how it's gonna affect my musical legacy. I just think that with everything I do, I want it to mean something. Like ['Tony Montana'] said, 'I tell the truth, even when I lie.' What he was sayin' is, he never lies. He's honest, even when he makes mistakes or misjudgements, he did it in truth. Everything I'm doing is because I feel right about it. The benefit of it [is] we contributed something to the world. Something like this...I don't know who's gonna like it, who's gonna hate it or whatever, but it's another contribution to the world. One more thing to just listen to."

The album is slated to drop this May.
This time, Nas and Damian focused on a common theme: Africa. "We always thought we'd give something back to Africa," says Marley, who will donate proceeds from the disc to various charities. Highlight: the funky, horn-driven "As We Enter," which samples Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke and features Nas rhyming "Ghana" and "Obama."