R.I.P. Nate Dogg

hip hop and rap star Nate Dogg has passed away at age 41. Nate Dogg, who’s real name is Nathaniel D. Hale, has been battling health troubles for several years including suffering strokes in 2007 and 2008. He passed away Tuesday night.  Nate Dogg was famous for his collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem and Warren G.

Diamond Is Latest To Join The Face Tattoo Craze In Hip-Hop

Atlanta femcee, Diamond, joined a growing list of rappers getting their faces tatted as of late. First it was Gucci Mane with his ice cream cone, and then Yung LA with a duck (later covered up by the LA Dodgers logo), and now, it's Ms 32Flavaz.
Or did she really?
The rapper debuted some new ink on Tuesday (March 8), via Twitter (@DiamondATL), posting a pic of her new face tattoo of a bullet with the accompanying message: "IN LIFE: You only get ONE SHOT!!!!!! Remember dat!"
The tattoo is located on the left side of her face, between her ear and cheek, and can easily be covered up with her hair.
After some speculation whether or not the tattoo was fake, and done strictly for publicity, Diamond followed up with a tweet, playfully asking that her followers decide for themselves.
"Okay let's have a lil fun now... If you think diamonds tattoo is REAL press 1 ! If u think its FAKE press 2 ! I love controversy!" the rapper wrote.
In the meantime, Diamond also used the attention to plug her the upcoming release of her mixtape, Cocaine Waitress, and announcing that its second video would be dropping soon.
She also posted a link to her latest single "Red Lipstick," leaked to the website,

Bobby Brown In Talks For Role In Mob Movie

Singer Bobby Brown is reportedly in talks on a movie with Tony Testa, a rapper with blood ties to the mob.
 The film will be based on Testa's Brooklyn family connection to notorious Gambino crime-family members, the Demeo Crew. But, Brown's involvement is not known at this time.
The popular 80s singer was spotted dining with Testa, "Sopranos" star Joe Gannascoli and Chuck Zito in New York, reportedly discussing a possible role in the unnamed movie.
It will also star actor Armand Assante, who played an Italian mob boss in the 2007 film "American Gangster."
According to the paper, the film's story will be based on Testa's Uncle Patty, who transferred to the Lucchese family and was murdered in 1992. Testa's uncle, Joseph Carmine Testa, is serving life in the same prison as Bernie Madoff.

Chris Brown Laughs Off Nude Photo Leaks, Tries To Explain

In support of his upcoming F.A.M.E. album, Chris Brown has been making his rounds on radio. Most recently, he stopped by Los Angeles' Power 106 radio station to chop it up with morning show's "Big Boy's Neighbor," and the host put him on the spot.
Breezy hasn't said much about the nude photo that leaked on the Internet earlier this month, but Big Boy put him in the hot seat, and asked.
Brown burst into laughter.
"I have nothing to say," a red-faced Brown said, before clarifying that the pic was, in fact, for a woman. "Definitely a girl, definitely a girl."
As the radio host continued to joke and grill him about the nude leak, Breezy stumbled over his words, while giggling.
Then, he tried to explain his reaction to the news of the photo getting out. "I was just on my video game, playing a video game, and I was looking at Twitter and was like yeah!" Brown explained, before the radio show interrupted to ask what he was doing while taking the photos.
"It was an out-the-shower shot. ... I'm comfortable with my body, I don't care about all of that," he laughed.
Watch the radio interview

Lil Wayne To Appear On Upcoming Limp Bizkit Album

Lil Wayne's 2010 Rebirth album wasn't a failure, certified gold with over 500,000 copies sold, but it definitely wasn't the smash that his Carter III project was, and it may have been because of how rock-infused it was.
But, Weezy isn't walking away from his rock inspiration yet. The rap superstar recently lent his services to popular late-90s rockband, Limp Bizkit, who are in the studio working on a brand new album.
The band has been collaborating with artists in hip-hop since their 1999 sophomore album, Significant Other, where frontman Fred Durst spit alongside Method Man over a DJ Premier beat. Then, the following album featured the likes of Xzibit, Redman and Swizz Beatz.
Now, Weezy is next up to bat, which Durst revealed in a recent Twitter update.
"Oh, excuse me," tweeted Durst (@FredDurst). "16th song mixed is 'Ready To Go' featuring Lil Wayne! I love it."
 Rumors of a collabo between Limp Bizkit and Wayne have been circulating since 2009, and may have been recorded during the studio sessions for Rebirth. But, details regarding the record are still unknown.
In addition to Weezy, rap vet Raekwon is also expected to appear on the band's record, reportedly titled Gold Cobra.
At press time, there was no release date for the album.

Yung LA Covers Up Duck Tattoo, Says 'Real N****s Do Real Sh**'

Atlanta rapper Yung LA had the Internet going nuts in February, when a video clip surfaced of him getting a cartoon-style duck tattooed on his face.
At first, many were confused over the origin of the duck, but it was later revealed that the duck was actually the logo of an Atlanta-based label called Duct Tape Ent., which LA was presumably signed to.
However, Duct Tape CEO Alley Boy cleared things up on local radio station V-103, dismissing Yung LA's claims he had signed to his label and demanded that tattoo be removed.
Well, despite LA boldly saying the "Duck still on my face, and it ain't going nowhere", via a response video, the rapper appeared in a new clip this week in which he is seen getting the tattoo covered up with the "LA" logo of the major league baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"We ain't trying to put no negative energy out. I just gave [Duct Tape Ent] a big up, a shoutout. Real n****s do real sh**, the duck come off," Yung LA explains in the clip, as he's getting inked.
"I'm getting the duck took out my face right now," he later adds, while speaking on the phone in the clip. "So when this get on the internet, they gonna be like 'Oh!'"
It looks like there will no further problems with this trademark/tattoo infringement, so Yung LA can move on to his lean-induced music. He is currently prepping the release of a new mixtape, entitled Tattoos & Jewelry, due out March 30.

Ja Rule's Prison Sentence Delayed Until June

After being handed down a two-year prison sentence in December 2010, things in Ja Rule's gun case have been delayed ... and now it looks like the rapper will only have a few more months of freedom, with June being the end of the countdown.
A judge has marked June 8th as the first day of his two-year jail term, according to reports, so the rapper could settle a federal tax issue.
Ja Rule (real name: Jeffrey Atkins) will also use the time to finish his next album, titled Renaissance Project, set to drop on his own MPire Music Group.
 The furlough was granted by the judge against the prosecution's wishes.
"We want to finish the album, and there's also a tax issue," his lawyer, Stacey Richman, told the paper. "Somebody, an accountant, had filed an incorrect form, and this is to correct what was done in the past."
The sentence comes after 35-year-old Ja Rule pleaded guilty, in December, to attempted weapon possession, stemming from an arrest in 2007 where police found a handgun in his vehicle after he was stopped for speeding.
Ja was leaving a concert in New York City, after joining Lil Wayne at his first headlining gig there. Weezy was also pulled over in a separate instance that evening, and also charged with illegal possession of a firearm.

Fat Joe Working On New Cooking Show, Launches Restaurant

Fat Joe stopped by NBC Miami's show, "NiteCap with Peter Bailey", last week to discuss several topics -- including  how he helped usher in some of the artists down south, charity ... and his upcoming cooking show.
Yes, that's right, a cooking show.
The Bronx rapper revealed that he's working on a new show with his restaurant partner, Chef Mark Thomas. On the show, he says expect appearances by fellow rappers like Lil Wayne.
"I'm working on a cooking show, this is the first time I'm telling the world," Joe said. "Who else can you trust other than Fat Joe to tell you what food is good or not? Me and my guy Chef Mark -- he's an incredible chef -- we got that studio audience, we got that band, we gonna bring guys like Lil Wayne, your favorite rapper, and we gonna to ask him what's his favorite dish and we gonna make it for him."
Additionally, Joe and Thomas have also launched the first of a series of Express restaurants, which center around seafood and Caribbean Island cuisine.The first opened in the Bronx's City Island, and will feature a Sunday cooking school.
"You don't really know the true Fat Joe 'til you really meet him, so once we in front of that camera and we vibin' with everybody, we gonna have a lot of fun with that," Joe continued. "I'm not even a cook, I'm like a mascot. I'm like the test-taster, but my man chef Mark is gonna be cooking. My favorite food is Italian food; I like Lobster Francaise."
Also in the beginning of the interview with Bailey, Fat Joe discussed how he first put DJ Khaled into the game, which ultimately resulted in shining a spotlight on Miami and spawning stars like Rick Ross, Cool & Dre, in others.
Joe also revealed that he will be auctioning off his infamous sneaker collection for charity. "I gotta make sure that everybody eats, and that's major to me," Joe told Bailey.

TimberFake Was Miserable For The Past 2 Years In Relationship With Jessica Biel

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel break up
Well this was pretty obvious, especially since ole boy was chasing tail on a regular:
The harsh truth: Timberlake, 30, “had been aggressively trying to end things” with the actress, 29, since the Golden Globes Jan. 16, one source close to the singer tells the new Us Weekly, out Wednesday. What’s more, the pal adds, “he hasn’t been happy with Jessica for close to two years.” (The couple got together in January 2007, shortly after Timberlake’s split from Cameron Diaz.)
“You’d be surprised at how soon the love was lost on this one,” the friend continues. “Justin said he was miserable.”
Timberlake finally fessed up to his feelings about the relationship shortly after his Jan. 31 birthday. “He just said he didn’t want to marry her and it didn’t feel right,” another source says. Biel, the source says, was blindsided. “It just stung her in the heart.”
But even in that final “talk,” Timberlake didn’t come clean about his rampant affairs with other women (including actress Olivia Munn, among others.) “He didn’t admit the cheating, even though we all knew it,” the insider says

American Pie’ Actor Seann William Scott Enters Rehab


Another Hollyweird household name bites the dust… Seann Williams Scott, aka, Stifler checks into rehab.
You can’t be serious… Stifler checks into rehab for ‘health and personal health reasons.’ In other words, Scotts been getting white boy wasted!
A rep for Scott, 34 released a brief statement “Sean Scott has voluntarily admitted himself for proactive treatment to address health and personal issues. He appreciates the support of many of his fans at this time.”

Cincinnati Bengals Player’s Home Heavily Damaged By Fire

antwan odom cincinnati bengal house fire
The suburban home of Cincinnati Bengals football player Antwan Odom has been heavily damaged by fire. Fire officials in the city of Mason, north of Cincinnati, say the defensive end and his family were out of town at the time.
Firefighters responded just after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to what they describe as a very serious fire that collapsed the home’s roof. They say hot spots and unstable areas are delaying their investigation into the cause.
The Warren County auditor’s web site estimates the home’s value at nearly $1.2 million. It was built in 2000 and has nearly 6,000 square feet of space.

Mobb Deep's Prodigy Freed From Prison After Three Years

Prodigy, one-half of the legendary NY duo Mobb Deep, became a free man on Monday (March 7) after serving around three years behind bars for a weapons possession conviction.
The rapper surfaced on Twitter Monday morning with a simple tweet (@PRODIGYMOBBDEEP) that included a picture (seen to the right) and the hashtag #WelcomeBackP.
In the pic, Prodigy is seen looking healthy, clean shaving, and is enjoying a cigar during his first hours of freedom.
His incarceration stems from an October 2006 arrest, where he and producer The Alchemist were pulled over after making an illegal U-turn, during which police found a handgun in a compartment of his vehicle. Both were arrested and subsequently released on bond with pending charges.
Prodigy (real name: Albert Johnson) was eventually charged with weapons possession and originally faced a mandatory sentence of 15 years. However, he copped a plea for a lesser charge and received a 3 1/2 year term in late 2007, and began serving time in early 2008.
But before heading to jail, he recorded a bulk of material and filmed several music videos, so that his music could be released during his time away. The last album came in 2008, titled Product Of The 80s.
Also while behind bars, P conducted some controversial interviews, and even released a few letters on a variety of topics, including conspiracy theories ... and even wrote a memoir, titled My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy, which he'll be releasing next month.
So, Prodigy will be very busy over the next few weeks, promoting the book. The book is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com.

Rolling Stone Names Wiz Khalifa 'Hip-Hop's Rookie Of The Year' With New Cover

Wiz Khalifa has gotten so big over the last year, landing on many publications' year-end lists, that his upcoming debut, Rolling Papers, is looking like its one of the most anticipated this year.
As the March 29th release date nears, the Pittsburgh rapper lands one of his biggest magazine covers to date -- Rolling Stone.
The mag is dubbed Wiz "Hip-Hop's Rookie Of The Year." And this is all from a kid who raps, a lot, about his love for weed.
The Source gave the rapper the same honor back in November.
MTV also gave Wiz big honors this year too, naming him an "11 for '11" celeb to watch in January, along with Kardashian and "Jersey Shore" star, Deena Cortese.
Wiz will share the mag's cover with "Jersey Shore" starlet Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi for the issue, dubbed the "Hot List" special, which arrives on newsstands Friday (March 4).
For more info, visit RollingStone.com.

Diddy Asks Charlie Sheen For An Invitation To Party

Actor Charlie Sheen has started a movement with just one work "winning," and it seems everybody's onboard ... even hip-hop mogul Diddy.
After hearing about his wild, week and sometimes month-long party binges, Diddy wanted in and when Charlie Sheen joined Twitter a little over 24 hours ago, the hip-hop mogul didn't hestitate to ask for an invitation.
"@charliesheen can u please send me the address to ur house? Ive been dreamin about a party like this all my life #winning! See u soon! Lol," Diddy wrote (@IAmDiddy) on Tuesday night (March 1).
Sheen, who has been holed up in his Hollywood Hills mansion for the past few days, granting one erratic interview after the next, accepted Diddy's proposal, tweeting (@CharlieSheen) in response: "Get dressed my man... sending the driver..!
However, it has not been confirmed whether or not the two actually met up last night. Hahaha. Sounds like a joke, but you never know these days.
Either way, Sheen's winning right now, and you just might wanna get in on that party too.
Since joining Twitter, Sheen has had the Internet going nuts, everyone from Floyd Mayweather to almost everybody in hip-hop was either telling everyone to follow the actor, retweeting his quotes, or just repeating his new catchphrase: "winning."
We'll let you know when the Diddy, Charlie Sheen party goes down.

Autistic Rapper 50 Tyson Partners With Autism Society of Minnesota For Annual Walk

Autistic rapper 50 Tyson is set to be one of the main guests of the Autism Society of Minnesota's (AuSM) upcoming 11th annual Steps of Hope fundraising walk, which goes down on Sunday (March 6).
50 Tyson, who became a Internet sensation after posting a Youtube video of himself rapping, will be featured in a special performance.
And is excited about doing his part to benefit autism research.
"I am excited to be able to do my part to raise money for autism research," 50 said in a statement. "As an autistic rapper, it's important that I demonstrate to other autistic individuals that you too can live out your dreams and not let autism slow you down."
The 17-year-old has been heavily involved in the community to raise money and awareness, and recently donated money to Autism Speaks, said his rep.
The walk will take place at Ridgedale Center in Minneapolis, MN at 9 a.m., when registration begins, following by the walk, which takes place at 11 a.m.
The Autism Society of Minnesota expects more than 1,500 participants for the walk, which will benefit individuals, families, educators and employers impacted by autism.
The mission of AuSM is to serve Minnesota's autism community, which is more important than ever, as national rates of diagnosed autism spectrum disorders have soared to 1 in 110. With adult support groups and therapy, family advocacy programs, social skills groups, camps and an extensive resource directory, AuSM strives to fulfill the needs of those living with autism throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Through workshops and an annual conference, AuSM keeps families and professionals at the forefront of cutting-edge research, information and therapies. The organization is celebrating 40 years of existence, in which they have served more than 12,000 families impacted by autism.
"Through our Steps of Hope Support Grant program, we invite Minnesota families, schools and service providers to request financial help to purchase goods and services they need as they work with individuals with autism," a rep for AuSM said.
For more info on AuSM, visit AuSM.org. Or hit 50 Tyson on Facebook here.

Rap, Riots & Rodney: How Rodney King Changed Hip-Hop

On March 3rd, 1991, what started off as just another case of a brotha gettin' beat down by the po-po, would set off a chain of events that would forever change the socio-political dynamics of America, especially for the hip-hop generation.
Although, the beating of Rodney King -- by four Los Angeles police officers -- happened 20 years ago, the shock waves from the event are still being felt today. To grasp the gravity of the situation, one has to look at it in historical terms.
The period of the late 80's was, possibly, the most revolutionary since the '60's, as the combination of Reaganomics and racial incidents -- such as the Virginia Beach and Crown Heights incidents -- had pushed America, once again to the brink of revolution. There was also a cultural revolution happening on America, where Black youth were re-discovering the works of heroes such as Malcolm X and Huey P. Newton. The rapidly maturing hip-hop genre also began to absorb the changes, as the party music of the early 80's began to become what Public Enemy frontman, Chuck D, coined "The CNN of Black America."
While the music was previously seen as "fad" and "just a blip on the radar screen of middle America," the idea of rebelling "ghetto youth", using rap music as an unregulated form of information dissemination, sent a shock through America's political foundation.
This is not the first time that the rising collective voice of "the silent minority" became a matter of national security.
According to the March 21, 1993 edition of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, in 1917, a Lt Col. Ralph Van Deman created the Army's black spy network, which snitched on black organizations, even black churches. The article names Robert Morton of Booker T. Washington's Tuskegee Institute, and Joel Spingarn, one of the founders of the NAACP, as operatives in the spy network.

In the book, Heard it Through the Grapevine, Patricia A. Turner wrote that "rumor clinics" were set up during World War II to "prevent potentially adverse hearsay of all sorts from gaining credibility."
Also, although the FBI's COINTELPRO is the best known of the "dirty trick" operations of the civil rights/Black Power Era, Clay Risen, in his book A Nation On Fire: America in the Wake of the King Assassination, wrote about the Army Operations Center and "its first operations plan for national disturbances, code named Steep Hill." Risen also talks about the U.S. Army Intelligence Command (USAINTC), which included 1000 agents "around the country whose job was to spy on militants" and "monitor indicators of imminent violence."
The entertainment industry was not immune of the fear of a black uprising. In Peter Doggett's book, There's a Riot Going On, he wrote about how James Brown was hired by the mayor of Boston, Kevin White, to throw a concert the night after the King murder to keep the natives calm.
From the very beginning, it has been clear that America's fear was not for the thugs in the street, stealing hubcaps, but the fear that they may become politicized, intelligent hoodlums. So on April 29, 1992, the day the police officers were acquitted of beating King, the apparatus was already in place to deal with young "urban" youth, who were chanting hip-hop lyrics, challenging the system as their mantra.
As rebellions took place in cities across the country, even the watchful eye of the Feds underestimated the politicizing of the youth, courtesy of rap lyrics. The site of "gangstas" articulating the political ideologies of Frantz Fanon on "Night Line" caught politicians with their pants down.
According, to the May 11, 1992, Time Magazine article, "How TV failed to Get the Real Picture", it was reported that LA mayor Tom Bradley "requested" that in the midst of the chaos that the highly rated "Cosby Show" air as an exercise in "crisis counter-programming." However, this was not 1986 and black youth were more responsive to the voices of the X-Clan, than they were "Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable."

So, another form of "crisis counter-programing" had to be developed that would insure that rebellions like what happened in L.A. would never happen again.
Even before the L.A. rebellion, President George Bush had instituted the "Weed and Seed Program", which many residents of Los Angeles, such as those interviewed in the book, Uprisng by Yusef Jah and Sister Shah Keyah, considered a spy operation. The official purpose of Weed and Seed was to "weed" out gang members and in their places, "seed" the hood with community programs.
So, we see the same strategy was used in hip-hop as the biggest threat to this country's racial hegemony, "conscious rappers" were weeded out and the industry was seeded with "gangsta" rappers.
One can clearly see how the careers of early conscious rappers suffered because of their courage to speak truth to power. However, the "gangster rappers" of the period became multi-millionaires and were rewarded with movie scripts and endorsement deals.
It is against this historical backdrop that two major post-L.A. rebellion developments took place.
First, the "no snitching" ethos was taken out of its historical context and was been replaced with a scapegoat for black on black violence and the demonetization of entire black neighborhoods. Conveniently forgotten were the various government-sponsored snitch operations that had plagued the black community for decades.
More important is the overall anti-political direction of commercial hip-hop, where -- instead of "Cosby" crisis programming -- the hip-hop artists are now part of preemptive crisis programming, where the minds of the youth are distracted by such things as face tattoos. This can help to explain, in part, why the incidents of police brutality in cities such as Cincinnati, New York, Oakland and Houston generated relatively little outcry.
Some may argue that times have changed and the season of "fighting the power" is a part of a bygone era. However, with incidents of global outrage taking place from Egypt to Wisconsin, maybe not.
Perhaps Ice Cube was right when he once rapped: "April 29th brought power to the people, and we just might see a sequel."
Only the 'hood knows....

Tom Hanks' Son, Chet Haze, Eyes Rap Career

Did you know actor Tom Hanks has a son who's an aspiring rapper? It's true.
His son, Chet, from his second marriage, has been dropping tracks on the Internet in recent months -- one of them being a remix of Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" smash, dubbed "White and Purple (Northwestern Remix)", named after the colors of his college, Northwestern University.
However, he hasn't gotten the best feedback from his music.
Comments on Youtube called Chet Haze "a major biter", while another said he was "rich and spoiled."
Despite some of the hate, Chet doesn't feel his more-than-fortunate upbringing should falter his rap career whatsoever. In a recent interview with Vice, he explained why.
"I don't think that discredits me as a hip-hop artist. I don't at all," Chet told the mag. "Hip-hop is much larger than that. It exceeds boundaries beyond race and socio-economic background. It doesn't matter what country you're from or what nationality you are. Hip-hop is a music. An art form. A culture. It can appeal and come out of whoever it speaks to. And it speaks to me."
He also says he doesn't see his skin color as a problem either, although historically, white rappers have had a tough time trying to break into music as rappers.
"I wouldn't see it as an obstacle. I can see it just as much as a gift. It just puts you on a different path," Chet said.
Chet is a studying theater at Northwestern, but insists that his "love and passion" is in hip-hop, which he says in his main focus in the future.
But, he does a little acting as well. In 2008, he had a small role as a student in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. However, we're unaware of any other roles he's had.
Chet says the content of his music reflects his life, which includes typical college kid activities such as smoking weed and drinking. However, those things aren't the only things he's about ... at least, that's what he told Vice, when asked why he raps about weed so much.
"It's a part of college life. I wanted to rap about something that I do. I wouldn't say that's what my life is all about," Chet said. "It's one aspect that I'm speaking about in a song. I'm not some caricature of a person who just drinks and smokes weed and parties all the time. I'm more complex than that."
Chet recently released a mixtape, titled Get Hazed, consisting of eight tracks in all, some original and some freestyles. Check it out over at MixtapePass.com.
As far as his father Tom's opinion on his rap career, Chet says: "He's heard most of it. He's pretty supportive."

Rihanna Poses Nude For Nivea Ad Campaign, Hits 1 Billion Views On Youtube

Rihanna has no problem with being risque these days, and most recently, the pop star posed nude for a promotion campaign for cosmetics company, Nivea.
The campaign, dubbed "The 100 Years of Skincare for Life," celebrates the brand's 100th anniversary this year, and is set to launch in May, in conjunction with the kick-off of Rihanna's "Loud" world tour, which will now be sponsored by Nivea.
"Over the past 100 years, Nivea has been an iconic skincare brand across the world that is built on the trust of our consumers," Nivea board member, Markus Pinger said in a statement. "We are excited to have Rihanna supporting us in our celebration and building a new generation of fans."
In other Rihanna news, the singer recently hit a Youtube milestone, when she became the fourth artist to rack up a whopping 1 billion views, putting her in the company of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Eminem.
The statistics, which were tracked by social media analyzer Famecount.com, include the views videos like "Love the Way You Lie" with Eminem, "What's My Name?" with Drake, and "Rude Boy," which is the most viewed clip on her own Youtube, raking up 139 million views alone.
However, "Love The Way You Lie" has 297 million, placed on Eminem's Youtube profile.
Here's the rankings on her YouTube profile, as of press time, below:
"Rude Boy" - 139+ million
"Don't Stop The Music" - 137+ million
"What's My Name?" - 131+ million
"Only Girl (In The World)" - 107+ million
"Unfaithful" - 57+ million

Tracklist For Chris Brown's 'F.A.M.E.' Announced

Chris Brown is ready for his first new album since 2009's Graffiti. After unveiling a cover designed by artist Ron English and announcing a March release date, Breezy unleashed the official tracklisting for F.A.M.E., his fourth studio album.
The album's new single is the Lil Wayne and Busta Rhyme-assisted "Look At Me Now," which is quickly spreading. It's currently at #6 on the Urban Singles chart after one month, and a video is set to premiere on VEVO.
"Look At Me Now" follows the success of his previous #1 hit singles, "Deuces" featuring Tyga and Kevin McCall, and "No BS", and his Top 5 hit single, "Yeah 3X".
With 1.8 million in combined digital/mobile sales to date, "Deuces" spent 10 weeks at #1 and earned Brown one of three 2010 Grammy Nominations for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
Now, here comes F.A.M.E.
"On this album, some of the songs are more grown-up," Brown says of the upcoming LP. "There are songs from all genres: from street records to others that are real soul, 808 heavy that you'll hear in the club, and then others are strictly for the heart; songs that your mom and grandma can listen to and love.
"Collectively, F.A.M.E. is me giving fans every aspect of who I am as far as my art, my culture, and my concepts," he continued.
The album features the likes of Justin Bieber, Ludacris, Lil Wayne, Busta, and Tyga, among others. Producers include Tha Bizness, Kevin McCall, Timbaland, and Polow Da Don, among others.
It's due out March 22.
Below is the official tracklisting:
1. "Deuces" - ft. Tyga & Kevin McCall
2. "Up 2 You"
3. "No Bs" - ft. Kevin McCall
4. "Look At Me Now" - ft. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
5. "She Ain't You"
6. "Say It With Me"
7. "Yeah 3X"
8. "Next to You" - ft. Justin Bieber
9. "All Back"
10. "Wet The Bed" - ft. Ludacris
11. "Oh My Love"
12. "Should've Kissed You"
13. "Beautiful People" - ft Benny Benassi (Bonus)
The Deluxe version of F.A.M.E. will include four additional tracks:
14. "Bomb" - ft. Wiz Khalifa
15. "Love Them Girls" - ft. Game
16. "Paper, Scissors, Rock" - ft. Timbaland & Big Sean
17. "Beg For It"

Missy Elliott & Timbaland Reunite, Begin Recording Together

After working each, heavily, at the beginning of their careers, Missy Elliott and Timbaland went on to work with others as their careers took off. But, they're baccck.
In a clip, posted on Youtube over the weekend, the producer and rapper revealed that they've reunited, and obviously plan to collaborate once again.
"I told ya'll that we are back. Ta-daaahh," exclaimed Timbo in the viral clip, while Missy added, "Yes, we are."
When Elliott released his debut LP, Supa Dupa Fly, in 1997, it was Timbaland who helped the Virginia rapper mold the album, composing or taking part in nearly every track. It was the birth of a duo who has produced or had a hand in numerous hit songs ever since.
While both went on to become stars as solo artists, in recent years, they've taken a background role, helping to produce other artists' projects. That's all changing now though.
As part of "Timbaland Thursdays," Missy and Timbo dropped a track together called "Take Ur Clothes Off," and another called "Warped". Check them out over at TimbalandThursdays.com.

Diddy, Dirty Money Announce Dates For 'Coming Home' Tour

Da Brat Is Free After Three Years, Says Jermaine Dupri

Da Brat is finally a free woman, after serving three years for a 2007 nightclub assault.
The rapper (real name: Shawntae Harris) got a small taste of freedom in 2010, when she popped up in one of Jermaine Dupri's Youtube vlogs, revealing she was out, for the moment, as part of a work release program.
Brat has completed her three-year term and is home, according to a tweet from J.D. on Monday (February 28).
"Happy day for me and all SO SO DEF fans, Da BRAT is finally home," Dupri wrote (@LTLline). He has worked with Brat since the release of her 1994 debut, Funkdafied.
At press time, it was unclear how long the female rapper has been free, or her current plans.
Brat, 36, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault in late 2007, when she allegedly smashed a bottle of liquor on the head of a waitress at the Studio 72 nightclub in Atlanta.
Nearly a year later, a judge sentenced her to three years in prison. At the time, Brat's attorney said she was remorseful over what had happened and said she was "willing to accept responsibility."

Romeo, Kendra, Wendy Williams Among Cast For New 'Dancing With The Stars'

The cast for the upcoming season of "Dancing With The Stars" has been revealed for the 12th season of the hit TV show.
Among the stars cast include Romeo Miller, Hines Ward (NFL), Kendra Wilkinson, Kirstie Alley, Chris Jericho, Wendy Williams, Sugar Ray Leonard (boxing), Ralph Macchio ("The Karate Kid"), Petra Nemcova, Mike Catherwood, and Chelsea Kane.
Last season, Jennifer Grey beat out stars such as Bristol Palin and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, and now people are waiting for the new season, which is not very far away. It will kick off on March 21.
Below is a rundown of the cast (courtesy of MTV):
Chris Jericho
Jericho, born Christopher Irvine, is very well known to the world of professional wrestling fans. The 40-year-old was the first undisputed champion of the WWE in December 2001 (he beat Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Rock) but put his career on hold recently to focus more on his other passion project, performing as lead singer of heavy-metal band Fozzy.
Romeo
Although originally signed up to strut his stuff on season two, Romeo was replaced at the last minute by his equally famous poppa, Master P (whose turn on "DWTS" has been touted by many critics and followers as one of the worst in the show's history; his Paso Doble holds the record for the lowest score ever). With the bar set slightly lower than average, the 21-year-old rapper, who once played college basketball for USC, likely hopes to make it farther than his father.
Kendra Wilkinson
The decidedly un-shy, already established reality-TV star Wilkinson is no stranger to performing or baring all in front of audiences. Wilkinson, who got her start as a Playboy model, ventured into television as a part of E!'s "The Girls Next Door" before slightly tempering her party-girl ways to settle down with NFL player Hank Baskett, their domestic bliss being the subject of her current show, "Kendra: Bunny Next Door."
Kirstie Alley
Before she was the subject of her own reality show, "Kirstie Alley's Big Life," first on A&E and now Lifetime, and a Jenny Craig spokeswoman, Alley was known to several generations of TV watchers and filmgoers for her memorable turns on TV shows "Cheers" and "Veronica's Closet" and movies like "Look Who's Talking." The outspoken celeb is a longtime "DWTS" fan, whose entertaining and varied tweets have been featured frequently in our Twitterwood column on MTV Movies Blog.
Wendy Williams
The self-proclaimed "Queen of All Media" made a name for herself as a radio DJ then became a best-selling author and currently hosts her own syndicated daytime talk show called "The Wendy Williams Show." Williams has a knack for asking uncomfortable questions during celebrity interviews and will certainly be a force to be reckoned with on the dance floor. Her talk show is reportedly scheduled to go on hiatus while she competes on the show.
Chelsea Kane
As has been the custom over the course of the past few seasons, the "DWTS" team has welcomed another Disney star into their midst, Chelsea Kane (formerly known as Chelsea Staub, Kane legally changed her professional name back in December). The 22-year-old was a regular on Disney's "JONAS," starring the Jonas Brothers, and currently lends her voice to the character Bea on the animated series "Fish Hooks."
Sugar Ray Leonard
Leonard, a former professional boxer, follows in the footsteps of a slew of former professional athletes who have danced before him. While athletes have been formidable competitors in "DWTS" seasons past, the boxers haven't fared quite as well. The 54-year-old's illustrious career includes winning world titles in five weight divisions, including the welterweight champion of the world, as well as being the first boxer to earn more than $100 million in total purse winnings. Here's hoping Leonard's footwork is more like that of Laila Ali than Evander Holyfield and Floyd Mayweather.
Ralph Macchio
Although he's had a few memorable parts on TV shows like "Entourage" and "Ugly Betty," for a lot of people, Macchio will always and forever be the original "Karate Kid." Sure, Jaden Smith karate-chopped his way to box-office success with his turn in 2010's remake, but Macchio kicked his way into the hearts of teenage girls everywhere with 1984's "The Karate Kid" and subsequent sequels.
Hines Ward
They're certainly not skimping on the athletes this season! Ward joins the cast as one of three professional athletes competing for the famed discoball trophy. The onetime Super Bowl MVP currently plays wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and was born in Seoul, South Korea. In September of last year, President Barack Obama appointed him a member of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Petra Nemcova
This Czechoslovakian beauty is a supermodel with a big heart. The 31-year-old was one of hundreds of thousands of people caught in the devastating South Asian tsunami in 2004, which killed 250,000 people in 14 countries, including Nemcova's boyfriend at the time, Simon Atlee. When Nemcova visited the site of the tsunami several months later, she was unsatisfied with the structure of how charitable donations benefit those living in states of emergency, so she created the Happy Hearts Fund to help children in post-disaster areas in eight countries: Haiti, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hurricane Katrina-affected areas of the United States.
Mike Catherwood
While most TV watchers are familiar with Dr. Drew from his various VH1 shows, his "Loveline" radio partner, Mike Catherwood, might not be as well-known. Catherwood, also known as Psycho Mike, has co-hosted the syndicated radio show for a year now, following Adam Carolla's exit back in 2005. The muscly radio host -- who also works on Los Angeles' "Kevin & Bean Show" -- recently made a memorable appearance filling in for Regis Philbin on "Live With Regis & Kelly." We'll see if his smooth-talking skills and time in the gym translate to a successful "DWTS" run.

Kid Cudi & Wale Reconcile