2011 NBA Finals: Dallas Mavs Take On The Miami Heat, Who Do You Got?

It's finally here. After a long and exciting Playoffs run, the Finals will start on Tuesday (May 31), with Lebron James' Miami Heat facing off against Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavs ... and everybody's got something to prove.
Dubbed "Miami vs. Dallas: The Rematch" by NBA.com, both teams are making their first appearances in the Finals since they battled it out in 2006, which ended with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal taking the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The Mavs have been trying to make it back to the championship game ever since. In 2006, their chances of earning a ring slipped from their grasp despite a 2-0 series advantage.
Dirk and Jason Terry want it so bad they can taste it, and proved how much throughout this excellent Playoff run they've been on.
The Heat are making their first appearance in the Finals in five years, since they were champs in 2006. The only two players left from that 2006 line-up are Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem.
However, they now have a big three: Wade, alongside King James, and Chris Bosh. These guys have pulled it together, when so many doubted them, to make the Finals ... and no one wants that ring more than Lebron James.
How will this Finals end up? Will the Mavs avenge their loss from 2006? Or will the Heat take the Mavs hopes and dreams away from them once again?

Uncle Luke Out Of Miami Mayor Election Race

It's only been just over a month since he officially filed to run for Mayor of Miami-Dade County, but Uncle Luke is already out of the election race.
Despite a valiant effort, the former 2 Live Crew frontman (real name: Luther Campbell) lost, coming in at 4th place.
According to reports, Campbell garnered around 11% of the vote with an estimated 20,663 ballots in his favor.
Other candidates include Julio Robaina, former mayor of Hialeah, grabbed the top spot with a little over 33% percent of votes; while former commissioner Carlos Gimenez came in at #2 with earned nearly 29%.
Both will now move onto another voting round, scheduled for June 28, in which a future Mayor of Miami-Dade Country will be elected.
In his column for the Miami New Times, Luke acknowledged his election end, writing, "Above all, I've shown Miami-Dade voters I know and understand the political landscape in our community. I've demonstrated I'm well-informed on the issues that affect every person who claims the 305 as home. And I will continue to be a voice for the disenfranchised whether I'm the mayor, a columnist, or a high school football coach."
Luke first revealed his plans to run for mayor back in early February in a previous column for the Miami New Times. Then, when April came, he was a man of his word, officially filing to run, and revealed his key concerns during his campaign run, which included building up the community by focusing on economic development, creating affordable housing, and cleaning up neighborhoods.
Luke spoke to people in the community, and even went door-to-door to earn the respect of voters.
In his announcement column, he was very confident he could land the job.
"When I take Mr. Alvarez's job, I'll review the county budget with a fine-toothed comb. When I ran my record company, every year we would first go over what was making revenue for us and beef that side up. Then we would cut the areas where we were not generating revenue. The first place we looked was payroll. I'll do the same with the county budget."
Robaina and Gimenez will face off once more on June 28.

Janelle Monae, Cee-Lo Among Headliners For 2011 Afro-Punk Festival In Brooklyn

The line-up for the 2011 Afro-Punk Festival was announced this week, and among the headliners, there is: Cee-Lo Green, Janelle Monae, Santigold, and Fishbone.
The event is returning to Brooklyn's Commodore Barry Park for the 7th annual event, set to go down on August 27 and 28.
In addition to musical acts, the Afro-Punk Fest will feature the NikeBattle For the Streets Skate and BMX Competition, the largest street skate and BMX contest in NYC boasting the nation's top amateur skaters and BMX riders in a competition to be judged by top professionals in both sports including Nigel Sylvester.
It will also include over 20 of the NYC area's hottest food trucks and vendors for the Afro-Punk Bites and Beats Food Truck Festival, which will bring cuisine from around the world and the 5 boroughs to the festival.
The line-up includes Jay Electronica, Toro Y Moi, Toshi Reagon, Ninjasonik, Cerebral Ballzy, Gordon Voidwell, Reggie Watts, Res, Joi, Rocky Business, Straight Line Stitch and more to be added!
The festival has commissioned an artist to paint over 300 skateboards as part of one large mural, aka The Skate Artwall. The boards will be contested to Afro-Punk fans at the Festival and will follow the life of the boards over the next year whether on the wall, the street or the half-pipe.
Described by the New York Times as putting "rock and rebellion squarely in the category of African-American music," the Afro-Punk Festival has become a Brooklyn intuition, the focal point for the burgeoning Afro-Punk movement. Over the past seven years, the festival has presented new artists before they hit it big, such as Grammy-nominated Santigold, The Noisettes and Janelle Monae. Afro-punk mainstays like Saul Williams, The Dirtbombs, and Dallas Austin have also graced Afro-punk's stages.

Cormega Releasing Benefit Song, Digitally, For Haiti Survivors

After a successful coat drive this past winter and performing at the Hip-Hop For Haiti concert at S.O.B.'s in New York, Cormega continues to use his talent to make positive contributions to the devastated island. His new song, "I Made A Difference" -- featuring Redman, General Steele from Cocoa Brovaz, Stic.Man from Dead Prez, Lil Fame from MOP, live band The Revelations, singer/songwriter Maya Azucena and musician Jazimoto (who played keyboard) -- will be distributed digitally to online retailers with proceeds benefiting J/P Haiti Relief Organization (JPHRO).
The J/P Haitian Relief Organization is a registered non-profit charitable foundation established by actor, Sean Penn, to help the people of Haiti recover from the earthquake on January 12, 2010 that nearly wiped out the entire capital of Port-Au-Prince leaving over 300,000 dead and millions homeless. For more info, visit JPHRO.org.
Inspired by his visit to Haiti five months after an earthquake, Cormega recorded the heartfelt song as a tribute to Haitian resilience in such a dark time.
"The thing that grabbed me the most about Haiti is the spirit of its people. They're in a situation that would break a lot of people," explained the rapper. "It was humbling when I went because there was rubble everywhere, people were living in tents and the things we take for granted like water were a luxury, yet I met Haitian people who we just grateful to be alive. I saw them partying, dancing, and enjoying their lives in the middle of all their troubles. They deserve all the help they can get."
While a version of the song, hosted by Haitian DJ Whoo Kidd, has been leaked by Legal Hustle Records, the official song will be distributed digitally through Sony/RED Distribution on June 14th, with the proceeds going to the people who inspired him to record the track.
"I decided to donate the proceeds from digital sales of 'I Made A Difference,' directly to Sean Penn’s earthquake relief efforts because when I was in Haiti, I heard directly from the people and saw for myself the work that his organization was doing," said Cormega. "I gained a lot of respect for Sean Penn while I was in Haiti. Here you have an A-list actor who was out there wading through water, putting up tents helping the people. The media attention has shifted, yet the suffering still continues. His organization still continues to service those displaced by the earthquake, living in refugee camps. This song is dedicated to him and all the unsung heroes who continue to make a difference even when it seems like the world has moved on."
Many people within the Haitian American Community are ecstatic with Cormega's dedication and commitment to revitalizing and rebuilding since his visit after the disaster.
Ernest Kebreau, the first Haitian American to be elected in the city of New York as the State Committee District Leader of the 86th Assembly stated: "If everyone plays a part and brings their ideas and resources to the table as Cormega has, we can collectively bring about the change that Haiti needs. I always say saving Haiti starts with me, meaning it starts with you. Cormega is a prime example of this."
Additionally, Cormega is working on his sixth studio album, Cormega Raw Forever, which he revealed will be a two-disc set to include a greatest hits compilation and a second disc with all new tracks recorded with his live band, The Revelation.

XXL Asks: Is Birdman Hip-Hop's Last True Hip-Hop Mogul?

Birdman -- aka Baby, the co-founder of Cash Money Records -- positioned his down south imprint at the top of the music industry in the late 1990s, landing a $30 million distribution deal with Universal and rolling out platinum acts, such as the Hot Boys, Lil Wayne, and Juvenile. However, after his biggest acts left (Juvenile, B.G., and the Hot Boys), and before Weezy rose to prominent position that he holds today, it forced the label owner to start over. Who would've thought that after 20-plus years in the game, the rapper/CEO would be atop of the game, and responsible for three of hip-hop's biggest superstars -- Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj? That's probably why XXL dubbed him one of hip-hop's "last true moguls" for the cover story of their forthcoming June 2011 issue. In the mag's exclusive interview with Birdman, he reflects on his success, which he doesn't take lightly. "When I look around, through my years and my time, you know, the game, it was a lot in the field, a lot of people doing it," he told XXL Editor-in-Chief, Vanessa Satten. "And I look around, and it's like, where the f*** did everybody go? I ain't never understood that, but the game like that sometimes, that motherf***er's gon' keep ya or it's gon' leave ya. It's all on you." Despite all his own hard work, Birdman credits his young protege Lil Wayne, and the launch of his own label, Young Money, for keeping the YMCMB crew dominant as a whole. "Honestly, I gave him the floor," admits Birdman. "He wanted it. I been with him since he was seven years old, eight years old. I been in his life all of his life, and he was like, 'Let me handle, it.' At the time, me as an artist, losing my sister and everything I was going through personally, I was just like, 'Go ahead, I'ma just support what you gon' do. You can handle it.' And I took a step back. Probably was the smartest move I ever made in my life was to let him go 'head." The full interview with Birdman will be in XXL's June issue, which hits newsstands on June 7.

New Black Model On The Block Nyasha Matonhodze Is The Face Of Louis Vuitton


Nyasha Matonhodze
Clap it up for Zimbabwe-born, British beauty Nyasha Matonhodze who at only 16-years-old has been chosen as spokesmodel for Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter campaign.
While she’s relatively new (discovered just last year) Nyasha has already appeared in Teen Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar as well as dozens of high fashion runways.
Upon learning that she had been selected as one of the stars of the upcoming Vuitton campaign, Nyasha told the Telegraph, “My eyes filled up with tears and I thought ‘Lord you are lucky!’ It didn’t actually hit me until I was sat in a Rolls Royce sitting eye-to-eye with [famed fashion photographer Stephen] Meisel.”
She previously told The Cut, “If you’re not strong-minded, modeling can knock your confidence quite harshly. Every day you’re judged on your look, and more so today you’re judged on your personality. With that said, a lot of us are 15 or 16 years old, so some girls could really take the criticism personally. What we have to understand is that there’s not something wrong with us per se, we just aren’t a right fit with the client.”
“Nyasha is not only very beautiful she has the little extra thing you cant quite put your finger on,” a spokesperson for Elite said, “She is intelligent, graceful and people who meet and work with her instantly fall in love with her. I have no doubt she has the potential to go all the way.”
Check out more photos of Nyasha below:

Rick Ross is on the cover of Vibe magazine


Which NBA Player Got A Damn Redwood Forest Tatted On His Chest? Doesn’t He Know Those Things Are Permanent?!


monta ellis

Clout Drops Spring II Collection Of ELM Snapbacks


After dropping their first run of snapbacks in March, long-running Bay Area graf mag Clout returns for their second run in yet another series with ELM Company.
Like the first set, the Spring run of snapbacks feature their CLOUT Header and "C" Symbol designs in eight new colorways, two of which include custom fabrics: black denim and gingham seersucker.
There's also: white/black, grey/blue, white/red, red/white, and black/turquoise.
Each snapback is selling $40 and all are available now through their online webstore at Shop.CloutOnline.com; and in the CLOUT Magazine Office & Showroom.
The company will be celebrating the release with a party on Friday (May 27) at Cannery Park in San JOse, California. For more info, visit CloutOnline.com.

Keyshia Cole, NBA Player Daniel Gibson Tie The Knot

Despite going through some drama last week with Lil Kim and being left off the list of nominees for the 2011 BET Awards, singer Keyshia Cole has some good things in her personal life to be happy about -- she's married. Cole has been engaged to Cleveland Cavaliers guard, Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, since early 2010. And, the couple finally tied the knot in a private ceremony on Saturday (May 21).
An elated Gibson took to his Twitter page to share the news of his union with Cole sometime that day.
"It's OFFICIAL!!!!! #Done & #TrulyBlessed.. Mr. & Mrs. Gibson. We appreciate all the Well Wishes!" Gibson wrote (@BooBysWorld1).
It was expected, because several days prior, Cole eluded to the nuptials on her own Twitter page (@KeyshiaCole), writing, "I'm ready to marry my baby. We all we got. #fambam."
Gibson and Cole became engaged in January 2010, around the same time they revealed that they were expecting their first child together. A few months later, in March 2010, Cole gave birth to a baby boy, which they named Daniel Gibson Jr.
Now, a little over a year since the birth of their first child, the happy couple are official.
Congrats to both Keyshia and Daniel. Best wishes from the BallerStatus.com staff.

Swollen Members' Mad Child To Compete In 2011 'KOTD World Domination Rap Battle'


Swollen Members group member, Madchild, announced this week that he is set to compete at this year's KOTD World Domination Rap Battle in Canada in August.
At the XS Nightclub in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the rapper will be competing in the main event against well known battle rapper Dirtbag Dan, who has competed around the globe in battle rap competitions and performed at this year's Paid Dues Festival.
"For the last eight months, my main focus has been to become the best emcee I can be. Battling truly exemplifies the spirit of hip-hop just like beatboxing, DJing or graffiti art," said Madchild. "I can't think of a better way to challenge myself than to step into today's battle arena and compete against some of the best talent from all over the world at this year’s World Domination event.
"The last time I competed in a battle was when I was inducted into the Rock Steady Crew and in order to embrace that side of myself, I felt it was important to really immerse myself in the culture of hip-hop," he continued. "When I agreed to participate in World Domination Rap Battle, they told me they could make my match just a promotional battle, but I told them I wanted this to be a judged competition like any other real battle."
Additionally, Madchild is set to unleash his new solo album, titled Dope Sick, day before the event, on August 2nd, via on Suburban Noize/Battle Axe Records.
The KOTD World Domination Rap Battle is one of the largest battle rap competitions in the world. The event will feature battle rappers from all over the globe including the UK, Australia, Philippines, Ireland and the United States of America.

Cassidy Free After Arrest, Clarifies Rumors Of New Murder Charges

A week after being arrested in New Jersey on a "high-risk" warrant for his alleged involvement in at least three murder-related cases, Philly rapper Cassidy is finally free.
The rapper (real name: Barry Adrian Reese) recently surfaced to clarify the situation, via an interview with Philly radio personality DJ Cosmic Kev.
Cassidy revealed that he had merely violated his probation by failing to check in with his parole officer ... and isn't being sought after for the string of murder-related cases that were reported in the media.
"I'm still on probation from the situation I dealt with about six, seven years ago," Cassidy said, further explaining that a recent warrant was issued in Pennsylvania, while he currently resides in New Jersey. "That's why the police brought the whole SWAT team."
Cassidy was arrested at a convenience store in New Jersey last week and shipped to Bergen County Jail Annex. When authorities served the arrest warrant, they considered him "armed and dangerous," but that stems from previous murder charges that Cassidy faced in 2005. So, to clarify, the rapper say he isn't facing any new murder charges.
He explained to Kev that all he was wanted for was the probation violation and admitted that even he was confused by the whole ordeal.
"I wasn't even sure what I was charged with," he explained. "They bringing the whole SWAT team out, they talkin' about I'm on maximum security, I'm armed and dangerous. I didn't even know what I was goin' down for.
"I was confused and if I know if I was confused the people in the streets were definitely confused."
After clearing up the confusion, Cass revealed that he plans to focus on recording and releasing new music in the near future.
"Since I'm home feeling good... I'm dropping some new music tomorrow," Cassidy wrote on Twitter (@CASSIDY_LARSINY). "Since my name in N****s mouth, why not.. It's about to get ugly."

Rick Ross & MMG Self Made Photo Shoot :Video

Mystikal back??? video

The year 1995 was the first time I ever heard of New Orleans rapper Mystikal. I caught one of his videos on Rap City and went out bought the cassette single for I think (out that boot camp / Ya’ll ain’t ready yet). I always thought he had outstanding energy and charisma on every record. It wasn’t until I heard “Here I Go” that I started really checking for dude. “Mind Of Mystikal” showed a lot of potential. By the time “Tarantula,” and “Let’s Get Ready” came out though I thought surely this dude was really about to blow up. Unfortunately Mystikal had a run in with the law, and was incarcerated for 6 years.
With time served, Mystikal is a free man again, and looks like he plans on getting right back into the music game. The good folks from Pyramid West TV shoot me this video interview with Mystikal speaking on his new mixtape called, “Fish Grease”, the new sound for his music, gaining clarity while in prison, and his current diet and health regimen. He even breaks out into MJ’s Thriller dance routine during a live performance. Check it out.

Chris Bosh leads Miami Heat to Game 3 win over Bulls


In the Heat’s first Eastern Conference finals game at AmericanAirlines Arena in five years, it was neither LeBron James nor Dwyane Wade who carried the Heat to a 96-85 victory.
All night it was as if the Bulls dared Chris Bosh to beat them. He obliged, reminding a packed and raucous arena that the least appreciated member of the Big3 is no third wheel. Bosh finished with 34 points on 13-of-18 shooting, offering the best postseason performance of his career. The Heat now leads the Bulls 2-1 in the best-of-7 series, with Game 4 on Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
“I just want to maintain that intensity and keep it going for Game 4,” Bosh said.
The building on the bay shook with excitement with 5:07 left after James stole a pass from Derrick Rose and sprinted coast-to-coast for an electrifying three-point play to give the Heat an 87-74 lead. The Heat’s defense dominated the Bulls for long stretches Sunday, holding Chicago to 41.6 percent shooting, including 25 percent in the first quarter. MVP Rose finished with 20 points on 8-of-19 shooting. The Heat forced 13 turnovers and blocked eight shots, including five from center Joel Anthony.
“Our will wasn’t there [Sunday],” said Rose, who took only two shots in the fourth quarter. “We just got to find a way to win the next game.”
James had 22 points, shooting 6 of 13 from the field to go along with 10 assists and six rebounds. His 13 field-goal attempts were two more than his playoff low (2007). James’ layup with 2:04 left gave the Heat a 91-82 lead.

Cassidy Explains His Arrest For Violating Probation

Rapper Cassidy has cleared up the rumors surrounding the warrants out for his arrest.
Early reports of Cassidy's arrest last week claimed that the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native was arrested for violating probation and wanted for murder and two attempted murders.
After the Philadelphia Police Department denied that he was a suspect in murder cases, the rapper, born Barry Reese, is clearing his name.
During an interview on Cosmic Kev's The Come Up Show, he explained that the arrest was strictly for violation of probation, and that his new P.O. referenced the previous murder charges from which the probation stems on the warrant.
“It was something light. I'm still on probation from the situation that I dealt with about six, seven years ago,” he explained. “Y'all know I was down for the murder and the two attempted murders before."
"I beat the murders and the two attempts, but I got involuntary manslaughter and two aggravated assaults. So for the two aggravated assaults, I'm still on probation. It's like a real light probation.”
Cass, who is staying in Bergen County, New Jersey, would usually receive calls from his probation officer to schedule a visit, but he was recently given a new P.O. who expected him to come through without prompt.
“I'm running around the world. I didn't even go every month like the regular person, so it slipped my mind. The way my P.O. wrote the warrants out was that I had a warrant, and he put the murder on there because that was the case it was revolved around. But I wasn't fighting a new jawn.”

Roy Jones Jr KO'd In Russia; Bernard Hopkins Becomes Oldest Fighter To Win Title


At one point in his career, he was considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the post of boxing, but on Saturday (May 21), Roy Jones Jr. was KO'd.
Fans and critics questioned whether the boxer, now 42, should should hang up his gloves and retire.
Jones was knocked out in the final round of a non-title cruiserweight fight in Moscow against Denis Lebedev, handing the former boxing great his third consecutive defeat.
With seconds remaining in the 10th round, Lebedev landed four fierce lefts on Jones, as he leaned on the ropes. After the final blow, Jones covered with his gloves and hunched over, as to say he had enough. Immediately after the referee stepped in to stop the fight, Jones fell deadweight to the canvas.
While most expected a much quicker demise, Jones managed to show some of the counterattacking and footwork that made him such an exciting fighter at the peak of his career. But in the end, Jones couldn't withstand the final onslaught from the Russian, who is ranked the world's top cruiserweight.
Jones' record fell to 54-8, while Lebedev improved to 22-1.
"It was a great shot, I can't take nothing away from him," Jones said about the final punch. "He was a tough competitor."
For Jones, the bout was an attempt to salvage some glory in the twilight of his career, after two upsetting loses -- his recent against Bernard Hopkins in April 2010 (losing in a unanimous decision) and a TKO loss to Australian Danny Green a year prior.
As of press time, Jones was unsure of his future in boxing.
"I really don't know what I'm going to do now," Jones said. "I'm going to think about it."
While Jones was being KO'd in Australia, his long time rival, Bernard Hopkins, was making history in Montreal, Canada.
At 46-year-old, "The Executioner" became the oldest fighter to win a major world championship, taking the World Boxing Council light heavyweight title from Jean Pascal on Saturday night in a unanimous decision.
"I didn't feel like I was 46 tonight. I felt closer to 36," Hopkins said in the post-fight interview. "I can say I am a great fighter. It was exciting. I think everybody enjoyed themselves.
"It feels great. I set out to do exactly what I wanted to do, which was to break this record. I knew it was going to be a tough fight, but I wasn't going to be denied."
The boxer, who improved to 52-5-2, broke the age record set by George Foreman, who was 45 when he KO'd Michael Moorer in a heavyweight title bout in 1994.
Before a sellout crowd of 17,560, Hopkins took the fight with the scores, 116-112, 115-113 and 115-114, which erases highly controversial draw both fighters received last December, which many -- including Hopkins -- believed he clearly won.
In addition to this record-setting win, Hopkins' history-making accomplishments include a record 20 middleweight title defenses, knocking out Felix Trinidad to become the undisputed champion at 160 pounds, and winning the lineal light heavyweight title for the first time by upsetting Antonio Tarver in 2006, among other huge wins.

MIAMI SPOTLIGHT// SOUTH BEACH VACATION


Everytime Miami Vice is on it’s obvious that South Beach is a fantasy land filled with palm trees, a permanent summer breeze, amazing beaches, and beautiful people.  If you want to enter the fantasy then you should know the top five times of year to travel to South Beach, especially if you want to relax, relate and release.
1. March:  This is the month of college spring breaks and there is likely to be a party every single night of the week.  There are tons and tons of people on the beach, on the strip, and in the club every day and every night that you can meet and mingle with, so if you’re young, March is definitely a golden month for you.
2. Memorial Day Weekend: Besides the fact that celebrities love to bring in Memorial Day Weekend big in Miami, this weekend is the official kick off to summer.  If you live somewhere that may not be warm enough in May, then taking a trip to Miami to BBQ, relax, and hit an all white party should definitely be something swirling in your mind.
3. Fourth of July Weekend: Great weather, fireworks, and our nation’s birthday equals a wonderful combination.


4. Labor Day Weekend: This is the last weekend that you can wear white and celebrate the summer, so it’s probably best to do it in style.  The weather in the majority of the US is a bit cool by this point and the warmth of South Beach will give you something to remember and the memories will keep you smiling all fall and winter long.
5. October 8-11 2010: MIAMI CARNIVAL WEEKEND!!!!!  If you have Caribbean roots or if you just enjoy Carribbean music, culture, and food the this weekend is definitely for you.  Miami Carnival never disappoints and there is no better way to celebrate Carnival season than being in a tropical climate and surrounded by amazing culture.
If you didn’t know whether or not Miami was for you before, hopefully this list let’s you know that Miami offers a little something for everybody year round. 

Wrestling Legend, Randy 'Macho Man' Savage, Dies In Car Crash



Pro-wrestling legend, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, died in a car crash in Seminole, Florida on Friday (May 20), he was 58 years of age.
Florida Highway Patrol said the former wrestler (real name: Randy Mario Poffo) was driving a Jeep Wrangler when he lost control in Pinellas County at about 9:25 a.m. ET.
The Jeep veered over the raised concrete median divider, crossed over the eastbound lanes and slammed head-on against a tree.
While nothing was confirmed, police said he may have suffered a "medical event" before the accident. Many speculate that he had suffered from a heart attack.
A woman in the vehicle, identified as his wife Barbara L. Poffo, 56, suffered minor injuries.
"Poffo will be greatly missed by WWE and his fans," a statement from the WWE said. "Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. We wish a speedy recovery to his wife Lynn."
Savage was a charismatic wrestler, who held championship belts during his run as a wrestler with the WWF, later changed to WWE, from the mid-1980s to the 1990s.
He was known by fans for his distinctively deep and raspy voice, his flashy ring attire (comprised of sunglasses, a bandanna or head band, flashy robes, and a cowboy hat), and his signature catch phrase: "Ooh yeah!"
For most of his wrestling career, his valet to the ring was Miss Elizabeth, who in real life, was his wife. They later divorced, and she died in 2003 at age 42 in what was later ruled a prescription drug overdose.
Savage also wrestled with the WCW and TNA promotions at the tail-end of his career.
He's most known for his legendary rivalries with Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair.
The shocking news of his death impacted many, especially his wrestling peers, who took to Twitter with their reactions.
"I'm completely devastated, after over 10 years of not talking with Randy, we've finally started to talk and communicate," Hogan began (@HulkHogan4Real). "He had so much life in his eyes & in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him.
"We miss him a lot," he continued. I feel horrible about the ten years of having no communication. This was a tough one. I just pray that Randy's happy and in a better place and we miss him."

Funeral Details For Cali Swag District's M-Bone Announced

Earlier this week, the hip-hop community lost one of its youngest stars -- M-Bone of the Cali Swag District (CSD) -- to senseless violence. Since the news spread, fans and peers have expressed their condolences to not only the remaining group members, but his family.
M-Bone (real name: Montae Talbert) was just 22 years old.
This week, his camp revealed that the rapper's funeral will be taking place next Friday (May 27) at 11 a.m. at Faith Central, located at 333 W Florence Ave, in Inglewood, California, his hometown.
"There has been a tremendous outreach of concern and the family would like to have the funeral open to the public and fans that would like to support," a rep said.
M-Bone was gunned down in a drive-by shooting late Sunday evening (May 15), while standing by his vehicle outside an Inglewood liquor store at around.
By the time he was carted to a nearby hospital, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The rapper's girlfriend has since come out to reveal that M-Bone had been feuding with another man who lived in their same apartment complex, who she says was obsessed with the rapid rise of CSD.
Both men threw insults back and forth. While his girlfriend believes the unnamed man could be behind the shooting, no arrests have been made as of press time.
The Inglewood City Council has offered a "substantial" reward for information leading to the arrest of the unknown assailant.
Inglewood P.D. requests anyone with information to call its homicide division at (310) 412-5246 or 24-hour anonymous hotline, (888) 41 CRIME, or (888) 412-7463.

B.G. Indicted On 2009 Gun Charge, Faces 10 Years In Prison

Former Cash Money Records recording artist, B.G., was indicted on fun and obstruction charges in New Orleans on Thursday (May 19), and may be facing a lot of time behind bars.
The 30-year-old rapper (real name: Christopher Dorsey) was charged in a three-count indictment -- including charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to obstruct justice, a press release form U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office said.
B.G. was arrested, along with two other men in November 2009, after he was caught with a gun following a routine traffic stop.
A search of his vehicle turned up three guns, two of which were reported stolen, long with loaded magazines and two extended clips.
The recent report says that the rapper tried to get one of the men arrested that night, Demounde Pollard, to claim ownership of the guns. Pollard reportedly signed a false affidavit that said the guns didn't belong to B.G., leading to the conspiracy charge.
Pollard, along with the other man, 29-year-old Jerod Fedison, have pleaded guilty in federal court on related charges.
If found guilty, B.G. could face up to 10 years in prison.
B.G. enjoyed huge success in the late 90's as a member of the Hot Boys, alongside group members Juvenile, Lil Wayne and Turk. A dispute with Cash Money CEO Birdman, over money, led to his departure from the label ... and going independent with the launch of his own Chopper City Records imprint in 2001.
His last album, Too Hood To Be Hollywood, was released in 2009.

Young Jeezy Says 'TM103' Is Finally Complete, Coming In The Summer


It's just about three years since Young Jeezy dropped his 2008 album, The Recession, and has since been hard at work on his fourth solo record, Thug Motivation 103. But since initially announcing it, it's been a slow process of actually putting it out.
Earlier this week, on Wednesday (May 18), the Snowman revealed that his long-delayed project is finally complete.
On the evening before, former MTV journalist Shaheem Reid revealed that for the first time ever, Jeezy would be sending out a message himself via Twitter.
"In the lab with the Snowman so it is only right. At 1:03AM I'm going to give you some exclusive Jeezy news," Reid wrote (@ShaheemReid).
Shortly after, early Wednesday morning, Jeezy followed (@OfficialTM103): "#TM103 Is Done!!! The Summer Will Be Crazy!!!"
TM103 is short for Thug Motivation 103. It was originally set to drop as early as 2009, but it snags, and was repeatedly pushed back.
After the release of a number of singles -- including "Lose My Mind" featuring Plies, "All White Everything" featuring Yo Gotti, and "Jizzle" featuring Lil Jon -- the album seemed to stall. However, Jeezy is back in there, and things are back on track.
The album's latest single is the Lil Lody-produced "Ballin'" featuring Lil Wayne.
Looks like the summer may see a blizzard when the Snowman drops. A release date has yet to be announced.

Nelly Drops 'Celebrity Sweat' Workout Series


Ever since Nelly broke onto the hip-hop scene in 2000, with his debut Country Grammar, he's always been in great physical shape. However, in recent years, his body has gotten a lot more defined.
Obviously, he's been on a strict workout regiment, and he's revealing the secrets to his chiseled physique with a new fitness video, dubbed "Celebrity Sweat."
In the workout series, Nelly enlisted celebrities from the sports and music worlds to provide viewers with a full body workout targeting abs, chest, triceps, and other specific areas of the body.
The exercise routine features drills to raise the customer's endurance by fusing weight lifting with a cardiovascular workout.
"It's kind of a behind the scenes look at your favorite celebrities and your favorite athletes and some of the workouts we do. And hopefully you can pick up tips from there," Nelly said.
"Celebrity Sweat" is available now on DVD, at Amazon.com, and can also be downloaded on iTunes.

Jay-Z Has Adult Swim Cartoon In The Works?

Jay-Z working on a cartoon? That's the word going around, following his performance at Adult Swim's upfront soiree in New York City on Wednesday night (May 18). That although details are scarce, sources at Turner Broadcasting confirmed a partnership between Hova and the adult-skewed cartoon network.
The nighttime and older skewing counterpart to the Cartoon Network, Adult Swim has had a history of working with hip-hop acts.
In 2006, they rolled out an animated series developed by Outkast member, André 3000, featuring original music. The show, "Class of 3000," ran for two seasons.
Killer Mike lent his voice to "Frisky Dingo," Aaron McGruder's "The Boondocks" is full of rap cameos, and Odd Future has an animated series in the works with the network.
At press time, Jay-Z's involvement with Adult Swim was unknown. Stay tuned as this story develops.

Memorial Day Weekend Miami May 27-30 2011 (This will get u hype Video&Pics)



Common Rocks the White House


Despite strong opposition from Fox News, Sarah Palin, and various conservative talking heads, Common gave a solid poetry performance at the White House . He delivered a poem on struggle, dreams, sunshine, and other warm, fuzzy things. Of course, he gave a hat tip to Barack Obama. Did you know that Common was the first rapper to ever name drop Obama in a song? If you missed it

Soulja Boy Facing Million Dollar Lawsuit Over No-Show + “Lean With That Zan” Behind the Scenes [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Soulja Boy may think he has what it takes to be the “new” Tupac but does he have the “Juice” to fight a million dollar legal battle over a concert no-show?
Details PLUS behind the scenes footage of Soulja’s “Lean With That Zan” video shoot below:
Soulja Boy, his record label Interscope Records and MySpace Music are the subjects of a $1 million dollar lawsuit over a canceled Pennsylvania concert.
TrinCity Entertainment claims that they paid Soulja a $16,250 advance to secure his performance at a concert scheduled on December 10, 2010 and he never honored his agreement.
After TrinCity had already paid $3,500 for SB’s transportation to the event and another $8,0000 to promote his performance, Interscope reps canceled the show so that Soulja Boy could perform in Hawaii the following weekend.
The lawsuit claims Interscope agreed that costs rising from the cancellation would be reimbursed by the label along with MySpace Music.
MySpace never paid their half of the agreement, according to the suit. And while Interscope eventually paid their portion, the lawsuit notes the label was late with payment, causing undue financial hardship.
Soulja Boy is listed because he unjustly kept his $16,250 deposit.
[Sidebar: Correct me if I'm wrong, but they're suing for a milli and they only shelled out about 30G's.... Hmmmm??? A MILLION DOLLARS??? *scratching head* Looks like someone's on the come up!]
In related news, Soulja filmed a video on the streets of Atlanta a few weeks ago for “Lean With That Zan”



AT&T overcharging iPhone and iPad customers?

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The network with the logo that looks ominously like Star Wars‘ planet destroying Death Star is once again in the hot seat. An independent investigation recently took place about the way US wireless carriers are charging their customers for their data usage, and the results are damaging for AT&T.
The investigation, done using different carriers and different mobile devices, shows that even when not in use and every single data using app turned off, the iPhone 4 on the AT&T network used data 35 times. This information was confirmed by AT&T’s data usage statistics. This is potentially damaging to AT&T and could open up the former MA Bell network to class action law suits.
If you’ve been overcharged by your wireless carrier, do not remain silent. Let your voices be heard by speaking up here and sharing your experiences and, of course, report any discrepancies to your wireless carrier immediately.

Yankees Outfielder Curtis Granderson New Face Of Akoo Clothing's Ad Campaign

The AKOO Clothing brand announced earlier this month that professional baseball player Curtis Granderson, of the New York Yankees, has been brought aboard the brand's Ambassador Campaign program.
Granderson will be joining fellow AKOO Brand Ambassador members including actor Hosea Chanchez, ATL trio Travis Porter, Maybach Music's Meek Mill, DJ Drama and B.o.B to their national campaign program.
Each of these talents will all be donning AKOO Clothing in national ad campaigns, video, and will visit national retail stores where they will make public appearances, and will be hosting meet and greets.
"We're honored to have Curtis Granderson join the AKOO family as he is a remarkable individual, athlete, author and broadcast commentator," said Jeff Belizaire, Marketing Director of AKOO Clothing. "He's a well-rounded role model who represents our overall brand’s message."
AKOO Clothing was launched in 2008 by Atlanta rap star, T.I. The name is actually an acronym, which stands for "A King Of Oneself." The brand has been featured in national print publications including VIBE magazine to men's magazines including GQ magazine that named AKOO's founder T.I., one of the "10 Most Stylish Men in America" in their magazine issue.

Ja Rule Planning World Tour Immediately Following Prison Release


Although Ja Rule is yet to begin serving his two-year prison term, which is expected in June, he's already planning his course of action following his release.
Before he goes in, the rapper will be dropping a brand new album, recently announced as P.ain I.s L.ove 2, a sequel to 2001's triple platinum Pain Is Love, followed by The Renaissance Project, which has yet to receive a release date.
 This week that when he touches down, he's going on a world tour.
"My '40 Days/40 Nights Around the World' tour is being set up right now," he announced. "I want the bus to come straight to the prison and take me to my first show. Put my family on the bus, have them come to the first few cities, send them back home, and let me keep going. It'll be international; 40 cities in 40 nights. I'll be so fresh and ready to go."
P.ain I.s L.ove 2 will be issued not only digitally and physically, but as an application for your smartphone in the form of a "living album," capable of adding new songs, videos, and remixes instantly to the purchaser's phone, reports Rap-Up.
It is set to drop June 7, a day before he's scheduled to begin serving his prison term, stemming from a 2007 arrest on weapons charges.

Naughty By Nature Takes 20th Anniversary Tour Back To U.S.

Legendary New Jersey-bred trio, Naughty by Nature, continues to put the final touches on the upcoming 20th anniversary album, Anthem Inc., due out this summer.
However, in the meantime, they are currently on their global 20th anniversary tour, which recently made stops in Australia, France, England, Russia, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic and Denmark, before heading back to the United States.
"My head is still spinning," Vin Rock says in a clip talking about the crazy traveling schedule they've been on.
Below is a confirmed tour dates -- including appearances at the Essence Music Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival.

Rick Ross Talks Concept Of 'Tupac Back' Single, Says Young Fans Didn't Even Know Pac

In a sitdown with DJ Envy for a segment of MTV's "Sucker Free," Miami rapper Rick Ross discusses he and Maybach Music Group's Meek Mill recently leaked to the Internet, which has been garnering a lot of attention.
In the short interview clip, Ross discusses the concept behind the record, which he says is mostly about paying homage ... and surprisingly reveals that some of his young fans, 20 and under, didn't even know who Tupac was. In fact, he says fans on Twitter were asking that very question. Wale chimes in, during the clip, to give his opinion on that as well. Wow!

LimeWire Settles With the RIAA For $105 Million

Limewire is completely lost at the hands of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) last week, when they agreed to a nine-digit payout to major record labels.
The now-defunct peer-to-peer client agreed, last week, to pay $105M to the major record labels as part of a settlement between both parties -- the labels being represented by the copyright watchdog. They paid for 9,715 pirated tracks.
However, some say they got away easy -- a jury could've awarded labels as much as $1.4 billion.
Due to an interpretation of the Copyright Act that would count each download of a song as an infringement, the RIAA had initially wanted Limewire to pay $75 trillion. Obviously, that wouldn't happen though, and even the court called the amount "absurd," so it seems they settled for $105 million instead.

Keyshia Cole Trina React To 2011 BET Awards Nominee Snubs


While artists like Chris Brown were pleasantly surprised to be leading the 2011 BET Awards nominee pack, artists such as Trina and Keyshia Cole weren't ... when their names were not called.
Both ladies responded, via their respective Twitters.
Cole didn't seem to have any ill will toward the awards show, despite being snubbed in all categories, including Best Female R&B Artist.
"Its like this. Been on the scene 7 years. I was 21 when I got signed. 7 # 1 records. No awards 4 none of them/still touring. It is Wht it is," tweeted Keyshia (@KeyshiaCole). "These types of thing R the way they R. I'm not upset about any of it in any way. I hope everyone that goes has a wonderful time."
The next day, Cole commented further.
"That awkward moment when u realize in everyone's eyes your not the sh*t anymore. #POW. I've officially got the memo. Thank mtv/bet," she wrote.
While Keyshia showed restrain in her comments, Trina's response was a bit more straight forward.
"f*** BET……" an angry Trina exclaimed (@TrinaRockStarr).
Trina was left off the list of artists up for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, although she dropped a new album, titled Amazin', last year. Instead, Nicki Minaj was named among Master P's young daughter Cymphonique, LoLa Monroe (aka Angel Lola Luv), and Diamond.
Nominee Diamond, however, tried to ease Trina's pain.
"Shout out to my big sis @TRINArockstarr she has always been my idol! I don't knw wut happen wit the nominations.. But she raised all of US!" wrote Diamond (@DiamondATL).

Keyshia Cole, Lil Kim Square Off On Twitter -- Denounce Friendship

Keyshia Cole and Lil Kim went at each other, publicly via Twitter, on Wednesday (May 18), denouncing their "friendship", beginning with a short revelation by Cole.
On Wednesday morning, Cole began ranting about being snubbed by BET, following the nominee announcement for their 2011 BET Awards where she was not up for a single award for her 2010 album, Calling All Hearts.
And while putting her cards on the table, Cole said Kim was just a collaborator in music, and not a person she considers "a friend."
"N while we're addressing everything, Lil Kim and I a r not 'friends' I take that term very seriously. We made wonderful music. That is it," wrote Keyshia (@KeyshiaCole), who collaborated with Kim on her 2007 hit single "Let It Go."
Earlier this year, Kim accused Nicki Minaj of dissing herself and Mary J. Blige on Keyshia Cole's single "I Ain't Thru," which she obviously held Cole accountable for. Kim dissed Minaj and Cole during a New Year's Eve performance in Massachusetts.
The Queen Bee caught wind of Keyshia's comment on Twitter Wednesday, and fired back in a series of tweets (@LilKim), which sparked a Twitter sparring match between the two. Below is Kim's responses:


James leads Heat past Bulls for 1-1 tie


LeBron James came up big down the stretch and scored 29 points, Dwyane Wade added 24 and the Miami Heat beat the Chicago Bulls 85-75 Wednesday night to tie the Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece.
The Heat can breathe a little easier after escaping with a win and stealing home-court advantage. Coming off a lopsided loss in Game 1, they recovered down the stretch after blowing an 11-point lead to pull even in the series.
James shook off a brutal opener and scored nine points over the final 4:27, starting with a 3-pointer that put Miami ahead for good, 76-73. He also had 10 rebounds, and Miami outrebounded the Bulls 45-41 after getting pounded 45-33 on the glass in the opener.

Rihanna, Chris Brown Follow Each Other On Twitter -- Riri Fans Get Upset



Rihanna has legions of fans. Makes sense, because afterall, she's an international superstar. However, they are an army and if they sense that the Barbadian singer may be in trouble, they pounce ... even if it's Rihanna putting herself in harm's way.
Over the weekend, Rihanna riled up her fans when she began following Chris Brown -- the ex-boyfriend who assaulted her in 2009 -- on Twitter. Her devoted fans, who call themselves "the Rihanna Navy," noticed immediately ... and weren't very happy about it.
One fan pleaded for the singer not to go back to the abusive relationship.
"I never thought you would go back to him!" one dedicated fan wrote to the singer (@iStan4Rihanna). "You better not, its your life but you do have ppl that look up to you. e.g young girls."
Rihanna saw the comment, and responded by telling the fan to chill. "Its f***in twitter, not the alter! calm down."
At first, the young fan was devastated, tweeting to a friend, "Ive wanted @rihanna to tweet me all my life, shes my idol, and she tweetd me somethng bad ):" When RiRi realized, she quickly apologized.
"Babygirl I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt or offend u!" Rihanna wrote to the fan. "Just needed to make it clear to the Navy! I still Stan for u xoxo."
Rihanna followed with a message of thanks to her whole Navy: "BIG UP to the most dedicated and supportive Mo'fos in MY world! I thank u, I love u til the end!"
At press time, Rihanna was still following Chris Brown (@ChrisBrown), and he was following her back. We wonder what they DMs are saying right about now?

Chris Brown Leads 2011 BET Awards Nominee Pack With 6 Nods

The nominees for the 2011 BET Awards were announced this week, and the front-runner is singer Chris Brown, who leads all artists with six noms.
Among his six nods, Breezy is up for Best Male R&B Artist and Video of the Year honors for his Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes collaboration, "Look at Me Now".
For Video of the Year, the singer is up against Marsha Ambrosius' "Far Away," B.o.B's "Airplanes," Keri Hilson's "Pretty Girl Rock," Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair," and Kanye West's "Runaway."
Lil Wayne is on the singer's heels, chalking up five nods, whileR ihanna, Drake, and Kanye West scored four apiece.
In the Best New Artist category, the competition is stiff. Hot newcomer Wiz Khalifa goes up agaonst J. Cole, Miguel, Bruno Mars, and Willow Smith; while the Viewer's Choice Award pits Lil Wayne's "6 Foot 7 Foot" against Brown's "Look At Me Now," Mindless Behavior's "My Girl," Nicki Minaj's "Moment 4 Life," Rihanna's "What's My Name?", and Trey Songz' "Bottoms Up."
Other artists who picked up multiple nominations include Nicki Minaj, Marsha Ambrosius, B.o.B, Busta Rhymes, and Willow Smith.
The BET Awards 2011 is slated to air live from Los Angeles on June 26, and will be hosted by comedian Kevin Hart.
Bbelow is the full list of nominees:

Warrant Issued For Jimmy Henchman For Alleged Involvement In Drug Ring

A federal arrest warrant has been issued for music industry veteran Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond -- who manages the careers of the Game and Sean Kingston -- for his connection with a drug trafficking case.
The New York Post reported that the warrant was issued last week after the feds indicted Rosemond for his alleged involvement in a cocaine distribution ring.
At press time, the paper said Rosemond had not yet been located.
While a law enforcement official confirmed that a fugitive warrant is out for Rosemond, his lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, told the New York Post, "Although a federal prosecutor has told me that there is an arrest warrant out, they have refused to provide me with the warrant or a copy of the charges."
Jimmy has had a notorious reputation in the hip-hop industry for some time. At one time, his street credibility was never in question.
However, he was at the center of controversy late last year when the New York Daily News reported that he had been named in court records as an informant for state and federal law enforcement officials dating back to the mid-1990s. Also in docs, his former lawyers requested leniency in a 2000 gun case against Rosemond in Los Angeles, citing his repeated cooperation with authorities.
He eventually filed a $100 million lawsuit against the newspaper, and former Los Angeles Times reporter Chuck Phillips, in an effort to clear his name.
In 2008, Rosemond -- along with Diddy -- called for the firing of Phillips after the journalist implicated Rosemond in an article claiming that he was among the men behind the 1994 ambush of late rapper Tupac Shakur at a New York recording studio.
Stay tuned...

Akrobatik In Stable Condition Following Heart Attack, Surgery

Boston rapper Akrobatik reportedly suffered a heart attack last Thursday (May 12), and rumors circulated that he was in a medically-induced coma and set to undergo heart surgery.
However, fellow hometown rappers, Mr. Lif and Edo. G, have recently revealed that AK is currently in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.
"Everybody please pray for Ak I love that dude like a lil Brother I Broke down Crying and can't stop as i'm writing this," Edo. G said in a tweet (@EdOGBoston), first breaking the news about Akrobatik's health situation.
Last Friday (May 13), Lif said that the rapper had successfully undergone open heart surgery, and is in stable condition.
"I'm sure Ak is thankful for all your concern," Lif tweeted (@TheRealMrLif). "He is in stable condition after open heart surgery. Pls send him positive energy."
Akrobatik has been a pillar of the indie hip-hop scene in Boston for over a decade, coming into the game in 1998 with his first single, "Ruff Enough."
He went on to release several solo projects and collaboration albums with his group, The Perceptionists, consisting of himself, Mr. Lif and DJ Fatks One.

Celtics' Doc Rivers To Remain Head Coach, Inking Deal Worth $35 Million

The Boston Celtics want to keep coach Doc Rivers for the years to come and are willing to pay top dollar ... to the tune of $35 million for the next five years, reports NBA.com.
When the new contract extension is official, which is expected to be finalized next week, Rivers would become the highest-paid head coach beginning next season.
The Celtics head coach wants to spend the remainder of his coaching career in Boston, where he's been since 2004, and won an NBA championship in 2008 and the Finals last season.
According to TNT analyst David Aldridge, the "move means the Celtics, who lost in the second round of the playoffs to Miami, likely won't make drastic personnel changes for next season, though they are likely to try and add a couple of new pieces to their aging roster and provide help for the Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen."
A source told Aldridge that Rivers is heavily influenced by the career arc of former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who spent his last 21 head coaching seasons in Salt Lake City before abruptly resigning last Feburary. Rivers wants to remain the coach in Boston after the run of Pierce, Garnett and Allen is over; and has formed a very strong bond with Celtics president Danny Ainge, who hired Rivers and stuck with him through losing seasons from 2005 to 2007.
"Doc has always known that we've wanted him and that offer was on the table," Ainge told Boston reporters Friday. "I would say that, early in the playoffs, as the playoffs first started, we started that conversation again. He understood it was important for me to know what he wanted to do, because [the off season] is a long process and there's a lot of things going on in the summer. He spent some time with his family and made his decision a little earlier this time."
Rivers' Celtics lost in the second round of the playoffs this season at the hands of the Miami Heat.
The new deal would give Rivers a salary higher than any other coach -- including the Knicks' Mike D'Antoni (entering the last year of his four-year, $24 million deal). Lakers' Phil Jackson was paid $10 million this season, which he says is his final year as a coach.

Big Boi Announces Launch Of Kids Record Label With Teen Daughter

Celebrity kids get all kinds of things for their birthdays. However, for Outkast's Big Boi, he does things a little different.
The Atlanta rap star recently announced plans to start a new record label with his 16-year-old daughter Jordan to commemorate her birthday.
"My daughter just turned 16 years old, and you can see it on MTV's ['My Super Sweet Sixteen'], where they get cars, and things that depreciate and just don't mean nothing," Big Boi told Billboard.com. "I wanted to give my child something that she can grow and build and nurture. So I gave her her own label."
The label, named Purple Kidz, is focused on recruiting young talent, and has already landed its first act -- a 12-year-old rapper named Gabbie Rae, who has previously appeared on "The Tyra Banks Show.
Big Boi, who also has his own hip-hop label called Purple Ribbon All-Stars, says that he and Jordan are the sole partners on the new imprint.
As for Big Boi's solo career, he tells Billboard.com that his situation with Def Jam slightly shifted when Barry Weiss took over for Antonio "L.A." Reid as Island Def Jam's chairman/CEO last March. However, he says that he's worked things out, and continues to work on the follow-up to his 2010 solo debut, Sir Lucius Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.
"I had a conversation with Barry Weiss, and he was like, 'Hey Big, great album,' and he's ready for the next album," the rapper said. "And he wants it ASAP. So, you know, everything's good."