Jay-Z On The Cover of NME (UK)

Check out Jay-Z gracing the cover of "UK's musical bible", NME. Music Industry Icon, Ian Brown, interviews Jay-Z "The King Of New York" about Hip Hop, politics and music. Check it out below:

The Roots “How I Got Over”

The Roots are back at it once again with their new video "How I Got Over" enjoy.

MTV: Fabolous Is The #8 Hottest MC In The Game!

Why He's Hot: Fabolous started his Loso's Way campaign by telling the world that it was "his time," and the boy from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood lived up to his claim. Loso's Way — a concept project inspired in part by the gangster film "Carlito's Way" — became his first #1 LP on the Billboard albums chart, selling nearly 99,000 units in its first week of release. All year, we've been hearing "It's Loso, in case you didn't know, so ..." for a reason: Fab never runs out of ammo with his tireless punch lines and swag!

Right out the gate, he had big radio and club records with "Throw It in the Bag" (and its sweltering remix, "Everything, Everywhere, Everyday") and his latest, "Money Goes, Honey Stay" (He had the pull to not just get the beat and chorus for the record from Jay-Z, but he also scored a rare Hov cameo in the video). The rest of the album is bone-crunching: his unprecedented candor about his newborn son on "Stay," the playful pathos of "Last Time" and the outright audacity on the "The Way (Intro)." He didn't just play on his home field, either: Loso also came with numerous but diverse guest appearances alongside Rick Ross, The-Dream, Red Cafe, Ryan Leslie, Slim from 112, Lil Wayne, Ne-Yo and Jamie Foxx.

Like a lot of our other Hottest MCs, Fab has utilized the Web — but not just to give insight on what's going on with his career, but he's also introduced his followers to Fabolous the comedian. He's a one-man Def Comedy Jam, joking on everyone from Bow Wow and T-Pain to Flo Rida. A testament to Loso's popularity, when he speaks on topics on his Twitter page (such as Lil Mama's VMA stage-crash), they become trending topics.

MTV Shows

Co-Signer: Ludacris: "He's doing his thing. He's extremely consistent with it. He does what he does and he does it really good. He knows how to make songs. It's a lot of rappers that just rap; he's one of those individuals that can rap good and, of course, the man knows how to make good songs. You put them together, it's complete. Shout out to Fab, man. Congratulations to that man! My hat goes off to him."

Ignitable Incitement: "You definitely want recognition for what you do," Fab told MTV News on Thursday. "At the same time, even when I'm not on the list or get overlooked for certain things, I use that as motivation to come back until I've proven that, without a doubt, there's no way I shouldn't be on that list. A couple of times I felt that I was overlooked for different things. In front of you guys, I play it cool. At home, I break a couple mirrors and stuff! But everyone loves recognition for what you do. Maybe that's what you do it for, but you love when people respect it; you make music, it's an art form but the way it's received is partially what you do it for. When I'm in the studio creating music, that creation is one process that I love. Then after you create it, you go out there and you wanna see how people receive this creation."

Blistering Ballistics: "These b---hes talk sh-- out the same mouth they kiss you/ These n---as kiss ass with the same mouth that dis you/ Eww! You n---as disgust me/ And they ain't talkin' 'bout sh-- unless they discuss me/ Let's talk about how I'm killin' everything I touches/ Or how I walked in this game with no crutches/ No Diddy, no Dupri, no Dr. Dre/ No Cash Money from Baby and no Rocs from Jay/ And I'm still here!" (from "The Way (Intro)")

Hot Streak:
Albums:
Loso's Way

Selected Mixtapes:
N/A

Singles: "Throw It in the Bag" (featuring The-Dream), "Everything, Everywhere, Everyday" (featuring Ryan Leslie and Keri Hilson), "Money Goes, Honey Stay" (featuring Jay-Z), "It's My Time" (featuring Jeremih)

Street Bangers:
"Throw It in the Bag" remix, (featuring Drake), "Feel Like I'm Back"

Key Guest Appearances: Red Café's "Hottest in the Hood" remix, Lil Cease's "Talk Go Through Us" (also featuring Busta Rhymes), Ne-Yo's "She's Got Her Own" (also featuring Jamie Foxx), Slim's "Good Lovin' " (also featuring Ryan Leslie), Ryan Leslie's "Addiction" (also featuring Cassie), Lil Wayne's "You Ain't Got Nothin' " (also featuring Juelz Santana)

Meteoric Metrics (as of September 29)
Twitter Followers: 283,521
MySpace Friends: 485,231
Facebook Fans: 30,146
Loso's Way's first-week album sales: Nearly 99,000 copies; #1 debut

Business Ventures: Endorsement deal with Reebok Classic sneakers; owner of Rich Yung Clothing Line

Tours: Several dates opening for Jay-Z in spring/summer 2009

Monumental Moment: Loso's Way hitting #1 on the Billboard albums chart

Swizz Beatz' Wife Sends Letter to Alicia Keys

Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys have been known to be an item for some time now. After seperating from his wife Mashonda, Swizz was rumored to be with Keys, a rumor he flatly denied. However, since then, he has been seen on dates with Keys. Now, Mashonda says that this relationship did not blossom after their seperation and she is reaching out to Alicia Keys, who she feels is responsible for her separation from Swizz.

Noting that she has tried to reach out to her personally, Mashonda says her attempts were met with no replies. So, she took to Rap-Up.com to send out an open letter to Alicia Keys to explain what she feels needs to be sorted out between them. According to Mashonda, this letter was triggered by a Twitter post by Keys that asked "Having a heated debate n the studio. Question is ... N love is it better to go 4 the choice that is 'SMART' or the choice that has 'SPARK??'"

Below, you can find the open letter as it was printed.

"After having a great evening with my son and enjoying some fun twit chat, I decided to sign off and get some work done. However, a few hours later I was advised that I should check @aliciakeys twit page. I've never reached out to her on twitter before. I feel our issues are a lot more serious than a website conversation. Not to mention that I've reached out to her many times in the beginning of this whole thing, as any wife would do. Unfortunately, I never succeeded in getting a response.

The 1st time I meet AK, my husband introduced us to each other at an event. ( I have no choice but to call him my husband, until he is not anymore) In the messages that I sent to her (AK), I made it very clear that on the contrary of what she might be hearing, I am still married to my husband, living with him and just had a child. Its been two years and I still have not received a response.

What I do receive, is constant displays of selfishness and disconcern to me and my son. was a fan of AK's last album, we were both signed to J Records and I always checked up on her projects. I sang her songs and admired her for creating Superwoman and Karma, I would never deny her, her talent. I believed in her until I found out she was possibly sleeping with my husband. The affair was denied by both, until it was finally admitted months later.




Already I can hear some of you saying "why are u blaming her, You cant make someone leave their wife, You cant break something thats broken." Well, my marriage was not broken, as far as I knew we were celebrating our sons birth and getting ready to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary . Call it blind love, whatever. I call it being a devoted wife.

As far as me blaming her and not blaming him, thats false. Me and my husband have worked out our differences. We are in a good place as people and as parents. I accept his choices and I am comfortable enough with myself to move on. I am so very blessed in many ways. My concern with AK is no longer the fact that she assisted in destroying a family but that she has the audacity to make these selfish comments about love and wanting to be with someone, even after knowing their situation. How is this the same Superwoman that I sang out loud with in my truck? I ask myself sometimes.

If you are reading this Alicia, let me start by saying, you know what you did. You know the role you played and you know how you contributed to the ending of my marriage. You know that I asked you to step back and let me handle my family issues. Issues that you helped to create. Im not saying everything was perfect all the time but no relationship is perfect. We made a vow to God and I believe you should have respected that, as a woman. I know you owe me or my son nothing but I just wish you would've handled things more carefully.

I'm not judging you, I put you and the whole situation in the hands of God, the Higher Power. Just know that as a woman, I expected so much more from you. I never had intentions on reaching out to you this way but after reading your twits tonight, and the constant disregard, you left me no choice. I feel that after 1 and a half years of you hiding this affair and acting like it doesnt exist, that now is the time to confront it, since you talk so openly about it now

This is not a publicity stunt, I dont have a record coming out. I just need to close this chapter in my life and that means confronting our issues. There is a small child involved. His dad loves him to death and he wants to spend more time with him but hes afraid because he knows we don't have a relationship. This is my main concern. My son NEEDS his dad and I NEED to be comfortable with you. For him!

I know many will see my point and many will not be able to look into what's real because they only want to see Alicia Keys the celebrity, not the human. This is not for the "people", this is for you. Like I said I was left no choice but to reach out to you this way. By now, Im sure you want to find a balance in this as well. I read your tweets tonight and I felt they were very insensitive. You have no idea how much pain I was caused because of this affair. Its baffling to me that you don't understand what I might have gone through with this situation. I dont consider myself a victim anymore, Ive learned alot from this! I just ask you to try and be a bit more realistic and delicate to the situation, at least until my divorce is final.

I felt me attending the party would have been a starting point for us, since you shook my hand after I offered it, but I suppose I was wrong. If its so, that you and my husband are meant to be together, then God bless you both and I hope you never have to deal with what I did. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. If you two being together forever is the case, its more of a reason for us to get along, because I'm not going anywhere. Theres a child to be raised.

To answer your tweet, choose smart over spark. Sparks burn everyone, be smart! Its simple actually, just think of the shoe being on the other foot. Stay blessed and lets work this thing out with respect and dignity."

Essence Atkins Wedding, D-Wade tweeted about taking his date Gabrielle Union

Actress Essence Atkins married her beau Jaime Mendez in Pasadena, Calif., on Saturday. It was a match made in Internet heaven.

The couple, who tied the knot at the Ambassador Mansion and Gardens, met on Match.com on Valentine’s Day of last year.

"I wrote him a quick little note that I had read his profile, and then I signed off, Happy SAD Day – that's Single Awareness Day," says Essence, 37, who appeared on the UPN sitcom Half and Half.

A week later the couple went on their first date, and they were engaged a year later.



The bride wore a Stephen Yearick gown for the ceremony and an Angel Rivera dress for the reception. "I felt like a princess," she says.

Her former costar Valerie Pettiford performed original music at the reception. Plus, the bride surprised her husband with a salsa band to celebrate his Puerto Rican heritage.

"We've been taking salsa lessons. It's part of what we’ve been doing together as a couple," she says.

The menu, created by chef G. Garvin, blended Puerto Rican and traditional soul food dishes, which included mac and cheese, roasted pork, peach cobbler and plantains.

As party favors, guests received match books and travel-sized candles. But singles guests were given six-month memberships to Match.com.

"When people leave, I want them to feel like they ate well, that they had fun, that they enjoyed themselves and they were there to celebrate a union."

Beyonce Performing Crazy In Love At F1 Rocks Singapore Asia Live!

Kula Lumpur, Sept 29 (ANI): An organisation of Muslim students has urged authorities to ban the soon-to-be held Beyonce concert, because they doubt the songbird would follow the countries dress code.

The appealed has been made by the National Union of Malaysian Islamic Students (PKPIM).

The group also said in a press statement that they were disappointed over the support led out to Oct 25 gig by some parties.

The Star Online quoted the group secretary Khairul Anuar Musa as saying: “We doubt whether she will obey the 15.2 and 15.3 codes set by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission while performing.”

The storm raised by the students’ group pertains to codes of dress, appearance and conduct of the performers. (ANI)

Top 10 summer hitzzz by Nkosana

Just because we find ourselves in what can clearly be described as the Summer’s bathroom break does not mean you can’t have theme music to get you through the lousy weather and help ease to Psuedo (or genuine) Recession Blues. This is our pick of what we deem should be your early summer anthems sure to keep you car’s CD changer stagnant or you IPOD relevant.

Maino


Maino feat Swizz Beatz – Million Bucks – This time last year we didn’t know who Maino’s haterz were but that didn’t stop this Brooklyn native from blessing us with an ode to those we feel desire only to see us fail…the Rush Limbaugh to our Obama if you may. This summer’s offering is more of a feel-good banger fuelled by fellow NY-orker and well renowned ‘One man-band man’ Swizz Beats’ unmistakable melodies and familiar crooning on the hooks. Ah – Yes, what is a summer banger without Swizzie. It may not garner the same rotation levels as ‘Hi-Hater’ but will certainly ensure Maino won’t be a one summer wonder like many that we’ve seen in the past.



Jadakiss


Jadakiss feat Ruff Ryders – Who’s Real (remix) – Who said you can’t have a hot song and an even hotter remix all within the same summer? Off what is being hailed as on of his better solo offerings thus far, the Ruff Ryder illumni of Jadakiss, Sheek, Styles P, Drag-On and freshly sprung jail-bird the X-Man himself DMX re-unite for remix of this already official banger. Eve is her usual silky best, so are the Lox members but DMX sounds like he spent his time up North homing his skills. Highlight of this track is Sheek’s jibe ala Jay Z,” “You real and you know it take the skinny jeans off,

Take off the auto-tune and stop acting all soft”…..ouch. If you didn’t here the warnings on the original and maintain the ‘hatin’ then this remix should prompt to start ackin right’. d you know it and surprise-surprise Swizz Beatz team up for this solid certified New York style ‘banger’ about filtering through the crop of ‘real’ and ‘real-not’s and how much you should despise the latter. (This would have been a great anthem during last year’s Presidential Election for Diddy and Co’s ‘Vote or Die’ campaign.) If you happening to be out at a party and the DJ does not throw this diddy on at least twice in one night he may just be one of ‘the type of people’ Swizz hates. Guranteed rotation well into late fall.



Pleasure P


Boyfriend #2 – Pleasure P – Once every two years or so appears an smooth crooning R’N’B cat that can’t get his own girl and feels breaking up (to what appears to you) a happy home and doing all those things insignificant things you fail to do like keep your woman happy, draped in the latest finery and romanced with the efficiency of horny rabbit. If you remember 2003’s ‘Splakavellie’ by Pressha then you will have no doubt picking out the similarities on this appropriately titled ‘Boyfriend#2’. It’s bad enough you’re getting laid off and your job has been outsourced but now so is your ‘lovin’ as a result of someone else servicing your Mrs. Unfortunately the song is well done and you will find yourself singing along to it. Pay attention to your lovely lady singing it though unless of course you are one of these low-life swippers and in that case you can blast this as a theme song.

Pleasure P - "Boyfriend #2" (Official Music Video)


Chrisette Michele


Epiphany – Chrisette Michele: To the promiscuous few and down-right lousy boyfriend/husbands come a real gem from Grammy-Award winning sensation and probably the most important thing to ever bless the world of R’N’B in the last few years – the one and only Chrisette Michele. This hit single from the similarly titled solid sophomore offering from Michele highlights that moment of clarity that hits all the down trodden, forgotten, dissatisfied X-BOX 360 widows (see video featuring rapper Drake) when they realize that they are worth more than just an NBA 2K9 cheer leader. A warning to all the men out there just in case you’ve heard this on repeat at the crib – there’s more this than the beautiful melody and flaw-less singing. Do not be summer statistic.



The Clipse


Kinda Like A Big Deal – The Clipse feat Kanye West & Bun B – What do you get when you put together the cockiest rapper in the game with hardest ‘we spit ishh but we back it uppers’ in hip-hop…? Well the answer is a solid hit from ‘Ye’ and the Virginia’s finest and a glimpse into what is already being hailed as hip-hop classic from the Clipse who were are informed have been working with former Def Jam creative whiz – Rick Rueben. With flows like “It’s a blessing to blow a hundred grand in a recession – with no second guessing” (Malice) and Kanye’s usual over the top but insanely hilarious punch lines the trio make an art form out of talking ‘smack’ and continue to prove that humility is for suckers. Love or hate em’ they sound good doing it.



New Boyz


Jerk – New Boyz – From time to time (and more frequently over the past couple of years) comes an artist or act fuelled by raging teen age hormones and chemical imbalances from adolescent acne medication that bless us (or over-burden us) with and annoying dribble of a song that if played 200 times a day in constant rotation grows on us reluctantly. Remember Soldier Boy Tell’Em’s ‘Crank that Soldier, or rather everything else that he’s followed that up with, well this year is no exception. My first exposure to this song was at the BET awards and since then I believe I have heard that song no fewer than 400 times on TV and radio. You know you’re gone when you sustain an ankle sprain from attempting that ridiculous hop-back-hop forward dance in the video. So this song makes this list on the basis that if I have to suffer the indignation of mass marketing media so should. So go ahead and call me ‘jerk one more time’.



Chrishan


Trick look At Me Now – Chrishan – Hell hath no fury like a man who scorned by his ex, ridiculed and told “I would never amount to nothing”. Well the day of retribution is here and a guest cameo from Lil Wayne doesn’t hurt this giant bitch slap to exes of the past. Aptly titled ‘Bitch Look at Me Now’, newcomer Chrishan delivers velvety smooth verses so well you even forget the theme of revenge and bitterness resonating through the song. Wayne is his usual outrageous best but Chrishan more than holds his own on this one showing a lot of promise which we hope will lead to decent run in the industry for the young crooner. This track will most likely end up on ‘repeat’ in your car’s CD changer because face it, we all have the ex-someone that used to believe you had the potential of a snail and now that are successful, wish could kiss your rear-end in recognition,,,”Trick Look at me now!”



Drake


The Winner – Drake – The 2 million dollar Toronto kid not shooting a jumper for a living is back with the freshness. With a total of 4 joints that are either his or he features on, and just when you thought the market could hardly take any more Drizzy, he blesses us with a true summer jam to compensate for the lousy weather we’re having. Justifying the pennant donned on him by the likes of Jamie Foxx and anyone with a respect for good music, Drake announces that his acceptance speech will go, “I deserve this shh… I deserve this shhh…” You can say a lot about the boy but you cannot deny his level of hustle and the effort he puts in all he puts out. The delivery still comes across as smooth and this song has the feel of the good old hip-hop days reminiscent of the likes of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince or Naughty by Nature circa 1991-1993. This may not be his greatest offering of all time but this track is appropriate for this summer and producer The Bizness does a create job making a simple beat come off good. Jay Z’s DOA warnings were obviously not heeded on this joint but no one can ever accuse Drizzy of using Auto-Tune in bad taste right? I’ll leave that up to you.



Mary Mary


The God In Me- Mary Mary – Whether you’re a ‘believer’ or a part time heathen who needs to bump something on the way to church with a respectable beat for your bass and twitters, this joint is most definitely for you. Some people have even dared to call this a cross-over track but something tells me that despite the heavy rotation on both religious and mainstream radio this track is a stand-out piece and a legit hit. I’ve always loved the sisters and this more of song that everyone can relate to regardless of your attendance record at church. So long as you understand that there is a driving force in you to thank that is greater (than your boss) yourself than you can more than relate. You should have this in your top 10 play-list or I should have guilted you to with the threat of looming Armageddon and a life in hell. Take your pick.



Drake


Forever – Drake – And you thought we couldn’t pick yet another Drake song for this countdown…highly unlikely. Mainly because we’ll always cheer for hometown heroes and because the song is fire! Re-ignite the Lil Wayne-Drake ghost writing rumors kids because this time ‘The Heart-Break’ kid is pretty blatant about it. Case and point,” I write your favorite records, you sing ghost, 20 thousand for a verse, our routine quote…” Way to dead the smell off that drail Drizzy. Boi-1da did a great job with production on this one which I guess would be more street and harder than some of the more mainstream stuff out there or his auto-tune infused ballads. Expect this to ring out at the clubs and bars but don’t expect it to have as much mass-appeal as ‘Best I’ve Ever had’ or ‘Successful’. I just love that it’s a banger and shows the kid still has some edge to him and has something to offer head bangers too.



Jay Z’s BP3 release upon us, a Kanye West album in the works and possible another Drake mix-tape or album makes for a pretty interesting fall that could perhaps redeem the obvious lack of quality hip-hop that evaded us as well as the actual summer season. Look forward to our next installment. Keep it Hip-Hop!