Studio 72 set to open

Jermaine Dupri will officially open his new Studio 72 nightclub, this Wednesday in Tucker, Georgia.

A number of Dupri's celebrity friends will join Dupri to celebrate the official grand opening of Studio 72, Dupri's latest business venture.

"This isn't just a club, this will be history for my generation," Dupri said. "Every night is a different theme. Fridays are Krush Groove. Every Friday night we’ll have a different legendary DJ, starting with Frank Ski then the following week we have Biz Markie, then D-Nice. etc."

The club is inspired by legendary New York club Studio 54.

Studio 72 boasts a furnished lobby area with five chandeliers, tons of flat screen TV's, a huge aquarium, art on the ceiling and other unique amenities.

Watch a sneak preview of Jermaine Dupri's new nightclub "Studio 72" below

Juelz drops "RoyElz"

Juelz Santana is set to launch his RoyElz clothing line this winter. Reportedly modeled after his own personal style and rock star look, RoyElz will be designed by Mr. Slim Mils and will make it's debut at the famed Magic's Fall Marketplace convention in Las Vegas this February.

The line was slated to be unveiled next week at Magic's Spring Marketplace but was pushed back due to a family member's terminal illness.

The line, which the Harlem-born rapper has been preparing for some time, will be a family affair with his mother, Deborah James, and aunt, Laura Tyler, helping with the business.

"My Sister, Juelz, and I are extremely excited about the line", says James, president of the company. "We are looking forward to the launching of RoyElz and seeing it in stores soon".

The Juelz is also putting the finishing touches on his third solo LP, Born To Lose, Built To Win, which has yet to receive a release date, will be a more mature effort and that the subject matter will be expanded on this record.

"This upcoming album will show my growth as an artist," says Santana. "This time around, I'm talking about survival, maintaining my lifestyle and overcoming the obstacles and challenges life brings. The beats will be harder and the lyrics are tighter."

John Singleton kills pedestrian

Director John Singleton has accidentally killed a 57-year-old woman in a car crash in Los Angeles.

The Boyz N the Hood film maker was driving his SUV in the city on Thursday at about 8pm, when a female pedestrian, not in a crosswalk, suddenly stepped in front of Singleton’s car.

A spokesman for Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Singleton was neither speeding nor under the influence of drugs or alcohol and described the incident as “a very, very unfortunate accident.”

The spokesman added that Singleton waited at the scene for police and an ambulance to arrive.

The woman has been identified as Constance Russell of Los Angeles.

DMX's Arizona home raided

Police who raided the Cave Creek, Arizona home of superstar rapper DMX have revealed that they have found a half-pound of suspected illegal narcotics, adding to to a list of charges that could be possibly filed against DMX.

Officers in Maricopa County raided DMX's house on Friday (August 24), after neighbors complained to police that dogs were being subjected to the extreme Arizona heat and that the animals were constantly barking and being mistreated.

Police obtained a search warrant and raided the rapper's house.

They found 12 distressed dogs on the property, as well as the remains of three burned carcasses and a cache of "assault-style" type of weapons.

In addition to the half-pound of suspected drugs, police said several cars had licensed plates that could not be traced.

Of the 12 dogs recovered, only two dogs were pit bulls, the rest a type of mastiff, police have clarified.

While police have admitted that there is no indication that the dogs were used in fights, Sgt. Sherry Beckley said that when police found the dogs, they were very thin and malnourished.

"It is our understanding that those dogs were left in there 23 hours and 15 minutes a day," Sgt. Beckley said. "Somebody would come by once a day and apparently let them out and that is when they had their food and water."

DMX's attorney Murray Richman said that the rapper hired a caretaker to watch the dogs while he is out of the country on a tour of various European countries.

"He has not been there for two months," Richman said in a statement. "He hired a caretaker to take care of the property. DMX is currently on tour. He is not in the U.S."

People who lived near DMX said that he was far from a model neighbor, between the dogs and the rapper's habit of riding his four-wheeler through the area.

"He would just drive very fast down the road on Quads," a neighbor told local News Channel 12. "When you have 10 Quads going down the road, at a very high speed, it creates a lot of dust."

No charges have been filed against DMX and the investigation is on going.

Ray L - My Girl Got A Girlfriend (Remix)

Russell Simmons steps down as CEO

Russell Simmons has stepped down as CEO of Phat Fashions, the company he founded in 1992, that launched the popular Phat Farm brand of clothing.

Simmons sold Phat Fashions to Kellwood for $140 million in cash in January of 2004, but stayed on as CEO, managing the day-to-day operations of the company, including the marketing of the Phat Farm and Baby Phat lines of clothing and the company's various brands.

"I have enjoyed my association with Kellwood over the last three years," Simmons said in a statement. "We have accomplished much during this short period of time -- and I leave the division and the brand in great hands. There are so many things I want to achieve, and this is the appropriate moment for me to move on to my next business venture."

While he stepped down as CEO of Phat Fashions, which includes the Baby Phat division headed by his estranged wife Kimora Lee Simmons, Simmons will continue to run the Russell Simmons-Argyleculture and Atman brands, which will become his trademark properties.

All Phat Fashions brands will continued to be operated, distributed and licensed by Phat Fashions and its parent company, Kellwood which also holds licensing rights to brands like Calvin Klein, XoXo, Nautica, Claiborne and others.

Solange gets publishing deal

Solange Knowles...sister of Beyonce, just signed a worldwide co-publishing deal with EMI Music Publishing.

Jon Platt, Executive Vice President/Head of Urban at EMI Music Publishing recruited Matthew's other daughter who has already written and co-written songs for Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams and Beyonce.

The singer is currently in the studio working on her forthcoming album "Solange & The Hadley Street Dreams."

Hottest rapper alive?

They said he was the hottest, and now Lil' Wayne will likely have to prove it at the MTV Video Music Awards taking place on Sept. 9.

Weezy has been added to their performance lineup.

Nelly..."Brass Knuckles"

Nelly has set a release date of October 16 for his first album in three years, Brass Knuckles.

T.I., Akon, Snoop Dogg, UGK's Pimp C, Babyface and Derrty Entertainment artist Avery Storm all have cameos on the new cd.

In addition to Dupri, Pharrell Williams and Bryan-Michael Cox are among the project's producers.

The first single, "Wadsyaname," just hit the streets and was produced by Neff-U. Another track slotted for the album, "Cut It Out," featuring Pimp C and the Youngbloodz's Sean P., has hit the streets unofficially.

R. Kelly & Keyshia Cole tour?

R. Kelly has denied that he's planning to go on tour in October, despite R&B singer Keyshia Cole's statement to MTV News that she was to be the opening act on the tour.

"We're actually going on tour together in October," Cole said on Monday.

But Kelly's representative responded with a statement on Thursday (August 23) that reads:

"Reports that R. Kelly is planning a concert tour in October are not true. Kelly is currently focused on preparing for his trial and has no definite plans for anything beyond that."

Neither Cole nor Kelly's representatives had confirmed when exactly in October such a tour would begin, or denied that one was being planned. The timing seemed implausible for a number of reasons, primarily because Kelly's trial begins September 17. The trial is expected to run for four weeks, but could run longer because of the unpredictable length of jury deliberations.

Also, for the past five years, when Kelly wanted to tour outside the Chicago jurisdiction, he had to ask the court for permission — in the form of a letter to the prosecutor's office — to give it time to object (which it often did). However, the state attorney's office said on Tuesday that Kelly has not yet sought permission to tour this October. Such permission will not be necessary once the trial concludes, as Kelly will either be free to come and go as he pleases, or he'll be awaiting sentencing.

Classic moment in hip hop

The concert was held at Madison Square Garden(NYC) and the show was crazy. From the surprise guests to the performances. 50 brought da entire G-Unit to perform "I Get Money." Yung Joc brought out Diddy to perform with him. Then T.I. brought out Jay Z to perform "Encore." Then Kanye came out and performed "Cant tell me nothing!" along with Jay, T.I., Swizz Beatz, and get this...50 Cent.

Saigon arrested

Saigon was arrested yesterday morning after police allegedly found a gravity knife inside his vehicle.

Police stopped the Saigon for a traffic violation near 11th Avenue and W. 29th Street in Manhattan around 1:30 am,

When officers searched his vehicle, they uncovered the gravity knife, a knife similar to a switchblade.

Saigon, 30, was charged with possession of a weapon.

The rapper's last court appearance was in February, where he appeared to answer charges of misdemeanor harassment and disorderly conduct stemming from an incident in December 2006.

Saigon's ex-girlfriend accused him of pouring a beer over her head, while threatening to punch her in the face. He is also accused of grabbing the woman and using a car door to hit her left leg.

Saigon, who has appeared in HBO's hit series Entourage, pleaded not guilty to all the charges in February.

In related news Saigon is preparing his major label debut, Greatest Story Never Told which contains his latest single and video, "Come On Baby."