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."

Tupac...Assassination

A new documentary focusing on the still unsolved murder of superstar rapper Tupac Shakur is slated to hit stores on DVD this October.

Bond-Age Films and Step-N-Up Enterprises will release Tupac: Assassination, a documentary written and directed by RJ Bond and executive produced by Frank "Big Frank" Alexander.

Alexander, who penned 2000's book "Got Your Back: Protecting Tupac in the World of Gangsta Rap," was one of Shakur's most trusted bodyguards.

He also released a documentary titled Tupac Shakur: Before I Wake in 2001, based on "Got Your Back."

On September 7, 1996, Alexander and another associate of Shakur's named Rob Stein were part a 10-car entourage of Death Row employees following the black BMW that Marion "Suge" Knight was driving, with Shakur in the passenger seat, on the Las Vegas strip.

Shakur was shot four times in the chest by an unknown gun man and died from his wounds on September 13, 1996.

According to Alexander, the documentary reveals new details as to what happened the night Shakur was gunned down, including testimony from Tupac's bodyguards who were never questioned by police.

"Unlike the last film that I did, Tupac Shakur: Before I Wake, which was more of a personal saga about the relationship between Pac and I, this is a film concerning things that happened the night Tupac was shot and even months and weeks earlier that the police didn't bother to question Pac's bodyguards about," Alexander said of the film.

According to director RJ Bond, the directors explored several titles for the film in an attempt to accurately capture the nature of the documentary's content.

"Tupac: Revelation was the working title of the film....Tupac: Assassination is a better fit because it definitely drives attention to the point of our movie," Bond said. "This is not a movie about Tupac's art, this is not a movie about Tupac's life, this is a movie about Tupac's death and what happened to cause it."

Tupac: Assassination is due in stores October 23.

Foxy sent to Jail

Foxy Brown appeared in court today and was sentenced to a stay in prison by Judge Melissa Jackson, for violating her probation.

Brown, born Inga Marchand, was ordered to Jail until her next hearing, which takes place on September 5.

During the court proceedings, Brown confirmed that she is pregnant and engaged to be married.
The rapper was already on probation for a 2004 assault involving two manicurists in a Manhattan nail salon.

Brown first landed in trouble in February, when she traveled to Pembroke Pines, Florida, without the permission of her probation officer and became involved in a dispute with the owner of a beauty supply store.

She allegedly spit on the owner as he attempted to close the store and resisted an arresting officer who was called to the scene.

Brown was charged with battery and resisting arrest without violence. She pleaded not guilty to the charges in March.

Brown was charged with assault last Tuesday (August 14) stemming from a July incident, in which she allegedly smacked her 25-year-old neighbor in the face with her Blackberry during an altercation.

The following day (August 15), Brown was arrested for allegedly giving officers a fictitious name during a traffic stop, driving with a suspended license and driving her 2007 Range Rover with a suspended registration.

David Banner - Speaker

Kanye speaks to XXL

My biggest inspiration and biggest competition is Justin Timberlake," Kanye West tells XXL magazine in its October issue, on newsstands Sept. 11. "He's the only other person that gets an across-the-board response and respect level -- black radio, white radio."

"If Justin hadn't come out and killed the game, I can't say that my album, singles and videos would be on the same level that they're on," he says. "We push each other. I look at me and Justin like Prince and Michael Jackson in their day."

A sly dig at 50 Cent? Earlier this month, 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson, promised to quit his solo career if West's new album, "Graduation," outsells his upcoming CD, "Curtis." Both albums are due out Sept. 11.

West, a six-time Grammy winner, tells XXL that he's "never cared about being No. 1." Record sales, he figures, aren't as important as how the music connects with people.

"I feel like my lyrics are, if not THE, then equal to, the realest lyrics out," he says. "I connected with so many people without talkin' about guns and drugs. ... It's harder to go to work 365 days than shoot a person in one day."

Further, "there's nothing about wearing a pink Polo that would make anyone believe that I would hold a gun," he says.

West realizes his flamboyant style and less-than-humble public behavior -- like throwing fits over not winning music awards -- could hinder his chances for success.

"... When people come up to you like, `That was really good,' you're supposed to play stupid, like, `Wow, you really think so?"'

"Because people can't really handle the truth," he continues. "But I am the truth. I'd rather be hated for what I am than loved for what I'm not."

Janet & Jermaine ties the knot

Janet Jackson married her longtime boyfriend Jermaine Dupri over the weekend.

The wedding took place on Saturday afternoon. According to reports, Janet and Jermaine jumped the broom in front of a small group of family and friends.

Janet wanted very much to keep the event private. So don't expect anything over the top ... It was real Small, and only had close friends and family in attendance.

No one from the media was invited and coincidentally Janet is starring in Tyler Perry's new film Why Did I Get Married? opening in two months...

Chris shakes up London

Chris Brown brought London’s Oxford Street to a standstill on Saturday afternoon after appearing at Nike Town where he signed copies of his new single Wall to Wall.

There was so much hysteria that the 18 year-old had to be escorted out of the building by armed policemen.

A source said: “It was pure pandemonium. I’ve been working here for a few years now and never before has any other celebrity drew this many people to the store”.

Because of time limits only a few of the hundreds of people who arrived could meet their idol and so afterwards Chris Brown did a walk around the store and then ran outside.

Things soon got tricky for the R&B crooner when fans descended on him from both sides of Oxford Street and tackled the star to the floor where they then began trying to strip his clothes off.

Brown managed to escape unharmed from the encounter (minus muddy clothes) and was quickly rushed back instore by his security where he had to wait until the police arrived to provide him with an escort.

Ja Rule lawsuit dropped

The North Jersey contractor that won a default civil judgment against rapper Ja Rule has dropped his criminal complaint against the rapper, telling a judge that he feared for his safety.

Contractor Joel Tobia claimed the rapper only paid $5,000 of a $13,000 bill to fix a leak at his Saddle River, New Jersey mansion.

Tobia won a $8,000 civil judgment against JA Rule, after he failed to appear in court to answer the complaint.

According to The Record, Tobia also filed a criminal complaint, which he dropped.

"People are asking me, do you know what you are doing?" Tobia told Judge Roy F. McGeady. "I have two children. I am concerned. I hope you are reading between the lines."

Tobia said that he was not threatened or harassed, but said that he was extremely uncomfortable going forward with the criminal case.

Judge McGeady dismissed the criminal charges against the rapper, who did not appear in court yesterday.

Foxy's mother speaks up

Foxy Brown's mother has proclaimed her daughter is innocent of assaulting her Brooklyn neighbor, in a dispute that allegedly started over the volume of the 27-year-old rap star's car stereo.

Brown, born Inga Marchand, was arrested and charged with assault for smacking her neighbor 25-year-old neighbor in the face with her Blackberry in July.

The latest charge against Brown has prompted The New York Probation Department to officially file a probation violation with the court, against Brown.

"She said 'Let's fight now that you're alone b**ch,'" Foxy's mother Judith Marchand said. "My daughter pushed her away and may have brushed her with the phone. She knows something like this could compromise my daughter's probation so she thinks she's going to get money out of her, but she's not going to get a cent."

Raymond claims Brown had approached her before the assault, in a local pharmacy where she works.

She claims Brown flashed a wad of money in her face and called her a "low life b**ch" that would "never be nothing."

The women eventually crossed paths on July 30, as Raymond was walking home from work in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Brown allegedly attacked Raymond and smacked her with the Blackberry, bruising her face and loosening her tooth.

Brown, 27, is currently on probation for attacking a pair of manicurists in Manhattan.

In March, she pleaded innocent to two misdemeanor charges, stemming from a scuffle at a beauty supply store in Pembroke Pines, Florida.

In that incident, Brown was in the state of Florida without the consent of her parole officer.

She was arrested for allegedly spitting on a beauty supply store owner, who attempted to put her out of the store at closing time.

Brown was also charged with resisting arrest, when an officer called to the scene had to employ a "take down maneuver" to subdue Brown, who pleaded innocent to charges of battery and resisting arrest without violence.

Brown faces a year in prison if she is found guilty of violating her probation.

Method Man escapes jail time

Method Man escaped jail time in a Brooklyn courtroom by reaching a plea deal on drug charges stemming from a May traffic stop.

Meth, born Clifford Smith, agreed to join the Brooklyn District Attorney's office's Choices and Consequences program as part of his community service. His defense attorney, Peter Frankel, said that he was also confident that his client would escape jail time.

"He's never been in trouble with the law before. This is a guy who flies in the face of all stereotypes about rappers," he said.

Meth was arrested May 17 after toll workers at the Battery Tunnel smelled marijuana coming from his 2005 Lincoln Navigator. After being pulled over, police officers discovered marijuana in the car.

Lil Flip cleared of credit card fraud

Lil' Flip (real name Wesley Eric
Weston,Jr) has been cleared of credit card fraud, according to the Houston Chronicle.

A grand jury decided against indicting the rapper in the case, which saw him being accused him of purchasing airline tickets with a stolen credit card. Attorney Stanley Schneider said that his client was “extremely happy and feels vindicated."

Mike Vick pleads guilty

Falcons ex-quarterback Mike Vick has pleaded guilty to federal charges of dog fighting and crossing state lines to commit a felony.

Vick, 27, had been in talks with his attorneys last week and over the weekend. The trial was set to begin Nov. 26, after 11 games of the Atlanta Falcons' 16-game regular season would have already been played.

The charges could bring a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each defendant. Sources say it might not be possible for Vick to avoid prison time.

The pressure was on for Vick -- one co-defendant entered into a plea agreement last month, and the remaining two men appeared in court Friday and did the same. Prosecutors reportedly offered Vick a plea deal that included at least a one-year prison sentence.

The government was set to possibly add more charges -- such as racketeering -- based on allegations contained in the co-defendants' statements of fact that Vick financed the alleged gambling operation associated with the suspected dogfighting ring.

Vick, the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback, and his three co-defendants had all originally entered not guilty pleas July 26.

A week earlier on July 17, the federal government had filed an indictment against the foursome.
You can view the full indictment against Vick by clicking here.

Prosecutors say Vick, Purnell Peace, Quanis Phillips and Tony Taylor used a property Vick owns in Smithfield, Va., "as the main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dogfighting venture and for hosting dog fights."

Hip Hop Cash Kings

While most of us look forward to retirement, Shawn Carter, better known to the planet as master rapper Jay-Z, couldn't stand the view from the sidelines following his 2003 farewell The Black Album. Despite a frenetic schedule as president of Def Jam Recordings and co-founder of its ultra-successful Roc-A-Fella Records imprint, Jay-Z managed to squeeze in a comeback last year with Kingdom Come, his 11th studio album, which debuted at the top of the pop and rap music charts, selling some 2 million copies.

But those weren't the only paychecks coming in. Jay-Z also owns the 40/40 Club sports bar franchise, with locations in New York and Atlanta, and a small stake in the NBA's New Jersey Nets. (He's often photographed in courtside seats alongside his girlfriend, pop superstar Beyoncé.) Plus the native New Yorker (from Brooklyn's hardscrabble Marcy Projects) collects income from blue-chip endorsement deals with Budweiser, Hewlett-Packard, and General Motors. All told, Jay-Z banked an estimated $34 million in 2006, earning him the top spot on Forbes' first-ever list of hip-hop Cash Kings.

Unlike traditional music genres like pop, rock and country, whose artists generally make the bulk of their money selling albums and touring, hip-hop has spawned an impressive cadre of musicians-cum-entrepreneurs who have parlayed their fame into lucrative entertainment empires. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, who nabbed the No. 2 spot on the list, presides over G-Unit, a diverse portfolio of businesses that includes apparel, ringtones, video games and even a line of fiction. All told, "Fiddy" as he is known to fans, made an estimated $32 million last year. "I'm creating a foundation that will be around for a long time, because fame can come and go or get lost in the lifestyle and the splurging," he told Forbes last year. "I never got into it for the music. I got into it for the business."

At No. 3 is impresario Sean "Diddy" Combs, formerly known as "Puff Daddy," who lords over Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group. That enterprise is responsible for TV series like MTV's Making the Band franchise, the Sean John clothing line, the bestselling Unforgivable cologne and a pair of restaurants called Justin's, named after one of his sons. The Bad Boy Records label, backed by Warner Music Group, released albums last year by Danity Kane, Cassie and Yung Joc. Last year, Diddy himself released his first album in four years; Press Play debuted at the top of the U.S. pop and rap charts. All told, Combs made an estimated $28 million last year. (Representatives for Diddy, ever the showman, insist that figure is much higher.)

Generally, the most successful "hip-hopreneurs" run their own labels, taking a cut from the artists they sign. Both Eminem ($18 million) and Dr. Dre ($20 million) boast Interscope-backed imprints; both helped produce and release 50 Cent's last two albums, which have sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Fifty owns his own G-Unit label which produces artists like Young Buck and Lloyd Banks, among others.

Other lucrative businesses: producing tracks and beats for other artists. Listers like Timbaland ($21 million), Scott Storch ($17 million) and Pharrell Williams ($17 million) are among the most sought after--and pricey-- producers on the planet. Rappers like Snoop Dogg ($17 million) collect massive fees for cameos on other artists' tracks. Last year, in addition to releasing Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, his eighth studio album, Snoop Dogg ($17 million) made guest appearances on hit singles by Akon, Mariah Carey and the Pussycat Dolls.

This year Chamillionaire ($11 million) inked a deal with Energizer; The Game ($11 million) peddles Skechers sneakers. And in an irrefutable sign of just how corporate hip-hop has become: Last October Anheuser Busch named Jay-Z "co-brand director" for Budweiser Select.
Our estimates are based solely on 2006 income. In March, Jay-Z sold his Rocawear apparel label to Iconix for $204 million. Forbes estimates he pocketed about a quarter of that, after taxes and other payable commitments. And in May, Coca Cola announced it would buy Glaceau, maker of VitaminWater, for $4.2 billion in cash. Once the deal is consummated, 50 Cent, who agreed to endorse the brand in 2004 in exchange for a small stake, should walk away with some $100 million.

Jagged Edge exclusive premiere

Click the photo to watch the exclusive premiere of the new video "put a little umph in it" by Jagged Edge

Young, Rich, and Dangerous

Producer extraordinaire Jermaine Dupri, 35, can add one more title to his resume: author. The young mogul has written his autobiography which covers an amazing career from his teenage years as a dancer for Whodini to his current position as president of Island/Def Jam Urban.

Young, Rich, and Dangerous is more than just a memoir by Jermaine Dupri, one of this generation's most interesting and gifted young producers and songwriters. It's a road map for the hundreds of thousands of young kids who are dreaming the new American Dream of making it in the music business through rapping or owning their own independent record label.

Nobody is more qualified to hold forth on the subject than Dupri but he will recount in colorful anecdotes about life in the studio with the likes of Usher, Lil'Jon, Bow Wow and Mariah Carey.

He'll dish on some of his old rivalries and chronicle some of his closest relationships both personal and professional including his relationship with Janet Jackson.

The book will also trace Dupri's event-packed life with photographs of him behind the scenes with celebrities at parties and at award shows.

Rick Ross..."Trilla"

Slip-N-Slide Records recording artist Rick Ross has announced the released date of his sophomore album, titled Trilla.

Trilla, which is the follow up to Ross' debut Port of Miami, will hit stores on November. 11.

Port of Miami, which hit stores in August of 2006, moved 187,000 copies its first week in stores and topped hit # 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart, as well as the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.

The album produced hits like "Hustlin'," "Boss," "Push It" and others.

The announcement comes on the heels of Slip-N-Slide's latest success, Fort Meyers rapper Plies, whose album The Real Testament debuted at #2 on this week's Billboard Top 200 chart.

“Slip-N-Slide Records has an amazing history with Trina, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, Duece Poppi, Dirtbag and now Plies that stands firmly on tradition, values and standards," Slip-N-Slide Records' CEO Ted Lucas said. "We want to take our enormous history and make a bigger impact for years to come.”

Lucas also revealed that Slip-N-Slide Records is working on expanding into the R&B and Rock genres of music.

Slip-N-Slide Records is preparing releases by Florida rappers Trina, Trick Daddy and Dirt Bag in 2008.

Hi-Teknology gets release date

Cincinnati producer Hi-Tek has announced the release date of the third installment of his Hi-Teknology series of albums.

Hi-Teknology 3: Underground, is slated to hit stores on November 20.

While the guests on the album have not been revealed, like the two previous Hi-Teknology albums, fans of Hi-Tek's production can look forward to the producer pushing his creative boundaries, with guest appearances by a number of notable MC's.

Previous Hi-Teknology albums have featured artists like Q-Tip, Kurupt, Talib Kweli, Bun B, Nas, J. Dilla, Common, Buckshot, Slum Village and others.

"I am always advancing myself, musically and technically by listening to other genres of music, not just hip-hop and R&B," Hi-Tek said in a recent interview.

In addition to working with 50 Cent, The Game, Busta Rhymes and contributing production to Dr. Dre's highly anticipated opus Detox, Hi-Tek is staying busy in the world of film.

"I am doing the sound score of a movie. It’s the documentary based on the life of Leroy Antonio Nicky Barnes," Hi-Tek said of the unnamed project.

Beyonce's House Of Dereon

Click photo to shop at Beyonce's House Of Dereon

Collectible Kimora Lee Barbie

Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie® doll epitomizes the Baby Phat founder and designer’s hip, street-glam flair! Created under the direction of Kimora Lee Simmons, a former model turned fashion/lifestyle entrepreneur, this dark-haired diva is dressed in a fabulous hot pink outfit, topped with a full-length faux chinchilla coat.

Upping the cool quotient are bold, over-the-top accessories like pink thigh-high boots, chunky earrings and a designer bag.

But the cutest accessory of all? Kimora’s adorable little dog, Zoe!