Weekly News Wrap Up: Ludacris Squashes Bill O’Reilly Beef, “Distant Relatives” Gets a Release Date + Tracklist & 50’s Conquering The World?

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billandluda

Bill O’Reilly has had his fair share of hatred towards rappers and pretty much the hip hop community as a whole, but one of his many beefs has now officially ended and been laid to rest.

Ludacris, back in ’02 was blasted by O’Reilly for being “vile” and a “thug”. O’Reilly even demanded a boycott against Pepsi for signing Luda to an endorsement deal and said of the rapper:

“I’m calling for all responsible Americans to fight back and punish Pepsi for using a man who degrades women, who encourages substance abuse and does all the things that hurt particularly the poor and our society. I’m calling for all Americans to say, hey, Pepsi, I’m not drinking your stuff.”

But that’s all in the past now, as Luda recently ran into the Fox newscaster at a charity event and explained that they came to a common ground. Luda says:

“The first thing I said to him was, ‘I want to meet the guy who has had so much to say about me, but knows absolutely nothing about me. I identified that I wanted to speak to him when I saw his name on the guest list. I looked at what table he was on, and I walked my a** straight to that table. He wasn’t expecting to see me, at all. The look on his face when he saw me approaching… priceless. From there, we came to a common ground. To be honest with you, we came together and did an event for charity – as crazy as it sounds. Perhaps everything happens for a reason. I prayed since the very first moment that Bill said something about me on television that I would be able to meet him in person. It took about seven years for that to happen, but it finally happened. And the joy that came over me, well, it was outstanding.”

It’s good to see O’Reilly making an effort to embrace the community, besides we all know that deep down he’s a hip hop head just like the rest of us…

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nasdamianmarley

Nas has been going through it lately with the government on his back and Kelis trying to rob him blind, but he’s finally ready to get back to what’s important, the music.

His project with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives, has become almost as mythic as Dre’s Detox, but now the project is ready to be released and a street date has been announced accompanied by a tracklist.

The album is scheduled to drop May 25th (but we all know that date will be changed) and is being released through Universal Republic. The album has features from K’Naan, Lil Wayne, Junior Reid and more.

You can also preview two tracks from the album here.

Peep the tracklist below and do Nas a favor and please go cop that…

1. As We Enter
2. Tribal War (feat. K’NAAN)
3. Strong Will Continue
4. Leaders
5. Wisdom (Sabali)
6. Count Your Blessings
7. Disappear
8. The Promised Land (feat. Dennis Brown)
9. Nah Mean
10. Angola (Friends)
11. My Generation (feat. Lil Wayne and Joss Stone)
12. Africa Must Wake Up (Feat. K’NAAN)
13. BONUS TRACK Ancient People (feat. Junior Reid)

50centtour

50’s never one to be silent when it comes to his accomplishments, matter fact 50’s never quiet when it comes to anything.

The rapper/ entrepreneur/ actor has recently been touring the world promoting his latest, Before I Self Destruct and Curtis claims that he’s the biggest hip-hop touring artist in the game.

He of course name drops his mentors Em and Dre and their touring accomplishments, but he still explains he’s done more, saying:

“I’ve traveled all over the place, I’m probably the largest touring hip-hop artist. Em and Dre, Em would be the largest hip-hop artist but he doesn’t travel to see the fans after creating the material. He just puts it out, bam, and everybody loves it and he stays home. It’s because it’s to a point where your career can consume you. I’m allowing myself to be consumed, I haven’t been home this year, to my house. I haven’t been to my house this year, 2010. I probably won’t make it until late this year if I actually get a chance to go back. I’m gonna be on tour for another four weeks, I start filming a film project called Things Fall Apart — I’m excited about that…”

50 may be conquering the world with his touring, but I don’t think anyone can outdo Weezy, who made about $40 million from touring alone…He won’t be able to go home for another year or two to be able to top that.