By: Rizoh The funeral of Pimp C, who passed on last Tuesday, has been set for Thursday, December 13, 2007. Pimp C (born Chad Butler) will be laid to rest in his hometown of Port Arthur, Texas. The memorial service will take place at the Robert A. Bowers Civic Center, located at 3401 Cultural Center Drive in Port Arthur, Texas. The funeral is open to the public, and is set to kick off at 11 a.m. As previously reported, Pimp C was found dead in an L.A. hotel room, on Nov. 4, 2007. According to his record label, Rap-A-Lot Records, the Texas veteran was in Cali to assist rapper Too $hort with a few live performances. He was later discovered alone dead in his room hotel room. An autopsy has been conducted to ascertain the cause of death. A Tribute to UGK: Pimp C’s Final Performance

By: Rizoh Raekwon has been complaining about the new Wu-Tang album a lot lately, but he still wants fans to pick it up. “I’m supporting it,” Rae said in an MTV News interview. “Go get it. I’m on it. I laid down the dressing on that. But like I said, it could’ve been stronger! I know the capabilities that we all have when we all sit in the room together. And then, at the end of the day, it was leaning towards RZA’s world. I told RZA, ‘This is a Wu-Tang Clan album. This ain’t RZA’s album.’ If we say, ‘We need this to proceed,’ respect what we need to proceed.” This conflict within the Wu camp may continue for a long time, as Raekwon plans to team up with the rest of the group for another project titled Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang. This time, RZA will not be around to ruin the album with his amazing production skills.

By: Hot Gossip Gal Fabolous Twist? On the real the NYPD are making it sound like a modern day Oliver Twist. Instead of pinching pockets, Fabs crew are said to be robbing chains. I mean they haven’t exactly pointed the figure at Fab but they are saying his crew are out robbing from the rich and I don’t think they are giving to the poor.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Mobb Deep rapper, Prodigy is gearing up to go to prison on January 9th to serve three in a half years on weapons charges. On his new website, HNIC2, P explains what really went down that night when he and Alchemist got arrested. “I did an illegal u-turn so I could catch a parking spot not knowing that the hip-hop task force (NYPD) was following me the whole time in a yellow N.Y.C. taxi cab. The D’s jumped out and told me to roll down the windows, I told them the truck was bulletproof and the windows don’t roll down, so they opened my door,” Prodigy wrote on his blog. “They told us to step out and began searching us. That’s when two more un-marked police cars pulled up and just watched. Then the two dicks that pulled me and alchemist started searching my truck without asking which is called ILLEGAL SEARCH. Really no surprise the pricks and dicks is grimey as fuck, but when I was in my cell later that night I saw the true devil come out these niggas. All night they tried to get me to set up 50 CENT, they wanted me to plant guns in his car, plant drugs, or arrange a buy & bust. I was shocked how many times they tried and how many different detectives and ATF agents they tried to send at me. It was crazy. Then to top it all off, the same arresting detectives from the cab got on the stand in my trial and lied to the Grand Jury saying that they saw me put a gun in the console box of my truck. THIS NEVER HAPPENED….STRAIGHT LIE That ruined my illegal search case. I had to cop out to a 3 1/2 year sentence other wise I would have lost and got 15 years. I been threw a lot of cases, Murder cases, Guns, Grand Theft, ect. I got away with so many crimes it’s incredible. So me doing 3 1/2 aint shit compared to what I deserve.” In the time leading up to the beginning of his sentence, Prodigy is working on his album, “HNIC 2”, and is shooting a video for every song. He also said that he’s working on a reality show that he’ll include with the HNIC 2 album.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Philly rapper Beanie Sigel served 10 months in prison back in 2005 on weapons charges and various past offenses and now he wants to curtail kids from going down the same path. In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sigel said he’s trying “get off the bad guy thing,” and helps kids stay out of trouble. "The whole thing that’s going on in the city, with these kids killing each other? I can be part of the solution to that problem," he told the Philly Inquirer. "These young kids, they don’t want to hear ‘Put the guns down, stop selling the drugs’ from a suit and tie that’s going back to their suburban house and their kids in their Ivy League school. You got to be of the people, to get to the people. ‘Cause the first thing they going to ask you is, ‘What you know about being down here in South Philly?’ " Beanie’s new album, “The Solution,” drops on Tuesday, December 11 and features appearances from Jay-Z, Styles P, Ghostface and Peedi Peedi.

By: Hot Gossip Gal Cassie and Diddy all loved up in MIA Turns out that Diddy has finally caught the woman of his dreams..Cassie. These two have dodged the rumors for long enough. Anyhow they are supposed to be spending some quality time in Miami before the Xmas holidays when Diddy will be off playing happy families with his baby Momma again.

By: Hot Gossip Gal Joe Budden Far From Over Someone whispered in my ear this past weekend that Joe Buddens is gonna be coming back hard and not to write him off after the Mood Muuzik 3 buzz dies down..not that I would anyway. Turns out there will be a Mood Muzik 4 coming first half of the year kids.

By: Rizoh In case you haven’t noticed, Eve is no fan of plastic surgery and she’s speaking out publicly about it. The Philadelphia-bred rapper expressed her condolences to Kanye West who recently lost his mother, but seized the opportunity to warn people against the hazards of plastic surgery. “We live in a society of quick fixes,” Eve was quoted as saying in USA Today. “The cost is your life. Hopefully, this will make people think more about getting surgery.” Dr. Donda West, mother of Kanye West, suddenly passed away on November 11, 2007, at the age of 58. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office, she may have died because of complications from surgery. The pitbull in a skirt said she emailed Kanye shortly after getting the tragic news about his mom’s death, but is looking forward to expressing her sympathies to him in person. Eve’s long-delayed comeback album, Here I Am, is due out in 2008.

By: Rizoh Teen rap sensation Soulja Boy (born DeAndre Way) has been sued for trademark infringement by a man who says he first coined the stage name. Willie Lyons, an obscure rapper, claims he has been known as Souljah Boy for twelve years and has initiated legal proceedings against the more popular rap artist. In a letter published by gossip blogger Perez Hilton, Lyons states that a complaint has been filed in a federal court against “Souljah Boy, his record label, attorney & manager in connection with his blatant infringement of Mr. Lyons’ trademark.” Soulja Boy has not yet responded to the claims.

CHECK OUT THE BEHIND THE SCENES CLIP HERE

Posted by: Crackspace Bow Wow was rushed to a local hospital immediately following his co-leading performance on the Chris Brown tour. On the road promoting the December 11th release of his new album Face Off, Bow Wow is in good spirits and awaiting the doctors diagnosis which appears to be a combination of stress and exhaustion. Bow Wow will have to sit out his Chicago appearance tonight, but promises his Chicago-area fans that “he loves them and will be sure to come back to Chicago soon!”

By: Hot Gossip Gal Detroit takes no shit Now the Motor City is known for being a city that doesn’t really take no shit..so when Jeezy rolled into town the other night turns out his goons…oops sorry body guards felt the need to throw their excessive weight about…not something to do in Detroit as people are quick to smack you down which what my source in Detroit told me happened…SMACK DOWN.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Now that their comedy in the movies has run its course for the time being, Marlon, Shawn, and Keenan Ivory Wayans are making a return to television. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the brothers signed a deal with VH1 for a half-hour scripted comedy called "The Life and Times of Marcus ‘Felony’ Brown.” The show centers on a rapper named ‘Felony’ played by Darius McCrary (Eddie Winslow from “Family Matters”) who, after his debut album goes platinum, is forced to relocate to Los Angeles to record his follow-up. Along for the ride are his self-hyping hype man, E-Z played by Vince Green; manager, Cash, played by Jon Abrahams (“Boston Public”); and hard-partying bodyguard, Tiny played by Marcello Thedford. Affion Crockett plays Seville, Marcus’ personal barber, while Toni Trucks (Michele from ‘All of Us’) is Tia, Marcus’ assistant. The show’s pilot just completed filming, but there’s no word on when the show will hit the air.

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno Bun B has finally broke his silence in the death of his partner and friend, Pimp C. In an interview with MTV News, Bun B shared his feelings on what Pimp C meant to him and hip-hop. He also said that when they came together, Pimp was always dreaming of getting nominated for a Grammy. It’s a dream that came true yesterday as the group was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for their song, “Int’l Players Anthem.” “Me and my VP from Jive [Records] were talking about this, because we been on this label for 15 years. We’ve known these people longer than we’ve known a lot of people in our lives,” Bun B told MTV News. “And he can always remember Pimp telling him, "We going to the Grammys," and them looking at this little kid from Port Arthur like he’s crazy: "He may make some good music and sell a few records, but what they do? That kind of stuff doesn’t go to the Grammys." And 15 years later, a song I told him we shouldn’t do and he was adamant about it — and he got his Grammy nomination just like he always wanted. I’m so happy for him. I’m so proud of him. Because he did it exactly like he wanted to do it: on his terms. We had a nomination before with Jay-Z — and we were very blessed and honored for that. But that was Jay featuring us — this one was us. Not taking anything away from Outkast, because that definitely comes into play. But at the same time, us putting Outkast on the record was his vision — seeing things a little further — and God putting together a plan for us. [He pauses.] I’m really happy for him. I know he just popped a bottle! Because in all honestly, this is what he wanted [to win a Grammy]. He’s gonna put a Grammy on his mama’s shelf. He’s gonna put a Grammy on his mama’s shelf, man. [He pauses again.]” Bun B also said that he’s been grateful for the support from fans worldwide. “I know I’m not alone in my grief and my pain. And it’s not just his family and closest friends — there was a lot of people who loved him, there was a lot of people that were hurt before, when he went to prison, and they carried us so far and held us up for so long. They brought us to where we are right now. I know they’re hurting right now. I feel their pain, I hear their prayers, I hear them on the radio. And I thank them and I love them, and I just want them to know Pimp loved them too.” You can read the entire interview at MTV.com.

Posted by: Crackspace Butler and partner Bernard "Bun B" Freeman, who performed together as UGK (Underground Kingz), were nominated for their collaboration with hip-hop duo OutKast on the tune "Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)." The recording will compete in the rap performance by a duo or group category with tracks from Common featuring Kanye West, Fat Joe featuring Lil Wayne, Shop Boyz, and a partnership among West, Nas and KRS-One. "While this nomination is bittersweet to say the least, I am thankful for the acknowledgment," Freeman said in a statement. "And as this was a lifelong dream for Chad, it warms my heart to know that he has finally gotten the recognition from the powers that be that his talent, passion and relentless drive for music so rightfully deserved." CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE BUN B SPEAK ON THE LOSS OF PIMP C