One of Hip Hops pioneers Derrick Jones (more…)

A local TV channel in Denver where the Democratic National Convention is taking place has reported that three arrests were made earlier this evening who authorities think might have been plotting to kill Barack Obama. Two men were stopped at a traffic stop and were found to be in possession of guns, ammo and high powered scopes. Assumed to be white supremacists the dup then led the police and officials to a hotel room where a third member jumped out of a fourth floor window to avoid arrest.

Not quite sure what or who Diddy is doing over at MTV but they may as well give him his own channel as he has already another show in the works called Starmaker which will give a male and female artist a spot on the Bad Boy roster. Auditions are being held in Hollywood on the 6th of September for anyone interested.

Celebrities were out in force yesterday for the Memorial Service of Bernie Mac at the House of Hope in Chicago. Samuel L Jackson, Chris Rock, Cedric the Entertainer and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were just a few of the names who joined Bernie’s real and TV families in a moment of remembrance.

Looks like that Vitamin Water deal really did pay off for 50 who landed in the number one spot for those getting paid in Hip-Hop list this year. He earned $150 mill in only 12 months. See the rest of the list compiled by Forbes magazine right here 1) 50 Cent – $150 mill 2) Jay Z – $82 mill 3) Diddy – $35 mill 4) Kanye – $30 mill 5) Timbaland – $22 mill 6) Pharrell Williams – $20 mill 7) Swizz Beats – $17 mill Snoop Dogg – $16 mill 9) Dr. Dre – $15 mill 10) Ludacris – $14 mill 11) T.I. – $13 mill 11) Lil Wayne – $13 mill 12) Eminem – $12 mill 12) Common – $10 mill 12) Akon – $12 mill 13) Jermaine Dupri – $11 mill 13) Lil Jon – $11 mill 14) Outkast – $10 mill 14) Chamillionaire – $10 mill 14) The Game – $10 mill

The 2008 VH1 Hip-Hop Honorees have been announced and the five acts recognized for their constant contribution and presence to Hip-Hop this year are Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Slick Rick, Naughty By Nature and Too $hort. The event will viewed on VH1 on Tuesday October 7th at 10pm. The VH1 Honors started back in 2004 and has recognized a wide variety of individuals and collectives in its previous four shows including KRS One, Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Missy Elliot, Wu Tang Clan and Kool Herc.  The event will take place as always at the Hammerstein Ballroom in midtown Manhattan.

Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussy Cat Dolls and her man Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton look like they could be another power couple in entertainment when you see the couple all loved up at LAX airport this past weekend. The duo have been dating for about six months now, but that hasn’t stopped the english driver being linked to various other beautiful women around the globe. In other Pussycat news, the five gals managed to keep their clothes on at the MTV Asia awards this year. They caused uproar last year when they  bared way too much flesh last year and incurred a fine of $1500. Obviously as long as you are covered it doesnt matter what with as the girls were kicking it on stage in PVC and leather.

Another altercation happened at the Ozone awards this past weekend in Houston. Turns out that Texas rappers Mike Jones and Trae got into it back stage at the event. Not quite sure what upset these two, but apparantly Mike Jones had a cut to his face but it wasn’t enough for the rapper to head to the hospital.

“Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital,” his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles. (more…)

Funny how people sometimes end up eating their words or in this case say their words were taken the wrong way. Noel Gallagher, the Oasis front man who spoke out about Hip-Hop being a part of Glastonbury is now recanting his speech after Jay Z had the 100,000 plus crowd rocking to tracks like Hard Knock Life, Encore and of course his very own rendition of the Oasis track Wonderwall. After Jay performed at Glastonbury in late June, Wonderwall re-entered the charts in the UK, and of course Noel Gallagher can’t not acknowledge that.  In a recent interview Gallagher had this to say “My f****** single went back in the charts, Jay-Z’s profile went through the f****** roof. Everyone’s a winner. He knows that I was misrepresented, as I guess he was, so let’s f****** move on.” I guess that will do as an apology. 

The Second Annual Rick Ross Be Out Day was halted yesterday after gunfire broke out when CO Ross hit the stage. What I want to know is why people even feel the need to bring guns to an event such as this which is to encourage the local kids to go back to school taking place in the middle of the day in the middle of a public place. People attending the event ran for cover as as of yet no injuries have been reported. Rick Ross Be Out day is sponsored by the rapper himself and local companies who provide kids with clothing and the essentials in order for their return to school to be an easy one and coast effective one for the impoverished families in the area. However in other Rick Ross news, DJ Khaled has gone on the record explaining that there is no beef between him and the rapper like people had implied. Good to know that all is as it should be in Miami.

There is a chance that former N Sync front boy, turned solo superstar, Justin Timberlake might be hosting the 2009 Academy Awards. Now granted he did a great job of Saturday Night Live a couple of years ago (See video inside of the classic D**k in a Box sketch) but for real the Oscars? I am tempted to start a campaign to bring back Chris Rock who kicked it on stage back in 2005. Yeah bring back Chris.

She might not be able to write her book, but the Queen B sure as hell knows how to sink a test-tube or two or seven. Word is she had another birthday celebration in NYC where she kicked it with her drinking buddy Lisa Raye at Spotlight Live. Kim turned 33 on July 11th and I guess with nothing better to do you may as well celebrate until the 34th comes knocking.

Great to see Master P or Percy Miller getting the Key to Memphis this past weekend. Master P born Percy Miller has in his tenure in Hip-Hop given a lot of time and donated substantial amounts of money to community activism and philanthropic endeavors. It is these acts of humanity that encouraged the rapper to be honored by the city through Willie Herenton, the Mayor of Memphis at the recent Let the Kids Grow Day held in the Tennessee city. “No other rapper or entertainer is as committed to the community as Master P and I am proud of him,” said the Mayor when talking on the No Limits founder. “Master P changed his life and took the negativity out of his music but stayed true to the hood.” Master P and his son Romeo are very active in encouraging school children to stay in school to avoid the pull of street culture and lives of drugs and crime.