Keyshia Cole is the new face of Akademiks Ladies

R&B songstress Keyshia Cole has been tapped to serve as the face of the new Akademiks Ladies 2006 Fall/Holiday advertising campaign.

Cole, who recently wrapped up her national headlining tour, will promote and tout the new women's line in a series of print ads in the upcoming months.

The yearlong campaign will be featured in a variety of publications including Vibe , Teen Vogue, Essence and Latina.

"I'm really excited about being apart of the new Akademiks campaign," Keyshia Cole told AllHipHop.com. "Akademiks has been very supportive of my career and I respect their vision and cutting edge creativity. They are definitely taking it to the next level."

The new campaign featuring Cole marks the first time that Akademiks has enlisted a celebrity to help promote their products in an ad campaign.

"Keyshia Cole projects a lifestyle that is in tune with our creative direction," said Byron Kirkland, Akademiks' director of marketing. "She represents the strong young women of today; intelligent, confident, fashionable, sexy and vibrant. Akademiks Ladies is creating a movement focusing on female empowerment...we feel Keyshia Cole is that spark."

Cole scored platinum success with the release of her 2005 debut album The Way It Is.

The Oakland, California-bred singer can currently be heard on the theme song to Mission Impossible III with Kanye West and Twista.

The new Akademiks Ladies Fall 2006 collection is scheduled to hit stores in August.

Source: AllHipHop.Com

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Yo Gotti's CD Release/Birthday Party Interrupted By Shooting

Posted at 5/20/2006 08:40:00 PM

A birthday and CD release party for North Memphis rapper Yo Gotti was interrupted on Friday (May 19) morning by a shooting at a Beale Street nightclub.

Police are investigating if an alleged feud between Yo Gotti rivals may have sparked the shooting just after 3:00 am, inside of the Plush Club.

Witnesses said one shot was fired, but the single bullet managed to strike three different people.

"A shot was fired and one individual was shot in the abdomen," Said Memphis Police Sgt. Vince Higgins, "He's now in stable condition at The Med. The investigation is ongoing, but this one bullet managed to injure three people."

Police have yet to identify a suspect in the shooting, which took place in front up to 800 people.

"Let's face it there were hundreds of witnesses," Higgins said. "Someone saw what happened someone saw who fired the round we'd like for them to come forward."

According to witnesses, several men allegedly left the club after a dispute and returned armed and over ran security, which had been beefed up due to anticipated violence.

While details are sketchy, reports said a rival group also appeared in the club wearing shirts that featured degrading remarks about Yo Gotti.

Initial reports said the root of the rappers' feud may be over a song named "Memphis Walk."

Memphis rapper Miscellaneous released a version of the song two years ago, while Yo Gotti recently recorded a song by the same title.

Miscellaneous' manager denied the charges and said the two rappers spoke before the event at Club Plush and resolved their differences.

Yo Gotti's attorney denied his client was involved in the shooting as well.

"Yo Gotti's very dismayed at what happened the other night," Gotti's attorney Arthur Horne told reporters. "He doesn't condone that type of behavior and feels as though it was irresponsible, but does not have any control over what individuals do in that kind of setting."

Yo Gotti was featured on the soundtrack to the Oscar Award winning film Hustle & Flow and has been a longtime fixture in the Memphis rap scene.

Yo Gotti's Back 2 Da Basics hits stores on Tuesday (May 23) and features production by Mannie Fresh, DJ Toomp, Street Tunes, Carlos Broady and features appearances by Baby, Lil' Wayne, Bun B. and others.

Source: AllHipHop.Com

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50 Bites Into Lloyd Banks' Apple, Revs Up Blige Collaborator Hot Rod

Posted at 5/20/2006 03:11:00 PM

With Mobb Deep's Blood Money now in stores, 50 Cent has turned his attention to two new subjects: one of the founding members of the G-Unit and his label's newest member.

Lloyd Banks has recently released a couple of songs to radio and put out mixtapes to build anticipation for his sophomore release, The Rotten Apple, due July 18.

The song "Cake" features a verse from 50 and shows that the Boy Wonder hasn't lost his knack for wordplay. And Banks — who recently celebrated his 24th birthday with the G-Unit, Ras Kass and Hoopz from "The Flavor of Love" at a blowout bash in NYC — called on Timbaland for his first single, "My House."

"This is my house/ When you in my house/ Under my roof/ You follow my rules," Banks declares on the hook.

"Girl, I'll house you," 50 chimes in. "You in my house now."

A couple of weeks ago, Banks, Young Buck, 50 and the rest of the G-Unit were in Miami for a Radio One weekend concert. Interscope Records, which G-Unit Records is a subsidiary of, held a showcase where Busta Rhymes, Thicke and Pharrell all performed new material.

At the showcase, 50 Cent took the stage and introduced the newest member of the G-Unit, Phoenix MC Hot Rod, even performing on one of Rod's songs, "Rock to It."

"You can bop to it, shake and rock to it," Hot Rod rapped on the hook, with 50 playing hype man. "Push rocks to it, drop the top to it/ Flow hot fluid, y'all cannot do it/ You better leave that sh-- up to me/ Hot Rod."

Hot Rod's album, which should include his Mary J. Blige duet, "Be Easy," doesn't have a release date yet, but he's clearly already started revving up his engine.

Source: MTV.Com

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Lil Jon To Blend Crunk And Rock

Posted at 5/20/2006 08:23:00 AM

Lil’ Jon will blend his heavy bass and shrill synths with hard electric guitars on his forthcoming album, Crunk Rock.

"I'mma take it back to the first Run-DMC [album]," Lil Jon told MTV News. “It was hard hip-hop beats, but hard guitars [too]. I'mma take [Crunk Rock] to that."

Jon said half of Crunk Rock will feature the rock-influenced sound heard on Trick Daddy’s “Let’s Go,” which Jon produced and will include on his album. The other half, he continued, will sound like past hits “Get Low” and “What U Gon' Do.”

“It's going to be something new and go way further than any other thing I did on the last album,” Jon said.” “By me collaborating with cats in the studio, it's gonna come on some whole other sh-t."

The King of Crunk has been working on the West Coast as he produced E-40’s album, but he is traveling to Las Vegas to craft his upcoming record.

"Every city I record in gives me certain energy," he explained. "I'm starting this album in Vegas. ... Vegas' energy is wild ... Vegas is really rock and roll. It's perfect for me to start the record out there."

"The reason I want to be on the West Coast's 'cause all the rock cats are in California," he continued. "I wanted to be close to them and say, 'Yo, come by the spot.' Even Vegas is close to L.A., it's 30 minutes on the plane."

"Snap Yo Fingers," the lead single for Crunk Rock, has taken even another route by mixing crunk with the prevalent snap music. The record has rapidly climbed the charts and has been bubbling in clubs and the underground circuit for months.

Crunk Rock is scheduled to hit stores in the late summer or early fall.

Source:NobodySmiling.Com

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The Clipse Got That Remix For Cheap

Posted at 5/20/2006 08:17:00 AM

Virginia duo the Clipse are making noise on the new We Got The Remix mixtape from Detroit's DJ Benzi and the Evil Empire.

Hosted by the Clipse, We Got The Remix re-mixes tracks found on the popular We Got It 4 Cheap Clipse mixtape series with the help of hip-hop producers Diplo (MIA), Ghislain Poirer, A.Brucker & Sinden, Nick Catchdubs (It's the Motherfucking Remix) , Jake One (G-Unit), and The Amps among others. The mixtape also includes exclusive, rare and previously unreleased tracks from the Clipse including their single with Pharrell "Mr. Me Too."

Mixed front-to-back by DJ Benzi, the CD includes guest features from Missy Elliot, Vybz Kartel, Kardinal Offishall, Roscoe P. Coldchain and the rest of the Re-Up Gang.

Source: SOHH.Com

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Yung Joc Does Double Duty as Artist and Label Head

Posted at 5/20/2006 07:50:00 AM

With the success of his first single "It's Goin' Down," Atlanta rapper Yung Joc is riding high as an artist.

But the Block Entertainment/Bad Boy lyricist is not resting as he expands his resume with his new role as president of Mastermind Music, a new label he created with his friend Chino Dollar.

"We did a deal with Block Entertainment and they have the major distribution through Bad Boy South and Warner Music Group," Joc told AllHipHop.com. "That means that when the checks get cut I get an advance check for being an artist, and I also got a big check for being the president of Mastermind and doing that deal with Block."

Being an artist and a businessman at a young age has allowed Joc the opportunity to further his professional growth in the music industry.

"Being 23 don't mean I'm just wet behind the ears and fresh off of a college campus," he said. "It means I'm ready to spread my wings and fly. There's a whole world out here of nothing but space and opportunity and I'm taking advantage of every opportunity to get it...beware."

Yung Joc's debut album New Joc City hits stores on June 6.

Source: AllHipHop.Com

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Kanye West and Common Named Honorary Global Mixx DJ Retreat Co-Chairs

Posted at 5/20/2006 07:48:00 AM

Rapper/producer Kanye West and his G.O.O.D. Music associate Common have been chosen as honorary co-chairs for this year's Global Mixx DJ Retreat.

The annual event, scheduled for Aug. 10-13 at the House of Blues Hotel in downtown Chicago, celebrates urban DJ music, culture, and lifestyle.

The Retreat will highlight a series of music events and seminars, which will be held at the hotel and other venues throughout Chicago.

The country's top DJ coalitions are expected to participate in the event, as well as spotlight key honors Aug. 12 at the 2nd Annual Global Mixx DJ Awards.

The retreat is the latest in a string of accomplishments for Common and West, who will release his Pastelle Clothing line this spring and spend the year in the studio working on new projects from the stable of artists signed to his G.O.O.D. Music record label.

"I'm working on a film right now with New Line. We had a title, but we just switched it," West told AllHipHop.com. "I'm working on it with Stephen Gaghan who wrote Traffic. I'll be kind of like Quentin Tarantino or Spike Lee where I'll be directing, editing, and producing."

West is also prepping the follow-up to his critically acclaimed sophomore album, Late Registration.

"My new album Graduation, I'm not sure when I'm dropping it," West said. "I'm working on it very diligently right now and it's very incredible and very scary to anyone that's not involved with it."

Common is gearing up to begin work on his seventh album, tentatively titled Finding Forever.

The Grammy Award winning lyricist has voiced plans to work with West on the project, as well as a desire to collaborate with Dr. Dre.

Source: AllHipHop.Com

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Hoopz Talks About Flava Flav, New York, and T.I.

Posted at 5/20/2006 07:42:00 AM

Pumpkin might’ve given New York a mouthful (literally) in Flavor Flav’s VH1 reality show, but the one that’s running her mouth lately is the Flavor of Love winner, Hoopz.

Hoopz was recently interviewed by Kendra G. for Chicago’s Power 92’s (WPWX) Trey the Chocolate Jock Morning Jump-Off show, where the morning co-host asked her questions about loving Flavor Flav, rumors about her dating T.I., and the supposed static between she and T.I.’s baby-moms, among other things.

When Kendra asked if she was ever in love with Flav, Hoopz responded, “No, I don’t think anybody from the show was in love with him. There were 19 other girls. You don’t get to spend 24 hours, 7 days a week with the person.”

“I did think New York was in love with him,” added Kendra, a remark Hoopz laughed off. “Nah. I had to be with her for 3 weeks, and she’s fake than a motherf*cker," said Hoopz.

“She’s extra, she’s fake, she’s crazy, and she’s on something!”

Kendra also asked Hoopz about her alleged love affair with rapper T.I., to which Hoopz simply said, “That’s my homeboy; we just cool.” When Kendra G. pressed her about the type of friends they were, Hoopz calmly responded, “We’re just cool.”

But Hoopz got the most riled up when Kendra asked her about the supposed beef between her and Xscape’s Tiny, T.I.’s baby-momma. “I don’t even know chick, so I can’t tell you that we don’t get along,” said Hoopz. “I know she opened her mouth about me. We were at a club, everybody. Next thing you know she pull him [T.I.] to the side like ‘who the f*ck is that?!’

“A couple of days later, she gets on the radio like, ‘if I would’ve known her and she would’ve known me.’ Come on now, it don’t matter if you know someone or not, if that’s your man and you feel like someone is disrespecting, you get on the radio but you never say nothing to me? I would’ve whipped her ass!”

Source: Vibe.Com

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Nas Says Hip Hop is Dead ... The N

Posted at 5/20/2006 07:38:00 AM

Nas is about to slap hip hop with a declaration of death.

On Thursday night (May 18), while performing at the Roots’ show in New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, the Illmatic One announced that his first album off Def Jam - Hip-Hop Is Dead … The N – will hit stores in late September.

The N is a play on words signifying ‘the end' of the genre of music.

"I didn't name it that. Fans named it that; rappers named it that," Nas told MTV.com about the title. "It's been the talk for years, so here's an album that brings ... not even the rebirth, it's just an album with that thing that everybody is talking about.

“I got a street look coming real soon, and more soon after. Summer time is definitely going to be Nas time."

Although guest appearances and producers assisting on the new album have been kept a secret thus far, Nas and Jay-Z did say that they would do a song together, only if it feels right. The pair also hinted that if the feeling is apt, they would welcome a collaboration with Dr. Dre, arguably the best hip hop producer of the last decade.

Nas' alliance with Def Jam and its president Shawn Carter, should help the Queensbridge native reach bigger numbers than his last effort. His 2004 double-album, Street’s Disciple, sold 694,000 copies in the United States.

Source: Vibe.Com

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Friday, May 19, 2006   MUSIC |  VIDEOS |  INTERVIEWS  | NEW ARTIST  | HOME

JAY-Z, BEYONCE AND RIHANNA?: Rumors suggest Beyonce is in the midst of a ‘you, me and she’ situation.

Posted at 5/19/2006 08:29:00 AM

Does Jay-Z have himself a new R&B hottie? The rumor mill suggests that Jay-Z and his girl Beyonce are on the rocks courtesy of the mogul’s new 18-year-old crossover sensation, Rihanna.

According to MediaTakeOut.com, witnesses who saw the couple at a recent New Jersey Nets game say Beyonce went off on Jigga after he reportedly spent 15 minutes talking to Rihanna on his cell phone.

A source sitting close to the couple said Beyonce yelled, “Why do you keep talking to her," then stormed out of the arena before Jay could respond.

Rihanna, whose current single “S.O.S.” just clocked its third week atop Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles chart, was also spotted out with Jay-Z in New York last month while Beyonce was in Los Angeles accepting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her former group, Destiny’s Child.

Also, Jay and Rihanna reportedly attended business meetings as artist and label head, dined together at Cipriani's and were seen entering one of the private rooms at Jay Z's 40/40 club, where both reportedly stayed behind doors by themselves for more than four hours, according to a source.

Source: EurWeb.Com

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Kanye, Bow Wow Guest On New Three 6 Mafia Remixes

Posted at 5/19/2006 08:25:00 AM

A new version of Three 6 Mafia's Most Unknown Known will feature two of the most-known MCs in the game: Kanye West and Bow Wow.

The rappers are featured on two remixes of Three 6's new single, "Side 2 Side." The Mafia just shot a video for the Bow Wow version, which also features Project Pat. The clip