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Lil Wayne's Relationship With Drake, Nicki Minaj Is 'Genuine'

Posted 11/5/10 6:36 pm EST by in Music News

By Hillary Crosley, with additional reporting by Jayson Rodriguez

With Drake's Thank Me Later and Nicki Minaj's numerous guest features alongside artists like Ludacris and Trey Songz, to say that Lil Wayne's Young Money crew ruled Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop chart in 2010 would be more than fair.

"It's genuine from the heart; I really appreciate what he did for them [by] blessing their lives. We wasn't expecting nothing else, but to see it happening," said Birdman, reflecting on Drake and Nicki's success. "To see how Drake going hot, Nicki growing hot ... Tango, Twist, all of them ... Wayne didn't get to see this. All this popped off within the couple of months he was gone." Read More...

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Lil Wayne, Kanye West Discuss Michael Jackson + Michael Photo Gallery

Posted 11/5/10 6:11 pm EST by in Music News

By Vanessa Denis, with additional reporting by Shaheem Reid, Sway Calloway and Jayson Rodriguez

As you've no doubt heard, the first posthumous album from Michael Jackson, Michael, will debut on December 14. In 2009, when the King of Pop passed away an array of MCs and hip-hop glitterati, including Lil Wayne, weighed in on music's great loss. Most recently, Kanye West gave Jackson a nod in his short film "Runaway," and explained the symbolism to MTV News' Sway during a live Q&A session on October 23.

"The hood, what it does represent to me ... in relation to the Michael Jackson thing is not the KKK but the concept of cult, because it's multiple people with this hood on," West explained. "It's me taking [the phoenix] to my world and saying, 'Let me show you what my world is about.' "

West said he invoked the image of the late icon, whose expansive cultural reach was unparalleled, to demonstrate the energy of the pop realm.

"The greatest, biggest pop-cultural figure of all time, arguably bigger than Jesus Christ, is Michael Jackson. You have the band in front of him, marching ... and you have the cult around it," West said. Read More...

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Lil Wayne Heads To New Orleans After Prison Release + Photo Gallery

Posted 11/5/10 3:30 pm EST by in Music News

By Hillary Crosley, with additional reporting by MTV News Staff

Young Money President Mack Maine tweeted that Lil Wayne has left New York, heading for the Big Easy. RapFix is expecting a homecoming party to rival the Saints Superbowl win celebration, what do you think?

"504 ya boy will b there in 3hrs!!! Luv," Maine tweeted shortly after 1 p.m. ET, suggesting that members of Wayne's camp were heading to his hometown of New Orleans.

Still, it's not clear what Wayne's weekend itinerary will be. On Friday afternoon, a source in Yuma, Arizona, said Weezy was being transported to his scheduled court appearance. On Wednesday, Mack Maine himself admitted that the Young Money Cash Money camp was heading to the Southwest state. Wayne was scheduled to make an appearance to sign some paperwork for his plea deal in a drug case stemming from a January 2008 arrest. Read More...

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Swizz Beatz Named New York University's Producer-In-Residence

Posted 11/5/10 3:07 pm EST by in Music News

Swizz Beatz is having the best year ever.

In addition to marrying Alicia Keys and welcoming their first child together, Egypt Dean, Swizz was recently crowned producer-in-residence by New York University for 2010-2011. Swizz will contribute his skills to the university's esteemed Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music.

"I'm excited to be able to take my many years of experience in the music business and use it as an example to instruct students," Swizz said in a press release. "The invitation from Mr. Davis and professor Rabhan is humbling and I'm honored."

In the NYU Tisch School of the Arts position, the hip-hop producer-cum-MC will host group lectures, one-on-one sessions and provide students with songwriting critiques while acting as a liaison between the school and music industry insiders. He's slated to visit NYU at least four times during the school current semester including the Friday and November 10, November 18 and December 3.

"Swizz Beatz' amazing track record as an artist and producer, coupled with his commitment to education, makes him the ideal role model for our students," said Jeffrey Rabhan, chair of The Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music in a press release. "We consider it a great honor to have him involved with this unique program." Read More...

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DJ Khaled Says He'll 'Be Rocking' With Lil Wayne On New LP

Posted 11/5/10 1:40 pm EST by in RapFix Live

By Vanessa Denis

During the "RapFix Live" "Welcome Home, Weezy" special, MTV News' Sway spoke to DJ Khaled, who revealed that he's planning on nabbing Lil Wayne for his upcoming album, which will be released through Cash Money Records.

“I’m so excited I plan to drop a single in January," said Khaled. "Of course, I’ma be rocking with Weezy, that’s my brother, as soon as he gets a chance in his schedule for us to get in the lab, I’ma be there and I’mma be there for him.”

And now that Khaled is part of Cash Money, the Miami DJ explained what should fans can expect.

“I’m letting you know right now, I’m in the studio as we speak right now," the excitable DJ said. "I been in the studio in the last four months, every night just making music. Expect the unexpected, expect the expected, expect, you know, my best work ever.” Read More...

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T.I. 'Agrees' With Fans Frustrated By His Prison Return

Posted 11/5/10 12:39 pm EST by in Music News

"To all of you who say, 'He should practice what he preaches,' and 'How could he do something so stupid ... AGAIN?' You're absolutely right, and I couldn't agree with you more," wrote T.I. in a recent press release from prison in Arkansas.

Here at RapFix it's been all Welcome Home Weezy but elsewhere, hip-hop suffered the loss of another one of its stars to the department of corrections.

On Thursday (November 4), T.I. issued his first major statement from behind bars. Tip, who headed back to a low-security federal penitentiary in Arkansas on Monday to serve an 11-month sentence for probation violations, posted messages on his website on Wednesday and Thursday. His words demonstrated how the Atlanta native feels about being back in prison for the second time in such a short time and what he thinks about fan reaction to his video with Chris Brown for "Get Back Up." Read More...

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Producer Drew Money Has A 'Couple Things' For Lil Wayne

Posted 11/5/10 11:11 am EST by in Music News

By Hillary Crosley, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes and Sway Calloway

When RapFix asked you, the fans, what you'd like Lil Wayne to do when he hits the streets, your response was overwhelming—release new music. And according to Young Money President Mack Maine, that's exactly what the Martian wants to do. Last month, when RapFix spoke to Drew Money, the producer behind Nicki Minaj's "Right Thru Me" which sits at no. 14 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart, he said he was ready for Weezy's return.

"I actually did a track for Wayne already called 'Fix My Hat,' and I do have a couple things in particular that would be good for him but ... I just know he’s going to be bombarded," said Drew.

And he's probably right, but from RapFix to the bevy of hip-hop producers salivating at the thought of nabbing Lil Wayne's first post-prison release—work smarter. We'd assume that this would be the time to use every connect you have in your smart phone to get your talents to Weezy. *points to your address book* Read More...

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