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R. Kelly's 'Soula Coaster' Memoir Delayed Until Spring

Posted 11/10/11 8:00 am EST by in Music News, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

It appears that veteran R&B singer-songwriter and producer, R. Kelly, will add a new feather to his already crowded cap, when the Chicago native releases his autobiography--whether that's next week, or next year. The book was originally announced for a November 15 drop date, then it was suddenly pushed back a few months. Armed with the clever title Soula Coaster: The Story Of Me, Kelly will be co-authoring with award-winning novelist and writer David Ritz. Fans and detractors alike have turned news of the release into heated debated on Twitter. Read More...

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Conrad Murray Found Guilty In Michael Jackson Case, Rappers React

Posted 11/7/11 6:28 pm EST by in Music News, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

By Dionne Buxton and Carly Kilroy

Eyes and ears have been glued to the TV, Internet and radio for weeks, patiently awaiting a verdict in the case brought against Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray. Murray was tried for involuntary manslaughter after evidence showed that there were large doses of the drug propofol in Jackson’s system at his time of death. The prosecution argued that Murray knowingly administered mass amounts of the drug, but Murray maintained his innocence throughout the trial, stating that Jackson self-injected the lethal dose. On Monday (November 7) at 4 p.m. the verdict was finally delivered. Dr. Conrad Murray has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and he will be held without bail, until his sentencing on November 29. Since the news broke, the hip-hop community has shared their reactions via Twitter. Read More...

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A Guide To Common's AMC Debut In 'Hell On Wheels'

Posted 11/4/11 3:28 pm EST by in Music News, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

By Dionne Buxton and Carly Kilroy

Common has been extra busy this year. In September he released his New York Times bestselling memoir One Day It’ll All Make Sense, in which he speaks candidly about his past relationship with Erykah Badu, working with legends like J. Dilla and love for his fans. Last week he debuted the video for “Blue Sky,” the latest single from his upcoming December album The Dreamer, The Believer. And this weekend the Chicago native will make his debut in AMC’s post Civil War drama Hell on Wheels. Check out our guide to Common’s most anticipated acting gig to date. Read More...

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Game Directs Music Videos For 'America's Next Top Model'

Posted 11/3/11 11:50 am EST by in Music News, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

Yes, you read the headline correctly. On Wednesday night’s (November 2) episode of America’s Next Top Model, the contestants were tasked with filming individual music videos and Tyra Banks enlisted the most unlikely of characters to assist on set—Game. The Compton rapper was tapped to sit in on the shoots, add his expert input and give the girls individual advice on how to make the best music video possible. Around the 4-minute mark in the clip you can even catch Game giving one contestant advice on how to get inspired and stay positive. Read More...

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Queen Latifah Show Coming To A TV Screen Near You

Posted 11/2/11 1:23 pm EST by in Music News, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

By Dionne Buxton

Move over Oprah, here’s come the Queen. From rap star to CoverGirl beauty, there isn’t much Queen Latifah hasn’t done and come fall 2013, she’ll add talk show host as another notch on her belt. Latifah is teaming up with Will and Jada Smith who will serve as executive producers on the new show, produced by Sony Pictures Television. Approximately ten years ago The Queen Latifah ran for two seasons, but maybe the second time’s the charm. Read More...

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Justin Bieber Taps Drake, Kanye West For 'Believe' Album

Posted 10/26/11 4:01 pm EST by in Music News, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

Justin Bieber has proven that he’s a heavyweight in the music industry, working with a bevy of stars in his still-blossoming career. And although the Canadian teen sensation plans to drop a star-studded, holiday-themed album Under The Mistletoe next week, the 17-year-old is already looking to secure features from two of hip-hop’s biggest stars for his third studio album. During an interview with the UK’s Capital FM, Bieber revealed that he’s working with Kanye West and fellow Canadian heartthrob Drake for his upcoming album Believe. Read More...

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50 Cent Promotes Anti-Bullying Book On 'Today' Show

Posted 10/25/11 6:45 pm EST by in Interviews, Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

G-Unit general Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has long proven that he’s much more than just a rapper. The forward thinking businessman has dipped his toes into several entrepreneurial pools in recent years and the Queens-bred mogul is currently on a promotional spree for his second book Playground. The teen-targeted anti-bullying book is set for a November 1 release and on Tuesday (October 25) Fif made an appearance on NBC’s "The Today Show" to discuss it. Read More...

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Jay-Z Breaks Down 'Young G’s' Verse In 'Decoded' Paperback

Posted 10/25/11 12:09 pm EST by in Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

Veteran rapper and business mogul Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter dazzled his legion of fans with the release of his Decoded memoir last November. Though originally a hardcover, the book will be getting a paperback reboot in a week, dropping on November 1. The extended version of Decoded features a new afterword and 16 pages of fresh material-–including three new song breakdowns. Read More...

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Need A Halloween Costume Idea? See Carey, Cannon & Twins As 'The Incredibles'

Posted 10/24/11 5:43 pm EST by in Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

Gushing parents, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon, revealed photos of their chubby-cheeked, six-month-old twins Monroe and Moroccan on ABC's 20/20 last Friday (October 21). Then the Carey/Cannon clan ramped up the too-cute factor with a snapshot of the family of four decked out in matching Halloween costumes, inspired by Disney-Pixar's popular animated film The Incredibles. Read More...

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Drake And Florence And The Machine: RapFix Looks At Drizzy's Genere-Bending Collabos

Posted 10/21/11 5:48 pm EST by in Things That Aren't Hip-Hop ... But Are

By Henna Kathiya

Ever since the release of his 2009 breakout mixtape So Far Gone, Drake has risen among the ranks as one of the top rappers in his game right now. One of the things that sets Drizzy apart from the other rappers in his game is that he experiments with other genres of music.

Earlier this year Florence Welch (front woman of Florence and the Machine) jumped on stage with him at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. While the two haven’t yet collaborated, the door is still open. "Whenever I see Drake, we always just end up kind of hanging out, which is equally fun, but no, we haven't done anything together yet," Welch told MTV News. "I think we're both big fans of each other's work. If we would have the time it is something I would definitely like to do, but we're both really busy."

Looking at Drake’s past history it is not uncommon for him to team up with someone out of his hip-hop—actually fans have come to expect it. Read More...

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