A few weeks back Beyonce relaunched her website and included a Tumblr account bearing personal photos and videos, and that was the closest peek of her personal life that the fiercely private super star has really given fans. In an old clip (via Necole Bitchie) we get to see a little bit more of Bey's personality as she gloats and even does a victory dance after she wins a game of pool.T

he clip finds Bey sizing up her opponent, talking a little bit of smack and concluding with a victory dance for the camera after she's won. We don't get to see the competitive side of Bey often, but considering her success, we know it's there.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Bey will make her official return to the stage, with three shows at Revel entertainment center on May 25, 26 and 27. The singer's first shows since 2011 will take place in Revel's signature performance space, Ovation Hall, which was designed by a team of Cirque du Soleil veterans. The 5,050-capacity space features an unobstructed view for every patron and a state-of-the-art immersive sound system.

By Carter Maness

The Notorious B.I.G. was larger than life even before his afterlife. Today, for what would have been Christopher Wallace's 40th birthday, many are paying tribute to the ultimate hustler-rapper and wondering what might have been if his life wasn't cut tragically short in a 1997 shooting.

For us, Biggie emphasized hardness – whether in how he lived his pre-rap life, the senseless violence in the memorable stories he portrayed and even how he enunciated his words as if each syllable was being pistol-whipped as it flew out of his mouth into perfectly-formed street parables.

The iconic video [above] of B.I.G. destroying his Brooklyn competition as a 17-year-old is legendary for a reason. The rapper we would come to love and honor was already fully-formed. His bravado and demeanor was unique enough to live on. He was unflappable.

"When I first started-up, I just wanted everybody to just close their eyes and just listen to what I'm saying and picture everything," Biggie said in a MTV interview with Fab 5 Freddy back in 1995. "I'm trying to rip the hardest, hardest rhymes. I just want to just be the hardest MC. That's my goal… When somebody hear a new B.I.G. joint, I want them to be like, 'That's so hard, yo.'"

Biggie must have known, deep down, that he had already attained such a goal. That's why he's still blaring out of car stereos, referenced in mundane conversation, creating stink-faces and smiling in picture-form over the aisles of Brooklyn supermarkets. It all came across crystal clear. It all knocked us out.

By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Last night's Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas featured a tribute to late singer Whitney Houston, which turned into a clash with Houston's rumored ex-boyfriend Ray J. Jordin Sparks and John Legend gave an on-stage sendoff that ended with Pat Houston (Houston's sister-in-law/manager) and daughter Bobbi Kristina tearfully accepting the Millennium Award on behalf of the late singer.

According to E!, the picture was not as rosy offstage. Allegedly, Houston's family was angered about being seated in the same area as Ray J. TMZ reports that minutes before the heartfelt tribute, Pat asked security to forcibly remove Ray J, but he refused. Pat apparently asked security and uniformed officers to come to the scene but before things could escalate, Pat was calmed down and Ray J remained. TMZ shares that Ray J complained, "Pat ruined what was a great opportunity to honor the woman who I loved."

Earlier this year, it was reported that Ray J was seeking counseling over Whitney's death. On March 10, he spoke out about his heartache for the first time saying, “I really miss my friend, you know, I really do. I’m still hurting." Whitney and Ray J shared an unlikely relationship over the years and many believed that they were romantically linked as early as 2007.

Whitney died of accidental drowning on February 11 in Los Angeles at the age of 48. Her final autopsy was released in early April and revealed that the superstar "possibly overdosed on a narcotic substance, prescription medications, over the counter medications and alcohol."

DJ Khaled promised that his "Take It To The Head" video would be a bit destructive, and he wasn't joking. Khaled rolled out his Colin Tilley-directed clip this weekend will Chris Brown, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne all appearing in the video. (Not to mention cameos from Busta Rhymes and Birdman).

"I told [director] Colin [Tilley] when I called him, 'We gotta video, we gotta do the best video, we gotta win awards, and you gotta really take it there because we got nothin' but megastars on one record," DJ Khaled told MTV News' Sway Calloway from the Universal Studios set where he shot the video at the end of April. Colin Tilley is an amazing director, so he had this amazing idea where he wanted fire behind us, trains broken, ground shaking. We're giving you new stuff."

Khaled's right, expect plenty of fire, floods, not to mention crashing trains and trucks.

By Carter Maness

During a recent appearance on the British talk show The Graham Norton Show, superstar Will Smith showed that he still appreciates his personal, rap-filled history just as much as his fans. 22 years after its premiere, Smith performed the iconic theme song for his breakout television show "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air."

Smith, who is currently promoting the third sequel to his "Men In Black" franchise, admitted what an important role the show and theme song have played in his life. "That is the thing that I am most known for," he said. "As long as they are screaming Will, I'm cool… It is so funny that so many people recognize that theme song."

Given his storied film career, which includes hits like "Independence Day" and "Ali", Smith said that his first TV show is what he's most known for when he travels the world. And while talking-up the song's importance is one thing, performing it is another. At the request of Norton, Smith rapped the Fresh Prince theme with some extreme audience participation and a pre-programmed beat.

It's the second time Smith has made some headlines in the past week. At the Moscow premiere for "Men In Black 3," the actor caused a stir after video surfaced of him backhanding a male reporter that tried to kiss him.

By Miranda Johnson

Former G-Unit rapper Young Buck continues to deal some tough circumstances. As if losing his mansion wasn't enough, now the emcee has revealed that he will be heading back to jail for about two months.  Buck didn't specify why he was headed back to the pen but it's likely linked to the gun the Feds found in his house during a raid back in 2010.

“I got to go to the penitentiary for two months,” Buck explained in a video interview. “F--k with me for real, hold me down — and when I get out of the penitentiary, all you rap n----s better get the f--k out the way. I ain’t even gonna say no names, but it’s a good thing I’m about to go to the penitentiary."

As a part of his bankruptcy proceedings, last week the rapper was evicted from his Tennessee estate. Over the years he has collected $300K in unpaid taxes and as a result authorities ordered him to be cleared out of his home by May 16. In March, the Tennessee emcee escaped a shooting unharmed. He survived an drive-by shooting along with his girlfriend and another passenger, where he was fired at 11 times.

Aside from his girlfriend being hit once in the shoulder no other injuries were reported.

Nas's 10th album Life is Good drops on July 17, but the Queensbridge rapper opens up about life, music and even the difficulties of raising kids in his cover feature for Complex's June/July issue. Check out a few quotes from the new interview after the jump.

You’re one of the few cats who can do gangster and Rasta and still maintain your frame of reference. It seems contradictory—Rasta and gangster—but is it?
Nah. “The Don” actually came from hanging around Rastas. That’s how we would greet each other when I was with the Marleys. That’s just big boss business. When people put on images—like being a gangster or a street guy—then you’re your own worst enemy. I’m an artist. I like to make the music that I like to make. If not, then you’ll be stuck trying to be a character. I’ve seen that happen to a lot of artist.

“Daughters” was an emotional record. What made you be so honest?
This is the first time I’m dealing with a teenage daughter, and it blows me away. I don’t know that you’re ever prepared to be a parent. Once you become one, that’s your responsibility. It’s more like me talking to myself, about how I could have been there a lot more. I beat myself up for not being the best I could be. I would ask her: “Am I a cool dad?” or “Am I a good dad? Did I fuck up?” And she would say, “Nah, you’re good.” That’s important to me because I started as a teen. I was around 19 when her mother was pregnant. My daughter means a lot to me. It’s just a record that came from the heart.

What’s the most important thing that you want to teach your son about women?
He has to have his own life. My experience could be the wrong thing for his life and what’s ahead of him. A lot of older people are giving the worst advice, based on the problems they had. I’m going to need him to tell me what to do. That’s what I’m looking forward to. If I’m here, we’ll talk. If not, he’s going to figure it out on his own. He’ll take his mother’s words, he’ll take my words, and then there’s the truth. Whatever he feels, he’s got to go with his heart, and be a man in every occasion.

50 Cent had a brief stay in the hospital last week, but between the time he was admitted and released, the G-Unit CEO had already secured a new feature on an upcoming Wiz Khalifa track.MTV News caught up with Fif at his G-Unit offices in NYC after his release, and he explained that a tweet from Wiz gave birth to the collaboration. The tweet in question: "I Gotta Song I Wanna Put @50Cent On."

"While I was sitting in the hospital, I saw Wiz Khalifa send a tweet out saying he got something, and he felt like it would be cool if I was actually on a record with him," 50 said. "So I responded to him and I told him, 'Let's work.' I'm feeling good, I was feeling better by the time that tweet went through, so I said, 'Send it,' and I'll speak to him a little later on.

"Stay tuned to hear what happens next because it's gonna go down," he added, confirming that the collaboration is for real. Fif's guest verse is likely to pop up on the Taylor Gang MC's upcoming LP O.N.I.F.C., which is set to debut August 28. It would mark their first collaboration together. Thus far, Wiz has revealed that features on his Rolling Papers follow-up will include Pharrell, Cam'ron, Curren$y and the Weeknd.

50 Cent has made a full recovery since his release from the hospital, and next Tuesday, he will drop The Lost Tape, hosted by DJ Drama.

During his stay in the hospital, the Queens mogul received a phone call from longtime friend and collaborator Eminem, who had a few firm words for him. "He goes, 'Yo, Fif, you were shot nine times, man, if you die over a burger, this sh-- ain't gonna go right,' " 50 told MTV News just hours after his release. " 'People ain't gonna be feelin' this.' "

Stay tuned to MTV News' Mixtape Daily for more on 50 Cent and DJ Drama's The Lost Tape.

]]> http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/05/21/wiz-khalifa-50-cent-collaborating-new-track/feed/ 0 5/21/12 11:47am EST http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/05/21/watch-the-throne-tour-rihanna-joins-jay-z-kanye-west-london/ http://rapfix.mtv.com/2012/05/21/watch-the-throne-tour-rihanna-joins-jay-z-kanye-west-london/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 15:33:14 +0000 Nadeska Alexis http://rapfix.mtv.com/?p=43576

Jay-Z and Kanye West broke the rules during their Watch the Throne tour stop in London last night. During their third show in a row at the O2 arena, the dynamic duo summoned Rihanna to the stage to perform alongside them—although there were no guest performers during their U.S. tour run, and Rihanna isn’t even featured on Watch the Throne. That’s just how the Roc does we guess.

Rihanna, who documented her trip through plenty of Instagram photos (and was spotted hanging with Rita Ora at the after party) joined ‘Ye and Jay to perform “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” “Run This Town” and “All of the Lights.”

Besides Rihanna’s impromptu appearance, The Throne didn’t stray too far from their tour formula, playing two-hour long, 40-song sets at each of the three shows. After two more dates at the 02 Area on Monday and Tuesday night, Kanye and Jay will head off to Switzerland.

Check out their remaining tour dates below:

»5/24 Switzerland @ Zurich Hallenstadion
» 5/26 Denmark @ Herning Arena
» 5/28 Norway @ Oslo Telenor Arena
» 5/29 Sweden @ Stockholm Globe Arena
» 6/1 France @ Paris Bercy
» 6/2 France @ Paris Bercy
» 6/3 Belgium @ Sportpaleis Antwerpen
» 6/5 Germany @ Frankfurt Festhalle
» 6/8 Ireland @ Dublin O2 Arena
» 6/11 Manchester, UK @ MEN Arena
» 6/13 Birmingham, UK @ LG Arena

Whitney Houston was honored with the Millenium Award at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday night (May 20)--which her daughter Bobbi Kristina accepted on her behalf--but the legendary singer was also tributed with two moving performances from John Legend and Jordin Sparks, after Whoopi Goldberg reminisced with one of her favorite memories of Whitney.

Click Here For More Photos From The Billboard Music Awards

"Like so many millions of people around the world, I adored Whitey Houston," Goldberg began, going on to detail her favorite encounter with the late singer. "The first time I met Whitney she saved my life, in London at the "Free Mandela" concert, when  her security guards grabbed me because I was in the way. I then heard a magnificent voice say, ‘Stop! That’s Whoopi, put her down--cause she will cut you," she said laughing.

"What all performers want and need, and should get, is love and many of us here loved Whitney and even if you’re one of those who didn’t show the love to Whitney, now if your chance because tonight that’s what we’re doing. We’re gonna be giving Whitney the greatest love of all."

Whitney Houston's Daughter, Family Sign On For Reality Series

Goldberg's tale led into tribute performances from Sparks and Legend. John Legend, dressed in all-black, sat behind his piano as he sang "Greatest Love of All." Jordin Sparks, who plays Houston's daughter in the upcoming film "Sparkle," took the stage next dressed in a flowing black and blue gown. She performed "I Will Always Love You" as the cameras cut to Houston's 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina in the audience singing along. Following Sparks' performance, the 19-year-old joined Patricia Houston on stage, to accept the Millenium Award on her mother's behalf.

Goodie Mob Tribute Beastie Boys' 'MCA' At Billboard Music Awards