Monie Love, Lil Mama, MC Lyte, Lady Of Rage and MC Smooth at Hip Hop Sisters Legends panel.
MC Lyte revealed that she was supposed to appear on Queen Latifah's classic female anthem "Ladies First" but passed on the opportunity.
Read More »from MC Lyte Regrets Turning Down Queen Latifah’s Offer To Appear On ‘Ladies First’The Game's album "Jesus Piece" recently debuted in the top five on the Billboard 200 album chart and has been receiving critical praise. When the Compton rapper visited Yahoo! Music's The Aftermath webisode series, he spoke in detail about the album, explaining the "Jesus Piece" concept and enlisting the all-star features lineup that includes Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Common, Rick Ross and plenty more.
The "Celebration" rapper also offered insight about his VH1 reality TV show "Marrying The Game" that chronicles his wedding planning with Tiffney Cambridge.
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Tamar BraxtonViewers of the reality series “Braxton Family Values” starring Toni Braxton, her sisters and mother, have been waiting for Tamar, the baby of the family, to make her mark as a solo artist.
Tamar is married to music executive Vincent Herbert, who discovered Lady Gaga, and spends the majority of her camera time complaining about being Toni’s backup singer and not having her own opportunity to shine.
Well, Tamar’s dog days are over. Her new ballad, “Love & War,” that discusses the ups and downs of married life, is No. 4 on the iTunes Store Top 10 Soul Songs chart.
In an exclusive interview with Yahoo! Music, Tamar explains why she chose the emotional slow song as her first single, criticism from her viewers, and why her first album tanked on the charts.
Yahoo! Music: I was going to tease you. On “Braxton Family Values” you’ve been talking about going boom-boom-bap and making a hood rat anthem record, but you switched it up on us. Your first single is a ballad.
Read More »from Tamar Braxton Says First Album Sounded Too Much Like Toni Braxton
T.I. (photo: AP Photo/Kat Goduco)
T.I. is doing a lot of testifying on his new album, “Trouble Man: Heavy Is The Head.” The Atlanta rapper counts his blessings on “Wonderful Life,” expresses gratitude for his relationship with his wife on “Guns And Roses” and takes on faith on a gospel ballad interpolation of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
“Hallelujah” deeply reflects the set’s “Trouble Man” theme. His first lyric references the posttraumatic stress of his incarceration from 2010 to 2011.
Read More »from T.I. Raps About Fears Of Jail On 'Trouble Man''s ‘Hallelujah’
King Tee "Still Triflin" mixtape coverThe late Eazy-E, Tupac and Mausberg are paid homage on a remix of Gangsta Dresta's previously released "A Letter 2 My Homiez," a bonus track on a new mixtape from respected West Coast veteran King Tee.
Over a sample of Marvin Gaye's moody ballad "I Want You," Dresta, who collaborated with Eazy on the 1993 Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg diss "Real Compton City G's," humanizes each of the deceased rap soldiers.
In his ode to the Ruthless Records head that succumbed to complications from HIV in 1995, Dresta raps about keeping alive Eazy-E's memory. "Some of these other cats try to act like you never was here," he raps.
Read More »from Tupac And Eazy-E Remembered In ‘A Letter 2 My Homiez’
Pepsi has inked Beyoncé for new a multiyear endorsement deal estimated at $50 million, The New York Times reports.
But the campaign won't just include TV and radio commercials or magazine and billboard ads. Beyoncé's image will appear on a limited-edition run of Pepsi cans and will receive a multi-million dollar Creative Development Fund for the co-creation of relevant consumer content.
The Beyoncé Pepsi can, developed by both parties, will debut in Europe in March 2013. In recent history, Michael Jackson is the only other person to have his image appear on a Pepsi can.
Record labels have reduced marketing and promotions budgets so the Creative Development Fund is especially appealing to a musician. The fund is expected to support the singer's concerts, videos and photo shoots, among other ideas, Lee Anne Callahan-Longo, the general manager of Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment, told The New York Times.
Read More »from Beyoncé And Pepsi Strike Estimated $50 Million Multi-Level PartnershipJay-Z's eight-night stand at Brooklyn's new Barclays Center in September was historic and a feat few of his contemporaries could pull off. So it was fitting that the experience would warrant its own documentary, "Where I'm From," that debuted on Jay-Z's Times+Life website Tuesday, the hip-hop mogul's 43rd birthday.
But there's a breakout star in the 24-minute video - Brooklyn artist Ellen Grossman.
"Where I'm From" captures Jay-Z taking the subway to his last night at the 18,000-seat arena. Jay sits next to the unassuming 67-year-old woman and makes conversation.
Read More »from Jay-Z Unrecognized By Subway Passenger, Video Goes Viral
Benny Cassette (photo: Connorphotos.net)If you're having a hard time getting over an ex that you thought was The One, rock and rap artist Benny Cassette has sulking music for you.
"Empires," from Benny's recently released EP "Angel Dust," sets the tone with its moody, throbbing bass line, harmonic layered backing vocals and slow motion pacing of the track he produced.
Benny uses metaphors to describe his and Ms. Wrong's efforts to construct a solid foundation: "We built these walls with bricks and wire. We raised these trees. They still grow higher. … We wrote these rules in blood red ink. We loved like fools … We built this empire."
Benny can't get over the fact that things fell apart despite their efforts, singing, "We killed this empire … and now its just dust."
Read More »from Benny Cassette Struggles To Get Over An Ex On “Empires”
Run-DMC deserves homage for their 1987 original holiday song "Christmas In Hollis," but rap stars do not need to create brand new pieces in order to spread a little Yuletide cheer.
A video of DMX singing classic "Rudolph The Red-Noised Reindeer" is going viral. During a recent stop at New York's Power 105.1, the Ruff Ryder MC was asked to rap the children's song for the station.
Read More »from DMX Turns “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” Into Catchy Rap
Rihanna talks to press on Tuesday, last day of 777 Tour.Rihanna made a last ditch effort of damage control for her 777 Tour Tuesday as the chartered twinjet prepared to descend in New Jersey.
Rihanna received a number of bad reviews from press aboard the plane that tracked her dates in Mexico City, Toronto, Stockholm, Paris, Berlin and London, and will wrap in New York Tuesday.
[Related: Was Rihanna's 777 Tour idea over-ambitious?]
Rihanna has not been accessible to press since Thursday morning when she joined the passengers at the baggage claim area in Canada.
Read More »from Rihanna Sorry For Not Spending Time With Journalists On 777 TourNEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — A woman says she and her 5-year-old developmentally disabled daughter were thrown out of a theater during a "Beauty and the Beast" performance because the girl was making giggling and humming noises she makes when she's happy.
LONDON (AP) — With Prince William and the former Kate Middleton expecting their first child in mid-July — and much of the world interested in the birth of a future monarch — the royals' office has released some of the couple's plans, although many details are still being kept private. Kate has made several public appearances recently but is expected to keep a low profile in the final weeks of her pregnancy. Here is the latest news about the infant who will, upon entering the world, be third in line for the British throne.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kris Jenner says her daughter Kim Kardashian is thrilled to have a new baby girl.
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) — Cher is no stranger to tabloid fodder.
By Jethro Nededog LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - NBC's "The Voice" will crown another winner on Tuesday night's finale. Season 4's three finalists - Daniellle Bradbury, Michelle Shamuel and The Swon Brothers - battled it out for the title on Monday's performance finale episode. Before the performances, coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Shakira and Usher performed The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends." The Top 16 then got together for the second group performance of the night on Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros' "Home. ...
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Miss Utah Marissa Powell is the latest beauty queen to trip on national television, not over her gown, but during the interview segment.