NEWS

Where have you been rehearsing?

We rehearsed in Burbank and then we moved production to an airport hangar in Santa Monica because the stage is so huge, we need to rehearse lighting and all that type of stuff. The stage is amazing. I can’t wait for people to see it and to see people’s reaction to what actually takes place. There’s a lot of surprises and a lot of surprise guests. People are gonna be very happy when they see the show.

What material will you guys be performing?

em>We’re gonna basically be performing all of Dre’s hits and then Snoop’s. It’s going to be very epic and I’m just really grateful to be a part of history being made. Dre said that this year it will be 20 years that him and Snoop have been working together since they did “Deep Cover.” And that’s amazing to even be a part of this moment in their lives. I get to be onstage singing with everyone involved. It’s gonna be crazy.

Are we going to hear any new stuff? Maybe something off Detox?

Umm… OK, yes (laughs).

Rolling Stone reported that Eminem and Wiz Khalifa will be among the surprise guests.

I’m not gonna say anything. We’ll just have to see if they show up.

Nate Dogg is said to be appearing via a hologram, according to TMZ.

I’m not privy to that information, but there’s definitely a tribute to Nate Dogg.

What would you tell fans who are attending Coachella this weekend?

They can expect to have wide-open mouths and a jaw-dropping experience with this show. It’s gonna be very huge. Apparently it’s supposed to be like 100,000 people coming. It’s gonna be packed, it’s gonna be amazing, it’s gonna be fun. They’re gonna hear all their favorite songs and some stuff that they’ve been dying to hear.

Dealer: XXL

Photo: Rodolfo Diaz

Michael Francis drops off his second joint (“Dive”) of the week but this time shows us more of his emcee side before showcasing his usual singing. On the same day that Termanology delivered a freestyle to “The Recipe,” Francis also gives us his bars over Kendrick Lamar’s single. While his singing game is his strong suit, I’m not mad at his rhyming on this one. MF’s debut LP, Cold Heart Chronicles, is on the way but you can request an advanced copy here if you can’t wait that long.
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Dealer: 2Dbz 

From Facebook, to Twitter, and basically most other startups; it seems like it takes a bored college kid to develop some of the biggest digital products of our time. Check out this game that allows you to draw something, and then fight with your character.

Jay-Z’s Rocawear clothing brand announced Wednesday (April 11) a sponsorship deal with MLB franchise, the New York Yankees.

In the deal, the brand will be featured in branded signage in Yankee stadium and integrated promotions throughout the 2012 season.

“Jay-Z has been a long-time fan of the Yankees, regularly attends games and has even included his favorite team in song lyrics, so this was a natural partnership,” said Jameel Spencer, of Rocawear’s parent company Iconix Brand Group, Inc.

“Rocawear, along with Jay-Z are very excited to be working with the Yankees for the 2012 season. We feel another championship in ’12!”

Further details of what the partnership entails were unknown at press time.

For more info on Rocawear, visit its official website at Rocawear.com.

Dealer: BS

TheSource.com chopped it up with current UFC champ Jon “Bones” Jones in Albuquerque, New Mexico just a few weeks before his upcoming match where he will defend his title against Rashad Evans. Jones talks about his love of fighting in the octagon, his mentality as he he makes his entrance into an arena and his why he chooses certain entrance music. The youngest champion in UFC history also recalls a conversation with 50 Cent where he relayed the personal significance of his track “God Gave Me Style” to the Queens-bred rapper. Jon Jones also lists a handful of future matchups and challeneges that he’d like to take on before moving up to the heavyweight division of the sport. Jones vs. Evans goes down in the octagon Saturday, April 21st.

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Dealer: The Source

I was always a Tribe Called Quest, and Q-Tip fan. So Q-Tip signing to G.O.O.D music makes sense for a older artist that wants to regain relevancy. Lets see what happens.

Press Release below,

“I am thrilled to be working with Q-Tip once again,” said Mr. Weiss, who helmed the artist’s releases on Jive Records in the 1990s as a member of A Tribe Called Quest. “He is a respected voice in the music community as shown by his acclaimed solo albums and countless contributions to the work of other artists. His creativity continues to surpass all boundaries of hip-hop, R&B, pop, and jazz. We welcome Q-Tip to the G.O.O.D. Music / Island Def Jam family.”

“I’m excited to be a part of the great iconic Def Jam label,” said Q-Tip. “I’m humbled to be a part of such a storied history. To reconnect with Barry Weiss is a great thing. As far as G.O.O.D. Music, I’m excited to solidify my working relationship with Kanye, and I look forward to all the opportunities that lie ahead in our partnership. I will do my best to present the most cutting edge music I can.”

Q-Tip has been credited as a producer on Kanye West’s revered “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” as well as West’s much-anticipated 2011 collaboration with Jay-Z, “Watch the Throne.” Q-Tip has been in the studio working with Rico Love, Marsha Ambrosius, Kendrick Lamar, and Fiona Apple. He also produced songs on the just-released fourth solo album by bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding.

Q-Tip along with former co-members of hip-hop collective A Tribe Called Quest produced and was heavily involved with the documentary, “Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest,” released in July 2011. Viewers were able to revisit the group’s rise to prominence and glimpse the start of Q-Tip’s solo career. Fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter of the Q-Tip story leading up to the 2013 release of THE LAST ZULU.

Spotted: NR

Fat Joe says, “It’s like the 9/11 of hip hop”.

Spotted: NR

Update: Audio

If you’ve been under a rock for the last 24 hours, the hip-hop world has been a buzz with uncertainty over whether or not the actual Havoc of Mobb Deep or an impersonator went on a Twitter rant against his long-time partner-in-rhyme on Twitter last night. While many speculated that Hav’s Twitter account have been “hacked,” whomever was Tweeting from @TheRealHavoc went on for hours on a campaign to defame Prodigy’s character. Late tonight Havoc finally issued the following official statement about the matter.

The fact that Havoc lost his phone also explains why when Hip-Hop journalist Sway texted his phone about the validity of the defamatory Tweets, the response he received was “Very Real.” One peculiar point that Miss Info pointed out as not adding up however, was that many of the slanderous Tweets were not done from Hav’s iPhone but instead were labeled as being sent out via web. Hmm..definitely strange but for now all you Infamous Mobb fans can sleep easy with this unfortunate sham seemingly cleared up. #Thank YouRapGods. Back to your regularly scheduled programming, dunn.

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XXL Magazine releases the mixtape for their fifth annual freshman list hosted by DJ Whoo Kid, Diddy & T.I.. The project is 23 track slong with new music from French Montana, Future, Danny Brown, Iggy Azalea, Macklemore, KiD iNk, Hopsin, Roscoe Dash, Machine Gun Kelly & Don Trip. Features include Rick Ross, Jadakiss, T.I., Styles P, Fat Joe, Red Cafe, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill & Mystikal. Download the tape and peep the full tracklist below.

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While Mobb Deep fans have been singing the blues all day, Lupe Fiasco’s loyal supporters will be happy to know that the Chicago rapper has completed his third studio LP, Food & Liquor 2. Lupe went up to the Atlantic Records offices today to turn in the album and tweeted the following:

Food&Liquor2:GreatAmericanRapAlbumPt.1 is in NYC…1st label listening session….”

Lu had expressed his ambition to makes this a double album previously but there’s no confirmation as of yet if this will be a two disc effort.

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Dealer: The Source