Dr. Dre's "Detox" Allegedly Gets February Release Date

Will valentines everywhere be giving the gift of "Detox"? Some sources say yes.

While it has not been confirmed by officials at Interscope, reliable sources are saying that Dr. Dre's long-awaited Detox will be given a February 2011 release date.

Since Detox was first announced in 2002 it has been tagged with a few release dates, all of which have obviously come and gone. But with "Kush " being officially released on iTunes November 18, it is a step in the right direction as Dre has never released a single for the album. 

In addition to "Kush," a song called "I Need A Doctor " also leaked. The Alex da Kid produced record features Eminem and Dre dedicating verses to one another.  Along with Eminem, Skylar Grey, Snoop Dogg, Akon and Slim Da Mobsta, Jay-Z, La Roux and The Game are also expected to appear onDetox.

Last week Dre spoke to radio personality Big Boy and said the project was almost finished. "I see the finish line right now. I’m wrapping it up. I need about two or three more songs, and hopefully I’ll start the mixing process at the end of next month. From that point I’m about 30 days out. One of the reasons it was taking so long was because I felt like I was doing it more out of obligation as opposed to actually feeling it.”

Snooki Says "I'm Up There With Gaga"

Everyone’s favorite “Jersey Shore” girl Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi celebrated her 23rd birthday in style Saturday night. After renting a party bus, Snooks swung by Brother Jimmy’s for a southern style meal of ribs, brisket and all the fried pickles - or frickles - she could stomach. (Seriously, the restaurant sent out a heaping plate with a candle plunked in the middle in lieu of a birthday cake, much to her grinning delight.)

While she nibbled, Snooki talked to Global Grindexclusively about what she really thought of “South Park” parodying her, how she still dislikes “Shore” castmateAngelina Pivranick, why she’s in the same league as Lady Gaga and, of course, how to smush safely.

GlobalGrind: Happy birthday! So Lifestyle condoms is sponsoring your birthday party tonight at Pacha...

Snooki: Yes. Lifestyles: DTF safely. Down to f*** safely [Laughs]. Look, pretty much if you want to have sex with someone, wear a condom so you don’t get a disease.

 DTF and some of your other catch phrases and slang have really caught on...

Snooki: It’s so funny. In season three in Jersey we say so much sh** that’s going to be everywhere; that everyone’s going to catch on to. I can’t give you a preview of any of the new words yet because it just spoils everything. But people saying what we do? That’s awesome.

GlobalGrind: Speaking of people copying you, you were the number one Halloween costume this year. How’d that make you feel?

Snooki: I think it’s very flattering. Obviously Halloween is a time to scare everyone [Laughs] but if you’re trying to be either Lady Gaga or me, that’s a good thing. Because if I’m up there with Gaga, like I am right now, that’s awesome. I got to see some of the Snooki costumes. I have a fanpage on my Facebook and I saw a lot of girls that look like me. I approve. [Laughs]

And finally, what did you really think of that “South Park” episode?

Snooki: Oh my God! I thought it was hi-larious. That freaking hamster…Well, the hamster should’ve been Angelina first of all. Because Angelina’s a dirty hamster. It should’ve been her. I don’t know why I was a dirty hamster, but the fact that the whole “South Park” episode was arranged around me just shows how popular I am and a big thank you to “South Park” for making my head even bigger.

Wu-Tang Clan and D-Block Meet For An Album

Two members of the veteran New York crews have teamed up for a project

The Wu-Tang Clan and D-Block crews have collaborated a lot over the years, most recently with Sheek appearing on "Youngstown Heist" on the Wu-Massacre album and Jadakiss and Styles P assisting Raekwon on "Broken Safety" on Only Built For Cuban Linx II.

Now it looks as though a member from each camp will represent for Wu/Block. Sheek Louch announced on Twitter Friday, November 19 that he and Ghostface would be making an album together. 

It appears the album has already been worked on, considering Sheek says we'll have in early 2011. Before they're collaborating, they'll be competing. Both Sheek and Ghost have albums dropping on December 14 on Def Jam. Sheek will release Donnie Gorilla and Ghost is bringing his ninth solo LP Apollo Kids (which will feature Sheek). No word if yet if this project will be put out by Def Jam. HipHopDX will keep you posted.

Biography On Jay-Z To Be Released Next Year

Penguin Group to release Jay-Z biography written by Forbes' Zack O'Malley Greenburg next year.

Only days after the release of Jay-Z and writer Dream Hampton’s Decoded publishing company Penguin Group has announced that they will be releasing a biography of their own on the famed rapper.

XXLMag.com reports that the biography, which will be titled Empire State Of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner To Corner Office, will be released early next year.

Empire State Of Mind will include interviews from Damon Dash, Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, Questlove, and more; the book was written by Forbes magazine’s Zack O’Malley Greenburg.

It is unclear how much input Jay-Z had in the book, if any. Consisting of a little over 200 pagesEmpire State Of Mind will chronicle everything from Jay-Z’s days at Marcy Projects to his current success as a businessman and Hip Hop mogul.

Empire State Of Mind is scheduled to be released on March 17, 2011. 

Ryan Leslie Brings Out Lloyd Banks and Fabolous For "Start It Up"

Ryan Leslie Brings Out Fabolous & Lloyd Banks from ThisIsRnB on Vimeo.



Ryan Leslie brought out Fabolous last night at his NYC show to perform some of the hits they got together. Lloyd Banks then came out to do, “Start It Up.”

Kanye West Speaks On His Favorite Album and Illuminati Rumors

Kanye answers random questions for fans at a listening party in Minneapolis.

Kanye West To Perform During Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

UPDATE: It appears as though Kanye West will perform "Lost In The World" tomorrow morning.

It has been announced that the same week Kanye West releases his new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he will perform before at one of the United States' most celebrated holiday traditions, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The 84th annual parade will take place on New York City's 34th Street on Thanksgiving day, where the famed department store's flagship location sits.

Although no announcements have been made as to what Kanye West will perform, the November 25th televised live appearance will likely include cuts from his album, released that Monday. West shares the bill with Jessica Simpson and Gladys Knight.

Network NBC will feature the televised affair, and will begin airing at 9am EST. (November 3)

UPDATE: Yesterday (November 23), Kanye West was seen rehearsing "Lost In The World" for tomorrow's performance. The song, which appears on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, features Bon Iver and co-production by longtime collaborator Jeff Bhasker.

Rihanna Explains Why Her Romance With Drake Didn't Work

The Bajan singer said she was too 'fragile' to commit to another relationship at that time especially after her ill-fated romance with Chris Brown.

Rihanna has explained why her blossoming romance with Drake fizzled out, insisting she was too "fragile" to commit to another relationship following her split from Chris Brown. The "Umbrella" hitmaker parted ways with the R&B singer in early 2009 after he beat her in a vicious domestic dispute, which left him with an assault conviction. They briefly reconciled after the fight, but later split for good.

Rihanna was subsequently linked to upcoming rapper Drake after they were spotted enjoying a night out together, but the relationship never materialized and the hip-hop star later revealed the singer broke off their romance early on. The Bajan beauty has now spoken out about her involvement with Drake, insisting she was "attracted" to him, but just wasn't ready for another boyfriend.

She tells American radio station Hot 97, "We weren't really sure what it was. We just went out - my friends, his friends. I definitely was attracted to Drake, but I think it is what it is, like it was what it was. We didn't want to take it any further. It was at a really fragile time in my life, so I just didn't want to get too serious with anything or anyone at that time."

And Rihanna hopes her current partner, Los Angeles Dodgers star Matt Kemp, doesn't feel uncomfortable watching her onscreen with Drake in their steamy video for her track "What's My Name?" She adds, "(Kemp) never said it out loud, but I don't know what he's thinking. He watched it the other day and he was like, 'I love that video. It's a great video, babe.' I don't know how true that really was, but he seemed to like it."

Source: Aceshowbiz

Jay-Z Shares His Top Five Dead Or Alive

I always wondered who his top five were. He could have easily thrown himself in as part of those five as well.

New York Giants Rep Hunger For More 2 For Lloyd Banks

With 50 Cent behind him the marketing and advertising for this album has been incredible. I expect him to do huge numbers.

Beyonce Says She's Creating Her Own Genre Of Music

Not satisfied with being the best female singer R&B has to offer, Beyonce is hard at work creating her own 'genre of music.'

While on the set of her new Vizio television commercial, Beyonce talked to ET about what she's working on.

"I'm here with Vizio shooting a commercial now, so it's great. I love to dance, I love to sing, and I'm actually in the studio writing songs and producing. I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music," Beyonce says.

There have been many genre's of R&B music. Everything from funk, neo soul, new jack swing and classic soul to name a few. It will be interesting to see what B's new style will be dubbed.

B is also staying busy outside of music. Vizio is just the latest in a long line of products the super popular singer is endorsing. She looked genuinely excited, as she talked about the concept of the new commercial.

"The concept today is, basically someone is watching the television, and I decided to step in their living room and perform especially for them. And the tv looks so wonderful they're ignoring me," she explains. "So I'm stepping it up and I'm trying to perform harder, and it doesn't matter, the TV is better!"

Cool concept, although we all know, no sane man could ignore Beyonce.

The commercial debuts on Thanksgiving Day.

Nicki Minaj Officially Responds To Lil Kim

Nicki Minaj has finally made an official response to Lil' Kim.

While Kim has made no secret of her distaste for the Young Money emcee, Nicki Minaj has remained more guarded about overtly dissing Kim, preferring thinly-veiled subliminals in songs such as "Roman's Revenge" and "Monster."

In an interview with Angie Martinez, when asked about Kim, Nicki was more forthcoming than she had been in the past. "[Kim] just really jumped out the window. You gotta be really careful when you pick fights...I think people get me mistaken with a real Barbie. They forget where I'm from. And if I have to [respond], I can and I will. Don't play with me. It's one of those moments when you say, 'Don't play with me.'"

Minaj, who claimed Kim as an influence earlier in the interview, continued: "I respect you, I love you, I've said it in every interview time and time again. And if that's not good enough [for] you, mama, that's something deep-rooted in you. You need to get your -- something is bothering you inside. That's your insecurity bothering you. It's not Nicki Minaj, it would've been any girl that started poppin'. She picked a fight with Foxy, then she picked a fight with Eve, then she picked a fight with Remy, then it was Mrs. Wallace, then it was Nicki Minaj! Everytime you in the news, it's because you gettin' at somebody! Where is your music? ...When I see your name on Billboard, that's when I'll respond to you."

I co-sign everything Nicki Minaj had to say in this interview. Lil Kim needs to get a life and people in hip hop need to start supporting each other more. Quit hating on people and be happy for those who succeed and do well. 

Redman: "I Am Officially A Wu-Tang Member"

In a recent interview with allhiphop.com Redman talked about his involvement with Wu-Tang Clan, saying that he’s in fact an 11th member. Following that statement unidentified members of the Wu-Tang circle denied Red’s official status in the group but said the Jersey native is as close to being a member as you can get.

To set the story straight, yesterday (November 18) XXLspoke to Red, who’s currently on tour overseas, about his upcoming album Reggie,and he had a chance to clear up any uncertainty.

“I am the last member of Wu Tang, like Method Man he’s a part of Def Squad,” the New Jersery-bred rap vet said. “[Meth] has been a part of Def Squad before I was a member. I was like a member. But I was affiliated and I wasn’t signed in, but, I’m definitely—they got my number. Number 11th and I am officially a Wu Tang member right now.”

When asked where the confusion came from, Red charged it to the haters, saying, “You gotta take the haters with it. I didn’t even know there was [confusion] and really I didn’t care. I just go by what my homie told me. I was like kicking in nobody doors or anything like that. It’s just a fam thing. I don’t get into that media crap “yo he is or he isn’t.” It is what it is. If I am I am, if not then not. We still homies.”

Big Sean Responds To Drake's Rhyme Style Compliment

MTV Shows

By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Does the lyric ‘It’s going down, basement’ sound familiar? How about ‘I shut ‘em down, Onyx’? Those two lines are from Nicki Minaj and Drake respectively, but the Toronto MC credited to style of the rhyme to G.O.O.D. Music’s Detroit native.

"To be honest, that flow, you can trace it back to like … I trace it back to Big Sean," Drake told Allhiphop earlier this year. "That’s the first guy I heard utilize that flow throughout the duration of a verse. I’ll give him that credit. I think Kanye got it from him."

MTV News' Sway asked the Sean about Drake's nod during "RapFix Live" on Thursday (November 18) with Pusha T and CyHi The Prynce.

"I think I was the first person to use it in that context," said Big Sean. "Drake gave me the credit for it, which he didn't have to do, he gets the real g award for that one. "

During the show, which streamed live here on RapFix and fans submitted questions via Twitter to @MTVRapFix and uploaded video queries to your.mtv.com, Sean also talked about how the rhyme occurred.

"It's something that I did in 2008, it was honestly a joke and I was with Kanye when I came up with it," said Sean via Skype from Orlando, Florida. "I was rapping it to him and he was like 'Man, those is the best raps you've ever wrote.' From there, I just made a song and I put it out on a mixtape and next thing I know, Drake used it in his song, which is dope. Then it seemed like everybody started using it, and I was feeling like 'Man, I kinda started this' but that just showed me how much impact I could have on the game. It just makes my imagination run wild and I know the possibilities are endless for the influence I could have."

"I'm a Detroit player, they set styles," added Sean, as to how he was able to hatch such a widespread trend. "You hear B.I.G. and Jay reference Detroit for they style and gators, it's 'cause Detroit players got that style. So whether it's fashion or music, I always try to bring in a certain style. That's one of the things that have been proven, that I could bring new styles to the game, so I'm excited about it."

Sean closed out his interview by casually mentioning that he's featured on the iTunes release of Kanye West's "See Me Now" which features Beyoncé, on his LP My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. West's album hits shelves on November 22.

"Did he just pop his own collar?" asked Sway with a smile. Yes, definitely.

Bruno Mars Cocaine Possession Trial Pushed Back To December

According to TMZ, singer and songwriter Bruno Mars has officially been charged with drug possession after having been arrested in Las Vegas last month. He was taken into custody after a bathroom attendant told authorities that the musician took a "baggie of white powdery substance" into one of the bathroom stalls. Mars faces up to four years in prison, but because of a clean record, may avoid a jail sentence, but pay a $5,000 fine.

The newcomer featured on B.o.B.'s "Nothin' On You," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, co-wrote Cee-Lo's "Fuck You," and has now earned his first single on the Hot 100, "Just The Way You Are."

Despite the felony charge, his record label is publicly supporting him. A representative from Elektra said, "We congratulate Bruno Mars on his chart topping success, and provide him with our full love and support." (October 1)

UPDATE: VIBE.com reports that Mars' trial, while initially scheduled for yesterday, is pushed back to late December. No exact date has been provided.

Tyga Freestyles For Tim Westwood

It's always good to see people come from off the top of the head and speak from their soul. Good freestyle.

Common Penning Autobiography

Common is set to join Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Eminem…on book shelves that is. The Chicago MC has inked a deal with Atria Books to release his memoirs.

According to the Associated Press, the G.O.O.D. music rap star/actor enlisted Adam Bradley—who just edited the comprehensive, 800-plus page tome, The Anthology of Rap, that highlights some of rap’s greatest lyrics sheets—for help with writing his autobiography. Common, who provided the forward for Bradley’s collection, will name his book after his 1997 album, One Day It’ll All Make Sense.

The book is set to come out on June 2011. —Elan Mancini

Lil Wayne To Perform With Eminem On 'Saturday Night Live'

MTV reports:

Music-wise, it's been a pretty stellar year for "Saturday Night Live," with memorable sets from Kanye West, Kings of Leon, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Arcade Fire.

But things will heat up even more in December, when the venerable weekend sketch show rounds out the year with a trio of heavy-hitting host/performer pairings. The most anticipated will be the December 18 show, which The Hollywood Reporter reported will feature five-time musical guest Eminem performing the song "No Love" alongside Lil Wayne, who will be making his second appearance on the show.

As of right now, the slot will be Weezy's first major TV performance since his release from prison earlier this month.

The host that night will be "Tron Legacy" and "True Grit" star Jeff Bridges, who last hosted the show 27 years ago with his brother, fellow actor Beau Bridges, marking the longest gap between hosting duties in the show's history.

Paul Rudd will make his second tour of duty as host December 11 to promote "How Do You Know," on a night when Paul McCartney will take the "SNL" stage for the third time.

And coming up on December 4 will be third-time host Robert De Niro and Diddy-Dirty Money, appearing to promote the trio's long-delayed Last Train to Paris disc. De Niro will be promoting "Little Fockers," which is due December 22.

This Saturday's show will be hosted by Anne Hathaway, with musical guest Florence and the Machine.

Joe Budden Credits Eminem With Slaughterhouse's Detroit Love

MTV:

At the Detroit stops of Jay-Z and Eminem's Home and Home Tour, there was undeniable crowd support for another hip-hop crew: rap supergroup Slaughterhouse. The team's New Jersey representative Joe Budden credits a lot of the Midwest love not only to group member and Detroit native Royce Da 5'9", but also to the support the collective has received from Motor City megastar Eminem.

"We get a lot of support out there in the D," Budden told MTV News. "I attribute a lot of it to just Royce and Em."

Budden said that, despite Eminem's superstar status, he still has love for the purest elements of the hip-hop art form. The Mood Muzik spitter said Slaughterhouse stand for those same rap essentials, which endears the foursome to the hip-hop luminary.

"Em, to be as successful as he is, and I'll just tell this to anybody with two ears, or one ear for that matter, is just one of the most supportive hip-hop people that I've met," he said. "He's really, really just into hip-hop and rap and lyrics. He's just really into all of the things that group was built around."

Although Eminem and the Slaughterhouse crew see eye-to-eye creatively, bringing Budden, Royce, Crooked I and Joell Ortiz into the Shady fold has been an ongoing saga. Earlier this year, Ortiz spoke with MTV News about finalizing a deal with Em.

MTV Shows

"We in the ninth inning of it, we just keep changing pitchers," the Brooklyn MC said in May. "I don't know, man — it's a lot of hold-ups. I thought on my end I was straight, but I wasn't. We're going back and forth with the people I'm working with. Joe [Budden] had some issues or whatever. The interest is still there. Everybody is excited about it; it's just a lot of people involved in this. Four artists, four separate managers, label situations — a lot of black and white that gotta get settled for it to happen, but verbally, we're on Shady! Eminem is excited, the whole group is excited. The world is excited. I can't even do a show without somebody asking that. Without them being, 'You ripped it, what's up with Em?' Everybody is waiting on this, so it's going to happen. It's going to happen."

Bernard Hopkins Says Manny Pacquiao Is Ducking African-American Fighters

After watching Manny Pacquiao destroy Antonio Margarito last Saturday, fracturing his eye socket in the process, many boxing fans are left to wonder what's next for the Filipino champion.

Is Pacquiao unbeatable? Sure fire boxing Hall Of Fame boxer Bernard Hopkins doesn't think so.

B-Hop thinks Manny has been ducking African American fighters for a reason. Pacquiao has never fought an African American in his illustrious career. Hopkins says he is dodging them because they would beat him.

"Maybe I'm biased because I'm black, but I do think a fighter like the Ray Leonards, or anyone like that would beat a guy like Pacquiao if they come on their game, " Hopkins said. "Listen, this aint a racial thing, but then again or maybe it is...But the style that is embedded in most of us black fighters could be a problem to any other style of fighting."

In Pacquiao's defense, he came up in lighter weight divisions where there aren't many black fighters. And he did recently fight Joshua Clottey, but Clottey is a native African and doesn't use the styles of boxing Hopkins referenced.

Hopkins is hoping for the much anticipated Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Pacquia, because he think Money May will dominate.

"Floyd Mayweather would beat Manny Pacquiao because the styles that African-American fighters -- and I mean, black fighters from the streets or the inner cities -- would be successful," said Hopkins, according to Fanhouse.com. "I think Floyd Mayweather would pot-shot Pacquiao and bust him up in between the four-to-five punches that Pacquiao throws and then set him up later on down the line."

The Pacquia camp is buying all this talk of race being a factor when it comes time for Manny to pick opponents. His promotor, Bob Arum told ESPN that Pac Man never ran and never will from any challenge.

"I have heard that, yes. A lot of people don't articulate it. But a lot of people, in effect, hint at it," Arum said. "But you're absolutely correct, and there is no argument there. The notion that he would not fight an African-American fighter is ridiculous."