Rumor has it that it's not all good between ODB aka Dirt McGirt and the Wu after his ROC deal. Raekwon and RZA has reportedly had "heated" conversations with ODB over the whole deal. The media and Roc A Fella are makin it seem its a mutually beneficial relationship. In reality, there is tension. On one side, Dirt says Wu did not support him while in jail and did not have anything on the table for him. Thru the Wu eyes, they expected him to come back to the family. More will revealed on this situation soon, stay tuned.
____________________________________________________

Rumor has it Ja Rule and Busta Rhymes got into a physical altercation outside of BET studios recently.

(Personally, I'm not buyin' this rumor. If two major "MTV" names like Ja & Busta got into a fight in from of a "major" television studio. It would be major news somewhere. - Rob)
_____________________________________________________
In addition to his record label, clothing line, and vodka company, Jay-Z continues to diversify his business interests. He will be opening a sports bar in Manhattan later this month. 40/40, scheduled to open on May 28, will be located at 6 West 25th Street in the Chelsea district.

Jay-Z decided to name the sports bar 40/40 in honor of baseball's exclusive 40/40 club for the few players who have been able to steal 40 bases and hit 40 homeruns in the same season. Only three players have reached this milestone in baseball history: Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, and Barry Bonds.

40/40 will feature big screen TVs, video games and a cigar room. Source: Launch.Com
________________________________________________
In similar news, Fat Joe and well known restaurateur Jimmy Rodriguez have purchased a seafood joint outside of the Bronx called King Lobster. The name may, or may not be changed. This will add to Joe's investment in the Bronx among a barbershop, pool hall and clothing store.
_________________________________________________

And. . .

It looks like Club goers in Miami's South Beach will have a new venue to choose from after this weekend. Source Magazine co-owner Ray Benzino has opened a brand new night club called Club ZNO . The Grand
Opening kicked off this past Friday and featured an all-star line up which included Ja Rule, Irv Gotti and the entire Murder Inc family. Benzino performed as well as Noreaga. The event was hosted by Luke.

The following nights featured special guests; Lil Kim, Jadakiss, Mobb Deep, Baby of the Cash Money Click and Ghostface Killah.

For those who are trying to locate this Hip Hop spot they can peep Club ZNO on 1419 Washington Ave in South Beach.
_____________________________________________
Nelly is set to launch a non-profit organization called 'Jes Us For Jackie' on May 14th. The purpose of the organization is to help increase the number of bone marrow donors amongst African Americans. Nelly's sister Jackie Donahue is in need of a bone marrow transplant... Nelly will be sponsoring a campaign to get out more African American donors in St Louis, Los Angeles and New York.. He will personally pay for the for the cost of
testing asnd will hand out educational material.
_______________________________________________
Jay, Nas, Busta, And ODB will be making special guest appearances on the Neptunes next cd titled "Clash of the Clones, release date July 8th."

A compilation of all new Startrak artists, mixed with artists they have worked with. Pharrell's Frontin (ft. Jay-Z) is the first single off it.

("Hurray 'cause I love the Neptunes and can't get enough of them. They sure aren't over-saturating the market," Rob says sarcastically)
__________________________________________________
Lawyers for Trina issued a cease and desist order to a website that claimed to have a videotape of the rapper engaged in sex acts.

The website is hawking the tapes, which allegedly has a younger Trina in the video for $9.95.

"We do not know whether the photographs or video footage contained in this video are, in fact, of our client. What we do know is that our client has not authorized the release of these photographs or this video footage," Trina's lawyer Bernard Resnick told AllHipHop.com."Trina has not authorized, nor does she intend to authorize, any such release, which she believes violate her intellectual property rights, trademark and servicemark rights, copyrights, name and likeness rights, right of privacy, and right of publicity."

Resnick ordered that the man who owns the website, a Dustin Fair, immediately cease and desist from any further advertising of the videotape as well as turning over the source that provided Fair with the "person(s) or entity that was the source of this video and delivered, licensed, loaned and/or sold it to you."

As of press time, the website brazenly moved the "release date" of the tape up to May 15th, and even said that copies would be sold on DVD and AVI computer format.

All references to Trina have been removed from the website.

Fair could not be reached for comment

Source www.allhiphop.com
________________________________________________
Eminem has told Weird Al Yankovic to stop shooting a video for a "Lose Yourself" parody titled "Couch Potato." However, Em did allow Yankovic to put the tune on his new album.

________________________________________________
Michael Jackson suing Universal Music for royalties he claims he's owed from rereleased Jackson 5 tracks, according to Celebrity Justice. No immediate comment from Universal or Jackson.

(a ridiculously rich, desperate former big nosed black man trying to maintain a lifestyle he can no longer he can no longer afford to support two blond-haired, blue-eyed white kids he's been told (and believes) are his. sad. . sad. . .sad - Rob)
________________________________________________
Honduran President Ricardo Maduro unveiling a monument in tribute to Lisa Left Eye Lopes' memory in La Ceiba, where she was killed in an automobile accident April 25, 2002.

________________________________________________
Aretha Franklin organizing a candlelight vigil and prayer service for Luther Vandross slated for May 19 in Detroit. The Four Tops will be among those singing and praying for Vandross, who remains in critical condition after suffering a stroke last month.
_______________________________________________