Def Jam announced today it is lending its brand cache to a new mobile partnership which will offer an "arsenal of wireless solutions" to millions living the hip hop lifestyle.

Russell Simmons, in conjunction with AG Interactive -- the new media subsidiary of American Greetings Corporation -- have joined together to develop a suite of new wireless applications and products to the mobile marketplace. Called Def Jam Mobile, the partners will jointly develop, distribute and market mobile content offerings in the music, film and videogame area as well as other forms of self-expression including personalization, messaging products and entertainment.

"It's only natural to extend hip hop into new avenues of self-expression," states Kevin Liles, President and Chief Executive Officer, Def Jam. "Def Jam Mobile will allow us to be able to provide new ways for our audience to access and use wireless content to further their own individuality."

Citing the power of the hip-hop dollar, with a reported annual spending wallet of $1 trillion, AG and Def Jam plans to provide an unparalleled opportunity for those living the hip-hop lifestyle.

"The buying power of the hip hop generation has evolved into a multibillion dollar economic force," notes Russell Simmons, Chief Executive Officer, Rush Communications. "We're confident Def Jam Mobile will bring the most desirable, targeted mobile content to the core, hip hop demographic."

Meanwhile, Simmons continues to be a force in the political arena, announcing today that his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network has registered over 12 million voters in the past three years. The HHSAN brought out an audience of 8,000 last week in Ohio, a key state with a large number of unregistered youth.

"We're excited," enthused Russell Simmons, HSAN's Chairman and co-founder. "We want to get every young person's voice to count. The most American thing you can do is vote."

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Former Bad Boy artist Shyne spoke out from jail to New York radio personality Angie Martinez on Friday about P. Diddy and the tragic 1999 club shooting before his call was abruptly terminated by an operator.

Speaking live from the Clinton Correctional Facility where inmates could be heard yelling in the background, Shyne talked relunctantly to Martinez about the incident which landed him a ten year jail sentence.

"There's no proof I shot anybody," Shyne stated. "As far as those charges, I'm innocent. You don't get 10 years for gun possession. You get probation."

Shyne has been quietly serving out his sentencing for the 1999 shooting at Manhattan's Club NY. Shyne was arrested outside of the club for possession of a gun. After over six months of a high-profile media trial, Puffy was exonerated while Shyne faced the music and a sentence of 10 years in jail.

The incarcerated rapper told radio personality Angie Martinez he expects to be released from jail early next year pending appeal. And regarding Puffy, he says he's moved on and harbors no ill will.

"I'm so blessed, you dig? And so many things are happening for me."

And blessed you can call him considering his new imprint deal with Def Jam Records called Gangland Records. The deal was reportedly setup quietly in March by Def Jam's president, Kevin Liles.

"I'm grateful. More or less it's really Gangland," said Shyne. "I got good partners with Kevin Liles. They got a good history with The Roc and Murder Inc."

Shyne's new album is said to be released as early as this fall though the rapper is not eligible for parole until 2009. The album will feature songs recorded before he was imprisoned in 2001. His contract with his former label, Bad Boy Records, was cancelled when he was sentenced to jail.

Before the call ended, Shyne promised to speak one last time in person to Martinez with the release of his upcoming album.

"The next time we do our interview its gonna be live," he said. August 10th, Shyne's album will be out I'll be more live."

The interview, which was stretched out over thirty minutes including numerous commercial breaks and music, was abruptly disconnected when a phone card operator announced his time had expired.

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After successful ratings behind urban television staples such as Making the Band 2 and Pimp My Ride, MTV has announced pilots for two more Hip-Hop headed programs, according to published reports.

Former P.Diddy manservant Farnsworth Bentley will serve as host and executive producer of "Borrow My Crew." The Gentleman of Bad Boy and his "glam squad" will give viewers image makeovers ala' an episode of Ricki Lake.

The network is also developing a vehicle for Roc-A-Fella rap star Jay-Z. The show would bring artists from different musical genres together to mesh their styles into a new sound.

No title has been announced for the Jigga hosted program at press time.

Cameron Diaz, Wilmer Valderrama, Frankie Muniz, Stan Lee, Rob Zombie and former B2K front man Omarion are the other celebrities slated to star in upcoming MTV pilots for the 2004-2005 season.

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Public Enemy has teamed with Moby to record an anti-war song timed for release near this year’s summer Olympic games.

The song, titled “MKLVFKWR” which is an acronym for “make love, f**k war,” features Chuck D. and Flavor Flav rapping about the current status of the world and in reaction to the war in Iraq.

The song was recorded for an official Olympic compilation album titled Unity, which also features contributions from Xzibit, Black Eyed Peas group member will.i.am, Destiny’s Child and others.

The 16-track album also includes artists from 15 other countries and was recorded under the theme of harmony and peace.

“MKLVFKWR” will drop on the Mute label as a 12 inch single only, while the album is slated for a July 12 release date.

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Reverend Run will be honored with the "Protégé of the Year" award during a ceremony honoring Dr. Reverend Frederick Eikerenkoetter, popularly known as Reverend Ike.

On June 12, Bishop E. Bernard Jordan, founder of New York City's Zoe Ministries will honor Reverend Ike with a lifetime award for his mentoring work.

Jordan will also present Run with the protégé award during the ceremonies, which take place at the Plaza Hotel in New Jersey.

Reverend Ike was one of the most visible African-American's in the United States in the 1970s.

Weekly sermons are still broadcast every month on radio and television stations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

"Reverend Ike is the father. Before there was any prosperity teachers, Ike did it," Run told AllHipHop.com. "He's the pioneer. For Reverend Ike to call me his grandson and for Bishop Jordan to call me his son is an honor."

Run said he received a prophesy stating that he would be a successful businessman from Bishop Jordan, who was taught by Reverend Ike.

Run subsequently took over Phat Farm's sneaker division, leading the division to over $200 million in sales and feels that the prophesy was indeed true.

"The principles they taught me, work," Run said emphatically. "I applied the principles to Phat Farm and look at the sneaker division now. Reverend Ike is my Daddy, Bishop Jordan is his son and I'm the grandson."

The Reverend Al Sharpton will also attend the ceremonies and a silent auction is also planned for the event.

"When I was just a boy coming to New York City for the first time, I saw my first Rolls Royce parked in front of the Plaza Hotel," the elusive Reverend Ike said. "At the time I had holes in my shoes and my socks were touching the ground. I was on the outside looking in, now I am on the inside looking out."

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Former 2pac proteges the Outlawz signed a Major Deal with Cash Money Records.

So you may finally be able to get their CD's in every store,and hear the Outlawz on your local radio; and you may finally see Outlawz Video's On MTV and BET on a regular basis.

The album will be called Ghetto Gospel.
They will be having a single and Video hitting the airwaves soon.
The album will be coming out this year; sometime in the next few months.

Plus the Outlawz will be dropping 2 Outlaw mixtapes soon.