Though his single hasn't gotten much burn, the buzz surrounding Shyne's return will be enough to place him in the Top 5 next week. According to early reports, Godfather Buried Alive is on pace to sell up to 180, 000 units in its first week. Meanwhile, Mobb Deep is also off to a fast start. While "Got It Twisted" has somewhat disappeared from play lists, Amerikaz's Nightmare will likely reach up to 130,000 copies in its first week.

After free falling off the charts, Lloyd Banks' numbers have been consistent lately. For the second consecutive week, Banks stands at number 9 and drops 21 percent - selling 59, 526 units of The Hunger For More according to the Hits charts.

Though "Lean Back" has been spinning dizzily since the summer began, heads were shocked to see that Terror Squad didn't shatter the 100,000 mark in its debut. In their second week, Fat Joe and company slip 46 percent and 'lean back' to number 11 - selling 50,769 copies of True Story according to the Hits charts. Meanwhile, Jadakiss hasn't budged much in recent weeks. Despite a significant 26 percent drop, Kiss Of Death hangs tight at number 14 and finds 45,432 new purchasers.

Three slots behind, Black Eyed Peas seem to be immune to big sale drops. At this pace, the Peas' upcoming Monkey Business is likely to join Elephunk atop the charts this coming November. In its 59th week, the trio only drops 1 percent and leaps six positions to number 17 - selling 39, 615 according to the Hits charts. Rounding out the Top 20, Kanye West has also been mirroring his sales for the past few months. With "Jesus Walks" still blessing the airwaves across the nation, The College Dropout takes a 5 percent hit, but climbs three spots to number 18 - selling 38,909 LPs according to the Hits charts.

At number 21, D12 is quietly racking up sales towards another double platinum plaque. In its 15th week, D12 World slides 9 percent, but hops one position to move 37,128 CDs according to the Hits charts.

Right behind, The Beastie Boys stand as the sole act to boost their sales this week. Eight weeks in, To The Five Boroughs jumps 1 percent and soars eight slots to number 22 - selling 38,876 records according to the Hits charts.

While Lil Wayne's latest single still isn't picking up, he's still putting up numbers thanks to his strong fan base and word of mouth. In its sixth week, The Carter drops 11 percent and three spots to number 23 to sell 36,650 albums according to the Hits charts.

Lastly, Juvenile and The Roots are slowly sliding down and Lil Flip stays afloat. After 33 weeks on the charts, Juvey The Great has finally gone platinum. This week, the LP sinks 6 percent, yet goes up two spots to number 27 and pushes 34, 380 units according to the Hits charts. Meanwhile, The Roots fall 10 positions to #29 and slump 22% while Lil Flip drops two to number 49 with a 7 percent decline. After four weeks, The Tipping Point sells 33,629 CDs and U Gotta Feel Me moves 25,272 copies according to the Hits charts.

Next week, look for Shyne and Mobb Deep to enter the Top 5
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OutKast's Andre 3000 was recently named the world's best-dressed man by Esquire Magazine.

After turning heads with football helmets and platinum wigs during the Aquemini and Stankonia years, Andre now routinely wears color-coordinated blazers, button down shirts and bowties with his own little twist.

"He's a complete individual. But that's really the point." He's probably worn his most outrageous when he's in a video or on stage," Nick Sullivan, Esquire's fashion director, told the Associated Press. "What we photographed him in is very much what he wanted to wear."

According to Sullivan, Esquire's list is based on the artist's personal style rather than celebrity stylists' suggestions. While the mag has published best-dressed lists before, this year marked the first international list. The September issue features Dre showing his range by sporting a double-breasted suede trench coat, a cashmere sweater and corduroy trousers in one of the photos.

"They're kind of like a uniform, which I've always been into," Dre reveals in Esquire's September issue. "To me, that's real style, anything that feels comfortable and expresses your personality and makes you stand a little taller."

Andre beat out an eclectic bunch which included NBC's Matt Lauer of "The Today Show," Prince Felipe of Spain and Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to top Esquire's list.

After leaving Def Jam for the second time a few weeks ago, former Island/Def Jam president Kevin Liles is set to follow his former boss Lyor Cohen by joining Warner Music.

According to the New York Daily News, Liles will serve as executive vice president and once again report to Lyor Cohen. Liles reportedly had a falling out with Def Jam's new chief L.A. Reid, causing him to leave the label. Liles was instrumental in jumpstarting the careers of Ludacris, DMX, Ja Rule and Jay-Z.
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Unfazed by her recent legal troubles, Lil' Kim is working with Jacob the Jeweler to launch her upcoming line of regal watches called Royalty.

"I love fashion and wanted to create a designer watch collection that would translate my personal style into a product which would appeal to stylish women everywhere," Kim said in a statement. "These watches exude luxury, but I wanted to create a quality, unique product that fashionable women everywhere can afford."

Kim is one of several stars who have announced the launch of their own brands. Dame Dash is also working on a line of watches, Foxy Brown is readying a fur line and Lil Jon is preparing his signature sunglasses.

Manufactured by Jacob, Kim's watches will cost anywhere from $1,800 to $3,500. Supermodel Tyra Banks and singer/actress Ashlee Simpson are already flossing Royalty watches.

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Producers of “Method & Red” have shelved an additional three episodes of the show, as Method Man, Redman and the show’s other producers fight for the show’s creative direction.

According to high level executives involved with the production of the show, Fox completely changed the vision of the show, prompting Method Man to publicly complain that it did not reflect their original vision.

“Creatively they are on a different page than the network,” the executive, who wished to remain anonymous, told AllHipHop.com.

The executive revealed that once the show was given the greenlight, the vision changed from there.

“This isn't Meth and Red's brand, this is some other stuff,” the source continued. “They want more creative input over the direction the show is taking.”

In June, Method Man told the L.A.Times that he was perturbed by the writing of the show, which is about two rappers who move into a gated, white suburban community.

“This is frustrating for me, and it's not turning out for me as expected," Method Man lamented. “I know what I wanted this show to be, but there's been too much compromise on our side and not enough on their side."

“I know what I wanted this show to be, but there's been too much compromise on our side and not enough on their side," Method Man said.

The show made an impressive debut, drawing 8 million viewers. Still, Method Man said the creative rift between the two sides was too wide.

The show is slated to return to Fox’s lineup on September 8 to finish the initial 13-episode run, while the future of the first comedy show starring two major Hip-Hop artists remains uncertain.

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Irv Gotti knows re-establishing the Inc. as "the world's most talented record label" isn't going to be easy. He hit his latest bump in the road recently while trying to clear R. Kelly's appearance on Ja Rule's new R.U.L.E.

Months ago the Inc. leaked a Kelly/Ja collaboration called "I Wonder" to radio, and plans were in the works for a video to help launch Ja's project. However, according to Gotti, a lot of red tape needed to be cut through before Jive would clear the R&B star. In fact, Kelly himself had to intervene before things were cleared up, but now the R.U.L.E. LP is back on track with a new due date of November 9, one week prior to release of Ashanti's third LP.

All three artists appear on a remix of "I Wonder" called "Wonderful," which Gotti said will drop in the next few weeks and serve as the official first single for R.U.L.E.

"The joint R. and Ja did is them wondering if everyone would be down with them if they wasn't who they were," Gotti explained last week. "It's a hot party joint that hopefully all of y'all are going to get into.

"This is Ja's best album," he added about R.U.L.E. "With the combination of big records like the R. Kelly record, street records, feeling records ... even the skits are bananas. I really want n---as to put the album in and really soak it up. Everything about it is crazy."

Obviously Ja's record is just one cog in the Inc.'s machine. Lloyd's debut is in stores, and Ashanti's first video from her still-untitled album is also coming down the pike.

"The Inc. is steady grinding, steady on the move, steady on the case," Gotti said. "You've got Lloyd out there, we just finished his new video, 'Hey Young Girl.' The video is bananas. My little n---a is a star. He's a 10-year plan, I'm riding with that n---a for the next 10 years. He's a superstar. The dancing in the video, he's like a young Usher, a young Mike [Jackson], he's the total package. Ashanti's [album] is great.

"I don't like to talk about it," he added, "but when I hear what's out there and I hear our music, I know we make right music. We gotta get through this little hatred, but I think people are seeing the light a little more." Source: MTV

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Jay-Z's career as part-owner of an NBA franchise has officially begun. The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the New Jersey Nets on Thursday to an ownership group that includes the star rapper.

In January, the group, led by developer Bruce Ratner, had its $300 million offer accepted by the New Jersey Nets, though the sale still needed approval from the league.

Ratner recruited Jay-Z and a number of prominent Brooklynites with the idea of moving the franchise from the swamps of New Jersey to downtown Brooklyn. He plans to build a 19,000-seat arena in time for the 2006-2007 NBA season as part of a $2.5 billion development project, although the plan faces community opposition. Jay-Z holds a minority interest in the team.

His participation in the ownership ranks, though, set the stage for another rapper to enter the sports field: Nelly. Last month, Nelly became an investor in the ownership group that runs the Charlotte Bobcats expansion NBA franchise, led by former BET owner Robert Johnson. The 2004-2005 season will be the Bobcats' first.

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The tension has been really heated between southern artists, Lil' Flip and T.I., lately. The two have continued to exchange words through the media about each other every since T.I. took the stage Hot 107.9's annual Birthday Bash 9 in Atlanta on June 19th and dissed Flip publicly.

If you thought it was gonna die down any time soon, it hasn't. Flip says there ain't really a beef, but T.I. will understand this whole situation in the "minute."

"Nah, it's really not beef because you don't discuss beef on wax," Lil' Flip told BallerStatus.net. "He was in my trailer for The Source photo shoot. If he had a problem, he could've said something, we could've handled it right there."

Flip went on to say that T.I. is jealous of him and of his success. "He was in my trailor telling me how he wanted to be on the 'Game Over' remix. I had already did a remix, so I was like 'I've already did one.' I guess he's jealous because it took him four videos to go gold," Flip continued.

As the beef continues to the gain media attention, both artists continue to move more units. T.I.'s current album, Trapp Muzik, has been certified gold while Flip's U Gotta Feel has already hit platinum sales.

Flip's closed our discussion on T.I. saying, "if you disrespect me, you disrespect the whole Screwed Up Click. He doesn't understand that, but he'll understand in a little bit."

"Sunshine," LIl' Flip's current single featuring Lea, is #5 on Billboard's "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles" chart. The next single is set to be "We Ain't Playin'," with a video being shot in the near future.