After much of anticipation, The Game's album, The Documentary recently leaked to the streets. In recent months, the Compton rapper's buzz has intensified courtesy of countless mixtapes freestyles, random disses and loads of bold declarations. Now, with the album set to hit stores on Tuesday, January 18, heads are saying Game has lived up to the hype. With a star-studded production line-up featuring Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Just Blaze, Timbaland, Hi-Tek, Havoc and guest spots from 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans and Busta Rhymes, industry insiders are raving about the album's refreshing introspection and cohesiveness. In addition to all the bragging, boasting and name-calling, Game clarifies that he doesn't diss Jay-Z on "West Side Story" when he spits "and I don't do button up shirts/or drive Maybachs." The album features a skit in which Game tells Power 105.1's Ed Lover that the line was directed towards Ja Rule and not Hov.

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50 Cent is back on XXL magazine's cover for in its March issue, just in time for the release of his much-hyped "Valentine's Day Massacre." In the issue, that hits stands Feb. 1, Fiddy talks about overcoming the sophomore jinx and surpassing his debut Get Rich Or Die Tryin. He also rehashes his beef with Ja Rule and says Eminem is not being realistic in his cries for peace in the single "Toy Soldiers." But what will really have heads turning are his comments about fellow NYC fire-spitter and Interscope labelmate, Jadakiss. 50 tells the Hip-Hop mag, "I don't even see him [Jadakiss] as competition. When you can't break a million records, and you call yourself going platinum? I know your numbers is 800 and change, and you can't get over that hump? And you haven't put out a record with your voice on the chorus? He's a great rapper, but he's not a great songwriter. I got artists under me that are better than him." Sources say Interscope is scrambling to stop an internal war amongst its prized moneymakers.

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Rumors swirled earlier this week that of G-Unit was set to bail on the imprint. After two successful years, then later being charged and arrested following a stabbing at last year's VIBE Awards, Buck was rumored to be signing with his former UTP label; owned by his boy Juvenile. Rumors said Buck was displeased to find that he'd been duped out of at least $5 million from touring, album royalties, and clothing sales. The official word from Buck's camp is "no way" -- the Ten-A-Key rapper just wrapped a video with G-Unit General 50 Cent this week.

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After over three years with Death Row Records, Crooked I has now officially left the label. Though he was long advertised as the label's next big thing and appeared alongside Suge Knight and Kurupt on many magazine covers, the rapper has only released mixtapes and made a few cameos since being signed. The West Coast rapper has now inked his Dynasty Entertainment to Treacherous/Universal and is prepping the release of several projects, including a Life After Death Row DVD.

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While the late Rick James made tons of money from being sample by rap acts, his daughter, Ty James, is now readying to invade the Hip-Hop scene. Ty isn't new to the mike. She previously rhymed in H.W.A. (Hoes with Attitude), a group formed by N.W.A. founder Eazy E. After a short stint with the group, Ty grew tired of the music industry and decided to put Rap on the back burner. She is now in the midst of a comeback and prepping an album featuring Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and adult film star India.

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Nelly has promptly responded to fellow St. Louis rapper Chingy's dis record "We Got," which is featured on AllHipHop.com. In the song, Chingy also takes issue with his cross-town rival and former mentor Ludacris of Disturbing Tha Peace Records.

A normally cheerful Chingy spews, "I heard that song, boy; it ain't another, boy. Better keep my name out your mouth, boy/ ... I been discovered, boy; that's why you hatin', boy/ ... The media hyped you, boy/ KRS crushed you, boy/ ... Put up the chains, bars and the platinum teeth, boy/ And bring the drama beef, trouble to the streets, boy/ You started it, boy/ Well, I'mma finish, boy."

Immediately, Nelly dismissed the rougher notions expressed in the song.

"[I saw him] at the Radio Music Awards [in Las Vegas]. My album came out in September. The awards were in October. My album was [bootlegged] even earlier in St. Louis," Nelly told AllHipHop.com. "So he had plenty of time to hear that and I am sure people brought it to his attention, so if he had a problem he could have said it face to face."

On Sweat, Nelly offered a single line aimed at Chingy without directly stating his name, a lyric he said was blown out of proportion.

In a mid-western slang, Nelly lamented, "The song says, 'I like it how you do it right thurr [there]/You just to remember why you do that right thurr.' That is all the truth and I am like 'I am not lying to you, little guy.' I could have said "F**k that right thurr."

Chingy expressed his issues with Nelly to MTV, stating, "I'm tired of these guys - I'm talking about Ludacris and Nelly - I'm tired of these guys taking shots at me in all these interviews and songs [with] subliminal shots. Business is business. I'm the one who sold three million records, and I'm still getting money back that [Disturbing Tha Peace] had in their possession. Ludacris knows what I'm talking about." Chingy departed Luda’s DTP crew last year.

While Ludacris wasn't available for comment, a rep for Nelly pointed out that the rapper's Country Grammar moved 9 million units and his sophomore effort, Nellyville, sold upwards of 6 million.

"Chingy has a problem with standing up and being a man so if this [is] what he wants to do, I will help him," Nelly said, visibly angered.

Not only is this beef more-or-less personal, Nelly said it was disrespectful considering he's the trail blazing artist of St. Louis Hip-Hop.

"I have to [reply], I am still a rapper first - I can show you contrary to rumor. He is not the first one to take shots at me," Nelly said recollecting his highly flammable beef with KRS-One. "But this one affects me on a personal level because he is from St. Louis and this is a different relationship. Had this been any other rapper, I would have brushed it off and kept it moving."

At press time, Nelly had not released his dis record. He still has a pair of albums, Sweat and Suit, lingering on the Billboard Charts.

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Jean Grae is currently trekking the nation on "The No Turntables Tour" with Chicago rapper Diverse and the female rhymester says she’s already fending off emcees that want to battle.

And, she admitted these mic fiends were really nice.

“On the first date [in Richmond, VA], these three chicks came to the show wanting to battle me, popping off at the mouth crazy,” she told AllHipHop.com. “Three songs later they gave me a flower and apologized.”

Still, Jean said she was totally prepared for lyrical warfare.

“I was like ‘OK, we can battle when my sets done,’ but that’s when the flower came out,” she said while en route to a date in Baltimore, MD.

“The No Turntables Tour” was deemed such because Jean said most of the venues where she’ll be playing are ill-equipped for a raw Hip-Hop show.

“The promoters apparently didn't feel comfortable providing turntables - it was deemed an ‘extra expense.’ It’s a f**king rap tour and they were acting like I'm a diva for wanting turntables,” she said laughingly. “So we can, just – play music.”

Always good for a one-liner, Jean quipped, “I'm gonna start asking for dumb s**t like only red Skittles with the ‘S’ taken off. Next I’m going to start asking for things like a hotel. But we're having fun regardless and Diverse is dope. Good stage show too.

Tonight Jean and Diverse will appear in Baltimore at Ottobar.

Below are the "The No Turntables Tour" tour dates with Jean Grae And Diverse:

1/14/2005 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
1/15/2005 - Cleveland Hts, OH - Grog Shop
1/16/2005 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
1/18/2005 - Indianapolis, IN - TBA
1/19/2005 - Chicago, IL - Abbey Pub
1/20/2005 - Columbus, OH - Little Brother's
1/21/2005 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
1/22/2005 - NY - TBA
1/23/2005 - Burlington , VT - Club Metronome
* all dates subject to change

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