As Irv "Gotti" Lorenzo awaits trial on money laundering charges, word is Island Def Jam is close to reaching a deal to dissolve its joint venture with The Inc.

Irv and his brother/business partner, Chris Gotti, were indicted in January and accused of using their imprint to launder over $1 million in drug money. According to the New York Post, Gotti is already looking for a new deal and had meetings with executives at EMI and Warner Music Group.

The Inc.'s flagship artists, Ja Rule and Ashanti, are set to follow Gotti when he finds a new venture. Both artists owe one album each to Def Jam. Sources say Gotti's legal problems mixed with disappointing sales by Ashanti and Rule's last records which prompted Def Jam executives to look into ending the relationship with The Inc. and the Gottis.

Despite strong singles like "Wonderful" and "New York," Ja's R.U.L.E has only sold 630,000 CDs to date according to Nielsen's Soundscan. Meanwhile, Ashanti's Concrete Roses has sold 804,000 LPs to date. The CD marked the first time Ashanti sold under the 1 million mark;while Rule failed to clear platinum sales for a second consecutive release.

The money laundering allegations stem from Gotti's relationship to convicted Queens drug lord Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. After being indicted back in January, the Lorenzos were released on $1 million bond. In 2003, months after the laundering speculations became public, The Inc., then known as Murder Inc. changed its name in an attempt to clean up its tarnished image. On top of the recent case, Gerald Fields, a rapper signed to the label, was gunned down in Jamaica, Queens back in 2003.

The Inc.'s potential dissolution comes a week after reports spread that Def Jam was looking to split with former Roc-A-Fella CEO Damon Dash.

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Rising Atlanta, Georgia rapper Gucci Mane is expected to surrender to Atlanta authorities today to answer an alleged murder charge.

Sources told AllHipHop.com that, Gucci Mane (real name Radric Davis) was involved in an altercation with five attackers last Tuesday in Decatur, Georgia.

The rapper is riding the waves of his hit single "So Icy" and, at the time, was making press rounds promoting his album Trap House, which is slated to hit stores next Tuesday (May 24).

Reports stated that the incident may have occurred on Tuesday May 10. But, about a day after taping BET's Rap City, he was forced to turn himself in to Georgia authorities.

While details are sketchy, sources stated that the rapper may have been in the area to visit a female acquaintance when he was accosted by the five men.

On Friday May 13, officials reportedly discovered a corpse near Columbia High School in Decatur, Georgia.

After an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for Davis.

"Big Cat Records informed Davis who responded with full cooperation and immediately returned to Atlanta, postponing further promotional engagements," a Big Cat Records representative said in a statement released to AllHipHop.com.

The rapper was recently involved in a war of words with Atlanta rapper, Young Jeezy, after the two collaborated on various songs.

The two released a series of diss records and while the two were verbally feuding, sources stated Jeezy appeared on local Atlanta radio denying any connection to the incident.

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50 Cent has been ordered to stay clean of drugs and take an anger management course to avoid spending time in jail. The star, real name Curtis Jackson, was charged with assaulting three women at a concert last year after leaping into the crowd.

A judge in Springfield, Massachusetts, said if Jackson adhered to the conditions, the charges would be dropped. Two women alleged he trampled on them while a third said she was punched.

50 Cent arrived at court with heavy security. He arrived and left through a side door so he could avoid fans.

Other conditions imposed on the singer include making an educational anti-violence video and random drug testing for two years. He must also pay out-of-pocket medical expenses to his three alleged victims and must not carry a gun in Massachusetts. If he fails to keep to the conditions, he could face a spell in jail.

The incident happened in May 2004 when 50 Cent was a surprise guest at a concert in Springfield. During a performance he had water thrown at him by an audience member, causing the rapper to launch himself into the crowd. He and his bodyguards were then pushed back on to the stage by the club's security.


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Many emcees grow tired of the same ol’ same ol’. Kanye West is no exception to that rule. And with the video for his lead single off of his highly anticipated sophomore album “Diamonds”, Kanye chose a brand new location to shoot.

"I'm on my way to 'Pray-Goo,' the capital of the 'Shizeck' Republic," West joked to MTV, showcasing his diamond-studded bottom teeth before joining Hype Williams to shoot the video.

"I'm really into architecture and art, period," he continued. "You get the sculptures, the cathedrals, the stone floors. It gives you a timeless feel, and we're gonna shoot it in black and white. That look represented the music in 'Diamonds.' "

Kanye’s Late Registration is due out July 12th and features guest appearances from Jaime Foxx and Miri Ben-Ari among others.


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You knew there was no way Eminem was going to tour without a DJ. So when Green Lantern left the Shady camp a few weeks back amidst the controversy he caused with his appearance on the street DVD "The Come Up, Vol. 5," it was only a matter of time before a new turntablist filled the vacancy. That time is now. Producer Alchemist, a frequent collaborator with Mobb Deep, has been given the nod by Slim Shady.

"It's a real step up for me. I'm excited, to say the least," Alchemist said Friday (May 13) in New York. Alchemist is managed by Em's manager, Paul Rosenberg, and Al's brother Neil also works with Rosenberg. The two recently called a meeting with the producer and offered him the position on the Anger Management 3 Tour, which he gladly accepted. Although fans know Al largely from his production work for such artists as the Mobb and Jadakiss, he's been a DJ for years.

"From day one, before getting with Mobb, I used to roll with Cypress Hill," he said. "I used to roll heavy with Muggs, setting up the turntables, getting that onstage experience for years. Moving to New York and getting down with the Mobb, the last three or four years, I've been doing shows with them, just experiencing the adrenaline and the rush."

Al said he's also prepared for a role that may be more than just spinning records. Just like Green Lantern, he may be called on to give his input on how the show should go.

"I'mma play it by ear. This is Em's show. When it comes time, I will have my creative ideas, [but] I will also follow Em's ideas," he said. "I'm quick. I know Em's a perfectionist, and so am I. We both try to make things better. I already know all his and D12 and Obie Trice's music, but I'm studying it so I can know [the songs] like I know the Mobb stuff. I'm ready. Once I get my script, I'm on it. I'm taking this real serious now. I want to be the best DJ I can be, just like I want to be the best producer I can be."

Going on tour doesn't mean Alchemist is going to slow up on beats, though. He says he'll have plenty of time to do both.

"Anybody who knows anything about touring knows there's a lot of downtime, a lot of long tour bus rides. I'm already loading up for the drives. I'll have more than enough stuff to do. Creative people vibe off each other. If I'm in a circle where I see Fif and Em and Jon everyday, that puts more juice into me. I remember when I was on the Smokin' Grooves Tour with Freddie Foxxx and Gang Starr. I was making beats on the back of the Cypress bus. I remember the energy. This is gonna be the 2005 version of that."

Twista, Sheek Louch, Scarface, Tony Yayo and Pharoahe Monch are among the MCs he has already worked with. Lil Jon has also approached him about working with Lil' Scrappy. Meanwhile, Al and Mobb Deep are going to keep flooding the mixtape circuit because of their competitive natures.

"I been just dropping joints on the streets. To the mixtapes, to the DJs," he said. "To me, that's what's it's all about. Instead of me waiting to compile a bunch of joints, make an album and do numbers first week, through this period of time when I don't have an album, I want them to feel like these guys are the truth. Me and the Mobb have so many joints. We dropped this joint called 'I Got This.' I don't know what we're going to do with the record, but for now it's just a record to represent us for the summertime. If I have to take a little loss and just give it to the people, it serves its purpose. When I hear something hot on the radio, I feel like I gotta drop something next week."