Lil Kim vs. Lil Cease:
07/18/2005 Lil' Kim filed a $6 million lawsuit against her former friend Lil' Cease; accusing the rapper of using her name to promote a forthcoming DVD.
In the suit filed in U.S. District Court, the petite rapper claims former friend and Junior Mafia rapper Lil Cease are prepping the release of an unauthorized DVD, The Chronicles of Junior M.A.F.I.A. Part II: Reloaded. Kim stated that she left Junior M.A.F.I.A in 2001. She contends that the DVD and its prequel resorted to false advertisements and endorsements by using her name, image and likeness, reported The Associated Press.
Kim also claims that Cease advertised that the DVD would include interviews in which he and other Junior M.A.F.I.A members explain their role in her perjury trial. According to the AP, there is no phone listing for Ground Zero Entertainment, the company that produced the Chronicles DVD. Ground Zero is also named as a defendant in Kim's suit.
Cease, aka James Lloyd, is one of two men to give an incriminating testimony at Kim's recent perjury and conspiracy trial. The Queen Bee was recently sentenced to one year and a day in prison for lying to a federal grand jury about a 2001 shootout that took place outside of New York's Hot 97 radio station. Kim is slated to report to prison September 19th.
Kim was convicted of three counts of perjury and one count of conspiracy after telling a grand jury she didn't see her manager, Damion Butler, and bodyguard, Suif Jackson, at the scene of the Hot 97 shooting. One man was injured during the gunfight. In court, Kim's former Junior Mafia pals, Cease and Antoine "Banger" Spain, testified that the two were present at the scene.
MTV & XXL Team-Up
Get ready for a hot finish to summer as MTV Jams gears up to give viewers a heavy supply of Hip-Hop programming.
MTV Jams will be featuring five of the hottest emcees on the rise, as well as ringtones, a partnership with XXL magazine and collaboration with the movie “Hustle & Flow” to bring viewers closer to some southern artists on the grind.
In August, MTV will deliver a new monthly half-hour show in conjunction with XXL magazine, appropriately titled XXL Jams. The show will highlight artists featured in the magazine and according to XXL editor-in-chief Elliot Wilson, it's another beautiful venture with a company he relishes working with.
"It's a pleasure to continue to do business with TV's premiere music channel," Wilson told Allhiphop.com. "We run the mag game. They run the idiot box. We're a match made in heaven. Yes indeed, MTV's been very, very good to me."
In the spirit of John Singleton's new movie, “Hustle & Flow,” MTV will be presenting 10 artists who represent the “hustler mentality” of the movie's main character Djay, played by Terrence Howard.
The special will appear on July 22nd at 2pm ET and will feature artists videos spliced with footage from the movie.
Featured in the August premiere will include Game, Lil' Webbie, Bow Wow, David Banner and Jim Jones.
Hailed as the "Fab 5," MTV will be spotlighting a new artist every other Tuesday, dubbed "Take Over Tuesday's."
Along with being spotlighted, the selected artist will be host the show and have one of their videos screwed and chopped.
The five spotlighted artists will be Atlanta's Da Back Wudz and Young Jeezy, G-Unit's Tony Yayo, Houston's Paul Wall and Harlem heatmaker Juelz Santana.
They will also be directing viewers to MTV on their mobile phones to listen to music, interviews, download ringtones and get more info on the artists featured as the "Fab 5."
More Trouble for Ja Rule & the Inc
Federal prosecutors are focusing on multi-platinum rapper Ja Rule in their ongoing investigation of record label The Inc. and the company’s alleged ties to Queens, New York drug dealer Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff.
According to the New York Post, Ja Rule and two bodyguards face possible federal charges including “conspiracy to commit murder,” after a shooting in December of 2004 left one man dead and another injured.
The charges stem from a December 27, 2004 incident at a club in New York where Ja Rule was celebrating a post-Christmas party.
Surveillance tape recorded Ja Rule and his entourage leaving Club LQ as William “Willie Bang Bang” Clark, 39 and Troy Moore, 37, were entering the venue.
Sources told AllHipHop.com it was well known on the streets that Clark aka “Billy Bang” and Moore were allegedly behind a string of robberies involving celebrity rap stars, including one of Foxy Brown’s brothers.
Moore is cooperating with authorities in an attempt to avoid gun charges. Also, Moore is the elder brother of Tyran “Tah Tah” Moore, who is already linked to the murder, money laundering and drug dealing probe of Irv Gotti’s record label, The Inc. by federal investigators.
Some of the incidents were never reported to police, who are investigating several other record labels and artists as well the Post reported.
Footage seized by the NYPD of the club’s parking lot captured Ja Rule’s vehicle starting to leave as Clark and Moore arrived.
The vehicle stopped as one of the bodyguards ran to the side of the saying to the other: “come with me it’s going down.”
One of the bodyguards then exited the vehicle and as Ja Rule’s vehicle pulled away, the two men open fired, fatally wounding Clark and injuring Moore.
According to the Post, authorities believe that Ja Rule’s bodyguards were enraged that the men came to the party, given their notorious reputations.
Ja Rule denied involvement in the shooting previously and his lawyer, Murray Richman also denied that his client was involved.
"There's no truth to this matter and I am confident Ja Rule has enough sense to not be involved in this type of situation," Richman told AllHipHop.com.
Sources told AllHipHop.com that an investigation into various New York Hip-Hop record labels started as early as 1996, when police noticed unnamed Brooklyn men attach themselves to rappers and other entertainers.
Soon afterwards the “Hip-Hop Intelligence Unit” was created to monitor the Hip-Hop industry in New York.

That quickly spread to other cities across the country including California, New York, Georgia and Miami, due to authorities belief that the rap industry was organizing along the lines of traditional organized crime.

Eminem doesn’t retire?

Only days after gossip spread that Eminem was retiring, the lyricist dismissed the reports during a recent concert in Washington.
A recent article in the Detroit Free Press stated that Em was set to retire following a concert in Dublin, Ireland on September 17th. Supposedly, last year's Encore was scheduled to be Slim's last release as he readies to focus on production rather than rap. However, Em addressed the retirement rumors during his Anger Management 3 set at Washington's White River Amphitheatre.
"How many of you all read the tabloids? Cause there's some sh!t goin' around that I'm retiring," Em told the crowd.
Slim then noted that the article next to the retirement story was a piece about the moon "to blow up today." He then added, "I'm retiring? then I guess the moon just blew up" before mooning the crowd. Em added that if he ever retired and decided to come back his new stage name would be "Rain Man."
Meanwhile, his publicist, Dennis Dennehy, says there's no truth to reports from MTV this week claiming Emimen had indeed denied retiring.
"Basically MTV made an inference," Dennehy told SOHH.com. "The statement is that 'Encore' is the close of the first chapter of Eminem's career. Beyond that, no decisions have been made."
Dj Muggs vs. GZA

DJ Muggs of the legendary group Cypress Hill and The Wu-Tang's own Gza are prepping to release their collabo project, DJ Muggs vs. Gza: Grandmasters.
DJ Muggs vs. Gza: Grandmasters is set to be released on October 25th on Angeles Records. The album includes 11 tracks featuring the Genius on the mic and the Soul Assassin behind the boards.
"We've talked about collaborating since we worked together on the first Soul
Assassins record back in 1997," remarks GZA. "And we're both grandmasters
at what we do," referring to the album's title.
Gza, best known as one of Wu-Tang Clan's founding members and for his classic solo effort Liquid Swords, is also currently writing a book.
DJ Muggs of the Soul Assassins Crew and Cypress Hill is also on his grind with his syndicated radio show, Mash Up Radio. The show is featured on both Eminem's Sirius satellite radio station, Shade 45 and on public radio. He will also headline the Lalapolooza World Stage with the Mash Up Circus.
Muggs is also making a name for himself as being the go to guy for mash-up versions of records. He is almost finished recording an original mash-up album that features The Alchemist, Mobb Deep, rock group The Transplants, and the Gza, among others. Muggs also plans to release a mash-up version of the Grandmasters project.
DJ Muggs vs. Gza: Grandmasters hits stores October 25th
The return of Rawkus

Underground heads should clear some space in their backpack, cause indie Hip-Hop label and underground stalwart, Rawkus Records, has just signed a exclusive distribution deal with RED Distribution.
The label was founded by Brian Brater and Jarret Myerin 1996. Rawkus helped launch the careers of Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharaoh Monch and countless others until they closed their doors in January of 2004.
The owners said the reactivated Rawkus imprint will aim at releasing more quality music.
“Jarret and I are very excited to bring Rawkus to the RED/Song/BMG fold,” says Brater. “We intend to make RED Distribution, once again, the dominant urban music player in the independent world. Expect an extremely active 2006 schedule.”
RED Distribution is an independent distribution company owned by Sony/BMG that distributes more than 20 independent labels and Sony/BMG product. According to Vice President and General Manager Bob Morelli, Rawkus should feel right at home.
“We are thrilled to work with Brian and Jarret as they re-create the Rawkus Records brand,” says Morelli. “Their vision and passion for everything they do will be right at home with us. RED is committed to its urban music roster and Rawkus will be a major part of this commitment in 2006 and beyond.”
A fall release schedule will be announced shortly.
In addition to the music, Rawkus has also formed its own management company called Rawkus Management, and will be launching a film division.
The first project to be released will be through Lake Shore Entertainment called “Excite Loves Vita,” starring Rosario Dawson.
Lil' Kim's former boyfriend Damion "World" Hardy has been hit with a federal RICO lawsuit, alleging that he was the head of a murderous crew known as the Cash Money Brothers.
In a scenario that seems to be straight out of 1991's movie "New Jack City," Hardy, who is currently incarcerated for other drug related charges and CMB have been linked to five known murders since 1991, when the gang was originally formed by Hardy and his brother Myron "Wise" Hardy.
Like the movie's drug gang, also known as Cash Money Brothers or CMB, Hardy's gang is accused of using ruthless violence to intimidate potential rivals and cornering the cocaine trade in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York.
"[CMB] members and associates engaged in acts involving murder, robbery, kidnapping and narcotics trafficking," the indictment read. "The CMB operated in Brooklyn, New York and elsewhere."
The group's reach stretched to Philadelphia, where two other men were arrested and charged in the RICO lawsuit as well.
Federal prosecutors said CMB's controlled an area around Lafayette Gardens, a housing project located in Bedford Stuyvesant, New York.
The area has produced some of hip-hop's most legendary rappers, including Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Big Daddy Kane, Fab 5 Freddy producer Easy Mo Bee and others.
"From its inception, the CMB engaged in the distribution of large quantities of cocaine base in and around Lafayette Gardens, and the CMB eventually obtained almost complete control of the distribution of cocaine base in that area. In addition, members and associates of the CMB engaged in numerous acts of violence in furtherance of the gang’s interests, including the murders of several rival drug dealers and the attempted murder of at least one witness."
Authorities stepped up their surveillance of the gang in June 2003, after 16 pounds of cocaine was seized on a passenger jet arriving from Grenada.
In Grenada another 16 pounds were seized and an undercover operation revealed the CMB gang was attempting to arrange a shipment of 100 more pounds of cocaine to the United States.
Police said the gang operated with no discretion, murdering an unnamed woman and inadvertently, the death of an award winning director named Jhoan Camitz.
According to the indictment, Hardy and two other men shot and killed rival drug dealer Ivory "Peanut" Davis in front of Club NV in New York.
Davis was shot twice in the back and as he drove away, he struck Camitz. Both men died a short time later.
Hardy has also been linked to a 2003 incident in Jersey City, New Jersey involving 50 Cent, after the rapper appeared on Hot 97 and made disparaging remarks about Hardy's then girlfriend, Lil' Kim.
"I wrote 'Magic Stick'/I gave Kim a hit/then I refused to shoot the video, she threw a little fit/got emotional and sh*t/now this I don't get/why would I care about your emotions, you're not my beeyatch," 50 rapped.
Later as 50 Cent's tour buses were entering a Doubletree hotel in Jersey City, over 10 shots were fired by gunman suspected to be associated with Hardy, who was staying with Lil Kim at her Bergen County, New Jersey estate according to published reports.

Alicia Keys Unplugged ft. Mos Def & Common
If anyone could get MTV to bring "Unplugged" out of retirement, it would be Alicia Keys, who just taped her installment of the series last week in New York. She says it was a dream come true, and she can't believe she's about to be in the same
company as Eric Clapton, Nirvana and Mariah Carey.

"As a child, in my wildest dreams — and I dreamed so big — but you never think it's going to happen," Keys said. "So to be here, on the set that we're going to record 'Unplugged' on, it's amazing and beautiful and everything I've ever dreamed of.

" 'Unplugged' is my thing, it's really my style, it's what I'm all about," she added. "When I first started playing anywhere, it was on a little cheesy keyboard in a small, nasty hotel dive, and even though I didn't have a beautiful 9-foot Yamaha piano, there was a certain energy that comes with an intimate space. I really loved it."

Keys says she also loved dreaming up brand-new arrangements for well-loved — but well-worn — tunes such as "A Woman's Worth" and "Heartburn," as well as a few choice covers. To have all these elements to put in the piano base that I have, this is so much fun, man," she enthused. "When my drums do come in — a lot of times they don't, it's just about the percussion — but when they do, it's about using the brushes and keeping it calm and cool for a minute."

Creating a feeling as if everyone was gathered around the piano in her living room, "just chilling," was important, she said, so that the audience could feel like her extended family. "It's about the personal feel, as opposed to a big huge rocking-out crazy three-hour show," she said. "It's about speaking to the audience."

Part of that audience also included her guest performers. With Maroon 5's Adam Levine, she covers the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses," which she calls "the most beautiful classic on the planet. The chorus is, 'Wild horses couldn't drag me away,' and if you feel that serious about something, you know it's real," she said. Damian Marley came onboard to do "Welcome to Jam Rock," while Common and Mos Def ("two of my most favorite MCs") contribute to "Love It or Leave It Alone."

In addition to a cover of "Every Little Bit Hurts," previously performed by female greats like Aretha Franklin and Brenda Holloway, Keys also whips out two new songs: "Stolen Moments" and "Unbreakable." The former track, which she co-wrote with Al Green, is about a romance "that shouldn't exist, but it's so perfect in how they relate to each other," she said. As for "Unbreakable," she said it's about "how life and love can be unbreakable," when it comes to couples who are inseparable, citing Will and Jada Pinkett Smith as an example. "This might be an 'Unplugged' exclusive," Keys said. "But we'll see."

"Once people see this 'Unplugged,' I just want them to feel the spontaneity, to feel passionate," she said. "I want you to see another side of me, that's free, and feel where my head is, where whatever happens, happens. I want you to feel inspired."

"Alicia Keys: Unplugged" is tentatively scheduled to air on September 9.


'I want you to see another side of me, that's free, and feel where my head is, where whatever happens, happens. I want you to feel inspired.' ? Alicia Keys



company as Eric Clapton, Nirvana and Mariah Carey.

'As a child, in my wildest dreams ? and I dreamed so big ? but you never think it's going to happen,' Keys said. 'So to be here, on the set that we're going to record 'Unplugged' on, it's amazing and beautiful and everything I've ever dreamed of.

' 'Unplugged' is my thing, it's really my style, it's what I'm all about,' she added. 'When I first started playing anywhere, it was on a little cheesy keyboard in a small, nasty hotel dive, and even though I didn't have a beautiful 9-foot Yamaha piano, there was a certain energy that comes with an intimate space. I really loved it.'

Keys says she also loved dreaming up brand-new arrangements for well-loved ? but well-worn ? tunes such as 'A Woman's Worth' and 'Heartburn,' as well as a few choice covers (see 'Alicia Keys Talks About New LP, But Won't Blow Her 'Cover' '). 'To have strings, to have percussion, to have all these elements to put in the piano base that I have, this is so much fun, man,' she enthused. 'When my drums do come in ? a lot of times they don't, it's just about the percussion ? but when they do, it's about using the brushes and keeping i"