Former 2 Live Crew member Brother Marquis (born Mark Ross) says he co-wrote "99 Problems" with Ice-T -- but that so far he's been paid just $10,000 for his services. According to a lawsuit he filed on his own behalf in Manhattan Federal Court, he claims Ice-T owes him much more. He also claims that Jay-Z also owes him for the version he released on The Black Album.

According to New York's Daily News, halfway through his lawsuit, Ross apologized for including obscene lyrics in the claim.

"Counsel for the plaintiff apologizes to the court for the graphic and profane nature of this song included in the body of this complaint," wrote Ross.

"99 Problems" feat. Brother Marquis, was released as a b-side by Ice-T on Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1993.

Ross split from 2 Live Crew in 1998 and went on to release a solo album, Bottom Boi Style in 2003.

Representatives of Ice-T and Jay-Z weren't immediately reachable for comment at press time.

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The Source Magazine has responded to Steve Stoute's claims that he wants to buy the publication by calling him a liar and accusing him of spreading false rumors.

Back on November 3rd, during an interview on New York's Hot 97 radio station, Stoute revealed that he, Russell Simmons, Jay-Z and Warner Music Group's Lyor Cohen were interested in buying The Source. According to the self-proclaimed "Hip-Hop Bible," Stoute's assertions were untrue.

Simmons released a similar statement late last week via Rush Communications, "Russell Simmons has expressed zero interest in a business affiliation of any kind with The Source Magazine, nor has he had any conversations of any kind on the subject. Russell considers The Source an important voice and wishes it every success in the future."

Meanwhile, The Source says that reps for Cohen and Will Smith, who was also rumored to be interested in the mag, both denied Stoute's claims. Stoute is closely linked to Interscope. He is the label's former Vice President and the company recently bought a stake in his Translation Consultation and Brand Imaging marketing firm.

The Source believes that Stoute invented the buyout story to take attention away from the magazine's current investigation into the music industry's shady practices. The Source has taken several shots at Interscope Chairman Jimmy Iovine, Eminem, 50 Cent and his G-Unit during their investigation.

Stoute's claims come several weeks after reports surfaced that the magazine was in financial trouble. The Source reportedly owes Textron Financial Corp. $18 million and has lost $11 million in the past four years. In New York State Supreme Court, Textron recently requested for The Source Enterprises to be placed into its control to prevent owners Dave Mays and Raymond "Benzino" Scott from ruining the company.

The Source has also failed to file any state and/or federal income tax over the course of the last two years. Also, the magazine has not delivered issue subscription mailers the publication, and a lawsuit regarding that is still pending. The case states that nearly $3 million in bad checks, over the past nine months, have not been paid for.

The Source is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing with Textron Financial Corp. December 6th.

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LaFace/Jive Records has removed Outkast's forthcoming Idlewild from its 2005 release schedule.

Idlewild is slated to be the soundtrack to HBO Films' original musical My Life in Idlewild, which stars the Atlanta duo. The album was initially planned for release earlier this year, before being pushed back to December 6th.

Over the weekend at the Vibe Awards, Big Boi told Billboard Magazine that it would appear sometime during the first quarter of 2006, but a label spokesperson says there is no confirmed date.

"We're trying to pick the single right now," said the rapper. "It's all about a gut instinct."

HBO Films had expected to unveil the film in early January; however, with the soundtrack delayed, it will be pushed back as well. A company spokesperson says a new date has yet to be nailed down.

My Life in Idlewild marks the directorial debut of long time Outkast collaborator/acclaimed video director Bryan Barber.

Set in the 1930's, the film brings together an array of talented individuals. In addition to OutKast, Ving Rhames, Malinda Williams, Terrence Howard, Paula Jai Parker, Cicely Tyson, Patti Labelle, Macy Gray and Ben Vereen will all take part in the production.

Idlewild will be the duo's first since the 2003 double album, Speakerboxx/The Love Below.

Fortunately for fans of the group, Big Boi's Virgin-distributed imprint label Purple Ribbon will drop its first release, Big Boi Presents Got Purp? Vol. 2, on November 22nd. The first single, "Kryptonite (I'm On It)" featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike, Blackowned C-Bone and Rock D is currently in rotation on radio and video networks.

The Purple Ribbon All-Star lineup includes new music from Killer Mike, Bubba Sparxx, Goodie Mob, and Sleepy Brown as well as newcomers Janelle Monáe, Konkrete and Scar.
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In the first of a multi-picture deal with Lions Gate Films, LL Cool J has been cast in the starring role of a new thriller flick... before the script has been written.

Though Lions Gate is being tight-lipped about the untitled project, they have revealed that the movie will be an "African-American version of a cross between Fatal Attraction and Body Heat" and have hired screenwriter, Charlie Bohl (Swimfan) to write it.

The development and production deal between LL and Lions Gate involves nine projects, all of which he has the option to act as well as produce.

In related news, LL Cool J will be seen in both Last Holiday with Queen Latifah and Edison with Morgan Freeman and Justin Timberlake. The G.O.A.T. is also working on a new album featuring guest appearances from Mary J Blige, 112 and Teairra Mari.

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he city of New York is continuing its fight against graffiti with arrests almost doubling in the past year.

As of last Sunday (November 6), police records show that there have been 2,230 graffiti arrests in New York City, up from 1,154 during the same period last year, a 93.2% increase.

"The doubling indicates how serious we take it," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told New York's Daily News. "The handwriting's on the wall. Vandals will be identified and arrested."

Back in October 2004, the NYPD gave 150 digital cameras to police coordinators in every precinct to survey vandalism and figure out patterns. Similar to Compstat, which records major crimes, Graffistat now breaks down arrests and complaints by precinct.

Thus far, approximately 700 arrested graff artists and samples of their tags have been stored in a database. Therefore, when their signatures are discovered, they can be arrested.

"They graffiti everything - storefronts, fences, mailboxes, ambulances, fire-alarm boxes," said Citizens Against Graffiti Everywhere (CAGE) founder Fred Kress. "If you stood still on a corner long enough, you would be graffitied."

Kress' group launched a month ago and already counts 300 members. Meanwhile, City Councilman Peter Vallone recently launched his own anti-graffiti campaign and has a short fuse regarding the "so-called art." "These thugs destroy property for the notoriety," Vallone told the Daily News.

Prior to the Graffistat campaign, cops only took mug shots of vandals if they committed a felony. The department has now changed its policy and photographs every suspect for a database that can be accessed by any precinct. Furthermore, a "worst of the worst" list of NY's 100 most wanted graff artists was recently sent to all New York precincts.

Authorities are stressing to take graffiti seriously. The NYPD recently formed the Citywide Vandals Task Force, an 80-member plainclothes unit comprised of two NYPD vandalism squads. The task force patrols streets and subway stations for graffiti and the artists. The unit go as far as to follow the artists in hope to catch them red-handed.

According to police, surveillance cameras have also resulted in multiple arrests. Authorities also think the bulk of tags are being done by young men who simply want to see their name in big letters rather then gangs. This year's statistics show that 1,228 of the offenders were 17 and younger while 1,002 were 18 or older. Cops are also working with youth officers who teach students about the repercussions of tagging and school agents who give information about teens tagging school property.

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50 Cent, currently on movie screens in "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," is branching out into publishing with his own imprint.

G-Unit Books is a venture with MTV/Pocket Books, publisher of his memoir "From Pieces to Weight." G-Unit's offerings, described as "street fiction" in the vein of Iceberg Slim and Donald Goines, will feature the members of 50 Cent's rap posse G-Unit, including Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and Young Buck.

The venture will launch in 2007 with a novella by Nikki Turner, author of the novel "The Glamorous Life"

- (music, clothing, movies, video games, now books?!? Someone has got to stop 50 Cent. Somebody with marginal talent should not be able make all these moves successfully - Rob)

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Pioneering Hip-Hop group UTFO has reunited and will release new album next year, according to group members.

The group, which was formed in 1983, is best known for its classic Hip-Hop record "Roxanne, Roxanne” a Top 10 R&B hit in 1985.

"We really decided to do this like a week ago," Kangol Kid told AllHipHop.com. "We had all met up at a benefit and it felt good for all of to be together. So we decided that if we felt like this, we know our fans would enjoy it."

Although they haven't recorded as a collective in years, each member of UTFO has still been actively working with new artists producing and molding their sounds.

Kangol Kid and DJ Mixmaster Ice have also done a few shows over the years to show that although they were not recording, UTFO, which stands for Untouchable Force Organization was still in effect.

"It was crazy, because when [DJ Mixmaster] Ice and I were together on stage, the crowd would go crazy just off of us doing our old stuff," Kangol said. "It was crazy, because even now we still break [dance] and at each show I still do the helicopter with Ice on my head. Now I just have to make sure I take my Geritol [laughs].”

The first single "Get Up and Go" hasn't officially been released yet, but according to Kangol Kid the song will be hitting radio airwaves soon.

Kangol said the song is heartfelt, as it deals with his wife leaving him to raise his three sons alone.

"It really is therapy for me," Kangol said. "Too often, the men get the bad rap, so I felt that it was necessary for me to represent because there are single men out there raising kids because the mom left."

The group will team with original production team and R&B legends Full Force.

"We are really happy that they decided to get back and do a reunion," Full Force’s Bowlegged Lou told AllHipHop.com. "That's our family and we will still be there to help put in any way we can."

Full Force is also in the studio with Ashanti laying down tracks for her Collectibles CD, which is due out in December.

"She is a very talented young lady," Bowlegged Lou said of The Inc.’s “princess.” “The stuff she has on this album is crazy, I am plugging this one, because it's definitely going to be a hot one."

None of the projects had set release dates as of press time.