Ludacris' non-profit organization, The Ludacris Foundation, has partnered with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) to launch a public awareness campaign focused on bringing attention to the disproportionate rate of disability in minority communities.

Studies show that while African-Americans make up only 13 percent of the U.S. populations, they account for almost 20 percent of all people with disabilities. More than 35 percent of African-American families reported having a family member with a disability in 2000.

To highlight these disparities, Ludacris will appear in a public service announcement entitled "Dream," along with Ruje'anne Duplessis, a teenager born with cerebral palsy, whose dream was to have Ludacris take her to prom.

Ludacris heard about Duplessis' wish after she contacted BET for some help in finding the Atlanta rapper. Jumping at the chance to make her wish come true, Ludacris flew to Massachusetts to escort Ruje'anne to the Central High prom.

"The prom is a very important part of a young lady's life, and it hit my heart to share it with her," Ludacris told the Sacramento Observer. "Ruje'anne might have a disability, but that doesn't make her different from anyone else. She's still dreaming and making a difference."

The new public service announcement featuring Ludacris will run in select cities nationwide and is available online at http://www.ucp.org.
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Already serving time in a Louisiana prison for sexual assault, Mystikal has been sentenced to a year in jail on tax charges.

The Associated Press reported today (Jan. 13) that the Grammy-nominated rapper (born Michael L. Tyler) has been sentenced to a year in prison plus back taxes and penalties for trying to avoid paying the government $271,000 in taxes.

Last August, Mystikal pled guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failure to file tax returns on earnings of $824,916 in 1998 and $930,953 in 1999.

U.S. District Judge James Brady, who handled sentencing, agreed to allow Mystikal to serve the sentence concurrently with the term for his previous state conviction on sexual battery charges.

Tyler was sentenced to six years in prison for a videotaped attack on his former hairstylist. He pled guilty to forcing the woman to perform oral sex as repayment of a "debt" after accusing her of stealing $80,000 worth of checks from him.
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DMX's career came full circle today, when Columbia Records/Sony Urban Music announced that Dark Man X had returned to the company that gave him his first record contract in 1992.

With his Ruff Ryders crew--motorcycles, pitbulls, and all--by his side, DMX announced at a press conference today (Jan. 13), that he was happy to be back at "a record label that feels more like a home."

"I feel like Sony appreciates good music and talented artists," he said.

Lisa Ellis, President of Sony Urban Music, announced that she was extremely excited to have the multi-platinum selling artist back at the company that launched his career.

In 1992, DMX released his first 12" single, "Born Loser." But it wasn't until his guest appearance on LL Cool J's 1997 hit "4,3,2,1" that DMX captured the nations attention. Since then, X has released five albums, and become one of Hip-Hop's top selling artists of all time.

According to DMX, his goal for this next chapter in his career is simply to, "let life be my song." "I don't make music to make songs, I make music to record my life," he added

Accompanying the Yonkers, NY native at the press conference were Ruff Ryders CEO Joaquin "Waah" Dean and producer Swizz Beatz, who will be collaborating with DMX on his upcoming Columbia Records/Sony Urban Music album.

The album, titled Here We Go Again, is scheduled to be released some time in the spring.

2006 seems to agree with X more than 2005. Last year, the rapper was caught up in a host of legal drama--and even ended up serving brief sentence on Riker's Island.
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Electronic Arts and Def Jam Enterprises announced Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover will hit stores this spring for the Play Station Portable gaming system. The latest installment is the prequel to Def Jam Vendetta. Fans can assume the roles of Busta Rhymes Lil’ Kim, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and others. "Def Jam Interactive's first PSP title has proven to be an exciting and entertaining product. Again, EA has developed an unparalleled title and we are confident that Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover will go far beyond everyone's expectations," said Lauren Wirtzer, VP of Marketing for Def Jam Enterprises.

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The Source co-owners David Mays and Ray “Benzino” Scott obtained a temporary restraining order against The Source Entertainment Inc.'s board of directors yesterday (Jan. 12), in an attempt to stop The Board from ousting them from the company.

Mays and Scott were given 48 hours to appear at a special meeting called yesterday by The Source Entertainment Inc., the parent company of The Source magazine.

The Board is attempting to boot Mays and Scott from the company, claiming their involvement in the company hurts “not only the employees of The Source, but all of its investors, vendors, subscribers and readers.”

“The Board unanimously concluded that various acts of mismanagement and breaches of fiduciary duties to the Company by both David Mays and Raymond Scott, who head the company, were in violation of their employment contract, and that cause existed for their termination,” The Board said in a statement released to AllHipHop.com.

Mays and Scott however, obtained a temporary restraining order against the Board of Directors. "They can want to do that all they want, but it's not happening," Mays told The New York Post.

The magazine defaulted on an $18 million loan from Textron Financial Partners last year. Textron filed a lawsuit in Oct. of 2005, asking The Source to be placed into receivership.

The Black Enterprise/Greenwich Street Corporate Growth Partners L.P. is a $91 million private equity investment fund created in 1997 to finance the growth of established minority-owned, managed, or targeted businesses.

Black Enterprise invested an initial $12 million dollars in The Source in return for a minority stake and seats on the board of directors.

In order to qualify for the fund, businesses must have at least $10 million in annual revenue.

“To date, the once highly profitable publication has been sued by its primary lender, Textron Financial Corporation of Providence, R.I., for failure to meet ongoing financial obligations, have been evicted from their offices, and owe $9-12 million to various vendors,” the Board of Directors continued. “The Board decided this was the only feasible course of action as Mays and Scott could not continue their series of financial recklessness and negligence that, in the end, hurts not only the employees of The Source, but all of its investors, vendors, subscribers and readers.”

The Board is attempting to permanently implement internal management changes, which “will restore The Source to greater profitability while allowing the publication to regain the prominence it once enjoyed within the industry and by its readers.”