Snoop Dogg is shaking up his personal life by dropping more than half of his entourage who he feels bring him trouble, according to reports.

The rapper is looking to make a clean break in the new year to distance himself from his recent troubles, which include drug convictions and weapons charges, and hopes the change will allow him to re-enter the UK on a work visa.

Snoop was banned from the UK in March over his drug convictions earlier this year, as well as an arrest at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, for possessing a collapsible baton. He was also arrested at Heathrow Airport for causing criminal damage in 2006.

His close friend Bishop Don Magic Juan revealed the news to Sister 2 Sister magazine, saying, "He needs that support right now."
____________________________________________

Mary J Blige's "Growing Pains" has been re-scheduled again. The new and final release date is December 18th. If you choose to pre-order the album on iTunes, you'll get Mary J's first single "Just Fine" instantly, and a digital booklet along with a bonus track titled "Mirror" on top of the album, on Dec 18th.

____________________________________________

A federal judge has reportedly allowed the family of Notorious B.I.G. to include Deathrow founder Suge Knight and various Los Angeles authorities as defendants in their wrongful-death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles.

B.I.G., whose real name is Christopher Wallace, was shot and killed on March 9, 1997 after a party at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

The Wallace’s lawsuit accuses two convicted cops, Raphael Perez and David Mack, of conspiring with Knight and a former LAPD officer, Reggie Wright, Jr., to kill B.I.G.
The suit also claims the city of L.A. helped cover up the involvement of the aforementioned cops in B.I.G.’s murder because it would have made them liable in a lawsuit.

According to The Associated Press, U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ruled Friday (November 16) that the Wallace family can amend the lawsuit because new evidence shows Perez was on duty the night of B.I.G.'s slaying and may have been at the scene.

Cooper, who declared a mistrial in the Wallace’s first lawsuit against L.A. in 2005, also revealed that the new evidence which was found after the mistrial shows that Knight, Wright and three other LAPD detectives may have been involved in B.I.G’s slaying.
An attorney representing Los Angeles, Thomas Reichert, called the new evidence “old wine, new bottles”
_______________________________

Kanye West has admitted that his chart battle with rival 50 Cent was a publicity stunt that he dreamed up to sell more records.

West was declared the winner when the two stars went head to head in September after releasing their albums on the same day. But he now admits that he was responsible for creating the media frenzy.

In an interview with GQ magazine, the singer said: "It was a complete publicity stunt. It was my idea. I knew it was going to take off as soon as we were going to come out on the same date.

"Think about it - you got the two biggest s**t-talkers in rap history. There's no-one in rap history for talking more s**t than me and 50. That's something I will stand on."

Referring to 50 Cent's vow to retire if he lost the battle, West said: "Oh man, he sold so many more records by saying that. Man, 50 is really one of my favourite rappers, too. I almost feel bad (about beating him)."

The rapper attended his mother's funeral in Oklahoma City today this week with 1,000 friends and family. Donda West died following a plastic surgery operation, which was believed to have included a tummy tuck and breast reduction.
___________________________________