NO ONE ON THE CORNER HAS SWAGGER LIKE US!

"Swagger Like Us" was produced by Kanye West and features a sample of M.I.A.'s ubiquitous "Paper Planes," where she declares "No one on the corner got swagger like us." Kanye, who compares his swagger to singer Mick Jagger, starts off with punchlines aplenty: "I know I got it first/ I'm Christopher Columbus, y'all just the Pilgrims/ How it feel to wake up and be the sh--and the urine?/ Nah-na-na, trying to get that Kobe number, one over Jordan."

Jay follows -- "You can pay for school, but you can't buy class" -- Weezy bats third and Tip is the cleanup hitter. T.I. raps about his real-life controversies and how he doesn't worry about other rappers. "Sell a lot of records, I respect it and salute that/ But spitting real life on hot beats, I'm the truth at/ When you kick it like me, no exaggeration necessary."

Kanye commented about the track on his blog: "I already know what you [gonna] say ... we need Jeezy also ... I know ... I'm sure that's gonna be the official remix".

"I really appreciate it, man," Tip said humbly about the support he's gotten from his peers. "It's definitely an honor, man, to be among the elite in the game. To have as much respect from them as they have for me is also a privilege. I just wanna live up to all the expectations."by Shaheem Reid of MTV








BURNED FROM THE WAIST DOWN!

Travis Barker and DJ AM survived a deadly plane crash outside of Columbia, SC last night. The newly formed group, also known as TRVSDJAM, just got done performing a concert when they tried to leave the area right before midnight.

The plane crashed just after take off, reportedly hitting some lights on the runway and crashing through a gate. Four people were killed including Chris Barker (Travis Barker's assistant), the pilot & co-pilot, plus another passenger. Travis Barker and DJ AM reportedly survived by jumping out of the plane door almost immediately after it stopped. Travis Barker was burned from the waist down and DJ AM suffered burns to his face. Both artists were taken to a top burn center in Augusta, GA.

Travis Barker and DJ AM recently were the house band for the MTV Video Music Awards, both artists have solo albums due out later this year. The two artists recently released a new mixtape and video called "Fix Your Face."-Written by Jason of Rap Basement







WEEZY PARTIES IN THE BAHAMAS!

Lil Wayne is heading to the Bahamas to celebrate his 26th birthday. Wayne will be co-headling a party that will feature Bahamian artists like Daddy Whites, Golden Child, and Bobo Ken. Weezy will hold a pre-party on the 25th prior to the main concert and event on the 26th.Then Weezy will have a seperate birthday party on the 27th at the Marley Resort in Cable Beach.






50'S BLOOD ON THE SAND

Curtis is working on another video game, but it may never come out. 50's "Blood On The Sand" was set to be released November 4th, but the game's manufacturer, Vivendi, has reportedly suffered major losses in staff. So 50 what you gone do now?





Salt-N-Pepa

Having written a book about her experiences as one half of the 90s rap group Salt-N-Pepa, Pepa is now saying the duo may be bring their story to the silver screen.

"It's a story that needs to be told," Pep told WENN. "It's that girl-next-door story people would identify with it. It would make a great movie-very juicy."

Salt-N-Pepa rose to mainstream fame in the early 90s with their hits "Let's Talk About Sex" and "Shoop."

The duo parted ways in 2001, but enjoyed a recent reunion documented on their VH1 reality show "The Salt 'N' Pepa Show."

Pep said that she has even thought about the movie's casting and wants to see Meagan Good play her.

"Meagan Good could play me in my younger years. She reminds me of (myself)," Pep said. - By Erin T. McMillon of Yo Rap





NE-YO,FABOLOUS & JAMIE FOXX - SHES GOT HER OWN

Ne-Yo is back with the remix to “Miss Independence”. Video features Eve, Estelle, Jill Marie Jones, Keyshia Cole and more. They even brought out the inner sexy in Teyana Taylor. I’m glad he’s bringin’ Independent Women back in Style. Watch the video below.







BERG'S SIDE!

Yung Berg finally tells his side of the story about the beef between him and Trick Trick. A couple weeks ago Yung Berg got into a fight with the Trick Trick and his crew in a club. During the fight Berg's Transformer chain came up missing. A day later video's of Trick Trick wearing the chain popped up all over the internet. Trick Trick went on the radio and told jockey's that it wasnt him. Ever since no one heard Berg's side of the story until now. Watch the video below.






SWAGGER LIKE PUFF!

Can you imagine what it must be like to be Diddy? You can buy stores and get a show on MTV that basically amounts to making a television channel pick someone to work for you. You can have a rap career without being a rapper, and you can put a video out that, over the course of four minutes, not only convinces us that we wouldn't be against "Swagger Like Us" having a Puff verse, but is also really entertaining. Then you can put it on the internet yesterday and already have over 66,000 views.







RUN-DMC NOMINATED FOR ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME

RollingStone.com reports that the legendary Hip-Hop trio Run-DMC are beging nominated for the 2009 Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.If Run-DMC were voted in they would be only the second Hip-Hop group ever to be inducted to the Hall with the first being Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five in 2008.

The 2009 ceremony will be held April 4th at Cleveland's Public Hall in Cleveland, Ohio which is the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.




NEW RICK ROSS & PLIES ALBUM

Ted Lucas told MTV that although Plies still has his recent gold album "Definition Of Real" in the promotion cycle, he feels the rapper is ready to release more music.

"December 16, Plies ain't gonna let you down...Plies is a hard worker. There's no need to hold him back. I heard the album, heard the music, and I feel he's ready. You gotta feed the fans. When you got a fanbase and you're growing and they like your music, give them what they want. Before, you had albums come out by, like, Michael Jackson — people be on that album for two years. Now, the way the business is, we have to make sure the fans are happy and continue to grow."

The first single from Plies up-coming album "Da Realist" is "Pants Hang Low" produced by Mannie Fresh.



Lucas also went on to talk about the new album "Deeper Than Rap" from platinum Slip-N-Slide act Rick Ross.

"When he says 'deeper than rap,' he's not joking," Lucas said. "I already knew he was ahead of his class five years ago. Now he's ready to spread it and show people what he can do — giving people good music. People ain't seen nothing yet. Ross is always in the studio putting in good work, and the music is incredible. They gonna be riding with Deeper Than Rap." "Deeper Than Rap" is due in stores early 2009.




JANET JACKSON LEAVES DEF JAM

Rodney Jerkins reveals that Janet Jackson has been released from Def Jam. According to Rodney, this is something she wanted and pushed for as she didn’t feel as though her album “Discipline” was pushed correctly. Although, the album debuted at #1, it sold less than her previous albums “20 Y.O” and “Damita Jo” did in their first week.






LUDACRIS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME

Atlanta rapper Ludacris was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.According to The Associated Press, Luda was the first rapper to ever be inducted into the hall.

“And just to think 10 years ago I was trying to put pizzas through the oven at Pizza Hut to make sure I didn't get fired,” Ludacris said in a speech at the Georgia World Congress Centre. “Now the only way I'll get fired is if I fire myself, so that's a beautiful thing right now for sure.”

Luda will be releasing his latest album titled Theatre Of The Mind next month.