So I'm reading Blender just now, and I find a link to a new Chris Brown song called "Down," featuring guest verses from Kanye West. Kanye is enough of a reason to check out any song, but then I read that this particular song contained an interpolation of the 4 Non Blondes hit "What's Up?" And that right there is reason enough to post the song.

In a new interview, Jay-Z has admitted that he regrets his 5-minute retirement.



After 2003's Black Album, Jay announced that he would be retiring from rap, only to come back in 2006 with a new record, a mediocre Wreckx-n-Effect sample, and eight million Budweiser commercials.

Leave it to the Don Imus camp to be on the same page as Nas. It's been a strange few months dealing with the language/content of hip hop and Nas put the icing on it all when he announced he'd be releasing an album titled N**** by the end of the year.

Two days later, Def Jam denied it (which was supposedly BS), Nas amended it from N**** to N****r and everyone weighed in on it ... except for Nas. Well that has changed ...

Lil Wayne came out all dramatic and bad-ass a few nights ago at the BET Hip Hop awards to debut his new track, "Gossip," and he makes it clear that lyrical ridiculousness will continue on into 2008. Maybe even (but probably not) from prison. This is more of the same from Wayne, hard hitting and extended to let him go and go and go some more. Also, I believe I hear a Dianna Ross sample?

Ne-Yo definitely had a much more impressive guest list for his birthday party than your average R&B crooner. The Yo celebrated his 25^th on a New York rooftop alongside Rihanna, Jay-Z, L.A. Reid, LL Cool J, Jermaine Dupri, Janet Jackson, Ray J and Travis McCoy (Gym Class Heroes). The singer's label, Compound Entertainment threw the private party in cahoots with New Era and Rockport. Sponsored birthday parties - that's what we all need in our lives.

Hey, Fox News, welcome to hip hop. Glad you guys could join us. For some reason, the station believes that Nas' "controversial" album title - N**** - is worthy enough to eat up some air time on their 24 hour news channel. I'm guessing it was partially because they really thought it was and partially because there's no such thing as 24 hours worth of news, so you gotta make some shit up every now and then. Also, were you aware that Nas "glorified the murder" at VA Tech? Wtf?

What is it about Foxy Brown? She seems to be a magnet for weirdos and trouble- makers, despite staying true to "the game," or something.

The latest bad news to come across the wire is that one of Foxy's attorneys has been excused from the case after his wife was threatened by some dude. The unknown man apparently walked up to the attorney's wife and said...

Yesterday was the 35th birthday of Marshall Mathers, best known to the world as Eminem.



I present to you, a belated birthday tribute to Eminem.

50 Cent and company are about to release the sophomore G-Unit disc, Shoot to Kill, due out December 18^th, and it will feature ... drumroll please ... a Lil Kim collabo. Miss Info blogged that 50 and the somewhat wreckless Lil Kim have smoothed over whatever differences they had in the past to record "Magic Stick 2: Wanna Lick." Ewww.

Nas apparently jumped the gun. He didn't exactly have clearance last weekend when he announced that his next album would be called N****. His label, Def Jam is denying it. Def Jam Music Group chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid even said there are no Nas releases on their schedule at this point.

 

He also asked, "How would that look at Wal-Mart?" Who says they'd carry it Mr. Reid? He should look into it though, cause it'd be huge for Nas if he was able to carry through with the title. Tons of free publicity.

Anyway, the other day I wondered how the language morality police would respond to Nas' decision to title his next album N****, and now some of them have. Take it away Rev. Jesse Jackson...

One of rap music's most famous homophobes, Ja Rule is still going at 50 Cent regardless of the fact that nobody really cares all that much. Well, that is other than to get a good laugh from Ja. His latest ramblings on Fiddy are as big, bad and silly as ever.

"I think he really, really admires me. He admires my work, he admires my music, my talent level. He admires all of that. But I don't see him as a talent. Because for me he's more of a spectacle. And that's why he's not meeting the bar [right now]. When you come in this business as a spectacle, you're gonna have a short-lived career. Because now every time you drop, you have to meet that spectacle. People aren't looking for the music anymore [from him]. It's [a matter of,] can you match the intensity of the spectacle you created on your last project? His projects aren't even about the music. Every record he puts out is about the other artist he's [been] aligned with [to battle]," Ja said.

Didn't see this one coming, I promise. Foxy Brown has pleaded not guilty to charges that she threw her blackberry at a neighbor.

This sitch does not bode well for Brooklyn's Don Diva, which is scheduled to be out on November 20. But still, I don't see what the big deal is, it's not like it was an iPhone.