By Ismael AbduSalaam
DMX will become the latest emcee to enter the boxing world when he faces actor Eric Martinez this December.

In a recent interview on Washington D.C.’s 106.7 The Fan radio show, DMX (Earl Simmons) explained the origins of the fight and why he felt it wasn’t necessary to train for the contest.

"We got a phone call, you know, asking if I wanted to participate in it. Yeah, why not?" DMX stated. “I used to participate in…oh, nevermind. But yeah, I figured I could do it. I’m just going to walk in as it is, you know what I mean? It wouldn’t be fair if I trained.”

In a sport which suffers fatalities every year from head trauma, DMX was surprisingly unconcerned about fighting in Alabama, a state that has no organized athletic commission.

"I can fight for real though, so it is what it is,” X maintained.

Regarding his corner and entrance music, X revealed he hasn’t made any decisions yet.

"I have no idea [about my corner]…I haven’t even thought about that yet,” X admitted. "[The entrance music, I] haven’t thought about that either....More than likely I’ll pick one of my own songs, [like] 'What’s My Name.'”

According to DMX, a new album will be in stores by the first quarter of 2010. Before his legal troubles and incarceration this year, the rapper had originally planned to release a Hip-Hop and gospel LP on the same day in early 2009.

The fight card, entitled Alabama Pride, will take place in Birmingham on December 12 at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.

Source: AllHipHop

Track List

1. Custom Cars & Clips
2. White Sand
3. Break It Down feat. Bun B
4. Go feat. Birdman
5. We Getting It
6. Trickn Off feat. Gucci Mane
7. Throw It In The Sky
8. Erryday feat. Young Jeezy & JW
9. Customized
10. Gangsta Sh*t feat. The Game
11. Finer Things feat. Masspike Miles
12. Chickn Talkn feat. Mack 10 & Warren G
13. Diamonds & Maybachs Pt. 2 feat. Suede Royale
14. Hustla feat. Masspike Miles
15. Yams Pt. 2 feat. Yo Gotti



Album out on October 26!

Track list

1. Intro
2. Ruckdown
3. Godfather Part P
4. Goodnite!! (feat. Petro & Royce The 5'9")
5. Abortion (feat. Flood Diesel)
6. TKO (feat. LEGACY)
7. Car Thiefs
8. MegaSean
9. Boost (feat. PF Cuttin)
10. Bars Of Death (feat. Poison Pen & Swave Sevah)
11. Pork Chops & Apple Sauce
12. Get Ya Sket Mic
13. Bueno Times (feat. Ruste Juxx)
14. Hot (feat. LAW & Rock (of Heltah Sketah))
15. Street Shit
16. This Is Us (feat. Illanoyz & Agallah)
17. Weed & Hoes (feat. St Maffew)
18. Slum Shady Skit
19. Mamma I Want To Sing (feat. Buckshot)
20. Bullshit (Radient Jewls Remix)
21. P's Up
22. Suicide Doors (feat. Neil Rames)
23. DuckDown (feat. Skyzoo & Torae)



Album out on October 27!

By Houston Williams
The Game is about to be the latest rapper to change his name, according to recent reports.

The Game will now be known merely as “Game,” according to a recent story by dubcnn.com.

According to the site, Game has dumped “the” from his moniker to be displayed on his next CD, The R.E.D. Album. No other reason was given for the change.

The musical venture is expected to feature Timbaland, Pharrell and singer Chris Brown. Akon, Diddy, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and Beanie Sigel are among the others on the opus.

The R.E.D. Album is expected to drop on December 8.

Source: AllHipHop

So apparently all hell broke loose backstage at what was supposed to be a DMX concert in Colorado Springs. He was supposed to go on at 9:30pm and showed up at 11:00pm only to find that the show was cancelled….hmm. First off, anytime X shows up at booking, on the same day as the booking….consider that a success and get him on stage. But instead, the security at the venue got into a confrontation, that reportedly turned physical. HipHopWired says: “X then tried to enter the stage but was accosted by authorities who jumped him to the ground as his fans and entourage joined the melee and the fight ensued. DMX still made it to the stage minus a sound system to let them know he was indeed in the building.”

And someone named MaCaAtic caught everything on camera…and is milking it for all its worth by posting the dust-up in 2 parts, with a musical intro, a panel discussion, and running commentary, lol…but, I can’t be mad, the footage is dramatic.



It gets hectic around the 1:40 mark…and I like how DMX first stays calm. Then he makes sure his girl and perhaps a child are safely removed. Then he goes around the barricade to get to the stage. Now aside from the fact that the security seems entirely in the wrong, HipHopWired also alleged that the show was only cancelled because the promoter didn’t have X’s 2nd half payment? Tsk tsk.

The first video clip from MacaAtic after the jump…which shows more of the initial argument…


Here’s the initial argument between DMX and security…

Source: Missinfo.tv

the.LIFE Files Goes Back Scenes With Redman! from the.LIFE Files on Vimeo.

Talib Kweli recently had the Internet going nuts when he posted a comment on his Twitter account about being in the studio with Kanye West, MF Doom and frequent collaborator Madlib. XXLMag.com recently caught up with the Brooklyn MC via email to speak on the possible collaboration, but apparently people misunderstood his statements.

It all started when Kweli tweeted “…In the lab with MF Doom, Madlib and Kanye,” on October 7 on his account. Based off his statements, fans hoped all four artists were working on a track, especially since Kwe has worked with all of the individuals before. The Blacksmith leader has made a free, full-length album with Madlib titled Liberation and appeared on several songs with West and DOOM in the past.

“There was no song, I only said I was in the studio chillin’ with Ye, Madlib and Doom and the world assumed we was working on a song,” he explained to XXL. “We was drinking lol,” he continued. “Not Ye though.”

In related news the Reflection Eternal rapper is the latest artist set to get the Noisemakers treatment. As XXLMag.com previously reported, Hot 97 DJ, Peter Rosenberg, will be interviewing him live at NYC’s 927 on October 21. Past interviewees have included Raekwon, ?uestlove, Q-Tip and DJ Premier. Tickets for the event are onsale now. –Jesse Gissen

Source: XXL

Among the tracks expected to make the cut are "Walk Alone," the vintage R&B-leaning "Make a Move," "The Day" featuring Icelandic vocalist Patty Crash and a cover of Frank Zappa's instrumental classic "Peaches en Regalia." "How I Got Over" is also expected to include a version of Cody Chesnutt's "Serve This Royalty;" the singer-songwriter rose to fame in 2002 when the Roots re-recorded his song "The Seed" for their album "Phrenology."

Soulja Boy recently gave some insight into what he was doing the night he was arrested last week for obstruction of justice last week.

SB went on Twitter on Sunday (October 12) to share. “Releasing the music video for ‘Gangsta Muzik’ later on tonight,” he wrote. “This is the video shoot I got arrested at. Stay tuned.”

This still doesn’t explain why Soulja Boy, along with about 40 other people fled the scene when cops showed up at the abandoned house on Wednesday (October 7), after being tipped off by an anonymous caller, but at least it’s something.

The teen rapper has been pretty tight-lipped about the ordeal everywhere except Twitter. After his release, he assured his followers on the social networking site that he was fine and ready to get back to work. “I just wanna put this behind me! I’m not going back to jail! Let’s focus on the BET Awards!” Shortly after he even tweeted his mug shot along with the message “Even in jail my swag was turnt up.”

At the awards show however, Soulja told reporters that he couldn’t really say much about the incident. “Man, I can’t really comment on that, ‘cause I ain’t went to court yet… and my answer could affect the case,” he told MTV. “I just wanna thank all my fans for supporting me through it. I ain’t going back. I’m out, it’s good.”

Neither Soulja Boy or any of his representatives have many any official statement on the arrest so far. The video for “Gangsta Muzic” has also yet to debut online.
-Brooklyne Gipson

Source: XXL

Now that the storms are over, T.I. and Ludacris say they are both going to do their parts to help ATLiens affected by the recent floods.

According to tmz.com, the Atlanta-based Ludacris Foundation is teaming up with Sam’s Club and Home Depot to host a large food bank and gift card giveaway for residents of the more than 500 homes damaged by the flood.

In addition, Luda and T.I. each plan to give $10,000 each out of their own pockets to help with the relief effort. -Brooklyne Gipson

Source: XXL

By Mike Winlsow
Rapper 50 Cent addressed recent comments made by rapper Jay-Z during a radio interview on the BBC last week.

Jay-Z defended rapper Kanye West in an interview conducted by DJ Trevor Nelson’s BBC radio show last week.

Jay-Z became irritated when Nelson suggested that West would not have stormed the stage at the 2009 VMA’s, had 50 Cent been an accepting an award instead of country singer Taylor Swift.

“It wasn't 50 Cent [who made the comments],” 50 told Angie Martinez. “Hip-Hop has cool punk and Jay is the coolest punk in Hip-Hop. He’s big. And his take on it is [he’s] bigger than the art form and he won’t actually and compete. Battling has been a part of the culture.”

“I think he would have done that if that was 50 Cent," Jay-Z also told Nelson. "No one is scared of 50 Cent. I want everyone to be clear. No one is scared of 50 Cent."

Although 50 Cent went on to say that he did not have any problems with Jay-Z, he firmly stated that no one would storm his stage if put in the same situation.

“When he [Jay-Z] has to say no one is scared of 50 Cent, it’s because the public is responding to his punk presentation,” 50 Cent said. “Kanye wouldn’t take the trophy from me and neither would Jay-Z.”

The rapper took numerous shots at Kanye West during the interview, implying that Chicago emcee could be homosexual, due to his association with Lady GaGa’s upcoming “Fame Kills Tours.”

50 also revealed that Shady Records boss Eminem is not happy with the track “Forever,” which features Drake, Kanye West and Lil Wayne.

“I don’t think Em knew everyone was going to be on the record,” 50 Cent said. “Initially I think he just did a verse with it. He mixed his records and then they remixed it. I don’t think he’s happy with that at all.”

50 Cent is currently preparing for his upcoming Thisis50 Festival, which takes place October 3 at The Beach on Governors Island.

The rapper said he will debut new music from his upcoming album Before I Self Destruct during the festival this weekend.