With buzz circulating about a near-death shooting aimed at Harlem rapper Max B last night in New York.
A press release was issued today claiming he was scheduled to perform at Hot 97’s Who’s Next concert Tuesday evening July 22 at SOB’s but before hitting the stage a disruption occurred.”I heard a shot and then n*ggas cleared the room,” Max said. “I had my shades on so I ain’t really see who let off the shot. N*ggas want me dead, I don’t know who, but you know, everybody want me dead. They want the Biggavelli out the game - I’m about to take over the game so they want me out.”

Claiming the incident was just “a regular day at work,” Max saw the event as a bad move on the shooter’s behalf due to the extra publicity he’s receiving.

“Obviously whoever shot wasn’t trying to shoot me, they was too scared to shoot me so they just made it look like they was doin’ something big,” he added. “All they did was get me wavy, get me extra interviews and have everybody talk about where Max B got shot at. They get no recognition for that. I do.”

In addition to the exposure received from the shooting, Max spoke on his new Wavie Crockett mixtape with Big Mike and a mistaken shout-out to Jim Jones’ Byrd Gang on one of the tracks.

“Shout-out to Big Mike,” he said. “I had to bring it back to the game. I brought it back to the essence. I distinctly shouted-out Byrd Gang in the middle of one of my songs by mistake. I am not a Byrd Gang affiliate.”

Despite no longer working with long-time partner Jim Jones, Max expressed gratitude to the Byrd Gang leader “for the opportunity” and wished them along with The Diplomats the best of luck with their careers.

The 2007 version of Scott Storch was a force to be reckoned with. Not only was his catalog of production credits diversifying between Hip Hop, R&B, and Pop, but he also continually cranked out radio hits and Billboard chart-toppers. At the height of his career, he was valued at $70 million and was featured in Forbes magazine, a feat seldom seen in the slumping music industry today.In 2008, he isn’t looking so great.

The 34-year old Miami resident is seeing the effects of poor financial decision making which has subsequently put him into debt. Rumors of his financial woes began earlier this year, as reported Storch had listed his $20 million dollar yacht on eBay for the shockingly low cost of $600,000. Since then, it’s been reported that Storch has also evaded real estate taxes that amount to $500,000. Then there’s the case of his missed child-support payments.

After his 2004 rise in success, Storch reconciled with his former girlfriend Vanessa Bellido, who 12 years earlier birthed his son Steven. Wanting to do the right thing, he brought them to Southern Florida, which Bellido described as “one of the happiest times in our lives.” Three years after that, he began paying child-support for his second son of a different mother in Jalen Daniel.

While this shift in Storch’s life was occurring for the better, his entertainment ventures took a turn for the worse. Including a failed signing in reality TV star Brooke Hogan, a feud with former collaborator Timbaland, and a struggle to keep his producing top-notch, it is assumed Storch couldn’t handle the limelight, which simultaneously put a strain on his relationships with both mothers and children. At the start of this year, he has been MIA in delivering payments for both children, putting him another $46,000 in the hole.

Infamous, co-producer of Lil Wayne’s record “Mr. Carter” and budding beat-maker himself, sees Storch’s situation as one that abruptly catches music artists off-guard because of its financial insecurity. “There’s no 401k plan in the music industry. You can’t be stupid and just throw your money away.”

Now that Hov has washed his hands of his Deaf Jam duties, I wonder who LL is going to blame now. Why? Forget hip-hop; IDJ is the new R&B label. Rihanna got a re-release of her album after dropping a million and one singles, Ne-Yo is on album three, they’re still vigorously pushing The Dream even though his album was a flop, they’re working on a new artist named Karina Passian, etc etc. In short, what a joke this label has turned out to be. We knew L.A Reid was a bad idea from the jump.

Hiphopspy never cares how many units a artist is moving these days. But NAS is a top 5 all time rapper that we will follow till the end.

Has Plies let his 15 minute-success go to his head? It looks the like southern rapper thinks he’s the “Michael Jackson” of our time. Either that or he’s in fear for his life. Check out his alleged diva demands at a recent concert down in the ATL.This is an email I got from a media source who attended Greg Streets 13th Anniversary Party concert at the Gwinnett Arena:
What up?

I just had to put you on to this bitchass nicca Plies. I am in the bizz and I was in the backstage area taking photos of peeps when suddenly the security employees demanded that EVERYBODY clear the hallway. There was shouting and a slight panic to get the hallway completely empty. On the real I thought that Jay-Z was making a surprise appearance by how everyone was acting.

But come to find out it was just this nicca Plies. From what I was told, Plies demands to have a cleared walkway when performing at a venue. That’s some straight up bitchassness fo’ real. That nicca try to act hard like he’s from the streets, but he speaks better then most people. He also had a bodyguard and a two police officers standing guard while he performed. He is one scary nicca.

Put that nicca on blast, yo! When everyone found out why we had to clear the area everybody clowned him hard.

These claims don’t shock me one bit. I’ve heard that Plies is definitely on some hoe ass type sh*t.

DMX has been arrested and slapped with a felony charge of taking the identity of another at a Phoenix mall.The rapper was arrested July 19 in a Phoenix mall, due to an alleged incident at the Scottsdale Mayo clinic in April where the rapper was being treated for an illness.

While there, he allegedly used an alias, “Troy Jones,” and defaulted on a $7,500 bill.

DMX, real name Earl Simmons, was booked at the Maricopa County jail.

The arrest marks X’s fourth bust in two months, on charges that range from alleged illicit drug use to numerous motor vehicle violations.

On July 2, police arrested the rapper earlier this month at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

On June 27, he was arrested in Miami for allegedly attempting to purchase cocaine and marijuana.

And on June 23, DMX was arrested in Miami for not having a valid driver’s license.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio feels that the rapper, real name Earl Simmons, has had more than enough opportunities to reform and deserves stiffer punishment.

“He’s back in jail again,” Arpaio told the Associated Press. “I don’t know why judges keep letting this guy out. Every time he goes in there, he gets out on bond. I’m hoping this is the one time he’s going to pay the penalty for his offense.”

Because of X’s celebrity status, Arpaio confirmed that the Yonkers native would be held in protective custody.

“They may not like his music,” he quipped. At press time, a bond has not been given in DMX’s case, and his lawyer Cameron Morgan has declined to comment.

It has just been reported that Atlanta rapper Lil Scrappy, born Darryl Kevin Richardson II, has just been stabbed in Dekalb County.The details are very sketchy right now, however what is known is that Lil Scrappy was on North Hariston Rd in Dekalb County when he was attacked.

Scrappy was currently working on a new CD tentatively titled “Grustle” which is slated for a December 5th release.
Scrappy is in police custody in Dekalb County and has been charged with two felonies Marijuana possession and carrying a knife/firearm during a crime.

Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo is shooting down internet rumors of his involvement in an altercation at a club in his hometown over the weekend. Rumors appeared online on Wednesday that Shawty Lo, born Carlos Walker, was assaulted at Club Crucial, a venue in Bankhead co-owned by rival T.I.According to rumors, Shawty Lo’s chain was stolen and the attack occurred to the soundtrack of T.I.’s “What Up,” a recently released track which appears to take aim at Shawty Lo.

“A couple of dudes from my Bowen Homes hood got into it with some other dudes from Bowen Homes,” Shawty Lo explained. “It really wasn’t nothing, just some Bowen Homes sh*t. It wasn’t an altercation with me at all. I didn’t get touched, period. And this had nothing to do with TI.”

The D4L founder, who is currently on vacation in Florida with his family, went on to say that he would address the situation in more detail with a new YouTube video, set to be posted today.

The on-going war of words between Shawty Lo and T.I. has been a constant topic of conversation and speculation for the last few months, with Shawty Lo appearing to be the aggressor.

In his efforts to discredit T.I.’s on-wax persona, the D4L Records CEO has created a series of YouTube videos investigating the self-proclaimed King of the South’s origins.

Last month, during an on air interview with Power 106 in Los Angeles, Shawty Lo explained the origins of the conflict, which seemed to many to come out of nowhere.

As the rapper told it, he approached T.I. in 2006 with a request to appear on the song “Let’s Get It.” The collaboration was on track until T.I. took objection to a street single released by Shawty Lo entitle “King.”

T.I.’s response, according to Shawty Lo, was a line on the single “Big Things Poppin’,” in which the Grand Hustle CEO spits: I said I was King and the lames started laughin’ and/Same sucka now want the King on a track with him, thereby initiating the ongoing war of words.

While rumored “diss tracks” continue to make the rounds, both rappers maintain that they are not interested in escalating their conflict beyond the music.

The two have shared the stage on many occasions this summer, including at Hot 107.9’s Birthday Bash in Atlanta in June, where the artists continued to take verbal jabs at each other, without further inciden

• DJ OF THE YEAR

Bigga Rankin–WTF is this? He a radio DJ who doesnt do much- RIGGED NOMINATION
DJ Drama– Has done nothing since he got busted-RIGGED NOMINATION
DJ Khaled–Uh we the best get the fuck outta here,why?-RIGGED NOMINATION
DJ Q45–Who the fuck is this?? Does anyone know-DOUBLE RIGGED NOMINATION
Greg Street–Commercial Radio dj-might be only legit one on list
Tony Neal-?????????? Who the FUCK IS THIS-TRIPLE RIGGED NOMINATION

THE WINNER OF THAT CATEGORY WILL BE DRAMA OR BIGGA RANKIN IT IS RIGGED FOR SURE

• BEST MIXTAPE / STREET ALBUM

B.G. & DJ Drama - Gangsta Grillz: Hood Generals-Decent mixtape because of B.G, Same old tired gangsta grillz drop used over and over again by Drama
B.O.B. & Mick Boogie - Hello My Name Is BOB-A fucken Joke BOB is tjsdjs boy.his banner been on the front of his site for 2 years. BOB has no talent and no fan base his cd will go triple wood in the stores.Completely RIGGED
Bigga Rankin & Brisco - From Dade to Duval: WRNR-This mixtape is a joke,did anyone see it anywhere? I didnt and I follow the mixtape game religiously. RIGGED
Chamillionaire – Mixtape Messiah 3-Legit
Rich Boy – Bigger Than The Mayor-uh ringtone rapper.Julia sucking off major labels-RIGGED
Shawty Lo & DJ Scream – I’m Da Man 2-Scream is legit
Yelawolf - Stereo-WTF and who the fuck is this? Triple RIGGED
Yo Gotti & DJ Smallz – Cocaine Muzic- Yo Gotti is legit,Smallz is RIGGED

DJS That should of been on this list but are not because they live too far away from florida, and dont know julia or TJ very well.

DJ 31 Degreez -Dominated southern mixtapes this year why isnt he on the list?

DJ Chuck T-Mr. Publicity, He leaked Lil Wayne tape so Julia and TJ boycotted him?

DJ Fade Cashville- Released some of the best Mixtapes ever this past year,His intros are the standard by which all other DJs should be measured.

DJ Technique-His mixtape series are highly coveted and followed

The Empire-His Drought is over series reached the far ends of the earth

I could go on and break down the whole nomination card but I cant stand it I just wanted to give a example of how fucked up and rigged these awards are. Do not waste your time on this show. And if you are not on the RIGGED nominations then you can still hold your head up high knowing that the Ozone awards are a total JOKE!!!!

Days after the Rev. Jesse Jackson apologized for making negative comments about Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, rapper David Banner is weighing in on the controversy. Banner, who drew headlines during the Imus scandal for his scathing comments about Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, also rapped about Jackson on the track “So Special.”Rev. Jesse Jackson came under fire since making what he called “crude and hurtful” remarks about Obama on Sunday (July 6) after an interview with a Fox News correspondent.

The former Democratic presidential contender, who was not aware that his microphone was still on while talking to UnitedHealth Group executive Dr. Reed V. Tuckson, whispered “See, Barack’s been talking down to black people…I want to cut his nuts off” to Tuckson who was also being interviewed on Fox News.

News of the incident dominated morning talk shows and other media outlets since it became public.

“He didn’t literally mean that he wanted to cut Barack’s balls off. So we just need to quit it and move on,” David Banner said. “This is one of the most important elections in history and we should focus on what’s right and what’s wrong. We’re gonna mess around and let the same thing happen with the last two elections and then we as American people are gonna be sitting up looking stupid with high ass gas prices again and our troops still at war.”

On Wednesday (July 9), Jackson apologized for his remarks as well as any hurt or harm the comments caused the Obama campaign.

Although a spokesman for the campaign relayed that the Illinois senator accepted Jackson’s apology, Jackson’s son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., of Illinois was less forgiving as he publicly voiced his outrage and disappointment over his father’s remarks about Obama by calling them “reckless statements.”

While the elder Jackson’s comments may have come as a shock, Banner was quick to point out the importance of looking at the bigger picture.

“I think the thing that we should focus on more is the disconnect between young black people and old black people. And the truth, when it comes down to it, is about what’s right and what’s wrong,” said Banner.

While criticism is regularly thrown at leaders such as Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton, Banner points out that representation must exist for the current generation of voters.

“We need to agree on who our leaders are gonna be. When we go through a generation without representation, who’s representing our generation that comes from our generation? Who is speaking out and pushing for policies for our generation?” Banner asked. “We complain about Jesse Jackson and people like that, but who are we gonna put in those positions? Who’s gonna step up to the forefront and take responsibility?”