Scarface to exit the rap game soon but before he does... he wants Nas & Cube

Houston rapper Scarface announced that he was giving up the rap game after his next album Emeritus…But he said he would put out one more album only if he could put together a dream supergroup project between himself, Nas, and Ice Cube. Cube heard about the news and expressed his excitement about the possible project.

“Of course, I wouldn’t even think twice about doing that…hell yeah!” Ice Cube told AllHipHop.com. “I think the album would be crazy, lyrics would be sick, and Hip-Hop would love it. It’s just making that business happen, that’s the part that gets funky. I ain’t never turned down these kind of projects, they just don’t happen for whatever reasons.”

Nas tips Lil Wayne off the top of the charts

Katie Hasty, N.Y.
One rapper replaces another atop The Billboard 200 this week, as Nas' untitled Def Jam album dethrones Lil Wayne's Cash Money/Universal set "Tha Carter III." Nas' album sold 187,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, becoming the rapper's fifth No. 1 here.

Nas' prior album, 2006's "Hip-Hop Is Dead," also debuted at No. 1 but sold 354,000 over Christmas week. Meanwhile, after three non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, "Tha Carter III" slips to No. 2 with a 15% sales decrease to 105,000.

The Decca soundtrack to "Mamma Mia!," the film adaptation of the hit theatrical musical based on ABBA's songbook, experiences an 89% sales boost after the movie hit theaters Friday (and earned the highest grossing weekend opening ever for a musical); it climbs 7-3 with 91,000. Coldplay's "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" (Capitol) slips 2-4 with 90,000 (-20%), while the Jonas Brothers-led soundtrack to Disney's "Camp Rock" descends 3-5 with 78,000 (-12%).

Though it slips 5-6 on the chart, Kid Rock's "Rock N Roll Jesus" (Atlantic) continues to resurge with the help of the Hot AC/Adult Top 40 single "All Summer Long," selling 73,000 with a 20% sales increase.

John Mellencamp's Hear Music debut "Life Death Love and Freedom" bows at No. 7 with 56,000, his fourth top 10 album. It's his 19th charting record overall, stretching back to the Aug. 18, 1979, debut of "John Cougar."

David Banner debuts right behind at No. 8 with his third straight top 10 studio album, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (SRC/Universal), shifting 52,000. His previous set, 2005's "Certified," peaked at No. 6.

"Beautiful Eyes," a new Wal-mart exclusive EP/DVD from country star Taylor Swift, begins with 45,000 at No. 9. Meanwhile, her Big Machine self-titled debut climbs 14-12 with 35,000 (+20%) in its 59th week on the chart. Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad" (SRP/Def Jam) rounds out the top tier, slipping 8-10 with 41,000 (-12%).

O.A.R.'s "All Sides" (Atlantic) earns the group its biggest charting and sales week ever, debuting at No. 13 with 33,000. Country veteran Randy Travis also snares his highest charting album ever on The Billboard 200 as "Around the Bend" (Warner Bros.) debuts at No. 14 with 31,000.

Other debuts this week include Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's soundtrack to new Batman movie "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros.) at No. 20 with 25,000 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's live EP "Magic Tour Highlights" (Columbia) at No. 48 with 12,000.

At 7.48 million units, sales this week are up 2.1% from last week's sum and down 7.85% from the same week last year.


Courtesy of Billboard.com

Nas's Album Dropped Yesterday

Nas’ album which remained “Untitled” dropped today…He also announced that he will be going on a 21-date North American tour to support his new Untitled album. Commencing on July 22nd, the tour will hit mainly clubs and theaters. On the tour with Nas will be Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica and DJ Green Lantern. The tour will beging in Montreal then it will hit cities like Atlanta, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Houston, Detroit and Chicago, before ending on September 9th in Minneapolis.

Additionally,, Nas along with Jay Electronica and DJ Green Lantern, will also appear on Guerilla Union’s 2008 Rock the Bells tour, which starts July 19 in Tinley Park, Ill. The 10 date hip hop festival will also include A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, De La Soul, Rakim and the reunited Pharcyde, among others.

Also in stores today…
davidbanner NASS ALBUM DROPS TODAY...REVEALS TOUR PLANS...
David Banner’s The Greatest Story Ever Told is the fifth studio album by American rapper David Banner released Today, July 15, 2008.

Courtesy of Missxpose.com

First 2pac... then Nas... and now AZ?!?!?

By Chris Richburg

Rapper AZ has teamed with DJ Absolut to release a controversial new mixtape titled N.4.L. (N***az 4 Life.).

In addition to songs such as "Knowledge Freedom," "Runaway Slave," "Conspiracy," "Negro Spiritual," and "Self Savior," the mixtape features images of the past, which include a black and white picture of civil rights protestors being violently hosed by firemen on the cover.

N.4.L. also references historical lynchings and makes analogies to today’s rappers by featuring an illustration of AZ hanging on a noose on the inside jacket.

AZ is quick to point out a difference between his album N.4.L. and that of his rhyming partner Nas’ who’s upcoming album is untitled, but was formely titled N***er.

“I'm not doing N.4.L. to be in Nas' shadow," AZ told AllHipHop.com. “I was inspired by the message behind the movement. I'm just adding to the concept because the message is so powerful. It's about our culture and our people. He and I are cut from the same cloth, so I understood where he would have gone with it if the forces hadn't intervened."

The controversial title ignited discussion among rap fans as well as those at Nas’ label Def Jam, who later persuaded the rapper to change the title of the release, which is scheduled to hit stores on Tuesday (July 15).

"The title N.4.L. has a dual meaning for me. The first suggests that no matter what you achieve in life, as a black man, even if you become President Of The United States, in someone's eyes, you'll always be looked at as a 'n***a for life,'" the rapper said as he revealed how title pinpoints a gap between generations in regard to the use of the n-word. "I'm from the '80s era and our experiences with the 'n' word are different. Growing up, 'n***a' was just our way of communicating and acknowledging each other. You might roll up on someone and say what's up my n***a. Depending on who is saying it, you may not be offended. Although I understood what my mom and grandparents felt about the word, it's not the experience of our generation."

As for whether the mixtape and Nas' untitled album will result in a collaboration between the two lyricists, AZ confessed that both offerings serve a purpose in bringing both artists’ views to the forefront.

"The closest thing to us rhyming together for now is the N.4.L. mixtape," AZ shared. "You'll get him burning the candle from one end, [and me] burning the candle from the other end, [and] at the end of the day we gotta meet up in the middle. What you didn't get from Nas, you can get from AZ."

AZ’s N.4.L. mixtape is slated to be released on Aug. 5.

Courtesy of allhiphop.com