Drake's Father Speaks on Son's Success

Dennis Graham talks Memphis' influence on Young Money star.

Drake's father, Dennis Graham, was featured on Fox News' Action News 5 in Memphis, Tennessee, speaking for the first time about his son's success. In the segment, Graham explains that although Drake reps Toronto as his home town, the summer's he spent visiting his dad in the White Haven area of Memphis played a huge role in influencing his music.

"That's why his metaphors are so phenomenal now because he's been in Memphis," he says. "[Drake] considers Memphis home more than he does Toronto."

Graham, the brother of soul singer Larry Graham, is also a musician and a former drummer for legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis. He says that he exposed Drake to music, taking him to the infamous Royal Studios where artists like Al Green recorded. The elder Graham recalls encouraging his young son to pursue music.

"Appleville, which is Shelby Drive and Nealy, that's where we always came to … I used to hold him in my office, while I played the piano … I told him, I said, 'Drake, you got a beautiful voice.'"

Although Graham doesn't speak to the media often, he took the time out to express how proud he is of Drake's success. "My god, I look at him and I think, 'Oh my god! This kid's got it.' I said, 'Drake, you've done it, man,'" Graham said.

Kanye West Is Upset With Placement on MTV's "Hottest MCs"

Yeezy reacts to being ranked No. 7 on the controversial list.

The hip hop brain trust at MTV had their say, now Kanye West wants his. The music superstar broke his self-imposed media ban to express his displeasure with being ranked No. 7 on the "Hottest MC in the Game" list. The annual hip hop power ranking normally stirs heated debate among rap heads and this year is no different.
Mr. West called in to New York's Hot 97 radio to tell DJ Enuff that he is bothered by his placement. MTV's rap experts had a grueling debate over where to place Kanye, but in the end the Watch the Throne MC came in at No. 7, one spot below his G.O.O.D. Music protege Big Sean. Though he admits to being "happy for Sean" he still thinks the Detroit MC "should be on top 5," for "the way he just be bodying records, like the way he started off that 'Mercy.' "
Most upsetting for Mr. West was the rationale the rap round table used to justify his spot.
"To me, I feel like in order for them to put me as No. 7, they had to bring up things that they didn't like," West explained. "Like they didn't like the Cruel Summer album, and I'm like, 'That's just [a] compilation — it ain't all rappers on G.O.O.D. Music.'

West championed the merits of the singles-heavy album.

"I mean, Cruel Summer got "[I] Don't Like" remix, "Mercy," "Cold," "New God Flow," oh and "Clique"! You can't name five records like that on no album," he continued. "But they wanna dis me, and be like, 'He did Cruel Summer, and he can't say he ain't part of it 'cause he did eight records. ... Ain't nobody bringing up that [Rihanna] "Diamonds" remix verse, like there was no verse in a year that was f---in' with that verse!"

As more evidence for his case to be ranked higher West recalled one of his most quotable lines of the year.

"I don't think it's them really going bar for bar: I said, 'Lucky I didn't have Jay drop him from the team!' " he said, quoting a line from his track "Cold," which alluded to his girlfriend Kim Kardashian's brief marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries, who now plays for Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets. "Ain't no bar, ain't no bar in the entire past four months hotter than that bar. That's one bar! I come from this battle rap; that's how I grew up. I'm from Chicago."

Even though Yeezy made a strong case that he deserved a higher ranking, he still chose someone other than himself to wear the crown of "Hottest MC."

"I think that [Lil] Wayne is the number-one rapper in the world," Ye said to the surprise of Enuff. "Him and Jay, and Eminem and certain people are like the greatest rappers of all time."

It didn't take Weezy long to show his appreciation for being regarded in such high esteem.

"That's the ultimate compliment coming from a humble, great, extremely creative, & superior genius...I appreciate that Yeezy!," Wayne wrote via Twitter.

The MTV Hottest MCs debate continues this week with only four spots remaining. Meek Mill (#10), Future (#9), A$AP Rocky (#8), Ye, Sean, and Drake (#5) will know soon enough who joins them on the list.

Lil Wayne Responds to Pitbull Diss

Weezy seems a little disappointed the Miami rapper went on the attack.

The tension between Lil Wayne and local stars in his adopted home city of Miami continues to boil over in the wake of his inflammatory comments about the Miami Heat. Wayne's apology for his vulgar statements did not satisfy 305 legends Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell, Trick Daddy and Pitbull, who have all publicly expressed their distaste for the New Orleans native’s disrespect.
Pitbull recently released a diss track aimed at Weezy, telling him "don't s--t where you eat," over Baauer’s Internet hit "Harlem Shake." Wayne took to Twitter early this morning (February 27) to reply, tweeting "Dam pit bull bro I thought u was kool." Pitbull’s freestyle "Harlem Shake (Welcome 2 Dade County)" mocked the Cash Money MC’s financial situation with the rhyme, "You got money, yeah that's sweet / But we all know Slim and Baby really eat / You talk Miami, yes you talkin' Heat."
Trick Daddy and Uncle Luke are using the sports-related beef to fuel a movement to get Wayne’s Young Money artists out of rotation on local radio and return the shine to Miami-based musicians. "We came up in a city that we lived through three, four or five hurricanes and two major riots. I can’t go nowhere else, this my home," said Trick to Miami’s 99 Jamz last Thursday. Former 2 Live Crew front man Luke penned a scathing editorial about Weezy in the New Miami Times that called for the city and its stars to stop letting Wayne treat Miami “like his b---h."
Wayne was apologetic for his rant in a call to 99 Jamz on February 21. "As far as the city of Miami, I do wanna apologize for the misunderstanding and whatever has everybody thinking that I have something against the city, because that’s totally wrong," Wayne said. "These people accepted me with open arms since day one, since I was a Hot Boy. It’s just totally sports, this ain’t got nothing to do with the city of Miami."
Wayne, who’s album I Am Not a Human Being II is due later this year, did not back down from personal jabs taken at Heat players Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, though.

Cash Money Daughters Write Novel

Lil Wayne and Birdman proud to see their little girls pen a fictional adaption of teen life.

In the latest news from Cash Money Content, the literary division of the recording powerhouse, Lil Wayne’s daughter, Reginae Carter teamed up with Birdman’s daughter, Bria Williams to write a novel loosely based on their experience of being "unintentionally famous,"
"Paparazzi Princesses" focuses on two teenagers, named Kyla Jones and Promise Walker, as they navigate a world of media attention, young love, and two-faced friends.
Karyn Langhorne Folan, author of "Don’t Bring Home a White Boy," helped the real life teens navigate the world of writing.
Via a statement to the press, Lil Wayne said, "I’ve got to be honest. It’s inspiring to see what these girls have done. It wasn’t easy, and they did it all by themselves.'‘Proud' doesn’t even begin to describe how me and the Birdman feel. I can’t wait for everybody else to experience their story."
"They took an idea, worked extremely hard, and brought it to life," Birdman added. "It’s the kind of story that everybody can feel, and it’s only the start of much bigger things for these two wonderful young ladies.”
The book is set to release June 4 via Cash Money Content’s deal with Simon & Schuster. Other Cash Money authors include Evelyn Lozada (of Basketball Wives fame), pimp-turned-author Iceberg Slim, and street novel legend K’Wan.

PEACE PREVAIL!

A whole new world is on the brink of beginning. We are all active participants creating how this new world will be, whether we are conscious of it or not. In order to bring in the new consciousness that is awaiting our preparedness we need to learn to live with awakened minds, wide open hearts and fully functioning connections with God within us.So I found it wise to compose this simple peace-oriented poem for KENYA to read and hold close all through these times when lifting that 'panga' is easier than huggin  or shaking hands>>>

' One Love '

One Love........

KENYANS Breathing
Together Breathing
Breathing Together
Breathing as One!

KENYANS Smiling
Together Smiling
Smiling Together
Smiling as One!

KENYANS Being
Together Being
Being Together
Being as One!
KENYANS Dancing
Together Dancing
Dancing Together
Dancing as One!

KENYANS Laughing
Together Laughing
Laughing Together
Laughing as One!

KENYANS Hugging
Together Hugging
Hugging Together
Hugging as One!

KENYANS Sleeping
Together Sleeping
Sleeping Together
Sleeping as One!

Snoop Lion to Release Reincarnated Album in April

The reggae album will feature Drake, Chris Brown and more.

Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion will be adding on to his Rastafarian rebirth this April 23 with the release of his new reggae and dance-hall influenced album, Reincarnated. The Diplo and Major Lazer-produced LP will trail the release of Snoop's critically acclaimed documentary of the same name that's set to hit select theaters in two weeks. 
Reincarnated the album is the culmination of the "Lighter's Up" rapper's year-long journey into the Rastafarian culture. "No Guns Allowed" will serve as the next single for the LP, which will be released via Mad Decent/VICE Music/RCA Records. The project will include features from big-ticket acts from various genres like Drake, Chris Brown, T.I., Busta Rhymes, Rita Ora and Akon as well as dance-hall heavyweights Mavado and Popcaan.
Reincarnated the film will open in select cities March 15.

Ne-Yo Reveals He Used to Be Married

The singer tied the knot, got annulment at 19.

Ne-Yo's been keeping the kind of secret that could inspire another hit song.
The sultry singer has been married before. Ne-Yo says he jumped the broom at the young age of 19, but that he had the marriage annulled just a few months later. He claims his ex-wife was not supportive of his career and said he'd never make it as a singer.

As for why he never before talked about the relationship, he replies, "nobody ever asked."

The "Forever Now" singer was rumored to be engaged to longtime girlfriend Monyetta Shaw in 2011, which he denied. The couple have two children.

Though he must have gone through heartbreak with the end of his marriage, looks like it's Ne-Yo who has the last laugh!

Ja Rule to Be Released From Jail in July

The rapper will finish out his time at a Brooklyn correctional facility.

Freedom is just around the corner for Ja Rule. The Murder Inc. rapper served almost two years in a state prison in central New York for illegal gun possession. According to the Associated Press, he has been transferred to Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center to serve additional time in federal custody for a tax evasion case.
The detention center acts as a waiting area for prisoners close to release. Ja's expected release date is July 28.
Ja Rule began his sentence in 2011 on the gun charge stemming from a 2007 incident. As far as the tax evasion, he admitted to failing to pay up for more than $3 million earned between 2004 and 2006.

J. Cole: Joint Album With Kendrick Lamar Still Happening

Cole promises the highly anticipated project will be released.

J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar have been teasing the hip hop world with the possibility of a joint album for over a year now. During an interview with Hartford, Connecticut’s HOT 93.7 yesterday (February 28), Cole confirmed that the highly anticipated collaboration is “still happening.”
"We got in (the studio) a few times," said Cole to Jenny Boom Boom before promising fans an incredible project and comparing working with Kendrick to working with his little cousin. "There’s not a lot of fronting involved with either of us. I feel like that’s the new wave."
In November 2012 Kendrick told fans to expect the still untitled album to drop unexpectedly without a release date. "We gon drop that out the sky," said Kendrick. "I ain’t gonna give no dates, no nothing. I'm just gonna let it fall," the Compton MC told the LA Leakers.
With both coming off of wildly successful debut albums, Cole’s Cole World: The Sideline Story and Kendrick’s good kid m.A.A.d. city, fans are starving for more from the rising stars. Cole’s sophomore effort, Born Sinner, is expected to drop in summer 2013 while Kendrick recently explained to Miss Info that he’s not ready to begin work on his follow up and is currently content to "live in the moment."
"I haven't locked in album mode," revealed K Dot. "I write every day, though. I have ideas all the time, but me going in the studio and locking in, and making the next album — I don't wanna force things." Cole recently released the lead single for Born Sinner, an experimental collaboration with Miguel titled "Power Trip."
"Commercially, I just hope it’s successful again," said Cole in reference to his follow up. "I hope it’s even more successful. I hope it crushes it in terms of sales and critical acclaim. So I just want those two things to happen."