Mobb Deep Show Violence, Beat Street Closes, Cena Vs K-Fed

A recent overseas concert by rap duo Mobb Deep turned violent when an overzealous fan allegedly got into a scuffle with security at the club where the show was held. According to reports, the incident occurred Friday (Dec. 15) during a Mobb Deep performance in Belgium. The fan began fighting with security after being kicked out of the VIP area of the club. According to sources, a the fan returned to the venue with friends after leaving the club and the collective sprayed the VIP area with bottles, injuring G-Unit member 40 Glocc. The rapper received a cut on his hand after one of the bottles ricocheted off the wall, hitting him. A brawl ensued, yet Mobb Deep and 40 Glocc left the club safely. The Belgium show was one of a series of performances on Mobb Deep's European tour. Mobb Deep will appear in Athens, Greece tonight (Dec. 20), Dublin, Ireland on Thursday (Dec. 21) and Munich, Germany on Friday Dec. 22). Once the tour wraps, 40 Glocc will return to the United States to promote his upcoming mixtape. The DJ Whoo Kid hosted project will hit stores in January. Popular Brooklyn record store Beat Street has officially closed its doors, citing a downturn in record sales. According to reports, the legendary store, which was opened in 1995 on Fulton Street, could not compete with the Internet, a trend that has also forced the shutdown of numerous mom and pop stores and majors like Tower Records, which will close all stores by the end of 2006. WWE champion rapper John Cena is preparing for a battle, with Britney Spears' ex-husband and rapper Kevin Federline. Cena and Federline will brawl at WWE's New Year’s Revolution event, which takes place on New Years Day in Miami. Federline, who has said he hates his nickname of K-Fed, recently issued a challenge to Cena. "The real Kevin Federline never backs down from a challenge," Federline said on Monday Night Raw in Washington, D.C.

Save The Last Dance 2

Back in the 90s, some of the best Hip-Hop and R&B came from film soundtracks. Major label artists weren't releasing albums and mixtapes every 8 months, so soundtracks were a great way to stay on the scene. Remember Above the Rim and New Jersey Drive? The Show? Sunset Park? It was almost a given that any halfway decent film would have a major soundtrack to go with it, often times eclipsing the movie itself. Today, between new marketing opportunities and quicker release cycles for solo artists, soundtracks have fallen to the wayside as a promotional tool for record labels and film studios alike. Still, when musicals or dance themed pictures come around, it only makes sense to attempt to take a page out of the old book, bringing us to Save the Last Dance 2 (Mass Appeal). While the album does pull in a few chart-topping artists, it comes nowhere near the level of star power that soundtracks once had. Most of the songs come from rookies, and few of them are impressive. Ne-Yo and Rihanna provide by-the-numbers entries ("Watch You Dance" and "The Hotness", respectively) that do a little more than get their names on the tracklist. Meanwhile, it's unlikely that Jalen or Boxie will gain any new fans with the uninspired "All I Need" or "Bridging the Gap." There are a handful of decent attempts in the mix nonetheless. Candace Jones's neo-soul style on "You and Me" isn't necessarily groundbreaking, but is a serviceable use of a familiar style. Jaiden's "Escape" shows signs of effort, and those who are already fans of Cassie should enjoy "Kiss Me." The album certainly fares better if you listen to it on your feet since it heavily leans toward the dance mood of the movie, but those combing for gems will find little. Save the Last Dance 2 certainly shows a new appropriate use for soundtracks: showcasing new artists by packaging them with more popular ones and capitalizing on the film's potential success. If the idea is to work though, everyone involved will have to give just a little bit more for listeners to stick around long enough to get familiar with the new-jacks. In this case, the collection is appropriate background music for the film, but won't add much to any other part of your day.

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

In 2004, Snoop Dogg scored his biggest hit in the post riding shotgun with Dr. Dre years with The Neptunes-assisted "Drop it Like it's Hot". But while R&G was aimed at the charts with Southern and East Coast-seasoned production, Snoop's Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (Doggystyle/Geffen) uses production from in and out of California, culminating in an album that lyrically spotlights the West Coast sound, style, and legacy. While The Game is turning heads and churning charts with an energetic flow and hard-nosed lyrics, Snoop faithfully follows his script of laid back drawl and pimpish charm, a gift and a curse. "Conversations" may be the wisest Snoop has ever sounded. As DJ Pooh re-recorded Stevie Wonder singing his classic, "Have a Talk With God", Snoop preaches to wayward women and misled youth over one of the best examples of feel-good music in 2006. In contrast though, "Gangbangin' 101" highlights some of the most blatant gang references heard on a mainstream record since the DJ Quik/MC Eiht glory years. As The Game tells a story of running out of gas in Crip infested streets, Snoop uncovers elements of being jumped in and rising the ranks. Speaking of Eiht, he, E-40, Tha Dogg Pound, and Goldie Loc appear on "Candy". Though the track shows Snoop's rekindling with four former adversaries, and one legend, "Candy" feels like an overstuffed mixtape effort. Rick Rock supplies another looped-up Digable Planets beat, carbon-copy to his "Yay Area" for E-40. Tha Blue Carpet Treatment is the most Dr. Dre has participated on a Snoop album since 199's over-hyped Tha Last Meal. Though none of the three collaborations have that smash hit sound, the quality is impeccable. "Imagine" sees Dre on the mic, admiring the accolades of the 15-year contribution he and Snoop have made over a minimalist piano beat. Veteran producers Rhythm D and Battlecat supplied "A B***h I Knew", which has the thump and the chorus of an early Too Short classic. Timbaland gives Snoop a classic gem "Get a Light", which is an eerie drum-and-bass creation that not only appeases the club crowd, but allows Snoop to get convincingly gangsta on a pop track, something he's failed to do since "B***h Please". Just as Nas had repeatedly tried to outdo Illmatic, Snoop appears to be chasing his Doggstyle hunger pains. Thus, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment is not about being a boss, but rather an album that recognizes all levels of the street struggle. From The Game and Akon to MC Eiht and DJ Pooh, Snoop recognizes his formers and followers better than ever before. Tha Doggfather plays his position, coercing old and new fans to respect his gangsta, by giving both crowds an album they can trust.

Ludacris

BET conducted its first Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta and the Hip-Hop celebrities were in ATL poppin’ collars down the red carpet on their way to the award show. The scene on the red carpet was a frenzy as Ludacris is swamped by press but, the stars were strolling down the carpet all night … keep on clickin' to see who else showed up. (allhiphop)

Xzibit And 'Pimp My Ride' Coming To Playstation, Xbox 360

Xzibit will hit Playstation's and Xbox 360's this holiday season as the main character in Activision's newest game Pimp My Ride. The game is based on the hit television show of the same name, which features the rapper/actor transforming old, beat-up cars into lavish, exotic, luxury vehicles. Users navigate through the fictional Pimp City, with a timed goal of besting a rival shop that is working on similar, tricked out ride. Other features include open racing through the streets of Pimp City and a mini-game called "Ghost Whip The Ride," that allows gamers character to dance next to their moving pimped out ride. Pimp My Ride the game is slated to hit stores in time for the holiday season. (allhiphop)

Kanye Named World's Best Hip-Hop Artist, Michael Jackson's 'Come Back' Falters

The World Music Awards took place in London for the first time last night (Nov. 15). The evening, which paid special tribute to Michael Jackson, was billed as a come back event for the world's biggest pop star, but the evening turned out to be a case of more hype than action. Hundreds of fans waited for hours outside Earls Court arena in West London to get a glimpse of the 'King of Pop.' Fans were left disappointed after Jackson failed to greet them when he arrived at the venue, resulting in angry jeers from the crowd. The show was opened by Beyonce Knowles, who performed a mix of her hit singles "Ring the Alarm" and "Deja Vu," which was arguably the best performance of the night. During the night, Beyonce also won the award for Best International Female, which was presented to her by Fashion Icon and fragrance partner, Tommy Hilfiger. Other winners included Kanye West, who was named World's Best Hip-Hop Artist, besting the likes of TI, Busta Rhymes and Chamillionaire, who was incorrectly announced as "Shamillionaire." The World's Best Pop Artist was given to Madonna and the World's Best Pop/Rock Artist went to Nelly Furtado. Organizers had announced that Michael Jackson would perform his hit single "Thriller," but Jackson claimed this was a "misunderstanding." Instead, R&B singer Chris Brown performed the legendary 1983 hit single. Jackson was recognized for selling over 100 million albums worldwide with a Diamond Award, which was presented by Beyonce. "He's made such a big impact on my life and on every performer's life," Beyonce said. "Michael Jackson, we love you. Congratulations to the King". During an emotional speech, Jackson thanked his friends, family and fans. "I'm greatly humbled by this award. It was my dream that Thriller would become the biggest selling album ever," Jackson said. "I thank God and you for it's success. There have been so many who have loved and stood by me for the 25 years I have been in the entertainment industry. I'd like to thank my children particularly Paris, Prince and Blanket for their unconditional love." Finally, a teenage choir appeared singing the 1985 mega hit, "We Are The World." It was supposed to be a step towards Jackson's come back, but the performance fell flat. Jackson managed to sing only a few lines of the song and during the fleeting performance, his voice appeared to crack and falter on the high notes. The performance finished midway, when the musical accompaniment suddenly disappeared. Organizers of the annual World Music Awards have also been criticized for a chaotic and unorganized evening.

Below is the 2006 World Music Awards winners: World's Best Pop Artist - Madonna

World's Best Pop/Rock Artist - Nelly Furtado

World's Best Rock Group - Nickelback

World's Best R'n'B Artist - Beyoncé

World's Best Rap/ Hip Hop Artist - Kanye West

World's Best Latin Artist - Shakira

World's Best DJ - Bob Sinclair

World's Best New Artist - James Blunt

Diamond Award - Michael Jackson

Best-Selling Arabic Artist - Elissa

Best-Selling British Artist - James Blunt

Best-Selling German Artist - Tokio Hotel

Best-Selling Irish Artist - Enya

Best-Selling Italian Artist - Andrea Bocelli

Best-Selling Russian Artist - Dima Bilan