Kanye West reportedly threw a fit when he and his assistant were placed in business class instead of first class on their way back to New York City from the Grammy’s on February 1, according to the New York Post.

“He wanted to be bumped up,” says a witness to the incident told the New York Post.

Eventually, Kanye was placed in the first class section of the plane.

A little over a year ago, Kanye West and his manager were arrested after damaging cameras of two photographers at Los Angeles’ LAX airport. Ironically, it is the same airport Kanye’s flight on Monday left from.

John Legend is enlisting the creativity of The Roots for his fourth album, Wake Up Sessions, according to PrefixMag.com

Roots drummer ?uestlove recently announced that he and his bandmates will produce the entire album.

This is not the first time John Legend has collaborated with Hip Hop artists in producing his albums’ music. Legend has produced with Kanye West, Will.I.Am, and The Neptunes.

Legend’s third studio album, Evolver released to mixed reviews, topped the Billboard R&B and Hip Hop charts at No. 1.

The album Wake Up Sessions, is expected to be released sometime this year, although it has no current release date.

Rap star Nelly will put down his microphone to be come an interviewer for ESPN the Magazine at the sixth annual NEXT event in Miami this February.

Nelly will interview various athletes and entertainers as the VIP red carpet interviewer at NEXT, which takes place at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida on February 5.

The rapper will interview the celebrities from a 25,000 square foot “tricked out interview tent” that was customized by NEXT sponsor, Samsung.

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The King is returning to claim his throne. Less than a month after entering a halfway house, T.I. is back at work recording a new album.

Jim Jonsin, who helped take Tip to No. 1 with “Whatever You Like,” will once again be involved with the project. Jonsin recently spoke with the rapper upon his release to an Atlanta correctional facility after serving seven months behind bars on weapons charges.

According to the producer, the King of the South hasn’t let lockdown dampen his spirits. “It doesn’t seem like he missed a beat,” he exclusively tells Rap-Up.com. “He was so upbeat, his spirits were up, and he’s excited to be out and working. He hasn’t changed, he sounded exactly like he did when I talked to him months before he went in.

Source: T.I. – New Album in 2010

Smoking Gun: Wyclef Jean Charity’s Funny Money?

Due to the devastating 7.0 earthquake that shook the nation of Haiti, stars in the Hip-Hop world urged listeners and fans to contribute, cooperate, and rally in support of the nation and its people. One of these Hip-Hop stars was Haiti’s Goodwill Ambassador Wyclef Jean who led with a call to action. Any followers were highly encouraged to text “Yele” to 501501 in order to donate 5$.

“Give on the Go” is the mobile communications company that assisted in coordinating the effort with Yele. Give on the Go’s CEO Albe Angel noted that they have already obtained more than one million dollars in donations regarding this.

Other celebrities including DJ Whoo Kid, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have offered to help with efforts while President Barack Obama has pledged $100 million in aid from the United States.

In relation to the highly-publicized Slaughterhouse incident, Ray Benzino explains, “I mean it’s like this, I think it was kind of misconstrued you know what I’m saying. I think they took it the wrong way with the whole video thing. It all started because Royce Da 5’9’s manager [Kino] is the husband of Kim Osorio. Everybody knows Kim Osorio [as onetime Editor-in-Chief of] The Source, and the issues that Dave [Mays] and I had with her. It’s a situation where we wanted to give Slaughterhouse some love in Hip Hop Weekly and they [refused] because of the whole Kim Osorio thing. I just kind of took that for a slight. I was standing around with N.O.R.E. one day and he was asking some questions or whatever, and I stated that I felt like Slaughterhouse was overrated.”

The emcee that has been best known for starting beef continued, “I’m looking at it like these guys are supposed to be the top lyricists on the Internet, so I’m just showing that not only can I hang out with them, but I’ve got a couple of young gunners that I’m about to introduce that are going to really show what it is. I mean Crooked I said that he thought Lil Wayne was overrated, and nobody said nothing about that. I’m ready to go to war right now. We’re going to be releasing two songs next week that are going right at Slaughterhouse. So it’s on right now, it’s on and poppin.’”

The rules are extremely simple, and go as follows, you must release a track that is under 3 minutes in length on the topic of hip hop fashion.

The track will be due by February 15th.

The winner will receive a $150 dollar shopping spree on iCandyClothing’s website.

Shop hip hop clothing brands like Rocawear and Nike on iCandyClothing.

Recently, Bishop Lamont discussed his departure from Aftermath/Interscope on Shade 45’s The All out Show. The California rapper explains he was very happy to finally be a free agent.

Bishop Lamont explains talking about his debut album The Reformation, which was slated to be released sometime this year after Dr. Dre releases his Detox album.
“Dre is still my big bro, but after five years of just sitting there, it is kind of unfair to the fans and my family and myself that the release date has changed when all these people are waiting,”

Bishop Lamont, who had signed to Dre’s Aftermath imprint in 2005, spoke about the lack of support he got from the label when it came to his music in an interview.
He explained that the label failed to get behind singles such as “Grow Up”, which is the first single from his debut which was released in 2008.

As a team player, Lamont recognized the position that his mentor, Dr. Dre was in. “Andre has bigger obligations than breaking new artists.” He continued, “If you don’t understand the business side, it can put a strain on your personal side, which you can think is intentional and that is not the case.”
Lamont leaves Aftermath/Interscope with allegedly all the music has recorded during his time there with the label, which amounts to over 700 songs.

Previous Artists such as Joell Ortiz, Rakim, Hittman and Last Emperor had all left the label for similar reasons.

Bishop Lamont indicates that he is seeking a new label now that he had official left Aftermath/Interscope.

crooked i

Crooked I has released his reaction in video form to Benzino after the recent video diss track directed towards Royce Da 5′9″.

Crooked I says, “You’re talking too much, homie. You’re doing too much. There’s only a couple ways to get out of a beef. You might as well squash this shit,”.

Crooked I also talks about what may have started the beef. He says, “I know you was mad because [Slaughterhouse] didn’t do the motherfucking interview with your magazine. But, that was some other shit. You know what that was about. You shouldn’t have even spoke on it or caught feelings, nigga. If you’re a real gangster, you don’t catch feelings over that shit. You’re thinking with your emotions right now.”

Crooked I says there was no need for that after reacting to guns in Benzino’s video. “Calm down, homie. It’s not about all that bullshit…I got love for Boston. Don’t go there, man. You went too far showing motherfucking pistols and all that type of shit. That shit’s not gangster. That shit is called incriminating yourself. That shit is not gangster.”

Calling for an end to the fued, Crooked I also adds a warning. “If you respect me, nigga, you will stop all that. If you don’t respect me, it’s going to go where it gotta go…My nigga Nickel, that’s my nigga and I’m not going to let no nigga talk foul about my nigga, ever.”

“It’s not going to be pretty, homie. It’s goin’ to be ugly…It’s not worth it…You know me. I know you…Fuck that shit. Don’t let the internet get you caught up in some shit. You don’t have no problem with Slaughterhouse, nigga. Slaughterhouse ain’t ever did nothing to you. You have no problems with Slaughterhouse. Do you. We’ll do us. That’s it.”

Adding more about the start of the feud, Crooked I mentions the interview again. “You already know the politics behind the reason why the Slaughterhouse interview didn’t go down on your motherfucking magazine. You know all that, dog. Just keep that shit like it’s supposed to be…You know what I’m talking about homie.”