Rap Radar

Can’t believe this went down in mi barrio and I missed it. Fail. After weeks of waiting, yesterday, 50 & Co. finally held their concert in the parking lot of P.S. 40. Fif ran through mixtape favorites and some new material. More after the cut.

Props: ICE

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The last of Hov’s European adventures. The best part is the question about B and who picks up the check at dinner. I love the response. Just watch. Ha!

Props: Jay-Z World

Bonus: And another one.

Ms. Keys knocked out a couple of radio call-ins on Friday to promote her new album, The Element of Freedom, due Dec. 1, to honor World Aids Day.

Big Boy’s Neigborhood

She survives a relentless amount of Lil Mama jokes and mentions her second single is called “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart.”

Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg

The Puerto Rock and Jew get to play her their hilarious audio of Lil Mama backstage. Then, A.K. reveals she’s shootin’ the “Doesn’t Mean Anything” video this weekend.

*dead* At Peter’s “Peace, girl” at the end.

Sidebar: I also hear the “Empire” shoot is goin’ down Monday but you didn’t hear it from me.

Just turn the sound down and enjoy. Who says Curtis ain’t got love for you Internet geeks. But this would have been way more entertaining if Fif had did the actual interview.

Props: You Heard That New

“I’m still ill then and I’m still ill now. Don’t make me take my belt off in here. A lot of y’all young niggas look old already so keep you’re cool and learn from a nigga who knows how to do this.”

Better late than never. Here’s how The Chef spent his Sept. 8th. Hot 97 trips, Jamaica, Queens in-store, JMJ studio visit, and crazy party at Santos. Fourteen years for one sequel. What a crazy ride.

Props: Harry

Miss Keri Baby > Mr. Hudson. It ain’t even a question. Nice cover. And nicer to look at. Why do artists have to go overseas to do creative shit? Let’s step our game up, America.

Props: YK2

First, the new VIBE first teased us and now Puff has confirmed to Billboard (MC on her grind) he’s joinin’ the machine a.k.a. Mr. Iovine’s Interscope Records.

“Now that the term of the Warner deal has ended, I have elected to accept an opportunity to move my recording career and future label venture to another company,” Diddy said in a statement.

Do I see Will.i.am remixes in Last Train To Paris‘ future? Ha! Still, this leaves me with more questions than answers. Does his roster of imposters all have to stay at WMG? What happens to Cassie’s slowly-crafted classic opus? Is Puff owner of the Bad Boy masters at this point? I need another SC in my life. Damn, Shyne cover(s)!

Spotted: Jimmy Williams

Sidebar: Splash got some Combs covers.

Without the enigmatic Blue Rasberry, Beans and The Chef cook up a visual for their track off OB4CL2. Vibe with it, y’all.

WSHH

Birdman and his flock, splash in cash in his latest video off Priceless. Irony, personified.

Props: NR via Blaqshep

Update: Vimeo is buggin’. YouTube replacement courtesy of The Maguire.

Once again, The Teacha contradicts himself. While on the red carpet at Hip Hop Honors, Kris pays homage to Def Jam, but says the label contributed to the culture’s demise.

“Def Jam is the dopest label in hip-hop, in the culture of hip-hop,” he said. “There really would be no hip-hop as we know it today if it wasn’t for Def Jam. But you don’t get that respect without also being the label that single-handedly destroyed hip-hop. Every time you think of what’s wrong with hip-hop, the lyrics, the commercialized music, one artist being played on the radio all day, things like that, that’s all Def Jam.”

Props: XXL