Lil Wayne’s, “Tha Carter III,” will be going against: Ne-Yo - “Year Of The Gentleman,” Coldplay - “Viva La Vida,” Radiohead - “In Rainbows” & Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - “Raising Sand.” A rap album hasn’t won the album of the year since 2004 with Outkast’s, “Speakerboxx/Love Below.” Kanye got nominated for album of the year in 2005, 2007 & 2008.

The only other rappers to be nominated for album of the year for this decade are Eminem & Nelly. Clearly the Grammy awards only like a particular style of rap and are not fans of any, “gangsta rap.” Top rap artist like 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Nas, and T.I. have never been given a nomination for the award despite their success.

M.I.A.’s, “Paper Planes,” has been nominated for record of the year. Rap nominations are below

Best Rap Album:
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
Jay-Z - American Gangster
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Nas - Untitled
T.I. - Paper Trail

Best Rap Song:
T.I. - Jay-Z, Lil Wayne & Kanye West - Swagga Like Us
Lupe Fiasco - Superstar
Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Snoop Dogg - Sexual Eruption
Flo-rida - Low

Source

Nas threw a shot on “Queens Get the Money,” and you didn’t respond. You getting all Gandhi on us?

50 Cent: Man, Nas is cold as ice. Nas is the block of ice that sunk the Titanic… I didn’t even hear his record. I didn’t even hear what you talking about… I really don’t want to talk about Nas. I think he’s at one of those points to where his career’s finished, to be honest. He’s had some great moments and made good music in the past, but he no longer has the interest of the general public or myself.

50 Cent:The public will tell me that Curtis is a failure. And I sold 700,000 copies the first week. So what do I gotta do? Reach a million, at a minimum?!

That’s the bar you set. You’re the SoundScan Killer, remember?

50 Cent: Right, but if we’re gonna call that a failure, then somebody identify what a win is for me. All I need to know is what it is, and then I’ll go ’head and go. Musically, from my perspective, Curtis was exactly what I aimed for it to be. Or I wouldn’t have presented it to the public. I listen to my music before I put it out. I’m listening to it, and I’m hearing it, and I’m like, Yeah, this is what I wanna do now.

via XXL

A host of big names premiership footballers have been told they can’t fly to Miami to celebrate Christmas with US rappers Lil’ Wayne and Akon.

Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba and two stars from Sunderland were personally invited to the £1million party later this month.

But their club managers, Phil Scolari and Roy Keane, are reported to have insisted that they stay in the country because of the traditional pile up of festive football fixtures.

“The party promises to be the biggest hip-hop bash ever thrown. Lil’ Wayne and Akon are each pouring hundreds of thousands of pounds into it,” a source told the Sun newspaper.

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You can’t judge a book by its cover. If you need a quick refresher, take a look at Tynisha Keli. The budding Warner Brothers singer has the look of a person fresh out of the Pop singer factory. The truth however, is that the New Bedford, Massachusetts transplant has live a lot of life within the 23 years she has been alive, yielding some true Soul.

DXnext sat down with “TK” to get her outlook on a couple of things, and the results may surprise. We get her perspective on just where she gets her musical vivacity, about the vitality of her genre, where she wants to take her career, and just how important rebuilding her neighborhood is to her.

Singin’ From the Rooftops Of: New Bedford.

Influences: Brandy, Faith Evans, Dru Hill.

Defining Her Style: “A very big mix, my music has been brought up over the last few years. I really was closed off to different music, I really only listened to R&B. And since I gotten older I have listened to a bunch of different stuff like Folk music and Country, and stuff like that, and it’s definitely incorporated into my music now. I listen to a lot of eccentric stuff. The Full Moon album [by Brandy] is my favorite album of all time.“

The Foundation: “My foundation is always going to be R&B, that’s the first thing that’s going to come up. I fall in love with melodies. The other stuff comes after. I listen to a lot of James Morrison. He’s phenomenal. I listen to a lot of eccentric stuff. But my foundation is R&B.”

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The heavily tattooed musician who is on top of his game spoke to a select team of entertainment

Jayceon Terrell Taylor,The Gamewriters and as captured by Ogbonna Amadi our Entertainment Editor in this interview , he shares his very interesting life story and his struggle through rough patches and finally to fame and wealth.

He began this story with his experience on his visit to Nigeria. The first time he visited Africa was when he stopped over in Kinshasa, Congo.

“I’m proud to be here in Africa. The last time I came to Africa, I spent only a day but this time I’ve spent 7-8 days already and I’m happy.

When I look at the faces of the people here, they are very receptive and loving, so I’m giving the same love back to them. I love the whole company that’s been around me. No matter where I am, I’m enjoying this whole great show.”

We want to know what you feel about being nominated to perform?

I don’t really give a damn about award shows because when I look my kids and all that I’ve accomplished, I feel great. I’ve never really cared about winning any award. When my colleagues win awards I appreciate them and wish them well.

To be nominated for any award is a good thing and I appreciate it but I don’t care if I wasn’t nominated.

I’m a young man of 28 years, and I got two kids, my family is doing great, got a lot of houses and I am mean rich like sh-t, so no matter who wins the award, I wish him the very best.

I’ve been to two places in Africa that remind me where I’m coming from and that is Kinshasa and Nigeria. Yes, when I look out on the streets of this hotel, I see kids trying to make money, doing what my friends and I did when we were young.

Today, I can’t stop thanking God for uplifting me and my family to the level I find myself now, so I’m just happy.

Do you like African food?

Yes, we all are in the same spirit. The breakfast I had was good. I don’t know what they put in the egg but it’s good but I don’t really know about the food in Kinshasha, I mean their chicken is like bubble gum.

All the same, me and my friends enjoyed ourselves. This people I call my friends are people who I share the same story with and anytime I’m going around the world, we go together.

How do you see African women?

Wow! African women are very beautiful but you know something, I’ve got my wife and family at home and I’m just cool with that.

In the midst of all the controversies, what is it that’s kept you strong?

In the 90’s, I never knew I could rap until 2003 when my girl friend got pregnant for my first son. Before then me and my pals were just stealing and killing on the streets.

And when the pregnancy was three months, I began to think about what I would do to sustain the future of my baby. I had just six months and was running out of time. That’s when I made a demo and I had no option than to resume in the studio.

Every single day, it became clearer that I just got to succeed. Every time I’m thinking about my family I’m stronger and happy.

I’m African- American so I love Africa and their music. But even if I don’t know what it sounds like I don’t really care because I believe my guys here in Africa have got to make money, to be better people.

So I’m cool with their music.

Is there anything that scares you in Africa?

No, nothing scares me. The only thing that scares me is thinking about not being able to provide for my family for any reason. With that in mind, I just go on and on, no stopping. I’ve not seen anything about Africa that I don’t like.

Certainly there are so many things that need change in Africa, like seeing little children running around the street to make ends meet, like a mother carrying a baby on her back and another on her hand and may be having a luggage on her head at the same time.

California is a big city but wasn’t built in a day. The only problem with Africa is that people are not willing to try. Generally, there’s nothing about African culture which I don’t like.

You’ve done a lot of collabos with several artistes in the West, East and South Coasts, do you think you can work with an African artiste?

Why not, if he’s good and original.

What are you guys leaving behind for us to really improve our music here?

My life story provides hope for many children out there. Five years ago I had bullets ripping all over my chest and I felt like I’m going to die but I’m alive today. Providing hope is part of what we stand for.

Right now I can say that we’ve shown you the way. It’s either you follow us or you try to do it your own way, we’ll stand by you and are proud of you as long as you make it.

In life you’ve got to believe in yourself and you’ll make it. I want young people to keep believing that they’ll make it because my life is an example of believing and working hard.

Source

At the Miami premiere of “Seven Pounds” last night, actors Will Smith and Rosario Dawson were looking exceptionally cozy together as they signed autographs, revved up the crowd, and basically just stay arm-in-arm for most of the night.

If these two weren’t already with other people (Will with Jada, and Rosario with that Ringo Starr look-a-like), I’d think that they were really into each other. If they were, they’d make one attractive couple!

Perhaps they just bonded on the set of their new flick, which stars Will as a suicidal man trying to make ammends for his past, and Rosario as the woman who helps him find new meaning to life. Sounds like a perfectly-timed pre-holiday flick.

But seriously, check out this body language and tell me what you think. So much for all those crazy ass rumors about Will Smith being gay!

Lossip

Ten-time Grammy-winning American rapper Kanye West performsat his Glow in the Dark tour at Beijing Worker’s Gymnasium on Saturday night, November 1, 2008. [Photo: sina.com.cn]

Vanness Wu — one member of the boy band F4, will open at Kanye West’s “Glow In The Dark” concert in Shanghai on Monday.

Wu told media that he felt extremely flattered by the invitation.

“I was so excited I jumped in the air when I heard the news,” he said.

Wu said he had long admired West and had been to two of his concerts in Hong Kong.

“Kanye West is always surprising audiences. He’s filled with passion and endless creativity,” Wu said.

The two hip-hop stars will talk about singing together in Chinese and English as soon as West reaches Shanghai.

Wu said he would play new songs and also perform his old songs in new ways.

Wu started his career by appearing in the TV series “Meteor Garden.” He then joined the boy band F4. He now focuses on his solo singing career.

Source 1 & 2