News

Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins is opening up about her debilitating battle with sickle-cell disease.

In her new memoir A Sick Life — TLC ‘n Me: Stories from On and Off the Stage — excerpted exclusively in the new issue of People — the R&B star reveals how the blood disorder has impacted her life an how her kids are helping her through.

“I have to worry about it every day of my life,” Watkins, 47, says of sickle-cell disease. “You can be in so much pain you get delirious.”

Watkins was 7 years old when she was diagnosed with sickle-cell disease, which causes red blood...

T-Boz is about to be a mom two-times-over because she's adopting a kid. According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, the TLC member spilled the beans while getting grilled by an attorney in a $40 million lawsuit over a TLC movie. Boz was asked if she had any communication regarding the lawsuit with group-mate Chilli and she said their only contact was when they shared the baby news. This will be T-Boz's second kid ... the...

Residents in Inglewood, CA are prepping for a Real Estate Boom if the owner of the L.A. Rams gets approval to build a new 80,000 seat stadium ... TMZ Sports has learned.We know at least two homeowners association groups are holding meetings with residents this week with one clear message -- don't sell your homes!!! As one resident tells us ... "They told us that with the Rams coming over to Hollywood Park, our property values will definitely go up.

Grand Theft Auto V digital Playstation 3 pre-orders were made available for pre-load overnight throughout the UK. This has led fans to uncover mysterious info through searching of the game’s files. The most significant pieces of info to come out of this leak was the finding of information of a number of music stations and songs. The list below shows the traditional mix of Hip Hop, Rock and Country while including artists such as Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears and Muse.

Please take this information with a pinch of salt as the legitimacy of this information has yet to be clarified by Rockstar. Hopefully within the next few days more will be revealed. If true, what do you make of the soundtrack and which artists were you hoping would make an appearance?

The source of this leak came from GTAForums

An updated list can be viewed at on Reddit

West Coast...

Double beef patty, special sauce? Not for Rapper Mack 10 ... who axed Big Macs (and pretty much all things cow) from his life ... and lost an incredible 60 plus pounds in the process!!! The "Westside Connection" rapper's been Huge since the mid '90s ... so after our photog spotted him out in L.A. last week (above) looking svelte, we contacted him to find out what's up.Mack tells us ... he's majorly slimmed down by cutting...

Ray J used another one of his appendages early this morning to take care of business ... this time beating down a dude in a violent confrontation that started when Mr. J called a woman a "fat bitch."It went down at Club Nokia in downtown L.A. at 1 Am, after Mack 10 and Jamie Adler's West Coast Fest concert.A woman goes nuclear on Ray J ... an eyewitness tells TMZ Ray J hurled the insult...

Rapper Mack 10 has been victimized by the courts ... a judge is requiring him to pay a creditor a debt which includes interest that is totally illegal.Mr. Mack borrowed $35,000 from Tadayuki Ito back on April 24, 2010. Under the terms of the deal, Mack was required to pay Ito $70,000 by August 31, 2010 -- in other words, 100% interest for a 3-month loan. That squarely violates California law, which prohibits "usury" -- i.e., excessive interest on loans.On...

'Fly Together' Mc tells 'RapFix Live' that Bad Boy label is supportive.

By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Red Cafe

Photo: MTV News

It's been a long road, but Red Café insists his debut album, Shakedown, will be out at the top of 2012. The Brooklyn Mc has been grinding since the early 2000s, and since 2005, has consistently landed notable singles on New York radio.

First, there was "Bling Blaow," then "Paper Touchin' " in 2008. A year later, Red broke out with "Da Hottest in Da Hood," and in 2010, he dropped "I'm Ill" with Fabolous and "Money, Money, Money" with Diddy.

On Wednesday's (October 19) edition of "RapFix Live," Red assured his fans that thanks to his current deal with Bad Boy Records, the album is on its way.

"I'm working on the album now with the Bad Boy team. [Bad Boy President] Harve [Pierre] and Puff, they in there with me, giving that support...

'I ain't just trying to take advantage of somebody just because they hot right now,' Mc says on 'RapFix Live.'

By Rob Markman

Glasses Malone

Photo: MTV News

As an artist on Cash Money Records, Glasses Malone has access to some major hitmakers. But the California Mc is not quick to take advantage of his multiplatinum labelmates. Instead, Glasses — who just dropped his solo debut album, Beach Cruiser, in August — said he would rather build organic collaborations.

"I have access to everybody. Just to me, our topics be so different," Glasses told MTV News' Sway Calloway during his visit to "RapFix Live" on Wednesday. "Me and Birdman got a lot of songs, me and Wayne got a lot of songs, me and Mack 10 have a lot of songs because our content are more relatable. Drake is really successful, and as an artist, it seems every artist...

Rapper Mack 10 's return to a recording studio is getting a lot of attention -- from the guy who is suing him for unpaid studio time! According to a lawsuit filed in small claims court in Malibu late last month, Rodger Carter -- who operates The Doghouse Studio -- claims Mack 10 stiffed him for almost 30 hours of studio time, at $75/hour, for a total of $2,165. Mack 10 hasn't had a top 10 rap hit...

You don't see a whole lot of hip-hop supergroups any more. Why is that? Is it because most artists already have a posse of their own and feel a stronger need to promote within the family than on the outside? Or is it because they tend to go horribly awry? The Firm couldn't deliver despite a great lineup and spectacular buzz, and Gravediggaz could only manage one album's worth of greatness. Remember the promising-but-flat Def Squad, or the stillborn collaboration between Jay-z, Ja Rule and Dmx? Whatever the case, there was at least one trio of stars who managed to deliver when they formed like Voltron and delivered one of the last great releases of the '90s gangsta era. On this day in 1996, Westside Connection — consisting of Ice Cube, Mack 10 and Wc (aka the Gangsta, the Killa and the Dope Dealer) — dropped their debut album Bow Down.

Prior to their full-length debut,...

Rapper charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery after a tussle with security.

By Jayson Rodriguez

Too Short

Photo: Boise Police Department

Bay Area rapper Too Short was arrested and charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery Thursday morning (July 15) stemming from an incident in an Idaho nightclub.

According to police records, the 44-year-old Mc (real name: Todd Shaw) was released after posting bail and is scheduled to return to court August 4.

Another man was also charged in the incident, which the Idaho Statesman is reporting as a fight with security workers who attempted to stop the rapper and his associate from inviting underage women to the backstage area.

Short performed at the Boise Knitting Factory on Wednesday night as part of a lineup that also included E-40 and Mack 10.

After his performance, the rapper and his associate, who was charged with two counts of battery, reportedly were involved...

Today is the day. LeBron James, the most coveted free agent in the history of the NBA, will announce where he will be playing basketball for the next few years during a special show tonight at 9 p.m. on Espn. Obviously the sports world is waiting with bated breath for James to make his intentions known, but the entertainment universe is also tuning in. Considering what a huge cross-cultural star King James has been, his new home will most certainly have an effect on the local music and culture scenes, which is why so many hip-hop personalities have gotten involved (including Fat Joe, Diddy and friend and partial New Jersey Nets owner Jay-z).

In fact, signing James is so important to the handful of teams still in the hunt for his services that most of them have already signed other top-tier free agents in order to provide James a convincing...

A leading hip-hop producer has filed suit against rapper Mack 10 over allegations he is owed unpaid royalties. Ervin 'Ep' Pope, who has worked with Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Jay-z and The Game, is suing Mack 10 - real name Dedrick Rolison - and his record label Hoo Bangin' Entertainment, claiming he was not paid for two tracks featured on the rapper's 2009 record "Soft White".

According to papers obtained by AllHipHop.com, the producer alleges he agreed to work for $60,000 to produce "It's Your Life" and "Big Balla". Pope is seeking at least $100,000 in damages as well as any unpaid royalties from album sales.

Rolison, who was once married to Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins from Tlc, had not responded to the lawsuit as WENN went to press.

If you should bump into Ice Cube in the next few hours, give him a high five and offer to buy him a delicious iced coffee, because the man born O'Shea Jackson turns 41 years old today. The Los Angeles native in the 20-odd years since he first burst onto the scene as the primary mouthpiece of N.W.A, Cube has continuously evolved from angry young man to hip-hop innovator to budding actor to multi-media mogul. Longevity is not a common thing in the hip-hop world, and the fact that Cube has stayed in the limelight for the duration of his career qualifies him for an automatic bid to whatever hall of fame he chooses.

Cube got his first big break as the primary lyricist for N.W.A. He not only wrote his own rhymes but also most of Eazy-e's as well. Business-related issues with manager Jerry Heller drove Cube to...

'Trickin' Off' will appear on the Triple C's debut, Custom Cars & Cycles.

By Shaheem Reid

Rick Ross and Triple C's in their video for "Trickin' Off"

Photo: Def Jam

The Boss and the "Burr"! Rick Ross recently teamed with Gucci Mane on the video for "Trickin' Off." The clip, which hit the Net Monday morning (October 19), features Ross and his team, Triple C's, performing with Gucci as they talk about everything from spending money on women to putting their team in the rap game.

"Diamond chain around my neck, I call her Bloody Mary.../ Blue-and-white new drop-top Beamer, I call it Papa Smurf," Gucci raps. "And if you take you n---a's work?/ Call that a lot of nerve.../ Me, Mariah on the screen, I call that feelings hurt."

"Might be section eight, but I'm riding mighty clean," Ross says in his verse. "Worth 20 million, whoever would've thought? Worth 20 million, boy,...

Huge sales, huge tours, huge label take Weezy to 'A Milli' and beyond!

By Shaheem Reid and Jayson Rodriguez

Lil Wayne

Photo: Universal/MTV News

The 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game rollout is now complete! As in 2007 and 2008, the list, determined by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust, is based on an Mc's achievements right now, rather than an entire career. The criteria is based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow and how those things are implemented musically as the main factors. The Brain Trust also considered buzz, impact, commercial success -- sales, airplay, business ventures, Web presence, endorsements and helping to spawn other artists' careers -- and the intangible, impact: Can an artist not only contribute to the rap game but influence cultural shifts? Are they trendsetters? All of these factors -- and the results of our audience poll, which closed last week and got a vote at...

Plus: Mack 10 shoots a new video with Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, in Mixtape Daily.

By Shaheem Reid

Eminem

Photo: Getty Images

Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables

Independent Album: Soft White

Headliner: Mack 10

Key Collaborations: "It's Your Life" (featuring Anthony Hamilton), "Clack Clack" (featuring Akon and Red Cafe), "Hood Famous" (featuring J. Holiday) and "So Sharp" (featuring Rick Ross and Jazze Pha)

Essential Info: Mack 10 tried to tell y'all about 15 years ago that independence was the key to success. He's sold gold and platinum albums on his own and has been able to accumulate a lot more funds than artists on majors who may have sold that much or more.

"With me, it was never about selling 5 million records," Mack said with a grin. "I kept the business side of it upfront, 'cause it's the music business. I always took the route that made the most sense when it came to business.

Plus: Mack 10 shoots a new video with Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, in Mixtape Daily.

By Shaheem Reid

Eminem

Photo: Getty Images

Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables

Independent Album: Soft White

Headliner: Mack 10

Key Collaborations: "It's Your Life" (featuring Anthony Hamilton), "Clack Clack" (featuring Akon and Red Cafe), "Hood Famous" (featuring J. Holiday) and "So Sharp" (featuring Rick Ross and Jazze Pha)

Essential Info: Mack 10 tried to tell y'all about 15 years ago that independence was the key to success. He's sold gold and platinum albums on his own and has been able to accumulate a lot more funds than artists on majors who may have sold that much or more.

"With me, it was never about selling 5 million records," Mack said with a grin. "I kept the business side of it upfront, 'cause it's the music business. I always took the route that made the most sense when it came to business.

'It's one of the hottest mixtapes that's out right now,' Ross tells Mixtape Daily of Maybach Music 3: White Sand.

By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes

Triple C's

Photo: MTV News

Could it be that Rick Ross will be the next one to get in the ring with Floyd "Money" Mayweather? The Bawse and the Triple C's went in pretty hard on the boxing champ last week with the video for "Go (War Remix)." A match probably won't happen. The 2009 Slick Rick has his crew together, and he and the boys are staying on the road and in the studio. This week, we hip you to their new mixtape, Maybach Music 3: White Sand. It's the alley-oop to what they are hoping is the slam dunk — Custom Cars & Cycles — which comes out close to Halloween. Ross won't stop recording. Look out for that new video for "Go" soon.

There are only 13 days left until this year's "Gathering of the Juggalos," the annual festival thrown by horrorcore Detroit rappers Insane Clown Posse. This year's four day version begins on August 6 in Cave In Rock, Illinois, and features hours of music, DJ battles, professional wrestling, motocross, seminars and carnival rides. For those going (or for anybody contemplating attending this year), the group has unleashed a helpful 15 minute infomercial that runs through the highlights of the whole weekend.

As the video shows, this year's lineup has a few eyebrow-raisers. Obviously, the weekend is headlined by festival godfathers Icp, along with brothers-in-arms Twiztid, but the lineup is fleshed out by a who's who of "Wtf?" guests: Coolio, Vanilla Ice, Gwar and Eminem cohort Bizarre will all be performing. (Bizarre is an especially strange case, considering the history that Icp has had with Slim Shady.) The comedy tent features sets from former MTV personality Pauly Shore,...