THE HHC NEWS BLOG

Right – let’s get the latest 50 vs Rick Ross news done first. Rawse hit Fif’s old Jamaica Ave stomping ground for his latest dis video, at one point actually rhyming, “I have no time for nonsense.” As for Curtis, who knew that his guest spot on The Simpsons would drive him to one day become rap’s most prolific cartoon satirist?

Clearly a far cosier couple, Snoop Dogg and Paris ‘Sweet P’ Hilton engaged in some flirtatious freestyling, while birthday boy Dr Dre had fans buzzing with possible ‘Detox’-teaser ‘Topless’. TI guests alongside Nas, who rhymes, “your skin’s a travelling bag of your existence” – come on, Dre: you couldn’t have got RBX in for that line?

Taser-toting police had to help Andre’s former partner Suge Knight out of a beatdown during the NBA All-Star Weekend, although a few days later the Sugester was back on form, pleading guilty to battering his girlfriend. Kid Cudi also earned a tasering during the b-ball festivities, possibly over a footwear-related hissy fit.

Kriss Kross fans rejoiced as the Daddy Mack (or possibly the Mack Daddy) was located alive and well, save for a slight scalp problem. Talk about coming off the dome! In other scalp-related news, the blogs were all a-tizzy when Kanye was again seen stepping out with his bald beau, although Yeezy’s latest interview predictably proved who has the biggest head in their relationship. “The mirror bores me sometimes,” reflected ‘Ye. Imagine how the mirror feels, mate.

Finally, for those whose heart is still in the Timbs and bubble jacket era, Blaq Poet and Premo dropped the video for the aptly titled ‘Ain’t Nothin Changed’, and it couldn’t have been anymore 1994 if it showed them walking past Counting Crows hoardings to watch Speed at the cinema. With a cameo from Lisa Loeb as an usherette.

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Yup, today’s Dre Day, and ey’one’s still celebrating. So check out the official Burlesque Design mix by clicking here.

Helping to celebrate ten years of Gilles Peterson’s ‘Worldwide’ radio show, Q-Tip will be coming to London town on March 14th for a special performance at the Roundhouse in Camden. Click here for tickets.

Going down on February 19th at the Carhartt store on Earlham Street in London, Ramson Badbonez, M9, Mystro, Charlie Sloth and TB will be helping to launch DJ Gone’s latest mixtape. Now click here for a dope new track from that man Badbonez and featuring Harry Love.

Ever wanted to croon the line “Hello, I’m calling about your advert for the fridge freeeeezer” down the phone in the computerised style of T-Pain? It emerged this week that your dream could soon be a reality, although if you’d rather leave the AutoTune antics to the master, The Lonely Island’s ‘I’m On a Boat’ found T-Peezy in top nautical form.

Samberg and pals weren’t the only ones serving up the hip-hop comedy, however, as Rick Ross answered 50’s derogatory ’toon with his own 2-D retaliation − ah, for the days when BDP and The Juice Crew battled using zoetropes and flick-books. Ricky also dropped another dis record and addressed 50 and Dre on camera. “You look like you haven’t been eating,” he told Curtis. Well, at least Rick’s got his own house in order there… Fif returned fire, of course, but only after also threatening DJ Khaled’s mum, who’d already endured erroneous reports that her son had topped himself following a car chase with Five-Oh.

In-the-shit singer Chris Brown might yet meet a sticky end, though, if, fresh from the Grammys, a Rihanna-avenging Jigga catches up with him. Somewhere, LL Cool J’s moaning that his former boss never even gave him a plaster that time he had a paper cut.

With DMX back on antagonistic form, it fell to Kanye to spread some love by (again) tackling hip-hop’s homophobic streak, although his rallying call for straight men to reclaim the rainbow was a slap in the retina for fully-sighted people of all sexual orientations.

Finally, eager to prove just who runs this rap shit, Icon The Mic King made like Seinfeld’s old foe Duncan Meyer and challenged Joe ‘Faster Than Joel Ortiz’ Budden to a race. Expect news of a Fat Joe vs Bonecrusher shot-put showdown next week…

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J-Zone’s been brought on board to produce parts of the Lonely Island (aka Saturday Night comedians) album, with big man E-Fonzarelli also adding vocals to the track ‘Santana DVX’. Click here for a sample of the type of hilarity on offer…

HHC’s weekly news rap-up…

Verbals: Richard Watson

At last, an emcee showed sensitivity to the times as Cam’ron reappeared with the first recession-rap banger. We feel your struggle, Gilesy, but it might be worth taking your beanie off at job interviews; maybe even pay someone to tart up your CV a bit. By contrast, Bow Wow, outraged at Soulja Boy’s accusation that he rented his Lamborghini, flashed the paperwork from his purchase, mocked Mr Tellem’s “piece of shit” model of Lambo and agreed to race for pink slips. Both parties are now reportedly busy learning the lyrics for ‘Greased Lightning’.

If, unlike Lamborghini Moss, however, you are feeling the pinch, some cut-price garms from LL’s beleaguered clothing line should stop you shivering. Especially a polyester tracksuit – that’ll burn away nicely…

Diddy was in the firing line this week, catching heat from Doo-Wop for dissing deejays and from Mark Curry for possibly being the devil − “his body has the capability to house a wicked energy,” reasoned the former Bad Boy emcee. Still, Diddy should know that even Barack Obama isn’t universally adored, with KRS One continuing to express scepticism…

Push it to the limit! Responding to jabs thrown by Rick Ross on ‘Mafia Music’, 50 Cent dropped a dis record and supplementary  cartoon lampooning his opponent’s past vocation before wheeling  Ricky’s baby mama in front of a camera for a lavish, if rather creepy,  5^th Avenue shopping spree. Ross was unimpressed by 50’s “ho talk”, but rap’s Richard Gere won raves from Funk Flex, who lauded his “bananas facial expressions”, including “one I never seen you make before”.

Finally, Lil Wayne kept it gutter by hitting the bowling alley with Katie Couric. Props to “Miss Katie” for striking up the type of flirtatious frisson with Weezy that, try as he might, Alan Yentob just couldn’t muster with Jay-Z…

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One to make you yearn for warmer days, production duo Keelay & Zaire have dropped a fresh and sunny-sounding free EP to promote their ‘Ridin’ High’ album. Check it here.

Raekwon + Ghostface + Mr Mef = ‘Wu Ooh’. Cop it here!

Adding his two cents to the hipster dress code debate, here’s Termanology’s ‘Tight Pants Are For Girls’ - cop it here.