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The first MTV2 Sucker Free Awards were held in Miami on Sunday (December 4). YMCMB won the award for "Crew of the Year." Lil Wayne and Birdman also performed "Y U Mad" sans Nicki Minaj who was not at the award show..

Peep the footage below.

Birdman Ft. Lil Wayne "Y U Mad"

YMCMB wins "Crew of the Year"

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Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa have teamed up for a new movie "Mac and Devin Go to High School." The pair visited Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Monday (December 5) to perform the lead single "Young Wild & Free" off of the soundtrack.

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When 15-year old Brian Bradley aka The Astronomical Kid was voted off of X-Factor last week he didn't take it as hard as some might have expected given how hard he had worked to make into the top seven.

One reason he might have been able to accept his fate much better than Drew, who cried throughout the elimination show, is because he was never expected to make it that far. X-Factor is a show designed to find America's next big singer, not rapper.

"I’m happy. I wish everyone [on the X Factor] the best of luck," Astro told the New York Daily News. “Now, I could just release music. I know I’m going to be the next big hip-hop artist. I just want to save hip-hop . . . that’s my job.”

One rumor that has been floating around is that Astro is close to signing a deal with Jay's Roc Nation imprint.

“I couldn’t tell you anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. “I’m not focused on the labels, I just got home. I’m just trying to make great music.”

What record label do you think would be a good fit for Astro?

Astro says he's not signed to Roc Nation

Astro "Lose Yourself"

Astro "Jump"

Astro "Hip Hop Hooray"

Astro "I'll Be Missing You"

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Ace Hood teams up with Catfish Billy and Bussa Buss for a new track set to appear on his upcoming mixtape The Statement.

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Simone Green is a photographer who worked for Death Row Records during it's heyday. On January 13, 2012 she will be releasing a new book "Time Served On Death Row Records: My Days and Nights" chronicling both the good and bad that came with being associated with the most powerful and controversial record label of it's time.

"At Death Row Records there was more good times than there was bad, but when the bad came it kind of made you forget about the good times," she said.

The book is said to contain many never before seen photographs of Suge Knight, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and Dr. Dre.

Check out an excerpt and video preview of the book below.

Alone in his office Suge said, “I want you to do everything we got going on. If we go out of town or do an awards show. Whatever we do I want you to do the photography. I want you to be the Chief of Photography.” Yeah, so I heard.

 

“Also, I want you to go out and buy 10 small cameras that you can disperse to different people in the company and they can report back to you with whatever they get.” He even said, “If somebody gets a beat down they’ll get that on film. Whatever might happen we’ll have it on film.”

 

I wasn’t sure what that was really about, control issues maybe, the important thing about this moment was that Suge Knight, Godfather of the hottest thing happening, wanted visuals of everything happening in his realm, and he just put me in charge of it all, I was officially on Death Row…..and life was good………….

You can also grab more information from the book's Facebook page.

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DMX is proving that you can have a couple of speed bumps slow you down in life and still bounce back to become a positive influence.

Dark Man X was in San Antonio last Thursday (December 1) for a concert when he was asked by a fan if he would visit troops at nearby Fort Sam Houston. X said he do it, and sure enough he showed up the next day.

X played wheelchair basketball with the troops and posed for pictures.

"It made my day as much as it did their day. One told me that I gave him the best early Christmas gift he ever got and that has me still smiling," the rapper told TMZ.

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Hip Hop was well represented at Billboard's seventh annual Women in Music event held in New York on Friday December 2.

While Taylor Swift took home the big prize of Women of the Year, Nicki Minaj landed the award for Rising Star of 2011. During her acceptance speech Nicki got emotional as she thanked her fans.

"I just know that I'm incredibly grateful and thankful for a couple of little kids... maybe a few million, I call them my Barbz. And I know they're not in here, but I know they'll hear me say this. Barbz I love you so much for being by my side for such a long time," Nicki said before starting to cry.

Nicki was later interviewed by ABC's Robin Roberts. Check that out below.

Nivki Minaj accepting award for Billboard's Rising Star of 2011 + Robin Roberts interview

Nicki Minaj interview on red carpet @ 2011 Billboard Women in music event

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After what seems like a very long wait, B.o.B finally debuts the video for his Lil Wayne collaboration "Strange Clouds." The Motion Family directed clip features a cameo from Grand Hustle chief T.I.

The song is scheduled to appear on B.o.B.'s sophomore album which is scheduled to be released in 2012.

50 Cent has a hand in so many ventures these days you wonder how he has time to sleep. His most personal film yet "All Things Fall Apart" premiered on BET Saturday (December 3) and was well received by critics and fans alike.

In addition to acting Fif has launched Street King Energy Drink, an ambitious endeavor aimed at feeding one billion people in need. There's also his new Sync By 50 "SMS Wireless Hybrid Headphones" that are available for pre-order now.

On the music front, the G-Unit boss is putting the finishing touches on his fifth studio album.

XXL caught up with 50, who graces the December/January cover (actually five covers) for the publication to chop it up about everything he's currently involved in and more.

XXL: During the photo shoot, you asked to listen to some new hip-hop artists. What do you think of the current regime in rap?

50 Cent: The whole culture, I think, is a little…confused. It’s not what I fell in love with, you know? So my job is to make a album that doesn’t have any holes in it, that is a representation of all of the elements I fell in love with. So, like, I look at artists to find what I like about them or why they’re hot or why they exist. And then you see that we’re creating momentum. We’re creating synthetic heat for new artists to generate interest and revenue. So the sales is some shit that ain’t really hot. You see what I’m saying? Like, the actual business of music is saying, “Oh, he’s hot!” and “Let’s try and do something to market it and sell it.” But there’s some shit that’s organic that’s out there that you see, like, without record-company assistance. People are gravitating to it.

How does that affect you, as a vet, to see that going on?

When I was in the mixtape circuit, there was a lot going on. I was able to take things that I wish I made myself and do ’em over. Now it’s not a lot of shit out there I would do over. I’m like, Nah, that ain’t even it right there. You know what I’m saying? When Black Rob had “Whoa!,” I wish that was my record. I wish “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” by Busta Rhymes, was my record. Fuckin’ “Lean Back,” I wish that was mine. You see what I’m saying? And you know me and Fat Joe don’t get along. You know what I’m saying? But to the culture, when you have those moments… And I’m sure they’ll tell you they wish they had “In Da Club” and “P.I.M.P.”

Does it make it harder for you to get inspired?

You know what? It makes it a difficult process of building a album. ’Cause when I hear somebody else shit is hot, I go, Oooh, I got to top that. That’s the competitive nature of hip-hop. You can’t take what’s in the DNA of the artist out. You’ll see, at different points, when I’m not active, you’ll see there’s still competition going on quietly between artist to artist. Or they’ll listen and go, I’ma kill it. If you take your time building a project that you feel is an impact on the time period—’cause that’s what it is—it’s important; music marks time. Then your peers that are in cycle are doing exactly what you’re doing. You know what I mean? So there’s no way that you can’t be competitive with what they’re doing, on some level.

So who are you competing against?
Well, for me, I’m still up against what I’ve done. So in order to top it, I know it’s a difficult task. You know, I see the bloggers. My audience hasn’t grown with me. They keep saying, “Aw, man, I want the old 50!” ’Cause those people, it would take them on a safari. I was bringing them close enough to the animals, without being able to get hurt. I was taking them into my neighborhood, where you can very well get your ass killed.

You’ve been working with Dr. Dre on Detox. Has he worked with you yet on your material?

Dre helped me a lot on this record. I went to Los Angeles, was working out there
for a little bit. I was working on the Detox records, right. I keep saying to Dre, I’m like, “Yo, you don’t have to invent nothing. All they want is a strong version of what you gave last time.” They need a new version of that. It’s like Sade. She goes away for six years, and then she comes back with a new disc. You go, I love this shit! It reminds you of the fuckin’ shit that she gave you before she left. There’s certain artists that have that luxury. You could go away and still be interesting enough to come for people to want to hear that effort. Dre is like that. As I’m busy telling him that, I go, “Wait, maybe I’m bugging for some of the shit that I’ve been doing.” You know what I mean?

So how do you balance that out, though? Giving people what they want, and allowing yourself to develop?

You mean “be creative.” ’Cause when it comes time… This is an even more interesting question: How do you write what reflects what you fell in love with within hip-hop culture while trying to send the right message to the audience?

Well, that’s a big question for you.

Well, for me, the music is an artistic choice. I’ll say, from the very beginning, that I can care less about a critic or how someone judges me for the actual music. You see, people understand within hip-hop culture that I’m passionate about actually trying to do something different. I want to make a change in a different way. This is about me personally feeling like I wanna mean more after I’m dead, when I’m gone.

You mean, from just being an artist?

Than just being an actual artist. I want to affect people’s lives in a positive way. When you look at entertainment for entertainment purposes, they may provide all the images we create through the music or in film, and I’ll explain it to you in a different way. All right, see, sexuality is necessary for entertainment purposes, so there’s a sex scene in films. Death is necessary in films, so you see people get killed a lot. In action films, being in life-threatening situations is entertaining, because death is our fate. If you look at the details that actually create scenarios that we identify with emotionally at different points, where you can feel emotion in actual films, we do the same thing through the music we create. Now, this actual project that I’m creating captures portions of my life from the past, portions of the new outlook that I have, after experiencing these different things. When you get a chance to step out of the bubble—that bubble would be my hood—and you see everything that goes on there doesn’t stop going on without you.

That’s a good feeling.

It feels amazing, because when I identified with that, I see that it’s the same shit. There’s always a new guy on the corner. Regardless what the police swept last week, there’s a new one to replace him. When your music doesn’t come out, there’s always 10 records on the Top 10 countdown. So I feel like I’m not necessary. Do you understand? I’m not necessary to my hood, as far as hustling or being down there, because there’s a replacement for me. I’m not necessary to music, because there’s always 10 in the Top 10 countdown. It’s not necessary for me to be there. Some people may miss me at different points, but I’m not necessary. So I feel like, when I involve myself in something, like the Street King project… It is very necessary that I’m involved there, ’cause nobody’s doing anything about it. And having the ability to partner with the World Food Programme is the presentation that I offer. They don’t take everybody who comes. You feel what I’m saying? But to them, my story’s a story of redemption.

And this all comes back to your music how?

’Cause you don’t get a second chance at a first impression. All of the real talented artists, the artists I respect, it’s the first CD. They’ll tell you Nas’s Illmatic, they’ll tell you Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, they’ll tell you 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’. You see what I’m saying? The giants play in New York, still, nah mean?

There’s also Lil Wayne.

He’s turning into 50 Cent. He’s going through that process of being successful, ’til people go, “You know what? Get the fuck outta here. We don’t want you here no more.” Because you’re successful.

To read the rest of the interview pick up a copy of the December/January XXL, which is on newsstands now.

Make sure you also show your support by LIKING the official Street King Facebook page HERE.

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T-Pain drops new visuals for a track that will not appear on his rEVOLVEr album. It's a nice ballad from Teddy P.

You can pre-order rEVOLVEr from iTunes. It's set to be released Tuesday December 6.

Here's the official tracklisting for the Snowman's upcoming fifth studio album. The disc features appearances from Andre 300, Snoop Dogg, Jadakiss, Fabolous, 2 Chainz, Devin The Dude and more. You can grab a copy of TM103 when it drops December 20.

Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition Tracklisting:

1. Waiting [Prod. By Lil Lody]
2. What I Do (Just Like That) [Prod. By Drumma Boy]
3. O.J. (Ft. Jadakiss & Fabolous) [Prod. By Lil Lody]
4. Nothing [Prod. By Lil Lody]
5. Way Too Gone [Prod. By Mike Will]
6. SupaFreak (Ft. 2Chainz) [Prod. By D. Rich & Shawty Redd]
7. All We Do (Ft. Trick Daddy) [Prod. By Midnight Black]
8. Leave You Alone (Ft. Ne-Yo) [Prod. By Warren G]
9. Everythang [Prod. By Lil Lody]
10. Trapped (Ft. Jill Scott) [Prod. By J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League]
11. F.A.M.E. (Ft. T.I.) [Prod. By J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League]
12. I Do (Ft. Jay-Z & Andre 3000) [Prod. By M16]
13. Higher Learning (Ft. Snoop Dogg, Devin The Dude & Mitchelle’l) [Prod. By Lil C]
14. This One’s For You (Ft. Freddie Gibbs) [Prod. By Lil Lody]
BONUS TRACK:
15. Talk 2 Me (Ft. Freddie Gibbs & Eminem) [Prod. By Drumma Boy & Travis Barker]

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The 15 minutes of fame Detroit rapper T-Baby received when her video was shown during a recent episode of Beavis & Butt-Head, has turned into a nightmare.

T-Baby's video "It's So Cold In the D" first gained fame 3 years ago when it was uploaded to youtube, but it wasn't until the Beavis & Butt-Head episode aired did it take off nationally. Since then the rapper says she's been receiving threatening racist text messages.

"Goodnight n*gger, I wish all you f*ckers would go back to Africa where you belong not here. Sleep by your window so I can get to you easier," read one, the rapper told TMZ.

Now she is afraid for her safety and that of her son.

"I feel in a lost situation because I have no one but my son ... but I refuse to stop," she said. "Only way I can show how I am here to stay is keep doing my thing."

T-Baby refuses to go to police because she says she's not a snitch.

What would you do in her situation?

Beavis & Butt-head episode

"It's So Cold In the D" (Original Video)

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Young Money singer Shanell aka SNL aka Gypsy drops new visuals for her song "What Is Love."

The track is produced by Timothy Bloom and Donnie Scantz.

Slaughterhouse MC Crooked I is set to drop his latest project In None We Trust: The Prelude EP on December 13. You can pre-order your copy now from PlanetCob.com.

Tracklisting:

1. Ssuut x 2
2. Pocket Full Of Money
3. Roll Call feat. G. Malone, Coniyac, Jay Rock, Mistah Fab
4. Diamond In The Back feat. K-Young
5. Drum Murder feat. Horseshoe G.A.N.G.
6. No Competition
7. Goin Bad feat. KeyAna
8. Game Time (Bonus Track)

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This Insane Sick produced track will appear on No Mercy's upcoming album A Monster Unleashed, dropping in 2012.

At the rate tracks are leaking off of Young Jeezy's new album we will have heard everything before it's release date, not that we're complaining.

This latest song is produced by Memphis hitmaker, Drumma Boy.

Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition will be in stores December 20.

Spotted at 2DopeBoyz