The Rap Up

So you can’t wait to ring in the new year with that sexy Google phone (or Nexus One HTC Android 2.1 for short)? Well, before everyone gets carried away, consult some preview videos, reviews, etc, and make sure this is the phone you really want to shell out an alleged $530 (unlocked) or $180 for.

If you’re LeBron James, arguably the 2nd best player in the NBA, what do you request on your birthday? Let’s see, how about a W on game day? LeBron turned 25 yesterday as the Cavs took on the high-flying Atlanta Hawks. Bron went for — surprise, surprise — a season-high 48 Points on a sizzling [...]

♣ Pharrell’s BBC / Ice Cream Spring 2010 Collection [Woooha] ♣ It’s NFL Award Time [Gunaxin] ♣ Hip Hop Is Read’s Top 20 Rap Albums of 2009 [Hip Hop Is Read] ♣ Prefix reviews Rakim’s Seventh Seal [Prefix Mag] ♣ A Photographic Tribute To Pretty Round Donks [Gunaxin] ♣ New... Music: Styles P – Silver or Lead [Nah Right] ♣ Mariah [...]

Seanie Mic (aka The Parody Rapper) rewinds 2009 and recaps our favorite WTF moments of the year. Skillz’ Rap Ups are still miles ahead of the rest but he might want to keep an eye on that rear view mirror, because Seanie Mic is the closest competition he’s had in a while.

[Jump The Turnstyle]

The best GM in the NBA may have just committed his worst career blunder ever. Houston Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey has agreed to trade All-Star Guard Tracy McGrady after both parties failed to reach a compromise on how to work T-Mac back into Houston’s rotation, following his return from micro-fracture surgery.

The Grim Reaper is working overtime this month, yanking celebs with cold quickness as we approach the new year. The latest to bite the dust is DJ Omega Supreme (Andre Kyles) of Organized Konfusion fame. Omega passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 23 after losing his long battl...e with cancer. DJ Omega Supreme was the long-standing disc [...]

Teddy “What Have You Done for Me Lately” Riley has come under fire for attempting to Chris Brown his daughters with the aid of a guitar from the video game Rock Band. According to documents obtained by TMZ, Taja Riley, 18, sought a temporary restraining order against he...r father after the 43-year-old producer allegedly abused [...]

Jigg – Popeyes (Freestyle) I’ve been on a Clipse kick all day, oscillating between Hell Hath No Fury and Till The Casket Drops. The only time I took a break was to savor Kurupt’s steely flow on “9x’s Outta 10,” but that’s technically a Clipse song, right? So, when Jigg’s “Popeyes” freestyle came calling, I was [...]

Jay Electronica – “Exhibit C” Remix (Feat. Nas) Produced by Hasan Insane Yes, it’s an interesting take on “Exhibit C.” No, it won’t blow you away. “Exhibit C” needs a remix as much as Kobe Bryant needs a new offensive move. Now you know what would be a good addition to “Exhibit C”?

Just when you thought those puppet commercials couldn’t get any better, Nike flings a batch of hilarious episodes out of its development nest. This time, Old Man Santa (voiced by KRS-One) goes up against Blitzen (voiced by Lupe Fiasco). It’s Nike’s best puppet series so... far. Pop the lid for all three episodes. Blitzen, the self-proclaimed [...]

All I want for Christmas is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle snuggie. They come in three funky cozy forms –Donatello funky, Michaelangelo funky, and Raphael funky. Unfortunately, Mikey is sold out and there’s no sign of Leonardo or Splinter. Fine, I’ll have the Donatello s...nuggie. I don’t know how fast Hot Topic can ship this [...]

Please give Sosa a call. Son got a song so gangsta for you. Magic happens whenever you merge forces with The Vizualiza. “The Essence,” perhaps your best back-and-forth collabo, even landed you a Grammy nod. Who woulda thunk it? AZ wants to rekindle that flame. He even picked a beat for you and probably has [...]

Jasiri X – “Exhibit X” [mp3] Here’s the first of many “Exhibit C” freestyles that will surely follow in the weeks and months to come. The only requirement Just Blazed posed to potential exhibitors is this: “be decent, i guess.” Jasiri X gives the track a thorough workou...t “Exhibit X” but doesn’t quite brutalize it the [...]

Asher Roth has come under scrutiny lately, because of rumors that he may be violating an important law of hip-hop: Thou shall not be a member of the gays. In fact, several news outlets even reported that Asher was scheduled to throw a massive coming out party on E! Asher released the following statement in [...]

New Music: Reflection Eternal (Ft. Mos Def, Jay Electronica, and J Cole) Dom liberated this track earlier and, as you can see from the above image, it’s hotter than fire.

Dãm-Funk (pronounced “Dame-Funk”) comes to you from Los Angeles by way of Funkmosphere as the reigning Ambassador of Boogie Funk. Dãm is one of my favorite new record selectors and you’ll understand why once you sample his music below. The Ambassador’s next mission is... to present his debut album, Toeachizown, to the citizens of Funkmosphere, at [...]

Kid Cudi looklikes, beware. Apparently, the people who steal jeans at the Gap tend to resemble the stoner rapper. Cudi was briefly arrested by the LAPD in a case of mistaken identity during an NME magazine photoshoot. He was probably waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and yell, “You just got punk’d” the whole [...]

He’s baaaack. Just in time to celebrate the birth of American Jesus. Alfamega could not be reached for comments. [Examiner]

♣ 8 Kinds Of Drug Dealers [

Truth be told, I wouldn’t have even blinked at Slum Villa’s Villa Manifesto EP if “Dope Man” hadn’t caught my attention. I wanted to see if the rest of the EP lived up to the superiority of “Dope Man.” Sure enough, the 6-track EP was laced with a few more sonic goodies, including the Marsha [...]

Sum, (of The Milky Way & OKP-certified Lone Wolf wrote a dark fantasy opera called ‘The Nobody Hole’ in collaboration with producer/composer, Badtouch, between 2005 and 2006. Since then, Sum has been on a relentless quest to have the opera adapted into an animated piece.... For the first time ever, Sum gets to see that [...]

What we have here is a case of man bites dog, because when Game opens up his mouth to yap in interviews, shots usually ring out. But when he’s participating in a civil discussion about his career without taking shots at anyone, now that’s newsworthy. Anyway, hit the play button to hear J.T.