Rick Rubin Talks "Magna Carta Holy Grail"

Famed superproducer Rick Rubin recently spoke to XXL about Jay-Z's upcoming album,Magna Carta Holy Grail and revealed that he enjoyed the project, but that it was very different from what he's just done with Kanye West on West's new album Yeezus.

“I liked what I heard, but it was a little difficult—after just coming from the Kanye sessions—to listen to Jay’s album, because they’re so different. I was in a very alternative and progressive headspace, and Jay’s record is a more traditional hip-hop record,” Rubin revealed.

He also shared that he isn't actually a producer on Jay's album, and explained why he was featured in a Samsung commercial promoting the project.

“The point of me being in the commercials was that he was filming a documentary and he asked me—I imagine he’s just comfortable talking to me—to come listen to the songs with him and just talk about the songs," Rubin said. "Just listen to it and talk about it, and that’s what we did. It was fun.”

Vanessa Veasley Training Photos for SlickforceGirl

Here are a couple behind the scenes training photos for the SlickforceGirl project. In these shots I am being harnessed by Alex Wen & his stunt team to learn techniques essential to my character's prowess.

What is SlickforceGirl? I can't reveal that just yet. I can tell you, however, that this massive multimedia project is the brainchild of international photographer Nick Saglimbeni of Slickforce Studio. (Photographer for The Kardashians, with over 100 covers of various glamour, fashion, and mainstream publications)

More info about SlickforceGirl, and BTS goodies on the way! Your viewers can stay tuned at www.SlickforceGirl.com

Philly native Vanessa Veasley has worked as a featured model in music videos and has graced the pages of the following magazines: Lowrider Girls, KING, XXL, Source, SHOW, Smooth, Smooth Girl, Hip-Hop Weekly, Urban Ink, SHOWCase, and more, with six magazine covers to date.

In 2010 Vanessa became the first Black model to be shot by Terry Richardson for the Supreme brand's coveted Fall Lookbook and quickly became one of the most in demand curvy models in the Streetwear and Counter-Culture industries for ads, lookbooks, and brand consulting/directing yielding mulitiple successful product deals distrubuted on four continents.

Azealia Banks Hit Rock Bottom

Azealia Banks is cocky as you-know-what. But the hip hop upstart says that before recording her breakout single "212," she was in a downward spiral professionally and personally. Which is why she decided to come out swinging.

“Nobody was listening to my music. I had been dropped from [the English record label] XL," she says. "My manager dropped me. My boyfriend left me. I was starting to accept that my career was never gonna happen. So the song was just me, like, ‘F**k y’all. Y’all not gonna help me? I’m gonna get it myself.’”

Banks went on to become a YouTube sensation and then inked a deal with Interscope. Guess she got the last laugh.

Rakim Proud of Staying Underground

Rakim discussed his career and his lack of pop crossover success since emerging as one of hip hop's most celebrated rhymers in the late 80s. The legendary emcee says that he was tempted to pursue more commercial tastes earlier in his career.

“It’s a game where you have so many people crossing over to get that paper,” Rakim explained. “Especially when I was at the height of my career, a lot of artists had to make a choice. Were they going to stay underground or was they gonna crossover? I choose to stay underground, and I used to question myself and ask if I made the right move.”

“When they hollered at me and said I won the greatest emcee—I think it was either The Source magazine or XXL—I ain’t gone front, that was like, ‘Alright. I did something right,’” he admitted.

Nicki Minaj Pouting Over Album?

Nicki Minaj thinks you should appreciate her more.

The Young Money rapstress is apparently not too happy that her latest album isn't a huge hit with fans. Speaking in third person, Minaj told XXL that she may give up rapping because, well--people don't like her album the way she thinks they should.

"People aren't even giving the kid props for taking it back to the essence... this is my fourth mixtape really," said Minaj. "You know what I'm saying? The kid did like that so she could feed her fans. But really, now the kid is thinking maybe she should leave the game."

"They ungrateful," Nicki's sidekick Safaree added. "They ungrateful in these streets."

Azealia Banks vs. Iggy Azalea

It looks like Azealia vs. Azalea has finally happened.

Newcomer Azealia Banks blasted fellow newbie Azalea Banks' inclusion on the XXL "Freshman Class" issue cover. Banks posted on Twitter her feelings regarding the blonde Australian and--of course--she wasn't praising Iggy.

“Iggy Azalea on the XXL freshman list is all wrong,” tweeted Banks. “How can you endorse a white woman who called herself a ‘runaway slave master’?”

“Sorry guys. But I’m pro black girl. I’m not anti white girl, but I’m also not here for any1 outside of my culture trying to trivialize very serious aspects of it.”

For her part, Iggy took the high road. “You can’t block my blessings! Today I’m celebrating! Get with it or kick rocks!” she tweeted--without directly addressing Banks. “First female freshman. Ever. Period. Thanks world! I used to stick XXL on my bedroom door, now I’m on the cover. Life is great.”

Birdman Discusses Limp Bizkit Signing

Cash Money head Bryan "Birdman" Williams shared the details of how rap-metal band Limp Bizkit wound up signing with his label last week. While the band is a few years removed from its late 90s heyday, Birdman had nothing but positives for the signing and the band's comeback potential.

“Fred [Durst] reached out, bruh,” Birdman told XXL. “It was weird how it happened. He was like, ‘Stunna, what’s good?’ I was like, ‘What’s poppin, 5?’ [Fred said] ‘I wanna join the team.’ Whoa! For real? He didn’t have to say it twice. I was already a fan of him. When the opportunity came, we really was supposed to announce it at the Grammys. Wayne was going to announce it at the Grammys, but he did it when he felt like it.”

“He’s a visionary, he a great artist,” Birdman said of Durst. “Also, I want him to be a part of our staff and take over the rock department and bring us over more talent because that’s what he does. I think with having Limp he brings a lot."

Lil Twist Defends Nicki Minaj

Rapper Nicki Minaj may have faced an onslaught of criticism for her Grammy performance of "Roman's Holiday," but fellow Young Money rapper Lil Twist came to the defense of his colorful, controversial labelmate. Twist says that Nicki was just being Nicki.

"I loved Nicki's song and performance," Twist told XXL. "I love Nicki's whole swagger. She doesn't care what anyone else thinks. That's what I really love about my sister and how she goes about herself. That performance was Nicki. That's all I can, say--it was so Nicki."

Rick Ross Working On Two Albums?

According to Miami superstar DJ Khaled, rapper Rick Ross is planning to release two albums, with both projects possibly dropping before the end of the year. With Rozay's God Forgives, I Don't experience numerous delays, Khaled says that the fans will know shortly when that project will hit the streets.

"It's coming," Khaled told XXLMag. "We about to give you a [release] date real soon. He was actually in the studio three days ago putting the final touches."

"I'm working on Rick Ross' album, that's also coming in 2012," he said.

Nas Opens Up To Tyler, the Creator

Nas opened up about life on the road and recording. In a recent interview with XXL, Nas talked to guest interviewer Tyler, the Creator about happiness in the industry. The Queens rapper said that he loves what he does, but admitted that there can be some loneliness.

But he says he wouldn't change a thing.

"Dawg, I was naming my album Life Is Good because of how happy I am about how happy things have turned out," Nas answered. "Sometimes I may wake up and wish my kids were living with me. That's the only thing, you know what I mean? Our loved ones that are not around no more, like my mom. That's the only thing. But other than that, everything is great, even when I'm alone. Even when there's no one around."

Rick Ross Is Feeling Himself Via XXL

Rick Ross is feeling pretty good about himself. As the Miami superstar preps his upcoming album, he revealed that he is not lacking for confidence in his ability to dominate the rap game. Ross told XXL that he's no longer content to be second to anyone in hip hop.

"I'm enjoying my last few moments at No. 2," Ross says. "It's like I'm watching the No. 1 man on stage, my legs crossed, I'm smoking big, hollering at the b*tches in the crowd. And this album gonna do it. I got the formula."

He does seem to have something. The rapper has released hit album after hit album in the last five years.

But humility? He's not interested in that right now. At all.

"Everybody on my d*ck," he says, "Like they supposed to be."

Bow Wow Wants Respect

Bow Wow is still committed to tooting his own horn. Since most of hip hop regards him as a joke, it only makes sense for the former teen star to continue to try and convince everyone of how great he supposedly is.

Somebody has to.

"Well it's how I feel. Me, I look at things and ask questions like 'What will a XXL cover be like?' I be seeing the cover with rappers that have never sold records or ever went gold in they entire careers; but have gotten like three covers and I'm looking like how the h*ll?!" he says. "I sold 12 million albums went on six tours, sold out Madison Square Garden seven times, and how the h*ll I don't get no XXL cover? Every time I reach out they always got something [to] say on why. Are you basing it off skill? Cause I know some of these n*ggas can't rap better than me, at the end of the day what are you basing it off? I don't get that nod like I should get, but we gon' get it this time even if we got to take it!"

Lil Wayne Covers XXL

Another Cover For Lil Wayne And YMCMB 

Flavor Flav On Drug Addiction

Flavor Flav's troubles with addiction are well-documented. The Public Enemy hypeman is no longer abusing illegal substances, but struggled for much of the 90s with drug use. He spoke candidly to XXL about what it was like battling those demons and why he wants to open up about his troubled past.

"I [was] a drug addict for 18 years; only six years clean. The worst mistake I ever made was experimenting with drugs. I was always more of a follower instead of a leader. Being around the hood, you're following, you always wanna have a big name for yourself and you don't wanna be no punk. Whatever my friends were doing I chose to do."

"It was the worst experiment that I could do in my life, but would I change it to this day?" Flav asked rhetorically. "No. The reason why is because I got to learn about addiction. I got to live through all of that, so that way I could be able to teach about it and hopefully people learn how I made my mistakes and they [don't] make the same mistakes that I made."

Beanie Sigel Apologizes To Jay-Z

Beanie Sigel has issued a public apology to mentor-turned-rival Jay-Z, following almost two years of feuding. The Philly rapper has had a change of heart regarding the man who helped launch his career, but who Sigel subsequently accused of turning his back on him.

"What Mike Epps say? 'Gangstas f**k up too,'" Beanie Sigel told XXLMag. "Whatever I felt this dude Jay did wrong to me, it can't outweigh the one thing he did do for me - he gave me an opportunity. Dude gave me an opportunity."

Beans also said he regretted releasing diss tracks aimed at Jay.

"I got caught in the moment and put my feelings out there, Beanie SigeI said. "I should have never done that."

Birdman Outlasted His Competitors

Brian "Birdman" Williams took a moment to marvel at Cash Money's staying power in a recent interview with XXL magazine. The Cash Money founder has noticed that many of the rappers and labels that were there when he began has journey have come and gone in the many years since.

"When I look around, through my years and my time, you know, the game, it was a lot in the field, a lot of people doing it," he says. "And I look around, and it's like, where the f*ck did everybody go? I ain't never understood that, but the game like that sometimes, that muthaf*cka's gon' keep ya or it's gon' leave ya. It's all on you."

Baby also discussed Wayne's growth as a businessman with Young Money.

"Honestly, I gave him the floor," Baby says of Weezy. "He wanted it. I been with him since he was seven years old, eight years old. I been in his life all of his life, and he was like, "Let me handle, it." At the time, me as an artist, losing my sister and everything I was going through personally, I was just like, 'Go ahead, I'ma just support what you gon' do. You can handle it.' And I took a step back. Probably was the [smartest] move I ever made in my life was to let him go 'head."

Nicki Minaj Leaves Diddy, Hires New Management

Nicki Minaj New Management Team

According to XXLmag.com, when it comes to the career of 26-year-old Nicki Minaj...Diddy you are NOT the manager.

A source told XXL  Nicki Minaj parted ways with Diddy andJames Cruz, saying she thought Diddy would have been more hands on with her career.

Minaj is now managed by Gee Roberson and Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua of Hip-Hop Since 1978, who also manage Drake, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy and Kanye West.

The report also claims that the source stated there are no hard feelings between Nicki Minaj, Diddy and Cruz.

Minaj left management with Debra Antney in April of 2010 to join Diddy, so the business relationship between Nicki Minaj and Sean Combs is only a year long.

It's surprising she didn't leave Diddy and his Ciroc bottles a lot sooner.

Nicki Minaj kicks off a tour with Britney Spears on June 17th.

Source

LL Cool J's Camp Deny Tranny Rumors

Superstar LL Cool J's name came up when transgendered woman Toni Newman mentioned him and other celebrities, including Eddie Murphy and Mister Cee of Hot 97, that she'd had encounters with. Newman is promoting her book I Rise- The Transformation Of Toni Newman, and mentions these stars in the book.

"I was a street prostitute and LL picked me up, back as a street prostitute walking the block what we called trannie now," she alleged. "There were lots of trannies walking that block, late at night back in the days. That's how we all made our money....that was in the late '90s, so about 13 years ago."

The rapper/actor's manager, Claudine Joseph, told XXL the allegations were "pure comedy."

It should be noted that the Eddie Murphy and Mister Cee both, conveniently for Newman, have made headlines for involvement with transgendered or transvestite prostitutes in the past.

2011 XXL Freshman Freestyle Kevin Hart AKA Chocolate Drop + Na'im 4000 Gotta Message For All Y'all Out There

2011 XXL Freshman of the year Chocolate Drop



Na'im 4000 has a massage fort the haters 




Plastic Cup Boyz are winning right now. Major US Tour + shooting A MOVIE right now big ups to KEVIN HART @kevinhart4real HARRY @hgoodspeed NA'IM LYNN @naimstar
SPANK @ComedianSpank WAYNE @wayne215 NATE check there on the road pictures out click here

Pill is Ready MMG

Maybach Music signee Pill is ready for his close-up. The rapper told XXL magazine in a recent interview that he believes he's bringing something that hip hop is lacking: realness. Of course, every new rapper that gets signed claims he's the 'realest' thing in the game, but Pill insists that somehow--he's different.

"I bring a reality. I bring that reality back. I paint pictures out of the hood," Pill says. "My music is complimenting their style. I like to document all the shit I've been through and I don't think anybody can do that better than me. Ain't no raw MC in the game that's rawer than me. I documented my shit. Whatever I rapped about I showed it to you. When you've got that much credibility, there ain't anyone else with that much credibility."

"When you've got somebody that raw and that intelligent that can touch on all angles and come from every side with it and be able to clarify it and also be able to give you stories, whatever angle it may be, it's a true testimony," the rapper continued. "If I'm on a track with Ross or whoever it may be I can switch to any subject. It's always going to be clarity with me. I think I bring more versatility than any other artist in the game."