It’s a sad day for hip-hop. The legendary Heavy D, the one known as ‘The Overweight Lover,’ died today in Los Angeles at the young age of 44. According toTMZ, it appears that Heavy, born Dwight Myers, died of an heart attack, but this has not been confirmed. Heavy recently performed at the BET Hip Hop Awards last month. May God Bless and comfort the Myers family. RIP to a true legend.

Last night in New York City was the premiere of the highly-anticipated VH1 documentary produced by Ice-T, ‘Planet Rock: The Story of Hip-Hop and the Crack Generation.’ The film, which features hip-hop luminaries such as Snoop Dogg and the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA and Raekwon, dissects how the crack epidemic ultimately created the multi-million dollar industry that is now hip-hop.

After the screening, a panel was hosted by legendary journalist, social critic, and filmmaker Barry Michael Cooper. The panel featured Ice-T, drug dealer Azie Faison (whom the film ‘Paid In Full’ was partially based off), hip-hop legend Melle Mel and writer/filmmaker Nelson George. Check out the Rolling Stone piece on the film premiere and panel here.

And for an extra treat, take a look at the genesis for the groundbreaking film ‘New Jack City’ in this article from VH1.com.

Since the moment the world laid their eyes on Justin Bieber, it was evident that the young boy had some flava. When he first made way into  music, J.B. and his camp made it known that the Canadian pop-singer had some hip-hop influence. From his Ludacris-featured smash “Baby” to his friendship with Sean Kingston and their collaborative up-beat record “Eenie Meenie”, J.B. was getting the attention of the hip-hop community.

What came as a shock for me was Justin spittin’ a few bars for Tim Westwood while out in the U.K. To my surprise, it was actually….half-way decent.  The “Baby” singer continued to build his hip-hop rep with a 2010 BET Award nomination, a collaboration with Kanye West & Raekwon and a freestyle over Cam’ron & Vado’s “Speaking In Tongues”, where he introduced his rap alter-ego; Shawty Mane.

What would make Shawty Mane unique as an emcee would be his ability to keep his lyrics clean without being corny; which is a rarity in hip-hop. Check out 5 reasons why Justin Bieber could become a full-time hip-hop artist inside.

5. Justin Bieber was in the studio with DJ Drama recently. Could he be working on his own Gangsta Grillz mixtape?

4. Justin Bieber gets fitted for a grill with  jeweler Ben Baller. Again with the ”grillz”.

3. Justin collabs with Kanye & The Chef on “Runaway Love (Remix)” .

2. Justin remixes his Canadian buddy Drake’s “Trust Issues” .

1. J.B. raps as Shawty Mane on “Ladies Love Me” off of Chris Brown’s Boy In Detention mixtape.

(Picture courtesy of Fresh2deathdaily.com)

“Beef” has always played a significant role in hip-hop culture. From ‘The Bridge Wars’, to LL Cool J versus Kool Moe Dee, to the most popular hip-hop beef amongst Generation Y, Lil Wayne versus Jay-Z. What seemed to have started out as the changing of the guard in 2003, has since turned into a long-standing love/hate relationship between two of hip-hop’s biggest names. Check out the eight-year timeline of Lil Wayne and Jay-Z’s lyrical rivalry inside.

“Fu** Jay-Z/ Nah my nigga/ I fu** with Jay-Z.”

2003-

Jay-Z releases his “retirement album”, The Black Album, and leaves his stamp on the game by crowning himself “The best rapper alive”.

2004-

Lil Wayne releases Tha Carter, and through lyrical-subtlety, announces himself as “The best rapper alive/Since the best rapper retired” in the wake of Jay’s “retirement”.

2005-

Lil Wayne pushes all subtlety aside, and with Jay-Z still out of the picture, makes the bold proclamation that he is indeed the “Best Rapper Alive” on Tha Carter II.

2006-

With Jay-Z officially out of retirement with his ’06 comeback album, Kingdom Come, Wayne (still on his “Best Rapper Alive”-ish) takes a direct-shot at Hov in the December issue of Complex Magazine.

“I don’t like what he’s saying about how he had to come back because hip-hop’s dead and we need him,” Wayne said. “What the f— do you mean? If anything it’s reborn, so he’s probably having a problem with that. You left on a good note, and all of the artists were saying, ‘Yo, this is Jay’s house. He’s the best.’ Now he comes back and still thinks it’s his house. … It’s not your house anymore, and I’m better than you.”

2007-

Jay must’ve gotten fed-up with all of Wayne’s audacity, and in classic Jay-Z fashion, he sent a subliminal shot at Wayne on T.I.’s “Watch What You Say To Me”.

I hear you baiting me lately/ I been doing my best just to stay hater free/
Still watch what you say to me/
Sooner or later I take you up on your offer/
And put you all in ya place/ like I’m replacing ya father/
You talking to the author/ the architect of The Blueprint/
My DNA in ya music/ muthaf***a you stupid?

Later that year, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne seemed to end their state of war with a peace treaty on their collaborative record “Hello Brooklyn”, off of Jay-Z’s American Gangster album. The cut was originally supposed to be on Weezy’s Tha Carter III, but when Jay reached out to be on the record, Wayne decided to share the love.

“It was produced by my homeboy Big D a long time ago,” he said. “Jay heard the song some type of way, and when he heard it, he said, ‘Ask the homie if I can get this.’ When I was asked the question, I told them it wasn’t even a question — he’s got it. Everybody in the world knows how I feel about Jay. … He’s the king, utmost respect. -MTV

2008-

The love continued into the summer of ‘08 when the two collaborated on “Mr. Carter” off of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III album. Both emcees appeared on T.I.’s “Swagga Like Us” record, also featuring Kanye West.

2009-

Hip-Hop’s new-year couldn’t have opened up any bigger. Jay-Z and Lil Wayne joined T.I. and Kanye West to perform “Swagga Like Us” at the 51st Grammy Awards, and the rap-collective took home the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

June 2009, Jay-Z released his controversial single “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)” from The Blueprint 3, and tension seems to resurface between the two when Jay mentioned Wayne as “The mixtape Weezy.”

To make matters worse, Baby, Lil Wayne’s adoptive father, went on record to say that Wayne is better than Jay-Z.

“I don’t think [Jay-Z] is the number one emcee in no kind of way,” he told Tropical TV. “Wayne’s the best. He do the most and he make the most money. I don’t think no nigga in the business make more money than us. How can you be the best if you don’t make the most money? And you don’t do the most? Lyrically, come on man, be for real, can’t nobody fuck with Wayne…if you number one and you ain’t getting no money it don’t mean nothing.”

2011-

2010 was quiet, but Jay wasted no time going in for the 2011 new year with a shot at Lil Wayne/Birdman on his single with Kanye West, “H.A.M.”

“Niggas fantasize about the shit that I do daily/ Like these rappers rap about all the shit that I do daily/I’m like really, half a billi, nigga, really you got Baby money/ Keep it real with niggas, niggas ain’t got my lady money.”

In late August, Wayne set the blogosphere on fire with his Carter IV track “It’s Good”, in which he raps:

“Talkin’ ‘bout baby money, I gotcha baby money / Kidnap your b***h, get that how much you love your lady money / I know you fake, nigga / Press your brakes, nigga / I’ll take you out, that’s a date, nigga.”

There’s no telling where Lil Wayne & Jay-Z’s love/hate relationship will go from here. I would imagine that the success of Tha Carter IV may add some fuel to the fire. Personally, I think it’s healthy for hip-hop to have two great emcees battle it out. Or maybe, they’ll just do another record together.

The UK hip-hop export touches down in the City of Brotherly Love to add his own British spin on the Jigga x Yeezy track.

Jay delves a little more into his best-selling book, Decoded, to talk about the parallels between hip-hop and poetry.

Press Telegram reports that legendary hip-hop vocalist Nate Dogg died last night at the age of 41. No word yet of the cause of death, but Nate suffered two strokes withing the last three years. Our prayers go out to his family.

(From: MTV.com)

Last week, Diddy topped the Forbes list as hip-hop’s richest artist. MTV caught up with Puff to discuss the accomplishment. In his own words, those are investments..not liquid cash!

(MTV.com)

MTV spends a day with Bun B on campus where the instructor teaches Religious Studies 331 .

(From MTV.com)

Hip-Hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc (born Clive Campbell) is in good spirits but still needs medical and financial help. Late Monday, The New York Times reported that the hip-hop pioneer was recently hospitalized due to complications from kidney stones — a painful, yet treatable, condition made all the worse due to Herc’s lack of health insurance.

“We live in one of the superpowers of the world!” Herc said in a statement to MTV News on Tuesday (February 1). ” ‘Give me your tired, your poor … ‘ and then you don’t take care of them? There should be no weak ants in the colony. There shouldn’t be anyone fighting for health care! This has been going on too damn long! We fought for 1520 Sedgwick to get landmark status, and in 2007, New York State officially recognized it as the ‘Birthplace of Hip Hop.’ Now we are fighting for health care not just for me, but for everyone. I see this situation as another quest for me to shine light on a sensitive issue for the community. I’m an instrument of God. I’m here for a purpose and I want to be here for the solution.”