European group Massive Attack are planning to release their collaboration with Mos Def via the net as a free download. The track, titled "I Against I" was recorded lat year. According to group member 3D, Mos and Massive Attack recorded the song last year. Massive Attack completely reconstructed the original track resulting in the new song. Fans will be able to hear the song as a stream or register to download it.

Master P has been forced to sell an unfinished recording studio he was building in Baton Rouge. P announced plans for the $10 million dollar studio in 1997, but contracting disputes slowed the construction of the studio, which is nothing but a shell surrounded by a chain link fence. In July of 2001, a judge ruled in favor of Charles Carter Construction, the project’s contractor. According to that judgment, Master P had to pay $190,165 for construction work, materials and equipment used to build the recording studio. The property is being sold by The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s office on Wednesday. Master P’s current release, Gameface is number 20 on Billboard’s Rap/hip-hop album chart.

Master Fool, best known from his appearances on MTV’s Lyricist Lounge Show, will finally drop his solo debut this spring on Spit Factory Records. The album, "Brownsville :Kid Epitome Raw Animal Magnetism," was recorded on both coasts with several rappers and producers. Rappers like Old Dirty Bastard, West Coast singer Kokane and Spit Factory’s own Unique London and Thirstin Howl III are slated to appear on the album. Production is being handled by Scotch Scorch, Thirstin Howl, One Eye and others. Hardly new to hip-hop, Master Fool spent the 1999 and 2000 televisions seasons on the acclaimed Lyricist Lounge MTV show that had him freestyling and performing sketch comedy. In 2000, he appeared on the Lyricist Lounge Album Vol. 2 song titled " Watcha" with Pastor Troy and JT Money. He has appeared on many other underground hip-hop releases. Brownsville :Kid Epitome Raw Animal Magnetism is scheduled to be released in spring 2002

Run-DMC will be the first hip-hop group to be inducted into Hollywood’s Rockwalk, the only sidewalk gallery dedicated to honoring artists who have made a contribution in the advancement of music. The Rockwalk is located at 7425 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Run DMC’s handprints and signatures will be placed amongst the likes of B.B. King, Johnny Cash, George Clinton, Aerosmith and numerous others. "Right now, I am really just glad to be a part of hip-hop," the legendary Jam Master Jay told AllHipHop.com. "This is a great honor." The ceremonies for the event will take place Monday, February 25 at 12:00 P.M. Pacific time. In related news, DMC and Limp Bizkit DJ Lethal are working on a project, titled Homicidal, Suicidal & Political that DMC hopes will hit the stores in the Spring. According to DMC, the record will be more along the lines of classic rock, comparing the new disc to material by John Lennon and Bob Dylan. That aside, DMC finished a track for the album with The Outlawz Napoleon titled "What’s Wrong."

Suge Knight announced at the first West coast summit on Thursday that he aims to create a hip-hop union for artists. Knight said that he aimed to ensure that artists has pensions and health care benefits. The overall summit was a success, with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrahkhan giving a 90 minute keynote address. In the address, the Minister urged rappers to sanitize their lyrics and their images. "From the suffering of our people came rap,” Farrakhan said. “That should make you a servant of those that produced you. That should make you a servant of the ‘hood.” While the Minister preached about being positive, Suge Knight’s time at the podium sharply contrasted the Minister’s. Knight took his time to hurl insults at Xzibit, Tray-Dee, Snoop, Dr. Dre, Puffy, Eminem, Cash Money and Master P. Knight also offended many women in the audience Former Death Row artist Jewell, who was in the crowd got into a heated confrontation with Knight. After Knight questioned why certain rappers never made it to the summit, Jewell stood up and said "maybe it was because they were tired of his “employees” confronting them and threatening to do them harm." The security handling the event, The Fruit Of Islam asked Jewell to sit down, but Suge request they let her speak She stated that she “could no longer sit and watch the devil do his work," and said that she had been one of the first artists signed to Death Row and that she helped name the label. She again excused herself. Knight continued speaking saying “another thing I wanna mention is, know your role. It’s a lot of men runnin’ ’round here tryin to be the women, and a lot of the women is tryin’ to be men.” The comment was not directed to women in the audience contradicting some published reports. The comment was apparently directed a Jewell, as Knight followed with “eatin’ coochie ain’t God-like”. At that point another woman in the crowd became irate. The woman had brought her son, thinking it was going to be a positive meeting on improving the community through hip-hop. Knight apologized and ended his speech. Russell Simmons, who helped organize the event with Minister Benjamin Muhammad defended Knights presence, saying that he wanted a variety of people present at the summit to speak their minds. Despite a large number of Crips and Bloods that were present, their were no incidences of violence. The overall summit was a success. The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will team with Rap the Vote and the National Black Youth Vote Coalition to enlist celebrity rappers to help drive youth voting and education.

OJ Simpson is scheduled to appear at a hip-hop concert featuring Juvenile next month in Cincinnati’s Over-The-Rhine neighborhood. Last April, Over The Rhine saw the city’s worst riots since Reverend Martin Luther King JR. was assassinated. "O.J. is promoting peace," said promoter Anthony Pierre of Mactone Investments. "He is coming to Cincinnati to show there can be change." Pierre said the hip-hop concert will be the first in more than a decade at the 3,400-seat Music Hall, home of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Opera. Last week, some big name performers decided to boycott playing in Cincinnati. Bill Cosby and Smokey Robinson recently announced that they will cancel engagements in March due to the "racial climate" of the city.

Gangstarr in the Studio Gangstarr is in the studio finishing up their untitled 5th album. According to Guru, he and Premier have finished 5 songs. The latest installment for the group will feature Krumb Snatcha, Big Shug, Bumpy Knuckles, M.O.P. and others. The CD will be released later this year. In related news, Nike tapped the group’s 1989 hit "Manifest" in the Spike Lee directed commercial for the Air Jordan XVII which features Ray Allen. JCOR Records Shuts Doors/Founder Investigated JCOR Records, launched a year ago by Mammoth Record’s founder Jay Faires, recently shut down it’s Los Angeles offices. According to sources, the label will also close the New York office shortly & is currently filing for bankruptcy. Sources say the label was in financial turmoil & there are allegations that Faires took money from employees’ 401k fraudulently. JCOR’s artists included 8Ball & MJG, Slum Village & Masta Ace. Pun Documentary Pushed Back The documentary on the life of the late Big Punisher has been pushed back to May 2002. The film will detail the rapper’s life and reveals some of the more destructive aspects of his life. The movie was sparked by Pun’s widow and she plans to expose the rapper’s meaner side. The documentary, "Still Not A Player," directed by Marcos Antonio Miranda, will feature Terror Squad members as well as RZA, Raekwon, Nas & Cuban Link. Big Punisher died of a heart attack and respiratory failure two years ago on February 7th. He was 28 years old.

The documentary on the life of the late Big Punisher has been pushed back to May 2002. The film will detail the rapper’s life and reveals some of the more destructive aspects of his life. The movie was sparked by Pun’s widow and she plans to expose the rapper’s meaner side. The documentary, “Still Not A Player,” directed by Marcos Antonio Miranda, will feature Terror Squad members as well as RZA, Raekwon, Nas & Cuban Link. Big Punisher died of a heart attack and respiratory failure two years ago on February 7th. He was 28 years old.

Gangstarr is in the studio finishing up their untitled 6th album. According to Guru, he and Premier have finished 5 songs. The latest installment for the group will feature Krumb Snatcha, Big Shug, Bumpy Knuckles, M.O.P. and others. The CD will be released later this year. In related news, Nike tapped the group’s 1989 hit “Manifest” in the Spike Lee directed commercial for the Air Jordan XVII which features Ray Allen.

Hip-hop crooner Nate Dogg recently told AllHipHop.com that later in his career he would begin singing love songs, contrasting his current raw style. The self-proclaimed romantic said that he has written roughly 30 love songs in his home studio. “I damn sure refuse to be 50-years old singing, ‘B*tch,’ he said singing. “One day I am going to have to let the youngsters take over.” Nate Dogg said that he even serenades his “lady friend” because he seems to get so many requests. “I have a little friend of mine that I sing to,” he said, “I’m a romantic.” Nate Dogg has had some problems in the past with women, but now he is happy in his current relationship. Nate Dogg’s 2nd album, “Music & Me,” is currently available in stores. For the full story on Nate Dogg and relationships, read check the features section.

Tommy Boy will scale back their operation and, according to sources, 80 employees will be let go. Warner Music will buy out the remaining 50% of the label from founder Tom Silverman, who will retain several artists and the Tommy Boy name. According to sources, the label is not going out of business as has been rumored, but will begin to focus their attention on dance music. “We will still be here in the same location with a few less acts and a smaller staff,” Silverman told allhiphop.com. “Leaner & meaner like all the survivors in 2002.”

Master P & son Lil Romeo made a surprise speaking appearance at a Chicago high school on Thursday, making up for a broken promise by a scam artist. Last month, Lisa Clayton posed as an agent for P & took $1500 from the students. She promised No Limit Clothing & concert tickets before disappearing. Local radio station Power 92 presented the students with a check to cover the money.

Sandi “Pepa” Denton from the platinum-plus rap duo Salt-n-Pepa recently went on television to speak with a psychic to channel her deceased father’s spirit to the earth. On his ABC program “Crossing Over” psychic John Edwards channeled the spirits of Pepa’s father, grandmother and others. Pepa said that Edwards helped her tie up some of the loose ends that she had with her family members. Pepa spoke briefly of the experience with Edward and his ability to communicate with spirits. “He went right to it. I was blocked and I’m not thinking. They just [talk to him]. The [the spirits] are like, ‘Look, you need to acknowledge me.’ My father passed right before I got into the music business. I been in the business like 15 years now and of course he wanted the best for me. Once he [died] and I became this great honor student, everything he wanted me to be. While he was alive, He was like, ‘I know you can achieve this.’ All I wanted to do was be like, ‘Dad, I’m in the music business. I’m in lights. Everybody knows me.’ I always wanted to tell him that.’ He’s saying to me [through John Edwards] I acknowledge you are doing your thing.”

The person responsible for making sure no harm came Tupac Shakur’s body up until his death is producing a film in conjunction with Xenon films. Bodyguard Frank Alexander, a former body builder and ex-marine, has recently produced a film, "Before I Wake," to offer his side of the never-ending saga of Pac. The title is taken from the popular children’s prayer, because, according to Alexander, Tupac died before he was truly awake. The documentary contains previously unreleased footage of Tupac recording Until The End of Time, his final recording and photos from Alexander’s personal collection. Alexander and others also offer new theories behind the unsolved murder of his former client. Alexander says he rotated shifts with four or his employed bodyguards to protect the elusive rapper. "I was Tupac’s personal bodyguard. It was a challenge. Tupac drove like he had a brick at the bottom of his foot. He never shook me. I accepted him, he accepted me and we became friends," he told EURweb. Even though Tupac died while being under his watch, Alexander doesn’t feel as if the murder is on his hands. "No one can judge me but God. Tupac’s mother Afeni doesn’t blame me for Tupac’s death. I’m not trying to profit from Tupac’s death,” he said. As is the norm with and Tupac-related material, fans and non-fans are polarized on their opinions of “Before I Wake.” “This piece puts all the puzzle pieces together of what really happened the night of Tupac’s death, “ Carla from Chicago said of the film. But Ameer from Durham, NC said, “Frank Alexander is an impostor who is using his position as Pac’s ex body guard to make a quick buck. Frank. He made no effort to make this a fair balanced piece.” Xenon Pictures has produced a number of films about hip-hop including Thug Immortal (Another Tupac documentary), Welcome to Death Row and the Wu-Tang Classic Collection and The Eastsidaz: You can Keep A Top Dogg Down.

The person responsible for making sure no harm came Tupac Shakur’s body up until his death is producing a film in conjunction with Xenon films. Bodyguard Frank Alexander, a former body builder and ex-marine, has recently produced a film, "Before I Wake," to offer his side of the never-ending saga of Pac. The title is taken from the popular children’s prayer, because, according to Alexander, Tupac died before he was truly awake. The documentary contains previously unreleased footage of Tupac recording Until The End of Time, his final recording and photos from Alexander’s personal collection. Alexander and others also offer new theories behind the unsolved murder of his former client. Alexander says he rotated shifts with four or his employed bodyguards to protect the elusive rapper. "I was Tupac’s personal bodyguard. It was a challenge. Tupac drove like he had a brick at the bottom of his foot. He never shook me. I accepted him, he accepted me and we became friends," he told EURweb. Even though Tupac died while being under his watch, Alexander doesn’t feel as if the murder is on his hands. "No one can judge me but God. Tupac’s mother Afeni doesn’t blame me for Tupac’s death. I’m not trying to profit from Tupac’s death,” he said. As is the norm with and Tupac-related material, fans and non-fans are polarized on their opinions of “Before I Wake.” “This piece puts all the puzzle pieces together of what really happened the night of Tupac’s death, “ Carla from Chicago said of the film. But Ameer from Durham, NC said, “Frank Alexander is an impostor who is using his position as Pac’s ex body guard to make a quick buck. Frank. He made no effort to make this a fair balanced piece.” Xenon Pictures has produced a number of films about hip-hop including Thug Immortal (Another Tupac documentary), Welcome to Death Row and the Wu-Tang Classic Collection and The Eastsidaz: You can Keep A Top Dogg Down.

Former A Tribe Called Quest members Kamaal (Q-Tip) and Ali Shaheed Muhammad will team up with the groups third man, Phife Dawg for a song on his upcoming album second solo album, In The Keys Of Phife. The album will feature production from Jay Dee, Hi-Tek, Mr. Walt and former Tony Tone Toni member Dwayne Wiggins. According to Phife, he is also working at becoming a full fledged sports agent. Phife’s current solo album, Ventilation is in stores now.

Former A Tribe Called Quest members Kamaal (Q-Tip) and Ali Shaheed Muhammad will team up with the groups third man, Phife Dawg for a song on his upcoming album second solo album, In The Keys Of Phife. The album will feature production from Jay Dee, Hi-Tek, Mr. Walt and former Tony Tone Toni member Dwayne Wiggins. According to Phife, he is also working at becoming a full fledged sports agent. Phife’s current solo album, Ventilation is in stores now.