Raekwon is a huge follower of boxing. And like every other boxing fan, the Wu-Tang general has his own thoughts on who would come out on top if the sport’s biggest fight, Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, is ever made. Raekwon views both men as great fighters, but notes an old friendship with Mayweather as the main reason he would root for a Floyd victory. In addition, Rae believes Mayweather being naturally bigger and more technically skilled would be a significant factor. “I’m riding with Floyd. He’s the Muhammad Ali of today,” Raekwon explained. “It’s crazy because me and Floyd developed a relationship when he first came into the business. So I’m loyal to that man as far as wanting him to win. I know he talks crazy, but that’s just a part of being young. When you achieve those kind of successes, you tend to act like that. But as far as skill is concerned, I believe he can win by fighting tall.” But Raekwon does not foresee an easy fight for Mayweather. In fact, he sees the undefeated welterweight having to unleash his entire arsenal to earn Pacquiao’s respect and survive the superfight. “I like the Pacquiao kid because he’s a rebel,” Rae stated. “I think he’s a warrior. Pacquiao is just a soldier. You really would have to f### him up to make him respect you. It’s going to be a good one.” Floyd Mayweeather and Manny Pacquiao failed twice to come to terms for a fight in 2010. In February, the fight fell apart due to Pacquiao refusing to adhere to Mayweather’s demand for Olympic style drug testing. In July, talks collapsed after Mayweather proclaimed he was going on “vacation” for the rest of the year. Manny Pacquaio faces Antonio Margarito next month in Dallas. Should Pacquiao emerge victorious, he is expected to attempt a third negotiation with Floyd Mayweather for 2011. Raekwon is working on fifth solo LP, Shaolin vs. Wu Tang. The album will feature guest spots from Black Thought, Raheem DeVaughn, Method Man, GZA, Inspectah Deck and Ghostface Killah.

(AllHipHop News) Atlanta rap star Lil Jon will be one of the contestants on the upcoming season of Donald Trump’s#### show, Celebrity Apprentice. According to TMZ.com, Lil Jon will be featured on the show alongside Survivor winner Richard Hatch, supermodel Niki Taylor and baseball legend, Jose Canseco. Lil Jon and company will compete for a chance to win a $250,000 contract to run one of Trump’s companies in the elimination style competition reality series.The rapper’s business acumen makes him a strong contender for the grand prize. In 2010, Lil Jon ranked #20 on Forbes’ Hip-Hop Cash Kings annual list, pulling in over $5 million dollars the past year, with companies like his Crunk!!! energy drink, in addition to deals with Oakley Sunglasses and producing.“Music over the last decade has turned more commercial and more pop again,” Lil Jon told Forbes in June of 2010. “Hip-Hop has started to become less commercial and less pop. Dance music is taking over as the number one type of music, and it’s cool for me, because I am a part of that.”Other stars reportedly set to star in the new season include Dionne Warwick, Sugar Ray’s lead singer Mark McGrath and LaToya Jackson.The new season of Celebrity Apprentice is set to debut next year.

(AllHipHop News) Dipset member DukeDaGod has lined up a new distribution deal for his upcoming album The D.I.P. Agenda, which will be released through SMC Recordings. The new release will feature a number of high profile appearances from Diplomat co-founder Cam’ron, Jadakiss, Freekey Zekey, Hell Rell, Lil Flip, Sheek Louch, J.R. Writer, 40 Cal. and Dipset member comedian Katt Williams. “This is the best album I’ve ever done,” DukeDaGod said in a statement released today (October 13th). “I’ve been away for so long that I took my time to really perfect it. It’s my graduation album. This is all brand new music so it’s like a new Dipset album. If you like Dipset you are gonna love this album.” The rapper has also inked a deal with Distrolord, a new music and technology company that optimizes and develops digital strategies for a number of artists, including Streetlife & Method Man, Neek The Exotic & Large Professor, Tragedy Khadafi and others. “SMC has a great machine behind them and amazing people working for them. They have had great success with a bunch of artists and really know how to dial into an artist’s fanbase and expand it.” said CEO and founder of Distrolord, Gustavo Guerra.The first singles from the album feature Hell Rell and Sheek Louch and are titled “Dipset” and “DBlock Pt.2.” Those releases will be followed by “After the After Party,” which features Hell Rell, 40. Cal and J.R. Writer. “It’s something you wouldn’t expect from us but you’ll definitely feel it.” DukeDaGod said of “After the After Party.”The D.I.P. Agenda is slated to hit stores on November 23rd on on SMC/Distrolord.

(AllHipHop News) Houston, Texas, Hip-Hop heavyweight, Slim Thug returns with his third official studio album Tha Thug Show. The new album is the long-awaited follow-up to his widely acclaimed sophomore effort, Boss of All Bosses. Tha Thug Show will be available in-stores and online on November 30, 2010 and features appearances from Devin The Dude, B.o.B., Lil Wayne, Yo Gotti, Big K.R.I.T., Nipsey Hustle and Rick Ross.  The first official single from Tha Thug Show will be “So High”, featuring superstar Atlanta artist B.o.B.  The track will be impacting Urban radio the week of October 18th, 2010. A new video for “So High,” was directed by Parris who has worked with Rick Ross (“B.M.F.”), Big Boi and Fabolous.“Tha Thug Show takes all of the greater elements from my first two albums, Already Platinum and Boss of All Bosses, and is my best album yet. This album is gonna please all my fans,” Slim told AllHipHop.com. In addition to his new album, Slim is also set to debut his new iPhone app on October 15th, 2010.  Fans can access the app by going to the app page on their iPhones and typing in Slim Thug. 

(AllHipHop News) North Carolina rapper Petey Pablo is expected to turn himself in to authorities today (October 13th), on an arrest warrant for possession of a firearm by a felon, after he attempted to smuggle a gun on a plane on September 11th, 2010. The rap star, known for his hit singles “Freek-a-Leek,” “Raise Up” and “Goodies” featuring Ciara, was indicted by a grand jury after an investigation into the incident.The grand jury claims the rapper, born Moses Barrett III, attempted to bring a gun on a plane at Raleigh-Durham International Airport as he traveled to the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards, which took place the following day in Los Angeles.As Petey Pablo went through a security checkpoint, handlers discovered a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, along with ammunition in his bag. Representatives for the rapper claimed that he forgot the firearm was in his bag, after it was taken from a distressed friend who was threatening to use the weapon. In addition to the firearm possession charges, Petey Pablo is also charged with possession of a stolen firearm and attempting to take a gun onto an airplane.

(AllHipHop News) Atlanta’s Killer Mike aka Mike Bigga sees several lessons on religion and spiritual hypocrisy that Hip-Hop fans can take away from the recent scandal involving New Birth’s megachurch leader Bishop Eddie Long. The scandal surrounding Eddie Long’s alleged sexual misconduct with young men has subsided from national news, but the controversy is still a big topic of discussion in the city of Atlanta. Long is facing several lawsuits of sexual misconduct filed last month by four former members of his church. The young men, who all claim their relationships with Long happened while they were teenagers, allege the bishop abused his position and coerced them into sexual relationships by using Biblical scriptures and material gifts. To date, Long has steadfastly denied the accusations through his attorney and vowed to fight them in court.Killer Mike, who is politically active in the city through community work and his I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind album series, views the sex scandal as an example of how individuals can become blinded when their faith is placed in religious systems over God.”You already know me, mistrust religion but always trust God,” Killer Mike told AllHipHop.com. “Sheep get lead to slaughter and I’m a man. My grandfather raised a man.”The scandal has caused many, including some members of Long’s 25,000 member New Birth church, to question the bishop’s credibility as a man of God. Killer Mike sees that concern as something that was in doubt even before the allegations. He points to the title of “bishop” Long received from an offshoot Baptist movement, and not the Catholic or Episcopal groups which originated the distinction.”If you are a bishop, yet you are not  Episcopal or Catholic, why are you a f**king bishop?” Killer Mike questioned. “That’s not an attack on him, that’s a credible question. How can I trust what you’re saying, yet you don’t belong to the organization your title holds?”Mike also believes that vanity undermined Long’s claim of having a divine message. A guilty verdict, Mike argues, would simply be the final, damning revelation on a man he already sees as having a weak spiritual and moral foundation. “How can I trust you if you have on a toupee? Because you are not accepting what God has yielded for you, [and that’s] for you to be balder than a motherf**ker,” he explained. “Is keeping your hair not vanity? So I have fundamental questions. I don’t care that he allegedly likes boys. I care that he persecutes men that do. Because if God judges all sin the same, vanity is equal to being a homosexual. So your vanity is equal to sodomy in the eyes of God. So why should I respect you or anything you say?” If the charges against Long turn out to be true, Killer Mike says the New Birth preacher would merit the ancient punishment that symbolizes his Christian faith.”If you turn out to be a homosexual after persecuting your own, then you deserve to be crucified for that,” Mike concluded. Killer Mike’s full interview will be available later this week on AllHipHop.com.

(AllHipHop News) The nominees for the 38th annual American Music Awards (AMAs) were announced this morning (October 12th) at the JW Marriott in Los Angeles. Rapper Eminem tied rock group Lady Antebellum for the most nominations with five nominations each. The accolades come from the rapper’s#### double platinum album, Recovery. Justin Bieber checked in with the second most nods with three, while Atlanta rapper B.o.B. continued a successful year with three nominations. Katy Perry, Ke$ha and Usher also snagged three AMA nominations, while Usher, P!nk and Bon Jovi will be featured performers during the live awards ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, November 21st. Orly Adelson, executive producer of the show and Larry Klein, AMA producer jointly stated, “We are happy to congratulate all of the nominees for their accomplishments in 2010. We look forward to an exciting night of music and celebration on November 21st,” said executive producer/producer Orly Adelson and Larry Klein  said in a joint statement.For the fourth year, winners of the American Music Awards will be determined by online voting at www.amavote.com. Artists from all genres of music are honored during the AMA’s which were founded by music industry legend Dick Clark, in 1972.Other artists nominated include Travie McCoy, The Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Drake and others. The American Music Awards will broadcast live on ABC from the Nokia Theatre’s L.A. Live on Sunday, 21st from 8:00PM-11:00PM EST.

(AllHipHop News) Young Jeezy’s new album Thug Motivation 103, has been delayed until December, according to reports. The album, which has been delayed several times, was originally due in stores in February of 2010. Then, fans thought the album was going to hit stores in September, after Jeezy dropped several singles, including the well received single “Lose My Mind” and “All White Everything” featuring Yo Gotti. During the wait between official albums, Young Jeezy released Trap or Die II with DJ Don Cannon and his latest mixtape The Last Laugh with DJ Folk. According to reports, TM103 is now due in stores on December 14th.Former Hip-Hop rivals Kangol Kid and Roxanne Shante will team up to walk in the 2010 Making Strides Walk Against Breast Cancer, taking place in Newark, New Jersey with the American Cancer Society. The rappers’ involvement comes during the month of October, which is National Breast Cancer Month. Legendary female rapper Roxanne Shante is walking in the march to celebrate her recent victory over breast cancer. Kangol Kid will walk in the memory of his manager Shaunda Lumpkin’s mother, Gay Frances Lucas (“Mama Luke”), who succumbed to the incurable disease on Memorial Day of 2010. In addition to Shante and Kangol, Sugar Hill Gang, K7, Lords of the Underground, NYOIL, Bow Legged Lou, Full Force, Freedom Williams, Notorious B.I.G.’s daughter T’yanna Wallace, DJ Diamond, Joe Ski Love and others will participate in the walk. The 2010 Making Strides Walk Against Breast Cancer takes place October 17th at 8:30 AM at Military Park in Newark, New Jersey. Joe Budden’s fourth installment of Mood Muzik will hit stores this November via E1 Music. Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst will feature guest appearances from a variety of artists, including Lloyd Banks, Fabolous and the three fellow members of the rap group Slaughterhouse. The album is the first Mood Muzik installment Joe Budden has released since 2008’s Mood Muzik 3: The Album. The rapper is slated to hit the road to promote the release on a promotional tour that’s taking place October 20th – October 30th, before heading over to Europe and Canada. The tracklist for Mood Muzik 4: A Turn 4 The Worst can be viewed below: Intro (Pray For Them)Come AlongRemember The Titans (Ft. Fabolous, Lloyd Banks, & Royce Da 5’9”)Short SummerRole ReversalMop Salad Skit (performed by Karon “Kdotonthebeat,” Performed by parks Vallely)No IdeaBlack CloudFollow My Lead (Ft. Joell Ortiz)Weekend Warrior Skit (performed by Karon “Kdotonthebeat”)Sober Up (Ft. Crooked I)Hello ExpectationsSomething To Ride ToStuck In The Moment (ft. Emanny, Performed by parks Vallely)

(AllHipHop News) Last night (October 11th), Duck Down Records kicked off a 14-city tour to celebrate the independent label’s 15-year anniversary, with a tour covering the East Coast. Performers on the tour include Pharoahe Monch, Duck Down’s Co-CEO Buckshot, Sean Price, Smif N Wessun, Skyzoo and the label’s longtime in-house turntablist, DJ Evil Dee. “[It’s an] incredible feeling to see that 15 years later, the original architects of Buckshot & Smif n Wessun are on this tour,” Duck Down CEO Dru Ha told AllHipHop.com. “Combined with the new label additions of Pharoahe & Skyzoo and of course everyone’s favorite in Sean Price, this tour will be focused on the art and pride of putting on a quality stage show. Ultimately the ability to do it as one unit under the Duck Down name allows us to share a vision we worked towards for many years.”The tour, which launched in Tampa, Florida at Club Empire, runs until October 24th where it will wind down in Boston, Massachusetts, at the Middle East. Each act on the album will showcase their latest music. Pharoahe Monch is currently mixing his highly anticipated album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), while Skyzoo will perform cuts off his collaborative release with !llmind titled Live From The Tape. Smif N Wessun will perform tracks from their album Monumental, which is produced by Pete Rock, while Buckshot will unveil unreleased tracks from his album The Solution, which was produced by 9th Wonder. Finally, Sean Price will debut new music from Mic Tyson and his group effort, Random Axe. For tour information visit:  http://www.duckdown.com/eastcoasttour/Tour dates are listed below:Tuesday, October 12th – Orlando, FL – The SocialWednesday, October 13th – Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Thursday, October 14th – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade Friday, October 15th – Wilmington, NC – Soapbox Saturday, October 16th – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Sunday, October 17th – Baltimore, MD – Sonar Monday, October 18th – Washington D.C. – LIV Tuesday, October 19th – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge (CMJ Showcase with Talib Kweli, Pete Rock, Jean Grae, & Strong Arm Steady performing as well) Wednesday, October 20th – New Haven, CT – Toads Place Thursday, October 21st – Philadelphia, PA – TLA Friday, October 22nd – Providence, RI – Jerkys Saturday, October 23rd – Portland, ME – Asylum Sunday, October 24th – Boston, MA – Middle East

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Jay-Z is calling upon fans to hit the polls for the General Elections that are taking place nationwide on November 2nd in the United States. Jay-Z is featured in a new PSA for Vote Again 2010 and HeadCount.org. During the 35-second clip, Jay-Z is featured on stage clad in black, talking to tens-of-thousands of fans, reminding them of their civic duty and constitutional right, to vote.”We need something really special this year, just to show that our generation changed the world… we changed the world,” Jay-Z said. “So it just goes to show, anything is possible. Fight for what’s right, fight for what you believe in.”HeadCount was founded in 2004 by Marc Brownstein of the electronic Rock band The Disco Biscuits, along with author Andy Bernstein, who wrote the Phish fan guide “The Pharmers Almanac.””In a year when there is such negativity in this country, Jay-Z’s positive message is even more powerful,” Bernstein told AllHipHop.com. “When he told the crowd at Bonnaroo ‘We changed the world,’ it was a truly electric moment. Thousands of people got goosebumps, and I knew it would make an unforgettable PSA.” A number of celebrity musicians have lent their support to HeadCount.org, which employs a small, full-time staff, in addition to 75 volunteers and 20 board members. In 2008, Jay-Z helped send voters to polling stations, which had the highest turnout of young Americans voting in the history of the country.

(AllHipHop News) Will Smith’s upcoming flick Men In Black 3 has been halted, because the superstar actor is clashing with producers of the film about the script. According to The New York Post, the movie had been in pre-production around various locations in New York. But due to clashes between Smith and director Barry Sonnenfeld, shooting on Men in Black 3 has come to halt.Sony Pictures denied the allegations in The New York Post and stated the delays were because of recent changes to New York state movie incentives. “The only reason production will begin in mid-November as opposed to late October is to take advantage of recent changes affecting New York State film incentives,” a rep for Sony said in a statement. “Suggesting that a disagreement triggered the shift is complete fiction.” Will Smith and Barry Sonnenfeld have worked on several movies together, including the box office smash Men In Black, Men In Black 2, as well as Wild Wild West.Men in Black 3 also stars Tommy Lee Jones and will be released in 3-D.