(AllHipHop News) A healthy lifestyle and a desire to learn were the key points emphasized by rap mogul P. Miller, who kicked off the It’s Time to Fatten Our Brain’s Not Our Bodies tour Friday (April 23) at 61st Street Elementary School in Los Angeles.   The No Limit Records founder, along with his son Romeo and congresswoman Maxine Water, were on hand for the event, which featured entertainment and appearances from Cymphonique, Fabulous Girls, Lil King, Veno, Miss Tami and The College Boyys. For Miller, the time is now to take a stand in light of the current obesity crisis in the U.S.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 67 percent of adults are overweight or obese. In 2001, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry estimated that between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents were obese.   “The cause is about the kids. It’s about eating right, exercising and the most important, education,” Miller told Hollywood.tv. “These kids are our future. It’s Time Kids is an organization that stepped up and said ‘You know what? Let’s get our kids into shape and let’s make sure they have the proper nutrition. They understand the importance of exercise.”   In recent years, efforts to combat childhood obesity have received national exposure, courtesy of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move national campaign. The effort works to help kids become more physically active aswell as provide healthier food in schools and support for parents while making healthy, affordable food available in every part of the country. The Let’s Move website reports that obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years, thereby threatening the healthy future of one third of all American children. As a result, the life expectancy of children may be shorter than their parents, a first in the history of the country.   Obama’s involvement in the fight against childhood obesity did not go unnoticed by Miller, who applauded the First Lady’s determination towards tackling the issue.   “When you think about the president’s wife, Miss Michelle Obama, this is a movement that is spreading across the country. I definitely like to thank the first lady for steppin’ up,” the mogul stated. “We’re just gonna keep it going. Our focus is the urban community, the urban culture and to make sure that our kids stay fit, stay in shape. When you look at our kids in our culture, we have a lot of obese kids in the community, a lot of kids dying from obesity and we want to fix this problem. This is a problem that can be fixed by getting to these younger kids and saying ‘It’s easy to catch up now than have to catch up later.’”   A program created by the nonprofit organization Urban Born, It’s Time Kids is dedicated to helping inner-city youth attain success physically with an emphasis on healthy living and mentally through stressing the importance of education.   “I want you guys to realize that you can be successful if you believe in yourself. Think about it, believe in yourself, right, work hard and do the right things,” Miller expressed to those attending the It’s Time event. “We can be more than athletes and entertainers. We have an African American president.”   Waters echoed Miller as she showed her appreciation to the rap star and Urban Born founder Johnel Langerston for taking time out “to help you to understand how you can be healthy, how you can be smart, how you can grow up to have a career and how you can have a good life. How many people want to have a good life?   “Even though I know you’re depending on mom and dad to do a lot of things that have to do with your health and your education…you can do things for yourself,” the congresswoman added. “When you eat right you won’t get too fat because if you’re too fat then you can’t do all the things you want to do. And so If you really want to have fun, if you want to ride your bicycles, if you want to do things and not get too tired then you gotta eat right.”   With more stops planned for the It’s Time tour, Miller is confident the outing will resonate with all who hear its message to kids to stay in school, actively hit the books, eat healthy and exercise.   “This is more than coming to one school. This is definitely a movement, said the businessman, who deemed the trek as “a call to action. “We hittin’ all the schools across the country. This is a global experience and this is for our kids. It’s for our culture.”

(AllHipHop News) With controversy still surrounding the death and post-mortem wishes of the recently deceased Guru (Keith Elam), DJ Premier had revealed details on his final hospital meeting with his estranged Gang Starr collaborator. In a discussion on his Sirius Hip-Hop Nation radio show, Premier stated that he visited a comatose Guru in the hospital, despite reports that Guru confidant Solar has a strict visitation list in place that did not include Premier and certain family members. The visit, according to Premier, was the first meeting between the famed duo since 2003, when they split for still undisclosed reasons following their sixth studio album, The Ownerz. “When I saw Guru it really f**ked me up. I wore a Gang Starr shirt first of all; just for the energy and so he knew that that’s forever with us,” Premier said. “And that includes everyone that came before me; I know every one of them…It was so ill [because] of what I was hearing of him waking up, writing, and Tweeting and all that stuff. There was no way. He looked so gone.” Although hospitals normally handle grooming requirements such as nails, Premier described an unfortunate scene of Guru looking disheveled and unkempt, causing the acclaimed producer’s anger to rise at Solar over his claims that he took care of Guru in his final days. “If you love him, and you’re taking care of him, why the f**k did his nails look longer than a f***ing ruler?!” Premier accused. “[And] a clump Afro?! I’ve taken care of people in the hospital [before]. You can wash their hair and clean their nails off. His feet were swollen and his toenails were really disgusting…I took the logo on my shirt and rubbed it against his whole body and told him a message from me about how much I loved him, and that we were for live and still were for life. Then I kissed him on his face and let him know that I was going to miss him because it seemed like he was already gone.” After Guru’s passing on April 19 from multiple myeloma, Solar released a statement allegedly written by the deceased deriding Premier and requesting that he not be involved in any tributes or memorial events. The veracity of the letter was immediately challenged by Guru’s old friends, such as Big Shug and Bumpy Knuckles (Freddie Foxxx), and the late rapper’s nephew Justin Nicholas Elam Ruff, who started much of the controversy in several YouTube blogs accusing Solar of keeping Guru and the seriousness of his medical condition away from family members. “The family is strong,” Ruff told Premier after calling into the show. “We’re all there supporting each other. And with all the love from the fans reaching out from across the world, we’re going to get through this. The #1 thing is that it’s our job to keep his legacy alive.” At press time, no information has been released regarding Guru’s funeral arrangements.

(AllHipHop News) The Hip-Hop community lost another member to cancer on Saturday (April 24th), with the death of Los Angeles’ DJ Hideo.  Hideo, 42, succumbed to colon and liver cancer while surrounded by family members and his children.  Last week, Hideo had to check into Mission Hospital because of weakness and pain.  “Because of the weakness that I’ve been feeling for the past week,” Hideo wrote on his blog shortly before his death. “My vitals are stable and now need the assistance of a ventilator to breathe. I’m very aware of my condition and communicate in writing.  Right now, the one thing I really do miss is drinking a nice ice cold soda.” According to close friend, DJ K-Sly, DJ Hideo was in severe pain, told doctors not to resuscitate him and he passed away round 3:30 PM.  In early 2009, DJ Hideo was diagnosed with colon cancer.  DJ Hideo worked for KKBT 100.3 The Beat as Mixshow Director and Program and Production Assistant for nine years. Additionally, he served as the DJ on the Steve Harvey Morning Show, Soul Assassins Radio with Cypress Hill and others. 

(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop moguls Damon Dash and Marc Ecko have announced they will support Kevin Powell’s bid for Congress. Powell, a noted journalist and Hip-Hop historian, is running for the 10th Congressional District, Brooklyn, New York, in hopes of defeating Rep. Ed Towns. Dash and Ecko will host a fundraiser for Powell tomorrow (April 26th) at Dash’s Dash Gallery @ DD112, located in the Tribeca section of New York. “I have decided to run for Congress here in Brooklyn, New York, because it is the right and necessary thing to do,” Powell stated. “As a long-time resident of this district, I am outraged by the many pockets of fear and despair in our neighborhoods, the arrested development in our communities, and the halting sense that life will never improve for us. During my first Congressional campaign in 2008, I proposed that a brighter future is possible for our district. I traveled a long and difficult road against a comfortably entrenched Democratic incumbent, but I did not give up on the possibilities of what our community and our nation can become. I am running again now in the 2010 election to bring those possibilities into reality.”Others supports Kevin Powell include comedian Chris Rock, Chicago Bears’ Julius Peppers and others. Admission to Dash and Echo’s fundraiser for Powell  is $50 and gets attendees access to the event, which takes place from 7:00 PM. Food will be provided by Sylvia’s Restaurant, beverages are courtesy of Ciroc and deserts will be provided by Tonnie’s Minis.

(AllHipHop News) Over 100 teenagers were forced to flee through city streets yesterday evening (April 24th), after a fight broke out during a showcase/car show featuring Atlanta rap group Travis Porter. According to reports, over 200 teenagers attended a community day/block party event sponsored by Albany, Georgia-based tax service SOWEGA Tax Services. The otherwise peaceful event descended into chaos around 6:30 PM in Turtle Park, when a fight erupted. Several brawls broke out after the initial confrontation and the fights continued to the Ray Charles Plaza and then on to Oglethorpe and Front Street, a major intersection. One woman was treated at the scene for a head injury and several others were taken into custody.

(AllHipHop News) Remy Ma shooting victim Makeda Barnes-Joseph has renewed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the jailed rapper’s label Universal Music Group. In 2007, Barnes-Joseph was shot twice in the abdomen by her former friend Remy Ma (real name Reminisce Smith) over a financial dispute.  The crime resulted in Remy being sentenced to 8 years in prison, which the she is currently serving in New York’s penal system. Barnes-Joseph filed her suit against Universal in 2008, claiming the company encouraged Remy’s criminal behavior by allowing violence in her music and retaining her as an “employee” during the criminal investigation. The label countered with a motion summary judgment to have the complaint dismissed, which Judge Betty Owen granted last April. Barnes-Jospeh’s attorney, Lauren P. Raysor, filed an Appellate Brief on February 2 to appeal the decision, arguing her client’s case was not given due process as “the Court either disregarded or misunderstood the employment status of Remy Smith, aka “Remy Ma,” with Universal Music Group at the time of the shooting.” Earlier this week, opening oral arguments began in New York State Supreme Court. Remy Ma also has an ongoing appeal regarding her conviction. If it fails, she can be eligible for release in 2013.

(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop group The St. Lunatics recently shot a video in their hometown of St. Louis, as they prepare to release their first batch of material in over 10 years. The group features Nelly, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, Ali and Nelly’s brother City Spud, who spent 10 years incarcerated for assault, before being released in late 2008. City Spud was featured on Nelly’s#### single “Ride Wit Me.” He was sent to jail in 1999, just as his brother’s debut album Country Grammar raced to the top of the charts, eventually selling over 10 million copies. “Of course, everybody knows that I’ve been on vacation for a while and now I’m back,” City Spud told the St. Louis American. Earlier this week, the crew assembled at Visiontracks Studio in Fenton, Missouri, to shoot “Money Talks,“ the first video from their upcoming album. “He wasn’t able to be a part of Country Grammar or any other Lunatic album that had been done up to this point,” Nelly told KMOV-TV. “It’s exciting for us to watch him because this is his first time really going through the whole process of putting out an album and everything that comes along with it.”“Money Talks” features Bryan “Birdman” Williams, CEO of the popular rap imprint Cash Money Records, which has artists like Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Jay Sean and others on the roster. The video, which was filmed by director Juwan Lee, will promote the St. Lunatics’ upcoming album, which is titled City Free.No release date was available for City Free.