Photo: MTV News

• Polow Da Don
• Jay-Z
• Busta Rhymes
• Soulja Boy Tell'em
• DJ Khaled

Plies
Photo: Rahman Dukes/MTV News

Area codes 804, 757, you already know, Mixtape Daily has love for y'all. Shout out to Quan, shout out to the Clipse, big up to all the artists from VA. Today, DJ Khaled shows he's been doing more than just scouting talent in MIA — he's been to VA as well. He scooped up a young cat from Richmond named Red Rum, the newest member of the We the Best record company.

This Week's Main Pick

Street King: Red Rum
Holding It Down For: Richmond, Virginia
Mixtape: The Switch Spot
Real Spit: Red Rum ran up on DJ Khaled. During the filming of the I'm So Hood (remix) video, Rum made his way onto the set and slid the energetic music man one of his early mixtapes. Khaled said he played it in his car that night and reached out. The two have been linked up ever since. Khaled is getting his new protégé warmed up in the street before the album comes sometime next year.

"He flew me down to Miami, but I wasn't no artist then," Rum admits of his initial dealings with Khaled. "I wasn't ready for this. So it took two years, but I ain't stop. My fan base got bigger without nobody helping me, but with the Khaled stamp."

Rum's nickname, the "Switch Man," is pure Richmond, Virginia, slang.

" 'Switch Man,' " he explained, "that all comes about because of where I'm from. ATL calls it 'trappin,' we 'catch switches.' That's what it is, I was on the block. Now I'm catching switches with the music. I got fans, they're spending money to see me, they wanna see Red, dummy. 2010 we getting it in. I promise. The Switch Spot just lets everybody know I am an independent artist, as well as a mainstream artist. I'm independently trying to take over this game. I just don't wanna be no rapper. I'm in here, straight up."

Joints To Check For

"On My Mama": "That defines my grind. On my mama, no lies. I'm not gonna sit here and lie on my mama, I put my heart into this. This is what you want, this is what you get. No fake stuff. My mama has no other choice but to hear the song. They play it all on the radio. She loves the grind. She knows where we come from and what we took it to. She has no choice but to respect it."

"Get It In": "That's with Yo Gotti," he says. "It lets you know every city I go to, I get it in. Every time I swing that corner in that Caddy, they know I get it in. Standing alone again."

"One More Time": "It was inspired by DJ Kool from DC," Rum explains. "That made them 20,000 people — me being independent with no help, had 20,000 people — rocking. Wait till the world hears it — its gonna be number one on the charts."

Streets Is Talking: News And Notes From The Underground

Plies' Goon Affiliated should be out within the next few months, but he's playing it close to the vest as to which MCs are coming on the LP. He did give a clue when we saw him at the BET Hip-Hop Awards earlier this month.

"I'll just drop one in your lap. I didn't have the rap feature thing before so I'm doing something with a cat that's real, real big in Atlanta. Some people says it's this person, some people say it's that person. But it's a special situation. A major situation for this album."

When asked if it's the person he got with on the song "Wasted," Pies just smiled and said, "It could be. It could be."

Although Plies wouldn't spill the beans — for real, for real — we've been hearing it may not be Gucci Mane but a man who's known for his motivational rap songs.

Plies says that regardless of who he collaborates with, you'll see his growth.

"We painted the best picture we can paint. You'll see the evolution of who I am as an artist from the production standpoint as well as the lyrical content side. I'm excited about this one. More excited than I was about my previous three. ... Let's put it all in the kitty and let the streets tell us what it is."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

• Mixtape Daily: Polow Da Don, Jay-Z, Young Jeezy, More

• Gucci Mane
• Plies
• DJ Khaled

DJ Khaled
Photo: MTV News

Behind The Beats: DJ Khaled

"I'm in beast mode," DJ Khaled told Mixtape Daily when he stopped by to visit the 1515 Boys in a Champion hoodie and an extra scruffy beard.

You can't blame him for the look. The Miami don is hard at work on his next album, Victory, the fourth installment of his hit anthems. The project is slated for a 2010 release on his We the Best imprint with E1 Records.

Like a cocky chef who's confident in his skills, Khaled gave us some of the ingredients he's using to cook up Victory but was hush-hush when it came to what we can actually expect. The meal ain't ready yet — until then, he's gonna leave us starving.

"I worked with someone I never worked with before that I always wanted to work with," Khaled said coyly. "I won't tell you if it's one of my singles or one of the singles, 'cause I like that to be a surprise. But I did work with someone I always wanted to work with; his name is Usher. I did work with him, and I'm excited by that. I worked with someone [else] I never worked with before; his name is Drake. I'm a fan of his music. I think he's talented."

Of course, the Runners, Plies, Rick Ross and the rest of the Florida family are gonna be part of the album. Another big name that will be featured heavily on the project is Young Jeezy. Khaled said Mr. 17.5 will be a "major" part of Victory.

"I got everybody on there," Khaled boasted. "I'm giving you little vibes about what's going on. Jeezy is a major part of my album. We doing this, this album right here. I gave you 'We Takin' Over.' I gave you 'I'm So Hood.' I gave you 'Go Hard.' I gave you 'Holler at Me.' I do this. I make timeless music."

When it comes to putting his albums together, Khaled thinks of his collaborators like a team. He has his regulars — from Fat Joe to Ross — and on each album, he adds new players to the roster. Every artist Khaled reached out to this time put in some heavy work, going above and behind with their verses. That, in part, inspired the album title.

"People always think 'victory' is the win," Khaled explained. "To me, it's a struggle. It's a grind. It's a hustle, going through roadblocks. There's a lot of stuff [done] to get a victory. I feel like I'm at a point in my career right now where I'm at that victory point. Because I've been through so much, and I feel like the music I'm making is so powerful — because I make this music for the people."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

• Mixtape Daily: DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, DMX, KRS-One And More

• DJ Khaled
• Usher
• Drake

DJ Khaled
Photo: We The Best

MIAMI — DJ Khaled is used to getting it done at all costs. "It" being everything: marketing, promoting, A&R, producing, managing, cutting checks, DJing, supervising albums and, on this night, being a tour guide.

"Welcome to We the Best Studios, the house of hits — the house of vibes," Khaled said, welcoming us to Miami. Since Khaled does it all, he wants to do it easier — he's combined his record-label office with a studio and hangout for his homies. On this night, though, Khaled's lair was also a video set for his signee Ace Hood, who was shooting the clip for "Overtime," featuring T-Pain and Akon.

"It's a little crazy in here, but come on, check it out," Khaled said. "I'm gonna give you, like, a quick tour ... of course we got some of our wins on the wall," he said, pointing to the plaques and awards.

"Right here — XXL cover. With me, [Rick] Ross, Flo [Rida] and Trina ... That was big for Florida. Shout-out to all the DJs ... I gotta show you some DJ plaques. Mix Show DJ of the Year, from the Sixth Annual Puerto Rico Power Summit. I got a few of these. I won five in a row. Of course, you got other wins up in here too. Shout-out to Funk Master Flex — he's definitely one of the guys that inspired me to make albums too. He's got that gold plaque right there."

	It's Miami Week on MTVNews.com! Stay locked here for all we have to offer from the city's heavyweights.
	»Rick Ross, Trick Daddy Show Why Miami Is The Renaissance City
	»DJ Irie Turns Up The Heat In Miami
	»Rick Ross On His Rise To International Star
	»Pitbull Leads A Tour Of His Miami
	»Go Inside DJ Khaled's Hit Factory
	»Cool & Dre Bring Us Inside Their Miami Digs
	»Miami's Next Week Wave Of MC's
	»Scott Storch Is Back

Besides Ace Hood's Ruthless, which drops this summer, Khaled is working on his fourth album, Victory, which is due later this year. But before he looks to the future, the New Orleans-born hip-hop don basks in the success of his biggest LP, We the Best.

"Of course, this is big for me right here," he said, pointing to the plaque. " 'We Taking Over' — you know what I'm saying. It went gold. That was a big accomplishment for me; my life changed after that record dropped. And shout-out to everybody on the record — you feel me. I can go on for days with plaques. ... Now this record right here, 'I'm So Hood,' a million and 500 thousand singles sold ... a million ringtones. It's a movie. It's a big, big accomplishment for me."

Khaled's complex is almost done — but the one spot he's looking most forward to completing is his "Boom Boom Room."

"This is the room where we take breaks at," he explained. "Ace Hood up in here. Ace Hood got caught in that boom boom room. He's getting ready for his video shoot. This is [where we] like to lounge, watch a little TV."

Khaled was recently humbled by rap giant Jay-Z, when Hov shouted Khaled on the song "D.O.A." The mouthy DJ says he was stunned and left speechless by Jay's co-sign.

"To get a co-sign from a legend like that is big. He said my name, he said, 'We the best!' It brought a tear to my eye," Khaled said.

All this week, MTV News will be celebrating Miami's legends, superstars and upstarts. Keep checking back with us for more from the evolving city.

• It's Miami Week!

• DJ Khaled
• Jay-Z

Rick Ross
Photo: MTV News

For years, celebrities have headed to Miami for vacation. Some stars — including Diddy, Beyoncé, Timbaland, Lil Wayne and Fat Joe — have loved it so much that they copped homes in M.I.A.

So why is MTV News having a Miami Week now? Have you been listening to the music coming from Miami lately? There's a cool blend of MCs and singers that have the potential to be superstars, acts that dominate the game and legends gearing up to make a comeback.

It's the place where New Orleans' favorite son, Lil Wayne, recorded a significant amount of the material for his Carter III as well as his new Rebirth LP, which drops in August.

As far as homegrown product, Miami has its share of hitmakers scaling the charts and getting stamps of approval from the streets. Rapper Flo Rida had undoubtedly one of the biggest Billboard and radio smashes this year with "Right Round" and has another top-five hit with "Sugar."

Meanwhile, Rick Ross, who's scored big with heavily rotated favorites "The Magnificent" and "All I Really Want," delivered arguably the most artistically dope rap album of the year thus far with Deeper Than Rap.

Ross' A&R rep and close friend DJ Khaled maintains his status as not just one of the top DJs in the business, but a newly appointed record executive. He'll have his hands on plenty of projects coming from the Def Jam roster this year.

The legendary Trick Daddy is handling his own business now. He's about to come back with a new book, album and film.

	It's Miami Week on MTVNews.com! Stay locked here for all we have to offer from the city's heavyweights.
	»Rick Ross, Trick Daddy Show Why Miami Is The Renaissance City
	»DJ Irie Turns Up The Heat In Miami
	»Rick Ross On His Rise To International Star
	»Pitbull Leads A Tour Of His Miami
	»Go Inside DJ Khaled's Hit Factory
	»Cool & Dre Bring Us Inside Their Miami Digs
	»Miami's Next Week Wave Of MC's
	»Scott Storch Is Back

While Trick Daddy goes independent, Pitbull is trying his hand at a major label for the first time. His Rebelution is coming out on Sony Music. After getting love from Pharrell Williams on the "Fast & Furious" soundtrack, Pit continues to rule the clubs with his new "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)."

DJ Irie is becoming an international commodity, is becoming an international commodity, spinning for the Miami Heat as the team's official DJ. You can catch him overseas spinning at celebrity parties for Shaquille O'Neal and various royal figures.

Producers Cool & Dre are tightening their grip as one of music's most formidable teams, with production on Weezy's Rebirth as well as new LPs by Young Jeezy, Lloyd and the Game.

The city is on fire and evolving right now, and that's not even mentioning a slew of new talent such as Def Jam singer Shonie and Ross' artist Gunplay.

DJ Khaled put it best: "Miami's hot because we hot, we're real, and [we have] We the Best Music! Maybach Music! Poe Boy [Entertainment]! Slip-N-Slide! Strictly Business! Dunk Ryders! Iconz! We're on fire like the sun!"

All this week, MTV News will be celebrating Miami's legends, superstars and upstarts. Keep checking back with us for more from the evolving city.

• It's Miami Week!

• DJ Khaled
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

DJ Khaled
Photo: Ben Rose/ Getty Images

DJ Khaled talks a lot, and you have to admit: He hasn't sold too many wolf tickets. He gets your attention and runs with it. Last year, Jay-Z gave him his definitive career co-sign thus far by jumping on the remix of "Go Hard" from Khaled's third LP, We Global. Khaled says there are bigger things to come now that he's cooking up album number four, as well as keeping his name hot in the Def Jam building as an executive.

Behind the Beats: DJ Khaled

We know DJ Khaled for being so much more than a DJ. He's an exec and a promoter and he manages producers the Runners and the Inkredibles. All that and a dancer? Nah.

"I used to be the king of suicide flips, laying on your back, hurting the game," Khaled said as he sat on his tour bus talking to Ace Hood, pulling out of Miami.

Back when Khaled was much younger, he used to stay in North Carolina and go by the name of "Special K." As you might guess, though, Khaled's strongest hip-hop calling as a youngster was spinning wax.

"I used to collect vinyl — 'Rebel Without a Pause,' 'Peter Piper,' LL Cool J's 'Rock the Bells.' Tuff Crew, 'So damn tough! Rock on,' " said the man born Khaled Khaled. "I used to have one turntable, cutting it up. From there, it became a movement."

Khaled has the loudest movement in hip-hop. Nobody in the game knows how to verbally sell himself like the New Orleans native turned Miami Mayor. He talks in sound bites, he tells you everything he does is a "movie," and we here at Mixtape Daily haven't known the man to be a liar. His yearly birthday parties, known as "The Temple," have become legendary for all the celebrities he brings out, but that isn't anything compared to his albums. Jay-Z, Kanye West, T.I., Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, Jadakiss, Beanie Sigel, Fat Joe, the Diplomats, Akon, T-Pain — they've all contributed to Khaled's three projects. He's a producer, but Khaled's calling is as an orchestrator. He knows how to put the right people together. He's made songs such as "Brown Paper Bag" and both versions of "I'm So Hood" summer-smash events.

"They're real and they got love, and they just musical geniuses. When Ace goes in the studio, he vibes on the beat, executes, and it comes out amazing," Khaled said about his favorite artists to work with. You notice how he started out with Ace Hood, the guy he signed as the lead artist from his We the Best Music Group — always pushing his product. "Lil Wayne, when thinking he's not thinking, he already has the whole verse ready to tear it down. T-Pain is amazing."

Island/ Def Jam Chairman L.A. Reid saw Khaled's impact and recently appointed him head of Def Jam South. Khaled is batting a G, acting as A&R for Rick Ross' Deeper Than Rap and coming up with the best hip-hop album of the year so far. Khaled wants to top that quality with Ace's upcoming Ruthless LP, Rick Ross' fourth album and Khaled's own upcoming project, Victory.

"I'm about to change the game up, because I'm gonna celebrate the wins," Khaled said about his success. "That's why I named it Victory. I always inspire people with my music — always."

Work Hours

Khaled clocks in at 10 a.m. and doesn't clock out until 6 a.m. He starts at his newly built office/studio for record-label business, goes to the radio station to host his show on 99 Jamz, and then heads back to his office/studio. "The hardest part of my day is when I wake up," he laughed. "It's just trying to do everything in a 24-hour clock."

Five-Star Stellar Khaled Hits

» "We Taking Over." "That changed my career," Khaled said. "The verse Lil Wayne put on there was a historical verse. They named Lil Wayne's verse the best verse of the year, I read a few places. Then you had Birdman introduce him [on his part]. Then you had Ross and Fat Joe, Akon, T.I.! The record's huge."

»"I'm So Hood." " 'I'm So Hood' repped Florida at its fullest," Khaled declared. "Trick Daddy, Ricky Ross and Plies! And the Runners and myself. That's the state of Florida. That record ended up being the biggest record of my life."

Hottest Streak Thus Far

From 2006 to present, when he dropped his debut album Listennn ... the Album (2006), We the Best (2007) and We Global (2008).

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

• Mixtape Daily Video: Lloyd Banks, Fabolous, Ace Hood, Cam'ron, Drake & More

• DJ Khaled

Young Jeezy
Photo: MTV News

Artists: Young Jeezy and Corporate Thugz Entertainment

Representing: The trap and beyond

Mixtape: Shield Gang 2: In the Shield We Trust

411: It's Atlanta Week on MTVNews.com. We couldn't choose anybody better to kick it off than Young Jeezy. If you're in ATL, you might see Young's baby-blue Lambo flying down I-85. You might catch him holed up in Club Miami. You're probably going to see him at Spondivits getting his grub on. But more often than not, the homie is in the studio.

The Snowman just dropped Shield Gang 2: In the Shield We Trust with DJ Folk and all the artists on his roster. Jeezy said the focus for the street CD is really on the CTE team and not him.

"Shield Gang was crazy. You got everybody on there from the homie Slick Pulla — free Slick Pulla — Blood Raw, Roccet, 211. The family is growing. We here. One life, one love."

While in Atlanta, we caught up with Young and three members of the camp he says to look out for: Screwww, Bama and Boo Rossini.

"Screwww been a beast sine day one," Jeezy explained. "He's been grinding independently anyway. He's been doing his thing since I was doing my thing. He's just getting his just due. The streets gotta look out for him. Bama is a beast. He's one of the youngest, one of the wildest cats in Atlanta. He's representing that Southside Mafia. My partner, Boo, we go so far back it ain't even funny. Boo Rossini, he's been doing it since Trap or Die."

	It's Atlanta Week on MTVNews.com! Stay locked here for all we have to offer from the city's heavyweights.
	»Young Jeezy Boosts His Homies: Mixtape Monday
	»DJ Infamous Is Taking Over Atlanta
	»T.I. Says It's A 'Great Pleasure' To Help New Atlanta Artists
	»Shawty Lo Sets Up Shop In ATL For New LP
	»Ludacris On 'Battle Of The Sexes' Album
	»Gucci Mane: Atlanta's Next Mainstream Star?
	»Shawty Lo Recalls Fast-Paced Youth
	»Atlanta's B.o.B Seeks 'The New Thing' In His Music
	»Young Jeezy, T.I. Among Atlanta Hawks' ATL Favorites

Now that he's established in the game, Jeezy said he wants to make sure his crew is given the proper spotlight.

"That was my goal. Nobody gave me a ladder to climb," Young explained. "When I got there, I said, 'I'm gonna throw the ladder down for my homies and keep the door open.' Ain't nothing up here fabricated.

"Everybody do what they do in some other way to make a living, but they love music," he added about his artists. "That's why we here. I was the same way six, seven years back. I felt like it was only right to give them their just due."

Jeezy has his own solo mixtape with DJ Infamous dropping soon, but he's keeping the info close to the chest.

"I got a mixtape coming out too, but I don't know the name yet," he said. "I just been grinding, homie, making sure the homies get in. We way stronger than this. It's a lot of homies that represent CTE, but we are the streets. You talking to the cat that comes from mixtapes. I wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for mixtapes. I passed out tapes. I respect the game."

Joints To Check For

» "Comeback" by Boo Rossini. "Me, I got a lane where I deal with the females. I do the [street] thing in my sleep, but I'm in my own lane where I'm hollering at the females," Boo said. "My [solo] mixtape is Feed the Streets. It's a drought, so we gonna feed the streets."

» "It's Gone" by Bama. "You could be selling your CDs in the trunk of your car, you can get it off. You're doing your thing in the streets, you get that off too. This song is for you. My [solo] mixtape is called Street ID, Volume One. It's real big. Big brother looked out for us, and we gonna look out for him and bring hit records to the table."

» "Down for the Cause" by Screwww. "I appreciate the homeboy Jeezy," Screwww said. "He put that ladder out and said, 'Climb up.' We sure need it, because you know what's going on out here. We appreciate all that. My solo mixtape is with Bigga Rankin. It's called As Real as It Gets. The title is self-explanatory."

Don't Sleep: Other Notable Selections This Week

» Icadon and Rockwilder - Robot-ic
» Oschino - The Appetizer Vol. 3
» Superstar Jay and Maino - Black Flag City (The New Religion)
» Greg Street - Sertified Worldwide

'Hood's Heavy Rotation: Bubbling Below The Radar

» Fabolous (featuring The-Dream) - "Throw It in the Bag"
» Fat Joe - "Hey Joe"
» Jim Jones (featuring Ludacris and NOE)- "How to Be a Boss"
» Rhymefest (featuring Queen Latifah) - "Goin' In"
» Slim Thug (featuring UGK) - "Leanin' "
» Young Dro (featuring Yung LA) - "Take Off"

Celebrity Favorites

Chris Tucker has made so much money in Hollywood, he obviously isn't worried about starring in films on a consistent basis. Despite all the cream he's accumulated in La-La Land, however, Tucker still has love for his hometown of Atlanta, so we had to include him in our ATL Week. Chris has his heart in the streets, and one of his favorite rappers right now is Jay-Z.

"He's the Frank Sinatra of rap. He's got a style of his own, and he's just good," the comedian said recently in Arizona during Jay and LeBron James' Sprite Green "2 Kings" dinner and afterparty.

Tucker also talked up the "Swagga Like Us" performance at the Grammys, featuring Jay, T.I., Kanye West, Lil Wayne and M.I.A. "I told him it was one of the best performances I ever saw," Tucker said of a conversation he had with Jay. "All them together was entertaining. It was great."

Tucker's favorite performer right now, though, is his good friend MJ. "It's always Michael Jackson," he said. "You'll catch Michael Jackson in my iPod or CD changer. I'm pretty sure he's gonna come back soon. [He was right!] He's just sitting there probably strategizing and waiting."

The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground

It's only fair that new Atlanta rappers have a new DJ to push their records in the clubs and the streets. DJ Drama ushered in T.I.'s reign with a number of landmark mixtapes, and DJ Scream helped break Shawty Lo's post-D4L career.

DJ Infamous is next at bat, and the young multitasker is getting plenty of recognition in a hurry.

Jim Jones recently connected with Infamous for their Risky Business mixtape. The Harlem-bred rapper and record executive told us he thinks Infamous could join the ranks of DJ Khaled and DJ Clue as record spinners-turned-industry influencers.

"I think he's gonna be the next one," Jones said. "I'm actually trying to do business with him right now from an A&R standpoint. I think he can be just as relevant as a DJ Khaled, or like when DJ Clue [was doing it].

"Shouts to Scream, shouts to Drama, but [Infamous] just has that energy," Jones continued. "He's young, he's up-and-coming. He paid his dudes. He sat back, he learned the craft, he learned his area from an Atlanta standpoint. He got next to the right people, as far as Young Jeezy and how important he is to the hip-hop industry. Jeezy endorsed him. So as far as his grind and work ethic, it worked for him. He's in the club six days a week in Atlanta. Six days a week is heavy when you in the club. It's easy to take over like that, especially when people are coming to your party by the boatload. And he knows how to break a record. He's on the radio every day and things like that. He has a lot going on for him — as does everybody else from Atlanta — but right now, he has it going on."

Infamous reeled in another current ATL track killer, DJ Don Cannon, for the Risky Business set, and the former Aphilliate laced Jim with several beats.

For other artists featured in Mixtape Monday, check out Mixtape Mondays Headlines.

• Mixtape Monday Video: Jim Jones, Young Jeezy & More

• Young Jeezy
• DJ Khaled
• Jim Jones

Jadakiss
Photo: MTV News

Jadakiss really wanted to have his Last Kiss album out on Tuesday, around the time of the 12-year anniversary of Notorious B.I.G.'s death. However, with a gaggle of last-minute studio collaborations, the brutal Yonkers lyricist had his due date pushed back almost a month to April 7. Jada says the wait will be well worth it.

"I just went back in," 'Kiss said of his recording session last week in New York. "I did two joints with Swizz [Beatz]. I got one from [DJ] Khaled by [producers] the Inkredibles [Rick Ross' 'Mafia Music,' Young Jeezy's 'Vacation,' Fat Joe's 'One']. I got Mary [J. Blige] on it. I got another Pharrell joint. You know what it is. As long as they make me keep working and push the date back, I'm going in the studio making more music for the people. Whatever don't go on the album, you definitely gonna get it on the mixtape."

The most visible LOX member's current single is "Can't Stop Me," and he hasn't chosen the follow-up yet.

"I told you I got that joint from Khaled that has Mary on it," Jada said. "I think it's a big, huge record. [I think it's called] 'Grind Hard.' ... Then I have 'What If?' with Nas. That's like an uppercut."

'Kiss said the theme of the Nas featured record is self-explanatory.

"Just a bunch of 'what ifs' " Jada said. "Bunch of realistic, current events and past things. I just asked, 'What if?' I reached out to Esco, and he nailed it. When I say he nailed it, he nailed it!"

• Jadakiss
• Mary J. Blige
• DJ Khaled
• Swizz Beatz

DJ Infamous at Atlanta's Velvet Room on Sunday
Photo: MTV News

ATLANTA — DJ Infamous, congratulations. You are officially big-time. Last night, the jock had a coronation of sorts. The party at ATL hot spot the Velvet Room — Hotlanta's place to be on Sunday nights — was billed as DJ Infamous' fourth-anniversary party to celebrate his stint on radio station V-103. Instead, it felt like a declaration to his city that he really is a big deal.

Young Jeezy, Fonzworth Bentley, Fat Joe, Diamond D, DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, DJ Don Cannon, Jim Jones, Rich Boy, porn star Mr. Marcus, producer Ron Browz, singer Trey Songz and Playaz Circle were among those who attended. And Inf got most of his star-studded guest lineup to perform.

Packed times 10 is the only way to describe the Velvet Room on Sunday. At points, you literally could not move because it was so crowded. Up in the VIP room, Infamous — who has made a name for himself nationally in the past year by releasing mixtapes with the likes of Rick Ross, Bow Wow and Young Jeezy — took the mic and began introducing his supporters.

"Everybody is going to perform," the DJ promised, which got a real chuckle from Fat Joe. Joey Crack took the mic, right after Khaled did his part live from "I'm So Hood."

From his seat in the VIP section overlooking the crowd in the club, Joe started with "Make It Rain," then went into "Lean Back" and his current single, "One."

"If you gotta ride or die, bi---, put one [finger] in the sky," he said. "This [song] is gonna be so big in America. We call this hit mania. Infamous, happy anniversary."

Next was Ron Browz's turn to rep. Browz, who stood on a coffee table next to Joe, held a bottle of Moët Rose in one hand and the mic in the other.

"I'm jumpin' out the window on this one," he began singing, bringing out his current single.

The house DJ then turned everyone's attention to Jim Jones, who was in a whole 'nother part of VIP.

Jones politely declined to perform until he had drinks for his section. Yeah, we know the order, bottles of rosé champagne and some bottles of water. Even if you didn't have his lyrics from "Pop Champagne" memorized, he announced his prerequisite on the mic.

"I ain't got no champagne," Jones said. "Who got that pink liquid?"

Shawty Lo took the mic while the Harlem Diplomat waited for his fuel.

Lo pulled out all of his hits, mostly in succession: "Foolish," "Dunn Dunn," current single "Supplier" and another classic "Dey Know." The crowd still responds to all the right parts in the song that call for them to sing along. Lo's made his own waves on the Atlanta club-scene circuit recently. Two nights ago, he and T.I. made amends for their long-standing musical feud by appearing onstage together at Tip's club, Crucial.

Now, back to Mr. Jones. The wait staff got him and his crew right with their drinks. Time to perform. Jim hit the people with "We Fly High," "Na Na Nana Na Na" and "Pop Champagne." Jones then asked the DJ to play Jamie Foxx's "Blame It (On the Alcohol)."

"Ladies, if you're tryin'a get a superstar tonight, take your pick. It's a lot in here," Jones said as Foxx's club smash played.

Next up was Young Jeezy. The Snowman had a paid gig out of town but was able to make it back to surprise Infamous. Jeezy's club battle cry "Who Dat" tore through the speakers, and he followed up with pieces of "Don't Know You," "Bottom of the Map" and "Crazy World."

"I came to party," Jeezy said with a smile on his face and a bottle in his hand. "I don't wanna perform. What's up?"

Inf and the gang kept things going until a little after 4 a.m.

Besides spinning on the radio and heading on an international tour with Don Cannon, Infamous has a mixtape with Jim Jones called Risky Business that drops any day now. Inf is also preparing to work with Young Jeezy on a mixtape that showcases Mr. 17.5 as well as Young's CTE Family.

• DJ Infamous Celebrates His Anniversary

• Young Jeezy
• Fat Joe
• Shawty Lo
• Trey Songz
• Jim Jones

The-Dream at the 'Rockin' That Thang' remix video shoot
Photo: MTV News

The-Dream brings out the stars. Ludacris, Juelz Santana, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross and Fabolous recently came to Brooklyn to shoot the video for the remix of "Rockin' That Thang."

"It's all about making good collaborations and good music in 2009," Luda said, taking a break while fellow Def Jam artist Fabolous performed in another room.

"Def Jam tries to stay family oriented," 'Cris continued. "That's what it's about. We're here to compete. Competition is serious. Not only are we competing against each other, but as a family, we're competing against other families. It's always good to see individuals come together with a lot of craziness going on in hip-hop."

Juelz Santana was contemplating making an unofficial remix of the song, before he was asked by the label to jump on this one.

"It's a record I heard and loved before I even got on it," Santana said. "I was actually gonna do a little remix, like how everybody do their remixes and put them out. I was going to do it like that anyway, but it was just a blessing that I was asked to be on the remix with a lot of other talented artists. ... They are all my labelmates, so it's a beautiful thing. Everybody killed it and did their thing."

"I didn't know everybody that was going to be on here," Fabolous said. "They just hit me up and said they were trying to do a remix to The-Dream record."

"I gotta shout out The-Dream, I gotta shout everybody on the remix," Rick Ross said. "Dream is on fire — everything he drops, all those #1 records. The ladies love his swagger. He may be the most prolific writer of recent times, because he continues to churn out classics. You gotta salute The-Dream."

Dream, who slept for a portion of the video shoot (he was suffering from a cold), said that he wanted to take a backseat on the remix.

"I was just trying to do something that hadn't been done since the '90s, where the [guests] were featured more than the actual artist," Dream explained. "So I just left my hook on it and added those four guys to it."

"I was all for that," Fab said of the remix route. "That's been out of the game so long. Usually when they remix it, they put one dude on it. This one went back to what they was doing before, and it was working."

Dream said to not expect some big mini-movie with the video, but promised that it would be entertaining nonetheless.

"This video ain't about nothing," he laughed. "It's a performance video trying to get everybody else in the same place at the same time. Unfortunately, this is the recession. If it wasn't, we'll probably be in the desert in Iran somewhere. But we're in Brooklyn shooting. Either way, it's still great."

The-Dream's Love vs. Money hits stores March 10.

• Def Jam Stars Live The-Dream

• Ludacris, Fabolous, Rick Ross, Juelz Santana And More In The Dream's "Rockin' That Thing" Remix Video Shoot

• The-Dream
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• Fabolous
• Ludacris
• Juelz Santana

Chris Brown, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, More At 2008 BET Awards

• Rihanna
• Alicia Keys
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• Flo Rida
• DJ Khaled

Plies, Rick Ross, Lloyd, More At 2nd Annual Ozone Awards

• Papoose
• Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)
• Trey Songz
• Lloyd
• DJ Drama

Sucker Free on MTV: Spring 2007

• DJ Khaled
• Mario
• Mims
• Bobby Valentino
• Lil Mama