The Game
Photo: Michael Tullberg/ Getty Images

The Game has thrown disses at both 50 Cent and Jay-Z, so who does the Compton rap fanatic think would win if Fif and Jay ever engaged in a war of words? In a recent interview with Complex.com, Game says he gives it to Jigga.

"Jay-Z will f--- 50 up in a battle!" Game predicted. "It would be so fast and over with. 50 is funny, but Jay is witty. Jay-Z is not to be toyed with. If he responds, if he feels like you're really pissing him off and he responds, he's gonna f--- you up! He would f--- me up, I'm just glad he didn't respond, so I didn't have to go dig in my bag and try to f--- him up.

"I definitely think that Jay-Z didn't come at me like he came at any other rappers because I definitely would have been more disrespectful," he continued. "Once you start a beef with me, you better be ready to go the whole 12 rounds. I will try to chew your f---in' ear off, like Mike Tyson. I'll do it and I think he knew that — I'm disrespectful! So Jay, he did the right thing and just kinda let it die down and I let it die down 'cause it wasn't anything, really. It was fun and I really admire Jay's career. I just really don't care too much for the man himself."

The onetime G-Unit member also said he's open to working with 50 Cent again — although 50 recently said he isn't — but he does think Fif is just following his footsteps by beefing with Young Hova.

"I already did that Jay-Z thing," Game said. "50's just doing what I'm doing. Nobody went at Jay; I went at Jay. Now everybody wants to get at Jay — not saying anything about Beanie Sigel, that's personal and I stay out of that. He's just a man and he's got all the right in the world, but I feel like I did something that people have been wanting to do, but everybody is scared because Jay-Z is so lyrically inclined to cut your throat and your career in half that nobody wanted to do it. But me? I just don't give a f--- sometimes."

Both Game and 50 Cent have been in the lab with Dr. Dre lately. The Doc was in New York on Thursday at Best Buy promoting his headphones. During a press conference, RapRadar.com asked him about his relationship with Game and 50 since they are on opposing sides.

"It's good, I'm working with both guys," Dre began to say before Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine attempted to move onto the next question. "Everything is good. Both guys are gonna be on my record. I'm trying to put it back to where it is supposed to be: all love."

• 50 Cent Vs. Jay-Z

• The Game
• Jay-Z
• 50 Cent

Photo: DrJays.com

• Robin Thicke
• Rakim
• Jay-Z
• Lil Wayne
• Eminem

Nicki Minaj
Photo: DrJays.com

The O.D.: A Mixtape Daily Exclusive

Jay-Z gave Robin Thicke a guest verse for his upcoming Sex Therapy album — as well as the idea to invite another performer to the project.

"It was Jay's idea," Thicke said about how Nicki Minaj came to be on "Shakin' It 4 Daddy." "We were in the studio, and I played him the whole album. He was like, 'You should get Nicki Minaj on that. She's got that voice. She's got that swag.' So I leaned over and was like, 'Somebody get Nicki Minaj on the phone! Jay-Z said so!' Next thing you know, we called Nicki. She was excited. But once we told her it was Jay-Z's idea to get her on the track, she started screaming on the phone. She was all excited. She's a super, super talent. I can't wait to do a video with Nicki. There's a power in her. It's not just that she's sexy and that's the only way she can get you to like her. She's got charm — not just sex. Some women may use sex to get what they want; others have charm. She's got charm."

The charm of the Slick Rick/ De la Soul hip-hop vibe on Rob's "Meiple (Me I Play)" attracted Jay to add one of his golden verses. The Jiggaman also gave Thicke his co-sign on another of the album's cuts, "Ms. Sex." The track pays homage to Rakim's classic "Mahogany," which sampled Al Green's "I'm Glad You're Mine."

"Her name was Mahogany, her friend's name was Ebony," Thicke sings on the track, flipping Rakim's lyrics. "I said, 'My name is Rob, and this is Jay-Z.' "

The singer said Hov loved it. "Before anybody else heard it, Jay-Z heard it, and he said, 'That's genius. That's genius on so many levels.' He said, 'First of all, who do you think you are? Who do you think you are, doing Rakim? You got ba--s, boy.' "

Thicke's Sex Therapy comes out December 15.

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

• Mixtape Daily: Jay-Z, Robin Thicke, Nicki Minaj, More

• Jay-Z
• Robin Thicke
• Rakim
• Nicki Minaj

Jay-Z
Photo: Jim McIsaac/ Getty Images

When Jay-Z performed at the Yankees' World Series victory parade, it definitely seemed like "Empire State of Mind" was the biggest song in the country. On Thursday (November 19), it became official: Jay-Z has his first #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

Hov had reached #1 before via cameos on Rihanna's "Umbrella," Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker," but none of the songs from his albums had ever made it. Earlier this year, "Run This Town" came close to the #1 spot, reaching as high as #2.

"Empire State of Mind" — which features Alicia Keys — became the blockbuster that broke through with very high-profile performances on the MTV Video Music Awards, game two of the Yankees/Phillies World Series and the aforementioned Bronx Bomber parade.

Jay said the record resonates with everyone, even if they aren't from NYC, because of the underlying message. "Really, 'Empire State of Mind' is about inspiration, it's about hope," he reiterated in a statement Thursday. "I think that's what connects with people."

Earlier this week, Alicia Keys debuted "Empire State of Mind 2" at the PC Richard & Sons Theater in the Big Apple. "I'm gonna play this for you, different than you've ever heard," she told the crowd.

"If I could make it here, I could make it anywhere, that's what they say," she sang. "Seeing my face in lights or my name in marquees all down Broadway/ Even if it ain't all it seems, I got a pocketful of dreams/ I'm from New York/ Concrete jungle where dreams are made of/ There's nothing you can't do."

• Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Bring "Empire State Of Mind" To World Series

• Jay-Z

Beanie Sigel and Jay-Z in 2005
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

On the day it was announced that Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" would be his first #1 single, Beanie Sigel tried to make sure Hova wasn't in the mood to celebrate. Footage shot by DIYRyan appeared on 50 Cent's Web site, showing Beans in a home studio in New Jersey.

"You in the hall already/ On the wall already," Beans raps to his friends in the video. "You's a work of art/ Man, this boy's all pretty/ Type to not feed no workers/ 'Cause he grubbed already/ Noodle, I had the sauce/ We could've made spaghetti/ But I'mma shine on my own/ I'm a star already/ Lost the Best of Both Worlds/ He could've called R. Kelly."

The lyrics and flow were in the same cadence of Jay-Z's last verse of the Blueprint 3 track "Already Home."

On Saturday, Sig called into DJ Whoo Kid's Shade 45 satellite radio show show and said he was waiting for Jay-Z to respond to his anti-Jigga campaign.

"I hope so, for the sport," Beanie said of whether he thought Jay would throw lines back at him, thus igniting a full-fledged rhyme war. "I'm ready to stretch my legs. I'm ready to jump in the ring.

"I don't think there's much a person could say about me," Beanie added. "My gangster's never been on trial. At the end of the day, what can you say about a real n---a? I ain't never tell on nobody. I was never in an awkward position where I had to curb my manhood. ... Jay can rap. You can't take anything from Jay, but yo, I'm nice, cuz. I'm nice!"

• 50 Cent Vs. Jay-Z

• Beanie Sigel
• Jay-Z

Jay-Z
Photo: Jay West/ WireImage

Jay-Z has scrapped the remainder of his 2009 U.S. tour dates, citing an "unforeseen scheduling conflict." The rapper's road trip of college campuses and arenas that kicked off on October 9 was slated to end with a November 22 show in Austin, Texas.

Tuesday night's (November 17) show in Lubbock, Texas, Thursday's stop in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Friday's concert in El Paso, Texas, have all been canceled due to the unexplained scheduling conflict. Jay-Z rep Jana Fleishman did not specify what the conflict was, and a spokesperson for Live Nation could not be reached for comment at press time to explain the cancellations. Earlier this month, Jay had moved this Sunday's scheduled Austin finale up to November 10 in order to make time for his appearance at the 2009 American Music Awards, which take place in Los Angeles that night.

In the meantime, the rapper has announced a slew of new North American dates for his 2010 BP3 Tour, which is now scheduled to begin with a February 20 show in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and features opening act. That tour is currently slated to hit 17 cities and run through March 14 in Detroit.

Jay performed in London with Rihanna on Monday night at her webcast concert to promote her new Rated R album. Jigga made a surprise appearance to work through the verses on his hit "Run This Town" and stuck around to reprise his bit on "Umbrella." Jeezy also popped in to notch an assist on the new Rihanna single "Hard."

• This Week's Biggest News

• Jay-Z

Jay-Z and Rihanna perform in London on Monday
Photo: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

Rihanna kicked off the promotion for her upcoming Rated R album on Monday (November 16) with a concert from London that featured loads of swagger, tons of flash and a pair of high-profile guests.

Broadcast online to a global audience, thanks to Nokia, the show marked one of the first times Rihanna had performed songs from R (which hits stores November 23) before a live audience, and she was clearly emboldened by the high stakes, strutting across the stage — which was decorated with busted TV sets and a mannequin or three — vamping for the camera and powering her way through a hit-packed set.

Of course, the songs from her new album got top billing: As the house lights dimmed (and the crowd chanted "Ri-hanna! Ri-hanna!"), the speakers crackled to life with a pre-recorded message: "Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you who are easily frightened, we suggest you turn around right now. For those of you who can take it, we say: Welcome to the mad house," and the band launched into "Mad House," the intro track from Rated R.

With an invitation of "Come on in," the house lights dimmed, and Rihanna appeared — lace mask covering her eyes, hair dramatically swooping, left arm gloved — and began stalking the stage as the herky-jerky rhythm of "Wait Your Turn" blasted from the speakers. She ad-libbed a bit (at one point singing, "I'm such a f---ing lady"), then, as a wheeling guitar solo blared, she pranced over to a waiting throne, crossed her legs seductively, and went headlong into current single "Russian Roulette."

The band worked the tune into a moody masterpiece, starting with just the spare sound of a chamber cocking, working in icy synthesizers and a stabbing, "Psycho"-style piano line. Rihanna emerged from her throne, reaching out to the crowd and pawing at her chest as she hit the chorus ("You can see my heart beating ... "). She then ascended a platform behind the stage and, silhouetted by a large video screen, brought her hand to her head — fingers mimicking a gun — and pulled the trigger as the stage went dark.

As the crowd cheered wildly, Rihanna took a tour through her earlier hits: a bubbly, club-ified version of "Don't Stop the Music" (which saw her getting frisky with one particularly lucky mannequin); a somber, pretty version of "Take a Bow"; and a gothy take on "Disturbia," slowed down to let the creepy synth lines wash across the stage.

She spit the opening lines of Rated R's "Hard," then welcomed Young Jeezy onstage so he could finish things off. As the song ended, her band performed a medley of "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful" (the perfect time for a costume change!), and Rihanna emerged in a black leotard and began singing her verse from T.I.'s "Live Your Life," which morphed into her verses on Jay-Z's "Run This Town," and Hov himself appeared onstage, launched into his verses, and sent the crowd into overdrive.

That, of course, led right into "Umbrella," with Jay rapping his intro then ceding the spotlight back to Rihanna, who belted the song out while Jay urged her to "Take 'em higher!"

The song crescendoed, the audience — some of whom had brought actual umbrellas for the occasion — cheering wildly, and Rihanna once again climbed to the top of the platform, thanking her fans around the world for tuning in. She cracked a confident smile, waved goodbye and strode offstage as the final chords of "Umbrella" echoed throughout the building. The message was clear: As she sang just a few seconds earlier, "I'll be here forever." And the countdown to Rated R had officially began.

• Rihanna's 'Russian Roulette' Premieres
• MTV News Extended Play: Rihanna

• Rihanna's Rated R Collaborators

• Rihanna
• Jay-Z
• Young Jeezy

Beanie Sigel and Jay-Z
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

Beanie Sigel maintains he is ready to engage in a battle with Jay-Z — that is, unless he and Jigga have a heart-to-heart. On Saturday, Beans called into Shade 45 and talked to DJ Whoo Kid.

"I hope so, for the sport," Beanie told Whoo Kid about whether Jay will throw lines back at him, thus igniting a full-fledged rhyme war. "I'm ready to stretch my legs. I'm ready to jump in the ring."

On Friday, Beanie and 50 Cent put out the song "I Go Off," and although Beanie didn't directly throw lines at Hov, 50 called the Jiggaman out toward the end of the record. Last month, Beanie called out Jay in the song "What You Talkin' About (Average Cat)" for not looking after his career; Jay responded that Beanie had failed to look after his own career: "What people choose to do when they attain success ... at some point you have to look in the mirror, and look at yourself."

"I don't think there's much a person could say about me," Beanie said when asked how a battle between him and Hova would go. "My gangster's never been on trial. At the end of the day, what can you say about a real n---a? I ain't never tell on nobody. I was never in an awkward position where I had to curb my manhood. ... Jay can rap. You can't take anything from Jay, but yo, I'm nice, cuz. I'm nice!"

Sigel also said he had an arsenal waiting should the rhyme fight commence.

"I got so many records. That's why I'm like, 'Say something — I dare you.' "

Beanie did note that he'll soften his stance if he and Jay can have a real talk and air everything out.

"I'll leave it all alone if we have a conversation," Sigel said. The last time the two saw each other face-to-face or even spoke was two years ago at the opening of the 40/40 Club in Las Vegas, according to Sigel.

In the interview, Sigel said that "I Go Off" was a song he had in the stash. In fact, the first verse of the song was originally released on a Young Chris song called "The Last Two," which also featured Freeway.

"I was gonna change it, [but my boys] was like, 'Leave it like it is. So what if the one verse is out there already? When you drop it, it's gonna be crazy,' " Beans recalled. "I was like, 'All right.' When 50 put the hook on it, that took it somewhere else."

Sigel also revealed that "I Go Off" will not be the last collaboration with him and the G-Unit chief, and that fans should expect a "second record, third, fourth, fifth, sixth."

During the 40-minute interview, Sigel also discussed his relationship with other former members of the Roc: He and Kanye do not speak; he hasn't talked to Dame Dash in a while but is willing to forgive and forget. "Whatever tainted our relationship, I could look past that and I could be cool with Dame."

And as far as Memphis Bleek is concerned, he keeps him in the same space as Jay-Z. "At the end of the day, Bleek [is] fake too. F--- outta here! I ain't trying to hear that. Bleek's got the same characteristics with his friends."

Lastly, Beans said he was not ruling out a State Property reunion if everyone could be a cohesive unit.

"If everybody gets to the page, things will go back to how they're supposed [to be], but correctly this time."

• A Look Back At Beanie Sigel On Roc-A-Fella Records

• Beanie Sigel
• Jay-Z

Wale
Photo: MTV News

Wale released his debut album, Attention Deficit, this past Tuesday, but the new MC has also had the benefit of touring with the Hottest MC in the Game for the past two months. He joined Jay-Z on tour, along with N.E.R.D. and J.Cole, for 24 dates, hitting up college campuses and arenas.

Wale said he got a chance to learn from the best.

"He's like the godfather of Roc-A-Fella, Roc Nation and Roc everything," he said. "He leads by example. Everything that he does, he makes good decisions. One thing that people don't understand is that he's like the hardest-working person in music, period. Not black music, not white music — the hardest-working person in music, period!"

Wale said he's glad Jay-Z has had success critically and commercially with The Blueprint 3. He's seen Jay's hard work take him from Yankee Stadium to Canada to Berlin and not miss a beat.

Wale, who is signed to Jay's Roc Nation, said he realizes he isn't the label's "go-to guy," but he's willing to play his position and make quality music. He thinks his grind is similar to Jay's when he first broke onto the scene.

"I told [Jay-Z], 'I feel like you in '94,' " Wale recalled. "Everybody's not screaming my name like they were for 'Pac and Biggie at that time, but I got a strong fanbase that's growing slowly and people know that my time is coming."

• Wale
• Jay-Z
• N.E.R.D.
• J. Cole

Photo: MTV News

• 50 Cent
• Jay-Z
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A Look Back At Beanie Sigel On Roc-A-Fella Records

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Jay-Z Puts The EMAs In An 'Empire State Of Mind'

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Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Bring "Empire State Of Mind" To World Series

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Jay-Z Vs. 'DJ Hero'

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2009 American Music Award Nominees

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Which Of These Artists Is The Hottest MC In The Game?

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