Mike Beck
Photo: Heavy Bank

Next week, a number of New York rappers will hold a benefit concert in the aftermath of the death of up-and-coming rapper Mike Beck, who was gunned down on October 30 in Brooklyn, New York. Former Diplomats member Hell Rell, Grafh, Littles, Saigon, Maino, Papoose and Webstar are just a few of the people who plan to come out and support their fallen soldier, with proceeds going to Beck's young son.

"Mike Beck was a good friend of mine outside of music," Maino said. "It's sad because it's hard making the transition from the streets to the music industry, so this could have been me five years ago when I didn't have a deal. When I was coming up I fought the same demons trying to convert from one lifestyle, which was my street upbringing, to the next, that being entertainment ... living right and steering clear of the streets, roadblocks and downfalls."

The show, which takes place Monday at the Imperial nightclub in New York City, will be hosted by radio DJ Kay Slay and Fuse TV personality Dee Vasquez. Prior to the lineup of artists slated to perform in Beck's honor, a number of speakers are expected to address the ongoing violence that continues to plague the community.

"I felt doing this show was the least I could do for a friend," said Maino who alongside club promoter Littles organized the event, told MTV News in a statement. "I'm raising money to send his 10-year-old son to college. What's the point in me making it out of the same web he was fatally trapped in if I can't give back? This is what real people are supposed to do: give back.

"I met Mike Beck for the first time when he performed at the 2006 [Urban] DVD Awards, an event I put together," said Maino. "Mike reached out to me on many other occasions through many good friends, but timing didn't allow us to build the friendship I know he built with some of my closest friends. Once I heard the news, me, Maino and a friend of ours agreed it was a must. We had to do something for his son."

Rapper Saigon echoed the same sentiments: "I'm just doing whatever I can to support a fallen comrade. He was a good brother. Anything to help support his family, I'm all for it. R.I.P. to the homie."

Beck was a member of the Fat Joe-associated K.A.R. (Kill All Rats) group and an aspiring rapper who was well known in New York's underground circuit. News of his death sent shockwaves throughout the industry.

"Rest in peace. He was a real dude, Mike Beck," rapper Noreaga said via Twitter. "I did records for him n he ate in my crib, n drank too. F---ed up my weekend. R.I.P. Rest in peace Mike Beck, our running challenge is now dedicated to his memory."

Fat Joe also remembered his friend on Twitter, simply writing, "R.I.P. Mike Beck!!!!!"

After a five-year stint in upstate New York's Coxsackie Correctional Facility, where he met Maino, Beck pursued a career in hip-hop on the advice of then-manager Bill Blass, who died shortly after Beck's release. The young rapper aligned himself with K.A.R., most notably rapper Pistol Pete, who, along with Fat Joe, released the independent street album K.A.R., which featured appearances by Jadakiss, DJ Khaled, Sheek Louch and more.

This summer MTV caught up with Beck, who came out to support Maino on the set of his video for "A Million Bucks," where the Brooklynite expounded on his sound.

"We doing music. At the end of the day, people gotta recognize what we doing and respect what we doing. 'Cause we doing music," he said. "We ain't just doing the battle stuff. We doing respectable stuff. Music, it brings emotion. It brings feeling. So they gotta respect what we doing."

• Maino
• N.O.R.E.
• Fat Joe

N.O.R.E. arrest mug shot
Photo: AP Photo/ Miami Beach Police Department

N.O.R.E. made an unofficial remix of Jamie Foxx's "Blame It on the Alcohol," and after being arrested early Sunday morning in Miami, the Queens MC is doing exactly that: blaming the incident on alcohol. The only thing is, the MC didn't even have a drink.

"It was crazy," Noreaga said via phone Monday about the altercation at a Miami Beach Fatburger. The rapper is accused of punching an unidentified in the face and throwing yellow liquid on him. "At the end of the day, I'm not the type of person that runs around starting trouble. But I can't be provoked too much. I was walking to the bathroom, the guy offered me to have a drink with him. I told him I don't drink, but even when I do drink, I don't drink brown liquor.

"That's what people do — they have liquor left over from the club," Nore continued. "They take the liquor out of the club and have it in their cars. This was 4 or 5 in the morning. So the dude, he kept offering me something I don't mess with. It got out of control at one point. I went to the bathroom, came back, told the dude, 'Yo, chill. I'm not that type of person.' I'm not an instigator, but I'm definitely not a chump. I'm definitely not gonna walk away from a problem."

N.O.R.E. said he couldn't elaborate much further, but he did say that he didn't throw yellow liquid on anyone. He thinks the alcohol he was offered might be what ended up on the other man. The Queens rapper also said that when he asked, according to the police report, "Do you know who I am?," he was not being arrogant. He said he was unsure if the other man knew who he was or mistook him for another celebrity.

"I don't wanna say that part is fully made up," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm a person who hates fame. I wish I could be the original Ghostface when Ghostface came out with the mask and all that. I couldn't understand. I think that's what the dude told police. The guy changed around the story to make it seem like we were antagonizing him, when in fact, it was the other way around. That's not who I am. Honestly, I'm not sure, if the dude knew who I was or if his friends knew who I was. If he didn't know who I was, why would I provoke him like, 'Listen, a--hole, this is who I am so you know who to tell the police'? Maybe somewhere along the line he thought Nore was a sucker, or maybe he didn't really know who I was. All my crew got locked up. Everybody is out. I'm able to laugh at the incident, because nobody was hurt. Even the 'victim,' him, his friends, nobody was injured. It was a good night gone bad. At the end of the day, love to homeboy, [but] I hope I don't ever see him again in life."

Nore's humor about the incident isn't just about those involved. He also wants to poke fun at blogger Perez Hilton. N.O. said he was surprised to see Perez had the incident on his blog Monday. Hilton wrote "Busted!" on Nore's mugshot and called the rapper a "Queen" and a "d-----bag."

"Perez Hilton called me a d-----bag," Nore laughed off. "This dude is hilarious. I'm gonna let Perez Hilton have it, because it's so funny that a fat gay guy called me a d-----bag. He called me a 'queen' too. He called me 'Pitbull.' I'm gonna have fun with it."

N.O.R.E. didn't waste any time. On his Web site, 57thAve.com, he posted a spoof video in which someone impersonating Hilton robs him of all his jewelry, including his iced-out carton of Newport cigarettes.

• N.O.R.E.

N.O.R.E.
Photo: Ray Tamarra/ Getty Images

N.O.R.E. — also known as Noreaga — is accused of punching an unidentified man three times at a Fatburger in South Beach, Florida. He was charged with simple battery and disorderly conduct, a police spokesperson told MTV News, who added that the MC threw a "yellow liquid" and was charged with "disrupting the normal flow of business."

The spokesperson also told MTV News that Nore allegedly vandalized one of the restaurant's flower bouquets. Miami Beach police arrived at the scene after calls of the disturbance to find Nore leaving with three of his associates; Nore and company were detained and the entire party was arrested.

On Monday, Nore took to his Twitter page to contest the report.

"There were no flowers involved," he wrote. "Repeat, no flowers."

Fans probably got a kick out of flowers being part of the equation — in 2005, Nore reportedly threw a flower pot at Nas during a dispute between the two. Nore also said his history of violence is far behind him, and he has grown.

"Seriously though, I am not a man for negative behavior, at least not now in my career and in my life ... I am way too grown to be getting locked up and in jail! LOL."

Nore also told fans that he is not deviating from his much-publicized diet. Late last year, he started detailing his exercise regimen and weight loss on vlogs. But he's still eating healthy: He is below the 300 pounds-plus he was at just last summer. He even joked about the 210 pounds he's listed in police reports.

"I didn't realize that most off y'all don't know that Johnnie Rockets, McDonald's and Fatburgers all have veggie burgers! LOL."

Nore and his partner Capone are releasing another reunion LP on March 17, this one called Channel 10. The first single features Ron Browz and is called "Rotate." On Monday, the pair released a "NY Gucci" remix that also features Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss and Swizz Beatz. Their MP3 blast says that remixes are coming soon.

• N.O.R.E.

50 Cent
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

Artist: Soulja Boy Tell'em

Representing: Atlanta/ Hip-Hop's Next Generation

Mixtape: Teen of the South

411: Soulja Boy hears the flak he catches for his lyrical deficiency on songs such as "Crank That" and "Yahhh!" However, the 18-year-old says he can really spit if he wanted to. He's not gonna let his detractors knock him off his grind while making his second LP, iSouljaBoy, which is due later this year. He's going to keep his music geared toward the party.

"If I wanted to, [I could] go that route and be respected [not for] my success ... respected [for] my music and my lyrics or whatever," he said about switching up his steez. He's not going to do that officially. But Soulja did say that he put more emphasis on his wordplay while making his new street CD.

"That's why I did the mixtape that I did," he said. "I did a mixtape called Teen of the South with DJ Scream. And I did that just to step my game up a little bit on that [lyrical] side. But I wasn't really going into no album and just full-fledge trying to switch my swagger and try to get respect from the game. 'Cause why would I show love to the game? The game don't show you love back. So I wasn't gonna do that and come back out and mess up my image and mess up myself. I was going on the strength that I want respect from people who probably don't like me anyway. So I'm gonna stick to what I do and stay being successful and I'll do some mixtapes and some futures, something like that."

The first single from iSouljaBoy is coming soon. He expects it to be just as big as "Crank That."

"I ain't giving away nothing," he responded when asked for details. "Polow Da Don did the beat. That's all I'll say. Polow did the beat. I ain't saying who's featured on it or nothing like that. I'm just saying when it comes out. We ain't doing no leaks, we ain't doing nothing. When it comes out, straight video, straight radio, all in the same day."

Joints To Check For

» "Gucci Bandana" (featuring Shawty Lo and Gucci Mane). "All of us, we from Atlanta, Georgia," Soulja said. "I'm from South Atlanta. Shawty Lo from West Atlanta. Gucci Mane is from East Atlanta. And basically, you know, it's swagger. It's all about your swag. Dudes going Louis. Dudes going Gucci. Dudes going Prada. So I was like, 'Let me go Gucci real quick.' We hooked up, went into the studio, knocked the song out. And basically, it's like three 12-[bar] verses. We just spittin' about how swagged-out we are, basically. Just a swag record. I went in, I did the beat."

» "iDance." "That was gonna be my first single leading into my second album," Mr. Tell'em told us. "It was a hot record. Three million views on YouTube. Two million plays, all that. But I didn't wanna go back that route no more. Like, I was already successful with a big dance song. This record was incorporated with a dance. It was another big dance. And it was about to take over again. I told the record company, I was like, 'Stop. I don't wanna come back dancing.' 'Cause the question that everybody's asking is, like, 'What am I gonna come back with?' So I could have took back over with that record, but I think dancing is starting to get a little corny. So I was like, 'Man, I'm gonna hold off on that tip.' So I just threw it on the mixtape. It's heavy in the streets. We gonna shoot an underground video to it."

» "Shopping Spree" (featuring Yo Gotti and Gucci Mane). "Basically the record is just talking about [the fact that] I'm successful in the industry, so I got a lot of cheese," the young millionaire said. "[I made] $6 mil at 16. So basically I'm just saying I'm on a shopping spree. Just talking cash money, that's all."

Don't Sleep: Other Notable Selections This Week

» The Commission - Rock the Bells '08
» DJ Blazita and Cassidy - Philly Renegade
» Ice Cube and Redman - "Street Bangaz Vol. 1" DVD
» Lil Wayne - The Leak 4
» Superstar Jay - Born Ready

'Hood's Heavy Rotation: Bubbling Below The Radar

» Freeway - "Will I Ever Be Free"
» Lloyd Banks - "718 N---a"
» Re-Up Gang - "My Life's the Sh--"
» Rhymefest (featuring Jadakiss and Chamillionaire) - "What's Up"
» Sauce Money (featuring Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes) - "Get That Paper" remix
» UGK (featuring Akon) - "Bad as Hell"
» Young Jeezy (featuring Jay-Z) - "Put On" remix

Celebrity Faves

We had Ludacris and DJ Drama on Mixtape Monday Video a few weeks ago telling you about their collaboration, Gangsta Grillz: The Preview. As predicted, the tape is causing a stir. Luda is as entertaining as ever with his metaphors and flows, and as you've heard, the tape is being talked about from the 'hood to presidential-campaign tour buses. Now, despite Barack Obama's camp saying they weren't amused with "Politics as Usual," you can bet that the Illinois senator is getting Luda's vote come November. They had a chance to meet and chop it up some time ago.

"I went to Barack Obama's office right before he started running for president," 'Cris told us. "So, you know, we went in and talked and everything. People were wondering what we talked about — it was confidential. But I was a firm supporter of Barack even before he decided to run for the presidency. So I'm all for it, man. We're making history, and we're still going strong. So make sure you vote Obama, believe that. '08!"

The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground

"I recorded material with Dr. Dre for the Detox," 50 Cent told MTV News in New York. "It's great. I want it back. I want the records back."

50 was just joking. He doesn't really want the songs he did with Dre back, but he does want some material the Doc just has laying around.

"He has the music. It's right there in the computer," Fif divulged. "I stop by [his studio] every time and get something that adds something significant to my project each time [I'm about to put a record out]. And I spend three or four days there. To me, he's the best producer in the game.

"When I walk in the studio, I record the first [beat] that comes on regardless if I think it's a hit record or not," he added. "We get in work mode, get comfortable and go through the material that's in the computer. Dre always has hit records. Sometimes, artists that need producers, they need someone to create a direction for them musically. I need the jewels he's just got laying around. He don't gotta tell me what to do with it. All he has to do is say, 'Track six.' Or, 'Go to track eight.' He'll have hits playing there. You just have to get in and get them."

The G-Unit's team captain doesn't know when the album is coming out, but he's anticipating it just as much as everybody else.

"Hopefully he'll get it done and put it out," 50 said. "I'm waiting for the Detox. All I can say is, Dr. Dre is the best producer in my eyes. Just the consistency over the years. ... He knows what he wants. He's such a perfectionist that it becomes difficult for him to put it out." ...

"I loved the Bo Jacksons/ The orange and blue." N.O.R.E.'s "I Love My Life" is 10 years old, but it can still give you the chills as it glides out of your speakers. Smooth-thug reflections! While Noreaga's solo debut is heralded as a classic, back then he didn't really catch on to the accolades. Recently in Miami, he told us how it was difficult for him to put out his brand of hardened, street-basher music during a time when Puff Daddy and the family dominated with sleek party joints — especially in New York.

"When we came out, I can say it now, I actually hated Puff Daddy," Nore said in his studio, sitting next to Capone. The duo were in the lab recording their next LP, Channel 10. "I can say that now, 'cause Puff is my man. I was disgusted at what they was doing with the shiny suits and the blow-up dolls and looking like Missy. I didn't agree with that. I felt the shiny-suit movement was destroying the grimy movement. As I got older, I learned to respect people for doing different things. At that time, 'Pone was actually locked up. I was on the streets, and I would turn on BET and MTV, it would be the shiny-suit dudes. It was a messed-up time.

"Mase was killing them," he added. "Y'all can say what y'all wanna say about Mase, but he was killin' them. You almost wanted to throw on something shiny. They caught Jay-Z. Remember Jay with the 'Sunshine' [video]? He had the Ferris Wheel, the Cyclone, whatever. It was real hard."

Capone and Nore were just off a night from recording two songs for their LP. One is an untitled record featuring Mobb Deep.

"First time it's just Mobb Deep and CNN [Capone-N-Noreaga]," Nore said. "We got Prodigy. We got him in jail on the phone call. We got him before jail, after jail. That's it. We don't know the name of it."

They didn't know the name of the other track either. "The record is about surviving," Nore said of the second track," Nore said.

"We letting them know we relevant, we survived the storm," 'Pone jumped in. "Nothing's changed. We always gonna be relevant as long as good music is relevant."

CNN also have the mixtape Back on That Q.U. Sh-- out in the street. Their original DJ, Whoo Kid, helped them put it together.

" 'Hollywood' signifies a lot," Capone said of the record we should check for. "People think Capone and Nore, we haven't lived in the 'hood for the past 12 years. So they think we may be in Hollywood or La-La Land. The record is basically Nore telling me, 'I never should have went there, but I had to do it.' 'Hollywood' is not Hollywood as you know it, though."

Channel 10 comes out in September. The title pays homage to where you can catch the television network CNN on the dial in their hometown of New York.

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

• Mixtape Monday: Soulja Boy Tell'em, 50 Cent, Ludacris And More

• 50 Cent
• Dr. Dre
• N.O.R.E.
• Diddy
• Soulja Boy Tell'em

Yung Joc's <i>Hustlenomics</i>
Photo: Bad Boy

Heading back to school this week? We're jealous, we swear — so much so that in the spirit of the fall semester, we're sharing a few of our favorite school subjects.

Grammar: Even if he can't spell, Yung Joc sure knows how to make a debut: The ATL rapper's first album, last year's New Joc City, bowed at #3 on the Billboard albums chart. Now Yung is back with another word you won't find in Webster's — "Hustlenomics" — and a few upperclassmen in tow: Diddy, Snoop, Game and Bun B. With peers Rick Ross, the Neptunes, Young Dro and Jim Jones also in attendance, this could be one for the books.

Joc — who sings on the Hustlenomics title track: "You can call me Malcolm X/ I hustle by any means" — also goes by another name: J.O.C. That handle might call to mind another rapper, New York's N.O.R.E., who drops by this week with a Noreality check. Like Joc, the rapper formerly known as Noreaga also has some A-list support: Kanye West, Three 6 Mafia, Jadakiss, Kurupt and Styles P drop guest verses, while Swizz Beatz and others man the boards.

Economics: Speaking of words that end in "-nomics," Akon knows a thing or two about making a buck — his second album, Konvicted, has gone platinum twice since it was released in November. Now he's double dipping by putting out a spiffed-up version of the album with extra tune-age — three new tracks, including his hit "Sorry, Blame It on Me" — and a bonus DVD. The video bristles with a 30-minute segment following the R&B singer back to his homeland, Senegal, and also includes clips for "Smack That," "I Wanna Love You" and "Don't Matter."

Physics: It might take an expert or two to figure out the complete scientific ramifications of Atreyu's Lead Sails Paper Anchor, but fans should take note of a few key details: The SoCal metalcore ensemble tucked in a hidden track; joining the group on "Blow" is none other than Buckcherry's Josh Todd; and a cover of Faith No More's "Epic" will be available on import editions. Want a taste of the album? Last week Atreyu posted it — sans the hidden cut — on their MySpace page.

Communications: Rappers know how to get by with a little help from their friends — it's all about the publicity, of course. Likewise, Staten Island, New York, newcomers Ice Water turned to Raekwon for their new album, and you can tell by its title — Raekwon Presents: Ice Water - Polluted Water — that their efforts to recruit him were successful. Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Remy Ma, Three Six Mafia and Jagged Edge kick it with the four-man crew on its LP as well. Aesop Rock is also a fan of the guest-verse thing, so he roped fellow-minded hip-hop taste-makers El-P, Cage and Rob Sonic onto his None Shall Pass LP. John Darnielle of Mountain Goats repute also makes a surprise appearance, on the album-closer, "Coffee."

Criminal Justice: Some 15 years into his career, Ben Harper and his Innocent Criminals have earned themselves a new Lifeline — the 11-track album features "Fool for a Lonesome Train," "Needed You Tonight" and "Younger Than Today." ("Riding in Golf Carts With Tim Kash" not included.)

Computers: Perhaps taking a tip from Stars, Super Furry Animals are issuing their new album Hey Venus! this week — waaay before the set is due to reach terrestrial stores in the U.S., on January 22. The electro-psych pop act's eighth effort includes "Let the Wolves Howl at the Moon," "Baby Ate My Eight Ball" and "Run-Away" — which contains the unforgettable lyric, "We may have fought with teeth and nails: I still recall your banking details." And while we're on this subject, Louisville, Kentucky's technologically adept VHS or Beta look starry-eyed on their new one, Bring on the Comets, which features the title track, "The Stars Where We Came From" and "Alpha Theta."

Geography: When the Beastie Boys are involved, it's always easy to figure out where you're at: NYC. Adrock and Shitake Monkey's Chuck Brody produced Can I Keep This Pen?, the new album by female rap trio Northern State. The album — which is dropping on Mike Patton's Ipecac label, oddly enough — melds old-school hip-hop with new, club-ready electro-rock, and includes "Three Amigas," "Sucka Mofo" and "Iluvitwhenya."

Religion: While Ozzy Osbourne has headed up another installation of Ozzfest this year, Black Sabbath fans have eaten up Heaven and Hell, the tour project featuring vets Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice. The group's March 30 performance at New York's Radio City Music Hall is being immortalized in audio and video form, with a two-CD set, DVD and deluxe CD/DVD being made available. The deluxe package also has tour memorabilia, including a tour program, backstage laminate and glossy photos of the band.

Zoology: Horse the Band pack quite a bite — the electro/metalcore spazzes have piled bizarre songs like "Kangarooster Meadows," "The Startling Secret of Super Sapphire" and "Rotting Horse" onto their whirlwind fourth album, A Natural Death. Maybe what keyboardist Erik Engstrom said in a recent press statement will put you at existential ease: "Everyone who will ever live will die a natural death and will soon after be forgotten for eternity. Hopefully this album will serve as a warning to the human race to stop taking itself so seriously, as we have seen the dire consequences of its actions in the future. You are nothing."

Song Title of the Week:

"Eyebrows Are Nature's Makeup" from Two Loons for Tea's Nine Lucid Dreams

Album Cover of the Week:

Prinzhorn Dance School's Prinzhorn Dance School

Other Notables:

Circus Devils' Sgt. Disco
If you're ever wondering in the future whether Robert Pollard is still alive, just follow this simple test: If a month goes by and he hasn't put out anything new, start worrying. The former Guided by Voices major-domo formed this project with his one-time collaborators Tim and Todd Tobias back in 2001, and Tim surmises the otherworldly project as follows on the band's Web site: "We is from under space." The band's first effort — which it says "is for everyone, not just for those who enjoy music" — features 32 tracks, including "Lance the Boiling Son" and "Safer Than Hooking."

New Young Pony Club's Fantastic Playroom
London's latest electro-indie exports — who toured as part of the NME Rave Tour with Klaxons and CSS — have already made a stir overseas with their Fantastic Playroom debut, which came out in early July and earned four-star reviews from Q and Uncut. Now the five-member gang is bringing songs like "Ice Cream" — featured in a recent Intel ad campaign — "The Bomb" and "Tight Fit" to the U.S.

Obituary's Xecutioner's Return

Tampa, Florida's pioneering death-metal squad originally planned to issue its new disc on September 11 but shifted it forward because the whole Kanye/50 thing had the guys shaking in their boots. The band's seventh studio album, which leaked in late July, features the forebodingly titled tracks "Face Your God," "Contrast the Dead" and "Seal Your Fate."

New Releases:

· Tasmin Archer - On (MVD Audio)
· Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass (Def Jux)
· Paul Anka - Classic Songs, My Way (Decca)
· At Vance - VII (Locomotive)
· Atreyu - Lead Sails Paper Anchor (Hollywood) [Buy Now]
· Avagami - Metagami (Lens)
· Rick Braun and Richard Elliott - RnR (Artizen)
· Dee Dee Bridgewater - Red Earth: A Malian Journey (Emarcy)
· Caedmon's Call - Overdressed (INO/Columbia)
· Casting Crowns - The Altar and the Door (Reunion)
· Circus Devils - Sgt. Disco (Ipecac)
· Collective Soul - Afterwords (El Music; available exclusively at Target) [Buy Now]
· Matt Darey - Nocturnal (Koch)
· Debbie Davies' Blues Blast - Debbie Davies' Blues Blast (Telarc)
· Driver of the Year - ... Will Destroy You (Future Appletree/ Nail in the Coffin)
· Emanuel - Black Earth Tiger (Vagrant) [Buy Now]
· Encomiast - Encomiast (Lens)
· Fior Fiero - The Satellite EP (Anger Down)
· Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals - Lifeline (Virgin)
· Victoria Hart - Whatever Happened to Romance? (Decca)
· Heaven and Hell - Live From Radio City Music Hall (two CDs; deluxe edition comes with DVD; Rhino)
· Terri Hendrix - The Spiritual Kind (Wilory)
· The Honorary Title - Scream & Light Up the Sky (Reprise)
· Horse the Band - A Natural Death (Koch)
· Donny Hue and the Colors - Folkmote (The Kora)
· Ice Water - Raekwon Presents: Ice Water - Polluted Water (Babygrande)
· Jeremy Kay - Talking to My (10 Spot)
· Evelyn "Champagne" King - Open Book (RNB/Jaggo)
· The Last Goodnight - Poison Kiss (Virgin)
· Ledisi - Lost & Found (Verve)
· Liars - Liars (Mute) [Buy Now]
· Lyle Lovett and His Large Band - It's Not Big It's Large (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Lost Highway)
· Marsmobile - Minx (G-Stone)
· Michael McDermott - Noise From Words (One Little Indian)
· Sophie Milman - Make Someone Happy (Koch)
· Mink - Mink (Spitfire)
· Oliver Mtukudzi - Tsimba Itsoka (Heads Up)
· New Buffalo - Somewhere, Anywhere (Arts & Crafts)
· New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom (Modular)
· New York Voices - A Day Like This (MCG Jazz)
· N.O.R.E. - Noreality (Babygrande)
· No Age - Weirdo Rippers (Fat Cat)
· Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen? (Ipecac)
· Obituary - Xecutioner's Return (Candlelight) [Buy Now]
· Pash - The Best Gun (Exotic Fever)
· Point of Grace - How You Live (Word Entertainment)
· Prinzhorn Dance School - Prinzhorn Dance School (Astralwerks)
· The Real Tuesday Weld - The London Book of the Dead (Six Degrees)
· Recordkingz - Heavyweight (ABB)
· Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Scary Kids Scaring Kids (Immortal)
· Scorpions - Humanity: Hour I (New Door)
· Christian Scott - Anthem (Concord)
· Siggi Schwarz & Michael Schenker - Live Together 2004 (MVD Audio)
· Brandi Shearer - Close to Dark (Amoeba)
· Brian Simpson - Above the Clouds (Rendezvous)
· Soul: ID - Sex, Love & Philosophy (ABB)
· Strong Arm Steady - Deep Hearted (Nature Sounds)
· The Subdudes - Street Symphony (Back Porch)
· Jacky Terrasson - Mirror (Blue Note)
· Toots & the Maytals - Light It Up! (Fantasy)
· Two Loons for Tea - Nine Lucid Dreams (Sarathan)
· VHS or Beta - Bring on the Comets (Astralwerks) [Buy Now]
· Natalie Walker - Urban Angel (Quango/Fontana)
· Kirk Whalum - Roundtrip (Rendezvous)
· Whitestarr - Fillith Tillith (VH1 Classics)
· Keite Young - The Rise and Fall of Keite Young (Hidden Beach)
· Yung Joc - Hustlenomics (Bad Boy) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - Cielo: Volare (two CDs; Kinkysweet)
· Various artists - Guilt by Association (Engine Room)

Notable Reissues and Archival Material:

· Akon - Konvicted (with DVD; Universal) [Buy Now]
· The Allman Brothers Band - Idlewild South (Mobile Fidelity)
· Jon Anderson - The Mother's Day Concert (MVD Audio)
· James Brown - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of James Brown, Vol. 2 (Polydor/UMe) [Buy Now]
· Joe Cocker - Classic Cocker (deluxe edition comes with DVD; Capitol/EMI)
· Joe Ely - Musta Notta Gotta Lotta (American Beat)
· Crystal Gayle - Greatest Hits (Capitol Nashville/ EMI)
· Heaven and Hell - Live From Radio City Music Hall (two CDs; deluxe edition comes with DVD; Rhino)
· Bob James - 12 and The Swan (Koch)
· George Jones & Tammy Wynette - We Go Together/ Let's Build a World Together (American Beat)
· Kool & the Gang - 1's (Island/Mercury/UMe)
· Little Feat - Little Feat (Mobile Fidelity)
· Loretta Lynn - 1's (MCA Nashville/UMe)
· Patrick Moraz - Future Memories I and II (MVD Audio)
· Willie Nile - Beautiful Wreck of the World (MVD Audio)
· Edith Piaf - The Best of the Little Sorrow (Varèse Sarabande)
· Queensrÿche - Sign of the Times: The Best of Queensrÿche (collector's edition comes with bonus CD; Capitol/EMI)
· Paul Robeson - On My Journey: Paul Robeson's Independent Recordings (Smithsonian Folkways)
· Ringo Starr - Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo (collector's edition comes with DVD; Capitol/EMI)
· Sly & the Family Stone - Greatest Hits (Epic/Legacy)
· Tangerine Dream - Madcap's Flaming Duty (MVD Audio)
· Bill Taylor & Gerry Mulligan - Live at MCG (MCG Jazz)
· The Truth - Playground (American Beat)
· The Tubes - Remote Control (American Beat)
· Conway Twitty - #1's (MCA Nashville)
· Rick Wakeman - "The Burning" soundtrack (MVD Audio)
· Various artists - Classic Disco #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Classic Rock #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Hard Rock #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970 (Rhino)
· Various artists - Modern Rock #1's (Hip-O)
· Various artists - Putumayo Presents: World Hits (Putumayo)
· Various artists - Wattstax (three-CD box set; Stax)

Music DVDs:

· Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - "An Evening of Yes Music Plus" (MVD Visual)
· Blaze Bayley - "Alive in Poland" (MVD Visual)
· Bill Bruford Earthworks - "Video Anthology Volume 1: 2000s" (MVD Visual)
· Cro-Mags - "The Final Quarrel: Live at CBGB 2001" (MVD Visual)
· Darzamat - "Live Profanity: Visiting the Graves of Heretics" (MVD Visual)
· Heaven and Hell - "Live From Radio City Music Hall" (deluxe edition comes with two CDs; Rhino)
· Incredible String Band - "Live at the Lowry" (MVD Visual)
· Kool & the Gang - "Videology" (IslandMercury/UMe)
· John Lennon - "John Lennon's New York: A Magical History Tour" (two DVDs; Arts Magic)
· Lene Lovich - "Live From New York at Studio 54" (MVD Visual)
· Mountain - "Live in Paris 1965" (MVD Visual)
· Notorious B.I.G. - "Bigger Than Life" (Image)
· Mike Oldfield and Tony Palmer - "Space Movie" (MVD Visual)
· Onslaught - "Live Polish Assault 2007" (MVD Visual)
· Solitude Aeturnus - "House of Despair" (MVD Visual)
· Tangerine Dream - "35th Anniversary at Shepherd's Bush" (MVD Visual)
· Johnny Thunders - "Who's Been Talking? Johnny Thunders in Concert" (MVD Visual)
· Rick Wakeman - "The Other Side of Rick Wakeman" (MVD Visual)
· Various artists - "Preserving Efforts Vol. 01" (MVD Visual)

Digital Releases:

· Gliss - Love Thy Virgins (hits terrestrial stores September 25; Cordless)
· Ben Kweller - Live and Solo at the Artists Den (EP; ATO/ Artists Den) [Buy Now]
· The Photon Band - Get Down Here in the Stratosphere (EP; Empyrean)
· Ringo Starr - Sentimental Journey; Beaucoups Of Blues; Ringo; and Goodnight Vienna reissues (Capitol/EMI)
· Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus! (hits terrestrial stores January 22; Rough Trade)
· Tigercity - Pretend Not to Love (exclusive iTunes EP) [Buy Now]
· Various artists - The Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam: Next on the Mic (Rounder)

Coming Attractions:

September 4:
· Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty (Ferret) [Preorder]
· Megadeth - That One Night: Live in Buenos Aires (two CDs; Image)
· Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (limited-edition three-CD reissue; Capitol)

September 11:
· 50 Cent - Curtis (G-Unit/Interscope) [Preorder]
Read: "50 Cent Explains Last Week's Blowup, Says 'I Will Be #1 On September 11' "
· Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam (Domino) [Preorder]
· Hot Hot Heat - Happiness Ltd. (Reprise)
· Kenna - Make Sure They See My Face (Interscope) [Preorder]
· Kanye West - Graduation (Roc-A-Fella) [Preorder]
Read: "Kanye West And Lil Wayne Counting On 'Barry Bonds' For A Hit Single"

September 18:
· Chamillionaire - Ultimate Victory (Motown) [Preorder]
Read: "Chamillionaire Ditches Bad Attitude; Hooks Up With Snoop, Busta For LP"
· Mya - Liberation (Motown) [Preorder]
Read: "Mya Gives Up Grudges And Ego, Picks Up Relationship Wisdom On Liberation"
· KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (Virgin)

• Yung Joc
• N.O.R.E.
• Atreyu
• Aesop Rock
• Ben Harper

• N.O.R.E.
• Saigon
• Soulja Boy Tell'em
• DJ Smallz

Britney Spears
Photo: Chris Weeks/WireImage.com

The news happens all the time, even while you're catching up on beauty sleep. Check out this brief rundown to bring you up to speed this morning — a quick heads up from your friends at MTV News.

Here's what we've got:

Chamillionaire tangles with "Hip Hop Police" in the first single from his upcoming Ultimate Victory — but the only crime they can pin on him in the track is ridin' with hip-hop CDs. "The metaphor means, nowadays, just loving hip-hop and being a rapper and loving music is the same as committing a murder," Cham told us. "With all the controversy surrounding rap, that's what the record is about." ...

Seth Green spoofs "Star Wars" on an upcoming episode of "Robot Chicken," but the episode — which features the voice of George Lucas — probably won't make the franchise's fans too angry. "Lucas has a phenomenal sense of humor," Green told us. "Our jokes are all kind of loving and none of them are really critical and mean-spirited. It's all just kind of pointing out inherent silliness within the design." ...

T-Pain told us that his friends drenched him in champagne on Wednesday after learning that he beat out Rihanna and Paul McCartney to take #1 on the Billboard albums chart. "It felt good to be recognized after being hated on for so long," Pain said. "I was happy with being 20 [on the charts]. I was just happy to be on a chart." ...

Quote of the Day: "If you guys guess the end of the movie, then you're my personal heroes." — "Saw IV" director Darren Lynn Bousman

Here's what everyone else is talking about:

You'll never see it Britney Spears' way because you're not her — or so announces a post on the front page of her Web site. Yet she follows that statement by asking those who have paid up to be fan-club members to weigh in with names for her next LP — not a bad plan, as most of the "possible album titles" she's got so far don't sound like winners. Dignity was just used, for one thing. And Omg Is Like Lindsay Lohan Like Okay Like — that's clearly not going to work. ...

Paris Hilton was spung from the medical ward and returned Thursday night to the Century Regional Detention Center where she started her sentence, The Associated Press reports. ... When Hilton is finished doing her time, will she be considered for a hosting spot on "The View"? Barbara Walters was asked that on her radio show Monday, People reports. The TV talk show's co-executive producer Bill Geddie chimed in with a "No," with Walters countering, "Let me answer that: Yes." But on Wednesday, Walters had changed her tune, saying she wasn't sure she'd even speak to Hilton again. "I hadn't really thought about it," she said during an interview on Ryan Seacrest's radio show. "I wasn't trying to speak with her [when we did speak]." ...

Shar Jackson has denied reports that she is pregnant with Kevin Federline's child, but Star magazine is standing behind the story. "When Kevin heard about the story in Star today, he called up Shar and asked her if she was pregnant and she told him 'yes.' " the magazine reports. "Kevin asked Shar to deny that she's pregnant ... at least for now, until they've both had time to figure out what to do." ...

N.O.R.E.'s video for "Cocaine Cowboys" was yanked from MySpace for violating the site's terms, and while the rapper says the clip is based on the film of the same name, not his experience, he told SOHH.com that he can understand the ban. "People are on [MySpace] pretending to be other individuals, portraying to be their big brothers or whatever and they're only 12 or 13-years-old. If they're that young, then I wouldn't want them to see it." ...

Drowning Pool have stepped up their efforts to help support U.S. troops returning home from combat with an online petition, a letter-writing campaign and plans to testify before Congress, Blabbermouth reports. The band, which recently completed a USO tour and released the song "Soldier," inspired by the experience, are concerned about the issues that troops face following combat. "Though back on safe shores, these individuals are facing a steep uphill battle to reclaim their health after facing the trauma of war," bassist Stevie Benton said. ...

Diddy's "Making the Band" discovery Chopper has signed to Cash Money Records, AllHipHop.com reports. "I wasn't comfortable with P. Diddy — even though the album went platinum, 'cause I just couldn't be myself," he said. ...

"Castlevania" is getting closer to a theater near you. The vampire project, based on the video game of the same name, has signed up Sylvain White ("Stomp the Yard") to direct. He will shoot this movie before upcoming projects "Ronin" and "Static," Variety reports. ...

Reviewer beware: A projectionist for a movie theater in Memphis, Tennessee, lost his job after posting an early, unauthorized and negative review of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" on Ain't It Cool News on Saturday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The reviewer, Jesse Morrison (a.k.a. Memflix) claims that 20th Century Fox is behind Malco Theaters' decision to fire him, but the studio denies that allegation. ...

Steven Spielberg is backing Hillary Clinton for president, and we know that Jin is in Barack Obama's corner, but DMC hasn't made up his mind just yet. The rap icon told The New York Observer that he believes Senator Obama "could fix everything," but he's still considering rallying for Senator Clinton "because it's gangsta. I ain't doing what everybody else is doing."

• Britney Spears
• Lindsay Lohan
• Paris Hilton
• N.O.R.E.
• Drowning Pool

Nas
Photo: Scott Gries/ Getty Images

• Nas
• Kanye West
• N.O.R.E.

N.O.R.E.
Photo: Gregg Delman

When most people think of N.O.R.E., the word "pioneer" might not come to mind. But the Queens, New York, rapper was one of the first artists to work with both Swizz Beatz and the Neptunes before the producers reached multiplatinum success.

And now, with his forthcoming album, Global Warming 11368, due in late summer, you can add another first to N.O.R.E.'s list.

"I think I got the first T-Pain record without him using the voice-box thing," he said, laughing. "The dude can actually sing without it. That's his trademark, so I guess he's sticking with it. But I didn't care what he gave me. I was a big T-Pain fan before he blew up, so I was just excited, and he did it in such a prompt time. He got it right back to me. He's just a real person. He said he wanted to work with me, I said I wanted to work with you. So I referenced the hook [for him], and he sent it right back to me. He really kept it real. So big up to him for that."

N.O.R.E. is going to need plenty of favors like that to make his album a success. Global Warming 11368 is his first project since parting ways with Def Jam earlier this year to go independent. The album title is a reference to his pursuit of worldly sounds through reggaetón (Global Warming) and his attempt to remember his grittier roots (11368 is his native LeFrak City, Queens, zip code).

The half-black, half-Puerto Rican rapper had been scheduled to release both a hip-hop album and a reggaetón album under the Def Jam and Roc la Familia banners, respectively, but only the Latin-flavored collection saw the light of day, with minimum promotion and little fanfare (see "N.O.R.E. Serves Up Reggaeton, But Already Has Pharrell On Lock For Next Hip-Hop LP").

Now on his own, N.O.R.E. has recruited old friends Swizz and Pharrell, along with Bun B, Kurupt, Jadakiss and Scott Storch, who produced the T-Pain collabo "I Want (a Girlfriend)."

He recently leaked the street cut "Don't Worry, I'll Wait," which features Three 6 Mafia and was produced by his new production team, OZ and the Deacon. "They're like the next Neptunes and Timbaland," N.O.R.E. said. He plans to release his first official single soon, but he kept that song title and guest under wraps.

Although N.O.R.E. is set on putting out the album himself, he said he's been surprised by the tabloid-like rumor mill surrounding possible future label homes.

"It's crazy," he said. "I know that people know I'm a free agent, but when they see me with T.I. — I was just kicking it with him on the 'Make It Rain' video set — the next day it says [on the Internet], 'He's with Grand Hustle!' It's powerful, man."

For now, though, N.O.R.E. said that the rumors of him signing anywhere — Grand Hustle, the Inc., etc. — are all false.

"Maybe the rumors will help us talk about it later," he said, laughing. "But I want to do it on my own. I really want to take a chance. I'mma go out there and bug out. If I fall on my face, I don't got anyone to blame but me. If I get up and get next to God [it's so good], like he's in 15A and I'll be on 14B, then I can take credit for that. I'm only 29, but I feel like I'm too old in this game to be a person to complain about record labels. So I'mma go out there and get mine."

• N.O.R.E.
• T-Pain

N.O.R.E.
Photo: Steven Henry/ Getty Images

N.O.R.E.'s first reggaetón album, N.O.R.E. y la Familia ... Ya Tu Sabe, could be his last.

"I was willing to take the chance," he said Monday on his way home to New York from Miami. "That pretty much sums it up."

N.O.R.E. had a multitude of prominent reggaetón figures on the LP (see "N.O.R.E. Reps His Latin Side With Reggaeton 'Oye Mi Canto' "), which dropped Tuesday, such as Daddy Yankee and Don Omar, as well as some hip-hop friends, including Diddy, Fat Joe and Pharrell. He's a little disappointed that Def Jam (which distributes Roc La Familia, the label that released his new LP) didn't support the project more, he said, and he's even thinking about leaving the label altogether.

"I think the biggest problem was I was signed through [former Def Jam executives] Kevin Liles and Lyor Cohen, and they went to Warner Music," N.O.R.E. said. "I don't want to seem like an artist who goes to labels and has problems. Sometimes things occur, you have control of them; sometimes you don't. I don't want to point the finger at anybody. The only problem is we don't feel we got as much promotion as we could have. But instead of crying, we're gonna give them all the tools. They get my availability. I'll do radio promo, international press. Hopefully we'll come out on top."

N.O.R.E. is keeping his options open. If he does leave Def Jam, his next album — which will be a traditional hip-hop record — might end up on the Neptunes' Star Trak imprint. Or N.O.R.E. might take a tip from his good friend Fat Joe and go independent (see " 'Fat Joe Is Signed To Fat Joe' — Newly Independent MC, Lil Wayne Shoot 'Rain' Video").

"I sat down with him for hours and we spoke about that," N.O.R.E. said of Joe. "It definitely might be an option. I sold more records on Penalty Records than I did with a lot of these majors. So it definitely may be an option for me.

"We have to go back to the drawing board," he added about his standing with Def Jam. "This is a label that releases artists if artists have a problem with them. We don't necessarily have a problem yet, and we're gonna leave it at that."

The always energetic MC is also gearing up for a DVD, mixtape and his next LP, which was originally titled One Fan a Day.

"I think we're gonna go with the name Global Warming, 'cause we're gonna warm up the mutha----in' globe," he said of the new title. "I went back to my hip-hop roots and dug deep and went in. It's like, 'OK, cool, you hear I'm back to that hip-hop, grime sh--.' You're gonna hear a [song] called 'I Was Here First' in like a week or two. You're gonna be like, 'Wow, he's going back to the roots of what he's doing.'

"I don't have no major names on there — of course I have Pharrell, but I didn't reach to nobody to do nothing," he added. "I'm depending on me."

One Fan a Day will still live on, however: N.O.R.E. is taking some of the extra material and making a mixtape. He wants to release a documentary in conjunction with the mixtape called "N.O.R.E.'s Story," which will follow his life from the late '90s until now.

• N.O.R.E.
• Pharrell Williams

Spankin' New Music Week: N.O.R.E. Photos 11.08.2004

• N.O.R.E.

Paid In Full Tour Photos

• Cam'ron
• M.O.P.
• N.O.R.E.

Fat Joe's 'Crush Tonight' Video Shoot

• Fat Joe
• Ginuwine
• N.O.R.E.
• 3LW
• Angie Martinez

• N.O.R.E.