Jay-Z Still Hustlin’ With New ESPN Boxing Series & Budweiser Deal

Hov may have “un-retired” from the rap game, but that doesn’t mean he’s put aside his corporate hustle. The Brooklyn MC turned Mogul has recently inked deals with ESPN and Anheuser-Busch to promote boxing and beer.

For ESPN, he is working on the script for a show called “Hit Men,” which will follow the lives boxers tryin’ to make it at the Hit Men
Boxing Club in Louisiana. The program will start filming in early December.

Jay-Z has also been appointed “Co-Brand Director” for Budweiser Select. They’ve cut a commercial that will air during NFL and MLB
games on Fox. The spot features clips from his new single “Show Me What You Got,” as well as racing stars Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Danica Patrick. Despite heavy bootlegging, the final scene of the commercial confirms that his new album, “Kingdom Come.” will drop November 21st.

My how Hov’s tastes have changed! First he gives up the Cristal, now he’s dumped Heineken in favor of Budweiser. Perhaps ownership of a NASCAR team is in the works as well?

Sources: Rapper Jay-Z Producing Boxing Series and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter Collaborates with Anheuser-Busch as Co-Brand Director for Budweiser Select

Puff Daddy, er, P.Diddy Earns his Crown

Sean Combs, the Rapper/Dancer/Wannabe Actor and Sampler Extraordinaire who reminds us to “call him Diddy,” might not be a hip-hop king like Nas or Jay-Z, but he’s earned a crown of another sort. The mogul has agreed to be a spokesman for Burger King! The company will also be sponsoring his tour in support of his new album Press Play. It’s been nearly a decade since the passing of Puffy’s, oops I mean Diddy’s, best friend Biggie Smalls. Come on now Diddy, everyone wants to pay their tribute to Big, some rappers like Shyne want to sound like Big, but do we also wanna have waistlines like Big? Thanks to you Diddy, when we put our lighters up in tribute, we’ll also be thinking of that flame-broiled goodness that’s served our way!

Source: Sean “Diddy” Combs Adds Flavor to Burger King 

Cassidy on the Road to Recovery AND Riches

The past few months haven’t been good to Philly MC Cassidy. Remember his “I’m a Hustla” joint where he sampled Jay-Z? That hit the #5 spot on Billboard, but it’s been downhill from there. Not long after, Cass told us how he “didn’t win lyricist of the year, but he was nominated.” If you think that’s a disappointment, how’s doing an 8-month bid for manslaughter and aggravated assault?

But now, in the twisted world of hip-hop, things are looking up for the West Oak Lane rapper. You see, Cassidy recently suffered critical injuries when a U-Haul sized truck ran into his SUV. The accident fractured his skull and broke several bones on his face according to MTV news. Doctors say he will recover, but will be left with a scar extending from his ear to his mouth.

Keep your busted head up Cassidy! All the ingredients are there for you to blow up! If we look to past hip-hop happenings, we see that:

Killing someone (C-Murder) + doing time (2Pac, T.I. & countless others) + surviving a dangerous car accident (Kanye) and having visible scars (50 Cent) = top of the Billboard charts and major street cred!

Source: Rapper Cassidy In Critical Condition After Car Accident

Jay-Z & Beyonce Need Extra Plane for Luggage

Jay-Z and Beyonce chartered a plane to South Africa to film a documentary for MTV about the poor conditions there, but had to pay for a second plane to handle all of their baggage!

“The trip only lasts two weeks but it looked like they were emigrating,” claimed an airport insider.

This might prove that Beyonce has too much junk in the trunk!

Source: Jay-Z and Beyonce Charter Plane for Excess Baggage

Jay-Z Bans Cristal and Cries “Racism!”

The Jigga-man, who was “popping that Cristal when y’all niggaz thought it was beer and shit,” has banned the $600 champagne from his clubs due to what he calls “racist” comments made by the company. What were these racist comments?

Asked about hip-hop’s obsession with Cristal, [the Marketing Director] said he treated it with “curiosity and serenity” and later, when asked whether he saw the publicity as detrimental to the brand, he said, “That’s a good question, but what can we do? We can’t forbid people from buying it. I’m sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business.”

Funny, I don’t see any reference to African Americans, so how could those comments be racist? And furthermore, he doesn’t even say anything negative about hip hop culture. He says “That’s a good question, but what can we do?” meaning that even if it bothered them, it wouldn’t matter becuase they wouldn’t be able to do anything about.

But even if he did express a dislike of his champagne being associated with hip hop culture, would that be so bad? If you were the manufacturer of an expensive premium champagne, would you want rappers saying “sip the Cris’ and get pissy-pissy” in the same song that they talk about “the dope spot, with the smoke Glock, fleein the murder scene”?

We love you, Hov, but not everyone likes drug dealing and gun violence — Don’t take it personally!

New York’s Hot 97 Radio Sued for Excessive Violence

New York City’s Hot 97 is being sued by the building’s landlord because of frequent gun battles in front of the building. They are requesting that Hot 97 be evicted from the building because their rapper guests are inciting violence and engaging in delinquent behaviors “that have shocked, offended, repulsed, or threatened the safety of other tenants.”

Rappers named in the lawsuit include Capone from Capone-n-Noreaga, Lil Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A., The Game, 50 Cent, Cam’ron, DMX, P. Diddy, Suge Knight, Jay-Z, Tony Yayo, Nas and Funkmaster Flex. Also named was rapper Gravy, who was shot in the butt in front of Hot 97 last week.

Can’t we all just get along?

Highlight: DMX, known for always acting like a respectable gentleman, was involved in an altercation with a security guard that wouldn’t let his friend in. DMX responded in his characteristic kind and gentle way: “F*** you, $8.50 an hour fa***t. If you step outside I’ll kick your f***ing a** you bi**h.“