Whether you like it or not, hip-hop is prime fodder for reality TV. From rapper-versus-rapper competitions to melodramatic relationship exposés, the inherent drama of the rap world offers a goldmine of opportunities for television producers. With the most recent success of the Love And Hip-Hop series, producers have even less of a reason to avoid turning the cameras on rappers’ real lives.

XXL has decided to explore hip-hop’s history with the television subgenre. From the good, to the bad, to the down-right morally repugnant, here are 17 rappers who found fame and fortune with reality TV.

The post 17 Rappers Who Became Reality TV Stars appeared first on XXL.

May is coming to a close, and that means that most schools around the country will be out for summer. With that in mind, XXL decided to dig into the archives and look back at some of our favorite rappers when they were still in school. Now, here’s a collection of 35 yearbook photos from some of hip-hop’s biggest acts.

The post 35 Yearbook Photos Of Rappers appeared first on XXL.

From clothing lines to film production companies to even sports drinks, hip-hop has had a long history of rappers crossing over into the world of entrepreneurship. While some efforts have proved fruitful – most notably 50 Cent’s Vitamin Water and Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment – some have fallen completely flat. Through it all, however, most artists’ cross-media business ventures have staid within the realm of entertainment.

That doesn’t mean that some artists haven’t gotten creative their auxiliary businesses, however. Now, XXL has put together a list of six atypical side hustles from rappers, from coaching football to oil drilling.

The post Odd Jobs: Six Unusual Rapper Side Hustles appeared first on XXL.

The NBA playoffs are in full-swing, and with only four series left, it’s coming down to the final moment to determine which team’s the league champion. But the NBA playoffs aren’t only good watching high intensity basketball; they’re also prime events at which to see your favorite rapper (if you’re into that kinda thing).

Now, XXL has put together a gallery of 28 photographs of rappers hanging out courtside at basketball games.

The post Kings Of Courtside: 28 Pictures Of Rappers At NBA Games appeared first on XXL.

On 2005′s “Old School Rules” by Danger Doom, Talib Kweli raps that, “I might be buggin but it seem to me/That cartoons be realer than reality TV.” While we could easily enumerate a number of reasons why Kweli’s lyric is a bold hyperbole to make – namely because they’re cartoons – it definitely speaks to hip-hop’s longstanding history with the animated arts. Whether it’s Kid ‘n Play’s short-lived animated series or the Gorillaz actually being animated, hip-hop has been all over the map when it comes to cartoons.  Now, XXL has put together a list of 23 hilarious hip-hop moments in televised cartoon history.

The post From Freaknik To Fishsticks: 23 Hilarious Hip-Hop Moments In Cartoons appeared first on XXL.

Yesterday, the rap game was blessed with monumental news that Chief Keef had officially joined Gucci Mane’s 1017 Brick Squad line-up. Although Keef reps his own Glory Boyz Entertainment clique, the signing marks a new union between Atlanta and Chicago, a cross-over of drill and trap. However, with Keef having become one of the most sought-after rappers of the new era, it makes you wonder who else the Windy City Drill sergeant could have aligned himself with besides Gucci. Wonder no more, as XXL has complied a list of flicks of Keef kicking it with rappers outside GBE family.

The post Squad Up: 15 Pics Of Chief Keef With Other Rappers appeared first on XXL.

Rappers have a strange relationship with the cinematic arts. While a few truly talented MCs have parlayed their musical fame into successful and rewarding cinematic careers, a greater number of others have dived head-first into the world of film and royally bombed. Artists like Vanilla Ice, Busta Rhymes, Run-DMC and dozens of others all jumped at the chance to act, and all failed miserably. But that doesn’t mean every rapper who acted didn’t deliver. Now, XXL has compiled a list of 22 film performances from rappers that are worth watching.

The post Who’s Got The Juice: 22 Rappers Who Can Actually Act appeared first on XXL.

50 Cent doesn’t have a problem with speaking his mind. During a visit in Las Vegas, Fifty hit the stages of the Tony Neal & The Core DJs annual Mix Show Live. He plays with the crowd a little bit, but then he goes into one of his rants about them showcasing Monster headphones. Apparently, he thought Monster headphones had bad quality compared to his own SMS Audio brand. He proceeded to do some light bashing on the product, even going as far as tossing it on the floor. Fifty keeps it real. Watch the hilarious video above.

The post 50 Cent Thinks His Headphones Are Better Than The Competition appeared first on XXL.

Rappers’ lyrics have the power to sway public opinion much greater than any other genre. That same logic can apply to the various incidents rappers get themselves into. Sometimes, with all the boasting and tough talking that goes on in hip-hop, an apology can be difficult to get out of rappers. You can blame the humiliation factor, but the reality is rappers rarely backtrack on their own words.

Take Lil Wayne for example: Today he finally released a public apology for his verse on Future’s unofficial “Karate Chop (Remix).” After months of a firestorm over his vulgar line, Wayne admitted that he was wrong for referencing civil rights figure Emmett Till. In light of Wayne being in the hot seat again, here are 10 other rappers who have apologized for their actions. Find out why these rappers had to ask for forgiveness.

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The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick has some choice, racially-tinged words for ESPN over 50 Cent’s appearance on the channel’s coverage of the NFL Draft.

In a recent editorial, Mushnick lambasted the sports channel for allowing the Queens rapper to commentate on the NFL Draft program last week. Mushnick called Fif, “a vulgar, gay-bashing, women-trashing, assault weapon-cherishing, N-word-spouting gangsta rapper,” and alleged that his presence on the program is detrimental to the young sports fans.

“The same men and women who report the arrests and the convictions while making ‘tsk, tsk, tsk’ have no better idea or instructions than to keep flooring it, sustaining the inescapable message that bad is good, but worse is even better,” Mushnick wrote. “ESPN, now the home of double-murder investigation obstructionist Ray Lewis, opened its NFL Draft show Thursday with vulgar, gay-bashing, women-trashing, assault weapon-cherishing, N-word-spouting gangsta rapper 50 Cent making threatening noises and gestures while boasting that he is one bad mother. Why? Because this is what ESPN, among others, has seen fit to do to sports. Rather than try to return some sport to our sports — maybe even reduce the incidence of tsk, tsk, tsking among its reporters — ESPN works hard to do to our kids and teens (and your sports) what no ESPN execs would do to theirs.”

Despite Mushnick’s assertion that 50 Cent is “gay-bashing,” the G-Unit general has voiced his support of gay marriage, saying that, “Obama is for same-sex marriage. When the president is saying that, then who am I to go the other way?” Fif also publicly defended Frank Ocean last year when the OFWGKTA singer revealed that he is bi-sexual.

This isn’t Mushnick’s first encounter with the world of rap music, however. Last year, Muschnick proposed that the Brooklyn Nets change its name to the “New York N——” given Jay-Z’s part-ownership of the organization.

[via NY Post]

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On this day, April 29, in hip-hop history…

2003: 50 Cent releases the second single “21 Questions” off his highly successful commercial debut Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. The song proved to be the second back-to-back #1 single off the album, with “In Da Club” being the first. According to reports, Fif’s mentor Dr. Dre told the Queens rapper that he thought the song shouldn’t be on the final cut of the album. “Dre was, like, ‘How you goin’ to be gangsta this and that and then put this sappy love song on?’” Fif told Newsweek. “I’m two people. I’ve always had to be two people since I was a kid, to get by. To me that’s not diversity, it’s necessity.” The video for the song also starred actress Megan Goode and Tyson Beckford.

The post Today In Hip-Hop: 50 Cent Releases Single “21 Questions” appeared first on XXL.

50 Cent provides the score for this year’s NFL draft commercial, lending an altered version of his “We Up” chorus for the up beat TV spot. The draft kicks off April 15 at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.

The post 50 Cent Stars In 2013 NFL Draft Commercial appeared first on XXL.

Forbes has run its annual five wealthiest rappers of the year list, and some familiar names appear at the top.

Diddy and Jay-Z took the top two spots on Forbes’ richest rappers of 2013 list, with their net worth estimated at $580 million and $475 million, repsectively. Other artists on the list include perennial Forbes Five members Dr. Dre ($350 million), Birdman ($150 million) and 50 Cent ($125 million).

Last year, all five rappers/moguls made the Forbes Five list in the exact same order.

[via Forbes]

The post Diddy, Jay-Z Crowned The Richest Rappers Of 2013 appeared first on XXL.

Earlier this week, XXL got an exclusive look at the comic book that accompany Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge’s upcoming album 12 Reasons To Die. While the folks at Black Mask Studios look like they’ve perfect captured the spirit of Ghost and Younge’s giallo horror-meets-crime narrative, the Wu-Tang emcee isn’t the first to get the comic book treatment. Now, XXL has decided to take an extensive looks at hip-hop’s comic book history, from acclaimed works like MF Grimm’s Sentences to illustrated punch-lines like Onyx’s Fight.

The post 15 Rappers Featured In Comic Books appeared first on XXL.

Shortly after releasing “We Up,” 50 Cent follows that up with the official video for his Kidd Kidd and Kendrick Lamar collaboration. The visual was teased earlier this month. While Fif and Kidd Kidd are present, the TDE member decided to sit this one out. Instead, we get Kendrick reinterpreted in images as his verse is playing. Check it out above.

UPDATE: 50 just released a new version that features K.Dot.

The post Watch the Video for 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar’s Latest Single “We Up” appeared first on XXL.

After an incredible amount of controversy, false reports, out-of-context quotes and TMZ videos, Weezy seems to be back home and recuperating, and actually looks pretty virile for a guy who’s been laying in a hospital for the past week. Fans and journalists have mixed feelings about how the situation unfolded, but I think the one thing we can all agree on is that we’re glad Weezy’s okay. After all, he’s been an integral part of the rap world for more than a decade, responsible for some our generation’s most ubiquitous hit songs, and is a part of the reason we all love rap music. And, he’s the guy who brought the world Drake. So…he’s important.

JT put his record out this week. It’s not stellar, but it’s pretty damn good and super listenable and everyone has a favorite song on 20/20 that they relate to their romantic experiences. He also announced (via ?uestlove) that he’d be releasing the second half of the Experience later this year, with ten more songs set to release sometime this fall. Looks like we’ll continue to let the groove get in all year.

Queen B also grabbed most of our collective attention a few days ago with her new double-single, “Bow Down/I Been On,” which is co-produced by Hit-Boy and Timbaland. It’s a liberating banger for B, who’s status as a mother has seemed to dull her Sasha Fierce edge. Rush Limbaugh said some really ignorant things about Beyonce after the song came out, which isn’t worth quoting here, but know this – Slim Thug, Scarface, Lil Keke and other H-Town heroes are reportedly working on a super Texas-y remix of the song right now. This is great news.

Anyway, in our weekly column called In the Cut, the diversely-opinionated XXL staff celebrates another lively week in hip-hop and picks some of their favorite releases from the past week. Some are songs, some are videos, all are incredible in their own way. See you next week, rap world.

Kendrick Lamar ft. Jay-Z – “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Remix)”

Kendrick and Hov’s “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Remix),” or as I like to call it, “Hip-Hop’s Wet Dream of the Week,” topped my iTunes play count these past couple of days as the highest, número uno. Sure, the debate is still up in the air as to who killed the record, but overall this best-of-both-worlds combination was truly a gem worth talking about. Oh and there’s nothing better than hearing Jay reassure us that he could, “Fuck up a pie and still be skraight.” – Ralph Bristout, Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Rihanna ft. Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Juicy J & T.I. – “Pour It Up (Remix)”

As if the original was enough of a reason to ball out, Rih Rih upped the ante on the remix to her hit-the-strip-club ode. Not only did it sort of reunite Jeezy with his foe-in-rhyme (and life?) Rick Ross, it also provides a new anthem for all you wild spring breakers out there to get turn’t up to. Hopefully Miley Cyrus gets to twerkin’ to this one? #WishfulThinking – RB

Gucci Mane – “White Man”

Between going to see Spring Breakers, listening to his three new mixtapes and putting this together the other day, I’m actually kind of burnt out on Guwop at the moment, but I still wanted to give this Trap Back 2 standout some shine. There are a couple cool things at play here: 1. The idea of your average white man being the reference point in measuring just how drunk someone is. 2. 19-year-old Metro Boomin’ continuing to prove himself as one of the most exciting up-and-coming producers in Atlanta. 3. Gucci “confirming” that Young Scooter’s signed to 1017 Squad Brick squad when the Black Migo Gang party line of late has been that he’s unsigned. 4. This: “Gucci Mane so debonair/I sell water to a well/Sell a turtle to a snail/Front your boyfriend 30 bales.” – Neil Martinez-Belkin, Assistant Music Editor

Snoop Lion ft. Drake & Cori B – “No Guns Allowed”

I watched Reincarnated a few weeks ago and it’s kind of an all-over-the-place mess, but the recording of this song was one of the few highlights. In the movie, Snoop’s joined by his wife and daughter in the studio where they put together “No Guns Allowed,” and it’s just a super cute moment all around. Somehow Drake found his way on it now, which is OK, because we all know Drake makes every song better. – NMB

Lord Finesse ft. KRS-One – “No Gimmicks (Original Version)”

Over the past year, Lord Finesse has been digging deep in his stash to unearth a host of rare, unreleased and wholly revamped cuts from his impressive discography. This past week, the Funky Man brought back his ’96 collaboration “No Gimmicks” with fellow Bronx Bomber KRS-One, featuring a different intro and re-vamped lyrics from the Teacher. Even after nearly two decades since its release, it’s undeniable that Finesse is one of hip-hop’s underrated geniuses. – Sean Ryon, News Editor

Tha Dogg Pound – “Them N*ggas (G-Mix)”

It’s been a minute since Daz and Kurupt linked up as the DPG’s, but the West Coast duo scored a major win in taking a crack at Hit-Boy and Audio Push’s single “Them N*ggas.” The track is a gleefully brash banger to begin with, but to hear two icons of the G-funk era pass the torch to one of the region’s newest crews is a sound example of the power of Left Coast unity. But mainly, the song knocks because Daz and Kurupt are just those dudes. – SR

Robin Thicke – “Blurred Lines” Video

When I posted this video earlier this week, I said, “This is Curtis Mayfield for the molly generation,” and that line is too nice not to use twice. I love this song, and Robin Thicke sounds like he does too. The line, “You want to hug me.. what rhymes with hug me?” is the kind of off-beat gem Robin’s famous for throwing into his more sultry songs. Much can be said about Tip’s dance moves in the video, but it might be better to not say anything about them at all. Anyway, the song reminds me of “Meiple,” which I played for an entire summer and kept having to convince people it was good. Summer ’13, here we go. – Dan Buyanovsky, Associate Editor

Lil Wayne – “Romance”

This song didn’t technically come out this week, it leaked from I Am Not A Human Being II, and is an immediate standout. Wayne spends the majority of his time on the new record rapping really hard and being generally aggressive, but the best Weezy is the slowed-down Weezy, who takes time to think things through and drop beautiful bombs like, “She even did anal, when she don’t do anal. That’s romance.” For anyone who’s been in a seriously committed relationship and can relate, yes Weezy, that is romance. – DB

50 Cent ft. Kendrick Lamar – “We Up”

This is great. When it comes to legitimate shit-talking, there’s no one else in the game better than Fiddy. The original version with Kidd Kidd was nod-able, but it wasn’t as infectious as this latest drop with the G-Unit general chiseling in a third verse. And is that K-Dot on his ignorant, “Backseat Freestyle” steelo? 50 really needs more bumpers like these. – Jaeki Cho, Senior Online Editor

Perrion – “Get a Job” Video

Don’t sleep on Perrion. Harlem’s clustered with young talent, but Perry’s potential feels well-defined. Out of the new breed of New York rappers that advocate skating, rapping, and guzzling 40s (like a scene out of Kids), Perry seems most polished as an actual MC. “Get a Job” is a Golden Era knocker, and the self-reflective brags feel right in Perry’s lane. It’s an angle he should further explore, while fans continue to discover him. – JC

Young Chop ft. Johnny May Cash, King 100 James and Roland Green – “1 Hunna”

The #3Hunna campaign is in full force. Young Chop, the label head behind the newly-formed 8 Tray Music Group, is preparing to release a solo mixtape that will feature cohorts such as Johnny May Cash, Rampage, Loui Baggs, King Rell and more. “1 Hunna” is fitting for Chop, as the beatsmith puts together a tough horn section with drums for his featured guests to go in on. There’s no word on the tape’s release date, but rest assured it’s right around the corner. – Eric Diep, Editorial Assistant

Black Milk – “Sunday’s Best/Monday’s Worst”

Beyonce isn’t the only one releasing two singles in one. The Detriot native Black Milk showcases his talents as a MC and producer on “Sunday’s Best/Monday’s Worst.” While weaving in some intricate bars, he delivers a pair of refreshingly soulful, sample-heavy beats. You can expect this gem to appear on his upcoming album, due out this summer. – ED

The post In the Cut: XXL’s Song Picks of the Week appeared first on XXL.

One of hip-hop’s most divisive and iconic figures gets the “Behind the Music” treatment, courtesy of VH1.

VH1 recently released a remastered version of an older episode of its “Behind the Music” series, featuring G-unit impresario 50 Cent. In this new version of the episode, the Queens rapper speaks on the death of former manager and Violator Management founder Chris Lighty.

The updated episode also highlights behind-the-scenes footage from Fif’s recent music video shoot with Kendrick Lamar for his song “We Up.”

Check out the full episode at the top.

[via Vibe]

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This past week has been dominated with headlines surrounding the news of Lil Wayne’s most recent seizures. While the YMCMB impresario has since reportedly been released from the hospital and has fully recovered from his medical crisis, Weezy isn’t the only emcee to have endured a medical emergency. Now, from Tone Loc to Nas, XXL presents a list of 15 emcees who recently suffered health crises.

[via HipHopDX]

The post 15 Rappers Who Have Suffered Medical Emergencies appeared first on XXL.

The post All In the Game: 20 Great Rap Songs About Robbing People appeared first on XXL.

It’s been nearly three years since rumors began circulating that 50 Cent was dating comedian Chelsea Handler. Now, Handler  opens up about her fling with Fif.

Handler discussed her relationship with the G-Unit general, calling him “a sweetheart.” Still, Handler said that their relationship wasn’t terribly serious, quipping that she wouldn’t date anyone with a number for a name.

“He’s a sweetheart and he’s so cute. It wasn’t the most serious relationship. He came on my show [in 2010] and he sent me flowers. And I was like, ‘I’m not gonna date somebody whose name is a number,’” she quipped.

Handler went on to describe the fall-out of their relationship, revealing that the two parted ways after he called to inform her that an ex-girlfriend was upset they were dating. “I was like, at my job. It was just so juvenile, I was at work. I hung up and I’ve never spoken to him again. I do think he’s a really nice guy and I think he’s smart in a certain way,” she recalled.

Earlier this year, Howard Stern grilled 50 Cent about his past with Handler on his SiriusXM Radio show.

[via Daily Mail]

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