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Celebrate Black History Month With These New Artists!

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Why Are These Guys Annoying?

Check Out 9 Annoying Things About Hip-Hop -- Lyrics Included

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Are Drug-Inspired Songs a Hit?

Who Has the Best Tracks? Listen to Them All Here

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Jeff Kravitz, FilmMagic

Drake, Juno Awards 2012: Young Money MC Battles Justin Bieber, Feist

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After hosting the Juno Awards last year -- the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys -- and coming up empty-handed, despite receiving six nods, Drake is back again with four nominations at the 2012 Junos, which take place in Ottawa on April 1.

The William Shatner-hosted event pits Drake and singer-songwriter Feist, who has also received four nominations, against one another in the Artist of the Year category. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced the nominees on Tuesday (Feb. 7), and Nickelback, Feist and Deadmau5 are among the artists scheduled to perform.

Continue reading Drake, Juno Awards 2012: Young Money MC Battles Justin Bieber, Feist

Grammy Awards: Hip-Hop and R&B Albums That Should Have Won

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The Best Rap Album category was born in 1996, during the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. To put things into perspective, that's 38 years after the Grammy Awards' inception, 12 years after Run-D.M.C. released their self-titled debut album and four years after Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic' LP became a hip-hop staple. Since The Recording Academy missed the boat on honoring some of the greatest records created, The BoomBox has compiled a list of other misses at the Grammys, including the Best R&B Album and Best Rap Album categories. The Fugees over Tupac Shakur? Diddy -- or Puff Daddy as he was called back then -- winning over the Notorious B.I.G.? We won't even say that's a close call. Check out the rap stars and singers who should have walked away with a golden gramophone.

Continue reading Grammy Awards: Hip-Hop and R&B Albums That Should Have Won

Kelly Rowland Stretch Marks: Body Issues Out as Workout DVD Debuts

Kelly Rowland bodyAlexander Tamargo, WireImage

As reported by AOL Music, Kelly Rowland has released her new 'Sexy Abs' workout DVD with celeb trainer Jeanette Jenkins, and while she may have one of the most enviable bods in the business, Kelly has revealed she still struggles with body image issues. After going under the knife in October 2007 to enlarge her chest size, the singer has admitted she still has insecurities when it comes to her figure.

When the former Destiny's Child member was asked by U.K.'s Hello! magazine if she saw herself as a sex symbol, she replied, "Not really" with a laugh. The 30-year-old beauty then named her least sexy feature. "What do I hate about my body? The stretch marks that come from getting older," she admitted.

Continue reading Kelly Rowland Stretch Marks: Body Issues Out as Workout DVD Debuts

Alori Joh Dead: Singer and Kendrick Lamar Affiliate Dies at 25

YouTube.com

Alori Joh, a West Coast native who worked alongside some of Top Dawg Entertainment's rising artists including Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, has passed away at 25. Details are scarce at the time of this report, but information obtained from Twitter reveals the songstress died between Tuesday (Feb. 7) and Wednesday (Feb. 8).

Lamar's national exposure over the last two years helped to bring attention towards Alori's vocal abilities. She sang on 'Heaven & Hell,' a song that appeared on his 'Overly Dedicated' mixtape in 2010. She was also featured on 'HiiiPOWER,' featured on the rap star's lauded project 'Section.80.'

Schoolboy Q, who featured Alori on 'Phenomenon,' a song off his 'Setbacks' mixtape, released last year, paid homage to the fallen entertainer by "smoking one" and shared the news with his Twitter followers.

Continue reading Alori Joh Dead: Singer and Kendrick Lamar Affiliate Dies at 25

Jay-Z, Beyonce Trademark Blue Ivy's Name for 'Baby Carriages' & More

Al Bello, Getty Images

Both Jay-Z and Beyonce have made headlines this week for their respective appearances at Carnegie Hall -- Hov ripped through his hits at the venue for charity. Now the entertainers are putting the performance aspect of their careers aside to focus on a legal matter: trademarking their daughter's name.

The Washington Post reports that the power couple have filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect Blue Ivy's name. The trademark will reserve her name for future use of items like "baby carriages, baby cosmetics and diaper bags."

Continue reading Jay-Z, Beyonce Trademark Blue Ivy's Name for 'Baby Carriages' & More

Timbaland, Missy Elliott: New Albums Due in June

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

One of the great duos in hip-hop history, producer Timbaland and singular singer-rapper-producer-whatever Missy Elliott, is getting ready to return, albeit with separate solo albums. In an interview with MTV, Timbo has revealed that he and Missy will end their long hiatuses and drop new records in June.

"Right now, we're preparing to get both our videos, our first singles, shot kinda at the same time," Tim said. "We want to do it as a movement and spontaneously."

Missy's album will be her first since 2005's 'The Cookbook.' In the interim years, she's worked as a songwriter and producer for other artists, and last year, she told People magazine that she'd been diagnosed with Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder that many have blamed for her dearth of new product.

Continue reading Timbaland, Missy Elliott: New Albums Due in June

KRS-One: Connie Chung's Harsh Words, LL Cool J's Disobedience & Retirement

Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

The truth is KRS-One has always existed in extremes. The celebrated Bronx, N.Y., MC evolved from giving birth to the controversial rap genre known as gangsta rap to dropping a politically conscious classic. He was leader of the influential hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions, who crafted their landmark 1987 debut 'Criminal Minded,' then a year later they released the startling LP 'By All Means Necessary'. And that's just the first chapter of the 46-year-old's 25-plus year career as one of hip-hop's true lyrical giants. Indeed, when you dissect the impressive run of KRS-One, it's clear that the man does not lack conviction.

Fans who want empowering music that blasts the historical devaluing of black culture should check out 1990's 'Edutainment.' Or how about an unfiltered, two-fisted statement that thoroughly embraces the power of hip-hop with a pure, Evangelical zeal? That would be KRS' DJ Premier-featured 1993 solo classic 'Return of the Boom Bap'. The Blastmaster even dropped a born-again Christian rap album with 2002's 'Spiritual Minded,' a bold and much-debated work that was more than a risk for an MC that had a made a career out of questioning organized religion.

Yes, KRS-One is a complex artist. But he's also the most passionate ambassador for his beloved Bronx-bred artform as evident by his creation of the Temple of Hip-Hop school. With a new Boogie Down Productions release, 'The BDP Album,' currently out in stores, KRS-One is still fighting the good fight. The BoomBox caught up with the legendary MC to discuss Connie Chung saying his career was over, his respect for LL Cool J after disobeying his record label, denying Lyor Cohen his skill set and why he will never put down the mic.

Continue reading KRS-One: Connie Chung's Harsh Words, LL Cool J's Disobedience & Retirement

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