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Why Are These Guys Annoying?

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

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Drake: Ex-Girlfriend's 'Marvin's Room' Songwriting Lawsuit 'Without Merit'

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Reps for Drake have denied allegations that the Canadian hip-hop phenom cheated Ericka Lee -- a woman who claims to be both his ex-girlfriend and the co-writer of his hit 'Marvin's Room' -- out of songwriting royalties, TMZ reports.

"This claim is entirely without merit and our client has not engaged in any wrongful conduct," reads the statement.

According to Drizzy's peeps, Lee agreed to lend her voice to the track and initially sought no compensation. It was only after she lawyered up, reps say, that she started asking for money.

Continue reading Drake: Ex-Girlfriend's 'Marvin's Room' Songwriting Lawsuit 'Without Merit'

Lil Kim's Tax Trouble: Queen Bee Owes IRS More Than $1 Million

Steve Mack, FilmMagic

Bow Wow has been grabbing headlines for his troubles with the IRS, but he's just a pup compared to Lil Kim. When it comes to owing money to the government, the Queen Bee is top dog. According to TMZ, the rapper owes the feds the astounding seven-figure sum of $1,026,862.42.

As per documents obtained by the gossip site, Kim owes money for every year spanning 2002 to 2009. In the last of those years alone, she wracked up $86,347.85 in tax debt -- an amount just recently heaped onto the total.

Between the colossal tax liens and her ongoing battle with Nicki Minaj, who disses her mercilessly on the track 'Stupid H--,' Lil Kim is going through a bit of a rough patch. Perhaps her long-awaited autobiography and documentary will help remind her of past glories and point the way toward the future -- and earn her some cash to pay off Uncle Sam.

Continue reading Lil Kim's Tax Trouble: Queen Bee Owes IRS More Than $1 Million

Drake Sued: Ex-Girlfriend Seeks Royalties for 'Marvin's Room'

Drake sued Marvin's RoomBarry Brecheisen, Getty Images

Drake has already admitted to making his ex-girlfriends cry with his close-to-home song lyrics based on past relationships. The candid rapper has said he gets "so immersed" in his songs that he forgets about what the subjects of his lyrics might feel when they hear the track -- until they call, that is. Or in the latest case of the ex, file a lawsuit against him!

Drake is being sued by Ericka Lee, who claims to be both his ex-girlfriend and the voice on the other end of the phone call in the rapper's emotional 'Take Care' hit, 'Marvin's Room.' Lee filed a suit in a Los Angeles court claiming she was excluded from sharing co-writer royalties for the drunk dial-inspired song.

According to the court papers, Lee and Drizzy shared both a romantic and professional relationship from early 2010 until mid-2011, calling it quits shortly after the June 2011 release of 'Marvin's Room.' Lee alleged that during that time, the two collaborated on a collection of song lyrics and poems, and that Drake agreed to split the 'Marvin's Room' earnings with her as a co-writer.

Continue reading Drake Sued: Ex-Girlfriend Seeks Royalties for 'Marvin's Room'

Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Pusha T, Joe Budden, Rockie Fresh

Moses Robinson, Getty Images

Rap Genius is supplying The BoomBox with the top lyrics of the week and serving a meaning behind the raps in the process. This week had more than its fair share of exceptional punchlines. However, there seemed to also be something a bit more serious in the air, as several of our top lines are concerned with topics more weighty than how many synonyms for a kilo you can fit into one bar. While Pusha T talks money, Saigon tells us about animal flatulence -- no, really! -- Rockie Fresh shouts out Ed Norton, and Black Spade and Joe Budden provide a glimpse of other, more bleak sides of life.

5. "Used to be a college girl eating Lunchables/ Now your Phillip Lim sweats fitting comfortable" -- Pusha T, 'Untouchable'

Despite the "coke rap" tag often hung on Pusha's group The Clipse, the Thornton brothers have always been comfortable talking about subjects other than drugs. For example, clothes. Pusha, a clothing magnate himself via his Play Cloths brand, is always up on the latest trends. Here, P promises his lady designer sweatsuits, while drawing a hysterical contrast to her Oscar-Meyer-eating days a poor student.

Continue reading Rap Genius Lines of the Week From Pusha T, Joe Budden, Rockie Fresh

John Legend Helps Kids Confront Social Issues With Marvin Gaye Song

Mike Coppola, Getty Images

WASHINGTON (AP) - Grammy award-winning singer John Legend surprised a high school choir Tuesday at the Kennedy Center to help start a program encouraging young artists to confront social issues with their art, in honor of the late Marvin Gaye.

The project, 'What's Going On ... Now,' echoes Gaye's lyrics and asks young people to express how things have changed in the four decades since Gaye's hit album, 'What's Going On.'

Students can upload videos, photos, poems, music or any recordings of creative expression to the project's website to answer that question.

Gaye's groundbreaking 1971 Motown album tackled difficult social issues such as war, drug addiction and poverty, and asked audiences to reflect on the times. His 1972 performance at the Kennedy Center in his hometown was a historic comeback for Gaye - his first live performance in two years since the death of his singing partner and friend Tammi Terrell. It's also believed to be the only time Gaye sang his entire 'What's Going On' album in concert.

Continue reading John Legend Helps Kids Confront Social Issues With Marvin Gaye Song

Super Bowl 2012: Suzuki Commercial Uses 50 Cent's 'Movin' on Up'

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For the second consecutive year, automobile company Suzuki will be advertising during the Super Bowl, and during Sunday's game (Feb. 5), 50 Cent is joining them.

The American Suzuki Motor Corporation has revealed that it will be running a television spot called 'Sled,' which highlights their new 2012 Suzuki Kizashi sport sedan. The commercial features the G-Unit head honcho's song, 'Movin on Up,' and an Inuit Eskimo driver, who has traded in his sled for an all-wheel-drive Kizashi, much to the surprise of his wife.

While the Super Bowl ad is huge for Fif, he also has a lot personally riding on the game's outcome.

Continue reading Super Bowl 2012: Suzuki Commercial Uses 50 Cent's 'Movin' on Up'

Black History Month 2012: 10 New Black Artists -- Emeli Sande + More

The evolution of black music is at the forefront of everything we listen to today. Soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop and even country music has flourished throughout the years due to the innovative feats of African American artists. Even as far back as slavery in the early 1860s, recordings of the first negro spirituals were found, and later evolved into what is now known as gospel, R&B and soul music. Legendary figures like Etta James, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Teddy Pendergrass and even Michael Jackson have built the foundation for the rhythm and blues circulating the internet and radio airwaves today.

Hip-hop was born in the Bronx in the '70s, and subsequently raised in neighborhoods around the nation. The genre has since spanned the globe and branched out into a full-fledged culture, which now includes elements of deejaying, breakdancing and graffiti writing. Its origins can be traced back to the call-and-response style of African music, but icons like poet Gill Scott-Heron are credited with laying down a blueprint that innovators like Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel and Kurtis Blow would follow. LL Cool J, Run DMC, The Sugarhill Gang and notable female MCs like Salt 'N' Pepa, Roxanne Shante and MC Lyte also paved the way for some of today's budding talents.

In celebration of Black History Month in February, The BoomBox highlights a select group of artists moving up the music totem pole. Each of these 10 newcomers have talent directly influenced by the history of African American music. For that, we salute them.

10. Yobi


This New York songstress is on the come-up, yet you wouldn't know it judging by some of the features she's snagged. Yobi's soulful pipes have been paired with the lyrical stylings of French Montana, Styles P and Maino -- the latter of which birthed the heartfelt track, 'Painful War.' With nearly 75,000 Twitter followers and over 110,000 views of her YouTube videos, Yobi expresses the perils of relationships over eclectic beats, while living comfortably between the worlds of hip-hop and R&B.

Continue reading Black History Month 2012: 10 New Black Artists -- Emeli Sande + More

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