Killa Cam is one of our favorite rap personalities. Having been absent from the game for a minute, we couldn't be more happy to see him back with a new album, 'Crime Pays,' which is in stores today. We got up with him to discuss the record, his relationship with Jim Jones, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' and a variety of other, important issues. Killa.

The BoomBox: So besides 'Crime Pays' what else do you have going on right now?

Cam: I got 'Killa Season 2' the movie, coming out in September, the soundtrack coming September, which will be featuring a bunch of artists on there. Then I'm tryna put out another album in December, so this year alone I'm a have two albums, a soundtrack and a movie.

The BoomBox: What is 'Killa Season 2' about?

Cam: Most of it I shot in Chicago and Ohio, basically connecting from part one. I had a rival in there named Milk, I tried to kill him, it didn't work so we kinda going to war. It's basically like the movie 'Traffic.' You know? It's about trafficking drugs across America.

After years of being one of the West Coast's best-kept secrets, underground favorite Murs is stepping into the spotlight in a major way, declaring his candidacy for the top office on his major label debut, 'Murs for President,' which features some of hip hop's finest, including Snoop Dogg and Will.I.Am. "I'm nervous to talk about it, but I've worked with everybody from DJ Quik to Snoop Dogg to Will.I.Am, Three 6 Mafia, 9th Wonder, Terrence Martin, Scoop de Ville," he tells the Boombox.

Murs admits some anxiety about how his longtime fans will respond to his entry into collaborating with big-name stars. "I don't know how my fans are gonna react to some of the sounds," he says. "They're used to me and an old sampled record chopped up. We'll see what they think."

Fonzworth Bentley has come a long way from his days as Diddy's assistant. Author of 'How to Advance Your Swagger' and host of the hit MTV series 'From G's to Gents,' he's following in his former boss' footsteps in becoming a ubiquitous media presence.

But the biggest evidence of just how far Bentley has come is 'Everybody,' the first single from his debut album, 'Cool Outrageous Lovers of Uniquely Raw Style.' The song marks the first collaboration between hip-hop giants Kanye West and OutKast's Andre 3000. How did Bentley accomplish this coup?

"Kanye West and Andre 3000 are both very uninhibited artists; it was the first time they ever got an opportunity to work together, they're friends of mine and supporters, so that's why we were able to pull it off," Bentley tells the Boombox.

St. Louis' finest stormed into our New York studio back in May to talk about his upcoming album, 'Brass Knuckles.' Ready to make his big comeback, Nelly admitted that it had been a while since his last album, 'Sweat/Suit,' but explained his absence. "I lost my sister in 2005 and that was like the worst thing that ever happened to me. So dealing with it took a whole...it took time."

Now, after a four-year hiatus, the rap star is finally releasing his fourth (technically his fifth, since 'Sweat' and 'Suit' were released separately, though on the same day) studio album. Buy 'Brass Knuckles' on iTunes.

Check out the video interview.

Having first appeared on Nas' 'Life's a Bitch,' which has since been heralded as rap's greatest guest verse, in 14 years AZ hasn't lost a step. With his signature flawless delivery and impeccable, multisyllabic flow, Anthony Cruz has built a career that spans seven solo albums, one group project (The Firm), and several memorable mixtapes (including the essential Memphis Sessions) creating a catalog that quietly rivals almost anyone in the game.

We spoke with AZ about his 'N4L' mixtape, a street accompaniment to Nas' 'Untitled' album with DJ Absolut, his partnership with Nas and his future in this ever changing world of rap.

What inspired you to release 'N4L'?

With all the weirdness that's going on in society now -- Obama, Mike Vick and Sean Bell, as well as getting a lotta flack [about] when me and Nas is doing an album, and the fact that he was dropping that 'N' album, I decided to just do my own thing; to give the fans some kind of hope on what it would sound like if we was to do something together.

Solange Knowles is often described as R&B superstar Beyonce's little sister, but the singer-songwriter plans on proving that she's much more when she releases her sophomore album, 'Sol Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams,' on August 26. Solange exudes confidence and excitement when discussing her new project, but the singer admits there was a time when she thought she'd never record another album. "I got very compassionate about my son and writing for other artists," Solange told the BoomBox. "[It] wasnt really a musical hiatus because I was writing for Destiny's Child and [Beyonce], so it wasn't completely a musical hiatus, but it did take the time away from doing my own record."

Writing for her big sis wasn't the only thing keeping Solange from working on her own record. The 22-year-old experienced motherhood, marriage and eventually divorce during her break from the limelight. Solange credits these experiences with giving her album a "mature tone." "Well when you're fifteen you don't have much to talk about, but I have a lot more substance to sing about and more stories to tell," Solange explained.

So when it came time to write material for her upcoming album, Solange found inspiration in the good and bad in relationships. "I pick up concepts from friends who tell me about their triflin' boyfriends," Solange joked. "Mostly people will say certain things and I'll [think] 'yo, that's a dope title and I'll draw from that. A lot of times I draw from my personal life. But they all tell stories and I always try to make sure they are concept songs and not just 'I like you. You like me. Lets go live like a happy family."