By Andres Tardio

Ma$e, who released his major-label debut album, Harlem World, seventeen years ago this month, hosted an old-fashioned Harlem cypher at Daddy’s House Recording Studios in New York City recently.

“It was just Harlem everywhere, man,” Ma$e says in an interview with Revolt TV. “I’m excited. This is something I personally wanted to do.

“I’m just excited to be able to give something back to my town. With me, I always try to give my all to my hood, put my hood on my skin, man. I love it. They ain’t gotta keep asking me who I am. All of it is me.”

Ma$e, who hosted the cypher, was joined by several MCs, including Loaded Lux, Murda Mook and T-Rex, rappers who’ve made their names on a cappella battle raps.

M-A-Dollar Sign-E says he was happy with the way it all turned out. “Tonight, I was really, really impressed,” Ma$e said following the cypher. “A lot of them are gonna surprise n——s. They sound better on beats than I thought they would.”

It’s fitting that Ma$e would host the Harlem cypher at Daddy’s House, where he recorded much of his 1997 debut, including the biggest Harlem World hits, “Feel So Good” and the Total-assisted “What You Want.”

Ma$e is reportedly working on his upcoming album, Now We Even, after announcing that he was leaving his work as a pastor to refocus on his music career.

To see Mook and Lux in action elsewhere, check out the rhymes they ...

By Andres Tardio

“How long will they mourn me?” Tupac Shakur asked on Thug Life’s first and only album, Thug Life: Volume 1. 18 years after the rapper’s tragic death, Jada Pinkett Smith reflects on ‘Pac’s passing and the lives of other friends she’s lost with a touching Facebook post.

“In this picture I’m flanked by two extremely close friends of mine,” she says in the photo’s caption. “Tupac and Maxine. They both died tragically not too far apart from one another.

“I flipped through more pictures of my youth only to come across at least 6 other friends who had been taken from this world…violently. I can’t even count acquaintances. There was a time all that loss felt like the norm; today it felt unnatural, strange, downright wrong.”

Smith’s heartfelt and moving post also offers gratitude for what she’s been able to overcome and attain in her career.

“Half of my life was surviving a war zone…genocide,” she explains. “I’m grateful for what I have survived. GratefuI that I can spend an evening with Fallon playing a pie in the face game. Grateful I didn’t become a statistic like I often thought I would. Grateful that my own children don’t have to confront the loss and violence in their neighborhood in the way their parents had to.

“But, I also feel helpless, a bit depressed that there are so many of us who still do. And it feels like it’s only gotten and getting worse.”

Smith and Shakur met ...

By Andres Tardio

50 Cent and Chelsea Handler have been flirting for years. Don’t believe us? Check the timeline.

The former E! host reignited those rumors on Sunday (October 12) when she posted a photo of a female statue laying on her stomach on Instagram. Her caption? “What 50 cent saw in me.”

50 wasted little time in responding. He Instagrammed the same picture with his own caption: “DANM! this picture reminds me of @chelseahandler crazy ass.lol.”

Gossip has swirled around Chelsea Handler and Curtis Jackson since at least 2009 when Fif appeared on the comic’s now-defunct late-night show, “Chelsea Lately.” At the time, Handler called the G-Unit general “cute,” and he complimented her “pretty eyes.”

Since then, they’ve both denied and played up those rumors several times.

This year, 50 and his reunited G-Unit family joined Wiz Khalifa, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Aniston, among others, as they all bid farewell to Handler’s late-night hosting gig on the “Chelsea Lately” finale.

50 and Chelsea have been busy this year. Handler has been promoting her recent Netflix special, “Uganda Be Kidding Me Live,” while Fif and The Unit have been promoting their latest project, The Beauty Of Independence, and finalizing material for their next release, The Beast Is G-Unit.

MTV News Staff

By Andres Tardio

It seems August Alsina has not been cleared to travel overseas after his onstage collapse and resulting three-day coma back in September.

Doctors have advised the singer to avoid traveling to London, where he was set to perform Saturday (October 11) as part of Kevin Hart’s HartBeat Weekend.

Alsina let his fans know about the cancelation on Twitter Friday, offering an apology for having to change plans.

A rep for the “No Love” singer also commented on the cancellation, saying the artist was sad about not being being able to perform in the U.K.

“Due to the well-publicized fall from a stage in New York last month which caused August to be hospitalized for more than a week, his medical team has advised him that it would be unwise to travel such distance so soon into his recovery,” the spokesperson said in a statement via Billboard.

He continued: “August has asked us to convey his disappointment and sadness that he will be unable to perform. We all wish him the very best of luck and a speedy recovery.”

Kevin Hart also expressed disappointment over the cancelation, but he added that his “thoughts and well wishes go out to” Alsina. In a statement, the “Ride Along” star also praised August for understanding that “his health must take priority over anything else.”

Hart echoed these sentiments on Twitter.

Hart isn’t the only celebrity to wish Alsina well following the singer’s collapse and coma. Nicki Minaj ...

By Andres Tardio

While Iggy Azalea raps about how she “can’t stand no haters” on “Fancy,” she apparently can’t stand a certain paparazzo, either.

The rapper has taken to Instagram to explain her side of the story regarding a recent run-in with a photographer, who she alleges had been following her throughhout the day, that was caught on tape.

The clip shows the man, Iggy and a woman accompanying her hurling insults at each other from across a supermaket parking lot. At one point, Iggy calls the man a “c–t” for taking pictures of her after repeatedly asking him not to, and the woman with her allegedly spits on the photog during the heated exchange.

Azalea also runs her shopping cart up to the him after she is heard saying: “I hope you have Ebola. I hope you die.” Ouch.

On Instagram, Iggy explains what we didn’t see in the video: “Judge me for spazzing if you like but you only saw the 30sec aftermath which was classy in comparison to what he said to us inside the grocery store where we discovered him lying on the floor after we had repeatedly & politely asked him to leave multiple locations during the course of the day.”

While she clearly doesn’t have any love for this particular photog, the “Black Widow” MC also clarifies her stance on the attention she receives from the paparazzi in a lengthy Instagram caption.

“I don’t hate paps,” she explains. “Just the really ...

By Andres Tardio

Allow Bobby Shmurda to reintroduce himself!

Months after becoming a social-media sensation thanks to the hat toss seen ‘round the world and the Flash Shmob-ready Shmoney Dance, Bobby Shmurda has blessed us with a reintroduction of sorts on “Bobby Bitch.”

As you’d expect, the track is catchy, but the Dondre beat sounds a bit more menacing than the Jahlil Beats-produced “Hot N—a,” which became one of the hottest cuts of the year. The “Bobby Bitch” lyrics also carry a murderous theme, a holdover from bodies being caught “’bout a week ago.”

“I’m Bobby, b—-h,” he raps on the song’s hook. “I don’t know karate, b—-h / We droppin’ bodies, b—-h / They say shootin’ is my hobby, b—-h / And I’m a problem kid.”

Even though he’s got a new song out, the Brooklyn rapper’s still aware of the magic behind “Hot,” a song he performed with The Roots (who wore matching Shmoney Team T-shirts) on Friday night’s episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Not bad for his network TV debut.

Following the performance, Shmurda also posted a video of Jimmy Fallon turning the Shmoney Dance into the Shtruggle Dance.

Fallon, likely aware that he pulled off one of the worst renditions of the dance ever, promised Shmurda something: “I’ma learn how to do it.” Practice makes perfect, Jimmy. Maybe the “Tonight Show” host could have used some practice at last night’s Flash Shmob.

Read More →

By Danica Davidson

We all fell in love with the kitten version of Lil Jon’s “Turn Down For What,” and now there’s another take on the song you’ve gotta see. Just in time for the midterm elections, Rock the Vote and the Atlanta rapper/producer teamed up to release “Turn Out For What,” laying out a number of reasons why we need to turn out to vote on November 4.

The vid starts with Lil Jon explaining to Whoopi Goldberg how he’s voting in the midterms. Once he gets to the voting place to cast his ballots, he spots a lot more famous faces, including Lena Dunham, Tracy Anderson, Sophia Bush, EJ Johnson, Ireland Baldwin, Fred Armisen and Darren Criss. And they’re all more than happy to say what they’re turning out for.

“Glee” star Criss is turning out for education. Dunham (a.k.a. Lil Lena) is turning out for reproductive rights, while Baldwin is turning out for global warming.

Related: Check Out Our Voter Self-Defense Guide For Info On Voting Rules In Your State

The clip also brings up topics like student loans, gun control, deforestation, marriage equality, workers’ rights, animal cruelty, voting rights, healthcare reform, veterans’ rights, police brutality and immigration. All of which will be impacted by the outcome of the 2014 midterm elections. Because even though we’re not voting for a president at this election, we’re voting for senators, members of Congress and governors, and these elected officials will have serious pull on those issues.

Plus, ...

By Andres Tardio

Ellen DeGeneres and Ice Cube battled it out on Monday (October 6), but there were no raps involved. Instead, they challenged one another to see who had the best pick-up lines in an icebreaker challenge on the comedian’s daytime show.

Standing in front of a makeshift bar, Ellen kicked things off with, “Come here often?” Cube, unimpressed, was left asking, “That’s it?” The challenge was clearly on.

Cube, who was on the show promoting the October 17 release of the upcoming animated film, “The Book of Life”, and Ellen somehow managed to hold their composure. “Are you from Memphis?” Cube asked Ellen. “‘Cause you’re the only ten I see.” Ellen struck back at Cube with a classic: “You with all those curves and me no brakes.”

Eventually, DeGeneres took home the win, uttering “I think I need a library card ‘cause I’m gonna check you out” moments before the timer ran out.

Related: Ariana Grande Plays ‘Who’s In My Bushes?!’ With Ellen

Along with “The Book of Life,” in which he voices Candle Maker alongside Channing Tatum and Zoe Saldana, Cube has also been working on “Straight Outta Compton”, an N.W.A biopic. Besides movies, he’s also prepping for the October 21 release of his next album, Everythang’s Corrupt.

MTV News Staff

By Andres Tardio

Breakups can be painful. Amber Rose understands.

Rose, who recently filed for divorce from her husband of over a year, Wiz Khalifa, shared what appears to be some of that breakup pain on Monday (October 6), posting some heartbreaking words on Twitter.

We’re not sure if these tweets are about the “We Dem Boyz” rapper, but it’s hard not to make assumptions. Amber and Wiz have had a rough few weeks since publicly confirming their breakup. Recently, Rose accused Khalifa of cheating, and rumors have also swirled regarding her own romantic life.

While Amber might be feeling the pain, she’s still working. The model is scheduled to host her birthday bash at Pure Lounge in Sunnyvale, California on October 24.

MTV News Staff

By Danielle Turchiano

If it seems like DC Comics is taking over television these days, it’s because they kind of are. Between the series currently airing and the potential future ones still being developed, somewhat fantastical dramas about men and women doing extraordinary things are sweeping through homes of fanboys, fangirls, and casual comic book fans alike. The next one to premiere, but one that has been buzzed about for a year already, is “The Flash,” the origin story of Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) – a man who develops super speed after a freak incident involving a lightning storm and a particle accelerator.

Earlier today, MTV News and a few other select outlets sat down with select stars and executive producers behind “The Flash” to screen the pilot, and learn what to expect in this forthcoming first season. Read on for all of the juicy spoilers!

1. Flash Begins

Warner Bros.

“We experience the show through Grant—through Barry. Who people are, what they seem, we’re learning that as he’s learning that,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg said. “It’s Flash begins: everybody’s starting out.”

When the pilot of “The Flash” opens, the audience is introduced to the key players in Barry’s world from before he was “changed.” We meet his father who is in prison for supposedly killing his mother; we meet his adoptive father; we meet his childhood best friend; we meet his co-workers and confidantes in his change. Though the pilot is very much Barry’s story, showing ...