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Tupac 40th Birthday Bash Draws Rick Ross, Erykah Badu

‘Afeni Shakur she was loving the song,’ Meek Mill tells MTV News after performing ‘Tupac Back’ with Ross. By Rob Markman Meek Mill and Rick Ross perform at Tupac’s 40th birthday party Photo: Dennis Byron Tupac’s spirit lived on Thursday night at the Atlanta Symphony Hall, as family, friends and fans celebrated him on what would have been the late rapper/actor’s 40th birthday . Rick Ross, Erykah Badu, Bun B, 8Ball & MJG and comedian Mike Epps all attended the event, raising money for the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, which helps students develop their skills in the creative arts. The crowd stood and applauded when Epps, host of the event, presented ‘Pac’s mother, Afeni, with a $10,000 donation, The Associated Press reported. Ross then took the stage with his new Maybach Music signee Meek Mill to perform their homage-paying single “Tupac Back.” Not only did the crowd approve but Meek told MTV News he noticed the reaction of one special partygoer in particular. “I was just representing for Tupac and we performed it out here in front of his mom. His mom was loving it; Afeni Shakur she was loving the song,” he said backstage after the show. Mill admitted that he expected to draw some criticism for comparing himself to the revered Shakur on “Tupac Back,” but said he first found inspiration to rap in Shakur’s rebellious attitude. “I knew it was going to be a lot of talk behind it, people sayin’, like, me thinkin’ I’m Tupac or whatever, but we represent the same thing,” the Philly rapper said. ” ‘Pac, he don’t care what he say, he gonna give you rawness, and that’s what I always felt. That’s the biggest message he gave to me: always give out rawness and the things you want to say, say it.” The party was held a day after AllHipHop.com obtained a letter from Dexter Isaac claiming to be involved in the 1994 robbery and shooting of Shakur at Quad Studios in Manhattan. ‘Pac, who was shot five times in that incident, survived, but began serving a prison sentence for a sexual assault charge in February 1995. On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot in Las Vegas and died in the hospital six days later. Related Artists Tupac Erykah Badu Rick Ross (Hip-Hop)

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Tupac 40th Birthday Bash Draws Rick Ross, Erykah Badu

50 Cent Clears Up Twitter Label Drama

Fif also reveals that he is on Dr. Dre’s next single, ‘The Psycho.’ By Rob Markman 50 Cent Photo: Michael Tran/ FilmMagic 50 Cent went into renegade mode Thursday, blasting his label on Twitter and releasing his new single “Outlaw” independently of Interscope. Don’t get it twisted, however: The G-Unit General isn’t just acting off of emotion. This is all part of his plan to light a fire under the label in preparation of his fifth, yet-untitled album. (50 confirmed to MTV News that this is not the Black Magic album he had announced in 2010.) On April 18, Fif announced via Twitter that he was going to be dropping a single from his new album, but never did. When MTV News caught up with him a few days later on the L.A. set of Nicole Scherzinger’s “Right There” video, 50 backtracked , saying that instead, he opted to work in conjunction with Interscope on the release. “So I had the record I was ready to launch, and we sat down and everybody talked,” Fif told MTV News in an interview Friday (June 17). “What happens is, there are a lot of people involved in my actual launch, because its three parties; it’s Shady, then you got Aftermath, then you got Interscope, and then you got me on my end. So by the time we got to go sit down with [Interscope chairman] Jimmy [Iovine], we talked a little bit, and then I ended up having to go see Dre, because we had the issue, the confusion about the Twitter stuff.” The “Twitter stuff” the Southside Jamaica, Queens, rapper is referencing is when he charged on the social-networking site that Dre and Jimmy Iovine were “mad” because Fif announced that he was developing his own brand of high-end head headphones to rival the Good Doctor’s Beats by Dre. “We sat down, we cleared that up, me and Dre, and then we said, ‘Let’s just get back to the music and do what we do,’ ” Curtis said before revealing his and Dre’s next move. “Immediately after, we wrote a song together called ‘The Psycho’; it’s Dre’s next single.” After making peace with his partners, it was 50’s intention to release his own single with his label’s support and have a record that would impact radio so he could perform at Hot 97’s annual Summer Jam concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. There was no single and, subsequently, no 50 Cent at the show, which took place June 5. “Why would I be going to Summer Jam to perform a bunch of feature songs?” the rapper asked rhetorically. “That’s not for me. I rather not be there than to go through that.” Things took a turn Thursday when the MC tweeted: “Ok I tried to be cool with my record company. I went to the meeting talk to everyone and sh– feels like there moving in slow motion,” adding that he wouldn’t drop an album in 2011 unless Interscope got “on the same page.” Then he premiered his new song “Outlaw” later that evening in an effort to cause excitement for his upcoming LP, which will be his last on Interscope. Though he is visibly concerned about how the rollout of his album is being handled, Fif wants to be clear about where he places the blame. “It’s not necessarily Dre or Jimmy; it’s more the guys that they pass the responsibilities on to. It takes longer for people, because they’ll be like, ‘OK, we’re gonna do this and we’re gonna do that,’ and the building will start having those conversations, but they’re not actually moving at that point.” What do you think of 50 Cent’s label drama? How about the new song “Outlaw”? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists 50 Cent

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50 Cent Clears Up Twitter Label Drama

Britney Spears’ Tour ‘A Real Buzz’ For Openers Nervo

‘The nerves are gone now, and I just want to own it more,’ Nervo’s Liv tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Jeremy Cowart/ WireImage The Femme Fatale Tour kicked off Thursday night to rave reviews, with critics giving Britney Spears props for her over-the-top stage show. The show is all about the ladies, thanks to opening slots from Nervo , Jessie and the Boy Toys, as well as Nicki Minaj, with Spears acting as the show’s head mistress. MTV News caught up with Liv from the DJ act Nervo on Friday (June 17), nearly 24 hours after their first warm-up gig for Ms. Spears. “I’ve got to say, it was a real buzz for us to open the show; that’s the selfish highlight,” she told MTV News. “We were honored to be there. I thought the crowd got our house music.” Liv had the pleasure of finally seeing Spears in concert for the first time and couldn’t help but rave about her. “I thought she was brilliant. It was my first time seeing Nicki, as well, and she was brilliant,” she said. “I love ‘Slave 4 U.’ I was really happy she was playing her oldies.” When fans first heard that Spears and Minaj would be touring together, no one knew how the two would mesh. But, as it turns out, Liv said they work just perfectly. “They’re both very strong women. Britney was the same old Britney we love,” she said. “They complemented each other.” In fact, there’s a real sense of camaraderie on the road. “The nerves are gone now, and I just want to own it more,” she said. “It really does [feel like girl power]. It’s very exciting. We’re all girls. This business is crazy, and it’s fun we can all be in it together. “It really is a machine. We’ve done RV tours before with club DJs, and this is so far and beyond from the RV tours,” she said. “The catering is insane; three-course meals, three times a day. I’ve never seen what it takes to be a part of one of these pop shows, and it takes so much work. It’s full on. It’s great. It’s amazing that she can take it all in stride all these years later.” Will you be checking out Britney’s latest tour? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Britney Spears

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Britney Spears’ Tour ‘A Real Buzz’ For Openers Nervo

Rebecca Black Yanks ‘Friday’ Vid From YouTube

: ‘We can confirm that we submitted a Take Down Notice to YouTube,’ singer’s rep confirms to TMZ. By Rob Markman Rebecca Black Photo: Getty/ Jason LaVeris While 9-to-5ers everywhere are shouting TGIF!, YouTube sensation Rebecca Black is crying foul. After rising to notoriety off the back of her oft-viewed-yet-constantly criticized “Friday” music video, Black went on to surpass the likes of Lady Gaga in YouTube views. Now, the 13-year-old has pulled her video from the site that made her so famous. The dispute is actually with the teen’s label, Ark Music. “We can confirm that we submitted a Take Down Notice to YouTube as a result of the dispute we have with Ark Music regarding the ‘Friday’ video,” Black’s rep told TMZ . Earlier this week, Ark, which produced and wrote “Friday,” charged fans $2.99 to watch the clip on YouTube. But the move didn’t go over well with the polarizing pop star. Team Black has threatened legal action against the label, claiming that the company is exploiting RB’s image and her viral hit. This week hasn’t been all bad for Black, however. On Monday, she scored a cameo role in Katy Perry’s clip for “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” . In the vid, the youngster gives a nerdy-looking Perry a makeover, creating the look that she needs to be able to kick it with the cool kids. When Rebecca Black sat down with MTV News in March, she was still getting used to being a celeb. “I still question myself: ‘Is this real? When am I gonna wake up?’ ” Black said. Now, she not only has to get used to the stardom but the business end as well. Maybe it can wait till Monday. Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Rebecca Black Related Artists Rebecca Black

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Rebecca Black Yanks ‘Friday’ Vid From YouTube

Britney Spears Kicks Off ‘Flashiest’ Tour Yet

The Femme Fatale launched her tour in Sacramento, California, and is getting raves from music critics. By Jocelyn Vena Britney Spears Photo: Max Morse/Getty Images On Thursday night, Britney Spears declared herself a Femme Fatale, launching her tour in Sacramento, California. Having already garnered praise from critics who attended her dress rehearsal , Spears got more rave reviews from music journalists who attended the kick-off show. In addition to the glitzy costumes and high production value, Spears flaunted her stage chops, sashaying to songs like “Hold It Against Me” and “Big Fat Bass,” as well as old-school jams like “Toxic” and “Don’t Let Me Be the Last to Know.” Describing it as “her flashiest, fastest moving, and most entertaining production yet,” Rollingstone.com said that while tour-opener Nicki Minaj brought her signature sass, “The night belonged to Britney: She managed to prove that she’s still progressing as a showgirl. Not only that, she’s doing it better than even die-hard defenders would’ve predicted.” The Sacramento Bee explained that while “Spears performed like a pro throughout the show, hitting all her marks, she had shown hesitancy in her movements — natural for the first stop on a tour. But that hesitancy vanished when she put on the denim. She seemed at ease.” The best review of all may have come from Spears herself, who enthusiastically took to Twitter to thank her fans: “Can’t sleep. WAY too much Adrenaline right now. Sacramento was on fire tonight. You ready San Jose? Cause I am!!!!” Once she wraps her San Jos

Jimmy Henchman’s Lawyer Refutes Link To G-Unit Associate’s Murder

‘The only ‘evidence’ tying that murder to Jimmy Rosemond is the uncorroborated word of a criminal,’ Jeffery Lichtman tells MTV News. By Rob Markman Jimmy Henchman Photo: MTV News Things continue to go south for Jimmy “Henchman” Rosemond, but despite federal prosecutors’ efforts to tie the longtime music manager to shootings and murders, his lawyer continues to refute the mounting claims. On Wednesday, Dexter Isaac told AllHipHop.com that he had a role in the 1994 robbery and shooting of Tupac Shakur and he alleged that Henchman paid him $2,500 to do the deed. Now, on Thursday (June 16), the Smoking Gun reported that two men tied to Rosemond have been charged with the 2009 murder of Lowell “Lodi Mack” Fletcher, a known G-Unit associate. Henchman questioned the credibility of Dexter Isaac in a statement he issued in May, while his lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, recently called Isaac’s confession “a flat-out lie.” In response to Rosemond’s connection to the murder of Lodi Mack, Henchman’s lawyer issued this statement to MTV News: “The only ‘evidence’ tying that murder to Jimmy Rosemond is the uncorroborated word of a criminal seeking to get out from under a lengthy jail sentence. Prosecution witnesses have been bribed and threatened, solely in an effort to convict Jimmy, a target of the US Attorney’s office for years.” After a 2007 incident when he assaulted Rosemond’s son , Fletcher pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. As the story goes, Fletcher slapped Henchman’s son in the head after he spotted the teenager walking down a Manhattan street wearing a T-shirt with the name and logo of his father’s management company, Czar Entertainment. 50 Cent’s artist Tony Yayo, who was also present at the time, pleaded guilty to a noncriminal harassment charge in connection with the incident, but escaped any jail time. At the time 50 Cent and his G-Unit collective were involved in a beef with Game, who is managed by Czar (a source close to Game told MTV News that while the rapper is still signed with Henchman, he doesn’t manage his day-to-day affairs). Fletcher was sentenced to nine months in prison, which ran concurrent with an unrelated narcotics charge; he was eventually paroled in 2009. Two weeks after being released, Fletcher was fatally gunned down in the Bronx, New York. Now, Rodney Johnson and Brian McCleod are being charged with the Fletcher murder by federal prosecutors in a superseding indictment obtained by the Smoking Gun . The indictment charges that Johnson orchestrated the killing and that McCleod agreed to carry out the murder in exchange for narcotics. The document, however, does not specify who the triggerman actually was. The indictment also charges the men with drug trafficking, tying them to a ring that moved cocaine from L.A. to New York. DEA agents believe that Jimmy Henchman headed the ring but have not charged him with the Lowell murder in any way. Related Artists G-Unit 50 Cent

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Jimmy Henchman’s Lawyer Refutes Link To G-Unit Associate’s Murder

Tupac’s Teasing Inspires Tech N9ne’s New Video

Kansas City MC says playful ‘Pac taunts like ‘How’s Dorothy and Toto?’ sparked concept for ‘He’s a Mental Giant’ clip. By Rob Markman Tech N9ne Photo: MTV News Strange music indeed. In Tech N9ne ‘s latest music video, “He’s a Mental Giant,” the Kansas City, Missouri, rapper puts a hip-hop twist on the 1939 classic film “The Wizard of Oz.” While Tech says that the clip’s concept came from director Dan Gedman, he also credits Tupac with helping to spark the idea. “I remember when I met Tupac in ’92 at Jack the Rapper [music conference] at the Atlanta Hilton. I used to be down there in the lobby and Tupac down there drunk, yelling and stuff. I used to tell everybody I was from K.C.; they was like, ‘They let y’all rap in Kansas City? How’s Dorothy and Toto?’ ” he recalled of the ribbing he got from ‘Pac and other rappers. “I’m like, ‘OK, watch this.’ ” Of course, Tech hails from the Missouri city, not the state of Kansas, where “Oz” is set. Regardless, the “Mental Giant” clip shows Tecca Nina looking into a crystal ball as another incarnation of the MC wanders through a fantasy world. Throughout his journey, Tech avoids various pitfalls like lustful women and an alien air-raid before escaping in a hot-air balloon made of stone. “Mental Giant” is the second single off of Tech’s All 6’s and 7’s, which debuted at #4 on the Billboard albums chart this week thanks to Nina’s dedicated fanbase , an 82-city tour and, of course, creative video concepts. “I just did it and some crazy-ass Wizard of Oz on ecstasy and shrooms came out,” he laughed. “I think that’s a good thing.” Related Artists Tech N9ne Tupac

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Tupac’s Teasing Inspires Tech N9ne’s New Video

Stevie Stone Talks Signing With Tech N9ne’s Label

‘It was a move that was in my heart,’ rapper tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Stevie Stone Photo: MTV News Fire Starter: Stevie Stone Some things were just meant to be. In the case of St. Louis, Missouri, rapper Stevie Stone , signing with Tech N9ne ‘s Strange Music label was well in the works before the up-and-coming rapper signed his name on the dotted line. After opening for Tech with a 10-minute set in a Fulton, Missouri, show as a high school student in 2000, Stone knew that he wanted to pursue music full-time. “That 10 minutes gave me the bug,” Stevie told Mixtape Daily at a recent Independence, Missouri, album signing event for Tech’s All 6’s and 7’s. Through the years the young MC kept in close contact, doing shows with Tech even though he signed his initial deal with Ruthless Records, the label co-founded by the late Eazy-E. In 2009 Stone dropped his debut album, New Kid Comin. Tech appeared on the LP on a song called “Midwest Explosion.” “A lot of his fans — Technicians, Juggalos — all of them adapted to it,” Stone said of the song. “My name started buzzing around here, especially in the Midwest on the underground scene.” Though he and Tech had formed a bond, Stevie was contractually obligated to Ruthless and couldn’t sign to Strange. Still, he joined Tecca Nina on his K.O.D. tour in 2009, his Ruthless contract expired the next year and he ended up officially signing with Strange in March. Stone is currently on Tech’s 82-city All 6’s and 7’s tour as an opening act. In between shows, the new addition is prepping his Strange Music debut, Rolling Stone, for an early 2012 release. “It was a move that was in my heart. I knew it was the move to make, and I guess they felt the same way. And when the time presented itself, we inked,” said Stevie, holding up his Strange Music chain with pride. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Stevie Stone Tech N9ne

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Stevie Stone Talks Signing With Tech N9ne’s Label

Stevie Stone Talks Signing With Tech N9ne’s Label

‘It was a move that was in my heart,’ rapper tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Stevie Stone Photo: MTV News Fire Starter: Stevie Stone Some things were just meant to be. In the case of St. Louis, Missouri, rapper Stevie Stone , signing with Tech N9ne ‘s Strange Music label was well in the works before the up-and-coming rapper signed his name on the dotted line. After opening for Tech with a 10-minute set in a Fulton, Missouri, show as a high school student in 2000, Stone knew that he wanted to pursue music full-time. “That 10 minutes gave me the bug,” Stevie told Mixtape Daily at a recent Independence, Missouri, album signing event for Tech’s All 6’s and 7’s. Through the years the young MC kept in close contact, doing shows with Tech even though he signed his initial deal with Ruthless Records, the label co-founded by the late Eazy-E. In 2009 Stone dropped his debut album, New Kid Comin. Tech appeared on the LP on a song called “Midwest Explosion.” “A lot of his fans — Technicians, Juggalos — all of them adapted to it,” Stone said of the song. “My name started buzzing around here, especially in the Midwest on the underground scene.” Though he and Tech had formed a bond, Stevie was contractually obligated to Ruthless and couldn’t sign to Strange. Still, he joined Tecca Nina on his K.O.D. tour in 2009, his Ruthless contract expired the next year and he ended up officially signing with Strange in March. Stone is currently on Tech’s 82-city All 6’s and 7’s tour as an opening act. In between shows, the new addition is prepping his Strange Music debut, Rolling Stone, for an early 2012 release. “It was a move that was in my heart. I knew it was the move to make, and I guess they felt the same way. And when the time presented itself, we inked,” said Stevie, holding up his Strange Music chain with pride. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Stevie Stone Tech N9ne

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Stevie Stone Talks Signing With Tech N9ne’s Label

Selena Gomez Does Her Best Britney On ‘Whiplash’

Teen star channels the pop titan as Spears-penned dance tune from Gomez’s album leaks to the Net. By James Dinh Selena Gomez Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/ WireImage It’s a good thing Selena Gomez is feeling much better after her hospitalization last week because the Disney starlet has a string of gigs lined up to promote her soon-to-be-released album, When the Sun Goes Down. And while the LP doesn’t hit stores until June 28, some of the tracks have already surfaced on the Internet, including “Whiplash,” which MTV News has confirmed was co-written by Britney Spears . Gomez, who has gushed to us about her Spears fandom, shows off her best impersonation of the pop princess on “Whiplash.” The dance number begins with sonic flares and effects as the teen songstress sings about a blossoming romance. Gomez then adds a twist to the song by saying a number of phrases in a thick British accent before the pulsating chorus kicks in. “Come on and take me to the other side/ I’m gonna wait, when I look into your eyes,” she croons. “I’m so in love, I think I’m going to crash/ And get whiplash, whiplash, whiplash.” “Whiplash” was reportedly a track that failed to make the cut on Spears’ comeback album, Circus. Among the other songs leaked from When the Sun Goes Down are “That’s More Like It” and “We Own the Night.” Fans will get to see Selena doing more Britney when she tackles some of the pop star’s classic hits on her upcoming tour. Earlier this year, Gomez told MTV News that she was thinking about paying tribute to the singer with “a mash-up of some of her songs.” The Disney starlet and hard-core Britney fan revealed that she looked at Spears’ entire discography in decided what tunes to cover. “We’re gonna do a little tribute. We’re gonna do her hits, ‘ … Baby One More Time,’ and then I think we’re going to try to incorporate ‘Toxic’ and that phase,” she said. “And then we might do some of her recent, new stuff.” Have you heard “Whiplash”? Sound off below! Related Photos Selena Gomez Performs At The Santa Monica Mall Related Artists Selena Gomez

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Selena Gomez Does Her Best Britney On ‘Whiplash’