Sinner Vs. Saint! J. Cole is Ready to Compete With Kanye West

Producer/artist Vs. producer/artist? That’s what it’s looking like for June 18th! It’s not unusual for two of the most anticipated albums to release on the same day. It’s also not unsual for Kanye West to be one of the headliners of this toe-to-toe release. A few years ago, the “New Slaves” rapper released Graduation LP ...

Los Angeles Clippers Fire Head Coach Vinny Del Negro

Coaching vacancy in L.A. After an underwhelming playoff performance the Los Angeles Clippers have decided to fire their Head Coach Vinny Del Negro. The Clippers were bounced out of the first round by the Memphis Grizzlies after posting a team record 56 wins. This firing is no surprise to anyone as a team as good ...

The Cleveland Cavaliers Win The NBA Draft Lottery

The Cavaliers will have the first pick in the NBA Draft For the second time in three years the Cleveland Cavaliers will have the #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. Going in to the draft the Cavaliers had a 15.6% chance of getting the first pick. The Orlando Magic who had the highest chance ...

B.o.B Joins Lecrae on “Round Of Applause (Remix)”

We ain’t supposed to be here. This collaboration between Lecrae and B.o.B is epic, to say the least! Lecrae’s positive message always makes for a good song. His flow blends so well that you’d forget his gospel influence. Both of these artists have come a long way and deserve a round of applause right next ...

The Daymond John Academy and the HHSYC Partner to Empower Communities and End Gun and Gang Violence.

THE DAYMOND JOHN ACADEMY (DJA) AND THE HIP-HOP SUMMIT YOUTH COUNCIL (HHSYC) CELEBRATE “HIP-HOP AGAINST GUN & GANG VIOLENCE WEEK” (May 17-23, 2013) AS PROCLAIMED BY NYC MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, THE NYC COUNCIL AND NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE EDWARD MANGANO AT THE SHERATON HOTEL WITH PLANS TO CURB GUN & GANG VIOLENCE BY CONSULTING, TRAINING AND ...

Soyinka on 'Obscene' Push for Achebe Nobel

(Sahara Reporters) -- Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka has described Africa's most well-known novelist, Chinua Achebe, as a storyteller who earned global celebration, adding, however, that those describing Achebe as "the father of African literature" were ignorant.

In a wide-ranging interview with Sahara Reporters, Soyinka paid tribute to the late novelist, who died on March 21, 2013, at age 82. Soyinka, who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for literature, also spoke about his personal relationship with Achebe and other Nigerian writers; his regrets about Achebe's last book, There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra; and his attempt to talk the late Biafran leader Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu out of fighting a war. Soyinka also answered questions about Heinemann's African Writers Series and scolded "clannish" and "opportunistic hagiographers" fixated on the fact that Achebe never won the Nobel Prize.

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Child-Support Laws: A Boon for Gold Diggers?

(The Root) -- Just when it seemed Charlie Sheen's story couldn't get any more depressing for him, his fans and his family, things have managed to take a turn for the worse. His estranged wife, Brooke Mueller, has been admitted to rehab for drug addiction, something she's struggled with for years.

Despite the fact that her twin toddlers with Sheen have previously been cared for by his first wife, actress Denise Richards, during some of Mueller's previous stints in rehab, Mueller has attempted to have the twins removed from Richards' custody. The reason, Sheen's lawyers allege, is that the $55,000 a month in child support that Sheen is paying Mueller is her sole source of income.

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Doggie Racism Is Real! Here's How to Deal

"We live in a diverse urban city. I am white and my husband is Filipino and white, but he's often mistaken for Indian or black/mixed because of his dark complexion. He is great with animals in general and is a supersweet, calm, gentle person; we foster rescue dogs that are really sensitive, and they love him! But on several occasions when we're meeting with co-workers and friends, their dogs will bark and act aggressively toward him, yet not toward the other white people who are also present.

"I've researched why dogs may behave this way, but I'm wondering what to do about this from my end. Is there a polite thing that we can do or say to alleviate this socially? If we are somewhere long enough for the dog to calm down and interact with my husband, it works out, but most of our friends are dog people, so I am curious if you know of a polite fix!" --Needing a Doggie Olive Branch

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Quote of the Day: Jean Toomer

Read more about Jean Toomer here.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African-American Research at Harvard University. He is also the editor-in-chief of The Root. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

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Kanye West, 'New Slaves' and Hypocrisy

Ernest Owens rips into Kanye West's new single at the Huffington Post, lamenting that the singer knows more than other rappers, yet "does nothing to fix the problem."

Everyone has that one cousin in the family that never tends to shut up at the dinner table.

They complain about how the world is wicked and how all of us are just pawns in the middle of it. Some of what they say is enlightening, insightful, and makes sense. Yet, a lot of it gets mumbled in between blatant disrespectful rants and overblown ignorance. When it comes to hip-hop and mainstream music, that cousin would be Kanye West.

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Listen to DJ Flexx to Win a $50 Gift Card

Grab a picnic basket and get ready for a spring picnic or a summer day at the beach. Listen afternoons to DJ Flexx all this week to a $50 Wal-Mart gift card. Courtesy of French’s […]

New Beyoncé Song ‘Grown Woman’ Explores Feminine Power

With help from a heavy tribal beat, Beyoncé’s latest song, “Grown Woman,” which leaked last night, touches on the power of femininity. Does this mean Bey's finally ready to embrace feminism?

‘The X Factor’ Adds Two New Judges: Kelly Rowland And Paulina Rubio

Since the departure of high profile X Factor judge Britney Spears and record exec L.A. Reid, speculation has run rampant as to who will join Simon Cowell’s U.S. judging panel. The question was answered today […]

Rock The Bells Says Show Will Go On, Hopefully With The Blessing Of ODB’s Widow

Just days after Rock The Bells announced this year's show would feature virtual performances from ODB and Eazy-E, Ol' Dirty Bastard's widow demanded she be consulted before the project could continue.

Take A Tour Of Michael Jackson’s Estate This Sunday On ’60 Minutes’

On 60 Minutes this Sunday, fans will get an insider's look at Michael Jackson’s estate.

P.A. The Lemonade Man Ft. Fat Trel -- Brick N The Back [Official Video] @DMVHEAT1 DMVHEAT.COM

PIFF UNIT RECORDS PRESENTS: P.A. THE LEMONADE MAN'S FIRST SINGLE "BRICK N THE BACK" FEATURING FAT TREL PRODUCED BY PIFF UNIT PRODUCTION'S OWN RICHLOU OFF OF…

ChiefGang - Budget [Official Video] | Vid by @OfficialCryan @DMVHEAT1 DMVHEAT.COM

Music video by ChiefGang performing Budget. (C) 2012 - ChiefGang Dir. x OfficialCRyan www.officialcryan.net Twitter- @KillaCassanova @That_Kid_Stylez…

Young Red - Straight Like That ft. Fat Trel, Smokahatas, Bo Deal [Official Video] @DMVHEAT1 DMVHEAT.COM

Young Red - Straight Like That ft. Fat Trel, Smokahatas, Bo Deal

Phil Adé - Nas Told Me [R.O.S.E. Intro] @DMVHEAT1 DMVHEAT.COM

Directed by Jerome D. Produced by Sunny Norway "Nas Told Me" is the intro to Phil Adé's forthcoming project R.O.S.E., which will be available Summer 2013…

Rammy - G For Gentlemen [Official Video] @DMVHEAT1 DMVHEAT.COM

Rammy, The Global Dimension of Hip Hop as the local press likes to call her, is a Hip Hop recording artist, singer/rapper, songwriter, dancer, actress,…

MMG's YOUNG BREED & S.E. YOUNG STRIKE PERFORMED @ CRUNK BATTLE 2 @DMVHEAT1 DMVHEAT.COM

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Justin Bieber -- Talk About My Parties ... I'll Sue You For $5 Mil

Here's the good news ... Justin Bieber wants to invite you to one of his house parties.  The bad news ... if you talk about it, he's gonna sue your ass for $5 million.TMZ has obtained a copy of a document EVERYONE must sign before entering Casa…

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Maria Shriver -- The Secret Butt Grab [VIDEO]

And now, definitive proof Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver are definitely maybe BACK TOGETHER -- Arnold totally grabbed Maria's butt last weekend ... and TMZ has video.As we reported, Arnold and Maria were attending their daughter Christina's…

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Drop $26.5 Million On Astounding Cali Mansion

It's the kinda house 99.999% of the world will never see ... let alone OWN -- but TMZ has learned, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi just purchased this $26.5 million mansion in Santa Barbara.The deal went through last week, and words…

Kim Kardashian -- My Baby Shower Invite Is Better Than Yours

Just how over the top were Kim Kardashian's music-box baby shower invitations? Really, really, really over the top -- and TMZ has the first photo proof. The invite to Kim K's June 2nd bash -- sent to a guest close to Kanye West -- arrived as a fully…

Steve Holt -- I'm Throwing an Epic 'Arrested Development' Premiere Party ... STEVE HOLT!

"Arrested Development" star Justin Wade -- who plays Steve Holt on the show (STEVE HOLT!!!) -- couldn't be more excited for the big premiere on Netflix this weekend ... telling TMZ, he's planning to throw a massive rager to commemorate the big…