D ANGELO'S NEW ALBUM, @CHICRAW, @FREEWAY @ELZHI @MARLYMAL @ELTONBRAND PRODUCES TUPAC MOVIE @PETEROCK & MORE

D'Angelo is back in the studio, and The Roots' drummer confirms his involvement.

D'Angelo is back working on his long-delayed third album, says The Roots' ?uestlove.

According to the drummer and producer, D'Angelo's follow-up to 2000's Voodoo will feature collaborations with bassist Pino Palladino, producer/engineer Russell Elevado, and, of course, ?uestlove himself.

The album, at one time tentatively titled James River, is reportedly set for a late 2011-early 2012 release, according to Billboard.com.

The long-awaited album has been delayed numerous times, presumably by numerous legal issues - among them arrests for drug possession and solicitation - as well as his recovery from a serious car crash. In the past decade, he has made occasional guest appearances, contributing to music by Common, Snoop Dogg, J Dilla and others

The conceptual May mixtape comes to CD release this month.

Detroit, Michigan emcee Elzhi and band Will Sessions are bringing May's Elmatic mixtape to retail CD release on July 22. Popular merchant UndergroundHipHop.com posted the item for pre-order featuring full packaging on the Jae B. Group imprint.

The project, featuring all live instrumentation, was inspired by Nas' 1994 debut album, Illmatic. Previously, Elzhi has released a debut album in 2008's The Preface, as well as five full-length efforts with former group, Slum Village.

The release will feature all new cover art. Will Sessions is presently on tour with Funk/guitar icon Dennis Coffey.

Marley Marl, Grand Wizard Theodore Pay Tribute To
Mr. Magic At Salute The DJ

UPDATE: Mista Sinista, Keith Murray have been added, along with Torae to host tonight's Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival event.

On July 14, Brooklyn Bodega will present the latest event in their "Salute The DJ" series. In conjunction with the 7th annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (July 16), Salute The DJ will include turntable-scratch pioneer Grand Wizard Theodore this year, as well as Juice Crew founder and legendary producer/deejay Marley Marl.
Theodore, a Bronx, New York native, is credited with being the first deejay to intentionally scratch records, a feat he achieved in the early 1970s. Marl, who hails from Queens, New York is responsible for producing and in large part discovering the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Kool G. Rap and Tragedy Khadafi, among many others.

The pair will be joined by 5th Platoon deejay Roli Rho, as well as Chicago, Illinois veteran Twilite Tone, who worked with Common, early in the emcee's career.

Both musical sets and proceeds from the evening will be dedicated to Mr. Magic (a/k/a John Rivas), a legendary 1980s New York City deejay and radio personality who died in October of 2009. The donation will be made to the Mr. Magic Shout Out Foundation.

(June 7)
UPDATE: X-Ecutionerz member Mista Sinista has been added to tonight's event, along with Def Squad/Undergods emcee Keith Murray. The event will be hosted by Duck Down Records artist Torae.

Elton Brand To Produce Tupac Shakur Biopic

The b-baller comes aboard the project as one of its producers alongside 'Pac's mother, Afeni Shakur-Davis.
NBA player Elton Brand has signed on to co-produce the upcoming Tupac Shakur biopic, Tupac. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and executive produced by Tupac’s mom Afeni Shakur-Davis, is currently in production in Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, Las Vegas, Nevada and Georgia.
As previously reported, Soulja Boy was in talks to star as ‘Pac in the film. “I got an email from William Morris Agency — that's my agency that I'm with — they reached out to me to play the part. I'm just still thinking about it right now," he said at the time.

PEOPLE KEPT ASKING WHO IS CHIC RAW & WHY DID DJ MOESIENO MAKE THIS MIXTAPE

CHIC RAW ~VS~ LLOYD BANKS

After dropping a few dope but slept-on mixtapes, The Illadelph's Chic Raw is back with this reflective visual. NOW FIND OUT WHO CHIC RAW IS...