Fans Cheer TI at 'Bye Bash' Before Prison

Speech Debelle is first woman to win Mercury in 7 years

(NEWSER) - Years of living in hostels and on the streets of London proved, at long last, a winning combination for rapper Speech Debelle, who today was awarded Britain’s prestigious Mercury music prize, the Guardian reports. Speech Therapy, the debut album by the 26-year-old (real name Corynne Elliot), represents a “remarkable new voice in British hip-hop, tough, warm and reflective,” the judges said. More»

And, surprisingly, some would benefit from listening to her

(NEWSER) - Karrine Steffans has had drama-riddled relationships with famous rappers and celebs such as Mike Tyson and Bill Maher. Her “relationships have been major public train wrecks,” writes Jo Piazza for DoubleX, from allegations of abuse at the hands of Tyson to her suicide attempt following her breakup with Maher. And yet she's now a best-selling author on relationship advice. "Why are scads of readers paying to get advice on romance from this woman?” Her shift toward Betty Crocker-land is part of the explanation. More»

Sure, her life wasn't all hard, but don't write her off as a rapper

(NEWSER) - “Even in a ‘post-race’ world, street sells,” writes Amy Granzin for Pitchfork. That would explain why some looked at Speech Debelle—the once-homeless UK rapper turned Mercury Prize nominee and "hip-hop's next big thing"—and spun “a tiny bit of flash into blinding bling.” The truth is, Debelle had a middle-class, “girl-next-door” upbringing—but don’t write her off. Her debut, Speech Therapy, is “fine, fresh, serious (yet never dour),” and it “speaks for itself.” More»

(NEWSER) - Eminem’s new album, Relapse, is as crude as you might expect, but his unflinching examination of his drug addiction has floored some critics. Overall, people love it or hate it.

• "The power of Relapse comes from Em aiming his beat-downs at his truest target, himself," Rob Sheffield writes in Rolling Stone. It's "a more painful, honest and vital record than anyone could have expected at this late date."
• "For anyone who carried a glimmer of hope that this talented if perverse MC had a great album in him," Greg Kot writes in the Chicago Tribune, "Relapse is a wake-up call."

Task force investigating new leads, say sources

(NEWSER) - Thirteen years later, the murders of rappers Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur remain two of the music industry’s highest-profile unsolved mysteries—but that could soon change. Police “reinvigorated” the Notorious BIG murder case months ago, sources tell CNN , and they are actively looking into leads and new information related to the 1997 crime. The task force investigating the case includes the LAPD, FBI, and the LA County DA’s office. More»