Like Food & Liquor, the album art is in perfect disagreement with the title, but it works.

(Via the other Rap-Up)

And here’s Game on E! Channel sharing his thoughts on Jay-Z’s comeback and what it means for hip-hop.

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Ras Kass shows off his black eye from the fight gives Hip-Hop Police something to worry about.

-Ras Kass gets his jaw broken by The Game. Must have been a “nigga moment.” (Where’s Riley Freeman when you need him?)

-Jim Jones’ new album, Hustler’s P.O.M.E. is slated to drop in the some month as his best friend Nas’ Hip-Hop Is Dead.

-If “Lonelygirl15″ was black or hispanic, I wonder if it would have been such a big deal.

-Here’s the Entertainment Weekly exclusive article on Jay-Z’s return.

UPDATED
–More pictures from Nas’ birthday party. They had an 80’s theme going on there, I see. Surprised Capo didn’t crash the bash to try and slap the kufi off Nas’ head.

-Gawker launches a shitty music blog.

-Hardly Art, Hardly Garbage joins Nastack.com in blog retirement home…I think.

-Ghostface Killah loses $50,000 after failing to submit a manuscript for his book. (Look in the Side Dish section.)

(Props to Bill)

You should really see the evil smile on my face as I type this. Never mind that Ras Kass is a monster on the mic, he’s an asshole in person. Turns out Game managed to pick up a few Publicity Stunt 101 tricks from his ex-boss, Fitty, and decided to break a bottle over Ras Kass’ head.

Ras Kass sez:

“The n—a tried to jump me 30 to 2, yet I’m alive and chillin’,” Ras Kass said in a statement. “My sweater is still white and all my jewelry intact. Game is a ‘Change Of Heart,’ stripping, fake-ass blood, who sold some records riding Dr Dre’s shirt tails.”

“I guess he thought this would help him sell some more records. I was so unfazed by it all that I went up to his car afterwards and challenged him right there. Game is no match for me physically or lyrically,” explained the rapper.

The Game sez:

“Aint nobody hit that dude but me, he’s crazy talking about 30 people,” Game told AllHipHop.com. “I never had beef and never met Ras Kass, unless it was a quick exhange saying hello. He talked about my son by name. You can say what you want about me, but what does my son got to do with it? I seen the n***a in the club. I walked up to him in the club and it was my mans birthday, so I didn’t want to mess up his party. When the lights came on, at the end I asked him about the freestyle. He said it wasn’t nothing, but he started in on that ‘it’s whatever I’m Ras Kass and punched him in the face before he could finish.”

I find it amazing that both artists were eager to speak on the incident afterwards.

Other than the fact that Young Hot Rod (worst rap name ever?) sounds like he’s reading his rhymes directly from a sheet of paper, I don’t have much of a problem with this song.

Everyone from Diddy and Dallas Austin to Jadakiss and Styles P came out to celebrate with the home Nas on his 33rd birthday yesterday (September 13th).

Rosie Perez ― Marsha (of Floetry)

Jungle & NaS ― Mario & Nick Cannon

Styles P ― Sean Paul

Diddy ― Praz

Dana Dane & Slick Rick ― Dallas Austin

Chamillionaire ―Jadakiss & Carmelo Anthony

I noticed that some online retail outlets have changed Hip-Hop Is Dead’s release date from Noveember 7 to November 21. I find it ridiculously disturbing that Hov plans to drop his post-retirement album, so-called Kingdom Come (WTFF!?), within a week of releasing Nasir’s Hip-Hop Is Dead (again, WTFF!?). I don’t like either album title, but I digress.

Billboard.com on Jay-Z’s Kingdom Come

Details are beginning to surface about Jay-Z’s long-rumored comeback album, which will be his first since announcing his retirement three years ago and becoming president of Def Jam. The new disc is reportedly titled “Kingdom Come” and due in November via Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam. It is expected to feature production from Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Kanye West and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

In July, Pharrell Williams told Billboard.com the Neptunes are also producing tracks for the album. As previously reported, Hype Williams* will direct the music video for the first single, which is said to be “Show Me What You Got.”

NaS on Hip-Hop Is Dead

“It’s probably the best record I ever did,” Nas told AllHipHop.com. “I mean, when you work in the studio for a while, sometimes you think its great, but you don’t know what it is until the people hear it. So I hope the people agree.”

“I’m just with Def Jam,” Nas said. “I haven’t worked with anybody but myself. A little bit of work with Jay [Z], just for the fans out there and just for us.”
Nas said Hip-Hop is Dead will be available to retail outlets on Nov. 7.

There are several theories on what may have prompted Hov’s decision to un-retire: he got fired, he’s trying to carry Def Jam on his back to end their sales slump, Beyonce told him to step down, etc. The bigger issue, to me at least, is whether or not it’s a good idea for him to drop around the same time as Nas. (Keep in mind that The Game is also eyeing that November release date.)

How do you think these two artists will fare in terms of sales / legacy / music quality / overral impression on fans? Will they deliver or will someone get pushed back for the other? Could they possibly be onto something that we’re not aware of?

*You gotta love the way Billboard maintains that Hype Williams has been hired to direct Jay’s first video, while everyone else insists that F. Gary Gray has been tapped for the job.