Lil’ Wayne has an eye on the charts. The first day he put out his newest album, 423,000 copies were sold, putting him right up at the top in the No. 1 spot. The rapper is also on track to have the largest sales week of the year, reported the BBC.

The record for most sales is 463,000 copies held by Mariah Carey with the release of her E=MC2 album in April. Wayne’s release, Tha Carter 3, is his sixth album currently, and his newest single, “Lollipop,” has been at No. 1 for the past five weeks, according to the BBC.

This single also made it over to the U.K. where he is best known for his cameo with Destiny’s Child in “Soldier.” The figures for his album are based off of nine of America’s biggest music retailers which include Best Buy, Borders and iTunes.

Others that were able to make it to the album chart are Viva La Vida, by Coldplay, N.E.R.D.’s Seeing Sounds, and Flavors of Entanglement, Alanis Morissette’s newest album, reported the BBC.

So, the Atlanta rapper has collaborated with the “It’s Cool To Be Smart” Single Parent Initiative to further his good will. On April 27, the rapper and his Grand Hustle Management spoke to over 150 youth at the Paulding Detention Center in his hometown.

“It was a privilege to have Atlantic Recording Artist T.I., take time from his busy schedule to come talk with the kids,” said Curtis B. Executive Director of the Single Parent Initiative. “It was an exciting learning experience for the youth; as well as, the staff to witness inspiring testimonies from T.I. that focused on staying out of situations that will place the youth in juvenile facilities.”

The rapper answered questions pertinent to the youth in attendance. According to press reports, T.I. spoke on matters “concerning education, giving back to the community and being successful in the music industry.”

Additionally the teens read poems and spoke about dealing with adversity in everyday life.

T.I., Grand Hustle, and his label, Atlantic Records, have given scholarships for single parent families at the Boys and Girls Clubs and other events surrounding troubled youth in Atlanta

Opening acts included local rap duo Fall Guys and DJ Kid Cut Up, who spun overplayed hip-hop hits for an hour-and-a-half while concertgoers began to wonder if the Ying Yang Twins were even going to make an appearance.

But D-Roc and Kaine arrived around 11 p.m., opening the show with their 2000 single “Whistle While You Twurk.” In recent years, the Atlanta-based duo has made a name for itself in the genre of crunk rap, which features angry and excited-sounding lyrics, hoarse chants and repetitive beats.

Next, the Ying Yang Twins performed their single “Get Low” while the pulsating crowd pointed to the window and the wall during the song’s infamous chorus. “Say I Yi Yi” paired grinding beats with a chorus that could have been sung by a 5-year-old; this type of onomatopoeia is common in their lyrics, along with the terms “crunk,” “twurk” and “Get low.” Most songs also revolve around favorite pastimes of smoking, driving around and, of course, women.

“I know it’s a lot of y’all big talkin’,” Kaine declared as the sparse beats of “Wait (The Whisper Song)” filled the hall. He called the song “nasty music” — so nasty, in fact, the duo performed an edited version of the track. In an effort not to disappoint, however, the Twins held their microphones to the audience for the infamous whispered chorus.

Finally, they performed the banging club hit “Drop,” a single from the new album The Ying to The Yang, which will be released this spring. “This is my shit!” Kaine yelled as he started headbanging to a sample of “Whoa Black Betty,” which is featured in their single “Dangerous.”

The show’s energy hit a wall, however, after the Ying Yang Twins finished all of their recognizable music and began to simply pace the stage while their DJ played several radio hits. The low point of the show was — no pun intended — when they played Flo Rida’s “Low,” shouting lyrics sporadically while Kaine disappeared mysteriously for several minutes. At this point, concertgoers began to leave by the dozens — they could easily throw a dance party at home and not get carded.

Whoever said white men can’t dance had a point, and the Ying Yang Twins seemed to draw great pleasure from inviting awkward and inebriated fans onstage and watching them try to dance.

“Before we go, I wanna see some of y’all get crunk,” Kaine said, and the crowd followed. The Ying Yang Twins used the resulting on-stage commotion to make an inconspicuous exit, slipping off the stage and out of the Great Hall before too many fans noticed.

Although the Ying Yang Twins began their show with a promising — though delayed —bang, their energy quickly dissolved, and the second half of their set was disappointing.

During the 7-minute interview, Weezy addresses comments he made to Complex about Jay-Z.

“I don’t like what he’s saying about how he had to come back because hip-hop’s dead and we need him. It’s not your house anymore, and I’m better than you,” Lil’ Wayne told the magazine.

When asked to explain, Lil Wayne explained that he didn’t like the concept that Jay-Z’s comeback album was built upon the notion that Hip-Hop is dead.

“I think I speak for everybody when I say it’s not dead as long as I’m still dropping albums,” Lil’ Wayne told DJ Absolut.

Wayne also disclosed that some of the comments stem from the brief courtship between him and Roc-A-Fella last year when he his weighing his label re-signing options.

“I want people to just look at it like that dude who came out of college that was supposed to get drafted by the #1 team, which was Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam,” stated Wayne. “They passed on me and now I with a good team and a good coach and of course on every interview I’m gonna cut down the team that didn’t pick me.

Lil’ Wayne also stuck to his position that he is a better rapper than Jay-Z.

“I’m better than this game,” Lil’ Wayne declared. “We could be having this conversation about any other person in this game. It was who I was asked about at this time. Yall trying to build a case on me. But I tell you what. If you build a case against me and take me to trial, I will beat it.”

In addition to Jay Z, Wayne also had choice words for The Clipse and Pharrell saying, “”I don’t see no f—ing Clipse. How many years them n— been around? Who the f— is Pharrell? Do you really respect him?”

Upon hearing his comments, The Clipse took to the airwaves in WWHV Hot 102.1 FM in Virginia to respond to an already tense situation.

“Wayne, you sort of copying The Clipse right now,” Pusha T told DJ Derrick Da Franchise. “I think he made a bad judgment call and just decided to take a swipe at us…maybe he’s got an album coming out. This is a small thing to a giant, he’s just acting out.”

“If anything, I am upset about him using the F word before my name, being as though he likes to sit around and kiss men. If you gonna kiss men, you can’t even use them words in conjunction with The Clipse, Pharrell, or any of the [Star Trak ] family. He’s definitely acting out right now. Jay-Z? Do what you gotta do. But involve The Clipse? You don’t want to do that. I already don’t look at him like a G. He aint nothing like me.”

Source: Allhiphop.com

The luncheon was held in Harlem, New York at Ginger’s restaurant and boasted attendance by such rap luminaries as Irv Gotti of The Inc., David Banner, representatives for Akon and others.

The event was a pre-Mixtape Awards luncheon with an intimate group of insiders, well-wishers and friends of the music mogul.

“Regardless of any difference me and Steve ever had, I don’t think that I would be the type of person or the type of star that I am without Steve. A lot of people didn’t believe in the South,” David Banner told AllHipHop.com.

Banner was Rifkind’s first signee to SRC.

“Its easy to jump on the South now, but Steve was 100% behind me, because nobody believed in him. With him coming from the Loud [Records] situation, we both had something to prove,” Banner said.

A representative for singer Akon echoed similar sentiment stating that Rifkind took a chance with the little-known Senegalese-born crooner.

Rifkind’s Loud Records broke popular acts like Mobb Deep, Big Pun and Wu Tang Clan in the 90′s before folding in 2002.

He would go on to found Street Records Corporation [SRC], which houses David Banner, Akon and Remy Ma.

Rifkind stated that the honor had a particular distinction for him, coming from the Justo Faison-founded Mixtape Awards.

“It means a lot. Justo was a really good friend,” Rifkind stated. “SRC is really close to the mixtape community.”

Justo Faison was tragically killed in a car crash in May of 2005 while traveling on the road in Richmond, Virginia.

During a speech to attendees, Rifkind alluded to a business arrangement with Irv Gotti, but refused to disclose any details later.

“We’re working on some things and that’s all I can say.”

Tonight (Dec. 7), The 10th Annual Justo Mixtape Awards will be held at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The awards are hosted by DJ pioneer Red Alert and Rifkind will be officially given the Mixtape Top Executive and Lifetime Achievement Award in front of the entire audience.

For the 2006 awards, nominees include DJ Green Lantern, Clinton Sparks, Camilio and DJ Drama, The Game, Chamillionaire, Young Jeezy, Young Buck and Papoose.

“I’ve never received this many awards at any time in my career, ever,” Blige told reporters backstage at the award show.

Blige who is still riding high from the success of her 2005 release, The Breakthrough, which has sold over 2.6 million copies domestically, is also set to release Reflections – A Retrospective, a collection of her greatest hits and previously unreleased tracks on December 12.

“I remember a time when all my fans were crying and sad and going through hell,” Blige said as she reflected on her winning night and the significant change in direction of her lyrical content. “Now, we’re trying to uplift each other and accept ourselves for who we are, even if nobody else does.”

Rihanna joined Blige in the winner’s circle beating both Blige and Beyonce for Best Female Artist. “That was a tough category,” admitted Rihanna when she accepted her trophy. New jack Chris Brown won Best New Artist Of The Year as well as artist and Male Artist Of The Year.

Blige also rounds out the year with Mary J. Blige & Friends, a special CD/DVD of duets featuring Elton John, Patti Labelle, Santana, Jamie Foxx and LL Cool J. The two-disc set, available only at Circuit City, will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

On the hip-hop side, T.I. took home five awards, including Rap Artist Of The Year, Rap Album Of The Year, Rap Album Artist Of The Year, Videoclips Of The Year and Rap Songs Artist Of The Year.

Ludacris and Pharrell also took the stage to perform “Money Maker,” while Young Jeezy performed “I Luv It.”

Read the complete list of Billboard Awards 2006 winners.

Lil’ Wayne is taking shots at everyone, including Jay-Z, Young Buck, The Clipse and Pharrell Williams in Complex magazine’s new December/January issue.

The self-proclaimed “best rapper alive since the best rapper retired” apparently has revised his position. During an interview with Complex, Weezy revealed that he now feels he’s second to none on the mic.

“I don’t like what he’s [Jay-Z] saying about how he had to come back because hip-hop’s dead and we need him,” Weezy told Complex. “What the fuck do you mean? If anything it’s reborn, so he’s probably having a problem with that. You left on a good note, and all of the artists were saying, ‘Yo, this is Jay’s house. He’s the best.’ Now he comes back and still thinks it’s his house. But we fucked bitches in your bed already. It’s not your house anymore and I’m better than you.“

Weezy F. Baby also took advantage of this interview to respond to Buck’s recent comments:

“I don’t give a fuck about what he thinks or said,” Wayne declared. “I’m rich! I’m something to talk about. He should have been promoting his album. These niggas know where I’m from. I’m from the city of death, nigga. We kill niggas for nothing. That’s why they’re doing it on radio stations and interviews. Them niggas see me and shake my hand and tell me, ‘You the best, dog, keep doing that shit.’“

Wayne also sounded off on The Clipse and their longtime producer Pharrell, belittling the group’s achievements and ridiculing the super producer’s taste in clothing. “I don’t see no fucking Clipse. This is a fucking legend you’re talking to right here. How many years them niggas been around? Who the fuck is Pharrell? Do you really respect him? That nigga wore BAPE and y’all thought he was weird. I wore it and y’all thought it was hot. What I gotta go in the store and say, ‘I like these colors but I can’t buy them because other rappers wore them?‘”

The December/January issue of Complex hits stands next Tuesday (December 12).

According to repots by ABC affiliate WAPT, Banner was presented with the organization’s Visionary Award at a ceremony on Wednesday (November 29) in Jackson, MS for his contributions and efforts in helping to raise millions of dollars in relief funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The rapper was received by a standing ovation from the more than 200 high school students who attended the event.

Though Banner has long been a fixture in the charitable communities of his native state, he took time out in his passionate speech to address those who don’t see him as a role model because of the sometimes explicit lyrics found in his music.

“Regardless of what people say and what they do, I’m in the hood,” said Banner during his acceptance speech. “It hurts me because I hear all these people talking stuff about my lyrics but what you need to do is instead of thinking about the cursing, think about the something that I’m putting in my lyrics. Change our neighborhoods, but they don’t do that.”

He continued by saying, “All those people that say things about David Banner, where were you after Hurricane Katrina when I was handing out boxes? Where were you when I was passing out my own personal shoes? When I went to the coast the day after Katrina struck I was standing next to dead children floating in the water. Where were you? You wonder why we curse in our music, you wonder where the pain comes from, we are gangster because the establishment and neighborhoods we live in are gangster.”

Though the National Black Caucus or its branch in the state of Mississippi made it clear that they do not endorse the rapper’s lyrics or music, they do applaud his charitable efforts. Resiliently, Banner made it clear that he does not apologize for his choice of words and will no longer defend his music to anyone.

The NBCSL serves as a clearinghouse and network for African American legislators and their constituents and has provided the Black community with a vital platform for access, equity and empowerment for over 25 years.

“Cash Money Records has reached an amicable agreement with former in-house producer Mannie Fresh,” Representatives Cash Money Records/Universal told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “Per the agreement, neither party can discuss the terms.”

In the latest installment of Smack DVD titled The Album Vol. 1, Mannie Fresh explained his his decision to Cash Money Records.

“Now its me myself and I, doing big things,” Mannie Fresh said. “I left Cash Money because of money, scratch, moola. “I move on if something’s not right. I had to do my thing, because it wasn’t right. I still holla at everyone. I still get along with them dudes. I still look at them like brothers, I wasn’t raised like that. Its just a growing up thing and I had to move on.”

Mannie Fresh has since gone on to start his own record label, Chubby Boy Records.

B.G. and Juvenile also appear on the Smack DVD, stating that they the label because of financial mismanagement by Cash Money co-CEO and artist Bryan “Baby” Williams.

B.G. was the first to leave, claiming he had never received a royalty check for any album released before 1998.

The second to leave was platinum recording artist Juvenile, who for reportedly only received half of the tour money he had accumulated over 4 years. The rapper also claimed he had not received proper payment for his quadruple platinum album, 400 Degreez.

He returned to Cash Money records in 2003 for $4 million to release Juve The Great and later inked a deal with Asylum/Warner Music Group, as did B.G.

Mannie Fresh worked with B.G. on the hit “Move Around,” taken from B.G.’s latest album The Heart of Tha Streetz: Vol. 2 (I Am What I Am).

technorati tags:Cash Money Records, Mannie, Fresh, Crunk

ATL was Tip’s big screen debut, and it also starred Outkast’s Big Boi, Mykelti Williamson (Forrest Gump), Keith David (Crash) and introduced Lauren London. Directed by Chris Robinson, the flick follows a group of four friends who have just graduated from high school in Atlanta. T.I. plays the lead character Rashad.

The film also spotlights local skating rink Jellybeans, a popular hangout for both Robinson and T.I. in their teenage years in Atlanta. After hitting theatres this past March, the film grossed roughly $21 million domestically. The DVD contains special features, including deleted scenes and videos for “What You Know” and “Why You Wanna.”

Meanwhile, Tip’s King album, also doubled as the movie’s soundtrack. After premiering atop of the charts, the LP has now sold 1.3 million copies according to Nielsen’s Soundscan. The album still stands as the highest selling hip-hop release to date this year.

T.I.’s ATL DVD hits stores July 18.

technorati tags:Crunk, Crunk-Music, hip, hop, rap, southern, dirty, south

T.I. (real name Clifford Harris) was placed under arrest after Florida probation officials revealed that the self-proclaimed King of the South failed to complete the required number of community service hours in accordance with his probation.

T.I. was involved in an altercation with security officers at a Florida mall in Sept. 2003.

The rapper and a group of friends were told to leave by security after allegedly causing a disturbance. In the melee, the rapper struck an officer.

Court records show that Circuit Judge Daniel Perry sentenced T.I. to perform 225 hours of community service in March 2005 after he plead guilty to battery on an officer and violating the terms of his probation.

Several months later, T.I. was arrested in Georgia for driving on a suspended license.

The charge was considered a violation of his probation and T.I. was sentenced to an additional 150 hours of community service.

He was also ordered to perform at least 5 hours of service per month.

T.I. appeared in a Georgia courtroom Wednesday (May 10) for an unrelated case, in which the rapper was accused of threatening several men outside an Atlanta strip club.

He was informed the warrant and was promptly arrested.

The Florida warrant accuses T.I. of only completing 10 hours of community service since being sentenced in 2005.

Although T.I.’s lawyer, Dwight Thomas, contended that the rapper had fulfilled more than 75 hours of service in Atlanta, T.I. was arrested and eventually released on a $25,000 bail.

T.I. is scheduled to surrender himself to Florida authorities by Monday (May 15).

Joc, who was on the road with T.I. and with him at the time of the shooting, appeared on Atlanta’s V-103 FM to tell on-air host Ryan Cameron and fans what happened.

According to Joc, T.I. was a peacemaker in the incident and tried to diffuse the situation. Joc also said the group is still coping with the tragedy and has yet to return to Atlanta.

He further stated that in no way did T.I. have anything to do with the violence.

V-103 changed its traditional format Wednesday in order to field calls from listeners.

The discussion comes in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Philant Johnson.

The 25-year-old died Tuesday (May 2) after an altercation at a T.I./Young Joc concert after-party in Cincinnati.

Gunfire was exchanged as two dark SUV’s chased the rapper’s van on Interstate 75, where the van blew a tire and came to a stop.

Johnson was killed, while two members of the rapper’s entourage suffered minor wounds. One woman remains hospitalized.

T.I. suffered no injuries.

Although Cincinnati police have not taken anyone into custody, they are interviewing several witnesses and are working to get people to cooperate in the investigation.

Atlantic Records expressed its grief over the tragedy today (May 4) via the following statement:

“This is a very sad day for everyone at Atlantic Records and Grand Hustle. Philant Johnson was a part of our family and a true friend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Johnson family, T.I. and everyone at Grand Hustle.”

Parlae, whose real name is Maurice Gleaton, appeared before the Honorable Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore on marijuana trafficking charges stemming from a raid at an Atlanta recording studio on June 13th.

Gleaton’s attorney Ash Joshi was present to represent him, however six of his co-defendants were without legal representation. Judge Moore recessed the hearing until August 28th to allow the defendants an opportunity to secure counsel.

Last month Gleaton was one of eight individuals arrested and charged with drug trafficking after a raid at Making Big Moves Entertainment resulted in the police seizure of several pounds of marijuana, two handguns and over $100,000 dollars in cash.

The latest development in the case is that charges in the case may soon be reduced to possession with the intent to distribute rather than trafficking.

“The first thing is the marijuana has to be weighed to see if it’s more than ten pounds. In the state of Georgia if it’s less than ten pounds it’s not trafficking it’s possession with the intent to distribute. It’s still a felony but it’s far less serious,” Ash Joshi told SOHH.

Yesterday’s plea hearing would have provided the defendants an opportunity to have their charges read aloud, receive copies of their indictment and enter their pleas to the charges.

Prior to this arrest, Parlae was already on probation for a marijuana case from two years ago. While prosecutors previously attempted to revoke his probation, Parlae’s attorney successfully argued to kept it in place. Parlae is currently out of jail on bond. Joshi said regardless of whether the charges are reduced Parlae plans to plead not guilty.

“He’s not pleading guilty to any charge, any guilty plea would be a violation of his probation,” Joshi explained.

Even though Making Big Moves Entertainment CEO Anthony Blalock (who was named in the search warrant) was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and another man was discovered by police attempting to flush marijuana in the toilet, Joshi said it will be a challenge for prosecutors to make a greater connection between the defendants and the drugs or the defendants and the studio in order to make their case. Joshi says that Gleaton’s presence at the studio is not enough to convict him of the charges.

technorati tags:Dem Franchize Boyz, Parlae, Charges, Marihuana, drugs

T.I. was scheduled to leave for Japan this Sunday, to promote his new album King, according to his spokesperson, Sidney Margetson.

“I think everybody decided it’s just a good time for him to take this week and regroup,” T.I.’s entertainment lawyer, Jonathan Leonard, told the Associated Press.

After the death of T.I.’s close friend and personal assistant, Philant Johnson during a gun battle in Cincinnati, the rapper’s U.S. tour came to an abrupt halt.

T.I. was arrested Wednesday (May 10) in Atlanta for neglecting to fulfill the terms of his probation.

The rapper was sentenced to 18 months probation and 75 hours of community service after pleading guilty to battery on a law enforcement officer, trespassing and disorderly conduct surrounding an incident in Tampa in 2003.

Another 150 hours of community service were later added after T.I. violated his probation by driving with a suspended license.

Leonard said they were unaware of the unfulfilled probation obligations in Florida.

T.I. will appear before a Tampa courtroom to address the charges on Monday (May 15).