Hip-Hop Reloaded: The Week in Review 1/7-1/13

Sunday 1/7: Reports came in today that Jay-Z teamed up with General Motors to create a new SUV. The music mogul emerged froma concept GMC Yukon Denali SUV on stage during a party on the eve of media previews for the North American International Auto Show. The SUV is paintedwhat GM calls Jay-Z Blue, and was developed through a partnership with the rapper during the past two years.

Monday 1/8: New York rapper Andre the Giant (of DITC and Show and A.G. fame) took his South Bronx style to the West Coast. He joined Dan the Automator on the 2K7 Mixtape Live Tour. The tour includes fourteen dates on the west coast including San Francisco, Seattle, Boulder, San Diego and Los Angeles.

Tuesday 1/9: Dave Mays and Ray Benzino Scott have officially launched their new venture, Hip Hop Weekly. The publication will be available in supermarkets, convenience stores, supermarkets and other retail outlets. Its the first Hip Hop style tabloid and will cover news, film, TV, fashion and sports. Its currently published bi-weekly, but will begin to publish weekly in June.

Wednesday 1/10: Three 6 Mafia is parlaying their new status and success into other ventures. The duo has recently revealed that they are planning a biopic of their life, similar to that of the movie Ray. The movie will show them from when they started the group and continue to depict their trials and tribulations up until their success at this point.

Thursday 1/11: Royce Da 59 has been released from prison. He was sentenced to a year in jail in September 2006 for a DUI charge in Oakland County (which resulted I him violated the terms of his parole). Trusty Camp freed him on a work release program, after serving only a few months of the one-year sentence. The Detroit rapper has since gone to the studio to work on new music. He will be dropping a mixtape hosted by DJ Premier and Statik Selektah.

Friday 1/12: Reports came in today that Vh1s I Love New York has made history. It became the highest debuted show in Vh1 history.

Saturday 1/13: Snoop Dogg has collaborated with documentary director Gabriel London, Oscar nominated filmmaker Jonathan Stack, and Spike TV to create a show on youth crime and prison. The show is called Big Snoop Doggs Youth Authority: California. Snoop Dogg created the show in an effort to mentor and help troubled kids by offering a way out of gang life. Snoop will speak on his own life experiences with gang life and selling drugs, which will serve as a reminder as to why his voice is important for kids to hear, and his stories will be swapped with participating youth.

Questions? Tid bits? Comments?

Starr.Rhett@gmail.com