JUEL SANTANA SAYS 'I CAN'T FEEL MY FACE" WITH LIL WAYNE STILL COMING

In a recent interview, Lil Wayne appeared to suggest that his long-awaited project with Juelz Santana, I Can't Feel My Face, was scrapped. Not so, revealed Juelz in an interview with BET.com.

"Me and Wayne been recording music when it comes to I Can't Feel My Face for about five years," explained Juelz. "We actually have a ton of music that got leaked on the streets. For a couple reasons it didn't come out at one point. The same way that the T-Wayne album...ain't come out."

"Make a long story short: you see the interview with Weezy...He did reach out to me when he came home," added the Dipset member. "He reached out to me like, 'I think we need to capitalize on the album.' At the time, my studio had just gotten raided by the police. It was kind of a real tight situation for me."

Juelz continued, confirming that the collaborative project was still on. "I spoke to Wayne recently. I spoke to him before the interview and right after the interview. We gon' get it. I guess at the time he said he moved on, people were making it seem like he was saying he was never gonna do the album. We spoke about that. We definitely gonna get back into that.

JUSTIN BIEBER'S VEGAS FIGHT NIGHT

After the release of his music video for “Boyfriend,” Justin Bieber took some time to enjoy his success in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday night (May 5).

The record breaking fight of Miguel Cotto vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. brought in more than 1.5 million pay-per-viewers, and the 18-year-old singer shared his excitement about being in attendance as he tweeted, “cinco de mayo... #MayweatherCotto yeah @FloydMayweather today is a BIG day.” Bieber followed up with the simple hashtag tweet “#FIGHTNIGHT.”

Mayweather won the fight and the “Never Say Never” singer was the first person to congratulate the boxer and acted as his guest of honor. Bieber was also joined by rappers Lil Wayne and 50 Cent after the match, which was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The victor took to Twitter to share his thanks to the teen sensation after the fight, messaging, “@justinbieber keep up the great work and thanks for the support #TheMoneyTeam. Enjoy the fight.”

2 CHAINZ REVEALS LIL WAYNE AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

2 Chainz provides insight into how Lil Wayne encouraged him to be a success.

Any emcee looking for a model of success need not look further than Lil Wayne. Accordingly, 2 Chainz made sure he paid attention to the Young Money head's advice.

"The thing behind me and Wayne was that he always believed in me as a musician, as well as being a cool dude," said 2 Chainz of Weezy in an interview with AlLindstrom.com.

"And everybody thought he was the illest nigga in the world. So that's where my confidence kinda started. Just derived from him. It's like, 'everybody fucks with you, and you fuck with me!' So that's where our relationship came in."

2 Chainz revealed the effect of Wayne's advice. "He used to say encouraging things that I'm sure another rapper, [if] that didn't get that, they'd start figuring something else out."

"Me even being around him, seeing what they have, seeing the things you can get from puttin' words together, it kinda kept me inspired."

MAYBACH MUSIC GROUP ANNOUNCES ALBUM RELEASE DATES, PARTNERSHIPS AT NYC PRESS CONFERENCE

Rick Ross appeared alongside Diddy, Swizz Beatz, French Montana, Omarion, Meek Mill and Wale to reveal news about his label.

Last week, Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records sent a save the date for a special press conference to take place at the Eventi Hotel in New York City. Rumors circulated that the event, hosted by Rap Radar’s Elliott Wilson, would be for the signing of Omarion and Mase, as well as release dates for Self Made Vol. 2 and God Forgives, I Don’t.

This afternoon, Ross appeared to announce several new ventures including a big and tall line with Swizz Beatz and Reebok; a June 26th release date for Self Made Vol. 2; an August 28th release date for Meek Mill’s debut Dreams & Nightmares; a July 31st release date for Rick Ross'

God Forgives, I Don't; and Omarion's signing to Maybach Music Group. With Def Jam and WBR executives including Lyor Cohen, Steve Bartels and Todd Moscowitz, as well as Sean “Diddy” Combs and Swizz Beatz, in attendance, the event began with a short film that showcased the MMG squad, which includes Rick Ross, Wale, Meek Mill and Stalley. CEO of Recorded

Music for Warner Bros. Lyor Cohen took the podium to introduce Ross, marking the first time that he’s publicly introduced an artist or label since Roc-A-Fella Records 18 years ago. “When I got a chance to meet him, I saw someone that was going to be undeterred in achieving the success that he has,” said Cohen. “He’s not satisfied. There’s no stopping him. I’m so grateful that I’m associated with him and that the Warner Bros. label is associated with him.

The possibilities that Rick and Maybach Music are going to bring is going to be, in my mind, unprecedented.”

After a short Q&A with Ross about his in-studio work ethic and social media savvy, Swizz Beatz took the podium to announce a partnership with Rick Ross for Reebok to release a big and tall clothing line.

“He’s going to lead the big and tall movement,” said Swizz. “There’s a limit with clothes that stops at a certain point. With Ross, everything has to be custom made. [...] I felt that instead of just doing a regular sneaker, we give Ross his own big and tall line.”

Diddy was next to take the stage, praising Ross’ abilities and thanking him for promoting Ciroc. “I’m here to celebrate the hard work and success of my brother Rick Ross,” he said. “He, to me, is one of the hardest working men in this business. To have a relationship with him, this is not by accident. […] I know he will go down in history as one of the great record men.”

Wale took over to announce that Self Made Vol. 2 will release on June 26th, while Meek Mill revealed that his debut album Dreams & Nightmares will drop on August 28th. Rick Ross also said that his upcoming album God Forgives, I Don’t will hit retail on July 31st and that a single will drop “extremely soon.”

Rick Ross then brought out Omarion and announced him as the latest signing to Maybach Music Group. "A lot of people have been wondering what’s up with Omarion? Is his career over?" said Omarion. "I’ve never been a fan of popular opinion, but from now on, when you see me,  understand that it’s Maybach Music." After French Montana announced the release date for his debut Excuse My French (July 17th), and that the first single will feature Rick Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne, Omarion played his new single "Let's Talk" that samples The Notorious B.I.G.

Rick Ross said that he just "lets the rumors circulate" regarding signings, but wouldn't confirm any partnerships with Mase, Dom Kennedy or Nipsey Hussle.

LIL WAYNE SETTLES $20MILLION 'LOLLIPOP' LAWSUIT

Lil Wayne has finally struck a truce with a bitter ex-producer over the Grammy Award-winning "Lollipop" and other songs -- settling the producer's $20 lawsuit out of court.

TMZ broke the story ... producer Darius Harrison -- aka Deezle -- sued Weezy over the album "Tha Carter III,"  claiming he produced several songs on the record, including "Lollipop," but was never paid for his work.

According to Darius, the album grossed over $70 million -- and he wanted $20 million to call it even.

Wayne initially shot him down -- claiming Darius had no grounds to sue -- but the two parties recently reached a confidential agreement, finally settling the case.

The case has since been dismissed.

NAS SPEAKS ON COLLABORATING WITH NICKI MINAJ FOR "PINK FRIDAY: ROMAN RELOADED"

Nas says that he "loved" collaborating with Nicki Minaj for her sophomore album.

When Nicki Minaj's tracklisting for her sophomore set Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded released late last week, some were surprised to see Nas included on a song called "Champion," also featuring Young Jeezy and Drake.

Speaking with MTV News, Esco revealed that the Harajuku Barbie reached out to him for the song, which will surface on the April 3rd release. "Nicki hit us up. I got love, so it was nothin' — I did the record," he said. "It's Hip Hop music; music is music. If I feel it, I can get on it. I heard the track, I felt it, I loved it."

Additional guest stars on the LP include 2 Chainz, Cam'ron, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. She most recently released the RedOne-produced single "Starships" and filmed its video.

LIL WAYNE CITED FOR NOT MAINTAINING HIS LOUISIANA MANSION, ON SALE FOR $1.7 MILLION

The Code Enforcement Department of Kenner, Louisiana, has cited Lil Wayne for not taking taking care of his yard work.

Lil Wayne has been cited for high grass and weeds at his 10,000 square-foot mansion by the Code Enforcement Department of Kenner, Louisiana.

According to nola.com, the rapper's mansion, which has five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and two half baths, is on sale for $1.7 million.

"It's an immaculate property," said listing agent Lincoy Moliere. "It's in great condition. It's going to make somebody very happy."

This isn't Wayne's first code violation. In 2007 and 2008, the city put liens totalling $3,635 against his property for previous citations for "grass, weeds, litter and stagnant pool."

KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN, ASHLEE SIMPSON "ESCAPE" IN NYC

 

Making for quite the fun-filled experience in NYC, the Escape To Total Rewards event at Gotham Hall was the place to be on Thursday night (March 1).

Joining in on the festivities were celebs ranging from Kourtney Kardashian and Ashlee Simpson to Katharine McPhee and Katrina Bowden.

With other guests including Shenae Grimes, Pia Toscano, Adrien Bailon and Erika Jayne, concertgoers were treated to energetic sets put forth by big names in music such as Lil Wayne, Cee Lo Green, Melanie Fiona, Mel B and Cat Deeley.

The night's celebration was held to help draw attention to Total Rewards, which is a points based system allowing travelers to build up and spend credits at nearly 40 participating resorts and casinos.

 

BIRDMAN HOPES TO RELEASE 16 ALBUMS ON CASH MONEY IN 2012

Birdman explains that he wants to cross genre lines.

Birdman has high hopes for 2012. During an interview with XXLMag.com, the Cash Money Records CEO revealed that he’s looking to release 16 albums of different genres on YMCMB this year, including full-length LPs from Nicki Minaj, Bow Wow, Lil Twist and Limp Bizkit.

“I think bringing Fred and Limp Bizkit to the team gives us a different look,” he said. “We dominate rap, but we’re also trying to grow in different areas; Pop, rock, gospel, country.”

Baby emphasized his vision to expand Cash Money beyond Hip Hop boundaries. He recently revealed plans to for Limp Bizkit on the imprint, a move that puts them in rock territory.

“We’re a brand and we don’t want to be categorized as one type of brand,” he said. “I think we’re a machine and we activate and were active as a machine. I thought this Limp Bizkit move would be big for us as a brand and a machine.”

LIL WAYNE TO RELEASE HIS SIGNATURE SHOE LINE

Lil Wayne plans to put out his first line of kicks, though he didn't reveal whic

Lil Wayne has revealed that he plans to release his first signature shoe line.

Speaking with VIBE.com, Weezy remained relatively mum on the details, but said that the shoes will not be released on his Trukfit fashion shingle. Instead, he plans to partner with a major brand, though he wouldn’t reveal which one.

“I do have a shoe coming out soon but it won’t be Trukfit,” he said. “I have [a] shoe with a well-known company. I just don’t want to say yet because I haven’t dotted the line yet. But it’s done.”

He responded to speculation that the line could be coming out on Supra, but would not confirm. “Nah, it’s not a Nike or Reebok, I can tell you that much,” said Wayne, addressing a possible Supra collaboration. “Uh-oh. Watch out.”

I DIDN'T DRUNKENLY TORPEDO BAHAMA CONCERT - LIL WAYNE

Lil Wayne claims he did NOT pass out drunk before a Bahama concert in 2009 ... resulting in a canceled show -- this according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.

TMZ broke the story ... Weezy was sued back in 2009 by a promotion company called Red City Entertainment -- which claimed it fronted $432,000 for a concert in the Bahamas, but Weezy drunkenly slept through the whole thing.

When he failed to show, Red Light claims cops showed up to the rapper's hotel room and found him unconscious.

But Weezy insists it's all BS -- claiming, "At no point [that night] did I become so intoxicated that I passed out on a bed in my suit, or anywhere else."

Wayne says the real reason he didn't show up was because the concert was canceled -- he can't remember exactly why ... but believes it had something to do with technical difficulties, like lighting and sound problems.

Wayne is now asking the court for a judgment in his favor.

LIL WAYNE CONFIRMS CASH MONEY SIGNED LIMP BIZKIT, ASHANTI MAY BE NEXT

Lil Wayne shares that Limp Bizkit is now signed to Cash Money and says they may be working with Ashanti as well.

Over the years, Cash Money Records has opened its doors as a home to established and new artists alike. Recently, Lil Wayne revealed that Cash Money signed the Rock/Rap group Limp Bizkit. He then shared that Ashanti may become part of the Cash Money collective as well.

"Every other day I hear about somebody new signed to Cash Money," Wayne explained in an interview with Kissing After Dark. "For example, the other day I just found out that Limp Bizkit signed to Cash Money. So they're signing everybody. Every body's getting a chance."

Weezy also went on to fuel rumors of Ashanti signing to the label. While acknowledging that it was not a sure thing, Wayne shared that Ashanti may be the next artist on the Cash Money roster.

"I don't want to step across any boundaries but I think we're working with Ashanti right now."

INTERVIEW: T-MINUS ON PRODUCING DJ KHALED'S "I'M ON ONE"

Last year, DJ Khaled did it again. His latest single "I'm On One," which features Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and Drizzy Drake, is a certified banger that is going to keep clubs rocking all summer. Although Khaled dropped a video showing the making of the song, it didn't tell the whole story. That's why we got on the horn with the song's main producer, T-Minus.

The Toronto-based beatsmith is looking to have a big year after producing Nicki Minaj's "Moment For Life" and contributing to Drake's Take Care as well as Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV. T-Minus tells us about producing the song alongside his buddies Noah "40" Shebib and Kromatik and how "I'm On One" started off as a song for Drake's upcoming album, but ended up in Khaled's hands.

As told to Insanul Ahmed (@Incilin)
On producing "I'm On One"

    “The song was recorded about a month and a half ago. It’s complex because so many people worked on the record. I made the beat with a co-producer that I work really closely named Kromatik. He helped me do some of the music on there. After I got the beat, I gave it to Drake, and submitted it for Take Care.

    “Drake was doing a record on it and 40 came in and did a little bit of writing on it. He played some chords over top of the melodies and the bass that were already in place. I had gotten a phone call from Drake and 40 like, ‘Oh man, we got this big record that we’re doing right now. Drake is recording as we speak.’

    “40 was the co-writer and the co-producer, he did the mixing and the filtering. The melody on the beat was mostly him and pretty much the [rest of the] record was me. 40 does the filtering really well and he recorded Drake—because they go really well as far as working and producing. That’s one thing about 40, he knows how to put the record together, especially with Drake. He really arranged the record and put it together real nice.

    “I was in the studio with Drake and he played it for me. I thought what Drake did was outstanding. He put a different spin on it. Even the beat is something different than what Khaled has done in the past.

    “From there, Drake recorded it and he gave it to Khaled. That’s really how we do records a lot of times. Producers might submit a track or a beat to an artist and it might not work out for the album, but it could still work out to be a record for anybody else. In this music industry, everything is so viral that it goes from person to person.

    “It’s not even a thing that [Drake] gave to [DJ Khaled], it’s more of a thing that we were all working on it. I don’t want you to get it confused that he just gave him a record out of nowhere, it was more of a thing we were all working on records. It started from Drake doing a hook.

    “I spoke to Khaled and he said he was getting Ross and Wayne on it. Khaled was really excited about the record. I knew it was going to be something big because I know when Khaled says it’s big, it’s big.

    “I’ve never met Khaled, but I spoke to him on the phone a few times about the record and getting records done in the future. There are some possibilities [that I may have other songs on We the Best Forever], we’re still in creation right now.

    "And [I’ve submitted] tons of stuff for Take Care. So far, it's been pretty much me, 40, and Boi-1da. That’s the Toronto connection right there. I can’t give you too much information about what’s going on with the album, all I can tell you is it’s still in the making.”

MTV CROWNS RICK ROSS AS THE HOTTEST MC

MTV releases its list of the hottest emcees in the game, including Drake, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and more.

MTV has announced Rick Ross as the number one emcee on its Hottest MCs list.

Ricky Rozay, whose 2011 consisted of the release of his Maybach Music Group compilation Self Made Vol. 1, edged out Drake, who landed at No. 2. Kanye West came in at third, while Nicki Minaj and her Young Money boss Lil Wayne grabbed fourth and fifth place, respectively.

"I just got the news that I was voted the game's Hottest MC, and man, it really means a lot to me, of course, but it's an honor," Ross told MTV. "It's something I've been watching, something I've been a fan of forever. Of course, MTV, they run the game. MMG, we're here. Shout-out to the whole team."

Check the full list below, as well as a clip from the MTV special where the network's Brain Trust explains why Ross deserved the top spot.

1. Rick Ross
2. Drake
3. Kanye West
4. Nicki Minaj
5. Lil Wayne
6. Jay-Z
7. Meek Mill
8. Big Sean
9. Wiz Khalifa
10. Wale

LIL WAYNE SENDS SHOTS AT JAY-Z & KANYE WEST AT PRE-GRAMMY PARTY

Lil Wayne continues doling out not-so-subtle shots at Jay-Z and Kanye West's group, The Throne.

It seems as though Lil Wayne still hasn't move on from Jay-Z's "Baby money" line from the Watch the Throne song "H.A.M. ," as he is still firing shots at Jay-Z and Kanye West.

At the Cash Money Pre-Grammy party, Lil Wayne tossed a few bars out for the crowd: "I met a bad red bone, I took the bitch home / I asked her what she want to watch, she said surely not The Throne."

Lil Wayne and Jay-Z have been sending thinly-veiled shots back and forth for years, but when Jay-Z's line on "H.A.M." suggested that Baby - Bryan "Birdman" Williams - exaggerated his wealth, Lil Wayne took particular umbrage to the line.

Even though Wayne previously responded on "It's Good ," Jay has yet to return fire, simply acknowledging that beef is part of the sport of Hip Hop.

BIRDMAN HOPES TO ADD GOSPEL, COUNTRY AND MORE R & B TO CASH MONEY ROASTER

After being included on Billboard magazine's annual "Power 100 List," Birdman says he wants to diversify the YMCMB roster and include other genres. When Billboard magazine put together their annual “Power 100 List,” Hip Hop took a few prominent positions in the form of Jay-Z (listed with wife Beyonce) and “Birdman” (listed with co-founder/co-CEO Ronald “Slim” Williams). Jay-Z and Beyonce took the highest spot of any Hip Hop/R&B contributors by being listed together at the number 13 slot. And Brian and Ronald Williams weren’t far behind at the number 25 spot.

The Williams Brothers have been responsible for selling over 75 million records since signing a $30 million pressing and distribution deal with Universal back in 1998. Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Drake, DJ Khaled and Nicki Minaj all record under either the Cash Money or YMCMB umbrella. “We dominate Rap, but we need to dominate R&B,” Birdman told Billboard.com “We need to dominate Pop, Gospel, Country—we’re a brand so we should be able to put out all these types of music. We just got to keep grinding.” Meanwhile, The full Power 100 issue, which is on news stands now, also includes Lyor Cohen, Antonio L.A. Reid and others.

LIL' KIM REPORTEDLY OWES OVER $1 MILLION IN TAXES, RAPPER'S CAMP REACTS

Lil' Kim finds herself in Uncle Sam's doghouse, while her publicist responds.

Lil' Kim is the latest in a growing list of emcees and producers to have tax troubles, and according to TMZ, she has hit a bit of a milestone in that regard. The celebrity news site reports that Kim's tax troubles have brought her total bill to the IRS to $1,026,862.42.

The Queen Bee reportedly owes $86,347.85 from 2009, and money in every year from 2002-2009.

In response, Kim's publicist issued the following statement:

"It is a known fact that for some time TMZ has been running stories on celebrities or well known persons of interest and providing the general public and media with publicly accessible information on random celebrities and their private matters with the internal revenue service, this [sic] does not come as a surprise, as it is Tax Season and is a sell-able media opportunity,it is for no other reason that Kimberly Jones (a/k/a: LIL' KIM) is now the target of such random media scrutiny.As it pertains to the story that was ran on TMZ(February 4, 2012) regarding Lil' Kim, we would like to inform fans,media, and the general public, that LIL' KIM has hired professional attorneys to handle this matter(embellished by all standards via the media), and that she,along with her team of legal experts are working cooperatively and diligently with the I.R.S and federal authorities to amicably resolve the situation.

C.J.
Publicist for 'Lil Kim'"

Other artists to recently land in tax trouble include Bow Wow, Lil Wayne, Nas, and many others.

LIL WAYNE TO RELEASE "I AM NOT A HUMAN BEING 2" IN SUMMER 2012

Birdman says that Weezy has finished recording the sequel to his 2010 release.

Following the release of his double platinum LP Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne is turning I Am Not a Human Being into a series.

During an interview with Complex, Cash Money CEO Birdman said that Wayne plans on dropping the sequel to his Human Being album this summer. "Wayne’s got an album he’s about to drop real soon. Its called I Am Not a Human Being 2. It’s gonna be before the summer for sure. We haven’t picked the date yet," he said. "Whenever he’s ready to drop his album, we’re gonna make it do what it do. He’s definitely got an album done and ready to go. Wayne works a lot. There’s no telling [if Rebirth 2 will happen]. But I know for sure we’ve got I Am Not a Human Being 2 ready to go. That’s the next project.”

Additionally, Baby said that he is finished recording the sequel to his collaborative LP with Weezy, Like Father, Like Son 2, and plans on releasing a solo album.

"We got [Like Father, Like Son 2] finished too. We’ve been recording that. We never stopped recording [for] that. We got songs we want. When we get ready to drop it, we’ll probably do that in the 4th quarter. Wayne wants to do the I  Am Not a Human Being 2 and I want to do my solo album too, so we’ll probably do that later on.”

LIL WAYNE DEBUTS NEW CLOTHING LINE, 'TRUKFIT'

Young Money frontline rapper, Lil’ Wayne, has turned his attention to the clothing line business, with the recent birth of his very own skateboard-oriented line, Trukfit.

The line debuted this past weekend at the Long Beach, California Agenda trade show. According to Trukfit, the line ‘was inspired by Lil Wayne’s passion for skateboarding and quality street wear’ and ‘pulls influence from Lil Wayne’s distinctive style and voice’.

The multi-talented 29 year old rapper, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, reveals his confidence about his new line. ‘It will be the best clothing line ever, ‘he stated. Collections feature bold graphic Tees, hats, and skateboards, obviously, all at a ‘moderate price point’.

The skateboard apparel collection is scheduled to debut in New York City at the end of January.

THE TOP 10 MOST POPULAR HIP HOP SINGLES OF 2011

After tallying the weekly Top Singles, here are the Top Singles of the entire year. The Top 10 Most Popular Hip Hop Singles Of 2011

It's been quite a year in Hip Hop. This was definitely the year of the freestyle (we say that every year), the year of the mixtape (yeah, we say that too), and the year of the album pushback (yup, that again). Everything in Hip Hop is cyclical, but each time the same thing re-emerges, we're introduced to a tweaked formula from the last time around. In 2011, we witnessed the unification of two Hip Hop powerhouses (Jay-Z and Kanye West on Watch The Throne), we were met with an album from a famed rapper that half the public loved and the other half hated (Drake's Take Care), and we also heard a few cuts off an album that we're now being told may never happen (Dr. Dre's Detox). There was a lot more going on, and you'll see most of it on this list. As we check out the ten songs that our HipHopDX readers listened to the most, pay attention to the names. They're all familiar and all indicative of the top spots in Hip Hop. Well, with the exception of Maroon 5 of course.

1. Jay-Z and Kanye West - Otis

Having this song top the singles for 2011 on HipHopDX right before New Year's Eve is befitting. After all, "Otis" was all about celebration. Jay and Kanye took an Otis Redding sample to new heights and paired it with a video, where they strip down a Maybach and do donuts in it in front of an American flag. How's that for a party? Despite the fact that "H.A.M." (look below) was our first real glimpse into the Watch the Throne project, it was "Otis" that really had the people excited about what Jay-Z and Kanye West collectively had coming.

2. Jay-Z and Kanye West - H.A.M.

Lex Luger brought some out-of-the-box production for Jay and Ye on this one. The song was arguably bigger than the sum of its parts, and succeeded largely based upon curiosity. People had no idea what to expect after this song dropped. However, throw that badboy on at the club and everyone goes "H.A.M. aka "hard as a muthaf**ker."

3. Drake - Marvin's Room

How many times this year have you read "I'm just sayin, you could do better" on social networking sites? This song sparked the "Drake is emo" movement, crafting a song about being drunk and calling his ex-girlfriend. The sobfest carried over into other versions and freestyles.

4. Young Jeezy featuring Lil Wayne - Ballin

Many moons ago, people thought this track right here was the first look into Young Jeezy's Thug Motivation 103, as he and Lil Wayne stomped all over this track chanting that "ballin" mantra. It never did make it to the album, after it was pushed back so many times. That doesn't take away from its street anthemic value.

5. Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey - I Need a Doctor

When this song hit the ground, it entered a marathon. Detox was 2010's big tease, but by 2011, it was really starting to look like a reality. Producer Alex Da Kid introduced his dark songstress Skylar Grey to the word, and her breathy vocals make this track so haunting, as Eminem is literally begging Dr. Dre to come back to music. Sorry, Em.

6. Maroon 5 featuring Mac Miller and Christina Aguilera - Moves Like Jagger Remix

"Moves Like Jagger" sans Mac Miller was one of 2011's big deal Pop anthems. However, getting Mac Miller on the remix shoved this cut into the faces of Hip Hop fans, and guess what? They liked it. It also contributed largely to Mac Miller's crossover appeal. That's the reason why your little sister is bumping Blue Slide Park. So, Mac Mill has moves like Jagger too?

7. Game featuring Lil Wayne - RED Nation

Game's The R.E.D. Album had quite a few high points. This song, however, was one of the highest. Taking the "Zombie Nation" techno chants and dropping Lil Wayne in the hook beckoning everyone to "Blood the fuck up" made "RED Nation" the kind of song to get violent to. After all, angry music makes everyone see "red."

8. Eminem - G.O.A.T. (Jay-Z and Kanye West Diss)

This track seemed like it came out of nowhere, and it did. It was pretty old, and for whatever reason, it circulated this past year. Even Eminem himself spoke on the song, stating it was old and just a big venting session about not getting the respect he deserved. That all changed this year, and thankfully nothing became of this quasi-war between three rap stalwarts.

9. Lupe Fiasco featuring Skylar Grey - Words I Never Said

Another win for Skylar Grey, as she added to the intensity of this Lupe Fiasco track. Lupe spent a good long while frustrated with his label, his career, and his music. However, this song off Lasers added to the mainstream value of the project as a whole and brought Lupe right to the top of the charts. Sometimes the words never said go a long way.

10. Dr. Dre featuring Eminem - Die Hard

Yet another floaty in the Detox pool, "Die Hard" paired Dre with Em again on this third look into the album that never was. By the time this track hit, Dre fans were really convinced that Detox was going to happen and Eminem was going to play a huge role in it. Dre is pretty lucky. His presence on this 2011 list shows just how many people still care about his music.