doppaz.com

Nicki Minaj is the most exciting female rapper for a generation, according to a number of leading music magazines – despite the fact she is yet to even release her debut album.

Mariel Concepcion, associate editor of Billboard says “There hasn’t been a female rapper in nearly ten years to make as much noise as she’s made”… while Brendan Frederick of Complex Magazine claims that “Nicki’s flow is so creative that you can count on her delivering at least a few instant, easy-to-remember quotables, which is the key to having a successful verse on a pop or R&B song.”

XXLMagazine’s Deputy Editor Rob Markman points to her crossover ability as the reason for her early success. Her solo single Your Love reached the Top 20 in August and she has appeared as a guest artist on a number of hit tracks over the last few years, including Ludacris’ My Chick Bad, Usher’s Lil’ Freak, Christina Aguilera’s Woohoo, Sean Kingston’s Dutty Love and Jay Sean’s 2012.

Minaj’s record label Young Money Entertainment are just hoping her status as the next big female rapper will be cemented with the release of her debut album on 23^rd November.

It’s been quite a year for the R&B singer and rapper B.o.B. In April he released his number one album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, followed by the hit singles Nothin’ on You (ft. Bruno Mars) and Airplanes (ft. Hayley Williams), and in early August he found out he was nominated for five 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Now he’s discovered he’s going to be performing at the VMAs as well – and he has a surprise in store for the viewers.

“I’m just gonna wear rocket boots the whole night. And nothing else”, he joked. “Buck naked, rocket boots. That’s how I roll.” But when he was asked about his chances of walking away with an award, he became a lot more humble. “I don’t know. I really don’t know. There are a lot of very talented artists and musicians in the categories I am nominated for so, really, I feel like just being nominated is cool.”

The 2010 VMAs will be broadcast live from Los Angeles at 9pm (ET) on 12^th September 2010.

Ready for some good news? Lil Wayne is back with a brand new single: Right Above It. Want some even better news? It features the red hot hip hop star Drake. One more? It’s from the EP I’m Not a Human Being, set to be released on 27^th September.

The rapper, who has sold tens of millions of albums worldwide and is famous for hit singles like Tha Block is Hot, Go DJ and Lollipop, is currently serving a one-year jail sentence for criminal possession of a weapon. However, he deliberately recorded the EP and single before being imprisoned so it could be released in the middle of his sentence.

As well as the single, Drake has recently revealed that the duo will be recording a joint album once Wayne has been released. He confirmed that “there will be a Lil Wayne/Drake album. It will probably be one of the most exciting things in my life, because we make music on a different level.” If you are a real Lil Wayne’s fan, be sure to download Lil Wayne ringtones.

Joseph Guillermo Jones II, better known as Jim Jones, is an American rapper and hip hop musician.

Born 15^th July 1976 in the Bronx, New York City but raised in Harlem, Jones took an interest in hip hop music from an early age. In 2000 he set up a hip hop group called The Diplomats with childhood friends Cameron Giles (aka Cam’ron) and Ezekiel Jiles (Freekey Zekey) – later adding the rapper Juelz Santana.

The group first appeared on Cam’ron’s second studio album S.D.E., but gained more mainstream popularity after appearing on Cam’ron’s follow-up Come Home With Me – particularly on the platinum-selling singles Oh Boy and Hey Ma. Their debut album Diplomatic Immunity was released in March 2003 and reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200, selling over two million copies in the US alone. It produced four singles in total: Dipset Anthem, I Really Mean It, Ground Zero and Bout it, Bout it… Part III (ft. Master P). Next came 2004’s Diplomatic Immunity 2 and the singles Crunk Muzik, S.A.N.T.A.N.A. and Get Down.

During 2004 Jones also launched his solo career with the album On My Way to Church. It charted inside the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 and produced the popular single Certified Gangstas (ft. Game, Cam’ron and Jay Bezel). Next came 2005’s Harlem: Diary of a Summer, which reached number five on the US charts and spawned three singles: Baby Girl (ft. Max B), Summer Wit Miami (ft. Trey Songz) and What You Been Drankin On (ft. P. Diddy, Paul Wall and Jha Jha).

Since then Jones has released a further two Top 10 studio albums – Hustler’s P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment) and Pray IV Reign – and scored hits with singles like We Fly High and Pop Champagne (ft. Ron Browz and Juelz Santana). His fifth studio album Capo is due for release in September 2010.

Robert James Ritchie, better known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American hip hop/southern rock singer-songwriter, musician and rapper.

Born 17^th January 1971 in Romeo, Michigan, Ritchie took an interest in music from a young age. At eleven he joined the breakdance crew Furious Funkers and was soon DJing several local basement parties. It was here that he got his stage name, after an audience member shouted “that white kid sure can rock!” After appearing as the opening artist for the hop hop group Boogie Down Productions, he was spotted by an A&R man from Jive Records and signed a contract with the label there and then.

The singer released his debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast in November 1990 – when he was just nineteen years old. Despite producing the infamous song Yo-Da-Lin in the Valley the album sold poorly and led to Kid Rock being dropped from his label. He signed to the independent label Continuum Records the following year and released two more albums during the mid 1990s – The Polyfuze Method and Early Morning Stoned Pimp – before landing a contract with the major label Atlantic Records.

Kid Rock’s fourth studio album Devil Without a Cause was his breakthrough, charting inside the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and selling over eleven million copies in the US alone. The album also produced the Top 20 hit Only God Knows Why, as well as the singles I Am the Bullgod, Bawitdaba and Cowboy, and led to the singer being nominated for two Grammy Awards (including for Best New Artist).

Since then, Kid Rock has released a further three Top 10 studio albums, selling over ten million copies in the US and scoring hits with the singles Lonely Road of Faith, Picture (with Sheryl Crow/Allison Moorer), Jackson, Mississippi, So Hott, Amen, All Summer Long and Rock N Roll Jesus. His eighth studio album Born Free is due to be released on 7^th September 2010.

Jason Phillips, better known as Jadakiss, is an American hip hop singer and rapper.

Born 27^th May 1975 in Yonkers, New York, Philips began freestyle rapping in his mid-teens. At sixteen he travelled to Florida to compete in the Jack the Rapper battle rap competition and earned himself some attention from the record label Ruff Ryders, but failed to land a recording contract at the time. Back home he founded the rap group The Warlocks with his friends Sheek Louch, Chris ‘Lil Mac’ Pelkey, and Styles P and landed a contract with Bad Boy Entertainment. They later changed their name to The LOX (an acronym for Living Off eXperience).

The group’s first appearance was on Main Source’s 1994 track Set it Off (from the LP Fuck What You Think). In their early years they developed a close relationship with the rapper The Notorious B.I.G., and their first hit, We’ll Always Love Poppa, was actually a tribute to him released after his death in 1997 (and the B-Side to Puff Daddy’s I’ll Be Missing You). In January 1998 they released their debut album Money, Power & Respect, which reached number three on the Billboard 200 chart and produced the Top 30 singles If You Think I’m Jiggy and Money, Power & Respect, and this was followed by 2000’s We Are The Streets – which also charted inside the Top 5 of the Billboard 200.

Jadakiss released his debut solo album Kiss Tha Game Goodbye in 2001, featuring the singles Knock Yourself Out, We Gonna Make It and Put Ya Hands Up. This was followed by 2004’s Kiss of Death, which hit number one in the US and featured the singles Time’s Up, Why and U Make Me Wanna, and then 2009’s The Last Kiss, including the singles By My Side, Can’t Stop Me, Death Wish and Who’s Real.

LOX’s third album New LOX Order and Jadakiss’ fourth solo album Top 5, Dead or Alive are both due for release in late 2010.

Katrina Laverne Taylor, better known by her professional stage name Trina, is an American hip hop singer-songwriter and rapper.

Born 3^rd December 1978 in Miami, Florida, Trina took an interest in music from a young age. After leaving high school she was asked by the Miami rapper Trick Daddy to perform on the track Nann Nigga for his debut album www.thug.com. The single reached number three on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart and led to Trina signing a deal with Slip-N-Slide/Atlantic Records.

In March 2000, the singer released her debut album Da Baddest Bitch. It reached number 33 on the Billboard 200, selling over 800,000 copies (and being certified gold) in the US, and produced the singles Da Baddest Bitch and Pull Over. She then spent two years working on her second album with the rapper and producer Missy Elliot, and it was eventually released in August 2002. Diamond Princess reached number fourteen on the Billboard 200 and produced three singles: Told Y’all (ft. Rick Ross), No Panties (ft. Tweet) and B R Right (ft. Ludacris).

Then came 2005’s Glamorest Life. Her third album shot to number eleven on the album chart, selling almost a million copies in America, and produced two singles: the US and UK Top 20 hit Here We Go (ft. Kelly Rowland) and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart hit Don’t Trip (ft. Lil Wayne). In 2007 Trina released two mixtapes – Rockstarr Royalty and Baddest Chick 2: Reloaded – before starting work on her fourth studio album.

Still da Baddest was released on 1^st April 2008 and was her first album to debut inside the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 – peaking at number six – as well hitting the top spot in both the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It spawned a total of three singles: Single Again, I Got a Thang for You (ft. Keyshia Cole) and Look Back at Me (ft. Killer Mike).

In May 2010 Trina released her fifth studio album Amazin’. It has produced the singles Million Dollar Girl, White Girl and My Bitches to date.

Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques, better known as simply Sean Paul, is a Grammy Award-winning Jamaican reggae singer, musician and rapper.

Born 9^th January 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica, Sean Paul had two interests from a young age – athletics and music. Although he spent much of his childhood swimming and even went on to play water polo for the Jamaican national team, he quit the sport in 1994 to focus on his music full time. After performing with the Dutty Cup Crew for several years, Sean Paul found success as a solo singer after recording the single Top Shotter for the soundtrack to the 1998 film Belly (which reached number five in the US Billboard 200 chart). This led to a recording contract with the renowned New York reggae label VP Records.

His debut solo album Stage One was released in March 2000, which produced the single Deport Them – featured in the hit film 2 Fast 2 Furious. This was followed by his hugely successful 2002 album Dutty Rock, which shot to number nine in the Billboard 200 and number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling over six million copies worldwide. It also produced the US Billboard Hot 100 number one smash hit Get Busy, as well as the Top 15 hits Gimme the Light, Like Glue and I’m Still in Love with You (ft. Sasha), and was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Following the release of this album the singer also appeared on Beyoncé’s number one hit Baby Boy (which stayed on the top spot for nine consecutive weeks) and Blu Cantrell’s UK number one single Breathe.

Sean Paul released his third studio album The Trinity in September 2005. which reached number seven on the Billboard 200 and produced the US number one hit Temperature, as well the Top 10 hits We Be Burnin’ and (When You Gonna) Give It Up to Me. His latest album, 2009’s Imperial Blaze, has produced a total of three singles to date: So Fine, Press It Up and Hold My Hand (ft. Keri Hilson).

Mullage are a Dirty South hip hop and contemporary R&B duo, comprised of the rappers B Boi and B Town. The group’s name is portmanteau of the phrase ‘musical collage’.

Although both originally from Atlanta, Georgia, the members B Boi (who comes from the southwest) and B Town (who comes from College Park) didn’t meet until they served together overseas in the US Navy in the mid-2000s. They quickly realised they shared a common passion for hip hop music and, despite being stationed on different naval ships, they soon began to perform together at military events. They even managed to find the time record a couple of tracks for a demo tape!

They both secured their release from the Navy in 2008 and moved back to Atlanta with one aim in mind – to make it as a hip hop duo. After discovering their own unique sound – a kind of smooth R&B infused hip hop that earned them many favourable comparisons to the Grammy Award-winning American hip hop duo OutKast – they began to perform at local venues, including at the legendary Blue Flame Lounge. As a result of popular live performances like these, the group were signed to the local independent label From The Ground Up Records (with support from Jive Records) in 2009, and immediately began work on their debut studio album.

The duo released their first single Trick’n in May 2009. It was a moderate success, reaching number 35 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and catapulted the group into the limelight. They have also debuted a number of other hip hop and R&B tunes on their MySpace page, including Never Fall, Forever Yours, No Strings Attached, GOOD LUV and Life Like a Party (ft. Fatigue), though none have been officially released to date.

Mullage’s debut studio album is due for release sometime in late 2010/early 2011.

Torrence Hatch, better known by the stage name Lil Boosie, is an American rapper and hip hop artist.

Born 14^th November 1982 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hatch took an interest in hip hop from a young age and was given the nickname Boosie by his family. His first notable appearance was on the rapper C-Loc’s fifth album It’s a Gamble in 2000, and this led to a recording contract with the independent label Trill Entertainment. Lil Boosie released his debut album For My Thugz in 2003. He then collaborated on two reasonably successful albums– Ghetto Stories and Gangsta Music – with his labelmate Webbie, as well as appearing with the rapper on his hit single Independent, which reached the Top 10 on the Hot 100.

Lil Boosie’s second solo album Bad Azz was released in October 2006. It shot to number one on the Billboard Top Rap Albums chart and number eighteen on the Billboard 200, sold over 300,000 copies in the US and produced the single Zoom (ft. Yung Joc). Following this he appeared on his label’s compilation album Trill Entertainment Presents: Survival of the Fittest alongside Webbie and fellow rapper Foxx. It debuted at number fourteen on the Billboard 200 and produced the Hot 100 Top 20 single Wipe Me Down.

After an appearance on DJ Khaled’s Top 40 single Out Here Grindin alongside Akon, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Trick Daddy, Ace Hood and Plies in June 2008, Lil Boosie released his third album Superbad: The Return of Boosie Bad Azz. It shot to number seven on the Billboard 200 and has produced one single to date: Better Believe It (ft. Young Jeezy and Webbie).

On 17^th June 2010 Lil Boosie was arrested on suspicion of first degree murder, as well as the lesser charge of intent to deal drugs. Court proceedings are currently underway.