Rapper denies reports that he was involved in an on-set scuffle: ‘It was actually a fight scene in the film.’

Reports that rapper Curtis Jackson assaulted a co-star on the set of his new film “Righteous Kill” are untrue, he told MTV News — and for proof all anybody needs to do is check out his bottom line.

Look, he didn’t rename himself 50 Cent for nothing.

“You know how much that would cost?” he joked, dismissing reports that he came to blows with actor Frank John Hughes after being called out for not knowing his lines. “It was actually a fight scene in the film — so expand it, get a little bit of controversy going so people [will be] be interested.”
It’s an unusually self-aware answer for a controversial figure some may view as a loose cannon. But it’s precisely that hyper-awareness of his own public persona that helps him fit in so well on the set of “Righteous Kill,” he said. Consider that among the cast, co-stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have won three Oscars, while 50 has been in three movies. Ever.

But if his august co-stars had any initial bias toward his acting abilities, they don’t anymore, he grinned.

“I think they got a perception of hip-hop artists based on the things in the past — previous artists, they came through and had a different attitude. I’m not sure if those artists even had the opportunity to meet Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, but just [from] being on movie sets [they influence perception],” 50 said. “After interacting with me, they see something different.”

50 plays Spider, a nightclub owner who finds himself tangled up in the chase between two old detectives (De Niro and Pacino) and a serial killer who leaves poems about his crimes near his victims. And he has great scenes with both, Fif teased.

“I’ve worked with them,” he enthused. “It’s exciting. The whole thing is a great experience.”

But, more importantly perhaps, it’s been a learning experience as well. How could it not be with two acting legends hanging around on set?

“It was definitely cool just being around them, away from actually performing on camera,” 50 gushed. “De Niro, I’ve been to his house, met his wife. We’ve been to the firing range a couple times together.”

And Pacino? Turns out even the most self-aware of people can learn something about how to interact with their own image.

“For me, I just wanted to make sure that I was 100 percent comfortable with the actual scene — I’d look at myself,” 50 said of his acting process. “[But] he won’t look at himself after he does the scenes, Al Pacino won’t. He’s like, ‘I know how I look.’ ”

For news on how 50 looks, though, you’ll have to wait until the movie hits theaters next year, he said, a coy smile on his face.

“I feel good about my performance,” he said. “I want everybody to go see it and be excited.”

Jay-Z recently revealed more details to Power 105.1’s DJ Clue about his upcoming conceptual album, American Gangster, for which he says he’s going back to his street roots.

As SOHH previously reported, American Gangster is inspired by the upcoming flick of the same name, which stars Oscar Award winner Denzel Washington.

“My name is Jigga right now,” Hov explained. “I just stripped it back down and took it all the way back to the basics, four sounds, you know, the running man and all that…. It’s a conceptually themed album.”

When asked how many songs will be on the album, Jigga replied, “I’m at 12 [songs] now but I’m in such a zone I might go 14. I wanna keep it short and sweet and try to keep the story line.” [Watch the interview here]

American Gangster, the film, is based on the true story of 1970’s drug kingpin Frank Lucas (played by Washington) who brought heroin into Harlem by sneaking it into the coffins of American soldiers coming home from Vietnam.

Hov revealed to The New York Times last week that the movie mirrored his drug dealing past and that the songs he crafted for the album were inspired by specific scenes from the flick.

Giving fans a sample of the street oriented rhymes on the new project, Jay rapped a few lines from a track called “No Hook,” to The Times writer.

“Please don’t compare me to other rappers / Compare me to trappers,”Jay spit. “I’m more Frank Lucas than Ludacris. And Lude is my dude, I ain’t trying to dis / Just like Frank Lucas is cool, but I ain’t tryin’ to snitch / I’m-a follow the rules, no matter how much time I’m-a get / I’m-a live and die with the decisions that I’m-a pick.”

American Gangster, the movie, will open in theatres on November 2 while Jigga’s project of the same name drops on November 6.

In related news, Jay-Z’s clothing line Rocawear is one of three suitors vying for naming rights for The Continental Arena an in New Jersey. Hov is facing stiff competion from South Pole and Izod.

The arena, which is home to the NBA’s New Jersey Nets, where Jay-Z owns a minor share, could have a new name by October 4.

For the past month, rumors have swirled on the Internet that D-Block member, J-Hood, was parting ways with The LOX, prompting the Yonkers native to post a blog on his MySpace page announcing his departure from the crew. While the situation was cordial at first, that changed this week when video footage surfaced on YouTube of ‘Hood disrespecting LOX member, Sheek Louch, by referring to him as “Cheek Louch” and proceeding to drag his D-Block chain on the concrete. J-Hood then made a surprise appearance at 50 Cent’s concert in the Bronx over the weekend, confirming his beef with The LOX. In an exclusive statement to XXLMag.com, Sheek Louch responds for the first time to J-Hood, voicing his displeasure with his recent actions. Sheek’s statement is as follows.

“J-Hood is still gonna be a star and is a hot rapper,” Sheek tells XXLMag.com exclusively. “He is just being 50’s puppet as we speak in a very childish attempt to hurt D-Block, which in no way he can. Lyrically, I would never go at it with Joshua. It’s way too many things that I’ve been there for him as a father figure that he would not like if I spoke on. Not to mention, he is nowhere on the level as me or my partners — The LOX. And not to mention, we were never beefing. [So] for him to be talking so tough, just because we are not doing business, doesn’t mean we have to end on a bad note. Especially if you or nobody you be with is built that way. So I really don’t get lil’ guy. You see [Funkmaster] Flex and every DJ saying they will never play another J-Hood song again. He is hanging himself and I hope he gets a grip and thinks for himself like I taught him to. But I still wish ‘Hood the best in life and music.”

Hip-Hop/publishing mogul Marc Ecko was the unidentified buyer who purchased Barry Bonds’ 756 home run ball last week for $752,467 at Sotheby’s/SCP auctions on Saturday (September 15).

According to Ecko, he will take the historical ball and allow the public to choose its fate.

Starting today, fans can go www.vote756.com and choose to “give the ball to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, permanently brand the ball with an asterisk before sending it to Cooperstown or put the ball on a rocket ship and launch it into space.”

“We all have opinions about this ball,” Ecko said of the unusual proposition. “Some feel it is a piece of history that belongs in the Hall of Fame. Others believe it is the embodiment of a cheating culture - not just in baseball, but in professional sports generally.”

Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s home record of 755 on August 7 in San Francisco.

The ball was caught by 21-year-old student Matt Murphy of New York, who paid $100 for a $12 ticket during a layover on a trip to Australia.

“I had hoped to keep the ball, but when I determined that was not the best strategy at this stage of my life, this definitely was the right decision,” Murphy said in a statement after the sale. “It is an honor to be a part of baseball history and I wish the new owner well with whatever they elect to do with the ball.”

Marc Ecko enterprises produces a number of popular fashionable lines, including the *ecko unltd and red brands, as well as, G-Unit Clothing, Zoo York and Avirex.

“I bought this baseball to democratize the debate over what to do with it and allow the public to decide,” Ecko explained.

Ecko also owns and publishes Complex magazine as well as a graffiti video game titled Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.

Online voting started today and concludes next week at 11:59 pm EST on Tuesday, September 25th.

50 Cent–real name Curtis Jackson–has today (September 17) blamed Kanye West’s record label Def Jam for yesterday’s chart defeat, saying Def Jam had been “rigging” sales.

The two rivals were battling it out for number one in the charts–with West’s Graduation beating 50 Cent’s Curtis.

West’s single “Stronger” has also beaten 50 Cent’s “Ayo Technology” in the U.K.–charting at #3 and #5, respectively.

Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls” remains at number one in the U.K. singles chart for a third week running.

Curtis Jackson had declared that he would quit making solo albums if he was beaten by his rival in the ongoing feud, prior to the records’ releases last week.

Jackson now insists that West’s label Def Jam must have doctored the sales figures, saying: “He’s never had a fraction of the sales 50 Cent has. They could have one scan and have it count four times. West’s entire career hasn’t sold half what I sold on my first album.”

Gay Alliance Attacks Ja Rule, Calls Rapper’s Comments “Ugly, Vulgar Displays Of Prejudice”
Friday - September 14, 2007

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released a statement today (September 14) responding to recent comments made by Ja Rule about homosexuals.

As SOHH previously reported, while being queried by Complex magazine about the upcoming Congressional hearing set to discuss the content and imagery of black women in hip-hop, Ja responded by calling out unchecked homosexuality on television.

“Lets talk about all these f–king shows that they have on MTV that is promoting homosexuality, that my kids can’t watch this sh-t,” Ja said. “Dating shows that’s showing two guys or two girls in mid-afternoon. Let’s talk about s–t like that! If that’s not f–king up America, I don’t know what is.”

In a statement posted on their official site, GLAAD responded to Ja’s controversial comments with the following:

“No fair-minded person can look at Ja Rule’s interview with Complex magazine and believe for one second that his children could be more harmed by what they might see on television than by the vulgarity and prejudice that comes out of their father’s mouth. Now that media have seen Ja Rule’s intolerance unmasked by his own words, they have a responsibility not to provide in the future a platform for his ugly, vulgar displays of prejudice.”

Master P visited a Charlotte, North Carolina middle school yesterday (Sept. 13) and apologized to the students for the tone of his earlier work in music.

Master P spoke to students at Monroe Middle School about the importance of education, good financial management and a vision for success. But he also expressed regret at some of the vulgar content of his earlier recordings.

“Y’all know I started off on the wrong track,” Miller said. “The most important thing I’ve done with my life is clean my act up. I’m sorry for making the music that I made without thinking about y’all.”

Math teacher Bonnie Mwanda heard that the rapper, whose real name is Percy Miller, would be in Charlotte to promote a book and sent an e-mail asking him to stop by the school.

In closing, Master P promised another reward for students if they had a good year.

“If the principal tells me y’all have a good year,” he said to screams and cheers, “I’m going to bring Romeo back to do a concert.”

Boaters in Chicago are angry with Clear Channel Entertainment, after a pair of “profane” concerts featuring rappers Snoop Dogg and Wu-Tang Clan at the Northerly Island Charter One Pavilion.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, members of the Chicago Yachting Association complained to Chicago Park District officials on Wednesday (September 12) and asked Clear Channel to be more sensitive of the acts booked at the venue.

Members of the Chicago Yachting Association said that an August 26 concert featuring Wu-Tang Clan contained numerous explicative words, while the September 2 concert featuring Snoop Dogg included curse words like “f**k” and encouraged fans to “kill the police.”

The boaters said they are not trying to impeded rappers or censor their lyrics.

“They have the right to say it, but they should go somewhere children don’t have to hear it,” said 61-year-old association member Frank Gagliano, who represented over 5,000 yacht members at the meeting.

Parks Superintendent Timothy Mitchell told the Chicago-Times that he warned Clear Channel officials to be more conscious of the acts they book at the Charter One Pavilion, because of families that have children who live on their boats in the harbor.

“When they were talking about Snoop Dogg, I thought they were talking about that little beagle that sits on top of the dog house in Peanuts,” Mitchell said.