B-boys and B-girls rejoice. The world famous Rock Steady Crew will celebrate their 31st anniversary with a historic four-day extravaganza, which kicks off today in New York City with the Celebrity Benefit Basketball Challenge, and wraps up on Sunday, July 27th with an outdoor concert at the 3rd Annual Lincoln Park Music Festival in Newark, NJ.

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Dr. Dre “shooting for a November or December release” with his highly anticipated Detox album; collaborating with Nas, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne.
[USA Today]

Nas’ untitled album sells 187,000 copies and grabs the No. 1 spot from Lil Wayne. [Billboard]

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Bad Boy Records will release Just a Rolling Stone, the debut album from “Making the Band’s” Donnie Klang, on September 2nd. The album features the single “Take You There” with Diddy. The video, directed by Ray Kay (Destiny’s Child, Cassie), will premiere August 8th on MTV’s “FNMTV.”

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DMX has run into trouble with the law yet again. The rapper, born Earl Simmons, was arrested at a mall in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday on charges of identity theft.

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R&B duo Nina Sky will release their sophomore album The Musical this October on Polo Grounds Music/J Records. Producers on the album include Salaam Remi, Swizz Beatz, Cool & Dre, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers, and Ryan Leslie. The twin sisters’ first single “Curtain Call” featuring Rick Ross is scheduled to premiere the week of July 21st.

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Q-Tip will release his long-awaited second solo album The Renaissance this September on Universal Motown. The follow-up to 1999’s Amplified is a mix of summer jams, club bangers, and introspective songs, which combines live instrumentation and samples.

Norah Jones is featured on “Life is Better” and Barack Obama’s voice can be heard on the intro track “Shaka.” The A Tribe Called Quest front man also collaborated with D’Angelo and Raphael Saadiq.

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Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas wed his fiancé Jaymie Dizon on Saturday, according to PEOPLE.

Taboo and Dizon were married at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Pasadena, CA. Taboo’s BEP bandmates will.i.am and apl.de.ap were groomsmen, while Fergie attended with boyfriend Josh Duhamel (photo below).

Taboo is working on a solo album for release later this year.

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Alicia Keys to record title song for new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace? [E! Online]

Chris Brown to star in Bone Deep thriller alongside Matt Dillon, Idris Elba, and T.I. [THR]

Former Roc-A-Fella princess Teairra Mari signs with Interscope Records; new album late 2008/early 2009. [Billboard]

Chamillionaire releases freestyle over Nas’ “Hero” beat from his forthcoming Mixtape Messiah 4 (August 27). [Listen]

Trina to shoot video for third single “Look Back at Me” featuring Killer Mike in Miami on Monday. [Rap-Up.com]

Pop singer JoJo is currently in the studio working on her third album entitled All I Want Is Everything. The 17-year-old will showcase her writing skills on the follow-up to 2006’s The High Road and is working closely with a previously undiscovered producer by the name of J. Gatsby.

Other contributors include Danja, J.R. Rotem, DJ Toomp, Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander, Tank, Bryan-Michael Cox, Harvey Mason, Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry, Madd Scientist, Tony Dixon, Eric Dawkins, and Toby Gad.

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On July 15th, MTV will air “From G’s to Gents,” a new show produced by Jamie Foxx, which takes 15 young G’s from across the country with great potential under their rough exterior and polishes them up. Hosted by Fonzworth Bentley (known for his umbrella holding days as Diddy’s personal assistant), the men will be schooled on how to lose the front, focus their passion, and market themselves. Taking lessons in everything from style and grace, etiquette, chivalry, and business skills, the men will see that with the right tools every G has the ability to find respect, realize their self-worth, and graduate from G to true Gentleman.

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