Wherever you walk, do it with purpose. You know what we’re talking about. The difference between those who know what they want and those who go out and get it. This is it.

Stacy Adams is bringing style to the next level with their new arrivals this season. These men’s shoes will have others paying attention. And the best part—you don’t have to say a word. So try our shoes on for size and see how they fit your lifestyle.

Visit www.stacyadams.com and check out all the ways you can look good.

Your old cell phone is so yesterday. We’re on to the next one with the BlackBerry Curve 8520 ($300), available from T-Mobile in black and frost blue. Stay connected in style with the Wi-Fi-capable device, featuring a QWERTY keyboard, 2-megapixel camera with video capture, Micro SD memory slot, Stereo Bluetooth, music player, and more. Tweet, Facebook, and surf the web from wherever, whenever.

TO ENTER: Answer this question: Which Jay-Z song features the lyrics, “All black everything”?

Send your entry to blackberry@rap-up.com along with your name, age, and mailing address. One winner will be chosen from all correct entries received. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. One entry per person. Contest ends Wednesday, September 23, at 11 p.m. PST.

Learn more about the BlackBerry Curve 8520 and purchase your own.

Don’t call it a comeback…except in this case. Samsung has the all-in-one solution to keep you connected throughout the school year. The Samsung Comeback for T-Mobile ($250) is available in tasty Pearl White Plum and Frost Silver Cherry flavors and features 3G technology, a 2-megapixel camera with video capture, QWERTY keyboard, GPS, Micro SD memory slot, instant messaging, Stereo Bluetooth, and more. All this and it even flips shut so you don’t get caught texting in class.

TO ENTER: Answer this question: Which 1991 rap song included the lyrics, “Don’t call it a comeback/ I’ve been here for years”?

Send your entry along with your name, age, and mailing address. One winner will be chosen from all correct entries received. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. One entry per person. Contest ends Wednesday, September 9, at 11 p.m. PST.

Learn more about the Samsung Comeback and purchase your own.

After taking the music and fashion worlds by storm, Lady Gaga is extending her trendsetting style to consumer electronics. From the Haus of Gaga comes the “Poker Face” singer’s own line of fashionable headphones.

After the success of Beats by Dr. Dre, Monster Cable introduced Heartbeats by Lady Gaga at the IFA electronics fair in Berlin on Monday (Sept. 6). The triangular headphones, priced between $99 and $149, will be available in October in three colors: white, black, and red.

“They are designed to be the first-ever fashion accessories that double as the absolute best sonically sounding headphones in the world,” Lady Gaga said about her newest business venture. “These headphones look a lot like the jackets my friends and I wear in New York. They are all studded and metal.”

Dr. Dre was also on hand to announce Beats Solo, an entry level companion to the original Beats by Dr. Dre. The less expensive headphones will cost between $179 and $219, and will be available in November.

To ease the pain of going back to school, we’ve teamed up with Logitech to give away a brand new Squeezebox Boom ($300). The compact, all-in-one network music player lets you listen to music in any room of your house. Instantly browse playlists on your computer, tune to thousands of Internet radio stations, and access your favorite online music services over Wi-Fi. The sleek system even includes a 7-day alarm, so at least you can wake up for class to the tune of your favorite song.

TO ENTER: Answer this question: Which artist had a song called “Boom” on her 2003 album Limelite, Luv & Niteclubz?

Send your entry to boom@rap-up.com along with your name, age, and mailing address. One winner will be chosen from all correct entries received. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. One entry per person. Contest ends Friday, September 4, at 11 p.m. PST.

Learn more about the Squeezebox Boom and purchase your own.

By this time, Jay-Z fans have undoubtedly wreaked havoc on their headphones, playing “Run This Town” countless times. To enhance listeners’ auditory experience and add some pizzazz to their ear gear, V-MODA has crafted the Vibe II with Microphone luxury headphones.

The soft silicone earbuds, designed with the BLISS (Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicone) system, reduce outside noise and provide rich bass while bopping along to joints like Hov’s Kanye West-produced track. And for those jogging to the beat, the Vibe II with Microphone comes with ergonomically designed, detachable sport earhooks for added stability.

BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPod users have the ability to use the headphones’ audio functions with their devices. Other features include a call/music control button and a reengineered 45-degree plug. Released exclusively through Apple, audio enthusiasts can purchase the Vibe II at Apple retail locations and apple.com, as well as shop.v-moda.com.

One lucky Rap-Up.com reader will win a pair of Vibe II with Microphone headphones!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. A WINNER WILL BE NOTIFIED BY E-MAIL. THANKS FOR ENTERING!

–Georgette Cline

There is nothing new about rappers venturing into fashion, acting, or even penning novels. Ghostface Killah joins his fellow rappers-turned-published authors with his latest endeavor, the graphic novel Cell Block Z.

The Wu-Tang affiliate collaborated with illustrator Chris Walker and writers Shauna Garr and Marlon Chapman to portray the life of Cole Dennis (Ghostface’s birth name reversed), a heavyweight contender framed for a crime he didn’t commit. While imprisoned, Dennis learns inmates are set to be turned into bio-weapons. In an effort to stop the madness, he transforms into his alter-ego, Ghostface Killah, and unleashes a reign of righteous terror.

How does one get into the frame of mind to draw a hip-hop icon? Chris Walker knows. The renowned New York visual artist and filmmaker, whose artwork has been used by Marvel Comics, didn’t just “hop up out the bed” and turn his illustrator swag on. It was a painstaking process. Here, Chris, whose résumé includes crafting iconic characters such as Spiderman and Batman, reveals the five ways he did his homework in order to craft a rap legend.

Pump Up the Volume
“One of the things you need to do is to desperately listen to their music and the lyrics and get inspired by it. I listened to the song ‘Run’ by Ghostface Killah when writing the opening scene where Cole Dennis is running from the cops.”

Practice Makes Perfect
“Practice drawing the person as much as possible. You also really want to capture the look of the person, especially since Ghostface Killah didn’t draw the characters with me.”

Dive Into the Genre
“You really have to think about hip-hop and try to make this book feel like it’s a part of the culture. You really want to give it a feel that you really like hip-hop.”

Read Between the Lines
“You have to pay a lot of attention to the story—really working with the story and make sure what you’re drawing goes along well with what the writers wrote.”

Make the Rapper Shine
“Try to make sure it’s something the rappers themselves would really be proud of. You want them to say, ‘Man this is a really good project. This really captures who I am!’”

Six lucky Rap-Up.com readers will win a copy of Ghostface Killah’s Cell Block Z. To enter, answer this question: What is the title of Ghostface’s debut solo album?

Send in your entry along with your full name, age, and mailing address. Six winners will be randomly chosen from all correct entries received. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. One entry per person. Contest ends Sunday, August 2, at 11 p.m. PST.

–Natelegé Whaley

School is over and reading a book is the last thing students want to be doing during summer vacation. But lying on the beach with this read will produce more than just a tan; this guide moves undergrads looking for a career in the entertainment business toward the path to success.

Hailed as a “mentorship in a bottle,” Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [Entertainment] Business, written by Thembisa S. Mshaka, combines personal reflections and business advice from countless DJs, record label executives, and producers, including Beyoncé’s publicist Yvette Noel-Schure and Chris Brown’s manager Tina Davis.

Thembisa, a former Sony Music copywriter whose campaigns contributed to album sales for Lauryn Hill, Nas, and Wu-Tang, has created a guidebook to learning the inner workings of the entertainment industry, while showcasing true stories of struggle, sexism, and success. Currently the copy director for BET Networks, the author shares a few gems with Rap-Up.com on how recent graduates can handle their entertainment business.

On Today’s Industry:
“Expect the unexpected. This is a completely new day. The entertainment business is undergoing a seismic shift. Young people are coming into it at a uniquely uncertain time. They will have to work harder than they thought and it will present an unprecedented level of opportunity for them. Most importantly, they must spend time developing as artists or professionals.”

On Mentorship:
“Pay your dues. You have to start from the beginning. For those who can’t carry a tune, have two left feet, and [are] not an on-camera person, the beginning is still an internship or apprenticeship. Work with someone who is doing what you want to do. Get a sense of what it will take to be successful in the business. Put Your Dreams First may help people think twice about getting a mentor sooner. Research and persistence are key.”

On Success:
“Cathy Hughes [founder of Radio One] was a great example of tackling the business as a young woman. She talked about challenges she faced when she was a teenager in high school and became pregnant with her son in the 1960s. She had the baby and went on to college, often bringing her son to classes. Her son currently serves as CEO of Radio One.”

Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [Entertainment] Business (Grand Central Publishing) is available now at bookstores everywhere.

–Angela Montanez

We’ve hooked up with the good folks at T-Mobile to give away the most coveted gadget on the market, the new Sidekick LX. Released just last week, the 3G-enabled device features a hi-def LCD, built-in Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace applications, GPS-enabled Live Search, 3.2-megapixel camera, video capture, slimmer design, plus the best keyboard we’ve used. The LX retails for $250 with a 2-year contract.

Enter to win below.

TO ENTER: Answer this question: Name Busta Rhymes famous sidekick.

Send in your entry along with your name, age, and state. One winner will be randomly chosen from all correct entries received. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. One entry per person. Contest ends Friday, May 22, at 11 p.m. PST.

For more information and to purchase a Sidekick LX of your own, visit www.sidekick.com.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. A WINNER WILL BE NOTIFIED BY E-MAIL. THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Mother’s Day is Sunday and we’ve got the perfect gift for those who want to get on mom’s good side this year. Keep your mama smelling sweet with Calvin Klein euphoria. The oriental fragrance consists of exotic fruits and seductive florals with a rich, creamy signature.

We’re hooking up a few Rap-Up.com readers with Calvin Klein euphoria and euphoria spring temptation, available at Macy’s. Enter below.

TO ENTER: Answer this question: Which artist became a mother for the first time when she gave birth to a baby named Ikhyd? Search Rap-Up.com for the answer.

Send your entry along with your name, age, and state. Three winners will be chosen from all correct entries received. This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. One entry per person. Contest ends tonight at 11 p.m. PST.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED BY E-MAIL. THANKS FOR ENTERING!