Thirteen years ago Tuesday (March 9), hip-hop lost one of its most beloved, charismatic and talented MCs to ever put rhymes to a beat. The Notorious B.I.G. was gunned down in Los Angeles on March 9, 1997, as he left a Soul Train Music Awards afterparty. To date, the assailants remain at large. Investigations into the murder of the Brooklyn rapper are ongoing, and a wrongful-death lawsuit fil... more.

NEW YORK — After saying goodbye on concert stages and online video streams, Lil Wayne had nothing to add as he was sentenced Monday to a year in jail for having a loaded gun on his tour bus. The Grammy Award-winning rapper delivered only a brief bow to fans and supporters as he was led out of a courtroom in handcuffs to start serving his sentence. With that, Lil Wayne headed off to face hi... more.

Miami rapper Trina has spoken out about racy and unflattering photos of her that have been leaked on the Web. She claims her cellphone was stolen at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in October and that the thief is asking for money in exchange for the pics. [The images are] me on a very upset day -- I think I was in Canada, upset crying,'' Trina, 31, told MTV.com. Just personal stuff. Photos in ... more.

Maybe they should call it Cash Money Oil & Gas. As their star rapper Lil Wayne prepares to go to jail next month, the founders of rap record label Cash Money Records appear to be on the hunt for a new kind of bling -- this one involving black gold. The label's co-founders, Bryan "Birdman" Williams and his brother, Ronald "Slim" Williams, have launched an energy exploration enterprise under t... more.

Rap star Ja Rule has lost his battle to get his 2007 gun possession case tossed, but his lawyer says he remains on track to fight the charges. Ja Rule -- real name Jeff Atkins -- had argued in a two-week hearing last spring that cops had no cause to search his Maybach after a concert at the Beacon Theatre and seize a .40-cal, unlicensed handgun found inside. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Rich... more.

DOWNTOWN HOUSTON - Houston's hip-hop community came together Monday night to help Haiti. Rapper Bun B hosted a benefit concert at Warehouse live. He said after watching news coverage of the deadly quake, he wanted to do something to help. So he enlisted the help of his friends to pull together a fundraiser. "In remembrance of Dr. King, we all like to do service on his birthday, the national ... more.

SOUTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Fulton County police are investigating the robbery and shooting of a rapper at a car wash in South Fulton County Tuesday afternoon. Police said the shooting victim was rapper Juaquin Malphurs, better known by his stage name, Waka Flocka Flame. The shooting happened at a car wash at 5320 Old National Highway. Investigators said Malphurs' gold chain and wallet were ... more.

New Orleans rapper Michael “Mystikal” Tyler was released from prison this week after serving six years for sexual battery. He pleaded guilty in 2003; later, he also pleaded guilty to two federal misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns on a total of $1.7 million he earned in 1998 and 1999. A judge allowed him to serve the federal sentence concurrently with the state sentence. T... more.

Following the earthquake that leveled his homeland, musician Wyclef Jean rushed to Haiti to help pull the dead from the rubble. And just hours after the quake struck Tuesday afternoon, Jean's Yéle Haiti foundation -- established in 2005 to mobilize emergency relief on the impoverished island -- began raising money to help survivors. Tens of thousands of people made $5-a-pop instant donation... more.

Hours after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that shook the island of Haiti, Wyclef Jean put out a plea to anyone with information about the whereabouts of Haitian rapper Jimmy O, who is a part of 'Clef's nonprofit Yele Haiti foundation. "I urge everyone who's listening right now that knows how great this kid is in Haiti — I need y'all to verify this information," he said during a CNN... more.