Black Sheep finally return

After a 12-year hiatus from recording albums together, Black Sheep have arisen. 8WM/Novakane dropped Oct. 17, but if you missed it, that's understandable. The album can't be found in stores, but what does that hurt in this era of downloadable music? Dres released the album on his own independent label, Bum Rush, and it's available now on iTunes and eMusic. And of course, links to both spots are on Black Sheep's MySpace page. But the reunion of Dres and Mr. Lawnge seems to be over before it really even got started again. "On the real, Lawnge and I were going through some internal stuff, but we also had some deal offers that didn’t feel right. So, I kind of backed up from it and started to retool the album," Dres told XXL. "I wanted the album to come out on its own accord. I feel that it's better because of the time taken out to work on it. It's like how they say, 'No wine before its time.' Now, it's the time. I was able to get my own situation off the ground. Thank God, because Bum Rush is established to not only represent me, it's there to represent my other artists as well. But with Lawnge, he said that he was tired of waiting... He wanted to do the solo thing... He was spending money to do him and I was spending money to do us. It was then that he let me know that that's how it was. I bit my tongue and let him go by saying, 'God Bless.' I just think that he made a mistake by stepping out at this particular time. He was like the original Spinderella, or like the fourth member of Guy. He left at a pivotal moment in our career. The album is really good. But I can’t worry about that." On the new album and in the XXL interview, Dres also joins the increasing number of MCs that broke out in the 1980s and '90s who criticize the state of hip-hop. "I see the people getting really tired of what hip-hop is. But I also see hip-hop growing up," Dres said. "To me, I view some of the cats in the game as 'teenagers.' I can understand why they go out and do some of the things that they do, but I also see that hip-hop wants to be something bigger. I see hip-hop's aspiration. We have hundreds of millionaires -- the game provided us with that blessing. We have the opportunity to do things that have never been done before. We're at a point where we can truly create our own businesses, like hospitals and day care centers. We can build something valid in our community. Hip-hop puts a lot of pressure on regular folks to buy things that they can't afford. You know what Stephon Marbury is doing with his new shoes? I'm going to buy them. I don't respect a lot of cats who put a G5 in your face, while some guys are struggling to buy a train ticket. It's not meant for people to have things overnight, but you got guys caught up in keeping up with the Joneses. But at the end of the day, you can't be afraid to put the work in."

It's official: Jay-Z is coming back

As The 411 Online first reported in February, and then again in May, Jay-Z is back. Entertainment Weekly, always at the cusp of hip-hop news, proclaims "The Return of Jay-Z" on its latest cover and interviews the hip-hop legend about his upcoming album, Kingdom Come. "It was the worst retirement in history," Jay told EW, adding that he truly thought he was done making music. "I believed it, yeah. I believed it for two years." It should come as no shock, considering Jay made several references to Michael Jordan before and during his retirement. Vibe also reports that Jay calls himself Superman in the title track, referencing a comic that announced the hero's return from retirement. "Something, when you love it, is always tugging at you and itching, and I was putting it off and putting it off. I started fumbling around to see if it felt good," Jay said in the interview, adding that the album is "more in the vein of The Black Album than The Blueprint. I've been experimenting with things, different types of music." The first single is expected to be "Show Me What You Got" and the album is slated to arrive in stores on Nov. 14. Longtime collaborators Dr. Dre, Timbaland and Kanye West are on board as producers, as well as newcomers like Coldplay's Chris Martin. Although several sources confirm that the album will be titled Kingdom Come, some media outlets suggested the album would be named President. That name might not hold up if the rumors that The Roots' Okayplayer website have been reporting turn out to be true. Okayplayer suggests that Jay has been fired from his Def Jam gig, but that he will announce that he "voluntarily resigned" when he revives his music career. Don't forget that the last time Jordan returned, he never got his executive position back from the Washington Wizards. So maybe Jay's career will follow Jordan's more closely than he realizes. Be careful what you wish for, Jay. That final MJ comeback didn't work out so well. When asked what would force him to actually retire, Jay said: "If I wake up one day and the best material has passed me by -- and that's going to happen -- then it's time to move on. I've said what I wanted to say."

10 years without 2Pac

Ten years ago, on Sept. 13, 1996, 2Pac died in Las Vegas, six days after being shot three times in a drive-by shooting while riding in the passenger seat of a car driven by Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight. An air of disbelief still surrounds his death -- maybe because he had been shot five times in an earlier incident and lived, or maybe because early reports said he would pull through, or maybe because the eerie coincidences and fulfilled prophecies that lace the seemingly endless posthumous albums of the self-proclaimed "Makaveli" suggest he could have faked his own death. But it seems clear now that it was just wishful thinking that he's still alive. And as time goes on, reality sets in, and you realize that 2Pac truly is gone, and that the void he left will never be filled. So pour out a little liquor and join a couple of your favorite MCs in a moment of silence as they pay their respects. "His messages were really strong and heartfelt, and he was a real person. He could go from saying 'Keep your head up' to using the word b---- in the next song," Kanye West told The Associated Press. "There was no box that he was put in, and he lived and died by what he said." Big Boi also had love for Pac. "He stood for something and he really talked about life -- it wasn't just street life," the Outkast MC told the AP. "He was an intelligent guy." Finally, reminisce with Shock G in this 2002 interview.

Note: Not all of The 411 Online's most recent news is posted here. For more news, click here.

Lil' Kim sued by reggae singer

A reggae singer claims Lil` Kim copied one of her songs without permission and is suing the MC in a New York federal court. According to the New York Post, Tanya Stephens alleges that Kim illegally used portions of her 1997 track, "Mi and Mi God," on a cut off of her 2005 album The Naked Truth called "Durty." Stephens claims that there are many similarites in the lyrics of the two songs and is seeking ownership of Kim's track as well as all royalties. Meanwhile, Kim is working behind the scenes to get out of her record deal with Atlantic Records. Lil' Kim has not been seen since her release from federal prison in July, leading to speculation that she has gone under the knife for more plastic
surgery.

Foxy Brown skips court hearing

Foxy Brown skipped a court hearing in Jersey City, N.J., on Wednesday, and the judge in the case told her lawyer she should show up next time. Foxy's lawyer, Brian J. Neary, assured Judge Cynthia D. Jackson that Brown would be present to contest two complaints filed by Rasheeda Ellis. Neary said that at the probable cause hearing set for Sept. 26, he would request that the charges be dismissed against Brown, whose real name is Inga Marchand. Foxy allegedly threatened Ellis, a former consultant to Brown's management company, over the phone and through e-mails, but her lawyer dismissed that claim. "Foxy says she's never had a problem with this woman," Neary said.

Jay-Z surprises Mariah Carey before tour

Jay-Z made a surprise appearance at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, showing up on stage during Mariah Carey's tour stop. Jay stepped in during her performance of their single, "Heartbreaker," and later bowed in awe as Carey hit her signature high notes wearing nothing more than a bikini and a cape. Meanwhile, Jay has announced details of his world tour. Before spanning the globe, Jay will play the Sept. 7 Fashion Rocks concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Two days later, Krakow, Poland, will witness the first overseas performance. He'll play at least one show in Amsterdam, Germany, Turkey, Greece, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore before wrapping up with three dates in Australia, the final stop being Oct. 28 in Melbourne.

Common, RZA join T.I. in 'American Gangster'

Common and the RZA have joined T.I. in the cast of a crime drama set in the 1970s. "American Gangster," which stars Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington, will be directed by Ridley Scott and is based on the life of a drug kingpin who shipped heroin to the United States in the coffins of Vietnam veterans. RZA will play a police partner of Crowe's character, while T.I. and Common will be part of the drug empire run by Washington, who plays the kingpin. "Right now I'm learning everything I can about my character," T.I. told Billboard. "I'm just there to soak things up. There's a bunch of Academy Award-winners on this cast and I'm just there to learn. I'm in school."

Snoop Dogg pushes back album

The release date for Snoop Dogg's eighth solo album has been pushed back a month from Oct. 19 to Nov. 21. Tha Blue Carpet Treatment will be released on Doggystyle/Geffen and features production by Dr. Dre, Timbaland and the Neptunes and guest appearances from MC Eiht, Ice Cube, Brandy and R. Kelly. The lead single, "Vato," features Cypress Hill's B-Real and the video for it is scheduled to debut next week. Snoop said that the goal of the track is to promote racial unity. "It's about time we start to fight for each other rather than fighting against each other," Snoop told Billboard. "I have homies from all cultural backgrounds and love all of my brothers, black and brown. There is nothing that can stop us from creating a better future for ourselves, for our families and generations to come if we all came together." Tha Blue Carpet Treatment is Snoop's first album since the platinum Rhythm & Gangsta debuted at No. 6 in 2004.

Diddy to be a daddy again

Puff Daddy and his longtime girlfriend announced that they will be having another child. The artist born as Sean Combs but now known as Diddy and Kim Porter told the Associated Press through a representative that they are "happy to confirm that they are expecting their second child together. The couple is thrilled about the news." Puffy and Porter have an 8-year-old son named Christian, and he also has a 12-year-old son named Justin from a previous relationship with Misa Hylton-Brim. Diddy's next album, Press Play, is scheduled to drop in October.

NYPD gets back at Busta

Busta Rhymes was arraigned Sunday on a third-degree assault charge stemming from an incident earlier this month in which he was accused of attacking a man that allegedly spit on his car. Busta's lawyer thinks his client's refusal to discuss the February shooting death of one of his bodyguards made the minor incident into a bigger hassle. "This is payback by the NYPD," Scott Leemon said, adding that normally the charge warrants only a desk appearance ticket. Police, who arrested Rhymes on Saturday after he performed at the a festival on Randalls Island, wanted to interview Busta since bodyguard Israel Ramirez was killed outside a Brooklyn studio. Busta was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court Oct. 24.

C-Murder back under house arrest

A judge ordered C-Murder back into house arrest after a month of relative freedom. C-Murder, whose real name is Corey Miller and now prefers to be called C-Miller, was able to roam Jefferson and Orleans parishes in Louisiana during approved hours. State District Judge Martha Sassone placed C-Murder on complete home incarceration, which means he isn't allowed to leave home at any time other than for court hearings. Two days ago, a state appeals court ruled that Judge Sassone improperly removed him from the program on July 13. C-Murder had been placed under a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and was required to remain within the boundaries of the two parishes. C-Murder, the younger brother of Master P, was arrested in January 2002 for the shooting death of a 16-year-old at a New Orleans area nightclub. He was convicted of fatally shooting Steve Thomas after the two had an argument Jan. 12, 2002, at the Platinum Club in Harvey, La. However, the second-degree murder conviction was overturned on March 10 and he was released the next week.