In celebration of Black History month Hot 97’s Mister Cee welcomed legendary producer and DJ onto the first Black Fist Friday Takeover to spin during the Throwback At Noon mix. After taking over the airwaves, Pete Rock sat down with Mister Cee to talk about his iconic career. Rock also talked about working with Heavy D and if the unreleased tracks will ever surface.

“We did one song, it’s like popp-ish hip hop, but it’s dope. God does things for a reason, before he passed, I spent hella time with him. Like one whole weekend with him, spent the night, made the music, ate well, drank well, we did it up.”

Full audio interview with Pete Rock and Mister Cee after the jump.

Related:
Remembering Heavy D: Mr. Cee’s Tribute Mix, Pete Rock on Hot97, and More
Heavy D Passes Away At Age 44, Rest In Peace

Last month, we caught wind of the details of Pill’s departure from Maybach Music Group and his reasoning for leaving. Through it all Rick Ross has remain silent until recently when MTV News asked Rozay to speak on the situation. Looks like all is fine and both are moving on.

“Pill’s situation was a special situation because he was already signed to Warner before I did my label deal at Warner. So when I did do my deal, it was a business opportunity that was presented where Pill could run with the team for a year. Certain things happen for certain people at certain times and none of us could really predict that,” he explained. I couldn’t predict that Meek Mill would bring ‘Ima Boss’ to me or we couldn’t predict that Wale would bring ‘That Way.’ ”

“Hopefully, in the future he’ll bring him a hit record, and get him some paper and do his thing,” he said. “I wish him much success.”

Previously: Pill Says He Never Signed With MMG and Doesn’t Talk to Rick Ross

After selling nearly 300,000 units of their self titled album, Bon Iver is nominated for four Grammy awards this year. However, Justin Vernon said the indie-collective will be on pause for quite some time. Briefly speaking on the growth of Bon Iver in an interview with USA Today, Vernon says he’s working on a few other collaborative musical projects. Most hip-hop fans probably know him because he worked with Kanye West on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He also announced plans to work with Alicia Keys.

“I have a big idea to do an American songbook of the greatest women singers. There are so many: Casey (Dienel) from White Hinterland, Bonnie Raitt, Alicia,” and that he’d like to make “a one-off charity album to have an excuse to work with a bunch of people that I’d choose to work with, all at once.”

Hit the jump to read when Vernon thinks Bon Iver will reunite.

Vernon added that the Bon Iver collective will be a stagnant crew, at least until 2015.

“I don’t have songs written yet. I’m guessing three years. But it could be five. It just depends when the songs come about. I sort of have to wait ’til they reveal themselves.”

But still expect to hear from the indie artist. It’s been announced that he has already recorded a few songs with Keys, yet, release information has yet to be revealed. Vernon also said there’s two other projects he’s working on and hopes to work on a collaborative album.

There’s Shouting Matches, which he refers to as “sort of a blues-gospel band,” and indie-pop Volcano Choir, which is working on an album for the Japanese market…At some point, he wants to do “a one-off charity album to have an excuse to work with a bunch of people that I’d choose to work with, all at once.”

Related:
Things I Love: Kanye West and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon perform “Lost In The World” at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom, and more

2 Chainz was finally able to formally announce some big news with MTV’s Sway Calloway on RapFix Live Wednesday afternoon. A few seconds before officially declaring his roster spot on Def Jam Recordings, 2 Chainz revealed he’s been recording with Kanye West for the past year and hopes to release one of their collabos sometime soon.

“One thing that people may not know is that I’ve been working with Kanye West for the past year. We have records together, we have ideas that we’re planning on releasing to the world real soon. I’m tryna get my ‘N in Paris’ swag up. So at the end of the day, my new home and who I’ve been comfortable with is Def Jam Records.

Watch his performance at SOB’s after the jump.

Before Rap Fix, 2 Chainz basically confirmed that he has signed to Def Jam Recordings. In an XXL interview , the Atlanta rapper said that it was time for him to take a different route with Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace, however, still remain label mates and will continue to work with each other.

“It’s the Real University, Two Gun Gang, Street Executives. It’s not DTP no more,” he says. “I’m actually behind [Ludacris], he’s still my homie. I just took another route as far as running my own company and bossing up. But on the other hand, I’m still working with him.”

The “Duffle Bag Boy” rapper also said that he’s planning on releasing two albums this year. He’s expected to make a formal announcement on MTV’s RapFix Live this afternoon.

Derick G. documents YMCMB’s visit to Australia last year, with a short stop over in Hawaii. For more photos, click here.

Previously:
Birdman Comments on Drake vs. Common: ‘That’s Not What We About’
Birdman Welcomes ‘American Idol’ Alum Chris Richardson to YMCMB

(French Montana backstage with Kanye West)

Back in Nov. of 2011, French Montana was being courted by Rick Ross, Def Jam, Diddy, and Kanye West….And at one point, French was confident enough that he would be the next member of GOOD Music, that he even hinted it to Angie Martinez. A a month later, French was up on 106 n Park with Diddy plotting the future of Bad Boy….so what happened? Like a line out of Cool Hand Luke…a failure to communicate, lol….
French explained the problem to Angie Martinez in this hilarious snippet:

Angie: “You and Kanye, I thought this was happening…”
French: “Yeah, we all big fans of Kanye, Jay-Z and everything. My thing was, I met up with him one time, and then I met up with him again. But it’s like…Kanye doesn’t have a phone. Let’s just put it out there like that. So, in order to get in contact with him, you have to email him. I mean you can’t tell me to do that. I don’t know how to use an email. So I guess me and him was never gonna talk? And I’m putting my career in your hands?…You know what I’m saying. But he’s definitely talented, I feel like if I had went there we would definitely have made history….”

Haha! One man refusing to be tethered to a phone. The other man refusing to adopt  “email.” I actually think it would make for an amazing social experiment. If you think about it, being disconnected is the most extravagant luxury of all. (ps: I think French is exaggerating about his lack of email skills. I mean I hope. Let us pray ; )

Listen to the rest of French’s interview with Angie Martinez after the jump.
They talk about his new found celebrity, what he thinks about Drake vs. Common, and what it was like to meet Rihanna…..

Part 1: French Montana on Hot 97’s Angie Martinez Show (1-24-11)
-French speaks on his new celebrity, and his “Shot Caller” remix for the New York Giants.

Part 2: French Montana on Hot 97’s Angie Martinez Show (1-24-11)
-French talks about working on “Stay Schemin”, his relationship with Rick Ross, and why he didn’t sign with Kanye West at G.O.O.D. Music.

Part 3: French Montana on Hot 97’s Angie Martinez Show (1-24-11)
- French reacts to being hot in the streets, Drake vs. Common beef, and what it was like meeting Rihanna for the first time at LIV in Miami.

Props to Angie Martinez/Hot97

Previously:
French Montana Announces Bad Boy Signing, Debuts “Shot Caller” Video With Diddy
New Video: Rick Ross Feat. Drake & French Montana “Stay Schemin”
French Montana Feat. Uncle Murda & Torch – “Ghetto Boy” (prod. by A One)
New Mixtape: French Montana, Juicy J & Project Pat ‘Cocaine Mafia’

Following the trashing of his stage set during The Heatwave Festival in Melbourne over the weekend, Kid Cudi spoke on the incident. According to Cudder, his mic was cut short as he was asked to end his set early due to poor time management by the organizers. That didn’t go well, as he felt fans were robbed by the promoters. Read his statement below, which includes a future warning.

If my set is EVER cut short at any show, im trashing the stage. Not out of anger, it takes a lot to get me furious nowadays, but out of principle. The fans always deserve a full set at all shows, especially when they spend their hard earned money on expensive tickets.

A lot of artist wouldnt do what I did in Australia, but I will. Spread the word. No matter the circumstance, cut my set short, im breaking shit. And next time im startin a riot. Me and my fans. Cause promoters will sometime take advantage of the artists, and u gotta let em know what time it is. Cutting nobody any slack.— Rager

via Kid Cudi’s Tumblr

View the official tracklisting to Cudi and Dot Da Genius’ WIZARD album after the jump….

Kid Cudi & Dot Da Genius aka WZRD – WZRD (Tracklisting):

1. “The Arrival”
2. “High Off Life”
3. “The Dream Time Machine”
4. “Love Hard”
5. “Live & Learn”
6. “Brake”
7. “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” (Feat. Desire)
8. “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”
9. “Efflictim”
10. “The Upper Room”

Originally slated to arrive on Cudi’s birthday of January 30th, his rock album with Dot Da Genius titled WZRD won’t arrive until February 18th. Until then, here’s the 10-song lineup via Cudi.

Previously: Kid Cudi Stage Rages In Australia (Video)

Harlem up start Azealia Banks has officially signed to Universal Music, which she announced earlier today. Taking to her Twitter account, the 20-year-old rapper/singer broke the news saying “God just dealt me a new hand today I reaaaaaaaaaaallllly good hand,”she tweeted. “I am now officially signed to Universal Music.”

Previously signed to XL Recordings under Miss Bank$, she caught worldwide attention with her “212″ video and more recently Kanye West dubbing her “the future of music.” The new year will be busy for Azealia as she’ll be performing at Coachella in April, touring the U.K. starting on February 7th, and is planning to drop her debut album around May or June.

Watch her “212″ video after the jump…..

Previously: Azealia Banks – “NeedSumLuv”

Shyne told MTV News in what looks like a skype-call…that he felt some regret about how his relationship with Diddy went up in flames after the two former buddies were tried separately for the 1999 shooting at Club New York. He said he also had a dream about Anthony “Wolf” Jones (Diddy’s longtime bodyguard who was killed in 2003 in Atlanta during a dispute with the BMF). So Shyne says he called Diddy recently and reconciled. Not only that, but the man that Shyne waged many a character attack on, is allegedly going to sit down with Shyne in person….in Paris, where he’s living.

“For me, the conversation was a confirmation of what I felt. Son kept it super tall, and that’s what it’s about. When a man says, ‘Listen, as a man, I make mistakes and I own that.’ What could you do?”

Well, peace is always preferable to war, but for anyone who has followed this relationship, this is all kinds of surprising. Especially Shyne’s reveal that Diddy reached out to him in prison, and offered his help. Remember when he said that any conversation with Diddy was “a figment of his imagination”?

Related:
Shyne says convo with Diddy “is a figment of Sean Combs’ imagination” (Update: Shyne’s father speaks)
Shyne Update: According to Belize media outlets, Shyne will be in Belize on Weds, already has music plan
Shyne Update: He will be sent to Belize and will continue fight to get back to US from there