Ludacris In 'Talks' To Tour With T.I. And Young Jeezy, Says Theater Of The Mind Is A 'Classic'

(swiped from MTVNews)

'It's a movement, man,' Atlanta-based MC says of new record.

"I feel like this album is a collectors' item," Ludacris said about his November 24 release. "Not only do I feel it's classic — it's a collectors' item. It's a movement, man. Moral to the story is, this album, I'll provide you with the audio — the rest is up to the theater of your mind."

Luda is also planning a tour, and he wants to bring some guys from his Southern hometown along for the ride.

"I haven't confirmed anything yet," he explained. "It's little talks here and there. But I'll put it out there: I would love to do a tour where it's me, T.I. and [Young] Jeezy. Me, Tip and Jeezy would be outrageous. But nothing is confirmed yet."

'Cris is thinking big like some of his peers. On Monday night, it was announced that Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole and Gym Class Heroes are going on the road together, so why wouldn't the Kings of Atlanta team up?

"That's great," 'Cris said of different hip-hop dignitaries teaming up for a big concert series. "I think that sh-- is phenomenal."

Luda's Theater of the Mind has no shortage of what he calls "co-stars" — co-stars, because he promises that every song is cinematic.

"It's co-star heavy for me. I've always liked working with other artists, whether it's been me on their song or me inviting people on other songs," he said. "I worked with artists on this album because I loved the competition level — it puts people on their A-game. I wanted to compete against them. It's competition at its finest. It's kinda like when you play basketball and you're friends with people on the other team — you shake hands with people afterward, but it's war."

Luda's sparring partners include both Jay-Z and Nas on "I Do It for Hip Hop" and T.I. on "Wish You Would." Common and legendary Hollywood filmmaker Spike Lee partner up on "Do the Right Thang," while others such as Rick Ross, the Game, Plies and Lil Wayne make cameos on other tracks.

Game Slams Jesse Jackson -- Twice -- On New Tracks With Lil Wayne, Nas

(swiped from MTV News)

MC also challenges Jay-Z, G-Unit (again) on tracks from forthcoming LP.

"It's a hundred different messages you can take from the song," Game said on Monday afternoon, cruising through Houston on his way to a radio station. "It's called 'My Life,' so tune in." The video for the song, from his forthcoming LP L.A.X.,premieres on "FNMTV" Friday (starting at 8 p.m. ET).

"And I ain't no preacher, but here's my Erick Sermon," he raps on the record. "So eat this black music, and tell me how it tastes now/ And f--- Jesse Jackson 'cause it ain't about race now."

Later he adds "Walk through the gates of hell, see my Impala parked in front with the high beams on/ Me and the devil sharin' chronic blunts/ Listening to The Chronic album/ Playin' backwards, shootin' at pictures of Don Imus for target practice."

It's very provocative — and he goes after Jackson even harder on a different track from the album, "Letter to the King," that leaked on Thursday (August 14).

The song — a duet with Nas — has bars that are lyrically astonishing, and will probably be the pair's most talked-about collaboration yet. Of course, the "King" the duo refers to is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At times, the two talk directly to the late civil-rights leader as if he were still alive; at others, they ponder aloud about what could have been.

"If Dr. King marched today, would Bill Gates march?" Game raps on the third verse. "I know Obama would, but would Hillary take part?/ I feel the pain of Nelson Mandela/ 'Cause when it rains it pours, I need Rihanna's umbrella/ For Coretta Scott [King's] teardrops/ When she got the phone call that the future just took a f---ing headshot."

If you don't remember anything else about the song, Game's controversial last line will stay with you.

"I wonder why Jesse Jackson ain't catch him before his body dropped," he asks. "Would he give me the answer?/ Probably not."

At press time, Game had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment on why he's going after Jackson — a longtime King associate, who was present at his assassination in 1968 — so hard, but he did speak with us at length about L.A.X. in Houston earlier this week.

Several other noteworthy tracks from the album hit the Net on Thursday (August 14), including "Angel," which features classic name-dropping from an outspoken Game while Common guest-drops metaphors. There's also a song called "Ya Heard" that features the Compton track-slayer engaging in some rap repartee with Ludacris.

Game described the album as "just me taking flight, man. This album is gonna be real special — from beginning to end, it's gonna knock."

Recently on KISS-FM in Phoenix, Game admitted that he's a fan of Jay's music, but predicted that a battle between the two of them would be one-sided — against Jigga.

"I'm young, stupid, disrespectful," Game said. "I haven't lost a beef. I killed a whole group limb by limb — see what happened to G-Unit."

Speaking of the Unit, estranged group member Young Buck appears in the video for "My Life," which also co-stars Lil Wayne.

"Buck is in the video for a split second, robbing the liquor store!" Game smiled. "Lil Wayne came out to California — he re-routed his tour bus, made a U-turn for me, [so we could] shoot the video. I think the video is gonna do some great things."

L.A.X. is due on August 26.

Ice Cube Says He's Done Censoring Himself At 'Do Ya Thang' Video Shoot

Raw Footage, an album of 'hip-hop for the brain,' drops in August.

(Swiped from MTVNews)

It was another good day for Ice Cube in Los Angeles recently. He shot the video for his next single, "Do Ya Thang," without a hitch.

You could hear "Do ya thang, man/ F--- what they lookin' at" busting out of the playback speakers as Cube stood in front of a myriad of supporters throwing up a "W" made with their fingers. Everyone was dressed in black.

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

"I released the Internet single called 'Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It.' The video was so hard-core, it just stayed on the Internet," Cube said, sitting in a cherry-red convertible as the sun beat down. "This one is gonna be released worldwide. It's one of those summer songs about doing your thing, not worrying about who's looking at it. It's about being yourself and doing you.

"I wanted to finally do a video and not worry about censoring myself or not taking things out that some censors don't like," he continued.

Cube's Raw Footage drops on August 19, and don't think that just because this new single and video are less stringent that he's decided to lighten up the overall tone of the album. He's promised weighty lyrics and concepts.

"I'm raw footage," he said. "I believe in speaking the real. I been waiting to do this album for a long time. I felt hip-hop wasn't ready for it, that street knowledge I used to do. What's going on with the politics of today — letting the politicians know what's going on with the streets — that's my specialty. This album is full of that. Hip-hop for the brain."

Guests on the album include the Game, Musiq and one of Ice's best friends.

"Dub C, he's my partner in crime," he detailed. "My right and left hand. We got the Game on there. We been talking to a few people out there. I have a song with Musiq Soulchild, which is something different. It was cool to have him do my hook."

On Tuesday (July 1), it was announced that Cube's next film, "Janky Promoters," will co-star Young Jeezy as a rapper. The plot centers on Cube's and Mike Epps' shady show-promoter characters. Cube wrote the screenplay.