Stellar Award Winner Da’ T.R.U.T.H. talks about OPEN BOOK, his most transparent exciting work to date. About OPEN BOOK: Building on the foundation of his debut and sophomore albums and recently released DVD, Da’ T.R.U.T.H. & Friends LIVE, the rapper unwraps on OPEN BOOK what it means to make God the priority in one’s life, and he encourages believers to make people the assignment as they follow the Word of God.

Also, Da’ T.R.U.T.H.’s first enhanced CD, consumers will be very pleased that OPEN BOOK includes bonus video clips and exclusive MP3 downloads from Da’ T.R.U.T.H. & Friends LIVE DVD. Read more

Chi-town representative Twista has been laying down Midwest mobsta rap since 1991 when he unleashed “Runnin’ Off at Da Mouth.” The rapper’s quick-fire flow on that song earned him a spot in the Guinness World Records as the world’s fastest rapper. But it was his collaboration with Do or Die on their 1996 single “Po Pimp” that earned him the attention and respect of pop audiences. His swiftly spit flows revel in gangsta imagery, with colorful hustler episodes laid over smooth, keyboard-driven production. Twista’s Windy City style has transcended his locale, spreading from coast to coast on the strength of three albums in three years. In early 2004, Twista scored a huge hit with the Kanye West collaboration “Slow Jamz,” and his LP Kamikaze soared to the top of the charts. He returned in late 2005 with The Day After. Though nothing on that album was as popular as “Overnight Celebrity” or “Slow Jamz,” it essentially held his place with pop audiences and served as a nice precursor to Adrenaline Rush 2007.
( Sam Chennault)

One of Southern rap’s most enduring and talented emcees, New Orleans’ Lil’ Wayne began rapping at the tender age of 11. By the time he was 15, he’d linked up with Juvenile, Turk and B.G. and formed the immensely popular Hot Boys group on Cash Money Records. Though the emcees showed promise, many listeners focused on the post-Bounce production of Mannie Fresh, and regarded Wayne as a fresh-faced vehicle for the producer. But Wayne went solo in 1999 with Tha Block is Hot. His raps focus on youthful rebellion, New Orleans style — crack, girls and turf supremacy are paramount. He would go on to release two additional solo CDs 2000’s Lights Out and 2002’s 500 Degreez.

Lil Wayne video

An exclusive interview with multi platinum rapper Lil Wayne. The artist breaks down the hip-hop game, how he makes music, his record label, and his relationship with Baby.

Lil Wayne albums

Those albums were commercially successful and established Wayne true force. With 2004’s Tha Carter and its 2005 follow-up, Tha Carter II, he made a case for himself as the South’s preeminent rapper, with a supple flow, witty lyrics and ample charisma. When he boasted in a 2006 interview that he was the greatest rapper in the world, few disagreed.
- Sam Chennault

Ludacris’ style is ready for both the street and the bedroom, mixing nimble rhyming skills with the crowd-rousing ability. Ludacris dropped his major label debut, Back for the First Time , in 2000. After the hit “Southern Hospitality,” Luda was a full-fledged superstar. Since his debut, he has unleashed a long line of irresistible club smashes, such as “Area Codes,” “Move Bitch” and “Splash Waterfalls,” propelling subsequent albums to multi-platinum status. For Chicken & Beer (2003) and The Red Light District (2004), Ludacris stuck with his winning formula: witty, sexually charged rhymes delivered with a dexterity few could match. While both were hugely successful albums, the ATL emcee yearned to be taken seriously. When he reemerged in 2006, he trimmed his treasured rows and released an album, Release Therapy, that contained some of his most introspective material to date. It cemented Ludacris’ status as one of hip-hop’s most beloved figures.
- Sam Chennault