As if following some imaginary script, from ’04 –’07, artists began to fall in line with their roles, Kanye West became the kid in school destined for greatness, but was way too concerned with his greatness, 50 Cent took on the title as the Hip-Hop bully who can't help but still be charismatic and popular, Snoop was that guy who’s been around forever but is still cooler than 99% of the new kids, and the list goes on.

There isn't much to reminisce about seeing that 2004-2007 are still in the rearview mirror, but there were definitely some defining moments. Who can forget the disappointment that set in when people realized after a tease from The Fugees that any probability of a full-fledged return is pretty much non-existent.

For the first time, Southern rap acts dominated the charts, almost seizing every single top 10 spot in some instances. However, somewhere along the way people started declaring that Hip-Hop was dead (not sure who gave out that memo), how many ringtones you sold foretold your popularity and Lil Wayne started referring himself as the best rapper alive. That’s a lot in four years.

Also, the floodgates were wide open and if you could make a song instructing listeners to “lean back”, “shoulder lean'”, “pop, lock and drop it”, or “shake something”, there was a reserved slot for you on the Top 100. A decline in record sales had been occurring for years, but it didn't stop artists from snagging their shine elsewhere. During this time, more Hip-Hop oriented shows than ever invaded television. From Flavor Flav, Missy Elliot, Salt-N-Pepa, Irv Gotti, Lil Kim, and of course, Diddy; everyone was getting love from the tube.

Right now, when nearly every decent rapper is contemplating “retirement” there’s no telling what the next four years will bring. Luckily, “the Hip-Hop is dead” sentiment seems to lose credibility each and every time a solid album is released reminding us there’s been no funeral and Hip-Hop dying is NEVER an option.

 

2004

• January 27, 2004 - Twista enjoys the biggest commercial success of his music career when he drops, Kamikaze which includes singles like "Overnight Celebrity", and "Slow Jamz" with Kanye West and Jamie Foxx.

 

• January 30, 2004 – You Got Served, starring Omarion and Marques Houston in an energetic film that focused on Hip-Hop dance battles comes to theaters.

 

• February 10, 2004 - After years behind the beats, Kanye West drops his hit album, College Dropout. College Dropout registers him in as the next rapper to blow up due to his ability to touch on topics everyone can relate to. “Through the Wire”, “Slow Jamz”, “Jesus Walks” were number one singles. 

• March 24, 2004 - Madvillian (Comprised of MF Doom, and Madlib) drops Madvillainy, which was the wild card of the year possessing innovative tracks and garnering critical acclaim for the tandem.

 

• March 30, 2004 – After many delays dead prez drops their proper sophomore album RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta .

 

• April 20, 2004 – Ghostface Killah having no qualms about staying consistent releases The Pretty Toney Album. 

• May 11, 2004 - Pete Rock recruits some of Hip-Hop's most talented to feature on his Soul Survivor II. Slum Village, Talib Kweli, Kardinall Offishall, and Little Brother are only a few of the artists who appear on the record

 

• May 11, 2004 – 8Ball & MJG release Living Legends via Bad Boy Records.

• June 1, 2004 - Masta Killa becomes the last Wu-Tang Clan member to release solo album when he drops No Said Date.
• Summer 2004 - T.I and Ludacris both appear on Young Buck’s, "Stomp" taking obvious jibes at one another. Shortly after, representatives for T.I try to urge Ludacris to change his verses for the track to be cleared for Young Buck's, Straight Outta Cashville but the rapper refuses. The original version of "Stomp" that had found its way to several mixtapes was later replaced with a remix that did not feature T.I.

 

• June 22, 2004 - Jadakiss uses a heavy selection of producers for his sophomore album Kiss of Death, known for the introspective hit, "Why" featuring Anthony Hamilton.

• June 29, 2004 - Lil Wayne releases Tha Carter; the album that truly puts him on the mainstream radar with the hit single “Go DJ.”

 

• June 29, 2004 - Lloyd Banks releases drops The Hunger for More, making him the most widely acclaimed G-Unit member next to 50 Cent.

  

• July 13, 2004 –The Roots release, The Tipping Point, a ten track album featuring, “Don’t Say Nuthin”, and “Star/Pointro”

 

• July 27, 2004 - Terror Squad’s second album, True Story produces, “Lean Back”, one of the hottest anthems of the summer of 2004.

 

• August 3, 2004 - Three years after his last album, Masta Ace drops A Long Hot Summer. One of the year's most creative albums tells the story of "Ace", an underground rapper during a summer in Brooklyn.
  
  

•  August 10, 2004 – Mobb Deep drops Amerikaz Nightmare on Jive Records.

 

• August 24, 2004 – Pitbull’s debut M.I.A.M.I drops, instantly exposing the world to the Miami native’s use of fast paced beats, a hint of reggaeton, and Hip-Hop.

 

• August 24, 2004 - Retreating from retirement Mason “Mase” Betha releases his third album, Welcome Back.  However, even after trying to connect with G-Unit he doesn’t stay around long.

 

• August 24, 2004 – G-Unit recruit Young Buck drops his debut, Straight Outta Cashville.

 

• 2004 is a busy year for rapper, Foxy Brown after she signs on with Roc-a-fella in a deal with former mentor, Jay-Z; Around that time on August 29^th she finds herself in legal trouble after two manicurists accuse her of physically attacking them over an unpaid bill.

 

• September 28, 2004 – After a two year hiatus, Talib Kweli’s returns with A Beautiful Struggle where he works with Jean Grae, Common, and Mary J. Blige.

 

• October 5, 2004 - De La Soul's The Grind Date arrives to the scene,  shortly after, BET refuses to air their “Shopping Bags” video claiming that the group doesn't appeal to the network’s target audience.

 

• October 12, 2004 – Mos Def drops his sophomore album, The New Danger. Mos Def's controversial verses on "The Rape Over", exposing his opinions on who's running Hip-Hop is taken off the final album.

 

• October 12, 2004 - VH1 begins its honorary Hip-Hop Honors show to celebrate the contributions of legendary artists.

 

• November 5, 2004 – He may have been retired (at the time) but that didn’t stop Jay-Z’s documentary Fade to Black.

 

• November 12, 2004 – Eminem's Encore is released; although still holding tight to the same style that he’s infamous for, the album also presents his more contemplative side on, "Mosh", "Mockingbird", and "Like Toy Soldiers."

 

 

• November 13, 2004 - 'Ol Dirty Bastard collapses and is later pronounced dead, at first it was thought to be heart failure until autopsy results indicated the Wu-Tang Clan member had died of an accidental overdose.

 

• November 14, 2004 - During the VIBE awards, Dr. Dre is punched by Jimmy James Johnson after refusing to grant an autograph, the following events take a turn for the worst when Young Buck allegedly stabs the man in the chest, with a fork.
   

• November 16, 2004 – Snoop Dogg releases R&G:  Rhythm and Gangsta.

•  November 16, 2004 - Lil Jon &The East Side Boyz release Crunk Juice which capitalizes on the success of the crunk sound that was infiltrating Hip-Hop.

•  November 30, 2004 - Nas Street Disciple, his first double disc studio album.

• November 30, 2004 – Jay-Z teams up with rock group Linkin Park for their highly successful, EP, Collision Course.

 

•  December 6, 2004 - It’s in 2004 that the Stop Snitching campaign gains attention when a man named Rodney Bethea released his DVD, called Stop Snitching! to try and intimidate those who report illegal activities to the authorities; after the DVD, Stop Snitchin’ t-shirts hit the streets, including a version made by The Diplomats. Although the maker claims it was strictly for entertainment the stop snitching mentality doesn't stray far from the attitude of some in Hip-Hop.

 

• December 7, 2004 - Cam’ron’s second solo album, Purple Haze re-emphasizes the Harlem rapper’s ability to make hits despite audacious songs where he clearly portrays that lyrically he’ll say whatever he wants.
  
  

• December 9, 2004 – Ludacris releases The Red Light District which features “Number One Spot” and “Get Back.”

 

• December 14, 2004 – Xzibit drops Weapons of Mass Destruction.

 

 

2005

 

• January 5, 2005 – Missy Elliot seeks the next big female star in her reality TV show, The Road to Stardom where 13 contestants compete for a chance at becoming a superstar (unfortunately, we never saw much from the winner, Jessica Betts)

 

• January 5, 2005 - Pete Rock's 2005 album The Surviving Elements: From Soul Survivor II Sessions is released without Pete Rock's consent resulting in Pete suing the label for not clearing some of the samples used on the album.

 

• January 18, 2005 - The Game’s highly anticipated debut, The Documentary, is released and goes Gold in its first week.

 

• February 28, 2005 - 50 Cent announces, The Game has been kicked out of G-Unit and begin a feud stemming from 50’s disapproval of the Compton rapper stating he refuses to take part in any drama 50 Cent has with other Hip-Hop artists; following months later would be a litany of diss records made until a press conference in Harlem seemed to end the rivalry, but the truce was short lived as they went back after each other shortly after denouncing one another's credibility.

 

• March 3, 2005 - 50 Cent’s highly anticipated sophomore album, The Massacre hits shelves. 

• March 25, 2005 - Stepping away from the big screen, Will Smith returns with Lost and Found, his fifth album.  

• April 13, 2005 – State Property 2 revisits, street hustler Beans (Beanie Sigel) who struggles to regain his lock on the drug game after being released from prison, like the original, several Hip-Hop artists appeared in the film directed and produced by Damon Dash.

 

• April 19, 2005 –With Who is Mike Jones? , Mike Jones finally gains more notoriety than with his debut album.

 

• April 19, 2005 – The Outlawz’  release, Outlawz 4 Life:2005 A.P, the A.P referring to ‘After Pac’.

 

• May 2, 2006 – Mobb Deep drops their first album as G-Unit artists Blood Money. Prodigy gives Jesus the finger on “Pearly Gates” while many of their longtime fans get past their new affiliations.

 

•  May 24, 2005 – Common drops BE and everyone get on board with the lyricist again after the iffy reception of Electric Circus. Kanye West executive produces.

 

• June 2005 – Mobb Deep and M.O.P. announce they have signed to 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records.
  
  

• June 14, 2005 – Fat Joe’s All or Nothing featuring heavy production from Cool & Dre and DJ Khaled hits the streets, the Bronx rapper's album also arrives around the same time the war of the words between himself and 50 Cent starts to ignite.

 

• June 28, 2005 – The Ying Yang Twins’ fourth album, U.S.A (United States of Atlanta) is released in time for hardcore summer airplay with “Wait (The Whisper Song)” and “Shake” featuring Pitbull.

• June 28, 2005 - Karrine Steffans, better known as “Superhead” releases her tell-all book, Confessions of a Video Vixen  where she rattles of names her sexcapades with several of Hip-Hop and Hollywood leading men in candid detail; the book became a best seller.

 

• July 2005 - Khia says that she considers herself the Queen of the South downplaying the success of Trina and Jackie-O who she claims use sex to sell, this launches a series of songs aimed toward each other between Khia and Trina.

 

• July 2, 2005 – The film Hustle and Flow stars Terrence Howard as DJay, a down on his luck drug dealing pimp who dreams of making it big as a rapper. The soundtrack for the movie featured Three Six Mafia’s "It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp,” which earns the group an Oscar.

 

• July 5, 2005 -  Missy Elliot serves up new material with The Cookbook, her sixth album with, “Lose Control” featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop,  and “We Run This” heightening it’s popularity.

• July 6, 2005 - Lil Kim is sentenced to a year and a day in prison for perjury stemming from her testimony regarding a shooting outside of Hot 97’s offices.

• July 26, 2005 - Young Jeezy drops, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101, his first "studio" album.

 

• August 16, 2005 – P. Diddy does a switch up again. Appearing on The Today Show he announces he’s now known as “Diddy.”

 

• August 30, 2005 - The last of the G-Unit crew to drop his own solo album, Tony Yayo's Thoughts of a Predicate Felon is released. 

• September 2, 2005 - Following the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, an incensed Kanye West appears on a NBC fundraising concert special where he steers away from the status quo by erupting on TV with his dismay at the portrayal of black victims of Hurricane Katrina before ultimately stating “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”

 

• September 20, 2005 – Paul Wall drops his debut album, The People’s Champ.

 

• September 25, 2005 – Lil Kim releases The Naked Truth. 

• September 27, 2005 - Most Known Unknown, by Three Six Mafia drops; "Stay Fly", at that time became the Tennessee group's most successful hit, along with "Poppin My Collar."

 

• October 13, 2005 – MTV premiers Run’s House, a reality TV show that focuses on Joseph “Reverend Run” Simmons’ family life.

 

• October 15, 2005 – Bun B’s solo album Trill is released.

 

• October 23, 2005 – During Howard U’s Homecoming weekend Cam’ron is shot at the wheel of his car after refusing to give up his Lamborghini to a carjacker; Cam’ron later goes on record saying he would not cooperate with police to investigate who shot him because he doesn’t believe in snitching.

 

•  October 27, 2005 - After a nasty rivalry that had begun in '01, Jay-Z and Nas stun an audience during one of Jay-Z’s “I Declare War” concerts by performing together a rendition of Jay-Z’s classic, “Dead Presidents” and other songs officially calling a truce between two of Hip-Hop’s most influential artists.
  
  

• November 5, 2005 – The film Get Rich or Die Tryin’ , 50 Cent’s semi-autobiographical life story, is released in theaters; although it manages to illustrate the harshness of the street life, the film wasn’t without controversy over 50’s movie posters which show the rapper with a gun, also high profile actor,  Samuel L. Jackson spoke out this time citing his disapproval in general with artists who move from the mic to film.
  
  

• November 6, 2005 – The Boondocks, Aaron McGruder’s smart, witty, and line pushing satirical cartoon premiers. Based off Aaron McGruder’s comic strip, the cartoon cleverly exposes cultural stereotypes with little restraint. The animated series  features the voices of Samuel L. Jackson, Xzibit, Sway, Mos Def, Kat Williams and Charlie Murphy as recurring characters  (It’s pretty sad when a cartoon is the realest show on TV).

 

• November 22, 2005 -  The Sound of Revenge, Chamillionaire’s first album, ultimately would go platinum off the top single, "Ridin."

• December 2, 2005 - Irving "Irv Gotti" Lorenzo and his brother Chris are cleared of money laundering charges after nearly two years of investigation. Prior to the ruling,  The Inc. was heavily investigated for its dealings with high profile drug dealer,  Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff.

 

• December 6, 2005 –Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter II is released. 

• December 2005 – News circulates that rapper, Foxy Brown has gone partially deaf stunting the progress of her impending project, Black Roses.

 

2006

• January 1, 2006 - Flavor Flav of Public Enemy gets his own reality TV show, Flavor of Love, where dozens of young beautiful women compete to capture the hypeman’s heart.

 

• February 7, 2006 - Remy Ma releases her debut There’s Something about Remy: Based on a True Story.

 

•   February 10, 2006 – James Jay “Dee/J Dilla” Yancey passes away only three days after his birthday and the release of his instrumental album, Donuts.

 

• March 3, 2006 - Dave Chappelle's Block Party was the comedian's documentary following a block party he threw in Brooklyn in 2004 where he invited dozens of artists  such as Dead Prez, Kool G Rap, Bilal, The Fugees, Kanye West, and more to perform.

 

• March 9, 2006 - BET follows the days of Lil Kim before she begins serving her prison sentence on Countdown to Lockdown.

• March 28, 2006 – T.I’s King comes out around the same time as the film, ATL (March 31), both which shone the light of T.I as a rapper and budding actor.
  
  

 

• March 28, 2006 - Ghostface drops another heater of an album with Fishscale.
  
  

• March 31, 2006 – ATL, a coming of age story about four friends preparing for life after high school hits theaters, T.I, Big Boi, Lauren London, Evan Ross all appear in the film.

 

• April 11, 2006 - Proof of D-12 is shot in the head and killed outside of the CCC Club in Detroit. 

 

• May 2006 – DJ Drama and Lil Wayne drops the highly successful Dedication 2 mixtape.

• May 30, 2006 – Shawnna drops her sophomore album Block Party which features the Too Short sampling "Gettin Some."

 

• June 15, 2006 – Jay-Z launches a boycott against Cristal and also bans the champagne from being sold at his 40/40 Club establishments after the head of the company that makes Cristal eludes to the fact that rappers drinking and promoting Cristal can have a negative impact on the brand’s reputation.

 

• July 3, 2006 – Lil Kim is released from the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center following her 2005 guilty conviction for perjury involving the 2001 shooting outside of Hot97.

• July 22, 2006 – Pharrell of The Neptunes releases his solo album, In My Mind.

 

• August 1, 2006 - DMX's Year of the Dog...Again makes it to number two on the charts proving despite legal troubles, fans still were feeling DMX's rugged style of rap; however for the rapper, it broke his streak of having all five of his first albums reaching number one.

 

• August 29, 2006 - 4:21: The Day After by Method Man is released.

  

• August 8, 2006 - Rick Ross steps on the scene with his debut album, Port of Miami.

 

·                     August 25, 2006 – Big Boi and Andre 3000 star in the film/musical Idlewild.

 

•  September 26, 2006 – Ludacris drops the Grammy winning Release Therapy; the album presents a more introspective Ludacris.

 

•  October 17, 2006 - Diddy was ready to get back on music charts when he released, Press Play, his third solo album.

 

• October 31, 2006 - Lil Wayne and his surrogate father Birdman released their collaborative project, Like Father, Like Son.

 

•  November 2006 – Jay-Z goes on the record with 105.1’s Egypt and denies any devil worshipping allegations after C. Craige Lewis from EX Ministries interprets lyrics as such in a Jay-Z song from The Black Album (Note: Craige Lewis is the same minster who has a Truth Behind Hip Hop DVD where he claims to expose the dark side of Hip-Hop.) 

 

• November 7, 2006 – AZ, whose never leaves the rap scene for too long,releases his sixth album, The Format.

 

• November 14, 2006 – The Game, sets out on his own without the help of 50 Cent or Dr. Dre for his second album, The Doctor’s Advocate.

 

•  November 21, 2006 - Jay-Z drops his first “post-retirement” album, Kingdom Come. 

• November 28, 2006 - Following in the footsteps of Karrine Steffans, Carmen Bryan's tell all book, It's No Secret hits stores. Carmen, Nas' ex-girlfriend and mother of his daughter who was at the center of his feud with Jay-Z elaborates in the book on her relationships with both artists.
   

• November 28, 2006 – The Clipse finally release the group’s much delayed album, Hell Hath No Fury.

 

•  December 18, 2006 - Hip Hop is Dead, Nas's first album with Def Jam arrives; the inspiration for the title is due to the lack of power he feels rap artists have in their own careers, however many Southern rappers responded to the veteran rapper's title negatively as they perceived Nas to be referring to the South.

 

2007

 

• January 16, 2007 – The Aphilliates’ offices are raided and DJ Drama and Don Cannon are arrested on racketeering charges stemming from their sales of mixtapes. Nice use of taxpayer money.

 

• March 12, 2007 – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five become the first rap acts in history to be inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame.

•  April 3, 2007 - Taking a break from just bein the man behind the beats, Timbaland releases his second solo album, Shock Value filled with chart toppers like “The Way I Are”, and “Apologize.”

  

• April 3, 2007 – Rich Boy’s self entitled first album is released ; his first single is “Throw Some D’s” that drew tremendous attention to the Alabama rapper.

 

• April 4, 2007 - Radio talk show host, Don Imus causes controversy when he refers to the Rutgers Women’s basketball team, who are predominantly black, as “nappy headed hoes”,  following the controversy and his boot from his position (which he later acquired back months later) he issues an apology for offending anyone, and goes on to say that Hip-Hop was to blame for his comments (yeah, ok) as the genre promotes derogatory statements about women.

 

• April 11, 2007 - Before getting down with Dr. Dre and Aftermath Entertainment, Joell Ortiz releases The Brick (Bodega Chronicles).

 

• April 2007 - Atlanta Falcons football player, Michael Vick finds himself in deep trouble when police probe an investigation into a dog fighting ring that ran from his VA home.

 

• April 27,  2007 – Young Buck drops his sophomore album, Buck The World. 

• May 2007 – Confirming rumors of a split, rapper Jim Jones tells Miss Jones of Hot 97 he hasn’t spoken to Cam’ron in a year.

• May 22, 2007 – After nearly twenty years of rivalry, KRS-One and Marley Marl attempt to refute the Hip-Hop is chatter with a collaborative album titled Hip Hop Lives.

• June 12, 2007 - Stack Bundles, widely known for his association with The Diplomats, is shot and killed outside his house in Queens at the age of 24.

 

• June 12, 2007 - Miami's DJ Khaled drops his album We The Best featuring an all star roster of talent including Trick Daddy, Lil Wayne, Cassidy, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Akon and T.I.
  
  

• June 14, 2007 – As a result of a feud that never quite dissolved between T.I and Ludacris, T.I punches Ludacris’ manager, Chaka Zulu in the face at a luncheon, T.I later apologizes and it's reported the two rappers squash their rivalry for once and all.

 

•  July 3, 2007 –T.I. releases his new album, T.I vs T.I.P, within a year of his last one

• July 14, 2007 – Remy Ma surrenders herself to authorities following a shooting outside a Manhattan pizzeria. She is sought on charges of shooting a friend over a financial dispute.

• July 23, 2007 – Rappers Ja Rule and Lil Wayne are both arrested within hours of one another for separate gun charges. 

 

• July 31, 2007 – Common drops another fresh album with Finding Forever.
  
  

• August 7, 2007 - UGK’s album Underground Kingz is released, featuring the single “International Player's Anthem (I Choose You)” featuring Outkast.
  
  

• August 7, 2007 – Plies drops The Real Testament which includes the “100 Bars”, one of the realest and harshest Hip-Hop songs about the correctional system in years.

• August 16, 2007 - It was evident that Hip-Hop is doing something right when Forbes Magazine has a Hip Hop Cash King section; Jay-Z tops the list for his 2006 financial income.

 

• August 21, 2007 - Swizz Beatz releases his solo album, One Man Band.

 

• August 24, 2007 - Despite, reuniting for a TV performance on the 2005 BET awards and a European tour, Pras of The Fugees confirms there will be no Fugees album in the near future or distant future and attributes it to Lauryn…ahem, Ms. Hill.

 

• September 7, 2007 – It hasn’t seemed like the 2007 has been the year for female rappers; Foxy Brown is officially charged for several incidents including breaking probation by assaulting a Florida woman.

 

• September 11, 2007 – 50 Cent and Kanye West engage in an album sale competition, each one claiming they can sell more than the other their first week with Curtis and Graduation, respectively. 50 Cent even felt so confident as to say if Kanye beat him he’d retire from rap (comments he later took back), while Kanye changed his release date for the friendly battle. The winner in the competition was Kanye West’s Graduation, though both albums have done successful numbers on the charts.

 

• September 18, 2007 - Not caring if he lost cool points or not, Chamillionaire releases, The Ultimate Victory, which contains no curse words as the rapper explains he doesn’t need them to shine on wax.

• September 2007 - Soulja Boy’s “Crank Dat (Soulja Boy Tell’em)” stays at the top of charts for weeks while sweeping the nation provoking everyone to do the “Soulja Boy”, after speculations began about just what the 17 year-old meant by ‘ superman that h**’, Soulja Boy claimed that his song was just a song and had no sexual connotations at all. 

 

• October 2007 - In what was eventually termed “Fiascogate,” Lupe Fiasco messes up the words to A Tribe Called Quest’s, “Electric Relaxation” during a performance at VH1’s Hip Hop Honors Award show. Following criticism of his performance, Fiasco goes on to claim he never listened to ATCQ and was inspired by west coast rap and was asked by Q-Tip to perform, in a chain reaction of events including Q-Tip stating he never asked Lupe to perform and Lupe threatening to sue VIBE in reference to an interview, the situation eventually dies down well before the rapper's sophomore album is released.

 

• October 2, 2007 - Soulja Boy’s debut, souljaboytellem.com is released.

• October 10, 2007 - Casting calls begin for a movie about the life of the Notorious B.I.G., slated for a 2009 release.

 

• October 13, 2007 - At a time when T.I should have been celebrating his rank as one of the biggest artists in Hip-Hop, he’s facing gun charges that stem from an incident when the Atlanta rapper tried to pick up machine guns and firearms outside of an Atlanta Walgreens; T.I was concurrently being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol. Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives due to a tip off from one of T.I’s bodyguards who was delivering information to law officials.

 

• October 14, 2007 - Salt-n-Pepa reunite for their VH1 show, The Salt N Pepa Show that centers on the twosome redeveloping their friendship after years apart.

 

• October 15, 2007 - Gotti's Way premiers on VH1 following Irv Gotti's quest to rebuild up The Inc. as well as his struggle to balance between the demands of the music business and dealing with his family.

 

• November 2, 2007 – Denzel Washington portrays former drug lord, Frank Lucas in American Gangster alongside Russell Crowe as the adamant detective seeking to bring down his drug ring.

 

• November 6, 2007 – Excelling at what he does best, Jay-Z churns out another album named and inspired by the film, American Gangster; the tracks on American Gangster reinvent the enthusiasm for his music that some seem to have lost following Kingdome Come.

 

• November 10, 2007 - Kanye West’s mother, Dr. Donda West, passes away from complications resulting from cosmetic surgery.

 

• December 4, 2007 - Pimp C, of UGK is found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room, mystery clouds his death until autopsy reports later indicate the Texas rapper's death was caused by an accidental overdose of codeine and promethazine and sleep apnea.

  

• December 11, 2007 - Wu Tang’s 8 Diagrams is released featuring all eight member, minus ‘Ol Dirty Bastard to which they dedicate a song to called, “Life Changes.” Raekwon doesn’t like the beats.

 

• December 18, 2007 - Lupe Fiasco’s sophomore album, The Cool, exudes with introspection, stunning tracks and well thought out themes. “Superstar”, “Dumb it Down”, and “Hip Hop Saved Me” are the tracks which help push along The Cool’s sales.