Lil Wayne Signs With Jay Z… but He’s Still Stuck on Cash Money Records

Lil Wayne has signed a deal with his “idol,” Jay Z, but he’s still not quite free of Birdman’s Cash Money plantation. The N’awlins MC announced a new business arrangement with Hov during his set at KMEL Summer Jam in Oakland, leading many to believe he was leaving his recording home of more than two decades to join Roc Nation. Yet his manager Cortez Bryant clarified the statement in an interview with Billboard.

“The Internet and blogs took his words out of context,” Bryant said. “When Wayne was speaking about the partnership with Jay Z, he was speaking about his new deal as an artist owner with Tidal.” While still a great look for Wayne, it doesn’t seem like we’re any closer to the resolution of his $51 million lawsuit against Cash Money or the release of Tha Carter V.

Read it at CNN.

Beyoncé Sued on Plagiarism Charges

Does Beyoncé have sticky fingers? That’s what a $7 million lawsuit by singer Ahmad Lane (a.k.a. Javon) suggests. The claim: Bey’s 2013 single “XO” plagiarizes his own “XOXO,” which allegedly fell into the megastar’s lap after Lane shared his song with her backup vocalist, Chrissy Collins. Yoncé’s reaction is best captured by this GIF. Or as her lawyer puts it: “The two works at issue are entirely different songs that share no lyrical or musical similarity, other than perhaps the letters ‘X’ and ‘O’… There is no meaningful similarity in pitch series, rhythm or rhythmic patterns, melodic development or structure.” Beyoncé is urging the court to dismiss the case. But it’s not the first time she’s been told “Swiper no swiping.”

Read it at NME.

Biggie Listened to OutKast’s Debut While Recording Ready to Die

One of the Notorious B.I.G.’s greatest legacies was his ability to adapt to sounds of different regions, whether Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s tongue-twisting speed raps or Uncle Luke’s Miami bass. Chances are, the Brooklyn legend would’ve got down with OutKast’s Southern funk had the chance presented itself.

Big’s close friend Jacob York recently recalled an unexpected influence on the classic debut Ready to Die. “Big listened to OutKast’s Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik while he was making Ready to Die,” York said, mentioning that Puff Daddy directed the ATL duo’s “Player’s Ball” video. “A lot of people felt like he got that Southern twang on the Pac side, but he didn’t. He got it from listening to OutKast… He was a lover of hip-hop everywhere.”

Read it at HipHopDX.