Rick Ross, Flo Rida, DJ Khaled, and Trina rep the state of Florida in the new issue of XXL. Here’s the cover, in all its…well, stomach.

XXL is definitely ahead of the game, by doing this because Florida seems to be hip-hop’s hot spot of the moment, especially with newcomers like Ace Hood doing their thing. My only question is where is T-Pain! He should definitely have been on the cover, at least over Trina.

I’ve been an avid reader of XXL Mag for quite some time now, and though each issue provides me with a bit of hip-hop knowledge I may have lacked before reading, this issue was one of the best I’ve read to DATE! 

Since the departure of Elliott Wilson, the magazine’s former Editor In Chief, everyone’s perception of the publication has been clouded with the mindset of ”they wont survive without him.” But with an issue of this stature, it blatantly reminds us of why they’re the #1 publication in the business.

Digging deep into the archives, Vanessa Satten and her team of goons wipe the dust off one of hip hop’s classic CD’s, DMX’s freshmen debut, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. Dissecting the body of work from front to back, Irv Gotti, Swizz Beatz, Sheek Louch, Styles P, Dame Grease, Dee, Waah and DMX trot down memory lane remembering the good and bad times of It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. Check out this excerpt from the feature…

“I played the the ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ beat, and X was like, ‘I’m not doing no fu*ckin Rock n Roll beat.’ - Swizz Beatz

On the other side of town, Anslem Samuel dug deep into the G-Unit closet of secrets and pulled out a batch of information their core demographic has been dying to know.

Lloyd Banks discussing the lack of visibility during the 50 Cent/Cam’Ron feud:

“I was going through a lot at the time. My pops had just died, like two weeks after Rotten Apple came out. I had a lot of close friends of mine who’ve passed since I got on, but if you’re still in that environment, that’s nothing new…but when it happens to your mother or father, it affects you a certain way.”

Tony Yayo on the accusations of assaulting Jimmy Henchmen’s son:

“Sayin that sh$t was close to child molestation, and everybody had me guilty before they even knew what happened….I didn’t smack him! I’m a fu*ckin millionaire, and I got kids myself….I’m aware that, If I smack somebody, I’ma have a lawsuit. So why would I do it??”

Young Buck on the early friction between him and 50 Cent:

“I tried to call him and didn’t get no answer. Picture you constantly callin’ my phone and I don’t pick up. You gonna stop callin right? Then you look up on TV and you see a video, and everybody there but you. Then what?? So you can start adding it on, my dude and then you’ll see where I was at the time.”

50’s take on Lil Wayne’s reaction to him calling Wayne a whore:

“I don’t dislike Wayne, and I don’t want him to interpret it that way. He had the opportunity to jump out the window when I said he’s a whore, and he didn’t because he’s smarter than the other guys.”

The new issue of XXL is available at all newsstands and bookstores…I advise you to pick your copy up…NOW!

P.S. Congrats to Datwon on the new EIC position. V.Satten sure as hell did her thing though!

-LowKey

So I was at the company office party TRYING to enjoy myself, when I received this email from one of my homey’s stating DMX’s has officially gone CRAZY! Now we all know DMX isn’t the most stable character, but we still can’t detach ourselves from his every day doings; case in point!

XXL (their online team) caught up with Dark Man X for an extensive and shocking interview about a bevy of topics ranging from his awareness about Barack Obama (there was none), his new single “All Ready” and the lack of substance in the game.

Of course, controversy sells and draws the most amount of attention, so the quote I’m bout to show you will enrage and bestow a sense of disbelief in your brain…Check it out!

Are you following the presidential race?
Not at all.

You’re not? You know there’s a Black guy running, Barack Obama and then there’s Hillary Clinton.
His name is Barack?!

Barack Obama, yeah.
Barack?!

Barack.
What the f*ck is a Barack?! Barack Obama. Where he from, Africa?

Yeah, his dad is from Kenya.
Barack Obama?

Yeah.
What the fu#k?! That ain’t no f*ckin’ name, yo. That ain’t that nigga’s name. You can’t be serious. Barack Obama. Get the f$ck outta here.

You’re telling me you haven’t heard about him before.
I ain’t really paying much attention.

I mean, it’s pretty big if a Black…
Wow, Barack! The nigga’s name is Barack. Barack? Nigga named Barack Obama. What the fu@k, man?! Is he serious? That ain’t his fu%kin’ name. Ima tell this nigga when I see him, “Stop that bulls#it. Stop that bullsh@t” [laughs] “That ain’t your fuc$in’ name.” Your momma ain’t name you no damn Barack.

Read the article in it’s entirety right here…….

I’m not even going to comment, I’m DYING to hear what ya’ll have to say…..SOUND OFF!!

-LowKey

Anyway, I got up today and felt like praising some of my peers. These are the people me and my folks have been talking about all year. If you don’t like it, then tell your girl to rogue me up. Don’t know what that means? Then look it up. One last thing. Don’t email Kim O asking her why yo *ss ain’t on the list. This is my personal opinion. So, without further ado, here are (in my arrogant opinion) the “hottest writers in hip-hop right now.” 

5. Bol aka Byron Crawford. (XXL’s Bol’s Saturday Night Work Out): Bol should be dead by now, ethered after his shocking appearance on The Parker Report. Not quite. He just got called Norbit a few times, shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to do what he does best, blog. In my last weeks with SOHH, I asked rappers to recall their most shocking online moments. Of course,  Bol’s name came up. [Watch Video Here] 

4. Gyant (SOHH): Imagine if Bol had the balls to talk all that doo doo and then face his targets. That’s Gyant. Dude will trash you in his blog, go to your event the same night and introduce himself. The self-proclaimed “male Wendy Williams” isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions and has a knack for breaking exclusives. [Blogger's Note: Gyant broke news of T.I.'s October arrest among other big stories this year] Rappers love to hate him. Just ask Bow Wow or Playaz Circle.  

3. Ahsmi Rawlins aka Eskay (Nah Right/XXL Mag.com): Rolling Stone Magazine nailed it. Browsing nahright on a daily basis, there’s always a clip of Kanye West on SNL, a Redman freestyle or Jay-Z’s latest interview. Shoot! Maybe hip-hop isn’t dead after all. Dude never sleeps! And by the way, xxlmag.com’s ratings are way up. Look it up. It’s no coincadink.

2. Minya Oh aka Miss Info (Hot 97/Missinfo.tv): Take notes! Miss Info appears to be the one to call when rappers want to spill their guts. Cam’Ron was M.I.A until he conducted an interview with Miss Info while Raekwon stopped by to complain about RZA’s guitars.

1. MTV News/Brain Trust: Hate it or love it, you’re still talking about last summer’s “hottest mc in the game right now” list. Shoot! It inspired this list. MTV is quick to the issue (Nas‘ N-gger title, Yung Joc chain, Jim Jones and Cam’Ron tension), entertaining… I shouldn’t even have to justify this pick. It’s a no-brainer. Like I said earlier. If you don’t like it…