HiphopRnbSoul.com

Rapper 50 Cent will release his new mixtape Forever King tonight (July 3) online.   Forever King is the second mixtape from 50 Cent to be released this month.   Two weeks ago on June 16, 50 Cent released the gritty War Angel mixtape, an 11-track collection from the G-Unit general.   The new 12-track collection features 50 Cent rapping over 90’s classic R&B tracks provided by DJ Mister Cee.   The mixtape is the second installment of three releases that 50 Cent has...(read more)

After days of non-stop backlash, BET has apologized for a performance by Lil Wayne, Drake and Young Money Records that involved underage girls during songs "Best I Ever Had" and "Every Girl" at the 2009 BET Awards.

During the Young Money set, a group of young girls, which included Lil Wayne's daughter and her friends, pranced around on stage. The problem is that Weezy's song "Every Girl" contains several explicit sexual references.

In a statement, BET expressed remorse over the performance. "BET Networks deeply regrets the performance by Young Money at the BET AWARDS 09 (featuring Lil Wayne, Drake, Gudda Gudda and Mack Maine). Elements of the performance were unplanned and should not have happened."

Wayne's performance at an award show that was billed as a tribute to Michael Jackson seemed inappropriate. It's good to see BET stepping up and taking responsibility for that.

This moment has been a long time coming for Maino. Trials and tribulations had to be signed, sealed and delivered for the ultimate understanding of this Brooklyn hustler. If Tomorrow Comes is the testament to this rapper’s pain and struggle and the album plays like a novel. Straight with no chasers, Maino careens over the concept of the album while dropping thoughts about his native life, death and his native New York. Truly waving at haters now, the underground maven re-introduces...(read more)

As this is being written, 2009 is now halfway over, so it's time to look back at some of the best album covers of the year so far. Although other music genres have been known to rely on abstract images and photographs as cover art, R&B and Soul music have always been known for their warm, intimate portraits of artists as covers. And so far in 2009, there were over half a dozen covers that stood out as being above the rest. So this gallery - which has a brief comment on each page about the respective cover - is dedicated to them.

• Best R&B/Soul Album Covers of 2009
• Best Covers of 2008
• Best Covers of 2007
• Best Covers of 2006