Mary J. Blige is not giving up on education despite being handed an honorary diploma from Roosevelt High, her former high school in Yonkers, New York. Having got her GED, she's looking to become a student at Howard University as part of the upcoming class of 2014. Mary made the official announcement during a performance on 'Good Morning America' saying, "As you know I never got a chance to finish high school but they gave me my honorary degree the other day….and I've been accepted into Howard University, the class of 2014!"  That's GREAT news!

50 Cent can't have got the message that Sean 'Puffy' Combs is all about the positivity these days after he took shots at the Bad Boy mogul. 50 addressed apparent subliminal jabs made by Puffy in Miami, saying, "Diddy, well, the thing about it is, Puffy's like a b*tch." 50 Cent continued, "To describe Puffy in one word is a 'b*tch.' Right? Puffy wants to be the hot b*tch in the group. You know how you see a hot b*tch -- I know it sounds kinda harsh but I'll explain my statement. You know how an ugly b*tch always has pretty friends? That's how he's built his group. He wants to be the hot b*tch in the group. He wants to make sure he gets all the attention. He wants to make sure the n*ggas wanna holla at him. And you know, it's the reality of the situation, man. He'll tell you what happened himself down in Miami. It's not even open season on Diddy, I don't know who he was talking about, he didn't say my name. But that's the way I feel about him...This is the final notice, the final note because they'll suck the life outta him like everybody else he's been around...On the up and up, the n*gga Puff used to call, we used to kick it on the telephone sh*t after the Mase sh*t."

Rumor has it that DMX is a free man once more after producer Dame Grease revealed that the rapper is getting an early release after being locked up on probation violation charges. Welcome back...we hope for good...
 

Lil Kim insists she is still a relevant force in hip-hop, saying, "I'm constantly growing, my album came out in '97 but I started doing music in the early '90s. One reason that I'm still here and I'm still relevant to this day - probably even more relevant than a lot of new people who come into the industry - is because I know how to reinvent myself, I know how to change with the times. I think that, no matter who you are these days - you could be young, you could be old, you could be new, you could be an artist that's been in the industry for a minute - I think it's all about a hot record these days, it's different. I think that's the only difference I could point out - you know, you could have a hot song back in the day but it may not break through. But now if you have a hot song - it doesn't have to have a lot of thought behind it, it doesn't have to be a deep record, you don't even have to be very talented as long as you come up with something that's catchy and, you know, something that is now."

Kelis hit out at anti-fur campaigners Peta, calling them "terrorists" - although she insists she hasn't got a problem with them. Kelis said, "I don't have a beef with PETA. They targeted me more than one time, and finally I just responded and kind of tickled myself in the process. At the end of the day, they're terrorists, and that's my issue...I don't think anybody's beliefs should be forced on anyone like that. I'm an American; I live here. It's my right, and that's my stance on it."

Rapper Mack 10 is being sued by producer Ervin 'EP' Pope for what he says are hundreds of thousands of dollars of unpaid royalties. EP has named Mack 10 and his Hoo Bangin' Entertainment record label in the suit related to production work on two tracks from Mack 10’s album 'Soft White.' The lawsuit says that Mack 10 orally agreed to pay a total of $60,000, for producing the songs 'It’s Your Life' and 'Big Balla,' although EP is now seeking at least $100,000 from Mack 10 in addition to his share of unpaid royalties from sales of the album and the two songs.

Hum, let's see...an ORAL agreement with a rapper???  How silly can you be...plus, we're sure that Mack likely doesn't have that type of cash himself right now...