This week, Dr. Dre made the sudden announcement that he will be taking a break from music after recording for 27 years. Not exactly the news on Detox fans were looking for. Ludacris forged ahead with his new mixtape 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time 
, firing shots at Drake, Big Sean and Field Mob along the way. Drake finally released his sophomore album Take Care this week, with first-week sales expected to log anywhere between 675,000 and 725,000 copies. Busta Rhymes also made noise on Wednesday, announcing that he signed with Cash Money and released his new single “Why Stop Now” featuring Chris Brown through the freshly launched Google Music.
Dr. Dre Announces Hiatus From Music, Slim The Mobster Dishes On Jay-Z & Drake “Detox” Features
After years of teasing the release of his third and final album Detox, Dr. Dre faked the game out. Instead of announcing a concrete release date for his oft-delayed album, the West Coast veteran said that after 27 years in Hip Hop, he’s going to take a break from making music. His new artist, Slim the Mobster, supported his decision, revealing that he’s heard Jay-Z and Drake contributions to the LP. Meanwhile, another artist with whom he’s working – Kendrick Lamar – denied rumors that he would be featured on Detox’s next single. The album is still mythical, and if Dre ducks out of the game for a minute, the public might have to wait a bit longer.
Ludacris Release “1.21 Gigawatts: Back To The First Time” Mixtape, Ignites Beef With Drake, Big Sean & Field Mob
Ludacris released his highly anticipated 1.21 Gigawatts: Back to the First Time this week, feeding the public with his first project since last year’s Battle of the Sexes. Upon release, the DTP leader sent shockwaves through the Hip Hop community, firing shots at Drake and Big Sean for stealing his Supa Dupa flow on the cut “Badaboom.” Big Sean replied graciously, stating that he has nothing but respect for the ATL native. Meanwhile, Field Mob’s Shawn J, who was allegedly dissed on “Say It to My Face,” wasn’t as understanding, stating that Luda owes him a few checks for songs released on his label. On the bright side, Luda mended fences with his former arch nemesis Bill O’Reilly, who donated to his Ludacris Foundation after a chance meeting at the White House.
Drake Releases “Take Care,” Joint Mixtape Confirmed With Rick Ross
With tons of hype for his new album, Drake finally dropped Take Care this week. The LP, which features guest appearances from Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar and more, is projected to sell between 675,000 and 725,000 copies – more than 200,000 copies than its predecessor, Thank Me Later. Drizzy also spoke on subliminal disses directed at Kanye West and Jay-Z, dismissing them and chalking it up to being competition. The Young Money rapper, who ditched club anthems for storytelling on the LP, challenged his boss Lil Wayne to a live sound clash, while Ricky Rozay confirmed their joint mixtape Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once).
Busta Rhymes Signs With Cash Money, Partners With Google Music
After his manager Chris Lighty said that he was no longer on Universal Motown, Busta Rhymes officially announced his signing to Cash Money this week. Rumors that he and Mystikal signed to the shingle hit the net mid-week, with Bus-A-Buss confirming the deal by appearing in a video with Birdman the next day. He also revealed a new partnership with Google Music – which also launched this week – releasing the new single “Why Stop Now” featuring Chris Brown through the service. According to reports, Busta plans on releasing his next album E.L.E. 2: End of the World through the new platform.
Other items of note:
– Jay-Z Explains Concept Behind “Paris,” Speaks On Fatherhood
– Common Reveals Cover Art For “The Dreamer, The Believer”
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