Atlanta rapper T.I. is hard at work on
his second film, “American Gangster,” which pits him alongside
Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. He is also developing a
movie project through his own film company, in addition to recording his fifth
album, “T.I. vs. T.I.P.,” the follow-up to this year’s “King.

“American Gangster” revolves around a 1970s drug lord who
smuggles heroin into Harlem, N.Y.,
by concealing it inside the coffins of American soldiers returning from Vietnam. T.I.,
who made his film debut this year in “ATL,” will play Washington’s
nephew, a character he calls “somewhat of a stretch.”

Right now I’m learning everything I can about my character. I’m just
there to soak things up,”
T.I. told Billboardmagazine “There’s
a bunch of Academy Award-winners on this cast and I’m just there to learn. I’m
in school.”
The rapper is also working on a script for the first movie
from his company, Grand Hustle Films. “It’s coming along quite
nicely,”
he says. “It’s gonna be a comedy and it’s gonna be funny
as hell.”

HipHopDX | Rap & Hip Hop News | Ad Placeholder
AD

AD LOADING...

AD

On the music end, T.I. is featured on Beyonce’s upcoming
album, “B’Day” and the Justin Timberlake single “My
Love,” which was produced by Timbaland. A video for the latter will
be shot next week.

Though T.I. remains tightlipped about his own album,
he is contributing to projects by Young Buck and Young Jeezy, as
well as his Grand Hustle/Atlantic artists Big Kuntry, Governor
and Young Dro. He is featured on the latter’s first single “Shoulder
Lean,
” which currently sits on top of the Billboard charts.

In other news, The Game has found a new home at Geffen music after the
apparent rivalry between 50 Cent and himself, had reached it’s boiling
point.  A message on the Aftermath website stated that “It’s
official – Game is off the Math. There were a lot of rumors about The Game
leaving Aftermath in the last weeks. The Game is now on Geffen
Records
. His upcoming album “The Doctor’s Advocate” is scheduled
to release in Nov 7 and features appearances from Nas and Mary J
Blige,
while production is supplied by Dr. Dre, Cool & Dre, Scott
Storch
and among others.”

HipHopDX | Rap & Hip Hop News | Ad Placeholder
AD

AD LOADING...

AD

Considering Dr. Dre’s production is the golden touch on anyone’s
masterpiece, it’s hard to see how Cool & Dre, Storch and DJ Skee will
compare to the good Doctor.  In a recent interview with DUBcnn.com , Snoop
said of The Game’s beef with ex-homie Spider Loc,

“Man fuck that bullshit man, I ain’t with all that bullshit man! Him
and Game, all that shit, I ain’t with that! I done hollered at Game.
They need to cut that shit out. Because it’s nothing, it’s petty. First of all Spider
Loc
ain’t sold no records, so he need to be cool with everybody right now. G-Unit
cannot save you, cuzz. This is the West Coast nigga, you need to go
according to the plan, and the plan is ain’t nobody tripping with nobody. 
So I’ma say it like this, any nigga that’s tripping on the West Coast gotta
deal with me. I got everything out here, so it’s just like that. So nigga fall
in line or fall out. We not having that out here, we worked too hard to get the
game back in our corner to where people are looking to hear some good music.
They not looking to hear no diss music. Anybody can do that, nigga you don’t
move nothing with that! “

Not only that, but Snoop is looking to rule the West Coast along with Koch
records
, signing any artists who wants to make some music and money. 
Stating, “Im gonna go ahead and say it, cause I know you gonna blast
the shit out there.  They’re about to make me C.E.O of Koch Records
West.  It ain’t even no Koch West out here so you know what that
means.  I’m getting everything form the muthafuckin’ West.  Brotha
Lynch,. B-Real, Xzibit,
fuckin’ whoever needs a muthafuckin’ deal coming
straight through me, and I’m putting that shit out. 

HipHopDX | Rap & Hip Hop News | Ad Placeholder
AD

AD LOADING...

AD

The West coast is coming back with a vengeance.