Rap Sheet: Jay-Z Newsbreak

Jay-Z / Photo: Photocology

• Hovito’s making all sorts of news today. He’s going on tour with Mary J. The 40/40 in Las Vegas could be in trouble, and more rumors about him starting a record label get circulated, then denied.

• Cool Kiddies: The tight-pant wearing duo from Michigan and Illinois talk style, influences, and ring-tone rappers, and their online presence in this recent Q and A.

• Plea for help: ODB’s widow sent an “emotional letter” to Page Six, hoping to get the public’s help in “stamping out companies selling unauthorized clothing.” With the official ODB line about to hit the stores, she doesn’t need bootlegs raining on her parade.

• Down under: Pharoahe Monch arrived in New Zealand “for a whirlwind two day visit.” The boot loving rapper who’s even ghost written for Diddy, explains the internal battles of writing for others, “You wanna write your best material, pull it from your soul, but at the same time it’s a weird thing because your giving it to somebody else.”