It’s been over a year since we’ve seen Jayceon Taylor on covers of magazines with a gun to his head, and crying on YouTube videos about hip-hop of the past. He’ll be the first to admit his life is an emotional roller-coaster, but nowadays The Game seems more content than usual.

And maybe he has good reason to be. He’s back working with Dr. Dre and says his forthcoming LP The R.E.D Album (due out February 16) is his favorite since The Documentary. He’s even feeling relieved that Jay-Z never responded to his sideways comments he made in his last Complex interview. Yesterday, we reconnected with Game to get his take on 50 baiting Jay into a battle, the new album, young rappers like Drake, and why Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine wants to reunite the hip-hop Beatles. It was Game on as usual…

Interview by Joe La Puma

Complex: Starting off, talk about the reasoning behind naming your new joint The R.E.D. Album.

Game: R.E.D is simply rededicated. That’s what R.E.D is, the r-e-d in red for me. And rededicated to what? My family, my craft, which is hip-hop, my fans, which are world wide, my children, my hood, my city, and what got me here—which is the color. I think that before I came out there was no red. There was Snoop, everybody was Crip walking. I came in, I took the color on as a whole. People just adapted to who I am and where I come from. I mean now, even Crips wear red.

Complex: How do you feel about other rappers who claim Blood and shout “Soo-Woo”?

Game: I mean, look what I did to Jim Jones, and look at Weezy, and look at Gucci Mane. I feel like I did that. It’s a free country. People can do whatever they want to do and if anything they’re just making me bigger and my legacy and where I come from and what I represent bigger.

Complex: I know Gucci Mane is on the album. What other collaborations can we expect?

Game: I got Rick Ross. I got Beanie Sigel, I got Jeezy. I finally did a song with Jeezy that’s fuckin’ crazy too. For the most part it’s me, with a couple of features from people I haven’t worked with yet—I always try to work with new people every album. But it’s people that I respect and that are also poppin’ in the world and that other people want to hear.

Complex: I read somewhere that there’s going to be some production by RZA. Is that true?

Game: RZA gave me a beat, which I am so fuckin’ ecstatic about. I appreciate it because he doesn’t make beats anymore. RZA gets paid millions of dollars now to score movies, big fuckin’ movies. So, for him to come in my studio and for him to say “Yo Game, I brought this beat to you and just listen to it and just tell me if you like it…” So I listened to it and I was so crazy about it. I called him and he was like, “Yo, you could have that beat.” That’s all it was and I ain’t talk to RZA since, shit [Laughs].

Complex: So Jay-Z did The Black Album, The Beatles did The White Album. How does The R.E.D. Album stack up against those masterpieces?

Game: I just would consider this my best effort since The Documentary. My favorite would be the Doctor’s Advocate, but The Documentary is my first album. It is to the people what Illmatic was to the people, what Ready to Die was, what Reasonable Doubt was, Straight Out of Compton, and all those albums. It’s the first album, so I kind of think that people are biased to say that it’s classic. But The R.E.D. Album is as dope as The Documentary was. There’s no controversy in my way. There’s nobody telling me to rap like this or anything, I’m just dead me on this album. I did it by myself, with the help of Dr. Dre this time and that was a breath of fresh air and relieved a lot of my stress and tension. It’s always easier when you’re rolling with that mastermind, man.

Complex: So working with Dre again, it seemed to piss 50 off a little bit…

Game: That made 50 mad, man.

Complex: Do you think it was a jealousy thing?

Game: 50’s just bitter, man. For what reason? I don’t know. He doesn’t have to be. Me and his beef is old at this point. It’s pure comedy for me at this point. When he says something, I laugh. If I shoot a shot back it’s just a joke at this point. Nobody is going to kill each other. Nobody is gonna beat each other’s ass. I’m not gonna do none of that. So we might as well get along. We exist in hip-hop. You know with opening arms he can re-join my band of brothers. Just say sorry and you want to make music. He’ll never be as big as he was and he’ll never be able to put out an album that people will be waiting for and anticipate as much without me, period. And I ain’t saying that he needs me, but me and him made the best records together. I understand it, he needs to understand it, and maybe one day we’ll record. He said recently in an interview that he’ll never work with Game again but that’s all him talking and his ego. I can’t wait to mend the ties with Eminem. Me and Eminem had never been at odds but he had to take 50’s side. That’s his artist and his homie and what not, and I understood it but I’d love to get back with Eminem and work again and sort of restructure the Voltron if you will.

Complex: Even though he says he won’t work with you, it seems like right now you’re telling me you’d definitely work with 50 again…

Game: ‘Cause I don’t hold grudges. Like, it’s hip-hop, man. We’re not fuckin’ WWF wrestlers, we’re not boxers man, it’s just hip-hop. It’s just make music or don’t make music. It’s not a gang war, like he’s not a Crip and I’m a Blood, and this ain’t fuckin’ ‘85, and I’m not gonna ride through his hood and do a drive by, like it’s not that serious, bruh. It’s just hip-hop and I think that he’s more bitter towards me then anyone else he’s had drama with because look what I did to his brand. I killed G-Unit. I killed the clothes, I killed the brand, I killed Tony Ya-Yo, Banks, and Buck at that time. Like I really fucked up a lot of money for that dude. Not only for him but my label, Jimmy Iovine, who at this point, I’m apologetic to.

Complex: Is the label situation cool now?

Game: I’ve mended the wounds at Interscope. You know I went against my own label and I came out the smoke with my hands held high and my head, man. So I mean, I don’t know what 50’s problem is but I’m here. Whenever he wants to call me on the phone and talk about it, squash it or we can keep on going with this fucking child- like antics. He can do it, I can do it and we can do it ’til we fuckin’ die, it makes me no difference, man.

Complex: Interesting…

Game: If he ever wants to do something of catastrophic proportion, then we could. If we said tomorrow Game and 50 are coming out with an album, you know how many motherfuckin’ antennas would go up? We could still sell a million records just off promoting it alone. I mean, I understand the business aspect of it. I understand that you know, he’s got a big ego. I’m just not one with it, I don’t have one. I forgive and forget and that’s life. One day you’re alive and the next day you die. So why spend it bitter and mad at the fuckin’ world, man? I don’t understand it.

Complex: 50’s been baiting Jay-Z recently. As someone who’s had issues with both of them, how do you feel about him going after Jay?

Game: Oh yeah, I already did that Jay-Z thing. 50’s just doing what I’m doing. Nobody went at Jay, I went at Jay. Now everybody wants to get at Jay, not saying anything about Beanie Sigel, that’s personal and I stay out of that. He’s just a man and he’s got all the right in the world, but I feel like I did something that people have been wanting to do, but everybody is scared because Jay-Z is so lyrically inclined to cut your throat and your career in half that nobody wanted to do it. But me? I just don’t give a fuck sometimes.

Complex: What do you think that the result of that battle would be?

Game: Jay-Z will fuck 50 up in a battle! It would be so fast and over with. 50 is funny, but Jay is witty. Jay-Z is not to be toyed with. If he fuckin’ responds, if he feels like you’re really pissing him off and he responds, he’s gonna fuck you up! He would fuck me up, I’m just glad he didn’t fuckin’ respond, so I didn’t have to go dig in my fuckin’ bag and try to fuck him up. I definitely think that Jay-Z didn’t come at me like he came at any other rappers because I definitely would have been more disrespectful and once you start a beef with me you better be ready to go the whole motherfuckin’ 12 rounds because I will try to chew your fuckin’ ear off like Mike Tyson. I’ll do it and I think he knew that—I’m disrespectful. So Jay, he did the right thing and just kinda let it die down and I let it die down ’cause it wasn’t anything really. It was fuckin’ fun and I really admire Jay’s career. I just really don’t care too much for the man himself.

Complex: Now, I saw on your Twitter that you were talking to Shyne recently.

Game: Yeah, I talked to him for about an hour. Just about his well being and both of our next moves. What I thought he should do and he listened and held me on my thoughts and he gave me a lot of insight on my career and what he thought of my career from the several years while he’s been locked down. He’s the reason why I’m not ready to jump into beefs and controversy today because he kind of shed light on some different situations and it gave me a different perspective. Which is one that I respect being that he’s been behind those bars. So we just chopped it up about life and issues and each other, man.

Complex: Last year we saw you on the cover of The Source with a gun to your head and you were saying some days are good, some days are bad. What is your mind frame like today?

Game: I’m in such a fuckin’ good mood man, you could damn near run in my front yard and blow up my car and I would just smile at you. I might fuckin’ shoot you with a sling-shot or something, but I’m definitely less drama filled and I’m just having a good time with my music and my life. I’ve been going out a couple of nights with my boys and drinkin’ and hangin’ and chillin’ and I’m just having fun. You know, the other night I was in a club out here with a couple of billionaire homies and we bought some Ace of Spades and joked about Jay-Z, but at least we contributed 17 grand. It costs 17 grand in the club and five grand on the fuckin’ street. We bought it and just balled out man. In the name of Jay-Z, H-O-V, R-O-C, ya heard? [Laughs]

Complex: [Laughs] I noticed that you Twitter a lot. What rap blogs do you read?

Game: Rap blogs? None. Man I don’t fuckin’ buy XXL anymore, unless I see them around in the studio anymore, [but] I won’t pick them up. I’m so lost, like people were telling me, “Yo, you gotta hear this new kid, J. Cole.” Like people had to force feed me Drake, I never even heard him until a while after he started blowing up and then I became a fan. But I’m so out of the fuckin’ loop. Like I got my Biggie greatest hits, my Makavelli, my fuckin’ EPMD albums in every car. So I don’t know what’s going on currently in hip-hop, unless it pertains to me and my career directly.

Complex: There’s not a young rapper who really impressed you?

Game: Oh, Drake’s the man! Drake is fuckin’ phenomenal. I like Drake, he’s dope as fuck. Lyrically that dude, the shit he says and where he gets it from is crazy. Drake is dope. I haven’t heard a bad song yet.

Complex: So going back to the label situation, it seems like everything is smooth with Interscope?

Game: Everything that happened in my career was nobody’s fault but mine. They run a business and I went against that business and, I paid for it. With the loss of the group aspect. Jimmy Iovine likes to say, “Thanks for breaking up the Beatles, Game. Thank you.”

Complex: And he’s referring to you…

Game: John Lennon and Paul McCartney. I’m John Lennon and 50 is Paul McCartney and Jimmy always says, “Thanks for breaking up the Beatles, man, you guys are worth more together. So I don’t know what the fuck you guys are doing. Whenever you guys want to fuckin’ get your heads out your asses. Come sit down and take a meeting, make some money, we can talk. Until then, just keep the shit out of my office.” That’s Jimmy Iovine for you, man.

RELATED: A History Of The Game’s Beefs
• CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE COMPLEX MUSIC POSTS!

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

As the week rolls along, the new music piles up. We’re certain you don’t have time to sort through everything, but we got you, as usual. Regulars like Jim Jones, Drake, and Curren$y had new stuff hit the blogs today, along with rising artists like Sleigh Bells and Chip Tha Ripper. Listen to (and download) it all after the jump…

SONG: “Hit Em Up”
ARTIST: Jim Jones
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Jones keep killing the mixtape tracks. This one is off The Ghost of Rich Porter. Sounds like that tape is gonna be a problem.

SONG: “Movie”
ARTIST: Chip Tha Ripper
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Yeah, dude plays second fiddle to his homie Kid Cudi, but songs like this prove that he’s kind of nice in his own right. If you’re feeling the sound, his mixtape, The Cleveland Show, drops on December 1.

SONG: “4 My Town”
ARTIST: Birdman f/ Drake & Lil’ Wayne
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Birdman is really taking advantage of having Drizzy on his label, huh? If you recall, this was originally a collab between Drake and Soulja Boy, but the Cash Money teams snatched it up.

SONG: “Crown On The Ground”
ARTIST: Sleigh Bells
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• We recognized the talents of this upcoming band last month, and they’re back with more dope tracks. Expect the indie kids to be all over them very soon.

SONG: “Jets Over Everything”
ARTIST: Currensy
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• It seems like more and more people are getting familiar with Currensy, which is great, because he’s been on our radar for a while now. This song adds to growing growing discography of hot records, even if it has no life outside the Internet.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

The weekend is finally here and the last Shuffle playlist of the week happens to be the most star-studded as well. No upcoming or unknown artists this time. Strictly superstars. We have new music from Kanye, 50, Rihanna, Drake, GaGa, and Beyonce. There’s no way that there’s not something on the list you’re interested in checking out. Start listening after the jump…

SONG: “I’m So Appalled”
ARTIST: Kanye West
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Here’s a new verse from ‘Ye that’s slated to appear on Diddy’s Last Train To Paris album. Hot verse but this tagged up version is the only one available for now.

SONG: “I Go Off”
ARTIST: Beanie Sigel f/ 50 Cent
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• If this is Sigel’s audition for G-Unit then consider him part of the team. Great song and 50’s shit talking is entertaining as usual, but the Jay baiting feels a little forced.

SONG: “Rockstar 101″
ARTIST: Rihanna
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• RiRi is really running with the bad girl image and we’re not the least bit mad at it. She even recruits Guns N’ Roses guitarist, Slash, on this Rated R track to give the rockstar theme a little more authenticity.

SONG: “Scriptures”
ARTIST: Drake
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• The Heartbreak Drake mixtape series is always good for exclusive Drizzy material. Several new songs leaked last night, but this probably the best of the bunch.

SONG: “Telephone”
ARTIST: Lady GaGa f/ Beyonce
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• It was inevitable that two of pop music’s biggest stars would work together. The collab lives up to expectations for the most part too. This will be the second single off GaGa’s The Fame Monster.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds every day, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

Like we always do at this time! It’s 5:00, so that means it’s time for us to hit you with the five songs you should be bumpin’ today. There’s a new Lloyd track featuring the most consistent rapper in the game, Bun B; the prince of the trap, Pill, comes through with another leak off his upcoming mixtape; Luda links up with Jennifer Hudson for some Grammy bait; we got one of the hottest tracks off 50’s new album; and, finally, we hip you to some dope international club music. Sounds like just the right mix of tunes to carry you into the weekend. Hit the jump to start listening. We’ll see y’all on Monday…

SONG: “Like Me”
ARTIST: Lloyd f/ Bun B.
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• As he’s shooting the video for Young Money’s next single, “Bed Rock,” Young Lloyd drops this smooth and breezy ditty featuring the other king of the south, Bun B. This guy’s been droppin’ some heat lately, now that he’s a free agent. Someone needs to sign this dude. We’re lookin’ at you, Weezy.

SONG: “Hear My Cry”
ARTIST: Ludacris f/ Jennifer Hudson
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Luda’s back! Last week we heard “Get Low,” which had us happy Luda was returning back to his old, jovial self. But then he drops this dope introspective collabo with Jennifer Hudson and we’re reminded this guy is once again hunting for Grammys. At least it’s much better than “Runaway Love.”

SONG: “Afro-Sheen”
ARTIST: Pill
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• If you haven’t noticed, we ride with Pill around here (interview coming soon!). The latest Atlanta sensation leaks another gem off his upcoming 4075: The Refill mixtape. This time he hijacks Kanye’s “Diamonds” beat and goes nuts.

SONG: “Rollerskate”
ARTIST: Matias Aguayo
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Electronica singer/producer Matias Aguayo describes his music as “for the city and for the night,” so you can understand why we’re inclined to like him. He recently (as in last week) dropped his latest (and best) album to date (Ay, Ay, Ay). Here’s one of the album’s standout tracks. Hit the link to download and read an interview he did with the Fader fam.

SONG: “Stretch”
ARTIST: 50 Cent
DOWNLOAD:[LINK]
• If you didn’t know, 50’s upcoming album Before I Self Destruct leaked. However, for some reason, Curtis doesn’t seem to be that upset about it. Maybe because this album shits on Curtis? Who knows. All we know is this track goes hard. Head on over to Nah Right to peep the song’s video, which dropped today.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

Welcome back. We’re starting the week off right with several dope songs that leaked over the weekend and earlier today. Rock. Pop. Rap. R&B. All the genres are covered, so whether you’re only checking for one song or you’re interested in everything, we got you, son. As always, streams and download links are a click away. Hit the jump to get started…

SONG: “Can’t Stop Partying”
ARTIST: Weezer f/ Lil’ Wayne
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Weezer. Weezy. This collab was bound to happen based on names alone. The song will probably catch some hate from overly critical rock and rap fans alike, but it’s an enjoyable record at its core. We won’t be surprised if this is all over the radio a couple months down the line.

SONG: “Play Ball”
ARTIST: Soulja Boy & Drake
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• These guys have been publicly declaring their respect for one another for a while now and they’ve finally teamed up for a track. Look out for this on Soulja’s Paranormal Activity mixtape dropping on Halloween.

SONG: “Run This Town”
ARTIST: Lil’ Wayne
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Here’s another one from No Ceilings, also dropping on Halloween. It almost seems like it was recorded specifically for those in the “I’m tired of Lil’ Wayne” club. Those people usually complain about his Auto-Tuned singing or faux-rock music, but there’s none of that here. Dude spits for three minutes straight and kills it.

SONG: “I Like”
ARTIST: Keri Hilson
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• You’ll find this on the soundtrack for the European film, Zweiohrküken. It’s a bit of a departure from Keri’s Stateside hits, but in a good way. Dope song for sure.

SONG: “Rockband”
ARTIST: Usher
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Usher needs multiple hits to make his comeback official, so why wouldn’t he work with the producer that sent Lady GaGa to the top of the Billboard charts multiple times? The RedOne production is on point but the concept is a little ehhhh. “Papers” is definitely hotter.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

The weekend was packed with leaks from big-name artists. Haven’t been glued to the computer for the past couple days? No worries. Today’s playlist is your one-stop shop for playing catch up. We’d let you know what we have in store, but you see the picture above and you recognize all of those guys. You know the drill. Keep it moving and get to the MP3 streams and download links after the jump…

SONG: “Look Out”
ARTIST: Lil’ Wayne
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Here’s another rock record from Weezy. It’s pretty much in line with his previous forays into the genre. That’s a good thing for some people and the opposite for others. Listen and decide.

SONG: “Who Says”
ARTIST: John Mayer
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Hip-hop fucks with John Mayer for a reason. Let’s use this track’s chorus as a point of reference: “who says I can’t get stoned?” Anyone who can put a pot-smoking anthem on adult contemporary radio is cool with us.

SONG: “Believe It Or Not”
ARTIST: Drake f/ Gucci Mane
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• It was only a matter of time before two of the hottest “new” rappers collaborated. Their sharp difference in musical backgrounds is glaring, but it’s a solid effort nonetheless. Fans of both will be pleased.

SONG: “Taking My Ball”
ARTIST: Eminem
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• People are complaining about this song, but do you really expect Em to give away his best material for a video game soundtrack? We still have no doubts that Relapse 2 will be insane.

SONG: “I’m Good (Remix)”
ARTIST: Clipse f/ Rick Ross
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• The official remix finally hit the blogs and it’s as dope as expected. Listen out for the Complex cover shout out too. The music video should be out soon.

SONG: “Spotlight”
ARTIST: Gucci Mane f/ Usher
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• After flooding the streets with three mixtapes this weekend, Gucci finally released a real single from The State vs. Radric Davis. Everyone knows girls buy albums, so if this catches on, dude will probably move units.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

Some people are back at work. Some people have the day off. Either way, everyone needs to check out today’s Shuffle playlist. Weekends are usually slow for new music leaks, but several notable tracks hit the blogs over the past couple days. We’re assuming you didn’t spend your days off hunched over the computer, so keep reading to catch up on all the hot new songs you missed out on…

SONG: “This Is It”
ARTIST: Michael Jackson
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• The late Michael Jackson’s aptly titled final song has finally hit the Internet. It’s not comparable to his classics by any means, but it’s certainly a lot better than what most people were probably expecting. The film of the same name hits theaters in a couple of weeks. Look for this one on its soundtrack.

SONG: “Do You Remember”
ARTIST: Jay Sean f/ Sean Paul & Lil’ Jon
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Seemingly out of nowhere, Cash Money has another star on its hands. The British pop singer (who currently has the #1 song in the country) may not seem typical for the label, but when you consider their obsession with all-things-income, it makes perfect sense. This new record may or may not be the second single from All Or Nothing.

SONG: “More Milli”
ARTIST: Drake & Birdman
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• It’s unclear where this track is going to end up. Most sites have billed it as a Birdman song, potentially a bonus cut from his upcoming Priceless album, but we’re obviously listening for the Drake verse. Drizzy doesn’t disappoint either, boldly declaring to sell a million copies of Thank Me Later in its first week. Well damn!

SONG: “Governmentalist”
ARTIST: Joss Stone f/ Nas
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Hey, it’s the white girl with the black-sounding voice. No shots though, we actually dig this track from Colour Me Free a lot. Even if you don’t regularly check for homegirl, the killer guest appearance from Nas makes it worth a listen. Her album drops on October 20 if you want to hear more.

SONG: “Medicine”
ARTIST: Plies f/ Keri Hilson
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Believe it or not, Plies is one of the hardest working MCs in the game. He hasn’t been around that long, but he’s already prepping the release of his fourth album. We’re not sure if this will be on Goon Affiliated, but it’s a banger nonetheless.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Of course, that probably means nothing to the rapper once heralded as the second coming of Biggie; technology has exploded in the time since his cell door clanged shut, so we imagine he might have a bit of a tough time getting adjusted to the way things are now. In fact, we peeped our special limited-edition crystal ball to see how it might go…

ShynePo FREE AT LAST PEOPLE FREE AT LAST MOSES MICHAEL LEVIY IS HOME!!! HAPPY SUKKOT!!! I DONT QUITE GET THIS TWOOTER THING BUT IM ABOUT TO CHECK MY EMAILS

ShynePo @aol I’VE GOT MAIL! GIMME MY EMAIL MY USER NAME IS BADBOY1 AND MY PASSWORD IS PASSWORD

ShynePo @AOL HELLO? CLICKETY CLACK BADBOY1 PASSWORD

@ShynePo *picks phone up off modem, peers into it*

ShynePo FUCK MAN THEY TOLD ME UPSTATE THINGS DONE CHANGED BUT I DO NOT GET THIS AT ALL

iamdiddy @ShynePo Shyne baby! You’re back! Sorry I couldn’t be there to pick you up this morning, but I was too busy uStreaming myself trying to close my mouth all the way! Let’s go!

ShynePo @iamdiddy USTREAMING YEAH YEAH WE HAD TO DO THAT EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS IN THE BING, CONTRABAND AND ALL THAT. LET’S GO WHERE, THOUGH? I HOPE IT’S THE STUDIO, BECAUSE I GOTTA LACE ALL THOSE TRACKS FOR THE BAD BOY SUPERGROUP ALBUM I’M DOING WITH CAIN AND MARK CURRY!

iamdiddy @ShynePo …ah, man, we gotta talk. Don’t worry, I put together a new video explaining everything! Peep it on YouTube!

iamdiddy *Sets up tripod, consults Stephon Marbury’s Guide to Overexposing Your Crazy*

ShynePo @iamdiddy YOUTUBE IS THAT LIKE HOTBOT PUFF?

iamdiddy @ShynePo Hotbot? Puff? Hahahaha who is you ni**a, Rip Van Wrinkled? Thanks for shootin’ up that chick’s nose and all, but I’m DIDDY! I ran a marathon! I replaced all my regular teeth with baby shark teeth! I wear a tuxedo to bed! I’M CIROC OBAMA!

ShynePo WTF IS A CROCKOBAMA THAT SHIT SOUND LIKE A SOUTHERN-ASS ALLIGATOR MAN THIS IS TERRIBLE I’M GONNA ASK JEEVES WHAT TO DO

ShynePo @AskJeeves HEY JEEVES I CAN’T FIGURE ANY OF THIS SHIT OUT I DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE I EVEN BOUGHT BLACKBERRIES AT C-TOWN BUT ALL THEY DID WAS MAKE MY THUMBS PURPLE

BarringtonLevy @ShynePo U biddlywiddlywhoa? Let’s get this waddlyziddly doooooough!

ShynePo @BarringtonLevy SORRY FAM TIMES CHANGE I HEARD THEM LITTLE NI**AS B2K ARE THE ONES TO ROLL WITH SO I 2-WAYED CHRIS STOKES. WE’RE MEETING AT THE TELLY LATER! HE SAID HE HAD A GREAT DEAL FOR ME!

BarringtonLevy @ShynePo But he’s a kiddly diddly noooooo!

ShynePo @BarringtonLevy WHAT, SHOULD I NOT TAKE A LOOK AT THE PACKAGE HE’S OFFERING?

PausePolice @ShynePo Ayo, son, pause!

ShynePo @PausePolice FAST FORWARD! NO, REWIND! FUCK, I DUNNO, HOW DO YOU PLAY THIS GAME?

Tami760 @ShynePo whoa.. found a date @http://bit.ly/hBy70 (:

ShynePo @Tami760 BIT WHAT NOW? YA PARENTHESIS POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION SON!

@iamdiddy Nah, man, that’s spam, you gotta ignore that. Twitter’s not for listening, it’s for talking! To people you don’t know! It’s about sanctimonious platitudes and juice fasts and self promotion! Save all that other shit for Tumblr and Facebook!

ShynePo FOR WHO AND WHAT?! GODDAMN I’M ABOUT TO START CRYING OVER HERE FUCK ALL THIS INTERNET SHIT LEMME JUST TURN ON THE RADIO

ShynePo HMMMMM

ShynePo WHAT IS A DRAKE?

ShynePo WHAT IS A KID CUDI??

ShynePo WHAT IS A JERKIN’???!?!?!?!

ShynePo *gives up, becomes a rabbi*

**Yes, this is a parody. We made it up, people!

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A quick reminder: These posts do not provide exact carbon-copy ensembles, but are instead meant to serve as guidelines on creating a similar outfit. That said, read on to learn how to get the Young Money look and still have some cash left over so you can afford that 24-hour champagne diet…

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WATCH “MONEY TO BLOW” VIDEO:

• CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE COMPLEX STYLE POSTS!

Whatever your verdict on the video is, the fact remains that these four artists are some of the most exciting dudes in music, with their own distinctive styles to match—Kanye with his high-fashion steez, Wayne at the height of his rockstar phase, Eminem with the “I’m going on a jog” look, and Drake with his “I like high-priced designers” look. If you’re looking to swag-jack any rappers, these might be the four to start with. Below, we break down and recreate each rapper’s look. Stick with us—as long as you keep reading, we’ll keep you stylish forever.

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WATCH THE ‘FOREVER’ VIDEO HERE

• CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE COMPLEX STYLE POSTS!

It’s hard to believe sometimes, but Drake is still technically a new artist. The kid has accomplished a lot in the past several months, but getting Kanye, Wayne, and Eminem to contribute verses to his lost mixtape cut “Forever” and clear their schedules to star in the music video, directed by Hype Williams no less, might be his most impressive task to date. Of course, the LeBron James factor (the song is on the soundtrack for his upcoming documentary) was probably helpful in getting all parties involved too. Just like Drizzy’s first big video, this one is already host to a bevy of mixed opinions, but that’s to be expected. No matter how you feel about the video, it’s a major look regardless.

Tune in to Complex.com every morning at 8 AM for your daily “Wake N’ Watch” video.

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

Some days it’s a scramble to find new music leaking from notable artists, but the choices were plentiful today. Lil’ Wayne, Drake, and the the rest of the Young Money posse came through with what’s sure to be another hit. Psychedelic rockers Salem dropped some heat almost exactly a year after we first started checking for them. Even Chris Brown found his way onto our Shuffle playlist. The crazy thing is, that’s not even half of what we have waiting for you after the jump (okay, it kind of is, but you know what we mean). Keep reading to check out today’s mix…

SONG: “Bed Rock”
ARTIST: Young Money (Lil’ Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Gudda Gudda, Lloyd)
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Turns out “Every Girl” was just a buzz builder and this is the first official Young Money single. Like its predecessor, this one also has major hit potential (corny Flintstones line notwithstanding). The rough version with more YM artists leaked too, but we like this one more.

SONG: “Frost”
ARTIST: Salem
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• This New York/Michigan/Chicago band first caught our attention with last year’s self-titled EP and they’re still making great music a year later. Creepy and cold are words that come to mind when describing their sound, but the slightly out of place (in a good way) rap-esque drums bring everything full circle.

SONG: “Back To The Crib”
ARTIST: Juelz Santana f/ Chris Brown
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• With the Skull Gang leader’s always upcoming album in serious limbo, we’re not sure if this will really wind up on Born To Lose Built To Win, but Miss Info insists that it’s the plan. Although this isn’t our favorite Juelz song ever or anything, It’s been four years since the last album. We’re just happy to hear something.

SONG: “Something In Common”
ARTIST: Free Energy
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• The hype is just starting to build for these new kids from Philly and we bet there’s more on the way. Not only are they actually making rock music when every band is making electro/synth, but they’ve already turned heads with just one 7″ single release. Can’t wait to see what upcoming EP and LP releases, as well as a Fall tour, do for them.

SONG: “Take Me To NY”
ARTIST: Jadakiss
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Riding the coattails of Hov’s soon-to-be smash, “Empire State Of Mind,” Kiss offers his own, less radio-friendly, tribute to the Big Apple in this short but sweet record. Gotta respect the hometown pride.

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

While there have certainly been some amazing DJ-based blend tapes (Dirty Harry & DJ Vlad’s Rap Phenomenon and Danger Mouse’s The Grey Album come to mind), the Aughts were overwhelmingly dominated by a different type of mixtape: the street album. Single artist-based mixtapes have become a way for rappers to showcase their abilities outside of the record label system, and for consumers, they have more long-term appeal than the disposable “exclusive”-based DJ mixes of the ’90s. Check out our countdown of 10 mixtape album classics…

#10: Mood Muzik 2
Joe Budden & DJ On Point

Released: 2006

After his descent from “Pump it Up” to seemingly unending label purgatory, Budden was feeling kinda blue, and everyone knew it. What’s next? Prozac rap. From offering his girl an abortion to mourning his shitty car, all the while peppered with his signature punchlines (”I’m on my Eric Benet shit, fuck everything”), Budden found that seven-minute tracks full of ennui was a viable lane, and Jerz loved him for it.

Standout Track: “If I Die Tomorrow”

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#9: Down With The King
The P$C & DJ Drama

Released: 2004

With the exception of Ja Rule, few rappers have had their careers ethered by another artist as thoroughly as Lil Flip. The Houston Leprechaun started running his mouth about the self-proclaimed King of the South, so Tip unleashed a hilariously effective campaign of destruction, culminating with this early DJ Drama classic. Released in anticipation of Urban Legend, it debuted “U Don’t Know Me” and featured a phone call with Scarface where the H-Town legend said he’d “never ever ever” seen Flip in the ’hood he claimed. Damn.

Standout Track: “99 problems (Lil’ Flip Ain’t One)”

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#8: We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 2
Clipse & Clinton Sparks

Released: 2006

Despite the success of their 2002 album Lord Willin’, the Thornton brothers wound up sitting on the shelf at their record label. No problem. The endless delays of their follow-up album surely inspired the excellent We Got It For Cheap series, with Volume 2 being the standout. For 18 tracks, Pusha and Malice (with support from Ab-Liva and Sandman) traded some of the year’s most prolific, coked-out verses over some of the year’s best beats and effectively held fans over until Hell Hath No Fury hit a year later.

Standout Tracks: “What’s Up”

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#7: No Mercy, No Fear
G-Unit & 50 Cent

Released: 2002

On the heels of signing with Shady/Aftermath, 50 celebrated his inevitable takeover with this late ’02 release that solidified his reputation as the mixtape god. He showed love to his new crew by rapping over Em beats (”Soldier”), debuted his first official single “Wanksta,” and collected all the NYC radio freestyles that the rest of the world had been missing. You’re all welcome!

Standout Track: “Soldier”

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#6: Dedication
Lil Wayne & DJ Drama

Released: 2005

Four solo albums and a slew of Sqad Up mixtapes into his career, Wayne was a star, but not a superstar. And then came Dedication, also known as Holy Shit, Wayne’s a BEAST! It took some people until Carter 2 to catch up, but the fact that homie is still performing joints off this one in concert says something.

Standout Track: “I’m a Ridah”

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CLICK NEXT TO SEE THE TOP 5 MIXTAPE ALBUMS OF THE 2000’s…

Each day Complex scours the music blogs for 5 fresh songs that you should listen to in our 5 O’Clock Shuffle post. Instead of going crazy trying to keep up with your RSS feeds everyday, just head over to Complex.com to stay up-to-date on important leaks and releases.

We’re sending you off into the holiday weekend with another fresh crop of new music. Songs from a few new rappers, one old rapper, and a foreign favorite are just a click away. Start listening and downloading below. Now you won’t embarrass yourself when it’s time to play DJ at that BBQ on Monday. Don’t say we never did anything for you.

SONG: “B.A.R. (Burn After Rolling)”
ARTIST: Wiz Khalifa
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Here’s the title track from the Pittsburgh representative’s next mixtape. Dude has been proving himself for a while now and this record continues the trend. Surely he’ll get the proper recognition soon enough.

SONG: “Fear (Snippet)”
ARTIST: Drake
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• This is the only new song on the upcoming retail release of So Far Gone. Serving as a transition to his debut album, the last line of the third verse will be the first line on Thank Me Later. Too bad all we have is this snippet for now.

SONG: “Ice And Rain”
ARTIST: Wale
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• You won’t find this leftover on Attention Deficit, but it’s a solid track regardless. Give it a listen if you can stomach three verses of depressing narratives.

SONG: “Feather”
ARTIST: Little Dragon
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• Any self-respecting music snob knows that all the new hot shit is coming out of Gothenburg, Sweden. If you didn’t know, that’s cool. Just toss toss this song, the first single from Machine Dreams, on a playlist and impress your hipster friends in no time.

SONG: “What Did I Do”
ARTIST: Cormega
DOWNLOAD: [LINK]
• This is worth checking out just because the rap veteran is kind of spitting on here, but truthfully, we’re expecting a lot more from Born And Raised when it drops next month. You’ve been chilling for like eight years, homie!

Visit Complex.com every day at 5 PM for your daily “5 O’Clock Shuffle“ playlist.

Catch some behind-the-scenes footage from the set of Drake’s video for “Successful.” [Nah Right]

Find out how to look productive at work even when you’re tweeting and instant messaging all day. [Holy Taco]

This texting-while-driving PSA is one of the most intense we’ve ever seen. [PopCrunch]

These back-to-school hotties should make the return to campus a lot easier. [Coed Mag]

When everything else fails, looking at pics of scantily clad chicks is the way to go. [Double Viking]

There’s not much summer left to rock v-neck tees but these are dope last minute choices. [Daily Drop]

Seems like there’s always mixed opinions on Jennifer Aniston but she looks pretty hot to us here. [Flisted]

BOI-1DA (twitter)
WORKS WITH: Drake & October’s Very Own
HOME TEAM HIT: Drake “Best I Ever Had”

WHAT’S NEXT? While doing more work for Drake’s debut Thank Me Later, this in-demand Canadian producer (who also did Kardinal Offishal’s “Set It Off” with Clipse & Dr. Dre) is rumored to be working on beats for Dre’s Detox.

ZAYTOVEN (twitter)
WORKS WITH: So Icey Entertainment
HOME TEAM HIT: OJ Da Juiceman f/ Gucci Mane “Make The Trap Say Aye!”

WHAT’S NEXT? In addition to helping craft Gucci Mane’s highly-anticipated fourth official album, this Bay Area native is branching out into R&B with work on Usher and Jagged Edge’s upcoming LPs.

WRIGHTRAX (Deuce & B. Wright)
WORKS WITH: Big Sean & G.O.O.D. Music
HOME TEAM HIT: Big Sean “Getcha Some”

WHAT’S NEXT? After producing the majority of Big Sean’s recent mixtape UKNOWBIGSEAN, they’re hard at work on Sean’s Def Jam debut Finally Famous, as well as the J Records debut by fellow Michigan artist Mike Posner.

SWIFF D (twitter)
WORKS WITH: Pac Div
HOME TEAM HIT: Pac Div “Mayor”

WHAT’S NEXT? Fresh off producing Church League Champions mixtape and tracks from Jadakiss and Meth & Red’s latest albums, Swiff is focusing on Pac Div’s major label debut Grown Kid Syndrome.

THE INKREDIBLES (Lee Major and Moe)
WORKS WITH: We The Best Music
HOME TEAM HIT: Ace Hood f/ Trey Songz “Ride”

WHAT’S NEXT? They’ve already scored a hit with Jeezy (”Vacation”) and a gang of tracks for Khaled affiliates Fat Joe and Rick Ross, and now the duo has a song on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 album (”Real As It Gets” f/ Young Jeezy).

RELATED: Complex’s 2009 Style & Design Special

LISTEN: Jay-Z f/ Drake “Off That” (Produced by Timbaland)

TREND: Audemars Piguet watches
LINE: “I’m so tomorrow. Audemars are yesterday, which means you’re on time delay.”
COMPLEX SAYS: Jigga co-signed Audemars in “Upgrade U”—now why would he stop jocking the one European brand he can pronounce correctly?
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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TREND: Baggy clothes
LINE: “Oversized clothes…we off that.”
COMPLEX SAYS: News flash: Your bay-bro killed that like three years ago.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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TREND: Big chains
LINE: “Oversized chains…we off that.”
COMPLEX SAYS: Don’t worry, T-Pain: The “Fuck Top Hats & Sun-Tipped Dreads” song didn’t make the album.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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TREND: Cristal
LINE: “Cris…we off that.”
COMPLEX SAYS: The only difference between the original boycott in ‘06 and now is that he’s no longer shilling for a third-tier competitor. Hov!
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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TREND:Timberland boots
LINE: “Timbs, we off that.”
COMPLEX SAYS: So wait…he’s off Timbs but on these???
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TREND: Rims
LINE: “Rims…we off that.”
COMPLEX SAYS: In related news, Aztek and Tru-Life have just opened up a store called “Vintage Roc Rims.”
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TREND: Making it rain
LINE: “Niggas still making it rain…we off that”
COMPLEX SAYS: We guess Beyoncé doesn’t like the splash.
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Tune in to Complex.com every morning at 8 AM for your daily “Wake N’ Watch” video.

BET’S ACCESS GRANTED “DIGITAL GIRL” SPECIAL:


[Both Videos Via Mr. World Premiere]

Let’s just say Cudi kept it 1-hundred with us, like all the way 1-hundred. Since the issue is now officially on newsstands everywhere (go cop!), we figured we’d share the bonus material that was left on the cutting room floor. In the uncut raw conversation, the kid from Cleveland talks about growing up in Ohio, his eagerness to join the Navy, run-ins with the law, and how he really felt when Consequence took a jab at him. Read on for the realness…

Interview by Joe La Puma

Complex: How vital was your mom to you growing up?

Kid Cudi: My mom was like my mom and my dad. Even though my dad was around, he just wasn’t in the house. She really was like superwoman. Recently I was talking to my mom and I was just like, “How did you take care of us?” It took me a lot for her to finally come out and say that there were some nights where she wouldn’t eat because there was only enough food for us. She didn’t have a bed, my mom didn’t sleep in a bed up until I was about 14. She always slept on the couch. We just couldn’t afford one. When she finally got one, she kinda just put it up in the living room. The first thing you saw in my crib was her bed.

Complex: So growing up, would you say that you guys were poor?

Kid Cudi: Back then I always felt poor because at the school that we went to, the majority of kids had money. It was like we got the ill Make-A-Wish Foundation dream—to live in a nice neighborhood with a shitty circumstance. It was sorta like, “Hey we’re gonna put you in this nice neighborhood but you’re still gonna be hood-esque!” So it was a mind-fuck going to school and seeing the kids that had shit like cars, and I couldn’t even get a bike. That’s why when people are like, “Oh man, you from the suburbs and shit,” I be like, “You don’t know what happened in my muthafuckin’ house.” It’s not about where you’re at, it’s about your life and what you’ve been through, what you’ve done.

Complex: When did you start rapping?

Kid Cudi: I started rapping when I was like 12, just around the neighborhood, just spittin’ little lines here and there with my homies. One of my homeboys Dennis—he tours with me sometimes—me and him used to always rap around the neighborhood with a couple other kids and we had this little group and shit and I was the only one who kinda stuck with it. When I was like 15, Hot Boys came out, and I remember seeing Lil Wayne and being like, “Aw shit man, this is a young dude representing for the youth and I wanna do that, but tell my story.” That’s when I stopped doing good in school—because I knew I was gonna be famous. [Laughs]

Complex: What was your journey like once you started rapping?

Kid Cudi: I used to do a lot of open-mic things and freestyle battles to better my raps. I looked at it as training for a bigger picture. I was going through a time right there where I wasn’t being myself in my music because I was too worried about people criticizing me about where I was from. That was just because at that time, rap was pretty much some gangsta shit. It wasn’t until I was about 18 when I started fooling around doing freestyles on CDs. When I went to college is when I started recording an album.

Complex: You didn’t graduate from college though, right?

Kid Cudi: I did one year of college and left school with a decent demo. I thought it was cool, but it wasn’t fresh fresh. I was always the type of person that I don’t want people to hear these half-ass records, so I never let people hear them. I used to work overtime at my job to get extra money to buy beats and these dudes The Kickdrums would sell me beats for like $200 a pop. I was really buying them. That’s why it’s crazy that we’re all coming up and doing things and I’m like, “Y’all remember me, ya’ll made me pay for beats you muthafuckas [Laughs]. Ya’ll made me work overtime just to get $200!” And I bought like 3 beats from them. The journey definitely started a little bit early on. After college, I took a year off. I was 19. That’s when I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to do and the idea of moving out of Cleveland was there but it wasn’t a real solid idea.

Complex: What made you decide to move?

Kid Cudi: Before I decided to move I came up with the idea to go to the Navy. I watched maybe a little too much Antwone Fisher that month, I don’t know. However, I was inspired to be a better man. There was a moment in time where I was really focused on the Navy and I followed through with it, I passed the test. I was happy with myself because I was accomplishing something and I was really working towards a goal. That was the first true thing I invested my energy in. I was really excited about it, I mean now I look at it like, “I was fucking crazy.” But I was really excited about going to the military. When I got all the medical tests and everything, they said that they wouldn’t let me in because of my police record from when I was younger.

Complex: Why did you have a record?

Kid Cudi: When I was like 16, I went out with my friends after school to watch these kids fight. I was just standing around as a spectator but when the police came around some snitching was involved, [and] my name was one of the names that was brought up, like “Scott Mescudi was there!” It was nothing intense, no felonies, just knucklehead shit like that. Those muthafuckas filed charges and called them assault charges even though I never put my hands on anybody. But that shit was on the record—doesn’t matter what happened.

Complex: Was that your only run-in with the law?

Kid Cudi: Well, I got arrested for smoking. I was 17, had a cigarette on my ear, drunk at a high school football game. I was raging, ragetastic. The cops told me to come over and they cuffed me. Then, on top of that, I got arrested in University of Toledo for underage drinking at a party and I physically got into it with a cop. He cuffed me and punched me in the face and really brutally kicked my ass to the point where I could’ve pressed charges, but it’s like, we didn’t have money for lawyer fees and court fees and all that shit and it would’ve been a dead issue. That was early 2004.

Complex: You’ve managed to stay clean since being in the spotlight, aside from the infamous Reebok situation…

Kid Cudi: My argument never changed. People can say what they want, the topic’s been done, but I don’t give a fuck about anything other than right or wrong. They were wrong. I reacted. I might’ve been wrong for reacting so ridiculously over the top, but like I said, I’m a maniac sometimes. The dude who approached me in that situation, I haven’t had a dude approach me like he wanted to fight me in years. The last time I had a fight, I was like 16 or 17 years old. Muthafuckas ain’t been tryin’ to fight, especially where I was at in Cleveland. Niggas don’t fight no more, you get shot the fuck up. This dude just was up in my face aggressively, and I snapped. I didn’t know what to do. I’m not no tough guy, I’m not trying to be. Everybody has that angry emotion and mine just surfaced that night. I don’t regret that shit one bit; I did what I had to do.

CLICK NEXT TO READ MORE, INCLUDING CUDI’S THOUGHTS ON HIS COMPETITION IN THE RAP GAME…

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