Music Rap Sheet: Stop the Violence 2.0

• The jump off: Check out this “Self Construction” preview featuring host KRS-One, Nelly, The Game, Chamillionare, Busta Rhymes, Dougie Fresh, Fat Joe, and other notables.

• Payback: 50 Cent was ordered to pay an “undisclosed amount” of money to a NY Post photographer who got ruffed up by the rapper’s security guards back in 2003.

• Acting up: Rapper/producer, will.i.am, of Black Eyed Peas fame will play mutant John Wraith in the next installment of the X-Men movie. His character has the power to teleport and like Wolverine, was a test subject of the Weapon X program. “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” is set for release in May, 2009.

• Smart music: ?uestlove not only likes to entertain fans, but also educate them too. Especially when he’s behind the turntables, “Usually in my set, I cover about 80 to 90 years’ worth of music, you know. I think it’s important to be all-inclusive. I think it’s important to educate people and give them a sense of history. I don’t want to be [one of] those DJs that just give you what you already know, you know.”

Booze Smirnoff Remixs Vodka With Rappers

Smirnoff takes its mantra, “Mix Well, Drink Responsibly” to another level with their new music campaign. This February, the spirits brand known for a flavorful range of vodka, enlists Just Blaze, Cool and Dre and DJ Premier to remix classic material by Common, Q-Tip and KRS-One for the Signature Mix Series. With each collaboration, a new drink will be created, aptly named after it's ingredients, like “Blueberry Abstract,” Just Blaze's interpretation of Common's “The Light.” Click SmirnoffSignatureMixSeries.com to download the songs for free.

Music Rap Sheet: Prodigy Claims Clean Bill of Health

• Healthy: Prodigy maintains he’s not sick despite reports by his lawyer. And although the judge delayed his incarceration for a 2nd time due to so called medical conditions, the rapper claims he’s fine. Ouch, someone’s getting into trouble.

• Sound off: Common, KRS-One, and Q-Tip are remixing their classic tracks in a new campaign with Smirnoff with the help of some legendary producers, “Just Blaze is remixing Common's 2000 song “The Light,” DJ Premier will work on KRS-One's 1988 hit “I'm Still #1,” and Cool & Dre are remaking Q-Tip's 1999 party track “Vivrant Thing.” They will all then perform live at a launch party for the vodka maker on February 26, and the tracks will be available for download on Smirnoff’s website.

• Innocent: Marvin Bernard aka Tony Yayo has been found innocent of slapping the shit out of Jimmy “Henchman” Rosemond’s 16-year-old son.

• Flying colors: Swizzy got down with the Gap and their “Sound of Color” campaign. Basically each artist was assigned a color and they created an original song for it. The mega producer and Kidrobot partner did a song called “Candy Green.”