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HipHopDX Presents: The 25 Biggest News Stories of 2010 (So Far)
On August 1st, HipHopDX celebrated their 11th anniversary of giving rap fans the latest news, audio, interviews, and reviews with a new redesigned site. Now part of the Complex Media Network, the DX team is keeping us hydrated (II) through the dog days of summer with The 25 Biggest News Stories of 2010 (So Far). With stories about rappers treating prison like it has a revolving door, New Yorker-worthy tweets, and two lost legends, DX is counting down (based on their site traffic and interest) the biggest stories from January through July. Check out what kept trending and kept people talking...
#23. Kid Cudi Arrested
Date: June 12
HipHopDX says: The Lonely Stoner may have been a victim of mistaken identity in 2009
#22. 50 Cent Does Diddy Dirty, Creates Petition
Date: July 8
HipHopDX says: Any year is incomplete without some good ol
#21. Kanye West Joins Twitter
Date: August 5
HipHopDX says: Last year, Diddy made headlines for tweeting while skeeting. Although Kanye West wasn't feeling Twitter back then, within a week of him joining the bluebird
, Aziz Ansari was pre-supposing his homie
#17. DMX Back For More Arrests
Date: March 11
HipHopDX says: Money changes hands every year when DMX gets his hands cuffed. With the dawg back in the cage earlier this month, fans are used to the three-ring-circus that is the former superstar
#16.
Date: January 23
HipHopDX says: Hip-hop lost one of its hit-makers from the roughneck era early this year. One of the early Flavor Unit
#15. Lil' Kim Disses Nicki Minaj
Date: June 3
HipHopDX says: During a New York concert with Ray J, the Queen B delivered a sting to Nicki Minaj. Kim accused the Queens emcee of biting her style, in a display that included pink wigs thrown into the crowd and a demand for more respect. With copycat lollipop+bikini pics used by Nicki in the past, Kim fans ask, "How many licks does it take?"
#14. Freeway Ricky Ross Sues The Bawse
Date: June 25
HipHopDX says: Big Meech and Larry Hoover are one thing, but it
#13. Kat Stacks Becomes A Head-Line
Date:
April 8
HipHopDX says: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. The Miami-based Kat Stacks turned herself into a blogosphere antihero by exposing rappers that she reportedly domed out. Young Money
#12. Diddy To Manage Rick Ross & Nicki Minaj
Date: May 7
HipHopDX says: Supposedly, the icon that is Diddy moisturized his situation (ayo!) by getting C.R.E.A.M. from the careers of Rick Ross and (potentially) Nicki Minaj. We're not so sure, though. Shortly after the story broke, Diddy got on UStream and denied managing Ross and Minaj (even though Ross said Diddy was his manager), but claimed he would make a big announcement in the coming weeks. We're still waiting on that announcement, but maybe we'll have to wait until the ink dries on his Dream Team-era empire.
#11. Dr. Dre Finally Releases A "Detox" Single, It Underwhelms
Date: June 21
HipHopDX says: In late June, the New Music Cartel got their hands on the Holy Grail of leaks—"Under Pressure," Dr. Dre
#10. B.o.B. Scores a #1 Debut
Date: May 3
HipHopDX says: One of the more surprising chart performances this year came courtesy of B.o.B
#9. Waka Flocka Flame Shot And Robbed
Date: January 19
HipHopDX says: These days, you can get pistol-gripped at the pump, word to Volume 10. Gucci Mane
#8. Gucci Mane Gets Released From Prison
Date: May 12
HipHopDX says: 2010 rap fans love release dates. Gucci Mane may have missed much of the promo run for last year
#7. Drake Scores #1 Debut
Date: June 22
HipHopDX says: Aubrey Drake Graham completed his improbable transformation from DeGrassi: The Next Generation's "Wheelchair Jimmy" to a Grammy-nominated rapper last year. In 2010, Drake has more singles than eHarmony. This summer, he scored a #1 debut on the soon-to-be platinum Thank Me Later, and watched So Far Gone go gold, justifying his place as arguably the hottest rapper right now.
#6. The Diplomats Reunite
Date: April 20
HipHopDX says: After nearly five years apart, the beef within Dipset appears to be, in the group
#5. Def Jam Gives Shyne A Million Dollars
Date: February 23
HipHopDX says: With the rapper fresh out of his Woodbourne Correctional Facility cell, Def Jam won the (alleged) bidding war for Shyne Po. While the label had previously released his (literally) phoned-in 2004 album, Godfather Buried Alive, Def Jam
#4. Lil Wayne Goes To Jail
Date: March 8
HipHopDX says: Just as rap fans were getting used to one of our stars returning home with T.I., Lil Wayne's inevitable weapon-and-drug conviction brought Young Money's CEO to New York
#3. Lil Boosie
Date: June 17
HipHopDX says: The Baton Rouge-based Boosie was indicted this year for first-degree murder charges in what
#2. Eminem Reclaims His Rap Reign
Date: June 26
HipHopDX says: Eminem truly has gone from recluse to Relapse to Recovery in just over a year, and he
#1. Hip Hop Mourns Gang Starr's Guru
Date: April 20
HipHopDX says: Keith "Guru" Elam, founder of the legendary group Gang Starr, died on April 19 after a private yearlong battle with cancer. The MC's last days were a bizarre melee of false reports, grandstanding, and embarrassing statements courtesy of Guru's recent music partner, Solar. However, in the moment of truth, hip-hop lost one of its trademark voices and true jazz messengers, after releasing a dozen albums within 20 years of manifesting wisdom. R.I.P. Gone but not forgotten.
