25 To Life
Well the entire click appears to be pissed at Noreaga, check Kadafi & Iman Thug's "Blood Type." Meanwhile, Noreaga's album NORE has gone gold. Mobb Deep has popped up on the Slam Soundtrack on the song "Feel My Gat Blow." They have a underground track floating around called "The Illustrious, and they also popped up with Big Noyd, on Bounty Killa's lattest single "Deadly Zone." Big Noyd also has a new single "Shit That He Said."
Black Eyed Peas
They have a new remix to "Joints & Jams" as the song has become nationwide. Also look for them on tour with OutKast.
Def/Hit Squad
Keith's first single "Incredible" is blazing up the charts right now. The Def Squad album somehow went gold. Keith Murray's up next dropping on November 24th, and in case you didnt know, he's currently incarcerated. Then Redman drops on December 8. Eric Sermon, Redman, and Xross-Breed all appear on Humawreck's December 1st release. EPMD's Greatest Hits is next, that should drop early 99.
Dogg Pound
Its pretty much official i think. The whole Dogg Pound has now left Death Row. The Lady Of Rage is searching for a label, Snoop's with No Limit, Daz is with Sick Wid It, Nate Dogg's with Breakaway, and Kurupt has his own Antra label. Kurupt dropped, should be gold soon, his single "We Can Freak It" is still blowing up everywhere, including 92.3 The Beat LA's number one slot in their playlist. Snoop should drop early 99 again on No Limit with Top Dogg. The LBC Crew's Bad Azz just dropped a tight new album, Word On The Streetz, and his song with Snoop, "We Puttin In Work," has begun to blow up in Cali. Daz and Kurupt should drop summer 98 with West Coast Aftershock, and Soopafly should drop early 99 on Death Row with Like It Or Not. Meanwhile peep Daz and Kurupt on TQ's album They Never Saw Me Coming, on the track "The Comeback."
Likwit Crew
Xzibit dropped a nice album in 98. King Tee's Ruff Rhymes/Greatest Hits dropped last week, his new Aftermath album should drop early 99. Next up after that is Defari, who's new single "Likwit Connection" drops December 8 on Tommy Boy Black, and then Tash who also has a new song, "Bermuda Triangle," he should drop early 99 as well.
Organized Noize
OutKast is still hot, the album just went platinum. "Rosa Parks" is heating up radiowaves everywhere. Goodie Mob popped up on the Slam Soundtrack with Esthero on "The World I Know." Look for lots of "second teamers" from Organized Noize in 99, first up should either be Cool Breeze with East Point's Greatest Hits Volume 1(Organized Noize/Interscope), or Lil Will's as of yet untitled album.
Rawkus
While yall are still trippin over Black Star, look for Soundbombing 2 to drop at the very beginning of 99, like Soundbombing one did. Also, up next is Sir Menelik's Cyclops 4000. Medina Green's "Crosstown Beef" b/w "Fa-La-Lashe" is heating up the underground. "Redefinition" should be the next Black Star single, can we hope for an unreleased B-side? And another single just dropped from the lyricist's Lounge shit, "CIA" by Zach de la Rocha, KRS One & The Last Empreror plus remixes b/w "Talkin To You" by Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Rah Digga, Talib Kweli & A-Butta. And look for a March release on the new Company Flow album.
Refugee Camp
Well Canibus has left the camp. Pras recently dropped...a really bad album. His latest single is "Blue Angels" with its damn Grease sample. L-Boog's "Doo Wop" is the number one single in America, and her album is triple platinum. They should re-unite as a whole in 99 with their Class Reunion.
Roc-A-Fella
Jay Z fell off the top spot as America's number one album this week. But try not to cry, he's double platinum people. Next up is DJ Clue on December 15, then a re-release of Jay Z's Reasonable Doubt on January 19, and then, who knows...
Ruff Ryders
Biggest news is signing of The Lox. Look for the Lox along with the Made Men on the Belly soundtrack on a song called "Tommy's Theme," as well as a song floating around with Foxy Brown called "My Niggas." DMX is busy lately, starring in Belly. He also contributed 2 songs to the soundtrack, "The Grand Finale (Dogz 4 Life)" with Nas, Method Man and Ja-Rule on the hook, and "Top Shotter" w/Sean Paul. He also has a new album coming out December 22. Its called Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood. He also has the first single from DJ Clue's new album, "If Its On, Then Its On." Also peep his freestyle on Funkmaster Flex's Mixtape Volume 3. And, "Get At Me Dogg" and his song with Jayo Felony & Method Man, "Whatcha Gonna Do?" both appear on The Source Presents: Hip Hop Hits Volume 2. He's also on the Survival Of The Illest Live album from Def Jam, and the video which drops December 8. He's also scheduled to appear on Foxy Brown's new album China Doll, which drops December 15 on Def Jam. AND, look for him on The Source's Unsigned Hype Compilation, whenever the hell it drops. New artists coming from the camp are Drag-On who appeared on DMX's "For My Dogs." He's got a song with DMX out called "Ruff Ryders" (not to be confused with DMX's "Ruff Ryders Anthem"). And Ja-Rule does the hook on that "Grand Finale" song, and pops up on Jay Z's smash "Can I Get A.." He has a single with DMX called "Niggaz Dont Want It" which is them rhyming over LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya" beat. Also he should drop next, after DMX's second, in early 99 with his debut Venni, Vetti, Vecci.
Tupac
Kid's so tight he got his own crew. Anyhow his Greatest Hits album drops on November 24 (next week), so go cop that, 5 new songs. The Outlawz are everywhere, on new shit from heltah skeltah, Bad Azz, the Geto Boys, & Yukmouth.
Westside Connection
Gonzoe previously of Kausion, dropped on the underground. Ice Cube just dropped this past week, its supposed to be alot better than his recent work. Mack 10 also just dropped. Both Cube's "Pushin Weight" and Mack's "Money's Just A Touch Away" are heating up airwaves. I actually like the Mack song too. WC went gold almost plat, song "Better Days" with Jon B has begun to disapear.
Wu-Tang Clan
Method Man dropped today, his first single, "Judgement Day" is getting mad MTV airplay, but is mad wack. The album itself however, does look somewhat promising. LA The Darkman dropped the same day, shit's very return to the essence of Wu. The following week, The Rza's Bobby Digital shit drops. That one should be nice. Method Man'll pop up on Redman's Doc's The Name, dropping December 8. The Wu is also scheduled to appear on DJ CLue's new shit dropping December 15. Also, Deadly Venomz'll drop sooner or later. Early 99 release dates for Raekwon and Ghostface as well.