Thanks to Roshan for putting this together.

Hip Hop Round-Up

This week's top hip-hop/rap albums according to Billboard.com:

1. Michael Jackson - This Is It (Soundtrack)
2. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
3. The Black Eyed Peas - The E.N.D.
4. Drake - So Far Gone EP
5. Amerie - In Love and War
6. Ryan Leslie - Transition
7. Trey Songz - Ready
8. Tech N9ne - K.O.D.
9. Maxwell - BLACKSummers' Night
10. Eminem - Relapse

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News:

Read my review of the Austin, TX stop of the Jay-Z show.

50 Cent spends 1.5 million dollars on security a year.

Read about Kanye West's "Story Behind the Song" here.

Lil Wayne's Rebirth finally has a release date. December 15th.

Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz are shooting a video for "On to the Next One."

Flava Flav owes over $200k in backtaxes.

DMX one ups Flava and owes over $1 million.

Obie Trice will be releasing his first album since leaving Shady Records.

Dr. Dre is collaborating with...Best Buy?

Timbaland's Shock Value II will be released on December 8th.

Travis McCoy may use the Katy Perry break up as an influence in writing material for the new album.

Birdman speaks on the highly anticipated Hot Boys reunion.

Lil Boosie has violated his probation and will be spending up to four years in prison.

Yo Dog, Xzibit and Nicolas Cage will be starring in a movie together. Recipe for success.

Gucci Mane is also headed to the clink. Good riddance.

50 Cent and Beanie Sigel have released a diss track of Jay-Z.

Go buy Wale's Attention Deficit.

Here are some news tidbits you may have missed last week:

Jay-Z will be touring with Young Jeezy and is remixing "Empire State of Mind" for Alicia Keys' album.

In other HOV news, it looks like he's teaming up with "D.O.A." video director Anthony Mandler again to film the video for "Young Forever," featuring Mr. Hudson.

Chris Brown's new album Graffiti has a tracklisting. Game, Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, and Plies will be doing guest spots for the effort.

M.I.A.'s new album is a cross between Animal Collective and Gucci Mane, says Diplo.

Mos Def, Jay Electronica, and Curren$y are Center Edge Territory.

Nas' Illmatic is headed to bookshelves.

Clipse doesn't handle criticism very well.

Wale sat down with Peace Magazine to discuss his album leaking, song choices, and his heritage.

Lil Wayne and Birdman are being sued for copyright infringement.

U2 and Jay-Z collaborated on stage for "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

Game might leak his own album. In other news, The R.E.D. album has been pushed back to February.

Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor speaks on Jay-Z.

Shyne speaks for the first time since his deportation.

DMX has opinions about the music industry.

DMX has also dropped out of his MMA match and will be replaced by...Coolio. Really?

Thom Yorke and Dave Sitek are among a few tapped for the DOOM remix EP.

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This week's videos:

Music Video: Raekwon - Cataline f. Lyfe Jennings + mp3

Interview: Wale with OKAYplayerTV

Music Video: Lady Gaga - Bad Romance (I know it's not hip-hop, but it's a great video.)

Interview: Wale on 106 and Park

Interview: J Cole - A Star is Born Documentary + Interview with HardknockTV

Live: N.E.R.D. - Everybody Nose f. Lupe Fiasco

Live: Wale - Pretty Girls f. Black Thought on Jimmy Fallon + mp3

Behind the Scenes: Felt - Styleetron

Studio: Drake - Forever f. Eminem, Lil Wayne and Kanye West [Travis Barker Remix] + mp3

Music Video: The Cool Kids - Knocked Down + mp3

Music Video: Clipse - Doorman + mp3

Music Video: Kid Sister - Right Hand Hi + mp3

Music Video: GLC - Elevator Hustler

Music Video: Pac Div - Whiplash + Young Black Male

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Some videos you may have missed last week:

TV/Interview: Rihanna's 20/20 interview with Diane Sawyer

Music Video: Clipse - I'm Good (Remix Ft. Rick Ross) + mp3

Trailer: Lil Wayne's The Carter Documentary

Music Video: Curren$y - Life Under the Scope

Behind The Scenes: The Roots - How I Got Over

Behind the Scenes: Big Sean - In Store Performance

Embedded [Full Episode]: Common, Lykke Li and Bloc Party

Music Video: Curren$y - Life Under the Scope

Trailer: The Carter Documentary

Music Video: UCB - Pat Your Weave f. Wale + mp3

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This week's downloads:

Chauffeur - Soles of Fire [Theophilus London, Mark Ronson, etc]

Tyga - Heaven or Hell (Gotta Make It)

Introducing: Dan Black (Four songs)

Clipse - Doorman

DJ Khaled - Fed Up f. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Usher and Young Jeezy

Wale - Center of Attention (iTunes Bonus Track)

Mixtape: Lil Wayne vs. Royce Da 5'9'' - Best Rapper Alive?

Slum Village - Dope Man

Stream: Lil Wayne - I Feel Like Dying [Flying Lotus Remix]

Black Thought - The Professional
Kanye West - I'm So Appalled (unfinished, off of Diddy's Last Train to Paris)

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Some downloads you may have missed last week:

Mixtape: Wiz Khalifa - Burn After Rolling

Interview: Lupe Fiasco on 107.5 fm in Chicago

Wale - OGz f. Travis Barker

Blakroc - Ain't Nothing Like You f. Mos Def and Jim Jones

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Albums hitting the shelves this week:

Felt 3 - A Tribute to Rosie Perez
Blak Madeen - Sacred Defense
Boyz II Men - Love
Pretty Ricky - Pretty Ricky

Albums out now:

Wale - Attention Deficit
MF DOOM - Unexpected Guests

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Contributors: themostdeplete

Any feedback is welcome. The best way to get at me is through my blog, www.weworemasks.com. You can keep up with us there during the week if you miss us way too much. If you have any hate mail, love notes, ideas, suggestions or submissions for next week's round up, feel free to get at Roshan at weworemasks@gmail.com or weworemasks on twitter. We won't bite.

Jay-Z and Young Jeezy tour, so there.

lol @ 50 cent's security bill

I wouldn't have expected Clipse to have that sort of sense of humor haha

Rebirth will be horrible...and fifty needs to just retire. He hasn't been good since "Get Rich Or Die Trying"

Also I love the new Lady Gaga video!!

Oh and Jeezy needs to go back to rapping about crack...

So hopefully the next Gym Class Heroes album won't suck.

Originally Posted by deezee

Rebirth will be horrible...and fifty needs to just retire. He hasn't been good since "Get Rich Or Die Trying"

Also I love the new Lady Gaga video!!

Fact: Get rich was terrible... But yeah, Rebirth will make way more cash than it deserves to.

Originally Posted by Mochem

So hopefully the next Gym Class Heroes album won't suck.

Neither did the last one (IMO)

Also, really, really hope R.E.D. is solid. It's seems to be a safe assumption Game isn't topping LAX.

Originally Posted by WhoSaidThat?

Neither did the last one (IMO)

Also, really, really hope R.E.D. is solid. It's seems to be a safe assumption Game isn't topping LAX.

From what I heard, it lost everything I liked about GCH's previous material. I'm pretty selective in what rap music I listen to, so for them to go with a more mainstream sound, it kind of ruined it for me.

Originally Posted by Un'Aria Ancora

Fact: Get rich was terrible... But yeah, Rebirth will make way more cash than it deserves to.

I was in the 9th grade when it came out. I loved it then but I haven't listened to it in a few years so maybe it did suck...haha

I can see that. I remember being one of the precious few that wasn't at all disappointed in The Quilt.

Originally Posted by kbi the crowing

I wouldn't have expected Clipse to have that sort of sense of humor haha

that is exactly what i thought. funniest shit from the least likely to joke around like that.

Originally Posted by deezee

Rebirth will be horrible...and fifty needs to just retire. He hasn't been good since "Get Rich Or Die Trying"

Also I love the new Lady Gaga video!!

i agree with everything you just said.

Originally Posted by WhoSaidThat?

Also, really, really hope R.E.D. is solid. It's seems to be a safe assumption Game isn't topping LAX.

man LAX was incredible. all three new songs i've heard were pretty awful though. expectations = low.

Originally Posted by Mochem

From what I heard, it lost everything I liked about GCH's previous material. I'm pretty selective in what rap music I listen to, so for them to go with a more mainstream sound, it kind of ruined it for me.

there's a lot of gems on that album that you were turned off to because of shit like "cookie jar."

blinded by the sun, don't tell me it's over, home and live forever are four of the best songs GCH has ever written. very instrumental, too.

Originally Posted by WhoSaidThat?

I can see that. I remember being one of the precious few that wasn't at all disappointed in The Quilt.

i think papercut > the quilt > acasc, and i love em all.

Go support Wale people, dude released a great album. Glad Gucci Mane is going to the clink BURRRR

Also Clipse rule, Till The Casket Drops will be awesome, 12/8 go pick it up kids

and I am so excited for a Hot Boys reunion fo sho