50 Cent Calls Nicki Minaj 'An Amazing Talent'

'She has a lane that's been closed that she just busted open on her own,' Fif tells MTV News of Pink Friday MC.
By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Matt Elias


50 Cent
Photo: MTV News

With a barrage of features to her name, Nicki Minaj had amassed a legion of fans long before she dropped her debut, Pink Friday, on Monday (November 22). Among those admirers is one of hip-hop's biggest stars: 50 Cent.

When MTV News visited the set of Jeremih's "Down on Me" video, which features 50, the rapper weighed in on Nicki's musical appeal and her rap lineage.

"She's the only female around, period," Fif said. "She has a lane that's been closed that she just busted open on her own, and she's an amazing talent. A lot of artists, I personally am not excited by, but her, particularly, she impressed me on that 'Bottoms Up' remix," he added, referring to Trey Songz's smash, one of a number of memorable Nicki cameos this year.

While exhorting the virtues of his fellow Queens native, 50 also pointed out that he "loves" Lil' Kim, Minaj's rival. Back in 2003, 50 collaborated with Lil' Kim on "Magic Stick," off her La Bella Mafia LP.

"Lil' Kim is dope as well," Jeremih added. "I think Nicki, it's not that many female lyricists out that can do what she does. She makes me want to ride to her — you can't ride to every female rapper. I think she makes it easy for us fellas to ride to. And I think she's sexy and has a personality like no other."

From the start of Minaj's meteoric rise, fans and critics, alike, have compared her to Lil' Kim. But Fif told us he also sees similarities between Nicki and another lady rapper, Foxy Brown.

"I understand why people make the comparison between her and Kim, because of the wigs, the hair," 50 said, drawing laughs from Jeremih. "But I kind of see similarities in her and Foxy's career. Foxy was in the Firm and down with Jay-Z, the way Nicki was in Young Money, and down with Gucci [Mane]. I see that the same way they kind of came in with the support of two crews, like Foxy did."

Although Foxy has said she applauds Minaj, a recent freestyle by Foxy over dancehall singer Gyptian's "Hold You" (which Minaj originally blistered), contains what sounds like a thinly veiled shot at the pink-wigged femcee.

Open the floodgates! It's Mega-Release Week, with Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Ke$ha, My Chemical Romance and Lloyd Banks all dropping new albums. Stick with MTV News for everything you need to know about the brand-new music.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652880/20101122/50_cent.jhtml

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Toddler Dies After Fall From Suite at Lakers Game

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Staples CenterLOS ANGELES (AP) -- A police investigation was under way Monday in the death of a toddler who plunged from a third-level luxury box at Staples Center after a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game.

The fall occurred Sunday as 2-year-old Lucas Anthony Tang was taking pictures with his family in a skybox with a glass safety barrier that varies in height but is at least several feet high, police Officer Julie Sohn said.

"Somehow the child went over the edge of the section and fell to the seating below," Sohn said.

Fire officials said boy fell 25 to 50 feet.

The case was being handled by the Police Department juvenile division, which investigates deaths of young children and other crimes involving juveniles.

"It's procedural," Sohn said of the probe involving Tang, declining to elaborate or discuss possible causes of the fall.

The Garden Grove boy suffered severe head trauma, Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott said. However, an official cause of death had not yet been determined.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/11/22/toddler-dies-at-lakers-game-after-fall-from-luxury-suite/

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Ke$ha Loses Her Mind On 'Blow'

Latest electro-dance track from Cannibal hits the Net.
By Jocelyn Vena


Ke$ha
Photo: Venturelli/ Getty Images

Ke$ha is ready to party again. The latest track from Cannibal, "Blow," has hit the Internet, the fourth song from the November 22 EP to do so.

So what do fans get this time around? Well, Ke$ha kicks off the dark, electro track with a big laugh and a command to "party." Razor-edged synths kick in over a super-thumping beat as the singer and her pals, who happen to be "pretty and sick" and "young and bored," get ready to dance in a crash pad that has "dirt and glitter" covering the floor.

Ke$ha's Auto-Tuned yodeling comes over the beat as she proclaims, "This place about to blow," during the song's scream-along party-anthem chorus. The song has many of the elements of a Ke$ha tune — carpe diem attitude and grinding beats — but it also shows the darker side of the singer with lyrics like: "We get what we want/ We do what you don't." The song's mantra is pretty much summed up in one of the song's choice lines: "It's time to lose your mind and let the crazy out."

Ke$ha is a maneater on "Cannibal," empowers her fans on "We R Who We R" and disses a potential lover on the grimy track "Sleazy."

"This year has been carnivorous and life-changing. I have my rowdy, gorgeous fans to thank for taking me on the ride of a lifetime," the pop star said in a statement. "My only goal with this record is to keep them dancing. The songs on Cannibal were made to inspire people to ignore any hate or judgment and be themselves unapologetically. It's the perfect companion to Animal and I hope you guys like it. And if you don't like it — bite me."

What do you think of Ke$ha's latest track, "Blow"? Tell us in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652152/20101112/kesha_.jhtml

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Cardinals' Jake Westbrook Had Surgery on Non-Pitching Shoulder

Jake WestbrookST. LOUIS (AP) -- Cardinals pitcher Jake Westbrook won't be able to swing a bat early in spring training after undergoing surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder shortly after the season.

The injury was of little concern to the Cardinals, who signed the 33-year-old right-hander to a two-year contract extension this week. In a telephone interview from his home in Danielsville, Ga., Westbrook said he'll probably do a lot of bunting until the shoulder heals from surgery he characterized as one that was neither major nor minor but something "in between."

"It only hurt to swing so I wasn't too worried about it," Westbrook said. "I should be good to go when the season starts, and I don't think they're too concerned about my hitting.

"I'll be good to go throwing the ball like any other year, so I'm not really sweating the whole swinging thing."

 

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Source: http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/11/21/cardinals-jake-westbrook-had-surgery-on-non-pitching-shoulder/

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Jaroslav Halak Scores On Himself

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Through the first month-and-a-half of this season, and dating back to last year's playoffs, opposing teams have had one hell of a time scoring goals against Jaroslav Halak. He carried the Montreal Canadiens to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago, and has been just as solid for the St. Louis Blues this season, posting a .918 save percentage in his first 13 starts. During the first period of Thursday's game in Detroit, Halak did something that few others have been able to do against him: he scored a goal on himself.

Red Wings forward Drew Miller directed an innocent shot to the net that bounced in the air in front of Halak, and as he attempted to swat it into the corner, he accidentally knocked it into his own net.

Here's the video...

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/11/17/jaroslav-halak-scores-on-himself/

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