HHC Digital’s rap round-up…
By Richard Watson

Never one to avoid either the spotlight or the caps lock button, Kanye West blogged against critics of the pelt-centric ensembles he and his lass have been flossing lately, and insisted that, post-Obama, black folks are denying their love of fur coats, fried chicken and red leather. “I CAN HEAR YOU SCREAMING ‘COLOR INSIDE THE LINES!!!’” railed Kanye. Trust us, Yeezy, that’s not even in the top million things people are screaming at you.

The Game chastised LA radio stations for incessantly bumping Jay-Z’s ‘Empire State of Mind’, then dropped by TMZ HQ to deny claims by pint-sized reality TV tart Tila Tequila that he’s knocked her up. Knock-Turn’nal did his part to keep Jayceon’s name in the news by claiming that 50 Cent rescued the boy Taylor from the Aftermath axe, while 50 himself was busy contemplating a sales-stoking beef with Susan Boyle.

Little Brother revealed details of their last hurrah, and a host of Chicago emcees trailed their recreation of the 1995 final freestyle from Yo! MTV Raps. We couldn’t make out any white faces, so we’re not sure who’s playing the part of MC Serch. Speaking of curtain calls, when he wasn’t clowning Kelis, Just Blaze closed the doors at Baseline Studios, birthplace of many a Roc-A-Fella LP. Fans were allowed to come in and take snaps of the booth where Jay-Z spat his rhymes, or the sofa where Beanie Sigel sat for hours on end getting increasingly frustrated.

Finally, If Snoop Dogg gets his wish, Dev Alahan may not be the only boss baller on Coronation Street. Calvin admitted that he’d be up for a gin and juice in the Rovers Return, having acquired a taste for Britain’s longest-running soap while chowing down on Indian food in UK hotel rooms. Throw up your Ws for Weatherfield, Snoop!