Three 6 Mafia, known for recording hit records like “Tear the Club Up,” “Let’s Start a Fight” and their latest hit single “Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body),” was performing at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, when some members of the crowd started fighting with security guards.

According to local police, the incident started at the end of the concert and sent hundreds of patrons scrambling for safety.

During the melee, a woman was trampled and had to be treated a local hospital for injuries to her leg.

According to reports famed Sunset Boulevard was shut down in both directions after the brawl so police could conduct an investigation.

Two men were arrested in the chaos, one for public drunkenness, the other on an outstanding warrant.

In 2003, a Pittsburgh man sued Three 6 Mafia after he was severely beaten at a show, claiming the group’s lyrics incited the crowd to assault him.

The man, who was 19-years-old at the time, suffered a fractured jaw, after audience members knocked him to ground, struck him with a chair and kicked him in the face during the group’s song “Let’s Start a Riot.”

Three 6 Mafia, who are credited with popularizing “Crunk” music, ended up settling the case out of court for an undisclosed amount.

50 Cent usurped Jay-Z as the top earner with $150 million grossed in the last year.

The cornerstone of 50’s portfolio is his stake in VitaminWater’s
parent company Glaceau, which was brought for $4.1 billion by Coca-Cola.

The Queens native’s investments also include video games, G-Unit
clothing/records, and a pending partnership in South Africa with
billionaire mining baron Patrice Motsepe.

Jay-Z bows in at number 2 generating $82 million in earnings.

Off the strength of last year’s platinum album American Gangster, Jay
brokered a 10-year, $150 million dollar deal with concert promoter Live Nation.

The partnership will have the organization assisting Jay in promotion of
all his business endeavors, which begins after his pending last Def Jam album Blueprint 3.

Bad Boy CEO Sean “Diddy” Combs generated $35 million in revenue
behind the success of premium vodka Ciroc, the Sean John clothing line, and Bad Boy releases from Danity Kane and Day26.

The boundless entrepreneur has taken over TV, with Combs’ highly
successful reality shows in Run’s House, I Want to Work for Diddy, and Making the Band.

Rounding out the top five are producers Kanye West and Timbaland,
who’ve earned $30 and $22 million respectively.

Along with the success of their 2007 albums Graduation and Shock Value, the highly sought-after boardsmiths increased their net worth with production credits for Madonna, Bjork, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, and Diddy.

Completing the top 10 on Forbes’ “Hip Hop Cash Kings 2008” are Pharrell Williams ($20 million), Swizz Beatz ($17 million), Snoop Dogg ($16 million), Dr. Dre ($15 million), and Ludacris ($14 million).

Hosted once again by comedian Tracy Morgan, the televised show will feature current Hip-Hop acts at they pay homage to artist representing various stages and flavors of Hip-Hop culture.

This year’s honorees are Cypress Hill and Too $hort, representing for the West Coast; De La Soul, who played an intricate role in the development of the Native Tongue movement; East Coast pioneer Slick Rick; and New Jersey’s own Naughty By Nature, who achieved fame in the late 90s, powered by their anthem “Hip-Hop Horray.”

The list of performers for this year’s event has not yet been released. “VH1 Hip Hop Honors has come to represent the pinnacle of innovation and achievement in Hip-Hop music,” said Tom Calderone, Executive Vice President and General Manager of VH1. “This year’s five honorees are no different and are being recognized for their significant contributions to Hip-Hop culture and for helping to elevate hip hop into a truly global phenomenon.”

This year’s VH1 Hip-Hop Honors will premier at 10pm on October 7 on VH1 and VH1 Soul.

The show’s executive producers are veteran Hip-Hop journalist and author Nelson George, and pioneering vee-jay Fab 5 Freddy.

TMZ.com reports that DMX, born Earl Simmons, appeared in court on Friday (August 15) after a bench warrant was issued against him in Arizona for drug charges.

The rapper was arrested Thursday (August 14) while attempting to leave a Wal-Mart in Miami, Fla.

The arrest came as result of Simmons skipping a court date on Tuesday (August 12) for a pretrial conference on allegations of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession.

The rapper had reportedly tried to surrender to police, but was taken in before negations with his lawyer were completed.

Simmons’ lawyer, Brad Cohen, waived extradition for his client and contested a no bond hold, after a $25,000 bond had previously set for Simmons.

Despite Cohen’s attempt to get a fugitive bond in the state of Florida for Simmons to return to Arizona to bond out, Judge Lawrence Schwartz upheld the no bond status, which was issued by the State of Arizona.

“I am not questioning the veracity of anything you just said to me. I would absolutely have no reason to do that,” Judge Schwartz said. “But until state of Arizona lifts its no bond status, it’s a no bond status at this point.”

As a result of the ruling, Simmons will have to stay in jail in Florida until his October 2 court hearing for a possession charge he obtained in Miami.

Cohen later told TMZ he would have the rapper released before the hearing if everything is straightened out.

DMX, born Earl Simmons, is accused of visiting the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona to receive treatment for an illness and using someone else’s identity, in order to avoid paying the bill.

The rapper, 37, was also due supposed to attend a pretrial conference pertaining to marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession charges.

According to the Associated Press, Commissioner Phemonia Miller also raised DMX’s bond to $25,000.

The judge is holding an arrest warrant until 4 p.m. on Tuesday (August 19), in order for DMX’s attorney to disclose the rapper’s whereabouts, as well as the reason he missed today’s hearing.

Hayes, 65, was rushed to Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, where he was pronounced dead, around 2:00 am.

One of the main creative forces behind soul music in the 60’s and 70’s, Hayes made his name as an in-house producer and songwriter for Stax Records with formidable partner David Porter.

He became a recording artist and released the influential albums Hot Buttered Soul (1968) and Black Moses (1970).

The former featured the seminal “Walk On By,” which has been sampled by numerous artists including the Notorious BIG (“Warning”), Tupac (“Me Against the World”), Faith Evans (“No Other Love”), and Compton’s Most Wanted (“Hood Took Me Under”).

Also a respected film composer, Hayes earned an Academy Award for his work on Shaft (1971), which stands today as his most accomplished and well-known work.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Isaac Hayes, a true historic world music figure. Isaac Hayes was the first African-American to win an Oscar for a music score but never lost sight of his commitment to his community and the betterment of mankind,” Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network, said. “He was more than an artist he was a trailblazer, He was an innovator. He was a creative genius. I shall never forget how in the height of his career he still had time to work and lend his celebrity to those of us much younger and at that time who were totally unknown. Even in his later years he never hesitated to appear for a cause or endorse something that he felt was for the good of mankind. He will be sorely missed.”

Rev. Sharpton will dedicate his radio program tonight to Issac Hayes at 9:00p.m. on KISS 98.7 FM in New York, where Isaac Hayes was the morning DJ in the late 90’s.

As an actor, Hayes has appeared in over 20 films including Truck Turner (1974), I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), Posse (1993), and Hustle and Flow (2005).

An important figure in Hip-Hop due to sampling, his songs such “The Look of Love” have provided the musical foundation for Jay-Z (“Can I Live”), LL Cool J (“Hollis to Hollyood”), Mary J. Blige (“I Love You”) and many more.

In later years, he became known to a new generation of fans through the Comedy Central series South Park, where he voiced the role of the affable but raunchy Chef.

Hayes would leave the show in 2005 due to differences with the creators over their religious satire.

More information to follow as further details emerge.

Mac was in Northwestern Memorial hospital when he died on Saturday morning. No official cause of death has been announced by his family.

After rumors of his death, his condition seemed to improve. Mac’s publicist stated that he was “responding well to treatment” and that he expected to leave the Chicago-area facility in a few weeks.

He passed away at approximately 2:00 am on Saturday, his wife revealed.

Bernie Mac, who started doing standup in clubs around Chicago in the 1970’s, was discovered after he won a Miller Lite comedy search, which led to regular appearances on Russell Simmons’ Def Comedy Jam in 1992.

“He was one of the sweetest funniest people on the planet,” Def Comedy Jam Founder Russell Simmons told AllHipHop.com. “We (Def Comedy team) knew he was a star the minute we saw him. He was loved by millions He will be missed.”

Mac also lived with sarcoidosis, an immune system disorder that results in swollen, inflamed lymph nodes, causes ulcers on the skin and also makes breathing difficult.

Representatives for Bernie Mac said previously that he was not hospitalized for complications associated with sarcoidosis.

“Bernie Mac will not only be missed by his family members and close friends, he will also be missed by the thousands of people he touch through his laughter. Please keep his family in your prayers,” said Kendra G, a Chicago bred radio host that now resides in Philadelphia.

Bernie Mac will be remembered for his brash, but frank comedic style that was a staple in the Black community.

His on-stage musings quickly went mainstream through his television sitcom, “The Bernie Mac Show” and a storied music career.

Mac appeared in movies like Who’s the Man? (1993), House Party 3 (1994) The Walking Dead (1995), Friday (1995), Spike Lee’s Get On The Bus (1996) The Player’s Club (1998), and 1999’s Life with Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.

The movies Ocean’s Eleven (2001) and Charlie’s Angels (2003) put him in a movie that catered to middle America, as did his hit television TV series, The Bernie Mac Show.

Bernie Mac was born Bernard Jeffrey McCollough in Chicago in 1957.

He was reared in a rough neighborhood with a large family that would eventually be the backbone to his comic routine.

His professional career started in 1977, when he was 19, and he refused to alter his style to accommodate critics.

According to reports, 24-year-old Rahman Syed was arrested after he confessed to murdering Ingrid Rivera, also 24, and leaving her body inside of popular night club Spotlight Live on Sunday (August 3).

Rivera was thrown out of Spotlight Live because she was drunk.

According to police, Syed encountered Rivera and offered to take her to a friend.

When she refused his advances, he hit her on the head with a pipe in the building’s elevator shaft.

Family members filed a missing persons report when Rivera did not return home.

While Lil’ Kim was celebrating her birthday, New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the event was also open to the public.

Celebrities like Missy Elliot, Lamar Odom, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes and others were at the event, which drew over 500 people.

“We will be taking a very focused look at that club,” New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. “These are advertised events. It was not a private party.”

Ross, who remained to meet with fans and do a short performance after the shooting, felt obligated to end the event on a positive note after tragedy was averted.

“Some of these people were here before the event started, I couldn’t leave them hanging because of any disturbance,” Ross explained “I’m glad no one was hurt and most importantly I’m glad we were able to provide the Carol City Community with some needed services.”

The 2nd annual “Be Out Day” was hosted by Rick Ross Charities, Inc., which provided complimentary health screenings (HIV, onsite insurance) and voter registration to over 2,000 people who attended.

The organization’s 2008 scholarship recipient was Carol City High School graduate Diamond Excel, who will attend Florida A&M University this fall.

The positive event was marred in controversy, after shots rang out during presentations from City of Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson and State Representative Oscar Brayon II.

In light of recent criticism against Ross’s street credibility, many speculated that the shooting was staged to take heat off the smokinggun.com expose, or the result of angry local fans no longer receptive to Ross’s persona.

These accusations were immediately dispelled by Jonathan Cunningham, a writer for the New Times Broward-Palm Breach who attended the event.

“Since I was on the ground, I can tell you that all of that is garbage,” Cunningham stated. “The shooting had nothing to do with Ross and came from outside of Carol City Park (venue location), not inside as was reported yesterday. It was basically an argument between some young dudes to the right of the stage, outside of the park, when one person let about 12-15 rounds up in the air.”

No one was injured during the gun discharges. Rick Ross Charities, Inc, founded in 2006, is already planning next year’s “Be Out Day” event at press time.