Lyric decoding blog site Rap Genius has been given a $15,000,000 investment by millionaire Andreessen Horowitz after Queensbridge Hip Hop icon Nas was recently featured on the site’s “Inside the Lines” webisode. The webside released a statement saying “I’m delighted to announce that Andreessen Horowitz is investing $15 million in Rap Genius. Given that Rap Genius is a web site where people explain rap lyrics, and given that my partner Ben is a noted rap fanatic , your first reaction might be, “That Horowitz guy has completely lost his mind .” I, on the other hand, find rap every bit as comprehensible as ancient Mesopotamian . That’s why I’m writing this blog post – not him. Let me explain why we’ve invested in Rap Genius…It turns out that Rap Genius has a much bigger idea and a much broader mission than Explainthat. Which is: Generalize out to many other categories of text… annotate the world… be the knowledge about the knowledge… create the Internet Talmud. There’s music in other genres and other languages , but what other categories? Poetry , literature , the Bible , political speeches , legal texts , science papers . And those are just the start. We think the community will continue to expand beyond rap into all culture. The potential of this company is large. Finally, there’s the other reason – maybe even the real reason – why I’m so fired up about this idea and this investment.”

Here’s the “Inside the Lines” segment with Nas……

Bad Boy rapresentative Machine Gun Kelly and computer giant Microsoft released statements to Complex Magazine in regards to MGK’s performance at Atlanta’s Microsoft Store during the BET Hip Hop Awards weekend, with the wild boy saying “Last Friday, I was asked to perform at The Source’s Power 30 reception and honored to do so. My only goal was to give a great performance. Contrary to what is being reported by the media, I did not stomp on any computers, damage any store property nor were the police called on my behalf. There was some confusion as to where I should perform. But, in the end, it was all resolved. I’d like to thank The Source for the opportunity and let the people at Microsoft know I meant no disrespect,” and Microsoft itself saying “On Sept. 28, The Source held a private event at the Microsoft Lenox Square Store. We offer our stores as a venue for the community to use, and this event was not sponsored by Microsoft. While the artist’s behavior was appropriate for a concert, some of it was not appropriate in a store environment.”

Mike Knox, the G-Unit rapresentative, not the former WWE wrestler, hopped on Philly’s Hot 107.9 to talk about the actual details concerning the part of the BET Hip Hop Awards rumble that involved his came and Maybach Music Group rapresentative Gunplay, saying “You keep attaching 50′s name to the situation because you know that’s the only way you’re gonna get press…He was running from an a** whooping — he was saying I was security, he was saying I was a security guard. I don’t know where he got that. I guess he felt like I was security because I d*mn near broke my hand on him — when people are fighting, they usually pepper spray the person that’s the most aggressive or the biggest person and I was the biggest person. So, he wasn’t pepper sprayed at the time. They pepper sprayed all of us. Everybody tried to run from it. I slipped. Anybody knows if they’ve ever been pepper sprayed before, you can’t really see anything, you can’t really talk. You try to get yourself together because you’re caught off guard. I caught a real big batch of it. So, when the video starts, I’m already on the ground and you can see the pepper spray in the air. Then he jumps up and runs over and starts to hit me in the back. If that’s what he felt he needed to do to redeem himself and make himself like he did something, that’s cool. But he got treated like a dope fiend…he made it a promo thing to get on TMZ, they didn’t know who he was, they was askin him about the other situation…by the time I’m done with Gunplay, Def Jam’s gonna drop Gunplay like we did. I guarantee you that.”

Here’s the audio from that interview……..

It was destined to happen. Nicki Minaj has gone off on fellow diva-judge Mariah Carey in what appears to be round 1 of the many expected to come throughout this season of American Idol. According to the Thirty Mile Zone, “Nicki Minaj derailed the “American Idol” auditions in Charlotte, North Carolina today, after swearing at Mariah Carey and threatening, “I’m gonna knock you out” … sources tell TMZ. In the footage, obtained by TMZ, Nicki is clearly furious … shouting, “I told them, I’m not f*ckin’ putting up with her f*ckin’ highness over there.” Sources say Nicki later threatened to “knock out” Mariah … but that part wasn’t captured on tape. It all went down while the two were sitting at the judge’s table … with Keith Urban sitting in between them and Randy Jackson sitting on the far end, next to Mariah…We’re told the whole thing exploded over a disagreement about a contestant’s performance. According to our friends at MouthToEars.com, producers ended the auditions for the day so the two judges could cool down. Big wigs on the show seem uncharacteristically upset by the blow up — it appears this was no joke and it seems producers are worried about Mariah and Nicki co-existing for the long haul.” In later reports, it’s being reported that Mariah tossed the first shots at Nicki by allegedly calling the YMCMB Barbie a b**** several times before she had enough. Per TMZ: “in the moments before the TMZ video begins, Mariah repeatedly berated her … until Nicki finally had enough and exploded. We’re told … Nicki feels Mariah has been wasting everyone’s time by constantly praising herself instead of focusing her energy on critiquing the contestants. One source tells us, ‘She keeps bringing up how many records she’s sold, name dropping people she’s worked with, how many tours she’s done, and how many Grammys or awards she’s won … Nicki is tired of it.’”

Here’s the video…..

After initially pleading “Not Guilty” in the case against Diplomat capo Jim Jones, the Harlem rapresentative changed his mind & plead guilty to a charge of interference with police business and was hit with a $1,000 fine for his part in the infamous Foxwoods brawl in February. According to the Thirty Mile Zone, “Jones was originally hit with three misdemeanor charges following his involvement in the Foxwoods brawl — breach of peace, interfering with an officer, and inciting a riot. He pled “not guilty” to all three. But today, Jones changed his plea to guilty for the interfering with an officer charge after prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining charges. Jones was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. The case is now closed. As we first reported, the brawl allegedly started after a stranger smack-talked Jones on his way out of a party hosted by Diddy. We’re told the guy got physical and a MASSIVE fight broke out. It got so bad, it took 5 cops with mace to subdue Jones … who was arrested on the scene. The footage is insane….”

In a off-beat sign of irony, TLC songstress T-Boz has found a new home in the TLC Network for her upcoming show “Totally T-Boz,” a reality show that follows her life as a single mom to her daughter. According to All Hip Hop, “T-Boz, who was married to Mack 10, filed for a second bankruptcy in 2011, in part because of an enormous, $250,000, child support bill that the rapper had not paid. But her filing was rejected, since she failed to complete the necessary paperwork, leaving a healthy portion of her assets exposed to creditors…The reality series is expected to debut in early 2013.”

After a decade of shots thrown at each other, Fat Joe and 50 Cent has officially ended their bitter feud. The Terror Squad rapresentative hopped on Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 to discuss how the truce came about during the taping of the BET Hip Hop Awards, saying “(Chris Lighty) always wanted me and 50 Cent to make peace forever but we were just being stubborn and ignoring him…I came to do the tribute, I knew 50 Cent would be there but I came there like, ‘We’re going to do this for Chris.’ And while we were there, 50 whispered some things in my ear that was like gentleman-like, you know what I’m saying? I’m a gentleman. I don’t dislike people. I’m one of the most loveable dudes in hip-hop, believe it or not. But you know, he just said the right things, a handshake was involved and that was that. It was two grown men to say ‘Yo, this is Chris Lighty, this is for hip-hop, let’s move on with our lives.’ This is Israel-Palestine. I don’t want to talk crazy but this was going to go bad no matter what. … Unfortunately, it took somebody I love very much and [50] love so much, somebody who tried effortlessy to squash the beef for years.”

Here’s the audio from that interview…….

Weeks after being “restricted” in the state of North Carolina, BSM rapresentative Waka Flocka has been banned from the commonwealth of Virginia for reasons currently unknown, which also cancels out his scheduled concert appearances in Norfolk and Richmond. According to Waka’s Twitter page….

JUST GOT WORD THAT IM BAND FROM THE STATE OF VIRGINIA … SOOOO MY NORFOLK AND RICHMOND SHOW IS CANCELLED

— Waka Flocka Flame (@WakaFlockaBSM) October 1, 2012

Moments after voluntarily offering to pay up $3,000 a month for child support in court, Bow Wow was named the newest host for the BET anchor show 106th & Park. About that child support case, TMZ pointed out a little flaw in the court case: “Bow Wow and baby mama Joie Chavis were in court Monday, fighting over exactly how much Bow Wow is worth and how much he has to pay. After some haggling, Bow Wow voluntarily agreed to shell out $3,000 a month in support for baby Shai. Bow Wow told the judge … he makes $4,000 a month working as an employee at Cash Money Records, and that’s it. He testified he leases a Jeep and has a grand total of $1,500 in his checking account. So here’s the question — if he makes $4,000 a month before taxes, how can he afford to pay $3,000 a month in child support? We’ll here’s an answer … After the court hearing was concluded, Bow Wow was officially named host of BET’s long-running and influential hip hop show, ’106 & Park.’ Bow Wow made no mention of this in court.”

About being named as host of 106th, Vibe Vixen says “the music countdown show has named rapper/actor Bow Wow the new host alongside Ms. Mykie from Houston, Texas; Paigion and Shorty Da Prince, from Detroit, Michigan. Contestants went through weeks of ‘The Search’ from online video submissions to on-air screen tests. Ms. Mykie, Paigion and Shorty beat out thousands of hopefuls to land the prestigious spots, which has been filled in the past by the likes of AJ Calloway, Free and Big Tigger.” The Cash Money rapresentative went on to say “I am very excited to take on this new journey in my career with BET. I’m all about branding myself and not just in music, but in TV and movies…Everyone always wants to compare me to the Fresh Prince, well now they can call me the Fresh Prince of 106 & Park. Get ready for a whole new world.”

Lil’ Scrappy was arrested on a probation violation October 1st after missing a scheduled meeting with his probation officer that the Love & Hip Hop rapresentative apparently never knew about. According to TMZ, “nearly 2 weeks before he was arrested, Scrappy filed documents with the DeKalb County Superior Court, begging the judge to recall the warrant for his arrest. In the docs, Scrappy admits he failed to check in with his probation officer on August 9, 2012 … but says it was an honest mistake because he had been on non-reporting status for 1.5 years and didn’t know a check-in date had been scheduled. Scrappy insists he has otherwise been a model probationer and wants his arrest warrant recalled ASAP. The judge hadn’t ruled on Scrappy’s request by the time the rapper had a run-in with police yesterday, which is why he was arrested and taken to jail. Scrappy is expected to go in front of a judge sometime in the near future … but for now, he remains behind bars.”