"H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A/ For shizzle my nizzle used to dribble down to VA,” Jay-Z maintains on his rousing anthem “Izzo (HOVA)”. The nizzle does feel shizzled at this sizzling, three-day urban festival.

If Kanye West weren't on enough of a high already following the birth last week of his baby daughter North, then the only direction is up as his latest album is at number one.

The Wu-Tang Clan are to reunite on stage in the UK this summer to mark the 20th anniversary of their 1993 debut album Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers).

Incident took place in the Springdale district of Pennsylvania

In the week London’s Madame Tussauds unveils wax works of P Diddy and Snoop Dogg among other rap stars, a more underground exponent is celebrating its heritage in a more vital way.

After the mid-tempo disappointment that was Destiny's Child's long-awaited new single last week, the pressure was on for Justin Timberlake's latest, Suit & Tie' which, as the title suggests, is an ode to the joys of being handsome and well-dressed (a topic close to Timberlake's heart, presumably).

One only needs to compare their images to know that old white men with hair the same colour as their suits would do better than to imitate rappers. Which explains the cringeing now greeting a clip posted on the Mother Jones website.

A collaborative effort between sundry Wu Tang Clansmen and D- Block inmates – notably Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch – Wu Block suffers from the absence of a few vital presences, in particular Wu Tang producer the RZA.

"Fight the powers that be," booms the evergreen Chuck D, but it's more a case of fight the weather, as the pioneering hip-hoppers battle the elements, dealing with icy, horizontal rain slicing its way into the giant tent they're performing in, and with a well-heeled audience too young to remember the New Yorkers in their intimidating late 1980s prime.

This looks like it was taken outside Jean's New Jersey home. We hope it has a gated drive to keep the, er, lust-crazed fans away

The Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav, aka William Drayton Jr, has been arrested on suspicion of attacking his fiancé and threatening her teenage son with a knife. He was released after $23,000 (£14,000) bail was paid and he is due in court on Monday in Las Vegas to face charges of assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence battery.

“I’m pushing 40, don’t applaud for me, I’m exhausted,” Nas admits disarmingly on his opening number “No Introduction”, and the articulate, provocative 39-year-old New Yorker is in reflective mood for this exuberant gig in Roman Abramovich’s intimate club.

Rapper LL Cool J broke the nose and jaw of an intruder at his LA mansion according to reports.

This week Snoop Dogg announced he's to change his moniker to Snoop Lion in line with his new reggae album 'Reincarnation'. Pop is littered with acts changing their names – whether to symbolise a change in direction or (as when Prince became a symbol and then Prince "1958–1993") to annoy their record company.