The Pulse Report: Mos Def Challenges Jay-Z & Friends To MC Battle, 50 Goes To War W/ New Album, Rick Ross Takes Another Shot At Eminem

In this week's Pulse Report the streets are buzzing about 50 Cent whining about the state of hip-hop, Rick Ross taking subtle shots at Eminem and Lil Jon, Jay-Z taking heat from hip-hop youngsters for his Auto-Tunes attack, Mos Def proposing a grand MC battle, and Max B patching things up with Jim Jones after guilty verdict.

1. Sour G-G-G-Grapes

LeBron James, rest assured you're not the only sore loser out there. 50 Cent lacks sportsmanship just like you. The Queens rapper has been complaining about the state of hip-hop during a time when his music is not selling like it once was. Fif told MTV.com that he plans to drop a new LP next week, War Angel, that will change the course of the genre.

"The way the mood of music is right now, when they hear what this is, they'll say, 'That's what we needed.'"
Why would hip-hop need it? Well, 50 told Billboard.com that he's not as inspired to make music, because the focus on sales has damaged the genre.

"I think hip-hop in general has changed dramatically based on artists reaching for other people. If you look at the artists out there,
I think they're a reflection of what was rock'n'roll. In general, they're doing a style that isn't hip-hop. They're doing things that aren't traditional at all. What I fell in love with and inspired me to get into hip-hop is dwindling away. I'd like to be a representation of that, because there isn't much of that left. I think people are so conscious of the numbers they're not being creative anymore."

Come on, Curtis! Things aren't going your way, so you get upset and can't show love to the winners. Hard to accept this criticism from a guy who used his colossal SoundScan numbers to belittle enemies in the past. How many times has he gone in on other rappers for having wack sales? You lose on this one Cuuurtis!

2. Crossfire

Of course Rick Ross has a totally different outlook on the same issue. Ross thinks it's all about #1 albums and he understands why 50 is doing all this complaining about the genre. Rick Ross gave his assessment of 50 Cent's current career status to radio host Peter Parker. The Boss noted that the drop off in sales of recent video games is proof hat 50's brand is dying. That's why he's not worried about the book his baby mother Tia has written with 50. Unfortunately, he insulted producer Lil Jon in the process.

"Doing a book with 50 Cent is like going to get a crunk beat from Lil Jon.

And Ross is still trying to lure Eminem into a beef, taking a more subtle shot during this interview.

"I'm still a fan of Eminem even after whatever operations and surgeries."

LOL @ the Lil Jon diss. He probably didn't mean it like that, but Jon's not going to feel to good when he hears that. Still think Ross should leave Eminem alone. That's a fight he can't win. As for Curtis, I couldn't agree more. The 50 brand isn't what it once was, hence his whining about hip-hop.

3. Juvenile Response

Jay-Z has sparked the most heated debate in hip-hop since "hip-hop is dead," with the release of "DOA (Death Of Auto-tunes)."
The controversial record denouncing the use of the voice enhancer made popular by T-Pain, has drawn a wedge in between hip-hop's older and younger generations. Now Jay finds himself in a battle with youngsters like Jim Jones and DJ Webstar, a
New York rapper with a current auto-tunes hit, "Dancing On Me," who are speaking out against the track. Webstar defended his use of auto-tunes on a phone conversation with RealTalkNY.com like this.

"A lot of people are followers, a lot of people ain't leaders, I'ma a leader. I don't follow what the next man do."
**Blank stare**

Jim Jones hit up BET's 106 & Park to make his case.

"We're getting money off of autotune, it's just sounding like somebody's trying to knock a hustle and I don't think that's a little bit gangster if you ask me," Jones explained. "We getting money. He's knocking the hustle, ya dig? If these young men are making money off of autotune why would you try to stop that, when you got all the money already?"

Meanwhile T-Pain who stood by Jay-Z's side during a performance of the record at Summer Jam is planning on release his next auto-tunes driven album sooner than later. Here's what Pain told MTV.com when asked if he'll still use Auto-Tune.

"Oh yeah. Definitely now. Jay-Z said something ... I gotta do it now. It's nothing outta the ordinary, so I'm ready."
While I love the record, it's going to take more than a song from Jay-Z to kill auto-tune. The defiant young cats that are standing up to Jay are sending him a message in his own words, we don't believe you, you need more people.

4. MC Showdown
A few months ago Mos Def challenged Jay-Z to defend his "greatest rapper alive" title in a one on one rap battle. This week during an interview with Hot 97?s Angie Martinez, Mos stuck to his guns even going further by proposing a 5-on-5 showdown dubbed "Battle Of New Orleans." The clash would take place at the Superdome and also feature a segment for a battle of college marching bands, break dancers, DJs and more.
"My dream team would be myself, Black Thought, MF Doom, Jay Electronica and Nas." I was saying for Jay, or somebody like Jay, or Kanye, or whoever, put you and your four together, and we'll go at it."
This dude is on a suicide mission. How about Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Andre 3000 against Mos Def's formidable yet laughable Dream Team? I really don't see how he plans to prove anything in some onstage freestyle battle or whatever it is. The "greatest rapper alive" title doesn't go to a freestyle champ; there are so many qualities that go into us calling someone the greatest. Good luck with that Mos.

5. Frenemies No More?

Former Byrd Gang affiliate Charles "Max B" Wingate was found guilty of murder conspiracy charges this week just when it appeared his long standing feud with Jim Jones was about to come to an end. According to Max B's friend French Montana,
Jim Jones had reached out to the fellow Harlem rapper to speak about letting him out of his contract. French told Jenny Boom Boom TV that things were in the works before the verdict was read.

"He's gonna have to let him off that contract," French explained. "Jim's gonna have to give it up, ain't no choice. He ain't got no choice, what you gonna do, let him rot? He got a son, he got a wife, he's got family...We had a slight conversation, actually, Jim was ready to work it out a day before Max went in. They spoke, Max told me. He was getting ready to work it out...It was actually the people around Jim and the people that's around us [who made the call happen.] They called them because we were just trying to fix everything up 'cause my guy was under that contract and it was really hurtin' him. If [paying off his contract] was what was needed to get done, I was gonna do that...Jim was trying to work it out and I was like let's do it."

That would have been a nice gesture on Jim's part after all the things that were said from both sides. I like Max B a lot, think he's a really talented dude, I think it really sucks what he's going through, but I have to ask. Why do we feel so bad for rappers when they are convicted of the crimes they glorify in their music? I'm just sayin.