LIL' WAYNE IS SUING PRODUCER JIM JONSIN FOR, " I FEEL LIKE DYING"

Lil' Wayne is suing the producer of a song he performed that allegedly sampled another singer’s work without permission. A lawsuit filed last year against Lil Wayne accuses him of copyright infringement, saying he failed to secure permission to sample folk singer Karma-Ann Swanepoel’s song “Once” on his track “I Feel Like Dying.” A lawsuit filed last week by the rapper’s lawyers says Rebel Rock Productions Inc., of Coconut Creek, Fla., produced “I Feel Like Dying” and was responsible for obtaining any necessary licensing agreements.

Full Story: AP

KANYE WEST RESPONDS TO HIS COMPLEX STYLE WAR WIN

If you happen to follow the Complex Blog you'll perhaps know that they've just named Kanye West the winner of their month-long Style War comptetion. Kanye took to his blog to humbly say thanks to everyone who voted him as hip-hop’s style king. Here’s ’Ye’s fashion-centric rant, in case you haven’t seen it or if you even care for that matter:

MAN I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. THIS IS A REAL HONOR! THIS WHOLE YEAR HAS BEEN SO OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE…. FROM THE YEEZY’S TO THE LOUIE VUITTONS…. FROM HEARTLESS BEING THE NUMBER ONE SONG ON RADIO FOR THE FIRST QUATER OF THIS YEAR TO AMAZING BEING THE THEME SONG FOR THE NBA PLAYOFFS. IT MEANS A LOT TO BE ABLE TO GET RESPECT FROM MY CORE AND PEERS EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY KNOWS I GET A LITTLE CRAZY WITH THE CLOTHES SOMETIMES. I’M ON VACAY RT NOW WITH A WHITE T ON. IT’S NICE TO READ SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR A CHANGE! PHARRELL PIONEERED WHAT I DO NOW. HE WAS THE ORIGINAL TO BREAK DOWN DOORS BETWEEN “REAL FASHION” AND HIP HOP WORLDS, DOING BEATS FOR NOREAGA AND RUNNING AROUND WITH THE MODEL CHICKS. ROSS GET’S REAL FRESH. TI HAS A GREAT EFFORTLESS SINCE OF STYLE. JAY HAS SET MAD TRENDS AND IS THE SINATRA OF OUR ERA. NOBODY IS AS FRESH AS RALPH LUAREN HIMSELF, ONLY ANDRE 3000 AND BENTLEY GET CLOSE BUT THERE’S STILL WORK TO DO. I THINK OLD MEN DRESS THE FRESHEST, NOT TRENDY AT ALL BUT SOMETIMES STILL COLORFUL AND INTERESTING. THEY’VE FIGURED OUT WHAT LOOKS GOOD ON THEM AND THEY STICK IT. THE UP HILL BATTLE WE HAVE AS HIP HOP ARTIST IS HIP HOP IS ROOTED IN TRENDS. TRUE STYLE AND TRENDS VERY SELDOMELY MEET. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO WEAR STUFF THAT’S LAUGHABLE 2 YEARS LATER. WHEN I CAN SEE CRAZY STUFF I’VE WORN AND PEOPLE LAUGH AT ME, ALL I CAN DO IS LAUGH WITH YOU AND THINK, I HAD FUN THOUGH. THANKS AGAIN, MR. WEST

FUNNY SH*T | BEYONCE CLEVERLY ESCAPES BOREDOM OF PRIVATE MUSEUM TOUR

Beyoncé's world tour just kicked off, but she has already angered a museum in Vienna. She reportedly sent a look-alike for a private tour of the Albertina, one of the city's most famous museums, so she could go shopping. To buy things she undoubtedly needs. The look-alike even stood for pictures with the director of the museum. "We were a little doubtful yesterday, but weren't really sure. It could have been her," a museum spokeswoman said. LOL

CHANEL IMAN DOESN'T NEED PANTS

Event: Chanel Iman arrives at the Launch of the Matthew Williamson for H&M Spring 2009 Collection wearing, uhhh, Topshop!

"I would have worn H&M if I knew I was coming here earlier! But I just sort of got out of the car. I had on pants earlier, but I just took them off," she said.

COVER: NAOMI CAMPBELL | V MAGAZINE

V Magazine gives Sports Illustrated a run for their money with a sizzling Swimsuit Issue by famed photographer Mario Testino.

EDITOR'S TOP 3 SUNGLASSES PICKS OF THE SEASON

Club Monaco

$89

Available @ Club Monaco locations nationwide.

Tom Ford
$360
Available @ Tom Ford NYC

Louis Vuitton
$560
Available @ Select Louis Vuitton locations worldwide

PHARRELL GETS TATTOOS REMOVED

Pharrell Williams recently underwent laser surgery to have his tattoos removed. He posted a picture of his bandaged arms after the surgery took place.

"Laser treatment b**ches! Extra crispy. See, no skin graft here, just pure laser pain,” Pharrell said. “This is our own version of Mythbusters! Laser is the new primer."

VIDEO | KANYE WEST "SO AMAZING" FEAT. YOUNG JEEZY

Directed by Hype Williams.

NEW MUSIC | CIARA "LOVERS THING" FEAT. THE-DREAM

The-Dream has definitely been making his rounds on the collab tip lately. This time he and Ciara are on their Lovers Thing. They defintely did their thing on this joint. Worst comes to worst, its better than that shit Cassie got.

DOWNLOAD: Ciara - Lovers Thing (Feat. The-Dream)

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Lindsay Lohan's eHarmony Profile via Funny or Die . Hilarious.

YOU COULD BE THE NEW FACE OF SEAN JOHN

Tomorrow Diddy kicks off the Faces of the Future contest in which one lucky winner will star in Sean John’s fall ad campaign. The search will be unveiled in a grandiose multi-platform launch on seanjohn.com, Twitter, Diddytv, and other blogs - as only Diddy could.

Enter by uploading your photo to the Sean John site between tomorrow and April 29. The general public can log on to vote and comment on potential models, which sounds like either the setup for a lot of hurt feelings, or a great way for entrants to get the cheap thrills they once got on MySpace. The ten entrants with the most votes will meet with Sean John executives during the first week of May. A winner will be announced May 8.

LOUIS VUITTON MONOGRAM PAILLETES SPEEDY

Marc Jacobs is the man…I wanna have brunch and vibe and talk sh*t with this dude.

French for glitter, the LV Monogram Pailletes bags features sequins sewn onto the canvas which forms the signature Monogram and flowers.

Estimated Release: August 2009

Estimated Price: $2290

ARLENIS SOSA PENA COVERS GERMAN VOGUE

Model Arlenis Sosa Pena looks fantastic in Lanvin on her solo cover of Vogue's German edition. She is featured inside in a spread called "Magic Black"also photographed by Alexi Lubomirski.

ALESSANDRO DELL'ACQUA | S/S 09 HIGH TOPS

Alessandro Dell’Acqua presents a new range of sneakers for Spring 2009. Following the general trend in the market, the collection consists of a variety of high top sneakers, using heavily patent leather, as well as lots of straps on the upper. Three high top models in a variety of colorways are now available at ForwardForward.

BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB | GENTLEMAN TEE

SEASON 8. This BBC Tee featuring the NEW “Gentleman” image on front. Very limited quantities. $105

LOVING THE 80S STREETWEAR INSPIRED LOUIS VUITTON GRAFITTI GLASSES

Louis Vuitton
Graffiti Sunglasses
$560.00

AD | KANYE WEST x LOUIS VUITTON

Kanye West is joined by his nude girlfriend, model Amber Rose, in these recently released photos from the rapper’s new Louis Vuitton shoe ad campaign.

TK AND SUPRA'S PLAN TO REGENERATE THE ECONOMY

Terry Kennedy rolled through the Supra Headquarters to cop some of his soon to be released kicks and raid the warehouse. Official release date, May 15th. [Supra]

RIHANNA COMEBACK CONCERT | 5 LIVE SHOWS

Rihanna's first concert following her infamous beatdown will be a world away - in Dubai on May 28.

“There will be over 25,000 tickets available,” says Mary Rachelle Cherpak, a spokeswoman for Dubai Tourism. “They will be going on sale in the next couple of days.”

Promoter Yassin Matbouly says: "We have been working to bring Rihanna to the region for a while now but it has never been the right time for one reason or another. This time everything worked out and the gig will more than likely be the last outdoor concert before the summer - and one not to miss."

She'll do five shows and of course she will be getting PAID!!!

Mariah got $1 million for four songs. Justin Timberlake $1 million. Madonna was offered $24 million! Beyoncè was offered a gig, too.

KID CUDI INKS DEAL WITH MOTOWN | LAUNCHING NEW LABEL

Kid Cudi has just put to rest any retirement rumors with a new record deal and upcoming record label via a recently inked deal with Universal/Motown.

Company president Sylvia Rhone revealed that Kid Cudi’s upcoming debut album Man on the Moon: The Guardian will be released through his label Dream On, in conjunction with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music imprint.

Universal Motown will also distribute Dream On, a new joint venture between Kid Cudi, his partners Emile and Plain Pat and West’s G.O.O.D. Music.

“Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists,” Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone said in a statement. “He crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and culture. Cudi lives easily in the Hip-Hop, indie rock, pop, and R&B worlds – a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona. He is a born storyteller who brings a positive, life-affirming message to his brilliant lyrical flow and compelling music. There are no clichés in what Cudi does. He is a breath of fresh air – a dynamic and important new voice, not only in the next phase of Hip-Hop, but as a groundbreaking trendsetter who represents the future. I am thrilled to welcome Kid Cudi into the Universal Motown family.”

The deal comes on the heels of the worldwide success of Kid Cudi’s single “Day’ N’ Nite,” as well as West’s hit single “Heartless," which Kid Cudi co-wrote.

Kid Cudi’s debut album Man on the Moon: The Guardian is due in stores this summer.

VIDEO | PHARRELL WILLIAMS - STYLE RECON

Pharrell Williams sits down with Playboy for a chat in their latest Style Recon feature. The brief sitting shines light on his latest fashion likes and traveling essentials. SpongeBob, Tom Ford, and Gatorade are all included.

click HERE to view video.

STYLE & DESIGN NEWS

G-Shock seems to have a little competition coming its way. The Rubber Player by Nixon. These are sick, and drop tomorrow. [Nixon]

Puma says Eff it, if we’re going fancy - we're going all the way in. Yves Saint Laurent collabo high top. [Hypebeast]

CHANEL IMAN AND SESSILEE LOPEZ TWEET POTENTIALLY ICONIC COVER SHOOT

Is someone looking to respond to last July's iconic Vogue Italia dedicated to black models??? We're not sure, however models Chanel Iman and Sessilee Lopez both posted updates to Twitter from London about booking a big cover shoot. And though they didn't mention being together, the tweets came only hours apart, fueling rumors that they landed the cover of Vogue Paris, British Vogue, or Love, a big deal for two of the industry's top black models. Via Chanel: "IN London Shooting a MAJOR SURPRISE COVER!!!!Its top secret can't give it away!!" Via Sessilee: "Leaving London now!!! My God when you guys see the photos from this shoot you will die, all i can say is ITS A MAJOR MOMENT IN FASHION!!!!!" We're only hoping whatever it is warrants all of those exclamation points.

MAG SWAG

Jay-Z lands the June 2009 cover of Cigar Aficionado magazine. Dope cover. Now we just wait in aniticipation for the Blueprint III.

The “Blame It” singer and actor extraordinaire lends three different personas to UPTOWN Magazine for their April issue. The mag’s covers feature Jamie Foxx The Musician, The Actor and The Comedian.

NEW MUSIC | CASSIE "KEEP ON LOVIN ME" FEAT. THE-DREAM

This new radio killa (& hair killa) track produced by Tricky Stewart surfaces and I’m not too sure what to think of this yet. Usually The-Dream comes through with the fire collab, but um…

DOWNLOAD: Cassie - Keep On Lovin Me (Feat. The-Dream) (Produced by Tricky Stewart)

GOOD NEWS FOR JADAKISS

Jadakiss is set to move over a 100,000 copies of his new “The Last Kiss” album in the first week of it’s release according to sales predictions. Jadakiss recently celebrated the release of his new album with a concert featuring Busta Rhymes, Swizz Beatz, Ryan Leslie and Sheek Louch.

UPDATE: His third consecutive top five as opens at No. 3 moving 135,000 units.

PIERRE WOODS COVERS BRITISH GQ

Stomping the runways in Milan for D&G and Ferragamo, a remembered appearance in last years Ralph Lauren Polo campaign and a slew of feature editorials under his belt its not surprising that Pierre Woods is quickly becoming a recognizable face. Now he is covering British GQ Essentials. Photographer Tarrice Love : "This is big because magazines are notorious for selecting celebrities, athletes, and politicians to appear on their covers. This is an even bigger accomplishment for a black male model in this industry."

WE DON'T THINK YOU'RE READY FOR THIS JELLY

Bey and Jay were spotted last night leaving the Waverly Inn in New York. She was rocking the Spring 2009 Balmain jacket. You know, the one that opened the spring 2009 Balmain show and sent drool gushing down your face. Beyoncé hath traded her Gareth Pugh it seems. We are so jealous. But if you're rolling in it and want one, you can buy it on Net-A-Porter for $11,410!

LIL' KIM KILLS IT ON DANCING WITH THE STARS ROUND 6

KANYE WEST IS DEEPLY ABSORBED IN DESIGN RIGHT NOW

Kanye West's fashion line PasTelle could go up for sale on the Internet at any moment. Any delays in launching are only because he is almost insanely aware of his responsibility to offer only the best. As it stands, Kanye has — after working on the project for more than a year — only created four pieces as part of his line. They include three articles of clothing. And a belt. All of which Kanye wore to the shows in February and March.

He's been so absorbed in fashion as of late, he even cleared his schedule for an entire five months, starting back in February, to work only on clothing design, including the range of sneakers he designed for Louis Vuitton. This is not simply a case of Kanye attaching his name to a product, but a return to his childhood passion. Lil' Kanye, you see, loved to draw shoes. "Nobody — not even girls — loved clothes as much as me," West says. "And even now, the girls I go out with, I take them to the Pierre Hardy store and say, 'Why don't you wear these instead of Vans?'" Kanye won't even tour until the summer, so he can continue perfecting his garments and perhaps soon end the world's torturous yearning to wear them at last.

NEW MUSIC TUESDAY

It’s safe to say that Day 26 has defied the odds - withstanding the constant bickering and arguing - and have overcome the “sophomore jinx” with their latest creation. Real talk: ' Forever In A Day ' launches this supergroup into new territory. Nasty territory. After the sweetness of Day26's debut you will not believe how hard this hits. Perfectly Blind(written by Dawn and Que), Bipolar, Girlfriend, Your Heels, Then There's You(written by Ne-Yo)... Ridiculous.

"Forever In A Day" in stores and digital retailers Today.

LIYA KEBEDE LANDS VOGUE'S MAY COVER

The May cover of Vogue is special because it features models instead of celebrities. This year's May issue, shot by Steven Meisel, is extra special because it marks the third month in a row that a woman of color appears on the cover (Beyoncé appeared on April's cover, Michelle Obama appeared on March's cover). Liya Kebede appears on the front of the May issue, while Jourdan Dunn appears on the foldout.From left to right, the models are: Liya Kebede, Natalia Vodianova, Anna Jagodzinska, Isabeli Fontana, Lara Stone, Jourdan Dunn, Raquel Zimmermann, Caroline Trentini, and Natasha Poly.

WHAT KIND OF F*CKERY IS THIS | CASSIE SHAVES HER HEAD

Cassie shaved half of her head, posting images of the new look on her Twitter account. The singer writes: Sometimes in life, you need a change. Something deeper than what you thought you were...

And Diddy said, “YEAH YOU DID DO IT, I LOVE IT. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT”

Without mentioning the inside out skull crewneck, Cartier bracelet, the watch, the ring, I can't help but think this a publicity stunt. I mean Diddy IS the monster of marketing fluff. Somehow, somewhere, someone sat down and plotted this thing out Look out for the Dare To Be Different Ad Campaign coming soon!! LOL

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | KANYE IS A GAY FISH

Last night’s episode of South Park titled “Fishsticks” played the ish out of the “genius” Kanye West. Fishstick + Kanye West= Gayfish LMFAO! Real talk, this was the funniest episode ever! But, I do wonder how Kanye feels about being called a Gayfish?!Oh WAIT, he responds via his blog.

HOW BADLY PHOTOSHOPPED WAS HALLE BERRY FOR THE NEW HARPER'S BAZAAR COVER?

Halle Berry appears on the cover of May's Harper's Bazaar, prompting the NY Daily News to label her the "latest victim of overzealous Photoshopping." A magazine-cover subject (gasp) Photoshopped? They don't say. The paper notes that she looks "older than usual." The retoucher did not, you'll notice, completely remove the bags under Berry's eyes. You know, the ones that basically everyone in the world has. In the world of retouching, that's pretty rare. Though they did smooth her wrinkles. Maybe the problem is the unflattering side lighting on her face. And that her hair is, weirdly, almost the same shade as her skin.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS WANTS TO MAKE GRADUATION GOWNS

Pharrell Williams celebrated the launch of his new eco-friendly fabric company the other day, which turns recycled plastic bottles into textiles.

“We want to do everything from high-end luggage to high-end denim, to university caps and gowns to Parks Department uniforms,” says Pharrell.

MCM | BAGS RELAUNCH

Since its US relaunch in 2005, MCM has been churning out seasons of enviable bags that will surprise anyone only familiar with the brand’s signature cognac monogram style.

For Fall/Winter 2009, the collection features a few fashionable and functional bags for men on the move. In black canvas and supple leather, the bags range from oversized city totes to versatile weekend bags.

NAOMI STRIKES A POSE

There are many words to describe the supreme being that is Naomi Campbell, (gorgeous, trend-setting, iconic, etc.) but the only one that comes to mind here is GIANT.

For the cover story of the glossy's May ‘09 issue (on newsstands now), the strikingly beautiful supermodel breaks down the trials and tribulations of her personal and professional life, paving the way for the next generation of supermodels of color and other things you can do with a cell phone.

SWAGGER | S/S STYLE 2009

Swagger hooks up with a series of prominent, as well as, up and coming music artists to present their 2009 spring/summer collection. The styling shots include a handful of familiar names and faces including Lupe Fiasco, The Cool Kids, Mickey Factz, DJ Mano, Hollywood Holt, Just Blaze and DJ Envy.

via hypebeast

BEHIND THE SCENES | TREY SONGZ " I NEED A GIRL" VIDEO SHOOT

Trey Songz’s new video “I Need A Girl” was shot in Malibu, CA this past weekend, and was directed by Benny Boom. Here are some of the snapshots from the set.

FLY KICKS | CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN SNEAKER PEEK

The fashion world and sneaker heads alike are buzzing about the prospect that Christian Louboutin, famed for red-soled high heels, is coming out with a sneaker. The babies were recently spotted at the A/W press day event. No word on price yet but I'm guessing these will be hot sellers. Now the big question is whether or not the bottoms are red.

KING MAGAZINE GOES OUT WITH A GHETTO BANG!

The new and final issue hits stands April 21st and features Keyshia Cole. ( The alternate cover features Tahiry, rapper Joe Budden's better half, and her famous backside. )

LIL' KIM OPERATES ON CP TIME

This has got to be the funniest sh*t I heard all week.

Lil’ Kim’s timing is off - but not on the dance floor. The rapper-turned- "Dancing With the Stars”-hoofer is “late to everything,” says a show insider. “If she has a call time of 7, she doesn’t show until 10.” But producers are having the last laugh on Kim. Says the insider: “They’ve started telling her to show up two hours earlier than they need her - just to make sure she’s on time!”

NEW MUSIC | KID CUDI "WHEN I POKE HER FACE" FEAT. KANYE AND COMMON

Kid Cudi gets on top of Lady GaGa’s acoustic version of her #1 Billboard hit, “Poker Face” with Kanye West and Common. DJ Enuff played this on the radio on Friday, and the radio rip was flying around but Yeezy unleashed this gem himself via his blog. This joint is dope, A-Trak on the scratches. Lookout for the new KiD CuDi album Man On The Moon: The Guardians later this year.

DOWNLOAD: KiD CuDi - I Poke Her Face (Feat. Kanye West & Common)

VIDEO | IMAN AND UBAH HASSAN DISCUSS THE FASHION INDUSTRY'S STRUGGLE WITH DIVERSITY

Veteran model Iman sat down with rising star and fellow Somalian Ubah Hassan, the spring face of Ralph Lauren, to discuss the struggles non-white models face in the fashion industry.

HIP-HOP HEADS INK DEAL WITH FRAGRANCE COMPANY

It’s a Smelly Day for Hip-hop Celebrities... which is not particularly a bad thing. Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West all got fragrance deals this week, when Iconic Fragrances, LLC (where Jay-Z is a principal) signed an agreement with Parlux. Also part of the contract is the announcement of an upcoming scent with a "well-established female artist." Considering it's Jay-Z's deal and he's married to Beyoncé, let's read between the lines on that one. As for Jay-Z and Kanye making their big move into beauty, we like how they're giving Diddy some hearty competition. May the best metrosexual rapper win!

GUCCI VIAGGIO TRAVEL SERIES

The collection which debuted last year is available now at select Gucci retailers. Depending on the needs and tasks at hand, the collection has mostly every base covered from specific uses for laptops to carry-alls and rolling luggage.

Via Hypebeast!

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN x RODARTE PUMPS

Now this is what I’m talking about. If I was on the train or walking down the street with my head down. I’d want to see the face of the woman wearing these sick ass shoes. These joints let you know - she knows what time it is. Hats off to Anne Slowey. Good job!

Anne Slowey, Fashion News Director, Elle magazine, in Christian Louboutin for Rodarte pumps