NEWS: 18-5-07 :: Nelly Pimps Africa :: Master P to clean up Hip Hop :: Akon makes apology

Nelly has signed a deal to distribute his Pimp Juice throughout Africa. The rapper entered into a partnership with Mojalife to distribute Vokal, Apple Bottom Jeans and the Pimp Juice brand. According to Mojolife's creative director Peter Friedman, 1.5 million cans have already been produced for South Africa. Mojalife has the exclusive rights to distribute the drink throughout Africa and another 3 million cans of Pimp Juice will be exported to Nigeria, Australia and New Zealand. Nelly is also establishing and launching his Derrty Entertainment record label in South Africa.

The Hip Hop Project debuted in movie theaters last week. The Hip Hop Project was executive produced by Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah and is the story of Chris "Kazi" Rolle, who discovered a program for at risk youth titled Art-Start, at an alternative high school in New York City as a teenager. During the film, which was shot over the course of 5 years, Kazi challenges other at-risk youth who come to the Art Start program to write and compose a Hip-Hop album.

David Banner is showing off his native Mississippi to the small screen with his new Cartoon Network show The Crook'd Sipp. The series follows the Beauregards, a white family mentally stuck in the 1800s, while living in present day Mississippi. Banner provides the voice of the show's main character Virgil, who offers his views on the Beauregards and the world as told "from the viewpoint of a young black progressive man in Mississippi.

Video footage of singer Akon getting freaky with an underage girl on stage during a concert in Trinidad has circulated heavily recently. Akon has issued an apology and claims he was unaware that the women he simulated sex with on stage was 15-years-old.

Urban music branding and marketing will comprise the theme for this year’s Southeast Urban Music Conference. The fifth annual event, which is scheduled to take place June 27-30 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Atlanta, will offer a chance for attendees to network with established music industry professionals as well as provide a way to obtain the keys for success in the competitive world of entertainment.

Bow Wow has revealed that he and singer Omarion are gearing up to start recording a collaborative album that they plan to release by the end of the year. According to Billboard.com, the album will be a two-disc set. The pair says they will begin recording by the end of May.

Master P and son rapper Romeo have launched a new label called Take A Stand Records. The new unique label will represent artists that have pledged to be role models to both the music industry and music lovers of all walks of life through 100% clean lyrics and positive moral values.

Randy Jackson is executive producing and hosting a new Hip-Hop dance competition reality show titled World Moves, which will premiere on NBC during the upcoming fall season. During the unscripted series, Jackson and the creators of the World Hip Hop Championship dance competition audition thousands of dance crews from around the world for a chance to come to Los Angeles, to compete for the global championship and to win an international touring contract.

Ludacris will star in the 400th episode of The Simpsons. The rapper recently finished voice-overs for the episode, which involves a chaotic trip to the dentist with the Simpson family. He appears as "Luda-Crest" in a video designed to get teens to brush their teeth.

Young Jeezy is helping turn dreams into reality with his new Make Your Dreams Come True contest. The competition, which coincides with the release of the artist’s new single Dreamin', allows fans the opportunity to share their dreams with Jeezy, who will personally review each dream. The winner will get the chance to have the rapper make their dream come true.

T-Pain's Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') climbs 3-1 on the Billboard Hot 100 to earn the Florida native his first chart-topper there. The cut is the chart's greatest airplay gainer for a seventh straight week, the longest such streak since Beyonce's Baby Boy had an equal run in 2003. Drank is also No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for a third week in a row.