The City of Toronto is pissed off at one of their own. Drake used a billboard in the city to promote his album “Take Care.” However, the city argues there is a trademark infringement over the word “Toronto,” which is spelt in a font distinctively used by the city.

The sign has been up for a couple of months, but only recently has it been brought to the attention of Toronto officials. The city believes it looks like an official “Welcome” sign.

“We would suggest that the treatment of the word Toronto used on the billboard is very similar to the wordmark that forms part of the Toronto logo,” city spokesperson Francine Antonio-Forte told the Toronto Star. “The similarity of the wordmarks, in conjunction with other creative elements used for the billboard, may cause some confusion about the source of the information.” There’s been no word as to whether Toronto officials will take legal action against their pride and joy. “While the city is proud of its local and international talent, we have a general practice of reviewing and addressing reported or known cases related to the possible misuse of the Toronto logo,” Antonio-Forte added.

If the city was smart, they would leave Drake alone. The rapper has put Toronto and Canadian hip-hop on the map, and the rapper proudly represents the city. Hopefully they just give him a warning.

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With the MMVAs only three days away, anticipation is rising for Toronto’s biggest party. Today’s feature will take a look at Far East Movement and Dev, who will be performing on the big night.

Bridging the gap between underground party records and mainstream hip-hop and pop, Far East Movement and Dev have gone straight to the #1 spots with songs such as ‘Like a G6.’

The group is comprised of a dynamic foursome that uses hip-hop, pop, electro and dance to create truly unique music. Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Splif, and DJ Virman have already completed two world tours. The group’s music has also been featured on numerous television shows and films, including ‘Get Him To The Greek’ and ‘Gossip Girl.’

Dev, who frequently performs and contributes to the group, holds her own as well. She’s had many hits on her own, including the infectious ‘Bass Down Low.’ She is currently finishing up a debut studio album, ‘The Night The Sun Came Up,’ and is touring with User and Akon on Usher’s ‘OMG Tour.’

Check out a video we recently did with Dev, and don’t forget: Enter our contest for a chance to win a wristband to the 2011 Muchmusic Video Awards.

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A convicted felon is claiming he shot and robbed rapper Tupac Shakur, reports CTV.

New York City police have begun investigating the online posting, which was posted on the website AllHipHop.com.

The posted claims he was paid $2,500 by another hip hop mogul to rob Shakur outside a studio in Manhattan in 1994, where Tupac suffered gunshot wounds but eventually recovered. He was later killed in 1996 by an unknown killer.

Police are trying to determine if the post is truthful and plan on interviewing the prisoner.

“Now I would like to clear up a few things, because the statute of limitations is over, and no one can be charged, and I’m just plain tired of listening to your lies,” the man says in the posting. ”I still have as proof the chain we took in the robbery.”

This may be a publicity stunt, or simply a confession that’s been eating him up on the inside. Either way, we won’t know if it’s true or not until the police investigate. Just a couple of weeks ago, a fake story was posted claiming Tupac is still alive, so you never know with these stories.

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As the MuchMusic Video Awards are quickly approaching (six days!), plenty of fans are eagerly awaiting their favourite artists to rock downtown Toronto in one of Canada’s biggest block parties of the year.

From Simple Plan to Fefe Dobson and Avril Lavigne, plenty of Canadian artists will be on scene to deliver some serious music. And we’re here to explore some of this year’s top artists and performers.

Let’s start with Down With Webster. One of the most anticipated bands of the night, the group is nominated four times for the 2011 MMVAS. The band formed in 1998 at their junior high in Toronto’s Beach community, and after more than a decade of writing, producing, playing shows and perfecting their craft, the band is now set as one of the hottest Hip-Hop Rock groups in Canada.

When the band released their first Gold record ‘Time To Win, vol. 1,’ they spawned three platinum singles, including the ever-so-catchy ‘Rich Girl$,’ three number one videos, and millions of hits on YouTube. Timbaland has even called them “the illest group I’ve ever seen live.” How’s that for success?

The band has since toured across North America, going on to share the stage with some serious heavy hitters like 3Oh!3 and the Black Eyed Peas. They even hosted MuchMusic’s ‘Spring Break 2010′ episode in Cancun, Mexico, and delivered an exciting performance last year at the 2010 MMVAs with a live marching band.

This year, Down With Webster returns to sweep some awards again, this time with their full length debut ‘Time To Win, vol. II’ scheduled to arrive this fall. The first single, ‘She’s Dope,’ is already a hit. You’ll have to wait to see what the band delivers on MMVA night.

Check out an interview we did with the group below, where we ask them what makes good pop music!

Enter our contest for a chance to win a wristband to the 2011 Muchmusic Video Awards.

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The cover art and collaborators list for Pitbull’s upcoming album ‘Planet Pit’ has been released, reports Perez Hilton.

Featured artists on the upcoming Pitbull album will include Marc Anthony, Chris Brown, T-Pain, Ne-Yo, Kelly Rowland, and Sean Paul.

All-star producers that have collaborated on ‘Planet Pit’ include Afrojack, Benny Blanco, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, David Guetta, RedOne,Polow Da Don and DJ Frank E.

That’s one hell of a team, the album is sure to impress.

Here’s what Pitbull, aka Armando Christian Pérez, had to say about his upcoming album via press release:

“It embodies a bit of everywhere I’ve been. I’m trying to be the ambassador; the bridge builder who brings elements from all over the world and puts it all together so it sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before.”

“When the congas are pounding and the bass is thumping behind me, nothing can touch me,” adds Pitbull.

The album is expected to drop in June 2011.

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Rapper Lil B has been receiving death threats after naming his upcoming album ‘I’m Gay,’ reports Perez Hilton.

“People been hitting me up like, ‘I’m gonna bash your head in,’ ‘you f—-t,’ ‘I’m gonna kill you,’” said Lil B. “I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that’s why I’m doing it. I hope GLAAD sees that I’m taking initial steps to break barriers.”

According to Lil B, in the album title he’s referring to himself as “gay” meaning “happy,” and he insists that the title choice is not a gimmick or publicity stunt.

The album will released on iTunes within a month or so, and Lil B won’t be changing the album’s title.

It’s sad that people are still so closed-minded in this day and age. He’s obviously doing something to make a point, yes, but for people to react this way is just so, so sad. Is an album name really going to affect you that much? Will your life really be eternally changed for the worse because some people are gay?

I don’t get the logic, but props to B for taking a stance on it. It’s not often you see members of the hip-hop community be so open and accepting of the LGBT community, so I think it’s a good step forward.

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Beyonce has released her newest single, called ‘Run The World (Girls),’ and it’s nothing short of fire.

Much like her single ‘Single Ladies,’ the song is a female anthem with heavy dance beats. I can see this being a smash hit… actually, it’s already on its way!

My only critique is that the song is a little repetitive… we get it Beyonce, you run the world. You don’t have to shout it over and over for four minutes. Whatever, it has a good beat and catchy chorus, so I’ll forgive her this time around. Return of Queen Beyonce!

Take a listen below, and let us know what you think!

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Nicki Minaj has told UntouchableBritney.net that shes currently in talks to tour with the queen of pop herself, Britney Spears.

“We’re talking. I would love to, but I don’t know yet. I can neither confirm or deny the rumours!”

This has come after Enrique Iglesias pulled out of the tour, although nobody really knows why. Where the tickets too expensive? Was he too egotistical to be a supporting act? Does he not like Britney as a person? We’ll never know, but what I personally think, is that Minaj is a way better choice.

Britney has a hip-hop, dance flavour to her music, so I think an up-and-commer like Nicki Minaj will definitely compliment Britney’s music. Plus, both of their fans tend to be in the same kind of demographic – the gays, the girls, and the clubbers – so it would be a good fit.

It’s not set in stone, though. For all we know, Pauly D can end up opening for her (no, no, no, no.) But who would you like to see open for Britney?

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Kanye West’s new music video for “All of The Lights” has received an Epilepsy warning from a British organization called Epilepsy Action, according to MTV News.

The charity group provides support for people with epilepsy, and says that the video “should not be broadcast on U.K. television.”

“However, the Kanye West video is still available online, most notably on YouTube where it has had several million hits, and no such regulations exist for online broadcasting,” said the organization in a statement.

As a result of this outburst, the video, which features a barely-dressed Rihanna, has been pulled from many stations including MuchMusic. “We are pleased to see that YouTube and Kanye West’s representatives have listened to our concerns and are warning people that the video is a risk to some people,” Epilepsy Action campaigns manager Aimee Gee said to MTV.

It’s true that the online world of broadcasting has drastically different rules than the television world – meaning there really are no rules for online broadcasting. It’ll be much harder for the music video to be pulled from YouTube than it was to get pulled from television, simply due to the fact that the online world is a free, post-whatever-you-want world. Warning ads have been placed before the video, though.

Now, I don’t know if I just feel bad for Kanye, but the dude just can’t catch a break. Ever since the Taylor Swift fiasco at the Grammys, his career has never been able to fully recover. Although the song is currently at number 14 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart, his video now risks the chance of getting pulled from all media outlets. Poor guy!

I don’t know if pulling the video from everywhere is the solution, though. The obvious answer to this problem seem simple to me; if you have epilepsy, don’t watch a music video called “All of The Lights“. I mean, lights is your first clue that you probably won’t enjoy it. Secondly, I realize that maybe someone could stumble upon the video and have an epileptic seisure, but how about changing the channel if you see bright lights? How are these flashing lights different from Ke$ha or Britney Spears’ videos?

I’ve personally seen the video and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was different, unique, and a fresh change from the usual videos played today. It seems like all the good videos are getting censored nowadays. Just a couple weeks ago, Rihanna’s “S&M” video got pulled in some countries as it was too ‘risky’. I mean, we live in a modern century, a little risky or bright lights won’t hurt anyone. Well, maybe, but you know what I mean.

Does that mean all strobe light parties are at risk of extinction too? Will the world become an abyss of black and white? Will all creativity be banished from our lives, and we’ll be forced to watch Glee episodes on repeat for the rest of eternity?

I know I’m being rash, but I mean, I feel bad for the guy. The video is good. Let Kanye have his moment.

See the video below and be careful!

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Passion, Pain & Pleasure is the fourth album from Trey Songz. Released in the summer, the album has received great critical response. No doubt what has helped in achieving this success is the appearance of Drake on the song Unusual. Trey spoke to us about working with Drake and their special friendship behind the scenes.

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K-os has already proven himself as one of the most original hip hop artists, but we ere even more impressed by his ideas about music and knowledge of music history. Especially when he dropped the bomb that Justin Bieber is Black! See for yourself!

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Proof that money doesn’t buy you everything, it just buys you bigger problems. TMZ reports that a huge search effort was placed on Timbaland yesterday after his family believed he maybe suicidal.

Apparently a $2 Million piece of jewelry was stolen from the music producer. Timbaland called his brother in law yesterday to discuss the robbery which took place at his house, and was deeply upset as he believed it was orchestrated by someone close. His family believed he may be suicidal, and called the police.

A massive search effort was put in place to look for Timbaland’s Escalade, and he was eventually spotted and pulled over by police. Officers spoke with him and took him back home. After an examination by paramedics, it was concluded he is not a threat to himself or anybody else.

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Sage Francis is commonly referred to as a forefather and pioneer of the indie-rap movement that swept the world in the late 90′s and early 2000′s. Sage and his peers have constantly pushed the boundaries, redefining what “Hip Hop” could be every step of the way. andPOP catches up with Sage Francis and finds out the state-of-union and the differences between his world and that of the Top 40.

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Korey Schaefer and Jordan Bortolotti are always up for a challenge. So they a proposed challenge in which they would shoot an entire hip-hop music video within one day. Under their group name “Cereal Killas,” they created a video for their smash hit “Do Ya Thang,” along with the help of reactiv post. Did they succeed? You tell us! And remember to check out “Something New” on AUX TV @ 9 pm EST or aux.tv!

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Shad is a perfect example of the amazing musical talent emerging from Canada. After financing his first album in 2005 from winning a radio contest, fast forward to 2010 and Shad has been nominated for numerous awards, and has just released his third album, TSOL. The new album has been getting amazing praise, placing Shad undoubtedly in Canadian rap royalty. Of course there is no secret Shad is a fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, so we couldn’t help but rap the opening theme song with him.

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The boys of “Something New” investigate the state of commercial hip hop. In an attempt to demonstrate the division between critical acclaim and commercially successful music, hosts Korey Schaefer and Jordan Bortolotti try to exploit mainstream audiences with their own “smash single.” With the help of Canadian super producer Chris Perry and Reativ pictures, two talentless hacks create what they think is a marketable product.

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Gang Starr’s Guru died yesterday after losing a battle with cancer, rollingstone.com reports.

Guru, who died at the age of 43, suffered cardiac arrest in late February after having surgery to treat the cancer, eventually going into a brief coma.

Born in 1966 as Keith Elam, the Boston native Guru and producer DJ Premier created the rap duo Gang Starr. Together they recorded six records between 1989 and 2003, including critically acclaimed albums such as 1991′s Step In the Arena and 1992′s Daily Operation.

Guru also became a pioneer with his four Jazzmatazz (hip-hop/jazz) albums. After Gang Star’s last album, The Ownerz, Guru and DJ Premier ended their duo, but Guru still toured under the Gang Starr name. He also released two solo albums, under his own name and produced by Solar, in the 2000s.

“The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all-time – my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,” Solar said in a statement. “This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius.”

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Drizzy fans rejoice!

Toronto’s own rapper sensation Drake is headlining his first American solo tour, reports canada.com.

“The Away From Home Tour,” which runs from April 6 through May 8, will hit 25 cities. It follows Drake’s participation in the “Young Money Presents: America’s Most Wanted Music Festival,” which Lil Wayne headlined.

Drake’s tour will feature performances from synth pop New York band Francis & The Lights as well as Canadian rapper K-OS. It will hit a number of large cities as well as over 15 colleges and universities as part of the “Campus Concious Tour.”

Drake, with the help of Reverb (a non-profit organization that promotes environmentally-friendly actions) is going green for his tour. He will use bio-diesel fuel and biodegradable and recyclable products on the tour bus and backstage at shows.

The rapper will also have an “Eco-Village” with tents which will host environmental and other socially concious groups educating people on technology, student carbon-offset programs and eco-friendly consumerism. This part of the tour is produced by Pretty Polly Productions with the help of Reverb.

Catch Drake here:

Apr. 6: Charleston, IL (Eastern Illinois University)
Apr. 7: Columbus, OH (private location)
Apr. 9: State College, PA (Penn State University)
Apr. 10: Boston, MA (private location)
Apr. 11: Lock Haven, PA (private location)
Apr. 14: East Lansing, MI (Michigan State University)
Apr. 15: Rochester Hills, MI (Oakland University)
Apr. 16: Morgantown, WV (West Virginia University)
Apr. 21: Orlando, FL (University Central Florida)
Apr. 22: Greenville, SC (Furman University)
Apr. 23: TBA
Apr. 24: New Orleans, LA (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
Apr. 26: New Orleans, LA (University of Missouri – Kansas City)
Apr. 27: Lexington, KY (University of Kentucky)
Apr. 29: Lowell, MA (University Mass Lowell)
Apr. 30: Syracuse, NY (private location)
May 1: Boston, MA (private location)
May 4: East Rutherford, NJ (Bamboozle Festival)
May 5: Towson, MD (Holy Cross)
May 6: Cheney, PA (Towson University)
May 7: Ithaca, NY (private location)
May 8: Plymouth, NH (private location)

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Jason Derulo is like one of those multi-purpose Swiss Army knives that presents a new feature every-time you use it.

At any moment he can be a well-rounded singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor, and would technically boast a quadruple threat, but you can’t be too sure with a guy like this.

You never know when he’s going to show you another part of his versatility.

His most recent example of  those surprise features, was his role in MTV’s made-for-TV-movie Turn The Beat Around which premiered on February 26. Derulo shows off his skills by playing a recording star, and also delivers a high-energy dance performance.

But his role on the TV screen is just a small ripple effect of the Miami-born’s overall talent- which people have begun to take note of.

It’s the reason why he’s been the opening act for Lady Gaga during her Monster Ball tour since November 2009. And it’s the reason why his two singles so far -Whatcha Say and In My Head- have both ranked in the top ten on a bunch of music charts across the globe. Whatcha Say has made the most headlines, grabbing the no. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and gaining double-platinum status in the U.S.

Oh yea, and this is all been accomplished before the release of his self-titled debut album, which drops on March 2.

Considering that GQ Magazine’s December 2009 issue dubbed Drake, Kid Cudi and Wale as Hip Hop’s next torch-bearers, it can definitely be argued that Derulo is part of the next chosen ones to fill the shoes of Pop.

andPOP managed to speak to Derulo about his love for acting and his secret method for songwriting. Also make sure to check out our original interview with Jason Derulo!

andPOP: You seem to be a jack-of-all-trades. How did you get into acting?

JD: I actually grew up acting. I was in a few theatre productions at AMDA in New York, so I don’t think I’m one of those actors who has a career just based from a previous music career. I actually got offered something from Broadway a while ago, but it just wasn’t a good fit because I was focused on music,  so I had to turn it down. But I do really love this craft. Right now, all I can be is thankful that my music and acting careers are slowly taking off at the same time.

andPOP: Tell me about the audition process for this MTV movie?

JD: Well, I went into the auditions totally normally. It was way before Whatcha Say gained hype. I just went into MTV without any ties to anybody, and just read the lines like it was a regular gig. It made landing the role that much more of a personal success. In the beginning, I was just drawn to the whole vibe how the movie had the same idea of the dance movie Step It Up. And I’m really thankful to MTV for letting me have the opportunity to do this.

andPOP: Any ideal guys you’d like to work with?

JD: Definitely Steven Spielberg. Quentin Tarantino. They’re just amazing. I’ve always wanted to do the superhero film thing too, just got work up to it!

andPOP: When you’re thinking about your music career, what’s your routine to get the creative juices flowing before writing a song?

JD: Honestly just put me in the sound-booth. Once I’m in there I’ll just be messing with everything. The light turns on in my mind, and I’ll turn the music really, really loud in my headphones. If you were to listen you’d think I was trying to make you deaf, but for me, I begin to pen lyrics on the spot, develop rhythm and sound. I dance to the music, mumbling words. That’s how I start the song, I don’t use pen or paper at all.

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Ever since the release of ‘Times Up’ in 1995, Classified has brought an unprecedented enthusiasm to hip hop. He is renowned for his straight up, honest lyricism and has never tried to hide the fact that he’s a proud Canadian. Thirteen albums later, he’s signed to a major label and continues to share is uninhibited patriotism with his latest single ‘Oh Canada.’ Just in time for the Vancouver Olympics. To get the single and more crafty sampling I suggest picking up his latest album ‘Self Explanatory.’

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