It's time people! The Roots are here! Can you believe that the album, Rising Down will be The Roots' 10th studio album? My how time passes! Now, I don't know if you know this or not but this album title follows the same vein as its predecessors. Rising Down comes from the opus entitled Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts On Violence, Freedom And Urgent Means by William T. Vollman. Crazy right? Anyway, if you've been hiding under a rock for the past while, you should know that 3 songs are currently floating around out there in Cyberspace. You got, 'Get Busy', '75 Bars' and 'Birthday Girl'. The latter being the focus single of this record. Anyway, what's in store you ask? Well, peeps like Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Dice Raw and Peedi Crakk to name a few. Actually, you know what? Just pick it up and you'll see. The Roots don't disappoint.

Yes people. It's true. Kardinal Offishall is back in the building! The Universal building that is. If you haven't heard the smash 'Dangerous' feat. Akon on your radio station, podcast or from your favourite dj, request it up! Trust, they'll know what you're talking about! Big respects going out to DJ Kemo (Rascalz) for producing the beat! Fiya dude... Fiya. Canada, get ready cuz it's time to stand up! Look out for the 'Dangerous' video blazing up your local video show any day now. Shot in Miami, Kardi takes the next step up with his new Konvict clan. Remember to request it when it drops. Stay tuned for more Kardi news.

Talented Swedish singer Robyn has unleashed her long-awaited self-titled album Robyn. A veteran to the game, Robyn is ready to gain some well deserved respect this side of the ocean. Initially coming with a gritty combination of Urban R&B and sunny pop from Sweden, her style has morphed to maintain that while encompassing a more synth-pop and electronic dance vibe. This is the new sound people. Time to get with the times! Her current single 'With Every Heartbeat' is hot and sure to make you dance. Be sure to peep out the remix (Pete Tong & Dave Spoon) burning up the underground charts. The video's coming soon, as well as a possible North American tour in May. So get with the times and be sure to go check for Robyn, everywhere you check for good music.

Oshawa native MC Mic Boogie is getting ready. His full length debut album That's Me is set to take the stage on May 3, 2008. It's about time too! From the successful track 'Everybody's Doin' It', to the newest single burning up the radio and video circuits 'Good Look (White Punks On Dope Remix)'. But be sure to look out for the remix featuring fellow Canadian Snow and the Hip Hop icon legend KRS-One! Canada stand up!

Haven't seen the video for "Party People" yet? Well, you're just not looking in the right places. Check it out on MUCHMUSIC, MuchMusic.com, yahoo.ca and MTV.ca Nelly takes it back to the streets with his latest and brings ferocious B-girl Fergie along for the ride. Check out the pics from the video shoot - Nelly is hotter than ever and ready to unleash his new album Brass Knuckles on June 24th!

Countdown has officially started! Mariah Carey, aka the most successful female recording artist in history is days away from droppin' her newest album E=MC2. There's no doubt that this is going to be big! Just look at what's been going on so far. The initial single, 'Touch My Body'(produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart) alongside the video directed by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour & X-Men), burned up radio and video shows across the country as soon as it went to radio! E=MC2 is already tipping before it even drops! The new remix version features Rick Ross and The Dream!

If you haven't heard it yet, request it from your local DJ. But do look out for more details. Stay logged on to universalurban.com for more contests and information as it comes.

Text MARIAH to 32123 and get a Mariah Carey ringtone for your phone!

Canada helped toast the Iranian New Year with a twist of West Coast and Canadian hip-hop this month, sending rap musician Imaan Faith's debut album Let The Truth Be Known on G.U.T.S. Records and DEP / Universal Canada straight to the country's top ten Neilsen SoundScan music charts. Being the only urban Canadian artist on the top ten charts, Imaan was also the only male Canadian artist featured and second only to rap icon Snoop Dogg in national urban record sales for the week of March 10-16. No stranger to West Coast hip-hop, Imaan's debut single 'Haven't Seen U Smile' featured multi-platinum rappers Mopreme Shakur & Big Syke, members of the Thug Life and Outlawz groups formed by Tupac Shakur.

'Haven't Seen U Smile' also landed a spot in the popular FLOW 93.5 FM "OTA Live" countdown the week of Imaan's release, and the music video directed by British-Iranian filmmaker Gobi charted in several top 5 MuchMusic.com playlists, besides receiving significant airplay on the national station's RapCity program and MuchVibe digital channel.

Imaan's debut album Let The Truth Be Known features tracks by Tupac producer Johnny "J", Eminem DJ Clinton Sparks, and Indo-Canadian bhangra producer Pama Sarai. Guests include Freeway (Roc-A-Fella); Colby O' Donnis (Konvict Records); TQ and even Juno Award winner Snow.

For more information, peep out ImaanFaithMusic.com

Yes people. It's true! Kardi is finally back with the Universal Fam! If you don't know by now, Kardi is in his finest form getting ready to drop his 1st international album entitled Not 4 Sale. He is now signed with Akon's (Konlive) imprint label, home to cats like T-Pain and Colby O' Donnis and he's even got a single blazing up countdowns everywhere. What song you ask? It's called 'Dangerous' featuring Akon. Totally cancon produced by Van City's own DJ Kemo (Rascalz). But as for the album, he's not messing around. Word has it that guest appearances include Akon (of course!), PCD's, T-Pain and Estelle just to name a few.

Stay tuned to universalurban.com and myspace.com/kardinaloffishall for more information as it comes down the pipe!

Reggae Music is the hottest sound of the summer, hands down. Only a comp like Reggae 2008 features the most popular crossover Reggae & Reggaeton hits on one CD in a non-stop mix! Set to drop on May 6th, this comp boasts the biggest hits from cats like Sean Kingston, Sean Paul, Kat DeLuna, Elephant man and not to mention contributions from the likes of Daddy Yankee, Wisin Y Yandel and Pitbull. So start to warm up ya legs and get ready, because come May 6th, Reggae 2008 is coming to a store near you!

How time passes. Would you believe that the upcoming Roots album entitled Rising Down will be The Roots' 10th studio album? Well, don't know if you know this or not but this album title follows the same vein as its predecessors. Rising Down comes from the opus entitled Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts On Violence, Freedom And Urgent Means by William T. Vollman. Crazy right? Anyway, if you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past while, you should know that 3 songs are currently floating around out there in Cyberspace. You got, 'Get Busy', '75 Bars' and 'Birthday Girl'. The latter being the focus single of this record. Anyway, what's in store you ask? Well, peeps like Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Dice Raw and Peedi Crakk to name a few. Peep the track listing and the trailer for the album below. It'll give you an idea...

The Roots Rising Down trailer
1. The Pow Wow
2. Rising Down feat. Mos Def & Styles P
3. Get Busy feat. Dice Raw & Peedi Crack
4. @ 15
5. 75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)
6. Becoming Unwritten (Interlude)
7. Criminal feat. Truck North & Saigon
8. I Will Not Apologize feat. Porn & Dice Raw
9. I Can’t Help It feat. Malik B & Porn
10. Signing Man feat. Porn & Truck North
11. Up There feat. Mercedes Martinez
12. Lost Desire feat. Malik B & Talib Kwelii
13. The Show feat. Common
14. Rising Up feat.Wale & Chrisette Michele
15. Birthday Girl feat. Patrick Stumph
16. Hidden – WPFW in 94/Pow Wow 2

With 30 million records sold and 3 Grammy Awards, Nelly returns June 24th with Brass Knuckles, an all-new studio album which includes the first single 'Party People' featuring mega-star and ferocious b-girl Fergie. 'Party People' will give radio and club DJs around the globe another Nelly anthem to bring to the masses. The video was shot March 17th & 18th with Fergie and will premiere next week. With features by Babyface, T.I., LL Cool J, T-Pain, Chuck D and Usher, Brass Knuckles is one of 2008's most highly anticipated releases!

International superstar Mariah Carey reaches a once-in-a-lifetime career achievement as her current single 'Touch My Body' goes to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week and becomes her 18th career #1 hit - surpassing one of the most enduring chart records in Billboard Hot 100 history, Elvis Presley's 17 #1's! Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles' all-time high of 20 #1 hits.

With over 160 Million Albums sold world-wide Mariah Carey is the most successful female recording artist in history. This year, Mariah returns to the marketplace with E=MC2, the follow up to the 10 million selling #1 album, The Emancipation Of Mimi. 'Touch My Body' is the deliciously daring first single from the upcoming album release, which has already set records in the US for its massive reception at radio. Written and produced by Mariah Carey, C. 'Tricky' Stewart and The- Dream, 'Touch My Body' sets the stage for the next 'Mimi' world take-over... E=MC2 is available April 15th!

Hands down, Mariah Carey is the most successful female recording artist in history. She's returning to the limelight with E=MC2. Get ready people, this is going to be big. The first single 'Touch My Body', produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart and the video directed by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour & X-Men), is burning up radio and video shows across the country! E=MC2 is already tipping before it even drops! Now the remix is taking over. The new version features Rick Ross and The Dream! If you haven't heard it yet, request it from your local DJ. But do look out for more details.

Stay logged on to universalurban.com for more information as it comes.

Text MARIAH to 32123 and get a Mariah Carey ringtone for your phone!

The streets have put in their verdict; Ross tha Boss is harder than ever! If you haven't heard Trilla, Rick Ross' new album, then you're missing out! The beats are heavy, and his flow compliments each track like rims on a phat ride. His new single 'The Boss' featuring T-Pain is one of the biggest tracks on mixtapes, radio and is all over the tube. If you think that track is crazy, then you should here the classic 'Maybach Music' featuring Jay-Z and 'Luxury Tax' with Lil' Wayne, Young Jeezy and Trick Daddy. You can also catch another side of him on 'I'm Only Human' where Ross gives you an introspective look at how his life is. All that's left to be said is that this album Trilla is where Hip Hop is going right now.

Get in where you fit in, or get left behind...

Text ROSS to 32123 to get a Rick Ross ringtone now!

Fo' shizzle my nizzle! Snoop Dogg is certifiably back! Ego Trippin' is in stores now and has got the magazines (XL in the new issue of XXL!) clubs and radio on smash, while the 80's style influenced video has got everybody talking about the return of "Snoopafly"! If you grew up listening to hip hop, Ego Trippin' is the CD for you. It doesn't just have hot hip hop tracks, it's got tracks that prove to be the roots of what hip hop has become, (especially, Snoop's take on it). Drawing influences from cats like: Prince, The Gap Band, Rick James as well as Morris Day and The Time, Ego Trippin' boasts the best. We're talking production by the undisputed "King of New Jack Swing" Teddy Riley (Guy, SWV), Rick Rock (Jay Z, Busta Rhymes), DJ Quick (Xzibit, Kurupt) and Pharrell (Ludacris, Jay Z) among others.

In addition to his music career, you can also catch Snoop on his very own reality show Snoop Dogg: Fatherhood airing on E! and Musique Plus!

Text SNOOP to 32123 and get Snoop for your phone!