Common will head to the studio this month to begin recording his seventh studio album, Finding Forever.    The Chicago bred rapper will be teaming up with Kanye West once again and he is also hoping to collaborate with Dr. Dre on the project.

Common, who can currently be seen performing in the new concert film Dave Chappelle's Block Party, which opened last weekend , will  be making his motion picture debut in  the fall via Smokin' Aces, which also stars Alicia Keys and Ben Affleck.

BAD BOY DRAMA

Reports have surfaced that Bad Boy Entertainment rapper Black Rob is currently in custody after  he was recently arrested in New Jersey on a fugitive warrant stemming from his conviction on theft charges from a 2004 incident.

Rob plead guilty to the incident in November and was sentenced to two to six years in prison. He  remained free on bail but did not show up as arranged on January 24, at which time a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Rob will be returned to New York to be jailed on the original charges and could possibly face additional time for jumping bail.

On a  lighter note ,  Bad Boy’s CEO Sean ‘Diddy’  Combs , will be launching  a young women's sportswear line  in 2007 for his Sean John apparel collection. 

NBA star Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets  recently launched his record label called Kross Over

Entertainment. Anthony , has already added  3 artists on roster including Atlanta based rapper Berg , who is already enjoying the success of his underground smash hit  single "Hold Up" ft Bun B.

Kross Over's roster also houses R&B singer Alesia Miller and producer/artist Sounds.

GIMME THE MONEY

As previously reported , Shyne’s lawyer was set to challenge the “Son Of Sam”  law that froze the rappers assets  last year on Tuesday (March 7) . 

The case was adjourned and will now take place on Monday, March 20th at Kings County Supreme Court in Brooklyn, N.Y. before Judge Howard A. Riditzky.

Shyne is trying to gain the aforementioned frozen assets so he can support his family and get legal representation to defend him from civil suits filed against him by victims of the 1999 club shooting that landed him in jail.

IN G-UNIT NEWS....

Mobb Deep’s debut on G-Unit Records which was  to be released this month will hit shelves on April 11th.  The video for “Put Em in Their Place” which will be the first single off Blood Money will premiere next week.

In other G- Unit news, 50 Cent and Olivia will be shooting a video to the single “Best Friend” next week in Los Angeles.

RETURN OF THE TRICE

In a recent radio interview, Obie Trice revealed that his sophomore album Second Round’s On Me will hit shelves on July 25th.

The album will feature appearances Trick Trick, D-12, Akon, 50 Cent, Trife Life and Nate Dogg. Production on the project will be supplied by Eminem, Dr. Dre  and Scott Storch.

To listen to the lead single “Snitch” ft Akon, click here.

ALL ABOUT NE-YO  

Ne-Yo's debut solo, In My Own Words, entered the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts at No. 1, it was reported Wednesday.

The album sold  more than 301,000 copies in its first week and the Def Jam crooner is showing no signs of slowing down , as he is already gearing up the release of his third single " When You're Mad".

Ne-Yo will  be will opening  The LL Cool J Custom Concert on the Oxygen Network (10:30 p.m. ET/ 9:30 CT); and March 27th will mark his debut on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. 

In other Def Jam news,  Rihanna will release her sophomore album, A Girl Like Me, on April 25.  "SOS" , the lead single off the album is already gaining major rotation and is featured in a Nike ad campaign.

The cut was released exclusively last month through Nikewomen.com.

Other songs expected to appear on the album are "Dem Haters," "No Looking Back," "Don't Lie" and "Selfish Girl." Rihanna's labelmate, singer/songwriter Ne-Yo, penned the second single, "Unfaithful."