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Dr. Dre’s brand of headphones, Monster Cable’s Beats By Dre, have received some very high-profile product placement, from talk shows to music videos (Keri Hilson’s and Lady Gaga’s, just to name a few).

Now, some of sport’s biggest stars will be rocking the high-end headphones, as the entire Cleveland Cavalier team was given custom-made Beats By Dre gear.

According to ESPN.com, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lebron James also teamed up with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant to purchase custom-made Beats By Dre for every member of the East and West NBA All-Star teams. James also gave the headphones to his U.S. Olympic teammates in 2008.

“I had high expectations,” said Kevin Lee, Vice President of Brand and Business Development for Monster, of the headphones. “We surpassed my expectations. We released the Beats by Dre in 2008, and it took a good 12 months for it to hit the masses.”

Lee spoke of the line’s futristic and visually appealing side, but also noted their audio quality. “They give you full studio sound, because Dre is very particular about sound. It really does matter for athletes. That’s why LeBron and Kobe rock our headphones.”

“Athletes have always used music for some type of inspiration,” said Ryan Grant, Green Bay Packers running back and owner of Beats By Dre headphones . “We travel and do things that are active when we listen to music. We want the best product.”

Indeed, headphones are a worthwhile investment for athletes, according to Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horfor, who had a pair of blue and white custom-made Beats By Dre headphones with the phrase “El Jefe” (The Boss) inscribed on the side made for him and his teammates.

Other athletes who’ve had custom headphones made for themeselves include Chad Ochocinco and Nate Robinson.

“We in a time of a transition and we need a new sound, we need a new direction, a new leader! And I feel like that’s what I’m here for. To fill that position that void.” 
 

How did you get the name Nipsey Hussle?  

The meaning behind the name Nipsey Hussle is: 

You know the last name Hussle more represent the spirit and the reputation that I had before I had the nickname. It was more or less my homey boy baby kosh threw on me one day in a joking fashion, like jokin’ clownin’ around so it was just something that ended up stickin’ over time. There was no real meaning ta’the Nipsey part, just a spin-off to Nipsey Russle. I didn’t know who that was at the time, since I took the name, I did a lil’ research and found out about it and ain’t no parallels between me and him. Personally I just kinda liked how the name sound, you know? I personified the life style and the hustle and ambition so that why that stuck.  

Where do you come from? 

Originally I come from Los Angeles, California the west side, Crenshaw Slauson area, known as the Rollin’ 60’s 
 

What do you got goin’ on right now that the people could look out for? 

The moves that I’m makin’ right now, I’m doin’ a lot! I’m working on my debut project :South Central State of Mind” I’m workin’ on the Slauson Boy album and a Slauson boy mixtatape, Wich is myself/Cuzy Capone, Hustla Rob, G-Bob, Bret Paul, J-stone, Tiny Boss Hogg and Shadey Blue. Aside from that, we developin’ a company “All money In No money out we got acts getting ready to sign to that, ummm we tryna’ situate a distribution deal for the label. 

We got a new store opened up in L.A. Slauson t-shirts you know we had closed down temporarily since my brother been home, we opened it back up. Um, you know we got the studio Dedication Studio in Los Angeles, and you know we been makin’ really focused on making my solo debut as big and as classic as possible. And that’s what we got goin’ on right now.  
 

What is your current thought on the state of hip-hop? 

My thought on the current state of hip-hip west-coast hip-hop is that we in a time of a transition and we need a new sound, we need a new direction, a new leader! And I feel like that’s what I’m here for. To fill that position that void. No cut/ 
 

Who will follow after the Hussle? 

When it comes to who I’m gonna bring into the game when I’m ready, you know definitely the Slauson Boys. Definitely J-Stone, definitely Kid Cali, definitely Gran-Pa, Rolow, and a young dude from Watts named Killa Twan, and there’s a couple of other people that I deal with that I’ll hopefully be in the position to know be a bridge to or a foot in the game to, you know those people I named most definitely. 
 

What is your definition of Swagg? 

Confidence, believing in yourself and knowing you that ni**a instead thinking about it or fantasizing about it, you just know and you’re confident in what you do based on your program. 

What does it mean to be So West Coast And A Gangster G? 

Shit I feel like you know that’s a term that was put on the lifestyle. So I just feel like be yourself before you try and be anything else.  
 
 
 
 

What is your favorite designer brand? 

It’s probably Levi’s, 501’s. Keep it 100.  

Top to bottom my swagg would be fly Crip’n simply put. That’s what my swagg is.  

When was the last time you went to the Swap Meet? 

The last time I was shopping, was at the Slauson swap meet, earlier this week.  A couple of days ago. 

And as far as shopping at the t-shirt shop, well we just opened it back up so we shoppin’ for it. We ain’t shoppin in it. We buy the merchandise that goes in the shop.  

Any Shout outs? 

Shout outs is the same as usual, the whole A&B all money in business creative team, A to Z, management Cinematic, Unique, All money in to the end. That’s in. HUSSLE. 
 

For more on the Hussle, check out: 

www.nipseyhussle.com

www.twitter.com/nipseyhussl

www.myspace.com/nipseyhussle 
 

By: Brick Swagg

Rapper J-Kwon has gone missing, according to a press release from the St. Louis native’s label.

According to the release, the 24-year-old’s label, Gracie Productions, has been unable to reach him for over a month.

Anyone with information on the matter is urged to send in tips. A Twitter account, @WhereIsJkwon, has been set up to provide updates.

“J-Kwon is a big part of the Gracie family, and we are obviously increasingly worried and want to make sure he is ok,” says Gracie Productions CEO/President Tony Bucher. “We’ve already received thousands of emails from fans and supporters who are worried about J-Kwon, and we want everyone to know how much we appreciate the love and support. If anyone has seen J-Kwon or has access to him, please let him know we are worried about him, and to please let us know everything is ok.”

After his 2004 album, Hood Hop, which featured the smash hit “Tipsy,” J-Kwon released two projects in 2009 on Gracie Productions: Hood Hop 2 and Hood Hop 2.5. His self-titled album is set to hit stores on March 23, 2010 via One Records.

For more information, go to www.myspace.com/jkwon and www.gracieprod.com.

UPDATE: People close to J-Kwon revealed to DX Wednesday afternoon that recently, the rapper had been reclusive, isolating himself from friends, family and business partners. Sources hint that the former So So Def artist may have been struggling with emotional issues

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Fraud suspect Andrew Wilson  aka Drew Dazzle.

To society, he was a high roller who bought flights for his friends and family, lived in high-end condos and had a nice set of wheels.

The only problem, police say, was that the life was a fake.

“He tried to create the persona of a high roller, someone who made lots of money and was very free with it and perhaps people just accepted it that he was a generous guy,” Toronto Police Det. Al Verwey said Monday. “Part of being a good confidence man is making people believe in your image.”

In the entertainment world, Andrew Wilson presented himself as the leader of several companies specializing in promotions and celebrity management — companies that, for the most part, didn’t exist, Verwey said.

The 39-year-old man who has been accused several times over the past decade of using fraud to fuel a lavish lifestyle is now accused of vagrancy, laundering proceeds of crime, fraudulently obtaining food and lodging, theft of telecommunications — the list goes on.

His two high-end condos, his expensive clothes, his vacations, his 2006 Range Rover and even his furniture were all paid for, Verwey alleged, through fraud.

“There’s no evidence that he earned a living,” Verwey said. “Our allegation is that he is supporting himself by crime.”

The accusations are the latest in a long list.

Since 2001, Peel Regional Police have accused Wilson — also known as Drew Wilson, Ken Jackson and, when posing with Bill Clinton on Facebook, Drew Dazzle — of using fraudulent credit cards for a private flight to Miami and limousines; they said he fraudulently lived in a Toronto condo and rented out visitor suites in the same way; and they said he used someone else’s debit card to steal $6,000.

On Nov. 29, when police allegedly caught him in the driver seat of a car not registered in his name — a breach of a release condition pending a trial in Toronto — they allege he gave them a false birthday.

That Wilson was even out of custody to allegedly commit the crimes he now stands accused of says something about the justice system, Verwey said.

“I think it kind of reflects the type of sentences that the courts hand out for white-collar crimes and it’s also a good lesson for both private landlords as well as business operators and financial institutions that when somebody’s applying for something, whether it’s a loan or a credit card or the rental of an apartment, that you have to go beyond the information that they put down on the application form and actually do some legitimate background checks,” Verwey said.

Verwey began investigating Wilson about two years ago during a routine traffic stop, he said. Wilson had no car insurance and Verwey later realized Wilson had allegedly given the wrong home address for a court summons.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out for him through different methods,” Verwey said, adding further charges are pending.

Anyone with information about Wilson, especially landlords who believe they were taken by him, were asked to contact Verwey at 416-808-1348 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477, 222tips.com, or by texting TOR and your tip to CRIMES.