FAT JOE

Hip-hop became a cultural phenomenon against the backdrop of American history, and now Public Enemy’s Chuck D has committed himself to explore its origins.

Musical luminaries including Nas, LL Cool J, and Fat Joe came out to the birthplace of hip-hop for a ground-breaking ceremony to launch the capital campaign for the new Universal Hip Hop Museum.

NEW YORK – A decade after publishing his memoir “Decoded,” Jay-Z is forming a more lasting partnership with the book industry. Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by the rapper, is starting an imprint with Random House called Roc Lit 101. In a joint announcement Tuesday, Random House and Roc Nation promised “books at the dynamic intersection of entertainment and genre-defying literature." Future releases will include a book by Meek Mill on “criminal justice and survival,” memoirs by rappers Yo Gotti and Fat Joe and fantasy fiction from rapper Lil Uzi Vert, along with everything from cookbooks to children's stories. Roc Lit 101 will be led by Chris Jackson, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Random House imprint One World and a recent recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the Center for Fiction; and Jana Fleishman, executive vice president of Roc Nation.

A chance meeting led him to working with rapper Luke, and that turned into him promoting a then-unknown artist named Pitbull. "Instead of using their per diem money to go order food, they would just be like, 'let Teach cook.' Pictures and video of the food went up on social media, catching the attention of rapper Bun B of UGK. Turton made the leap, walked away from the music and purchased a food truck. When Turton stopped working for Pitbull, the rapper gifted him with some money to help with start up costs.