According to Forbes latest list of Hip Hop’s wealthiest, Jay-Z is the industry’s biggest earner – with an estimated $34 million amassed in 2006. The Def Jam president was followed by 50 Cent and Diddy (who has been slowly dropping down the list each year). Check out the complete list below:

Things seem to finally be moving along with Mya’s ‘Liberation’ project. With a confirmed release date of September 18th, the cover art for the CD has surfaced (courtesy of Rap-Up.com). It’s nice, I suppose. At this point, I’m just glad that the album will actually see the light of day.

The Knowles ladies – Beyonce, Solange and Tina – launched their Dereon clothing line in Toronto, Canada last night (August 15th). Check out some of the range below:

Troubled rapper Foxy Brown has, once again, found herself on the wrong side of the law; this time for doing a ‘Naomi Campbell’ and assaulting a woman with her cell phone. Check the out 7 News Online report:

The 27-year-old, whose real name is Inga Marchand, turned herself in to detectives at the 77 Precinct at around 2:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon. She was charged with felony assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon. Brown was arraigned last night and released on $5,000 bail. Her next court date is Sept. 26.

Police say the trouble-prone rapper, who is on parole, was accused of assaulting her 25-year-old neighbor on July 30 at around 6:50 p.m. at the corner of Carlton Avenue and Prospect Place. The rapper allegedly smacked the woman with her cell phone, a Blackberry, during an argument.

The victim was reportedly taken to Brooklyn Hospital for loosening of the teeth, swelling of the lip and swelling of the right eye. She filed a complaint with police, and after an investigation, the rapper agreed to turn herself in yesterday.

It’s a shame that the Foxy of today is a bonafide mess. She either wants to go to jail or is just flat out crazy.SMH…

Rihanna attended the People Music Lounge event in New York City yesterday. The singer brought along her younger brother to the event too. They look exactly like each other.

In other Rihanna news, the singer was also in New York to shoot the fourth and, apparently, final single from her ‘Good Girl Bad’ album – ‘Hate That I Love You’ (ft. Ne-Yo). The plan, thereafter, is for her to head back into the studio to record the follow-up to her current CD.

This is all kinds of wrong! Firstly, ‘Hate That I Love You’ isn’t a single worthy track – a very average rehash of ‘Irreplaceable’/’Sexy Love’. What’s more, the very little respect I have for Rihanna will fly right out the window if she’s really about to start recording another fast-food CD. How many albums in how many years? The girl needs to go away for a minute.

Eve’s forthcoming album’ Here I Am’ has once again been pushed back – this time, from September 18th to October 16th. However, I feel it’s a logical move on the part of the label – as she would have been competing with Chamillionaire as well as the 2nd week sales of the hype snowball that is ’50 Cent vs Kanye West’. Eve will now go head-to-head with Nicole Scherzinger on the new release date.

Check out the album cover for Jagged Edge’s upcoming album ‘Baby Makin’ Project’ – due September 25th via Island Def Jam/So So Def.

The video for the lead single from the album ‘Put A Little Umph In It’ has debuted. Click here to check it out.

Continuing his trend of making eyebrow raising comments, 50 Cent names Ciara as the future of R&B – over Beyonce. Check out an extract of the G-Unit leader’s interview with Hip Hop DX:

HHDX: Fifty, I just wanted to know… how’d you manage to get Ciara to forget about Lil’ Bow Wow?

50 Cent: [Laughs] You’re a nut, man! They came at me about doing the song and I heard the joint. It was before her album came out and I was thinking that she’s the future of R&B. People love Beyoncé, but look at how long she’s been around! I think that she’s dope, though. But I’m about the future of the business and her [Ciara] and Chris Brown are just that. They’re going to be the best things out in a lil’ bit. But as far as what people think between me and her, man… [laughs], the video did that.

I suppose the man is entitled to his own opinion, but come on now lol. I’ve always (and continue to) give props to Ciara for avoiding the ‘Beyonce Curse’ that so many R&B chicks suffer from. However, I don’t think any other female is giving Beyonce a run for her money – in terms of being the total package.

Prior to now, producer/songwriter Sean Garrett has been renown for the hits he’s crafted for the likes of Destiny’s Child (‘Lose My Breath’) , Usher (‘Yeah’) and Nelly (‘Grillz’). However now, the Atlanta native is set to launch his own label Bet I Penned It Music via Interscope, with his currently untitled album serving as the label’s first release. Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine says of Garrett “Sean Garrett is one of the greatest songwriters to come along in the last 10 years, Interscope will always jump to work with someone like him.” {Source}

I’m happy for Sean. His name has been cropping up on the credits of so many hits in recent years and it’s great that he’s finally set for mainstream exposure. Having already delivered this year on Kelly Rowland’s ‘Like This’ and Chris Brown’s ‘Wall to Wall’, Sean is currently busying himself with the new projects from Britney Spears and Michael Jackson. more power to him.