OutKast principal Big Boi is ramping up for the launch of his Purple Ribbon imprint via Virgin. The first release will be a compilation from the Purple Ribbon All-Stars on Oct. 4, led by the single “Kryptonite” featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike, C-Bone and Rock D. It will be followed later in the fall by new albums from Killer Mike and former Interscope rapper Bubba Sparxxx (“Space Mountain”).

Beyond those acts, Janelle Monet, Scar and Koncrete, Big Boi tells Billboard.com Purple Ribbon has also signed Sleepy Brown and is in the process of securing the services of veteran Southern rap act Goodie Mob. The artist is expected to hold a press conference to discuss the label Friday (Aug. 12) in Atlanta along with Killer Mike, Sparxxx, Brown, Monet, Scar and Koncrete.

“I’m going to try to bring the whole family back together like Voltron,” he says with a laugh.

At Virgin, Big Boi will be working directly with producer/Virgin president of urban music Jermaine Dupri. “It’s cool to have somebody you know in a power position that can make things happen for you in a timely fashion,” Big Boi says of Dupri. “He can push the button real fast. That’s what I’ve been waiting for.”

Indeed, Big Boi has been recording material with the Purple Ribbon stable for the past few years in anticipation of linking with a bigger label. As such, he and his artists have a ton of material either finished or nearly ready to hit the marketplace.

“If I’m not producing with Boom Boom Room Productions, I’m rhyming on a whole bunch of stuff,” he says. “I’m probably on at least two or three songs on each record. Not because I felt obligated to do it, but certain songs I just loved and wanted to be a part of. What better way to promote yourself than promote yourself? On Purple Ribbon, you have a lot of artists, but you have myself, which adds a valuable asset. I’m not charging $100,000 for a verse; my artists get it for free.”

Big_Boi_Ft._Purple_Ribbons_Allstars_-_Kryptonite.mp3

During a nationally televised Hurricane Katrina relief show, actor/rapper Kayne West showed the world what he was made of as he went on a tirade against George W. Bush.

“George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” West said. “They’re saying black families are looting and white families are just looking for food…they’re giving the (Army) permission to shoot us”

NBC attempted to cut off the out-of-line remarks by cutting to a shot of actor Chris Tucker, but by then, the damage had already been done.

Watch the video:

Kayne: George Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People

The 50 Cent-Fat Joe beef heated up at tonightfs MTV Video Music Awards. The words started when Fat Joe was presenting an award and ended with : I just wanna say how safe I feel in here tonight with all of this police presence courtesy of G-Unit. The remarks were surprising because in his diss song “Fuck 50” in response to 50’s “Piggy Bank”, Fat Joe says: I’m gonna respond one time, one time only”.

Later in the night, 50 Cent was ending his set of “So Seductive” with Tony Yayo when the pair unleashed a bevy of expletives on Fat Joe. The high standards of MTV prevented most of the content from getting through and it was censored. What made it through was something like this: “Fat Joe is a pussy. Fuck Fat Joe. He is a Fuckboy. What? What?” A couple sentences were completely blanked out.

During the last rant the VMA cameras went to Kanye West who was standing up in the crowd. The censors prevented us from here whether any of the expletives were directed at Kanye, but it wouldn’t be unheard of. Kayne has a song, Crack Music, featuring 50’s former friend Game on his new album. The beef with Fat Joe originated when Joe was featured on “New York” with Fifty enemy Ja Rule. Is this a case of the friend of my enemy is also my enemy?

POSSIBLE SUGE KNIGHT’S SHOOTER’S PIC

Spoken Word Artist: Malik Yusef

_____________

Knight, 40, was hospitalized in good condition, police said. He was shot during a celebrity-studded party at the Shore Club, one of the many celebrations in Miami Beach ahead of the MTV Video Music Awards scheduled Sunday night, said Miami Beach Police Officer Bobby Hernandez.

Sonja Mauro, a guest at the club, said a shot in the party’s VIP section rang out shortly before 1 a.m.

“I was in there and I heard a pop and I ran out and got trampled,” she said.

People attending the party began screaming and running for the doors, she said.

Celebrities who attended included West, actress Jessica Alba and comedian Eddie Murphy, but it was unclear whether they were still there when the shooting took place.

Knight co-founded the pioneering rap label Death Row Records and hit the charts in the 1990s with West Coast stars including Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur.

Knight was convicted in 1992 of assault and weapons violations and was placed on probation. In 1996, he was jailed for five years for violating probation after he and several associates, including Shakur, were recorded on videotape beating a gang rival at a Las Vegas hotel. Shakur was later shot to death in Las Vegas.

Relatives of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. have also accused Knight of involvement in B.I.G.’s death, though police have never named Knight as a suspect.

Knight continues to operate his label, now called Tha Row.

Attempts to reach a spokesman for West early Sunday were unsuccessful. A message left with an MTV representative was not immediately returned.

I know you heard about this shit. Ol’ girl from Salt N Pepa can make a damn banana disappear in her mouth. Every time I see it I say DAMN GIRL!

The pic is kind of big so those of you with a slower connection be patient and watch!