According to Serena Williams, she did not give any approval to release the unofficial single last week.

Talking to reporters at a press conference after her victory against Nadia Petrova Wednesday at the Italian Open in Rome, Williams said: “Well, I was in the studio with friends and I wanted to do something and so they said – do this and it was for me. The next thing I know — that was one or two years ago and then I read online that I was a rapper and so my back-stabbing friends did that to me and so if I see them, I will act like a rapper — if you can get my drift.” (Atlanta Black Star)

Despite Williams’ anger, her new track received a co-sign from platinum-selling rap star Game.

The Game thinks Serena Williams is an AMAZING rapper and if she decides to drop an album, it’s sure to sell big … this according to the man himself. Game tells TMZ … after he heard Serena’s rap for the first time, he knew that she definitely had “raw skills” and was a “really talented artist.” Game says he wasn’t that surprised … considering the tennis champ’s Compton roots. He tells us “You shouldn’t expect her to come with anything less than the official rap bars,” then added “I can see her doing big things.” (TMZ)

The new record also caught the attention of other hip-hop artists including Rah Digga.

“”I’m always on top…roofer” Serena Williams’ new song…I mean…ok fine,” Digga tweeted May 11th.

“Yeah im so playin tennis now…and basketball…and whatever Amber Rose lists as her occupation… RT @AMAZINACE … http://tmi.me/pPfVi” (Rah Digga’s Twitter)

The untitled track began circulating online last Friday.

Serena Williams has proven over the years that she can be many things outside of a world-class tennis professional. She’s become a nail technician, a fashionista, an actress and now she’s also MC Sizzle. OK, that’s not her real rapper identity, but that’s what I shall call her from this point forward. TMZ obtained a demo of a rap song from Serena Williams and apparently the one-time girlfriend of rapper Common and alleged girlfriend of rapper Drake has got some ability with verbal jousting herself. (Orlando Sentinel)

Check out the record below:

Describing his crew’s potential in an ever-changing rap game, Waka ranks BSM amongst hip-hop’s elite ranging from the legendary Wu-Tang Clan to Birdman‘s Cash Money Records.

“I don’t feel like a celebrity, or this quote-unquote star everybody talk about. I guess Waka Flocka like a job, honestly. I’m at my job right now, so I gotta do it to my fullest. … I got a whole label, man. We fire. We the new Wu-Tang, Roc-A-Fella. We what these labels are trying to create right now. We the new Cash Money. Squad! Flockaveli was the return of gangsta. I brought gangsta back, man.” (XXL Magazine)

Flocka also uses the cover feature to speak on late group member Slim Dunkin’s fall 2011 death.

“Dunk died, I couldn’t do sh*t four months, almost five moths straight. I couldn’t stay down long forever, cause bills gotta be paid, mouths to be fed. But that sh*t took a toll on us, man. Like right now, from December to f*ckin’ April…That’s how long it took me to bounce back my n*gga. That sh*t crazy.” (XXL Magazine)

Just last year, the Atlanta-based rapper talked about hanging up the microphone for good.

“I’m on my second one, so the third one might be true,” Flocka said when asked about retiring after a third LP. “I don’t know. The way they treat me, I spent my lifetime trying to do this. I don’t see myself quitting no more, it’s over for that. On to the next one.” (Hip Hop Wired)

In February, Brick Squad’s Frenchie hit up SOHH and discussed Dunkin’s passing.

“I’ve always been able to move forward because I feel like the more you think about it, the more you suffer,” Frenchie told SOHH referring to Slim. “God works in his own purposes. That’s my brother right there. If I keep on stressing myself, I’m not gonna be able to do what my brother wanted us to do. We all go hard. We push ourselves within our Brick Squad family and follow suit. That’s what it’s all about. … [Slim's passing] pulled us together. That’s family and so of course it hit the home base. We’ve got to keep working for my boy’s legacy and never let him die. We can never let his spirit die. He’s no longer here, but he’s here in the spirit. The longer we keep it in the air, the longer people are going to know who he is.” (SOHH)

The June 2012 issue of XXL Magazine drops Tuesday, May 29th.

Check out some recent Waka Flocka Flame footage below:

Kim believes a Cash Money deal and collaboration could have cemented Minaj as a partner in rhymes.

According to the Queen Bee, she was on pace to sign with Cash Money, the same label that made Nicki a star. “Me and Slim were friends for four years, and we decided that we were going to go into business together,” Kim said of her plans with CM co-CEO Ronald “Slim” Williams. “I was over there with Cash Money — I was getting ready to be partners with them.” The deal didn’t go through, but Kim did record “Grinding Makin’ Money,” a track that included both Birdman and Minaj. The Notorious K.I.M. claims that the track was slated for Birdman’s 2009 album Priceless but didn’t make the final cut. “They put the record out. I guess they didn’t like the response — they saw the response and they pulled the record off, pulled it back, never put it on his album, nothing,” Kim said. (MTV)

Tensions boiled late last year when Minaj dropped her alleged “Stupid H*e” subliminal directed toward the Queen Bee.

Nicki Minaj teams up with famed director Hype Williams in the colorful video for “Stupid Hoe,” a single from her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, now due April 3. The animated Barbie rocks a closetful of wild and wacky looks in the explicit clip, which premiered online. “Can’t premiere on a network b/c its important that my art is not tampered with, or compromised prior to you viewing it for the 1st time,” explained Nicki. Unleash the beast. (Rap-Up)

Following the song’s December release, speculation grew on who Minaj targeted.

Two weeks after dropping “Roman in Moscow,” the first single off “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded” (Feb. 14), Nicki Minaj’s alter ego Roman Zolanski returns to fires shots on her newest song, ” Stupid Hoe.” “B*tch talkin’ she the queen when she looking like lab rat,” Minaj raps in the beginning of “Stupid Hoe.” Is Minaj talking about Lil Kim, also known as the Queen Bee? The shots carry throughout the song, as Minaj transitions from rhyming to singing and back again, “Stupid h*e is my enemy/ Stupid h*e is so wack/ Stupid h*e should have be-friended/ Then she could have probably came back.” Sonically, the new track sounds quite similar to “I Get Crazy,” a cut off Minaj’s last mixtape, “Beam Me Up Scotty.” (The Juice)

Months later, Kim downplayed the platinum-selling rapper’s alleged diss track.

“I didn’t even know, who is that, who?,” Kim playfully said when asked for her opinion on Minaj’s Grammy Awards performance. “[How do I feel about 'Stupid H*e?] I’m pretty sure I feel the same way everybody else feels right about now. [laughs] You know. If you have to make a song called ‘Stupid H*e,’ you must be a stupid h*e.” (“Watch What Happens Live”)

Check out a recent Lil Kim interview below:

Footage of Weezy declaring his love for Trina landed online this week.

“I just want to say if Trina’s in here, hey Trina. … I love you and I miss you baby,” the rapper announced at the crowded Miami club LIV. The crowd erupted into cheers as if to root on the two to rekindle their romance. Did it work? We don’t know for sure and neither has confirmed a reconciliation though following the announcement, reports surfaced that the two were caught making out at the club. The two rappers dated back in 2007, though they only lasted a short time, according to Hello Beautiful. (Long Island Press)

While Wayne may be out to rekindle their past fling, Trina is currently in a relationship with NBA player James Harden.

HoopsVibe has it from inside sources that Lil Wayne and Trina were caught making out at Monica’s album release party last night. It had already been well established that Lil Wayne broke up with ex-girlfriend DHEA and that we all knew Lil Wayne and Trina had previously dated. It was also well established that Trina was dating 6 Man of The Year winner James Harden of the Oklahoma Thunder, but who could have predicted Lil Wayne and Trina would rekindle their relationship at Club LIV in Miami last night and embarrass Harden like this in the middle of the playoffs. Our source inside the club says Trina also went home with Lil Wayne after the club got out. (Hoops Vibe)

Earlier this year, the rap star reportedly put a ring on alleged girlfriend Dhea’s finger.

Lil Wayne pulled off the ultimate romantic gesture last night at a swanky Miami restaurant — slipping his girlfriend a FAT ring hidden inside a dessert … and then shouting to the restaurant, “SHE SAID YES!” Sources at Barton G restaurant tell TMZ, Weezy secretly handed wait staff a ring with a giant yellow rock on it during his meal — and asked them to slip it inside the restaurant’s signature sundae. Moments later, after the dessert was delivered to his table, we’re told Lil Wayne jumped up and shouted to the entire restaurant — “SHE SAID YES!!!” (TMZ)

Despite his attempts to deny the rumors, inside sources still claimed Dhea is the rapper’s fiancee.

Despite contradictory tweets from Wayne early Wednesday morning (Feb. 15), Weezy did pop the question to his girlfriend of nearly a year Dhea, a source close to the Young Money camp confirmed to XXLMag.com. The news comes after the YMCMB superstar took to his Twitter account (@LilTunechi) during the wee hours of Wednesday morning and tweeted, “She said yes.” The tweet was followed by congratulation messages/retweets from Mack Maine, Mystikal, Birdman, and more. The tweet caused many to wonder if Wayne in fact popped the big question to his girlfriend, Dhea. (XXL Mag)

Check out the footage below:

According to X, he is once again back on his A-game as heard on the new star-studded project.

“It’s a good thing. I wish it was always like that but you can’t really worry about what people think, what they say. I just gotta do me,” DMX told MTV News over the phone on Tuesday. “The focus is on taking the music seriously, as a job, and less trouble. … I just happened to call Snoop [Dogg], while I was in the studio, he answered the phone, I sent him the joint, the next day I had it back — I appreciate the fact that the love is still there. I look forward to working with more artists. I normally don’t work with too many artists, but these have always been friends of mines.” (MTV)

Contributing producer Dame Grease recently hit up SOHH and discussed the new EP.

“Man, this sh*t is the sh*t. It’s a blowout. [laughs] Basically. We completed the album, Undisputed and we completed this at the same time,” Dame told SOHH referring to the upcoming Weigh In EP. “We wanted to go and give the fans something because it’s been like six years from the last album. We wanted to give the fans a teaser of the music before the album comes. We wanted to get this out there to the entire world. DMX is remembered for a lot of things like movies but he just wants people to remember him for his music. I just got the artwork and we’re probably going to put that out and a new track later this week. Next Tuesday, we’re releasing the whole EP.” (SOHH)

Grease also went on to compare the EP-to-LP release to legendary rap crew N.W.A.‘s early 1990′s music projects.

“All things come full circle, man,” Dame added. “When you think about the rap game back in ’98, one of my first X songs was ‘Get At Me Dog’ and so you look at from when that was out to where the rap game is now, you’re just looking for that substance music ‘with’ that raw sh*t that everybody f*cks with. We actually cut about three albums but we wanted to just get this project ready strictly for the streets. If you know, I’ve been doing the mixtapes for a minute with Max B, French Montana and those guys. DMX is an artist. He’s like way super too big for a mixtape. So we decided to put this out with no deejay and in an album format. It’s almost like, I don’t want to do comparisons, but imagine [N.W.A's] 100 Miles and Runnin’ [EP] before [their] N*ggaz4Life [album].” (SOHH)

X’s Weigh In features a range of collaborations from West Coast rap veteran Snoop Dogg to Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne.

The Weigh In EP has features from artists such as Snoop Dogg and Tyrese and also includes an interlude featuring Lil Wayne. At press time, confirmed production on the project comes from Fredwreck Moog, Rich Kidd, and X’s longtime collaborator, Dame Grease. The EP marks one of the first projects from X since his last album, Year Of the Dog…Again, was released more than five years ago in 2006. (Leadership)

Check out some recent DMX footage below:

SOHH asks two players to name their Top 5 rappers of all-time, then pits their lists head-to-head to see whose hip-hop picks reign supreme. To make things tricky, we’ve created a “Hall of Fame” of emcees (see right) who are universally respected and therefore may not be mentioned by either player.

[Each week, SOHH asks two entertainment personalities to name their Top 5 rappers of all-time. To make things tricky, we've created a "Hall of Fame" of emcees (see right) who are universally respected and therefore may not be mentioned. After Sak Pase scooped out his top spitters last week, Crooked I unloads his favorite rappers.]

Taylor’s G.O.O.D. Music induction became public knowledge Monday (May 14) evening.

Well, this was a long time coming. Kanye West has been closely affiliated with Harlem rapper/singer Teyana Taylor for some time now, but this week it was confirmed that Taylor has officially been signed to ‘Ye’s G.O.O.D. Music label. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter and actress, who worked with West on his fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, will reveal details about her first G.O.O.D. Music LP and forthcoming singles in the next few weeks. In April she debuted a new mixtape, The Misunderstanding of Teyana Taylor, which pays tribute to Lauryn Hill and her other early influences, including Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson. (MTV)

The 21 year-old music newcomer also hopped on Twitter to confirm the hype.

“First Lady Of That G.O.O.D Sh*t! http://instagr.am/p/KoGOneIsNX/ ,” she tweeted May 14th.

“G.O.O.D things do come to those who ignore those who doubt. http://instagr.am/p/KoI1BeosO0/ ” (Teyana Taylor’s Twitter)

Over the past couple years, Taylor has continued to build a name both on-screen and in the music industry.

Her recent onscreen endeavors include roles in 2010′s “Stomp the Yard 2″ and Tyler Perry‘s 2011 film “Madea’s Big Happy Family.” Last summer, the 21-year-old also grabbed attention with her remix of Drake’s hit single “Marvin’s Room.” “Her Room” found Taylor sampling lyrics from Lauryn Hill’s “X Factor,” as she came to terms with a cheating ex. (RapFix)

Over the weekend, Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz denied speculation suggesting he inked a G.O.O.D. Music deal.

“He just said I’m good, like I’m ill. But we was talking and I think I was jeopardizing my brand sometimes by doing the homeboy special,” Chainz said, referring to his knack for hooking artists up with guest features. “So I think he felt like we should just put that out there that we ain’t doing no more of that — I would have done almost anything a couple months ago, and it was all about really reaching out because I still will, I’m still grounded, but it made sense for me to slow down a little bit being that I got an album coming out August 14th. I’m still working on that — I’m just trying to focus on 2 Chainz a little more.” (Bootleg Kev)

While admitting he enjoys a good amount of adult entertainment, Killer Mike said he is still on his A game when it comes to politics.

“If I go all the way politicized, I become a zealot who’s not allowed to have fun with the people and the community that raised me. But if I go the other way, I become an ignoramus who isn’t properly qualified to speak on my community’s behalf. Me and my girl go to the kids’ school on Friday, then we go to the strip club Saturday night, and then we wake up and go to church Sunday morning, and we’re back to business on Monday. That’s my real life. At the end of the day, I’m a big black country motherfucker! All of that’s gonna come with me. [laughs] I can’t be all Public Enemy and not embrace my 2 Live Crew. You’ll always see me at a political rally and the black strip club; I’m gonna represent smoking weed and I’m gonna represent supporting Trayvon Martin on my record, because I’m a whole man.” (Pitchfork)

Mike also went on to stress the authenticity found in his rap content.

“[To wife] How did you react? She’s says, “It’s our real life.” She really is pretty as a singer, fine as a stripper– strippers really do try to tip her. I know a lot of n*ggas say, “I rap real sh*t.” But they don’t– they rap about a “G.I. Joe” episode. I rap real sh*t. I rap when I’m rich. I rap when I’m broke. I rap when I’m bullsh*t in the street. I rap about only having one woman now. If you can look at a continuum of my career, it’s been an evolution of a real dude. So when I say I take my wife to the strip club, we’re there, at the five-dollar joint. More than anything, I want people to take away that I’m not mainstream act. I’m not Tupac, Part 10. I’m Killer Kill from the ‘Ville and this is all the way, 100% real.” (Pitchfork)

Last year, the Atlanta rapper named his top five favorite ATL gentlemen’s clubs.

Blue Flame 1097 Harwell Road Northwest Atlanta, GA 30318: It’s the Triple A farm team for Magic City beat deal in town for 5 dollar lap dances. The Foxxxy Lady 1635 Moreland Ave Atlanta, GA 30316: 5 dollar dances guess with huge a**es but all the Killers go there. You better be official or risk getting robbed. Kamal’s 21 1905 Piedmont Rd NE Atlanta GA, 30324: The model for the Grind Time Official Our Lady CD @anisetai works there and she is fine as a MOFO. Bring ya bank roll you will spend it. Magic City 241 Forsyth Street Southwest Atlanta, GA 30303: The pros, baby. Fat a**es and beautiful faces. It’s like the Ms. America pageant only nude with much finer women. Big money spot so don’t go broke. Goosebumps 134 Baker Street NE Atlanta, GA 30308: My girl likes the chairs and all the dancers love her so I end up paying and she gets all the stripper love I long for.” (XXL Mag)

In October, Grammy-winning rapper T.I. revealed his top four favorite adult spots.

When it comes to the world of gentlemen’s establishments, there’s no finer connoisseur than T.I. … and last night at Boa in Hollywood, the rapper named the top 4 nudie spots in all of Atlanta … gathered from years of experience. “What strip clubs would I recommend [in Atlanta]?,” Tip said in an interview. “Onyx, Magic City, uh, Strokers, and Blue Flame. Is Magic City the best? Arguably so. Definitely the best on a Monday. Aight! (TMZ)

Check out some past Killer Mike footage below: