After four years off of the music scene and making a career in movies and the fashion industry, Eve is now expected to be back not as just a rapper, but as a singer.

She’s currently working between labels with the hip-hop beat man Swizz Beat’s Full Surface Records and Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. The album is expected to be due out at the end of the year.

“I haven’t been out in four years,” Eve explained during a break from New York’s Fashion Week activities. “There are a lot of different things going on now. I come from hip-hop, so it’s definitely going to be hip-hop, but I am singing for the first time on this album.”

Eve states that she’s ready to flex her skills and get her vocals to working. The song she’s most excited about is the one with the Neptunes. It’ll be the first song she entirely sings without dropping any rhymes.

“I did a song with Pharrell where I sang the whole song, which is something the label has always wanted me to do in the past,” she said. “But I never had the courage to do it. Now I felt like I’d take the gamble because it is the fourth album, and why buy my album if you’re going to hear the same thing you heard three years ago?”

With hits by 50 cent, Rihanna, Lil Kim, Lil Flip, Trey Songz, JoJo, Britney Spears and Rick Ross under his belt, he is quickly becoming the name everyone is talking about… J.R. Rotem. Everyone from Snoop, Mya, and Paris Hilton is familiar with him.

Yes, you know him, how about the song “S.O.S.” or how about “Push It” and no not Salt-n-Peppa, the one by Rick Ross.

The Berklee College Music grad never thought he would end up in the world of hip-hop or pop because he actually wanted to be involved in classical music or jazz.

“I always liked hip-hop, but didn’t see how it would apply to me,” Rotem explained recently. “When I heard Dr. Dre’s first Chronic album, I didn’t necessarily know what production was, but I was like, ‘I like this music’ — and I’d be trying to play, like, ‘Bitches Ain’t Sh–’ in jazz format. Then, when Dr. Dre’s second Chronic came out in 1999, is when I really started thinking, ‘I want to make beats.’ ”

What landed him on the doorsteps of hip-hop was his meeting with Mr.Porter and HiTek who guided him in the studio. This eventually ended up with Dr. Dre earing his beats and eventually buying one for his unreleased album entitled LP Detox.

“When I started producing I always said to myself, ‘I’m not gonna sample, because I can play.’ But then when ‘S.O.S.’ hit, a lot of people came to me for those type of things. And I kind of started realizing, ‘You know, it’s cool.’ I do play 90 percent of the time, but at the end of the day, I’m not concerned anymore with showing off — ‘Hey, I can play classical, I can play jazz.’ I just want to be somebody people can go to for hits, and if that hit samples something that resonates, fine. Obviously ‘S.O.S.’ was a great song, and the beat was flipped, but it wouldn’t have been a hit song if people didn’t at least on some level recognize “Tainted Love”, stated Rotem.

“I don’t want to put limitations on myself, but I don’t think you’re going to see me getting on the mic or doing a hype track like Puffy or dancing in a video or anything like that,” he said. “That’s just not my style. I’m happy to get recognition behind the scenes.”

“I feel that hip-hop is kind of like the jazz of today..” he explained. “I don’t want to say that jazz is dead,” he continued. “But hip-hop is the innovative music now that’s really, really alive.”

The world largest ISP gives music listeners a chance to listen to hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco`s new album `Food & Liquor`, released Tuesday (September 19). The album listening party will be available at AOL Music site.

Listen To Lupe Fiasco Album

Jay-Z, who declared that 2003`s “The Black Album” would be his last, is coming out retirement and releasing a new CD. “Kingdom Come” will hit stores this fall.

“It was the worst retirement in history,” Jay told sources.

Since his so-called departure from being an artist in 2004 Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) became president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, owner of New Jersey Net , and later became the charming boyfriend of R&B singer Beyonce.

Jay-Z already has a list of producer-collaborators such as Timbaland, Kanye West and Dr. Dre. Chris Martin of Coldplay who produced a track called “Beach Chair,” states Jay-Z for this album.

“If I wake up one day and the best material has passed me by – and that`s going to happen,” he said, “then it’s time to move on. I`ve said what I wanted to say.”

In an effort to support the release of his album, 4.21…The Day After, Method Man has his US tour lined up this fall for a total of two months.

His album 4.21…The Day After is currently on stores shelves. The album features guest appearances by hip-hop soultress Lauryn Hill, Ginuwine, Raekwon, Fat Joe, Styles P and others.

Scheduled tour dates:

September 2006

23 – Asbury Park, NJ — Stone Pony

24 – Towson, MD — TowsonUniversity

26 – Cleveland, OH — House of Blues

27 – Ann Arbor, MI — Blind Pig

28 – Bloomington, IN — Bluebird Nightclub

29 – Madison, WI — Barrymore Theater (TENT)

October 2006

2 – Aspen, CO — Belly Up Tavern

3 – Boulder, CO — Fox Theater

4 – Park City, UT – Suede

8 – Portland, OR — Roseland

9 – Seattle, WA — Showbox

10 – Bellingham, WA – Nightlight

12 – Sparks, NV — New Oasis

13 – Santa Cruz, CA — The Catalyst

14 – San Fran, CA — Mezzanine

15 – Santa Barbara, CA — UC Santa Barbara

16 – Anaheim, CA — House of Blues

17 – Los Angeles, CA — House of Blues

18 – San Diego, CA — 4th & B

19 – Phoenix, AZ — Marquee Theater

20 – Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine Theater

22 – Austin, TX – Emos

23 – Baton Rouge, LA — Spanish Moon – TENT

24 – Tallahassee, FL — The Moon

25 – Ft Lauderdale, FL — Revolution

26 – Orlando, FL — House of Blues

27 – Myrtle Beach, — House of Blues

29 – Carrboro, NC — Cats Cradle

30 – Charlottsville, VA — StarMusic Hall

November 2006

1 – Philadelphia, PA — TLA

2 – Washington, DC — 930 Club

3 – Hartford, CT — Webster Theater – TENT

6 – Burlington, VT — Higher Ground

7 – Boston, MA — Avalon

9 – Baltimore, MD — Sonar

11 – New York, NY — Nokia Theater

Five months ago LL Cool J released his self-titled album Todd Smith under his longtime label Def Jam. LL Cool J says this will be his last album with Def Jam.

“For me, I needed to go and work with somebody who really had my best interests at heart,” he said.

Is LL Cool J receiving what his heart desires from the G-Unit crew since it seems as though they have created a tite knited bond recently.

No word on the title of the album or the release date.

Memphis based rappers Three 6 Mafia will be dropping their new album in December 2006. The album is said to have guest appearances from Lupe Fiasco, Paris Hilton, and Justin Timberlake.

“We’ve got some tracks. We’re still working on it. We’re just trying to make sure we get the right single and the right songs that people like and can dance to. It’s gonna be the same hustle. If it’s not broke we’re not trying to fix it. We just work and stick to our same roots, but I think our sound went mainstream as is. We’re the same old dudes, still doing the same thing and still grinding”, says Juicy.

You have heard the rumors about Fergie, but now Fergie is ready for you to go gossip about her solo album entitled The Dutchess which mocks the actual Dutchess of York (Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson). The album will be released under Black Eye Peas producer and front man will.i.am label on September 19, 2006.

While producer will.i.am did a vast majority of the album, Fergie did get a chance to dip her hands into helping write all the songs except for one.

Features include Rita Marley, music legends The Temptations and a host of others.