Wayne takes shot at Jay-Z in mag interview

He may have landed the top-selling album in the country last week, but Jay-Z doesn't seem to be currying too much favor among rappers. One week after LL Cool J said he wouldn't re-sign at Def Jam with Jay-Z at the helm and after Raekwon reportedly blasted Hova's new album Kingdom Come at a Rock the Bells concert in New York, another rapper is criticizing the rapper-turned-mogul. In an interview with Complex magazine, New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne has said he's a better rapper than Hova and took issue with Jay-Z's lyric about being "hip-hop's savior."

The comments stemmed from Lil Wayne's past assertions that he was the "best rapper alive since the best rapper retired." Now that the 37-year-old Jay-Z has returned, Wayne told the mag, "I'm better than him. I'm 24 years old. I'm 13 years deep with five albums and 10 million records sold. I don't like what he's saying about how he had to come back because hip-hop's dead and we need him. What the f*** do you mean? If anything it's reborn, so he's probably having a problem with that. You left on a good note, and all of the artists were saying, 'Yo, this is Jay's house. He's the best.' Now he comes back and still thinks it's his house. It's not your house anymore, and I'm better than you."

Jay-Z recently clarified the lyric, saying that he didn't consider himself to be hip-hop's savior but that Kingdom Come, which sold nearly 700,000 copies in its first week, will simply do its part. "Hip-hop needs events, it needs certain things to happen at certain times, like a spark of energy. Like a [Dr.] Dre album or those moments in time that you look back on when Snoop Dogg first came out, it was like 800,000 [albums sold] in the first week. Those events are needed in hip-hop, and it just felt like it was too far in between. My album, I believe, is just going to do its part," he continued. "It's not single-handedly going to save hip-hop. No one can do that. I don't have those delusions of grandeur."

Snoop Dogg arraignment delayed

A judge today agreed to postpone a court date for rapper Snoop Dogg on a felony possession of a deadly weapon charge. Snoop Dogg will now be arraigned in January on the charge, which stems from his September 27 arrest at Orange County's John Wayne Airport for attempting to carry a collapsible baton in his luggage onto a flight. Snoop--real name Calvin Broadus--has claimed the 21-inch baton, which collapses to eight inches, was a prop for a video he was filming in New York. Broadus, who remains free on $150,000 bail, appeared at the hearing yesterday with three bodyguards and his defense attorney, who sought the delay to perform additional discovery in the case.

The arrest was Snoop's first of three run-ins with the law in the past 10 weeks. He was also arrested on October 26 at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a gun and transportation of marijuana. He posted $35,000 bail and will appear in court on December 12. He was arrested again last week outside NBC Studios in Burbank on suspicion of illegal possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana for sale and possession of a false compartment in a vehicle when Burbank police served a search warrant, stemming from the earlier arrest at Bob Hope Airport. Broadus posted $60,000 bail in that case and has a court hearing on January 11.

Scott Weiland inks deal, preps solo album

As his band Velvet Revolver continues work on its follow-up to 2004's Contraband, front man Scott Weiland has several balls in the air. The singer said this week that he has signed a deal with Sony/RED Distribution and New West Records for his record label, Softdrive Records.

LA pop-punk band the Actual and Nashville country newcomer Tommy Joe Wilson have signed to the new label, and Weiland himself is also working on a solo album. That album would be the follow-up to 1998's 12 Bar Blues. "Softdrive will provide an outlet for an eclectic group of artists to express themselves creatively, as well as achieve their personal and professional goals," label manager Dana Dufine said in a statement.

Swizz Beatz says Cassidy is on the mend

After a car crash that left him in critical condition with a fractured skull and following numerous corrective surgeries, Philly rapper Cassidy is recovering, according to producer Swizz Beatz. "The reason he didn't really jump back on the scene and do all this press and try to get all this publicity off of it is because he's having a meeting with himself, and really trying to find his purpose, spiritually and mentally," Swizz told Vibe. "And, I could respect that because most n***** would just do a mix tape and be like straight out the car accident, bang, bang, bang! It worked when Kanye did it, but he ain't have no interest in none of that, and I support whatever he wants to do."

The October 4 car accident left Cassidy, who was released from prison earlier this year after serving a term on conviction of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault, a changed man, Swizz said. "The reason I didn't put nothing out from his album is 'cause his whole expression might be different on it now," he said. "He's been through so much. His story is just a f****** movie now. It's beyond a wrap." "He's on his feet, he's just got the marks on his face," Swizz continued. "He's writing. He's on the grind right now as we speak."

Pavarotti to skip event honoring him

Following medical treatment in his battle against pancreatic cancer, Luciano Pavarotti has canceled an appearance at a ceremony tomorrow in Italy in his honor. Pavarotti's London-based manager, Terri Robson, said in a statement that the 71-year-old tenor will not go to the northern city of Bergamo to pick up the award at a concert where some of his students are singing Wednesday night. The event would have been the singer's first public appearance since undergoing surgery over the summer.

"Maestro Pavarotti's first public appearance since undergoing surgery will, in fact, be at a major charity event in 2007, details of which are to be released soon," said Robson. "Throughout the treatment, Mr. Pavarotti has been busy working with the young singers he has personally selected to sing in Bergamo. He has also been preparing for a new recording and is very much looking forward to continuing his worldwide farewell tour next year."