The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is paying homage to hip hop with an exhibit of new hip hop artifacts. The goods include Slick Rick's eye patch, Adidas from Run DMC, Salt n' Pepa clothing, and, as seen below, one of Flavor Flav's infamous clocks, a leather Biggie jersey, a Queen Latifah performance outfit, and a Grandmaster Flash mixer.

• Celebrity Circus? Just as ridiculous as we thought it would be. [NB]

• John McCain is sorry about what's happening to flood victims in the Midwest, but Barack Obama's actually doing something to help. [TS]

• Ashanti's performance at last night's NBA game: yea or nay? [TGJ]

• Kanye West's fans are fickle, but only if you make them wait for two hours. Oh well, he'll always have Selita Ebanks. [Bossip]

• No, Death Row artists are not the only rappers to come out of the West Coast. [SB]

Yesterday's Stereohyped contribution (as if daily Rewounds aren't enough) to Black Music Month was a collection of Motown photos, today's is a collection of photos of hip hip pioneers, starting with the cuddly/tragic trio, Run DMC.

Wherein you, the readers, talk amongst yourselves.

Who's your favorite hip hop artist and why? Who's your least favorite? If you don't have any favorites (you're neutral or you hate hip hop/rap), let us know that, too. Have a lovely evening, ladies and gents.

MTV's always-controversial Hottest MCs in the Game list is back for 2008, and Kanye West is surely feeling a bit warmer towards the network, since they put him at No. One.

Lil Wayne, who made the number one spot last year, has sizz-yruped his way to No. 3.

C'est la vie.

Check out the rest of the top 10, in order, below.

By now, you might have heard of Terrence Dean, a former MTV executive/outer of famous, closeted black gays, and his much-hyped new book, Hiding in Hip Hop. He promised a tome filled with salacious secrets about hip hop's down low rappers, but it sounds like it's just a collection of blind items about gay or possibly gay black entertainers. False advertising! After the jump, check out some of the excerpts, courtesy of Gawker, and see if you know who Dean is writing about. The most glaringly obvious one is based on speculation about what went on behind closed doors of a mega-star named "Lucas's" on-set trailer. So, you know. Grain of salt.

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• R. Kelly asks to delay his trial again because of all the publicity that news of an alleged threesome received over the weekend. Oh, please. [MTV]

• Forest Whitaker has been stabbed a few times. Who knew? [SP]

• Kobe Bryant is MVP of the NBA this year. This is a big deal to some people, just not to me. [NB]

• What do you know about the Muslim women of hip hop? [Racialicious]

• Nicole Scherzinger and Ne-Yo? Really? [Bossip]

Jay-Z has shocked and excited the music industry with his new, innovative deal with concert promoters Live Nation, which is currently handling his "Heart of the City" tour with Mary J. Blige. If you haven't heard the details, Live Nation and Jay are working out a deal worth $150 million, which includes financing for his new label, the Carter Music Group, fees for his current tour, and a $10 million advance for a minimum of three albums in the next ten years. When his last album is due in 10 years, Jay-Z will be 48 years old. Are there are any other rappers out there with the longevity and business acumen to inspire a longterm deal of this magnitude? After the jump, we take a look at some of the more popular rappers and/or moguls in the game and examine whether they have this sort of business deal in their futures… or just think they should.

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Do you do drugs? If so, you probably also like rap music. How did I know? Because, according to a new study, all rap musicians do is glamorize drugs! And you won't believe their slang.

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• A rapping monk preaches peace. Swoon. [APP]

• 14 years after apartheid fell, how's the racism in South Africa? [Guardian]

• "Can a black police officer be racist against black people?" [NYT]

• Obama's got the upper hand in PA, but can he keep it? [AP]

• One of the world's foremost arms dealers, whose weapons were used in atrocities throughout Africa, has been caught. [Time]

• Gucci finally acknowledges its hip hop supporters. No Mane line yet, though. [NYT]

• "How liberals play race politics" Yes they can. [SFC]

• A new documentary seeks to "[deconstruct] 'the masculinity of hip-hop.'" Good luck with that. [BDH]

• There's many, many questions raised by this condom ad, but the one looming largest is: Why is he being arrested? [MI]

• The Clinton and Obama battle heads to North Carolina. [CO]

In a move that is so awesome, the arguable birthplace of hip hop – an apartment building at 1520 Sedgwick in the west Bronx – has been given a stay of gentrification by New York housing authorities.

The city rejected a $9 million bid on the property by the Mitchell-Lama real estate development group, calling that price "inconsistent with the use of property as a Mitchell-Lama affordable housing development."

DJ Kool Herc, a godfather of hip hop music and onetime performer in 1520's community room, was on hand for the celebration following the decision. "It’s not just about 1520, it’s about all affordable housing," said Herc. "Every family needs a piece of the American dream."

The residents of the historic building are hoping this rejection will spark discussion about a tenant-led purchase of the property.

• Ice Cube is set to star in a remake of Welcome Back, Kotter. And that's all I have to say about that. [MMB]

• The birthplace of hip hop is in jeopardy. [NYT]

• O.J. Simpson's bail got doubled. The amount of care I have for this particular subject remains the same. [SP]

• "But please understand that sitting in a prison with murderers and criminals is not rehabilitating or what I need to deal with my inner issues." That's what they all say, Foxy. [MTV]

• Randy Moss is in some sort of trouble. Or something. [Newser]