Sen. Barack Obama won the Iowa Caucus on Thursday night (Jan. 3), the first major test for the race for the 2008 Democratic nomination for President of the United States. The win dealt a blow to Clinton’s aspirations to be the first woman to claim president, while seriously boosting Obama’s chance to be the first African-American leader of the country. "They said this day would never come," Obama told a cheering crowd in Des Moines, Iowa. "They said our sights were set too high…years from now, you'll look back and you'll say that this was the moment, this was the place where America remembered what it means to hope." During an hour-long broadcast of the Iowa Brown and Black Presidential debate held in December, Obama addressed the Hip-Hop generation, when quizzed by Dr. Ben Chavis, CEO of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and H3 Enterprises. "I recognize and value the importance of millions of young voters," Obama said. "During the last seven years, more Brown and Black families have gone into poverty. It is not acceptable to me that 37 million Americans now live in poverty. I believe that I am the only candidate that best represents real change." Voters in Iowa seem to agree with Obama’s statement. The presidential hopeful won a historic victory, earning 38 percent of the vote in Iowa, where just 3% of the voters are African-American. Former Senator John Edwards took 30 percent, while Senator Hillary Clinton won just 29 percent of the votes. For the Republicans, Baptist-preacher-turned-governor Mike Huckabee leveraged his strong religious base to handily defeat Mitt Romney in Iowa. Huckabee won 34 percent support with 25 percent going for Romney and Former Sen. Fred Thompson and Sen. John McCain coming in at third place. Obama and Clinton will next battle in key primary elections in New Hampshire, Las Vegas and South Carolina.

Courtesy fo AllHipHop.com

International megastar Janet Jackson, who has sold over 100 million albums worldwide and is the newest signing to the Island Def Jam Music Group, has completed her first new single for the label with hitmaking producer Rodney Jerkins. "Feedback" will impact across-the-board at all radio formats on January 7th. DISCIPLINE, Janet Jackson's new album - and the 10th studio album of her career - is scheduled to arrive in stores on February 26th. In addition to Rodney Jerkins, the new album brings together an A-list of guest producers, including Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Stargate, Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream. DISCIPLINE was executive produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group. In a class all by herself, 5-time Grammy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated Janet Jackson is currently starring in Why Did I Get Married?, the smash hit movie by Tyler Perry, which opened #1 at the box office. This is the third motion picture of Janet's career, and her third to open at #1, following the success of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), and her leading title role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice (1993).

Rap star Yung Joc was a no show at his arraignment on a felony gun possession charge today (December 26) in Cleveland, Ohio and is now considered a fugitive. Yung Joc, born Jasiel Robinson, was arrested on December 24 in the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, for allegedly attempting to bring a loaded handgun and ammunition onto a Delta flight. He was charged with a felony count of carrying a concealed weapon and booked into the Cuyahoga County Jail. The rapper was released on $50,0000 dollars bond the same day. Yung Joc's lawyer issued a statement claiming his client was not sure how the gun ended up in his carry on luggage and maintained his innocence. Today (December 26), prosecutors plan to issue an arrest warrant for the rapper, who missed a scheduled court date in Cuyahoga County County to respond to the charge. Yung Joc's lawyer Stanley Jackson Jr. apologized to Judge John Ryan and claimed that his famous client was out of town on personal and family business. Judge Ryan doubled Yung Joc's bond from $50,000 to $100,000 dollars, while prosecutors are planning to issue an warrant for the rapper's arrest.

Courtesy fo AllHipHop.com