ContactMusic — 310 To Yuma star Ben Foster slept rough on the mean streets of Los Angeles for two weeks to get into character as a homeless police informer for new film Rampart The super-serious actor spent months growing a scraggly beard and picked up a wardrobe f... more info

411 Mania — Due out in March... more info

Guardian Music — The Story of the Streets to be published in March and will include, er, old snaps of Skinner as a schoolboyMike Skinner has announced a new book exploring the precipitous rise and abrupt end of the Streets. The rapper's memoir, The Story of the Stree... more info

Gigwise — Set for release in March... more info

ContactMusic — British musician Mike Skinner is to reveal all about his former act The Streets in a new book The rapper shot to fame in the U K in 2002 with the release of The Streets debut album Original Pirate Material and he brought the curtain down on the band ... more info

The Hip Hop Chronicle — Loudmouth Melvin, Mentalist, Pyro Barz, K-Nite 13 & Skillit aka The Quaranteam drop #TheQuaranteamEP. Do yourselves a favour and download this project. The Quaranteam – #TheQuaranteam EP Tracklist 1. The Scheme 2. Carnage 3. Stow Boys 4. Down In Th... more info

Metalsucks — ROSVO – Seasick from Rosvo on Vimeo. If I saw this crazy-looking dude running through the streets with headphones on, dancing and making weird faces, I’d probably call the cops. Or at least the insane asylum. But relax! It’s just the lovable, h... more info

Guardian Music — Aloe Blacc, On tourRappers who choose to act are brave; those who choose to sing possibly more so. For Aloe Blacc (real name: Egbert Dawkins III), singing has been the right decision. Formerly an MC with Emanon, it's his pipes that have been winning ... more info

Metal Injection — Stray From The Path have announced an early-2012 club tour which they are calling the Bring It Back To The Streets Tour. The tour mostly features East Coast dates. Coming along for the ride are Cruel Hand, Struc/tures, Betrayal and Counterparts. Here... more info

Guardian Music — Next week we'll be counting down our top 10 albums of the year … but here's how the rest of our critics' top 50 looksStarting on Monday we'll be counting down Guardian critics' top 10 albums of 2011. To get you in the mood, here's how our writers v... more info