Kanye West very rarely gives interview these days, but the Chicago emcee spoke in-depth with the New York Times recently. Veteran reporter Jon Caramanica got extensive time with the reclusive rap star at Rick Rubin’s Malibu studio during the final days of the making of Yeezus. The G.O.O.D. Music leader discussed numerous topics including his music career, his view on the Grammys, the Taylor Swift interruption, his legacy, and more.

Although he just previewed some of the most uncompromisingly dark and aggressive rap music of the year, it seems Kanye West has his heart set on getting the goofball rap stylings of Will Smith back in the game. While doing press for his upcoming sci-fi epic After Earth (which BE WARNED is directed by M. Night Shyamalan), the Academy Award nominee let the bomb drop about his potential return to rap.

Snoop Dogg has rapped in songs where gay slurs have been tossed about. He’s even said them, part of a long list of rappers who have freely fuck and fag in a rhyme.For years, anti-gay epithets and sentiments in rap have largely been accepted, along with its frequent misogyny and violence, as part of the hip-hop culture — a culture that has been slow to change, even as gays enjoy more mainstream acceptance, particularly in entertainment.

Highlights from the 2012 BET Award performances.

Chief Keef was in Atlanta this past weekend to perform at Birthday Bash, during which time he revealed that he’d inked a new deal with Interscope Records. We already knew that Birdman was courting the Chicago rapper, but T.I. told MTV News that he’d had his eye on Keef as well. Backstage at Birthday Bash, Tip gave the youngster the ultimate co-sign. “Chief Keef, I feel like he represents a part of America,” T.I. told MTV News. “He represents a part of the youth in America that ain’t really got a voice right now.

Ice T premiered his anticipated documentary “Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap” at Lincoln Center, in New York City on Wednesday night, hosting guests like Fabolous, Busta Rhymes, DJ Khaled and MTV New correspondent, Sway Calloway. Ice introduced the film by giving some background on his vision, explaining the importance of the ‘craft’ of hip-hop and telling the crowd, “Sorry if I’m talking too much, this is like the most exciting night of my life.” Ice continued celebrating his directorial debut with an afterparty at Highline Ballroom, with performances from Rakim, Chuck D. More about the film after the jump.