The basket included two of every item for Diddy's kiddies, and consisted of frog slippers, hand-embroidered clothing sets, musical teddy bears, pink cherry shoes, chenille pillows, mobiles, and leather diaper bags which retail for 340 each dollars.

Also, considering your recent experience on Bad Boy Records, what do you have to say to those that believe Diddy only focuses on promoting himself, not his artists?

Well, it is his label. He is the biggest artist on his label. So usually the biggest artist gets all the attention or at least most of the attention. That�s the way I look at it�.me and MJG�[laughs]. We�re not moving in with him. We�re just doing our business trying to make good music and put our stuff out there. I don�t know, maybe we don�t get everything that we should get at Bad Boy but I think sometimes the blame lies on us too because there�s a lot we could do sometimes to make that happen. For people who have b******* and bad s*** to say about Diddy�I wasn�t there for their experiences and I can only speak from my experiences at Bad Boy. I�m not trying to be politically correct with my answer or none of that b*******. I�m just trying to say what I feel without cluttering or clouding s***. We focus on 8ball and MJG and Diddy is just another artist on Bad Boy to us. There isn�t much more I can say about it.

Speaking of Bad Boy, the streets are waiting for your upcoming LP, Ridin� High, which is to be released in 2007. What can we expect from the new album?

Well, as far as features we got Pimp C, Bun B,.Jazzy Pha, Juvenile, Killer Mike, 112, Project Pat, DJ Nasty, Three 6 Mafia�Montana Tracks production. It�s just a real tight 8ball and MJG album. This album is a big mixture of everything that we are...from the beginning to end.

1. Intro
2. Relax and Take Notes
3. Cruzin'
4. Whatchu Gonna Do
5. Take It Off
6. Runnin' Out of Bud
7. Ridin' High
8. Like This, Like That
9. Stand Up
10. F*** That
11. Get Low
12. For an Outfit
13. Memphis
14. Pimpin' Don't Fail Me Now
15. Turn Up the Bump
16. No Joke, No Lie
17. Pimpin' Interlude
18. Alcohol P**** Weed

January 17th - Los Angeles
The Knitting Factory, 7021 Hollywood Blvd.

January 20th - Houston
Meridian, 1503 Chartres

January 23rd - Orlando
Cub Paris, 122 West Church St.

January 27th - Atlanta
Verve, 511 Peachtree St. NE

January 30th - Chicago
Club 720, 720 N Wells St.

February 3rd - Detroit
Plan B, 205 W.Congress St.

February 6th - New York City
The Roxy, 515 W. 18 St.

Q.: Why is Southern hip-hop -- Atlanta to be specific -- so hot now?

A.: I think it's the fact that Atlanta is like a multicultural melting pot. A lot of people come through that place. So when they come through they influence some of the things that we do because we get a chance to touch all types of people, just like New York. What happens is it influences our music and we put out music that's ours but it's been influenced by other people in other markets. It feels like people everywhere can relate to it.

In a statement by Sean �Diddy� Combs released by his publicist Hampton Carney, the designer said: �I was completely unaware of the nature of this material, but as soon as we were alerted, the garments were pulled off the Macy�s floor and Web site. I have instructed our outerwear licensee to cease the production of any garments using this material immediately.�