Hip-Hop Style News: NERD, Nelly, Akon, LL& Cool J

The Pharrell-fronted rap group N.E.R.D. as returned to the spotlight, and this time it's for a worthy cause. The group joins a bevy of celebs from music, fashion, art worlds to that were recruited by H&M to design tops for their second annual Fashion against AIDS initiative. N.E.R.D. joined the likes of Estelle, Katy Perry, Cyndi Lauper and Yoko Ono to spread the message specifically to young people about practicing safe sex. All items are made of 100% organic cotton and 25% of sale price will be donated to HIV/AIDS prevention projects including Designers Against AIDS, MTV's Staying Alive and Youth AIDS. The celebrity-designed tops will hit H&M stores May 28th in the DIVIDED section.

N.E.R.D. wearing their t-shirt designs for H&M's Fashion Against AIDS

And if you thought the beauty market wasn't oversaturated with enough celebrity scents, think again. Two more rap stars have jumped on the bandwagon--both Nelly and Akon will offer fragrances this fall. Apple Bottoms by Nelly Eau de Parfum is set to debut for his female fans while Akon is hard at work on putting out two for men, Konvict (named after his 2006 album "Konvicted") and Aliaune, derived from his given birth name.

Nelly's signature scent is "designer to be the perfect compliment to the lifestyle of the Apple Bottoms woman." There will also be body products including body wash and lotion. The perfume will come in 3.4oz bottles at $58, and 1.7-oz at $48 this fall. Visit www.applebottoms.com for updates on availability.

Nelly in the first Apple Bottoms ad

Following the footsteps of a recent move by Jay-Z, Grammy-nominated Akon is creating his fragrances under his very own Konvict Cosmetics, Intl. Also available in a 3.4 oz size, Konvict will target his younger fans ($35) while Aliaune ($55) is for the older, sophisticated gent. Until they're placed in stores he's hoping will carry it (he's in talks with Macy's and Nordstrom), it will be available on the company website. But will retailers jump on a celebrity brand that may be another quick flash-in-a-pan deal? It's hard to say when Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears have had so much success.

Akon

Speaking of fast cash, Sears will no longer carry the LL Cool J for Sears Collection. After pumping millions into the launch with TV commercials and print ads featuring the hood-meets-Hollywood rapper with his wife and their children, failure to meet sales expectations led to the drastic move by the retail chain according to woohah.com. When we checked, $60 men's hoodies were on sale for $9.99 and the young men's hoodie for $4.99! We say snag an item now and add it to your collection of other defunct clothing lines by rappers like Eve and Snoop Dogg.