T.I. and Nicole Scherzinger are featured on the double cover of Rap-Up’s December 2007/January 2008 issue, on sale now at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-A-Million, Safeway, Vons, 7-Eleven, newsstands, and Rap-Up.com. Inside you’ll find:

T.I. IS NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY » The rapper who’s currently under house arrest shares how he maintains his fast-paced lifestyle, his plans to marry and start a family with girlfriend Tiny, staying out of trouble, his friendship with Suge Knight and Jay-Z, and retiring from rap.

It’s definitely not the look I’m going for. I’m working diligently, daily, to try to reform, and rectify these things. But until I do, I need everybody to bare with me. If they can’t bare with me one way, they gonna have to bare with me another.

THERE’S MORE TO NICOLE SCHERZINGER THAN HER SMOLDERING LOOKS [1] » The Pussycat Doll speaks about going solo, her admiration for Beyoncé and Gwen Stefani, getting up close and personal with T.I., being a nerd in college, and dealing with the paparazzi.

There were a couple weeks when I actually went out and got a taste of that media stuff and I was not feeling it. I don’t want to be known just as some socialite or for what I’m wearing.

PLUS! Mary J. Blige, Cassidy, Lil’ Mama, Jermaine Dupri, Wu-Tang Clan, Wyclef Jean, will.i.am, Ja Rule, the winners of the 1st Annual Rap-Up Awards, and much more! Peep visit www.rap-up.com.

[1] Smoldering looks? I hope they’re not judging by that bad cover shot!