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Archives News and a bunch of other noteworthy stuff u might have missed
SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds raised both
arms over his head like a prize fighter in victory, fists clenched
-- and then he took off. It was over at long last. "I knew I hit it," Bonds said. "I knew I got it. I was like, phew, finally." Bonds sent the ball arcing high into the night, 435 feet into the right-center field seats. "Thank you very much. I got to thank all of you, all the fans here in San Francisco. It's been fantastic," he said shortly after crossing home plate, his godfather, Willie Mays, at his side. "I've got to thank my teammates for their support," Bonds said. "Through all of this, you guys have been strong, and you've given me all of the support in the world and I'll never forget it, as long as I live." After thanking his children, he said: "I'm glad I did it before you guys went to school." To the Nationals, he said: "Thank you for understanding this night. It means a lot to me." Conspicuous by their absence were the obviously bigoted commissioner and sellout Hammerin' Hank himself. (Hank Aaron did read a prepared statement ) Though he was on hand for the tying homer three days ago, deciding to put baseball history ahead of the steroid allegations that have plagued the Giants slugger, Bud Selig wasn't there for the record-breaker. As for Aaron, he said all along he had no interest in being there whenever and wherever his 33-year-old mark was broken. He was true to his word, but he did offer a taped message of congratulations that played on the stadium's video board during a 10-minute tribute, although he never actually spoke directly to Barry Bonds). "It is a great accomplishment which required skill, longevity and determination," he said. "Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement. "My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams," he said. "My dad," he said, looking to
the sky and choking back tears. "Thank you."
Supreme Court limits schools considering race, setting the way for "legal" segregation - MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press (edited by Shock) WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected integration plans in two major public school districts but left the door open for the limited use of race to achieve diversity in schools. The decision in cases affecting how students are assigned to schools in Louisville, Ky., and Seattle could imperil similar plans in hundreds of districts nationwide, and it further restricted how public school systems may attain racial diversity. The court split, 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts announcing the court's judgment. The court's four liberal justices dissented. "The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race," Roberts said. Yet Justice Anthony Kennedy would not go as far as the other four conservative justices, saying in a concurring opinion that race may be a component of school plans designed to achieve diversity. To the extent that Roberts' opinion could be interpreted to foreclose the use of race in any circumstance, Kennedy said, "I disagree with that reasoning." "A district may consider it a compelling interest to achieve a diverse student population," Kennedy said. "Race may be one component of that diversity." He agreed with Roberts that the plans in Louisville and Seattle violated constitutional guarantees of equal protection. Justice Stephen Breyer, in a dissent joined by the other liberals on the court, said Roberts' opinion undermined the promise of integrated schools that the court laid out 53 years ago in its landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education. "To invalidate the plans under review is to threaten the promise of Brown," Breyer said. While Roberts said the court was being faithful to the Brown decision, Justice John Paul Stevens in a separate dissent called the chief justice's reliance on Brown to rule against integration "a cruel irony." Of course uncle tom Justice Clarence Thomas, the court's only black member, wrote a separate opinion endorsing the ruling and taking issue with the dissenters' view of the Brown case. "What was wrong in 1954 cannot be right today," Thomas said. "The plans before us base school assignment decisions on students' race. Because 'our Constitution is colorblind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens,' such race-based decision making is unconstitutional." The two school systems in Thursday's decisions employ slightly different methods of taking students' race into account when determining which schools they will attend. Federal appeals courts had upheld both plans after some parents sued. The Bush administration took the parents' side, arguing that racial diversity is a noble goal but can be sought only through race-neutral means. The Louisville case grew out of complaints from several parents whose children were not allowed to attend the schools of their choice. Crystal Meredith, a white, single mother, sued after the school system turned down a request to transfer her 5-year-old son, to a school closer to home. Louisville's schools spent 25 years under a court order to eliminate the effects of state-sponsored segregation. After a federal judge freed the Jefferson County, Ky., school board, which encompasses Louisville, from his supervision, the board decided to keep much of the court-ordered plan in place to prevent schools from re-segregating. The lawyer for the Louisville system called the plan a success story that enjoys broad community support, including among parents of white and black students. Attorney Teddy Gordon, who argued that the Louisville system's plan was discriminatory, said Thursday, "Clearly, we need better race-neutral alternatives. Instead of spending zillions of dollars around the country to place a black child next to a white child, let's reduce class size. All the schools are equal. We will no longer accept that an African-American majority within a school is unacceptable." Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson said he was disappointed with the ruling because Louisville's system had provided "a quality education for all students and broken down racial barriers" for 30 years. He said he was confident school leaders would come up with effective new guidelines.
Super producer Timbaland was arrested on Sunday (June 10) in Cologne, Germany, after he and and other men allegedly attacked a bar patron. According to German media, the incident occurred in front of the Hotel Intercontinental, shortly after Justin Timberlake concert at the Cologne Arena. A man became visibly irate when he noticed Timbaland, born Timothy Mosely, speaking to his girlfriend. According to reports, the man was noticeably drunk and aggressive and allegedly called Timbaland the "n" word a heated exchange of words. Timbaland was signing autographs in front of the hotel when the fight continued outside, resulting in the man being sent to a local emergency room with injuries to his back and thorax. Police arrested Timbaland and his bodyguards at the hotel and eventually hit the rapper with charges of causing bodily injury to the man who was allegedly assaulted. Timbaland was released on $750 euro. (about 1000 US dollars)
Venus Breeze, the newest razor from the
world's leading female shaving brand, presented chart-topping singer
Rihanna with the 2007 Venus Breeze "Celebrity Legs of a Goddess"
award during a ceremony in New York City The talented singer, who
recently released her highly anticipated third album, Good Girl
Gone Bad, will also work with Venus Breeze to help judge the 2007
"Legs of a Goddess" contest. This nationwide competition
is a search for a woman with gorgeous legs who also exudes confidence
and charisma. The 2007 contest celebrates the launch of Venus Breeze,
the first 2-in-1 razor with built-in shave gel bars, making shaving
easier and more convenient than ever before. "I'm thrilled
that Venus Breeze thinks my legs are award-worthy and I'm excited
to kick off the search for the woman with the best legs in America,"
said Rihanna. "This contest is a fun way for women to showcase
confidence, charisma and gorgeous legs on the runway."
Paris Hilton was taken from a courtroom screaming and crying Friday seconds after a judge ordered her returned to jail to serve out her entire 45-day sentence for a parole violation in a reckless driving case."It's not right!" shouted the weeping Hilton. "Mom!" she called out to her mother in the audience. Hilton, who was brought to court in handcuffs in a sheriff's car, came into the courtroom disheveled and weeping. Her hair was askew and she wore a gray fuzzy sweatshirt over slacks. She wore no makeup and she cried throughout the hearing. Her body also shook constantly as she dabbed at her eyes. Several times she turned to her parents, seated behind her in the courtroom, and mouthed, "I love you." She had been brought to court in sheriff's custody today for a court hearing on her early release from jail after back-and-forth decisions on whether she could participate by telephone from her home. Hilton, appearing to be in handcuffs, cried after she was placed into a black-and-white patrol car, which sped away from her home with lights flashing as news helicopters pursued, broadcasting live TV coverage.The car carrying her disappeared into the courthouse's underground parking lot, avoiding a swarm of news media, and her parents then arrived. In the hearing, which began at late morning, a judge was to listen to the city attorney's complaint that the county sheriff did not have the right to reassign her to electronically monitored home detention after only three days in jail for violating probation in a reckless driving case. On Thursday, Superior Court Judge Michael
T. Sauer ordered that Hilton be brought to Friday's hearing. But
early "What transpired here is outrageous," county Supervisor Don Knabe told The Associated Press, adding he received more than 400 angry e-mails and hundreds more phone calls from around the country. Hilton's return home "gives the impression of ... celebrity justice being handed out," he said.
Uncle O, whose real name is Tracy Jackson, is wanted by police for participating in an aggravated assault at Philadelphia's Samba Nite Club. Uncle O and his on-air partner Mikey Dredd make up the top rated Hot Boyz on Philadelphia's Power 99. According to reports, Uncle O is said to have participated is the beating of the Philadelphia night club owner. One witnesses told MediaTakeOut.com, "Uncle O was being taunted for being a fake personality and having no real talent ... [then the victim] was smashed with right hook and a Heineken bottle." Uncle O also reportedly pulled a gun during the incident. Last night, authorities confirmed that they have issued a warrant for his arrest. Bail was set at $25,000 yesterday for Tracy Jackson, better known as Power 99's "Uncle O," on charges of pointing a gun at a club owner last weekend. Jackson, 36, surrendered Wednesday on a warrant charging him with aggravated assault, terroristic threats, simple assault and other offenses stemming from the incident early Sunday at Club Samba, Seventh Street and Girard Avenue. The station declined comment but an internal memo said Jackson was suspended pending an investigation. The station, owned by Clear Channel Communications, said it was "long committed to peace on the streets" and added that " 'Uncle O' has been at the forefront" of that movement. Jackson was released after the bail hearing. His next court date is set for Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES, June 7, 2007 Paris Hilton checked into the facility Sunday night to begin serving her sentence for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. She was released on June 7, and will serve 40 days at home while wearing a monitoring bracelet. (CBS/AP) Paris Hilton was released from and L.A. County jail early Thursday due to an unspecified medical condition after serving only three days of an already reduced 23-day sentence. She was sent home with an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and must remain there for 40 days, according to sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore. Whitmore says Hilton left the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood just after midnight. She checked into the facility just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday to serve 23 days, down from the 45 days she was originally sentenced to.Whitmore says Hilton's sentence will return to a 45-day term, with five days' credit for time served. Hilton was housed in the "special needs" unit of the 13-year-old jail, separate from most of its 2,200 inmates. The unit contains 12 two-person cells reserved for police officers, public officials, celebrities and other high-profile inmates. She didn't have a cellmate. After her first night in jail, Hilton's lawyer, Richard A. Hutton, said she was doing well under the circumstances. "She's using this time to reflect on her life, to see what she can do to make the world better and hopefully, in my opinion, to change the attitudes that exist about her among many people," Hutton said after visiting Hilton. There's your proof........Money can buy justice/injustice
Hip-hop legend MARLEY MARL is recovering
in a New York hospital after suffering a heart attack yesterday
(05Jun07). The iconic producer - real name Marlon Williams - played
a vital part in establishing the rap industry in the early 1980s
and 1990s, and has produced tracks for artists including Rakim,
Big Daddy Kane and LL Cool J.
The Game was charged in Los Angeles with making a criminal threat and possessing a firearm in a school zone. The felony charges against the 27-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, stemmed from a fight during a Feb. 24 pickup basketball game in South Los Angeles, the district attorney's office said. Taylor pulled a gun from his red Cadillac Escalade after punching a player on the opposing team and threatened to shoot him, police said. The hip-hop star was arrested May 11 at his Glendale home by police executing a search warrant and was released on $50,000 bail. He also is charged with exhibiting a firearm in the presence of an officer.Taylor was scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles. He faces more than five years in state prison if convicted. His attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Former Bad Boy artist and member of the group Hi-Five, Tony Thompson, was found dead on Friday in Waco Texas. He was 31 years old. Thompson's friends told the Waco Tribune-Herald that he died of a drug overdose. Thompson signed with Jive Records in 1990 as part of Hi-Five. Thompson released his solo debut, "Sexsational," in 1995 after Hi-Five split. Tony Thompson (born September 2, 1975 died June 1, 2007) was the lead vocalist of the R&B group Hi-Five. Thompson, who was raised in Oklahoma City, started singing solos in the local church choir at the age of eight. He was noticed by a producer and made a cut of a demo with Roderick Clark, Russell Neal, Marcus Sanders, and Toriano Easley, acquaintances from his days in Waco. Hi-Five signed with Jive Records in 1990. The quintet's self-titled debut album went multi-platinum and created several hits, including "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)," "I Can't Wait Another Minute," and "Just Another Girlfriend". Thompson had his own record label, N'Depth, and had re-incarnated Hi-Five with four new members, one of whom was his younger brother. The group's new album, The Return, was released in 2006.
The chairman and chief executive of HBO, Chris Albrecht, announced this afternoon that he was taking a leave of absence after being charged with assaulting a girlfriend in a Las Vegas parking lot early Sunday. In an e-mail message today to all HBO employees, Mr. Albrecht said he was "deeply sorry for what occurred in Las Vegas this weekend" and that it represented "a wake-up call to me of a weakness I thought I had overcome long ago." The chief operating officer of HBO, Bill Nelson, will assume Mr. Albrecht's duties temporarily. "We take these matters very seriously and will monitor the situation closely," said Richard D. Parsons, the chairman and chief executive of Time Warner, which owns HBO. Mr. Albrecht's leave comes at an inopportune time for HBO. Hours after the Las Vegas police released Mr. Albrecht on Sunday, the cable channel broadcast the latest episode of its marquee series, "The Sopranos," which will ends its six-season run on June 10. In Sunday's episode, one character, Christopher Moltisanti, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, was depicted as committing an act of violence after getting drunk. As the channel's chief executive, Mr. Albrecht had been involved in assembling HBO's next act, including the debut of what it hopes will be its next signature series, "John From Cincinnati." That show fuses elements of surfing culture, quantum physics and troubled family life, and it is to have its premiere immediately after the final scene of "The Sopranos." Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said the incident took place at about 3 a.m. on Sunday in the valet parking area of the MGM Grand Hotel, the site of a championship bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. The officer described the altercation as "a battery" and then defined such an offense as involving "hitting, choking or shoving." The victim was said by the police to have been Mr. Albrecht's girlfriend, but they have not released her name.
Top rappers 50 Cent and T.I. spoke their minds about the recent controversy over inappropriate language in hip-hop yesterday (May 16) during a press conference to announce the 2007 BET Awards nominees. As previously reported, a group of urban leaders has urged the music industry to censor the words "b*tch," "ho" and the "N-word" from future hip-hop albums. "It's not really a tragedy to me that that's happening," 50 Cent said. "I think for a moment a lot of people forgot that our country's at war. They'll point to usage of content in music like hip-hop and say it maybe influences violence on some levels and not point to actual films that are released and have similar content. I personally believe on every level that it's easier to attack an individual than it is to go after a corporation. They'll go after a specific hip-hop artist as opposed to a Paramount or a Columbia Pictures." A journalist pressed that 50, who repeatedly promoted his upcoming album, "Curtis," during the Q&A, hadn't truly answered the question, adding, "Do you feel compelled at all to get with the program and not use certain words?" "Music is a mirror and hip-hop is a reflection of the environment we grew up in, the harsh realities," 50 Cent said. "If I ask you to paint a picture of the American flag and not use the color red, you'd have a difficult time. So to capture what we're trying to in this art form, I'm sure some conservative Americans can't actually ID with it because of their lifestyle and the way they've been brought up. They haven't been exposed to these realities. I understand it. I'm actually angry at some points when I'm confused or I don't have information. Again, I understand why I'm constantly being attacked on some levels. It's difficult to find hip-hop that has had any success that hasn't had content on some level that was a little racy." Adding his perspective, an impassioned T.I. remarked, "What 50 was trying to put into words without losing his temper is it all starts at home. I'm a father of five. And my kids watch BET. They watch all kinds of videos, they watch movies, they listen to music, they like 50 and Lil' Wayne, whomever you can mention. But when my children look at these videos or listen to this music, I don't care how impressionable it is. They know they aren't going to have to deal with 50. They're going to have to deal with daddy. And that's the way it starts." Against loud applause, T.I. continued,
"We look to rappers, athletes and stars to raise our children
instead of "The things I say come from the life that I used to live," he said. "And this is a harsh reality. Now, maybe most of you were fortunate enough to not have ever dealt with that. Most of you all don't know what it's like to have to sell some dope or you aren't going to have nothing to eat for the next three days. Most of you all don't know what that life is like. I know the B-word, the H-word and the N-word are the words under attack right now. And I don't know if you know it or not, people, but there are b*tches, n*ggas and hos who live in America. And as long as that fact exists, I think rappers deserve the right to talk about it."
ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis company that operates four TV stations and a hip-hop radio station said Wednesday it is banning programming and music lyrics that it deems violent, sexist and racist. The decision by black-owned Roberts Broadcasting Cos. LLC comes less than a week after Don Imus was fired by CBS Radio for calling members of the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos." Fallout from the incident renewed debate about lyrics of many rap and hip-hop songs that are racially charged and derogatory toward women. The Rev. Al Sharpton has called entertainment the next battleground after Imus. St. Louis brothers Michael and Steven Roberts operate a multifaceted business that includes an aviation company, shopping centers, hotels, construction firms and residential developments. The broadcasting unit includes four television stations _ WRBU in St. Louis, WZRB in Columbia, S.C., WAZE in Evansville, Ind., and WRBJ in Jackson, Miss. The company also operates WRBJ-FM, a hip-hop station in Jackson. "We take tremendous pride in being African-American and refuse to let anyone, white or black, strip us of that pride," said Steven Roberts, president and chief operating officer of the company. The decision will have an immediate impact on WRBJ-FM. Rather than censoring offensive words, Roberts spokeswoman Keesha Dhaene said, "We're going to ban them altogether, which is a hard move for a hip-hop station. If it's offensive in any way toward women, or African-Americans, it's not going to be played on Hot 97.7."
Vocalist Will Downing has cancelled touring for the immediate future after being diagnosed with a disorder called polymyositis, a debilitating chronic inflammatory disease of the muscles that can possibly lead to the point where those afflicted are no longer walk or move their bodies. Its cause is unknown. Downing, 46, has been hospitalized since January. Although polymyositis can occur at any age, it mostly affects adults in their 40s and 50s. It is more common in blacks than in whites, and women are diagnosed more often than men. According to the Mayo Clinic, periods of remission, during which signs and symptoms improve spontaneously, rarely occur in polymyositis. However, treatment can improve muscle strength and function. Downing says that he first came down with symptoms over the holidays when he felt extremely tired and sick. He adds that his fear of doctors kept him from discovering what his affliction was. However, the singer says he is now in rehabilitation and working to get himself back in shape. He's moving slowly, but he's moving nonetheless and is thankful for that and for the fact that his voice so far has not been affected. Downing says he still plans to release a new CD this September on Peak Records, which was co-founded by Russ Freeman of the Rippingtons. Our prayers go out to Will and his family as he learns to live with the disease.
Multichannel.com is reporting that the Black Family Channel will air its last broadcast on April 30 before shutting down permanently. The 16 million-subscriber network -- co-owned by lawyer Willie Gary, former baseball star Cecil Fielder, entertainer Marlon Jackson, cable veteran Alvin James and former heavyweight boxing champ Evander Holyfield - had trouble securing significant cable and satellite distribution to remain in business, sources tell the Web site.
The number of digital tracks sold, meanwhile, jumped by 53 per cent to 250.8 million compared with 164.2 million in the same period last year, the firm said. The shortfall in album sales drops to 10.5 per cent when sales of digital singles are counted as 10-track equivalent albums. "It's not making up totally for the decline but at least it's able to account for some of the decline in sales," said Chris Muratore, vice- president of retail relations for Nielsen Entertainment. Still, overall music sales are up by more than 17 per cent but that figure includes all albums, singles, music videos and digital downloads. The recording industry has seen CD album sales decline for years, in part due to the rise of online file-sharing but also as consumers have spent more of their leisure dollars on other entertainment purchases, such as DVDs and video games. The industry has benefitted from sources of revenue that weren't around just a few years ago, such as mobile music sales. So far this year, more than 72 million ringtones have been purchased by mobile phone-users, said Nielsen RingScan, which began tracking the sector last fall. One factor in the decline of album sales is that record labels have cut back on the number of new album releases by major artists early in the calendar year. "If you look at the last couple of years, fewer and fewer of those acts have been released in the first half of the year and this year has been horrible," Muratore said. "It's proven that if you put something out, an established name, a big name, people are going to go buy the music." Crooner Norah Jones and country singer Tim McGraw are the biggest acts to release new albums this year, he said. Jones' album, "Not Too Late," has sold about 1.2 million copies so far this year, while McGraw's "Let It Go," has sold 570,000, SoundScan said. Fall Out Boy's album "Infinity On High," has sold around 760,000 copies, the firm said. The other top sellers this year have been albums released last year by the likes of Justin Timberlake, Daughtry, and Akon. Last year's biggest-selling album, the soundtrack inspired by the Disney Channel movie "High School Musical," was released in January. It sold more than 3.7 million copies. "Six out of the past seven years, the No. 1 album was released no later than May," Muratore said. New York's powerful Hip-Hop/R&B Station, WWPR vows to stop playing songs with degrading images WWPR (105.1 FM), one of two city radio stations that feature hip-hop music, said yesterday morning it's going to stop playing songs with degrading images. "The station won't sound that different, because we weren't playing a lot of that anyway," said program director Helen Little. "What we're doing is holding labels and artists accountable for what they say and how they say it. "We want our listeners to know that whatever they hear here, we thought about it." Little went on the air yesterday morning with Ed Lover, Egypt and Donnell Rawlins, music director Nadine Santos and guests who included activists Kevin Powell and the Rev. Al Sharpton. This "town meeting" was designed to involve listeners in a discussion of content issues surrounding hip hop and radio. The discussion came as some critics, including Sharpton, who pushed for last week's firing of WFAN's Imus, vowed to turn their attention to negative images and lyrics in hip-hop music. Lover and Little said, however, that Power had been having this discussion for some time, and Santos, among others, cautioned against linking Imus' comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team with hip hop. "Let's not get it twisted," she said. "This isn't what hip hop is about. What Imus said has nothing to do with hip hop." There was also discussion over whether some listeners want more graphic lyrics. Little said they may, and that's fine. "We're not saying you can't make this music," she said. "Just we won't play it. "Our intention is to encourage people not to talk this way anymore." We did
it! - CBS fires Don Imus CBS chief, Leslie Moonves, said in, in part, "From the outset, I believe all of us have been deeply upset and revulsed by the statements that were made on our air about the young women who represented Rutgers University in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship with such class, energy and talent." He added, "Those who have spoken with us the last few days represent people of goodwill from all segments of our society – all races, economic groups, men and women alike. In our meetings with concerned groups, there has been much discussion of the effect language like this has on our young people, particularly young women of color trying to make their way in this society. "That consideration has weighed most heavily on our minds as we made our decision, as have the many emails, phone calls and personal discussions we have had with our colleagues across the CBS Corporation and our many other constituencies."
Gladys Knight will receive the 16th annual ELLA Award from the Society of Singers. The honor, named after its first recipient, jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, salutes entertainers for their musical successes and dedication to charitable and humanitarian causes."It is a truly awesome feeling to be receiving this honor. Ella was the sweetest and most beautiful person as a talent and as a human being," Knight said Tuesday.Knight will receive the award Sept. 10. Past winners include Elton John, Frank Sinatra and Celine Dion. "Gladys Knight has one of the greatest and most distinctive voices of our time," said Jerry F. Sharell, the Society of Singers' president and chief executive officer. (The Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization offers services to meet the emergency financial needs of professional singers worldwide.)Knight, 62, has won seven Grammys in her career, with hits including "Midnight Train to Georgia" and "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)."
In court papers, the prosecutors identify Ronald "Tenad" Washington as the armed accomplice of a second unidentified gunman who shot Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell, inside his New York recording studio in 2002. They say Washington also is a suspect in the 1995 fatal shooting of Randy Walker, a close associate of the late rapper Tupac Shakur. The papers were filed earlier this month in the federal trial of Washington, who was convicted in a string of armed robberies that occurred just after Jay was killed. Prosecutors declined to discuss the unsolved slayings. A Mizell family spokesperson welcomed news that authorities had for the first time publicly identified a suspect, saying "We're relieved there's some information coming out, although we understand that it's not the full story." Washington, 45, has denied any connection to either the Mizell or Walker cases. In a sworn statement, he claimed hostile detectives had hounded him about the slaying of his "childhood friend" Mizell and other crimes. Washington's criminal record dates to 1982, and includes convictions for assault, drugs and grand larceny, authorities said. Mizell was gunned down Oct. 30, 2002, at his 24/7 recording studio in Queens. According to a performer there, a man wearing a black sweat suit appeared, embraced Mizell, pulled out a .40-caliber pistol and opened fire.
Gerald Levert's death was an accident, caused by a fatal combination of prescription narcotics and over-the-counter drugs. The drugs in his bloodstream included the narcotic pain relievers Vicodin, Percocet and Darvocet, along with anxiety medication Xanax and two over-the-counter antihistamines, Geauga County Coroner Kevin Chartrand said. The official cause of death was acute intoxication, and the death was ruled accidental. Chartrand said his office received a report Thursday from the Cuyahoga County coroner's office, which conducted the autopsy. Levert, 40, son of O'Jays singer Eddie Levert, died Nov. 10 in his suburban Cleveland home. He was taking the pain medication because of chronic pain from a lingering shoulder problem and surgery in 2005 to repair a severed Achilles tendon. The autopsy revealed that Levert had pneumonia. Levert also took Xanax for anxiety attacks, Gibson said. Atlanta
officers to face murder indictment By BILL TORPY
But, according to the proposed indictment, no informant went to the house. Smith's attorney had no comment on the matter, and Tesler's could not be reached. Eight officers were put on administrative leave after the shooting. The incident prompted an investigation that has included state and federal authorities. Csehy responded angrily to the threat of an indictment against his client, saying, "It's an overbroad indictment." He complained Howard's office acted prematurely without consulting with the FBI, which is still investigating. "Paul Howard is no longer part of a joint investigation," Csehy said. Patrick Crosby, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said Howard had not informed his office about plans to seek indictments. FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett said, "We did not know this was taking place prior. The FBI has been charged with leading this investigation. And to date, this investigation has not been completed."Csehy conceded his client may have made mistakes, but he said Junnier didn't commit murder. "There was no malfeasance here. It was sloppy police work," Csehy said. "It was cutting corners." Anna Nichole Smith Dead at 39
Smith gained notoriety when she married the then 89 year-old billionaire J. Howard Marshall in 1994. The two met at a Houston strip club where Anna Nichole was performing. Marshall died 14 months later and Smith found herself mired in a lengthy and bitter legal battle with her late husband's family to claim one half of the billionaire's estate. The litigation remains ongoing. Smith was spokesperson for weight-loss conglomerate TrimSpa and subsequently dropped almost 70 pounds. By this time however Smith exhibited bizarre public behaviour and many speculated that she was heavily self medicated. Days after the birth of Smith's second child last year in Florida, her 20 year-old son died suddenly. Autopsy reports indicated that he had lethal doses of methadone and antidepressants in his system at the time of his death. Smith, born Vickie Lynn Hogan in Houston Texas was 39 years old. Gillie the kid
arrested as drug house busted in Oxford Circle
The agents were tipped to check out Fard's properties on Passmore and soon observed him receiving a delivery of marijuana, Werner said. The FBI and city narcotics officers set up surveillance for several hours and took down the alleged dealers when they tried to leave Tuesday night in an array of luxury cars, including a Jaguar and a Lexis. Also arrested were Mark Jeffries, 41; Rhashima Brown, 34; Regina Little, 27; Garnell Brown, 25, and Izeem Ruffings, 25 - all of Philadelphia. Each was charged with conspiracy and possessing narcotics with intent to deliver.
Warner Music Group Corp. on Thursday (Feb. 8) posted a 74% drop in its quarterly profit and fell short of Wall Street expectations on a weaker album release schedule than a year before. A generally tough environment for music sales also contributed to the shortfall, as a growing number of consumers are downloading more music over the Internet, with such services as Apple Inc.'s iTunes, rather than buying physical albums. Music companies have raced to boost digital sales as a percentage of overall revenue, but digital remains a relatively small piece of the pie. The world's fourth-largest music company said profit for the fiscal first quarter ended December 31 fell to $18 million, or 12 cents per share, down from $69 million, or 46 cents per share the year before. Revenue fell 11% to $928 million. Results missed the average of Wall Street analysts' forecasts for earnings per share of 24 cents and revenue of $943.9 million, according to Reuters Estimates. Albums by artists including My Chemical Romance and Josh Groban sold worse than hit albums a year earlier by such artists as Madonna, James Blunt, Enya and Green Day. Recorded music sales fell 13% to $800 million, dragged by the United States and Europe and dampening stronger sales in Asia Pacific. Warner said digital music sales continued to increase their share of total revenue to 11%, or $100 million. In Warner's U.S. recorded music business, digital music sales amounted to $61 million, or 17% of its domestic business. The company said iTunes remains the major outlet for U.S. consumers while mobile phone partnerships delivered more digital sales internationally. The company said it expects a better second half of the year based on its release schedule and remains "confident" of its fiscal 2007. Serena Williams wallops Sharapova for eighth Grand Slam
Williams poses with the trophy after winning her women's final match against Maria Sharapova. Unseeded and ranked 81st, Williams won for her eighth and most improbable Grand Slam title Saturday, beating Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2. "It was an awesome win, because I had so many critics. So many people ... saying negative things," Williams said. "Saying I wasn't fit, when I felt that I was really fit, and I could last three sets. "It's always like, tell me no and I'll show you that I can do it. I get the greatest satisfaction just holding up the Grand Slam trophy and proving everyone wrong." Only the second unseeded woman to win the Australian title in the Open era, Williams came to Melbourne Park with only three matches at a low-key warmup tournament after missing most of last season because of a knee injury. She will jump to No. 14 in the world next week after capturing her first title in 15 tournaments since her second Australian Open victory in 2005.
*This is one of those stories that kinda makes you wish you were there to witness it go down. It seems actress Nia Long was kickin' it at the Grove shopping center in LA last Friday with her new boo. But little did she and he know things were about to get ugly. According to the report from TMZ.com, Massai Z. Dorsey, Long's baby daddy and her now ex, ran into the pair. We're not sure what exactly happened, but apparently there's bad blood between the dudes because a street brawl broke out between Dorsey and Long's new guy, right in the middle of the shopping center! When the dust cleared sources say Long's new guy friend put a serious whipping on Long's ex leaving him lying on the street as he and Long took off running. The source also says that as Long was running she lost her shoe but didn't seem to care. She left the shoe behind and kept running! Commodores Member Milan Williams Dies -Gail Mitchell, L.A.
The Commodores' first hit was the 1974 synthesizer-pumped instrumental "Machine Gun." Written by Williams, the song climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard R&B chart. The group went on to score seven No. 1 R&B hits, including "Slippery When Wet," "Just To Be Close to You," "Easy," "Nightshift," "Three Times a Lady" and "Still," the latter two of which also notched No. 1 on the pop chart. Richie left the group for a solo career in 1982, and the Commodores later recorded for Polydor in the late '80s. Williams was born in Okolona, Mississippi on March 28, 1948. Before joining the Commodores, Williams played keyboards for another Tuskegee band, the Jays. He is survived by a host of family members, including his wife, Melanie Bruno-Williams, two sons from previous unions, Jason and Ricci, two brothers and a sister. Services will be held July 14 in Okolona. A memorial service is slated for August in Los Angeles. Noted fellow Commodore Orange, " He gave all that he could give to the Commodores. He'll always be remembered."
Billy Preston, the child prodigy and R&B star who became an unofficial "fifth Beatle," died Tuesday at age 59. The singer-keyboardist died at a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, after a long battle with kidney failure. He'd received a kidney transplant in 2002, but the kidney failed and he'd been in a coma since November. With his super-size Afro and gospel-fired funk, Preston became a top soul star of the 70s and went to No. 1 on the pop charts with Will It Go Round in Circles (1973) and Nothing From Nothing (1974). But he'll be forever remembered for helping keep the Beatles intact during their tumultuous Let It Be sessions. He was the only guest artist ever credited on a Beatles single, Get Back, which was billed as "The Beatles with Billy Preston." He was born in Houston in 1946 but moved at age 2 to Los Angeles, where his mother, Robbie Lee Williams, played piano in nightclubs and churches. He mastered the keyboard as a child, and by 10 was playing churches and had been hired by Mahalia Jackson. In 1958, at age 12, he landed a cameo role playing W.C. Handy in St. Louis Blues. Four years later, he joined Little Richard's band and toured Europe, where he met a fledgling club act called the Beatles. In the mid-60s, Preston went from the Shindig! house band to Ray Charles' group. An appearance with Brother Ray on BBC-TV caught the attention of George Harrison, and in early 1969, at the peak of the Beatles' squabbling, he invited Preston to play keyboards on the band's next LP. "I pulled in Billy Preston on Let It Be because the others would have to control themselves a bit more - John and Paul, mainly, because they had to, you know, act more handsomely," Harrison told the music magazine Crawdaddy in 1977. The partnership worked brilliantly. Preston's majestic organ set up the perfect finale to Let It Be, while his jazz-funk solos helped drive Dig It and Get Back. His fiery remake of Get Back in 1978 was a high point in the otherwise dismal film version of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Beatles signed him to their record label, Apple, where he recorded two albums produced by Harrison. But he didn't strike gold until a few years later when he moved to A&M with Will It Go Round in Circles and the manic organ jam Space Race. In 1975, he was the musical guest on the first episode of Saturday Night Live. But even as he was riding high as a solo act, he worked constantly behind the scenes, writing Joe Cocker's smash hit You Are So Beautiful and serving as a sideman to the Rolling Stones.
The lawyer for fired New York radio jock Troi "Star" Torain asked a court Tuesday to dismiss the charges against his client in connection with on-air threats made to the daughter of a rival disc jockey. Star, former co-host of the syndicated "Star & Buc Wild Morning Show" on Power 105.1 FM, was arrested on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child after he hurled a barrage of racist and sexual insults about the wife and 4-year-old daughter of Raashaun Casey, known as DJ Envy on New York's Hot 97. Star's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said Torain's remarks were indeed offensive, but were uttered in a moment of frustration." Brafman also reminded the court that Torain had apologized for his actions. "This case either does not belong in criminal court at all, or if it does, the Hot 97 DJs should both be arrested as well, if you apply the same legal theory used to authorize the arrest of Mr. Torain," said Brafman, adding that his client committed no crime with his handgun, for which he had a license until police rescinded it following the on-air rant. Brafman's court papers said nothing that his client did was "likely to be injurious to the physical, mental and moral welfare of a child under 17" and therefore the case should be dismissed. Star, who was fired from his radio gig on May 10, is currently free on $2,000 bail.
Lark Voorhies, best known for her role as Lisa Turtle on TV's "Saved by the Bell," has filed a lawsuit against the National Enquirer for publishing a story that suggested she was battling a cocaine addiction. In Tuesday's filing obtained by TMZ.com, the actress is seeking unspecified punitive damages as a result of the June 2005 article, which quoted a "friend" of Voorhies' as saying she was strung out. "Poor Lark-she's really in bad shape," the Enquirer quoted the "friend" as saying. "She has a terrible drug problem and is bipolar as well. It's very tough." Voorhies, who refutes the claims, says she has "suffered humiliation, mental anguish, emotional and physical distress, and has been injured in mind and body" due to the allegations in the article.
PHILADELPHIA Beanie Sigel, the popular rapper, was shot during an attempted robbery Thursday (May 24th), but was able to drive himself to the hospital, police said.Sigel was shot one or two times in the upper right arm shortly after 8 a.m. and was in good condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, police said. Authorities said the holdup was attempted by five males traveling in two cars, and there was some confusion about where the shooting took place. Beanie's watch and jewelry was taken. He left the hospital in a chauffeured car and went directly to the studio to work on his upcoming project.
LONDON - What was meant to be a friendly chat to promote the new "X-Men" movie turned into a frosty discussion about race on a popular morning radio program, but the British Broadcasting Corp. defended its disc jockey. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry appeared on Chris Moyles' Radio One breakfast show Thursday and clashed with her host after he impersonated what he described as a "big, fat, black guy." "Are we having a racist moment here?" Berry, the first black actress to win an Academy Award for a lead role, asked Moyles after she took exception to his impersonation. Moyles, who is white, said he just couldn't do American accents. Moyles made it clear on air that there was nothing racist in what he said, a BBC spokesman said Friday on condition of anonymity, in line with the corporation's policy. The exchange began when Hugh Jackman, Berry's "X-Men: The Last Stand" co-star, jokingly suggested that Moyles might take the role of his body double if he ever landed the part of James Bond. "I could definitely do that," Moyles said before adding, "Put your hands in the air!" A somewhat puzzled Jackman replied, "Are you some kind of Brooklyn Bond?" Moyles replied: "I'm a black American guy. A big, fat, black guy. Put your hands up in the air." The interview continued, though the DJ later said Berry was "ratty" - British slang for grouchy. Berry won an Oscar in 2002 for her role in "Monster's Ball."
Johnnie Wilder Jr., frontman and co-founder of the 1970s R&B group Heatwave, died May 13 at his home in Clayton, Ohio. He was 56. No cause of death has been made public. In 1979, Wilder became paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident and subsequently stopped touring with Heatwave, though he continued to serve as lead vocalist. The band's hit singles include "Boogie Nights," "Always and Forever" and "The Groove Line." Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Johnnie's principal alliance with music was his involvement with his high school glee club. After graduating, he served three years in the military in Germany and formed a five man vocal group that performed primarily in military and civilian clubs in the surrounding area. After their tour of duty ended, the original group started to disband, but a small nucleus migrated to West Germany where they restructured under various names, then Heat Wave to Johnnie Wilder Jr. and the Chicago Heatwave. With the addition of a talented performer, Rod Temperton (whose credits include having written "Thriller" and "Off The Wall" for Michael Jackson), their band performed throughout Europe, acquiring an enviable reputation and loyal following at every stop. Eventually, the band relocated to England, shortened its name back to Heatwave and began to attract attention with the release of an original single entitled, "Boogie Nights". By the time the song had reached #1 in London, CBS records were already negotiating a lucrative international distribution deal with GTO records, the group's London label. The rest was history. The next single, "Always and Forever" propelled Too Hot To Handle to sales over three million units. With the singles "Grooveline" and "Mind Blowing Decisions" blazing the path, Central Heating also achieved multi-platinum status in 1978. As Heatwave began producing its third album, Hot Property, in recording studios located in various parts of the world, the future could not have looked brighter to Johnnie Wilder. That was before he decided to take advantage of a break in the hectic recording schedule to visit family and friends in his hometown of Dayton. As quickly as the plane could land, a car could be rented, and he could drive downtown, Johnnie's future, as he perceived it at the time, was over. The very moment that an out of control van totaled Johnnie's car, he was paralyzed with no body movement below the neck. It was a year before he was released from the hospital. Yet immediately, he demonstrated his amazing resilience. Though confided to a wheelchair, he traveled on Heatwave's European tour, and even recorded lead and background vocals on its fourth and fifth albums. Heatwave released seven albums, beginning its 1977 debut "Too Hot To Handle" (Epic) and including a 1997 reunion set, "Live at the Greek Theater" (Century Vista). The group disbanded in 1983 after enduring a series of member arrivals and departures (Temperton quit in 1978). The Wilder brothers released "Sound of Soul" (Blatent) in 1989, and Johnnie recorded two gospel albums, "My Goal" (Light) and "One More Day."
"Yes, I disrespected your seed. If you didn't hear me, I said, I would like to do an R. Kelly on your seed, on your little baby girl. I would like to tinkle on her," the DJ said referring to an alleged videotape of the Chicago-bred pop singer urinating on an underage girl. Star of the Star and Bucwild Morning Show on New York's Power 105.1 radio station has been fired for some very sexually charged statements made on the air. Clear Channel gave Star (real name: Troi Torain) the axe after on-air sexual and threatening comments were made on Monday (May 8) about rival DJ Envy's wife and 4-year-old daughter. "Somebody holla at me and tell me about his whore wife and his kid," Star said, while on the air, offering $500 to any listener who could provide information about the location of Envy's kid's school. "866-678-8270...Somebody get at me about his whore. His whore wife and his kid, this little ugly ass kid, I hear." "I'm disrespectin' your seed. I would like to skeet on the face of your seed," continued Star. Star's employer, Clear Channel, denounced the DJ's comments and say they do not stand for that type of talk by their on-air talent. "We will simply not allow racist pedophiles to use the airways to harass children and families, and create an atmosphere of hate, violence and bigotry in our community," said Council Member John C. Liu during a press conference held Wednesday in New York. Both DJ's (Envy and Star) have been embroiled in an on-air verbal war for weeks now, and this seemed to be the last straw for Star. According to reports, a listener complained to a New York City Councilman, who then called Clear Channel Radio President/CEO John Hogan and demanded Star's dismissal. Premier Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel, airs the Star and Bucwild Morning Show in cities such as Philadelphia, Miami and Richmond, VA. Premiere Radio Networks has suspended the show indefinitely and the rest of the Star and Bucwild Morning team are on suspension pending further investigation.”DJ Envy said he found the comments deplorable and disgusting. "Any man that says he would like to do an R. Kelly on a 4-year-old, who claims he wants to tinkle on her and skeet on her face might be a pedophile," DJ Envy told AllHipHop.com. "Instead of keeping his hatred focused solely on me, he threatened to molest my daughter. He's a coward who hides behind his microphone, who will stop at nothing to generate ratings."
Latin Singer Soraya Dead At 37
The Latin Grammy winner died this morning (May 10) in Florida. The singer had been battling breast cancer for several years and was a spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Sources say she relapsed at the beginning of the year. Soraya, whose mother, aunt and grandmother died of breast cancer, was diagnosed with stage three of the disease in June 2000, just as she was finalizing a new album with Universal Music Latino. She successfully underwent treatment and returned to a new record deal with EMI. Her 2003 album, the self-produced "Soraya," won her the first ever Latin Grammy for best singer/songwriter album. Soraya's illness, compounded with her family history of the disease, led her to become a tireless advocate in the fight against cancer. In 2004, Billboard honored her with its Spirit of Hope Award for her tireless work to raise awareness on the prevention and cure of breast cancer in the Hispanic community. "Basically my life is split in three," Soraya told Billboard at the time. "My music career. My life. And my third part is this [the fight against breast cancer]. It's a full time job." Soraya released her last album in 2005. This week, prior to her death, she posted a goodbye letter to fans on her Web site. "I know there are many questions without answers, and that hope doesn't leave with me, and above all, that my mission does not end with my physical story," she wrote. Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Graffiti Artists in NYC Lawsuit A federal judge has ruled in favor of seven graffiti artists who filed a first amendment lawsuit against the City of New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr. Judge George B. Daniels granted the group's request for a preliminary injunction against recent amendments to anti-graffiti legislation that went into effect on January 1.Effective Thursday, the New York Police Department and all city agencies will be largely prohibited from enforcing the amendments pending final outcome of the case. An underlying lawsuit will now be litigated with the injunction in place. "Today's decision is a victory for the plaintiffs and everyone else whose First Amendment rights were being trampled upon with these laws," said fashion designer Marc Ecko, who has actively supported the graffiti artists and was present when the decision was made. "I am very pleased that the courts have recognized the hypocrisy of this anti-graffiti legislation and its effect on the right to free expression for legitimate artists under the age of 21," he continued. The decision marks the end of days of litigation concerning the lawsuit, titled Vincenty v. Bloomberg, 06 CV 3158 (GBD). The suit, brought by seven graffiti artists, was filed April 25 in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York."As someone whose career has been shaped by graffiti art and street design, I've increasingly felt a responsibility to lend my support to these and other aspiring artists whose rights to express themselves through the medium of legal graffiti-inspired art were being suppressed in New York and cities across the country," Ecko said. "The motif of graffiti is one that has the right to exist credibly, and it is great to see the courts make a distinction between illegal vandalism and the motif of legal graffiti as a legitimate art form that cannot be pushed aside by legislators."
The Source Magazine's founder and former CEO Dave Mays has filed for bankruptcy protection, temporarily halting an auction sale of his stock in the Hip-Hop publication. he auction of his share was halted for a second time in light of Mays' declaration of bankruptcy yesterday morning (May 4). Mays lost control of the magazine after defaulting on an $18 million loan from Textron Financial. In March, a judge ruled that Mays willingly signed contracts giving Black Enterprise/Greenwich Street Partners the right to take control if he defaulted on debt obligations. By not fulfilling these obligations, Mays lost control of the company, along with full ownership. Mays' 82 % stake is being sought after by at least three suitors, including Marc Ecko, Earl "Butch" Graves in conjunction with Black Enterprise, and Partnership Equity. "We found out about the bankruptcy claim at the same time everyone else did," Clint Cantwell, communications director for Ecko Unlimited told AllHipHop.com. "But overall, The Source is a great brand and certainly worth pursuing. I think it would be a great blend with us having Complex Magazine under our belt. So, we'll see how things work out at the auction, whenever the auction actually takes place." Mays' attorney David Finkler declined to comment. After Mays and his partner Ray "Benzino" Scott were ousted, Black Enterprise appointed former editor Jeremy Miller to the position of CEO of The Source. Miller said he and his staff were anxious to see the court proceedings end. "I hope the person who purchases [ The Source will keep the magazine as is, because we're on the right track to progress and get the magazine back to where it used to be," Miller told AllHipHop.com. "I would hope we don't have to start over. Right now, guys from Black Enterprise wouldn't have a problem if they owned the full share of the company." Chaka Khan's son acquitted in murder trial
Holland, 27, was charged with killing Christopher Bailey, a 17-year-old aspiring rapper who was staying at the home Holland shares with his mother, girlfriend and 5-year-old daughter. Holland testified that he never intended to kill Bailey when he poked at him with an M-16 assault rifle. The two were discussing an affair the younger man claimed to have had with Holland's girlfriend when Holland pointed the gun at his friend.Khan testified last week that she believed her son accidentally killed his friend. The singer said Bailey could have survived the shooting had police permitted emergency medical workers to enter her home sooner. EMBER OF T.I.'S CREW KILLED IN CINCINNATI: Gunfire erupts on the highway following fight at afterparty. Three other members of the entourage were injured: a Minnesota woman was hospitalized in stable condition, a bodyguard and a driver were treated and released. Following the incident, police were forced to close down the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 - one of two main highways providing access to downtown Cincinnati - during the morning rush hour.
*Earl Woods, the father of golf legend Tiger Woods, died early Wednesday at his home in Cypress, California. He was 74. "I'm very saddened to share the news of my father's passing at home early this morning," his son, 30, said on his official Web site. "My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply. …I'm overwhelmed when I think of all of the great things he accomplished in his life. He was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend. I wouldn't be where I am today without him, and I'm honored to continue his legacy of sharing and caring." Tiger spent the last week with his father after returning from a trip to New Zealand, where he attended the wedding of his caddie Steve Williams. In March, he skipped the final practice day for the Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida to spend time with him. A former Green Beret, Earl Woods was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1998. Radiation therapy had eradicated the disease until 2004, when it returned and caused lesions on his back and a tumor behind his left eye. After more radiation, he went into remission last year before his condition again deteriorated.
Honolulu, HI (AHN) - Lost star Michelle Rodriguez surrendered to authorities Tuesday to begin a five-day jail sentence for drunk driving. Rodriguez, who portrays police officer Ana Lucia, opted for jail time and a $500 fine rather than 240 hours of community service. The 27-year-old Rodriguez and cast member Cynthia Watros were both charged with drunk driving after they were pulled over Dec. 1 in separate cars within 15 minutes of each other, reports The Associated Press. On Tuesday, the judge gave Rodriguez the option of jail time or community service. Choosing jail over community service was a "personal choice," said her attorney, Steve Barta. Watros, who plays Libby on the ABC castaway drama, pleaded guilty to drunken driving in January and was fined $312, ordered to undergo an alcohol assessment and 14 hours of counseling. She also had her license suspended for 90 days. Both Rodriguez and Watros were spotted weaving on a road in Kailua, on the island of Oahu, where "Lost" is filmed. Both failed field sobriety tests.
Babyface' Files Suit Against Anita Baker
June Pointer, the youngest original member of the Grammy-winning group the Pointer Sisters, who started as a gospel singers in Oakland and reached pop music stardom in the 1970s, died Tuesday. She was 52. Ms. Pointer died at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica from cancer that spread to her pancreas, liver and lungs, said her brother Fritz Pointer. She had been admitted to the hospital in February after suffering a stroke. She is the first member of the musical group to die. With her sisters, Ruth, Anita and Bonnie, the quartet topped pop and R&B charts through the 1970s with hits including "Yes We Can, Can" and "How Long (Betcha Got a Chick on the Side)." The group formed a trio when Bonnie Pointer left to begin a solo career in 1977. In school, she played basketball and ran track, displaying a natural athleticism that transferred into energetic dance performances with the Pointer Sisters. At 15 years of age, June dropped out of Castlemont High School in Oakland to form the duo "Pointers-A Pair" with her sister Bonnie, performing in Bay Area clubs. At about that time, she was raped in an East Oakland neighborhood, became pregnant, and had an abortion, according to Fritz Pointer, sparking what would become a lifelong struggle with drug addiction for Ms. Pointer. With their first album, "The Pointer Sisters," released in 1973, the four sisters won fans with an upbeat style, flashy costumes and eclectic sounds, drawing on soul, rock 'n' roll and jazz roots. In 1974, they won their first of three Grammy awards, for the song "Fairytale," which was named best country vocal performance by a group. "June started performing at 16, and she brought a lot of energy to the group," Fritz Pointer said. "She had an incredible sense of humor and an ability to make people laugh. She loved life." Proof of D12 murdered
uge Knight Filing For Bankruptcy Protection - Roman Wolfe
Death Row is also at the center of a legal battle involving Knight, incarcerated drug dealer Michael "Harry-O" Harris and his estranged wife Lydia Harris. Harry-O, who is serving a 28-year sentence in San Quentin prison, claims he invested $1.5 million in the label through Knight's attorney David Kenner. In March 2005, Knight was ordered to pay Mrs. Harris $107 million because Knight failed to show up to numerous court proceedings to disclose his assets. Knight recently missed another date this past Saturday (April 1). "Mr. Knight doesn't have 107 million dollars," Strick said. "It remains to be seen what becomes of Death Row." The label owns a catalog of multiplatinum albums from Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur, the best selling rapper of all time. A judge warned Knight that if he missed Saturday's hearing to disclose his assets, the label would be placed into receivership. According to Knight's attorney, filing for bankruptcy protection temporarily prevents Knight from losing ownership of the label. Harry-O filed for divorce from his wife Lydia shortly after the judgment was issued and is seeking half of the $107 million that was awarded his wife in March.
Rapper Black Rob was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday (March 30) after being convicted of grand larceny for robbing a hotel room in 2004. The rapper pleaded guilty to criminal possession of stolen property in November 2005, after hotel security cameras caught him leaving a New York hotel with a woman's pocketbook in November 2004. He was charged with stealing over $6,000 in jewelry and $300 cash from the woman's room. Black Rob, born Robert Ross, was charged with burglary and criminal possession of stolen property and was subsequently sentenced to serve two to six years in jail. He was free on bail, but a fugitive warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to show up to serve his time as arranged. A fugitive warrant was issued and the rapper was arrested in February 2006 in New Jersey. Prosecutors gave Black Rob the maximum sentence because he failed to turn himself in.
Dre of the production team Cool & Dre has something to say about all those rumors surrounding his relationship with Christina Milian, and reports that it damaged her dealings with Def Jam so much that they dropped her from the label. He addresses the drama in a verse on his remix to new song "Chevy Ridin' High" with The Game, Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, Pusha T from the Clipse, Rick Ross and Dirtbag. "The New York Post wants to print lies about Christina Milian getting dropped from a record company and I had something to do with it," he told MTV.com. "I had to address it. In a few days, there's gonna be a press release that's gonna shock everyone. She's got some really good sh** going on the music side and movie side." Dre continues: "This guy from the Post knew Cool & Dre executive-produced the project and produced most of the album. Then he found out that Christina was dating me. He found his angle for the story. He printed some sh** that said I had something to do with her getting dropped, which is a complete lie."
The bitterness between Star Jones Reynolds and Rosie O'Donnell started way before their back-and-forth shenanigans leading up to Star's recent dismissal from "The View." According to New York Daily News contributor Jawn Murray, their beef started cooking on May 12, 2004, when Rosie appeared as a guest on "The View" and began making sweeping generalizations about African Americans. As Murray notes in the Daily News's Lowdown column, the segment started out fine, with Rosie - who would later criticize Star for refusing to come clean about her weight loss - telling the former co-host: "You look fabulous! It's like 'Twinkle Twinkle Shrinking Star.'" The first bump in the road came when the conversation swung toward the felony conviction of Martha Stewart. Rosie suggested that women everywhere should "stand up and scream" about Stewart's treatment by the federal government. Jones, a former prosecutor, vehemently objected. Rosie: "Here's what I love. The black
community said you cannot have O.J. Simpson, you cannot have Jayson
…" The next day, Star was still upset over Rosie's comments and said so on the air. "Although the mainstream media may
not collectively report on black role models, trust and believe
there are plenty out there, and you don't need to rally behind O.J.
Simpson," Star said. "I mean, that was inappropriate."
According to Lowdown, Rosie was reportedly not happy with Star's
morning-after remarks, but Barbara Walters tried and failed to get
Star to apologize. Meanwhile, the search for Star's replacement
will officially start when the 10th season begins on Sept. 5. In
the meantime, a revolving door of guest hosts - including Shannen
Doherty (July 31 and Aug. 1), Kelly Monaco and "American Idol"
runner-up Katharine McPhee - will continue to fill the slot until
the season wraps on Aug. 4. ABC execs tell Variety that the rest
of the summer will focus solely on promoting O'Donnell's arrival
in the fall; trying out a bunch of folks to replace Star, execs
say, would rain on Rosie's parade. "It's about getting Rosie
in place and making her comfortable," an insider says.
Philadelphia rapper Gillie Da Kid of Major Figgas was shot in Philadelphia last week and is currently recouperating from his wounds. Gillie was shot last Wednesday (June 14) as he was attempting to enter his vehicle in a section of North Philadelphia. The rapper was struck three times, twice in the arm and once in the leg. The rapper was rushed to a local hospital where he was treated for his wounds and released. According to Philadelphia police, Gillie Da Kid has been uncooperative with their investigations, and they have no clue as to who was responsible for the attack. Gillie Da Kid is a member of the Philadelphia based rap group Major Figgas, who hit big with their single, "Yeah That's Us" which rose to #3 on Billboard's Rap/Hip-Hop charts in 2000.
Port Washington, N.Y.-based Koch Entertainment Distribution has announced exclusive, North American agreements with three independent record labels. Koch will handle releases from HBD Label Group, Worldwide Music, Inc. and Taxi Records. The reggae-focused Taxi Records is owned by Grammy-winners Sly & Robbie. The 30 year-old company has previously issued albums through Island /Universal, and upcoming Koch-distributed releases include Sly & Robbie's "Rhythm Doubles" featuring Wyclef Jean, Bounty Killer and Beres Hammond, as well as the tribute album "Greetings to Led Zeppelin + Queen." The HBD Label Group, which boasts its own overseas distribution network, encompasses urban and electronic labels. Koch is the company's first distributor. Worldwide Music, Inc. is a gospel label founded alongside Gospel Truth Magazine by Kerry Douglas. The company's releases were previously handled by Navarre.
St. Louis rapper Nelly and his St. Lunatics crew will open a new bar and grill in August in Hazelwood. The new restaurant, called Mack's Bar and Grill, was originally slated for an April opening but was pushed back because the rappers were waiting for Mack's manager, Tony Powell, to finish his work as a chef and manager at Azio, an Italian restaurant in Atlanta. As a result of the delay, the Hazelwood City Council is expected to extend a special land-use permit for Mack's next month, according to city officials. The restaurant, which takes its name from the first letters of the owners' names - Murphy Lee, Ali, Slodown, Kyjuan and Cornell, Nelly's first name, is now scheduled to open August 10 at 6827 Howdershell Road. Powell is confident Macks's will become a staple in Hazelwood's food community. |
Yesssssss!!!
Barry Bonds is the new Home Run king!!!
Timbaland
Arrested In Germany After Brawl
Rihanna
Lands 'Celebrity Legs of a Goddess' Award
After
embarassment from National outrage, LA judge sends a screaming Paris
Hilton back to jail
Friday
a court spokesman announced that she would be allowed to participate
by telephone, which is common in misdemeanor cases. Then, in a reversal,
the spokesman said the judge had ordered the Sheriff's Department
to pick her up and bring her to court.
Bail
set for Power 99 DJ on alleged gun incident
Paris
Hilton's money gets her released From Jail after serving only 3
days, for undisclosed "illness"
MARLEY
MARL Suffers Heart Attack
The
Game Hit With Felony Charges After L.A. Melee
Hi-Five's
Tony Thompson dead at 31
HBO
Chief Takes Leave After Assault Arrest - JACQUES
STEINBERG
50
Cent, T.I. Speak On Lyric Censorship - Gail Mitchell
ourselves.
To blame hip-hop when they should be looking in the mirror and blaming
themselves ... you know, how much more time could I have been there
for my child? I'm on CD. He [the child] listens to me but I can't
listen back. I don't know what he's getting from it. You do. You
know when you wake up and see him dressed in a shirt you've never
seen him in before, and you figure this could be the beginning of
something, why don't you stop and talk to him about it. Ask where
he got the shirt from. If you don't do that, it will grow into something
bigger and bigger."
Broadcasting
Company Takes Stand -
JIM SALTER 
Will
Downing Diagnosed With Debilitating Muscle Disorder
BLACK
FAMILY CHANNEL TO SHUT DOWN: 
U.S.
album sales tumble, digital sales surge, fewer big names issue releases
- ALEX VEIGA 
Gladys
Knight To Receive ELLA Award
Suspect
Named In Jam Master Jay Murder
Gerald
Levert died of an accidental overdose
Fulton
County District Attorney Paul Howard will seek criminal charges,
including felony murder, against three Atlanta narcotics officers
involved in a botched drug raid that resulted in the shooting death
of an elderly woman, according to a proposed indictment. The proposed
indictment drawn up by the prosecutor's office names officers Gregg
Junnier, Jason R. Smith and Arthur Tesler. Howard accuses them of
felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, burglary,
making false statements and violation of oath. Defense attorney
Rand Csehy, who is representing Junnier, said he received an e-mail
from Howard's office Wednesday including the proposed indictment
and saying the prosecutor would go before a grand jury Feb. 26 to
seek charges against his client. Those three officers were involved
in securing a search warrant on Nov. 21 for the home of Kathryn
Johnston. Shortly before the raid, Smith told a magistrate he and
Tesler had a confidential informant buy $50 worth of crack at 933
Neal Street from a man named "Sam."
Anna
Nichole Smith has died according to her attorney Ronald Rale. She
was taken to hospital after collapsing in a Hollywood, Florida motel
and was later pronounced dead. Unconfirmed reports indicate that
Smith was discovered unconscious and unresponsive in her hotel room
earlier Thursday.
Gillie
Da Kid, aka Nasir Fard, 30, once a member of the local rap group
"Major Figgas." The group ruled the streets with their
CD a few years ago and then split up. Since then, police say, Fard
has become a major figure in his own right - with his mix CDs ...and
allegedly,the local drug trade. Fard and five of his associates
were locked up in Oxford Circle Tuesday night, after authorities
discovered that Fard was running two drug stash houses on Passmore
Street near Algon Avenue. Narcotics Capt. Chris Werner said investigators
combed through the properties and confiscated 89 pounds of marijuana
worth $404,000. Cops also got four pounds of marijuana from a Lexis
driven by one of Fard's friends. "They were supplying numerous
drug dealers all over the city, not just in the Northeast,"
said Sgt. Robert Friel of Narcotics Field Unit 2. Werner said FBI
agents were in Oxford Circle Tuesday interviewing residents about
another stash house, on Levick Street near Trotter, where cops confiscated
$6 million in cocaine in November.
Warner
Music Quarterly Profit Drops
MELBOURNE,
Australia -- Serena Williams answered her critics with an overpowering
victory in the Australian Open final.
NIA
LONG IN STREET BRAWL: Actress' new guy and former one duke
it out.
Milan
Williams, a founding member of the Commodores, died July 9 at MD
Anderson Hospital in Houston following a bout with cancer. He was
58. Williams played keyboards for the R&B/funk outfit, whose
members initially met as students at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee,
Alabama. Originally comprised of seven members, the Commodores'
lineup eventually included Thomas McClary (guitar), Lionel Richie
(saxophone), Walter "Clyde" Orange (drums), William King
(trumpet) and Ronald LaPread (bass). After touring as the warm-up
band for the Jackson Five, the Commodores signed to Motown subsidiary
MoWest in 1972.
Singer-songwriter
Billy Preston dies at 59
- Thor Christensen
Syndicated
untalented radio jock, Star, arrested for making on-air threats
against rival's daughter
LARK
VOORHIES SUES NATIONAL ENQUIRER: Actress upset over story claiming
she had a cocaine problem.
Rapper
Beanie Sigel Shot During Robbery Attempt
Halle
Berry Clashes With Disc Jockey
Heatwave
Frontman Johnnie Wilder Jr. Dies
Singer/songwriter
Soraya, one of the first artists to write and record in both English
and Spanish, has died, Billboard has learned. She was 37.
Source
Founder Dave Mays Files For Bankruptcy Protection, Majority Stake
In Mag To Hit Auction Block - Fawn
Renee
LOS
ANGELES (AP) -- Chaka Khan's son was acquitted of murder Friday
in the shooting death of a teenager during a party at her home two
years ago. A Superior Court jury deliberated two and a half days
before finding Damien Patrick Holland not guilty of murder, voluntary
manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter.
*A
scuffle during an afterparty for T.I. led to gunfire on a Cincinnati
highway and a member of the rapper's crew being killed early Wednesday
morning in yet another shooting-related incident linked to a hip
hop artist.The incident occurred during an after-hours party at
Club Ritz, which is located near Bogart's nightclub, where T.I.
and rapper Yung Joc performed earlier in the evening. A dispute
with some local residents prompted T.I. and his group to exit the
party, but they were followed by two sport utility vehicles, police
said. The opposing parties fired upon each other while traveling
down the highway. Officers responding to the scene found four people
with gunshot wounds. T.I.'s personal assistant, 26-year-old Philant
Johnson, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
TIGER
WOODS' FATHER DIES OF CANCER: Earl Woods, 74, has battled the disease
since 1998.
Michelle
Rodriguez Chooses Jail Over Service
LOS
ANGELES -- Grammy-winning singer-producer Kenneth "Babyface"
Edmonds has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against singer Anita
Baker, claiming she owes him more than $250,000. According
to the lawsuit, filed Thursday in Superior Court, Baker broke two
oral agreements with Edmonds, who co-wrote, produced and performed
on the song "Like You Used to Do" on Baker's 2004 album
"My Everything." The lawsuit claims Baker refused to pay
Edmonds producer's royalties equaling at least $100,000 from an
estimated more than 500,000 albums sold. Edmonds, 47, also alleges
that he and Baker had an agreement to play four concerts together,
but that Baker canceled two shows and refused to pay $150,000 for
those dates. Spokesman Cem Kurosman from Baker's label, Blue Note,
declined to comment Friday, saying the label had no knowledge of
the lawsuit.
June
Pointer dies of Cancer-- youngest sister of famed Pointer Sisters
Proof,
a member of the rap group D12 and a close friend of Eminem, was
killed in a shooting at a nightclub along Eight Mile Road early
Tuesday. He was shot after shooting
another patron, who later died also. The death of Proof - whose
real name is Deshaun Holton - was confirmed by Dennis Dennehy, the
publicist for D12's label, Interscope Records.Proof was the best
man at Eminem's wedding in January and often appeared alongside
the superstar rapper at concerts and public appearances. Proof also
appeared in the film "8 Mile." 
The
saga of Death Row Records continues as the label's founder Marion
"Suge" Knight is seeking bankruptcy protection for himself
and the pioneering record label. Knight's lawyer Laurence Strick
told the Associated Press that the mogul was filing bankruptcy protection
in an attempt to reorganize his financial affairs.
Black
Rob Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison - Nolan Strong
DRE
OF COOL & DRE RESPONDS TO MILIAN DEBACLE:
RACE
AT THE ROOT OF STAR-ROSIE FEUD: During 2004 'View' visit,
O'Donnell said blacks backed O.J. because they have 'so few role
models.'
Rapper
Gillie Da Kid Shot Three Times In Philadelphia - Nolan Strong
Koch
adding three new labels - David Greenwald,
L.A.
Nelly
and the St. Lunatics Open New Restaurant in August