A key evidence suppression hearing that was scheduled in regards to Atlanta rapper T.I.‘s federal gun trial has been delayed six weeks according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Presiding U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Baverman postponed tomorrow’s (January 4) hearing until February 19. T.I., born Clifford Harris, is accused of attempting to purchasing machine guns and silencers in a shopping center parking lot in Atlanta, on October 13, just hours before he was slated to perform at the BET Awards. Lawyers for the rapper are attempting to have key evidence gathered against him thrown out, claiming that the search of his vehicle was illegal because it was done with a warrant, consent or probable cause. T.I. has pleaded not guilty and is currently under house arrest, freed on $3 million dollars bond.
Cash Money Records and the company’s co-founder Bryan “Birdman” WIlliams are the subject of a copyright lawsuit filed in October, accusing the rapper and his label of copyright infringement. According to the Associated Press, the lawsuit claims that Williams illegally used copyrighted material on albums released Birdman, Lil’ Wayne and the Big Tymers. Additionally, Cash Money Records made a payment of $400,000 dollars to various publishing companies, but the label has failed to give the publishers a proper accounting of the amount of records sold. Companies include WB Music Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing, Noontime Tunes, Cotillion Music and others. The lawsuit also accuses Cash Money Records of breach of contract and seeks an unspecified amount of damages.
Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons has filed a lawsuit against a man from La Mesa, California, who allegedly used a website to steal peoples identities. Simmons company claims that Daniel Adams’ website www.rushmecredit.com and Adams’ company Devoted Inc. falsely used his image to obtain information on consumers seeking to signup for his Visa-backed RushCard. Simmons’ UniRush Financial Services of New York company launched the RushCard in 2004. The card is a prepaid Visa/debit card for people who cannot or do not have traditional checking accounts.
According to reports, Lil’ Wayne’s online album The Leak EP moved 2,401 copies the first week in stores. The Leak, which contains 5 tracks, was released on Christmas (December 25) and was sold via retailers like Amazon, Rhapsody and iTunes. Lil’ Wayne’s album The Leak is a precursor to his upcoming solo album Tha Carter III. The rapper pushed back his highly anticipated album Tha Carter III until February, due to widespread bootlegging of the studio recordings.
