By Roman Wolfe
Hip-Hop star Papoose is being accused of sparking gang violence at New York’s Rikers Island prison.
Officials have been scrutinizing Rikers Island since a prison scandal revealed that certain inmates were given preferential treatment while being incarcerated.
According to The New York Post, jail warden Emmanuel Bailey, who is a fan of Papoose, booked the rapper to perform a two-hour show in May of 2006.
Pap, born Shamele Mackie, was feuding with former associate and Bloods gang member Miguel “Dough Boy” Jeffery, who claimed Papoose slighted him in the recording studio.
Dough Boy retaliated for the insult by shooting at Papoose’s entourage and stealing a $40,000 gold chain from a relative of Papoose.
Dough Boy, who is serving 12 years at Great Meadow prison for armed robbery and assault, wasn’t present when Papoose performed at the jail, because officials were aware of their violent feud.
At the end of the show, Papoose taunted Dough Boy by shouting him out, allegedly increasing the tensions between the two feuding factions.
The result was at least eight stabbings at the George Motchan Detention Center in the months after the show and a total of 13 assaults for the year, the most among all of the 14-city jails.
Bailey had previously been reprimanded for the concert, because he failed to get the proper approval for the concert.
The news comes amidst accusations that a Jewish rabbi named Leib Glanz controlled various prisons in New York and gave preferential treatment to orthodox Jews in the prison.
Both Correction’s Chief Peter Curcio and prison Chaplain Leib Glanz have since resigned due to the controversy.