JOE BUDDEN SAYS SORRY TO METH
Joe Budden and Methodman and Wu and Slaughterhouse. It almost looked like a serious battle was about to pop off, but it seems cooler heads have prevailed. SORT OF. Check out as Joe Budden explains his side of the issue and the conditions for his apology. It seems that one false word can set this thing off all over again.
Lets see who breaks the treaty.
Producer Jermaine Dupri recently addressed footage that features him encouraging Adam Pacman Jones to make it rain in a strip club, shortly before an infamous shooting involving the star NFL player.
Jones is slated to take the stand as a star witness for the prosecution during the attempted murder trial of Arvin Edwards.
Edwards is accused of shooting three people in 2007, after Jones had an altercation with security inside of a Las Vegas strip club over $40,000 that had gone missing during an alleged fight between Jones and two strippers.
Im from a city where in Atlanta, we do this every day, Dupri said. Youll hear this in Jeezy records. When Jeezy say he spends $10,000 on one song? That s**t is for real man. It aint no play.”
After the shooting, Jones denied any involvement or knowledge of the shooting, but seven months later, he told investigators he had been approached by Edwards outside of the club.
Jones told police Edwards said he would retrieve the missing money for him.
Moments after speaking to Jones, Edwards allegedly fired into the crowd striking three people, including the strip clubs shift manager, who is permanently paralyzed from the waist down.
Previously unreleased footage of the events inside of the strip club being used as evidence in Edwards trial was released by ESPN last week.
Both Jermaine Dupri and Nelly are featured in the video, although neither of them are accused of any wrong doing in the incident.
“A lot of yall comment on how stupid it is. It might be stupid to you, but this is what we do,” Dupri continued. “We eat, we kick it, we throw money. Dont make this one situation blow the whole thing out.
Dupri explained why he was shouting to the strippers not to pick the money up off the floor, even though Nelly and Jones were showering tens-of-thousands of dollars upon them.
He also lent some credibility to Jones claims that he was attempting to break up two dancers who began to fight over the money.
Youre not supposed to get your money until the dance is finished, Dupri said. These girls was picking the money up [as] soon as the money was flying, like someone was going to steal it. That kind of gave me an idea of the place that we were in. I was like oh these girls are going to start fighting or something because they dont know understand what the f**k is going on in here.
Arvin Edwards attempted murder trial was supposed to start last week, but was moved to February 2010.
Efforts to provide aid to needy residents in Gaza were finally granted as a Viva Palestina U.S.-led humanitarian convoy entered the country on Wednesday (July 15).
Among those traveling with the more than 200-member group were Dead Prez rapper M-1, New York City Councilman Charles Barron and former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney as well as representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Middle East Childrens Alliance, Cuba Coalition, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA), International Action Center, the Answer Coalition, International Socialist Organization and Workers World Party.
The convoys 10-hour trip to the Rafah border came after leaving Cairo early Wednesday morning.
The entry into Gaza came after the activists remained at the border for about six hours processing paperwork.
The experience proved to be frustrating for McKinney, who took issue with Israeli attempts to thwart Viva Palestinas mission as well as a requirement by the U.S. Embassy to have American citizens sign papers waiving their right to be protected by their government if they enter Gaza.
This was not required in the first Gaza convoy nor was such an item required in the Free Gaza Movement, said McKinney told the Black Agenda Report.
According to reports, Egyptians have aided Israelis in blocking entry in to Gaza since 2007.
Because of Israels siege, the 1.5 million residents of the Gaza Strip are in need of humanitarian assistance.
The situation took a turn for the worse in December and January as Israel launched a three-week assault as military bombed homes, schools, mosques, hospitals and universities.
More than 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the attacks, which wounded more than 5,300 and left more than 50,000 people homeless.
The access to Gaza resulted after two previous attempts by McKinney to enter the country.
In December, a relief vessel the politician was riding in was rammed by the Israeli navy in international waters.
McKinney continued to encounter setbacks in late June as she spent seven days in an Israeli prison.
The time behind bars came after the Israel Navy arrested the McKinney and 20 other human rights activists after boarding their boat Spirit of Humanity.
McKinney was later released to join M-1 and the Viva Palestina U.S caravan, which was organized by British Member of Parliament George Galloway.
Among the items brought into Gaza were two ambulances, and 11 truckloads of medical supplies as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in medicine, food, toys and building cement for hospitals.
Rapper Foxy Brown and R&B singer Toni Braxton are the latest celebrities to run afoul of the Internal Revenue Service.
Of the two, Brown owes the most, as the IRS is seeking $641,558 in federal taxes due to the state of New York.
A tax lien was filed against Brown in June for taxes owed as far back as May of 2003.
A tax lien was issued against the Brooklyn emcee for missing tax payments in the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
The lien is the latest issue for Foxy Brown, who was accused of receiving favorable treatment while incarcerated on Rikers Island as part of a scandal currently dogging the New York Corrections Department.
Several top officials, including Correction Chief Peter Curico and prison Rabbi Leib Glanz have resigned due to allegations that Brown, Orthodox Jews and were treated better than other inmates.
In related news, this past March, the state of California issued a lien against R&B singer Toni Braxton and her husband Keirston Lewis as well, claiming the couple owes $79,315 in back taxes.
Braxton has faced financial hardships before, as she filed for bankruptcy protection in 1998 with over $1 million dollars of debt.
“A Place With No Name” [Unreleased]
“Gotta Make It Happen”
“Notorious Wave”
“Every Girl”
“I Wonder”
“Gotta Get It”
Hip-Hop star 50 Cent has denied reports that he will go head-to-head with Roc-A-Fella boss Jay-Z on September 11. Jay-Z is slated to release his highly anticipated album The Blueprint 3 on September 11, the same date he dropped the first Blueprint album, which landed in stores on September 11, 2001. It was widely reported this week that Jay-Z, who ranked #1 on Forbes richest rapper list ($35 million) would face off against the #2 earner 50 Cent ($20 million). 50 Cent has confirmed that his album Before I Self Destruct will be in stores on September 29.
Pharrell Williams has been sued by a band that claims the hit rapper/singer/producer stole one of its tunes and used it for The Clipse. TMZ.com reports the band Geggy Tah filed a federal lawsuit against Pharrell, accusing him of using their 1996 song Whoever You Are for The Clipses single All I Wanna Do (Feel Like Me).” According to the lawsuit, the track was produced by Pharrell in 1997 but wasnt released until 2007.
Atlanta investigators arrested one of the last major players in the Black Mafia Family, who had been on the run since 2007. Police arrested Vernon Marcus Coleman aka Wu at an apartment in North Atlanta on Thursday (July 16). BMF was a large, multi-state drug gang that moved thousands of pounds of cocaine to numerous United States cities, raking in over $200 million dollars. In November and December of 2007, founding members and brothers Terry Southwest T Flenory and Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory were sentenced to 20 and 30 years in federal prison, respectively.
A just released amateur video has shed light on the 2007 Las Vegas strip club incident that resulted in the NFL suspension of Adam Pacman Jones, and three individuals being shot.
The video, which will be used in the attempted murder trial of accused shooter Arvin Edwards, shows Jones and Nelly throwing thick wads of cash (making it rain) at the various gyrating strippers in the venue.
Upon realizing hes being filmed, Nelly motions for the cameraman to take him out of the shots.
According to statements later given to police, Jones disclosed that he brought nearly $100,000 into the club, and had $40,000 of it converted to $1 bills for extended distribution amongst the dancers.
Throughout the night, the NFL star kept the majority of the funds hidden in a black trash bag.
When Jones joined Jermaine Dupri on stage, the So So Def CEO began chastising the dancers for picking up their tips before the music set ended.
“We gonna show y’all how to make it rain, Dupri bellowed. Im Jermaine Dupri, alright. Yall are here to dance. Don’t bend down and try to get your money. Don’t start getting the money until I tell y’all to get off the stage. Yall just keep f**king dancing!”
Details next vary. Several eyewitnesses, including Jones, have given conflicting statements.
Jones maintains a fight broke out between strippers over the money hed dispersed. When he attempted to break it up, he claims that several bouncers accosted him while the club promoter ran off with his money-filled trash bag.
Outside, Jones said he was approached by Arvin Edwards, who offered to get his money back for him.
Minutes later, its alleged that Edwards opened fire in the club. The gunfire hit three, including shift manager Tom Urbanski, who was left paralyzed from the waist down courtesy of a bullet that entered his chest and lodged into his spine.
The Dallas Cowboys officially parted ways with Jones earlier this year, mostly due to the fallout from the strip club incident.
At press time, Adam Pacman Jones is scheduled to testify as a star witness in the prosecutions case against Arvin Edwards.
The tentative trial date, originally set for this week, has been moved to February 2010.
Relatives of a local Nashville rapper have denied a rap song about a man prepared to commit murder had anything to do with the death of NFL Quarterback Steve McNair.
A song by Keith Norfleet, the ex-boyfriend of Sahel Kazemi was posted on Soundclick, a popular website used by upcoming musicians to share their music.
Norfleet, who wrote the song Closed Casket, was questioned by police over the lyrics in the song, but was eventually allowed to leave with no charges filed.
“If you ever do it again (expletive) Im not rapping/Im getting a clip and clapping and Im not laughing/ Theyre wrapping you up for your little trip to the morgue/While Im preparing for my trip to the shore/Dont ignore me, Im not lying, I couldnt be more honest/If you ever do it again, youll die, I promise.”
Norfleet uploaded the track to Soundclick in February, just one month after McNair and Kazemi started dating.
Norfleets sister Crystal told The Tennessean that the track was not about McNair, or Kazemi.
It was about her husband, who had cheated on her with a younger woman.
“He puts his emotions on pen and paper, and that’s where they stay. he never wrote that with Steve and Jenny (Sahel Kazemi) in mind,” Crystal told the paper.
State medical examiners have ruled McNairs death a murder-suicide, although conspiracy theories about another person executing the killings have already started to surface due to the positions of the bodies and allegedly, the blood stains found in the room.
Sahel Kazemi’s family has also maintained that she was not suicidal at the time of the shootings.
In related news, the man who allegedly sold the gun to Kazemi has been arrested by ATF agents in Nashville, Tennessee.
Kazemi bought the gun on July 2, just two days before she allegedly murdered McNair and then turned the gun on herself.
Adrian J. Gilliam Jr. is expected to be charged today (July 17).
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player
Jay-Z must respond to The Game with force to this barrage of disses
I won’t dilute the point with a bunch of over-intellectual ramblings in an attempt to complicate so simple. So, above you have this editorial in a nutshell, but if you want, read on.
Jay-Z is at a proverbial fork in the road, but it may not be the time for him to disregard the rules and go straight as he so poetically put it in “Renegade.” Jay-Z remains one of the best that ever did it, but what does that mean in the rap game, which is populated by lyrical cutthroats? The Game, one of the most aggressive and spiteful rappers, is now hurling insult after insult at the self-proclaimed “God MC.” He had a crowd calling Jay-Z an “old a** n***a” in Spain. In the UK, they were recently chanting, Jay-Z is full of s**t. Furthermore, The Game has insulted Jay-Z wife Beyonce in song! Well, what next? There is plenty more. According to The Game, he has more, sharper barbed verses for Jay-Z, should the Brooklyn rapper opt to respond.
But that is exactly what Jay-Z has to do – respond and respond with more force that was devoted to Nas, Prodigy and other rappers that he’s tangled with. Please, be clear. This is for Jay-Z to reacquaint himself with the audience that want to see him get back to business. Remember Rocky III, where Rock – in all his posh life – was faced with the Killer Clubber Lang, played by the rugged-n-rough Mr. T.? Rocky’s team didn’t want the champion in with that “animal” and initially refused to give the hungry Lang a shot.
Jay-Z camp cannot act like The Game doesnt exist anymore even though he seems content with disregarding the Compton rapper. Hes going to have to make a move in the spirit of Hip-Hop and his career. Hes got the skill set and hes got a history of going at people himself. Jay doesn’t necessarily need to tangle endlessly with The Game. One well-placed song will let people know that hes still that guy that wrote The Takeover and survived Ether.
No worthy champ allows a coup to occur right in his face.
There is a lot weighing in on the success of his new album, The Blueprint 3. Jays older but still a far better artist than just about every rapper doing music. Blueprint 3, if it is delivered properly, will open people’s eyes that age is just a number that transcends SoundScan digits. Like other legends, Ali, Jordan, Run DMC, Tupac and others, The God is beginning to appear eerily human. Recognizing that humanity could be the key to survival to Jay-Z, as was musically demonstrated in the first of his Blueprint albums. Remember, that most of the greats became great when they had to rely on their heart, nerve and sinew – not just raw skill.
To really score a KO, Jay-Z is going to have to climb back in the ring and swing for the fences. Not taking anything from The Game, but I want Jay-Z to win and I don’t mean this petty battle. Jay-Z winning is a win for Hip-Hop music and if you can’t see that, you are D.O.A.
Here is The Game In the UK, where the crowd is screaming Jay-Z is full of s**t
The Regular Guy is a columnist that typically writes on Thursday, but felt the need to write this on a Friday. He also believes that Jay-Z will ignore him as he has ignored The Game so far.
Los Angeles native and Dilated Peoples group member Evidence has signed a multi-album deal with Minneapolis-based independent label Rhymesayers Entertainment.
In addition to his critically acclaimed work with Dilated Peoples, Evidence is a Grammy Award winning rapper/producer who has also worked with artists like the Beastie Boys, Kanye West, Planet Asia, Linkin Park and Defari.
Evidence released his solo debut in 2007 with The Weatherman LP. He followed that release with The Layover EP in 2008 and embarked upon a rigorous tour schedule to build a stronger fan base.
“This is the most natural move I could have made to further the evolution of my career, while maintaining my identity and passion for the music, Evidence told AllHipHop.com in a statement. Rhymesayers has a proven track record of being focused and dedicated to their artists and Im excited to be a part of that.
In addition to working on a project with The Alchemist, Evidence will hit the road with Brother Ali on the Fresh Air Tour.
He is also finishing his Cats & Dogs, his Rhymesayers debut which will hit stores in 2010. video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player
AllHipHop.com Breeding Ground alumni Wiz Khalifa has announced that he has left Warner Bros.
Records as his recording home, after numerous delays for his debut album.
Wiz, a Pittsburgh native who is signed directly to Rostrum Records, was hopeful that the Warner Bros. machine would elevate his career to another level, after the success of his single Say Yeah which was a Billboard Top 25 hit.
While disappointed in the turn of events, the 21-year-old rapper remains confident in his skills and thankful to Warner for letting him out of his deal, which he signed in 2007.
“I’d like to thank Warner Bros. for understanding our reasons for wanting to leave, Wiz Khalifa told AllHipHop.com. I learned a lot during my time there and matured as an artist during the process. I’m happy to be moving on with all of my material and having the chance to be in control of my next moves.”
The next moves for the rapper include a new single titled Teach U To Fly as well as a new mixtape titled How to Fly with New Orleans rapper Curren$y.
“We feel that this ‘divorce’ is the best thing for both parties at this juncture and we appreciate the leniency Warner has shown with our release. We are excited to be independent again, added Rostrum Records President Benjy Grinberg.
Fans of Wiz Khalifa can catch him on his Orientation Tour, which will roll through Alabama, Ohio, Atlanta, Florida and Saint Louis.
The tour concludes in his hometown of Pittsburgh on July 31.
You may or may not know who Riggs Morales is, but hes one of the most influential people in the music game. The New York native got started in the music business at The Source magazine in the 90s, where he went from an internship to a music editor. He was the first person to introduce Eminem to the world when he wrote about him for the mags coveted Unsigned Hype section in 1997. Since, Eminem has launched into the heavens as one of the greatest, most contentious artists ever.
His relationship to Eminem may get him accolades, but Riggs hes just as significant for his extensive history with managing producers like Alchemist, Fred Wreck, Lord Finesse, Domingo, Dame Grease and many others though Shady. His ability to point out talent is wide-ranging so AllHipHop felt the need to get his Top 5 Dead or Alive Producers and make it official.
Heres his Top 5 Dead or Alive Producers and its quite a potent list.
Last night (July 16), President Barack Obama made an impassioned speech to the NAACP on the topics of education and personal responsibility.
The speech marked another milestone in the young presidency of Barack Obama, whose address commemorated the NAACPs 100th anniversary convention.
President Obama acknowledged that those born in the inner-city face stronger adversity in the realms of economics and violent crimes.
Still, he argued these elements were no excuses for students or parents to neglect their responsibilities.
Yes, if youre African American, the odds of growing up amid crime and gangs are higher. Yes, if you live in a poor neighborhood, you will face challenges that someone in a wealthy suburb does not, President Obama stated. But thats not a reason to get bad grades, thats not a reason to cut class, thats not a reason to give up on your education and drop out of school. No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands and dont you forget that. To parents, we cant tell our kids to do well in school and fail to support them when they get home. For our kids to excel, we must accept our own responsibilities. That means putting away the Xbox and putting our kids to bed at a reasonable hour. It means attending those parent-teacher conferences, reading to our kids, and helping them with their homework.
With the undeniable huge influence of Hip-Hop and sports on African-American youth culture, Obama noted that education should be utilized by parents to show children their potential extends beyond entertainment.
They might think theyve got a pretty good jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids cant all aspire to be the next LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers, The President detailed. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court Justice. I want them aspiring to be President of the United States. So, yes, government must be a force for opportunity. Yes, government must be a force for equality. But ultimately, if we are to be true to our past, then we also have to seize our own destiny, each and every day.
The NAACP was founded in 1909 by the nations most influential African-Americans, including scholar W.E.B. DuBois, activist Ida B. Wells, and attorney Archibald Grimke.
Great day, everybody. Another week gone, another 25 cents
made as serious talk floats around of fully legalizing marijuana in California
to help with the states debt, the NAACP marks its 100-year anniversary with an
appearance from President Obama at its annual convention in New York on
Thursday (July 16) and Supreme Court confirmation hearings wrap up on Judge
Sonia Sotomayor.
Congratulations to BeBe Winans, who will be inducted into
the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame in October and Lady Gaga, who made
Top 40 history by becoming the third artist to have three No. 1 songs from a
debut album (Just Dance, Poker Face, and LoveGame). Shout outs to the
sounding boards for finding ways to stay cool while always bringing the heat.
Ladies and Gents the Last Word for the week ending July 17,
2009.
1. Usher Keeps the MJ Spirit of Giving Alive
Its no secret that Usher Raymond was influenced by the late
great Michael Jackson. All you have to do is watch one of his videos or his
tearful rendition of the music icons Gone to Soon at the MJ memorial.
And with the official start of Camp New Look on Monday (July
13), Usher looks to carry the torch for Michaels quest to heal t he world. The
summer camp is a two-week experience in Atlanta for 130 kids as it exposes them
to the business side of sports and entertainment.
I paid close attention to what celebrities like Michael Jackson
had done with his brand, Raymond told USA Today less than three weeks before the King of Pops unexpected death. He
made philanthropy something that was kind of like a sense of heart work, and
not hard work. All of the hard work went into who he was as a celebrity; the
heart work made a difference.
Although it would be easy to leave all the work to hired
hands, Usher admitted to waning to work with camp goers himself as he summed up
his motivation with a simple choice.
They say in life you can be a product of your experience or
a product of your environment, the 30-year-old entertainer said. I choose to
be a product of my experience.
And while it seems that Usher is jumping on the MJ goodwill
bandwagon, the desire to inspire kids was something thats always been in Usher
all along before the arrival of his own children.
Every kid may not be able to be a football player, athlete,
artist, but there are so many other talents that kids have I want to be
motivating to those who have talent or who just need motivation. With my
campers, I don’t look at them as children. I look at them as young adults.
2. Ne-Yo Goes International to Expand Artist
Development/Production Company
Looks like the mogul bug has bit Ne-Yo.
Media sources report the R&B hitmaker has launched a
U.K. branch of his Compound Entertainment management/artist
development/production company.
Under the new company, Ne-Yo said that U.K. talent in all
its forms artists, songwriters, whatever’s out there would be sought
out as well as talent from all music genres.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the entertainer wants to be as hands-on as
possible with his U.K. establishment. In addition to music, the new company
will also include a publishing arm.
I want to spend as much time here as possible, said Ne-Yo,
who runs Compound Entertainment with his manager/company co-founder and business
partner Reynell Tango Hay. I want to listen to everything and say yay or nay.
As it stands now, Ne-Yo stated the U.K. Compound location
will be the companys only international office for the foreseeable future.
More staffing details for the office will be come out later this year as
Compound looks for office space in the U.K.
3. Jada Pinkett-Smith Finds Sexual Alternative to Oscars
Red Carpet
For any celebrity, theres nothing like the Oscars. Whether
youre a nominee, presenter or just there for the long show, its a safe bet
that youll be seen by a lot of people whenever you hit the red carpet.
And while the thought of making news on the red carpet is
appealing, leave it to Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith to opt for a more intimate
alternative. According to Jada, all it took was a look from Big Willie to get
things started.
In a limo, on the way to the Academy Awards this year, Will
started looking at me in this way that drives me wild, the actress confessed
to Shape magazine. We started kissing
passionately, and the next thing I knew, well, let’s just say we missed the red
carpet and I ended up with almost no makeup on.
Considering all the information shes released lately about
her episodes with Will, it shouldnt come as too much of a surprise. After all,
this is the same person who credits lots of sex! as her number one beauty
secret while crediting sex in cars, at friends houses, in costume and outdoors
as ways to keep the fire burning in a relationship.
Anybody taking bets on when the sex tape will leak online?
Leave it to Will to keep his marriage in tack by gettin freaky with it.
4. Kerry Washington Reflects on Gritty Transsexual Role
in New Film
Kerry Washington has taken on a bunch of film roles during
her career on the big screen. But the head turners portrayal of a drug
addicted, pre-op transsexual prostitute in the new independent movie Life is
Hot in Cracktown literally offers a
different look at the actress.
Based on a short story collection by writer/director Buddy
Giovinazzo, Life is Hot in Cracktown
features various stories surrounding the invasion of crack cocaine on
inner-city streets and its affect on people.
While the movie may not be as pretty as a lot of stuff shes
been in and looked great doing, Washington explains that her deciding to do the
film came as a result of her desire to tell a compelling story as being moved
on a deeper level from reading a films script.
One of the reasons I became an actor is because
storytelling is really important. To tell the stories of who we are as a
society and as a culture, thats vital to the human experience, the actress
told EURWeb. Sometimes we dont always tell the stories of people whose lives
we might find uncomfortable or disconcerting; disenfranchised people. I think
everybody deserves to have their stories told, so that was part of the
decision, too; wanting to be a part of the honest telling of a community that
we dont always acknowledge.
In order to convincingly play her character, Washington did
a lot of research and reading on transsexuals in addition to gaining insight on
the transsexual community from a trans-woman.
One of the things I learned was that for most trans-women,
these are people who are born knowing that they are women, but their biology
has betrayed them in some way, she said. The real question to ask myself was,
What if I couldnt take my identity as a woman for granted? Here I am this
sort of post-modernist, post-feminist woman and Im at the gym trying to work
off my butt and thighs, but what if I was spending thousands of dollars in
hormone therapy and injections because I desperately needed to have a butt and
thighs because I felt thats who I was? What if I was me, but my body betrayed
me and I couldnt physically be who I knew I was?
The experience of making Life is Hot in Cracktown proved to be an eye-opening one that reinforced
Washingtons stance on being exposed to things and issues that may be uncomfortable.
Sometimes its important to watch things that are hard to
watch because we can run into danger when we stop acknowledging our fellow
human beings and their stories and their humanity,
Washington said. Its like we want to ignore the kid on the
street, and the woman on the corner, and the kid that lives in the crack hotel,
and the violent gang member. We dont want to pay attention to them, we dont
want to see them and I think thats an illness. I think life is hard and thats
one of the things that the film speaks to.
Life is Hot in Cracktown
is currently in limited release.
5. Court Judge Takes Janet Jackson Out of $120 Million
Lawsuit
Here’s a bit of good news on the Jackson family. According
to reports, a $120 million lawsuit filed against Janet Jackson has been
dismissed.
The suit was filed by Leonard Salati, who claimed that one
of Jacksons bodyguards treated him roughly in February 2004 in a nightclub
called Marquee. According to Salati, the bodyguard put him in a chokehold when
he approached Janet and attempted to give her his number and kiss her on the
cheek.
Joey Moldanado, Jacksons only bodyguard on duty the night
of the incident maintained that he didnt witness or involve himself in any
sort of scuffle. Although Moldanado is Latino, Salati described those who
assaulted him as African-American.
Nevertheless, New York State Supreme Court Justice Jane
Solomon cited a lack of evidence as the reason for her throwing out the part of
Salatis case that included Jackson and Moldanado on June 25.
There is no evidence that [Jackson’s bodyguard] assaulted
Salati, or that anyone assaulted Salati at Jackson’s direction, Solomon said
in her ruling.
Despite Janet, her bodyguard and Marquee getting off the
hook, the security club that was contracted to provide security and protection
for the nightclub may still feel the effects of the case, Salatis lawyer,
Jamie Levy, told E! News. A pretrial hearing on the matter is scheduled for
Aug. 3.
All this trouble over trying to slip a phone number and a
kiss on someone. This guy shouldve focused on someone less famous. At least,
the brush off wouldve been less trouble. I guess it takes a minute for some
people to catch on.
In Other Words
* The Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami is getting a
helping hand from the world or Reggaeton as Puerto Rico-based duo Wisin &
Yandel will donate $25,000 help the organization build new homes. On Wednesday,
the group announced that they will donate $1 to Habitat for every ticket sold
for their U.S. tour this fall. The outing, which kicks off Sept. 17 in Miami,
comes on the heels of the May release of Wisin & Yandels seventh album La
Revolucion. The lead single from the
release is Abusadora.
* As if Tom Cruise couldnt match his couch-jumping
spectacle a few years back on Oprah or the Yung Joc dance he did on 106
& Park, now the actor has joined the
folks who have shown their love of Beyoncés#### single Single Ladies (Put a
Ring on It). People.com reports Cruise was seen doing the tunes famous dance
at Beys recent concert at L.A.s Staples Center.
To hear one concertgoer tell, it everyone was laughing and
taking pictures, as they enjoyed Cruise, who sang (and danced!) along to the
music all night while settling in next to the sound booth.
* Last week, I hit you with news of Justin Timberlake
working to bring his love for the game of golf to the masses in the form of a memoir-like
work. Now, the former boy band member is taking things a step further with the
opening of his new eco-friendly golf course, Mirimichi.
The new green, which officially opens on July 25, is the end
result of two years of preparation. According to E! Online, Timberlake invested
roughly $16 million in the reconstruction of the former Big Creek Golf Course
after buying it late in 2007 to save it from commercial development. The
Mirimichi is designed to be the first eco-friendly golf course to be certified
by the Audubon International Classic Sanctuary Program.
Reverend Runs son Joseph Simmons Jr. plead guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct after being busted in Manhattan with marijuana in May.
The 19-year-old was original was caught rolling a joint by police on May 8th, while he was in a car along the Upper West Side.
Police accused the rapper of backing up and attempting to flee when he was caught, which added resisting arrest to the list of charges, which included drug possession, reckless endangerment and criminal use of drug paraphernalia.
Just days after his arrest, most of the serious charges were dropped when he reached a deal with prosecutors.
Per the agreement, the drug possession charges were dropped when Simmons admitted to the disorderly conduct charge.
Yesterday (July 16), the teen was sentenced to serve just one day community service for his encounter with the law.
The drama was highlighted on Reverend Runs#### reality show Runs House, in which the elder Run-DMC founding member chastised his son for using the drug.
