RAPPER REMY MA LEAVES COURTROOM 'WAILING' AND 'OPENLY SOBBING' AFTER BEING FOUND GIULITY ON 2 CHARGES OF ASSAULT.

Maybe if Remy Ma had attended Easter Sunday services with T.I. in Atlanta earlier this week, she wouldn't have been seen letting her 'I'm So Hood' guard down before 'wailing loudly' and openly sobbing after being found guilty on two charges of assault Thursday (3.27.2008) in a Manhattan Supreme Court room. According to MTV News, the 26-year-old rapper faces up o 25 years if convicted on both counts. The charges stem from an incident that occurred last July when the rapper and Makeda Barnes-Joseph argued after leaving a mutual acquaintance's birthday party. Remy Ma alleged Barnes-Joseph stole several thousand dollars from her purse that night; Barnes-Joseph was shot after the two struggled in her car. Remy Ma fled the scene in an SUV but crashed nearby. Neither the money nor the weapon have been found. Charges of tampering and gang assault, related to the case, were thrown out, the rapper's attorney, Ivan Fisher, told MTV News on Thursday. Sentencing for the case is scheduled for April 22. Fisher intends to file an appeal for his client immediately. "The jury acquitted the second half of the indictment," he said, referring to the tampering and intimidation charges. "That will help the appeal because that evidence, those charges, shouldn't have been in the case to begin with. And there are other issues we think may turn the conviction around." However, he conceded, "It's a bad day."

The back-and-forth in the case has been contentious from the beginning. During the opening arguments, Fisher characterized Barnes-Joseph as a celebrity groupie. He told the jury Barnes-Joseph was misrepresenting events in an effort to win a big financial payoff. She filed a $10 million civil lawsuit against the rapper but later withdrew it, according to Fisher.

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Prosecutors attempted to paint Remy Ma as a gun-toting intimidator. Assistant District Attorney Jason Berland told jurors the rapper was calculating and bullying, citing an August incident during which a group of men allegedly close to Remy Ma assaulted Barnes-Joseph's boyfriend and broke his nose. Charges were brought against the rapper for intimidation but were thrown out in the conviction. Prosecutors also noted the gun Remy Ma carried was loaded with hollow-point bullets, intended to severely cause injury.

From the beginning the former Terror Squad rapper maintained her innocence, telling a group of reporters at her New Jersey home shortly after the incident that she did not shoot her friend. During closing remarks, however, her attorney conceded his client did in fact shoot Barnes-Joseph, but labeled it an accident. Fisher told jurors the weapon went off while the two women struggled with each other during their argument.

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RUMOR OR REAL: EVE INVOLVED IN GIRL-ON-GIRL PHYSICAL ALTERCATION.

Word around the web is that rapper/actress Eve was reportedly embroiled in a fight in Los Angeles on Thursday (3.20.2008) night, during which a young woman was allegedly "pushed down a flight of stairs". The raptress star was enjoying a night out with a group of friends at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel when she was confronted by another female outside the venue. The women are said to have exchanged words before the altercation became physical - although it is unclear who instigated the violence, according to the New York Post's gossip column PageSix. However, the two parties managed to settle their differences and avoided getting the police involved. A source tells the publication, "It got physical... one of the girls Eve was yelling at was pushed down a flight of stairs either by Eve or one of her posse, but they calmed her down and cops weren't called." A representative for Eve has yet to comment on the claims.
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RONALD 'MR. BIGS' ISLEY LOOSES HIS APPEAL TO EARLY PRISON RELEASE; SINGER'S WIFE GIVES UPDATE ON HIS PROGRESS.

Ronald 'Mr. Bigs' Isleys's bid to spring from the Big House will not happen. At least for now. An appellate court has upheld Isley's 37-month federal prison sentence for tax evasion. The three-judge panel rejected the 66-year-old R&B singer's argument that his sentence was unreasonable due to his age, poor health and lack of proof that the federal prison system can provide him adequate health care. In its ruling, the appellate court said the trial judge was correct in sentencing and "best balanced the need to sanction Mr. Isley's `pathological' tax evasion against the need to accommodate Mr. Isley's poor health."

Isley was sentenced in 2006 after being convicted of five counts of tax evasion and one count of willful failure to file a tax return. Prosecutors said Isley avoided paying taxes numerous times over a three-year period and declared bankruptcy after the IRS seized his yacht, cars and other property in 1997. He was discharged from bankruptcy four years later, but then did not file tax returns for the years 1997 to 2001 and in 2002 did not sign his return and failed to pay all taxes due. He is incarcerated at the Terre Haute Federal Corrections Institution in Indiana and his projected release date is in April 2010.

Isley suffered a minor stroke in July 2004, but got married one year later and continuously performed concerts at that time. He and his wife, Kandy Johnson, 35 years his junior share a toddler son. Johnson gave Sister 2 Sister magazine an update on her imprisoned legendary husband late last year.

READ WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY BY CLICKING 'READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP! ON THE BOTTOM LEFT.

Johnson told S2S her husband is holding up well behind bars by eating right and has shed a few pound from exercising (there was a rumor the singer had developed kidney cancer) at the prison's track.

Johnson says, "It's a blessing where he's at because so many people look up to him and admire him. He is in there signing autographs and he's doing fine. He looks good. He does not look like he's under stress whatsoever. He's at peace. He knows that God has got His hands on him, and because of his faith in the Lord—that's what keeps Ronald going. He can see me and his son every weekend. I do miss him but I can go every weekend. He calls me every day and we talk two or three times a day. And because I can go see him every weekend, that helps us get through all of this. I go about seven hours a day.

Kandy also revealed that while her husband is locked up, she's attending to his business affairs until he's released. "And I'm involved in a cognac line that Ronald has coming up...is just in the beginning phases, and it's going to branch out this year. It's by Baron's Select. But it's a signature piece. It's a 35-year-old cognac. It's a high-end cognac and it comes in a nice bottle with Ronald's signature on the bottles."

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RUMOR OR REAL: SUGE KNIGHT AND PIRU GANG MEMBERS BANNED FROM COMPTON?

Seeking to further curb criminal activities, Compton has asked a judge to ban individuals identified as members of the Mob Piru street gang -- including rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight -- from congregating in a northeast neighborhood. Using a strategy employed by other crime-ridden communities, the court order would be the first gang injunction in a city with a long history of battling street gangs. Authorities contend that the Mob Piru gang has terrorized the neighborhood for years, with buying and selling of drugs, discharging firearms, robbing and assaulting residents and by creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

For the last two years, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department gang task force has worked to get gang members off the streets with aggressive enforcement of immigration, housing and parole violations. "We've done it without an injunction," said Lt. Paul Pietrantoni, who heads the task force. "We have the lowest murder rate in 20 years in Compton. The injunction is just going to give us one more tool." But the proposed injunction is expected to be controversial because community leaders and others say it opens the door to police harassment of innocent residents. Knight, who is listed as a defendant, dismissed the injunction as "a publicity stunt."

"This is crazy," said Knight, co-founder of Death Row Records. "I'm a 42-year-old businessman, not a gang member. I don't even live in Compton anymore...This injunction names people who are already in jail -- and at least one guy who is long dead."

CONTINUE READING THIS STORY BY CLICKING ON 'READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP! ON THE BOTTOM LEFT.

Henry "Hendog" Smith, who is also named in the injunction, was shot to death in 2002, according to news reports. Mob Piru members have gained widespread notoriety for their alleged links to Knight and Death Row Records, once home to some of rap's biggest names. But sheriff's officials say the gang is on the decline. The injunction would ban the estimated 200 members of the gang from congregating, carrying guns, using gang gestures, spray-painting graffiti, fighting or drinking alcohol in public and staying out past 10 p.m. Violators would be subject to arrest on misdemeanor charges, which could bring a $1,000 fine or up to one year in jail.

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O.J. SIMPSON'S 'MOTHERF*CKING' TACTICS COULD LAND HIM BACK IN JAIL ON BAIL VIOLATIONS.

WARNING: PROFANE LANGUAGE BELOW.

He gon learn. O.J. Simpson has been ordered to appear in a Las Vegas court next week, to answer claims he violated the terms of his bail agreement. Simpson posted $125,000 bail in September (07) on charges of kidnapping and armed robbery after he led a raid on a sports memorabilia collector's Las Vegas hotel room. Fox News reports a mystery phone message has prompted the Clark County District Attorney to revoke Simpson's bail and order him to return to Nevada from his Florida home.

In the ill-advised phone message, obtained by TMZ.com, Simpson directed his bail bondsman, Miguel Periera, to contact fellow defendant Clarence Stewart. He says, "I just want CJ to know that the whole thing all the time he was tellin' me that sh!t, ya know, I hope he was telling me the truth, don't be trying to change the mother f*cking sh!t now, mother f*cking assholes, I'm tired of this sh!t. (I'm) fed up with mother f*ckers changing what they told me."

A court official has confirmed that Simpson must fly to Las Vegas to answer the as yet unknown allegations against him. Under his bail agreement, Simpson was ordered to have no contact with his fellow defendants.

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MOBB DEEP MEMBER PRODIGY TURNS HIMSELF IN A DAY EARLY TO SERVES HIS 3.5 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.

Mobb Deep member Prodigy reported to jail a day early today (Tuesday, January 8) to start serving a three-and-a-half year sentence for gun possession offenses. The rapper - real name Albert Johnson - pleaded guilty to illegal firearm charges after he was found with an unlicensed .22-caliber pistol in his Chevy Suburban in 2006. But the 33-year-old maintains the patrolmen who pulled him over for driving on the wrong side of the road had no right to search his vehicle. Prodigy, who finished working on his upcoming album H.N.I.C. 2 before handing himself over to the authorities, recently insisted being locked up won't affect his creative output.

He told MTV.com, "Throughout my life, I have always lived through adversity. I'm a survivor. You don't understand the mental power that I have. While I'm locked up, I'm going to be writing lyrics, working on the script for my second feature film, Dope, and finish writing an autobiography of my life, which will be finished by the time I'm released. My mind is going to be focused, and I'll have time to think and map out my entire plan. The experience will make me a tougher, stronger person. I'm gonna work on getting out faster, so I can get back to doing what I do best. When I get home, it's gonna be on!"

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KOBE BRYANT'S FORMER BODYGUARD ACCUSES HIM OF SOLICITING MURDER IN NEW ONLINE BOOK

There is never a dull moment in Kobe Bryant's world. And anyone who thought they knew the real Kobe Bryant had better look again. According to the Baltimore-Sun, the latest distraction he might have to deal with is a scurrilous online book published by someone who claims to have worked as a bodyguard for the Los Angeles Lakers star. Patrick Graber was charged in September 2003 with soliciting the murder of the woman who accused Bryant of rape in Colorado the same year. That charge was later dropped in exchange for a no-contest plea to grand theft, for which Graber, of El Segundo, Calif., was sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay $191,000 in restitution.

In his new shocking and absolutely graphic exposé, Bryant’s former bodyguard and Swiss national Lt Patrick Graber is sending shockwaves through the sports world. Dead Women Tell No Tales is Graber’s unvarnished account of his time with Bryant, first as a discreet bodyguard, then as the fall guy who was accused - then cleared - of planning the murder of the witness in Bryant’s rape case. Part memoir detailing his days spent in service guarding the president of an African nation, part graphic repository of his time with Kobe, Dead Women Tell No Tales is an absolute page-turner. It gives insight into the basketball superstar's most intimate surroundings, replete with sex, lies, and drugs, clearly showing how Bryant’s immoral behavior inevitably culminated in a felony charge that could have sent him behind bars for life.

CONTINUE READING MORE SHOCKING DETAILS REGARDING THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Those who are in the know praise Dead Women Tell No Tales and Lt. Patrick Graber:

“Wow, does Graber sure have an axe to grind here....But giving my opinion, I’ve always thought Kobe was a punk, and everything that is coming out in this book supports that sentiment.”
-- Larry Brown, Fox Sports Radio in Los Angeles and larrybrownsports.com

"Lt. Patrick Graber has displayed a standard of professionalism, integrity, and devotion to our country that few have equaled and none have excelled...His honor, his loyalty, and his sense of fair play...have made him an ally whom the SPDF could rely on. He is an unusually fine man."
-- Col. Claude Vidot, Seychelles Peoples Defense Forces, Seychelles, 2000

"The account of Kobe participating in orgies and the description of the surroundings is accurate. I attended few of those parties myself..."
-- Jondell R. Montgomery, Long Beach, 2006

Bryant, who might consider legal action against Graber, declined to comment on the book beyond saying that he doesn't even know who Graber is and that the man never worked for him. Bryant's spokeswoman, Catherine Sebring, said, "We have no comment."

Dead Women Tell no Tales is available through Kobe-Rape.com, AtlasBooks.com, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and any fine bookseller.

SOURCE: http://baltimoresun.com

SOURCE: www.vicipublishers.com.

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LIL KIM'S EX-BOYFRIEND COULD FACE THE LETHAL NEEDLE IF CONVINCTED ON CONSPIRACY TO MURDER CHARGE.

Damion "World" Hardy, the 33-year-old ex-boyfriend of rapper Lil' Kim, faces death by lethal injection if found guilty of ordering the execution of a rival that also took the life of an innocent bystander. The alleged hit man, Eric (E-Bay) Moore, also faces the federal death penalty for the Aug. 10, 2000, slaying of Ivory Davis, who was shot twice as he sat in his car outside New York's Club NV at Hudson and Spring Sts, reports the New York Daily News. Davis, mortally wounded, drove off and fatally struck a pedestrian, Swedish filmmaker, Johan Camitz.

Hardy, the reputed leader of a murderous drug crew called Cash Money Brothers, served time for shooting at narcotics cops in Brooklyn and was a notorious presence at the Lafayette Gardens projects in Bedford Stuyvesant, where his crew controlled the drug trade, law enforcement officials said. In 2003, cops said he confronted rapper 50 Cent in a New Jersey hotel parking lot, sparking a shootout after the rapper dissed Lil' Kim on the radio. A lawyer for Hardy claims he has since undergone a religious conversion, legally changing his name to Isa Ibn Jibril. He is also mentally ill, the lawyer said. Last week, a federal judge ordered Hardy to undergo a psychiatric exam to determine if he is competent to stand trial on federal racketeering and murder charges.

"I am the Christ. I am the Messiah," Hardy ranted in court in 2004 after he was arrested at JFK Airport as he returned from a religious pilgrimage in the Middle East. "Do not be the one to go against the law," he went on. "Adhere to the law's command before I give you warning. A day that is drawing near. A day of grief and regrets. Boiling water will be poured over your heads."

READ MORE OF THIS STORY AFTER THE JUMP!

Hardy and Lil' Kim once lived together in her New Jersey mansion, reports the Daily News. He drove around in a Land Rover that she gave him and the couple was believed to be engaged, a law enforcement source said. Defense lawyer David Ruhnke refused to say if Lil' Kim would be asked to testify at the penalty phase of the trial if Hardy is convicted.

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JUDGE ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR R. KELLY

A judge has issued an arrest warrant for R. Kelly after the singer missed a court date in his child pornography case on Wednesday (12.19.07). The 40-year-old failed to arrive at the Chicago, Illinois hearing on time after his tour bus was reportedly stopped by police in Utah. Judge Vincent Gaughan has held off putting the bench warrant into effect until Thursday (12.20.97) morning at 9am - when Kelly is now due in court.

The singer must obtain permission each time he travels outside the state of Illinois, and prosecutors in Cook County told the Chicago Sun-Times that Gaughan has already given Kelly a lot of leeway. "This is just an abuse of the process. It's disrespectful of your honor," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Shauna Boliker stated. Kelly's defense lawyer Ed Genson reportedly said the bus was "detained because of some snow" following a concert in Sacramento, California, and that police needed to check the bus log because it wasn't filled out the right way. According to the Sun-Times, Genson told Gaughan that Kelly had tried his best to make it to court on time.

However, TMZ.com reports that Kelly's tour bus and three more were stopped for going over 100 mph, and that after they were taken out of service, the passengers were left stranded. After the buses were pulled over, the investigating trooper noticed that the bus drivers seemed tired and asked for the buses log books, which weren't onboard or hadn't been updated, according to the site.

The R&B superstar is expected to stand trial on 14 child pornography charges next year (08).

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AKON TO FACE SERIOUS CHARGES AFTER TOSSING LIL WHITE BOY INTO CROWD

I swear. Niggers gon learn sooner or later that you can't go throwing White kids into a crowd all willy-nilly and whatnot and not expect to catch a charge--or in Akon's case--charges for it. Especially when the thrown kid lands on top of another White kid. Yeah, he gon learn.

Akon is facing criminal charges after a fan said she suffered a concussion when the hip-hop star tossed a teenager off the stage and onto her in the concert crowd. Akon, 34, is scheduled to appear in Fishkill Town Court on Monday morning for arraignment on a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a minor, and second-degree harassment, a violation, according to a news release Thursday from Police Chief Donald Williams. Audience members said that a spectator lobbed something at Akon and that the singer asked the crowd to point out the culprit. A security guard picked out a 15-year-old and sent him up to the stage, where Akon hoisted him onto his shoulders and flung him into the crowd. The boy landed on Abby Rosa, who told the Poughkeepsie Journal she was later found to have a concussion. She said she has hired a lawyer and spoken to Fishkill police.

The singer’s Manhattan lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, released a statement a few days after the June 3 concert at Dutchess Stadium saying there was no basis for criminal charges. A call to his office Thursday evening wasn’t immediately returned.

In April, Akon drew criticism for having on-stage simulated sex with a 14-year-old girl at a concert in Trinidad. He later apologized, saying he didn’t realize the girl was underage. The incident led Verizon to withdraw its sponsorship of Akon’s tour with Gwen Stefani, with whom he performs on the hit song The Sweet Escape.

Akon’s latest album, Konvicted, has sold more than 1 million copies in the United States. His hits include Don’t Matter, I Wanna Love You with Snoop Dogg and Smack That with Eminem. He won favorite male soul/rhythm & blues artist at the recent American Music Awards.

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CASH MONEY RECORDS CEO, BIRDMAN & HIS 18-YEAR-OLD WIFE AMONG 16 ARRESTED, CHARGED AND JAILED ON DRUG CHARGES.

In Kingsport, Tennessee, Cash Money Records CEO/rapper Bryan "Birdman" Williams, 38, and his brother, 43-year-old, Ronald "Slim" Williams were arrested and charged with possession of more than a 1/2 ounce of marijuana during a traffic stop on Tuesday. Also arrested along with the Williams' brothers was "Birdman's" 18-year-old wife Brittany Williams. Road manager Shahid Muhammad, 40, Cash Money Records promoter Casey Collins, 42, and music promoter Ovide Antoine, 32, of Miami, Fla. were also arrested. All 16 remained jailed late Tuesday night. It was not known if any of them had an attorney.

The arrests came on Interstate 81 after the group's rented RV, which had Florida tags, was pulled over for an improper lane change. Police said they could smell marijuana from inside the RV and located about a pound of the weed in a trashcan in the RV's kitchenette after obtaining consent to search the vehicle. Police told the Kingsport Times-News that an assault rifle, a handgun and a clip for a .45 caliber handgun were also seized Tuesday evening. No one has been charged with weapons violations as of press time, although the ATF is investigating the source of a 2-23 carbine assault rifle, which is often used by military and law enforcement officials.

Group members said they were headed from New Orleans to New York for an appearance on BET.

The Williams brothers started Cash Money Records in 1992 and through the years, the label has released hit recordings by The Hot Boys, Juvenile, Turk, Lil’ Wayne, B.G. and Bryan "Baby" Williams.

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THE INFAMOUS 'JACOB THE JEWELER' TO SERVE 2.5 YEARS IN FED PRISON FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE 'BLACK MAFIA FAMILY RING.'

Jacob Arabov, better known to bling-loving celebrities as "Jacob the Jeweler," has pleaded guilty to falsifying records and giving false statements to investigators looking into a multi-state drug ring. Terms of the plea deal, entered Wednesday in New York, calls for Arabov to serve up to 46 months in prison and pay a $2 million penalty, U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Murphy said in a news release. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the money laundering charges, according to Arabov's attorney, Benjamin Brafman. "I realize I have made a terrible mistake and I accept the consequences of my actions," Arabov said in a news release issued through Brafman.

As previously reported, Arabov, 42, was arrested in June 2006 after authorities accused him and others of conspiring to launder about $270 million in drug profits for the Detroit-based "Black Mafia Family" ring, which had been active since the early 1990s. The seven-year investigation resulted in the indictments of Arabov and 41 other people. Twenty-eight have pleaded guilty, eight are scheduled for trial Nov. 19 and the whereabouts of six others are unknown.

Federal authorities have said about 1,100 pounds of cocaine and $19 million in cash and other assets were seized beginning in 2000.

...END POST...

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IN TODAY'S 'THIS HEFFAH HERE!' NEWS: DA BRAT GOES INTO NAOMI/FOXY MODE AND BUSTS SOMEONE UPSIDE THE HEAD WITH A RUM BOTTLE.

In today's 'this heffah, here!' news, Da Brat is arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a waitress in Georgia. So, she think she's Naomi Campbell now? Or Foxy Brown? She think she can walk her butch-ass around hitting people upside the head with bottles of rum now? This heffah, here!

Rapper Da Brat was arrested early Thursday after a dispute at a nightclub in Tucker, Georgia. The incident allegedly occurred at Studio 72 which is owned by Da Brat's mentor, Atlanta music mogul Jermaine Dupri. Witnesses told police the 33-year-old rapper, whose real name is Shawntae Harris, and a 24-year-old waitress at the club got into a squabble after the waitress bumped into her. At some point, the waitress walked away and moments later was hit in the face with the bottle of rum. According to police reports, the waitress, who sustained a deep laceration to the cheek and some swelling on the forehead, was driven to a hospital by a friend.

Da Brat was booked into DeKalb County jail on a charge of aggravated assault, said a bonding agent at the jail.

MORE DETAILS AFTER THE JUMP!

This isn't Da Brat's first brush with the law. Back in 2000, the rapper was charged with aggravated battery, for allegedly pistol-whipping a woman at a club in the Buckhead area of Atlanta. The rapper was accused of attacking a woman at Chili Peppers, after the two got into an argument while the woman was trying to get into the nightclub's VIP area. The woman was later taken to Grady Hospital, where she received six stitches for a cut in the head. The rapper was later sentenced to perform 80 hours of community service, serve a year's probation and pay a $1,000 fine.

Da Brat was the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album. She has appeared on VH1 reality shows Celebrity Fit Club and The Surreal Life as well as MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar where she served as a judge.

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MINISTER FARRAKHAN SAYS T.I. WAS SET UP.

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan believes rappers such as T.I. and Lil Wayne are lodged in the crosshairs of the U.S. government and says as much in his latest speech, Justifiable Homicide: The Attack On Black Youth. Minister Farrakhan gave the speech at the Mosque Maryam in Chicago Illinois on Sunday, where he also addressed the recent arrests of various rappers like T.I. and Lil' Wayne. "T.I. was set up and they are trying with Lil' Wayne," Minister Farrakhan told AllHipHop.com. In addition to T.I. And Lil' Wayne, Minister Farrakhan also touched on other topics such as the Jena 6, Michael Vick and the overwhelming gang violence which plagues many American cities.

For more information on where to view the speech log on: http://www.noi.org/.
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PICS: T.I. LEAVING COURTHOUSE; RAPPER GRANTED TEMPORARY FREEDOM...FOR $3 MIL: 'I WANT TO GET ALL OF THIS BEHIND ME.'

"I want to thank all the fans for their support," Harris said
as he left the courthouse. "Due to the severity of the situation,
I can't say much more." Before hopping intoa black sport
utility vehicle, he added, "I want to get all of this behind me."

After posting a $3 million bond -- covered by two cashier's check and his posh Clayton County property -- rapper T.I. was released from federal custody Friday but he will be a prisoner in his home, with limits on who can visit him, until he is tried on federal gun charges. T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., appeared at his second bond hearing in a week to find out the conditions of his release.

More than the possibility he could flee, U.S. Magistrate Alan Baverman seemed concerned that the rapper or his friends or fans may try to contact witnesses or informants used to bring the federal gun charges against him two weeks ago. Any contact with witnesses, direct or indirect, is forbidden Braverman told Harris several times during the bond hearing. "If any threats befall [them]... the court will be looking to you," Baverman said. "Yes, your honor," Harris said. "Do you understand that?" Baverman asked Harris after repeating the warning again. "Yes, your honor," Harris answered from his seat between two of his four high-profile attorneys. The magistrate said only Harris' lawyers could contact victims, witnesses and informants on his behalf. If anyone else does, Harris could be arrested and he could face additional charges.

MORE PICS AFTER THE JUMP!
Harris and Atlantic Records provided the cash to cover two-thirds of the bond and the balance was secured by his house. Harris, 27, can continue living with his girlfriend and his children and visitors are limited to three at a time between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Visitors have to be cleared with a criminal background check and they could be searched. Harris cannot consume alcohol. His house could be searched at any time, as it was before the Friday bond hearing.

Read more at ajc.com

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T.I. DENIED BOND...FOR NOW; PROSECUTORS. WANT HIM TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY UNTIL TRIAL

Are we even surprised? His violation of probation charge alone would have been a definite factor in him being denied bond.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By BILL RANKIN

Rapper T.I., who was arrested over the weekend on federal weapons charges, was denied bond during a brief appearance in federal court Monday afternoon. A federal magistrate said he must remain in custody for now. Federal prosecutors are asking T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., be held without bond until his trial, which could be several months away. U.S. Magistrate Alan Baverman scheduled a hearing on Friday to determine whether there was probable cause for Harris' arrest and whether he will qualify for bond before trial.

Harris was wearing a black shirt and black pants, with his hands cuffed and his legs chained, when he was led into the courtroom. He made eye contact with family members and sat in front of members of his family. He answered "Yes, sir," and "Yes, your honor," when asked if he had been provided a copy of charges against him and whether he understood the charges.

During the hearing the courtroom was filled with a standing-room-only crowd. Those who arrived too late were forced to stand outside the courtroom.
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BREAKING NEWS: FEDS SEARCH T.I.'s HOME WHILE RAPPER IS ARRESTED TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

I am totally shocked and dismayed at this news. Just when I thought T.I. had put all of his legal troubles behind him, along comes this:

T.I. (real name Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.) was reportedly arrested at his Atlanta home today (October 13) afternoon. According to Atlanta Fox 5, Federal agents searched the rapper’s home while he was taken into custody. The authorities did not reveal the specific charges that T.I. is facing but did say that their investigation involving the Atlanta bred rapper ‘unfolded quickly’.

The agencies at the scene of the Federal search warrant include: The ATF, U.S. Marshalls: Fugitive Task Force, Fulton County SWAT, Fulton County PD, Dekalb County PD, and the ATF/Atlanta PD Violent Crime Impact Team.

T.I. currently has a number of projects, including a movie aptly titled, American Gangstas, with Denzel Washington set for November release, and he was slated to perform at tonight's (October 13) B.E.T. Hip-Hop Awards at Atlanta's Civic Center. T.I. leads the Hip Hop Awards with nine nominations (more than any other artist at the event) include ‘Best Live Performance’, ‘Hustler of The Year and ‘MVP Of The Year’. The awards ceremony will air on October 17th on B.E.T. at 8 p.m.

SOURCE: MYFOXATLANTA.COM/

I'll update this post as more news becomes available.

Thanks to Sneeks at TC for putting me onto this story.

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SNOOP SENTENCED TO TRASH DUTY AS PUNISHMENT FOR CARRYING AN ILLEGAL WEAPON.

Don't be surprised if for some reason you find yourself driving along California's highways and you spot a 6'4" tall, lanky, older-than-35-years-old-looking black man wearing barrettes and whatnot in his 'I got Indian in my family' hair. It's just rapper Snoop Dog fulfilling his court-ordered community service. Snoop was sentenced to 160 hours of trash duty in an Orange County, CA park as part of his punishment for carrying an illegal weapon in an airport last year.

The rapper, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., will do "everything from raking leaves to painting benches" authorities said Thursday. The park will remain unnamed, so that media and fans will not interfere. No date was given for him to start or complete the service, but he wants to perform it as quickly as possible, his attorney said. "He feels 'whatever it takes' to get this behind him. His goal is to make music, not court appearances," his attorney, Donald Etra, said. His sentence included community service, three years of probation, $1,000 in fines and court costs, and a $10,000 donation to a county charity for troubled children.

Snoop, who runs a youth football league, requested that his community service involve working with children, Etra said. However, the court and prosecutors did not want him involved with children, gangs or football. "We don't want to make a role model out of him," said Farrah Emami, a spokeswoman for the county district attorney's office. "The purpose of a sentence is punishment and we don't consider it to be punishment for a person to participate in activities that are already part of their daily routine."

Snoop, 35, pleaded guilty last month to one count of felony possession of a dangerous weapon. Police arrested him Sept. 27, 2006, after he tried to carry a collapsible baton in his computer bag through security at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. Authorities considered the baton a dangerous weapon, but the artist claimed it was a prop for a video he was filming in New York. The felony conviction on his record will be reduced to a misdemeanor if the rapper does not break the law for a year.

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MARION JONES RETURNS 5 OLYMPIC MEDALS; ACCEPTS 2-YEAR BAN; DUBBED 'ONE OF THE BIGGEST FRAUDS IN SPORTING HSITORY.'

Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones has accepted a two-year ban after admitting to the use of a prohibited substance and has relinquished the five Olympic medals she won at the 2000 Sydney Games, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said on Monday. After years of denial, the American sprinter told a U.S. court on Friday that she had taken the banned substance known as the "clear" from September 2000 through to July 2001 in violation of the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and USADA. Jones, 31, also pleaded guilty to two counts of providing false statements to federal investigators and will be sentenced in January.

Jones's two-year ban began on Monday, the day she accepted the suspension, USADA said.

"The outcome of this story is a valuable reminder that true athletic accomplishment is not obtained through cheating and any medal acquired through doping is only fool's gold," USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said in a statement. Jones is also disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to Sept. 1, 2000, and must forfeit all medals, results, points and prizes from that date, the anti-doping agency said. Her lawyer, Henry DeDippo, confirmed she had already returned the five Olympic medals.

Meanwhile, track-and-field's governing body has expressed "disappointed" in Jones' admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs. "If she had trusted to her own natural gifts and allied them to self sacrifice and hard work I sincerely believe that she could have been an honest champion at the Sydney Games," said Lamine Diack, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), in a statement. "Now, instead, Marion Jones will be remembered as one of the biggest frauds in sporting history."

Jones, who announced her retirement on Friday, won three gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres and 4x400 metres relay and bronzes in the 4x100 metres relay and long jump at the Sydney Games. "She apologizes to her competitors and hopes the record books will be amended to accurately reflect their achievements," a source close to Jones who did not wish to be identified told Reuters.

According to Department of Justice authorities, when interviewed by federal officials in California Jones denied having taken performance-enhancing drugs. Officials said she made other false statements during their investigation into the activities of the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO), and to New York federal agents investigating a cheque fraud/money laundering scheme.

Tygart said the efforts of those involved in the investigations was greatly appreciated because of their "steadfast commitment to exposing the full truth of the BALCO doping conspiracy and their willingness to partner with USADA to hold accountable those who cheat their fellow competitors and sports fans".

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WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE BALLERS?! DENNIS RODMAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL BATTERY.

It appears as if Dennis Rodman has taken Akon's Smack That song a little too far. According to TMZ, the Orange County Sheriff's Department is investigating the former NBA star for sexual battery after he allegedly slapped the rear end of a female bar hopper. Jim Amormino, a spokesperson for the O.C. Sheriff, told TMZ: "Officers did respond to an incident involving a man and a woman. A police report was taken, and is currently with the sex crime unit of the Sheriff's department." According to a source, Rodman was at Hennessy's Tavern in Dana Point when he smacked the woman's butt so hard that it left a "major mark." Rodman's rep Darren Prince is dismissing the allegations. “That is just another woman trying to extort money out of Dennis, and I am sure the situation will work itself out in Dennis' favor," Prince said in a statement.

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