Monday, April 30, 2007
"HUSTLEMAN" MUST WEAR ALCOHOL BRACELET
First Alec Baldwin tries to leave NBC’s “30 Rock” in the wake of his infamous leaked voicemail message to his 11-year-old daughter. Now, co-star Tracy Morgan may have to film future episodes with a court-issued ankle bracelet that detects alcohol vapors in the skin.
A Los Angeles Superior County Court last weekend ordered the comedian to wear the high-tech gadget, called a SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring), to ensure that he stays away from consuming alcohol, reports TMZ.com. The device will monitor booze levels present in the skin every 30 minutes for 90 days.
If he tests positive for alcohol use he will have to start his 90 days over, and if he fails a second time he'll be forced to spend 30 days in a county jail. He must also complete five days of community service.
NYPD officers arrested the former “Saturday Night Live” star after he was spotted driving erratically in November. The arrest violated the probation of his previous DUI conviction in Los Angeles. Morgan is due back in court May 25, when he will be fitted for his latest piece of jewelry.
EURWEB.COM
HEAT GON' FISHIN'
Oh Baby! Bulls Sweep the Heat
Bulls 92, Heat 79
By Amy Shipley
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 30, 2007; Page E01
MIAMI, April 29 -- A year after winning the NBA championship, the Miami Heat couldn't get through the first round of the playoffs. Why, the Heat couldn't win a game. Miami's players didn't even bother running the court in the last minute of Sunday's 92-79 loss to the Chicago Bulls, seemingly overwhelmed by the frustration of their relentless opposition, and the season's hard reality.
A day after Heat Coach Pat Riley stepped to the middle of the locker room before practice and started shadow boxing, challenging his players to step up and fight with him, the Heat met that challenge.
Alonzo Mourning and the Heat officially and meekly gave up its title, becoming the first defending NBA champion to be swept in the opening round of the playoffs in 49 years."They are a great team," said Miami Head Coach Pat Riley. (J. Pat Carter - AP)
Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Heat fought Sunday. They just weren't nearly good enough.
The Chicago Bulls officially shed their Baby Bulls moniker and made a powerful statement with a powerful series, sweeping the Heat in four games, three of which were not competitive in the waning minutes. Especially Sunday's. Despite the stakes and locale, it was the young Bulls, not the veteran Heat, who looked cooler and smarter as the clock wound down.
So while the Heat officially and meekly gave up its title, becoming the first defending NBA champion to be swept in the opening round of the playoffs in 50 years, the Bulls advanced to a second-round matchup with the Detroit Pistons.
"We ran into more than a formidable opponent," Riley said. "They are a great team."
When the clock ran out, Riley sought out third-year Bulls coach Scott Skiles in front of the scorer's table. "You," Riley barked into Skiles's ear, "can go a long way."
Far removed from the days when Michael Jordan led them deep in the postseason year after year, the Bulls had been ousted for two straight years in first round of the playoffs, last year by Miami and in 2005 by the Washington Wizards. But for the past eight days, Luol Deng, who scored 22 points and posted 12 rebounds Sunday, and Ben Gordon, who had 24 points, played the part of wily but spry veterans, outrunning and outgunning the Heat.
"We're in a place we have never been before," Deng said. "It was good for us to come out and show our maturity as a team."
Chicago seemed unshakable no matter what Miami threw at it. The Heat energized the home crowd early, jumping to an 8-0 lead that it did not relinquish for nearly three full quarters. But when Deng hit a 20-footer to put Chicago up by two with just under three minutes remaining in the third period, the Bulls never trailed again.
"They were the better team," Wade said.
The game's final minutes proved almost embarrassing for the Heat. It wasn't that Miami mounted a weak comeback. It mounted no comeback. Down by one with 5 minutes 27 seconds left, Miami committed five turnovers and missed 10 shots, eventually losing by 13 in a largely emptied and significantly quieted American Airlines Arena.
GET BUCK WIT 'EM
One person was injured and nine others arrested after gunfire erupted outside a Young Buck party at a Kennewick, Washington hotel on Saturday (April 28).
According to The Tri-City Herald, following a performance by Buck at the nearby Club Paradise, the aforementioned after party began at the Hilton Garden Inn and a fight broke out in the parking lot.
During the melee, authorities claim six shots were fired by at least two weapons, with one bullet passing through the leg of a Las Vegas man identified as Robert Osound.
Nine men were immediately taken into custody and were all charged with failure to report a violent crime, and are facing other charges to be filed against them. All the jailed men have claimed they were rappers in town to attend or perform at the Buck show.
Police are currently trying to determine who did the shooting in the hotel parking lot, and what led to it. One report under investigation was that a fight erupted between members of G-Unit and rival rappers.
Kennewick Sgt. Scott Child revealed that they are having a hard time investigating the incident because a number of those involved are unwilling to cooperate with detectives.
Representatives from Young Buck's camp have yet to issue a statement regarding the shooting, while the hotel's management declined to discuss the incident when reached.
Friday, April 27, 2007
SNOOP "DISAPPOINTED"
Snoop Dogg's attorney has expressed disappointment at a recent decision by the country's Immigration Minister to deny the rapper entry into Australia.
Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews said the rapper failed to meet Australia's character test, which takes previous criminal convictions into account.
Snoop Dogg, who was recently denied entry into the United Kingdom as part of a tour with Sean "Diddy" Combs, recently plead no contest to drug and weapons charges stemming from incidents at two separate airports in California in Sept. and Oct. of 2006.
Snoop was sentenced to five years probation and 800 hours of community service,
“We are very disappointed and hope that the minister will reconsider his decision," Snoop Dogg's attorney Donald Etra said in a statement released to AllHipHop.com today (Apr. 26). "Snoop just completed a very successful European tour where he was able to spread his message of peace to his fans and hopes to continue it around the world. Snoop has no gang ties and this is evident through his ongoing efforts to get kids off the streets and out of gangs via self funded programs such as his youth football league. Snoop loves Australia and Australia loves Snoop. He truly hopes to have the opportunity to perform for his fans.”
Snoop Dogg was scheduled to be co-host of the Australian MTV Music Awards on Sunday (Apr. 29).
Today, executives at MTV lent their support and intensified their efforts to overturn the country's ban on Snoop Dogg.
The network has six immigration specialists who are helping to prepare Snoop Dogg's case and remained hopeful that Snoop Dogg would appear at the awards ceremony on Apr. 29.
"We're putting a lot of energy in to making a case for how popular Snoop is and the fact he's been here before without incident...we’re hopeful that when people tune in to MTV at seven o’clock on Sunday, they’ll see Snoop Dogg on the red carpet." said MTV managing director Dave Sibly in a statement.
Snoop Dogg will not be replaced as host of the awards ceremony if his appeal is denied.
TALIB'S WOMAN "GETS OUT OF POCKET"
Rapper Talib Kweli finally addressed the rumor mill, during a recent appearance on "Miss Jones in the Morning" show on Hot 97.
Earlier this month, AllHipHop.com's rumor mill was in an uproar, stating that the rapper was embroiled in an argument at an event at 50 Cent's Connecticut mansion and his girlfriend slapped him, causing him to cry.
He denied the account.
"I was at 50's house and I got into an argument with my girl and it got physical. Wasn't nobody going into a room and crying. I'm a passionate dude and sometimes women get passionate," Kweli said on the radio. "She got out of pocket and she got checked. It was an ugly situation for both parties and it didn't make either one of us look good. I'm glad its over with."
The rapper admitted that the argument had started prior to arriving at the 50 Cent rapper's home, but boiled over after the couple began drinking.
"[Alcohol] had something to do with it," he admitted. I got passion in my life and sometimes, as a result it bubbles over. If you are in a relationship...yeah, she was out of pocket for that."
Nevertheless, the rapper emphasized that the relationship hadn't suffered to the point where he would split with his girl.
"That was something small compared to the relationship," Kweli said. "She wasn't trying to play me. She was upset and something I did so she was being disrespectful, because she was upset about something that had happened before."
He said days after the incident, he began getting pages from friends.
Talib Kweli's is set to release Ear Drum, his first solo album on Blacksmith Music.
The album is set to drop on June 19.
EVE CANT DRIVE
Eve was reportedly arrested in Los Angeles early Thursday morning (April 26) on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing her Maserati on Hollywood Boulevard.
According to TMZ, Eve (born Eve Jeffers) crashed into the center divider on Hollywood Boulevard around 2:45 a.m., totaling the front of her vehicle. Two other people were allegedly in the car with her at the time of the crash.
When authorities arrived at the scene, Eve was cuffed and taken to the Los Angeles County Jail. She would then post bail hours later and was picked up by another Maserati.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
RZA HAS A POINT
Wu-Tang's RZA, one of the group's key players, had a thing or two to say about where the sickly hip-hop lies his head at this moment in time. Via Thuglifearmy:
"Hip-hop is just unbalanced. Right now, rappers are glorifying their hell. How you gonna tell me it's cool to live in the ghetto? Who wants to live where you got rats, roaches, pissy elevators, shootings, killings, rapings, drug addicts, alcoholics, all in a four block radius?"
"Now, out of nine Wu-Tang members, seven are felons. We were the problem of our communities, but we never bragged about it. We kept moving on about life. But right now, these hip-hoppers are stuck on one thing. They stuck on sex and violence and drugs and partying. Life is way more than that. Especially the day after the party ends. When you get the fuck up the next day, what you gonna do?"
CAM'RON EXPLAINS HIS SIDE OF 60 MINUTES EPISODE
Rapper Cam’ron has come forward to clarify statements he made during a controversial episode of 60 Minutes.
During the interview, which aired Sunday (Apr. 22) on CBS, the Diplomats member (born Cameron Giles) told Anderson Cooper that sales of his music would suffer and his "code of ethics" would be violated if he helped bring criminals and killers to justice or cooperated with police.
Cam’ron's stance on the issue drew criticism following the interview from those who disagreed with his views.
As a result, the rapper is making an effort to explain his view point by citing a near fatal experience from his past.
"In 2005, I was a victim of a violent crime," Cam'ron explained to AllHipHop.com in a statement. "I was shot multiple times without provocation by two armed men who attempted to carjack my vehicle. Although I was a crime victim, I didn't feel like I could cooperate with the police investigation."
The Cam’ron interview was part of Cooper's report on the concept of "snitching" and how certain artists’ message to shun the police has undermined efforts to solve murders across the country.
In addition to Cam'ron, Cooper spoke with Geoffrey Canada, an anti-violence advocate and educator from Harlem who noted how the refusal to cooperate with police has now become a "cultural norm that is being preached in poor communities."
Cam'ron explained that the threat of violent retaliation in poor communities often keeps witnesses from coming forward to help police in their investigations.
"Where I come from, once word gets out that you've cooperated with the police that only makes you a bigger target of criminal violence," Cam'ron explained. "That is a dark reality in so many neighborhoods like mine across America. I'm not saying it’s right, but it’s reality. And it's not unfounded. There's a harsh reality around violence and criminal justice in our inner cities."
Despite this reality, Cam’ron is quick to say that "my experience in no way justifies what I said" on 60 Minutes.
"Looking back now, I can see how those comments could be viewed as offensive, especially to those who have suffered their own personal tragedies or to those who put their lives on the line to protect our citizens from crime," he stated. "Please understand that I was expressing my own personal frustration at my own personal circumstances. I in no way was intending to be malicious or harmful. I apologize deeply for this error in judgment."
allhiphop.com
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
HERE WE GOOOO!!!!
Over a month after rapper Tony Yayo’s altercation with the 14-year-old son of Jimmy “Henchmen” Rosemond, Yayo is finally expected to make his first appearance in court on Wednesday (Apr. 25).
Yayo's court appearance stems from allegations stating that the rapper slapped and verbally assaulted Rosemond’s son as he was walking to Czar Entertainment for an internship on March 20.
Yayo's charges include one count of misdemeanor assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a minor.
On the day of Yayo's court appearance yet another rally is expected, but this time the rally will take place outside of the courtroom by supporters of Cynthia Reed, the mother of the 14-year-old victim.
Attendees of the rally will include local councilmen, community leaders, and the family of Israel Ramirez, the bodyguard who was gunned down on the set of a Busta Rhyme's video.
The first rally took place on Apr. 2 and was held in the hopes of creating a call for action in order to create change in the music community.
Tony Yayo has already served two consecutive sentences for weapons possession charges received in Dec. 2002.
allhiphop.com
MIKE JONES BITIN OFF OF RAY-J
I aint watch the whole thing but it kinda look like Mister Jones ahhaahh check it out for yaself....http://www.zshare.net/video/mikejonessextape-wmv.html
SEBASTIAN DROPPED
The Celtics are releasing guard Sebastian Telfair days after he was arrested in Yonkers, N.Y., and charged with carrying a loaded gun in his car.Team managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said Telfair, coming off a disappointing first season with the Celtics, wouldn't be back with the team. Telfair pleaded not guilty to felony second-degree possession of a weapon and was released Friday on $7,500 bail.
"The facts and circumstances of his case have not been determined, but he does not have a Celtics locker and we do not anticipate that he will," Grousbeck said in an e-mail Tuesday. He didn't say how the final year on Telfair's contract would be handled.Telfair's attorney, Ed Hayes, told The Associated Press the Celtics are rushing to judgment.Hayes said the gun found in Telfair's SUV was registered to Telfair's common law wife and that Telfair was borrowing the SUV she normally uses.While with Portland in February 2006, Telfair was questioned after a handgun registered to the same woman was found in his luggage aboard the team's plane at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass.Charges against Allen dismissed: Judge James Linn dismissed charges of aggravated battery against Celtics guard Tony Allen on the second day of a trial stemming from a fight in August 2005 outside a Chicago restaurant. Allen still faces a civil suit.
courant.com
"The facts and circumstances of his case have not been determined, but he does not have a Celtics locker and we do not anticipate that he will," Grousbeck said in an e-mail Tuesday. He didn't say how the final year on Telfair's contract would be handled.Telfair's attorney, Ed Hayes, told The Associated Press the Celtics are rushing to judgment.Hayes said the gun found in Telfair's SUV was registered to Telfair's common law wife and that Telfair was borrowing the SUV she normally uses.While with Portland in February 2006, Telfair was questioned after a handgun registered to the same woman was found in his luggage aboard the team's plane at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass.Charges against Allen dismissed: Judge James Linn dismissed charges of aggravated battery against Celtics guard Tony Allen on the second day of a trial stemming from a fight in August 2005 outside a Chicago restaurant. Allen still faces a civil suit.
courant.com
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