Until recently, Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne, 27, was on top of the world with critical praise and massive fan support surrounding his recent efforts, and buzz building around the delayed release of his anticipated rock album, Rebirth, now set to hit stores in December.
However, following a court date in New York on Thursday, things for the artist born Dwayne Carter have turned sour.
Although he had previously pleaded not guilty to gun charges, this morning the rapper entered a guilty plea on an attempted weapon possession charge.
Rock bands like the Beatles the Kinks knew all about the Taxman and now Wu-Tang Clan star Method Man is learning his own lesson about Uncle Sam’s #1 bill collector the hard way: in jail.
Rapper Lil Wayne will go on trial next March on the felony drug possession and weapons charges he faces in a court in Yuma County, Arizona, according to an Associated Press report. The trial date was set during a court hearing on Thursday.
The case against Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, stems from his arrest at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 8 east of Yuma in January 2008. Authorities said they found cocaine, Ecstasy and Continue reading »
Loudmouthed British rapper, Lady Sovereign has been arrested in Brisbane, Australia on charges of spitting at a doorman, NME reports (details at NME).
(Video, below: Lady Sovereign’s “So Human,” featuring music by ’80s pop goths the Cure, oddly enough.)
We’re not saying it is cool when music stars are busted for drugs or violence or alimony or whatever, but, seriously, arrested for spitting at a night club doorman might be the lamest crime ever.
Live Nation has teamed with BET Networks to produce a series of U.S. tours that are set to visit Live Nation-owned House of Blues venues and other clubs/theaters across the country, according to a report on Billboard.com
According to Billboard, the new venture will launch this fall with the 106 & Park Tour featuring co-headliners Trey Songz and Mario. The trek begins September 29 at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, and will make pit stops at major U.S. cities through November. Other acts featured on the tour include Day 26, Sean Garrett and RydazNRtist.
“BET is a brand that is highly respected by artists and music fans alike and they wield considerable marketing power in major markets across the U.S.,” House of Blues president of talent Michael Yerke said in a statement released to the press.” Together we hope to expand the roster of national tours playing Live Nation’s national network of clubs and theaters.
Chris Brown began his community service sentence yesterday by clearing weeds and debris from a police horse stable in Richmond, Virginia, according to an Associated Press report. The 180-day sentence is part of Brown’s punishment for beating ex-girlfriend Rihanna back in February.
According to the AP, the 20-year-old R&B singer worked alongside others with similar sentences cleaning up the area by hand and with yard tools. Although a few curious fans stopped by to see Brown work, there was by no means the scene that some officials had expected. Brown, who was wearing a white tank top, orange vest, baggy jeans and red cap, stopped to wave at fans while he was working.
Brown’s schedule, including work hours and days, will be flexible, and he will be performing different types of manual labor, according to a Richmond police spokesperson. Brown will also undergoing counseling in Richmond, which is near his home in Montpelier, Virginia.
ABOVE:Winner of the UK’s top music prize: Speech Debelle. (For someone named Speech, she’s actually sort of mumbly…)
Hip-hop singer Speech Debelle won Britain’s Barclaycard Mercury Prize yesterday for her album “Speech Therapy,” a work fueled by a period the young rapper spent homeless, according to an Associated Press report.
Debelle’s tender vocals and witty lyrics won out over 11 other acts, including Kasabian and Bat for Lashes, to nab the prize - a 20,000 pound ($33,000) award which usually goes to outsiders rather than more established acts.
I feel so good,” the 26-year-old said after her win. “It feels better than I imagined. My family’s here. My friends are here. I’m from south London. I don’t get emotional - I’m emotional.”
According to the AP, this year’s favorites to win the coveted prize included Debelle’s fellow south Londoners Florence + the Machine, synth-heavy La Roux, and haunting electro-folk group Sweet Billy Pilgrim. Others in the hunt were The Horrors, Glasvegas, Led Bib, The Invisible, Lisa Hannigan, and Friendly Fires.
Do you think Speech deserved to win the 2009 Mercury Prize?
We were kinda hoping for the Horrors or Lisa Hannigan…
Jay-Z’s September 11 album The Blueprint 3 leaked online last week, a week ahead of its September 8 official release date, according to a report on Rollingstone.com.
The hip hop artist was made aware of the leak at a press conference for his 9/11 Madison Square Garden benefit concert which will be broadcast live on Fuse TV starting at 9 p.m. “I may be the most bootlegged artist in history,” Jay-Z responded at the Answer the Call conference. “It’s a preview. I’m excited for people to hear the album. I’m very proud of the work I’ve done, so enjoy it.”
Prior to this, a handful of tracks were dropped from the album, including the initial singles “D.O.A.” and “Run This Town,” which were both produced by Timbaland.
According to Rolling Stone, one reason why Jay may be taking the news so well is that with fans able to hear the album before its due date, he’s been getting some early positive reviews. “My pager is actually ringing right now, so people are probably calling me and telling me they pretty much like it,” Jay-Z said.
"he said 'Ye(kanye) told me to kill yall to keep it 100!" on death of auto tune..pay attention..hello hes the one that put kanye west on...so why not have..."
Recommended if you like: Kanye West, Young Jeezy, Billy Joel, New Jersey Nets Basketball
Mr. Beyonce Knowles is finally trying to put attention back on his music rather than his love life, failed retirement bid, or shady real estate deals-but does it live up to the hype?
We haven’t had time to digest all of the Blueprint 3, but we’re hoping “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” will inspire lame-o lip-synchers (hi, Kanye) to give T-Pain the boot kick the Auto-Tune habit…but we’re not holding our breath.
Oddly, while Jay-Z takes a shot at Auto-Tunes users, he teams up with Kanye on “Run This Town” and with West’s underling Drake nonetheless.
Elsewhere on the album, a duet with singer/pianist Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind,” takes a titular cue from, of all people, Billy Joel (”New York State of Mind”).
Listen to the entire album before its 9/11 release and tell us what you think.
Now, we don’t always condone album leaks, but it this isn’t a bootleg, it’s an official leak from Jay-Z to MTV. Enjoy.
ABOVE: “My Life,” a song by known murderer/semi-known rapper, C-Murder. Note to aspiring stars: Don’t shoot your fans, idiots.
With a stage name like “C-Murder,” maybe it isn’t too difficult to believe that Lousiana rapper Corey Miller has just been sentenced to life in prison on charges of second-degree murder.
Although Miller has made headlines for his crimes rather than his music, he does come from a musical family, including better known brothers, Master P (Percy Miller) and Silkk the Shocker (Vyshonn Miller),
The victim was Steve Thomas: a 16-year-old fan gunned down outside of the Harvey nightclub in 2002.
Miller was previously convicted in the case in 2003, but the verdict was overturned; however, today’s sentencing will likely stand.
Be the first to comment 
Alan
