Archive for July, 2009

Jeezy Explains Drama Beef

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Still soaking in the success from his album The Recession and gearing up for the third series of his Thug Motivation, Young Jeezy seems to be airing out his grievances as of late. He released “24,23” where he laid out a lyrical assault on his former foe Gucci Mane and newly acquired nemesis OJ Da Juiceman and now his beams seem to have set his sights on former friend DJ Drama.

Tension came to a boil at the screening of the late Biggie Smalls film “Notorious” in Atlanta when Drama was assaulted by (more...)

Two Charged In Journalists' Killing Plead Not Guilty

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Two suspects charged with the 2007 shooting death of an editor for the Oakland Post newspaper, entered not guilty pleas Thursday. Yusef Bey IV and Antoine Mackey are charged with first degree murder for the shooting death of Chauncey Bailey in 2007. Bey was known in his Oakland California community for being a leader of the “Your Black Muslim Bakery.” The bakery was started by his father and had ties to a security service, school, and other businesses but other sources of income lead many to believe it was involved with criminal activities. Bey is charged with ordering the killing of Bailey and two other men after Bailey began investigating the bakery's finances. Mackey is charged with being the get-away driver.

The presiding judge, Judge Morris Jacobson, also made the decision to release transcripts of grand jury testimony. The transcripts set for release are over 800 pages long and include testimony from witnesses, including former bakery handyman Devaughndre Broussard who accuses Bey of paying him to kill Bailey. Broussard pled guilty to two lesser counts of voluntary manslaughter in exchange for his testimony against Bey and Mackey. The judge also lifted a gag order, allowing lawyers to discuss the case with the media. Despite the lift of the gag order, the prosecution and the defense have still agreed not to do so.

chauncey

The Return of Slum Village

Friday, July 31st, 2009

The Detroit rap trio is making their return back to the music as their new CD, Villa Manifesto, will be hitting everyone's local retail shelves on September 22. And for fans that were wondering then the answer is yes as it refers to the trio as Baatin will finally infuse himself back with his Detroit comrades.

Fueled by the single “Cloud 9” featuring the songstress best known as the other half of Floetry, Marsha Ambrosius, the upcoming project will be distributed digitally through the Independent Online Distribution Alliance. The IODA is currently one of the (more...)

Nigerian Officials Hunting for Islamic Group Responsible for Bloodbath

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Nigerian officials and troops are searching for persons responsible for the killings of 30 Nigerians. The Islamic group called Boko Haram went on a full fledged killing spree in the northern state of Yobe on Wednesday.

Wednesday's violence came after the army shelled a mosque and the home of Mohammed Yusuf, the group's alleged leader, in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

"We are not sure whether he has been killed in the shelling or has managed to escape," a police officer said of Yusuf.

The Boko Haram group does not approve of western-style education and leaders have made promises of brute force to rid the society of "immorality" and "infidelity."

Nigeria's president Umaru Yar'Adua has pledged to hunt down and punish the group. He added that he will call on his military aid to "contain them once and for all." He said "they will be dealt with squarely and forthwith."

Masses of people ran from the massacre and tried to take shelter at the local police station.

"It is the first time in my life that I hear this kind of mortar shelling," said one man, who had taken cover there, along with his wife and three daughters.
"I thought they targeted my house."

An AFP correspondent said that he had witnessed the murders of three young men. The report stated the victims were all shot at point blank range shortly after being arrested, the men kneeling and begging for their lives to be spared.

"There has been a serious intensification of the assault on members of this group, Boko Haram, which is behind this wave of killings," reports the middle-eastern newspaper Al Jezera.

"The president of Nigeria has said that anybody perpetrating violence will be dealt with very, very severely - in fact, that means imminent death," she said.

"If you're caught working among Boko Haram fighters, there is absolutely no question, your life will not be spared."

Ice Cube Set To Direct New Documentary for ESPN

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Ice Cube is directing an ESPN documentary about the Los Angeles Raiders. He was just added to a lineup of 30 special-edition directors for the “30 for 30” ESPN documentary series. The project features 30 one-hour films that shine light on a topic covered by ESPN in its 30 years of programming. Ice Cube's documentary is called “Straight Outta L.A.” and connects the Raiders to himself, NWA and their influence on his hometown. How ironic that the same man that said, “Stop giving juice to the Raiders…cause Al Davis ain't never paid us” in “Wrong Ni**a To Fu%k Wit” is directing their documentary.

Previously announced directors for the series include (more...)

Pulpit Pimpery Pioneer Reverend Ike Dies at 74

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Reverend Frederick Eikerenkoetter, also known as Reverend Ike, was the first of many "prosperity preachers" who dangled blessings over the heads of his congregation members in exchange for 10 percent of their income. Reverend Ike made millions from his members' donations and, sadly, could not take it with him when he passed away Tuesday in a Los Angeles Hospital, he was 74-years-old.

Family members said he suffered from a stroke two years ago, from which he never fully recovered.

Reverend Ike was well-known to devout church-goers in California and was all but a household name in the mid-seventies when his career was at its best with live broadcasts of his sermons played on nearly 2,000 radio stations to an estimated 2.5 million person audience.

He often preached the teachings of self-empowerment from his church, United Church Science of Living Institute, which was once a movie theater. Reverend Ike would often tell his mass of followers, "This is the do-it-yourself church. The only savior in this philosophy is God in you."

He would then tell them to "close your eyes and see green ... money up to your armpits, a roomful of money, and there you are, just tossing around in it like a swimming pool."

He was even bold enough to ask his members to give cash donations only, paper only please. "Change makes your minister nervous in the service," he said.

According to NY Daily News, critics believed the reverend was a con artist and got rich off member donations. "My garages runneth over," he would boast.

Rev. Ike was born in Ridgeland, S.C., to a father who was a Baptist minister and a mother who taught elementary school. They divorced when he was 5.

He is survived by his wife Eula and his son Xavier Frederick.

revike2

Presidential Beer Bash Sexist?

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

It has been the week's apex of excitement, what's to come of the highly anticipated Beer Bash? President Obama, Gates, the man scorned who was at home while Black, and Crowley, the racist Cambridge police officer who conned a man into his arrest. But what about Lucia Whalen?

Who? The Portuguese-American woman who made the 911 call and was later labeled the "White woman" who was accused of racially profiling Gates and his driver when she alerted authorities. The arresting officer lied and said Whalen witnessed two Black men with backpacks entering the home, when, in fact, she didn't even mention the word "Black" in the audio footage that was released earlier this week. She was blamed and lied on for weeks without a voice amidst the clamor. Where is her media spotlight? She is just as much a part of this situation as Gates and Crowley, so why can't she beer it up at the White House with the boys? Why wasn't she invited? She's at work while the men ham it up in Washington. Predictable...by gender alone.

Crowley, the man whose job is to protect and serve, lied in the police report, refused to apologize and strongly denies being a racist. Gates said he couldn't yell or raise his voice because he has been recently ill, but pictures are worth a thousand words and that man was offended and hollering. Obama, simply said the arresting officer acted "stupidly," caught heat and probably felt forced to apologize. The beer bash this evening is supposed to be a cure all how? Sounds like a meat fest that could turn into an ugly bar scene or, in this case, an endless battle of the wits.

As if beer and three tempered male egos are somehow going to put an end to all racial profiling. Maybe with some female intervention. Kind of like the scenario when a few school yard boys scuffle and the lady teacher steps in, breaks up the fight, initiates the run-of the mill pep talk and they're all friends again.

Same principle applies to this situation, but for whatever reason the woman who could've cleared up the holes in the story that day happens to be overlooked. If Crowley would've talked to her at the scene, like his fraudulent police report claims, things likely would not have escalated to the point of no return. But the lone woman in the scenario was all but ignored. It wasn't until she hired legal representation she got some media attention.

Hopefully Wahlen will be acknowledged at the bromance beer battle tonight, but unfortunately she won't be there to defend herself and her positioning in the incident that sparked a nationwide racial debate, that will more than likely be squashed tonight, and once again, macho men save the day.
Wow. Nice.

Two Georgia Officers Suspended for Running Background Check on Obama

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Two Dekalb County, Georgia Police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after being investigated for dunning a background check on President Barack Obama.

On July 20, Ryan WHite and C.M. Route ran Obama's name through the National Crime Information Center from a Dekalb County squad car. The Secret Service was immediately alerted and they contacted the police department, reports WSBTV.

A Dekalb County CEO office representative confirmed the officers were, in fact, White and Route and also said they both have been with the department for less than five years.

The representative also reveled one of the officers rejected the allegations and claims he took no part in the incident.

An official investigation has been launched by the Dekalb County Police Department Internal Affairs division to dissolve the matter.

It remains unknown why the officers ran the check.

Ja Rule's "The Mirror" Album To Hit The Net Free Of Charge

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Things have not been the same at Murder Inc. since Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and his G-Unit cronies systematically destroyed the Über successful label. Artist by artist, all crumbled under the power of the titan from Queens as Irv Gotti was left with no other option but send his premier artist, Ja Rule, into the fray with hopes that he had the lyrical muscle and street credibility to annihilate the newcomers.

Needless to say, history was not on the Inc.'s side, and the company was lambasted into utter oblivion. For two years now, fans have been curious about the status of Rule's Mirror album, the anticipated release from the Queens rapper that saw its release subjugated to musical purgatory by the Inc.'s man in charge, Irv Gotti, due mainly to his desire to "craft a classic LP."

Now the weakened record label is attempting to resurrect its once glorious image, and much like (more...)

Queen Latifah and Jamie Foxx Team Up for New Movie

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Rap royalty and advocate of U.N.I.T.Y., Queen Latifah, is teaming up with Jamie Foxx for a new movie. The duo will appear in New Line Cinema's “Valentine's Day,” a story that follows five different intertwining Valentine's Day stories. Jamie plays a TV Sports reporter that gets sent out on a Valentine's Day assignment and the Queen will play an agent for a football player played by actor, Eric Dane. The two will be part of an all-star cast that includes Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher and Emma Roberts. The film is in production in Los Angeles.

Jamie also stars alongside (more...)

Bangin Candy

Bangin Candy - Taylor Gang's Lola Monroe [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy - Taylor Gang's Lola Monroe [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Rico Love's Division 1 Recording Artist, Rabbit

Bangin Candy: Rico Love's Division 1 Recording Artist, Rabbit

Bangin Candy: Usain Bolt's Ex-Girl, Taneish Simpson [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Usain Bolt's Ex-Girl, Taneish Simpson [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Floyd Mayweather Jr's Fiancé Shantel Jackson [PHOTOS]

Bangin Candy: Floyd Mayweather Jr's Fiancé Shantel Jackson [PHOTOS]