HipHopWired Reports
The man that brought you Black America cinematic classics like “School Daze” “Malcom X” and “Do the Right Thing” is teaming up with the reigning king of Hip-Hop classics for a special commercial. Spike Lee is directing Jay-Z for a commercial celebrating the ten-year anniversary of his Rocawear clothing line. The collaboration was confirmed via Twitter Tuesday by celebrity stylist and Rocawear co-hort, June Ambrose. Ambrose tweeted Tuesday:
“Tough Tuesday! Shhhh spike lee is directing the Jigga man!”
She then went on to post more details about the production revealing that it would be a three-day shoot and included picture of Jigga and Spike Lee on set.
Ambrose also included a video with behind the scenes footage for her followers.
While Jigga's staying busy on camera, his highly anticipated “Blueprint 3”'s tracklisting and album cover was revealed Monday. The album features Drake, Kanye, Nas, Kid Cudi and Rihanna.
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HipHopWired Reports
A poster of President Obama in make-up resembling the Joker, a character from the film "The Dark Knight," went viral immediately in the streets of Los Angeles, under the image is the word "socialism." The "artist" remains silent.
As if the picture isn't discourteous enough, the implication of Obama reforming the government into a socialist society completely undermines the mission and agenda of Obama's presidency.
The phantom "artist" created the poster from the October 2006 issue of Time Magazine featuring Obama on the cover and added the "Joker" face to the shot, according to the Associated Press.
According to various reports, the poster have been circulated and spotted throughout different parts of L.A. and Hollywood since Monday (August 3), particularly on highway ramps and underpasses. There have been reports of the poster sightings in Atlanta as well.
Earl Ofari Hutchinson, L.A. activist and columnist has beckoned the creator(s) to come forward, announce themselves and explain the motivation behind the poster.
"Depicting the president as demonic and a socialist goes beyond political spoofery," says Hutchinson, "it is mean-spirited and dangerous.
"We have issued a public challenge to the person or group that put up the poster to come forth and publicly tell why they have used this offensive depiction to ridicule President Obama."
On behalf of the staff here at HipHopWired.com, we join Hutchinson and encourage the mastermind behind the poster to make themselves known, exercise their freedom of speech and explain his/her intention. Such a statement deserves expounding, otherwise the move could be rendered just as cowardly as white sheets and burning crosses.
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AllHipHop Reports
It’s been months since the release of the beef-igniting “Mafia Music.” But multi-division boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has not forgotten Rick Ross’ unprovoked jab at him.
While most focused on the lines aimed at Mayweather friend 50 Cent, Ross also questioned the validity of Mayweather’s wealth claims, despite the boxer grossing $50 million in 2007.
(“That Mayweather money looking funny in the light.”)
In an exclusive multi-part interview with AllHipHop.com, Mayweather framed Ross as an unoriginal artist who appropriated the lifestyles and appearance of other individuals.
“Cassidy already did ‘I’m a Hustla,’ [and] he’s an East Coast rapper. That’s already been done. Freeway already came out with the beard look. And then the real Rick Rosswas really getting it as a hustler,” Mayweather explained to AllHipHop.com. “I don’t have to take no shots at Rick Ross. I don’t think he’s making $20-$30 million every time he goes out there to perform. I got my own name, Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather. That’s original. With his rap career, I wish him nothing but the best.”
Regarding Ross’ initial flip-flopping on the corrections officer issue, Mayweather references that controversy as proof the Miami rapper is simply selling a false image.
“[His] stats and credentials don’t rhyme. One minute he said he wasn’t a CO or cop, next minute he is,” Mayweather told AllHipHop.com. “He can learn how to get money from me. If he’s a cop and rapping about selling drugs, I guess he was a dirty cop! You know me, I’m not ducking and dodging no one, it’s not hard to find me. I’m in Miami all the time, Atlanta, everywhere.”
Although cognizant that comments like his have a history of igniting “beefs,” Floyd Mayweather feels Ross is simply a disgruntled fan lashing out.
“Me and my manager Al Haymon were the ones that did Lil Wayne’s last tour. So when I seen Rick Ross in Miami on the first show, he broke his neck to speak to me,” Mayweather stated.
“Rap has truly changed. He was at my Hatton fight, cheering me on. I guess he got upset because I’m cool with 50 Cent. But like I said, if I need someone arrested I’ll call him.”
Floyd Mayweather is currently preparing for his anticipated September 19 return bout against fellow pound for pound elite Juan Manuel Marquez.
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The city council voted 4-3 Monday evening to reprimand transgender mayor Stu Rasmussen for violating the dress code for city leaders.
A citizen earlier filed a complaint that the mayor's choice of a short skirt and halter top at a children's event was too racy. At the time, Rasmussen defended the choice as appropriate for the hot and humid conditions.
At Monday's council meeting, citizens criticized and defended the first openly transgender mayor in the country. What started with Rasmussen's election as the remarkable ability of smalltown America to accept him wore thin at the city hall council chamber.
"I've always liked you Stu, but I think you're wrong on this issue," Ralph Amstutze said at the meeting.
Joe Craig told Rasmussen that the mayor had engaged in "shameless self promotion" nationwide about being a transgender mayor, instead of being engaged as mayor of Silverton.
Another resident, Mark Johnston, said Rasmussen needed to dress appropriately for all the city's residents, including those with conservative tastes like himself, "in consideration of all you represent."
Ilene Conrad offered a contrarian viewpoint. She said had a woman dressed like Rasmussen, there would be no complaint, no issue. "(The mayor) was condemned because he's Stu, and he's a man."
Rasmussen did not apologize, but reported telling council members earlier that "I will be more careful with my attire in the future when I represent the city of Silverton."
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Improper.Com Reports
Vanessa Hudgens just can’t seem to keep her clothes on, or stop from taking pictures of herself, which somehow manage to leak onto the Internet.
Nude photos of Disney’s “High School Musical” star, which she supposedly took for boyfriend Zac Efron, went viral today (Aug. 5) in another red-faced moment for Disney bigwigs.
The photos are blurry and look like Hudgens took them herself with a camera phone.
"Vanessa took some suggestive shots of herself in the buff as a surprise for Zac," a source told the National Enquirer.
The photos are likely drawing scorn from Disney executives, who like their stars to be squeaky clean.
The Enquirer claims a “third party” got their hands on the photos and was shopping them around. Celebrity Web site TMZ claims that the photos are legitimate, and not those of a look-a-like.
"This was a photo which was taken privately. It is a personal matter and it is unfortunate that this has become public," a rep for the star told the Web site.
"Vanessa's only 18, so she had no idea how her flirtatious act could threaten the future of the multimillion-dollar plans Disney has for the show," a source told the Enquirer. "She just wanted to keep Zac interested."
But that seems unlikely. Hudgens got into hot water the last time photos of her in the buff leaked on the Web and she probably knew full well that more photos could cause another scandal.
At least she’s 18 now, so publishing the photos is legal. It’s even possible they were leaked on purpose, because Hudgens, like so many maturing Disney stars, is trying to make the transition to an adult screen career – a route that is by no means clear.
The Enquirer breathlessly reported that the photos could ruin the High School Musical franchise. "It's a kids' show, aimed at children, teenagers and their parents and starring a bunch of cute, wholesome youngsters," said a show insider.
"Naked pictures of one of the stars would be catastrophic. "It could bring the whole 'High School Musical' franchise to its knees."
But that seems somewhat overblown as well. Most people are capable of separating a star’s personal life from their on-screen characters in most cases.
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The Sporting News Reports
In its own right, the recent news about Roger Mayweather, the uncle and trainer of boxer Floyd Mayweather, is tawdry material, another night of conflict and violence from the lunatic fringe, more turmoil among the Cops demographic. But looked at in the context of Floyd’s career and current circumstances, it could come to have enormous implications.
If you haven’t yet read the news, police were summoned to a private residence in Las Vegas on Sunday morning. They found Roger Mayweather there strangling Melissa St. Vil, a female boxer who was formerly trained by Mayweather. Among the grisly details of the encounter to make it into the press is that St. Vil began coughing up blood when Mayweather released her from his choke-hold. Evidently, he’d previously hit her in the ribs several times. Mayweather was immediately taken into custody at the Clark County Detention Center.
Over at Boxing Scene, there’s a description of the incident from Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger’s brother and the father of Floyd Jr. Though he didn’t witness the altercation, Floyd Sr. said that there was tension between St. Vil and Roger because St. Vil recently had split with Roger as her trainer. St. Vil was staying with the boxer Cornelius Lock (also trained by Roger) in a condo owned by Roger, and this was what led to the physical confrontation on Sunday. Roger wanted her out of the condo and she refused to go. Evidently, during the scuffle St. Vil broke a lamp over Roger’s head, though it would appear that the majority of the violence was done by Mayweather.
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Melissa St. Vil
Though the Mayweathers are often fodder for hilarity, and have become the family you love to hate on HBO’s 24/7 documentary series, this is just not one of those “oh those guys are so crazy" kind of stories. Beating on a woman never is such a story, even if that woman happens to be a professional boxer. Throw into the mix that Mayweather has been down this road before and the story becomes even uglier. In 2006, Roger Mayweather did six months of prison time for beating the grandmother of his son.
It’s dark stuff. For Roger, it doesn’t seem unlikely that he could be facing more prison time. For his nephew, Floyd, it’s at the very least a possibility that he could be facing one of the most important fights of his career, his September 19 bout with Juan Manuel Marquez, without his trainer of the last nine years.
Floyd has fought without Uncle Rog in his corner before. When Roger was serving his sentence in 2006, Floyd fought Carlos Baldomir in a three-belt welterweight unification bout. Leonard Ellerbe, Floyd’s close adviser and manager, served as his trainer, and though the fight was boring in the extreme, it was also a virtual shutout for Mayweather.
Given Floyd’s work habits and his knowledge of boxing, I imagine that he’ll be fine come fight night with or without Roger in his corner. He hasn’t fought in almost two years, which makes the current situation a little more loaded than the Baldomir fight, but then again, Floyd is generally one of the hardest training fighters and most intelligent boxing minds of the last 20 years. The nuances of the game are inscribed in his DNA. I don’t think there’s anything that anyone could teach him at this point, not even Rog.
But the promotion of the Marquez fight is not nearly as healthy as Floyd’s boxing IQ, and that’s where this Roger Mayweather incident figures to have the most impact. There’s simply not a lot of buzz about Mayweather/Marquez right now in the sports world. Compare it to the buzz generated by the Manny Pacquiao/Miguel Cotto fight, scheduled for November 14, and Mayweather/Marquez seems like a fly buzzing around a rhinoceros.
The main hope for changing that situation is HBO’s upcoming Mayweather-Marquez 24/7 series, which debuts on August 29. For all of Floyd’s ridiculous boasts about himself, one is undeniably true – he made the 24/7 franchise with his star-making turns in the premiere of the series, De La Hoya-Mayweather 24/7, and then the follow-up, Mayweather-Hatton 24/7.
And a big part of the compelling package of drama with Floyd is his crazy family - his crazy, wild-eyed trainer-uncle and his even crazier, poeticizing trainer-father, and all the feuds and turmoil and trouble among the three. Taken together, they are inarguably great television, some strange fusion of Wide World of Sports and The Wire.
But you have to wonder if this recent storyline with Uncle Rog isn’t too gruesome for even HBO to want to face head on. The 24/7 series has been built on celebrating the antics of the Mayweathers, but this, choking a woman and making her spit blood, is nothing to celebrate, to put it mildly. The situation at the very least will remove Roger from the light of the cameras, and even more, may cast a pall over the coverage of the whole Mayweather training camp. Because one way or the other, this incident is going to be a major issue in that camp. If Rog is there, it will be with the possible consequences of the incident hanging over his head. If he’s not, it will be because of the incident.
What this fight very much needed was a glowing 24/7 of the kind that the Mayweathers have delivered in the past, with all of their verbose, dysfunctional and often hilarious mayhem in full bloom. Now there is a dark, violent pall cast over the entire enterprise before it’s even begun. They say “all press is good press," but this situation may exceed the limitations of that adage. And the result may be that Roger Mayweather’s latest disaster has less impact on Floyd’s performance in the ring than it does on his performance at the box office.
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Justin Barrett, the Boston police officer suspended from the force for his e-mail likening Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., to a “banana-eating jungle monkey,’’ has filed a lawsuit against the Police Department, police commissioner, and mayor, saying the city violated his civil and due process rights.
The 18-page lawsuit accuses the three parties of “conspiring to intentionally inflict emotional distress and conspiring to intentionally interfere with the property rights, due process rights, and civil rights of the plaintiff.’’
Barrett added to the controversy surrounding last month’s arrest of Gates at his home in Cambridge, when he responded to a column by The Boston Globe’s Yvonne Abraham, using the racial slurs in reference to Gates.
When police officials learned of the biting missive, they quickly moved to fire him.
Later, during a national campaign to save his job, Barrett told CNN he is not a racist and “treats everyone with dignity and respect.’’
Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis suspended Barrett last Wednesday, stripping him of his badge and firearm and later released a statement calling the officer’s remarks “racist and inflammatory.
“These racist opinions and feelings have no place in this department or in our society and will not be tolerated,’’ Davis said.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino called for Barrett’s dismissal, saying: “He’s gone. G-O-N-E.’’
Representatives of both the mayor and commissioner declined to comment yesterday on the pending litigation.
According to the lawsuit, the mayor and commissioner’s actions caused Barrett pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, posttraumatic stress, sleeplessness, indignities and embarrassment, degradation, injury to reputation, and restrictions on personal freedom.
Barrett, on the police force for two years, requested that they be enjoined from decreasing, terminating, or withholding any wages. He also asked for money damages to compensate for the emotional and physical pain he suffered, attorney’s fees, and punitive damages.
The suit also contends that Davis and Menino’s treatment of the officer is “disproportionate to the allegations against Officer Barrett given he has not had any meaningful opportunity to prepare any defense to the allegations based on [their] statements.’’
Barrett had no prior disciplinary history; and no investigation has begun for his termination, but Davis said at a press conference last Thursday that a hearing would be scheduled within the next 10 days.
Barrett said in the lawsuit that Davis and Menino’s statements to the public in recent weeks have made it clear that he will be terminated and therefore any hearing or investigation will be tainted.
Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll said it was policy not to comment on pending litigation, and Menino’s press office said they knew the suit had been filed, but had not been formally served.
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HipHopWired Reports
The Underground Music Awards is making its seventh return as the fireworks are set to start going off August 23. Hosted by Urban Threshold, the event will be showcased at the Famous BB Kings Concert Hall in Times Square, New York City.
Last year the event was hosted by Slick Rick and GrandMaster Flash and featured such upstart MCs as Donny Goines, Red Café and Mickey Factz.
Geared towards indie artists, this awards ceremony has been dubbed as being the largest awards show that takes place in commemoration for the Hip-Hop heads that take their musical endeavors out the hands of major labels and invest in themselves independently. This goes to show that all work, no matter how much coverage is given, is unappreciated.
Old school and new school have been honored at this event in prior years with legends such as Slick Rick, GrandMaster Flash, Kid Capri, Marley Marl and up and comers such as Serius Jones, Joell Ortiz and Saigon.
Just like the underground artist on the come up, this awards show is also unconventional and breaks the general rules that have been set by premier awards shows. The sole purpose of this event is to acknowledge unsigned artists and underground artists for their contributions to the urban scene of music unlike things such as the Grammy Awards, the Billboard Music Awards or even BET award shows.
The overall theme is blending as DJs, artists, fans, media outlets and music professionals are all brought to the same venue in order to network and build relationships past the closing of the event. Think of it as an awards show mixed with a Hip-Hop Summit or round-table.
Performances featured include DMC from Run DMC, Freeway and more. Click here for more information.
Also, checkout footage from last year's event.
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HipHopWired Reports
Today the rapper known as Shyne learned around 2:30 p.m. that he will be given the minimum in regards to his parole, according to his attorney, Oscar Michelen. Through an interview with HipHopDX, Michelen informed all of the conditions and arrangements made as it pertained to his parole release.
“He gave him two-and-a-half [years], which was the minimum. The D.A. had requested the maximum, five years… [Shyne] got a chance to address the court today. He did address the court and asked court to consider not giving him any post release supervision at all. But the court said that it was obligated to do so. And [the judge] pointed out that he agreed with our argument [and so] he's gonna give us the minimum… And we're just thankful that the court read our sentencing memorandums and agreed with our position. We now wait for his release, which should be October 6th.”
Some may question why the sentence is coming now, especially since the rapper has already served 8 _ of his 10 required years. Michelen explained that when he was sentenced in March 2001, he wasn't given a parole sentence which was actually mandatory. As a result, the Correction Department made a request for the court to re-sentence him.
Life behind bars has caused a change in the rapper. Spiritually, the man once known as Jamel Barrow has now become a devout Orthodox Jew and changed his name to Moses Michael Leviy.
Initial fears came from the client and his attorney if Shyne were given the full five year parole term it would limit him from making rounds and even making a consideration to music as he would not be allowed to leave the state of New York and he would have constant surveillance on him as he would have to be given permission to engage in most activities as an artist. He will, however, still have particular restrictions to deal with after his release in October, according to Michelen.
“[The] parole [board] will decide [any restrictions],” he noted. “The usual parameters are you can't leave the state without prior permission. If you change your address you have to give them notice. You can be randomly drug tested. They could even search your home randomly without notice. And the most important [parameter of parole] is if you were to commit a crime, or get re-arrested for anything, you can face jail for the full two-and-a-half years of your PRS [post release supervision].”
Although the last thing that might be in the mind of Shyne is music, there have been rumors that he has been in talks with Jay-Z to be yet another recruit for his new Roc Nation imprint. The rapper allegedly went to speak with Shyne last Friday to discuss the possibility of him signing. Nothing has been confirmed from this rumor, however.
Shyne has been incarcerated since his involvement in a shooting on December 27, 1999 at Club New York. At the time he was under the Bad Boy label and was in the company of then Puff Daddy and his former girlfriend Jennifer Lopez. Although there seems to be no need for worry or retaliation, Shyne has stated that he knows his former boss had a hand in him living behind bars and snitched on him in some form.
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An Alabama woman was arrested after police say she injured a child while dragging it through a store in Rome.
According to Floyd County Jail records:
Melissa Catherine Smith-Means, 37, of Gaylesville, Ala., was arrested by Rome police around 12:30 p.m. She was charged with felony first-degree cruelty to children.
Police say she was observed by customers and employees at a store on Broad Street, dragging a small child around by a backpack leash. The child had visible marks on the neck from the incident.
She remains in jail without bail.
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AllHipHop Reports
West Coast rap icon Snoop Dogg will be among a group of celebrities slated to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of ABC’s hit game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
The two-week run will include a different celebrity, who will take the hot seat every night to answer a single question.
A correct answer will result in the celebrity winning $50,000 for his or her favorite charity.
In addition to Snoop Dogg, the Millionaire 10th anniversary will include appearances from Vanessa Williams, Sherri Shepard, Katy Perry, Rachel Ray, Steve Nash, Lauren Conrad, Patricia Heaton, Shawn Johnson, Wynonna… and a “surprise guest.”
The 10th anniversary of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire will premiere from 8 p.m. to p.m. Sunday (Aug. 9) on ABC.
The celebration will continue for 11 nights as it airs at 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. The 10th anniversary finale is scheduled to air from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET Aug. 23.
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Wendy Sewell, Therese Ziemann and Michelle Belliveau face up to six years in prison for their glue revenge ambush.
NYDailyNews Reports
A married man who planned to rendezvous with one of his handful of lovers at an eastern Wisconsin motel instead found himself bound, blindfolded and assaulted by a group of women out for revenge, according to court documents.
Four women, including his wife, eventually showed up to humiliate the man, who ended up with his penis glued to his stomach in a bizarre plot to punish him for a lover's quadrangle gone bad, according to the documents filed in Calumet County.
Now it's the women who face punishment, perhaps six years in prison, and at least one said Monday the story has gotten twisted and she's embarrassed. "I am disturbed.
I am upset. I am having a hard time handling life; an emotional wreck," Wendy Sewell, 43, of Kaukauna, said in a telephone interview from her home.
"I am ashamed." Sewell, Therese Ziemann, 48, of Menasha, Michelle Belliveau, 43, of Neenah, and the man's wife are charged with being party to false imprisonment, a felony.
Ziemann also is charged with fourth-degree sexual assault. The women are free on $200 cash bails. Investigators say all the women but Belliveau were romantically involved with the man.
Online court records didn't list defense attorneys for any of the women Monday. The Associated Press is not naming the man's wife to protect his identity as an alleged victim of sexual assault.
The women's plot for revenge unfolded last Thursday at the Lakeview Motel about 30 miles southwest of Green Bay in the tiny village of Stockbridge near the scenic shores of Lake Winnebago.
Criminal complaints filed Friday allege the man agreed to be bound with "sheer sheets" and blindfolded with a pillowcase for a "rub down" by Ziemann.
She instead cut off his underwear with a scissors and summoned the others to the room with a text message.
Ziemann struck the man in the face, and used Krazy Glue to attach his penis to his stomach when the other women arrived, according to the complaints.
The man told investigators he also was threatened with a gun.
Ziemann told investigators she didn't have a gun but may have told the victim, "Do you know how much I want to shoot you?"
He started screaming and the women rushed off fearful that he could get loose and hurt them but allegedly took his wallet, vehicle and cell phone.
Ziemann told investigators she met the man online through Craigslist, fell in love and paid for his use of a room at the motel for the past two months.
She said she gave him about $3,000.
Then last Wednesday, she learned from the man's wife that he was married, had other girlfriends and was "using them for money." She expected the money to be repaid, according to the documents.
During Thursday's confrontation with the man, Ziemann told investigators Sewell asked him, "Which one do you love more?" and the man's wife made a derisive remark about him being scared.
The man got free from the bed by chewing through one of his bindings, went outside and borrowed a telephone from the motel owner to call police.
Ziemann and Belliveau are sisters and Belliveau didn't do anything wrong, Sewell said Monday.
"She was just there for moral support. She wasn't even dating the guy. She stood at the door the whole time and didn't participate or nothing."
Ziemann's husband answered the telephone at their home and declined comment. There was no telephone listing for Belliveau. The man had no telephone listing in Fond du Lac.
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Aubrey O'Day took some time out of her busy "Peepshow" rehearsals to work with Young Money's Shanell Woodgette for a cover of Eddie Murphy's 1985 hit "Party All the Time."
O'Day worked with Maestro on the production and, according to Celebuzz, she even wrote a new bridge for the song. O'Day posted a link to the track on her Twitter page.
This isn't Woodgette's first collaboration with one of the Danity Kane ladies — Shanell is actually "Making the Band" alum D. Woods' sister and has written songs for the group, including "Key to My Heart" off their Welcome to the Dollhouse album. She also penned Lil Wayne's "Prom Queen."
O'Day also recently revealed her love of all things Eddie Murphy when she tweeted that one of his classic flicks is on her favorite movies list. " 'Coming to America' is on, one of my favorite movies!!!!!!!" she wrote.
In addition to the song, O'Day is also gearing up to make her debut in "Peepshow" this September in Las Vegas. The former "Hairspray" star told MTV News that she was looking forward to the part. "I'm about to take a huge star's position in a Vegas show that just opened," she said. "And coming with me will be reality-show cameras, of course ... I'm starting to film my reality show, hopefully coming out in October."
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