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Check out this never before heard off the top of the dome 2006 freestyle from Big Boi of Outkast on the Tim Westwood show. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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2006 (8)
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Rapper Plies has been ordered to pay a group of five men $200,000 total after a jury found him civilly liable for a 2006 club shooting that left them injured.
The victims were hit by bullets after a fight broke out between members of Plies' camp and another rapper at a Gainesville, Florida nightclub.
During the criminal trial, Plies pleaded no contest to illegal possession of a concealed weapon that was found after the shootings. Plies avoided jail time and was sentenced to probation while his brother, Ronell "Big Gates" Levatte served three years in prison for his role in the incident.
The civil lawsuit against Plies, real name Algernod Lanier Washington, was filed in April 2008.
According to the rapper's lawyer, the victims in the case were offered nearly four times the amount they were awarded to settle the case out of court, but they turned down the offer.
The plaintiff's attorney Chad Roberts told Gainesville.com back in March 2010 that he feared the shooting would only bolster Plies' street credibility.
"The irony is that when you criminally prosecute (gangsta rappers) their stock goes up," he said. "It's hard to punish them. The only way to punish is them is to hold the record company accountable."
During the trial Plies took the stand where he revealed a background much different than one you would expect from a gangsta rapper.
Plies told the jury he was his high school's homecoming king, best dressed student and received a full scholarship to Miami of Ohio University to play football.
The jury deliberated for nearly two days before deciding the rapper and his brother should pay the victims for their pain and suffering, but the total dollar amount didn't come close to the $10 million they were seeking.
Plies take stand during civil trial
Plies and his brother Big Gates found civilly liable for 2006 shootings
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Eminem lost a best friend and rap lost a great entertainer on this day in 2006 when rapper Proof of D12 was shot and killed at a Detroit club at the age of 32.
Proof, real name DeShaun Dupree Holton will always be remembered as being instrumental in forming D12 as well as a great freestyle battle rapper, having particpated in numerous competitions in Detroit and the Blaze battle.
Eminem says his friend was the best freestyle rapper he's ever seen.
"Everything back then was all about battling if you wanted to make a name for yourself," Eminem told Red Bull a few months ago talking about the Detroit battle scene he and Proof came up in. "There were battles every couple of months where anybody trying to make a name for themselves would come out.
I don't know who the greatest freestyler in the world is today, but I know that the greatest freestyler I've ever seen in my life is Proof," Eminem continued. "He might use one line in a sixty second battle that was something that he had that was premeditated, but everything else would be spontaneous. I've never seen anybody be able to have that kind of gift and ability to do that."
Proof's mom Pepper Holton, formed The Proof Foundation to keep his name and memory alive. Tonight they will hold a candlelight vigil and tribute at the Shelter in Detroit.
R.I.P. Big Proof
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Video After The Jump
Just like live perfomances, live interviews are something artists have to work at. That's why throwback interviews are simply the best, especially for an artist like Jay-Z after you have followed his career.
This clip was filmed 15 years ago whe Hov probably wasn't worth 1/4 of the $450 million Forbes estimates he's got in the bank now
Very interesting to note that Jigga went to high school with both Busta Rhymes and Notorious B.I.G. Hov recalled battling Busta. He doesn't saw who won,but Busta himself admitted last year he lost to Jay-Z that day.
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President Felipe Calderon said he would consider a debate on legalizing drugs Tuesday as his government announced that more than 28,000 people have been killed in drug violence since he launched a crackdown against cartels in 2006.
Intelligence agency director Guillermo Valdes also said authorities have confiscated about 84,000 weapons and made total cash seizures of $411 million in U.S. currency and $26 million worth in pesos (330 million pesos).
Valdes released the statistics during a meeting with Calderon and representatives of business and civic groups, where attendees exploring ways to improve Mexico's anti-drug strategy called on the government to open a debate on legalization.
Calderon said he has taken note of the idea of legally regulating drugs in the past.
"It's a fundamental debate in which I think, first of all, you must allow a democratic plurality (of opinions)," he said. "You have to analyze carefully the pros and cons and the key arguments on both sides."
Three former presidents — Cesar Gaviria of Colombia, Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Fernando Cardoso of Brazil — urged Latin American countries last year to consider legalizing marijuana to undermine a major source of income for cartels. And Mexico's congress also has debated the issue.
But Calderon has long said he is opposed to the idea, and his office issued a statement hours after the meeting saying that while the president was open to debate on the issue, he remains "against the legalization of drugs."
In proposing the debate Tuesday, analyst and writer Hector Aguilar Camin said, "I'm not talking just about marijuana ... rather all drugs in general."
The most recent official toll of the drug war dead came in mid-June, when the attorney general said 24,800 had died. Valdes did not specify a time frame for the new statistics.
The government does not regularly break down murder statistics, but leading newspapers who kept their own counts say last month was the deadliest yet under Calderon: According to national daily Milenio, 1,234 were killed in July.
The Mexican government says most victims were involved in the drug trade.
Some attendees criticized the government for lacking consistent statistics on the drug war and an effective way to communicate its successes. They also said the government needs to do more to combat the financial arm of organized crime.
"There's no systematic policy for investigating or seizing the assets of organized crime," said Jose Luis Pineyro of Mexico's Autonomous Metropolitan University, "nor a system of locating the properties of organized crime."The Bad Guiy
Source: NPR
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For the 2nd time a civil lawsuit filed in Alachua County, Florida against rapper Plies has been dismissed. The lawsuits stem from a concert shooting that left five people injured, but the saga is far from over. The plaintiffs have 20 days to amend their complaint and their lawyer says they will.
During a 2006 concert in Gainesville, Florida that also featured Lil Boosie, members of Plies' entourage are accused of letting off shots into a crowd at Club 238.
Plies plead guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm and was sentenced to probation. His brother Ronell Lawrence “Big Gates” Lavatte served three years in prison because he was a convicted felon.
Billy Dee Williams, Michael Lamar Daymon, Edwin Devasco Faircloth, Steve Ruben Jean-Jacques and Dorian Shannel Johnson are the plaintiffs in the case. They allege that Plies' music, lyrics and image as a goon contributed to the violence. They cite his song "I Am The Club" as an example of the rappers' violent lyrics.
Plies did not fire the shots, but they want him held liable nonetheless.
Their lawyer Christopher Chestnut says, "He [Plies] characterizes it as he is the principle, as if he is the guy, he's the gangster, he is the thug, he is the goon. Yes, that's what he's selling, that's why we're suing him."
They are also suing Plies' record imprint, Big Gates Records.
The rappers' lawyer, Robert Rush thinks the suit is only about money.
"I'm sure if he had no money, and he had no notoriety, and he wasn't making records there would be no lawsuit," Rush says.
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Their lawyer Christopher Chestnut says, "He [Plies] characterizes it as he is the principle, as if he is the guy, he's the gangster, he is the thug, he is the goon. Yes, that's what he's selling, that's why we're suing him."
They are also suing Plies' record imprint, Big Gates Records.
The rappers' lawyer, Robert Rush thinks the suit is only about money.
"I'm sure if he had no money, and he had no notoriety, and he wasn't making records there would be no lawsuit," Rush says.
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(AllHipHop News) Plies is off the hook in relation to a shooting that took place in Gainesville, Florida during a concert featuring the rapper and Lil’ Boosie that left five people injured.
Members of Plies’ entourage were accused of firing three rounds into a crowd of about 1,000 people at Club 238, during a dispute with performers over performance time in 2006.
Plies, born Algernod Lanier Washington, eventually pleaded no contest to possession of a weapon and was sentenced to probation.
His brother Ronell Lawrence “Big Gates” Lavatte was convicted of the crime and served three years in prison over the shooting.
On Friday (July 16th), Alachua County, Florida judge Robert Roundtree dismissed five men’s civil lawsuit against Plies and his brother’s recording imprint, Big Gates Records.
Both lawyers agree that Plies did not fire the shots, the victims of the 2006 shooting filed the lawsuit claiming Plies benefited commercially from the incident.
“He [Plies] characterizes it as if he is the principal [shooter],” said the plaintiffs’ attorney Christopher Chestnut. “As if he is the guy, he is the gangster, he’s the thug he’s the goon, yes that’s what he is selling and that is why we are suing him.”
It was the second civil suit stemming from the shooting and lawyers on both sides believe that the rapper will face more lawsuits because of the shooting.
The victims now have 20 days to amend their complaint.
Source: AllHipHop
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(AllHipHop News) Plies is off the hook in relation to a shooting that took place in Gainesville, Florida during a concert featuring the rapper and Lil’ Boosie that left five people injured.
Members of Plies’ entourage were accused of firing three rounds into a crowd of about 1,000 people at Club 238, during a dispute with performers over performance time in 2006.
Plies, born Algernod Lanier Washington, eventually pleaded no contest to possession of a weapon and was sentenced to probation.
His brother Ronell Lawrence “Big Gates” Lavatte was convicted of the crime and served three years in prison over the shooting.
On Friday (July 16th), Alachua County, Florida judge Robert Roundtree dismissed five men’s civil lawsuit against Plies and his brother’s recording imprint, Big Gates Records.
Both lawyers agree that Plies did not fire the shots, the victims of the 2006 shooting filed the lawsuit claiming Plies benefited commercially from the incident.
“He [Plies] characterizes it as if he is the principal [shooter],” said the plaintiffs’ attorney Christopher Chestnut. “As if he is the guy, he is the gangster, he’s the thug he’s the goon, yes that’s what he is selling and that is why we are suing him.”
It was the second civil suit stemming from the shooting and lawyers on both sides believe that the rapper will face more lawsuits because of the shooting.
The victims now have 20 days to amend their complaint.
Source: AllHipHop
Follow Me @ChasinMoPaper
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