MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A federal judge determined there is probable cause to move forward in the case involving Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty and the kidnapping of Gucci Mane.
Memphis rapper Big30, who’s real name is Rodney Wright Jr., and Pooh Shiesty’s father Lontrell Williams Sr., were among five defendants in court in Memphis on Friday
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Williams Sr. was given a $250,000 bond.
Wright and Williams appeared in court alongside other defendants Damarian Gipson, Demarcus Glover, Kordae Johnson and Darrion McDaniel.
Shiesty, also known as Lontrell Williams Jr., was arrested in Dallas and remains in custody there.
The group is accused of robbing and kidnapping multiple victims at a music studio in Dallas.
According to the DOJ, on Jan. 10 Shiesty and three other music professionals traveled from Memphis to Dallas for a meeting with two music professionals to discuss a contract with one of the victims.
Investigators allege that while the men were inside the studio, Shiesty and eight co-conspirators held them at gunpoint. The DOJ says Shiesty forced one victim to sign a release form from the music label while being threatened with a gun.
Authorities allege the other suspects stole cash and high-value items, including a Rolex and jewelry.
Pooh Shiesty was released from federal prison six months ago after pleading guilty to firearm and drug charges.
Winston Salem rapper Jody Lo releases another installment to the 4our 4or 4ore series with 4TheCulture. Following the format of the mixtape series, this EP only boasts 4 tracks each being a freestyle over some hard beats, reimagined by Jody Lo. The 4our 4or 4ore series usually foreshadows an upcoming album so we can probably expect more in the near future
Joey Majors (BSF) Ft. GREA8GAWD, Coleone, Kaine Sosa (Prod. Thvnos) - CRUSHED GRAPES (Official Music Video)
VIP Life Music Group CEO and Black Soprano Family (BSF) artist, Joey Majors, brings GREA8GAWD along with VIP Life artists Coleone and Kaine Sosa for his new single "CRUSHED GRAPES"
This is off the forthcoming EP titled "THE RED WOLF" coming soon
Rappers Pooh Shiesty and Big30, along with others have been arrested in Dallas by the FBI. They are accused of orchestrating an armed kidnapping and robbery of fellow rapper Gucci Mane.
Gucci, the owner of The New 1017 Records, was also allegedly forced at gunoint to sign a release of Shiesty from his recording contract with the label.
Phenomeinal - GROWTH (Official Music Video) (Dir. Tyler Frumusa)
Phenomeinal creates an atmosphere by displaying the roller coaster ride one can have during their personal journey in "GROWTH."
In a euphoric way Phenomeinal describes the ridicule, betrayal, and realization a person experience in their transitional stage of becoming greater than before.
Self-improvement can be a lonely journey and can take a toll on someone's mental well-being.
It take great self-awareness to understand dedication is pivotal for "Growth" to happen internally and externally.
Strong emotional maturity is coming to the conclusion that some relationships, friendships, and family ties must be sacrifice.
Becoming aware of the parasitic natural some relationships possess and the hindrance it could have on a person's self worth.
Phenomeinal is definitely an artist with an incredible economy of words, that he use display the topic at hand. Powerful vocal inflections, smooth delivery, majestic presence and incredible literary techniques it's all on display with this song.
The instrumental have a great blend of boom bap drums, contemporary/conscious hip hop infuse with new age style progressions. The combination of the instrumental and lyrics give the song an overall sense of growth, tranquility, relaxation, peace and self-reflection.
Check out the revised version of the official music video for "CHOIR IN THE CHURCH" from Symph of the Rochester, New York collective Da Cloth featuring GREA8GAWD.
This version is very powerful as it showcases footage not included in the original video, highlighting GREA8GAWD's verse dedicated to his son Tahj Smith, who is currently incarcerated.
CBS News - The Azusa Police Department has released bodycam footage from the officers who arrested Eric Valencia nearly a week before he was found dead in the back of a patrol car.
The footage is from the night of March 20, when officers pulled him over with suspicions that he was intoxicated with children in the backseat of his car. On the video, an officer asks Valencia if he'd been drinking, to which he replies that he had 1 beer at 10 a.m. that day.
The officers then had the 37-year-old perform various sobriety field tests. A breathalyzer test's preliminary results showed his blood alcohol content was about twice the legal limit.
He was arrested shortly after on suspicion of DUI & child endangerment.
Valencia was released from jail 3 days later, on Monday. Shortly after, he was shown on security footage climbing into the back of an out-of-service patrol car that was left unlocked. He showed no signs of distress at the time, police said.
The day after his release, his family reported him missing – an action they claim that APD didn't handle as they should.
"They didn't take us seriously when we were telling them," sister-in-law Julia McCormick said during a news conference on Monday. "Come to find out that he was here, in a car, the whole time."
It's not clear why Valencia entered the car in the first place, but on Thursday morning, a department employee preparing to wash the car found his body inside.
The cause of death is yet to be determined. Investigators didn't find obvious signs of trauma on his body.
Police Chief Rocky Wenrick said that Valencia had a "working" cell phone in his possession inside the vehicle & he never made an attempt to call the department. The department hired an outside firm to investigate the situation.
Wenrick didn't answer whether Valencia was trapped inside the vehicle.
To Valencia's family, the more information that comes out simply spurs more questions.
"He was a good person & he didn't deserve to go like this," McCormick said. "We want answers & justice for him."
The attorney prosecuting Tyler Robinson in the case concerning Charlie Kirk's killing tells TMZ the bullet matching test results were inconclusive ... but that doesn't remove Tyler from suspicion.
Attorney Christopher Ballard tells us, "Generally when a bullet fragment analysis comes back as inconclusive, that means the fragment did not contain enough detail for the examiner to say one way or the other. There's just not enough there to determine whether the bullet was fired by a particular firearm. We have ample evidence to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that Tyler Robinson committed this murder and we will present some of that evidence at the upcoming preliminary hearing & then we will present all of that evidence at the trial."
Tyler's defense team argued there’s a discrepancy between the ballistic evidence & the weapon prosecutors say is connected to Robinson.
In a filed motion, they wrote, "The defense may very well decide to offer the testimony of the ATF firearm analyst as exculpatory evidence."
But Ballard says this isn't expected to derail their case against Robinson.
He told us, "Can't speak about specific evidence, but the evidence that we detailed in the charging document is a general summary of the evidence that shows Tyler Robinson committed this crime."
Ballard added, "He is presumed innocent. The ultimate decision will be up to the jury -- we believe we will be able to overcome his presumption of innocence."
As you know ... Robinson allegedly confessed to his father that he shot & killed Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus on Sept. 10. Robinson's father reportedly told a youth pastor, who happens to work with the U.S. Marshals & Robinson ultimately surrendered at the Washington County Sheriff's Office on Sept. 11.
The aggravated murder charge Robinson is facing could get him the death penalty if convicted.
TMZ - Former Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem is speaking out over allegations her husband, Bryon Noem, is a cross-dresser who takes selfies wearing oversized fake boobs.
Kristi's camp responded to a salacious story published Tuesday by The Daily Mail ... telling The New York Post she's "devastated" and "blindsided."
The statement reads, "Ms. Noem is devastated. The family was blindsided by this, and they ask for privacy and prayers at the time."
According to The Daily Mail, Bryon snapped photos of himself wearing oversized fake breasts and chatted with adult performers from the "bimbofication" fetish scene about their massively augmented boobs.
The report claims Kristi's hubby of over 33 years told people he wanted "huge, huge ridiculous boobs."
Other photos allegedly published by DM show Bryon wearing women's clothing.
Kristi and Bryon, who got hitched way back in 1992, have three adult children ... and they're grandparents.
Burlington, New Jersey and Black Soprano Family (BSF) artist, B.A.R.S. Murre, is back with a new single. The Burlington, New Jersey native links up one again connects label mate ElCamino for the Johnny Slash-produced "GLOW DIFFERENT."
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