New York Post Reports
City jail officials are investigating a rap concert at Rikers Island -- approved by a hip-hop-loving warden -- that triggered months of bloody gang violence there, The Post has learned.
Correction officials are looking into why supervisors -- including jail warden and fan Emmanuel Bailey -- allowed Brooklyn rapper Papoose to do a nearly two-hour show at the lockup on May 30, 2006, sources said.
There were eight slashings and stabbings at the George Motchan Detention Center in the months after the show, when Papoose's jailed rival ordered attacks on the rapper's imprisoned pals.
Papoose, 30, whose real name is Shamele Mackie, has a longstanding feud with Dough Boy, 28, an ex-Bloods gang leader whose real name is Miguel Jeffrey.
The two had worked together but had a falling out after Dough Boy accused Papoose of marginalizing him in the studio. He told The Post he retaliated by shooting at the rapper's entourage and stealing a $40,000 gold chain from a Papoose relative.
The Rikers concert "was like throwing a match on gasoline -- boom!" Dough Boy said in a jailhouse interview.
Fueled by the mayhem, the 2,978-inmate GMDC racked up 13 assaults for the year -- the most among all 14 city jails.
Many of the clashes at the jail, mostly filled with "low-risk" inmates, involved Bloods members, records indicate.
Bailey had discussed a possible concert after he noticed Papoose at Rikers visiting an imprisoned pal, Pooh Nitty, a jail insider said.
The warden approached Nitty, a rapper whose real name is Devendra Singh and who is doing time on weapons charges, and said, "Papoose is my favorite rapper. Can you get him to come do a show for us?" according to the insider.
Following the concert, Bailey invited Papoose and his band into his office and had photos taken of him with the performers, the source said.
Bailey is a rap fan who hangs out with people in the music business, said a Correction colleague.
Bailey, who makes $157,146 a year, was "reprimanded" at the time for failing to get the required approvals for the concert, said department spokesman Stephen Morello.
"A procedural step may have been missed," Morello said. "That doesn't mean the handling of this event involved venality, corruption or a lack of competence."
The Papoose concert spurred loud gang chants, jail sources said.
"I heard he gave a shout-out to me at the end," said Dough Boy, who had been barred from the show by jail officials aware of their feud.
In response to the onstage taunt, Dough Boy said he instructed his friends to "get at 'em."
That meant attack, Dough Boy said in at upstate Great Meadow prison, where he's serving 12 years for armed robbery and assault.
Morello said the department hosts sports and entertainment figures to speak or perform at jails.
"Inmate idleness is a factor in inmate violence," he explained
Papoose married rapper Remy Ma, who was convicted of shooting a female friend. Their Rikers wedding ceremony was canceled in 2008 after Papoose allegedly tried to slip her a handcuff key.
Sources said Correction's chief of department, Carolyn Thomas, initially ignored calls to investigate the concert and the violence, despite receiving reports of an increase in slashings.
The Post also reported that she did nothing to stop a lavish bar mitzvah party held at a lower-Manhattan jail for an inmate's son, and that she showed favoritism to jailed celebs, including rap star Foxy Brown.
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L. to R.: Paris Jackson, Katherine Jackson, Prince Michael Jackson II, Prince Michael Jackson, Joe Jackson attend Michael Jackson's Public Memorial Service held at Staples Center on July 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
Time Reports
While his role as the driving force in the Jackson family success has never been in question, father Joe Jackson's parenting — especially with Michael — has long been a subject of scrutiny and controversy. So it's all the more surprising that the driven patriarch is now working to forge a larger role for himself in the lives of Michael's three children.
In a partial interview released on ABC on Friday, taken from a longer interview to be aired July 14, Joe says that both he and estranged wife Katherine should take on permanent guardianship duties now that Michael has died. "Their grandmother Katherine and I should raise them," Joe said. "Yes there's no one else who can do what we can do for them. We should keep them all together and make them happy. Feed them like they are supposed to be fed."
Previously there had not been a significant "we" in the children equation. As Michael requested in his will, Katherine has been granted legal temporary guardianship of Prince Michael I, 12, Paris Michael Katherine, 11, and Prince Michael II (also known as Blanket), 7. Deborah Rowe, the biological mother of Prince Michael I and Paris Michael Katherine, who had renounced her parental rights years ago, had stated an interest in taking custody of all three children in a recent interview and her lawyer is involved in the guardianship proceedings. A guardianship hearing set for Monday in Los Angeles was postponed until July 20. Katherine's lawyer said in a statement that the week delay would allow the opportunity to "privately and amicably" resolve the issue.
While still legally married, Katherine and Joe have long been separated, even residing in different states for the past few years. Michael was often vocal about his critique of Joe's parenting techniques, telling Oprah Winfrey in 1993 that there was "a lot of sadness" in his childhood. He revealed his father would tease him about his pimples and would even beat him. Jackson said his father was "very hard" and that he was "frightened" of him. In the same interview, he referred to his mother as "wonderful" and "perfection."
Jackson biographer and family friend Stacy Brown says Joe's re-emergence is not out of character. "No one can put reins on Joe," Stacy says. "With a potential custody battle and knowing that he would likely be among the negatives discussed [in any court battle], Joe does what Joe wants."
Mark Lester, godparent to Michael's children, says he is not concerned by Joe's statements. "In recent years, Michael and Joe had repaired a lot of the emotional trauma that had gone on before," Lester told TIME. He says that Joe has a different relationship with his grandchildren: "I've seen how Joe reacts with the kids, he's very loving with them."
In the ABC extract, Joe was asked if he felt the Jackson children could go into show business. "I don't know," Joe responded. "I keep watching Paris. She wants to do something." He added that Blanket can "really dance."
Joe more recently drew criticism when he plugged his fledgling recording company project at appearances following Michael's death. The circumstances behind his interview with ABC also raised eyebrows, as unconfirmed word leaked out that Jackson had received $200,000 for the use of family films, which critics have decried as profiteering.
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KTLA Reports
SAO PAULO -- The wife of former boxing champion Arturo Gatti was detained as a suspect by Brazilian authorities Sunday following his death at a posh seaside resort.
Police said 23-year-old Amanda Rodrigues was taken into custody after contradictions in her interrogation. Gatti's body was found early Saturday in a hotel room at the Porto de Galinhas resort in northeastern Brazil.
The former junior welterweight champion was apparently strangled with the strap of a purse, which was found at the scene with blood stains, said Milena Saraiva, a spokeswoman for the Pernambuco state civil police. She told The Associated Press that the Canadian also had a head injury.
The investigation was not complete, but Saraiva said authorities were preparing to present a formal accusation against Rodrigues, who denied being involved in her husband's death.
Police said Rodrigues, a Brazilian, could not explain how she spent nearly 10 hours in the room without noticing that Gatti was already dead.
Police were investigating witness reports that the couple fought and Gatti was drunk when he returned to his room Friday night, Saraiva said, adding that police were told the pair were extremely jealous of each other and that he constantly complained of her clothing when she traveled to Brazil.
Acelino "Popo" Freitas, a four-time world champion Brazilian boxer, told Globo TV's Web site on Saturday that he was a close friend of Gatti and his wife and that he "knew they were having some sort of problem and were about to separate."
The couple's 1-year-old son, who was unhurt, was with Rodrigues' sister, Saraiva said.
The 37-year-old Gatti, whose epic trilogy with Micky Ward branded him one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, retired in 2007 with a career record of 40-9 and 31 knockouts.
Known for his straightforward punching and granite-like chin, Gatti captured the junior welterweight title in 1995, when he defeated Tracy Harris Patterson in Atlantic City.
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The Winner [Official Version] - Drake
Drake is the hottest mc in the game right now. Some people think it's all hype and he's way overrated.
But if this is any indication of what his album "Thank Me Later" will sound like then he will quiet the doubters.
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The Boss Don Biggavel teams up with that new nigga now French Montana for another banger.
Max is facing a tough bid but he might get out on appeal
Hold yo head Max !!!!!!
Free Wavy Crocket !!!!!!!!
Download Link Below
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CBC Reports
Former world boxing champion Arturo Gatti, who was raised in Montreal, has been found dead in northeastern Brazil.
On a second honeymoon with his wife and 10-month-old baby, Gatti's blood-stained body was found in an apartment in Porto de Galinhas, Brazilian police say.
A police investigation is underway, but few details are being released. Foul play is suspected in the death.
Gatti's body was found at around 6 a.m. Saturday morning. He was found in his underwear, with blood stains on his neck and the back of his head.
Nicknamed "Thunder," Gatti was one of the most successful Canadian boxers in history. Beginning his professional career in 1991 at age 19, he scored a third-round knockout in his first bout.
Three years later he captured the United States Boxing Association junior lightweight title and successfully defended it twice. He earned the International Boxing Federation's world junior lightweight title the following year.
Born in Italy but raised in Montreal, the 37-year-old Gatti retired two years ago.
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Damn this is an unexpected collabo. Pastor Mase and Killa Cam bringing back the "Children Of The Corn Days". Eh, well not really but this joint is pretty dope. Word to Mase though, nigga either preach or rap, make up your mind.
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XXL Reports
After placing fourth on Forbes magazine’s Hip-Hop Cash Kings list, G-Unit leader 50 Cent predicts a return to number one spot next year.
In an interview with XXLMag.com, the Queens rapper says he’s not sweating the drop from the top slot this go-round.
“I’m on deck,” Fif told XXL. “I’m loaded. Call me ‘four’ this year, and then you call me ‘one’ next year, because I’m really preparing for my cycle.”
While 50 attributes his place on the list to his fourth solo album, Before I Self Destruct, getting pushed back, the rapper shrugs off his ranking.
“They’re fine,” he says of Jay-Z, Diddy, and Kanye West, who held the top three spots, respectively. “What kind of person would be upset at what position they fall when they’re on the Forbes list. That person would be a complete idiot.
“Ask me to show you a person who’s happy, and I’ll show you someone who’s content,” 50 continues. “And if you ask me to show you a guy who’s piss-poor with really nice things around him, I’ll show you the guy that’s on that list that’s worried about being number one. And [the person] won’t stay there, trust me.”
50 Cent raked in an estimated $150 million between June 2007 and June 2008, to top the 2008 Forbes charts, besting Jay-Z’s $82 million earnings. This year, Jay stacked $35 million, $15 million more than Fif’.
Before I Self Destruct is slated for a late 2009 release. –John Kennedy
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Karrine Steffans
XXL Reports
Former XXL Eye Candy of the Year, Angel Lola Luv recently shared her thoughts about ex-rap video vixen Karrine Steffans on her blog for globalgrind.com.
Angela Lola Luv
In the post Luv accuses Steffans, whom she refers to by “Superhead,” of giving video girls a bad name. “There are a lot of different reasons why I could never ride with the choices that ‘Superhead” made,” Luv wrote. “I feel as though she played a major part in people really believing that all video vixens are just like her. Which is TOTALLY wrong! There is a difference between a ‘Video Vixen/Model’ and a ‘Video Hoe/Groupie.’ From the way they conduct themselves, their mentality and of course their agenda! The perceptions that people have of me and most video models are the total opposite of reality.”
Luv goes on to say that because of Steffans’s books - The New York Times best sellers Confessions of a Video Vixen and The Vixen Diaries – many models in the hop-hop industry get stereotyped as promiscuous. “I never went down the same path Superhead did,” she said. “I hold my head up high when I walk because I never had to sleep with anyone to get this far. So when people claim I slept with this person and that person all I can say is check my record. I get my respect in the industry because no one can say they dealt with me beyond a friendship or associate level except one person. Period! There are a lot of video vixens that haven’t either but because of Superhead people think other wise.”
XXLMag.com recently caught up with Steffans to get her response to Luv’s charges. “I don’t respond to that,” she said. “I don’t even know who she is, but she knows who I am. That means I’m famous and she’s not. So automatically, we don’t have to discuss her. We just go back to talking about me because I’m the only famous person in this sentence. That’s that.”
Steffans will be releasing her new book The Vixen Manual: How To Find, Seduce, & Keep The Man You Want this Monday (July 13)
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MTV Reports
Joe Jackson famously launched his sons, the Jackson 5, into superstardom, laying the groundwork for Michael Jackson's legendary career. And, in a "Good Morning America" interview on Friday (July 10), the family patriarch seemed to think Michael's children have bright futures in entertainment.
"I don't know — I keep watching Paris," he said, referring to Jackson's middle child, who spoke memorably at her father's memorial on Tuesday. "She ... wants to do something. And as far as I can see, well, they say Blanket [Michael's youngest child, Prince Michael II], he can really dance."
In the interview, when asked who should get custody of Blanket, Paris and Prince, he said he felt they should stay with the Jacksons, and specifically with Joe and his reportedly estranged wife, Katherine. "Their grandmother — Katherine — and I" should raise them, he said. "Yes, there's no one else to do what we can do for them. We should keep them all together and then make them happy, feed 'em like they're supposed to be fed, and let them get rest, plenty of sleep and grow up to be strong Jacksons."
He noted that Katherine, who currently has custody of the kids and may face a custody battle, hasn't had an easy time since Jackson's death last month. "She's taking it real hard," Joe said. "When you start talking about Michael, she starts crying."
Joe said he is awaiting toxicology reports to return about Michael's cause of death. "I just couldn't believe what was happening to Michael," he said. "I do believe it was foul play. I do believe that. Yes."
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}