Chicago's homocide toll reaches 500 for the year 2012

As heart wrenching as the Sandy Hook story was, this news is just as devastating for me. Not to trivialize what happened in Connecticut, only trying to say any time a life is taken needlessly, it is a tragedy and should be treated as such. But, this is everyday life in the city of Chicago. Hip Hop Wired reports: 

As 2012 comes to a close, Chicago has reached a terrible milestone: 500 homicides in the city for the entire year.

Nathaniel T. Jackson was killed Thursday (Dec. 27), becoming the 500th person to die in the city.
The victim was gunned down on Chicago's west side  at around 9p.m. Jackson was standing outside of a store when someone walked up and shot him in the head. He was taken to Stroger Hospital where he died.

“He was a lot of fun, very good at imitating people,” his cousin Gaves Bates told the Chicago Tribune. “He just had so much fun all the time. And we all grew up together in the same house.”

Bates said that Jackson, 40, was staying with a friend of the family after getting out of prison in August. “The last time he was out, someone had shot him several times in the back,” she added. “He was a fighter, he was a survivor.”

Residents held a “peace dinner” Thursday to discuss ideas to bring an end to the violence, with Alderman Anthony Beale placing the blame on Police Superintend Garry McCarty. “His philosophy is not working. We need to put resources where the problems are, and then you will see crime drop across the city.”

While community leaders have pledged to try and curb the violence, Chicago was unable to break itself of such a pattern. The last time the city surpassed 500 homicides was in 2008, when the number was at 512.

****

Chicago was hit hard by gun violence in 2012, and it turns out the crimes occurred in specific places. A report in the New York Times, details just who (typically Black men) tend to be the shooting victims in the nation's third largest city, and where the shootings occur.
As previously reported, 40-year-old Nathaniel T. Jackson became the Windy City's 500th homicide for 2012. However the final death toll stopped at 506 before the start of 2013.

Many of the shootings have occurred on the city's West and South sides. “It's two different Chicagos,” noted Rev. Corey B. Brooks Sr., who led the service for James Holman, shot to death last month. At Holman's funeral another victim, 21-year-old Sherman Miller, was shot and killed in front of the church where the ceremony was being held. The location, St. Columbanus Catholic Church, is the same place where  President Barack Obama fed the homeless after his first election win, in 2008.

While police have classified many of the shootings as being gang-related, Brooks pointed to the racial divide in the city. “If something like that had happened at the big cathedral in downtown Chicago, or up north at a predominately white church, it would still be on the news right now, it would be such a major thing going on.”
Violence at funerals is nothing new to Chicago. During the funeral held for up-and-coming rapper Joseph “Lil JoJo” Coleman, crowds got out of hand, nearly knocking over the casket holding the teen's body. Months later aspiring rapper, Joshua Davis, was killed allegedly for wearing a sweatshirt honoring Coleman.

Over 80 percent of the shootings in Chicago occurred in the 23rd police district, while nearby areas like the business district reported no killing for the entire year. “I don't go out at night,” said Jess Martinez who owns a business on the South Side. Martinez was robbed a few years ago and recalled having a gun put to his head.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has stressed the importance of unity in the city, calling for all residents to see the violence as an epidemic regardless of where they reside. “ A child shot is a child of the City of Chicago,” he said during an interview. “Don't anybody think that it's ‘over there.' It's a tear on this city.”
The exact explanation behind the shooting sprees may not ever be pinpointed, but in addition to gangs,  hot weather over the summer months earned some of the blame.

No arrests have been made in the deaths of Holman or Miller.

Youtube cracksdown on industry's biggest artist over fabricated view counts

Well it appears that Youtube is no longer standing for the industries smoke and mirror of the music industry's biggest companies. I personally have been telling people for years, that numbers lie just as much as men and women do. Now, there is proof. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The world's biggest online video site, YouTube, has pulled bililons of view counts from some of the music industry's biggest artists due to what seems to be fabricated view counts.

Universal was the hardest hit of those pages. The label home of Rihanna, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber, lost a total of one billion views in the video site's biggest ever crackdown on artificially inflated figures. In total, Universal lost a grand total of 1,015,800,118 video views.
 
Sony BMG was the second hardest hit of the crackdown, losing 851,488,973 views and Britney Spears' page, Britney TV lost 462,567,893 views. ‘This was not a bug or a security breach. This was an enforcement of our viewcount policy,' YouTube said in a statement.
 
Chris Brown's page, ChrisBrownTV, lost 187,412,448 views while Beyonce lost 151,445,205 views and TPainVideos lost 110,169,389. Google confirmed that the companies violated its terms of services, which prohibits users from artificially inflating video views. Google also notes that the view stripping was “an enforcement of [the company's] viewcount policy”.
 
There are many sites on the internet such as YouLikeHits.com that can inflate your viral statistics like YouTube views, Facebook friends and Twitter followers for a fee. YouTube viewer figures are valuable to channel owners since it is the way the site works out how to share its advertising revenue with partners.
 
Also, it affects Billboard's "Social 50" chart, which was only implemented in 2010 and is a ranking of the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites.

The Vincent Tucker Radio Show celebrates 5 years on-air with Terrell Owens and Dawn Richard

Vincent “Heartbreak” Tucker celebrates Five-Year Anniversary of Syndicated, Award-Winning Program The Vincent Tucker Radio Show.

Dec. 8 broadcast to feature future NFL Hall-of-Fame Wide Receiver Terrell Owens & Dawn Richard.

DALLAS – Entertainer, radio personality and humanitarian Vincent Heartbreak” Tucker and fbrn.us are proud to announce the five-year anniversary of the syndicated, award-winning broadcast, The Vincent Tucker Radio Show. On Saturday, December 8, Heartbreak and his co-hosts Myskenna, Yellostar, J.B. and “The King of Chaos” Comedian Savel Rhines will celebrate the milestone with a special broadcast featuring future NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver/actor Terrell Owens, former Danity Kane and Diddy-Dirty Money singer/songwriter Dawn Richard and Capone the Comedian.

"“When I think about the last five years, it’s so amazing to think about the wonderful things that our award winning show has accomplished,”" stated Tucker, 2012 fbrn.us Radio Award Winner for “Male Host of the Year.” "Working with an excellent team of co-hosts & support staff, we’ve built a brand that pays homage to those that opened doors for us like Steve Harvey, Tom Joyner, and Doug Banks while changing the stereotypes of internet shows that aren’t managed by a big corporation. I thank my mentor Sammi Martinez & Ella Granados with fbrn.us for their support as we continue to position ourselves as the future leaders of syndicated Urban Radio programming.”"

Asipiring rappers arrested for trying to kidnap a producer

When keeping it real goes completely wrong. The struggle files are reported on Hip Hop Wired:

Record executives get extorted all the time. But it's a problem when said wannabe record exec is the son of a prominent Goldman Sachs broker and has no problem going straight to the cops.

The New York Daily News reports that on Thursday (November 29th) 27 year-old Jon Fontein, son of Goldman Sachs broker Andrew Fontein, initially agreed to pay 33 year-old Ryan Mixon and 28 year-old Andres Lozano a cool $50,000 to make a record. But, at the end of the meeting the three were having at Pera Soho in NYC, Fontein tried to back out of the deal.

However, sources say Mixon (who is from New Britain, Conn.) and Lozano (who is from Washington Heights) threatened to kill Fontein's girlfriend, and his family, if he didn't come through with the funds as allegedly promised. This is where the struggle increases exponentially.

The New York Times reports that one of the men brandished a gun and forced Fontein to take a cab ride with them up to the Apple Store on 5th Ave and 58th St., where he was prompted to buy $3,800 in products, including warranties.

The next day, Fontein went straight to the police. While Fontein met with detectives, one of the would be rappers sent a menacing text to Fontein about dropping off the money at Pera Soho.

When Mixon and Lozano arrived, the cops were waiting, posing as customers, and they were promptly arrested. The duo was booked on charges including kidnapping, robbery and extortion.

Details continue to emerge in Jovan Belcher's murder-suicide incident

I must admit, I haven't paid much attention to this story all week. I remember briefly hearing about it before the games started on Sunday, but the details were kind of sketchy at the time. But, now the details are starting to surface and we are learning more about the case. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Although the shock of the murder-suicide case involving Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher and girlfriend Kasandra Perkins is still fresh on the minds of many, new developments in the case have revealed a list of chilling details. An exclusive report highlights graphic information from various police sources, offering a tense account of the actions leading up to the killing of Perkins and the aftermath that ensued.  From the Kansas City Star:

Seconds after fatally shooting his longtime girlfriend, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher leaned over her in their master bathroom, said he was sorry and kissed her on the forehead.

His mother, who heard gunfire as she stood in the kitchen, rushed to her son's bedroom and watched his remorseful goodbye.

Belcher apologized to his mother, kissed his 3-month-old daughter and fled his rented home in the 5400 block of Crysler Avenue in his Bentley.

The 25-year-old NFL player was said to have had a turbulent relationship with Perkins, 22, who was also the mother of their newborn daughter. The pair fought about money, and there were troubles about the relationship itself, which sparked frequent arguments. Belcher's mother moved from New York to her son's home to help quell some of the couple's issues and assist with her granddaughter as well.

Chiefs brass was aware of Belcher and Perkins' problems, and reportedly offered counseling and other types of support. This past Saturday however, there wasn't any way his coaches or management team could have prevented the tragedy. Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel and linebackers coach Gary Gibbs encountered Belcher, who drove to the team's practice facility after shooting Perkins. Genuflecting and making a cross over his chest, Belcher fired a single shot to the head as he knelt behind a parked vehicle.

Several reports have come out saying Perkins attended a concert featuring R&B singer Trey Songz, while Belcher was at another event. A friend of Perkins said Belcher was angry that his girlfriend remained out later than expected after the concert, leading to the fatal argument.

In response to the tragedy Songz, released a statement via Twitter. “As sad as it may be, it has nothing to do with me. Sending prayers up to the families and friends of the people involved.”

The littlest victim of the altercation— the couple's newborn daughter— is expected to remain in the care of Belcher's mother.

Marley's Mellow Mood causes middle school students to get sick

I'm not sure why anyone thought this was a good idea to give to students, but someone did. I'm not sure why anyone would drink a downer either. But, hey, apparently the Marley family thought it was a good idea. Hip Hop Wired has the story:

Marley's Mellow Mood, an all natural relaxation beverage,  was removed from schools after several students in New Jersey got sick, according to a school report released Friday (Nov. 30). The Bob Marley name was given to the drink to parallel its “anti-energy” effects, but unfortunately, it left students ill.

Some students suffered headaches, lethargy, and elevated heart rates while others felt nausea and vomited, after ingesting the drink. 

Students at William R. Satz Middle School and Holmdel Middle School in Holmdel, N.J., have been buying the refreshment in the school cafeteria, but no signs of side effects were shown until recently.

The beverage contains all natural botanical chemicals, valerian root, and chamomile to help with relaxation and reduce stress. According to its nutrition facts, Marley's Mellow Mood may cause drowsiness, and is not recommended for children, as noted by parent Toni Monticciolo. “They should never have sold that to 12-year-olds,” he told a local news station.

The school district food service, Chartwells School Dining Services, removed the product from all schools in the area as of last week. Chartwells claims that the beverage was an “unauthorized purchase not approved for sale in schools managed by Chartwells,” and has removed an on-site manager while  they look for the cause of the sickness.“We sincerely regret that this product was sold and that students had an adverse reaction to it. Chartwells takes great pride and care in partnering with our school communities to provide the best school dining experience possible and we take this situation very seriously.”

Officials announced that they will update parents at the completion of their investigation.

Judge orders WI man to stop conceiving children

A judge up there in the state of Wisconsin should be given a public service medal. The state has ordered Corey Curtis to stop procreating...the man owes $90,000 in back retro-child support. Hip Hop Wired reports:

A Wisconsin man was ordered by a judge Monday (Dec. 3) to stop having babies until he can afford to take care of his offspring.

Corey Curtis, of Racine, fathered nine children with six different women and owes $90,000 in back child support.

The 44-year-old was sentenced for skipping out on the bill, but was cut a break so long as he can stop making babies. In accordance with his three-year probation the serial procreator has been ordered to put a lid on his overactive man juice, which was all the judge could do since he's not allowed to make Curtis have a procedure to end his baby-making spree.  “Common sense dictates you shouldn't have kids you can't afford,” Judge Tim Boyle said.

Boyle got the idea to include the stipulation as a condition of Curtis' probation from a 2001 Wisconsin Supreme Court case which allowed a judge to order a defendant not to have children without proof that he is financially able to do so.

Curtis has every intention of holding fast to the ruling. “Judges, they make rulings,” he said. “They make them kind of hastily. So, if that's what he feels one of my conditions should be then I'm going to abide by it.”

Subway pusher charged with second degree murder

This is a sad on both ends. After someone was struck by a train in the subway of New York, the man who pushed the guy on to the tracks is being charged with 2nd degree murder. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Naeem Davis, the suspect accused of pushing  a man off a Subway platform, is blaming the tragic incident on the victim. Davis was arraigned on a second-degree murder charge, in a New York City court Wednesday (Dec. 5) . “He attacked me first,” Davis told reporters of the altercation that turned fatal after the victim, Ki-Suck Han, was struck by a Subway train. “He grabbed me.”

A witness to the incident also placed Han as the aggressor in the situation. “The victim kept saying ‘Hey! Hey!' at the suspect, getting closer and closer to him. At first Davis appeared calm, saying ‘I don't know you, you don't know me, get out of my face,'” recalled Leigh Weigus.

Footage captured by a cellphone shows the altercation between Davis and Han. “Leave me the f-ck alone,” Davis can be heard saying after being confronted by Han. “Take you're a-- over there, stand in line, wait for the ‘R' train. That's it.”

According to prosecutor James Lin, Davis saw the train hit Han before he fled the scene, yet when asked by the media, if he meant to kill the 58-year-old, he said “No.”

“The defendant never once offered any aid to the victim as the train approached the platform and in fact this defendant watched the train hit the victim,” said Lin.

Davis, who is homeless, has a previous arrest record in New York and Philadelphia.

At a news conference held yesterday, Han's 20-year-old daughter, Ashley, spoke fondly of her dad, and said “What's done is done,” when asked about no one helping him to safety. “The thought of someone helping him up in a matter of second would have been great,” she added.

Instead of being pulled up, Han's photo was captured by a freelance photographer, who asserts that he was too far away to be of assistance. Instead he assumed that the flash from his camera would alert the train driver—which didn't work. Han was crushed by the train, and pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Man robs bank dressed like Tyler Perry's character Madea

So, uhhh...yeah. These people will never learn. You can't go around trying to do everything you see on TV or hear in the music. Especially when it comes to Tyler Perry movies. Hip Hop Wired has the story of Marvin Webb:

While millions of people across the country took advantage of  Black Friday sales, a criminal robbed a bank, dressed as Tyler Perry's infamous character.

Marvin Webb, 45, robbed the First Security Bank in Robinsonville, last Friday. Webb, who is also a person of interest in a robbery that occurred in late October , stood confident and tall in drag. Dressed in a scarf, a woman's coat, and a hand bag, Webb actually got away with some money.

A picture taken from a bank surveillance camera circulated around the Robinsonville community, while police got to work identifying the suspect. He was eventually nabbed, and faces charges in Tunica County.

Due to the obvious resemblance to the popular and mischievous Perry character, the Robinsonville police humorously named the investigation “Operation Madea.”

Freddie Gibbs discusses why he chose to stay out of Jeezy beefs

Having appeared on Dirty Rotten Radio before, The Urban Advocate makes sure we stay tuned to anything going on with Freddie Gibbs. Earlier this week, "Gangsta Gibbs" sat down with the Breakfast Club to discuss why he stayed out of his comrades' issues. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Freddie Gibbs sat in with Power 105.1's always entertaining morning show, The Breakfast Club, to speak candidly on a variety of topics. During the interview, the Baby Faced Killer updated fans on matters involving his ESGN imprint, his current situation with Young Jeezy's CTE records, the controversial Post-Tribune cover and more.


Charlamagne stirs the pot early in, asking Gibbs why he didn't involve himself Jeezy's recent beefs with artists like Gucci Mane, Alley Boy, and Rick Ross.

"I look at it like this. I don't know none of those guys personally, you know, that he had issues with. When I get in something it can go to a whole other level," said Gangsta Gibbs.

"I just, you know, aint just about to just diss somebody just to be dissing them. You know what I mean? I'm kind of growing up in this game, and I got to see what the validity is of the issue. Cause you know, I'm gonna bump into you in the streets, and it can be a hand to hand or something like that."

Later during the sit down, Freddie Gibbs spoke positively about his aspirations to teach black history one day. "I think Black History is a lost subject in school period. And guys like Bun [B], they really inspire me to do that. I was just with Bun at Combat Jack Show. When he came on the show, he's one of those guys that make you want to shut the f-ck up and listen when he comes in the room," said Gibbs.

"He's one of the guys that I look up to, and I see him doing that. That's definitely something that I want to strive to be, because it's all about giving back."

Krayzie Bone ordered to take alcohol counseling after recent DUI

As a fan of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's music, I want to hear nothing but good news about it's members. But, for some reason that never seems to happen. Hip Hop Wired has a story on Krayzie Bone:

Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony has managed to avoid jail time in his DUI case. As part of a plea deal, all the rapper has to do to stay out of the bing is attend a court ordered alcohol education class, and stay out of trouble for three years.

TMZ reports that yesterday (December 5), as part of his please deal, Krayzie plead "no contest" to driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.  The Ohio native was caught driving drunk after a routine traffic stop in Los Angeles back in July. After cops suspected he was under the influence, he failed the sobriety test by blowing a  .10 on the breathalyzer. The legal limit in LA is .08.

Krazyie was also charged with a DUI count and driving without a license but as part of the plea deal, those charges were dropped. Instead, he was charged with three year probation and must enroll in an alcohol education program stat.

Street legends connect to release mixtape series

These two gentlemen have influenced a whole generation of young wanna-be gangsters, wanna-be rappers and wanna-be gangster rappers. The man behind cult-classic Paid In Full and the man that got car jacked for his identity by a former correctional facility officer in front of the whole world are now joining forces to release a mixtape series. Allhiphop.com reports:

Two of America’s urban street legends who inspired dozens of rappers are teaming together to release a brand-new mixtape series.

Azie Faison And Freeway Ricky Ross are working on a new mixtape titled “Seeds in the Game: The Next Generation,” which will feature rappers from the streets of the East and West Coasts.

Azie Faison is a reformed street hustler from Harlem who earned almost $100,000 per week during the crack era of the 1980′s. His life inspired the movie “Paid In Full.”

“I wrote ‘Paid In Full’ not to lure other any other youth into the game of death (drug culture), but instead to show them that all that glitters is not gold and that everyone must seek God first,” Azie Faison told AllHipHop.com.

Rappers like AZ, Nas, Meek Mill, DJ Kay Slay, Curren$y, and Cam’ron have all paid homage to Faison in various songs.

Freeway Ricky Ross is a legendary former drug baron from Los Angeles who earned as much as $1 million per day from the crack trade. His life has inspired artists like Rick Ross and “Philadelphia” Freeway.

Azie Faison just launched his own record label Divine Evidence, which is being distributed by Chatto Music Group/Ingrooves Fontana.

Since the success of “Paid In Full,” Faison chronicled his run in the drug game with his two associates Richard Porter and Alberto “Alpo” Martinez in the DVD documentary “Game Over” and its companion book, which was released through Simon & Schuster.

Faison is working on a new film titled “Mobstyle.”

More details on the Azie Faison and Freeway Ricky Ross mixtape “Seeds in the Game: The Next Generation,” will be released next week.

NY Post writer faces backlash over tweets about Slick Rick

In all my years, I have never heard anyone question the legendary status of Slick Rick...EVER! I guess there's a first time for everything. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The Brooklyn Nets' overtime victory against the New York Knicks almost swept an earlier occurrence in the night under the rug. Luckily, it's 2012 and basketball fans keep their cellular devices handy for moments like this. It all began with an halftime performance from legendary MC Slick Rick, meant to commemorate the battle of the boroughs. Unfortunately, things didn't go so smooth.


According to leaked fan footage, Rick the Ruler performed two classic jams in "Hey Young World" and "Mona Lisa," but seemed to be off kilter for unknown reasons. The fan can even be heard saying, "I think Slick Rick is drunk! Slick Rick is high! He's high!" While we can neither confirm or deny those claims, let's say that the performance wasn't Rick's best. Fans agreed, and expressed their dismay with a wave of boos. We're thinking MC Ricky D either skipped out on soundcheck or the monitors weren't working because his rhymes often weren't in sync with the music.

Nevertheless, the performance was so bad that New York Daily News Knicks beat writer Frank Isola felt inclined to question Rick the Ruler's status as a Hip-Hop legend via Twitter.

"The Nets are claiming that halftime performer Slick Rick is a 'Hip Hop legend.' On what planet, exactly?"




 

Dallas police officer suspended for pursuing a rap career

Uhhh, yeah. This would happen in Dallas, TX. A Dallas police officer gets placed on leave after recording a song with some violent content. Hey, maybe she can sign with Maybach Music Group? Sorry, I couldn't resist myself. Anyway, Hip Hop Wired has more on the story:

Music moguls have worked several different jobs on the road to stardom, and Dallas Police Lt. Regina Smith hopes to be no different.

The cop doubles as a rapper and label head who runs Big Rush In Global Media. She has been placed on leave over her aspiring rap career, and content posted on her website, BigRushin.com.

Under the moniker, Lucille Baller, Smith released a rap track that got her in trouble due to its lyrics. “Don't push Ms. Lucy, because you won't like the consequences,” she warns on the track. “Mess with me or I will shoot a [expletive], cuz Lucille Baller, she been to hell and back.”

Rocking a wig, and a tight-fitting ensemble, Smith's alter ego is a far cry from how she looks in her uniform.
According to the department, Smith—who is the widow of a police officer killed while on duty—may be in violation of their code of conduct. In addition to the song, her website is being reviewed to see if it breaks rules barring officers from participating in any activity that will depict the department in a disrespectful manner.

In a separate video, Smith showcases her shooting skills. “I got miss Lucy right here,” she's explains, gun in hand. “Miss Lucy aint' loaded.” Smith also threatens to shoot anyone who “tries to take advantage” of her.
She goes on to criticize the department over how she's been treated since her husband's death.  “I have been alone in my struggle as far support from the department,” she says.

Smith's label is a tribute to her late husband, and earns its title from his nickname “Big Rush.”

Black Friday causes ruckus everywhere

Every year it happens. Yet people are still very much determined to get to the stores and get those "deals" on Black Friday. Before I get to the story, let me take a moment to salute the Wal-Mart employees that protested working on Black Friday. Now, Hip Hop Wired has reported on a few incidents that took place last Friday:

While workers at Wal-Mart were busy protesting, Black Friday shoppers all around the country went forward with their post-Thanksgiving holiday plans, some of which resulted in arrests.

Two teens were arrested in Portland, Maine for fighting inside a Foot Locker store at the Maine Mall, while a Florida woman was taken into custody for throwing merchandise inside a Wal-Mart store.

Mohamud Mohamed, 18, was charged with disorderly conduct and violating the terms of a previous jail release, after he fought, Steve Alphonse, also 18. Alphonse was also charged with disorderly conduct.
According to South Portland Police Lt. Todd Bernard, the brawl occurred at around 1:15 a.m. Friday (Nov. 23). Three other people were involved in the fight, but authorities are unsure what led to the disagreement.
The teens were both taken to Cumberland County Jail and released early Friday.
Officers had their hands full inside the Maine Mall, dealing with several shoplifters, and a man who fainted inside the lingerie section in Macy's, but was told to move along.

Over in Almonte Springs, Fla. a Wal-Mart shopper was arrested at a for allegedly throwing merchandise. Samantha Chavez, 28, was busted Thursday (Nov. 22) night, also on a disorderly conduct charge. Police witnessed Chavez repeatedly trying to cut a line, after being told not to do so. While being escorted out of the store, Chavez began throwing her merchandise, and was wrestled to the ground for not complying with police orders, as she screamed "I didn't do anything!"

Chavez was taken to the Seminole County Jail, and later released after posting $550 bond.

Elsewhere around the country, a man in Massachussets is facing a reckless endangerment charge for leaving his girlfriend's two-year-old child in the car while he went inside a local K-Mart to buy a 51-inch TV. He claims that he brought the toddler inside the store, but that the child got lost somehow. Security alerted police to the incident, and they were able to catch up with the suspect at his home, but are unsure how he made it back without actually getting back into the Nissan Versa that he drove to the store.

In San Antonio, a man pulled a gun out on another man who punched him in the face while they were both waiting in line at Sears, and at a Seattle Wal-Mart a senior citizen was arrested and charged with vehicular assault for hitting two shoppers with his SUV. Police believe the man, 71, was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

Fight breaks out at Hector Camacho's wake

I don't if this is something I should be embarrassed about this or not, but the only reason I know who Hector Camacho is, is because he appeared on an episode of The Wayans Brothers. But, he was actually a real fighter...an apparently so were the women in his life. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Hector "Macho" Camacho's life was always filled with controversy. It looks like the same drama might follow him to the grave as well. 

The many women in the boxer's life came to blows on the second day of the late fighter's wake according to numerous reports coming from his native Puerto Rico.

"I am the actual girlfriend of Macho, and those who don't like it better not bring it," said Cynthia Castillo, who claimed to be Camacho's girlfriend at the time of his death according to ESPN. "They shouldn't be going after me. They should be thanking me for being with him at all times."

Castillo kissed the mouth of the slain boxer at the viewing and then walked to the area reserved for family.  She was then confronted by Gloria Fernandez, who claimed to have been Camacho's girlfriend for the past 25 years, as well as Esther and Estrella Camacho, the boxer's sisters.

Camacho was shot numerous times on November 20th while sitting in a parked car with a friend outside a bar and died three days later when the decision was made to take him off of life support.

Jamie Foxx offends Christian groups by calling Barack Obama "Lord and Savior"

I don't think anyone is surprised by the action or the subsequent reaction. In this day and time, people have their religious radars up, looking for every infraction. With Jamie Foxx, they didn't have to look very hard. He apparently called Barack Obama "Lord and Savior", as a joke. Hip Hop Wired reports:


Foxx called President Obama “our lord and savior” while at the Soul Train Music Awards, and the title raised more than a few religious eyebrows.

During the ceremony, which aired over the weekend but was taped not long after Obama won re-election, Foxx said “It's like church in here. First of all, give an honor to God and our lord and savior, Barack Obama.”

Not surprisingly, the Django Unchained star has offended Christian groups.

Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in the United States was utterly shocked by the Oscar winner's words. “Foxx's epiphany is startling. It just goes to show that even though Obama did not succeed in stopping the oceans from rising (as he promised to do in 2008), he did succeed in convincing Jamie Foxx, and no doubt legions of others, that God exists,” Donahue wrote in a statement. “Whether  God can survive an ACLU lawsuit accusing him of violating church and state grounds remains to be seen.”

In response to the pointless firestorm, Foxx announced that he was just being silly. “I'm a comic, [and] sometimes I think people get a little too tight. It's getting a little tougher for us comedians [because] some people take it and want to make a huge story out of it, but it's a joke.”

Even though he was kidding, loyalty among Obama's Black supporters has long been questioned. The commander and chief is very popular with minorities leading the belief that Black people are less likely to be critical of his presidency, no matter his missteps.

As it turns out isn't  the 44-year-old isn't only one likening the POTUS to Jesus Christ. New York-based artist, Michael D'Antuono, released a painting of the president with a crown of thorns around his head and his arms stretched out, similar to that of Christ on the cross.

D'Antuono has since received 4,000 emails from Christian groups blasting his work.

Ryan Leslie ordered to pay $1 Million for returned laptop

Now, I'm a huge fan and supporter of Ryan Leslie's music. Have been since 2009. But, as Harvard educated individual, I must say I expect more sound decision making. He is being ordered to pay a German man $1 million. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Ryan Leslie got what he wished for, and now he has to pay for it. A Manhattan federal court jury has ordered the singer/songwriter to pay a German autoworker a cool $1 million for finding and returning the crooner and sometimes rapper's stolen laptop.


Leslie previously went to YouTube when his laptop was initially lost asking for its return and offering the reward for whoever returned. Initially, in late October 2010 he offered a $20K reward before upping the ante to $1 million the next month. However, once he got back his Macbook (which was stolen from a Mercedes-Benz while he was on tour in Cologne, Germany), Leslie didn't feel obligated to pay up—citing that the music files he needed were damaged and implying that Armin Augustein was involved in the theft. Augstein, who returned the computer to German authorities in November 2010, filed a lawsuit to get his dough.

The New York Post, who takes particular delight in calling Leslie a rapper and throwing Hip-Hop jargon into their story, reports that Augustin is happy with the decision. "I'm very happy . . . that the American judicial system, which is so totally different from ours, functioned so well with a jury that are not professionals and are laymen," said Augustin in German.

The verdict came down after only three hours of deliberations.

Ryan Leslie took to Twitter to comment on the decision. "Ain't no way to get around ups & downs." Jury of my peers rules for the plaintiff," he tweeted.

Katt Williams leads police on a chase on his Can Am

Katt Williams just can't seem to get himself together. He's had more brushes with the law than Tupac and ODB put together. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Katt Williams is in trouble with the law again. After he was arrested on November 14th after an alleged nightclub fight in Oakland, Calif., Katt led police officers on a bizarre chase.

After police officers were called to a Hyatt after it was reported that Williams was disturbing the peace, Williams was spotted driving a Can Am (a three-wheeled motorcycle) on a sidewalk. Driving through, he was said to have almost hit five pedestrians.

According to reports, Capitol Protection Officers had flashed their lights for him to stop. Williams then was said to have taken his helmet off, turned to the officer and said “I'm not going to stop.”

The comedian wasn't cited for his actions, even though he ran several more red lights after the incident. Check out more photos from Katt's altercation down below.

The Vincent Tucker Radio Show signs with West Virigina radio station

West Virginia-based UHCC Radio adds Syndicated, Award-Winning Broadcast, The Vincent Tucker Radio Show, to it's lineup.

Beckley, West Virginia-based UHCC Radio announced today the addition of rising entertainer Vincent “Heartbreak” Tucker to its Saturday night lineup beginning Saturday, November 24. The station will broadcast the online syndicated & award-winning broadcast, The Vincent Tucker Radio Show, Saturday nights from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. EST.

Tucker states, "“We are honored that UHCC Radio would want to add our syndicated program to the station and excited about expanding to West Virginia. We’ll continue to entertain & bring the celebrity guests as only we know how.”"

Touted as “The New Home for Black Star Power”, The Vincent Tucker Radio Show is syndicated by its parent company CWC Entertainment Group L.L.C. and powered by www.fbrn.us. Every week, Vincent “Heartbreak” Tucker goes through the latest in music, entertainment, news, sports and hot topics that affect the hip hop generation. Joined by co-hosts Myskenna, Yellostar, J.B. & “The King of Chaos” Comedian Savel Rhines, Heartbreak provides his unique perspective and attitude as the team welcomes celebrity guests, recording artists and fascinating characters in the world today.

A creamery store manager loses her job over Obama rants

Sooner or later, people will start to realize they can't put everything on Facebook and Twitter. Denise Helms had to learn this the hard way. Hip Hop Wired reports:

No one in safe when launching racist attacks at President Obama. Many have fallen into the “freedom of speech” area where they feel within their rights to go at the commander in chief, but when you're representing a company the ramifications of said actions can result in unemployment—a lesson which Denise Helms learned the hard way.

The 22-year-old of Turlock, Calif. was fired from her position as manager of a Cold Stone Creamery location, late last week, for using Facebook to weigh in on the president winning a second term. “And another 4 years of the n***er,” she wrote. “Maybe he will get assassinated this term.”

After the post was picked up in the news circuit, Helms was interview by the Modesto Bee, and didn't understand why anyone took issue with her words. “I didn't think it would be that big of a deal,” she said. “The assassination part is kind of harsh. I'm not saying like I would go do that or anything like that, by any means, but if it was to happen, I don't think I'd care one bit.”

Helms deleted the post, but lashed out at those who think that calling the president the “n-word” and speaking on his assassination was in bad form. “So apparently my post last night about Obama got onto Twitter and Fox 40 came and interviewed me ‘cause apparently a lot of people in Sacramento think I'm crazy and racist. WOW is all I got to say!! I'm not racist and I'm not crazy. just simply stating my opinion.!!!”
She has since deleted that post as well.

Chris Kegle, store director of the Turlock Cold Stone Creamery, said that Helms' words were “very disgusting,” and “do not reflect” the opinions of the company. After receiving more than a dozen angry phone messages once the story made local news, Kegle chose to fire Helms. “We made the decision because of her comments, but also the community feedback.”

Her words also raised eyebrows over at the Secret Service. Agent Scott Gillingham of the agency's Sacramento office is looking into her comments. Unbeknownst to Helms, making threats about the president being assassinated is a felony under U.S. Code Section 871 which states that anyone who “knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States,” will be “fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

Not understanding that social media threats hold just as much weight as verbal threats, has gotten others in trouble for posting about the president. In September, a 21-year-old man in North Carolina tweeted about hitting Obama with “that Lee Harvey Oswald swag,” and was arrested.

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan assess why Obama won

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan mat not be over his loss to the Obama Administration. They are still voicing their thoughts as to why they believe they loss. Hip Hop Wired reports:

At long last, Mitt Romney has figured out why he isn't president. Addressing his top donors via telephone Wednesday (Nov. 13), the Republican former governor blamed the defeat on the president being “very generous” to minorities and young voters.

Standing on the pillars of lowering student loan interest rates, student health care, and other enticing issues, Romney theorized that President Obama had the election effectively sewn up, before the votes actually came in. “The president's campaign focused on giving targeted groups a big gift—so he made a big effort on small things. Those small things, by the way, add up to trillions of dollars.”

Romney went on to state that he's “very sorry” that his bid for president was denied. “I know that you expected to win,” he told the donors. “We expected to win….It was very close, but close doesn't count in this business.”

According to campaign finance chairman Spender Zwick, Romney raised a whopping $900 million to run for the nation's top office, and plans to keep his supporters informed by releasing a monthly newsletter.
While Obama was named the election's winner once he surpassed the needed 270 electoral votes, Romney grabbed “47 percent” of the popular vote.

....

One week after he and Mitt Romney lost the presidential election, Paul Ryan has figured out what led to the defeat. President Obama was named the winner after passing the 270 electoral votes needed to become commander in chief, but Ryan sees the popular vote as the real election surprise.“I think the surprise was some of the turnout, especially in urban areas, which gave President Obama the big margin to win this race,” he told Wisconsin new station, WISC-TV.

“There's always an Electoral College strategy to winning these things, and you know what states you need to win to get to 270 electoral votes. When we watched Virginia and Ohio coming in, those as tight as they were, and looking like we were going to lose them, that's when it became clear we weren't going to win.”
Ryan's reflection differentiates him from Karl Rove, who stood his ground in believing that the nominees didn't lose Ohio until the bitter end. Still, losing— especially his home state of Wisconsin— was no walk in the park. “Mitt didn't pick me for a certain state, he picked me for issues, for governing for debt crisis. We had hoped to win Wisconsin, fought hard for Wisconsin. We cut the president lead in half, but nevertheless, it wasn't enough.”

As pointed out by TheGrio, Ryan has recycled the “urban voters” adage which he used during an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, noting that the president “should get credit for achieving record-breaking turnout numbers from urban areas, for the most part.”

Jesse Jackson Jr. probe continues

Though Jesse Jackson Jr has won his election, his troubles are far from over. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Rep. Jesse Jackson has finished up his second stint at the Mayo Clinic. The Congressman, went back in October to receive treatment stemming from a bipolar diagnosis; but just as he's getting out comes more bad news: his wife has been named in the federal investigation of which he is involved.

His medical problems have been the second biggest story surrounding  the 47-year-old. The second of course is the federal probe over misappropriation of funds, which now includes his wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson, accused of using campaign money to decorate their Washington D.C. home.

Jackson has been away from work since June, and despite being nominated to a new term last week, continues to maintain a low profile.

A rep for the Mayo Clinic confirmed his departure. “He's no longer there,” said Nick Hanson. “I don't know where he is.”

Ironically, Jackson's father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., was not informed that his son ended his stay at the Minnesota hospital. “He's still there as far as I know,” he told the Chicago Tribune. “I know he's still there.”
Aside from making a robo call to his constituents, and a quick interview with The Daily, Jackson has not offered too much insight into his condition, or plans to return to work. Now Jackson is under pressure to speak from Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the latter of which urged him to “have a conversation with his constituents about his intentions.”

As previously reported, Jackson is looking to reach a plea deal with authorities over the financial allegations.

General William Ward demoted for his lavish spending

It's sad the type of news that are coming out people in leadership roles in the government these days. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Panetta stripped Gen. William “Kip” Ward of a star Tuesday (Nov. 13), demoting him down to a three-star general, thanks to lavish government spending sprees.

In light of this latest damaging story, Panetta made it clear that the choices of select members do not reflect the entire Department of Defense. “Secretary Panetta insists that leaders within the Department of Defense exemplify both professional excellence and sound judgment,” Pentagon press secretary, George Little, said in a statement. “The secretary is committed to ensuring that any improprieties or misconduct by senior officers are dealt with swiftly and appropriately.”

Ward, a former head of U.S. Africa Command is accused of spending military money and vehicles to take his wife shopping, to a spa, and on a trip to Bermuda where the couple stayed in a $750 a night suite. During a trip to Washington, Ward, his wife, Joyce, and his staff members used a five-vehicle motorcade, according to a report by the Defense Department.

The couple also received tickets to a Broadway show where they went back stage and met with Denzel Washington, and also stayed at the famed Waldorf Astoria hotel, all on the government's dime.

A spokesperson for Ward noted that he is “not perfect” but maintained that he “has never been motivated by personal gain and fulfilled each and every mission assigned to him and served his country and the men and women assigned to his commands with distinction.”

News of his demotion is more than just a blow to his career, but will cost him nearly $30,000 a year in retirement pay. As a result Wards take home pay will be $208,802 instead of $236,650. He must also pay the government back $82,000.

Connecticut man steals delivery car and finishes deliveries

Wow, there is some sort of honor amongst thieves...some of them anyway. Check out this story from Hip Hop Wired:

Just because you're a thief, it doesn't mean that your moral compass is completely broken, which may be why a Connecticut man stole a delivery car only to finish the job of dropping off food items.

Keith Hinds was charged with larceny Friday (Nov. 9) for jacking the vehicle from a driver working for the Black Bamboo Chinese restaurant.

The delivery driver's first mistake was leaving the car running outside while he ran to make a drop-off to a local school. By the time he made it back outside, the car was taken by Hinds.

After calling the police, the driver phoned his boss, and was surprised to find that his route had been completed, courtesy of the criminal with a heart of gold. “That's when it clicked to me that somebody was making delivered with my car,” the driver said. “At first I thought it was a practical joke, then it turned out it was real.

Police busted Hinds just as he was wrapping up his next drop-off. In addition to the larceny charge, the 45-year-old was picked up for possession of less than a half an ounce of weed, possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as other drug charges.

Hinds was being held on $5,000 bond, in lieu  of a court appearance yesterday.

Texas woman buys covered mirror thinking it's an iPad

Well, I'm not quite sure what to make of this one or how to look at it. I'll let the story speak for itself. Hip Hop Wired has the story:

The technology stronghold that Apple has on the masses is causing people to lose all forms of rational thinking.

A woman in Arlington, Texas was sold a mirror instead of an iPad in an embarrassing scam of epic struggle proportions.

Jalonta Freeman assumed she was sticking it to Apple by purchasing what she thought was a $200 iPad at a local gas station. The seller was offering a $600 discount on the popular notebook, leaving Freeman with no choice but to jump on the deal. With no suspicion in her heart, and no need to actually open the package holding the product that she was buying, Freeman forked over the money to the man who was in a hurry. "He was like 'Okay, I gotta hurry up and go' and stuff," she told a local news station.

After the man disappeared, Freeman ripped open the package only to find that it was small mirror that had been covered with duct tape to feign the appearance of an iPad. Buying the mirror left Freeman feeling like she had been robbed, but taught her to inspect merchandise before jumping to make a purchase...especially at a gas station of all places.

The man who pulled the impressively simple heist has not been identified.

Shyne and Game trade insults

For whatever reason Shyne Po's Kendrick Lamar insults struck a chord with West Coast flag carrier, Game. The two have been trading jabs for the past few weeks now and it seems to be picking up. Hip Hop Wired reports:

It doesn't take much to get the Game to comment on, or participate, in a rift or beef. Taking offense to Shyne's infamous commentary on Kendrick Lamar's new album, Jayceon Taylor drops a "Cough up a Lung (New York Freestyle)" video, with bars aimed at the former Bad Boy rapper and for that other rapper who is suing him
. 
Last month, Shyne said the beats on Lamar's good kid/M.A.A.D. city were "trash." The Game has already commented on Shyne's taste, but this time he put it in rhyme. "Now that I've got everybody's attention, let's address this bi**h @ss ni**a going at Kendrick," he spits in the black & white clip. "Say the album's trash, ni**a you full of gas/Poke holes in you, let you fill up a New York cab/ni**a in Belize all into his feelings, 'cause he did 10 years for shooting at the ceiling/Then he gave you a mill, little ni**a shoulda chilled/Cute curly sideburns talkin' about he real."



If you didn't know by now, be clear that Shyne doesn't care what you think..about anything that he does. Whether you're President Obama, Game, Kendrick, Lamar, or anyone taking issue with his random, but honest, commentary, Shyne's stance will not be shaken. So, rather than get upset over a potential beef with Game for coming to the defense of Lamar, Shyne had nothing but kind words for the West Coast Rapper.
"That' my son. I got love for him. I always have love for him. I'm proud of him because he's something that I helped create," he said in an interview with Street Kode.

"He studied me, and he aspired to be like me. I always have love for him because he never fronted. He always paid homage."

Shyne went on to compare his relationship with Game to that of a wayward young sibling. "I look at him as a little brother. But you know, sometimes your little brother do things that don't make sense."

The Belize native also admitted that had he known how close Game was to Lamar, he wouldn't have spoken out about hating the 25-year-old's good kid m.A.A.d city debut.

Despite taking such a positive approach, on Twitter Shyne is letting his fans speak his thoughts, retweeting attacks on Game for name-dropping him in the "Cough Up A Lung" record.

Peep the interview:

Robert De Niro calls Jay-Z 'rude' and 'disrespectful'

One of the original gangsters of Hollywood, Robert De Niro, has called out the author of the American Gangster album, disrespectful. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Take note, Robert De Niro considers anyone not returning his phone calls as a sign of disrespect, no matter who you are. Jay-Z learned this first hand when the Oscar winning actor told the Grammy winning actor how he really felt at a Leonardo DiCaprio birthday party in NYC.

The New York Post reports the two giants in their respective field's crossed paths at the party held at The Darby. While Hova tried to be cordial, sources say DeNiro was frosty. The source of the tension is Jay allegedly ducking Bob's calls after offering to contribute music to the TriBeCa Film Festival.

"Bob was sitting at a table, and when Jay-Z went over to say hello, De Niro told Jay that he never called him back," said the source.

Another source added, "Bob wasn't in any mood to make polite conversation. He told Jay that if somebody calls you six times, you call them back. It doesn't matter who you are, that is just rude."

Even Jigga trying to make light of his faux pas, and his wife coming by to help cool things down, couldn't sway Deniro. "Beyoncé came over, but that didn't calm Bob down,"  said the source. "It was the talk of the party. Everyone was saying there's only one star in New York bigger and badder than Jay-Z, and that's Robert De Niro. He can be quite scary when he's angry."

Both De Niro and Jay-Z reps declined comment so at the moment only those two know what was exactly said. Safe bet that if De Niro does ever call again, Hova will hit him right back on the jack.

Elmo puppeteer cleared of any foul play

The man the does the voice of Elmo has been vindicated of any wrong doing and his accuser has recanted his story. Hip Hop Wired reports:

It only took a full day of media stories, but the man accusing Sesame Street puppeteer Kevin Clash of bedding him when he was 16, has changed his story. The unnamed accuser has recanted the tail, which pointed the finger at Clash for engaging in a s-x act with a minor.

From TMZ:
The accuser's lawyer just released a statement saying, "[The accuser] wants it to be known that his s-xual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship. [The accuser] will have no further comment."

It's unclear why the accuser suddenly changed his story ... but sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... the accuser's attorney had been meeting with Clash's attorney as recent as an hour ago, discussing a financial settlement and 6-figures were on the table.

Sesame Workshop, the company behind Sesame Street, conducted an internal investigation and found Clash guilty of no wrongdoing. The 52-year-old admitting to  having a physical relationship with the man, but he was of age. "We are pleased that this matter has been brought to a close, and we are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode," the company said.

After announcing that he would take a leave of absence from work, today, Clash expressed happiness over the new development. "I am relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest," he said in a statement.  "I will not discuss it further."

The release of Call of Duty Black Ops II causes an uproar

Gamers everywhere have been waiting on this game. Someone got shot while waiting for the game and but the game still sells millions when it dropped. Hip Hop Wired reports:

It got real on the streets of Los Angeles and all a wheelchair-bound man was trying to do was get a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

The LAPD is looking for the suspect who shot the man as he waited to purchase the much sought after video game.

The incident took place at approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday (Nov. 13), at a GameStop in the Koreatown area of the city. “The suspect walked up, shot him and then fled on foot,” said Sgt. Pete Llanes. The victim was hit in the abdomen and transported to a hospital for treatment, where he is said to be in stable condition.
Police have not yet uncovered the gunman's motive.

Fans stood in line Monday (Nov. 12) night to get the newest release from Activision. With the first Black Ops earning more than $650 million in just five days, the stakes are high for the second installment.

 

An analyst named Michael Olson of Piper Jaffray Cos. believes that when the finally tallies are all in, Black Ops 2 will have sold between 6.5 million and 7.2 million units in a single day in the UK and US combined. Last year's Call Of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3, broke records with 6.5 million copies sold its first day in s US and UK stores.

There are no official totals from the game's manufacturer, Activision, yet.

 

Katt Williams was arrested and sued in the same week for separate incidents

For whatever reason, Katt Williams just can't stay out of trouble. Over the past week he has been arrested as well as sued for two completely different things. Hip Hop Wired reports:

[H]is latest rift could cost him $5 million


Williams is accused of punching his female assistant, leaving her with lasting ailments.

Melissa Ishage filed a suit with the L.A. County Superior Court alleging to have worked as the father of seven's personal assistant, before an altercation on Oct. 6, left her injured. According to the former employee's attorney, she was punched in the head, knocking her to the ground, and causing "serious and permanent injuries." After the run-in, Ishtage went to the hospital.

While she does not explain what led to Williams flipping out, police were called to the location, but no one was taken into custody.

Authorities are still investigating the incident.

No statement yet from Williams.

And Allhiphop.com has reports on his arrest:

Williams was arrested for assault in Oakland last night (November 14). The incident occurred at a club named Kimballs Carnival, which is in East Oakland. Police were called to the scene and arrested Katt Williams, although he has yet to be officially charged. The incident is one in a string of events involving Katt Williams over the past 30 days. In October, Katt Williams was arrested for pulling a gun on actor Faizon Love in Hollywood, while his assistant filed a $5 million lawsuit against him, claiming he assaulted her and punched her in the face on October 6.

Lil Wayne loses $2 million over QD3 case

You know what...I have no words for this. Oh well, Allhiphop.com reports:

Lil Wayne was ordered to pay film maker Quincy “QDIII” Jones III over $2 million over a dispute over a documentary on Monday.

The Young Money mogul was ordered to pay exactly $2,195,000 to QDIII over a documentary about the rapper. The judgment was levied based on a counter suit by QDIII, which charged that Lil Wayne prevented the movie from being profitable.

TMZ reports that the rapper was unable to make it to court due to seizures that prevented him from flying.

Police officer loses his job over Freddie Gibbs smoking marijuana

Freddie Gibbs may be costing some people their jobs. At least one police officer lost his job for hanging out with the rapper. Allhiphop.com reports:

Freddie Gibbs got a police officer in hot water after the officer allowed him to use his squad car in an upcoming music video for Gibbs’ song, “BFK”.  The YouTube video posted is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the music video, showing Gibbs rapping in front of the squad car, which is parked at an angle and has its lights flashing.


Three-year Indiana Police Force patrolman Jason Johnson, who also made a cameo in the video in his uniform, was reprimanded and demoted after his superiors caught wind of the video. The story appeared on the cover of the Indiana Post Tribune.

According to the paper, in one shot, Gibbs leans against the front fender, and one of his homies says, “We’re smoking weed with the police outside.”  The camera then pans to officer Johnson, who is watching the rapper perform in full uniform. This officer is an idiot for 1) allowing his car to be in a music video with people smoking weed, and 2) for appearing in his uniform. I put all of the blame on the officer, and not Gibbs, in this situation. He’s an officer of the law. He should have known better.

Sidenote: Freddie Gibbs dry-snitched on a TSA agent last year when an agent let his luggage slide by with two bags of marijuana inside it. The agent left a note in his suitcase that read, “Come’on Son”. Gibbs posted the note on Twitter, and the TSA launched an investigation into the matter. Not sure if anyone was fired over his tweet, but most likely, if they found the person, they were canned.