Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Rihanna boycott BET Awards because of CHRIS BROWN???
According to our snitch inside the well-oiled machine that is BET, Jay Z, Rihanna and Beyonce were ALL invited to perform at the BET Awards, but when they learned that Chris Brown would be performing, they declined, saying they were "busy".
Rihanna and Jay have tours coming up that they are having trouble selling – of course they needed the exposure.” But the insider told us, “It was a matter of principal, if BET was willing to support Chris after what he did – that was THEIR BUSINESS. But [Rihanna Jay and Bey] were not going to have ANYTHING to do with the show.”
And not having any of the BIG THREE on the show was a problem. According to Nielsen, this years BET Awards drew 15% fewer viewers than last years.
Rihanna and Jay have tours coming up that they are having trouble selling – of course they needed the exposure.” But the insider told us, “It was a matter of principal, if BET was willing to support Chris after what he did – that was THEIR BUSINESS. But [Rihanna Jay and Bey] were not going to have ANYTHING to do with the show.”
And not having any of the BIG THREE on the show was a problem. According to Nielsen, this years BET Awards drew 15% fewer viewers than last years.
Method Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Tax Evasion. Released Upon Conditions...
Former Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man pleaded guilty on Monday to evading state taxes over a four-year period.
The musician was arrested Oct. 9 on charges he failed to pay more than $106,000 in state and personal income taxes. His Lincoln Navigator was even repossessed. Meth later jokingly blamed his tax troubles on cloudy memory and marijuana addiction. He pleaded guilty this afternoon to a charge of attempted failure to pay tax in a Long Island courtroom on Friday and wrote a check on the spot for the final $40,000 restitution payment.
“Failure to pay your taxes is not a victimless crime,” said Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan. “In these days of massive budget shortfalls and service cuts, tax evasion is a crime against all New Yorkers. Whether you are a celebrity or an ‘Average Joe,’ you will be investigated, arrested and prosecuted.”
Method Man, whose real name is Clifford Smith, failed to file New York State income tax returns from 2004 to 2007, Donovan said. The 39-year-old Staten Island resident was busted in October 2007 on the misdemeanor charges.
"There are those who attempt to evade paying their taxes in every profession, from blue collar jobs to high-wage earners in the medical and legal fields," said Jamie Woodward, acting commissioner of the state Department of Taxation and Finance, whose office helped investigate the Grammy winner. "When people cheat, all New Yorkers end up paying more of the tax burden - taxes that pay for essential services such as health care, education and transportation."
His lawyer, Peter Frankel, said it was unfair to call the entertainer a tax cheat. "He's a busy guy and he had people who he thought were handling his business and they weren't," Frankel said. "He's a good man. He made a mistake and he took care of it." Meth was sentenced to a conditional discharge, which means the arrest will be purged from his record if he stays out of trouble.
The musician was arrested Oct. 9 on charges he failed to pay more than $106,000 in state and personal income taxes. His Lincoln Navigator was even repossessed. Meth later jokingly blamed his tax troubles on cloudy memory and marijuana addiction. He pleaded guilty this afternoon to a charge of attempted failure to pay tax in a Long Island courtroom on Friday and wrote a check on the spot for the final $40,000 restitution payment.
“Failure to pay your taxes is not a victimless crime,” said Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan. “In these days of massive budget shortfalls and service cuts, tax evasion is a crime against all New Yorkers. Whether you are a celebrity or an ‘Average Joe,’ you will be investigated, arrested and prosecuted.”
Method Man, whose real name is Clifford Smith, failed to file New York State income tax returns from 2004 to 2007, Donovan said. The 39-year-old Staten Island resident was busted in October 2007 on the misdemeanor charges.
"There are those who attempt to evade paying their taxes in every profession, from blue collar jobs to high-wage earners in the medical and legal fields," said Jamie Woodward, acting commissioner of the state Department of Taxation and Finance, whose office helped investigate the Grammy winner. "When people cheat, all New Yorkers end up paying more of the tax burden - taxes that pay for essential services such as health care, education and transportation."
His lawyer, Peter Frankel, said it was unfair to call the entertainer a tax cheat. "He's a busy guy and he had people who he thought were handling his business and they weren't," Frankel said. "He's a good man. He made a mistake and he took care of it." Meth was sentenced to a conditional discharge, which means the arrest will be purged from his record if he stays out of trouble.
Drake Named in Suit by Playboy over Copyright Infringement
TORONTO — Canadian rapper Drake is being sued for copyright infringement by Playboy Enterprises over allegations that his breakout smash "Best I Ever Had" samples a '70s hit owned by the company.
In a lawsuit filed June 24, Playboy alleges that Drake's mixtape hit contains Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds' 1975 soft-rock tune, "Fallin' in Love." The suit names Drake -- whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham -- as well as Cash Money Records and Universal Music Group. Playboy lawyer Neville Johnson provided a copy of the lawsuit but declined to comment. Drake's record label did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The lawsuit, which includes allegations that have not been proven in court, asks that each defendant account for how much the song has earned in order to seek damages.
Drake's debut album, "Thank Me Later," topped the charts in the U.S. and Canada in its first week of release. "Best I Ever Had," which isn't included on the album but was featured on last year's "So Far Gone" EP, is still the biggest hit the 23-year-old Toronto has had. The swooning love song went to No. 2 on the U.S. charts last summer.
The suit asserts that Playboy "has suffered, and will continue to suffer irreparable injury" from the alleged infringement. The lawsuit demands that "all infringing works be recalled and destroyed." As part of its claim, Playboy also alleges that "each defendant either knew, or should have reasonably known, that the sound recording was protected by copyright.
source: The Canadian Press
In a lawsuit filed June 24, Playboy alleges that Drake's mixtape hit contains Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds' 1975 soft-rock tune, "Fallin' in Love." The suit names Drake -- whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham -- as well as Cash Money Records and Universal Music Group. Playboy lawyer Neville Johnson provided a copy of the lawsuit but declined to comment. Drake's record label did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The lawsuit, which includes allegations that have not been proven in court, asks that each defendant account for how much the song has earned in order to seek damages.
Drake's debut album, "Thank Me Later," topped the charts in the U.S. and Canada in its first week of release. "Best I Ever Had," which isn't included on the album but was featured on last year's "So Far Gone" EP, is still the biggest hit the 23-year-old Toronto has had. The swooning love song went to No. 2 on the U.S. charts last summer.
The suit asserts that Playboy "has suffered, and will continue to suffer irreparable injury" from the alleged infringement. The lawsuit demands that "all infringing works be recalled and destroyed." As part of its claim, Playboy also alleges that "each defendant either knew, or should have reasonably known, that the sound recording was protected by copyright.
source: The Canadian Press
"Operation Bloodette" comes to close
NEWARK -- In what is being dubbed "Operation Bloodette," law-enforcement officials said today that they have dismantled a female-led narcotics ring and arrested 43 gang members and their associates.
The ring, which operated in Newark, East Orange, Orange and Montclair, resulted in the seizure of "significant amounts" of illegal drugs, weapons and cash, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Authorities said the group is believed to be related to the Bloods street gang.
Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow, as well as state Attorney General Anne Milgram, are to appear at a 1:30 p.m. news conference today at Veterans Courthouse in Newark to provide details of the bust.
Documents released at the briefing identified the ring leaders as Iyesha Harrison, 25, of East Orange and Tyesha Stephens, 30, of Newark. The ring of gang members and associates were selling narcotics worth about $50,000 per week, or $2.6 million per year. Raids connected with the arrests netted PCP, heroin, cocaine and marijuana with a street value of $133,000, four loaded handguns and $21,000 in cash.
"Operation Bloodette" was launched in January, the documents said.
The ring, which operated in Newark, East Orange, Orange and Montclair, resulted in the seizure of "significant amounts" of illegal drugs, weapons and cash, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Authorities said the group is believed to be related to the Bloods street gang.
Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow, as well as state Attorney General Anne Milgram, are to appear at a 1:30 p.m. news conference today at Veterans Courthouse in Newark to provide details of the bust.
Documents released at the briefing identified the ring leaders as Iyesha Harrison, 25, of East Orange and Tyesha Stephens, 30, of Newark. The ring of gang members and associates were selling narcotics worth about $50,000 per week, or $2.6 million per year. Raids connected with the arrests netted PCP, heroin, cocaine and marijuana with a street value of $133,000, four loaded handguns and $21,000 in cash.
"Operation Bloodette" was launched in January, the documents said.
JADA talks 2PAC and Open Relationships
Jada Pinkett dropped by the WJLB Morning Show with Coco, Foolish & Mr. Chase yesterday morning to promote the new season of Hawthorne. While there, she dropped some jewels on everything from her relationship with Tupac Shakur to her rumored open marriage to Will Smith. Here are a few excerpts:
On her relationship with Tupac Shakur:
“Pac and I were never in a romance but I feel as though we had those feelings. It was more of a “platonic romance” between each other. We knew us being together in a romantic way would destroy everything because we were both fire. We would burn everything up! So we knew in order to preserve our relationship there was no way we could ever add romance to it cause we probably would’ve killed each other!”
On her rumored open marriage to Will Smith
We always have people that we’re attracted to that we talk about. That don’t stop just because your married. Somebody’s always gonna catch your eye. That’s real. Somebody’s gonna always be prettier than me, and somebody’s always gonna be more in awe of him than me, and he gonna be like *in Will’s voice* ‘yo she really like me’ (laughter) but as far as somebody being right for us… is there somebody right for a nice night? Maybe. But somebody that can sustain our life and sustain what we’ve built together, absolutely not!
Listen here: Jada Talks 2PAC and Open Marriages
On her relationship with Tupac Shakur:
“Pac and I were never in a romance but I feel as though we had those feelings. It was more of a “platonic romance” between each other. We knew us being together in a romantic way would destroy everything because we were both fire. We would burn everything up! So we knew in order to preserve our relationship there was no way we could ever add romance to it cause we probably would’ve killed each other!”
On her rumored open marriage to Will Smith
We always have people that we’re attracted to that we talk about. That don’t stop just because your married. Somebody’s always gonna catch your eye. That’s real. Somebody’s gonna always be prettier than me, and somebody’s always gonna be more in awe of him than me, and he gonna be like *in Will’s voice* ‘yo she really like me’ (laughter) but as far as somebody being right for us… is there somebody right for a nice night? Maybe. But somebody that can sustain our life and sustain what we’ve built together, absolutely not!
Listen here: Jada Talks 2PAC and Open Marriages
Angela & Vanessa go hard for NOH8
Daddy's little girls, Angela & Vanessa Simmons, put there full support behind the NOH8 campaign, a series of photos featuring subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 (making gay marriage illegal) and similar legislation around the world, with "NOH8" painted on one cheek in protest.
The NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 2,000 faces and continues to grow Angela and Vanessa are the latest celebs to joining the fight. Take a look at their campaign.The NOH8 Campaign has worldwide support and is quickly gaining momentum around the country. Take a look at Angela and Vanessa lending their support
Check out the NOH8 campaign here.
The NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 2,000 faces and continues to grow Angela and Vanessa are the latest celebs to joining the fight. Take a look at their campaign.The NOH8 Campaign has worldwide support and is quickly gaining momentum around the country. Take a look at Angela and Vanessa lending their support
Check out the NOH8 campaign here.
