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March 30, 2006
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 Big Boy is most impressive with his acting debut as a local drug dealer that T.I.’s younger brother falls prey to in his attempt to make it out of the ghetto. Go see “ ATL ,” I think you will be pleasantly surprised just as I was to find the movie is actually very good. All of Atlanta turned out including Mayor Shirley Franklin for the premier of the movie barring the name of the city she leads. Sleepy Brown , Keenan Woods “ Fat Albert ,” Michael Vic , Too Short , Young Jeezy , Jazzy Faye , who let us know that heavy men can dress, Rick, one of the stars of “ ATL ,” and Chris Robinson , the Director, just to name a few. “This city has a lot of heart and soul, which was perfect for the movie,” Robinson said when I caught up with him on the red carpet. The Hip Hop of attends list goes on, Deion Grant , of the Jacksonville Jaguars , and Dallas Austin , who had this to say briefly on his way in to view the film that is loosely based upon his life, “It was very difficult to get the movie made in Atlanta, I had to lobby the governor and the tax credit helped make it happen, Austin said. “At one time I thought it would not happen here, it was great to see a little of my childhood on the screen,” Dallas added. “Most significant capture of my hometown on film and I felt I had to be a part of it. Tonight is a result of a lot of hard work that is paying off. I have worked very hard on the film and my album and they are both happening tonight,” Clifford said. |
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 Speaking
of Atlanta, Harry Belafonte has finally stopped
biting his tongue about his absence at Coretta Scott King’s
funeral. According to the out spoken singer, actor,
and activist he was told in a series of three phone calls that he
was more than welcome to attend the service, but would not be allowed
a seat on the platform nor would be he permitted to speak as originally
requested. Rev. Bernice King ruled her
mother’s funeral with an iron fist I am told and made many
decisions under pressure that I am sure she regrets. Four
U.S. presidents attended the service at New Birth Missionary Baptist
Church in Lithonia, Georgia. Rev. Joseph Lowery ,
Maya Angelou , and President Carter
shared words that were true to the st ruggle
that Mrs. King committed her life’s work.
Harry Belafonte sat at home and watched
the service on television as many Americans did after his request
to speak was resended he choose not to attend. It must be
clear that he was welcome to attend and would have had a reserved
seat if he choose to come, but he was no longer welcome to speak
after the Kings received word President
Bush would be attending. “I saw who sat there,
and as the camera moved about, I saw who was sitting in the audience,
and I saw all of the power of the oppressor represented on the stage,
and all those who fought for the victories that this nation was
experiencing and enjoying sat in the outhouse, sat out in the field,
sat removed, and if it had not been for Lowery ,
for President Carter and for Maya Angelou
, we would have had no  voice
and no representation at all.” Belafonte
stated on NPR’s “  Democracy
Now .” Belafonte is
far too out spoken to have been the object of such a tacky move.
Harry Belafonte went on to question Bernice’s
guilt riddled sermon that stretched theology at best to
explain her decisions in the mother’s last days and why was
the service at New Birth and Bishop Long the minister
of choice. Well, you can read my comments on all of this in
my column following the service. Believe it or not I had a
thug approach me Tuesday night at the premier of “ ATL
,” who shared with me he was one of Bishop
Eddie Long’s sons. Immediately I told him
that was not true and he corrected himself and shared that he had
been adopted by the bishop. However, he wanted me to know
that Bishop Long still loves and prays for me
after my comments about him. True to my sharp tongue form,
I told him Thank you and what was his point. Bishop
Long might be uninvited himself if some of the students
in the graduating class of 2006 at the Interdenominational Theological
Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is a Board of Trustee Member
(click here to read the 6 page letter the students sent to the schools
president). |
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 Robert Kelly’s brother Carey Kelly attempts to defend his reasons for selling his big brother out in a-tell all DVD. Carey says he is also not trying to get some quick fame in his speaking out about his sibling to the media, but defending himself after R. Kelly allegedly asked him to take the fall in his child pornography case. Carey in an interview with MTV said he heard Ed Genson, R. Kelly’s defense attorney, on the news saying that it could be Carey on the infamous sex tape allegedly showing him having intercourse with an underage girl. Genson says he never made such a statement. Carey said that he was being blamed for the video and no one tried to defend him so he is doing the job himself. Carey shed light on his allegation that his older brother described how he wanted him to take the fall. He reports that his brother Robert wanted him to give his attorney a signed statement on camera that it was him on the tape. In exchange, Carey claims Robert offered him $50,000, a record, and a house. However, Carey did admit to holding a grudge against his brother for not assisting him with his music career. Carey is an aspiring rapper that goes by the name Killa Kel, R. Kelly can tell us that his brother Carey lives up to the name all to well and might kill R. Kelly’s chance at getting off on the charges. R. Kelly’s trial is set to start April 7. |
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 Divas Raising Hell …When I started this section I did not know what I was getting myself into. Obnoxious readers love it as much as you love Drug Dealers and Killers . Well here is another dose of divas out of control. This week takes us to Riviera Beach, Florida where Patti LaBelle had an uncharacteristic on-stage breakdown at the city’s annual Jazz and Blues Festival. The 61-year-old headliner did not take the stage until midnight, when temperatures had dipped to record lows of around 50 degrees. The weather, coupled with the late hour, proved to be a disastrous combination for the R&B legend. Patti was paid $125,000 up front to headline the event for what she called the worst performance in her life. True to the extremely outspoken Patti form she explained to the audience that she was close to 62, has diabetes, and a heart murmur. LaBelle went on to say that with the late hour and the weather she could not pull it and would have rather gone on before lesser known people like Eric Benet . Patti is not one to piss off prior to a show because she will lay that mic on you as we say in church. In other words Patti will expose you to her audience. With all her health issues she might have to rethink traveling and performing if she is not going to be able to whale like her fans like her to and not make excuses or say it is the fault of someone else. Star Jones Reynolds called the co-host of “ The View ,” to address reports that she almost died on the table. Now she can admit to having her breast done, but she cannot tell the world she has surgery to drop all the weight. Star made a name for herself by killing O.J. Simpson’s character everyday of his trial, but know no one wants someone to feel sorry for her. Well, during the conversation Joy Behar cut her off and said enough about Star , who always tries to live up to her name and Star called her a bitch on air, which makes me wonder if Star will return to the show to show off her new breast. Naomi Campbell has been dating a few too many rappers for her own good. The Super Model has been arrested for whipping her maid’s ass and I hear it is not the first time she has jumped on one of her employees. According to CNN Naomi hit her maid in the head with a telephone, which required her to need four stitches. Campbell is accused of attacking one of her assistants in the past and this might be her fourth fight. Now Naomi is too good looking to act so ugly. |
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 Drug Dealers and Killers Strike Again …Rape Charges against Trillville rapper Don P have been dismissed by the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office due to lack of evidence. The rapper born Donnell Prince had been charged with rape and two counts of aggravated sodomy, stemming from an alleged December 16 assault. DeKalb County police had accused Don P and another man of assaulting and raping a 16-year-old girl, and accusation that he flatly denied. This might be the case of poor judgment on the part of Don P , who was thinking with a head, but not the one on his shoulders at the time of this incident. The Game has sued Koch and Fast Life Records claiming the two labels committed copyright infringement by marketing and distributing at least five albums of his early material without permission. The Compton rapper alleges that Koch Entertainment Distribution, Koch Entertainment and Fast Life Records are liable for at least 81 separate counts of copyright infringement through such Game releases as “ Untold Story ,” “ Untold Story Vol. 2 ,” “ Untold Story Vol. 2 Chopped and Screwed ,” “ G.A.M.E .” and other recording made before landing at Dr. Dre’s Aftermath/Interscope imprint. A judge in Los Angeles announced that he would take control of Suge Knight’s assets, including his Death Row Records label, after he failed to make good on a $107 million civil court judgment. Knight was ordered to pay the hunk and chunk to Lydia Harris, who won her March 2005 lawsuit that accused him of cheating her out of a 50 percent ownership of the label. Her ex-husband, former cocaine dealer Michael “Harry O” Harris, who is currently in prison, gave Knight seed money to launch Death Row and is entitled to the profits. According to Rex Julian Beaber, Lyndia Harris’ attorney the judge ruled this way due to Suge Knight’s long history of deceiving the court and avoiding payment. But, Dermot Giviens, Suge Kinght’s attorney, stated Harris received 1 million dollars and the rights to various music in a signed settlement agreement. |
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 According to my “ Street Committee ”…The word is Kimora and Russell are going to call it quits. Actually I am told they have been separated for about nine months now. However, I am not sure since Kimora recently defended her marriage with the Hip-Hop mogul. The couple has been together for 14 years and in a Vibe Vixen cover story she said that she and her husband have the same problems any married couple has. Well, Whitney Houston is actually on crack according to Tina Brown, a sister-in-law, tells it all. Brown told the UK Sun that Whitney disappears for weeks and is often seen in some of the rough areas of Atlanta. Now this is where it gets interesting, Tina claims that Whitney is into self- modulation and bites and punches herself and is unaware of it and she also says she sees demons. Not so sure about all of that, but Whitney did make it out to see Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary in concert recently. Whitney did not look her best, but she did not look all that bad while she smiled and took photos with fans. There is talk that Dave Mays , former editor of The Source Magazine , was at Club Opium in Miami and was approached by a rapper and shortly after a few words the two were fighting. Seems the two did not really get to go at it before security broke things up and no winner to go on record. The word is DMX entered the boxing ring with some rapper named Skits that is in some DVD about crackheads and asked DMX to take a listen to him rap. Apparently DMX got offended about the reference to drugs and hit the want to be rapper; this is far to ghetto for me to even comprehend so do not quote me. Last week I shared with you that Ray-J got slapped. Well, he said on radio it did not happen. Like who would admit to it publicly. Looks like Quentin Richardson and Brandy’s on again off again relationship is in the off position again. Esther Baxter , a video chick, was at a recent game in New York cheering on her man Quentin . The two left the Garden arm-in-arm, but I thought she was engaged to Raymond Felton , who plays for the Bobcats . One relationship that is defiantly over is that of T.I. and Tiny of the R&B group Escape . She was hanging on hard for a while and was on the set of the movie practically everyday, but it did not work and the two have gone their separate ways. T.I. arrived with a group of his buddies to the premier of “ ATL ,” and Tiny was nowhere in sight. With an album and a movie out this week I doubt he will be alone long. Keyshia Cole and Tyrese Gibson are currently seeing each other. Not sure if this was just for a night or will last a little longer. The two are working on a video for her song “ Love ,” and something sparked. |
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 Shawn Carter , you know Jay-Z the president
of Def Jam, had a dinner meeting with President Clinton at
The Spotted Pig. Seems that rumors are true, Carter has
big plans for Harlem, the two dined upstairs in a private area of the upscale
Harlem restaurant. Last week it was Magic now President
Clinton , who will it be next. Also said in my report last week, Carter owned
the Knicks , but it is actually the Nets . Speaking
of basketball owners, Usher is no longer banned from the Cleveland
Cavaliers games. Not sure if they are playing his songs again,
but the minority owner still has a part in the team and recently attended a game.
Take a listen to my conversation with DeAngelo Hall at his
foundation’s dinner. You have officially been choked by
the bow tie! |
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Atlanta’s
finest turned out for the premier of “ ATL ,”
Clifford Harris’ acting debut. The
story of four friends that are all working to achieve a more positive
reality than what they presently know as the day of graduation
approaches. T.I . stars as a young man
raising himself and his younger brother after his parents are
killed in a car accident. A student by day and janitor by
night he maintains his hope to one day know true success. While
on his journey he finds pleasure and the ability to relax in friendly
competition at the local skating rink. As the leader of
his crew of friends that skate he displays his