ob'nox'ious (adj.) In your face, thought-provoking expression that is undeniable; a person, object, or topic so objectionably hot that it must be called out or examined through popular eyes; a captivating description that always verifies the true essence of style, class, and intelligence. OBNOXIOUS 10 | 25 | 2007 William G. McCray, III - MrMcCray@Obnoxious.tv Video Archive | Column Archive | Photo Gallery | www.myspace.com/obnoxious2 This week my column is brought to you by Obnoxious Mobile.  You got it!  You can not join my exclusive list of VIP members and get hot exclusive information immediately as it goes down.  If you love the column and think it is hot then you have not seen anything yet.  All you have to do is text the word OBNOXIOUS to 50555 do it right now!  At the height of his reign as New York’s heroin kingpin during the Vietnam War, Frank Lucas was raking in over a million dollars a day on the streets of the City. This was no mean feat for a former sharecropper who has arrived from rural North Carolina penniless and with no formal education. But on the way to building his own drug empire, he had, for twenty years, learned the ropes from Harlem’s most notorious mobster, the legendary Bumpy Johnson. Not long after his mentor passed away in his arms, the protégé summoned his five younger brothers North to build an illicit family-run operation. Known as the Country Boys, Frank restricted membership in his ruthless gang to relatives and friends from his hometown, hiring only folks he felt he could trust and thus control. However, what really made his heroin ring so successful was the fact that he figured out a way to cut out the middleman entirely by buying his dope directly from poppy growers in Southeast Asia. With the assistance of his cousin, and other soldiers stationed both overseas and on domestic military bases, he smuggled uncut drugs into the country in the caskets of deceased Vietnam vets. As a consequence, Frank’s “Blue Magic,” brand of smack was twice as pure as any rival’s and sold for half the price. Before he and his confederates were finally caught and carted off to prison, Lucas would amass a personal fortune in the hundreds of millions. While some might admire a man form such humble roots for having developed the savvy to create and operation with a corporate-like structure, make no mistake, this was a cold-blooded killer who never gave a second thought about exploiting the human condition or assassinating any cop or competitor who stood in his way. Regardless, since nothing is more meta-typically American than a graphic gangster saga, it comes as no surprise that the story of Frank Lucas’ rise and fall would find its way to celluloid. Directed by Ridley Scott, the movie stars Denzel Washington in the titular role and matching wits with Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the honest cop-turned-prosecutor who ultimately brought Frank to Justice. An elaborate epoch of Shakespearean proportions, “American Gangster” unfolds like a blackface version of The Godfather, exploring an array of universal themes along the way, ranging from loyalty and betrayal, to love and hate, to ambition and corruption, to sin and redemption. Regrettably, despite these classical pretension, its $100 million budget and a stellar cast including; Cuba Gooding, Jr., Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ruby Dee, Josh Brolin, Carla Gugino, Roger Guenverur Smith, Joe Morton, and rappers T.I., Common, and RZA, the picture still somehow adds up to less than the sum of its parts and is thus likely to leave a vaguely sour taste in the mouth of the more discerning cinemagoer. For some reason the film is most like and overextended gangsta rap video, given its periodic graphic displays of gratuitous violence anditsrepeated resort to topless women as props carefully positioned for purposes of titillation, In general, its female characters are simplistically drawn, one-dimensional archetypes, whether mother, Madonnas, whores or lawyers. They are given short shrift in favor of a macho motif which constantly contrasts Frank and Richie’s flawed souls to highlight a telling irony. Yes, Frank may be a dope dealer that ruined countless lives, but for some reason you still like him. He moves with a style and class all of his own that draws you to him and no matter how terrible he is you subconsciously do not want to see him taken down, he is a devoted family man and an excellent provider. On the other hand, Richie may be an above board police officer, but just look at his relatively-pathetic existence marked by a messy divorce, shallow relationships and ostracism from colleagues you hate to see him succeed at being the good guy and doing the right thing. Ridley Scott should not have had the Frank Lucas bio-pic revolve around a contrived juxtaposition equating good with evil is beyond comprehension, especially when the New York Magazine article upon which “American Gangster” is based makes no mention of Richie Roberts. An irresistibly seductive celebration of a monster which will undoubtedly deliver the wrong message to many an impressionable young mind, but with the flaws it is still a movie is worth seeing Denzel deliver once again.   Well, I am sure that Oprah Winfrey can rest much easier now that an arrest has been made in connection with the sexual assault of students at her school for disadvantaged girls in South Africa. According to police a 27-year-old former employee at the Leadership Academy for Girls, was arrested on Thursday but the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit. “Several charges including alleged assault, indecent assault, criminal injury and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts are being investigated against her,” Supt. Lungelo Dlamini said. At least seven victims have submitted statements, Dlamini added. The woman is being held by police and is expected to appear in court on Monday. In the wake of the arrests, Winfrey has released a statement: “I’d like to thank the South African Police Services for bringing this investigation at my Academy to a timely resolution. I am grateful for their compassion and sensitivity to the girls during this difficult time. It means the world to me. It is my deepest hope that the accused is brought to justice and that this serves as a reminder that any time a child has the courage to step forward, it is our duty as adults to listen and take immediate action.” Divas Raising Hell...It as been a minute since I have made comment on a worthy female that displayed some over the top behavior. Well, it is not uncommon for Naomi Campbell to go off so here we go again. Just when we all thought Naomi Campbell had calmed down, there are reports from London that the supermodel got out of control at Heathrow Airport after learning she had missed her British Airways flight to New York. According to reports, the supermodel showed up at the gate 11 minutes before take off and demanded to be allowed on board. Witnesses heard her say: “You have to let me on. Come on!” Individuals started moving out of Naomi’s way out of fear of how she might react to her not being allowed to board the plane. British Airways reportedly offered to let her travel without her luggage and send her bags on a later flight. Bur she yelled: “You are joking. You are always losing bags and I don’t trust you with mine in a million years.” The tension was mounting very quickly and Naomi’s was coming close to catching a case quickly. “I can’t believe you won’t allow ME on your flight. What is this? Who must I speak to?” she yelled again. The British Airways staff tried to help by offering her a seat on the next flight to New York—but that only made her storm off in frustration. Campbell’s rep told the paper that she had been “disappointed” over missing the flight, but insisted she had accepted BA’s stance with good grace. A spokesman for BA declined to comment, but an airline source said: “Naomi is one of our best customers so everyone is trying to keep hush-hush about her tirade.” Speaking of Divas let me give you a Whitney Houston update. Recent photos of her show that she is back and looking as beautiful as ever. Although, looks have never seem to be one of Whitney’s problems when it was time to face the public, but it remains to be seen and heard how the diva will sound. It seems that she is no longer in LA, but now in the New York area to finish her album that she started while in Southern California. By now you all have seen all the photos of Whitney Houston leaving a New York restaurant on the arm of record mogul Clive Davis that were overshadowed by rumors that her Arista Records/Sony BMG recording contract that were not entirely accurate. Clive Davis stated that Whitney does not have a new contract with Arista Records/Sony BMG because she has always had a contract. “In 2001, L.A. Reid handed her a check for $20 million. She spent it. Her recording didn’t earn out. So now, still under contract, she’s making a new album. She’s in New York working on what she started in Los Angeles a few months ago. All systems are go,” Davis said. Whitney did not get an additional $10 million, but the record company is making sure she is happy and able to create good music. It has been stated that Arista has taken over her financial situation and clearing bad and old depts. Hopefully her drug addiction did not completely ruin what little voice she had left. The word is that Trina’s new single was leaked on the web, but I have serious doubts. Allegedly the first single form rapper Trina’s upcoming album was stolen from a Miami recording studio and has ended up on the internet according to reports. However, her label says the pilfered product is not the official version set for release. The track, titled “Single Again,” features Christina Milian and was secretly e-mailed into cyberspace from a computer, according to Slip N Slide CEO Ted Lucas. “This mishap is extremely unfortunate and the official version of the ‘Single Again’ track featuring Trina by herself will be re-released by the end of the week,” Lucas told reporters. “Single Again” is from Trina’s upcoming album “Da Baddest Chick Part 2: Reloaded,” which also sports guest appearance by Missy Elliott and Gwen Stefani. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess they think we are all deaf, blind, dumb, cripple, and crazy to buy that lie. This is nothing more than a weak played out publicity stunt to pump some life in to Trina’s dead rap career. Lawyers for Vivica A. Fox entered a not guilty plea to drunken driving charges on her behalf. The actress, 43, has two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit of .08 following a March 20th traffic stop in the San Fernando Valley. If convicted, the actress faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. LAPD pulled her over on March 20th after her 2007 Cadillac Escalade zoomed past them on the Ventura Freeway going 80 mph while weaving in a traffic lane. Police said she failed a series of sobriety tests, and then began to antagonize her arresting officers. According to the police report Vivica walked away yelling at one of the officers, “Brother, help as sister, are you going to let this racist white cop do this, are you?” She continued to speak in a condescending manner as she was placed in the patrol car. Vivica did tell me in a interview sometime back that she regretted the entire incident. “I won’t ever make that mistake again,” she said. “Trust me I am going to hire a driver next time.” Hopefully it will not be a next time and she will not have to go to jail and think long and hard about her poor choices, but after Pairs Hilton who knows what will happen.   Drug Dealers and Killers Strike Again…Da Brat was arrested for allegedly hitting a waitress in the face with a rum bottle during an altercation at nightclub in Metro-Atlanta. DeKalb County police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said the 33-year-old rapper, whose real name is Shawntae Harris, got into an “altercation involving pushing” with a waitress at Studio 72, Jermaine Dupri’s club on Lawrenceville Highway. “According to witnesses, after the pushing, the waitress walked away, and a short time later, that’s when Da Brat picked up a bottle and hit the waitress in the face with it,” Parish said. According to Parish the rum bottle broke, causing a “deep laceration” to the 23-year-old woman’s cheek. The waitress also had swelling to her forehead, and was taken by friends to a local hospital. Shawntae Harris, Da Brat, was arrested at the club a short time after the 1:20 am. Incident and charged with felony aggravated assault, Parish said. She said the rapper will be held in the DeKalb County Jail until her initial appearance, which will be held within 72 hours after her arrest. As you well know this incident wasn’t the first time Harris has been arrested for fighting in a metro Atlanta club. In March 2000 she allegedly pistol-whipped another patron at the Chili Pepper nightclub in Buckhead. According to police, Harris beat the woman for sitting in the VIP lounge and not leaving when Harris’ followers told her to leave. The beating left the victim with a cut on her face that required three stitches. Harris was charged with felony aggravated assault, but the charge was later reduced to misdemeanor reckless conduct in exchange for a guilty plea. Harris was ordered to serve 80 hours of community service, fined $1,000 and put on probation for 12 months. It has been a minute since we have heard any new material from the Da Brat, but you might recall he hit song “Funkdafied.” She also has appeared on reality shows such as “Celebrity Fit Club” and “The Surreal Life” where she displayed her potentially violent personality. Another indictment for dumb dumb, if Michael Vick thought his dogfighting drama was put to rest with his guilty plea in the federal case last month; the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback was sadly mistaken. Vick has been indicted on two charges in Virginia: one count of unlawfully torturing and killing dogs and one of promoting dogfights. Each is a felony that could result in a five-year prison term. The new charges in Surry County come after the 27-year-old pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge of funding a dogfighting operation from his home outside Newport News, Virginia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 10 in U.S. District Court and faces a possible prison term of 12 to 18 months. Vick’s lawyers said they will aggressively work to make sure that he is not held accountable for the same conduct twice. “We are disappointed that these charges were filed in Surry County, since it is the same conduct covered by the federal indictment for which Mr. Vick has already accepted full responsibility and pleaded guilty to in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Virginia,” his lead attorney, Billy Martin, said in a statement. As previously reported in my column Vick had no choice, but to plea guilty after three associate—Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach; Quanis Phillips, 28, or Atlanta, Georgia; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Virginia—admitted to their roles in the operation and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. The grand jury in the state case resulted in charges of promoting dogfighting against all three. In addition, Taylor faces three additional counts of unlawful torture and killing of dogs, and Peace, like Vick, faces one count. All four of these men are scheduled to begin trial on November 27.   According to my “Street Committee”…Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson appears to be as much of a gangster on camera as he is off—and actor Frank John Hughes found that out first hand. Obnoxious has learned that the two go into a physical altercation on the set of their new movie “Righteous Kill.” According to insiders on the set, who witnessed the incident, 50 Cent and Frank Hughes got into a heated argument when the actor confronted 50 about not knowing his lines. The argument reportedly turned physical. It seems Frank tired to correct 50 Cent and he got really upset—before it was all over 50 Cent had Frank on the ground pummeling him. Now this has been said to be an actual fight and not them acting. Frank is said to have survived the mauling and moving on with the movie, but the rest of the cast and crew are very uncomfortable working with 50 Cent now, as the should be. Every opportunity he gets he proves to be nothing more than street trash. The paramedics were called and they took a look at Frank and said he was alright. In more rappers kicking ass and taking names news…I was told this by someone, but I am not sure if it is true. However, it was too good to keep to myself. The source said that after the taping of the BET special “Hip Hop vs. America,” there was a little difference of opinion. Well, it was said to have gone down with Nelly and the host Toure during a post-show discussion about the show. During that discussion somehow Toure mentioned Nelly’s infamous credit card swipe down the crack of the big butt girl. According to my source that is when the conversation went left and Nelly when off on Toure. Before it was all over the two men where in each other’s face daring the other to make the first move, however neither threw a punch. Nelly is sick or being reminded of his misogynistic act and was ready to take his frustration out on Toure. Nelly most likely would have hurt Toure if they actually came to blows based upon the sizeof the two men, but Toure is said to have held his own and did not back down to Nelly. Other individuals in the studio broke it up between the guys and got them separated. It just goes to show you that is a very passionate topic and the way Nelly and others go off when they are called on the carpet about their behavior is nothing more than and admission of guilt. I am beginning to think that the lyrics in Amy Winehouse’s song about her not wanting to go to rehab are true and not just a song. There are a number of nasty rumors floating around about her actually being on drugs. Here you go…It has been brought to my attention by a particular party that a magazine had set up a photo shoot with Winehouse. From what I was able to gather, it was a very expensive event to say the least. Aimster allegedly got there about eight hours late. After she got make-up done, she reportedly ran to the bathroom. Amy is suddenly nowhere to be found. She disappeared after she left plenty vomit and blood on the floor and walls. The very next day at another media event she arrived late, but got a few photos taken then she went to the bathroom and did the same thing. Looks like Amy might need to check into Betty Ford for some serious treatment.