Jay-Z, Damon Dash Hit With $15 Million Lawsuit; Waitress Says 40/40 Doesn't Pay
Jay-Z and Damon Dash have been hit with a $15 million dollar lawsuit by a Philadelphia man, who claims that Roc-A-Fella stole the concept of the hit movie State Property from his novel.
Antonne Jones filed the lawsuit earlier this month in Manhattan Federal Court, alleging that State Property was based upon his novel The Family: A Philadelphia Mob Story, which centers around "four men seeking 'ghetto glory' - money, power and fame."
Jones claims he met with the pair in 1998 and wanted $500,000 for the rights to the movie.
The lawsuit says Jones rejected a $50,000 offer from Jay-Z and Damon Dash and never heard from them again.
State Property was released in 2002 and starred Beanie Sigel and his State Property rap collective as the "ABM," a group that attempts to corner Philadelphia's drug trade.
In addition to Jay-Z and Damon Dash, the film's distributor Lions Gate is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
In related news, a former waitress at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club has sued the rapper in Manhattan Federal Court, alleging that the popular nightspot refuses to pay employees the legally required amounts for work performed.
According to The New York Post, Celese Williams claims the club keeps a cut of workers tips and doesn't pay the legal minimum wage rate for working or for overtime.
According to management for the 40/40 Club, Williams only worked at the club for four days in Dec. of 2005 and the allegations are false.
Despite Williams' short length of employment, her attorney Maimon Kirschenbaum claimed that these types violations were rampant throughout out other New York City restaurants as well.
Foxy Brown Ordered To Take DNA Test In FL Spitting Incident
Foxy Brown must submit a DNA sample to Broward County prosecutors, in an attempt to determine if she spit on the owner of a Pembroke Pines, FL beauty supply store.
Brown was arrested and charged with battery, when she became embroiled in a dispute with the owner of the Queen Beauty Supply store on Feb. 15.
The rapper was sampling hair products in the bathroom of the shop when the owner ordered her to leave because the store was closing.
Brown allegedly became irate, threw hair glue at the man and allegedly spit on him during the fracas.
An officer found Brown in the shopping center, but when he attempted to bring her back to the Queen Beauty Supply store, Brown allegedly resisted, forcing the officer to "use a takedown maneuver to gain control" of Brown.
Brown, born Inga Marchand, was charged with battery and obstruction of justice. She was released after posting $1,500 bond.
Brown turned down a plea deal on May 18 and will stand trial on Sept. 24.
If convicted of the charges, she faces up to a year in prison.
Brown held a press conference at Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Brooklyn shortly after her arrest and proclaimed her innocence.
"The only crime I am guilty of committing is being a young black female celebrity in Broward County," Brown said. "I am the victim of an overzealous police department who engaged in police brutality and a money hungry store owner whose motives are for me to pay his mortgage on his house and his children's tuition."
Diamond of Crime Mob Arrested In Stabbing Incident
Diamond of the rap group Crime Mob was arrested on aggravated assault charges stemming from a May 15th stabbing incident on board the group's tour bus.
According to a source close to Diamond, the rapper and another woman aboard the tour bus were arguing over a man when another female on the bus (alleged to be a friend of Diamond's) intervened and slashed the woman's face with a sharp object, possibly a knife.
Police were called to the scene but no search of the bus was conducted for weapons. Diamond had apparently left the scene before police arrived. The source insists Diamond is a victim of mistaken identity.
According to Dekalb county records, a Brittany Nicole Carpentero, 19, alias "Diamond" was arrested on May 20th (Diamond's birthday) and booked into the Dekalb county jail. She was released on $20,000 bond early morning May 22nd.
Crime Mob is best known for their 2004 breakout hit single "Knuck If You Buck". The group recently released a mixtape "Mob Sh*t" hosted by DJ Scream. One of the tracks is titled "Beat Yo Face Up". Their current single is "Rock Yo Hips" from their latest album, 'Hated On Mostly', in stores now.
Eve Pleads Not Guilty To Drunk Driving Charge
TMZ.com has learned that Eve has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence during her infamous Maserati crash on Hollywood Blvd. last month.
An attorney for Eve entered the plea for the superstar, who was not present in the Los Angeles courtroom -- the same courtroom where Paris Hilton was sentenced o 45 days in jail.
As previously reported, Eve was handcuffed and arrested on April 26, after cops say she crashed her gold Maserati into a center divider around 2:45 a.m. Police sources told TMZ.com that Eve's blood alcohol level was "double the legal limit".
Eve is due back in court on June 28.
OPRAH ‘UPSET’ OVER DAD’S PLANNED BOOK
Oprah Winfrey said she was blindsided recently when one of her staffers approached her with news about her father’s latest project.
She explained to New York Daily News columnists Rush & Malloy: "One of my assistants said, 'The Daily News is calling. They say they heard your father is writing a book about you.' I said, 'That's impossible. I can assure them it's not true.'
"But then my sister said, 'I think you should call your father.' I called him and it turned out he is writing a book. The worst part of it was him saying, 'I meant to tell you I've been working on it.'?"
Vernon Winfrey – who took in his 14-year-old, pregnant daughter after her mother in Milwaukee grew frustrated with her bad behavior – is indeed “working on” a book tentatively titled, “Things Unspoken,” reports Rush & Malloy.
The elder Winfrey has been quoted as saying he should have been tougher on teen Oprah, because she was "out of hand and an unruly child."
Upon hearing news of the book, Oprah told the columnists: "I was upset. I won't say 'devastated,' but I was stunned. The last person in the world to be doing a book about me is Vernon Winfrey. The last person."
The talk show host has always given Mr. Winfrey full credit for straightening her behind out and teaching her the importance of education.
"I have a good relationship with him," Oprah said Sunday, when she received the Elie Wiesel Foundation Humanitarian Award in New York. Though she hasn't seen her father since he tagged along on her trip to Africa a few months ago, she added, "We talk, we talk, we talk."
That's why "I would have preferred to have known my father was working on this. It would have been a nice gesture, a courtesy," she said.
Benzino Thinks Big, "If Me & Eminem Got Together, It Would Be Big for Society"
Benzino may not have been willing to speak with SOHH just six months ago, but after going through two draining trials, Zino swears he's done with the controversy. In fact, he says drama is just petty to him these days.
"I don't got no beef with nobody," he said. "I just wanna do music. I just wanna keep moving forward."
You've read right. Zino says he doesn't have beef with anyone, even his longtime nemesis Eminem.
"I think if me and Eminem ever got together, it would not only be big for hip-hop, it would just be big for society," Benzino said. "Hip-Hop is a bridge to white and black races. I think there's still a lot of youth out here confused about race in America and with him being as influential as he is, as far as who he represents and vice versa, I think it would do good for a lot of kids."
"I think we've made a lot of strides as far as race relations in America," he continued, "but I think we have a long way to go and I think he can be a very important voice to make that happen. If it was to ever happen, I'd be with it."
As previously reported, while Zino was acquitted of sexual harassment and gender discrimination during The Source trial this past October, he was found guilty of defamation. The plaintiff former Editor-In-Chief, Kim Osorio, was awarded $4 million for retaliation and $3.5 million for defamation to be paid by Zino.
He's presently appealing the verdict. And despite the judges ruling, Zino says he has yet to pay.
"Kim hasn't received a dollar yet," he said. "I was reading somewhere when the trial was over where she said she was getting $15 million," he offered. "But that's so far of a lie that you can't even believe it."
During the trial, rumors spread that Zino was intimidating opposing attorneys. Yet, in perhaps an even more eye-opening gesture, the rapper wore t-shirts and hoodies throughout the trial.
"I felt that the jury should see me for who I am, especially in this incident," he explained. "It was just a situation where I felt like this trial was totally ridiculous in the first place. I mean, she's suing us for gender discrimination when she's making more than any woman out there. It's just ridiculous that she was making over $150 thousand a year, that I'm the one who actually gave her the job in the first place. To this day, to me, the charges were ridiculous. It was no disrespect to the court, I just felt like I'm gonna be who I am. I'm gonna dress the way I dress. This is hip-hop."
"Don't get me wrong. When I was in Boston [during my Federal Tax trial] I did wear a suit. I felt that them people up there, being in Massachusetts, an all white jury, I felt like they might not understand that," he continued. "But in New York, in this type of trial, I felt that it was a different type of environment. If I felt that it was gonna hurt me, I would have put on a suit."
Tyrese, Ginuwine And Tank Form R & B Group
Tyrese has teamed with Ginuwine, and Tank to form R & B super-group TGT.
Together Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank have released an impressive 13 albums and continue to release chart-topping singles.
"With all the support our fans have given us individually over the years for our distinct signature styles, collectively we felt our fans deserved to hear great music in a way that they could never have imagined," Tyrese aka Black Ty said. "I've known these guys for years and they truly are like brothers, so it only felt right to come together as a trio to make history"
Ginuwine labeled the new group "a dream come true" and said the group will reshape R&B music.
"Basically the world of R&B needed a change, and there were only a few chosen that could do it, R&B needed a pick up, R&B needed TGT," Ginuwine said.
TGT can be heard together on the remix to Tank's current single "Please Don't Go," but the newly formed group has new plans for TGT in the future, including an international tour.
The tour, entitled The Shirts Off Tour, will make stops in major American cities including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami this fall.
While on tour TGT will also have auditions to find its fourth member in an American Idol type format.
TGT is currently in the studio now working on their debut album.
ASHANTI VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT
A 28-year-old woman accused of stealing the identities of singer Ashanti and actress Nia Long will be arraigned Wednesday (May 23) in federal court in Rochester.
Shameika Drain Curry turned herself in to US Marshalls yesterday. She's to be arraigned today before US Magistrate Jonathan Feldman. Her lawyer, John Parrinello, says she'll plead not guilty.
To secure a $36,000 loan and purchase a 2003 Honda Infinity from an Irondequoit auto dealer last year, Shameika Curry allegedly impersonated Ashanti Douglas. Shameika was also alleged to have impersonated actress Nia Long to write and cash a check for $8,300 made out to a cleaning service Shameika Curry herself runs.
Meanwhile, her husband, Charles Curry, was said to have impersonated his father to secure a $31,000 loan that allowed him to purchase a 2000 Mercedes Benz from a Webster auto dealer. The couple also is charged with defrauding a bank of $45,000 to open a credit line by assuming the identity of an elderly Rochester woman.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, if the couple are convicted, they will face a $1 million fine and a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison
MySpace to Share Sex Offender Data
Faced with legal demands from state attorneys general, MySpace.com said Monday it will release data on registered sex offenders it has identified and removed from the popular social networking Web site.
The company, citing federal privacy laws, initially rebuffed a demand from North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper and colleagues in seven other states who last week asked for data on how many registered sex offenders are using the site and where they live.
MySpace agreed Monday to provide the information to all states after some members of the group filed subpoenas or took other legal actions to demand it. The company said last week such efforts were required under the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act before it could legally release the data.
JOE FRAZIER REFILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DAUGHTER
It all started in April of this year. Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier had filed a lawsuit against his daughter and former manger Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde for the return of his records that were allegedly in her possession.
But he suddenly withdrew the suit as his daughter, a lawyer, was in the midst of a campaign to become a Philadelphia Municipal Court judge. She won the primary, only days later to be hit with a refilling of her father’s lawsuit against her.
"Joe just didn't want to ruin his daughter's judgeship (race)," Frazier’s lawyer Michael P. Kelly told the Associated Press Thursday.
The original and current lawsuits were filed in an attempt to recover documents relating to possible business ventures that may bring him extra income. Joe Frazier’s legal team believes he may be missing out on film royalties, product endorsement fees or other income perhaps promised in his old contracts.
Frazier-Lyde turned over some of the documents that are being sought, but hasn't fully accounted for the money she managed for her father from 1989 to 2004, Kelly said Thursday.
In 2000, Frazier-Lyde exchanged her legal briefs for boxing shorts at age 38 and managed to win titles in three different weight classes during her stint as a professional fighter.
She placed second among Democrats last Tuesday and is poised to secure one of two open seats this fall, given the city's overwhelmingly Democratic voting rolls. The job pays $148,000 a year.
Jay-Z and Damon Dash have been hit with a $15 million dollar lawsuit by a Philadelphia man, who claims that Roc-A-Fella stole the concept of the hit movie State Property from his novel.
Antonne Jones filed the lawsuit earlier this month in Manhattan Federal Court, alleging that State Property was based upon his novel The Family: A Philadelphia Mob Story, which centers around "four men seeking 'ghetto glory' - money, power and fame."
Jones claims he met with the pair in 1998 and wanted $500,000 for the rights to the movie.
The lawsuit says Jones rejected a $50,000 offer from Jay-Z and Damon Dash and never heard from them again.
State Property was released in 2002 and starred Beanie Sigel and his State Property rap collective as the "ABM," a group that attempts to corner Philadelphia's drug trade.
In addition to Jay-Z and Damon Dash, the film's distributor Lions Gate is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
In related news, a former waitress at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club has sued the rapper in Manhattan Federal Court, alleging that the popular nightspot refuses to pay employees the legally required amounts for work performed.
According to The New York Post, Celese Williams claims the club keeps a cut of workers tips and doesn't pay the legal minimum wage rate for working or for overtime.
According to management for the 40/40 Club, Williams only worked at the club for four days in Dec. of 2005 and the allegations are false.
Despite Williams' short length of employment, her attorney Maimon Kirschenbaum claimed that these types violations were rampant throughout out other New York City restaurants as well.
Foxy Brown Ordered To Take DNA Test In FL Spitting Incident
Foxy Brown must submit a DNA sample to Broward County prosecutors, in an attempt to determine if she spit on the owner of a Pembroke Pines, FL beauty supply store.
Brown was arrested and charged with battery, when she became embroiled in a dispute with the owner of the Queen Beauty Supply store on Feb. 15.
The rapper was sampling hair products in the bathroom of the shop when the owner ordered her to leave because the store was closing.
Brown allegedly became irate, threw hair glue at the man and allegedly spit on him during the fracas.
An officer found Brown in the shopping center, but when he attempted to bring her back to the Queen Beauty Supply store, Brown allegedly resisted, forcing the officer to "use a takedown maneuver to gain control" of Brown.
Brown, born Inga Marchand, was charged with battery and obstruction of justice. She was released after posting $1,500 bond.
Brown turned down a plea deal on May 18 and will stand trial on Sept. 24.
If convicted of the charges, she faces up to a year in prison.
Brown held a press conference at Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Brooklyn shortly after her arrest and proclaimed her innocence.
"The only crime I am guilty of committing is being a young black female celebrity in Broward County," Brown said. "I am the victim of an overzealous police department who engaged in police brutality and a money hungry store owner whose motives are for me to pay his mortgage on his house and his children's tuition."
Diamond of Crime Mob Arrested In Stabbing Incident
Diamond of the rap group Crime Mob was arrested on aggravated assault charges stemming from a May 15th stabbing incident on board the group's tour bus.
According to a source close to Diamond, the rapper and another woman aboard the tour bus were arguing over a man when another female on the bus (alleged to be a friend of Diamond's) intervened and slashed the woman's face with a sharp object, possibly a knife.
Police were called to the scene but no search of the bus was conducted for weapons. Diamond had apparently left the scene before police arrived. The source insists Diamond is a victim of mistaken identity.
According to Dekalb county records, a Brittany Nicole Carpentero, 19, alias "Diamond" was arrested on May 20th (Diamond's birthday) and booked into the Dekalb county jail. She was released on $20,000 bond early morning May 22nd.
Crime Mob is best known for their 2004 breakout hit single "Knuck If You Buck". The group recently released a mixtape "Mob Sh*t" hosted by DJ Scream. One of the tracks is titled "Beat Yo Face Up". Their current single is "Rock Yo Hips" from their latest album, 'Hated On Mostly', in stores now.
Eve Pleads Not Guilty To Drunk Driving Charge
TMZ.com has learned that Eve has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence during her infamous Maserati crash on Hollywood Blvd. last month.
An attorney for Eve entered the plea for the superstar, who was not present in the Los Angeles courtroom -- the same courtroom where Paris Hilton was sentenced o 45 days in jail.
As previously reported, Eve was handcuffed and arrested on April 26, after cops say she crashed her gold Maserati into a center divider around 2:45 a.m. Police sources told TMZ.com that Eve's blood alcohol level was "double the legal limit".
Eve is due back in court on June 28.
OPRAH ‘UPSET’ OVER DAD’S PLANNED BOOK
Oprah Winfrey said she was blindsided recently when one of her staffers approached her with news about her father’s latest project.
She explained to New York Daily News columnists Rush & Malloy: "One of my assistants said, 'The Daily News is calling. They say they heard your father is writing a book about you.' I said, 'That's impossible. I can assure them it's not true.'
"But then my sister said, 'I think you should call your father.' I called him and it turned out he is writing a book. The worst part of it was him saying, 'I meant to tell you I've been working on it.'?"
Vernon Winfrey – who took in his 14-year-old, pregnant daughter after her mother in Milwaukee grew frustrated with her bad behavior – is indeed “working on” a book tentatively titled, “Things Unspoken,” reports Rush & Malloy.
The elder Winfrey has been quoted as saying he should have been tougher on teen Oprah, because she was "out of hand and an unruly child."
Upon hearing news of the book, Oprah told the columnists: "I was upset. I won't say 'devastated,' but I was stunned. The last person in the world to be doing a book about me is Vernon Winfrey. The last person."
The talk show host has always given Mr. Winfrey full credit for straightening her behind out and teaching her the importance of education.
"I have a good relationship with him," Oprah said Sunday, when she received the Elie Wiesel Foundation Humanitarian Award in New York. Though she hasn't seen her father since he tagged along on her trip to Africa a few months ago, she added, "We talk, we talk, we talk."
That's why "I would have preferred to have known my father was working on this. It would have been a nice gesture, a courtesy," she said.
Benzino Thinks Big, "If Me & Eminem Got Together, It Would Be Big for Society"
Benzino may not have been willing to speak with SOHH just six months ago, but after going through two draining trials, Zino swears he's done with the controversy. In fact, he says drama is just petty to him these days.
"I don't got no beef with nobody," he said. "I just wanna do music. I just wanna keep moving forward."
You've read right. Zino says he doesn't have beef with anyone, even his longtime nemesis Eminem.
"I think if me and Eminem ever got together, it would not only be big for hip-hop, it would just be big for society," Benzino said. "Hip-Hop is a bridge to white and black races. I think there's still a lot of youth out here confused about race in America and with him being as influential as he is, as far as who he represents and vice versa, I think it would do good for a lot of kids."
"I think we've made a lot of strides as far as race relations in America," he continued, "but I think we have a long way to go and I think he can be a very important voice to make that happen. If it was to ever happen, I'd be with it."
As previously reported, while Zino was acquitted of sexual harassment and gender discrimination during The Source trial this past October, he was found guilty of defamation. The plaintiff former Editor-In-Chief, Kim Osorio, was awarded $4 million for retaliation and $3.5 million for defamation to be paid by Zino.
He's presently appealing the verdict. And despite the judges ruling, Zino says he has yet to pay.
"Kim hasn't received a dollar yet," he said. "I was reading somewhere when the trial was over where she said she was getting $15 million," he offered. "But that's so far of a lie that you can't even believe it."
During the trial, rumors spread that Zino was intimidating opposing attorneys. Yet, in perhaps an even more eye-opening gesture, the rapper wore t-shirts and hoodies throughout the trial.
"I felt that the jury should see me for who I am, especially in this incident," he explained. "It was just a situation where I felt like this trial was totally ridiculous in the first place. I mean, she's suing us for gender discrimination when she's making more than any woman out there. It's just ridiculous that she was making over $150 thousand a year, that I'm the one who actually gave her the job in the first place. To this day, to me, the charges were ridiculous. It was no disrespect to the court, I just felt like I'm gonna be who I am. I'm gonna dress the way I dress. This is hip-hop."
"Don't get me wrong. When I was in Boston [during my Federal Tax trial] I did wear a suit. I felt that them people up there, being in Massachusetts, an all white jury, I felt like they might not understand that," he continued. "But in New York, in this type of trial, I felt that it was a different type of environment. If I felt that it was gonna hurt me, I would have put on a suit."
Tyrese, Ginuwine And Tank Form R & B Group
Tyrese has teamed with Ginuwine, and Tank to form R & B super-group TGT.Together Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank have released an impressive 13 albums and continue to release chart-topping singles.
"With all the support our fans have given us individually over the years for our distinct signature styles, collectively we felt our fans deserved to hear great music in a way that they could never have imagined," Tyrese aka Black Ty said. "I've known these guys for years and they truly are like brothers, so it only felt right to come together as a trio to make history"
Ginuwine labeled the new group "a dream come true" and said the group will reshape R&B music.
"Basically the world of R&B needed a change, and there were only a few chosen that could do it, R&B needed a pick up, R&B needed TGT," Ginuwine said.
TGT can be heard together on the remix to Tank's current single "Please Don't Go," but the newly formed group has new plans for TGT in the future, including an international tour.
The tour, entitled The Shirts Off Tour, will make stops in major American cities including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, and Miami this fall.
While on tour TGT will also have auditions to find its fourth member in an American Idol type format.
TGT is currently in the studio now working on their debut album.
ASHANTI VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT
A 28-year-old woman accused of stealing the identities of singer Ashanti and actress Nia Long will be arraigned Wednesday (May 23) in federal court in Rochester.
Shameika Drain Curry turned herself in to US Marshalls yesterday. She's to be arraigned today before US Magistrate Jonathan Feldman. Her lawyer, John Parrinello, says she'll plead not guilty.
To secure a $36,000 loan and purchase a 2003 Honda Infinity from an Irondequoit auto dealer last year, Shameika Curry allegedly impersonated Ashanti Douglas. Shameika was also alleged to have impersonated actress Nia Long to write and cash a check for $8,300 made out to a cleaning service Shameika Curry herself runs.
Meanwhile, her husband, Charles Curry, was said to have impersonated his father to secure a $31,000 loan that allowed him to purchase a 2000 Mercedes Benz from a Webster auto dealer. The couple also is charged with defrauding a bank of $45,000 to open a credit line by assuming the identity of an elderly Rochester woman.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, if the couple are convicted, they will face a $1 million fine and a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison
MySpace to Share Sex Offender Data
Faced with legal demands from state attorneys general, MySpace.com said Monday it will release data on registered sex offenders it has identified and removed from the popular social networking Web site.
The company, citing federal privacy laws, initially rebuffed a demand from North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper and colleagues in seven other states who last week asked for data on how many registered sex offenders are using the site and where they live.
MySpace agreed Monday to provide the information to all states after some members of the group filed subpoenas or took other legal actions to demand it. The company said last week such efforts were required under the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act before it could legally release the data.
JOE FRAZIER REFILES LAWSUIT AGAINST DAUGHTER
It all started in April of this year. Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier had filed a lawsuit against his daughter and former manger Jacquelyn Frazier-Lyde for the return of his records that were allegedly in her possession.
But he suddenly withdrew the suit as his daughter, a lawyer, was in the midst of a campaign to become a Philadelphia Municipal Court judge. She won the primary, only days later to be hit with a refilling of her father’s lawsuit against her.
"Joe just didn't want to ruin his daughter's judgeship (race)," Frazier’s lawyer Michael P. Kelly told the Associated Press Thursday.
The original and current lawsuits were filed in an attempt to recover documents relating to possible business ventures that may bring him extra income. Joe Frazier’s legal team believes he may be missing out on film royalties, product endorsement fees or other income perhaps promised in his old contracts.
Frazier-Lyde turned over some of the documents that are being sought, but hasn't fully accounted for the money she managed for her father from 1989 to 2004, Kelly said Thursday.
In 2000, Frazier-Lyde exchanged her legal briefs for boxing shorts at age 38 and managed to win titles in three different weight classes during her stint as a professional fighter.
She placed second among Democrats last Tuesday and is poised to secure one of two open seats this fall, given the city's overwhelmingly Democratic voting rolls. The job pays $148,000 a year.
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