All Entries Tagged With: "Lawsuits"
#PhuckThat: Rihanna Demands $5 Million from UK Store for Unflattering T-Shirt
Lately, celebrities are extremely concerned with how their image is seen. One bad shot could potentially kill the brand. Earlier this year, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter demanded that blogs and news sites pull unflattering Super Bowl pictures of her from the their websites. Now, Rihanna is taking a stance.
According to Eurweb.com, Rihanna’s legal team has filed a claim against a UK department store for selling a t-shirt with her face on it. The store, Top Shop, is one of the UK’s leading retail sellers of clothing and other merchandise for the young and hip. However, the pop star is dissatisfied with the t-shirt and the quality. The lawsuit claims that the store used a “low quality” picture from her “We Found Love” video shoot. The quality of the shirts were quoted as “poor” and that this was “a product that would not have been authorized by the first claimant.”
Rihanna is seeking $5 million in the lawsuit.
Lil Kim Reneges on $15 Million In Licensing Deals, Says Manager; Sues for Loses
Andrew Ro, former business manager of Lil Kim, is suing the Brooklyn rapper for $15 million.
According to TMZ, Ro has filed suit and claims that Lil Kim screwed up several lucrative licensing and endorsement deals. In August, the two entered a licensing agreement between Ro’s International Rock Star Corp and Lil Kim. When it was time to work, Ro alleges that Kim refused to participate in important business meetings if she wasn’t paid more money for her time. After Ro and his team completed the projects, like the perfume line, Kim refused to promote the product and eventually stopped taking calls.
Ro estimates that Kim’s lack of enthusiasm costs him approximately $15 million. Deals that were on the table for Lil Kim included the perfume line, clothing line, vodka drink, energy drink, a honey-maker, and even a Steve Madden shoe endorsement.
Andrew Ro’s attempt to sue derived from a cease-and-desist letter issued by Lil Kim’s attorneys. The letter claimed that Ro was getting her involved in bad licensing deals.
Rick Ross In Hot Water…Again???
They say if it isn’t one thing, it’s another but in the case of Rick Ross it seems to be quite a few things trying to weigh the rapper down.
As if the death threats from gang members and the drive-by shooting that happened weren’t enough, Ross then found himself under fire for his lyrics on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O”. The mishap with his lyrics on the song which were eventually removed ultimately led to him losing his $5milliom Reebok endorsement.
Well now the Boss is being sued by Total Access Talent, a Miami-based talent agency for an estimated $170,000. Now while the amount appears to be a small thing compared to the giant that is Ross’ net worth, the notion of the MMG head honcho doing bad business can be damaging enough. According to suit, Total Access Talent claims that Ross failed to pay the 10% commission he agreed to pay the company to books shows for him in the Florida.
If what Total Access Talent claims is true, then Mr. Rozay should be ashamed and definitely needs to get some better business about his self. But I’m hoping it’s just a lack of communication, a misunderstanding or at least something totally understandable.
$1 Rumors: Miami-based Law Firm Wins $3.4 Million Judgment Against Lil Wayne
It seems like seizures aren’t the only problems constantly surfacing in Lil Wayne’s life.
According to reports, a Miami-based attorney recently was awarded a $1.2 million judgment against the YMCMB CEO. The monies awarded are to pay for the legal fees acquired by attorney David Goldstein. Goldstein represented plaintiffs who claimed that Lil Wayne didn’t properly execute a contract in place. The lawsuit was brought forth in Los Angeles and thus the original judgment of $2.2 million was awarded there. But, in a recent twist of events, Goldstein is now seeking that the judgment be moved to Miami, Florida.
Apparently, Lil Wayne or his company hasn’t paid any of the $3.4 million judgment. So, Goldstein is petitioning to have the suit domesticated to Miami-Dade county so that Weezy’s personal assets can be seized until full payment is made.
Goldstein has his sights on Lil Wayne’s sprawling $11.6 million mansion in the private community of La Gorce Island. In addition to rapper’s home, Goldstein also wants to seize the black Bugatti Veyron Wayne owns. Damn!
SMH…we’ll keep you posted as this story develops.
Gucci Mane Wanted By Atlanta Police For Bottle Incident
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane has managed to land himself in some hot water again resulting in him being a wanted man.
What this time you ask? Well according to a fan of Gucci’s named James Lettley, the rapper hit him in the head with a champagne bottle. As the story goes, during a night out celebrating his birthday at the Atl’s Harlem Nights Ultra Lounge, Lettley approached Gucci in the VIP section for a photo and his response was the “oops” upside Lettley’s head with the bottle. Lettley also claims that one of Gucci’s friends slapped him right after.
Well due to the incident being reported a warrant for Radric Davis aka Gucci Mane has been issued by the Atlanta Police Department. This issuance of the warrant was confirmed by Lt. Jeff Cantin of the APD who in a statement said, “We do have an active warrant for Mr. Davis for aggravated assault. So I’m sure after he sees this, I’m sure he’ll want to reach out and contact us.”
All I can do is SMH!
Mom Drops Paternity Suit Against Michael Jordan
After her son posted a video on Youtube concerning his “father”, his mom, Pamela Y. Smith filed a paternity suit alleging that NBA legend Michael Jordan was her son’s father. Smith filed the suit here in Atlanta at the Fulton County Superior Court.
In a counter suit Jordan claimed otherwise by showing that Smith had previously claimed during her 2003 divorce case that her now ex-husband Glennville G. Reynolds was her son’s father.
Well after last week’s court hearing between both parties in which Jordan wasn’t present, it appears things have changed. Upon leaving the hearing, both parties agreed to return to court if the matter couldn’t be resolved free of a judge’s ruling.
After all was said and done or however it played out, somewhere between then and now, Ms. Smith has decided to drop the paternity suit. According to her attorney, the decision was made “in her son’s best interest.”
Now while the whole Jordan’s his daddy case suddenly appeared out of nowhere, it seems to be disappearing just as fast. Hmmmmm sniff sniff…do I smell a settlement? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Esperanza Spalding Being Sued for Image Used on ‘Radio Music Society’ Album Cover
Jazz singer Esperanza Spalding is next up to be on the chopping block for having to face a lawsuit. After winning two Grammys for her 2012 album Radio Music Society, she is now being sued for an image used on the album’s cover art.
The image at hand is the boom box which Esperanza sits upon on the album cover. The boombox is said to be a sculpture made by Ryan Humphrey which was designed by attaching several different pictures to a wooden box. The pictures were taken by photographer Kevin Ryan who says Esperanza was required to give him credit for the photos or to obtain photo licensing permission for the use of the pictures. According to Ryan, she failed to do so therefore causing him to sue to the tune of $500,000.
About having to go this route, Ryan says, “I love Esperanza and I love her music and actually, I like the image. But you wish people would have done their due diligence.”
If this is true, one has to wonder if it was not just easier to give the photographer credit or maybe even cheaper to acquire the photo licensing permission. Things that make you go hmmmmm. We’ll see how this turns out!
Rapper Guerilla Black Apprehended By Feds For Credit Card Fraud
Looks who’s back in the news…
After having a short-lived rap career, with a voice freakishly reminiscent of the late Notorious B.I.G, Guerilla Black has made national headlines and not about the music. The Los Angeles Times reports that Charles Tony Williamson was apprehended last week for fraud. The 35 year old rapper was taken into custody by the U.S. Secret Service and several members from the L.A.P.D.. He is being indicted by the Feds for profiting up to $20,000 per month via fraudulent credit cards. Mr. Williamson, and several others, are said to have schemed U.S. and foreign bank institutions out of thousands.
No word yet on the actual total of losses these banks endured. We’ll keep you posted.
Mac Miller Settles $10 Million Infringement Suit + Will This Change The Mixtape Game?
The recent settlement news between Mac Miller and hip hop legend Lord Finesse may make rappers rethink they way they create mixtapes.
Several media sources reports that the copy infringement lawsuit against rapper Mac Miller has been settled. The $10 million lawsuit was brought on by Lord Finesse, a prominent figure in the early years of hip hop. Lord Finesse suit claimed that Mac’s ”Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza”, which appeared on his 2010 K.I.D.S. (Kickin’ Incredibly Dope Sh*t), was total remake of Finesse’s 1995 single “Hip 2 Da Game”.
“This is a case about a teenage rapper — Mac Miller — copying the music from a song written, produced and performed by Lord Finesse, a hip hop legend, changing the title and then distributing it under his own name in order to launch his music career,” the complaint stated. Rostrum defended their artist, claiming that the label never profited from Finesse’s music because “Kool Aid” appeared on a free mixtape.
“Mac never pretended that the ‘Hip 2 Da Game’ beat was his, despite what’s being said in the suit,” the label said in a statement. “Lord Finesse was given credit on both the video and the mixtape from the very beginning. We’ve never distributed ‘Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza’ for sale on iTunes and have consistently policed digital retailers and other sites to make sure that no pirates were ever illegally selling the song.”
The lawsuit against Mac Miller and his label Rostrum Records ended with a settlement. Both parties reached an agreement in early December, to which the payout is undisclosed. Only the presiding judge knows what that amount was. Although Mac Miller’s success has grown since the release ofthe K.I.D.S. mixtape, the label Rostrum insists that “Lord Finesse has known about ‘Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza’ for a long time and never objected to the use … For some reason, he has very recently changed his mind.”
This situation appears should be a wake up call for artists, DJs, and labels who put out mixtapes. Historically, mixtapes are used to promote music that’s intended to keep the fans satisfied until legitimate albums are released. Music contained on mixtapes are usually remixes of past and present songs, that belong to other artists or producers. Mixtapes are suppose to be non-revenue generating products. Unfortunately, even if mixtapes are presented as a free album, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the artist can’t generate money through club performances/tours.
Maybe this is what Lord Finesse took into account. As a producer, it is important to copyright protect your musical compositions. Apparently, Mac Miller’s use of “Hip 2 Da Game” didn’t sit well with him and he sought out judicial help to see if his music was indeed infringed upon. You can’t really blame him for handling his business.
Source: MTV
Here Katt Goes Again…IRS Hits Him With Tax Lien
It seems as if comedian Katt Williams is going every other way but up. After recently being arrested for child endangerment, Katt’s script has once again been flipped due to him being hit with a tax lien for a whopping four million dollars.
According to the IRS, the funnyman didn’t pay $3.2 million in taxes he owed for 2008 or $829,352 of what he owed the following year. Unfortunately for Williams this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back considering he probably needs every dime he’s got to free himself from all the other tangled webs he’s weaved. Because we all know that the IRS don’t play and they will go and get all of Katt’s stuff.
We’re praying he gets it ALL together real soon!
Concert Promoter Says Nas Was a No-Show…Sues for $10 million
Concert promoter Patrick Allocco is going for the gusto when it comes to tapping into rapper Nas’ pockets. In a recently filed lawsuit by Allocco he is demanding that Nas pay up for being a no-show at a concert he paid him for which subsequently led to him being kidnapped.
Here’s how one side of the story goes…
Patrick Allocco alleges that Nas accepted his $300,000 payment to perform at a New Year’s Eve 2011 concert in Angola, Africa but was a no-show. As a result, Allocco claims he was then kidnapped and held captive by the promoters who gave him the money. He says during the 50 days in which he was held, he was beaten and threatened repeatedly. For his pain and suffering as well as his financial downfall, Allocco is asking for…$10 million.
We’re not sure of Nas’ take of it all, but this $10 million would be a heavy price to pay for a $300,000 gig is this turns out to be true. Either way, Nas will eventually have to respond to the lawsuit so we’ll be sure to keep you posted on how this all pans out.
Wacka Flocka Ordered to Pay Shooting Victim Who Says He Was Just Trying to Give Him His Demo
Another day, another day a celebrity has fallen on the short end of the stick when it comes to lawsuits and has been ordered to pay up.
Following an incident at a car audio shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, in which a member of rapper Waka Flocka’s security team shot someone, Waka is now being made to pay restitution to the victim, Antonio Stukes.
According to how the story was reported, while Waka and his crew were at the shop getting some work done on the rapper’s tour bus when two vehicles pulled into the parking lot and the vehicles’ occupants allegedly made threats against the rapper. That’s when his security team began firing shot striking one of the men. Initially the victim, Antonio Stukes, was charged with attempted armed robbery and it was thought that he was planning to rob Waka of the more than $100,000 worth of jewelry he was wearing, but the charges were later dropped due to lack of evidence. According to Stukes’ lawyer his client was simply trying to give Waka his demo CD therefore flipping the script and leading the judge to grant Stukes compensation for his injuries.
So now Waka has to cut Stukes a check for somewhere in the ballpark of $500,000 stacks. If what the victim says is true, I bet Mr. Flocka Flame wishes he would’ve just took the darn CD. It definitely would’ve been a cheaper deal for him. Oh well…life goes on!
WTH’s Going On With Comedian Katt Williams??
What The H–??
Katt Williams, once a very popular and “sensible” stand-up comedian/actor, has been acting very eractic in recent months. The latest bizarre behavior was caught on film during a show in Oakland, California. According to audience members, Katt spazzed out after a heckler began baggering him. Within ten minutes of his set, they say Katt went off on the heckler then proceeded to take his clothes off to fight several audience members. Security quickly escorted Katt off stage and that immediately ended the show.
Now, there’s a class action lawsuit filed in Alameda County suing him for “non-performance”. Named in the lawsuit is also the promoter, Live Nation. Audience members are pissed that didn’t get to see a full show after they’d spent up to $94 for tickets. Peep the foolishness below…
In addition to these legal issues, Katt Williams also faces charges for pulling a gun out on actor Phaizon Love and an attack on his former assistant. Both of those incidents occured just last month. Also, a more recent incident occured on Nov. 14 were witnesses say Katt was involved in a nightclub fight. What is really going on??
It has been said that the comedian is hooked on drugs. If so, he desperately need to seek professional help. Call Dr. Drew why dont you?! It’s so sad to see such a talented persons’ career go down the drain right before our eyes. SMH…
Rick Ross, Meek Mill & Waka Flocka Sued By Promoters
The promoters at SM Global Union are aiming and have fired off a lawsuit on rappers Rick Ross, Meek Mill, and Waka Flocka Flame. The lawsuit claims breach of contract concerning a show at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. earlier this year.
According to the company, they paid Ross $90,000 for a one-hour performance, but he only performed for 15 minutes. As for Waka Flocka and Meek Mill’s part in it all, the lawsuit alleges that the fellas failed to comply to the part of their contracts that required them to advertise and promote the concert via their social networking sites.
In all, SM Global Union says the three were paid a total of $225,000 to perform and they want all of their money back and then some for loss of profits.
If indeed what the promoters say is true, I do believe they deserve some restitution. As for Ross, Waka and Meek, this sounds like a small thing to a giant.
Music Producer Sean Garrett Ordered to Pay AMEX $108K + IRS Wants $1 Million
Super-producer Sean Garrett…yeah the guy that has penned mega hits for Beyonce, Usher, Nicki Minaj, and countless more is now in the news. Unfortunately, Garrett was recently sued by American Express for unpaid credit debt. According to news reports, AMEX successfully sued the musical genius in court for approx. $108,000. And to add salt to the wound, the state of Georgia placed a $1,000,000 tax lien for unpaid taxes from 2006, 2007, and 2010.
No word on if Garrett paid off his tax lien debt as yet. We hope he has. Who wants to have Uncle Sam on their backs?
Ludacris Accused of Trademark Infringement for DTP
Our hometown boy Ludacris somehow someway has gotten himself caught up in a legal battle with a Dallas, Texas couple. The matter in question revolves around the name of the rapper’s record company, Disturbing Tha Peace.
Demitry Brown and his wife Donna Evans-Brown, are accusing Luda of trademark infringement upon their phrase “Disturb The Peace”. Their argument is that they have been using their trademarked name to sell visual and audio merchandise since 1988. The problem for them came when they discovered that Ludracris filed a trademark registration for his company’s name in March of 2011 allegedly lying by claiming that the couple had stopped using their company name.
The lawsuit, which the Browns filed on October 1st in the United States District Court is asking for the judge to grant them a cease and desist order that would prevent Ludacris from using his company’s name in the state of Texas.
We’ll keep you posted on how this turns out for the DTP head.
NFL’s Vince Young Is Broke; Sues Financial Managers For Swindling $5.5 Million
Once a very talented athlete rises to sports stardom and rake in millions, these days he’s more than likely going to eventually hit rock bottom. This is apparent for former NFL star, Vince Young.
News stories of the University of Texas grad hit this week claiming that Vince Young is now broke. After once reaching his pinnacle, by signing a $26 million football contract, his talent on Tennessee’s field didn’t quite live up to the hype. Traveling eventually to the Buffalo Bills, his career was cut short when the team decided to let him go. So, what’s a out-of-work athlete to do? The next best thing…file a lawsuit.
Young is now taking his former financial planner and agent to court. Trey Dolezal, Young’s attorney, says the lawsuit is seeking $5.5 million in missappropriated funds. In the lawsuit, Major Adams (agent) and Ronnie Peoples (financial planner) are being suspected of forging Young’s signature on documents, impersonation via email and business calls, and mismanagement of money.
“They conspired to take Vince’s money,” Dolezal said. “It’s that simple.”
But the alledged frauders are disputing these claims. “This is a person scrambling helplessly and pointing in all directions to blame others to get out of debt,” Adams’ attorney, Charles Peckham, told the Associated Press.
Who’s side do you believe? As the story develops, you can’t help but wonder how in the H*LL did Vince blow through $26 million dollars!! SMH. Clearly, the NFL (nor the entertainment industry) does not properly educate rookies on the importance of financial management. You can’t trust half of these financial planners, managers, or agents. This is why everyone should educate themselves in order to prevent this sad situation.
Members of Wu-Tang Clan Sued Over Raekwon’s “New Wu” Track
Rappers Raekwon, Method Man, RZA and Ghostface Killah are taking their turn in the world of lawsuits when it comes to copyright infringement. Bridgeport Music/Westbound Records recently filed a lawsuit against the clan for an illegally used portion of a sample on the song ‘New Wu’. The song with the sample in question appeared on Raekwon’s 2009 album Only Buitl 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II.
According to the lawsuit the song samples a four measure (12 seconds) portion of the 1971 song ‘I’ve Changed’ by the Magictones. “These four measures have been sped up approximately 8.9%, making them last approximately 10 seconds and raising their key by one step from E minor to F# minor,” the lawsuit reads. The company is also suing for unfair competition and their lawyer fees.
Hopefully, for the Clan, this is not the case but if so I guess they’ll be passing their stacks Bridgeport Music/Westbound Records’ way.
No Free Rides Here…Gucci Mane Owes $60K To Young Lady Pushed From Hummer
He go to jail. He gets out. He goes back to jail. He gets out. Gucci Mane is no stranger to legal troubles. Apparently, regardless if he’s behind a cell or not, there’s not only legal fees he has to pay for.
Back in early 2011, a strange event occured on an Atlanta road where a woman was pushed from a Hummer vehicle. The vehicle was owned by Gucci Mane and he was later ID’d as the person who pushed Diana Graham. After filing charges, Graham exposed the fact that Gucci pushed her from the moving vehicle because she refused to have sex with him. Now, Graham has sued the Atlanta rapper for mental anguish, pain and emotional distress.
News reports state that a judge has ordered Gucci Mane to pay $60,000 to Diana Graham. The order was made after Gucci failed to show up to a court date. In addition, the courts will allow Graham to seize his assets, cars, and freeze bank accounts if Gucci does not settle this $60K judgement.
Well DAMN! *in my Gucci Mane voice*
Memphitz Seeks Millions In Defamation Lawsuit Against K. Michelle and VH1
In a not-so-surprisingly turn of events, Memphitz filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit recently.
If you didn’t know him before, the VH1 hit show ”Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” made him a household name. Currently married to Toya Wright (mother of Lil Wayne’s oldest child), shared a checkered past with one of the LHHATL cast members, K. Michelle. K. Michelle, who continuosly expressed her need to “tell her story”, devulged details of her past relationship with Memphitz during the show. She spoke on how “allegedly” Memphitz spent millions of her record deal money and severly beat her.
Now that season one is over, news of an apparent defamation lawsuit has hit the streets. Memphitz and his attorney filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against K. Michelle, Mona Scott-Young (executive producer), and VH1. The suit claims that Memphitz suffered defamation of character because of words spoken by K. Michelle and Mrs. Scott-Young and VH1 airing the episodes without bleeping out his name.
Via SandraRose.com,
According to his attorney, Memphitz, real name Mickey Wright, is suing K. Michelle for defamation of character after she claimed he spent her entire recording budget and beat her to within an inch of her life. K. Michelle hurled the accusations as a cast member on VH1′s hit show Love & Hip Hop.
Included in the lawsuit are Mona Scott Young’s company Monami Entertainment and VH1′s parent company Viacom. Memphitz is asking for $1 per viewer of the episodes in which K. Michelle brought up his name. At a minimum, that’s $3-8 million — if he wins the suit.
What will be the final judgement? We’ll have to wait and see. But also according to SandraRose, Memphitz and his legal team tried to settle out of court. But, none of the parties bite the bait.
STACKS Magazine will be sure to keep you posted on how this suit turns out!
Has Trouble Brewed In The CTE Camp? Partner Files $5Million Lawsuit Against Young Jeezy
Jay “Young Jeezy” Jenkins and Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee developed a tight knit friendship after serving time at a youth boot camp program in 1995. After discovering the love of music both shared, the two went on to form Young Gunz Entertainment, Inc, which later became Corporate Thugz Entertainment (CTE). Young Jeezy, even as Co-CEO, honed in on his rap skills and became the headliner for CTE. Later signing on with Def Jam Records (under the leadership of L.A. Reid and Shakir Stewart), Young Jeezy’s popularity grew via six solo albums…and millions of dollars soon followed.
Fast forward to 2012, word has hit the streets that money troubles are apparent at CTE. Demetrius Ellerbee filed a lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court claiming that Jeezy failed to share millions of dollars in profits earned through album sales. According to the AJC, Ellerbee’s attorney Mario Breedlove says his client has not seen approximately $5 million in royalites and advances from Def Jam Records. Ellerbee’s lawsuit claims that Jeezy “misappropriated” company funds and redirected monies into his personal account.
“They were partners,” Breedlove told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday. “They started the company together. They grew the company together. And he’s entitled to one-half.”
In addition to the $5 million, Ellerbee is also seeking punitive damages and legal costs. Comments from Young Jeezy’s attorney has not been released.
Designer Sues for $7 Million for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Logo
Copyrights ownership is big deal in the artistic world.
For instance, Jay-Z, Dame Dash, and Biggs are the original owners of Roc-A-Fella Records. In 1995, they hired Dwayne Walker (a NYC clothing designer) to design a logo for their soon-to-be multi-million dollar making record label. At that time, RR contracted his work for $3,500 along with a 2% royalty payment on all products sold carrying the logo. Mr. Walker claims that this agreement was stated to last until year 2015.
According to Walker’s legal suit, RR would have made up to $7 million (to-date) in products sold carrying the logo.
Walker claims copyright infringement in his suit, filed in Manhattan Federal Court. “The logo has become universally recognized as an iconic symbol of Jay-Z, one of the most successful recording artists in the history of popular music,” the suit states, according to the Daily News.
For educational purposes, when a logo (or artwork) is created by an individual, it is automatically protected under copyright law. But, when a person is hired under contract to design an artwork for a company, the copyright law protection varies. It depends on the contract agreement both parties signed off on. Roc-A-Fella Records has not publicly exposed what that agreement was in Mr. Walker’s case.
Roc-A-Fella Records is now legally owned by Universal Music Group. It is not confirmed how UMG’s ownership will play out in this lawsuit.
Statement from Jay-Z’s camp still pending.
Club In Chris Brown/Drake Brawl Hit with $20 Million Lawsuit
The backlash from the brawl that occured a few weeks ago, between the crews of Chris Brown and Drake, continues to pour in.
The latest legal development involves the nightclub itself. Club W.i.P. is said to have been on the radar of city officials for quite some time. The club has received complaints regarding noise violations, fights, drug deals and alcohol sales to minors. This most recent incident caused the State Liquor Authority to file 14 charges against the club.
“They’re absolutely in jeopardy of losing their licenses,” said SLA spokesman William Crowley. “They have a number of prior charges, too, so that comes into play when we’re looking at taking action.”
After the Chris Brown and Drake incident, several injured patrons has come forth with lawsuits. The largest, however, is from NBA star Tony Parker. Parker has filed a $20 million lawsuit claiming that the club owners should have been aware of the previous “beef” between the two entertainers and never allowed them on the premises at the same time.
Story developing….
Discrimination Lawsuit Hits Popular ‘Fountainebleau’ Club
Have you ever been to South Beach, Miami, ready to get your party on, but were not allowed to get into a club?
Well, four African-American women (some with Hispanic ties) claims that they were prevented from stepping inside one of Miami’s hippest night spots. According to their civil rights and criminal law attorney, David Kubiliun, the four women were told they could not enter the Arkadia Lounge (which is located in the popular and infamous Fountainebleau Hotel) because of their race. A guy claiming to be one of the club promoters, also sent a text message to the ladies in support of their discrimination claims.
The texts sent by this club promoter, Dudley, will be used as a key peice of evidence if this case goes to court. According to Dudley, this isn’t the first time the club ( and other clubs on South Beach) has discriminated against blacks. Here’s what he texted one of the girls:
“This is south beach a shallow self serving superficial place. They pay me 300 a night to bring attractive women to their establishment and or cats who spend dough. I know what it is going in [on],” Dudley’s texts read. “I’ve always been kind and accommodating to you and you’ve never shown me any appreciation which is fine. I don’t need it this is what I do because I like you I tried to cordially give you a heads up warning cause the only reason they let your girls in last time was because I fought to get em in. Its a double standard @ the fountainbleu. White chics can be ok. Black chics gotta look twice as good and they only cater to a so called urban crowd on thursdays and sundays. Peace and love.”
In another text, Dudley claimed he had to fight to get Lopez and a few other Black women into the club, even after rejecting his own family members.
“Don’t take this the wrong way but how do they look?,” said Dudley in a series of texts. “One of my cuzns came down with 5 girls from tampa last week and the[y] didn’t let them in because of that bullsh–. Chics that they don’t feel are hot enough or overweight. I’m not saying if they were white they wouldve got in.”
If this isn’t blatant discrimination, I don’t know what is! I myself travel to Miami quite often and have seen first hand how the club promoters “pick and choose” who they want in the club. The clubs on South Beach are good for doing that. Dudley is telling the truth. If the guys at the door don’t feel like you look good enough or look as if you got $$$, then it’s a NO-GO.
Check out NBC Miami’s coverage of the issue below:
HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINATION AT A CLUB? TELL US YOUR STORY.
Blacks Sue ABC’s ‘The Bachelor’ for Non-Representation
I have noticed. Have you noticed? “Noticed what” you say? That ABC’s popular Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise has never featured a person of color. Ah ha! Well, we aren’t the only ones paying attention. Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Jones of Nashville, TN are taking action. Yes, these fellas plan to file a class-action lawsuit for racial discrimination. Woomp!
For a combined total of 23 seasons, neither program has featured a single person of color as the featured Bachelor or Bachelorette. Attorneys for Claybrooks and Johnson, who are both African-American, will file their complaint in federal court against ABC, three production companies working on the show and executive producer Mike Fleiss.
Last year, Entertainment Weekly asked Fleiss if The Bachelor would eventually feature someone who isn’t white. “We really tried [for a diverse cast], but sometimes we feel guilty of tokenism,” he said. “Oh, we have to wedge African-American chicks in there! We always want to cast for ethnic diversity, it’s just that for whatever reason, they don’t come forward. I wish they would.”
This should get interesting!
Randy Moss Says…Gimme My Money
Day in and day out, celebrity after celebrity is being hit with one lawsuit or another. Well finally the tables have turned. This time around, a celebrity by way of NFL star Randy Moss is about to cash in…maybe. After recently winning a lawsuit filed against a former business associate, Moss has been awarded the $160K he was originally owed plus $62K in interest, fees, and penalties.
The lawsuit stemmed from a business deal gone bad after Moss loaned his associate Kelvin Jones the $160 grand to open a hair salon. The agreement reached between the two called for 96 monthly installments from Jones to repay the loan. Well according to Moss, Jones never paid him a dime and eventually stopped answering his calls. Now it looks like Mr. Jones is blowing him off again considering he brushed the lawsuit off and didn’t even bother showing up for his scheduled court appearance. With that being said, the judge ruled in Moss’ favor but who really knows when or if he’ll ever really get his money. To that we say…Good Luck!
EMI Says Cash Money Records Owes for Unpaid Royalties
Cash Money Records, one of the hottest and most profitable music record labels today, is in a little bit of legal trouble. A recent lawsuit claims that Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams owes unpaid royalties to EMI Music. EMI says an original agreement with the brothers were for them to pay the debt of $491,000 in quarterly installments. But, Cash Money stopped payments and has “ignored numerous communications from EMI regarding (Cash Money Records’) contractual obligations.”
No press statement has yet been made from Cash Money Records regarding the lawsuit.
Source: EURweb
Exclusive: What’s Next for former Drug Kingpin “Freeway” Rick Ross?
With his case pending, Ricky Donnell Ross aka “Freeway” Rick Ross is clearly adamant on securing the rightful ownership of his name sake…and rightfully so, he should.
In case you missed it…READ: The Real Rick Ross Files $10M Lawsuit for Name Infringement.
Not surprisingly though, his current legal challenges and “negative-but-celebrated” former lifestyle keeps his name relevant. Oh…and also rapper Rick Ross ( or nowadays called Ricky Rozay), whose real name is William L. Roberts, is keeping the name abuzz in the entertainment world. Since serving time in federal prison, Ross has been on the journey to shed the negativity and try his best in living a normal life.
Recently, I received an email from him asking that STACKS Magazine remove a old photo of him that wasn’t too flattering. Although I’m sure other media outlets or search engines had a copy of this same photo, I didn’t mind replacing it with a nice conservative picture of Ross in a suit. I understood his want to shred any negative “visuals” sprawled out over the internet. As Ross says he’s, “…trying to present a better image of blacks and myself…”
I instantly wondered what was going on with him, though, outside of the court case. So I reached out to him with a few questions. The real Rick Ross kept his answers concise.
Bels: What has Rick Ross been up to since being released from prison? Has any books or films been released?
Rick Ross: I’ve been working hard as I can. Setting up a trucking company to employ young blacks, website www.freewayenterprise.com and developing my feature film.
Bels: What is the status of the pending lawsuit against rapper Rick Ross?
Rick Ross: The case is moving through the California state and Federal court system.
Bels: What are your plans after the case is settled?
Rick Ross: I haven’ t made plans. Taking things step by step
Not alluding to any timeline regarding the feature film, I wonder when this will come to the big screen or dvd. I’d be interested in seeing it myself being an avid viewer of great cinematic drug tales (i.e. Scarface, Godfather, Blow). Who better else to tell his story…than himself.
Show Me The Money! SouljaBoy + Beyonce Face Contractual Lawsuits
Every day, a celebrity is being sued or is suing somebody for something. Geesh! In the latest judicial news, 21-year old rapper Soulja Boy will soon be in the middle of a heated legal battle. According to several news sources, DeAndre Way is suing his former manager Philip Ransom and has filed documents in Georgia Supreme Court. Soulja Boy claims that Mr. Ransom cohersed him into signing a management contracts that were “unconscionable, oppressive, and unjust.”
Soulja Boy alleges that one of the contract agreements signed entitled Mr. Ransom to 5% of his income for all work completed during his time as his client. Also, a separate contract states that Ransom is entitled to 50% of all of Soulja’s music copyrights. Soulja states that this is “commercially unreasonable.”
Of course, Ransom is calling foul and has filed his own suit stating that Soulja Boy still owes him money.
What’s next Soulja??? #GetIt Together
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Beyonce Knowles is in hot water too. A video game company, Gate Five, is seeking $100 million in restitution for a “Beyonce” game that never hit the shelves. Gate Five insists that Beyonce did not properly notify them about her decision to pull-out of the multi-million dollar project. In 2010, Gate Five and Beyonce’s team decided upon a deal to develop an interactive video game called “Starpower: Beyonce”. But for some unknown reason, Beyonce backed out of the deal and left the company $7 million in debt and out of a potential profit gain of $100 million.
After a failed attempt to sue Beyonce in April 2011, Gate Five was recently granted an official ruling, by the Manhattan Supreme Court, that there is sufficient evidence to continue the lawsuit.
Good luck B! Hopefully, this can be resolved in a suitable way for both parties.
Former R&B Artist, Joe Simon, Sues G-Unit for Copyright Infringement; Thinks Hip Hop Is Detroying Communities
Bishop Joe Simon
Joe Simon, former 70′s R&B artist and Grammy award winner, is now a minister and believes all things hip-hop is derogatory and destructive to the urban community. Ironically, the Bishop’s strong stance against “negative” rap music comes shortly after filing a copyright infringement lawsuit against 50 Cent. G-Unit, and all parties involved in the making of “300 Shots”. According to Eurweb.com, Bishop Simon claims that the song “300 Shots” sounds very similar and is the same music from his 1973 hit song “Theme from Cleopatra Jones”. No word on when the lawsuit will go to trial or the amount he’s seeking in damages.
From policitians to conscious rappers, everyone has an opinion about hip-hop’s negativity, its lyrics, and its effect on the youth. Recently, Bishop Simon had this to say about hip-hop’s detriment to the youth and their communities:
“Music is good and music is bad, but music is extremely bad and destructive when music is not used in a positive way. As a minister, I say to you, all of us should think about and imagine how our children feel when the family and the community lets them down. To play and promote provocative degrading music that rapes the minds and the hearts of our children is morally corrupt. Using lyrics that call our children and grandchildren prostitutes, the ‘N’ word and the ‘B’ word is totally disrespectful, it is ugly, negative and it is out of order, I tell you, it is also very destructive to our youth, destructive to the family and destructive to the community. We as a family and a community are suffering from this constant contagious global enemy concerning this [so-called] ‘music’ conduct. Billions of dollars are being made through destroying our youth and our communities.”
“A city’s economy is only as good as its infrastructure, and its infrastructure is only as good as the character of the people. When our children listen to offensive, belligerent, poisonous music it is harmful and devastating to the character, the well-being and the future of our children. When you play and promote belittling, poisonous, derogatory music it negatively affects the thought process of our children in the community,on a local, national and international basis, and just because you can market and sell rude, ill-mannered destructive music, it does not mean that it is right. Music is a powerful force, and we must address this issue in order to help society.”
Do you agree with Bishop Simon’s opinion regarding hip-hop music???
