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Doug E. Fresh Facing Foreclosure, Owes Over $3.5 Mil December 15, 2008
Doug E. Fresh, the self proclaimed “world’s greatest entertainer,” is the latest rapper to make headlines for his financial woes.
The New York Post reports that because of unpaid mortgages that total close to $3.5 million, the “human beat box” has been hit with foreclosure actions on all three of his Harlem homes. According to a foreclosure suit filed in New York City in August, Fresh fell behind in payments upwards of $1.73 million.
Yet his financial problems don’t end there. The rapper turned celebrity event host, owes over $40,000 in state taxes, which has lead the IRS to tack on an additional $367,000 tax lien onto the bill. The father of five, also has an American Express credit card debt of nearly $60,000.
Fresh isn’t the only hip-hop personality that has been in the news for his economic problems. Ex Roc-A-Fella big, Dame Dash, has been in and out of the papers over the last year, most recently for falling behind on mortgage payments on two of his Manhattan homes. Super producer Scott Storch has also famously made headlines for his debts. The one time go-to musician for stars ranging from Beyonce to Dr. Dre owes over half-a-million dollars in back property tax and is facing child support and paternity suits in Florida.
STILL NO BUYERS FOR VICK’S VA HOME December 15, 2008
Michael Vick’s sprawling Virginia house that served as home base for the dogfighting enterprise that landed him in federal prison remains on the market following yet another auction.
According to TMZ.com, “no qualified bidders showed, so it’s still available.”
The man who purchased Vick’s 4600-sq. ft. property after the suspended NFL quarterback was indicted originally wanted $1 million for the place, but after several previous auctions failed, he set the minimum bid at $590,000.
“Seven people actually turned up, but none of them had the $20,000 cashier’s check required, so they were turned away,’ TMZ reported.
MOS DEF SUED BY HIS OWN LAWYERS December 15, 2008
Star Pulse is reporting that Mos Def has been the target of a lawsuit by his divorce lawyers for failing to pay them for their services.
According to the outlet, attorneys from the legal firm Blank Rome claim that the rapper owes them $60,000 in unpaid fees and retainers after they assisted him in his divorce from Maria Yepes in 2006.
In other Mos Def news, Las Vegas police issued an arrest warrant for the artist in November over an alleged scuffle with a photographer in August.
Meanwhile, the artist is currently working on his fourth solo album titled “Ecstatic,” due in April and featuring production from Madlib.
CHRIS ROCK’S KIDS WANNA HANG WITH OBAMA GIRLS December 15, 2008
Chris Rock tells People.com that his daughters are hoping to some day become BFFs with the nation’s first daughters – 7-year-old Sasha and 10-year-old Malia Obama.
“His girls are a little older than mine,” said Rock about President-elect Barack Obama’s daughters. “My girls want a playdate. They look at the youngest and they’re like, ‘We can play with her, Daddy.’ We’ll see.”
Rock spoke to People.com Friday night while handing out toys at the East Side Settlement House in New York. He also read Pinkalicious at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan.
And reading the tale, about a girl who eats so many pink cupcakes that she wakes up with pink skin and hair, was a piece of cake. “It’s my daughter’s Zahra’s favorite book,” the actor said of his four-year-old.
As for his holiday plans, Rock, who also has a daughter, Lola, 6, looks forward to spending Christmas at his mom’s home in South Carolina now that he’s a family man.
“Christmas (as an adult) before I had my kids was so uneventful,” said Rock. “They were basically like, ‘Argh, I wish this Christmas thing would be over so I can get back to work.’ But now I love the ritual of it. I love the ‘are they asleep yet?’ I love playing Santa.”
HUDSON MURDERS SPARKED BY BIRTHDAY GIFT? December 15, 2008
A birthday gift given to Jennifer Hudson’s sister Julia by an alleged boyfriend may have triggered her estranged husband to go on the shooting spree that killed her mother, brother and son, prosecutors allege.
Julia, according to People magazine, celebrated her 31st birthday on Oct. 23 with a cake and small party at home. The next morning, police say, her estranged husband William Balfour – booted last February from the house on Chicago’s South Side where they lived with Julia’s mother and 7-year-old son – showed up and spotted a gift he believed came from another man.
Prosecutors allege it was jealousy over that gift that led Balfour, 27, to return to the house after Julia had left for work and shoot her mother Darnell Donerson, 57, Jennifer’s brother Jason, 29, then take Julia’s son, 7-year-old Julian King, and later kill him as well.
People reports:
In detailing their case against Balfour, prosecutors described a growing tension between Balfour and Julia Hudson.
In early October, Balfour confronted Julia at her workplace. He accused her of dating another man and threatened her family if she continued, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney LuAnn Snow said during the bail hearing.
Julia dismissed him because Balfour hadn’t acted on earlier threats to her family, Snow told Cook County Circuit Judge Raymond Myles.
On the morning of the murders, Balfour went to the Hudson home in Chicago’s struggling Englewood neighborhood, where Jennifer grew up singing in the church choir, and where her success and Oscar win are a source of community pride.
That’s where Balfour saw the birthday gift that he attributed to Julia’s alleged boyfriend and warned her again, Snow said. Both left around 8:10 a.m., when Julia went to work as the three victims slept.
Balfour told detectives he went home on the train using a public transit card. But the card wasn’t used that day, Snow said, and Balfour didn’t turn up on security video taken at the train station. Instead, cell phone records place him near the Hudson house until about 9 a.m., by which time authorities say both Donerson and Jason Hudson had been killed. Donerson was shot in the living room. Jason was shot while still in bed.
Balfour moved his own car from the home before driving away in Jason’s white Chevrolet Suburban with Julian inside, Snow said. The timing of Julian King’s death is still in question – his body was found three days later in the back seat of Jason’s missing SUV, parked on a west side street several miles away – but police believe Julian was shot in the vehicle the same day as the first two murders.
Forensics tests later matched a .45 caliber handgun found in an alley near the parked Suburban with shell casings found at the house. And prosecutors said the gun belonging to Jason Hudson had been stolen by Balfour last summer and seen by Balfour’s girlfriend, to whom they say he admitted his role in Donerson’s and Jason Hudson’s deaths.
Balfour has been in custody since the day of the murders. He subsequently was transferred to a state prison for a suspected parole violation – he served seven years on a 1999 conviction for attempted murder and carjacking – and was returned to police custody after his arrest in the Hudson slayings.
“At this time,” said police Deputy Superintendent Peterson, “it doesn’t appear that anyone else was involved.”
“He’s not confessed to these crimes,” said police Superintendent Weis. He added, “You never know how a jury is going to decide cases, so whenever you go to trial, it is somewhat a roll of the dice. But I am confident that the evidence has been collected, the testimony that’s been secured is strong, and I think we can make a very viable case in court.”
MR. T. SUBJECT OF GRAPHIC NOVEL December 15, 2008
Mohawk-wearing actor Mr. T, an 80s pop culture icon for his role as B.A. Baracas in the TV series “The A Team,” is the subject of a new graphic novel comic book currently available in stores.
The project, which had an initial limited-edition run of 4,000 copies in February, is described as a positive experience that addresses such serious topics as sex offenders, domestic abuse, and kidnap.
“Since the announcement of Barack Obama as President-elect, plans have apparently been fast-tracked for a black James Bond, a black Doctor Who, a black Captain America,” the book’s author, Christopher Bunting, told AllHipHop.com. “But what’s missing is a real black hero. Mr. T, star of this new graphic novel, is just the man for the job.”
Mr. T served as executive editor on the project and believes his persona is perfectly suited for a comic book.
“People can relate to Mr. T. They know what he stands for,” the actor stated. “T [is] for tender, but if you’re a bad guy, it’s T for tough! Get that message out: give people their own black heroes! I pity the fool who don’t get my book, read it, and enjoy it!”
The Mr. T graphic novel retails for $15.95 at any comic book outlet.
PLAXICO ATTENDS CHARITY EVENT IN NY December 15, 2008
New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress showed up at a charity fundraiser for the homeless at a New York City nightclub two weeks after accidentally shooting himself in the right thigh.
Burress attended Kevin Powell’s 8th Annual Holiday Party and Clothing Drive at the Madison nightclub around 8:45 p.m. on Friday with his wife, Tiffany, and son, Elijah, reports the Associated Press.
The suspended player refused to discuss the Nov. 29 shooting at the Latin Quarter nightclub that led to criminal possession of a weapon charges and his suspension for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs for conduct detrimental to the team.
“I’m just here to support this event, it’s a great event, and I thought it’d be a great chance to get my wife out, and my son out, and support such a great event where it helps kids, homeless kids,” Burress told WNBC-TV. “This is a wonderful thing for us to come out and be able to help people and we can lend a helping hand. I have a child, I have a son, I couldn’t imagine him being in that situation, so that’s why I brought him also.”
WILL SMITH’S ‘SEVEN POUNDS’ CHARITY TOUR ROLLS ON December 15, 2008
Will Smith has been traveling around the country participating in charitable works as part of a promotional tour for his new film “Seven Pounds,” which follows a suicidal man determined to change the lives of seven strangers.
“If there’s a message, it’s ‘you gotta help somebody.’ Even if it’s somebody’s car breaking down, use your cell phone. Something little like that. We gotta help one another to get the quality of life we’re all striving for,” Smith told the Minneapolis the Star Tribune.
The actor’s appearance at a premiere Friday in suburban Edina, Minn. doubled as a fundraiser for Second Harvest Heartland, the state’s largest hunger-relief organization. Tickets to the screening were given to the first 250 people who donated nonperishable food.
“It’s cool to have the goal of being the biggest movie star in the world. But why? It’s been revealed to me that the question is: Whose life is better because you woke up today?” said Smith.
Vikings player Bernard Berrian was also on hand to donate 300 holiday dinners to the organization. Smith even choreographed a touchdown dance for the NFL receiver to perform during his next trip into the end zone.
Smith’s promotional tour also includes stops in Miami, Dallas, St. Louis, Cleveland, Denver and Charlotte, N.C.
RAHSAAN PATTERSON WRAPS ‘THE ULTIMATE GIFT’ December 15, 2008
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The very spiritual funk of Rahsaan Patterson made him one of the pioneers of the neo-soul movement. His 1997 self-titled debut album produced hits “Stop By” and “Where You Are.”
The discs that followed would garner critical acclaim and the singer/songwriter resonated on numerous motion picture soundtracks.
After a ten year record career, Patterson is releasing his first holiday album, titled “The Ultimate Gift.”
“I thought that would be an appropriate title because, for me as a musician and an artist, you get questions particularly around this time of year like, ‘What would your ultimate gift be?’ So I wanted to write a song that would capture what ultimately I feel would be the best gift that we could receive as the human race and that would be to heal the world and make it a better place for us and the animals,” he said. “And I think the time is appropriate as well, being that we have a new president and the hope has been restored for a lot of people.”
Read what else Rahsaan Patterson has to say. Plus, HEAR ”Holiday,” a cut from his new Christmas CD, “The Ultimate Gift,” HERE.
