PLAXICO BURRESS ARRAIGNED ON GUN CHARGES December 2, 2008

 

Plaxico Burress was arraigned Monday on two separate counts of criminal possession of a handgun in the second degree after accidentally shooting himself in the thigh three days ago at a Midtown nightclub.

 

      The New York Giants star faces a mandatory sentence of 3 ½ years in state prison, with a maximum of 15 years, on each count, according to reports.

 

      Burress left a New York police station in handcuffs Monday after surrendering on the weapons possession charge, and police said that his teammate Antonio Pierce is being investigated over accusations that he tried to hide the gun that Burress shot himself with Friday evening.

 

      The firearm in question, a Glock semiautomatic pistol, was recovered at Burress’s home in Totowa, N.J., an official said.

 

      According to the New York Times, Burress remained seated on a bench at the back of the Manhattan courtroom while waiting to post the $100,000 bail, cash or bond, set by Criminal Court Judge Felicia Mennin.

 

      The judge denied a request by Burress’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, to allow Burress to be released for 48 hours to post that bail. She then ordered Burress to return March 31.

 

      Burress spent about five hours at the New York City Police Department’s 17th Precinct station house, likely posing for mug shots, being fingerprinted and sitting for interviews with detectives.

 

      Meanwhile, the Times uncovered more details about the incident:

 

      The police said that Burress arrived at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan on Friday at 11:30 p.m. with four others, including teammates linebacker Antonio Pierce and Derrick Ward. The other two members of their party were not football players, according to police. At 12:05 a.m., a single gunshot is heard.

      The criminal complaint, released by prosecutors Monday, said that an onlooker saw Burress near the V.I.P. area of the club holding a drink in his left hand and fidgeting his right hand in the area of the waistline of his pants. The witness then heard a single “pop” sound before hearing Burress say, “Take me to the hospital.”

      Burress was on the ground, with his legs shaking, when a bloody gun — a .40-caliber Glock pistol — fell out of his pant leg and onto the floor, the onlooker said.

      Later, Burress, who does not have a permit to carry a handgun in New York City, was treated and released at a hospital before returning to his home in Totowa, N.J.

 

      On Monday, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg blasted Burress for carrying an illegal handgun; New York Presbyterian Hospital for failing to call the police of his gun-related injury, as state law requires; and the New York Giants, which also neglected to notify the authorities.

 

      Bloomberg said that the police did not find out about the incident until it was reported on TV. He demanded that the district attorney throw the book at the Giants receiver and that he serve hard time. He also suggested firing staffers at the elite hospital, where sources told The New York Post that employees lied for Burress.

 

      Speaking to reporters after Burress’ arrival at the precinct, Brafman said his client would “deal with the legal process in a responsible and professional manner.”

 

      “He is standing tall,” said Brafman, who has represented high-profile clients, including rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs in his 2001 bribery and weapons case. “He’s a mature adult handling this very well, I think, under the circumstances. He has asked me to tell all the fans who’ve written and called, and his teammates, that he very much appreciates their expressions of concern.”

DIDDY TO ‘FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE’ FOR CBS November 19, 2008

 

Sean “Diddy” Combs will join “CSI: Miami” for a two-episode appearance set to air in mid- to late winter, CBS announced Tuesday.

 

       The Bad Boy founder will play a prosecutor who butts heads with Lt. Horatio Caine, played by David Caruso.      

       Diddy follows in the footsteps of fellow rap star Nelly, who had a recurring role this season on “CSI: New York.”      

       The rap mogul’s last television appearance was in the ABC movie “A Raisin in the Sun.”

CELEBS FLOCK TO MIAMI FOR VICTORIA SECRET SHOW November 18, 2008

 

Terrence Howard, Lenny Kravitz and Sean “Diddy” Combs were among the celebs who flew down to Miami’s South Beach on Saturday for the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

 

      The trio all scored front row seats to the runway extravaganza, which took place this year at the Fontainebleau Resort with a musical performance by Usher.

 

       Other famous faces in the audience included Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Martha Stewart and John Stamos – all in the front row – and Aubrey O’Day, who sat in Row 5, according to E! Online.

 

       “At the official after party at LIV, Diddy, Terrence Howard and the VS models had their own VIP area on the stage, while all other stars in attendance had to settle for tables on the dance floor stocked with bottles of Belvedere,” E! Online reported.

 

       “Heidi Klum opted to avoid the packed club, instead heading to Blade with hubby Seal. The lovey dovey duo held hands and sipped champagne as they hung with Usher and Lenny Kravitz. And although A-Rod skipped the VS show, he made a late night appearance at Blade.”      

       Among the VS Angels strutting the runway were Heidi Klum, Alessandria Ambrosia, Miranda Kerr and Karolina Kurkova. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs Dec. 3 on CBS.

BLIGE, DIDDY, JAY-Z STUMP FOR OBAMA IN FLA November 4, 2008

 

Jay-Z, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mary J. Blige and Russell Simmons appeared at a rally for Barack Obama in South Florida on Sunday to underscore the importance of enduring today’s potential long lines at the polls.

 

       “It’s bigger than us,” Diddy told the crowd of about 800 at Florida Memorial University’s Chester Robinson Athletic Center. “We have to do it for our children, we have to do it for the people that died for us to have the right to vote.”      

       Music executive Kevin Liles also joined the entertainers at the “Last Chance for Change” rally for the Democratic nominee.      

       “We stood in line to get the new Lil’ Wayne CD,” Liles said. “We stood in line to get a new pair of Jordans. We stood in line to get in here. So we ain’t afraid of no lines.”      

       None of the artists actually performed, instead using their time to stump for the candidate, according to the Associated Press. A DJ played as the crowd waited for the group to arrive, and a gospel choir and college step teams also performed.      

       “We have been doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result,” Blige said. “Please do something different. Barack Obama is a true example of something different. He’s a true example of something our children can have in the future, what they can look at and say: ‘Wow, we can really, really do something. We can really, really be something.’”

Open Letter From Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Kevin Liles and Diddy October 29, 2008

 

“With only 7 days left before we vote for change, let’s hold ourselves accountable and responsible” 

Where it stands today, we are on the verge of making history, the kind of history that will be apart of our cultures legacy.

It ain’t over, until it’s over. There is still so much work to be done. The thrill of victory is just 1 week away.  We hear it in the streets, we feel it in our hearts and it’s burning in our souls. Together we have successfully registered the most young voters in the history of the modern political process.

We called a State Of Emergency on October 3rd at 6:00AM and our culture stood up and recognized the importance of registering millions of voters. From 1st time voters who have just come of age to vote, to those who are participating for the 1st time in the voting process.  Your commitment to Change will continue to ring across our America, because we all are in the Right State Of Mind 

Where it stands today, we are on the verge of making history, the kind of history that will be apart of our cultures legacy. The kind of history that bridges the gap between race, religion and culture, the kind of history that will ignite a light that shines bright from generation to generation, screaming that our voice does matter and our vote does count. 

The kind of history that will enable the next generation of leaders to encourage vision, not division, to encourage hope, not hopelessness, to encourage the power of the people, not the power politics of the few. 

With only 7 days left before we vote for change, let’s hold ourselves accountable and responsible. No more excuses, no more mistakes and no more time to waste. If you have the opportunity to vote early in your state then vote today. If you are voting on November 4th, make preparation today.

Bring your family and friends and plan for the party at the poles. Make November 4th the day we celebrate change – The day we celebrate freedom of choice. The day we celebrate power of all people. Lets all come together on November 4th, because it’s a family reunion. It’s our time and we are all in the Right State Of Mind. 

We have 7 days to Vote for Change. 7 days to Vote to Make History. We can not slow down. We can not let up. We must push through to history until the final vote is cast and the last ballot is counted. We can, we must, and we will Make It Happen. Vote Obama/Biden on November 4th. 

God Bless, 
Diddy 
Jay-Z 
Mary J. Blige 
Kevin Liles 

DANITY KANE DROPS THIRD MEMBER? October 29, 2008

 

WENN is reporting that Sean “Diddy” Combs’ pop group Danity Kane has lost its third member in less than a month after singer Shannon Bex decided to bounce.

 

       The group, put together by Combs for his reality TV series “Making The Band,” is now down to two remaining original members after singers Aubrey O’Day and D. Woods’ were fired by the mogul in the finale of “Making the Band 4″ earlier this month.      

       According to New York’s Z100 radio host Elvis Duran, Bex said she opted to cut ties with the group because of constant bickering between remaining members and Diddy.      

      Diddy, meanwhile, is reportedly planning to release an album filled entirely with songs enhanced by the Auto-Tune vocal effect popularized by T-Pain. In fact, the mogul said he is collaborating with T-Pain to develop more unique ways to utilize the contraption.

 

       “It’s electro Hip-Hop soul,” Diddy told InTouch Weekly about the as-yet-untitled project. “T-Pain gave me permission to use the vocoder, the Auto-Tune, and he showed me various tricks that nobody knows but him and myself.”       

       Ever since T-Pain resurrected the Auto-Tune from two years ago from its groundbreaking run with Roger Troutman in the early 80s, the device has become a must-have in hip hop by such artists as Lil Wayne (“Lollipop”), Kanye West (“Love Lockdown”), Snoop Dogg (“Sexual Seduction”), and G Unit (“Rider Pt. 2”).

Naomi denies pregnancy; Freeman No. 2 fake prez; Diddy’s L’Uomo Vogue cover; Solange gets ‘Ghost October 24, 2008

Naomi Campbell’s lawyers are targeting the New York Post after it reported rumors that she may be pregnant. The 38-year-old, who’s dating Russian billionaire Vladislav Doronin, recently told the Daily Mail: “I’d love to have a baby. It’s every woman’s dream and I feel that’s a huge part of my life that I’m yet to experience.” However, her lawyers tell Page Six that rumors of an actual pregnancy are “absolutely false and fabricated.”

 

       *Morgan Freeman ranks No. 2 in Moviefone.com’s new list of the top 10 movie presidents who Americans would vote into office. Freeman won for his role in the 1998 film “Deep Impact.” Harrison Ford topped the list for 1997’s “Air Force One.” The rest of the list is as follows: 3. Michael Douglas – “The American President (1995); 4. Bill Pullman – “Independence Day” (1996); 5. Kevin Kline – “Dave” (1993); 6. Dennis Quaid – “American Dreamz” (2006); 7. Bruce Greenwood – “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” (2003); 8. James Cromwell – “The Sum of All Fears (2002); 9. Jack Nicholson – “Mars Attacks” (1996); 10. Jeff Bridges – “The Contender” (2000)

 

       *Sean “Diddy” Combs appears on the October cover for L’Uomo Vogue’s Music Issue. Inside, the mogul talks about the presidential election, the importance of voting, his many successful businesses and the evolution of inspiration in creating music. Famed photographer, Mark Seliger, shot Diddy in a variety of styles from such designers as Tom Ford, Roberto Cavalli, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren Black Label and Diddy’s own Sean John, among others.

 

       *Solange will be featured on CBS’s “The Ghost Whisperer” starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, tonight (Oct. 24) at 8 p.m. The episode, shot on The Queen Mary, showcases Solange performing “6 O’Clock Blues,” a collaboration with Motown legend, Lamont Dozier.

Diddy Buys Out Clothing Line Enyce October 22, 2008

Mogul sets to bring streetwear brand back to life

Sean “Diddy” Combs has announced today that he’s bought out the popular streetwear clothing line ENYCE from Liz Claiborne Inc.

“Enyce is a brand that I have always admired, and they have been a very important player in the young men’s sportswear arena for over a decade. I am really excited to bring it into our portfolio of brands that already includes Sean John and Zac Posen,” Diddy said in a release. “Given our track record of success in marketing products such as Ciroc Vodka, Unforgivable by Sean John, and all of our television titles, I look forward to adding our expertise to an already hot fashion line. Our long-term plan is to grow the Enyce brand through innovative marketing, expansion of the menswear and boy’s lines, and launching into new licensing categories.”

The Sean John owner says that in spite of the current economic woes, he’s confident the purchase was a great investment. “The current economic climate may be challenging, but we believe it is also an opportunity, and we are really excited to add Enyce to our lineup.”

DIDDY EYING ‘T LA ROCK’ FILM? October 20, 2008

Sean “Diddy” Combs was spotted at New York’s Nobu 57 last week with execs involved in a film about old-school rapper Terry “T La Rock” Keaton.       

       The project was written by Antwone Fisher and will have Oscar winner Denzel Washington in the director’s chair. According to the New York Post, the rap mogul dined with stage director Jerry Zaks and casting director Bonnie Timmerman.       

       The story follows the life of the Def Jam star through 1994, when Keaton suffered a traumatic brain injury while breaking up a fight in The Bronx. Keaton eventually regained his memory and motor skills.       

Terry ‘T La Rock’ Keaton

       In other Diddy news, cops in Miami Beach cited him for blasting his music too loudly while driving his Jeep. 

 

       According to TMZ.com, the music was so loud that Diddy didn’t hear initial orders to turn it down. When he didn’t comply with the command, police pulled him over and gave him a ticket of about $100.

 

DANITY’S DAWN DENIES SOLO RUMORS October 20, 2008

 

      During Tuesday’s live finale of “Making the Band 4,” Diddy fired Aubrey O’Day and D. Woods from the group, leaving speculation over the fate of remaining members Richard, Shannon Bex and Aundrea Fimbres.

 

       She told Essence magazine: “It’s so interesting how the media chooses to interpret or report things. I have never said that I was pursuing a solo deal. I told someone that I have waited so long for my dream, and singing is my dream and has been for so long. I have done nothing on the side as far as solo projects. I’m not sidestepping.”       

       Instead of asking her about solo projects, “Everyone should ask Puff if that’s what he has in line for me,” she suggested. “If he does, then I’m honored and I will work hard, as I’ve always done. Who knows what can happen, because Puff changes his mind every five seconds. I’m going to work hard. I’m going to be the same person I was in the beginning.”       

       Richard says she has always remained loyal to the group, even when other members were actively pursuing other endeavors.— most notably O’Day.       

       “I have totally been supportive of the group — that’s my priority,” she said. “We had shows where Aubrey didn’t show up, and we had her back and no one wrote about it or said anything.”       

       “Some of the other girls have pursued their interests, and I have sat back and supported them in their individual pursuits,” she continued. “It truly hurts my feelings, because I work so hard, and I’ve been so honest from the beginning. Again, my priority has always been Danity Kane. I’ve never missed a show or meeting, so it’s just interesting how people perceive things. I can only put it in God’s hands.”