50 Cent’s Web site claimed that he had been deemed innocent of any involvement in the fire that destroyed his house on Long Island last May–but Suffolk County police aren’t so quick to say that Curtis was in the clear: “The investigation is still ongoing,” Suffolk County PD arson squad commander James Rooney told MTV News. “I don’t know where they got that information, but our case is still open and ongoing.” [MTV] More »
The four men behind Swedish file-swapping hub The Pirate Bay have been found guilty of violating copyright law, and they’ve been sentenced to one year in jail and fined 30 million kronor, which comes out to about $3.6 million. The hubristic guys running the site have not only compared themselves to Daniel from The Karate Kid, they’ve stated once again that they will ultimately win because they are on the side of righteousness–and besides, they’re just facilitating file-swapping. But is that really the case? More »
So Eric Carmen pleaded “no contest” to a drunk driving charge yesterday, the result of an incident wherein he got drunk-ish (three times the legal limit!) and drove his car into a fire hydrant outside of Cleveland. Starting April 25, the “Hungry Eyes” singer will spend a month in jail. Wait, “Hungry Eyes” singer? Don’t you mean the “All By Myself” singer, Lucas? Nope. According to the Associated Press, the Cleveland rocker’s contribution to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack is his most enduring legacy. Here is a quick scan of headlines out there:
A Los Angeles jury has found famed record producer Phil Spector guilty in the 2003 murder of actress Lana Clarkson. Spector has been found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury of six men and six women, who began deliberations on March 26.
Here’s Chris Brown in a Los Angeles courtroom… More »
A judge has sentenced T.I. to one year and one day in prison for being found guilty of federal weapons charges, a sentence that’s in line with the plea deal the MC struck with authorities one year ago. T.I.—real name Clifford Harris—has 6-8 weeks to turn himself in to prison, and he can whittle his sentence to the under-300-day mark if he’s well-behaved while in the pokey. His community-service tour over the last year, which totaled 1,006 hours and included stops at schools and a show on MTV, may result in other offenders being given “experimental” sentences, even if they’re not famous!
The summer before between high school and the beginning of my brief college experience, I waited tables at a senior citzen home’s cafeteria, ate at T.G.I. Friday’s every night, and watched MTV Latino. That’s about it. I’m certain that MTV Latino, which seemed to only exist within my cable lineup for a few months, played the wide selection of music videos the MTV brand is known for, but I only remember three: the delightful lightweight pop of Marta Sanchez‘s “Desesperada,” Los Fabulosos Cadillacs‘ “Matador,” and Elvis Crespo‘s “Suavemente.” Now, Mr. Crespo, who I’ve managed to not really think about in the time period since that summer (except those odd moments at social functions when I yell out the song’s lyric “Suavemente… I want to touch your legs, kiss me once again”), has managed to damage my memories by getting busted masturbating on a plane.
As you may recall, F.B.T. Productions, the company which handles Mr. Marshall Mathers’ still profitable back catalog, recently went to court with Universal Music Group over digital royalties. F.B.T. claimed that the ability to mass produce digital copies from a single download meant that F.B.T. were entitled to a larger royalty rate for a song sold online than what they’re currently getting. Like…up to 50 percent. But F.B.T., Eminem, and UMG’s other artistes can apparently go kick rocks according to a Los Angeles jury, which decided the claims were bunk.
DMX, who’s currently in the midst of a 90-day stay at an Arizona prison after pleading out on theft, animal cruelty, and drug possession charges, is now facing aggravated assault charges after allegedly throwing a tray of food at a corrections officer who reprimanded him for taking food that wasn’t his. DMX (real name Earl Simmons) was already in hot water at the jail for not reporting for a work assignment and not responding to a call for medications earlier this month; he’d been placed in lockdown and on a Nutraloaf-and-water diet for violating those rules. The Republic has helpfully provided a timeline of X’s legal troubles since August 2007, when his house was raided by police, who found malnourished dogs, drugs, and weapons: