Author: JD
Judge Orders Suge Knight to Stand Trial on Murder Charge
Marion “Suge” Knight will stand trial on murder and attempted-murder charges after the former rap music mogul struck two men with his pickup truck in January, killing one and seriously injuring the other. Suge Knight Collapses in Court at Hearing Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen made the ruling Thursday after concluding a hearing that focused heavily on testimony from Cle “Bone” Sloan, who was hit outside a Compton burger stand. The judge also reduced bail from $25 million to $10 million. Sloan told detectives that he attacked Knight but testified Monday that he didn’t remember the fight and did not want to be a “snitch.” Prosecutors played Sloan’s statement to police, which offered a lucid, detailed account of the events Jan. 29 that led up to the deadly encounter. Authorities contend Knight intentionally hit the men, killing Terry Carter, 55. Knight’s attorney, Matt Fletcher, says his client was ambushed and was trying to escape Sloan’s attack when he ran over the men. Suge Knight: A Timeline of His Legal Troubles Sloan’s testimony demonstrated the difficulty in prosecuting Knight, who has gang ties and a reputation for intimidating witnesses. “I will not be used to send Suge Knight to prison,” Sloan testified, adding that he was only on the stand because he was subpoenaed. Prosecutors granted Sloan, a former gang member who’s known Knight for decades, limited immunity after he said he intended to invoke his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. Knight, 49, was a key player in the gangster rap scene that flourished in the 1990s, and his label once listed Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg among its artists. Knight lost control of the company after it was forced into bankruptcy. Sloan, an adviser on the upcoming film Straight Outta Compton, said he was trying to forget details of the crash, in which he suffered two fractured ankles, a serious cut to his head, two torn knee ligaments and a shoulder injury. “Every day, I try to forget it,” Sloan said. “I just know, I screwed up, and Terry’s dead.” Sloan’s memory troubles prompted the judge to comment on his testimony: “I find that this witness is being deceptive.” The judge also heard from the lead detective investigating the case and watched security camera footage of the crash. The camera caught a limited view of the parking lot but shows Knight struggling with Sloan through the window of his truck before putting the vehicle in reverse, striking Sloan, then hitting him again and running over Carter while fleeing the scene. Fletcher, Knight’s attorney, pressed Sloan on his feelings toward Knight and whether he was “enraged” at him on the day of the crash. Sloan said he was mad but disputed that he told detectives he was enraged. Fletcher also painted Sloan as the aggressor, saying Knight “hadn’t attacked you in any form, fashion or manner. You agree?” “Yes,” Sloan said. Knight faces up to life in prison if convicted in the case. He has prior felony convictions for armed robbery and assault with a gun. Knight pleaded no contest in 1995 and was sentenced to five years’ probation in an assault on two rap entertainers at a Hollywood recording studio in 1992. The rap figure was sentenced to prison in February 1997 for violating terms of that probation by taking part in a fight at a Las Vegas hotel hours before Shakur was fatally wounded in a drive-by attack as he rode in Knight’s car near the Strip. Shakur’s slaying remains unsolved. Prosecutors only had to present a fraction of their evidence against Knight during the preliminary hearing that began Monday.
Bow Wow REVEALS (In A Photo Spread) He & His Fiancée Live In Basement Of Mom’s Home, “It Just Makes Sense!”
If you haven’t heard, Bow Wow (aka Shad Moss) and his fiancée live in the basement of his mother’s mansion in Atlanta. Why? Well, he believes it makes sense and he wants to be close by to make sure his mother is comfortable at all times. Deets inside….. You would think by the time you reach 28-years-old, one would be ready to hightail it out of their parents’ home, especially if you’re engaged to be married AND star on a huge CBS television series. But, that’s not the case for rapper-turned-actor Bow Wow, who now likes to go by his real name, Shad Moss. The “CSI: Cyber” star recently revealed that he still lives with his mother Teresa Caldwell. In fact, he AND his fiancée, “Love & Hip Hop NY” star Erica Mena, live with his mother…in the basement! Yep, he moved home girl to the basement. But, there’s a method to his housing arrangements. The 28-year-old star says “it just makes sense” to live in the 8-bedroom Atlanta mansion because it’s huge and it’s more than enough room for the three of them. He told PEOPLE, “First of all the house is too big, but I want to make sure my mom is comfortable forever.” Apparently, the mansion is so big the basement is more like a condo. And if he decides to throw wild parties down there, his mother can still be home, and not hear a thing. “It’s like I have a condo downstairs. I’ve had 100 people there and my mom has been asleep and has never heard the music, screaming, laughter, or drinking. I mean full blown house parties downstairs while she is in the bed asleep. So I’m staying right here.” Hmph. And although they say three is a crowd, it appears to work for Shad and his family. He says often times they’ll go days without seeing his mom because that’s how spacious the mansion is. He spilled, “There’s times where I’ll be down there for three days and we don’t see each other so it’s like I’m out of town even when I’m here,” he says adding one perk of being so close to mom: “I don’t have to get in the car and drive anywhere to see her. I just come up the stairs and say, “What up, Mom.’ ” So where exactly did Bow Wow come up with this housing situation? It appears, his mentor/producer Jermaine Dupri put him on to the idea. “I remember when I first moved to Atlanta and Jermaine Dupree had the same situation. He took part of the house and his mom had the whole rest of it. I said then that I wanted to have the same set up,” said Shad. If it works for them…who are we to judge? But it IS interesting Shad likes to floss so much on the ‘Gram talking about all the money, jewelry and cars he has….
BRABUS STARTECH Pickup
The 2015 Shanghai Auto Show brings news of a new venture between automotive customizer BRABUS and affiliate company STARTECH. Making its global debut, this converted Range Rover Pickup has been kitted with 100 bespoke body parts made of aluminum, carbon and steel, complete with sizeable forged wheels that dial in at 23 inches. Aside from substantial exterior alterations, the standard engine was replaced with a five-liter, eight-cylinder supercharged variation touting 526 hp, enabling this beast of a vehicle to attain a 100 km/h speed in only 5.3 seconds.
Global Record Business Dips Slightly, U.S. Ticks Upwards In IFPI’s 2015 Report
Strong growth in the streaming market globally was not enough to counteract dips in physical and download sales, though executives remain optimistic. Strong growth in streaming and subscription uptake was not enough to prevent a modest decline in global music sales in 2014, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) annual “Digital Music Report.” Trade revenue generated by the global recorded music industry in 2014 fell by 0.4 percent to $14.97 billion. Although the rate of decline has slowed, it is the second consecutive year of falling music sales, with 2012’s 0.3 percent rise in global revenues — the first year of industry growth since 1999 — so far, at least, looking like a false dawn. IFPI CEO Frances Moore Talks Global Release Day: ‘People Have to Accept Change’ The reality is a little more complex with IFPI’s “Digital Music Report” (subtitled “Charting the Path to Sustainable Growth”) offering detailed insight into an industry that is still very much in transition. On the one hand, global digital revenues grew 6.9 percent to $6.85 billion in 2014, with revenues generated by subscription services alone climbing by 39 percent year-on-year, to total $1.57 billion. That growth was, however, offset by an 8.1 percent drop in physical sales and an 8 percent fall in download sales, both of which generate higher per unit revenues for rights holders. For the first time, digital and physical accounted for the same proportion of industry revenues, with both equaling 46 percent. Downloads still account for the bulk of global digital sales (52 percent), but revenues from subscription services now make up 23 percent of digital revenues globally, up from 18 percent in 2013. The number of paying subscribers is currently estimated at 41 million, up from 28 million the previous year and eight million when data was first compiled in 2010. U.S. Music Consumption Up 14 Percent in First Quarter, Streams Make Up Losses in Sales In 37 markets (including South Korea, Sweden and Mexico) streaming revenues have overtaken download income, while combined ad-supported and subscription streaming revenues now account for 32 percent of global digital revenues, up from 25 percent in 2013. Performance rights income also increased by 8.3 percent last year to total $948 million, and now accounts for 6 percent of total industry revenues, according to IFPI. Synchronization revenues additionally grew by 8.4 percent in 2014 to total $350 million, with France (+46.6 percent), Germany (+30.4 [percent) and Japan (+33.5 percent) all experiencing significant progress in the sector. The U.S., the world’s biggest music market, saw overall revenues increase by 2.1 percent in 2014 to total $4.9 billion, with digital topping $3.5 billion and now accounting for 71 percent of the country’s recorded music market. Taylor Swift Named IFPI Global Recording Artist of 2014 A contributing factor in that growth is, however, a change in IFPI’s reporting methodology. This year’s report is the first to count revenues collected by SoundExchange ($773.4 million in 2014, according to IFPI) as digital sales rather than performance rights income. Overall subscription income in the U.S. grew 33.5 percent year-on-year to total $490 million, while ad-supported streaming revenues climbed 21.4 percent to $220 million. That was countered by a 7.2 percent drop in download revenues, which still account for 55 percent of the U.S. digital market, or $1.9 billion. “The underlying theme here is that there is no status quo,” added Stu Bergen, Warner Recorded Music president, international, speaking at the report’s unveiling in London. “As an industry we exist in a state of perpetual innovation. We are not just adapting to change we are embracing it and making it happen,” he added citing recent Warner deals with video platforms Interlude, Vessel and Snapchat’s “Discover” platform. “This convergence of promotional and commercial platforms has helped lubricate the gears of artist development. They can start anywhere and succeed anywhere,” Bergen went on to say. Rumors of a Major Funding Round for Spotify Continue, Valuing Company at $8.4 Billion Meanwhile, IFPI CEO Frances Moore spoke out about what she termed the “value gap” that currently exists between the profits that digital platforms such as YouTube and DailyMotion generate from music content and the relatively minor revenues that they pay back to rights holders and record companies. “There is a flaw in the legislative environment that needs to be addressed,” said Moore, citing the safe harbor provisions that enable YouTube and DailyMotion to be recognized as neutral hosting services, exempt from certain aspects of copyright law. “We believe that the safe harbors that exist are being abused by companies that claim that although they are monetizing, distributing and promoting they are claiming to be mere intermediaries and we think that has to be clarified,” Moore went on to say. Bertelsmann Posts Revenue Gains, CEO Talks BMG’s Alibaba Deal: ‘You Can’t Make Money With CDs in China’ The report’s regional breakdown presents a similarly mixed picture. Other markets which experienced growth in 2014 included the world’s third-largest music market, Germany (+1.9 percent), alongside Brazil (+2.4), South Korea (+19.2 percent), Spain (+15.2 percent), China (+5.6 percent), Czech Republic (+4.6 percent), Indonesia (+16.3 percent) Markets that saw recorded music revenues report year-on-year declines include Japan (-5.5 percent), Canada (-11.3 percent), France (-3.4 percent), India (-10.1 percent) and the United Kingdom (-2.8 percent). Europe as a whole saw music revenues fall 0.2 percent. Asia’s music industry also retracted by 3.6 percent, while Latin America grew 7.3 percent. “We are at a tipping point for the industry with digital being for the first time ever in a par with physical,” said Edgar Berger, Sony Music Entertainment chairman & CEO, international, during the event. “If we keep the current trajectory, the industry will inevitably grow and there is no doubt that paid subscription will be the predominant format in the market that consumers will gravitate towards.” Berger continued: “The music industry is managing three transitions at the same time: from physical to digital; PC to mobile and download to streaming. In that context I think the industry is performing remarkably well and with a paid subscription model we are building a business that is here to stay.”
‘TRYRUSHNYC’
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Wiz Khalifa’s ‘See You Again’ Knocks ‘Uptown Funk’ Off No. 1 on Hot 100
The track, featuring Charlie Puth, rockets 10-1, halting the 14-week reign of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ ‘Uptown Funk.’ Wiz Khalifa completes a fast and furious vault to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, as “See You Again,” featuring Charlie Puth, and from the box office smash Furious 7, zooms 10-1. The song stops the command of Mark Ronson‘s “Uptown Funk!,” featuring Bruno Mars, after 14 weeks. The latter remains tied for the second-longest rule in the Hot 100’s history. Spurring its Hot 100 coronation, “Again” holds at No. 1 on the Digital Songs chart and roars to No. 1 on the Streaming Songs and On-Demand Songs charts. Plus, Walk the Moon takes one giant leap into the Hot 100’s top 10 with “Shut Up and Dance.” As we do each Wednesday, let’s run down all the songs in the top 10, and a bit beyond, on the sales/airplay/streaming-based Hot 100 (dated April 25). “Again,” released on Atlantic Records and promoted to radio by Roadrunner Promotions, is the 1,042nd No. 1 dating to the Hot 100’s Aug. 4, 1958 launch. It’s Khalifa’s second No. 1, following his debut hit, “Black and Yellow, which topped the Feb. 19, 2011, chart. Puth reigns in his first Hot 100 appearance. With the track’s 10-1 leap, “Again” makes the biggest jump to the summit since … well, the No. 1 before “Funk.” Taylor Swift’s “Black Space” bounded 13-1 on the Nov. 29, 2014 Hot 100. (The all-time record: Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” rocketed 97-1 on Feb. 7, 2009.)
Ice-T and Coco Land Daytime Talk Show, Promise to Be ‘Hip and Honest’
Ice-T and his wife Coco are no stranger to getting in front of the camera, whether it’s for the rapper’s music career, his Law & Order: SVU gig or their reality TV show, Ice Loves Coco. Now the hip-hop couple are headed to the daytime talk show circuit. The show kicks off Aug. 3 and will air on FOX stations for a three-week testing period this summer. Frank Cicha, senior VP of programming at FOX, hopes the legendary rhymer will do for daytime talk shows what he did for mainstream culture. “We see this as another attempt to do something different,” Cicha said in a statement. “Big personalities, new to the day part. Ice-T helped change popular culture. We’re trying to do the same thing for daytime.” Is America ready for their raw, in-your-face antics? The show, titled Ice & Coco, will find the West Coast MC and the men’s magazine model engaging audiences with their personal brand of funny. “It’s a fun show with our own style of hip, married humor and honesty,” they shared in a statement. Ken Werner, president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, believes the pair are perfect for the new wave of talk shows. “We are thrilled to continue our ongoing relationship with Fox attempting to develop the next generation of successful talk shows,” said Werner. Ice & Coco has all the earmarks of a success.” Ice & Coco serve as the husband and wife team’s second television run together since their E! reality show, Ice Loves Coco, ended in 2013. If that inside look at their relationship is any indication of what’s to come on their new talk show, chances are there will be lots of laughs, a few inappropriate jokes and more than a few booty references. Read More: Ice-T and Coco Promise to Be ‘Hip and Honest’ on New Daytime Talk Show | http://theboombox.com/ice-t-coco-daytime-talk-show/?trackback=tsmclip
Young Thug Changes Album Title To “Barter 6” & Schedules Performance In Lil Wayne’s Hometown
“Tha Barter 6” is slated to be released on April 17. Young Thug has renamed his upcoming album Barter 6. In addition to switching the title, Thugga took to Instagram to announce that his first show, following the album’s release, will be in Hollygrove, Louisiana. Yes, Thug is referring to the same Hollygrove neighborhood in New Orleans, Lil Wayne and Mack Maine grew up in. “YSL Carter 6 coming out Friday. First show, New Orleans, Hollygrove fuck nigga, meet me there, better yet beat me there,” Thug says in a new Instagram video, as two men stand behind him waving firearms. The “New Atlanta” rapper has been using his Instagram account to fuel his feud with Lil Wayne.After Wayne urged fans to “stop listening to songs of niggas who pose naked on their motherfucking album covers,” Thug responded by saying, “I understand that Lil Wayne is frustrated about his career and I feel him on that, but this is my idol. I would never in my life swap words with him or beef with him about nothing. This is a person that I look up to. Ha Ha.” Just a few days later, Thug uploaded a video to Instagram that features various clips of him performing while a woman narrates what seems to be shots at Wayne and his imprint. “Big killa, young nigga, young fucking money…fuck you I kill you,” she says.