Archive for the ‘Tell Me When To Go’ Category

R. Kelly and Brother: Not Each Others Keeper

Friday, March 24th, 2006

Repost from Yahoo Launch

R. Kelly’s Not So Brotherly Love

03/23/2006 3:48 PM, E! Online
Sarah Hall

R. Kelly’s brother, Carey, believes he can’t lie.

The “Trapped in the Closet” singer’s younger sibling has released a low-budget DVD on which he accuses his brother of trying to get him to commit perjury, according to MTV News.

According to Carey Kelly, his brother wanted him to take the fall by claiming that he was actually the star of the infamous sex tape that prompted child-pornography charges against R. Kelly.

On the DVD, released Tuesday, Carey Kelly alleges that his more famous brother offered him $50,000, a house and a record contract if he would agree to testify that he appeared on the tape, but that he turned the offer down because he did not want to lie.

“I got a call about a year and a half ago,” Carey claims on the DVD, produced by Drahma Magazine. “My brother wanted me to do some s–t pertaining to this case that would leave me behind bars with a record deal. It doesn’t make sense, so I turned it down.

“Since I couldn’t lie for him in a court of law, we’re back to beefing again, and we ain’t brothers no more.”

The rumor that R. Kelly planned to finger his look-alike brother as the star of the sex tape first circulated several years back, but the R&B star’s lawyers denied that the ploy was part of their defense strategy.

Carey Kelly also claims that his brother beats his wife, Andrea; tried to molest their other brother’s daughter; molested their 12-year-old second cousin; and–oh yeah–that he’s bisexual.

“He trapped in the closet for real,” Carey Kelly said in a radio interview with New York’s Hot 97.

A spokesperson for R. Kelly declined to comment on the allegations, beyond calling them “ridiculous.”

“This is not the first time Carey has made ridiculous accusations against his brother,” the spokesperson told MTV News. “We’re not going to dignify them with a comment.”

Though Carey Kelly claims all of his allegations can be proven, his own credibility isn’t the strongest, seeing as he was recently released from prison on theft charges. He also openly holds a grudge against his brother, whom he claims owes him royalties for his contributions to several tracks on the 1993 album 12 Play.

For his part, R. Kelly has pleaded innocent to the charges against him.

His case continues in a Chicago courtroom on Apr. 7.

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KRS One Teaches Stanford What Keep it Real Hip Hop Is

Tuesday, March 7th, 2006

“KRS One is just the 1 to lead a crew right up to your face and diss you!”

The TeachaKRS-OneBusy B, DJ Styles, KRS One, Joseph

I had never seen KRS One, The Teacha, live in person, performing or speaking ever. I was looking forward to seeing him on a roundtable discussion, Know-The-Ledge: Hiphop Scholarship Meets Hiphop Media which took place Saturday, March 4th, 2006 at Stanford University. KRS was featured on an afternoon panel titled “I am Hiphop,” a reference to the bold pronouncement he made about himself over a decade ago. I was troubled when he first made that statement because as a Left Coaster he was making me feel excluded. I have since worked through that issue and decided that “I am Hip Hop” even though I’ve never set foot down in the Boogie Down Bronx. I have lived Hip Hop’s story and all who have lived it are Hip Hop. I always envision a setting like the end of Spike Lee’s biopic, “X” where all the kids stand up and exclaim “I am Malcolm X” instead they will be shouting “I am Hip Hop” in my scene.

KRS One commanded the building when he stood up, with his statuesque, big body frame. He grasped the mic and affirmed that he IS “still” Hip Hop, he is the Leader of Hip Hop, at some point he seemed to state that Hip Hop started in the Bronx, a duly noted fact, and that if you weren’t there, you are not Hip Hop. He offended those that weren’t from the Bronx and made the Bronx natives staunchly defend themselves. He then waffled on whether those who go to college were Hip Hop or not. I know I was listening to BDP’s “You Must Learn” in high school as I prepared for college. He was joined by Busy B, an oldschool Hiphopper who had a great battle over 20 years ago. Together they sounded like George Gervin and Bernard King complaining that they didn’t get their shine on like Kobe and T-Mac do today. Different times, eras, and places, get over it. LIFE AIN’T FAIR!

But the Blastmaster saved his best barbs for Adisa Banjoko, The Bishop of Hip Hop. The two men seem to have had a personal disagreement or misunderstanding and KRS decided to air it right there, in public, at Stanford University. He called Adisa a FBI agent, spy, an enemy of Hip Hop, agent provecutor, terrosist, and threatened to jump across the table and kick his ass. In true male bravado and Hip Hop fashion, Adisa, an avid Martial Artist implored Mr. Stop The Violence to “Bring it on!” That’s keep it real Hip Hop right there. (more…)

Posted in Hip Hop, Tell Me When To Go | 1 Comment »

Damon Wayans wants to Trademark the “N” Word

Friday, February 24th, 2006

Reposted From Wired News 

By Rogers Cadenhead
02:00 AM Feb, 23, 2006

Damon Wayans

The actor Damon Wayans has been engaged in a 14-month fight to trademark the term “Nigga” for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s online database reveals. 

Wayans wants to dress customers in 14 kinds of attire from tops to bottoms, and use the controversial mark on “clothing, books, music and general merchandise,” as well as movies, TV and the internet, according to his applications.

But, so far, his applications have been unsuccessful. Trademark examiner Kelly Boulton rejected the registration dated Dec. 22, citing a law that prohibits marks that are “immoral or scandalous.” A previous attempt by Wayans was turned down on identical grounds six months earlier.

“While debate exists about in-group uses of the term, ‘nigga’ is almost universally understood to be derogatory,” Boulton wrote to Wayans’ attorney, William H. Cox, according to the application.

Cox and other representatives of the actor did not respond to interview requests about the registration.

Wayans can appeal the rejection, but experts in trademark law differ on his chances for success.

Lynda Zadra-Symes, a trademark lawyer in California, said Wayans may be successful. She compared “Nigga” to the successful registration of Dykes on Bikes. (more…)

Posted in Blackness, Tell Me When To Go | 10 Comments »