Jack the Club

A 14-year-old teen is resting easy in the strong arms of Child Protection Services after serving a four year stint as a prisoner in his own home.

37-year-old LaRhonda McCall has been charged with 20 counts of child abuse and neglect after her teenage son “escaped” from a closet that she locked him in for nearly 4½ years.
Police were alerted to the situation after the teen made his way to a National Guard facility in Oklahoma City and caught the attention of a security guard on duty. 

“He was hungry. He was dirty. He had numerous scars on his body,” said Sergeant Gary Knightsaid, the first member of law enforcement to arrive on location.

Wearing only a pair of oversized shorts kept in place by a belt, the boy was severely malnourished, a fact slightly less shocking than the origin of his scars and bruises. Police say the teen told them that some scarring occurred from being choked, hit with an extension chord, and from being tied up. The more prevalent marks, located on his stomach and torso, are the result of repeatedly being doused in alcohol and set on fire.

McCall and an accomplice, 38-year-old Steve Vern Hamilton, are both being held on $400,000 bond. Six other children that were living at home were taken by the Department of Human Services.
They have not shown any signs of abuse.

Mayor Eric Brewer has to regret the day that he came out of the closet so to speak, lambasting a local television station for airing out his sequin-laced dirty laundry.

Coming less than a week before he faces poll goers via a voting booth, the mayor of East Cleveland has been sited in rare form; looking fabulous in an amber wig and Jimmy Choo's.

In a move lambasted by Brewer, WKYC's Channel 3 was the first media outlet to shed light on the startling revelation, sending the picture and subsequent mayoral race into the stratosphere.

Reading a statement outside his campaign headquarters, the incumbent mayor vented his frustration with the event via a statement that left more questions than answers.

“I had not seen any of the pictures until WKYC's broadcast yesterday evening.” To date, he has refused to say or deny whether the person pictured is him.

Members of Brewer's campaign have named his opponent, City Council President Gary Norton, as their chief suspect into their search to find whomever leaked and circulated the photos.

Mayor Brewer is also looking into whether police involvement may have played a part in the affair due mainly to the firing of multiple officers during his freshman term.

Former Mayor of East Cleveland, Saratha Googins, says that she knew of the picture for years.
Speaking to WKYC, the woman defeated by Brewer nearly four years ago explained how she knows it is in fact East Cleveland's current leader in drag.

“It's him, alive and well,” said Goggins. “The guy got demon eyes. You can't put them on a woman.”

According to the Chicago Tribune, 3 teens have been charged in the brutal beating death of 16-year-old honor roll student Derrion Albert as he walked home from school through the Roseland neighborhood of far South Side Chicago last Thursday (9/24).

The three teens charged with first-degree murder are Silvanus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, and Eric Carson, 16, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. All 3 will be tried as adults.

The three were caught on video wielding 2-by-4 wooden boards which they used to strike Albert repeatedly about the head causing massive head injuries during a melee involving students from Fenger Academy High School. Albert was pronounced dead three hours later at a local hospital.

Four others are being questioned in the assault. Joe Walker, Albert’s grandfather who helped raise him from a baby, said police expect to arrest 6 or 7 people in the case.

Six Connecticut women are facing assault charges for attacking a Westchester County woman for her amateurish karaoke performance at a bar, police said Friday. Leidy Alcantara, 25, was singing “A Dios Le Pido” by Colombian superstar Juanes on Wednesday night when suspect Kiana Strickland, 20, began heckling her, cops said. “I was singing the song in Spanish, and some girl said I was very annoying,” Alcantara told the Daily News. “I didn’t know she was talking to me, and I said, ‘Excuse me, are you talking to me?’”

“‘Yeah, you’re very annoying,’” Alcantara quoted Strickland as saying. “Then she said something else and punched me in my face,” Alcantara said. Stamford Police Lt. Sean Cooney said, “The verbal exchange didn’t go well.” Strickland slapped Alcantara, and then her five friends joined in, kicking, punching and pulling Alcantara’s hair, police said. “I was covering my face on the floor, crying, feeling all the punching and kicking,” Alcantara said. “I felt the pain all over my body.” Alcantara was treated for bruises and a chipped tooth and was released from Stamford Hospital, police said.

All six women – two 20-year-olds and four 19-year-olds from Stamford and Norwalk – were charged with misdemeanor assault, conspiracy to commit assault and breach of peace.

“What she’s saying is a lie. No one attacked her. No one jumped her,” suspect Michelle Rosedom said. “This wasn’t about her singing, it was about her putting her hands on one of the girls, and a fight started. All we were doing was eating wings,” Rosedom said. “We weren’t even drinking, she was. And now we’re facing three charges. I didn’t even touch her.”

The six suspects were released on $500 bond and are due in court Oct. 5. Alcantara’s lawyer Darnell Crosland said he plans to sue the six women and the sports bar. “Bar fights in general tend to be about really stupid stuff, and this appears to be the most stupid,” Cooney said.

Johnson publishing has had a rough time with keeping their publications a float during the recession and now it seems their most prized possession Ebony Magazine is seeking investors to keep the mag from shutting down.

Linda Johnson Rice the current CEO and daughter of late Founder John H. Johnson, has had a rough year of layoffs, cutbacks and hard decisions in order to keep the multi-publishing company afloat.  Yet with all the cutbacks and layoffs, Rice is still facing the closure of Ebony Magazine, if she can’t find enough investors to invest in the magazine.  According to sources, Rice has sought out investments from Time Inc., Viacom, and private investors.  Time Inc., the world’s largest periodical publisher which already owns Essence and Viacom which is home to MTV, BET and other major networks, declined comment.

Sources say that Rice is definitely trying to keep the publication in-house because of its historical roots in the black community and she would rather get investors than put the magazine up for sale.  With Ebony’s advertising taking a decline for the past  three consecutive years, the hope of keeping the magazine apart of Johnson publishing may be a far reach.

Rapper Fabolous was rushed to the hospital on Saturday (September 26), after he believed he was poisoned. It was possibly food poisoning.
Rumors of his hospitalization over the weekend, after fans and friends offered prayers on their Twitter pages, saying the rapper had been in an accident. But, Fab took to his own Twitter account later to explain.

The rapper said he had "started feeling very sick" while driving, so he pulled over, called an ambulance and was rushed to the hospital.

"I was not in a car accident, but I think i know where it started," Fab tweeted. "I was drivin' yesterday morning and started feeling very sick and felt like I was gon pass out while driving. I veered off two the side of the road, had a ambulance called and they picked me up from the side of the road. Maybe that's where the car accident confusion came from."

Shortly after he further elaborated, revealing that he thinks he was poisoned, but didn't explain much further.

"Believed I was poisoned, so I checked in and was given medical treatment," Fabolous wrote. "A lil sedated, so I didn't tweet but was released to go late last night."
Fans, there's no need to worry, Fab is just fine. He's says he "just a lil sick" and he's going to "shake it off."

Grammy winner Wyclef Jean is going to college to further his education.

“I am enrolling in Berklee College in Boston to get my bachelor’s degree in music! That’s how important education is to me. I plan to work with Rev. Al Sharpton because that’s how important stressing the importance of education to children is to me,” the musician announced during the Congressional Black Caucus Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, DC on Saturday.

The former member of the hip-hop collective The Fugees was presented the George Collins Award for Community Service for his work as a Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti.

“I’m also not running for president of Haiti,” Jean emphasized during his speech, before adding: “Though I wish my uncle would.”

The Cleaveland Show made it’s debut last night and raked in 9.2 million viewers placing it in at second fro adult television on a Sunday night.  Which isn’t too shabby considering it was up against Desperate Housewives and Sunday Night Football. We’re glad blacks have something to watch besides reality TV.  The Cleveland Show comes on Sundays on FOX.

 
Baby, Mack Maine, Wayne and other members of the Cash Money crew are seen celebrating Lil Wayne's 27th birthday in a hotel room.

In addition to enjoying a diamond encrusted birthday cake, the rappers pop champagne, while Baby shows off his new tatt.

The clip features the Cash Money CEO showing off a huge tattoo down his right arm that reads “9-27-82,” Lil Wayne’s birthday.

Lil Wayne sports the new Chopard watch the Baby purchased, which is reportedly worth $1 million dollars.

EVE revealed that she has permanently shut down her Fetish clothing line.  YBF reported a while back that she was in the midst of revamping the line for a re-release possibly under a different name and under a different company.  But she says everything has completely ended due to “legal reasons”

Eve confirmed that she has indeed left her label Geffen Records.  Which means her album Flirt won’t be seeing the light of day anytime soon.  It was supposed to be released two years ago.  She says she’s still working on some things but is a “free agent” as of right now. She’s in the upcoming Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page movie Whip It! and will be guest starring on “Glee”.

NY DailyNews---Life on the D-list isn't so bad for Khloe Kardashian: The reality TV "star" is set to make a hefty sum from her wedding to the Lakers' Lamar Odom.
Sources say OK! magazine is about to shell out $300,000 for an exclusive on the Sunday nuptials, besting lesser offers from Us Weekly and People.

But Odom won't be making a dime off the deal, according to a Kardashian family insider. The source says that Khloe will pocket all the cash — with a cut going to her manager-mom, Kris, of course.

Alexander Amosu claims to have created the world’s most expensive diamond encrusted BlackBerry, crafted in solid 18 carat yellow gold and encrusted with 4,459 brilliant cut diamonds (weighing 28.43 carats).

The handset is personalized with your name or company logo and comes with a 24-hour global concierge service. Only three diamond-encrusted BlackBerrys will ever be made, and of which one handset costing $200,366 has already been sold to a client in the Middle East.

Rick Ross was just handed a temporary child support order until the matter between he and baby mama Tia [the one who's down with 50 Cent] can be settled. Tia told the judge Rick hasn't given her a dime for their son in over two years. Now Rick has to cough up a monthly amount [unknown] as well as medical expenses. Rick was also granted visitation.

This is Robert Melia, a Moorestown police officer who video taped himself getting brain from a few calves. He also did some things to underage girls: 

During a bizarre hearing yesterday, a Superior Court judge dismissed animal-cruelty charges against a Moorestown police officer accused of sticking his penis into the mouths of five calves in rural Southampton in 2006, claiming a grand jury couldn’t infer whether the cows had been “tormented” or “puzzled” by the situation or even irritated that they’d been duped out of a meal. 

“They [children] enjoy the act of suckling,” the judge said. “Cows may be of a different disposition.” 

Burlington County Assistant County Prosecutor Kevin Morgan was certainly irritated by the ruling, claiming the grand jury didn’t see the videos of the alleged incident, including one in which one hungry calf allegedly head-butts Melia in the stomach. 

“I think any reasonable juror could infer that a man’s penis in the mouth of a calf is torment,” Morgan argued. “It’s a crime against nature.” 

Morley said it was questionable whether Melia’s alleged crimes against cows, although “disgusting,” fit the definitions in the animal-cruelty statute. “I’m not saying it’s OK,” Morley said. “This is a legal question for me. It’s not a question of morals. It’s not a question of hygiene. It’s not a question of how people should conduct themselves.” 

Sex with cows is the least of Melia’s problems, though. 

He and former girlfriend, Heather Lewis, of Pemberton Township, are also accused of sexually assaulting three young girls over a five-year period, sometimes in Melia’s Cottage Avenue home in Moorestown, where he was a patrolman, authorities said. Melia has been suspended from the force, said a spokesman with the Prosecutor’s Office. Melia and Lewis were both arrested in April 2008, shortly after one of the girls told her stepfather of the alleged abuse. During the course of the investigation, authorities also discovered child pornography on Melia’s home computer as well as videos of him with the cows. Morley also ruled yesterday that the prosecution must turn over copies of images and videos from the computer to the defense, including one video that allegedly shows one of the girls being “subjected to sexual activity.”

Lewis, who also appeared in court yesterday, is also accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile male. Morley denied a defense motion to have Lewis’s individual sexual assaults separated from Melia’s case. Melia, Lewis and their attorneys declined to comment after the hearing.

Morgan, the prosecutor, said in court that the owner of the cows was “very upset” by the incident.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn't something young MCs aspire to like they do in, say, the NFL or NBA, but there's still something to be said for mainstream recognition on that level.


The 2009 nominees have been announced. You have your usual rockers (The Stooges, KISS) and chart-toppers (ABBA, Red Hot Chili Peppers), but there's one very familiar hip hop name on the list of 12 too- L.L. Cool J. With a resumé that goes well beyond album sales, L.L. seems like a shoe-in for enshrinement in Cleveland.

The induction will take place next spring. Here's the full roster of noms:
ABBA
Darlene Love
Donna Summer
Genesis
Jimmy Cliff
KISS
Laura Nyro
LL Cool J
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Chantels
The Hollies
The Stooges

"50 cent you a b***h n***a when you seen me at the vma 09 it was all fun and games. N*gga when i left out that b***h i heard you was talkin sour n*gga yo career is ova n*gga i heard ya lil b****h a$$ diss record that s**twas wack.  All i gotta say is you done f**k up n*gga you wanted beef b***h a$$ n*gga you done found it sucker ass n*gga you think yo song was something n*gga.  Imma have yo hoe ass cryin...Ya im done talkin yall look out for my diss single coming soon im out this b***h grand hustle all day for you weak ass n***as"

After a public bankruptcy and fall from elite producer status, a reinvigorated Scott Storch is looking to make a comeback.

In a recent interview with Details Magazine, Storch revealed how his cocaine addiction and lavish spending lend to the dissolution of a $70 million empire grossed through hits from Beyonce, Chris Brown, Dr. Dre, and various others.

“"I was clubbing, drunk, and had more money than I knew what to do with,” Storch admitted. “We'd be at a club and I'd decide to take everyone to Las Vegas. Do more coke, f**k a bunch of girls. Be up for two days and decide at 11AM in the morning to go buy a Rolls-Royce. I probably bought 10 cars when I was high.”

Last year, Storch’s financial woes became public via news that his $10 million dollar Palm Beach, Florida mansion was in danger of foreclosure.

With the housing market in shambles and $7 million remaining on the mortgage, Storch elected to move in with a friend while hoping a miracle sale happens.

"I was burning through about $250,000 a month, mostly on partying. I was spending money I had no business spending,” he stated. Aside from the money issues, Storch is now attempting to rebuild his industry reputation.

To that end, he’s secured recent production for Chris Brown, Usher, Gucci Mane, and Jennifer Hudson.

For Storch, the focus is now proving to major labels his sound can still be viable in today’s market.

"People have too short a memory," he explained. “People will see that everything is intact.” This year, Storch has already placed production for The Game, Ludacris, NeYo, Mario, and Robin Thicke.

A bruised and bewildered Mesac Damas is seen in this photo taken at the Port-au-Prince police station yesterday in Haiti.

As he was escorted down a hallway to his cell, he shouted “I don’t want no pain, no suffering.”
According to the Miami Herald, Damas, 33, was taken into custody yesterday afternoon (9/21) by the Haitian National police who found him hiding in a home next to the hotel where he was staying. Damas reportedly told police “I was going to turn myself in. You see I’ve got my suit on and everything,” and he told a reporter he returned to the island nation “mostly to say goodbye to my family.”

Damas fled to his native Haiti one day before Naples, Florida police found his wife Guerline, 32, and their five children dead in their home on Saturday (9/19). Family members say their throats had been slit.

Haiti police didn’t say how they located Damas, or what his movements were between Friday and yesterday when he was caught. There also was no word on whether family members in Haiti helped harbor the fugitive who has not been charged in the murders.

Guerline Damas’ family had put up a $10,000 reward for information on Damas’ whereabouts.
The Damas’s lived together for 10 years and were married two years ago. Friends and family said the couple had a history of domestic violence and Damas was once arrested for domestic abuse.
Naples police are working with the FBI and Haitian authorities to extradite Damas back to the U.S.

According to INF Daily blog, an enraged Amy Winehouse stormed into a North London school ranting and raving at a kid who was bullying her bi-racial goddaughter Dionne Bromfield.


Amy caught up with the bully inside the school and began swearing and eventually spitting on the child. The altercation continued outside the school, where, witnesses say the 26-year-old former addict began hurling abuse at the child’s fellow students, who we assume came to her defense. The tirade ended when a concerned onlooker stepped between Amy and the children.

Shows what time and dedication can bring....

It's been a while since you've heard Charles Hamilton's name, and some sources are saying that is for good reason as word on the street is that he has been dropped from his label, Interscope Records.

Although there has been on confirmation from the label or Hamilton to date, numerous internet reports are claiming the New York native has been fired from his spot at Interscope, the home of several big named acts including Timbaland, Soulja Boy, and Eminem. 

According to the folks over at RapRadar, the Hamliton was given his walking papers just "a few days ago."

During his brief tenure at the label, Hamilton made headlines for quickie beef with Soulja Boy.

"Gotta couple cartoon characters, you know, got my name in their mouth -- the boy about to start crying in the interview," SB said in a video laugh last year. "This just not goes out to Charles Hamilton, the Sonic Man, this not him, this goes out to all the rappers out there man...I'd rather take the positive route and not get into beef...It's not my fault -- that whatever you got going on ain't going right, you know what I'm saying? You gonna have to go back to the drawing board, ya feel me, grab the magic marker, 'X' out the Sonic and you might wanna just f*ck with Mario." 

He was also the publicly ridiculed after footage of him being assaulted by a female made its rounds online.

This is what I think of it!

Another hip-hop great has passed. Roc Raida died over the weekend.
The news was revealed by Busta Rhymes, via Twitter (@BusaBusss), early morning September 19.

"I am sorry to say that on this day at 2:05, September 19th, we lost another incredible life. DJ Roc Raida die today. My personal DJ is gone," Busta tweeted.
In August, the late DJ (real name: Anthony Williams) was hospitalized as a result of a spinal injury. While reports were sketchy regarding the incident, the hip-hop industry began a campaign wishing the great DJ a speedy recovery.
He was said to be on the road to recovery. However, Roc Raida suffered from complications early Saturday morning and passed.

"Raida was recently in an mixed martial arts accident, something that he has been practicing for several years," a statement from his family read. "Although he had under gone two surgeries with great success, he was released to an inpatient physical therapy facility and was in great spirits the past few days. This morning he started to have complications and passed. The family asks for privacy at this time."

Roc Raida was a member of the popular DJ collective The X-Ecutioners, whose line-up consisted of founder Rob Swift, Total Eclipse, Mista Sinista and Roc Raida (Steve Dee, DJ Boogie Blind and DJ Precision were also members at various times).

During his career, he won many awards including the 1995 DMC World DJ Championship.
He is survived by his wife, three lovely daughters, mother and friends.

Despite worries of ring rust from his 21-month lay-off from boxing, Floyd Mayweather proved he hasn't lost a step in a decision over Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday night (September 19) in Las Vegas.

From the beginning, it was an exciting fight that almost became a short fight when "Money" Mayweather dropped Marquez in the second round with a short left hook. Despite going down quickly, it was Mayweather's speed that Marquez had trouble with more than power.
It still went the 12 rounds though with Mayweather winning a unanimous decision with scores of 118-109, 120-107, 119-108.

"He's a great little man. He was really hard to fight and he kept taking some unbelievable shots," Mayweather said. "When I dropped him with that shot, which I don' t think he saw, he got back up and kept on fighting."

In the later rounds, Marquez was reduced to taking potshots from Mayweather over and over again.
"I've been off for two years, so I felt like it took me a couple rounds to really know I was back in the ring again. I know I'll get better," Mayweather said. "Marquez is as tough as nails."
Marquez is tough as nails and has been regarded as one of the two best pound-for-pound fighters coming into the bout. However, he was significantly undersized.

He's been a featherweight for most of his 16-year career, never fighting above 135 pounds. Saturday's bout was supposed to take place at 144 pounds, but instead the weight limit was changed before Friday's weigh-in because Mayweather was over. He paid a $600,000 penalty, or $300,000 per pound, to the Nevada Boxing Commission.

The bout was Mayweather's first since his December 2007 knockout win of then-undefeated Ricky Hatton. He easily defeated Hatton, and called it a day, leaving the sport until his comeback this week.
He improved to 40-0-0 and still remains undefeated.

Marquez's last fight was against Juan Diaz, who he knocked out seven months again in the lightweight divison. He falls to 50-5-1.

"It was a very hard fight. He surprised me with the first knockdown. He hurt me in that round, but not any other time," Marquez said. "I don't want to make any excuses, but the weight was the problem.
"He's too fast. When I hit him he would laugh but I knew he felt my punches. I tried to work the speed, but the difference was the weight. If I had three or four fights at this weight I would've done better," he continued.

Watch the Fight:
 

Amber Rose is the new face of ‘Boadicea The Victorious’ and upcoming new fragrance by Michael Boadi. This picture was taken on Friday night in London at the Launch Party(September 19th)

Universal Motown will be releasing Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite III on Tuesday. This third batch, in an inventive series of five, pays homage to the world's greatest entertainer with remixes of his solo and Jackson 5 hits like the Akon-produced "Ben" and "Who's Lovin You," touched up by No ID.

Other installments in the series will feature remixes from the likes of Polow Da Don and The Neptunes.
Each Suite will feature five songs and will be released every two weeks through Oct. 20.

Ruff Ryders reunite on this remix of Jadakisss track, Eve, Drag-On, Styles P, Sheek Louch & DMX. Good to see em all back

NONFICTION
1. "Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin" by Kathy Griffin (Ballantine Books)
2. "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck, and Sidonie Coryn (Alfred A. Knopf)
3. "Culture of Corruption: Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies" by Michelle Malkin (Regnery Publishing)
4. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown and Company)
5. "In the President's Secret Service: Behind the Scenes with Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect" by Ronald Kessler (Crown)
6. "The Conversation: How Black Men and Women can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships" by Hill Harper (Gotham)
7. "StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Tom Rath (Gallup Press)
8. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
9. "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment" by Steve Harvey (Amistad)

10. "The 50th Law" by 50 Cent and Robert Greene (HarperStudio)

11. "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity" by Bill O'Reilly (Broadway)
12. "Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto" by Mark R. Levin (Threshold Editions)
13. "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall (Knopf)
14. "Strength in What Remains" by Tracy Kidder (Random House)
15. "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (Knopf)

"Coulda let the dream killers, kill my self esteem,
Or use the arrogance as a steam that power my dreams,
And my ego"

It's not bad, but after the first Disaster with Dallas Austin, we know that this song can never be done live.

Kia Shine owns 25% of Drakes song "The Best I Ever Had" and got 3 BMI Awards for it....

Katherine Jackson will receive $86,804.00 a month to care for Michael Jackson's 3 children, with $26,804.00 going directly to Mrs. Katherine and the remaining $60,000.00 designated for the kids.

LeBron James is going to be playing himself in the Universal Pictures comedy Fantasy Basketball Camp.

"I initially sought LeBron out because my 8-year-old son, Thomas, and I were just dying to meet him, but I felt that beyond being one of the world's great superstar athletes,” says Camp producer Briaz Grazer.

“Here was someone so relaxed and comfortable with himself that he would have the capability to be that way onscreen.”

Fantasy Basketball Camp follows five guys from different backgrounds who attend King James’ hoops camp in Las Vegas. After meeting their hero, they somehow drag the 2008-09 NBA MVP into their own personal lives, which are filled with comedy and sadness.

The movie, which will be James’ first feature film, will come out next summer.