PAPOOSE WILL MARRY REMY MA IN PRISON: Plus, convicted rapper urges fans to write her judge in hopes of leniency

Brooklyn rapper Papoose has confirmed to MTV News that he and Remy Ma are a couple and will marry next month despite her conviction last week on charges of assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion.

"We always wanted to keep our personal lives personal, so that's why we never went public with our relationship," he wrote in an e-mail to MTV News. "Right now, I just feel like she gotta live through me. Yes, we were scheduled to be married on a yacht April 27th. But due to circumstances beyond our control, we are now making arrangements to be married in prison."

Remy Ma, born Reminisce Smith, will appeal her case, according to Papoose. In the meantime, they are making plans for a jailhouse wedding. She's currently being held without bail until her sentencing, set for April 23.

Facing up to 25 years in prison, the rapper posted a statement on her MySpace page asking fans to write her judge letters expressing how Remy has "positively affected you, influenced you, inspired you, etc. ... in hopes that the judge will be lenient."

Papoose joins his fiancée in urging supporters to lobby the judge for leniency.

"All her supporters who feel Remy had an influence on their life should write a short letter to the judge asking for the shortest sentence possible," he wrote. "Send it to LettersForRemy@gmail.com."

YO! MTV RAPS' CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY: Occasion will be marked throughout April via special programming

*MTV is pulling out all the stops to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its landmark series "Yo! MTV Raps" next month across all of the company's platforms, reports Billboard.com.

On MTV, the show "Sucker Free" will transform into "Yo! MTV Raps," featuring classic videos amidst the current hip hop video countdown. At the end of the month, the cable network will air "Yo!" countdown shows, where the top moments from the iconic program will be revealed.

Artists scheduled to participate in the special programming include Fab 5 Freddy, Ed Lover, Andre "Dr. Dre" Brown and T-Money.

On MTV.com, "Yo! MTV Raps" will get its own hub, featuring artist interviews and giving the historical context of the show in the development of hip hop. Think.MTV.com, the network's activism site, will auction off a 12' x 15' canvas from the original "Yo! MTV Raps" set that has been signed by various artists. The proceeds will go to Music Has Power.

MTV Mobile will create themed episodes of their mobisodes, including "Sway's Hip Hop Owner's Manual," "Hood Fab," "Dances From The Hood" and "How to Show."

50 Cent's 'Blood In The Sand' Coming Soon

Beanie Sigel sent back to the slammer

By MICHAEL HINKELMAN
Philadelphia Daily News

Poor Beanie Sigel. The rapper just can't stay out of trouble with the feds.

Sigel, who spent a year in jail after being sentenced in 2004 for drug and weapons offenses, was back in federal court yesterday for violating terms of his supervised release for a third time.

Authorities said Sigel, whose real name is Dwight Grant, gave a false urine sample to probation officials on Feb. 29 and also tested positive five times earlier this month for controlled substances, including Xanax and Percocet.

The former is used to treat anxiety and the latter is typically used to treat moderate to severe pain, but is considered very addictive.

U.S. District Judge R. Barclay Surrick sentenced Sigel, 34, to three months in prison and one additional year of supervised release, which he is to continue in a drug-treatment program.

Surrick rejected a request by defense attorney Fortunato N. Perri Jr. to permit Sigel to "self-surrender," meaning that he would surrender to authorities after getting his affairs in order.

"I told you the last time if you didn't toe the line, jail was the only option," the judge said, adding that he wouldn't permit Sigel to self-surrender because he had "been given the benefit of doubt" many times before.

Sigel was taken into custody immediately.

He already was serving a six-month term in a halfway house for having previously violated supervised release last December. He took an unauthorized trip to an Atlantic City casino and consorted with a convicted felon.

At that time, Surrick sentenced Sigel to a day in jail and 18 months of supervised release, the first six months in a halfway house.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Curtis Douglas asked Surrick to put Sigel behind bars.

"Mr. Grant is a big boy and he knows what the rules are," the prosecutor said, adding, "at some point, he has to grow up."

Sigel told Surrick that he was an addict and "had a relapse" when he was sent to the halfway house in January.

As a condition of being placed in the halfway house, Sigel was not permitted to travel outside Philadelphia. He had just released a new CD called "The Solution."

As a result, he said, he had been "unable to earn the living" to which he was accustomed prior to that time.

Sigel said that his relapse had been triggered by financial pressure, that he was about to lose his house and that he couldn't travel to do big-venue concerts, the main source of his income.

He said he had performed twice at local clubs since being confined to the halfway house.

"I'm losing everything because of this situation," he said, though he admitted he had put himself in the bad situation.

Surrick said: "I've heard your explanation, but that does not excuse your conduct."

When Surrick asked about income from the sales of his CDs, Sigel explained that he only "gets 14 cents on the dollar for every CD that is sold, and that is only after the record companies get their money off the top."

It was Surrick who sentenced Sigel in 2004 to a year in prison and two years of supervised release, after Sigel pleaded guilty to weapons and drug charges.

He was acquitted in September 2005 of attempted-murder charges in connection with a 2003 shooting. *

Max B Shot In Botched Robbery?

Rapper T.I. pleads guilty on weapons charges

Rapper Remy Ma convicted over New York shooting

Songwriter Sues Kanye West Over 'Good Life' Sample

KANYE WEST ADDS MORE TOUR DATES: 'Glow in the Dark' trek tacks on more than a dozen states

Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour, supporting his record-setting September release, "Graduation," has added 13 more dates to the schedule ahead of its launch April 16 in Seattle.

The trek – featuring supporting acts Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco – has added two more shows in Los Angeles, as well as dates in Miami; Cincinnati; Winnipeg; Vancouver; Fargo, ND; Portland, OR; Reno, NV; San Jose, CA; Glendale, AZ; West Valley City, UT; and Moline, IL.

A previously announced concert in Minneapolis and West's performance at Manchester, TN's Bonnaroo festival were moved to June 11 and June 14, respectively.

Below is the revised Glow in the Dark Tour itinerary:

April 2008
16 - Seattle, WA - KeyArena
18 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena
19 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion at San Jose
20 - San Diego, CA - Sports Arena
21-22 - Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre LA Live
24 - Tuscon, AZ - McKale Memorial Auditorium/U of AZ
25 - Las Vegas, NV - Red Rocks Casino Resort
26 - Albuquerque, NM - Journal Pavilion
27 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
29 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
30 - Austin, TX - Frank Irwin Center

May 2008
1 - Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center
2 - Woodlands, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
4 - Duluth, GA - Arena at Gwinnett Center
5 - Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre
6 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
8 - Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Bobcats Arena
9 - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
10 - Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion
11 - Virginia Beach, VA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
13 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
15 - Mansfield, MA - Tweeter Center
16 - Hartford, CT - New England Dodge Music Center
17 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
18 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
20 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
21 - Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre
22 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
23-24 - Chicago, IL - United Center
25 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome
26 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre
27 - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Credit Union Centre
29 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
30 - Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome

June 2008
2 - Vancouver, British Columbia - GM Place
3 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden
5 - Reno, NV - Reno Events Center
6 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
7 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
8 - Glendale, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
9 - West Valley City, UT - E Center
11 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
12 - Moline, IL - i wireless Center
13 - Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena
14 - Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo

Tha Carter III Officially Hitting Stores On May 13th

REMY MA'S LAWYER CLAIMS SHOOTING WAS 'ACCIDENTAL': Story changed from rapper's July statement, 'I didn't shoot my friend.'

Remy Ma's attorney Ivan Fisher admitted in closing arguments Monday that her client did in fact shoot acquaintance Makeda Barnes-Joseph after accusing the woman of stealing money from her purse. But he says the whole thing was an accident.

Last July, Remy Ma and Barnes-Joseph were in the latter's car when they argued over Remy's missing cash, which totaled around $3,000. In a struggle over Barnes-Joseph's purse, Fisher says their hands hit the rearview mirror and the gun then went off, accidentally.

"There is no other explanation for why Remy Smith would have chosen that unique moment in time to shoot her," Fisher said.

The admission contradicts Fisher's opening remarks when he attempted to characterize Barnes-Joseph as a groupie who was misrepresenting the nature of the events in order to win money. In July, Remy vehemently denied shooting Barnes-Joseph. When reporters gathered around the rapper's New Jersey home, she maintained her innocence, yelling: "I didn't shoot my friend!"

Assistant District Attorney Michael McIntosh said the shooting does not fit the definition of an accident, which the dictionary states as "an unforeseen occurrence."

"That's not what happened here," he told the jury in his closing arguments. The prosecutor, saying the only real dispute is whether the shooting was accidental, told jurors, "Ms. Smith took an illegal .45-caliber automatic and loaded it with hollow-point bullets and got into Ms. Joseph's car."

Noting earlier testimony that Smith used both hands to cock the weapon as she got in, McIntosh said, "She took every step you had to take to shoot somebody." The prosecutor said Smith, after shooting Joseph, did not check their bodies for wounds, call for medical help or take Joseph to a hospital.

"Instead, she ran," McIntosh said. "The reason she ran was because she knew what happened in the car. Your friend is shot. Do you run or do you call 911?"

Jury deliberation in the case began Tuesday. If convicted, the Bronx artist could face up to 25 years in prison.

COMMON AND SERENA WILLIMAS FUEL DATING RUMORS

People magazine tried to get to the bottom of a new paparazzi shots showing rapper Common and tennis star Serena Williams hitting a West Hollywood nightclub together over the Easter weekend.

One witness told the magazine that they were "affectionate," holding hands and kissing" during their night on the town. Reps for both Common and Williams declined to comment on their clients' personal life.

Meanwhile, Serena, who appears in Common's video for "I Want You," recently played the first ever tennis match on water as part of an event hosted by Sony Ericsson to launch the Sony Ericsson Open.

Williams took on men's tennis star Rafael Nadal in what was billed as "The World's First Tennis Match on Liquid Terrain." The event took place Monday, March 24, 2008, atop Miami's new Gansevoort South Hotel overlooking South Beach.

The water-covered court was constructed in the 110-foot swimming pool set in the Gansevoort's exclusive 22,000-square-foot rooftop retreat. A specialist underwater team took five days to construct two invisible platforms at either end of the pool using a combination of bespoke acrylic sheets and supporting acrylic tubes.

The Game to release 'Los Angeles Times' June 24th

Santa Monica, CA - March 24, 2008 – Los Angeles rapper The Game is set to release Los Angeles Times on June 24th. Fresh out of jail Game released his street single Big Dreams, a track produced by Miami’s Cool and Dre, to radio. During his performance last Saturday, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Game announced to the crowd that his third and possibly final album will be released on June 24th the first day of summer.



"I have a highly controversial album coming this summer," states The Game, "and not the typical controversy you are used to in rap. On LAX I'm addressing real issues that other artists might be scared to talk about on record; issues that need to be heard."

Fabolous Creating A Concept Album In The Footsteps Of Jay-Z's American Gangster

DIDDY COMPLETES DEPOSITION IN SHOOTING CASE: Mogul deals with $130 million lawsuit stemming from 1999 club incident

Sean "Diddy" Combs has completed his deposition in a $130 million lawsuit filed against him in relation to a 1999 shooting outside a New York nightclub.

The entertainer and former Bad Boy rapper Shyne were both named in a civil suit filed by Natania Reuben, who was shot in the face during the incident at Club New York.

Combs, who was with his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez when shots rang out, was acquitted of all charges in the case. But Reuben sued both Diddy and Shyne in civil court seeking damages for her injuries. A judge is now required to decide whether Shyne acted alone or as part of Combs' Bad Boy collective before the case goes to trial.

Shyne -- born Moses Michael Leviy -- is currently behind bars at the Clinton Correctional Facility in New York State on a 10-year jail term. He was found guilty of assault, reckless endangerment and gun possession.

If both Combs and Shyne are required to stand trial, a jury will decide who is responsible for the shooting. Shyne, who did not testify during the criminal trial, may be required to take the stand and testify.

Method Man & Redman Reunite For "Blackout 2" Album

Method Man and Redman are back in the studio together after nearly 10 years, recording a new collabo project Blackout 2, which will be the follow-up to the duo's platinum selling disc Blackout!

The two rappers' chemistry has already scored them co-starring roles in the flick How High an endorsement deal for Right Guard deodorant and their own short-lived Fox sitcom, "Method & Red."

Now they're back at it in the studio.

"A lot of good music comin' out this year," Redman told sitdownstandup.com. "You're especially gonna hear from us, finally."

The album features production by Gilla House, E-Sermon and Rocwilder and there may even be a DJ Premier track or two before recording wraps.

"Preemo, we need some heat baby!" Red shouted. "We need some heat right now baby!" "Treach need to be on this sh*t, too."

In addition to Meth and Red's collabo, the two are sharing a mic with almost 70 other emcees for a 2008 regeneration of KRS-One's new Stop the Violence Movement.

Along with Meth and Red, David Banner, Chamillionaire, Nelly, Busta, and Ne-Yo are among the artists putting a new spin on the 1989 inspirational rap song "Self Destruction" called "Self Construction."

"Anything positive is always good for the hip-hop community," Redman said. "I remember when the first 'Self Destruction' came out, that sh*t was hot. I wasn't in the game to get on it but now I'm in the game, so why not be a part of history?"

The first version was recorded by the Stop the Violence All-Stars, an East Coast collective including KRS, Whodini, Miss Melody, MC Lyte, D-Nyce, Doug E Fresh, Heavy D, Public Enemy and others.

Blackout 2 is expected to hit shelves this summer and Muddy Waters 2 will drop at the top of '09.

Juelz Soon To Be Apart Of Team Shady??

LL Cool J Discusses Jay-Z's Tenure As Def Jam's President

Kanye West Contributes to Lil Wayne's "Carter 3" Album

JAY-Z SEARCHING FOR LABEL DEAL? Word has it that companies aren't willing to meet his high demands

The New York Post's Page Six is reporting that former Def Jam president Jay-Z has been busy looking for a label home to distribute his budding imprint, Carter Music Group. But an insider says it hasn't been going well because he's asking "way too much."

"He wants a label to give him $100 million for the Carter Music Group and provide for overhead, development and digital investment," the source claims. "It's crazy. He wants the labels to basically be his venture capital fund - but unlike a venture cap, they won't get 50 percent. This is not the '90s anymore."

A rep for Jay-Z, who is branching out into hotels and bars, called this account "rumors."

T.I.'S JUDGE GETS THE EASTER SPIRIT: Rapper allowed to suspend house arrest for Easter services

Rapper T.I. will get a break from his house arrest this weekend after a federal magistrate judge ruled Thursday that he'll be allowed to attend Easter services.

The artist, born Clifford Harris, is currently confined to a home near Atlanta while awaiting trial on weapons charges. But on Easter Sunday, he'll be granted a reprieve to attend services at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Under the rules, T.I. must be accompanied by a court-approved monitor and one of his attorneys, the judge said.

The rapper was arrested Oct. 13, just hours before he was to headline the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta. He is charged with possession of unregistered machine guns and silencers and possession of firearms by a convicted felon after an FBI sting caught him allegedly trying to purchase unregistered machine guns and silencers.

He was released on bond, but is under house arrest at a home in Henry County. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the weapons charges if convicted.

T.I. had previously asked to host a Thanksgiving Day gathering at the home where he's staying, but the plan was scrapped after the government opposed it. His bond conditions require court approval of visitors.

Sheek Louch Airs Out J-Hood, ''It's Over, He Can't Come Back To D-Block''

Sheek Louch's third solo release, Silverback Gorilla, hit shelves on Mar.18. caught up with the D-Block front man and chatted him up about his new project, beef with Mobb Deep and his real feelings about J-Hood.

"It ain't nothing," Sheek said of rap group Mobb Deep. "They good dudes. I like Havoc.

Prodigy dissed Sheek in his blog, listing rappers he respected and then calling Sheek "one of the worst ever."

"I know about all the comments Prodigy made about all the rappers, I still like him."

Former D-Block member J-Hood on the other hand..."He's a little clown acting like a little young boy would, just real unappreciative," Sheek told.

The rapper said he thinks J-Hood set his sights on beef with him because he needed someone to blame for his career not really taking off.

"Somebody gotta be the bad guy," Sheek said. "I took his money, I came in the studio and slapped him, I did this and that ... None of it's true."

And though Sheek did admit he thinks J-Hood has talent, he said there's no place for the former group-mate on a record with himself, D-Block or The Lox, ever.

"It's over," Sheek said. "He can't come back to me, he can't come back to D-Block, The Lox, nothing. Nobody wants to deal with him. They just don't respect his moves."

"I've known him since he was a young boy and when we hear him talking about bustin guns, us back at home, we like, 'aw, c'mon man, when did he resort to that?'" Sheek continued. "It's like, say you got a little brother or sister at home and they start actin' tough. Like now they murderers."

Louch said he, Styles P and Jadakiss gave J-Hood a chance in the industry and he's ungrateful.

"Dealin' with us three, he skipped a lot of stuff that a lot of artists go through," Sheek said. "We had him doing major interviews and major deals. Its people on the grind and been grinding longer than him. Somebody might say he ain't even have no grind."

But Louch said his grind is non stop.

His new album Silverback Gorilla has 18 tracks and every one of them the rapper said is fire.

"The concepts? Lyrically? Forget it," Sheek said. "I'm on a whole other level with this joint."

Fat Joe, Jim Jones, Hell Rell, Bun B, DJ Unk, The Game, up and coming D-Block artist Bully, and of course Styles P and Jada came through with guest features on the disc. Meanwhile Dame Grease, Vinny Idol, Soul G, Red Spyda and others went in on production.

The first single off the album "Good Love," a Red Spyda track, samples the soulful Betty Wright's "Tonight Is The Night," and is getting major nationwide radio play.

D-Block's album is dropping in July and Sheek said the Lox' disc Live, Suffer and Celebrate would be out before that, with a couple of tracks slated to leak shortly. Silverback Gorilla is in stores now via Koch Records.

Game Faces Civil Suit In Assault Case

The Game may be out of lockup but he's not off the hook yet; the man who was allegedly assaulted by the Compton rapper filed a civil suit against him last week.

According to court documents published by TMZ, in his recently filed civil lawsuit Shannon Rodrick is claiming assault, battery, civil rights violation and negligence following the alleged incident which occurred at a basketball game at South L.A.'s Rita Walters Educational Learning Complex in February 2007.

In the lawsuit Rodrick claims The Game, whose real name is Jayceon Taylor, first approached him during a basketball game and aggressively told him, "Your team is garbage." According to court documents, Rodrick says the rapper continued to provoke him and while on a timeout, Game "sucker-punched [Rodrick] with a closed fist on [Rodrick's] left cheek causing [him] to fall backwards." Rodrick says the Game next went to his vehicle to get a gun, and walked towards him saying, "I'm going to blast this fool."

Rodrick is seeking unspecified damages.

The Game was arrested following the incident and eventually pleaded no contest to felony possession of a firearm in a school zone in the criminal case. After serving just eight days of a 60 day sentence he was released last week.

Since his release, The Game has been hard at work on his upcoming album L.A.X. His street record "Big Dreams," which was produced by Cool & Dre recently hit the internet. [Listen here]

On the track Game boasts, "The whole world been waitin on him/ here I come/ drop top Phantom I'm skating on 'em/ look around all these b*tch n*ggas hating on him/ mad cuz I'm Chronic 2008'ing on em/Big cars, big wheels, big chains, big pimpin, big money, big dreams."

Game's third studio album, L.A.X. is scheduled for release this June.

BUSTA RHYMES GETS PROBATION IN ASSAULT CASE: Rapper says he has 'no problem being a good dude.'

Busta Rhymes was sentenced to three years of probation on Tuesday for two separate assaults that took place in 2006.

The rapper, born Trevor Smith, dropped his innocent plea in January to avoid a trial and a possible one-year prison sentence sought by prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to assault, two driving infractions and weapons possession and began serving his sentence on Tuesday.

"I have no problem being a good dude because that's what I am," Rhymes, 35, told reporters outside the courtroom.

His sentence stems from a December 2006 charge of beating up his chauffeur, and an August 2006 incident in which he attacked a fan who spat on his car.