Rap Classified

INTRODUCTION:

We are introducing a new feature, titled "Rap Classified®" which reveals information from credited sources about hip-hop news that isn't common knowledge. This feature will appear on an sporadic basis in Friday's "Gossip Bonanza."  Upcoming features, "Mob Classified®" and "Pop Classified®" (featuring black pop stars) will also occupy these archives.  After you finish reading our classified archives below, click on the following link to read additional information.  Black Data Files

BLACK MAFIA FAMILY UPDATE:

Recently, indictments were handed down to alleged members of the ‘Black Mafia Family,’ network. We are receiving word that reputed leader and black godfather-Demetrius “Meech” Flenory will have a multi-million dollar team of attorneys representing him. This team will allegedly make O.J. Simpson’s dream team look like a bunch of legal aid attorneys. We are also receiving word, depending on the success of the upcoming film “American Gangster,” (based on drug lord Frank Lucas) starring Denzel Washington and T.I., will determine if a movie will be made on the “Black Mafia Family.”

HIP-HOP JEWELER:

According to the book, "Notorious C.O.P." by Derrick Parker: A very famous hip-hop jeweler was not only involved in organized crime and the trafficking of different items, he also figured prominently in the murder of another jeweler in New Jersey-who had documents "with his name" on them when he died. This same jeweler loaned money to a friend to open a pawn shop, when the friend refused to pay him back, he took out a "contract" on his life. This man is also known for buying large amounts of stolen jewelry and melting it down for resell. And, if that isn't enough, he is also suspected in a second murder of yet another man in the jewelry profession. Allegedly, he murdered the man over a dispute in a hotel room, although the police have circumstantial evidence, they never had enough hard evidence to make a case against him.

THE FILM "TRAINING DAY" WAS BASED ON OFFICER KEVIN GAINES:

According to hip-hop cop Derrick Parker, Officer Kevin Gaines (pictured above) was a notorious cop and his name surfaced in the Notorious B.I.G.'s murder case.  Gaines was also romantically involved with Sharitha Knight, ex-wife of Suge Knight. The film "Training Day" which starred Denzel Washington as a corrupt cop was reportedly based on Gaines.  Officer Gaines would die in a shootout with a fellow LAPD cop.  Source: "Notorious Cop" by Derrick Parker.

According to Frank Alexander (Tupac's former bodyguard): "My niece, Lemika Early, had one idol in her life, Janet Jackson. She loved and admired her completely. In 1995, Lemika and two of her friends were in a terrible car accident, and from the stage of 14 on, Lemika was paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair."

"At the hospital she learned about the Make-A-Wish Foundation and she got the opportunity to make her wish, meeting Janet Jackson." The Foundation arranged everything, Lemika was going to spend four nights and five days in Los Angeles (Disneyland), the family went out and spent a lot of money on clothes and other items for the trip and then at the last minute, they called and said Janet wanted to change the plans, saying that the meeting was going to take place in New York instead."

"My niece was disappointed because her heart was set on going to California. The rep said something about Janet having a favorite candy store in New York that she wanted to visit. It was quickly turning into a big mess."

Alexander adds, "Working with Tupac, I understand a celebrity's busy schedule but if you're not game to do something, don't say you're going to do it. Simple as that."

"To make matters worse, Janet had cut the length of her visit down to 15 minutes." Lemika was disappointed, she decided to cancel the visit."

"When I went to work the next day, I told Pac the story. He said, "I hate that shit," What can I do?"

Later that night, Tupac called my niece. He later called his assistant and told her to send Lemika anything and everything she wants. Tupac later flew Lemeka and my aunt out to California and he invited them to the "Gridlock'd" set. He told them to take all the photos they wanted and he gave my niece a blanket that belonged to him."

"The next day, he invited my Aunt and niece to the recording studio, later he hosted a BBQ at his house for Lemeka. They met Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Danny Boy."

"The following day, he took them for pizza and ordered ten pizzas."

"When it was time to leave, Tupac hugged everyone tightly and even gave Lemika his driver's license as a souvenir." He then told her that when he returned from Italy he was going to donate a stereo system to her school and he was going to bring her something special back and he told her to hang in there and be strong.

"Lemika returned home and replaced all of her Janet posters with Tupac posters."

"Till this day, Lemika gets so mad when she hears something negative about Pac. She says, "I met him, I got to know him as a person and he was a beautiful person."

Source: "I Got Your Back," by Frank Alexander & Heidi Siegmund Cuda

According to Frank Alexander (Tupac's former bodyguard): When we arrived in Rome, Italy. We went to Gianni Versace's castle. We were backstage at the castle, Naomi Campbell was at the show, and I remember when I first saw her backstage. "Pac, check it out, there's Naomi Campbell," I said. Shut up n**ga, I see her, he said." He didn't want it to look obvious that he was checking her out. But there was so many women, it was crazy and it just continued getting crazier.

Pac was eyeballing beautiful models left and right but he couldn't make a move because Kidada was around.

The next fashion show on our itinerary was the Dolce and Gabbana show but Pac didn't want to go because he was pissed at the designer for not allowing us to attend. Two hours later we went to the Valentino fashion show.

The next day we went to the Romeo Gigli show. People were running around us and it was chaotic. There must have been 300 people backstage. I met Tyson, the black supermodel and saw so many beautiful women, it was mind-blowing. Everybody was changing clothes in front of everybody else, walking around butt-ass naked, nobody cared if anybody was looking.

A white male model came over to us and started pointed out this one chick who was changing her clothes. She had body. At one point, she bent down, we could see everything and Pac squeaked out, "Oh my God." All of our mouths were probably on the floor. There's not doubt about it, Pac was ready to make his move. He loved Italy.

Later that evening, you could tell that Pac was ready to party and ready to be set free. We took a town car back to the hotel, Tupac and Kidada are in the back of the car and I'm in front with the driver. We could hear them arguing in the back.

He said to her, "Woman, I am fucking tired of doing everything ya'll want me to do. I've done everything on the schedule to the letter and when do I get to have my fun? I ain't got no fucking weed, I can't go out and get drunk. We've got two nights left here, and I'm going out with my homeboys."

Later that night, according to Alexander, Pac met two model type girls in a club and had sex with with both of them.

Source: "Got Your Back," by Frank Alexander and Heidi Siegmund Cuda

According to Faith Evans, after returning to New York after a tour, my friend Rufus came over and said, I met a songwriter who is dying to meet you. "Really?" I asked. "Who is it?" "Her name is Missy. We were talking about you and she went nuts when she found out I knew you. She wants to meet you. Do you mind?" "Nah, it's cool, bring her over whenever you want."

A few weeks later, Rufus brought Missy Elliott by my apartment to meet me. She said, Yo, your album is crazy!"

At the time, Missy was trying to make a name for herself in the music industry. Missy always had her hair styled in finger waves and her wardrobe was mainly nylon track suits and matching sneakers. I'll never forget that she always carried a brown paper bag with her instead of a purse. Usually it was filled to the brim with candy. She had a serious candy habit. So she'd go to a convenience store, load up on all kinds of junk, and then carry her money and whatever else with her in her candy bag.

Around this time, I was charging $5,000-$7,000 dollars per song as a writer's fee and I charged more if I appeared on the song.

That day, Missy and I discussed songwriting. Just a year before, I'd been like her, when I got in the industry, I wrote music for other people while trying to navigate my way in the industry. So I liked the idea of being able to give her an encouraging word or two about the business.

After that day, Missy came over regularly and hung out with me and Rufus.

The first time I realized that Mary J. Blige didn't like me was at an Source awards show after party. "Hey, Mary," I said when we crossed paths. It was crowded and I knew we wouldn't really be able to stop to talk for long but Mary just looked right through me, as if she'd never seen me before in her life. I looked at her for another moment, thinking maybe she didn't hear me. But then she just looked at me and then looked away. Then I waved. Nothing. I knew she had seen me but for whatever reason, she was not speaking to me.

I wondered what the hell that was about. What kind of beef could she possibly have with me?

A few months later, a rep called and "The song you did with Mary? We have to take her vocals off it." I had been standing in the kitchen of 112's apartment, preparing a to make a pan of lasagna. I said, "What do you mean? The album is already out! He added, "When we press up the next batch of records, it has to have a new version of the song on it without Mary's vocals.

I thought about how Mary had ignored me at the Source Awards and I wondered if that had something to do with this.

The rep said, "You need to talk to Mary."

"I said, I don't need to say shit to Mary. I didn't do anything to her!

Source: Keep The Faith," by Faith Evans & Aliya S. King

PART II (TUPAC & SALLI RICHARDSON)

According to Tupac's former bodyguard Frank Alexander: One day on a video set, another one of Pac's bodyguards (Les) set Pac off after he asked Pac's then girlfriend (Salli Richardson) why wasn't anyone seeing her in any movies. Tupac felt Les always got too close to his women. Everyone knew you shouldn't mess with Pac's women, even if you're making conversation.

And, Salli was definitely one of his women at this point in time. This was still the beginning of their relationship and he was on her. He let everyone know, "This is my woman!" Which meant, all hands off and watch your eyes.

This wasn't easy to do with Salli, because she was so pleasant and affectionate. Once she got to know me, she always had a hug and smile. She was friendly as can be. Of course, she saved her main affection for Pac and he was on cloud nine. They were having picnics at his house, they even had a picnic at his Malibu house, a house I never saw because I never got invited to any of the Malibu parties he threw and one day he told me why.

"Frank, you'd come over here, take your shirt off, and I'd never get any women." But he didn't live there very long because the celebrities of the colony had him evicted. Too many noise violations.

He and Salli continued making some noise of their own. She kept showing up every day, following us to different locations and when she took off one evening, I started teasing him. Pac said, "Man, she's fine, she's bad. I'm gonna kick it with her for a while."

No sooner than he said that, the relationship was over and he took back his Jag that he let her drive.

What happened? I asked.

All he said was, "fuck her!"

Source: "I Got Your Back," by Frank Alexander

Despite Tupac dating Quincy Jones' daughter Kidada, at first, Quincy didn't like Tupac because Tupac made the following remark to "Source," magazine: "Interracial couples. Quincy Jones is disgusting. All he does is stick his d**k in white b**ches and make fucked up kids."

This made Quincy mad and two white readers responded to "Source," by saying, "If you don't like white people, what about when you hung with us in San Francisco?"

Tupac would later apologize to Kidada, "I didn't mean that about your dad or you."

Kidada says, "We started dating steadily and one night Tupac and I were sitting in a booth at Jerry's Deli in L.A. and two hands slammed down on Tupac's shoulders from behind."

"We jumped up, and there was my father standing there. He said to Tupac, "I need to kick it with you for a minute." This was the first time they'd met, so he took Tupac to a booth and they sat and talked for a long time. Then, they stood up and hugged when it was over and they got along fine from then on."

"Tupac was excited because him and Snoop hoped to do this movie Dad was producing called "Pimp," based on the Iceberg Slim book that every rapper in America also wanted to do. He never got to it, though."

"Tupac and I lived together for four months and then he was murdered in Las Vegas in 1998. It was the most horrible thing that ever happened to me."

Source: "The Autobiography Of Quincy Jones," by Quincy Jones

Rapper Shyne will be released from prison soon, few people know the following.

After the Notorious Big was murdered, P. Diddy signed rapper Shyne to "Bad Boy," because he sounded so much like Big.

Despite not having a record in stores at the time, Shyne was able to spend $10,000 dollars on a bracelet for Puffy, according to an insider. Another night, he blew $600 dollars on a meal at Mr. Chow's; he shared a booth with three women and greeted everyone from Jay-Z to the late Johnnie Cochran."

According to author Ronin Ro, Diddy allegedly never gave Biggie money in the beginning but a former "Source," writer claimed that Diddy threw millions at Shyne which caused label mates to resent him.

Shyne allegedly had an attitude but Bad Boy employees tolerated it. When the office telephone rang, some employees dreaded taking his calls. An insider felt that "a lot of hype said he sounded like Biggie and he believed it."

When Diddy offered a car, Shyne wanted the Mercedes 600 series but Diddy was only willing to lease a Range Rover and they went and back with this process. According to a car dealer, Shyne disregarded everything and demanded a Mercedes but the dealer told him, "your credit limit will only allow you to get the five-series model, as far as monthly payments."

Shyne said, "I want a six," and presented what he felt was an ingenious solution. He would accept the five-series model but pay the dealer to attach an emblem from the six-series model, a number of sources claimed. Within a week of receiving the Mercedes, he totaled it while driving from a club with two friends and a cousin. Shyne drove off a road and crashed; one friend died and his cousin sustained injuries that left him in a wheelchair. Shyne walled away from the wreckage with nothing but minor scratches.

"After the car crash, he was distraught. He was depressed. He'd offered to pay for the funeral but rumors persisted about Shyne being an arrogant pretender to the throne. People gossiped that he was a spoiled brat with tough guy pretensions and a million-dollar deal; a cheapskate who contributed a mere $1,000 dollars to his friend's funeral, then allegedly laughed and joked as the coffin was lowered into the ground.

Next, people claimed that when someone robbed him of a Rolex Puffy had given him, according to sources, his main focus was, "Puff better get me another Rolex."

"Source: "Bad Boy," by Ronin Ro

According to Faith Evans, "One evening, I went to the Paladium with the singer Monica and my friend Cheryl. As soon as I got there, I heard whispers that Big was there with Kim. I wasn't trying to get into it with any of them."

"We stood outside talking and I saw Kim drive by in the passenger seat of some girl's car. She was giving me a serious ice grill, like she was trying to take it there. I just rolled my eyes. If she wanted to get out of the car, I'd be standing right there waiting for her. She never did. She just drove around the block a few times, glaring at me. It was all juvenile and silly."

"A few days later, Big and Cease came by my apartment and I ended up giving them a ride to the studio. Big said, "Faye, I got a new song with Jay-Z I want you to hear." I told Big I liked the song." A few months later, a friend called and told me Big had changed the song with new lyrics: "If Faye have twins, she'll probably have two Pacs Get it? Tupac's"

"I was outraged."

I flew to Northern California to do a KMEL Summer Jam show. After the show, me and a friend went to a nearby hotel to hang out with Queen Latifah, who'd invited us to stop by. Outside the hotel, a fan walked by and stopped when he saw me.

"Yo, Faith!"

"I turned around to give a smile or sign an autograph.

"Is that Big's baby or Tupac's baby?"

I cocked my head to the side and rolled my eyes. "You don't know me like that," I said. Why would you even ask me some disrespectful shit like that?"

Things were getting really out of control when random strangers on the street felt like they could question the paternity of my unborn child, I knew things had gone way too far.

Source: "Keep The Faith," by Faith Evans & Aliya S. King

According to the late Eazy-E's former manager and business partner (Jerry Heller), when Ruthless Records first launched, it was just a trickle of money coming in, soon enough it turned into a stream and then a flood. Eazy called it ghetto gold.

"Eazy had always been running his life on a cash basis until this point. He never had a bank account, never took out a loan, never established credit."

"I took him over to my bank, "Wells Fargo, to open his first personal checking account.

"A few weeks later, Eazy was being turned away when he tried to cash a personal check. I thundered into the bank and busted some chops. I said, "This young man is a customer of yours, he has proper ID, the account has plenty of money in it," I said to the teller. "Now why would you not cash a check of his?"

"I raised my voice for the whole bank to hear, getting angry. "Is it because you consider him a n**ger? Is that why?"

"The N-word rang through the bank, freezing everyone in place. The teller became flustered, turning beet red. She quickly cashed the check."

"When we hit the parking lot, Eazy cracked up laughing. "Man, Jerry, you a gangsta. I ever jack a bank, I want you by my side."

Source: "Ruthless," by Jerry Heller

REWIND:

Jacques Agnant, aka "Haitian Jack," (first photo, directly above) is a Harlem based music manager as well as an famous gangsta who has aligned himself with a lot of people and is very feared on the streets. "He wasn't afraid to run up on anyone." According to Derrick Parker (Hip-Hop Cop). Jack once told him, "My thing is robbing drug dealers because they aren't going to call the police." Also, Jack allegedly took merchandise by force from a Los Angeles jeweler.

Haitian Jack was also flamboyant, adorning himself with gold chains and furs and always driving the finest Mercedes sedans. Jack flaunted his close relationships with rappers like Tupac, hit all the celebrity parties and was reputed to be friendly with Madonna. Parker says, "Jack's music biz contacts and activities (he's also managed various rappers at times) give him an additional outlet for his criminal pursuits."

Parker adds, "Jack continues his one-man assault right up to today: He allegedly shot a patron at a Los Angeles nightclub. Jack was also rumored to have stepped to Jay-Z and tried to pin the rapper against a wall until others intervened. Jack thought Jay had disrespected him earlier." No repercussions were forthcoming.

UPDATE: (HAITIAN JACK'S LINK TO TUPAC & BIGGIE)

Haitian Jack is still considered a music promoter and all-around player. Jack allegedly introduced Tupac to all the gangstas in Brooklyn. Jack's crew also took Tupac shopping, he bought his first Rolex.

Later, Jack took Pac to Nell's, where he met 19-year-old Ayana Jackson. The young lady who would later accuse Pac of rape. Back at the hotel, a hour before the alleged rape, Tupac said Jack fixed drinks for everyone after Ayana Jackson arrived. Pac and Ayana retired to the bedroom.

His next memory, he said, was of being woken by Jack. He felt groggy. The lights had been turned up. "The whole mood had changed," Shakur recalled. "When I woke it, it felt like I had been drugged. I didn't know how much time had passed."

Ayana was screaming, "Why did you let them do this to me?" she demanded of Shakur. "I came to see you! You let them do this to me! This is not the last time you're going to hear from me," he recalled her saying.

Later, Tupac received a call from his publicist to come down to the hotel lobby. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, police pounced on him. Haitian Jack was also arrested on the spot.

Tupac's lawyer informed him that the believed that Jack was a confidential informant working with the police, Tupac was reluctant to believe it.

A few days later, Pac allegedly got a call from boxer Mike Tyson saying, "Pac, don't hang with Jack, he's bad news." Pac added, "I thought Tyson was being paranoid, so I was like, I'm not going to leave Jack until I see it for myself." But when Agnant had his court case separated, Shakur had a change of heart. "I was angry," he said.

Tupac began to slam Jack to the press. A "hanger-on" is what Shakur called Jack in an item that appeared in A.J. Benza's popular gossip page in the New York's Daily News. At the time, the celebrity grapevine was buzzing about Shakur dating Madonna and hanging out with Mickey Rourke. But those in the know read the quote about Jack and anticipated trouble. Word was out on the street-they had beef. "This was the first time I had ever said anything against him," Shakur said. "So I was nervous, waiting for him to attack."

Months later, Shakur ran into Jack at Puffy's party at Roseland. He was shocked to see him among Biggie's entourage. "I was so hurt, Shakur fumed. "I was like, I'm going to trial, I'm probably going to get convicted and this n***a's showing up at a party with champagne, hanging with Biggie. I was like, Damn, he's bouncing from rapper to rapper."

At the party, Shakur ignored Jack, never acknowledging his presence. This was a serious no-no. Even bitter rivals, when caught in public were supposed to recognize each other with eye contact and the briefest of nods but Shakur kept talking never looking in Jack's direction. According to Tupac, "Even though I no longer liked him, I used to pretend. But now, I can't pretend no more because I knew he was a snake. When I saw him with Biggie, I knew they were snakes. I was like, 'Damn, they just bounce from one ni**a to the next ni**a. They weren't sending me any money. They weren't trying to help me through my charges, even though it was them that set me up."

Later, Biggie approached Pac and asked, "You still kicking it with Jack?" Shakur replied, "No." "Don't," Wallace told him. "Be careful."

Shakur was struck by the fact that two different people with Brooklyn roots-Biggie and Iron Mike warned him about the same man.

Source: "The Life, Death & Afterlife Of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

The late Notorious Big was quoted as saying the following about female rapper Lil Kim:

"Let Kim do her thing," he said. "She's cool when she wants to be, but she moves too fast, and she don't understand shit," he said.

"I would hate for her career to be so hot in the beginning, but she hurt so many people and got so many people mad with her ways and actions on her way to the top that when it's time for her to do something else, everybody turns their back on her.

She don't understand humbleness. I never had to deal with that with my boys. I tell my boys what to do and they do it. Kim's always like 'Why can't I do it this way?'

"So many headaches. I'm not asking your opinion, I'm telling you to do shit. She'll say, 'Well, I don't want to do it that way,' and we argue and we bitch and she does it the way I want it and the shit's a hit.'

Source: "The Life, Death, And Afterlife Of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

After the success of Tupac in 1996, Suge didn't feel he needed Dr. Dre anymore according to author Ronin Ro. Rap magazines were giving Pac more pages than Dre and Pac's double CD "All Eyez On Me," generated $10 million dollars in seven days for Death Row records.

Death Row decided to arrange a record release yacht party at scenic Marina Del Rey for Snoop's "Doggystyle," album.

One guests reached the parking lot an Death Row employee handed them a free Snoop poster. Guests also stood in line as security guards let people onto a walkway one at a time. Couples were separated, so people grew tense.

Then balloons popped and everyone flinched, assuming it was gunfire. To make matters worse, the captain of the boat saw the crowd waiting and said, "Okay, nobody else on the boat." And that was some of the wrong people to be talking smack to, said one attendee. "And they were ready to throw his ass in the water."

The yacht began its cruise. But a police helicopter flew right over it so people couldn't hear Snoop's album or each other. Then a huge fight broke out. One artists' Crip entourage was singing and waving their gang signs around some of Suge's Blood pals.

By the time the boat returned to dock after a very short cruise, there were three helicopters over it-one from the police, shining a bright searchlight on guests, the others from the media and twenty police cars were waiting.

The party ended quickly and news reports described it as a "rap riot."

A few months later, another incident happened at a Death Row after party at the El Rey Theater. That night, out front, a Crip argued with Bloods who were in the entourage of a Death Row rapper. The Crip, a member of the large Rolling 60's gang, humiliated the rapper and got jumped and stomped by his pals.

After the beatdown, the rapper and his entourage entered the club for the after party. But inside, his entourage started drinking and saw the Crip from outside, one waiter recalled, "They just beat and stomped and kicked that poor dude to death."

The attack was so brutal, bystanders screamed and ran for exits. The rapper slammed a chair into the Crip's head while his Blood friends punched and stomped him, eventually breaking the man's spine, paralyzing him.

Behind the scenes, Tupac started picking on female rapper, Lady Of Rage (Afro Puffs). He called her the weak link since she wouldn't insult Puffy and Biggie at Bad Boy, but Rage didn't fall for it. "I don't think that makes me the weak link," she told Pac. "I think it makes me the strong link. I'm an individual." "You not my homegirl?" he asked. "Yeah, I'm your homegirl." "You not gonna diss someone? They tried to kill me." Rage asked, "Why don't you see them face to face?" Pac replied, "I'm not trying to kill the motherfucker. I'm trying to kill his career."

Source: "The Biography: Dr. Dre," by Ronin Ro

According to author Ronin Ro, "During one afternoon, a short fighter knocked Suge Knight's taller friend around until others charged and knocked him out. Later, Dre saw his bodyguard B. J's kid brother with Warren G. B.J. jumped in, and people moved furniture to create a fighting ring.

"With members of rival gangs insulting each other, Suge slapped one of the two instigators across the face and then everyone made up."

Ronin Ro adds, one day Dre held court in his backyard right until the day he lost his home. The incident began with him grilling food during a backyard barbecue. Without warning, a neighbor ran over. "The side of your house is on fire!" Dre and his friends ran to extinguish the blaze but it reappeared on his roof, he claimed. Dre, laughing and visibly intoxicated, was soon standing in front of his burning home as fire engines, sirens blaring, arrived."

"Two firefighters were hurt while trying to douse the flames."

This was before Dre was a multi-millionaire and some people speculated that Dre may have set the fire himself for insurance purposes but these rumors were unfounded and Dre dismissed such talk by saying a firefighter cited electrical problems with his air conditioning as the cause of the blaze.

Dr. Dre salvaged what he could, rented a new apartment on Venice Boulevard and claimed he'd have the home repaired within a year, since it was insured and the damage was $250,000.

Source: "The Biography: Dr. Dre," by Ronin Ro

TUPAC TIDBITS:

Suge had a post-fight party at his club "662," in Las Vegas. Run-DMC was scheduled to perform. The club capacity was 680 but there were more than 1,000 fans that night. It was slamming but out of control. Mike Tyson was there with his bodyguards, actor Forest Whitaker (who appeared drunk to Alexander) and Deion Sanders and his entourage were in attendance. Luckily, the night went off without a hitch.

Alexander says, "Since I was Pac's bodyguard, a lot of people blamed me for his death without knowing the circumstances." According to Alexander, one of those people was rapper Kurupt. "The fact that Kurupt turned against me really hurt."

At one of Suge's "Mother's Day" parties, he gave all the mothers Death Row chains, smaller than the ones the guys used to wear but still pure gold. These very women were jumped on; chains have been snatched off their necks and they've been slapped in public.

"Before Pac died, things had gotten so fucked up that he wasn't even allowed to take a cassette outside of the studio when he was working on tracks. He couldn't listen to his own music outside of the studio because Suge wanted to own everything."

Source: "I Got Your Back," by Frank Alexander

The day before Biggie's death, he called his mom and both of his baby mama's to ask about his kids. He then listened to the music he made in the studio and asked his people's, "Where the party at?"

Later that night, he went with Lil Cease to see the film "Donnie Brasco," at a theater around the corner from his hotel. Big liked the movie and by the time they drove over to the studio it was still in his head. It flowed right into his verse for one of his songs.

By the time Big burned through the tracks he recorded that night, he didn't even have time to eat the Italian food he had ordered. He had a busy day coming up.

On the last full day of his life, he had agreed to record with rapper Snoop Dogg, later that evening, after the Vibe party, if he was up to it.

Snoop was in the studio working on the song. Between breaks, Snoop talked to Big via a cell phone while Big was at the Vibe party.

Both men expected the recording session to be quick but Big never made it, Snoop's security guy told him he heard over the radio that Big had gotten shot at a party and then the phones in the studio started ringing non-stop.

Snoop shut the whole session down.

Source: "The Life, Death & Afterlife Of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

According to Kidada Jones (Quincy Jones' daughter), "I lived with Tupac for four months and then he was murdered in Las Vegas in 1996. It was the most horrible thing that ever happened to me."

"I knew we should've never gone to Las Vegas that night. I had a horrible feeling about it. I've gone over it in my mind a million times. It wasn't supposed to happen. We weren't supposed to be there. It was the worst possible thing that could've happened-I still to this day don't know who actually shot him. I wasn't able to say goodbye. It's not something that should happen to anyone."

"We were in the Luxor Hotel and he went to a party. He said, "I'm not taking you. There's been a fight with a Crip and it's not safe. So you stay here." So I waited in our suite for him to come back, I lay down and was going to sleep when I got a call. They said, "Pac's been shot."

I was like, "Okay." He'd been shot five times before that. I said, "Where was he hit? In the leg, an arm? No big deal." When I got to the hospital they handed me a bag of bloody clothes and jewelry and told me, "He had no blood pressure when he came in. He's had two blood transfusions and he is in the ICU hanging by a string."

I got a blanket from the hospital and circled the parking lot for nine hours. I said, "There's no way he's gonna die. There's just no way." I walked around there till the sun came up and I had to keep my head down because I felt like I was going to get sick all over the place. I wanted to explode, just come out of my skin. I was in complete physical shock.

He died at 4:30 p.m. a few days after that.

For a while afterward, I didn't want to be alive. I was on my back, literally on my back, for months. My father underestimated how that affected me and shaped and molded me as a human being. Eventually he realized how it affected me, though I had to really show him. It didn't make him happy that I was running around with gangster rappers who were shooting each other; that part he never liked but he understood rap and he understood and respected Tupac and he wasn't angry at Tupac at all. In a way, accepting Tupac was his way of acknowledging me, my pain and my struggle to find myself and for that I love him.

Source: "The Autobiography of Quincy Jones," by Quincy Jones

According to Frank Alexander (Tupac's former bodyguard): At one time, Suge Knight was the most powerful young black businessman in the industry. He had the American dream at his fingertips. He had access to all the things rich white people have access to and beyond. Unfortunately, he couldn't leave the gangster mentality behind him. He took it everywhere he went, and it's my belief he should have left that shit behind when he made it but not forgotten where he came from.

Although I didn't believe at the time that Death Row began as a gang, it certainly evolved into something similar to one. When Dre and Suge hooked up to create Death Row records, the objective was to create music. It went from being a musical entity to a "gang."

By creating an emblem of gold and diamonds, Suge was creating a symbol for others to see, and to those who have the gang mentality, it signified Bloods. The chain became a gang-emblem sign and wearing it was like throwing up a gang sign in front of a Crip. Today, no one would be caught dead wearing a Death Row chain anywhere because of the bounty for them. No one is wearing them on the streets anymore.

Source: "I Got Your Back," by Frank Alexander & Heidi Siegmund Cuda

DRE PAY:

Dr. Dre doesn't need to rap. The Vivendi Universal Games (Video Games) deal he signed brought in $35 million dollars and he still receives earnings from N.W.A. albums. His annual income is between $11-$15 million. Artists connected with "Aftermath," pay him $75,000 per track (to produce).

Artists outside of Aftermath pay $250,000-$300,000 for a Dre beat. He also receives a five percent production royalty and label profits from sales of albums and singles by 50 Cent, G-Unit, The Game, Lloyd Banks, D-12, Busta Rhymes and Obie Trice.

Source: "The Biography: Dr. Dre," by Ronin Ro

Dr. Dre blasted rapper 50 Cent's demo tape while driving in his Lamborghini. He was on his way to meet the rapper. Pulling up, he saw 50 outside, he turned the volume down, left the car and walked up to 50. "You ready to make history together?" Before 50 could answer, Dre listed the songs he wanted on his debut album.

Before their meeting ended, Dre offered champagne only to hear 50 say, "No thanks." By the time 50 returned to the airport for a flight back home, Dre knew he'd sign with "Aftermath." Attorneys had already drafted up a reported 7-figure contract (5 album deal).

50 is such a savvy businessman, shortly after the meeting, he immediately spent $300,000 dollars registering the trademarks "50 Cent," and "G-Unit."

When 50 first arrived in the studio to record his Aftermath debut, he was friendly and polite but suspected Aftermath might try to commercialize him. Unlike other acts, he had already seen the public and New York radio embrace his ideas. He was independent, a proven talent and someone not prone to fawning over name-brand talents. If anything, he kept soliciting beats from unknown producers (sifting through 600 CD's, each holding thirty to forty beats).

Dre, however, had his own idea about how 50 needed to sound. He dug out an old drum track with horn stabs that evoked club music of the bygone 1980's. Another artist had already given the six-month-old track a thumbs down but 50 started writing it within an hour when Dre suddenly hears 50 chant: "Go Shorty, it's your birthday/we're gonna party, it's your birthday."

Source: "Dr. Dre: The Biography,' by Ronin Ro

During an interview with the "Source," magazine. Suge Knight slammed Dr. Dre, implying he was just another big-talking, jewelry flashing black label owner letting "white executives pump him up."

Dre ignored the insults since it was a complicated situation because Suge was married to Michel'le and fathered her other children.

Dre allegedly visited Suge at some point to smooth things over. Although their talk had been positive, Suge still ridiculed Dre's attempt to fit in with the next trend by allegedly having other rappers write some of his lyrics.

Suge also insulted Dre's CEO image and his record label, Aftermath. And, he also criticized Dre for touring with 1992 show props.

Source: "The Biography: Dr. Dre," by Ronin Ro

One evening, P. Diddy gave a party, Biggie was sitting in the VIP lounge holding court with one of his closest friends, Tupac Shakur.

The two were both kindred spirits and physical opposites. Shakur was at Comb's party taking a break from a highly publicized rape trial and he was shocked to see some of the very people he held responsible for his predicament hanging close to Biggie.

Biggie did his best to warn his friend about the shady figures he had offended, always telling him to watch who he was rolling with.

But, it was a party, there were blunts to be smoked, champagne bottles to be popped and a good time to be had by all.

For "Bad Boy," it was the birth of a nation, for Biggie, a first taste of superstardom and for Tupac, the last fun night he would ever have in New York City.

"Tupac Tidbits"

According to Luke Campbell (2 Live Crew): "I always called Pac the George Jefferson of the music business. I also tried to encourage Pac and Biggie to iron out their differences. "Pac was a little guy running around, you know, he was always talking. He didn't mean nothing. He wasn't going to hurt anybody. He was always talking, talking, talking. You know, the little guy disease."

According to a former Tommy Boy Records executive: "Tupac had a profound sense of victimhood." If he got into his head that someone was his enemy, he would often brood over it to the point of obsession. "More than anything, "he never wanted to feel vulnerable."

Source: "The Life, Death & Afterlife Of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

WHAT DID TUPAC & MIKE TYSON HAVE IN COMMON?

After Suge Knight bailed Tupac out of prison on a rape charge. Later, on the video set of "California Love," it was evident that Pac didn't want to be left alone with women in a room or isolated area due to the rape conviction hanging over his head. He always had his boys accompany him into a room with women and was overheard asking his posse on numerous occasions, come with me while I go talk to this girl.

After Mike Tyson was released from prison on a rape conviction. As reported before, he allegedly had hidden cameras installed in all of his bedrooms to show that sex was consensual in case the woman went to the police to report a rape.

When Tyson was rolling in millions, women were often flown in from all over the country in private jets to entertain the champ. A video exists of Tyson and several women. Tyson is surrounded and everyone is dirty dancing before they step out of the frame and retire to the bedroom.

When Tyson would visit Suge Knight in Las Vegas, he was able to unwind and mingle with the various women in attendance because Knight's home in Las Vegas reportedly had hidden video cameras in each bedroom.

At his peak, Tyson owned over 20 Lamborghini's in different colors. If one gave him mechanical problems. He would have the engine removed and have the car suspended in one of his rooms for guests to admire.

According to the crew of the late Biggie Smalls, the women would scream "Big Poppa, Big Poppa," before he hit the stage. "Please, please, please come over here so I can feel on you." One constant that never changed in his life were the girls. They were everywhere. In Raleigh, they waited in the hotel lobby at all hours. In Cleveland, right before the concert, they spotted Wallace backstage right before he went on to perform. Big Poppa was even there for the heavier girls although he did not pursue them romantically, Big Poppa would be there with a kind word for them."

Homely women might have gotten a little love on the microphone to boost their self esteem but backstage was a different matter. Only the dime pieces got up close to Big Poppa.

"Orgies-anything you wanted," said Lil Cease. Biggie would say, I want some head right now. And they would take care of that upstairs.

Biggie once said, "Temptation is a motherf**ka. You're in the industry. Girls sucking you off for nothing. They will even suck a crew member off. That's the way it goes. It's crazy but it's real. Now you got me, it's possible for me to sleep with 10 women a day if I wanted to. And then my woman gonna scream on me like, you cheating MF. Hell, shit happens. As long as I ain't keeping in contact with these girls and they not trying to move to New York to be with me. Just take it for what it is. You know what I'm saying?"

Faith Evans wasn't having it. She wasn't the Rita Marley or Jackie O type who would look the other way. If she sniffed anything, there was drama and she didn't take disrespect lightly.

Faith says, "Part of me wanted to be like, well, what did you expect? He is out there on the damn road. "I mean you're not there. But then again, it's not acceptable."

Biggie once called from the road and Faith heard a girl in the background. Faith got a babysitter and caught the next plane out. She went straight to the hotel room and knocked. A female asked, who is it? The girl cracked the door open and Faith kicked her way in the room and beat the shit out of the girl. She punched the girl over 30 times in the face.

Source: "The Life, Death & Afterlife Of Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

While Tupac was in prison, just before he signed with "Death Row," close relatives and friends begged him not to sign with Suge Knight.

But, they didn't have the money or the credit to get him out of prison.

Shakur's manager, Watani Tyehima, a former Black Panther who had known Tupac since childhood, visited him in prison around this time. According to Tyehima, he said, "I know I'm selling my soul to the devil."

After he signed with the label, the first order of business was, "I want a house from my moms," Shakur told Knight.

Source: "The Life, Death, & Afterlife of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

While Tupac was recording his debut album with "Death Row," records, according to author Ronin Ro, his album took precedence over everything else and this caused resentment among other label mates.

Can-Am Studios was filled with a massive guest list which included: Rowdy gang bangers and security guards with guns. And, so many reporters were interested in interviewing Pac and Suge enjoyed standing near him, presenting himself as a sort of red-clad kingpin of crime as opposed to a show business guy with friends who rolled with street gangs.

At home, Dr. Dre was working on "California Love." He was finishing it, considering whether to use it for a new company when Suge somehow heard the song and felt it'd be a hit. Suge arrived at Dre's house. "Suge was like, 'Fuck it, we're putting Tupac on that shit, and this is going to be the single off the record."

Instead of standing up to Suge, Dre told himself this would benefit his career. He returned to the studio and replaced his second verse with one by Pac. He also let him ad-lib at the end and even joined him in the video.

But before he knew it, Dre heard Pac was badmouthing him all over town.

Suge sided with Pac and decided he didn't need Dre anymore.

The last straw: When Dre read a "Vibe," feature and was appalled. The writer described showing up at Suge's office and seeing a big German Shepherd rolling on the floor." One of Suge's friends said, "That's Damu," another word for "blood." He won't bother you," the guy added. "He's only trained to kill on command."

Then, while the reporter asked questions, Suge kept the dog near his side, baring its fangs and salivating; not exactly the best image for the company.

Neither was Tupac bragging, "Muthafuckas are scared shitless of Suge."

Source: "Dr. Dre," by Ronin Ro

In 1993, after a sexual assault that Tupac was later convicted of. Minutes after the assault, according to police, Biggie Smalls showed up at the Parker-Meridien hotel to visit Tupac (wrong place at the wrong time).

When Biggie entered the room, the men who were in the room during the assault, quickly left.

Allegedly, after hearing Tupac's side of the story, Biggie decided he didn't want to be involved in this and got up to leave.

Just as Biggie was leaving, he heard sirens, he rushed to the window, and saw police cars rushing toward the hotel. Biggie hurried to the door but Tupac didn't seem worried, he dropped onto a couch and lit a joint.

In the lobby, police grabbed Biggie and handcuffed him. He was in custody until other officers brought the rape victim into the lobby and she said he didn't have anything to do with the attack.

Police removed the handcuffs and let Biggie go.

Source: "Bad Boy," by Ronin Ro

Rapper Too Short may lose his Oakland recording studio if he doesn't pay $1 million from a settlement over a fatal 1991 car crash. The rapper owes the money to the family of a man killed in the head-on collision.

According to court documents, the hip hop star was uninsured and legally drunk at the time. The family reached the settlement with the rapper in 1996 after filing a wrongful-death lawsuit.

More than a decade later, lawyers for the family say Too Short has not paid up.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office has been ordered to seize the equipment in the "UpAllNite," studio which Too Short opened in May, to pay the $1.1 million he owes.

We all know rapper Craig Mack left "Bad Boy," over creative differences. Mack felt he wasn't getting paid right and his deal wasn't correct. According to author Ronin Ro, "Things got so bad for Mack, he was pumping gas in Long Island. That's how broke he had become at one point. This was after his record came out. Number one on the charts, and he was broke."

After the infamous nightclub shooting which rapper Shyne would eventually be convicted of. During the high speed chase, after cops pulled over Diddy and Jennifer, according to officer Joseph Libaro, Diddy had his hands between his knees as if trying to hide something and wouldn't stop moving his hands until Libraro yelled, "Get your hands up" two or three times. Diddy took his time in doing so, he said.

A 9mm handgun was found under the front passenger seat.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez had gotten out of the vehicle, according to another officer, she said she was leaving in a limousine, "bye." A sergeant recalled: "I said, 'Jennifer, Jennifer, come here, come back here, and she said, 'I'm going home, I'm going home.' When the Officer told her she to was under arrest, she was stunned and protested, "It's not my gun."

Next, according to Officer William Meyer, an agent from the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) discovered a secret compartment in the rear of the Navigator. Allegedly, traces of cocaine were found in this compartment. No one owned up to it.

Everyone was under arrest.

According to Officers on the scene, Diddy said, "I can't go to jail, I'm Puff Daddy."

After Biggie's death, according to Ronin Ro, Diddy hired a top notch security team to travel with him at all times. After a show in Moline, Illinois, a limousine driver allegedly found two loaded stolen guns in the Rolls-Royce Diddy had leased.

Ro adds, after the entourage returned to the car, someone talked to the driver and asked if the driver could "ship him" the weapons. Instead, the driver handed the guns over to the police.

Later that month, the entourage stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Cleveland. A guest in the next room heard what sounded like a heated dice game. The next morning, she heard another noise and she saw a hole in the wall of her room. She also saw a bullet which police later determined was from a 9mm or a .38 caliber on the floor. The police wanted to speak to them but the entourage had checked out and left town already.

Source: "Bad Boy," Ronin Ro

According to Tupac's former bodyguard Frank Alexander: "When Pac was working on the "Hit Em Up," video, at a warehouse near Fox Hills Mall, he was talking to a fan, the fan popped off and said something to the effect, "You'll get shot."

Tupac responded with, "One of my bodyguards (Les) is standing right there, Les you got your strap?" He said, 24/7. Show him your strap, Les lifted up his shirt and showed him the gun.

Pac said, "See that? He'll bust a cap in your ass."

This was during the time Pac was messing around with actress Salli Richardson. As he was getting ready to leave the set he told us that he had a secret compartment put in his Mercedes where he could hide a weapon that the police would never know about.

He then asked Les "Do you have a gun you can loan me for the night?" Les flipped out because Tupac was still on parole and couldn't be caught near a weapon. Regardless, Pac was always going to go out fighting.

I asked him why he wanted a gun and he said he was heading over to Salli's pad. I couldn't figure out what he was up to and I said to him. "If there's a problem, I'm your bodyguard. Let's roll. I'm the one licensed to carry a gun."

Pac was also acting like Les had betrayed him because earlier, Pac had gotten into it with Les over the picture he he'd taken of Salli and a bad taste was still in Pac's mouth.

Pac left and went to Salli's house without his bodyguards.

The next day, Les was still bothering Pac, he said, "You supposed to be my boy, you're part of my posse and you're not down with me."

It became clear that Pac had somehow got it in his head that Les had been trying to find out where Salli lived and he was still pissed off about it."

Source: "I Got Your Back," by Frank Alexander

According to Jerry Heller, "Flush with success, Eazy-E and I decided to develop a female "Ruthless," act. Her name was Michel'le. Put her in front of a microphone and she was tone perfect with a gorgeous range that placed her at the top echelon of female vocalists, a Mary J. Blige before there was a Mary J. Blige."

"Despite her talent, she was a girl from the hood and could throw a punch like a longshoreman. I saw her lay out a female rapper named Tairrie B at an after-Grammy party, while industry heavy hitter Will Smith looked on in gape-mouth astonishment. Michel'le hit Tarrie with a straight armed right cross like a boxer, knocking the girl on the floor. Michel'le easily held her own among N.W.A. as well."

"It was Eazy's idea to push her. "We can't only have all this rap shit on "Ruthless," he told me. We have to have an R&B thing going."

"And, once again, we used Dr. Dre to secure a female act in the "Ruthless," fold. We always called Dre our "secret weapon." If we ever wanted to sign a woman, hire one, ore get one to do anything at all, Eazy would always say the same thing. "Send Dre."

"Even before "Ruthless," kicked into high gear, Eazy had multiple girlfriends. I would sit with him in that little porn video office adjacent to Lanark Park and marvel as I listened to him talk to his multiple women on the phone, one after another."

"Eric," I would say to him, "women are going to be your downfall." He was so smart in every other way. Women were his Achilles' heel. I couldn't believe a guy with so few other weaknesses indulged himself in such a huge one."

"Dr. Dre was easily Eazy's equal in attracting groupies, even though he had a totally different style of approach."

"Dre went on to produce Michel'le and the two started going out. It wasn't always a smooth relationship."

"Once, I was at Dre's house in Westlake Village. He was upstairs with another girlfriend when Michel'le strolled in unannounced. Dre's bodyguard, stalled her."

"Dre grabbed his clothes, jumped out the bedroom window and came around to the front door. He walked in as though he had just gotten there."

"Hey, Michel'le, he said, I didn't know you were coming over."

Source: "Ruthless," by Jerry Heller

According to Faith Evans, on the night of Biggie's Murder: Inside the Vibe party, I didn't get a chance to speak to Biggie, it didn't help that we were separated and dating other people at the time.

As Faith was leaving the party with friends, there was talk of an after party in the Hollywood Hills. As she headed to the car with friends, she heard some commotion coming from the exit to the museum. "I thought I heard someone say something about shots ringing out, but we were able to get into our car and out of the lot with no problem so we didn't think twice about it."

Our driver had followed a long line of cars up La Cienega Blvd., and into the Hollywood Hills. When we arrived, Heavy D came over and told us we better get to the hospital, something had happened to Big. I barely remember the ride from the Hollywood Hills to the hospital. I just remember rocking back and forth mumbling and praying to myself.

The car drove right up to the front entrance of the emergency room. I was ushered through the emergency room and into a smaller waiting room. Puffy was the first person to come over to me. He was walking so slowly and his lips were pursed so tight that it looked like he was physically in a lot of pain.

"Puff, what happened? What's going on? Where's Big? Is he okay?"

Puff looked up at me. "Faith, his voice trailed off and he closed his eyes. "I'm going to let the doctor talk to you."

"Mrs. Wallace," the doctor said. "We tried to revive your husband. We massaged his heart several times to get it beating again but we were unsuccessful." "The bullets ricocheted through his body. We could not revive him."

Faith screamed, "What are you saying? You have to try again!"

"Mrs. Wallace, we can't"

I began to shake uncontrollably. For some reason, I didn't cry, I just panicked. I was wearing several rings at the time and I just started yanking them off and dropping them on the floor. Someone led me to a chair. I sat down and I wept quietly for 20 minutes.

My husband and the father of my newborn son was dead.

Source: "Keep The Faith," by Faith Evans & Aliya S. King

According to Melle Mel of the former rap group, "Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five."

"We sold millions of records, our biggest hit was "The Message," but we never saw royalties. We worked with a series of advances. The label would advance us money to do a record and we always got statements that showed us in the hole. We always owed money."

"We fought about it and drugs became a problem among us and we split."

I did a record with Chaka Khan (I Feel For You) which won a Grammy in 1984. After that, my life fell apart."

"Later, I fell into drugs, hard. Everybody I knew, all the stars were getting high on coke and crack. Meanwhile, the opportunities slipped away and no one would return my calls."

"Five years passed. I went to prison. I did hard time. I smoked crack.

"I was on a pay phone in the Bronx in 1989, high on crack when a friend came up to me and said, "Melle Mel, Quincy Jones is looking for you."

"When I finally got in touch with Quincy, he told me he was interested in featuring me on one of his projects. He got me a plane ticket and flew me out to his house in Bel Air."

"Even though he'd heard I was in jail and was a crack addict, it said a lot to me that he would fly me out to his house in Bel Air and sit me in the living room with all his Grammys and jewelry and not worry about me stealing his shit.

"Just like that, I was back in business. He brought me and Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee and Ice-T into the studio and played a track for us. The next day we recorded everything in two hours."

"I got my life back together and have been clean for 12 years."

"I never did rap to make kids shoot Tech nines and gang-bang and abuse women. I did it for opportunity. I did it to humanize my neighborhood."

Source: "The Autobiography Of Quincy Jones"

"EAZY-E & BONE, THUGS-N-HARMONY"

Jerry Heller makes the following allegations in his book, "Ruthless."

"Eazy-E had gotten himself into a frame of mind professionally where he could not be satisfied. He watched Cube and Dre release one platinum album after another. Even though Ruthless sold millions of records, Eazy remained sick with envy."

"During a tour stop in Cleveland. Eazy called me and said, "Jerry, you are not going to believe these motherfuckers I found out here. They practically homeless man, when I met them they were all hanging around a barrel with a fire in it, trying to stay warm. You got to hear them." Send them tickets Jerry and get them out to Los Angeles."

The group was "Bone, Thugs-N-Harmony."

According to Heller, "They were the dope smokingest beings to ever wander the earth and through Eazy's street connections, they had access to unlimited quantities of the best smoke available."

The whole crew ate, smoked and lived together.

Their first EP, "Creepin On Ah Come Up," featuring the single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," was huge.

"They may have been geniuses in the studio but outside of it they were out of control."

"I lodged the group in motels all over the Valley, booking blocks of rooms at a time for the whole crew. The hotel managers would inevitably eighty-sex them. That happened so often, the group was eighty-sixed from every hotel along Ventura Boulevard."

"We finally rented the group a place in Chatsworth, a mini ranch in a sleepy, elderly neighborhood."

"One day, one of the members said to me, "I got an idea. I been seeing all these white people around here, just walking around, looking like they got a lot of money. What would you think if we start jacking them?"

"I just stared at him without answering."

"One day, the whole Bones family went into a Wells Fargo in Woodland Hills to cash a six-figure royalty check. An elderly woman in a house across the street saw a group of black men wearing watch-caps enter a bank. That was enough for her. She called the cops to report a bank robbery in progress."

"The ensuing uproar cost Ruthless $100,000 dollars to straighten out even though Bone, Thugs-N-Harmony were not responsible."

MURDER CONTRACT & THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM?

Rewind: Rich, Alpo and AZ ruled the NY drug game in the 80's at the ages of 16 and 17 and are portrayed in the film, "Paid In Full." Alpo (pictured above in the center) was the first black man in this country to own a Lamborghini sports car and he was suspected of killing crew member Rich Porter. He would be incarcerated for various drug offenses. Fast Forward: Alpo was released from prison, his sentence was reduced for cooperating with the authorities and becoming a government witness. Allegedly, when he was released, a rap heavyweight gave him a welcome home party, this event was ultra private and several hip-hop bigwigs refused to attend because they didn't want to be associated with the crime element and they suspected, authorities had Alpo under surveillance. Allegedly, family members had to move because the hood considered him a snitch. There is reportedly a "contract out on his life" and he has gone underground. People are wondering, is he in the 'Witness Protection Program?'

BUSTA JACKED FOR HIS BLING BY AN ORGANIZED CREW OF THIEVES:

The following caption currently appears in our "Hip Hop Gallery Gossip" column: In the book "Notorious C.O.P." by Derrick Parker, one chapter focuses on a crew from Bed-Stuy named, "The Commission." They were known to rob rappers of their bling and sell the diamonds to a celebrity jeweler for meltdown. All the rappers were unknowingly set-up by members of their road crew. Rapper Busta Rhymes was once robbed by "The Commission." The crew robbed Busta of $100,000 dollars worth of bling and one of the crew members, Da Kommander was so brazen, he would wear Busta's laser emerald earrings that were stolen in the robbery. "The Commission" still operate and are suspected in the recent robbery of a athlete who got into an altercation with a Fabolous crew member.

KARRINE "SUPERHEAD" STEFFANS (SEX TAPES?)

It has always been rumored that Karrine "Superhead" Steffans has over 100 sex tapes stashed away in a safety deposit box for safekeeping.  Allegedly, some of the most recognizable men in Black Hollywood, from: rap, acting, and R&B are featured on these tapes.  Steffans already released a best selling tell-all book, will she ever release these tapes if they exist?  Only time will tell.

DIDDY, J-LO & "THE SLUR"

When J.Lo was released from police custody after the New Year's Eve shooting involving her then boyfriend, P. Diddy several years ago, which he was acquitted of. She was riding in an unmarked Crown Victoria with two police detectives. One detective was in the back with J. Lo when her mother allegedly called. According to the officer (Derrick Parker) he overheard a heated conversation between mother and daughter. He says, 'From the Spanish that I'd picked up over the years, the conversation consisted largely of the mother telling J. Lo, "I told you not to go out with that moreno, this moreno is trouble-moreno being a Spanish slur for a "dark skinned black man."

THE ATTEMPTED HOME INVASION ROBBERY OF FOXY BROWN:

Last month, We reported on a organized crew of thieves known as "The Commission," based in New York.  This crew specializes in jacking rappers and professional athletes of their jewelry.

This organization was also responsible for the "attempted" home invasion robbery of rapper Foxy Brown.

According to the book "Notorious C.O.P." by Derrick Parker, the incident took place in 1998. A supposed friend of Foxy's family allegedly drove the two suspected perps in the case, Da Kommander (who allegedly robbed Busta) and an associate to Foxy's house to show them where she lived.

Earlier, Foxy had been dropped off at her house at 6:00 a.m. with her mother (Miss Marchand) greeting her at the door. Two hours later, Miss Marchand was awaken by the doorbell. A boy from the neighborhood said he was looking for Foxy's brother, Gavin, because he had clothes he wanted to return. When Marchand opened the door to get the clothes, the boy forced himself in and he was with another man. They asked, where's Foxy? "I told them I didn't know where she was." I knew I couldn't let them get to my son Gavin's room where Foxy was. He said, 'Don't lie, because I'll shoot you right now, he pointed a long black gun at me. I lied and told him that Foxy was at the studio." They locked me in a closet.

Miss Marchand was terrified by what she heard outside. The shorter male was about to go upstairs (where Foxy was) but moments later when Marchand opened the door from the inside, she saw that the hallway was dark, her assailants had mysteriously disappeared like they had appeared. She hurriedly called the police.

Only later, during a police interrogation, was it was revealed that the "Commission Boys" were behind the attempted home invasion robbery, they had planned to rob Foxy of her bling but their plans went awry and they had to abort the mission.

Allegedly, Faith Evans' phone rang the Friday night Tupac Shakur died. It was Biggie, he was crying. "He was in shock," Evans said, and I believe it's fair to say he was probably afraid."

According to Biggie, "When someone is making so much money, their lifestyle should be protected. He was supposed to have lots of security. He wasn't even supposed to be sitting by no window."

Biggie actually felt terrible about Shakur's death. The Saturday after Shakur died, his old friend Dream Hampton allegedly asked him if he was going to the funeral. Biggie replied, "Naw, man, he made my life miserable. He told lies, fucked with my marriage, turned fans against me. He was really investing a lot of time into trying to destroy my shit."

"Even if I wanted to attend, my presence would be a distraction for his family."

When a photographer asked Biggie what his beef was with Tupac, he replied, "We should have been recording together and we would be making all the money cause individually nobody can touch us and together, you know nobody can touch us." Biggie shook his head, thinking of all the good times him and Pac had shared together, and imagining all the lost opportunities.

And to think they had all given up the street life to get into the music industry because it was supposed to be safer.

After Suge got into the physical scuffle, caught on tape, in Las Vegas. When Suge returned to Los Angeles, he immediately signed a young singer (Gina Longo) to Death Row and he rented his Malibu Colony house from Longo's father.

It turned out that Gina Longo was the daughter of District Attorney, Lawrence Longo who negotiated Knight a plea deal.

Source: "The Life, Death & Afterlife Of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

MOB CLASSIFIED: (AL CAPONE & DUTCH SCHULTZ'S BURIED TREASURE)

300,000 cases of Al Capone's whiskey, was supposedly hidden in a cave along the shores of Lake Michigan by his henchmen. The liquor is valued at $300,000-$500,000 and it's from Capone's private collection. Treasure hunters continue to search for it.

A week before he was killed, gangster Dutch Schultz (who was filthy rich by accumulating nearly $14 million dollars in illegal mob activities) confided to his black girlfriend and his closest friends that he had buried a suitcase full of cash and gold coins in a remote area of New Jersey, the coins and cash are worth millions. Since his death, in the 30's, treasure hunters and scavengers have been unable to locate the money.

Side Note: After the success of "Lady Sings The Blues," Diana Ross was given a script detailing the relationship of Dutch Schultz and his girlfriend. Ross agreed to play the girlfriend and Ryan O'Neal was being considered for the part of Schultz but the project never got made due to financing.

POP CLASSIFIED: (MICHAEL JACKSON & PRINCESS DIANA)

According to Bob Jones (Michael Jackson's former publicist), in his book, "Michael Jackson: The Man Behind The Mask," Jones claims, Michael flagrantly depicted himself as a close friend of Princess Diana, even appearing with Barbara Walters after Diana's death to discuss their friendship. In actuality, they had met once and according to Jones, Diana immediately identified Michael as a opportunist. Princess Diana joined a lengthy list of famous people who refused to take Michael's calls.  A number of calls were made to Diana's people on behalf of Michael.  He badly wanted to be friends with her but apparently she wasn't interested. Her people would always ask what the call was in reference to, and we'd leave messages saying that Michael wanted to speak with her.  I was told to write down the subject matter in detail, send it along and they'd get back to me. To my knowledge, none of those calls were ever returned.  Jones also reveals, allegedly, Michael sent Steven Spielberg a package via the mail.  The package was returned unopened and stamped, "return to sender."

PAID $1 MILLION DOLLARS PER PEFORMANCE:

What do Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Prince, Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys and Tina Turner have in common?  They have all been paid $1 million dollars per performance to entertain overseas royalty.  In some cases, overseas billionaire clients are so anxious to book superstar talent, along with their astronomical fee, some artists have also received tycoon cut diamonds, Ferrari's and Lamborghini's.  This is a exclusive A-list club.

HIGHEST PAID RAPPER OVERSEAS:

Rapper 50 Cent is the only rapper who has performed for overseas royalty at a rate of $500,000 per performance.

IN RELATED NEWS:

Halle Berry is the only African-American actress paid $1 million dollars to make a 3-hour minimum appearance at corporate events. Actress Eva Longoria is also paid well to make corporate appearances.

NEW ARTISTS:

Singer Chris Brown is paid $100,000 per performance.  After the success of "The Big Bang!" Busta Rhymes was paid $100,000 per performance overseas. After the album cooled off, so did his fee.  During the success of Ciara's album, she was paid $200,000 per performance in Taiwan.

SIX-FIGURE HOLLYWOOD MATCHMAKER:

An African lady has the biggest rolodex on the East Coast and makes a good living arranging dates between millionaire moguls and celebrity women (black and white).  These women are not A-list stars, they are usually well known "B" or "C" actresses between jobs-they do this to supplement their income.  The women are paid between $75,000-$100,000 per date with "no" sex included.  One corporate raider was able to close a multi-million dollar business deal because the investors were impressed with his celebrity date.

CELEBRITY TELL-ALL BOOKS:

Karrine Steffans has started a trend with black celebrity tell-all books. Hip-hop stars will eventually prevent new people from gaining access into their inner circles. It has gotten so bad, a lot of rappers are not allowing cell phones into their parties, since cell phones come with cameras. A compromising photo can be snapped and sold to the tabloids for a bundle. Secrets are no longer secrets in the world of black entertainment and everyone is on guard. Some rappers have sworn off groupies in favor of escorts. Despite writing a tell-all memoir, famous men are still pursuing Karrine Steffans. Celebrity men can't seem to leave her alone.

Carmen Bryan's book seems more like a vendetta against former boyfriend, Nas. She seems like a woman scorned and out to get vengeance at any cost. It's doubtful that her book will sale as well as Karrine's, which is holding steady with 325,000 copies sold.

It was reported a few days ago that gay rapper Caushun is writing a tell all. We have been informed that two rap moguls and two rappers will be included in the book. We have done 'downlow' blind items on all four men. One of the rappers appears hard and thuggish but behind closed doors he is feminine and referred to as gal-boy among the gay crowd, the other rapper is very nice looking and low key. If this book ever comes out, it will be explosive and destroy careers. People are holding their breath.

Speaking of gay tell-all books. Late R&B singer Jermaine Stewart was in the process of writing a book focusing on his homosexual encounters with black celebrity men. One of the men is a former NBA player, another was a 'A-List' black actor. These men were all bi-sexual despite their reputations of being notorious womanizers. This book would have destroyed careers and endorsements. After Stewart died of AIDS, the manuscript disappeared.

As Tupac Shakur lay dying in a Las Vegas hospital room. The tabloids were offering $250,000 to anyone who would take a photo of Tupac, sedated, in his hospital bed. Security was so tight, only family members and "Death Row" personnel were allowed to enter the room.

CELEBRITY INTRODUCTION FEES:

We are receiving reports that wealthy men outside of entertainment and rich men inside of entertainment (with few connections) are willing to pay a 4-5 figure ‘introduction fee’ to be introduced to famous women in acting and infamous women in the adult industry. The person who makes the introduction receives $5,000-$10,000.

SECRET ADULT PAY DAYS!

Adult film stars and centerfolds are supplementing their income by working for an escort agency in New York City.  The minimum fee for an introduction is $1,500 for one-hour with two-hour introductions starting at $2,500.  Reportedly, their are no geographical limitations.  After the client selects the woman, the agency will fly her anywhere in the world.  Travel rates start at $6,000 per day.

HIP-HOP CALL GIRL:

A stunning African-American female in Hollywood, with a perfect figure, is the preferred call girl of the hip-hop elite.  She charges $5,000 per sexual encounter.  When hip-hop/music events are based in Los Angeles, she is booked solid and rap stars can be found waiting outside of her home in their limo's, eagerly awaiting their turn.  Entrance into her residence has become like a star studded red carpet event.

MOST EXCLUSIVE CLUB IN THE WORLD:

The "Foundation Room" (pictured above) is affiliated with "The House Of Blues" and is the most exclusive club in the world.  This club is located in several cities. The most popular location is located on the 43rd floor of "Mandalay Bay" in Las Vegas.  You can only gain entry by private elevator and your name has to be on the "VIP" list.  This club has multiple bars, a media screening room and optional European bottle services.  The main lounge is surrounded by comfortable sofas and fireplaces.  Private VIP suites are also available.  The ultimate luxury is the open-air balcony with a breathtaking view of the Las Vegas strip.  Members include: Actors, billionaires, millionaires, superstar athletes, moguls and politicians.

AIDS CONFIDENTIAL:

AIDS continues to mystify researchers.  A overseas prostitute had her first HIV test seventeen years ago, she has yet to contract the virus despite servicing 10-15 men a day-the majority of these men tested positive for HIV.  The percentage of "infected prostitutes" in her country eventually reached 90 percent. This prostitute contracted other STD's; proving that her partners didn't use condoms and she "was" exposed to HIV but "never" contracted it.  Scientists came to the conclusion, if a sex worker didn't contract the virus after five years, they were unlikely to get it.  In a similar case, an African prostitute slept with hundreds of men "unprotected" and allegedly infected her customers but she continues to test negative.  She is resistant to the virus but was able to infect others.  Even more frightening, ten years ago, a woman was infected with the "Group O" strain of AIDS.  Although an individual has AIDS symptoms and a low T-Cell count, this particular strain tests "negative" on HIV tests.  A person who tests negative (and is really positive) can unwittingly infect others because their AIDS test came back negative.  This woman was quarantined.

SPORTS: (TARGETED BY GROUPIES)

When "Sports Illustrated" did a article on athlete Jermaine O'Neal (pictured above) earning $15.2 million in salary and endorsements and collecting expensive cars : A Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, a BMW and a Land Rover. This information was posted on every groupie website on the Internet. 

NBA/NFL CLASSIFIED:

Former NBA player Anthony Mason had three criminal rape complaints filed against him in three years in three separate states-NY, NJ, and NC. Mason pled guilty to endangering the welfare of a child after being charged with statutory rape in New York. In each case, Mason made contact with a female, arranged her transportation. Each time, abuse allegations surfaced. Neither case resulted in formal charges being filed. Source: "Out Of Bounds" by Jeff Benedict

In 1997, NFL quarterback Jake Plummer (current Denver Broncos quarterback) was charged with felony sexual assault (rape). He struck a plea bargain and received 2 years probation. It's amazing how long the NFL has kept a lid on this.

After actress Sharon Tate (victim of Charles Manson) was murdered.  LAPD conducted one of the biggest manhunts in history.  Tate's father was also a military intelligence officer.  He would organize a private security/intelligence team of agents.  This team led the authorities to Charles Manson.

Actor William Holden (pictured above) was a courier for the CIA.  According to the book, "Hollywood's Unsolved Mysteries."  His profession was a perfect cover and his constant travel was never questioned.

Bad boy actor Steve McQueen (pictured above) was the most powerful actor in Hollywood history.  He remains the only actor who was paid a 'non-refundable' fee of $5 million just to read a script without commitment.  This was a 'consideration fee.' In Related News: Steven McQueen's daughter, Terry, died in 1998, at the age of 38. Four months after undergoing a liver transplant.

SUPPRESSED NEWS:

Michael Jackson sold 52 million copies (domestically) of "Thriller" and over 104 million copies of "Thriller" worldwide.  This makes him the most successful artist in history (over Elvis and The Beatles). But, for some reason, media outlets refuse to acknowledge this fact. 

INSIDE THE "BALCO" SCANDAL (STEROIDS):

Chemists (including "Balco" founder Victor Conte) steroid distributors, and coaches all congregated on an Internet message board. Deals were negotiated and millions were made.

Underground chemists are currently trying to create another steroid with a built-in masking agent making the steroid undetectable on drug tests, these chemists will take Conte's place among elite athletes.

Numerous athletes take steroids, one East Coast baseball superstar (not named in the scandal) stacks his usage (he takes double and triple doses to try and increase the effect).

It has always been rumored but never proven that a 'male' sports superstar actually died of steroid abuse and a 'female' sports superstar also died of steroid use, their cause of death was allegedly covered up by their families.

HOLLYWOOD RELATIONSHIPS (UNDER THE RADAR):

I was informed a year ago that Chris Rock and Madonna allegedly dated, prior to their marriages. At the time, I found it hard to believe, the couple seemed mismatched but now, the "National Enquirer" is confirming the pair were once a couple and they remain close. If true, this was one "unpublicized" relationship that managed to stay under the radar.

According to the book "Got Your Back," by Tupac's former bodyguard Frank Alexander. He claims, Tupac and actress Salli Richardson (before her marriage) were once a couple. While Pac was filming a movie, during breaks, Salli was in his trailer laying on top of a shirtless Pac. Alexander states, they were really into each other. Tupac even bought her a diamond heart locket for $15,000. When the package arrived, Alexander brought it into the trailer for her. She and Pac were in bed. He adds, "I didn't see her response to the gift but I sure 'heard it.' The couple also had picnics at Salli's Malibu home. From what Alexander gathered, Salli had never been with anybody like him and was down for him because he was a bad boy and a rough neck. Abruptly, the relationship ended without explanation.

It has also been rumored that Arsenio Hall allegedly dated Pamela Anderson, early on in their careers.  Allegations persist that they also allegedly lived together at one time. 

Yesterday, photos circulated all over the internet-of an unconscious Suge Knight. Allegedly, he was knocked out cold.

When Suge was incarcerated, he had long conversations with gangsta legend, Kody "Monster" Shakur. Kody received his nickname "Monster," when he stomped a man to death at the age of 13. Today, he is considered an "OG."

Suge still remains one of the most fearful figures in the entertainment industry. Since his emergence, allegedly, 3 murder contracts have been taken out on his life, interestingly, none of them have been executed.

Back in the day when Suge was helping Jodeci and Mary J. Blige renegotiate new contracts, allegedly, label head Andre Harrell was so intimidated by Knight that he hired the Fruit of Islam bodyguards to guard his offices soon after the negotiations.

Once, when Diddy and Biggie landed in Los Angeles, a "Details," writer allegedly witnessed an incident at a stop light. According to him, Diddy's crew happened to pull up next to Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur at a stop light. According to the writer, the driver was so fearful at the sight of Knight, he allegedly passed a gun to the bodyguard.

Suge does have a soft side that the public rarely sees. When a beautiful black model was diagnosed with leukemia, it created a financial strain. Suge stocked her cabinets with groceries and paid her bills until she died.

The streets are already buzzing that there will be retaliation towards the man who knocked Suge out cold.

Source: "The Life, Death & Afterlife Of The Notorious Big," by Cheo Hodari Coker

While Tupac was fighting for his life in a Las Vegas hospital, his girlfriend Kidada Jones visited. She told him "Do You Know I love You?" Tupac responded by squeezing her hand. She then asked, "You know we all love you?" He never answered because at that precise moment, he slipped into a coma.

CRIME CLASSIFIED: (BONNIE & CLYDE)

Bonnie & Clyde (pictured above) are the most famous crime duo in history. Rumors of Clyde Barrow's sexuality were originally suppressed but recent biographers claim he was allegedly bi-sexual which stemmed from a homosexual encounter he had in prison. Other biographers suggest he was impotent. According to Nostalgia Central.com, in the first draft of the Bonnie & Clyde (1967) script. Clyde was gay, the script was later changed to make him heterosexual. Before they were gunned down by law enforcement, a black farmer found them sleeping in his barn in Huntsville, Texas. Clyde sat up and pointed a gun at him until he said, "I don't mean you no harm," Clyde took him at his word and lowered the gun. Instead of calling the cops, he brought them food, water and blankets. They thanked him and called him "sir." The black farmer had tears in his eyes when he returned to his house because that was the first time a white man had ever called him "sir." When he checked in on them later, they were gone. When he walked over to where they had slept, he noticed a small stack of money, left for him.

SECRET GAY SOCIETY:

There is a secret and affluent gay club (Gamma Mu) in this country that shuns publicity. The membership list is a who's who of entertainment, sports, politics and business. This list is guarded like a 'classified government document.' The members are famous and extremely wealthy (billionaires and millionaires). Outsiders have complained that you have to be rich to join, if you are young and gorgeous, that requirement is allegedly waived. Although the majority of these men are gay, a percentage are married while others have girlfriends (beards). This exclusive club was created in 1967 by a gay travel agent. The group has congregated around the world on cruise ships, excursions and around the world trips. Locations include: Honolulu, Acapulco, Mexico, Vancouver, Canada, Costa Rica, etc. Gamma Mu received unwanted publicity when it was revealed that Andrew Cunanan (the man who killed Gianni Versace) was a one-time member. College scholarships are allegedly set up for younger members. Source: Advocate Magazine.

MAGICIAN WHO WAS A SPY?

Not only was Harry Houdini (pictured above) the greatest magician who ever lived, according to a new biography "The Secret Life Of Houdini: The Making Of America's First Super Hero," Houdini was also a spy who worked for Scotland Yard. His alleged spying on Russian anarchists, counterfeiters and others may have gotten him murdered at age 52, 80 years ago. The book says that Houdini, using his career as a cover, traveled the United States and the world as he collected intelligence for law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service. He died (after two vicious stomach punches) in 1926 on Halloween Day.

EXPLOSIVE ALLEGATIONS:

We don't know if the following allegations are true but they are disturbing to say the least. Michael Jackson's former publicist, Bob Jones, claims in is book "Michael Jackson: The Man Behind The Mask," that Jackson, allegedly, has a strong dislike for African-Americans and that he has always favored light skinned black people. Jones also states, Whitney Houston joined Jackson, Liza Minelli and Elizabeth Taylor at an event. Jackson allegedly, spent little time with Houston, ignoring her completely, despite the fact she was at her peak-the top selling female artist of that year. Jackson spent the majority of his time, allegedly, fawning over Taylor and Minelli. Jones also claims, allegedly, Jackson regularly injects himself with a bleaching agent to whiten his skin. Hopefully, these allegations are false.

We are currently working on a story about Sidney Korshak (pictured above). Here are some highlights: Korshak was a fixer and the underworld's powerbroker. Some referred to him as a mob kingpin who rose to prominence representing the heirs to Al Capone's crime syndicate in Chicago. The mob lawyer played by Robert Duvall in the "Godfather" was based on Korshak.

We are working on another story, titled: "Male Prostitution In Bodybuilding." We have been informed, rich gay men patronize bodybuilding events trying to solicit bodybuilders for sex. Some bodybuilders supplement their income by becoming paid gigolo's and kept men. Bodybuilding gyms have become an "Adult Disneyland" for rich homosexual men.

Pricey and expensive champagnes, Dom Perignon and Krug, priced at $200-$500 per bottle are owned by the Louis Vuitton fashion house. Cristal champagne has a rare edition priced at $1 million dollars.

A gay escort agency in Hollywood caters to rich gay and bi-sexual men. This agency continues to thrive, clients include: famous celebrities, businessmen and moguls. What's interesting and disturbing, half of these men are married with families. In Related News: You can see these same men on Santa Monica and Highland trying to solicit sex from male hustlers, she-males and transvestites.

Your Highness Aga Khan founded the ‘Yacht Club Costa Smeralda,’ (YCCS). The initiation fee is $12,600.00 to join and the annual membership fee is $2,520.00. The club currently has 435 members and is ‘quietly,’ looking for a few more members. This club is more prominent than being