Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle Records, rapper Soopafly and other unnamed parties will pay Richard Monroe Jr. nearly $449,000 in damages, a jury found on Friday (May 8) after determining that Monroe suffered major injuries from the assault.
Soopafly (born Priest Brooks) was among those involved in the incident "We're very pleased that the jury found that this incident was not something to be taken lightly," Monroe's attorney, Brian E. Watkins, said. Friday’s decision marks the end of two weeks of testimony surrounding Monroe’s 2006 lawsuit against Snoop Dogg (born Calvin Broadus).
Although Monroe’s attorneys claimed the rapper hit their client with a microphone during the ordeal, a video shown during the trial disputed the argument.
The clip, which showed Snoop Dogg performing his hit song “Gin and Juice,” did not show rapper hitting Monroe.
Monroe is tackled by security in the video after putting his arm around Snoop Dogg.
Monroe revealed during the trial that he thought he had been invited onstage during the show, which took place at the White River Amphitheater near Seattle.
According to reports, Monroe later woke up after the assault, dazed, in a pool of blood and with his pants ripped off.
He told investigators that the men who beat him also poured their drinks, which appeared to be a mix of gin and juice, on him during the beating. Jurors were shown pictures of Monroe’s swollen face following the concert.
Snoop Doggs' attorneys countered Monroe's version of the incident by arguing that his recollection of events changed over time and.
In addition, the lawyers told jurors that Monroe did not immediately reveal to investigators after the ordeal that Snoop Dogg hit him with his microphone.
That rap star testified earlier in the civil trial that he did not assault Monroe as he described and identified performers and security personnel who were seen struggling with Monroe on the video.
Snoop Dogg further stated that he quickly left the stage to go to his tour bus before the incident was over.
Snoop Dogg was not in court on Friday when the verdict was handed down.
The jury’s decision to award the nearly $449,000 payment to Monroe fell short of the $ 22 million he had sought from the entertainer.
As if a new town, new teammates and a new lifestyle weren't hard enough, Washington Redskins first-round draft pick Brian Orakpo might have one more obstacle in the transition to the NFL: a new position.
Orakpo, selected by the Redskins last week as a highly touted defensive end, spent his first minicamp Friday and Saturday drilling with Washington's linebacker corps.
And while Orakpo -- who slipped to the 13th overall selection after some projected him in the top five -- still expects to be a lineman first, how well he adapts to linebacker might affect how much he plays as a rookie.It's all just up in the air, just seeing what can I do, and how can I stay on the field at all times," said Orakpo, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound speed end who played on both sides of the defensive line at Texas. "But they brought me here to rush the passer, and I'm not getting away from that at all. Don't even think that."
A self-described athletic "freak" with a 550-pound bench press and a 4.7-second 40-yard dash, Orakpo certainly offers flexibility to a group that finished last season with 24 team sacks, just 28th-best in the NFL. And with the addition of All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who signed a seven-year, $100-million contract early in free agency, Orakpo senses the Redskins' scheme could suit him well.
"Now I can really get on the edge and not worry about the quarterback stepping in the pocket," said Orakpo, who led Texas with 11.5 sacks during his senior season. "Because you've got big Albert clogging up the middle, pushing the pocket, making the quarterback escape to where the ends are coming and leave us roaming free. It's really a lot easier for us."
Orakpo also could free up other ends such as Andre Carter, who had four sacks and 37 tackles last season, or veterans Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn, who likely will play more on run downs.
That's the plan -- though it's hard to tell what will happen because they haven't played much with Orakpo "I saw him pass rush," said Haynesworth, who otherwise said he hadn't watched Orakpo much. "On one, he turned the corner real well and slapped a guy's hands. He's got that part down. With a rookie, you've got so many things thrown at you that it's really different, and you can't really focus on the game of football."
Added Carter: "We see a little bit of him on film. He's coming along. It's the transition of him going from being a defensive end to a linebacker. He also comes down and puts his hand in the dirt in nickel and dime packages. But he's all over the place."
Which, in the end, is what the Redskins want.
"I'm getting a sense of my role," Orakpo said. "I'm still getting more comfortable at the linebacker reads and stuff, but that just comes over time.
"In running downs, it's up in two-point stance, and when it's time to rush, well, it's, 'Get down and go
do you think bert should return?
During a show this weekend in Long Island, New York, Brooklyn rapper Maino got emotional during a performance of his latest single, the rags to riches anthem “All The Above.”
Joined by a slew of members from his entourage, a shirtless Maino knelt down on the stage, seconds after the song started. Overcome with feelings, the Atlantic recording artist abruptly stopped the track. “Let me just get this out my system, I got a lot going on in my life now,” he passionately told the audience at L.I. club, The White House. “Let me just say this the police shot my friend and they telling me he might not walk again.
Holding his tears back he continued, “But this right here is victory. We unstoppable,” before starting the song back up again.
Hot 97 radio personality Miss Info reports that the man that was shot goes by the name of 80, and that the two are inseparable friends.
The cut, produced by Just Blaze and featuring T-Pain, is the second single from Maino’s upcoming debut, If Tomorrow Comes… The project, which has been long-delayed, has been pushed back yet again. It is now set for a June 30 release date.
It's been a long time coming, but the new Mos Def album, Casa Bey, will finally come out on June 9th through Downtown, featuring guest spots from Talib Kweli and Slick Rick and production from Oh No, Chad Hugo, Mad Lib, Mr. Flash and the late J. Dilla, among others.
We're stoked to premiere the new single and title track this A.M, a song based on a sample of Banda Black Rio's "Casa Forte" with Mos doing his mile-a-minute word dance over top. The story behind the beat has it that on a recent trip to South America, Mos linked up with well-known Brazilian rapper MV Bill, who gave him a tape with "Casa Forte" on it. Bowled over by the track, when Mos came home, he turned to DJ Preservation and Dante Smith to (barely) cut it up into a beat, forming the instrumental.
The buzz continues to grow for Toronto rap newcomer Drake. The Young Money signee recently did an interview with UK radio personality DJ Semtex where he spoke on his rumored collaboration with Jay-Z.
Drizzy confirmed with Semtex that he has been in the studio with Jay, as producer Just Blaze posted on his Twitter account. “I’ve been blessed enough to work with Jay in the last couple weeks and I mean people are just gonna have to wait, you’ll have to see what comes of it.
While not offering any more details on the collaboration the former Degrassi actor said working with Jay was one of “the most key moment in my life.”
Drake is expected to fly overseas in late June/early July to play a show with Weezy and other newcomer Kid Cudi – with whom the rapper says, as another up-and-coming new face in the game he is “very proud of.”
reported earlier this week that Drake is in the process of signing with an undisclosed major. He says he wants the album, titled Thank Me Later, to drop before Christmas. As far as other possible features besides Jigga and Wayne, he says, “Just know the best of the best will be involved.” Drake revealed to MTV News that he has also worked with Kanye West and Young Jeezy.
As DJ Drama promised, T.I. has just released a statement about Alfamega, essentially disassociating himself and his company from the rapper in light of reports that he was a former informant for the DEA.
“I am stunned and totally surprised about the news about Alfa (Ced Zellers),” he said. “Even though all of our artists and employees are asked by us to be honest and open about their past history, at no time did Alfa disclose to me or Grand Hustle what has now appeared in the media. He essentially deceived us by failing to fully disclose the truth about his past and there is no place in our organization for this kind of misleading behavior. This is our way of saying you must take responsibility for your own actions. We at Grand Hustle can not support or condone blaming others for our own mistakes. I hope and pray to God bless his financial plans but I don’t forsee me or my company playing a role in his personal or professional business.”
The Smoking Gun reported earlier this week that Mega was a government withness and worked with the DEA. According to the site, the artist, who calls himself the Grand Hustle Muscle, copped a deal with the government in order to shorten his 1995 jail bid in on federal gun charges. TSG obtained legal documents showing that the rapper testified against a known heroin dealer and several other criminals to have 18 months subtracted from his 110 month sentence.
T.I., who is expected to turn himself on his own 2007 federal gun charges by May 19, has a history with informants. His former bodyguard, Corey Williams, got caught buying weapons, and the government gave him a deal to turn on Tip. This lead to the King Of The South’s arrest.
J Cole, the first signing to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, also hit the stage early on, after which he spoke about hooking up with Hov. “It’s something I couldn’t imagine back in the day. I couldn’t fathom being 14 and writing raps to being here,” said Cole.
His deal with Roc Nation represents a 360 venture, in which the artist shares touring and merchandising revenue with the label in addition to record sales. “That’s the way new artists’ deals are being done in this day and age,” said Cole. “Unless you come to the table with some bargaining power, that’s just what you’re gonna get.”
Any deal with the most successful rapper ever may seem highly promising, but Jay-Z has struggled in the past in regards to breaking talent. However, Cole remains unfazed. “The type of artist that is gonna have success under Jay is the type of artist who’s gonna break himself, so his track record to me is irrelevant,” he said. “It’s really up to me. All [Jay-Z’s] giving me is a platform and a way for me to put my music out there. I’m not relying on Jay-Z to make me or break me
