RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS..Family Of Akai Gurley Plan To Sue New York City For $50 Million
The family of Akai Gurley, an unarmed man who was killed by a NYPD officer, is planning to file a $50 million lawsuit against New York City.
The mother of his two-year-old duaghter, Kimberly Ballinger, filed a claim against the NYPD, the city, Landau and Liang and filed a notice of claim against the New York City Housing Authority.
“The shooting death of Akai by the police was reckless and should not have happened,”Ballinger said at a news conference. “Akai was a great father and a good person who didn’t deserve to die like he did.”
While patrolling the Louis H. Pink Houses in Brooklyn, officers Peter Liang and Shaun Landau were walking down a “dimly lit” staircase when Gurley and his girlfriend, Melissa Butler, entered. Liang accidentally shot Gurley without warning. Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson is currently investigating the shooting and will present his findings to the grand jury.
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. Juicy J Will Co-Executive Produce ASAP Rocky’s Second Album
ASAP Rocky in getting more in touch with his trippy side. The ASAP Mobster has tapped Juicy J to executive produce his new album.
The Three Six Mafia member took to Twitter to ensure that the album would be of top notch quality.
Juicy will be co-executive producing the album along with Dangermouse. The late ASAP Yams was also executive producing the project at the time of his death.
“All I can tell you is that A$AP Yams was one of the most influential hip-hop pioneers of today,” Rocky recently told the New York Times. “I have him and Danger Mouse executive chef-ing this mystical magical piece that we call art, my music today.”
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. Missy Elliott To Join Katy Perry On Stage During 2015 Superbowl Halftime Show
An anonymous source has spilled the tea about Katy Perry’s halftime performance at Sunday’s Superbowl. The insider told the Associated Press that Missy Elliott will be hitting the stage with the “Fireworks” singer.
At a press conference yesterday (Jan. 29), Perry dropped a hint that an “old school” hip-hop act would be making a guest appearance but would not reveal who. “When you hear the first ring of the chord I think jaws will drop and faces will melt,” she said.
Lenny Kravitz is set to perform alongside Perry as well.
The last time Missy Elliott made did a surprise performance was at the 2014 BET Music Awards during fellow VA native Pharrell’s opening performance.
Tune in on Sunday, Feb. 2nd to see if Missy appears.
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. YG & Ty Dolla Sign Accused Of Assaulting A Fan In Australia
Two of the young guns rising from the West Coast Hip Hop scene are facing allegations they were involved in an assault in Australia. According to TMZ, a fan is accusing YG and Ty Dolla Sign of punching and kicking him at Melbourne’s Eve Nightclub on Sunday (January 25).
The site reports:
The alleged victim claims he was hanging in the VIP area when the rappers and their crew rolled in and tried to shove everyone else out. The victim says when he refused to bolt … they unloaded on him and then chased him outside.
No arrests were made, but police are investigating the incident. Sources connected to the California based Hip Hop stars tell TMZ Ty Dolla and YG did not touch the man, and it was security that removed him from the venue.
There were also reports that riot police were called in for YG and Ty’s show in Sydney on January 26. The two were performing at the Enmore Theatre when authorities apparently arrived on the scene to break up a brawl.
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. Jay Z To Take On Spotify & Beats Music By Purchasing Music Streaming Company Aspiro
One of the big 2014 business stories involving the music industry was the fact that consumers are now leaning more towards streaming music as opposed to purchasing albums. It appears one Hip Hop mogul is looking to get in on the growing trend by buying his own streaming services.
Reuters reports Jay’s S. Carter Enterprises subsidiary Project Panther put in a $56 million bid for Aspiro. The Scandinavian company controls the streaming services WiMP and Tidal. Aspiro’s main shareholder, Schibsted, has accepted the offer.
This will put Jay in direct competition with other streaming giants like Spotify and Apple’s Beats Music. Project Panther refered to Aspiro as “an innovative high-quality company with strong future growth potential.”
Aspiro’s WiMP reportedly has 512,000 paying subscribers in Europe. Its more expensive HiFi version, Tidal, is said to have 20,000 subscribers. Tidal launched in the U.S. in October 2014 with a monthly subscription price of $19.99.
Peak Track – Sweet And Lovely – Guy Lombardo
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. Bobby Shmurda & GS9 Hit With 32 Additional Charges
The court saga playing out for Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda has become even more serious. XXL reports the New York prosecution added 32 more charges onto the original indictment for Shmurda and his fellow defendants. The 20-year-old Epic Records artist was arrested in December for murder, assault, narcotics, and weapons possession – all conspiracy charges.
Shmurda entered a not guilty plea at the Manhattan Supreme Court yesterday. He was present in the courtroom with his new attorney Kenneth Montgomery. The “Hot N***a” performer’s previous lawyer, Howard Greenberg, is no longer representing him.
Greenberg had been the public face for Shmurda. He recently told Revolt a Brooklyn gun charge against Shmurda was to be dropped. It turns out that is not the case as the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is reportedly still pursuing the June 2014 offense.
Shmurda’s current legal representation is seeking a reduction in the $2 million bail that has been set for the rapper. Montgomery requested a special bail hearing for February 2, but the judge denied the request.
The new charges brought against the defendants were the result of the arrest at Manhattan’s Quad Studios on December 17. The new counts include second degree criminal possession of a weapon, third degree criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm.
The next court date for Shmurda and the other indicted members of his GS9 crew is set for April 22.
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. Suge Knight Turns Himself In To Police For Hit-And-Run Death; Witnesses Say Act Was Intentional
Suge Knight is speaking with police this morning after the founder of Death Row Records turned himself in to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s. The department released a statement confirming Knight is at the West Hollywood station with his attorney. He is being questioned by homicide detectives.
Knight was a person of interest in the death of a 55-year-old man run down in the parking lot of a Compton restaurant. Another 51-year-old man was injured. Witnesses say the driver of a red pick-up truck, identified as Suge Knight, got into an argument with the two men. The driver then ran them over with his vehicle.
“Looks like he drove backwards and struck the victims and drove forwards and struck them again,” said L.A. County sheriff’s Lt. John Corina. “The people we talked to say it looked like it was an intentional act.”
The empty truck was found later that evening in West Los Angeles. Authorities apparently have video of Knight driving a red pick-up 20 minutes prior to the incident.
Knight’s attorney said the death was an accident. James Blatt believes his client will be “totally exonerated.”
“He was in the process of being physically assaulted by two men and in an effort to escape he unfortunately hit two (other) individuals,” stated Blatt. “He was in his car trying to escape.”
RWS RADIO.. WORD ON THE STREETS.. Suge Knight’s Lawyer Calls “Friend” Death “A Tragic Accident”
Authorities are saying that Suge Knight’s truck ran into a crowd of people, killing his own friend, in a hit-and-run that has him a wanted man by police.
The lawyer of the former Death Row mogul deemed the fatal incident a “tragic accident,” per a report from NBC News.
The situation is still under investigation and Suge has yet to turn himself in to authorities. Police also seek to determine if the matter was an accident or a homicide.
The crash happened on West Rosecrans Avenue in Compton about 2:55 p.m. Pacific Time at a video shoot for The Game. The song in question was allegedly called “Straight Outta Compton,” which featured Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. The Game posted a picture with the two N.W.A. alum earlier in the day.
A second person was injured with non-life threatening wounds.
According to his lawyer, Suge Knight is arranging the terms of his surrender to authorities.