• Celebrity News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 22, 2024

DaBaby Sued For $4M Following 2022 Bowling Alley Fight

---

A lawsuit filed against rapper DaBaby by the brother of his ex-girlfriend and fellow artist DaniLeigh reveals that Brandon Bills is requesting a total of $4 million from the Cleveland entertainer.

According to court documents obtained by InTouch, Bills filed the paperwork about an incident that took place in February 2022, claiming that the rapper allegedly assaulted him at a bowling alley in an unprovoked attack. Bills claimed he suffered significant physical and emotional harm due to the alleged assault. He is asking for $2 million in general damages and another $2 million in special damages. DaBaby used to date Bills’s sister, DaniLeigh.

Bills said he was at a Southern California bowling alley when the 32-year-old DaBaby walked in with friends and attacked him for no reason. TMZ posted a video of the altercation showing the rapper allegedly throwing punches at Bills as DaBaby’s friends join in fighting him on the lanes at the bowling alley.

The incident occurred several months after DaBaby and DaniLeigh broke up. TMZ reported that although police officers investigated the matter, no charges were ever filed against the rapper because he refused to speak to them.

DaBaby was embroiled in another lawsuit after someone else accused him of punching him in the face and knocking out several teeth after a dispute at the man’s Los Angeles residence.

According to RadarOnline, DaBaby had paperwork filed against him by 65-year-old Gary Pagar, who says he leased his Los Angeles residence to the “Rockstar” rapper and his associates in 2020. Pagar says he and DaBaby agreed that he wouldn’t have more than 12 people at the home. Yet, Pagar discovered that the recording artist filmed a music video at the residence with more than 40 people in the house.

When Pagar found out about the video being filmed at his place, he went to the home and confronted the rapper. He claimed the rapper punched him in the face and knocked out several of his teeth. He called the police, but DaBaby left before they arrived. Pagar asked for unspecified damages for his injuries and damage to his house.

The Los Angeles Superior Court judge scheduled a trial for Sept. 3, but Rolling Stone reported that he accepted a misdemeanor, no-jail plea deal in July.

Blair Berk, the rapper’s attorney, stated that DaBaby pleaded guilty (the rapper didn’t appear in court) to misdemeanor battery. Los Angeles County Judge Ray Jurado sentenced DaBaby to one year of probation and time served for the day he spent in custody when he was originally arrested in 2021. The judge also ordered him to pay $10,000 restitution, stay at least 100 yards away from Pagar, and “not possess, buy or sell any deadly weapons, including firearms.”

RELATED CONTENT: DaBaby Schooled Teens On How to Be a Boss After They Tried to Scam Him While Selling Candy

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 22, 2024

Damon Dash Admits To Being Broke, Explains Why

'When you’re investing in your dreams and you dream big, you’re always gonna be broke.'

---

Roc-A-Fella Records Co-Founder Damon Dash has recently taken to social media to explain why he is “broke” these days. After being one-third of the successful entity with partners JAY-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke, that question has been looming among hip-hop enthusiasts.

With an upcoming auction taking place in New York City on Aug. 29 to sell off Dash’s 33.3% stake in the label to satisfy a $823,000 judgment owed to movie producer Josh Webber, Dash reposted a video clip of him explaining why he went broke after the success he has had over the years. He expressed that investing in his dreams is why he is in his current situation.

“Somebody asked me how I got so broke. Um, investing in my dreams. You know, when you’re investing in your dreams, and you dream big, you’re always gonna be broke. You’ll have a lot of s**t, but I don’t have no money for nobody else if that’s what you call broke. That’s what it is. Either way, I’ma get with y’all. Stay tuned. I’m curious to see how it all rolls out.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dame Dash (@duskopoppington)

A judge ordered the auction after Dash made no payments toward the judgment against him from the Webber lawsuit. Webber previously won a defamation and copyright infringement lawsuit after a dispute over the 2016 film Dear Frank. JAY-Z and Biggs objected to the ruling, citing the company bylaws that mandate approval from the board of directors to sell off shares. U.S. Magistrate Robert W. Lehrburger ignored their plea and ruled that Dash’s one-third ownership of Roc-A-Fella is personal property that can be seized to satisfy the judgment against him.

The auction will possibly help Dash satisfy another debt. The New York City Department of Social Services (NYCDSS) will collect money owed to them before Webber can get any cash for his judgment. The entertainment executive owes $145,096 in unpaid child support to Rachel Roy for his two daughters and to Cindy Morales for his son.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

August 22, 2024

Texas Court Agrees To Reconsider Case Of Crystal Mason, Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison For Voting

Let's hope this is the last time....

---

Texas’s highest criminal court agreed to reconsider the case of Crystal Mason, a Black woman who was sentenced to five years for attempting to illegally vote during the 2016 presidential election, The Guardian reported. 

The announcement was made on Aug. 21 as the case received national attention eight years ago. Back in 2016, Mason was on supervised release, similar to probation, for a federal tax felony charge. Under Texas law, people convicted of a felony are prohibited from voting until their sentence is completed. When she arrived at the polls, and workers couldn’t find her name on the registered voter’s list, she was offered a provisional ballot — a special kind of ballot that is required under federal law if there is any uncertainty about voter’s eligibility. 

They are only counted if it is later confirmed that the person is eligible to vote. Mason’s ballot was never counted.

While Mason’s supervised release officer testified she failed to advise her that she could not vote, prosecutors argued Mason knew of her ineligibility and attempted to vote anyway. 

According to WFAA 8, Texas’ Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth overturned her conviction in March 2024. The court claimed at the time of the conviction, there was evidence proving Mason may not have been aware of her ineligibility under her felony conviction. Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells challenged her acquittal, insisting she committed a crime. But once the case came before the court again, at the time, it was ordered to revisit the case. 

As this will be the second time the case comes before the court, Mason is hoping this is the last time. “While I am ready for this case to be over and for my acquittal to stand, I will continue to maintain my faith that justice will be done,” Mason said in a statement. Her lawyers feel the same. Mason is being represented by numerous teams, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, ACLU National, Texas Civil Rights Project, criminal defense attorney Alison Grinter Allen, and civil attorney Kim T. Cole, who says they “remain confident.” “We respect the Court of Criminal Appeals’ decision to further review this case,” senior staff attorney at the Texas ACLU, Tommy Buser-Clancy, said. 

“We remain confident that the court of appeals made the right decision in vacating Ms. Mason’s conviction and rendering an acquittal. We look forward to briefing our position to the court.”

Sorrells, however, has yet to stand down on his stance against the appeal decision. “I want would-be illegal voters to know that we’re watching,” Sorrells said in a statement in May 2024. “And that we’ll follow the law and we will prosecute illegal voting.”

The case will proceed without oral argument, and while a schedule has yet to be identified, Allen feels the case will be a victory for others incarcerated who may be fearful of going to the polls. “We have faith that the court will uphold Crystal’s acquittal, and all Texans will see a day when they can feel confident in the franchise and go to the polls unafraid that they could face prison time for any mistake or misunderstanding,” Allen said.

RELATED CONTENT: Meet Lucinda Cross, The Black Woman Who Ensures Formerly Incarcerated People Know Their Right To Vote  

• Celebrity News

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

August 22, 2024

Gunna Partners With Black Music Action Coalition To Provide 30 Georgia Families With Guaranteed Income

Gunna is gifting 30 families with $1,000 monthly stipends for one year.

---

Rapper Gunna is giving $1,000 monthly stipends to 30 lucky families in his hometown of South Fulton, Georgia.

Gunna’s Great Giveaway Foundation has teamed up with the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) for a new initiative that will give out monthly stipends for one year, Rolling Stone reports. Recipients of the Gunna x BMAC 30349 Guaranteed Income Program must be within the specific zip code in South Fulton, Georgia, to receive the monthly stipends and mentorship in music, film, fashion, and tech.

The new initiative aligns with BMAC’s mission of uniting artists, songwriters, managers, producers, lawyers, and other music executives in tackling social injustice impacting predominantly Black communities in the wake of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

“BMAC’s mission to achieve systemic equity must begin with economic justice,” said Willie “Prophet” Stiggers, the organization’s co-founder, president, and CEO. “Black Americans are too often locked out of critical opportunities and pathways to climb the socioeconomic ladder despite being central to every cultural and financial movement in this country’s history.”

The program is the latest in Gunna’s philanthropic endeavors in his native Georgia. In 2021, he teamed up with Goodr to create a free in-school clothing and grocery store at his former middle school in College Park, where he grew up. The store, named Gunna’s Drip Closet And Goodr Grocery Store, has an array of foods, household items, toiletries, and even clothes and shoes for students and their families. It was formed to combat child hunger.

“We were really conscious of making sure that we were providing items that the kids could make themselves because the principal let us know that a lot of these kids when they leave school, they are essentially adults that are making the meals,” Goodr CEO Jasmine Crowe explained. “They’re doing everything for their household.”

Families interested in participating in the Gunna x BMAC 30349 Guaranteed Income Program can apply online HERE.

RELATED CONTENT: Rapper Gunna Released From Jail, Announces 5th ‘Gunna’s Great Giveaway’ to Gift $100K This Christmas