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The New York Police Department has been denying the existence of a “Rap Intelligence Unit” for nearly a decade, but current reports indicate otherwise. In two recent profiles by The Village Voice, both Fabolous [full story HERE] and Prodigy of Mobb Deep [full story HERE] say they have had recent run-ins with the “Hip Hop Police.”
“It was never funny, but it was like, ‘Wow!'” says Fabolous of his numerous encounters with the specialized task force, that allegedly profiles Hip Hop artists. “Then after a while, it was like: ‘OK, you guys are laying it on kind of thick. To me, some of these police units, they need something to keep them going. If they don’t have hip-hop juice–leads or whatever–I’m sure they wouldn’t exist.”
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Prodigy, who is facing a three-and-a-half year sentence behind what he describes as profiling from the “Hip Hop Unit,” echoed the same sentiment: “[The arresting officer] said, ‘You might as well get used to seeing us now, because we’ve been assigned to you guys. Our squad has been assigned to G-Unit, and the team in this car is assigned to Mobb Deep.” For their part, representatives from the NYPD stated that no such group exists.
The Associated Press reports that former Cash Money Records standout Juvenile was arrested Tuesday (Jan. 12) for misdemeanor marijuana possession. Police stopped Juvenile (born Terius Gray) near Meridian, Miss. with what they described as “a small amount of marijuana.”Juvenile was subsequently arrested, and later released, but has since declined to comment on the arrest. Tuesday’s incident marked the fourth time the rapper has been arrested, and while previous charges include felony battery and failure to pay child support, most of the charges in his previous cases have been dropped. Juvenile hasn’t released a studio album since Reality Check in 2006, but is expected to be part of a Hot Boys reunion taking place this weekend in New Orleans.
Former So So Def/Arista artist Bone Crusher is hoping to fight obesity and turn his Celebrity Fit Club exposure into a profit with his new release. The Atlanta rapper is working in conjunction with Warner Home Video to promote his fitness DVD entitled Battle of the Bulge. Bone Crusher sought the assistance of Dr. Ian Smith to target the “plus size demographic.”Bone Crusher originally made a name for himself in 2002 with “Neva Scared,” before later recording on Roy Jones Jr’s label Body Head Entertainment and Vainglorious Entertainment.
