Posted: Wednesday – July 1, 2009

Michael Jackson’s body is set to be returned to Neverland for a public viewing, which will take place this Friday (July 3).

A private funeral for the pop legend will take place on Sunday (July 5) with family members and numerous celebrity mourners who are said to be in attending.

The legendary singer’s body is currently traveling in a 30-car-motorcade to a secret location.

The family, however, is still unsure of where to bury Jackson.

When Jackson’s father Joe Jackson was asked if the singer would be buried at Neverland, which Mr. Jackson stated that it was too early to talk about funeral plans, as the family was awaiting the results of a second autopsy.

However the mayor of Gary, Indiana, the town where Jackson grew up, has stated he hopes that the singer would be buried there.

Mayor Rubin Clay said he believed “that his body will lie in state in Gary, Indiana. “Now, it may not happen, but I believe it will.”

Mayor Clay is planning a citywide memorial that he labeled “fit for the greatest entertainer that ever lived,” to honor the singer on July 10th.

The public viewing is set to draw tens of thousands of fans from around the world.

In related news, more details are emerging about Jackson’s death.

Last Sunday, a registered nurse and Nutritionist Cherilyn Lee, received a call from Michael Jackson last Sunday.

She said three months ago Jackson allegedly sought a powerful drug Diprivan, because he could not sleep.

Jackson was allegedly seeking to gain eight straight hours of sleep, because he could not sleep consistently.

Jackson had taken the medicine in the past, since it was prescribed by a previous doctor, although the drug commonly used in surgical procedures.

Against Lee’s will, Jackson allegedly continued to ask about the drug.

Lee told Anderson Cooper’s CNN Show Anderson Cooper 360, that she warned Jackson, at least three months ago, about the dangers of Diprivan.

Lee claims someone on Jackson’s staff called her last Sunday (June 21), possibly because Jackson recalled the symptoms she warned the drug would call.

She said that Jackson called her and complained that half of his body was hot, and the other side was cold.

Diprivan is a power drug that should be administered in a hospital setting.

According to sources, Los Angeles County coroners know what drug was in Jackson’s body already, but have not revealed the details.

A will Jackson made in 2001 has also been discovered.

Source: Allhiphop.com

Posted: Monday – June 22, 2009

(ATLANTA, GA, JUNE 22, 2009) – “Pastor Brown,” the first feature film by Atlanta screenwriter Rhonda Freeman-Baraka, will be the centerpiece screening during the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) this weekend in Miami.

The film, which is slated for a fall release by Rock Capital Films, marks the directorial debut of actor Rockmond Dunbar (“The Family That Preys,” “Soul Food,” “Prison Break”) and features a stellar all-star cast that includes Salli Richardson, Keith David, Ernie Hudson, Tasha Smith, Michael Beach, Tisha Campbell Martin and Michael B. Jordan. Music icons Angie Stone and Monica also appear in the film. “Pastor Brown” was shot in Atlanta last year.

Says Baraka about the ABFF screening, “I’m obviously thrilled. ABFF is a popular and highly respected festival and it’s an honor to have my first film featured in this setting.”

Touted as a modern-day twist on the tale of the prodigal son, “Pastor Brown” is the story of Jesse Brown (Richardson) a young woman who returns home to face a dying father (David), a bitter sister (Parker) and an angry son (Jordan). “This is a film about family and forgiveness. It’s about faith and redemption. I think it’s a story that will touch the hearts of everyone who sees it – thanks in large part to the brilliant talent that breathed life into these characters.”

ABFF takes place June 24-27.

Baraka is currently in development on a romantic comedy entitled “Looking for Jimmy Lee” and a television sitcom.

Posted: Friday – June 19, 2009

Rappers/actors Common and Queen Latifah have signed on to star in a new Fox Searchlight film titled Just Wright.

Queen Latifah plays a sports trainer, who falls in love with a professional basketball player, while attempting to rehabilitate him from a career-threatening injury.

The script was written by Michael Elliot, while Latifah, long time partner Shakim Compere and Debra Martin Chase will produce the movie, with Sanaa Hamri directing.

Common, who is currently shooting Date Night, recently had a high profile role in the movie Terminator Salvation, which has raked in over $165 million dollars in box office revenue in the U.S. since being released in May.

Shooting on Just Wright is slated to begin next month, while the movie is expected to be in theaters nationwide sometime in 2010.

Source: Allhiphop.com

Posted: Thursday – June 18, 2009

Legendary Houston rapper Willie D quietly posted bail two weeks ago, evading the high level of attention his recent fraud case has received.

The 42-year-old born William James Dennis was released from a Houston area correctional facility on May 20 under a bond agreement that limits his travel and use of the internet.

Under the terms of his bond, Willie D has surrendered his passport and has been forbidden from travelling beyond Harris and surrounding counties.

In addition, the Geto Boys star is being monitored by an active GPS system.

Due to the nature of his crimes, Willie D has also been forbidden from using the internet.

On May 13, the gangsta rap pioneer was arrested at Houston’s Bush International Airport and accused of running an elaborate iPhone scam.

He allegedly used a front company named Texas One Wireless to solicit international customers on eBay.

Willie D reportedly processed several orders for iPhones and other electronics, requesting the funds for the goods be transferred to his bank account. None of the orders were ever filled, however.

Two weeks ago, his attorney filed a motion requesting that both the travel and internet restrictions be lifted, as both are needed in Dennis’s career as a rapper.

The court documents indicated that he had already missed a scheduled performance in Cleveland, Ohio due to his arrest.

On June 9, a grand jury indicted Willie on 15 counts of wire fraud.

If convicted, he will face up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000. His arraignment has yet to be scheduled.

A Houston-based booking and promotions company has planned a tribute to Willie D set for tonight (June 18).

Smash The Mic has announced that it’s Pre-Juneteenth Concert and Party at Bar-Rio, showcasing new Hip-Hop talent, will also be a celebration of “the man who helped put Houston on the map.”

No word as to whether Willie D himself will be present at the event, although he is expected to make an appearance.

Source: Allhiphop.com

Posted: Wednesday – June 17, 2009

Baltimore, Maryland has become the first city to sign a “proclamation document” announcing June as National Basketball and Hip-Hop Culture Month.

Mayor Sheila Dixon (D) signed the proclamation earlier this week in Baltimore.

The recognition was spearheaded by Derrick E. Vaughan, founder of the non-profit organization that bears the title as the newly christened month (NBHHCM).

“It’s an honor and a privilege to have this Proclamation document for the past, present, and future individuals who have been and will be influenced by the fusion of hoops and Hip-Hop,” said Vaughan to AllHipHop.com in a prepared statement. “The recognition is historic for this generation.”

Vaughan’s organization prides itself on promoting the “history, legacy, and future of the hoops and Hip-Hop culture fusion in America.”

They reference 1984 as the beginning of the Hip-Hop-basketball fusion , citing the mix of basketball stars Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Hip-Hop’s emergence into the mainstream.

Baltimore and the NBHHCM kicked off this month with a June 1 “Tip-Off” celebration, the event was held downtown and featured rap, breaking, and graffiti performances from local acts B-Morsell, Raw Ned, Nitrus, and Butchie Mears.

Afterward, Mears’ artwork was dedicated to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture. Rapper B-Morsell, AKA the Dunkadelic MC, created the first Hip-Hop song inspired by the event entitled “Dunkadelic TV Rap.”

Derrick Vaughan is hopeful news of the event’s success will spread, and prompt other cities will sign on to give their own unique interpretations.

“June is the perfect month for rappers to release songs for the Summer,” he stated. “I hope to see more songs dedicated to the hoops and Hip-Hop culture in the future.”

For more information on the National Basketball and Hip-Hop Culture Month, visit www.NBHHCM.org.

Source: Allhiphop.com

Posted: Wednesday – June 17, 2009

Snoop Dogg has signed on to help raise money for a $140 million dollar youth center in one of Long Beach’s poorest neighborhoods.

Snoop, a native of Long Beach, is recording a song to donate proceeds to The Kroc Center, a new facility run by The Salvation Army.

The Kroc will sit on 19 acres of land and will include a two-story, 84,000 square-foot recreation center with a gymnasium, a fitness center, gardening areas, walking trails, pools and other facilities to train future athletes and Olympians.

Snoop Dogg will record a track with all of the proceeds – an estimated $5 million dollars – going towards the facility.

Professional football player Willie McGinest has also signed on to promote the center’s endeavors and recently made a sizeable donation.

Source: Allhiphop.com