Eminem's concerts get wild
It seems every day there's something new to report about Eminem. If the rest of his concerts end up like the ones in San Francisco and L.A., then that trend will continue. On his trip to the Bay Area, Slim Shady reportedly became involved in an altercation with a fan. Two different versions of the story have surfaced. The first account stated that Eminem jumped into the crowd and attacked an obnoxious fan that was insulting him. The second report said that a fight broke out between fans, and Eminem and security intervened to put a stop to it. Even stranger is what happened at a West Hollywood appearance. Actor Dustin Hoffman, who brought his kids to the show, appeared on stage wrapped like a mummy before removing the bandages to awkwardly dance with Slim. The other guest star made a more impressive performance: Dr. Dre joined Eminem for a rendition of "Nuthin' But A G Thang."
More news on the Lost Boyz, Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill and Foxy Brown
www.the411online.com
All contents ©1994-2000 The 411 Online
News | Reviews | Interviews | Discussion | Coming Up | Flashbacks
In the Trunk | Radio | Best of '99 | Source Awards | Exhibit | Links | E-mail
DMX and his wife, Tashera, were arrested Wednesday in Teaneck, N.J., after police searched their home and found a semiautomatic weapon, a bulletproof vest, hollowpoint bullets and an extra-capacity gun clip, all of which are illegal in the state. According to police reports, the search warrant was issued after X's uncle and manager, Ray Copeland, was shot in the foot earlier in the week. During the search, which occurred while the couple was away, police also captured 14 pit bulls, most of which were in cages. When DMX found out there was a warrant out for his arrest, he turned himself in and was released on $50,000 bail. His wife was released on $2,500 bail. 
No Limit Records is being sued by a producer and label executive for $10 million, claiming that Master P forced them into releasing Mia X from a recording contract. According to The Times-Picayune, Roy Joseph claims to have signed Mia in 1994 to a two-year contract on Emoja Records. In the suit Joseph claims that an associate of P threatened him to release Mia or else he and his company would fail and be ruined. 
After a July 18 WNBA game between the Los Angeles Sparks and Houston Comets, Snoop Dogg, DJ Quik, Warren G and Coolio will perform in a benefit show. Breaking Out, a benefit concert for the Breaking Out Foundation, the Junior Achievement of Southern California, and F.A.M.E. Renaissance of Los Angeles, will be at 8:30 p.m. after the game at the Los Angeles Forum and will also feature some local/unsigned artists. The Breaking Out Foundation helps at-risk inner city youth to create career goals in the entertainment and sports industries by providing guidance, education, and training.
Jewish group, the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) claim that Public Enemy's song "Swindler's Lust" contains anti-semitic overtones in a letter sent to AtomicPop. Abraham Foxman, national director for the ADL, says that in the song, Chuck D refers to banking and millions of people dying as code words to make it seem like the Jews controlled financial and several other industries. In response to the accusations, Chuck said, "I'm a wordsmith, I knew I was going to raise some attention. There was no harm intended towards anyone." Foxman also disliked the title of the song, which he believes is playing on the idea of the film Schindler's List, a movie about German's trying to save Jews from the Nazis. "The truth is the truth," Chuck said. "I think ['Swindler's Lust'] is a hell of a title. People gotta check out the song and tell me whether I'm right or wrong." 
According to the New York Daily News, Puffy has made an out-of-court settlement with Nas manager Steve Stoute, after Stoute filed suit for $12 million dollars after Puffy allegedly attacked him. Sources say that Puffy paid Stoute $500,000 producer and management fees, which will see Stoute as a producer on some Bad Boy projects including albums and videos. It was also said that Stoute will be managing some of the artists on Bad Boy as part of the settlement. 
Don't be fooled by the title of EPMD's latest album -- Out of Business -- Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith are not retiring. At least not anymore. The legendary group, which broke up after their fourth album but reunited for 1997's Back In Business, has changed their plans to call it quits after the double album drops on July 20. The latest from E-Double and the Mic Doc is slated to have one disc of all-new material and another full of greatest hits. The first single, "Symphony 2000," features another famous Def Jam duo, Method Man and Redman. But stay tuned, because they could always change their minds again.
Lauryn Hill announced plans to officially kick off a U.S. tour on July 11 in Long Island, N.Y. The tour will feature a rotating lineup of opening acts, including Outkast, The Roots, Slick Rick and Busta Rhymes. Hill, who recently decided to cut the cursing out of her songs because of the lyrics' influence on her "impressionable" two-year-old son, has hooked up with Levi's to sponsor the tour, which will hit 23 cities from coast to coast before wrapping up on Aug. 15 in Washington, D.C. Hill also will play a warmup show in Milwaukee on June 30. 
Six people were hospitalized and several others, including Coolio, were treated for injuries after one of three tour vans flipped while traveling on Interstate 5 about 40 miles north of Sacramento. The group, made up of artists from Coolio's Crowbar Records, was heading to San Francisco to begin an 18-city tour to promote an upcoming compilation album. As a result of the accident, the entire tour was canceled.
LL Cool J has announced the launch of Rock The Bells Records, a label through Warner Bros. that has already signed two acts, rapper Smokeman and R&B group Amyth. 
Jay-Z plans to use the holiday shopping season as the launch pad for his drive for a record of a million sales in one week. Jigga, along with Hard Knock Life Tour partner DMX, recently leaked target release dates for their next albums. According to a spokesperson at Def Jam, DMX, who released two multi-platinum albums in 1998, is releasing his third album on December 21. Jay-Z, who set a record when his third album, Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life, stayed at the top of the pop charts for five straight weeks, announced earlier that he wanted his next album to make a run at the first-week sales record. His fourth album is scheduled to drop on December 28.
R. Kelly's nationwide tour, featuring Nas and Foxy Brown (left), was canceled last week due to poor ticket sales. The tour only had a 10-day run starting in Philadelphia on May 6 and ending May 16 in Detroit. The tour was scheduled to go until June 15. Rumors of arguments and disagreements between Kelly's management and the tour's production company, as well as Busta Rhymes early departure a few weeks ago, are fueling speculation that there were more problems than just low ticket sales.
After a fairly long layoff, Dr. Dre is ready to step back into the spotlight this summer. To start things off, Dre will release his most notable contribution to Eminem's album, "Guilty Conscience," which he produced and guest starred on. The pair has also teamed up for a track called "The Showdown" on the "Wild, Wild West" soundtrack. Then in late July, Dre plans to release his long-awaited follow-up to 1992's The Chronic. The name of the new album has not yet been determined since Dre's former label, Death Row, took his first choice -- Chronic 2000 -- for the compilation the label released recently. 
European concert promoters reportedly have offered $15 million to bring "The Hard Knock Life Tour" overseas for just three shows. That's an impressive number, considering that the $18 million generated by the 54-city U.S. tour starring Jay-Z, DMX, Redman and Method Man was already considered a record for a hip-hop event.