Archive for the ‘Music News’ Category
R&B singer Tank was arrested and tasered early this morning (Feb. 18) at the House of Blues in New Orleans, where many celebrities were in attendance for NBA’s All-Star weekend. But while arrests are barely news anymore in the music industry, this one seems a bit more interesting as Tank is accusing the New Orleans Police Department of police brutality. Advertisement According to friend Ira Dewitt, who was with Tank when he was arrested, Tank was leaving the House of Blues with her after an afterparty there following the NBA All-Star game. The two were on their way to meet Tank’s driver on Decatur Street, where the driver told them all to meet. But police told them they couldn’t walk in that direction. According to Dewitt, the police started to get belligerent. She says that Tank asked the cops, “Why you gotta be that way?,” and then 3 or 4 policemen separated the two, threw Tank to the ground, and tasered him. “I am 115 lbs, 5 feet 5 inches tall and I was suprised at how rough they were with me,” she says. “‘Please don’t hurt him,’ I kept saying, and they were like, ‘If you try to help him, you’re going to jail.” Dewitt, a psychologist, says she ended up falling to the ground after being mishandled by police. She says all of the officers, except one, were White. After being tasered, Tank had to be taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated before being taken to jail. Dewitt bailed him out this morning. “He was bleeding. His back was bleeding and I had to clean him up,” she says. According to Dewitt, Tank was arrested and charged with intoxication, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. She says the two are planning to go to court later. Sources say that several police officers were overhead making sexual comments about Dewitt after Tank was in custody. But according to others, the police did a good job keeping New Orleans under control the entire weekend.
Police have no suspects or motive; victims’ injuries are reportedly not life-theatening. By Shaheem Reid NEW ORLEANS — The Hot Boys reunion at the club Dream here on Sunday night — featuring Lil Wayne, B.G., Juvenile and Mannie Fresh — was over before it could even get started: Two 24-year-old women and a 26-year-old man were shot outside the venue by an unknown gunman at around 12:57 a.m. on Monday (February 18). According to police, the victims were standing on the sidewalk and began running when they heard gunshots. The three were quickly taken to a local hospital, where their injuries were said to be not life-threatening; the venue was closed and the event canceled. At press time, local police said they have no suspects or motive in the shooting. None of the MCs had arrived at the venue by the time of the shooting. MTV News caught up with Wayne not long after the incident. He seemed optimistic that the Hot Boys reunion could be rescheduled, saying that it’s “only a phone call away.” The reunion was planned to be a cap on this year’s NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans; it would have been the first time in several years that the group had performed. Mannie Fresh was scheduled to take the place of original member Turk, who is currently incarcerated, and a number of MCs — including Rick Ross, Baby and DJ Khaled, along with a host of NBA players — were expected to attend.
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