Short News: Snoop Sues, 50 Got Sued

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50 Cent Gives To The Homeless, But Gets Sued For $21 Million. Plus More News On Other Hot Artists

FAT JOU GEARS UP FOR NEW ALBUM
A couple of years ago, Fat Joe was very content with his new nickname, "G.N." — that's "Grammy-nominated" — when he got his first nod from the academy. But he feels it will soon be time to switch up his moniker. "Change that to G.W. — Grammy winner," he chuckled last week in New York. While Joe is still reaping the benefits of his and the Terror Squad's Grammy-nominated single, "Lean Back", the rotund rhyme marvel is looking forward to his next solo LP, Things of That Nature. He pushed the release date back from the crowded fourth quarter to March and he's been working in the interim. "We went and got real crazy, real crazy!" Joe said. "I got this joint I did with Just Blaze, Scott Storch gave me a joint and Nelly is doing the hook. We're taking it to the streets and the club." The record crafted by Just Blaze, "Safe to Say," will be the one he leaks to the streets, while Joe is leaning toward the Scott Storch track with Nelly as his first official single. That song is called "Get It Poppin'." While Joe is handing off the gift of music to the adults in the clubs, he's giving the gift of education to the youngsters. On Tuesday (December 21) in New York, he'll be going to the Bronx and donating 30 computers to P.S. 146, his former elementary school. "It's my favorite school I ever went to," Joe said. "I always felt I been blessed and I gotta look back out for them. It's something I wanted to do for a long time and I never got to do because I been so busy. We got around to it. It's an amazing thing, this is my neighborhood. It should be incredible. The kids are going to enjoy that. Elementary, that's how you gotta get them, young. Get them educated and literate." In addition to the computers, Joe is also donating some furniture and a rug to the school's multimedia center. The room will be named after his late sister, Lisa Cartagena. "It's an honor," he said of the school paying homage to his sibling, who passed away years ago while giving birth. "But I guess it will be more sad. My sister died young and she ain't deserve to die. It's crazy because that was the school me and my sister and brother used to go to. It's a good school and it's across from my block. I learned a lot there and it was a beautiful environment."

SNOOP SUES
Snoop Dogg has reportedly sued a woman and her legal team for attempting to extort $5 million from the rapper in exchange for concealing an alleged assault against the woman at a show last year, according to a lawsuit filed in Superior Court on Dec. 10. The lawsuit alleged that the defendant, identified as “Jane Doe,” and her attorneys threatened to offer specifics about the alleged assault for money to The National Enquirer and a book publisher if Snoop refused to shell out the requested $5 million. Snoop, born Calvin Broadus, maintained that he played no part in the alleged assault during a 2003 performance, according to the lawsuit. The West Coast rapper sued for punitive damages and prevention of future threats. Snoop’s publicist Meredith O´Sullivan offered no additional information about the alleged assault, the Associated Press reported, and also declined to name the woman’s attorneys.

50 CENT SMACKED WITH A GIGANTIC LAWSUIT
G-Unit's 50 Cent appeared in court to issue official statements for a civil suit, stemming from an incident with New York Post photographer James Alcorn, who claimed that 50’s entourage assaulted him last year. Alcorn is reportedly suing 50, born Curtis Jackson for $21 million, alleging that the rapper appointed seven unidentified men to physically attack him. Alcorn said he suffered “severe and serious injuries, mental shock, and psychological trauma” as a result of the alleged attack, which occurred back in August 2003. 50 gave his formal deposition last Thursday (Dec. 16) in Manhattan. According to an attorney for 50, the Queens-bred rapper testified that he was not associated with the accused security guards. 50 said his manager (Chris Lighty) hired the guards through Violator Management, which also handles the careers of Missy Elliot, Clipse, Busta Rhymes, Capone and N.O.R.E, Lil Scrappy and others. Civil-rights attorney Sandford Rubenstein, Alcorn’s lawyer in the civil suit, said he believed 50 was guilty by association and should shell out a significant amount of dough for his connection to the bodyguards, even though he wasn’t directly involved. Alcorn was reportedly standing outside a store where 50 and several of his bodyguards had just purchased an $18,000 watch in Manhattan's Diamond District. 50’s bodyguards allegedly attacked the photographer after he took a picture, according to Alcorn’s accounts. He claimed a member of 50's security detail, who was wearing a cast, knocked him into one of two Chevy Suburban's that were parked in front of the store. Alcorn said the bodyguards weighed about 350 pounds each. He said the men pulled him away from the car, dropped him back in the street and pulled off. 50 and his entourage have been hit with several lawsuits since the rapper's debut, Get Rich Or Die Tryin' hit stores in February 2003. "When you got money, you got to go through this stuff," 50 told Celebrity Justice.

IN RELATED 50 CENT NEWS
Looks like 50 Cent isn't the bad guy that his image portrays, actually the rapper gives back to the less fortunate. And this holiday season, 50 has teamed up with the New York Jet's defensive tackle #91 Josh Evans to give homeless families in New York an all-free superstore. Evans and 50, in conjunction with sports agent Glenn Toby and the Book Bank Foundation, plan to transform NYC's Bowery Mission into a free, one-day holiday superstore for the homeless at the 2nd Annual Josh Evans/Book Bank Foundation Holiday Clothing Drive to be held on Thursday, December 23, 2004. "There are currently over 35,812 children, families and adults surviving in the New York City shelter system," says Glenn Toby, Total Entertainment Athlete Management CEO and The Book Bank Foundation founder. "As one who personally experienced freezing holiday nights at one time as a homeless child, I understand how one toy, coat or simple remedy for a dry, stubborn cough that's given with respect can impact the spirit of a child and family... especially during the holiday season." Many companies in fashion, toy and pharmaceutical industries have donated products, so that over 300 homeless women, men and families may "shop" at no cost as they select from a huge variety of brand new clothing, toys and over the counter medicine. According to a press release, many other people from the Hip-Hop, NFL and fashion communities, who have made contributions, will be in attendance. And not only will the less fortunate be able to shop, but will also be able to take advantage of on-site chiropractic services as well as partake of a hearty and bountiful holiday feast.

PETEY PABLO & PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS DROPS PLAYBOY MUSICLos Angeles Hip-Hop group People Under The Stairs and North Carolina native Petey Pablo are featured on the soundtrack to the video game, Playboy: The Mansion. Players purchase stereos and select music from different areas of Huge Hefner’s legendary Playboy Mansion and can customize the music for different rooms. Makers of the game said they hope players will also turn the game into their personal jukebox. Playboy: The Mansion is slated to launch in January 2005.

JA RULE
Police in South Peoria, Illinois are investigating a shooting during an after party for The Inc. rapper Ja Rule. The chart topping rapper performed Sunday (Dec 19) at Peoria’s Civic Center Exhibit Hall. The after party was hosted at Club Ignition. Hundreds of club goers scrambled for safety when gunshots ran out near in a stairwell entrance. A 19-year-old man was shot in the hip. The shooting occurred after an altercation on the dance floor of the club.

MORE HIP HOP SLANG REACHES THE ENGLISH DICTIONARY
The Oxford English Dictionary has added 2,000 new words to the online version of their dictionary. New additions to the list include the terms “thugged out,” “crack ho,” “po’ boy,” “beat down” and “hoochie.” Editors stressed that they had a responsibility to put the words into the dictionary because the terms are used in American vernacular so frequently.

CRUNK CHRISTMAS
Music Choice, the cable music network, will kick off “Crunk Christmas,” an hour-long show hosted by Disturbin Tha Peace’s I-20. The hour-long show will air on Music Choice’s Rap channel in The States and is commercial free. Lil’ Scrappy, Ludacris, Trick Daddy, Lil Jon & Tha Eastside Boyz and others will be featured during the show, which runs on December 24th, with repeat broadcasts throughout Christmas day.