Just one day after being arraigned on assault and weapons charges, Eminem has been hit with more weapons charges stemming from an alleged altercation with a member of the Insane Clown Posse's entourage.
Em, real name Marshall Mathers, was interviewed, booked, and arraigned in Royal Oak, Michigan's 44th District Court on Thursday and is now facing one felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon and a misdemeanor charge of brandishing a firearm in public. The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum sentence of 90 days, while the felony charge carries a maximum sentence of five years.
Oakland County Chief Deputy Prosecutor John O'Brien told MTV News that the charges stem from an incident that is alleged to have occurred at a car audio store in Royal Oak, Michigan on Saturday afternoon. Prosecutors claim that Em became involved in an argument with Douglas Dail, who works within the Insane Clown Posse's camp. Prosecutors charge that Eminem dropped his handgun during the heated exchange, picked up the gun, and continued to brandish it while arguing with Dail. O'Brien also said that prosecutors consider Em to have been the "initial aggressor" in the altercation.
Spokespeople for the Insane Clown Posse's management would not comment on the matter except to confirm that Dail is an employee of Psychopathic Records, the label that ICP started in 1991 with manager Alex Abiss.
Prior to this alleged event, Em and ICP (both products of Detroit) had reserved their attacks for their albums. ICP had referred to Em as "Slim Anus" on a track, while Eminem staged an extended oral sex skit involving ICP on his new album, "The Marshall Mathers LP".
Prosecutors note that a complaint was filed the day of the incident and are calling Dail a "reluctant witness" in the case. O'Brien also said that prosecutors are charging Em with brandishing a weapon and not a more serious charge, because the rapper allegedly did not threaten Dail with the weapon.
Spokespeople for Eminem's label, Interscope Records, confirmed his latest arrest and released a statement declaring, "We are confident that the charges will be favorably resolved as soon as possible." Interscope went on to say that they feel the charges will not keep Em off of the upcoming "Up In Smoke" tour, which begins on June 15 in San Diego.
A warrant was issued for Eminem's arrest on Thursday morning, and the rapper voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Thursday afternoon. The rapper is now free on a $10,000 bond.
Em faces a court date on the new charges on July 7. The "Up In Smoke" tour is slated to be in Detroit on July 6 and Auburn Hills, Michigan on July 7.
If prosecutors' claims are correct, Eminem had a very busy Saturday. Hours after the incident with Dail is alleged to have taken place, prosecutors claim Eminem also got into a squabble with his wife, Kimberly Scott Mathers, and another man at a Detroit-area nightclub. The incident ended with the rapper facing felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed weapon without a license. In that case, Em is accused of brandishing a handgun and threatening to kill someone else, though the gun was not loaded.
8/1/00 - Fuzzbubble, Bad Boy Part Ways!
Fuzzbubble, the first (and, to date, only) rock act to be signed to Sean "Puffy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment, has negotiated a release from its contract with the company, the group announced in a statement.
In its statement, Fuzzbubble expressed appreciation for what Combs has done for the band as a mentor and business colleague and explained that the band no longer wished to take a back seat to "other label priorities and personal affairs."
As for its future home, the group simply wrote that it would be "pursuing other opportunities."
The New York-born band signed with Combs in May of '97, and the bulk of the recording for the band's long-playing (and long-promised) Bad Boy debut took place in 1998 with producer Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses) at the helm, according to the band's official Web site (www.fuzzbubble.com). The disc was most recently scheduled to be issued this month.
Fuzzbubble's releases include the group's contribution to the rock remix of Puff Daddy And The Family's "It's All About The Benjamins" (the video for which won the MTV Viewers' Choice Award at the 1998 VMAs), a song on the "Godzilla" soundtrack ("Out There"), and an appearance on the "Chef Aid" South Park album. The Fuzzbubble songs "Ordinary," featuring backing vocals by Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, and "Real World" were also recently featured on TV's "Felicity."
The band, which took the stage at Manhattan's Limelight club on Wednesday night, will be opening for Kiss at the Jones Beach Amphitheatre in Wantagh, New York on Friday.
News courtesy of
MTV Online and Vibe Online