Rap News Rundown: Meek Mill, Kanye West, Tyga
Meek Mill Sentenced in Probation Violation Case
Last week, Meek Mill was sentenced to three to six months in jail by Philadelphia judge Genece E. Brinkley for violating the terms of his probation.
The MMG rapper was serving the final portion of his five-year probation, stemming from his conviction on gun and drug charges. But during a recent hearing, the prosecutor presented evidence suggesting that Meek Mill wasn’t taking his probation seriously, citing several missed meetings with his parole officer and concerts scheduled during a period when the judge had ordered him not to perform.
Meek pleaded with the judge not to send him to jail, saying that incarceration would be “extremely damaging” to his life, but Judge Brinkley was determined to punish the rapper so that he would finally take his probation seriously. “After all these years of me trying to help him move his career forward . . . I believe this defendant is basically thumbing his nose at me,” said the judge, according to Philly.com.
Once he is released from jail, Meek Mill will have to start a new five-year probation term.
Kanye West Compares Paparazzi Harassment to Rape
Kanye West was midway through his second set at London’s Wireless Festival when he decided to go off on one of his signature rants. The previous day, he had targeted the fashion industry, but on July 5 he set his sights on the media, complaining about intrusions he and his family suffer on a daily basis due to his notoriety and comparing his experience to rape.
“Everybody out here likes sex, right? Sex is great with you and your partner. But if one of the people don’t want to do that, what is that called? That’s called rape. That’s called violation,” said West, who compared himself to pop star Britney Spears.
Fox’s Stacey Dash had harsh words for the performer during the network’s Outnumbered talk show. “For Kanye to say ‘rape,’ maybe he needs to go spend some time on Rikers Island,” she said. “Go to Rikers for a while, and then he’ll know what rape is.”
Tyga Exits Wiz Khalifa’s “Under the Influence” Tour
Tyga has pulled out of Wiz Khalifa’s upcoming “Under the Influence” tour, announcing the news on Twitter. Shortly thereafter, he confirmed his intention, revealing that he was backing out to give full attention to other projects.
“Sorry y’all. Sorry to all the fans. I’ll [see] ya’ll next time. I wanted to be a part of the tour. But I’m finishing up my album and filming a movie,” tweeted the Young Money rapper.
The trek will still kick off July 24 and will feature Rich Homie Quan, Sage the Gemini, Iamsu!, Mack Wilds and Jeezy.
Tyga isn’t the only YM artist nixing tour dates. Drake recently canceled several UK shows due to illness. “My doctors have made it clear that I am not physically fit to fly or deliver the performance my fans expect and deserve from me,” said the “Worst Behavior” performer in a statement.
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Rap News Rundown: Meek Mill, Kanye West, Tyga
Meek Mill Sentenced in Probation Violation Case
Last week, Meek Mill was sentenced to three to six months in jail by Philadelphia judge Genece E. Brinkley for violating the terms of his probation.
The MMG rapper was serving the final portion of his five-year probation, stemming from his conviction on gun and drug charges. But during a recent hearing, the prosecutor presented evidence suggesting that Meek Mill wasn’t taking his probation seriously, citing several missed meetings with his parole officer and concerts scheduled during a period when the judge had ordered him not to perform.
Meek pleaded with the judge not to send him to jail, saying that incarceration would be “extremely damaging” to his life, but Judge Brinkley was determined to punish the rapper so that he would finally take his probation seriously. “After all these years of me trying to help him move his career forward . . . I believe this defendant is basically thumbing his nose at me,” said the judge, according to Philly.com.
Once he is released from jail, Meek Mill will have to start a new five-year probation term.
Kanye West Compares Paparazzi Harassment to Rape
Kanye West was midway through his second set at London’s Wireless Festival when he decided to go off on one of his signature rants. The previous day, he had targeted the fashion industry, but on July 5 he set his sights on the media, complaining about intrusions he and his family suffer on a daily basis due to his notoriety and comparing his experience to rape.
“Everybody out here likes sex, right? Sex is great with you and your partner. But if one of the people don’t want to do that, what is that called? That’s called rape. That’s called violation,” said West, who compared himself to pop star Britney Spears.
Fox’s Stacey Dash had harsh words for the performer during the network’s Outnumbered talk show. “For Kanye to say ‘rape,’ maybe he needs to go spend some time on Rikers Island,” she said. “Go to Rikers for a while, and then he’ll know what rape is.”
Tyga Exits Wiz Khalifa’s “Under the Influence” Tour
Tyga has pulled out of Wiz Khalifa’s upcoming “Under the Influence” tour, announcing the news on Twitter. Shortly thereafter, he confirmed his intention, revealing that he was backing out to give full attention to other projects.
“Sorry y’all. Sorry to all the fans. I’ll [see] ya’ll next time. I wanted to be a part of the tour. But I’m finishing up my album and filming a movie,” tweeted the Young Money rapper.
The trek will still kick off July 24 and will feature Rich Homie Quan, Sage the Gemini, Iamsu!, Mack Wilds and Jeezy.
Tyga isn’t the only YM artist nixing tour dates. Drake recently canceled several UK shows due to illness. “My doctors have made it clear that I am not physically fit to fly or deliver the performance my fans expect and deserve from me,” said the “Worst Behavior” performer in a statement.