SOHH ATLANTA
The daily pulse of the Atlanta hip-hop scene
**Breaking News** Akon Caught In "Lock'd Up" Lies? [Video]
Posted on April 17, 2008 10:40 AM
And just when I thought I was going to have nothing to post today the Smoking Gun just posted an expose that I know is gonna have a lot of people talking as the day progresses. Why these rappers try and lie about their criminal past is beyond me? Confused? Well read all about it below.
While Akon is not from Atlanta he does have roots here. He just opened up a business office in Sandy Springs not to long ago, he's always down here scoping out new talent, and he's also signed a few Atlanta acts to his Konvict Music Record label. The man's done seemingly well for himself despite his criminal record that he claimed has prevented him from obtaining a real job back in the day. Akon has openly talked about his troubles with the law as well as getting back on the straight and narrow of society. Watch the video below.
Well it seems that the African hip-hop star's entire criminal past, a past that he built his entire empire on, was for the most part fabricated. As I mentioned at the begining of this post one of my favorite websites, The Smoking Gun has posted an expose on Akon that's almost surely going to damage his creditability.
Akon has publicly spoken out about years spent in the prison system. He painted himself as a hardened criminal who headed up a car theft ring right here in the ATL. He even burst on the music scene with his popular son "Lock'd Up" where he depicted life behind bars. But it seems that it is all a lie. Check out what TSG found out.
Akon's ad nauseum claims about his criminal career and resulting prison time have been, to an overwhelming extent, exaggerated, embellished, or wholly fabricated, an investigation by The Smoking Gun has revealed. Police, court, and corrections records reveal that the entertainer has created a fictionalized backstory that serves as the narrative anchor for his recorded tales of isolation, violence, woe, and regret. Akon has overdubbed his biography with the kind of grit and menace that he apparently believes music consumers desire from their hip-hop stars.While the performer's rap sheet does include a half-dozen arrests, Akon has only been convicted of one felony, for gun possession. That 1998 New Jersey case ended with a guilty plea, for which the singer was sentenced to three years probation. Another 1998 bust, this one in suburban Atlanta, has been seized upon by Akon and transformed into the big case that purportedly sent him to prison (thanks to his snitching cohorts) for three fight-filled years. In reality, Akon was arrested for possession of a single stolen BMW and held in the DeKalb County jail for several months before prosecutors dropped all charges against him.
So there was no conviction. There was no prison term between 1999 and 2002. And he was never "facing 75 years," as the singer claimed in one videotaped interview.
Akon's invented tales appear to be part of a cynical marketing plan, but one that has met with remarkable success. Few press interviews conclude without Akon being asked about his criminal exploits and his prison days. He obliges with canned and well-rehearsed claims, false as they may be, and compares his supposed nationwide operation to those depicted in the movies "Gone in 60 Seconds" and "New Jersey Drive." And in interview after interview over the years, he always makes sure to point out the "notorious" nature of his theft ring (as if the adjective's inclusion makes him sound even more felonious). Akon repeats the phrase "notorious car theft operation" so frequently it seems like he is reading it from a sheet of talking points. [Read The Full Story Here]
Of course calls made to Akon's manager Robert Carnes were diverted to Akon's record label, who didn't return phone calls.
I got to say that this news, as juicy as it is, does not shock me. I've ran into many a rapper who tries to relate to the hood by making up fake street war stories. But on a professional level, this makes Akon look like one big fool. And there's no way out of this. Not even Patti Webster, who is a PR guru could fix this debacle. There are police records backing up all TSG's claims.
He had better just come out and admit that he lied and did what he had to do get in the game. I mean at this point the man still makes catchy ass tunes that I listen to regardless.
However I did find this little tid bit interesting.
In a February 2007 story in Creative Loafing, Atlanta's weekly newspaper, readers were assured that "Akon doesn't need to embellish, since he's already lived an unusual and turbulent life."
I hear Akon is currently on tour in Africa, and I've been meaning to wish his tour DJ, DJ Benny D, a happy birthday.
Benny Demus has gone on to become world renown as a highly entertaining DJ known for mesmerizing an audience with his mastery of the mix and engaging stage show. You may have caught him in one of numerous TV appearances including 106 & Park; Regis & Kelly; Jimmy Kimmel Live; Craig Killbourne; Nokia Unwired: Hard Rock Caf Live; MTV Europe Awards or the Source Awards. He appeared on stages for the BET Awards, MTV Discover & Download; and the career-affirming Soul Train. No stranger to foreign lands, he has performed in countries such as Africa, Germany, London, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Antigua, Barbados, Paris and Holland. Definitely a breakout DJ and full on entertainer, Demus has also received coverage in VIBE and Rap Pages. With skills as critical as those of a stealth bomber, Benny Demus has frequently been called upon for use as a secret weapon by industry insiders. He has worked with labels such as Universal Records, Sony Music and SRC Records. He was called upon for his production expertise to contribute to the score of Midway Games NBA Ballers series. Responsible for the theme music of MBC Networks 2002-03 Black College Football and Basketball Season, he also created their slogan Play Hard, Play Tough. Next on his menu is to drop a new album from his super group Rock City (formerly 2EKWHIP) and to ensure just exposure for his homeland and the awesome talents it holds. Dont worry if you did not catch him at the Tweeter Center in Boston, Club Speed in NYC, the Michigan Music Festival, or at the Car Shows for Funkmaster Flex or Wyclef Jean hell be receiving rotations at a station or inciting frenzies at a venue near you, all in the very near future. Just be careful, Benny Demus is on fire, and nothing but success can satiate it. Always remember he's not just a DJ he's a producer, rapper and most of all an ENTERTAINER!
SOHH fans what do you all think? Please discuss...
Talk to y'all lata,
--SOHH Gyant
Email: sohhgyant@gmail.com
NOT SHOCKING IN THE LEAST BIT, DON'T BELEIVE 99.98% OF THE BIOS YOU HEAR FROM THESE ARTIST. NEWSFLASH! THE'RE ALL MADE UP!!!.....OH YEA FIRST!
Akon dang. Not that i care much about dude, real talk i just think to lie so much to fans for NO reason at all is lame. get a life you fantasy weaver! i never thot he was street anyway...nasty maybe, phony yes, but never street. he's such a chamillion but in a bad way. Good post Gyant...
Damn Kon u had us goin' fam.
http://www.myspace.com/PhaceKardz
lol i am first
like cam said, "this is the wwf"
Man this is crazy i can;t believe this
1st .............
so the fuck what, if the nigga didn't make good music he wouldn't be where he is today. it's funny how we can down a nigga for over exaggerating him criminal record. everybody knows that's what the record company's what. name two rapper who went platinum and didn't have a gimmick
OLD VANILLA ICE NIGGA!
what does this have to do with Atlanta???
http://www.fiyahmuzik.blogspot.com
The same system used to enslave us and encourage us to deceive each other, feed ourselves lies, drugs, sexual promiscuity, propaganda, is also used to knock down someone who became successful selling themselves out. We are all backwards ass monkeys who beleive we can make millions by creating an image of lies to our people, and at the same time discourage education, while embracing a criminal lifestyle to which we then prosecute those who do not live up to a criminal standard. We are all fools.
Don't ever, ever mess with the Smoking Gun. They can and WILL ruin your career.
Akon has already been in enough trouble for that underage hump last year. Why the hell does he have to run into more, you dig?
TENTH!
I believe socrates the great philospher said it best "it is not shameful for a child to feak the dark, but it is most shameful when a man fears the light."
Who cares...he makes hits. Or you thought Jay-Z was a big time drug dealer too? lol
NOT TO SAY THAT IT IS A GOOD THING...BUT THE BOY AKON DID USED TO DO HIS THING OUT HERE....A FREIND OF MINE USED TO RUN WITH HIM AND THEY WAS INTO ALL KINDS OF CONS....AKON WAS ALREADY STAYIN IN ATL AT THE TIME...MY MAN WENT AND DID A BID IN THE FEDS ABOUT 6 MONTHS BEFORE AKON GOT OUT AND BLEW UP...MY DOE STAR NIGGAZ WENT AND STAYED WITH HIM IN ATL FOR ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE ALL THE CHIPS FELL AND AKON WAS TRYING TO GET THEM A DEAL WIT PUFF....REAL RAP AKON AINT NO FRAUD...EVEN IF THE FEDS DROPPED THE CHARGES BECAUSE OF LACK OF EVIDENCE DONT MEAN HE NEVER DID NOTHING....GET YA'LL FACTS STRAIGHT THEN REPORT ON STREET ISSUES....UNTIL THEN STICK TO COVERING MUSIC!!! BY THE WAY I KNOW A COUPLE OF DUDES THAT HAD A GOOD RUN IN THE GAME AND GOT OUT....AND NEVER WAS ARRESTED FOR ANY FELONIES...THAT DOESNT MEAN THEY AINT PUT THAT TWIRK IN YA HEARD....NJ STAND UP
www.myspace.com/hand2handproductions
Haha what a Wanksta!!!
this is third hand information,what fool would come out and say yeah i shot this guy at this time with this gun or i stole this and sold it to this guy.
Why the heck do Americans get so impressed by violence instead of someone with a brain and good morals,live your life and forget about the negativity,all you guys do all day is get online,do yo con as schemes n talk more toilet drain than a sew,do something to help the community or they world even if u gotta donate or do some community service for free.getting easily influenced by what u see and read,don`t believe everything u see,read or hear.
You said yourself theres public records (as for any criminal unless certain stipulations), so instead of posting the article, why didn't you post the records? Instead of posting something that may be completely false, without looking for yourself, why don't you look at the records yourself? Man you worse then a bitch spreading some shit that may or may not be true. When do you find time to get your nails done at the beauty salon? Because you sure seem obsessed with putting down people. Almost ALL your articles are putting down people. Man you just one big hater.
Seriously, Akon records are public, why dont you go look at them yourself before posting some shit that may or may not be true?
Also if you really from the hood then you know that when you first get booked theres a lot of different sentencing rumors coming from lawyers, word of mouth, maybe the original sentencing was more heavy, who knows? The 75 years could be realistic if with combined with his previous felony and how the judge was looking at the case. Maybe the rumors are true that he was never in some car stealing ring, but maybe the judge didnt originally know and thought the same that most of America thought and confused Akon for the ring leader?
Seriously, do you even think before you post this bull shit? What if you are wrong, then who looks like the dumbass? You do. Then again even if you are right, who cares? Its hard to believe almost any new rapper now a days. Especially if they from New York. How can you believe a new york rapper is gangster when New York has one of, if not THE lowest crime rate in the entire country? Brooklyn? Queens? Harlem? All low crime areas...
I grew up a G because I had to live that way all my life. I miss the 80s and 90s when you were a G because you had to be and you were born in the game. These kids now a days toss themselves in the game to seem tuff and shit its disgusting. Go to sleep one night a civilian, wake up the next day a gangsta.
I think some of yall gettin' it wrong. He got CAUGHT in a stolen BEAMER. If he was just some petty car jack nigga they woulda caught him in a 87 cutlass on dubs but the nigga got caught probably in a brand new beamer so he was doin the chop shop thing. trust me ...i know all you clowns that aint did dirt buy into bullshit but if ya know anything about that world u know that shows right there he wasn't jackin' no petty shit.... and yeah i'm sure universal or who ever he signd to probably created the rest of the story to sell records just ike the GAME is supposedly from Cedar Block but got in at 20yrs old...bullshit! once again if u know anything about real shyt u know that's bullshit. PR at it's best! But i understand it's business ALL BISUNESS NOTHIN' REAL ANYMORE!
SEVERAL MONTHS IS MORE THAN HALF THESE NIGGAS.....THE SMOKING GUN IS A BUNCH A WHITE FOOLS TRYIN TO BRING A BROTHER DOWN......AKON WE GONNA HOLD U DOWN....!!! THIS SITE SUCKS....ALWAYS TRYIN TO EXPOSE A NIGGA ON SOME FAKE SHIT!!!
LMAO at "backwards ass monkeys"
porch monkeys?
Keep the Shuck and Jive alive!
Ok here we go again folks allow me to "Retaught" what exactly are "Entertainers" they for the most part are actors ie liars.
This is why I say anybody who believes that your favorite rappers/singers are "gangsters" in their "real lives" must also believe that Keanu Reeves really is Neo and he can really dogde bullets in real life. Hugh Jack really is Wolverine. The cast of Heroes really do have super powers.And James Gandulfini really is Tony Saprano. I hate to burst alot of you Stan's bubbles but 98% of your favorite artists never took part in anything they sing, rap or act about. TV is nothing more that a box of illusions to keep young and old minds from focusing on true reality.
damn. good blog Gyant
Good post, Gyant!
It's sad that our talented young men and women have to invent a criminal past just to get a deal. It's even sadder that we're disappointed upon discovering said 'criminal' isn't as bad as he claims. Even more said is the fact that our children want to become criminals so they can be just like *insert favorite gangsta rapper*. So we actually end up with innocent rappers, and criminal kids. Damn shame.
I love rap everybody, talks about how rappers are too violent and then bashes em for not being violent and criminal enough.
Haha... Niggaz finally figuring out what the Herbz has known for years. I can just look at Akon and tell that he ain't no criminal. This line did it for me: "Ex-dealer used to move 'phetamines." Amphetamines? Nigga, please... I can just picture this lil nigga standing on the block trying to get niggaz to buy some crushed baby aspirin like it was some wonder drug or something. And a car theft operation? What's that mean? He stole stereos out of cars or something? Don't tell me that nigga is smart enough to hotwire a BMW, because I wouldn't believe it if God himself told me. Last but not least, how can a scrawny lil nigga with a bitch voice like his make it through the prison and nut get his funky little asshole raped? I'll consider letting him continue to tell his tale of getting locked up, just so long as he admits that he was someone's bitch in jail. That's the deal I'm offering to Akon... To the rest of y'all niggaz, come fuck with the real: Matt Herbz.
--OG Matt Herbz--
I love rap everybody, talks about how rappers are too violent and then bashes em for not being violent and criminal enough.
******
that's true but this isn't about Akon not being violent enough, it's about being who you say you are...!
Whats the difference between Akon lying and you lying about getting locked up???
I'm not even a fan of Akon, but this article is suspect as hell. For some "deep investigation", it sure leaves out some important details.
"he was never "facing 75 years," as the singer claimed in one videotaped interview."
First of all, if you've ever been locked up, or known anyone locked up, you know that you could be facing 40 years, and only do 2 1/2 because them faggots make it seem like they have more shit on you then they really do, hoping to break you and make you either a) plead out to a bunch of shit they couldn't prove in court, or b) snitch.
Secondly, the article didn't state how long he sat in jail before he pleaded guilty for the gun charge. Just because you're sentanced to probation doesn't mean you didn't sit in jail leading up to that plea.
I guess I'm also the only person who noticed the article specified his jail time as "several months", without saying how long. Does that mean 7-8 months, or 18-20 months?
I'm just saying... it seems like a lot of shit was glossed over on purpose. Having said that, of course he exaggeratd some things. Actors exaggerate. Singers exaggerate. Politicians exaggerate. Anybody that's in the public eye fabriates and exaggerates.
Big fucking suprise.
I'm not buying that report ... I know the click Akon ran wit and still associate with... The report is from an ATL reporter, who obviously don't know AKONs New Jerus history...corn ball tryin to be a "street" journalist lolol
...........Hmm Man who gives a fuck....he makes good music point blank period. Rap is entertainment not meant to be taken seriously......there actors just like the one's in hollywood. Nobody give's
a rat shit that bruce willis isnt running around being supercop in his down time.
yall knuckle head muthafuckas are so media driven....band wagon bitches
I never liked this gay ass sounding african monkey fukka anyways. Locked up was the only joint he made that was aiight n thats cuz style p held that shit down. Anybody who actually likes dis homo is a cocksucka like him.
The smokinggun.com would not post this stuff if it was not true, these people are criminal investigators and have strong connections to law enforcement. So none of this stuff is made up. I had a feeling that Akon was a fraud, I wonder if the 9 wives thing is real as well. Otherwise he would be arrainged like the Polymagamist people in El Dorado TX. Lets do an extensive fact check on these artist.
First off, he didn't LIE about having a criminal background, he just exagerrated.
And that's NOTHING new. Biggie Smalls exagerrated his criminal background, as did Snoop, Jay-Z, 50 Cent...All of these cats paint themselves as street mob bosses for the dramatic and entertainment value. Most, if not all, of them were no more than petty street level soldiers on the come up.
That's not a knock to them, that's just the reality. It's all image. As adults, we know this...or we SHOULD know this. It's children who have the problems differentiating, but they shouldn't be listening to the music any way.
And this isn't just a Hip hop phenomenon. Can anyone say Johnny Cash.
Johnny Cash entirely fabricated his criminal background all for the image. The guy never spent a day in jail, but it was one of his more common themes to sing about.
This is entertainment, and like someone above me said, if his music wasn't good, if he didn't make hits, than none of this would matter; he'd be a nobody. But it's the music that we care about so these types of "scandals" shouldn't even be that important. Especially if, as an intelligent adult, you understand that most of this is smoke and mirrors anyway.
This is just like the time Gayant got exposed for lying about getting arrested. Luckly Gayant isn't a big star like Akon and nobody cares about him. If they did his story would have ran on The Smoking Gun also . . .but why would the Smoking Gun expose a nobody?
OK - so he fabricated things a little = greater profit.. . big damn deal ! How many rappers haven't done the same thing? I'm glad to hear that he isn't guilty of all the stuff he raps about. As a consumer, if I like his music, I'm gonna buy it.(I can't say the same for R Kelly)
Street Cred is overrated.
Nice to see this blog post about somebody different for a change.
Duuuuuh!! All gangsta rappers are fake. But so what. You're the fool if you think rappers are really selling drugs and killing people. If you like the music then buy it.
Yo.. Who gives a fuck if akon has a record or not.. Mad motherfuckers out been doing shit for decades and never getting caught.. YOU DONT NEED TO GO TO JAIL TO GET STREET CRED..
smoking gun aint shit, they said 50 cen tgot shot only three times, how he only get shot 3 times when in the get rich or die tryin dvd shows most the bullet wounds and they are more than 3! i dont believe this story for nuthin, whoever wrote this post has no life and is a hater
YOU CAN HATE ME NOW says...
Whats the difference between Akon lying and you lying about getting locked up???
April 17, 2008 8:45 AM
---------------------------------------------------
He got you there Sohh Midget.....
One things for sure tho.Gyant is one ashy closet homosexual mother fucker with nostrils big enough to smuggle his gay counter parts into a mens body building contest.Cock Sucker!
Man aint no different from every other niiaaa I know. We always embelishin. I mean I got a homie that goes to jail for straight punk shit, you know D.U.I., Shootin a gun in the air, but if you let him tell it he tell you he was apart of the maufia or some shit.
go figure, Akon is still talented though and that will always outway bullshit.
does anybody even care? you know how much liers there are LOL this is dumb.. moving right along
# the one says...
#
smoking gun aint shit, they said 50 cen tgot shot only three times, how he only get shot 3 times when in the get rich or die tryin dvd shows most the bullet wounds and they are more than 3!
actually if you look at the DVD again you'll notice that he only shows 3 bullet wounds and say the rest were just "leg shots" and he never showed any other wounds. I just wanted to point that out.
Ok I had to read the whole Smoking Gun article because your excerpt didn't give enough info. According to the article Akon has spent a total of 5 months in county jail. It's also obvious that he was your average run of the mill dumb ass car thief as evidenced by the fact that he threw a vintage guitar that was in a car he had stolen valued at $250,000 (more than the car) on the side of the road. He is also an asshole deadbeat dad.
*
He's a con artist who got out of prison based on the various alias' that he used that made it appear he had no record every time he got arrested. Of course that can be attributed to shotty police work since they never even ran his finger prints would have tied all the alias' to him. He is exactly the type of person I would expect to lie about his criminal history. At least I have never purchased any of his music.
He really did some time and has a real rap sheet. And from what I have read that is the story he told when he first came out was that he had got locked up and was a waiting trial. So I don't know why he would change his story because he still really was in the streets.
What kind of stupid @ss post is this. So the dude don't have a criminal record he bragged about, and that's suppose to ruin his career? WTF has this world come to, and WTF are you internet bloggers writing about these days. Dude makes good music hands down and that's why he's successful. Get a real fu(kin job and stop postin sum dumb ish
G RAP SAID IT BEST. ( I FIGGA NOBODY CAN DIGGA MILLI VANILLY ASS NIGGA). NOW WITH THAT SAID AKON DOES HIS THING MUSICALLY . SO FUCK IT .
This is how u know rap music sucks. Cuz we have nothing else to talk about than Akons criminal record. Why can't we talk about a hot album or a classic verse. These gossip magazines and internet sites are fuckin shit up. It ties reality in wit imagination and imagination makes entertainment what it truly is "entertainment". This is why rap sucks bcuz we look to deep into it now when all it is is entertainment. It is suppose to take u away from reality but now n days all it does is bring u right back into it. So fuckin sad
# haiticuba says...
#
so the fuck what, if the nigga didn't make good music he wouldn't be where he is today. it's funny how we can down a nigga for over exaggerating him criminal record. everybody knows that's what the record company's what. name two rapper who went platinum and didn't have a gimmick
^^^^OUTKAST. Over 13 years in the game, and you never heard about them going to prison, endorsing the trap, or anything of that sort. And ALL their albums are platinum or more.
Is freedom of speech coming back on this blog? I don't care about Akon or his arrest, so if he was lying or wateva. I don't care.
og matt herbz says...
Last but not least, how can a scrawny lil nigga with a bitch voice like his make it through the prison and nut get his funky little asshole raped?
April 17, 2008 8:35 AM
-
Matt herbz you lame ass internet gangsta, you dont know shit about the streets. Worried about rape are you??Youre white, from the suburbs in the south, and youre online everyday all day.
You online with your corny jokes makin white folks look bad, you fake wigger.
Stay online, because you're the type to get raped, by your own race, you lil child molester.
You're so lame, you have an archive of postings on alot of blogs, lol, get a life.
Bloggers is worse than rappers, never HELD a weapon let alone a gun, never even sold candy for school but now u a hustler,never seen the hood other than movies, lol,but look up to rappers for street knowledge, get outta here lame azz suburban whiteboy obsessed with black people that youre scared of in real life, lol.
And as far as akon, EVERY RAPPER, ACTOR, MUSICIAN, ENTERTAINER PERIOD EMBELLISHED THEIR PAST, its called entertainment, not the "ultimate gangsta" competetion.
Hey Gayant, didn't you lie about being locked up also?
That DJ dude must be one of you faggot boyfriends the way you talk about him.
Akon just built a 13 million dollar mansion in Alpharetta, the dude still making money so fuck what he did in the past, look at what he's doing now and has planned for the future, ol boy even bout to tangle with them white boys in the country music scene can't hate on a nigga for that
If this story is true about Akon lying his azz off like that talking about being a thug, then he is one sad case. And it makes u wonder how many other celebs (especially rappers) have lied to get a record in heavy rotation...Come on now ppl, we gotta do better...
For the latest in celebrity new, fashion, music, and much more log onto Chocolate Kisses
www.chocokisses08.com
www.chocokisses08.com
Everyone loves chocolate, so come have a kiss with me...
Are you looking for decent tracks for cheap?…Well look no further!!!
Beats for $1.00 at www.soundclick.com/blackspyder
1 new track everyweek
Either way, I stil love Akon and his labelmates. And as always, shout out to his fam Rock City!
www.myspace.com/rcitylive
This is interesting. Because how I see it the fault lies not in the fact whether he did half the stuff he "confessed" to, but just the mere fact he said he got caught and did serious time for it. And what happened was five months in county jail for being caught with a stolen car and gun possession. If he did anything and didn't get caught, had he said that then this would be a different conversation. Believe it or not, Smoking Gun wasn't the first to report this, it was in a upstate New York newspaper back in January after nothing could turn up on his initial booking so they scanned even furthur. People do embellish, and how does that look to glorify violence and stupid choices. He didn't have to do that, as other rappers/artists (Outkast, Ludacris who has a college degree, Lyfe Jennings, who has a record) don't bother to even indulge in their backgrounds. The fact hat he did that and centers his business and music around that is pointless. And for those who say it doesn't matter because he is talented, apparently it did to him or else he wouldn't have. One could argue that Vanille Ice was talented too. BTW I don't think he can sing and I find his music contrived and mediocre to the true musical gems I hear, but that is subceptive to opinion, and this is my opinion. Peace.
This is interesting. Because how I see it the fault lies not in the fact whether he did half the stuff he "confessed" to, but just the mere fact he said he got caught and did serious time for it. And what happened was five months in county jail for being caught with a stolen car and gun possession. If he did anything and didn't get caught, had he said that then this would be a different conversation. Believe it or not, Smoking Gun wasn't the first to report this, it was in a upstate New York newspaper back in January after nothing could turn up on his initial booking so they scanned even furthur. People do embellish, and how does that look to glorify violence and stupid choices. He didn't have to do that, as other rappers/artists (Outkast, Ludacris who has a college degree, Lyfe Jennings, who has a record) don't bother to even indulge in their backgrounds. The fact hat he did that and centers his business and music around that is pointless. And for those who say it doesn't matter because he is talented, apparently it did to him or else he wouldn't have. One could argue that Vanille Ice was talented too. BTW I don't think he can sing and I find his music contrived and mediocre to the true musical gems I hear, but that is subceptive to opinion, and this is my opinion. Peace.