Cleveland School Shooting Update

From Newsnet5.com

CLEVELAND — The teenage gunman who went an a shooting rampage at Success Tech School on Wednesday had a troubled past, filled with neglect and abuse, and he was both victim and perpetrator in many incidents, reported NewsChannel5 chief investigator Duane Pohlman.

Pohlman reported that 14-year-old Asa Coon had been teased at school since kindergarten, according to teachers and other schoolmates.

Teachers and schoolmates described him as unkempt, angry, a loner, quiet and sad, and a poor student.

Neighbors said he came from a very troubled home that was filled with neglect and abuse.

One former neighbor said that there were often beatings at the home that neighbors could see and hear.

The woman said that Asa Coon was also a victim.

Pohlman also looked into Asa Coon’s juvenile record and pieced together what happened.

He reported that Coon came to juvenile court first as a victim and then as an offender.

Records show that in 1998, Coon was a young victim in a neglect case filed against his family.

In January 2006, Coon appeared before a magistrate in a domestic violence case. His mother was allegedly the victim, records showed.

In February 2006, the court sent Coon to counseling and ordered intensive anger management therapy. Later that same month, Coon was back in court for violating his parole and was sent to juvenile jail.

In April 2006, Coon was released and threatened suicide, documents showed.

In May, the court ordered an evaluation of his medication.

In June, after just two months of home monitoring, Coon was released.

Pohlman reported that Coon also had a long list of disciplinary problems at Success Tech Academy.

Police said Coon went on a shooting rampage on the fourth floor of the school, targeting the two teachers and students, emptying a .22-caliber gun and firing a shot from a .38-caliber gun before turning it on himself.

On Monday, he was suspended from school for fighting, but he showed up Wednesday with the guns and a bag stuffed with bullets and three knives, officials said.

Police said they were at the boy’s home on Monday evening for another incident and weapons were found inside, so the teen had access to weapons, NewsChannel5 reported.

Neighbors described Coon as an angry young man who seemed short-tempered and ready to go off at any minute.

Students Michael Peek, 15, and Darnell Rodgers, 18, and teachers David Kachadourian, 57, and Michael Grassie, 42, were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds. One of the wounded teachers is listed in good condition. The condition of the second teacher, who had to have surgery, has not been made public.

Trinnetta McGrady, 14, injured her knee and back falling down a staircase and was trampled by other students fleeing the gunfire. She was expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday night.

Hood Check Editor’s Note:
Prior to being the home of Success Tech, The building previously housed The Cleveland School Of Science, which I attended until graduation.

Farrakhan Is Down With Hip Hop

From AllHipHop.Com:

Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan will address issues within the Hip-Hop community during a private, invitation-only brunch for hundreds of music industry industry professionals this weekend in Atlanta.

The event, which is sponsored by AllHipHop.com, is scheduled to take place at 12 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 14) at an undisclosed location in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss “The Evolution of Hip-Hop” and the overall direction of the music industry.

The exclusive brunch is the latest in series of events that have taken place to address recent criticism directed towards the Hip-Hop industry.

Over the years, Farrakhan has played an important role in resolving conflicts in Hip-Hop as well as advising artists of their potential and responsibility as world leaders.

In addition to the brunch, Farrakhan will mark the 12th anniversary of the Million Man March/World Holy Day of Atonement, Responsibility and Reconciliation by delivering a message of atonement at 7 p.m. EST on Tuesday (Oct. 16) at the Atlanta Civic Center.

The speech, which is expected to draw tens of thousands, will be broadcast via satellite to major cites throughout the world.

Bobby Brown Has A Change Of Heart?

From bossip.com

Yesterday it was said that Bobby Brown was hospitalized for a mild heart attack scare, now he is denying all claims. Via NY Daily News:

“None of it’s true. I went in for a checkup. The doc gave me a clean bill of health. I did go to the hospital … to just get a checkup, get everything tested out so that I could go on this tour, and everything is fine.”

“I don’t know where the heart attack thing came from. I got my heart and everything checked out earlier this morning, and I’m just fine.”

Word To Rick James: “Cocaine Is A Powerful Drug”

LL VS JAY Z

From mtv.com via bossip:

LL Cool J, 50 Cent and Jay Z discuss the issues that LL has with Def Jam and It’s president Jay Z

LL Cool J Says:
“These guys fail to realize that when you talk about Def Jam, you’re talking about my legacy. Everything that ever happened at Def Jam is my legacy. Without me being a 16-year-old with my rhyme book, Def Jam [wouldn’t] exist. Everything that’s ever been a success up there is a product of me, and I’ve given birth to it.”

“You go on blogs and everything, people know when people are lying. Things are not all rosy up there [at Def Jam]. Too many [artists] have suffered: Method Man, Redman, the Roots, Fabolous, Ludacris! The list goes on. Nobody is getting promoted the way they should be promoted. I’m one man. I can’t battle a whole record label. So we not gonna try to turn this into what it’s not. To try and battle a record label is foolish. It’s bad enough they are calling around to radio stations telling them not to play my records.”

“It’s about the bars and beats, it’s fly. I’m not trying to look down on anybody. I’m not gonna try to hurt people and tell them how rich I am or what I’m driving. It’s a little of that, but that’s not my focus. It’s never been my focus to make the ‘hood feel bad. This record is for the ‘hood — specifically for the ‘hood. It’s for Queens, it’s for people who are real hip-hop fans. It’s the real thing. I’ve been throwing records away, trashing some records; I’ve had some records that I thought were garbage, records I thought were hot. I’m mixing it up.”

Jay-Z says:

“I would never block anybody’s blessings. That type of sh– comes back to you. … I believe in karma. He’s upset, not me. If he wanna work it out, I’m more than willing to do that.”

50 cent says:

“[LL’s] got his own issue [with Def Jam], to be honest with you. He feels that they’re not prioritizing him. He’s been there from the start. I talked to him and I talked to Jay. I’m the liaison between them for that project to keep that functioning. And I’m gonna bring the material necessary for us to have a great project. … Jay’s priority is business. He’s a businessman. If it makes good business sense, he’s doing it.”

LL is my all time favorite rapper…but ultimately, you have to give the people what they want.

BlockSavvy 0 Myspace 1

No Games by Mr Get Right

New R Kelly Video – Real Talk (Real Hilarious)

R Kelly, Keyshia Cole, J Holiday and Ne Yo Will Tour Together…Maybe

From vh1.com

R Kelly’s 39-date trek kicks off November 14 in Columbus, Georgia, and wraps up January 12 in Hampton, Virginia. Keyshia Cole and J. Holiday are also on the bill, and Def Jam confirmed that Ne-Yo is in talks to join the tour as well.

Kelly’s representative told MTV News that once it became clear the trial, originally scheduled to start September 17, was not going to happen “anytime soon,” the singer had to make other plans. But there is one small catch: Kelly has yet to notify the court of those plans.

For the past five years, whenever Kelly has wanted to travel outside the court’s jurisdiction, he had to ask for permission — in the form of a letter to the state attorney’s office — to give prosecutors time to object. However, the Illinois attorney’s office told MTV News that Kelly has not yet sought permission to tour November through January. Kelly’s representative said that if permission had not yet been sought, it soon will be: “He knows what the rules are.”

Kelly is charged with 14 counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with a girl prosecutors said was 14 years old at the time; he pleaded not guilty.

The next status hearing in the case is set for November 2. If Kelly is convicted of the charges, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.

Dates for R. Kelly’s upcoming tour, according to Capitol Records:
· 11/14 – Columbus, GA @ Columbus Civic Center
· 11/15 – Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
· 11/16 – Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
· 11/17 – Birmingham, AL @ BJCC Arena
· 11/18 – Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Bobcats Arena
· 11/21 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Wachovia Center
· 11/22 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
· 11/23 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
· 11/24 – Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena
· 11/25 – Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
· 11/29 – North Little Rock, AR @ Alltel Arena
· 11/30 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena
· 12/1 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Arena
· 12/2 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
· 12/6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
· 12/7 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
· 12/8 – Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
· 12/9 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum
· 12/13 – Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
· 12/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
· 12/15 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
· 12/16 – Sacramento, CA @ Arco Arena
· 12/19 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
· 12/21 – St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
· 12/22 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
· 12/23 – Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena
· 12/27 – North Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Coliseum
· 12/28 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Arena
· 12/29 – Columbia, SC @ Colonial Center
· 12/30 – Jacksonville, FL @ Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
· 12/31 – Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
· 1/3 – Louisville, KY @ Kentucky Exposition Center
· 1/4 – Cleveland, OH @ Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University
· 1/5 – Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena
· 1/6 – Dayton, OH @ Ervin J. Nutter Center
· 1/8 – Greenville, SC @ Bi-Lo Center
· 1/9 – Savannah, GA @ Savannah Civic Center
· 1/11 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Coliseum
· 1/12 – Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum

Foxy Brown Internet Pimpin’ From Prison

From http://allhiphop.com

Foxy Brown seems to be handling her business better behind bars than on the outside. Her latest project has been an effort to communicate directly with her fans via her newly launched website http://freefoxybrown.com. Her site will feature up-to-the-minute updates on the rapper, who was personally involved in the creating the content contained on the site.

Fans can send messages to Brown through the website as well as hear new tracks off her forthcoming album Brooklyn’s Don Diva.

“I devoted my career to building an affinity with my fans who have supported me unflinchingly and no barbed wire fence or prison wall will stop that,” Brown said in a statement. “I am in great spirits and very focused, and needed a forum to communicate to the people.”

She is currently serving a one-year prison sentence for violating her probation for assaulting two employees of a Manhattan nail salon in 2004.

Foxy Brown’s Brooklyn’s Don Diva, which is the follow up to the Brooklyn
rapper’s 2001 album Broken Silence, will hit stores on Nov. 20.

Kirk Franklin Recovering From Porn Addiction