Update:900 Million Dollar Lawsuit Against Canadian Government

[Priest]

Update: Label Head Expects $900 Mil In Rapper Profiling Suit, "Canada Doesn't Have A Hip-Hop Problem, It Has A Black Problem"

Canada and the State Department have defaulted in hip-hop label owner Jerome Almon's $900 million lawsuit against them and according to the Murdercap Records CEO, have done so to avoid "devastating documentation" of the country's racial profiling practices.

As SOHH previously reported, Almon recently filed a suit alleging "wholesale profiling" of rappers and African-Americans by Canadian border officials, claiming that along with himself, numerous rappers including 50 Cent, Eminem and DMX have either been turned away or faced lengthy interrogations at Canadian borders.

"They [Canada] don't know what to do right now, because I know what they've pulled," Almon told SOHH exclusively regarding the default. "If I'm a liar, why don't they just call me a liar? They won't do it. The documentation speaks for itself."

Almon says that Canada's attack on African-Americans and rappers is partly an effort to blame them for the increased gang violence and gun murders in Toronto and Vancouver. He called Canada's border stance racist and hypocritical, arguing that pedophiles and terrorists are allowed into the country while hip-hop stars are excluded.

"America and Canada don't have a hip-hop problem, they have a black problem," he said. "A two-dimensional black problem."
Last year, Canadian authorities sought to ban 50 Cent and other "gangster" rappers from performing in the country. Almon claims those same authorities also drew up Bills C-254 and C-95, which would ban all U.S. rappers and their CDs from Canada by categorizing hip-hop as hate speech.

Almon has even set up a Web site at abadraponmurdercap.com with information that he claims documents the discrimination, while also defending hip-hop culture.

Melisa Leclerc, a spokesperson for Stockwell Day, Canada's minister of public safety, declined to comment to SOHH on the specifics of the case, but she did say that the Canadian government is "committed to ensuring the fair treatment of all travelers to Canada." She also maintains that the criteria and indicators used by the country's border services officers do not discriminate on grounds protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act.

The lawsuit - which was prepared by the chief of Detroit's American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) - also names US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Jay-Z, Olivia, Colin Powell, Toronto Mayor David Miller and Spike Lee, among others, as witnesses.

Almon claims that Rice is in collusion with the Canadian government despite knowledge of the country's racial profiling practices.

Because the defendants named in the suit did not respond within the allotted period of time - in this case, 60 days - Almon can now seek a default judgment, which involves the court ruling on the case and potentially awarding him up to the full amount of his claim, and possibly legal fees.

Almon said he expects to be awarded the full $900 million and will not consider dropping the suit in exchange for a settlement.

"The only way they can stop me from taking that money is if I'm dead," he said. "They know what they've done."

[Priest]

Kardinal Offishall interview at XXL:

Indie Label owner Jerome Almon sued the Canadian government alleging that his artists get profiled when they try to cross the border. Is there really some rapper profiling going on?


There’s all truth to it. People hate to come to Canada on tour, not because of the country or the people, but because of customs. I remember one year I was like, “Yo, Bus, I gotta get you up here.” He was like, “Fuck that! I hate them niggas.”

 He was shooting a movie up there. He had his proper papers, visa, all that and they still would mess with him at the border for like hours at a time. And that’s what they do. They just mess with people no matter what. Right now, they’ve been cool with me for the last year, year and a half.(Since the lawsuit was brought out) 

They used to give me a hassle and I’m from there, so I can only imagine people that are not from there and are trying to get there and make some money touring.

Besides that, a lot of dudes have records whether it be for small things or bigger things and they make it damn near impossible to make it across the border.

[Priest]

Hova makes a comment about the canadian border agents on much music.

Check it out at 2:13

http://axs.muchmusic.com/?fr_story=c1b04....ee7b&rf=sitemap

[Priest]

TALIB KWELI CO SIGNS FOR JEROME ALMON August 30th, 2007

Talib Kweli is on the phone from a tour bus that is slowly making its way towards our border. While Canadians seem to think that, unlike their southern neighbours, theirs is an international reputation beyond reproach, Kweli sees it differently.

"Other than making it utterly impossible for a young black man to get in the country, I really enjoy Canada. Canada has the worst customs in the world, and everyone on the bus should now be agreeing with me - they make it harder to get into the country than any other country in the world."

Others think so too. Al Sharpton's National Action Network released a statement that said that it believes Canada Customs engages in racial profiling, while, more recently, Jerome Almon of Detroit's Murdercap Records filed a $900-million lawsuit in federal court against the Government of Canada, the State Department and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice based on the same notion.

While Al Sharpton is an opportunist and Almon appears to be the same, not to mention borderline insane (he's subpoenaed everyone from Oprah to Paris Hilton), there's no denying that if you're a rap fan living in Canada, chances are you've got more unused ticket stubs than your indie rock friends. Chances are also good if you're a rap fan that you know to put some stock in what Talib Kweli has to say.

The Brooklyn-born, -bred and -based musician has been at the top of rap's underground since the late-'90s, starting with collaborative releases alongside Mos Def (as Black Star) and
DJ Hi-Tek (as Reflection Eternal), and later as an acclaimed solo artist. His music has continued to contain the sharp and dexterous wordplay that frequently touches on socio-political themes, something that has, to his ire, labelled him a "conscious rapper."

"It's like any label: gangster rapper, pop rapper. I make conscious music, of course, but to just limit me as a conscious rapper, that's like saying that Jay-Z is just a gangster rapper. He makes some gangster music, but is it accurate to call Jay-Z a gangster rapper? No, he's way more than that, and I know that

I'm more than one category of hip-hop."

It's enough of an annoyance that he says that his next album is going to be called Prisoner of Conscious, but the one that Kweli is currently attempting to cross the border with is titled Eardrum, the first release on his new label, Blacksmith. It's blessed with a who's who of producers from Pete Rock to Kanye, but, as always, it's his voice that is its centre point - a voice that's been influenced by having worked in and owned a bookstore, not to mention being the son of two professors.

"I honestly think that if I wasn't rapping I probably would have ended up doing something in academics. But at the same time, I hated school, I quit college, I think I'm like the hip-hop version of my parents."

A parent of two kids himself now, he makes it clear that part of the perspective found in this latest album comes from his life experience.

"Of course, there are different responsibilities and different influences on your life, and the things that you see sometimes start to differ from your core fan base.

The way we present the music is going to be live, so that even if you're a 16-year-old who may not like an adult song like Hot Thing about the good things about a woman, they'll like Say Something, which is a little more
kinetic."

A decade-long career as a musician has also given him some perspective on how his music is received. "What I find is for every positive review, there's a negative one, and for every negative, there's a positive - I feel like I have an equal amount. Right now, Eardrum is enjoying a great critical buzz, a lot of critics like my album and respect it and everything, but I bet you could find the same amount of people who are saying 'Fuck Kweli.'"

Let's just hope those people don't work at the Canadian border.

Talib Kweli

[Priest]

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Denied Entry Into Canada, Cancels Tour Dates 2008

Hip-hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony were denied entry into Canada early Wednesday morning (January 30), as they prepared to head on a sold out tour through the country, BallerStatus.com learned.

The group said they were told their entry into Canada was denied by Customs officials because their music was "too violent," which they cannot understand.

"We never had a problem going over there, but all of the sudden, they talking the music is too violent," Krayzie Bone told BallerStatus.com. "I'm like 'Man, that's crazy because we doing the same music we've done every time we came over there and nothing never happened.'"

The group was scheduled to leave for Canada Wednesday morning for five sold out dates -- including stops in Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg -- but got the bad news from the tour's promoter just before they were preparing to leave.

"We was supposed to leave this morning and the promoter told us he was having trouble getting us cleared to enter the country," explained Krayzie. "We was on stand by, and he was gonna let us know what was going on this morning at 8 a.m. He said he went to the Councilor and everything, and they was like 'We was high risk of coming over there,' 'they didn't wanna take the risk,' 'they didn't want it on their hands if something happened,' and everything."

The rapper said that the group was very surprised when they heard the news, mainly because they had toured there just last year and several times in the past without incident, and don't understand why this time is any different.

"We was just over there last year... around the same time last year," he said, "and we didn't have no problem whatsoever getting through the Customs or nothing."

While Krayzie admits that fights had broken out between concertgoers at their shows in the past, he insisted the incidents were isolated and had nothing to do with Bone or their music. "We never really had nothing major at all, happen at our concerts. No riots, nobody getting shot or killed, or nothing like that," Krayzie said.

Although they are still confused about the situation, Krayzie speculated as to why Canada is strict in letting rappers through the border. One reason he had was the country's rising gang problem, which officials confirmed with the group.

"I hear a lot of people is having problems with Canada now. They did mention that they have a rising gang problem on they hands out there in Canada, so that might be one of the reasons," Krayzie explained.

The group's Canadian tour would have been in support of latest album, T.H.U.G.S., which was released through Ruthless Records; their last major label project, Strength & Loyalty; and their DVD film "I Tried."

Despite the Canada dates being canceled, the group is slated to continue on the U.S. leg of the tour, which kicks off in Portland, Oregon on February 16, hitting cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas, New York and Atlanta, before wrapping things up in Montgomery, Alabama on June 14.

The group is upset that their Canadian fans aren't able to catch their shows though. "We still got a very strong fan base. Our fans been following us for a very long time. It's unfortunate that our sold out shows in Canada were canceled, because our fans stay loyal to us and we want to stay loyal to them," Krayzie said.

Not to mention former G Unit artist game being banned from entering canada by the canadian government,because they felt the need to ban 1 man because their excuse was that game was a national security risk to the entire country of canada.

See a disturbing trend here yet hip hop headz?

[Priest]

BILLBOARD
A BAD RAP
March 03, 2007

Hip-Hop Acts Face Bureaucratic Entanglements At Canadian Border
LARRY LEBLANC

Welcome to Canada˜unless you're a rapper.

Indeed, according to Canadian concert booker Chris McKee, U.S. hip-hop acts
are facing harassment from immigration officials when attempting to enter
America's northern neighbor.

On Jan. 23, hip-hop specialist McKee of Oakville, Ontario-based Live Tour
Artists sent an industrywide e-mail to fellow Canadian agents and promoters
raising the issue.

During the past year, McKee cites "countless" situations where his acts have
been delayed for hours or turned back at the Canadian border. "You get sick to
your stomach," he says, "waiting for that phone call saying, 'We didn't get
through' even though the paperwork was filed properly."

He claims Ludacris, Tha Dogg Pound and Young Buck were all held up prior to
2005 club dates despite having correct paperwork. Those shows went on, but in
May 2005, McKee says Wu Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck was turned back,
resulting in the cancellation of a nine-date tour with Planet Asia and Afru-Ra.

The issue attracted Canadian media attention Jan. 12, when Detroit-based
Murdercap Records CEO Jerome Almon filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in
Michigan. Almon˜who records as Slikkfordays˜is seeking $900 million in damages
and an order prohibiting Canadian officials from obstructing his entry to
Canada. The suit names two former ministers of citizenship and immigration and 95
Canadian border officers.

The Canada Border Services Agency declines to comment on individual cases. An
Ottawa-based spokesman points out that convicted criminals may be prohibited
from entering Canada, but insists border officers "don't discriminate against
race, nationality or religion."

Rap producer Almon˜arrested twice in the United States but never charged˜has
family and business interests in Toronto. His label boasts an eight-act-strong
roster including Blakkattakk and the Northsiders. Almon says he was delayed
more than 200 times while crossing into Canada between 1998 and 2003 and turned
back "two or three" times.

The last time he was refused entry was in January 2003 while travelingºo
Toronto for a national club tour setting up the Canadian release of the
Slikkfordays album "Porn Star."

"I was told, 'You are barred permanently,' " Almon recalls. The tour, booked
through Murdercap, was canceled, and the album remains unreleased in Canada.

Almon previously unsuccessfully appealed his ban through various Canadian
provincial and federal channels. He says his suit is "under review" by the
Detroit court, which he claims has jurisdiction under the U.S. Foreign Sovereign
Immunities Act.

Traditionally, it has been easy for U.S. acts to play Canada providing they
are American Federation of Musicians-affiliated, had a signed contract and
their identification/criminal records checked out.

"There are laws," McKee says. "We can't let criminals enter. But we provide
immigration with the information and they have the opportunity to look up
artists' records. They should let us know before the act drives up to the border."

While McKee admits his e-mail only drew "a handful" of responses, live music
insiders concur that border hassles have increased lately.

The result is limiting Canadian opportunities for U.S. rappers, as Live
Nation Canada president Shane Bourbonnais concedes. "I don't do many hip-hop
shows," he says. "I'd always be concerned whether the artists would get in the
country."

Toronto-based hip-hop promoter Jeff Brandman, who is VP of operations at REMG
Entertainment, recalls cross-border problems causing last-minute
cancellations by Dead Prez, the Roots, Ghostface Killah, Nas and Common in recent years,
while Method Man was delayed twice in the past 18 months ahead of club shows in
Toronto. "And when we work with Snoop Dogg," he adds, "we have a terrible
time getting him in because of his criminal history."

Brandman says Snoop Dogg obtained a temporary resident's permit in January,
allowing him to play Canadian dates.

Canada's border strictures have affected other major hip-hop names. In 2005,
50 Cent was barred from entering due to his criminal record. However, in late
November that year, he also obtained a temporary resident's permit and played
a William Morris Agency-booked seven-city tour.

[Priest]

Known the world over as a convicted felon,not to mention drunk driving on her rap sheet,Paris Hilton was allowed back into canada by the canadian government....Again!!!

September 4, 2008 --

Paris Hilton has craftily manipulated the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival in an attempt to gain more publicity for a new documentary about herself.

The hotel heiress forced festival organizers to cancel two of three screenings of "Paris, Not France," which is set to premiere Tuesday. Even a press screening was canceled.

Most movie mavens assumed Hilton was unhappy with her portrayal in the documentary and had sicced her lawyers on the producers, forcing them to scale back.

But Paris' rep Jason Moore told Page Six: "We wanted to create more buzz - create some hype . . . We felt the impact would be more extreme if we had one screening."

Miffed festival programmer Thom Powers told Post movie critic Lou Lumenick: "I wish we could do more, but it's better than not showing it at all."

Paris' manipulation of the annual festival - considered the Cannes of Canada - stands to make more money for the movie when it is released commercially.

"She is a partner with the documentary and will be attending Tuesday's screening in support of it," Moore told us.

Asked whether Paris had a financial interest in the flick, Moore replied, "I can't discuss that."

The festival's catalog says "Paris, Not France," directed by music-video vet Adrian Petty - daughter of rocker Tom Petty - "explores the businesswoman and the human being behind the public persona."

Petty received major cooperation from the Hilton family, getting full access to Paris and scoring in-depth interviews with her parents, Rick and Kathy Hilton; her sister, Nicky; and other family members.

Donald Trump, Camille Paglia and Michael Musto also weigh in.

It's a far cry from her last "documentary," "One Night in Paris," the hard-core porn tape of herself shot by sleazy former beau Rick Salomon.


But yet...Hip Hop's under attack by this dictator ship???

If ya'll don't see the writing on the wall...

[The King]

What's happened to the world? People sueing the government of Canada for 900 million dollars? What about the fat people who sue McDonalds? Or the couple in Hawaii trying to sue the Hadron Collider for billions because they think their lives are endangered. People sue others for the most ridiculous reasons.

Things like this are an embarrassment to the Justice system. Here's a simple solution. People should be sent to prison for wasting everyone's time.

[Priest]

Canada Folds, Condoleezza Rice Throws Hillary Clinton Under the Bus, President Elect Obama Set Up To Confront Rap World In $900 Million Rappergate Case As Canada's Hip Hop Hit List Revealed By Murdercap Records CEO

Canada and State Department Withdraw From December Court Showdown After All Hope Lost Dismissal, Defendants Force Obama Administration To Join Justice Department and Canada In Arguing Rappers and African Americans Not Protected By US Constitution

Condoleezza Rice and the Canadian government inexplicably pulled out of December 10th hearing that they requested, in an attempt to have the $900 Million Rappergate case dismissed in US federal court.

At the 11th hour the defendants withdrew after realizing they had 2 equally disastrous options: 1) Perjure themselves before a federal judge 2) Admit their guilt in open court and be faced with paying a massive monetary settlement. Murdercap Records CEO Jerome Almon's case was cemented upon release of a 2 year, $2 million study ordered by Canadian Premier Dalton McGuinty which concluded that US gangsta rappers are completely absolved of any responsibility for dramatic increase in gun violence among the Great White North's teen population. Faced with the unsavory task of lying to a federal judge as they had repeatedly lied to Senate Armed Service Chairman Carl Levin in the past, the defendants withdrew from the hearing, a motion they initiated. Condoleezza Rice and the Bush administration purposely left this political IED for President elect Barack Obama and soon to be Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's in an effort to sabotage the good relationship both officials have with the growing politically powerful Hip Hop generation and the stars of rap.



Mr. Almon will also reveal who decided and when the decision was made to go to war on US rappers by the Canadian government and the blatant attempt to get him to sell out the who's who of Hip Hop and African Americans in return for re-entry into Canada. Mr. Almon also has informed Senator Hillary Clinton of the attempted illegal and unethical behavior on the part of Secretary Rice. Evidence shows that Canada Border Services and Toronto 's 51 Division have initiated betting pools for the arrest of certain rappers and have compiled a "hit list," with the MurderCap Records CEO at the top of list. Confidential information passed on to Almon indicates that the law enforcement agencies in Canada are collaborating in an effort to "set up" US rappers in order to thwart the McGuinty report and the devastating lawsuits that will certainly follow his successful defense of Hip Hop. The list reads like the who's who of rap 50 Cent, The Game, Busta Rhymes, TI, and rap icon NAS. Top commanders in the Toronto Police Department and Canadian Border Services have spread scurrilous rumors about Mr. Almon's misconduct regarding certain Canadian females and the nature of his arrests in the US in an attempt force a settlement of the case and to discourage any of the other rappers targeted by their rap intelligence unit from filing lawsuits.



The late January hearing date will be a no holds barred war, with the names of the Canadian girls, the sex scandals, and all the sordid details of the circumstance that led to the sex, lies, and gangsta profiling that has become the most watched global controversy in hip hop. The hearing promises to further scandalize top political powerbrokers in both the Canadian and US capitals, and reveal the truth behind the controversial visits to Canada by stars Paris Hilton, 50 cent, Jay Z, The Game, Tom Sizemore, P. Diddy. The case promises to drag in all world NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant and a prominent member of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, along with several NHL stars as Almon goes all in to back Hip Hop against blatant censorship. The most shocking aspect of the testimony will center around the Canadians who have backed Mr. Almon in his allegations against Canada Border Services. With some members of the agency joining supporting the Motor City CEO’s allegations.



Mr. Almon is releasing the CD "THE BORDER/GENERATION KILL" to coincide with the hearing, which was inspired by the label’s experiences entering Canada, the dirtiest show on television-Canada’s “The Border” and the HBO miniseries “Generation Kill.” A controversy has already ensued as some Comcast cable outlets have sought legal advice after the Parents Television Council and Focus on Family expressed deep concerns about the content of the spots. Labeling them as being “too gangsta” and “too sex filled” for viewing by teenagers. The spots feature critically acclaimed up and coming model/actress Melissa Pester in the lead roles. 

[Priest]

Obama Called "N Word" Repeatedly On Canada's CBC, Travel Warning To Be Issued To Blacks and Rappers

Government Backs Station As Rap Mogul Moves to Sue Several Canadian Cabinet Ministers In Canadian Courts For Slander and Defamation On Top of $900 Million Lawsuit Filed In US

Due to the scathing $2 million report issued by Canadian Premier Dalton McGuinty, statements by Canada’s top rap Kingpin Kardinal Offishall, complaints by hip hop mogul Jay Z, a dramatic increase in physical attacks on African Americans by Canadian border and police personnel, and the complete and total betrayal of Black Americans by the State Department and Department of Justice, Mudercap Records CEO Jerome Almon is issuing a travel warning to Obama administration personnel, Black entertainers,

U.S. Blacks, and especially American MC’s that they are risking both their physical and economic health by entering Canada for the foreseeable future on January 19th-MLK Day.

The reports and statements confirm that Canada Border Services Agency on orders from the highest elements of the Canadian government are profiling, framing, and assaulting African Americans with the complete assistance of the State Department and Department of Justice with Black entertainers and rappers being at the top of the official hit list compiled in Ottawa with bounties being placed on the heads of the who’s who of American rap.

Among those targeted, DMX, Jay Z, rock and roll hall of famer Wilson Pickett,Taleb Kweli, Busta Rhymes, Bone Thugs n Harmony, 50 Cent, the entire label of Murdercap Records, plus many more even as Canada Border Services and Ottawa openly allowed convicted pedophiles into Canada without obstruction.

Mr. Almon is moving to sue several high ranking Canadian officials for slander and defamation in Canadian courts, due their spreading the false rumors of his sexual misconduct with several Canadian females.

After numerous failed attempts to bribe and black mail Mr. Almon to drop his lawsuit, the Department of Justice on orders of the Bush administration is now arguing in federal court that African Americans, and especially U.S. rappers are not entitled to the same Constitutional protections as all other Americans, even as the America prepares to swear in its first African American President and Attorney General.

To counter this Mr. Almon is posting scandalous documents, photographs, video, and top 10 sex, border, and music scandals on the website abadrap.info featuring scandals involving Mick Jagger, DMX, 50 Cent, Olivia, Paris Hilton, Martha Stewart, Selwyn Pieters, Heidi Fleiss, and Canadian Ministers Judy Sgro, Peter Mckay, Belinda Stronach, Maxime Bernier, and Dennis Coderre.

The scandalous information will reveal why Canadian cabinet Ministers and State Department power brokers will go to any links to stop the testimony of the rap icons, Martha Stewart, Paris Hilton, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Sizemore, with Mr. Almon revealing his personal experiences in Canada regarding the issue that will shock America.

The information will devastate Canada’s image and tourism market and the fact that he has already cost Canada $600 million in losses to its film industry. Mr. Almon has called on Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama to immediately confront the Canadians on the issue immediately upon entering office in letters to both. As Canada continues to hurl through its 1960’s Hip Hop organizations and civil rights groups are preparing to launch a “blackout” of the Great White North with year long boycott.

In another huge controversy publishing and television powerhouses HBO and Penguin books are threatening to seek a court injunction and file a multi million dollar lawsuit to prevent Murdercap Records from releasing the CD “THE BORDER/GENERATION KILL” citing concerns about the title and content. The CD is slated to be released January 29th and according the label’s CEO will drop as entitled with all tracks included. 

[The King]

Obama Called "N Word" Repeatedly On Canada's CBC

haha You can stop joking around and stop posting these lies on other hip-hop boards.

[Priest]

Obama Called "N Word" Repeatedly On Canada's CBC

haha You can stop joking around and stop posting these lies on other hip-hop boards.

Who's joking now dawg?

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Airs EXTREMELY Racist Show

Obama Called "N Word" Repeatedly On Canada's CBC, Travel Warning To Be Issued To Blacks and Rappers

[Þŕiņçë]

Take that Canada!

[Hey Ma]

Canada. Lame.