West Coast Connection Forum
DUBCC - Tha Connection => Outbound Connection => Topic started by: Priest on October 04, 2007, 09:00:17 PM
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From Sohh.com
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."
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Almon is the dumbest person alive. What a pathetic world where people let idiots sue Countries.
Oh Oh, Canada stops 50 Cent at the border. What about the thousands of middle eastern people they STOP at air ports, and illegally search and interrogate. That's racial profiling. Maybe the thousands of middle eastern people should each sue the US for 900 million dollars.
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From Sohh.com
Update: Label Head Expects $900 Mil In Rapper Profiling Suit, "Canada Doesn't Have A Hip-Hop Problem, It Has A Black Problem"
"The only way they can stop me from taking that money is if I'm dead," he said. "They know what they've done."
looks like someones gunan show up dead,,,,,ps the dude is a loony if he thinks hes gettin any money
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Almon is the dumbest person alive. What a pathetic world where people let idiots sue Countries.
Oh Oh, Canada stops 50 Cent at the border. What about the thousands of middle eastern people they STOP at air ports, and illegally search and interrogate. That's racial profiling. Maybe the thousands of middle eastern people should each sue the US for 900 million dollars.
i agree there....but the dude has a point....
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canadian gov while likely ignore that dude and his requests and we wont never hear about him no more
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canadian gov while likely ignore that dude and his requests and we wont never hear about him no more
Lmao i know. I remember when 50 came to Van, his bodygurads beat the shit outta some dude and the dude sued 50 for like a few mil, dont know whats going on with that though!!!
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From Sohh.com
Update: Label Head Expects $900 Mil In Rapper Profiling Suit, "Canada Doesn't Have A Hip-Hop Problem, It Has A Black Problem"
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.
Right, Eminem is a great example.
From what I have read in the past, Canada does not have a problem with hip-hop, African-Americans, or black people; Canada has a problem with individuals who have a criminal record. In my opinion, to say that that concern is not justified would require a degree of ignorance; not to say that criminals will strike again, but those who have been convicted should be questioned or the public will cry out if they do strike again.
I remember this happened to The Exploited and Total Chaos back in 2003, I think it was. NBC was showing images of kids trashing a street in Canada after hearing that the shows were canceled because the bands could not get into the country.
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That's definately not true...PoPo in the 51st division in toronto are literally assaulting black people on the daily,and getting away with it.
Don't believe me read this link
http://www.tonyeallenandannbrown.blogspot.com/
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From Sohh.com
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."
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. 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.
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its fucked up. comedians used to make jokes about how easy it is to get across the canadian border, but i guess its just jokes.
i remember having tix to some bone thug concert a few months back and they werent allowed in -> kray was talkin about it on their site and said they werent even given a reason other than "their music was too violent" or something. probably a misquote by myself, but its rediculous
ive been hearing about this lawsuit for a while though
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its fucked up. comedians used to make jokes about how easy it is to get across the canadian border, but i guess its just jokes.
i remember having tix to some bone thug concert a few months back and they werent allowed in -> kray was talkin about it on their site and said they werent even given a reason other than "their music was too violent" or something. probably a misquote by myself, but its rediculous
ive been hearing about this lawsuit for a while though
And that's the kind of excuse that they've been able to use to keep any hip hop artist out of canada,and they've been given the green light to do that by the canadian government,they banned Game from coming into canada in 2007 and the excuse was that Game was a threat to an entire country,so they used the "National Security" excuse to keep another hip hop artist out of canada.
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i guess some rappers having criminal records doesnt help their cause. Although the canadian govt has bigger problems than rappers. Ive been to canada and its as if hardly anyone is patriotic, they all seem to rep european or carribean countries smh. While secotrs of the community are marganalised and do not feel part of anything, that is when people start joining gangs etc.
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I feel ya on the criminal records part,but that's what criminal pardons are for,and as for the broken factions in canada,that's very true,and then there are american citizens living in canada and they're feeling isolated because canada is a very anti american society,and that kind of thing comes from the government down to the people.
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funny how canadian border patrol act the way the american border troopers act with regular people, but with celebrities
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canadian gov while likely ignore that dude and his requests and we wont never hear about him no more
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Item 3
Hova makes a comment about the canadian border agents on much music.
Check it out at 2:13
http://axs.muchmusic.com/?fr_story=c...e7b&rf=sitemap
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Item 4
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 'f*** Kweli.'"
Let's just hope those people don't work at the Canadian border.
Talib Kweli
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Item 5
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?
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Item 6
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...
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i will laugh so hard if this guy wins his money! :laugh:
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Item 7
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.
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I understand rappers might have problems getting into Canada, but why the fuck is the government supposed to pay 900 million to this guy Jerome Almon?
Did they stop him at the border too? Is he gonna share the money with the rappers?
His financial claim turns the whole thing into a joke.
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He was stopped 117 out of the 120 times that he crossed the border over a 4 year window,and the canadian government intentionally defaulted on the court case,more news coming soon on this situation.