Rodney King's death has been ruled an accident according to findings in a death report released Thursday (Aug. 23). The findings revealed that King was under the influence of several different substances which led to his death.“The effects of the drugs and alcohol, combined with [King's preexisting hear condition] probably precipitated a cardiac arrhythmia and [King], thus incapacitated, was unable to save himself and drowned,” read the report.
At the time of his death, King had alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and PCP in his system. His naked body was found face down in the deep end of the pool at his home in Rialto, Calf.
One month earlier King was on tour promoting his book The Riot Within: My Journey From Rebellion to Redemption, and commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the L.A. Riots which were set off by the beating he received by LAPD officers.
King had a longstanding substance addiction, which he sought treatment for on the VH1 show Celebrity Rehab. Despite appearing to have overcome his addiction, the 47-year-old suffered a relapse and pleaded guilty to reckless driving stemming from a DUI arrest last July.
He was sentenced to 20-days house arrest and received three years of summary probation.
In what is believed to be her 17th tattoo, Rihanna reveals her
latest, a falcon covering the ankle on her right foot...
Rihanna explained
her choice to fans Tweeting,
"Falcon: a light that shines in the darkness! Never close
their eyes during sleep."
REALITY ISH: Julissa Bermudez Gets Closure With Ex-Fiance Larry
Johnson
Viewers of Style network’s “Empire Girls” were witness to
Julissa Bermudez’s emotions overflowing when she encountered her ex-boyfriend,
NFL running back Larry Johnson, outside a nightclubThe run-in was quickly
followed by a drink date, where Julissa – who met LJ in 2005 when she was
hosting BET’s “106 & Park” and he was a guest – couldn’t hold back her tears
of frustration as LJ beamed about how he’s stopped drinking, how proud he is to
be a dad and how happily in love he is with his baby’s mom.
Each revelation,
Julissa told her friends later, was like a dagger in her heart. During he three
year relationship with the athlete, she says he drank to excess, wasn’t trying
to be faithful and – although he wanted a baby – wasn’t yet ready to be a
father. The couple ended up breaking off their engagement in June 2008. Cut
to Sunday’s episode, where good friend Angie Martinez of New York’s Hot 97
pointed out that Julissa’s tears and constant chatter about him since their
“chance” encounter outside the club must mean she still has feelings for
him.
Watch:
Julissa and her “Empire Girls” co-star Adrianne Bailon (who
once dated Rob Kardashian) ponder one of the questions raised on their reality
show: With two years to go before turning 30, should they have sacrificed their
career ambitions and focused more on finding the right man to start a family –
like most of their friends have done?
Oh Julissa!
Oprah’s on the prowl! Oprah Plans Rihanna Interview for “Next
Chapter” and possibly Lauryn Hill
Oprah Winfrey recently announced via twitter that she will be
interviewing pop star Rihanna and that the interview will air in August. I’m a
big fan became of the Next Chapter series where Oprah interviews celebrities and
asks all the questions that we all want to know. And if that’s not enough
entertainment and controversy, guess who’s she’s trying to interview next?
Lauryn Hill. On twitter, she responded to a followers comment, who
tweeted:
And to that suggestion, she tweeted:
WERK Oprah only it’s Lauryn not Lauren.
Azealia Banks GETS COLORFUL For PAPER Magazine
On the heels of dropping her brand new video for "Liquorice"
off her 1991 EP, the 21-year-old Harlem chick is donning some fashionable digs
for her new Paper magazine spread.
In the topmost pic she's rocking an Alexander Wang shirt, belt
by Diesel Black Gold, shorts and hat by Joyrich, Pedro Garcia wedges and a
Mickey Mouse bag by Todd Pearce for Love Bailey. In the above sucker-licking
pic, Azealia's threw on a jacket by Diesel Black Gold, Ashton Michael shorts,
collar by Louis Vuitton, Versace belt, mirror shades by Diesel, and jewelry by
Mishka Piaf.
The shoot was done at Smashbox Studios in L.A. as she just
moved to the west coast city:
"For me there's three options of where to live: L.A., London
and New York," she says. "London's too expensive and New York's too exciting:
too many parties, too many of my friends. If I wanna make this my life, I have
to live somewhere I can work, somewhere I can focus." She laughs. "My album will
not come out in September if I live in New York." Top by Acne, pants by
Diesel Black Gold, necklace by Glynneth B and cuff by Juju Gold.
In an Alexander Wang top and a fork held to her wig, Ms.
Banks
spoke on the music industry saying:
"The music industry is like a machine," she says. "It's always
going, and this new generation of artists -- me, A$AP Rocky, Rita Ora -- we're
the fuel that's keeping it going. And once you get in that machine you've gotta
run with it. There's a crazy inertia that's been going for years and years and
years, and it's not gonna stop for you, so you've gotta keep fucking working.
The minute you stop working, that's when you get stuck in the gears. And that's
when it grinds you up and spits you out." But doesn't that constant work leave
zero time for normal-person stuff? "That's what you give up when you sign that
contract," Banks replies. "This hustle and bustle becomes your normal-person
shit."
Out for a night of celebrations, Erin Wasson and Mary Elizabeth
Winstead were spotted on the red carpet of the “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”
premiere in New York City The gorgeous stars looked stunning as the
model-turned-actress rocked a floral-length peek-a-boo gown as their male
castmates Dominic Cooper and Benjamin Walker joined them at the AMC Loews
Lincoln Square 13 Theatre.
Others in attendance attached to the film include its producer
Tim Burton, as well as co-stars Anthony Mackie and Robin McLeavy.
Recently
talking about the motion picture, screenplay/novel writer Seth Grahame-Smith
told press, “Yes, it’s an absolutely ridiculous premise, and we all knew that.
But we wanted that joke to end at the title."
“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” follows President Lincoln’s
character after his mother is killed by a supernatural creature. He then gains a
passion to hunt down vampires and their slave-owning helpers.
It also stars
Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell and Jimmi Simpson and is set to release in theaters
this Friday, June 22nd.
Lets share Mary’s World the good and the bad! Mary J. Blige is
Planning to Play the Wife of Malcolm X
Mary J. Blige is planning to take on a major new project
playing the wife of the late Malcolm X. Blige is going to portray Betty Shabazz
in a TV film called “Parallel Lives,” which focuses on the lives of Betty
Shabazz and Coretta Scott King, along with their two famous husbands. Blige
says she’s studying the life of Shabazz to prepare for the role and looks
forward to doing more acting in the future. She has already appeared in the
Tyler Perry film, “I Can Do Bad All By Myself,” and is now taking acting
lessons. She has coaches in a multitude of areas to help her get to the top of
her game.
Blige said this to Chelsea Handler: “Even though I was given
the part in ‘Rock of Ages,’ I wanted to prepare myself so I went to work for
it,” said Blige. “I just didn’t want to get the part because I was Mary J.
Blige. I went and did the work, I got an acting coach.”
Mary J. Blige Foundation says Blame The Bank For Foundation Loan
Default
Mary J. Blige’s troubled foundation is turning the tables on
the bank that’s suing it for allegedly defaulting on a loan. According to TMZ
the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now says TD Bank should have done
its homework before granting the foundation a 250-thousand-dollar loan. If it
had, it would have known that FFAWN was already in debt and probably should not
have been granted the loan to begin with.
The foundation also claims the woman who signed for the loan
did not have the authority to do so.
TD Bank claims the organization, founded
by Blige and producer Steve Stoute, has only paid back 400-dollars of the
250-thousand-dollar loan it received in June of last year. The group was
supposed to pay the money back by last December.
Well her acting and singing skills were put on display in her
most high-profile film role yet – Justice, owner of the Venus Gentlemen’s Club
in the rock musical. Blige stars in the new movie-musical “Rock of Ages,” which
opened in theaters over the weekend. The movie brought in
15-point-one-million-dollars for a third place finish behind “Madagascar 3″ and
“Prometheus.”
In the adaptation of the Broadway musical, Blige belts out
tunes like Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” and Pat Benatar’s “Shadows of the
Night” while taking in an aspiring young singer named Sherrie (Julianne Hough)
whose own Hollywood dreams have hit a low point.
Blige, 41, sat down with Reuters to talk about the role, her
strong desire to mentor young women and the recent scandal that has plagued her
female empowerment foundation.
Q: You play the owner of strip club in the film. Did you try
and find some commonality between yourself and your character?
A: We have a lot in common. She was a protector of young women
in that environment. She saw herself in Sherrie and wanted Sherrie to be better
than her. And not be stuck in a place like a strip club.
Q: How does that relate to you?
A: The back story I gave Justice was that some man took the
power from her when she was younger. And they kept taking it from her to the
point that she ended up in place like (a strip club) to take the power back from
them. A lot of that is Mary.
Q: Explain taking the power back?
A: Stand up for your rights, learning to not let your
environment control how you feel about yourself, staying confident no matter
where you are. Nurturing young women, being an inspiration to them. That’s
Mary.
Q: You lent one of your songs, “Need Someone to Love You,” to
the upcoming documentary “The Invisible War,” which is about the rape of women
within the U.S. military. How did that happen?
A: When they approached me about it, I was like, that’s fine
because people are hurting. It was a way of giving back. When you’re lending
your voice, you’re saving a life.
Q: Why is helping others so important to you?
A: I think the more you have, the more you’re supposed to
give. It would be real selfish of people like myself not to give, not to want to
help someone. I remember when I was that girl, so why wouldn’t I want to help?
To sit and be selfish, to sit on all (your success), what are you doing with it?
It’s not moving, it’s not going anywhere, so you’re not growing. When you help
others, you grow.
Q: With that said, it must have been tough to learn last month
that your charity, The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation For the
Advancement Of Women Now Inc, was being accused of mishandling funds and
cheating scholarship students.
A: The lives of young women are at stake. I feel what they
feel. I don’t want them to suffer. I promised them something and I’m gonna
deliver. Period.
Q: For your music fans, when will you deliver the sequel to
last fall’s album, “My Life II … The Journey Continues (Act 1)”?
A: We already have songs for “Act 2″ and we’re still recording
a couple of new ones. Right now, we’re rehearsing a tour for “Act 1,” which
starts in August. The sequel will be next year.
Q: Any more plans to act?
A: I’m going to do a Lifetime movie called “Parallel Lives”
about the lives of Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz, the widows of Martin
Luther King and Malcolm X. It’s about what they had to deal with when their men
were fighting for freedom. It’s powerful.
Q: Who will you play?
A: “I’m supposed to play Betty but I’m on the fence. Betty, or
Coretta? We’ll figure it out. It’s Betty for now, but when you see the movie and
I’m Coretta…(laughs)
Q: Getting back to Rock of Ages, what do you hope to get out
of it? It’s your first time as part of such a high-profile cast with actors like
Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin.
A: This is my big break for people to see me not as the
greatest actress but as someone who is on her way to doing something great.
Because she’s trying to do the work.
Well Mary this ish needs to be cleared up and also I liked you
in Rock of Ages but it was an awful attempt at Rock karaoke.
Friends of Rodney King believe his fiance is not being
truthful about the circumstances surrounding his drowning death in their back
yard pool... After avid swimmer Rodney King was found dead at the bottom of
his swimming pool, his fiance told police she was awakened at 5am by Rodney
banging on the window and freaking out and that she went to find her cell phone
to call for help. However, friends of Rodney say the fiance has told several
different versions of the story and they have since gone to detectives with
their claims. An autopsy for Rodney King has been scheduled and an
investigation is ongoing.
Bobbi Kristina Begins Shooting Reality Series
Bobbi Kristina Brown was spotted in New York City last
weekend, shooting scenes for her family’s upcoming Lifetime reality television
series, The Houston Family Chronicles. With the cameras watching her every move,
she was joined by her aunt Patricia Houston, for a shopping trip on Manhattan’s
Fifth Avenue.
The duo stopped at BCBG Max Azria and Lord & Taylor,
before Bobbi Kris met up with her boyfriend Nick Gordon. The couple walked to a
park hand-in-hand, all with the TV crew in tow capturing all the
moments.
Did Jay Z Plagiarized his Book Decoded?
Jay Z and his Decoded co-author dream hampton have been named
in a lawsuit accusing them of stealing concepts for Jay's best selling
memoir.... According to court documents dug up by All Hip Hop, Patrick White
is suing Jay, dream and Random House Publishing claiming they somehow gained
access to his computer and stole elements of a book he was working on and used
them for Decoded.
The suit alleges, "The book contains various
expressions/colors/phrases, which correlates to my work. After contacting or
attempting to contact the co-author, I got no reply.” Patrick is seeking
damages for copyright infringement and invasion of privacy
Naomi Campbell Featured In W Magazine
Supermodel Naomi Campbell shines in colourful designs from
Prada, Louis Vuitton, Etro, Fendi and others for the July issue of W magazine,
photographed by Emma Summerton and styled by Giovanna Battaglia.
In a previous
article in W Magazine, Naomi talked about the pitfalls of the modeling industry:
“There’s no handbook to teach you how to deal with this business. It’s been such
a roller coaster. Before long, I started taking drugs to escape or deal with
some disaster, like when someone died. I lost a lot of friends in 1997, and that
was the year I really fell down emotionally and “I first sought treatment for my
addictions in 1999, and then went in and out of recovery. I’d be okay for a
couple years and think I had things under control, but then I would relapse…”
WOW.. .” Check out the photos
“Some people can handle a drink or a line of cocaine, but I’ve
finally come to realize that, for me, it’s all or nothing – and it has to be
nothing. And my life has changed since.”
Finally has the Queen Bee Lil Kim…FOUND LOVE?
Is 2012 is shaping up
to be Lil Kim‘s year?
Launching the long awaited ‘Return Of The
Queen‘ tour to welcoming audiences across the US, and landing a number of guest
spots on the BET network, the last few months have given the star a lot to smile
about.
Now, one more reason’s been added to that list. For, if the
snap above is anything to go by, she has fallen in love.
Before the below pics
emerged this weekend, the Rapper tweeted last month:
#ReturnoftheQueenTour rehearsals with my new Boyfriend. Lol
!!!’
Named ‘ Mr Papers’, Kim’s new beau made his debut at
Hollywood’s Key Club over the weekend, snapped with the Grammy winning MC and a
crew of Champagne Glass Holders, all of whom celebrated the success of the Hip
Hop tour.
Lovely….Maybe Boo you can now let BIGGIE R.I.P?
Rita Ora Responds to Nipple Wardrobe Malfunction, “I got t*ts
everyone!”
Look, it happens to the best of us. Only most of us
aren’t performing on stage, in front of a crowd full of people. Over the
weekend, Rita Ora forgot to wear “petals” and one of her headlights,
inadvertently slipped out while performing at the Lovebox music festival held in
Victoria Park. Wearing an all-white number, one of her ‘girls’ had a mind of its
own and briefly popped out of her bustier.
Rita acknowledged the malfunction on twitter, responding to
one of her followers:
“well sample sizes only come in one size! and its not a size
that fits me boobs! i got tits everyone LOL my secret is out DAMN”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART”
FILES Mrs. Rubble
Is that Pebbles from the Flinstones? Ugghhh, things
seem tough at Bedrock now.
An autopsy was expected to determine the cause of
death within two days; police found no alcohol or drug paraphernalia near the
pool and said foul play wasn't suspected. King's next-door neighbor, Sandra
Gardea, said that around 3 a.m., she heard music and someone "really crying,
like really deep emotions. ... Like tired or sad, you know?"
"I then heard
someone say, 'OK, Please stop. Go inside the house.' ... We heard quiet for a
few minutes Then after that we heard a splash in the back." King's death was
a grim ending to a saga that began 21 years earlier when he fled from police
after he was stopped for speeding. The 25-year-old, on parole from a robbery
conviction had been drinking, which he later said led him to try to evade
police. He was finally stopped by four Los Angeles police officers who struck
him more than 50 times with their batons, kicked him and shot him with stun
guns. He was left with 11 skull fractures, a broken eye socket and facial nerve
damage. A man who had quietly stepped outside his home to observe the
commotion videotaped most of it and turned a copy over to a TV station. It was
played over and over for the following year, inflaming racial tensions across
the country. It seemed that the videotape would be the key evidence to a
guilty verdict against the officers, whose felony assault trial was moved to the
predominantly white suburb of Simi Valley, Calif. Instead, on April 29, 1992, a
jury with no black members acquitted three of the officers on state charges in
the beating; a mistrial was declared for a fourth. Violence erupted
immediately, starting in Los Angeles. They lasted for three days, killing 55
people, injuring more than 2,000 and setting swaths of Los Angeles aflame,
causing $1 billion in damage. Police, seemingly caught off-guard, were quickly
outnumbered by rioters and retreated. As the uprising spread to the city's
Koreatown area, shop owners armed themselves and engaged in running gun battles
with looters.
King — who said in his memoir that FBI agents had urged him to
keep a low profile if the officers were acquitted, expecting violence — appeared
at a news conference on the third day, asking for an end to the uprising. "Can
we all get along?" he asked — a question the city and nation have struggled to
answer ever since.
"Through all that he had gone through with his beating
and his personal demons he was never one to not call for reconciliation and for
people to overcome and forgive," Rev. Al Sharpton said Sunday. "History will
record that it was Rodney King's beating and his actions that made America deal
with the excessive misconduct of law enforcement." Attorney Harland Braun,
who represented one of the police officers, Briseno, in his federal trial, said
King's case never would have gained the prominence it did without the videotape
of his beating. "If there hadn't been a video there would have never been a
case," Braun said. "In those days, you might have claimed excessive force but
there would have been no way to prove it." The video also sparked an
examination of Los Angeles police tactics under then-Police Chief Daryl
Gates. "The Rodney King beating stands as a landmark in the recent history of
law enforcement, comparable to the Scottsboro case in 1931 and the Serpico case
in 1967," said a July 1991 report produced by an independent commission led by
Warren Christopher, who later became Secretary of State. The report
determined that despite many good officers, there were "a significant number of
officers in the LAPD who repetitively use excessive force against the
public."
Despite that scrutiny, the department continued to face scandals and
critics of its practices until the U.S. government intervened. The department
operated under a decade-long consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department'
civil rights division to implement reforms on how it uses force and handles
complaints; the department also gained more civilian oversight. The decree
wasn't formally lifted until 2009.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who knew King for years, said
he was more of a victim than a hero, and that his death reminded the nation of
how far it still needs to go. Gardea described King as a quiet neighbor until
Sunday morning. Cory Hudson, King's cousin who lives nearby, said King enjoyed
swimming and was known to get into the pool at night. "It's just sad. I feel
bad for all the family members," Hudson said. "It's been rough. And he was just
getting his life really together." Braun, the attorney saw King as "a sad
figure swept up into something bigger than he was. "He wasn't a hero or a
villain."
