Last week in hip hop, troubled rapper DMX got charged with tax evasion, Dave Chappelle interviewed Kendrick Lamar for interview magazine, Timbaland agrees to beat battle Swizz Beatz.
DMX Arrested For Tax Evasion
The Dark Man got slapped with 14 counts of tax evasion by the feds, which if convicted could lead to him spending 44 years behind bars. The U.S. attorney’s office in New York says DMX concealed most of his early income and is now about $1. 7 million in red with the IRS. They say he avoided using personal bank accounts and hid behind surrogates including business managers.
“He even allegedly refused to tape the television show ‘Celebrity Couples Therapy’ until a properly issued check he was issued was reissued without withholding any taxes,” Acting US. Attorney Joon H. Kim said. “Celebrity rapper or not, all Americans must pay their taxes, and together with our partners at the IRS, we will pursue those who deliberately and criminally evade this basic obligation of citizenship.”
Prosecutors say X listed his income in 2011 and 2012 as “unknown” when he made about $353K and $542k in those years respectively. He also filed a false income report of $10K in 2013, but according to the feds he actually made $250K that year.
DMX turned himself in on Thursday (July 13) and has since posted bail of $500K.
Dave Chappelle Interviews Kendrick Lamar
For their August cover story, Interview magazine paired Dave Chappelle and Kung-Fu Kenny together for a chat session.
Using Kathy Griffin’s act of decapitation of Trump as reference, Dave asked: “How much do you think about the repercussions of anything you might say?”
“When I look at comedy—at Richard Pryor, at you—it’s all self-expression,” Kendrick replied. “I apply that same method to my music. I came up listening to N.W.A and Snoop. Like them, it’s in me to express how I feel. You might like it or you might not, but I take that stand.”
When asked by Dave what goes through his mind when he writes, Ken said: “I really focus on what my fans will take from it, people living their day-to-day lives. At the end of the day, the music isn’t for me; it’s for people who are going through their struggles and want to relate to someone who feels the same way they do. I’ve got to take Mom out of the equation. I’ve got to go all-in, expressing myself, right there in the moment.”
Kendrick’s career is on a high right now and what he says on his songs are easily dissected. When Chappelle asked what he hopes to accomplish with the platform, Kendrick replied:
“As I’ve grown as an artist, I’ve learned that my mission statement is really self-expression. I don’t want anybody to classify my music. I want them to say, “‘This is somebody who’s recognizing his true feelings, his true emotions, ideas, thoughts, opinions, and views on the world, all on one record.’ I want people to recognize that and to take it and apply it to their own lives. You know what I’m saying? The more and more I get out and talk to different people, I realize they appreciate that—me being unapologetic in whatever views and approach I have.”
The full interview were he talks “DuckWorth,” fan interpretations of his lyrics and his trip to South Africa can be found here.
Timbaland Agrees To Beat Battle Swizz Beatz.
Swizz Beatz took advantage of the attention surrounding Connor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather’s press conference on July 14 to challenge fellow beatmaker, Timbaland to a beat battle.
“Timbaland wanna talk shit too,” Swizz said in a taunting manner. “Timbaland wanna talk shit, so everybody out there tell Timbaland we can have a battle. We can battle. We can do whatever he wanna do.”
Word of the challenge soon reached Timbaland who responded with an IG video.
“Swizz… you have woken up Timbo Snow,” Timbaland said as the Game Of Thrones theme plays in the background. “Challenge, accepted. I’m with the smoke. That’s right. You hear that Game of Throne? You have woken up the king.”
