Hip Hop Rumors

Fashion and Hip-Hop are not quite siblings, but more like very close cousins. Together, the bond is unbreakable. Even far apart, one still finds a way to influence the other.

AllHipHop.com goes “Fashion Forward” to keep you up on the latest rockable gear:

From hot lines telling us what to rock, to rocking the hottest threads once we see a video and find out designer, the connection is real. Fli Pelican is an urban and creative line that Jay, Weezy, Teyana Taylor, and more have adorned. Fli Pelican also the next line to watch for.

Founder and head designer, Nino, shares some of the Fli Pelican story here:

“I started my line about four years ago now, with all intention to influence the Hip-Hop community. I started with music being my focus, engineering and producing for seven years. I moved to Atlanta with the hopes of someday having someone famous on my beats. I ended up with tons of famous people wearing my clothes instead.”

There’s something about drive and how it takes you exactly where you should be. Again, the relationship between music and fashion found a way to make magic.

The FLI acronym was applied to give people purpose. It stands for: Find Love Inside. That’s applies to whatever you love to do. The “Pelican” represents selflessness. They have a long history in mythology and Christianity. They say you attract what you put out, and Fli Pelican has a foundation of gold.

For anyone looking to break into fashion, music, or any part of the entertainment industry, Nino leaves you with two simple but profound words – patience and prayer. Makes perfect sense, that’s the only way truly be FLI.

Learn more, and shop while you’re there - www.flipelican.com.

(AllHipHop News) Yesterday (May 17) marked the fourth day of testimony in the trial of James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond, who is currently facing a life sentence, for allegedly heading up a $10 million-a-year cocaine operation.

Federal prosecutors and the DEA accuse Rosemond of masterminding a drug operation that imported hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the New York area and sent the proceeds to the West Coast.

Rosemond has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Yesterday (May 17) in court, Rosemond’s alleged main cocaine connect, Henry “Black” Butler took the stand.

Butler, who appeared in his green prison jumpsuit, is facing 10 years-to-life in prison, after being charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, a firearms possession violation, and getting caught with hundreds of ecstasy tabs.

Henry Butler is a Los Angeles gang member, who was arrested in 2010, in Thousand Oaks, California, for his role in the cocaine operation.

Butler, who is married to the sister of Hollywood director Lee Daniels, told prosecutors that James Rosemond was his biggest cocaine customer.

Butler said that he owned an urban event planning company (Mogul Media Group) and had known Rosemond for over 18 years, since 1994.

At that time, Butler said he was working as a road manager for various artists and Rosemond was managing acts as well. The pair was also partnered in the legendary “How Can I Be Down” conferences of the 1990′s.

Their relationship turned into criminal activities in 1995, when Rosemond began ordering hundreds-of-pounds of marijuana from Butler.

The marijuana orders soon turned into small orders of cocaine later that year.

In 1995, Butler said he and Rosemond began selling 2 to 10 kilograms of cocaine in various frequencies, supplied from a connection Butler identified as a man named Adolpho Guzmán.

The cocaine was first sent to Rosemond to New York in a variety of means before they perfected the shipping method.

At first, Butler and an associate would go to Best Buy and buy computer routers, unseal the packages, put the kilos of cocaine inside the router boxes and then re-seal and ship the packages.

Jimmy Henchman

Soon, Butler and an associate began printing their own custom-made router boxes and packaging and sending their cocaine inside of those.

The pair began shipping the kilos of cocaine and money via overnight services, after two criminal associates taught Henry Butler the proper methods of sending the illegal contraband without being detected.

Butler claimed that he and Rosemond regularly transferred hundreds-of-thousands of dollars in cash between each other for large shipments of cocaine.

But in 2010, shortly before Butler’s arrest, the pair decided to scale back the operation.

“He didn’t want to talk on the phone because things were getting hot, and he felt like he was being investigated,” Butler told the jury.

Butler claimed Rosemond began accepting cocaine and shipments of money in Philadelphia, organized by a man named Leonard Bostic.

Butler also claimed the gang used encrypted Blackberrys to send and receive messages, and they almost never spoke on the phone.

After Butler was arrested, he claimed that Rosemond hired an attorney for him, and he was later visited by a private investigator and attorney Jeffery Lichtman, who allegedly passed a note to Butler, containing sensitive information about Butler’s possibility of cooperating with authorities.

This, plus the possibility of life in prison without parole, led Henry Butler to cooperate with authorities.

But, Rosemond’s attorney Gerald Shargel attacked Butler’s credibility, noting that he had already lied about several key factors in the case.

Shargel revealed that Butler also had a Proffer Agreement with authorities that would allow him to receive a reduced prison sentence, if he supplied truthful testimony about Rosemond.

But Butler allegedly lied to agents when he was interviewed, not just once, but several times, in regards to the case.

At first, Butler told prosecutors that he and Rosemond were trafficking much smaller amounts, but those amounts increased as the case continued to build.

Butler said he lied because he wasn’t sure of how much information the government had gathered about the drug gang.

Shargel also revealed that Butler’s agreement with authorities should already be off the table, since he blatantly lied about being a gang member.

During testimony, Henry Butler revealed that he was an “OG” member of the Rolling 60′s Crips in California, a fact that Butler officially denied until last week (May 7).

“Yeah, my voice counted in the neighborhood,” Butler told the jury.

Shargel claimed that Butler has already been caught in several lies and was exaggerating his testimony for a reduced sentence.

Butler said he has met with prosecutors at least 14 times since his arrest, with several sessions dedicated to testifying.

Butler also said that he received documents from Chuck Philips that stated that Rosemond had cooperated with authorities in two separate cases in North Carolina and Florida.

Butler said he ignored the documents, along with a New York Daily News article and continued to do business with Rosemond.

James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond is a well-known urban music executive, who frequently did business with artists like Queen Latifah, Game, Sean Kingston and others.

His company Czar Entertainment managed rapper Game during a violent feud between 50 Cent, G-Unit, and Tony Yayo.

Their feud escalated and ultimately ended in death, when Lowell “Lodi Mack” Fletcher, an associate of Tony Yayo, was allegedly murdered on orders of Rosemond.

Fletcher had been released from prison several months earlier, after serving time for striking Rosemond’s young son.

The incident caused outrage at the time, as well as condemnation from activists like Al Sharpton.

Tony Yayo was put on probation for the incident as well.

Some people would say, if you gotta go, this is the way to do it!

Sixty seven-year-old Gene White was found unresponsive at a Texas strip club Friday night after receiving several lap dances. Police believe the man may have had a heart attack while being entertained at the Red Parrot strip club. According to the strip club owner, workers tried their best to perform CPR on the customer but it didn’t work, and he was pronounced dead. So far, there are no signs of foul play in the man’s death, but it’s currently being investigated.

Talented actress Raven Symone, who is best know for playing Olivia on “The Cosby Show”, has allegedly started shacking up with another woman according to The National Enquirer. Her alleged girlfriend is AzMarie Livingston, a former “America’s Next Top Model” contestant.

The gossip rag has spilled the beans that Raven, who is in New York City playing the lead in “Sister Act” on Broadway, has been living with AzMarie in a condo in Manhattan. Rumor has it that Raven’s parents are furious that she has decided to lead a lesbian lifestyle.

Raven was initially mum on the rumors, but has now taken to Twitter to address the chatter. Check out what she wrote below:

“I’m living my PERSONAL life the way I’m happiest. I’m not one, in my 25 year career to disclose who I’m dating. and I shall not start now. My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I’m datings to know. I’m not one for a public display of my life. However that is my right as a HUMAN BEing whether straight or gay. To tell or not to tell. As long as I’m not harming anyone. I am a light being made from love. And my career is the only thing I would like to put on display, not my personal life. Kisses!”

Back in the day, Raven was a pretty good rapper – she even released a few albums executive produced by Missy Elliot. Man, I wonder why so many female rappers are rumored to play for the same team?

Anyway, check out the single Raven put out back in the day written, produced and featuring Missy Elliot:

Actor and rapper Will Smith was doing the red carpet at the Moscow premiere of Men In Black, when a male entertainment reporter tried to kiss him on the mouth. The guy is a comedic reporter, and kissing celebrities on the mouth is his thing.

Well, Will was having none of that, and when the reporter’s lips brushed against his, Will pushed the guy away then lightly smacked him across the face. Will also said that the reporter was, “lucky I didn’t sucker punch him.”

The good people over at TMZ have two different camera angles of the smack. Check out the video of the attempted kiss and smack here.

(AllHipHop News) Odd Future’s sketch comedy show, ”Loiter Squad,“ will return for a second season on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, late-night programming block, according to Pitchfork.

The first season of “Loiter Squad” premiered in March and has already aired eight of the group’s 15-minute episodes. Although no premiere date was announced at press time, fans can anticipate the show’s second season to air in late summer or early fall.

In music news, the Odd Future gang recently released the group’s second compilation record, The O.F. Tape Vol. 2, on March 20, and Tyler the Creator’s follow-up to last year’s solo album Goblin, titled Wolf, is expected to be released this summer. In addition, O.F. member Earl Sweatshirt is currently working on a number of projects, including a solo album and a collaborative project with Tyler. Dates for each release have not yet been revealed.

Check out the “Loiter Squad” Season 1 trailer below:

Kanye West is seemingly the man of the hour for being the last dude that was passed Kim Kardashian.

But, does Kanye have a master plan?

Now, I thought he was more or less being treated like a fool and a pawn to boost ratings of that reality show she has.

Well, I am hearing something far more sinister may be at work. I am hearing that Kanye West is basically playing Kim Kardashian. Apparently, Kanye is going to hit it and then basically use her for the massive publicity he can get from it. Lastly, he’s going to record a song or something to discuss the whole thing. I find that interesting that he’s apparently shared this with many in his immediate circle. Clearly there is a leak should this rumor be true.

Kim isn’t the most well-liked chick, but Kanye may be overstepping if he thinks America will side with him over the Armenian thicky.