R. Kelly’s lawyer told an appeals court yesterday that all kinds of legitimate organizations, even college fraternities, could be deemed racketeering organizations under a law used to convict the R&B superstar at his Brooklyn trial of sexually abusing young fans. Now, this lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, is seeking to reverse R. Kelly’s 2021 convictions or win him a new trial. She tried to convince him. Three judges in a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan that prosecutors improperly used a racketeering statute written to shut down organized crime to go after the singer. She said it wasn’t fair that prosecutors charged R. Kelly with leading a racketeering influence and corrupt organization known as RICO from 1994 to 2018 and this is the law that they used to convict him. Ooh! Could it be true? Maybe the fat lady hasn’t sung on the R. Kelly situation yet. Stay tuned.
And Dr. Dre got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was unveiled on Tuesday. You know, Dre is known for his career as a performer, producer, founder, and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics and co-founder and president of Death Row Records. Well, Snoop Dogg was on hand along with music impresario Jimmy Iovine. And by the way, the star is right next to Snoop’s, right in front of the El Capitan Entertainment Center. Dre’s star is the 2,775th star since the completion of the Walk of Fame back in 1961. You know, Dre has always said he was inspired by the 1981 single Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel. Oh, I do remember that one. Anyway, after hearing that, he went on to be a DJ himself and he frequently attended a club called Eve’s After Dark. Now, this was over in the Willowbrook section of Compton. He would watch many DJs perform, and then when he became one himself, he was known as Dr. J, the nickname of his favorite basketball player, Julius Irving. Well, he later became Dr. Dre based on his first name and Irving’s nickname. How about that? Things that you just need to know. And congratulations to Dr. Dre for all of the work he’s done in the community.
And for all these stories and a whole lot more, don’t forget to follow Tanya Hart on social media @tanyahollywood and @aurnonline.
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