Nas and Kelis’ Divorce Confirmed
Thursday, April 30th 2009 @ 9:57 PM (not yet rated)
By Keith Murphy
One of hip hop’s most talked about married couples have split. VIBE has confirmed that Nas and Kelis are headed for a divorce. “I can confirm that she has filed for divorce,” a spokesperson for Kelis told VIBE. “We request the media to respect her privacy during this very difficult time.” At around 3:45pm PST, high-powered attorney Laura Wasser (who has also represented Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, and Stevie Wonder) filed a divorce petition today on behalf of Kelis, citing irreconciable differences. The bombshell comes amid recent reports that the acclaimed rhymer and influential R&B vixen were expecting their first child together—a son. Kelis is currently seven months pregnant.
It was only last February when Nas spoke excitedly to MTV about the prospect of having a baby with Kelis. “Yeah, man, I find out what it's gonna be next week, so I'm happy," said the multiplatinum rapper, who also has a 15-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
Nas and Kelis first met in 2002 at a MTV Video Music Awards afterparty thrown by hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. “I wasn’t going to go, but I’m glad I did,” Nas told VIBE in June 2003. “Then at the afterparty, I met my girl.” Kelis remembered the meeting with her future husband vividly: “Everyone moves out of the way, and Nas stands up, and I put my hand out, and I’m like, Hey, I’m Kelis. And he goes, ‘Who?’… So I’m crawling into a fucking hole, and he’s like, ‘Wait-huh? What’s your name? And I’m like, Kelis, and he’s like, ‘Oh, well that’s great, because I’ve been waiting to make you my wife all these years.’” When Nas told her of his bold marital plans, she replied in typical Kelis form. “That’s great, because that’s all I wanna be.”
After dating for two years, the pair married in a small ceremony in Atlanta on July 28, 2003. Their relationship even sparked artistic collaborations, with Nas appearing on Kelis’ sensual single "In Public," featured on her 2003 release Tasty (Star Trak/Arista). Kelis returned the favor on the Queensbridge, N.Y., MC’s controversial 2006 work Hip Hop Is Dead (Def Jam) on “Not Going Back.” Yet, since March of 2008, rumors of the couple separating have been circulating on the Web. Nas’ spokesperson could not be reached for comment.
Clipse Associate Indicted, Accused Of Running $10 Million Drug Ring
Thursday, April 30th 2009 @ 2:07 PM (not yet rated)
Clipse Associate Indicted, Accused Of Running $10 Million Drug Ring
Anthony "Geezy" Gonzalez, an affiliate of Virginia rap duo The Clipse, turned himself into federal authorities in Miami on Tuesday (April 28) after being accused of running a $10 million drug ring.
According to The Virginian-Pilot, 34-year-old Gonzalez will appear before a federal magistrate in Miami on Wednesday (April 29), and is expected to be returned to Virginia to face an 82-count indictment.
The Feds say he ran a six-year drug operation from his Encore Lounge nightclub, which he purchased for 40 pounds of marijuana and $80,000 in drug proceeds.
During those six years, his operation is accused of distributing more than a ton of marijuana and more than 100 pounds of cocaine since 2003 throughout Hampton Roads. The drugs were obtained mostly from Panama, Arizona, California and Florida, either by plane or driven to VA via vehicles with hidden compartments.
He's accused of laundering drug proceeds through various businesses -- including Soul Providers Management, Soul Providers Entertainment, D&A Trucking and the Encore Lounge nightclub. Soul Providers Management is listed as the booking agent for The Clipse.
The suspects claimed to be "music producers, rappers, entrepreneurs, club owners, clothing designers and other legitimate occupations in order to conceal the true source of their income," the indictment said, according to the paper.
Gonzalez and other suspects -- including brothers Raymond D. McCoy and John Lee McCoy III, and Richard W. Hoggard -- all lived lavish lifestyles, styling at ritzy resorts while picking up large quantities of cocaine and marijuana at a time.
Gonzalez is said to be the ringleader, overseeing large transactions, while his underlings traveled the country handling the smaller deals. In one transaction, he is accused of purchasing 625 pounds of marijuana for $540,000 in May 2007 from a supplier in Arizona. In another, he's accused of buying 10 kilos of cocaine for $200,000.
Thanks to drug profits, Gonzalez afforded himself lavish toys such as a $127,000 Bentley sedan and a $90,000 Mercedes-Benz.
In addition to Gonzalez, six others are named, as well as an unidentified police officer as a co-conspirator.
