Akon's Con? Singer Allegedly Made Up Most Of His Felonious Past

Just weeks after breaking open the faked documents that were the basis of the Los Angeles Times' since-retracted front-page story on the 1994 ambush of Tupac Shakur at a New York recording studio, The Smoking Gun appears to have another whopper on its hands.
The site claims that Akon has fabricated most of his past as the ringleader of a "notorious" car-theft ring and that he did not spend four and a half years in prison as he's claimed, but rather a few months in an Atlanta jail for stealing one car. The debunking of Akon's stories — which he has repeated frequently in multiple interviews since the release of his 2004 debut, Trouble — cast doubt on the singer's claims that he did a long jail stretch for his lead role in a car-theft operation that specialized in stealing Porsches, Lamborghinis and Mercedes. It also questioned his claims that at one point, he owned four chop shops that catered to "celebrities and drug dealers" and that he often had to flee from police in high-speed chases.
The singer has also claimed that, after being ratted out by jealous underlings who cut deals with the cops, he spent three years in a Georgia prison fighting other inmates on an almost-daily basis for two years, emerging as a "champion" who, despite coming in at a trim 150 pounds, whupped inmates bigger and smaller than him, because he knew "where to hit you to knock you out, so I didn't fear you."
So is it possible that the man who named his company Konvict Music, his second album Konvicted and his upcoming third one Acquitted may have been pulling a con all along? The Smoking Gun reports that the singer's "ad nauseam claims about his criminal career and resulting prison time" have mostly been "exaggerated, embellished or wholly fabricated."
By reportedly sifting through police, court and corrections records, the site claims that Akon's rap sheet does include a half-dozen arrests but only one felony conviction, for gun possession in New Jersey in 1998, which resulted in a guilty plea and three years' probation. In another arrest that same year in suburban Atlanta, contrary to the singer's frequent claims, the site says he was nabbed for possession of a single stolen BMW and held in the DeKalb County jail for five months before prosecutors dropped all charges against him. "So there was no conviction. There was no prison term between 1999 and 2002. And he was never 'facing 75 years,' as the singer claimed in one videotaped interview," The Smoking Gun reports.
In a DVD interview, Akon claimed that when he was arrested on the stolen-car charge in Georgia, he was surrounded by police cars and officers with their weapons drawn, barking at him to get out of the car, though one of the arresting officers told The Smoking Gun that the singer was busted by only two officers "without incident."
And the FBI agent who was called in to help on Akon's stolen-car case, now-retired Agent Peter McFarlane, reportedly laughed out loud when told of Akon's claims about running a "notorious" auto-theft ring, owning chop shops and being brought down by turncoat underlings. "Ah, this is bullsh--. This guy is so phony. He's an arrogant SOB," McFarlane told the site.
Akon's representatives had not granted MTV News' requests for comment at press time.
The site chalks up the prison tales to an elaborate, "cynical" marketing plan that has been wildly successful, since almost no interview of Akon goes by without the questioner bringing up his alleged criminal past. In fact, while alluding to his car-theft ring as being similar to those depicted in movies like "Gone in 60 Seconds," the site says that Akon has used the phrase "notorious" so many times that "it seems like he is reading it from a sheet of talking points."
Last year, he told Vibe magazine that as a suburban New Jersey teen, he sold marijuana and test questions from his high school locker and that a friend got him his first gun, a .22 pistol, which he claimed he rented out for $100 a day.
The site takes music journalists to task for not vetting Akon's claims, citing only one reporter, from the Washington Post, who wrote in March that some of the bullet points in Akon's biography sounded like "the stuff of creation myth." Perhaps due to this lack of scrutiny, Akon has taken to embellishing his colorful backstory even more, claiming in a February VH1 special that he was a carjacker who "used to literally snatch cars from people. And they would be traumatized for months."
(Note: In interviews with MTV News, Akon has alluded to a criminal past but has not elaborated on it.)
The Smoking Gun began investigating Akon's record in December, after he was arraigned on criminal charges from a June incident at one of his shows, during which he lifted a 15-year-old fan over his head and tossed him into the crowd. The singer (born Aliaune Thiam) was charged with harassment and endangering the welfare of a child and then released after a December 3 court appearance without bail after a computer check turned up no outstanding warrants or, according to the site, any prior criminal history. The latter seemed odd, considering his allegedly "notorious" past.
A second check turned up the six prior arrests (during which Akon allegedly used several different aliases and birth dates while being processed), and prosecutors set a nominal bail of $5,000.
One of the central pieces of Akon's "creation myth," the 2004 jailhouse lament "Locked Up" — which features the lines, "They won't let me out/ They won't let me out" — allegedly written during his 1999-2002 stint in prison, was registered by Akon's publishing company as having a date of creation in 2003. So, The Smoking Gun concluded, " 'Locked Up' was not even created during the three-year period in which Akon was not even in prison."
One more thing: A paternity suit over Akon's son, Tyler, filed last year in Georgia, states that he was born on July 26, 2001, which puts his conception date at around October 2000, right in the middle of Akon's alleged prison bid.
A British report recently quoted Akon as boasting that he's recorded a country album under an alias and that he already has a chart hit with the first single, though no evidence exists of any unknown new country artist scoring a mystery hit recently.
So is Akon a phony? When the singer talked to Vibe last year, after dodging a question about how hold he is, he said, "The only thing I hide is my age. ... Before I lie to you, I'd rather say nothing." But later he added, "I always had a way of getting over on people, whether manipulating or conning them."

Mom blames Blake for Winehouse's downfall

Mom blames Blake for Winehouse's downfall

London (Ani): Amy Winehouse's mamma has blamed the troubled singer's married man, William Blake Fielder-Civil, for her downfall. Janis Winehouse said that her daughter had only begun to take hard drugs and impairment herself after she met Fielder-Civil. Simply Fielder-Civil's own female parent Georgette accused Winehouse's parents of failing to control her daughter's descent into a drug-fuelled haze. In a bitter paper interview Janis, 53, said: "As far as I'm concerned, Blake more than played his portion in Amy's ruin." "People I trustfulness have told me that Amy didn't start on the hard drugs until she met William Blake and I think that says it altogether," the Telegraph quoted her, as adding. "Don't get me damage: I know she dabbled in drugs earlier. I was aware of her smoking skunk in her teens. Only she was always diamond that she would never touch the severely stuff, that she didn't demand it. That all changed when she met Blake.







Celebrity Hijack nominations announced

Dermot O'Leary upsets Celine Dion

Dermot O'Leary upsets Celine Dion

Television presenter Dermot O'Leary has admitted that vocaliser Celine Dion was upset when he cut off her off as she was discussing the 'X Factor' contestants with him.
The presenter told Heat magazine that Dion was eager to speak about all the contestants on the prove but said that he didn't have




Theatre Of Tragedy

Hammond quits new home after just 70 hours

Hammond quits new home after just 70 hours

Top Gear's Richard Hammond was in his new home for just 70 hours before deciding to move back to his old one.
Hammond, 38, soon realised the new place was not for him - and now faces a nightmare bill of up to €60,000 for changing his mind.
The TV presenter and his family left their rented farmhouse in Gloucestershire for a new home in Buckinghamshire on Friday.
However, he lasted only three days in the property before deciding that the change in "lifestyle" didn't suit him.
He told the Mirror newspaper: "It only took us a couple of days to realise we were changing a lifestyle that suits us. It's an expensive lesson.
"I got there first, ready for the removal men. And as they started unloading, I began to wonder. Everything was smart, and rather posh and lovely, but could we fit in?
"When Mindy and the girls arrived, I thought 'This isn't right'."

Winehouse quizzed by police over drug claim

Winehouse quizzed by police over drug claim

Singer Amy Winehouse has been questioned in connection with a video which allegedly showed her smoke crack cocaine, a police source said on Wednesday.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said officers interviewed the 24-year-old in connection with an allegation of unlawful possession of a controlled dose.
He said she was not arrested, merely was interviewed under cautiousness and inquiries were continuing.
Last month footage obtained by the Sun newspaper publisher appeared to show Winehouse inhaling exhaust fumes from a break through pipework.
The disturbing images were said to make been filmed during a party at Winehouse's London home.
The isaac M. Singer is now in rehab, admitting herself to the clinic in north British capital on 24 January years after the video appeared.
On 4 February the isaac Bashevis Singer took a break from her discussion to hold for a US visa so she could assist the Grammys in Los Angeles on 10 February, where she is nominated for six-spot awards.
The lotion march will not be simple due to her drugs disk. Last Oct she was arrested and fined in Norge for possession of hemp.




Anne Murray

M-People

   
Artist: M-People

   Genre(s): 
Electronic
   House
   Dance: Pop
   Pop
   

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Discography:


   
 The Best of M People

   Year: 2002   
Tracks: 17


   
 The Best Of

   Year: 1998   
Tracks: 17


   
 Just for you (maxi)

   Year: 1997   
Tracks: 6


   
 Fresco

   Year: 1997   
Tracks: 12


   
 Bizarre Fruit

   Year: 1995   
Tracks: 10


   
 Sight For Sore Eyes (maxi)

   Year: 1994   
Tracks: 4


   
 One night in heaven (maxi)

   Year: 1994   
Tracks: 3


   
 Elegant Slumming

   Year: 1994   
Tracks: 10


   
 Northern Soul

   Year: 1992   
Tracks: 13

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The visionary behindhand the hit-making British people house team M The great unwashed is Microphone Pickering (b. Border district 1958; Manchester), a respected DJ world Wellness Organization played in Quando Quango, engaged several early on shows by the Smiths, and signed Happy Mondays and Saint James to Mill Records spell on the book of Job A&R during the mid-'80s. Pickering later on affected from Factory to the dance mark Deconstructionism, where he signed acts in addition to recording corporeal with his possess band, T-Coy. He formed M People in 1990 with Scots heather Small (b. January. 20, 1965; Capital of the United Kingdom) and late Orange Juice member Apostle of the Gentiles Heard (b. Oct. 5, 1960; Greater London).


The radical sign to Deconstruction in 1991, and released the individual "Color My Life" that May. Arcsecond individual "How Commode I Sexual love You More," propelled by Small's deep psyche vocals, became a U.K. hit and spawned the 1992 record album Northern Soul. Afterward that yr M People issued the remix work Northern Soul Extended, and and so began a blockbuster 1993 with "Movin' on Up." The album Elegant Slumming was alike a reach out, earning the group a Briton prize as Best UK Dance Act. The pursuit yr, Flaky Fruit continued M People's achiever, and was followed in 1997 by Fresco. During the followers iI days, a match of collections appeared: Classical M People and Accept the viewpoint.





Tony Banks

Ricci reveals struggle with anorexia

Ricci reveals struggle with anorexia

Hollywood headliner Christina Ricci has spoken about her struggle with anorexia as a adolescent.
The actress admitted that she spent to a fault much time obsessing over her appearance and that she was unable to revel her success whilst growth up.
Ricci told US TV indicate Entertainment Tonight: "I was a teen release through adolescence and at one compass point I had a little anorexia stage and then I variety of ballooned. I feel my soundbox now is the adult Christina and it's what I should own come to a long time ago if I hadn't been shtup around with my eubstance so much.
"I was too busy thought process about my skin or my system of weights or the wearing apparel I was eating away rather of just enjoying it and expression, 'I can't believe I incur to be here. This is awesome and I'm going to experience it.'"
The 27-year-old added that she had now learned not to worry about her figure, locution: "The to a greater extent weight you give your criticisms, the more it's going to involve you. Emptiness is unnecessary.
"I'm the vainest somebody around simply I experience ground a way to let that go so I can buoy just have playfulness. You really sustain to make a decision in life that you're non sledding to be crippled by your insecurities."