T.I. was officially sentenced by a judge to 1 year and 1 day the other day, but in your opinion was this just T.I. getting off light? Felon’s in possession of a firearm carry’s a mandatory 5 year sentence for most of the other federal offenders…how are you feeling about this?

Is the sentence too light like normal celebrity justice, is it too harsh, or do you just not care either way?

You can leave comments and reply’s to others below, or vote in the poll in the sidebar.

The fabric of hip hop is one which was woven from the urban culture of inner city New York. It encompasses all of the characteristics of the gritty streets from which it evolved. Thus it should come as no surprise to hear about some rapper getting tangled up in legal woes of the criminal variety. But should we expect more from these artists that so many fans, young and old alike, have come to idolize? Or could it be that the criminal record is, in actuality, the 6^th element of hip hop?

Let me start off by saying that Lil Kim is exempt from this list, as she spent a year and a day in lock-up for obstruction of justice for initially refusing to snitch out people who were in her inner circle. She was more a victim of circumstance who paid a price for trying to protect friends.

But then there are the John Forte’s (who was just released from prison late last year), who actually was convicted of a serious criminal offense, cocaine possession. Or recently released rapper, Maysonne, who served 7-years for 2 armed robberies. Or Black Rob (2-6 yrs for burglary and criminal possession), who is still incarcerated. These are instances where life imitates art, and the charges are way more damaging to the artists’ life as opposed to beneficial to their careers.

The epitome of such bad judgment is Jamal Barrow, aka Shyne, who’s approaching the end of his 10-year sentence, after firing a weapon inside a New York nightclub and wounding several partygoers. Even worse was Remy Martin, who went as far as to shoot the same friend she entrusted to hold her purse, after accusing her of stealing money from it after a night of partying. Her decision landed her in Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in New York for a maximum of 8 years. If her behavior is better while incarcerated than on the night in question, she may come home in 6.

Remember Mystikal? Well Michael “Mystikal” Tyler is serving out a 6-year prison term after being convicted of sexual battery in 2004 in Louisiana. He was found guilty of coercing his former hairstylist to perform sex acts on him and two of his bodyguards, on tape, after accusing her of stealing money from him. Mystikal also settled a civil suit with the woman for $350,000.

C-Murder (real name Corey Miller), at one time, was living up to the name as he was convicted of second degree murder for his involvement in a night club shooting in Louisiana where a teenager was killed. The 2002 incident led to a conviction in 2003, and caused the younger brother of Master P to spend 3 years of his life in prison as he appealed the conviction and subsequent life sentence without parole. After plenty of legal rambling, he was eventually awarded his temporary freedom via an overturned conviction and new trial in 2006 after posting a half million dollar bond. His second trial began this January so we shall learn his fate in the near future. Best of luck to him.

Rock, one half of the rap duo Heltah Skeltah (who’s last album D.I.R.T. was released in late ‘08), is currently out on $125,000 bail and awaiting trial as he’s facing charges of attempted murder and assault. He is accused of shooting a man in the face in Brooklyn, New York, leaving him paralyzed. The alleged incident is said to have taken place over a prostitute as both Rock and the victim, a reputed Bloods gang member, have been suspected of pimping. Rock currently awaits trial on these charges.

“Hot Boy” Lil Turk, born Tab Virgil Jr., is anticipating his early release from prison, due to a possible sentence reduction, after being sentenced to 12 years in 2006. He was accused of shooting and injuring S.W.A.T. team members during a raid in a Memphis, Tennessee apartment in 2004. He was officially convicted for being a felon and a drug addict, on the run, in possession of a handgun. The raid, which took place in a 2 bedroom apartment, yielded no drugs. The incident left the apartment walls riddled with 189 bullet holes yet Turk was miraculously unscathed. He is presently awaiting word on his release.

Capone, from the rapper duo Capone-N-Noriega (CNN), served time for violating probation on a previous gun possession charge, which stagnated the group’s progress back in 1999. These problems, coupled with label issues, has made it impossible for CNN to achieve the buzz they once had.

Who can forget the ordeal Beanie Sigel experienced during the height of his career? Just when Team Roc-A-Fella was enjoying its best years, Beans was incarcerated on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, and weapons possession after he was alleged to be involved in a shooting outside a bar in his hometown of Philadelphia in the summer of 2003. Sigel turned himself in after performing on the Roc the Mic tour’s stop in Philly. After the first attempt to prosecute him ended in a mistrial in 2004, the “Broad Street Bully” was retried and acquitted by a jury of all attempted murder charges in 2005. He did, however, spend the year sandwiched between the two attempted murder trials in jail on federal weapons charges. His legal woes continue, as he was just sentenced, in January, to one day in federal prison for violating terms of his parole by having contact with a convicted felon. As a result, the judge also extended his probation by 18 months, and ordered the first 6 months of that period be spent in a halfway house, further delaying the release of Beanie Sigel’s next solo album The Solution.

The list of artists being paraded in front of judges, in one state or another, to face criminal charges seems endless.  I could go on and on about the Lil Wayne’s and the DMX’s of the hip hop world, but I think the point has been proven. The music derives from a culture that is infested with crime.

However, somewhere along the line, we expect those who have reached a considerable level of success to realize that their actions are counterproductive to, not only their careers, but to the movement as a whole. We have reached the pinnacle of success where almost every facet of life is influenced, one way or another, by hip hop. That says something for a movement which originated from a place in which nobody wanted to venture. With that in mind, let us not take a step backwards and give the haters ammunition for their mission to forever stigmatize hip hop as a culture of hooligans.

With Death Row’s announcement of their “official” relaunch in April, HHLO.net wants to know if you really think they can make it.

WIDEAwake Entertainment, the company that bought Death Row Records earlier this year, has teamed up with E1 Entertainment (formally Koch Records), to release a three-track sampler including Crooked I’s “Hoodstar,” “Pay for the Pussy,” Petey Pablo and Danny Boy’s “Do What You Do.”

Do you think they can cut it in the new digital era? Do you think they can come back from the damage that Suge created?

Click on the poll and let us know what you think.

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