Sure, John McCain blasted Barack Obama’s international popularity earlier today, but that doesn’t mean he’s above name dropping. Take, for example, a 1999 speech he delivered to New Hampshire high school students, who McCain’s clearly trying to impress with a tale about bonding with his then 15-year old daughter:
In pursuit of that, a few months ago I went to the MTV awards. What a guy, huh?In New York — I now know who Puff Daddy is; Busta Rhymes, he was wearing a dress that night. I’m going to try and borrow it from him for part of this campaign. And who here likes Nine Inch Nails?
I knew you’d like Nine Inch — well, I kind of lean towards the Back Street Boys. Thank you very much. Obviously, a woman of taste and class.
Anyway, we had a great time at the time MTV awards.
It’s worth noting that Britney Spears performed at those particular awards.
• Lindsay Lohan cancels her 21st birthday celebration; Dina Lohan responds by calling her daughter a "wet blanket."
• Nicole Richie abstains from alcohol lest her tiny, possibly non-existent fetus be subjected to empty calories.
• Tom Cruise reaches the highest level of "clear" in Scientology, and can now focus his full energies on stealing some rich Australian guy's life savings.
• Busta Rhymes celebrates his 35th birthday by "st[anding] in a corner alone with his bodyguard" and sullenly mouthing the words to his own songs.
• According to Bette Midler, Martha Stewart "can make a lamp out of a pine cone with one hand tied behind her back," prompting an angry Macgyver to respond, "Game on."
Busta Rhymes rapped his way into a ticket last night when cops caught him yakking on his cellphone while driving, police said.The superstar recording artist was spotted on the phone as he cruised past the Midtown North police station on W. 54th St. about 7p.m., cops said.
What the police report didn't mention was that his cell phone coversation moved more than 250,000 copies in its first week. And Verizon has purchased exclusive rights to the ring tone.
• Pete Doherty used that crackhead strength to amaze the crowd. Must be baby daddy nervousness. [AP]
• But then Doherty proceeded to try and fight the paparazzi. It's not that we enjoy covering the guy, but he always seems to outdo himself. [NME]
• Busta Rhymes won't have a weapons charge filed against him. The assault charge? Sticking. [SOHH]
• Daddy Diddy will raise a legit kid. We just hope he treats it better than the cast members of Making the Band 3. That would seriously be grounds for child abuse. [Jam!]
• Pete Wentz beat out some tough competition to become the one celebrity most unemployed, thirty five year old men want to see naked. [Much Music]
• We wonder what DMX is planning to do ,… y'know, now that Busta Rhymes took his spot over as hip hops biggest fuck up. [Access Atlanta]
• Jack White’s house or Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory? [Pitchfork Media]
• The normally sweet and helpful Simon Cowell has no suggestions for you this time around. [NYDN]
• Maybe if Clay Aiken had never granted any interviews, people wouldn’t think he was gay. [Page Six]
• Wow. We had no idea things were this bad for Will Smith. "Just the Two of Us" was just so promising. [NYT]
• Busta Rhymes helps perpetuate just about every "Black male rapper" sterotype imaginable. (Except the Scott Poulson-Bryant is so obsessed with.) [NYDN]
• There is one person who really, really loves Paris Hilton's album. We bet you can't guess who! [AP]
• We were actually hoping for some footage of Kevin Federline backstage, begging Britney Spears for an advance on his allowance. [Hello]
• The Germans have actually decided not to spy on Madonna’s concert. That Gestapo fad is kind of over. [AP]
As of this morning, we thought housekeeping was the most dangerous businesses in the world. But, more violence against Source employees reminds us that producing a hip-hop magazine totally increases your chances of getting your ass kicked.
Busta Rhymes, who went on raging spree, in Miami last Sunday reportedly screamed at a gay guy after brawling with Source editor David Mays at the city's hotspot Opium.
Many of the artists on Busta's management company, Violator, including 50 Cent and Eminem, have had a problem with Mays over his coverage of them in The Source.
Rhymes allegedly cracked a champagne bottle over Mays' head, sending him to the hospital for a gash. (According to a tip we got the other day, "someone left Opium Sunday night seriously gushing blood all over the place." Until Gatcrasher cracked the case, however, we weren't sure who it was.)
50 stitches later, Mays is all right, but we think he should consider leaving the mag … what about Giant? That seems to be the place for editors who were once beat up by members of the hip-hop community.
Rhymes busts a bottle over adversary's head [Ben Widdicombe, Gatecrasher]
• If Shar Jackson wants to be like Britney Spears she doesn't need to sing. She can just get fat and pop out Federline spawn. Oh, except that didn't work last time. [MySpace, via Best Week Ever]
• Carmelo Anthony may not live up to expectations on the basketball court, but he sure can bring his own brand of mediocrity to other ventures. Hence, the record label. [BallerStatus]
• Kylie Minogue wrote a children's book about a girl named Kylie who wants to become a "showgirl princess." Just what the literary world needs — another memoir. [Guardian]
• Busta Rhymes is sad and all that his bodyguard was killed, but would really like the focus to return to him, his music, and the message of "unity." [MTV]
• The Brits are completely crazy. Case in point: they've commended Pete Doherty for "making progress" against drugs. Wasn't he arrested like nine times last week? [NME]
• Oh, Kid Rock. He just can't seem to learn that sex tape lesson. Doesn't he realize that we prefer not to gouge our eyes out?. [Page Six]
• If Michael Jackson is the Oscar Wilde of our times, then we are all totally screwed. Along with the 11-year-old boys from the late 1800s. [LA Times]
• People, get it straight. Kanye West is not a sex addict. He's a porn addict. Nobody said anything about Jesus getting laid. [The Scoop]
• Bobby Brown continues to be the creepiest man alive by propositioning and violently manhandling a woman at Nick Cannon's birthday party. Bobby, those stunts make you look worse than Whitney, yo. [Lowdown]
• Billy Joel is leaves his lifelong band mate and drummer broke and alone. Hey, at least he didn't force the guy to drive anywhere with him. [R&M]
• Sure, Busta Rhymes is happy to talk when it comes to psycho ex girlfriend. But, when it comes to looking more and more like he knows who shot his bodyguard? Not so much. [Page Six]
It's pretty clear that Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly wants rapper Busta Rhymes to come in and talk about the murder of his bodyguard, Israel Ramirez.
Beyond that, the way our two great dailies interpreted this request gets a little murky.
The New York Post:
What the Post reports Kelly really said: "Come in and tell us everything you know about this homicide. It's as simple as that."
The New York Daily News:
What the Daily News reports Kelly really said: "This individual worked for him … I'd think he'd be knocking on the door to come in and give us information."
Good luck, Raymond Kelly. We don't know if there actually is a difference between Busta talking and rapping, but when he does open his mouth and starts making sounds, we highly doubt anyone will have a clue what he's saying anyways.
BUSTA, START RAPPIN' [New York Post]
Hey, Busta, talk to us, says Kelly [New York Daily News]
Earlier: 'NYP' presents: Bullets over Brooklyn
• Last week's Plug Awards featured "Indie Night School" where bloggers told bands how best to go about getting blog exposure for themselves. Next time save yourselves the money guys and just go the sexual favors route. [Village Voice]
• Rock the Vote has managed to rock itself into $700,000 of debt, two lawsuits, and having no president, all while likening themselves to the popular kid no one asks out because they figure she already has a date. Yeah, that girl is usually barefoot and pregnant by 19. [LA Times]
• The war between Mariah Carey and Madonna rages on. Madonna won the latest round by securing the opening act at the Grammy's, so Mariah's pretty much going to have to sit on her to win the next battle. [Rush & Molloy]
• John Mayer's next album will not include his famous "pop sweetness." He might be hurting his chances to sleep with Jessica Simpson. (You know she likes 'em little on the gay side.) [AP]
• After fleeing a shooting on the set of his music video, Busta Rhymes, will probably be brought in for questioning. Yeah, nothing says innocence like bolting when you hear the sirens. [MTV]
• Kelly Clarkson gets rid of her less-famous boyfriend. Since he's been gone, maybe she can tattoo breathe on her wrist for the first time. [People]
Always the sensitive, poetic types, the New York Post sure knows how to cover a tragedy in style.
Their cover story included other amazing reporting, such as the fact that "real gangsta-looking, sideways-hats guys" were hanging around Busta Rhymes' video shoot, and that the "mega-rapper narrowly escaped death early yesterday as his bling handler was killed in a hail of bullets."
Bling handler? Is that the technical resume definition? Plus, we were shocked at the lack of mention that the video shoot, filled with "young artists" like 50 Cent, DMX, Missy Elliot, and Busta Rhymes/Trevor Smith, was for an album called The Big Bang.
Too bad these rappers, bling guarders, and entourage members didn't have Dove ads aimed at them growing up. Then, maybe they could have learned to love themselves enough not to go "bang bang" all over Brooklyn.
BUSTA'S GEM GUARD SLAIN IN VIDEO SHOOT [Larry Celona, Ikimulia Livingston, and Dan Mangan, New York Post]
