Page 24 - Florida Sentinel 2-14-20

Entertainment
Jussie Smollett’s Lawyer Claims New Indictment 'Is Clearly All About Politics'
New charges against the ex-Empire star are more of the Chicago way, says attorney
Lil Yachty's Mom Drops Debut Book 'Raising A Rapper'
Just hours after Jussie Smollett was indicted on new charges related to the alleged January 29, 2019 early morn- ing attack on the streets of Chicago, the former Empire actor’s lawyer lashed out at the Special Prosecutor and the Windy City’s cops for angling for political leverage.
“After more than five months of investigation, the Office of the Special Prosecu- tor has not found any evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever re- lated to the dismissal of the charges against Mr. Smol- lett,” said Tina Glandian as her client is headed back to court on February 24 to face six counts of disorderly con- duct from a grand jury. “Rather, the charges were ap- propriately dismissed the first time because they were not supported by the evidence,” the attorney added as her client could be looking at re- newed jail time if found guilty. “The attempt to re-prosecute Mr. Smollett one year later
on the eve of the Cook County State’s Attorney election is clearly all about politics not justice,” Glandian states.
Incumbent Kim Foxx’s of- fice suddenly dropped and sealed all charges against Smollett last March as the actor who portrayed Jamel Lyon on the Fox series was facing nearly 50 years in state prison if convicted on all 16 criminal counts.
Already tossed off Empire, Smollett over the last year has fought an ongoing and po- litically invoked lawsuit from the city itself over the initial Chicago Police Department probe into the claimed hate crime, challenges from the once “persons of interest” Os- undairo brothers and the steady release of what were once sealed document and ma- terial. In August 2019, the actor’s troubles intensified as a state judge appointed ex-U.S. Attorney Dan Webb as spe- cial prosecutor to find out what happened in the case.
ATLANTA, GA – Given the influx of artists these days, Lil Yachty’s mother Venita Mc- Collum has developed some- thing the growing list of rapper matriarchs may be able to put to good use.
Her first book Raising a Rapper is being billed as a “step-by-step guide for parents rearing kids with dreams in the entertainment industry” and even delves into financial and legal matters.
“There is this belief that all rappers come from poverty, and this simply is not the
LIL YACHTY AND HIS MOM case,” McCollum said in a
press release. “There are so
many things that instill a sense of fear in parents whose kids want to enter into creative in- dustries. I’ve learned so much along this journey and hope I can calm these parents’ fears based on my real-life experi- ences through my son’s rise to stardom.”
Yachty, 22, has since gone on to be a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated starting player for the mighty Quality Control imprint and admits the confidence to blow up was instilled in him from the get- go.
Summer Walker Says She’s ‘Deada**’
R&B
Walker has become infamous for canceling important com- mitments to her fans because of her severe social anxiety. Now, it appears the 23-year- old Atlanta native might be ready to cancel her entire music career.
On Monday (February 10), Walker took to her Instagram to vent her frustrations, letting fans know her days as a musi- cian are numbered.
ing another song after 2020,” she wrote on one of her Insta- gram Stories.
In an interview with Apple Music Beats 1 in October, the singer discussed her struggle with social anxiety. Ari Lennox conducted the inter- view, in which Walker re- vealed the title of her debut album, Over It, was a reflec- tion of her feelings towards the music industry and fame in general.
singer
Done With Music After 2020
Summer
SUMMER WALKER
“lol I’m deada** never mak-
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