We Speak Entertainment
DMX Faces The Music: Judge Sentenced Him To A Year In Prison
A judge heard a DMX rap song before adding his own lyrics to a court proceeding on Wednesday, ordering the rapper imprisoned for a year in a tax fraud case.
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff took requests, accommodating DMX’s desire to hear his autobiographical hit “Slippin’” before DMX faced the music over his admission of guilt. The judge called DMX’s fraud a “brazen and blatant” crime that could not go unpunished.
The 47-year-old rapper, known to law enforcement and the courts as Earl Simmons, has been incarcerated since his bail was revoked in January. He sobbed during the proceeding as his lawyer Murray Richman recalled his nightmarish childhood.
“I never went to the level of tax evasion where I’d sit down and plot … like a criminal in a comic book,” DMX said when given an opportunity to address the court.
He said, at times getting choked up, that he “wasn’t following the rules.”
DMX, whose albums include “It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot” and “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood,” recalled that the judge ordered him imprisoned in January for failing to obey bail restrictions that had allowed him to continue performing concerts while he received treatment for drug addictions.
“It woke me up,” he said.
Before that, he said: “I was in a cloud. I wasn’t thinking straight.”
Richman said DMX, who has appeared in movies such as “Last Hour” and “Romeo Must Die,” has been a model prisoner. Still, prosecutors sought five years in prison for him, citing a lengthy rap sheet and drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Cooper said DMX engaged in tax fraud for six years after having paid taxes previously.
“He essentially went off the grid at a certain time,” the prosecutor said.
Richman said he wanted his client free to support his 15 children and pay back nearly $2.3 million in taxes that are part of a restitution order.
Another defense lawyer, Stacey Richman, called DMX “the American dream,” saying he raised himself out of the ghetto with music that was so inspirational that a former Troy homeless woman called the lawyers to say that hearing one of his songs stopped her from killing herself. The woman now is married and raising a child, Stacey Richman said.
As “Slippin’” played in the packed courtroom, DMX nodded his head slightly to the beat while some of his supporters nodded more enthusiastically.
“I’ve never seen a more horrific background in my life,” he said, describing physical and psychological abuse that left DMX’s teeth knocked out and led him to repeated encounters with the law at an early age.
The judge said that in the court’s view DMX “is a good man.”
“In many ways,” the judge said, “he’s his own worst enemy.”
Newark, NJ– The 24 Hours of Peace event, hosted by Mayor Ras J. Baraka was nothing short of electrifying. As the crowd funneled in, in droves, Newark’s own Zaraye took the stage and would deliver a performance that had the crowd and social media buzzing.
You felt the crowd’s palpable anticipation as some of us had first-row seats to watch her rehearse in the background before hitting the stage– and Zaraye more than lived up to the hype.
Making an immediate statement with her eccentric fashion choice– a sleek black leather jacket and top paired with a striking lime green plaid skirt. Zaraye’s edgy leather and vibrant plaid combo came together perfectly to showcase her unique style, fashion background and ensured to turn plenty of heads before she even dropped the beat to her first song.
Kicking off her set with her eagerly awaited single “23 Remix”, produced by Jersey’s own Kamillion, her vocals excited the crowd. As she and her background dancers, mirrored in her lime green and black color palate, delivered the high-energy, precise choreography crafted under the direction of her creative director, American rapper and choreographer, Sharaya J, phones shot into the air as fans were eager to capture every moment of the captivating routines.
The momentum continued to build as she transitioned into “Bougie”. Between Zaraye’s confident delivery and the dancers’ dynamic movements, the energy was on another level, showing an undeniable connection between Zaraye and her audience.
By the time her performance ended, social media was already buzzing and one thing was clear, she had made a positive impression on those attending the 24 Hours Of Peace event. The crowd raved about her standout moment with praises from her style to her stage presence and the electric atmosphere she created.
“I came out to the 24 Hours of Peace event to see one of my favorite artists, Honey Bxby. I was left excited to follow the journey of Zaraye. I think she will be a star soon too, Jersey stand up” said Jennifer Richardson– a 25 year old woman from Newark.
Zaraye performing Bougie at 24 Hours of Peace- Photo Courtesy of @nortographynyc 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Former NBA Player Lance Stephenson 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Courtesy of Newark Press Office 
Lola Brooks performing at 24 Hours of Peace 
Zaraye behind the scenes at 24 Hours of Peace- Photo Courtesy of @craigmartinpr
Zaraye’s performance was an amazing showcase of her amazing blend between music, fashion and choreography. She truly showcased herself as not only an upcoming talent but a formidable artist on the rise in the music industry. As videos of her performance continue to spread online, it will be pretty clear soon, her name will only get bigger from here.
The 24 Hrs of Peace event that took place on Friday and Saturday culminated a Peace Week in the city of Newark that started Friday, Aug. 17 and included an Artist Against Violence concert Wednesday, Aug. 21 at Newark Symphony Hall’s Terrace Ballroom on Broad Street.
“We fuse the power of hip-hop music and spoken word to lift, heal, and inspire peace in our city, empowering every resident in that process, and bringing healing, hope and happiness into everyday life,” Baraka of 24 Hrs of Peace said in a statement. “During this 24 Hrs of Peace, we celebrate the reality that women are at the center of our city’s evolution as a model of peace, progress and prosperity.”
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