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Free Kanye West Concert in NYC Draws Complaints

Some residents in Flatiron aren’t happy about Kanye West’s free concert set to take to place in their neighborhood Thursday night.

West, a notorious award-show disrupter — including the recent brief stage-crashing at the Grammys — is now disrupting the area where they live and work, neighbors in the area of Broadway and East 23rd Street complain.

“I think it’s ridiculous they would do it for him. If that’s the case, they should close down when protesters walk around,” said Michael Noonan, who works nearby.

The 8 p.m. concert is being organized by Jay Z’s company Roc Nation as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend Concert. Kevin Durant is also expected to make an appearance.

Broadway and Fifth Avenue between 23rd and 26th streets will be shut down starting Thursday afternoon. Setup for the event begins at midnight Tuesday and load-out will conclude by 7 p.m. Friday, but the street closures for the actual concert will occur for three hours on February 12.

Nick Athanail, the vice chair of Community Board 5, wrote a letter to the mayor voicing the board’s opposition.

“These spaces were designed as a public amenity,” he said. “They weren’t designed to serve corporate events like this.”

But Kanye fans are excited about the hip-hop star’s free appearance.

“I think it’s great for the city of New York, and I think it will bring a lot of attention to the area,” said Gramercy Park resident Jason Mishel.

Residents and people going to local businesses will be able to go to their destinations during the closures, officials with the Street Activity Permitting Office say.

The office has been working with and meeting the local community board and Business Improvement District for weeks, and has worked with the NYPD, FDNY and numerous transportation departments to devise a safety plan, officials said.

Emil Lissauer, acting director of Citywide Events Coordination and Management, said in a statement: “The city is committed to ensuring safety at all events while minimizing traffic disruption and impact on local residents, and this event is no exception.”

NYC & Company, the city’s marketing and tourism agency, expects the economic impact of All-Star Weekend to be nearly $200 million.

The free tickets were being distributed by Roc Nation and a local New York radio station.

Bobby Brown Calls Out News Media For “False and Egregious” Reports; Wife Faces Arrest Warrant

Bobby Brown is tired of the news media speculation about the condition of his 21-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, currently in an Atlanta hospital. Through his lawyer, Christopher Brown, he’s released the following statement to address the speculation and rumors that have been rampant in the days since Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her suburban Atlanta townhouse.

“We support the candlelight vigil for Bobbi Kristina. The Brown family is amazed by the love and support from all that attended.” Said Christopher Brown of Brown & Rosen LLC, legal counsel for Bobby Brown. “However the false reports that continue to appear in print and on the internet are egregious, false and will be dealt with at an appropriate time. In particular, the false reporting of TMZ, The National Enquirer, The Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Daily Mail (UK) citing, police sources, family sources and Bobby Brown himself, will receive my attention. The desire to be “first” has clouded the judgment of many reporters as they forgo accuracy. This is a criminal investigation and the integrity of that process requires silence.” Brown added.

“We continue to request privacy in this matter. We thank everyone that supported the vigil for Bobbi Kristina. God is hearing our prayers.” Said Bobby Brown.

The Brown family has been virtually under siege since Bobbi Kristina was found and various news media reports about her condition and what happened before she was found have been speculative, unconfirmed and conflicting. So far, aside from the family statements, there has been no other information.

Some outlets have reported that Tyler Perry, who flew Bobby Brown out to Atlanta on his plane and Bow Wow, a friend of the family, have been by Bobbi Kristina’s bedside. The Daily Mail, cited as one of the media outlets that have provided false reports, did have photos of Cissy Houston, Bobbi Kristina’s grandmother, and Pat Houston, her aunt, visiting Atlanta’s Emory Hospital, where Bobbi Kristina apparently remains in a coma.

Bobby Brown’s wife, Alicia Etheredge, has her own legal problems. Etheredge, who is pregnant with her second child with Brown, is facing an arrest warrant due to a no-show in court in November. Etheredge was due in court for a probation hearing stemming from a 2006 DUI charge. She pled guilty and received 5 years probation, but had her probation revoked several times. It was revoked again after her no-show and there is currently a $10,000 bench warrant pending.

Kim Kardashian Says Her Biggest Regret Is Sex Tape With Ray J, But Shuts Down Claims That It Made Her Famous

In the new Spring/Summer issue of LOVE magazine (the issue where she is butt naked on every other page), Kim Kardashian was asked if she had any regrets about decisions she has made in the past. She admitted that the sex tape with Ray J heard and seen ’round the world was not a good look: “If I do have one regret in life that’s it.”

And it’s popular opinion that Kardashian allowed the tape to be sold in order to get famous, so she was basically able to catapult herself into superstardom by doing the deed on-screen. Even her husband has said that: My girl a superstar all from a home movie. However, Kardashian says that’s not the case:

“Maybe that’s how some people heard about me but I didn’t launch my career off of that. That was 12 years ago, no 13 years ago now, so I just try to move on and put it in the past because I think that everyone in life does things they’re not proud of but you can’t sit and dwell on them forever.”

Kardashian also said in the mag that she gets frustrated when people ask her what exactly her talent or purpose is. Aside from being a reality star, what is she really doing and what can she really offer? Well, for one, she says that her show has helped a lot of people.

“We’ve had more episodes than ‘I Love Lucy!’ And I’m proud that we give so many people jobs. Like, our lighting guy handing me a key chain last season and said, ‘I just want to thank you — I’ve worked for you guys for eight seasons and you helped me buy a house.’

So I get a little bit frustrated at people not understanding. Like when they ask, ‘What do you do?’ I mean what an uneducated question! And I just want to help change the perception that being on a reality show is such a negative thing.”

Snoop Takes Aim at Grammys & Macklemore on Instagram

Unlike last year, there wasn’t a huge discrepancy over the winners in the Hip-Hop category at the Grammys, but legendary emcee Snoop Dogg says “real n***az and real MCs” need their own awards show. He added the caption to an informational photo that said Macklemore has won more Grammys than a host of prolific artists, leaving many to believe that Snoop was also taking a jab at the “Thrift Shop” rapper.

This isn’t the first time that rappers have spoken out about the Grammy award winning artists of the past. Lord Jamar spoke to VladTV before the awards show, and believed Iggy Azalea would sweep the rap category given Macklemore’s big win last year.

Written by LBeasley (Lauren Beasley), Digital Producer of The Morning Heat and Sports Editor of Radio One Detroit

Keep up with the Morning Heat on Instagram and Twitter at @hiphopdetroit

Free Kanye West Concert in New York City Draws Complaints  was originally published on hothiphopdetroit.com