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NEW YORK (AFP) – US singer Alicia Keys, who was recently married to music producer and rapper Swizz "Kaseem Dean" Beatz, has given birth to a baby boy, People magazine reported Saturday.

The boy, who was named Egypt Daoud Dean, was born in New York on Thursday, said the magazine, which cites a statement by the couple's representatives.

This is the couple's first child, though Egypt "is welcomed by Beatz's three other children," the statement said.

Keys, 29, and Beatz, 32, were married in a private ceremony overlooking the Mediterranean Sea in July.

WASHINGTON – When Supreme Court justices enter the House of Representatives in their black robes for the president's next State of the Union address, Samuel Alito does not plan to be among them.

The justice said the annual speech to Congress has become very political and awkward for the justices, who he says are expected to sit "like the proverbial potted plant."

Of course, Alito did not remain impassive at the most recent State of the Union speech by President Barack Obama. He reacted to Obama's unusual rebuke of the court for its decision in a campaign finance case by shaking his head and mouthing the words "not true."

The 60-year-old justice, an appointee of President George W. Bush, acknowledged with a smile that his colleagues "who are more disciplined refrain from manifesting any emotion or opinion whatsoever."

Alito, answering questions following a speech Wednesday at the conservative Manhattan Institute in New York, also said, "Presidents will fake you out." The institute provided an online video link to Alito's talk and question-and-answer session.

The president will begin a sentence with an invocation of the country's greatness, Alito said. If justices don't jump up and applaud, "you look very unpatriotic," he said.

But, Alito continued, then the president may finish the thought by adding "because we're conducting a surge in Iraq or because we're enacting health care reform." Justices aren't supposed to react to statements about policy or politics.

The better course, Alito said, is to follow the example of more experienced justices like Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and the recently retired John Paul Stevens. None has attended in several years.

"So I doubt that I will be there in January," Alito said.

At least one justice, Stephen Breyer, has said he was not bothered by Obama's criticism and believes justices should attend so that viewers can see the three branches of government represented in the same room.

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Even in retirement, Stevens is still taking aim at Scalia, his favorite foil on the Supreme Court.

The two judges traded barbs for years in opinions and footnotes to opinions and footnotes written in response to the other's footnotes.

In a recent speech in Washington, Stevens reached back to 1991 to take Scalia to task for his opinion in Harmelin v. Michigan, a case that upheld a life prison term for cocaine possession against a challenge that the sentence was cruel and unusual.

Scalia, Stevens said, concluded in his opinion that the Eighth Amendment prohibited specific kinds of punishments, including drawing and quartering and disembowelment, "but contained no requirement that the punishment fit the crime."

Even a life sentence for a parking ticket would not have violated the Constitution under that reasoning, Stevens said.

The real issue, the 90-year-old retired justice said (and not for the first time), is Scalia's faulty reliance on originalism to interpret the Constitution. In Scalia's view, judges should give a fair reading to the words of the Constitution as they were meant when they were written.

But Stevens said that "reliance on history, even when the interpretation of past events is completely accurate and undisputed, provides an insufficient guide to the meaning of our Constitution."

Instead, he said, the Eighth Amendment "responds to evolving standards of decency in a maturing society."

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A long-awaited biography of Justice William Brennan, who served nearly as long as Stevens before he retired in 1990, i

ATLANTA – A federal judge revoked rapper T.I.'s probation Friday and ordered him back to prison for 11 months following his arrest last month in California on suspicion of drug possession.

The Atlanta native, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., was on probation after serving 10 months behind bars on federal weapons charges.

"I think Mr. Harris had had about the limit of second chances," U.S. District Court Judge Charles Pannell Jr. said in court, according to a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

During the hearing, T.I. begged the judge not to send him back to prison, saying he needed to get help for drug addiction. He told the judge he "screwed up" and pleaded for mercy.

"I screwed up big time, and I'm sorry. I'm truly and sincerely sorry. I don't want and I don't need to use drugs anymore. I want them out of my life," Harris told the judge, the Journal-Constitution reported.

The Associated Press was relying on information from the newspaper because the judge closed the courtroom after it was filled and several media outlets including AP were not allowed inside.

Pannell wasn't swayed by the rapper's plea.

The judge had said T.I.'s sentence was an "experiment" he hoped to replicate if it worked. The rapper was allowed to stay out of prison while performing 1,000 hours of community service, mostly talking with schoolchildren about the dangers of gangs, drugs and violence.

"You certainly dumped a lot of smut on the whole experiment," Pannell told T.I.

The Grammy Award-winning artist is one of the biggest names in hip-hop, with multiple platinum-selling albums and singles, production credits and roles in films like "ATL" and "American Gangster."

After the hearing, U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said she was disappointed with T.I.

"We had hoped that this would be a new, innovative opportunity," she told AP. "We're not giving up on Mr. Harris, but ... if you veer off the road of redemption, there are consequences."

The rapper, wearing a gray three-piece suit, walked out of court with family and friends, leaving the building through a back exit without speaking to reporters.

He is expected to surrender voluntarily to authorities Nov. 1. As a condition of his release earlier this year, he was ordered not to commit another federal, state or local crime while on supervised release, or to illegally possess a controlled substance. He was also told to take at least three drug tests after his release and to participate in a drug and alcohol treatment program.

Yates urged the judge to consider a sentence of two years in prison. She said T.I. submitted diluted urine samples and told his probation officer he had used ecstasy at least three times since leaving prison.

T.I's attorneys argued that after reviewing nearly 250 cases with similar charges, none of those people were put back behind bars for violating probation, Crosby said. Additionally, the attorneys told the judge that Harris was addicted to drugs and has attempted to turn his life around since leaving prison.

T.I.'s label, Atlantic Records, put out a statement: "T.I. is such an important and valued member of our Atlantic family. We offer to him and his family our continued love and support during this very difficult time."

Earlier this week, Atlanta police said T.I. helped them talked a suicidal man down from a skyscraper. The rapper heard about the man on the radio and drove over to see if he could help.

The man agreed to come down from the 22-story building in exchange for a few minute

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Grammy-winning R&B singer Alicia Keys and her rapper boyfriend Swizz Beatz welcomed their first child into the world, a representative for the couple said on Friday.

The boy, Egypt Daoud Dean, was born October 14 in New York City. Keys and Beatz were married in late July this year, and they have been together since 2008.

Keys has won 12 Grammy awards since releasing her first album, "Songs in A Minor," in 2001. Beatz, whose real name is Kasseem Dean, produced rap acts before mounting his first solo album in 2002, "G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories."

(Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Zorianna Kit)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A hip-hop mogul who founded Roc-a-Fella Records with rapper Jay-Z was among 50 people charged on Friday with trafficking tons of marijuana to New York from Florida and California, authorities said.

Kareem Burke, also known as Biggs, was arrested at his home in Bergen, New Jersey, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers said. Another 44 people have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking, while five remain at large, prosecutors said in a statement.

Among the 45 arrested was Matthew Stang, a writer and advertising representative for High Times, a New York-based marijuana advocacy magazine.

All 50 people charged face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Burke and Stang are accused of being a part of a group that trafficked marijuana in the United States from 1992 to 2010.

"These criminal organizations have allegedly dominated the illegal marijuana market in New York City for almost 20 years," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent-In-Charge James Hayes.

"The high-profile nature of some of the alleged members of these organizations is especially troubling," he said.

Roc-A-Fella Records, which Burke founded in 1996 with Jay-Z and Damon Dash, is a now a Universal Music Group label.

(Reporting by Bernd Debusmann Jr; editing by Michelle Nichols and Todd Eastham)

Kareem Biggs Burke

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A hip-hop mogul who founded Roc-a-Fella Records with rapper Jay-Z was among 50 people charged on Friday with trafficking tons of marijuana to New York from Florida and California, authorities said.

Kareem Burke, also known as Biggs, was arrested at his home in Bergen, New Jersey, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers said. Another 44 people have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking, while five remain at large, prosecutors said in a statement.

Among the 45 arrested was Matthew Stang, a writer and advertising representative for High Times, a New York-based marijuana advocacy magazine.

All 50 people charged face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Burke and Stang are accused of being a part of a group that trafficked marijuana in the United States from 1992 to 2010.



"These criminal organizations have allegedly dominated the illegal marijuana market in New York City for almost 20 years," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent-In-Charge James Hayes.

"The high-profile nature of some of the alleged members of these organizations is especially troubling," he said.

Roc-A-Fella Records, which Burke founded in 1996 with Jay-Z and Damon Dash, is a now a Universal Music Group label

T.I. on Thursday denied suggestions that he had helped talk a man out of suicide as a publicity stunt ahead of a key court appearance this week.

T.I., who was released in March from a nine-month prison term for weapons possession, made headlines when he helped Atlanta police coax a suicidal man off the ledge of a 22-story building by taping a video message for him.

The 30 year-old Grammy-award winning rapper and record producer has a probation hearing in the city on Friday, and could face more prison time following a drug arrest in September in Los Angeles.

The court date has led several U.S. media outlets to question the timing of his good deed.

"I didn't know this guy, I didn't wake up in the morning to say 'Hey let me find a way to go and save someone's life so I can be looked at favorably come Friday.' This is not something I could have planned," T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, told CNN in an interview on Thursday.

The "Got Your Back" singer said he felt he had to help when he heard about the man on Atlanta radio on Wednesday while on his way to shoot a music video.

"My situation never even became a thought in my mind in the process of dealing with this. It was just something that touched my heart." T.I. told CNN.

Asked by CNN about the possibility of being sent back to prison on Friday, T.I. said; "I am not at liberty to really speak upon the facts of anything associated with tomorrow or the outcome of tomorrow."

(Reporting by Christine Kearney and Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Paraplegic hip hop duo and acclaimed disability activist 4 Wheel City, are headed down to the “Dirty South” of Atlanta to perform in concert at the 2010 “Abilities Expo”.

New York, NY (PRWEB) October 14, 2010

The paraplegic rap group known as 4 Wheel City, one of the most inspirational and diverse movements in hip hop music will be heading from New York City down to the “Dirty South” of Atlanta to perform in concert at the 2010 “Abilities Expo”.

The Abilities Expo, the premier market place for people with disabilities will kick off on Friday Oct 15, from 11am-5pm at the Cobb Galleria Convention Center in Atlanta Georgia. 4 Wheel City’s exciting performance will take place on Saturday Oct. 16, at 2pm “We are honored to host 4 Wheel City at Abilities Expo Atlanta,” said David Korse, president and CEO of Abilities Expo. “Their message that people with disabilities can live full lives and achieve their dreams will be an inspiration to our attendees.” http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/atlanta/specialfeatures_4wheel.html

4 Wheel City music appeals to crowds of all ages and demographics and has been described by their fans as real, up beat, and inspirational. The group will perform a wide range of songs from their latest Mixtape Album “Movement Music”, which includes the disability rights anthem “The Movement 4 Improvement” and their latest single the “Welcome 2 Reality G-Mix” which features legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. Audience members and Expo attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase CDs, tee shirts, and "meet & greet” 4 Wheel City artist Namel “Tapwaterz” Norris and producer Ricardo “Rick Fire” Velasquez throughout the Expo at their booth 621. “Rick and I are so excited to have the opportunity to be part of such a great event said Tapwaterz. "We are looking forward to showcasing our talents and introducing our unique brand of hip-hop to the folks down in Atlanta!" Other notable guest will include famed actor and best-selling author Henry Winkler who will be giving a workshop on Upper Limb Spasticityy. http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/atlanta/specialfeatures_4wheel.html

Abilities Expo Schedule:

Fri. Oct, 15: 11am-5pm Sat. Oct, 16: 10am-5pm Sun. Oct. 17: 11am-4pm Admission for this event is free.

For more info log on to: http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/atlanta/specialfeatures_4wheel.html About "4 Wheel City" 4 Wheel City is an entertainment group started by Namel "Tapwaterz" Norris and Ricardo "Rickfire" Velasquez, two talented hip-hop artists and motivational speakers in wheelchairs due to gun violence. Their mission is to use hip-hop music and culture to create more opportunities for the disabled and inspire people not to give up in life. In addition, show the world that people with disabilities can still have talents, dreams, and deserve to be treated equal. For more info log on to www.myspace.com/4wheelcity

About "Abilities Expo" For the last 30 years, Abilities Expo has been the one show dedicated to educating and improving the lives of Americans with disabilities, senior citizens, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals and professional therapists. It has been the nation’s foremost event for companies to demonstrate their products and services to the largest community of end-users and industry professionals.

For more info log on to: http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/about.html

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Norris(347) 489-8213Email Information

T.I.

Police got unexpected help talking a suicidal man down from an Atlanta skyscraper on Wednesday when rapper T.I. showed up.

Officer James Polite says the hip-hop star joined the crowd outside the 22-story office building in midtown Wednesday and told officers he wanted to help. Police said the man agreed to come down in exchange for a few minutes face-to-face with T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris.

"I told him it ain't that bad. It'll get better, to put the time and effort into making it better," T.I. said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "I just reminded him know that I know. It looks bad right now, but it can turn around."

T.I. said he heard about the situation on the radio and drove to the building to help. He recorded a video of himself on a cell phone and rescue workers took it to the man to prove the rapper was really there.

The Atlanta native said the man seemed to be "beat up by life."

The suicidal man, whose name wasn't released, was taken to a hospital.

The good deed follows recent legal trouble for the rapper, who is due in court Friday for a parole hearing after being arrested on suspicion of drug offenses last month in Los Angeles. He's on supervised release after spending a year in prison on federal weapons charges.

A rising hip-hop record executive was arrested driving through New York City on Wednesday with a gun loaded with hollow-point bullets in his car, authorities said.

RCA Music Group senior vice president Bryan Leach, who has worked with a roster of rappers including Lil Jon and the bilingual Spanish/English artist Pitbull, didn't enter a plea at his arraignment on weapons-possession charges.

Leach was pulled over for driving erratically in Manhattan shortly after midnight, prosecutors said. The .380-caliber, semiautomatic pistol gun was in the car's central console, the six bullets inside, according to a court complaint.

Hollow-point bullets expand after impact, a feature that can make injuries worse.

It wasn't immediately clear whether Leach has a gun permit. The laws he's charged with violating concern having a loaded gun outside one's home or business, among other things.

His lawyer, James McMillan, declined to comment on the charges but noted Leach's personal, professional and charitable commitments.

Leach, 41, runs his own label within RCA's stable, Polo Grounds Music. Crain's New York Business named him one of its "rising stars" under 40 in 2007 and cited his role in fostering the Southern-influenced rap style known as crunk. Lil Jon, one of crunk's biggest figures, told Crain's that Leach "was the one exec that decided to take a chance on me."

Outside work, Leach funds several after-school programs, McMillan said. A married father of three children under 10, Leach also takes care of his mother, who suffers from terminal cancer, McMillan said.

"He's financially responsible for all of her treatments," McMillan told a court. A judge set bail at $50,000 bond. McMillan said he expected Leach would post it.

Leach has a prior criminal record, including a 1994 gun-possession conviction, prosecutors said.

RCA Music had no immediate comment on his arrest, first reported by the New York Post.