X17 News

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Kanye West, Alicia Keys and Halle Berry were the big winners at the Black Entertainment Television Awards in Los Angeles Tuesday night.

West took home two awards for both best male hip hop artist and best collaboration for his single "Good Life," while Missy Elliott won best female hip hop artist. Chris Brown took home the best male R&B artist award and Grammy winner Alicia Keys snagged the best female R&B artist award.

West brought rapper Lil Wayne onstage when he accepted his award for best male hip hop artist, and praised his fellow nominee for being his biggest competition. Lil Wayne did the same for West when he accepted the viewers' choice award for "Lollipop."

Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry won the best actress award, and fellow Oscar-winner Denzel Washington took home the best actor award.

D.L. Hughley hosted the ceremony and performers included Usher, Keyshia Cole, Rihanna, Kanye West and Young Jeezy.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Rapper Kanye West and MTV's Sway Calloway are giving back to Iraq war veterans on the upcoming MTV News special, Choose or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming. West and Calloway will give three soldiers the surprise of their lives when they visit them at their homes, listen to their stories and express gratitude for their service.

West released the following statement:

"There are hundreds of veterans out there who are falling through the cracks. They make the ultimate sacrifices for us by laying down their lives, but it seems like a lot of them just get forgotten about. I know my music inspires and helps a lot of people, but you can always do more. I teamed up with MTV and took the opportunity to share the spotlight with these veterans and hear their stories. I went to their homes to listen and get their firsthand experiences. I wanted to hear their stories."

On behalf of MTV and the Dr. Donda West Foundation, West and Calloway will give each veteran a life-changing gift, ranging from paying off their debts, to taking care of their rent or tuition.

Dave Sirulnick, executive vice president for MTV News and Production, said in a statement:

"The stories of the veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are important and worth telling. In conversations with veterans over the last year, it became clear that Kanye's music is used by soldiers in Iraq as a way of connecting to home. Once these veterans return home, their stories are so moving that you can't help but want to do the right thing and help them out."

The one-hour special will air on MTV on July 28 at 10pm EST.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - For some time now, HBO has been wanting to team up with Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West for a reality television show, and it looks like the premium cable network is moving forward with the project.

An insider at HBO reveals to Entertainment Weekly that the network is interested in developing a single-camera series on West's life and his relationship with family and friends. The insider adds that the network is looking for a writer and that they "need to figure out how to capture Kanye in the right way.”

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Rapper/hip-hop star Kayne West was arrested today at Los Angeles International Airport for felony vandalism, after pushing a photographer and breaking his camera.

West's bodyguard Don Crowley was also arrested and transferred to the LAPD Pacific Division for booking.

The police department released this statement:

ntertainer Kanye West and Don Crowley, his road manager and body guard, were arrested at Los Angeles International Airport, today by Los Angeles World Airports Police following an altercation with two members of the paparazzi. The incident occurred at 7:51 a.m.

West and Crowley were at Terminal 4 to depart on a flight to Honolulu. In the public area prior to passenger screening, they were met by a photographer and videographer who were taking their photos. An altercation ensued between the two cameramen, West and Crowley.

The cameras of the paparazzi were damaged in the altercation.

West and Crowley were taken into custody, each charged with felony vandalism. Airport Police had initially received the call as also involving a potential battery. However, following initial investigation, it was determined that no battery occurred.

Both men have been transported to Los Angeles Police Department Pacific Division for booking.

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Kayne West and his bodyguard will not face felony charges following an altercation with photographers at LAX, according to the Los Angeles county District Attorney's office.

In the incident, Kayne and his bodyguard allegedly smashed a photographer's camera.

Kayne and his bodyguard could still face lesser misdemeanor charges for the incident.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Kanye West will not face charges after he was arrested early Friday following a scuffle with a photographer.

The incident happened outside the "Tup Tup club" in Gateshead, England.

The photographer claimed he suffered a cut face and bruises after West allegedly pushed a camera into his face.

The singer denied the allegations and authorities said "no further action" will be taken.

This is not West's first run-in with a photographer. In September, West was arrested in Los Angeles after an altercation at Los Angeles International Airport. No charges were filed in that incident.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - In a new interview, Kanye West calls himself "the voice of this generation."

"I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice ... It's me settling into that position of just really accepting that it's one thing to say you want to do it and it's another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan," the Grammy-Award winning singer said.

But while he congratulated himself, he seemingly insulted Justin Timberlake by saying the former *Nsync frontman had a chance at being "the voice" but that he missed his chance:

"There were people who had the potential to do it but they went on vacation, so when Justin went on vacation I made albums, " West said. " And it just came out to be that."

West also spoke about his late mother, Donda who died from complications following plastic surgery.

"I'm just going through balancing that. And I always used to have that support system, you know. My mom would be there; no matter what, she was there before everything. We were together for like 30 years. And you know now when I'm on that stage and I look out and I say, 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life?' Like when does a real life start?' Because I have sacrificed real life to be a celebrity and to give this art to people, which is great. It is great that I was able to do that, I'm not trying to shun that in any way, but it's definitely a Catch-22 and it's bittersweet," said West.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Kanye West has been charged with misdemeanor counts of battery, grand theft and vandalism for a run-in with a pap at LAX, last September.

A videotape of the incident shows the rapper smashing a photog's camera flash and a friend of his breaking the camera itself.

If convicted, West could spend up to two and a half years in jail.

West's lawyer, Blair Berk, declined to comment on the charges being filed.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Just hours after Kanye West brazenly interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV VMAs, he posted an apology on his official blog. The post has since been removed, but the egotistical rapper wrote:

"I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE'S IN THE BLEACHERS! …………………… I'M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT!…………….. BEYONCE'S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!!! I'M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!! I'M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOOO ME BUT I'M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN' THE SHOW AT THE CRIB RIGHT NOW CAUSE … WELL YOU KNOW!!!! I'M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!!! BOOOYAAAWWWW!!!! YOU ARE VERY VERY TALENTED!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME… THAT'S WHAT IT IS!!!!!!! I'M NOT CRAZY YALL, I'M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I'M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!!!"

Click here to see X17online's gallery of Taylor Swift on the red carpet at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards

The 19-year-old country crooner spoke with MTV about the incident and said, "Well, you know, I was up there and I was standing there and I saw Kanye up on the stage. I was really excited...and I kind of wasn't excited anymore."

Click here to see video of Kanye grabbing the mic from Taylor while she accepted her award

When Beyonce won Video of the Year, she allowed Taylor to come up onstage and give her acceptance speech a second time. "You know, they told me to be ready just in case she might want to say something," Taylor said. "It was just so wonderful and so incredibly classy of her and just gracious and wonderful to let me say something. She's just been my hero and one of my idols ever since I was little. She's a great person."

Click here to see Taylor and Beyonce share the stage later in the evening

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CHICAGO, Illinois (X17online) - Kanye West has rewarded three Chicago Public Schools with a mini-concert. The shows were provided by The Kanye West Foundation's Stay in School program.

Farragut Career Academy, John Marshall Metropolitan and Percy L. Julian all were payed a visit by West ... rewarding the students for improving their behavior, attendance and grades. It also happened to be Kanye's 33rd birthday.

In previous years, event organizers would bring the kids to House of Blues and Chicago Theatre, but this time organizers say that West wanted something more intimate.

In front of over 1,600 students, West performed hits like Touch the Sky, Good Life and Power. Also part of the show, Lupe Fiasco and Common.

NEW YORK, New York (X17online) - Former President George Bush says that Kanye West's statement at a Hurricane Katrina benefit in 2005 was one of the "most disgusting" memories of his presidency.

The 33-year-old rapper said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." He made the bold remark during a televised Concert For Hurricane Relief. West went on to say that he blames Bush for America helping "the less well-off as slow as possible."

In an interview with Matt Lauer, Bush says:

"He called me a racist. And I didn't appreciate it then. I don't appreciate it now. It's one thing to say, 'I don't appreciate the way he's handled his business.' It's another thing to say, 'This man's a racist.' I resent it, it's not true, and it was one of the most disgusting moments in my presidency."

Matt Lauer Reports primetime special on NBC will air on November 8.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Justin Bieber is joining forces with Britney Spears, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Kanye West and over 150 other stars to use social media to bring attention to the drought and food crisis in East Africa.

They will take to their Facebook and Twitter pages on August 9 in support of Save the Children's new campaign. The region, and especially Somalia, is facing one of its worst droughts in decades, with over 10 million people effected. The music, sports, fashion and pop culture stars goals is to reach their combined 730 million fans and followers to raise awareness to the tragedy.

The campaign features the 1973 Bob Marley song "High Tide or Low Time," picked specifically by the Marley family. The singer's widow Rita Marley said:

"Not one child should be denied food nor water. Not one child should suffer. Along with Save the Children, we must stand up together as friends to put a stop to this, to feed our children and to save their lives."

Save The Children is a non-profit organization that raises funds for food, water and medicine for impoverished children in the United States and around the world. They are working with agencies to deliver aid across East Africa, especially in Somalia where one million children are facing starvation if they do not receive food immediately.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Kanye West and Jay-Z have settled a federal lawsuit over the sampling of a song on their joint album, Watch The Throne.

Blues and soul musician Syl Johnson sued the rappers, along with their record labels UMG and Def Jam, for illegally sampling his song "Different Strokes" on their track "The Joy" without his permission or proper credit.

Johnson's allegation was made last October, and by December the rap superstars spoke out in their defense and maintained they had not violated any copyright laws. They also called into question whether Johnson's original track was protected under the federal law, which didn't take effect until 1972.

This isn't the first time Johnson has sued for alleged copyright infringement. He made similar claims against rap group Cypress Hill, asking for $28 million in damages, but the suit was thrown out because the music sampled was pre-1972 and therefore not protected.

Legal papers were filed last week in Illinois for the Jay-Z/Kanye suit, and the case was dismissed due to a settlement between the parties.

The details of the settlement are private and remain unknown.