Politics & Crime Politickin’ With John Brown: A History of Celebrity Deportation

Visit John Brown’s new website and check back each Thursday for a new “Politickin With John Brown” post.

In 1996, shortly after Republicans took control of Congress, new draconian immigration laws were enforced that encourage authorities to deport convicted criminals to their native country, even if the individual is a legal resident. The law is xenophobic at its core. In fact, US-born citizens are five times as likely to go to prison than those born elsewhere. But after 9/11, the deportation frenzy intensified. In total, over 700,000 immigrants have been removed from the States since 1997, even for misdemeanor offenses or basic civil immigration violations.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) runs their own detainment facilities, which are often outsourced to private companies who have a financial incentive to keep the beds filled. And while inhumane conditions are rampant, coverage is rarely given due to its low-profile residents. But the recent case of celebrity rapper, Shyne—born in Belize but raised in Brooklyn—has pushed the immigration dilemma to the fore-front of pop-culture dialogue. Shyne isn’t the first celebrity to face threats of deportation. Here’s a brief look back…

Music Twitter Fight! Shyne’s First Day On The Internet

After all these years (and blog posts) talking about “Free Shyne,” the day is upon us! Despite rumors that there may be a slight release, all appears on schedule for Moses Michael Leviy né Shyne né Jamal Barrow to come home from Clinton Correctional Facility today after serving nearly nine years of a 10-year bid for shooting up the club (and maybe hitting a lady in the nose). And, not too surprisingly, “Shyne” is the #1 trending topic on Twitter.

Of course, that probably means nothing to the rapper once heralded as the second coming of Biggie; technology has exploded in the time since his cell door clanged shut, so we imagine he might have a bit of a tough time getting adjusted to the way things are now. In fact, we peeped our special limited-edition crystal ball to see how it might go…

Music A History of Rappers Finding Religion

It used to be said that rap’s a war zone and that nobody’s safe. And, like real war, its veterans can be left with their mental a little out of place. Some retreat from the limelight to try and rebuild their lives, while others attempt to retool their act for a much-hoped-for revival. Then there are those who are so troubled they could only find solace is in the arms of the Lord.

Yesterday, we learned via Middle Eastern news channel Al Jazeera (where else?) that former Bad Boy artist, Loon, has given up his secular ways and converted to Islam. Forgive us for the yawn that followed our initial WTF, it’s just that we’ve seen this before. Loon is only the latest rapper to find religion, check out some more…

Politics & Crime Musicians In Court: A Fashion Analysis

Chris Brown’s court room ensemble can’t be beat!

Recording artists are constantly being judged for their fashion choices, but at no point is an outfit more important than when they’re going before a judge in court to face the music. For instance, the same baggy thug apparel that gives a rapper street cred makes them look like a disrespectful miscreant to a gavel banger.

Yesterday, when R&B singer Chris Brown appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court to be arraigned for the alleged assault of his pop star girlfriend Rihanna, he made a smart selection: tight fitting dress clothes topped off with a sweater. Note the black—it’s slimming, which makes him look too skinny and frail to whup on a woman. Well done, Chris. Of course, not everyone is so wise. Check out five artists whose court look was just plain criminal…

Music 10 Rappers We Wish Weren’t In Prison

Well, it’s official: T.I. reported to the judge today to plead guilty to his weapons charges, and got formally sentenced to a year and a day (which could well end up being less when time served on house arrest gets taken into consideration). Clifford gets to voluntarily head to jail sometime after May 19, which gives him a couple of months extra to finish making the world a better place.

Needless to say, we’re making sad-face emoticons over here at Complex; not only is the civilian population losing one of the South’s finest lyricists and a genuinely smart and likable dude, but it’s just one more objectively great emcee who gets chalked into the “Incarcerated” category. There’s more than 20 rappers locked up right now, but since we don’t really fux with shermhead cannibals, we had to narrow it down to our 10 favorite (including Tip). For a look at the other nine, read on…

Music 7 More Rappers George Bush Needs To Let Out Of Jail

So if you haven’t heard the news, lame duck extraordinaire George W. Bush finally decided to make himself useful by handing out presidential pardons to his friends'and by commuting John Forte’s sentence. Whuh?

The Rawkus A&R/Talib Kweli NYU roommate/Wyclef protege/Carly Simon crusade/convicted cocaine trafficker apparently made it onto the presidential radar enough that Dubya saw fit to give him that golden get out of jail free card. But as long as you’re springing MCs, Mr. President, maybe you could polish that turd of a legacy by extending clemency to the following seven political prisoners….