Jay-Z Cops Plea

Rapper Jay-Z (a.k.a. Shawn Carter) pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge yesterday for stabbing record producer Lance "Un" Rivera nearly two years ago.

Carter was hit with two charges of first-degree assault after he was accused of stabbing Rivera at a party for fellow rapper Q-Tip in December, 1999 at New York City's Kit Kat Club. He initially pleaded not guilty, which could have landed him a fifteen-year prison sentence, if convicted. Because of the altered plea, prosecutors agreed to seek a sentence of three years probation. Carter will be formally sentenced on December 6th.

In an unrelated court date, Carter was cleared on October 16th of weapons possession charges stemming from an April 13th incident in which a firearm was found in a car carrying Carter and some friends. Chauffeur Hamza Hewitt pleaded guilty to third-degree weapons possession charges and received a one-year prison sentence.

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Song Stories

“The A Team”

Ed Sheeran | 2011

This debut track from the then-20-year-old British singer-songwriter has a dark story behind it. Sheeran says he culls songwriting inspiration from "viewing other people's situations," which, for the heroine in "The A Team," involves drug addiction and prostitution that began as a teen. Sheeran paints the woman's trials with haunting imagery such as "But lately her face seems/Slowly sinking, wasting/Crumbling like pastries." "I did a gig at a homeless shelter, [and the song] is about one of the women there. It's her story," he said.

More Song Stories entries »

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