Kanye West Gets Community Service for Paparazzi Clash

Kanye West's lawyer was in a Los Angeles court today seeking the dismissal of three misdemeanor charges filed against her client stemming from a confrontation West and his manager Don Crowley had with a pack of paparazzi at Los Angeles' LAX airport on September 11th, 2008. West and Crowley were each charged with vandalism, battery and grand theft after smashing photography equipment during the incident; all three charges were thrown out in court today pending West and Crowley's completion of 50 hours of community service, TMZ reports.

West and Crowley had already attended 12 hours of anger management classes and reimbursed the TMZ photographers for the damaged equipment in anticipation of today's court date. West's lawyer Blair Berk argued that her client was "wildly overcharged" given the paparazzi's role in the incident, but while the judge and prosecution both agreed that West's behavior was unacceptable, the judge said the charges would be dismissed if West and Crowley completed their community service term, which will be accredited to the Red Cross. West was not present in court during today's proceedings since he had already settled with TMZ, which did not pursue charges against the rapper.

Related Stories:
• Kanye West Charged With Three Misdemeanors After LAX Paparazzi Confrontation
• Kanye West Arrested At LAX For Smashing Paparazzi Cameras

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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