Rapper/Producer John Forte Pardoned By George W. Bush

The Fugees producer John Forte was among those pardoned yesterday by still-President George W. Bush. Forte, who also has two solo albums as a rapper, was busted back in 2000 for carrying two suitcases filled with over $1.4 million in liquid cocaine through Newark International Airport. He was convicted on intent to distribute charges and given the mandatory minimum 14 years in prison. That is, until W. pardoned him. Forte will be released on December 22nd, but will still spend the remaining of his sentence on probation. Among those who rallied for Forte's early release were Carly Simon and her son Ben Taylor, who was reportedly best friends with Forte, as well as Senator Orrin Hatch. Forte is best known for producing two tracks on the Fugees' The Score and appearing on Michael Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor. Be sure to check out the exclusive interview with Forte below, which he gave to Rolling Stone from his prison cell.

Related Stories:
• John Forte's Rap: An Exclusive Jailhouse Interview
• Album Review: John Forte, I, John
• Album Review: John Forte, Poly Sci
• Album Review: The Fugees, The Score

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Song Stories

“Baby Got Back”

Sir Mix-a-Lot | 1992

While watching a Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl, Sir Mix-a-Lot thought the skinny female models in the ad didn’t represent reality. So he wrote this ode to ample bottoms, featuring its famous to-the-point lyric: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.” MTV banished the video, featuring shaking booties and sexually suggestive fruit, to 9 p.m. or later. “I thought my career was over,” he told Rolling Stone. “Then I called Rick Rubin, and I told him the video was banned, and he was like, 'Great!' We sold another 2 million records.”

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