Z-Ro Claims Trae Tha Truth Ambushed Him Before Fight Caught on Viral Video

Instagram/Z_Ro

A legendary Houston rapper is accusing his cousin and sometimes partner-in-rhyme of sucker-punching him after 50 Cent's Tycoon Houston charity event this past weekend.

Z-Ro has issued a statement to XXL, saying that a viral video of an altercation between himself and Trae Tha Truth's entourage on Saturday began with the equally renowned third-coast rapper pulling him aside to speak before unexpectedly assaulting him:

I was at 50 charity dinner on Saturday [Aug. 27] and some supporters asked for a pic... then I saw Trae approaching. He asked if he could Holla at me... I turned around to see who he was talking to and he asked if I could follow him to the side of a sprinter bus," he told the magazine. "I'm thinking we [about] to talk like 2 grown men, but I was sucker punched. When that happened... several other dudes (who I don't have affiliation with) jumped in.

He added that the video making the rounds shows just a portion of what took place writing, "The beginning, where I was asked to come over, is not shown! At the end of the day, I came to the event One Deep and to meet my artist Lolita Monreaux so we could support 50. I didn't anticipate any altercation to take place especially since I've been asking that man for a 1 on 1 for charity for at least [two] years."

Z-ro and Trae (ABN) fight
Can’t believe they jumped my nigga mayne 🤦🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/V5HWhrVADh

— True Hero Under Godひ (@T_Nealy91) August 30, 2022

Z-Ro insisted to TMZ that he is not upset about the incident.

"I think people in the streets are taking this s—t harder than me," he told the entertainment outlet in an interview.

There is a long history of collaboration between the two artists.

They formed two-thirds of the group Guerilla Maab, along with their friend Dinky D, releasing the well-received project "Rise" in 1999. Trae Tha Truth had previously made his rap debut on Z-Ro's 1998 premiere album "Look What You Did to Me" as a guest artist.

They later teamed up to form the group Assholes By Nature (ABN). The group released two albums, an eponymous one in 2003 and "It Is What It Is" in 2008.

The latter proved to be one of the biggest commercial successes for both artists, peaking at No. 10 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and peaking at No. 62 on the Billboard 200.

"People just grow apart," Z-Ro said of the dissolution of that fruitful relationship. "It wasn't no beef. We just stopped [working together] I think around 2012."

As for how to resolve the dispute going forward, Z-Ro —who has long been asking Trae Tha Truth to settle things with a charity boxing match —said his hands are tied but implied that others are not.

"I can't answer you when you're talking about a resolution," he told TMZ, "because I have my thought as a man, I have my thought as a n—a, ya know what I'm saying, and I'm kind of siding with this man s—t right now."

Motown’s first ever female solo artist and Ray Charles’ collaborator, Mable John, dies at 91

Mable John

Mable John, the first female solo artist to sign to Tamla Records — precursor to the legendary Motown record label — is dead.

Kevin John, the nephew of the frequent Ray Charles collaborator and elder sister of R&B star Little Willie John, confirmed her death at 91 to The Detroit News.

He said the artist died Thursday (Aug. 25) in Los Angeles, where she fed the homeless via her charity in recent years. No cause of death was given but Kevin added, "We loved her and she was a kind person."

Following the tragic news, Motown Museum CEO Robin Terry posted a touching tribute to the artist, noting John's historic role in the iconic R&B label's history.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of Dr. Mable John. A truly unique talent, Mabel was an instrumental figure in Berry Gordy’s early career, assisting him with his day-to-day work as a budding songwriter and music producer," she wrote. "Receiving coaching as one of Berry’s first artists, she became the first solo female artist signed to the Tamla label. Her hard work and creativity in Motown’s early development days helped the company become an international sensation. Our hearts are with her family, friends, and fans all over the world."

A message from our Chairwoman and CEO about the passing of Dr. Mable John: pic.twitter.com/1CyH23Wgrn

— Motown Museum (@Motown_Museum) August 26, 2022

Her friend and Motown labelmate Susaye Greene, the last official member to join signature girl group the Supremes, added a tribute of her own on Twitter.

"My dear friend Dr. Mable John, one of modern music’s first feminists, preacher, soulful blues singer, has joined the heavenly choir," Greene, who also performed with John as a member of the Raelettes wrote. "She was sassy, intelligent, taught me how to cook! She made it into her 90’s and was still brightly fun and full of wisdom."

My dear friend Dr.Mable John, one of modern music’s first feminists, preacher, soulful blues singer, has joined the heavenly choir. She was sassy, intelligent, taught me how to cook! She made it into her 90’s and was still brightly fun and full of wisdom. #MableJohn @Susayegreene pic.twitter.com/Z0zTXlYr6q

— SusayeGreene (@SusayeGreene) August 26, 2022

The eldest of at least nine siblings in a musical family, she was born in Bastrop, Louisiana, in 1930. Her journey to musical stardom began in the early 1940s when her family moved to Detroit.

A job at the Friendship Mutual Insurance Agency after John graduated high school served as her eventual introduction to Berry Gordy, whose mother Bertha owned the company.

She worked as an agent there before spending two years at Lewis Business College. Later John ran into her former boss who introduced her to the future founder of Motown, then an aspiring producer looking for artists to sing the songs he was writing.

Things went quickly from that point.

By 1958 Gordy had signed her to his record label Tamla, which he would re-christen Motown two years later. John's time with the label produced multiple hits including "Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That," "No Love, Looking for a Man" and "Take Me."

When the rise of the label's teen-oriented groups like the Miracles and Marvelettes relegated her to a background role and Gordy terminated her contract in 1962, John went on to work for several years as a member of Ray Charles' backing group the Raelettes, singing background vocals on many of the artist's hits before joining Memphis, Tennessee, based Stax Records for one more shot at solo stardom.

She scored a top-10 hit for the label in 1966 with “Your Good Thing (Is About to End)." The track peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard R&B chart and found some success on popular radio as well, but the six singles that followed failed to capture its magic.

In 1968, following a brief musical hiatus following the death of her Rock & Roll Hall of Famer brother Little Willie John, she left Stax to rejoin the Raelettes as musical director and singer. In the 1970s, John sang lead vocals for the group when it turned independent of Charles.

John left secular music behind in 1973 to become a minister and actress. She continued to dabble in the music industry as well, managing Christian gospel acts and occasionally recording and performing.

She made her film debut in John Sayles’ 2007 film "Honeydripper," portraying veteran blues singer Bertha Mae. In 2013, she appeared in the Oscar-winning documentary “20 Feet from Stardom," examining her years as Charles’ lead Raelette.

Paper Lovee Sentenced to 7+ Years in Prison for Gun Possession

Ibnisa Durr aka Paper Lovee (Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

"No Socks" rapper Paper Lovee, whose real name is Ibnisa Durr, is headed to federal prison.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge J.P. Boule handed the Atlanta-based artist a sentence of seven years and four months, followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, investigators with the Atlanta Police Department identified Durr as the suspect in a shooting on May 30, 2021, and issued a warrant for his arrest.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia said in a news release that the department's Fugitive Unit tracked him down three months later. When it attempted to take him into custody, he engaged the officers in a high-speed chase. 

According to the release, Durr crashed into two police vehicles and hid an uninvolved motorist's vehicle as well, before ditching his vehicle on foot. Durr attempted to throw a bag containing a loaded firearm over a nearby guardrail while on foot. The firearm was recovered by officers on the scene.

"Durr has a serious criminal history, which includes robbery and aggravated assault convictions," said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. "His reckless conduct seriously endangered the lives of innocent motorists and officers. However, the coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies led to Durr's capture, and subsequent sentence."

Best known for his 2018 song "No Socks," featuring Lil Baby, Durr was previously signed to 300 Entertainment — whose roster of rappers, including Young Thug and Fetty Wap, who faces a minimum of five years in prison after recently pleading guilty to a drug charge in the US, have been ensnared in legal battles in recent years.