NOVEMBER 1--Claiming that Jay-Z purposely torpedoed their joint concert tour, R. Kelly today filed a lawsuit against the star rapper and a promoter that seeks at least $90 million in damages. In his New York State Supreme Court complaint, a copy of which you'll find below, the R&B singer alleges that Jay-Z (real name: Shawn Carter) sabotaged the tour out of "spite and jealousy" toward Kelly's "superior audience draw and Tour profit share." The 40-concert "Best of Both Worlds" tour--which started in September and had been beset by cancelled or abbreviated shows--was cancelled by the tour's promoter following a bizarre incident Friday night at Madison Square Garden. After Kelly left the stage mid-set when he thought he saw audience members with guns, the R&B star was allegedly maced backstage by a member of Jay-Z's posse, whom the lawsuit identifies as Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith. According to Kelly's complaint, he was guaranteed a bigger chunk of the tour's profit (60 percent of the first $15 million in guarantees), which did not sit well with Jay-Z. The rapper retaliated by, among other things, providing Kelly with "lackluster" lighting during the tour's opening shows in Chicago.
KELLY LAWYERS FILE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST JAY-Z AIDE
Lawyers for R. Kelly are filing a criminal complaint against a member of Jay-Z's entourage who allegedly attacked the R&B singer with pepper spray.
Kelly was kicked off his joint tour with Jay-Z after the incident, which happened at New York's Madison Square Garden on Friday.
The singer's representatives are also considering legal action over the decision to dismiss him from the roadshow.
Kelly sparked chaos at the New York concert, when he stormed off stage during his performance, insisting he could see two audience members carrying guns.
After getting the all-clear from security guards, Kelly headed stagewards again and had mace sprayed in his face and at two of his bodyguards, says his spokesman Allan Mayer.
Mayer adds, "I'm pretty sure Jay didn't realize what was going on."
But Jay-Z says, "You can't get a gun inside Madison Square Garden. If people give me love he can't take it."
Jay-Z and Kelly were in the midst of the 40-city Best of Both Worlds tour, scheduled to run until November 28. He will now complete the tour with special guests, but without Kelly.
- SF Gate
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'Best of Both Worlds' Tour At MSG
David Sprague of The New York Daily News reviewed the "final" 'Best of Both Worlds' tour performance at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, which saw R. Kelly's set cut short before Jay-Z ran out of patience and booted him from the tour.
Usher, who was there to watch the show, was pulled onto the stage and performed 'Confessions' and 'Throw Back' over backing tracks that were hastily downloaded off the internet.
- RnB Dirt
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Jay-Z: R. Kelly Is A Perfectionist
While Jay-Z insisted he has no personal beef with R. Kelly, he tells The New York Daily News it's Kelly who is to blame for the tour missing some dates.
"Me, I don't need much - give me a mike and a beat and I'll connect with people," Jay explained. "[But Kelly is] a perfectionist. If they miss one lighting cue, he'll be upset. His problems with the lighting and sound guys forced us to miss some shows. Which made me think, 'Why am I out here? I could be doing something else.'"
Jay-Z distanced himself when their original Best Of Both Worlds album was released, because it was the same time R was arrested for that porno stuff. But when he wanted to tour and rehash the Unfinished Business album, R. Kelly said alright, no problem. Seriously, to me, it seems like Jay-Z just wanted R's name in the headline. Now they're gonna have to give millions back in refunds and deal with pissed off fans. Sucked in.
It's true R. Kelly is a perfectionist. He really pushes artists he works with hard, and expects people who he works with to give their best. A lot of artists have said this about him. Syleena Johnson said that he pushes her every time they do a track together, just because he's already decided what the song would sound like, and he wants her to do the same. He's created the song and it has to sound exactly like he's imagining. Usher said some crazy stuff about R too, when they were working together. Usher is a bloke who thinks he's the hardest working artist there is (so he claims); but he got sick of R. Kelly's work ethic. Thought he was weird. He may very well be.
also:
quote:
Usher, who was there to watch the show, was pulled onto the stage and performed 'Confessions' and 'Throw Back' over backing tracks that were hastily downloaded off the internet.
What a crock
Honestly, from what I've seen R. Kelly hasn't got anything against Jay-Z. He agreed to this tour and the album after Jay-Z stopped promoting their original album, and he did it with confidence and, seemingly, without a second thought. R's said himself he's a bad judge of character, and I guess this is just another example of that. Poor fella.
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
It's getting very nasty, very high school, very "he said - she said"
quote:
R. Kelly says Jay-Z. is "jealous" that Jay-Z had one of his "associates" pepper-spray him. "a key associate of Jay-Z "Ty-Ty" sprayed R. Kelly and several members of his entourage in the eyes and face with Mace or pepper spray." "Ty-Ty acted on instructions and authorization from Jay-Z,"
Jay-Z wanted Kelly off because Kelly was getting paid more than he was.
Jay-Z, said Kelly was canned because of his "lack of professionalism and unpredictable behavior." "Mr. Kelly has canceled three performances with less than 24 hours' notice and has delayed multiple shows by hours,"
Kelly's says Jay-Z is unprofessional , leaving a concert early for an "emergency." "In reality, he had left to attend the birthday party" of singing Usher.
Kelly's says Jay-Z's techs providing him with "lackluster" lighting while making Jay-Z look like a star.
Kelly and Jay-Z "thought they got along" before the tour started "It was supposed to be the perfect marriage of hip-hop and R&B. Instead, it's going to be a terrible divorce," said Kelly's lawyer, Ed Hayes. Hayes says their "historic and highly anticipated tour quickly turned into a nightmare as Jay-Z and his associates, motivated by spite and jealousy . . . engaged in conduct intentionally designed to exclude R. Kelly from the tour, including threats and acts of violence."
Kelly's suit seeks the $15 million he says he would've gotten from continuing on with the tour, plus $60 million in punitive damages.
Jay-Z Didn't Know About R. Kelly Pepper Spray Attack
Jay-Z's spokeswoman told The New York Daily News reports on Sunday that the rapper was busy performing when ousted tourmate R. Kelly was maced by a Jay-Z groupie, and can't vouch for what went on behind the scenes Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
"Jay was on stage, so he doesn't even know what happened," rep Jana Fleishman said.
you would think so. But seriously, what kind of an idiot just maces someone as high profile as R. Kelly (who is, by the way, the third richest person in Chicago, behind Oprah and Michael Jordan). My gut tells me he wasn't acting on his own accord in that one...
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
To piss him off, probably. Why would JarJar or whatever his name is want to mace R. Kelly?
PS. Jay-Z is continuing the tour with P. Diddy and Mary J. Blige.... I'm hoping at least half of the people who bought tickets get a refund that'll teach 'em.
"I'm for it so we can put Nuclear power plants up there, and then beam the power back to earth on a laser beam." ~ Whidden
513hotgirl writes "Jay-Z and R.Kelly came to Hot 97 in New York for an interview with Angie Martinez after the infamous concert at Madison Square Garden.
Jay-Z gave his account of what was going on during the tour, then R. Kelly gave his.
11-02-2004 02:13 AM
to me.
Jay-Z distanced himself when their original Best Of Both Worlds album was released, because it was the same time R was arrested for that porno stuff. But when he wanted to tour and rehash the Unfinished Business album, R. Kelly said alright, no problem. Seriously, to me, it seems like Jay-Z just wanted R's name in the headline. Now they're gonna have to give millions back in refunds and deal with pissed off fans. Sucked in.
that'll teach 'em.
