Trillville

Rape Charges Against Trillville Rapper Don P Dropped

30 Mar 2006 03:24:00 EST

But he's not in the clear yet — lawyer says he could still be indicted.
By Chris Harris

Trillville's Don P
Photo: Jason Campbell

Felony rape and aggravated sodomy charges filed in early February against Don P of Atlanta hip-hop trio Trillville have been dropped.

Keith Adams, who was representing P (real name: Donnell Prince), said the case was dismissed February 24 during a preliminary hearing in DeKalb County, Georgia.

"It was at that hearing that the state was expected to put up some evidence to try and show that there is probable cause to believe that the crime actually occurred and that it should go forward for prosecution," Adams explained. "They had not subpoenaed all their witnesses. We subpoenaed their witnesses, including the young lady who made the accusation. The state asked for a continuance, and we objected to it. We said we were ready to go."

The judge denied the motion for a continuance. "So, we moved for a dismissal, and so did the prosecution," Adams said. "The judge dismissed the case."

Prince was arrested after a 16-year-old girl claimed that — during a December 16 party inside an apartment in Lithonia, Georgia — she was forced into a bedroom by the rapper and another man (see "Trillville's Don P Charged With Rape"). Soon after the alleged attack, she fled the party with a friend and reported the rape to police. By the time officers were able to respond to the scene, most of the party's guests had left.

While Prince is a free man, his attorney said he isn't in the clear yet. "The charges were dismissed and the case is dead unless the DA's office decides they want to put it before a grand jury. Frankly, I'd be flabbergasted if they did that."

The district attorney's office is "reviewing the case file," and there's still a chance it will seek an indictment down the road.

"A dismissal at magistrate court doesn't preclude them from indicting the case," Adams said. "But the evidence isn't going to change. ... I would be surprised if they indicted it, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility. Donnell is happy, and we're pleased with the outcome, but we're also aware that it's not 100 percent over quite yet."

Related Artists

Trillville

Trillville's Don P Charged With Rape

7 Feb 2006 12:21:00 EST

Rapper accused of assaulting 16-year-old girl.
By Chris Harris

Trillville's Don P
Photo: Getty Images/Frederick M. Brown

Don P of Atlanta-based rap trio Trillville was arrested last week in DeKalb County, Georgia, for the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl. According to a DeKalb County Police spokesperson, the rapper (real name: Donnell Prince) was charged with rape and two counts of aggravated sodomy, all of which are felonies.

According to police, the attack happened on December 16 in an apartment in Lithonia, Georgia, which is near Atlanta. Prince was one of 10 guests attending a small gathering at the apartment.

"Allegedly, [the victim] was raped in a bedroom by two partygoers, Mr. Prince being one of them," said Cory Hughes, Dekalb County's public information officer. "We are still trying to identify the other individual who was involved. [The victim] said this was not a consensual act."

Moments after the assault, the girl left the gathering with a friend and reported the rape to police. By the time officers arrived on the scene, most of the guests had left. Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Prince's attorney, Keith Adams, said "there's absolutely no basis whatsoever" for his client's arrest. "None of the seven or eight witnesses who were there, in the apartment, agree with what the young lady said occurred," Adams said. "She came to the location with a young man, looking to meet [Don P]. She met him, there was a consensual encounter between herself and Mr. Prince, and there was a consensual encounter between herself and another gentleman. There were individuals who were in the room at the time this alleged rape was supposed to have occurred."

He said Don P remains in police custody, but that a bond hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday morning. "We're optimistic [Prince] will be released tomorrow, and we look forward to either fighting this thing or waiting for the district attorney to make the right decision and dismiss the charges."

Related Artists

Trillville

Lil Jon Jamming On LPs From Trillville, Scrappy — And Jessica And Hilary

10 Aug 2005 08:46:00 EDT

Producer also in the lab with Ice Cube, Too Short.
By Shaheem Reid

Lil Jon (file)
Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images

NEW YORK — Lil Jon isn't stingy with his beats, he just plays favorites — namely with the artists on his BME label. Luckily for the rest of the industry, he has an overflow of product to push.

"When it was time to go in the studio and work on [Trillville's Reloaded] album, I went in for a weekend and did 50 beats in a week," Jon said late Monday, just a few hours before taking the stage for Anger Management 3. "I think I gave myself like a month and I had 150 beats so [the artists on my label] could pick the hottest [ones]. I have a catalog now of about 600 beats."

Within the next few months, Jon plans to release albums by Trillville, Lil' Scrappy, E-40 and debuting MC Bohagan.

"I went down to Miami," said Bohagan, seated next to Jon. "[Jon] played 300 beats for me in a row. I had to go outside and scratch my head and play basketball because it was too many jamming beats. You be like, 'I want number one, I want number 300. I want all of them.' It's hard when you hear that many jamming beats. It don't take him about 10, five minutes to give you a jam."

"Me and my team got it down to science," Jon said. "I just go in and do it. My job is to make beats and make something hot. When I go in, I catch a vibe. If the beat feels like it don't make you move right, I scrap that and go to another track. Sometimes it takes 10 minutes, sometimes it takes an hour to get one done. I just keep spitting them out. I got all these artists, and we gotta get these albums out. If I don't do beats, we don't put no damn albums out. That's my motivation right there."

So how are the beats disseminated among his squad? According to Jon, most of the time the artists don't pick the same beats, but when they do, it's all about who has the most heat. "Sometimes we might lay songs to the same beat," Bohagan revealed. "Jon might listen to what song is jammin' the hardest and that artist will get the beat ... but the song better be jammin'."

Outside artists hoping to secure beats for their albums shouldn't put their checkbooks away yet. While Jon said his roster usually gets first dibs on his beats, he's not turning his nose up at everyone outside his clique. He says he's especially excited about working with two of his favorite MCs: Ice Cube and Too Short. Jon produced seven songs apiece for both of their projects.

The King of Crunk is also stepping into the pop world; he said he has a beat in the cooker for Jessica Simpson, he's knocked out a song for Hilary Duff and he'll work with Paris Hilton some day if they ever get their schedules together.

"I was doing a remix for [Simpson's 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin'], and when I did the beat, I was like, 'This beat is too hot for a remix,' " he said. "I sent the beat to her and they liked it for her album. Hilary Duff, we did a song for a soundtrack. She has the 'Material Girl' movie coming out and we redid [Madonna's] 'Material Girl.' "

Label representatives for Jessica Simpson and Hilary Duff could not be reached as of press time.

Related Artists

New Releases: 'Hustle & Flow' Soundtrack, Bow Wow, All-American Rejects, Diplomats & More

11 Jul 2005 08:04:00 EDT

'Wedding Crashers' soundtrack, William Hung and Willie Nelson LPs also due Tuesday.
By Alyssa Rashbaum

Hustle & Flow Soundtrack
Photo: Atlantic

For new and emerging artists, scoring a spot on a film soundtrack can be the gateway to mainstream recognition. The "Garden State" compilation was singled out for including artists like the Shins, and now the "Hustle & Flow" and "Wedding Crashers" soundtracks will try to follow suit.

T.I., who's releasing the soundtrack for "Hustle & Flow" through his Grand Hustle imprint, hopes the musical accompaniment to the film about a Memphis hustler struggling to make it as a rapper will accurately represent what it's like to live in the South. Featured artists include Mike Jones, Trina, Webbie, P$C and Trillville.

The soundtrack to the Vince Vaughn/ Owen Wilson flick "Wedding Crashers" showcases indie rock, featuring songs by Death Cab for Cutie, Robbers on High Street, Bloc Party and college favorites Guster. There's also an exclusive track from the Flaming Lips and a rendition of "Hava Nagila" by Vaughn, Wilson and the Klezmer Juice Band.

Out Tuesday, July 12:

A Love Ends Suicide - The Cycle of Hope (Brand Name)
About the Fire - Six Anthems From the Comfortably Jaded EP (HCNL)
The Adolescents - O.C. Confidential (Finger)
All-American Rejects - Move Along (Interscope)

Buy Now: Move Along (Interscope)

Michael Andrews - "Me and You and Everyone We Know" soundtrack (Everloving)
Bronson Arroyo - Covering the Bases (Asylum)
Astronautalis - You and Yer Good Ideas (Fighting)
The Bel Airs - Got Love (HighTone)
Adrian Belew - Side Two (Sanctuary)
The Black Dahlia Murder - Miasma (Metal Blade)
Pat Boone - Ready to Rock (Oak)
Bow Wow - Wanted (Columbia)

Buy Now: Wanted (Columbia)

Meredith Bragg and the Terminals - Meredith Bragg and the Terminals, Vol. 1 (Kora)
Paul Brown - The City (GRP)
Buckshot & 9th Wonder - Chemistry (Duck Down)
Bury Your Dead - Alive (Victory)
B.C. Camplight - Hide, Run Away (One Little Indian)
Capone - Pain, Time & Glory (FastLife)
Brian Capps - Walk Through Walls (HighTone)
Brandi Carlile - Brandi Carlile (Red Ink)
Philip Catherine - Meeting Colours (Dreyfus)
Circle of Dead Children - Zero Comfort Margin (Willowtip)
Darkane - Layers of Lies (Nuclear Blast)
The Decemberists - The Tain EP (Kill Rock Stars)
Deep Dish - George Is On (Thrive)
Brett Dennen - Brett Dennen (Flagship)
Dew-Scented - Issue VI (Nuclear Blast)
Dipset - Diplomats & DukeDaGod Present: More Than Music (Koch)
The Domino Kings - Some Kind of Sign (HighTone)
Down to Nothing - Splitting Headache (Thorp)
The Dream Is Dead - Hail the New Pawn (Escape Artist)
Driving East - A Black Eye or a Broken Heart EP (Brand Name)
Embrace Today - We Are the Enemy (Deathwish)
The Endless Blockade - Turn Illness Into a Weapon (Sound Pollution)
Terry Evans - Fire in the Feeling (Valley Entertainment)
Fabric Live 22 - Scratch Perverts (Fabric)
Fatty Koo - House of Fatty Koo (Columbia)
Federation X - Rally Day (Estrus)
Flipsyde - We the People (Interscope)
Forensics - Hogback Mountain, Vol. 1 (Magic Bullet)
Susan Gibson - OuterSpace (For the Records)
The Giraffes - The Giraffes (Razor & Tie)
Gorod - Neurotripsicks (Willowtip)
Gravy Train!!!! - Are You Wigglin? (Kill Rock Stars)
The Heart Attacks - Heart and Scissor Killers (Brand Name)
Hot Karl - The Great Escape (Headless Heroes)
How It Ends - Beloved (Thorp)
William Hung - Miracle: Happy Summer From William Hung (Koch)
Tony Iommi and Glenn Hughes - Fused (Sanctuary)
JamisonParker - Sleepwalker (Interscope)
The Junior Varsity - Wide Eyed (Victory)
Carole King - The Living Room Tour (Rockingale)
Kinski - Alpine Static (Sub Pop)
Jeff Klein - The Hustler (One Little Indian)
The Knitters - The Modern Sounds of the Knitters (Rounder/Zöe)
Al Kooper - Black Coffee (Favored Nations)
Daniel Lanois - Belladonna (Anti/Epitaph)
Lee Lessack - In Good Company (LML Music)
Lion Fever - Haunted Water (Dim Mak)
The Del McCoury Band - The Company We Keep (McCoury Music)
Metalux - Victim of Space (5 Rue Christine)
Mixel Pixel - Contact Kid (Kanine)
The Morells - Think About It (HighTone)
The Most Serene Republic - Underwater Cinematographer (Arts & Crafts)
Natalise - I Came to Play (Collateral Damage)
Willie Nelson - Countryman (Lost Highway)
Neon Blonde - Headlines EP (Dim Mak)
The New York Rifles - Faraway Faster (Empty)
Nor Am I - Cause Above the Conquest (Brand Name)
Paul Oscher - Down in the Delta (Blues Fidelity)
The Oxford Collapse - A Good Ground (Kanine)
Dave Peck - Good Road (Let's Play Stella)
Piglet - Lava Land EP (Team Av)
Poet Name Life - Calm Before the Storm (Immergent)
Prefuse 73 - Reads the Books EP (Warp)
Primes - Primes (Action Driver)
The Quarter After - The Quarter After (Bird Song)
Recourse - Weakening the Structure (This Dark Reign)
Röyksopp - The Understanding (Astralwerks)
Rufio - The Comfort of Home (Nitro)
The Michael Schenker Group - Heavy Hitters (Cleopatra)
Sirone - Live (Atavistic)
Slim Thug - Already Platinum (Geffen)
Slum Village - Prequel to a Classic (Barak)
Snow & Voices - Snow & Voices (Bird Song)
Son Volt - Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Transmit Sound/ Legacy)
Rick Springfield - The Day After Yesterday (Gomer/DKE)
Statistics - Often Lie (Jade Tree)
Liz Story - Night Sky Essays (DMI)
Suzukiton - Service Repair Handbook (Crucial Blast)
Sweet Honey in the Rock - Raise Your Voice (Rhino)
Swift - The Absolute Uncontrollable (Tribunal)
Through the Eyes of the Dead/ The Knife Trade - The Annihilation of Expectation (Lovelost)
Travers & Appice - Live at the House of Blues (New Media Studio)
Unto Ashes - Grave Blessings (Projekt)
Chris Walker - I Know It's Love (Canvas)
Nick Warren - Shanghai (Global Underground)
Jaguar Wright - Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul (Artemis)
Xiu Xiu - La Forêt (5 Rue Christine)
Zucchero & Co. - Zucchero & Co. (Concord/ Hear Music)
Various artists - An All Star Tribute to Shania Twain (Cleopatra)
Various artists - Fragile: The Piano Tribute to R.E.M. (Vitamin)
Various artists - Hands in the Air (Water Music)
Various artists - Pick This Way: A Bluegrass Tribute to Aerosmith (CMH)
Various artists - Pickin' on Montgomery Gentry, Vol. 2 (CMH)
Various artists - The Piano Tribute to John Legend (Vitamin)
Various artists - "Hustle & Flow" soundtrack (Atlantic)
Various artists - "March of the Penguins" soundtrack (Milan)
Various artists - "Stealth" soundtrack (Epic)
Various artists - "The Cave" soundtrack (Lakeshore)
Various artists - "The Wedding Crashers" soundtrack (New Line)
DVD: "Paper Chasers" (Koch)
DVD: "Crazy Club Chicks: Back From Rehab" (Music Video Distributors)
DVD: Chris Cunningham - "Rubber Johnny" (Warp)
DVD: Mickey Gilley - "In Concert" (Goldenlane)
DVD: Various artists - "Kill Rock Stars Video Fanzine III" (Kill Rock Stars)
DVD: Various artists - "Tino Vision" (Music Video Distributors)

July 19:

Frank Black - Honeycomb (Back Porch)

"Frank Black Covers Elvis, Duets With Ex-Wife On Dylanesque Album"

DMX - Here We Go Again (Ruff Ryders)

"Mase Advises DMX To Rap Again, Wait For The Lord's Call"

July 26:

Babyface - Grown & Sexy (Arista)
Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z (Atlantic)

"Jason Mraz Turns His Tongue-Tripping Surname Into An Asset For Next LP"

August 2:

Faith Hill - Fireflies (Warner Bros.)
Michael Penn - Mr. Hollywood, Jr. 1947 (spinART)

"Free At Last, Michael Penn Attempts A Comeback With Mr. Hollywood Jr."

Related Artists

Game Ends 50 Cent Truce With Verbal Attacks At Summer Jam

6 Jun 2005 09:15:00 EDT

Game's set will be most discussed, but Jay-Z appearance was the show's high point.
By Shaheem Reid

The Game performs at Hot 97's Summer Jam 2005
Photo: Getty Images

To say the truce between the Game and 50 Cent came to a screeching halt Sunday night would be an understatement. Think more along the lines of a major derailment, much like the big scene in "Speed," when the subway train carrying Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock crashes through the pavement and lands above ground.

For weeks there had been rumors that Game was making unfavorable remarks about 50 and the G-Unit while performing on the How the West Was One Tour. It was fodder for Internet message boards and made radio gossip reports, but the rumblings never materialized into anything substantial. G-Unit members haven't exactly given props to Game in some of their recent interviews either, but everything had been relatively calm.

During Summer Jam, the New York tri-state area's biggest hip-hop concert of the year, the Game's frustrations boiled over while onstage in New Jersey's Giants Stadium, and he took several verbal shots at the G-Unit. The rapper also had people dressed up in a gorilla suit and a rat costume — representing 50's alleged snitching — both wearing G-Unit T-shirts and getting beaten in a mocking manner by Game's clique.

From the onset of Game's set, the Compton, California, native let it be known he would not be in Jersey with his "tail between his legs" backing down from his problems with 50. He performed "Hate It or Love It," rapping 50's verse as well as his own, switching up a line here and there to relay anti-G-Unit sentiment, such as "I ain't f---ing with five-0/ It's all starting to make sense."

Later Game introduced a new slogan, "G-G-G-U-Not!"

There was a slight undercurrent of booing when Game voiced his feeling towards the G-Unit, and that's when Dr. Dre's protégé really expressed himself.

Game explained that he had love for New York, but he was kicked out of the G-Unit because "they were hating." He said the crowd shouldn't hate him because he hates 50. Game even yelled "F--- 50" while holding his son in his arms before performing "Dreams."

The crowd started to warm up to Game more and more as he continued to use his platform to try and humiliate his former business associates. The lanky MC even threw a G-Unit chain he once wore proudly into the audience like it was nothing more than a used tissue going into a garbage can.

"I don't follow suit like f----t ass Yayo," Game roared. He later threatened to "knock out" Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks.

It became evident that Game's set was more therapy than performance — and that he had been waiting to get a lot off of his chest. Game even started to detail the infamous night at Hot 97's station, when a member of his crew was shot (see "50 Drops Game From G-Unit; Shots Fired At Radio Station"), accusing 50 of being scared to come outside and saying the G-Unit general was rushed out of the back of the building.

"Jay-Z's Special Guest A Thriller For Summer Jam Crowd").

Jay came out this year as a special guest of scheduled act Kanye West — who also brought out Cam'ron and Common in separate instances. The Roc was definitely in the building, as tens of thousands of fans immediately yelled at the top of their lungs when Jay arrived during "Diamonds." For several minutes, Jay stood onstage while the crowd used their voices, letting him know they were grateful that he was hitting the Summer Jam stage. The ovation was so overwhelming that you can bet they wouldn't be too upset if he announced that he is calling the whole retirement thing off. Jigga then performed both "P.S.A." and "Encore."

A couple of the night's most anticipated performances were called off before completion by Hot 97. Jadakiss, who many fans felt should have been appearing a lot later on the bill than his #3 slot (same goes for the heavily popular hometown crew the Diplomats, who hit the stage second), got his mic cut off just as he was about to perform his 50 dis record, "Checkmate." Let's just say Kiss didn't feel "marvelous" after that.

The night's headliner, Snoop Dogg, also got caught up in the mismanagement of time. By the time Doggy jumped onstage at close to 11 p.m., a large faction of the crowd was filing out.

It's not like Snoop isn't loved in New York, but after several hours in a stadium, fans are naturally tired. By the time Snoop brought out his guest Cassidy midway through his set, the crowd was so thin, it looked like Snoop was opening the show rather than closing.

Capacity doesn't matter to the Dogg, though. He was determined to give whoever was there a great show and was prepared to go all night if he had to. At one point, his mic was cut off and so was the power to his band and DJ. After a couple of seconds elapsed, the juice was back on, but Snoop told his security people to stand by the "power man" just in case he wanted to cut the power again.

Halfway through "Gin and Juice," all the lights in the stadium went up. Snoop was able to get through that song and tried to perform "Drop It Like It's Hot" next, but that was all she wrote. Shortly after 11:30 p.m., both Snoop's set and Summer Jam '05 were over in a disappointing, anti-climatic manner. The crowd didn't even get one "Snooooooooooop" off. And Snoop had just barked about flying all the way to New York to give a good show, saying Hot 97 shouldn't give him time constraints.

Ciara, Amerie and Ludacris and his guest Bobby Valentino also hit the Summer Jam stage, as did Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz, joined by guests Elephant Man, Pitbull, Ice Cube, Lil' Scrappy, Trillville and the Ying Yang Twins (and you have to believe you've heard it all once you've witnessed over 30,000 men and women yell in unison "Wait till you see my di--!").

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

Related Artists

Lil Jon Sharing His Crunk Success And Working With Whitney

13 Apr 2005 09:43:00 EDT

Rapper's disciples look to cash in on upcoming Anger Management Tour.
By Hillary Crosley

Lil Jon (file)
Photo: TVT

NEW YORK — "I'm going to make everyone famous!" Lil Jon hollered Tuesday from a stage decorated with two human-sized Crunk Juice cans and a matching oversized pimp chalice.

Tossing his Crunk Juice energy drink into the crowd, Atlanta's party rapper and his East Side Boyz took over Manhattan, with Webster Hall playing host.

With special guests Crime Mob, Trillville, Ying Yang Twins, Jackie O, Lil Scrappy, Brooke Valentine, Pitbull, Bohagon and the legendary Bun B, Jon's BME label family kept the palpable energy thumping throughout the show. The crowd bounced to hits like "Bia' Bia' " and "I Don't Give a F---."

If the packed venue was any indication, Jon and the Boyz may, in fact, be paving a road to stardom for their many disciples. His younger Atlanta-based counterparts, Crime Mob, whose ages range from 16 to 19, have already surpassed expectations with the single "Knuck if You Buck."

"I didn't think it was going to blow like that," 18-year-old Princess said, "but 'Knuck if You Buck' was catchy and we got a [label] deal off our first single."

The three-member Trillville — who made their debut on The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville — are riding high with their hit single, "Some Cut." Their follow-up album, Trillville Reloaded, along with its first single, "Let's Go," is due in May.

"It's bedroom crunk," the tress-twisted Don P said of "Let's Go."

While their pals are scoring success, Lil Jon and the Boyz intend to diversify their fanbase and spread the crunk with a spot on this summer's Anger Management Tour. Crime Mob and Trillville will perform spot dates on the tour starring Eminem and 50 Cent.

"That's a real big blessing," the Boyz's Big Sam said. "We've been trying to get on [the Anger Management Tour] since we came out. We knew we had the skills and songs, but they finally recognized [us]."

The group hopes this summer's exposure will elevate their double-platinum Crunk Juice to triple-platinum status.

"We're going to use that tour as a major stepping stone because Southern artists don't get to be in those arenas and have that type of fanbase," Jon said. "There will be people from all walks of life in those arenas, so we will really be able to touch some people."

In the meantime, Lil Jon is augmenting his producing roots as well. He's creating a track for Whitney Houston's upcoming album and is also looking forward to working on Usher's next project — even though their shared radio single with Ludacris, "Lovers and Friends," never received a video (see " Lil Jon, Usher, Luda ... How 'Bout Another Video?"). Apparently, the song was tied up in label red tape.

"The record companies couldn't work out the ish," Jon quipped. "Ish happens."

Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz's next single is "Get Crunk" and features new BME artist Bohagon. The Boyz will join the straight-to-DVD business with their upcoming "Atlanta Comedy Explosion: Crunk TV" and might join the world of celebrity-inspired video games as well.

Branching out in so many different directions, there's a strong chance Lil Jon and his crunk energy may well make himself, along with everyone he knows, very famous.

For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.

Related Artists