Diddy, Swizz Beatz Celebrate Damion 'D-Roc' Butler's Freedom At NYC Party
NEW YORK -- [artist id="1244169"]Diddy,[/artist] [artist id="1161216"]Swizz Beatz[/artist] and members of [artist id="21725"]Junior M.A.F.I.A.[/artist] were among the many in attendance at Imperial nightclub Thursday night for Damion "D-Roc" Butler's welcome-home party.
Butler was released from prison late last year for his involvement in [article id="1441041"]a shootout between members of Lil' Kim's and Capone-N-Noreaga's camps[/article]. C-N-N had collaborated with [artist id="1073"]Foxy Brown[/artist], with whom Kim was embroiled in a feud at the time.
The 2001 incident resulted in the imprisonment of Butler and another shooter, [article id="1505262"]as well as Lil' Kim[/article]. The female rapper was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for perjury and conspiracy. The shootout and aftermath [article id="1497685"]fractured the relationships[/article] among many in [article id="1498345"]Biggie's Junior M.A.F.I.A. circle[/article].
New York radio station Hot 97 [artist id="1579067"]DJs Mister Cee[/artist] and [artist id="21435"]Funkmaster Flex[/artist] spun sets at Imperial. "If you lived in Brooklyn for more than five years, put one hand in the air for [artist id="13432"]B.I.G.[/artist]," Cee told the crowd. Memphis Grizzlies players Darius Miles, Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick were also in attendance.
Diddy arrived near 1 in the morning in his Maybach and quickly entered the venue past "hip-hop cop" Derrick Parker, who was working security for the club. Butler and his entourage immediately followed.
Butler grew up in Brooklyn with Biggie, and in the B.I.G. biopic [movie id="360770"]"Notorious,"[/movie] his character is shown taking the fall for his friend on a gun charge in order for Big to try his hand at a professional music career. The Junior M.A.F.I.A. member was later released before being imprisoned again years later following the Manhattan shootout with C-N-N.
Butler had a hand in the production of the popular DVD "Chronicles of Junior M.A.F.I.A.," but he hasn't spoken out much since his release or in support of "Notorious."
