Thursday, January 8, 2009

Who is Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr.?

Who is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr? The world knows hims as TI. He was born September 25, 1980,[1] better known by his stage name T.I., and also by his alter ego T.I.P., is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records.[2] As of October 2008, T.I. has had nine Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with three of them reaching number one ("My Love" with Justin Timberlake, "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna). Website TrapMuzik.com

T.I. is from Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia and was raised by his grandparents. As a teenager, he was a drug dealer.[3] T.I. explained the origin of his nickname Rubber Band Man, saying, "We used to wear rubber bands to signify how much money, how much blow we had."[4] He was nicknamed "Tip" after his paternal great-grandfather.[5] Upon signing with Arista Records subsidiary LaFace Records in 2001, he shortened his name to T.I. out of respect for label mate Q-Tip.[6]
T.I. has been in a relationship with former Xscape member Tameka "Tiny" Cottle since 2001.[5] Together, they have two sons: King and Major Harris. He has three other children with ex-girlfriend Lashon Dixon: Domani, Messiah and Deyjah.[3][7] Overall, T.I. has five children.[8]
His debut album I'm Serious was released on October 9, 2001 through Arista Records, which spawned the single of the same title which featured reggae vocalist Beenie Man. His debut album included Pharrell of The Neptunes (who named him the Jay-Z of the south),[9] Jazze Pha, and Youngbloodz. Production was by The Neptunes, DJ Toomp, Madvac, and The Grand Hustle Team. However, the album did not sell very well, and he was dropped from the label.
T.I. released the first single "I'm Serious" with Beenie Man. The single had little airplay and failed to chart. The label would not release another single or video for the album, so T.I. created a video for "Dope Boyz", which had not a video nor single released, but can be seen on YouTube.
He released several mixtapes with the assistance of DJ Drama, which created an underground buzz. He resurfaced in the summer of 2003 on Bone Crusher's song "Never Scared".


T.I. released Trap Muzik in the summer 2003 through Grand Hustle Records and debuted at number four and sold 109,000 copies in its first week.[10] It spawned the singles "24s", "Be Easy", "Rubberband Man", and "Let's Get Away". The album featured guest appearances by Eightball & MJG, Jazze Pha, Bun B and Macboney and producers include Jazze Pha, Kanye West, David Banner, Madvac and DJ Toomp. The success of the album was followed by some controversy; while on tour, T.I. was charged with violating his probation over a 2003 drug charge, and turned himself in. He was sentenced to three years in prison. While there, he was granted rights to film the music video for "Let's Get Away". It sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[11]


T.I. released his third album Urban Legend in late 2004. His first single is "Bring 'Em Out", having much success. His second single is "U Don't Know Me". His third single "ASAP" reached #75 on the U.S. charts,[12] #18 on the U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop charts,[12] #14 on the Rap charts,[12] and #35 on the U.K. singles chart.[citation needed] T.I. created a video for "ASAP"/"Motivation". However, "Motivation" only made it to #62 the U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart,[12] but not on the other charts like "ASAP."
In 2006, T.I. received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Song Collaboration ("Soldier" w/ Destiny's Child & Lil Wayne) and Best Rap Solo Performance for "U Don't Know Me" at The 48th Grammy Awards.


His fourth album, King debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the first half of 2006, selling 522,000 copies in its first week.[13] T.I. released his promo-singles "Front Back" and "Ride with Me" before the album's release date. The singles had small attention, but it helped promote the album and his debut movie ATL. The album also included other singles, "What You Know," "Why You Wanna," "Live in the Sky," and a remix of "Top Back." King earned numerous awards and nominations including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album.
"What You Know" won a "Best Rap Solo Performance" and was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 49th Grammy Awards.[14]
T.I. collaborated with Justin Timberlake for "My Love," which proved to be a worldwide hit. It earned him a Grammy Award for Best Collaboration with Justin Timberlake at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.[14]


T.I. released his fifth album T.I. vs. T.I.P. on July 3, 2007. The first single from the album was "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)" which was produced by Mannie Fresh and was released to radio stations on April 17, 2007. T.I. released a second single "You Know What It Is," featuring Wyclef Jean, on June 12, 2007.
T.I. vs. T.I.P. sold 468,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The Grand Hustle/Atlantic set is T.I.'s second chart-topper in the past year-and-a-half; King opened at number one on the Billboard 200 with 522,000 copies in late March 2006.[15] The album included guests by Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, Nelly, and Eminem with productions by Eminem, Jeff Bass, Mannie Fresh, Grand Hustle, The Runners, Just Blaze, Wyclef Jean and Danja. This is his first album without production by long time producer DJ Toomp or The Neptunes.
On October 3, 2007, T.I. released his third single, "Hurt," featuring Busta Rhymes.

"Whatever You Like" (2008)
T.I.'s second single from his sixth studio album Paper Trail.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.
T.I. released his sixth album Paper Trail on September 30, 2008. The title of the album refers to the lyrics he had written down on paper. Like many other rappers, T.I. abandoned this style of rapping after his debut album I'm Serious by just memorizing lyrics. "He wanted to take more time to really put something down [this time]," explained his rep.[16] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 568,000 copies in the United States.[17]
The first promo single off the album, "No Matter What," was released on April 29, 2008. The music video was released on June 27 on MTV's FN Premieres. The second promo single was "Swing Ya Rag" which was produced by and featured Swizz Beatz.[18] The first main single off the album "Whatever You Like," was released on July 29, and became his most successful single of his career so far, breaking the record for the highest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, jumping from #71 to #1. It is T.I.'s first solo number one on the chart. The subsequent single "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, T.I. broke his own record on the Billboard Hot 100 when it jumped from number 80 to the number one.[17]

In Spring 2006, T.I. starred in his first film, ATL. The other cast members included Lauren London, Antoine Patton, Evan Ross, Mykelti Williamson, Jason Weaver, and Keith David. The movie was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Antwone Fisher, produced by Timothy M. Bourne, Tionne Watkins, and Will Smith, and directed by Christopher Robinson. T.I. played the character Rashad Swann, an orphaned 17-year-old senior in high school. In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $11.5 million, ranking third in the United States box office, and went on to gross $21.2. It grossed a million nationwide.[19]
T.I. also appeared in American Gangster with fellow rappers Common and RZA.[20] and was featured on the soundtrack.[21]
According to HHNLive.com T.I. revealed that he is launching Grand Hustle Films. The first project from the movie division of his Grand Hustle brand is titled Once Was Lost. T.I. will star in the film alongside veteran Hollywood actor Danny Glover, who will also act as producer. Filming is scheduled to begin in October 2008.[22]
In September 2008, T.I. appeared as himself in the Entourage episode "The All Out Fall Out" as one of Ari Gold's clients.

[
T.I. was co-executive producer of B.G.'s upcoming album and making beats for artists like Mariah Carey, Cassidy, Rick Ross, Maino, B.o.B., Yung Joc, Young Dro, and himself.[23] He also executive produced the soundtrack to the film Hustle & Flow and released the collection through his record label.[24]

Late 2007, T.I. linked up with Los Angeles based production company 828 Entertainment to executive produce a new reality show titled Life on Mars which chronicles the life of young prodigy music producer LaMar "MARS" Edwards.[25][26] T.I. partnered 828 Entertainment with his company Grand Hustle Records to produce a slate of both television and film projects.

According to AllHipHop,[27] T.I. and Lil' Flip had an altercation in Lil' Flip's neighborhood, the Cloverland section of Houston. It has been said that T.I. went there to create a DVD exposing Lil' Flip to be a fraud. When T.I. went to Cloverland with his entourage, he was met by Flip and his people. Then it was said a fight broke out with the two sets with Lil' Flip swinging on T.I. until one of TIPS body guards started shooting. The same day T.I. went on a Houston, Texas radio station talking about the altercation. He revealed that he had the tape and he was going to release it with an upcoming mixtape, but that didn't happen due to the fact that J. Prince stopped him from distributing the tape. It is unknown whether T.I. still has the tape or not. The feud was squashed by Rap-A-Lot's J. Prince after having them sit down and resolve their feud. The feud was documented by the Houston Press.[28]


On June 24, 2007 at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, California, T.I. was involved in a brawl. During a luncheon held by Kevin Liles of Warner Music Group (parent company of T.I.'s label, Atlantic Records), the MC got into a fight with Ludacris' manager Chaka Zulu. According to witnesses, T.I. punched Zulu in the face and choked him and a small, brief melee ensued.[29]
T.I. brought home the award for Best Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards, and took the opportunity to apologize for his scuffle with Disturbing tha Peace executive Chaka Zulu earlier in the week. While accepting his award, he expressed regret over the situation. "They say it's a fine line between brilliance and insanity," he said, in an apparent reference to his troublesome alter ego, T.I.P. During the broadcast, cameras showed his onetime rival Ludacris smiling in the audience. The audience stood up and clapped for T.I.[30]



T.I. was on probation stemming from a 1998 conviction for violating a state controlled substances act and for giving false information. After being released on probation, he earned a litany of probation violations in several counties around Georgia for offenses ranging from possession of a firearm to possession of marijuana.[33] In 2006, after appearing in an Atlanta court on (May 10) and having charges that he threatened a man outside a strip club last year dropped for lack of evidence, T.I. was arrested on an outstanding probation violation warrant from Florida. The warrant claimed that T.I. did not complete the required number of community service hours he was sentenced for a 2003 assault of a female sheriff deputy at University Mall in Tampa. T.I. was detained by several mall Security Guards at the time of the incident, among them, Jason Phillips (founder of Certified Protective Services), Larry Warner (founder of Tactical Response Services), and Arturo Ortiz, now a security manager in Florida. According to WBS-TV Atlanta, the rapper’s attorney said that the problem was nothing more than a "technical matter" between Georgia and Florida. The confusion arose because T.I. was also sentenced to community service in Georgia for driving with a suspended license, for which he did complete 75 hours of community service in his home state. The rapper was released on bail shortly after being arrested, and was expected to surrender to Florida state authorities the following week to resolve the matter.[34]
On October 13, 2007, federal authorities arrested T.I. four hours before the BET Hip-Hop Awards[35]. He was charged with two felonies — possession of three unregistered machine guns and two silencers, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The arrest was made in the parking lot of a downtown shopping center, which a witness identified as the Walgreens drug store at the corner of North and Piedmont Avenues. Harris was arrested after allegedly trying to purchase the guns from a "cooperating witness" with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to federal officials, the witness had been cooperating with authorities since Wednesday, when he was arrested on charges of trying to purchase guns from a federal agent. The witness had been working as Harris' bodyguard since July, authorities said.[36][37] T.I. walked out of the Atlanta United States District Court after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman on October 26, 2007. Judge Alan J. Baverman required T.I. post a $3 million bond, $2 million in cash and $1 million in equity on property he owns. The rapper was required to remain at home except for medical appointments and court appearances. The only people allowed to live with him were his girlfriend and children. Visitors were required to be approved by the court. T.I.'s suppression hearing was originally stated for January 3, 2008; however, U.S. Magistrate Alan J. Baverman pushed back the suppression hearing until February 19, 2008. The performer later pleaded guilty to US federal weapons charges. He will serve a year in jail beginning in March 2009 after completing 1,000 hours of community service.[38]
In an interview with MTV about serving jail time, T.I. stated, "Presumably, while I'm there, I'll be able to strategize my comeback." He went on to say that he would not "just be sitting still doing nothing".[39]
On November 21, 2008, T.I. testified in the murder trial of his entourage Philant Johnson, who was murdered in a shooting that occurred after a post-concert party at a club.[40]
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Who is Elmore Rual Torn, Jr.?




Who is Elmore Rual Torn, Jr.? The world knows hims as Rip Torn. He is an American television and film actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Artie on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show.

Torn was born February 6, 1931 as Elmore Rual Torn, Jr. in Temple, Texas, the son of Thelma Mary (née Spacek) and Elmore Rual Torn, an agriculturalist and economist.[1][2] Being given the name "Rip" is a family tradition of men in the Torn family for several generations. It was given to him by his father, who was also called Rip; although as a young child and teenager he was referred to as "Skippy." He graduated from The University of Texas in 1952. Torn introduced his cousin, the Oscar-winning actress Sissy Spacek, to the entertainment business and she was able to enroll in Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio and then the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York.


Following graduation from The University of Texas, Torn relocated from his native Texas to give Hollywood a shot, making his debut in the 1956 film Baby Doll. Realizing that the way to success was a hard one, Torn headed to New York where he studied at the Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg and started becoming a prolific stage actor, appearing in the original cast of Tennessee Williams' play Sweet Bird of Youth, and reprising the role in the film and television adaptations. One of his earliest roles was in the film Pork Chop Hill, playing the brother-in-law of Gregory Peck's character.


In 1963, he appeared as a graduate student with multiple degrees at fictitious Channing College in the ABC drama Channing starring Jason Evers and Henry Jones. That same year, he appeared as Roy Kendall in the episode "Millions of Faces" in the ABC medical drama about psychiatry, Breaking Point with Paul Richards. In 1964, Torn appeared as Eddie Sanderson in the episode "The Secret in the Stone" of the NBC psychiatric drama, The Eleventh Hour with Ralph Bellamy and Jack Ging.
He has been a distinctive character actor in numerous films since then, often showing up well in roles like the rich, sleazy New Orleans blackmailer Slade opposite Steve McQueen and Karl Malden in 1965's The Cincinnati Kid or the gruff boss Agent Zed in Men in Black.
The part of lawyer George Hanson in the Peter Fonda-Dennis Hopper road movie Easy Rider was written for Torn by Terry Southern (who was a close friend) but according to Southern's biographer Lee Hill, Torn withdrew from the project after he and co-director Dennis Hopper got into a bitter argument in a New York restaurant, ending with Dennis Hopper pulling a knife on Torn.[3] As a result, Torn had to be replaced by Jack Nicholson, whose appearance in the film catapulted him to stardom.[4]

In 1972 he won rave reviews for his portrayal of a country & western singer in the cult film Payday. In 1976 he starred in the cult classic science fiction movie The Man Who Fell to Earth. He received what many felt was a long-overdue Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek.
In 1988, he made an unsuccessful venture into directing with the offbeat comedy The Telephone, starring Whoopi Goldberg. The screenplay was written by Terry Southern and Harry Nilsson and the film was produced by their company Hawkeye. The story, which focussed on an unhinged, out-of-work actor, had been written with Robin Williams in mind. After he turned it down, Goldberg expressed a strong interest, but when production began Torn reportedly had to contend with Goldberg constantly digressing and improvising, and he had to plead with her to perform takes that stuck to the script. Goldberg was backed by the studio, who also allowed her to replace Torn's chosen DP, veteran cinematographer John Alonzo, with her then husband. As a result of the power struggle, Torn, Southern and Nilsson cut their own version of the film, using the takes that adhered to the script, and this was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, but the studio put together a rival version using other takes and it was poorly reviewed when it premiered in January 1988.[4] In 1990, he played ultra-hawkish Colonel Fargo in By Dawn's Early Light, which despite a modest budget is replete with major name actors from the era when it was filmed.


In 1991, he portrayed Albert Brooks' defense attorney in "Defending Your Life," considered to be writer/director Brooks' best film to date. Torn played the attorney, Bob Diamond, with equal amounts of humor and drama, and in some ways the role was the perfect setup for his character in "The Larry Sanders Show." Such lines as "Well first, I don't like to think of this as a trial, and second, Yes," in response to Brooks' "Am I on trial here?"
In 1993, Torn played the OCP CEO in the science fiction film, Robocop 3.



For his role as talk show producer and TV veteran Artie in The Larry Sanders Show, Torn received six consecutive Emmy award nominations as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and won the award once, in 1996. He has since appeared in many comedic roles in films such as Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Freddy Got Fingered, Canadian Bacon and Rolling Kansas, as well as dramatic roles in films such as The Insider and Marie Antoinette. Torn is also known for his voice work, and has done voice-overs for many animated films, the most notable being Hercules. He lent his voice to the Jerry Seinfeld film Bee Movie. In 2007 and 2008 Torn made five guest appearances on the Emmy-award winning NBC comedy 30 Rock as the fictional head of the network, Don Geiss. He will next be seen in a starring role in Turn the River costarring Famke Janssen.

Torn was married to actress Ann Wedgeworth from 1956 to 1961, with whom he had a daughter, Danae Torn.



They divorced and he later married the Oscar-winning actress Geraldine Page. Page and Torn remained married until her death in 1987. They had three children: Tony Torn, Jon Torn and actress Angelica Torn. Torn apparently delighted in the fact that their country estate was called Torn Page.[5] He is married to actress Amy Wright with whom he has two children, Katie and Claire. Katie Torn is an accomplished painter and video artist.





In January 2004, Torn was arrested for drunk driving after colliding with a taxi in New York City. Video of his arrest in which he curses at officers and angrily refuses a breathalyzer test was aired on television news outlets. In October 2004, a jury acquitted Torn of any wrongdoing.[6] In December 2006, Torn was again arrested for drunk driving in North Salem, New York after colliding with a tractor trailer. In April 2007, Torn pled guilty and agreed to have his license suspended for 90 days and pay a $380 fine.[7]
On January 6, 2009, Torn was arrested in Connecticut on DWI charges. On Dec. 14, a bartender at the White Hart Inn reportedly served Torn, but apparently noticed he appeared intoxicated as he was leaving the establishment, according to a police report. Torn reportedly refused a ride home and got in his 1994 Subaru Legacy with a Christmas tree tied on top and drove away.
Torn was reportedly driving in the break-down lane on Route 44 when he was stopped by State Police Trooper Ray Dungan at 9:35 p.m. Torn’s eyes were bloodshot and the trooper smelled alcohol, he reported. Torn failed a portion of the field sobriety tests before he gave up, claiming the ground was not level enough.
Torn refused to take the Breathalyzer test, according to police. In the cruiser, Torn used profanity, the trooper said.

While filming Maidstone, Torn, apparently unhappy with the film, struck director and star of the film Norman Mailer three times in the head with a hammer.[8] With the camera rolling, Mailer bit Torn's ear and they wrestled to the ground. The fight continued until it was broken up by cast and crew members as Mailer's children screamed in the background. The fight is featured in the film.[9] Although the scene may have been planned by Torn, the blood shed by both actors is real and Torn was reportedly truly outraged by Mailer's direction.[8]



In 1999, Torn filed a defamation lawsuit against Dennis Hopper over a story Hopper told on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[4] Hopper claimed that Torn pulled a knife on him during pre-production of the film Easy Rider. According to Hopper, Torn was originally cast in the film but was replaced with Jack Nicholson after the incident. According to Torn's suit, it was actually Hopper who pulled the knife on him. A judge ruled in Torn's favor and Hopper was ordered to pay $475,000 in damages. Hopper then appealed but the judge again ruled in Torn's favor and Hopper was required to pay another $475,000 in punitive damages.[3] more

Who is Patricia Arquette?


Who is Patricia T. Arquette? She is an American actress, currently starring in the supernatural drama Medium.


Arquette was born April 8, 1968)in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in Virginia and California, the daughter of Mardi Olivia (née Nowak), an actress, poet, theater operator, activist, acting teacher and therapist, and Lewis Arquette, an actor.[1] Arquette's paternal grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette. Arquette's mother was Jewish, the daughter of a Holocaust refugee from Poland,[2] and her father was a convert to Islam and a descendant of explorer Meriwether Lewis.[3][4][5][6] Arquette's siblings are actors Rosanna, Alexis, Richmond and David Arquette. Arquette is also the sister-in-law of Courteney Cox, who is married to her brother David.

At the age of eighteen, Arquette got her start in show business in 1986's Pretty Smart. A year later, she gained attention for her starring role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, playing Kristen Parker. In 1993, she starred in Tony Scott's True Romance. Soon after, her career took off, and she has since appeared in such critically acclaimed movies as Ed Wood, Beyond Rangoon, Ethan Frome, Lost Highway, Stigmata, Bringing Out The Dead, Human Nature, Disney's Holes, and Flirting with Disaster. In January 2005, she began starring in her first television series, NBC's Medium. Now in its fourth season, the success of Medium has made Arquette a household name. She won a CableACE Award in 1991 for her portrayal of a deaf epileptic in Wildflower. She won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2005 for her role as the psychic Allison DuBois on Medium. In 2006, she was nominated for a SAG award and Golden Globe Award for her role on Medium. In 2007, she was again nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Medium.


On May 7, 2007, NBC renewed Medium for a fourth season.[7]
In April 2008, NBC announced Medium would be back for a fifth season due to increased ratings.
In April 1995, Arquette married Nicolas Cage (with whom she would later co-star in Bringing Out the Dead in 1999). They separated after nine months, but acted as a couple in public until Cage filed for divorce in February 2000.[8] The divorce petition was withdrawn, but Arquette filed again in November 2000.[9]

She and actor Thomas Jane became engaged in 2002 and married on June 25, 2006 at the Palazzo Contarini in Venice, Italy.[10] They have a daughter, Harlow Olivia Calliope, whom Arquette discovered she was carrying while filming Holes, born on February 20, 2003. Arquette also has a son, Enzo (born January 3, 1989), from her previous relationship with musician Paul Rossi.[11] Arquette filed from divorce from Jane on the grounds of irreconcilable differences in January 2009.[12]
In 1997, after her mother died of breast cancer, Arquette worked to raise awareness about the disease. She has run in the annual Race for the Cure, and in 1999 was the spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day, which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research and education. more

Who is Luigi "Geno" Auriemma?

W ho is  Luigi   " Geno "   Auriemma? The college basketball world recognizes him as the most successfull division 1  college bas...