A travesty of justice.The corporate plantation sends a clear message: "You Negros can dance, sing, throw a football, work in our firms. Hell you can even run for president. But leave the drug dealing to us!"
June 4, 2007
BY ANNIE SWEENEYChicago Sun Times
By many accounts, Charles Patton ran a tight, sharp business in the hip-hop world, negotiating music deals with executives in Los Angeles and New York, all the while mentoring friend and business partner Lupe Fiasco toward an impressive breakout album.
According to investigators, Patton also had worked his way to the top of Chicago's drug-dealing world, negotiating with Nigerians, allegedly using profits from record deals to buy heroin and turning it around for street sales in Chicago.
Both worlds skidded to a halt in a Cook County courtroom last month when Judge Dennis Porter sentenced Patton to 44 years on drug charges. It was a long prison sentence -- rare in a state case, some observers said.
Investigators caught Patton with 6 kilos of heroin -- worth about $1 million on the street -- that he had stored in a suburban storage locker.
While prosecutors did not present evidence of a link between Patton's drug dealing and the recording company he owned with Fiasco -- whose legal name is Wasalu Jaco -- the connection was implied, authorities said. Patton is thought to have been dealing since the late 1980s, years before he and Fiasco launched their music careers."There is a large amount of money that he received from the sales of heroin,'' Assistant State's Attorney Patrick Coughlin said. "And he was able to start up a record company.''
Coughlin also said it's rare -- if not a first -- to have a nationally recognized recording executive caught up in a major drug investigation here.
Fiasco, who has carved out a national name for himself as a Muslim rapper who doesn't drink or dwell on rap's negative themes, was never charged. But he was at Patton's home when Patton was arrested in 2003 -- and he testified at trial about several phone conversations with Patton.
What were they talking about?
In the recorded conversations, Patton and Fiasco discuss splitting up "whole yellow'' and "whole red'' ones.
A prosecution witness directly involved in Patton's drug operation testified the colors referred to the mixing and prepping of $10 heroin packets. Fiasco, testifying for the defense, said they referred to mixing and prepping of music tracks. He denied any involvement in drugs.
Patton and Fiasco met at Thornton Township High School in suburban Harvey and started their company around 2000. Fiasco's "Food & Liquor'' was nominated for three Grammys in 2006.
At his sentencing, Patton, a Gulf War veteran, was described as a devoted husband and father. Several recording executives wrote to Judge Porter on his behalf.
"Mr. Patton has played a crucial role in the development of Lupe's career,'' wrote Craig Kallman, the chairman/CEO of Atlantic Records Group. "Through his invaluable knowledge, advice, and guidance, Lupe has developed into one of the most refreshing artists in hip-hop music.''
Requests for a comment from Fiasco were not answered. But he vouched for Patton in a letter to the court.
"I love Charles . . . I am deeply saddened by his circumstances and will stand by him and his family no matter what occurs," Fiasco wrote.
22 comments:
this is just the bottom of the top; another go 'round.
he don't make the rules yet he decided to play by them.
That is unfortunate...
Greed will get you every time...
There is always a price to pay when you have a role in the destruction of many many lives.
When are Black people going to realize that because of the world we live in, we are much more likely to have to pay that price in the HERE AND NOW than our white counterparts who may be doing the same dirt we're doing (or have done)?
It's unfortunate to see another black man fall victim to our lopsided 'justice' system, but the fact that he's been dealing since the late 80s means he played a role in the explosion of crack in the Black community. Put his ass under the jail!
Make sure he is put WAY under the jail so you can keep all of Merck's, Pfizer's and Amgen's competitors out of the marketplace.
I bet everyone who hates crack cocaine and drug dealers is friends with someone who is a "pharmaceutical" rep and is impressed with the company car and expense account they've got.
No doubt II, I worked at Amgen on a contract position and that company is ridiculously rich. They need to just rename Thousand Oaks Amgenland.
Insurgent hits nail on the head.
Selling drugs has empowered more black people than going to college.
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"I bet everyone who hates crack cocaine and drug dealers is friends with someone who is a "pharmaceutical" rep and is impressed with the company car and expense account they've got."
Nope. Not me. I think they're equally disgusting. As far as friends that are pharmaceutical reps goes, i have friends that did internships with the pharmaceutical companies for the quick money while we were in school and i look at them the same way i look at my friends back home that sold a little dope to feed their kids. Not judging, just recognizing their choice and understanding their reasons.
Accountability is accountability and just because legislators, lobbyists, pharmaceutical execs, reps and all the others trickled down the line are getting paid from the legal drug game does not let the cocaine dealers off the hook.
When it comes to the exploitation of the Black community by drug makers and dealers, i don't feel the need to pick sides. It's all bad.
No matter what your belief in drugs and drug dealers, your willingness to crack the whip on your own people only serves the prison industrial complex. How many Black men (and Black women in increasing numbers) are in jail on drug offenses? Is the Black community any less "exploited" because of it?
What you are supporting is the re-enslavement of Black people under the guide of fighting drugs.
Oops, that should say "guise".
Why are we ignoring his own willingness to crack the whip on his own people? Drug dealers just accomplish what the prison system does only on a smaller scale.
Drug dealers enslave their own people on the streets, the prison system enslaves them behind bars. A drug dealer takes a black woman and makes her sell her body for his financial gain, prison guards are operating sex-drug rings in female prisons.
IMO drug dealers such as this guy are on their side. He sold us out first, so if he falls victim to the other side of the game he chose to step into, so be it. When he made the choice to deal drugs on a moderate to major scale, he put himself in cahoots with the prison system and all the other institutions that systematically exploit black people in this country.
My views on drug dealers does not make me a supporter of the prison industry.
Black drug dealers are much more supporters of the prison industry than i could ever be accused of being.
Kalena. Insurgent.
Ya'll some smart ass women. Damn.
To hell with Oprah. Ya'll need a TV show.
But Kalena. I must ask.
Do drug dealers really "make" women sell their bodies any more than Dunkin Donuts "make" women obese?
Drug addicts DEMAND drugs more than they are SOLD drugs.
Let's keep it real.
If millions of underclass people were running around back alleys and crime infested corners begging for salads - these same cats would be dealing in arugula.
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"Do drug dealers really "make" women sell their bodies any more than Dunkin Donuts "make" women obese?"
You've clearly never seen a pimp in action. Hell yes they "make" them do it! It's not just about addiction, Dunkin Donuts doesn't threaten to kill your baby and your momma if you don't get back out there and eat dem donuts.
You could also ask if the prison guards "make" the female prisoners participate in the sex and drug rings. It's all done by invoking fear.
Yes there is an aspect of choice, but there are a host of other factors that can be lumped into the "make" category.
LOL at you hatin on Oprah again. She's still on that cover (kalena gags)
IMO drug dealers such as this guy are on their side. He sold us out first, so if he falls victim to the other side of the game he chose to step into, so be it. When he made the choice to deal drugs on a moderate to major scale, he put himself in cahoots with the prison system and all the other institutions that systematically exploit black people in this country.
Fair enough. Although, shall I assume from your comment that you would be okay with someone who sells drugs on a small scale?
You've clearly never seen a pimp in action. Hell yes they "make" them do it!
Well ... umm... uhm .. um... ahhh ... You'd be surprised Kalena.
I'll let you in on a little secret.
A pimp don't ask a woman to do something she don't really want to do anyway.
If you standing on a Chicago corner, at 4:30 in the morning on a Tuesday night, with a wind chill factor of 15 below Zero - wearing a bikini and fishnet stockings - selling $40 blowjobs - Part of you wants to be there.
Hell, what's the Pimp got left to threaten you with? What's worse than that?
I aint trying to excuse pimps. But nor am I trying to portray women as 100% powerless victims.
Human beings are complex and not always logical.
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It's not just about addiction, Dunkin Donuts doesn't threaten to kill your baby and your momma if you don't get back out there and eat dem donuts.
LMAO at the visual - a guy in a Dunkin' Donuts uniform threatening a woman if she doesn't keep eating the donuts. :-)
"Although, shall I assume from your comment that you would be okay with someone who sells drugs on a small scale?"
oooooh that's a tough one. I remember thoroughly cussing my brother out for taking me with him on a 'run' back in the day. I went on and on about how could he do our community like that, and he was smarter than that and yadda yadda yadda. But when he got arrested i didn't care nothing about the community anymore nor the people he had sold drugs to, i just wanted my big brother out of jail. at whatever costs.
My point is that in theory i'm not okay with it, but i'd be a lying hypocrit if i said i have the same beef with corner hustlers as i do with big timers.
I think the punishment is waaaaay too harsh for your average dope boy given the double standards on cocaine and crack charges. I do wish they'd get a day job though and quit being pawns in the game. Cause when the chips fall, they're the biggest losers.
LOL at your visual. I don't think i had got that far with the analogy when i said it, but i'm LOL-ing now.
or create a day job, DV. i'm not saying i hope dope boys get off of the streets and become plantation negroes.
Although, in a way, they kinda are the worst kind of plantation negro already.
I'm sorry I have got to say something here. I see your theory...but I do have a problem with likening someone who sells crack, to someone who is a pharmaceutical sales rep and sells prescription medication?
Maybe I don't know...but I haven't seen a prescription drug that will make people break into houses and break through walls so they can steal copper wire out of it. (This genius enterprise will probably make a crack head all of $10, and I am referencing this because this is something that actually happened to some property that I own and I am now dealing with it).
Please explain your analogy and in answer to your question...HELL TO THE YAH...cocaine has killed more people than KFC.
"but I haven't seen a prescription drug that will make people break into houses and break through walls so they can steal copper wire out of it." Soteria
Make prescription pain killers illegal and artificially raise the price. See what happens in 48 hours.
Old ass Archie Bunker white men will be snatching purses all over America.
Soteria,
High blood pressure, Hypertension, and heart disease caused by eating fried, processed meat, soaked in hormones and anti-biotics has killed 100 TIMES MORE NEGROS than has cocaine.
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Maybe...but I think crack has devastated and destroyed more communities and families than some hormone shot up, fried chicken.
Crack - breaks up families, makes communities unsafe (drug addicts will do anything to get their fix and dealers anything to protect their territory), crack babbies, abandoned children and then the continuing legacy of having children raise themselves in an environment of poverty...
Give me some KFC anyday...
Eat it, get high blood pressure, have a heart attack, die...that just effects you.
Crack effects all of us.
Soteria,
Do a little research on the pharmaceutical industry and its relationship with the FDA and you'll find the basis for likening a pharmaceutical rep to a dealer. Reps are in business to encourage doctors to prescribe their medications KNOWING that it may not be the best medication for its respective condition or illness as well as having a host of side effects that can worsen the patient's condition. This is the light end of the spectrum.
Did you know that Bush has blocked the sale of generic HIV/AIDS drugs in many developing countries where AIDS is rampant and killing off the population? Therefore making medications out of the reach of the sick and dying people because they cannot afford the name brands.
Why would he do this? It's because of the money the pharmaceutical companies that provide the expensive drugs to those countries provide him personally, directly and indirectly. Now, after blocking the sale of generics, Bush goes to congress to request billions of dollars to 'fight AIDS in Africa' when really that money is just going back into his and his pharmaceutical cronies pockets.
I'm just scratching the surface here, but i wanted to give you some insight into how pharmaceutical reps are very much so similar to street level dealers.
My friends that used to work as reps would joke and say 'yeah i'm out here slanging these meds', because they knew of their similarities to street dope hustlers.
Oh, and yes, I have seen Rx drugs that make people do some crazy things. Some are even fatal. Some cause conditions that were not present before. For example, my grandmother developed diabetes from her hypertension medication.
If you ever saw the episode of Law & Order where the kids taking the antidepressents were committing suicide, that was based on a true story. I'll give you the name of the drug and its maker when i find it.
Ok...I can see the point of how they are 'slangin' their meds, I even can peep the hustle and am quite sickened by it...
I think there is definitely a difference in that you can assert that most(definitely not all) of the drugs that they sell have some type of productive purpose for a persons ailments. Crack definitely has no productive purpose except to get someone addicted and kill them off slowly.
I definitely see your points and they are valid...I never quite looked at it in that fashion...but I think the crack dealer/pharmaceutical rep comparison is a bit extreme...(and no, I am not a pharmaceutical rep)..
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