Monday 23 June 2008

Coolio Blames 'racism' For Club Denial Which Led To Arrest

Rapper COOLIO blames his arrest on Tuesday (10Jun08) on the "racist" doormen at Hollywood's One Sunset venue - insisting he wouldn't have been caught by police if he had been let into the club.
The Gangsta's Paradise hitmaker - real name Artis Leon Ivey, Jr. - was pulled over by cops in the early hours of Tuesday for a minor traffic violation, just moments after he had been denied entry to One Sunset.
However, when officers ran a background check on Coolio and his 1996 Hummer, they realised there was a warrant out for his arrest and he was taken into custody for driving on a suspended licence.
But the hip-hop star, 44, who was released from jail hours later, also claims the arrest was a big mix-up - because he'd only recently gotten his driving licence back.
And he is convinced he is innocent - claiming the warrant, which was issued in San Bernadino, California is a "mistake".
He tells website TMZ.com, "That's life (not being let into the club). I think it's 'cos I'm too dark. I know quite a few people that didn't get into One Sunset.
If I'd been let in, maybe I wouldn't have gone to jail. So I'm pissed off about that. But it is what it is. Black people gotta go through a lot of adversity, so I'm used to it. I'm from Compton."
"I had a warrant I didn't even know I had. I just got my licence back a few days ago, so how the hell I got a warrant from 2001? But this from San Bernadino; they make a few mistakes out there..."