Trae VS KBXX Part II: Suing the Radio

Publicists for Trae the Truth sent out a press release this afternoon with the news that the Houston rapper will hold a press conference tomorrow morning to announce he is filing a civil suit against 97.9 The Box parent company Radio One, as well as several staff members of the station, alleging “a consistent pattern of business disparagement, conspiracy and tortious interference.” Radio One is the seventh largest radio broadcasting company in the country, and is the largest one targeting African American audiences in the U.S.

In addition to Radio One other the defendants in the lawsuit are Box general manager Doug Abernathy, program director Terri Thomas and morning-show personality Nnete Inyangumia. Terri Thomas said corporate policy prevents her from making any official comments on the situation.   The ordeal escalated when 97.9 The Box allegedly banned Trae’s music entirely and also any advertising or promotion of events featuring the rapper.

THE HISTORY
The whole thing started after he and Nnete got into an on-air confrontation on her morning show the morning after several people were wounded by gunfire at the end of his Trae Day concert and fundraiser last summer. In 2008, Trae was honored by Houston Mayor Bill White and Council Member Peter Brown with his own “Trae Day” in honor of his outstanding community service.  She made a few comments implying that he should have taken more responsibility to insure no violence would have taken place. In his own defense he argued he had no control no liability for someone else’s violent actions. A brief war of words too place and the aftermath was Trae spitting some negative remarks about Nnete and her weight on one of his mixtapes. Then in the radio jockey’s defense, 97.9 vowed to ban Trae from the radio completely. 97.9 also shortened the length of DJ Michael Watts’ Sunday programming and put a ban on Killa Kyleon after Kyleon mentioned Trae in an interview on Watt’s show. Also the station refused to play a Haitian earthquake victims dedication with Trae’s appearance at a benefit fundraiser.

Trae’s words, “I would not have filed a lawsuit, but when other people started being hurt by this ban, I knew I had to stand up.”

Rap-A-Lot Records CEO, James Prince states, “I had been excited about being involved with the next Trae album, but with this ban taking place, not only in his home town, but likely also in the second best place for airplay, which is Dallas, it would be impossible to promote the album. This ban is sabotaging his career, because those cities are the foundation for breaking his records.” Prince adds, “Having run a record label for over twenty years, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Says Trae, “I just could not let any more people suffer and be punished by the radio station over this ridiculous vendetta.”

THE LAWSUIT
The situation then flared up when The Box suspended Radio Jockey GT without pay and again recently, when the Box very fired popular DJs and 12 year 97.9 veterans the Kracker Nuttz soon after the threesome played a Chamillionaire song that featured a guest verse by Trae.  Trae, represented by Houston attorney Warren Fitzgerald Jr., is suing for “general damage to his reputation, character, standing in the community, mental suffering, loss of professional opportunities, performance revenue, record royalties and other damages.”

The official press conference for the lawsuit is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday outside the Harris County Civil Courthouse, 201 Caroline. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. this Friday, May 14.

POLITICS smh

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