Man sent to prison for faking ties to Wu-Tang Clan and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation

A Florida man is facing hard-knock time for pretending to be associated with famous hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation company.

Aaron Barnes-Burpo, 29, of Crestview, Fla., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison Monday after his guilty plea for committing wire fraud, according to David H. Estes, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

Barnes-Burpo and co-conspirator Walker Washington, 52, who is awaiting sentencing, ran their scam for several weeks, Estes said.

Things You Didn't Know About Roc Nation

 

In this Alux.com video they'll try to answer the following questions:

What is Roc Nation?

Who founded Roc Nation?

Who owns Roc Nation?

South Africa’s Sharks Team Up With Roc Nation

 

The Sharks’ ground-breaking deal with American consortium MVM Holdings has been consolidated by a partnership announcement with Roc Nation, one of the world’s leading marketing companies that promotes the likes of massive singing sensations in Rihanna and Shakira.

The company was founded in 2008 by rapper legend Jay-Z and has offices in New York City, London, Nashville and Los Angeles, and it clearly has the expertise and marketing muscle to grow the Sharks into a global brand.

In the deal formalized a fortnight ago between MVM and the Sharks, New York lawyer Marco Masotti showed he has the financial clout to take the Sharks to a new level and in Roc Nation he has the tool to exhibit the Sharks on the international stage.

Rita Ora Suing Jay Z

Rita Ora is suing Roc Nation. The singer filed a complaint  this morning in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking a judgment that the recording contract she signed with Jay Z’s company in 2008 at the age of 18 violates California law, and is therefore not viable, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Why Did Mariah Carey Leave Roc Nation Management?

 

Roc Nation has various artists under their belt that they represent, including Meek Mill, Tinashe, Megan Thee Stallion, Rihanna, Snoh Aalegra, Moneybagg Yo, and more. Reports that surfaced say the split occurred after Mariah Carey and Roc Nation got into a heated argument about the direction of her career.

Jay-Z To Open Roc Nation University Next Year

Named after his entertainments company, Jay-Z's Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment will be a faculty of Brooklyn's Long Island University in New York, offering undergraduate degrees in music, music technology, entrepreneurship and production, and sports management.

Planning to open its doors next year, prospective students can apply in autumn this year, with courses due to start in September 2021. A quarter of the incoming students will also receive the Roc Nation Hope Scholarship, with the mission statement on LIU's website sharing that "The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at LIU Brooklyn will serve as a globally renowned destination for world-class education, exceptional career development, cultural initiatives and philanthropic endeavors."

Desiree Perez Named CEO of Roc Nation

Perez was most recently chief operating officer of Roc Nation; she will be taking over the role from the previous CEO, Jay Brown, who was named vice chairman. Both roles are effective immediately.

Major Myjah signs deal with Roc Nation

 

Major Myjah, son of dancehall stalwart Bounty Killer, scores big in the R&B and hip-hop markets. Grammy Award-winning songwriter and singer  Major Myjah continues to count his blessings as he was recently signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation.

Major Myjah, who is the son of dancehall icon Bounty Killer, said that he is prepared to work hard to continue achieving "major milestones".

Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez Pardoned By Trump

As one of his final acts as president of the United States, Donald Trump issued more than 140 pardons and commutations on Tuesday night (Jan. 19). Among those granted clemency were Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, early Death Row Records backer Michael "Harry-O" Harris and rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, according to the White House.

Perez was granted a full pardon for being involved in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics, the White House said, a conviction that is more than 25 years old. "Since her conviction, Ms. Perez has taken full accountability for her actions and has turned her life around," the White House said in a statement. "She has been gainfully employed and has been an advocate for criminal justice reform in her community."

"I'm grateful to have received a pardon and to have formally closed that chapter of my life in the eyes of the law," Perez said in a statement provided to Billboard. "I have taken full accountability for my mistakes from 25 years ago, but I also take tremendous pride in my personal growth, perseverance and accomplishments since then. This pardon reinforces my lifelong commitment to advocate for criminal justice reform and social justice initiatives."

Roc Nation Files Lawsuit Against Kansas City Police

 

Jay-Z's Roc Nation, LLC has filed a lawsuit against the government in Kansas City, Kansas and its police department, accusing the parties of covering up alleged misconduct by officers.

A petition was filed on Monday, September 20 in the District Court of Wyandotte County, Kansas. In it, Roc Nation, LLC claims city officials have refused to produce records in response to multiple records requests involving officers who have allegedly been accused of misconduct.

Who Are The 11 Players Who Joined Roc Nation?

Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne are all on Jay-Z’s Roc Nation team of athletes. Who else besides Rashford, Lukaku and De Bruyne are a part of Jay-Z’s team at Roc Nation?

Headed by world-famous rapper Jay-Z, Roc Nation Sports has been a power player since its founding in 2013. Some of Roc Nation's most valuable clients are NFL running backs Todd Gurley and Saquon Barkley, as well as New York Mets second baseman Robinson Cano and New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia.

Two Plead Guilty To Scam In Roc Nation, Wu-Tang Clan Case

Two men have pleaded guilty to a scheme in which they pretended to be affiliated with the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and Jay-Z’s entertainment company Roc Nation in order to scam hotels and luxury limousine companies out of thousands of dollars worth of goods and services, the Department of Justice said this week.

According to the DoJ, Aaron Barnes-Burpo and Walker Washington both pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud, a charge that could land both up to two decades in prison.

According to an Associated Press report from when the trial first began in February, Barnes-Burpo and Washington took advantage of hotels to the tune of more than $100,000, including some of the most luxurious hotels in the southern U.S.

How Roc Nation Changed the Superbowl

 

The NFL recently announced that eight-time Grammy Award winning singer Usher will headline the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show. This show will mark the fifth year that Roc Nation has collaborated with the NFL as their Live Music Entertainment Strategists. The partnership was created to nurture and strengthen community through music, and is part of the NFL’s Inspire Change program.

What Roc Nation And The NFL Is Doing For Hadiya Pendleton

It's a good thing how Jay-Z is getting involved in our African American culture. It's time we slow down gun violence in our black communities. He is really using his voice to stand out behind his music while having the NFL to back him up.

Jay-Z's Team Roc and the NFL debuted a public service announcement that honors the life of Hadiya Pendleton, a young girl who was fatally shot in Chicago in 2013.

Hadiya Pendleton's family has continued to keep her legacy alive. The Chicago teen is the subject of Team Roc's latest PSA about putting an end to gun violence.

Pendleton is one of many stories of kids being killed by gun violence from all over the world. Pendleton was gunned down as she was spending time with friends at the city's Harsh Park.

The video titled "Hadiya's Promise" is narrated by her mother Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton, who shared her daughter's hopes and dreams as well as her own efforts at social justice in her young years.

Jay-Z And Yo Gotti Team Up With A&E

 

A&E Networks announced that they had greenlit an upcoming four-part docu-series titled Exposing Parchman. The series will follow JAY-Z and Yo Gotti and Roc Nation’s philanthropic branch Team Roc after they spearheaded a civil rights lawsuit alongside the 29 inmates of Mississippi’s notorious Parchman Prison. 

Roc Nation Enters Book Publishing Company

A decade after publishing his memoir “Decoded,” Jay-Z is forming a more lasting partnership with the book industry. Upcoming book releases are set to include a “fantastical illustrated fiction” from Lil Uzi Vert and memoirs from Yo Gotti and Fat Joe.

Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by the rapper, is starting an imprint with Random House called Roc Lit 101. In a joint announcement Tuesday, Random House and Roc Nation promised “books at the dynamic intersection of entertainment and genre-defying literature.” Among the initial releases for next summer: “Till the End,” a memoir by the retired pitching star CC Sabathia; and music journalist Danyel Smith’s “Shine Bright,” a story of Black women in music that combines memoir, criticism and biography.

Gansta Marcus Talks Yo Gotti, Roc Nation, And Mississippi Prisons

In case you haven't heard, Jay-Z and Yo Gotti is out to sue Mississippi prison systems for all the wrong doing the system has encountered throughout the years.

Yo Gotti and Jay-Z's Team Roc, Roc Nation's social justice department, announced they joined forces in order to hire legal representation for 29 inmates in Mississippi. Those inmates criticized the prison conditions they and others have to endure and have called for change.

Ohio rapper Gansta Marcus instantly praised this notion and for good reason. Read the questions and how he answered each one with a home run answer.

Will Bobby Shmurda Sign With Roc Nation?

 

Bobby Shmurda has documented himself enjoying his freedom after serving six years in prison, but fans are still awaiting his version of a "First Day Out" release. Despite recording music while following his strict parole regulations, no new songs have been released because the Brooklyn rapper is reportedly having label issues.

Multiple news outlets report that Bobby Shmurda is negotiating a management deal with Roc Nation but still owes Epic Records his debut album. In addition, Rowdy Rebel is said to have re-signed with Epic after getting dropped during his incarceration.

Bobby Shmurda Signs Management Deal with Roc Nation

 

A Friday (August 13) report from the New York Times confirmed that Bobby Shmurda has signed a management deal with Roc Nation. 

Recent Article: Will Bobby Shmurda Sign With Roc Nation?

How a Hustler From Brooklyn Became a Billionaire

 

Jay-Z has long been known as one of the greatest rappers of all time, but now he’s known even more for his business acumen and massive wealth. Forbes recently named him Hip-Hop’s first billionaire, and with his diverse portfolio of investments, business ventures, and personal assets, it’s not hard to believe.

Despite the fact that it may seem like Jay-Z earned all of his wealth overnight, it was actually a long process that was decades in the making. Many people know the man, but few know the story.