Thanks to President Bush, rapper and producer John Forte will be out the pen by Christmas.
In 2000, Forte was sentenced to 14-years in prison after he was found with 31 pounds of liquid cocaine at the New Jersey International Airport. Two female couriers set him up. He has served seven years, and faces five additional years of supervised probation. According to the Washington Post, Forte has been chosen as one of 16 people to receive clemency from Bush.
One person who lobbied for Forte’s early release is singer Carly Simon, who along with her son (a former prep school pal of Forte), held the Grammy-winning artist down since his arrest. Simon reportedly sent messages to Senators Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch on his behalf.
When Forte was first arrested, Simon put up $250,000 towards his $650,000 bail.
Besides being a solo artist and producer for The Fugees, Forte has worked with everyone from Tricky to Herbie Hancock. His friends range from Mark Ronson, to regulars at Martha’s Vineyard, where Forte was known to charm women, guzzle Guinness, and dress sharp.
In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone, Forte said that the company he kept caught up with him.
"I allowed elements to be near me -- not drugs but people," he said. "That's what caught me up. I was too accessible. I was too here, I was too there. The price the government wants me to pay for that is fourteen years."
Forte will be released Dec. 22.
November 25, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
John Forte: Out the Slammer By Christmas
George Bush grants Fugees producer clemency
Article tags: Lauryn Hill, John Forte, Wyclef Jean, Fugees
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Comments
1.
katkitty9 says:
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Word up!!!! I look forward to hearing some good things from this guy! Definitely!!
December 1, 2008 at 4:04 pm
2.
Lucifer2009 says:
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I'm a cute young girl, I feel lonely... What I really need is love, it's free to chat with me on ***INTERRACIALLOVING.COM*** where I upload my photos and many rich and handsome singles seeking love online.
November 30, 2008 at 11:20 pm
3.
FlipOver says:
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First good thing Bush has did in 8yrs.
November 26, 2008 at 9:10 pm
4.
janise50 says:
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yeah, forte thats my nigga, i am glad to know he will be out to enjoy his freedom, he paid his debt, and like martin lawrence said, "stop chasing them hoes" get out , get back in your zone and maybe he can reunite the fugees and get some real music coming out of these speakers
November 26, 2008 at 12:00 pm
5.
blackmangabb says:
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It's great that he is getting out, but was he setup and didn't know that he was transporting liquid cocaine? Or was he made to do it? Because if not then that man really needs to be so thankful that he will be free compared to how many peeps that I know that have been caught with much less as a 1st time felon and recieve so much more yea dig.
November 26, 2008 at 11:09 am
6.
jamparis456 says:
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November 25, 2008 at 7:34 pm