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| Beanie Sigel |
Beanie Sigel was truly ready to roar with a critically acclaimed new album This Time and its hit single “The Reunion”, and a slew of top-tier promotional duties. Now, though, he won’t be around to appear on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with his pals in The Roots, or take the stage for his last Philly show (previously scheduled for September 8 at the TLA) before going to federal prison on September 12 on tax evasion charges.
On the morning of August 29 at about 3 am, Sigel (under his given name, Dwight Grant) and a friend were arrested in Delaware County mere hours after This Time hit stores. Charges include drug, weapons and driver’s license-related issues; bail was set at $300,000 cash. Rather than pay the bail or even its 10% fee, Sigel did the next best thing.
“He’s starting his federal sentence two weeks early,” says Randy Alexander, the publicist for Sigel and his Conshohocken-based label Ruffhouse. “All of his promotional dates are scratched. Everything’s cancelled – the Fallon show, the TLA gig. He’ll be picked up from Delaware County jail and taken directly into federal custody.”
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| Beanie Sigel's latest release, This Time |
Alexander reiterated those points by pointing out appearances on various cable music programs and a slew of interviews before Wednesday’s hassles. “Look, like you said in the cover story [in the Aug 16 Philadelphia City Paper cover story on Beanie Sigel by A.D. Amorosi], we didn’t expect Beanie to do any promotional stuff in the first place, so getting what we got is a blessing. The label still, of course believes strongly in the record and Beanie as an artist. We’re going to continue to pursue its promotion with the same ferocity that Beanie made this thing with.” Fortunately for Ruffhouse/EMI, but unfortunately for the way of the world, Sigel’s legal situation will only stimulate attention and record sales.
Photos ©Ruffhouse Records
Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2012 10:55 AM
