In an interview with HipHopDX, Bruce Williams who wrote a book about being Dr. Dre’s roaddawg (like “I’m With the Band” but without the sex? lol), claimed that Dr. Dre was coerced into donating 500k to Rev. Al Sharpton’s organization around the time that 50 Cent and Game had their…uh…incident at my workplace. According to Dre’s homie, not donating would have resulted in a PR-nightmare protest march against Aftermath’s vested interests. Hmmm….the source on this is mad suspect, but I’m 100% sure that these types of deals happen in cases of high-profile f–k-ups. Trust me.

Well now, Jimmy Henchmen and Rev. Al Sharpton have released statements denying Williams’ claim. Interestingly though…Dr. Dre has kept completely mum. It was his 500k that was or wasnt coughed up, right?

Jimmy Rosemond, Game’s manager says:

“I am 100 percent positive that the Game did not come to the conference in fear of Al Sharpton marching and Rev. Sharpton had nothing to do with that conference or donations affiliated with it. The Game has worked with the community and National Action Network in the past and it has never been affiliated with a donation. The Game recently did a song in support of Sean Bell and has been vocal about his support for Nicole Paultre-Bell and the victims involved in the case.”
Rev. Al Sharpton’s rep says:

“The National Action Network and Reverend Al Sharpton were not involved with and did not attend a press conference held by hip-hop artists The Game and 50 Cent to announce their truce and donation to charities. At no point has Reverend Al Sharpton or an authorized representative of National Action Network met with Dr. Dre.

click more to read the rest of the statement

Interscope Records participated–as did other record companies– in National Action Network’s previous Hip-Hip Town Hall meeting and has sponsored events at our annual national convention for several years. In fact, representatives of their companies appear in documentary footage by National Action Network raising the issue of responsibility of the music industry and artists. All of this happened after this incident and had no direct connection. Our work around this issue of responsibility in the music industry continues today.
To state that National Action Network and or Rev. Sharpton threatened to march is almost laughable because the first question would be whom would we have marched upon, since this was reportedly a clash between two black artists and there was no civil rights questions involved, and for what reason would we have marched?***
Secondly if someone gave donations to offset our movement that would have precluded Reverend Al Sharpton’s personal participation in standing with the teenager James Rosemond and his family at a press conference calling for an end to the kind of street violence that scars the hip-hop industry. The press conference was widely reported to be taking issue with the artist 50 Cent, Yayo and G Unit. It would also have precluded our marching on record companies, many of whom sponsored events with us, for using the “N,” “B” and “H” words, and withdrawing an award from record executive L.A. Reid for those same reasons. Clearly donations do not alter our focus and work and certainly are not requested from us to assure that it will. However, we think if Dr. Dre and others did make donations to charities, even in the arrangements that were inaccurately alleged, they should continue to do so, as all successful members of our community should help legitimate agencies and organizations that serve the communities that they sell to. We will continue our work around civil rights, racial violence and police brutality, and will not engage scurrilous banter to help sell books.”

***hmmm…..