Angel Amor Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Will Smith Sued by Former Promoter by Marcus Errico Aug 21, 1997, 1:00 PM PT back to story Will Smith, Hollywood nice guy or ruthless career wrecker? If you believe a new lawsuit, the easy-going rapper-turned-man in black has torpedoed his ex-promoter's comeback. According to a federal libel suit filed in Smith's hometown of Philadelphia, the former Fresh Prince made some disparaging comments about an unnamed record promoter in a recent Us magazine interview. In the article, which appeared in the August issue, Smith said that the Philly promoter got him and partner DJ Jazzy Jeff to sign their first contract in the mid-1980s by placing a gun on the dashboard of a car "as they discussed business." And, Smith added, once the promoter sold their contract to Jive Records, and their career subsequently took off with the single "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble," the steamed promoter "belatedly realized what he had signed away" and fired shots at the duo "every time he saw us." While Smith, 28, never identified the promoter by name, one Dana Goodman says friends, associates and others in the Philly music scene knew it was a reference to him. Goodman--now a warehouse worker--denies the allegations and says the comments have ruined his chances of getting back in the recording industry. So, he brought the $3 million libel suit against Smith and Us. "I have no clue why he would say anything of this nature about me," Goodman, 44, told the Philadelphia Daily News. "It was very disturbing...being as I was the person that got him started and launched his career." The suit says all business dealings were between Smith and Goodman were done "in a businesslike manner" in the presence of Smith's father and other witnesses. Goodman, who claims to have launched the careers of Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie, also told the News he considered Smith a friend. "His father entrusted me with his son, that I would take care of him...He came to my house...I loaned him my car for his prom." No comment from Smith's camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpinJack AJ Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Yeah, like Goodman waz really gonna jump back in the music industry from his warehouse job. Looks like another bitter person from the past. Nobody but the people who were there are gonna know he waz talking about him...and they would have seen it all anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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