Exclusive: Foxy Brown Discusses Her Legal Woes
'If my name was Keisha Brown and not Foxy Brown, I would have been let go,' the MC tells MTV News of latest arrest.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Sway Calloway
According to Foxy Brown and her legal camp, the Brooklyn rapper is tired of conflicts with an inflexible neighbor. The former Def Jam lyricist is on the offensive when it comes to ongoing tension with a local resident, Arlene Raymond. The feuding between the two women has been so volatile in the last few years that Brown has been arrested twice, once in 2007, after she was accused of striking Raymond with a BlackBerry phone, and again last week.
Last Wednesday, authorities nabbed Foxy after she and Raymond (who has a protective order against the MC) were allegedly involved in another altercation, during which the BK rap star cursed and "mooned" Raymond, according to news reports.
Foxy spoke to MTV News on Tuesday (July 27) after her court appearance and explained there was never a shouting match between her and Raymond; Brown said she was speaking out in order to clear her name.
"I was on my way to rehearsal with my band and I was leaving my mom's house in Park Slope, [Brooklyn], where I always go; that's the home that I was born in," she said. "And the police came and they saw the situation and there wasn't any conflict or discord — they were really baffled. But a supervisor came and saw the [potential for] publicity. If my name was Keisha Brown and not Foxy Brown, I would have been let go."
Brown denied the information that reportedly was included in the police filing, including the claim that the rapper exposed her buttocks to Raymond.
"I'm just appalled by that statement alone," Foxy said.
But the two do have history that stems from being longtime neighbors, Brown admitted. The rapper suggested that Raymond and her household have a penchant for being involved in arguments with other residents of the neighborhood. The two, however, will have a chance to air their grievances in court when they are both slated to appear before a grand jury.
Brown's lawyer, Salvatore E. Strazzullo, who said his client is the one who should have a protective order granted against Raymond, said Foxy will be vigilant in defending her name and reputation in the community.
"I think Foxy could explain it herself, but in a legal way, the reason she went to court today is that she's not gonna hide from the truth and hide from accusations from this nonsensical alleged victim," Strazzullo said.
Foxy Also weighs in on Lindsay Lohan: Lindsay Lohan's Jail Sentence 'Brought Back Tears And Memories'
MC, who spent a year in prison, says, 'My heart goes out to Lindsay Lohan.'
By Kyle Anderson, with reporting by Sway Calloway and Jayson Rodriguez
Lindsay Lohan's jail sentence is already close to its conclusion, but the effects of her incarceration are still being felt. The recently-jailed actress received a show of support from a New York tanning salon on Tuesday, and Foxy Brown (herself a former inmate who spent a year at Rikers Island) also gave Lohan a shout-out when she visited the MTV News office on Tuesday.
"My heart goes out to Lindsay Lohan. I watched her being taken to jail and it brought back tears and memories. It wasn't all negative, I have to say that," Brown, who was arrested again last week, told MTV News. "People just automatically think that prison stereotypically is the worst place. I was unlawfully sent to prison for a year, but I kind of welcomed the serenity when I was sentenced and I knew I had to deal with this."
Like "Hills" star Stephanie Pratt, Brown used the time to better herself and even make some friends. "I said 'You know what? Let me make the best out of this time,' " Brown said. "I'm an avid reader, so I read a lot. And the inmates were amazing. I would sit down with them and we would play cards and converse. Talking to these different women from all walks of life was incredible. There were actually three females I met while in prison who I still write to and keep in contact with."
The rapper — whose new album Black Roses is scheduled to drop soon — didn't have any particular advice for Lohan, though she did think the whole situation was unfair.
"When Puff says 'Mo money, mo problems,' it's really true," she said. "It's such a blessing being a celebrity. There are a lot of perks to being a celebrity, but the downside of it? Oh, man. You're constantly targeted. We all need to be law-abiding citizens, but I think each case needs to be ruled by the law, as opposed to this is a celebrity who is doing this and needs to be taught a lesson."
.jpg)
