Fighting disrupts ceremony

Rapper 'legend' was involved in the fracas.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- A fight broke out near the stage at the Vibe awards ceremony as rapper Snoop Dogg and producer Quincy Jones were preparing to honor Dr. Dre., and one person was stabbed, authorities and witnesses said.
Dozens of people sitting near the stage Monday inside a hangar at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport began shoving one another as the show wound down about 7:30 p.m., a photographer who covered the event for The Associated Press said.
News video showed chairs being thrown, punches flying, people chasing one another and some being restrained.
It was unclear if the stabbing preceded or followed the fight. The victim, a 26-year-old man, was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition.
No arrests were made.
Witness Frank Williams told KCAL-TV that Dr. Dre was involved in the brawl.
"I saw Dr. Dre fighting somebody," Williams said. "I don't know if he was fighting back. But there was a guy taken out basically bloodied."
Andrea Ferguson, employed by a public relations firm that worked with Vibe for the awards ceremony, called the incident a "disruption" but declined to provide details. She added the show was allowed to continue but it was halted for about five minutes.
Dr. Dre, who was scheduled to receive a Vibe Legend Award for his lifetime contributions to hip-hop, had not come on stage yet when the fight erupted. Jones and Snoop Dogg stood on stage without saying anything.
"My understanding is that it was somewhat chaotic in there," police Lt. Frank Fabrega said in a press conference following the fight.
About 1,000 people attended the event; some scurried for the exits when melee began.
"It's really important that we don't take a negative incident like this and do away with the awards," Suge Knight told reporters.
The show was taped Monday and was expected to be broadcast Tuesday. R & amp;B singer Usher led the awards with five nominations, followed by Alicia Keys, who has four nominations.
Vibe magazine focuses on urban culture and entertainment. The awards are voted on by music journalists and "regional tastemakers."
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