NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Drake returns for Hip-Hop Awards

ATLANTA

Drake returns for the second-straight year as the top nominee at the 10th annual BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

Veteran rapper Scarface received the “I Am Hip-Hop Icon” award at the taping of the show Friday night at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Scarface claimed fame through the group Geto Boys, becoming known as a solo artist with hits “Smile” and “I Seen a Man Die.”

Drake received the most nominations with 12, while Big Sean followed with 10. Nicki Minaj scored nine nods. Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole each had eight nominations.

Snoop Dogg returns for the third-straight year as host of the show, which airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. T.I., Fetty Wap and Sean “Diddy” Combs were expected to perform.

Defamation suit against Cosby can move ahead

BOSTON

A defamation lawsuit brought against Bill Cosby by three women who say he sexually abused them decades ago can move forward, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled Friday, delivering a legal blow to the comedian as he attempts to defend himself against accusations of sexual assault by dozens of women.

The women claim in their lawsuit that Cosby’s representatives damaged their reputations by denying their allegations in sometimes disparaging language. Cosby’s lawyers had asked the judge to dismiss their suit, arguing that the remarks were personal opinions protected by the First Amendment and legal declarations made in his defense.

But in his ruling Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni rejected Cosby’s bid to dismiss the case before it ever goes to a jury.

Associated Press