Dr. Dre Sues Detroit

D E T R O I T, July 15 -- Rapper Dr. Dre sued the city of Detroit, the mayor’s spokesman and two police officials Friday, accusing them of censorship by threatening to arrest him and organizers if he aired a questioned video during a concert.

The U.S. District Court lawsuit seeks $25 million on behalf ofthe rapper known legally as Andre Young, and promoter Chronic 2001Touring Inc. It names mayoral spokesman Greg Bowens, AssistantPolice Chief Marvin Winkler and Detroit police Commander GaryBrown.

Video Pulled

Dr. Dre alleges his free speech and due process rights wereviolated by Detroit officials who ordered the video yanked July 6from a Joe Louis Arena concert also featuring rappers Snoop Dogg,Eminem and Ice Cube.

The roughly eight-minute video, showing nudity and a bloodyshootout, ultimately was not shown, given what the lawsuit calledthe city’s “11th-hour threats,” “extreme and outrageousactions” and “clearly an unlawful prior restraint.”

Bowens said Friday he had not seen the lawsuit but described itas a “baseless (one) and shameless attempt to get more attentionfocused” on the performers’ Up in Smoke Tour.

“In a nutshell, when you can’t even fill up half of Joe Louis(Arena), this can’t be viewed as anything else but a publicitystunt to drum up more business as they go on,” Bowens said.

Police Chief Benny Napoleon, Winkler and Brown did notimmediately return telephone messages Friday.

Video ‘Integral’ to Show

The lawsuit alleges the video, “integral to (Dr. Dre’s)performance,” had played during tour stops in 10 U.S. cities andToronto “without incident before coming to Detroit.”

Hours before the local concert, the suit says, Bowens, the twopolice officials and “a significant number” of armed lawenforcers appeared at the arena and demanded the video be pulled.

At times using profanity, the lawsuit says, Bowens called thevideo inappropriate, had no court order barring its showing andcould not cite applicable laws.