Rapper Immortal Technique was taken into custody on Thursday evening, just hours before he was scheduled to open for Talib Kweli at The Observatory OC in Santa Ana, CA. The rapper, whose real name is Felipe Andres Coronel, was allegedly involved in an assault and robbery with some parking lot t-shirt vendors who had used Immortal Technique’s trademarked logo without paying him.
The two vendors were approached by roughly 10-12 members of Immortal Technique’s entourage, and were forced to hand over the merchandise, as well as their cell phones and cash. The two were then assaulted by the group, but police reported that no one was significantly injured. They did not recover the stolen wares, however.
Immortal Technique and tour manager Stephen Alexander McDaniel were taken into custody and questioned, but eventually released in time for the rapper to perform at the concert. The show was sold out, and authorities thought it was in the best interest to let Technique perform. The joint Kweli/Technique tour continued last night in Tempe, AZ.
[Via The OC Register]