Despite the legacy of Rakim‘s 1987 campaign “Eric B for President,” the infamously funky Fonda Rae‘s sample of “Over Like a Fat Rat” still knocking from the drop of the first 16 seconds and the god emcee’s lyrics – pioneer rap status was not enough to stop authorities from locking the group’s DJ up.
Eric B., one-half of the legendary Hip-Hop duo of Eric B & Rakim, was released from jail two weeks after getting arrested for a 17-year-old bench warrant.
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Eric B. whose real name is Eric Barrier was released on Tuesday from Bergen County jail, where he was jailed for failure to appear for the sentencing phase of pleading guilty to aggravated assault and resisting arrest in 2002.
Eric B’s new attorney explained that his lawyer at the time, Paul Bergrin, gave him inaccurate info, citing that he didn’t have to appear at his sentencing in March of that year, NJ Advance Media reports.
“Mr. Bergrin told Mr. Barrier that his case was ‘dismissed’ because he was accepted into PTI (pre-trial intervention),” his attorney Patrick Toscano wrote in a letter to Judge James Guida.
“When Mr. Barrier asked Mr. Bergrin if he was sure of that, Mr. Bergrin advised him that he definitely did not need to appear, and that Mr. Bergrin would be in court on that date to handle everything for him.”
And Eric B’s old attorney seems like a bad seed, since he is currently serving six life sentences for a number of crimes including trafficking, racketeering, and murder.
“Bergrin’s counsel to Mr. Barrier was flawed, fraudulent, unethical and deceptive, through no fault of Mr. Barrier,” Toscano continued.
Eric B was doing pretty well up until he was jailed. He recently snagged a role on the CBS hit series Blue Bloods which features stars Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, and Tom Selleck.
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Eric B is also worried that he’ll lose his job because of the foul circumstances, his lawyer said.
“He advised me that his role on Blue Bloods will be compromised and he will likely have his contract voided if he is not released from the (jail) at this time to explain this entire situation to his producers/directors,” Toscano wrote.
On Tuesday, Eric B. was ultimately released and is expected back in court on Nov. 22.
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