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Jay-Z And Russell Simmons Keep It Hip Hop Via Gambling Deal Subpoenas

10:50 a.m. · March 3, 2010 · by Andrew Winistorfer

You know what's decidedly not hood? Getting subpoenaed in a case involving a gambling contract you may have gotten after greasing palms. Rich old people get into that kind of shit, not hip-hop legends. But that's what Jigga and Russell Simmons are dealing with, now that they've been subpoenaed in a case involving New York governor David Paterson handing out a gambling contract to Aqueduct Entertainment Group after they drastically changed how much money they thought they could bring in by running slots at the Aqueduct racetrack. Jay-Z is an investor in Aqueduct Entertainment Group, and was subpoenaed presumably because his clout may have helped the company get the contract that may be illegal (and which could hurt Paterson's already crumbling ethical record). Simmons was called because he was an advisor to a losing company (Penn National). 

To be honest, I'm a bit confused as to why Jay and Russell are involved in slot machine companies anyway, but apparently there's some fat stacks to be made in investing in companies that try to get contracts to run slot machines at racetracks. Who knew? [Gothamist]