Live from the City of Lost Angels, this is Damage Control's The Operative still filling in for your main homie Danny "D Butters" Rudder. What's the dilly, yo?

First up in the "mutha%#$@a say wha?" column, the word from the Operative's extensive network of Bothan b-boys is that Public Enemy's voice of extremity, PROFESSOR GRIFF has been doing some work for Da Man on the side! Strange but true, Griff has been working as a bounty hunter, using his extensive skills in martial arts and military style training to bring in those who even America's Most Wanted look out for! Considering his anti-white, anti-government, anti-dang-near-everybody stance, one may wonder about this ... but the suspicion on the streets is that most of his collars are probably not people of color. Dang, maybe George Lucas could cast him as an ill nemesis for BOBA FETT in next summer's Star Wars flick?

According to a pair of Krylon cans that were shipped in from NYC, old school boy wonder SPECIAL ED got a letter from the government. The Man Who Had It Madeis suing the New York Police Department. Seems that some of New York's Finest wanted to pursue a suspected drug dealer through Ed's yard, says a shoe salesman from Hoboken. Like any conscious man, he told 'em to get off his property! The cops screamed him down, chased the guy anyway, came back, and beat down Ed and his older brother! Ill! Yo, Ed, don't worry 'bout your time zone, baby get your grind on!

The Operative had the extreme displeasure of being in the audience for the next to last episode of THE MAGIC HOUR, which has since died a horrible, writhing death. Outside the studio, several jackbooted thugs traded professional secrets with The Operative and said that even with the introduction of the much funnier TOMMY DAVIDSON (who was that white guy?) and the presence of the very sexy but all-too-often overdressed SHIELA E. (where's that outfit from "You Got The Look?"), MAGIC was just too nice and boring and ratings were too low. Somewhere, ARSENIO HALL shines his gums and shakes his head, still the man in urban late night.

As the world anxiously awaits The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, we'd like to have just a word with sis: Can we get an ill posse cut with you, BAHAMADIA, MEDUSA & Feline Science, NONCHALANT, the BRIL-YENT NOBODY, DIONNE FARRIS, and MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO? Say what? C'mon, please?

More and more people in the industry keep gossiping about a possible NWA reunion album, with SNOOP DOGG filling in for the dearly departed EAZY E. Sad thing is, a bow-tied bean pie salesman on Crenshaw in LA told us that it is DR. DRE who keeps dragging his feet and making things saltier than a tour of the Lawry's plant. Said Farrakhan supporter said there would be a project to commemmorate the 10th anniversary of Straight Outta Compton, a tribute album will be released featuring the already heard MACK 10 "Dopeman" and BONE's "F*** Tha Police," plus rumored appearances by BIG PUN and FAT JOE (on "Quiet on the Set"), SILKK THE SHOCKER and C-MURDER ("Express Yourself"), as well as KING TEE and MC EIHT coming together on the title cut.

Speaking of DRE, Aftermath underground sensation EMINEM (like the candy) had heads coast to coast wondering. An incredibly lyrical white boy? Wha hoppened? He's been lighting up freestyle ciphers like SWAY & KING TECH's internationally syndicated Wake Up show, and should theoretically have an album due out sometime this year. Keep your eyes out for him.

Guess who is 'bout to get their cinema on? A security guard at the Magic Johnson Theatres told us that ATCQ's Q-TIP is lookin' to hook up with I Like It Like That's girl wonder DARNELL MARTIN to drop a flick through New Line Cinemas -- after his disappointing performance on Beats, Rhymes & Life, perhaps a different brand of storytelling will let him flip it?

Speaking of movies, a six-year-old police sharpshooter let us know that DANNY DEVITO and DJ POOH are linked to a new film called 3 Strikes, about the controversial California law. While cleaning his M-79, this kid also noted that DEVITO had something to do with the funding of urban opus Friday, so obviously Dan is down for the 'hood, fool. Thought you knew?

Carrying over last month's Jackson's notes, The Gloved One himself is teaming up with DON BARDEN, a millionaire from the Motor City, to build a huge casino/entertainment complex. A fly human resources manager danced with the operative at Club BC's in Detroit, and whispered in his ear that the whole thing is embroiled in a local referendum, and is at the mercy of the voters. Can you just see getting your gamble on with a big ol' statue of MICHAEL JACKSON grabbing itself over you?

Finally, in that it was this writer who probably caused it, LL COOL J is hanging up his mic cord. Yay! A pair of Swedish masseuses whispered that James wants to concentrate on his acting like that other Mr. Smith, but the Operative knows that the threat of serving him in his Damage Control column really scared him out of the biz. Oh, JAY-Z is retiring from the mic, too, but so what?

That's all the news that's fit to be stolen, and this is the Operative signing off from the City of Lost Angels.

-- theoperative@innocent.com