COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — A couple fighting about which gang their 4-year-old toddler should join caused a public disturbance that resulted in the father’s arrest, Commerce City police said Thursday.

On Saturday, Joseph Manzanares stormed into the Hollywood Video store where his girlfriend worked, threatened to kill her and knocked over several video displays and even a computer, Commerce City police Sgt. Joe Sandoval said.

After he ran out of the store, police were called and the 19-year-old was arrested at his home.

His girlfriend told police that they had been arguing about the upbringing of their son and which gang he should belong to. The teen mother, who is black, is a member of the Crips. Manzanares is Hispanic and belongs to the Westside Ballers gang, the woman said.

“They have different ideas on how the baby should be raised. Basically, she said they cannot agree on which gang the baby would ‘claim,’” Sandoval said.

Manzanares was charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, and domestic violence. He was transported to the Adams County Detention Facility.

On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to a year of probation. The misdemeanor harassment charge was dropped.

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The rap world needs more emissaries like Yak Ballz. Articulate, educated, dedicated and innovative, Yak, born Yashar Zadeh, has spent nearly ten years in the game. Packing a track record which speaks volumes more than an inflated ego ever could, the NYC native is ready establish his residency as one of hip-hop’s next heavy-hitters.

Born to Persian-Iranian immigrants and brought up in Flushing, Queens, Yak Ballz caught his first break in 1999, after appearing on the Stretch [Armstrong] and Bobbito [Garcia] show, which had already showcased legends like Big L, Kool Keith, and Large Professor. The following year, a 12” release on Bobbito’s Fondle ‘Em label amplified the hype surrounding the acerbic-tongued upstart, which subsequently opened doors at both Eastern Conference, and Definitive Jux records. With a slew of releases now under his belt, including three well-received full-lengths: My Claim, Scifentology, and his latest, Scifentology II, the True City Killer is poised to become your new favorite artist.

Yak’s chameleonic lyricism feels just as comfortable on hooks or extended verses as it does on bouncy or dissonant instrumentals, and it is this snap-inducing flow that has netted him a cult following. By catching the attention of URB and Rolling Stone magazines, collaborating with a gamut of artists (most notably super-group The Weathermen), and spearheading Scifen Apparel, he has guaranteed his presence in rap’s posterity. Here is a brief peek into his agenda.

“Graffiti was like my gateway drug […] it developed my sense of style across the board from music to fashion to art and how I represent myself as person and artist in my career.”

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