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Tweet from rapper's Twitter makes LA sheriff jitter

Rapper Game's Twitter account declares he is looking for an intern and suggests candidates call a number-- which happens to be that of Compton police station. The police aren't pleased. The Game says it wasn't him or perhaps it was an accident.

Chris Matyszczyk
2 min read

There comes a point when social networking becomes an anti-social game.

Talking of games, here's Charles Louboutin. You might think of him as something to do with shoes. Or you might think of him as Game (formerly The Game), a rapper who, um, has a new album coming out.

Louboutin isn't his real name. That's Jayceon Terrell Taylor. But he likes to be called Louboutin because "it's the red bottom." Oh, ask your nearest fashion queen.

Just the other day, Game's Twitter account told his more than 580,000 followers that he had a red alert for an intern. Curiously, he offered a phone number. This, startlingly, turned out to be the number of the LA sheriff's station at Compton.

Certainly, this may have been an innocent mistake. Possibly, this wasn't Game himself tweeting at all. Indeed, the Los Angeles Times offered that Game tweeted: "It wasn't me (shaggy voice)."

Which is, um, amusing or something.

However, the Times also reported that the Compton sheriff's station phone lines were so jammed that sheriff Capt. Mike Parker got in touch with Game to ask him to stop the, um, game.

Screenshot: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET

"This was beyond irresponsible," Parker told the L.A Times. "The deputies' ability to answer the phones and dispatch personnel to help these people in danger was significantly impeded."

If only one could make irresponsibility cease with just one complaint, one message. Game reportedly deleted the tweet, under pressure. However, some might think he compromised himself by also tweeting: "Yall can track a tweet down but cant solve murders ! Dat was an accident but maybe now yall can actually do yall job !!!! #iSpeak4ThePeople."

There might be several people for whom Game does not speak. There might be several people who are wondering just how much of an accident this might have been. Capt. Parker seems to believe that Louboutin is something of a high heel.

Screenshot: Chris Matyszczyk/CNET

Indeed, not only does Parker feel Louboutin is responsible for the mess, he is reportedly keen to press criminal charges. Parker offered, portentously, to the L.A Times: "Each phone call made does open the possibility for an additional charge."

Though Game doesn't appear to be concerned, perhaps it's worth imagining that authorities around the world are becoming increasingly frustrated with the things young rebels send out into the socially networked world.

Indeed, after the spirited rioting in the U.K., a teenager was charged with inciting anti-social group behavior with his BlackBerry.

If it is proved that Game was behind this L.A. mischief, it is possible that he might get more than a rap across the bejeweled fingers for his trouble.

Regretfully, Twitter is just too easy and just too public to resist. It's like doing stand-up for a ready-made audience. It seems, though, that the authorities are becoming increasingly keen on heckling.