The 15 Most Fugazi Moments in Music

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Joseph Pistone in Donnie Brasco - In Donnie Brasco, FBI agent, Jospeh Pistone infiltrates the mob under the name Donnie Brasco. He befriends a low level mobster, Lefty, and joins his circle of gangster friends. Eventualy, Donnie Brasco would wind up testifying against his colleagues but not before he tried to save his old buddy, Lefty.  (Photo: Mandalay Entertainment)

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The 15 Most Fugazi Moments in Music - Happy birthday, Donnie Brasco! Today, February 28, is the 15th anniversary of the classic Mafia flick starring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino. One of its best moments is when Donnie, played by Depp, tells Pacino's Lefty that his diamond is a "fugazi." You know, a fake. It's a classic slang word, and unfortunately it's often perfectly suited to the world of music, where imagery, fakery and drama often win out over talent. So, in honor of Donnie Brasco's big day, BET.com brings to you the 15 most fugazi moments in music. Fuhgetaboutit! (Photo: Courtesy Columbia/TriStar Pictures)

Vanilla Ice - Ice was on the brink of losing his Palm Beach, Florida home over unpaid dues to the Homeowner's Association earlier this year, but the rapper managed to stop, collaborate and listen to the organization and keep the roof over his head.(Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

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Vanilla Ice's Street Cred Melts - Back in 1991, white rapper Vanilla Ice had the fastest-selling rap album of all time, To the Extreme, on the strength of his hit single, "Ice, Ice Baby," and a backstory that claimed he grew up rough and tumble on the streets of Miami. Later that year, a piece in The Dallas Morning News revealed that he was actually from the Dallas 'burbs, and Ice has been a punchline ever since. (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

Milli Vanilli - Around the same time Vanilla Ice's real past was exposed, it all came falling down for hit-making duo Milli Vanilli. After their backing track skipped during a performance, it became obvious the two were lip-syncing. But then reports emerged that the pair didn't even sing on their smash debut, Girl You Know It's True; their Grammy for Best New Artist was revoked as a result.(Photo: CBS/Landov)

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Milli Vanilli - Around the same time Vanilla Ice's real past was exposed, it all came falling down for hit-making duo Milli Vanilli. After their backing track skipped during a performance, it became obvious the two were lip-syncing. But then reports emerged that the pair didn't even sing on their smash debut, Girl You Know It's True; their Grammy for Best New Artist was revoked as a result.(Photo: CBS/Landov)

C&C Music Factory  - The video for C&C Music Factory's 1990 chart-topper "Gonna Make You Sweat" showed a photogenic dancer singing the explosive hook. But it turned out the real singer was Martha Wash, the legendary disco diva; after a media backlash and legal battle, the credits were amended so that finally Martha got her due. (Photos from left: COurtesy MCA Records, RCA Records)

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C&C Music Factory  - The video for C&C Music Factory's 1990 chart-topper "Gonna Make You Sweat" showed a photogenic dancer singing the explosive hook. But it turned out the real singer was Martha Wash, the legendary disco diva; after a media backlash and legal battle, the credits were amended so that finally Martha got her due. (Photos from left: COurtesy MCA Records, RCA Records)

Officer Ricky - In July 2008, The Smoking Gun published photos and documents that proved that Rick Ross, who frequently rapped about his drug kingpin past, had in fact worked as a corrections officer in the '90s. Four years later, his suspect past is a thing of the past as Ross is one of the hottest MCs in the game. (Photo: Mediatakeout.com)

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Officer Ricky - In July 2008, The Smoking Gun published photos and documents that proved that Rick Ross, who frequently rapped about his drug kingpin past, had in fact worked as a corrections officer in the '90s. Four years later, his suspect past is a thing of the past as Ross is one of the hottest MCs in the game. (Photo: Mediatakeout.com)

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Ashlee Simpson's SNL Performance - Ashlee Simpson was widely ridiculed when a technical foul-up made it obvious she was lip-syncing during a performance on Saturday Night Live in 2004.   (Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)

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Ashlee Simpson's SNL Performance - Ashlee Simpson was widely ridiculed when a technical foul-up made it obvious she was lip-syncing during a performance on Saturday Night Live in 2004.   (Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)

Soulja Boy vs. Bobbiye Sullinger and Herman Flowers - Soulja Boy was on the receiving end of twin lawsuits after a car accident. Driver Bobbiye Sullinger and passenger Herman Flowers filed a joint suit against Soulja for medical expenses, loss of income, and property damage that allegedly occurred after Soulja's Bentley hit their Chevy in L.A. The pair also claimed the rapper defamed them in a Youtube video in which Soulja called Bobbiye a racist and a liar because she accused him of stealing his whip.   (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Soulja Boy's Private Jet Fiasco - Last year, TMZ reported that Soulja Boy and his camp had told them that the "Turn My Swag On" star had bought himself a $55 million jet for his 21st birthday. A day later, the story crashed and burned when Soulja Boy's press rep told TMZ that it was 100 percent fugazi. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

HipHopDX Goes in on Plies - In 2008, website HipHopDX revealed that, despite Florida rapper Plies' frequent claims of past serious criminal activity in his music, his arrest record was misdemeanor-level skimpy.   (Photo: Ben Rose/PictureGroup)

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HipHopDX Goes in on Plies - In 2008, website HipHopDX revealed that, despite Florida rapper Plies' frequent claims of past serious criminal activity in his music, his arrest record was misdemeanor-level skimpy.   (Photo: Ben Rose/PictureGroup)

Akon: Not "Locked Up" After All - Akon, who came into the game with the prison anthem, "Locked Up," claimed he was the head of a huge auto-theft ring, and that he had served more than four years total behind bars. But an investigation by website The Smoking Gun showed that, in reality, he had only served several months while awaiting trial for possession of one stolen BMW, and that the charges were later dropped.  (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Akon: Not "Locked Up" After All - Akon, who came into the game with the prison anthem, "Locked Up," claimed he was the head of a huge auto-theft ring, and that he had served more than four years total behind bars. But an investigation by website The Smoking Gun showed that, in reality, he had only served several months while awaiting trial for possession of one stolen BMW, and that the charges were later dropped.  (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Alfamega Exposed - The Smoking Gun was at it again in 2009, publishing an investigation that revealed that Alfamega, a tough-guy rapper signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle Entertainment, was a DEA informant in the 1990s. T.I. dropped Alfa from the label as a result. (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)

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Alfamega Exposed - The Smoking Gun was at it again in 2009, publishing an investigation that revealed that Alfamega, a tough-guy rapper signed to T.I.'s Grand Hustle Entertainment, was a DEA informant in the 1990s. T.I. dropped Alfa from the label as a result. (Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)

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Cam'ron Snitching? - Cam'ron was one of the biggest proponents of the "Stop Snitching" movement (if you can call it that) a few years ago, once infamously insisting that he wouldn't even help police if a serial killer lived next door. But documents unearthed by — you guessed it — The Smoking Gun showed that he had talked to the cops after he was assaulted at a Harlem basketball game in 1999. (Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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Cam'ron Snitching? - Cam'ron was one of the biggest proponents of the "Stop Snitching" movement (if you can call it that) a few years ago, once infamously insisting that he wouldn't even help police if a serial killer lived next door. But documents unearthed by — you guessed it — The Smoking Gun showed that he had talked to the cops after he was assaulted at a Harlem basketball game in 1999. (Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

Lil Wayne's South African Body Double - Last year, rumors emerged that Lil Wayne's crew had a tussle with South African rapper Young Nucho, who bears an uncanny physical and vocal resemblance to Weezy, at a Johannesburg nightclub. Nucho later released a song addressing the incident called "I'm Not Wayne."  (Photos from left: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Courtesy Facebook)

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Lil Wayne's South African Body Double - Last year, rumors emerged that Lil Wayne's crew had a tussle with South African rapper Young Nucho, who bears an uncanny physical and vocal resemblance to Weezy, at a Johannesburg nightclub. Nucho later released a song addressing the incident called "I'm Not Wayne."  (Photos from left: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images, Courtesy Facebook)

Roxanne Shanté vs. Everybody - Pioneering Queensbridge MC Roxanne Shanté, already battle-tested from the so-called "Roxanne Wars" sparked by the UTFO single that bore her name, lashed out at Queen Latifah, Yo-Yo, MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa and more on the 1992 diss track "Big Mama."  (Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage)

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Roxanne Shante's Fake Doctorate - In the summer of 2009, a story in the NY Daily News purported that old-school femcee Roxanne Shante had forced her old record label, Warner Bros., to fund her higher education, and the rapper had gotten a Ph.D. as a result. But an investigation by Slate.com later revealed that Shante had never received a Ph.D., and that Warner Bros. had never paid a dime towards her education.   (Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage)

DMX Goes Undercover - DMX and a car are always a bad combination, but this 2004 episode stands out. DMX crashed his car through a secured gate at JFK Airport to avoid paying a $9 toll. When security arrived, he told them he was a federal agent. He then approached a driver in another car and said he needed to commandeer his or her vehicle, Jack Bauer–style. Police rolled up and put an end to DMX's fakery when they found crack in his car.   (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

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DMX Goes Undercover - DMX and a car are always a bad combination, but this 2004 episode stands out. DMX crashed his car through a secured gate at JFK Airport to avoid paying a $9 toll. When security arrived, he told them he was a federal agent. He then approached a driver in another car and said he needed to commandeer his or her vehicle, Jack Bauer–style. Police rolled up and put an end to DMX's fakery when they found crack in his car.   (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

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M.F. Doom's Impostor - Indie-rap legend MF Doom has landed in hot water over the past few years for sending an impostor disguised as him to perform at several shows. (Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)

The Documentary Was Really 50's Album - Dr. Dre already had spent over a year in the recording studio with Game when Jimmy Iovine approached 50 to help the newcomer (because Game could spit but couldn't write songs, Fif explained). "I gave him my second album," Fif said.(Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)

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50 Cent and Game's Press Conference - After their boiling beef led to a shooting outside of New York radio station Hot 97 in 2005, 50 Cent and Game seemingly made amends at a press conference. But just a few weeks later, the two were taking shots at each other in interviews and on wax, and the beef has continued unabated since then.   (Photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)