Cali Rappers Halt Traffic for Performance Atop Tour Bus

A relatively unknown "hardcore hip-hop" group from California entitled Imperial Stars were having trouble getting noticed before October 14. Their Los Angeles gigs weren't yielding the sort of fan base that they desired, so they came up with a bizarre marketing tactic. Imperial Stars parked a bus across three lanes of traffic on the 101 Freeway in Hollywood, gave the keys to someone that ran off and then performed an impromptu set on the roof.

The ridiculous stunt was to promote their new single, 'Traffic Jam 101,' and the band ended up under arrest while the California Highway Patrol attempted to clear the gigantic van with their logo and imagery. At one point, traffic had backed up into the San Fernando Valley. We're not sure if that's the right way to make new fans, but now people know who they are.

"This type of behavior is not acceptable," said Patrol offer Terry Liu. "Our officers were tied up on scene trying to handle this while they could have been handling other business or other emergency incidents occurring nearby but instead they were stuck having to deal with this."

The band -- Keith Richard Yackey, 31, of Las Vegas; Christopher Roy Wright, 32, of Garden Grove; and David Paul Hale, 30, of Stanton -- were booked for disturbing the peace, resisting or delaying a peace officer, conspiring to commit a crime, and unlawful assembly. They were released from custody later that same day.

Imperial Stars aren't all that horrible, though. They have pledged that all the money they earn from single sales on 'Traffic Jam 101' will be donated to the non-profit organization Homeless Children America.