Photos courtesy of Edith Williams of Diamond Digital Portraits

Mario, Raheem DeVaughn, CJ Hilton, Paula Campbell and more performed for Baltimore’s youth last night at the “Benefit for Baltimore’s Children” presented by Living Classrooms Foundation and the Mario Do Right Foundation! Last night’s event was held at the Hippodrome. Proceeds from the concert will go towards Living Classrooms’ education and job training programs and to help the Do Right Foundation educate and inspire youth that have been affected by drug and alcohol abuse in the home. You can learn more about Mario’s foundation by clicking here, livingclassrooms.org.

Hardaway said she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when she called police on Oct. 1 and that her son never laid a hand on her.

Mario’s attorney, Billy Murphy, says it was clear from the beginning that his client never struck his mother and that Mario “remains committed to helping his mother battle her addiction.”

Hardaway has battled alcohol and heroin addiction.

“It was clear from the beginning that Mario never touched or struck his mother,” Murphy added. “She was under the influence of drugs when she gave her statement to police. To her credit, she corrected her statement in court today.”

Mario Arrested For Allegedly Attacking Mother

Mario Punches Engineer At Concert

Mario’s Girlfriend Got Hit Upside The Head With A Bottle?

Mario, 24, was charged with second-degree assault Friday after his mother, Shawntia Hardaway, told police that she feared for her life after he shoved her, yelled at her and damaged property in their Baltimore apartment.

A source tells Us the fight allegedly broke out because of her lifelong battle with drugs. The source says Mario learned his mother had withdrawn money from his bank account to support her habit and also charged up his credit cards. When he got home, he found her “cracked out on drugs,” the source says.

Though he was taken into custody, the source says the singer did nothing wrong; he was only trying to help calm his mother down. The source suspects all charges will be dropped.

Says Mario, “I will continue to support her any way that I can.”

Get the details here: Mario Arrested For Allegedly Attacking Mother

We suspected that the fight was over her heroin addiction – something Mario tried to put an end to back in 2007 when he appeared on the MTV documentary special “I Won’t Love You To Death” in which he had cameras follow his attempt at an intervention.

Mario’s lawyer, Hassan Murphy, has confirmed our suspicions. He released a statement on Saturday, saying that the arrest was:

“An unfortunate incident between a loving son and a mother who continues to struggle with a devastating addiction. Anyone who has waged the battle to save loved ones from the forces of drugs knows the irrational behavior that almost always accompanies their actions. Despite the allegations, Mario remains committed to supporting his mother.”

Mario Punches Engineer At Concert

Mario’s Girlfriend Got Hit Upside The Head With A Bottle?

You know it’s officially summer in Baltimore with the kickoff of the 2010 African American Heritage Festival at the M&T Bank Stadium. The eventful weekend opened its gates Friday afternoon at 4 and is scheduled to continue until Sunday evening. And it’s FREE before 4 pm.

Vendors from all over the city are stationed here for the weekend. There’s great food, fun, clothing, more fun, art exhibits, rides for the kids, extreme fun and of course LIVE MUSIC! And the Magic 95.9 Crew has FREE giveaways!

Friday’s lineup included the queen of DMV Paula Campbell, Ryan Leslie and Robin Thicke. Ryan Leslie rocked the crowd with “Addicted” and Robin Thicke wooed the ladies with heavy-hitting tracks from his latest album Sex Therapy.

Saturday Patti Labelle guest hosted the concert with performances from Leela James, Marsha Ambrosius (formerly of Floetry), and Fantasia. The legendary Patti Labelle graced Baltimore with her presence by bringing Fantasia on the stage. Both Leela and Fantasia were disturbed by the non-paying concert goers being kept behind a gate and made it their job to include them in the show. Leela walked off the stage and into the crowd hugging fans and kissing babies. Fantasia demanded the gates be removed and told thousands of screaming fans to come up to the stage.

Come out to enjoy the sights, wonderful sounds and delicious smells.

Check out some of the performances here:

Ryan Leslie

Robin Thicke

Fantasia

Marsha Ambrosius

Gallery photos courtesy of Edith Williams of Diamond Digital Portraits, Robin Razzi and Stevie Robinson.

For more information on the AAHF, click here.

Mario, born Mario Dewar Barrett, is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer, actor, model, dancer and philanthropist who hailed from Baltimore. This talented 23 year old made a huge splash on the scene with his single “Just A Friend” which was released in 2002. “Let Me Love You”, released in 2004, is another one of his top hits that put the Baltimorean on the map.

Mario also has a few acting gigs under his belt appearing in the films Step Up and Freedom Writers. He was also ranked Billboard’s #98 on their “Artist of the Decade” list.

Mario grew up in Gwynn Oak and lived with his grandmother while his mother battled with a drug addiction. The young Mario always wanted to be a singer. He was discovered by Troy Patterson after singing “I’ll Make Love To You” at a Coppin State College talent show. At the age of 14, he received a record deal with Clive Davis‘ J Records. He was inspired by Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Usher and other R&B greats. Mario has released four albums to date and will be working on another to be released next year.

Mario competed on season 6 of Dancing With The Stars and was eliminated in Week 8 of the competition. He is also the new face of PETA.

Mario and his new girlfriend Dez hit Miami Beach this past weekend.

If the pictures look familiar, it’s because Dez’s best friend, Amber Rose, and Kanye West strutted their stuff the same way, in the same place nine months ago. (See Amber go topless and rock a G-string here: GALLERY: Amber And Kanye Heat Up Miami)

And read all about the new couple here: COUPLE ALERT: Mario & Amber Rose’s “BFF” Dez.

Turns out Dez is also Mario’s manager’s ex-fiance. Grimy.

And check out our original story of the week: “Just Wright” Stars Show Us 4 Perfect “Date Night” Outfits

Are you not selling enough albums, Mario? Because this move sounds like it came straight out of “Kim Kardashian’s Book Of Steps To Fame-Whoredom.”

Mario has begun dating Amber Rose’s BFF (and rumored lesbian lover) Dez.

This is the same Dez who got us talking last year when she posted some really “friendly” photos of her and Amber on her Myspace page.

And the same Dez who, not to long ago, was engaged to Mario’s own manager J. Erving (son of basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving).

But Mario has been seen out and about with his new girl on his arm, and he seems completely unashamed.

See the pics of this brand new love triangle below.

Plus, here’s what Amber told Complex Magazine back in August when asked about those infamous photos:

Complex: When the pictures of you and a lady friend hit the blogs, it caused some commotion because people thought you were stepping out on Kanye. Who is that lady and what’s the story?
Amber Rose: [Laughs] I will definitely straighten that one out. That is my bestest friend Dez. She’s been my friend for about ten years now. We were dancers-you know, strippers-together, and that night when we took all those pictures, I was back in Philly and hadn’t seen her in a while, and I was like, “Yo Dez, let’s just take some shots of Hennessy and take some fuckin’ pictures, just for us.” She didn’t realize I do have some type of celebrity-status, and she posted them on her MySpace. Kanye knows that that’s just my friend, we’re not lesbian lovers. Everybody made a big deal out of that and it’s like, how many girls do that everyday and take silly pictures?

Read the rest of the Complex article here: Amber Rose: “I’m Not Into Threesomes”

Word has it, when J. Erving found out Mario was getting it in with his chick, he left as his manager. While some sources say Mario fired him and his whole team for not doing their job and making him the new “R&B king”. I’ll leave that latter aspect alone.

NEW VIDEO: “Ooh Baby,” Mario Has A Threesome

Mario opens up about the personal struggles behind the career

When Mario listens to the radio today, he says, “I don’t get chills.” To be sure, there are artists he feels are tremendously talented, but no one makes him feel like he does when he listens to legends like Luther Vandross or Marvin Gaye. “There aren’t many singers out, especially in this generation of young crooners,” he says.

Not only is he a singer, but Mario also is a rare song-and-dance man, as anyone who watched him waltz and fox-trot his way to third place on Season 6 of “Dancing With the Stars” knows. Throw in his acting chops, on display in movies like “Step Up” and “Freedom Writers” (he also auditioned recently for a role in “Little Fockers”) and he’s a triple threat.

Mario’s fourth album, “D.N.A.,” which seamlessly blends R&B, pop and soul, entered the Billboard 200 at No. 9, and its first single, “Break Up,” soared to No. 2 on the R&B charts. Mario and Trey Songz are headlining the 106th & Park tour through November. The singer met with MSN Music following the BET/Live Nation tour’s stop in Los Angeles.

MSN Music: Why is the album called “D.N.A.?”

Mario: I feel like sometimes my image is caught up in just music and not so much who I am as a person. With the title “D.N.A.,” I’ll be able to tell my story more. I never really told this story: When my mother was giving birth to me, they almost lost me a couple of times. They had to go through so many procedures to make sure while I was inside her, that my heart was still beating and that I was still alive.

You were a fighter.

That’s what the doctor said: “There’s something in his DNA.” My mother would tell me this story, and I’d go, “Oh, wow.” But now it has a deeper meaning to me than it did when I was younger.

Read full story.

Source: msn.com