Court psychologists blame sour record deal for personality disorder.

Shawn Simmons
Philadelphia Press

ITCARE, BAHIA BRAZIL - An end-of-the-road fishing village inhabited by surfers, prostitutes and drunks alike. A place known more for its crime than its picture-perfect weather. It was to this seedy town that casino entertainer and Sony Work recording artist Jimmy Luxury came to rest and reflect after what he calls, "a bad roll of the dice." But what exactly happened in that four-month Brazilian getaway has become a mystery, not only to those in the courtroom but to Luxury himself.
In 2000, Luxury was enjoying the success of a record deal with Sony Work records and the appearance of his songs in such movies as "Me, Myself and Irene" and "Go." But when the label folded at the end of the year, Luxury watched as his dreams of fame and fortune disappeared before his eyes. By winter, Luxury had been showing signs of emotional wear. His friends decided that a retreat from the suddenly harsh world was in order.
"We all knew he was taking it hard," said Mark Boyce, friend and collaborating musician. "But this Cobraman s*** is f ****** weird."
What Mark and other friends claim to witness during that fateful vacation was often referred to as Luxury's, " strange transformation into "THE COBRAMAN." And although Luxury denies any and all rumors regarding this comic book like alter ego, witnesses describe the subject as something of a sex-crazed, maniac known for killing livestock and sea-life with his bare hands.
"I saw him with a 200-pound stingray," a local fisherman remembered. " All of the sudden, he started tearing it apart with his bare hands. I think he made a coat out of it."
But compared to other incidents reported, this seemed mild. Two days before Thanksgiving, Luxury was held in a Brazilian prison for three days on charges stemming from an incident involving a seventeen-year-old girl, a tiger and a stolen case of Logenberry scented candles.
"He asked me if I was into the three-way and I said yes," the young girl said in an interview. "Then he brought in a tiger. When he told me that the tiger was the third in the three-way, I ran." She later commented, "I love the smell of those candles."
Since his return to the states, Luxury has been brought up on a number of charges, most of which have been dropped due to insufficient evidence. What is clear in the case is the confusion among the fans.
"Luxury was all about class," said Darnell Coley, longtime Luxury fan. "Now I heard he was pissing on Penguins at the aquarium? I don't think it's the same guy."
"This Cobraman stuff is crazy," said Kevin Chesley, 31. "Crazy beats, crazy lyrics. That's some scary shit. That ain't hip-hop. That's evil. I just went to the bathroom."
Later this year, it will be hard for anyone, even Luxury, to deny the existence of Cobraman when Scooch Pooch records releases Cobraman's first E.P. in October. THE COBRAMAN EP, influenced by Biz Markie as much as Van Halen and Morris Day and the Time, has been described as the "Hip-hop Bat Out of Hell" and considered by many as "An absolute American tragedy."
While court psychologists have made up their mind about the mystery surrounding the troubled rapper, most agree that his brand of hip-hop shows signs of genius. With an album only to be out done by an unbridled live show, there is no denying his potential in the music industry.
For Jimmy Luxury or, who he has seemed to fully become, Cobraman, the battle ahead isn't one in the courtroom - his biggest fight lies in his mind, a battle between good and evil. And after listening to the evidence that is brought forth on his latest release, the jury seems to agree - don't bet on the good guy this time.