Rebecca Black death threats investigated by police

YouTube

Rebecca Black probably isn't smiling about the death threats she received via phone and e-mail.

Rebecca Black's rapid rise to YouTube fame hasn't come without serious drawbacks.

Police are investigating two death threats made against the 13-year-old, who became an Internet sensation with her music video "Friday."

The threats were made in March, some time after the video went viral, according to Anaheim Police spokesman Rick Martinez.

"In essence the threats were related to getting the music off the Internet or they were going to kill her," Martinez said.

"We can't validate how serious they are, but we do take it seriously," he added.

Martinez said officers are "keeping an extra eye out" for Black as they investigate the messages, which were made through her Los Angeles-based production and management companies.

Ark Music Factory produced Black's now-infamous video earlier this year. Once it became an Internet phenomenon, TMZ.com reported she signed with manager Debra Baum of DB Entertainment while Billboard.com said she made a deal with John McEntee of TEI Entertainment.

Investigators have not yet identified the person or persons behind the threats, which were sent by phone and email, but they could face criminal charges.

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"We're going to investigate and determine, number one, the source of the comments and then based on the investigation determine what intent was and where we go from here," Martinez said. "If we believe they were actually intended as threats we will work toward prosecution."

Black was an unknown Southern California middle-school student before "Friday" was released in February by Ark, a boutique record label.

The video, in which Black sings about her weekend plans, generated more than 110 million views on YouTube even as it was mocked by both consumers and critics.

Since then Black has made appearances on national television and racked up chart entries in the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada.

Visible Measures, which tracks the performance of Web videos, has said that including copies of the video, spoofs and other versions available on hundreds of video sites, "Friday" has generated more than 200 million views ? beating Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and Justin Bieber's "Pray."

In interviews last month with The Daily Beast and "Good Morning America," Black spoke out about some of the backlash she's faced.

One offended listener, she said, told her to "cut yourself and ? get an eating disorder so you'll look pretty."

"Those hurtful comments really shocked me," Black told The Daily Beast. "At times, it feels like I'm being cyberbullied."

But with threatening comments now spilling into her offline life as well, Black may be truly regretting her newfound fame.

With News Wire Services

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