NEWS: Kanye West Arrested at Airport

Outspoken Hip Hop star Kanye West was arrested on Thursday morning (September 11) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), along with his manager Don Crowley. However, they were released later that afternoon, with prosecutors now working to determine what charges West and Crowley may face.

The incident started when the rapper and his manager got into a scuffle with paparazzi as they were on their way to boarding a flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. The duo had not yet reached a security screening checkpoint when the altercation began. LAX is known as a popular spot for photographers wanting to catch a glimpse of stars like Britney Spears.

Footage of the incident has been posted by TMZ.com, which shows West and Crowley grabbing a camera from a photographer who approaches them. It then appears that West's manager smashes the camera to the ground.

The video operator began filming mid-confrontation, so it does not show how the incident began or what may have caused it to escalate. The photographer can be heard yelling "Police! Police!" and "Help me!" in the midst of the scuffle.

TMZ is reporting that Crowley then accosted their videographer, who was shooting the footage. Before security could intervene, the video camera was apparently broken in the scuffle.

Conflicting reports though are stating that it was West and Crowley who were accosted first. A witness by the name of Charles Davis (who solicits charity donations at the airport) says that Kanye West was "attacked" by paparazzi, and that he "just defended himself." Davis also said that he doesn't believe that the camera was destroyed, "it was just knocked out of the man's hand," he said.

Speaking of the music supertstar, Davis stated "he's got a good, kind heart. I've gotten his autograph several times. I just don't see why he was arrested. The man just put the camera too close to his face. I don't blame him."

Following the incident, police interviewed several witnesses at the airport, with West and Crowley being sent to a nearby Los Angeles Police Department station, according to Marshall Lowe, a spokesman for LAX.

West reportedly left the police station by mid-afternoon in a black Chevrolet Suburban, shielded by umbrellas so that photographers couldn't get a shot, although giving a brief statement to reporters.

The Chicago-native, who first rose to fame in 2004 with his debut album The College Dropout and the equally successful Late Registration (2005) and Graduation (2007), has become well-known for his temper tantrums, taking on MTV and President George W Bush, "George Bush doesn't care about black people" he said in 2005 during a Hurricane Katrina telethon.

In 2007 after not winning any trophies at the MTV Video Music Awards, despite nominations in several catergories, West told reporters that he would never return to MTV again. In 2005 he also stormed the stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards, unleashing an expletive-filled tirade after his elaborate and expensive video for Touch The Sky failed to win an award.

Apparently the relationship has now been repaired as the rapper/producer appeared at the MTV VMAs this past Sunday night (September 7), at the Paramount Studios lot in Hollywood. The award ceremony concluded with West performing the new single Love Lockdown, which is rumored to be from his upcoming new album.