TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

The man at the center of the A$AP Rocky assault case -- the man who provoked the rapper and even attacked him before A$AP reluctantly snapped back -- was convicted of criminal assault in Sweden 3 years ago.

Mustafa Jafari, Rocky's alleged victim, was convicted of striking a man in his forehead and beating the victim's face back in 2016, when Jafari was 16 years old. It happened on the streets of Stockholm, the very place Jafari harassed and assaulted A$AP and his crew earlier this month.

Jafari was prosecuted and convicted of assault, and his sentence ... 30 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay his victim around $500 in cash.

Jafari was also convicted of 2 minor drug offenses ... one in November 2017 and the other in May 2018. He was ordered to pay a fine for both, but served no jail time.

As we reported, Jafari was the instigator in the A$AP Rocky incident -- he's the guy in the white shirt. Prosecutors have cleared him, claiming he was acting in self-defense.

Lil Nas X is using his popularity to jack old songs and rack up millions of views -- and dollars -- without rights to do so ... according to a new lawsuit.

The 20-year-old rapper -- who's been the hottest thing in hip-hop and possibly country this year -- is being sued, along with Sony, by a company called The Music Force for jacking the 1982 Bobby Caldwell song, "Carry On."

According to the suit ... X posted a track on YouTube, Spotify and Soundcloud that appropriated parts of "Carry On" without permission, and as of early July it had nearly 4 million YT views.

The Music Force alleges Lil Nas was "motivated by greed and malicious intent."

The company is also suing Sony because it recently signed the rapper to a record deal ... and it says it should made sure its artist got the song cleared.

The Music Force is asking for a whopping $25 million, claiming X has destroyed the value of its Bobby Caldwell song by jacking it.

We reached out to Lil Nas and Sony ... no word back so far.

Kanye West wants to be holier-than-thou when it comes to hawking apparel embossed with his now-famous Sunday Service, because he's asking the feds to allow him to corner the market.

Ye just filed legal docs asking for exclusive ownership of clothing, dresses, footwear, headwear, jackets loungewear, scarves, shirts, socks and clothing tops.

If approved, he'll get a trademark that gives his exclusive rights to sell the merch.

Kanye had a merch booth at Coachella during his Sunday Service on Easter Sunday. He sold hoodies for $165 and $225 a pop and socks for ... $50!!!

He took some heat from some folks on social media who felt it was untoward to make a buck on such a holy day.

The Sunday Service has become quite the thing ... riddled with celebs such as Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Kid Cudi and, of course, the entire Kardashian Klan.

Wendy Williams says rappers should absolutely follow the money if it leads them to Sweden ... she says there's no point in turning down shows in the country because of A$AP Rocky.

We got Wendy out in New York City Tuesday and she told us she's totally against the proposed rap industry boycott of Sweden ... because it's money over everything.

The beloved talk show host says rappers have to do what's best for them, and if that means booking shows in Sweden, so be it ... after all, she says they've got to pay their bills by any means necessary.

Wendy's stance on the potential boycott is opposite Slim Jxmmi's position ... the Rae Sremmurd rapper said Monday there's no reason for artists to perform in Sweden as long as A$AP is rotting in a Swedish jail.

Wendy wants A$AP freed, and she feels like he was baited into the street brawl that landed him behind bars ... but she doesn't see the sense in others hurting their bottom lines as a show of support.

The stakes are not only high for A$AP Rocky in his Swedish assault case ... the European nation itself could be forced to pay UNTOLD MILLIONS if he's ultimately cleared.

There's something we found about Swedish law that ups the stakes dramatically ... if someone is charged with a crime and is found not guilty, the country could be on the hook for all the money the victorious defendant lost as a result of incarceration and the trial.

In A$AP's case ... that's a fortune. He's already been in jail for going on 3 weeks and it's all but certain he'll be formally charged Thursday with aggravated assault. The chances of getting sprung from jail once he's charged are slim to none, because Sweden considers him a flight risk.

By the time he goes to trial, months may have passed, and that means a bunch of scheduled concert dates will go down the tubes.

He's already had to cancel 12 shows and is booked for 7 more through the month of September.

It's unclear exactly how much Rocky gets paid for each gig -- but between 2014 and 2017, reported booking fees from each concert range from $80k to $120k. It's 2019, so let's just say his flat quote these days is north of $100k.

The longer he sits in jail, the more the stakes go up ... $2 mil, and maybe a lot more.

Future wanted to kick some ass before a melee broke out that left his bodyguard knocked out cold ... but his team pulled him away, fearing he'd end up like A$AP Rocky ... behind bars.

As we reported, a group of around 10 guys started harassing Future and his crew at the Ibiza Airport ... and sources connected to Future say it was full-on racist attack, which began with racial epithets. A fight erupted, and Future's bodyguard did some street justice with 6 of the guys before he got coldcocked with an alleged rock to the head.

We're told before the fighting began, Future was fully engaged and enraged, but his team had A$AP on the brain and didn't want the rapper to end up in a Spanish jail, so they literally pulled him away from the scene. That's when the bodyguard took over.

Future clearly wanted in on the action, because his anger was apparent hours later when he referred to the attackers as "fake goons" and other choice words.

It's interesting ... it sure looks like Sweden is trying to send a message to black rappers that they come to the country at their peril. The message seems to have been received loud and clear, and rappers visiting other European countries are adjusting their moves accordingly ... clearly out of fear the justice system will screw them.

By the way ... eyewitnesses tell us the sucker punch video is edited to make it look like Future was watching nearby with no concern for his bodyguard ... but fact is he didn't see it and had already left the scene.

The good news ... our sources say the bodyguard is doing fine.

As you know ... things played out much differently for A$AP in Stockholm earlier this month, where a man allegedly harassed and attacked the rapper's bodyguard. Rocky tried to diffuse the situation but eventually snapped and now has hell to pay.

Diddy's search for mentors is OVER ... O-Town's offering their services if Diddy needs a hand for his "Making the Band" reboot.

We got the band out Monday in NYC and had to get their take on Diddy bringing back the famed reality show. If ya missed it ... Diddy announced earlier this month he's bringing back the MTV series that helped launch bands like O-Town and Danity Kane. It's set for a 2020 return.

The guys were in the middle of dishing some advice for the reboot but also took it a step further ... shooting their shot and literally telling Diddy to call them about possibly serving as mentors on the show.

Slim Jxmmi is fully supporting a rap industry boycott of Sweden ... and he says it's all because of the country's awful treatment of A$AP Rocky.

The Rae Sremmurd rapper is calling for all rap artists to stop touring in Sweden, and it sounds like the boycott could be indefinite ... because Jxmmi says no one should perform there until A$AP is released from jail and gives his blessing.

Slim has performed in Sweden in the past, but he says that's all over now ... he promises he won't return to the European nation until they change their laws and right their wrongs with A$AP.

As for the dangers posed by touring overseas ... Slim says it's real tricky, claiming he was almost detained once for smoking weed at a festival. His story sounds a little like the one Quavo shared with us last week, when he told our photog he was almost arrested in Sweden.

As we first reported ... A$AP's mom thinks Sweden is trying to make an example of her son -- who is has been in jail for weeks without being charged with a crime -- and she says there's a good chance race is factor.

A$AP Rocky's mom believes the country of Sweden is trying to make an example of her son ... and there's very a good chance it's only because of the color of his skin.

Renee Black says she's run out of ideas to help get her son out of jail ... thinking President Trump's involvement would have been enough of a push to free Rocky. Renee has only spoken to Rocky one time since he was locked up earlier this month, but says he sounded strong.

While Renee tells our camera guy she doesn't want to pull the race card, it's hard for her to ignore the signs ... saying, "if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, then it's a duck."

Swedish prosecutors have maintained the only reason they're holding A$AP is because they consider him a flight risk ... and have until Thursday to decide whether or not to charge him with assault.

It was early July when Rocky and members of his team were seen on video beating a man in Stockholm after the man allegedly followed and harassed them for a long period of time.

A$AP Rocky is getting a groundswell of support from fans on the ground in Sweden ... posters calling for his release are popping up all over Stockholm, and people are snapping pics to bring attention to his plight.

Smash Fest, the music festival A$AP performed at days before he turned himself into police in Stockholm, has started a #JusticeForRocky campaign in the country's capital ... and festival honchos tell us they've printed out and put up thousands of posters that read, "FREE A$AP ROCKY ASAP."

We're told Smash Fest created the signage to show support for A$AP and urge Swedish authorities to release him ... and people have been showing their support for the Harlem rapper by taking pics with the posters and posting them all over social media.

It's interesting ... we're told many of the posters were taken down soon after going up, but Smash Fest printed new ones and replaced them almost immediately.

One A$AP supporter in Stockholm tells us he's been walking around the city with a poster as a silent protest ... and he says most people have been sympathetic and supportive.

Smash Fest tells us they stand with A$AP and they feel sorry for fans who will miss him this summer ... as he's already missing out on tons of previously scheduled shows across Europe.

A$AP remains in a Swedish jail ... and later this week prosecutors are expected to formally charge him with aggravated assault.

Future's bodyguard was knocked the f out and a source close to the rapper says it was a racially-motivated attack.

The incident went down Monday in Ibiza, Spain at the International Airport. We're told Future had just arrived and was walking through the terminal when 10 guys approached and asked for a photo. Future said, "Not today, guys," because he was tired and had just gotten off a long flight.

We're told the guys then erupted in anger, and began hurling racial slurs and other epithets.

Our sources say Future's bodyguard stepped in and tried to block the guys and get Future to his ride on the curb.

The sources say the bodyguard actually beat up several of the guys before someone came from behind and sucker punched him. The sources claim the person who struck the bodyguard did so with a rock.

The man who attacked A$AP Rocky's crew will NOT be prosecuted for any crime, despite the fact that he incited the violence and persisted in harassing the rapper before A$AP finally snapped.

Swedish prosecutors just said they believe the guy who harassed Rocky attacked his bodyguard in self-defense, after being pushed and lifted by his neck. The initial video does not show anyone getting physical with the guy, but prosecutors have drawn that conclusion.

To the contrary, you hear Rocky in the first video trying to diffuse the situation, saying no one wants to go to jail.

Nevertheless, prosecutors say the guy was acting in self-defense when he hurled his headphones at Rocky's bodyguard, cutting his head.

Here's the bizarre part ... the bodyguard has already been CLEARED by Swedish authorities. So, on the one hand the bodyguard acted appropriately, and on the other he incited the violence and caused the other guy to act in self-defense. In other words, it doesn't make sense.

The man was never taken into custody during the investigation, despite the fact that Rocky was detained a day after the incident and remains in jail 2 1/2 weeks later, and no charges have been filed.

It's clear Rocky will be charged with aggravated assault ... prosecutors mistakenly said as much last week. If convicted, he faces 6 years in Swedish prison.

The Swedish justice system is apparently an immovable force, because the Prime Minister has essentially told President Trump and the State Dept. to butt out after their attempts to free the rapper.

A$AP Rocky says race is not an issue in his detention, TMZ has learned ... but the reality is, he has to say that.

There's certainly plenty of smoke ... as we reported, G-Eazy -- a white rapper -- was arrested in Sweden for assault and cocaine possession, yet he only spent a day-and-a-half in jail, pled guilty, coughed up $9k and he was on his merry way.

A$AP's been in jail going on 3 weeks and he hasn't even been charged, and when that happens it will only be for aggravated assault ... an assault that was provoked by the alleged victim.

That said, our A$AP sources say he has made it clear to all in contact with him ... he doesn't think he's being held because he's black. That's consistently been his story.

Here's the reality ... if A$AP or his team DARED suggest he's being held because he's a black rapper, there would be hell to pay with the prosecutor and probably the judge as well. We've spoken with Swedish Embassy and other officials, and they're all adamant ... they do not discriminate. If foreigners suggested otherwise in court, our sources say it would be a disaster.

We're told A$AP will be charged and will then face 6 years in prison. The best defense they got is provocation by the alleged victim.

One thing's clear by now ... all the work the State Dept. and President have done trying to lobby Swedish officials hasn't worked ... in fact, it may have been counterproductive because prosecutors may not like what they consider intermeddling, and the Prime Minister is siding with them.

Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in NYC appears to have been visited by some would-be criminals who left their mark ... and now have the venue on edge.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... NYPD took a criminal mischief report over the weekend after the club's staff called cops and reported someone had jacked up their front door, in what the staff believed to be an attempted break-in.

We're told cops were shown photos of the damaged door, which looked like someone chipped away at it with some sort of instrument. However, officers noted the door had since been fixed.

Our sources also tell us that the police reviewed surveillance footage from the club, but found no clear evidence of a crime being committed. They're currently investigating whether this could've been an attempted break-in, and the case has been assigned to a detective.

Now, sources close to the 40/40 Club tell us the venue staff feels strongly this was a failed attempted break-in, based on what they've seen on their own cameras.

We're told the club is in possession of footage that shows two suspicious men hanging out in front of the building Friday afternoon, where one of them appears to come to the door in question ... according to the staff who reviewed it, anyway. The alarm didn't go off.

Our 40/40 sources also say that upon further review of more surveillance video, the staff noticed these two guys had been hanging around the club all week, with suspicious vehicles driving by around the same times as well. We're told the club feels they were staking the place out.

Now, it should be pointed out that the two men of concern are NOT suspects in the probe yet, as police didn't feel there was enough there to list them as such.

A$AP Rocky's hometown congressman isn't sure if President Trump is genuine in wanting to help free him -- but he says it doesn't matter ... as long as the end goal is achieved.

We got Rep. Adriano Espaillat in NYC Sunday -- where he represents A$AP's home borough of Harlem -- and asked what he made of Trump saying he'd guarantee Rocky's bail if need be.

As we reported ... Trump tweeted out an update on the legal sitch in Sweden -- where A$AP's been jailed for about three weeks now -- and said he spoke the Prime Minister, assuring him the rapper wasn't a flight risk, and that he'd even vouch for his bail.

Rep. Espaillat says Trump being willing to put his own rep on the line for A$AP's bail is somewhat irrelevant, 'cause as he points out ... money's not really the issue here.

Our guy asks if DT's just using this as a re-election tactic to tap into a new demographic of potential voters come 2020, but the congressman won't go there. He tells us he doesn't wanna speculate on potential motives -- but what he is sure about is that those wanting to get A$AP freed will take any help they can get at this point, including from 45.

Hard to tell if POTUS' involvement is going to help A$AP, because the Swedish PM says he made it clear that their judicial system is independent and won't be subject to outside lobbying.

Cardi B's got Offset under her thumb leg -- and she proudly showed that off with a newly revealed tattoo while chatting with her hubby.

Offset posted a very up-close and personal snapshot Sunday of what appears to be a Facetime convo he was having with Cardi B, in which she hoisted up her leg and showed him a tat bearing his name on the backside of her thigh. Awww? Sure, why not.

He captioned his post, "CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME," throwing in a bunch of tongue emojis for good measure. Offset also put a tongue-out emoji over his mug.

What's interesting about the tat is that it appears to have flown under the radar until now. We already knew Cardi was covered in ink (she's got upwards of 8 documented tattoos), but it's pretty sweet she's got her husband etched in too, considering their ups and downs.

Even more cool is the fact that Offset also has himself a Cardi tat on his neck, under a pic of Buttercup from "The Powerpuff Girls." It made its debut early last year, and CB herself sure seemed to like it in a video she posted of the body art.

Looks like Cardi returned the favor between then and now. That's amore, alright.