TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Kanye West's egalitarian community is being resurrected -- or so it seems, 'cause the guy wants to lock up the rights on a name for it ... which is in line with his Presidential campaign.

Ye's company, Yeezy LLC, just filed legal docs declaring his intention to snag the exclusive rights to a phrase for his dome-like structures -- which Ye and co. actually call shelters in the paperwork. Ya ready??? Looks like he's gonna call them ... "2020Vision."

It's not the first time Kanye's used that phrase -- if you'll recall, he dropped that same verbiage when he announced his presidential campaign about a month ago. At the time, Ye wrote ... "We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020Vision."

Kanye's team also reveals more details on how they plan to use "2020Vision" -- saying he intends to use the name on permanent metal and non-metal dome shelters, as well as actual construction and engineering services that'll be used to make them a reality.

Remember, Ye already erected a number of these dome structures on his Calabasas property not too long ago -- only to see them get torn down when the City came knocking after he failed to obtain the proper permits ... not to mention pissing off his neighbors with the noise.

At the time, it seemed like Kanye was putting the project on pause -- and it wasn't clear if he was going to try again in the same area ... or try rebooting elsewhere, like on his Wyoming properties.

Larry Flynt's Hustler Club is putting strippers back to work, but the strip joint is gonna look a whole lot different in its grand return ... because everything will be virtual.

With Las Vegas strip joints still shuttered due to COVID-19, the Hustler Club is moving over to Only Fans, where it can virtually entertain folks stuck at home during the pandemic ... and it's getting an assist from Too Short!!!

The Hustler Club tells us it's going virtual with live, uncensored content on Only Fans every Saturday in August, trying to give folks as close an experience to the real thing as possible -- private dances, strippers on stage, live celeb performances, virtual bottle service and the option to buy drinks or send tips to the exotic dancers.

The strip club is debuting it's new format Saturday at 8 PM PT with a soft opening, featuring a surprise set from a celeb guest ... and the following weekend will see Too Short rock the virtual mic.

Sorry, ya gotta supply your own glitter.

Donald Trump says he's not pulling strings to help Kanye West get on state ballots for the presidential election ... but he's got lots of good things to say about Ye and Kim Kardashian.

Trump denied claims he's encouraging Republicans to help Kanye get on the ballot for prez in swing states. He was asked by a reporter during a Wednesday press conference if he was encouraging several Republican operatives who allegedly were helping Ye ... he said no.

POTUS says he likes Kanye very much. He did not seem to know about Kanye's recent struggles with mental illness but said Kanye has always been nice to him.

That paled in comparison to his praise for Kim, whom Trump largely credited with convincing him to release several inmates, including Alice Johnson.

Takeoff's just been sued by a woman claiming he raped her at a party in L.A.

The woman, who's filed the lawsuit as a Jane Doe, claims the Migos rapper made her extremely uncomfortable at an L.A. party back in June before he raped her in the bedroom of the person she says invited her to the party.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the woman claims Takeoff stared at her while at the party and that made her extremely uncomfortable. She also claims he offered her weed later in the evening, but she snubbed him.

In the suit, she says things went south after that -- she claims she was going upstairs with the man who invited her to the party when Takeoff, who was coming down the steps, got pissed. She says Takeoff and the man got into an argument, prompting her to go into the man's bedroom to wait it out.

She alleges that's when Takeoff entered the bedroom and started touching her buttocks. She claims she very clearly refused his advances, but Takeoff then flipped her over face-down, pulled down her clothing and raped her. She claims after he finished he immediately left the room.

After getting over the initial shock, the woman claims she went to a nearby hospital the same day where she claims hospital staff observed physical evidence of forceful rape. She claims hospital staff notified LAPD.

She's suing for sexual battery, assault, emotional distress and more and wants damages.

We've reached out to Takeoff for comment, so far no word back.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wanted an appropriate setting to try and save their marriage, and we've learned, when they jumped on that private jet with their kids, they flew to a tropical island outside the country to take a trip that's very different from every other.

The Kardashians are famously photographed everywhere they go, but on this trip, it's designed specifically so there will be NO PHOTOS.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, the fam is staying in what is described as a "fortress" ... an estate that is so remote it's virtually impossible for trespassers to get close.

It's interesting ... there is total radio silence as to how the vacation is going. As we reported, this could be the final test on the marriage. They have had relatively little contact over the last few months, and Kanye's pronouncements at the South Carolina campaign rally and on twitter clearly didn't help.

We broke the story ... last week Kim flew to Wyoming to see Kanye, and the reunion was tearful and tense.

Diddy’s son, King Combs, got smoked in his Ferrari by a Tesla, and though both drivers were okay, the guy in the Tesla got taken away in cuffs.

King was involved in a car accident a little after midnight in Bev Hills, when cops say a man in a Tesla speeding down Sunset Blvd. lost control and smashed into King's red Ferrari.

We're told Diddy's son suffered injuries, but was treated at the scene and didn't need to be taken to the hospital. He's super lucky, because both cars were totaled.

Law enforcement sources tell us the Tesla driver -- who can be seen taking a field sobriety test in the video -- was arrested for DUI.

King is the 22-year-old son of Diddy and Kim Porter, who died tragically in November 2018.

Kanye West's uphill battle to become President is getting steeper every day, but he IS ahead of Joe Biden in one way ... he's officially listed Michelle Tidball as his running mate.

Kanye 2020 is having an up-and-down Monday, so far, because his campaign submitted petitions to get on the Arkansas ballot for prez -- but then missed the deadline in nearby Kansas.

The big news, though, is Tidball is named in the Arkansas filing as his Vice President ... more documented proof of their partnership. He also put her name down on his Missouri ballot filing last week. As we reported, she's yet to confirm it herself.

As for the campaign's progress ... a spokesperson for the Arkansas Secretary of State tells TMZ Ye also turned in the required 1,000 signatures to become an independent candidate, with just 15 mins to spare before the noon deadline.

If you've been keeping track, this has pretty much been Kanye's M.O. We're told the state will now go through the process of verifying all the signatures are legit. This has already been an issue in his home state of Illinois.

Although he checked Arkansas off his list Monday, Kanye missed Kansas ... and we're told there's no way he will be listed on the ballot now.

According to a spokesperson for Kansas Secretary of State's office ... he needed 5,000 signatures by noon and didn't turn in anything. We're told the deadline is very strict, so the only way Kanye can get presidential votes in the state now is as a write-in candidate.

For the record, both Arkansas and Kansas are worth 6 electoral votes.

As we reported ... the rapper's been working with a company called Let the Voters Decide to amass enough signatures to get on the ballots in several states, including swing-state Ohio.

Despite this seemingly sporadic focus on getting on state ballots, Kanye claims he's committed to winning the White House ... recently tweeting he could beat Biden.

It's relevant that people close to Kanye, including Kim Kardashian, say he's been coping with a bipolar episode.

Dr. Dre's wife is not getting divorced without a fight, because she's challenging their prenup and $1 billion is on the line.

Nicole Young just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, in which she claims she was forced to sign the prenup back in 1996.

Nicole says Dre is now worth $1 bil, and says before they tied the knot, "I was extremely reluctant, resistant and afraid to sign the agreement and felt backed into a corner. Given the extraordinary pressure and intimidation by Andre, I was left with no option but to hire a lawyer (of course, with the help of Andre's team of professionals) and unwillingly signed the agreement very shortly before our marriage."

She then says 2 years into the marriage, "Andre acknowledged to me that he felt ashamed he had pressured me into signing a premarital agreement and he tore up multiple copies of the agreement in front of me. Since the day he tore up the agreements, we both understood that there was no premarital agreement, and that it was null and void."

Sources connected to Dre beg to differ, telling TMZ, he never expressed shame over the prenup and he never tore it up or said it was invalid. Our sources also say Nicole had her own lawyer and she had a clear choice on whether to sign or not.

Our sources say Dre has made it clear ... he will pay spousal support and all her expenses, but clearly Nicole wants a big piece of the pie, claiming he amassed most of his fortune during the marriage.

Is this really happening?!?

J. Cole is getting his first shot at making his NBA dream come true ... with the Detroit Pistons offering the rapper a tryout!!!

As we previously reported, rap legend Master P says the 35-year-old North Carolina native is training like crazy to get a shot at the league ... and even asked P for advice on how to turn from MC to baller while working on a Puma commercial together.

Considering P landed 2 NBA contracts in the '90s with the Raptors and Hornets, it wouldn't be the first time a rapper has hit the hardwood as a pro ... and Cole is known for being a legit threat with his game.

The Pistons got wind of our interview with P ... and used their official Twitter account to let Jermaine know they'd love to be the team to give him a legit shot at making it to the NBA -- and even used his own lyrics in the offer.

"We see you out here. You said they only got 12 slots on the Pistons," the team said, referencing his song, "FRIENDS."

"Hit us up for that tryout. This is for all the dreamers."

Look ... this could very well all be for publicity. But, then again, stranger things have happened.

After all, the Pistons went 20-46 last season ... so they can use all the help they can get.

You know what to do now, J. -- pick up the phone!!!

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are trying to navigate an extremely rough patch in their relationship, and hope a family trip will help to set things straight ... before it's beyond repair.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... the couple decided to jump on a jet Sunday and take a private family vacation to try and work things out. We're told the trip was something the couple discussed when Kim visited Kanye in an emotional trip to Wyoming last weekend.

As of late ... things between Kim and Kanye have been icy. They hadn't seen each other much at all for months ... Yeezy was doing his thing at the ranch and Kim's been taking care of their four young children.

Kanye said during his South Carolina rally he asked Kim for a divorce last year and he raised the subject of divorce several times at the event. We're told it's something that has definitely been discussed.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Ye reunited this week in Wyoming for the first time since Kanye's off-the-rails campaign rally in South Carolina, which ignited a bitter back and forth that saw KKW trying to get Yeezy treatment for a serious bipolar episode.

The family trip will mark one of the first they've taken in a long time ... and outside the vacation, Kim and Kanye hadn't spent much time together outside family birthdays and holidays.

As we've reported ... the list of grievances from Kim to Kanye is pretty long -- we're told it's everything from him continuing his presidential campaign, to his Twitter rants and what he said at his rally.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is fully free, having just completed house arrest, and he's already out shooting a music video.

We got this vid of Tekashi out in Brooklyn Sunday, bright and early (7:30 AM) .... alongside some super wild rides.

It's no surprise ... a few security guards were patrolling the area, along with a massive entourage. Security was blocking several streets, stopping drivers from coming through. It's pretty clear they had permits to shoot the video ... otherwise, cops would have shut it down.

The cars are crazy -- 2 colorful Lambos, an orange McLaren, a yellow Dodge Charger and a Benz.

Tekashi, who was released from house arrest Saturday, is on 5 years supervised probation. Most people thought he'd go into witness protection, but he's shunned that, and the music video is evidence ... he's not hiding from anyone.

Kanye West is getting quality time with his kids ... jetting off somewhere with at least one member of his brood -- and possibly the whole fam -- for a last-minute trip.

Ye was at a landing strip Sunday in Cody, WY -- where he and Saint were both seen getting inside the same private jet, with what appears to be security in tow. No sign of Kim Kardashian or any of the other kids, but we know the jet took off from L.A. this morning ... so it's quite possible she and the other kids were already on board when these pics were taken.

Seems unlikely Kim would put 4-year-old Saint on a PJ by himself to visit Dad. We know the plane's taken off, but no word on where it's heading.

Kanye's been living at the family's Wyoming ranch for several weeks now while he's been in the grips of what Kim, and others, say is a bipolar episode.

Wherever the jet's going ... this is some long overdue face time between Kanye and his family. Other than Kim's visit last week, he's been without them while at the ranch working on his new album and his Presidential campaign.

Of course, it's been rocky lately between Kim and Ye. She went out there to see him last week and had a very emotional conversation in the car ... which left her in tears. She left Cody by herself without Kaye tagging along. Since then, hard to say where things stand.

So, if this is a full family getaway it's the most positive sign we've seen in several weeks.

Kanye West's presidential campaign just got serious, because he's gunning to get on the Ohio ballot, and that state could be a determining factor in who occupies the White House.

Kanye hired a company, Let the Voters Decide, to amass voter signatures in 3 states ... Ohio, West Virginia and Arkansas.

Ye needs 5,000 signatures in Ohio by Wednesday to qualify. We're told more than roughly 90 people are canvassing Ohio, gathering the required number of John Hancocks.

Ohio is one of the 4 swing states that could be a major factor in November. In 2016, Trump won the state by fewer than 500,000 votes. Kanye's not gonna win, but he could be a spoiler. It's unclear who gets hurt more if Ye siphons off votes -- Trump or Biden.

We're told Let the Voters Decide is confident it'll get the necessary 5,000 votes in time to qualify for the ballot.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is enjoying his first taste of freedom in about 21 months -- his home confinement and GPS-monitored days are officially ending.

The rapper's attorney, Lance Lazzaro, tells TMZ ... Tekashi's federal probation officer is going to the rapper's home Saturday to remove his ankle monitor. We're told 6ix9ine will also be provided a schedule for when he needs to check in with his PO during his 5 years of supervised release.

It's a momentous occasion for Tekashi ... remember, the rapper-turned-state's witness (aka snitch) proudly showed off his ankle monitor when he dropped his first music video following his prison stint.

While T69 can now leave his house, he's not exactly free to move about the country, as they say.

Lazzaro says Tekashi will need to get permission from his PO whenever he wants to leave the state or the country, including when he travels for a performance or recording session. No business trip exceptions!

The good news for 69 is as long as he's within NY state borders, we're told he doesn't have to check in with the PO for every little thing he does. So, considering he's been locked up since November 2018 ... this is pretty damn close to his life before prison.

Wisely, we're told he's not going hog wild ... he's got nothing special on the calendar, other than hitting the studio and making music.

J. Cole is currently training his ass off in hopes of getting a shot to make an NBA roster ... so says Master P, who offered the rap star some pretty sound advice.

First, let's talk J. Cole -- the "No Role Models" rapper was a solid hooper back in high school and famously tried out for St. Johns during his stint in college, but ultimately decided to focus on music.

Cole is a regular on the celebrity basketball circuit and is widely known as one of the best non-pro celebrity ballers in the country.

The 35-year-old recently hooked up with Master P for a Puma commercial where it's strongly insinuated that Cole is training for a shot with an NBA team ... which makes sense since P basically did the same thing back in the day.

Master P says he earned an NBA contract with 2 different teams in the '90s -- after he was already a famous rap mogul -- and he knows what it takes to get to the top level.

P -- whose music and hoops careers are documented in BET's "No Limit Chronicles" -- tells TMZ Sports he had a lengthy conversation with J. Cole about his hoop dreams ... and says he's convinced the rapper is dead serious.

"When I talked to J. Cole, he was like 'You know, big dog you did it. What do you think I would have to do to make it happen?'"

"I said to get one of these NBA jerseys, it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be a lot of hate, it's gonna be a lot of people not believing in you but you know J. Cole -- he got the right size, he in the gym!"

"But, what I told him ... this a different time we're in. They're going to pick you apart! You're gonna have to be able to hit every shot and if you don't hit every shot, they -- you know in the NBA, they don't hit every shot but they believe in them. So, you're gonna have to go somewhere where the team really believe in you and the players believe in you."

P says Cole won't get a pass just because he's famous -- in fact, he'll have to work even harder than everyone else to prove he's for real.

"They've been putting their whole life into this. So, you're gonna have to prove you're worthy of being on that court."

P adds, "I believe in him and I believe that he's a youngster that has a lot of desire."

Bottom line -- P says if Cole does get an opportunity, he's gonna have to show out.

"Either you're gonna be good enough to play or you're gonna get exposed."

Nicki Minaj's husband really wants to be there for the birth of the couple's first child ... a once-in-a-lifetime moment he might have to miss due to his pending criminal case.

Kenneth Petty just submitted legal docs, obtained by TMZ, begging the judge to modify the terms of his pretrial release conditions so he can travel with Nicki periodically on business as her manager and attend the upcoming birth of their baby.

As you know ... Kenneth recently registered as a sex offender in Cali after getting arrested for allegedly failing to do so when he moved to the state with Nicki. Some of the terms of his pretrial release -- he has a curfew and his travel is restricted to California.

According to the docs, Kenneth wants the judge to tweak his release conditions so he can be by Nicki's side if she gives birth outside his curfew hours.

Kenneth says the U.S. Attorney's Office and pretrial services office don't oppose his request, so now it's up to the judge to sign off.

As we reported ... Nicki announced her pregnancy earlier this month, and it looks like she's at least 6 months along. So the baby could be coming soon.

BTW ... Kenneth's status as a sex offender stems from a 1995 New York conviction for first-degree attempted rape. Petty pled not guilty to failing to register as a sex offender, and a judge recently gave him permission to surf the web.

Now, Kenneth's hoping to go 2-for-2 with the judge.