TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Kanye West insists he's out to become America's 46th President, not just play spoiler for Joe Biden in the upcoming election -- that is, if you buy into his vision boards and ALL CAPS tweets.

The rapper's presidential campaign is facing increased scrutiny and skepticism lately, as various reports suggest it's being fueled by Republican political operatives working for President Trump to get Kanye on certain states' ballots ... in order to steal votes from Biden in November.

Kanye even seemed to indicate this is the case in his latest interview with Forbes when he didn't deny the spoiler accusation, but later he tweeted ... "THE GOAL IS TO WIN."

So ... he's sticking to being serious about winning, even if all signs point to him having no chance.

Kanye also shared his "2020 Vision" board, but it doesn't do much to clarify things.

As we reported ... a Wisconsin official is outraged over what he calls a "shameful, pitiful" ploy by the GOP to use Kanye -- despite his mental health issues -- for what he believes is a trick to lure black voters away from Biden in his state.

Kanye has enlisted the help of a third-party organization in order to acquire enough signatures needed to get him on the presidential ballot, especially in major swing states like Wisconsin and Ohio.

Cardi B's long-awaited return to the rap game wasn't just a collab with Meg Thee Stallion -- the two got support from a bunch of famous ladies ... including Kylie Jenner.

Cardi's track, "WAP" dropped Friday with an accompanying music video all about female empowerment -- and to fully embrace that, CB enlisted some hot up-and-coming femcees in the game.

Normani, Rosalia, Mulatto, Sukihana -- all relatively big names in their own right -- are also featured in the video.

Kylie's cameo features the self-made-billionaire decked out in leopard print and strutting down a hallway. Sorry, no rapping or singing from Kylie. We're told the billionaire cosmetics mogul was included to reflect togetherness among women across the entertainment industry.

Our sources also say the video was shot the week before the Tory Lanez drama unfolded last month -- and that could explain why Meg was hanging out with Kylie the night she was shot in her feet. It would appear working on the song/video brought them closer together.

Cardi's fans have been hungry for new music for a while, and now they've got it ... with some visual bonuses.

A Milwaukee Councilman is slamming Republicans for what he believes is a trick to lure black voters in Wisconsin to cast their ballots for Kanye West and steal votes from Joe Biden ... but he predicts it will backfire.

Cavalier Johnson has been the Alderman for Milwaukee's 2nd district, and he's sounding the alarm for what he calls a "shameful, pitiful" ploy attempting to take advantage of a man struggling with mental illness.

There have been reports Republican operatives are behind Kanye's efforts to get on the Wisconsin ballot. As you know, Wisconsin was a swing state in 2016 and if it's close again, a spoiler like Kanye could make all the difference.

Johnson says ... "It’s hard to imagine how this president and the GOP could top the racism, xenophobia, white supremacy, COVID failures, apologies for Russia, pocketing millions in taxpayer dollars with visits to Trump-branded golf courses, etc.," but he accuses them of doing exactly that in Wisconsin.

Despite his outrage and disgust, the councilman doesn't think the plan will work, saying when the word gets out it will further unite the black community in support of Biden.

As we reported ... Kanye has enlisted the help of a third-party organization in order to acquire enough signatures needed to get him on the presidential ballot, especially in major swing states like Wisconsin and Ohio.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have lots to discuss during their tropical island getaway geared at trying to save their marriage, but one topic is off the table -- politics.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Kim and Kanye aren't going to hash out any political differences while working out their family issues in a remote Caribbean location with their kids. In fact, we're told the couple hasn't talked politics in a long time.

Our sources say Kanye has made it clear to Kim he's continuing his bid for The White House ... and although there are lots of reasons (e.g., South Carolina rally) she may have problems with his run, it's a non-negotiable issue.

FACT: There is clearly a political divide between the 2 -- Kanye's pro-life, while Kim's worked for years with Planned Parenthood. Remember, Yeezy took some shots at Planned Parenthood in his bizarre Forbes interview and got strong pushback from PP.

So, despite politics being a source of conflict between the two, they will not resolve differences in that department as they work to repair their marriage.

As we first reported ... Kim and Kanye are holed up in an island fortress far away from the paparazzi as they try to salvage a marriage that seems to be on the ropes.

So, it sounds like Kim and Ye won't bring up President Trump, even though he praised them both Wednesday at The White House.

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.