TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott were quick to decide baby Wolf's name wasn't right for their newborn son ... but to legally change a name ain't as easy as you'd think.

As we reported, Kylie announced earlier this week she and Travis were changing Wolf's name because, "We just really didn't feel like it was him." However, the process to actually get it done can take weeks, if not months from start to finish.

Here's the process ...

- First, Kylie and Travis will need to file a petition for a name change, and something like this is routinely approved by a judge -- in this case, an L.A. County Superior Court judge. The only real basis to deny a name change is if the new name was designed to be used to defraud or deceive, and that's clearly not the case here.

- Once the judge puts his/her John Hancock on the petition, it's sent up to Sacramento and processed by the state. It usually takes 6-8 weeks. Looks like lots of people are unhappy with their name.

- The state will then amend the birth certificate to reflect the new name.

Of course, there was recently another significant name change in the family -- when (former) baby Wolf's uncle Kanye West changed his name to Ye. That process took almost 2 months to complete ... so with patience comes great change.

Kodak Black is headed overseas to make bank, but in asking permission to do so ... he told the judge he plans to donate a big chunk of his earnings to charity.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kodak says he needs to travel to Dubai to perform a concert next month and make some paid appearances as well.

In the docs, which the court approved, Kodak says he'd be in Dubai from March 28 to April 3 ... adding he'd be traveling with his security team and music producer.

In his motion to travel for work purposes, Kodak points out he's been allowed to travel domestically for work and claims he's been keeping his nose clean lately.

Kodak stated if he were given permission, he plans to donate 10% of his earnings in Dubai to charity.

The rapper's attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ ... a prominent businessman invited Kodak to Dubai for paid appearances at jewelers, nightclubs and exotic car dealerships, plus a concert.

Kodak's attorney says his client already picked out where he wants to donate at least some of his Dubai earnings ... the college funds of the children of 2 Pennsylvania State Troopers who were recently killed by a suspected drunk driver. Cohen says he's reached out to the PA State Police Association to try and set up a donation.

Lil Xan seems to be doing a whole lot better ... cause TMZ has learned he is out of a psych ward and working on his mental health at a rehab center.

Sources close to Xan tell TMZ, he initially checked himself into a hospital and was 51/50'd after experiencing a mixture of exhaustion, dehydration and depression from things he was seeing online ... all of which, he says, began to take a toll on him and his mental health and well-being.

We're told, overall, he felt like he needed a break, and he wanted to go somewhere to help with his mental health and help him disconnect from social media.

He even let folks know about his frustration Wednesday, when he posted a photo from what appears to be a hospital bed. He wrote, "please stop speaking about me if you don't know me, I'm a human being just like you."

Were told, he spent 3 days in the psych ward, before he was moved to a part of the facility focused on mental health. He was given the green light to leave the psych ward after being deemed harmless to himself or others.

As you may know, the rapper's been struggling with drug addiction for quite some time. We spoke to him at the start of the pandemic ... when he started on his journey to sobriety. He told us, quarantine really helped him turn things around for the better.

This year's Oscars got off to a great start -- with Beyonce leading the charge with a musical number that wasn't even in the building ... and a little help from her kid.

Venus and Serena Williams were the first faces we saw Sunday as the telecast got underway from within the Dolby Theater in DTLA, with the two super star athletes immediately tossing things to Bey ... who did a live performance of her song 'Be Alive,' and doing so from a tennis court in Compton.

This is where Serena and Venus got their start when they first learning the sport, which they alluded to in their comments. And to mark the special occasion, the entire court was draped in lime green covers ... as was Beyonce and the rest of her dance troupe.

The catchy tune is featured in the Oscar-nominated film 'King Richard,' which tells the story of Serena and Venus' father, Richard Williams ... who was portrayed by a stellar Will Smith. Of course, 'Be Alive' itself is up for Best Original Song ... which explains Bey's appearance.

She wasn't the only one from the Carter-Knowles family that was on the court though -- young Blue Ivy herself was also on hand. Indeed, that was her dancing down in front with the sunglasses on ... seems they were trying to keep her presence low-key.

She was spotted nonetheless, and based on how well she was moving ... BI might just have a future job as a dancer. Lucky for her, mom and dad are always in need -- so she'll probably always have a slot booked.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's rocky roller coaster finally hit calm waters -- because they were finally able to be in each other's company ... albeit, for the sake of their kid.

The former couple was shoulder to shoulder this weekend -- the first time in a long time, especially amid all the nasty fighting that's been going on -- taking in their son Saint's soccer game in L.A. ... with mama bear, papa bear and his sister, North, watching from the sideline.

It's a somewhat startling sight, but a more than welcome one ... frankly, things have been nasty of late between these two -- so the fact they could come together like this is major.

As you can see, Ye was filming Saint play while Kim and North looked on attentively. At one point, Kanye crouched down and seemed pleased with what he was seeing on the field -- yep, he was in super dad mode here ... no doubt about it.

There was video taken of the scene as well, and although Kim and Kanye certainly shared the same space within short proximity to one another ... they don't appear to have interacted a whole lot, beyond herding the group in and out of the park, that is.

Still, as we said ... it's a huge step forward in their co-parenting relationship. Ye has been complaining a lot in recent weeks about custody issues -- alleging he hasn't been able to see all of the kids as much as he wants ... while Kim has claimed the exact opposite, saying he sees them whenever he wants. Now, it seems they're finally on the same page.

BTW, no sign of Pete Davidson anywhere here ... which is probably for the best. Something tells us KW still hasn't warmed up to him -- so no blending of families/partners just yet.

Travis Scott did what he hasn't done in months ... taking the stage for a short set.

Travis hit up Richie Akiva and Darren Dzienciol's pre-Oscars party Saturday night at a private home in Bel-Air. His performance didn't last long ... a combo of rapping and DJ'ing. But, it was a moment, because it's the first time he's taken the stage since the Astroworld tragedy back in November.

It was a pretty ritzy event ... Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Venus and Serena Williams, Tyga, YG, Kaia Gerber and a bunch of other celebs took it all in.

As for Travis, who by the way went solo -- Kylie Jenner didn't show -- he was clearly having a great time, laughing, socializing, drinkin' some ...

A one-time up-and-coming rapper who was nominated for a Grammy not too long ago is now making a terrifying revelation -- saying she's likely to end her life at any given moment.

The artist is Chika -- who was named in XXL's 2020 freshman class, and was actually up for a Grammy last year in the Best New Artist category. She posted a lengthy statement on her social media page that implied she was on the verge of suicide ... to the shock of many.

She writes, in part, "i went to the top of the intercontinental, but could not jump. not because i don't want to, but because the metal stairs were scary." Chika adds, "it looks like crying wolf, but it's not. it's just difficult to find the right way. the quickest way. the painless way. i am tired of myself too."

Chika goes on to say how she believes she'll serve as a cautionary tale, in leaving a broken person to their own devices, and how she won't be sorry for those she might leave behind ... saying she refuses to carry the burden of others who refused to share her own.

It's a gut-wrenching note, and she ends it by writing ... "no more typing. i'm going to finish my drink and find a way that works. thanks for the ride, i hated it."

She's also been posting extra photos and text notes on her IG story, saying people can find her body and that she doesn't care. She actually appears to give certain street names, but it's unclear what city she might be in at the moment. She's from Montgomery, Alabama.

Of course, people have fired off with a ton of concern ... sending prayers her way, and openly hoping someone on her team or in her inner circle can reach her before something tragic happens. She hasn't posted any new notes in at least an hour or so.

Originally Published -- 3/26 1:30 PM PT

Karrueche Tran says she's not just living her best life ... she's living her best single life, and shutting down the rumors she and Quavo are a thing.

We caught up with Karreuche outside Hollywood's iconic eatery Musso and Frank's and asked about the alleged romantic relationship. Sorry folks, she says nothing is that serious.

The actress -- who was attending Vanity Fair's "A Night for Young Hollywood" party -- told us she's simply enjoying her life, but she did admit the Migos rapper is a friend ... and just a friend.

Lots of fans aren't gonna buy that ol' chestnut, though, thanks to some visual receipts.

ICYMI ... Karrueche and Quavo reportedly took a joint vacay together to St. Martin in January.

They were also spotted out earlier this month having a dinner for two at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood ... so, ya know, the rumor didn't come outta thin air.

Folks have been linking the pair since 2017 when they were seen leaving a party in ATL together, but shortly afterward they each started dating other people.

Quavo hooked up with Saweetie, and Karrueche got together with retired NFL star Victor Cruz. Well now, both of those relationships are over, and they're both back on the market ... if they aren't already a thing, of course.

Rihanna is getting ready to welcome her baby to the world, and she's doing it in high style.

RiRi hit up Couture Kids in L.A. Friday, and it looks like the store stayed open specially for her ... she showed up at around 9:45 PM.

She was there with her security detail, casually browsing and picking out stuff for the bambino. Rihanna was flying solo ... without A$AP Rocky.

Rihanna was super friendly ... interacting with staff as she shopped.  At one point in the video, you see her baby bump on full display. Don't know the due date, but clearly, she's getting ready.

There was a bank of photogs in the window ... and at one point she threw them all a bone with a pose.

As Rihanna left, you hear a fan scream, "You are such a beautiful pregnant woman" and Rihanna responded, "Thank you, mi amora."

Several pairs of Virgil Abloh's Off-White collab with Nike are hitting the auction block ... but they're even more rare than usual -- they're actually signed by the late fashion icon.

TMZ Sports has learned ... one pair included in Sotheby's Modern Collectibles catalog is the Air Jordan 1 x OFF-WHITE "UNC" ... which features the famous "Off-White For Nike" label and red zip tie.

These blue and white sneakers are also signed by the fashion icon -- reading "Virgil 2018" on one shoe and "HODEI" (which means cloud) on the other.

The bids for the Js have already surpassed Sotheby's initial estimate for the sneakers ... which was $10k.

There's another signed pair in this auction ... the yellow and green Louis Vuitton "LV Trainers" that debuted in 2019 when Abloh was the luxury line's artistic director.

The shoes are signed "Air Abloh" and come with two Polaroids of him posing with them. These, too, have already exceeded the max estimate of $12k.

But, for those who want it all, "The Ten" collection features the first ten designs Abloh had with Nike when he signed with the Swoosh in 2017 -- it's considered one of the "most ambitious" collaborations with Nike and is expected to sell for $40k.

This is not the first time Sotheby's has auctioned off the legend's sneaks -- in fact, 200 pairs of his LV Air Force 1s sold earlier this year for a "record-breaking" $25.3 million.

Of course, getting your hands on any sneakers by Abloh will be tough and expensive ... especially after the fashion designer's death in November 2021.

Soulja Boy says a possible collab with Tekashi 6ix9ine won't happen ... or, in his words -- "get the f*** out of here!"

Soulja was the latest guest on "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper," and he thinks the time has passed for the two of them to work together ... saying Tekashi knows that ship has sailed following his legal battle -- notoriously being labeled a "snitch" in the rap community.

Tekashi was kidnapped by his own security team in the summer of 2018 ... taken for a ride around the block, where he was threatened at gunpoint, and ordered to fork over cash and jewels he had at his NYC pad. The exchange was orchestrated by his then-GF.

Tekashi went on to be the star witness in his RICO case by testifying against his fellow gang members ...  resulting in Anthony "Harv" Ellison getting 24 years behind bars.

While Tekashi thought he was doing the right thing, artists in his circle aren't as receptive, possibly trying to avoid the rapper as long as they can.

Cardi B has something to celebrate tonight ... she just kicked ass in a defamation case ... legally, that is.

TMZ broke the story ... Cardi and her sister, Hennessy Carolina, were sued by 3 people in NYC over a squabble in the Hamptons back in September, 2020.

Hennessy and her friends showed up a Smith Point Beach and ran into 3 other beachgoers, one of whom was wearing a MAGA hat. The 3 people claim Hennessy spit on one of them and engaged in insulting and threatening behavior. The lawsuit claims Hennessy called the group "racist, MAGA supporters."  They say the term "racist' hurled at them was defamatory.

Cardi, who was not there, tweeted a video of the altercation, claiming her sister and her friends were being targeted because they are Afro-Hispanic and gay. The video included Hennessy calling the 3 people racist.

The 3 beachgoers sued for defamation as well as assault and battery.

A New York trial judge just dismissed the case, and it's a solid win for Cardi and Hennessy. As for defamation, the judge said these were all just general insults that do not rise to the level of defamation.

As for spitting -- the basis for the assault and battery claim -- the judge said even if spit shot out from Hennessy's mouth -- there was no proof whatsoever she intended to target any of the plaintiffs. In fact, the judge noted the plaintiffs never even alleged that was Hennessy's intent.

Doja Cat's music career is dead ... thanks to Twitter.

Well, that's what the singer and rapper's claiming, at least, after going toe-to-toe with the Twitter mob over a canceled concert in Paraguay. Her first mistake was hopping online after playing Lollapalooza in Brazil Thursday night.

Doja copped to not putting on "a good enough show," but promised she'd do better Friday night. Well, her fans in Paraguay got all butt hurt because she'd never tweeted them over missing a festival show there earlier this week. Mind you, that concert was canceled due to a deadly storm and flooding ... so, certainly not DC's fault.

Anyway, Doja's response to the ridiculous outrage was "I'm not sorry," and that ignited the Twitter war with fans and even journalists in Paraguay. She eventually fired back, "I moved on I'm just gonna let everybody be mad" ... and changed her Twitter handle to "I quit."

Then she rage tweeted, "I can't wait to f***ing disappear and I don't need you to believe in me anymore." She added, "I'm a f***ing fool for ever thinking I was made for this this is a f***ing nightmare. Unfollow me."

Doja topped it off by declaring, "This s*** ain't for me so I'm out. Y'all take care."

BTW, she's supposed to hit the road with The Weeknd this summer in North America ... so, we seriously doubt she's done done -- but, way to go, Twitter. Ya happy now?

Master P is joining the recovery effort in his hometown -- after a deadly tornado tore through New Orleans, he's put together a team to, literally in some cases, pick up the pieces for victims.

The rapper tells TMZ ... his "Team Hope" currently has 25 people in the area, and it's comprised of his friends, family and other community members. So far, they've helped more than 100 families in NOLA's 9th Ward by handing out essential supplies, and helping the elderly fill out damage claim forms.

Most importantly, the crew is already starting the rebuilding process by cleaning up the damage and salvaging what they can from wrecked homes.

The tornado cut through several parts of the city late Tuesday night, injuring multiple people and killing at least one person. As it passed through, it flipped cars and ripped roofs off of houses.

Sadly, the city and its residents aren't strangers to mother nature's wrath, but Master P tells us, "New Orleans is stronger together ... it's time to clean up and rebuild. We have done this so many times we have to be thankful for life."

P is feeling that gratitude because, as his own relatives narrowly dodged disaster this time around -- he says they live 7 blocks away from where the twister touched down.

Back when NOLA was reeling last year from Hurricane Ida ... Master P's provided much-needed relief, distributing clean drinking water through one of his companies.

Cancel the rest of the NBA season ... Warriors superfan G-Eazy thinks it's a foregone conclusion his Golden State squad will win the championship this year, despite its recent struggles.

TMZ Sports spoke with Gerald as he was leaving Musso & Frank in L.A. this week ... and the dude was as confident as ever in his beloved Warriors, even though they've been stumbling as of late.

"We'll be all right, man," said G-Eazy, who's been a die-hard Dubs supporter for years. "We're still going all the way."

Of course, a lot of NBA pundits might disagree ... the Warriors, after all, are just 7-12 since early February, and Steph Curry is currently out with a foot injury.

But, G-Eazy, who's written a bunch of songs in honor of the Warriors, still believes in his guys.

"We're going all the way, absolutely," he said. "That's what we do, man. That's what we do."

The Warriors got off to a red-hot start this season ... but injuries to members of their Big Three -- Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Steph -- have put their championship hopes in question.

Former "Love & Hip Hop" star, Apple Watts, is fighting for her life after she was involved in a serious car accident -- leaving her vehicle in flames and her in a hospital.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Watts was headed Northbound on I-15 Wednesday in Baker, CA ... when her black Mercedes and a Ford F250 pickup truck collided. We're told Watts' car flipped multiple times, and burst into flames when it came to a stop.

Cops say one of the passengers inside the F250 was able to pull Watts out of her burning vehicle ... and she was life-flighted to a Nevada hospital, where she's being treated for "major injuries."

At this time, it's unknown what caused the accident ... or if drugs or alcohol played a role in the vehicles colliding.