TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Jack Harlow might be a big deal in hip-hop circles, but it doesn't seem he's nearly as impactful among the football crowd -- as seen in his now-viral appearance on ESPN.

The rapper was the special guest Saturday for "College GameDay" -- where analysts and pundits sit around talking shop about all the games going down for the day ... and who they got to win, etc. Jack was on the panel too ... but first, let's start with his performance.

JH was at Ohio State here -- who are playing Notre Dame today -- and as he was introduced on a tiny little stage while surrounded by students ... things fell flat fast.

He was doing his song, "First Class," for the kids ... but it became pretty clear that they just weren't into it. Take a look at the reaction from the crowd -- yes, some toward the front are a little hyped ... but most everyone else is just looking on, like deer staring into headlights.

Jack seemed to notice the lack of energy too -- at one point, he appeared to throw his hands up, as if to say ... WHAT THE HELL, GUYS?!? It was very Ja-Rule-At-The-Bucks-Game.

Still, ever the professional ... Jack powered through, and word is he did damn near the whole song -- which is also getting mocked right now. Namely, the fact that nobody at ESPN thought to just pull the plug and move on. The jokes are flying in every direction over this.

That wasn't the only thing that left an impression, though ... Jack's actual football IQ was on display during his sit-down portion of the broadcast, and there too he's leaving 'CGD' viewers less than impressed ... but certainly entertained.

A$AP Rocky has a lot of things on his mind these days … but tending to the car he was riding around in with Kanye West and Antonio Brown apparently isn't one of them.

TMZ spotted the '70s classic station wagon getting towed out of an L.A. neighborhood ... at the request of police.

The tow truck guy tells us the car was parked illegally and as you can see on the windshield, it had racked up months worth of citations.

No telling who actually owns the vehicle ... Rocky, Ye and AB shot something -- most likely a music video -- in the wood-paneled Jeep wagon early in 2022.

From the looks of it, that might have been the last time it was washed too!

Let's face it, Rock’s got bigger issues to deal with than parking tickets -- L.A. prosecutors are saying the Harlem-bred rapper was the triggerman in the November 2021 shooting where his former friend A$AP Relli was hit.

He's since been charged with 2 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and he's also facing an assault and battery lawsuit.

Joey Badass is looking get his acting career up to the level of his rap game -- especially after his first movie role was in an Oscar-winner -- so now he's got his eye on a biopic.

In a new interview with Revolt, the Pro Era rapper boldly expressed his wish to play late MC Big L, who died in 1999.

Joey says aside from various people telling him how much he favors the Harlem rapper, he hopes to bring more visibility to Big L’s story.

We spoke with Brian Shafton, a partner at RBC Records, which owns several masters to Big L’s music, and he thinks Joey would literally crush it.

Brian also agrees the film would be huge for Big L’s legacy, especially in these streaming times.

Joey’s 2020 film “Two Distant Strangers” -- a big Netflix hit -- took home the Oscar for Best Short Live Action, so the audience potential is definitely there. Brian says the only potential problem is that Big L’s songs are riddled with so many samples ... it would be near impossible to license all the tracks for a film.

In the meantime, Joey's busy honing his acting craft with a steady role on 50 Cent's "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" -- and on the music side, he just wrapped his "2000" tour.

Just a hunch, but a Big L biopic without his music probably wouldn’t fly with fans.

Z-Ro’s recent scuffle with Trae Tha Truth’s team left a stain on 50 Cent’s Houston Tycoon after the brawl exploded outside a celebrity basketball game ... and footage from the brawl shows TTT was very much involved.

The newly obtained video by TMZ Hip Hop shows the Houston activist delivering blows after previously denying his former friend and collaborator was outnumbered in the fight.

Trae can be seen in the orange ABN shirt as he attacks Z-Ro, and the rest of his team kicks and punches away. Another member of Trae’s team also appears to secure Z-Ro’s gold chain in the melee.

The Houston rapper previously denied outnumbering his former friend in an Instagram PSA, citing his big heart … but the footage tells a different story.

Following the event, Z-Ro spoke to TMZ Hip Hop, detailing how he was tricked into having a conversation on the side of a sprinter van, before being ambushed and assaulted.

The two rappers have a long, rough history ... and the breakup is tearing longtime fans apart.

Kanye West is back to taking shots at his family on Instagram, targeting Kim and the rest of the Kardashians in a flurry of posts that touch on everything from where his kids go to school to labeling himself, Scott Disick, Tristan Thompson and Travis Scott "c** donors."

Ye put up a bunch of now deleted posts Thursday night, including a text exchange with Kim where Kim begged Kanye to stop, writing, "From my mom- PLEASE ... Tell him to please stop mentioning my name. I'm almost 67 years old and I don't always feel great and this stresses me to no end."

That didn't phase Ye, who replied, "Y'all don't have so so over my black children and where they go to school. They will not do playboy and sex tapes. Tell your Clinton friends to come get me. I'm here."

Kanye recently opened up his Donda Academy, and apparently believes his kids should attend the academy for school. He's clearly also taking shots at Kim's sex tape and her and Kylie's posing for Playboy years ago. At one point, he even revealed his porn addiction ruined his family.

However, Ye wasn't done there ... he also posted the names of Travis, Tristan and Scott -- who all have kids with Kardashians -- and the caption, "Calling my fellow c** doners. We in this 2gthr."

He also took shots at Pete Davidson, who got Kim and Kanye's kid's initials tattooed on his neck, and who Kim recently split from, saying, "Ask Pete how those tattoos of my kids doing in the trauma unit."

The series of Instagram posts is just another attack Ye has laid out this week on social media. He also called out GAP and Adidas for allegedly leaving him out of business meetings and copying his designs.

Jay-Z's "Made In America Festival" hits Philly this Labor Day weekend for its 10th year with Bad Bunny, Tyler, The Creator, Snoh Aalegra, Pusha T and many more -- but Flo Milli will be there pulling double duty.

The fast-rap rookie recently joined the MIA lineup and we're told she also got recruited to host a cocktail-making session of Jay-Z's D'USSÉ cognac.

On Saturday evening, the Alabama rapper will be joined by Global Ambassador Sullivan Doh inside a VIP space where she'll dish on her recent grand debut at the MTV VMAs ... and help fans learn how to whip up some adult beverages.

The festival won't only showcase Jay's liquor line -- the Roc Nation CEO's philanthropic arm will also be busy at work during the festival.

Team Roc's Cause Village will be the hub for charitable organizations at Made in America. Clothing apparel SHEIN is joining forces with Team Roc to conduct workshops targeting various issues including social justice reform, education and animal welfare.

Fat Joe had a Latino appreciation post blow up in his face because fans thought he was insinuating hip hop was just as much Hispanic culture as it was Black.

The post highlighted several Latino artists involved in hip hop’s earliest days, and though he never named them creators ... the backlash was fierce and swift.

Joe would go on to lash out at the haters, and DJ Tony Touch is aligned with his defense.

The proud Brooklyn-born, Puerto Rican-bred DJ also helped pioneer hip hop, and he’s telling TMZ Hip Hop ... Joey Crack’s comments weren’t anywhere close to being out of pocket.

Like Joe, Tony points out hip hop’s birthplace, the Bronx, had a healthy mix of Black and Latino people -- and the culture’s 2 chief creators, DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash, migrated to the U.S. from Caribbean islands.

Kool Herc originally hailed from Jamaica, and Flash from Barbados -- after emigrating to the Bronx, they eventually hosted the very first hip hop parties. The rest is billion-dollar history.

Tony attributes the fierce Joe backlash to the Black Lives Matter movement ... noting how exclusion -- or even the perception of it -- often rubs people the wrong way.

He also points out that hip hop’s first film, 1983’s “Wild Style” is loaded with Latino talent such as members of The Rock Steady Crew and Cold Crush Brothers, Lee Quiñones and graffiti artist Lady Pink.

R&B isn't dead, but it does need to be revived ... at least that's how Tank sees things in the wake of Diddy's commentary on the culture, and he's got definite ideas about how to bring it back.

We caught up with Tank at LAX, and while he's been getting tons of fan support for his new and final album "R&B Money," he says he, and other R&B artists, just aren't getting love from the mainstream ... and that's gotta change.

The response to his project is proof the genre isn't dead, but he says what would really rejuvenate R&B is huge names -- like Chris Brown and Usher -- getting more coverage in the media. As he puts it, "Give us our space back."

Tank cites classics like Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" and Jodeci's "Forever My Lady" as benchmarks for the type of success newer artists should be experiencing.

All hope may not be lost -- Tank says he's been ribbing Jamie Foxx to return back to music ... a sentiment shared by many following the "R&B Money" release party.

The event was a hit ... Jamie, Jon B., Pleasure P, -- and even honorary singer O.T. Genasis were in the building, and Tank says bringing the Foxx from hibernation is his next life's mission.

Young Thug's prison Wi-Fi seems to be up and running without issue, and the incarcerated rap star is going outta his way to help Kanye West's dream of launching worldwide Yeezy stores.

Ye has been livid on Instagram all week ... waging war with GAP and adidas for swiping his Yeezy designs.

The frustration led Ye to begin plotting to launch a Yeezy brick-and-mortar shop in every state -- starting in Atlanta -- and he furiously began sending sketch ideas to architects Claudio Silvestrin and John Pawson.

Thugger hopped on Instagram on Thursday, from prison, to offer Ye 100 acres Georgia land to use ... free of charge!!!

Clearly excited, Ye began to revel in the news with good friend A$AP Bari ... before hitting up ex-wife Kim Kardashian, in hopes she could work her clemency magic to free the YSL Records leader.

Hopefully Kim can operate at Houdini levels ... Thugga's already been denied bond three times after being named the head of his ongoing Georgia RICO case.

There's a war going on within the Zeus Network ... stemming from "Love & Hip Hop" star Masika Kalysha dragging Hazel-E to court over their televised fight.

TMZ broke the story, Masika wants $6 million for injuries sustained from the brawl, as well as sexual battery after claiming the security guard who broke them up touched her butt ... but their fellow "L&HH" alum Spice doesn't seem so convinced.

We caught the dancehall queen in NYC this week promoting her raunchy "Tape Measure" single ... and while Spice admits she hasn't seen this particular scuffle, Spice thinks punches and kicks sorta complement their particular brand of reality TV.

Spice says certain odds and ends are detailed in TV series contracts, although they might not read as explicitly as "user beware ... may get your ass beat!"

As far as the "touchy-feely" security guard, Spice says there's going to be inadvertent contact when it comes to breaking up a fight. Those hands have to land somewhere!!!

We're still waiting to hear back from Zeus ... but this case will probably be solved by the fine print in the contract!!!

Singer and actress Cassie Ventura celebrated her 36th birthday big ... as in Texas big inside a new Houston nightclub with some super famous pals.

The vibes and drinks seemed to be flowing Wednesday at "Finish Your Champagne" and Cassie was spotted having a ball with a bubble gun, the perfect party weapon of choice.

Plenty of Cassie's famous friends turned out to help her pop the cork off the bottle ... which included NBA stars James Harden and Ja Morant, as well as industry pals Terrence J, Pleasure P, J Mulan, Alaric J. Klaos and Serayah.

A newly-single Ne-Yo was also spotted in the building ... weeks after his estranged wife revealed their marriage was done for good following cheating claims.

The R&B superstar did look unbothered though, especially as the DJ dropped plenty of Ne-Yo songs onto the party ... allowing for the birthday girl to bask in the moment.

Speaking of marriages, Cassie got married back in 2019 to Alex Fine ... who wasn't in the mix for his wife's birthday bash.

He did, however, wish her both a happy birthday and 3rd anniversary on Instagram, so all appears to be good.

Russell Wilson's wife, Ciara, showered her man with love, calling him her "greatest inspiration," after the QB received a massive 9-figure contract extension from the Denver Broncos!!

Ci tweeted, "Baby @DangeRussWilson, I am so proud of you! You’re the most dedicated and hardworking person I know! It’s been so beautiful to see you become a Bronco!"

"So excited for the journey ahead!" she added

Wilson -- who was a part of a blockbuster trade that sent him from the Seahawks to the Broncos -- agreed to a five-year, $245 million extension on Thursday ... which includes $165 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Russ tweeted Thursday morning before his extension was announced, "ALL THE GLORY TO JESUS!!! #HEisKING."

The couple has fully leaned into being a Bronco. In fact, Ciara teased that Russ got her an adorable puppy as a Mother's Day gift, and fittingly, they named it "Bronco."

The pup joined Russ, Ci, and their three children in a new $25 million home in Englewood, Colorado in April ... which sits on 5.34 acres..

The Wilson's new 20,060 square foot crib has four bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a nine-car garage, and a large fireplace.

Even before they became local homeowners, the power couple made an immediate impact in the Denver community, visiting patients at the Children's Hospital in Colorado.

It's nothing new for Russ ... who has been one of the most charitable athletes in the world since joining the NFL in 2012 -- whether it be in Seattle or the Mile High city.

Kanye West isn't done taking shots at companies he's helped to make billions of dollars ... now setting his sights on Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted, with a phony newspaper headline declaring him dead.

Ye fired up his IG account Thursday to post the fake NYT page which says, "Kasper Rorsted Also Dead at 60." Kanye's caption on the post reads, "God Loves Us" ... which doesn't make a whole lot of sense considering the message certainly isn't true, or very holy, for that matter.

There's also a sub-headline on the article that says, "I know what you're thinking ... who is Kasper? but even less importantly who is Kid Cudi?"

If you haven't followed along, Ye has major beef with Adidas lately, who he has his Yeezy shoe line with -- he's pissed at the brand for a recent "Yeezy Day" launch that he allegedly didn't have creative control over. Yeezy Day allowed fans of the shoe to get their hands on previously-released variations of the shoes that may have sold out in the past.

Kanye has also had issues in the past with Adidas, accusing the sportswear giant of stealing design ideas he's used for Yeezy shoes.

You might remember, it was last month when Kanye posted a similar NYT headline, declaring Pete Davidson, who he refers to as "Skete" dead after he and Kim Kardashian split.

This marks the second company in as many days that Kanye's had beef with ... on Wednesday he went on the attack against GAP, accusing them of keeping him out of meetings, stealing design ideas and cutting his kids out of a photo shoot.

50 Cent's TV family is in full dysfunction -- 2 'Power' stars are on the verge of coming to blows, and the infighting is keeping everyone on their toes when cameras aren't rolling.

Sources close to the unfolding drama tell TMZ Hip Hop the problems between "Power Book IV: Force" actor Joseph Sikora and "Power Book II: Ghost" actor Gianni Paolo have been brewing long before Joseph -- who plays Tommy -- dropped a very public diss on Gianni.

50 and singer Joe were on stage in Houston last weekend performing the 'Power' theme song as several cast members joined them onstage.

When Gianni went to give Joseph a pound, he was brutally ignored ... and cameras caught the burn in real time! 😬

Gianni recently fired back at Joseph's claims of reconciliation following the onstage diss so yeah, Houston … there's still a problem!!!

Sources involved with the series back up Gianni's claims, noting there's been an air of coldness when the 2 actors are around each other.

We're also told the rivalry between 'Power II' star Michael Rainey Jr. and "BMF" actor Lil Meech is getting out of hand … with both camps aggressively throwing money at one another during a Houston Tycoon Fest party.

Their respective security teams almost came to blows as a result of the ruckus but we hear cooler heads prevailed to party on.

Last year, Meech and Mike revved up the testosterone on IG … sending shots to one another ahead of the "BMF" premiere and things are still, well … testy.

The last time we spoke to Gianni and Mike, they told us Fiddy was an incredible peer mediator on set … just from his presence alone.

Model Shannon Clermont of the Clermont twins is asking a judge to nullify her brief and secret marriage ... one she claims she was manipulated into.

In the legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Shannon says she married celebrity jeweler Alex Moss in New Jersey back in March after a few years of dating.

The docs say Alex told her he was a Canadian citizen, and in America on a student visa.

She claims he was told by his immigration attorney at the end of last year that he needed to tie the knot to avoid deportation but claims he promised he wanted to marry her regardless of his status.

She says he proposed on January 1, but didn't get down on one knee ... and she claims he said he didn't get her the ring he wanted to get her. Shannon claims Alex told her to keep their marriage a secret, even asking her to keep it from her twin, Shannade.

Shannon says he quickly decided to not move forward with building their life together, separating just 4 days after their courthouse marriage.

She's now looking for an annulment, claiming she was duped into the marriage under fraudulent pretenses.

The relationship between Kanye West and GAP has clearly hit some rough waters ... with Ye taking shots at the retail giant for allegedly leaving him out of meetings and copying his designs.

Ye's now gone off on the company for two days in a row, first announcing Tuesday, "Gap held a meeting about me without me?" Then on Wednesday posting a text exchange with someone accusing GAP of copying Yeezy GAP Engineered by Balenciaga's designs on a standard GAP T-shirt.

According to Kanye, GAP also backed out of a shoot with his kids, writing, "But they canceled the photo shoot with my kids in Japan without me knowing."

Of course, Kanye's Yeezy GAP line has been extremely successful so far -- with impressive sales both online and in-store. However, it appears the relationship has become frayed, with Ye not having as much of a voice in the business operations as he may have intended.

One thing we know Kanye's had full control over, though, is the presentation of the clothing in GAP stores. He faced heavy criticism online for the "trash bag" displays of the products, but announced he wouldn't apologize for being an innovator.