TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Boosie Badazz isn't a fan of Netflix's new series centered around serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer ... and he wants the Black community to rally to boycott the whole project

According to Boosie, Netflix’s record-breaking "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" needs to be banned from the face of the earth and all the victims’ families should be paid restitution. Many of Dahmer’s victims were both Black and homosexual, and the Louisiana rapper wants African Americans to unify and get the show booted from Netflix.

Boosie didn’t mince his feelings on the series, repeatedly calling the show "sick" throughout his spew.

The call for a boycott comes off the heels of the family members of Rita Isbel, one of Dahmer’s 17 victims, lashing out at Netflix for continuing to rehash history for no cause other than making money.

It’ll be a tall order to get the series removed … Netflix is boasting its fifth-highest premiere behind titles like "Stranger Things" and "Squid Game" with 196.2M hours watched to date since debuting September 21.

Perhaps Boosie is just being suckered by a good storyline. Michael McCann, the former Milwaukee D.A. responsible for locking Dahmer up, recently told TMZ that Netflix’s troupe about cops refusing to take the disappearance of minorities and gay people seriously played no role in the serial killer’s long reign.

Coolio died Wednesday in Los Angeles ... TMZ has learned.

The rapper who achieved enormous success in the 90s was visiting a friend late Wednesday afternoon when he passed away.

Coolio's longtime manager, Jarez, says Coolio went to the bathroom at his friend's house, but when he didn't come out after a while ... the friend kept calling for him, and eventually went in and found Coolio laying on the floor.

We're told the friend called EMTs, who arrived and pronounced Coolio dead on the scene -- and Jarez tells us the paramedics suspect he suffered cardiac arrest. An official cause of death has not been determined.

Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., came up on the L.A. rap scene in the late 80s, but blew up nationally in 1995 when he released "Gangsta's Paradise" for the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film, "Dangerous Minds."

The song reached #1 and stayed there for 3 weeks.

While 'Paradise' became his signature hit, Coolio had several others ... including 1994's "Fantastic Voyage" -- which hit #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 -- as well as "1,2,3,4 (Sumpin' New)" and "It's All the Way Live (Now)."

Coolio was 59.

RIP

"Kenan & Kel" star Kel Mitchell is remembering all the good times he had with Coolio ... telling us the late rapper was super fun to hang out with because he was always full of good vibes and good stories.

The former Nickelodeon star joined "TMZ Live" Thursday where we asked him about his experiences with Coolio, who famously teamed up with Kel and Kenan Thompson back in the day for their show's theme song.

Kel says folks still ask him about the song, and he says Coolio brought the "magic" to the catchy track.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio died Wednesday at a friend's house in Los Angeles.

Law enforcement sources tell us first responders performed CPR for 45 minutes in a frantic effort to revive him.

Kel says Coolio was like everyone's favorite uncle ... because when he showed up at the function, it was a sure sign of a good time.

Coolio performed his last show ever last week in Texas with Vanilla Ice, who says he's mourning his late friend's death.

Vanilla Ice tells TMZ he couldn't sleep Wednesday night after learning Coolio died, and he woke up Thursday morning "still in shock and freaking out."

Coolio and Ice go way back, and they were touring together for the past 6 years on the "I Love The 90s" show, including a stop last week in Cypress, TX which ended up being Coolio's last gig.

Vanilla Ice tells us Coolio came out onstage with him Friday night to freestyle during his set, and after the show, they hung out in Ice's dressing room with Coolio smiling and talking about life and seeming to be in great shape. The last thing Coolio said to Vanilla Ice ... "See you tomorrow, homie."

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio died Wednesday at a friend's house in downtown Los Angeles. Law enforcement sources tell us first responders performed CPR for 45 minutes in an effort to revive the rapper.

Vanilla Ice says he can't stop thinking about how last week's gig was Coolio's last performance ever ... and he's remembering Coolio as a legend whose legacy will live on through his music.

Ice adds ... "My heart goes out to all the family. I'm truly devastated. He was a great friend."

TMZ obtained video of Coolio's last performance, and folks who were there say he performed on stage for 45 minutes and was talking a lot to the crowd. We're told his voice seemed really raspy, but he didn't appear ill.

DJ Akademiks recently stirred up a hornet's nest with his "old and dusty" comments targeting some hip hop pioneers, but Quavo and Takeoff are dodging that drama -- they have the blessings of the Wu-Tang Killer Bees in their corner!!!

We caught up with Quavo Tuesday at LAX ahead of the release of their new album "Only Built 4 Infinity Links" ... the same one that effectively drops Offset from Migos after the year-long feud.

The title is a direct reference to Raekwon and Ghostface Killah's classic album, 1995's "Only Built 4 Cuban Links" -- and Quavo tells us he got direct permission from Rae himself to pay homage with the new record.

The platinum-selling album 'Cuban Links' is one of the most decorated in hip hop history ... practically birthing the 90s rap mafioso era, and furthering the legacy of RZA and Wu-Tang Clan for generations to come.

Quavo says he reached out and told Rae it wouldn't be anything short of an honor to carry on the legacy, especially given everything he says Wu-Tang Clan did for the culture.

He and Takeoff have been putting in overtime pumping out the music ... spearheaded by the hit "Hotel Lobby" single which dropped in May.

EMT's frantically tried to revive Coolio after his body was found in a downtown LA. home, but after 45 minutes of CPR he was pronounced dead.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio was at a friend's home late Wednesday afternoon when he went to the bathroom. We're told he was in there for quite a while, and the friend became concerned and began calling for him. When Coolio didn't respond, the friend went inside the bathroom and found the rapper laying on the floor.

He called EMT's who quickly responded and saw no signs of life. They administered CPR for 3/4 of an hour before concluding it was futile.

Coolio's manager told us the 59-year-old rapper came down from Vegas, where he lives, to L.A. so he could either get or renew his passport.

The manager said there was some problem with getting the passport in L.A. and the 2 had talked on the phone about going down to San Diego to get the job done.

As for why he needed to go to the passport office ... he had shows scheduled in Germany this weekend.

The manager says he was getting ready to join Coolio when he got the call that he had collapsed in the bathroom.

As we reported, police did not find drugs or paraphernalia in the bathroom.

R. Kelly's not just going to prison for his sex crimes in New York, but it also looks like he'll be ordered to pay a fortune to some of his victims ... including picking up the tabs to deal with their STDs and their psychological trauma in the aftermath.

There was a restitution hearing in Brooklyn Wednesday, where a judge weighed in on what Kelly will have to cough up, money-wise, to a couple of his victims in that case ... in which he's already been convicted and sentenced to prison.

For a victim named "Jane," the judge indicated Kelly will be ordered to fork over around $300K to cover treatment related to herpes, as well as psychological care that she apparently requires. Ditto for another victim in that case named "Stephanie," although a firm number hasn't been decided in her situation just yet ... the judge put a pin in it and will circle back later.

A 3rd victim, "Sonja," was denied restitution. So, at this point, it looks like Kelly will be on the hook for hundreds of thousands ... and possibly more.

Remember, Kelly's already been handed down a sentence of 30 years behind bars in this case -- where he was alleged to have committed federal sex crimes.

He was also recently convicted in his federal case out of Chicago -- in which he was accused of similar crimes -- and there could be restitution in that case, as well.

Kanye West has hired yet another divorce lawyer, this time tapping into the same attorney who represented Melinda Gates in her multi-billion dollar divorce case with Bill Gates.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Ye's retained Robert Stephan Cohen of Cohen Clair Lans Greifer Thorpe & Rottenstreich LLP as his sixth divorce attorney in the back and forth with Kim Kardashian. Interestingly enough, Cohen is based in New York, and the Kim divorce is in Los Angeles, so Ye's also bringing on Nicholas A. Salick of Salick Family Law Group, APLC as his counsel in California.

Not only has Cohen represented Melinda, but he's also had clients like Rupert Murdoch, Chris Rock, Athina Onassis and more.

TMZ broke the story, Kim filed for divorce in November, and a judge declared her legally single back in March, after she filed docs stating, "I very much desire to be divorced." The couple still has to iron out custody and property details.

We know Kim and Kanye already had a prenup in place, so property shouldn't be an issue. As far as custody, that seems to be settled too, as Kanye recently said Kim's got the kids about 80% of the time and mostly raises them.

LAPD is naming a suspect in the murder of PnB Rock ... he's still on the loose, and should be considered "armed and dangerous."

Cops announced Wednesday morning, Freddie Lee Trone, is the guy detectives have fingered as "a person involved" in the Sept. 12 slaying of the rapper as he sat in a Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles.

They've released this photo of Trone, but haven't yet said if he's the only person they're seeking in the case. You'll recall, police said there was a getaway car waiting outside the L.A. restaurant after PnB was shot and killed.

The killer fled with several gold and diamond chains the Philly MC was wearing as he ate lunch with his girlfriend.

Police are urging the public to contact 911 if you see Trone or have any info on his whereabouts.

Kodak Black is doing good in his hood -- well before the holidays hit -- paying off the remaining rent balance for dozens of South Florida households facing eviction.

Kodak's attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ Hip Hop ... many South Florida rental home prices have skyrocketed by as much as 31.5 percent -- way higher than the typical 3 to 5 percent!

And, that's where the "Super Gremlin" rapper steps in -- he joined forces with community leader Francky Pierre-Paul and the Zachariah McQueen Foundation to assist a total of 28 families within West Palm Beach's Merry Place Housing Projects.

We're told Kodak will also cover any back fees ... making his grand total of charity $88,902.80 this time around.

Kodak tells TMZ ... "I'm happy about making other people happy. It makes my heart happy to know those 28 families are being taken care of through the end of the year. I don't always post the good I do, I just try to do right by people."

In a separate post, Kodak put his rapping skills on display ... brandishing an acronym for his beloved projects: People Relying On Just Enough Cash To Survive.

Kodak loves his native South Florida and is no stranger to giving back.

During a July 2021 heat wave, he hand-delivered 100 air conditioning units to folks living in the projects of Pompano Beach. He also famously donated $10,000 to the Jack and Jill education center and created a memorial fund for Florida police officers killed in the line of duty.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's recent brawl in Dubai won't be his last one ... not if the DJ he punched that night has anything to say about it!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the DJ, Lucasdirty ... who wants to resolve the whole thing mano a mano in a real boxing ring.

Lucasdirty's looking to finish what started last weekend ... he tells us he was alerted by the club's management that 6ix9ine was indeed in the building, so he was asked to spin his tunes.

He refused, though, because he says 6ix9ine's music goes against his core beliefs and morals -- and that's what sparked the nightclub melee captured on video.

You can see how things blew up ... 6ix9ine approached the DJ booth 10 minutes after getting rejected, some words were exchanged and then the club was flipped upside down.

Now, Lucasdirty is looking ahead to the recently announced exhibition fight between Floyd Mayweather and YouTuber Deji this November in Dubai, and sees it as the perfect opportunity to settle his differences with Tekashi.

Lucasdirty doesn't even fancy himself a boxer, but he's willing to put on the gloves if it means punching the rainbow.

Sean "Diddy" Combs is being sued by Kim Porter's niece ... who claims she was wrongfully terminated after she told him she got pregnant and needed to take maternity leave.

In legal docs, obtained by TMZ, a woman referred to as Jane Roe -- who identifies herself as Kim's niece -- is suing Diddy, Tri Star Sports, and others, claiming she became a full-time nanny to Diddy's twins after Kim passed away in November 2018. Jane says she was then fired 2 years later when she requested maternity leave.

She claims the day after Kim passed away, Diddy asked her to live at his estate and become a full-time nanny to his twins, Jessie James and D'Lila -- adding she "was responsible for the twins' 24/7 care."

Jane says she got pregnant in August 2020 and told Diddy she needed to take maternity leave ... but says Diddy was "infuriated" and terminated her employment around the time she was set to begin her time off.

Roe claims she was told through Diddy's reps she was canned because she was pregnant and unmarried -- which "purportedly set a bad example" for his daughters.

She's seeking unspecified damages.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim was found dead at her Toluca Lake home in 2018, it was later revealed she died from a form of pneumonia.

Rihanna and her creative team are hard at work -- planning her Super Bowl Halftime Show and figuring out whether or not she'll be joined by guests -- with a list of nearly 50 possible names to hit the stage with her ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge of the plans tell us everyone Rihanna's collabed with over the years is fair game to possibly appear -- with stars like Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Calvin Harris, Pharrell, Jay-Z, Drake and more on Rihanna's resume.

We're told at this time, there have been no final decisions on who may join Rihanna, but she will absolutely have the final say. Our sources also tell us there's still a chance she does the whole thing solo and without a guest ... though it's likely she'll have at least one person, if shows in the past few years are any indicator.

As we reported, Rihanna and boyfriend A$AP Rocky were spotted hitting a New York City recording studio Monday night, so it's possible they're working on something together -- maybe even for the big game.

TMZ broke the story, Rihanna will be Super Bowl LVII's Halftime headliner. There were previous reports it was Taylor Swift, but we learned Swift isn't willing to take the SB stage until she's finished rerecording the rest of her old albums.

Lil Wayne is celebrating 40 years of life today, and apparently wants to shed some serious real estate ... because he just listed the Miami mansion he built in 2017.

The Hip Hop megastar is looking for a sizeable come-up ... asking $29 million for the lavish 7 bedroom, 11 bathroom palace after originally paying $16.8 million. That being said, future buyers can't say they won't get their money's worth.

Wayne laced the place with high-end luxuries ... which include a commercial-grade elevator, wine cellar, floating staircases, and an outside dock that spirals 110 feet across the waterfront.

The most attractive amenity within the mansion's 10,300 square footage could arguably be the awesome movie theater ... decked out with suede walls, making for an ideal space to entertain guests.

On the outside of the Allison Island gated community also sits a large pool, complete with an open-air cabana with its own kitchen.

Wayne's living in the California Hidden Hills these days after moving close to Kylie Jenner last year. He just celebrated his 40th birthday in L.A. with plenty of famous pals ... and looked right at home!!!

Pusha T is back with his 2nd McDonald's diss track of the year ... and this time, he's burning the McRib to a crisp!!!

On the new record "Rib Roast," King Push peddles Arby's Real Country Rib Sandwich while sending shots at the Golden Arches with lyrics like ... "McDonald's what you selling mystery meat?/Hop up and go away, what does history teach?/ Mickey D's McRib you ain't it in the streets/The real country style rib sandwich here to compete."

Call it get back from the grill ... Pusha and his brother No Malice of The Clipse wrote McDonald's iconic "I'm Lovin' It" jingle back in 2003, but the brothers didn't cash out on any royalties on the business end.

While speaking to Complex about the premiere of "Rib Roast," Pusha says he has no ill will toward McDonald's, admitting it wasn't the best business for him per se -- but that's not stopping him from killing Ronald & co. on wax.

Pusha's "Spicy Fish Diss Track" dropped back in March, and reportedly gave Arby's an $8 million marketing bump, as well as a better deal for Pusha ... 40% ownership of the track!!!

Pusha says he's trying to take "street hip hop" to the next level, and his partnership with Arby's is just another notch in the résumé.

Charlamagne Tha God recently went viral for not having Chief Keef in his "most influential list" -- a snub that angered many, but not the man, the myth ... Love Sosa himself!!!

TMZ Hip Hop connected Monday with the Almighty So in NYC -- a rare opportunity to gauge his thoughts about his name circulating on social media lately.

On a recent "Brilliant Idiots" podcast, Charlamagne named Kanye West, Jay-Z, 2Pac and Lil Wayne as rap's most influential but rejected the suggestion of Chief Keef because he "didn't influence the world."

Sosa pretty much rejected all of that when we asked him about it ... he dismissed Charlamagne as an opinion factory.

While Charlamagne is denying Chief Keef's legacy, DJ Akademiks has inserted himself in the past as a cornerstone in popularizing drill and Sosa's sound.

Akademiks infamously covered deadly Chicago rap feuds ... much to the disdain of many rappers, but Sosa isn't giving Ak the credit that easily.

He seemed much more interested in showing off his drip and fashion, but casually shot down Ak's claims ... or simply ignored them.

Sosa was in the Big Apple to link with Juelz Santana in the studio and also check out his artist Lil Gnar's Rolling Loud appearance.