TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Wiz Khalifa is the coolest guy on the court ... just ask Harlem rapper Neek Bucks, who recently nabbed the Taylor Gang leader for his upcoming music video!!!

The two rappers recently draped up in "ballers" jerseys for a basketball-themed visual ... which looks to be a bench-clearing celebration!!!

We're told the single is called "Shot Caller" and will appear on Neeks' upcoming debut album "Blessed To The Max" ... which is executive produced by Neeks' mentor, Hitmaka -- who's also in the clip.

Wiz appeared to be calling a couple of shots of his own as he took a smoke break while combing through the footage ... and clearly nailed his celebration scenes while totally hitting it off with the cheerleaders!!!

Neek has emerged as one of rap's more impressive rookies as of late ... earning the respect of OG's like 2 Chainz and Wiz while still connecting with peers like Lil Tjay and G Herbo for collabs all the same.

Tory Lanez is now behind bars awaiting sentencing after being convicted for shooting Megan Thee Stallion -- and on Christmas Day ... here's what's waiting for him in the cafeteria.

TMZ has gotten a rundown on what the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department is cooking up Sunday for their inmates in jail ... and with Tory now being one of them, for the time being, he's definitely getting the same meal as everyone else -- and it doesn't sound half bad.

According to LASD, their corrections facilities have quite the food lineup ... including 4 oz of roast turkey, 4 oz of mashed potatoes, 2 oz of gravy, 1 oz of cranberry sauce, 4 oz of green beans, 1 cup of tossed green salad, a dinner roll, a pumpkin muffin and a chocolate milk.

The jails also have religious/medical diet options ... Halal, vegan, diabetic and everything in between -- none of which sound quite as appetizing as what's listed above. FWIW, Tory's currently being held at the Men's Central Jail just outside of Chinatown ... not too far from where he was in court for the past couple weeks, and where a jury found him guilty Friday.

Speaking of Friday, here's a photo of what may have been Tory's last meal on the outside. During an afternoon break amid jury deliberations ... TL and his crew were seen grabbing some pizza in DTLA.

Ghislaine Maxwell and R. Kelly are rockin' around the Xmas tree behind bars once again, while "Cheer" star Jerry Harris and Josh Duggar are celebrating the big holiday locked up for the first time ... but bein' in the clink doesn't mean they're missing out on a feast.

TMZ has obtained prison and jail menus for Christmas Day from places where big names are doin' time ... and the holiday grub ain't sounding so bad -- even if there's no turkey.

Here's what these celebs will be chowing down on Dec. 25:

Joe Exotic at FMC Fort Worth:

-- Baked Cornish hen, tofu fried rice, bread stuffing, heart-healthy carrots, chicken gravy, bread & butter, fruit and holiday pies

Duggar at FCI Seagoville:

-- Herbed Cornish hen, glazed ham, veggie stuffed peppers, veggie lasagna, broccoli cheese & rice casserole, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, corn on the cob, cranberry sauce, rolls and holiday pies

Harris at FMC Lexington:

-- Glazed Cornish hen, beef sirloin steak, broccoli quiche, baked candied yams, cornbread stuffing, collard greens, chicken gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls, fruit and pies

Fetty Wap at MDC Brooklyn:

-- Herbed Cornish hen, eggplant parmesan, dirty rice, baked beans, green beans, dinner rolls, fruit, pies and juice

R. Kelly at MCC Chicago:

-- Baked Cornish hen, green beans, cornbread dressing, mac & cheese and sweet potato casserole

Maxwell at FCI Tallahassee:

-- Cornish hens, stuffed green peppers, garlic mac & cheese, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce, red velvet cheesecake and fruit

In addition to the grub, facilities are giving out holiday-themed bags to inmates filled with more snacks, puzzles and even some games.

Too Short isn’t sweating the Golden State Warriors’ current slump in the season, and is advising all die-hard fans to follow his lead!!!

We recently spoke to the Oakland rap legend -- who made sure to rep in his authentic Warriors gear while offering his two cents on the Warriors season. Of course, things started a little rocky when Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole during practice before the season's official tipoff. They've since had some big-time losses on the court.

Short says the Warriors don’t get the credit they deserve for rising above injuries and regaining the crown last season ... and notes Kevin Durant's place in the dynasty rarely gets acknowledged.

The Warriors have one of the most tight-knit rapper fanbases in the league. Short, G-Eazy, Mistah F.A.B and his Mt. Westmore bandmate E-40 are among the familiar faces who can be seen in Chase Center on any given night!!!

The team is currently in 11th place and has a big Christmas Day matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies ... but Short says the NBA have playoffs for a reason and he's overly confident they can sneak in a repeat as champs with a late-season push.

Short may have the skills to moonlight as a sports analyst, but don't think he's abandoning rap. His Mt. Westmore album collab with 40, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube is hot off the streaming press --- and he's well aware of the firepower they possess.

Adidas cutting ties with Kanye West has turned out to be a major gamble, because it has over half a billion dollars worth of the guy's shoes to sell, without his name anymore.

We already knew Adidas was planning to move forward with selling unbranded Yeezys post-split, but now ... we have a bit more insight into why. According to the Financial Times, insiders at the sneaker company claim Adidas is sitting on a huge mountain of Yeezys.

Per the report, the inventory the company has amounts to about $530 million ... and Adidas is apparently eager to hawk them to avoid taking an even bigger hit than what it's publicly disclosed thus far -- which was already looking quite grim for end-of-year numbers.

On top of the staggering amount of shoes it has to move -- which Adidas is reportedly scrambling to figure out how to do it -- the FT story goes into some detail about how deeply tied it was to Yeezys and to what extent Adidas was hinging its success on it.

In 2022 alone, Yeezys made Adidas upwards of $1.8 billion ... and made up around 7% of its total profits. The report also says Yeezy has stayed strong as a constant product in the Adidas wheelhouse since at least 2019, which might explain why Adidas took so long to finally cut ties with Kanye -- the dude (and his shoe brand) was literally its cash cow.

Adidas has reportedly already set a date for its first unofficial Yeezy release ... the company is calling it the Adidas 350 V2 “Granite," and it's supposed to retail for $230 -- dropping in January.

There's been a lot of debate online over whether people should (or will) buy what Adidas is trying to sell now ... but this report makes it clear -- it's banking on sneakerheads continuing to cop, because if they don't ... it could mean trouble for the shoe company.

Megan Thee Stallion might still not have all of hip hop in her corner after the Tory Lanez verdict -- but she's got one of the biggest pop stars around backing her ... Adele.

The singer sent a heartful message of support Friday to MTS ... who was just vindicated after a jury unanimously decided Tory had, in fact, shot her in 2020 ... and was guilty of the charges brought against him. In light of that, Adele's wishing her peace for the holidays.

Check it out ... Adele name-dropped Meg at her Vegas residency show, saying she hopes she has a "very, very, Merry, Merry Christmas" ... going on to say that she can now do whatever the hell she likes without this thing hanging over her like it has for the past 2 years.

The crowd cheered, and it's clear ... Adele fully supports Meg -- unlike some of Megan's peers in the rap industry, who've cast doubt on her story and painted her as a liar.

All of that turned out to be moot this week, however ... because, as you know, Tory was convicted and taken into custody immediately -- right in front of his kids and family. Megan wasn't in the courtroom Friday, but she's had ample support from folks right outside.

Kodak Black’s generosity sprouted all through NYC this week with a holiday giveaway -- and there's been even more Christmas cheer coming the kids’ way!!!

Kodak’s attorney Bradford Cohen tells TMZ Hip Hip … Kodak’s recent trek through Times Square saw 2,000 toys given to underprivileged kids as part of his ongoing charity work.

The toys weren’t trinkets either … we’re told pricey electronic gadgets such as iPads and AirPods were placed in the grab bags, as well as other gifts.

NYPD provided security to ensure everything went smoothly ... and it did!!! After all, Kodak loves the kids.

Bradford says Kodak's sleigh continued through Fulton County, Georgia on Friday ... where he gave out an additional 1,000 toys and jackets to underprivileged kids.

Nicki Minaj has finally put down roots in L.A. after hunting for a home for several years ... and the place she chose is pretty spectacular.

Nicki plunked down $19.5 million for an estate in Kardashian Kountry -- AKA Hidden Hills -- this according to The Dirt.

The house is awesome -- 12,000 square feet, 8 bedrooms, a detached guesthouse, cabana, the obligatory pool (this one's salt water) and a Baja shelf.

Nicki and hubby Kenneth Petty have been renting for years as they searched for the right house. They've been renting recently in Calabasas.

Tory Lanez is guilty of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot back in 2020 ... a jury has decided.

The verdict came in Friday, just before the holiday -- where a group of L.A. jurors found the Canadian rapper guilty of all three charges against him -- felony negligent discharge of a firearm, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm.

After the verdict was read, several members of Tory's family -- including his dad and stepmom -- shouted, "This system stands before God!" and calling the court system evil. Deputies surrounded his family members and escorted them out of the courtroom.

Tory was filmed entering court before the verdict was read, telling cameras his spirits were high.

Tory now faces more than 22 years in prison, which will be determined during sentencing on January 27. Sources connected to the case tell us Tory's lawyers were in touch with immigration officials -- before the guilty verdict -- and we're told they've been informed there's a strong likelihood he will be forced to leave the country.

This marks the conclusion of a wild 2 weeks in court, which saw a handful of witnesses take the stand to recount what they say happened on that fateful night. Megan herself obviously testified, squarely pointing the finger at Tory as the shooter.

She said she saw Tory with the gun, explaining she remembers him firing at her from his Cadillac Escalade ... and claims he shouted, "Dance, bitch!" MTS also testified that Tory offered her $1 million to keep quiet.

Meg was called out by the defense for several items, including the fact she initially wasn't forthright about having an intimate relationship with Tory Lanez, and that she'd initially lied to police about how her feet had gotten injured.

The defense also tried to target Meg's ex-BFF, Kelsey, as the shooter ... and the reason she might've shot her was because of alleged creeping behind her back with guys like Ben Simmons, DaBaby and Tory himself -- a revelation that apparently sparked a major argument among all 3 of them in the car.

What exactly happened in the car was a major source of contention during the trial. While Megan had one version of events -- Kelsey seemed to have a different story ... albeit, with a very spotty memory on the stand that created stop-and-go recounting under oath.

What she did definitively testify to on the stand ... she wasn't the one who shot Megan ... but she wasn't willing to go as far as to say Tory did.

But, remember ... prosecutors were eventually able to get the green light to play a prior interview she'd given investigators in September -- and in that recording, she said Tory did actually shoot Meg.

Other witnesses took the stand too, but none of them were as consequential as Megan and Kelsey -- including the guy who supposedly saw the two women fighting from his balcony. Ultimately, he wasn't very definitive about who he says he saw fire the gun.

The physical evidence in the case wasn't that strong -- there was gun residue found on both Kelsey and Tory ... and inconclusive DNA evidence on the gun itself. Tory never took the stand, and neither did his driver that night ... Jaquan Smith. Aside from cops and a witness to the Kylie Jenner party that preceded all this -- it really boiled down to Kelsey and Meg.

In the end, the jury obviously sided with prosecutors. As for the court of public opinion ... the jury is still very much out. People certainly took sides on social media -- and on traditional media too -- but now ... it's unclear if their allegiances will change.

Tory Lanez's father is blowing a gasket after watching his son's conviction in the Megan Thee Stallion shooting trial ... directing his anger at cops, prosecutors and even Jay-Z.

Ya gotta see the video ... Tory's father launches into an epic rant outside the courthouse where his son was hauled off to jail, railing against the justice system.

Tory's dad is obviously taking issue with the lack of physical evidence presented at trial ... and he's also no fan of Jay-Z.

It's unclear why Tory's pops is pissed at HOV ... but Meg is signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation.

Tory's stepmom is also upset ... and his family says the case isn't over, so it sounds like they want Tory's legal team to file an appeal.

As you know ... Tory was convicted Friday of all three charges against him, and he's facing more than 22 years in prison, and we're told the Canadian may be deported.

Tory's parents were also steaming mad inside the courtroom ... they screamed and hollered, claiming the court system was evil before being escorted outside.

Memphis rapper Big Scarr died as a result of a fatal prescription pain med OD ... relatives tell TMZ.

The up-and-coming rapper's uncle, Arthur Woods, tells us Big Scarr overdosed Thursday on prescription pills at his girlfriend's house in Memphis.

Big Scarr's uncle says he did not know when his nephew got the meds ... but he says Big Scarr faced several traumatic experiences in his life, including being shot and suffering a serious car accident injury.

The rapper got his stage name from the car accident when he was 16. It left a big scar on his body when he was thrown through a windshield. In the 2020 shooting, Big Scarr was struck by a bullet that traveled up his spine, and he needed surgery to remove his appendix.

The uncle says Big Scarr also battled depression ... citing the death of the rapper's grandmother as something that he took very hard.

As we reported ... Big Scarr was pronounced dead Thursday, with law enforcement sources telling us there were no signs of foul play.

Big Scarr's uncle is remembering his 22-year-old nephew as a nice young man and a beautiful person who was very passionate about music.

DJ Vlad says he feels guilty for not putting more pressure on the late DJ Kay Slay to get vaccinated for COVID-19 -- a battle that took his life.

Vlad and Michael Jai White were America's problem with obesity ... both agreed an aggressive approach is best for convincing loved ones to eat healthily and exercise. The discussion caused Vlad to express his regrets for not coming down on Kay Slay prior to his death.

Vlad says he and Kay Slay were texting about the COVID-19 vaccine and Kay Slay refused to get vaccinated at the time, revealing he was waiting for some of the variants to clear up.

Vlad and Kay Slay's relationship dated back 20 years to the days when mixtapes were actual physical copies but Vlad said it was the Drama King's age difference and veteran status that made him bite his tongue.

The convo was framed as their last -- Kay Slay contracted COVID-19 and battled the disease for 4 months before passing away in April.

Big Scarr, an up-and-coming artist in the rap game, has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources say Scarr, real name Alexander Woods, was pronounced dead Thursday. We're told the case is an ongoing death investigation, but there are no signs of foul play.

Gucci Mane, who heads the label Scarr was signed to, posted about his death, saying, "I'm a miss you."

Big Scarr was a member of Gucci's 1017 Records ... and he was recently named to the 2022 XXL Freshman List.

The guy collaborated with big acts like Offset, Pooh Shiesty ... and he's best known for his song "SolcyBozy" with Shiesty, Foogiano and Tay Keith.

Big Scarr's debut mixtape, "Big Grim Reaper," was released on April 16 of last year and it reached the top 25 on the Billboard charts.

As for how Big Scarr got his stage name ... he was badly scarred in a scary car accident when he was only 16 years old, with the accident causing him to be thrown through the windshield of his friend's ride, leaving lasting damage.

Big Scarr was reportedly shot back in 2020, with a bullet traveling up his spine ... and he needed surgery to have his appendix taken out.

He was 22.

Lizzo has a rags-to-riches story right out of "Annie" ... from sleeping in her car to living in a mega-mansion in ritzy Bel-Air ... and she's more than proud to talk about it.

Lizzo got emotional when "CBS Sunday Morning" reporter Tracy Smith asked about her journey of couch surfing in search of a warm place to sleep. The singer said she's never really had a place of her own until recently, and it excites and fulfills her.

As for the $15 million home ... well, it's got a pedigree. None other than Harry Styles used to lay his head on a pillow in the same bedroom.

Lizzo's on a roll, she's already won 3 Grammys and her latest album, "Special," has been nominated for 4 more. She made history this year, playing a crystal flute once owned by James Madison. Unfamiliar ... plz Google.

Yung Miami is coming clean following Diddy's pop-up baby that disrupted their relationship flow ... revealing that Brother Love did indeed give her the heads up that he was expecting another child.

The City Girl had taken much heat online -- especially from Akademiks -- over the child's arrival that we revealed happened in October ... but G Herbo pushed Miami to give up the deets on her award-winning "Caresha Please" series!!!

Miami assured the Chicago rapper that she and Diddy have healthy communication within their relationship, which can be considered polyamorous by numerous definitions.

She also sounded open to being in the delivery room next ... if it should come to that!!! 😁

If it's any consolation, Diddy defended his love for Miami when the baby news broke ... silencing Akademiks and other social media pundits who referred to her as a "side chick."

G Herbo didn't go unscathed in the interview, either -- he admitted to cheating on his ex Ari Fletcher with his new wifey Taina Williams.

Megan Thee Stallion's boyfriend, Pardi, is publicly sharing his thoughts about Tory Lanez's shooting trial for the first time ... saying he "wouldn't wish this on anyone."

Pardi took to social media Thursday, as the jury began deliberating on a verdict ... saying, "To any woman especially ones of color that has suffered an injustice I feel for you."

He continued, "When you do find the courage to speak up .. it seems you will be ridiculed," noting people can quickly go from "victim to defendant in the eyes of the public."

He ends the post, "To any one with a daughter sister mother niece or aunt .. I pray for their protection .. I pray for their covering .. I wouldn't wish this on anyone."

As we reported, closing arguments wrapped Thursday, sending the jury to begin deliberations ... the prosecution made one last effort to convince jurors that Tory shot Megan -- pointing to Tory's "bruised ego" as a reason he shot her.