TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Young M.A has some of her fans in a frenzy over a video she and her barber shared, but the "OOOUUU" rapper is reassuring anyone worried about her health ... she's blessed and highly favored.

On Tuesday, both M.A and FatsDaBarber lashed out at social media gossipers, in an attempt to extinguish heavy online speculation about the vid ... which shows M.A mumbling incoherently in the barber chair. Several fans also noted her eye color seems very yellow.

Her barber called for a stop to all the chatter, while M.A consoled him against the internet backlash -- some folks were angry he'd posted the video.

M.A added it was actually 4 months since her last hair appointment, not just one, as her barber had posted.

As for what's fueling the concern ... back in June 2021, Young M.A announced she was going to rehab, but quickly walked back that comment. She's also been absent on the music front since her May 2021 album "Off The Yak" -- a clear nod to guzzling cognac.

"Ay Bay Bay" rapper Hurricane Chris is now free to resume his life ... a jury found him not guilty on second-degree murder charges after his legal team used a "Friday" character to make his case.

The 34-year-old, whose real name is Christopher Dooley, told The Shade Room ... "I wanna thank God, my attorneys at the Washington & Wells law firm, and my family for standing with me as my life was on the line."

Chris was accused of fatally shooting Danzeria Ferris Jr. in 2020 at a Texaco station in Shreveport, LA -- but the rapper's attorneys claimed he acted in self-defense ... likening the deceased man to "Deebo" AKA  the late Tiny "Zeus" Lister from Ice Cube's 1995 classic "Friday" film.

Following the verdict, Chris told reporters outside the courtroom, Jesus was responsible for the outcome and his attorney, Alex Washington, applauded the jury for having the courage to step up for his client.

Lil Nas X is known to crack jokes online, but even the "Old Town Road" rapper knew his joke about transitioning crossed a line ... so he's issuing an apology.

LNX had originally posted a photo of social medial influencer Glow Princess, and quipped "the surgery was a success" ... causing many clueless fans to believe he'd actually undergone a gender-changing procedure. 😬

When fans in the know began firing off angry tweet after angry tweet, Lil Nas owned up to his blunder.

He responded ... "Apologies to the trans community i def handled that situation with anger instead of considering why it was not cool ... much love to you guys. sorry."

DJ Quik's time in Michael Jackson's presence proved to be off the wall -- considering the late King of Pop forced him to face the corner as he walked past him!!!

The prolific producer says he was recording out of Westlake Studios in L.A. back in the day ... when it was announced MJ would also be stopping through.

Problem was ... MJ didn't want to meet, greet or even make eye contact with anyone -- so, Quik says everyone in the studio had to face the wall when Michael arrived.

After realizing it wasn't a drill, Quik obliged ... but claims he still heard MJ's penny loafers shuffling across the floor as he made his way through the building.

Quik says he encountered MJ in a studio again, later in life, but still got the silent treatment.

As for why they never connected -- Quik says it was a Bloods and Crips thing! 😂

Upstart Bronx MC Connie Diiamond is currently basking in the glow of a King's cosign ... after LeBron James publicly approved of her show-stealing "Move" freestyle!!!

LBJ has been nursing a right tendon injury in his foot for weeks now ... but the NBA scoring champ's ears are just fine, and Tuesday he posted a celebration of Connie's flow and tenacity on the mic.

The Def Jam signee celebrated LBJ's validation on her IG page ... letting fans know the song -- which she recorded months ago -- is now on digital service providers.

The track samples Ludacris' stadium classic "Move Bitch" -- which was also released on Def Jam back in 2001, so the synergy is real.

Lil Uzi Vert is seeing clearer than ever ahead of his "The Pink Tape" album release and tells us he owes the 20/20 vision to his decision to go sober.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Uzi in Bev Hills and he popped the lid off his creative process for the project ... telling us he made his close group of friends sift through the 680 songs he recorded for the album!!!

The remaining pile of songs will be donated to rappers in a drought. The game needs saving, eh Melle Mel???

Fans will also hear a different side of Uzi on the album -- his sober side, as he's flushed all illicit substances from his system.

Uzi doubted he could make great music without drugs steering the ship, but he says the results came out even better ... his skin is better, he's no longer slurring his words and now he's making songs with more focused subject matter!!!

One of those songs is already getting buzz -- Uzi premiered a rager record at Rolling Loud California that spurned a public outcry for its lyrics, "I make a City Girl believe in Satan."

Uzi assured us he doesn't even believe in the devil and it was just a metaphor.

French Montana and Rubi Rose are in new couple mode ... doing date night in Bev Hills, and they're not afraid to show some PDA as the freshest romantic pairing in hip hop!!!

The 2 rap stars were beaming from ear to ear as they arrived Monday night at Mr. Chow for a romantic dinner date -- and even with a photog there, they weren't shy about showing their affection.

French threw his arm around Rubi shortly after they got out of his ride, and they strolled into the restaurant looking totally comfortable being a new hip hop power couple.

A source close to the couple tells us Rubi is 100 percent French's "new gf." It's unclear when exactly they started hanging out, but it's clear they're past that initial "getting to know you" phase.

Rubi's a former XXL Freshman with several releases under her belt and more than 4 million IG followers.

Wyclef Jean alarmed fans this week with a video revealing his first-ever stay in the hospital ... but thankfully, the former Fugees star is looking at a full recovery after he gets some much-needed rest.

Wyclef tells TMZ, after returning to Los Angeles from Miami last weekend, he felt numbness on the right side of his face and immediately sought care from his family doctor, who sent him to the ER.

He says the tests Dr. Waleed Lashin requested an overnight stay in the hospital ... and the early indication is his face numbness was the result of exhaustion, which is also likely stress related.

Wyclef's thanking all of his concerned fans, and says he's back at home with more tests to follow next week.

Megan Thee Stallion had no regrets admitting she pinged Beyoncé for the favor of all favors in 2023 ... tickets to the highly anticipated Renaissance Tour, which had fans debating taking out bank loans when they saw the prices.

A gushing Meg relayed to ET at Sunday's Vanity Fair party that she actually dialed up Beyoncé directly for access to the hot-ticketed event but didn't want to reveal why she was actually going to the show.

She later quipped how Beyoncé was her "auntie" and looked forward to seeing her later at the megastar's after-party at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood.

Meg and Bey may not share blood, but the Houston-bred stars won Grammy gold together with 2020's "Savage" collab, and Meg is a key component of Jay-Z's Roc Nation music arm.

Beyonce finally answered her loyal fans' prayers after finally revealing her Renaissance Tour dates back in February ... but not without stipulations like signing up for her Verified Fan service and ticket prices, which Billboard says you'll need around $300 just to get a "decent" seat!!!

Sunday's festivities marked Meg's first public appearance since the draining Tory Lanez shooting trial ... but she appears to be back in full force.

Polo G and Lil Xan both deserve gymnastics medals for blazing the stage under "slippery when wet" conditions, and yes ... they both hydroplaned while performing!!!

The rappers recently co-headlined the Springfest Kickoff Concert in Fargo, ND ... but they had to do so on a fairly soaked stage.

Xan was actually captured taking a tumble after he stepped smack dab in a puddle on stage ... with Polo later coming out to wipe the ground, attempting to ensure his own safety. It didn't work out.

The Chicago rap star was in full crunk mode as he performed "Flex" when he nearly took a tumble himself ... before finding his balance while still firing off his lyrics.

Furious Five rapper Melle Mel isn't backing down from his condemnation of today's hip hop -- in fact, he tripled down when asked if he's feeling the burn from all the backlash.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the pioneering MC and he made it crystal clear he still feels he's better than the likes of Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem. Then he went deeper, saying the music industry has pushed destructive tropes that pollute everyone's ability to know what good music actually sounds like.

Put in less PC terms ... Melle says today's rappers can barely rap, and they're just street guys with a sensational message!!!

In contrast, he points to his group's iconic record, "The Message," which spoke out against the guns and drugs that have buried so many hip hop artists over the last 20 years.

The 61-year-old vet says he can easily make a terrible song that glorifies negativity, but he wants to make music he can "stand behind." Melle added he's serious about making a comeback to show and prove himself.

Rap music fans let Melle have it all last week following his viral interview clips, but he gave a special shoutout to Public Enemy and Busta Rhymes, who all gave him props for shaking the table.

Ice Spice recently checked a huge mark on her bucket list -- gaining a Twitter follow by Nicki Minaj, who appears to be digging her career progression!!!

The trailblazing rookie rapper is featured on the new cover of "Dazed" magazine, where she discussed being a Barb, having a birthday on New Year's Day and posed for a photo spread where she hunches over a chair while grabbing her crotch.

Nicki shared the mag cover on Twitter and validated the article's "People's Princess" title while urging people to get the issue from newsstands.

Ice's head was definitely spinning from being recognized by the Queen Barbie. Just a day before, Nicki followed IS on Twitter, fulfilling Ice's November 2020 wish of being noticed online.

Nicki's warming orientation is sharp 180° from her interaction with Latto last year when the "Big Energy" rapper was basking in her freshman buzz — the two engaged in a terse phone call and acidic tweets that spilled onto the internet ... but all signs point to an actual collaboration beween Ice and Nicki that will have all fans munchin'.

Blueface is coming to the realization he might be expecting a kid with his on-and-off again girlfriend Chrisean Rock ... and the thought of new fatherhood is keeping him up way past bedtime!!!

The "Thotiana" rapper dropped off what he framed as a PSA after a night of performing and partying in Dubai. He focused on the never-ending debate around double standards between men and women, but he was clearly just wringing his hands over Chrisean's pregnancy.

Seems his rant was prompted by Chrisean posting a shot of her growing baby bump ... something he's definitely not celebrating. Instead, BF went on about women benefitting more than men from double standards ... claiming the power of their 'P' goes much further than men's.

What's not debatable is that Blue and Chrisean's relationship is as rocky as ever -- they exchanged disses on Twitter, but he remained firm in doubting he's the father of her child.

Blueface also praised Jaidyn Alexis, the mother of his 2 children, for the classy way she presented her last pregnancy, and for not having weird men around his kids.

On the other hand, he's labeling Chrisean a "MeToo Bitch" who runs the streets.

He eventually signed off and decided to live his best life this morning on a yacht, surrounded by a new crop of women to tickle his fancies.

South African rapper Costa Titch is dead after collapsing twice onstage, in quick succession, during a weekend performance.

Check out this footage showing Costa, in a white shirt, running on the stage Saturday night with mic in hand at the Ultra South Africa concert near Johannesburg -- he went right into one of his songs and seemed totally fine.

Then the video cuts to Costa belting out another tune later in the concert -- he seems to reach for one of his backup singers before tumbling to the ground. He got back up and finished the song, but soon fell down again.

His team and emergency responders attempted to resuscitate him, but they were unable to save him. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Costa's family released a statement thanking first responders ... while a rep for the Ultra South Africa venue says they're “devastated” by Costa's death and will remember him as a "talented rapper, dancer, singer, songwriter, collaborator and friend to the festival."

Costa was best known for his hit "Big Flexa," which has 45 million views on YouTube and featured Akon on the remix.

Akon, who signed Costa to his Konvict Muzik imprint, paid an emotional to his artist on IG ... praising him for being "hardworking" and noting he died doing what he loved the most.

"Costa Titch had a vision that I knew for sure would take over the music industry globally and was on his way to doing just that when god’s plan intervened, Akon wrote. "It’s been a sad day but what makes me feel better is that I know he died doing what he loved doing the most in this world. God bless you COSTA!!!!!"

Costa was 28.

Lil Uzi Vert is telling everyone concerned about his “I make a City Girl believe in Satan" lyrics to take a chill pill ... he's deep into his music craft, and not cozying up to the devil.

TMZ Hip Hop chopped it up with Uzi out in Bev Hills, where he confirmed the track he previewed at Rolling Loud California -- making it go viral -- will be on his upcoming album, "Pink Tape" ... which he promises will drop in a couple of months.

According to Uzi, he was just metaphorically speaking when he mentioned Satan, and his girlfriend JT didn't blink at the line -- he says she was in the studio when he recorded the track.

His overall point ... they're just lyrics, not real-life beliefs!!!

The song still managed to ruffle feathers in the music community ... 50 Cent's G-Unit soldier Tony Yayo rebuked Uzi's lyrics due to his religious upbringing when we spoke to him last week ... and Summer Walker sent out a stern warning as well.

Uzi says he too has a religious background, but now that he's a grown-up, he doesn't bite his tongue when it comes to delivering his own bars.

Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny are still going strong ... rolling their now-confirmed romance into one of the biggest nights in Hollywood, and once again telegraphing they're a legit couple.

The supermodel and Latin pop star were on the list for Jay-Z and Beyonce's Oscars after-party Sunday in L.A., and while it's unclear if they showed up as a unit ... they certainly left as one, getting into the same car at the end of the night.

Check it out for yourself ... the new couple slipped into the same waiting town car. They still managed to dodge photogs trying to get them in the same frame. Clearly, they're still trying to keep it on the DL, but failing more with each date night.

Kendall was covering her face as they drove off ... BB seemed a little more casual about it all. Fact is, we've seen them together already, and everyone knows what's going on.

Remember, we just saw Kendall and Bunny on a group date last week ... where they hit up a celeb hot spot in West Hollywood. They were caught on camera embracing each other as everyone parted ways.

Anyway, just further proof these 2 are the real deal and currently seeing each other ... on a somewhat serious level, at the very least.

Oh, and take a gander at all the other celebs who were at Bey and Jay's blowout. We'd say it's a who's-who -- but, frankly, the pie was split pretty evenly throughout the weekend. With that said, there was some talent on hand ... Bieber, RiRi, Tyler, just to name a few.