TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Gucci Mane's former artist Ralo had a Happy Easter despite his ongoing prison bid for weed trafficking ... the Georgia rapper got to hug his daughter for the first time in 5 years!!!

Ralo posted pics of the father and child reunion -- showing himself and his daughter embracing. On IG, he compared their prison meeting to an out-of-body experience that lasts a lifetime.

He admitted current hip hop culture made him want to cut the "rapper" tag from his résumé, but says proceeds from his music are providing for his daughter and much more.

So, he's not bowing out of the game just yet.

Ralo was sentenced to 97 months last year after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, but has released several projects while behind bars.

He's been teasing his upcoming "97 Months" album ... titled after the length of his prison sentence and dropped off its first single, "Street Honors" with Jadakiss, ahead of the project's April 21 date.

Young M.A says she's "very much sober" at this point in time --  and, as a result, she's ready to flood the summer with new music.

On Sunday, Young M.A admitted to making plenty of "wrong decisions in her life" ... and she said, for a while, those decisions affected her ability to continue her career.

She didn't specify what bad habit she'd cut out in her sobriety, but assured fans the summer would be lit with new Young M.A music and she would be dropping a documentary that would disclose more details in due time.

The Brooklyn rapper alarmed fans in March by posting a video of herself in a barber chair ... babbling incoherently while her eyes appeared to be a dark yellow complexion.

She celebrated her 31st birthday last week, providing evidence she was in high spirits -- and this update feels like a double down on that notion.

Blueface will be back in a boxing ring in less than two weeks ... the rapper just agreed to fight TikToker Ed Matthews, who called Blueface out in an antagonizing video last month.

The fight will go down on April 22 at OVO Arena in England ... and the trash talk between the guys has already begun.

Just two weeks ago, Matthews appeared to poke fun at Blueface for his up-and-down relationship with Chrisean Rock in a TikTok that garnered nearly two million views.

The "Thotiana" rapper, meanwhile, posted a video of his own jabbing at Matthews over the weekend ... claiming he has no idea who the British social media star is.

The fight -- which will be on the same Kingpyn card that features the highly anticipated rematch between Anesongib and Austin McBroom -- will be the first for Blueface since July 2021, when he dominated a TikToker and then beat up a fan afterward.

The 26-year-old had been slated to fight former L.A. Laker Nick Young last year, but the tilt was canceled jays days before it was set to go down after he failed to secure a boxing license in time.

As for Matthews, he's no stranger to celeb fights -- he made quick work of social media star Simple Simon in a boxing match last year.

Students at Kanye West's Donda Academy are being deprived of the education they deserve, but the parents should be concerned if they try to go somewhere else -- so says one of the teachers suing the rapper over the school.

Former Donda teacher Cecilia Hailey's now giving a word of warning to parents, telling TMZ they're severely behind educationally -- but that doesn't mean moving somewhere else will instantly correct the problem.

She says the kids aren't getting graded at the unaccredited school, so transferring could be problematic.

Cecilia's worried about the students' futures ... angry the kids are way behind on the learning curve.

As we reported, Cecilia and her daughter claimed they were fired from their teaching gigs at Donda after calling out the school's flaws ... also saying race was a factor.

Cecilia tells us Kanye might not be involved with the school's issues, although she's named him in the suit. She listed numerous problems with Donda, BTW -- including a lack of chairs, locked front doors, and no lesson plans. She also complains the only item on the lunch menu was sushi.

Unlike her pregnancy announcement, Spice is doubling down on the seriousness of her recent health scare ... telling us it took nearly a year of recovery just to get walking again.

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to Spice this week and the dancehall reggae queen relived her worst nightmare ... a ruptured hernia that resulted in sepsis, and a 30 lb. weight loss!!!

The "Go Down Deh" crooner fooled fans with a "pregnancy" announcement back in March ... later explaining the photo only signified her return to life, not that she was actually expecting. She dropped a new track, "God a Bless Me" as the cherry on top.

Spice says things got so bad during her hospitalization, she actually prepared a will ... as she legitimately feared she was on her deathbed.

She describes the pain as if her organs were under attack and her skin was being eaten away.

It took a team of 14 doctors and 3 chest-busting operations to save Spice's life ... which caused her to spend 2 months in the hospital, and another 6 months relearning basic life functions like eating and talking.

Doja Cat says she's ready to prove she's a good rapper, and to do that ... she's shelving her pop style, maybe forever.

The artist -- who's been labeled a lot of things, but never quite fits into any given box -- took to Twitter on Saturday to reveal she's heard the people loud and clear ... namely, that her bars aren't quite up to snuff and that her rap prowess has been, thus far, pretty weak.

It's a consistent criticism Doja's faced since she splashed onto the scene ... especially since most of her biggest hits are straight up bubble-gum pop ones -- where she's singing.

Now, DC says she's gonna show everyone what's what on her next album ... writing, "i also agree with everyone who said the majority of my rap verses are mid and corny. I know they are. I wasnt trying to prove anything I just enjoy making music but I'm getting tired of hearing yall say that i can't so I will." In other words, Doja's gonna flex her stuff in due time.

There's more she addressed in responses to other Twitter users who reacted to this news -- including the fact that she does, in fact, consider herself a rapper ... up there with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Cardi B and other major femcees, it seems.

Doja also says pop music simply doesn't excite her anymore ... and wants to pivot toward a different sound and vibe. Lastly, she says she talk her s*** on this new project, "Hellmouth."

It's interesting that she wants to delve into straight up rap considering how much success she's had in her current lane. Doja has trotted out a number of singles that all charted well, including 'Say So,' 'Kiss Me More,' 'You Right,' 'Woman' and 'Best Friend,' among others.

That last one leans more rap, but her pop indulgences have proved to be money-makers ... and award contenders too. She's already won a Grammy, and has racked up tons of other accolades for her pop-centric records. The fact she wants to get away from that is ... risky.

Regardless, she sounds confident she can get it done ... and with her track record, there's no reason to believe she can't. Doja Cat is one of the biggest names in music right now, so we're sure she can whip up a damn good album with stellar production and features.

There've been reports she plans to do this new album solo, without any collabs, but there's no evidence backing that. What she has teased, however, are some title names ... like 'Balut,' 'Wet Vagina' and 'Agora Hills.' Gotta say ... those sound like straight bangers.

Brad Fischetti, the last living member of LFO, says he's not scared by the fact death seems to come early to those involved with the band ... he's alive and well, and touring in their honor.

Brad tells TMZ ... he was shocked and dumbfounded at the end of March, when original LFO member Brian "Brizz" Gillis suddenly died, leaving Brad as the last surviving member.

Lots of folks didn't even know Brian was in LFO ... and some thought it was really Brad who passed. Brian was LFO's third member when the band started, but he left before Devin Lima joined the group in 1999, the same year "Summer Girls" became a huge hit.

Remember ... Devin was only 41 when he died back in November 2018, and Rich Cronin was just 36 when he died in September 2010 ... with cancer taking both their lives. Brian's cause of death is still unclear.

Brad says it's not just LFO band members who have died young ... he says their OG record label head, keyboard player, choreographer and a producer they worked with are all dead too.

Still, Brad says he hopes there's not a death curse on LFO. He hopes he lives a long life and tells us he's got no plans to stop touring, viewing it as a way to carry on LFO's legacy.

Bu Thiam's role as EVP at Columbia Records has him scoping for new artists from all walks of life ... and he's looking to add NCAA champ Flau'jae Johnson to his roster!!!

We caught up with Bu at LAX and he had nothing but praise for Flau'jae, who recently helped the LSU Tigers win their first women's basketball national championship ... in controversial fashion at that.

Bu says he looked into Flau'jae's credentials and everything checked out, as it should have. The 19-year-old's been rapping long before it became trendy on the Internet ... going viral through appearances on "The Rap Game," "America's Got Talent," and her 2020 "Sway In The Morning" freestyle.

She inked a deal with Roc Nation management last year ... so, at least Bu knows who he needs to convince for a joint venture.

As a music exec, Bu also has to be mindful of the industry's changing landscape ... and he's surprisingly open to the idea of artificial intelligence artists, unlike some of his counterparts, like Swizz Beatz, who's expressed concern.

AI recordings mimicking the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Kanye West are littered all over YouTube ... but Bu thinks the industry needs to be more open-minded and embrace the technology.

Tony Yayo -- the rapper who inspired John Cena's famous "You Can't See Me" gesture -- is speaking out against those criticizing LSU hoops star Angel Reese for waving her hand toward Iowa star Caitlin Clark ... saying, "When a Black girl do it, it's a problem, but when a white girl do it, it's not a problem."

TMZ Sports spoke with the G-Unit MC -- who was trending this past week after Reese's celebration during last Sunday's NCAA championship game -- and he told us the criticism she's been receiving is "kind of crazy."

Yayo said trash-talking in sports is part of the game ... adding he understands the emotions athletes experience when competing, especially for a national championship.

Yayo -- who recently wrapped up a tour with 50 Cent and is gearing up to release new music this summer -- said Reese is popularizing women's basketball ... and she's elevating the sport to newer heights.

"You got Lil Wayne calling her phone," Yayo said. "You got Boosie excited over LSU. This championship was big. Everybody knows who Angel Reese is now, as well as Caitlin Clark."

Tony said he's proud of how Reese has handled herself during the controversy ... and doesn't want it to diminish what the LSU Tigers accomplished, winning the program's first NCAA women's basketball national championship.

"I just don't want all this stuff to overshadow the win," Yayo said. "There are other people on the team. There's a great coach [Kim Mulkey] over there. I'm definitely looking up to anybody that's a role model to Black women in this world."

Drake had a lot of people wondering if he'd accomplished the nearly impossible -- to get Kim Kardashian to pose in a promo photo with him -- and while the woman with him definitely raised some Kim comparisons, we've figured out her true identity.

Drake dropped "Search & Rescue" Friday, his latest in a whole army of singles with art that showed him and a mystery woman wearing helmets complete with face guards.

Fans were quick to notice a similarity between the woman's features and Kim Kardashian's. While it seemed like a stretch for Kim K to be in the pics, Drake also sampled Kim's voice in the song ... so people thought it was possible.

However, we've learned the mystery woman is Lilah, an artist who has gotten major props from OVO in the past.

Rickey Smiley is trying to clear his name against Reginae Carter and her boyfriend's claim he defamed them ... because he serving up the very audio where he allegedly slandered them.

On Friday, Reginae and Armon Warren began firing up the internet after they heard Rickey and his Morning Show crew "suggested" their relationship was plagued with domestic violence, especially with Reginae recently nursing a hand injury.

As it turns out, Rickey and Co. actually swatted down the errant report on-air and even provided audio of Reginae explaining how she hurt her hand on set while filming a movie.

A frustrated Reginae denied ever dissing Rickey, but fumed about the lack of media coverage every time she was in her bag.

Monica put a damper on her "Goonica" nickname, and a few fans' chances of landing more punches during a fight that erupted at her show.

The star singer was recently in D.C. for the R&B Experience Tour, and was bringing the house down with her hit ballad, "Why I Love You So Much" ... when she noticed the brawl breaking out in the stands right in front of her.

A confused Monica wondered what about her quiet storm classic could prompt people to fight and demanded they stop ... even offering to buy them a drink to cool them off.

“I ain’t singing 'Knuck If You Buck' baby, calm that s*** down,” she told the rowdy bunch, referencing Crime Mob's 2004 fight-starting record.

The bribe didn't seem to work and Monica suggested they take the scuffle outside ... and cleverly dropped her fan-favorite song "So Gone" to celebrate the fans' exit from the venue.

Monica has long been accused of having a thug side ... and did her best to explain the nickname to Stacey Abrams and Ciara last year during election season.

One of the 4 men accused of killing Pop Smoke has pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and home invasion robbery ... and he'll now be incarcerated for several years.

Judge J. Christopher Smith sentenced the now 20-year-old defendant to 4 years and 2 months in a juvenile treatment facility on Thursday after the man pled guilty to entering the Hollywood Hills mansion to rob the late rapper before things ended in bloodshed.

The L.A. Times reports the judge refused to reduce his sentence by 2 years and 8 months -- the time he's already spent behind bars -- and warned the man he could remain in juvenile custody until he was 25.

His attorney previously argued his client suffered from a learning disability that made him incapable to stand trial.

Pop Smoke was shot and killed in February 2020 after a home invasion inside of a Hollywood Hills mansion erupted in gunfire. As we reported, it was a tough case to crack ... police caught no breaks during a lengthy investigation.

XXXTentacion's killers will spend the rest of their lives behind bars, and as far as the rapper's mother is concerned ... they better sleep with one eye open, as they'll be massive targets.

Michael Boatwright, Trayvon Newsome and Dedrick Williams each received sentences of life without parole Thursday for their roles in the 2018 robbery and shooting death of XXX.

XXX's mom, Cleopatra, tells us she believes the sentence was more than appropriate given her son was murdered at just 20 years old. She says Boatwright taunted her throughout the trial by blowing kisses. She hopes "Buttright (not a typo) will now get the kiss he wants so bad."

She also has a message for Newsome and Williams ... "My hope for these other gentlemen is they will retain a firm grasp on the slippery soap."

It's very clear, Cleopatra believes the men will be targets, and you can't blame her for her anger toward them ... especially given the circumstances surrounding the crime.

TMZ broke the story, XXX was ambushed in his vehicle in broad daylight outside of a South Florida auto shop, shooting him and stealing a Louis Vuitton bag and $50,000 in cash.

Pharrell Williams turning 50, while not looking a day over 30, is absolutely baffling to his legion of fans ... who want to know the secret behind his half-century milestone.

PW had his big birthday on Wednesday, and a ton of people online wished him well on another year around the sun, and many couldn't help but point out the obvious -- the dude just doesn't age!

It was a wide range of responses, but all pointed to the supposed fountain of youth the hip hop legend must be drinking from on the daily.

One fan asked Pharrell for his elusive skincare routine, while another said, "How is it possible that I appear older than Pharrell Williams? ... Who is literally 50 years old."

If you've been under a rock for the last 30+ years, Pharrell's been in the music biz since the early '90s ... forming the group The Neptunes in high school and getting discovered by producer Teddy Riley.

He went on to work with huge names like Madonna, Jay-Z, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani and Daft Punk -- while dropping his own iconic tracks, like "Happy," too.

Maybe he's born with it ... or maybe he's just found out how to get lucky. HBD!

Coolio's cause of death has been revealed, and it's one that continues to plague not only the entertainment industry, but the country as a whole ... fentanyl.

Family spokesperson, Jarel (Jarez) Posey tells TMZ ... Coolio's loved ones just got the news from the coroner -- fentanyl killed the rapper -- and he also had traces of heroin and methamphetamines in his system.

Jarez tells us investigators determined Coolio's severe asthma and decades-long use of cigarettes also played a factor in his death and his body's inability to fight back.

Despite the grim news, Jarez tells us Coolio's kids -- Brandi, Jackie, Melan, Christopher, Artis III, Darius and Artisha -- will remember their dad for the great man he was ... and the public should know how much they loved him, and how he conquered the world both on the stage and when he wasn't performing.

We're told Coolio's family has plans to honor their dad through documentaries and film ... and continue the legacy that was his music.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio was found dead at his friend's house in Los Angeles in September. At the time, Jarez, told us paramedics suspected he suffered a cardiac arrest.

Law enforcement sources told us no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene.

The world was shaken by the news of Coolio's death -- including his close pal Vanilla Ice, who last performed with the legend just days before his passing.

FYI, Ice got pretty emotional recalling the last time he had a heart-to-heart with the fellow artist ... adding that he even pushed pause on his tour following the rapper's death.

Coolio's family made a headstone so they could have a physical place to go and remember him ... enlisting Cemetery Tim -- who has also done headstones for Nate Dogg, Eazy E and Anthony Johnson -- to make the custom piece.