TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Hit-Boy is looking to cash out on his recent work by actively auctioning his publishing rights to Travis Scott's smash "Utopia" album ... the song that featured Beyoncé!!!

The superproducer surprisingly posted a listing on eBay Wednesday evening ... offering his 5% publishing stake on the track "Delresto (Echoes)."  It's an unprecedented move, but one that seems to be working -- the song has a current bid of $15,000!!!

Travis hands-down has the biggest rap album of the year ... topping Billboard's 200 album chart 4 times now, and the project was certified platinum after just a month.

A song like "Delresto" may prove to be even more valuable down the line on such a notable album, but HB tells TMZ Hip Hop he literally doesn't GAF about hoarding stocks and wants the money A-S-A-P!!!

To sweeten the deal, HB's also including the AKAI keyboard he used to make the beat in the sale, a real steal for music-makers.

It's not like HB is in the minority with his thinking ... rappers have been selling their catalogs more frequently these days, and some are even blatantly lying about offers in hopes of generating interest.

Nelly's one of the real deals ... we broke the story back in the summer when the "Country Grammar" rapper became $50 million richer for parting ways with just half his catalog.

So, HB's just striking while the iron is hot.

He and Travis have made plenty of music and money together, their "Sicko Mode" classic literally went Diamond this year!!!

Folks who made a killing reselling tickets to some of the year's hottest concerts like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé -- or even big sporting events like Lionel Messi's Miami games -- are gonna have to pay up, courtesy of the IRS.

New rules for the 1099-K form say those who unloaded tickets on StubHub or Ticketmaster, selling more than $600 worth of tickets this year, are now required to put the earnings down as taxable income.

The 1099-K form focuses on payments received from credit and debit cards, gift cards, and third-party payment networks and online marketplaces -- which fits Ticketmaster and StubHub right in that lineup.

As you know, resellers were practically top dogs in the world of live events this year ... whether it be selling back to Swifties at the Eras Tour, or fans of Queen Bey wanting to go to her Renaissance Tour.

Even tickets for Messi's soccer games were getting resold for a steep markup.

Ice Cube is chiming in on the ongoing debate about N.W.A's role in creating "destructive" conditions in Black neighborhoods ... and says it's a false narrative, because those conditions existed long before he started rapping.

The convo was recently sparked by "I Got It Made" rapper Special Ed on "Drink Champs," where he accused N.W.A of being single-handedly responsible for the crack epidemic -- and all the negative fallout surrounding it -- but Cube's dismissing the claim as total "bullshit."

N.W.A started making waves in the late '80s but Cube recalled the times before rap even started when neighborhoods were littered with pimps, playas, prostitutes and teenage pregnancies.

He also debunked rappers popularizing crack, pointing out it was called freebase back in the 70s and ran rampant in the hood a decade before crack sparked a national crisis.

It's kinda hard to question Cube's street knowledge ... it's well documented by his legendary hits.

Growing up in South Central, smack dab in the era, gave him the material he turned into N.W.A tracks. He didn't just make up the stuff from thin air!

Ed has maintained he loved and respected N.W.A but hasn't exactly found a lot of backing in his argument, especially with the West Coast OGs.

Tyler, The Creator's been turnin' Keri Hilson all the way on -- and she's not afraid to let the world know!!!

The R&B star randomly gushed Thursday morning over how beautiful she thinks Mr. Odd Future is. Her early morning tweet on the subject raised eyebrows, and got folks wondering exactly how she was burning her midnight oil.

Tyler has yet to hit Keri back, publicly at least -- fans know he has tons of songs about being a shy lover so maybe he's carefully calculating his response.

Hopefully, his response will be more "WusYaName" than "She" though!!!

A new era of dating may be upon us. Earlier this week, Chloe Bailey expressed interest in Michael B. Jordan as her "celebrity crush."

Taylor Swift and Ice Spice became fast friends ahead of their "Karma" collab ... and it turns out TS is a big admirer of the "Munch" rapper's budding career!!!

Ice graced the cover for the latest issue of Variety, which dropped Thursday, and it includes some commentary from Taylor, who gushed about the breakout star ... "I relate to Ice in many ways. She's extremely professional without being cold."

TS continued, "She knows what is and isn't 'her' and sets those boundaries with grace. She studies the industry and other artists' careers but is very clear about charting her own definitive, original path. It's her ability to carefully find that balance that impresses the hell out of me.”

A cosign from Taylor can be as beneficial as winning an award, and Ice has been racking up plenty of accolades this year -- most notably getting 3 of her songs into the top 5 of Billboard's Hot 100, one of them being her Swift duet. Taylor's fans in NJ got a live taste of "Karma" during the Eras Tour.

Ice previously stated she was floored by Taylor casually waiting for her at the studio when they recorded "Karma" ... but Taylor says Ice was on her j-o-b as well, arriving at the studio with her verse ready to go, and sending her vocals beforehand to ensure they were on the same page!!!

Gunna's turning heads lately with his new slimmed-down look ... the result of him getting in lots of cardio action, which, he hints, mostly happens in his bedroom!!! 👀

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the "Fukumean" rapper burning down Bev Hills, per usual, and hit him up for the secret to his weight-loss success.

He gave us the pumping-iron gesture -- but quickly clarified it's not dumbbells he's lifting, instead, he's lifting legs!!!

Hey, sometimes shacking up can be your best bet, especially when you're on probation!!!

Gunna's got a big show out in L.A. tonight -- to match his recently sold-out concert in NYC -- and told us he enjoys performing every last one of his songs from his hit album "A Gfit & a Curse."

It's just as Cuhmunity's AD told us when we asked him to gauge Gunna's temp in the rap climate -- he predicted L.A. would welcome him with open arms and celebrate his music.

It's National Sons Day, and folks across the country are givin' their male kiddos some love ... including these celebrity dads who have some sons of their own!

DJ Khaled's got Asahd, Drake has Adonis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's got Patrick, Joseph, and Christopher -- all superstar dads who have posed for the camera with their young ones over the years.

Cristiano Ronaldo even has a spitting image of his younger self ... his name? Cristiano Jr., of course.

LeBron James' sons, Bronny and Bryce, were grinning from ear to ear while taking a pic with their pops ... the 2 have aspirations to be in the NBA just like their dad, and it looks like they've at least got the height to show for it -- they're about as tall as LeBron!

Soccer legend David Beckham took a group shot with his sons, Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz ... and if the 3 don't have the sport in their future, they for sure could get some work in modeling!

Rob Lowe was kickin' it with his 2 kids, Matt and John -- enjoying some time on the open sea as a happy family.

Usher's upcoming Super Bowl Halftime show definitely has people feeling nostalgic already -- 'cause his music has been played like crazy in the days since the news broke.

The numbers are pretty staggering ... Billboard tells us Usher's tunes (new and old) have seen a significant spike across all streaming services since the announcement was made Sunday, and the increased plays are tipping into the millions.

Percentage-wise, we're told that boils down to about a 16% bump for Usher between Sunday and Monday ... with his most-streamed song being his new single, "Good Good," which is already on the Hot 100.

Billboard says "Good Good" was streamed 1.1 million times in this window, about a 5% gain. His classics like "Yeah!," "My Boo" and "DJ Got Us Fallin in Love" saw bumps as well -- amounting to an added 962k streams, 527k streams, and 525k streams, respectively.

When it comes to the individual streaming services, the increase is clear in their data too. Tidal, for example, tells us Usher's "Superstar" was the most popular song on their platform on the day of the announcement. They also say "You Make Me Wanna..." saw the biggest jump in streaming percentage from the day prior at 55%.

Another music streaming company that felt the Usher effect was Amazon ... they tell us "Yeah!" climbed a whopping 140% in plays compared to the day before the announcement. As a result, we're told it jumped 149 spots in their internal popular song rankings list.

Charlamagne Tha God isn't a fan of Colin Kaepernick's open letter to the New York Jets ... saying it makes it seem like the ex-NFL QB is begging for a job at this point.

CTG had heavy critiques for Colin on Wednesday's Breakfast Club broadcast ... it's been 7 years since he was ousted from the league in a clear blackball maneuver, and CTG thinks Colin has allowed the low moments to define his story and identity.

ICYMI, J. Cole posted the letter Tuesday, revealing the 35-year-old was looking for a spot on the Jets' roster in the aftermath of Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury during Week 1.

CTG not only thinks Colin's letter should've never been published, he thinks Cole's inclusion was incredibly "wack" and thinks Colin should speak out on his own.

The comparison to racism in America vs. NFL was also made, which CTG rejected -- calling U.S. a system that indoctrinates people into racism as opposed to Colin throwing a flag on the league, leaving everyone -- even callers -- split on the issue.

The vibes were at an all-time high after the Philadelphia Phillies secured their spot in the playoffs ... and outfielder Brandon Marsh was the MVP of the party -- even hopping on a mechanical bull to celebrate the big moment!!

The defending National League champs clinched the top wild card spot after a walk-off win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday ... and Marsh -- who had a homer in the effort -- led the charge as the squad let loose after the game.

The Phils jumped up and down in the locker room as the champagne flew through the air ... jamming out to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own."

But the rager didn't stop there -- Marsh hit up PBR Philly at Xfinity Live! later on in the night ... where he ripped off his belt and hopped up on the infamous mechanical bull!!

Don't worry, Philly fans -- the guy appeared to avoid any potential injury throughout his ride ... staying on top as Ginuwine's "Pony" played over the speakers.

If you needed further proof it was a helluva night, Marsh even danced and sang along to "Pop That" by French Montana.

Kanye West is cooking up more than nude bodysuits for his wife -- he's also hard at work on his next solo project, one that might put his popularity to a major test.

Sources connected to the production tell TMZ Hip Hop, Ye is in a "truly great headspace" and has been cranking out songs at a rapid pace ... completing nearly 10 tracks this week alone.

It's been more than 2 years since Ye released a project, the last being 2021's "Donda," and we're hearing the music and themes will be closer to the "old Kanye" sound ... with less political theatrics than some of his recent endeavors.

We're told Ye's frequent collaborator Ty Dolla $ign has also been on hand in the studio, so it's also possible they create a joint album in addition to his solo endeavor.

Fans have been fiendin' for new music from Kanye for some time, which would explain Tuesday's frenzy over a leak of Ye's Dr. Dre collab album "Jesus Is King 2."

The excitement for that surprise drop might bode well for Ye's ability to bounce back from controversy ... again.

He's been silent, publicly, since last year's antisemitic rants that cost him several business partnerships, and his billionaire status -- so, it will be interesting to see how the public responds to a musical comeback.

We're told there's no imminent release date for Ye's new tunes, and he's taking his time with the album in order to mirror the quality his reputation used to hold.

Has Kanye West permanently ruined his legacy? Vote below.

Erica Mena's ousting from "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" is giving the cast plenty of content for an upcoming special ... which Erica says is pretty hypocritical, considering everything was all good until her controversial episode aired.

VH1's airing a special roundtable discussion Tuesday, hosted by "colorism expert" Dr. Sarah L. Webb and featuring cast members such as Lil Scrappy, Yung Joc and Spice, ... who was the target of EM's "monkey" comment, which led to Erica's firing.

After tonight's episode was announced, Erica posted a video claiming she'd been on the set several days after her explosive argument with Spice aired and says the network "proudly" put it out for the world to see.

Her point is "L&HH" producers were fine with her, and only fired her in response to the public backlash that came once the episode aired.

A source close to Erica tells TMZ Hip Hop ... she feels the network is trying to silence her, after the fact, by not letting her participate in the roundtable.

We're also told Erica continued working on the show for 7 months after the "monkey" argument -- another reason she feels producers are only shutting her out to avoid public backlash.

Nashawn Breedlove, famous for battle-rapping Eminem in the movie "8 Mile," is dead.

A family member tells TMZ ... Nashawn died in his sleep Sunday at his home in New Jersey. We're told his loved ones do not yet know the cause of death.

Nashawn played Lotto in the 2002 movie, which is loosely based on Eminem's life ... and he's known for a scene where his character takes on Em's B-Rabbit in a rap battle.

In his movie rap, Nashawn sings ... "I feel bad I gotta murder that dude from 'Leave it to Beaver'" ... and the crowd goes nuts, though he eventually loses the showdown.

Before his big break on '8 Mile' Nashawn was rapping under his stage name OX ... with a feature on the soundtrack for the 2001 movie "The Wash" with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Rapper Mickey Factz was first to report Nashawn's death, remembering him for his "tenacity and aggressiveness" as a battle rapper.

Nashawn was 46.

MC Lyte thinks everyone focusing on President Joe Biden's blundering intro of LL Cool J isn't keeping their eyes on the prize ... which is, in her opinion, one of hip hop's biggest moments ever.

Lyte was honored alongside LL last weekend in D.C. for her own monumental strides in rap -- but it wasn't her name the President royally screwed up, nor was she the one who had to stomach being called "boy" ... as LL did.

Biden's political critics think it's just the latest example of him losing it, and his cultural critics -- like Charlamagne Tha God -- had no mercy for him either, but Lyte went to bat for the commander-in-chief and thinks it was an honest mistake he sincerely regrets.

Lyte and LL go way back to the days of Hip Hop's dawn periods and she thanked him for the years of historic collaborations but points out that the recent Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference marked the first time both an active President and Vice President acknowledged the culture they walk and breathe.

V.P. Kamala Harris just opened the White House doors to host a Hip Hop celebration highlighted by performances from Fat Joe, Remy Ma, and Lil Wayne ... which speaks to Lyte's points.

Usher is downplaying all the fallout his viral moment with Keke Palmer caused, at least on his end ... he thinks the whole debacle was sensationalized so he simply used the situation to their advantage!!!

The R&B icon was confronted with the issue Tuesday on "The Breakfast Club" as he explained the differences between his Vegas shows -- like the one that jeopardized Keke's relationship and his newly announced Super Bowl LVIII Halftime gig.

Usher was asked if he felt any guilt about creating a wedge between Keke and her boyfriend Darius Jackson this past 4th of July weekend.

Usher blames the internet for blowing up the spot but has no regrets for their make-good, in the form of the "Boyfriend" music video starring Keke that leaned into the moment.

The world's still heavily invested in Keke and Darius ... the actress recently pled the 5th in the name of Beyonce on morning TV.

As for the Super Bowl, Usher says Jay-Z woke him up early in the morning about a week ago with the good news, but played it coy when asked about any potential guests joining him on the big stage.

Bad Bunny just dropped a new song, and his adoring fans think it's all about Kendall Jenner -- which, considering what he's saying and showing ... might be a valid theory.

The Latin pop star just released his latest track, "Un Preview" -- along with an accompanying music video -- which BB nation staunchly believes is coded with KJ references all throughout. Considering the song's all about a cowgirl he's fallen in love with ... yeah, that's probably right.

Here are some of the lyrics (translated to English) that pretty much give away the fact this thing's all about his girlfriend. Bunny sings ... "Baby, I’m not scared // Of trying you and falling in love again // F*** it, mami, I'll follow your lead, ayy // Really crazy in the club, I'll get close // dancing and kiss your neck, ayy // With you I'm on fire."

The dude goes on to rap/sing about how hot the sex is between him and this new woman ... how they're both head over heels for each other and how he's embracing it.

Of course, there's also the imagery here that spells it out even further. The whole treatment is horse-themed -- with Bad Bunny standing in front of a toy rocking horse ... not to mention these masked cowboys/cowgirls grinding on each other. Kendall's a big cowboy hat fan.

We should also point out ... Kendall is an avid equestrian, and she took BB on a little ride a few months ago for a one-on-one date, which saw them riding a horsey together.