TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Yung Bleu's hip-hop stardom only came after he used music from a producer named Ice Starr for his hit, "Miss It" ... at least that's Ice's story, and he says he hasn't received a dime in royalties for it.

According to new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Ice Starr's a producer who creates compositions and recordings for rappers to use on a licensing basis, but he claims YB began ripping his music in 2017 for unauthorized use.

Ice says 2 of Bleu's most successful songs -- "Miss It" and "Ice On My Baby" -- jacked his instrumental work, "without his knowledge, authorization, and without any compensation whatsoever."

The producer claims the same is true of most of Yung Bleu's "Investments 5" album ... which Ice insists boosted Bleu's popularity and turned him into a hip-hop star.

As for where Boosie comes in ... Ice claims the rapper's Bad Azz Music label -- to which Yung Bleu is signed -- induced him into an invalid agreement to sign away his rights after "Miss It" had already been released without his knowledge.

Ice claims this was done so YB could continue profiting off the unauthorized use of Ice's recordings. BTW, Bleu's most recent hit, "Your Mines Still" features Drake, but that one doesn't use Ice's music.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's baby mama is on the up and up after her plastic surgery scare down in Colombia ... she's back in the States, showing off her mommy makeover.

69's baby mama, Sara Molina, is almost fully recovered from her recent Brazilian butt lift and a 360 liposuction, according to her manager ... and these photos snapped Tuesday show the fruits of her plastic surgeon's labor.

We're told Sara, who has Multiple sclerosis, still has a bit of bruising ... but her body feels great and she's finally getting over her severe MS flare-up, thanks in part to her massage routine.

As we first told you ... Sara's body had a severe reaction to the surgeries. She was in extreme pain due to her MS and couldn't even lie flat while recovering at Lluxe Recovery facility in Colombia, even needing a special recliner.

Now that she's feeling better, we're told Sara's taking driving lessons in Orlando to get her first driver's license -- she lives in NYC and didn't drive before -- and she's gearing up to launch her own line of CBD products.

DaBaby is being questioned by Miami police following a shooting late Monday night that left 2 people injured -- one critically ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement tells us ... cops interviewed the rapper as part of their investigation into the incident, which went down near several popular Miami Beach restaurants just before midnight.

We're told detectives are actively following leads in the shooting, and though several people were initially detained ... so far no arrests have been made. Anyone with possible info is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305.471.TIPS.

Our sources say one of the shooting victims has been treated at the hospital and released, but the other remained hospitalized and is listed in critical condition.

Earlier this year, TMZ was the first to report that DaBaby was arrested in Beverly Hills for allegedly carrying a loaded firearm.

We've reached out to the rapper's team ... no word back yet.

Kanye West is very much a single man ... just check out his hands, sans a wedding ring.

Ye was spotted in L.A. -- or at least parts of him -- tooling around with a super snug, cloth bag around his head. A fashion statement? ... for sure.  Uncomfortable? ... undeniable.

Kanye hasn't been seen much since his estranged wife, Kim Kardashian, filed for divorce. Last we heard, they were hardly speaking, but we're told the divorce is still rolling along.

Despite the divorce filing, many thought Kanye was wearing his wedding ring as recently as last month -- when DJ Khaled posted a pic of him rocking the band. Now, even though Khaled threw that up in April, we're told the photo was actually taken sometime in 2019, well before the filing.

With that said, it's unclear when exactly Kanye 86'd the ring. What we know for sure though is ... it ain't there now.

If you thought Future was done talking smack about Lori Harvey ... well, you were wrong -- 'cause the dude had even more bars for her, as well as her new man, Michael B. Jordan.

Rapper 42 Dugg previewed an extended version to his new single "Maybach" -- which initially featured Mr. Hndrxx and a memorable bar aimed at Lori and her dad, Steve -- but this time ... it looks like Future had far more to say about his ex, whom he split from last year.

The OG line was a not-so-subtle dig at Lori/Steve -- it goes ... "Tell Steve Harvey, I don't want her." Nothing too bad on the face of things ... although he was catching flak.

Welp, that backlash is only doubling now in light of what else he apparently had to say about the whole situation in the booth. The extended verse goes something like this ... "Must've forgot to tell her daddy she begged me not to leave ... She didn't have a choice but to go f*** a lame after me // Realest n**** hit the t*** she damn near OD."

Lots to unpack there -- but the takeaway, really, is that Future clearly isn't over Lori ... at least that's what the consensus on the Internet seems to be, anyway. After hearing that, it's hard to argue against ... Future does sound quite salty about the relationship, both old and new.

The diatribe against the Harvey's seems to stem from an interview Steve gave back in February ... when he was asked about Lori dating Michael -- and Steve responding with something to the effect of ... at least she's with one I can actually approve of now.

It appears Future took that personally as a shot -- but, frankly, it could've been about Diddy too. Who the hell knows??? In any case, Future got what he wanted off his chest, and threw Mike under the bus too.

Jay-Z had mad love for DMX, despite their fierce competition ... and he felt this way for years.

Jay was on the season premiere of "The Shop: Uninterrupted" with LeBron James and Maverick Carter, and talked about years past when he boycotted the Grammys after X was overlooked for a single nomination, despite having 2 #1 albums in 1999. Jay won his first Grammy but was a no-show as a way of standing with X.

As Bad Bunny, WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike and SpringHill CMO Paul Rivera looked on, Jay recounted his relationship with DMX.

Jay went down memory lane, remembering his first meeting with X at a Bronx pool hall. He paid homage to his friend, saying he became a better rapper by watching X perform.

Diddy's at it again, seemingly shooting his shot with his ex, Jennifer Lopez, while she's with another dude -- or maybe he's just trolling both of them.

The hip-hop mogul just posted a #tbt of him holding hands with J Lo back when they were dating. We don't know the exact date, but they dated from 1999-2001.

Hard to argue this is just an innocuous throwback from Diddy, considering it comes at the same time she's making huge headlines for rekindling the romance with one of her other very famous exes, Ben Affleck. BTW, Ben started dating Jen about a year and a half after she split with Puff Daddy ... as he was known back then.

Whatever Diddy's motive may be, it's not the first time he's posted something provocative about Lopez while she's in a relationship with someone else.

You may recall ... back in early 2019 he slid into her comments section to reply "OMG" with a heart-eyes emoji to one of her sexy photos while she was dating Alex Rodriguez.

Fans accused him of being thirsty, and A-Rod even responded to Diddy's comment with, "Lucky me." J Lo later revealed that Diddy apologized to A-Rod for the comment.

Cardi B claims she had ZERO involvement in the NYC beatdown of an autograph seeker ... and that's why she wants the guy's lawsuit against her tossed out of court.

According to new docs, obtained by TMZ, Cardi says autograph seeker Giovanni Arnold instigated the alleged attack in May 2018 following a Met Gala after-party. She claims Arnold can be heard on video verbally attacking her and Offset after unsuccessfully and aggressively trying to get her autograph.

The most incriminating part of the video, according to Cardi, is when Arnold shouts, "Please beat me up. I'll take all of your money."

In his lawsuit, Arnold alleged Cardi's 3 security guards dished the can of whoop-ass, but the rapper's calling BS. In docs, Cardi claims the unknown assailants did not work for her, nor did she give them directions or instructions to beat up anyone.

As for Arnold's allegation, he feared Cardi was going to slap him -- well, she's kinda laughing that off, saying she was 7 months pregnant at the time ... so it's highly unlikely anyone would legitimately fear her carrying out a physical attack.

Bottom line ... Cardi claims Arnold is a professional autograph hound who triggered the beatdown in order to get money from celebs -- but since she wasn't involved in the attack, she shouldn't be sued.

Chi Modu -- one of the most famous photographers in hip-hop history, documenting iconic shots from the 1990s -- has died.

An Instagram post announcing the sad news went up Saturday, with a caption that read ... "Our hearts are broken... We continue the fight ©💪🏾 The family request privacy at this time 📷." It was accompanied by a photo of him and his lifespan in years, 1966-2021.

The details surrounding his death weren't released.

Chi had snapped one of the most memorable batches of photos as it pertains to music -- shooting a variety of rappers in the '90s, which went on to grace the covers of memorable albums, as well as T-shirts and stills for years to come.

He's perhaps best known for photographing Prodigy and Havoc of Mobb Deep for the cover of their 1995 album, 'The Infamous' ... but he might be just as known for his black and white photo of a shirtless Tupac, with his hands up near his head and cigarette smoke blowing.

There are countless other legendary artists in his repertoire, including The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Nas, Diddy, LL Cool J, Wu-Tang Clan, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, Dr. Dre, Ice-T, Run-DMC, Q-Tip, Gang Starr, Geto Boyz, Redman, Dead Prez, Eminem, Fat Joe, Kris Kross, Mac Miller, Ty Dolla $ign, Common and Flavor Flav.

The list can go on forever -- but bottom line ... your favorite rapper has probably been shot at one point or another by Chi ... whose work is well-documented and seriously unmatched.

The guy started at The Source and was pretty much tasked with getting in with these acts that were bubbling at the time ... and sure enough, they gave him unprecedented access to document their work, lifestyles and their most intimate moments. All the photos made for sick shots, which goes without saying.

His photojournalism went beyond just hip-hop, BTW -- Chi traveled the world and snapped a wealth of pics in countries all over Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Chi's contribution to photography and music culture is unparalleled ... and his death is, frankly, shocking.

He was only 54.

RIP

Drake's 3-year-old son clearly has dad's knack for big moments -- he made an unforgettable night at the Billboard Music Awards even more memorable by getting emotional on stage.

The hip-hop star cemented his spot as a legend Sunday night as he was named Artist of the Decade, and his little boy, Adonis, took the stage with him to accept the award ... to give it an adorable boost.

As Drake spoke to the celeb-stacked crowd at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. about dedication to his music and using his fear to fuel improvement, his son hugged his legs pretty tight.

But, as Champagne Papi was closing his speech, Adonis seemed to have had enough and started walking away ... only to get picked up by Drake and start crying as his father dedicated the award to him.

As we first told you ... Drake's mother, Sandi, was also in attendance to watch him win the huge award Sunday night, which previously went to Mariah Carey in the 1990s and Eminem in the 2000s.

Drake and friends celebrated his win at SoFi Stadium -- home of the L.A. Rams and Chargers -- after the show ... and there was a massive message on the big screen.

Lil Nas X brought 'SNL' to a grand finale Saturday night, but the performance was a little ... well, a little too tight.

Lil Nas was performing "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" during the show, and all the gyrating was too much for his pants, 'cause they split down the front.

It happens at around the 2:20 mark in the video, as he was dancing on a stripper pole. You see him drop low, and that's when his pants do the splits.

He's a pro, so he immediately grabbed his crotch -- Michael Jackson style -- so it wasn't super obvious ... but yeah, it happened.

He boldly glares right into the camera as it happens and then presses on to the end of the song.

Lil Nas X was the musical guest for the season 46 finale. Anya Taylor-Joy did the hosting honors.

He's a funny guy, tweeting after the show, “NOT MY PANTS RIPPED ON LIVE ON TV,” adding, “OMFG NO… I wanted to do my pole routine so bad this what I get lmaoo.”

He followed up saying, "at first i was afraid to even perform. then we rehearsed for 2 weeks, then all of the dancers got removed because one had covid and new ones had to learn the routine in 24 hours, and then i ended up ripping my pants and couldn’t finish. everything happens for a reason tho lol"

Drake is about to get a huge award and he wants his family close as he receives it.

Billboard will bestow the Artist of the Decade Award on Drizzy Sunday night and it's clearly something that's meaningful to him. His mom, who almost never makes a public appearance, will be front and center as her son accepts the honor ... this according to production sources.

Drake's son, Adonis, will also be in the audience ... watching his dad clutch the award.

The award is a big deal ... previous winners include Mariah Carey in the 1990s and Eminem in the 2000s.

Drake has snagged 27 Billboard Music Awards, and that makes him the record-holder. He received 12 in 2019 alone. As accomplished as he is, Drake was stoked to dine with his idol ... Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers. Drake said he was "high on life" after dining with Ron.

BTW ... Nick Jonas will host the event, which airs on NBC at 8 PM.

The only thing bigger for Drake might be a chance to play for the Raptors.

YG's giving away a new sneaker he says caters to the streets ... hooking up a group of former inmates who just got back to the streets.

The rapper hit up Amity Foundation House Friday in downtown L.A. to give away pairs of his Block Runner sneakers to men who have just been released on parole after serving their sentences. They're staying at the foundation while getting back on their feet.

YG tells TMZ ... it's important for these men to have the things they need to become contributing members of society again, and it starts with something folks use every day ... shoes.

It's a pretty grand gesture from YG ... his 4Hunnids footwear brand, The Flame, is selling the kicks for a cool $200 and he gave away hundreds of pairs ... worth more than $20,000 total.

Lil Nas X has felt the wrath of Nicki Minaj's diehard fans -- AKA The Barbz -- and he's backing down ... but insists his love for her is real.

Here's what's up -- LNX just dropped a brand new single, "Sun Goes Down," and on the track, he sings about how he found comfort in following Nicki when he was growing up.

The lyrics go -- "I'd be by the phone / Stanning Nicki mornin' into dawn / Only place I felt like I belonged / Strangers make you feel so loved, you know?"

Seems pretty harmless ... but the Barbz came after Lil Nas on Twitter, accusing him of looking for sympathy or dropping her name as a ploy for a future collab.

It didn't take long for him to respond, and though he doesn't apologize, and claims his lyrics and love for Minaj are sincere ... he acknowledges "how it looks" and says he will no longer mention her.

Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner are indeed back together ... but it's not exclusive ... and they're both totally fine with that.

Sources with direct knowledge and connection to both Kylie and Travis tell TMZ ... they have rekindled the old flame and are dating again, but they're also free to date other people. To be blunt ... they are in an open relationship.

We're told ever since the 2 broke up in late 2019, Travis has been enjoying the bachelor lifestyle and all that comes with it ... but he also wanted to get back with Kylie and be a strong family unit.

So, we're told they've agreed to get back together but with a non-exclusive couple arrangement ... and both are cool with that.

We broke the story ... the couple took their daughter, Stormi, to Disneyland Tuesday, adding to all the recent signs they're together again.

Before that, they did a triple date night with the Biebers and Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker, which was not long after the big news that Kylie flew to Miami to celebrate Scott's bday with him.

T.I. seems to be letting out his frustrations over sexual assault allegations in his music ... and it sounds like he's going after his accusers.

The Atlanta rapper's dropping a new track in the middle of a criminal investigation by the LAPD ... and it's got some explicit lyrics seemingly aimed at the Jane Doe who told cops he allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her.

T.I. raps ... "Go put yo face and reputation on it // These kind of claims deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation, don't it?"

T.I.'s calling the song "What It's Come To" and towards the end of his verse he raps ... "Willing to face whatever consequences for his vision ... while I'm up against some lyin' a** bitches."

The lyrics are even included on the single's album artwork ... which drops tonight at midnight. The song was produced by Villa Nova & Keepitphilthy.