TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

1:37 PM PT -- Franky's brother, Flyy Soulja, tells TMZ ... "My brother was in the passenger’s seat of his car and his girlfriend was driving. They were pulled over after they ran through a stop sign."

He continued, "The car was under his name, and because of the past, we are forever listed as being gang members. But we are not currently in no gang. My brother had a gun that was assembled in a house. He carries it for his protection, nothing gang related. He carries a gun like every other American."

One half of the Island Boys, Franky Venegas, has been arrested in Florida for alleged gun and drug offenses — and he's currently in the clink, TMZ has learned.

On Sunday, Franky was booked into the Collier County Jail in Naples, FL, before he posed for a mug shot with his famous tattoos all over his face, according to police records.

Cops say Franky was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, and delivering/possessing/selling a firearm with an altered serial number.

Jamie Foxx was thriving "in living color" when the "Jason's Lyric" film was released ... but he made sure to be front and center to soak up the live rendition in the new play!!!

The Oscar winner was at The Orpheum Theater in DTLA on Saturday with his daughter Anelise Bishop and several other family members to check out "Jason's Lyric Live."

We're told Tyrin Turner, who stars as Joshua in the play, invited Jamie personally to the show, and Jamie bought tickets for his family of 10.

The Wu-Tang Clan are eyeing their retirement from touring -- but not without spreading their razor-sharp lyrical darts all over the country with their rap smash bros Run The Jewels!!!

In June, the pioneering hip hop group from Shaolin will embark on a 27-city tour with Killer Mike, El-P and Trackstar The DJ ... and they're emptying the vault and performing tons of rarity records!!!

RZA says of the tour ... "Wu-Tang Clan has shown the world many chambers throughout our career; this tour is called The Final Chamber. This is a special moment for me and all my Wu brothers to run around the globe together one more time and spread the Wu swag, music, and culture.

Kanye West and Bianca Censori were out and about AGAIN amid reports the two split and were headed for divorce ... they attended a live performance Sunday -- starring Bianca herself -- at a Koreatown warehouse.

The two rolled up to last night's artsy event -- and by the looks of it, was very high-concept, and maybe a bit confusing as well -- but, after all, it was a Ye and Bianca event.

Check out photos and video, obtained by TMZ ... Bianca was decked out in an all-white outfit with a matching headband in possibly a retro nurse outfit, as she stood before an empty hospital bed and chair, with a few people standing around her, and music playing in the background.

We're told Bianca came out only for a minute and then walked off, disappearing from sight. Our sources say Bianca never got nude or laid down on the bed.

Irv Gotti passed away after suffering a "massive hemorrhagic stroke," and his health issues were compounded by never going to the doctor ... so says his brother.

Chris Lorenzo -- Gotti's older brother -- stopped by the "2way" podcast to talk about his little bro ... and, he revealed Irv was eating Chinese food and playing poker with friends one night when he suffered the medical emergency.

According to the National Institute of Health, a hemorrhagic stroke is one which occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts causing bleeding.

Travis Scott made an appearance in Florida over the weekend to throw out the first pitch for the Houston Astros at opening day of Spring Training ... and he brought some sick gifts with him.

The rapper was on hand at CACTI Park in West Palm Beach on Saturday where the Astros faced off against the Washington Nationals during spring training opening day. In case you didn't know, last year, TS gained the naming rights to Cacti Park.

Travis came with gifts in hand because he gave the first 2,000 fans at the stadium a Travis Scott limited edition bobblehead designed with Trav's signature style.

Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price is one of several college football stars inking the coolest NIL deal to date -- a partnership with celeb jeweler Johnny Dang -- and he tells TMZ Sports the collab is way more valuable than his own custom piece!!

Price -- who scored seven touchdowns this past season for the Fighting Irish -- visited Dang's famous store in Houston recently ... where he worked alongside the icemaker to design some one-of-a-kind jewelry.

While diamonds are great, Price said the partnership goes far beyond shiny items ... as he said the experience will set him up for the future.

Rihanna might be rolling out Fenty Wine somewhere down the road ... 'cause she says she'd consider purchasing a winery once her kids are old enough to help out.

The singer and beauty mogul sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Harper's Bazaar -- published Saturday -- and, she talked about the other business ventures she might consider getting into.

Riri -- who already has her hands full with her lingerie and beauty products, not to mention her two kiddos RZA and Riot -- says she eventually wants to get into furniture and home design business ... "Extreme Home Makeover: The Rihanna Way."

Diddy has one less lawyer fighting for him heading into his federal trial, because his legal team couldn't get on the same page regarding the best defense for him ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge of Anthony Ricco's exit from Diddy's camp tell us there had been a power struggle going on between lead attorney Marc Agnifilo and him for several months, and it finally came to a head.

As we reported, Ricco shook up Diddy's team Friday morning by informing the judge he could no longer "effectively" defend his client -- but his filing lacked detail about why he was jumping ship.

The Notorious B.I.G.'s mom, Voletta Wallace, is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Biggie Smalls' mother died Friday morning in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania ... according to Monroe County Coroner Thomas Yanac.

We're told she was in hospice care and the cause of death here is natural causes.

Treach isn't an expert on Tupac Shakur's ongoing murder trial involving Keefe D ...but he's still mourning the late rap legend until the day he dies!!!

The Naughty By Nature frontman was out in Hollywood this week hanging with his longtime bud, Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.'s OG Kobra, and chopped it up with TMZ Hip Hop about the latest delay in the 27-year-old hip hop murder.

Keefe D's trial was pushed back to 2026 this week after proceedings were originally supposed to happen in March.

Tyga has been sitting on some gut-wrenching news ... his mother died last month, and his spirit has been unnerved in the wake of her absence.

T-Raww posted a touching tribute on Friday to his mom Pasionaye Nguyen, who passed away on January 18.

No cause of death has been released, but Tyga posted a pic of him holding his mom's with a hospital wristband attached, so it appears she was battling an illness.

50 Cent has been backing down both Big and Lil Meech on Instagram for days now ... but we're hearing his ex-'BMF' leading man can't be folded that easily!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained photos of Lil Meech kicking it with some well-known 50 Cent opps inside Lucky Strike Miami last night ... Floyd Mayweather and Rick Ross!!!

Sources for Meech tell us the actor met with Money Mayweather the night before and pulled up to the bowling alley with his brand partners to bless the legendary prizefighter with an exclusive merch drop ... the Red Letters x Wonce collab.

10:41 AM PT -- We're getting more clarity on Anthony Ricco's departure ... sources with direct knowledge of the case tell us Ricco and Diddy's relationship -- or lack thereof -- became an issue. We're told Ricco felt he was unable to establish or maintain the kind of relationship he'd need to have with the client in order to "effectively" defend him.

It's still unclear why exactly Ricco didn't feel closer to Diddy.

Diddy's latest legal drama is on his own team ... less than 3 months before his federal trial, one of the hip hop mogul's attorneys is abruptly bolting from the case.

Anthony Ricco filed a motion Friday morning in the Southern District of New York federal court to withdraw as Diddy's counsel. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Ricco states, "under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice."

He offered no further explanation for his departure, but did add that there are "sufficient reasons for [the] brevity" of his request. Ricco does say he's discussed the action with Diddy's lead counsel Marc Agnifilo, confirming there won't be any lapse in representation or delay with jury selection or trial commencement.

DJ Khaled has become the latest celeb to receive a spooky black coffin at his Florida home -- this after Tekashi 6ix9ine got one himself at his mansion days earlier, TMZ has learned.

Khaled's creepy coffin was dropped off at his Miami residence last Saturday ... by two people who rolled up in a truck to a security guard, claiming to be from a delivery company, according to a police report.

After they were given permission, the two drove to Khaled's property and deposited the black coffin outside his gate. Scrawled across the coffin was "RIP OVO" and "RIP Drake" in white letters, along with an upside-down cross.

Cardi B showed her versatility and toned DOWN her raunchy raps to kick off the soundtrack for the upcoming "Smurfs" summer blockbuster!!!

On Friday, DJ Khaled and Cardi reunited for their latest collab, "Higher Love" ... a bubbly sample of Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven Is a Place on Earth."

Cardi's been in her single-girl era this year but her G-rated bars still hint at some shade towards her ex, Offset, when she flows, "Everybody need love and I need some too / Diamonds look sad 'cause each one blue ... Sweet like dessert but do you deserve it? / Think about me, I'm on your mental."