TMZ Hip Hop - Page 44

Tekashi 6ix9ine's Florida mansion was crawling with law enforcement Wednesday ... federal officers and local police raided his home -- and the rapper claims they seized firearms and drugs, though he says he's done nothing wrong.

Tekashi tells TMZ ... the feds and local cops rushed the house Wednesday morning and kept him in handcuffs from 9 AM to 3 PM while they searched the place.

6ix9ine says law enforcement took DNA samples from him and turned his house upside down in search of something. He says they confiscated guns and drugs and want to see if his DNA is on the items recovered.

Tank is the newest bright-eyed star on Broadway with his new role in Alicia Keys' "Hell's Kitchen" and he's learning and respecting everything about the process ... including the ticket prices!!!

We spoke to Tank ahead of his big debut in 'HK' about the growing outrage in the NYC area ... Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal's "Othello" going rate of nearly $1K per ticket!!!

It's no different than their box office draw as movie titans ... Tank says both Denzel and Jake have earned the right to charge what they want, but audiences should still budget reasonably to partake in the theater arts!!!

Dawn Robinson, the leading voice for R&B powerhouses En Vogue, Lucy Pearl, and even Dr. Dre's Firm supergroup at one point, is cleaning out her closet ... revealing she's been homeless, sleeping in her car for nearly 3 years.

The brave and shocking revelation came on Dawn's YouTube channel in a vid titled, "YOUR NEW LIFE IS IN THE SCARY 🫣" ... her channel sat dormant for a year and 6 months before Tuesday.

Dawn explains she fell on hard times during the pandemic and had been staying with her parents in Vegas before that situation fizzled.

The WNBA could be adding a bit of mom's spaghetti flavor to it in the near future ... TMZ Sports has learned Eminem is currently in talks to join a bid for an expansion team.

A spokesperson for the legendary rapper tells us ... Marshall has had some preliminary discussions about securing a spot in an ownership group that's trying to bring the W back to Detroit.

So far, we're told he hasn't officially signed on just yet ... although, he does apparently have some big interest.

The Notorious B.I.G.'s mother, Voletta Wallace, was laid to rest Wednesday in the same funeral home as her rap phenomenon son was over 28 years ago.

Dozens of mourners flocked into the Frank Campbell Funeral Chapel in Manhattan ... Biggie's widow, Faith Evans, was there, and Lil Kim, Mase, Diddy's son Christian Combs, and Ms. Wallace's grandchildren T'yanna and CJ were among the famous faces in attendance.

Jay-Z's mother, Gloria Carter, was also spotted paying her respects to Ms. Wallace, as was Voletta's great-granddaughter.

50 Cent isn't calling Rick Ross' inclusion on Bow Wow's "Millennium" tour a win like everyone else ... he suspects "The Boss" simply can't sell tickets to his own shows now!!!

The G-Unit rap star didn't waste the opportunity to throw digs at Ross and Big Meech in a since-deleted Instagram post roast.

The tour began last week on March 7 and 50 called out Ross for slipping through the cracks ... "HE not a surprise guest he can't sell a ticket. LOL," 50 wrote, causing Uncle Murda and Nate Dogg's son NHale to burst out laughing in the post.

The judge in Wendy Williams' guardianship case is fed up with Wendy's "behavior" ... and wants her moved to another facility ... presumably with even tighter restrictions.

TMZ is privy to an email Judge Lisa Sokoloff fired off to Wendy's lawyer ... and the judge is having trouble hiding her contempt for the former talk show host. The judge references a prior hearing in which she ordered that Wendy be moved to a new facility.

Apparently Wendy's lawyer fired back saying it would be wrong to move her to an even more restrictive facility than where she is right now -- a residential facility called Coterie. The judge wrote in the email ... "I have always contended that [Wendy] will be given the independence she can handle. I question how well she has handled the independence she has been given."

SZA's "S.O.S." album legacy is being aligned with Michael Jackson's "Thriller" -- and the award-winning singer/songwriter cannot find the words, for once!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with SZA outside "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, fresh on the heels of her and the late King of Pop sharing the record for the longest-running Top 10 album by a Black artist on the Billboard 200 chart.

MJ's music didn't get boosted from the streaming era, but "S.O.S." is barely 2 years old and has accomplished such a feat ... classic albums win differently as the generations change!!!

8:36 AM PT -- Maui Police Chief John Pelletier tells TMZ ... "I have no connections whatsoever to any individuals named in the lawsuit. The allegations suggesting his involvement are entirely unfounded. I am confident that the evidence will demonstrate these claims to be false and will expose those who are deliberately trying to manipulate the legal system to spread misleading narratives."

In 2018, while serving as a Captain in Las Vegas, I was honored by the Rape Crisis Center for his exceptional leadership and commitment to community safety, specifically through [my] role as a champion of the Stay S.A.F.E. program dedicated to sexual assault prevention.

These baseless allegations not only are wrong but also show a lack of respect for victims of abuse, whose voices deserve to be heard and supported with compassion and integrity.

Diddy's alleged sexual assaults were aided by Maui's Chief of Police ... this according to an amended lawsuit that also named NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and influencer Druski as co-conspirators.

Ice Spice's Munchkin fan base can sleep through the night again ... she's gained her twerking weight back and is flaunting her stuff out in Paris!!!

The rapper had social media in a tizzy a few months ago with a skinny selfie -- but that status is no longer the case as she posed in front of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday.

She captioned the post, "Thick Again" ... which is likely the name of her next single, judging from the audio that's floating around.

The woman who sued Jay-Z for allegedly raping her when she was just 13 years old after the MTV Video Music Awards back in 2000 has been caught on an audio recording apparently admitting the alleged incident never happened.

The audio -- obtained by ABC News -- was recorded by a couple private investigators ... and, in it, the woman who filed the suit against Jay-Z walks back the claim she made in her lawsuit, filed by attorney Tony Buzbee back in December.

Listen to it for yourself ... the woman -- identified only as a Jane Doe -- can be heard telling the investigators that Jay-Z was at the party, but he never engaged in any sexual activity with her.

Eminem's classic on-screen rap battle in the final scenes of "8 Mile" wasn't completely an act, turns out ... Slim Shady was actually shooting real-life darts at Anthony Mackie!!!

Of course, Mackie played the "Papa Doc" role who got lyrically trounced by Em's "B-Rabbit" character ... but he's revealing the brutal bars were literally about him.

The newly minted Captain America relived the experience on the 'Pivot' podcast ... "8 Mile" was his first role and he and Em got considerable time on set getting to know each other.

11:47 AM PT -- Ginalisa Monterroso joined us on today's episode of TMZ Live, where she spoke with Harvey Levin & Elex Michaelson. Ginalisa explained that there are more tests to come, but Wendy is currently in a safe environment where she is protected, and not confined.

Wendy Williams is spilling details on the police escort and her hospital trip that ended with her acing two psych exams Monday -- and she even dished on the unexpected perk of getting some exercise while going scooter-free.

On "The Breakfast Club," Wendy was joined by her caregiver, Ginalisa Monterroso, who said she requested police to show up at the former talk show host's assisted-living facility, where she explained her situation and insisted they couldn’t leave without her.

Ginalisa said she pushed Wendy to request an independent medical evaluation while at the hospital, explaining it was a long and tough road ... especially since her living facility had initially sent a nurse to keep an eye on her, which Ginalisa refused.

Boosie Badazz's concert in Akron, Ohio was halted mid-show early Monday morning after gunshots rang out, leaving the Louisiana-born rapper fleeing for his life ... and 3 people injured.

Akron PD Deputy Chief Michael Miller tells TMZ Hip Hop ... At least one shot was fired while Boosie was performing onstage.

Boosie's actions appear to confirm the narrow miss in video ... you can hear the sounds, then see him flinch, duck, and run for cover as the fans inside the Field House Lounge scatter for safety.

Flau'jae Johnson ain't just getting LSU wins with her skills on the court ... Mikaylah Williams tells TMZ Sports her music's helping fuel the Tigers' postseason run too!

Kim Mulkey's sophomore guard sat down with us on Monday while working a ceremonial shift at a Raising Cane's in Baton Rouge ... and she made it clear, Flau'jae's tunes are a big part of LSU's success this season.

She told us the Tigers bump Johnson's music in the locker room regularly -- and get this, she says it's played so often, they know all the lyrics!!

Drake is dropping clues about his next move ... and he says it may be unsettling for some folks.

Champagne Papi hinted about what the future holds for him in a cryptic Instagram post, explaining ... "U know I grew up non confrontational and always treated this game as a sport where my pen won gold, but my these days the podium has been hard for all of us to ignore."

Drake continues ... "I understand that this next chapter may leave you feeling uneasy, but I hope you see my honesty as clarity not charity that answers some questions especially about the unanswered texts you’ve been sending me."