TMZ Hip Hop - Page 34

The jury in Diddy's federal sex trafficking trial is hearing highly compelling testimony from Diddy's ex-girlfriend Cassie -- but, a very famous defense attorney has some ideas about how to effectively grill a pregnant woman on the stand.

Jose Baez, Casey Anthony's defense attorney in her 2011 murder trial, joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" to break down strategy for Diddy's defense team ahead of their cross-examination of Cassie.

Many think the case will rise or fall on the defense's cross-examination of Cassie -- but Baez says it shouldn't.

50 Cent is getting an apology from a jeweler in New York City who was being sued by the rapper for allegedly using Fiddy's name and face to sell knockoffs of his famous crucifix chain ... and 50's case against him has been dismissed.

Maksud Agadjani from TraxNYC posted an apology to 50 Cent on all of his social media platforms ... and taped a printed out version of the statement to a storefront in the Big Apple.

In the apology, Agadjani says he's "writing to express my sincere and heartfelt apology" and he acknowledges using 50's name, image and other IP rights to "advertise, market, and sell my jewelry products without your permission."

One of the biggest mysteries in the Diddy-Cassie saga was answered at the music mogul's federal criminal trial Wednesday ... Cassie settled her lawsuit against Diddy for a whopping $20 million!

Federal prosecutor Emily Johnson was grilling Cassie on Day 2 of her testimony at Diddy's sex trafficking trial in NYC when the questioning turned to a book she wrote about the alleged abuse she suffered at the hands of Sean "Diddy" Combs -- her former longtime boyfriend.

Cassie testified that her mom helped her write a "book with chapters," which she wanted Diddy to read. She testified she sent the chapters to Diddy through her attorney, but Diddy didn't take her book seriously.

More fireworks from the Cassie Ventura testimony in the Diddy case ... she told the jury Diddy raped her on the floor of her own home after they broke up -- and she later tried to hurt herself because she couldn't take all the pain.

The singer testified Wednesday that in August 2018 they had a closure conversation to shut the book on their relationship ... meeting at a restaurant in Malibu, where Diddy was being nice, playful and romantic. She said he drove her home and forced sex on her.

Cassie told the jury Diddy's eyes went black as he raped her on her living room floor.

3:47 PM PT -- Alex Spiro tells TMZ ... "Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system. This is not a political matter -- this is a case of a violent assault that was resolved in the court of law."

As he recovers from the brutal prison stabbing, Tory Lanez's reps held a press conference to claim Megan Thee Stallion's ex-BFF Kelsey Harris is the one who should be locked up for the 2020 shooting!!!

Several constituents for Unite The People addressed the media on Wednesday in Downtown L.A., and the org's lead legal consultant, Walter Roberts, claims a bodyguard by the name of Bradley James overheard Kelsey admitting to actually firing the gun that shot Megan.

James allegedly heard Kelsey say she fired the gun 3 times, in which Tory grabbed her arm and knocked it down, causing the weapon to fire 2 times more.

Cassie Ventura says Diddy freaked out on her after finding out she was hooking up with Kid Cudi ... threatening her with a wine opener and telling her he would release a video on Christmas showing her participating in a "freak-off."

The singer testified in court Wednesday that Diddy found out she was seeing Kid Cudi in 2011 when he went through her phone during a freak-off.

Cassie told the jury Diddy found an email about Cassie taking her toiletry bag to Kid Cudi's place ... and he put a wine opener in his hand and threatened her.

Details of Diddy's alleged "freak-offs" have been coming out in public for months ... and now a man who shot up a Trump hotel in Florida years ago and made wild claims about Diddy and Cassie at the time is seeing his story re-examined in context.

Jonathan Oddi -- who's currently incarcerated in Miami -- dropped some sensational allegations in an exclusive "Banfield" segment on NewsNation Tuesday night, claiming he had been hired years ago by Diddy as a "sex slave" to get it on with Cassie ... and some of his assertions are similar to previous reports about the couple's proclivities.

In May 2018, a masked Oddi walked into the Trump National Doral Miami Hotel and Resort and fired his Glock pistol a bunch of times into the ceiling, then draped an American flag over the front desk and started breaking computers ... and when responding officers showed up, he fired at them, prompting a massive shootout with five cops. He fired at least 16 times ... and was arrested after being shot in his legs.

Cassie Ventura says Diddy had blackmail material on her ... namely, videos from their "freak-offs" ... and she says that made her feel trapped.

She testified Wednesday Diddy would hold the freak-off footage over her head as a way to hurt her, make her fearful.

Cassie told the jury she had previously told Diddy she didn't want to do freak-offs, and that on a commercial flight to New York in June 2013, he sat next to her and played her freak-off videos of her on his laptop and threatened to release them.

Snoop Dogg says his new album will be his official statement to all the "sellout" comments for his association with Donald Trump ... but he's still been G-checking his haters behind the scenes in Instagram comments!!!

"The Breakfast Club" got Snoop to dish on the backlash he's been receiving for his January Crypto Ball performance ... the one that essentially contradicted his past fiery rant about "jiggaboos" and "Uncle Toms" pining for Donny.

Snoop says his 30-minute set not only paid him well, but he connected with people who will bring tech savviness to the inner city ... and noted he's been helping the hood for 30 years and counting.

Cassie Ventura says there was a painful, physical side-effect from all the "freak-offs" Diddy had her doing with male escorts ... urinary tract infections.

The singer testified in court Wednesday she would take opiates after the freak-offs to numb herself from very painful UTIs.

Cassie told the jury the UTIs would give her a burning sensation, and she got them so often that antibacterial medication stopped working, and she needed more powerful pills ... and turned to opiates.

Halle Bailey was granted a restraining order against DDG after filing a laundry list of abusive allegations on Monday ... but let the rapper/streamer tell it, he doesn't have a care in the world!!!

On Tuesday, DDG said he was "chilling" and vowed to still hop on his daily Twitch channel amid "The Little Mermaid" actress' emergency filing.

We broke the story ... Halle accused DDG of physically abusing her by chipping her tooth on a steering wheel during an altercation, breaking her Ring camera and even breaking into her phone and accusing her of cheating.

As Cassie gets set for Day 2 of her testimony in Diddy's federal sex trafficking trial, TMZ is rolling out some more exclusive unseen video of the disgraced music mogul and his A-list pals.

This time we see them at a Super Bowl LII party in Minnesota in 2018, partying hard and engaging in fiery conversations.

In this footage, Diddy and his pal, fellow rapper French Montana -- who Diddy spent a lot of time with during the mid-2010s -- and DJ Khaled are attending a Super Bowl party at an undisclosed location in Minnesota.

The guy who allegedly attacked and stabbed Tory Lanez in prison is serving a life sentence for a murder charge ... and this wasn't his first violent incident behind bars.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation tells TMZ ... Tory was allegedly attacked by fellow inmate Santino Casio around 7:20 AM on Monday morning in a housing unit at California Correctional Institution (CCI) in Tehachapi.

We're told prison staff immediately responded, called 911 and started giving Tory medical aid before transporting him to a hospital for further treatment.

Tory's camp says he was stabbed 14 times and suffered collapsed lungs.

Another big day is in the books for the Diddy sex trafficking trial ... and today was all about Cassie Ventura's testimony as the prosecution's star witness.

Cassie took the stand and testified about freak-offs, Diddy's violent temper, his affection for baby oil and how he made her feel objectified by men ... namely, by urinating in her mouth so much she started choking.

The singer's lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, applauded Cassie for sharing her story when our photog got him outside the courthouse ... and he told us she's likely to be on the stand all day Wednesday, answering questions from prosecutors and being cross-examined by Diddy's legal team.

Halle Bailey says she's had enough of DDG allegedly abusing her ... she's filed a police report, and now she wants court-ordered protection from the father of her child ... TMZ has learned.

In docs, filed Tuesday in L.A., she claims things first got physical in January -- they broke up back in October -- and Halle says DDG came over to pick up their son, Halo, and she tried to start a convo with the rapper about a child visitation schedule.

As she was buckling Halo into the car seat, she claims DDG grew agitated and repeatedly said, "Get out of my car, BITCH." Halle says the baby was crying, and she got nervous about DDG leaving with him in such an agitated state.

Cassie is recalling her first "freak-off" ... and she says drugs, alcohol and a bunch of baby oil were involved.

She said Diddy brought up voyeurism at some point in their first year together and she was 22 years old when she agreed to her first freak-off ... telling the jury she agreed because she wanted to make him happy.

Cassie says the freak-off happened at one of Diddy's homes in Los Angeles ... where a male escort was paid to dance and have sex with her.