TMZ Hip Hop - Page 26

Diddy's defense team may just play Bill Maher's closing argument to the jury ... because the way he sees it, Cassie had an option to leave but she decided to stick around.

The 'Real Time' host was blunt ... he says women now have options they never had before. Abusers are now going to prison, cops are listening to them, and they are emboldened. As Maher puts it, the solution is simple ... "If you're being abused, you've got to leave right away."

He acknowledges Diddy's a bad guy who should be behind bars, but not necessarily for his relationship with Cassie. Bill ticks off various texts from Cassie to Diddy in which she talks about being down for freak offs, calling it "enthusiastic consent."

And then Bill goes deep into defense territory, saying Cassie was getting something out of her relationship with Diddy so it was her choice to stay ... "If you want a #1 album on the charts so bad, you'll take a #1 to the face, and some of that's on you."

Ray J is railing against the racketeering conspiracy charge Diddy is facing in his federal criminal trial ... he says a RICO charge against the Kardashians would be more believable.

Diddy's longtime friend came to his defense on TMZ's new weekly series on Tubi, "TMZ Presents: United States V. Sean Combs: Inside the Diddy Trial" ... and Ray says he's having a hard time believing Diddy is guilty of racketeering.

Ray J says he spent a lot of time around Diddy and a lot of the witnesses who are testifying ... and based on his experience, he doesn't see how the RICO charge is warranted.

Diddy's prison outfit is going up for auction ... no, not one he's worn since being locked up in jail last fall, but the one he wore on set 25 years ago!

The rapper's iconic costume from his role as Lawrence Musgrove in the 2001 romantic-thriller drama "Monster's Ball" is going up for sale. It features a gray hoodie, jeans -- with one pant leg cut off -- and black shoes.

Diddy wears this outfit during the early parts of the film before his character is executed ... and, it's expected to fetch a decent price at auction when bidding starts on June 7.

Another week is in the books for the Diddy criminal trial, and it took only 13 days of witness testimony for President Trump to insert himself into the proceedings.

The biggest news from Friday's Diddy federal trial happened far from the Manhattan courtroom where he's being tried ... at the White House, Trump was asked about a potential pardon for Diddy if the music mogul gets convicted.

Trump left open the possibility of clemency ... telling reporters he would have to look at the case and the facts and determine if he thought Diddy was treated unfairly ... though it feels a bit premature at this point to be talking pardons.

Snoop Dogg is embracing NBA YoungBoy and Larry Hoover back into society's good standings following President Trump's federal pardons with open arms ... playas may mess up but 2nd chances are invaluable!!!

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to Snoop in Beverly Hills and he had nothing but positive vibes for both YB and Hoover ... and he also went into detail about hip hop culture's ongoing legal turmoil, including the state of African-American gangs.

There's a heavy debate right now that most gangs are stunted in childhood but Snoop says he's seen gang members -- such as himself -- go on to become successful businessmen.

President Trump is weighing in on the Diddy federal criminal trial ... saying he would look into the case and consider a potential pardon if the jury returns a guilty verdict.

Trump just doled out a bunch of pardons and commutations this week to a slew of celebs ... and he was asked Friday if he would ever consider pardoning Diddy.

POTUS says he hasn't been following the Diddy trial all that closely and he would have to "look at what's happening" and "look at the facts."

Snoop Dogg is breathing new life into the motto "one man's trash is another's treasure" ... with a full-scale sale of his half-smoked blunt roaches turned cannabis collectibles!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Snoop out in Bev. Hills this week for a sneak peek at his upcoming collaboration with artist Erica Kovitz -- "Rich N Infamous: The Joint Venture."

Kovitz preserved Snoop's roach tips with a plastic and chrome proxy atop pigment panels on acrylic ... and even fused in cannabis residue to enhance the designs!!!

Cardi B says the ripple effects from the TMZ Hip Hop report of Offset pursuing spousal support ruined her day -- so she's gonna wreck his life ... until it's over!!!

An enraged Cardi hopped onto X Spaces on Friday and proverbially dug a ditch for her estranged hubby to nosedive into -- wishing him dead!!!

Cardi says she hopes Offset dies a slow death in a bed ... haunted with the thoughts of the wife he left behind.

One of Diddy's former assistants says she had to ask the music mogul for permission for just about anything ... including taking time off to lay her grandmother to rest.

The witness, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia," told jurors Friday in her second day on the stand that she had to get permission to leave or do things ... saying she even "had to beg to go to my grandma's funeral."

This all came out during cross-examination ... with Mia getting grilled by Diddy defense attorney Brian Steel.

Rihanna's about to be a mom of 3 -- but she's hustling like she's got zero kids, turning up the heat with her latest Savage X Fenty drop that's less maternity and more lingerie.

The pregnant star lit up IG, serving serious heat in the lingerie company's new mosaic lace display -- showing off everything but that baby bump, which she clearly tried to keep under wraps with some sneaky camera angles.

Rihanna, who only revealed the Baby No. 3 news earlier this month, worked overtime to keep the bump outta sight with clever poses, back shots, and plenty of arms-over-belly action.

"Mia," a former assistant to Sean "Diddy" Combs who's testifying under a pseudonym in the music mogul's federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in NYC, took the stand again Friday morning.

The prosecution asked Mia about several harrowing incidents over the course of her employment with Diddy, including her time in development with Revolt Films, one of the mogul's Combs Enterprises companies. She told the jury Diddy's ongoing intimidation of her resulted in anxiety attacks and PTSD ... and her eventual parting with Diddy.

She said she left the company in 2017, when Diddy wanted to shut down Revolt Films. She said they were working out severance pay for her.

Currently incarcerated rapper Marion "Suge" Knight is urging his longtime archrival Sean "Diddy" Combs to take the stand during his ongoing federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in New York City ... reasoning it would benefit him.

Suge -- who is behind bars for voluntary manslaughter -- told CNN’s Laura Coates via phone call from prison he thinks the music mogul could “humanize” himself by testifying -- and possibly walk free.

Suge said his silence makes him look "scared to face the music" and suggested he "have his faith in God" and "tell his truth."

Megan Thee Stallion didn't wait for the solstice to kick off her "Hot Girl Summer" -- the rap star morphed into a full-blown model, debuting her swimwear collection on the Miami Swim Week runway!!!

The rap star hit the PARAISO stage decked out in her platinum-tinged one-piece that still boasts the bikini benefits, with shimmery stilettos to match, and her hair in a poofed-out mane.

There was no shame in her game ... Meg also flaunted her bare badonkadonk for the flashing lights.

Omarion and his B2K bros got to "bump, bump, bump" like old times at the recent "Millennium" tour last month ... an organic moment that could lead to more rhythm and blues -- or maybe not.

The TMZ Tour struck gold once again, spotting Big O maneuvering through Hollywood with his gal pal Natasha Graziano riding shotgun.

She's a motivational speaker who didn't appear to be on the clock ... but we're told they're just good platonic friends.

The Diddy criminal trial is now at a dozen days of testimony ... and today's witnesses talked about sexual assaults, violence, "period blood," and some of Cassie's relationships with other celebs ... including a flirtation with Michael B. Jordan.

Things got emotional in the courtroom Thursday as a former Diddy assistant testifying under the pseudonym "Mia" recalled alleged sexual assaults, rapes and threats she endured from Diddy.

Mia sobbed during her testimony, and a lot of what she said lined up with some of Cassie's testimony about extortion ... though it's fair to wonder why prosecutors didn't bring Mia to the stand right after Cassie.

Donald Trump may have commuted Larry Hoover's federal life sentence, but the ex-Gangster Disciples leader still has a slew of red tape to cut through before he's totally free!!!

Hoover is still on the hook for a life sentence in the state of Illinois and the Governor's office tells TMZ Hip Hop ... the only way the 74-year-old can continue his quest for parole or clemency is to petition the Prisoner Review Board, AKA the PRB.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's office says, unlike Donald Trump, Illinois follows the law -- and its state justice system is no exception!!!