TMZ Hip Hop - Page 17

Ice Cube is in the new jam-packed action flick "War of the Worlds," but don't think for a moment that The Don Mega got bumped and bruised on set like his name is Tom Cruise.

The legendary rapper told TMZ Hip Hop his days of pulling his own stunts are long gone ... viewers don't look like they'll miss out on any explosions and cut scenes, however!!!

It's a valid question -- remember, Cube took over the "XXX" franchise for Vin Diesel way back when ... in the present, he's portraying a Department of Homeland Security computer whiz who holds the planet's fate in the balance, all the while sitting on his bum.

RJMrLA recently completed a personal victory lap with his 10th anniversary of his "O.M.M.I.O." mixtape series poppin' off -- and tells TMZ Hip Hop he couldn't have done it without the synergy from his city!!!

We caught up with RJ backstage DTLA at The Novo ahead of his sold-out concert and got his expertise on the one-sided beef brewing in his backyard -- DJ Quik vs. Dr. Dre.

The Inglewood native grew up on both the legendary G-Funk grooves of both hip hop legends and, much to Quik's points, says he sees both producer heavyweights as equals.

Quavo and the Rocket Foundation the Migos rapper established following the death of Takeoff have launched an "Emergency Therapy Support Fund" in response to 49 shootings in Atlanta.

The bullet-spree spanned across 4 days -- from Thursday to Monday last week -- with 5 reported fatalities, and all the victims transported to Grady Memorial Hospital ... but two people close to Quavo weren't so lucky.

Aaron Hines, AKA 'Coach Ball,' a youth leader from Offenders Alumni Association, was fatally shot ... as was Deshawn Johnson, an 18-year-old who attended Quavo's Rocket Foundation camp in the past.

Safaree had the time of his life at Chris Brown's "Breezy Bowl XX" tour stateside opener in Miami last night, but his ex-wife Erica Mena is calling his theatrics a moment of buffoonery ... she's screaming their kids need his love too!!!

Erica, who's currently partying the day and night away overseas in Greece, saw Safaree jumping for joy as Chris buttered the mic and couldn't contain her anger Thursday morning, raking him through the coals of her Instagram story.

According to Erica, Safaree's been fibbing in court about his finances and never visits his kids ... accusations he's disputed in the past.

Five years after calling it quits, Teyana Taylor is back on the album front ... and she had to tell everyone on the TMZ Tour Bus all about it!!!

We caught up with the "Gonna Love Me" singer in Hollywood, causing pure pandemonium in the area, but she still had time to greet our guests with a warm celebrity welcome.

She even has the same name as our driver!!!

Anyone who's been to a Drake concert knows he has a story for nearly every city, and Amsterdam especially ranks high for him ... it was the spot he conceived his son with Sophie Brussaux!!!

The Canadian-bred star proudly told his summer tour crowd last night inside Ziggo Dome that they were all one like Frankie Beverly -- without Amsterdam, there would be no Adonis!!!

Drake and Sophie hooked up in January 2017 -- spotted canoodling through the city ... and Adonis was born in October of that year, several days before Drake's 31st birthday.

Eve, the former "1st Lady" rapper of DMX's Ruff Ryders group, wants you to remember she was a "rich girl" before she got married -- and that still hasn't changed one bit!!!

Angie Martinez sat down with Eve for her "IRL" podcast to tackle the longstanding internet rumor and the memes that Eve got hitched to an English "billionaire" and lived happily ever after.

The rapper began dating Gumball 3000 rally race founder Maximillion Cooper in 2010, and they married in 2014. They have a son together.

Diddy wants his conviction on 2 counts of the Mann Act overturned, and if not, he's demanding a whole new trial on those charges ... according to new docs filed late Wednesday night.

It's pretty stunning, but in the docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy and his defense team make the case for Judge Arun Subramanian changing the Mann Act conviction to an acquittal. Here's why ... the Mann Act involves transporting someone across state lines for the purpose of sex.

But, Diddy's team says they believe he's the only person ever convicted under this statute who did not make money off prostitution, did not have sex with an alleged prostitute and did not arrange the prostitute's transportation.

Who's ready for a fun game of Guess Who?! Can you deliver the rapper's name who boasted her baby bump in these eye-popping shots?!

She's a doll from Dallas, Texas and the first female artist to sign with Gucci Mane's music label and was cast on the show "Baddies."

Rapper Kevin Gates is getting served ... because his wife just filed for divorce.

Dreka Gates, who used to manage Kevin, beelined it to court Wednesday and filed for divorce from Kevin after 9 years of marriage.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, Dreka lists the date of separation as July 10 ... and she's going with the boilerplate "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split.

Joey Bada$$ is fed up with Columbia Records as a staff, record label, and crew ... the rapper recently told TMZ Hip Hop his album was dropping Aug. 1 and they're turning him into a liar!!!

A furious JB took to his Instagram to call out Columbia Records, armed with both middle fingers, even demanding they taste his babymaker at one point.

If you recall, Joey was excited to roll out his "Lonely at the Top" album on Friday -- perfect emceeing synergy to recent releases from Clipse, Joyner Lucas and Freddie Gibbs.

Lil Jon is admitting one of his biggest club hits needed a lil' tinkering before it saw the light of day ... that "Get Low" song you dance to at every wedding almost came out as a techno track!

The King of Crunk was a recent guest on the "One Song" podcast with musicologists Diallo Riddle and Blake “Luxxury” Robin, where he revealed his 2003 collab with Ying Yang Twins was once titled "Let It Go" ... and played the never-before-heard OG version, which he's proud got left on the cutting room floor!!!

Jon also credited his longtime engineer, Ray Seay, for possessing the genius to bump Ying Yang's melodic mumbling at the top of the track, giving the track an instant spark of energy the moment it comes on.

The offseason adventures of Klay Thompson and his new boo, Megan Thee Stallion, continue ... as the NBA star took the rapper out on the open waters for a fishing trip!!

Klay shared their excursion on his Instagram on Wednesday ... with Meg calling herself the "first mate" to his "captain."

Before the two even left the harbor, the 12-year NBA veteran was feeling some type of way ... saying "you're so fine, baby" as she sat on his lap.

Diddy's got a mountain of civil lawsuits to fight now that his criminal case is over, and he's getting started while he sits in a federal detention center ... and one of them is a suit involving his son Christian "King" Combs and a yacht party.

The Bad Boy founder is a codefendant in a civil suit accusing King of forcing himself on a woman on a yacht Diddy allegedly chartered.

In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy is arguing the case, filed in California, should be tossed because the court has no jurisdiction over him ... he says he's been a Florida resident for more than 5 years and points out he's been incarcerated in a Brooklyn jail since his September 2024 arrest.

Ty Dolla $ign distanced himself from Kanye West during one of Ye's antisemitic tirades this year, and now he appears to be handling some of his legal issues on his own, too ... Ty just settled a copyright infringement case brought forward by Memphis rap vet Criminal Manne ... even though it looks like Kanye hasn't given up yet.

We broke the story back in November 2024 ... Ye and Ty Dolla $ign were both sued by Criminal Manne, DJ Squeeky and Rayna B. Rufus, who claim they never cleared samples that appeared on the short-lived duo ¥$'s chart-topping "Vultures 1" album released in January last year.

According to docs obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Ty Dolla $ign and Create Music Group reached a confidential settlement in principle with the parties that they expect to be finalized in the next 30 days ... but the agreement does NOT include Ye or his Yeezy Record Label LLC.

Donald Trump's White House has been in communication with Diddy's legal team about a potential pardon for the music mogul, and we've learned the decision may be determined by the judge's ruling on bail.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Donald Trump is "more than open" to pardoning Diddy, but he wants to wait to see what Judge Arun Subramanian does with Diddy's latest bail petition. We're told if Diddy is granted bail, Trump will not make a decision on a pardon until Diddy is sentenced. If the judge denies bail, a decision will be made immediately.

As you know, Diddy was acquitted on the 3 major charges, and convicted on 2 counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits the interstate transportation of prostitutes. The Mann Act is rarely used by federal prosecutors as a singular charge. Most legal experts agree ... if Diddy's case only involved the Mann Act, no charges would have been filed against him.