TMZ Hip Hop - Page 26

Joke's on anyone following for the Ja Rule TikTok trend ... the "Always On Time" rapper was recently in Los Angeles for Nelly's Where The Party Out Tour, where he got Lizzo's support ... while also getting her lit!!!

TMZ Hip Hop got video of Ja, his wife Aisha, and Lizzo backstage at the Intuit Dome, flicking it up and throwing back shots of his Amber & Opal honey botanical whiskey and listening to vintage Ghostface Killah.

Lizzo was analyzing the sweeteners used in the whiskey and ended up suggesting herself into creating a Vanilla Coke flavor, so stay tuned!!!

Ooh, baby, baby ... Salt-N-Pepa's upcoming induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for musical influence is missing an RSVP ... according to the group's original DJ Spinderella!!!

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to Latoya Hanson, who was a founding member of SNP all the way up to the release of the trio's 1986 debut album, "Hot, Cool & Vicious" ... you can see her on the cover art!!!

Latoya tells us no one from SNP contacted her about the ceremony going down -- not surprising on her part because she says it's the type of sneakiness from Cheryl "Salt" James that got her booted from the group!!!

Rihanna just made a grand social media announcement and no, it's not from Savage X Fenty ... her profile picture and header has been updated with her album titles.

On Tuesday, Riri's longtime label, Roc Nation, revealed this Friday marks the 20th anniversary of the island gal having everyone do the "Pon de Replay" via her debut album, "Music of the Sun."

The social drop also rattled off all her album titles from "MOTS" to the final one, "Anti" with a promise to deliver new merch.

Allow TMZ Hip Hop to be the first to offer congratulations to French Montana and Sheikha Mahra, a Princess of Dubai ... the "royal" couple have an engagement to celebrate!!!

Love seems to be swirling in the air amid the pre-NFL season engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce ... but a rep for French tells us the couple got engaged during Paris Fashion Week in June, shortly after he stunted on the runway.

The two have been spotted together since 2024, from everywhere from mosques, to upscale restaurants in Dubai and Morocco, to magnifying their love at the Pont des Arts in Paris, and enjoying desert escapades by camelback.

Cardi B returned to the stand Wednesday in court to defend herself against assault allegations made by a former security guard -- and she suspects a cash grab!!!

The prosecutor was questioning Cardi about her and Emani Ellis' social media posts in the aftermath of an alleged altercation at a Beverly Hills obstetrician's office in 2018.

Cardi said her fans got wind of Ellis "posting lies" about the incident at the time, and she told the prosecutor she blew it off ... claiming Ellis is just trying to get money from her. When asked why she thinks the civil suit is a ploy for payment, Cardi bluntly said "because she's suing me for $24 million."

One of Offset’s all-time worst experiences? Sounds like marriage -- he swears he’ll never be a groom again … and even advised other men to run from the altar!

On the "Full Send" podcast, the rapper laid it out ... at 33, he’s done the whole marriage thing with Cardi B, raised three kids ... and in his mind, that mission’s already complete.

Offset doubled down ... even warning host Kyle Forgeard, who dreams of settling down, not to do it unless he’s ready to flip his whole life upside down.

While Diddy's sitting in jail awaiting sentencing in his federal criminal case ... he can celebrate a win in a civil lawsuit filed by a guy who claimed the mogul drugged him and sexually assaulted him in a nightclub.

The lawsuit was filed back in February, and the plaintiff said he was an up-and-coming 23-year-old artist in 2015 when he scored a gig at an L.A. nightclub ... where Diddy was in attendance.

The alleged details sound like several other Diddy lawsuits -- the John Doe plaintiff claimed he'd been given a drink, fell unconscious and woke up to Diddy having "unwanted sexual contact" with him. In the lawsuit, filed by attorney Tony Buzbee, Doe also claimed Diddy threatened his future career if he resisted.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are continuing to feel the love from their celebrity peers ... with both Gracie Abrams and Lil Wayne separately taking moments to congratulate the couple onstage.

Hours after Taylor and Travis shared with the world that they're now engaged, Gracie -- who opened for T Swift on her global "Eras" tour -- took the stage in Mexico City and encouraged her fans to shout "Congratulations" to the happy pair.

After getting an enthusiastic response from the crowd, Gracie noted it felt like Taylor was with them in spirit ... and urged concert attendees to sing out Taylor's part in their hit song, "Us."

Drake got an unwanted visitor at his NYC store Tuesday -- and it wasn't Kendrick Lamar -- but rather a hammer-wielding lunatic who smashed windows and tried to set the place on fire, according to police.

The madness kicked off Tuesday at the rapper's October's Very Own clothing store in Manhattan ... and most of it was captured on video shot by stunned witnesses.

Check it out ... the clip is shot from outside the store through the glass windows, where a woman appears to be throwing items inside the store to the ground and smashing up the windows from inside.

Cardi B is telling her side of the story in a civil trial with a former security guard ... and she says she called the woman a bitch for recording her in a doctor's office.

The "Bodak Yellow" rapper took the stand Tuesday and testified she was walking through a Beverly Hills obstetrician's office while 4 months pregnant in 2018 when a security guard at the building, Emani Ellis, started following her and recording on a smartphone.

Cardi says she confronted the woman and they got in each other's faces in the hallway and called each other all sorts of nasty names ... including "bitch."

Benzino is continuing to push his physical boundaries after becoming a grandpa ... the rapper just flexed his super-strength with a pair of 110-pound dumbbells!!!

The fit 60-year-old posted a video of himself of his biggest challenge yet ... chest-pressing inside Forum Athletics in Atlanta-Buckhead on Tuesday.

Benzino managed to lift both weights into the air, rotating them with his wrists for a longer press before slamming them to the ground.

Erica Mena hasn't lost her ability to make a headline despite not being associated with "Love & Hip Hop," and she's not looking to change things ... her stage lights have simply gotten brighter!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Erica this week at the premiere of her upcoming Chris Stokes-directed thriller "Run," in which she costars opposite Annie Ngosi Ilonzeh, Marques Houston, and Drew Sidora ... and she couldn't be happier.

Erica didn't return to 'L&HH' after clashing with dancehall star Spice, but Erica tells us she doubts she officially got banned ... more like, scapegoated.

Glasses Malone has assembled his West Coast troops to saddle up against Drake ... through a music video that paints Champagne Papi as all types of snitches for filing a lawsuit after essentially losing his rap battle to Kendrick Lamar!!!

Along with veteran rappers Jurassic 5 and their new-age counterparts L.A. Giantz, Glasses released the "Wanted" video.

The 6-minute visual depicts the inside a courtroom, complete with cameos from court reporter Meghann M. Cuniff and hip hop podcaster Justin "The Company Man" Hunte -- and a FAKE DRAKE!!!

Bryson Tiller's 2015 debut album "T R A P S O U L" went on to create an entire new lane for artists -- a vision the lowkey artist says Timbaland couldn't see in real time!!!

While discussing his career trajectory on the "New Rory & MAL" podcast, Tiller says Timbaland was so impressed with his 2015 single, "Don't," the superproducer urged him to quit his job and fly down to Miami to "get to work"... presumably as a signed artist.

Bryson says he banged out "T R A P S O U L" heaters like "Sorry Not Sorry" and "Been That Way" -- but Timbaland was left unimpressed and Bryson was sent back home to Kentucky.

Lil Nas X is breaking his silence over his arrest and subsequent felony charges ... he says it's been a terrifying few days but he's going to be just fine.

The "Old Town Road" rapper just posted on his Instagram Story, recording a selfie video where he addresses his naked arrest for the first time.

Lil Nas X stares into the camera and declares, "Your girl is going to be OK ... she's going to be alright."

Prosecutors say Lil Nas X allegedly assaulted and injured three police officers as they were trying to take him into custody early Thursday ... and now we're getting a sense of what the alleged injuries include.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... one officer suffered an abrasion on their head, another hurt his hand, and a third suffered a back sprain.

We're told the cop with the alleged back issue went to the hospital for further medical attention and was sent home for a week to recover.