TMZ Hip Hop - Page 8

Eric Bellinger’s still buzzing from the weekend’s "TMZ After Dark" tour -- fresh off his Capitol Records deal, dude was celebrating and moonlighting as a tour guide.

Check out the vid ... TMZ ran into Eric Tuesday, and he couldn’t stop raving about the tour -- saying as a born-and-raised Angeleno, it was cool flexing as a guide while also low-key playing tourist at spots he’d never even visited himself.

We swung the convo back to his big signing ... Eric clarified he’s actually with Capitol Music Group’s legendary TAMLA label, freshly revived under the one and only producer Rodney Jerkins.

Eric Bellinger is remembering D'Angelo ... he says the voice, swag, vibe, lifestyle and music embodied the definition of "street soul."

We got Eric at LAX on Tuesday and our photog asked him about D'Angelo's tragic death, which shook the music world earlier in the day.

Eric says D'Angelo was a pioneer in music and he really looked up to the guy ... Eric even sampled D'Angelo's "Lady" on his song "Curious" with Fabolous and Cordae.

The owner of the Hollywood Hills home D4vd was renting has hired a private eye to get to the bottom of what happened inside the house ... because LAPD has not publicly released any answers 6 whole weeks after Celeste Rivas' decomposing body was found in D4vd's Tesla.

Mladen Trifunovic owns the home D4vd's manager was renting -- the place has been searched by cops as part of the Celeste death investigation -- and he says a P.I. is now involved.

LAPD raided the home last month and our sources told us they were looking for blood evidence ... but there's been no updates on where the case stands.

D'Angelo's sudden death from pancreatic cancer has completely shattered the hip hop and R&B world ... several of his collaborators and admiring peers are mourning the loss and memorializing his legacy.

DJ Premier, who produced several classic records for D'Angelo -- including their well-placed "Devil's Pie" track -- sent out a loving tribute remembering the "many" good times they had together. The Alchemist and Tyler, The Creator also sent out RIP tweets.

Jill Scott, who was equally instrumental in cementing neo-soul into the music biz, sent out a sweeping tribute to D'Angelo, admitting she never met him ... but she still loved him with all her heart.

10:50 AM PT -- D'Angelo's family released a statement following his death ... "The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life ... After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer, we are heartbroken to announce that Michael D'Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D'Angelo, has been called home, departing this life today, October 14th, 2025. We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind. We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time but invite you all join us in mourning his passing while also celebrating the gift of song that he has left for the world."

Grammy-winning R&B soul singer D'Angelo is dead from pancreatic cancer ... TMZ has learned.

The "Brown Sugar" singer-songwriter died Tuesday morning in NYC ... according to sources connected to his family and his former manager Kedar Massenburg. While D'Angelo had not been public about his cancer battle, we're told he'd been in treatment for several months.

D'Angelo was a singular talent who collaborated with the likes of Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Q-Tip ... after bursting onto the scene in 1995 with his solo debut album, "Brown Sugar."

Master P is returning the University of New Orleans to its original form ... bringing a jumbotron back to Lakefront Arena after the original was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago.

The rap legend, businessman and UNO's new President of Basketball Operations revealed the scoreboard update on Tuesday ... days before the Privateers' exhibition game on Saturday against Shaquille O'Neal's Sacramento State.

"We got a new jumbotron. Guess why? Me! That's who," Master P said.

Rod Wave is vehemently denying every last allegation hurled his way by Grizzly Touring in its $27 million lawsuit ... and he's firing back with his own countersuit while announcing a NEW TOUR!!!

The "SoulFly" star filed new legal docs in Florida court Monday and sent out a statement to TMZ Hip Hop, saying ... "Rod Wave remains committed to delivering first-class concerts that his fans expect – and deserve. Grizzly Touring’s lawsuit is baseless and an unfortunate extension of its prior failed attempts to trap Rod Wave into an exclusive arrangement."

The statement continues ... "Grizzly Touring has no one to blame but itself. Had it not grossly mismanaged the Last Lap tour, by among other things, repeatedly changing the tour schedule and canceling concerts at the last minute, the tour would have been completed as intended."

Armani White may have gotten too ambitious last night, aiming for his next big hit ... at least, according to police ... the multi-platinum rapper was arrested and booked in Kentucky Sunday night.

According to booking records, the "Billie Eilish" rapper -- whose real name is Enoch Tolbert -- was booked for disorderly conduct in the second degree and stopping, standing, or parking on a limited access highway.

London Police Department officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting Armani was allegedly observed jumping up on the middle concrete barrier smack dab in the middle of I-75 and began to dance ... he and his team had pulled over to shoot a music video.

Red Bull's Dance Your Style World Final went down in Los Angeles on Saturday -- a complete 180 of the breakdancing found at the 2024 Olympics -- with fierce competition, aerobatic moves, and a full-blown concert from Lil Jon and his ATL All-Stars!!!

The event stands as the largest international freestyle dance competition on the planet, and proved it inside the newly minted Intuit Dome, with 10,000 fans in attendance -- including Halle Bailey, Charli D'Amelio, "Love Island" star Ace Greene, and Spice Girl legend Mel B.

Veteran hip hop personality Sway Calloway and celebrity choreographer Charm La’Donna hosted the battle, which was also live-streamed to thousands of viewers around the globe.

Eminem's family is growing a little bigger ... because he's going to be a grandad, again!

The Grammy-winner's eldest daughter Alaina, 32, announced Sunday she's expecting her first baby with husband Matt Moeller.

She posted, "THE BEST OF YOU + ME. For months, I've carried a tiny heartbeat inside me, one that has already changed mine in every possible way. There's something indescribable about knowing there's a little life growing, dreaming, and becoming, all while you go about your day, whispering prayers and hopes only they can hear. I've never felt more grateful for this gift and to grow our family, something we've wanted for so long. Thank you God for this blessing."

Fans are taking drastic measures to get Bad Bunny removed from the Super Bowl LX halftime show ... even launching a petition to replace him with country music legend George Strait!

Multiple petitions have popped up online after the NFL announced the King of Latin Trap would headline the SB halftime show on February 8, 2026 ... sparking enormous controversy.

Some fans would rather see 73-year-old Strait -- widely regarded as one of the biggest/best country music stars ever -- with over a thousand fans putting their John Hancock's to the Change.org petition.

Cardi B’s feeling blessed on her birthday -- she hit up IG reflecting on a wild Year 32 and dubbing 33 her "Jesus year," all while flexing a ton of celebration pics.

Check it out -- the pregnant star was ready to pop but didn’t skip a beat, rocking a skin-tight cutout dress with matching accessories, striking pose after pose for pics that perfectly matched her reflective Sunday IG caption.

Cardi got deep on the Jesus year vibes, saying she’s never felt more protected, chosen, and anointed -- adding, "He never fails to remind me that I’m chosen and that I’m anointed, and that’s the best gift I could ever ask for."

Anotha' day, anotha' dolla for Cardi B -- but let's be honest, she's makin' more than just dollars on the daily. Today however is solely about her 33rd birthday! Sit back -- don't be throwin' beverages -- and enjoy the smoke show!

Whether in a dress or a neon swimsuit, the iconic rapper knows how to drop it like it's hot, it's honestly impressive!

And when she's not with the kiddos, she's puttin' in that work up in the studio ... and when it's showtime she busts out in dope 'fits like this black ensemble.

Blueface's mom Karlissa Saffold is confident her son is just "days away" from being freed from prison, but wants to keep the release date a secret for now ... he needs time to acclimate!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Karlissa -- and Blueface's new GF Angela -- in Los Angeles this week, where they tackled all the recent Blueface happenings.

The platinum-selling "Thotiana" rapper has been packing on the pounds behind bars -- Karlissa notes 70 more pounds to be exact, but she says it's the result of push-ups and sit-ups to pass the time.

DDG released his 2nd album of 2025 on Friday with "moo" ... and chose to lead the rollout with a public plea to his ex, Halle Bailey, to make up amicably for the sake of their 1-year-old son, Halo!!!

On the song "17 More Years," DDG tackled his still ongoing custody battle with Halle, highlighting the time they still have before Halo is considered an adult in the eyes of the courts.

The couple broke up in October last year, and things escalated on the internet after Halo made a viral appearance on Kai Cenat's stream, eventually leading to a temporary domestic violence restraining order being filed against DDG.

Bhad Bhabie and her baby daddy Le Vaughn can't seem to make anything go smoothly ... because the simple act of climbing on a tour bus turned into a dramatic scene.

Check out this footage Bhad Bhabie uploaded from her latest vlog ... she's in her pajamas screaming at Le Vaughn in a parking lot, begging him to get on a bus.

There's some pushing and shoving but it's mostly just Bhad Bhabie nagging Le Vaughn to get the show on the road ... he seems to be toying with her, running away from her and then pausing to smoke.