TMZ Hip Hop - Page 6

Kanye West’s Stateside comeback may be pulling in crowds, but across the pond it’s a different story -- and the backlash is stacking up fast!

PayPal is the latest to distance itself, with London's Wireless Festival organizers confirming the brand won’t appear on any event branding while Ye is headlining -- or going forward, according to ITV News.

It’s not a headline sponsor, but PayPal still plays a key role as the payments partner for Live Nation UK Festivals, offering early ticket access -- so yeah, this one stings.

Kanye West hit all the right notes during his two shows in Los Angeles over the weekend, raking in a whopping $33 million as he wages a major comeback after his career was sidelined by his passion for Nazis, according to a new report.    

Bloomberg says Ye snagged more than $18 million in ticket sales during his Friday concert alone, making it one of the highest-grossing single shows in the history of live music.

The news outlet also pointed out Ye still has die-hard fans rushing to buy his new record, "Bully," which is on track to become one of the best-selling albums in its opening week.

But Bloomberg cautioned Ye's two sold-out L.A. gigs could just be an aberration considering all of his issues involving antisemitism dating back to 2022.   

Tekashi 6ix9ine celebrated his release from a federal lockup the only way he knows how -- at a strip club!

The rapper was seen partying with his posse at Booby Trap in Pompano Beach, Florida, on Friday night after he was sprung from New York's MDC Brooklyn detention facility earlier in the day.

Tekashi was incarcerated for 3 months at MDC for violating his federal probation after he pled guilty to possessing cocaine and MDMA -- a synthetic drug that acts as a stimulant and hallucinogen.

Rapper OJ da Juiceman isn't skipping a beat after spending a few weeks in lockup ... in fact, TMZ has learned he will be releasing a few!

The trap rapper -- who cops have accused of pointing a gun at a Georgia State Patrol officer -- got out of the clink early this morning ... and, his manager Rueben Wood says his time away hasn't slowed him down at all.

Wood tells TMZ ... OJ was working on some new music prior to his March arrest -- and fans will get to hear it all very soon.

Kanye West's second comeback Los Angeles show was packed with special guests ... bringing rappers Lauryn Hill and Travis Scott to the stage, along with CeeLo Green and Ye's oldest, North West!

Check it out -- the crowd erupted in cheer when Lauryn made her way to the stage through a cloud of smoke and jumped into an electrifying performance of "All Falls Down." Kanye sampled Lauryn's 2002 live track "Mystery of Iniquity" on "All Falls Down."

Lauryn stayed on stage for several numbers ... singing a rendition of "Doo Wop (That Thing)," which transitioned into Ye’s "Believe What I Say." Kanye's 2021 song samples Lauryn's 'Doo Wop' as well. She wasn't done there, BTW ...

"The Jews said Hazel finna fall today" ... that's what Hazel-E told our photog when she tripped on her way out of a Kanye West concert.

We got the 'Love & Hip Hop' star on her way out of Kanye's show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, and she was giving Kanye a full-throated defense when she suddenly tripped in her heels.

Hazel caught herself and then cracked a joke about "the Jews" ... which came as she was smack in the middle of hyping Kanye up for bouncing back from multiple antisemitic controversies.

Pooh Shiesty and his crew have been federally charged with the robbery and kidnapping of Gucci Mane ... and the suspects were allegedly captured on surveillance.

Here's the deal ... the DOJ says Shiesty and his alleged co-conspirators "executed an armed takeover" ... during which they say Shiesty forced Gucci at gunpoint to sign a release letting Shiesty out of his recording contract.

Along with the indictment ... the feds included several snapshots of surveillance from the building Gucci's studio is in, which appear to show the group of suspects entering the building -- and one of them leaving to retrieve a duffel bag.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is out of prison and here to shine ... with some sparkling new bling!

Check it out -- the rapper was gifted a "priceless" nearly 400-carat chain as soon as he stepped out of MDC Brooklyn Friday, where he served 3 months behind bars after authorities found drugs in his home last year.

Tekashi collaborated with Vobara Miami for this one-of-a-kind piece, which is titled "The Apex Redemption; The Return of 6ix9ine" and features pendants that represent some of his tattoos he had before he went back to the slammer.

Tekashi 6ix9ine has done his time, and he's back on the streets -- and he's leaving federal prison with a can't-miss souvenir.

The rapper shared a clip from the moment authorities let him back out on the streets Friday morning -- Tekashi's attorney Lance Lazzaro and the BOP both confirmed with TMZ the rapper was let out today.

In the clip, Tekashi seems in high spirits after 90 days in MDC Brooklyn -- coming out the gate hot and dapping up a pal.

Kanye West just played his biggest show in years ... and it seems a lot of people have looked past his antisemitic meltdowns -- but Donnell Rawlings says there are definitely sides in that grace.

We caught up with the comic-actor at LAX on Thursday after the first of Ye's two sold-out shows at SoFi Stadium ... and asked if Kanye had been forgiven.

As you can see in the video ... DR is dead serious when he says Black people have forgiven Kanye ... but white people still hold a grudge -- that is, unless they want to make money off him by doing business -- then, it's all good.

Pooh Shiesty allegedly kidnapped and robbed Gucci Mane -- this, according to the Department of Justice.

The DOJ announced the news Thursday morning ... claiming Shiesty and his pal Big30 kidnapped and robbed several alleged victims at gunpoint in a Dallas music studio.

Eight of the nine suspects -- including Shiesty -- were arrested Wednesday across three cities -- Memphis, Nashville and Dallas -- according to the DOJ.

Kanye West hit a snag during his comeback show in Los Angeles ... where the lights during his concert became a bit of a "runaway" -- with Ye halting the show to fix it his way.

The rapper performed for a packed SoFi Stadium Wednesday night -- his first show in Tinseltown in five years -- and, much to the delight of his fans, ran through a bunch of his biggest hits.

But things took a turn during his 2007 track "Good Life" ... when Ye suddenly stopped mid-song and called for production to cut the music. He addressed the crew directly ... taking issue with the disco-style lighting, saying it didn't pair well with the smoke-filled stage and needed to go.

Ye restarts the song from the top ... but seconds in, shuts it down again -- this time calling the lights "corny."

Megan Thee Stallion was hospitalized Tuesday night after she had trouble breathing while performing on Broadway, but TMZ has learned she'll be OK.

A rep for the superstar singer and actress tells TMZ ... she was diagnosed with extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction, and low metabolic levels ... all of which led to the scary moment when "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" was halted mid-show.

We're told Megan was treated and discharged ... and is resting at home.

She's skipping the Wednesday "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" performances ... a decison would-be ticket buyers were told when trying to snap up a seat. The plan is for her to be back on stage on Thursday.

We're told she's incredibly grateful for the prayers and well-wishes from her supporters.

A home owned by rapper Pooh Shiesty's family is crawling with federal agents ... the FBI is on site executing a search and arrest warrant.

The home is in a Memphis suburb, and records show the house is owned by Lontrell Williams ... that's Pooh's government name, and also his father's name.

FBI agents have been going in and out of the home since at least 6 AM Wednesday ... according to FOX13 in Memphis.

It's unclear why the FBI went to a federal court and obtained a search and arrest warrant. We don't know if anyone has been arrested ... we're working on it.

Grammy-winning producer Sidney "Omen" Brown -- who worked with artists like Drake, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne and more -- passed away last year ... and now his cause of death has been released.

According to the medical examiner, Brown passed away from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The manner of death was determined as natural.

The disease -- otherwise known as ASCVD -- is caused by plaque buildup in your arteries.

Megan Thee Stallion was rushed to a NYC hospital Tuesday night ... after falling "very ill" during her Broadway show, "Moulin Rouge! The Musical."

A rep for the singer and actress tells TMZ ... “During Tuesday night’s production, Megan started feeling very ill and was promptly transported to a local hospital, where her symptoms are currently being evaluated. We will share additional updates as more information becomes available.”

No additional info was offered ... but hairstylist Kellon Deryck asked people for prayers on X.

The superstar made her Broadway debut in the show last week ... in the role of The Zidler at New York’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre.