TMZ Hip Hop - Page 11

Famous Dex allegedly beat up his reality star ex-girlfriend Pam Rodriguez before his domestic violence arrest, and now a series of photos show the injuries she claims he inflicted ... TMZ has learned.

As we first reported, the rapper was taken into custody Sunday in Las Vegas after allegedly using Pam as a punching bag. Our sources say Dex and Pam live in Vegas and dated for a few weeks before they split.

We're told Pam lost a bunch of influencer gigs after the alleged incident, which hurt her bottom line. As a result, Pam launched a GoFundMe to raise money for medical bills, legal fees, and loss of income.

Kanye West is making moves to stop a jury from hearing about his past antisemitic social media posts ... TMZ has learned.

In court docs TMZ obtained, Kanye argues his old posts should not be used as evidence against him in the case brought by Benjamin Provo, who claimed he was a victim of race-based discrimination when he was fired from Donda Academy for having dreadlocks. Kanye said the posts have nothing to do with the case at hand.

Kanye included a 919-page report consisting of the alleged social media posts Benjamin plans to use. One included a post from Ye's Instagram profile which shows a Nazi robe with the caption, "Outfit of the day."

10:47 AM PT -- Video has now surfaced on social media of Kanye arriving to the Los Angeles courthouse.

Kanye West is showing up for Lil Durk ... making a surprise appearance Thursday at the rapper's federal trial ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Ye is currently inside the downtown Los Angeles courthouse, where Durk's murder for hire case is playing out. We're told Kanye is seated in the second row in an all black look, including leather pants. He entered wearing black sunglasses, but took them off once he sat down.

Kanye's appearance comes just days after Machine Gun Kelly showed up at the trial Monday, sitting in an overflow room to follow the proceedings. MGK and Durk have history ... MGK played guitar during Durk’s 2023 Amazon Music Live performance.

Better known as Tech N9ne, American rapper Aaron Dontez Yates rose to fame with hits like "Caribou Lou," "Sex Out South," and "Hood Go Crazy." The Kansas City native is known for his lightning-fast, tongue-twisting raps and intense, theatrical delivery.

Megyn Kelly doesn't think much of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's parenting skills when it comes to their 13-year-old daughter North West ... and the popular podcaster is letting the world know exactly how she feels.

Kelly sat down with Dr. Drew on Tuesday's episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show," and the two slammed Kim and Kanye for allowing North to be such a public figure at such a young age.

Check out the clip ... Kelly kicks things off by pointing out that North is on the cover of Dazed Magazine with false teeth, blue hair, and facial piercings. 

Suge Knight is making a bombshell claim amid the Tupac Shakur murder trial ... saying Duane "Keffe D" Davis' lawyers offered him up to $1 million to say Keefe wasn't in the car that allegedly shot up Tupac.

Suge joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday from prison and said he refused the alleged offer ... insisting his loyalty to Tupac "can't be compromised."

The Death Row founder also took aim at The Game ... pushing back on the rapper's recent claim that Keffe D is being used as a scapegoat.

Famous Dex has been arrested for domestic battery ... TMZ has learned.

Official records show the rapper was taken into custody on Sunday and booked on a domestic battery charge.

It appears Famous Dex was still in a Vegas jail at the time of publication.

It's been a quarter century since Aaliyah's tragic death ... and even though she's gone way too soon, the late legend's legacy will live on forever.

As you know, the singer died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001, after filming the music video for her single "Rock the Boat" in the Bahamas. Investigations showed the plane had been overloaded by 700 pounds.

But Aaliyah's life shouldn't and couldn't be defined by her death ... instead, we're remembering the iconic artist for her incredible artistry and influential style.

North West certainly doesn't lead a regular life given that her parents are Kim Kardashian and Kanye West ... but the 13-year-old rapper says she wants a regular job -- at Starbucks!

That's right ... North sat down for a recent interview with Dazed Digital, and reporter Marios Mystidis asked North if she would be a basketball player if she wasn't a music artist.

North responded that she had zero interest in becoming a hoops player ... and said she wanted to work at Starbucks ... and it's no joke!

Quality Control Music cofounder Pierre "P" Thomas -- who helped build the careers of stars including Migos, Lil Baby and City Girls -- is still recovering in the hospital after suffering a heart attack ... but we're told his health is improving.

A source familiar with the situation tells TMZ ... P is still recovering at a Las Vegas hospital, where his health continues to improve.

As we reported ... P was hospitalized Friday after suffering a heart attack and was being treated in the ICU.

Blueface had another brush with the law over the weekend ... getting detained by police in California during an apparent "swatting" incident, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Blueface was inside a restaurant in Santa Clarita on Sunday night when Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies responded to an "emergency" call for "severe violence."

We're told deputies detained several people, including Blueface, but later released everyone after determining no crime had occurred and it was an apparent swatting incident.

Our sources say one witness livestreamed all the drama, capturing Blueface and his baby mama, Nevaeh Akira, during the chaotic scene.

BigXthaPlug found himself back in jail Friday ... after he was caught allegedly driving while intoxicated and possessing some marijuana.

Online jail records show the Dallas-based rapper was booked into the Collin County Jail in Texas on Friday by the Allen Police Department. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession of less than 2 ounces, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

On the same day as the arrest, it was announced that BigX -- real name Xavier Darnell Landum -- would be missing his appearance at the Country Rising Festival in Canada ... with organizers blaming a "personal emergency" for his absence.

10:46 AM -- Quality Control Music says Pierre "P" Thomas "is alive and currently receiving medical care."

The label asks "that everyone keep P and his family in their thoughts and prayers and respectfully give them the privacy and space they need during this time."

QC adds ... "We deeply appreciate everyone's concern, support, prayers, and loving energy right now."

Pierre "P" Thomas, the Quality Control Music cofounder who helped build the careers of stars including Migos, Lil Baby and City Girls, is currently hospitalized after suffering a heart attack ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... P is under doctors' care at a Las Vegas hospital, where we're told he's in the ICU.

We're told family members are with him and consulting with doctors on next steps.

P cofounded Quality Control Music with Kevin "Coach K" Lee in 2013, helping turn the label into a hip-hop powerhouse.

A supposed mug shot of Lil Durk is making the rounds online ... but TMZ has learned the image is bogus and is the latest example of AI slop.

The image circulating on social media appears to show the Grammy-winning rapper, whose real name is Durk Devontay Banks, with a bald head and wearing what appears to be jail clothing.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... that's not a real photo of Durk. We're told Durk currently has a short haircut, but he is not bald like the man depicted in the viral image.

Sean "Diddy" Combs was name-dropped during the Tupac Shakur murder trial when a former LAPD detective testified Diddy tried, but failed, to pay for Tupac's execution ... a wild allegation folks in Diddy's camp call bogus.

In response to the bombshell testimony, sources close to the imprisoned mogul tell TMZ ... "Diddy had absolutely nothing to do with the Tupac murder. He did not pull the trigger or set it up. It would be a waste of time if prosecutors ever called him as a witness."

Here's the backstory ... on Wednesday, ex-LAPD detective Daryn Dupree testified in court that he interviewed Duane "Keffe D" Davis regarding the 1997 murder of rapper Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace in L.A.

Dupree testified Davis said he had nothing to do with Biggie's murder, but instead offered details about the Tupac fatal shooting ... including an allegation about Diddy.

Some of the money Chris Brown is pulling in from his uber-successful nationwide tour with Usher could land in his former housekeeper's pockets soon ... a Los Angeles judge ruled she has a right to collect her judgment from what he's bringing in on tour, TMZ has learned.

Court docs obtained by TMZ reveal the judge presiding over Maria Avila's lawsuit granted her request to assign money Chris gets from royalties and tour income to her to satisfy the $13 million judgment she won in her dog attack case against him.

Chris objected to the request, but the judge apparently wasn't swayed.

Unclear if Chris will ask for reconsideration or appeal the ruling.

As TMZ first reported, Chris was ordered to pay Maria the 8-figure sum after she won her lawsuit over a vicious dog attack at his L.A. home in 2020.