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Diddy's arrest and subsequent indictment have not deterred his fans from listening to his music ... in fact, he's seen a spike in streams in the wake of the controversy.

Luminate, a data and analytics company, claims the rap mogul's expansive music catalog has seen an over 18% increase in streams in the week since he was put in handcuffs at the Park Hyatt in midtown Manhattan.

TMZ broke the story ... the Bad Boy Records founder was arrested last Monday, 6 months after his Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided in connection with a sex trafficking investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Chingy suddenly became the center of hip hop political collusion over the weekend when he was announced as the master of ceremony at an upcoming Republican rally -- a gig that's still happening despite a social brouhaha!!!

TMZ Hip Hop spoke to Chingy's rep Scott Adkins, who says the "Right Thurr" rapper is still on board to perform during the Log Cabin Republicans' "Red, White and Rock" event on September 29 ... going down at Kid Rock's Big Honky Tonk & Steakhouse!!!

MAGA leaders Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle are the official headliners but Scott clarifies the event is not a Donald Trump presidential rally nor will the RNC nominee be making an appearance.

Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero is about to make the jump to elite status ... so says Wendell Carter Jr., who tells TMZ Sports there's no doubt in his mind his teammate will contend for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award this season.

The 21-year-old former No. 1 overall pick improved in nearly every statistical category in his sophomore outing ... earning himself All-Star honors after averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists -- and leading his Magic to the playoffs.

Many expect the former Duke standout to build off that momentum in his third season --  including Carter, Jr., who spoke highly of the young hooper while out at LAX this week.

Taylor Swift's cadre of friends seems to come and go, but one of the stalwarts in her group remains tight with her -- Gigi Hadid.

Taylor and Gigi hit up The Corner Store restaurant in NYC Saturday night, and the reaction they got on the way out was super interesting.

Watch the video ... there are a bunch of fans and photogs on hand as they walk to their SUV, and everyone is so focused on them they forget to talk. There's hardly a question, a comment, a scream ... anything. People are just taking in the sight.

Warren Moon believes Deshaun Watson's legal woes are contributing to his recent stretch of poor play ... telling TMZ Sports, "I think a lot of his problems are mental."

The Cleveland Browns star, of course, has battled double-digit cases in courtrooms throughout the past few years ... and, just recently, he was sued once more by another woman accusing him of sexual assault.

The quarterback hasn't ever said publicly if it's all affected him on the field ... but when we talked this week to Moon -- who developed a friendship with the 29-year-old signal-caller during his time in Houston, Texas (where Warren's a legend) -- he told us it's hard to believe it's not impacting him on the field.

Christian Koloko -- who had a career-threatening blood clot issue earlier this year -- says he's ready for a fresh start with the Lakers, telling TMZ Sports he's optimistic he can play this season!

We spoke with Koloko at LAX just days after he signed a two-way contract with the Purple & Gold ... a 7-foot-1 center that could provide valuable depth with Anthony Davis prone to injury.

"I feel amazing," the Cameroonian athlete said.

Team USA rugby star Ilona Maher has skyrocketed in fame this year ... so could a career in Hollywood be in her future??

Well, don't count it out ... 'cause she tells TMZ Sports she's already got an idea for how she could get on one of the biggest shows in TV!!

We caught up with the bronze medalist out and about at recent Emmy festivities ... when we naturally asked if she'd ever consider giving her acting chops a try at some point.

Kim Kardashian's meeting with some notorious inmates ... chatting prison reform with Erik and Lyle Menéndez, among others -- right after Erik blasted her colleague Ryan Murphy's show, which is all about their lives.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Kim just stopped by Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego to speak to a group of around 40 inmates -- including the Menendez brothers.

She was joined by her sister Khloe Kardashian and mom Kris Jenner ... as well as film producer Scott Budnick -- and, shockingly, actor Cooper Koch who plays Erik in the new Netflix biopic series, "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story."

Maksim Chmerkovskiy says he's going to wait before vilifying Artem Chigvintsev for his domestic violence arrest ... saying his alleged actions don't jibe with the man he knows -- though he will hold him accountable if they turn out to be true.

The "Dancing with the Stars" pro sat down for a chat on "The TMZ Podcast" ... and, we had to ask him all about his friend and former costar -- and, he says he texted him after he heard about the arrest.

MC says the Artem he knows would never abuse a woman ... but, he also texted Artem and told him if he did hit his wife Nikki Bella, then he needed to accept responsibility for his actions.

Here's the moment Diddy's whole life changed ... TMZ has the first video of federal agents making their surprise arrest in an NYC hotel lobby -- potentially his final moment of freedom for at least the next decade.

The video clearly shows Diddy, clad in a black trench coat, walking into the Park Hyatt New York hotel in midtown Manhattan with his crew of several men -- but the moment he enters the lobby, law enforcement pounces, stops the mogul and separates him from his friends.

You can see from Diddy's team's reaction ... they're unsure of what's happening, walking around the hotel lobby in shock as the rapper's taken away. More on that later.

Diddy's firing back against claims of sexual misconduct ... filing a response in one of the many civil suits he's facing saying his alleged actions are time-barred -- 'cause the statute of limitations ran years ago.

The lawyers for the rap mogul, Bad Boy Entertainment and Daddy's House Recording fired off a letter in response to Crystal McKinney's sexual assault lawsuit ... saying the claims under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law expired in 2010, seven years after McKinney claims Diddy assaulted her.

While her lawyers cited a local government ordinance that created a revival period for claims, Diddy's team says New York State Law takes precedence ... and state law says the time has come and gone for CM to make her claim.

Ryan Garcia's been trollin' Devin Haney heavy for his alleged link to Diddy ... but the boxing star tells TMZ Sports at the end of the day, it's no laughing matter.

Garcia -- who is currently suspended from boxing -- spoke with us in Los Angeles just a few days after Diddy was arrested in New York on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

The allegations center around alleged "Freak Off" parties ... and with photos showing Haney with Diddy in the past, Garcia has trolled Devin on social media.

Seems Travis Kelce's going to be just fine in Hollywood after he hangs up his football cleats ... 'cause award-winning actress Niecy Nash, who just worked with the Chiefs star on "Grotesquerie," tells TMZ Sports he's got some very real acting chops.

Nash shoveled the praise on her costar while she was leaving the Emmys earlier this week -- dropping compliments all over Kelce a few days before the duo's big series debuts on FX.

Nash said viewers will be "pleasantly surprised" by Kelce's performance ... before she predicted he will do "very, very well" if and when he makes acting his full-time career.

Saints star Demario Davis is pumped the Super Bowl's coming to New Orleans, but the 5x All-Pro wholeheartedly believes Lil Wayne should be part of the halftime show!

TMZ Sports asked 35-year-old Davis about the controversial SB situation -- which has the internet/music world in a frenzy -- in the wake of the NFL announcing Kendrick Lamar as the halftime show performer, despite Weezy, a legend in the city, wanting the gig.

While DD makes it clear he's not disrespecting K-Dot -- in fact, he called Kendrick and Taylor Swift the hottest acts in all music -- he also talked about the importance of having someone from Louisiana, given the rich music history, be part of the halftime show.

Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler ain't happening -- at least not right now -- so, with that fight seemingly on life support, fans have put forth another name -- Justin Gaethje. But, is he interested??

The short answer is yes, according to the 35-year-old fighter's manager, Ali Abdelaziz ... who says the bigger question is whether McGregor would step into an Octagon with Gaethje.

"If this is what [Conor] wants, if this is what the UFC wants, I think Justin Gaethje will like to smash his face. 100%. I would love to see Justin Gaethje smash his face," Ali told TMZ Sports, adding ... "Everybody knows I don't like this guy. None of us like him. But, he brings a lot of unique things to the table. And, Justin is open to it, fighting someone like him."

Diddy's not in a good situation right now ... locked up in the Special Housing Unit of a notoriously tough jail -- but, TMZ has learned his chief concern is his children.

Sources close to Diddy's family tell TMZ ... Diddy's holding up okay -- given the circumstances -- but he's worrying about his kids from his 10 ft. x 8 ft. jail cell, desperately wanting to speak to his kiddos.

We're told people closest to him are trying to process the situation ... but, they all know they have to be strong for the kids' sakes.