Hip Hop

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story earlier today that Travis Scott is co-headlining Coachella next year and La Flame is confirming he's coming to the desert with a VENGEANCE ... he's gonna OWN the show!!!

Coachella also rolled out its full lineup today and just like we told you, Travis is shutting down the Saturday nights with a special performance -- which he says will be a completely new chapter.

He's also putting his competition on notice ... Coachella is still several months away but he says it doesn't matter because whatever he's doing has never been done before. 🫨

Travis Scott's finally playing the gig that's been 5 years in the making -- he's secured a special guest spot at Coachella 2025 ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge of the festival's next lineup tell us Travis will hit the stage Saturday night for what will mark his first time back at Coachella since 2017 -- not that he and the concert organizers haven't tried several times to get him back there since then.

Trav was originally supposed to be a headliner in 2020, but the COVID pandemic shut that down. Then, the make-good was scheduled to happen in 2022 -- but the Astroworld tragedy happened in Houston in late 2021, so he was taken off the lineup.

Billy Ray Cyrus is defending Beyoncé over her lack of CMA Awards nominations ... he says she's so accomplished she doesn't need their validation anyway.

Billy Ray says he's surprised Beyoncé got completely overlooked by the Country Music Association judges, saying her "Cowboy Carter" country album was "brilliant" and her "Texas Hold 'Em" single "ruled."

Beyoncé's first country album is getting some love from the Grammys -- she's got 11 Grammy nominations -- and with all the success she's had over the years, Billy Ray says she doesn't need a trophy from the CMAs, or their permission or approval to feel good about her work.

Young Thug's welcome-back honeymoon from the longest trial in Georgia history has just been interrupted ... music artist touring giant AEG says he still owes them money -- and they're looking to kickstart their old lawsuit against him now that he's no longer behind bars.

According to legal docs filed on Thursday, AEG's attorneys are pushing through with their civil lawsuit -- originally filed in 2020 -- in which they're seeking around $5 million in damages for the YSL Records rap star's alleged breaching of their touring agreement.

Back in 2017, AEG says Thug turned his back on their exclusive touring agreement and tried to cut several backdoor deals.

French Montana's paying tribute to all the immigrant moms in America who sacrifice for their children ... telling his story in his new documentary -- but, he's really shining a light on his own mom and her struggle.

The rapper stopped by "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss his documentary "The French Montana Story: For Khadija" -- released on Paramount+ yesterday -- and, he says it really focuses on immigrants coming to the U.S.A. to forge better lives for themselves.

Montana says he came to this country from Morocco at 13 years old with his mom, dad and siblings. The family overstayed their visas ... and, after his dad started several failed small business, the family was in deep trouble.

Diddy's got an offer on the table for his L.A.-area mansion ... with a major realtor and his company offering $30 million for the pad -- a fraction of the asking price.

Bo Belmont and his company, Belwood Investments, announced they've put in an offer for the property, which Diddy bought back in 2014 for just a hair under $40 million.

Belmont says he wants to remove the stigma from the 17K-square-foot home ... and focus people's attention on how beautiful the actual property is.

Tyga let the big kid out for a night to celebrate his 35th birthday with a star-studded adventure at an amusement park ... and TMZ Hip Hop has scenes from the festivities!!!

T-Raww rented out Six Flags Magic Mountain in SoCal on Tuesday night, and he was all smiles linking with his crew, and later hit a few thrill rides for himself.

The superstar rapper later met up with birthday guests at the carnival games ... YG and his 4Hunnid crew, his day one Alexander "AE" Edwards and Bobbi Althoff all kicked it with the other partygoers.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and NYC restaurant Sei Less gave 50 teens a Thanksgiving dinner to remember on Tuesday afternoon, when he surprised them with a feast from their favorite rapper!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained video of A Boogie spreading holiday cheer to students from Children of Promise, a social support organization focused on uplifting youth whose parents are impacted by the criminal justice system.

Sei Less co-owner Dara Mirjahangiry was also on deck joining A Boogie for the festivities.

Diddy is being sued for more alleged sexual assaults ... with the alleged victims claiming they were drugged ... but he's denying it all.

Tony Buzbee, the Texas attorney representing more than 120 alleged Diddy victims, just filed five new lawsuits against the Bad Boy Records founder.

In one suit, obtained by TMZ, a woman from Maryland claims she was 18 years old in 2001 when Diddy sexually assaulted her outside a Halloween party in New York City.

50 Cent won't have to pack up his G-Unit studios from Shreveport after all -- the Louisiana Senate voted to keep the state's alluring film tax credit -- albeit, trimming the fat by several million!!!

Things were looking bleak last week when the state House of Representatives eliminated the $150 million incentive for the 2025 fiscal year ... but Variety reports the state Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee agreed to secure the state's film jobs with a newly approved budget of $125 million.

50 admitted the abrupt announcements had him a little restless, but he promised to rev the studio back up with renewed energy.

Damon Dash says he's happy to be finished with the long-running Roc-A-Fella lawsuit ... now that New York state has bought his shares of Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records at an auction this week!!!

The former power music mogul laid out his side of the story in a lengthy blog on his YouTube channel ... he owed NY a whopping $8.7 million in back taxes but now, the Empire State is paid in full!!!

According to Dame, no one barely showed up to court except Jay's lawyers, reps for New York State, and the group who originally sued him ... making an easy decision for everyone.

The Feds' raid on Diddy's jail cell has proved to be inconsequential, for now ... as a judge sided with the rapper's defense team after hearing arguments from both sides.

A hearing over the search at MDC Brooklyn was held on Tuesday, after Diddy's defense team accused prosecutors of obtaining privileged material in an unlawful raid on the rap mogul's prison cell.

While the prosecution denied intentionally seizing 19 pages of legal notes, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled they would need to destroy copies of the papers obtained in the search -- saying they should not consult the material until he made a final decision on whether they could be used in the trial.

Diddy's lawyers are calling BS on federal prosecutors who have claimed they did not seize the mogul's trial strategy materials during a recent raid of his jail cell.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Diddy's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, says prison officials took photos of 19 pages of material from Diddy's cell -- which he says included 11 pages of trial strategy notes and correspondence with his lawyers.

The feds claimed Monday in legal docs they saw a manila folder labeled "legal" and did not even open it. They acknowledged taking photos of Diddy's notebook which they say they handed over to a "filter team" to check whether any of the material was privileged. Now Diddy's lawyers are calling shenanigans.

Trailblazing West Coast rapper Saafir has died, according to his former groupmate Xzibit, who carried the weight of the world breaking the tough news to fans on Tuesday.

Xzibit says Saafir passed away at 8:45 AM today, and our sources tell us he died in his Oakland hometown.

The Bay Area staple had been pestered by health problems for years -- he even had a cancerous tumor removed from his spine -- and he eventually started using a wheelchair.

Philadelphia 76ers' rookie Jared McCain still makes time for social media and Spotify streaming -- and is adding his 2 cents to the All-RapCaviar Teams debate!!!

RapCaviar's editors recruited JM to vote for his 2024 Rapper and Rookie of the Year ... likely a much more fun task than Tuesday's team meeting where the 76ers argued about being last place in the Eastern Conference!!!

Arguments are flying left and right over the selections ... Drake is Spotify's top rapper in terms of streams but was only selected to the 3rd Team, and the 2024 Rap Wars were an undeniable factor!!!