Hip Hop

Beyoncé's ride-or-die isn't here for Erykah Badu's copycat shade -- she's firing back with receipts proving Miss "Cowboy Carter" has always rocked the braids Erykah claims she jacked from her.

Bey's longtime publicist Yvette Noel-Schure entered the chat to respond to EB, and wasted no time posting a full-blown scrapbook of Bey wearing the braided hairstyle throughout her career ... some snaps even appear to be dated in her childhood!!!

Yvette captioned the post with ... “She slays. She slays. Now. Then. Always. act ii COWBOY CARTER 3.29 #criticswithoutcredentials.”

So, yeah ... totally a direct shot at Erykah.

As we reported, the "Mama's Gun" singer is under the impression Beyoncé is leeching off her style flair -- last year, Bey's hat selection during her "Renaissance" tour made EB see red as she's also donned the oversized derby for years in her own concerts.

Ray J's trip to NYC where he's launching his own streaming platform, The Tronix Network, wasn't completely rained out -- he and his team got the good news their missing Maybachs were located back in Nevada, and not long after he vented to us about their mysterious disappearance!!!

Thanks to the gumshoe work of his biz partner, Ray J tells us the Maybachs were discovered in Reno near a chop shop and a casino.

The 6-figure vehicles went ghost on Sunday and Ray suspects the thieves got spooked by them constantly ringing the security alarms, and dumped the cars to get repurposed.

Ray's mood remained the same from when we spoke to him earlier ... he's not spending mental energy on the bandits -- they'll get their karma -- but he was happy to be back in the Maybachs.

He says his kids love the GLS backseat space ... it's the perfect family car -- if you have the $200k+ cash to spend!!!

With the Maybachs returned to their rightful owners, Ray now has to contend with Monica (or was it Goonica?) after she sent him a very stern warning for plugging a potential tour with Brandy against her knowledge and consent.

Ray told "The Breakfast Club" he was plotting a tour of them together ... with Monica opening up for his big sis.

Beyoncé is adamant her "Cowboy Carter" isn't a country album, but Azealia Banks needs further convincing -- the outspoken artist is so on one, her rant is overshadowing the album announcement on social media!!!

Azealia's unloaded on Bey in the past, but is now convinced her ex-Black Girl Superhero is putting on a do-si-do front for Caucasian Grammy voters just to snag that elusive Album of the Year award.

In an audio recording, she also accused Beyoncé of kowtowing to Taylor Swift, and claimed she's no longer setting trends in the music industry.

Azelia basically wrote a short story that reads, in part, "Wow we didn't even try to put even a little effort into a more artistic title?"

She then referenced Beyoncé performing "Daddy Lessons" with The Chicks during the 2016 CMAs -- "Ur always sharing ur platform with white women who are so jealous of you but have such a long history of sabotaging other Black womens careers."

Bey's got the most Grammy wins ever, but no AOTY ... a point her hubs Jay-Z infamously made during the last Grammy gala.

AB made several more points of her own ... she labeled Bey's outfits as "White woman cosplay" and the entire "Cowboy Carter" rollout as "pick me stuff" -- a.k.a. smoke signals for white audiences to single her out.

She also blames Jay for "overstrategizing" the artistic vision, and said Kelsea Ballerini and Carrie Underwood can make better music in their sleep!!!

Bey's milestone of becoming the first Black woman to go No. 1 on the country charts also got smeared in her face ... Azealia notes tons of Black country artists have been grinding for years, but don't have Bey's advantage and the funds to get their tunes the traction they need.

Bianca Censori must be working up quite the appetite struttin' around nearly naked ... 'cause she and Kanye West hit up the classic spot for oversized dishes and doggy bags.

The couple cruised over to the Cheesecake Factory Wednesday at The Grove in L.A., and Bianca was rocking her standard issue fit -- sheer nude-colored bodysuit paired with athletic shorts rolled up high on her booty. Naturally, that combo drew plenty of attention from photogs and shoppers.

But, it turns out they arrived a bit early for lunch, beating the restaurant's 11:30 AM opening time.

They looked eager to get inside, but found the doors still locked when they tried to enter.

BC looked around puzzled -- doors normally swing open for A-listers in this town, after all -- and that prompted Ye to whip out his phone to make a call.

Mall security immediately appeared and tried to clear all the paps and onlookers.

The Wests weren't hung out to dry for too long -- someone made arrangements for them to get VIP treatment at the CF ... as they were allowed inside 10 minutes early.

No doubt their celebrity status would've surprised the workers and any customers set to arrive during normal opening hours.

Seems like Cheesecake Factory is becoming a go-to spot for this couple ... last year, Ye and the missus were snapped at another CF location inside L.A.'s Topanga Westfield Mall.

Ray J's new chapter with his Tronix Network is off to a rocky start, as 2 Maybachs he shipped out to NYC to promote the venture, never made it, and he says they're still in the wind!!!

We caught up with Ray Wednesday in Manhattan, but we could only picture him rollin' in our head ... because his expensive whips are good 3,000 miles or so away. He told us trackers on the missing Maybachs indicate they're still floating around Nevada.

Ray says he and his Tronix biz partner planned to plug the new media platform by stuntin' in the streets in their Maybachs -- but he says he's hit a dead-end with police and can't even get a 911 operator on the line to help with the search.

He was remarkably calm about losing 2 rides worth around $200k each ... and admitted he's taking it much smoother than his partner, who Ray says is still combing Reno for the luxury vehicles.

Ray says he's gotta press on, making the rounds in NYC to talk Tronix -- but he firmly believes the thieves will get what's coming to them in due time.

It's been quite the year for Ray J -- his estranged wife Princess Love filed for divorce for a 4th time, and all signs point to it being the final time.

Beyoncé saddled up and unveiled her alternate "Cowboy Carter" album cover art Wednesday, and Erykah Badu's all fired up about it ... thinking it's a full imitation of her, and, no, she's not flattered!

She's accusing Bey of copying her signature beaded bob hairdo without so much as a thank you, prompting Erykah to repost the image with a mockingly curious "Hmmm" caption.

Fans, especially Beyoncé's, immediately took note of EB's allegation of a style jacking.

In fact, the Beyhive is so riled up, Erykah switched from IG to X, where she urged Jay-Z to come to her rescue, posting ... "Say somethin Jay. You gone let this woman and these bees do this to me??"

Tough position for her to put Hov in -- after all, that's his wife Erykah's insulting!!!

It's interesting for Erykah to single out on the hairstyle, because Beyoncé's alternate "Cowboy Carter" album cover art (for vinyl LPs) has a lot happening -- the singer poses in the buff, only covered in a sash with "Act II" and "Beyince," her cousin Angie's last name, stamped across the front.

Yet, Erykah's laser-focused on that hair.

Remember, Erykah also targeted Bey last year over hats she wore during her "Renaissance" tour, which she also thought ripped off her style.

The guy seen in video throwing a devastating punch at one of Nardo Wick's fans has a new issue on his hands -- he's lost his bond money by skipping out a court appearance.

TMZ Hip Hop obtained docs confirm 34-year-old Zachary L. Benton's $2,000 cash bond was forfeited after he missed a March 18 court date for the case.

We broke the story back in December ... Benton and a 15-year-old minor are accused of viciously attacking George Obregon Jr. -- a Nardo fan who was trying to get a selfie with the rapper.

In the video, Benton throws one sucker punch, and then the minor follows up with multiple shots to George's face, knocking him out cold on the pavement and causing a concussion.

Nardo wasn't with the smoke, and distanced himself from the attack ... while Benton later surrendered to police, and was charged with felony aggravated battery.

50 Cent's "Power Book II: Ghost" is coming to an end next season, and while one of its stars, Gianni Paolo, says he'll continue working with the G-Unit visionary ... he also says losing his show sucks!!!

Gianni linked with TMZ Hip Hop at LAX, and like his costar Michael Rainey Jr. -- who was disgusted by the cancelation -- he feels the show's tight-knit cast is simply getting a bitter taste of Hollywood's revolving door.

Starz CEO Jeff Hirsch recently explained how budget costs go up after 3rd and 4th seasons, and Gianni confirms to us they did get raises -- but, still, he didn't expect to get canceled after the show set Starz ratings records!

Season 3's opener broke Starz's record for its biggest weekend viewership and Gianni tells us he couldn't believe the network still decided to dump the show.

He thinks getting stingy on production costs isn't the move, and alludes to other Starz shows being made for cheaper ... and looking like it.

Gianni didn't name names, but the latest episode of 'BMF' just got reamed online for featuring a "knockoff Tupac Shakur" in a cameo role.

Regardless, he says 50 and series creator Courtney A. Kemp were nothing but good to him and he's onboard for whatever their next project is.

Meek Mill and Akademiks' 7-figure deal to squash their beef with body blows is still an option -- but YK Osiris is advising you not to wager on either guy ... and simply bet on him.

Yep, the R&B star took time out of his NYC hustle and bustle to laugh off Meek and Ak's unresolved clash -- telling TMZ Hip Hop he's confident he'll pummel them both in the ring!!! 🥊

YK hits the high notes, but loves his boxing highlights as well ... having sparred with Lil Uzi Vert, Tjay and Blueface in the past.

Damon Feldman, CEO of Official Celebrity Boxing, drummed up and sent out an agreement for both Meek and Ak to sign ... $1M for participating and an additional million for the winner!!!

Quite the payoff for beating up your arch-nemesis but we're told neither Ak or Meek have responded to OCB's request to sign the paperwork.

They may be moving toward a more peaceful solution ... Ak recently offered Meek a million dollars of his own for a year-long podcast deal, which probably won't happen either.

Ak recently scolded Meek for flip-flopping on his stance about street life -- much like Dee-1 did months ago, and the two seem to be in their comfort zone yelling at one another on X.

Dr. Dre recently stamped Eminem as the greatest MC to ever touch a microphone -- but Kurupt is saying the root of the greatest begins with the 18th letter - Rakim Allah!!!

TMZ Hip Hop got a few seconds to chop it up with Tha Dogg Pound chief outside Dre's WOF ceremony.

Kurupt and Dre have been tight since their chart-topping Death Row days, and he was outside showing support as Daz Dillinger stayed AWOL.

Dre recently told James Corden he thinks Em is the best rapper ever ... he watched him blossom into the hip hop megastar under his watch, and says he's earned the honor.

Kurupt's a diehard hip hop aficionado himself, and quickly picked Dre as rap's greatest producer, while also giving Em his props as one of the greats -- but firmly tells us Rakim is on the top of any list worth arguing over!!!

Em likely wouldn't argue either ... he calls Rakim one of the G.O.A.T.s as well, and credits the "Paid in Full" creator with being the first MC he heard using complex rhyme patterns ... ultimately pushing Slim Shady to take things to another level.

It was business as usual Tuesday for Kanye West ... as he paraded around his sexy, half-naked wife, Bianca Censori, for all of Los Angeles to see.

Ye's latest eye-popping outing with Bianca was, of course, filmed by the paparazzi in West Hollywood as the couple hit up an ice cream shop and tanning salon, while making some other pit stops.

As usual, Bianca was barely covered in her tight silver miniskirt, bikini top and thong panties exposing her butt cheeks. Interestingly, Bianca looked like the spitting image of Kim Kardashian in photos taken of the reality star in a sliver bikini back in 2018. As you know, Kim and Kanye settled their divorce in 2022 after nearly 7 years of marriage.

Kanye, by contrast, was fully clothed in a long black-sleeved shirt and pants while having his fun in the sun with Bianca, who eventually cooled off with a big ice cream cone.

Just check out all the photos obtained by TMZ ... they tell the whole story.

As we've reported ... this is nothing new for Kanye and Bianca. They've been making waves around the world with Bianca's X-rated public displays. And Kanye is clearly down with it all.

We'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.

The transgender woman who took a serious beating at Kanye West's Rolling Loud set last week is blasting the attack as transphobic ... while also explaining what exactly led up to it.

Blu Linares -- the 22-year-old who was seen in a wild brawl last week while Ye performed here in L.A. -- tells TMZ that she believes the violence she endured that night is directly connected to her gender identity.

She says she feels the men she sparred with singled her out for unintentionally bumping into them -- explaining that in the mosh pit-like environment, she was getting pushed around -- despite plenty of other concertgoers packed in the tight space doing the same thing.

Once she inadvertently made contact, Blu tells us the guys hurled transphobic remarks at her ... while trying to paint her as the aggressor when they were the ones to pounce first.

Blu shows us some of the injuries she suffered during the melee -- one deep gash between her eyebrows is especially bad, as you can see. Despite everything, she says she's OK.

Moving forward, Blu's planning to meet with some attorneys to weigh her options ... but also notes she most likely won't be taking any legal action. Blu emphasizes to us she wasn't the one starting the fight -- instead, she says she was being bullied and stood up for herself.

You'll recall ... Kanye West's set at Rolling Loud descended into a violent mosh pit, with Blu bloodied and battered in the midst of it all. While she got thrashed, she also held her own.

Dr. Dre was enshrined on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this week -- something some of his best buds in the music biz made sure to attend ... including Snoop Dogg and Eminem.

The legendary producer -- who's had a storied career in and out of hip hop, having touched so many facets of the genre and the music industry at large -- got his very own star cemented into the ground Tuesday in an awesome ceremony that was packed with celebs.

In addition to SD and Slim Shady, lots of other titans in rap showed up to pay their respects for the Doc -- including Big Boy, Jimmy Iovine, 50 Cent, Kurupt and lots of others too.

It looks like a handful of them even shared some kind words for Dre ... and rightly so -- the guy has helped launch the careers of so many veterans in the game, so a lot of people owe much of their fame and fortunes to him. Dude's been finding talent for literally decades.

Just a refresher on some of the albums Dre has produced throughout his career -- in case you weren't already aware of what he's done. DD's worked on classics like "The Chronic," "2001," "The Slim Shady LP," "California Love," "Murder Was the Case," "Doggystyle," and countless others.

Dre is a highly decorated artist too -- he's been nominated for Grammys dozens of times over the years ... and has won 7 times, not to mention a Lifetime Achievement Award with the N.W.A.

We talked to Dre's son Curtis Young after the WOF ceremony, and he explained why he thought his dad was more than worthy to be recognized -- and he makes good points.

All in all, he's considered one of the best music producers of all time ... so it was probably about time he got his star, and his flowers. He received both on Tuesday ... it's Dre day.

New Beyoncé music is coming at the end of the month -- and based on what she's describing in terms of possible features ... a lot of folks think Taylor Swift will appear.

The singer made a big announcement Tuesday -- dropping the release date for her forthcoming album, "Cowboy Carter," as March 29 ... and adding a lengthy caption to describe the process that went into making this one.

She starts out by thanking everyone for blowing up her two new singles -- "Texas Hold 'Em" and "16 Carriages" -- and goes on to say she's excited to trot out this new era of hers.

Bey writes, "This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive."

She also notes she faced criticism when she first broached the country music scene -- something that was well-documented at the time with her track "Daddy Lessons."

With all that, Beyoncé says this ... "I have a few surprises on the album, and have collaborated with some brilliant artists who I deeply respect. I hope that you can hear my heart and soul, and all the love and passion that I poured into every detail and every sound."

She finishes by saying "Cowboy Carter" isn't a country album, but rather ... a Beyoncé album -- which is obviously exciting, but her suggesting some legendary acts are on this project has seriously piqued people's curiosity ... including the Swifties.

Fact is ... a Beyonce and Taylor collab would be one the biggest musical team-ups in recent memory -- and the fact that Taylor got her start in country isn't lost on anyone either.

Plus, we know T-Swift and Bey are already friendly -- having attended the other's respective movie premieres last year ... so we know for a fact they respect and support each other.

Also, remember ... music producer Killah B -- who came up with the beat for "Texas Hold 'Em" -- played coy with us when we asked him point blank if there was a possibility Taylor might appear on this record of Bey's. Worth noting ... he didn't outright deny it at the time.

Kanye West and Bianca Censori went to some business meetings on Monday -- and they were dressed to impress ... depending on what type of ventures they're chasing, that is.

The couple hit the town again to kick off the week, and they first started out by hitting up Bev Hills -- going into office buildings for what we're told appeared to be formal chats with powerbrokers and shot-callers ... and if they did, they were ready to knock some socks off.

By that, we mostly mean BC, who outdid herself yet again with another eye-popping, body-hugging 'fit that was squeezing her up tight -- and barely holding her upper half together.

Just when we thought we'd seen everything ... Bianca trotted herself out in this little number -- rocking a revealing pink tube top, showing off major cleavage, and neon nylon stockings.

Ye, of course, was just rockin' his usual all-black getup -- and it looks like he was styling Bianca in one of the buildings at one point. Unclear if he was pulling her stocking bottom down or up -- but here, it looks like her booty is very much so revealed, on purpose.

After their business meetings in BH ... Ye and Bianca went to The Grove and hit up a bunch of the shops -- and we're told they even went to Cheesecake Factory at one point. As you can see ... they were having a ball in each other's company, laughing it up/holding hands.

Of course, this outing follows another one the night prior ... when they were up in Burbank strolling around, where there too Bianca was letting it all hang out -- quite literally.

That 'fit of hers was more color-coordinated than this latest one appears to be -- but hey, Spring is upon us ... and perhaps she was feeling a little festive in the daytime and wanted to reflect the mood with her highlighter-esque colors.

Bianca Censori has struck again with another mind-bogglingly racy outfit -- turning heads while pulling up to a Raising Cane's drive-thru in Burbank with her man Kanye West.

The Aussie bombshell doesn't hold back in this latest getup Sunday ... serving up some serious heat in a super sheer black ensemble with thin clear straps that were fighting for dear life trying to contain her assets.

Bianca's confidence in rocking her daring styles is iconic ... but even she knows when to draw the line 'cause she strategically placed her phone across her crotch to keep things R-rated -- as opposed to NC-17.

Of course, Kanye's outfit was nowhere near as shocking, but he did match his wife in an all-black look for the outing that saw them reunited after a brief break.

BTW, worth noting ... Ye is rocking Nike gloves here -- telling, considering his on-again-off-again feud with Adidas ... with whom he's currently on the outs as he's accused them of trying to make money off his Yeezy designs. What else is new though?

One last thing about this little outing of theirs in the Valley -- some dude tried blocking them off as paps fired away ... throwing up what appeared to be a jacket or blanket of some sort as he aggressively tried to obscure their view. No word on whether he's a hired security guard, or just some random Schmo who popped up out of nowhere. It's kinda giving the latter!

Anyway, it's clear Bianca isn't shying away from her typical style these days -- even with her folks in town ... or one of them at least.

As we reported ... BC was hanging with her mom, Alexandra, for the last few days ... hitting up Rolling Loud to catch Ye's performance and stopping by a San Fernando Valley cosmetics store. In the latter, the model went braless under a pink mini-dress -- but for the most part, it was practically conservative dressing on her part.