Diddy First Christmas Behind Bars ... Food, Sports, Games!!!

Diddy will be getting his freak on over Christmas -- but it's not what you think -- his federal jail is giving him several options to play sports and games ... with a special holiday spread.

Our sources in the federal government tell us inmates at MDC Brooklyn -- where Diddy is being held as he awaits trial in his sex trafficking case -- will be able to participate in some friendly competition on Christmas Day ... including card games and dominos.

In addition to a Spades tournament and a dominos competition, Diddy and his fellow inmates will also be able to take part in a 3-on-3 basketball tourney ... and a soccer competition.

Liam Payne Friend Says Hotel's To Blame For Death

Liam Payne's good friend, who Buenos Aires authorities are going after for allegedly abandoning the late singer during a bender, says he's not the one at fault here ... instead pointing the finger at the hotel where Liam was staying.

Roger Nores' legal team filed new documents, obtained by TMZ, in Argentina and he basically makes the argument that he's not the one who should be investigated ... claiming the CasaSur Palermo Hotel played a big role in Liam's death.

In the docs, Roger says the hotel did NOT have a 24-hour doctor available ... even though he says they're required to have one under the law.

Andrew Schulz To Kendrick Lamar Sorry For BLK Women Jokes ... Maybe Chris Brown & R. Kelly Can Make It Better?!?

Andrew Schulz and Akaash Singh responded to Kendrick Lamar's "wacced out murals" lyrics ultimatum about protecting Black women with fine-tuned sarcasm -- by challenging the star rapper's past defense of Chris Brown and R. Kelly on his resume!!!

120424-kendrick-lamar-response-flagrant-kal
COMIN' AFTER KENNY
Andrew Schulz's Flagrant with Akaash Singh

The latest episode of their Flagrant podcast came in hot gunning hard at Kung Fu Kenny with jokes ... Kendrick's "GNX" opener called out Schulz for poking fun at BW stereotypes -- and the track is currently blazing high on the Billboard Hot 100!!!

Schultz scoffed at the notion Hip Hop is a safe hub for BW, given the amount the term "bitches and hoes" pops up in lyrics ... but the comedian didn't stop there.

GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion Sorry To The 'Wanna Be's ... Billboard Says We're Hottest Female Rappers This Year!!!

Megan Thee Stallion and GloRilla owned part of the year with their "Hot Girl Summer" tour -- and Billboard is recognizing them as the hottest one-two punch of female rappers for 2024!!!

The chart-thumping publication crowned GloRilla as the hottest, followed by Meg at the No. 2 slot, above the likes of Latto, Sexyy Red and Doechii ... pretty impressive considering Glo was Meg's tour opener!!!

The Houston hottie started the year scorching with her first solo No. 1 hit -- the "Hiss" diss aimed at Nicki Minaj and her self-titled album.

Barry Keoghan Work Comes First ... Filming After Sabrina Split

Barry Keoghan is focusing on his job in the wake of his split from Sabrina Carpenter ... shooting movie scenes in downtown Los Angeles after news of their breakup.

The Irish actor was spotted on the set of "Crime 101" ... rocking platinum blond hair for some scenes at a Denny's ... the first time we've seen Barry since the split.

120424_barry_keoghan_kal
BARRY'S NEW 'DO
BACKGRID

Barry appeared to have a motorcycle helmet and jacket in hand as he walked into the store as cameras were rolling. The thriller is due out next year and his costars include Halle Berry, Chris Hemsworth and Nick Nolte ... among others.

Drake Tops Spotify Wrapped #1 Rapper ... 8 Years In A Row!!

Drake had to fend off the "20-v-1" attack in the 2024 Rap Wars -- but the battles didn't hurt his Spotify streams ... he's maintained his place on the throne for all rappers!!!

On Wednesday, Drake came in as the closest rapper to Taylor Swift's record-breaking Spotify Wrapped, making him the platform's top Hip Hop draw for the 8th year in a row!!!

While The Weeknd's fusion pop and Bad Bunny's Latin trap ranked higher overall ... Drake was the platform's most-streamed rapper on the Global and United States artists charts.

Tina Knowles Bey's Billboard Honor Is Nice ... But We're Used to the Wins!!!

120424_tina_knowles_kal
"VERY NICE" HONOR
TMZ.com

Tina Knowles is one proud mama -- so confident in Beyoncé’s talent, even the biggest achievements don’t surprise her anymore!

We caught up with Tina in West Hollywood Tuesday, and while she said it was nice to see her daughter named the Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century by Billboard, she made it clear -- titles like that are just part of the gig for the both of them.

Check out the clip ... 'cause Tina also spilled the tea on Beyoncé’s upcoming halftime performance for one of the NFL’s Christmas Day matchups on Netflix!

Travis Kelce 'Tayvoodoo' Helps Chiefs??? Don't Be A 'D***head,' Jason!!!

120424_travis_jason_kelce_kal
LOOKIN' OUT FOR K.C.
New Heights

Jason Kelce seems to believe Taylor Swift is working her magic on the Kansas City Chiefs ... but Travis is having none of that talk -- calling his brother a "d***head" for entertaining a popular internet conspiracy.

The playful back and forth went down on the latest episode of the Kelce brothers' "New Heights" podcast ... when the two were having a conversation about sports movies.

Travis brought up the classic "Angels in the Outfield" film and explained he'd love to feel what it's like to have a higher being on his side during games ... and Jason hinted the tight end's girlfriend is generating a similar effect on his Chiefs.

Drake Trollin' Mustard & Kendrick... CUSTAAAAARRRRD 🥧

Drake aimed a couple jabs at Mustard on a live stream chat last night … turning Kendrick Lamar’s viral shoutout on their newest collab totally AGAINST HIM!!!

YouTuber Los Pollos TV was ranting about Kendrick's current No. 1 record "Squabble Up" being a terrible follow-up listen to Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” album.

120424_drake_troll_kal
TROLL ATTEMPT

Drake wasted no time and hopped in the chat to throw shots at Mustard’s weight, typing, "CUSTAAAAARRRRD" ... and then adding another zinger, "We need a donut emoji in the chat🍩"

Taylor Swift & Gigi Hadid Ditch Travis & Bradley ... For Girls' Night Out!!!

Taylor Swift is set to close out her "Eras" tour shows this weekend, but is still making time for her friends ... stepping out for a girls' night with BFF Gigi Hadid in NYC.

Check it out ... the pop star hit the town Tuesday evening in an all-black ensemble, featuring a simple quarter-length sleeve top and a chic bubble skirt. She rounded out her look with some noticeable bling ... carrying a sparkling purse and wearing a diamond bracelet, necklace and earrings.

120424_taylor_gigi_kal
LADIES NIGHT
BACKGRID

Gigi brought a bit of color to their night out, wearing a monochromatic look made of nearly all burgundy -- aside from her dark leather purse.

Britney Spears Getting Down In Mexico!!! Fresh Batch Of Dance Clips

120424_britney_spears_kal
GETTIN' DOWN

Britney Spears is back at it, dancing through her latest drama -- sharing some new clips the day after she touched down in Mexico, fresh off her claim she’s moving there.

After her birthday Monday and amid her whirlwind trip, Britney’s giving her fans a taste of the familiar, serving up some of her eccentric dance moves.

Britney's all decked out in a revealing silver dress as she twirls, snaps, and strikes a series of poses. She even throws in a seductive walk away from the camera for some added allure.

Diane Warren SQUASHES BEYONCÉ vs. TAYLOR DEBATE ... No Competition!!!

120424_diane_warren_kal
NOT PICKING SIDES
TMZ.com

Diane Warren ain't about that drama -- she’s shutting down the Beyoncé vs. Taylor Swift debate, saying both are icons in their own right, no matter what the polls claim about who's reigning supreme.

ICYMI, Billboard crowned Queen Bey as the Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century, and Swifties weren’t having it, calling it a total robbery, even though Taylor snagged the No. 2 spot.

But legendary songwriter Diane Warren weighed in Tuesday, saying there’s no competition -- they’re both G.O.A.T.s in their own way!

Guess Who This Sleepy Kid Turned Into!

Before this cutie pie chillin' on the sofa was grabbin' hold of the mic and spittin' tracks, she was just showing off her adorable pigtails, growing up in Atlanta, Georgia and started rapping at 10 years old!

Her talents led her to win the Lifetime reality series "The Rap Game" with Jermaine Dupri and Queen Latifah ... Today, she's got several Billboard Hits!

Fun fact: before she became a popular rapper, she was a drag racer! Not much has changed since she was a little kiddo ... she's still got "Big Energy!"

Can you guess who she is?

Liam Payne Judge Denies Friend ... You Can Be Charged With Abandonment

Liam Payne's friend is not off the hook for allegedly leaving him just an hour before his death -- a judge has cleared the way for prosecutors to continue their investigation against Roger Nores ... TMZ has learned.

As we reported, Nores insists he has not yet been charged with abandonment of a person followed by death -- and his attorney had filed documents claiming any case against him should be handled by local Buenos Aires prosecutors.

However, according to new docs obtained by TMZ, a judge now says Argentina's national prosecutors can move forward with their investigation into Nores' alleged role in Liam's death.

Sabrina Carpenter & Barry Keoghan Call It Quits!!! After a Year Together

Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan are reportedly going their separate ways after dating for about a year.

According to People ... the pop star and the Irish actor have called it quits on their romance, despite being inseparable for much of the past year.

Per the outlet, Sabrina and Barry are both "career-focused" and have chosen to "take a break" ... though, the update notably came as unsubstantiated cheating rumors circulated online.

Tinashe Getting Active In Costa Rica

Tinashe is showing off some of her tropical explorations in Costa Rica ... she just dropped some pics on social media this week and it looks like it was a holiday event to remember.

The R&B singer was taking her adventuring seriously, while clearly having the time of her life as she experienced all the outdoor fun. She didn't elaborate on where she went ... but her Instagram pics tell the story -- she titled the post "Giving thanks 🤍" -- safe bet a Thanksgiving getaway was the theme.

From taking a dip in a spring, to hanging upside down zooming on a zip-line, Tinashe was decidedly not lounging around the hotel pool the whole time -- though she did find time to do some of that.