Weapons & Guns

Polo G is feeling optimistic about 2024, especially if this leap year can boost the 2 things he cares about most -- making money and finally getting his delayed album off the ground!!!

We recently caught up with Polo in Bev Hills while he was doing some shopping with his sister Leia, and he made a vow to pad his discography by dropping more music.

Fans were eager for Polo G to drop last September, and he had told us he was just as excited, but legal issues put his "Hood Poet" album release on ice ... the kind that's slow to melt.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... Polo and his brother Trench Baby were arrested in August 2023 following a police raid where Polo was charged with gun possession, and his bro is being accused of a drive-by murder.

Polo tells us he's still sticking with the "Hood Poet" title -- the single "Barely Holdin' On" was used as a charitable vessel for the music video's actors.

Polo G se siente optimista con respecto a 2024... sobre todo si el año bisiesto actual puede impulsar todas las cosas que le importan: ¡el dinero y sacar adelante su retrasado álbum!

Nos encontramos con Polo en Bev. Hills, cuando estaba haciendo algunas compras con su hermana Leia, y nos dijo que próximamente va a haber más música.

Los fans estaban ansiosos el pasado mes de septiembre. El rapero dijo estar emocionado, pero que tuvo que detener el lanzamiento de "Hood Poet" por problemas legales.

TMZ Hip Hop publicó la historia, Polo y su hermano Trench Baby fueron detenidos en agosto de 2023 después de una redada policial donde Polo fue acusado de posesión de armas, y su hermano está siendo acusado de asesinato.

Polo nos dice que sigue manteniendo el título de "Hood Poet": el single "Barely Holdin' On" se utilizó como recipiente benéfico para los actores del video musical.

Hip hop radio legend Big Boy is revisiting a time being overweight came in real handy -- he says all that extra cushion helped him duck gun charges that might've ended his career before it got started!!!

BB made the eye-popping revelation on "All the Smoke" after Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson asked him about the urban legend that he hid a gun from the police in his body fat.

BB once weighed over 500 lbs -- back before Will Smith convinced him to get surgery -- and he confirmed the legend as fact, but explained there was a perfectly good reason for his actions.

Before earning his stripes on radio, BB bodyguarded for The Pharcyde. and recalled the day of June 17, 1994 -- the same day O.J. Simpson famously led LAPD on the low-speed chase.

The iconic moment caused BB to be separated from the group as they stayed in the Bay Area and he flew back to L.A. -- but left them his gun to drive back to the city.

After BB retrieved his gun the next day, he got pulled over while he also had another gun on him ... so, really bad timing.

Luckily, the officer failed to pat him down properly, and he was able to skate any charges. God knows a strip search at county jail would've gotten interesting!!!

As fate would have it, he got a call from Power 106 the very next day, starting his on-air gig ... and eventually got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame presented to him by Dr. Dre!!!

Former NFL star Muhammad Wilkerson was arrested again last week ... after cops say he drove drunk with a loaded gun tucked beneath his car seat.

According to court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, Wilkerson was initially pulled over by police in Morris County, New Jersey back on Dec. 22 at 6:41 AM.

During the stop, cops suspected he was under the influence ... saying a strong odor of alcohol was emanating from the former New York Jets pass rusher's ride.

In the docs, cops say at one point during questioning, Wilkerson told them he was coming from a New York City club ... and a short time later, they say he failed field sobriety tests.

Wilkerson was placed under arrest -- and afterward, cops said during a search of his vehicle they not only found an open bottle of Don Julio tequila ... but also an FN 509 Tactical Handgun with 11 hollow point bullets inside of it.

Police said Wilkerson told them the firearm was purchased in Florida -- but he did not provide them proper documentation.

Court records show Wilkerson has since been tagged with a bevy of charges in the case -- including operating a vehicle while under the influence and unlawful possession of a handgun.

He's due in court for hearings on the matter next month.

This, of course, is not the first time Wilkerson has been accused of drinking and driving ... he was arrested for DWI in 2020 and 2019 as well.

Big Hit is downplaying the notion he's actively gangbanging after his viral freestyle said quite the opposite ... but he still wants fans to tackle life with the same tough-nosed approach!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Hit-Boy's father outside L.A. Fitness in Hollywood on Wednesday where he elaborated on his recent bangfest on wax.

Remember ... BH recently went nutty over Mobb Deep's "Get Away" instrumental, rhyming "bang" with every other word -- and he tells us the term is simply a macho expression that no longer motivates beef between Crips or Bloods ... at least in his eyes.

Bang on your job, bang on the schoolbooks, bang bang like Pops from "Boomerang" ... whatever you choose, do it to standard is Big Hit's motto here.

BH wasted no time dropping his debut "The Truth Is In My Eyes" -- where he managed to snag a Snoop Dogg feature -- and some friendly advice on how to stay jail-free.

The OG was released from prison this summer after serving a 9-year bid for gun possession, but he's scoffing at the folks who are telling him he's too old for this behavior.

John Salley says the Ja Morant critics need to pipe down ... telling TMZ Sports he truly believes the NBA superstar didn't have bad intentions when he appeared to do a gun celebration on Tuesday night.

Salley told us the firearm-themed gestures -- which Morant seemed to hit following a thunderous alley-oop dunk in the Grizzlies' overtime win over the Pelicans -- were merely "a part of hip hop culture" ... and nothing more than that.

"He's not saying, 'Forget ya'll -- I got my gun!'" the four-time NBA champion said on Wednesday. "He probably didn't even realize it."

"It's nothing meaning anything," he added.

Of course, basketball fans all over social media have disagreed with that stance -- with many on X calling it a "tone-deaf" situation ... considering the 24-year-old had just served a 25-game suspension for a string of incidents involving gun-related social media videos.

Salley, however, was just sure there was no ill will involved in the post-dunk celly.

"I don't think he's trying to mock anybody," Salley said. "I don't think he's trying to be mean about it."

"Leave Ja Morant alone ... Leave him alone."

Salley also shared with us his opinion on his former Detroit Pistons squad -- which just lost its 27th game in a row on Tuesday night.

Kevin Connolly had a visitor on XMAS Eve, and it wasn't Santa ... the "Entourage" star’s L.A.-area home was burglarized just before midnight ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a burglar forced open a backdoor and entered Kevin's home. The actor was not there. The thief stole an antique gun and some other minor items before beating it.

Kevin was notified of the break-in and met the cops at his home, where they took a report.

Cops reviewed surveillance footage from the area and determined the suspect appeared to be a homeless man and not a member of the burglary rings that have been targeting high-dollar homes around L.A. in recent months.

TMZ broke the story ... thieves smashed a window at Keanu Reeves' home this month and stole his Glock.

Kanye West has been keeping his group of "Vultures" collaborators close, which especially includes Bump J ... because Ye is spearheading a big album release for him in 2024.

Sources close to Ye's camp tell TMZ Hip Hop ... he considers Bump J a fellow Chicagoan and hip hop legend and wants to help get his career back on track.

The bar is being set high ... we're told Swizz Beatz was the first producer to send Bump some beats, as did Metro Boomin, Wheezy and John "Juice" Harris ... all intending to help Bump create a second first impression in the industry.

Kanye produced Bump’s first single “Move Around” back in 2005, but an armed bank robbery charge forced him out of the picture while he served a 7-year prison sentence.

Bump and Kanye reconnected at the top of 2022 where he assisted Ye in co-writing on his unfinished "Donda 2" album, and later for The Game and Hit-Boy's "Drillmatic."

We're told the lead single, "Vultures" originally belonged to Bump as a solo record, and once Ye heard it, he immediately summoned Bump to join him and the rest of the gang in Tokyo to help finish his joint album with Ty Dolla $ign.

Unfortunately for Bump, Japan denied him access to the country -- due to his record -- so he returned home and later joined Ye in Italy, where they completed the project.

Bump was also part of the "Vultures" live premieres in Dubai and Miami where he rubbed shoulders with Lil Durk, Freddie Gibbs, Offset and others.

Una escena increíble ocurrió en Praga cuando un grupo de estudiantes encontró refugio en la cornisa de un edificio, luego de que un hombre armado abriera fuego dentro de un edificio de la universidad dejando a varias personas muertas según los informes.

El aterrador momento se desarrolló el jueves en la Universidad Charles, en la Plaza Jan Palach, la universidad más antigua y más grande de la República Checa. Por el momento no está claro cómo empezaron las cosas, pero las imágenes de la escena muestran a un grupo de estudiantes colgando del edificio para tratar de salir del rango de visión del tirador.

Parece que por un momento el pistolero se acercó a los estudiantes, porque fue visto en el techo con su rifle apuntando hacia abajo.

La policía checa dice que 10 personas han muerto y hay docenas de heridos, los policías también dicen que el tirador ha sido "eliminado" y todavía no ha sido identificado.

12:08 PM PT -- The killer has reportedly been revealed as 24-year-old David Kozak. Kozak allegedly killed his father in the day before making his way to the city and shooting people from a balcony at Charles University Arts facility.

9:17 AM PT -- Reports now state the gunman has left at least 15 dead ... including his father, who was found dead earlier in the day.

An unbelievable scene in Prague, as students find safety on the ledge of a building, after a gunman opened fire inside a university building ... with multiple people reportedly dead.

The terrifying moment unfolded Thursday at Charles University in Jan Palach Square, the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. It's currently unclear how things started, but images from the scene show a group of students hanging off the building, trying to get out of the shooter's line of sight.

It appears at one point the gunman did get close to the students, because he was spotted on the roof, too ... with his rifle pointing down at the ground below.

Czech police say 10 people are dead, with dozens of others injured -- cops also say the shooter has been "eliminated." He has yet to be identified.

In the midst of the attack, the school's philosophy department was evacuated ... with several people spotted fleeing the scene. An email sent to staff told faculty, "Don’t go anywhere, if you’re in the offices, lock them and place furniture in front of the door, turn off the lights."

After 235 days away from the NBA hardwood, Ja Morant apparently still knows his way around the hoop -- scoring the winning shot in his first game back!!

The Grizzlies superstar had been barred from the court to start this season while serving a 25-game suspension for a string of incidents involving gun-related social media videos ... but in his return against the Pelicans on Tuesday night, his presence was felt right away.

He logged 34 points and 8 assists on the road game in New Orleans -- but, most importantly, he nailed a floater in the lane with no time left in regulation to win the game for Memphis, 115-113.

And, afterward, he had a big-time message for his haters ... saying simply as he ran into the locker room, "I kept receipts!"

Morant, of course, had developed a bevy of critics after he was seen on social media waving around a gun not once, but twice. He had also been accused last year of attacking a teenager during a pickup game at his home. It all eventually led to NBA commish Adam Silver sidelining him.

But, Morant took all the steps the NBA and the Grizzlies required for him to rejoin the team ... and after his big night against the Pels, he said there were certainly some low points while he was away from his teammates.

"I haven't played a game in eight months," he said. "I had a lot of time to learn myself, a lot of hard days where I went through it. But, you know, basketball is my life, what I love. It’s therapeutic for me and I'm just excited to be back."

An Israel Defense Forces soldier nearly took a tank shell to the face ... and now the super close call is under investigation.

New footage out of the Middle East shows an IDF member standing just a few feet away from a tank right as it opens fire.

The force of the blast knocks the soldier back several feet and the missile appears to whizz right over her head. It appears the soldier notices the tank opening fire at the last second ... and she starts to react as the missile fires.

The video is making the rounds on social media and now the IDF says an "in-depth investigation" into the incident is underway and "penalties will be imposed."

In a statement, Israel's army says the incident is "serious and completely deviates from the IDF's safety instructions."

Una soldado de las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel casi recibió un proyectil de tanque en la cara y el hecho está bajo investigación.

Nuevas imágenes de Oriente Medio muestran a una miembro de las FDI de pie a pocos metros de un tanque justo cuando abre fuego.

La fuerza de la explosión hace retroceder a la soldado varios metros y el misil parece pasar muy cerca de su cabeza. Parece que la soldado se da cuenta de que el tanque abre fuego en el último segundo y reacciona mientras el misil se dispara.

El video está rondando en redes sociales y ahora las FDI dicen que una "investigación en profundidad" sobre el incidente está en marcha y "se impondrán sanciones".

En un comunicado, el ejército de Israel dice que el incidente es "grave y se desvía completamente de las instrucciones de seguridad de las FDI".

Gunna todavía no está tomando ningún riesgo con su vida mientras el juicio de Young Thug YSL se entrampa, y está permitiendo que unos guardias armados vigilen su espalda.

El rapero de "Fukumean" fue visto haciendo compras con sus guardaespaldas en Saks Fifth Avenue en Beverly Hills esta semana, un escenario ideal para gastar dinero en efectivo y no tener que preocuparse de que te roben cuando lo sacas.

Estas compras en particular ocurrieron sin problemas, pero este año ya fue encarado por un completo extraño y más enemigos podrían estar al acecho en cualquier parte.

Su ex compañero en "Drip So Hard" Lil Baby dejó caer una nueva canción titulada "350" el viernes que parecía apuntar a Gunna. Esta decía: "I know one day it's gon' hit me/Bro ain't never comin' back/Ain't never say nothin' 'bout it, n****, you know you a rat".

La seguridad de Gunna le hará ganar puntos con los OGs o leyendas del rap, Charlamagne Tha God hizo hincapié en la importancia de contar con guardaespaldas profesionales cuando opinió sobre el desastre de Nardo Wick con nosotros a principios de este mes.

Gunna still isn't taking any chances with his life as Young Thug's YSL trial trudges on -- even for a simple day of shopping, he's got hired guns watching his back and his front.

The "Fukumean" rapper was spotted shopping with his armed bodyguards at Saks Fifth Avenue in Bev Hills this week -- which might sound like the ideal scenario to spend cash and not worry about being robbed. But, Gunna clearly thinks otherwise.

This particular shopping trip went down without a hitch but remember ... he was confronted by a complete rando this year, and he's gotta be thinking more enemies could be lurking just about anywhere.

His former "Drip So Hard" brother Lil Baby dropped a new song titled "350" Friday that appeared to target Gunna ... "I know one day it's gon' hit me/Bro ain't never comin' back/Ain't never say nothin' 'bout it, n****, you know you a rat."

Gunna's heavy-duty security should earn him brownie points with the OGs ... Charlamagne Tha God stressed the importance of having pros while discussing the Nardo Wick disaster with us earlier this month.

MC Hammer has clear reasoning as to why he didn't participate in any of the events to celebrate Hip Hop's 50th anniversary -- the culture's gotten childish and he's a grown-ass man!!!

The 60-year-old rap legend outlined his stance during Tupac Shakur's Oakland street naming last month, and the clip is beginning to blaze the internet.

During the ceremony, Hammer celebrated not using his legendary career for interview clicks, but also laid into veteran rappers who have been rapping about murder all these years ... without the body count or rap sheet to back up their bars.

The "U Can't Touch This" rapper became friends with Pac during his time living in the Bay, and credited his late homie for being the only one to get him to play along with the charade of the music biz.

The Grammys aired its star-studded celebration this week and the event's producer, Questlove, openly expressed his disappointment Hammer told him no, despite repeated requests.

Hammer wasn't alone in deflecting from HipHop50 celebrations -- André 3000 didn't see much merit in them at this point in time.