TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Migos are still looking like they're at a musical fork in the road … because their latest moves are not as a “group” of 3.

On Friday, Quavo and Takeoff continued their rollout as “Unc & Phew” … opting to team with Gucci Mane as their third -- instead of Offset -- for the track “Us vs. Them.”

As Quavo and Takeoff prepped their release, Offset took time to field questions from fans -- mainly about his solo album, where it seemed like he was already moving on ... setting songs with Metro Boomin and Soundside.

And, while Offset is finishing his album, it looks like Quavo and Takeoff will be using the Migos brand name to perform at the Battle of the Bands in Houston next month.

It's the greatest day ever for Beyoncé's fiercely loyal fans -- not only did she drop her new album, "Renaissance," but it arrived with a big fat, personalized thank you to the Beyhive!!!

Feel the buzz, baby.

As expected, Bey dropped "Renaissance" Thursday night ... it's her first album in 6 years, and despite the fact it leaked earlier in the week, her fans rallied in a huge way for the 16-track project.

As we reported, the Queen's carefully planned rollout for "Renaissance" was interrupted when a fan in France put a few of the songs -- "Alien Superstar," "Church Girl" and "Cuff It" -- on social media.

The hive tried its best to shut that down ... threatening any fans who listened or, even worse, posted early reviews of the album. That stern defense didn't go unnoticed by Beyonce.

She wrote, “So, the album leaked, and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together,” she wrote to her dedicated fans. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she added, thanking her followers “for your love and protection.”

While Beyonce typically drops her albums in total secrecy ... this one was different. She announced "Renaissance" more than a month before it dropped, did an interview with British Vogue and even made a rare TikTok appearance.

Well now "Renaissance" is here, and it's come with some heavy hitters behind the music -- her husband Jay-Z, Drake, Pharrell ... and many more participating in the dance-heavy collection.

Beyoncé’s already dealing with leaks ahead of her "Renaissance" album release, and now she's facing accusations of theft from Kelis ... who says she had no part in clearing a sample for Bey's record.

The track "Energy" samples Kelis’ "Get Along with You," which The Neptunes produced for her 1999 debut album -- so, the song's understandably close to her heart.

A Kelis fan page was celebrating the Beyoncé pairing on IG, but then Kelis -- using her celebrity chef account @bountyandfull -- hopped in the comments fuming mad!

Kelis calls "Energy" downright robbery … insinuating everyone involved with creating and clearing the track was engaged in shady practices. Yikes!

The eclectic singer also claims she wasn’t notified prior to the album announcement, having to learn about her inclusion as if she were a normie.

Reports of Beyoncé’s seventh album leaking yesterday spread like wildfire, but an unbothered Bey didn’t address the bootlegging (or Kelis for that matter) on Thursday.

Instead, she offered a rare glimpse into her family life, and also revealed there would be 2 more albums to follow this one.

Joey Bada$$ is juggling a new album, a tour and acting ... while also defending some of his creative decisions ... such as working with Chris Brown.

The Pro Era rap star hopped on "TMZ Live" on Thursday to explain why he felt the need to ward off fans who were angry he nabbed Breezy to help sing the hook on his "Welcome Back" track on the new album "2000."

As Joey put it to us ... no man is mistake-free, and while he doesn't condone what happened with Rihanna, he considers it an honor to work with CB, who he's been a fan of since childhood.

The New York-bred lyricist also says he gets it, though ... his fans are just protective and want him to be controversy-free at all times.

Controversy arrived in Joey's first-class seat last week, however, when he accused Delta Airlines of damaging some of his irreplaceable stage equipment while traveling for his 1999-2000 Summer Tour.

Although the damage had been done, Joey says Delta reps reached out and helped cover rental costs so he could finish out his tour ... which ends Thursday night in Los Angeles.

Gucci Mane is using his veteran status in rap to help end the trend of rappers disrespecting dead people in their lyrics.

On Thursday, Gucci dropped his new song “Dissin The Dead” … which attempts to steer the culture in a more positive direction.

Gucci takes full responsibility for today’s current culture of putting slain victims in rap songs, rapping on the chorus: “I know I should be more careful with the sh*t that I said/I feel like I started a trend, they never gon' stop/They gon' keep dissin' the dead."

Earlier this year, he used the man he killed in self-defense -- late Jeezy affiliate Henry “Pookie Loc” Lee Clark III -- as a lyrical punchline, and got a rise outta 50 Cent in the process.

Gucci's song echoes sentiments shared by Wiz Khalifa last December, urging entertainers to focus on music instead of mocking death.

Popular Louisiana rapper JayDaYoungan is currently hospitalized, battling injuries sustained when he was shot outside a home in his home state ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the Bogalusa PD tells us they received a call just before 6 Wednesday night for a shooting at a home on Superior Ave. Cops say one victim had been transported to a local hospital by someone on scene, and another victim -- who was critically wounded -- was treated by paramedics and rushed to the hospital for treatment.

A law enforcement source tells us JayDaYoungan is in critical condition, and a source close to the rapper tells us he's lost a lot of blood and is currently in surgery. Online reports say the second victim is a relative of the rapper, potentially his father.

We've obtained video taken from outside the home where the shooting happened ... you can see the rapper's blue sports car parked outside.

Cops tell us about an hour after the shooting JDY was involved in, another shooting occurred in which a vehicle was struck ... officers believe it's possible the two shootings are related. We're told no one was injured in that shooting.

The rapper first found success when he signed to Atlantic Records in 2017 ... and has gained a steady following thanks to his mixtapes.

The 24-year-old has collabed with artists like Latto, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Durk and Boosie Badazz.

Story developing ...

Young Dolph would've turned 37 on Wednesday, and his good friend Deion Sanders didn't forget -- wishing the late rapper a happy birthday by sharing a clip of him and the Jackson St. football team.

Sanders posted the video on his Instagram page ... and featured a bunch of memories the Dallas Cowboys legend had with Dolph, who was tragically killed last November.

"God bless, Young Dolph," Sanders said in the video. "God bless my brother. I miss my brother."

The video features the moment when the Memphis rapper partied with the Tigers' squad in the locker room after their homecoming game in October 2021 -- while playing his song, "100 Shots."

"Happy Birthday My Brother @youngdolph," Sanders said in the IG post. "Your name will live FOREVER."

Dolph's girlfriend and the mother of his two kids, Mia Jaye, also celebrated Dolph's first birthday since his untimely death with two bday tributes.

"So yesterday, tomorrow and especially today my family and I will celebrate the man affectionately known as Daddy in our home and Dolph to the world," Mia said.

"Happy Birthday Daddy, we forever love you."

As we previously reported, Dolph was shot and killed outside of a cookie store in his hometown last Nov.

Beyoncé’s upcoming album has sprung a leak two days before it's supposed to drop around the world ... and her most loyal fans are pissed.

A French fan posted a pic of Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” album -- in CD format (yep, they still make those) on Wednesday -- alerting fans worldwide that the album wasn’t being confined to Friday anymore.

Songs titled "Alien Superstar," "Church Girl" and "Cuff It" began to make their rounds on social media, disrupting the natural order of the music world.

Of course, it is 2022 … meaning for the album to leak, the “fan” would have to first find a CD player, rip the tracks into MP3s and then spread them across the web.

As a method to fight the leaks, Bey's trusty Beyhive fan club sent out alerts threatening to swat down any possible leak links they see appear.

"Renaissance" marks Beyonce's first solo album in 6 years and is set to feature Jay-Z, Drake, Pharrell, Tems and more dream teamers behind the making of the music.

Young Dolph would have turned 37 today, a day still worth celebrating for the Memphis rapper's family, friends and fans.

Mia Jaye, Dolph's girlfriend and the mother of his two children posted a never-before-seen tribute video of Dolph to celebrate his "heavenly birthday."

There was also some music dropped to celebrate Dolph ... his team at Paper Route Empire released a new track called "Hall Of Fame" Wednesday to honor the rapper. On the track -- produced by his longtime collaborator Bandplay -- Dolph flexes his hood status.

Dolph became an incredibly prolific rapper -- especially in Memphis -- over the last few years, having racked up dozens of full-length releases and collaborations with the likes of Gucci Mane, Megan Thee Stallion, Juicy J, and his PRE stable of artists.

Kanye West is proving he's a good friend — just ask A$AP Bari, who’s currently riding around in a new Mercedes Maybach SUV … just days after he says he crashed his old one.

The A$AP Mob co-founder was Christmas-morning-level excited when showing off his new wheels on Instagram -- revealing he recently totaled his own car.

Kanye apparently heard about the wreck and sprung into action, surprising Bari on the spot.

If there's anyone who knows how to bounce back after a car wreck, it's Ye … his infamous 2002 crash helped to spawn the “jeen-yuhs."

Bari’s new whip is decked out ... which shouldn't come as a shock, considering Ye's Mercedes connects. If you remember, he doled out over $400,000 earlier this year for his custom Mercedes minivan that’s essentially a mansion on wheels.

Bari didn’t disclose what caused the accident but judging from the rain in the video, weather might've played a factor.

Jamie Foxx really knows how to bring down the house, even when he's on a break from show biz ... because he got an Italian restaurant to join him in a rowdy singalong.

The Oscar and Grammy (that's key here) winner was enjoying a night out with friends in Capri when it quickly turned into a full-blown show ... and, he definitely had the crowd going!

Jamie was in great spirits, and he was sipping some too when he got on a microphone to remind the joint who he is ... in song, of course.

In his best R&B/operatic voice he sang, "I'm Jamie Motherf***ing Foxx!!!" -- and the band quickly joined in and pretty soon the whole place was belting out the simple, and hilarious, tune.

Of course, Jamie mixed in one of his radio hits too -- singing a little bit of his "Gold Digger" chorus -- but trust us, everyone left that restaurant singing one name. You will too after watching this.

This outing, combined with his South of France yachting with a mystery lady, makes it clear ... NO ONE is enjoying summer more than Jamie!!!

Chris Brown says the organizer of a benefit concert for victims of Hurricanes Ida and Nicholas has it all wrong -- he didn't bail only hours before the event, and he's even offering a donation to support the community.

Ms. LaJuan Bailey recently blasted CB, claiming he bailed on a March 19 show at the Toyota Center in Houston -- called "One Night Only" -- to raise money for people whose homes were damaged in the 2021 storms.

Bailey says she advanced more than $1 million for Brown's performance fees, accommodations and private plane ... only to get word he was canceling during sound check.

We've spoken to sources close to Chris and have seen a letter his legal team allegedly emailed to event organizers on March 17, informing them CB would no longer perform.

The letter states Bryson Tiller, who was also to perform at the event, had been removed from the lineup without a viable replacement, a violation of the contract Chris had in place ... so Chris wasn't going to perform.

The letter appears to have been sent 2 days before the show, not during the sound check ... when Bailey claims she found out. It's unclear if her team knew earlier and just hadn't told her.

Now, our Chris sources say both sides have been in negotiations to settle the situation -- with Chris offering to make a 6-figure donation to a Houston-based charity, but no agreement's been made yet.

Comedian Lil Duval was in no joking mood Tuesday night ... he got into a car accident in the Bahamas and had to be airlifted to a hospital.

Duval, who's a regular on MTV's 'Guy Code' and VH1's 'Hip Hop Squares', posted a video to IG, showing himself covered in bandages and strapped to a gurney as he's wheeled out of an ambulance onto an airstrip.

Medical personnel tended to LD before he was lifted into a small plane. The video ends with LD lying on the stretcher while flying over the Bahamas at night.

Several hours ago, LD gave a brief update to his 3.8 million IG followers, saying he was hit by a car while riding his 4-wheeler. "Now my leg broke and i gotta get flown over to nassau and have surgery."

Duval is also a rapper who has worked with Snoop Dogg and T.I.

T.I. responded online to the bad news, sending his well wishes, "Maaaaaan I'm gon pray that you get well first. Then find it in yo heart to sitcho old ass down somewhere & rest big bro.... Amen [praying hands emoji]."

2 Chainz, Bun B, Angela Simmons, Jamie Foxx, Michael Blackson and other celebs also showed support for LD and hoped for a speedy recovery.

We've reached out to LD's reps and the police for information on his condition ... so far no word back.

Kendrick Lamar’s cool with it if you find yourself needing a box of tissues during his Big Steppers Tour ... 'cause moving fans is the whole point of his music.

Kung-Fu Kenny did a rare interview with upstart journalist Jazlyn "Jazzy" Guerra following his set at Rolling Loud Miami … reacting to the now viral clip of a security guard crying as Kendrick performed his ‘DAMN’ track, “Love” during his recent Houston concert.

Kendrick doesn’t use social media that often but admitted he did see the clip after having a few days for it to reach his radar.

Fresh off the stage and still adorned with his Tiffany Diamond crown of thorns, Kendrick explained his music was always intended to bring out positive emotions in people.

He spoke directly about the emotional guard, saying he was curious about what was going through the guy's mind during the song. He really was barely holding it together ... in a beautiful sorta way.

For his part, the guard later owned his viral moment, and further elaborated … blaming K. Dot’s lyrical skills for his waterworks.

Soulja Boy and conservative YouTuber Charleston White tell different versions about their violent run-in in Miami ... but both parties agree it involved pepper spray, and SB got the worst of it.

SB unleashed a fiery Instagram rant Tuesday ... dismissing Charleston’s claims he'd fired off mace to the face when Soulja went after him this past weekend. Instead, the rapper wants to compare bank accounts, or step into a boxing ring to settle their differences.

In addition to flashing stacks of cash, the “Crank That” rapper announced he's dropping a new album on his birthday, which is coming up on Thursday.

Despite all those distractions, it was hard to ignore the big ol' shiner under Soulja's eye … which might support Charleston’s account that he sprayed SB directly in the face.

Charleston broke down the alleged incident with DJ Akademiks -- his version, anyway, which is that Soulja and 10 others cornered him before he pepper sprayed his way to safety.

One more thing both guys agree on is that there’s video of their confrontation, but neither seems to know anything about its whereabouts.

Lil Baby's loyalty was on full display at Rolling Loud when he successfully swatted off a few fans trying to pose as fam slipping backstage!

The 4PF Records boss was spotted conducting his own ID check of entourage members … which is typically security’s job, but nonetheless, he was able to diffuse any mishaps from going down.

You can almost hear what sounds like Baby scolding the actual Rolling Loud security for getting the head count wrong as he takes matters into his own hands.

He points out familiar faces and even possibly lets a few well-behaved fans slide through before security steps in and creates a human wall around the gate.

Baby was among the many rap stars present for Rolling Loud Miami, dedicating his “Drip Too Hard” performance to its incarcerated costar Gunna among other his other hits.