TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Justin Timberlake and Megan Thee Stallion appeared to get into a verbal sparring match backstage at MTV's VMAs Tuesday night ... but they didn't, according to witnesses and the 2 people at the center.

In video surfaced from backstage, the rapper, who performed her new song "Bongos" with Cardi B at the event, was super animated with the "Mirrors" hitmaker, pointing at him as she said something. Lots of folks on social jumped to the conclusion they were beefing.

Megan put that to rest with a video, captioned, "I just talk with my hands lol 💁🏽‍♀️see ya next time @Justin Timberlake" The video is scored with kumbaya music.

An eyewitness told Variety, Justin greeted Megan, telling her it was nice to meet her, and Meg gave a "very cute" response, saying, "No, no this don’t count, this don’t count. We gotta meet proper."

Another witness reportedly said Megan "loves Justin" and was excited to meet him for the first time.

Justin's *NSYNC bandmate, Joey Fatone, smiles during the whole exchange, so yeah, no beef.

*NSYNC's reunion was the big story of the night, with a reunion where they awarded Taylor Swift the Best Pop Video award. Taylor was overcome with emotion when she joined the group on stage.

With all of the big stars -- Taylor, Nicki, Selena and more -- do you think the MTV VMAs have gained credibility again? Vote below.

Gunna's return to Los Angeles will be just as smooth sailing as his NYC one ... at least according to AD, who feels the saga of Gunna's alleged snitching is officially in his rearview!!!

We got Mr. Cuhmunity himself Tuesday at LAX where he noted one tidbit about Gunna's upcoming L.A. sold-out show -- the people obsessed with street gossip about snitching aren't the ones buying tickets to Gunna's concerts.

Gunna filled Barclays Center with fans last weekend ... a good indicator he can successfully tour again as a solo artist.

The embattled YSL rapper was harassed in public this summer -- and AD says that's just the side-effect of Gunna getting sprung from jail early, as the public was still weighing in on why he got out.

Now, AD didn't exactly cop to pushing play on Gunna's music himself, but admitted he hears it out at all the poppin' spots around town.

He did, however, make it clear it's still "Free Young Thug" all day, every day on his end.

Some of the biggest names in music have started to trickle in for this year's MTV VMAs, and we've got all the arrivals from the pink carpet.

The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ looks more like Hollywood -- with massive stars pulling up like Megan Thee Stallion, who's set to take the stage with Cardi B later in the night to perform their brand-new hit, "Bongos."

Saweetie was lookin' pretty in pink while stepping into the stadium, and MTV's iconic Moon-person mascot even pulled up to the shindig with a snazzy bowtie! Demi Lovato also hit the carpet looking sleek in black.

As you know, artists like Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Sam Smith are all dukin' it out tonight for a coveted Moonperson statue ... with many of them covering multiple categories.

It's been a female-dominated year for the VMAs -- Artist of the Year nominations went to ladies only, like Beyoncé and Shakira, while Ed Sheeran is the only guy gunning for Best Pop ... going up against singers like Pink and Dua Lipa.

BTW, there are 16 tracks up for the Song of Summer category this year, with 3 of them being from the "Barbie" movie -- go figure.

As we reported, *NSYNC is gettin' the boy band back together for a reunion at tonight's award show -- 3 members have been spotted in NYC over the last couple of days, and JC Chasez was pictured riding in a private jet.

A source connected to the group told us they'll be presenting only, and not singing one of their hits ... but it's gonna be an epic reunion nonetheless.

Speaking of performances, the ceiling will likely be blown off tonight with folks like Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj -- also the emcee for this year's event -- and Måneskin ... not to mention loads more musical acts as the night goes on.

There's also slated to be a big medley honoring 50 years of hip-hop -- similar to the huge performance at The Grammys -- featuring D.M.C., Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J, and more.

Gillie Da Kid says the moment he washed his late son's body -- in tradition with Islamic faith -- was his lowest moment in life, but he also says enduring the tragedy officially took him to adulthood.

The "Million Dollarz Worth of Game" co-host made the emotional confession Tuesday while appearing on The Pivot podcast.

His son, 25-year-old rapper YNG Cheese, was shot and killed in Philly back in July. Before his death, Gillie says he thought he understood the concept of being a man ... taking the reigns, providing for his immediate family and even supporting several non-relatives.

But, he says going through the body-washing process opened his eyes, "and that day, I became a man."

Gillie also tearfully thanked fellow Philly rapper Freeway for standing by his side, and helping him through what he calls the hardest thing he's ever had to do. Despite the unimaginable grief, he's confident he sent his son off the right way.

Erica Mena recently told TMZ she was remorseful for calling her "Love & Hip Hop" rival Spice a "monkey" ... a nasty comment that got her booted off the show, but she's doubtful her former castmate will extend the same courtesy.

After reposting her apology on her own IG account on Tuesday, Erica got an outpouring of fan support, and she even addressed one question in particular -- if Spice ever said she was sorry for bringing up Erica's son, the catalyst behind their explosive argument.

Erica not only told the fan the answer's no, she was confident Spice would never have "the guts" to own up to her own mistake.

Erica was adamant in assuring us her comments weren't meant to be taken as racially charged, but producers are still blocking her return to 'LHHATL' next season.

Spice, for her part, has taken an unbothered stance in the public as she promotes her next project.

Dionne Warwick's voice was the secret sauce behind Doja Cat's new chart-topper "Paint the Town Red" -- a "Hip Hop" honor she's not taking lightly!!!

The R&B legend relayed her excitement with TMZ Hip Hop telling us, “It’s really wonderful to be able to say, "I am now a viable entity in the hip hop genre and am now a rapper!!! Who knew I would be saying that at this time in my life???"

"I am thrilled that these youngsters who are recording today have decided to listen to some really good stuff of the old folks and discover us and are keeping us alive!!!

"PTTR" also marks Dionne's first return atop the Billboard Hot 100 since 1986's "That's What's Friends Are For" made the world feel good, proving not all generation clashes spell the doom of humanity.

She concluded by wishing her successor good fortune ... "I certainly hope Doja Cat’s recording of 'Paint the Town Red' is as lucky and good to her as 'Walk on By' has been to me!!!”

Kanye West and Bianca Censori have been blasted for letting it all hang out in Europe -- and yet, they refuse to cover up ... opting for the commando look evermore, it seems.

The couple continues to gallivant in Italy, and yes ... they're still showing off the goods, especially Bianca -- who doesn't seem to believe in bras or regular tops. On Monday, she was photographed with her hubby in Florence ... and again put her boobs on display.

Remember, she's been catching heat over there for what many people apparently view as inappropriate attire -- and you can see why. The fact we're blurring her nipples says it all.

As for Ye ... well, he's also very comfortable in his own skin these days -- especially below the belt. During their little shopping spree here, his pants were sagging down below his booty a bit ... and some crack-age got flashed for the paps.

Not nearly as much booty as his boat ride the other day -- which was a cheek-full and then some, and enough to get him banned from a certain boat taxi service -- but it sure doesn't look like KW has any underpants on whatsoever. No support needed on either end!

As for the general fashion vibe from these two ... more of the same, really. It's a blend of futuristic homeless couture -- with a couple of models who look to be on a never-ending pilgrimage to Fantastica.

Nas and Hit-Boy just released their "Magic 2" album back in July, but they've decided to complete the trifecta for Virgo Season.

On Tuesday, Nas revealed Part 3 would be released this Thursday, which coincides with his 50th birthday.

The upcoming album will mark #17 for Nas and his 6th overall produced by Hit-Boy ... a working relationship jump-started after they won the 2021 Grammy for Best Rap Album.

Nas is dubbing the release "The Finale" which waves the flag on their prolific run ... but HB's already begun work on his next ring of projects.

We recently caught up with him and he revealed he's working on his father Big Hit's solo album and he just got tapped to produce on Jennifer Lopez's comeback as well.

Drake took it easy on a fan who rushed the stage during his "It's All a Blur" tour in Austin, TX -- but had no mercy for the security guard taking his sweet time to remove the guy!!!

The fan managed to crash the Moody Center stage Monday night as Drake addressed the audience during his show, but was initially met with a cold shoulder push when he tried to get rewarded and dapped up.

You can't blame Drizzy ... in a dark-lit arena, it would be hard to tell if the guy's friend or foe -- ya never know until it's too late!!!

Drake then agreed to shake the fan's hand and openly questioned the venue's vigilance... asking "Y'all not doing security???" as he led the fan off the stage.

A security guard eventually came up the stairs to the stage and removed the fan, but Drake noticed he lacked pep in his step and shamed him, calling him "slow as f***" for not getting on the job sooner.

It's understandable why Drake would be on edge. Fans have been throwing crap at artists all year and Drake's been a victim himself ... if it wasn't for his ninja-like reflexes, he would've been decked with a book last month!!!

DJ Envy and his wife Gia Casey are coming in hot with allegations against Tyrese ... claiming the actor/R&B star attempted to wedge himself into their marriage!!!

Tensions have still been high in the aftermath of their Breakfast Club interview last week where Tyrese acknowledged a beef between himself and Envy, but fans were clueless as to why ... until now!!!

On Tuesday, Envy revealed the reason on-air ... claiming Tyrese was becoming pushy in his friendship with his wife, and was planting bugs in Gia's ear with tempting words like " ... if you had a man like me."

To make matters worse, Envy says a man claiming to be Tyrese's ex-assistant texted him from out of the blue warning him not to trust Tyrese, because his own wife had allegedly been seduced by Tyrese's charms as well.

Gia then called in claiming the strong bond she and Tyrese formed via text became alarming when he became demanding with her time, and even set a list of expectations.

Tyrese just dropped a 20-minute video defending himself, claiming he had been in good standing with Gia up until their last text exchanges in August 2022.

Erica Mena says she's sorry for calling her reality show costar a monkey -- but she insists there was no racism behind the insult.

The ex-'Love & Hip Hop' star -- who was booted from the show for hurling the word -- tells TMZ ... "I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness. My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said."

She adds, "I am committed to listening to the voices of those affected and will work toward making amends. As a woman of color and the mother of two black children, I want to make it clear that my use of that word was not in any way racially driven."

Erica ends with this ... "That said, I do understand the gravity of what I said and want to use my platform to promote inclusivity and equality."

Worth noting, Erica identifies as an Afro-Latina -- with Dominican and Puerto Rican roots.

You'll recall ... Erica was cut loose from 'L&HH: Atlanta' after MTV aired the controversial episode in question -- in which EM and Spice got into a heated argument, which erupted into a fight ... and where Erica invoked the term "monkey" while she was lashing out.

That ugly moment came on the heels of yet another ... an Atlanta-area arrest that saw Erica get booked on a number of charges, including allegedly attacking a police officer.

Now that Erica's apologized, do you think she should be allowed back on 'L&HH'? Sound off by answering the question in our game below.

Ray J is taking his "On Top" motto to a new level ... offering up a whopping $25K prize to the best bull-riding cowgirl in Northern California!!!

Sources close to Ray tell TMZ Hip Hop the contest will go down this Saturday at Westwood in San Francisco as part of the promotion for his new collab "On Top" with Bobby Brackins and P-Lo.

The competition is open to non-professional female riders dressed in rodeo-style gear and will be held from 10 pm - 12 am ... plenty of time to get a decent ride in.

J. Espinosa will be spinning on the turntables and the Bay Area's own Too Short will also be in the building ... always guaranteed to be the life of the party!!!

To add more pay to the oola, Ray is also launching a 30-day #OnTopChallenge on TikTok where he'll be giving away $100 to the user with the best creative dance!!!

Expect the band to be in full party mode ... we're told the bull-riding event will predate Bobby's birthday celebration at Apt 200 in Los Angeles that Thursday and they're also putting together special edition merch to pump the song as well.

A$AP Rocky's attorney went way too far in his defense of the rapper after his 2021 shooting incident ... at least according to the alleged victim, A$AP Relli, who's now suing Rocky and his high-powered attorney, Joe Tacopina.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, Relli claims Tacopina went on a press campaign after he was allegedly shot by A$AP Rocky .... and Relli was defamed in the process.

Relli claims he was painted by Tacopina in the media as a liar, a money grabber, and an extortionist  ... and he believes this was all the direction of A$AP Rocky.

The suit claims Tacopina spoke to various outlets, including TMZ ... in one story, Tacopina said, "Rocky didn't commit a crime. It was an extortion attempt by a former associate, who threatened to make false, criminal accusations if Rocky didn't pay him."

Relli claims as a result of the alleged attack on him, he received several death threats and has been the subject of ridicule. He's asking for unspecified damages.

As for Rocky ... his case is still pending. He has pled not guilty.

Chrisean Rock just became a first-time mother and two-time mom Cardi B has important words of wisdom to share -- like, don't ignore small things that could be early signs of postpartum depression.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Cardi in NYC on her "Bongos" promo swing, but she took a few moments to offer some really candid motherly advice to Chrisean.

Cardi gently warned Chrisean to always take some time out for herself, whether it be in the form of a solo outing or a quick bite to eat, as it takes some time to get used to the new full-time mom schedule.

Cardi of course is quite the family woman in between her rap career. She and Offset have a full household of their own, but the couple always looks for ways to incorporate the full brood into their routines ... such as fam trips to Disneyland.

As we told you, Cardi is currently pumping her new collab with Megan Thee Stallion -- which didn't exactly win over one of rap's biggest critics ... Joe Budden!!!

Cardi tells us as a hip hop trendsetter, she wasn't afraid to incorporate funk into the song and expand on her versatility as an artist.

Doja Cat is one of hip hop's saviors, at least on the commercial front ... her track, "Paint the Town Red" is the culture's first Billboard No. 1 song in over a year!!!

The bouncy demon-praising bop topped the Billboard Hot 100 Monday, marking the first rap song since Nicki Minaj's "Super Freaky Girl" made history debuting at the top of the chart in August 2022.

Doja and Nicki's collab "Say So" also hit number one back in 2020.

Artists can only dream of having this type of momentum going into an album release, especially when the stakes are high.

Doja's 4th album "Scarlet" drops on September 22 ... the same day as Drake's "For My Dogs." The battle for the audience's eardrums will be intense!!!

Doja appears to have partied enough for the Hot 100 milestone and then some ... burning up NYFW events with her future tour mates Ice Spice and Doechii last night.

Tink and Hitmaka's longtime artist/producer working relationship erupted in violence in tropical Cancun, of all places ... with the R&B songstress admitting to throwing blows on sight!!!

According to Tink, Hitmaka's been dodging her for months and also demanded $2 million from her after disclosing she wanted to work on her next project without him ... and those tensions boiled over when they happened to pop up at the same Mexican resort over the weekend.

Hitmaka was celebrating his 38th birthday on Saturday and Tink says she was in Cancun to celebrate her assistant's birthday, but things came to a head when she claims she spotted Hitmaka there ... enjoying the moment with several other women.

The two have been making music in a semi-exclusive relationship for the better part of the year and Tink admits her emotions (and perhaps a bit of booze) got the best of her and she attacked Hitmaka in a fit of rage ... which he claims to have captured on his phone.

He posted a screenshot of Tink allegedly flying off the handle, which had some fans calling him a snitch.

Despite being on the receiving end of Tink's anger, Hitmaka downplayed the incident and says he understands her disappointment with seeing him move on, but still maintains they're cool and will resume rolling out the next album.

That's still a big TBD ... after cooling her jets a bit, Tink returned to IG, and explained feeling royally disrespected after not getting a response to texts she'd sent Hitmaka, and isn't sure of their future.