TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Quavo's taking his gun violence plight straight to the White House ... where he met with Vice President Kamala Harris for a sit-down on the hot-button, and very personal, issue.

The megastar rapper was joined by his mother and sister Titania Davenport, mother to the late Takeoff, for the meeting at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

We're told Quavo expressed his desire for Congress to pass the Break the Cycle of Violence Act, which will enable gun violence to be treated as a public health risk ... akin to substance abuse and depression.

He also shared his personal stories, urging the Veep to support their mission to the fullest extent of her power.

The Vice Prez thanked the family publicly on her IG for using their platform to not only honor Takeoff, but also to spread gun violence prevention awareness.

His recently launched Rocket Foundation was created to impact gun laws on both the state and federal levels, and Quavo specifically came to D.C. to secure stronger political backing ... especially in underserved areas.

Earlier in the day, Quavo met with various Representatives from the Congressional Black Caucus to push the policy and concluded the day with community leader Greg Jackson ... as they cohosted a reception for lawmakers and gun violence prevention advocates to discuss better solutions.

Quavo firmly thinks gun violence is preventable, and says he came to D.C. aiming to build safer communities.

Drake's tensions with Megan Thee Stallion are back in the spotlight after some fans took his seemingly harmless shoutout -- during his Houston concert -- and flipped it into another diss.

During Drake's September 18 show, he took time out to shout photographer MegYup by name, quipping, "Real H-Town love, shout out to Meg one time for real … not that Meg, this Meg.”

Given his past mentioning of the Houston rap star -- he effectively dissed her on the "Her Loss" track "Circo Loco" -- fans went wild with speculation once the clip began to circulate on social media.

MegYup took to her own social media to set the record straight, accusing unintelligible trolls of ruining her big moment of glory -- but eventually she called it a day, and simply plugged his upcoming album.

Alex Spiro, who represented Thee Stallion during her trial against Tory Lanez, told TMZ Hip Hop that Drake and other doubters would have egg on their faces ahead of the verdict ... which history shows went in their favor.

Lizzo is back under fire for allegations tied to inappropriate working conditions on her tour ... getting sued by a woman who says she was forced to hear racist and fatphobic comments from members of Lizzo's team while working unthinkable hours.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Asha Daniels says she was hired by Amanda Nomura -- a member of Lizzo's team -- to join Lizzo's tour in 2023 to work in wardrobe. Daniels claims the work was grueling, sometimes going from 6 AM-2 AM and getting refused breaks.

Daniels, a Black woman, says Nomura was brutal, often making racist and fatphobic comments -- allegedly calling Black women on the tour "dumb" "useless" and "fat."

Daniels also claims Nomura told her she wasn't allowed to dress sexy around Lizzo because Lizzo would get jealous when her boyfriend was around other beautiful women.

During one instance, Daniels says she injured her ankle when Nomura rolled a clothing rack over it. She says her ankle became swollen, and when she wore a pair of Crocs to work she was reprimanded and told she needed to put on a pair of tennis shoes.

In the docs, Daniels says she alerted Lizzo's management team to the behavior, and claims Lizzo's tour manager, Carlina Gugliotta, even advised her to privately film Nomura's conduct, but Daniels felt that would be unethical.

Daniels says she eventually brought all of her concerns to Gugliotta, and believes those concerns were relayed to Lizzo ... but was eventually fired before her contract was set to end.

Daniels claims her experience on the tour has left her with ongoing anxiety and PTSD as well as migraines, ocular distortions, brain fog and fatigue.

Remember, Lizzo was sued last month for claims that included sexual harassment by 3 former employees who claimed they were forced to attend sex shows and were subjected to uncomfortable behavior and situations while working for Lizzo.

We should note -- Daniels is represented by Neama Rahmani -- the same lawyer who sued Lizzo on behalf of the 3 women from the lawsuit last month.

Lizzo has denied those claims, saying in part, "My character has been criticized. Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed."

Daniels is suing for sexual harassment, racial harassment, disability discrimination and more. She's asking for damages including unpaid wages, loss of earnings and others.

Fat Joe is bringing back-to-school cheer to his Bronx hometown by donating over $100,000 worth of brand-new clothes to more than 600 students!!!

TMZ Hip Hop got this video of Joe surprising high school students Thursday morning at The Eagle Academy for Young Men ... giving them a pep talk straight from the heart of his life experience!!!

Joe told the kids he could relate to their lives, having grown up right around the corner and told them he knew their journey wasn't easy.

We're told Joe and his team from UpNYC personally handed out bags of new clothing ... including sweatsuits, tracksuits, t-shirts, shorts and sneakers.

The BX-bred rapper had a busy morning.

In addition to Eagle Academy, the team also visited middle schoolers at I.S. 219 New Venture School and elementary students at P.S. 146 Edward Collins ... Joe's childhood alma mater.

The future leaders from the BX weren't the only ones benefitting from Santa Joe this week. Former President Bill Clinton was blessed with a rare pair of the Terror Squad Air Force 1s ... and his facial expression says he loved them.

Nicki Minaj's husband is back in prison ... sort of.

Kenneth Petty was put on home detention for up to 120 days -- and all because he threatened Offset on social media.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Petty violated his federal probation by "making threatening remarks while in the company of someone with a criminal record."

A judge ordered Petty to be placed on house arrest for as long as 4 months to keep a close eye on his activities. As part of being monitored, Petty might have to be fitted with an electronic GPS ankle bracelet, although that hasn't been determined yet.

Petty's new troubles began last week when he posted an Instagram video, featuring himself and two buddies sounding off on Cardi B's husband. The trio was standing across the street from an NYC hotel where Offset was supposedly staying -- and they were all acting pretty menacing.

In response, Offset later posted his own video on social media, showing himself chuckling on the tarmac outside his private jet -- which was nowhere near the hotel.

Clearly, the feds didn't find it funny ... because they wasted no time putting a stop to it -- and Petty!!

Over the years, Petty has been convicted of attempted rape and attempted murder and has served two stints in prison. In 2022, he was sentenced to 3 years probation after he failed to register as a sex offender in California.

Chris Brown gave Tinashe the dragging of a lifetime this week but the "BB/Ang3l" singer's not tripping -- she's calling the incident water under a bridge she's already driving across!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Tinashe Wednesday in Hollywood, and she didn't seem too pressed about Chris -- her former collaborator -- openly bashing her discography in response to one of her latest interviews.

ICYMI, Tinashe didn't recall having positive memories working with either Chris or R. Kelly -- but said the issue with Chris was the track the label chose for them to record.

Tinashe tells us she doesn't think Chris watched the full clip, and merely got sucked into social media clickbait. He fired back by asking the public to name 5 Tinashe songs to save their life ... and already had the graveyard mapped out.

Tinashe said she'd be open to having a conversation with Chris in an effort to clear things up, but also suggested it's low on her priority list.

On the other hand, she is excited about her upcoming shows where she promises to incorporate new dance routines for fans.

Diddy's not just gonna stop with an R&B album, he's got a hip hop project on the way ... so says his son, Christian "King" Combs, who says he's gonna be featured on the thing!!!

TMZ Hip Hop connected with Christian and Raven Tracy in NYC Wednesday where he explained his absence from his dad's new LP "The Love Album: Off The Grid."

The album features a ton of big names --  MJB, The Weeknd, Ty Dolla $ign and a handful of notable rap stars -- but King says his lyrical talents are better suited for the next go 'round.

Christian and Raven were actually en route to a back-to-school drive when we caught them -- complete with his newly minted Key to the City.

Tory Lanez is officially on the inside ... ensconced at the prison where he'll likely spend the next 10 years, and the facility is no cakewalk, as multiple murders have happened there just this year.

North Kern State Prison in Delano, California houses around 4,000 inmates, and recently became the focus of local news media after a vicious crime within its walls.

Reports say convicted serial killer Ramon Escobar was recently charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing his cellmate, 53-year-old Juan Villanueva back in February.

Villanueva was locked up for aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Additionally, on July 4, 25-year-old Ricardo Saldivar was found dead in his cell, and officials with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are now investigating his death as a homicide.

There's also violence with inmates and correctional officers ... just this month a former inmate and convicted sex offender was found guilty in connection to a 2020 incident where he was accused of attacking a pair of staffers.

The facility is fitted with an electric fence around the perimeter ... but several inmates have reportedly been able to escape over the years.

Some of the biggest names in hip hop have welcomed some pretty cute kiddos to the world over the years ... but can ya guess which rap icons conceived these tykes??

This lil' dude was born in 2021 to a duo of famous, bar-spitting parents -- who actually just took him to Disneyland to celebrate his 2nd birthday.

When mom and dad aren't bickerin' online, they're getting nasty backstage at an award show! Whose cash-counting baby do you think this is?

Here's another kiddo whose mama needs no introduction -- born in 2020, the child was given quite an interesting name ... one that must've made Goldilocks do a double take.

His rapping mother has won a total of more than 400 awards in her career since she was signed in 2009. So we gotta ask -- who is this super baby?

Tory Lanez is settling into his new life behind bars, getting transferred to state prison and posing for a new mug shot ... one where he looks none too pleased.

We just obtained the pic, Tory's hair looks messy and he's certainly not smiling ... sporting a scowl on his face. As for where he'll be housed, Tory checked in Tuesday at North Kern State Prison in Delano, California ... about 145 miles from Los Angeles.

As we reported, Tory was sentenced to 10 years behind bars last month for negligent discharge of a firearm, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and carrying a loaded and unregistered firearm.

Tory can find plenty to do in order to stay busy while he's locked up, we're told the prison offers a bunch of different jobs with wages ranging from $.08 an hour for unskilled labor, and up to $.30 an hour for skilled labor ... but he's gotta apply for those gigs.

Jennifer Garner moved hearts this week after trying to give a homeless man the shoes off her feet -- unquestionably a sweet move, and one we've actually seen several celebs make during L.A.'s unprecedented crisis.

Lending a hand to people in need has actually been an ongoing tradition in Hollywood for years ... as we've seen some very famous faces recently demonstrate their generosity.

Take, for example, Denzel Washington ... who, just a few years ago, went out of his way to help an unsheltered man on the streets of L.A., this at the height of the pandemic in May 2020.

This gentleman was apparently having an episode in West Hollywood, and Denzel came over to comfort him as police eventually arrived and got a handle on things. Even while officers were talking to the man, DW stuck around and provided him comfort. It was quite something.

A year prior, Lil Pump was doing his own food giveaway just in time for the holidays ... handing out tons of corndogs to folks who were on the street and hungry.

BTW ... Pump was doing this on Skid Row in DTLA -- one of the most heavily populated areas for unhoused folks in the city.

Jeremy Renner, too, has proven to have a charitable spirit ... he once took his daughter with him to hand out jackets, blankets and food to homeless people in Reno, NV.

At the time, JR did this right around Thanksgiving -- setting a good example for his kid.

Speaking of Turkey Day ... it's become a little bit of a give-back pastime over the years for celebs to team up with the L.A. Mission to dish out hot meals to the needy. There've been several stars who've partaken in this ... Danny Trejo, Emmy Rossum, Kevin Hart and Lisa Rinna, just to name a few.

There's even been some community service from controversial A-listers, like Kanye West.

Before he was persona non grata in Hollywood -- as a result of antisemitic remarks he spewed last year -- the dude was prominently kind to people less fortunate.

There's that memorable time he was handing out cash and Yeezys to one homeless man, in particular, in his own home city of Chicago -- back before he and Adidas split up -- and you could tell it meant a lot to this fella that he was gifting them for free.

The company behind Tekashi 6ix9ine's Dummy Vapes brand is none too pleased with a rival company, claiming Fume is trying to poach their rainbow-haired biz partner!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained new court docs in which Dummy Vapes calls out Fume for allegedly deploying some dirty business tactics.

Dummy Vapes says it entered into a "celebrity collaboration" with Tekashi in February 2023 for him to exclusively endorse the company's vaping products.

According to the lawsuit, everything was going well until June when Dummy Vapes says it got wind of Fume, a competitor, contacting Tekashi in hopes of meeting with him ... and dangling a $1 million offer as the bait!!!

That didn't lure Tekashi, though, and Dummy Vapes claims Fume then targeted Tekashi's girlfriend Yailin la Mas Viral with a $250,000 contract.

Lo and behold by July 2023, Tekashi entered into a merchandising venture with Fume, according to the suit ... one highlighted by his controversial "Shaka Laka" collab with Kodak Black and Yailin. Fume even released 14 different vape flavors, with some even being named "Dumy Vapes by Fume."

Dummy Vapes says 6ix9ine eventually dropped a PSA where he clarified he was indeed Team Dummy Vapes while he only did business with Fume through his girlfriend's deal.

Things came to a head when Dummy Vapes claimed it dropped $60,000 for Tekashi to hop on a private jet to promote the brand at an industry event in Las Vegas ... only to see the rapper drop out "due to directives from Fume."

Dummy Vapes is now suing Fume for trying to interfere with their relationship with Tekashi, and seeking unspecified damages.

Quavo stormed Capitol Hill Wednesday morning on behalf of his Rocket Foundation, and he arrived with the clear-cut agenda of tackling gun violence ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

The ex-Migos frontman was joined by his mother and his older sister, Takeoff's mother, as part of the 52nd Annual Legislative Conference.

Quavo met with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senator Cory Booker, Representatives Lucy McBath, Steven Horsford, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Robin Kelly, Maxwell Frost and community organizer Greg Jackson to voice his complaints.

Quavo's Rocket Foundation was established to bring awareness for gun violence prevention on both a state and federal level.

Several of the Congress members have an active "Break the Cycle of Violence Act" campaign, and we're told all parties were working Wednesday on viable solutions in a closed-door meeting.

Takeoff was shot and killed in November 2022, and Quavo hasn't stopped honoring his legacy.

Young Nudy's one of the hottest rappers in Atlanta at the moment -- something Killer Mike can attest to after having trouble tracking him down for a feature.

Mike eventually got the song done -- their "Act Up" collab anchors the new deluxe edition of the "Michael" album -- but admits during a recent interview he had to go through Nudy's mother to make it happen!!!

Nudy and Mike are 18 years apart and Mike acknowledged their schedules -- like their respective generations -- couldn't be more different.

But, after exhausting all options of reaching him, Mike says he learned he actually knew Nudy's mother from school, and after he caught up with her, she promptly instructed her son to record the track.

Added bonus ... she told Nudy not to charge Mike one red cent for the feature!!!

The song arrived last week as one of 4 new cuts from the "Michael (Deluxe)."

Lil Kim is siding with the fans in their outrage over her Ebony magazine cover edits ... even going so far as to proclaim she didn't even recognize herself after they digitized her face!!!

Kimmy Blanco hopped on IG to drag the publication with a fiery caption ... "Who is this? Cuz that’s not the photo I approved or any other content they’ve put out. I always told Ebony it looked like a painting, but they didn’t wanna listen. They said they loved it. It’s the sabotage for me. The funny s*** about this is that this is THEIR retoucher!”

The legendary rapper was targeting Ebony's photographer Keith Major, who first opened the can of worms on Tuesday when he responded to an angry fan.

According to Keith, it was Kim who decided to go all anime on the cover -- but, obviously, both parties are currently at an impasse.

Kim reshared several comments that mirrored her point, as well as the original retouched photo she and her team say they approved despite Ebony's final rollout.

Adam "Pacman" Jones is trying to turn his most recent run-in with the law into some clicks for his new music ... using the police video of his arrest earlier this month to promote his latest rap song.

The 39-year-old posted some of the footage on his Instagram page on Wednesday ... showing him yelling at an officer after he was taken into custody at Northern Kentucky International Airport on Sept. 11.

In the clip, you can see the ex-NFL star in the back of a police cruiser ... loudly questioning a cop about why he was being arrested after he said all he did was complain to airline employees about a faulty charging port on his plane.

"Bro, I'm going to jail for being on the plane?!" Jones said. "Bro, I didn't even yell at nobody!"

Jones' video then transitioned into a snippet of his new rap song.

"Its always two sides of the story …….," Jones captioned the vid. "👂🏾👂🏾👂🏾new music. Ep coming."