TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

1:52 PM PT -- We should note ... the version Kanye West appears to have played in the Miami club featured other voices singing the chorus, so it's possible he can get away with it through a loophole.

Kanye West's new take on the Backstreet Boys' hit "Everybody" has been getting a ton of buzz, but there's one massive problem ... Ye never cleared it with the boy band.

Sources connected to BSB tell TMZ Kanye failed to get the collective OK from Nick, Kevin, Howie, Brian, A.J. and their team to use the 1997 classic.

In Kanye's version, you can hear the original song and chorus before Ty Dolla Sign takes over, singing the original lyrics from "Everybody."

Of course, not clearing the song creates an interesting challenge for Kanye considering he's supposed to release his album this week and the song is a listed track. Not to mention, he's played it out in public in Miami, promoted it on social media and pumped it through the speakers at his album listening event in Miami Monday night.

So by all counts ... it seemed like Kanye was planning to have it on his "Vultures" album.

We don't know if Kanye reached out and was denied usage of the track or whether he just never asked at all ... but either way, it ain't good for Ye.

Kanye's been the center of controversy for months, with his antisemitic remarks -- expressing his love for Hitler -- and dangerous social media rants. As we reported, Ye wore a black KKK-style hood Monday night at his public event.

Obviously, a lot of artists have distanced themselves from Kanye ... and it'll be interesting to see his chances of locking down clearance for additional tracks in the future.

Cassie's ex-boyfriend and former collaborator Ryan Leslie says they're about to resume their relationship on the music front, as she prepares to hit the road.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with RLes Tuesday in NYC, and we asked if he'd seen anything in the past that would corroborate the allegations in Cassie's lawsuit against Diddy, which they recently settled.

Ryan and Cassie dated in the mid-2000s, and worked on music together at the time, but he tells us her interactions with Diddy came later, when he wasn't around.

Ryan says he and Cassie reconnected at the end of 2017 when their ex-manager Ed Woods died and it's clear they've stayed in touch since then. He gave us a big update, revealing she's planning on making a music comeback in the form of a tour, which could also mean there's new music on the horizon.

RLes is a multifaceted producer who's been known to dabble in technology over the years, and while he's paying close attention to the AI movement, he says he's really focused on helping artists secure their financial futures.

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.

Jodeci, the R&B group that racked up hits and crazy headlines equally over the years, is reuniting in a major way next year ... with a Las Vegas residency!!!

All 4 original members -- K-Ci, Jojo, Devante Swing and Mr. Dalvin -- will be at House of Blues Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in 2024 throughout March and July.

The Show, The After Party, The Vegas Residency is modeled after the group's classic third album ... so, expect a lot of "Freek'n" in Sin City!!!

As a quartet, Jodeci sold millions of records and brothers K-Ci and Jojo sold millions more as a duet ... which means the show could be like a one-band "Verzuz" on stage.

They've also been keeping their chops sharp performing with fellow R&B royalty SWV, Dru Hill, Charlie Wilson and New Edition in the past year.

Kanye West continues to piss people off, this time over fashion ...  rocking a hood that bares a shocking resemblance to standard issue for the KKK.

Ye showed up with the headpiece at one point during his "Vultures" album listening event Monday night in Miami ... previewing his music at the late-night event during Art Basel.

Kanye's has displayed this imagery before ... back in 2013 for the music video of "Black Skinhead" -- which was seen as artsy/edgy back then, but is viewed in a different context now, obviously.

Anyway, as for the music ... people online seem to be loving it. Plus, he had huge stars show up in person to support -- including some folks with whom he collaborated on the new album -- namely, Ty Dolla $ign, Offset, Lil Durk, Chris Brown, Kodak Black, Freddie Gibbs and others.

The even bigger news -- his 10-year-old daughter, North, not only showed up for the party and performed ... she's on the album!

In addition to North, Ye's wife Bianca Censori, and kids Chicago and Saint were also there. It's unclear if Kim showed up ... but Bianca was seen carrying Chicago in her arms during one intimate moment.

As we reported, Ye did a surprise performance in Miami over the weekend during DJ Khaled's set at a nightclub ... and he also hosted an impromptu listening party at a Jamaican restaurant in the area for "Vultures."

It's interesting ... Kanye was blasted for his antisemitic remarks last year, but these days he's just part of a growing, angry crowd -- from Harvard on down.

Mercy 👏 Miller👏 Went👏 Off👏

Master P's son, one of the best high school basketball players in the entire country, had an absolutely gaudy stat line Monday night, dropping 68 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists on 28 for 38 shooting (74%)!!

Thanks to the ridiculous performance, Mercy Miller's Notre Dame Knights squad beat Oakwood, 104-44.

Mercy's 68 points were good enough for the ND school record (Sherman Oaks, CA) ... and one of the greatest scoring performances in California history.

Miller, a 6'4" guard who committed to the University of Houston last month, is averaging 36 points and 11 rebounds a game this season.

It shouldn't come as a shock that Mercy can hoop his ass off. His brother Hercy Miller hoops at the Univ. of Louisville ... and dad, aside from being a hip hop mogul, played in the NBA.

The undefeated, 6-0 Notre Dame team is regarded as one of the best teams in their division, the CIF Southern Section.

Mercy will have a few days to rest his arms after putting up all those shots ... his Knights team doesn't return to the court until December 19, when they'll play a 2-4 Marshall H.S. squad.

Notre Dame will also be in action on January 6th ... under the bright lights at Crypto.com Arena when they play in the Coastal Catholic Classic Game, with proceeds going to the You Are Not Alone Foundation, which helps kids struggling with mental health issues.

Bianca Censori's looking like a whole new woman -- it just takes a lap dance to finally see her grinning, relaxing and thoroughly enjoying an afternoon outing with Kanye West in Miami.

Of course, Bianca's been her husband's muse ... serving as a blank and expressionless canvas for his artistic creativity -- no matter how bizarre -- which is why this video of her cutting loose Sunday is so interesting.

With Ye distracted by others, the Aussie model focused her attention on DJ Sky High Baby ... who got to work twerking in Bianca's lap -- and as you can see, she was totally diggin' it.

The stone-cold Bianca we're used to seeing was long gone, as she encouraged her friend's erotic moves. Good thing Mrs. West was dressed for the occasion, in an eye-popping sheer get-up.

She's also vibed along to the music blasting at Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen -- the same spot where Kanye played some of his new music from his upcoming album with Ty Dolla $ign.

It's a rare light-hearted, carefree sighting of Bianca ... who's trekked around the world with Kanye this year -- although, his critics think he's treated her more like an accessory during their travels.

Case in point, the couple drew the gaze of onlookers while hitting up Art Basel the same day ... with Bianca in her skintight, sheer outfit and teddy-in-hand.

North West stole the show at Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's "Vultures" listening party by making her rapping debut, and the moment was serious bonding time for Ye's family!!!

Monday night in Miami, Kanye and his Rap Avengers assembled to preview the album and North had the crowd going crazy with her bars ... "It's your bestie, Ms. Miss Westy!!!"

Outside the event, Bianca carried Chicago as Saint trailed close by -- Ye and Bianca have been married about a year now, and the kids have clearly warmed up to her!

Kanye kept on his hooded garb while his 10-year-old had the audience inside Wynwood Marketplace in the palm of her hands.

The listening event was also a sanctuary for a couple of other embattled rap stars -- Offset, fresh from his split with Cardi B and Kodak Black, who was just released from jail, were also there soaking up vibes.

Beyoncé might have fresh beef stewing with a famous artist, who's strongly insinuating she -- or someone on her team -- ripped off his work for her "Renaissance" tour.

Here's the deal ... artist Hajime Sorayama just took aim at Beyoncé on social media, posting a few of her tour visuals alongside some of his artwork and insinuating she didn't ask permission to copy him.

In his post, Hajime says ... "Yo @beyonce You should have asked me 'officially' so that I could make much better work for you as like my man @theweeknd."

Thing is ... during Beyonce's wildly popular "Renaissance" tour, many people were under the belief her visuals were inspired by Hajime, with tons of folks assuming Hajime had given Queen B his permission to channel his art.

Hajime's post seems to indicate that's not the case -- however, it's unclear if he's angry and considering legal action ... or simply calling out the similarities between his art and her tour.

BTW, Hajime mentions The Weeknd because they collaborated in the past for some concert artwork, and, obviously, he feels he could've done the same for Beyoncé ... had she just asked.

The Wilson family just got bigger ... 'cause Ciara and Russell Wilson have welcomed their new baby girl into the world -- revealing her name is Amora Princess!

The Denver Broncos quarterback and the singer announced on their social media pages their daughter arrived on Monday ... sharing an adorable photo of the newborn.

"Amora Princess Wilson," the couple said in a caption on the IG post. "9lbs 1oz. We Love You so much!"

Their friends -- and millions of fans -- were stoked by the wonderful news ... with Serena Williams writing in the comment section on the post, "Omg i love her already."

Ciara -- who married Russell in 2016 -- broke the news that she was expecting back in August ... showing off her baby bump in a video while dancing to her hit single with Chris Brown, "How We Roll."

This is Ciara and Russ' third child together ... she had their daughter, Sienna Princess, in 2017 and their son, Win Harrison, in 2020.

Ciara also has a son from her previous relationship with rapper Future.

2 Chainz is out of the hospital and recovering just fine ... after he was involved in a 3-car crash in Miami over the weekend.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ he was released hours after being rushed to the hospital early Saturday morning ... docs checked him out following the accident.

We're told he was just a bit banged up ... and luckily managed to dodge any major injuries.

2 Chainz was initially in Miami for Art Basel ... but we're told he's happy to be out of the hospital and home now, and is prioritizing rest before the holidays.

TMZ broke the story, confirming a crash involving 3 vehicles and the rapper in Miami. The "Birthday Song' rapper also shared a vid of himself in an ambulance being taken to the hospital to get checked out.

As for who was at fault, 2 Chainz was in the clear ... with cops suspecting one of the other drivers of driving under the influence when they hit the rapper from behind.

2 Chainz posted a few pics of the scene, showing the extensive impact of the crash, with another car heavily mangled on the front left side.

Cardi B is a single woman once again, ending things with her estranged husband, Offset ... breaking the news days after she unfollowed him on social media and talked about losing "dead weight."

Cardi went live on Instagram to set the record straight Sunday night -- telling fans she's been single "for a minute now" ... admitting she wasn't sure how to share the bombshell piece of info.

Cardi went on to say she's been wanting to fill folks in for some time -- and as recently as last week -- but says she wants to start the new year "fresh" and "open."

The news might not come as a shock to some ... as we reported, Cardi and Offset unfollowed each other sometime last week, and she posted a message about outgrowing relationships -- adding, "I GOTTA PUT MYSELF FIRST!"

She also told her fans she wants to drop all "dead weight" in her life in 2024 ... another shot at Offset.

The 2 got married back in 2017, but she filed for divorce in 2020 due to cheating allegations ... but she eventually withdrew. They've also got 2 kids together -- 5-year-old Kulture and 2-year-old Wave.

Offset alluded to the idea earlier this year that Cardi might've cheated on him, which she denied ... but that sparked a bit of an online battle between them, until they eventually made up.

Rich the Kid was arrested Sunday night for defying law enforcement during a bomb threat ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

The rapper was in Miami Beach for Art Basel when police responded to a bomb threat at the SLS Hotel in South Beach, where he was apparently staying.

Cops established a perimeter with police tape so no one could enter the premises while it was being checked out.

Rich the Kid told cops he needed to get inside his hotel room, but he was told it couldn't happen until they concluded the sweep, and they warned him he'd be arrested if he continued to do so.

According to cops, Rich responded, "I'll bond out in 20 minutes." He then walked to another corner of the property where he was confronted by security and told he could not enter. According to cops, Rich defiantly told security, "Stop me," and then proceeded to jump the fence onto the property.

Once inside the hotel, he encountered a K-9 unit and the officer ordered him to leave the property but Rich refused, lingering in the driveway. He was then taken into custody and to the cop shop.

Kanye West is making the most of his return to U.S. soil ... surprising the hell out of a crowd in Miami, where he showed up for an unannounced nightclub performance.

Ye popped up at LIV Miami's "LIV on Sunday" show, jumping on the mic during DJ Khaled's set -- running some of his hits like "Runaway" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing."

The crowd was rappin' along with Kanye, so it's safe to say they were thrilled to see the artist at the club.

That same day, he gave folks at a nearby Jamaican restaurant a big treat by rapping to "Father Stretch My Hands" along with fellow diners while eating with his wife, Bianca Censori.

As we reported, the Jamaican spot was the same place where he showed off some of his new tracks over the weekend -- which includes the song he's been teasing that features a Backstreet Boys sample ... part of his upcoming album with Ty Dolla $ign.

Of course, the listening party and surprise concert come after he and Bianca dropped jaws at Art Basel ... with Bianca wearing a see-through outfit while they took their time looking at all the artwork.

BTW ... Mrs. West arrived at LIV Sunday night in an equally revealing outfit. Stuffed animal accessories seem to be her thing now.

Ye's certainly back in the limelight ... and a year after his antisemitic remarks landed him in incredibly hot water -- and as you'll recall, his new song, "Vultures," leans into that very controversy.

Adam22 is putting Joe Budden on blast for saying his marriage to Lena the Plug was a sham ... and he's doing it by calling out Joe's own past relationships.

We got Adam and Lena outside their No Jumper Store Friday on Melrose, and he says the chatter from Joe is pretty ironic ... and he's got a bold reason why.

ICYMI, Joe claimed on his podcast that Adam's on a downward spiral and is doing a lot to stay relevant, citing letting Lena sleep with different dudes as an example ... he even thought the 2 might just have an arrangement going on.

Adam and Lena say that's far from the truth, and really do a lot of normal things as a couple -- not to mention they have a kid, and freakin' live together, too.

Now, on the less traditional front ... Adam and Lena just wrapped their reality competition show, "For the Love of Lena," which had multiple guys vying to have a threesome with Lena and Adam ... and that unique trophy went to adult film star Lil D.

3:16 PM PT -- Looks like Kanye was out there playing new music during his Miami outing ... including that new Backstreet Boys-sampled song he's been teasing this past week.

A fair amount of the track was played during what appears to be an impromptu listening event out at Art Basel ... and it sure sounds pretty catchy. We know Ye's got this new album he's been working on lately, and from the looks of it -- he may be close to done.

Kanye West and his wife, Bianca Censori, are back in America -- and they hit up Art Basel together this weekend, where BC was showing off her assets ... with a see-through getup.

The couple was spotted strolling around casually Sunday at one of the art galleries on display in Miami right now -- taking their time to check out the artwork and maintaining somewhat of a low profile, it seems ... which you can see in this video, obtained by TMZ.

Check it out ... Ye's got his whole head covered up like he usually does these days, and Bianca was in as revealing of an outfit as we've seen her in over these past several months.

Indeed, it looks like her breasts were on full display ... nipples out and everything. Of course, she didn't have a care in the world about it -- and nobody around them appeared to bat an eyelash either. Like we said, it's almost as if most of the folks here didn't recognize them.

Anyway, eyewitnesses tell us it was just Ye and Bianca rolling with a few security guards -- no larger entourage from the looks of it. We're also told it didn't appear that they spoke to anyone ... not even each other as they walked around.

Couple takeaways ... for one, Ye's back in the States, which is interesting considering he's been away from a long, long time now -- be it in Europe or the Middle East. Also, Bianca's also very clearly back in his orbit ... this after being out of the picture for a hot minute.

Just like old times ... eh, Ye?