TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

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.

Flavor Flav has nothing but kind words for his Public Enemy partner Chuck D in the run-up to their new single "Everywhere Man" -- and while they didn't talk for a while, he insists there was no real beef.

We've got Flav on "TMZ Live" Friday, and he told us he's been plagued by queries on when P.E. would reunite -- but he says there couldn't be a reunion because they never broke up -- they merely took a long break.

Despite a few years of headline-grabbing drama between them, Flav says he loves Chuck -- and the feeling is mutual.

He acknowledges sometimes people don't see eye to eye, and in those instances, he says they both pull it back together and keep things moving.

On the music front, Flav is ecstatic with his new single, which features Chuck and is set for wide release on Jan. 10. It also comes with cool artwork by a graphic designer named Aimee Johnson.

Like most things this year, there's a Taylor Swift connection -- yes, even to Public Enemy. Flav says Swifties on social media actually pointed him in Aimee's direction when he posted about needing artistic help.

Check out the video ... Flav, who is a major Swiftie himself, dropped a sports analogy on us to relay his thanks to Tay Tay's fans.

Tinashe's hoping she finally has some peace of mind in her years-long ordeal involving a man who's repeatedly shown up at her home -- the R&B star's been granted court-ordered protection for the next 3 years.

According to court documents, the judge just signed off on the restraining order against Ramon Oppikofer, and it will remain in effect until December 2026.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... Tinashe claimed she'd been bombarded with messages from Oppikoffer on IG since 2022, but says things escalated this year at her brother's Halloween party, where Oppikofer showed up, uninvited, and was allegedly lurking later in her neighborhood.

Tinashe claimed he later broke into her home before some of her peeps chased him away. We're told he was later arrested for trespassing, but then released on his own recognizance because of L.A.'s no-cash bail system.

However, the L.A. City Attorney has since charged Oppikofer with one misdemeanor count of trespassing.

A Lil Wayne and Kevin Durant track exists ... and the rap legend just revealed it almost made it onto his most recent project with 2 Chainz, but he decided it simply wasn't time to share it to the world.

Weezy spilled the beans in a Bleacher Report interview with Taylor Rooks, who said she spoke with Durant before their sit-down ... and he let her in on their secret.

"He said he had a question -- 'Are you going to drop a snippet of you all song on the radio show?'" Rooks explained to Tunechi.

The "A Milli" rapper was caught off guard, as their duet was supposed to be "on the low" ... and Wayne hilariously called KD out for tellin' their business.

"I just want you to know you messed up," Wayne laughed as he sent a message to the Phoenix Suns superstar. "That song was being considered to be on 'Carter VI' and now since you're saying something, it's not goin' on 'Cater VI.'"

In fact, Wayne said it was initially supposed to go on the "Welcome 2 ColleGrove" album that just came out in November ... but he's saving their special song for something else.

"KD's a jewel," Wayne said about KD's rap skills. "He's a backpack rapper."

"I can imagine he probably could call a timeout in a game, and probably ask him to rap and he probably got a verse for you."

Of course, Durant isn't the only NBA player with bars ... Damian Lillard has been known to spit impressive lyrics on his songs, including his hit single dedicated to Kobe Bryant.

Even Shaquille O'Neal was a gifted MC ... and trendsetter Allen Iverson went by the rap name Jewels.

Durant has some experience in the rap game -- not only did he have the song "It Ain't Easy" with LeBron James, he was recently enlisted as A&R for Drake's "For All The Dogs" project.

Blueface and Chrisean Rock continue to put their infant son in danger ... going live on Instagram after a dispute where Chrisean claims BF ambushed her, and punched her in the face.

Both went live Thursday morning from BF's driveway -- according to Chrisean, Blueface asked her to come over -- and she listened, hoping to get some babysitting relief.

She then claims Blueface ambushed and assaulted her, striking her several times in the head. It appears he left bloody evidence all over her car and his knuckles. Chrisean refused to leave Blueface's driveway and told her followers that she was waiting for the cops to come to haul him away to jail.

However, as for Blueface, he claims Chrisean showed up unannounced, and claimed the baby, Chrisean Jr., was being transported without the safety of a car seat.

Chrisean fired back with receipts ... posting their recent text messages to prove he had asked her to come over.

Law enforcement sources tell us at this time, no calls to service have been made to the residence, but it's undeniable, the situation surrounding the child has been toxic for weeks.

NBA YoungBoy's beaming with the holiday spirit ... the elusive rap star made a random couple's day by handing them a big wad of cash from his own pocket!!!

The random act of kindness went down Wednesday night outside a Target in Utah, where YoungBoy's security startled a man, woman and their young child while attempting to track them down.

YoungBoy's guard apologized for scaring them but quickly told 'em it was their lucky day ... NBA had free money for them, and slipped the guy a handful of bills as the woman filmed.

The gift almost caused a rift ... the man excitedly blurted out how NBA "gave me some cash" to which the woman replied, "It's our cash."

Luckily, YoungBoy arrived on the scene with impeccable timing and handed the woman her own Christmas cash ... likely preventing an argument on the ride home.

NBA dapped up the man, and told him seeing him grouped up with his family made him happy ... and he made their bank account a little bigger. They don't call him Never Broke Again for nothing!!!

It's safe to say YoungBoy's on a high this week ... court docs obtained by TMZ Hip Hop reveal a judge modified the conditions of his house arrest. He'll now be allowed to travel for medical appointments, court appearances and other pre-approved activities.

Forget Sicko Mode ... it was more like Slippo Mode for Travis Scott at the Knicks vs. Nets game Wednesday night -- 'cause a loose ball caused the rapper to spill his drink all over the Barclays Center floor!!!

The incident happened at the start of the fourth quarter of Brooklyn's tilt with NY ... when Immanuel Quickley lost control of a basketball on the court -- and it made a beeline for Scott's right hand.

Check out video from the game's broadcast ... once the rock made contact, you can see it caused his seltzer to explode everywhere!!

"Oh, wow," play-by-play man Ian Eagle said on the broadcast. "That's a geyser!"

Thankfully, the liquid didn't seem to get onto his pricey clothes too much ... and arena workers cleaned up the mess without causing a lengthy delay.

Also, in an even more fortuitous turn of events for Scott -- he had another drink already ready nearby ... obviously one of the perks of owning his own boozy "Cacti" beverage.

Scott, of course, had fun with it all ... he was seen smiling as he watched a replay on the jumbotron above his head.

It's the second close call Scott's had this week -- on Tuesday at his concert in NYC, he was nearly knocked to the floor by one of his props on stage.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z are going full tourist in the Big Apple ... sightseeing in the city from a tour bus rented out for their family.

Bey and Jay hopped on the Tea Around Town tour bus Wednesday with Blue Ivy and other friends and family in tow ... riding around Times Square and hitting tourist spots.

The famous family also stopped by the Saks 5th Avenue holiday window display, cruised by Rockefeller Center to see the massive Christmas tree from all angles and even had time to make a stop at Bryant Park.

It's pretty incredible to see Beyonce and Jay-Z on a freaking tour bus in his hometown ... but hey, this must be their idea of an "Empire State of Mind."

Of course, there were a lot of little kiddos on the bus too ... so this may have been tailored to some out-of-town relatives visiting for the holidays.

Beyonce and Jay-Z went with a tour bus company offering 90-minute tours featuring afternoon tea with scones, plus sweet and savory treats.

Kanye West's completely gutted beachfront Malibu pad clearly needs a whole lotta love ... with aerial snaps showing just how soulless it looks pre-renovations.

Despite the mansion being listed for an eye-watering $53M, the new owners will have to drop plenty more $$$ to breathe some life into the unbearably bare 3-story abode -- which doesn't even have plumbing, electrical, or HVAC.

Obviously, this means the 4,000 square ft home can get a total transformation ... as it won't come with the rapper's favored minimalistic aesthetics, but it currently sticks out like a sore thumb, nestled among the other coastal properties.

Kanye purchased it a few years back for $57M ... and began remodeling it with famous architect Tadao Ando -- though it's found itself in a lawsuit.

As we reported ... Kanye is being sued by the former project manager who was overseeing the remodel ... who wasn't happy about the gutting.

Young Thug's father is at his breaking point with Lil Baby shading Gunna over his plea deal, and wants him to zip it for good ... although, pops is using way harsher words!

In a new convo with Infamous Sylvia, Jeffrey Williams Sr. ripped Baby as the dust settled on his latest snipe ... calling Gunna a "rat" on his new track "350," which dropped last week.

Big Jeff isn't going for it, and straight up told Sylvia that Baby needs to "shut the f*** up" because he isn't helping Thug's cause.

He says Baby has yet to appear in court so the 4PF rapper doesn't have a clue what's going on ... and Jeffrey called for fans to swarm Baby's IG comments to ask him directly why he hasn't been in Fulton County's courtroom for the YSL RICO trial.

The scheme to flood Baby's block was a success ... on Wednesday, fans ruthlessly trolled him, with some even teasing him that Gunna had surpassed him.

At any rate, Gunna's not gambling with his life as the snitch narrative keeps pushin' like P. He was recently spotted with two armed security guards on a simple shopping trip in Bev. Hills.

ScHoolboy Q hasn't released a new album in over 4 years ... a quiet streak the rapper says he plans on ending next year!!!

While attending Top Dawg Entertainment's 10th annual Christmas toy drive on Wednesday, Q gave props to his team -- he says they actively help the community even when it's not a holiday but still loved seeing everyone come together.

Q also performed classic cuts, like his 2016 platinum Kanye West collab "THat Part" ... but did promise he'll return in 2024 with "something special."

L.A. rapper EastSide K-Boy suggested Q should get his comedy show -- an idea Q didn't reject -- but his fans wouldn't be surprised if his homecoming somehow incorporated golf ... a sport he's gotten into much more, and not just for fun.

Q's been playing in big, legit tournaments -- he competed in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2022 and even appears in the "PGA Tour 2K23" video game.

Top Dawg Entertainment threw its annual Christmas ... marking yet another holiday hit for the community that birthed the rap music powerhouse.

As they've done for the past 10 years, TDE talent put on a concert and toy drive at the Nickerson Garden Apartments in Watts, California Tuesday ... SZA, who had a HUGE year thanks to her "S.O.S." album performed several cuts for those in attendance.

The "Snooze" writer reunited with her labelmate Ab-Soul, who also performed, as did ScHoolboy Q, SiR, Zacari and their invited guest 310Babii.

Jay Rock and YG dominated the headlining set ... and also hung out beforehand, giving fans plenty of photo ops.

TDE CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith was spotted connecting with the people and artists. The event is slated to continue Wednesday in Compton, where they'll set up a job fair, offer free barber services and dole out hundreds of gifts to kids.

Big Sean has a new album coming in the new year ... which probably won't include some popular Gen-Z slang, or a fiery response to Kendrick Lamar.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Sean Don out in Beverly Hills on Tuesday and the superstar rapper admits he hasn’t been on the scene in a while, but he'll soon enter go-mode in the studio.

For the album's content, we asked Sean if he'd be including “rizz” in his lyrics after the term won Oxford’s 2023 “Word of the Year” -- but, first, like most of us … he's gotta learn what the hell it means.

The word -- meant to highlight one's sexiness -- confuses a lot of people but never fear, Sean came up with a few provocative lines to rhyme with the word. 😈

We also got his take on the apparently leaked Kendrick track from September that took shots at him, Jay Electronica and French Montana.

The song painted Sean as a B-list sneak disser …. "You're finally famous for who you date, not how you rhyme boy/Cute ass raps, get your puberty up” … but Sean tells us he didn’t consider Kendrick’s bars a diss and they're still cool to this day.

Travis Scott had a close call during his Tuesday night concert in NYC ... almost getting knocked off the stage by a massive head-shaped prop, while also making a fast recovery!!!

The rapper was in the middle of his performance on an elevated part of the stage at Brooklyn's Barclays Center when, all of a sudden, the large cranium floated up behind him.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ ... Travis is so preoccupied singing his song that he's completely unaware of the threat creeping up on him. The oversized skull bumps into his back, causing him to jump to a portion of the stage below.

But, Travis doesn't get flustered and continues on with his show, pausing only briefly to call a tech guy on stage and whisper something in his ear. Although it's unclear what Travis said, the technician soon dashes off stage, and the video cuts off.

Our sources say there were no other hiccups during Travis's nearly two-hour gig, part of his "Circus Maximus" tour, and the crowd had a great time.

Kanye West will no longer be tied down to the Malibu beach home he bought for tens of millions of dollars only to totally gut it ... he just put it on the market with a celeb realtor.

Ye is asking for $53 million for the beachfront home he bought a couple years ago for $57 million ... and 'Selling Sunset' star Jason Oppenheim has the listing.

This is the place Kanye was remodeling with famous architect Tadao Ando ... and it's also at the center of a lawsuit.

The Malibu mansion is huge at 4,000 square feet but there's a catch ... Kanye's renovation gutted the property, removing all the home's windows and electricity.

As we reported ... Kanye is being sued by the former project manager who was overseeing the remodel ... and the guy says they had a huge falling out over Ye's insistence on ripping out plumbing, electrical and HVAC.

Jason tells TMZ ... "The interior finishes have been removed, and this creates an unbelievably rare opportunity to buy a Picasso on the water with the ability to restore it to your own specific standards, with modern technology and excellence."

Jeannie Mai is denying Jeezy's claim that she's gatekeeping their daughter from him amid their divorce -- insisting she's just trying to keep the kid safe ... this per new court docs.

The talk show host submitted a response to Jeezy's request for a hearing to figure out a temporary custody schedule in their ongoing divorce case, and according to her latest filing -- obtained by TMZ -- she says his accusation that she's interfering with his ability to spend time with their 1-year-old Monaco is false.

Jeannie also says she's been more than accommodating when it comes to Jeezy asking for time with their daughter ... giving him all the dates he's asked for, and giving him an extended period of time with her over the Christmas holiday.

Jeannie says she 100% wants Jeezy to be involved in their daughter's life -- but says safety is her #1 concern ... and in these docs, she claims it's completely reasonable for safety to be on her mind.

Jeannie's attorneys write ... "It is essential to clarify that Ms. Jenkins’ insistence on reasonable safety measures being put in place, such as safely securing and locking away all firearms that have been unsecured in the past, as well as having familiarity and properly trained caregivers is absolutely not gatekeeping, but rather a responsible effort to prioritize their daughter’s well-being."

Her legal team adds, "These requests are grounded in Ms. Jenkins’ genuine concern for the parties’ daughter’s safety and security, especially when under the care of others and traveling across the country, and are reasonable protective measures, not an attempt to restrict Mr. Jenkins’ access to their daughter."

Around the same time Jeannie filed her response to Jeezy's divorce petition -- when she seemed to imply he might've cheated, and that it would have consequences under their prenup -- he filed new docs himself ... in which he alleged she was keeping him from seeing Monaco on a consistent basis.

Like we said ... Jeannie's calling BS on that, and instead of a hearing on temporary custody -- she's asking the judge here to just send them to mediation to work this out themselves, noting she feels like they're strong candidates for that option.