TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

The Big Game means big paydays for celebs ... and Nicki Minaj, DaBaby, Lil Baby and Yo Gotti are among the famous folks cashing in on appearances at Super Bowl parties in Miami.

One of the biggest cash cows for rappers this weekend is Studio 23 in Miami Beach. Sources with knowledge of the deals tell us Nicki's getting $125,000 to host Monday night's finale and Gucci Mane's pocketing $100k to host Saturday night's bash.

Jeezy and Yo Gotti hosted parties Friday night, with Jeezy getting $40,000 from Studio 23 and Mirage Miami shelling out $50k for Yo Gotti's services.

Gunna's hosting at the Mirage Saturday night, and he's getting $60k -- on top of the $60k he got from Studio 23 for Thursday's gig.

Lil Baby and DaBaby are co-hosting the Trap Bowl day party Saturday at Wynwood Factory in Miami's art district, and Lil Baby's earning $70,000, compared to $80k for DaBaby.

Don't let these two almost identical images of Young Thug throw you off ... stay focused and see if you can spot the sneaky switches that have been made to this tricky pic.

Earlier this week the rapper was spotted out in Los Angeles, California and we have made some changes to this photo of him. Now, it is up to you to figure out what changes have been made! Take a really good look here and see if you can find the differences between these two super-similar snaps!

Lil Wayne paid tribute to Kobe Bryant on his brand new album he dropped TODAY -- laying in 24 seconds of silence on track #8 to show love to the Lakers legend.

Wayne spent years working on the album "Funeral" -- but when he learned about Kobe's death on Sunday, he connected with Young Money President, Mack Maine, and they agreed to make last-second changes to honor Bryant.

The final decision was to lay in a moment of silence for Kobe at the end of the 8th song on the album, titled "Bing James" -- 24 seconds in total. Obviously, the numbers refer to Kobe's Lakers jersey numbers, #8 and #24.

Wayne appeared on FS1's Undisputed on Friday morning and credited the producers who worked on the album for being nimble enough to change up the album just HOURS before it was released ... truly an impressive feat.

Wayne is a huge basketball fan who LOVES the Lakers -- and has been a public Kobe supporter for years. In fact, he dropped a song called "Kobe Bryant" years ago.

Wayne also shouts out "Black Mamba" in the chorus of another song on the new album -- a song called "Ball Hard."

Wayne's "Funeral" album happens to have 24 tracks -- but he told Skip Bayless that was just a coincidence.

Chance The Rapper is featured in the first-ever TV commercial for Quibi -- a revolutionary new mobile platform -- and the funny spot is hitting the airwaves during the Super Bowl.

The commercial depicts a bank heist gone wrong, leaving the robbers with just 4 to 10 minutes to spare ... which just so happens to be the perfect amount of time to watch a Quibi.

As you can see ... the bank robbers pause mid-heist to check out Chance's revival of "Punk'd" on Quibi.

BTW ... Quibi is short for "quick bites" ... and the first-ever entertainment platform designed specifically for phones delivers episodes and movie-quality shows in 10 minutes or less.

Quibi's launching April 6, with original content from huge celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Liam Hemsworth, Zac Efron, Idris Elba, Kendall Jenner, 50 Cent, Steph Curry, Chrissy Teigen and Kristen Bell ... plus our own celebrity show with a TMZ edge.

Mase, one of Diddy's biggest Bad Boy Records stars, is coming for blood ... calling the mogul a hypocrite for his Grammys speech, and for keeping him under a horrible contract.

The "Mo Money, Mo Problems" rapper went off on Diddy Friday saying it's ironic Bad Boy's honcho is calling on black artists to take back control of their art -- because Mase claims Diddy keeps his own artists "enslaved," purposely starves them and subjects them to his "horrendous business model."

On a personal level, Mase is pissed about the $20k he says Diddy paid him for his publishing rights more than 20 years ago, when he debuted at the age of 19.

As you know ... Diddy gave a 50-minute speech while accepting an Industry Icon award at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. He was also at Jay-Z's Roc Nation brunch earlier that day, toasting black billionaires and black excellence.

None of this sat well with Mase, who said he offered Diddy $2 million in cash just a few days ago to buy back his catalog. He claims Diddy told him he had to match a European man's offer and "that would be the only way I can get it back."

Mase -- who signed with Bad Boy in 1996, retired in 1999 and returned in 2004 -- added, "You bought it for about 20k & I offered you 2m in cash. This is not black excellence at all. When your own race is enslaving us. If it's about us owning, it can't be about us owning each other. No More Hiding Behind 'Love.' U CHANGED? GIVE THE ARTIST BACK THEIR $$$$. So they can take care of their families."

Mase has feuded with Diddy in the past ... and in 2009 Mase tried getting out of his deal with the label.

Brooklyn MC Sauce Money, who's worked with Diddy and Jay-Z, also took a swipe ... saying he watched Diddy's speech, and "I respect the message, just not coming from him."

We've reached out to Diddy's camp for comment, but so far no word back.

Damn. Can we just run it back ...

Offset reacted to a guy spraying champagne -- which might have splashed Cardi B -- by delivering some cham-pain ... in the form of a wild punch off the stage.

The husband and wife rappers were partying after 3 AM at Booby Trap On the River strip club in Miami, and were standing on stage next to a pole when the champagne started flying.

We're told Cardi got wet and wasn't thrilled about it, but Offset was enraged and immediately began looking for the guy. As you can see, once he spotted him, Offset wound up his fist and let it fly.

People at the club tell us the punch landed, and Offset kept throwing 'em until he was pulled off by security. We're told he and Cardi took off immediately after that.

It's pretty crazy, because both Cardi and Offset performed at David Grutman's LIV nightclub in Miami Beach earlier Thursday night ... kicking off a series of events this weekend leading up to Sunday's big game.

The vibes seemed to be all good, and the couple also seemed to have a great time when they first arrived at Booby Trap. Cardi danced on Offset, and he made it rain on her.

Obviously, things changed for the worse later on.

The strip club dust up came a day after Offset was detained in an L.A. shopping center. We broke the story ... Offset was released from jail after a few hours and told us cops had the wrong guy.

Billy Porter's got some solid advice for Lil Nas X on the heels of Pastor Troy's homophobic rant ... brush the dirt off that shoulder.

We got the "Pose" star out Thursday morning in NYC and got his take on Pastor Troy's hateful message directed at Lil Nas X just days after X won 2 Grammys for his hit track "Old Town Road."

Troy's words don't bear repeating here ... but ya gotta give props to Lil Nas X -- who wore a pink leather cowboy suit to the awards show -- for one helluva clap back. Porter doesn't seem surprised .... saying there's still lots of homophobic vibes in hip-hop.

Offset has been detained by cops after a report of a person with a gun at an L.A. shopping center.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ a call came in just before 8 PM of a person with a gun inside the parking structure at The Grove shopping center. We're told the person who had the weapon allegedly fled the scene, and Offset and members of his entourage have been detained.

It is NOT clear if Offset or anyone he was with actually had a weapon, and police are currently investigating the situation.

In video -- obtained by TMZ -- Offset can be seen in a yellow hoodie asking officers why he's been cuffed ... the officer pushes the Migos rapper up against a wall.

We are told Offset is currently being held near the security station of The Grove.

Team Roc, Roc Nation's philanthropic arm, is releasing video it says graphically illustrates the inhumane conditions inside a notorious Mississippi penitentiary ... as Yo Gotti continues fighting for federal assistance.

These videos and photos were shot by inmates using contraband phones, according to Team Roc. The images include what looks like a knife fight between 2 prisoners, gruesome injuries and horrific filth inside a cell.

TMZ broke the story ... Yo Gotti, with Team Roc's support, is taking legal action over the conditions seen in the video. Most recently, they've filed for an emergency protective order in federal court -- on behalf of dozens of inmates -- and they've now added some of these photos to that filing.

Nicki Minaj and her husband got a nasty stare-down by Meek Mill ... and THAT'S what started the epic shouting match.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Nicki and hubby Kenneth Petty had barely walked into the high-end clothing store, Maxfield in WeHo, last weekend when Meek immediately gave them a nasty stare-down.

Like anyone running into an ex, Nicki and Kenneth took offense to Meek giving them a dirty look and that's what triggered the shouting match. Our sources say Nicki and Kenneth did NOT approach Meek by any means. The couple just happened to cross Meek's path when they walked into the store.

This, of course, disputes Meek's side of the story. As we first reported ... the "Championships" rapper said Nicki and Kenneth approached him and started getting loud.

Nicki Minaj's brother was just sentenced to 25 years to life in prison following the guilty verdict in his child rape trial.

Judge Robert McDonald sentenced Jelani Maraj in a New York court Monday ... several months after the verdict been reached.

As we reported ... Maraj was found guilty of predatory sexual assault against a child and endangering the welfare of a child in a trial that lasted less than 3 weeks. At the time of the verdict, the Nassau County D.A. told us, "We hope that today's verdict will help the family in the healing process."

Back in 2017, Nicki visited her brother while he was locked up. We were told she only went to support her mother.

The show must go on for YG ... according to his lawyer, anyway, who says the guy WILL perform at the Grammys after all, this following his arrest and release.

YG's attorney, Joe Tacopina, tells TMZ ... YG is moving forward with his Grammy Awards performance Sunday night, which had already been in the books before he got hauled in by cops last week on suspicion of robbery and bonding out the same day on $250k bail.

The rapper's performance is supposed to be in honor of the late Nipsey Hussle -- which Tacopina and others, including The Game, thought might've been behind the arrest.

We still don't know what the robbery allegation stems from, but YG's Escalade was involved in a high-speed chase back in July that left a 65-year-old man dead. The MC denied he was anywhere near that scene at the time ... it's unclear if the two cases are related.

Looks like YG's following in the footsteps of his fellow artist Young Thug -- who was also put in cuffs last year right before his Grammys performance, but was then released.

Cardi B looked amazing at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy bash Saturday night, and her hubby was more than happy to sample the goods!

Cardi hit up the annual bash at the Bev Hilton Hotel and wore a super NSFW dress, to Offset's resounding approval.

Offset and Cardi are nominated for Best Rap Performance for "Clout."

She's won a Grammy last year for Best Rap Album, and she definitely won at Clive's party.

Diddy railed on the Grammys Saturday, saying it's turned a blind eye to black artists ... notably, hip-hop artists.

Ironically, Diddy unloaded on the Grammys during his acceptance speech for receiving an Industry Icon award. It all went down at Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

As you know, TMZ broke the story ... Whitney Houston died the evening of the same annual party back in 2012 when she was found in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton, dead from an OD.

As for Diddy, he gave an acceptance speech that was interminably long -- 50 minutes, seriously. It ended at 12:30 AM, and toward the end is when Diddy set his sights on the folks who run the Grammys.

Among many other things ... Diddy said, "Truth be told, hip-hop has never been respected by the Grammys. Black music has never been respected by the Grammys."

As for Diddy's record ... 3 Grammy wins and 13 noms.

Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott are planning an epic birthday bash for their little Stormi ... and if her first bday is any indication, this party's gonna be outta this world!!!

Sources close to Kylie and Travis tell TMZ ... they are getting back to their co-parenting ways to throw a joint party for Stormi's 2nd, renting out a studio space for friends and family and running up the tab to a cool six figures.

Stormi's already gotten a special trip to Disney World to kick off the birthday festivities -- Feb. 1 marks her second trip around the sun -- but the Mouse House is only the tip of the bday iceberg.

You'll recall ... Stormi's first birthday bash was nothing short of spectacular. Kylie rented out the entire backlot of Universal Studios for a "Stormiworld" theme, complete with carnival rides, a butterfly rainbow forest and tons of food and games.

Jay-Z and a ton of other stars showed out for the annual Roc Nation Brunch this weekend -- but there's one person who's noticeably missing so far ... Lauren London.

Celebs like Jay, Diddy, DJ Khaled, Megan Thee Stallion, Miguel, Meek Mill, Winnie Harlow, Ella Mai, Usher, Kelly Rowland, June Ambrose, Robert Kraft, Mike Rubin, G-Eazy, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Rel Howery, La La Anthony and several others were in attendance Saturday for the pre-Grammys shindig. They held one last year too ... it was also star-studded.

It looks like folks are still trickling in, but so far ... there's no sign of the late Nipsey Hussle's girlfriend, who came with him last year before his untimely death about two months later.

She's kept a relatively low profile in the wake of her partner getting gunned down in cold blood -- but LL has surfaced online with a few clothes and sneaker campaigns.

Speaking of that, we're seeing the colors of the event match Beyonce's ADIDAS x Ivy Park drop. Oh, and one other person, we're not seeing quite yet ... Bey herself.