TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Lil Wayne's revealing his secret to staying lean and fit ... and the main ingredient is steering clear of fast food chains and the gym for the past 20 years!!!

Wayne recalls first moving to Miami when he was 19, and says because his mom was a chef, she urged him to hire one of his own.

The Young Money megastar took his madre's advice and has been thriving as a result ... telling Apple 1's Zane Lowe he couldn't ID the smell of McDonald's if the aroma smacked him in the face, as he's royally opposed to fast food.

Wayne also admitted he doesn't do any working out -- with or without weights -- and quipped Jim Jones is one of the only "gyms" he knows.

We guess Wayne doesn't really count his skateboarding hobby as physical exercise ... despite being plenty active. He says it's the camaraderie amongst skaters more than anything that keeps him riding.

The 40-year-old will undoubtedly keep up his nutrition routine this year ... he's set to not only drop his long-awaited "Carter VI" album but embark on a nationwide tour to pump the music.

BTW, personal chef living isn't always smooth sailing -- as we first reported, Wayne's dealing with a wrongful termination lawsuit from one of his ex-chefs.

R. Kelly has just been sentenced in Chicago to 20 years for his federal sex crimes case.

The disgraced singer was in federal court in Illinois Thursday ... 19 of the years will be served concurrent with the sentence he's carrying out now, while the final year will be consecutive.

Prosecutors recommended a 25-year sentence and asked that it be served on top of the time he's already serving behind bars.

As we reported, Kelly was accused of abusing 4 people, 3 being minors, in this case and faced child pornography charges. He was found guilty on 6 of 13 charges, with the jury convicting him on the child pornography counts, but acquitting him on charges of conspiracy and enticement.

U.S. Attorney Jon Lausch at the time said his sentencing could range anywhere from 10-90 years ... but Kelly seemed to catch a small break earlier this year -- even if it won't make a big effect on his time in prison.

Charges against Kelly from Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx were dropped in January, with Kelly's attorney Jennifer Bonjean telling us Foxx decided to not pursue the case because he's been convicted twice of similar crimes and is already looking at the possibility of a lifetime lockup.

As you know, R. Kelly's currently serving a 30-year sentence for federal racketeering from a conviction in New York.

Master P and Jess Hilarious' ongoing money dispute has unearthed another one -- DJ Envy says Murder Inc. Records boss Irv Gotti owes him $10K, and claims he's been dodging him for years!!!

"The Breakfast Club" cohost was on the air Thursday when the Master P convo prompted Envy to spill the tea -- he says he and DJ Mono were recruited by Irv for a track, and while he received the front-end payment ... he claims he was told "keep it moving" when attempting to receive his final cut.

Envy hadn't yet reached his current financial status of massive car collecting, and says he was looking forward to the money Irv allegedly owed him. He says he and Mona end up splitting the front-end payment.

We reached out to Irv's team to get his side of the story ... which only came to light because Master P is calling "fake news" on Jess' claim he still owes her $15K for her appearance in the critically panned film, "I Got the Hook-Up 2."

The No Limit Records Colonel dropped off an extensive IG post Wednesday ... claiming to have proof of the contract Jess signed. He's also swatting down Fat Trel's allegation P released some of the D.C. rapper's music without authorization, and got paid handsomely from it.

Jess insists she's still owed the 15 racks, and Trel shared a DM from P's son Romeo Miller vouching for his version of events ... which is alarming, considering father and son supposedly reconciled over the holidays.

Being stuck on a plane for 7 hours sounds terrible, right?! Not if you're Damian Lillard or the Portland Trail Blazers ... 'cause the NBA team turned the unfortunate incident into a rap music video!!

So, the Blazers were supposed to be flying from Portland International Airport to Sacramento, California for Thursday's game against the Kings, but a severe snowstorm delayed their chartered flight for 7 hours.

Though the flight was ultimately canceled, the team took advantage of their time together on the plane by making a dope music video!

Blazers star Lillard dropped it on Wednesday via Instagram ... showing the 7-time NBA All-Star spittin' a freestyle over GloRilla and Cardi B's "Tomorrow 2" beat, while his teammates played hype men in the background.

"Man, how the f*** we stuck up in the snow? Guess we fly this bitch tomorrow." Lillard rapped.

"Back stuck on the plane, I might have to buy a fit tomorrow. And it's cuffin' weather, grab ya bitch, she might get hit tomorrow."

"Shooters in the locker room like we the Wizards, got me tight -- stuck up in this f***in' blizzard."

Of course, anyone familiar with Lillard knows outside of basketball, he loves to rap ... in fact, many consider Dame the best athlete rapper.

The 32-year-old Oakland native -- who goes by the rap name Dame D.O.L.L.A -- has released several albums during his 10-year NBA career, with some songs featuring several artists including Snoop Dogg.

Kay Flock's legal problems continue to pile up while he awaits trial on murder charges ... the Bronx drill rapper was just indicted by a federal grand jury for a slew of racketeering conspiracy charges.

The new indictment accuses Kay Flock and 5 others of running the Sev Side/DOA gang ... and tacks on several counts related to his separate December 2021 murder charge, when authorities claim the rapper murdered Oscar Hernandez in cold blood outside a Bronx barbershop.

According to the indictment, Sev Side/DOA's primary purpose was to commit robberies, acts of violence and financial fraud in their Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx ... they also face several counts of attempted murder and illegal firearm possession.

The 19-year-old rapper managed to maintain a nice buzz while behind bars last April, thanks to his collab with Cardi B "Shake It" which peaked at No. 51 on the Hot 100.

Quavo's dropped another Takeoff tribute track ... one that seemingly puts a cap on the Migos legacy while honoring his slain nephew at the same time.

The superstar rapper dropped a new song and video Wednesday entitled "Greatness" -- and it compiles clips of him playing basketball with Cordae, behind-the-scenes footage of his recent Grammys tribute and older images of Takeoff during the group's come-up days.

Quavo also answers questions about the Migos' future later on the track, "Came in, swept the game like a storm with the muthaf***ing flow, n***a, Take did that/ So don’t ask about the group, he gone, we gone, young n***a it can’t come back, damn!"

He also hoists up the group's collective chain they all copped to celebrate the release of 2021's "Culture III" album.

News of the legendary group's conclusion comes as little surprise to fans, especially considering the story TMZ broke about the Grammys -- Quavo and Offset had a backstage spat ahead of the Takeoff tribute.

Nipsey Hussle's pal Cowboy is satisfied with the sentence that came down on the rapper's murderer, but still believes the wound left by Nip's death is one that will never heal.

We got Cowboy outside the DTLA courthouse where the judge gave Eric Holder 60 years to life. He told us it's a big win for those closest to the superstar rapper, but he also filled us in on why it's a bittersweet moment.

While the sentencing brings an end to the tragic saga of Nipsey's murder ... Cowboy says he'll still have Nipsey's family's back -- just as he did through the trial -- because they all made an impact on his life.

As we reported, Holder was handed his lengthy sentence Wednesday after a jury found him guilty last year of 1st-degree murder. He gunned down Nipsey back in 2019.

We also got activist Najee Ali after Holder's sentencing, and he echoes Cowboy's feelings ... saying any amount of time behind bars could never bring back Nip, but he too calls 60 years fitting for the crime.

Nipsey Hussle's killer, Eric Holder, was sentenced to 60 years to life behind bars, a sentence that came months after a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of 1st-degree murder.

Remember ... Holder gunned down Nipsey in broad daylight back in 2019, and the brutal details were outlined at trial, with prosecutors telling the jury Holder kicked Nipsey in the head after riddling his body with bullets, claiming it was proof the attack was personal.

Deputy District Attorney John McKinney then told the jury Holder told Nipsey, "You're through," to which the rapper replied, "You got me."

As we reported, Holder shot 2 other people while committing Nipsey's murder ... and he was also found guilty of 2 counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter, 2 counts of assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Holder may have to keep his head on a swivel in prison ... he was previously jumped by inmates in county jail while waiting for his transportation to court. Holder suffered a big gash to the back of the head that required staples, and the injuries delayed his trial.

Kodak Black is putting his hard feelings toward Drake on full display ... and it's all over Champagne Papi's decision to record the "Her Loss" album with 21 Savage instead of him.

While talking to RAP on IG this week, Kodak shut down the possibility of any future Drake collabs, claiming to have previously told Drake he wanted to roll out a project right around now.

Kodak and 21 have a shaky history ... having previously screamed at one another over a potential Verzuz battle, and Kodak dragged 21 for his infamous Nas "irrelevant" comments -- but the beef is most likely brewing over "Her Loss" dropping around the same time as Yak's "Kutthroat Bill" album last fall.

Beyond its platinum certification, that meddling "Her Loss" album has had plenty of ripple effects among rappers.

According to N.O.R.E., Future also felt some kinda way about Drake linking with 21 for the project, as it overshadowed their 2015 album "What a Time to Be Alive" ... although Young Scooter called cap on the claim.

LL Cool J is throwing in the towel on his latest studio effort -- which would have been his first album in 10 years -- because he feels the music is pure 💩 to his own ears!!!

A frustrated LL was burning the midnight oil early Wednesday morning ... when he tweeted the official announcement he was flushing the project, saying it wasn't "worthy" for mass consumption.

LL's last album "Authentic," dropped back in 2013 -- the same year he made the critically panned "Accidental Racist" collab with country music star Brad Paisley. Hey, at least LL apologized ... lets all move on.

Now, the legendary rapper's album exit just happens to come as his ex-nemesis, Canibus, is reemerging on the interview circuit with tales of their legendary battle.

In a recent interview with Math Hoffa, Canibus revisited his "weird" first encounter with LL and detailed much of LL's demeanor, from his perspective.

As for present day LL ... just last month he was hyping his new project, boasting the fans just have to hear it.

Maybe he'll bounce back and work out the kinks, but for now, fans aren't gonna hear it. So, no ... don't call it a comeback.

Lil Duval sparked a global debate by declaring Afrobeats would put the nail in hip hop's coffin -- but RZA, one of the guys who helped put rap on the worldwide map, completely disagrees with the controversial comedian.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Wu-Tang Clan figurehead out in WeHo Tuesday and he argues Afrobeats artists are doing their form of hip hop ... no different from rappers in the trap or G-funk creators out West.

Duval was reacting to last Sunday's Afrobeats takeover of the 2023 NBA All-Star Game halftime show ... led by standout artists Burna Boy, Tems and Rema ... and RZA says they deserve a chance to shine and feed their families, just like his generation did.

RZA also tackled another one of Duval's recent hip hop hot takes -- that podcasting has overtaken the music's popularity, another point RZA understood but debunked.

Rappers-turned-podcasters such as Joe Budden and N.O.R.E. have achieved much success on their platforms, but RZA tells us he and the Wu-Tang Clan just sold out shows during their "NY State of Mind" tour ... without the industry spotlight.

Canadian choreographer Laurieann Gibson was 34 years old when she first appeared on MTV's "Making The Band" starring P Diddy back in 2005. She rose to fame with the making of girl group Danity Kane, which consisted of Aubrey O'Day, Dawn Richard, Shannon Bex, and D. Woods

Today -- although she tends to stay out of the limelight -- she has built up quite the resume working with some of Hollywood's hottest stars including Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Dua lipa, and she's appeared on competition shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dance Moms."

"Boomkack!"

Kanye West is all gassed up with his new wife by his side, making a pit stop at a local gas station to fuel up and grab a quick drink.

Kanye and Bianca Censori were out and about Monday in L.A. -- Kanye was dressed in a brown leather jacket -- a change from his usual all-black look. Bianca on the other hand, went with black spandex and her signature bleach-blonde short hair.

Kanye grabbed a Red Bull inside before fueling up his Maybach SUV, unclear why they both got out of the whip, but maybe they're just that inseparable.

As we reported, it was last week when Ye popped into the L.A. County Sheriff's West Hollywood Station after a heated argument with paparazzi, informing deputies he was being harassed ... but it looks like the exchange was without drama.

T.I. is firing back at Boosie Badazz after being publicly slandered with the news their joint album was canceled all because of T.I.'s now infamous story about ratting on his dead cousin.

An incensed Tip took to IG on Tuesday, accusing Boosie of not being genuine and daring the Louisiana rapper to pull up and examine the paperwork evidence for himself!!!

The invitation was also extended to Boosie's "OG Uncle" ... who apparently had the most influence over Boosie's decision to nix the project altogether.

T.I. says Boosie spoke out of turn ... rather unintelligently and ultimately painted his former collaborator's character as flawed.

Boosie has yet to respond to T.I.'s retort but has been resharing clips of his viral interview with the captions that amuse him the best.

Warren Sapp is laughing off a riff he had with Nas back in the day, and it all started because the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year's email address referenced his hatred for quarterbacks.

Sapp's talking about the days before cell phones and social media -- just 2-way pagers communicating via email. He says that's how he and Nas stayed in touch after meeting in NYC at the top of the century.

Warren was an NFL sack king at the time, so he created the email address "QB Killer" for his 2-way tag -- which pissed off Nas, who's famously from Queensbridge, NY ... hence, the "QB's Finest" moniker.

So, the next time Warren's in NYC, he hits Nas on his pager and once he saw the "QB Killer" email ... Nas immediately got heated, according to Sapp -- and he says the rapper cursed him out until they cleared up the misunderstanding.

Da Brat and her wife Jesseca "Judy" Harris-Dupart are expanding their household roster, announcing the iconic MC is carrying a child at the age of 48.

There's a first time for everything -- Brat was the first female rapper to go platinum with her 1994 debut album "Funkdafied" and now she's expecting her first child, telling People, "It's been quite a journey."

Brat and Judy made the big reveal Tuesday, introducing Brat's baby bump in a shoot with photographer Derek Blanks ... with a gangsta motif to play into Brat's rapper exterior.

Brat understands there are some possible risks with the pregnancy, adding, "there's a lot of stuff we learned about women over the age of 40."

Brat and Judy already share Judy's three children together -- and the rapper had to overcome a few hurdles -- an embryo transfer that required surgery to remove fibroids and polyps from her body.

The couple says they chose an anonymous donor and will chronicle the pregnancy in Season 3 of their WE TV series "Brat Loves Judy."