TMZ Hip Hop - Page 50

Nicki Minaj is being dragged to court over some alleged unpaid bills for custom jewelry ... but her attorney says she's not responsible, and claims the jeweler is just using her for publicity.

The rapper is being sued by a West Hollywood jeweler who claims they loaned out some bling to the rapper -- a pretty standard transaction for celebs, but the jeweler claims some of those pieces came back damaged ... which is not standard.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nicki's stylist Brett Alan Nelson signed a contract with Roseark jewelry store, with Roseark agreeing to loan Nicki jewelry for a public appearance.

The store claims the contract called for Brett to return the bling within a week and pay for any damages the jewelry might incur under his watch.

In the docs, Roseark claims Nicki's stylist failed to return 66 pieces of jewelry by the agreed upon deadline, and, when Brett finally forked over the bling, there was noticeable damage to a set of earrings and a leaf ring.

A source close to Nicki tells us ... everything was returned on time as promised and it was only after items were in the jeweler's possession for some time that the store complained about a missing stone.

The jewelry store says it sent invoices to Brett for the damage, which it says totals $26,239.50 plus interest. The folks at Roseark claim they haven't gotten paid, despite their repeated attempts to collect.

So, Roseark is suing Nicki and her stylist for the money ... even though it appears Nikki never had any direct dealings with the jeweler.

In fact, Nicki's attorney, Jordan Siev, tells TMZ ... "We have not been presented with any evidence that any of the jewelry at issue was damaged by Nicki. This lawsuit appears to be nothing more than an ordinary insurance claim by the jeweler designed to generate publicity for itself and extract a payment to which it is not entitled. We will defend the lawsuit vigorously."

Lil Tjay is in police custody once again ... his lawyer says the rapper got arrested in NYC -- second time this year -- and this time it all went down live on Instagram.

Tjay's lawyer Dawn Florio tells TMZ ... the rapper was filming a short clip for a music video when cops arrived on the scene in Manhattan, and took him in for reckless endangerment.

He captured his arrest on video, too, as he happened to be live streaming Tuesday during the ordeal. Some folks in the crowd told him to stop resisting as his phone ended up in someone else's hand.

TMZ broke the story, the 22-year-old was arrested in January after a traffic stop in the Bronx while en route to shoot a video with Ice Spice. Law enforcement sources told us cops found a handgun in his vehicle, resulting in him getting booked for weapon possession.

Of course, the guy's also lucky to be alive after getting shot 7 times in a 2022 New Jersey robbery.

We've reached out to the NYPD's press office for comment ... so far, no word back.

Young Thug’s biological brother, and YSL artist, Unfoonk is behind bars for violating the terms of the probation put in place after his plea deal in the Georgia RICO case.

The judge in Fulton County officially revoked Unfoonk’s probation Monday, and sentenced him to 9 years and 6 months in prison after he was charged with firearm possession by a convicted felon ... among other offenses.

Judge Ural D. Glanville scolded Unfoonk during the sentencing ... reminding the Atlanta rapper of their conversation in May about the strict conditions of his probation, especially when it came to possessing a gun!!!

Back in December, Unfoonk (born Quantavious Grier) took a plea deal in the ongoing YSL RICO trial, in which he got credit for 2 years time served, and was placed on probation for the next 10 years.

2 Chainz is mourning the sudden loss of his beloved French bulldog, TrappyGoHard, his adorable sidekick for nearly a decade.

2 Chainz posted the sad news on Monday and said the loss is hitting him like a ton of bricks.

The Atlanta rap star praised Trappy for his laid-back demeanor, and fondly recalled how he was able to make the pooch a permanent part of his entourage for worldwide treks.

2 Chainz got Trappy from a top breeder back in 2015, and they instantly became a recognizable duo.

The "T.R.U." rapper says he's confident their union inspired fans to acquire French bulldogs of their own, and openly admitted his love for Trappy runs greater than his care for some humans out there!!!

Trappy was a regular on 2 Chainz's "Most Expensive S**t" series and also made frequent cameos in interviews and social media.

Losing a pet can be just like losing a family member in most cases ... and 2 Chainz's dog was a bona fide star.

Bobby Shmurda is distancing himself and his ears from today's generation of rappers ... claiming to only catch wind of new hip hop music when he's out partying in the club.

The Brooklyn MC got real candid firing off his anti-rap opinions on a recent appearance on "The Danza Project" podcast, where he called out the gamut of today's rappers for leading younger listeners astray with exaggerated narratives of their gangster tales.

Bobby says hip hop is supposed to uplift people, not influence negativity, so he actively stopped following the culture, and chooses instead to bump reggae these days.

He says his connection to rap has been lost to the point that a popular new rapper could diss him on a song, and he would be oblivious to the whole thing!!!

Bobby isn't alone in his thinking there are too many dark clouds hanging over the rap scene these days.

TMZ Hip Hop recently caught up with Ty Dolla $ign and he told us his upcoming dance EP is a direct counterattack to what he calls a negative music overload.

What's odd about Bobby's hot take is that his own catalog features some less-than-happy-go-lucky tracks.

Rick Ross' 2nd annual car show was a huge success ... and that's not only coming from the thousands of folks in attendance but Fayette County officials, who were initially reluctant about the whole thing.

Fayette County staff tell TMZ ... Ricky Rozay's event planners did a great job communicating with officials, and working with the county to make sure the event went on as smoothly as possible.

Now, that's not to say everything was perfect. We're told there were about 19 medical emergencies during the show, but EMS personnel were on site to help.

Four of those people were transported to a hospital, and only 1 case wound up being serious.

Our sources say the Fire Marshal made sure Rick and co. were meeting code, and the Health Department checked on food vendors -- everything passed with flying colors. Also, sheriffs were on hand for added security during the event.

We're told, even the traffic was also a whole lot better compared to last year's nightmare at the event.

You'll recall, Fayette County initially rejected Rick's permit to have the car show, saying it wasn't in compliance with zoning ordinances.

County officials also said last year's inaugural show went down without their approval -- despite being a huge success in Rick's eyes -- and they didn't want a repeat of that.

Of course, Da Boss wound up getting a permit with some strict guidelines for the massive event held on his massive Promised Land estate in Fayetteville.

Turned out to be another one for the books ... with a ton of celebs and other folks coming out as RR hit the stage and showed off a range of whips and vendors on his property.

Ice Spice and Latto both had the same idea when it came down to celebrating their big-time looks at this year's Hot 97 Summer Jam ... as we've learned they ended up at the same NYC hot spot to get turnt!!!

Sources close to both camps tell TMZ Hip Hop ... Ice and Latto ended up at Sei Less restaurant with their respective parties, and we're told Latto's long-rumored flame 21 Savage eventually joined her private room of 20 people to toast to the occasion!!!

Latto was still buzzing with the hysteria of her Summer Jam performance ... where Cardi B brought her out to perform their new collab, the "Put It On The Floor (Remix)" and her good mood was felt firsthand by the dining staff ... as we've learned she tipped waiters a whooping $2k tip to accompany the $6k bill.

Not to be outdone, we're told Ice also celebrated in her own separate private room ... just hours after being surprised by Rob Markman, on the Summer Jam stage with her first RIAA certification... a Gold plaque for her blowup single "Munch."

The Capitol Records signee released "Munch (Feelin' U)" in July 2022 through Worldstar Distro ... and the rest is now history on a trophy for her wall!!!

Misa Hylton -- the mother of Diddy's eldest son Justin Combs -- is none too pleased following their son's DUI arrest ... and it appears she thinks his dad hasn't been the strictest parent.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... JC was busted for running a red light around 8 AM on Sunday morning, and eventually hauled off and booked on a misdemeanor DUI charge.

Shortly after the news broke, Misa launched into a tirade on Instagram aimed at Diddy, suggesting his "reality show" lifestyle led Justin down the wrong path.

Naturally, mothers tend to be overprotective of their sons and Misa told her followers to expect the absolute worst should anything ever happen to her Prince JC.

UCLA, the college where JC once played football, and one of Diddy's high-ranking employees also felt Misa's mama bear wrath via a few stray shots.

She also brought up (or scoffed at rather), Diddy's recently filed lawsuit against alcohol giant Diageo where he alleged racist and unfair treatment as a brand ambassador.

Misa thinks Diddy should invest in selling something healthier for the culture and his suing the bank that got him rich hints at a fall from grace!!!

Yung Gravy is on the mend from a nasty nosedive that left him with multiple fractures, but the charismatic rapper isn't up in arms over the music festival accident ... even if that arm's currently in a sling!!!

TMZ Hip Hop linked with Gravy at LAX, where he said he's got no beef with the Hangout Music Festival, the Alabama event, where he recently took the tumble while working the crowd.

Gravy says HMF is graciously covering his medical bills, and took the blame for him tripping over a wooden plank.

The fall was that much harder because the "Betty (Get Money)" rapper happens to be 6'6" -- and his height made it mandatory we get his thoughts on DDG proclaiming tall dudes are outta style in 2023.

Now, DDG's dating the 'Little Mermaid' herself, Halle Bailey, so he's brimming with confidence right now -- but surprisingly, Gravy agrees with him!

He told us he's happy to see the little guys get some shine after being overlooked ... although he does consider himself an exception in this circumstance.

On cue, Gravy did provide an exceptional musical update -- he tells us he's fresh off a trip from Cambodia and recorded music with one of the YSL rappers. 👀

Diddy's eldest son, Justin Combs, was arrested for DUI this weekend in L.A. ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Justin was arrested Sunday morning near Beverly Hills after a cop saw a vehicle run a red light. This occurred around 8 AM -- and the incident was also shot by an eyewitness. In pics obtained by TMZ, you can see JC interacting with the officer.

We're told the officer initiated a traffic stop, where Justin was found to be the driver. After a preliminary investigation, our sources tell us the cop felt there was enough probable cause to cuff him and haul him to jail on suspicion of driving under the influence.

It's unclear what sort of sobriety tests Justin might've been put through, but we know he was booked on a misdemeanor DUI charge ... and that his bond was set at $5,000. No word on whether he's still in custody or not.

Justin is Diddy's first kid, whom he had with Misa Hylton. Like Puff's other children, he's taken after his father and gotten into showbiz -- serving as an actor, producer and entrepreneur, among other things.

Kanye West is making peace with Ice Cube ... 7 months after throwing him under the bus by claiming Cube was the one who turned him on to antisemitism.

The 2 rap icons met face-to-face Friday at Cube's home in the L.A. area -- and it definitely looks like they hammered out their differences. They hugged it out as Ye was leaving, and both guys were smiling.

You'll recall, late last year -- after Ye started his antisemitic rants -- he went on "Drink Champs" and claimed Ice Cube's social media posts inspired his dangerous bigotry.

For his part, Cube made it clear he had no idea what Ye was talking about. He tweeted, "I didn't put the batteries in his back. Please leave my name out of all the antisemitic talk. I'm not antisemitic and never have been."

"Drink Champs" eventually deleted the episode ... as it featured Ye making several offensive rants about Jews, Trevor Noah and George Floyd.

Since then Ye has claimed he no longer hates Jewish people, although his explanation for why -- watching Jonah Hill in "21 Jump Street" -- was, at the very least, bizarre ... and, at most, highly offensive.

Danny Masterson won't be like all the regular folk behind bars while he awaits sentencing ... we've learned he'll be in the same area where some high-profile inmates stayed in the past.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the "That '70s Show" actor is not in lockup with the general population at the L.A. County Men's Central Jail, as he waits to be sentenced for his rape conviction. Instead, we're told he's being kept in "administrative segregation" for his safety.

Our sources say he's in the same unit where some very famous inmates once stayed ... including Suge Knight and O.J. Simpson.

As we reported, DM was found guilty on two rape counts he was facing ... the jury was deadlocked on the third count. The verdict was reached this week in Los Angeles ... after his first trial ended in a mistrial.

There's no TV in his cell, but he'll have books from the jail's library, and will be allowed out of his cell for 2 hours each day, at which time he can go to the day room and have access to a phone and TV.

He'll get time for recreation 3 hours a week. He's able to shower every other day ... unless he's going to court, and then he can shower daily.

Ty Dolla $ign wants to put the "Motion" back in everyone's ocean this summer, because he thinks things in the music game have gotten too bleak.

We caught up with Ty$ outside Dash Radio in Hollywood ... fresh off the release of his new vibey dance track, "Motion." It's an upbeat mood-changer, and he tells us that was 100% intentional on his part.

He's following up that single with a full dance EP, and firmly believes it's necessary. Ty$ says the current frequency of the soundscape needs an overhaul from all its negative energy!!!

Hip hop music has been under fire, more than usual, in the past few years ... as dozens of rappers have had their murders play out on social media, and a few others had their lyrics used as evidence in criminal cases.

College hoopers looking for a place to showcase their skills this summer just got some great news ... The Game, Dom Kennedy and a host of other hip hop stars are helping to start a new basketball league in L.A.!!

The program is called the Real Run College Basketball Summer League -- and it's all slated to begin on June 17 ... and run until August 13.

It'll feature both women's and men's basketball players ... and ex-NBA player Pooh Jeter, who's partnering up with Real Run founder Deanthony Langston, tells TMZ Sports he's hoping it'll change countless lives.

Jeter explained ... the league will not only offer high-level games for college players, but rappers like Game, Dom Kennedy, BlueBucks Clan and G PERICO will all be in charge of teams -- and will help provide athletes a bridge from sports to musical culture in addition to on-court competition.

"A lot of the rappers was like, 'This is something amazing,'" said Jeter, an L.A. native who played for the Sacramento Kings in 2010. "'This is something we can change the game with.'"

Jeter says college basketball stars like Boogie Ellis and JuJu Watkins have already planned to play ... and he's hoping it will all eventually inspire other musicians to join in too.

"I would love for Diddy and Snoop or whoever!" Jeter said. "If you from L.A., show up, and let's do something amazing for our community."

Juvenile isn't taking news of being omitted from this year's Essence Fest lineup well ... and would rather New Orleans residents spend their money at the Donna Fest, where he and Mannie Fresh will be performing!!!

On Friday, Juve ripped the popular summer shindig a new one on Twitter for its tremendous artist lineup being devoid of any of Cash Money's flagship artists, i.e. the Hot Boys.

This year's EF is boasting a 50 Years of Hip Hop celebration with legendary acts such as Missy Elliott, Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane, T.I. and Remy Ma -- but none of that matters to Juve, who encouraged fans to go with the less expensive Donna Fest, with tickets starting at just $25.

At the time we're posting ... 3-day EF passes are sold out, and the 1-day tix start around $90.

Rebirth Brass Band and the "400 Degreez" rapper's son, Young Juve, will also be performing. Both events go down during the first weekend of July so the city will be lively, to say the least.

Trey Songz has been sued for sexual assault ... this after exposing a woman's breast at a pool party outside a Connecticut casino.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the woman -- who's suing anonymously as a Jane Doe -- is coming after Trey, his production company, record exec Kevin Liles, and Atlantic Records over the 2013 incident.

TMZ broke the story -- the woman fired off a demand letter to Trey last year, claiming the rapper pulled her breast out of her bikini top without consent, exposing her to the crowd at his "Foxwoods Liquid Sundays with Trey Songz" event ... providing video of the ordeal.

The docs say the multiple defendants should have known about his "sexual proclivities" and are therefore responsible for failing to keep Trey under control during the event.

The woman's attorneys claim she was humiliated and left with long-lasting emotional distress ... adding their client could not stop thinking about it and eventually left her promising career a few months later due to the embarrassment.

In last year's letter, her lawyers claimed his 2021 Vegas sexual assault case -- which was dropped weeks before the demand letter was sent -- triggered Megan to seek justice.

She gave Trey and co. weeks to respond before moving forward with legal action ... and now she's seeking least $10 mil in damages.