Awards / Awards Shows

Gunplay says he absolutely DID NOT fire a gun at the BET Awards ... but claims he DID beat up a member of 50 Cent's entourage ... and says he wants to "kill" everyone in the G-Unit crew.

Gunplay -- a rapper who's signed to Def Jam -- just called in to TMZ Live to talk about the madness at the BET Awards in Atlanta on Saturday ... where multiple fights broke out behind the scenes.

Gunplay tells us ... he "had to fight off five dudes" who he believes were members of 50 Cent's camp.

Gunplay says things got violent with 50's group because, "I never liked them and always wanted to kick his ass ... and I finally got the opportunity."

The rapper says 50 Cent WAS involved in the action ... but was "hiding behind security." Gunplay says he was trying to "break his f*ckin' neck."

Gunplay says he did manage to beat down one of the guys in 50's entourage -- "kicked one of their fat-asses ... kicked them off in the dirt." Gunplay says cops then rushed in and sprayed him with mase.

Gunplay -- who's friends with Rick Ross -- says his fight had nothing to do with Rick's altercation with Young Jeezy's crew at the BET Awards ... but explains, "We just goin' at it with everybody ... let's go kill 'em all."

The BET Awards brawl between Rick Ross and Young Jeezy took an army of guards to break it up and left a trail of destruction backstage -- and TMZ got the intense footage on tape.

In the video, security can be seen stepping in between the various combatants almost immediately, separating everyone before the fight got out of hand.

A shirtless Rick Ross can be seen yelling before being escorted away from the scene. Whoever Ross was yelling at tried to follow after him, but security stepped in before he could get there.

There was one casualty however -- a random mirror.

50 Cent wasn't too phased after attending the BET Hip Hop awards last night -- despite the 911 calls, alleged back-stage brawls and reported gun shots -- telling TMZ it was just a regular awards show.

We caught up with 50 arriving in NYC directly after attending the awards show in Atlanta. As TMZ previously reported, Atlanta Police were called after a crazy fight allegedly broke out between Rick Ross and Young Jeezy (and a few people reported hearing gunshots). We're also told 50 got into it with a rapper named Gunplay.

But when we ask 50 to explain the craziness surrounding the night's events, he said nothing happened except ... "They gave out awards."

A fight broke out backstage at the BET Hip Hop Awards tonight between Rick Ross and Young Jeezy that resulted in shots being fired .. sources at the awards tell TMZ.

According to our sources, Ross and Jeezy exchanged words backstage and started pushing and shoving each other. We're told BET security and bodyguards for each of the rappers eventually separated the two.

Our sources on the scene say that after the fight had been broken up, a member of Rick Ross' entourage pulled out a gun while in the parking lot and shots were fired.

We're told Jeezy and Ross are still at the awards, which are being taped tonight in Atlanta and air next month.

A spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department tells TMZ, "Shortly after 7:15 pm Saturday, a fight broke out in the parking lot at the Atlanta Civic Center (where the BET Awards were being taped) between two groups. Atlanta Police Department officers on scene responded to break up the fight and used OC spray in the process. Individuals fled the scene. There were no arrests or reports of serious injuries. Reports of shots fired appear to be untrue." Our sources maintain shots were fired.

We're also told that 50 Cent got into it with a rapper named Gunplay, a protégé of Rick Ross.

Can't we all just get along?

It's awards season ... so naturally, Christina Hendricks' boobs dolled themselves up for a big night out at the Emmys!!

The boobs sat at a table with their "Mad Men" co-stars ... while sipping on champagne and snacking on some fancy desserts. They didn't win an award, but still a great time was had by all.

Sources say Christina was there too.

Taylor Swift doesn't just make guys feel small in her songs ... she also does it in photos.

While posing for pics at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, the 22-year-old maneater -- who is 5'11" tall before you factor in heels -- towered over heart throbs Zac Efron and Josh Hutcherson.

Taylor needs a man that's on her level.

1:00 PM PT -- Mindless Behavior just apologized for the diss, tweeting, "We meant no disrespect to our girl Lauryn Hill last night, it was a bad joke. We're big fans and hope you're not mad!"

Beyonce wasn't laughing when a boy band DISSED Lauryn Hill at last night's BET Awards ... in fact, Bey was so upset, she changed her acceptance speech (on the fly) to HONOR the former Fugee.

So let's start with The Diss -- Comedian Mike Epps and the group Mindless Behavior were co-presenting the award for Best R&B Artist when Mike jokingly tried to sing.

One of the members of the group quipped, "You sing BAD ... like Lauryn Hill's tax accountant bad."

The diss drew gasps from the crowd ... and pissed off Beyonce, who ultimately WON the award that was being presented.

But TMZ has learned ... B was so upset, she scrapped the speech she had prepared and defended Lauryn's honor instead ... saying, "I want to thank all the talented R&B women that came before me like Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige."

When B walked off stage, there was a woman waiting for her -- possibly a BET handler -- and B began to vent about the insult, saying the Lauryn Hill diss was "disrespectful" and "not cool."

The woman complimented Beyonce for adding Lauryn Hill's name to her acceptance speech ... to which Beyonce replied, "I just felt [the diss] was wrong."

You might think Chris Brown would be persona non grata at the official BET Awards after party tonight, but TMZ has learned the nightclub combatant was indeed invited and RSVP'd yes.

According to our sources, CB will be in attendance at the star-studded soiree going down at Playhouse in Los Angeles ... where Usher, Common, and Kevin Hart are among the anticipated guests.

We're told Brown's people told party organizers the singer will be showing up and that the invite came AFTER the events that went down at W.i.P. in NYC. In fact, the party tonight is being thrown by people connected to W.i.P.

Two people were found dead last night at the Beverly Hilton -- where the Daytime Emmy Awards are scheduled to take place later today -- in what cops believe to be a murder-suicide.

Police responded to a shooting at the hotel at around 11:00 PM Friday and found a man and a woman dead from gunshot wounds. The victims were described as "elderly."

The bodies were picked up from the hotel early Saturday by the coroner's office.

Despite having three nominations, country darling Taylor Swift skipped the CMT Awards in Nashville last night ... to watch the the L.A. Kings at a bar instead.

Wearing a floral prairie dress and sensible shoes, the 22-year-old -- who also lost in all 3 nominated categories -- was spotted leaving The Cut Saloon in Brentwood after watching Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

The serial dater's award no-show comes on the heels of John Mayer complaining in Rolling Stone magazine that he was "humiliated" by Taylor's song "Dear John," which is allegedly about the adult-contemporary crooner.

Jordin Sparks had the daunting task of singing the Whitney Houston classic "I Will Always Love You" at the Billboard Awards -- and she told us that she got two thumbs up on her performance from the people who really matter ... Whitney's family.

Sparks told our photog she got a chance to talk to Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and sister-in-law, Pat Houston, after the tribute in Las Vegas on May 20. Sparks said it was the first time she met Bobbi and Pat, both of whom told Sparks her performance was epic

The former "American Idol" champ also says she's gotten great feedback on her duet with Whitney from the upcoming movie "Sparkle."

And best of all ... she gave our a photog a little XYZ moment as she walked away.

Motown founder and living legend Berry Gordy proved he's sexy and he knows it by posing with his youngest son Stefan Kendal Gordy aka RedFoo from LMFAO at the Billboard Music Awards in Vegas on Sunday.

Damn they fly.

Victoria's Secret and S.I. swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen has been bombarded with violent, twisted threats from multiple Chris Brown fans ... after Teigen criticized his performance at the Billboard Music Awards ... TMZ has learned.

Teigen has been under fire ever since she tweeted about Brown's performance Sunday night ... "Why sing when you can dance?"

Team Breezy went insane ... hammering Chrissy with horrible messages that read:

-- "all you do is talk s**t, you need to be raped and murdered."
-- "killyoself bitch ur nothing but tall thatswhy you model. your nothing."
-- "ditzy dumb ass tramp your mother should've aborted you."
-- "i hope you are the next 'celebrity' to die"
-- "you have the brain capacity of a turtle, just die."

Chrissy posted a statement about the situation ... saying, "Reallllly makes me sad that 99% of the most disturbing comments come from young girls. I'll end it there but it make me sad."

She added, "I have some screen caps. And I will do everything I can to make sure people know, internet or not, you CAN'T say this s**t."

The Twitter handles responsible for most of the threats have been deleted.

1:00 PM PT -- Chris Brown just responded to the firestorm on Twitter, urging his fans to stop their onslaught, writing, "Team Breezy! Lets stop sending death threats! I know y'all bout that life but it's the wrong message! Ur turning haters into victims!"

Teen pop tart Miley Cyrus spent so much time getting her new hair 'do cut and blown out ... that she forgot to wear a bra and pants under her white blazer dress thing at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas last night.

The 19-year-old's low-cut jacket showed off a new side of Miley.

Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, didn't speak long at tonight's BIllboard Music Awards -- but she described herself as being "blessed to have been in such an incredible woman's life."

Bobbi Kristina -- in her first major public appearance since her mother's passing -- took the stage to accept the Millennium Award after performances by John Legend and Jordan Sparks. During Sparks' rendition of "I Will Always Love You," the camera cut to a crying Bobbi Kristina multiple times.

Whitney Houston's sister-in-law -- Pat Houston -- is waging war against Bobbi Kristina because she desperately wants to accept Whitney's Billboard Music Award on her behalf ... and only BK is standing in her way.

Sources closes to the situation tell TMZ ... Pat is trying to force herself into the spotlight by accepting Whitney's Millenium Award at the ceremony in Las Vegas tonight ... and producers of the show are pissed.

We're told the show really wants BK to accept the award and make the speech on the late singer's behalf ... but Pat won't stand for it and is making life hell for them as she tries to worm her way into the segment.