Offset on Snoop Dogg Love Ya SD, But on 'WAP' Stuff ... Let Ladies Do Their Thing

stay outta their biz
TMZ.com
UPDATE

5:16 PM PT -- Cardi's husband, Offset, just weighed into the controversy over Snoop criticizing Cardi B for being too openly sexual on 'WAP' -- and his message is basically this ... dude, pause.

UPDATE

We got the Migos rapper Saturday in Bev Hills, and asked him about the tiff Snoop caused by saying Cardi shouldn't be so vulgar in her music -- and he tells us that while he loves Snoop and respects him like no other ... he says the Doggfather's got it wrong here.

UPDATE

Check out Offset's rationale ... he makes some very valid points. For starters, he says men should NOT be telling women what to do period -- but especially as it pertains to their own business and bodies. He says that's been going on for way too long throughout history, and Offset thinks we should uplift ladies now more than ever and let them shine.

UPDATE

More importantly, Offset points out the double standard of male rappers being able to rap in often pretty filthy terms -- including promoting violence, etc. -- but don't catch any flak that a female rapper might when she crosses a line in a man's mind. Offset also points out that he, too, has children ... but that on this front, ya gotta acknowledge it's entertainment and not a moral compass.

UPDATE

Here's hoping they can all break bread after this -- sounds like Offset's cool enough with Snoop to call him up anytime.

Snoop Dogg thinks Cardi B needs to rein it in a little when it comes to talking about and showing off her lady parts -- which has a lot of people scratching their heads.

The legendary rapper -- who's no stranger to getting raunchy -- sat down for a virtual interview recently with Central Ave and gave his honest thoughts about Cardi's hit song 'WAP,' which he says is a bit much on the explicit front ... and not a good look.

He says Cardi should "slow down" when discussing her privates, because he feels like a woman's vagina is something that should be cherished and kept secret for whoever's fortunate enough to encounter it. He says he'd like to see more privacy and intimacy, and 'WAP' pretty much epitomizes the exact opposite of that ... in his eyes.

Of course, folks were quick to jump on Snoop and call him out for what seems like hypocrisy -- seeing how he's made a career rapping about women and sex, and sometimes in very explicit terms.

Not to worry, because that irony was not lost on Snoop in his chat -- he acknowledged that if he was a younger man, he'd probably be all about it ... and might even hop on the 'WAP' remix. With that said, he notes that he's just older and sees things differently now.

Snoop mentioned having a daughter changing his perspective on life, but in the same breath ... he says she's "of this generation," so he tries not to flex too much.

Oh, the times ... they are a-changin', Snoop.

Originally Published -- 1:10 PM PT

Taylor Swift Drops 'Evermore' Album ... Shots at Kim, Kanye and Tom?!?

Taylor Swift dropped her second album of 2020, setting fans on a rabid hunt for hidden meanings in her lyrics ... and some hear references to her Kim and Kanye feud and a failed relationship.

"Evermore" features 17 tracks, one of them being "Long Story Short" ... where Taylor sings, "I tried to pick my battles 'til the battle picked me. Misery." Fans believe it's an obvious reference to her 2016 war of words with Kim and Kanye over the lyrics to his song, "Famous."

If you don't know already ... Kanye's verse, "I made that bitch famous" -- in reference to Taylor -- sparked a massive back and forth between Kanye claiming Taylor knew the lyric was happening and Taylor claiming the opposite.

Shortly after that feud, Taylor started dating actor Tom Hiddleston, but the couple split after just a few months ... and fans think the chorus for "Long Story Short" references that too.

She sings, "Clung to the wrong lips. Long story short, it was the wrong guy."

The album's not even 12 hours old yet, so stay tuned -- we're sure there's more fan analysis to come.

LeBron James 'Hurt' By Kyrie's Clutch Comment ... 'Are You F***ing Kidding Me?'

"When I was seeing that and I read it, and then I got the full transcript and I heard it, I was like, 'Man, f**k.' I was like, 'Are you f***ing kidding me?'

LeBron James is breaking his silence on Kyrie Irving's apparent shot at the Lakers superstar's clutch abilities during the NBA Finals ... admitting, "It kind of hurt me a little bit."

Uncle Drew raised eyebrows back in October when he spoke about teaming up with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn ... saying, "One thing I've always been comfortable with, I felt like I was the best option on every team I played for down the stretch," Irving said via "The Etcs" podcast.

"This is the first time in my career I've looked down and be like, 'That motherf**ker can make that shot too.'"

Of course, many considered the words a direct shot at LeBron, but Irving quickly denied that ... saying, "Why must it always be brother against brother? Why?"

Kyrie added, "If I'm addressing anyone, I'll say their name."

IT'S ENTERTAINMENT

LeBron said he was shocked by the comments, insisting he wanted nothing but the best for Irving during their 3 years together on the Cavs.

LeBron notes things "could never align" with Irving in Cleveland ... "But I only cared about his well-being, both on and off the floor."

As for the timing of Irving's comments, LBJ said, "It was a f**ked up time ... Because it was the Finals ... the middle of the Finals."

James admitted he's gotten used to distractions on the biggest stage ... which is why he was able to block the outside noise en route to bringing home the championship in 2020.

Scottie Pippen Addressed MJ Over 'Last Dance' Doc ... 'I Wasn't Too Pleased'

Scottie Pippen says "The Last Dance" didn't tell the REAL story of the '90s Chicago Bulls ... and he was so upset about it, he directly voiced his frustrations to Michael Jordan.

The 10-part series documentary was one of the most-watched series in 2020 ... with fans getting an inside look at MJ and the Bulls' 6 NBA title runs.

The doc received mostly positive reviews -- it won an Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series -- but Pippen says he wasn't happy with the finished product.

"I don’t think it was that accurate in terms of really defining what was accomplished in one of the greatest eras of basketball, but also by two of the greatest players – and one could even put that aside and say the greatest team of all time," Pippen told The Guardian.

"I didn’t think those things stood out in the documentary. I thought it was more about Michael trying to uplift himself and to be glorified."

Pippen says he personally hit up MJ about his frustrations ... but it was only a brief interaction.

"I told him I wasn’t too pleased with it. He accepted it. He said, 'Hey, you’re right.' That was pretty much it."

While Pippen claims the doc was a fluff piece on MJ's legacy, he also admits he doesn't think it did His Airness many favors.

"I think it also backfired to some degree in that people got a chance to see what kind of personality Michael had."

Sounds like these two guys need to have a face-to-face and hash things out.

Maybe roll the cameras and add a bonus Part 11 of the doc??

Boxer Claressa Shields I'd 'Beat The S**t' Outta Jake Paul ... Set Up The Fight!!!

HE'S DISRESPECTING THE SPORT
TMZSports.com

"I, Claressa Shields, will whoop Jake Paul's ass! He can come in the ring weighing 180 pounds and I will come weighing 168 and I will beat the s**t out of him!"

Yup, that's one of the greatest female boxers ever ... telling TMZ Sports she's ready to humble the YouTube superstar and show him what it's like to go up against a REAL fighter!!

We spoke with the champ about the recent Paul and Nate Robinson fight ... and she says they made a "mockery" of the sport because there are actual boxers who should have gotten the chance to fight under a Tyson and Jones Jr. card instead of social media stars and NBA players.

The 25-year-old says it's smart for Jake to keep calling out non-pro boxers ... but guarantees the dude would get exposed against a real fighter.

"Jake Paul is making his money, he's doing his thing, but stay away from us real fighters," Shields says.

"And anybody out there that say 'Oh, Jake Paul will destroy her because she's a woman', ... I'm the greatest woman! So, no, Jake Paul won't do nothing with me and if he think he can, he can come see me."

Shields says she's not talkin' sparring, either -- she would take Paul on in a real fight ... and donate her earnings to the water crisis in her hometown of Flint, Michigan.

As for what the boxing world would think of the potential matchup, Shields thinks people would still take Paul just because he's a dude.

"I've been boxing for 14 years, 2 Olympics but they would still give Jake Paul the nod because he's a man. And it's like, you guys don't know nothing!"

Only one way to find out ...

Boosie Badazz Suing Zuckerberg for $20 Million!!! Claims IG Ban Was Racist

Boosie Badazz is taking his beef with Mark Zuckerberg to court ... he says Instagram banned his account because he's Black, so now he's suing over it.

The Louisiana rapper claims he was the victim of racial discrimination when IG put him in social media timeout back in August, and he says he's suing the multi-billionaire Facebook and IG owner for $20 million.

Boosie told Vlad TV the IG ban caused some of his business ventures to tank. He says the $20 million figure is what he lost when his original account was deactivated. It doesn't appear he's actually filed the suit yet.

Remember ... Boosie made a plea to Mark "Zuckinberger" this summer when his IG shut him down for repeatedly violating certain policies. If you followed Boosie on the 'gram, you know his old page was bootylicious ... although IG's never said exactly why it deleted his account.

LET'S CHAT

Boosie thinks Zuck might be holding a grudge and trying to get revenge because he mispronounced his name in an epic rant.

As for the racial element ... Boosie claims he's being discriminated against because of his skin color, saying there's a lot of other folks -- presumably white -- who got their Instagram pages back after being banned for way worse stuff.

Boosie's since made a new account but he's still not happy. He says he can't go live on his new page and it's "f******* up my income."

Timbaland & Swizz Beatz Diddy and Dre in Dream 'Verzuz'?!? Anything's Possible After Jeezy & Gucci

WHAT'S UP DOC
TMZ.com

Diddy battling Dr. Dre is the next epic "Verzuz" the people wanna see ... the masterminds behind the battle show-turned-phenomenon know it too -- and they're not ruling it out.

"Verzuz" creators, and producing icons, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz joined us on "TMZ Live" to talk about how to follow up the record-setting 9 million viewers they got for Young Jeezy vs. Gucci Mane.

That battle rated higher than any singing talent show or music awards show, aside from the Grammys -- but Timbaland and Swizz have some ideas on how to go even higher.

Enter Diddy and Dre? We asked them point-blank about the matchup social media's been screaming to see -- and you gotta see their reactions. We'll give Swizz credit ... he didn't tip his hand, but certainly makes it sound like there have been conversations.

Translation: They're saying there's a chance.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Verzuz/Apple Music

In fact, both legends told us no one thought Jeezy and Gucci could ever be in the same room ... just to talk, never mind facing off in a music battle. So, they're making it clear -- everything's on the table now as far as upcoming "Verzuz" showdowns.

Check out Wednesday's "TMZ Live" to see what/who else they've got cooking for season 2 of "Verzuz."

Swizz says a lot of dream showdowns are just up to the universe -- so keep the positive vibes going for your fave.

Charles Barkley Using Shaq-Faced Balls at 'Match 3' ... 'Ugliest Ball in the World'

SHAQ BALLS!
TNT

"This the ugliest ball in the world right here."

That's Charles Barkley talking about the golf balls his partner, Phil Mickelson, gave him to use on the course Friday ... with Shaquille O'Neal's face plastered on them!!!

Chuck and Phil are going head-to-head with Steph Curry and Peyton Manning for "The Match 3" charity golf outing -- raising money for historically Black colleges and universities -- and Phil tried to give his teammate extra incentive to hit a good shot.

Mickelson told Barkley he's tired of his "NBA on TNT" colleagues disrespecting him -- most notably Shaq -- so it was time for a little payback.

Unfortunately, Charles didn't follow up with a hole-in-one, but didn't hit a bad shot either ... which has been the story of the day so far.

Chuck -- who's known to have a notoriously bad hitch in his swing -- has been swinging pretty smoothly ... and he and Phil are currently up 3 through 9 holes of the 18-hole showdown.

Barkley did just shank one though ... so ya gotta think Shaq's still got a good chance at getting the last laugh.

Drake Don't Be Shocked at Weeknd Snub ... Grammys Are Irrelevant

Drake almost finds humor in the Grammys which inexplicably snubbed The Weeknd, essentially saying those little trophies really don't mean crap.

Drake said Wednesday night, "I think we should stop allowing ourselves to be shocked every year by the disconnect between impactful music and these awards and just accept that what once was the highest form of recognition may no longer matter to the artists that exist now and the ones that come after."

And, then the zinger ... "It's like a relative you keep expecting to fix up but they just can't change their ways."

As we reported, on the surface it made no sense The Weeknd ended up with goose eggs when the noms were announced ... given the success of "After Hours" and especially "Blinding Lights." The Weeknd, who calls the Grammys "corrupt," believes he was snubbed because the Grammys did not want him to dilute his Grammy performance with a Super Bowl performance -- a ridiculous ask and one The Weeknd rejected. He thinks he was overlooked because of spite.

The Weeknd Grammys Says Nothing's Corrupt ... Super Bowl Had No Effect on Noms

The Weeknd's Grammys snub had nothing to do with him playing the Super Bowl ... at least according to the Recording Academy Chief.

Harvey Mason Jr. -- interim President and CEO of the Academy -- says, "We understand that The Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated. I was surprised and can empathize with what he’s feeling. His music this year was excellent."

He adds, the Grammys had no issue with him performing at the Super Bowl and would have loved to have him also perform for the awards show. TMZ broke the story ... negotiations for The Weeknd's Grammy performance got nasty, and our sources say he was issued an ultimatum -- play for us or the Super Bowl.

As for Weeknd receiving zero nominations -- Mason claims there was nothing nefarious to it. He says, "To be clear, voting in all categories ended well before The Weeknd’s performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process."

As we reported ... it was revealed The Weeknd would be doing the SB Halftime Show on Nov. 12. The Grammys point out its voting deadline for noms was in October. Mason is adamant nobody was upset about the prospect of the singer performing at both events ... because the Grammys happens first.

Mason also says he's "saddened" over The Weeknd and his team saying "The Grammys remain corrupt." He says ... "I try to empathize with where that came from, but it was difficult to hear."

Despite the apparent damage control, it appears this controversy's not going away anytime soon. The Weeknd's manager, Sal Slaiby, also slammed "corrupt leaders" at the Grammys and demanded transparency.

Scooter Braun piled on, tweeting that Sal and The Weeknd deserved to be nominated and deserved better.

'I LOVE NEW YORK' STAR Chance Was Too Busy For Reunion ... Happy For Her Engagement

Kamal "Chance" Givens is taking a page from Michael Corleone in explaining why he was MIA from a reunion show with Tiffany "New York" Pollard ... it's not personal, it's strictly business.

Here's the deal ... Tiffany ripped Chance for blowing off "I Love New York Reunited" this week, saying it felt like he "s*** on the whole reunion show." Some of her former suitors questioned Chance's manhood and called him a coward.

But, Chance's camp says he was simply too busy to make time for the reunion because he's got his hands full with his own dating show, "One Mo' Chance," and a new movie role.

CHANCE THE COWARD
VH1

Fact is ... Chance doesn't really need Tiffany to be famous anymore, unlike some of the guys taking shots at him for not showing up.

Chance isn't sinking to their level either ... his reps say he's wishing Tiffany the best on her recent engagement. He's happy Tiffany finally found her match, and they will stay friends for life.

We're told Tiffany and Chance haven't spoken since the reunion and Chance understands why she's pissed. Chance also appeared on the OG show with his brother, who died 5 years ago, and we're told he did not want to go down that emotional rollercoaster reliving that time and loss of his brother.

Yeah, Tiffany might want to give Chance a pass on this one.

Lavar Ball 1-On-1 With Jordan Ain't Happening ... We Over 50!!!

IT'S GONNA COST!!!
TMZSports.com

Terrible news for hoops fans hoping to see Michael Jordan and LaVar Ball face off on the court ... the Big Baller is calling off a 1-on-1 game, saying they're just too old!!

It was a rare moment of humility from LaVar, who has been hyping up a mano-a-mano matchup with the GOAT for years.

But, at the Ball fam's turkey giveaway in South Central L.A. on Tuesday, LaVar told us straight-up -- it's not happening.

"Realistically, neither one of us is gonna do this," LaVar told TMZ Sports. "We over 50!"

Don't get it twisted -- LaVar joked both guys would be down if it came with a crazy price tag of $200 MILLION and at a crazy location like the Empire State Building ... but in reality, the only one getting the W is father time.

As we previously reported ... LaVar's son, LaMelo was just drafted by MJ's Charlotte Hornets -- which is why people thought the two could actually step on the court together.

NOT HAPPENIN'
Hornets

But, now that LaVar's pulled off the game, we asked if he's chopped it up with his son's new boss and maybe smoked a cigar or 50 together.

By the way ... MJ will def consider this video a victory -- he's an insane competitor and would never say he's too old for anything.

There's more ... we also spoke with LaVar about the Balls unloading a semi-truck-worth of supplies for the Thanksgiving holiday ... and why it's so important for the family to give back to the community.

HERE TO HELP
TMZSports.com

The Weeknd Got Grammy Ultimatum: Us or Super Bowl ... Prior to Nomination Snub

UPDATE

4:38 PM PT -- The Weeknd remains extra testy with the Grammys ... he just ripped the process on social media, calling it "corrupt."

UPDATE
UPDATE

Abel says Grammys brass owe him, his fans and the music industry "transparency."

The Weeknd was faced with a tough choice -- perform the Grammys or the Super Bowl -- but hammering out a deal to do both could've cost him Grammy nominations.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us The Weeknd's team was in talks for weeks with Grammy brass, who issued the ultimatum -- us or Super Bowl LV. We're told both sides eventually came to an agreement where Abel could do both, but not without negotiations getting very testy.

Our sources say there's growing suspicion Abel's decision to perform at this year's Super Bowl cost him Grammy noms because the bitter back-and-forth talks pissed off Grammy honchos.

It's unclear why the Grammys would play such hardball in trying to exclusively book him for their airwaves. It might be fear of duplicate performances, as CBS is airing the award show AND the game one week apart in February. Still, our sources tell us Abel and co. feel the dispute might have something to do with his exclusion.

Abel wasn't the only one who fans felt got cheated this year, voicing outrage Pop Smoke, Roddy Rich and Lil Baby -- all Black hip-hop artists -- didn't receive more nominations.

If The Weeknd does decide to stick to the deal and perform at both events -- it would be a huge achievement for any artist.

Originally Published -- 3:53 PM PT

Lukas Gage Zoom Audition Director Apologizes ... He Deserved Better

SORRY, NOT SORRY
SplashNews.com
UPDATE

7:00 AM PT -- 11/24 -- Shapeero has changed his tune and decided to issue a wholehearted apology to Lukas Gage for what he said on the Zoom call ... but also explain how it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

UPDATE
UPDATE

The director says ... "First and foremost I offer Mr. Gage a sincere and unvarnished apology for my offensive words, my unprofessional behavior during the audition and for not giving him the focus and attention he deserved. My job is to evaluate performers against the part I am trying to cast. Lukas deserved better."

UPDATE

Shapeero goes on to explain the Zoom audition was back in August after months of lockdown, and it was emotional for him to see how hard actors were working in the tough conditions to land roles.

UPDATE

He explains when he was referring to actors like Lukas when he said "These poor people," but he meant "in the sense of deserving sympathy, as opposed to any economic judgment."

UPDATE

The director says he truly appreciates what actors have been going through, and he's still mortified about what happened. However, he vows to "move forward from this incident a more empathetic man; a more focused director and I promise, an even better partner to actors from the audition process to the final cut."

The director who seemingly got busted for trash-talking actor Lukas Gage's apartment on a Zoom call says he's not going to apologize for it ... because important context is missing.

Tristram Shapeero -- a British TV director best known for directing episodes of "Community," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" and "Veep" -- is the guy on the other end of Gage's instantly infamous online audition.

TALKIN' TRASH

Shapeero -- who apparently thought he was muted -- is heard saying, "These poor people live in these tiny apartments," referring to where Lukas was staying ... and goes on to criticize his TV before he realizes Lukas can hear him.

The director is now suggesting he wasn't talking smack and won't say sorry ... but does claim a statement will be coming out on the matter. Funny thing is, Shapeero said sorry multiple times to Lukas on the call when he was busted, and even added that he was mortified.

The actor -- known for roles on "American Vandal" and "Euphoria" -- posted the clip saying ... "psa: if youre a sh*t talking director make sure to mute ur mic on zoom mtgings."

The incident led to an outpouring of support in Hollywood for Gage, but the director seems to think it was all overblown.

Originally Published -- 11/23 2:52 PM PT

American Music Awards Taylor Raises Scooter Feud, Remaking Hits ... Plus More Highlights

Taylor Swift's ongoing beef with Scooter Braun over the sale of her masters was front-and-center at the AMAs -- and so were a whole lot of other memorable moments.

The pop star won the award for Artist of the Year Sunday night at the half-virtual/half-live event at the Microsoft Theater in L.A. ... and T-Swift accepted from a recording studio and dropped big news.

In addition to thanking fans for their support over the years, especially in 2020, Taylor noted she wasn't in L.A. for the AMAs -- like some artists were -- because she's busy re-recording her old hits.

Of course, it's just another reminder that she's sticking to her word amid the bitter feud with Scooter -- whom she claims wouldn't even entertain selling her back her masters without her signing an NDA first promising not to bash him in public.

She didn't mention Scooter's name Sunday night, but the shot was clear.

Anyway, there were other cool moments that struck a chord too -- such as The Weeknd's bruising performance above the L.A. River. He never referenced his full-face bandages, but seems like a spinoff from that nose bandage look from last year.

J Lo also had a bootylicious showstopper with Maluma ... Harry Styles and BTS took home some honors, and Megan Fox presenting her BF, MGK, live on camera. It was a lot to take in, to say the least.

A solid AMAs broadcast mid-pandemic??? It's possible.

LaMelo Ball LaVar Vs. Michael Jordan?! 'We Know How It Would Turn Out'

NOT HAPPENIN'
Hornets

"I think we know how it would turn out, to be honest."

That's LaMelo Ball trying REALLY hard not to piss off his father or his new boss Friday when asked who would win in 1-on-1 ... LaVar Ball or Michael Jordan!?!?!

The answer is obvious to most people ... but LaVar has been talking A TON of trash for years about how he would crush MJ if they ever squared up on the court.

And, now that Melo was drafted by MJ's Charlotte Hornets this week -- reporters asked the 19-year-old Friday straight-up ... who ya got?!

"I don’t think it's gonna happen," Melo said at first ... before adding, "And then, I think we know how it would turn out, to be honest."

Melo then explained his dilemma ... "I mean it is my pops and my boss ... so I’m on both sides now."

TRANSLATION -- MJ WOULD BEAT THAT ASS AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT!!

Look, LaVar has been making the "I'd destroy MJ" claims for years -- saying Jordan is simply "too little" to compete with him.

MJ famously fired back -- saying, "I don't think he could beat me if I was one-legged."

LaVar then told TMZ Sports, "I could beat him with 1 hand tied behind my back with some glasses on with one eye lens out with some flips flops on in the rain."

AUGUST 2017
YOU'RE TOO OLD!
TMZSports.com

Look fellas ... only one way to settle this -- and if they were to put it on Pay-Per-View, we'd bet people would pay money to watch!!!

Old news is old news!
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