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Next year's Grammy Awards is stacked with competition from rappers of all shapes and sizes but hip hop podcaster/producer Rory Farrell thinks the running favorite is questionable -- Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the "New Rory & MAL" cohost at LAX this week ... and while his inner hip hop head won't allow him to crown the Grammys of the culture, he has no beef with this year's rap picks.

Doechii is up for Best Rap Album -- which would make both Kendrick and Rory happy, but he's also a big J. Cole guy.

9:13 AM PT -- Sources close to the situation tell TMZ that the woman seen with Mod Sun last night was "Love Is Blind" star Brittany Wisniewski.

The woman in the video with Brittany is her costar Alexandra Byrd.

Seems like Mod Sun is a big fan of 'LIB,' by the way -- he spotted Brittany in the crowd at a concert earlier this month ... and took time out of his show to call her out.

Mod Sun has moved on from Avril Lavigne ... 'cause we caught him canoodling with a hot blonde inside a Los Angeles bar.

Camryn Bynum is hoping to parlay his Raygun interception celebration into a meeting with the famous breakdancer ... telling TMZ Sports he's "1,000 percent" down to collab with her in some way this offseason.

If you missed it ... the Minnesota Vikings safety paid homage to the Olympics star in incredible fashion on Sunday afternoon -- after he picked off a Mac Jones pass to seal a win for his squad in Jacksonville.

Bynum got up from the endzone turf and immediately mimicked each one of the moves Rachael Gunn made famous during the Paris Games last August. It ended up being such a good impression, Gunn herself even gave her stamp of approval!

Alfonso Ribeiro may be on the mend following his ankle injury at Disney World ... but that doesn't mean he's happy his nasty spill made headlines.

Photogs caught up with the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" alum at LAX, where he assured everyone he was up and walking again after rolling his ankle on a trolley rail at the most magical place on Earth.

However, when asked how he was feeling after seeing his accident play out in the press ... he confessed it made him "pissed off" ... indicating he had no interest in reliving the drama.

Megan Fox’s ex, Brian Austin Green, is all smiles over her pregnancy news -- no drama here, just pure excitement.

Sources tell TMZ that Brian wasn’t blindsided by Megan’s baby news with Machine Gun Kelly -- she actually shared it with their three sons months ago, and they passed it along to their dad.

We’re told Megan and Brian chatted about it soon after, and it’s all good -- he’s totally happy for her.

One of Liam Payne’s homes in South Florida, where he was living before his death, is back on the rental market.

Real estate sources tell TMZ, a massive 5-bed, 6-bath mansion in Wellington, FL went back up for rent at the end of October for $9,950 per month. The former 1D star had signed a short-term lease for the property before ultimately moving out in July.

We’re told the place got a refresh with new paint, décor, and more since the original listing pics were taken -- so it's rocking a much fresher, renovated vibe.

Jason Sudeikis lived out his childhood fantasy (we suspect) this past weekend ... the "Ted Lasso" star dreamed he was Chuck D -- and woke up in real life performing with Flavor Flavvvvv!!!

TMZ Hip Hop obtained footage of Jason and Flav flawlessly nailing Public Enemy and Anthrax's classic headbanger "Bring The Noise" in Kansas City at the 8th annual THUNDERGONG charity concert inside Uptown Theater this weekend!!!

Flav gets credited as one of hip hop's greatest hype men, and Jason definitely held his own with full breath control all the way to the end of the track!!! Don't worry about Chuck ... he's still out here dropping lyrics louder than a bomb!!!

Some folks are outraged over a live tiger's presence at LSU's game against Alabama ... and that includes Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin -- who tells TMZ Sports the stunt was "blatant disregard for the tiger's well-being."

Saturday marked the first time since 2015 a Panthera Tigris was on the field for an LSU football game ... at state governor Jeff Landry's request. He initially wanted the host school to roll out its current tiger mascot, Mike, to the field for pregame festivities ... but the university declined.

Landry then resorted to bringing a tiger from Florida ... which irked Baskin for several reasons.

Britney Spears is reconnecting, face-to-face, with her son Jayden after years of not seeing each other, TMZ has confirmed -- but Kevin Federline is surprised to hear people calling it a full melting of their icy relationship.

TMZ has learned Jayden has seen Britney a couple of times recently since moving back to California from Hawaii, but as for a full-on reconciliation between them ... Kevin’s been left in the dark.

Kevin’s lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, tells TMZ ... "If there has been a reconciliation it’s news to Kevin." Mark adds that Kevin speaks to Jayden frequently and hasn’t been told about any kind of reconciliation between the 18-year-old and his mom.

It seems a Deontay Wilder vs. Francis Ngannou super fight might actually happen ... 'cause the Bronze Bomber tells TMZ Sports he's down to begin negotiations now!

Ngannou, of course, said just a couple weeks ago he was hoping to get in the boxing ring with Wilder soon ... and, when we caught up with DW out at LAX this week, he seemed very open to the idea.

In fact, he told us he wants to get Ngannou's team on the phone and begin talks ASAP!

1:28 PM PT -- Sources close to Alfonso tell TMZ ... the ankle injury is indeed minor, and he's returning to production today to finish the special. We're also told he plans to participate in filming the 500th episode of "Dancing with the Stars" Tuesday.

Alfonso Ribeiro won't be "Dancing with the Stars" for a little while it looks like ... 'cause he injured his ankle while filming a dance number at Disney World -- and, TMZ has it on video.

The actor -- who hosts the reality dance competition show -- was filming an ABC holiday special at the Florida theme park when eyewitnesses tell us he stepped on one of the trolley rails and rolled his ankle.

Watch the video, taken in the aftermath of the misstep ... Alfonso's leaning heavily on 'DWTS' cohost Julianne Hough, seemingly afraid to put his weight on the ankle -- before a production team member runs over with a chair so he can sit in the street.

Leonardo DiCaprio turns 50 on Monday ... but he got the party started early last evening, throwing a huge, celeb-studded bash in Los Angeles.

TMZ obtained photos of the long line of stars exiting the Saturday night soiree held at a private home in the Hollywood Hills.

Check out this eye-popping list ... Tobey Maguire, Emile Hirsch, Edward Norton, Benicio Del Toro, Jamie Foxx, Bill Maher, Chuck Liddell, Chris Rock, Orlando Bloom, Steven Spielberg, Paris Hilton, Katy Perry, Robin Thicke, Cara Delevingne, Dr. Dre, Anderson Paak, Tyga and Brad Pitt with girlfriend Ines de Ramon.

Jennifer Lopez made a grand entrance to the L.A. premiere of "Wicked" — looking absolutely stunning in her skin-baring gown as fans crowded around to catch a glimpse of her.

TMZ obtained video of J Lo making her way inside Saturday night's event at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in DTLA, but the actress/singer stopped to acknowledge her many admirers.

Check out the clip ... As J Lo walks toward a large archway with "Wicked" emblazoned across the top, fans are screaming her name from behind police barriers lining either side of the street.

Robert Vito -- an actor who starred in a 'Spy Kids' movie and several other shows in the early 2000s -- was arrested Friday on a felony domestic violence charge ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... officers responded to Vito's L.A.-area home Friday night after they received a call about an alleged domestic violence incident.

Our sources say Vito and his girlfriend allegedly got into a verbal argument which turned physical ... and, Vito apparently pushed her into some furniture. Cops also tell us Vito allegedly threw his young son onto the couch before knocking him down.

Rylee Arnold's relationship with USC football player Walker Lyons is just days old ... but it's clearly going well -- as she tells TMZ Sports she's "loving life" with her new man!!

Arnold and Lyons went Instagram official shortly after the "Dancing With The Stars" pro caught one of his Trojans games last month ... and it's apparently been smooth sailing ever since -- as Arnold was nothing but smiles when talking about the guy this week.

While out running errands in Beverly Hills, Arnold told us she's "super happy" with her tight-end love interest ... and called their dynamic "really fun."

Ex-NBA star Stephon Marbury believes his New York Knicks are in a position to win a championship right now ... but tells TMZ Sports he wouldn't mind adding a few more key players along the way.

We caught up with Starbury out in NYC this week ... and had to ask about all the speculation surrounding his former team's interest in acquiring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While Marbury didn't really weigh in on Giannis specifically, he did say he'd hold the door open for any major talent ... as long as they mesh with the other guys on the current roster.