Music

Kodak Black is praying for more than just his release from prison ... because he says he can't get access to a rabbi to practice his Jewish faith behind bars.

Kodak's attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells TMZ he's ramping up to file a lawsuit if his client doesn't get what he says he's been requesting for months ... a consultation with his own personal rabbi -- or any rabbi, really, at this point.

Of course, the other headline here is ... Kodak Black's Jewish??? We're with ya, and Cohen explained the rapper identifies with the faith -- even though he has yet to convert. He claims the feds have gone radio silent on his efforts to connect with his go-to rabbi.

If nothing changes, Cohen says they'll be suing for a violation of Kodak's First Amendment right to practice his religion.

He admits the chaplain at Kodak's facility in KY recently emailed to say face-to-face spiritual meetups were being temporarily axed due to COVID. However, Cohen says the chaplain also told him phone calls with the rabbi shouldn't be an issue.

Oh, and if you're wondering why Kodak's so adamant about getting access to any rabbi and a Torah, we're told he thinks it will help his mental state. Kodak believes God has a plan for him, and wants to talk it out with a pro.

Kanye West's bid to appear on the ballot for president in Kentucky and Mississippi is in the works ... but he's not reached the finish line just yet.

The Kentucky Secretary of State's Office says Kanye submitted petitions Friday to get on the ballot as an independent candidate for prez.

State elections officials say they're still reviewing around 19,000 petition signatures submitted by Kanye, to determine if he qualifies to appear on the ballot. Ye needs 5,000 signatures from registered Kentucky voters.

Kanye also filed paperwork Friday to get on the ballot as an independent in Mississippi, according to the Secretary of State's Office in the Magnolia State, which says a decision on whether or not his petition is accepted or denied won't be finalized until Tuesday.

BTW ... Kentucky has 8 electoral votes and Mississippi has 6 electoral votes.

Kanye's attempts to get on the ballots in KY and MS come on the heels of a Thursday ruling from a judge in Arizona, barring him from appearing on the ballot in the swing state despite spending a fortune collecting signatures.

Tekashi 6ix9ine dropped first album since being released from prison, and he's definitely leaning into the whole snitch thing.

The album's called "TattleTales," and there's a special cameo in the music video, "TUTU," by none other than Blac Chyna. BC makes her presence known with pink boots and sprinkles.

The album has big stars, including Nicki Minaj, Smilez and Akon.

As we reported, Tekashi is a free man, with strings attached. He completed home confinement last month, but he has to keep his nose clean for 5 years while he's on probation.

Tekashi faced 47 years in prison but copped a deal, agreeing to testify against his former gang members. He was sentenced to 24 months back in December and had already served 13. He was released early to home confinement because of coronavirus.

R. Kelly's alleged attacker just ID'd himself in court docs, claiming he’s the one who beat up Kelly behind bars ... and he has gang ties and murders on his record.

Jeremiah Shane Farmer filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, claiming he’s the pissed off inmate who went on the attack and jumped Kelly in his jail cell.

In the docs, Farmer claims "the government made me attack" Kelly -- although he doesn't explain why -- and says he pulled it off in hopes of shedding light on government corruption. As for what the "corruption" is ... he feels he was done dirty by the justice system.

TMZ broke the story ... Kelly got a taste of jailhouse justice last month inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.

Farmer's admission is part of legal docs filed in a federal appeals court. Records show he's representing himself and is being housed at MCC just like Kelly.

R. Kelly's attorney, Steven Greenberg, tells TMZ Farmer is indeed the one who attacked the singer.

As we reported ... our federal sources and Kelly's attorneys said the inmate went on the attack because he was angry about MCC being placed on lockdown a few times, largely due to Kelly protesters outside the jail.

Farmer also included a Bureau of Prisons incident report in his filing, which says the alleged attack happened around 9:45 AM Aug. 26. The report says Farmer appeared to repeatedly punch Kelly in the head and torso, with a prison employee using pepper spray to end the alleged assault.

Britney Spears is making it clear -- she doesn't trust her dad and wants the public to hear what he and other professionals are doing to keep her in the conservatorship, and she also says the #FreeBritney movement's not only real ... she supports it.

Britney's lawyers just filed docs opposing her dad Jamie's motions to seal parts of her ongoing conservatorship case ... because she wants everyone to know what's up.

Britney is fighting her dad's move to appoint a co-conservator of her estate [handling business matters] to a lawyer who was deeply involved in her conservatorship for years. She wants someone independent to take the reins.

Britney argues there are no medical issues or sensitive issues with her children to protect, so there's no reason to keep the hearing secret.

The lawyer says, "... Britney herself is vehemently opposed to this effort by her father to keep her legal struggle hidden away in the closet as a family secret."

The lawyer adds, "Far from being a conspiracy theory or a 'joke' as James [Jamie] reportedly told the media, in large part this scrutiny is a reasonable and even predictable result of James' aggressive use of the sealing procedure over the years to minimize the amount of meaningful information made available to the public."

A chemistry class expecting instructions from their professor instead got a very special message from his T.A. instead ... the one and only, Snoop Dogg.

Dr. Benny is the sharply-dressed teacher of Chem 60 at Los Angeles Pierce College, and on the first day of visual learning, he enlisted the rapper to send a very important message to his students ... read the syllabus!!

As for why, Snoop tells the class ... "The more you know, the further you go." Dr. Benny approves.

If first impressions are everything, you gotta think these college kids will be more inspired than ever to learn about elements and compounds.

Silento allegedly got loud and threatened people with a hatchet while trying to find his girlfriend ... and now he's facing felony charges.

The "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" rapper was arrested last weekend after a bizarre incident in which law enforcement sources tell us ... he walked into a house with a hatchet in hand as he looked for his GF.

We're told someone in the house screamed for help and others took him down and disarmed him. Our sources say shortly afterward, Silento's friend arrived and told him it was the wrong house ... and they fled as cops were called.

Police caught up with the rapper, though, and took him to jail. He's now officially been hit with 2 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

Charli XCX isn't taking any chances with an allegedly obsessed fan ... she just got court-ordered protection from the guy she says broke into her home and then got naked ... all over the place.

The "Boom Clap" singer claims the man tried to visit her at her L.A. area home twice last week -- and the second visit ended with him stripping down, jumping in her hot tub, and also strolling in and out of her bedroom.

Charli beelined it to court, filing for and getting a temporary restraining order against the suspect, who's from Wisconsin. She claims he's sent her hundreds of manic, obsessive and disturbing messages on social media -- but took it to the next level when he showed up at her pad on Aug. 24 and 25. The latter is when he bared all ... and Charli has that all on security footage.

DJ Erick Morillo -- best known for his 1993 hit, "I Like to Move It" -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us the DJ and music producer's body was found this morning in Miami Beach ... the circumstances surrounding his death are currently unclear.

Best known for his work in international house music, Morillo produced his biggest hit in the '90s with the electro-dance track "I Like to Move It" ... which he put out under the stage name Reel 2 Real.

He's a 3-time winner of the DJ Awards' Best House DJ and a 3-time winner of Best International DJ ... including his most recent win in 2009.

Morillo's death comes a few weeks after he was arrested in Miami on sexual battery charges. The alleged victim claims she and Morillo went to his place after they were both DJing. She alleges she resisted his sexual advances, and then went to sleep at his place, but woke up nude ... with Morillo standing next to her, also nude.

He'd turned himself in on August 6.

Morillo was 49.

WE KNEW IT!!!

Mariah Carey is finally admitting what fans have suspected for decades ... two songs from her classic '97 album "Butterfly" are about her fling with Derek Jeter!!!

Yep, Carey says both "The Roof" and "My All" were all about the NY Yankees legend ... who she began seeing back in 1997 after meeting him at a dinner party.

Carey was married to music mogul Tommy Mottola at the time, but the marriage was on the rocks ... and Carey was clearly infatuated with Jeter.

In her upcoming memoir, "The Meaning of Mariah Carey" (by way of Vulture) set to come out later this month ... the singer says "The Roof" was about her first kiss with Jeter, which took place on the roof of his apartment building.

Here are some of the lyrics, in case you need a refresher ...

"It wasn't raining yet.
But it was definitely a little misty on
That warm November night
And my heart was pounding (pounding)
My inner voice resounding
Begging me to turn away
But I just had to see your face to feel alive
And then you casually walked in the room
And I was twisted in the web of my desire for you
(And I was twisted)
My apprehension blew away
I only wanted you to taste my sadness
As you kissed me in the dark."

As for "My All" ... that one was about how she risked it all to meet up with Jeter in Puerto Rico, while she was still technically married to Mottola.

Again ... the lyrics:

"I am thinking of you
In my sleepless solitude tonight
If it's wrong to love you
Then my heart just won't let me be right
'Cause I've drowned in you
And I won't pull through
Without you by my side

I'd give my all to have
Just one more night with you
I'd risk my life to feel
Your body next to mine
'Cause I can't go on
Living in the memory of our song
I'd give my all for your love tonight."

Carey and Mottola officially divorced in 1998. Things didn't work out with Jeter though. They went their separate ways too.

But, Mariah went on to marry and have kids with Nick Cannon. Jeter is now happily married with children to model Hannah Jeter.

Kanye West spared no expense putting on his Sunday Service ... he claims it cost a whopping $50 MILLION to pull it off!!!

Ye recently sat down with Nick Cannon for a segment on Nick's podcast, "Cannon's Class," and they started talking dollar figures, with Kanye boasting he's richer than Donald Trump.

Kanye says he burned through a ton of cash on his Sunday Service in 2019 ... with the $50 million being spread around for choir uniforms, flights, operas and all the other operating expenses that went with it.

At first glance, that number sounds way overblown.

However, remember ... Sunday Service traveled around the country last year, with stops at Coachella, Skid Row in Los Angeles, Houston, Howard University in D.C., the family home in Calabasas, his ranch in Wyoming, The Forum in Inglewood, Louisiana, Chicago, Ohio, Joel Olsteen's Lakewood Church and even Jamaica.

There were construction costs too ... for the Sunday Service on Easter at Coachella, bulldozers moved tons of earth to make a huge hill for the performance.

Ye says the cash was taken out of funds set aside for marketing his Yeezy shoes ... Kanye says he didn't need to spend all the marketing dough on the kicks -- Yeezy's sell themselves, he says -- so instead he used it to put on Sunday Service.

$50 million ... that's a lot of holy bread.

Singer Charli XCX is giving up her 1920s English Tudor-style crib ... and someone can scoop it up for a pretty good deal in the Hollywood Hills.

The "Boom Clap" singer -- who also collaborated with Iggy Azalea on "Fancy" -- put her place on the market for a cool $3,650,000. The tri-level crib has 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and tons of charm thanks to floor-to-ceiling diamond-paned windows, hand-carved dark wood doors and beams ... plus 3 brick fireplaces.

The whole home is 4,423 square feet with a pretty sick master suite ... featuring canted ceilings and a chic chandelier. Fan of speakeasy style? Check out the large lower level with its own entrance and movie theater.

There's lots of outdoor space too. Take the party outside to the expansive deck where there's a hot tub and surrounding gardens.

Brandy and Monica started off their Verzuz rap battle with a very important message from a very special surprise guest ... Kamala Harris!!!

Joe Biden's running mate showed up at the start of Brandy and Monica's showdown Monday, and she reminded everyone why it's so important to vote in the upcoming election.

Senator Harris says Brandy and Monica have used their voices in a powerful way throughout their careers ... and she says everyone else can make an impact with their voices by voting.

Ya gotta see the video ... Monica's shocked when Kamala comes on the screen, and Brandy does a little fangirling. The respect and admiration here are definitely mutual.

Kamala makes her voting pitch, then says she's ready to sit back, relax and enjoy Brandy and Monica's showdown ... and she's even gonna sing along in her Howard shirt!!!

Niecy Nash is trying her hand at marriage again ... and this time it's with a woman.

The "Claws" star recently tied the knot with singer Jessica Betts and Niecy is taking her partner's name.

Niecy just announced the marriage on social media and says she's now Mrs. Carol Denise Betts.

TMZ broke the stories ... Niecy filed for divorce from her husband Jay Tucker back in December, and in March the exes finalized their divorce.

Niecy became officially single in the eyes of the law June 21, and it only took her a couple months to get hitched again.

The wedding ceremony, in the middle of a pandemic, looks beautiful ... Niecy's wearing a flowing, white wedding gown and Jessica's in a tie and vest.

The marriage is coming as a surprise to lots of folks ... most people did not know Niecy was engaged to a woman. She's always been an LGBTQ ally but was never out ... until now.

As Niecy says in her Instagram stories with Jessica, "#PlotTwist."

Kanye West says claims the President or the GOP are paying him to run a spoiler campaign are laughable, because he's already wealthier than Donald Trump!

Ye recently sat down with Nick Cannon to do a segment on his podcast, "Cannon's Class," and it looks like they got to talking about controversy they've both been embroiled in recently -- Nick's anti-Semitic remarks and Kanye's presidential run.

Nick says folks have accused Kanye of being a mere puppet of the Republican Party -- and some have even speculated they're shelling out big dough to keep Ye's political ship afloat. Well, he had a perfect comeback for that ... and it came at the expense of his pal, Donald.

You'll have to watch yourself to see how Kanye worded it, 'cause it definitely got a laugh out of Nick (us too, frankly). Bottom line though ... Ye says he's virtually un-bribable.

Nick gets to another point -- which will be explored more when the full episode comes out Tuesday -- and it touches on whether Kanye believes he can actually win this thing ... and whether it's reasonable for him to be running at all. In response, another zinger from Ye.

Jack Harlow takes care of his own -- and by that, we mean he's willing to spend an arm and leg to ice out his entourage, and make it look like they just walked off with the Lombardi Trophy.

The Louisville rapper -- who performed at the VMAs Sunday -- was flaunting a set of 8 rings he and his crew (AKA, Private Garden) were rocking around town ahead of and during the show. They're like championship rings -- NBA or NFL-esque -- and they look pretty sweet.

Turns out, they're more than just nice looking ... they're completely loaded with precious stones that ended up costing well over a hundred grand. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Celebrity jeweler Alex Moss -- who commissioned the custom pieces for Jack and co. -- tells TMZ the rings altogether are valued at about $110k, and that's because they're laced with VVS diamonds and 14k gold, with each ring weighing in at 55 grams.

We're told the rings have the Private Garden members' names etched in plus their 502 area code. Of course, Jack's ring is slightly more blinged-out -- he is the leader, after all.

Alex tells us he met Jack a couple years ago in the studio when he was first coming up, but just got hit up for this job a few months ago.