Music

Rihanna is getting ready to welcome her baby to the world, and she's doing it in high style.

RiRi hit up Couture Kids in L.A. Friday, and it looks like the store stayed open specially for her ... she showed up at around 9:45 PM.

She was there with her security detail, casually browsing and picking out stuff for the bambino. Rihanna was flying solo ... without A$AP Rocky.

Rihanna was super friendly ... interacting with staff as she shopped.  At one point in the video, you see her baby bump on full display. Don't know the due date, but clearly, she's getting ready.

There was a bank of photogs in the window ... and at one point she threw them all a bone with a pose.

As Rihanna left, you hear a fan scream, "You are such a beautiful pregnant woman" and Rihanna responded, "Thank you, mi amora."

Soulja Boy says a possible collab with Tekashi 6ix9ine won't happen ... or, in his words -- "get the f*** out of here!"

Soulja was the latest guest on "It's Tricky with Raquel Harper," and he thinks the time has passed for the two of them to work together ... saying Tekashi knows that ship has sailed following his legal battle -- notoriously being labeled a "snitch" in the rap community.

Tekashi was kidnapped by his own security team in the summer of 2018 ... taken for a ride around the block, where he was threatened at gunpoint, and ordered to fork over cash and jewels he had at his NYC pad. The exchange was orchestrated by his then-GF.

Tekashi went on to be the star witness in his RICO case by testifying against his fellow gang members ...  resulting in Anthony "Harv" Ellison getting 24 years behind bars.

While Tekashi thought he was doing the right thing, artists in his circle aren't as receptive, possibly trying to avoid the rapper as long as they can.

Cardi B has something to celebrate tonight ... she just kicked ass in a defamation case ... legally, that is.

TMZ broke the story ... Cardi and her sister, Hennessy Carolina, were sued by 3 people in NYC over a squabble in the Hamptons back in September, 2020.

Hennessy and her friends showed up a Smith Point Beach and ran into 3 other beachgoers, one of whom was wearing a MAGA hat. The 3 people claim Hennessy spit on one of them and engaged in insulting and threatening behavior. The lawsuit claims Hennessy called the group "racist, MAGA supporters."  They say the term "racist' hurled at them was defamatory.

Cardi, who was not there, tweeted a video of the altercation, claiming her sister and her friends were being targeted because they are Afro-Hispanic and gay. The video included Hennessy calling the 3 people racist.

The 3 beachgoers sued for defamation as well as assault and battery.

A New York trial judge just dismissed the case, and it's a solid win for Cardi and Hennessy. As for defamation, the judge said these were all just general insults that do not rise to the level of defamation.

As for spitting -- the basis for the assault and battery claim -- the judge said even if spit shot out from Hennessy's mouth -- there was no proof whatsoever she intended to target any of the plaintiffs. In fact, the judge noted the plaintiffs never even alleged that was Hennessy's intent.

Hardly a warm welcome for Korn in Iowa, ironically -- someone used one of their buses for target practice, opening fire on the vehicle and landing at least one shot.

The band is close to wrapping the U.S. leg of its global tour -- with a stop in Iowa Friday night -- but just 24 hours before the show, the tour bus was hit while parked outside a hotel in Davenport, IA.

A spokesperson for the Davenport Police Department tells us they got a call Friday morning for a vehicle that had been hit overnight. Cops say the bus -- which was parked on the street -- had been hit by a single bullet. Luckily no one was injured.

A source familiar with the situation tells us the bullet pierced the exterior wall of the bus and was found inside the cabin. The saving grace here is that no one was on board at the time of the shooting.

Doja Cat's music career is dead ... thanks to Twitter.

Well, that's what the singer and rapper's claiming, at least, after going toe-to-toe with the Twitter mob over a canceled concert in Paraguay. Her first mistake was hopping online after playing Lollapalooza in Brazil Thursday night.

Doja copped to not putting on "a good enough show," but promised she'd do better Friday night. Well, her fans in Paraguay got all butt hurt because she'd never tweeted them over missing a festival show there earlier this week. Mind you, that concert was canceled due to a deadly storm and flooding ... so, certainly not DC's fault.

Anyway, Doja's response to the ridiculous outrage was "I'm not sorry," and that ignited the Twitter war with fans and even journalists in Paraguay. She eventually fired back, "I moved on I'm just gonna let everybody be mad" ... and changed her Twitter handle to "I quit."

Then she rage tweeted, "I can't wait to f***ing disappear and I don't need you to believe in me anymore." She added, "I'm a f***ing fool for ever thinking I was made for this this is a f***ing nightmare. Unfollow me."

Doja topped it off by declaring, "This s*** ain't for me so I'm out. Y'all take care."

BTW, she's supposed to hit the road with The Weeknd this summer in North America ... so, we seriously doubt she's done done -- but, way to go, Twitter. Ya happy now?

Master P is joining the recovery effort in his hometown -- after a deadly tornado tore through New Orleans, he's put together a team to, literally in some cases, pick up the pieces for victims.

The rapper tells TMZ ... his "Team Hope" currently has 25 people in the area, and it's comprised of his friends, family and other community members. So far, they've helped more than 100 families in NOLA's 9th Ward by handing out essential supplies, and helping the elderly fill out damage claim forms.

Most importantly, the crew is already starting the rebuilding process by cleaning up the damage and salvaging what they can from wrecked homes.

The tornado cut through several parts of the city late Tuesday night, injuring multiple people and killing at least one person. As it passed through, it flipped cars and ripped roofs off of houses.

Sadly, the city and its residents aren't strangers to mother nature's wrath, but Master P tells us, "New Orleans is stronger together ... it's time to clean up and rebuild. We have done this so many times we have to be thankful for life."

P is feeling that gratitude because, as his own relatives narrowly dodged disaster this time around -- he says they live 7 blocks away from where the twister touched down.

Back when NOLA was reeling last year from Hurricane Ida ... Master P's provided much-needed relief, distributing clean drinking water through one of his companies.

Cancel the rest of the NBA season ... Warriors superfan G-Eazy thinks it's a foregone conclusion his Golden State squad will win the championship this year, despite its recent struggles.

TMZ Sports spoke with Gerald as he was leaving Musso & Frank in L.A. this week ... and the dude was as confident as ever in his beloved Warriors, even though they've been stumbling as of late.

"We'll be all right, man," said G-Eazy, who's been a die-hard Dubs supporter for years. "We're still going all the way."

Of course, a lot of NBA pundits might disagree ... the Warriors, after all, are just 7-12 since early February, and Steph Curry is currently out with a foot injury.

But, G-Eazy, who's written a bunch of songs in honor of the Warriors, still believes in his guys.

"We're going all the way, absolutely," he said. "That's what we do, man. That's what we do."

The Warriors got off to a red-hot start this season ... but injuries to members of their Big Three -- Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Steph -- have put their championship hopes in question.

Before this cheerful little boy with a big bright smile was spitting raps, he was just another active young kid with big dreams from Santa Monica, California.

Need another clue? 2015 was the year for this applauding baby in the yellow bib ... a year of playing no games and counting your blessings. He's even celebrating his birthday today and has now completed 34 laps around the sun as a big musician.

Bounce on in and see if you have what it takes to guess who this smiling baby is in the cute throwback!

For rapper Everlast, his marriage is not everlasting ... because his wife just filed for divorce.

The House of Pain front man's wife, Lіѕа Schrody, beelined it to a California courthouse Wednesday and filed divorce docs after nearly 13 years of marriage.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Lisa lists the date of separation as Dec. 8, 2021, and she cites the usual "irreconcilable differences" as her reason for the split.

Everlast and Lisa, a former Penthouse model, got hitched way back in 2009 and have 2 minor children together ... 12-year-old Laila and 9-year-old Sadie ... and Lisa's seeking joint legal and physical custody.

In the docs, Everlast's wife is also seeking spousal support ... and she wants to terminate the court's ability to award him support.

Former "Love & Hip Hop" star, Apple Watts, is fighting for her life after she was involved in a serious car accident -- leaving her vehicle in flames and her in a hospital.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Watts was headed Northbound on I-15 Wednesday in Baker, CA ... when her black Mercedes and a Ford F250 pickup truck collided. We're told Watts' car flipped multiple times, and burst into flames when it came to a stop.

Cops say one of the passengers inside the F250 was able to pull Watts out of her burning vehicle ... and she was life-flighted to a Nevada hospital, where she's being treated for "major injuries."

At this time, it's unknown what caused the accident ... or if drugs or alcohol played a role in the vehicles colliding.

Brandy Norwood's former housekeeper says the singer gave her the boot because she was too old, and still owes her for work she completed ... so she's filed a lawsuit.

The housekeeper, who says she's over 60, claims she was fired by Brandy's team in February. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Brandy got rid of the employee because she no longer wanted an "older" housekeeper.

The housekeeper claims she wasn't paid for her last 2 days of work, and now she's suing for back pay and a whole lot more.

Additionally, the housekeeper -- who says she earned $125 a day at Brandy's Calabasas home for the past 20 years -- claims she didn't get her legally required breaks, either.

She's suing for more than $250K in damages, and it's yet another legal headache on Brandy's plate.

She and her stylist were sued back in January by a fashion designer and store owner over a ring Brandy was supposed to wear to the American Music Awards, but allegedly failed to return.

We've reached out to Brandy's rep regarding the housekeeper's lawsuit ... so far, no word back.

Kourtney Kardashian and fiancé, Travis Barker, are very much one and the same -- at least when it comes to what they wear to dinner -- matching up in black leather.

The lovebirds were spotted locking lips and walking hand-in-hand, as they attended a private party inside NOBU Malibu Wednesday. Check out their outfits, each decked out in what appears to be leather ... Kourtney in a two-piece ensemble and Travis rocking a jumpsuit.

Funny enough, Trav's jumper looks very similar to Kim K's Prada fit she recently wore to a meeting with Vogue editors in Milan -- though hers was a different color.

As you know, Travis got down on bended knee back in October to pop the question -- and, the two have been locked in ever since -- though there's not yet a publicly announced wedding date.

Breathe easy, Philadelphia Eagles fans ... Jordan Mailata is not bailing on football, even though it seems he could after a surprising 'Masked Singer' gig that started with a very unexpected call.

The star offensive tackle joined "TMZ Live" Thursday to talk about his unmasking on the reality show. He was the one in the 'Thingamabob' costume, and last night he sang 'Classic' by MKTO. While his impressive vocals have been under wraps, Jordan says his teammates already knew about his hidden talent.

In fact, they'd encouraged him to go pro ... but Jordan says it wasn't until he got a call from his agent about doing 'Masked Singer' that it ever became a thought for him.

Now that folks outside the locker room know about Jordan's pipes, JM says he's taking things one step at a time and being realistic about his prospects in the music biz. He added, it's been incredible and humbling to get such wholesome reactions from people.

But, while he is considering doing more singing -- perhaps professionally -- Jordan says football will always be his first love.

The Toronto Maple Leafs debuted their new Justin Bieber-designed jerseys on Wednesday ... and they were joined by none other than the Biebs himself!!

Auston Matthews and the "Peaches" singer got in some one-on-one time after their matchup against the New Jersey Devils ... showing the NHL superstar walking up to and hugging Bieber in the locker room.

Of course, the duo has become pretty tight over the years ... and have even hit the ice together to play some pickup hockey.

Bieber got the VIP treatment on Wednesday ... checking out the facility, taking pics with all the players and getting his very own custom Drew jersey.

The night was extra special for Bieber ... as his beloved team rocked his newly-designed threads in their 3-2 win over the Devils.

As we previously reported, the sweaters are reversible to show the yellow Drew House design on the inside ... and the team rocked 'em during warm-ups!!

The jerseys are a big hit -- they're already sold out on the Drew website ... and are flying off the shelves with the NHL Shop.

Quavo, and presumably Migos, are off the Grammys and onboard with J. Prince's idea to protest the awards by putting on a hip hop concert to compete with it on the same night!!!

We talked to Quavo Wednesday at LAX, and he told us the Grammys don't mean a thing anymore. Take a listen, he says it's time to start "our own awards ... that appreciate the real s**t going on in the streets."

He thinks the way the Recording Academy classifies his genre is out of touch, calling it an "old language" ... especially because rappers like Quavo are the ones doing the creating, not them.

As you'll recall, Rap-A-Lot Records founder J. Prince called for artists like Ye, Drake and Nicki Minaj to put the Grammys on notice with their own Vegas concert on April 3, the night of the award show. The idea is fully in response to the Academy banning Ye from performing due to "concerning online behavior."

Prince says the only way to make change is prove Grammy ratings will drop when hip hop's biggest artists jump ship to do their own show instead.

We also got New Edition's Ronnie DeVoe and he says statements like this are necessary, because traditional award shows aren't exactly known for inclusivity.

Forget whoever comes up in Google, Soulja Boy is the original creator of TikTok ... at least, according to the rapper himself.

The "Crank That" rapper sat down with Raq on the "It's Tricky With Raquel Harper" podcast and talked about all things TikTok ... and the impact he feels he's made on the app.

Big Draco (partially) joked around saying, he created TikTok and the folks making money behind the app need to pay up. As you know, TikTok has had huge success, reaching 1 billion users.

Many songs go viral with choreographed dances on the app ... a trend Soulja says he started back in 2007 with his hit single "Crank That (Soulja Boy)." And, while he didn't quite create the app ... he raises a fair point.

All in all, though, Soulja says he's a fan of the app. He added, his song "She Make It Clap" was only able to reach new heights because of TikTok ... like climbing to no. 1 on Billboard, getting him a record deal and prompting some of Hollywood's biggest names to listen and whip out their dance moves.

Of course, it hasn't been all easy breezy for Soulja. You'll recall, he got the boot from Kanye's "Donda" album ... and Ye even trashed his verse in an interview. Eventually, they ironed out their beef and SB joked it all off.

Though he may have had some trouble getting a hit with Ye, it seems TikTok surely has welcomed him with opened arms ... and he's had huge success.