Music

As pop culture continues to clash with our political landscape, so too has rock and roll -- leaving Kid Rock and Dee Snider on opposite ends of the line drawn in the sand.

First, KR ... who's made it known, in no uncertain terms, he's a conservative -- and a big supporter of Donald Trump. No surprise on that front ... but what is surprising is the fact Rock was able to snag a cameo from 45 in a pre-show message -- which is ... interesting.

The Kid's on tour right now ... and a new viral video shows that he's apparently opening his concerts with a pre-recorded message from DT himself -- and the guy's audience loves it.

Trump starts out with, "Hello, everyone ... I love you all. I know you're having a great time at the Kid Rock concert tonight. Quite frankly, he's amazing. All of you in attendance are the great backbone of our country -- hard-working, God-fearing, rock and roll patriots."

Trump also pokes fun at Kid's golf game, but says he's a great entertainer ... and then says "Let's Make America Rock Again," with a MAGA hat. KR took the stage right after that and performed. As you know, they're tight ... but the Trump plug's still sorta impressive.

Then comes Dee Snider ... whom some in the GOP might've *thought* was a bastion of conservatism -- but were proven wrong this weekend by the guy himself, hilariously so.

A republican named Jerrod Sessler -- who's running for Congress -- tweeted he was bummed to learn Dee was behind some liberal policies ... despite the fact that his Twisted Sister song, "We're Not Gonna Take It," made him think he was all about traditional American values.

Unclear why this dude might've believed the TW tune was in any way a theme song for conservatism, but Dee fired back ... "You think i wrote a song in support of 'traditional American values'? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! You funny."

Dee followed up by pointing out some telling lyrics in the song itself, saying ... "The first line of my song is WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE! Can I count you amongst us pro-choice people? Now that's a Republican I can support!"

Sessler responded, kinda getting holier than thou ... "Do you think the folks that wrote the Bible knew that God was writing through them? I doubt it. I believe God can even use @deesnider and his hair for good! BTW - nice flag"

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are giving it another shot -- the pair are engaged -- nearly 20 years after Ben first asked Jen for her hand in marriage.

J Lo shared the news with her fans via a video message on her newsletter Friday, she's teary-eyed and simply says, "You're perfect" before you can catch a glimpse of her beautiful green diamond ring.

Of course, we noticed Ben may have popped the question already when J Lo was spotted out furniture shopping with her daughter and was wearing a massive diamond on THAT finger. Interestingly enough, she tried to flip the diamond into her palm when she saw a cam.

The engagement comes on the heels of another very significant step for the couple -- they recently plunked down around $55 million on a massive Bel-Air estate together.

The home has plenty of room to blend their families with 20,000 sq ft. 10 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms ... not to mention a pool with stunning views.

Jack White is an impatient man ... he proposed to his girlfriend and then married her. That's not unusual, except that he did both the same night, in the middle of his concert!!!

The famed rocker was performing in Detroit Friday night, when he summoned his GF, Olivia Jean, onto the stage for a White Stripes "Hotel Yorba" duet.

White, ring in hand, popped the question. Olivia said yes, and then Jack inquired of the crowd, "It's been such a great day, mind if we get married right now?"

Jack's parents, bandmates and an officiant then did their thing, and poof ... Jack and Olivia were hitched!!!

Loved the officiant ... "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life." Sound familiar?

Jack's done this before ... this is his third marriage.

Lady Gaga's dog walker is weighing in on the bungled release from jail of the man who allegedly tried to murder him.

Ryan Fischer called for the accused, James Howard Jackson, to turn himself in. As TMZ reported, he was released this week due to some sort of clerical error, and he's still on the loose.

Ryan says, "While I'm deeply concerned at the events that led to his release, I'm confident law enforcement will rectify the error. I ask for Mr. Jackson to turn himself over to the authorities, so resolution to the crime committed against me runs its course, whatever the courts determine that outcome to be. Thank you to everyone who is supporting me during this time."

The 19-year-old Jackson allegedly shot Ryan in the chest as he and others attempted to nab Lady Gaga's 3 French bulldogs as he was walking them in a residential area.

TMZ obtained the video which shows the brutal scene. Jackson allegedly took 2 of the dogs and left Ryan bleeding on the street.

The dogs were returned, but Ryan had a much tougher time. He suffered from a collapsed lung and is still enduring the physical and emotional aftereffects of the shooting.

Rapper Polo G's final 2 charges in his cop attack case have been dropped after he completed anger management classes ... putting an end to this whole saga.

The artist recently completed a 6-hour anger management course, resulting in his final 2 counts of misdemeanor Resisting an Officer Without Violence being tossed.

As for why he got cut a break, this was part of the Pre-Trial Intervention program -- PTI -- which allows offenders with non-violent offenses to have charges dropped when they complete such programs.

Polo never pled guilty, so he won't be on probation. It's case closed.

Polo's celeb attorney, Bradford Cohen, tells us the rapper is happy to put this behind him and get back into the studio ... thanking the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County for her professionalism in resolving the matter.

As we reported, Polo G was arrested for allegedly attacking a cop during a traffic stop back in June. According to an affidavit, obtained by TMZ, the cop suffered abrasions to the face and a swollen right cheek ... the officer took multiple punches and elbow strikes to his head while trying to cuff the rapper.

Jussie Smollett might’ve gone straight from his jail cell to the studio ... because he just dropped a new song where he directly addresses his court case.

The former “Empire” star released a single Friday dubbed, “Thank You God,” and some of the lyrics are very interesting, considering his recent circumstances.

Jussie sings ... “Some people chasing that clout / Just remember this ... this ain’t that situation / You think I’m stupid enough to kill my reputation?”

The song comes on the heels of Jussie’s jail release pending his appeal. He’s been out for about 3 weeks, and seemingly put the song together in that time.

Jussie also sings ... “It’s like they’re hell-bent on not solving the crime / Taking out the elements of race and trans and homophobia that’s straight taking lives / But turn around and act like I’m the one that killed the strides.”

He dedicates the song to “the people who kept it real, who kept it true” ... and he says he’s donating all profits from the track to the Rainbow Push Coalition, Secure the Bag Safety and the Illinois Innocence Project.

As you know ... a jury found Jussie guilty of 5 of the 6 felony counts against him for lying to Chicago police about being the victim of a racist, homophobic attack ... and a judge sentenced him to 5 months behind bars.

But, Jussie was released from jail March 16 while he tries to get his sentence for the hoax attack overturned.

Trey Songz has officially been cleared in a sexual assault investigation out of Vegas.

A rep for the Las Vegas Metro. PD tells us, "The LVMPD has concluded the investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Tremaine Neverson and determined that no criminal charges will be filed. If any new evidence comes to light, the case will be reopened for further investigation."

TMZ broke the story, Songz was accused of misconduct while in town to celebrate his 37th birthday back in November. Trey allegedly brought a group of women back to his room at The Cosmopolitan, and that's when the accuser had claimed things went South.

Trey's attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, tell us, "We are pleased that Trey Songz' has been cleared of wrongdoing and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigation has officially been closed."

They continue, "We are grateful to the LVMPD for the professional police work done and their thorough investigation, which included findings of inconsistency in witness testimony and insufficient evidence. We are pleased that Trey can now return to what he does best, entertaining."

Fat Joe says Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars has serious consequences for all POCs when it comes to demanding respect ... especially because it was Will who got violent in public.

We got Joey Crack Thursday in New York City, and asked for his take on the fallout from Will's actions, and the impact on minorities.

You can tell it pains him to say it, but Joe says Will being the culprit makes it much worse for the culture than, for instance, Fat Joe and 50 Cent beefing.

Watch the clip, he really did take that shot at himself -- but his point is people expect more from Will, because as he put it ... the Oscar winner is "the best we got."

What's more, Joe says the slap looks bad from the outside because it comes at a time when Black and brown people are demanding more respect in society.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck may have officially cemented their future together -- cause she is wearing a diamond ring on THAT finger -- and something she did with the diamond is raising more suspicion.

J Lo and her daughter, Emme, were out furniture shopping Monday, possibly for their new $55 million home, and if you take a closer look, there's definitely a diamond on the singer's left ring finger.

Interestingly enough, J Lo seems to pick up on the fact there's a photog, because on her way out of the store, she appears to flip the ring, hiding the diamond side in her palm.

If it's legit, the engagement would come on the heels of another big step in Ben and Jen's relationship ... the $55 mil mansion they just went in on together.

As we've previously reported, the massive 10-bedroom, 17-bathroom estate sits in the ritzy Bel-Air area of Los Angeles ... and J Lo and Ben are gearing up to blend their families together and make it their home.

BTW, it wouldn't be the first time the two got engaged to each other, Ben popped the question 18 years ago ... but they called things off before any wedding.

Avril Lavigne and her boyfriend Mod Sun may have officially taken things to the next level ... 'cause she's wearing what appears to be an engagement ring!!

The "Girlfriend" singer was spotted, Tuesday, arriving at a studio in Los, Angeles rockin' a MASSIVE diamond ring on THAT finger. Interestingly enough, she wasn't wearing the ring when she hit the Grammy's red carpet over the weekend ... so if the engagement did happen it was either very recent, or she just didn't want it known at the award show.

Of course, if legit, it would mean she and long-time BF Mod Sun have a wedding to plan, we've seen their relationship grow over the last year or so, and both have seemed super happy.

As you may know, the couple wrote the single "Flames" and appeared in the music video together, back in January 2021 ... and have been posting and showcasing their love, since.

The two officially made their debut on the red carpet for the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. And, Mod Sun even got Avril's name tattooed on his neck, so obviously, things are serious.

21 Savage's battle over his immigration status isn't moving forward, and it all has to do with his criminal case ... this according to the artist's lawyer.

21's immigration attorney Charles Kuck tells TMZ ... the pending criminal charges basically paused the rapper's now 3-year-long immigration case -- and nothing will happen on that front until the criminal case in DeKalb County wraps up.

As we reported, 21 was detained by ICE officials way back in 2019 ... agents say he had been illegally living in the U.S. for years after his visa expired.

Authorities later claimed the rapper threw out a bottle of codeine during that ICE arrest ... and they say a handgun was also found in his vehicle.

Here's the crazy part -- the Dekalb D.A. didn't even formally charge 21 with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm until January of this year. Think about it, a whole worldwide pandemic came and went before that much happened, and as a result ... he's still in limbo as to where he'll end up living.

BTW, we're told there are currently no pending court dates for the criminal case, so this ain't ending anytime soon.

Savage's lawyer says his client is still allowed to travel domestically, but can't leave the U.S. because he has no visa to reenter the country.

Drakeo the Ruler was overlooked in the Grammys' In Memoriam segment -- and his brother is fuming ... with some choice words for the Academy.

Ralfy the Plug -- DTR's sibling -- tells TMZ ... "On behalf of Drakeo The Ruler, Ketchy The Great and The Stinc Team, it comes off as a spit in the face disregarding the facts that we’ve created an entire movement that generated the momentum for underground emerging L.A. artists to have a platform."

Ketchy, another rapper who was affiliated with Drakeo, also died in 2021 -- and he too wasn't mentioned in the In Memoriam slideshow. Granted, he wasn't nearly as famous.

In any case, Ralfy continues with this barb about cops and free speech ... "Let alone the reality that we lost my Brother, Drakeo The Ruler, the poster child for systematic prejudices against rappers by law enforcement using lyrics against our culture and violating what they call our constitutional rights of freedom of speech- The First Amendment."

Ralfy also notes Drakeo was slain while doing what he loved most ... performing his music. He was stabbed in the neck when he was backstage at an L.A. music festival. The attacker is still on the loose.

He ends by saying, "Leaving Drakeo out of their tribute and by not giving him any acknowledgment of his existence sums up exactly what we feel the industry has been trying to do. Erase us."

Ralfy also says he and the fam appreciate all the love and support they've gotten from the rest of the community ... and promises to keep the truth alive. As you know, Ralfy actually sued the concert promoters for whom Drakeo was working the night he was stabbed.

London native and singer Jay Sean took over 2009 with his breakout album "All Or Nothing" ... which included the hit singles "Down" and "Do You Remember."

The popular songs topped the Billboard Hot 100 making Sean the first solo artist of South Asian descent to achieve such greatness, but 2009 was a big year for the British artist for other reasons ... he also tied the knot to singer and model Thara Natalie.

The couple's family grew in 2013 when they added a daughter to their impressive list of creations.

"Baby, are you down, down, down, down, down?"

The Kidd Creole -- a rap pioneer from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five -- has been convicted in the stabbing death of a homeless man.

Manhattan D.A. Alvin L. Bragg Jr. announced Wednesday a New York supreme court jury found the rap legend guilty of first-degree manslaughter.

As we reported ... The Kidd Creole was arrested and charged back in August 2017 in connection with a homeless man's fatal stabbing in NYC.

The D.A. says prosecutors proved at trial The Kid Creole was walking past the homeless man on the street when the two exchanged words, with TKC walking past the man before eventually turning around, confronting him and stabbing him twice in the torso with a steak knife.

Prosecutors say a group of tourists discovered the man's body in the street minutes after the stabbing, and he was transported to a hospital where he died of his stab wounds.

The D.A. says The Kidd Creole left the scene and fled 2 blocks away to his office, where he changed clothes and cleaned the knife in a sink. Prosecutors say TKC left the office after about 15 minutes, boarded the subway and tossed the knife in a sewer near a Bronx subway station, which was recovered the next day by NYPD officers, leading to his arrest.

Kanye West is already a very wealthy man, but his bailing on Coachella left an enormous amount of money on the table ... millions and millions of dollars.

Sources with direct knowledge of the deal tell us ... Ye's deal was $8 million for his 2-weekend-long Sunday headlining gig. We're told in addition to that, Coachella was dishing out $500,000 in production costs.

However, while Kanye and his team only alerted Coachella festival that he was backing out at the last minute, it appears he hadn't been serious about taking the Coachella stage for quite some time, if ever.

Our Kanye sources say Ye really hadn't seriously rehearsed for a performance that some artists take months to prepare for. We're told he did have a team in place that was actively talking to Coachella producers, but there was still a ton of work to be done.

We're told the Coachella producers were caught completely off guard, with no plan B.

TMZ broke the story -- Kanye's spot has been filled by The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia. Our sources say The Weeknd will earn the same amount as Kanye.

Page Six was first to report the money.

Tory Lanez is sticking up for his hair, telling the world his alopecia is to blame for the bald spot on the back of his head ... something that's been the focus of recent jokes online.

Tory wrote on Twitter Wednesday after loads of people piled on after noticing the rapper's hair was thin in a video of him leaving an L.A. County courthouse, saying, "i rap about it all the time …it’s alopecia…. What’s the big deal."

Of course, the hair-loss condition is front of mind for a lot of people after Chris Rock's joke at Jada Pinkett's expense which targeted her short hair. Jada has alopecia, and her hubby Will Smith obviously thought the joke was in poor taste ... leading to the slap.

Unclear if 29-year-old Tory really has the hair condition or if he's joking at Jada's expense.

As we reported, the artist was handcuffed in court Tuesday in L.A., during a hearing about a violation of Meg Thee Stallion's protective order. Tory tweeted about her in February, addressing Meg as "U" -- the order states he isn't allowed to mention her at all.