Music

ABC is pulling the plug on Christmas with the Backstreet Boys ... a late decision that comes immediately on the heels of Nick Carter being accused of sexual battery.

The band's special, "A Very Backstreet Holiday," was set to air on ABC next week, and featured all 5 singers -- Nick, Brian, Howie, AJ and Kevin -- but the network has canceled the airing ... TMZ has confirmed.

The special was shot last month in L.A., and, at this stage, would be complete and ready to air. ABC isn't offering any explanation for the last-minute cancelation, but with the announcement coming less than 24 hours after the lawsuit against Carter ... it's pretty clear.

TMZ broke the story ... Shannon Ruth sued the singer Thursday for sexual battery, saying she was 17 back in 2001 when was allegedly invited on his tour bus and given alcohol.

According to legal docs, Ruth -- who's autistic with cerebral palsy -- was then sexually assaulted by Carter ... and when she threatened to tell people about what he did, he allegedly called her a "r******* little bitch" who no one would believe. She says she contracted HPV after the incident and is now seeking damages.

Nick's attorney, Michael Holtz, told us the entire claim "is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue" ... saying Ruth has been manipulated into making false allegations about Nick.

NAV's taking his 2022 success -- his third No. 1 rap album, "Demons Protected By Angels" -- and rolling it into 2023 with a tour packed with special guests.

The XO rapper unveiled dates Thursday for his upcoming "Never Sleep" Tour ... which, of course, takes its name from his smash hit with Lil Baby and Travis Scott.

Current XXL Freshman SoFayGo and RealestK -- whose "Toxic" song was a mega-popular TikTok meme this year -- will also be opening acts.

As a treat for his Toronto hometown, NAV also recruited Bryson Tiller for a special appearance to shut down the tour on April 11 at Scotiabank Arena.

NAV was just spotted this week supporting his friend Metro Boomin's new "HEROES & VILLAINS" album during the release party.

Metro and NAV go back some years -- they collaborated on their 2017 album "Perfect Timing," and since then each has dominated in their own lanes.

Vince Staples is boosting his acting resume with a cameo on the award-winning sitcom, "Abbott Elementary," and fans are demanding an encore!!!

The Long Beach-bred rapper guest starred as Maurice ... a potential love interest for show creator Quinta Brunson's character, Janine.

The Wednesday night episode also featured NBA champ Andre Iguodala, and it had fans doing double takes all night ... with some even getting all googly-eyed over Vince.

'Abbott' is one of the hottest tickets on TV, winning 3 Primetime Emmys after its first season on the air.

Soulja Boy is getting a kick outta being proved wrong, for a change -- after Shaquille O'Neal stepped up to make it clear HE is the first "rapper" to possess a one million dollar bill.

Shaq reacted to SB's Instagram video of himself flexing the fake currency ... and essentially said ... sorry, Soulja, I did that way back in '92 when you were just 2.

That would explain why the "Crank Dat" rapper has no recollection of Shaq's feat, but Soulja's taking it well.

SB conceded to Shaq, but added ... he forgot The Big Aristotle rapped back in the day, as the NBA HOF'er has been moonlighting as a DJ for years now. Shaq actually dropped 4 rap albums, the last one coming in 1998.

He didn't post hard evidence of his $1M bill, but there's no doubt he has experience spending big.

Plies is ecstatic about Brittney Griner's release from a Russian prison ... and says there's no reason for Paul Whelan's plight to overshadow the WNBA star's homecoming.

The Florida rapper went on a rant about people, like his cousin, who are focusing on the sad and disappointing fact Whelan -- a retired Marine -- is still in a Russian prison, as he has been for almost 4 years.

Plies acknowledges Whelan's sentence is BS ... but says no one gave a damn about Whelan before BG got detained and turned into a political pawn. He suspects Paul's newfound supporters are really just Brittney haters.

That particular shoe might fit Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons, who has since apologized for initially reacting to the news with an outcry for Paul. For what it's worth, Whelan himself told CNN Thursday he's disappointed in Biden for not making a deal for his release.

The embattled WNBA star was released Thursday in exchange for "Merchant of Death" arms dealer Viktor Bout ... after nearly 10 months of diplomatic negotiations.

Plies says he has a new nickname for President Joe Biden: "Big State Biden"

Jamaican dancehall legend Sizzla is burning a bridge -- almost literally, because he didn't get a big enough credit for his work on some DJ Khaled albums.

The reggae vet lived up to his name Thursday, as he angrily set fire to the commemorative plaques Khaled and Epic Records sent to him. The burning issue for Sizzla?

The font used to print his name on said plaques was way too small!!! 😂

It's a pretty wild setup ... Sizzla and several of his friends cursed Khaled as the devil, and also called the small print disrespectful towards Jamaica as a whole.

Khaled's sons Asahd and Aalam's photos were spared from the inferno -- Sizzla says babies are "innocent" and he still refers to the boys as his godchildren.

Not sure that will still be the case after this stunt.

Fans in Sizzla's Instagram comment section maintained his reaction was overblown -- he's been a valued Khaled collaborator for years.

Sizzla actually appears on the very first track of both Khaled's "Grateful" and "Father Of Asahd" albums ... and is featured on this year's blockbuster "GOD DID" as well.

Tekashi 6ix9ine has been spending a ton of time in the boxing gym recently ... but those looking to see him settle his many beefs in the ring are SOL -- 'cause TMZ Sports is told the rapper is NOT interested in taking a celebrity fight.

The New York rapper hit up the Black Box Gym in Dubai earlier this week ... getting in a workout with 17-3 Iranian boxer Mohammad Ali Bayat Farid.

You can see the 26-year-old look throwing a couple of right hooks at Farid's mitts and working some defensive moves ... all while wearing Crocs.

Despite Tekashi's effort to improve his skills, it's not for any particular reason aside from staying in shape -- even though one would think he could be gearing up for a bout after his recent brawl with DJ Lucasdirty in Dubai.

Tekashi tells us he has "nothing brewing in the boxing world" ... and he's just doing his best to keep off the pounds.

A few years back, Tekashi felt some type of way about being fat-shamed online and vowed to make a change.

"I've been gaining a lot of weight and a lot of people have been calling me fat," Tekashi said in 2018. "They're drawing pictures of me. Instead of drawing me like the regular Tekashi, they're drawing me like fat Tekashi."

"I've been making a lot of money and haven't been caring about my physical appearance. So I want my fans to, like, join me."

Drake is still winning big with his old music -- in addition to his monster 2022 year -- as two of his biggest hits have just reached Diamond status!!!

The RIAA announced Thursday that 2 of Drake's "Views" album singles ... "Hotline Bling" and "One Dance" had crossed the 10 million sales benchmark.

His already-Diamond hit "God's Plan" was also upgraded to Platinum for hitting the 15 mil mark.

"Hotline Bling" was originally a remix to singer DRAM's breakout song "Cha Cha" -- a clash that still lingers today.

Regardless, the song went on to win a pair of Grammys in 2017 for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Song Performance and the video has almost two billion plays.

Drake actually never got around to shooting a video for the dancehall smash "One Dance" but it obviously didn't hurt the song's reach.

The song effectively introduced Wizkid to American audiences and he's now the first Nigerian artist to go Diamond.

Drake was also the No. 3 artist streamed globally this year ... trailing only behind Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny.

Kanye West has lost friends, business deals and billions of dollars for his hatred, and now he can add losing an honorary college degree to his woes ... cause the School of the Art Institute of Chicago has taken it away.

According to a school letter, obtained by TMZ, honchos decided to rescind Ye's degree, stating, "His anti-Black, antisemitic, and incendiary statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities, are disgusting and condemnable".

The letter, written by President Elissa Tenny, continues, "As a community, we know that there are varying opinions on what our School’s response should be––even as we all agree that his behavior is indefensible."

The disgraced rapper was awarded an honorary doctorate back in 2015 for his accomplishments and contributions to art and culture, but Tenny notes, "his actions do not align with SAIC's mission and values."

As we reported, Kanye was on "Infowars" last week claiming his love for Hitler and Nazis.

Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter is being sued for sexual battery, after an alleged incident with a minor back in 2001 ... an incident our Carter sources say is totally false.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Shannon Ruth -- who says she was 17 at the time of the alleged assault -- was invited by Carter to his tour bus after a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, WA while waiting in the autograph line.

The docs say Ruth, who has autism and cerebral palsy, was asked if she wanted a drink ... she asked for apple juice, and Carter allegedly told her he had cranberry -- giving her a "red-colored drink."

Ruth says the drink tasted off, and Carter called it "VIP juice" ... but drank it to not be rude. She now believes it was a mix of alcohol and cranberry juice.

According to the docs, Carter then brought her to the bus' bathroom, and ordered her to perform oral sex on him ... Ruth claims she was crying during the ordeal, but he kept instructing her.

She then says Carter took her to a bed on the bus and continued to sexually assault her ... and after the incident, she allegedly said she'd tell people about what he did, but he threatened to turn others against her -- calling her a "r******* little bitch" that no one would believe.

The docs say Ruth, who claims she was a virgin before the alleged assault, had contracted HPV afterward ... and she's now seeking damages.

A source close to Nick tells us, "This accusation is categorically false, Nick is focusing on his family and mourning the death of his brother."

As we reported, Nick's faced rape allegations in the past, but has never been charged with any crimes.

Drake is catching a stray from Styles P, who is reflecting on the short-lived Nas vs. 21 Savage "beef" ... and thinking Drizzy shoulda nipped the rift in the bud before it bloomed.

The Lox legend was a guest on Math Hoffa's "My Expert Opinion" where he stated he liked, not loved, 21's music ... and added he's not in the same class of rappers as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole or even Drake -- with whom 21 just dropped the "Her Loss" album.

Nas and 21 recently patched things up with a duet track "One Mic, One Gun."

The song's been celebrated as a peaceful follow-up to 21's comments on Clubhouse that Nas was irrelevant -- a move Styles says he would never do despite how much he agreed.

According to Styles, there are actually some legends who suck as lyricists and should bow in his presence ... but he's not here to knock anybody's hustle.

Celine Dion is coping with a serious disorder that makes people unable to talk or walk -- and as a result, she's forced to postpone her European tour once again.

The singer was very emotional early Thursday morning as she revealed her diagnosis, telling fans about the extremely rare neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome.

Celine says it's the reason she's been suffering spasms lately, and it's affected "every aspect of my daily life" -- and it's made it difficult for her to sing at her full ability.

Celine then breaks the tour news to fans ... before adding she's got a team of medical professionals working on getting her back into performance mode, but it hasn't been easy.

Stiff-person syndrome only affects about one in a million people, and it can cause frequent muscle spasms due to heightened sensitivity to things like touch, emotional distress or noise. It can leave some unable to walk or, in severe cases, speak.

Celine's concert was set to kick off February in the Czech Republic -- but it's now slated for March 2024, according to her site. A handful of other shows were canceled, too.

Young Nudy is looking to do serious bodily harm to whoever's stealing his unreleased tracks and putting them on the Internet ... and, frankly, he has the beating all planned out.

Nudy hopped onto Instagram fuming with rage after learning a whopping 172 of his songs were placed onto a popular illegal music download site.

Previously unreleased songs from other Atlanta-based rap stars -- Future, 21 Savage, Young Thug, Gunna -- also hit the platform, but it's Nudy who's springing into action ... promising to take his sweet time sniffing out the culprit.

Nudy denied being friendly like other rappers, and says when he finds the hack, he won't hesitate to pull up to deliver a royal ass whooping!!! Sounds like he means it, too.

Lil Uzi Vert has his first Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America -- thanks to his infectious 2017 bop "XO TOUR Llif3."

Diamond awards are handed out for 10 million sold, and "XO TOUR Llif3" actually sits comfortably above that line at 11 million units sold to date!!!

Produced by TM88 and JW Lucas, the song spiked massive emo moods upon its release. Uzi detailed his then-fizzling relationship with ex-girlfriend Brittany Byrd and wailed on the track about all his friends being dead ... presidents.

Uzi's Generation Now label boss DJ Drama tells TMZ Hip Hop the song was actually in jeopardy of being leaked after Uzi lost his phone while on tour with The Weeknd at the time.

To get ahead of the blunder, Drama says they put out a preliminary EP on SoundCloud -- "Luv Is Rage 1.5" -- with "XO TOUR Llif3" being a featured track.

Drama says he and the team watched the track blow up in real-time, which leads us to the present day ... 11 million sold, baby!!!

TM88 is also popping his ish on Twitter ... throwing a subtle jab at DJ Khaled's recently resurfaced 2015 comments where he dissed FL Studio -- the program that made "XO TOUR Llif3" possible in the first place!!!

Tekashi 6ix9ine and social media influencer Steve Will Do It are having some fun at Balenciaga's expense in the wake of the fashion brand's photo controversy ... even if their jokes are kinda lowbrow.

During a trip to an undisclosed Balenciaga location, 6ix9ine and Steve pretended to investigate the store's current foot traffic -- it was pretty empty, aside from employees and a handful of customers.

6ix9ne assumed the role of a security guard, allowing his buddy Steve Will entry after he dropped the password ... "I like little girls" -- a direct jab at Balenciaga's crisis.

Steve Will roamed the store for a bit, as Tekashi flaunted his disrespect for the store -- plopping down on a display case with no regard for the expensive clothing!!!

As you know, the luxury designer is currently under fire for running an ad campaign depicting young kids holding teddy bears dressed in bondage gear ... and other imagery showing court documents referencing child pornography laws.

The 2 jokers didn't film themselves purchasing anything, but that seems to be the point -- they're down with boycotting Balenciaga ... even in the face of a 50% off sale.

TMZ Hip Hop recently spoke to Roddy Ricch who felt very conflicted over the Balenciaga scandal ... evidenced by him still wearing their sneakers, but he's still hoping for a positive outcome.

DaBaby is currently over in Dubai pushing his "Blame It On Baby 2" album, but he's also finding time to get wild ... at a zoo.

The "BOP" rapper paid a visit to the Al Buqaish Private Zoo ... a world-renowned animal shelter and checked in with its owner, Humaid Abdulla Albuqaish, and a new friend named "Simba."

DaBaby is one of the more ambitious rappers around but may want to read his lion tamer manual before getting close to a jungle king again -- the lion didn't seem to appreciate the way he was gripping its chain leash like it was one of his iced-out pendants.

Elsewhere, DaBaby and his crew solicited some nearby camels in hopes of coming up on some of the local greenery ... to no avail.

Regardless, DB has been riding high as of late after boldly claiming on Math Hoffa's podcast that he's on the same level as Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and J. Cole.