Music

Grand Daddy I.U., a prominent member of early rap label Cold Chillin' Records, has died at the age of 54 ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

Legendary hip hop producer Pete Rock, a longtime advocate for GDIU's skills as a lyricist, revealed to his followers the Queens-born rapper died peacefully in his sleep.

In the late 80s, GDIU was signed on Cold Chillin' along with Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Roxanne Shanté and Biz Markie, the latter rap legend having a huge part in shaping his career ... pushing his demo to the label and even producing every song on GDIU's first album: 1990's "Smooth Assassin."

The album spawned a pair of Billboard rap hits in the singles "Something New" and "Sugar Free" ... helping solidify the genre on the charts long before the days of streaming and Super Bowl-sized endorsements for rappers.

We reached out to GDIU's manager for further details ... we'll let you know when we hear back.

Drake isn't afraid to fall in love, and now he's got an insanely flashy piece of jewelry to prove it -- a necklace with 42 engagement ring diamonds -- for all the times he's wanted to propose.

Celebrity Jeweler Alex Moss tells TMZ ... Champagne Papi's new piece is called "Previous Engagements," a tribute to all the women Drizzy contemplated asking to marry him, but never went through.

In total, we're told the piece's 42 stones count for 351.38 carats in diamonds. On top of all the ice, it's made using 18K white gold and was set using the eagle claw technique.

Alex tells us the entire thing took 14 months to complete and was built by hand in NYC ... though he won't reveal how much it cost.

Drake debuted it at Lil Baby’s birthday concert in Atlanta last Saturday at State Farm Arena.

Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. -- the lead star in 50 Cent's hit 'BMF' series -- learned the hard way it's a bad idea to stash a gun in your carry-on luggage.

Lil Meech landed in a bit of hot water at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Tuesday ... after we're told authorities found him with a gun.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Hip Hop Lil Meech was at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Tuesday when security discovered a firearm in his luggage. We're told deputies from the Broward Co. Sheriff's Office were called to the scene and arrested the actor.

As for the weapon, our sources say it was a Glock 19 9mm ... it wasn't loaded, but cops also found a 15-round magazine. Lil Meech did not have a carry permit.

Meech was transported and booked for introducing a firearm into the sterile area of the airport ... a felony. Apparently, the actor isn't alone in his mistake ... as we're told this was the 130th gun found at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood this year.

Jin, the oldest member of BTS, is officially an enlisted man -- the first singer from the international hitmakers to join the South Korean military under the country’s strict conscription laws.

30-year-old Jin reported to a training facility Tuesday in the Gyeonggi Province, close to the border with North Korea. Dozens of fans and journalists flocked to the area to catch a glimpse of the K-pop star as he entered the grounds.

His 5-week basic training course will include shooting a rifle and throwing grenades, according to the AP. Before Jin showed up at the training site, he posted a selfie, showing off his new buzz cut with a caption that read, "Cuter than expected."

As we reported ... BTS announced in October Jin would be the first of the seven-member boy band to serve in the South Korean military because he's the oldest. Jin is expected to complete his service by June 2024. Other BTS members -- ages 25 to 30 -- will eventually do the same, forcing the band into hiatus for several years.

Ronnie Turner, son of Tina Turner, passed away after a battle with colon cancer ... according to the L.A. County Coroner's Office.

TMZ has confirmed Ronnie's autopsy results, which say the 62-year-old actor died due to "complications of metastatic colon carcinoma." The coroner says the cancer was stage 4.

The report says Ronnie only struggled with cancer for 3 weeks before his death.

It's also determined Ronnie battled atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at the time of death -- which is a buildup of fats and cholesterol in the arteries.

TMZ broke the story ... law enforcement got a 911 call Thursday morning from a person who said Ronnie was outside their home and having a hard time breathing. A few minutes later, he stopped breathing.

Paramedics rushed to the San Fernando Valley address -- where bystanders were attempting CPR, but those efforts didn't work and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tekashi 6ix9ine's getting 86'd from a boujee apartment complex ... and we're told it's because one of his armed guards allegedly got careless with a high-powered firearm.

Sources familiar tell TMZ ... when 6ix9ine heads to Miami, he usually crashes with Nelk Boys member SteveWillDoIt. We're told Steve's place -- part of SLS Lux Property -- put the hammer down on the rapper, banning him from their spaces.

According to a letter sent to Steve from attorneys for the condo association, obtained by TMZ, Tekashi's bodyguards showed up at the end of October, openly carrying assault weapons.

The letter says one of Tekashi's guards also "casually left his assault weapon unattended on his bag" and walked away from it briefly to talk with others.

The docs say the property association is "aware of the bounty placed on 6ix9ine's life" ... after getting out of prison "in exchange for information regarding others and the provocative antics of 6ix9ine," which the condo association thinks creates a dangerous situation for its residents, guests, employees and staff members.

It's unclear if there have been potentially dangerous incidents going down during his stays, but this clip obtained by TMZ shows someone with a gun waiting for him outside.

Sources tell us he's now on a banned list that includes a photo of Tekashi for apartment security to see. The attached message says, "If seen on property, do not check-in, do not approach and contact security immediately. "

San Fran's boo-fest for Elon Musk at Dave Chappelle's show is not the takeaway from that night ... not for Symba, who says the Twitter CEO was all fun and games when they linked backstage!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the budding Bay Area rapper after he snapped a flick with Elon ... and he says the billionaire mogul wasn't rattled by the crowd's response, even if his defensive tweet following the viral moment made it seem like it.

Symba is very familiar with the Chase Center hallways -- he performed during the Golden State Warriors' December 10 victory against the Boston Celtics, and tells us he's gotten cool with Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson ... and he's in awe of their basketball IQ.

Likewise, Symba's been flashing his talents ... making waves early this year opposite DJ Drama with their joint mixtape "Results Take Time" -- and he told us they're already working together on a follow-up.

Marc Anthony's failed worldwide virtual concert is sparking a legal war between the promoter and the streaming service ... and it's getting nasty.

The promoter, Loud and Live, is suing streaming platform Maestro ... claiming the streaming service didn't hold up its end of the bargain in a virtual event that spectacularly crashed and burned.

According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Loud and Live claims it approached Maestro about live streaming a Marc Anthony concert to a global audience during the pandemic, signing a deal after Maestro assured Loud and Live it could handle a stream with over 100,000 viewers.

But as we reported ... the live stream for Marc's April 2021 concert was an utter disaster, with folks around the world complaining about staring at nothing, but a blank screen for hours until the singer finally pulled the plug.

In the docs, Loud and Live says more than 100k fans shelled out between $25 and $40 for the live stream ... only for Maestro's streaming platform to completely fail.

Marc's 90-minute concert, which was performed live and recorded, was then released for free the following day on his YouTube account ... the same day Loud and Live says it started issuing refunds.

In the docs, Loud and Live rips Maestro ... claiming the streaming service misrepresented its technological capabilities.

Loud and Live says it suffered a huge financial hit -- paying Marc and Maestro up-front fees, then promoting and financially backing the concert before ultimately losing out on the streaming sales ... so, it's going after Maestro for damages.

Ben Simmons has found himself in the middle of Tory Lanez's high-profile assault case -- and now, the Nets superstar is defending himself after he was accused of messing around with Megan Thee Stallion.

On Monday, the defense gave their opening statement in Lanez's trial -- where he's accused of shooting Meg in L.A. in 2020 following an argument. While addressing the jurors, Tory's attorney suggested it could've been Meg's friend, Kelsey Harris, who fired the shots, after the women were feuding.

Enter Simmons.

The defense claims Meg had a history of hooking up with men Kelsey's been with ... and accused her of doing just that with the NBA star, which they say caused a huge argument between the women.

But 26-year-old Simmons was quick to shut it down ... posting a viral video on his Instagram story of Rick Ross yelling, "Accusations. These are false accusations," during a segment with Swerve in Our Glory when the Florida rapper visited AEW Dynamite.

Ben didn't name Meg, Tory, or Kelsey in the post, but, c'mon.

It's only day 1 of the trial, but it's evident the defense's strategy is to convince the jurors that it was Kelsey who fired the gun, not Tory.

Even though the trial just started, it's a critical piece of information. If the defense can create reasonable doubt that Kelsey, and not Tory, fired the shots ... he'll be found not guilty.

Too Short is giving props to his home city of Oakland, a place that just named a street after him and dedicated a day as a holiday to the rapper.

TMZ Hip Hop linked with $hort Dawg Monday after his big weekend in Oakland, and he humbly tells us the honor couldn't have happened without immense support from the community.

In spite of racking up several platinum and gold plaques, Short says he didn't get into music for accolades and says his inner circle of people kept him grounded as his celebrity grew.

Over the weekend, Short was flanked by Ice Cube, Mistah F.A.B. and Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf at his old high school for his proclamation ceremony and then again for the street signing.

The "Blow the Whistle" rapper downplayed the abundance of flowers he received from the public -- but was eager to discuss the plans his Mount Westmore supergroup has on the horizon -- that could include Dr. Dre down the line!!!

On Friday, Short and Cube, along with Snoop Dogg and E-40, released their debut album as a unit and Short tells us Dr. Dre actually recorded a full verse for the album -- in addition to Dre's intro that appears on the song "Too Big."

Short says Snoop was adamant The Good Doctor appeared on the project in any capacity they all anticipate him appearing on at least one of their future projects.

Takeoff's alleged murderer, Patrick Xavier Clark, wants a taste of freedom at a discount ... asking a judge to reduce his bail so he can afford to get out from behind bars.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, Clark filed a motion in Texas Monday to reduce his $2 million bail ... his attorney, Carl Moore, says it's too much for his client to afford.

The alleged gunman wants a reduction to $100K, which he thinks he can pull together with the help of a professional bondsman. If granted, Clark says he'll stay with his parents, where he says he's always lived.

His legal team also says he'll wear a GPS monitor and abide by any curfew that may be imposed by the judge. Clark is also willing to surrender his passport and says he'll willingly follow any "no-contact" order with respect to certain people.

Takeoff was shot and killed outside a Houston bowling alley in November. Clark was arrested and charged with the murder of the Migos rapper.

The court is finally hearing opening arguments in the Tory Lanez and Megan Thee Stallion case  ... and both sides are laying out what happened the night Meg was allegedly shot in the foot by Tory.

Prosecutors kicked things off on Monday -- claiming that Tory fired 5 shots on the evening of July 12, 2020, striking Megan in both feet -- claiming Tory was set off after Megan insulted his skills by sarcastically calling him a "beautiful artist."

According to the prosecution, Tory's text messages after the fact admitting to being too drunk and apologizing profusely are pretty damning evidence.

You'll recall ... after leaving Kylie Jenner's pool party, Megan, Tory and Kelsey were said to have gotten into a black SUV with a man named Jauquan Smith, who prosecutors say drove Tory to the party and brought a 9mm handgun.

According to prosecutors, following Megan's alleged diss, Jauquan pulled the truck over and Megan and Kelsey got out of the car ... when Tory is said to have fired the gun at Megan, instructing her to "dance bitch."

As for Tory's side ... they claim the pair was at Kylie's home for a pool party when things went south and Meg was asked to leave. It appears the defense is trying to make the jury believe Tory was not the trigger man.

Tory's attorney, George Mgdesyan, also argued Tory's DNA wasn't on the gun and that he was wearing a swimsuit during the alleged incident, asking the jury, "Where did he pull the gun from?"

E-40's Goon with the Spoon ice cream brand just got a bit more flavorful ... thanks to the debut of the Bay Area legend's new chicken and waffles flavor!!!

The Mount Westmore member unveiled the interesting new dessert Monday ... marking the inaugural rollout for his soul food division.

The concoction is actually more scientific than you think ... we're told 40 didn't use chicken but Flock Chicken Chips to recreate the fowl flavor and mixed with waffles, maple syrup and brown butter ice cream to enhance the experience.

40 tells TMZ Hip Hop he always wanted to create a food brand that reflects diversity and culture -- "Culinary arts is my passion and, as a Black entrepreneur with a prominent platform, I’m committed to doing my part to bring the worlds of food, culture and entertainment together like never before.”

The chicken and waffles treat follows Cookie Dough, Bourbon Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate and Salted Caramel flavors in 40's GWTS brand but we're told the next flavor on the menu will be "Black Wall Street."

Curren$y's hometown New Orleans Pelicans are on a hot streak, winning their last 7 games -- so, now he's getting in on the celebration ... in a very personal way.

The NOLA rapper was on hand for the Pels' overtime victory against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, and afterward MVP candidate Zion Williamson -- who scored a season-high 35 points -- gifted the veteran lyricist his worn jersey!!!

Curren$y's other homie, Chris Paul, sent the game into overtime with a tying bucket, but the Western Conference-leading Pels prevailed, and Spitta thinks their last 2 wins -- both against the Suns -- have done wonders for the city.

An appreciative Curren$y said the postgame gift meant "the world" to him -- and he's been a proponent of the Pels' uplifting the community for some time.

We last spoke to Curren$y during the Pels' playoff run last season when it was cut short -- ironically by Chris Paul and the Suns -- where he predicted the experience would not only help the team but boost ticket sales, which in turn, boots camaraderie throughout the city.

Kelly Clarkson's home is apparently becoming a magnet for unwanted visitors ... she's asking a judge for court-ordered protection from a man she claims recently showed up multiple times at her place ... even pulling up in a semi-truck.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the "American Idol" winner is requesting a temporary restraining order against a man named Victor Fernandez ... and Kelly also wants her family, nanny and house manager protected.

The singer's head of security, Michael Lopez, says Fernandez first showed up at Kelly's home on Thanksgiving, pulling up in a semi-truck and peering over her privacy gate and into her yard. Lopez claims Fernandez returned two more times on Thanksgiving, once in the semi-truck and later on foot, ringing the doorbell and claiming he was there to see Kelly.

In the docs, filed by Kelly's attorney, Ed McPherson, Lopez claims Fernandez came to the house on foot again on Dec. 3, speaking to house staff and telling them Kelly told him to meet her there, even though she says she doesn't have a clue who he is.

Another member of Kelly's security team, Ludwin Munoz, claims he spoke with Fernandez through the home's camera system during the December visit. Munoz claims Fernandez appeared irritated and confused when denied entry, allegedly saying, "This is the second time she has done this ... unless I am speaking to a scammer or something."

Kelly's security also claims Fernandez snapped photos of the family SUV when her nanny pulled up with her children in tow ... and the docs say police were ultimately called and took a report.

The singer's asking a judge to keep Fernandez at least 100 yards away from her home, job, car and her children's school and child care ... and Kelly says she's afraid of what Fernandez might do and fears he may cause harm to her or her family.

TMZ broke the story ... Kelly recently got a different TRO against a woman she claimed made at least 18 unwanted visits to her home.

Minka Kelly and Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds are keeping their love fest going strong as the holidays approach, and what better place to show it off than the House of Mouse.

The newly-minted couple hit Disneyland this weekend for a very public outing, where they were cuddled up pretty much the entire time ... looking pretty smitten with one another.

DR was rocking a hoodie and an extra jacket and Minka had a pretty elaborate coat of her own with a pair of jeans and a baseball cap to top it all off.

It's definitely sweater weather in SoCal lately ... those winter temps are starting to set in -- below 65 degrees -- equivalent to the ice age for the area.

Anyway, Dan and Minka are continuing to embrace the cameras as boyfriend and girlfriend -- and they weren't shy at all about embracing each other either. Dan had his arm wrapped around Minka for much of their day date, and she was leaning into him a lot as well.

The two of them did all the Disney stuff you could imagine ... hitting rides, watching a parade and strolling through shops.

At one point while they sat for a meal with some friends in tow, Minka even snuck in a kiss on Dan's cheek. There was a lot of laughing and smiles between both of them -- so, yeah ... they look really happy together.

Unclear exactly how long the romance has been going on, but the first photos of them hanging out surfaced last month. Since then, they've been out and about all over town.