Music

Machine Gun Kelly is back in his rap bag ... courtesy of a new freestyle over Central Cee's "Doja" where he invited Cordae to his backyard to tag along!!!

A focused MGK grabbed the mic first in freshly painted fingernails while flipping bars about "Game of Thrones," and even bigged up his life with fiancée Megan Fox after not scoring a date to his prom.

Cordae managed to match Kellz's energy with ease ... even while dropping lines about the size of his junk!!! 😁

The two MCs provided one another's ad-libs and flexed their premier lyrical chops ... even adopting English accents to reflect Cee's styling on the track!!!

Floyd Mayweather's next fight isn't just going to be a boxing match, it's also going to be a big music event, too ... 'cause TBE will be squaring up against John Gotti's grandson, John Gotti III -- and music superstar Ozuna will be performing!!

TMZ Sports is told the bash will go down on June 11 in Sunrise, Florida ... and Floyd (50-0, 27 KOs) is expected to make the exhibition bout official at a press conference on Thursday.

We're told Ozuna -- whose songs have billions of views on the internet -- will be taking the stage for a special set during the extravaganza ... making it an entertaining night in both sports AND music.

Gotti III -- a mixed martial arts fighter (5-1-0) -- is 2-0 (1 KO) as a professional boxer ... and the fight is being promoted as a "Last Names Matter" spectacle ... which makes sense, considering his grandpa is one of the most infamous crime bosses ever.

"Floyd was the first to start the exhibition concept, and everyone followed. Now he is adding some spice to the mix," James McNair, Mayweather’s pal, and president of the Money Team, told TMZ Sports.

"A boxing exhibition and musical performances all under one roof."

Jack Harlow's set to deliver a new set of tunes (and apparently a new alter-ego) this Friday with the announcement of his third studio album titled "Jackman."

The Kentucky-born rapper hopped on IG on Wednesday to reveal the project's album cover art ... which depicts a shirtless JH flexing his guns in a back alley behind a rundown basketball hoop.

Sources close to the project tell TMZ Hip Hop that the upcoming album will lean into Jack's more lyrical side ... after having padded the Billboard Charts with his No. 1 crossover hit "First Class" last go-around.

James Brolin is giving the recipe for success in his 25-year-year marriage to the great Barbra Streisand -- getting surprisingly candid about what works ... and what doesn't!

We got the actor -- who's Josh Brolin's dad, and a well-established celeb in his own right -- while he was outside of the ABC Studios in NYC Wednesday ... where he was signing autographs and, apparently, feeling pretty chatty about his personal life.

Our photog asked if he had advice for people on how to keep a good thing going in the relationship department -- and James has an answer ... essentially, it amounts to therapy.

Check out how he describes it for himself ... JB says, sometimes, you need a third party to help break up the log jam a husband and wife might experience. So, in his experience, it makes sense to get somebody in on the conversation ... whether it's a pro or not.

There's a couple other X factors that'll keep a marriage together, according to James -- which amounts to a little give and take in picking your battles ... and shared waterworks.

Janet Jackson's schedule is wide open after her Atlanta concert got pushed back in favor of the Hawks' playoff game ... and Trae Young wants her to kill time by watching his team fight to stay alive against the Celtics!!

The legendary singer was slated to perform at the State Farm Arena as part of her "Together Again" tour on Thursday ... but the venue was accidentally double-booked along with Game 6 of the Hawks vs. Cs series, perhaps because many believed Boston would have handled business by now.

The final decision -- Jackson's concert was pushed back a day to Friday, and the Hawks will take on Jayson Tatum and the Celtics as planned on Thursday.

"All tickets for Thursday night's show will be honored for Friday night," Live Nation said of the Janet concert. "Refunds will be available at point of purchase for those who are unable to attend."

Young -- who forced Game 6 after an insane game-winning shot on Tuesday -- has little-to-no sympathy for the concert delay ... but the 24-year-old sees this as an opportunity for Ms. Jackson to come through.

"Sorry not sorry to this LEGEND," the 2-time All-Star tweeted. "Hope she can be at the game now!"

FYI, Thursday's game is a must-win for the Hawks if they want to keep their season alive and force a Game 7. The winner of the series will head to the semifinals against the Sixers.

JT had the party brought to her on 4 wheels ... courtesy of a rideshare driver who surprised her with his knowledge of hip hop music!!!

The City Girls rapper uploaded a video late Tuesday night of a driver named "Ern" going stupid while rapping along to Young Dolph's fiery classic track "Preach."

The street sermon had Ern hyped as he rapped, "I f**ked your bitch, then told her, "I'll see you around/Dolph just skipped town with two hundred thou," while JT egged him on ... and the multi-color in-car ambiance also helped amp up the mood.

Yung Miami recently assured City Girls fans that the duo would be dropping their long-awaited third album in the summer.

The world is down one more musician, philanthropist, and humanitarian with the death of Harry Belafonte, and Chuck D perfectly outlined the tremendous loss.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Public Enemy front man Tuesday at LAX, and he refused to accept the notion today's youth don't know Harry's contributions to the Civil Rights movement, or even his 1956 album, "Calypso."

Chuck explained it perfectly ... saying they've got smartphones and should Google the man!

As we reported, Harry died Tuesday at age 96 of congestive heart failure, and Chuck says the "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" singer used each day of that long and fruitful life to uplift people.

And, while the man is celebrated for his art -- as a singer and actor -- Chuck says he should be considered an activist-turned-artist, and not the other way around.

Chuck says "Mr. B.," as he affectionally knew him, will go down as a father figure to the Black community, and he called it an honor to have had the opportunity to soak up some of Harry's laughs, wisdom and intelligence.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who worked alongside Harry for several decades, agrees 100 percent with Chuck. We spoke to him in NYC, and he shed some light on the lighter, more humorous side of Harry's personality.

It comes as no surprise this talented guy turned into a musical genius, because not only did he grow up playing in his family's band... but he and his five siblings grew up observing his parents dancing and singing in Waikiki, Hawaii.

He may not be the tallest guy on the block but his singing chops and dance moves sure are mighty! He's written songs for Flo Rida and Snoop Dogg, and if you're a Cardi B fan .... well then you've definitely seen this guy's "Finesse."

Need one more clue? He's performed at the Super Bowl twice!

Flo Rida failed to physically appear in NYC Family Court Tuesday, instead opting to attend virtually ... and that move did not go over well with the judge.

The "Good Feeling" rapper was previously ordered to pay 100% of the medical bills, education, and child support for Zohar, his 6-year-old son with his ex, Alexis Adams.

Flo recently won a huge $82.5 million award in an energy drink lawsuit ... and Alexis requested the judge order him to set aside $400k in a bank account to pay various expenses for their special-needs son.

Zohar is autistic and suffers from a rare disorder known as hydrocephalus. He also recently suffered a near-death experience when he accidentally fell 5 stories from his mother's New Jersey apartment on March 4.

While Alexis was able to make her case to the judge, Flo Rida didn't get that chance. We're told the judge wouldn't allow him to testify over Zoom.

Alexis claims Flo stopped paying the insurance at this crucial time, forcing her to file for Medicaid and Department of Education funding to cover Zohar's bills.

Alexis's attorney Dror Bikel tells TMZ... “He just got an $80 million judgment and his child is on Medicaid, it’s outrageous.”

She claims Flo has never even met Zohar, and all his social media postings such as Zohar "getting the best medical care" are all for show.

Sofia Richie's brother, Miles, missed his sister's wedding because he tested positive for COVID before the nuptials ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for Sofia and Miles tells TMZ ... Miles wasn't feeling well before the wedding so he got a COVID test, and it came back positive.

We're told Sofia would have loved for her brother to have been there on her special day, but she understands why he couldn't make it ... and we're told Miles was missed by the family and all the wedding guests.

As we reported ... Sofia and music executive Elliot Grainge just tied the knot Saturday in a star-studded wedding at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France ... with her famous father, Lionel Richie, walking her down the aisle.

Halsey and her boyfriend Alev Aydin are calling it quits, and she wants to make sure their son is, primarily, with her when the dust settles.

According to docs obtained by TMZ ... the "You Should Be Sad" singer is seeking primary physical custody of their 1-year-old son, Ender. In the filing, Halsey notes she wants to share legal custody with Alev ... and she's fine with him getting visitation with Ender.

It's unclear what might have caused the breakup, but there are reports it's amicable.

Halsey and the writer/producer have been together for more than 3 years. You'll recall, she announced they were expecting a new baby together in January of 2021.

Michael Blackson is rejecting Desiigner's "mental health" apology/explanation for his recent indecent exposure charges -- instead, he thinks it's simply a sign American culture is too soft!

On Tuesday, Desiigner posted a video of himself bumping a new tune while claiming he was moments from checking himself into a treatment facility as the aftermath of his bizarre Delta flight unfolds.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story, Desiigner is charged with indecent exposure for masturbating in plain sight of multiple flight attendants during a flight from Tokyo to Minneapolis. The FBI says he was even armed with a jar of Vaseline.

Michael thinks Desiigner used mental health as a cop-out for his horniness after he got busted and compared American culture to his native homeland of Africa ... a place he says everything gets blamed on the devil!!!

We recently spoke to G Perico, who doesn't have a dog in the fight in the convo, but unlike Michael, says he can see obvious mental health issues in Desiigner's sitch and wished him well.

Latto's reached the finish line in her airport loaded gun case ... because we're told it's been dismissed, now that she's met all requirements of a year-long program to clear the charges.

According to the L.A. County Superior Court Clerk, the rapper's case was officially dismissed Tuesday -- per her diversion program, Latto completed a gun & safety course, 120 hours of community service, and avoided all firearms to get it done.

Latto's attorney Jamal Tooson tells TMZ ... "I am extremely pleased with the outcome and glad my client can move forward with her flourishing career."

As you'll recall, Latto fans first discovered the ordeal when she rapped about it in Mello Buckzz's track, "Boom Pt. 2" ... saying, "I got locked up in the airport, goddamn forgot the gun."

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... she was busted at LAX in May 2021 and charged with carrying a loaded firearm and possession of a concealed weapon. She started her 12-month diversion program in April of last year.

BTW ... Latto filled the details in for fans, saying she had a loaded Glock in her purse while trying to get on a private flight to ATL. She claimed cops only kept her for a few hours before she was able to take off for her concert.

Colin Kaepernick is mourning the death of Harry Belafonte ... paying tribute to the legendary singer and civil rights activist by thanking him for his mentorship and leadership.

The former NFL quarterback took to Instagram after news of the "Day-O" singer's passing broke on Tuesday ... sharing a photo of them together with a sweet note.

"Thank you, Mr. B, for all of your years of mentorship, guidance, and lifetime of activism fighting for a better future for all of us," Kaepernick wrote.

"You will be missed by many, but your memory and impact lives on. I'm eternally grateful for our time together. Rest in Power."

Belafonte -- who was famously known for marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s -- was a huge Kap supporter ... and applauded the ex-49ers star for standing his ground despite all the backlash he received for protesting racial inequality during the national anthem at NFL games.

"When a Black voice is raised in protest to oppression, those who are comfortable with our oppression are the first to criticize us for daring to speak out against it," Belafonte said of Kaepernick in an interview with NewsOneNow in 2016.

"I think that it's a noble thing that he's done. I think that speaking out and making people aware of the fact that you are paying homage to an anthem that also has a constituency that by the millions suffer is a righteous thing to do."

Belafonte added, "The fact that these people are having these ‘How dare you speak out against lynching?’ and all of the things that racism stands for or the conclusions to racist acts permit – I think is a statement about America."

"I think he's a noble and a courageous man having done that."

Belafonte was 96 and leaves behind his wife, four children, two stepchildren, and grandchildren.

LL Cool J is coming in hot for 2023 ... with his first headlining tour in 30 years in addition to his hip hop cruise later this year!!!

On Tuesday, the "Rock The Bells" legend lifted the curtain off "The F.O.R.C.E. Live" ... an acronym that stands for "Frequencies of Real Creative Energy" and should hold up in real life thanks to the massive tour guest list!!!

DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Roots, and Uncle L's longtime tour DJ, Z-Trip, will accompany him on each of the 24 tour stops, and fans will enjoy a rotating bill of special costars in select cities.

Big Boi, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Common, De La Soul, Doug E. Fresh, Goodie Mob, Ice-T, Jadakiss, Juvenile, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Rick Ross, Salt-n-Pepa and Slick Rick are all scheduled to join the tour at various points, giving people the opportunity to attend multiple shows without duplicate performances.

The Roots will back all of the artists for one big, continuous musical set opposed to the typical "top-down" headliner approach.

The F.O.R.C.E. kicks off on June 25 in Boston and takes its final bow in Los Angeles in September.

Steve Lacy's considered one of the world's most influential people ... an honor the multi-layered musician is humbled by, but he isn't letting it go to his head either.

TMZ Hip Hop linked with the "Bad Habit" singer Tuesday at LAX as he was headed to shoot a big TV special ... "TIME 100: The World’s Most Influential People."

Steve was among the handful of musicians who made the 2023 cut, and was inducted last week by his good friend Chloe Bailey.

He tells us there isn't much science behind his cool factor -- he's literally being himself, and if anyone's inspired by his swag ... cool!

We also asked Steve about his latest body tattoo ... a work of art he says took him 4 hours to complete, and pierced his soul with pain!!! 😫