Music

Ja Rule's reiterating his feeling that 50 Cent is an "idiot" for hurling a mic that could earn him a felony charge, but he's also telling TMZ Hip Hop ... the moment's in his rearview mirror.

The "Holla Holla" rapper's already looking toward the future of his upcoming comedy special, which happens next month!!!

We caught up with Ja Thursday night outside TV personality Josh McBride's birthday party at Somewhere Nowhere NYC, and he blew off his recent digs at his archnemesis.

ICYMI, 50 clowned Ja for, in his eyes, reenacting "The Passion of Christ" at a recent show ... but then Ja barked back -- going more viral -- by bringing up the criminal battery probe associated with 50 injuring Power 106 radio host, Bryhana Monegain with the mic he threw.

Ja spared the crowd the holy antics inside Josh's party, delivering only hits, but revealed to us he plans on giving fans a different form of entertainment come Oct. 25 - 27 when he takes over Harlem's Apollo Theater for his "Laughing It Up" comedy series.

Now that she's cleared of any potential charges, Cardi B is popping her ish over that Vegas mic-throwing incident, and she's standing by her actions!!!

Cardi popped up on "The Breakfast Club" Friday, and recalled the violent July incident with much detail ... but admitted she was initially quiet because she thought the incident would land her in jail!!! 😬

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story, Cardi was cleared in August after the criminal investigation determined there was no reason to charge her.

Cardi recalled the scorching Vegas temperatures playing a factor in her asking the crowd to splash her with water, while also warning them not to hit her face.

After performing several songs Cardi says she was met with a face full of ice and thinks the fan did it on purpose, so she retaliated by throwing the mic like a javelin.

Zach Bryan is speaking out about his dramatic arrest in Oklahoma ... and he's putting all the blame squarely on himself.

In a video statement posted to X, the Country singer gave a detailed account of what happened with law enforcement in Craig County.

Bryan says it all started three days ago when he was driving through the small town of Vinita and got pulled over for going just over the speed limit.

He says the officer came up to his window and asked for his license, registration and home address. But he refused to give out his address, explaining he didn't feel comfortable since he's a musician.

The cop threatened to take Bryan to jail if he didn't comply. Bryan wouldn't budge, prompting the officer to put him in handcuffs.

Bryan asked why the officer was doing this. The two bantered back and forth until Bryan turned over his address.

At that point, the officer uncuffed and released Bryan with a warning.

Then, on Thursday, Bryan and his security guard were driving in separate vehicles on their way to Boston, Massachusetts.

Bryan spotted a cop pulling over his bodyguard in Vinita. He circled back and parked behind them.

After waiting 15 minutes, Bryan became impatient and got out of his car to see what was taking so long.

The officer demanded Bryan get back into his vehicle, but he ignored the order, leading to his arrest. Bryan was booked into the county jail for obstruction of investigation and later released.

In his video statement, Bryan accepted full responsibility for his actions, calling them ridiculous, childish and immature.

Country singer Maren Morris is firing shots at Jason Aldean, or it sure seems like it ... because she referenced his hit song, "Try That in a Small Town," in a teaser for her new music video.

Maren shared a quick clip Thursday night from what appears to be a video for a new song, which shows a glimpse at a miniature billboard reading, "Welcome to Our Perfect SMALL TOWN From Sunrise to Sundown."

She captioned the post, "I'm done filling a cup with a hole in the bottom." Unclear if those are lyrics to the song or not, but it's obvious she's taking a dig at Aldean.

As we reported, JA came under fire in July for the 'Small Town' music video imagery -- showing riots and Black Lives Matter rallies -- and the song's lyrics, which some feel promotes vigilante violence. He insisted he didn't have racist intent, and denied the song was an attack on BLM.

He ended up having to remove BLM rally news coverage from the video after not getting permission to use it.

Lil Baby's rap concert was thrown into chaos Thursday night in Tennessee ... this after one person was shot and critically injured.

The hip hop star was performing at FedExForum in Memphis late in the evening, when a gunman suddenly opened fire inside the venue.

Baby was whisked off stage after the bullets started flying on the first floor, according to WREG News.

Memphis PD officers and Emergency Service workers responded, finding a man with gunshot wounds.

A video posted to social media shows paramedics lifting the man onto a gurney and wheeling him away. Other footage caught all the confusion as fans spilled out of the arena.

The victim was rushed to a local hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

The suspect fled and is still at large. A motive was not disclosed.

We've reached out to Baby's rep for comment ... so far no word back.

Danny Masterson is being kept under constant surveillance behind bars ... just in case he starts to show any signs of mental distress after being sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The "That '70s Show" star is in jail as he awaits a transfer to a California state prison, where he'll serve out the 30-year to life sentence for his rape conviction.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Danny is under 24-hour video surveillance, and deputies come by his cell every 30 minutes to check on him ... with the goal of keeping tabs on his mental state and making sure he's safe.

Should Danny show any signs of mental distress or tell his team or a deputy about a mental health issue, we're told he would be taken for a mental health exam, STAT.

Danny's certainly got a lot on his mind. As we reported, he was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison after being convicted on 2 rape counts.

Shawn Holley, Danny's lawyer, tells TMZ ... the actor is mentally strong and feels confident his conviction will be overturned on appeal, based on his meetings with several top appellate attorneys.

Danny's already familiar with life behind bars ... as we first reported, he was kept in L.A. County Men's Central Jail for months as he awaited sentencing, staying in the same area as other high-profile inmates, including Suge Knight and O.J. Simpson.

Do you believe 30 years is a fair sentence for Danny Masterson? Share your thoughts by answering the question in our game below.

Danny Masterson está siendo vigilado constantemente tras las rejas, en acaso de que muestre algún signo de angustia después de ser condenado a 30 años de prisión.

La estrella de "That '70s Show" está en la cárcel a la espera de ser trasladado a una prisión del estado de California, donde cumplirá la sentencia de 30 años por su condena por violación.

Fuentes policiales dicen a TMZ que Danny está bajo vigilancia de video las 24 horas, y los oficiales están visitando su celda cada 30 minutos para no perder de vista su estado mental y asegurarse de que esté a salvo.

En caso de que Danny muestre cualquier signo de angustia o le diga a su equipo o a algún funcionario policial que tiene algún problema de este tipo, sería llevado a realizarse un examen de salud mental, según se nos ha dicho.

Danny ciertamente tiene mucho en su mente. Como informamos, fue condenado el jueves a 30 años de prisión tras ser declarado culpable de dos cargos por violación.

Shawn Holley, abogado de Danny, dice a TMZ que el actor es fuerte y se siente seguro de que su condena será anulada en apelación, sobre la base de las reuniones que ha tenido con varios abogados.

Zach Bryan got arrested in Oklahoma ... TMZ has learned.

The country music star was arrested Thursday in Vinita, OK and booked on an obstruction of investigation charge ... according to online jail records.

TMZ obtained Zach's mug shot, which he took at Craig County Jail, and he's mostly without an expression.

It's unclear what led to his arrest.

On the same day he was arrested, Zach's Instagram account posted a photo of farmland from a car window, with the caption ... "On the road again, gonna go see the birds win."

Zach's an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan and the NFL team plays its season-opening game Sunday against the New England Patriots in Massachusetts ... so it's possible Zach was driving to the game when he got busted.

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are once again a dynamic duo, but this time they've brought their "Bongos" ... and they want you to check 'em out.

On Thursday evening, Cardi released her comeback album single, one fans have been waiting on since her debut project back in 2018 ... and it doesn't disappoint in the skintastic department.

Both rap stars swapped through multiple outfit changes ... mostly bikinis, matching the steamy artwork for the single, which they've been teasing for several days.

Both Cardi and Meg lyrically flex on the track, which employs a Latin-tinged sound, the perfect music bed for Cardi to add a little flavor in Spanish.

"Bongos" is also Megan's first musical release since Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting her the same year "WAP" blew up.

Some fans lucky enough to get a signed CD of "Bongos" from Cardi will be privy to a collectible for the books ... since it appears a few will have her essence all over them!!!

The Elvis impersonator who officiated Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's Las Vegas wedding is surprised their marriage is over -- the guy who's overseen countless nuptials thought these 2 would live happily ever after.

Jesse Garon married Joe and Sophie in Sin City back in 2019, and in a rather animated conversation, he tells TMZ ... he's shocked, heartbroken and distraught Joe filed for divorce from Sophie after only 4 years of marriage.

The Elvis impersonator says he first thought their divorce was a joke because it seemed to come out of nowhere. He says he thought they were going to last because Joe and Sophie dated for about 3 years before tying the knot. In other words, it wasn't one of those stereotypical spur-of-the-moment Vegas weddings.

Jesse says he's wondering if Joe gave it his all to try and make the marriage work, because he feels like 4 years really isn't that long.

As we reported ... Joe filed for divorce Tuesday, and the trigger for the singer was allegedly Ring camera audio/video of the actress doing or saying something that signaled to him their marriage was over.

Jesse says he was going to see Joe at the upcoming Jonas Brothers concert in Las Vegas, and planned to give him a memento from the wedding ... the ring pop wrapper from the ring Joe gave Sophie.

And there's this ... as Joe and Sophie wave the white flag on their union, Elvis Jesse wants fans to understand one thing -- do NOT blame him for this bitter ending.

Are you as shocked as the Elvis impersonator about Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's divorce? Sound off by answering the question in our game below.

El imitador de Elvis que ofició la boda de Joe Jonas y Sophie Turner en Las Vegas está sorprendido de que su matrimonio haya terminado. El hombre que ha supervisado innumerables nupcias pensó que estos dos vivirían felices para siempre.

Jesse Garon casó a Joe y Sophie en la "ciudad del pecado" en 2019, y en una conversación bastante animada, le dijo a TMZ que está sorprendido, desconsolado y angustiado de que Joe haya solicitado el divorcio a Sophie después de solo 4 años de matrimonio.

El imitador de Elvis dice que primero pensó que esto era una broma porque parecía salir de la nada. A diferencia de otras típicas bodas improvisadas de Las Vegas, él pensaba que Joe y Sophie iban a durar porque estuvieron saliendo durante tres años antes.

Jesse se pregunta si Joe realmente hizo todo lo posible para salvar el matrimonio, ya que siente que cuatro años no es tanto tiempo.

Como informamos, Joe solicitó el divorcio el martes, y el detonante para el cantante fue supuestamente un audio o video de la cámara Ring de seguridad, con la actriz haciendo o diciendo algo que le hizo pensar que su matrimonio había terminado.

Jesse dice que iba a ver a Joe en el próximo concierto de los Jonas Brothers en Las Vegas, y planeaba darle un recuerdo de la boda: el envoltorio del anillo que Joe le dio a Sophie.

Y luego esto... Mientras Joe y Sophie ondean la bandera blanca de su unión, Elvis Jesse quiere que los fans entiendan una cosa: NO lo culpen a él por este amargo final.

Before this New York City native in her little fishy bathing suit turned into a famous singer, she was just running around the Big Apple and breaking into the music industry with her cover of Drake's "Headlines" track.

Her initial claim to fame came from her days on Tumblr, but at just 19 years old ... Atlantic Records signed her. You may have heard her song "Collide" featuring Tyga, and when she's not in the studio, you can find her on social media ... posting hot shots from the gym!

Need one more clue? Just ask her bestie, Hailey Bieber!

David Beckham and Marc Anthony's bromance just got a whole lot tighter ... the former soccer superstar surprised his good pal at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony Thursday -- and gave a super emotional speech.

The Inter Miami owner hid in the wings as Anthony was about to be introduced at the event ... and just before the singer's star was unveiled on the famous strip of sidewalk in Los Angeles, Beckham appeared.

Anthony was fired up to see his close friend -- and shared not one, but two long embraces with the ex-footballer.

Then, Beckham got up to the podium ... and gushed about Anthony.

Beckham revealed he used to listen to Anthony's music before every one of his Real Madrid games. He also told the crowd in attendance he learned how to salsa dance because of Anthony.

"Today, Marc," Beckham said into the microphone, "we celebrate you and everything you mean to all of us and to all of your fans around the world."

At one point, after telling Anthony he loved him, Beckham paused his speech and said, "I'm getting emotional."

The guys then shared another hug after Beckham wrapped ... before Anthony -- the godfather of Beckham's son, Cruz -- received his star.

The two are no strangers to putting their affection for each other on public display ... ever since they became friends a couple decades ago, they've shared big moments together -- including back in July, when Beckham met Anthony's newborn child.

Desiigner wants to put his recent past as a mid-flight masturbator behind him ... agreeing to a plea deal that he hopes will allow him to avoid jail time!!!

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Desiigner is set to enter the guilty plea Sept. 8 agreeing to the recommended sentence of 2 years probation, 120 hours of community service, a $5K fine and a public apology to the flight attendants.

We broke the story ... the "Panda" rapper was busted after returning home on a flight from Japan where prosecutors say he told flight attendants he was "brick hard."

He allegedly dropped a jar of lubricating Vaseline in the aisle and eventually had to be monitored for the duration of the flight.

Following the incident, Desiigner immediately apologized, and claims he's attended 19 court-appointed counseling/therapy sessions since the incident ... he also says he voluntarily submitted himself for drug testing, which he says came back clean.

Desiigner's attorney is asking the judge not to impose any travel restrictions that would slow his movement as a professional musician, insisting he has tours planned for all over the world in 2023-24.

Desiigner's management team also stated he's been pouring his "heart and soul" into his upcoming music as part of his personal growth.

Ja Rule's decided 50 Cent's controversial hurling of a microphone at the head of a radio host is too sweet a moment to pass up -- so, he's rubbing the incident in his longtime rival's face!!!

Ja compiled several clips on Instagram, which included 50's performance from Super Bowl LVI and Power 106's Bryhana Monegain's facial injuries from the thrown mic.

"We ain't forget… Enjoy those criminal charges and lawsuit d***head!!!" Ja quipped on IG while adding hashtags to his alcohol brands just like 50 does on all his own posts.

50 initially fired the first shot ... clowning Ja's recent Jesus-esque performance but the Murda Inc. rapper took it to a whole 'nother level throwing digs and 50's pending legal drama.

As we reported, 50 is a suspect in the felony battery case LAPD opened after the rapper's mic meltdown.

While, 50's lawyer says the potential charge is ridiculous ... Ja seems to find it quite funny!!!

One person who's clearly not amused is Bryhana, who told us she blacked out after the impact.

B.G., the former Cash Money Records rapper who made up 1/4 of the legendary Hot Boys, is fresh outta prison, and his groupmate Turk says it's an extremely joyous occasion after an 11-year wait.

Turk tells TMZ Hip Hop he and B.G. were thick as thieves during their come-up as one of the most influential acts in hip hop history, but, understandably, lost contact amid B.G.'s lengthy sentence ... and they have plenty of catching up to do!!!

With tracks like "Bling Bling" and "I Need a Hot Girl," the Hot Boys impacted rap music and popular culture in the late 90s with their lyrics and trendsetting slang.

Now that B.G.'s on the outside, Turk says a reunion with the remaining HB members should be coming, along with Juvenile and Lil Wayne. Although he admits there haven't been any official plans as of yet.

TMZ Hip Hop broke the story, B.G. will be on community confinement until July 2024, but has already seen some familiar faces, including his ex-CEO Birdman!!!

It was a great sign for all longtime fans ... all the Hot Boys have had their various disputes with the label over the years, but Birdman's presence gives heavy credibility to Turk's reunion goals.