Music

Lil Wayne wasted no time getting back to stuntin' after he received a pardon from President Trump ... and it looks like he was enjoying the hell out of his free pass.

Tory Lanez says Tunechi was on set to help out with his music video for "Big Tipper" the very next day after Trump pardoned the rapper in his federal gun case.

In the clip Lanez shared, Lil Wayne's in a hot pink getup, flashing serious ice on both wrists, smoking and vibing to the music. Oh, and that's all with a nude model in front of him on a table.

As we reported ... Weezy was facing serious time behind bars after pleading guilty in federal court last month to illegally possessing a loaded weapon on a private jet.

Trump's pardon -- on the heels of Wayne endorsing Trump for President -- let him off the hook for all that, though ... which cleared his schedule for music vid shoots like the one with Lanez.

Tory gushed with all sorts of appreciation for Weezy coming through for him ... after Trump came though for Weezy.

Trey Songz found himself in the middle of a physical altercation with a police officer during the KC Chiefs' game, and fans who witnessed it say the cop was way out of line.

We've obtained this video from Arrowhead Stadium Sunday, which -- at first -- shows Trey and the officer in a struggle. Trey connects a punch with the officer's head, and gets him in a headlock, but then the officer pins Trey to a seat.

A witness tells us the whole thing started when Trey was being heckled by some fans a few rows behind him and he asked them to chill out. We're told the officer approached Trey, and without warning, went after him. The witness says Trey was totally caught off guard when the officer got physical, and started to defend himself.

You can hear fans throughout the video shout at the officer, telling him to get off Songz until additional officers arrived. Fans were yelling for the officer to be arrested.

Once backup got there, they were able to separate Trey and the cop ... and they put Trey in handcuffs.

We're told Trey is currently in custody, but it's unclear if he's being booked for anything ... or simply detained.

We've reached out to his reps ... so far, no word back.

Chico DeBarge is famous for making hits with his family members in the '80s ... but cops say he tried to throw one of them under the bus during his latest arrest.

The DeBarge singer got busted in Burbank when he was pulled over near a shopping center on January 13. Cops say he was driving without his headlights on at night and didn't have license plates.

Burbank PD tells us ... Chico didn't have ID, but identified himself as James ... his older brother, who was also in the family singing group back in the day.

According to police ... Chico was driving with 2 female passengers, and cops found methamphetamines and heroin on him during a search. He was arrested, and we're told he was properly ID'd during the booking process.

Chico's been charged with drug possession, DUI and yes ... cops hit him with a false impersonation charge for the alleged brother act.

After nearly 10 days in jail, Chico finally made bail on Friday.

The Flaming Lips hopped on stage Saturday night for their long-awaited Space Bubble Concert, and gotta say ... it's awesome!!!

It went down in the band's hometown, Oklahoma City, and it did not disappoint. The band AND the crowd were all in their own, individual bubbles in a futuristic display that looked ... well, futuristic.

The Space Bubble Concert was originally scheduled for December, but there was a spike in coronavirus cases in Oklahoma so the band was forced to postpone.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' inauguration playlist is taking Brooklyn rapper Kota the Friend's career to new heights ... and he's also giving thanks to Lupita Nyong'o.

Kota the Friend's camp tells TMZ ... the independent rapper was blindsided when his track, "Lupita's Interlude," was the first song in the official inauguration playlist, and now he's reaping the benefits of a presidential shoutout.

Ever since Kota was included on the 46-song playlist alongside the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder, his collab with Lupita has enjoyed a huge spike in listeners on Spotify and Apple Music, with streams increasing over 90% to 2.5 million total.

Not bad for a Kota song that doesn't even feature his vocals ... it's just 1 minute of Lupita reciting a spoken word poem about things that mean everything to her. The track's the interlude to Kota's 2020 album, "Everything."

Kota's reps say he's also getting lots of eyeballs on social media ... over 10,000 new Instagram followers, over 11,000 new likes on his Facebook page and over 13,500 new followers on Spotify.

Hey, it helps to have a ticket with 81 million votes on your side.

Justin Bieber is looking back at his tumultuous teenage years with humility -- reminiscing on how much he's changed since getting arrested for DUI, and everything else in between.

Bieber posted a photo of himself getting hauled off by cops in Miami in 2014, when he was arrested on suspicion of DUI, resisting arrest and driving without a valid license. Cops say he was drag racing in the streets, and later blew below the legal limit for people under 21.

He was 19 at the time, and in his caption ... Justin says he's come a long way since then, mostly due to the grace of God. He writes, "7 years ago today I was arrested, not my finest hour. Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, mislead, misunderstood and angry at god."

He adds, "I also wore too much leather for someone in Miami. All this to say God has brought me a long way. From then til now I do realize something.. God was as close to me then as he is right now. My encouragement to you is to ‘let your past be a reminder of how far god has brought you."

JB finishes by saying, "Don’t allow shame to ruin your “today” let the forgiveness of Jesus take over and watch your life blossom into all that God has designed you to be. LOVE YOU GUYS WITH MY WHOLE HEART"

It's true, Justin was going through a lot back then. Right around the time he was busted for DUI -- which was later reduced to reckless driving and resisting arrest after the Biebs copped a plea -- he got nailed for egging his neighbor's house.

Bieber was charged with vandalism and ended up copping a plea. The egging was also the subject of a lengthy lawsuit that dragged on for years, which was ultimately settled.

There were other bumps in the road -- namely, him getting sued by a photog, which resulted in Bieber sitting for an infamous deposition where he gave tons of lip. He's had several paparazzi run-ins in Hollywood, figuratively and literally with cars of his and otherwise.

He also peed in a mop bucket in 2013, and randomly shouted "F*** Bill Clinton." His legal woes go on and on, but as far as criminal arrests ... he's just got the DUI to look back on.

Miley Cyrus has some bad luck when it comes to burglars ... we're told someone broke into another one of her storage units.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Miley's L.A.-area storage unit was broken into a few weeks ago, and someone made off with clothes, family photos and other mementos.

There's no dollar amount on the missing items, but ya gotta imagine there's some significant sentimental value.

We're told it doesn't appear the thieves were specifically targeting Miley -- other storage units in the same facility were hit as well.

Police are still investigating the heist, but they've had some success already. Our sources say some items -- for Miley and others -- have already been recovered.

DJ Spinderella just went off on Lifetime's Salt-N-Pepa biopic ... a project she's got nothing to do with, and she's pissed about the level of disrespect.

S-N-P's former DJ blew her top Friday, one day before the movie debuts, saying she was disappointed to learn "a decision was made to move forward with a Lifetime biopic that wrongfully excluded me from every aspect of development and production all the while using my image throughout, given that I played an integral role in the group's story and success."

Spinderella said she felt compelled to speak out because "too often, Black women who have made meaningful contributions in their industry are left out of historical narratives." She's especially mad because she says S-N-P was all about empowering women, so she "could not have dreamed that this same group would one day disempower me."

It's not all bad news ... Spinderella changed her tune near the end of her tweets to say she's in the final stages of writing her memoir, which she calls "a personal journey navigating through life, relationships, and the industry that raised me. 30+ years is a lot of content and I'm ready to share."

The wait is finally over, Gigi Hadid has revealed the name of her daughter with Zayn Malik ... Khai.

Gigi made the not-so-subtle announcement Thursday, updating her Instagram page bio to include "Khai's mom." Fans were quick to notice the change, and went crazy for the news.

A source close to the couple tells us Khai's name is a tribute to Gigi's grandmother -- on her dad, Mohamed's side -- who was named Khairiah. The name Khai also means "crowned" in Arabic whereas Zayn's last name "Malik" means "King" ... so baby Khai's name translates to "crowned king".

Gigi gave birth to Khai in September, and while she's shared a couple faceless photos of her new daughter, the public was left in the dark when it came to the baby's name.

It was just before Thanksgiving when Gigi shared a photo of herself holding Khai in a blanket with the caption, "A whole new kind of busy & tired ... but she’s da bestie so she got Christmas decorations early." Included was a photo of a decorated Christmas tree.

A woman who says Soulja Boy hired her to be his personal assistant claims he raped and assaulted her for nearly 2 years .. but he denies laying a hand on her.

The rapper's being sued by a Jane Doe, who alleges he began to abuse her shortly after he hired her in December 2018 -- beginning with sending her unsolicited photos of his penis within the first month.

But, according to the lawsuit ... they eventually developed a romantic relationship and she moved in with him.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, she says Soulja started acting violently toward her in January 2019 ... including an argument they had while driving. She alleges he pushed her out of the vehicle and forced her to walk 5 miles.

The accuser claims Soulja sexually assaulted her for the first time in February 2019 ... and "expressed remorse" afterward by paying her $1,000.

In May 2019, the woman claims the rapper spit on her when she told him she wanted to quit, and alleges he would become insanely jealous when she got social media comments or phone calls.

In the suit, she alleges he would "punch, kick and body slam" her due to his jealousy, and once threatened, "I should have killed you." Further, she claims he locked her in a room with no mattress, food or water on multiple occasions.

She also claims she was sometimes sexually assaulted twice a day ... and after one violent attack in August 2020 -- where she thought she would die -- she moved out. According to the suit, she went back to get her belongings the next month, and he allegedly raped her again.

The woman is suing for sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, infliction of emotional distress and -- on top of everything else -- she claims she wasn't paid properly for her work ... so she wants damages for that too.

A rep for Soulja tells us, "Soulja would never put his hands on a female. He wouldn't beat a woman or put his hands on a woman ... this is non-sense!!!"

As you may know ... he was also sued for assault in January 2020.

YFN Lucci's hoping to get out of lockup to take care of his kids and his mom ... even though he's facing some serious charges for his alleged role in a homicide.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the rapper's asking the judge to set a reasonable bond because he has "four underaged children whom he financially supports."

YFN also claims to provide a home and money for his mother living in Fulton County, GA.

In addition, he says there's no risk of him fleeing his pending trial ... and claims he "poses no significant threat or danger to any person, to the community, or to any property in the community." He points out he has no felony criminal record either.

Of course, the rapper's facing very serious charges -- murder, aggravated assault and possibly gun and gang-related felonies -- which arguably make him sound like he’s very much a danger to society ... but it will be up to the judge to decide.

As we reported ... YFN turned himself into Atlanta police last week after an arrest warrant was issued for felony murder. The alleged murder victim is James Adams ... a member of YFN's own crew.

Kodak Black is getting out of federal prison thanks to Donald Trump, but prosecutors in South Carolina are still ready to aggressively pursue a sexual assault case against him.

The rapper was indicted in South Carolina on a felony charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct ... and prosecutors tell us they still plan on pressing the case against Kodak until he cops a plea deal or there's a trial.

Ed Clements, the 12th Circuit Solicitor in Florence County, tells TMZ ... their pending case against Kodak from 2016 has been disrupted by COVID -- jury trials are suspended and there's no court date scheduled -- but prosecutors still want to "aggressively" go after Kodak.

As we reported ... Trump commuted Kodak's 46-month sentence for making a false statement on a federal document, so he's getting out after serving half the time.

But, here's the catch for Kodak ... Trump commuting his sentence for a federal crime has NO impact on cases in state court, like the one he's facing in South Carolina, and Clements says it's full steam ahead.

Prosecutors in S.C. claim Kodak forced himself on an 18-year-old woman in a hotel room after a Feb. 2016 concert, allegedly raping her and biting her neck and right breast ... according to legal docs obtained by TMZ.

Kodak's attorney in S.C., Beattie Ashmore, tells us, "Aggressively prosecute? It’s been four years. That speaks volumes. Kodak was on bond and on tour for two years before his federal case even began. Ed’s a very fine and experienced prosecutor and I look forward to once again speaking with him about this case. It’s been awhile."

Joe Biden ended his first night in the White House soaking in a fireworks show over D.C. ... with Katy Perry putting a bow on a historic day.

The new President and First Lady Jill Biden wore masks and hugged on a balcony outside their new digs, watching fireworks over the Washington Monument as Katy sang her hit, "Firework."

The "Celebrating America" inauguration concert saved the best for last ... with Katy bringing down the house.

Tom Hanks hosted the 90-minute primetime concert live from D.C., braving a cold winter's night at the Lincoln Memorial.

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama delivered a special message too ... sending Biden words of encouragement and wishing him success for the good of the country, while taking some subtle shots at the guy Biden's replacing.

Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters and John Legend performed virtually before Katy's grand finale ... as did Ant Clemons, Tim McGraw and Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard.

Kerry Washington and Eva Longoria were also part of the action ... introducing the acts and sharing stories about young folks making differences in their communities.

President Trump came through for Lil Wayne with a full pardon that gets him off the hook for a gun charge that could've meant serious prison time, and rapper Kodak Black also got clemency with a commutation of his sentence.

Wayne's pardon announcement included a statement of support by Brett Berish of Sovereign Brands, who described him as "trustworthy, kind-hearted and generous." The pardon statement then reads, "Mr. Carter has exhibited this generosity through commitment to a variety of charities, including donations to research hospitals and a host of foodbanks."

Deion Sanders, also a supporter of the pardon, referred to Lil Wayne as "a provider for his family, a friend to many, a man of faith, a natural giver to the less fortunate, a waymaker [and] a game changer."

Weezy's pardon came just hours before the sun set on Trump's Presidency ... and it's just one of a stack of pardons, including Kodak Black. Black, who was sentenced to 46 months in prison for making a false statement on a Federal document, served nearly half his sentence.

The pardon statement notes he has been charitable in various ways, "such as providing educational resources to students and families of fallen law enforcement officers and the underprivileged." It goes on to note KB has provided funding to daycare centers, helped with food banks and worked with underprivileged children. And, the statement notes Kodak donated $50k to Dave Portnoy's Barstool Fund, which provides financial assistance to struggling businesses in the wake of COVID.

Wayne endorsed Trump in the final days of the 2020 election campaign -- posing for a photo, talking up Trump's criminal justice reform efforts and his proposed "platinum plan" to benefit the Black community.

With the pardon ... Weezy no longer has to worry about his federal gun case. As we reported ... he pled guilty in federal court last month to illegally possessing a loaded weapon while traveling to Miami on a private jet a year earlier.

He hadn't been sentenced, but faced the possibility of up to 10 years. That's all in Wayne's rearview mirror now.

Donald Trump's final use of "YMCA" during a public political event did NOT go unnoticed by the guys who originally sang it -- and while they're still pissed ... they're also thankful that, for now, this is the end of his tradition.

The Village People tell TMZ ... "We asked him to cease and desist long ago. However, since he's a bully, our request was ignored." It's true -- TVP have repeatedly made clear they're not down with DT constantly using their most famous tune ... but he's persisted.

The group adds, "Thankfully he's now out of office, so it would seem his abusive use of our music has finally ended. We hope to spearhead a change in copyright law that will give artists and publishers more control over who can and cannot use our music in the public space. Currently there is no limit to blanket licensing."

That's interesting ... because that's not something that many people know or something that artists vow to change. Basically, the reason Trump has been able to, for the most part, get away with playing music from so many artists who don't sign off is because ... it's legal.

The Village People's comments here touch on copyright law -- which we won't dig into too deeply -- but essentially ... it's usually fine to play copyrighted songs in places like stadiums that have public performance licenses -- which is where Trump often played these songs.

The Village People -- and probably several other musicians, like Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, and countless others -- might be happy he won't have reason to do this anymore with their music, but in light of Trump promising to come back, they may have to revisit this issue again ... one day.

Amanda Bynes is now in the rap game ... or so it seems, after she dropped a snippet of her new track.

The "She's the Man" star posted a new track on Instagram dubbed "Diamonds" ... in which she raps for around 12 seconds --- "Diamonds, Diamonds on my neck, on my wrist" and so on. The track is only the second thing she's posted to her 505k followers on Instagram.

She's also got a rapper by the name of Precise on the track. It's unclear when Amanda recorded the track or how serious she is about getting into the rap game, but back in June she rapped along to A$AP Rocky's "A$AP Forever."