Music

Cardi B and Offset are looking pretty damn excited, and maybe a little overwhelmed, after letting the world know baby No. 2's on the way, but someone else is even more excited by the news.

We got Cardi and Offset leaving BOA Steakhouse in WeHo where they hit up a BET Awards after-party. Quavo and Taraji P. Henson were some of the other attendees, but fans and photogs, went wild when Cardi stepped out of her ride showing off her baby bump.

The couple got peppered with dozens of baby-related questions -- really, you'd think they were walking into a family reunion. One question our guy asked was about Kulture's reaction to the news she's gonna be a big sis.

We also asked Offset if he'll be in a giving mood when the baby arrives -- and the answer's yes! He's got a Cuban celebration in mind.

We tried to get some other deets about Cardi's pregnancy ... like how far along she is, cravings, baby names??? They're not ready to spill all that just yet, but they couldn't look happier that their family's expanding.

As we reported, Cardi revealed the huge surprise Sunday night during the BET Awards. She didn't have to say a word ... her baby bump was on display and it did all the talking.

Offset had his hands full announcing baby #2 with Cardi B on Sunday, but he wasn't TOO busy to keep an eye on his Atlanta Hawks ... telling TMZ Sports his beloved team WILL bounce back from their Game 3 loss!!

Of course, it was a huge night at the BET Awards for Migos -- the trio put on one hell of a performance with the "Up" MC as she set social media on fire with her baby bump.

But, even with all the chaos surrounding the baby news, Offset was able to check in on Trae Young and co. as they fell 113-102 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday ... and the dude's pretty optimistic.

"We gon' bounce back," Offset told us outside BOA. "That was some bulls**t. We bouncin' back."

But, if 1/3 of Migos having confidence in the Hawks ain't enough, we also spoke with Quavo ... and he's just as confident Young will lead the squad to the Finals -- and WIN IT ALL!!!

"We gon' get that ring," Quavo told us outside the Highlight Room. "It's the year."

Lil Nas X delivered a memorable performance at the BET Awards, but at least one person on Twitter hated it ... so the rapper put them in their place.

The "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" singer crushed it on stage Sunday night, not only with his hit track but also with a tribute to Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time."

The stage appearance ended with Lil Nas planting an intense kiss on one of his male backup dancers.

Clearly, a major moment -- especially as Pride Month wraps up -- but one Twitter user was outraged, tweeting ... "DONT USE AFRICAN CULTURE FOR S***S LIKE THIS!!!!!!! RESPECT OUR ANCESTORS."

Never one to ignore criticism, Lil Nas X defended his decision while making a historical point, saying ... "y'all really like to pretend homosexuality didn’t exist in african culture."

Other than the one hater, the rapper received widespread praise for his bold move, including from Diddy ... who applauded him for being fearless.

Fans of Lil Nas X -- who came out on the last day of Pride Month in 2019 -- were initially disappointed when the 2021 BET Awards nominees were announced and he didn't make the list, and some accused the show of being homophobic.

Cardi B and Offset are expecting again -- and they made the announcement in grandiose fashion ... through a joint performance at the BET Awards!!!

The couple came out with the news Sunday during the broadcast -- and didn't have to say a thing about it either ... they let their actions speak for them. The Migos came out first for a medley songs, and were later joined by CB who was decked out in a revealing outfit.

And by that, we mean her massive baby bump was on display ... and, clearly, she's very pregnant. Looks like she's fairly far along too at this point ... at least 6 months, if not more.

BTW, Cardi didn't just come out to stand there and look pretty -- she was straight up performing on her own as well ... rapping to songs of hers like 'Type S***', and eventually getting shoulder-to-shoulder with her hubby as the audience went crazy with applause.

Up until now, this wasn't publicly known -- as CB has been laying fairly low of late. And now, it's obvious that was for good reason. Her team was on the ball too for this ... posting official pregnancy photos on her social media pages as soon as she took the stage.

This would be her and Offset's second child together -- of course, they also share Kulture ... who's all of 2 years old.

A$AP Rocky and Rihanna are riding off into the sunset -- or the sunrise, rather ... and we mean it in every sense of the word, 'cause a late-night date night turned into just that.

The A-list couple kept their love fest going Saturday night into the wee hours of Sunday morning ... where we're told they popped up in the lower east side of NYC after a night out, walking hand-in-hand -- and, before long, body-in-arms thanks to A$AP swooping her up.

Check out the video we got of that exact moment ... it's like straight out of a movie, and RiRi seemed to be digging every minute of it. Eventually, they drove away in a waiting SUV.

BTW, we're told this was shot around 5:30/6 AM Sunday -- so yeah, it was definitely a marathon date they were on. Eyewitnesses also say they came across a dude who seemed drunk and sprawled out over the floor ... to which A$AP/RiRi said ... yo, help him out!

Unfortunately for him, his buddies seemed to be starstruck with this sighting ... and for good reason. It's not every day you might spot this -- but then again, maybe that's changing.

Frankly, A$AP and Rihanna have been spotted out and about all over town lately ... and are NOT shy to show off their PDA, this weekend included, it seems. They're clearly gaga for one another -- and apparently want the whole wide world to know it.

The people have spoken, and they say Bow Wow beat Soulja Boy in a "Verzuz" -- which begs the question ... can Shad get a little respect on his name now??? Sheesh!

That's exactly what we asked BW Saturday in WeHo as he was leaving Catch ... this after his highly-anticipated showdown with his 2000s contemporary, which was put on in front of an audience at the Hollywood Palladium (where "Verzuz" battles have gone down lately).

Check out what Mr. Moss had to say when we asked if him (unofficially) winning the faceoff solidifies his contribution to music and culture ... something that's actually been in question in recent years, as Bow Wow's often been the butt of many online jokes/challenges.

Bow Wow had possibly the best answer to the question of relevance ... all you gotta do is punch his name into a search bar, and you'll quickly learn who he is. Well said, sir.

BTW, Lil Romeo came out as a surprise guest during the jam-packed "Verzuz" and gave both Bow Wow and Soulja their respective props ... which many say were long overdue considering their legacy and impact as it pertains to pretty much everything hip-hop.

It made for a sweet moment ... but it was just one of many highlights. At one point, Bow Wow busted out the Harlem shake -- which he made famous as a little tyke -- right around the time he was blowing up from his "Like Mike" role. We gotta say ... he hasn't lost a step!

The show ended up being an awesome walk down memory lane for pretty much anyone who was born in the '90s and grew up on Soulja and Bow Wow's music.

Pop Smoke's family is showing Travis Scott some serious love for paying tribute to the late rapper through a fashion collection with Dior ... and they want to work with him again for future projects.

Pop Smoke's brother, Obasi Jackson, tells TMZ ... the family is thankful Travis' Cactus Jack brand made the first item in its Dior collection all about Pop, and he thinks it could be the start of a great partnership.

It's a special moment for Pop's family ... he rapped about Dior and loved the brand, and often talked about leaving the country for the first time so he could check out Paris Fashion Week, where the collab was unveiled.

Pop's bro says the family appreciated the final product, a t-shirt with Pop's face on the front and lyrics from his popular "Dior" song on the back, but more than that ... they sound inspired.

Obasi told us how Pop's family wants to get more involved on the creative side moving forward.

Travis Scott knows when you take a trip to Paris, you gotta bring back some goodies for your GF ... we're guessing that's what he did, but it's not for sure.

Travis landed at the Van Nuys Airport Saturday and deplaned with a boatload of luggage and bags, including some bearing the name "Givenchy." The bags are huge, and what's inside may rival the cost of flying private across continents.

Now Givenchy sells both men's and women's duds, so it's unclear if these are presents for Kylie. As we reported, they've rekindled their romance, so at least SOME must be for her.

Travis was in Paris for the unveiling of his Cactus Jack Dior line at the Dior fashion show.  500 folks watched the men's runway show ... the first in-person event of its kind in a year-and-a-half because of the pandemic.

Johnny Solinger, the former singer of Skid Row, has died.

Johnny passed on Saturday, a month after he disclosed he was battling liver failure.

Members of the rock band announced Solinger’s death, saying, “We are saddened to hear the news of our brother Johnny Solinger. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans. Godspeed Singo. Say hello to Scrappy for us.”

Solinger started a GoFundMe account last month to help pay for his treatments. He wrote: “It is with a heavy heart I must let everyone know what’s going on with me and my health. I have been hospitalised for over the last month. I have been diagnosed with liver failure. And prognosis is not so good. As with most musicians I do not have health insurance and it’s very difficult to get proper care without it.”

Skid Row hit pretty big in the late 80s and 90s with its first two albums – "Skid Row" and "Slave To The Grind." Its biggest hits ... "Youth Gone Wild," and "18 and Life" together sold 20 million albums.

Solinger became a member of Skid Row back in '99, replacing Sebastian Bach. He stayed until 2015 when he was replaced with former TNT singer Tony Harnell.

He's on several Skid Row albums, including the "Thickskin," "Revolutions Per Minute." "United World Rebellion" and "Rise Of The Damnation Army."

Solinger is survived by his wife, Paula Marcenaro Solinger.

He was 55.

RIP

Master P wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to coach the Pelicans ... telling TMZ Sports he's signed with one of the biggest agencies in sports to help him get the job!!!

Remember, the rap legend told us earlier this week about his desires to lead his hometown team ... saying he'd be the guy to bring in wins and keep young superstar Zion Williamson happy.

We caught up with P out in Beverly Hills to get an update on his mission ... and he's already taking the necessary steps to make it happen!!!

"Right now, I just hired a sports agent," P says. "So, you know, to be an NBA coach, you have to have a sports agent."

But, it's not just any sports agent -- P says he's teaming up with Roc Nation Sports' Raymond Brothers ... a fellow Louisiana guy who's repped players from the Ball Bros. to Caron Butler to Zach Randolph.

"He's a good friend of mine and he knows what he's doing," P added.

As for his knowledge of the game, P says he's more than capable of a leadership role with the Pels.

"I'm not an X and O coach, but I understand people management. We don't need another X and O coach. (Stan) Van Gundy was an X and O coach, it didn't work."

"Times have changed. I think I have the best people management skills than any NBA coach can have."

Get this -- P says he can bring NOLA to greatness even if Zion wants out ... telling us he'll be able to help the remaining players reach their full potential.

As for his coaching staff?!? He's already got a guy lined up.

"I talked to John Lucas, he's willing to support me and come with me on this journey. So, I will have John Lucas that knows the X's and O's on the staff with me to make this happen. So, I got all the pieces to the puzzle."

Olivia Rodrigo's latest cover art looks an awful lot like something Courtney Love put out years ago -- and the latter isn't afraid to point that out ... not to mention demand credit.

The 18-year-old singer -- who's blowing up right now from her "drivers license" hit, plus her debut album "SOUR" from earlier this year -- teased a new visual project tied to her record, which will apparently be all about prom ... and OR never being able to attend her own.

She posed for a shoot in which she's in a prom dress, a tiara and mascara running down her face ... with a bouquet of flowers in tow. If that looks familiar, it's 'cause it is ... Courtney's band, Hole, released "Live Through This" in the '90s, and it's got a very similar aesthetic.

CL poked fun at this ... reposting Olivia's photo, and captioning it with, "Spot the difference! #twinning! 🥸@oliviarodrigo 😉👸👸." Seems like it was all in good fun, but it would appear Courtney is legit upset about this ... and perhaps rightly so.

Olivia eventually responded in Courtney's comments, writing ... "Love u and live through this sooooo much." Not really an apology or acknowledgment of inspiration (in our minds) ... and it looks like Courtney thought so too, because she told Olivia to send her flowers and a thank you note, while making sure to note her favorite florist. Indeed, it's deliciously petty.

Some are saying Courtney's expecting too much here -- as there's an argument that artists (especially ones from vastly different generations) are ripping each other's style all the time, consciously or unconsciously. It's also unclear if Olivia was aware of Courtney's work when she/her team were putting this whole concept together. Either way, Court doesn't care.

She dug in, writing ... "Does Disney teach kids reading and writing? God knows. Let's see. Yes this is rude. Rage inducing? Honey if I had a dollar for everyone this happens? I'd be real rich!"

Tyler, the Creator seems to be trying to get ahead of the Twitter outrage machine by apologizing to Selena Gomez (via song) for old tweets that are seriously screwed up.

The rapper addresses messages he posted online back in the early 2010s that were specifically aimed at Selena, Justin Bieber and other female artists ... many of whom he was talking about in incredibly graphic/sexual terms, which are too much for us to re-post here.

The tweets -- some of which are still live, BTW -- are in the vein of sexual fantasies and would-be exploits ... but one touches on SG and JB's former relationship, to which TTC took a sour tone and wrote, "Justin Bieber And Selena Gomez Is F****** Dating. F***."

Apparently, Tyler was into Bieber back in those days (in a romantic way, it seems) ... something he touches on in his new track, "Manifesto," where he briefly gets into this.

On Tyler's second verse, he talks about being "canceled" before cancel culture was a thing -- at which point he says he already apologized to Selena for these abhorrent tweets. In the same breath, he gives more context ... "Back when I was tryna f*** Bieber, Just-in"

Tyler and Justin have hung out in the past, and the former has done interviews in which he said he felt Selena didn't like him ... and was always "mean-mugging" when he was around her then-boo. Turns out, it might've been for good reason ... Tyler was apparently out to bang JB.

If that feels like it's coming out of left field for you, it shouldn't -- Tyler has suggested he's part of the LGBTQ+ community, and seems to get down with both guys and gals.

Yungblud took to the stage this week for a momentous event since the pandemic began -- welcoming back concertgoers (in-person) ... who came flocking in, mostly without masks.

The rocker held his first public show at WeHo's Whisky a Go Go, which was packed to the gills with folks dying to get out and catch some tunes up close and in the flesh. It's all kosher, obviously -- the state of California is open again, and masks are largely optional.

However, it's interesting to see that the majority of people here chose not to wear a face covering ... especially because we've heard it was all basically on an honor system in terms of vaccination. We've heard from people who went that there were no vaxx card checks ... so it's a little dicey. Some may have been vaccinated, others easily might not have been.

That might make you squirm a bit when you see just how huddled and close people got during the performance -- especially when Yungblud got down low to the ground level.

At this point, it appears enough people are getting vaccinated that these people felt comfortable enough to take the chance ... to which we say, rage at your own risk. Word around town is that a lot of these smaller venues aren't checking vaccine status, so ... 🤷🏽‍♂️

BTW, Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox were in attendance for this shindig -- they're pals with Yungblud -- and of course, they were doing their thing up in the upper deck ... making out and stuff.

Britney Spears was at the top of her game -- and at the top of album sales in her respective category -- before she was in a conservatorship, and even during ... which mucks up the argument of whether the apparatus was hindering her career in any real way.

Somebody posted a video of a graph over time, depicting Britney's album sales compared to her contemporaries between 1999 and 2017 ... and it's clear that she was the queen of "Diva Pop" during that run, a good chunk of which was during her court-ordered conservatorship.

Remember, Britney splashed onto the scene in the late '90s ... and was a tour de force-type artist in the early-to-mid 2000s. But, after 2008 -- around the time Britney's conservatorship was put into place -- she was STILL the reigning queen in album sales (worldwide) when stacked up against fellow singers like Shakira, Christina Aguilera, P!nk, J Lo, Gaga, Beyonce ... and eventually, the one female pop star who came along to overtake 'em all -- Adele.

BTW, we checked the numbers here ... and this video appears to be fairly accurate as far as who was on top and when -- again, relating to worldwide album sales in this respective window. Even as late as 2017, Britney was beating out the competition ... which is wild.

So ... what does this all mean??? Depends on who you ask, we suppose. On the one hand, you could argue the conservatorship hasn't really harmed her professionally -- as she was clearly very successful even after being placed in it. In fact, we've heard her father, Jamie Spears, say he actually helped whip her finances into shape again following her breakdown.

With that said, it's become obvious that Britney wants out -- she said as much this past Wednesday -- and seems to be putting her professional life on hold until she gets her way.

Britney Spears conspiracy theorists are back at it -- suggesting she didn't write one of her recent, emotional IG posts ... but we've learned she definitely did, and meant every word.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... Internet claims that Britney's social media manager, Cassie Petrey, is the one who crafted her Thursday IG post -- the one about fairy tales and Britney's life not being one -- are complete nonsense.

If ya missed it ... some of Brit's fans speculated the post was intended as damage control following her explosive court hearing Wednesday, and pointed to her mentioning her family in a somewhat positive light as proof.

Our sources say this is totally false -- just like the previous rumors that Cassie writes her posts -- and insist Britney has always been responsible for all of the messaging on her social media and always will be.

We're told Britney's social media accounts don't do scheduled posts either, as some fans believe, and she posts whenever she feels like it. We're also told social media has been the one positive outlet for her where she doesn't feel controlled ... so fans should believe what she says there.

Our sources add that Britney's digital team is very proud of her for speaking up in court about her conservatorship, and they note she had no complaints about social media during her testimony.

Some Prince superfan just nabbed an incredible piece of memorabilia ... the handwritten lyrics to "Nothing Compares 2 U," and it wasn't cheap.

The folks over at Boston-based RR Auction sold the awesome rock artifact for a cool $150,986. The notebook paper -- with lyrics written out in cursive (there's a lost art) -- has a back story that goes beyond Prince writing one of his biggest hits.

The fan who forked out the dough also got a detailed letter of provenance from Prince's former assistant, Therese Stoulil, explaining how she came into possession of the lyric sheet.

She says, "There was a knock on my door, and I looked out the bedroom window and saw a black BMW in my driveway and immediately recognized it as Duane's, Prince's half-brother."

Therese adds, "I went downstairs opened the door, and he only said 'this is from Prince' then he got in his car and left. Once I realized what Duane delivered, I was both stunned and humbled."

The sheet still has the white console marking tape Prince use to tape the lyrics to his mic while recording the track!

Although Prince wrote it, "Nothing Compares 2 U" was first recorded by The Family -- a group he formed -- for their 1985 self-titled debut album. Most famously, Sinead O'Connor covered it 5 years later and it became Billboard's "No. 1 World Single" of 1990.