Music

Cardi B's a mother of 2 now ... so she's asking the judge to postpone the trial over her 'Gangsta Bitch' cover art, which she was sued over nearly 4 years ago.

If you don't recall ... the album cover for Cardi's debut mixtape -- "Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1" -- features the rapper sitting back, drinking a beer, while a man with an elaborate back tattoo puts his head between her legs.

Kevin Brophy sued over the image, claiming that's 100 percent him in the image, but he never posed for the photo or gave Cardi permission to use his likeness. He also claimed the ordeal ruined his life and wanted at least $5 mil in damages.

The trial was finally slated for next month, but Cardi's filed new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- asking for a delay because she just gave birth to her son on Sept. 4.

According to the docs ... Cardi doesn't believe she should be required to travel all the way from the East Coast to Southern California next month, because she needs to be with her newborn for obvious reasons.

She also brings up the risks of COVID from travel and spending extended periods of time in public places, such as airports, hotels, and the courthouse. So, she's asking the court to put the trial on ice for at least 75 days.

A man was arrested after showing up at Ariana Grande's Hollywood Hills home in the middle of the night, then flashing a knife when security tried to get him to leave.

23-year-old Aharon Brown's facing a felony brandishing charge for the incident, which our law enforcement sources tell us went down around 2 AM Friday on Ariana's property.

We're told Brown arrived and demanded to see the singer, and when security told him to beat it ... he refused and pulled a knife. LAPD was called to the scene and arrested him.

It's unclear if Ariana was home at the time, but if she was ... we're told she never came out during the altercation or Brown's arrest.

Britney Spears giveth, so she can also taketh away -- which is exactly what she just did -- 2 weeks before her monumentally important court hearing.

The singer deleted her IG page Tuesday ... with a generic "Sorry, this page isn't available" message that appears if you click on her handle.

There was no heads-up from BS either, but, we've got an explanation as to why -- sources with direct knowledge say she wanted a break from social media ahead of her court hearing later this month.

As it was put to us, Britney wants to keep a low profile. As for why, our sources say there was concern in Britney's camp that she was too "out there" with some of her posts, especially the topless ones, and that might not sit well with the judge.

At the risk of possibly reading a little too much into the latest twist, the only thing Britney has on the table for the Sept. 29 hearing is to remove her dad from the conservatorship. Her social media posts shouldn't affect that decision. You gotta wonder ... will she formally make a play to end the conservatorship as well? That would be a more direct reason to 86 her social media account.

Still, it's a little bizarre ... because she'd just announced a couple days ago she's getting married to her BF, Sam Asghari.

Here's hoping she comes back soon.

G-Eazy's in the crosshairs of police in NYC, after his crew allegedly got violent with another group of guys ... with punches and bottles thrown.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the rapper's been named as a suspect in an NYPD assault report, for an incident that went down around 1 AM Friday at the Boom Boom Room in the Standard Hotel.

We're told G-Eazy's party got into an altercation with a few other guys, and one of them claims a member of G's entourage hit him in the head with a glass bottle.

Our sources say the scuffle moved outside, where G-Eazy allegedly punched another man in the head.

We're told the dude who claims he took a bottle to the head went to the hospital to get checked out ... but the guy G-Eazy allegedly punched refused treatment.

No arrests yet, but we're told police are still investigating the incident.

Conor McGregor and MGK have no bad blood, according to The Notorious himself who says not only do the guys NOT have beef ... but the rock star is invited to his next UFC fight.

The 33-year-old UFC superstar was leaving his hotel in NYC ... when he was asked about the incident with Machine Gun Kelly at the MTV VMA's Sunday night in Brooklyn.

"I got to go to the Barclays Center again. I got to present an award. I was just going to have a good time, you know what I mean? That's it. All love, all love! It's all good," Conor told Adam Glyn.

That's when McGregor extended the invitation, saying ... "Come to the next fight and watch me perform any time. I perform, no problem. Everyone's more than welcome to come to my fights or come to the shows. No beef. I don't even know the guy."

Of course, Conor and MGK nearly came to blows on the red carpet of the award show ... with McGregor lunging at the musician and splashing a drink before being restrained by security.

Peace was eventually restored ... and McGregor presented an award to Justin Bieber at the show. MGK performed with Travis Barker.

But, the question still remains ... why the hell were they fighting?

Conor clearly didn't want to get into it ... but did drop this line before shifting topics.

"I don't know [MGK]. Who is he? Tellin' me he's been at the fights, Megan's been at the fights years, so I know Megan and then I don't know the guy. There's no problem. Come to the fights."

A dig? Possibly. Or, maybe he just ain't a fan of Kelz.

Conor also gave a health update (it's only been 66 days since he broke his leg) and it's going to be music to the ears of McGregor fans.

"I honestly feel like I could kick right now, but I just gotta listen to to the doctors, listen to the people that are guiding me. That's what I've done so far. I've committed myself to the work, and I'm back on the feet."

Nicki Minaj is fiercely defending herself after letting it be known she won't be getting the COVID-19 vaccine until she's done enough research.

Nicki responded to tweets practically all of Monday night after she'd posted an explanation for her absence from the Met Gala, which required all guests to be vaccinated. She declared, if she gets vaccinated "it won't [be] for the Met. It'll be once I feel I've done enough research. I'm working on that now."

Then, about 20 minutes later, she dropped the tweet that still has social media fired up today. Nicki said her cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz "his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen." She added that "his friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied."

Nicki isn't pleased that anecdote is the one grabbing headlines. She's pointing out her critics are purposely ignoring her prior tweets encouraging people to get vaccinated, wear masks and be safe.

She also shared a screenshot of news headlines and called them all lies. Nicki wrote, "3 lies in a row from huge news platforms. I cited my young child as why I didn’t want to travel. But notice how NONE of them mentioned that? Ask yourself why that was."

Nicki also shared that she came down with COVID while preparing for this year's VMAs ... and she feared passing it to her son, who was born last September.

She tweeted, "Do u know what it is not to be able to kiss or hold your tiny baby for over a week? A baby who is only used to his mama?"

Apparently, Nicki's now satisfied with her research -- she relented she will eventually get the vaccine, because she'll have to travel and go on tour.

The Met Gala's the time of the year when celebrities dress up like royalty and whisk past their subjects to party the night together in elite fashion ... and this year did not disappoint.

Kim Kardashian showed up to the Balenciaga bash in a superhero-looking outfit Monday night at Cathedrale Restaurant in NYC. It's a Balenciaga getup that seems inspired by Kanye. We got her stepping out of her SUV looking like the lead in Marvel's next blockbuster.

Justin and Hailey Bieber followed. The Biebs is the poster boy for Balenciaga, so it kinda makes sense he hosted the party.

Machine Gun Kelly showed up in a black jacket with roses on his shoulders, and GF Megan Fox looked her typical amazing self in a red dress.

Kid Cudi boldly went where no man has gone before at the 2021 Met Gala ... with damn near a couple million in bling hanging from his neck!!!

The "Man On the Moon" artist was decked out in a vibrant Louis Vitton getup for the event, but the centerpiece of the look was his not-so-little man on the moon ... an opulent, one-of-a-kind piece designed by Ben Baller and KAWS.

We're told the chain and pendant -- museum quality diamond work titled "SPACE" -- is a whopping $1,600,000 piece ... featuring more than 24,000 clarity E color diamonds, and more than a kilo in 18k rose gold.

The celeb jeweler says, "This is the most detailed and intricate piece of jewelry I’ve ever created in my entire career," adding that he had to shut down his entire factory for 3 months to focus on completing it.

The piece is a miniature take on Kaws' famous "Holiday Space" astronaut figure, and Baller says the pendant's backpack has a secret compartment where Cudi can keep weed -- or other small stuff -- in it.

Flavor Flav says Chuck D is actually the one stalling any sort of reunion for Public Enemy -- as Chuck's saying -- but now Flav is laying out a solution to their standoff.

We got him Monday at LAX, and asked for an update on where things stood with his partner in rhyme. Remember, we spoke to Chuck earlier this year, and at the time, he made it seem like FF was blocking the iconic group from rekindling things and touring.

That's not the case at all ... or so claims Flav, who tells us Chuck's the one stonewalling things -- and it sounds like it's all over business, and good old-fashioned dollars and cents.

Watch Flav break down the drama here ... he says there's a partnership agreement he wants CD to sign, but it doesn't seem that's happened yet -- which Flav says is preventing them from working together again. He seems totally transparent about their issues, but Chuck might view this as Flav airing the family biz in public.

Remember, we asked Chuck about this exact issue during a hip-hop celebration in the Bronx (sans Flav) ... and he was pretty vague about what their specific issues were. Flav isn't holding back at all.

Of course, all this drama stems from their years-long falling out -- and Flav's effective firing from the group last year.

Britney Spears won't be walking down the aisle anytime soon -- but in the meantime, her giant diamond ring is all the rage for others looking to say "I do."

A rep for Forever Diamonds NY -- where Brit's fiance, Sam Asghari, had this puppy commissioned -- tells TMZ ... they received 500 inquiries Sunday following news of the proposal, with 95% of those inquiries being from people looking to purchase a version of the "Britney Ring."

You'll recall ... Forever Diamonds NY said they'd be naming this ring setting after the pop star herself, commemorating the thought they say Sam put in while making the purchase.

Despite everyone clamoring for a Britney ring of their own ... Forever Diamonds says no one will get the exact one she's got on her finger right now -- because that one was specially made for her, and they won't replicate it precisely.

That said, the jeweler tells us they're considering a version of the ring on display at a store they're opening soon -- so customers can see it up close. The fanfare makes sense ... Sam himself just spilled the beans on how unique it actually is, and what he had to do to keep it under wraps for so long.

As for the nuptials... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... BS and SA are in no rush to get hitched. We're told they're going to take their time and enjoy the engagement, and they're not even throwing around the word "wedding" among friends.

Frank Ocean might be thinking 'bout you -- but all anyone can think about is that weird-ass baby doll he brought with him to the Met Gala ... which looked more alien than human.

You probably saw this Monday as A-listers made their way into the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the high-fashion event -- FO touched down with what appeared to be an infant cradled in his arms. As it turns out, though, it wasn't a kid ... it wasn't even alive either.

Frank had some sort of a robot with him -- which moved and blinked (and maybe even cooed?) like it was the real deal, but very much so wasn't ... on account of its slime green skin tone, among other tell-tale AI signs. It was weird -- but very on-brand for Mr. Ocean.

Dude's pretty enigmatic as an artist -- so him walking out with this machine in hand isn't all that nuts if you think about it. It was actually more of a shock just to see him there at all.

He hardly ever goes out ... but when he does, it's always a scene. As for what he himself was wearing, Frank had on a black Prada suit, accompanied by a custom cap, jewelry he reportedly had designed by his own line, Homer ... and, of course, his highlighter hairdo.

Blueface is accused of viciously attacking a doorman at a club, and video of the incident shows 3 other men jumped the guy too ... and it's incredibly brutal and disturbing.

TMZ's obtained security footage from late Sunday night at Skinny's Lounge in the San Fernando Valley, where the rapper and his crew are accused of pummeling the club's bouncer for not letting Blueface in without his ID.

As you can see, the altercation started in the entryway to the club, and a member of Blueface's group throws the first punch ... then Blueface and the other 2 men proceed to attack, unloading a flurry of punches and kicks.

It appears a woman in the group is recording the attack on her phone, before Blueface seemingly stomps the bouncer. Then, another guy tries to lift him up by his feet while the attack continued.

Blueface is the last person seen on the video, and appears to give the bouncer a couple of taps to see if he's conscious before leaving.

As we reported ... the bouncer had to be transported to a hospital by ambulance where he got stitches, and photos of his injuries look pretty bad.

Britney Spears has already taken steps to get a prenup drafted ... just a day after she and Sam announced their engagement ... sources tell TMZ.

Sources with direct knowledge who are close to Britney tell TMZ ... her camp is already mobilizing to get a prenup drafted. Britney's net worth reportedly hovers at around $60 million ... this money is hers, but although she's not making nearly what she raked in when she was performing, she's still making considerable coin.

Sam joked HE was the one who wanted a prenup, to protect his jeep and his shoes, but the reality is ... a prenup is not only in the cards -- it's necessary.

As we reported, Britney had a prenup with Kevin Federline, and that was before the conservatorship. It may be even more important now ... not because it's an omen -- it's just smart.

Britney announced the engagement Sunday, but did not say when they were getting married. This would be her third marriage, and it's unclear when they would tie the knot. But, her team isn't wasting any time getting the document signed, sealed and delivered ahead of the nuptials.

The Met Gala is back after a year off due to COVID, and it looks like the stars were chomping at the bit to put on their best suits and dresses in a return to normalcy.

This year's hosts include Keke Palmer, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, Timothee Chalamet and Naomi Osaka -- and they've already arrived in with their own getups ... which were eye-popping and extravagant.

Some of the stars expected to show include Rihanna, J Lo, Kim K, Emily Ratajkowski, Camila Cabello, Lupita N'yongo, Beyonce, Addison Rae and more. This year's theme is "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" -- so we'll see wears to rep that.

We know what you're thinking ... what about the Delta variant? There are strict protocols in place to help mitigate that -- including requirements for proof of vaccination prior to showing up, not to mention a negative COVID test as well. Masks indoors are also required.

Remember -- last year's Met Gala got scrapped altogether due to the pandemic ... so, it's been a year-plus since folks have been able to flex their fashion muscles anew.

Britney Spears' fiance is wearing his emotions on his sleeve face after their engagement ... and the bag over his head might be a metaphor for how he kept his proposal plan hidden.

Sam Asghari had a pep in his step Monday as he made a pit stop at a 7-Eleven ... grabbing a Gatorade inside before hopping in his Jeep with his bride to be ... and wearing a Trader Joe's bag over his head with the words, "She said yes!"

Britney's fiance was rolling solo later in the day when a photog caught up with him going inside a gym for a workout, with Sam saying the road to their engagement wasn't easy.

It's interesting ... Sam says he had to keep the custom engagement ring secret for 3 months ... but he's not giving out any free game on how to woo a pop star.

As we reported ... Sam popped the question Sunday at Britney's home and she said yes, and he gave her a huge rock with "lioness" inscribed on the band.

Britney Spears' newly-minted fiance, Sam Asghari, says he and Britney will sign a prenup, alright ... a prenup designed to protect HIM.

Sam was responding to fans who urged Britney to get a prenup ... his response -- yep, they'll sign an "iron clad prenup," adding, "to protect my jeep and shoe collection in case she dumps me one day."

Now, Sam added a few crying laughing emojis, but it's actually a real issue.

As we reported, she broke the news on Instagram, posting a video of her showing off the huge rock on her finger, with the caption ... "I can't f***ing believe it 💍💍💍💍💍💍❣️!!!!!!"

It's worth noting ... Britney signed a prenup with Kevin Federline, so it's something she's clearly inclined to do ... at least in the past. Although these stories on net worth are often wildly inaccurate, Brit's reported estimate worth hovers at around $60 million. So, Sam's clearly joking about a prenup that protects him, but that doesn't mean a prenup is not in their future.

BTW ... since the judge in Brit's conservatorship case already said she's capable of hiring a lawyer, it seems the coast is clear for her to hire another lawyer to handle prenup business. Here's the wild card -- the conservator of her estate -- as long as the conservatorship exists -- could demand a prenup be signed to protect her assets, and right now that person is Jamie Spears.