Music

Eric Bellinger is one of R&B's leading traditionalists, but Akon's idea about reformatting the catalog to go country sounds mighty enticing!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with EB at LAX on Tuesday as the Grammy-winning singer was en route overseas for Mario's "Glad You Came" Tour ... and he called Akon a flat-out genius for genre-swapping.

Akon told us last week he's been strategizing the country switch-up for 5 years and plans on recruiting the hottest cowboys and girls in music to boost the tracks.

Carlos Santana is on the mend after suffering a medical emergency and being rushed to a hospital ... but he's going to have to scrap another show.

A rep for the legendary musician tells TMZ ... Carlos has been discharged from the hospital and is resting in a hotel, but his show Wednesday night in Sugar Land, Texas has been postponed out of an abundance of caution.

We're told dehydration was determined to be the main reason Santana collapsed Tuesday during a sound check at a venue in San Antonio.

Quavo just saw his second film starring opposite John Travolta released -- and feels his acting chops will go on to be among the legends!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Quavo at LAX and asked him how he plans on surpassing the works of Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Tupac Shakur ... you know, the rappers whose legacy lives in both music and movies.

Quavo boldly shoots down every name we throw at him ... he's been on a roll and is coming in hot for Hollywood.

Kanye West is firing off more than just disturbing, antisemitic rants online these days ... the rapper is also making a racket with his SUPER LOUD casting calls, and offending neighbors with a prominent racist hate symbol, in Los Angeles, TMZ has learned.

Here's the deal ... Kanye plastered L.A.'s Larchmont neighborhood with an "urgent" advertisement seeking "AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES" for his "hooligan choir," which has set up shop in a warehouse near an elementary school.

In the flyers, Kanye requires any prospects cannot be "fat" and must wear all black with the skin complexion of Sean "Diddy" Combs -- who is about to go on trial for alleged racketeering, sex trafficking and other federal crimes. The ad also requires anyone to be "COMFORTABLE WEARING SWASTIKAS," and, of course, there are other conditions.

Justin Bieber is leaving Drew House behind and starting a new venture because he believes his fashion brand no longer represents him ... but sources connected to the company are calling BS on his claims.

Sources connected to Justin tell TMZ … Justin felt Drew House was no longer his and he wanted to distance himself from ex-manager Scooter Braun, who was very much involved in the company. The decision didn't happen overnight ... we're told there was a falling out at Drew House ... the result of some disagreements among the board of directors.

Justin, Scooter, Drew House co-founder Ryan Good, Churchome Pastor Judah Smith and David Bolno were all on the board ... but our Justin sources say trouble started in 2023, when Bolno was mentioned in news reports as a person of interest in the death of aspiring singer Laura Lozano. David was later cleared by police.

Lizzo has been on a mission to live a healthier lifestyle ... and after shedding 16% of her body fat, she's pulling back the curtain on how she made it all happen.

The singer hopped on TikTok Live on Tuesday to open up about her weight loss journey, and credits much of her transformation to cutting certain foods from her diet.

For example. Lizzo says she was previously drinking 2-3 Starbucks beverages a day -- totaling around 1,200 calories. She's since dropped Starbucks entirely -- and coffee altogether -- focusing on "calories in versus calories out" approach.

5:56 PM PT -- The San Antonio Fire Department tells TMZ ... they responded to the Majestic Theater at 5 PM CT for a report of an elderly patient who had reportedly fainted and transported them to the hospital with a non life-threatening condition.

4:38 PM PT -- A rep for Carlos Santana tells TMZ ... tonight's concert at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio has been postponed. The singer is currently under observation in Texas. His rep says he's doing well and looks forward to coming back to San Antonio soon as well as continuing his US Tour.

The rep adds the San Antonio show will be rescheduled soon.

Health scare for Carlos Santana ... he's in a hospital right now getting treatment after suffering a medical emergency before a concert in Texas ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for the legendary musician tells us Carlos suffered a medical emergency Tuesday that they suspect is dehydration. He was put into an ambulance and has left the venue, and we're told by his rep he's been hospitalized for further testing.

Santana's rep says his Tuesday night show at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio is not currently canceled -- but that could change depending on how Carlos responds to treatment.

Wiz Khalifa says his time and value as an artist is very valuable -- and you won't see him onstage unless he's getting paid a 7-figure sum!!!

The megastar rapper recently paid the Joe Budden Podcast a visit out in NJ, where Wiz revealed his stock is still up from 10 years ago, when he and Charlie Puth released their mega-Diamond-certified single "See You Again."

Joe was in disbelief ... but Wiz maintained his guest feature price is a cool $250,000 a pop ... and upwards of $2 million per show!!!

Kanye West claims he hasn't been around his son Saint at all this year ... but we know that's not even remotely close to the truth.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … Ye can see his kids whenever he wants and mostly chooses not to, but he has definitely seen Saint in 2025.

Kanye's kids mostly live with their mother, Kim Kardashian, in California ... but we're told Ye spent about 3 months in Los Angeles this year and didn't ask to see Saint or any of his kids, aside from North ... until a week before leaving town.

Beyoncé’s love story could’ve had a totally different soundtrack -- she was actually torn between Jay-Z and another guy back in the day, and had to bring in her mama for some decision-making.

It was the singer's mom, Tina Knowles, who spilled the tea in her new memoir "Matriarch," revealing that while Beyoncé was bonding with Jay-Z over the phone back in the day, she was also juggling another guy in the industry at the same time.

Tina elaborated ... saying Bey and Jay were giving each other solid advice about the industry in 2001, and as their phone chats kept going, their friendship started to run deeper.

One of Justin Bieber's closest associates is taking a break from the singer ... and it's because of Justin's pastor Judah Smith.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Ryan Good, Justin's former road manager and the creative director at JB's fashion brand Drew House, hasn't spoken to Justin in over a year.

We're told Ryan and Justin haven't talked since Ryan left Churchome in Beverly Hills ... it's the church Bieber still belongs to, and where Judah serves as pastor.

Kanye West struck chords and nerves in abundance by revealing he and his convicted murderer male cousin used to hook up as young teens ... and many of his rapper peers feel it explains the root of his troubles.

Boosie Badazz, who's typically on the offensive on non-heterosexual relationships, cut Ye some slack ... but felt that energy would be channeled to fighting enemies down the line.

A$AP Ferg also sent Ye love from afar, as the situation hits close to home for him.

Lil Uzi Vert is currently getting medical treatment in NYC -- the "Eternal Atake" rapper was rushed to a hospital ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

Paramedics responded to an EMS call Monday afternoon for a "sick person" in Lower Manhattan.

An eyewitness at the scene tells us Lil Uzi was wheeled out of the lobby of a luxury condominium building on a gurney around 2:30 PM and loaded into the ambulance.

50 Cent and Joe Budden have been going tit for tat for weeks on social media ... but it was all good when they came face-to-face at the Knicks heated playoff game last night!!!

A source close to 50 Cent’s floor seat act tells TMZ Hip Hop the G-Unit general -- along with Fat Joe -- were invited guests of Madison Square Garden and were supporting the NYK.

We’re told 50 had no idea Budden was even at the game until they showed 50 on the Jumbotron -- and saw Joe cheering for him on the big screen.

Tina Knowles battled breast cancer last year -- and says she shudders thinking what could’ve happened if it hadn’t been caught early ... especially since she’d already missed a scheduled mammogram.

Beyoncé’s mom is opening up about the life-changing ordeal in her new book -- "Matriarch: The Memoir" -- to PEOPLE and CBS Mornings, saying she finally rescheduled the mammogram she missed during the COVID pandemic … and that’s when docs found two tumors.

She said one tumor was benign, but the other turned out to be stage 1 breast cancer in her left breast ... admitting she was in total disbelief -- especially since she’s always been on top of her health.

Kanye West and Bianca Censori are social media official again ... because he just posted a photo with her online after an intimate dinner date overseas.

Ye and Bianca look and sound like they're giving their marriage another go ... based on his social media post and some new info we're learning about their recent outing in Spain.

Kanye and Bianca first raised eyebrows Friday night when they were spotted at an Indian fusion restaurant in Mallorca, and folks who work there tell us the pair seemed "nice and happy" while breaking bread.